CBX

It has snowed in Manhattan already and it is only October. Add to that the fact that I am incredibly lazy and hate the cold, and you get a person who is not exactly excited for winter. That is why I love three technology brands that have made, and will continue to make, my life much easier and more enjoyable, no matter what the weather.

Number 1: FreshDirect

FreshDirect is such a smart web site. The company knows that people don’t want to go out and shop, and they know people don’t plan ahead for food, so this brand makes it easier to do both. I can order my entire week’s worth of meals and have it delivered simply by clicking a button. For one, it is like having one of those fancy meal diet home delivery services, for much less money. I order salads, soups, healthy snacks, stir frys, fruits and vegetables, and it is always so convenient. I sometimes have the delivery scheduled as my wake up call – when they knock on my door I get up. Best of all, I can easily order from my iPhone, so boring work meetings are much more productive! (Just kidding, CBX).

Number 2: The Logitech Squeezebox Touch

The tagline for the Logitech Squeezebox Touch literally says “discover a world of music,” and it indeed helps you do just that. I bought this from Amazon and within minutes of setting it up music came back into my life with a vengeance. Using this small device, I stream music wirelessly with the touch of a finger from my laptop to my speakers, and suddenly my apartment is filled with the latest music, talk radio, news or my existing music collection. I can even use it to stream the sound of “rain falling outside” and sleep like a baby all night long. Divine. I am a music lover once again.

Number 3: Apple TV

I abandoned cable when I moved to Manhattan, instead opting for Blockbuster’s mail-order DVDs, but ultimately I ditched that too. And once the bed bug epidemic hit some theatres in the city, I thought,  “Forget it! There must be a better way.” I then found Apple TV, which advertises “now there is always something good on TV.” Apple TV has delivered on that insight in a very clever way. With a box that fits in the palm of my hand and rests neatly near my TV, I can control my programs with my iPhone and watch any content I want to, or just stream my photos from Flickr for the viewing pleasure of my guests (assuming they’re as interested in my recent trip to Bangkok as I am!). I disliked paying over $100 for unused programming and truly felt there wasn’t really anything good on TV except for a few choice options. Now I can watch only what I want to. The sleek black box fits right in with my other electronics and the usability makes watching downloaded content so much easier and more comfortable. It’s yet another reason to love Apple.

Thanks to these technological inventions, I will have enough food and entertainment options to hunker down comfortably during what is starting to be a long, arduous winter. So, bring it on, Mother Nature! I’m good, no matter what you have in store.