Here are 5 gadgets I have loved

1. Psion Organiser
   I had a Psion 3a and a 3C. An absolutely brilliant design. Obviously the built-in software (based on the Sinclair QL programs I think?) were limited compared to modern apps, and the black and white screen was primitive compared to modern smartphones of a similar size, but the keyboard would still stand up against anything since.
   I used to be able to plug mine into the work PC to synch everything, and used it to keep make notes while out visiting remote sites. I can’t believe that anybody who ever had one does not have fond memories of it. An absolute classic.
   
2. BlackBerry
   Although I did have a later one which had rudimentary Internet access, the one that was most useful to me at the time was the earlier one with a wheel on the corner. I had this when I was first a councillor in the late 90s (I think?) and it felt like magic, being able to access e-mails at any time.
   During my later term as a councillor things had moved on and I had an Android phone and one of those Windows PCs where you could detach the screen and use it as a tablet. Obviously you could do a lot more with that, but it wasn’t as revolutionary as the old original BlackBerry.
   
3. iRiver HP-120 mp3 player
   The name might suggest that this was an iPod rip-off, but I think that it actually pre-dated the Apple device. A friend of mine had an early mp3 player from Creative that was the size and shape of a CD Walkman and it was really impressive. I spent a couple of months comparing the various options available at the time before going for the iRiver and never regretted that at all.
   At the time I was commuting to London by train and this was a complete game-changer. No more fishing a cassette, CD or MiniDisc player out of my pocket to change media. There was a display and controls on the device itself, but it also had a remote control with a small display and buttons.
   I still have this somewhere and I bet it still works.
   
4. Kindle Paperwhite
   Yes you can read e-books on a Kindle app on a phone or tablet in colour, but still believe that the display on Kindles is kinder on the eyes, and means that the battery lasts for a lot longer. I did have a Sony reader that was OK but the integration of the Kindle with the Amazon store makes everything so much easier.
   I take the Kindle on holidays and on any public transport trip I need to make. It is readable in the dark or in bright poolside sunshine and if I finish a book there is always another to start, so no chance of running out of reading material while away.
   Yes, actual paper books are lovely things, but really I do not have room for any more in the house. My home office has floor-to-ceiling bookshelves along two walls and I have run out of walls. I have several hundred books downloaded and read and would never have had space for paper versions.
   
5. Breville Coffee Machine
   This one of those machines where you pour coffee beans in the top. It has the milk frother thing and you could make all sorts of fancy drinks with it but I only ever use it to make espresso. If it broke I would replace it with one that is smaller and only does espresso.
   I could use a pod machine, and I do have one as an emergency backup, but I just like the ritual of grinding the beans, tamping it down, and making the drink. As I have got older I have started to enjoy the mindfulness of taking my time over some things – in the same way that I enjoy the rituals of playing vinyl over just streaming.
   This machine is in daily use. I will make an espresso (or really a lungo) after breakfast and after my cereal I will take my coffee to the living room and have that while listening to the radio and doing the puzzles in the Times. If time allows I will do the same after lunch, finishing off the puzzles while playing an LP. If I am cooking a meal in the evening I will have an espresso after it.