The chaos of the Christmas season has officially started. With Click Frenzy and Black Friday in full swing, along with a swathe of Christmas Gift Guides hitting seemingly every inbox on the planet, the end of November is looking like a spending spree, at least it is for us. The Man of Many team has already got its eyes on camera, clothes and sneaker sales, eager to snag a bargain this silly season. Let’s hope we all get pay rises to accommodate. Nevertheless, here’s what we’ve already bought, tested and trialled this week, as part of the Man of Many Staff Favourites series.
Sunrice Flavoured Rice Cakes Sour Cream & Chives
Nick Hall – Editor-in-Chief
I am a man of simple tastes. While fine dining is exciting and always appreciated, it does not compare to the unadulterated joy of ripping open a bag of Sunrice Sour Cream and Chives-flavoured rice cakes. There is something supremely delightful about the uncomplicated, crunchy and occasionally very bland recipe that I simply cannot get enough of. Maybe it’s a texture thing or perhaps I’m just getting old, but these small discs of puffed air and rice have become arguably the most important thing in my life. So much so, that every shirt I own is now coated in a fine dusting of sour cream flavouring. Tremendous.
Favourite Article of the Week: ‘Astounding No One’s Dead’: How Alexisonfire Conquered Chaos and Lived to Tell the Tale
Paper D’Amour Australiana Sequin Christmas Tree Decorations
Scott Purcell – Co-Founder
I’ve always been a big fan of a themed Christmas Tree, so I decided to go all out this year with an Aussie-focused instalment. After an extensive search online, I came across these festive filled Aussie decorations from Paper D’Amour that were perfect. Inclusive of everything from a VB can and a Bubble O’Bill, to a Twisties packet and a Golden Gaytime, the decorations are each handmade in India and embroidered with sequinned embellished details. Phoebe’s whole site is an absolute treat with premium traditional leader diaries that almost seem totally in contrast to the whimsical and kitschy decorations.
Favourite Article of the Week: 20+ Best Unique Gift Ideas
Gulikit KK3 Max Controller
Dean Bake – Journalist – Tech, Entertainment & Features
I’ve been testing out Gulikit’s KK3 Max controller for the past few weeks, and it really is a fantastic option for people looking for a single, premium controller to sync across multiple systems. The KK3 Max has all the usual staples you’d expect from a higher-end controller nowadays: hall-sensor joysticks, the ability to sync across PlayStation or Xbox depending on your configuration, as well as Android, Windows, Mac and Nintendo Switch, and some swappable face buttons, depending on if you want the XBOX ABXY configuration, or prefer Nintendo’s more traditional style.
What it also delivers, though, are four attachable back paddles to add some additional inputs, helping to solve one of the modern PC gamers’ biggest issues when using a controller: there are often just not enough buttons. Back when I used to play a lot of Destiny 2’s PvP Crucible, or Final Fantasy XIV on console, I would have killed for something like this. For any ‘competitive’ gamer, the ability to have specific buttons tied to each specific action makes a huge difference and can go a long way in helping you to get the right skill off at the right time.
Plus, it just feels really solid to hold and use, which is always nice in a controller. There’s nothing worse than a controller that feels cheap in the hands, and the KK3 Max thankfully avoids that. If you’re in the market for a new do-it-all controller, this one ain’t a bad pick.
Favourite Article of the Week: ‘Astounding No One’s Dead’: How Alexisonfire Conquered Chaos and Lived to Tell the Tale
reMarkable Paper Pro
Dayna Aspite – Branded Content Associate
After practically stalking The reMarkable since it’s launch, I’ve so very luckily been given the chance to use the Paper Pro. I initially thought I wouldn’t need it as I am very much a ‘take notes on my phone’ type of person (this totally isn’t an excuse for my poor handwriting skills). But I must admit, it truly lives up to its name. As crazy as it sounds, yes, it genuinely feels like writing on paper! It’s not your usual paper, more so a semi-gloss feel, which was super easy to get the hang of after a few practice pages of kindergarten-level handwriting…
It’s perfect for jotting down thoughts during online classes or meetings, and the cross-platform connectivity and the file import option are mindful touches as they let you edit typed text for easy sharing and analysing. The reMarkable Paper Pro has become an everyday essential for me nonetheless, seamlessly fitting into my routine for admin tasks and habit tracking; lightweight and portable even with its case on.
Another nice upgrade that I am a huge fan of is the use of colour. Something as simple as highlighting something in yellow gave me that extra feeling of being organised as well as being able to visualise key points from my blob of black squiggles. In the world of AI and tech five-ever evolving, It’s a great tool for anyone looking to balance that digital convenience with the joy of handwriting.
Favourite Article of the Week: The Best Mechanical Keyboards You Can Buy Right Now
‘Normal Gossip’ Podcast
Beatrix Boon – Social Content Producer
Made by Defector Media in partnership with Radiotopia, this highly professional and well-produced podcast is one I absolutely love right now. Normal Gossip delivers juicy, strange, funny, and utterly banal gossip about people you’ll never know and never meet. Each episode, host Kelsey McKinney and a guest discuss a story sent in by a listener of their own, often unfortunate and salacious, tale of something that has happened to them.
It’s in its seventh season right now, with new episodes coming out every week. Since I only discovered it about six months ago, I’ve been going back and bingeing previous seasons, each around 10 episodes. If you’re looking for something silly and fun but with a bit more class than just a stream-of-consciousness-type podcast, I’d really recommend you give this one a go.
Favourite Article of the Week: 20+ Best Unique Gift Ideas
Apple Pencil Pro
Dianne Caliwan – Content Designer
I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure if upgrading to the Apple Pencil Pro was worth it at first, but now I can’t imagine using anything else. The new haptic feedback is a game-changer. I didn’t think I’d need it as much before, but now I use it all the time. It adds a subtle, tactile response that makes every action feel more intentional. It’s far more reliable than the double-tap feature, which I rarely used because it was so easy to trigger by mistake. The customisable squeeze gesture, which I’ve set up for quick access to menus in my drawing apps, is incredibly useful. As someone who spends a lot of time drawing on the iPad, the Pencil Pro has made my workflow smoother and more enjoyable.
Favourite Article of the Week: Apple MacBook Pro M4 Review: Is the Base Model Worth It?
