Welcome to the First Edition of The Hoard
This column is simple. I scour the internet (and the real world) so you don’t have to. Sometimes it’s high-tech, sometimes it’s low-tech, and sometimes it’s just a ridiculous bargain.
Here is what I found this week.
1. The Unexpected Upgrade (Xiaomi 32” Smart TV)
Living in Spain comes with perks, but this one was a surprise. My mobile provider (Vodafone) just sent me a free Xiaomi 32” Smart TV just for being a customer.
I am not putting this in the living room. This is being designated as the “2026 Sports Command Center.”
This screen has one job: The New York Mets and the Super Bowl. Sometimes the best tech isn’t the most expensive OLED; it’s the free screen that lets you watch baseball in peace.
2. AI of the Week: “Nano Banana” by Gemini
We talk a lot about massive LLMs, but I’ve been playing with something called Nano Banana by Gemini.
It is a reminder that AI doesn’t always have to be serious business. It’s a smaller, weirder, faster way to interact with the model. I am testing it out for quick creative sparks when I don’t need the heavy lifting of the Pro models.
(Expect a deeper dive on this in Sentient once I figure out exactly how to break it).
3. The Absurd Deal: 115-in-1 Precision Screwdriver (€0.58)
I found this on Amazon and thought it was a pricing error.
It is a 115-in-1 Precision Screwdriver Set. It has every bit you need to take apart a laptop, a phone, or a pair of glasses.
Price: €0.58.
That is fifty-eight cents.
I bought it immediately. Even if the metal is soft, it costs less than a pack of gum. If you are building a “Forge” on a budget, you need to hunt for these “loss leaders.” It’s a no-brainer addition to the desk drawer.
Free Returns within 15 days of receipt!
That’s the stash for this week.
Go build something (or unscrew something).
Venga!
Mark (VengaDragon)
The Ask
Status Update: As of this morning (Nov 29), we are at 13 subscribers. (Yes, thirteen. We could all fit in a minivan).
The Mission: I have a wildly ambitious goal to hit 500 by January 1st.
I am building this in public, starting from zero. No ads, no tricks. Just this lab report.
The Ask: I don’t want your money today. I want your network. If you believe this project has legs, please forward this to just one person who would vibe with it.
If we double the minivan today, we fill a bus tomorrow.