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Looks like you had teething troubles with your Kindle, ampthill.
The first few years where fine. Then a dog chewed it. More seriously the corners went in the case, hence the duck tape
I have a Microsoft trackball that they don't make any more, but I'm sure someone out there makes something as comfortable that would replace it.
Other than that I've got a bench power supply that I made when I was about 13. If it died it would be a shame but I'd replace it with something smaller, more flexible and mass produced.
My Kindle. Had a 1st gen one for years and when it broke I was bereft, couldn’t wait for the replacement to arrive!
"Love" is a bit strong for consumer electronics but I appreciate things that serve a purpose and do so reliably.
I like my Kindle/Phone/Computer but it's got to be something simple...
If I had to save one bit of lectrickery from the apocalypse:
@ Johnx2 – I didn’t ask what’s your most loved electronic heirloom did I?
FFS
Also @educator and others
I was looking at my son's Fender precision jazz bass as I typed that, I guess I don't really think of musical instruments, analogue watches etc as "electronic" as you get non-electronic versions, unlike radios, tellys etc. About defining terms and not a criticism of the thread subject.
I've an old hard drive I hope isn't dead that I hope holds a lot of photos of my kids when they were young. Backups long since lost. Really really must do something about that. But again, it's not the kit, it's the content that would qualify as valuable to me. If it's still there and recoverable. A legitimate observation no?
My iPad. I don't know how people manage without one.
It’s what I use to read books, to listen to music, to read the news, to post on STW, it’s where I watch most of my tv these days, where I read and reply to emails, where I do most of my shopping, I use it to play games when I have to wait around for a while (I’m replaying ‘Bully’ at the moment - it’s as good as you remember), I use it do do most of my filing and written work, to edit photos, to FaceTime my family while lockdown has been on ...
It’s pretty much the first thing I pick up in the morning, and the last thing I put down at night. My iPad and my bike are the two things I’d replace instantly if they were lost, or stolen, or broken.
Electrical: Miele washing machine. Eighteen years old. Never missed a beat. One service.
Personal electronics: iPhone 8x/watch3/EarPods combo works for me. And I was a cranberry addict for nearly 20 years.
Ah, The Casio F-91W, or Al-Qaeda special
Same as @easily - my phone and pad are the two electronic items that are the most important, just because there’s so much I do with them. My phone carries all of my music, (as does my Mac Mini, but that is really as much for backup as anything), and it’s my satnav and camera as well as a library with a lot of books in it, (600+), while my pad is basically my main computer for web stuff, as well as a book-reader.
And I do know they need replacing after a period of time, but after restoring from backup, each new device is just part of an ongoing chain.
Fuji Epix510
About 15 yr old now, it was a graduation gift from Mum.
Sure Im sure there are better these days, but at the time is was a fair bit, and I think not the amount she though cameras came in at.
As such I've made damn use of it, and in truth im on my 2nd one, just not told Mum that 😆
Especially after 'The Tonka Incident'
A toy I received as a small kid when we were poor and Dad at uni. She saved up for it.
And dismantled the entire thing 3 months later 😯 Completely, even the stickers.
I've felt quite bad about finding that out decades later.
My Gaggia Classic and my newly resurrected Troute Lumen Liberator
Sony Cube radio alarm.
Bought it in Belfast early 1990s.
It has traveled round Europe and UK and still working.
I did replace it with a Roberts for weekly travel but that broke so switched back to the Sony.
I fall asleep listening to it at night and wake up in the morning.
My old olive style Naim amplifiers and power supplies. Just beautiful. And heavy.
Oh and my Apple MacBook. I never felt love for a computer until I switched to Apple stuff.
My iPad Air, use for Readly, browsing news, YouTube, doodling on with the Apple Pencil and a load of other pointless things.
The phone suggestion is good but I wouldn't say it's a thing that I'd be gutted about. I might be a bit miffed that I had the inconvenience of replacing it but the data's all backed up and it's just a tool.
I love music but don't have that good hearing I could get excited by real serious hi-fi. The irony being that it was probably my love of live music, pub gigs and loud clubs that did for my hearing in the first place!
I think I'm in the use it and not be attached to it club. I'd be more pissed about losing my grandfather's hand tools (chisels and gouges and various other bits that I learned the basics of woodworking with as a youngster).
OLED TV or iPad Pro for me - I guess I'm pretty easy to please :p
I wont be very happy if/when my ipod classic dies
Like others above, my De Walt impact screwdriver. Perfect in every way, closely followed by these...
But not sure if they strictly count...
I wont be very happy if/when my ipod classic dies
I have a very old one which is engraved with 'Mum and dad'. It broke several years ago but I won't get rid of it because I bought it as a treat for myself after receiving an inheritance after they both died. I have no idea what to do with it so I guess it'll just sit in the drawer until I die then end up in landfill.
I was surprised after a quick Google search at the number of ipod repair options
https://www.ipodrepairs.co.uk/
I was going to come on here and sanctimoniously declare that I hate electronics and that I don’t have a favourite, but that’s not true, and I would have had to take my foot out of my mouth.
The fact is, I love whatever crappy old laptop I happen to be able to call my own at any given time.
Right now it’s some reconditioned HP something-or-other, and I can’t stand the trackpad. However, it allows me to write, to research, and do all the things that are important to me.
So... my laptop.
I'm not really in love with any electronics/electrics though I was utterly in awe when I held the original iPhone. Up until then I hadn't owned a mobile but I had to have one of these. Several generations on and smartphones still amaze me.
Still, for the purposes of the thread I'm going with the hi-fi guys. Particularly my ATC speakers (if they are electric enough for the rules).
I have un-electric things which I "love" more though.
iPad air 2
Use it for:
Works teams meeting
Calling family using facetime or Alexa app.
Read magazines
Watch films / TV
streaming music through Spotify
Shopping online
Emails
GoPro editing
Can even use it in the bathroom where it becomes a poopad 😯
Put my Celestion 66 studio monitors up for sale just before covid hit and was somewhat half hearted about it, had them for 34 years and recently replaced the cross over caps (one was labelled 1973).
They sound beautiful (to me) but I don't really have anywhere to leave them set up for listening, so currently have to set up and then pack away again, not easy given there size and weight!
I know if I let them go i'll never replace them!
Though it barely counts as electronic, my 1964 Canon FX is my favourite camera.
Only used for B&W & the mercury battery is still good. God knows how old that is.
No even remotely the most costly or sharpest lens that i own, but its always the one I choose.
It's a funny question is this.
Like others I could easily say my phone. It's literally a pocket computer and is gradually replacing everything else you might have used to carry, we've been promised the Earth since they were called PDas and always disappointed. Walkman; camera; notebook and pen; GPS; torch; wallet stuffed not just with payment cards but store cards, loyalty reward cards... But really, it's not special, if it went bang tomorrow I'd just go and get another and the only thing I'd bemoan would be being £200 down.
My in-ear headphones died recently and I was genuinely gutted about that. They were a treat to myself at college and they were expensive for a college student at the time but sounded ace. I probably got 25 years out of them before catching the cord on something one day and ripping them internally.
There's my laptop I guess. I've waxed lyrical about it before but it's 12 years old now and it'll kill me to part with it when it finally dies or becomes truly obsolete because it's just a Nice Thing and a joy to use.
(Not my image)
OLED TV or iPad Pro for me – I guess I’m pretty easy to please :p
Very similar for me, OLED just makes anything else look broken.
I love my iPad Pro, but would still be pushed to choose it over my Macbook.
Some hi-fi speakers my Grandpa built - they don't get used now but I still like having them about for decorative purposes. I think that counts otherwise we need a stuff a member of your family has made that you keep hold of for sentimental value thread.
For me it’s either my iPad, as it’s stopped me stealth working so I focus on relaxing / wasting time reading this forum or on YouTube... or my Line6 helix, which means I can finally get the high gain guitar sound i’ve had in my head for years without a divorce / asbo
I'm going to say it's our Topfield TF5800PVRt must be a decade old but still our main viewing device. It's a Freeview recorder (in case you don't know) which is user customisable. A group of owners developed an interface called MyStuff that really has never been bettered on any other viewing platform.
It's currently plugged into a new LG HDR Smart TV and give a nice (if not mega detailed) picture with natural colours.
I use our Toppy (what its affectionately know as) in preference over using iPlayer and ITVHub etc. It's easier and quicker to use the Toppy, stuff I might watch gets filed away without worrying it's going to expire, ready for me to watch when I want, and no ads!
Probably my Kindle Voyage. I like it as it only really does one thing but does it very well. It is a treat to spend time getting lost in a book and having my favourite tomes at my fingertips.
I would love one of the new waterproof models for bath reading but cannot justify replacing my existing model.
I am a bit conflicted though as I would hate bookshops to close and feel guilty browsing in them and ordering the Kindle version.
It's wierd - despite the positive impact electronics/electricals have on my quality of life - I couldn't feel more ambivalent about them. I think it's the functionality of them that I feel strongly about - rater than the physical object.
Its a shame that more electrical stuff isn't built to last - as I think the emotional connection if probably connected to longevity. The closest I can think of is probably an old roberts AM/FM radio that was always on the kitchen table growing up - now sitting in my mum's loft, obsolete.
An honorable mention goes to the handheld carpet/uphostery shampooer that I bought on Sunday after Batfink Jr shat on the carpet and then stomped in it. Yeah - I saying I love that thing probably isn't an overstatement.
My HP-41 CV calculator. Spent all summer working on a farm to earn enough to buy it.
For me it has to be this.
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Not that spectacular in itself but I imported it from Japan and before it arrived my Dad died. I forgot all about it, then in a very dark period of my life it was delivered.
So for me it represents the last bit of normality from a previous life.
Oled 3d tv. I know once its gone my 3d movies are extinct. Watched the entire Star wars saga inc Rogue one and Solo over lock down in 3d for the later movies. I was 8 again.
Probably my Tannoy DC6 Signatures, for the size of speaker they are amazing. I also picked them up at a bargain price which makes them so much sweeter.
not my image
Edit: Either that or my Dewalt impact drill - didn't realise just how useful one is
batfink
The closest I can think of is probably an old roberts AM/FM radio that was always on the kitchen table growing up – now sitting in my mum’s loft, obsolete.
Why is it obsolete? Have radio signals been turned off? I know nowadays it's all DAB or streaming, but there's still life in analogue radios even if they aren't 'cutting edge'.
Those Roberts radios really are classic....
Probably my JVC separates system I bought in 1996 with my first pay cheques. Cost about £500 without a CD in the sale. I then bought the JVC CD for another £200, but that eventually stopped ejecting so was replaced by a 5 CD changer from Technics. I probably need to re-do the cables to the speakers in the lounge as 1 speaker is a bit 'dodgy' but we've not used it in an age. Speakers are actually made by my wife's parent's company - they had a loud speaker company many years ago ! The original JVC speakers are in our conservatory, run off a splitter box.
It's a big 'unit' compared to the modern stuff, but does sound great. I can still get the stylus for the record player too.