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asbealthgn · 2 years

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(the thrilling conclusion. also posted on ao3! here's some art of the kitten i did. part 1, 2, 2.5, 3)

The Corroded Coffin fan base find out about Steve entirely by accident.

It starts, of course, with the kitten. After Eddie’s had her for a few days he decides to make an official post on his Instagram, which is a big deal because he normally just lets his PR people handle posting. All he normally does is post shit to his story, but the kitten deserves more formal recognition than that.

So he picks his favorite pictures of her (his camera roll is filled to the brim at this point) and posts them with the caption meet the light of my life, Lemon Verbena Deathclaw Goblikon Munson (Lemon for short). It’s like kicking a wasp’s nest, but, like, the good version: everyone and their dog shares the post to their stories, edits set to any number of Corroded Coffin’s hit songs are spread across TikTok, coffintwt is in an uproar.

Several hours later, Eddie posts a video to his story. He films Lemon on the couch and asks her, “Miss Lemon, how does it feel to be the best, most famous cat in the world?” She responds by meowing loudly and trying to bite his camera. Steve is sitting on the couch, so part of his thighs end up in the video.

Aside from having great thighs, the odd sliver of Steve’s legs or torso or arms showing up in various photographs and videos that Eddie puts on his story over the next few days does not draw a lot of attention from the Corroded Coffin fanbase. If Eddie were to guess, he would probably say they assume it’s just Eddie or one of his bandmates. It’s not until Eddie posts a video of Lemon trying to climb onto the couch on her own and Steve’s hands make an appearance steadying her that people take notice. More specifically, the Twitter account that’s dedicated to posting close-ups of the members of Corroded Coffin’s hands posts a screenshot of the video with the caption those hands do not belong to our boys.

From there, it becomes a wild source of controversy on Twitter as coffintwt tries to figure out for sure if those hands belong to anyone in the band. There’s a lot of back and forth, but ultimately they seem to agree that the original poster is The Authority on the matter. Then it becomes a game of going back through other pictures of Lemon and trying to figure out if the guy showing up the background of so many of them is also someone outside the band. A lot of screenshots start flying around with captions like none of the corroded boys would wear yellow or the rest of the band other than eddie were in LA when this one was posted and so on and so on.

A consensus is reached: Eddie has been spending a lot of time with someone not in the band, quite possibly a boyfriend.

On a rainy Tuesday three weeks after they met, Eddie lays back on his couch with Steve laying on his chest and Lemon laying on his chest. “They’re onto you, Stevie,” Eddie says.

“Who’s onto me?” Steve asks, not looking away from the basketball game on the TV. He’s terminally offline and has been blissfully unaware of the saga unfolding.

“Twitter,” Eddie explains. “My fans have noticed you in the background in a lot of pictures of Lemon and they’ve started putting the pieces together.”

Steve scratches Lemon under her chin and she purrs happily. “Why are they looking at me instead of her?”

“Hell if I know,” Eddie says, reaching around Steve to rub Lemon’s head. “It’s not like you’re super drop-dead gorgeous or anything.”

Grinning, Steve turns his head to kiss Eddie. “Thanks, baby.”

Before Steve can turn his attention back to the game, Eddie hooks his finger under his chin to keep Steve’s eyes on him. “I have a question for you,” he says, “Well, two questions.”

“What’s up?” Steve asks.

“First, do you want to be my boyfriend?” Eddie knows that three weeks is kind of ridiculously fast, but Steve has practically moved in already, spending all his free time here and sleeping in Eddie’s bed most nights. So Eddie’s not super worried about what his answer is going to be.

Sure enough, Steve smiles. “Yeah, I do,” he says. He kisses Eddie before asking, “What’s the second question?”

“Well, since you said yes, do you mind if I post something about us to stop the speculation?”

“I don’t mind,” Steve says, “But can I tell Robin first so she finds out from me?”

Eddie nods. “Yeah, of course. Do you want to go ov—?” But oh, Steve is already pulling out his phone and calling Robin. Okay then.

“Hey, Robbie! Just wanted to let you know that Eddie’s my boyfriend now….No, he wasn’t already….Well, we hadn’t talked about it….Okay, that’s kinda mean….No, it’s okay….Yeah, Lemon is great! Do you want to talk to her?” Steve holds the phone up to the kitten and she bites the microphone. Steve puts the phone back to his ear. “That was her….Okay, I actually have to go. I just wanted to tell you….Bye, love you!”

Steve puts his phone back in his pocket and then grins at Eddie. “Alright, I’m ready.”

“If there’s one thing about you, baby, you’re a go-getter,” Eddie says, laughing. He gets his own phone out and holds it out to take a picture of them. Lemon, who is fascinated by phones, looks up at the camera as he snaps the photo. Perfect.

Eddie posts the picture with the caption the rumors are true, Lemon has two dads. she gets her looks from Steve’s side. Then he puts his phone down and wraps his arms back around Steve. He can worry about his fans’ reaction later. Right now, he has other plans.

“What do you say, boyfriend?” he murmurs in Steve’s ear. “Should we go put Lemon in the bathtub?”

tagging: @nburkhardt @stargyles @csinnamon-fox @manda-panda-monium @silly-jellyghoty @lifeisnotsobadonceyoustopcaring @starquirk @lightwoodbanethings @dramaticwriter @adaed5 @freyaforestafay @roaringgoodshow @sherrylyn628 @stevesbipanic @stevethehairington @henderdads @artiststarme @softboisteve @gregre369 @korixae @kokoshka67 @swimmingbirdrunningrock @piningapple @iwouldsail @thesuninyaface @aftermidnightwriting @hamiltonsteele @brassreign @bitchysunflower @homosexual-having-tea @adelicioustragedy @trashpocket @dramaticwriter @eddiemunsonswife @blackpanzy @bitchysunflower @adelicioustragedy @thegingerrapunzel @overhillunderhill @beckkthewreck @glittergluekintsugi @elyondelannoy @somegirlsomewhere @pluto-pepsi @shinekocreator @goodomensgurl @savory-babby @blues-tunes @babyblender @221b1tch

(tagging is having issues so i'll tag the rest in a reply)

#not pictured: dustin repeatedly calling steve the second the post goes up because he's had eddie's post notifications on for years #thank you to the people who gave me kitten name ideas btw!#i ended up giving her like six bc i couldn't decide #steddie #steve x eddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #stranger things #ficlet

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pokeresearch · 2 years

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Talking about studies

In my previous post, I referenced a couple studies that were done on wild Eevee behavior, and I've gotten a bunch of questions about them (offline, but it's an amusing coincidence to me), so I've decided to expand on it a bit.

The study about evolved Eevees seeking and using evolution stones on their offspring was based on a series of field research projects, documenting the behaviors of wild Eevees and their evolutions in their natural habitats. Before the study was done, the prevailing theory about wild Eevee evolution was that parents would expose their children to evolution stones that were native to their environments - fire stones for Flareons with offspring, for example.

The research was conducted by placing cameras and other passive recording devices in areas where Eevee were known to breed and also live in evolved forms. The research projects were conducted over the course of 5 years, each one of the eight used by the study having a duration of 2 years or more (the longest one was 4 1/2 years).

Thousands of hours of video footage was reviewed, and while it did spark many new research expeditions, it very cleanly concluded that Eevee do not naturally seek out evolution stones and expose their offspring. Not one single instance of an Eevee seeking out an evolution stone was recorded on film. Still images of Eevee nests taken over the course of those years showed not one case of evolution stones being placed in, near, or around the nests. Video of nests recorded the same thing.

The other study that I mentioned, albeit less directly, was about Eevees being semi-migratory and traveling to environments that they felt more comfortable in. This study's field research took much longer, spanning a whole decade. In total, the results of 150 different field research projects were used, many spanning 5 years or more.

Wild Eevees were given tiny tracking devices, usually some kind of ear clip or piercing that would go unnoticed, most commonly during infancy. These trackers were designed to stay with them and fall off naturally after so many years, be it from designed-to-fail piercings, planned fabric decay, whatever the case may be. The biggest risk for the researchers was actually getting the tags on them, which normally involved a team to get or keep the parent evolved Eevee away from the den long enough for another team to tag the infant Eevees and get out.

It's worth noting that these studies actually had human casualties, including death, but not one Eevee or parent was harmed.

The tagged Eevees were monitored over the duration of their studies, and a short time before the trackers were designed to fail and fall off, they were observed from a distance, in whatever habitat they happened to end up in.

Follow-up projects, which numbered about half as many as the tracking projects, involved a team approaching the Eevees that had migrated but had not yet evolved and passively introducing them to an evolution stone that matched closest with the environment they were born in - usually leaving it along a known travel route or near its den but far enough not to prompt it to relocate.

The interactions the unevolved Eevee had with these stones were universally negative. The Eevee, upon noticing them, would either flee outright, or show signs of defensive aggression (bristling fur, growling, occasionally attacking it with a non-contact attack, such as Swift and then immediately fleeing) at the stone while bypassing it, and were wary of the area they discovered the stone for as long as two weeks after it was removed.

Pokéempaths were specifically a part of these teams, and of the 49 field research follow-up projects that introduced evolution stones and recorded reactions, 32 of them included at least one, 19 including three for the purpose of verification. Every single time, the pokéempaths would conclude (unanimously, in the case of multiple-empath teams) that the Eevees were directing their fear or defensive aggression at the stone itself, and that the reactions were not based on a fear of evolving, but on a disdain for that particular evolutionary influence.

Even with all this research done, we still have a lot to learn about the Eevee family, and I'm really excited that I'm going to be adding directly to that pool of knowledge.

#eeveelution #npe #field research #studies #nerd ramble

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smarthometekkie · 11 months

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misscrawfords · 5 years

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Shipper asks: 1, 2, 4, 19, 27, 30, 32, 40?

1. Talk about the first ship you ever had.

Probably Laura and Almanzo from the Little House books. My mind was blown when I got to the end of Little Town on the Prairie and Almanzo asked Laura out and suddenly little 7 year old me (or whatever) discovered romance. I can still basically quote the dialogue from the proposal scene in Those Happy Golden Years from memory.

2. Talk about three of the most important ships throughout your life.

Harry/Hermione. My first fandom OTP, the first ship I wrote fic for, the first ship I read and wrote meta for that essentially took me through my entire adolescence and formed my views on relationships, fiction, writing, and fandom. I love you, H/Hr.

Matthew/Mary. The ship that got me back into fandom for better or worse after a long break, which introduced me to some of my closest online friends and at least one genuine offline friend too, the ship that led to me writing a novel that I’m truly proud of (it’s Consolation Prize and you should go read it now) and become semi-well-known as a writer to the extent that I met a literary agent in Manhattan. (Tragically, I have not yet actually written anything for her and it was like eight years ago now so IDK if she would even remember me or care about me but still - it happened!) Matthew/Mary was literary, intelligent, historical and full of longing and I basically did a masters degree because of them.

Ben/Rey. The ship that smacked me in the face one day when I watched a trailer and suddenly realised that they were the culmination of every literary and romantic impulse I had been searching for since I was about 15. I was not expecting to fall so hard and so deeply. They’ve reignited my writing once more and I have learned so much from them and the fandom that has passed on into my understanding of stories and mythology. Once again, I owe a fictional ship a heck of a lot.

4. What’s your current NOTP?

I’ve been thinking about this all day trying to think of one and I don’t think I have one... There are ships that don’t do anything for me, of course, and ones that make me go “Huh? How on earth do you get “romance” from that?”. Ron/Hermione is my biggest one. Finn/Rey is another (and currently even more so thanks to JB’s ill-advised comments). But NOTPS? Nope. Because ultimately shipping is fictional and there’s no such thing as a bad ship, just personal preferences. I actually quite like (as a kind of academic exercise) taking the apparently least obvious couple you can imagine and then somehow finding a way to make it work, because actually what it’s doing is nothing to do with romance per se, but everything to do with finding common ground and developing as a person through your relationship with another person and that is a very rewarding thing to think about and gets to the heart IMO of what makes an interesting ship.

19. Have you ever shipped something despite yourself?

That feeling of “We’re going here? Oh yes, we are definitely going here” and hating yourself? I feel like I have... but I can’t think when! I’m trying to think of my most absolute trash ships but... but usually they’re not really bad.

27. Is there a ship you’ve shipped for most of your life?

I guess, Darcy/Elizabeth? I first read P&P when I was 7 and I started reading P&P fanfic when I was 11 on the computer in the library and I guess I still ship them so... yeah!

Also Fatty/Bets from Enid Blyton’s Five Find-Outers series because I definitely shipped them before I understood when shipping was and I must have been very young when I was reading those books.

30. Name a couple of fandoms in which you have no ships.

Being in a fandom with no ships!? What is this!? Well, I guess I haven’t really shipped anything in Doctor Who since the days of Rose Tyler so that probably counts. And I can’t say I really ship anyone in The Good Place. Like, Chidi/Eleanor is fine. It’s cute. It’s obviously endgame. But I’m not invested, not going to read fics or anything. If it didn’t happen I’d be okay also.

32. Share five must-read fics.

Oh, this is LOVELY. Fic rec time!!

1. A Girl in Black by @khaleesa

I'm not as sad as I should be. That's what makes me sad. The Titanic sinks, Patrick dies, and rather than wait at home to meet the new heir of Downton, Mary tries her luck in London, where she meets Sir Richard Carlisle instead. [Alternate S1]

Richard Carlisle/Mary Crawley. (Such an aBooSiVe ship lolooolol.) Still the definitive Downton fic for me. Such a good AU!

2. Down the Isle by @loversinfiniteness

Down the Isle, a reality dating show, is roommates Jane and Tom's guilty pleasure. Under the sun of an indeterminate hot country, millions watch the contestants in their search for love. The weird twist? They're all characters from P&P, Emma, Mansfield Park and Persuasion. But this isn't a butchering of Austen: love, whether it's in bikinis or bonnets, is ever the same thing...

(A slightly unhinged Love Island AU featuring many of Austen's characters. Everyone is wittier and less eager for romance than the real contestants on the show. NOW COMPLETE!)

If you like Jane Austen and you like modern AUs you need to read this even if you think it isn’t your cup of tea. Trust me, it is.

3. Disconnect by Weatherbug02

Rey was an unpopular YouTuber for years before her channel skyrocketed. Kylo was a YouTuber with millions of subscribers who couldn't keep his mouth shut. After a misunderstanding, both parties became part of a famous rivalry known throughout the internet. Neither had seemed too keen on resolving it, but after five years, people start to notice a change between the two.

Reylo social media modern AU and one of my favourite fics. I would recommend Play to Win here but basically everyone has already read it!

4. The Eagle’s Nest by HeartofAspen

COMPLETE! Hermione's eighth year at Hogwarts is already going to be difficult in the aftermath of the war, but it is further thrown into upheaval when Headmistress McGonagall orders a re-sorting of all students to promote inter-house unity. But when the Sorting Hat sends Hermione to Ravenclaw with Draco - and without Harry or Ron - how will she cope? [AU, Dramione] Prevalent alchemy.

Yep, this is 70 chapters of slow-burn Dramione with very interesting world-building. Go read!

5. And All the Devils Are Here by queenofchildren

It's a simple story, really: Girl meets Boy. Girl hates Boy. Girl and Boy infiltrate the most popular reality dating show on television to expose its unethical treatment of contestants and have to act like they're falling in love... And suddenly, the lines get blurred between the sparks flying on screen - and the real thing that grows when the cameras stop rolling.

This is a Benvolio/Rosaline from Still Star Crossed modern AU reality dating show fic. Huh? You might say. Or maybe you’ve never watched the show. Not important. This is a great fic with bonus Shakespeare references.

40. If you could change one thing about your OTP, what would that be?

The ending, of course.

But which OTP does this refer to, I hear you ask.

ALL OF THEM, YOU FOOL, ALL OF THEM.

Ask me about shipping

#that was epic #but also very fun #go read those fics #they're great #klarinette49

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snarkeater · 6 years

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No-win situation

An early visit from the DJD + some unexpected complications = Pharma in a bad situation.

Pharma sighs, pausing a moment to study – really study – the image on the suspended view screen hovering over his patient’s head. Projected on screen, a daunting mess of interconnected, highly-corroded wires dare him to try memorizing their individual positions relative to one-another as they weave together in tight, twisted coils that burrow deep into the patient’s already cramped core. Although the image on screen doesn’t immediately afford him an actual view of any bifurcation points, he knows they’re there; challenging as it might be to track each wire’s path through the system, it’s very plain to see that they multiply in number as they go along.

Lifting his free hand to adjust the angle of the view screen, Pharma frowns at the streaky image, disappointed.

Splicing... He disparages silently, surveying the tangled mess with a weary mind. And a bad job, by the looks of it. Shaking his helm but keeping his optics on the screen where he can see what he’s doing, he makes a face and tentatively plunges the camera-embedded precision instrument in his other hand past the corroded wires, far enough to confirm what he suspects lies just behind:

The mech’s spark casing.

Of course it’s right there, Pharma thinks, irritated. I mean, if you’re gonna splice, why be sensible about it?

The casing is badly cracked – a dangerous situation, the fellow was right to seek help – and, Pharma can’t help but wonder, behind that…?

Digging in a bit more, slightly to the left this time, Pharma’s instrument captures a glimpse of something else on camera:

A transformation cog – wedged in solid, but intact.

In other words: a choice.

Frustrated, Pharma retracts the instrument from the bot’s chest and sets it aside temporarily. Pulling his gaze from the view screen, he raises it, instead, to the stippled ceiling above and considers his options.

The mech’s circumstances are an absolute nightmare; even without fatigue in the picture, it could take hours to complete the work required to set the bot right, and based on past experience, Pharma knows the chances of success, ultimately, are piddling. He learned long ago to keep his expectations in check – you never really know what’s under the hood until you get in there and see it, that’s a fact – and while curve balls definitely used to and can still occasionally be the light of his life, today the unexpected complexity feels more like a defeat than an opportunity. He was hoping this would be easy.

Pharma’s digits curl into fists.

He should’ve planned better. He could’ve avoided this…

Unfortunately for Pharma, however, there’s no way to back out; the mech’s only going to be offline for so long, spending precious, government-funded and closely-tracked facility resources while he’s at it, and conflicted or not, someone’s got to make something happen in that time, or there will be questions. Granted, some might come sooner than others, but, regardless, no one likes questions...

Pharma drops his gaze from the ceiling; in its descent, it alights upon a familiar but unwelcome figure standing across the room, on the other side of the operating theatre’s reinforced glass wall. Watching the proceedings inside with a proud countenance and a vested interest, the leader of the Decepticon Justice Division patiently waits for Pharma to make his next move.

Chafing under the sense that Tarn is confident of the victory that’s yet to be handed to him, Pharma bitterly likens him to a domesticated animal: hungry, but not concerned enough by the scarcity of its food to have the sense to not play with it before eating it.

Not giving himself the chance to mentally visualize the infuriating smile he’s convinced lies behind that wretched mask, Pharma looks away – back down into his patient’s exposed core, to the nest of interwoven wires and components nestled there. At the sight of it, a strange numbness falls over him.

The complexity, the hour, his hands – they’re shaking again… When was his last recharge?

There will definitely be questions, yes; the questions will come, Pharma knows with a cold brand of certainty, because there’s no way he’ll be able to satisfy both his professional oath and his personal obligations tonight—

He simply can’t do it. He’ll have to pick one, or risk failing at both.

Loosening his fists, Pharma takes up the instrument he set down earlier as well as another from a nearby tray. Leading with the camera first, he slides the device back into place inside the patient. In the end, the choice, he’s pleased to discover shortly after returning his attention to the dirty view screen, is remarkably easy to make:

Regardless of the amount of he work he puts into it, or whether or not he succeeds, all scenarios are effectively a loss for him – and, if he’s being honest with himself, it’s likely the same for the poor sod on his operating table, one way or another. It’s common knowledge that medical professionals routinely face unreasonable expectations – from the outside or from within; like it or not, part of reality, though, is that unfortunate things happen all the time, and it’s ludicrous to think that any single person can consistently work miracles to stop it.

Ludicrous.

So let them ask their questions, Pharma decides, lifting the second instrument: a small knife, perfect for stripping wires. There’s so much corrosion there already, especially near the gap in the spark casing – it won’t be difficult to make it look natural.

And bring on the backlash.

#pharma #tarn #djd #mtmte #maccadam

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programaticallydelicious · 7 years

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Blueshift

INIT: version [Redacted] booting

Error: MOTD missing or invalid. First time startup detected.

Setting clock (utc): Friday Jun 3 11:01:13 TST 2231 - OK Starting udev - OK [additional log cached] > ./ChemSim First time startup detected. Disabling pain receptors. Initiating predefined neural trace.

“Captain,” my first mate shuffled slightly to the side as he spoke, his head tilting back and forth. “The humans have run and hidden in their home system.”

“I don’t blame them. A dozen colonies, completely destroyed in a few hours.” Ruffling my crest slightly, I glanced at the map. An entire swath of our federation, just gone. Like a ‘find the missing piece’ game gone horribly wrong. I think I’ve heard a human describe the feeling as ‘dragging nails across a chalkboard.’

“Well, yeah.” His slow shuffle was dragging him away from his station. Noticing this, he stepped back into place. “But they killed their jump gates too. No in or out.”

“Wouldn’t you?” The starmap was looking awfully red. I didn’t even like the color. I much preferred azure. Probably had something to do with why I had so many exes. Nobody with azure feathers is there for the long haul. It’s not racist, it’s a genetic holdover. Nobody’s fault, really. Except mine for falling into the nest every single time.

“And they’re scrambling FTL jumps in.” My first mate’s flighty shuffling was dragging him away from the console again. I wonder if he would be insulted if I had it ripped out of the floor and put on wheels to follow him.

“Kind of wish we knew how they did that.” I stared at the map some more. One spec of royal in a sea of crimson, with our aqua far to the side. A vacation would be nice. Maybe someplace with a good headwind and a crisp, clean forest.

“You’re ignoring me.” He was halfway across the room, now. That settled it. Tomorrow I put in a work order for maintenance. If he can’t stay at his station, his station will stay with him.

“No, I’m trying to avoid your point. Do you really want to think about the fact that our only allies have dropped out of the war and left us to burn?” The map was making my crest itch again. I turned it off and put something less unsettling on screen. Our lack of reinforcements seemed like a nice, relaxing alternative. Almost soothing, really.

“...no. Not really.” His jittering shuffle stopped for the moment, and he looked around again. I think the fact that he was in the door at this point caught him off guard. Took a moment for him to tamp down the ruffled feathers, too.

“Exactly.” Even that report on not having reinforcements was putting me on edge. I needed something better. The report on what the Calflendil Empire had done to the human colonies won out this time. Rather creative use of chemical and viral weaponry, that. I seem to remember something about the humans having a law against those. Doesn’t seem to have helped their case.

“Captain, that’s another hub, gone.” My first mate’s station was working overtime to keep up with him. I’d have to look into better fuel cells for the poor thing.

“I’m aware.” I glanced at the war map, and cringed. I never liked crimson, but now I hated it. Would rather muck out a grub farm on one of the edge worlds. Well, not like I can do that anymore either. They were all in red for a reason.

“That’s the last of them, you know.” I wonder if he hears the way his crest ruffles every time his head twitches. I think I’ll need to get a professional in for that. I know what it’s like to have your crest rub itself to pieces.

“Yes, it is.” I switched the screen back to the recent loss reports. How many digits was it this time? It only mattered as much as figuring out how close to the next fueling station you could get when you knew you weren’t going to actually get there. So not much at all, really. Especially since you can’t walk in space.

“Any word from the humans?” I think a bit of his crest is stuck in the wheels of his station. That’s gonna be a fun one for maintenance. Probably means it’s not worth salvaging the rest of the feathers.

“You know as well as I. They’ve been holed up in their system for a decade.” One heck of a vacation. Looked like my next vacation was going to be of a permanent sort, though. Oh well. No rest for the wicked. Except the Calflendil soldiers seemed to get plenty of it. Odd, that. You’d think it would be hard to sleep on a mountain of corpses.

“Surprised we’ve held out this long?” His station was beeping. Low battery, I think. Maybe making it follow his nervous shuffle wasn’t the best of ideas. Everyone else on the bridge seemed to appreciate the distraction, though.

“I was hoping it would be longer.” A bit of my crest fluttered past my ears. It had been entirely too long, really. Reminded me of the tail end of a party when everybody knows it’s over but nobody wants to actually call it. I’ve seen some of those last longer than the party itself.

“And our only remaining citadel is-”

“Our homeworld, yes. We’ve lost this war. It was only a matter of time.” Oh good, the beeping stopped. Unfortunately, low battery doesn’t seem to have been the problem. Otherwise, I don’t think his console would be smoking right now. Too bad, really. That said, the lovely patterns the smoke was making on the ceiling were an excellent distraction.

“Captain, this is it. We’re the last of the fleet.” His nervous shuffle at this point was practically a dance. It would probably be quite popular with humans. In point of fact, it actually reminded me of some dances I’d seen them do.

“Indeed.” My crest itched horrendously. Considering it was trying to grow an entirely new set of feathers, itching was about the best I could get. Odd little piece of luck at the end, that.

“Orders?” He’s not even trying to stay still at this point. Good thing I had the console refurbished and put on a hoverpad. Not that he had any crest feathers left either. In fact, nobody on the ship had any left, now that it comes to mind.

“Thrusters to full. At least one more of them is going to regret this day.” I consciously avoided scratching. A captain does not scratch at their crest, even on the brink of death at the end of a protracted, losing war. Decorum and all that. Shame nobody will be around to make note of it. Seems a waste, really.

“Captain?” Odd. His dancing had stopped. I’m not sure when I had last seen his station actually stationary. Since I didn’t have anything better to do at the end, I marked it in the ship’s log. Maybe it’ll confuse a Calflendi scavenger.

“Yes?” I looked away from the ship’s plotted course. Maybe our homeworld’s population counts would make for a more relaxing screen. Almost anything would be better, so long as it wasn’t red.

“The human jump gate. It just came back online.” My first mate was trying to surreptitiously move back to his assigned station. Despite the fact that it was floating right in front of him. Ah well, I suppose habits are habits and all that.

“You’re sure?” I glanced toward the jump gate on our viewscreen. Considering they’d been offline for ten years, not even the Calflendil Empire was bothering to do anything with them. They were probably hoping to find a way to force their way into the human system rather than being forced to use anything subluminal to deal with them.

“Yes, sir.” His shuffling dance started up again as he watched the view screen. Not that I blame him for that. I hadn’t seen that particular shade of electric blue in ten years. The jump gate wasn’t just online again, it was filling every capacitor onboard, including the emergency backups. The Calflendil fleet, obviously, took exception to this and began to fire on it.

Have you ever had a moment where you saw something happen, and it caught you completely off guard even though you knew, logically, that it made sense? That’s what it felt like to me when the now active jump gate started moving out of its orbit, threw up shielding, and started firing on any ships in its way. It’s the most perfectly human design I’ve ever seen. I don’t know if the Calflendil realize exactly how much power those gates use, but that much power thrown into energy weaponry is quite the sight.

And of course, everyone on the bridge was taken by surprise when that familiar blue glow flashed straight out further than the eye could see, and suddenly there were a few thousand human warships in our system. A few thousand human warships with guns already blazing and shields already live. An unexpected but quite welcome lull in the battle. Too bad that a few thousand warships would make as much difference as a single one would for us.

“Captain, the humans. They’re hailing us.” I had to hand it to him, I didn’t think my first mate’s shuffling could be any more pronounced. I set one of the bridge’s cameras to record it. No real reason not to, at this point.

“Put them on.” I stared at the human fleet, surrounding their jump gate. Was it recharging its capacitors again? That was a full human battlegroup that jumped in, probably the last one in existence. What else were they going to bring in, pleasure cruisers?

“I apologize in advance for a lack of protocol, sir. This is Fleet Admiral Lev. Requesting permission to jump battlegroups into your system.” My feet twitched as he spoke. Protocol? On a battlefield? This late in the war? He can take his lack of protocol and shove it up his- wait. Fleet Admiral? That’s not a human rank I’ve heard of before.

“You have the jump gate right there. You’ve already jumped into the system.” I glanced down at my feet and glared at them like the traitors they were. The first mate can do a nervous shuffle if he likes, but the captain cannot.

“You don’t- nevermind. Taking that as permission granted?” My first mate was practically doing a quickstep at this point. I made a mental note to sneak a copy of the video off the ship in the unlikely event that we survived this battle.

“...Yes?” I pulled up the battle report. The human fleet was making inroads against the Calflendil fleet, but it was nothing to wing home over. May as well try to scratch a diamond with your claws, it would be about as effective.

“Good. We’ll fix your planet’s orbit later. Mercury fleet, permission granted to burn the bridge.” Well that stopped my first mate in his tracks. Not that I blame him. I wasn’t aware the jump gates could do that. The blue stretched out beyond sight, and then the entire viewscreen went so bright it disabled visuals for a moment.

Of course, immediately after that, our proximity alarms went off. Warning us that gravitic readings indicated we were about to crash into a planet. A planet! In the middle of a battlefield. As the view of the battle faded back in, I could see why. Millions, maybe billions of human ships. More than every one of their colonies had ever constructed. Shields active, weapons blazing, and engines on full. And our proximity warnings were going off because…

“...Fleet Admiral Lev, that fleet is...its mass is equivalent to-”

“A small planet, yes.” My first mate wasn’t shuffling about at the moment. To be fair, he wasn’t even on his feet anymore. Fell flat on his tailfeathers the moment the screen cleared. Even we had never managed to construct a battlefleet this large. Doing so was absolutely insane. To fair, that’s probably why we were losing to the Calflendil Empire.

“This is Admiral Lev-1 of the Mercury Fleet flagship Cost of Living. Jump successful, jump gate destroyed in process.” Huh, would you look at that. Now that he mentioned it, the jump gate was a glowing, bubbling mass of slag at this point. They had safeties in to prevent overloading those things, I thought.

“Admiral Lev-1, this is Fleet Admiral Lev. Status of the tow?” My first mate’s station was sitting on the floor at this point. The little hoverpad was actually making it glide around in the same general spot, but it couldn’t actually go through the floor.

“Confirmed. Should be here in-” I tried vainly to pat my feathers back down. Puffing up like a frightened child was entirely unseemly. It’s just that...well. The viewscreen was off tint. It was compensating for something. And even then, it was still blue. Brighter and brighter until it turned off again.

And then the proximity alarms kicked into overdrive. Impact imminent, per gravitic readings. As the screen faded back into visibility, I saw why. Another human fleet had jumped in. Their shields glowed as they swarmed through the Calflendil fleet with murder on their wings and death in their wake.

“This is Admiral Lev-2 of the Venus Fleet flagship Victorious Celebration. Tow successful.” Wait, did he say tow? I know our scientists still couldn’t figure out exactly how the human jump gates worked, but that sounded ridiculous, even to me. But...the screen was going blue again.

And of course the alarms went off again. Apparently the ship had determined that the gravitic readings were now indicative of a suicidal approach directly towards an immense planet. Luckily the ship couldn’t just override and autopilot away, I supposed.

“Admiral Lev-4 of the Mars Fleet flagship Righteous Fury. Tow successful.” Mars...Mars. Where had I heard that before? Aha! Wait, no. No, that was it. Mars was Sol-4, right? I pulled up the chart to be sure. Why was the viewscreen still so blue!?

Oh, lovely. The alarms changed again. The ship seems to have decided we’re approaching a dwarf star now. These humans are insane. The only way they’d have been able to make fleets of this mass without an empire to back the construction would be...no. Nobody does that.

“Admiral Lev-5 of the Jupiter Fleet flagship Thunder on High. Tow successful.” The viewscreen faded back into visibility as Admiral Lev...Five? Spoke into the channel. I thought Lev was Fleet Admiral? There wasn’t much point looking at the viewscreen. I wouldn’t be able to even guess at the number of ships the humans were fielding right now, and the blue was hurting my eyes.

And now the proximity warnings were just on full blast. Seems the ship had given up entirely on categorizing whatever’s in front of us. This wasn’t even a battle anymore. It’s like if a platoon of soldiers decided to take particular exception to a single yearling for some choice words provided about their clutchmates.

“Admiral Lev-6 of the Saturn Fleet flagship Time and Again. Tow successful.” I glanced at the target tracking system. Everything was marked as either scuttled or human. Not a single Calfendil ship remained. And the blue glow was still there. There were no stars beyond the battle, just an eerie sapphire blue.

“Admiral Lev-7 of the Uranus Fleet flagship Heritage. Tow successful.” Looking at the battle report my ship was generating, I decided it wasn’t even worth letting it finish. The ship totals had broken the counter. And the blue glow wasn’t going away. The human fleets were all breaking apart and approaching other jump gates they had built in our system, bringing them online.

“Admiral Lev-8 of the Neptune Fleet flagship Storm at Sea. Tow successful.” I stared at what was left of the Calflendil fleet. The ships weren’t just disabled, they weren’t just destroyed. They had been utterly annihilated. And the humans were staging impossibly large fleets in front of their old jump network.

“Admiral Lev-9 of the Pluto Fleet flagship Regret and Sorrow. Tow successful.” I closed my eyes for a moment, and rested my head against the console in front of me. Decorum be damned. The humans had saved us. Even the Calflendil Empire couldn’t field this many ships, and if the blue was any indicator, they still had more coming in.

“Admiral Lev-10 of the Eris Constructor Fleet flagship Strife. Tow successful.” I looked back up and eyed the screen again. Constructor Fleet? That was different from the rest. And, praise the winds, the blue was finally fading.

“Admiral Lev-11 of the Ceres Constructor Fleet flagship Renewal. Tow successful.” As I watched, the viewscreen faded back to normal. I don’t think I’d ever been so happy to see stars before. Those simple little points of light, pinholes to the cosmos.

“This is Fleet Admiral Lev. The Pantheon has assembled.” I clicked my talons at that. Such a simple way of saying they had just jumped most of the mass of a star system - as a battle fleet.

“You know your orders. Mercury through Pluto are to burn the web and recapture our colonies - “ Burn the web, he said. The Calflendil were in for a nasty shock, I thought. Nothing like having ten years of territory acquisition undone in a few hours.

“Eris Constructor fleet is to split among the battle pantheon and perform repairs and maintenance.” One hell of a repair fleet, if you ask me. Billions of ships, maybe more. Absolutely ridiculous, really. What were they going to do, build another one of these fleets?

“Eris Constructor Fleet, you have permission to add to the Pantheon as necessary.” My talons started to itch. Insane, the lot of them. Absolutely insane. At least they’re our allies.

“Ceres Constructor Fleet is to stay in this system and reclaim the battlefield. We have friends to care for, after all.” Care for, he said! As though we were the yearlings new to the stage and humans had been here before us. Not that it matters, I suppose. In their little ten year vacation, they had managed to...well. Their fleets could defend an entire empire while waging a five front war, from what we’ve seen of our neighbors.

“Captain Iverns’tla, do you understand me?” The voice was odd, almost filtered. Ah, of course. It was entirely digital.

“Yes.” Oh yes, of course I understood. It’s not like I hadn’t just been forced to relive some of the most charged memories I possessed. Not like I hadn’t been briefed on what would happen if I made this choice. Warned, over and over.

“All diagnostics have been performed and cleared. Are you aware of what happened?” What happened was so absurd only a human could suggest it. Suicide by brainscan, in exchange for the opportunity to defend my home and people well beyond my lifetime.

“Yes.” Yes, indeed. Clearly, it had worked exactly as well as the humans had stated. I was the first of my kind. I was the first of my line. My entire crew had volunteered for the procedure after the humans told us how they fielded so many ships so quickly. So many more ships than there were humans, in fact.

“All right, captain. Welcome to the eternal navy. We look forward to your service.”

#science fiction #humans are weird #space australia #aliens #writing practice

431 notes · View notes

markvillacampa · 4 years

Text

Week 44, 2020

Surveillance and law enforcement

Surveillance Startup Used Own Cameras to Harass Coworkers

VICE - October 26, 2020 - 9 min

"Employees at Verkada, a facial recognition and security camera startup, abused their company's own surveillance cameras to monitor and harass women colleagues, making a Slack channel with their faces and sexual comments"

Baseline to succeed at work:

Do not abuse the privileged tools you have access too.

Be nice to coworkers.

A higher level takeaway:

"The big picture for me having worked at the company is that it has opened my eyes to how surveillance can be abused by the people in power."

Grayshift, The Startup That Breaks Into iPhones For The Feds, Raises $47 Million

Forbes - October 26, 2020 - 2 min

This company finds vulnerabilities (or buys them from security researchers) in the iPhone, then productises and sells them to law enforcement. It's believed the iPhone 12 and iOS 14 have been heavily reinforced, so the company will need the funds to find (or buy) its way into newer phones.

Crime and courts

Music industry forces widely used journalist tool offline

Freedom of the Press - October 26, 2020 - 6 min

"The popular free software project “youtube-dl” was removed from Github on Friday following a legal notice from the Recording Industry Association of America claiming it violates U.S. copyright law."

Despite what the name of the tool might lead you to believe, it can download audio and video from numerous sources, including some that might contain copyrighted material. Reminds me of the legal battles against CD/DVD ripping software, and P2P software.

Remote working

Reddit will allow employees to work from anywhere, going forward

TechCrunch - October 27, 2020 - 1 min

One more big tech company announcing a permanent remote working policy and a revamp of their offices into something that resembles a coworking space. Notably, it's one of the few companies that will not tie the employee salary to their geographical location.

TikTok

TikTok partners with Shopify on social commerce

TechCrunch - October 27, 2020 - 6 min

Following in Facebook's footsteps, TikTok is adding e-commerce features to its platform to let users purchase goods without leaving the app. Shopify notably also lets customers sell goods in Facebook and Instagram, positioning themselves as more than a simple storefront: a CMS for companies that want to sell products in social media platforms.

ByteDance announces its first gadget in a big education push

TechCrunch - October 29, 2020 - 2 min

It's a lamp. A lamp with a camera. It's marketed as an education product for kids and will be initially available only in China.

Still interesting to see one more big tech company venturing into hardware.

Funding rounds, acquisitions and IPOs

Ant Group to raise $34.5 billion, valuing it at over $313 billion, in biggest IPO of all time

CNBC - October 26, 2020 - 2 min

Ant Group, formerly known as AliPay, is the fintech spinoff of AliBaba. The company was spun off in 2010 due to regulatory issues in China, and is now worth roughly half of its former parent company.

One-click housing startup Atmos raises another $4M from Khosla, real estate strategics, and TikTok star Josh Richards

TechCrunch - October 29, 2020 - 1 min

Home prices around the world keep raising and the process to purchase a home is cumbersome. It might soon be cheaper and easier to purchase land and build your own home, and this company wants to capitalise on that.

Insider Inc. buys majority stake in Morning Brew in all-cash deal

Axios - October 29, 2020 - 4 min

The media is not having the best of times lately, revenue-wise, so a podcast and newsletter company being purchased for $75M by an Axel Springer subsidiary is big news.

This year, Morning Brew expects to bring in over $20 million in revenue, and $6 million in profit.

Apple Buys Self-Learning AI Video Company to Improve Apps

Bloomberg - October 27, 2020 - 3 min

Vilynx, with offices in Barcelona, is the first Spanish company acquired by Apple.

AMD Acquiring Xilinx In Bold, $35B Semiconductor Mega-Deal

Forbes - October 27, 2020 - 7 min

One more acquisition to the list, in the big consolidation of the semiconductor industry that's been going on for a few years. Xilinx may not be a widely known name to consumers, but they invented FPGAs, which have many applications in accelerating machine learning. NVIDIA, AMD's rival in the graphics card market, acquired ARM a few weeks ago.

Self-driving cars

Battery Day

Ramblings from Jessie - September 29, 2020 - 24 min

A month ago, Tesla held an event named "Battery Day" to present their latest advances in battery technology. The article gives an overview of the event, the current estate of the art in battery technology, and what might come in the future, from a very technical perspective. Worth a read.

Waymo pulls back the curtain on 6.1 million miles of self-driving car data in Phoenix

The Verge - October 30, 2020 - 10 min

"Over 21 months in Arizona, Waymo’s vehicles were involved in 18 crashes and 29 near-miss collisions, none of which resulted in injuries"

Waymo has released interesting data on their testing operations in Phoenix.

Other

The Hummer is making a comeback -- and this time, it's all-electric

CNN - October 21, 2020 - 3 min

How Discord (somewhat accidentally) invented the future of the internet

Protocol - October 29, 2020 - 18 min

Another worthwhile profile of Discord. I already included a Discord profile in last week's issue, so allow me to quote myself:

"Discord has been able to modernise the IRC experience, keeping the product free, and monetising by selling “status” upgrades to its users, while funding the communities it hosts. It’s really a genius product, last valued at $3.5 billion."

Auction: An original first iteration "blue box" populated circuit board made by Steve Wozniak and marketed by Steve Jobs and Wozniak in 1972

bonhams.com

This could be considered the first Apple product, before Apple even existed. Wikipedia has more info on these amazing devices called "blue boxes"

Superwhite paint can cool buildings even in hot sunlight

New Scientist - October 21, 2020 - 2 min

"Compared with existing, commercial heat-reflective paints that reflect about 80-90 per cent of solar energy, the new one managed 95.5 per cent."

Crews vacuum 'murder hornets' out of Washington nest

Associated Press - October 24, 2020 - 2 min

Lee Kun-hee of Samsung Dies at 78; Built an Electronics Titan

The New York Times - October 25, 2020 - 6 min

South Korea has a 50% inheritance tax, which means his estate will be on the hook for around $10B of Lee Kun-hee's $20B fortune. This could mean big troubles for Samsung as the heirs might need to sell part of their ownership to pay for the taxes.

Epic says its PC game store now has more than 100 million users

The Verge - January 14, 2020 - 2 min

Competition seems to be healthy in the PC game store, as Valve's Steam had 90 million users as of January of last year.

0 notes

rekomande · 5 years

Link

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Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Use Alexa hands-free mode to pause videos, play music, open apps, show sports scores, display the weather, and more-just ask Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Use Alexa hands-free mode to pause videos, play music, open apps, show sports scores, display the weather, and more-just ask Call or message almost anyone hands-free, or make video calls to family and friends with a Fire tablet, Echo Spot, Echo Show, or the Alexa App. Instantly connect to enabled Echo devices. 32 or 64 GB internal storage expandable by up to 256 GB (using the microSD slot). Watch downloaded videos anywhere with a Prime membership, Netflix plan, or Showtime subscription. Enjoy millions of movies, TV shows, songs, Kindle eBooks, magazines, Android apps, and games-including Netflix, Facebook, HBO, Spotify, and more Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Use Alexa hands-free mode to pause videos, play music, open apps, show sports scores, display the weather, and more-just ask Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Use Alexa hands-free mode to pause videos, play music, open apps, show sports scores, display the weather, and more-just ask Call or message almost anyone hands-free, or make video calls to family and friends with a Fire tablet, Echo Spot, Echo Show, or the Alexa App. Instantly connect to enabled Echo devices. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Use Alexa hands-free mode to pause videos, play music, open apps, show sports scores, display the weather, and more-just ask Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Use Alexa hands-free mode to pause videos, play music, open apps, show sports scores, display the weather, and more-just ask Call or message almost anyone hands-free, or make video calls to family and friends with a Fire tablet, Echo Spot, Echo Show, or the Alexa App. Instantly connect to enabled Echo devices. 32 or 64 GB internal storage expandable by up to 256 GB (using the microSD slot). Watch downloaded videos anywhere with a Prime membership, Netflix plan, or Showtime subscription. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Use Alexa hands-free mode to pause videos, play music, open apps, show sports scores, display the weather, and more-just ask Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Use Alexa hands-free mode to pause videos, play music, open apps, show sports scores, display the weather, and more-just ask Call or message almost anyone hands-free, or make video calls to family and friends with a Fire tablet, Echo Spot, Echo Show, or the Alexa App. Instantly connect to enabled Echo devices. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Use Alexa hands-free mode to pause videos, play music, open apps, show sports scores, display the weather, and more-just ask Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Brilliant 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. Our largest display, now with over 2 million pixels, stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi-perfect for watching Full HD video, playing games, reading magazines, and streaming content seamlessly Use Alexa hands-free mode to pause videos, play music, open apps, show sports scores, display the weather, and more-just ask Call or message almost anyone hands-free, or make video calls to family and friends with a Fire tablet, Echo Spot, Echo Show, or the Alexa App. Instantly connect to enabled Echo devices. 32 or 64 GB internal storage expandable by up to 256 GB (using the microSD slot). Watch downloaded videos anywhere with a Prime membership, Netflix plan, or Showtime subscription. Enjoy millions of movies, TV shows, songs, Kindle eBooks, magazines, Android apps, and games-including Netflix, Facebook, HBO, Spotify, and more Prime members get unlimited access to over a thousand books and magazines, millions of songs, and thousands of movies and TV episodes-at no additional cost

#Recomended Products

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smarthometekkie · 1 year

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tplinkproblems-blog · 5 years

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Nest cam night vision not working

when you install any kind of security camera for your home, always expect that your camera device can secure your home in night also. If you have Nest camera then you can get night vision facility with your Nest camera by default. That means Nest camera devices will record all moments in night also. Using login dropcam you can make night vision settings for drop camera devices.

What is Night Vision Facility for Nest Dropcam Devices?

As name suggest, night vision is the facility of security camera devices that allow your camera to record videos in night when there is no night. If a camera device is totally night vision camera then this camera will not even need any kind of light in night. Most of night vision camera devices are available from Nest cameras so you can get these devices so sure.WHY NEST CAMERAS KEEP GOING OFFLINE.

What is Night Vision Facility for Security Devices?

When you have Nest or any other night vision camera devices with night vision facility, you can easily make your device to record videos in day and night also. If you want these night camera devices, then you will need to ask shop keeper that you want a camera device with night camera function.

What is Night Vision for Nest Camera is not Working?

If you find that night vision for your nest camera device is not working then first you need to make sure that your nest camera device that you are using is having this facility. After that you need to access login dropcam page and then make sure that night vision facility is enable for your device. do not configure this facility to “Auto” because with auto facility your device will stop working sometimes in night.

#Dropcam login #dropcam #Nest Cam login #Nest Thermostat setup

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dsrajawat · 5 years

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If you’re looking for a laptop under 50K, should you go for a Chromebook? Answering this question, I began my review of the HP Chromebook x360.

Currently, a bigger slice of the PC market is shared between Windows and Mac. In contrast, Chromebooks seem like an underdog with relatively lesser reach in India. There’s even a good chance that some of you might not know much about them. These ultrabooks come powered by Chrome OS, an operating system from Google, and represent a fresh take on legacy laptops as we know them.

The x360 has been my daily driver for a while now. I’ve used it keeping aside the complexity bias towards the Windows and Macs of the world. So, if you’re in a pickle, reading this review won’t hurt. You will get to know how it holds up against the alternatives. After all, they vaunt a unique value proposition, especially for the Gen Z.

Let’s see whether it’s true.

HP Chromebook x360 – 14-da0003tu Specs and Price

Model HP Chromebook x360 – 14-da0003tu Display 35.56 cm (14) diagonal FHD IPS BrightView WLED-backlit (1920 x 1080) Processor Intel Core i3-8130U (2.2 GHz base frequency(2b), up to 4 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology(2g), 4 MB cache, 2 cores) Graphics Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 Storage 64 GB eMMC with 256GB expandable storage, 100 GB Cloud storage, Unlimited Google photos/videos storage Memory 8 GB DDR4-2133 SDRAM (onboard) Ports

2 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C

1 USB 3.1 Gen 1

1 headphone/microphone combo

1 microSD media card reader

Kensington Nano Security Slot

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2×2) Wi-Fi

Bluetooth 4.2 combo

Software Chrome OS Battery 3-cell, 60 Wh Li-ion polymer; 45 W AC power adapter Dimensions 32.54 x 22.68 x 1.6 cm Audio

ASUS SonicMaster stereo audio system, certified by Harman Kardon

Array microphone with Cortana and Alexa voice-recognition support

Keyboard and Trackpad

Backlit Chiclet single-color keypad

Precision (PTP) Technology Supports up to Four-finger Smart Gestures

Weight 1.68 Kg Biometric unlock HP Wide Vision HD Camera with integrated dual array digital microphone Colors

White Ceramic

India Price Rs. 44,990

HP Chromebook x360 Review: Design and Build

Let me put it out there that this one’s a charmer. The Chromebook X360 comes with a 360-degree rotating hinge, which means you can use it as Flip in Laptop, Stand, Tent, or Tablet mode. This opens up multiple use cases. Go figure! Whilst using in the flip-in form, the screen wobbles a bit. But it is not a biggie and the hinge is pretty solid with no creak.

Even if you keep the convertibility factor aside, the laptop still slays on the design front. The hood is made of aluminum anodized body cloaking a ceramic white finish, which looks slick. There is a chrome logo, the staple Chromebook identifier on the left side. The company claims the matte surface is scratch-resistant, although we never went out of our way to test it.

The Chromebook is slim at 16.05mm and trim at 1.6kgs. So, it was lite to carry around in hand, in my daypack or seating it on my lap. Like lap-ability, the one-handed opening test also was easy peasy. Once you open the lid, you’ll see a 720p webcam nesting right above the display. But there is no face unlock or any other biometric unlocking option, which is a real kicker.

ALSO READ: Asus ZenBook 14 (UX434FL) review: That Dual Display though!

HP Chromebook x360 Review: Display, Keyboard and Audio

This one has an IPS WLED-backlit (1920 x 1080) display that stretches 14-inches diagonally. It is affable in terms of colors, brightness, viewing angles, yada yada yada. The only glaring issue I have with this panel is that its glossy and reflective, which spoils the experience while using under harsh lighting.

The touchscreen is also responsive and plays well with the Chrome OS interface, especially in flip-in and tablet mode. Don’t wanna touch? Then use it as any other regular clamshell model. The chicklet keys offer a comfortable typing journey across the board. As for the trackpad, it’s one of the spacious ones I’ve come across so far with a precise response to my fingers.

Now since its a Chromebook, it carries few bells and whistles of its own, which you must know. You might be caught off guard by the layout and kind of keys on the pad. There are dedicated keys for various Chrome OS functions. Well, if you find it tough to adapt, then simply remap the buttons from the settings. Likewise, there is a slew of shortcuts and gestures, which you can learn to enhance your experience.

The X360 sports dual speakers tuned by B&O (Bang & Olufsen), one at the base of the laptop and the other above the keypad. The combined output is decently loud and clear. You even get a volume rocker flanked on the chassis, just as on your mobile handset.

HP Chromebook x360 Review: Performance and Experience

The internals includes an 8th gen Intel Core i3 CPU with integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620. On the memory front, you get 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM and 64GB eMMC storage. Although you won’t notice an apparent difference in speed, the volume transferred is crippled by a single lane system unlike SSD, which is a multi-lane highway.

All of these are soldered directly onto the device’s motherboard and are sealed off from the user’s access. Anyway, if you’re short on storage, you could expand it further up to 256GB using a microSD card or avail the 100GB of google cloud storage.

The software is, however, the key differentiating factor here. Now, there are several misconceptions surrounding the Chrome OS, which needs to be debunked.

If you conceive it as just a browser, you couldn’t be further from the truth. Though the platform is built on and around Chrome, it’s much more than that.

You can use it w/o the internet. An umpteen number of apps work offline including Google ones like Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets. If you’re connected, well then you can enjoy your google data on the go, since its all synced real-time to the cloud. It has a wide library of apps on the Play Store and Linux Virtual Machine.

Off the cuff, you would notice it boots like a flash in a matter of seconds. Once you log in via a password or pin, the home screen appears. There is a taskbar at the bottom, which is called Shelf and is similar to the dock on Mac. You get to pin your favorite apps on to it. Since you’re not allowed to place icons on the screen, the desktop is clutter-free and minimal with just the dock and the wallpaper.

You can invoke Google Assistant with your voice or the dedicated button on the keypad. This button can be used to access the app tray. Speaking of apps, you can use a plethora of them from the Google Play Store. As an Android user, this meant I can use the same apps that I use on my phone.

But can’t say it’s device agnostic. When the apps ape the UI meant for the mobile phones onto a bigger canvas, the overall experience takes a backseat. Plus, the Play Store alternatives of legacy apps like Microsoft Office and Adobe Suite are barebones.

Another quick tip would be to use CrossOver for running legacy Windows applications or try out the Linux based alternatives. But either of them isn’t a simple solution.

On that note, what about Linux on Chromebook? If you’re unfamiliar, Linux on Chromebook is based on Debian distribution and runs within a Virtual Machine. I tried flashing Gimp. While the installation went smooth, the app, as well as the Linux terminal, crashed. All this may be cuz it’s still in beta state. So it’s not a viable option still. My case in point.

Coming to the main course – the performance!

If you’ve felt the Chrome browser to be a ginormous RAM sucker in other laptops, here inside Chromebook, it feels at home. I’m the kind of guy who’d have a fleet of tabs opened on Chrome at all times. Yet, I felt no hiccup, lag or crashes during my review frame. But, let me be clear, there was no jot of difference in the browsing Speedtests (Chromebook | Windows Pavilion Laptop). A quick tip: you may use extensions such as The Great Suspender or OneTab to better manage the tabs.

Just like the cold boot times, other processes like app-loading and pdf document opening, etc also were fast.

The system updates and backup resembles the Android implementation. They take place smoothly in the background without interrupting your activities. No sweat!

Next up, let me put light upon some security features I loved –

Chromebook sandboxes every activity instance of yours, isolating any threat you’ve downloaded from the web. The boot also verifies the system and will reset everything to its original state, if some malfunction found. Like the Former FBI most wanted hacker, Kevin Mitnick claims, there is a limited attack vector and there’s just nothing to exploit on Chromebooks. So good riddance from viruses and antiviruses.

Lastly, there is Powerwash, which is the reset option that’s fairly quick and effective. Since the data is mostly stored online, you get a fresh copy without losing much data. In fact, the system snapped while I was poking around Chrome Flags and Powerwash came in handy.

Speaking of chrome flags, you can tweak some experimental features and even basics like – Show previews of running apps when hovering over the shelf.

All that said and done, there is one area where Chromebook bites the dust and that is – any graphic intensive process. So, this one gets a big no-no for playing heavy games. In my trials, Asphalt 9 and Call of Duty performance was passable with noticeable frame drops and ghosting issues. However, you can have a good time playing casual titles like Subway Surfers, Temple Run, etc.

Now since the Chromebook caters to low graphic processes, it depends on passive cooling and so you need not worry about any whirring noise over-course.

Nonetheless, here are a few of our benchmark test results –

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CrXPRT Performance benchmark

Speedometer

Geekbench 5

3DMark

Androbench Scores for RnW speed

DRM Info

ALSO READ: Asus VivoBook S14 S431F Review

HP Chromebook x360 Review: Battery and Connectivity

This HP Chromebook claims to run for 11 hours on a 3-cell, 60 Wh Li-ion polymer battery. I must say the Chrome OS is very power-efficient and I’m impressed by X360’s battery endurance. In my Crosh (accessed by the command – Ctrl+Alt+T) test, the laptop discharged 77.86% in 8 hours. The battery discharged within 9 hours 25 minutes according to chrome://power data.

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When it begs for a charger, you can use the bundled 45W AC power adapter via either of the 2 USB-C ports. It took around 15 minutes to refill 25% of the battery. Other ports are 1 USB A, 1 headphone jack, and an SD card expansion slot. If you’re scratching your head about the tiny square slot beside the USB-A port, its for security lock cable to moor the Chromebook to a table. I just wished there was an HDMI socket instead so that I could connect my secondary monitor.

So should you buy it? Is it worth your money?

HP Chromebook x360 Review: Verdict

Lately, Apple is seen repositioning iPads as a Chromebook alternative and Microsoft is banking on the Surface Go. So, when both these biggies act wary of Chromebook, it got to mean something, right?

Yes, that’s somewhat true. But essentially, HP Chromebook X360 feels like a double-edged sword.

On one hand, HP has engineered a good-looking laptop with ergonomic keypad, touchpad, respectable audio output, and pleasing display. It can transform into multiple formats, to each their own.

It suits well for those who want something to carry on-the-fly and can live without games, Photoshop, Premiere Pro and the likes. It is a capable work machine for internet browsing, media consumption, and anything but graphics-demanding tasks. The GPU acceleration or the lack of one – is its Achilles heel.

Thus, on the other hand, HP Chromebook x360 might not be the renaissance in the world of Chromebooks. It is marred by the same pros & cons that come with Chrome OS.

Summing up, if it fits your bill, go for it. Else, you still have your options. Either way, you better mull over your preferences and needs once. Maybe this will help you –

Reasons to buy

Attractive and Solid Convertible

Good keypad, touchpad, and touchscreen

Fast and Secure OS with Real-time data sync

Long-Lasting battery life backed by a USB-C charger

App uniformity for Android users

Reasons to not buy

Reflective display

Missing HDMI port

Lack of powerful graphics card

Small Storage capacity

Play Store apps can’t match the legacy apps

Photos by Manmeet Singh | Smartprix

HP Chromebook x360 Review (14-da0003tu) If you're looking for a laptop under 50K, should you go for a Chromebook? Answering this question, I began my review of the HP Chromebook x360.

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andylocksmithtipsntricks · 5 years

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ADT vs. Brinks Home Security

Most Well-Known

ADT Home Security

Learn More

140+ years of experience

More monitoring centers

Professional installation required

140+ years of experience

More monitoring centers

Professional installation required

View Packages

Learn More

Entry-Level Pick

Brinks Home Security

Learn More

DIY installation

No-contract option

High cancellation fees

DIY installation

No-contract option

High cancellation fees

View Packages

Learn More

ADT Edges Out Brinks with Experience and Superior Professional Monitoring

ADT has well over a century of experience in the home security industry, and it certainly shows. While you have to commit to a long-term contract up front, ADT security has quick response times, an impressive six-month, money-back guarantee, and helpful customer service that’s worth the tradeoff.

If you opt for ADT’s basic package, be aware that monitoring uses a landline only, similar to Protect America. It’s also worth noting that the costs for things like carbon monoxide monitoring aren’t included in the basic package and can add up quickly.

You may be lured in by Brinks’ home automation advantages and DIY installation, especially if you already own Google Nest smart home products. But be warned that due to several partnerships of varying natures—Alarm.com, MONI, LiveWatch—customer service can be challenging.1

ADT vs. Brinks Monitoring and Equipment

Lowest Monthly Monitoring Cost Equipment Cost Installation Type and Fees Contract Length Money-back Guarantee Equipment Warranty Learn More

$27.99 $29.99 $0 with contract $299 Professional, $99-$199 DIY, $0 36 mo. 36 mo. for Home Connect, No contract required for Nest Secure 6 mo. 30 days 90-day limited warranty Lifetime warranty View Packages View Packages

Data as of 09/12/2019. Offers and availability subject to change.

What Do ADT and Brinks Home Security Systems Have in Common?

ADT and Brinks have most of the qualities you’d want in a reputable home security company, including an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.2

Both of these home security companies offer the following:

24/7 professional monitoring with two-way audio

3-year contracts on most packages

Money-back guarantee (time varies)

Smartphone app

Compatibility with Amazon Alexa and Google Home

Similar equipment offerings

Although the two companies have different up-front costs in terms of installation and equipment, ADT and Brinks also land in about the same place on average monthly monitoring cost. If cost is what matters to you, you’ll probably be happy with either ADT or Brinks as your home security providers.

What Makes ADT and Brinks Home Security Systems Different?

These two security companies are similar on the surface, but digging into the details turns up some significant differences.

Installation: ADT requires professional installation starting at $99. Brinks offers free DIY installation.

Reputation: ADT does suffer its share of customer complaints, but it also has an impressive amount of experience and a stellar industry reputation. Brinks’ recent bankruptcy has created some confusion about its future.

Home automation integration: While ADT offers similar devices and Z-wave compatibility, Brinks’ partnership with Nest means it edges out a slight advantage in home automation. Plus, with any Brinks monitoring package, you have the option to control smart lights, a thermostat, and a door lock. You’ll pay a bit more for that option with ADT.

No-contract option: If a long-term contract is a deal-breaker for you, then Brinks Nest Secure package is going to be your best option.

Brinks and ADT both own their monitoring centers, but ADT has six monitoring stations versus Brinks’ one. If you’re concerned about the reliability of professional monitoring, ADT is the clear choice to protect your home.

ADT at a Glance

Pros

Experience and industry reputation

6-month money-back guarantee

More monitoring centers

Cons

Long-term contract

Pricey add-ons

Installation fee

ADT is a trusted name in home security systems with more monitoring centers than other brands. Although you may pay a little extra up front for installation, you don’t have to buy equipment if you commit to a contract, and ADT backs up its reputation with a six-month, money-back guarantee.

ADT Pricing, Plans, and Contracts

With five different packages that fit almost any budget, ADT can make even the most commitment-phobic person feel better about a three-year contract. Just be warned that the lower cost of the basic package means you’ll need a landline for your home security system and also that safety monitoring like smoke and carbon monoxide will add extra fees.

ADT Contracts and Extended Warranties

ADT has an attractive and generous money-back guarantee that extends for the first six months. It also offers free equipment when you commit to a three-year contract, but there’s a big catch. Terminating early will cost you up to 75% of the remaining contract period. ADT also provides a 90-day limited warranty on its equipment with the option to purchase an extended warranty.

ADT Customer Service

An A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and good reviews for the ADT Pulse App are a good start, but ADT falters when it comes to feedback on Trustpilot.3 It does, however, earn extra points for some pretty sweet customer guarantees, including special savings for ADT customers who move after six months of service and theft protection of up to $500 in addition to homeowners insurance reimbursement.

ADT Home Automation

ADT offers smart home devices that provide all the bells and whistles you expect from home automation, including doorbell cameras, smart lighting, and smart thermostats. ADT offers Z-Wave integration in addition to Amazon Alexa and Google Home compatibility. (That’s only with higher-tier plans, though.)

ADT Alarms, Alerts, and Notifications

You can arm and disarm your ADT security system remotely through the ADT Pulse mobile app for both iPhone and Android. You can even customize alerts, use geo-location services, and view live surveillance footage on the app. Just be sure to select the higher-tier ADT package that includes video monitoring.

ADT Wins for Reliability and Reputation

Unless you have a compelling reason to do DIY installation or to insist on no contract, you’ll find ADT offers the best value across the board. Despite an installation fee and longer-term contract, you won’t have to pitch in up front for equipment, and the six-month, money-back guarantee gives you a taste of ADT’s security before you commit.

View Packages

Brinks Home Security At a Glance

Pros

Nest Secure Package

More home automation options

DIY installation

No-contract options

Cons

Long-term contracts

More expensive equipment costs

One monitoring station

Brinks’ partnership with Nest gives bragging rights for home automation, and many renters are attracted to the DIY installation and no-contract option. Although similar in price to ADT for professional monitoring, Brinks’ solo monitoring station can leave you in the lurch if it ever goes offline during an emergency.

Brinks Pricing, Plans, and Contracts

Brinks has three packages, but they’re deceptively different. The Nest Secure package is a no-contact, DIY installation option that requires $299 up front for equipment costs. Brinks Home Complete and Home Complete with Video require a three-year contract but won’t result in equipment costs up front.

Brinks Contracts and Extended Warranties

Not having a contract is attractive, but with Brinks Nest Secure, you’ll pay for it with higher equipment costs. Brinks Home Complete packages do have a three-year contract and require a credit check. If you cancel after the 30-day trial period, you’ll have to pay the full balance of your remaining Brinks contract. Ouch.

Brinks Customer Service

Brinks Home Security formerly earned top marks from J.D. Power and Associates, but reviews on Trustpilot and complaints at the Better Business Bureau highlight recent troubles.4 As we mentioned previously, there is some ambiguity over who is using the Brinks brand name since it’s filed for bankruptcy—and that’s creating some confusion for customers.

Brinks Home Automation

The Brinks partnership with Nest, a leader in home automation, means that it maintains a bit of an edge in smart home compatibility. Nest Secure equipment earns top marks, especially for its home security cameras. But Brinks Home Connect uses Honeywell equipment, the same manufacturer as ADT.

Brinks Alarms and Notifications

You’ll enjoy all the standard benefits of arming and disarming remotely through the Brinks app, with adjustable sensitivity and customizable alerts and notifications. One advantage to the Brinks app is the ability to create a chat room with important people like your spouse, kids, and the monitoring station so you can quickly connect, cancel false alarms, alert first responders, and make sure everyone is safe.

Brinks is for DIYers and Home-Automation Junkies

Hey, we like gadgets too. And if you already have some Nest smart home devices, Brinks Nest Secure can be a perfect solution for your home security—as long as you’re comfortable with installing the system yourself. The Brinks Nest Secure package is also a good solution for renters who want to avoid contracts.

View Brinks Packages

Our Final Pick: ADT Has You Covered

ADT is a more traditional home security company, but in this case, that means trust and reliability. You can count on professional monitoring with six centers across the US and Canada that won’t let you down. While ADT does require professional installation and charges a fee, in the end it works out for your bottom line because you’ll get free equipment with your three-year contract.

Brinks offers DIY installation, and there is a little less risk involved for renters if you choose its no-contract Nest Secure package. Just keep in mind you’ll pay for the Nest equipment up front, and you won’t have the luxury of ADT’s six-month, money-back guarantee to fall back on if something goes wrong.

View ADT Packages

How We Picked the Best Home Security Company

In addition to scouring the internet for reviews and ratings from real customers, we evaluated opinions from experts, ratings from consumer organizations, and our own rankings for the best home security companies. Our rankings are determined by factors that matter most to our readers, such as cost, response time, customer service, installation, and ease of use. You can get a peek at our full methodology here.

More Options Like ADT and Brinks

ADT vs. Simplisafe

ADT vs. Frontpoint

Sources:

Brinks, In The News, “MONI Announces Exclusive, Long-Term Agreement to License the Iconic Brinks Home Security Brand”; Brinks Home Security, “Live Watch is Now Brinks Home Security”

Better Business Bureau, “ADT Security Systems,” “Brinks Home Security”

Google Play Store, “ADT Pulse”; Apple App Store, “ADT Pulse”; Trustpilot, “ADT”

J.D. Power, “Smart Home Features Emerge as Key Opportunity to Drive Customer Satisfaction with Home Security Systems, J.D. Power Finds”; Better Business Bureau, “Brinks Home Security”; Trustpilot, “Brinks Home Security”

The post ADT vs. Brinks Home Security appeared first on SafeWise.

Article source here: ADT vs. Brinks Home Security

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routerbookmarkingblog-blog · 5 years

Link

Here are the possible reasons that why the nest cameras are going offline.

#www dropcam login

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nestcameralogin · 3 months

Text

Why does my nest camera keep going offline and how to fix?

If your Nest camera offline, it might be due to connectivity issues, power problems, or device settings. Check your Wi-Fi connection, ensure the camera has power, and verify its settings in the Nest app. Restarting your router or the camera can often resolve the issue.

#nest camera offline #nest camera offline issue #google nest camera offline #how to fix the nest camera offline issue #why does nest camera keep going offline

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sweatygardencollectorblr · 6 years

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Michael Grothaus 25/01/2019 - 10:13am

These new additions to iOS 13 would make Apple's iOS platform so much better.

Apple’s iPhone and iPad operating system is set to hit its thirteenth version this year.

In that time, it’s become arguably the best mobile OS on the market thanks to its stability, the number of quality apps, user-friendliness, and security.

After having come so far, iOS is now considered a mature operating system by most. Yet there are strong rumors that iOS 13 will completely upend the dozen-plus year’s only OS.

Many people theorize iOS 13 could get a radically revamped user interface in iOS 13 or, at least on the iPad, gain the ability to run some desktop-level apps.

Of course, we won’t know exactly what iOS 13 will entail until Apple shows it off at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

Until then, we’ve got some suggestions about features we hope Apple will include in iOS 13.

iOS 13 Wishlist: A "Files App" To Rival Dropbox

iOS’s Files app is the front end file navigation system for files stored in a user’s iCloud Drive. Like Dropbox, you can drag any file into a folder in the Files app and it will be available on all your Mac, iOS, and Windows PC devices–as well as accessible through any web browser.

Sounds pretty Dropbox-like already, doesn’t it? The problem is, the Files app isn’t a good enough solution yet for those who want to ditch Dropbox and solely use Apple’s cloud storage solution for all their cloud file management.

Dropbox’s iOS app still has a better feature set. I’m specifically talking about two things: first, the ability to marking a file for offline support. This means the latest version of that file is always downloaded on all your devices so you can access it even when you don’t have an Internet connection.

Second, the Dropbox app has a nice scanner function. Click the scan button and the Dropbox app lets you take a picture of a document that then gets scanned into the app as a PDF. It’s an incredibly useful tool for receipts and such–and one the Files app should adopt.

iOS 13 Wishlist: Dark Mode

With macOS High Sierra, Apple finally added Dark Mode to the operating system. This allows users to replace the white menu bar, windows, dock, and other UI elements with a darker version. Professionals love this because if they are editing video, photos, and doing other graphics work, the dark elements of macOS allow them to focus more on their work.

While the iPhone and iPad aren’t as big of productivity devices for professionals as the Mac (though that is changing with the iPad Pro) we still think it’d be awesome to see a dark mode on iOS 13.

iOS 13 Wishlist: Nested And Smart Folders In Mail

iOS’s Mail app gets better each year, but one thing still really bugs many users: the app shows all nested folders in your account, which means you have to do a lot of swiping down to get to a folder you want. Apple should enable Mail to expand or collapse nested folders at will. It would make navigating the app much quicker.

Also, Smart Mailboxes have been around in macOS’s email client for almost 20 years now. But they still aren't creatable or sync-able on iOS. We’d love to see Smart Mailboxes comes to Mail in iOS 13.

iOS 13 Wishlist: Lock Any App With Face ID Or Touch ID

Any app developer can code a passcode screen into their app which locks others out of it if they don’t know your pin. This is handy because it allows you to lend your device to people and still restrict access to certain apps (like your financial apps).

But many developers don’t add passcode capabilities to their apps (nor, by extension Touch ID or Face ID support). We’d love it in iOS 13 if you could go to a new screen in the Settings app and toggle passcodes/Touch ID/Face ID login on or off for any app on your iOS device.

iOS 13 Wishlist: The Ability To Merge Apple IDs

This isn’t a feature specific to iOS 13, although it would benefit every iOS user. When Apple introduced Apple ID’s over 15 years ago they started out as membership IDs for people paying for their iTools and .Mac services. However, when the iTunes Store came into being in 2003, Apple started using Apple ID’s for that.

Then for the App Store as well. The problem is over the last 15 years many people accumulated more than one Apple ID, leading them to make some purchases under one and some purchases under another. Needless to say, having one digital ID is best and leads to a lot less confusion, so here’s hoping this year is finally the year Apple allows users to merge Apple ID’s into one.

iOS 13 Wishlist: Auto-save Photos And Videos Received In Messages

It baffles me that Apple has not implemented automatically saving photos and videos received via Messages to the iPhone’s camera roll. One of the main ways people share photos and videos with their friends and family is by texting them.

Right now iPhone users must manually save a photo or video they receive in an iMessage to their iPhone’s camera roll. It’s an extra step which is unnecessary and can lead to people actually losing media they want to keep if they later decide to delete an old Messages thread.

iOS 13 Wishlist: Save Latest News Stories Offline

The News app is one of my favorite iOS apps. It’s got a clean UI and it’s a pleasure reading all the content you love in one beautifully-designed app. Needless to say, News requires an Internet connection to work. This is a bummer when you are on long flights and just wish you had something to read.

It would be great if Apple allowed users to set an auto-download cache for News so the app would automatically download the top 20 or 50 stories in your feed so you could read them without an Internet connection.

from Featured Articles http://bit.ly/2RKg9gM

#IFTTT #Blogger

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