A Techie's Top 5: The Verge's David Pierce Calls Out His Favorite Gadgets

Amongst the countless outlets that follow the evolving, electric world of tech, The Verge stands out as a must-read website. Started by AOL alumni Marty Moe (a much-lauded innovator as vice president) and Joshua Topolsky (former Engadget editor in chief), The Verge has quickly established itself as a smart, sharp news source aimed at discussing the intersection of technology, science, art, and culture.

The Verge's success hinges on a reporting team that's driven, hard working, and passionate about tech. And no staffer embodies those qualities quite like David Pierce, the senior reviews editor. A former analyst at PCMag and the founding editor of Digitizd, Pierce regularly gets rockstar props on The Verge from readers who praise him for "amazing camera reviews" and being "so sensible, grounded in a deep knowledge of tech, but also coming from the real world." We chatted with Pierce and asked him to tell us about five of his favorite tech gadgets.

Bose IE2 Headphones
($99.95 with free shipping)
Because Pierce works in a busy office and loud coffeeshops, he sometimes needs help tuning out background noise. "The IE2 headphones sound really good and are incredibly comfortable, but also really sturdy thanks to the odd silicon wings that sit in your ear." The $100 price point may seem high to some, but as Pierce notes, "It's a small price to pay for being able to actually get work done."

Amazon Kindle 6" Paperwhite
(from $119 with free shipping)
Pierce spends whole days hunched over at his computer, "so when I get to relax, the last thing I want to look at is another bright, blaring screen," he says. "The newest Kindle's eInk screen is sharper than ever. The device is really fast and fluid, and thanks to the new light I can read even easier in bed. I'm ashamed to say it's the only way I can get any reading done, but it really is!"

6' iPhone/iPod USB Charge and Sync Cable
($2.85 with free shipping, a low by $3)
The late Steve Jobs innovated on many fronts, but making properly sized sync cables for iPhones wasn't one of them. "Way too much of my life is spent underneath my desk trying to find the cable that fell down there, or sitting awkwardly next to an outlet at the airport just to get a little juice," Pierce says. "This 6-foot long iPhone cable is one of the most convenient things I own. It can stretch across a hotel room, around the back of a bed, or across two tables in Starbucks if I'm really in need."

Aliph Jawbone Jambox Portable Speaker
($119.99 with $9 s&h, a low by $40)
"I always scoffed at the idea of a portable Bluetooth speaker until I spent some time using a Jambox," Pierce says. "Whether you're on a conference call and don't want to use your anemic speakerphone, or you're watching a movie in bed and using your tablet's terrible audio setup, the Jambox is a godsend. It's not the cheapest Bluetooth speaker out there, but it's loud, sounds great, and has plenty of battery life to get me through an epic planning meeting." Or an epic party, we're sure.

Seagate Backup Plus 1TB Hard Drive
($79.99 with free shipping, a low by $18)
"Losing all the data, pictures, and media on my computer would be devastating, and I've heard too many stories about it happening to people I know," Pierce says. He bought a Seagate Backup Plus drive and plugs it into his computer every week or so. "It has dead-simple backup and sync software, and works with my Mac's TimeMachine function. It's peace of mind knowing that if the worst happens I've still got all my important stuff saved at home. You can't put a price tag on that."

Curious to know what other gadgets our favorite techies can't live without? Check out the must-have lists from both GottaBeMobile's Josh Smith and CNET's Molly Wood.

Front page photo credit: @profernity