#yes i do have my big good quality wireless headphones but those are not for Outside

[vonlipvig]

earphones already partially broke but i bought them like last month so it's time to resort to macgyverian solutions

[biggest-gaudiest-patronuses]

So I (finally!) bought a pair of really good noise cancelling headphones, and it has changed my life! It's the fanciest thing I've bought in years, so to recoup some of the cost, I’ve researched & written a little essay based on my experiences with extreme noise sensitivity.

Hypersensitivity to sound is something I’ve dealt with all of my life, but I only recently found out it's medically known a Hyperacusis. (Please note this is a separate condition from Misophonia.) If you consistently struggle to cope with noise, the info below could be helpful! I’m including a link to my ko-fi, and I will be answering questions in the notes.

(skip to the bottom to read fun facts about my tax return and/or street organs vendettas!)

DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional, this is based solely on my experiences as a patient, and on what I have read and been told by professionals. Please notify me if you have corrections or concerns about accuracy!

BACKGROUND: Sensitivity to sound is a common type of sensory issue. While anyone can experience such issues (most people, for example, might be bothered by loud music in a crowded restaurant), some people are more sensitive than others, to the point it becomes a quality-of-life aka a medical issue.

If you consistently struggle with environmental stimuli that other people aren’t bothered by (background noises, bright lights, certain textures and tastes, etc), to the point it causes daily discomfort or limits the environments you can be in, I recommend reading about Sensory Processing Disorder.

SPD and sound sensitivity are both super common in autistic folks (like me!), but allistic (non-autistic) people can experience them too. Weep, ye prisoners of mortal coil, for none are safe, nothing sacred, not in this thy most accursed tomb of human flesh!

Anyway.

SOUND SENSITIVITY or HYPERACUSIS: Noise issues are particularly difficult to navigate in a world that is increasingly...noisy. The relatively new phenomenon of constant overhead music in restaurants, grocery stores, shopping malls etc—all of this means that public spaces are increasingly inaccessible to people with auditory issues.*

As a kid, nothing quite triggered sensory overload/meltdowns for me like the constant exposure to noise I couldn’t control—the background chatter of other kids in the lunchroom, the constant noise in public spaces, being trapped in the car with the radio on.... I had so many fights with my siblings about the car radio, and who got to choose the music.**

But it’s not just loud sounds that are the problem. As an adult who lives alone and works from home***, I’m lucky enough to be able to avoid loud environments most of the time. This does wonders for my general levels of anxiety and discomfort. But even in a mostly controlled environment, I still experience problems. Because part of sound sensitivity is that even normal or quiet sounds can feel loud and intrusive. Here are some “normal” sounds that can cause me discomfort (ranging from annoyance to outright pain, depending on the day):

refrigerator/AC/ceiling lights humming

dishwasher/washing machine noises

ceiling fan making that damn ceiling fan noise

faint sounds of traffic

riding in a car

other people having a normal conversation in the background

someone talking to me in a perfectly normal inside voice

Unfortunately, even in a “controlled” environment, many triggering noises can’t be controlled. And many parts of life can’t be lived in a controlled environment. This presents...some incredibly freaking annoying problems. Luckily there are solutions!

Sorta.

There are sorta some solutions.

They are imperfect, but they help.

TREATMENT: And now I have something rather shame-faced to admit. In all the years of managing my symptoms, it never once occurred to me to see a hearing specialist for my issues with sound. I wasn’t even aware that treatment options exist, because none of my other doctors mentioned it. Instead, I’ve spent years finding my own coping mechanisms and tools, with help from therapists and psychiatrists, but without ever consulting an audiologist/ENT. It was only while researching this post that I found out that was even an option, holy shit.

So it turns out I am going to be making an appointment with my local ENT practice. shit.

Apparently treatment options include sound/acoustic therapy, systematic desensitization/exposure therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, sound machines, and other options that I had no idea even existed, goddammit.

MANAGEMENT: In the meantime, here are my current coping mechanisms. I’ve relied rather heavily on hearing protection, which is very useful when used in moderation. Unfortunately, it can cause its own problems: it’s important not to overuse hearing protection, because in the long-term this can increase your sensitivity. So again: a useful tool, but be careful not to overdo it.

With that in mind, here are some of the coping strategies I’ve used over the last decade to manage my symptoms. This is not a perfect system and you should contact your local ENT clinic for better, long-term solutions, but in the meantime here are some tips I use to just get myself through the damn day:

Regularly spending time in a quiet controlled environment, to allow my nervous system to decompress.

Wearing earplugs, (I use two different grade, depending on the level of noise prevention I need), and always carrying an extra pair in case I need them unexpectedly. I bought a 50 pack for $7 and put spares in all my bags and jacket pockets.

(I mostly use Mack’s Ultra Soft, but there are so many types and materials and brands, including foam, silicone, wax, custom moldable etc. Even if you have trouble wearing things in your ears, you might be able to find something comfortable.)

Similarly: hearing protection earmuffs, the kind used in gun ranges and on construction sites. I bought mine online for $10. they look like normal wireless headphones, so I've never gotten comments when wearing mine in public (other than “cool heaphones” bc i added skull glitter stickers).

Sometimes I wear the earmuffs on top of earplugs, when life is just too damn LOUD.

Listening to music w/ earbuds or headphones is a great way to balance out background noises, especially if you can find soothing playlists that help you concentrate. Also useful to put in just one earbud when you need to pay attention in class/at work.

Pro tip: if your hair is long enough you can wear wireless earbuds without anyone knowing.

White noise, rain noises, ocean noises etc can be helpful! Some people like whale songs although personally this activates my primal fear response

Active noise cancelling headphones: the reason I wrote this post to begin with—I finally bought a pair! As in, a really good pair! As in, a depressingly expensive pair with noise cancelling technology that actually WORKS, holy shit. I probably need to wear them a little less at home (bc overprotection causes problems in the longterm) but they have absolutely transformed my ability to go out in public and i never ever want to take these suckers off again please take a power screwdriver and nail these to my head, bury me in the sweet sweet shroud of silence. holy canoli and cream puffs I want to marry form a civil partnership with these headphones. Plus they have a bunch of features, like being able to control the level of noise cancellation, so I can hold a conversation or be aware of some ambient noise for safety reasons.

Oh, and also they play music I guess?

Sorry sorry I promise this post wasn’t supposed to be me shilling for Big Electronics. I’m just excited, I’m an excited flabby little ball of expired flubber. ANC headphones aren’t a perfect solution, and I still sometimes wear earplugs underneath, and I will always be uncomfortable some of the time, but for me it’s been a big step.

Unfortunately the cost of good quality ANC technology means this isn’t an option for everyone, and the (much cheaper) gunshot protection earmuffs I mentioned earlier still provide an impressive amount of protection and bang-for-your buck (maybe even an equal amount of protection, if you can find ones that fit well). But if noise consistently prevents you from enjoying public space and life in general, and you’ve already tried earmuffs & earplugs and find they don’t offer enough comfort/convenience/protection, and if you’re in a position to save up for a one time non-necessity purchase of $150+, noise cancelling headphones are an option to be aware of. (Please always check the return policy so you can try before you buy. I ended up buying and returning 2 pairs before finding what worked best for me. And please look for a retailer that offers an extended warranty. You want those motherforkers to last).

There are cheaper options available, including some under $50. The ones I tried didn't work as well as my hearing protection earmuffs, but some people report good experiences, so that is something to consider. it's always good to know your options! Passive noise canceling is another affordable alternative.

Medication: A final tool in my toolbox, which for me personally has helped as much as every other method combined. Like, a lot, it’s helped a lot. It turns out some anti-anxiety medications can also help sensory issues. There’s not much research on this, and I only discovered it firsthand when a medication my doctor prescribed for anxiety ended up significantly helping my sensory issues. I no longer need medication for anxiety, but my psychiatrist still prescribes that same medication off-label for my sensory stuff. Ask your psychiatrist to research your options (they will probably have to do some digging to find relevant research, but you deserve to know all your options, even the obscure ones). Fyi, the medication I use is in the benzodiazepines class, but there are other options for those concerned about dependency or side effects.

(I'm also told anti-anxiety supplements may be helpful, though I haven't tried this yet. If you're on prescription meds, always talk to your doctor about contraindications before taking anything over-the-counter.)

So there you have it, my main coping strategies for sound sensitivity! They are not a replacement for medical treatment (except that last one which is in fact...medical treatment), but I find them helpful and I hope some of you will too! I’ve struggled for a long time, and I’m very pleased to have reached the point where I can just do things in public. Eating out in loud restaurants? I can do that now, and even enjoy it, holy shit! I can comfortably travel in cars for hours at a time, and walk around shopping malls and grocery stores with overhead music, and, and —and just exist. It is so so freeing, to feel like maybe, after everything, you are actually allowed to just exist in a world that wasn’t really designed for you.

Again, be careful not to overuse hearing protection—the goal is to allow you to be less uncomfortable and to function better, but if you find you are becoming more sensitive to noise, it is time to dial it back a notch. Or maybe consider listening to music (at a reasonable volume) to block out background noise instead.

*(This also includes people with hearing loss and related issues, btw. While that’s not my area of knowledge, I would welcome it if any of my HoH followers want to share their experiences.)

**A sign of sensory issues that parents often miss is when a child complains about music being too loud—but has no problem listening to their own music at high volume. This is because music that is already familiar to the listener (and that the listener enjoys) is much easier for the brain to process, since it knows what pattern of sounds to expect. Loud music that they get to control can be soothing for people with sound issues, especially when it blocks out background noise and sensations. This is why repetitively playing the same songs can be a helpful form of stimming.

***(working on this blog, actually. since it’s my only source of income, my 2020 income tax return literally lists my occupation as ‘Tumblr Blogger.’ Oddly, my parent didn’t feel this achievement was worth including in the holiday family newsletter.)

bonus fun fact: Charles Babbage aka “father of the computer” may have been autistic and hypersensitive to sound. He definitely had a huge problem with public noise pollution, and spent his later year waging a war on street musicians (and organ grinders in particular).

(bc like, yeah. screw organ grinders.)

Sometimes when I’m out in public and the overhead music is particularly unbearable, I’ll take a moment to look up to the sky and scream out: “HE TRIED TO WARN US! THE FATHER OF COMPUTERS TRIED TO WARN US!!! we should have listened, sweet heaven we should have listened!”

except i don’t scream it, i say it very quietly under my breath

(i have issues with noise)

so yeah that is my short essay. and here is the ko-fi goal

k ciao i gotta go pick out glitter stickers for my headphones

[fysmartwatch]

Spotify on smartwatches has been a complete game changer for us!

Simply, stream or transfer your favourite music onto your watch for wireless playback any time, even when offline.

It’s another huge step towards true smartwatch independence from cellphones.

In today’s guide, we recommend the best smartwatch for Spotify currently on the market. We also recommend some awesome alternatives.

How Does Spotify Connect to Your Smartwatch?

Using Spotify on a smartwatch doesn’t yet offer all the features it does on a cellphone. It’s a very different experience, but using a smartwatch is all about making concessions right?

In this section, we take a look at how it all works and what kind of experience you can expect.

A Brief Introduction to Spotify

For those that have been living under a rock for the past few years, Spotify is a streaming service that supplies music and podcasts to its subscribers. 

There are millions of songs available on Spotify, and they cover a range of genres and time periods so that you can be certain of finding something that interests you, no matter how obscure your musical tastes. 

Spotify is commonly available on your computer, phone, and tablet, but more recently, smartwatches with Spotify have made it to market.

The great thing about Spotify is that it is free to sign up for, and you can start listening as soon as you have shared your email address. 

There is a premium service that you can pay for which has 3 key benefits (among others):

It removes advertisements from the listening experience.

It allows a higher standard of music quality (up to 320kbit/s bit rate).

Plays music without an internet connection.

Spotify is hugely popular across the world and has over 248 million active users, with over 110 million subscriber (nearly double that of Apple Music subscribers). 

How Spotify Works on a Smartwatch

A smartwatch with Spotify is not the same experience you are used to on a cellphone or computer.

Yes, you can the play music you love but you need to synchronize your watch with a computer or phone app. It’s not a standalone experience.

In this section, we explain how to set it up and also the limitations you need to prepare yourself for.

Step 1: Download the App

When it comes to accessing Spotify on your smartwatch, you will first need to download the Spotify app to your watch.

With Samsung wearables, this is a really simple process. Select ‘Apps’ from the home screen. Select ‘Galaxy Apps’. Find Spotify and install.

The process is easy with Garmin smartwatches too. This time you’ll need to find the Spotify app using the Connect IQ app on your cellphone.

Step 2: Sign Up

The sign-up process is straightforward, you just connect your Facebook account or use your email.

Important Note: Just remember not all smartwatches are able to use Spotify, so make sure you check out our list of recommended models.

Spotify will ask you to set a password and share your date of birth so that they know your age and can make music suggestions based upon that.

It’s an incredibly simple process made to make accessing music easy. There are lots of ways to customize your account when you have logged in so that you enjoy the music that you want to hear.

Step 3: Connect your Accounts

This step isn’t necessary with Samsung watches as you can sign in to the Spotify app on your smartwatch. However, Garmin users now need to sign into their Spotify account in the Connect IQ app. They will then be prompted to connect their accounts.

Step 4: Download Music (or stream on selected Samsung devices)

Now you can access the following folders in your Spotify account:

Playlists

Recently Played

Made for You

Workout

Podcasts

You may be wondering how to do this on a Garmin watch? (I know I was!). You need to hold the ‘Down’ button. This will take you to your library. You’ll see an ‘Add music and Podcasts’ option at the bottom.

Browse through what’s on offer and download your favorite playlists (you’ll need a WiFi connection).

Important Note: You can’t edit playlists or search for new music from your watch. This needs to be done using the full Spotify app on your cell phone or computer.

The Limitations of Spotify on a Smartwatch

Unfortunately, smartwatches with Spotify don’t get the full music streaming experience. It’s a little bit annoying having to download all of your music and podcasts, but in my opinion this is a small price to pay to have music on your wrist!

Here’s the lowdown on the drawbacks you can expect with Spotify smartwatches.

1. You need a premium account.

This is no big deal for those of you that already pay the monthly subscription but for those of you new to the streaming service or that currently use a free account then this could be a dealbreaker.

In order to put music on your smartwatch, you need a paid Spotify Premium subscription. At the time of writing (8/2020), this is currently priced at $9.99. In my opinion, if you listen to a lot of music then this is really good value for money but I’ll let you decide.

2. You can’t stream music (in most cases).

Spotify is by definition a music streaming service but its integration with smartwatches (at this time) isn’t quite the same. You must download music and podcasts to your watch. That means adding and deleting new playlists every time you want to “freshen” things up.

This is a very simple process but it takes time. Especially if you are adding substantial amounts of new material.

However, as you’ll see with the next couple of points too, there are a couple of exceptions.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch and Samsung Gear S3 Frontier are both available with data plans which enable them to stream music.

3. The amount of music at your disposal is limited to your watches’ memory.

Since you must download music onto your smartwatch (with the exception of the Samsung Galaxy and S3 Frontier, which can stream), the listening material available to you at any one time is limited to the memory capacity of your watch.

Generally speaking, this is around 500 songs but it really depends on the watch and also the file sizes of your songs (higher quality music will take up more space).

Personally, I’ve never found an issue with this limitation. I use my Garmin 245 Music to listen to playlists while running. A five hundred song library is more than enough. I tend to change things up every month once some songs start to get a bit familiar.

4. You can only listen using a Bluetooth connection to external speakers or headphones.

Most of the watches with Spotify that are worth having can only playback your music with some external help. This means you need to connect to headphones or a speaker using a Bluetooth connection.

I pair my Garmin 245 Music with Bose SoundSport wireless headphones for a seamless experience when running.

The exceptions to this are the previously mentioned Samsung pair. They both contain built-in speakers that can play music without needing and external connection. Just be warned, the volume is pretty low and the sound quality isn’t great.

Spotify Alternatives to Consider

There are other music streaming alternatives that are worth considering before you sign up for a subscription. Here’s a quick look at three of the best music streaming platforms for smartwatch use.

Amazon Music – At $9.99 for non-Prime members ($7.99 with Prime membership) and with a library of 50 million songs this is a true Spotify contender. Available on Garmin.

Deezer -3 tiers that range from free up to high definition streaming at $14.99 per month. It has a library of around 60 million songs. Available on Garmin.

Pandora Music – A premium account with access to around 40 million songs costs $9.99 a month. Available on Samsung.

The Bottom Line

If you are looking for a watch that plays music, then picking a Spotify enabled smartwatch is a great choice.

As a runner, my kit is as lightweight as ever. Previously, in order to listen to music while running, I had my bulky smartphone strapped to my arm. Now, all I need is my smartwatch and wireless headphones.

Just don’t expect the full Spotify experience on smartwatch because it doesn’t yet exist. Smartwatches have a few hurdles to jump before we get that kind of app integration.

Right now, this is as good as it gets when it comes to Spotify on smartwatch. And if you ask us, it’s still amazing!

The Best Smartwatch for Spotify

In our opinion, these are the only three smartwatches with Spotify worth knowing about.

There’s one clear winner in our eyes but the others are worthy alternatives.

Garmin Forerunner 245 Music – Our Top Pick

Garmin is incredibly well known and typically considered to be the smartwatch choice of people who love to get outside and exercise.

This smartwatch not only offers an excellent music experience but has GPS to track your every move.

Music Library Size

The Forerunner 245 has 3.5 GB of internal memory which Garmin state should hold around 500 songs. However, I currently have 750 songs and 2-hour long podcast episodes on my watch so this isn’t actually accurate (but in a good way!). I typically freshen the library up every month or so with new podcast episodes and playlists.

How it Works

This Spotify smartwatch requires a premium Spotify account as you need to download the music to your watch. This means that it can’t stream music. You need to synchronize your watch with your smartphone app after selecting the music you want. The synchronization process can take a while if you plan on downloading a lot of music, so it’s best getting this out of the way with plenty of time before your next run.

Another key point to note here is that the watch itself has no audio output ability. It can store the music and play it but there are no built-in speakers. This means it needs to be paired with speakers or headphones via a Bluetooth connection.

I pair mine with Bose wireless headphones for a completely wireless listening experience while running. The connection process takes a few button presses and the connection is always solid.

Interface

The Spotify music controls are reached by holding down the ‘Back’ button for a couple of seconds. This takes you to your music library where you can browse what’s available.

This same procedure takes you to the skip, volume, shuffle, stop, and play controls while you’re listening.

It’s not exactly the smoothest user experience but it’s simple and easy to navigate. Depending on the headphones or speakers that you have paired with the watch, you might be able to control the music player externally through them.

What Else is There?

The Forerunner 245 Music actually does a heck of a lot more than just play music. As this is a Spotify watch guide we won’t go into too much detail but here’s a brief summary of the key features:

Works with iOS and Android

5 ATM waterproof

GPS (and GLONASS mapping)

Heart rate monitor

Pulse Ox sensor

Fitness notifications that can help you understand whether you need to work harder or slow down.

Garmin Coach that will work with you to get fitter and faster

Detailed feedback from all your workouts so you know where you need to put your efforts

Fall and safety detection services that will help you if you find yourself in trouble; this smartwatch will even alert emergency services to come and help you.

Up to 7 days of battery life when in smartwatch mode (up to 24 hours if GPS is in constant use)

Bottom Line: I’ve owned this watch for about 6 months and absolutely love it! If you’re an active person that enjoys listening to music then I highly recommend it. Besides playing music, it’s an awesome fitness tracker that actually encourages you to get out more. It’s the Spotify smartwatch that I’d choose over all others.

Samsung Galaxy Watch

Samsung is a household name and well known for its phones, TVs, and other tech. The Galaxy Watch is the perfect choice for fitness activities as well as listening to your music throughout the day. Spotify on a Galaxy watch can be easily downloaded and is simple to access so that you don’t have to fuss around to find it.

The great thing here is that if you have the SIM card enabled version of this watch then you are able to stream music using Spotify. While this sounds really cool, it does significantly drain the battery when you are using 3G and 4G data. I also prefer playing the music through external speakers as the in-built speakers are tiny and don’t sound great.

Until smartwatch battery life improves, I prefer the Garmin Spotify implementation where you pre-download the music. The battery life doesn’t take a huge hit when listening in this way. That being said, I don’t expect everybody to agree with me.

This beautiful watch has a round face and comes in two sizes to fit all wrist types. You can expect to enjoy a full-color display, and the straps are interchangeable so that you can suit your mood to your watch look.

The fitness tracking is really good, and you will be able to swim with the watch on, meaning that you never miss an opportunity to track your progress.

Some other key features include:

Light and thin design so you never notice it on your wrist

Always on display to make it easy to check what is going on in the world

A fitness tracker with a heart rate monitor to keep you up to speed on your progress

A health coach that will work with you to improve your general fitness

A fully customizable screen so that you can get the look you want

Bottom Line: The Samsung Galaxy Watch is the smartwatch to choose if you want to stream music. It’s an awesome watch in general and much more than just a fitness tracker that plays music (which could be said about the Garmin Forerunner).

Apple Watch Series 5

The latest Apple Watch hit the shelves last year and offers a huge range of features that will appeal to anyone that wants to get a new smartwatch.

The Apple Watch is synonymous with Apple Music, but the company does not bar Spotify. Just be prepared for a seriously limited experience.

Apple being Apple currently don’t permit 3rd party apps (ie. non Apple products) to use a cellular or WiFi connection to stream. As you can imagine, this seriously limits what 3rd party apps can achieve on the Apple Watch.

In the case of Spotify, the app is available but it can only act as a controller to control Spotify playback on another connected device. This means no streaming and not even any downloading!

I can understand why they’ve done it. It’ll push more people to use their very own Apple Music streaming service (which has full streaming capabilities with a premium subscription). However, it’s a pretty annoying tactic that we’ve come to expect from Apple.

Third-party apps may well receive more support in the future but for now, Apple Music is the only streaming service worth using on the Apple Watch.

Otherwise, it’s a seriously awesome watch that’s got the best user interface we’ve seen on a smartwatch so far. A couple of other criticisms can be aimed at the price and battery life, but all in this is a really cool piece of tech.

Some of the most sought-after features of the Apple Watch Series 5 include:

An in-built GPS system to track wherever you go

An Always-On screen, so there is no more pushing buttons to check the time

An ECG app to check your heart health whenever it takes your fancy

An in-built compass

A bigger screen than ever before

Bottom Line: There’s a big compromise to make here if you simply must use Spotify. But, if you’re willing to make the switch to Apple Music you get the full streaming ability and a real quality wrist-piece.

Conclusion

If you want music on your watch there are few decent choices right now, but smartwatches with Spotify are leading the way.

However, there are a few different implementations of Spotify on smartwatches that you need to be aware of.

There are those that can stream, those that can only download to internal memory, and those that simply work as an extended remote control.

It depends what you’re personally looking for but for me the Garmin Forerunner 245 Music does a brilliant job. It’s a smartwatch with offline Spotify access that relies on downloading and storing the music internally via a smartphone. This might not be for everyone (try the Samsung Galaxy or Apple Watch if so) but for a runner like myself it’s now an essential piece of tech.

Remember, other very good music streaming services exist too. If you’re an Apple fan then switching over to Apple Music and streaming with an Apple Watch Series 5 is a great way to get music on your smartwatch too.

The post The Best Smartwatch for Spotify [Plus 2 Awesome Alternatives] appeared first on Find Your Smartwatch.

via Find Your Smartwatch

[nacksgameshack]

A Look at the AtGames Sega Genesis Flashback HD

For many out there, the term AtGames, will leave quite a bitter taste in your mouth, and you know who you are. To put it blunt and over the top as possible, AtGames are considered by many as the one of the worst things ever to come on God’s green Earth. 

I’m sure even some people will spit on it and then light it up with a lighter they got from the dollar store if they’re feeling an extra bit melodramatic, or of course just want to use their products to roast some crispy and delicious marshmallows, yum indeed, problem is, I don’t really ever eat marshmallows since they more or less just give me severe headaches, and most of the time I just prefer to sit back with a nice cold beverage like a Pepsi, this boy doesn't drink for sure, and just enjoy life as it was intended, without of course lighting a console on fire, I would not recommend something like that, if anything, I’d rather just light up some twigs and throw them at the neighbors to give them a scare. Anyways, for those who don’t know who or what an AtGames is, like seriously what is an AtGames? Well it’s not really a what more as it’s a who, in this case, it’s a company, that is mainly known for distributing licensed aftermarket plug and play consoles in North America and I guess Europe too, that may I add pretty much always dwindle down to either early Sega (Master System or Genesis) consoles and old-school Atari, with of course these being emulated, now many of these releases are more than just simple plug and plays, and some of them might I add are quite unique in fact, in a similar fashion to the huge flood of Master System rereleases that are still seen even today in Brazil from Tectoy, with AtGames, you’re going to notice that there are alot of different models and all of them like many aftermarket consoles have their own flaws that usually, especially in AtGames’s case end up being huge turn offs for a consumer, yet each model does have pluses in their own little way I guess you could argue. Regardless I’m not trying to say AtGames is a terrible company, or a great one either, most of the problems people will say about their older Genesis plug and plays and portables (yes, you heard me right they have a few portable variations of what is pretty much a mini Sega Nomad with SD card support) is the audio, and quite honestly the reputation for their poor audio, is definitely something that isn’t over-exaggerated, if you’re an audio nerd, someone who deeply cares about the accuracy of how your audio is being emulated, let me just say I do not recommend getting any of their older model consoles, or even portable for that matter, especially to note with the portable, is that if you keep it just a tad bit too high, you even have a chance of blowing out the speaker. 

Now, just for some clarity, the Console that I’m going to be reviewing today, hands-on first experience I guess, is actually quite a new piece of hardware, it is a 2017 model of the latest console released by AtGames, The Sega Genesis (or Mega-Drive) Flashback HD, which yes does feature HDMI support! This console, just from the trailer is boasted to be a huge if not entire overhaul of AtGames trying to clear their bad reputation and create something that many gamers will cherish and hold onto, or atleast have fun playing without the audio blasting your ear canals and making them bleed, but a promise really doesn't mean anything unless there is real action and improvement involved along the way. 

But let’s start from the basics, first off, you will notice that unlike the other variations of the Genesis consoles, this one is actually built to resemble an actual Genesis model, and fortunately even the best looking Genesis model in my opinion anyway, the Model 1. The console itself just from the looks department does sport many similarities with it being based on the Model 1′s shell design, yet also is much tinier and better compared in size to the model 3 Genesis than the model 1 or 2. One thing to be noted about this console is that, it is often compared to the NES Mini and SNES mini, and a reason for this, is because, well not only does it boast to have numerous built in games, 81 in fact, which well we’ll discuss that amount a little later, but it also does appear as said earlier, as a miniature Model 1 design, similar in fashion to the Mini Nintendo consoles, the Flashbacks also happen to have been originally released a wee bit after the NES Mini’s debut on the market. I personally haven’t touched a NES Mini or SNES Mini, so I wont do any real comparisons, rather for now, I’ll just focus on the Flashback itself and what it brings to the table of the home consumer market.

Now I've talked a little bit about the design of the console, and before I go into actually playing the thing, let me just say, when I bought this product, I wasn't expecting much from it, my expectations were quite low, from being a consumer who has gone through two AtGames Genesis consoles, I wasn't exactly disappointed with them, as for what it was, the price was a decent price, yet I did go ahead and just took them back anyways, as I just went ahead and preferred to just keep the money instead of just keeping the console, silly I suppose, but as someone who has experienced and can see why so many people are not a fan of these consoles, my expectations, as I stated were a bit on the lower side, I wasn't expecting the Flashback to compare to anything like the official Sega Genesis, but I will say that just from the super nice packaging and actually quite decent build quality of the console, already I’m quite impressed with what I have, it’s honestly kind of cool having anything miniature right? Especially something that has BLAST PROCESSING! The Console doesn't feature volume control nor does it feature a headphone jack like the real Model 1, but it’s only expected for corners to be cut, nor are such things on the original hardware even really viable to me personally as a consumer. Alls I really want is something that plays nice, and that’s what we all really want, but of course I will say this right off the bat, a huge plus of this console already is just how it looks and how it feels. The two wired and wireless (yeah, that’s alot of controllers, tell me about it *phew) controllers that you get when you purchase the console all feel great, and interestingly enough, the wireless controllers actually have two extra buttons in the middle for rewinding the game you’re playing for roughly six seconds, giving yourself a second chance at a game, or just looking at some slick moves you pulled, and also bringing up a menu that goes back to the interface of the Flashback, which yes, the Flashback does feature an interface, but I’ll talk about that a little later, the only real downside of the controllers I can say is that I’ve heard the 3-pad Genesis controllers are not compatible with the system, not just the interface, but the system entirely, that may have been fixed in a newer firmware update, but as far as I’m aware, for what I have, they do not work, only 6-button pads work on the console, which in retrospective, is not a total lost as you can still at the very least of course play games on the console with the controllers they give you, or one of your old 6-pad controllers, even though, they honestly feel just as good as the older 6-pad controllers. Overall I’d say the build quality, presentation, and design of the Flashback from a physical point of view looks quite stellar for a aftermarket console.

Alot of times, the main attraction of these aftermarket consoles is that they’re generally much cheaper than real hardware, with of course cons because of that, and alot of times, they even feature built in games, or rather some simply not only feature built in games, but they even upscale them without having to spend ridiculous amounts of money just to upscale your original hardware. Currently, as what I've seen Flashbacks usually go for around $70 USD currently, and you have to think, not only does this console promise a multitude of games, it features four controllers, a Model 1 reinvented design with some changes of course for good or worse, and even an HDMI output, something that the original Genesis would not normally support. So is this console really worth such a high price? Or is this really just a waste of money? Well before I say anymore about that, let me talk about what you’re getting yourself into behind just the little shell and controllers that are nice and pretty. The Genesis Flashback features a large amount of games, promised to be 81 built-in, which at a further glance should be noted, that not every game on here is a Genesis game, as some games in fact happen to be (another new addition to the Flashback besides pretty HD quality, time travel powers, and other things) Master System and Game Gear titles, of course the two sharing the same hardware, and the Power Base Converters existence being a thing, it only makes sense for them to add such games to the library, now there are not many of course, only a few like Fantasy Zone and Sonic Chaos, but atleast for me anyway, they’re actually quite a really nice addition that I actually really enjoy and am glad to see there, the console does feature a few other non Genesis games, that are just strange old homebrew titles, but luckily there’s only a few so it wont clutter the library, or really affect it too heavily, as in my opinion, for what you get, it does feature quite a nice library of games, from the obvious Sonic the Hedgehog titles, to some Alex Kidd games, and even the Mortal Kombat series. The Flashback also has quite a decent support of RPG games built in if that’s your goto, and what’s very cool about the console itself, is that you can actually play cartridge games on the console, as it does feature a cartridge slot, only making it even more like it’s big brother, the Model 1. In order to access any of these actual games though, you are taken to the interface of the Flashback, and while to many people it’s not really cited as anything stellar, it does what it should, and there is a bit of input lag once in awhile, and the layout requires the trigger pads, rather than the d-pad for browsing, which yes, is quite strange, it still at the end of the day does look quite pretty as you do get to see alot of nice old cover art from classic Genesis and even a few Master System titles. Now the games themselves, as far as I’ve seen and played, they all run quite well and the sound is pretty much on point atleast in terms of emulation. There is a bit of noticeable staggering or choppiness in some games like Sonic the Hedgehog, but when you’re busy enjoying the game, it shouldn't bother you too much. The games have sometimes frozen on me, but with a clear reset, they work again, and with the new addition of save states and rewinding, it does avoid soft locks quite a bit. There is quite a huge negative about the Flashback though when it comes to cartridge games, is that some games will not work at all, unless of course you modded your Flashback to play such games. Simply put, games like Sonic 3 and Knuckles will not work with Sonic 3 attached, as the console will pick up both cartridges and show both on the screen as to either choose from Sonic 3 or Knuckles, which yes, totally removes the lock on features you could get from any Genesis Sonic title that is normally compatible. Now previously mentioned with modding and taking a dangerous risk with your Flashback, you can manually add games with a micro SD, and some games that wont normally run off a cartridge can run, if it’s loaded from the system, there have even been some people who have installed retroarch on the system and enabled it to not only play Sega CD titles, with a micro SD of course, but also 32X titles like Knuckles Chaotix and the god awful Spiderman Web of Fire, actually you know what that seems awfully mean to shred on that game, I tell you what I need to give that game a try again and just see how well it fits into my modern day brain, maybe even review if I actually have motivation for such an awfu- I mean uh Sega 32x game.

With all of this mentioned, does the Flashback hold up to it’s 70 dollar price? Well besides some compatibility and minor graphical issues, I’m perfectly happy with the thing, as someone who can’t afford to collect Genesis games, this is quite a nice alternative for me, and I’d say it is for anyone in the same boat. Now for the adventurous and vanilla types, or rather just even collectors, it is of course better to just go ahead with a real Sega Genesis, as that is of course going to have the best compatibility as it is the real hardware and no emulation problems will be found. They’re also sold in a multitude of models and support addons, so if you’re into collecting that, then go for it, but say if you just want a budget hd console that can play Sega Genesis games as they were intended, well while I can’t say this does it entirely 100 percent accurate, I can say, that for the most part, all the games on this console play perfectly fine, and it is a much cheaper alternative than to just buying a real Genesis, as it also doesn't feature a region lock, unlike the real Genesis and Mega-Drive hardware. With all considered of the console, despite the flaws, I would say that this console is something that you should keep your eyes out for, if you are looking to play Genesis games on your HDTV for an affordable cost, and if you want it to come with a bunch of games of course aswell, and as I said earlier, it does feature quite a bit of controllers and two controllers ports, so if you ever have someone come over, the Flashback already has got you covered. I’d say just go for the thing, hell I got mine used on Ebay for about 50 dollars, which was probably a stupid idea in hindsight, and it definitely did lower my expectations even further then it just being an AtGames product, but with that said, despite it being used, despite it being an AtGames product, it still stands out as quite a very good aftermarket mini console, that is very much worth your time if you want something affordable, and also compact that plays Sega Genesis titles.

[it1776]

https://it1776.com Free shipping from USA! Buy cheap affordable gamepads, gaming keyboard, headsets, gaming mouses, sound bar, sports headphones, wireless headphones

- Hey, guys, this is Austin.

This is the brand new Series 2 Edition

of the Xbox Elite controller, which has got me thinking.

Kevin, what is the best controller that I can buy right now?

- Well, we got a different couple options to talk about here

so let's round 'em up and see.

(imitates music)

? Kevin Kenson music, Kevin Kenson music, ?

? Kevin Kenson music, do do doo ?

The benchmark that I compare every single controller to

is the current generation Xbox One.

Now, it's seen some updates over the last few years,

like Bluetooth and an audio jack,

you also have the Design Lab.

But this is always what I compare things to.

Kev, why am I wrong?

- I mean, look, the standard Xbox One controller

is a great controller.

When it comes to just the baseline models

that come with systems

this is honestly my my personal favorite as well.

- [Austin] Same, yeah.

- But there's a lot of room for improvement still

and there's a lot of things that have kind of become more

common and popular amongst pro controllers

that aren't necessarily feasible

in an affordable regular baseline like this one.

- Such as.

- Such as Microsoft's own Xbox One Elite 2.

Honestly, we could talk all day

about the special features and things.

I think the main kind of take away points

aside from just general build quality,

multiple sticks you can use, multiple D-pads, back paddles.

Which are pretty common across a lot of these ones.

The big stuff for this too though

is the unique customization features

that are in the Xbox Accessories app

where you can do things like button remapping,

adding a Shift button options, stick acceleration,

lots of crazy in depth stuff.

- And of course, this works across the Xbox

as well as the PC and those settings that you sync

will actually work across consoles as well.

Or across, did I just call PC a console?

I mean, across systems, across platforms.

- Identity crisis.

So aside from the Elite 2

the other one we have here is the Prestige.

Now, this is the newest one from Scuf

I'd mentioned earlier

and the main thing with this

is that this is a modified Xbox One controller

so it still has the same core base in it,

which is really cool actually

'cause that means you can use it with the Xbox One,

the upcoming Project Scarlet, PC, whatever,

if it works with Xbox controller it'll work with this.

One of the cool things about it

is how you can further modify it.

If you wanna change the sticks or anything

you actually just pop off the faceplate.

- That's cool.

- And this is how you can swap out the sticks.

You can also switch out the D-pad,

although I think you can just do that

from having this faceplate on as well.

So this one has four adjustable paddles,

you can take them off if you don't wanna use them.

- [Austin] The problem though

is that this is expensive, right?

this is actually around the same price

as the Elite controller?

- So, it's 20 bucks cheaper

if you just buy the base model unmodified.

But one of the big things about Scuf

is how you wanna customize it to make it your own design

so depending on if you want certain colors,

special designs, different sticks,

depending on all the things you modify and do to it

it can end up adding up to being quite more money.

- So I get that you're really excited

about your controllers and everything

but really everyone knows the superior way

to play any kind of game is using a mouse and keyboard.

Which I so helpfully have provided

with the Razer Turret.

- [Ken] You said this was controller video.

- This works with an Xbox, I can control my games with it,

I think that counts.

- [Ken] What is wrong with you?

- Can I bring in a racing wheel next then?

- There's a cursor inside the game.

It's almost as if I'm playing on a PC called the Xbox.

- Now to be clear, this is because the Xbox

actually does support keyboard and mouse,

it doesn't have to necessarily be the Turret

but the Turret is an awesome controller design

specifically for the Xbox in mind.

- 'Cause essentially you're getting

like a proper Razer keyboard

that's built into this little platform.

And then you have the mouse which is magnetic

so you can actually kind of.

You have a little like mousepad.

So if I was sitting.

- Come on, do it, yep.

Yeah, squat work out!

- This is the way all true gamers play.

So the Turret is certainly not cheap.

At $250 this is probably the most expensive thing here.

So the thing with the Turret is that

you really shouldn't use this

as purely like an Xbox controller.

I mean, you can use it like that, certainly.

But it sorta makes more sense

if you have like a PC and an Xbox

and you wanna have everything

kind of unified into one setup.

- Or if you just really love playing

just Fortnite all the time

and you wanna keyboard and mouse set up.

- And you don't wanna use a PC.

- And you don't wanna use a PC.

- Yeah, that's really popular.

Now over on the PlayStation side of things

we of course have the DualShock 4.

A perfectly respectable controller, it's good, fine,

but it's not really great, it's really super impressive

which is why I'm really curious,

especially to play with this Raiju.

- So actually, real quick before focusing in the Raiju,

I think something that's interesting about PlayStation

is that on Xbox you saw some similarities

with the two controllers we were trying,

they were both based on the standard Xbox design.

All three of these are very different.

All three pro controllers we're looking at

are very different approaches

of how to make a pro controller.

- This doesn't work.

- Does it not work or did you not log in properly to...

- You would be correct, I didn't log in correctly.

- There you go.

- Kevin Kenson, PlayStation expert.

- So the deal with the Raiju is that

at least out of the different pro controllers

we're looking at today,

it's the least physically customizable.

There's a little bit you can do,

you can swap out that D-pad, it does have some other sticks.

But the really heavy focus is on

just straight up the build quality.

- It's so sturdy, this to me out of all these controllers

is the only one that feels on par

with the Xbox Elite controllers

as far as just like, it's beefy, it feels heavy,

it feels like this is something I can throw across the room

in a fit of rage after I lose in Fortnite

and it'll be just fine.

- The table that it hits won't be, but yes,

the controller will survive.

- Now, you know, I totally get that customization is great

and for some people, especially with like the Scuf stuff

you can go really over the top.

But for me, I'm one of those guys

who wants to walk into Subway

and order the sandwich just as it comes.

When I go into Blaze Pizza I'm like,

I just want a pizza with pepperoni on it.

I get overwhelmed with too much choice and you know what,

this doesn't have too much choice.

I just pick up the controller, I'm like,

look, someone smarter than me designed this.

Sweet, I'm on board.

- Of the controllers we have out here today

I think this the only,

is this the only one that we're talking about?

- [Ken] Yeah.

- This is the only one we're talking about

that is actually not available normally in North America.

You can get it, you just have to import it

which also means you're probably gonna spend

a little more money than the actual MSRP lists.

- How much is it if I wasn't importing it,

like say if I'm in Europe,

how much does this controller cost?

- Well you know, that was something I planned on checking

when we weren't filming earlier and hold on a moment please.

- That's fine, I gotta kill some droids.

- Now the Scuf Vantage, really almost the opposite

of what the Raiju is.

While the Raiju is focused on minimal physical customization

but having lots of just high build quality,

the Vantage is all about modular design.

Kind of like what we saw with the Prestige,

you can take the faceplate off.

- That's cool.

- But on this one you can swap the sticks, the D-pad,

and even take out the rumble motors if you want.

Kinda like we were talking with the Prestige earlier,

with Scuf things are so customizable

there's not really one set price.

There's a starting price.

If you get a wired version of this it starts at 170.

If you get a wired wireless version it's 200.

- I will say that so far this is still my favorite.

- I will admit, personally, that's my top as well,

for the PlayStation at least.

And actually let's go ahead and talk about

this last guy then.

- [Austin] So, you need a screwdriver

to work on this guy I see.

- Yeah, so there's a faceplate that locks in,

it keeps all the modules, as they pop out.

So you can do things like, lets say you like offset sticks,

you can have this set up.

Or if you don't, take that off, swap 'em,

and now you have symmetrical.

But I like offset so I'm gonna put it back.

- [Austin] I'm afraid to ask,

how much does the Astro C40 cost?

- Well the C40 is $200 for the base design

and it does not include all the different swappable parts.

So if you wanna get all the different D-pads

and all the different sticks it's gonna be a little more.

We have fewer controllers to talk about for Switch

than we do for Xbox and PlayStation

so I came up with a solution, I got one more.

- Okay, I mean, you've done a video

on every like Switch controller ever so.

(electronic music)

What is this slime thing?

- That, my friend, you are holding the one, the only,

HORI Slime controller for Switch.

- [Ken] I love that!

- Why? - It's adorable.

- This is not meant for human hands!

- It is not comfortable but it is amazing.

I should note that I guess kinda like the Raiju

we were talking about earlier,

this is a Japanese exclusive so if you want one of these

you are gonna have to pay top dollar to import it.

- How much is this really?

How much did you pay for it?

- I wanna say I paid 80.

- Oh.

After these $200 stupid controllers

$80 for a joke is, well, it's actually wait,

no, that's still a joke.

Can we look at some real controllers now?

- How dare you, how dare you. - Insult me.

So for the Switch when it comes to pro controllers

I think the one that really comes closest

to kind of at least capturing the idea right now

is the SN30 Pro Plus from 8BitDo.

- That actually really surprises me

because it's obviously a Super Nintendo style controller

but it has the grips as well as you have the sticks.

And this also works with a pretty wide variety

of different devices, right?

It's not just a Switch controller.

- Yeah, so 8BitDo controllers are designed to work

with the Switch, with PC, Mac, and Android.

- But you said this is 50 bucks, right?

- I believe so, yeah.

- That's not bad, especially considering, I mean,

I've got like $1,000 worth of controllers

on the table right now.

- Yeah, and in terms of what

kind of makes it a pro controller versus say,

using the official pro controller from Nintendo

is that this does offer some of those

special features that people equate with pro controllers,

like you can do things like actually remapping

what all the buttons are.

So if for whatever reason you really want B

to actually be the right trigger button

you can set that up if you like.

- [Austin] Now, obviously this is not as full featured

as the proper pro controller

since you don't have NFC for Amiibo

and you don't have rumble, or do you?

- [Kevin] No, this does have rumble, that's right.

- [Austin] Oh, that's awesome, okay, cool.

- You do have motion controls though.

- Oh, that's cool, okay.

- So this is the Split Pad Pro from HORI

and it's meant to be an alternative to Joy-Cons.

Now, because it is a third party option

it doesn't actually have all the features

that you might get used to seeing in a Joy-Con.

You don't have rumble, you don't have the ability to use

Amiibo scanning, you do have the motion controls still.

But the big trade off for that

is that you actually have a longer--

- It fits your hands. - Yeah.

It's a longer controller that's actually designed

to fit in your hands.

- I mean, look at the difference, right,

it's not even close.

Now, that doesn't necessarily fit in a bag as well

or anything like that but these,

to me the Joy-Cons are fine for a quick game

or if you wanna do some like Just Dance or whatever

but this is not a super comfortable way,

especially when you're using them

even in like a Joy-Con grip.

It's not that great for long periods of time.

- Well, and especially being used in handheld mode

I gotta say that it's not just a matter of the size,

it's not just that the thing is simply bigger,

it's that it actually does have contoured grips

and is designed to fit in your hands a specific way.

It does have remappable buttons on the backside.

Because these are each individual units

you can only remap buttons that are on the same side.

But still, that's better than not having

any remappables at all.

And because it's a HORI controller it has a turbo function.

- Because turbo is what we need.

You can't non-turbo game.

- I mean, if you like turbo, the slime does it.

Wanna use that slime, it's got a turbo button.

- I'm good, you have at it.

Now, if you actually want to use some of these controllers

you might find the sponsor of today's video useful.

This is the brand new Optoma CinemaX P1.

This is a 4K ultra short throw projector

which can go all the way up to a full 120 inch picture.

And the cool part about this

is that you don't have to sacrifice your space.

Even if you have a smaller room or apartment,

you can still get the maximum out of the projector

by putting it just a few inches away.

The picture quality is incredible too.

Not only are you getting an insane amount of brightness

for a projector but it even supports HDR10.

You're also getting an integrated Dolby Digital 2.0 soundbar

with a full 40 watts of power.

Now of course, if you want you can connect it

to a full speaker set up,

but honestly just the way it comes,

it actually works really well

as an all in one entertainment center.

It also supports a variety of streaming services,

you have voice control using Google Home as well as Alexa

and you can also take advantage

of the Info Wall app to fully customize the experience.

If you're looking to up your home theater game

then you should definitely be sure

to check out the Optoma CinemaX P1

at the link in the description,

and again, huge shout out to Optoma

for sponsoring this video.

This excellent bit of consumer advice

has been brought to you by Kevin Kenson,

you can feel free to subscribe to his channel

at YouTube.com/KevinKenson.

Kev, can you please play us out with a little tune maybe,

a song and dance, perhaps an ode to the slime?

- [Kevin] I can set things on fire.

- That's a great alternative.

- [Kevin] Oh, this doesn't have

super reactive environment, I forgot.

- Are you complaining about the Witcher on Switch?

The greatest port of all time

according to everyone on YouTube?

- [Kevin] I mean, it does run great considering.

- It does look like Vaseline was smeared on my TV though.

[daniloqp]

Gear and Tips to Make Studio-Grade Videos (2021): Mics, Lights, Tripods, Lenses

Gear and Tips to Make Studio-Grade Videos (2021): Mics, Lights, Tripods, Lenses

https://theministerofcapitalism.com/blog/gear-and-tips-to-make-studio-grade-videos-2021-mics-lights-tripods-lenses/

For a professional camera: The  Panasonic S5 is the best mirrorless camera for video. It’s expensive (around $1,700 new) but it has an array of video features that set it above the competition. The Panasonic GH5 is also a good option and slightly more affordable at $1,300. We have more picks in our Best Mirrorless Cameras guide.

Moment’s lenses attach to most smartphones—as long as you have one of the company’s phone cases.

Photograph: Moment

The camera is just one part of the story. You’ll want a nice lens. For phones, even attaching third-party lenses like those from Moment (which snap into a Moment phone case) will give your footage a slicker, more professional look. We’ve rounded up more mobile camera accessories here.

Lenses for mirrorless cameras or DSLRs are more complex. Which lens you should use depends on what camera model you have, as lenses have mounts made for specific brands. There’s no one-size-fits-all mount. You’ll also want to think about what you’re shooting. Trying to capture a faraway object like a bird? Get a telephoto lens. Are you mostly filming indoors where you won’t have a lot of light? You’ll want a fast lens, something with an f/1.8 or wider aperture (the lower the number, the more light your lens can allow in). 

Camera lenses deserve their own dedicated buying guide, but if you’re going to use a lens for video, do some research and make sure the lens won’t make noises when it autofocuses. Older lenses (or cheap ones) can have noisy motors that spin when the focus needs adjusting, and that could ruin your video’s audio.

The Microphone

Aside from your camera, the microphone is arguably the second most important tool in your arsenal. Good-quality audio makes a lackluster video watchable, and poor audio can ruin even the most beautifully shot clip. 

Top Pick

Rode’s lavalier mic clips to your collar.

Photograph: Rode

Røde SmartLav+ Lavalier Microphone

What’s great about Rode’s SmartLav+ is its plug-and-play nature. I’ve plugged this microphone into my mirrorless camera and to my iPhone, and it worked like a charm (for professional cameras, you’ll need to add this $15 adapter). It’s a lavalier mic, the kind that clips to your shirt collar to capture the sound of your voice. The quality isn’t amazing, but it’s a big step up over the built-in microphone on your phone. Just know that connecting it to an Android phone is tricky—it doesn’t always work. And if your phone doesn’t have a headphone jack, you’ll need a dongle.

Upgrade Pick

Photograph: Rode

If you’re willing to spend more, this wireless system is fantastic. I’ve been using it for all my WIRED videos. Plug the receiver into your camera’s mic input or your phone’s headphone jack (you will probably need a dongle), and clip the transmitter somewhere near your collarbone. Turn both on, and they should automatically pair. That’s it! You can start recording with no pesky cable running between you and your recording device.

The microphone quality is excellent, but having a tiny box on your shirt can look a little awkward. I hooked up Rode’s Lavalier Go ($79) to the transmitter, which I put in my pocket for a more natural look. Rode has a newer version, the Wireless Go II ($299), which includes an extra transmitter if you’re making videos with a friend. 

Other Great Mics:

Deity V-Mic D3 Pro Shotgun Mic ($209): Standing directly in front of your camera? Then consider a shotgun mic. I like this one from Deity. You can pop it onto the shoe mount on the top of a camera, plug it in, and you’re ready to go. (Yes, it plugs into phones too.) It picks up audio really well and recharges via USB-C.

Rode VideoMicro ($59): Trying to spend as little as possible? This shotgun mic will satisfy. It’ll beat any phone’s built-in mic, and it’s super lightweight and compact.

The Tripod

Don’t spend hundreds of dollars on a solid camera-and-mic rig and then balance the whole thing on a stack of books. A stable tripod is a smart investment. This is one area where you might want to spend more, because a good tripod will keep your equipment from crashing to the ground. 

Top Pick

Photograph: iFootage

I tested a slightly different version of this monopod, which is being discontinued and replaced by this newer model. This new one can extend up to 59 inches tall, a full foot more than the last version, yet it weighs the same amount. I love how compactly it packs, and you can even convert it into a mini tripod at a moment’s notice if you don’t need the extra height. It has three little feet that extend out at the bottom so you can use it hands-free, and the design is great for tight spaces. It usually takes me mere seconds to set it up and start shooting. And since it’s made of carbon fiber, it’s a lightweight travel option too. (It weighs less than 3 pounds.) 

I recommend pairing it with the company’s Komodo K5 Fluid Head ($149) if you plan on panning, tilting, and capturing a lot of B-roll (more on the Komodo below).

Phone Tripod

Photograph: LumeCube

Lume Cube Mobile Creator Stand

The Cobra 2 above might be a bit much if you’re using a phone, so snag Lume’s mobile tripod instead. It’s very stable, but the best part is that the ends of the clamp double as cold shoe mounts, so you can hook up a microphone (like the Rode VideoMicro or Deity above) and a compact video light for a full on-the-go studio. My only gripe? You can’t adjust the height. But it is fairly comfortable to grip and carry if you are moving around as you film. 

Upgrade Pick

Photograph: Peak Design

Peak Design Travel Tripod (Aluminum)

This option is for when we’re all going to be traveling again. If your videos aren’t restricted to your home, this is one of the most compact tripods on the market that can deliver the height and stability most people need, yet can fit in the bottle pouch of your backpack. It’s relatively lightweight (the pricier carbon fiber version sheds even more weight), and there’s a built-in phone mount. If you want to attach a fluid head for smooth pans, you’ll need this universal head adapter. 

Other Great Tripods:

Joby GorillaPod 1K ($35): You can make do with a tripod like this one from Joby if you’re trying to spend as little as possible. It doesn’t get very tall, but you can contort the bendy legs to keep the whole thing attached to various surfaces.

Benro TMA27A Series 2 Mach3 ($156): This is a traditional tripod that’s weighty, sturdy, stable, and all-around reliable from a well-established brand.

SwitchPod Tripod ($99): I like using the SwitchPod when I’m moving around and talking to the camera. You can hold it selfie-stick style, and its curvy design keeps the camera away from you and pointed at your face. You can open the magnetic legs in one swoop to make it stand up on a table. Each leg has threads you can use to attach accessories like a video light or a mic. I also recommend grabbing the ball head mount to easily move the camera around.

The Light

Light is a crucial ingredient for making your videos look professional. Pro tip: If you think your current ambient lighting is enough, there’s a good chance it isn’t. Unless you’re filming in your backyard in the middle of the day, your cameras will need a supplemental light source.  

Top Pick

Photograph: Godox

Godox SL-60 LED Video Light

I film most of my WIRED videos in a tiny, dark bedroom. This 60-watt Godox LED has been a godsend. There’s a knob on the back to tweak how bright it gets. You can also use the included remote to change the light’s color temperature, making it appear more orange (warm) or more blue (cold). I paired it with this light stand ($55), which worked well for me.

You’ll also want to use it with a softbox to diffuse and direct the light. You can get something as affordable as this one from Godox ($40), but it takes forever to set up and put away. I much prefer using this 48-incher from Angler ($124), which intuitively collapses like an umbrella. It takes only a minute to hook it up to the light, and when I’m done I take it off in seconds and stow it in the included bag.

A More Compact Light

Photograph: Boling

The Godox lighting system above can be tricky to move around the home and is more suited to a fixed shooting location. If you’re more often filming on the go, I like this video light from Boling. It gets remarkably bright despite the compact size, has multiple color options and effects (like a fun effect that mimics a lightning strike), and you can match the color temperature to your lighting conditions. It comes with a cold shoe mount so you can attach it to the top of your camera or other compatible gear. 

It’s been my go-to mobile light for several years and has held up well. Even better, it recharges via USB-C. Just know that battery life on a mobile light like this (or the others below) isn’t going to last for several hours at a time. 

Other Great Lights: 

Lume Cube Panel Pro ($159): This is a solid light that’s similar to the Boling P1, but there’s an app you can pair it with via Bluetooth to control it remotely.

Aputure MC ($90): This light is the Swiss Army knife of video lights. It’s magnetic, so it can attach to a variety of surfaces for easy mounting. It has a dizzying number of effects and color options, and you can either recharge it via USB-C or with a regular Qi wireless charger. It’s compact too! However, it won’t get as bright as the Boling.

12-Inch Ring Light With Tripod Stand ($37): Several members of WIRED’s Gear team use these ring lights to illuminate themselves on videos. You can attach your phone in the middle of the light, which makes for a great all-in-one and affordable solution.

Other Helpful Gear

There are so many other tools I use when making videos, from external monitors to fluid heads. Here are more items you might want to check out. And if you need a way to tote your equipment around town, read our Best Camera Bags guide.

An External Monitor

Photograph: Amazon

Lilliput A7S Full HD Monitor

I film with my Nikon Z6, which doesn’t have a display that tilts out toward the front. That makes it harder to film with when I’m in front of the lens, as I constantly have to go behind the camera to see if the framing is correct. If you have a fully articulating screen then you can skip this pick, but if not, get an external monitor like this one. (You’ll need to grab batteries.) I mounted it to the top of my camera and connected it via HDMI, which allows me to see my framing and whether the focus is accurate.

A Variable Filter

Photograph: Moment

Moment Variable ND Filters

When filming with a professional camera, you’ll want your camera’s shutter speed to stay at double the frame rate for the most natural-looking clips. So at 30 frames per second, your shutter speed should be 1/60. But what happens if you’re shooting outside and the camera is receiving lots of light? Get a neutral-density filter! It screws over your lens so you can better control the amount of light your camera takes in without forcing you to change settings. I like these variable ones from Moment; rotating the filter different directions adjusts how much light is let in.  

Tip: Make sure you check the thread size for your lens when buying a filter. You can find this information on the front of a lens or on the lens cap. (If you can’t find it, just look up the lens model on the web.)

A Fluid Head

Photograph: iFootage

iFootage Komodo K5 Fluid Head

I make videos about products, so I need to take a lot of supplementary footage of the products themselves. But just shooting an object head-on without any movement is very dull. You may as well just show a still photo! Fluid heads let you smoothly pan and tilt your camera so you can add some motion to your B-roll footage. The Komodo K5 fluid head does this really well. 

If it’s too pricey, the Magnus VPH-10P Pan and Tilt Head ($45) is a cheaper alternative. Your footage won’t look as smooth, but it’s better than going hands-free or using the ball head mount on a tripod.

A Camera Slider

Photograph: Axler

Axler Carbon Fiber Camera Slider

Once you nail down panning and tilting, you’ll want to branch out. Enter: the slider. It essentially moves your camera from one end of a stationary track to the other, but quality sliders make sure this happens very, very smoothly. This one from Axler has spruced up the clips in my videos, and it’s easy to use.

A Teleprompter

Photograph: Glide Gear

If making up words as you sit in front of the camera isn’t working for you, then try writing a script. You can use your phone or tablet and a teleprompter app to read it while your camera’s rolling, but it will probably be obvious to the viewer that you’re not looking directly into the lens. That can give your video a weird vibe. The best workaround is something like the Glide Gear TMP100. It mirrors the text from a tablet or smartphone and displays it on a piece of glass that sits in front of your lens. This lets you read and stare at the lens at the same time, all while keeping the scrolling text from appearing in the image. Your viewers will think you really did memorize Hamlet’s soliloquy.

Handy Tips

I learned how to make videos by trial and error, by collecting feedback, and (mostly) by looking at YouTube videos in the dead of night. Seriously, there’s a wealth of free tutorials and tips you can find on YouTube for almost any question you have about improving your video output. Search away. That said, here are a few parting tips I try to adhere to (and sometimes struggle with) as I film.

Position Your Key Light Properly: You usually don’t want your key light (the main light source) to face your subject directly. Put it off-center, which means a part of your subject will be in shadow. You can use other lights to “fill” in those shadows if you like.

Keep an Eye on Reflections: I wear glasses, and it’s easy for the key light to reflect off of them, which creates a distracting effect in the finished video. The way to handle this is by heeding the advice above, and by tweaking your light’s height and angle. Run a few tests to see what position nails the fewest glares.

Monitor Your Focus: The last thing you want to do is film a whole video and realize your focus was completely off. External monitors or cameras with flip-out screens have features like focus peaking, which lets you easily see where your lens is focusing. If you’re using autofocus, you should run a few tests to see how well it works before you use it for the first time. Your camera might have face detection or eye detection to help with autofocus too.

Listen to Your Audio Levels: I usually keep a pair of earbuds plugged into my camera while filming so I can listen back to my clips instantly and make sure the microphone is running and I don’t sound too loud or too soft.

Get the Right Framing: Reviewing your footage and realizing half your head is chopped from the frame is a terrible feeling. Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us! Just make sure to look at your framing before you hit record.

Make the Cut: If you’re editing your video on a desktop PC, make sure your computer has enough brawn for the job. We have some guidance on how to upgrade your PC for video editing, even if you’re on a budget.

More Great WIRED Stories

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Soundpeats T2 Review : ANC From Soundpeats Worth It?

Hey Lovely Peoples, I’m going to give you a first impression review of the Soundpeats T2 Soundpeats’s True Wireless first ANC earbud. Which selling at Amazon around $70 as all midrange Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) earbuds retail for. Soundpeats’s using Hybrid Active Noise cancelling on these Bluetooth wireless earbuds

Let’s jump into the review of Soundpeats T2 Active Nosie Cancelling Earbud…

Get Yourself a Soundpeats T2 at Amazon here (Save $10)

Discussed Topics

Soundpeats T2 : Design and Build

Soundpeats T2 : Features

Sound

Active Noise Cancelling (ANC)

Best Over Ear Headphones For Working Out

Soundpeats T2 : Latency

Soundpeats T2 : Mic and Call Quality

Soundpeats T2 : Overall

FAQ’s

Mpow X6 : Best ANC Under $80?

Are SoundPEATS any Good?

Which is the best SoundPEATS earbuds?

Do SoundPEATS work with iPhone?

Soundpeats T2 : Design and Build

So this Soundpeats T2‘s case is small and well constructed.

It’s tiny in one dimension, meaning it’s great to fit in the Jeans. The magnetic keeps case locked pretty well. The buds are easy to get in and out of the case, and they seat exceptionally well on the charging connectors. This case charges by a USB type-c and does not support wireless charging, which is a bump.

It’s got three lights on the case that indicate the charging status and battery capacity left on the case. Once you charge these earbuds, the battery lasts about 10 hours for the earbuds and can be extended up to 30 hours using the case.

But those usage periods will drop if you start using the ANC or the ambient mode or listen to the volume extremely loud, which is not recommended.

Now the Soundpeats T2‘s are a relatively large barrel shaped earbud with a very short neck that ends up being fantastic actually for comfort stability, and the earbuds lack any kind of blocked up feeling.

And these can be used for high impact workouts and fitness run, as this fits me pretty well.

Design and Build

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4.3/5

Soundpeats T2 : Features

These have Bluetooth 5.2, which is the latest Bluetooth addition. These earbuds come with an IPX6 waterproof rating, which means these earbuds can resist high-pressure, heavy sprays of water, Which is Impressive

The Soundpeats T2’s have excellent touch controls, but they do omit the previous track. Now they control everything else, including volume ANC on-off ambient mode and the voice assistant.

They also have done voice prompts for pass through ANC on and Normal mode. They have audible prompts for play pause and next track, and those are the actual prompts in English for those three actions.

Talking about the max volume, well, I mean, look, the Soundpeats T2 is one of the very loudest Soundpeats True Wireless earbuds that I’ve tested. It goes about 105 decibels that is kicking loud people, just be careful out on your ear drums you may damage it eventually.

Features

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4.5/5

Check out our Sennheiser CX-400 BT Review here

Sound

The sound quality could be classified as a bass head lover’s dream bud as this packs some real Deep Bass. The Soundpeats T2 pump out deep bass that’s big, punchy, quite well defined, and the bass is on par with or maybe just slightly better than the Soundpeats sonic.

Soundpeats tuned these again with a kind of that U-shaped signature. They pumped up the vocals, and they pumped in some nice bright highs to match that excellent bass where they suffered just a little bit.

I’m willing to overlook it because of the great overall sound. There’s some mid-range clarity that can be difficult to hear. Now the sound stage is the second area. They got it almost right for me, but it’s just not very big. There’s totally a clear separation between left and right channels, but they just never really get a sound stage that kind of goes outside the boundaries of my head it’s still decent, but it’s not the best that I’ve heard.

Overall, I have enjoyed the energetic sound and super strong deep bass with the solid male and female vocals on these earbuds.

Sound

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4.5/5Recent Posts

Top 5 Active Noise Cancelling Earbuds Under $60

Best Over Ear Headphones for Working out

Tribit Flybuds C1 Review : Best out of Competition?

JBL Reflect Mini NC TWS Review : Justify the price?

JBL Tune 225 TWS Review : Worth it?

Active Noise Cancelling (ANC)

Soundpeats using Hybrid Active Noise cancelling on these. The ANC on these is really good.

I love that it has the soft power on mode because you can really hear it start to eliminate the Outside noises and surrounding noises as it powers up to full control.

I rate the Active Noise Cancelling up there with the best ANC buds that I’ve tested, like the Soundcore’s.

The ambient mode is also pretty good. I wish it were adjustable somehow, but it’s still a mode that I could use for a decent amount of time to give me a good awareness of what’s going on around me or being able to listen to ambient noise while listening to music in the background.

ANC

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3/5

Best Over Ear Headphones For Working Out

Soundpeats T2 : Latency

Soundpeats T2 are great for watching a video, they figured it out, and it just works really well. But I was a little bit surprised when I checked the latency, and these are slower earbuds that I have reviewed in Soundpeats True wireless earbuds, especially with all those 5.2 Bluetooth earbuds.

These are not a gamer earbud at all now, regardless of how slow that latency is. I’m going to tell you that the Bluetooth connectivity in the range on it is stellar.

These connect exceptionally quickly out of the case to my phone, even from mono mode to stereo mode.

It is literally like before you can pull that bud entirely out of the case.

Battery

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4.5/5Soundpeats T2 : Mic and Call Quality

Based on the phone call, Soundpeats has put some decent mics into the Soundpeats T2. The earbuds pick up my voice okay.

There’s often some kind of static or electronic tones mixed in with my voice, and those background noises didn’t impede my voice too much, but the sound isn’t eliminated either.

Call Quality

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3.5/5Soundpeats T2 : Overall

Alright, let’s wrap this up; the Soudnpeats T2’s are selling on Amazon right now for about $69 bucks, and that’s right about the right price for an entry-level hybrid ANC earbud. They sound great with massive deep bass.

Get Yourself a Soundpeats T2 at Amazon here (Save $10)

They got vibrant highs, as I said, they got excellent ANC and good ambient mode Soundpeats T2 are great for watching movies. They’re actually great for running and working out as well the controls, the Bluetooth, and the battery life is all excellent.

The bud designs themselves again; it, like entirely in my mind, eliminates occlusion, so running jogging high impact workouts with them are just great for me.

On the con side, that latency is pretty low, so you’re not going to be using these for gaming that mid-range clarity that I mentioned is sacrificed over that great bass, and again there’s no previous track on the controls.

I think that wireless charging is just one of those luxuries I’d like to see on every pair of buds from this point forward in 2021

FAQ’s Are SoundPEATS any Good?

Yes, Soundpeats one of the upcoming audio company. Soundpeats produced some worth looking much competitive wireless and TWS earbuds in recent time. Which are compete with much expensive wireless earbuds.

Which is the best SoundPEATS earbuds?

Soundpeats produced some awesome earbuds which should be in your budget collection of true wireless earbuds. These are my favorites Soundpeats Sonic, Soundpeats T2 and Soundpeats H1

Do SoundPEATS work with iPhone?

Yes, Soundpeats works with both iPhone and Android.

Mpow X6 : Best ANC Under $80?

[dipulb3]

OK, Google: Pixel Buds 2 are the real deal

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/ok-google-pixel-buds-2-are-the-real-deal/

OK, Google: Pixel Buds 2 are the real deal

When Google unveiled its new true wireless Pixel Buds 2 ($179) last October, they seemed like a big upgrade over the original models. The Pixel Buds, which debuted in 2017, had a cord between them and earned decidedly mixed reviews thanks to their loopy Mentos-esque design and middling sound. But at the 2019 launch event for the new Buds, the prototype models weren’t working, so I was left wondering how they sounded and performed.

Like

Improved fit with stabilizing fin

Hands-free Assistant and Translate feature

Very good sound for true wireless

Excellent call quality

Nice charging case with wireless and USB-C charging

IPX4 sweat-resistant (splashproof)

Don’t Like

No active noise-canceling or transparency

Battery life isn’t stellar at 5 hours

Not quite as comfortable as some rivals

Extra features don’t work with iOS devices

Several months on, I’ve gotten my hands on a pair and can solve the mystery: They sound quite good, perform well and are worthy contenders in the premium true wireless earbuds arena, particularly for Android users.

The Pixel Buds will come in four color options, but at launch, only white will be available.

David Carnoy/CNET

Yes, the wearable Mentos look has returned, but I like the way the stabilizing fin — Google calls it an “arc” — has been integrated into the design. With a little clockwise turn the buds (5.3 grams or 0.19 ounces each) twist securely in place, barely sticking out from my ears. While the original Pixel Buds had an open design like the standard AirPods, these have a noise-isolating design, which means the ear tips get jammed into your ears, sealing them off to the outside world. (It’s important to get a tight seal to maximize sound quality.)

You do get decent passive noise muffling but these don’t offer active noise-canceling like the AirPods Pro, Sony WF-1000XM3, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 and an increasing number of true wireless earbuds. Some of the Pixel Buds’ closest competitors would be the Galaxy Buds Plus ($150) and the Jabra Elite 75t ($180). I did find those two models slightly more comfortable to wear over longer listening sessions and how you ultimately feel about the fit will depend on the shape of your ear. But the new Pixel Buds should fit most ears well.

The Mentos-shaped buds don’t stick out from your ears too far. 

David Carnoy/CNET

Aside from their improved design and fit over the original Pixel Buds, a few things stand out. First, the 56.1-gram wireless charging case (with USB-C charging port) is really nice. It’s compact, feels solid in your hand and has a smooth matte finish. I liked it better than the AirPods’ case and it feels more premium than Galaxy Buds Plus’ case. Also, the buds are easy to get in and out of it, adhering magnetically to their charging contacts.

These are also the first Google Assistant “hotword-enabled” earbuds. If you have an Android device running Android 6.0 or better, you can simply say, “Hey, Google,” or, “OK, Google,” and Google Assistant is ready to respond to your voice commands. The AirPods and Beats Powerbeats Pro have always-on, hands-free Siri and Amazon’s Echo Buds have the same feature for Alexa.

With new audio systems-on-a-chip from Qualcomm, hands-free access to virtual assistants will come to more true wireless earbuds later this year, but for now it’s pretty unusual. It worked quite well with the Google Pixel 4 XL I was using for this review, with Google Assistant responding quickly to my voice commands. (You can also access Assistant by tapping and holding the right or left earbud.)

After making its debut in the original Pixel Buds, the Google Translate feature returns with the Pixel Buds 2. Again, this is an Android-only feature. You just tell Google Assistant to help you speak whatever language you want, with more than 40 languages supported. You tap and hold either earbud and start speaking in the language listed under the headset icon. Your phone then translates and reads out loud what you said into your selected language. Just before the person you’re talking to speaks, tap the right microphone in Google Translate and their response will be translated into your language and played back through the Pixel Buds. It works surprisingly well, particularly in quieter environments, though the person you’re talking to has to listen to your translated language through your phone’s speakers, which have their volume limitations.

The Pixel Buds 2 are splash-resistant and can be used for running.

David Carnoy/CNET

While I thought the Pixel Buds 2’s sound quality was quite good — more on that in a minute — they performed really well as a headset for making calls. I’m currently not in New York, where I usually test out call quality, but I made some calls and played New York City street noise (via YouTube) in the background as I conversed. I put the volume pretty far up on a set of small speakers and callers were impressed by how little noise they heard around me, though some leaked in when I talked. Google says that “two beamforming mics focus on your voice, while voice accelerometers detect jaw movement to know when you’re talking.” The noise reduction is quite effective. The Pixel Buds 2 are right there with the best earbuds for making calls. 

Read more: Best wireless earbuds and Bluetooth headphones for phone calls

There’s an app for non-Pixel Android devices — with Pixel phones it’s integrated into the system — but no app for iOS devices, which is too bad. You can still use these with iPhones and Macs like standard Bluetooth headphones, but you lose extra features like the always-on Google Assistant.

As I said, there’s no noise-canceling. Instead, there’s an adaptive sound mode that automatically adjusts the volume to the environment you’re in. I didn’t see a transparency mode, but there’s some venting in the earbuds that keeps you from feeling too occluded and allows you to hear your voice in the buds when you’re making a phone call (Google calls it a “spatial vent for in-ear pressure reduction and spatial awareness.”) It’s not a full-on sidetone feature, though; I’d call it sidetone lite. Note that a little sound does leak out of the buds when you really crank your tunes, so you probably don’t want to play these at high volumes in a quiet room with people sitting nearby. 

Dual IR proximity sensors detect when the buds are in your ears and automatically pause your music when you pull one out of your ear and resume when you put it back in. You can also use one bud independently of the other (if you want to go the single-bud route for calls). And it’s also worth noting that I paired the buds to multiple devices, but I had to manually select the previous device from its Bluetooth menu if I wanted to go back to it. Google says the Pixel Buds 2 will store pairings with up to six devices. There’s a pairing button on the case, as there is with the AirPods.

The fit nicely in the wireless charging case.

David Carnoy/CNET

Like the AirPods Pro and Galaxy Buds Plus, these have an IPX4 water-resistance rating, which means they’re splashproof and sweat-resistant. I ran with them without a problem and I thought the touch controls were responsive and worked very well. A swipe feature allows you to control volume from the buds themselves.

Except for a minor Bluetooth glitch or two, my wireless connection remained rock solid and I was able to wander pretty far from my phone (more than the usual 10 meters) before losing the connection. The buds use Bluetooth 5.0, and I didn’t notice any audio lag when watching videos from streaming services like YouTube and Netflix.   

Battery life is similar to that of the AirPods and AirPods Pro — 5 hours, plus an additional 19 hours from the case (a 10-minute charge in the case gives you two hours of battery life, Google says). The Galaxy Buds Plus can deliver up to 11 hours at moderate volume levels. It’s unclear how much the impact the always-on Google Assistant has on battery life, however. 

These have “custom-designed” 12mm dynamic drivers, and, as I said, they sound very good for true wireless, with well-defined bass and good clarity. They’re right there with the Galaxy Buds Plus and Jabra Elite 75t with about the same bass performance or (it may be a touch less plump, depending on the seal you get from the included ear tips, which come in three sizes). The AirPods Pro sound slightly more open but the Pixel Buds 2 are a little more detailed. I didn’t see any way to adjust the bass and treble levels in the settings on the Pixel 4 or in the Android app. 

For sound, these don’t rise to the level of the top sounding true wireless earbuds, which include the Sony WF-1000XM3 and Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2. That said, both of those are more expensive, particularly the $300 Sennheiser, which delivers richer, more refined sound with a bigger soundstage. For example, listening to Red Hearse‘s self-titled track with the Sennheiser, the bass goes deeper and there’s a little more sparkle in the treble. The sound from Momentum True Wireless 2 just feels bigger and more immersive.

For better or worse, when it comes to sound, sometimes it helps to compare a headphone to the top models to hear what you’re missing. But if you were just using the Pixel Buds 2 without listening to anything else, most people would be quite pleased with the sound. 

In the end, Google finally has a set of wireless earbuds that are worthy contenders. They’re a little more expensive than the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus, which are probably the better value — they get discounted $10 or $20 on occasion — but the Pixel Buds 2 are a solid all-around package with some distinguishing features and excellent call quality.  

First published on April 27.

[srber123-blog]

OnePlus 7

OnePlus 7 is undoubtedly a great smartphone. Equipped with a Snapdragon 855, up to 8 GB of RAM, up to 256 GB of non-expandable memory and a 6.41-inch OLED in FHD +. Sounds good.

OnePlus 7: Everything in it

In the white-red packaging from the manufacturer, you can still find a red USB Type-C cable, a charger with 30 watts and various instructions, an opener for the SIM-card slot and a clear case of high quality next to the smartphone. Headphones or an adapter from 3.5 jack to USB Type-C can not be found, unfortunately. OnePlus would like to sell its own USB headphones.

OnePlus 7 Design: same procedure as every year?

At first glance, OnePlus 6T and OnePlus 7 are very similar. The front side is again occupied by the almost borderless display. The screen offers - unlike the OnePlus 7 Pro - a Notch for the 16-megapixel front camera. The back is also made of frosted glass and does not look as shiny as the "big" brother. At the time of the test, unfortunately, there was only the color "Mirror Gray", in China and India it is also available in red and soon even in " Mirror Blue ". With dimensions of 157.7 mm x 74.8 mm x 8.2 mm, it is significantly smaller than the OnePlus 7 Pro (162.6 × 75.9 × 8.8mm). The dimensions are more similar to those of the OnePlus 6T. Also, the weight of 182 grams is similar (high). In the arrangement of the keys, nothing has changed. On the right side you will find an on / off switch and the Alert Slider, with the help of which I can easily put my OnePlus 7 into a "Do Not Disturb" mode. On the left side of the frame is the volume button. The bottom is taken up by the USB Type C input based on USB 3.1 as well as one of the two speakers. However, a headphone jack with 3.5 mm is not available and the case is also not IP6X certified. The manufacturer has nevertheless installed protective rubber seals on the openings. It is supposed to endure a rain shower. The processing of the OnePlus 7 is without blemish, visually but rather uniformity.

OnePlus 7: technical details

OnePlus (consciously) no longer calls its new smartphone a "flagship killer". Technically, it is still up to date and can easily compete with the competition. But not more. In addition to a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 with Adreno 640 GPU, UFS 3.0 flash memory (128/256 gigabytes) and 6/8 GB of memory (LPDDR4X-RAM) is the 7er only a dual camera with 48 & 5 megapixels with OIS to Commitment. In summary, this means: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (1x 2.84 GHz, Cryo + 3x 2.42 GHz, Cryo + 4x 1.80 GHz, Kyro)RAM: 6 GB - 8 GBBuilt-in memory: 128 or 256 GBDisplay: 6.41 inches AMOLED with 1,080 x 2,340 pixels and 60 HzInterfaces: LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5, NFC, GPS (GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo), USB Type-C, Dual nanoSIMBattery: 3,700 mAhCamera resolution: 16 MP - Selfie camera (aperture f / 2.0), 48 (aperture F / 1.7) + 5 MPVideos: 4K (up to 60 fps), Full HD 1080p (up to 240 fps)

OnePlus 7: 6,41 inch AMOLED display

The 6.41-inch, almost borderless AMOLED display of the OnePlus 7 dissolves in FHD + (1,080 x 2,340 pixels).  The display supports the playback of different color profiles (sRGB, display P3) and offers me numerous options for color calibration. Everyone should find their individual attitude. The color representation and also the contrast are of very high quality. This also applies to the maximum brightness. Overall, the screen of the OnePlus 7 makes a good impression on me. Incidentally, the panel is protected by 2.5D Corning® Gorilla® Glass. Of course, the manufacturer has again thought of a reading mode with reduced blue, a night mode with lower brightness and a "video enhancer" for stronger colors when watching movies.

OnePlus 7 and the two cameras

Well, purely arithmetically, the OnePlus 7 yes three cameras: In addition to the 48-megapixel sensor (Sony's IMX586, aperture f / 1.7) with optical and electronic image stabilization can be found on the back of a telephoto zoom camera with 5 megapixels and a diaphragm f / 2.4. Which is responsible for the double zoom. The notch on the front hides the front camera with a resolution of 16 megapixels. In terms of image quality, the main camera delivers good quality. In daylight, the colors look natural, contrast and details are right.  The software-generated bokeh effect works well, but it can not tear me from the famous stool. The OnePlus 7 records videos in 4K at up to 60 frames per second. In contrast to the Huawei P30 Pro, I can convince both the video and the sound quality here.  A timelapse and slow-motion mode (in Full HD with 240 fps and in HD with 480 fps) complete my good impression. Although the 16-megapixel front camera does not have an optical image stabilizer, it still takes good pictures. The sometimes very artificial beauty mode with the possibility for facial and body optimization is available for free.

OxygenOS 9: Very fast, very clean

The OxygenOS is definitely one of the fastest and slimmest user interfaces on the market. Visually, it is strongly based on Google's Stock Android, but also offers a few personalization options and a dark fashion. The built-in Zen mode, a kind of digital wellbeing, is activated manually via the quick settings, or automatically after continuous use of two hours.  If you use it then (is, of course, voluntary), the smartphone is locked for 20 minutes. Now I can only make emergency calls, accept calls and use the camera. The mode can not even be deactivated by a smartphone restart. New is also a screen recorder, with the help of which I can record the content of my screen in Full HD resolution inclusive audio.

Connectivity, battery, performance: Everything at its finest

The OnePlus 7 offers LTE after Cat. 16 and supports Wi-Fi in all available standards. Likewise, Bluetooth 5, GPS and NFC are on board. Instead of an extension via MicroSD, you get "only" support for dual-SIM. The smartphone comes so with two Nano-SIM cards at the same time (also by LTE) clearly.  The transmission and reception performance was at a good level, as there were no significant problems. The call quality was great. The two speakers sound not overly loud, for one or the other song about Spotify and Co. or the conversations with the loved ones, but the sound is more than adequate, also thanks to Dolby Atmos ®, The built into the display glass fingerprint sensor responded quickly and reliably in the test.  Also Read - Samsung Launches Galaxy Fold in September If you like it even faster, use the built-in 2D face recognition. The 3,700-milliamp-hour battery of the 7 Pro is comparable in terms of runtime with the Huawei p30 Pro. In normal use, I come with a battery charge easily throughout the day. One and a half days is also no problem.  But I did not make it for two whole days. The wireless charging is not possible, but I can inflate the battery over the in-house Warp Charge solution with up to 30 watts. I reach 50 percent battery capacity in less than 20 minutes without the device noticeably warming up. There are no surprises in the performance thanks to the Snapdragon 855, 6 GB of RAM and a fast GPU. In the current Geekbench 4, the SoC gets 3,527 points in the single-core and 11,154 in the multi-core. 

Read the full article

[poolenick-blog]

Hey Aileen! I am planning on becoming a digital nomad as I go on a RTW (round-the-world) trip next year. For my journey, I will have a check-in luggage where I will put all my clothes and shoes in, and when it comes to my laptop, camera, and electronics, I would like to put these valuables in a carry-on. But I’m having difficulty in finding the right way to pack them! I also don’t want to miss on any essentials during a flight (may it be a short one or a long haul). I follow your updates and live feed on Snapchat, and it seems like you always manage to pack well and light for your travels. As an experienced traveling digital nomad, I would love to know how you pack valuables in your carry-on!

– Nana from France / May 18, 2019

packing routine — which I would now be sharing with you!

Hence: no matter how long your trip may be and no matter where you’re going, below is a list of my typical carry-on essentials and gear that can keep you “properly equipped” during all of your travels!

(*My lifestyle is basically that of a digital nomad — enterepreneur-slash-blogger — but with today’s time, I believe that the items below applies to EVERYONE anyway since, we’ve all become such tech junkies!) .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, h2{ border-color: }

What’s in My Carry-On?

– The “Carrier” –

Most airlines allow one (1) carry-on cabin luggage that is under their respective weight limit (typically around 5 to 10kgs only).

Fortunately, there are also some airlines that allow two (2) items: one (1) carry-on and one (1) personal item (a handbag, a backpack, a laptop bag, an umbrella, a briefcase, etc. that can be stowed under the seat before you.) Given this fact, there have actually been times that I do NOT have any check-in baggage at all: I only bring along one carry-on backpack, and one small rolling luggage that contains my clothes — a set-up that is VERY helpful for avoiding long check-in lines.

Often times though, I am faced with preparing just 1 carry-on bag, while the rest is stored in my main luggage. Nevertheless, as dependent upon your trip and the airline that you’ll be riding in, it just really helps to have bags ready that are generally within the standard limits for cabin luggage.

My recommendations would be:

A Backpack

For years, I have been on the hunt for the PERFECT backpack that can properly organize and protect my carry-on items. This is because most small backpacks are thin and “top-loading” (where you simply shove items into the depths of it and wish that you’ll find them easily later on). I rather wanted a versatile one that can keep my tech gadgets secure and can segregate my other carry-on items better for ease and swift access.

Thankfully, my search ended last year when I was introduced to Venque’s innovative CamPro Bag! Now why has this become my ultimate carry-on backpack?

The bottom section is ‘front-loading’ (like a suitcase) and can be sectioned into compartments with the help of its adjustable velcro dividers which is as you see in the image above. You can even take off all these velcros and convert it into one big space — so yes, its layout can be changed in order to fit your needs.

The upper compartment is sectioned off too, with its own velcro dividers. (Rest assured, you can also take these velcro dividers off and open it up towards the bottom section if in case you want to convert the CamPro into the typical full top-loading backpack.)

The insides are very well-padded and there’s even a zippered section at the back that can fit 15″-sized laptops. The quality of the material is also superb as it is made of leather and innovative quanta fabric that is ever-lasting, stain-repellant, and anti-scratch. It even comes along with a water-resistant cover in case it rains!

Slim (15.7″ x 7″ x 12.1″), comfortable, with lots of pockets and extra features. For instance, it comes with buckles on the sides where you can strap on a tripod for instance, and it even has removable buckles to balance and transfer the weight that you carry.

*You can buy this awesome bag at Urban Traveller & Co. They ship worldwide and if you use the coupon code: Aide de Camp’s camera bags.

As for luggage, as I’ve already mentioned, the dimension limit for a carry-on varies across all airlines. I’ve done my research, and so far, in order for you to be in the ‘safe’ side of such limits, you need a luggage that is within or around this standard size: 22″ high, 14″ wide, and 9″ deep.

I personally use a Samsonite Luggage Winfield 20 because I love how lightweight and strong it is. I’ve been using it for a while now and it has truly withstood the wear and tear from all of my travels.

IMPORTANT NOTE: All the items that are listed below can fit inside my CamPro bag alone. In fact, after everything is packed in, I always have ample space left for extras (around 20%).

Yep. It’s that amazing!

– Gadgets & Tech –

 travel apps that can help assist me in the duration of my trip. If you’re curious, I own an iPhone 5s which has superb camera specs (I actually have a handful of my travels where I only packed my 5s, making it as my sole photo-taking gadget).  Kindle Paperwhite has been my travel companion ever since! (For entertainment during long flights, long bus/train rides, chill afternoons, etc.)

I can store TONS of books in it and its battery life is also mind-blowing. I’ve been on a week-long vacation before and I used my Kindle every single day — when it was time to go home, its battery life still had more than half! Later on, I’ve learned that there’s no need for me to pack my Kindle’s charger because it can last a long time.

*You can pack a tablet instead like an iPad Mini, but I fell in love with a Kindle when it comes to reading (it’s more easy on the eyes). Besides, an iPad Mini is basically like a bigger version of my smartphone. Overall: as dependent on your personal preferences, you can pack an eReader OR a tablet. It’s up to you! Laptop

Yet another no-brainer item to bring in my carry-on. As a digital nomad, my laptop is my lifeline. I never travel without it, and I’m glad that my CamPro bag protects it well and good during my travels.

I work with a Macbook Pro 13″ for years now, and I know it’s not as light nor thin as a Macbook Air, but since I wanted a machine that has the capacity to handle my graphic and video processes while I’m on the road, I rather opted for the Macbook Pro. (The difference between the two in weight is not so huge after all. My Macbook Pro is still very slim and it’s also more compact than most laptops out there.)  Earphones

Perfect for cancelling out the noise and for slipping into my own music-filled world. I also question the cleanliness of the headphones offered during long flights, so I always make sure to pack my own earphones.

Some people find headphones, like the noise-cancelling ones, as a better item to pack in their carry-on. However, they can be quite huge and it often puts stress on my head and my ears. I find that as long as you purchase earphones that are powerful and well-fitted to your ears, they can offer almost the same benefits as headphones. (I recommend Panasonic’s ErgoFit In-Ear Earphones).  Canon Powershot G7 X

For all-around photography: Sony Alpha A6000 Mirrorless (I have a prime lens of 50mm and an all around 55-210 mm lens)

For action, sports, and underwater: GoPro Silver 4

If you’re not particular with photography and you just want a great point-and-shoot camera for your travels, I recommend Canon’s Powershot G7 X. There’s no need to bring along a massive DSLR.  Plugs, Adapter, Chargers, etc.

For organizing my chargers and to avoid them from tangling altogether, I place them in one velcro section of my CamPro bag and twist the wires around with a Nite Ize Gear Tie. When it comes to a travel adapter, I use Ceptics.  Power Bank

This is very helpful for emergencies or for simply just prolonging your gadgets’ lives. I once got lost with my phone dead; thanks to my Anker power bank, I got myself out of that mess in a jiffy.

You also have to remember that though there are electric outlets in the airport or in cafes, most of the time those are being hogged by other people. Therefore: it’s better to be safe and prepared, than sorry!  This is an optional item. If I know that I’ll be staying somewhere fixed with a decent internet connection, I wouldn’t bother getting myself one. But in times that I have to hop from one place to another (most especially when it’s a trip that spans for more than a week), a pocket WiFi is a must to have and I have stood by Tep Wireless for years now. I simply trust their product and service for they have never failed me. Tep Wireless is also a lot cheaper than other providers like HipPocketWiFi, My-WebSpot and xCom Global.

Use code IAMAILEEN and you can save 15% off when renting a Tep Wireless pocket wifi!

With them, you can choose to either rent a unit, or just buy one and be charged whenever you use it. (I just purchased my own Tep Wireless unit given how I frequently travel — which saves me the shipping cost everytime I rent one).  Data Storage Items

Some people bring along bulky hard drives, but I rarely have the need to do so — I just leave that at home. Instead, when it comes to backup data storage, I would just bring along a memory card (in case one of my camera’s memory cards gives up on me) and a USB stick (with lots of storage space). – The Small Stuff –

Hearos Xtreme.

Neck pillows and eye masks are also heaven-sent items for making your flight a lot more comfortable.

When it comes to eye masks though, I typically buy these Japanese steam eye masks because they help a LOT in relaxing tired eyes and prevent swelling after an ‘uncomfortable’ sleep inside a plane. I highly suggest that you give it a try! Together with this, I also pack a face mask (to keep germs and allergies on check) and sheet mask (to keep moisture on my face — a flight can be very dehydrating on your skin!) Snacks, Mints & Water Bottle

Surely there are airlines that offer free snacks and meals during flights, but at times they don’t — you either have to pay for it or procure them yourself. So why not just bring some small snacks along like nuts, trail mix, biscuits, bars, fruits, etc.? (Take note: plane food is usually unhealthy and bland anyway). While you’re at it, pack along some mints as well for that tinge of refreshment and ~fresh breath~ during your journey. You can also pack chewing gum instead to help make your ears ‘pop’ (but sucking on mints or candy as well as drinking can help you accomplish this).

I would also suggest a water bottle if it’s not too bulky on your bag. After all, water is very expensive in the airport and there is an abundance of water stations to refill your water bottle with. Otherwise, once you’re in the plane, flight attendants can just simply serve you water as you need it.  notebook to complete this ‘set’, but I personally don’t bring this anymore; thereby saving myself some weight. You see, I’ve long lost the art of writing things down (yes, I blame technology). “There’s always spare paper lying around”, is what I regularly think too and that’s true. For the Eyes

Apart from a good pair of sunglasses, I also pack along my graded glasses and its case (since I am short-sighted). I also wear contact lenses but I stow these away along with the cleaning solution in my check-in luggage since I customarily don’t wear contacts during flights given how it can dry up my eyes quickly — more so during long flights.

However, naturally, if you choose to wear your contact lenses during your flight, don’t forget to pack these and its solution in your carry-on.  

   Etc.

Those marked with an

Hand sanitizerLotiondo you know those small vials that you get as samples for perfumes in department stores? I keep those and pack them when I travel. It’s better than packing a whole bottle of my perfume)

Wipes (wet wipes, feminine wipes, facial oil-absorbing sheets)

Basics make-up kit: for me, that’s my lipstick, liquid eyeliner, and eyebrow kit.

Napkins or tampons (better yet, wear a menstrual cup)

— IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure that ALL liquids are NOT larger than 100ml (3.4oz) and they should be stowed away in at most a 20cm x 20cm resealable see-through bag. – Required & For Emergencies –

 Passport, IDs, & Business Cards

 Cash & Debit – Credit Cards    Travel Insurance

Have you ever asked yourself: “Do I need travel insurance?” I bet you have and no matter how many times you pose this question, my answer will always be a resounding YES.

You do NEED travel insurance because you never know what can happen while you’re overseas. I personally like and use World Nomads Travel Insurance because it encompasses a LOT of countries worldwide, insures your baggage, belongings, and flights, covers medical emergencies, it’s affordable, and can be extended while you’re on the road (no need to go back home to apply for one). 

 Spare Clothing

In case you loose your luggage, it helps to stow at least one��outfit (I pack an extra light dress) and undies in your carry-on. Sure, you can always buy them abroad but it’s best that you save yourself from those costs and hassles. Be prepared like a girl scout!

Along with this, I pack along a medium-sized microfiber travel towel because it’s not only small and light but it can absorb water fast and dry fast too! I’m telling you: it’s unlike normal towels because it’s the kind that doesn’t consume a lot of space.  Other Valuables

Like jewelry and keys that I wouldn’t want to put in my check-in luggage.

Optional: In case my destination forecasts rainy weather for the majority of my stay, I make sure to pack a small umbrella. – To Wear –

In case you’re curious about what I frequently wear during flights, my clothing highly depends on the weather situation of my travel destination; however, as a standard, the following items keep me comfortable during my journey from point A to point B:

Shoes

I typically wear doll shoes or slippers/sandals since they’re the most comfortable footwear for me! But should my trip necessitate heels or boots, I would then opt to wear my heaviest or bulkiest in order to save space in my main luggage. It’s not going to be comfortable especially in a long flight, but I can always take them off during transit.  Compression Socks

I was told by my traveler friends that this in an important item that they wear during long flights (that span for more than 4 hours) since it helps reduce the risk of DVT (deep vein thrombosis), blood clots, and leg swelling. It basically squeezes your legs gently to move blood up your legs. Ever since I’ve learned of this fact, I made it a point to wear compression socks.  Sweater and/or Scarf

I have low tolerance toward the cold so I always pack a sweater. If I’m heading to hot place, a light long-sleeved cardigan or a huge scarf already works best for me. .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, h2{ border-color: }

Overall

These may seem a lot, but it actually isn’t. Again, like I’ve told you: ALL these items fit nicely and lightly inside my CamPro bag, and it even leaves enough space still for extras.

You probably have other stuff that I haven’t listed above and that you would like to pack in your carry-on — you’re free to do that of course, but just make sure that they’re things that you’ll really be needing for your trip! (Otherwise, you’ll just be packing extra baggage or clutter.)

Rest assured, the items I listed above are the basic travel essentials that have served me well all throughout the years of my traveling lifestyle, and it is now my hope that it gives you the peace of mind that you’re going to be adequately and properly equipped for your trip!

How about you?

What do you think of this packing list for my carry-on?

Is there anything that you might want to add?

Did you like this article? Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube and be notified about my newest posts and updates!

The post Ultimate Carry-On Packing Guide (A Digital Nomad’s Travel Essentials) appeared first on I am Aileen.

[smartecky]

Launching around the globe a few days ahead of the world’s largest mobile show was the ultimate big-dog move. Samsung celebrated the 10th anniversary of its flagship phone line by launching its latest device on Apple’s sometimes-stomping grounds at San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Center.

The timing was less than ideal for all of us jet-lagged gadget reviewers, but the effect clearly paid off. Dozens of the world’s highest-profile reviewers have been roaming the streets of Barcelona with the S10 in hand and Galaxy Buds in ears. You couldn’t pay for that kind of publicity.

And, naturally, none of us minded testing those new photo features in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities.

Here’s everything announced at Samsung’s Galaxy S10/Galaxy Fold event

But the 10th anniversary Galaxy arrives at a transitional time for Samsung — and the industry at large. The last couple of years have seen smartphone sales plateau for the first time since anyone started keeping track of those sorts of numbers, and big companies like Samsung and Apple are not immune.

That manner of existential crisis has led to one of the most eventful Mobile World Congresses in memory, as companies look to shake the doldrums of a stagnant market. It also led Samsung to open last week’s Unpacked event with the Galaxy Fold — first the cryptic product video and then the product unveil.

It’s a heck of a lead in, and, quite frankly, a recipe for disappointment. Here’s a look at the future, and now let’s talk about the present. Several people saw that I was carrying around a new Samsung device, got excited and were ultimately disappointed with the fact that I couldn’t unfold the thing.

None of this is any reflection on the quality of the S10 as a device, which I will happily state is quite high. But unlike the iPhone X, Apple’s 10th anniversary handset, the new Galaxy isn’t an attempt at a radical departure. Instead, it’s a culmination of 10 years of phone development, with new tricks throughout.

The Galaxy S10 doesn’t offer the same glimpse into the future as the Fold. But it does make a strong claim for the best Android smartphone of the moment. Starting at $1,000, it’s going to cost you — but if Samsung’s $1,900 foldable is any indication, smartphones of the future could make it look like a downright bargain.

Screen time

The Samsung Galaxy S10+ has been my daily driver for a week now. It joined me on an international road trip, through several product unveils from the competition and is responsible for all of the images in this post. Sometimes the best camera is the one in your pocket, as the saying goes.

A closer look at Huawei’s folding Mate X

Like other recent Samsung flagships, it’s going to be a tough device to give up when review time comes to a close. It’s a product that does a lot of things well. Tending, as Samsung often does, toward jamming as much into a product as possible — the polar opposite of chief competitor Apple’s approach.

But in the case of the Galaxy line, it all comes together very nicely. The S10 doesn’t represent a radical stylistic departure from its predecessor, maintaining the same manner of curved design language that helps the company cram a lot of phone into a relatively limited footprint, including a 93.4 percent screen-to-body ratio in the case of the S10+.

That means you can hold the handset in one hand, in spite of the ginormous 6.4-inch screen size. This is accomplished, in part, by the curved edges of the display that have been something of a Samsung trademark for a few generations now. It has also helped the Infinity-O design display, a laser cutout in the top-right of the screen, to fit the front-facing camera in as small a space as possible. In the case of the S10+, it’s more like an Infinity-OOO display.

Samsung was going to have to give in to the cutout trend sooner or later, opting to go ahead and skip the whole notch situation. The result is a largely unobtrusive break in the screen. Just for good measure, the phone’s default wallpapers have gradually darkening gradients that do a good job obscuring the cut out while not in use.

But while the whole more-screen-less-body deal is generally a good thing, there is a marked downside. I found myself accidentally triggering touch on the sides of the display with the edge of my palms, particularly when using the device with one hand. This has been a known issue for some time, of course.

Oh, and there’s one more key aspect in helping the S10+ go full screen.

Putting your finger on it

As with many of the features here, Samsung can’t claim to be the first to have the under-display fingerprint sensor. OnePlus, in a rare push to be first to market, added a similar technology to the 6T, which arrived last fall. But Samsung’s application takes things a step further.

The S10 and all of its variants are among the first to implant the fingerprint technology that Qualcomm announced at its Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii last year. The key differentiator here is an extra level of security. If the OnePlus’ fingerprint sensor is akin to your standard face unlock, this is more in line with what you get on the iPhone or LG’s latest handset.

The ability to sense depth brings another layer of security to the product — quite literally. Here’s how Qualcomm describes it:

Combining a smartphone’s display and fingerprint reader for a seamless and sleek look, 3D Sonic uses technological advances and acoustics (sonic waves) to scan the pores of a user’s finger for a deeply accurate 3D image. An ultra-thin (0.2 mm) sensor enables cutting-edge form factors such as full glass edge-to-edge displays, and can be widely used with flexible OLED displays.

Setup proved a bit fussier than the standard physical fingerprint button. Once everything is squared away, the reader is actually fairly responsive, registering a rippled water animation and unlocking the phone in about a second.

Getting your finger/thumb in the right spot might take a couple of tries on the first go, but after that, it’s muscle memory. There’s also a small fingerprint shaped guide that pops up on the lock screen for help. It can still be a bit tricky for those times you’re not looking directly at the display, or if you switch between hands.

It’s also worth noting that the unlock can be tricky with some screen protectors. Samsung will be working with accessory manufacturers to design compatible ones, but picking the wrong company could severely hamper the unlock function.

In some ways, though, the in-display fingerprint reader beats face unlock. I tend to lay my device down next to my keyboard when I work. Lifting the phone up to my eyes in order to read notifications is a bit of a pain. Same goes for when I need to check messages in bed. Here you can simply touch, check the notifications and go on with your life.

Ports in a storm

Around the edge is a mirrored metal band that houses the power button on one side and volume rocker and devoted Bixby button on the other. Yes, the Bixby button is back. And no, it won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. Samsung is wholly devoted to the smart assistant, and the company’s mobile devices are the one foothold Bixby currently commands.

The complaint about the Bixby button mostly stems from the fact that the assistant was, quite honestly, pretty useless at launch — particularly when compared to Android’s default assistant. In fact, when Google announced this week at Mobile World Congress the upcoming arrival of Assistant buttons on third-party devices, the news was generally welcomed by the Android crowd.

Samsung’s Galaxy S9 deserves better than Bixby

Samsung, meanwhile, gets hounded about the Bixby button, as though its inclusion is a way of forcing its assistant on users. Once again, Samsung relented, giving users the ability to remap the button in order to launch specific apps instead. This has played out time and again with the last several Galaxy devices.

The fact is, after an admittedly rocky start, Bixby has slowly been getting better, feature by feature. But the assistant still has catching up to do with Google’s headset, and frankly doesn’t offer a ton of reasons to opt into it over Android’s built-in option. Samsung has certainly made big promises of late, coupled with the imminent arrival of the Galaxy Home Hub.

Samsung’s Bixby may finally get more third-party integration soon

Of course, that device was announced more than half a year ago, and when it does finally arrive, it will likely be carrying a prohibitive price tag. Beyond that, Bixby is currently the realm of things like Samsung refrigerators and washing machines. None of this adds up to a particularly compelling strategy for a multi-million-dollar AI offering that has become something of an inside joke in the industry.

But Samsung sticks to its guns, for better or worse. Sometimes that means Bixby, and sometimes that means defiantly clinging to the headphone jack. Turns out if you avoid a trend for long enough, you can become a trendsetter in your own right — or at least a respite from the maddening crowd.

It’s been a few years since the beginning of the end came for the jack, and the whole thing still leaves plenty of users with a sour taste. Even the once-defiant Google quickly gave in and dropped the jack. Samsung, however, has stood its ground and the decision has paid off. What was ubiquitous is now a differentiator, and even as the company hawks another pair of Bluetooth earbuds, it’s standing its ground here.

All charged up

The back of the device, like the front, is covered in Gorilla Glass 6. The latest from Corning, which debuted over the summer, promises to survive “up to 15 drops.” But don’t try this at home with your shiny new $1,000 smartphone, as your results may vary.

The material also helps facilitate what is arguably the device’s most compelling new feature: Wireless PowerShare. Samsung’s not the first company to roll out the feature — Huawei introduced the feature on the Mate 20 Pro last year. Still, it’s a cool feature and, perhaps most importantly, it beat Apple to the punch.

The feature needs to be activated manually, by swiping down into notifications (it will also automatically shut off when not in use). From there, tapping Wireless PowerShare will pop up a dialog box, letting you know the feature is ready to us. Turn the phone face down on a table and place a compatible phone on top, face up, and the S10 will go to work charging it.

Placement can be a bit tough to get right the first couple of times. The trick is making sure both devices are centered. Once everything is where it should be, you’ll hear a quick notification sound and the phone will register as charging. In the case of the new Galaxy Buds, the sound is accompanied by the appearance of the case’s charging light.

It’s a neat feature, for sure. I can certainly imagine lending some ill-prepared friend a little juice at the bar one night. I wouldn’t go throwing out my power bank just yet. For one thing, one of the phones needs to be face-down the whole time. For another, wireless charging isn’t nearly as fast as its wired counterpart, so beyond the initial novelty of the feature, it may not ultimately be one you end up using a lot.

And, of course, you’re actively draining the battery of the phone sharing power. It’s a little like a Giving Tree scenario, albeit with the lowest stakes humanly possible. Thankfully, the handsets all sport pretty beefy batteries. In the case of the S10+, it’s a massive 4,100 mAh (with the 5G model getting an even nuttier 4,500 mAh).

It’s clear the days of Samsung’s Note 7-induced battery cautions are well behind it, thanks in no small part to the extensive battery testing the company implemented in the wake of a seemingly endless PR nightmare. As it stands, I was able to get around a full day plus two hours with standard usage while roaming the streets and convention center halls of Barcelona. That means you shouldn’t have to worry about running out of energy by day’s end — and you may even have a bit to spare before it’s all over.

Camera ready

You know the drill by now, Samsung and Apple come out with a new flagship smartphone, which quickly shoots to the top of DxOMark’s camera ratings. The cycle repeats itself yet again — with one key difference: It’s a three-way tie.

[Left: Standard, Right: Full zoom]

Really, there’s no better distillation of the state of the smartphone industry in 2019 than this. The latest iPhone, which is now half-a-year-old, is now a few spots down the list, with Samsung in a three-way tie for first. The other two top devices are, get this, both Huawei handsets. It’s been a banner year for the Chinese handset maker on a number of fronts, and that’s got to leave the Apples and Samsungs of the world a bit nervous, all told.

For now, though, there’s a lot to like here… 109 points’ worth, in fact. The last several generations of camera races have resulted in some really well-rounded camera gear. It’s a setup that makes it difficult to take bad shots (difficult, but hardly impossible, mind), with the combination of hardware and software/AI improvements we’ve seen over the course of the last few devices.

The camera setup varies from device to device, so we’re going to focus on the S10+ — the device we’ve spent the past week with (though, granted, the 5G model’s camera warrants its own write-up). The plus model features a three-camera array, oriented horizontally in a configuration that brings nothing to mind so much as the original Microsoft Kinect.

[Left: Samsung S10+, Right: Pixel 2]

It’s been fascinating watching companies determine the best use for a multi-camera array. Take Nokia’s new five-camera system, which essentially compiles everything into one super-high-res shot. Here, however, the three lenses capture three different images. They are as follows:

Wide (Standard): 12 MP, 26mm Telephoto: 12 MP, 52mm Ultrawide: 16 MP, 12mm

The system is configured to let you seamlessly switch between lenses in order to capture a shot in a given situation. The telephoto can do 2x shots, while the ultrawide captures 123-degree shots. The 5G model, meanwhile, adds 3D-depth cameras to the front and rear, which is a pretty clear indication of where Samsung plans to go from here.

That said, the current setup is still quite capable of pulling off some cool depth tricks. This is no better exemplified than with the Live Focus feature, which applies a Portrait Mode-style bokeh effect around the objects you choose. The effect isn’t perfect, but it’s pretty convincing. Above is a shot I took on the MWC show floor and used in the led for a story about the HTC Vive.

There are some fun tricks as well, like the above Color Point effect. I’m not sure how often I’d end up using it, but damn if it doesn’t look cool.

All of that, coupled with new touches like wide-image panorama and recent advances like super-slow-motion and low-light shooting make for an extremely well-rounded camera experience. Ditto for scene identification, which does a solid job determining the differences between, say, a salad and a tree and adjusting the shooting settings accordingly.

Oh, and a low-key solid upgrade here are the improved AR Emojis, as seen above. They’re 1,000 times less creepy than the originals. I mean, I’m still not going to be sharing them with people unironically or anything, but definitely a step in the right direction.

Today’s Galaxy

The present moment is an exciting one for the mobile industry. There were glimmers of promise all over the MWC show floor and a week prior at Samsung’s own event. A stagnant industry has caused the big players to get creative, and some long-promised technologies are about to finally get real.

The Samsung Fold feels like a clear peek into the future of one of the industry’s biggest players, so it’s only natural that such an announcement would take some of the wind out of its flagship’s sails.

The S10 isn’t the smartphone of the future. Instead, it’s the culmination of 10 solid years of cutting-edge smartphone work that’s resulted into one of today’s most solid mobile devices.

Read more: https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/01/samsung-galaxy-s10-review/

Samsung Galaxy S10+ review Launching around the globe a few days ahead of the world’s largest mobile show was the ultimate big-dog move.

[droneseco]

Audeze Penrose Wireless Gaming Headphones Review: A Sensational Audio Experience

Audeze Penrose

9.00 / 10

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The Audeze Penrose headphones come with a weighty price tag, more than many gamers would be willing to part with for a gaming headset. So, the question is, do the Audeze Penrose wireless gaming headphones deliver?

Specifications

Brand: Audeze

Battery Life: 15-hours

Noise Cancellation: No

Bluetooth : Yes

Pros

Outstanding audio

Well balanced soundstage

Easy to setup, fast connection

Dual Bluetooth connection

Very low latency audio with 2.4GHz wireless

Cons

Might be uncomfortable for some users

Planar magnetic drivers more delicate

Buy This Product

Audeze Penrose amazon

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You don't always have to spend big bucks for the best quality product. That's a common fallacy when it comes to technology. But every now and then, you really do get what you pay for, and the Audeze Penrose wireless headphones fit that bill, delivering sublime audio quality in a comfy package.

Does the Audeze Penrose have issues? Perhaps. Can the excellent audio carry it over the line?

Let's find out in our review of the Audeze Penrose wireless headphones.

What's in the Box?

Before sticking the headphones on for the audio test, what comes in the Audeze Penrose box?

Audeze Penrose headphones

Audeze 2.4GHz Wi-Fi dongle

Detachable microphone

1x USB Type-C to Type-C cable

1x USB Type-C to Type-A cable

1x 3.5mm jack to 3.5mm jack cable

Tape measure

Yes, that's right. There's a tape measure in the box. The tape measure is actually part of a separate Audeze product, the Audeze Mobius, which includes a head tracking option for your screen. As awesome as that sounds, this feature isn't included with the Penrose.

Audeze Penrose Specifications

The Audeze Penrose headphones support 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections, and this model works with your PC, Mac, PlayStation 4 or 5, Nintendo Switch, Android devices, and iOS devices.

You've probably spotted the omission from the list: the Xbox Series X, S, and One. Fear not. The Xbox has its own version of the hardware, the Audeze Penrose X. It even has a green color scheme to match!

Onto the Audeze Penrose spec list:

Design: Over-ear headphones

Color: Black, with blue trim

Drivers: 100mm Planar Magnetic

Magnetic structure: Fluxor magnet array

Magnet type: Neodymium N50

Frequency response: 10-50,000Hz

Diaphragm: Ultra-thin Uniforce

Connectivity:4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0

Battery life: Up to 15 hours

Charge time: 3 hours

Battery type: Lithium polymer

Microphone: Detachable "broadcast quality" microphone

Weight: 320g

Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4 & 5, Nintendo Switch

Audeze Penrose Design

The Audeze Penrose headphones come out of the box featuring a clean design. Audeze hasn't pushed the boundaries of design into any new dimensions, and the overall appearance of the headphones is okay, but not great.

The Penrose model features a blue band around the earcup, while the Penrose X (the Xbox version of the headphones) features a green stripe. The colored strip breaks up the black, but you cannot escape the feeling of plastic, which doesn't immediately scream "quality." But although the design doesn't have the wow factor, the Penrose headphones' build quality is plain to see, and the parts feel well made and solidly built.

The artificial leather earpads cover comfy padding, while the earcups themselves are adjustable, both on the ear and at the headband's connection. In terms of weight, 320g is perfectly average for a set of wireless headphones, and once you pop them on and get adjusted, you won't notice them.

One thing I would note is that the Audeze Penrose headphones do have a snug fit. My head isn't particularly large, and the headphones are comfy and form a good seal around my ears. However, those with a larger head might find them less comfortable during a prolonged session. That said, this is speculation, as I don't have a larger head to test with.

You'll find an array of dials and inputs on the left earcup, allowing you to mute, adjust microphone or headphone volume, and switch between the headset's three connection modes. The buttons and dials are all easy to use and responsive enough, and the inclusion of an integrated microphone volume dial is welcome, especially if you regularly play online games.

The power button on the headphones takes a few seconds to activate, which is a little odd, taking around five seconds to switch the headphones on or off. Talking of power, the Penrose doesn't have any battery life indicator. The battery is either working, or not, without any warning. Audeze markets the Penrose with a 15-hour battery life on a single charge.

The headset I was sent lasted for around 13 hours and 30 minutes on average, depending on what I was doing and volume changes during testing. 13.5 hours of playback certainly doesn't put the Audeze Penrose in the top battery bracket, but it's far from the worst, either.

Something to consider is that planar magnetic drivers are more power-hungry than regular dynamic drives, so the Penrose is bound to give something up in battery life. Over 13 hours of playback is enough for most people for a day of work or a prolonged gaming session, so the battery life isn't an issue.

A Note on Handling Planar Magnetic Headphones

The Audeze Penrose planar magnetic design does make it more susceptible to air trapping behind the ultra-thin diaphragm. Audeze recommends that you take care when putting your Penrose and Penrose X headphones on, giving them a moment to adjust to the difference in air pressure after creating a seal around your ears.

As per Audeze customer support:

We recommend exercising certain cautions when handling planar magnetic headphones: trapped air can create high pressure and sudden pressure changes could damage the diaphragms, and this is not covered by warranty. When you put the headphones on or take them off, it's not a good idea to press them hard and fast against the head, so we recommend slow and steady movement to allow the air pressure to stabilize.

Audeze Penrose Sound Quality

In short, the Audeze Penrose headphones are some of the best-sounding headphones currently on the market. They're nothing short of superb, easily accommodating any genre of music you throw at it, delivering each note, tone, and vocal harmony with precision.

The 100mm planar magnetic drivers allow the headphones to recreate any audio environment accurately, and it's clear Penrose has spent a great deal of time making sure that these headphones can bring your favorite track or game to life.

Interestingly, the Audeze Penrose's overall excellent quality makes it difficult to pinpoint specific areas of distinction. As ever while testing headphones, Spotify's Songs To Test Headphones With playlist is my erstwhile companion. In other reviews, you might read about headphones having a bass-heavy tuning or stuttering with fast-paced high notes.

The Audeze Penrose, on the other hand, does none of this. It just eats it up and keeps coming back for more.

It's a similar scenario for gaming, too. After all, the Audeze Penrose headphones are meant for gamers. You'll actually find yourself picking out more audio details in your game environment than with other headphones, even in games you've already played to death. This is an impressive quality and one that is hard to match among the rafts of other gaming headphones and earbuds out there.

Resultingly, you'll always hear where an errant gunshot came from and where those quiet footsteps are approaching from, while other details, like the metal of a car scraping down a barrier, sound better than ever before.

Another thing to note about the Audeze Penrose audio experience is that you don't have to turn the headphones up to notice all of these additional sound features. Even at lower volumes, the sound quality and response is exceptional.

The Audeze Penrose headphones don't include any Active Noise Cancelling technology. While the lack of ANC might make some users shy away, you should know that the Penrose forms a semi-noise blocking seal around your ear anyway.

As the Penrose are closed-back headphones, they block a huge amount of background audio out, even without active noise cancellation. Indeed, I'm testing the Audeze Penrose headphones in a house with three children on their Easter break—you wouldn't know they're home.

One final note on the audio side of things. The microphone is very easy to use and adjust, but the quality sounds somewhat muffled. You can communicate well enough in online games and voice chat apps, but it isn't as clear as other microphone options.

Audeze HQ

The Audeze Penrose has a companion desktop and mobile app that you can use to adjust or create custom EQs and switch the Sidetone feature on and off. Both the desktop and mobile apps are basic, allowing you to save an EQ preset to the headphones.

One slight irritation is that you cannot connect wireless to the app using the supplied dongle (which is for a 2.4GHz wireless connection for audio). As such, when you want to adjust the EQ on your desktop, you have to plug the Audeze Penrose into your computer using a USB Type-C cable.

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It's only a small problem, but if you have a few different EQs you like to use for different music types, it will become a bit of a drag.

Should You Buy the Audeze Penrose Headphones?

Audeze was the first company to bring planar magnetic drivers to consumer headphones, with the Audeze Mobius.

Now, Audeze is bringing that planar magnetic tech to a different market bracket, losing some of the high-end features from the Mobius (such as 3D head tracking and Waves Nx surround sound), but still delivering outstanding audio quality.

The Audeze Penrose headphones are easily some of the best-sounding headphones on the market right now. You'll be hard-pressed to find a better soundstage, even with the default EQ settings.

The big question comes in the price. Currently, the Audeze Penrose headphones retail for $300, making them one of the more expensive headphone options for gamers.

If you have the budget available and you want a top-notch audio experience, look no further than the Audeze Penrose.

Audeze Penrose Wireless Gaming Headphones Review: A Sensational Audio Experience published first on http://droneseco.tumblr.com/

[rantsaboutponies]

Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree

Can they please stop making these? I don’t budget my time well, it’s 2:30 in the morning, I want to go to bed. Just remember, I’m doing this for YOU guys. For YOU guys.

For the record, I wait until the last minute to write these reviews because they usually take almost three times the length of the movie to write. It’s also why I can’t watch them on TV; I have to pause constantly.

First of all, I didn’t hear jack shit about this movie. I think the viewership for each one really is dwindling. I barely even saw any porn of it! That is surprising!

Second of all, was this one ever available on Netflix? I swear I streamed the third one there, but now it doesn’t even have a listing (nor does the fourth one). Hopefully the version I got is the uncut version (it’s not a TV rip, and the runtime does match), but if I left anything out, be sure to tell me. Oh, and I’ve given up on that list of “things that all these movies do that directly contradict the fact that this universe intersects with the pony universe” that I tried to carry over into the second movie’s review, so keep that in mind.

Oh, and can anyone let me know if they see a trailer for My Little Pony: The Movie in the theater? It comes out in four months, and I’ve been at almost all of the kids’ movies this year (yes, even Rock Dog, which actually wasn’t half-bad, and The Boss Baby, which was not as bad as the trailers made it look but was still the worst of the kids’ movies I’ve seen this year [which isn’t actually surprising, since there have only been three]; I’m still not seeing Smurfs, though, and I’m sure as fuck not seeing Spark: A Space Tail), and I’ve seen nothing about it. I’ll make a separate post about that closer to October.

All right, the review proper starts...NOW!

I said it before, and I’ll say it again: DO THESE HIGH-SCHOOLERS HAVE PARENTS?! SERIOUSLY, WHERE ARE THEY?

Thirty seconds. Thirty FUCKING seconds. That’s how long it was before Pinkie Pie made me want to strangle her. Literally. Thirty seconds. Her first line. Fantastic impression you’re making on me, movie.

All right, Rainbow Dash throwing a picture of herself into the suitcase is certainly part of the annoying one-dimensional writing that she (and really, all of the characters) has had in these movies, but...I’m sorry, I still laughed. Forgive me.

Wow, the...uh...plot just started right away, didn’t it? I’m so confused. I sure hope this is a dream sequence because otherwise this is really stupid. Oh, okay, it was. Never mind.

Ah, the indie rock craze has finally hit Human Equestria. You guys are, like, five years behind on that, you know. I gotta be honest, though, I kinda like this theme song. I feel like it would sound better with different singers, but I’m digging this so far. Maybe this movie won’t be so bad? Ah heh heh heh...

I briefly forgot that Human!Twilight’s Spike was magically given the ability to talk at the end of EQG3, so I was thrown off there for a second. I just realized, though, that that means that they don’t ever have to have any connection to Pony!Equestria ever again. Smart idea, but Pinkie’s summary of the previous three movies immediately afterwards negates what you were going for there (especially since none of that has anything to do with the plot of this movie directly).

“You’ll get used to it.” Yeah, you’d better get used to your “friends” talking shit about you to your face. The second movie was full of that. *sigh*

Oh, goody, Professor Umbridge is the camp director. Please tell me she gets dragged off by centaurs at the end of this movie, too.

“Stay away from the rock quarry. That’s off-limits. Unless, of course, you’re a main character, in which case the plot will facilitate that you go there at some point during this movie, probably somewhere near the end. Just a heads-up.” (Also, “rock quarry” is redundant, dumbasses.)

Actually, the word “sapphire”’s link to the Latin “sapphir” (or “sappir” or “sapphīrus”) links to the Ancient Greek “sáppheiros”, meaning “precious stone” or “gem”, which probably linked to a Semitic source (similar to Hebrew’s “sappī́r”, referring to lapis lazuli), but may be related to a non-Semitic source such as the Sanskrit “śanipriya”, meaning “dark-colored stone” or, literally, “dear to Saturn”. And, as an interesting sidenote, the Ancient Greeks didn’t even have a word for “blue”. Also, rubies are not just sapphires “with chromium”; rubies are corundum with chromium. Sapphires contain other impurities like titanium, iron, or magnesium (which give them any of a number of non-red colors) that rubies may not contain at all; since chromium is what colors them red, chromium is the only impurity required to make a ruby. So, in other words, shut your fucking face, you smug dipshit.

By GOD, I hope Gloriosa is the villain because I really hate her.

See, even though Filthy Rich is, well, filthy rich and could very easily be an upper-class dickhead, the show never made him one. He’s clearly not aware what an utter bitch his daughter is, since he punished her for it the one time he found out, but he has always been depicted as someone who cares about his community and acts kindly towards the other ponies in the town without being condescending or displaying any obvious class distinction. It is something notably unique about the show and is something I’ve actually admired amidst its recent waning quality.

The people writing this movie apparently didn’t know that and just went, “His name is Filthy Rich? He must be the VILLAIN!” Goddamnit, you fucking worthless TV movies.

Oh, man, oh, man, please tell me that Princess Celestia is holding a flute there in the background because she’s telling a “This one time, at band camp” story. I’ve already made that joke at least five times in my head by now, so please tell me I’m justified.

Holy shit, look at that setup! These girls get massive tents with only two people in each and with FULL-SIZE BEDS! So much for “roughing it”! How big is this camp again? This must take up a ludicrous amount of space.

Please tell me they’re not going to do Sunset Shimmer’s storyline again with Twilight. Come on.

No, Sunset, if there’s anyone you should be nervous around, it’s Pinkie Pie.

Okay, Fluttershy’s line about “birds that land on your finger” WAS funny until you felt the need to explain the joke with Rainbow Dash’s “I think that only happens to you.” Rule #1 of comedy: Don’t! Explain! The joke!

Does Vinyl Scratch have an amazing wireless connection, or do her headphones themselves contain an MP3 player? I don’t see those working any other way.

Can I punch Timber in the face yet?

How the hell would you make that dock into a catwalk? The only way that would work would be if either the models entered from or the audience were seated in the water. Otherwise, the models will be walking away from the audience and not easily visible for the majority of their time on the runway. You’ve gotta think about logistics, Rarity!

PUNCH.

Hmm...Gaia Everfree’s story is kind of weak. And arbitrary. “YOU CAN’T STAY!” “Oh, please let us stay!” “WELL...OKAY. BUT YOU’LL HAVE TO LEAVE! EVENTUALLY! AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE!”

25 minutes in is a little late for your first song, guys. I was starting to think this wasn’t going to be a musical.

Oh, thank GOD, Timber is a villain, too. That means we’ll get to WATCH HIM DIE. ... Okay, fine, wishful thinking. Hell, being the villain in these movies (or on the show) pretty much guarantees that you’ll get even more screentime in later installments. (Also, he apparently can’t hear anything that’s right next to him as long as he’s offscreen. Right.)

Of course, the scene in the cafeteria reminded me of this.

And in the next scene, it’s impossible not to think of this.

So... Rarity’s just...useless. That’s been established, right?

Goddamnit, Pinkie, stop being a menace! You almost killed all of your friends! Again!

Hmm...this song sounds like a really lame, low-rent version of this.

Wha? You mean the obvious villain is obviously a villain? NO. (Except I guess that means that Timber isn’t a villain as well. Damn.)

Boy, it’s really convenient that Gloriosa is having these extremely lengthy and detailed flashbacks while they all just stand there, totally unbothered by Sunset zoning out and holding onto her arm.

I do like that they made dummies of Twilight and Sunset just because they weren’t there for the dress rehearsal. How long do you think that took?

“I GOT THIS!” That’s got to be one of the weakest things I’ve ever heard that someone tried to turn into a catchphrase.

Well, looks like someone really liked Maleficent.

I gotta ask...has there ever been a good villain song in the MLP movies or the show?

“Oh, no! She’s forming a wall that clearly has an upper bound! If only we had some sort of appendages that we could use to project our bodies upward! No, I think we had better wait until the vines completely form a dome over us. Surely that will work.”

I think the writers are trapped in this paradox of knowing that they have an actual interesting character in Sunset Shimmer but being forced to focus all their efforts on the Mane Six because they’re the main characters, despite having no personalities to speak of.

“What are these?” “I’m not sure! But clearly they will be in stores alongside the release of this movie!”

Ah, so you got out of the logistical failure of trying to figure out how the dock could act as a runway by canceling the fashion show altogether! Wow.

Okay, this song is definitely one of the better ones in this movie series, but holy crap, get some stronger singers. I mean, all right, I know you can’t, but...can’t you, like, release an official cover of this song recorded by an actual singer, like Disney does with their animated musicals?

I do always love the moronic cliché of the villain showing up at the ending celebration for no logical reason other than to scowl at the protagonists and storm off angrily.

You know, there are only so many features and accessories and superpowers you can add to these characters before you start running out of places to put them.

*GASP* OH MY GOD THAT ENDING CLIFFHANGER MEANT NOTHING! Seriously, fuck off with that shit.

And of course, the stinger has to show that Pinkie Pie always ruins everything. ALWAYS. ALWAYS.

All right, so in conclusion...these movies are all the same. I mean, I think we kind of established that already, but man...

Can we just give Sunset Shimmer her own movie? One where she just fucks off by herself and finds better friends with actual personalities and they all do something interesting? Can that be the next theatrical movie? Please?

[thinkaboutrunning]

Things I can't run without

I know, running is supposed to be the most basic of all exercises, except maybe walking. We should be able to run without any additional gear, even without special clothing. And if we must do it that way, we certainly can. But, it's so much more fun and so much more pleasant when we arm ourselves with available gadgets and gizmos. I've tried many and kept only a few I can't run without, sort of. From run trackers to podcast players, here's what I use.

I started "au naturel" wearing my ancient sports shorts from high school (I was lucky they made them so stretchy that I could fit in) and sneakers I bought for walking. They were comfortable and felt great. Sneakers were already moulded by my feet. Those were simple, chafing and blister-free runs.

The more serious I became about it, though, the more I started reading online and offline about things advertised as "essential" to improve my running. To tell the truth, I was mostly interested in finding a way to measure the distance I ran. Those were the days just before GPS became omnipresent. Sometimes I drove the route I was going to run to measure the distance on the car's odometer; on one occasion I even talked a friend into following me in a car. He avoids me ever since.

I turned to the internet, bought a Nike+ pedometer, put it on my shoes and paired it with my iPod. It was inaccurate, for sure — for example a marathon I ran with it was measured as a 45 kms run, full 3 kms longer than actual distance — but it was ingenious when it comes to motivation and goal-setting. Now I could set the weekly, monthly and other goals in distance and time. And, it had a feature I miss ever since - a "Power Song". I could pre-program my own pick-me-up tune and then play it whenever I want or need it during the run by pressing and holding iPod's menu button.

If you promise not to laugh at my taste in music, I'll tell you the song that carried me through the heavy-legged final stages of quite a few marathons and half-marathons; it was Christina Aguilera's "Candyman". Other than catchy melody and cheerful vibe, it also had the perfect beat-per-minute rhythm to which I could match my stride and get some badly needed speed. When I evolved to more sophisticated distance trackers, I lost that Power Song feature and miss it ever since!

I already outed myself as the non-purist runner. (The purists being runners who don't listen to anything other than the sounds of their surroundings and their own breathing.) Yes, I run with headphones, and am not apologizing for it. Nowadays, my phone is my tracking device and a few "essential" apps keep track of my runs and make them more enjoyable. Before I bare my running soul and sole in front of you, I want you to know that I'm kind of an old geek. I like to experiment and try new things all the time, sometimes to my own detriment. One can't know if something's really good until he tries it, right? So, here are my running essentials.

A GPS-capable smartphone is a must. I have an old-ish iPhone 8 which still tracks my distance quite well.

Comfortable headphones. My ears are large — I know, I'm not proud of them and didn't ask for them, but there they are. Most of the earbuds and other fancy small earphones won't stay in my ears. They wiggle and slide out after a few running steps. So, I'm looking for headphones that hook in place in some way. Trust me, running with an earbud that needs to be tucked back in every few steps can ruin your mood run! The current ones I have is the simplest of simple sets of Panasonic wired sport headphones with plastic hook over the ear. What I look for in headphones? I want them light, with some sort of hooking solution either over ears or around the head. Waterproof, or at least water-resistant is preferable. Because, no amount of sweat or rain can stop us, right? Bluetooth wireless are great, but tend to be heavier due to the battery they need to function, which makes them fall outta my ears easier. Also, some bluetooth headphones have connection problems, even though my phone is in my waist-belt less than a meter down from my ears. Further, I prefer earphones which sit outside my ear canal, thus allowing me to hear the sound of my surroundings. It's always useful to hear the car approaching. I know it spoils the sound quality, but ask yourself do you really need a studio-quality sound while running on the road?

I've seen people running with fancy over-the-ear noise-cancelling headphones — I'd love me a pair of those for when I'm on an airplane, but there are two problems I have with them in running situation: they tend to be hot and make me sweat even more; they make me unaware of the traffic and things approaching me outside my field of vision.

My favourite run-tracking app is iSmoothrun. It has more data of my run than I really need, but hey — better too much than not enough, right? It tracks the mileage on my shoes, too. It has easily programmable intervals with great audio feedback. And it syncs with many running community and tracking sites, from Strava to RunKeeper and many in between.

Running community site I use is RunKeeper. It's neither better nor worse than the others. I have used it since 2010, all my running data since then is there and even though I tried Strava and many others, I haven't found a compelling reason to switch, yet. RunKeeper is owned by ASICS, which sort of guarantees they'll be around for a while. But really, it's the matter of preference. I can only suggest that, when you find the site that works for you, stick with it and keep all your data in one place.

One more essential app or site is a weather app. I'm currently running in Europe and use two weather mobile websites which, between them, give me the most accurate hourly forecast: Yahoo weather and Norwegian YR. In North America I trusted The Weather Network the most. Whichever app you choose, I suggest check if it offers the wind speed data per hour. Also "feels like" feature for temperature, whether it's the humidex factor (humidity index) or windchill (in the winter) is very helpful when you need to decide what to wear for the run. All the sites I mentioned above have it.

When it comes to on-run entertainment, there is your music app, whether it's the streaming one (Apple Music, Spotify) or just music playing one. I can't help you much with it, as I'm using Apple Music because it's pre-installed and all my music is there.

Then, there's a podcasts app. Podcasts are radio on demand on any topic you can think of and many you never thought of. They are great way to break the monotony of a long run. My "weapon" of choice is Overcast.

Finally, for the book-loving runners among us, there's an audiobooks app of your choice. On Apple's platforms Apple Books app (former iBooks) doubles as an e-book reader and an audiobook player. Personally, I'm a big reader, but find the audiobooks not affordable, especially at my reading pace of 3-5 books a month. I tried Audible too, it gives one book a month within the subscription, the rest costs extra. Too much for my pocket!

Then I found the solution! There's an iOS app (I'm certain there's something similar for Android too) called Epub Reader. It not only lets me read ebooks, but it also reads it to me. There is selections of voices to choose from and some of them sound almost human. When a book is so good I can't put it down for a run, I listen to it in the same app, while running. My version of the app takes only epub formatted ebooks, but there are plenty free online book conversion sites to help if your book is in a different format. You can try ToEpub, or just search for "free epub converter online".

There you go — these are the gizmos that made my runs enjoyable for years. What are yours? Also, if you have any question, just ask!

[tradeshowguy]

Ways to Level Up Your Online Zoom Presence

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Zoom is ubiquitous. So much so that I’ve even been reading lately about “Zoom fatigue.” So many Zoom meetings!

But what’s a person to do? Many offices are closed. Millions are working from home, navigating the line between getting work done, keeping kids occupied, quieting pets and so much more. Zoom is a lifeline as well as a way of life for many people. Meeting with business colleagues and clients, and family gatherings.

I recently chatted with Ken Newman of Magnet Productions, a long-time tradeshow friend and colleague, about ways to step up your game when a Zoom call. He works with a number of clients to do the same, and we chatted about the various ways of improving the quality of your Zoom interactions.

What are your goals?

Let’s start with your situation. Are you planning to make changes to get you through another couple of months (or however long it takes to return to “normal”), or are you looking to make permanent changes to your home studio? Even when tradeshows come back, many things will be normal, but there will also be a more robust virtual element of tradeshows.

How are you using Zoom?

Zoom was built to handle speech, not music. When Zoom hears a loud sound, like a siren or car horn, it will immediately clamp down the sound to prevent it from going through at such a high level. Which means, if you happen to want to play music or some other type of sound on your Zoom calls (such as a larger meeting where several people might be in a single room, or where one person is playing music through an amplifier, for example), you’re going to have a big challenge in front of you to keep the sound at an even level. To get around that, you can go into settings and “enable original sound.”

Do rehearsals.

One of the first lessons I learned in my early radio days was to know what you really sounded like, not what you think you sounded like. It’s the same concept with a video call or presentation. Simply start a meeting with nobody else there. Record it and play it back. You can check how you look, how the lighting looks, how you sound. And when you do rehearsals, you’ll catch those little crutches that you usually don’t know about, like saying “like” all the time or “y’know.”

Check the background of your image

Don’t have an open window behind you, because your guests on the call will see a poorly lit image of you, mainly a silhouette. Use lighting at about three-quarters.

Green screen: a gimmick, but more as a fun thing, but after the initial view of Fiji, it gets boring and distracting.

Limit background noise

Close the door. Try to schedule meetings when people are doing other things (yes, that may be impossible!). Tell the others in your house that you’re going to have the call and to please assist with keeping kids and dogs quiet. Yes, I know that if you live near a train track that sometimes things just happen. If background noise is a continual problem, you might check out Krisp: recommended recently by Seth Godin, who says it is good a dampening background noise when you’re on a Zoom call.

Equipment to Consider

Ken and I discussed a number of pieces of gear, both hardware and software. These range in cost from small or modest to more expensive and are worth taking a look at depending on your level of use of video and how much your budget can handle.

Lighting

LED ring lights are mostly low-cost and add a lot of control of your image. Set them off to the side so they’re aiming at your face at about 45 degree angle. Package them with a tripod that can also hold your camera and you’ll only need the one, if that’s what you’re using for Zoom or other video. Otherwise, consider getting two of them and put one on each side of your face at a 45 degree angle.

Microphones

With a laptop or desktop, having a USB microphone will immediately take you above the sound you get from typical AirPods or earbuds with a microphone in the cord. AirPods have a decent sound, and in many case the smaller microphones on your earbuds will be okay. The microphone on your laptop or desktop computer is probably the lowest sound quality and the most problematic when it comes to background noise.

USB Microphones:

I use the Audio Technica AT2020USB+. Good sound, has a mini-headphone jack for plugging headphones in and mixing sound. It’s not a high-end microphone, but the sound is solid and it’s been a good workhorse for me.

Ken often uses a Shure MV-51, which is a higher-end USB mic with more bells and whistles.

We’ve both had the Yeti Blue mic, which is good but nor great. It’s lower cost means a lot of people have tried it. I stopped using mine a year ago when it simply stopped working. But frankly, if you can find a low-cost USB microphone it’ll be a good upgrade from your laptop or AirPods in terms of sound. Not only that, but it’ll show that you’re serious about your audio sound.

Shure MV-51

On location, and in any situation where you want freedom to roam but still get good sound, use something like a Kimafun 2.4G wireless lavalier microphone with built-in audio interface. Short-range dedicated wireless connection (not Bluetooth). It comes in a compact case that is smaller than a typical shaving kit.

Webcams

Chances are you have a phone with a built-in camera or a laptop with a good built-in camera. If you want or need something a little better, consider these:

Logitech C922 HD webcam

Logitech C270 – lower cost version

Software

OBS – Open Broadcaster Software. More for the serious webcaster who wants a full package to be able to broadcast high performance realtime video and audio capture and editing. Audio mixing, adding in recorded video scenes to your broadcast. Like having a small TV station control panel in your computer. Learning curve is steep, but if that’s what you want, this is a good piece to explore. And since it’s open source, it’s free to use.

The world was moving to much more online video even before the pandemic forced a lot of us out of the office and in front of a webcam and microphone. Since the chances are you’ll be doing more video, you might as well look and sound as good as you can!

Thanks and kudos to Ken Newman of Magnet Productions for sharing insight and expertise!

The post Ways to Level Up Your Online Zoom Presence appeared first on TradeshowGuy Blog.

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OnePlus 7

OnePlus 7 is undoubtedly a great smartphone. Equipped with a Snapdragon 855, up to 8 GB of RAM, up to 256 GB of non-expandable memory and a 6.41-inch OLED in FHD +. Sounds good.

OnePlus 7: Everything in it

In the white-red packaging from the manufacturer, you can still find a red USB Type-C cable, a charger with 30 watts and various instructions, an opener for the SIM-card slot and a clear case of high quality next to the smartphone. Headphones or an adapter from 3.5 jack to USB Type-C can not be found, unfortunately. OnePlus would like to sell its own USB headphones.

OnePlus 7 Design: same procedure as every year?

At first glance, OnePlus 6T and OnePlus 7 are very similar. The front side is again occupied by the almost borderless display. The screen offers - unlike the OnePlus 7 Pro - a Notch for the 16-megapixel front camera. The back is also made of frosted glass and does not look as shiny as the "big" brother. At the time of the test, unfortunately, there was only the color "Mirror Gray", in China and India it is also available in red and soon even in " Mirror Blue ". With dimensions of 157.7 mm x 74.8 mm x 8.2 mm, it is significantly smaller than the OnePlus 7 Pro (162.6 × 75.9 × 8.8mm). The dimensions are more similar to those of the OnePlus 6T. Also, the weight of 182 grams is similar (high). In the arrangement of the keys, nothing has changed. On the right side you will find an on / off switch and the Alert Slider, with the help of which I can easily put my OnePlus 7 into a "Do Not Disturb" mode. On the left side of the frame is the volume button. The bottom is taken up by the USB Type C input based on USB 3.1 as well as one of the two speakers. However, a headphone jack with 3.5 mm is not available and the case is also not IP6X certified. The manufacturer has nevertheless installed protective rubber seals on the openings. It is supposed to endure a rain shower. The processing of the OnePlus 7 is without blemish, visually but rather uniformity.

OnePlus 7: technical details

OnePlus (consciously) no longer calls its new smartphone a "flagship killer". Technically, it is still up to date and can easily compete with the competition. But not more. In addition to a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 with Adreno 640 GPU, UFS 3.0 flash memory (128/256 gigabytes) and 6/8 GB of memory (LPDDR4X-RAM) is the 7er only a dual camera with 48 & 5 megapixels with OIS to Commitment. In summary, this means: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (1x 2.84 GHz, Cryo + 3x 2.42 GHz, Cryo + 4x 1.80 GHz, Kyro)RAM: 6 GB - 8 GBBuilt-in memory: 128 or 256 GBDisplay: 6.41 inches AMOLED with 1,080 x 2,340 pixels and 60 HzInterfaces: LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5, NFC, GPS (GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo), USB Type-C, Dual nanoSIMBattery: 3,700 mAhCamera resolution: 16 MP - Selfie camera (aperture f / 2.0), 48 (aperture F / 1.7) + 5 MPVideos: 4K (up to 60 fps), Full HD 1080p (up to 240 fps)

OnePlus 7: 6,41 inch AMOLED display

The 6.41-inch, almost borderless AMOLED display of the OnePlus 7 dissolves in FHD + (1,080 x 2,340 pixels).  The display supports the playback of different color profiles (sRGB, display P3) and offers me numerous options for color calibration. Everyone should find their individual attitude. The color representation and also the contrast are of very high quality. This also applies to the maximum brightness. Overall, the screen of the OnePlus 7 makes a good impression on me. Incidentally, the panel is protected by 2.5D Corning® Gorilla® Glass. Of course, the manufacturer has again thought of a reading mode with reduced blue, a night mode with lower brightness and a "video enhancer" for stronger colors when watching movies.

OnePlus 7 and the two cameras

Well, purely arithmetically, the OnePlus 7 yes three cameras: In addition to the 48-megapixel sensor (Sony's IMX586, aperture f / 1.7) with optical and electronic image stabilization can be found on the back of a telephoto zoom camera with 5 megapixels and a diaphragm f / 2.4. Which is responsible for the double zoom. The notch on the front hides the front camera with a resolution of 16 megapixels. In terms of image quality, the main camera delivers good quality. In daylight, the colors look natural, contrast and details are right.  The software-generated bokeh effect works well, but it can not tear me from the famous stool. The OnePlus 7 records videos in 4K at up to 60 frames per second. In contrast to the Huawei P30 Pro, I can convince both the video and the sound quality here.  A timelapse and slow-motion mode (in Full HD with 240 fps and in HD with 480 fps) complete my good impression. Although the 16-megapixel front camera does not have an optical image stabilizer, it still takes good pictures. The sometimes very artificial beauty mode with the possibility for facial and body optimization is available for free.

OxygenOS 9: Very fast, very clean

The OxygenOS is definitely one of the fastest and slimmest user interfaces on the market. Visually, it is strongly based on Google's Stock Android, but also offers a few personalization options and a dark fashion. The built-in Zen mode, a kind of digital wellbeing, is activated manually via the quick settings, or automatically after continuous use of two hours.  If you use it then (is, of course, voluntary), the smartphone is locked for 20 minutes. Now I can only make emergency calls, accept calls and use the camera. The mode can not even be deactivated by a smartphone restart. New is also a screen recorder, with the help of which I can record the content of my screen in Full HD resolution inclusive audio.

Connectivity, battery, performance: Everything at its finest

The OnePlus 7 offers LTE after Cat. 16 and supports Wi-Fi in all available standards. Likewise, Bluetooth 5, GPS and NFC are on board. Instead of an extension via MicroSD, you get "only" support for dual-SIM. The smartphone comes so with two Nano-SIM cards at the same time (also by LTE) clearly.  The transmission and reception performance was at a good level, as there were no significant problems. The call quality was great. The two speakers sound not overly loud, for one or the other song about Spotify and Co. or the conversations with the loved ones, but the sound is more than adequate, also thanks to Dolby Atmos ®, The built into the display glass fingerprint sensor responded quickly and reliably in the test.  Also Read - Samsung Launches Galaxy Fold in September If you like it even faster, use the built-in 2D face recognition. The 3,700-milliamp-hour battery of the 7 Pro is comparable in terms of runtime with the Huawei p30 Pro. In normal use, I come with a battery charge easily throughout the day. One and a half days is also no problem.  But I did not make it for two whole days. The wireless charging is not possible, but I can inflate the battery over the in-house Warp Charge solution with up to 30 watts. I reach 50 percent battery capacity in less than 20 minutes without the device noticeably warming up. There are no surprises in the performance thanks to the Snapdragon 855, 6 GB of RAM and a fast GPU. In the current Geekbench 4, the SoC gets 3,527 points in the single-core and 11,154 in the multi-core. 

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