It's the end of the year again, and my friends' social media feeds are filled with photos from their outings and annual summaries. As a desperate university student cramming at the last minute, I'm just holed up in my dorm room reviewing (fishing) for exams. Since I'm idle anyway, I thought I'd write an annual summary for myself, to reflect on the "trash" I've collected this year, and also as my relatively formal first blog post.
Second-hand Finds#
Handheld Console Series#
This year marks the official start of my handheld console journey, fulfilling a childhood dream. To recap, the handheld consoles I've purchased this year include PSP3000, Old Small Three, GBASP, Dual System Switch. I ended up selling the GBASP because the screen was severely aged.
PSP3000#
In March, I found a seller on a second-hand platform selling his Japanese version PSP3000. After asking about it, I bought it for 320, which came with two Sony batteries and a Hong Kong version box. After receiving the console and consulting some experts in the group, I discovered that it seems to be a refurbished unit, which felt like a lucky find! Overall, its condition is quite good, though the screen has a slight yellow tint (a common issue with PSP3000, but the color space is not bad). It's great for playing some galgames and rhythm games (by the way, Hatsune Miku's rhythm game is quite difficult; it seems I'm only suited for simpler games). I also met my first group friend through this console: Taishou, who helped me choose the Old Small Three based on his experience and taught me how to check the console's functionality. I'm very grateful to him and wish him success in his graduate studies!
Old Small Three#
As we all know, collecting trash can be addictive, and so can collecting handheld consoles. After receiving my first handheld console in early March, I couldn't resist and spent a few more days on the second-hand platform, eventually acquiring a blue Old Small Three with a Miku skin, which is very cute! It even came with a Crayon Shin-chan storage bag. Before I got the Switch, I played Taiko no Tatsujin and Pokémon on it, but unfortunately, the stylus isn't original, and it's quite short, making it inconvenient to play (sad). On Taishou's recommendation, I also tried Devil Training, which is quite interesting and perfect for exercising the brain of a clueless university student. As for its 3D function, I hardly used it after bringing it home; the angle restrictions were too severe, and it didn't affect the gaming experience, so I didn't bother. I only found out after getting the Old Small Three that blowing into the microphone hole makes the game icons spin, which is really fun! I also installed a theme I found on Bo Van, using my favorite Pokémon illustrations and the BGM from Unwhite Town. I even played Animal Crossing on the Old Small Three, using the spring day theme as my village song.
Please check out my terrible gameplay
GBASP#
I haven't played the GBASP much. On one hand, it's because I used to play with a GBASP when I was a kid, so I'm very familiar with it; I got it purely for nostalgia. On the other hand, the original screen is really blinding... with a large area of aging marks, especially in the middle of the screen, and its condition isn't great. Replacing the screen for this console would be too much of a loss, so I reluctantly sold it. If I find one at a reasonable price in the future, I might consider getting another. The GBASP introduced me to the interesting game "Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land" when I was younger, making it quite significant for me.
Switch#
With the increasing buzz about the new Switch, I felt it might be the right time to collect a console for gaming. After confirming my needs and budget, I spent several days on the second-hand platform and finally got a Japanese version of the Dual System Switch with extended battery life for 900 without a dock, which is quite good for a poor university student like me. I got to play Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, catching the tail end of the ninth generation. It's much larger than I expected, especially compared to my other handheld consoles; it's like a big brick (in every sense). The only downside is that the controller is quite fragile; a few months after I got it, the right controller stopped charging. After some online research, I found out that this is a common issue with the Switch, as the ribbon cable bends too much and breaks. I bought a replacement cable on PDD, and after installing it, it was back to full power—another good console!
Digital 3C#
In chronological order, the digital products I bought this year include Redmi AC2100 router, Redmi K20 Pro, Xiaomi Mi Band 4 NFC version, KPW3, desktop charging station, Xiaomi Tablet 4 WiFi version, Lenovo M3500Q mini PC, Huion HC16. Wow... I didn't realize how much I had until I counted; playing with these gadgets has taught me a lot of new knowledge online, and I've become addicted to tinkering with them. Looking at the order dates, I found that I bought them all after getting the handheld consoles, so it was a seamless transition.
Redmi AC2100 Router#
On the recommendation of my friend Linsoap, I installed a router in my dorm. While my roommates had to reconnect and dial every time they turned on their computers, I was enjoying direct connection and dorm WiFi. Technology changes lives (sigh). Of course, I couldn't skip the tinkering phase; I immediately installed OpenWRT, but the firmware version I found was too low, and it was the official firmware, which didn't have any useful plugins. I then searched for modified plugins, and there are many modified firmware versions on Enshan, especially for AC2100. But for some reason, when I tried to flash the firmware, it reported an error, saying it didn't match my OpenWRT version. I had to start over from Breed, and I could only flash the original firmware I first used, which was a cyber chastity lock (laughs). In desperation, I had to install plugins myself. After going through changing sources, learning how to use SSH for debugging, and searching for solutions to dependency installation failures, I ended up failing (sad). I still couldn't install the dependencies needed for OpenClash, which seems to be a firmware issue. However, I was able to install AdGuard Home, but my router started crashing from time to time, and the WiFi quality deteriorated, showing that the network was unavailable. When I have some free time, I need to battle OpenWRT (angry) and resolve these long-standing issues.
Redmi K20 Pro#
To conclude, it's practical, versatile, and aesthetically pleasing—overall, it's a super large cup (not really). I wonder if anyone else has been tortured by the long-distance running app? For someone like me who doesn't like exercising, running even a little makes me feel like I'm going to die on the playground. That's secondary, though; the main issue is that the BYD Sports World Campus app is so damn annoying! How can it have so many ads and require so many permissions?? Unable to tolerate this awful app, I complained to Linsoap, who told me that I could actually simulate running using FakeLocation. He successfully simulated running with his rooted K40, and the results were valid.
I digress; this incident sparked my desire to play with a rooted device, so I decided to look for a new phone. In the end, I settled on the K20 Pro, which features a true full-screen display, a pop-up camera, and alien technology—a 3.5mm headphone jack, with an 8+256 configuration, powered by the Snapdragon 855. It's more than enough for tinkering. I won't go into too much detail about the tinkering process, as it was quite a journey; otherwise, I might not finish this blog today. If I have time, I might write about the process of tinkering with it. Overall, I'm very satisfied with it; it's one of my favorite electronic products (confessing my love here).
Xiaomi Mi Band 4 NFC#
The standby king, the god of battery life; I left it for a month and checked, and it still had power. I installed the MC theme pack and rainbow cat watch face from the Xiaomi community, which is very cute! However, I can't unlink the bus card; the seller probably got it second-hand, and since I don't use it, it doesn't matter much.
Kindle Paperwhite 3#
I've always been a bit tempted by e-ink screen products, but the prices are too high, and even if I got one, I might not read much. However, after learning about e-readers during the summer vacation, I felt that the KPW3 could meet most of my needs. I got it during the summer to let my younger siblings read, and I found joy in tinkering with it while they could read without straining their eyes—how wonderful! The KPW3 feels comfortable in hand, much lighter than I expected, and has excellent battery life. There is some light leakage, but it's not very noticeable. Coupled with ZLibrary, it's very comfortable for my family to read. I initially thought of not jailbreaking this device, fearing my family wouldn't know how to use it, but reading PDFs on the KPW3 is quite a hassle... In the end, I did jailbreak it and installed a few plugins to make reading more convenient.
Desktop Charging Station#
With the increasing number of electronic products, I ran out of plugs and data cables. I thought about buying a GaN charger, but Linsoap recommended something called an open-source charging station. After checking it out on Bilibili, it perfectly met my needs, and there are many replicas of it on the second-hand platform from various experts. With over 80 dual USB and dual Type-C ports, isn't this better than the several hundred yuan GaN charging stations? I hardly use fast charging except for my phone, so I immediately ordered this charging station, and it's quite good—highly recommended.
Xiaomi Tablet 4 WiFi Version#
Aside from the 1080p resolution and dual speakers on the same side, I'm quite satisfied with it. I don't expect it to play any games; it's great for streaming. Recently, it has become my rhythm game launcher. Although the refresh rate isn't high, my skills are average, so it's sufficient.
Kindle Paperwhite 3 Lenovo M3500Q Mini PC (?)#
So far, this is the product I've spent the most money on for tinkering. With only DP and VGA ports, I still haven't seen its main interface since I don't have a monitor (laughs). I've bought various cables, adapters, and capture cards, hoping to eventually get it working for NAS.
Part Two: Alright, the reality is that this big fool of mine wrote the article and only published it now. By this time, I've already played with it (laughs), installed FNOS, and it runs almost silently. However, the seller who sold me the machine wasn't very honest; this isn't the M3500Q but more like the 4350Q or M72E. Lenovo has released too many models, and when I asked the seller, he didn't know the specific model.
Huion HC16#
A spontaneous purchase. Previously, Linsoap started learning to draw with a drawing tablet, which seemed quite fun. A few days ago, my roommate also mentioned wanting to draw on a tablet, so I browsed the second-hand platform and found a good deal, so I bought it. It hasn't arrived yet, but now I have something to play with during the winter break.
Part Two: Surprisingly, when connected to the computer, it's quite suitable for annotating PDF documents. It’s also good for reviewing questions or taking notes during finals.
Taobao#
I bought very little from Taobao this year, mostly from PDD and second-hand platforms, and I only browsed a lot during Double Eleven since my wallet is empty (sad). The electronic products I bought on Taobao this year include: Midea Air Fryer KZE5059, Sound Memory SM1Lite, Water Moon Rain Bamboo 2, KZ Legend Saga, IQOO Z9 Turbo. Among them, the air fryer was bought for my mom, and all three headphones were returned. Wow, I really didn't buy much (laughs).
Midea Air Fryer KZE5059#
It's quite useful; it's my first time using an air fryer, and the noise startled me at first. Sometimes when I'm hungry, making some fries is really satisfying.
Sound Memory SM1Lite, Water Moon Rain Bamboo 2, KZ Legend Saga#
I'll discuss these three together since they all cost the same—99. The SM1Lite's plastic cavity is really quite poor; to put it nicely, it's suitable for listening while sleeping, gentle and not harsh. To put it bluntly, it's just bad. The Water Moon Rain Bamboo 2 has decent sound performance, but the metal cavity is too heavy and cold in winter, and I've heard that the paint on the surface tends to chip off, so I decided to return it. The KZ Saga sounded quite good when I first tried it on, especially since the included ear tips were much more comfortable than those of the first two headphones, and the bass was decent. However, after a few days of use, it had a fatal issue: when connected to my Xiaomi Tablet 4, the background noise was particularly loud... it directly affected the sound quality, so I had to return it as well.
IQOO Z9 Turbo#
Since my dad wanted to change his phone and his current one is a Vivo, I finally chose this phone. With a 6000mAh large battery and 80W fast charging, the screen quality is also quite good. Plus, with Taobao's 10 billion subsidy, I could get the top configuration for just 1790, which is a great deal. After using it for a few days, I found it quite good and installed Li Tiao Tiao for my dad, which is sufficient. However, why are there so many settings in OriginOS? I'm getting dizzy trying to adjust everything. Also, how can I completely turn off system updates in OriginOS 4? I just want a stable system (laughs). I found out that I can't even use the replacement update package method to completely disable it, and the ADB debugging method doesn't work in 4 either—what a hassle.
JD#
This year, I bought electronic products from JD, including: Hisense R55, Midea Electric Fan SAH35MKL, Fiil GS Lite Open Bluetooth Headphones, Fiil GS Open Bluetooth Headphones, Flydigi Ice Wolf 2, Daling S800, two of which were returned.
Hisense R55#
I only found out the TV at home was broken when I returned home for the New Year. My mom thought a new year should bring a new atmosphere, so she asked me to buy a new one; otherwise, there would be no TV for guests during the New Year. After checking the recommended configurations and parameters, I ended up buying this model. To be honest, when will the TV fix those annoying ads and the damn membership requirements? They won't even let you watch local channels unless you go to the broadcasting station to activate it—how heartless! If I weren't worried about not being home to tinker with the TV and my family wouldn't know how to handle it, I would really want to adjust it properly. The configuration is indeed good, but the built-in system is terrible.
Midea Electric Fan SAH35MKL#
To be honest, I was quite disappointed. It really isn't much better than the fan we bought ten years ago. The fan blade is relatively small, and the maximum wind speed isn't very strong. It's more of a product I was too lazy to return and just settled for.
Fiil GS Lite Open Bluetooth Headphones, Fiil GS Open Bluetooth Headphones#
I'll discuss these two together. Since my ears are quite small, I wanted to try open headphones, but wearing them felt quite insecure, and the headphone cavity kept pressing against my ear (which Baidu says is called that), making it very uncomfortable. Moreover, the sound quality was unexpectedly poor... I just couldn't accept it. I bought the Fiil GS purely to see if LDAC made a significant difference, but the result was that there was hardly any difference. Considering the price, I decided to return both of them.
Flydigi Ice Wolf 2#
I bought this to compare with the Mojiang Lanfeng, and ultimately kept it. First, the Ice Wolf looks better than the Mojiang; the white Mojiang I bought looks too pale compared to the Ice Wolf, which isn't very appealing. Secondly, while the Mojiang's wireless charging base is a major selling point, my dorm desk space is quite limited, and it takes up too much room. Lastly, I prefer the round directional pad of the Ice Wolf 2, while the Mojiang has a cross key, and the buttons on the Ice Wolf 2 feel better to press. Although the Mojiang has an incredibly low wired latency, considering my needs, I decided to keep the Ice Wolf 2.
Daling S800#
Both the price and sound quality are within my acceptable range. They feel great to use while showering, and I don't have to worry about not hearing outside sounds while exercising. However, wearing them for long periods can still cause ear pain, so they're best for showering or exercising.
Pinduoduo#
This year, I bought electronic products from Pinduoduo, including: New Alliance M87Pro V2, Original Road No Trace Generation 1, Edifier W820NB Dual Gold Standard Version, Export to Domestic Twitter Recommended Ergonomic Mouse, Mojiang Lanfeng Game Controller, 31993 Chip Small Tail, Oppo Enco Air 3, Cooltech 10000mAh Magnetic Power Bank. What? That's not a lot (confused). Actually, it's because I mainly bought accessories on PDD, which gives the impression that I bought a lot of electronic products, but if I count, there aren't many big items.
New Alliance M87Pro V2#
For my roommate's sleep quality, I specifically chose a silent switch keyboard, which is quite silent and uses peach switches. The battery life is also good; I'm not sure about the latency since I haven't specifically tested it. It's quite good for my laptop, and not having a numeric keypad doesn't affect me much, so I chose the 87 layout.
Original Road No Trace Generation 1#
If I had known, I would have chosen the Original Road (triggering regret tears). Alright, jokes aside, this thing just makes noise; the cavity is quite inflated, but I still prefer having a wired headphone. Anyway, buying it for 6 yuan is not a loss.
Edifier W820NB Dual Gold Standard Version#
It's good to use, with decent sound quality and barely sufficient noise cancellation. It doesn't clamp too tightly, and the battery life is average but not exaggerated. With proper care, the protective case can last for several years.
Export to Domestic Twitter Recommended Ergonomic Mouse#
This thing is quite cost-effective (laughs). For 25 yuan, it even has side buttons. Aside from the scroll wheel having some issues, the anti-slip pads are not well placed, causing it to stick to things underneath. It does its job well, and I recently saw that the seller has a new batch of stock, so interested friends can check it out; searching for "export American mouse" should yield results.
Mojiang Lanfeng Game Controller#
I compared it with the Ice Wolf 2 earlier, so I won't elaborate further.
31993 Chip Small Tail#
I don't have much research on HiFi; I saw someone on Bilibili recommending this while collecting trash, so I bought it to try. For me, the difference is just that the sound got louder (laughs).
Oppo Enco Air 3#
I couldn't resist buying TWS again, but the supposedly comfortable Oppo Enco Air 3 also made my ears feel full. Maybe I just suit the smaller cavity types like Edifier.
Cooltech 10000mAh Magnetic Power Bank#
The K60 doesn't stick well (crying). It barely sticks to the magnetic ring on my phone case at home, and the battery life isn't as durable as I imagined. I can only say it's suitable for Apple users.
Conclusion#
I actually finished writing this before the New Year... I sat here for two or three hours, and I feel quite accomplished (the result is that I finished writing it before the New Year but didn't publish it... and now it's only being published). This is basically an annual summary of the electronic products I bought this year, and it's also my first time writing so much in Markdown. By the time I was halfway through, I wasn't very motivated to continue... Of course, if you can see this, that's amazing, haha. Thank you for reading! 🥰
Finally, I wish everyone a Happy New Year, good health, and may the new year bring more wealth!