#you can insert a usb stick too that's like four in one

[silverysnake]

just discovered that my blu-ray player that's from 2012 or something and somehow still working can not just play dvd's and blu-ray's but cd's as well?! i will never give up this piece of electronics i swear

[xskyll]

The BNHA x Chobits AU that no one, not even Mineta, asked for.

The ramblings of my mind under the cut. Warning, it’s loooong.

Okay, so bear in mind that I only watched four episodes of Chobits and it was probably about 14 years ago, and also I didn’t really like it, lol

-Todoroki finds Midoriya laying on some bags of trash next to a dumpster.

-First he’s like “oh no, I need an adult,” because for all his “training,” dad never actually told him what to do when he found a dead body, (this is the summer before he starts U.A., so he’s still living at home). Endeavor is away for a week, and Fuyumi doesn’t count to him (sort of an Aristocats, “she’s not [an adult,] she’s just a sister!” thing). While he’s trying to remember that the police exist, he notices this dead body has very strange ear-like things. He comes closer to investigate. There are lots of weird body types in the world, because of quirks, but these things look metal, which isn’t unheard of, but something about these ears just strike him as unnatural.

- Good news, it seems like a robot, not a dead body. The ears open easily, and there are buttons inside. A power button (that’s right CHOBITS!! It’s in the ear! My love story isn’t going to start with molestation), some USB ports, an aux port, a slot for a microchip or SIM card or whatever, some sort of safety switch (he flips that on)…what really convinces him this is totally a robot are the blutooth and volume buttons (that’s right, Midoriya in this au can charge phones AND he’s a speaker, although the volume buttons’ primary function is to control the volume of his voice).

- He has no good reason for taking this thing home. It weights a ton, it’s awkwardly naked, except for some bandages wrapped around it, which do nothing to hide how anatomically correct this robot is, and he already has a phone charger, so he really has no use for it. 

- He feels weird about it though. While he was checking out the ears, he touched its face and the skin was soft and warm. He checked for a pulse, just out of curiosity, and found one. It looks like a person, aside from the ears, and it feels like a person. He feels bad leaving it in the trash. So he takes it home.

- Cue comedy routine where he gets this thing, not just in the house, but to his room without Fuyumi noticing.

- Once in his room, he hits the power switch. Nothing happens. He holds the power switch. Bingo. Robo-boy powers to life, bright, adorably large green eyes open. He’s holding it in his arms, and it’s still all tied up. It looks up at him and says hello.

- He drops it.

- He apologizes as he picks it back up, tugging at the wrappings to try to get its arms free. He realizes he needs to get pants, or at least boxers, for it, because it’s awake now and very much naked.

- For the very first time, he realizes that this adorable, thin-yet-lean-muscled, between 14-16 looking robo-boy might have been someone’s weird sex doll. They probably threw it away because they found a real person to date and they didn’t want them to know about their underage sex robot. This also sort of explains the pulse; the mystery pervert person probably programmed a fake pulse and did something to make his skin warm, to make him feel more real. Gross.

- He’s broken from these thoughts when the robot speaks. It says, “Please insert memory bank files or turn on base memory.” Todoroki is already freaking out, because this thing wants its memories, and he doesn’t have them. He opens the ear again and investigates. Next to the empty slot, there’s a small button labeled BM. Base memory? Sure, why not. He pushes it.

- The robot goes blank faced for a few seconds. When he comes to, he looks at Todoroki, then the room, then down at himself. He flexes his arms, trying to break the bands around him, but stops, saying, “Safety mode is on.”

- Todoroki finishes helping unwrap him, awkwardly doing so while pointedly looking away, once he gets to his lower half. Once he’s free, he goes and gets a pair of boxers and throws them in his direction. “Can you put them on?” He’s curious if the robot can do something like that unaided, and also he doesn’t want to cloth it himself, because even though this is a robot, it looks like a very cute boy his age. And it has a pulse. He can’t stop thinking about that.

- The robot puts on the boxers, after inspecting them for a second. He honestly does struggle to figure it out for a moment, cause he has zero common sense, but he does figure it out. It probably takes him about a minute. Once they’re on, he stands and starts inspecting the room.

- “Do you have a name?” seems like a dumb question, but he asks anyway and the robot answers, “I’m Project Midoriya.”

- Background info time. Midoriya is not fully a robot. He was kidnapped just seven months ago, coming home from school. It was the day of the sludge villain attack, but he got nabbed before they could cross paths. AFO wanted a quirkless person to experiment on. He did his research and found Midoriya Izuku, a quirkless boy with no friends and little family, who wouldn’t be missed very much. He’s confident enough that he won’t get caught that he titles his new project by its name: Midoriya. Midoriya’s memories are still in his mind, but they’re suppressed. AFO found it easier to backup his memories to a chip, so he could remove them as needed. When they were installed, Midoriya responded best to his own name anyway, so calling him that was also the easiest thing. Without his memories, AFO found him a bit annoying, because he had no social skills or common sense. He needed to be taught, which he didn’t have the patience for, so usually he just left the memories in. He was a timid boy anyway and easy to intimidate, especially if he threaten to hurt his mom.

- The cops figure his disappearance was maybe a runaway situation, but given his track record and the profile on him they’d compiled from listening to his mom, classmates, and teachers, they figure it’s more likely a kidnapping or murder. Fun fact though, he got kidnapped the day Bakugou told him to kill himself. Obviously no body is found, but he knows people go to forests to hang themselves, or put weights in their pockets and drown themselves. Those bodies can take years to find. So while all of this is happening, Bakugou is out there just every day, “what have I done, what have I done, what have I done?” When they finally see each other again, Bakugou freaks out and Midoriya’s suppressed memories are triggered. Bakugou demands answers, Todoroki is confused and defensive, and Midoriya is just, “System overload. Shutting down,” and then face plants to the floor.

- Anyway, back to Shouto. He asks Midoriya if he remembers anything. Midoriya has exactly one memory (or at least, one easily accessible memory), and it’s this: “A man. He looked like this.” He put his hand over his face. “He said, ‘Sensei put so much work into you. Why are you so useless (Deku)?’”

- More bg info, AFO gave Midoriya to Shigaraki, telling him to try to make him useful, and Shigaraki DID try for a couple of months, but he was over the whole situation after basically one day. With his memories, Midoriya was scared and traumatized, had morals, cried a bunch and sometimes tried to escape, and was just UGH. He could mute his voice, but even that didn’t help, cause this kid was just sooo annoying. Without his memories he was awkward and boring and still annoying. Eventually he just yeeted him into a trash heap, but took his memory chip, since it technically contains LoV information.

- Midoriya considers his only memory and thinks being called Deku feels sort of normal, so he says as much. “Deku might also be my name. You can call me that, if you want.” Todoroki says he’ll stick with Midoriya, because Deku isn’t a nice name for his new robot friend.

- So the first section of the story after this is fairly light-hearted. Todoroki has to keep Midoriya a secret from Endeavor and Fuyumi (I feel like she does find out eventually, but agrees to help hide him, as she sees it’s good for her little bro to finally have this (maybe?) living thing/person to talk to and take care of.) Speaking of care, Midoriya is very easy to care for. He can eat, drink, and sleep, but doesn’t need to. He has some sort of self-charging system. Most of his “care” involves teaching him social skills (which oof, blind leading the blind, but they say teaching is the best way to learn, so this is actually good for Shouto too). Embarrassing stuff happens. Fluffy stuff happens. It’s a good time.

- Shouto spends the summer with Midoriya this way. Most of their interactions are fluffy and light, but not all. The first time he comes back to his room after training with his dad, he learns two things: Midoriya has first aid knowledge programmed into him and he’s capable of crying. As the trainings continue, Midoriya eventually reveals that he has over a hundred fighting styles programmed into him and knows over 70 ways to kill a person, but he can’t access any of that information while his safety is on. Todoroki is just like, “Uuuuuh, that’s really good to know…but we’re gonna keep the safety on for now, okay? I hate my dad but also please don’t murder him. He’s famous so we wouldn’t get away with it. Also murder is bad, don’t kill people.”

- Midoriya wants to know if all heroes are like Endeavor and Shouto is like, noooo and shows him the debut video of his personal favorite hero: All Might. Watching this video is the first time Midoriya has a “System overloading. Shutting down” moment. Shouto has an absolute panic attack, because if Midoriya reboots and his memories are wiped, then he’ll have lost the best friend he ever had. But Midoriya restarts and he’s fine. He explains that sometimes he shuts down, to prevent a system failure, which would damage his…idk, hard drive or whatever. He quietly admits that the All Might video is very familiar, and he thinks maybe it used to be important to him. Shouto questions him about his memories and Midoriya theorizes that perhaps he has them backed up, but he isn’t sure how to access them. 

- This is exciting for Shouto, because he thinks maybe if Midoriya experiences more “triggers,” like the video, he might regain his memories and be able to shed some light on the general mystery of where he came from/who made him/what his purpose is. Whenever Endeavor is away, he tries to sneak Midoriya out, so he can see the real world. He isn’t too concerned about his ears, because in a world of quirks, there are plenty of odd looking people around. So far he’s been wearing Todoroki’s clothes, which a little too big on him, so they go shopping and get him clothes. None of their outings seem to trigger anything, except one time when they pass a park where Midoriya and Bakugou used to play as kids. Midoriya grows quiet and seems far away for a moment, but he doesn’t overload and shakes off the familiar feeling.

- Whenever they see All Might stuff he’s just !!!!!!! He can’t remember why he likes All Might, but he remembers how he feels about him. The more All Might stuff he sees, the more his old feelings return. One day they pass a large All Might poster and Midoriya says, “I think maybe I wanted to be like him, once.”

- Eventually Todoroki starts school. He feels bad about leaving him, but Midoriya is content to stay in his room and occupy himself until Todoroki comes home. He’s part computer, so he’s a total boss at helping with math homework. He likes doing homework with Todoroki in general, because he likes learning. This is great for Todoroki’s grades because again, the teaching thing helps everything stick better for him. 

- The attack on USJ happens and Todoroki sees Shigaraki, who has a hand on his face, and he’s like, “Shit, shit, shit, this is the guy who threw away Midoriya,” and he has NO idea what to do with that information. Midoriya belonging to the LoV does explain the “70+ ways to kill” programming though. He tells Midoriya what happened and Midoriya is kind of whatever about it. He says, “Maybe I belonged to villains, but I belong to you, now.” And Shouto is like, “No, no, no, no. You do not. You belong to yourself” and Midoriya is just ????

- I think for the Sports Festival, Midoriya convinces him to use his fire. It’s sort of like, “It’s your power, even though its origin is Endeavor. Just like how everything I can do is my power, even though I was programmed by villains. Being made by villains doesn’t make me a villain. Using the resources they gave me doesn’t make me a villain. Being Endeavor’s son doesn’t make you Endeavor, and using your fire doesn’t either.” Todoroki turns off Midoriya’s safety, confident he has nothing to fear.

- Midoriya watches the Sports Festival on tv (using his blutooth, he can actually just hear the volume in his head, so he can watch silently). He sees Bakugou. Seeing him on screen doesn’t have a huge impact on him, but he does feel something. Fear, unease, admiration, and affection. He’s confused and uncomfortable, and ends up looking away from the screen whenever he’s shown for too long.

- Shouto actually starts making friends at school. Being with Midoriya has taught him a lot about being kind and the joy having other people in your life can bring. Still, he doesn’t trust anyone enough to tell them about Midoriya. He’s terrified of losing him.

- For the Hosu incident, Midoriya is home alone, probably doing something on Shouto’s laptop. He sees the breaking news and is just, “Welp, that’s where Shouto, the official best person in the world, is, so guess I’m going to Hosu to make sure he’s safe.” He leaves the house alone, for the first time ever, and just runs to Hosu. Idk how far away Hosu is from the Todoroki residence, but Midoriya doesn’t fatigue and he’s also outrageously fast, so it’s fine. Also he can see in the dark, but only if he activates his night vision, which makes his eyes glow. Not good for sneaking, but very pretty and cool. I’m not sure how he finds Shouto, or how Shouto found Iida, but I imagine Stain is like, seconds from skewering him and then Midoriya comes out of nowhere and collides with Stain (which is a big deal, cause remember, Midoriya is filled with metal parts and is super heavy). They fight together and at some point Stain cuts Midoriya and he bleeds, which for Shouto is like !?!??! And then he licks his blood and the paralysis works and Shouto is just !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Later, after the life threatening stuff is over, Todoroki has some seriously thoughts about this, because what if Midoriya is human? Or part human? That would be a huge development, and also kind of relief for him, because he sort of feels like he’s been falling in love, but he’s been desperately stomping down on those feelings, because he knows falling in love with a robot probably isn’t healthy. But falling in love with a half robot? I mean, Iida could be called part robot, with his legs, if you want to get technical about it. And Todoroki does want to get technical about it, thank you very much. If Iida is dateable, then so is Midoriya.

- Back to Hosu. They beat Stain and, after securing him, Todoroki tells Midoriya to go home, before his dad arrives. Once he leaves, he begs Iida not to tell anyone he saw him and promises to explain later. For ease of narrative, Native was unconscious the entire fight.

- Endeavor shows up, as does the Nomu. It takes Shouto but Stain rescues him. At the hospital, Todoroki explains the Midoriya situation to Iida, revealing that this incident was the first time he realized Midoriya had blood in him. Iida agrees to keep the secret, but urges Todoroki to tell someone. Maybe Aizawa. He agrees to consider, but he doesn’t want Midoriya to get taken away and like, locked up to be studied or something. He and Iida become better friends, bonding over almost dying together and sharing the secret of Midoriya. 

- Midterms! Shouto scores higher because he has an awesome robot tutor. He doesn’t actually care, but good for him regardless.

- Summer field trip time. Midoriya can’t come, obviously. I’m thinking during this time, he decides to sneak out of the house and explore on his own. He feels guilty, because Shouto would worry if he knew, but he just feels this draw. He feels like maybe his old memories were important, and he’s becoming curious. He keeps thinking about the boy from the Sports Festival and about All Might. He ends up in his old neighborhood. He sees his middle school and he doesn’t remember anything, but seeing the building makes him feel lonely and sort of bad about himself. It reminds him of Shigaraki calling him Deku, and the familiar feeling that gave him. He leaves and finds himself on his old street. He isn’t close at all to his old home - he can barely see the apartment building - but he can still see it. He almost shuts down, but turns away quickly and starts back the way he came. He doesn’t remember anything, but seeing that building fills him with overwhelming emotions. The strongest one reminds him of his feelings for Shouto, but it’s different. He can’t place it, but he knows he’d die to protect Shouto, and he feels like maybe he once knew someone in that building that he would also die to protect. Once he gets home, he realizes he’s crying. He decides to sleep and he dreams of green eyes and a smile that looks like home.

- Shouto is injured during the villain attack and goes to the hospital. Once he’s released, he agrees with Kirishima that they’ll go rescue Bakugou. That whole thing pretty much goes at it did in canon, except All Might never found a successor, so he’s more powerful. He defeats AFO and does not have to retire, though he’s feeling an overwhelming pressure to find a successor now, because he knows he’s hanging on by a thread.

- Dorms!! Shouto is bringing his boy with him. He figures he can hide him just as easily there as he can at home. Getting him in is a little tricky, but he manages. From there, it’s smooth sailing.

- Except not really, because living with 18-19 other people (19 if Hitoshi is in the class, which, maybe) is way different than living with 2. Midoriya is discovered in like, a week and everyone is freaking out, most of all Bakugou, who basically breaks down. He tries to hit Midoriya and screams at him, about thinking he was dead and going to his funeral and how it was his fault and having to face his mom and did Midoriya even think about his mom??? As previously mentioned, Midoriya just shuts down and face plants to the ground.

- Shouto finally learns Midoriya’s full name. Midoriya Izuku. A+ name. Very cute. He plans to use it immediately.

- Bakugou’s insight changes the situation completely. Now they know Izuku was once 100% human and something awful happened to him. They end up bringing him to Aizawa and explaining the situation and everything they know. Todoroki gets scolded, cause Izuku could have been dangerous and he should have known better, but he doesn’t even pretend to have regrets. Endeavor would have made him throw Izuku back into the trash where he found him. His best friend isn’t trash.

- Now the name of the game is helping Izuku restore his memories. Bakugou is a huge help, but patience is required, to keep Izuku from overloading. He remembers bits and pieces at a time, all centered around Bakugou. Aizawa agrees to let him attend classes, so they can keep an eye on him. He’s also hoping a school setting might trigger more memories. He meets All Might and he doesn’t even get to announce his system malfunction before he’s out. He sees him, starts smoking at the mouth and hits the floor. All Might is very alarmed.

- Tsukauchi is made aware of the situation. He wants to keep things under wraps though. If the LoV is aware Midoriya is out and about, they may target him. If they can restore his memories though, they may gain insight into the group’s plans. That being said, he thinks it’s only right that they tell Inko. They tell her they have information on her son and make her sign a contract, agreeing not to release any information. Once she agrees, they brief her on what they know and, at the end, bring in Izuku.

- Izuku has been talking with Bakugou about his mom, to prepare for this (he usually wants Shouto with him for these conversations, and Shouto and Bakugou sort on inadvertently become friends). He can’t remember her at all, but he remembers the face in his dream. He knows it’s her. While talking, he’s shut down a few times (which drives Bakugou up the wall, and also scares him a little, cause he kind of looks dead when it happens), but he thinks he might be ready to see her now. He’s brought in and he does not shut down, not fully, but he comes close. He definitely glitches a little, maybe doing a quick reboot, quick enough that he doesn’t even fall, and his voice comes out cracked and metallic when he speaks, and there are sparks in his mouth, but he manages, “Mom?” They both cry and she holds him while he tells her, voice wavering between sounding normal and sounding robotic, that he doesn’t remember her, but he loves her, he knows he loves her so so much and he knows he’s missed her, even though he didn’t know who she was. It’s very emotional, and extremely hard for both of them when they finally have to separate, because Izuku can’t go home with her. She’s allowed to visit though, and each visit helps him restore little pieces of his memory. Between her and Bakugou, he starts making enough progress that he stops shutting down when he gains a new memory, and he starts remembering his old hopes and dreams. He doesn’t remember what AFO did to him, but he remembers enough of his past to feel self-conscious now, about his body. He breaks down one day and Shouto holds him while he grapples with his identity, his humanity, and his future. 

- I’m picturing a scene where he’s crying and Shouto takes his face in his hands and explains all the beautiful things about him that make him human, and he finishes up with something corny like, “I know you, Izuku. You’re human. You have to be human, because I’m in love with you.” And then they KISS and it is ROMANTIC!

- He decides he still wants to be a hero and he becomes a real member of 1A, instead of just a visitor. The whole class helps him design a costume and come up with a name and in general are just like, “Cyborg Hero, yay!!”

- And that’s all I got. I think eventually he would fight the league, and probably retrieve his chip, giving him 100% of his memories. There’s a LOT of trauma to deal with there, because he was basically torn apart and put back together several times by AFO, but they do gain all the information they need to take down the LoV for good. And the Overhaul arc is in there. Izuku might still intern with Nighteye, because All Might is like, “Robot successor? Maybe???” and he wants Nighteye’s opinion. Nighteye can’t see his future, because he’s not fully human, but eventually he gives his stamp of approval. Eri is rescued and that’s a very personal fight for Izuku, because he identifies with what she’s gone through. And of course she loves him and thinks his ears are cute and his glowy eyes are pretty.

- Oh, and the School Festival. I honestly don’t even know what to do with him. He can learn any instrument just by like, downloading some YouTube tutorial videos. He can learn any dance by watching it once. He’s really strong, really fast, and can also operate as a speaker (though that can be awkward, cause it’s through his mouth, so he’d just be standing there with his mouth open). They might keep his role same as canon, idk. They’d probably all fight over him.

- I’m sure none of this was anything like Chobits. Sorry. I just think the ears are neat, really, and liked the idea of Izuku being a cyborg (Chobits isn’t even about cyborgs, lol).

Sorry this is outrageously long! If you want to write this into a full fic, feel free to use my ideas! Just give me a shoutout, maybe? And tell me about it, so I can read it!

[shibarirobot]

Aizawa fic - CH1 - Entrapment

+18 only

Shouta Aizawa x Villain!OC/Reader (?)

I’m going to do my best to keep this fic as ambiguous as possible so anyone can enjoy it. The first few chapters will be tamer to build intruig, but make no mistake this is going to get SPICY. It’s not exactly a reader insert, but I’m going to stay away from describing my lead character, apart from quirk abilities, to make it easy for those that enjoy a reader insert to lose themselves in this fic. 

That being said, this fic is centered around a villain who can manipulate electro magnetic frequencies, that’s pretty broad and I’m no science kid, but I’m fairly certain everything I have them do is plausable with this type of quirk, if you have any suggestions for how it could be used or if I have written something infactual to the ability feel free to message me or leave an anon. However, in a made up world of quirks and hot men, I’m not sure it really matters lol. Suspend your disbelief as they say. 

Anyways, enjoy.

~

Four o’clock rolls by so slowly I can feel myself aging. I look down at my watch for the fifth time in the last three minutes and let out a huff. 3:57. No time to start getting anxious. I push even the word anxiety out of my brain and take another deep breath, closing my eyes. Distancing myself mentally from the hum of drunken bar thoughts. This time trying to calm my slightly lifted heart rate as it now feels like time has sped up exponentially, I realize I have no time to take a smoke or even go to the bathroom. It’s about to happen. I look at my watch again and feel the lump in my throat drop to my stomach as I swallow my insecurities and pull my hand up to my hip, skimming my thigh as I go. I can feel this too, the weapon at my waistband that has been pressing hard against my skin and keeping my back rigid as I try to level my breathing. I make eye contact with a tall man across the room from me, already nursing a beer before 4 pm and for a brief moment the air is still, latent energy pooling around me as I suck in another breath and force myself onto my feet. I magnetize my voice and push it into their brains as the stagnant energy from before comes crashing down in waves around me. 

“Everybody on the floor! NOW!” I say it, but they feel it, they feel their brains being ripped in half by my voice. The splitting headache that I come to find familiar, comforting even, forced upon these self serving bystanders. The pulse behind my eyes reminds me I’m alive, if nothing more than in a physical sense I am still living. Ringing fills the air as I roar into them again, enjoying watching them all grip their temples and wobble as they start to lose their equilibrium. I’m effectively scrambling their brains and replacing what is left with my own force of will. “I… SAID… NOW!!!!” They drop to their knees, some flopping to the side, giving up fighting, they're all sheep. Fucking sheep that just do what they’re told. Fucking sheep that believe in heroes and laws, it’s all bullshit. Even these citizens know it, but they all fall in line anyways. Because it’s power that they obey. And right now, I have it. 

I lock eyes with the man from before and he tries to move to the door, still wobbly on his feet. I smirk a little at his attempt. There’s always one. Always a fool that tries to play hero. He wants to... what? Call for help? Prove he’s not weak? Make up for his otherwise lackluster life? I don't even try to stop him. He barely makes it two feet before the rest of my crew shows up, a power type goon pushing the hero wannabe to the ground in a matter of seconds, the other, deadbolting the door. He never stood a chance and I chuckle to myself, grinning wildly now. I hear a groan from the ground next to my foot and look down, a woman is curled up on her side, one hand grasping desperately at the side of her head, the other gripping the material at her stomach with white knuckles. Her lips are pale and there is a cold sweat dripping down the side of her forehead, tears gathering at the corners of her big doe eyes. She’s honestly quite beautiful and it makes the terror in her eyes that much more satisfying when she looks up at me and whimpers a small, desperate, “Please.”

I stare down at her for a moment and absorb the painting before me. Such raw emotion. True pain. I laugh again, whole heartedly as a chorus of groans erupt from my captive audience, my screeches drilling a hole in their skulls. They don't even know what pain is and they fold at the waist and buckle at the knees, this is just a taste and they can hardly stomach it. While I'm laughing, I wrench my leg back and kick the woman in the stomach. Hard. My boots are steel plated and weighted, 15 pounds each, so I know it hurts. “Stupid bitch! Haha!” She screams, coughs, then hurls. Vomit mixing into her hair. I kick her again then lean down and grab her by the jaw, rubbing hard circles into her cheek as I yank her forward by the neck. Her eyes had been closed, but they snapped open when I did that, the vomit in her hair making it stick to her face. “You look so pretty when you beg, shame it will get you nothing here.” Dropping her head back to the hard, tile floor as I rise, looking down on her in disgust. I spit on her cheek from above and survey the room, all eyes are on me. She starts crying and I kick her one last time for good measure, for her distraction. “Whore.” It falls from my lips and I almost feel bad, but then I don't. I don't feel bad for these people, she would have thought the same thing about me and smiled to my face, not knowing who I am, what I’m capable of. She would have been comfortable in doing so to know her thoughts were private. They wouldn’t have been. I would have heard her, as I’ve heard countless others. I shake my anger away in the moment, getting  back to business, now is not the time to let my emotions get the better of me. 

Everyone was hearing me before, but now that I’m focused my voice is poignant, rumbling in the back of everyone’s minds like distant thunder. Like the booming voice of god. In this moment, I might as well be god. “Enough theatrics. If anyone moves I will LIQUIFY your brains, got it?!” There’s a prickle of anxious realization in the room as they all come to terms with the fact that I can do it and have a clear disregard for any of their well being. “Good. Now be darling little hostages and lay there in agony while the big mean bad guys rob the place, ‘kay?” My voice had lost the murderous quality it once had as I start to talk to them how an owner would to a new puppy. Lovingly, but condescending. 

I now look back to my crew, all people I barely knew, hired hands to make my plan run smoothly, expendable, but crucial. I see they have sealed all exits and my muscle men are manning the door. Well, muscle people I should say. One is a hefty looking mutherfucker with steel brackets around his wrists and ankles. His muscles swell and retract like they're breathing, as if his muscle was an entirely different entity from his body. It’s mesmerizing and somewhat disturbing to watch. The other is a short, toned woman with a spiked, pink mohawk and a killer smile. Her teeth are sharp and platinum and she grins, chomping her jaw to herself. It makes a distinguishable ‘Clang Clang’ when her teeth lock into place with each other. 

Knowing they have the hostage situation handled, I make my way to the back of the bar. There is a door in the corner and I reach for the handle as I approach, but a wave of hesitation hits me as I do, something tells me to move away from the door. With a quick dodge, I leap backwards as the door explodes, a fist appearing at the center of the explosion. A hero. Dammit. I was hoping to get this over with before we had a chance for interference. I ‘tsk’ my tongue and toss a scowl over my shoulder. What’s the point of a hired lookout if they don’t even tell you when the ops are coming? When I look behind me I see my lookout, the only person I hired on a quirk specific level, toppled over with a dart in their neck. Fuck. They were supposed to see around corners in the getaway. My eyes scramble around the room to see where it came from but there’s no one, just a small crack in the window where I assume the dart broke through. Someone on the roof.

Frustration overtakes me and I scream up at the ceiling. What’s the point of planning if I have to do everything myself anyways? The scream ruptures into everyone’s thoughts. The civilians. The heroes. The other villains. They all feel my wrath. I stand and kick the hero that had just blasted through the door and my plans in one fell swoop. I've seen him on tv, he’s getting pretty famous, some new chump that can balloon his fists. He really thought a physical quirk could beat me? He grunts then goes slack, some hero. The ones that never get hit can never handle it when they eventually do. I step past his body and again past the debris of the door. There’s a small room back here with metal shelves on each wall and one in the middle forming three neat rows, pilled with bricks of gold, artifacts and a computer on a table in the back. There’s another hole in the wall across from the door, seems as if this loser busted through both walls just for a shitty sneak attack. Easy escape though. Rolling my eyes, I march past the gold and the shinies and dig a flash drive out of my pocket, shoving it into the USB port, it immediately starts glowing red. I kick the chair to the side and lean down, tapping the keys furiously as I transfer file after file to my drive and delete them from the computer's hard drive. When I’m done, I pull the drive from the port, not worrying about ejecting the drive. It will just have to deal. I straighten my jacket and brush the hair out of my face, leisurely strolling back to the hole in the wall. 

Something glints in the corner of my eye and my focus is shifted to a beautiful diamond necklace that has to be worth more money than I have ever seen in my entire life. I’m about to take another step when the urge to possess this object takes me over so abrasively I can't even think about ignoring it. My hand darts out to the necklace, making quick work of securing it around my neck. I slip a gold brick into my pocket as well, reveling in the thrill of theft. Unplanned theft that is. 

Now that I’m satisfied with myself, I continue my trek to the hole across where the door used to be, leading to the alley, ready to make my one person escape only to be confronted face to face with glowing red eyes, barred behind shuttered goggles. 

Thank you for reading my first chapter! I hope you have enjoyed it!

Maybe leave a like...? Just a thought XD

I will be updating this and adding it to AO3 as soon as I get an account (I’m on the waiting list). There will be a link availiable to my new AO3 and other content as soon as I have that ready. Thanks again! 

CH2

[barney-james]

Mission Incomplete || Bucky Barnes x Reader Imagine

AN: i saw a post about tfatws that said that they wouldn’t let villains have their evil monologue so i kinda used this idea. also hi im back!

The loud bang of your partner, and best friend, breaking down the metal door makes you jump, and is likely to alert the attention of many people inside.

“Dude!” you whisper yell at him, slapping his arm. He shrugs his shoulder as he looks over and down at you with a sly smirk. He nods his head towards the door, wordlessly telling you to follow him in. He aims his machine gun in front of him as he makes his way slowly down the hall, ready to fire at any threat to the mission.

You follow closely behind him, trying to peak around his tall, muscular figure in the narrow hall. All you can see is the seemingly continuous walls. When he reaches a T intersection, he stops abruptly, and you run into his back, but it doesn’t faze hime.

“Hey!” you hear a shout from further down the hall. Had Bucky not been walking while aiming a squad automatic, the people in the offices around the two of you may have let you both pass as unfamiliar faces. But Bucky is not one to walk into possible -- yet probable in this case -- danger unarmed. That being said, he’s definitely armed -- his machine gun, two pistols, and a knife. 

From behind Bucky, you still can’t see, but you can hear gunshots from down the hall, and hear Bucky fire back, seeing his body jump slightly with the back fire. He moves forward, towards the building guards, still shooting and taking many down at once. As he passes the sign on the wall that points down the adjacent hall, he taps it to turn your attention to it. The sign says ‘Servers’ with an arrow pointed down the hall.

“Got it,” you tell your partner and pull your pistol out of your hip holster, aiming it in front of you. The commotion behind you had alerted many people in the building, and now a dozen or so people were running towards you, then stopped when they say you and went to draw their own guns. You beat them though, shooting them all down on your way past them. You continued down the hall for a time, passing other halls and many offices. Lucky for you, the offices only had doors into the halls, no windows as some do, so no one inside them would see you striding down the hall with your gun pointed in front of you. More people came out of offices with guns pointed at the increased commotion. You effortlessly took them all down with single shots, continuing your journey to the server room.

When you reached the door that’s sign read ‘Servers’, you waited a moment, checking to make sure there was no one in the hall to see you enter. You thought the door would be locked, but surprisingly, it opened with a light push. You had your gun held in front of you as you cleared the room. No one was in the room, but you noticed an unlabeled door. You contemplated for a moment if you should clear that room before going on with your part of the mission, but you pushed it aside, telling yourself that you’d be quick enough if anyone walked out of it. You closed the door to the hall behind you and jogged over to the big computers. You pulled the necklace out from under your suit and detached the pendant. At first glance, the bulky pendant is credulous enough to pass as just that, but only you, and other agents within SHIELD, know that it’s a flash drive. You quickly insert it into the first USB port you find and begin hacking the computer. It takes several minutes to break through the fire walls, and the whole time you’re anticipating someone to enter the room. You’re on edge, ready to jump on whoever interrupts your mission, but no one comes. You’re uncertain if anything was going on that you didn’t know about, and doubtful that Bucky would not call on you for help if he were in trouble. Though, he’d likely never get into trouble, as he can take care of himself better than anyone on the team.

Once the computer was hacked in, and you located the files, you hit the download button and smirk to yourself in satisfaction. 

“Buck,” you say into com system. “Download has started, should be ten-”

You’re cut off by a gunshot and the breath being knocked out of you. You squeak at the sudden penetrating impact, gasping as you collapse to the floor. You look up at the man in front of you as your vision blurs and your body aches. You bring your hand up to your side, just bellow your rib cage. You feel a deep hole, and it’s wet from the blood rapidly pouring from it.

Meanwhile, down the hall, while your just fighting to stay awake as you stare at the man who shot you, Bucky stops dead, his fist in mid swing. He had a guy on the ground as he beat his face in. He was the last of the men who had come into the hall. He stands up quickly, placing his boot on the man’s chest to hold him down as he turns and looks back down the hall. He could see more people charging his way.

“Y/n?” he asks into the com, his voice breaking, scared you won’t respond.

“Buck-” you barely whisper on the other end, choking up as you try to save your energy. 

Bucky draws his pistol out of his pocket as he’s blinded by a red hot rage, his machine gun being discarded somewhere in the hall from being knocked out of his hands. He turns back to the man under his foot and quickly ends him with a single bullet to the head, then swiftly runs down the hall. He easily shoots everyone in his way, taking them all down with single bullets. He jumps over bodies as he rushes down the hall. Barely paying attention, he has to skid to a stop and back up when he realizes he just walked past the door labeled ‘Servers’. He kicks the door in, not waiting to see if it’s clear. He holds his gun up as he walks into the room, noticing the four men standing in the corner, seemingly theorizing. 

You see him burst in from your spot on the floor, leaning against the desk. “Bucky,” you call weekly. 

Somehow, the commotion of the door being kicked in didn’t get the men’s attention, but you calling for your partner’s name almost inaudibly does.

They turn quickly. Bucky can easily tell the head of the group from the rest, as he’s wearing a long black coat over a suit with a fedora and gloves, also carrying a fancy ass walking stick that reminds you of Lucius Malfoy. The other men wearing button downs and dress pants, just like everyone else he’s shot down. The recruits reach for their guns, but they’re too slow, and Bucky shoots them all down before one could even aim at him. He shifts his aim to the head man, his finger on the trigger ready to shoot. The man adjusts his watch as if checking the time before looking up to Bucky. His gun is in plain view in his belt holster, but he doesn’t reach for it. Bucky steps over you to stand between you and the man as a shield.

Almost hyper-focused, Bucky can hear your shallow breath, and he continues to listen to make sure it doesn’t stop. 

The man before you both rests his hands to his hips after checking his watch. “Sergeant Barnes,” he begins with a thick English accent. He begins to walk towards Bucky, who doesn’t speak, and the man removes the fedora from his head, placing it on the table as he leans his walking stick against it. He evidently does not need the extra support and is just trying to look sophisticated, as he continues to walk across the room towards you and your partner with a normal gate. “It took you 86 seconds to get here. I expected better from a super soldier... Then again,” he continues, “You’re not the super soldier I was expecting... Nonetheless, I have the Avenger’s attention.” The man leans against a nearby desk, looking nonchalantly at his watch once again. “You see, James, the world needs cleansing, and I suppose we should start with the super heroes. You think yourself high enough to ignore the accords, signed by nearly all the world’s nations, and that in itself is corrupt. So I brought it upon myself to study your lot of heroes and derived a plan to lure you here, giving myself the advantage of my own turf. You and your super friends will pay for the global destruction you all have caused. Starting with you two.” The man pears behind Bucky to look at you, pale and weak, and he smiles to himself. “She's already on deaths door,” he points out. “But maybe we could use Mr. Barnes to lure the -” 

Bucky drops his aim, loosely holding the gun in one hand now. “Shut up,” he rolls his eyes and shoots the man in the chest at a consistent rhythm five times. He watches the man fall to the ground, trying to cover his wounds but having too many.

Bucky drops his gun and rushes over to you, feeling your weak pulse. “C’mon, Doll,” he murmurs, stress and fear evident in his voice like you’ve never heard before, but you’re still fading, and can’t register the information. All you hear is ringing, your vision continues to blur and darken.

The man coughs behind Bucky, and Bucky turns to look at him, seeing him coughing through the blood pooling in his mouth. 

“Corruption...must...end,” the man struggles to say.

Bucky garbs your pistol from the floor next to you. “I told you to shut up,” he says through gritted teeth and puts a last bullet in the man’s head. He drops the gun again and bends down to you again, effortlessly picking you up out of your pool of blood. Bucky’s mind is fogged with the fear of losing you, thinking over every little thing he could’ve done differently, not only on the mission, but in your friendship.

“Bucky,” you cough his name one last time before becoming dead weight in his arms, having felt safe enough to black out now that he was holding you.

“No, no, no,” Bucky cries. “No, Y/n, baby, stay with me.” He runs, his mind still clouded with fear and sorrow, not even noticing as he reached the SHIELD vans. The only people sent on the mission were the two of you. He straps you into the passenger seat and leans your seat back. He runs to the drivers door and floors it for the hospital.

~*~

Your eyes flutter open, struggling to adjust to the bright lights and loud beeping that fills the unfamiliar room. You take a few deep breaths as you gradually open your eyes. The crispness of the clean air burns your nose, making your eyes water. You look around the room, coming to a quick conclusion that you’re in the hospital and the beeping is coming from your monitors as you remember what happened last time you were conscious. You look over in the corner and see a long haired brunette staring out the window, spinning red power through her nervous fingers.

“Wanda,” you croak out. 

She gasps in surprise and turns around with her hand clutched over her heart. She sighs with great relief to see you awake. “Oh, thank God,” she exclaims. “Finally!” She runs over to you, looking into  your eyes as she tucks your messy hair out of your face.

“How long?” you ask, pain finally filling your abdomen and making you wince.

“A week,” she begins, then hesitates. 

You give her your ‘spill it’ look, and she sighs.

“Two,” she half smiles. “I’ll be right back.” She gets up from the chair next to your bed, lightly squeezing your hand before walking away.

You hear her foot steps retreat down the hall, a pause, and then several loud crashes as heavy feet run down the hall before your best friend bursts into the room, sliding to a stop once inside the door, barely catching himself on it so he doesn’t fall over. Bucky lets out a soft sob as his hand covers his mouth and he buckles over in relief. 

“Oh, God,” he cries and walks slowly to the chair, as if approaching you would break you again. When he reaches the chair, he collapses into it, crying into his hands.

You try to move for the first time since waking up, your sore muscles making it difficult, but you reach your hand over to him anyway. With his face buried in his hands, he doesn’t notice the motion. “Buck,” you mutter.

He instantly looks up at you, his eyes filled with all the worry in the world as tears creep down his cheeks. You’ve never seen him so upset, and still hazy from your two week sleep, you can’t quite understand why he’s like this. He takes your hand and scoots the chair closer to the bed.

You reach your hand up to hold his cheek, and he takes deep breaths, telling himself this isn’t a dream, that you’re awake. He turns his face into your palm and gives it a kiss, before letting it drop and holding it in both of his. 

“I love you,” he says, his voice breaking through the tears as he looks down at you hand held in his. He takes more deep breaths. You don’t respond, being too shocked and tired to really understand. He looks up at you, the fear having almost completely left his eyes, now filled with hope, and love. “I love you, Y/n,” he continues. “So damn much. And I have, for years, but I never said anything. I-I didn’t want to ruin our friendship, or-or make work awkward. But I just - I can’t not tell you anymore. I thought I lost you, I was sure of it. And the fact that I never told you was weighing me down, and then I started thinking about how I could’ve been there with you, and this wouldn’t have happened,” he starts to ramble whine attentively playing with your fingers with his own, and a smile bursts across your cheeks from seeing him all nervous to say this, and finally hearing the words you’ve always wanted to hear him say, wanted to say to him but didn’t for the same reason, and sure of rejection. A happy tear slips from your eye, unnoticed by you both. “And-and I know you don’t feel the same, and that’s okay. I’ll get over it. I just couldn’t hold it any longer. Not after almost never getting the opportunity again.” He goes silent as he finishes his spiel, and you don’t say anything, still processing everything.

His hands loosen from yours, regret and rejection filling him, but you squeeze his hand tighter, with all your strength. As he stands up to leave, you don’t let go, and you attempt to pull him back to you, but your fatigue wins the battle. 

“Buck,” you call to him. He finally looks at you again, but now you can’t read his expression; there’s too much going on in his head. “Is this real?” you chuckle, and wince, inhaling sharply at the pain, and your free hand grabs your side.

Out of instinct, Bucky steps back closer to you and puts his hand on your leg to make sure your okay. “Wait- what?” he asks confused, having finally registered what you just said.

You smile, sighing happily. “This has to be heaven, right?” you begin. “I’ve been waiting years for this, so I must be dead. This isn’t real.”

Bucky’s mouth drops agape as he stumbles towards you, and you use more strength than you have to pull him over to you. You reach you free hand up and grab his upper arm, but he still doesn’t deem to get the message.

“Kiss me, dummy,” you laugh, this time ignoring the pain. 

He scoffs in disbelief and steps closer again, sitting on the edge of your bed. He gently cradles your face in your hands, and you relish in the familiar contrast of his warm flesh hand and his metal one. Your finger thread into the hair at the nape of his neck as he leans closer to you and captures your lips in a passionate kiss, one long awaited. His happy tears mix with your own in the salty kiss, but you both ignore it as your lips move together perfectly. 

He pulls away, one hand still on your cheek as he looks at you. You lean into his hand involuntarily and smile. “I love you, more,” you say.

“Not possible,” he laughs and leans in to kiss you again.

“Wait!” you say as his lips graze yours. He pulls back quickly, afraid he did something wrong, or that this is in fact a dream. “Did you eject the flash drive?” you ask.

He sighs heavily and pulls away completely, removing his hands from you and rubbing his thighs up and down nervously as he faces the window. He opens his mouth to speak, but is cut off by another voice in the room. 

“Don’t worry, Y/n,” you hear a familiar voice, and look to the door to see Steve standing in the door way. “Save your breath; I’m giving him enough shit for that as it is.”

“Oh my gosh, Buck!” you laugh. “You’re telling me I got shot for nothing?”

His mouth falls open in a sarcastic surprised smile. “So what I just admitted is nothing?” he fakes being hurt.

You grab his hand again and squeeze it. “No,” you giggle, looking up at him. “It’s everything.”

An: I totally didn’t cry writing this, I don’t know what you’re talking about.  Also 200 followers away from a thousand!! Thank you all so much!!!

[tongluculture]

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New product JR007/Honey Tongue Swing Stick colour Flesh-colored Material Silicone + ABS package OPP Product Size 18.5*4 product weight Naked goods 168g powered by USB, magnetic charging Features 7-frequency vibration, 7-frequency swing, one-key heating www.tonglultd.com +8618929195910 Read the full article

[droneseco]

Atari VCS Review: An Incredible Nostalgia Hit With Gaming and Productivity in Equal Measure

Atari VCS

7.50 / 10

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Atari bills the 2021 iteration of its VCS as a perfectly capable mini PC and a game console in one; a computer console hybrid. The launch games work well and there are some lovely indie titles in there, and you can stay productive with Chrome's browser-based apps. In all, despite a couple of expected teething problems, the Atari VCS is a great console capable of streaming media, running games, and with a selection of apps allowing users to make use of the computer console's features.

Key Features

Console computer hybrid

Multiple controllers

Up to 4K resolution

Atari app store

Gaming and productivity

Specifications

Operating System: Atari Custom Linux OS

Storage: 32 GB flash (upgradeable M.2 SSD slot))

VR Support: Not at present

Resolution: Up to 4K

App Store: Yes

Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n 2.4/5GHz

Ports: HDMI 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet, 4x USB 3.1

HDR Support: No

Pros

Nice selection of launch games

Excellent for nostalgic gaming

Can connect other Bluetooth devices

Chrome browser works a charm

Great for media playback

Cons

PC Mode currently has issues

Fan can be noisy

Buy This Product

Atari VCS other

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// Bottom

At last, the Atari VCS computer console has arrived. With four years in the making, you'd certainly expect the console to be more than just a heavy nostalgia trip. And it is, with one or two small caveats.

With so much hype leading up to its release (and somehow miraculously weathering the COVID storm despite electronic component shortages and logistics issues plaguing the tech industry), let's look at whether the Atari VCS lives up to expectation.

What's in the Box?

When you open the Atari VCS box, you'll find:

The Atari VCS 800 computer console

HDMI cable

Power supply unit

And that is it. You don't actually get any controllers with the device as they need to be purchased separately. Each both the Atari Modern controller and the Classic Joystick come with a micro-USB charging cable in the box.

The console retails for $299.99, while both controllers retail at $59.99 each. You can also get a bundle, with the console and both controllers, for $399.99.

What About the Atari VCS Specs?

The Atari VCS comes with specs that, as Atari says, make it "a solid mini PC". We'll come to whether the specs do indeed make it so later, but for now, here's what we're looking at:

Operating system: Atari Custom Linux OS (Debian based)

APU: AMD Raven Ridge 2 (RG1606G)

GPU: AMD Ryzen

Storage: 32GB eMMC fixed internal; internal M.2 SSD slot; unlimited external USB HD/stick; cloud (subscription required)

RAM: 8GB DDR4 RAM (upgradable)

Compatible Operating Systems: Linux, Windows, Steam OS, Chrome OS

Wireless Connections: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n 2.4/5GHz, Bluetooth 4.0

Wired Connections: HDMI 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet, 4x USB 3.1

Mouse/Keyboard Support: Yes, USB or Bluetooth

4K video with HDCP 2.2 Integration: Supported

A Familiar Face

We'd forgive you for thinking you've seen the Atari VCS before. That is because Atari bases the console's appearance on the original Atari VCS, which later became the Atari 2600 in 1982.

Not familiar with the original VCS/2600? OK, let's take a tour around the device's aesthetics first.

We reviewed the Onyx version. This is all black (save for the back panel), with a ridged, contoured top surface that replicates the original device. Note that the faceplate is also black, although you can also get the Black Walnut version, which features a real wood faceplate, further mimicking the first iteration of the console.

To the front of the device we have the iconic Atari Fuji logo. This lights up with a white glow when the device in operation, and pulses with the same hue when you put the VCS into standby mode.

There are also two USB ports, which you can use to connect the controllers to charge, or to insert a USB drive if you need to use the device in PC Mode.

Spin the VCS round and the back comes in a recognizable Atari red. The back panel houses the power button, power input, an Ethernet port, and two further USB ports.

Anyway, now you know what the console looks like, lets see what the controllers have to say for themselves.

Atari VCS Controllers

As mentioned, you can get two controllers for the VCS. One is a modern joypad style controller, while the other is a very recognizable joystick. Both are wireless, but work with a wired connection too, should you wish.

The Wireless Modern Controller will have a familiar form-factor for anyone who plays Xbox, uses a Switch Pro control pad, or the official Stadia pad.

Crafted by PowerA, the joypad's buttons have the same configuration as those mentioned above in terms of the thumbstick, action buttons, triggers, and directional buttons/pad. The center houses a home button that features the Atari Fuji logo and lights up white. Below this is a strip of LEDs that indicate remaining battery power.

PowerA also designs the joystick controller. This looks pretty much identical to the joysticks that shipped with the 2600, save for a couple of extra buttons to add functionality, such as a home button and (curiously) a trigger button around the side of the device.

Personally, I find the stick component of the joystick to be a little flimsy. However, my memories of playing with a joystick (pre-1995) involve the Powerplay Cruiser.

Retro gamers will remember this stick. Not only because of its bright colors but also because of the adjustable torque control. This was a collar at the bottom of the stick, which made it harder or easier to manipulate the directional controls.

Because of this resistance, I guess my muscle memory expects the Atari wireless joystick to behave in the same way. A little more resistance would have been nice with the wireless joystick, personally, I find it isn't firm enough when I'm using it.

Saying that, it works perfectly for some of the retro games I have been playing from my younger days (more on those later).

Simple, User-Friendly Set-Up

The first thing you need to do, when you get any console, is set it up. This is a simple process. Just hook it up to a power source, connect to a display with the included HDMI cable, and you're ready to switch it on.

Doing so presents you with a lovely Asteroids animation, which then takes you to the sign-in page. At this stage, you'll need to connect the controller to the console, or you won't be able to input any details for account set-up. This is simply a case of holding down the home button, which puts the controller into pairing mode and connects it to the console.

Setting up your account is as easy as defining your user name and selecting a password.

Given that I received the Atari VCS prior to general release (in order to test it), for the first time in my life, I could choose Ste Knight as my user name and wasn't greeted by a "This username is unavailable" message. Sorry, SteKnight_1.

Note that you can set up different user accounts on the VCS, which is great if you want to have an account for the grown-ups and a separate one for the kids.

With the Atari VCS running and the account set up, now it is time to check out the VCS software.

An Easy to Navigate User Interface

The first thing that struck me about the Atari VCS was its simple user interface (UI). This comprises several pages; Home, Games, Apps, Store, and System.

When you first see it, the Home page will be fairly unpopulated, save for Google Chrome and the Atari VCS Companion launcher. As you use the apps and games you add to the device, the home page will populate, with your most recently used app appearing first in the list.

The Games page will also be unpopulated. This (obviously) fills up with titles as you add them from the Store. As you do, it presents each game in its own box, and you just select it to launch the game, as with any other console carrying digital titles.

In the Store, you'll find Featured Apps and Games, plus a section for all Games and all Apps. Selecting one will present you with a description of the game, with screenshots, and the option to buy it (along with the price).

System is where you deal with the Atari VCS settings. You'll find the following options in here:

Account: Here you can alter account settings and remove an account.

General Settings: Here you can change display settings, change your console preferences such as Sleep time, find out how the controller operates, perform System and BIOS updates, and factory reset the VCS.

Network: This is where you connect to the internet, wirelessly or via ethernet cable.

Devices: Toggling Bluetooth, checking out your connected devices, and adding new controllers. You also update your controller firmware here.

Storage: You can manage internal storage and connected storage media here.

At the top right of the screen, you'll see your avatar. Navigating to this will allow you to switch accounts and turn the console off.

With menus out of the way, let's get to the meat on the Atari VCS' bones.

Gaming on the Atari VCS

Being a nostalgia freak, I absolutely love any gaming system that lets me play games I loved growing up, like the Evercade handheld games console. With this in mind, the Atari VCS provides an excellent platform for me to get all misty-eyed over.

Including Antstream Arcade on the store is a real boon for Atari and for its retro game loving fans. I've been hammering the likes of Sensible World of Soccer, GODS, and Chaos Engine, along with many other titles from my youth. The VCS copes well with these games (as you would expect; it is significantly more advanced than the original game platforms).

The Atari VCS Store currently features a modest selection of games. These are indie titles, and you'll recognize some of them from other platforms, like Sir Lovelot, Something Ate My Alien, and Jetboard Joust.

One exciting title (currently in public beta on the VCS and Steam) is a remake of 1993 shooter Utopos. This is an arena-based game, in which contestants fly space ships around an enclosed zone, blasting each other deathmatch style. Oh yeah, and no spawn camping in this one. Brill! As it is in beta, though, you're likely to only play against AI for now.

Atari promised the VCS would create a platform for indie developers to shine, and it has so far. It just needs to grow the collection of titles available in the store. But, hey, the PS5 had few titles at launch and it still relies heavily on indie titles, so who are we to talk?

Most of these games run smoothly on the VCS. The only exception is Missile Command Recharged, which seems to hate the Wireless Classic Joystick. This doesn't work at all with the game, seemingly taking on a mind of its own and dragging the cross-hair to the bottom left of the screen, so you can't defend your base. It is pretty hard to play with the Modern Controller.

Hopefully, as the Atari VCS grows in popularity, the game store will expand to feature some bigger titles alongside its loveable indie games.

Productivity on the Atari VCS

In terms of productivity, I must start with a caveat. I couldn't test the PC Mode, as the VCS wouldn't boot the UbuntuOS drive I had created on external storage. I reached out to Atari for help with this matter, and I'm told that it will resolve the issue in the next software update. Fingers crossed because I would actually like to use the VCS as a living room PC, as Atari marketed the device.

You should also note that PC Mode also currently only works with a signed OS (when it works). So platforms like ChromeOS, Windows, and Ubuntu. I tried to boot Chromium, but this isn't a signed OS, so the VCS displayed a security warning and refused to launch it, sadly.

However, if you're having a similar issue, you do have Google Chrome pre-installed on the VCS. So you can still make use of Google's suite of browser-based applications such as Docs, Sheets, and so on. Therefore, if you need to get productive with your VCS, you still can, just not with PC Mode at the time of writing.

Browsing the web on my Sony Bravia TV, via the VCS was a pleasant experience (MUO looked particularly resplendent). I have connected a wireless keyboard and mouse to the device, which makes using it for productivity even easier.

Note that you can download an app for your smartphone or tablet called the Atari VCS Companion. This acts as a wireless keyboard and mouse, so you don't actually need any extra peripherals if you're in a pinch and need to browse the internet on your VCS. It works very well with the console and I noticed very little latency between executing a command and the VCS performing it.

TV, Movies, and Music on the Atari VCS

You can access a range of SVOD services on the Atari VCS. This includes the current "big three"; Disney+, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video. You can also access further services (sadly geo-locked to the US, sorry non-US readers), including Showtime, ESPN, and Peacock, among others.

I installed Netflix and found no issue with playback, even with UHD movies and TV series'. Likewise, Amazon Prime Video works as it does on my PS5 or my Fire TV stick. So, all is well in this respect. I noticed no lagging or juddering, no buffering, and it perfectly syncs audio with video.

I also installed Plex, meaning I can access all of my owned media directly from my server upstairs and play it via the VCS (although I don't really need to, as I also have Plex on about a million other devices). However, it handles Plex really well, streaming my music collection faultlessly.

Related: Features That Make Plex the Perfect All-In-One Media Streaming Platform

So, as with games, we're all good regarding media playback.

Should You Buy the Atari VCS?

That all depends on what you want from it. If you want it so that you have a central hub to play retro and indie titles, then that is one box ticked. If you would like to use it for streaming media and accessing your owned media, there is another box ticked.

The only area that I felt a little let down on was the PC Mode. Productivity is still achievable, and don't forget, almost every device you buy now requires updates and so on as developers address bugs. The Atari VCS is no different in this respect. Hopefully, Atari will resolve the PC Mode issues with the next update.

Some might sneer at the price and compare it to the PS5 or the Xbox Series X. However, how much work can you do on those? None. Atari doesn't want to draw comparisons between the VCS and new-gen consoles, and for good reason, they're totally different things.

Once Atari sorts the above-mentioned teething issues out, I am confident that I for one will use the device not just to play myriad games, but also to write my reviews here on MUO while I'm relaxing on my sumptuous sofa, and that can't be a bad thing at all.

Atari VCS Review: An Incredible Nostalgia Hit With Gaming and Productivity in Equal Measure published first on http://droneseco.tumblr.com/

[serverparts]

Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 with new Xeon E5-2600 v3 processors

           In Septemeber of 2014 we saw the primary press anouncements for Lenovo’s new Grantly platforms with two new rack established servers, the RD550 and RD650. Those have been the first new structures from Lenovo that might use the modern-day Intel Xeon E5-2600 v3 series processors and DDR4 reminiscence. In the lab today we will take a look at the Lenovo ThinkServer RD650.E3-1270 v6

Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 Base Server SpecificationsLenovo makes a number of?Exclusive variations of the ThinkServer RD650 however there are a fixed of common specs:

Processor: Up to two 18-center Intel Xeon E5-2600 v3 SeriesMemory: up to 768 GB DDR4 – 2133 MT/s thru 24 slots (RDIMM/LRDIMM)growth Slots: All chassis up to – 3 x PCIe Gen3: LP x8, 4 x PCIe Gen3: FLFH x8, 1 x PCIe Gen3: HLFH x8Systems control: ThinkServer gadget supervisor. Non-compulsory ThinkServer gadget manager PremiumDimensions: 19.0″ x 3.4″ x 30.1″Weight: starting at 35.Three lbsFrom aspect: 2U Rack MountThe ThinkServer RD650 is available in three simple models that permit for special garage configurations. The first is the 12x 3.5″ power server:

Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 12 x three.Five Inch DrivesLenovo makes a mixed 8x 2.5″ and 9x three.5″ server (are you salivating but vSAN, backup appliance and virtualized ZFS equipment lovers?)

Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 – eight x 2.5 and nine x 3.5 inch DrivesFinally there's a model with 24x 2.5″ drives that's every other commonplace shape thing:

Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 – 24 x 2.5 inch DrivesThe pattern we obtained for review is the ThinkServer RD650 with 12 x three.Five Inch Drives.

Unpacking the Lenovo ThinkServer RD650Let’s take a look at how the RD650 is packed for delivery.

Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 transport boxWe continually like to show how servers are boxed up for transport to look how nicely the server is included from the same old bumps, drops and bins smashed up by using difficult managing. We can see that the RD650 is well included with foam inserts and in this case it's miles further included by being encased in an additional card board field. Down within the bottom underneath the server there's an accent box that is placed in foam inserts and additional knock outs are furnished for extra accessory bins. Along the bottom is the rail package.

This became no longer double boxed like we see in different servers, but there may be empty space around the server itself to protect from punctures.

Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 FrontHere we see the the front of the RD650 with the top lid eliminated. Over all it's miles very much like the earlier Lenovo servers excluding progressed method cooling systems.

Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 BackThe lower back of the RD650 suggests the progressed cooling shroud and the massive variety of growth bays that this server includes.

Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 CPU-RAM AreaThe RD650 CPU region uses passive warmness sinks for cooling. These use everyday socket 2011 R3 rectangular mounting holes and?We found in our trying out they may be?Superb at eliminating heat from the CPU’s. See our rectangular v. Slim ILM manual for the distinction in LGA2011 mounting alternatives. The fan bar includes six redundant warm-swap fanatics with 2 processors load outs. If best one processor is used there will be four enthusiasts mounted that can assist keep electricity.

We have examined a fair number of Lenovo servers in the beyond and located the lovers which can be used offer excessive air float and do no longer make too much noise. The provided air shroud channels air thru the warmth sinks and reminiscence region very successfully and we had no warmth troubles with the server even underneath very heavy hundreds.

Each of those fanatics are warm swappable and the complete cooling bar can be removed with easy locking levers on either side of the bar.

Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 growth BayTwo growth bays just like the one proven above may be geared up into the RD650, each bay can handle up to a few growth cards. These bays can deal with full length expansion playing cards which permit for larger cards to fit right into a 2U chassis.

Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 iKVM and TPM ModuleIn among the two expansion bays are iKVM and TPM modules. These are non-compulsory modules.

Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 Raid ControllerAt the the front of the server the RAID controller card is placed right at the back of the power bays. Right here we've got eliminated the main cooling bar to get a higher observe this. The principle cooling lovers for the server are positioned proper next to the controller card which permits suitable air glide to assist keep this cool.

Putting in place the Lenovo ThinkServer RD650The usual method to install an operating machine onto the RD650 is to use the Lenovo ThinkServer Deployment supervisor. This could stroll you thru installing an OS and drivers for the server.

Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 TDM BIOS SettingTo get admission to the TDM honestly boot the system into the BIOS and head over to the Boot supervisor and select launch TDM.

Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 Deployment ManagerAfter deciding on release TDM you will see the above display. From right here you could regulate just about some thing you can do inside the BIOS and do platform updates. Storage management permits you to setup any Raids which you need for the server earlier than you start installing an working device.

The Deployment alternative will get you began installing your OS of choice.

These options are:

Quantity choice – available garage volumes may be displayedOS choice – pick the OS to be deployed (Linux, home windows, VMware)installation Settings – Time quarter, Language, License Key, laptop call, Admin/root passwordPartition options – two options are to be had:Use present partition – preceding OS set up exists at the driveRepartition the force at some point of installation – sets size of OS partitionAfter you have got selected the essential alternatives the system will start to deploy the working gadget. Our gadget did now not have an DVD drive so we used a USB DVD force to mount the running machine DVD. After the installation turned into completed the gadget completed with us on the login display screen of windows Server 2012 R2 which we used for some of our exams. We may also boot directly from an Ubuntu run DVD and pass the TDM completely the usage of the USB DVD power.

Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 gadget ManagerFor faraway control the RD650 consists of the machine manager. Surely enter the IP address for the server into your browser and login.

The default username/ password login data for the Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 is:

Username: lenovoPassword: len0vOIf you have got an iKVM Module established?You could choose the “release” button to go into far flung control and operate the device that manner.

Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 gadget manager manage ScreenThe next display screen indicates the alternatives that you may monitor and alternate thru the far flung control interface.

Test ConfigurationOur take a look at setup includes the pinnacle end Intel Xeon E5’s which we use in all of our checks. These CPU’s include 18 cores every and gives our system the maximum processor load out. We also crammed all memory slots to present the most load out of memory that we could, the usage of 16GB sticks in each slot, this dropped our memory velocity to 1600MHz.

Processors: 2x Intel Xeon E5-2699 v3Memory: 24x 16GB crucial DDR4 (384GB overall)garage: 1x SanDisk X210 512GB SSDOperating systems: Ubuntu 14.04 LTS and windows Server 2012 R2AIDA64 MemoryWith a complete 24 DIMM’s of DDR4 reminiscence installed the memory pace has dropped right down to 1600MHz. But we are seeing very good outcomes which can be just beneath what a system the use of much less memory at higher speeds.

Memory Latency ranged at ~99ns and our common structures the use of 16x 16GB DIMM’s ranged approximately ~78ns.

RD650 flow ResultsOur circulate test outcomes showed similar outcomes as compared to a gadget strolling 16x 16GB DIMM’s. Using a complete load out and lower reminiscence speeds confirmed ~20 MB/s bandwidth loss.

The memory tests results are as predicted with this big load out of 24x DIMM slots completely populated.

ThinkServer RD650 Linux-Bench ResultsThe complete check outcomes for a pattern?Linux-Bench run may be found right here. RD650 with 2x E5-2699 v3 Linux-Bench

Our pattern server got here with one Intel Xeon E5-2690 v3 and 16GB of DDR4 installed. We also ran our exams with this configuration as it might show a typical setup for an entry stage RD650. RD650 with 1x E5-2690 v3 Linux-Bench

Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 power?ConsumptionOur test configuration did function two very excessive-give up processors which can be at the very pinnacle of Intel’s Xeon E5-2600 V3 product line-up.

RD650 electricity ConsumptionThe common idle strength use of the RD650 turned into ~95watts which is fairly excellent for a server of this type. Whilst we max out the gadget underneath heavy AIDA64 strain test, we noticed ~575watts pulled for the whole system which is a touch excessive for systems like this. Of course adding a complete praise of drives and expansions gadgets will impact those numbers as would using lower energy processors.

ConclusionThe first element that sticks out with the Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 is the sheer number of growth alternatives that this server line up has to offer. 3 distinctive models that provide big abilties in garage options that also include options for two additional company-magnificence M.2 SSD’s for booting in addition to SD card alternatives for hypervisor booting. These servers are designed from the ground up for bendy boot alternatives.?Our pattern server can max out at 96TB’s of spindle storage the use of it’s 12 three.5″ force bays with excessive capability 8TB disks.

With a total of 8 PCIe there may be plenty of expansion space that permits you to scale up I/O if wished.The RD650 additionally offers you the choice of Raid adapters that in shape in the bay between the difficult pressure area and the primary cooling bar. That is a pleasant characteristic as they do no longer absorb and extra PCIe slots within the again and are in a great area for cooling.

In keeping with Lenovo the cooling machine is rated at forty five tiers Celsius / 113 F continuous operation and we discover the cooling gadget is up to the task in our tests. We are always impressed for the cooling setups on Lenovo servers, the fanatics do an awesome job at moving lots of air thru the case and they do not make a variety of noise that is a huge plus for us inside the lab.

We also just like the ThinkServer Deployment manager for its ease in getting a machine up and running. Its rather simple to use and installs all wished drivers throughout the setup and OS installation. We also ran Ubuntu proper off a USB DVD force on our RD650 and had no troubles with drivers on our test setup.

We also noticed Lenovo make a shift from DVI video output which without a doubt is a general to DisplayPort. Within the lab we use a KVM switch with all DVI connections to run our test setups, we can without problems connect up several machines and have all of them walking, however in this situation we could not get a DisplayPort to DVI adapter to work. We ended up simply using far flung management and iKVM to run the server. This worked satisfactory and the majority would use this in a production environment, but for crash carts and other setups used at vicinity a DisplayPort screen might be required.

[memfish88]

12 Best Automatic Fish Feeders Reviews in 2020

If you maintain an aquarium and have fish to feed you on a regular basis, but do not have enough opportunities and are taking care of your pet’s feeding schedule, it is essential that you start investing in the best automatic feeder for fish. You should know that stroking a fish is an obligation; and like individuals, they also need to be fed and cared for. You do something in case you have a busy schedule.

So that you do not starve your fish, which makes them sick and finally die, the remedy is to receive the automatic feeder for them. This device would become the friend of your fish when you are not there or accessible to feed them. You won’t need to think about your pet’s overfeeding or starvation.

This report offers buying guides, tips, and automatic fish feeding alternatives that you test out before making your final buying decision. Of course, it makes sense to be educated before taking the plunge. Ultimately, the health and lifestyle of your fish could depend on this. And, to avoid feeling guilty about it, you need to find a great substitute who will do the job for you once you’re away.

The Best Automatic Fish Feeders Reviews

Eheim automatic feeding unit

Are you currently looking for automatic fish feeders that are complicated to set up and allow you to acquire the amount of food to take out? It looks like this device will meet your needs the best. This gadget avoids the potential for undernourishment in addition to reliable overeating. It focuses on the exact parts of the food.

Depending on how long the feeder is to fill as well as how often you need to feed your friends, a full may be enough for 6 months. Take note that the type of food is an important consideration here. Make sure to use only dry food and that the amount in the drum is 100 ml (3.3 fluid ounces). This unit is ideal for several types of fish tanks. You can tell if the food thermometer needs recharging because it is really transparent.

Two things you might not like about this fish feeder will be its own inability to dispense a lot of distinct types of food and it looks like it’s not designed to withstand humidity. Keep these things in mind before you become one for the aquarium.

Pros

Made with a simple installation and layout

Equipped with a ventilation system and a built-in fan that keep food dry

A piece of cake in the plane

Allows consistent feedings

Built with an easy to adjust level regulator

Cons

Not designed to combat humidity

Unable to distribute many types of food

All in all, this is really an aquarium feeder. You won’t have to worry once you have to be away for a little while as this device could constantly feed your fish in specific places. This includes a simple getting started guide which makes it much easier for novices to use and is simple to set up. This is just a great method to feed your fish even after you have an extremely busy lifestyle.

Zacro fish vending machine

This large fish feeder could become your savior if you are the kind of aquarium owner who goes on a business trip or vacation. Why should this device be considered is where it can be charged with a USB stick or batteries made with power alternatives. There is no need to buy batteries, as you can plug them in if you don’t want to.

It is possible to use fish feed in pellet form in addition to powder with some types of feed. Remember that this device works a lot on a 718 liter aquarium. It is simpler to set up this appliance and it is able to dispense feed for up to 3 days for each interval. If you prefer a fish feed dispenser that won’t overlook if you’re not around, this is a choice you can count on.

Please note that this unit is not a good idea to use if you have a small aquarium, it is considered slightly too big to get a 250 liter tank. In addition, you must ensure that the feeder slot is changed to avoid overfeeding or even underfeeding your fish. It will all be.

Pros

Built with dual power options

Includes USB charger cable

Made with huge power roller coaster

Could accommodate 6 month feeding interval on a single rate

Made with a fairly distinctive ‘set-it-forget-it’ type of layout

Cons

Slightly too large even for a 250 liter tank

Requires that the feed slot be corrected accordingly

In conclusion, the Zacro fish feeder is an option. It is mainly designed for long operating time. Depending on how much it could be used by you. It can be discharged or charged about 800 times in total, as this includes a lithium battery. The compartment is large, so it is able to hold an amount of food for your buddy.

Fish Mate F14 Aquarium Fish Feeder

This aquarium fish feeder is one device that every aquarium operator should consider investing in. It is absolutely reliable and made of construction. This will work best for aquariums that are tiny and it might be an option for aquariums without fish. It helps the food to be released at several intervals.

If you are feeling stressed, consider attaching a breathing circuit to the device to keep the fish food dry. Open the device section to access those chambers that feed and from there you shut them off as essential or could fill up. This device is affixed to the tank cover.

Some difficulties detected that go with this fish feeder would be the small feeding bubbles which make it somewhat difficult to find food in the box when loading, as well as the compartments and spaces are created from the exact same dimensions, but these are not. t well aligned with each other.

Pros

Made with an easy-to-use timer that provides you with up to four meals a day

Allows you to pre-measure unique types and amounts of food

Known for its exact and reliable quartz timer

capable of serving up to a total of four human flakes

Equipped with a battery status indicator

Cons

Compartments and spaces are equal in size but do not line up well

Small feed pockets

If you want to provide your fish with many different foods without needing to combine them, the Fish Mate f14 Aquarium Fish Feeder is the matchless bet. It is an option for fish aquariums due to the dimensions. Its identifying design which is aerodynamic would be loved by you and it doesn’t sound strange. While this is a unit, it is the kind of device that you could completely bank on the go. Best of all, it is.

Torlam Car Fish Feeder

If it becomes somewhat intimidating to consistently feed your fish due to a lifestyle, auto aquarium feeders can save the day. Whether you are on leave for days or even months, you can now put money in a fish feeder which will ensure the fish will be fed even if you don’t have the chance or time to act yourself. even.

This device is equipped, there is no need for it if you do not need it to use them all. Since it is not difficult to place to feed any length of the day, you will be amazed and can be to provide double or perhaps triple if necessary, ultimate feeding.

However, a few issues that may be encountered in case you use this fish feeder will be its complex instructions and also please note that the amount of food to be dispersed might change. See before you pay for that particular alternative to examine these variables.

Pros

Guarantees excellent percentage controls

Allows you to insert food without any problem

Built with a moisture proof hopper

Programmable for a total of 4 feedings per day

Made with a large capacity for food

Cons

Directions can be a bit confusing

The amount of food published may differ

In summary, this aquarium feeder is a worthwhile buy. It can be programmed and let work by itself, but if you need to it can be changed in some way. As you can see, this could allow you to get the job done and revel in feeding the inhabitants of your aquarium. This comes with a hopper so you can make sure the food stays dry.

Fish Mate P7000 Pond Fish Feeder

This aquarium feeder with lid was designed with capabilities, it can provide consistent and accurate portion control, is complex to read due to its LCD displays, and is suitable for many food sticks and pellets.

Yet and all, some of the downsides that you might encounter once you start using this car charger will be that it is not durable enough to withstand bad weather with other creatures and it cannot be fully invoked in case you wish. for use in lakes and massive ponds.

Pros

Includes long-lasting battery life

Can program up to a total of 3 feedings

Ideal selection for small to medium-sized lakes or water ponds

Allows editable meal sizes

Backed by a seven-year warranty

Cons

Seems less solid and more robust than high-end options

Not beneficial for lakes or massive ponds

This unit could be touted as one of the most outstanding fish feeders for aquariums because it is quite useful and comes with great features and functions. It helps users to place 3 feedings per day and it is possible to serve food manually between designed ones.

Why this is a choice is that the amount of food given in addition to the feeding intervals is easy to change. You can rest easy knowing that your fish are getting the amount of pellets they need.

API automatic fish feeder

This item is an extremely affordable fish pellet feeder. It is intended to dissolve and distribute the food after a few hours. When using it, keep in mind that you need to eliminate a volcano rather than using it in an aquarium or fishbowl.

This is because although it is affordable, it can provide your fish with the food they need for 14 days when you are away from home, plus this feeder is safer to use if it melts in water. from the tank since fish enthusiasts those who have used it have promised that it will not adversely affect their fish.

A few complaints that aquarium owners who have used this feeder understand its inclination to change the tank water or tank bottom does not do the trick. It looks like it won’t work to consistently feed fish when you are on vacation.

Pros

Contains organic ingredients to meet the nutrient needs of fish

Built with a simple layout but works efficiently and faithfully

No worries to establish

Includes sufficient food supply to feed 5-10 fish 14 times

Sold at a really cheap price

Cons

Tends to cause the water in the tank to turn dark

Don’t do the trick

If you are looking for inexpensive fish feeders, this may be one of the top choices. This can be made in the shape of a pyramid and includes granules which are distributed to feed the fish. It does its job efficiently by feeding all kinds of fish like grouse, bettas, goldfish, plecos, discus and sabers.

Decdeal automatic fish feeder

The purpose of this fish feeder inspection is to show consumers what this gadget is like. Why is this remarkable among the competitions is that consumers are allowed to schedule time to create diet programs. Its controller power function makes it easy to control the fish feeder using the program of the mobile phone.

A few issues that you might find as soon as you get this feeder will be its potential to cause noise sometimes and there is a tendency for your food to get soaked as the appliance could be exposed to moisture.

Pros

Built with a voice controller

Designed with a large capacity cartridge

Made with superb memory placement

The power plug is easy to change

Fairly easy to control using the cell phone program

Cons

Food can be soaked as the appliance can acquire moisture

gets the tilt to produce a noticeable sound every now and then

Usually this aquarium feeder looks beautiful. Its memory function which ensures consistent distribution of dependent food after the network connection has already been outside is trustworthy. And, it presents another alternative where there is an unlock button to unload the food outside the preset intervals. The plug can be immediately changed by you on the charger depending on the situation. This is exactly what makes this unit such a rewarding investment if you are constantly away from home and will never repent.

Zoo Med BettaMatic daily betta vending machine

If you would rather feed yourself for the fish that are built to help you feed your friend once, this will probably be your best partner.

This unit is supposed to feed tiny betta pellets. Please note that it would not work with kinds of fish feed, flakes etc, once purchased it includes batteries, sample fish guardrail kit and you might also find a great instrument of food.

You need to be aware of how this fish feeder is built with programming and the food pellets seem to be big so that they fit into the funnel. They are two.

Pros

Made with flexible function and 2 mounting options

Excellent value

Works with 1 AA battery

Contains a food sample once purchased

able to feed bettas once a day in an automated strategy

Cons

Comes with just one type of fixed programming

Food pellets are huge enough to fit the funnel

Overall, this aquarium is made for betta tanks. Its compact size makes it easier to place in nano and betta tanks. Likewise, it is created with sliding thighs to help change the diameter of the tank part. It is also possible to remove the tabs and adhere to the tank using Velcro on the feeder, but it must be done.

Penn-Plax Daily Dual II Battery Operated Automatic Fish Feeder

This automotive fish feeder inspection is supposed to help fish hobbyists make the best choice when it comes to purchasing the fish feeder. And, of the decent, more budget-friendly quality choices you can expect, there are none outside of this particular brand. This can be equipped with a food drum by making the necessary modifications, and the atmosphere can be successfully worked out by you.

Maybe this fish feeder is not somewhat tedious to handle because there is a need when you stop using it and there is a chance that your food is due to evaporation.

Pros

Running with a battery

Stellar to release pellet or flake food twice a day for a total of one month unattended

Can be attached to any tank or stand

Sold at a really affordable price

Renowned to use while you are on vacation

Cons

Requires the battery to be removed every time you stop using it

Food may have become moist from evaporation

This device can be among the best holiday fish feeders if your budget is limited. This makes feeding more convenient and easier once you have to be away from the animal. All you will need is to place it and allow it to rotate to feed your fish twice. This is the alternative if you are concerned about feeding your fish while on a business trip or on vacation.

Petacc automatic fish feeder

When incorporating fish food on the fish feeder section, it is not necessary to take out the food thermometer; it means that you can reduce or increase the total amount of food without sweating. This is built with a hopper which can help keep the fish food dry. Because it comes with the food capacity feature, you can choose the total amount of food to disperse at each meal, so if you’re away for days, you don’t have to worry.

On the contrary, this system seems incapable of remaining mounted on the edge of the tank and it tends to turn the water in the tank. These are the issues that you might want to deal with once you purchase this particular unit.

Pros

No problem adding food

makes it less complex to set up the preferred feeding schedule

Built with large feed capacity

Unique design helps prevent moisture

Allows two different fastening methods

Cons

The water in the tank can become muddy

could not stay mounted on the top edge of the tank

CLOSE digital automatic feeder

It’s really sailing to set up would be to adhere to these directions which are guide. Choose the feeding intervals and you can check the button which gives you the option to feed your fish when you need it and whenever you are available. Whether you are looking for a Biorb Automatic Fish Feeder or want to get different types of aquariums, it might suit your needs better.

Either way, the instructions are somewhat difficult to read and it seems inconsistent when it comes to the total amount of fish food it dispenses.

Pros

A convenient choice for aquariums and home aquariums

Manufactured with dual installation methods that consumers can choose from

Allows a simpler controller

Backed by a one year warranty

Allows up to 4 feeding occasions in total

Cons

Incompatible with the amount of food it distributes

Hard to read instructions

Overall, this finned feeder is a fantastic catch that you shouldn’t miss. It allows you to configure a total of 4 feeding intervals. This allows to consider 2 adequate feeding intervals for fish. It is proficient at feeding all kinds of fish and you can also use several kinds of fish feed.

Uniwood Automatic Fish Feeder

This Uniwood feeder is designed to be used at times of up to a total of 4 feedings per day. However, you are free to decide whether to feed the fish once or twice a day, it may depend on your needs. It does not create any irritating sound and saves you energy.

This instrument comes with a few points and these consist of the need to replace its battery and this does not seem very reliable in terms of supplying exact parts at all times.

Pros

Runs quietly and made to look fashionable

an extremely reliable automotive fish feeding tool that guarantees a precise dimension of the fish food

Eliminates moisture that makes food soaking wet

An excellent power-saving device

Perfect gift for a fish lover or aquarium owner

Cons

Requires regular battery replacement

Seems unable to provide exact parts every time

This fish feeding instrument is exceptional because its layout is intended to prevent the accumulation of moisture. This way, the food will not be more prone to blocking the mechanism over time and will remain dry. This appliance can contain various kinds of food such as legumes, crumbs in addition to flakes. Without a doubt, this automotive feeding instrument allows you to go on vacation with ease and peace of mind.

Things to look for when buying an automatic feeder

There are a lot of factors to remember when buying a reliable and functional fish feeder for you and a few of them are:

Your current lifestyle. Outside of the home and in case you have a busy schedule, getting a reliable automotive feeder that is built with a cartridge that is is essential. If you are not constantly on the move, a fish feeder can work well.

You can set it up and use it regularly, or maybe you just need it if you’re away for days. In any case, you will.

Cut. In case you have a huge aquarium and keep a lot of species of fish, choose the dimensions. As much as you can, avoid buying cans as they are difficult to fill. If you have an aquarium with fish, go for distributors. When it is empty, everything must be filled. The dimensions of this cartridge will indicate that this is happening.

Refilling is often done at frequent intervals; this could trust the aquarium fish population.

Heating system. An automotive feeder equipped with a ventilation system and an excellent fan can be a safe solution for your pet. The air flow in the food compartment is intended to ensure that the food does not spoil.

Therefore, it is essential to inspect the ability of the feeder to handle humidity in a proper way to acquire one, as this is one of the most essential considerations in keeping food fresh and safe to eat.

Control of amount and time. Go for an automatic feeder that is included with a timer. This will allow you to develop a clearer and more precise schedule for each feeding period.

An automotive fish feeder makes it easier to care for your fish because you can easily set the feed quantity. Choose the one that is able to dispense food of the appropriate size. Also make sure you inspect the operating instructions, be aware that every fish feeder should consist of basic manuals.

Battery indicator. Get an automotive fish feeder that has an extended battery life. Choose the one that is equipped with a transparent indicator that reveals the battery life. Remember to take your pick as they really are much easier to read.

Meanwhile, other features that would be handy for getting a battery indicator are an alert bell or built-in dock. These features help the users to make the charger as beneficial as possible.

Other Critical Elements to Consider

What is an automatic feeder and how can this function work?

An automatic fish feeder is designed to dispense the amount of food to the aquarium at a daily period. There are a few feeder choices to distribute the food further. This would help ensure that your furry friend is well fed when it’s time to allow your fish to go on vacation or to be fed.

These devices operate by means of a power cord with the help of the power supply or with a battery. The advantage of the latter is that you won’t have to worry about electrical disturbances or shocks. On the other hand, the advantage of fish feeders is that you won’t have to worry about developing battery life.

Each automotive feeder is made with a variety of boxes containing fish food. The cans would be rotated by this device on a timing mechanism to allow the food to be dispersed throughout the aquarium over a period of time. This way your fish and other inhabitants could be fed. There is no problem with underfeeding or overeating.

What are the different shapes of automatic feeders?

There are two types of fish feeders, including:

Fish feeders with portion control

It is possible to find the role of the device. These are meant to have the ability to gain great control over the total amount of food that goes into your own aquarium.

This device is built with an arrangement of trays that users will need to fill each tray with the fish food they want to distribute to the aquarium within a period of time and then the timer needs to be set. The material of a tray is emptied at the aquarium at the time.

Likewise, you can rate each meal and mix the types of food to make sure your fish are getting the amount of food they need. This is a good idea to use for tanks.

On the other hand, the downside of this type of feeder is that they are only able to carry the amount of food, which means it is not perfect. The vast majority of these versions include two weeks of food.

Rotary Barrel Fish Feeders

These versions will be the most typical types and will include all of the simpler designs. The barrel spins and distributes food to the aquarium. The amount of fish feed dispensed is indicated by the size of the hole in the barrel; all and always, users can have control over the size of the hole.

They are able to carry the majority of food, which also makes them perfect for people who would have to go on vacation for days; some variations could contain 5 months of food.

While hose feeders have a cartridge that could cause difficulties for aquariums. The barrel could fill up with several types of food that you might not be sure would be released.

For example, you would prefer to combine flakes and beans. Lots of flakes can be scattered as pellets and the fish can be undernourished. Please note that larger raw fish foods should be avoided as sticks and wafers could block the start of the cone.

Why would you want an automatic fish feeder? (Earnings)

The use of fish feeders is advantageous; This really is one of the reasons aquarium owners who are constantly on the move and have a schedule should consider purchasing fantastic quality.

Some of the Pros that you can enjoy if you have a fish feeder include:

What is preset. It suggests that you are just getting something calculable and reliable. You know your pet will be fed and that’s fine with it. If you are busy and at home doing something, you shouldn’t be feeding and enjoying watching them eat.

Even if you have to be away for a few days due to a business trip, vacation, or other reasons, you can have peace of mind knowing your fish is eating on time and not being overfed. or undernourished even when you’re not about to. work for them. It is easier to place the fish feeder to generate food from a canister and it also gives you peace and freedom.

Automatic fish feeders are reliable and flexible. The parts of the food could be checked. Really, you choose to feed the fish up to 4 times (this could depend on the design of the feeder), and meet the specific needs of the ecosystem. The models are all designed with timers that allow users to place it and you are done.

The food will not spoil the aquarium water mainly because this gadget is able to release food in small parts at regular intervals.

You can save money and time when you buy and install a fish feeder because it is designed to reduce the amount of food waste.

There is no need to ask or disturb someone to briefly look after your fish while you are away.

Each fish in your aquarium could get food because you can set different schedules for different species of fish.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most reliable brands of automatic fish compressors?

As you may know, wise investments should be made by manufacturers around the world. In addition to the best brands that are very reliable and that you can always rely on to make automotive fish feeders, we can mention the following:

Fish mate

Eheim

Decdeal

Petacc

CLOSE

Please note that automotive feeders are a bit more expensive than their opponents. The main reason behind this is that their products are created with features and functionality that can never be found in alternatives.

In the long run, you will find many aquarium owners and fish enthusiasts in your home who prefer these brands over others. Their characteristics and performance make alternatives.

How to install and use?

You can incorporate automatic fish feeders into your aquarium at any time – as a matter of fact; this can be done as soon as you have installed the aquarium.

Here are the guides on how to use and the best way to install an automatic feeder:

Disable the feeder from other devices in your aquarium so that the fish food does not interfere with anything as it is dispensed.

Once you’ve figured out where to place it, you can start mounting it. Please note that the way may differ depending on the version you purchased.

Many variations have brackets in which you mount the charger on the outer part of the aquarium, there are different versions that come with suction cups that rest on the part of that aquarium.

The point is to bring in the power source – there are only two choices for doing this; it can be a power cord or a battery.

Then you can prepare the feeder and fill it with fish food. For this it is crucial to use the buttons on the screen. There must be a choice to regulate the size and feeding must be carried out.

If your feeder includes a button that says “feed today”, consider using it to check if this is working without a problem. If not, see that you are at the power interval that is preset to examine if it is currently working.

How do I feed my fish during the holidays?

If you will be away for days, fill the pockets of this feeder with the amount of food for your pet. The appliance would dispense food to the water according to your programmed schedule. Keep in mind that this strategy is acceptable for fish that consume flakes and pellets, as it would not contain live food and bloodworms. Bloodworms that are freeze-dried are available.

The best way to produce an automatic fish feeder in your home?

The procedures on the best way to make your automotive feeder are as follows:

For materials

Substances you would need to get the job done include a set of scissors or a sharp knife, 3 wooden sets, a cleaned and empty plastic jar, superglue, an old vibrating cell phone, a plastic cap, a nail or hook in which to hang the magazine.

Approaches:

Remove the best cap. Use the pliers or scissors to cut off the bottom part of this pot.

Place the plastic cap on a fixed spot on the desk and make sure the open end is facing up.

Glue the matches with the plastic cap. This can be completed depending on how much food you want to distribute at each meal. For a small amount of food stick a match, but if you want a small amount of food more matches are needed.

Place the mouth of the plastic jar on top of these matches and secure it in position with the adhesive. Let them dry.

Fill the plastic pot with food in the hole. Fish food could spread around the matches, which would stop.

Place the cell phone to vibrate, then place it in the jar.

Hang the feeder in addition to your aquarium. You do this by hammering a nail, using a screw in the hook or can use a hanging hook.

Call the cell phone when you prefer to feed the fish. The phone would vibrate and could shake the charger, allowing the fish food to be released through space.

How long do the cubes last to feed the fish?

Weekend Feeding Cubes can go on for up to 3 times longer to feed your pet for a quick vacation. The same, the vacation power packs a total of fourteen days, that’s long enough for you to enjoy vacation.

The best way to clean and maintain?

Automotive feeders are not difficult to wash and maintain. You should clean the device when you clean the aquarium. Replace foods frequently and make sure everything is dry to prevent this feeder from malfunctioning.

Only dried food can be placed in the appliance. If your fish love food, you are considering switching to freeze-dried fish feed choices.

What is the warranty?

When purchasing a fish feeder, it is essential to read the item description or label for a product warranty. This is just a great way to protect your investment. As you probably already know, sometimes it is inevitable to encounter problems with this purchased merchandise whether it is automatic or digital devices.

So in the event that the product you have purchased is covered by a warranty then you certainly will not have to worry because in the event that you encounter any issues such as faulty devices or anything else related to it, you can rest assured that your problem would be taken care of.

It is wonderful to choose because it is the only method to save choices that include guarantees. After all, you deserve to find the best in the trade from the purchase price tag that you paid for your item.

Automatic fish feeders can be found and marketed at local fish or pet stores. For you to enjoy choosing alternatives, it is suggested that you go fishing or pet stores to inspect the features and layouts that you think will best suit what you are looking for. The inspection of the item is beneficial.

Conclusion

In sum, the best automatic fish feeders may not be perfect for everyone to people who have the ability to take care of their fish. It cannot be disputed that this device can be a solution for feeding your fish if you have to go on a business trip, go on vacation or want to stay in the office for a while.

Clearly, aquarium owners might find that he tries to maintain aquarium fish in the proper manner. This involves a considerable amount of work in addition to constant daily monitoring. Nowadays, due to the development of aquarium feeders, caring for fish is becoming tedious and time consuming.

With the ten fish feeder choices reviewed in this informative article, along with buying guides and other information regarding the importance of this device, aquarium owners are able to choose the best merchandise that can meet to their needs and their fashion.

source https://memfish.net/best-automatic-fish-feeders-reviews/

[best-reviews]

Brother DCP-J1100DW Could be What You Want

Why do we need a printer?

Everyone knows the utility of a printer. We need one in our homes and in our offices or in our home offices. There will always be some document or some picture that has to be printed. You might already have one and you do not understand why you should buy a new one. People need to upgrade their devices in order to improve the quality of their work and the speed with which they do things. About Brother DCP-J1100DW printer A printer model released on the market ten years ago might not have the needed features as a new printer has according with the speed with which the technology develops. In the following rows of this article, I will talk about a certain printer which seems to be a well reviewed one. The Brother DCP-J1100DW printer might be the answer to your problems but you will be the only one to decide if this is true. In order to do that you should continue your reading session and compare it with the Yeehaw Printer for example, for which we've wrote a review before. How it looks like? It is pretty bulky and large. It will fill a lot of your space. This is one of the aspects that you will have to consider. The design did not impress too much the users, but there is a good thing related to the ink cartridges. As huge the printer is as huge the cartridges are. The good thing is, on my opinion, that it does not have ink bottles. I personally prefer the cartridges because handling them will not cause too much mess. Brother DCP-J1100DW features The printr is also gifted with a scanner. Besides that it is an Ethernet port which can be found on its back side. Inside of it you will find also an USB port. The plug in cable is hidden under the scanner section. This will decrease the chances to unplug it by accident. You also have the possibility to print from a memory stick. I already mentioned the USB port that could be found inside the printer but it also has another one in which you can insert the memory stick. An appreciated feature is the SD card slot with which it is provided. Main features The Brother DCP-J1100DW printer cannot print A3 pages. It has an auto duplex printing option. There's also has a touch screen display that it is quite easy to use. It can be connected to the internet through its Wi-Fi connection. It can print, copy and scan documents. This means that even if it is quite bulky it will successfully replace other devices that you also need. You can print documents from your Google Cloud folders. What's in the pack? When you buy the printer you will also see included in the package the ink cartridges which are four. These ink cartridges are enough for 6000 mono pages or 5000 color pages, according with the manufacturer’ specifications. How well the Brother DCP-J1100DW really works? I had to deal with printers manufactured by Brother in the past. I did not consider them been too fast. This model seems to overcome the early Brother Printer models regarding this aspect. In fact it impressed in a positive manner its users. Another pro related the printing activity is that during it there were no jams and the pages were printed in a proper manner. Both mono prints and colored ones were of a good quality according with the technology used by this printer. It does a very good job when it comes about glossy photos. They are glossy and well defined as long as you print on glossy media. When you use regular paper the glossy aspect fades a bit. It received a very good review for such printer, considering that the people who tested it said that the printings could not be distinguished from the original too easy. Brother DCP-J1100DW cons Well, the Brother DCP-J1100DW printer might have some down points. The main one, was already mentioned, namely the size. The entire design actually is not too friendly. When it comes about the media options, it is a limited type of printer. If this is your main interest, you might search for something else. It scans, prints and copy documents of all kinds, except the A3 printings, but it can’t be used as a FAX machine. Brother DCP-J1100DW price Another think that displeased the customers was the price. It costs around £330 more or less. According with its features and with the fact that it fits the performances of a middle technique printer, the customers considered it too pricy. What the seller has to offer? As in many of my articles, I underlined the fact that you should take good care from where you make your purchase, no matter if you are an e-commerce lover or you go for the classic way. In this case, I found this printer on Amazon and the seller offers a guarantee certificate for three years. Besides that, you will also benefit of three years of ink supply. The USB ports and the SD card slot was a plus as well. Conclusions After all the things written here, besides the down points section, all the other sections describe a well done type of printer. It is something that you could consider useful in your office and even in your home, despite its size and design. The ink cartridges will last long enough to not need new ones two soon, but the seller will also provide for you the necessary ink for several years. You should use only genuine cartridges so you can benefit of all the good things this printer has to offer. You will be delighted by its speed. No one likes to spend too much time in front of the printer in order to get a document and we all have been in such situation for sure. The quality of the printings will satisfy your needs indeed and especially that there will be no jams during this activity and no damaged papers. I will underline, however, that you should make your own researches online so you can make the proper decision. This article should not influence your final choice, but it will help you get a better idea of what you should look for when you search for such device. The printers released on the market by Brother are usually quite qualitative and trustworthy. This is not a no name brand after all. Even if the price might discourage you a bit, in the end it could be a good investment, at least for a few years, when you will certainly want to upgrade your office again. Read the full article

[retiredguy1000]

So, your Windows computer is running sluggish. What do you do?

Many computer repair services offer “tune ups” of your computer. But do these tune up services work? Let’s look at what a tune up of your PC should look like so you can see what’s involved.

At this point, assume the PC is infected with malware and use proper precautions so you do not infect other computers. If you know for sure that you are infected with Malware, then my next article will deal with that specifically. For now, lets assume we are simply experiencing sluggishness or a slow computer that may be caused by Malware or it may be caused by a few other things.

The first step in a tune up is to inspect the inside of the machine. That will usually mean to “Blow out the dust” in addition to inspecting all fans, intake grills, outgo grills, and heatsink fins. All should be cleaned as necessary. Ditto for the heatsink on the graphics processing unit or GPU.

Will the PC Boot? Time for a Boot Test. Once booted up successfully(hopefully), a system assessment can be made. The technician will have diagnostic software to load at this time which will show all the various aspects of a running computer, including the hard drive capacities, the overall hard drive health, detailed software, hardware, network and security configurations.

We want to see if there are memory issues at the hardware level. Thus, memory tests will be run at this time. Bad RAM memory modules are possible although rare.

Before anything is changed, a Full image backup of your hard drive(s) is done. We don’t want to lose any files if serious problems occur so we back everything up.

Other visual inspections may be made where the battery on the motherboard, the motherboard itself, the temperature is checked, and for laptops we want to inspect the keyboard itself. Making sure the “Fn” key works. The units time and date are verified.

Then we might turn towards the software and look at the User Account Control (UAC) and make sure it is turned on and set properly. Power settings are looked at. Screensaver timeout changed back to NONE. System protection is looked at and changed to ON. These are your critically important system restore points. Make sure there is only one running restore program and only one drive C drive! Windows lets us “create” a restore point whenever we wish.

More software tools can be implemented to clean up the file system, to remove temp files, cookies, etc. All files are deleted in the downloads folder as well. And if there is a WINDOWS.OLD folder, it has got to go. That’s doing nothing but taking up space and slowing things down.

Let’s now connect to the internet and let’s make sure Windows Firewall settings are on. Third-party firewalls may be present which is unfortunate but ok. Its just not recommended since Windows has a firewall built right in Windows.

Usually this is a good time to perform Malware scans. Its not simply as easy as running a software program. Usually I will run 5 different programs because no one program can do it all.

A BIOS upgrade is next. Your BIOS is that dark screen right before Windows boots. It resides on your motherboard and is very important to not just performance but to whether your PC boots up or not. These computer files get updated and new BIOS configurations become available. Its not the easiest upgrade as a ‘flash install’ is needed. These are tricky maneuvers because they are done outside of a Windowed environment, however, a current BIOS is usually recommended.

Supposing we tossed the old BIOS in favor of the new one, why don’t we continue this organizing and look to delete other software programs? Old Adobe reader programs, Flash, Java, and other programs litter our hard drives and slow our system down. This include any Anti-Malware “suites” other than Windows Defender (Windows’ excellent built-in antivirus/malware program).

So, scans are complete. How about the internet connection and speed? And let’s run Windows Update to make sure all the updates are done. We keep re-running windows update until there are no more updates. Plus, I would check in Windows settings or run a program called WINVER to confirm the version of Windows is at least 1709 or higher. Microsoft updates Windows about twice a year and 1709 was a big one.

Device conflicts are inspected and fixed if any are found. These are those pesky Red X’s or Question Marks on top of these devices. They need to be fixed, all of them, before continuing.

Hard disk inspections using different scanning software will be used to see if any large file blocks or defragmentation shows up. Windows 10 shouldn’t have any defrag problems, but it needs to be checked anyway. Warning: Never defrag a solid-state drive (SSD) drive!

Optimizing the Folder View Options can be next. These are found in control panel and there is a half dozen or so checkboxes that should be checked (not all of them) to help achieve a smoother running machine. Similarly, visiting System Properties, Computer name, Startup and Recovery, and Virtual Memory will help to make sure various settings are either ‘checked’ or ‘unchecked’ properly.

Disable Autoplay. Thanks to bad design decisions, Autoplay, also known as AutoRun, was once a huge security problem on Windows. Autoplay helpfully allowed malicious software to launch as soon as you inserted discs and USB drives into your computer. Windows 10 largely fixed the issue, but it is still a good idea to disable it.

You can also optimize your mouse and touchpad controls as well. Turning off a lot of the eye candy will help your performance.

You can apply these optimization activities over to your display and to the Desktop to achieve similar gains. For example, turning off ‘transparency effect’ will help. And the desktop should be no more than 500MB (not GB) in size.

There are lots of places where Microsoft is selling you something. You can remove these too. As an example, under settings>System>Notifications&Actions you can turn OFF “Get Tips, Tricks, and Suggestions as you use Windows”. You don’t need this.

There are a lot of optimizations you can do to Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome too. Mostly these deal with getting rid of all the cache, how to deal with cookies, and whether you are clearing browsing history when you exit.

If you don’t have an email program like Outlook, we can install Thunderbird and usually do. Its free and is an impressive program. Ditto for an Office Suite. LIBRE Office is free and a worthy competitor to Microsoft Office. If you want these programs installed, just remember to change the default Office program (control panel>default programs).

Clear all the event logs and system logs in Event viewer. Rerun file and disk utilities. Run Anti-Malware updates and scans again. Run “Six-Shooter” which is a collection of six utilities to further weed out any malware in the system.

The system can now be tested to make sure all parts are working as designed and any problems fixed. Browsers can be tested. File Types (.doc, .docx, .ppsx, .ppt, & .pptx) can be opened and closed to see if the file associations work. Play a video file. Make sure the CD player works. Things like that. Check the sounds.

A final run of system diagnostic software will close this up. This will provide a snapshot of what your system looks like now, post optimization.

This has also been a hardware inspection. Thus, your technician can share thoughts or give advice on the sun-setting of certain hardware and the need to, perhaps, upgrade something if for nothing else than to achieve better security. For example, perhaps they are running Windows 10 version 1709 when version 1809 is available. Or maybe their CPU is so old, you can only play black and white media on it. Seriously though, computer hardware is a depreciating asset. It comes into favor and then it goes out of favor. You cannot simply buy one piece of hardware and stick with it for 30 years.

Now, having said this, I just extended the life of my TEN YR OLD MacBook Pro by adding an SSD drive and reinstalling the operating system. For a ten-year-old, she sure acts like a newborn! I may have extended the life a little bit, but I am still running about four versions of operating system behind the current version(not to mention the ancient CPU). That’s because Apple doesn’t support my aging hardware anymore. Microsoft is no different.

From a security standpoint, this becomes untenable and I better get to the store to replace my MacBook soon. Luckily, however, I just purchased a brand new Razer Blade 15 Windows Laptop! In my line of work i need to have both a Mac and a Windows computer at all times.

Andrew C. Orr is President of Retired Guy Computer Repair located in downtown St. Petersburg, FL. His company provides individuals and businesses quality and competent technology solutions. Andrew lives downtown with his wife Angela, his son Andrew Jr., and two dogs Georgia and William. www.RetiredGuy.repair.

[notadog]

@demisexualhale sorry you had a rough time today. have this au that i saw you talking about after i creeped on your blog. it’s... uh. probably not what anyone involved thought it would be. but i hope you like it? 

anyway. 

sterek. 2k. spy au. warnings: i know nothing about spies, secret criminal organizations, or technology in general. just roll with it.

“I’ll pay you twenty bucks to hum the Mission Impossible theme while I do this,” Stiles muttered, fishing an exacto knife out of his tool belt. He fit it under the very edge of the ID scanner and, with a flick of his wrist, popped it off like a dream.

“You could pay me twenty thousand and I still wouldn’t do it.”

“Spoilsport.” Gently pulling all the wires out into the open was the easy part; it was identifying the right one to snip that was going to be the tricky part. Would it kill all organized crime syndicates to stick to one universal standard?

“Try the yellow wire. Third from the left.”

“Try?” Stiles repeated under his breath. “We’ve been planning this job for weeks and you want me to go in with ‘try’?”

He could practically hear the eye roll on the other end of the earbud. “Cut the wire, agent.”

“Manners,” Stiles snarked, guiding the exacto to the wire in question. It slid through with a gentle snick and the red light on the ID reader went out.

“You’re welcome.”

Stiles gently fit the card reader back into the wall and got to work prying open the door. “I don’t recall saying thank you,” he grunted, heaving the heavy metal back inch by inch.

“I’m sure it was implied.”

“I might be inclined if you—” Another grunt as he wedged his shoulder in the space he’d made, trying to use it to get some leverage against the protesting metal. “—helped me with this door.” Not for the first time Stiles lamented the fact that he was chosen for the field, instead of the literal werewolf. Instead, he was embarrassing himself and his very human muscles while Derek got his nerd on from the comfort of the unmarked van parked a few streets away. Life just wasn’t fair.

Stiles gave one last shove, and the door gave way with an angry screech that he was pretty sure was audible in China.

“Derek?” he hissed.

“Hold on.” Polite as always, his partner.

Stiles waited, every muscle in his body coiled tight and ready to spring. Whether that meant to fight or flee was yet to be determined. At least three times he imagined some noise that would precede his discovery, but he forced down the instinct to panic with a violent mental shove. The government hadn’t spent billions of dollars in training his ass to trust his partner with his life for nothing.

After an excruciating eternity, Derek’s voice filtered in through the earpiece. “You’re clear. Not for lack of effort.”

Stiles couldn’t help grinning. “You say the sweetest things.” False confidence was easy again now that his heart wasn’t jammed halfway up his throat. He rummaged through his toolkit for one of his most versatile gadgets: a retractable rod made of a polymer material developed by Derek himself. It was three hundred times stronger than steel but lighter than any other material of its kind on (or off) the market. It was a beautiful piece of some of the most sophisticated technology to come out of R&D, and it gave Stiles a thrill of childish joy to jam it inelegantly between door and wall to keep his escape route free.

“Speaking of which…” Derek’s voice was that special brand of pained that signaled to Stiles that his trick had hit its mark. “Let’s try to keep to aliases while we’re on the comms, all right?”

Stiles winced. He had called out Derek’s real name in a moment of panic, hadn’t he? “It’s not my fault you rejected my code name suggestions.”

The sound quality was considerably different behind the door than in the hallway. Though he couldn’t see into the space, it swallowed up Stiles’ voice in a way that suggested space… a lot of it. Stiles fumbled for the flashlight at his belt and stepped cautiously inside.

“You’re not calling me Eagle Two.”

“Well I’m not giving you Eagle One, dude. I called dibs.” He clicked on the flashlight and did a slow sweep of the room. Well. Cavern was probably a better word for it. It was big enough to swallow the weak beam of his government-issued flashlight, leaving the ceiling and far walls shrouded in shadows. “Are you seeing this?”

Derek hummed, but gave no further comment.

“Gotta admire their style, though,” Stiles continued conversationally. The whole affair was an ode to vaulted ceilings broken up by stone columns and sloping walls covered in expensive-looking tile. Whoever built it certainly had a flair for the dramatic. To his left was a small bank monitors hooked up to a lowly humming box. Stiles made his way over to it. “I mean, you gotta respect the whole batcave vibe.”

Derek snorted. It was a shock, completely at odds with his usual implacable stiffness. In his entire time working with him, Stiles had never once seen the man so much as crack a smile. And here he was, almost laughing in Stiles’ ear. “It’s an evil lair, agent. Much more Luthor’s speed than Wayne’s.”

Stiles considered the space again. It did bear an uncomfortably close resemblance to Lex Luthor’s underground lair in Superman. Much more so than any adaptation of the Batcave. Point to Derek. “I didn’t know you were a fan of the classics.”

“I’m multifaceted.”  

How someone can sound so unbearably smug with only two words, Stiles would never know. “Nerd.”

“Center console. There should be a panel under the monitors.”Definitely smug.

Stiles fumbled around until he found a hidden switch. A previously unseen panel slid forward, revealing three USB slots. Stiles thumbed open the smallest pocket in his tool belt that housed the USB sticks Derek gave him specifically for this point in the job. Just to be sure, he asked, “This the one?”

“Mhm,” Derek confirmed. “You know which one’s first?”

Stiles rolled his eyes. Even if Derek hadn’t labeled them 1 and 2 in obnoxious silver sharpie, the four consecutive run-throughs Derek had forced him to listen to before letting him out of the van would have been enough to hammer the point home.

“Yes, dad,” he muttered, fishing out the first stick. “Just let me know when I need to switch them out.”

“You’ll know,” Derek replied cryptically, which didn’t inspire a whole lot of confidence, but Stiles would be damned if he admitted that out loud.

Stiles watched in interest as the script contained within the flash drive did its thing. It was another of Derek’s projects, something he’d been developing for months with the rest of his little nerd squad back at headquarters. Derek had explained a little of it back in the van. If pressed by a superior, Stiles could explain that the code was meant to create a channel between this server and one controlled by their agency, one that Derek’s team could use to read through and copy every file stored on this server. Anything else had gone over Stiles’ head.

Stiles’ skills were more hands-on and intuition based. Identifying suspicious characters? Convincing them to divulge all of their deepest secrets to him? Finding the fastest way out of any resulting shootouts or capture attempts? That was where he shined the brightest. Developing extremely complicated code to infiltrate evil corporations’ systems, do… stuff while inside them, then exit without a trace? That was Derek’s thing. Stiles was just the sneaky middleman needed to insert peg A into slot B.

The screens flickered constantly between different windows. Lines of code would appear and disappear again too fast for him to read, but based on Derek’s intermittent hums of approval in his ear, Stiles guessed they were doing their job. As the script worked, he kept an ear out for any sign of discovery.

They passed the time together in silence, both of them tense at the thought of the most important part of their mission falling through at the last second. It left Stiles alone with his senses, feeling wrong-footed for the first time since infiltrating the compound earlier in the evening. After a too-long stretch of time, activity on the screens slowed down, then stopped. All the screens were black except for one, which held a single line of green text and a blinking cursor. Stiles leaned forward to read it. When he did, he made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat.

Insert 2nd USB stick, agent. (It has the number 2 on it.)

“Told you you’ll know,” Derek’s voice was a gentle tease in his ear.

“You were so cryptic about it,” Stiles muttered, complying. “I thought it was gonna be something cool.”

“Computers are cool,” Derek replied, then lapsed back into silence.

The second stick took much less time than the first, or maybe it was just the end in sight that made it seem like it was going faster than it actually was. Whichever was true, it felt like no time until a single green line of text was displaying Installation Complete before all the screens went blank.

Derek’s voice was like silk. “Don’t forget to take the USBs with you.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “Thanks,” he snarked, tucking the USBs back into their pocket and securing it. “What would I do without you?”

“You would be dead seven times over if it weren’t for me.” 

“Fair,” Stiles conceded. It was gratifying to return the door and find it hadn’t budged an inch since he’d left it. It was rare in Stiles’ line of work that the things he set down stuck around and waited patiently for him to collect them. Granted, at this point in his career most of the “things” Stiles set aside for later were informants and enemies of the government, so a little bit of disobedience was probably to be expected. But whatever. Details.

Easing the door closed was trickier than forcing it open, Stiles soon realized. Not only was he worried about loudly protesting metal, he wasn’t sure how he was going to stop the whole thing from slamming closed the second he pulled out Derek’s rod.

Heh.

As always, Derek chimed in with the solution at Stiles’ precise moment of need.

“Retract it gradually,” Derek commanded, and Stiles complied. “Good. Now fold your jacket in half and stick it in so it doesn’t slam… Good. Now just pull the jacket out.”

Under Derek’s direction, Stiles eased the nightmare door closed. The jacket muffled the metal-on-metal impact, and when he yanked it out, the door settled back into place with hardly a complaint. Stiles made a mental note to make the whole experience sound a lot cooler in his retelling the next day.

“You’re welcome,” Derek whispered in his ear, voice dripping with self-satisfaction.

“I don’t recall saying thank you,” Stiles replied as he popped the card reader out of the wall again, grinning at the echo of their conversation from earlier. There was a prolonged pause as he bit off a length of electrical tape and carefully brought the snipped ends of the yellow wire together.

“It was implied.”

“Whatever you say, big guy.”

Stiles secured both raw edges of the wire with the tape, then confirmed that the ID reader was once again operational. He carefully tucked the bundle of wires back into their space in the wall, then returned the box to its home for the last time, good as new.

“Ready to get me out of here?”

“Always,” was the curt reply, sounding almost fond to Stiles’ delusional ears. “You’re alone on your floor, but there are two guards stationed outside the elevators to the west, same as when you came in. Your best bet is to go south to avoid them, then take the service stair up to ground level.”

“Got it,” Stiles said, already moving towards his exit. “See you soon, dude.”

“You better.”

Stiles made good on his promise, and was rewarded with a nod of acknowledgement from Derek when he threw open the van door. It was the closest Stiles had ever come to getting an honest-to-god smile from the guy, and it made something warm and gentle unfurl in his chest.

He couldn’t stop grinning the entire drive back to headquarters.

[droneseco]

Insta360 OneX2: The Most Fun Camera Ever Made

Insta360 One X2

9.50 / 10

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The neverending list of features and smart editing software makes the Insta360 One X2 the most fun camera ever made. The new iteration adds waterproofing, better battery life, and a color touchscreen, but those hoping for a resolution or frame rate bump over the original will be disappointed. 

Specifications

Brand: Insta360

Sensor Size: 1/2.3

Video Resolution: 5.7K (5760x2880) @ 30FPS

Photo Resolution: 6080x3040

Battery: ~80 minutes

Connection: USB-C, Wi-Fi 5Ghz, Bluetooth 4.0

Size: 1.82 x 4.45 x 1.17 inches (113 x 462 x 298 mm)

Weight: 5.25oz (125g)

Water Resistance: IPX8

Lens: 360-degree dual fisheye f/2.0

Pros

Bright touchscreen offers video preview and easy menu navigation

Smart editing software

Invisible selfie stick produces magical videos

IPX8 waterpoof

Cons

360 streaming requires a mobile data connection

Buy This Product

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While Insta360 continues to dominate any list of "best 360 cameras", it realized long ago that interest in 360-degree video was waning and came up with a compelling use-case for it instead: reframing a shot. That magical ability, combined industry-leading stabilization, and smart software make the latest Insta360 camera both truly unique and ludicrously good fun.

Meet the Insta360 One X2, possibly the most fun camera ever made.

Insta360 One X2 Design

Almost identical to its predecessor, the One X2 has a distinctive oblong shape with two protruding fish-eye lenses. The images from these stitched together seamlessly on-camera, without requiring additional processing, into a 5.7K 30FPS video. The whole package is about as thick as two smartphones stacked together but slimmer—easily pocket-sized.

A small round touch-screen sits on one side, giving a preview of the video and allowing easy navigation of the options. This is a marked improvement on the monochrome LCD of the original OneX, and it's easily visible on a bright day. Admittedly, a video preview is of questionable utility in a 360-camera, given that you're literally recording everything most of the time, but it's useful in some of the other video modes.

Other than the touchscreen, there are two buttons for operation. A power button sits on one side, with which a long press will power on or off the device. Another button sits underneath the touchscreen, and this can be used to quickly begin recording in a single press. Within a second or two, the camera will wake from a complete power off, begin recording in the standard mode, then power down again with another quick press. It's particularly convenient if you need to capture the moment quickly.

On the other side, you'll find two latching covers. One protects the USB-C port, while the other is a removable battery. The battery lasts for around 80 minutes of continuous shooting, and should it need replacing or you want spares, they can be purchased readily for around $40. In my experience, 80 minutes is enough to get you through a day of occasional use without requiring a supplemental charge.

With the battery is removed, you can also insert a microSD storage card.

The ports and internals are fully sealed when these latches are correctly closed (if you see any orange, they haven't been locked correctly). This results in an IPX8 waterproof rating to 10 meters without any additional hardware.

However, the lenses are still vulnerable to scratches, so don't mistake the waterproof rating for overall ruggedness. I'd recommend grabbing some of the lens protectors if you're playing on using this for action shots.

On the audio side, the One X2 features not one but four microphones, which means it should pick on the subject regardless of where they're standing. It's certainly an improvement, but you'll want to grab the external input adaptor for the best quality audio.

So, The Insta360 One X2 Doesn't Shoot 360-Degree Video?!

Technically, the One X2 shoots in 360-degrees at 5.7K resolution, using the two super-wide angle lenses. If you really wanted to use the raw footage as is, for viewing on a VR capable headset or other 360 application, you could. You can even stream to Facebook in 360. It's certainly good 360-degree footage if you're into that sort of thing.

But that would be ignoring the real Insta360 magic: shoot now, point later. The innovative Insta360 editing apps (for smartphones or desktops) allow you to reframe your shots, stabilize them, change the field of view, deep track a subject, and even use AI to locate and frame interesting parts of the footage automatically.

The final output isn't 360-degrees at all. It's a slick action cam shot or a seemingly impossible floating drone shot. It's like having your own camera crew in your pocket. In reality, all you did was hold the Insta360 OneX2 out on the (invisible) selfie stick and hit record.

For instance, in the screengrab below (taken from the review video), I extended the selfie stick to about a foot in front of the scooter... and stood on it. The selfie stick is automatically stitched out of the sequence, giving the illusion there's a stabilized drone flying just in front of the wheel. It's effortless to get magical videos like this.

Even More Video and Photo Modes

While the One X2's real magic comes into play when you shoot in 360 and use the innovative editing features, that's certainly not all it's capable of. Here are just some of the other incredible video and photo modes you can find on the One X2

"Steadycam" mode, which shoots using only a single lens and produces 2560x1140px resolution stabilized wide-angle video in mp4 format. It's a great option to skip the editing effort and get a standard format video out quickly.

Webcam mode connects to your computer over USB-C and turns the OneX into a webcam, simultaneously showing the view from both the front and back lenses in a split-screen format, perfect for conference calls.

InstaPano photo mode delivers flat panoramic images without any additional processing.

Bullet-Time. If you've seen The Matrix, you should know what a bullet-time video is. And if you haven't seen The Matrix, then you know what you're doing tonight. Using the optional new bullet-time cord accessory, you can spin the One X2 around yourself, keeping you in the center of the frame, while it shoots in a higher frame rate to give the illusion of slowing down time.

The Shot Lab

I admit: I'm not the most creative type of person. I know how to use a camera, but that doesn't mean I can shoot anything even remotely interesting to post on Instagram. It's here that Insta360 has nailed it with the Shot Lab.

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Only available on the mobile app, the Stories button at the bottom is where you'll find the Shot Lab. Scroll through the list to find one you like, then click through to be given clear instructions on how to film the sequence, as well as tips for the best results. The Themes tab contains templates that are less strict with their shot requirements (and hence don't have instructions) but still make it simple to create a quick montage set to music.

Once you've filmed as many shots as the app instructs, go back to the Shot Lab, select your template, and point the app toward the relevant videos. The app then processes your videos, identifies the parts it needs, deep tracks the subject if required, adds the transitions, and comes up with a preview of the final output. The process is largely automated, though you can tweak things later if needed. You can save the output to your camera roll, or post it straight to social media. Boom.

In total, the demo below (also featured in the review video) took maybe 20 minutes of filming around the house, then another ten to download and export using the "Flip My Day" template.

This Shot Lab means anyone can come up with a fun little video, and more templates are constantly being added. The app highlights the best user submissions, too, so you should never run out of ideas.

360 Streaming

One of the great selling points of the original One X was the ability to easily stream the raw 360-degree footage directly to several video sites, including Facebook, YouTube, and anywhere that supports RTSP.

Unfortunately, at the time of writing, this feature is only supported on the One X2 via a wireless connection from your smartphone to the camera, rather than the cabled option of the One X. Though otherwise identical in functionality, the move to wireless means that you're now restricted to using the data plan of your smartphone, rather than the typically faster and more reliable Wi-Fi connection you may have at home. For me, this renders it unusable. I'm lucky to get a good 3G signal, let alone 4G or 5G, so my upload speed results in about one frame every three seconds.

It's not clear why this isn't possible yet, given it has a USB-C port. I reached out to Insta360 support, who said the engineers were still working on the right cable (presumably for iOS), but even using USB-C to USB-C on Android should, in theory, be possible. Hopefully, this will be fixed soon with a software update, but still, this is a downgrade given that the One X shipped with this feature from the start (and the requisite cable included in the box).

Video Quality

Results on the One X2 will vary, but as with any camera with a small sensor, low-light performance is significantly noisier than that shot in the daytime.

Best video performance with any action camera will always be outdoors on a bright, sunny day.

However, it's worth noting that you can get some good low-light photos thanks to the PureShot mode, enhancing colors and reducing noise in low-light photography without requiring bracketing.

The One X2 also includes a built-in low-light TimeLapse mode, called StarLapse. It's incredible, and I wish I had a good demo video to show you, but it hasn't stopped raining here in weeks.

Should You Upgrade from the One X2 or One R?

If you already own the original One X or the dual-lens mod with the One R, there's no single hugely compelling reason to upgrade. The technical specifications and quality of footage haven't changed: it still shoots a maximum of 5.7K at 30FPS. However, it benefits from the new Vivid color profile, which isn't present on the One X, and a higher bitrate. But those that were hoping for a bump to 8K, or even 5.7K 60FPS, will be disappointed.

While the circular touchscreen is nice, it alone isn't worth upgrading for. Twenty minutes extra battery life is also nice, but not a huge change. The only really compelling hardware upgrade is the IPX8 waterproofing out of the box, with no additional dive case needed.

So if you don't plan on filming underwater, and you're otherwise happy with the battery performance you get from the One R or One X, you can probably skip this generation. It's an iterative refresh rather than a revolution.

What's The Difference with the One R?

The Insta360 One R is also a favorite of ours, with a modular design that means you can swap out the 4K action camera lens for a dual-lens 360 mod.

From a software perspective, nearly all the features while shooting with the 360-mod are identical that the One X2: same app, same Shot Lab, same editing process. The video quality is also similar, though the One X2 benefits from a Vivid color mode that is otherwise only available when uses the 4K mod on the One R. The lenses are slightly further apart on the One R 360-mod, so stitching errors are more frequent, but not hugely so.

From a hardware perspective, the One R is a little more awkward to use as it needs to be put inside a special case before it can be mounted to the invisible selfie stick. The One X2 has better audio with four microphones, though both cameras can benefit from external microphones with an adaptor.

Faced with a choice of whether to buy the One R or One X2, I'd say it comes down to two factors:

How experienced are you with standard action cams? If you're familiar with how to mount an action camera, angle it correctly, and want to experiment with the 360-mod, then the One R might be better for you.

How likely are you to use this as your main camera? At some point, you might want to upgrade the lens: the 1-inch mod for the One R ups the resolution to 5.3K (the highest resolution action cam on the market), and the 1-inch sensor gives much improved low-light performance.

Should You Buy The Insta360 One X2?

If you don't already own an Insta360 camera, it's definitely a worthwhile purchase. The One X2 packs in so many innovative features that it's impossible to cover them all in this review. It's wonderful to discover these features for yourself, and the Insta360 One X2 is constantly evolving. Just scroll through the featured videos on the app, and I guarantee you'll find something that makes you think, "oooh, I'll have a go at that!"

When I thought I was done recording some sample videos for this review, Insta360 added a new mode called "Fly Through," which, of course, I had to try. It lets you pretend the camera is a fly or mini drone, and you can go through small gaps seamlessly with a clever editing trick. I bet you'll make little drone noises while trying it out; I did.

Whether you're a travel blogger looking to document your travels uniquely, addicted to extreme sports, or have the most adorable puppy that obviously needs its own Instagram profile, you're absolutely going to get some fun videos out of the One X2, and with minimal effort. That's the highest praise I can give any action camera.

At just over $400, the Insta360 One X2 isn't a budget option, but it is comparable to rival offerings. The difference is a neverending list of features and smart editing software that you won't find elsewhere. The Insta360 One X2 is likely the most fun camera you'll ever own.

  Insta360 OneX2: The Most Fun Camera Ever Made published first on http://droneseco.tumblr.com/

[grassroutes]

Retroflag GPi is the Ultimate Portable Retro Gaming Console

Our verdict of the Retroflag GPi Case: This straightforward retro-style portable gaming case for the Raspberry Pi is easy to assemble, with a collection of retro gaming platforms and extra buttons on the back, useful power switching avoids unplanned shutdowns. It's the best Gameboy-like Raspberry Pi gaming project around.910

With the explosion of retro gaming, many gamers looking for a shot of nostalgia have turned to the Raspberry Pi. Compatible with most emulation systems, it is as ideal for playing Nintendo 64 games as it is with Atari 2600 titles.

But it lacks portability, which is where the Raspberry Pi Zero comes in. Half the size of the standard Raspberry Pi boards, the Zero is the hub of many portable retro kits, mostly based on the Nintendo Gameboy.

We’re looking at one such kit, the Retroflag GPi Case from AKNES. How does it improve over similar kits and 3D printed DIY builds?

What You Get in the Retroflag GPi Case

Cracking open the box, you’ll find a GPi Case, the Gameboy-like handheld console with a built-in display.

There’s also a tote bag, heatsink, USB power cable, a screwdriver with reversible heads, and two sets of four screws. A larger case is also included for carrying the GPi Case and any additional bits and pieces. Oh, and there’s a free GPi Case-keyring, and detailed instructions.

Note that this kit ships without a Raspberry Pi Zero. You’ll need to provide your own.

Raspberry Pi Zero and Zero W Case, Retroflag GPi CASE with Retro Handheld Game Console and Safe Shutdown - with Carring Bag, a Keychain Piece, Heatsink Raspberry Pi Zero and Zero W Case, Retroflag GPi CASE with Retro Handheld Game Console and Safe Shutdown - with Carring Bag, a Keychain Piece, Heatsink Buy Now On Amazon $69.99

The GPi Case itself features a D-pad, ABXY buttons, and Select and Start. Two additional buttons have been added to the back of the case. A headphone port is found at the bottom of the console, while an Off/On switch is at the top. A volume wheel is on the right side; the power jack plugs in on the left, alongside the brightness wheel.

Around the back, the GPi Case has a battery hatch, supporting 3xAA batteries. Hidden in here is a Safe Shutdown switch; above this, a micro-USB port for firmware upgrades.

Finally, you’ll find a removable “cartridge” on the back of the GPi Case. Not quite as big as a Gameboy cartridge, this device holds your Pi Zero. An operating system can be installed on a microSD card. A small door covers the card slot on your Raspberry Pi Zero, devised to prevent the card getting lost.

While powered by a Raspberry Pi Zero, the GPi Case has its own hardware inside. Weighing 183g and measuring 135x81x32mm, the GPi Case also includes a 2.8-inch color IPS display.

Assembly is solderless, and supposedly simple—all you need to do is insert a Raspberry Pi Zero.

You’ll Need Your Own Raspberry Pi Zero—But Which One?

Several versions of the Raspberry Pi Zero have been released. The Zero is a slimline Raspberry Pi, half the size of the main version, with a 32-bit 1Ghz CPU and 512MB of memory. Along with a micro-USB power input, the card features a micro-USB port and microSD slot for booting an operating system.

The original version launched for just $5, although later versions are twice this much. Since first launching in November 2015, three main iterations have been issued:

Raspberry Pi Zero 1.2: the basic model, with only USB connectivity. A 1.3 revision appeared in May 2016.

Raspberry Pi Zero W: released February 2017 with an MPI camera interface, Bluetooth 4.1 BLE, and b/g/n single band 2.4GHz Wi-Fi.

Raspberry Pi Zero WH: another wireless version, this time with GPIO pins.

Sadly, the Raspberry Pi Zero WH isn’t compatible with the GPi Case. However, the original Pi Zero models and the main W board will all fit.

A Choice of Retro Gaming Platforms

The build starts by flashing your preferred retro gaming platform to the Pi Zero’s microSD card. Four systems have been prepared for the GPi Case:

Recalbox: perhaps the most popular retro gaming platform for Raspberry Pi.

Lakka: basic retro gaming front end that can be customized with themes.

Batocera: popular Linux retro gaming platform.

Supreme Retro Gaming: a vast bundle of front ends (EmulationStation, AttractMode, Pegasus), support for 101 systems, 96 game collections, 42 system tweaks, and 27 display themes. Use this if you just want a quick start with games already provided.

These are dedicated builds available from download.retroflag.com/.

Some customization scripts are also available from the same source.

GPi Case Patch: routes display output through GPIO for Recalbox

Safe Shutdown and Safe Reset: this script can be used in conjunction with the Safe Shutdown switch

Assembling the GPi Case With a Raspberry Pi Zero

Putting the GPi together is stunningly straightforward and quick. Everything is perfectly designed so that you can effectively slot in a Pi Zero, boot up, and play.

Most of the GPi case comes ready-assembled. However, you’ll need to insert your Raspberry Pi Zero. This is housed in the removable “cartridge” which is fitted with an adaptor board. A micro-USB power connector is attached to the adaptor, along with a row of 40 GPIO pogo pins. These contact the Pi Zero’s GPIO array, for full power and integration with the main GPi Case.

Installing the Pi Zero requires first opening the cartridge section, flipping the adaptor board out of the way, and plugging the micro-USB power connector into the PCB. After placing the heatsink on the Pi’s SoC, place the Pi in the cartridge. As a guide, the microSD slot lines up with the door in the side of the cartridge.

Four screws secure the Pi Zero. Once fastened, flip the adaptor board over, lining up the holes with the mounting points. The back of the cartridge can then be attached—this snaps into place with some well-situated catches.

Finish by screwing the back onto the cartridge, then insert it into the GPi Case. You’re ready to power up and start gaming. Note that when the power is switched to “On”, the cartridge is locked in place. This precaution prevents the Pi Zero being removed while the GPi is powered up, protecting the PCB and microSD card.

Powering the GPi

With the case assembled, it’s a good idea to stick some batteries in. You can use the DC power input, although the USB-to-DC cable is short so motion is restricted. Note that the DC in is not connected to the battery compartment; rechargeable batteries won’t be charged in this device, although you can still use them.

Just be sure to stick to batteries with lower voltages as per standard shop bought R6 AA batteries. The device requires 5V so don’t exceed this.

Retro Gaming With the GPi Case

Most of our testing was with Lakka. While it offers a more basic, menu-driven experience, Lakka is tried and tested, and gives good results with this setup.

We also tried the Supreme Retro Gaming bundle, which perhaps offered too much choice. Presentation is slick, however, offering a modern console-like experience—quite a contrast to Lakka, While SRG is easier to use, it’s a large download requiring at least a 16GB microSD card to be usable.

With games up and running, you’re reliant on the D-pad and ABXY controls. R and L trigger buttons are also provided for extra control.

Regardless of which platform you choose, there is a more satisfying experience with console games than those intended for computers. Nintendo Gameboy and Gameboy Advance (GBA) titles in particular play really well—hardly a surprise.

There is some advantage to using the Pi Zero W, namely in easily copying new game ROMs to the device. Just make sure it’s connected to your wireless network and there’s no need to remove the SD card.

Setting up a secure SSH FTP connection (SFTP) in a tool like FileZilla lets you easily add and remote ROMs. You just need to be sure you’re using the right username and password for the retro platform of choice. SSH can be enabled within the software settings.

Unless you’re reinstalling or installing a different OS, you shouldn’t need to eject the microSD card.

The GPi Is Moddable, Too

Since its release several cool modifications have been released for the GPi.

For example, you can find hacks online that add built-in battery charging to the GPi. Meanwhile, a particularly impressive addition to the GPi is the GPiMate. Rather than use a Raspberry Pi Zero for your GPi, this module is designed to house a Raspberry Pi Compute 3+. Slightly larger than a Pi Zero (the cartridge is correspondingly large), this brings quad-core processing to the console.

The Best Gameboy-Like Raspberry Pi Case Available

We’ve seen a few portable retro gaming systems based on or inspired by the Raspberry Pi. The Retroflag GPi Case stands out in the way it relies on the popular board. Plenty of devices start off with a Pi as proof off concept, then move onto dedicated boards.

The GPi Case retains the Pi Zero as an integral part of the design and build. Meanwhile, the assembly is simple enough that anyone from around 11 and above could build it.

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While there is an argument for a better power solution, the same could be said of the original Gameboy. Fortunately, the power scripts and hidden switch make power issues manageable, avoiding the data loss and corruption seen with other portable Raspberry Pi projects.

The display is surprisingly clear and crisp for its size, the buttons responsive, and the select of retro gaming platforms encouraging. If you’re looking for a Raspberry Pi-based retro gaming kit you can take anywhere, start with the Retroflag GPi Case.

Enter the Competition!

Retroflag GPi Case for Raspberry Pi Zero

Read the full article: Retroflag GPi is the Ultimate Portable Retro Gaming Console

Retroflag GPi is the Ultimate Portable Retro Gaming Console posted first on grassroutespage.blogspot.com

[terabitweb]

Original Post from Talos Security Author:

By Patrick Mullen.

We want to thank everyone who stopped by the Cisco Talos booth at DEFCON’s Blue Team Village earlier this month. We handed out these badges at our area where we had Snort rules challenges, reverse-Capture the Flag and recruiters ready to answer attendees’ career advice questions.

Unfortunately, there were two bugs in the board as created, which should be expected when it was created in such a short time, but we have a guide for how you can fix these. Once these bugs are fixed, you’ll have a fully functional Digispark clone that can be used for several projects, including impersonating a USB keyboard, as our example sketch does. You can also attach leads to the open jumpers to get full access to all of the pins from the ATtiny85 to drive your own projects.

Power is provided directly by the USB port when used as a USB device, by a USB charger, or via J2 at the top of the board. The center pin is GND, the right pin is for regulated for five volts, or the left pin can handle anywhere from 5V to 20V. During Defcon, we powered it with a nine-volt battery for convenience. The first bug is really easy — diode D1 on the lower right of the board has the line indicating the direction for the cathode on the wrong end due to using a faulty schematic.

The second bug took a bit more creativity to overcome, but the actual assembly isn’t too difficult and makes the build that much more fun. The issue is that the schematic for the USB port was rotated, so we need to tweak the circuit so everything connects to the right place. I think the end result adds character to the badge and is quite effective.

Tools needed:

Small straight slot (flat head) screwdriver

Soldering iron with a small tip

Solder

Small wire cutters

Small needle-nose pliers are helpful

Multimeter, or at least a continuity tester (beeps when two connections are attached)

A magnifying glass can be useful to check your work

Arduino IDE for programming the chip

Parts list:

ATtiny85 w/ Digispark bootloader. Bootloader is needed for programming over USB

8 pin DIP chip holder

5V power regulator

Through-hole mini USB connector

(2) 3.6V zener diodes

(1) Schottky diode

(2) 75 ohm resistors (or 100 ohm or 66.5 ohm as in schematic)

(1) 1.5k ohm resistor

(2) 330 ohm resistors

(2) LEDs

(1) 0.1 uF capacitor

(1) 4.7 uF capacitor

For reference, this is the board schematic. Note this schematic has the diode from USB 5V pin to the 5V rail upside down. The line indicating the cathode should be pointing up toward the 5V rail, not toward the USB port. But other than that, this is the best schematic I’ve found and is released under the creative commons license.

Prepare the board

To rewire the USB port in a way that is easier to build the board, we are going to have to cut one of the lines on the board.  If you want to be fancy, you can do this by drilling through the board, but scratching through the conductor (“line/wire”) with a straight slot screwdriver is more than sufficient.

Be careful to not hit one of the other lines and if you have a continuity tester (or a multimeter set on resistance and verify infinite resistance aka open connection), it’s always good to verify you’ve done so successfully and completely.

The line we want to cut (viewed from the back of the board) starts from the bottom-most connector of the USB jack, but cut it *after* the connection hole, before the ‘T’ junction.  See the photo since I’m not getting paid by the word and don’t want to write a thousand of them.  Note the multimeter is demonstrating there is no connection between the pin on the USB connector and that connection point on the board after our “cut.”

Prepare the USB connector

Thankfully, one of the USB connections is not used and this allows us to modify the jack to get rid of the unused pin and then create a bridge on the board to bring the pin that is used over to the circuit where it was originally supposed to be connected.

To remove the unused pin, flip the USB connector over so the pins are on top and the “open-end” is to the left. The pin you want to remove is the top left one.

I had great success by using the small straight slot screwdriver to bend the pin toward the “back” of the connector (to the right in the photo), then using needle-nose pliers to wiggle it back and forth until it broke off cleanly.

Solder on the USB connector

NOTE: We are going to need to bridge a connector here and to keep everything you need within the kit, we’re going to use part of a lead from one of the components.

Put the USB connector into the holes from the front side of the board and flip the board over.  You can use the power regulator (the black component with the metal fin) to keep the board level while you solder.

Solder the two positioning holes on the left to keep the connector from moving while soldering the pins.

Put one of the legs of the burnt orange / brown capacitor into the hole on the left with the pin sticking through it. Again, a picture helps here. All we are doing here is using a bit of that nice, thin wire from the capacitor to bridge between the two connectors on the left.

Solder all FOUR of the pins from the USB connector. DO NOT SOLDER THE EMPTY HOLE. These pins and these holes are really small.  Now would be a good time to clean your soldering tip and make sure you don’t use too much solder and bridge connections.

Cut the leg that you soldered into the hole about halfway up the leg. You don’t need much of the leg to go through the board when you solder the capacitor into the circuit, and you only need enough to reach to the open connection on the USB port.

Bend the cut leg over to the open connector, lay it across the connector being careful not to short any others, and solder it in place. Using your screwdriver can provide extra leverage and precision to bend the bridge all the way to the board.

Soldering on the “normal parts”

You can now solder on all components except the three diodes. The diodes are the “glass-looking” red things with the black line and the black with silver line component.

Notes for assembly — be aware that some parts are unidirectional.

The LEDs are unidirectional. The long leg goes through the hole with the square contact around it. NOTE: The two LEDs have square contact on opposite sides. 

The yellow capacitor is unidirectional. The long leg goes toward the “+” toward the bottom of the board. The burnt orange/brown capacitor can go in either way. The capacitors are connected in parallel, so it doesn’t matter which goes into the C1 or C2 connection.

R4 and R5, near the power regulator, are 330 ohms. In the kit, they are the fat resistors with orange-orange-brown stripes. Note the gold stripe on the resistors refer to the tolerance/”quality” of the resistor and doesn’t really matter for this circuit.

R3 and R1, the top two resistors below the USB connector, are 75 ohms, with purple-green-black stripes. If your kit does not include these resistors (we bought every 75 ohm resistor at Fry’s in Las Vegas), 100 ohms is a common size that will also work.  

R2, the bottom resistor on the right side, is 1.5k ohms and has brown-green-red stripes. 

The big blue resistors in the kits are not used. They were supposed to be 66.5 ohms. They are 66.5 *thousand* ohms. Oops.

The chip connector has a notch on it that lines up with the break in the silkscreen to the right.  This is used to indicate pin 1 on the chip. Do not have the chip in the socket while soldering it in place. Do not forget to trim the ends of the leads off after soldering.

The power regulator (the black thing with the metal fin) has a line on the board on the left side that indicates where the cooling fin goes. When connecting this component, I find that leaning it to the right when soldering it on will give you a little extra room to bend it over to the left so it’ll lie flat when finished.

Soldering on “funky bits”

Now, we need to reverse the 5V and GND circuits. I think steps 1 and 2 below make more sense if you see what the circuit will look like before reading it, so this is what you should have after step 2:

Take one of the zener diodes (the little glass-looking things with the red underneath and the black stripe).  The black stripe lines up with the stripe on the circuit board printing.  But, because this is the “funky” section, we’re going to connect it “weird.”

Insert the zener diode into the *left* diode slot, U3, but stick it in so it points straight up, with the black line down against the board.

Solder it in the straight-up position.

When you cut the lead on the back of the board, SAVE THE CLIPPING.  We’ll need it in a moment.

Leave the diode in this position for now.

Take the other zener diode, and bend the end with the black stripe as if you were going to mount it normally, but leave the other leg straight.

Insert it into the top connector of U2 (so the stripes match) but angle it to the left so it crosses the U3 silk screening before you solder it on.

You may find that with the other components on the board, and the relative sizes of the wire and the hole, that it’s easier to solder this component from the top if you leave yourself room after the bend.  Cut off the extra in the back of the board and solder from the back for a good connection if necessary.

Bend the loose leg of U2 so it goes around the bottom hole of U3 and across the top of the chip holder.  This is easier with needle-nose pliers.  We will be soldering this leg to the bottom leg of U3, so don’t worry about keeping a distance from the wire.

Connect the zener diodes together

Returning to U3 (the zener diode on the left), bend the remaining wire forward, through the bottom hole for the diode, and solder it into place.  Using needle-nose pliers to make the bend and insertion may make it easier.  Be gentle so you don’t snap the diode in half.  There’s no reason to get this too tight and risk breaking the component.

Solder the bottom leg of U2 to the bent leg of U3. Don’t forget to make sure that U3 is soldered into the board as described in the previous step.

Connect the zener diodes to GND

Solder the leg you removed from U3 into the top connector for D1, with the leg sticking straight up out of the board.  We are going to bend it so we can connect it to the tail of U2 (which has been bent around the bottom wire from U3).

Bend the leg up to meet the long lower leg from U2 and solder them together.  You should now have a connection from the top of D1 to both diodes, at the bottom of U3.

Solder the schottky (black w/ silver stripe) diode

For this one, the silkscreen is backward because the schematic I was using had this diode backward, so ignore the marking on the board. We are using the long legs of this diode to make a long connection to fix the circuit without needing additional wire. With the fix, the proper connection is for the end with the silver stripe to connect to the bottom of D1 and the other end to connect to the bottom of U2.  Feel free to tuck this in as much as you can, but make sure you are clear of any wires touching.  If you’re feeling particularly frisky, you can use the diode itself as an insulator against the connector for U2 that goes around the chip carrier, or some electrical tape.

Insert the chip

There is a little dot on top that indicates pin 1. That goes toward the end of the chip carrier with the indent (to the right of the board).

This is what the completed circuit should look like:

Programming the board

I’m going to outsource the programming of the board now to this YouTube tutorial. Remember, this board uses the ATtiny85 chip and is a Digispark clone. If you have any issues, search for those names online and you should get what you need.

Everywhere the creator of this video says “Digispark board,” hear “Talos Defcon 27 Blue Team Village badge” because they are the same.

Open the Arduino IDE and load the Digispark board managers (1:48 in the video).

Load the drivers (3:54 in the video).  Hopefully, with our board and the bootloader we have installed, this step will be easier for you.  He provides information and links if you have troubles.

Load the Arduino IDE (7:24 in the video).  If you want to do the blink sketch he talks about, you’re welcome to do so.  Or just go right to the excitement and do the next step instead!

Copy and paste this sketch

Now you can upload the program. Don’t forget to unplug the badge (if necessary) and plug it in when the IDE tells you to (as described at 9:07 in the video).

Now that your badge is programmed, you no longer need the Arduino IDE or drivers to control other computers. Just plug it in, wait five seconds while the board initially identifies itself as an Arduino then disconnects and reconnects as a keyboard, and watch it do its thing.  LED1 is a status light as programmed in the sketch — it turns on when it starts typing and turns off when it’s completed all of its commands.

If you want your badge to send different commands, change the lines that call the function type() and tell it to type something else. Please note that these chips have extremely tiny memories and unfortunately the DigiSpark library takes up a lot of room so you don’t have a ton of text you can type, but you do have a fair amount. If you look into trimming the installed size of the code you should be able to get more program onto the chip.

Some other notes on the badge:

If you get female lead connectors and solder them to J1 and J2, you can use the ATtiny85 to do whatever you want, as long as you only need a few data lines and a small memory.  You can, of course, solder to the leads directly if you want, but by putting in female leads you can make a reusable circuit.  Note it is probably not a good idea to drive the data pins however you want while connected to a USB data cord.

J2 is for external power, so you can run the board while not connected to USB.  The middle connector is ground.  The connector on the right is for 5V *only*.  The connector on the left can run 5V-20V DC.

You can also power the circuit using a USB charging cable, but as stated above, it’s not recommended to be connected to the computer USB data port if you’re running a sketch that is not specifically for driving USB data, like a keyboard.

You can program it either through the USB as you did above or by using something like an Arduino UNO as an ISP as described in this video.

If you want to change the bootloader (or if you get a stock ATtiny85 that doesn’t have the boot loader we installed on the ones in the kit), directions are in this video.

We hope to continue and do other badges in the future, hopefully, next time without bugs! We hope everyone had a great time at Hacker Summer Camp and look forward to next year where we’ll have all new challenges, badges and other fun things to poke at.

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Go to Source Author: Talos DEFCON badge build instructions and use Original Post from Talos Security Author: By Patrick Mullen. We want to thank everyone who stopped by the Cisco Talos booth at DEFCON's Blue Team Village earlier this month.

[updatedc-blog]

New Post has been published on https://www.updatedc.com/2018/12/14/newsshooters-christmas-gift-guide-for-2018/

Newsshooter’s Christmas Gift Guide for 2018

Wow, it’s December already, and that means it’s almost time to wrap up something up for that special shooter in your life and leave it under the Xmas tree. Getting something for the shooter that has everything (well we do tend to buy a lot of gear) can be confusing, so here at Newsshooter we want to simplify the process so you don’t end up embarrassing yourself by wrapping up a pair of socks and receiving the polite “Oh, thanks” from the person you gave them to.

We don’t want to make the gift giving process too complicated so we have come up with two categories: Naughty and Nice. If you were naughty then Santa is only going to get you a gift that is under $100 USD. If you were nice then that gift could be up to $400 USD. Now you would have to have been extra nice to get a gift that costs $400 USD, and if you were really bad then maybe you won’t end up with anything (except maybe a pair of socks).

Now we can’t possibly mention every product that would make a good Christmas gift, but we will do our best to provide you with a diverse and comprehensive list.

Naughty – up to $100 USD

Filmic Pro – $14.99 USD

Filmic Pro is a great app if you are shooting any video content with your iPhone. It offers a host of manual shooting options, higher bitrate recordings, and Gamma curve controls for Natural, Dynamic, Flat and LOG shooting profiles.

MAVIS (Big Bundle) – $17.99 USD

MAVIS Pro Camera is a video camera for the iPhone and provides professional level filming tools including focus peaking, waveform monitor, vectorscope, false color, and zebras. It gives you audio controls, audio metering, custom resolutions, and frame rates from HD to 4K, 3fps to 240fps and recordings up to 100Mbit/s. It also gives you full flexible manual control while shooting.

Apogee Metarecorder (Full Version with Multi-Device Support) – $14.99 USD

Apogee MetaRecorder is a flexible two-channel audio recording app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch with features to support a wide variety of unique and powerful workflows. Armed with multiple iOS devices and Apogee and Sennheiser hardware, you can capture s audio in the field for interviews, conferences, audio for video and film, mobile broadcast, weddings, recitals, plus countless other applications.

Hide-A-Mic (4 different holders) – €37.80

These clever lapel mic holders are available for Sanken COS11, and DPA 4060/4061/4062/4063/4071 series microphones. They are by far the best solution I have come across for hiding microphones on talent.

Hide-A-Mic B_Flex  – €18.90

With the Hide-a-mic B_Flex you can apply a lavalier microphone directly to the body without worrying fabric touching the microphone. The Hide-a-mic B_Flex creates a physical space around the microphone for clear recordings. B_FLex is reusable and made of skin-friendly silicone rubber.

Rip-Tie RipWrap – from $5.95 USD

RipWrap offers all the holding power of gaffer’s tape, but with none of the gummy residue. It really does have endless uses, especially for filmmakers. Not only does it work in the traditional “Hook & Loop” way, ie. It can attach to attach to itself, but it will also attach to surfaces such as carpet.

Lentequip SAFETAP Connector – $69.95 USD

Lentequip’s SafeTap connector is a complete reinvention of the existing PowerTap by Anton Bauer and similar D-Taps, featuring a first-ever computer-controlled connector. Built-in intelligence monitors for reverse polarity, over/under voltage and short circuits so you’ll never need to worry about damaging your expensive equipment.

Lume Cube AIR – $69.95 USD

The Lume Cube AIR is a follow up to the original Lume Cube and features, slimmed-down size and extra accessories to provide an all-in-one lighting solution for content-creation. he light weighs in at just 2 oz (56.7 g) and has physical dimensions of 1.625” x 1.625” x 1.125” (4.12 cm x 4.12 cm x 2.85 cm). The light is also waterproof up to a depth of 30 m (98.42 ft).

Tilta BMPCC 4K Cage – $99 USD

The BMPCC 4K is a very popular camera and it’s still heavily back ordered. If you have one, are still waiting for one, the BMPCC 4K cage from Tilta might be a nice addition.

ThinkTank Skin Pouches – $35.75 USD – $49.95 USD

The Skin Series pouches compress flat when empty, reducing their profile when the lens is removed from the pouch. Even when a lens is carried inside a Skin Series pouch, it sticks out a minimal amount from the body. Bulkier systems that use thick foam become a hindrance when navigating through crowds. The ThinkTank Skin pouches are a nice solution for carrying around spare lenses f you are a solo shooter.

ThinkTank House Of Cards – $19.99 USD

This lightweight memory card wallet offers convenient, storage and protection. It allows you to quickly find and organize 6 CF and 3 SD cards. The built-in business card holder makes for easy identification.

ThinkTank CF/SD + BATTERY WALLET – $9.95 USD

The ThinkTank CF/SD + Battery Wallet is a lightweight, secure, and convenient wallet for your spare memory card and battery (mirrorless, compact or standard DSLR). It’s water-repellant and features a hook and loop closures to keep your valuables secure.

The North Face Men’s Apex Plus Etip Gloves – $55 USD

These windproof, water-repelling and lightly insulated softshell gloves are made with touchscreen-compatible material, so you won’t have to take them off to use your phone or touchscreen camera.

Logitech MX Master 2S Wireless Mouse – $71.20 USD

Be comfortable and minimise muscle strain during your editing and grading sessions with Logitech’s flagship wireless mouse.

Nexstand Laptop Stand- $26.97 USD

Prop up your laptop to eye level for a more ergonomic setup when working remotely. Combined with a keyboard and mouse and you have a much more comfortable workspace.

Hoodman Drone Launch Pad for DJI Mavic/Phantom (3′ Diameter) – $53.99 USD

Collapsible launch pads for your drone are a great accessory to have, especially for smaller drones like the DJI Mavic series. Often you have to take off and land your drone in places where the ground may be rocky or uneven. A simple launch pad makes it much easier and safer to launch and land your drone.

Zoom H1n Digital Handy Recorder – $79.99 USD

An easy-to-use, versatile stereo digital audio recorder that fits into the palm of your hand.

G-Technology 1TB G-DRIVE Mobile Micro-USB 3.0 External Hard Drive – $47.99 USD

Affordable and robust hard drive for backing up material in the field.

Rode VideoMic GO Lightweight On-Camera Microphone – $59.99 USD

A lightweight microphone which adds high-quality audio recording to any small camera with a 3.5mm microphone input.

Aputure AL-M9 Amaran Pocket-Sized Daylight-Balanced LED Light – $40 USD

A portable, bright, daylight LED light that you can keep in your pocket.

Nice – Up to $400 USD

DJI Osmo Pocket – $349 USD

We just recently reviewed the DJI Osmo Mobile and it’s a great little camera for shooting BTS, grabbing some quick B-roll, or for shooting discreetly in places where bigger cameras couldn’t go. For $349 USD it’s worth keeping in your bag.

Insta360 One X- $399.95 USD

The Insta360 One X can capture 360 video at up to 5.7K at 30 fps. Shooting at higher resolutions is important for 360 capture since you have a much wider field of view than when shooting 2D. The camera features FlowState Stabilization which is claimed to perform better than the new HyperSmooth feature in the GoPro HERO 7.

GoPro HERO 7 Black- $399 USD

The GoPro HERO7 Black supports up to UHD 4K60/50 video resolutions and captures 2.7K120/100 slow-motion and super-slow motion video at rates up to 1080p240/200. It also utilizes HyperSmooth video stabilization that is a good substitute if you don’t have a gimbal.

Rode SC6-L Mobile Interview Kit with Interface & 2 smartLav+ Microphones – $199 USD

The SC6-L has two TRRS inputs and one stereo headphone output. When used with the smartLav+ microphones you can record two sources into an iPhone plus monitor the audio from the headphone jack. The Reporter app has many recording options such as split channel and merged mixed audio.

Sennheiser ClipMic digital – $199 USD

ClipMic digital is a high-quality lavalier microphone for iPhone and iPad and features Apogee digital conversion and Sennheiser microphone capsules. Whether you are a looking for an easy audio solution for field interviews, or a quality back up for situations when radio mics won’t work, the ClipMic digital is a nice tool to have.

Sennheiser Memory Mic Wearable Wireless Smartphone Mic – $199.95 USD

The Sennheiser Memory Mic is a wireless and wearable omnidirectional condenser microphone designed to deliver reliable, high-quality audio capture and easy integration with mobile devices for journalists, vloggers, presenters, and more. It records and stores up to four hours of 16-bit/48 kHz audio to its internal storage while the built-in, USB-rechargeable battery keeps it running without an external power source.

Samsung Portable SSD T5 1TB – $199 USD

With Samsung V-NAND flash memory and a USB 3.1 Gen 2 interface, the T5 provides transfer speeds of up to 540 MB/s. It can also be used as an external recording solution for the BMPCC4K.

Core SWX PowerBase-70 – $345 USD

The PowerBase-70 Battery Pack is a 77Wh, 14.8V Lithium-ion battery designed to extend running times of smaller cameras. This battery pack comes with a base that accommodates the battery and a battery paddle to insert into the camera. The PowerBase-70 mounts under the camera and doubles as a grip, or can be attached to a camera support via its 1/4″-20 release plate or V-mount.

Hawk-Woods Mini V-Lok 14.4V 98Wh Li-Ion Battery – $356 USD

The Hawk-Woods Mini V-Lok 14.4V 98Wh Li-Ion Battery is a V-mount battery featuring a mini design suitable for when you want a long run but want to save on weight and space. The battery features an LED voltage indicator and a D-Tap port.

Kessler Lamprey Suction Mount – $274.95 USD

The Lamprey is designed for car rigging or attaching to any non-porous surface like windows or table tops. It features an 8” suction cup mount with a built-in pump rated for 200lbs of force.

OConnor Camera Assistant Bag – $356.25 USD

The Camera Assistant Bag (not the most original name, but hey it works) features a water and dust-resistant liner with stuff pockets, the bag is also designed without any internal seams and features a hinged lid that can be left open on set without putting sensitive equipment at risk.

Artlist – $16.60 USD/month

I personally use Artlist for most of my music needs. A subscription gives you unlimited downloads, use in any project including commercial, lifetime use for the songs you download, and all music is pre-checked for YouTube monetization.

Steadicam Air 15 Monopod – $399.95 USD

The Steadicam Air 15 Monopod is gas lift activated by a foot pedal for adjustable height. With gas lift and spring activated adjustments possible, the Steadicam Air 15 weighs only 3.5 lb, and has a payload capacity of 15lb. There are three sections on the Air 15 Monopod. One of them features a twist lock leg with 360-degree rotation. To adjust the height, simply activate with the rubberized foot pedal. This allows for a non-slip operation while in the field.

Bright Tangerine Titan Support Arm – $249 USD

The Titan Arm is a unique support articulating arm with its self-supporting feature. Capable of supporting up to 8kg/17lbs it features an ergonomic kip lever that acts as the central locking system, allowing you to simultaneously lock or release all the three articulated joints.

Wooden Camera battery adapter plates – $175- $275 USD

These adapter battery plates give you V-Lock to Gold mount (or Gold mount to V-Lock) with different versions depending on what combination of connectors you have on your camera and battery. Each has three D-Tap connectors.

Titla Nucleus-Nano: Wireless Lens Control System – $229 USD

The Nucleus-Nano is a wireless lens control system specifically designed for handheld gimbal systems. It makes it possible for a single operator to control a lens gear while simultaneously operating their gimbal. The Nano system is compatible with all DSLR, mirrorless, and modified “cine-style” vintage photo lenses.

Bright Tangerine Misfit Atom – $379.98 USD

The Misfit Atom 4 x 5.65″ / 4 x 4″ Ultra Lightweight 2-Stage Clip-On Matte Box is a small, lightweight yet strong, clamp-on matte box for lenses with an outer diameter of up to 114mm. It holds up to two 4 x 4″ or 4 x 5.65″ filters without using filter trays and provides a wide field of view suitable for many wide-angle lenses even with two filters mounted.

Smartta SliderMini – $399 USD

The Smartta SliderMini is designed for small mirrorless, DSLR cameras, and smartphones. The SiderMini features a motor and is controlled via an app on your smartphone or tablet.

Blind Spot Gear Power Junkie Breakout box for Sony NP-F Batteries – £49

The Power Junkie is a power distribution box that utilizes the popular Sony L series batteries, offering two 5V USB and a DC 7.2V barrel outputs. It is compatible with the NP-F 550, 750 & 970 sizes.

DJI Osmo Mobile 2 Smartphone Gimbal – $119.95 USD

While DJI now has the Osmo Pocket, if you already own the latest generation smartphone you might be better off with this simple and inexpensive gimbal.

LaCie 2TB DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive – $336.66 USD

he DJI Copilot BOSS provides up to 2TB of storage for up to 60 hours of 4K video at 30 fps and is especially well-suited for those who require an in-field backup solution with direct ingestion that does not require a computer, while also providing mobile file management and mobile device charging.

Dracast LED500 Pro Daylight LED Light with V-Mount Battery Plate – $199.95 USD

A very affordable, daylight balanced LED light. Hard to beat at this price.

X-Rite ColorChecker Passport Video – $148.99 USD

ColorChecker’s are great tools to keep in your bag. They give you a good reference when you are out shooting.

If any of our readers have any good suggestions for gifts, please feel free to list them in the comments section below.

[ntrending]

Five science tricks to scare up a better Halloween costume

New Post has been published on https://nexcraft.co/five-science-tricks-to-scare-up-a-better-halloween-costume/

Five science tricks to scare up a better Halloween costume

Halloween is coming, which means the race for the most awesome costume is on. Fortunately, a little science can add some serious fright to your get-up. These tricks only require a little advance preparation, but your friends will remember the result for years to come.

Apply makeup that only appears under ultraviolet LEDs

Want to play Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? You can paint your skin with glowing scars, creepy eye makeup, and veiny hands…that only appear under ultraviolet light. Add some UV LEDs to your costume, and you’ll be able to turn this makeup on and off with a switch. Alternatively, amp up your vampire look with similar UV-reactive makeup that does appear under normal light but produces fluorescesce in the presence of a blacklight.

To put this look together, you’ll need specially-formulated face paint that reacts to ultraviolet light. Brands like Moon Glow and PaintGlow specialize entirely in this type of UV-reactive makeup. For hair products that glow, look for gel from Manic Panic.

Once you have your face paint, you’ll need some wearable LEDs. Look for UV-emitting strip lights, sometimes called “blacklight” strips, which are widely available at hardware stores and online. Choose lights that you can cut and that come wired to a connector, preferably a DC receptacle. If you can’t find a strip with a DC power source, get one with a solderless connector, buy a separate DC receptacle at an electric supply store, and attach the two in seconds—no tools required. In the long haul, this setup is not the sturdiest, but you only need it for a night.

For power, you have a couple options. A battery holder with a DC plug can attach directly to your light strip. Or grab a power bank like the one you use to charge your phone, attach it to a USB-to-DC converter, and connect that to your LEDs. However, before you plug in the power bank, check its maximum instantaneous amperage limit, usually found in the user’s manual. Compare that to the overall amperage the LED strip will pull, which you’ll find in the specifications sheet. If the light strip draws more amps than the battery can provide, the power will drain too quickly, potentially destroying the power bank.

This video demonstrates how to connect a power source to LED strips. Although the focus is on lights that go under your clothes, rather than illuminating your face and hands as we want to do, the principle is the same.

Now that you have your materials in hand, use fabric glue or pins to attach the light strip to your clothing. Put on your UV-enabled costume, apply your UV-reactive makeup, and then test the range of the lights in total darkness. This should show you how the effect is working and whether you need to tweak the setup.

Expel smoke from your fingers

If you’re playing a wizard, or perhaps Old Scratch himself, use some classic stage magic to add that extra frisson of brimstone. All you’ll need is a matchbox, scissors, a lighter, and a metal container small enough to tuck into your pocket, like a mint tin.

First stick your container in the freezer to make it as cold as you can. Leave the container to chill for at least half an hour. While it chills, cut the striker off a matchbox—the fresher the better—and fold it in half lengthwise with the striking sides against each other. Remove any cardboard stuck to the striker. After the metal has cooled, take it out and place the folded striker on top.

In a well-ventilated space, use the lighter to burn the striker at both ends, running it up and down the striker to ensure it ignites evenly. The striker will eventually go out on its own, after a minute to a minute and a half, leaving a brown residue behind in the metal. That’s the phosphorus that ensures a match goes up. Once you’ve got it on the metal, you can throw the charred remains of the striker away. Put the container back in the freezer until it’s party time. You won’t need to keep it chilled at the party, but this is a good way to keep the phosphorus dormant until you need it.

When you head to your Halloween party, bring the metal with you. To perform the trick, just run your thumb and forefinger through the phosphorus (discreetly, of course) and then rub them together. Smoke (really evaporated phosphorus, set off by the friction) will roll off your fingers. The phosphorus on your fingers will glow in the dark, and so will the “smoke.”

One note: Phosphorus can be very dangerous. Although this effect only provides an extremely low dose, maybe don’t do this trick daily. And if somebody shows up to the party as a match girl with phossy jaw, consider shelving your smoking-fingers device for another day.

Yank pins out of your skin

If you’re planning to dress as a zombie or a certain Cenobite of ‘80s horror fame, add a little interactive element to your costume by inserting a few blood-spattered pins into your arm or face, then letting people can yank them out. Of course, you’re not really going to stab yourself with pins—but some stage blood and makeup glue will give guests the illusion that you did.

A quick warning: If you’re allergic to latex, check the makeup glue ingredients carefully. Many of them use latex, and anaphylactic shock is not a fun costume trick!

First, find a spot on your body where your skin is relatively loose. To test it, lay a long pin flat on the surface and pinch two ridges of flesh together around the metal. Choose a pin that’s relatively long and has an elaborate head so it will be easily visible.

Once you’ve picked a good spot, apply the makeup glue to that area, put the pin in the middle, and pinch your skin together lightly, just enough to cover the middle of the pin and keep it in place. To ensure that nobody notices you’ve glued yourself together, you might want to fill in the pinched area with a little foundation. Complete the effect with a little fake gore.

At your soiree, just ask somebody to grab the pin head and pull. Make sure to yell in pain, or perhaps issue a ghoulish chuckle, as the pin slides right out.

Pull a scarf through your neck

Want to really sell your ghost costume? Have somebody grab your tie or scarf, give it a tug, and watch them gape in shock as it seems to pop through your incorporeal neck. What you’re really doing is creating a loose knot that easily pops off (and isn’t visible from the front). For this trick, you’ll need a scarf or tie about four or five feet long, and some time to practice and really get the hang of the knot.

Here’s how it works: Put the scarf around your neck, take the ends in your hands, and pull gently until the left-hand side hangs longer than the right. Cross your arms, right over left, with your right hand holding the scarf a little higher than your left. Pull your right hand across, forming a u-bend. Wrap the part of your scarf held by your left hand around your neck, over the bend, and follow with your right, gently resting the loop on the back of your neck. This is a little tough to visualize, so check out the video below for more details.

Knot enthusiasts might find these steps familiar. That’s because the method mimics the first two steps in a basic quick-release hitch. For novice tie-ers, this trick may take a little practice.

Finally, ask someone to tug on the left-hand end, and the scarf will seem to fall “through” your body. Once you’ve got the knot down, you can re-tie your neck gear and endlessly repeat the performance.

Play undead with no pulse and endless guts.

If you’re going to be one of the legion of Halloween zombies, you should give your costume a couple touches that make it stand out.

The first trick just requires a rubber ball. Hide it in your armpit, ask someone to take your pulse from your wrist, and then squeeze the ball. This will temporarily block your radial artery, which delivers pulsing blood to your wrist. Search as they might, your friend won’t detect the tell-tale sign of life.

If that’s too subtle, try a new take on the old endless hanky gag. Get some red “silks,” available at magic shops (you can also make your own with bolts of fabric), and knot them together end to end with a simple square knot. Then fold your ties to form a stack and twist them until they fit in something small and portable, like a cardboard tube.

Stick the tube in your shirt, leaving the end sticking out, and ask somebody to play pull-the-intestine. For bonus points, tie something gross, like a rubber heart, to the last tie. This is particularly great if you really ham it up; shriek, make gagging sounds, or hide a handy fake blood capsule so it sprays over your audience.

Written By Dan Seitz