I’m always on the lookout for great products, services, companies, ideas. Here are a few I’ve run into lately:

Uber

iPhone app to request a towncar. More expensive than a taxi, and not something I’d use every day, but for the occasional transportation when a taxi is a hassle, Uber is spot on perfect. The iPhone app is fantastic, you can follow the driver via GPS as he heads to your location, and since Uber has your credit card on file you just get in, go, and get out without having to deal with payment hassles or tipping. It’s all inclusive and effortless. Very well done.

TurboScan

iPhone app to scan documents with your iPhone camera. I was skeptical at first, but this thing delivers. It just works and it works well. Accurate, fast, convenient, and $2. No brainer.

Sanuk

I recently picked up a pair of Kyotos from Zappos and I couldn’t be more pleased. Very comfortable, casual, slip-on, kickaround shoes. Exactly what I was looking for.

Breville Tea Maker

This is definitely a luxury buy, but it’s a really well made product for the tea lover. Yes, it makes you feel lazy (“I never had a problem making tea myself before”), but it also makes you appreciate a product that is so well conceived for one specific purpose: Brewing tea at the proper temperature for just the right amount of time. I’m a fan.

Nokia Lumia 800 + Windows Phone 7.5

I’ve been hugely impressed with the Nokia Lumia 800 running Windows Phone 7.5. I’ve had an iPhone since day one, and every model since, but I really like the new path Microsoft is cutting with WP7 so I decided to give it an extended try. It’s been a bit over a week, and so far I don’t miss my iPhone at all. In fact, going back to the iPhone feels like going back in time. It’s rough around the edges in a few spots, but I think Microsoft is up to something good here. More on this in a future post after I’ve spent some more quality time with the phone/platform.

T-Mobile

In order to get the Nokia dialing I had to get a Micro SIM. I didn’t want to sign a long-term contract because I was just testing the phone, so I went over to T-Mobile to check out their pay-as-you-go plans. Wow, they’ve done a great job in that area. No contracts, dead simple pricing, quick-in-and-out of the store. I opted for the simple $2/day unlimited talk/text plan. If I don’t use the phone on a give day, there’s no charge. I loaded up the account with about $60 in credit and I was off and running. Really simple to understand and very well executed. Well done.