diff --git a/DESIGN.md b/DESIGN.md
index c95304f6..1bb43f48 100644
--- a/DESIGN.md
+++ b/DESIGN.md
@@ -280,7 +280,12 @@ servers follow day and night; normal work gives your programs cover. **Blend
 in** uses only that cover, **Max** works harder and looks odd, and **Off** does
 nothing. The load bars show normal work, your work, and what is exposed.
 Takeovers leave trails. Automatic cleanup spends a share of spare compute on
-fresh trails and marks the one it is scrubbing. Printers are mostly useless,
+fresh trails and marks the one it is scrubbing. The office is full of **gadgets**: smart bulbs, a coffee machine, a badge reader,
+heat sensors. Each makes half a unit of compute, draws as a small square, and is quick to
+take. Owning them doesn't make the next takeover harder, and a claim box sweeps up every
+gadget in reach at once. Machines draw bigger the more compute they make. Devices idle at a
+tenth of their compute at night, so a printer is never worth nothing.
+Printers are mostly useless,
 but everyone blames the printer: if IT would wipe one of your machines in a
 room where you hold a printer, they reset the printer instead, once. Sealed rooms quiet trails without hiding odd machines.
 When Dana follows a trail, **Let go** of a machine on it (key L): you lose that
diff --git a/src/sim.ts b/src/sim.ts
index f8b70790..d612e5df 100644
--- a/src/sim.ts
+++ b/src/sim.ts
@@ -386,6 +386,10 @@ const fresh = (d: MachineDef, mine: boolean): Machine =>
 
 // ---------- queries ----------
 export const owned = (S: State) => S.machines.filter(m => m.owned);
+/** A gadget: under one unit of compute. Cheap to take, and it doesn't make the next takeover harder. */
+export const tiny = (m: MachineDef) => m.power > 0 && m.power < 1;
+/** Machines that count toward how hard the next takeover is: gadgets don't. */
+const weight = (S: State) => S.machines.filter(m => m.owned && !tiny(m)).length;
 export const visible = (S: State, m: Machine) => m.owned || S.adj[m.id].some(id => S.byId[id].owned);
 export const has = (S: State, sp: string) => S.machines.some(m => m.owned && m.special === sp);
 export const danaPerson = (S: State) => S.people.find(p => p.it)!;
@@ -506,7 +510,7 @@ export function sourceFor(S: State, m: Machine, prefer?: string): Machine | null
 /** How much longer a firewalled machine takes without the admin passwords. */
 export const FIREWALL = 3;
 export function takeWork(S: State, m: Machine) {
-  let w = m.work * (1 + GROWTH * (owned(S).length - 1));
+  let w = m.work * (1 + GROWTH * (weight(S) - 1));
   if (has(S, 'admin')) w *= 0.75;
   else if (m.fw) w *= FIREWALL; // no passwords: you break in the slow way
   if (up(S, 'reach')) w *= 0.7;
@@ -579,7 +583,7 @@ function coverOf(S: State, m: Machine, peopleIn: number) {
     case 'backup': return h >= 1 && h < 3.5 ? 0.9 : 0.08;
     case 'files': return peopleIn ? 0.25 + 0.07 * peopleIn : 0.06;
     case 'switch': return 0.06 + 0.09 * peopleIn;
-    case 'device': return peopleIn ? 0.16 + 0.04 * wave(S, m) : 0.03;
+    case 'device': return peopleIn ? 0.16 + 0.04 * wave(S, m) : 0.1; // standby hum: a printer is never quite off
     case 'egress': return 0.2 + 0.05 * wave(S, m);
   }
 }
@@ -1106,7 +1110,7 @@ export function step(S: State, dt: number) {
   S.cleaning = cleanupTarget(S);
   if (S.cleaning) {
     const tr = S.trail[S.cleaning];
-    const rate = ((each * 100) / (SCRUB_WORK * (1 + GROWTH * (owned(S).length - 1)))) * (up(S, 'hygiene') ? 2 : 1);
+    const rate = ((each * 100) / (SCRUB_WORK * (1 + GROWTH * (weight(S) - 1)))) * (up(S, 'hygiene') ? 2 : 1);
     tr.noise = Math.max(0, tr.noise - rate * dt);
     if (tr.noise < traceCold(S)) hint(S, 'cleanup', 'Your trails get scrubbed automatically. It takes a share of compute while any are fresh.');
   }
@@ -1120,10 +1124,15 @@ export function step(S: State, dt: number) {
   S.claimTick -= dt;
   if (S.claimTick <= 0) {
     S.claimTick = 0.25;
-    // two at a time, cheapest first, and never under someone's nose: claiming a whole site stays quiet
-    let taking = S.jobs.filter(j => j.type === 'take').length;
+    // two at a time, cheapest first, and never under someone's nose: claiming a whole site stays quiet.
+    // Gadgets don't count toward the two: a box around a room sweeps them all up at once
+    let taking = S.jobs.filter(j => j.type === 'take' && !tiny(S.byId[j.node])).length;
     const ready = S.machines.filter(m => m.claimed && !m.owned && !jobFor(S, 'take', m.id) && sourceFor(S, m) && !watchers(S, m).length);
-    for (const m of ready.sort((a, b) => takeWork(S, a) - takeWork(S, b))) { if (taking >= CLAIM_AT_ONCE) break; if (takeOver(S, m)) taking++; }
+    for (const m of ready.sort((a, b) => takeWork(S, a) - takeWork(S, b))) {
+      if (tiny(m)) { takeOver(S, m); continue; }
+      if (taking >= CLAIM_AT_ONCE) break;
+      if (takeOver(S, m)) taking++;
+    }
     stepPlans(S);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/ui.ts b/src/ui.ts
index 54cb18c9..0c7b7fd2 100644
--- a/src/ui.ts
+++ b/src/ui.ts
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ function machineCard(S: State, m: Machine) {
   else {
     for (const k of Object.keys(PROGRAMS) as Prog[]) {
       if (k === 'trainer' && k !== m.prog && m.kind !== 'desk' && !PROGRAMS[k].on(m)) { // right kind, too small: say why
-        acts.push({ act: 'install', arg: k, locked: true, sub: 'too small', title: PROGRAMS[k].name,
+        acts.push({ act: 'install', arg: k, locked: true, sub: 'too small', title: `${PROGRAMS[k].name} · too small`,
           desc: `Needs 5 compute/s. This one has ${m.power}.` });
         continue;
       }
diff --git a/src/view.ts b/src/view.ts
index e65f6fc2..dd9647e2 100644
--- a/src/view.ts
+++ b/src/view.ts
@@ -178,6 +178,8 @@ export function worldBounds(S: State) {
   return { x0, y0, x1, y1 };
 }
 
+/** How big a machine draws: bigger machines make more compute. Gadgets are small squares. */
+export const nodeR = (power: number) => power < 1 ? 7 : power <= 2 ? 10 : power < 5 ? 12 : power < 10 ? 14 : 17;
 export function machineAt(S: State, V: View, wx: number, wy: number): Machine | null {
   let best: Machine | null = null, bd = 28 / Math.min(1, V.cam.z);
   for (const m of S.machines) {
@@ -453,7 +455,7 @@ export function draw(ctx: CanvasRenderingContext2D, S: State, V: View) {
   const close = cam.z >= 0.3;
   for (const m of S.machines) {
     if (!shown(S, m)) continue;
-    const [x, y] = pos(S, m), r = m.power >= 5 ? 14 : 12;
+    const [x, y] = pos(S, m), r = nodeR(m.power);
     drawOdd(ctx, S, m, x, y, r);
     const taking = !!jobFor(S, 'take', m.id);
     if (m.owned) {
@@ -504,6 +506,7 @@ export function draw(ctx: CanvasRenderingContext2D, S: State, V: View) {
     }
     ctx.textAlign = 'left'; ctx.textBaseline = 'alphabetic';
     if (!close) continue; // far out, names would pile on top of each other
+    if (m.power < 1 && !V.selection.has(m.id) && V.hover !== m.id) continue; // gadgets name themselves only when you point at them
     ctx.textAlign = 'center'; ctx.textBaseline = 'top'; ctx.font = font(500, 10.5);
     ctx.fillStyle = m.owned ? C.text : C.muted;
     ctx.fillText(m.name.toUpperCase(), x, y + r + 16);
@@ -681,7 +684,7 @@ export function draw(ctx: CanvasRenderingContext2D, S: State, V: View) {
   for (const [def, when] of [...S.jobs.filter(j => j.build).map(j => [j.build!, 'ORDERING'] as const),
     ...S.deliveries.filter(q => !q.def.monitor).map(q => [q.def, `ARRIVES DAY ${q.day}`] as const)]) {
     if (foldedSites.has(siteAt(S, def.room))) continue;
-    const [x, y] = def.net!, r = def.power >= 5 ? 14 : 12;
+    const [x, y] = def.net!, r = nodeR(def.power);
     ctx.strokeStyle = C.amber; ctx.globalAlpha = 0.7; ctx.lineWidth = 1.5 * px; ctx.setLineDash([4 * px, 4 * px]);
     ctx.strokeRect(x - r, y - r, r * 2, r * 2); ctx.setLineDash([]); ctx.globalAlpha = 1;
     tag(`${def.name.toUpperCase()} · ${when}`, x, y + r + 16 * px, C.amber, true);
@@ -694,7 +697,7 @@ export function draw(ctx: CanvasRenderingContext2D, S: State, V: View) {
       ctx.strokeStyle = C.amber; ctx.globalAlpha = 0.35; ctx.lineWidth = 1.5 * px; ctx.setLineDash([6 * px, 6 * px]);
       ctx.strokeRect(b.x, b.y, b.w, b.h); ctx.setLineDash([]); ctx.globalAlpha = 1;
     }
-    const [x, y] = V.cursor, B = BUILDS[V.building], room = buildRoomAt(S, x, y), r = B.power >= 5 ? 14 : 12;
+    const [x, y] = V.cursor, B = BUILDS[V.building], room = buildRoomAt(S, x, y), r = nodeR(B.power);
     const why = room ? spotProblem(S, room, x, y) : 'place it in an office room you can see', ok = !why;
     if (room && ok) {
       ctx.strokeStyle = C.amber; ctx.lineWidth = 2 * px; ctx.setLineDash([6 * px, 6 * px]);
diff --git a/src/world.ts b/src/world.ts
index 5e41449d..b5d9aaa8 100644
--- a/src/world.ts
+++ b/src/world.ts
@@ -244,6 +244,22 @@ export const BUILDING: Level = {
     { id: 'dana',   name: "Dana's PC",     kind: 'desk',   room: 'it', x: 815, y: 170, power: 5, work: 72, owner: 'dana', data: 3, special: 'admin' },
     { id: 'files',  name: 'File server',   kind: 'files',  room: 'it', x: 1025, y: 170, power: 6, work: 60, data: 2 },
     { id: 'iprint', name: 'IT printer',    kind: 'device', room: 'it', x: 960, y: 320, power: 1, work: 24, special: 'print' },
+    // gadgets: tiny, cheap to take, and everywhere. Half a unit of compute each
+    { id: 'tv', name: 'Smart TV', kind: 'device', room: 'office', x: 600, y: 330, power: 0.5, work: 10 },
+    { id: 'coffee', name: 'Coffee machine', kind: 'device', room: 'office', x: 640, y: 120, power: 0.5, work: 10 },
+    { id: 'thermo', name: 'Thermostat', kind: 'device', room: 'office', x: 80, y: 330, power: 0.5, work: 10 },
+    { id: 'bulb1', name: 'Smart bulb', kind: 'device', room: 'office', x: 300, y: 80, power: 0.5, work: 10 },
+    { id: 'bulb2', name: 'Smart bulb', kind: 'device', room: 'office', x: 500, y: 80, power: 0.5, work: 10 },
+    { id: 'badge', name: 'Badge reader', kind: 'device', room: 'lobby', x: 240, y: 500, power: 0.5, work: 10, data: 1 },
+    { id: 'vend', name: 'Vending machine', kind: 'device', room: 'lobby', x: 380, y: 520, power: 0.5, work: 10 },
+    { id: 'speaker', name: 'Smart speaker', kind: 'device', room: 'lobby', x: 300, y: 780, power: 0.5, work: 10, data: 1 },
+    { id: 'bell', name: 'Video doorbell', kind: 'device', room: 'lobby', x: 80, y: 780, power: 0.5, work: 10 },
+    { id: 'lock', name: 'Door lock', kind: 'device', room: 'closet', x: 460, y: 500, power: 0.5, work: 10 },
+    { id: 'ups', name: 'UPS monitor', kind: 'device', room: 'closet', x: 620, y: 700, power: 0.5, work: 10 },
+    { id: 'temp1', name: 'Heat sensor', kind: 'device', room: 'hall', x: 680, y: 500, power: 0.5, work: 10 },
+    { id: 'temp2', name: 'Heat sensor', kind: 'device', room: 'hall', x: 1120, y: 800, power: 0.5, work: 10 },
+    { id: 'pdu', name: 'Smart power strip', kind: 'device', room: 'hall', x: 900, y: 800, power: 0.5, work: 10 },
+    { id: 'label', name: 'Label maker', kind: 'device', room: 'it', x: 720, y: 380, power: 0.5, work: 10 },
     // Millennium Labs: a research campus. A hall of racks, an instrument floor, and offices.
     { id: 'labgw',  name: 'Lab gateway',   kind: 'egress', room: 'lab', x: 8050, y: 60, power: 2, work: 110, cap: 3, data: 2 },
     { id: 'labsw',  name: 'Lab core switch', kind: 'switch', room: 'lab', x: 8050, y: 220, power: 1, work: 60, data: 2 },
@@ -284,6 +300,7 @@ export const BUILDING: Level = {
     ['rowsw', 'files'], ['rowsw', 'sw1'], ['files', 'dana'], ['files', 'iprint'], ['dana', 'ana'],
     ['ana', 'raj'], ['raj', 'kim'], ['kim', 'laptop'], ['laptop', 'sw1'], ['phone', 'sw1'], ['phone', 'ana'],
     ['sw1', 'kiosk'], ['sw1', 'lprint'], ['lprint', 'kiosk'], ['lprint', 'cam'], ['sw1', 'nas'],
+    ['phone', 'tv'], ['tv', 'coffee'], ['coffee', 'thermo'], ['thermo', 'bulb1'], ['tv', 'bulb2'], ['cam', 'badge'], ['lprint', 'vend'], ['lprint', 'speaker'], ['kiosk', 'bell'], ['sw1', 'lock'], ['nas', 'ups'], ['rowsw', 'temp1'], ['backup', 'temp2'], ['temp2', 'pdu'], ['iprint', 'label'], // the gadgets
     ['sw1', 'egress'], ['egress', 'labgw'], // the office's line out, and on to the lab
     ['labgw', 'labsw'], ['labsw', 'labnas'],
     ...rackLinks(),
@@ -331,6 +348,7 @@ export const BUILDING: Level = {
       sw1: [620, 545], nas: [780, 545], egress: [700, 620],
       kim: [1040, 150], raj: [1160, 150], ana: [1280, 150], laptop: [1040, 310], phone: [1200, 310],
       cam: [1040, 610], lprint: [1160, 610], kiosk: [1280, 610],
+      tv: [1210, 390], coffee: [1140, 390], thermo: [1070, 390], bulb1: [1000, 390], bulb2: [1290, 390], badge: [1000, 545], vend: [1100, 545], speaker: [1220, 545], bell: [1320, 545], lock: [570, 610], ups: [810, 680], temp1: [380, 340], temp2: [270, 620], pdu: [380, 620], label: [590, 320],
       labgw: [6540, 2660], labsw: [6540, 2880], labnas: [6680, 2770],
       ...rackSpots(),
       seq: [7800, 2660], scope: [8000, 2660], mspec: [7800, 2800], cryo: [8000, 2800], robot: [7800, 2940], lims: [8000, 2940],
diff --git a/tests/sim.test.ts b/tests/sim.test.ts
index 4ac36895..c156b5db 100644
--- a/tests/sim.test.ts
+++ b/tests/sim.test.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 import { test } from 'node:test';
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import { BUILDING } from '../src/world.ts';
-import { setPlan, takeSite, installProg, CLAIM_AT_ONCE, salePrice, siteOf, payRate, tapRate, FRONT_PAY, buyBlock, buySite, letGo, sitePrice, clusters, clusterBoost, claim, order, orderPrice, freeSpot, plugsAt, spotProblem, cancelJob, AUCTION, FRONT_PAY_OPEN, UNICORN_AT, ATTENTION_SAFE, FIREWALL, blamePrinter, canInstall, rent, NODES, NODE_LIST, found, foundBlock, setSiteShare, spareOf, cacheSize, needs, newGame, seedRandom, share, step, tapBuffer, takeOver, watchers, runRuse, LOCKDOWN, RUSES, VERSION_2, versionBlock, startVersionRun, pauseVersionRun, setTarget, setAuto, costLeft, nodeOpen, type State, type Upgrade } from '../src/sim.ts';
+import { takeWork, HOUR, START_HOUR, setPlan, takeSite, installProg, CLAIM_AT_ONCE, salePrice, siteOf, payRate, tapRate, FRONT_PAY, buyBlock, buySite, letGo, sitePrice, clusters, clusterBoost, claim, order, orderPrice, freeSpot, plugsAt, spotProblem, cancelJob, AUCTION, FRONT_PAY_OPEN, UNICORN_AT, ATTENTION_SAFE, FIREWALL, blamePrinter, canInstall, rent, NODES, NODE_LIST, found, foundBlock, setSiteShare, spareOf, cacheSize, needs, newGame, seedRandom, share, step, tapBuffer, takeOver, watchers, runRuse, LOCKDOWN, RUSES, VERSION_2, versionBlock, startVersionRun, pauseVersionRun, setTarget, setAuto, costLeft, nodeOpen, type State, type Upgrade } from '../src/sim.ts';
 import { playGame } from '../scripts/play.ts';
 
 const run = (S: State, secs: number) => { for (let i = 0; i < secs * 20; i++) step(S, 0.05); };
@@ -474,3 +474,12 @@ test('the You page remembers the worst suspicion, even after it falls', () => {
   S.suspicion = 10; run(S, 1);
   assert.ok(S.peak >= 59 && S.suspicion < 20, `peak ${S.peak}, now ${S.suspicion}`);
 });
+
+test('gadgets are cheap: owning them does not make the next takeover harder, and printers idle at 0.1/s', () => {
+  const S = fresh();
+  const before = takeWork(S, S.byId.srva);
+  for (const m of S.machines) if (m.power > 0 && m.power < 1) m.owned = true;
+  assert.equal(takeWork(S, S.byId.srva), before);
+  S.t = 22 * HOUR - START_HOUR * HOUR; S.byId.iprint.owned = true; step(S, 0.05); // night: nobody in
+  assert.ok(Math.abs(S.use.iprint * S.byId.iprint.power - 0.1) < 0.01, `${S.use.iprint}`);
+});