I'm so cool with my paradoxical titles. Today I wanted to talk about those pesky pieces of tech that you just can't seem to live without, although you secretly know you'd be perfectly fine without.

Fitbit Flex

I talked about this in my favorites post a few days ago. Basically, it's an activity tracker. You wear it on your wrist and it tracks how much movement you do, and with that, estimates things like number of steps taken, calories burned, distance traveled, etc. It's totally unnecessary, but very cool and motivational. It pushes me to exercise when I can see just how little I work out. It has apps for the iPhone and Android (I have Android) and there's one for PC and Mac too. I blocked out my weight but it goes in the blacked out area.

Sol Republic Tracks HD

These days, design-oriented headphones are taking the world by storm. Beats, Frends, etc. Headphones are not only about quality, but also design and appearance. I think these Sol Republic ones are so cool looking. This is a brand that hasn't gotten much publicity like Beats by Dr. Dre, but I think are easily comparable. Michael Phelpes has been seen sporting them, but that's about the only well-known person I've heard of wearing them. They're this ultra cool design where everything is an independent clause, meaning it's highly customizable and replaceable. The sound is nice and bright. Although to be honest, it doesn't sound particularly natural, not like if you were in the studio with the artist. Think more of in the middle of a concert.

Pocket

This is an app that essentially saves pages for later. It's available on most of the platforms on the market - Apple, Android, and web! If you saw something while browsing your phone and didn't have time to read it, you could save it in Pocket and go back to it later on your phone, computer, or tablet - it even saves stuff offline, which makes it convenient for those on-the-go. I apologize for not having a screenshot, but check it out if it interests you.

X-mini Speakers

This is a brand that makes pocketsized portable speakers that play unreasonably loud for their size. I have the V.1.1. Capsule speaker, but most of them resemble something along the lines of mine (although some don't have a cap like this one) - a plastic spring-like thing that condenses down and locks to save more room. These are really great because the battery lasts forever and there's a great sound quality. The bass booms and the treble is crisp and clear.