What’s in my bag: Martin’s keyboard isn’t a crowd-pleaser

Before my job in the editorial department, I was clean-shaven, wore a shirt and carried a smart shoulder bag. Nowadays, I occasionally shave, wear a hoodie and carry a Dakine Campus backpack. I have it because it was discounted. It’s also big enough at 25 litres and has lots of practical compartments. I sometimes find things in them that I misplaced years ago. I also carry a mini stationery shop, newsagent and pharmacy in them.

Hardshell bags for almost everything

To keep my electronics damage-free when I sprint for a train, I also have hard-shell cases for my keyboard, mouse, audio recorder and handheld. I couldn’t find any in Europe, so I ordered them from China cheaply.

In contrast, the HP Spectre x360 jiggles around in the notebook compartment. However, it only accompanies me on Mondays when the Digitec editorial team meets at our Zurich offices. In my home office, I use a desktop PC (and am always sitting down despite having a standing desk).

When peripherals trigger emotions

When I’m out and about outside of work, the GPD Win Mini 2024 is the only PC I carry. It’s both a mini notebook and a gaming handheld. Dual boot means it runs Windows 11 and the SteamOS clone Bazzite. I mainly use it for gaming. If I still want to write on it, I switch from the Blackberry-like integrated keyboard to an external one.

Specifically, I have a Logitech POP Keys. I bought it because I like its retro-inspired, yellow and black plastic design with round keys. And also because when it was first released, my colleague Kevin Hofer – our keyboard expert – had a massive rant about its supposedly ugly appearance. I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to see his face when he saw me with this elegant item. And what would the yellow keyboard be without the equally wonderful yellow Logitech Pop Mouse?

Always there, but rarely used

As I spent my childhood and almost my entire youth without a mobile phone, I don’t always carry my Google Pixel 7a on my body. I keep it in an external compartment with the Sony Linkbuds S case.

I use my audio recorder even less. Its stereo microphone is still pretty impressive, despite being almost 20 years old. I originally bought the Tascam DR-1 because I wanted to build up my own sound pool. Nowadays I only use it for the occasional interview.

When you think it can’t go on, there’s a little light from somewhere

Even though I can cope quite well without tech gadgets, I want to decide for myself when I want to cut myself off from the digital world. That’s why I always carry a power bank with me. My Goal Zero Venture 75 isn’t a beauty, but it’s a robust all-purpose tool.

If someone were to attack me, I could grab the Venture 75 instead of a brick…

…and blind them with the built-in LED.

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