Tablets, Ranked

By Chaz G. T. Patto

Saying decisively that a certain product is "the best" can really vary year by year as styles change and models get updated, become obsolete or are discontinued. But major companies also have reputations to consider.

Ranking the reputations of manufacturers is subjective and can vary based on individual preferences, specific categories, and customer experiences. The reputation of manufacturers can be influenced by factors such as quality, craftsmanship, design, durability, customer service, and value for money. While it is a difficult process to provide an all-encompassing ranking, here are several well-regarded manufacturers with a stellar reputation:

1. Samsung: Samsung is widely regarded as having the most reputable brand known for its wide range of tablets, including the Galaxy Tab series. They offer tablets in various sizes and configurations, catering to different user needs. Samsung tablets are recognized for their vibrant displays, solid performance, and features such as S Pen compatibility and DeX mode.

2. Apple: Apple is a reputable and influential brand in the tablet market. Their iPad lineup, including the iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad mini, has set industry standards for design, performance, and user experience. Apple's tablets are known for their high-quality displays, powerful processors, extensive app ecosystem, and seamless integration with other Apple devices.

3. Microsoft: Microsoft's Surface lineup has gained a strong reputation, particularly in the 2-in-1 tablet category. The Surface Pro and Surface Go tablets are highly regarded for their premium build quality, productivity-focused features, and seamless integration with Windows software. Microsoft tablets often appeal to professionals and creative users due to their versatility and compatibility with accessories like the Surface Pen and Type Cover.

4. Lenovo: Lenovo offers a range of tablets, including both Android-based and Windows-based devices. Their Yoga Tab and ThinkPad tablet series have gained recognition for their unique designs, long battery life, and solid performance. Lenovo tablets often provide a good balance between affordability and features.

5. Amazon: Amazon's Fire tablets have gained popularity for their affordable price points and integration with Amazon's services. While they may not have the same level of high-end features as other brands, Amazon tablets are known for their budget-friendly options, access to a vast library of digital content, and user-friendly interface.

6. Huawei: Huawei has made strides in the tablet market with its MatePad series. They offer tablets with sleek designs, vibrant displays, and solid performance. Huawei tablets often appeal to users looking for a good balance between features and value for money.

7. Google: Google's Pixel Slate and Pixel C tablets have gained a moderate reputation for their clean software experience and integration with Google's ecosystem. However, Google's presence in the tablet market has been relatively limited compared to other manufacturers.

8. Asus: Asus offers a variety of tablets, including their ZenPad and Transformer Pad series. While they may not have as high of a brand reputation as some other manufacturers, Asus tablets are appreciated for their affordability, decent performance, and features like expandable storage.

 

Android Tablet Apps for Babies and Toddlers

While we don't encourage just giving your baby or toddler electronic gadgets all the time, it can sometimes be an useful tool for learning.

With that in mind we made this list of android apps for babies and toddlers with EDUCATION in mind.

#1. Sesame Street Go

Cost: Free

This media-streaming app is the best thing to ever happen to fans of this beloved children's show. Find video clips and games featuring Elmo, Big Bird, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster, and the rest of the Sesame Street crew as they promote interactive learning through tons of silly, familiar fun.

#2. Captain McFinn's Swim & Play

Cost: Free

This unique learning app for 3- to 5-year-olds is the first app to incorporate a live, interactive host. Taking inspiration from popular kids' shows like "Blue's Clues," "Dora the Explorer," and "The Good Night Show," Captain McFinn's engages kids in an underwater adventure while promoting emotional and social development.

#3. LumiKids Park

Cost: Free

This award-winning app from Luminosity is an ideal tool for learning-based play for kids between the ages of two and five. This intuitive gaming experience enables kids to explore a friendly virtual park while strengthening cognitive, motor, and social-emotional skills. Exceptionally cute animation offers an added bonus.

#4. Animal Sounds for Baby

Cost: Free

Designed for littles one between six months and 5 years, this app is used by tapping, tilting, or shaking your device to hear the sounds of different cute critters displayed on the screen. The adorable animals on this Laugh & Learn app from Fisher Price include a cow, tiger, monkey, penguin, and pig. The app will keep little ones entertained, and it'll perk up the ears of any nearby pets, too!

#5. Baby's Musical Hands

Cost: Free

Sitting with a baby or toddler in your lap who wants to fiddle with your phone? This app is the perfect solution. A panel of brightly colored squares provides an array of musical notes when pressed, allowing for the infinite creation of enjoyable baby melodies. As a fun surprise, each touch produces a spray of sparkling stars across the screen to help keep Baby's interest.

#6. I Hear Ewe

Cost: Free

These animated animals come to life when you touch them. The parrot squawks, the monkey screams, and the lion roars, making this app a toddler favorite. With images of 24 creatures and 12 vehicles, both babies and young kids love to play and learn with I Hear Ewe. Each time they touch an animal or vehicle, the name of that item is announced along with a real sound effect. Choose from one of four languages for an added level of learning.

#7. Baby Rattle

Cost: Free

This app is perfect for a curious, hands-on baby and transforms your phone into a shakeable rattle with fun interactions. Great for babies who have just started to become fascinated by the phone, this app appeals to both sight and sound with a simple, clean design. Choose from four rattle styles that each make a different sound when baby shakes your phone. Cute animations offer a new level of engagement with fun sounds when tapped. Now, if only there were an app that would keep Baby from putting your phone in her mouth...

MORE!

Below is a list of Android tablet apps that are suitable for babies and toddlers:

1. Baby Piano - A simple piano app with colorful keys that produce different sounds and notes when touched.

2. Peekaboo Barn - An interactive app that introduces animals and their sounds through a fun peekaboo game.

3. Baby Flashcards - Features a variety of flashcards with colorful images and accompanying sounds to help toddlers learn words and concepts.

4. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Shapes & Colors - Offers interactive activities to teach shapes, colors, numbers, and more through engaging games and animations.

5. Baby Phone - A virtual phone app designed for babies and toddlers, featuring colorful buttons and animal sounds to entertain and engage them.

6. Endless Alphabet - Helps toddlers learn the alphabet through interactive puzzles and animated characters.

7. Toca Kitchen Monsters - Lets toddlers play with virtual food, encouraging creativity and exploration in a safe environment.

8. Sago Mini Puppy Preschool - Provides a collection of mini-games that help toddlers develop basic skills such as counting, matching, and problem-solving.

9. Puzzingo - Offers a variety of puzzles with different themes, including animals, vehicles, and shapes, to improve cognitive skills and hand-eye coordination.

10. Baby Hazel Games - Features a series of interactive games and activities based on the popular Baby Hazel character, promoting creativity and imagination.

11. Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame - Utilizes Sesame Street characters to teach children problem-solving, self-control, and resilience through engaging stories and activities.

12. Pepi Bath - A virtual bath-time experience that allows toddlers to play and explore while learning about personal hygiene and daily routines.

13. ABC Kids - Traces letters and helps toddlers practice writing, with interactive games and colorful visuals to make learning fun.

14. Dr. Panda's Restaurant - Lets toddlers run their own virtual restaurant, fostering creativity and teaching basic cooking skills.

15. LEGO DUPLO Train - Allows toddlers to build and interact with virtual LEGO trains, promoting spatial awareness and problem-solving skills.

Remember to always supervise your child while they are using these apps and ensure that the content is appropriate for their age.

The Best Tech Gadgets Released in 2020

Excluding phones and tablets. If you're looking for phones see What are the best high end cellphones of 2020?

 Many of these would make excellent xmas presents, depending upon the person you are buying for.

1. PlayStation 5 (PS5): Sony's next-generation gaming console with advanced hardware, ray tracing support, faster load times, and immersive gaming experiences. It introduced the DualSense controller with haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.

2. Xbox Series X/S: Microsoft's next-generation gaming consoles offering powerful performance, fast loading times, and backward compatibility with previous Xbox games. The Xbox Series X emphasized high-fidelity gaming, while the Xbox Series S provided a more affordable option.

3. Apple Watch Series 6: The latest iteration of Apple's popular smartwatch with features like blood oxygen level monitoring, an always-on display, advanced health tracking capabilities, and a range of watch faces and bands.

4. Amazon Echo (4th Generation): A smart speaker powered by Amazon's Alexa voice assistant. It featured a new spherical design, improved sound quality, and integrated smart home control.

5. DJI Mavic Air 2: A consumer drone with advanced features, including a 4K camera, 34 minutes of flight time, improved obstacle avoidance, and intelligent flight modes.

6. Fitbit Sense: A premium smartwatch focused on health and wellness features, including stress monitoring, EDA scan for skin temperature and stress response, heart rate tracking, sleep analysis, and built-in GPS.

7. Sonos Arc: A high-end soundbar from Sonos offering immersive home theater audio, with support for Dolby Atmos and a sleek design. It integrated seamlessly with other Sonos speakers for a multi-room audio setup.

8. Microsoft Surface Duo: A dual-screen mobile device that combined the functionality of a smartphone and a mini-tablet. It featured two 5.6-inch OLED displays that could be used individually or together for multitasking.

9. Oculus Quest 2: A standalone virtual reality headset offering improved performance, higher resolution displays, and a lighter design compared to its predecessor. It provided a wireless VR experience without the need for a PC.

10. JBL Boombox 2: A portable Bluetooth speaker known for its powerful audio output, long battery life, and rugged design. It offered IPX7 waterproofing and a built-in power bank to charge devices on the go.

11. GoPro Hero 9 Black: An action camera with a higher resolution sensor, improved stabilization, and features like front-facing display, 5K video recording, and enhanced battery life.

12. Sony WH-1000XM4: Noise-canceling wireless headphones recognized for their excellent sound quality and effective noise isolation. They offered advanced noise cancellation technology, long battery life, and support for high-resolution audio.

List of Tech Gadgets Released in 2019

If you're looking for a smartphone check out yesterday's post about the Best Smartphones of 2019

The list below does not include phones or tablets. Obviously many of these might make a good xmas gift.

1. Nintendo Switch Lite: A compact and more affordable version of the Nintendo Switch gaming console designed for handheld play. It featured a smaller form factor and integrated controls, targeting portable gaming enthusiasts.

2. Apple AirPods Pro: Upgraded wireless earbuds from Apple with active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, and a customizable fit. They offered features like Transparency mode and hands-free "Hey Siri" support.

3. Amazon Echo Show 5: A smart display with a 5.5-inch screen powered by Amazon's Alexa. It offered voice control, visual information display, video calling, and integration with smart home devices.

4. Sony WH-1000XM3: Noise-canceling wireless headphones renowned for their exceptional sound quality and industry-leading noise cancellation technology. They provided long battery life and intuitive touch controls.

5. Fitbit Versa 2: A smartwatch focused on fitness tracking, sleep monitoring, and heart rate monitoring. It offered built-in Amazon Alexa, music storage, and various health and wellness features.

6. DJI Mavic Mini: A compact and lightweight drone designed for hobbyists and beginners. It offered a 2.7K camera, precise flight controls, and automated flight modes.

7. Sonos Move: A portable smart speaker that seamlessly integrated with the Sonos ecosystem. It provided both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, voice control, and weather resistance.

8. Microsoft Surface Pro 7: A versatile 2-in-1 laptop-tablet hybrid with an improved design and performance. It offered Intel's 10th generation processors, a high-resolution display, and enhanced battery life.

9. GoPro Hero 8 Black: A rugged action camera with improved stabilization, 4K video recording, and enhanced features for vlogging and content creation.

10. Oculus Quest: A standalone virtual reality headset that provided immersive gaming experiences without the need for a PC or external sensors. It offered six degrees of freedom and a wide range of games and experiences.

11. Garmin Fenix 6: A premium multisport GPS watch focused on outdoor activities. It provided advanced tracking features, including heart rate monitoring, GPS navigation, and mapping capabilities.

12. JBL Flip 5: A portable Bluetooth speaker known for its powerful sound and rugged design. It offered waterproofing and a long-lasting battery for on-the-go music enjoyment.

 

Directional Couplers

All About Directional Couplers

You may have heard of directional couplers but not really known what is meant by the term. This is true for most people, so it is nothing to really be alarmed about. Here is a basic breakdown of everything you need to know about directional couplers.

Essentially, the couplers are circuits consisting of four-ports where a single port is completely isolated from the input port. By consisting of these attributes, they are defined as networks of passive reciprocity. Each of the four ports is matched to the other three and the circuit is completely lossless.

There are several ways in which the realization of the directional coupler applications can be solidified. These ways include coaxial, stripline, wavelength, and microstrip. They can be used in this way to sample the signal. This sampling technique can include both the wave reflections and the actual incident itself. The couplers also generally work by using the individual properties distributed by microwave circuits. This property of coupling tends to exclusively work within a distance of a quarter-wavelength or in portions of multiple quarter-wavelengths of the device doing the distribution.

The four ports of the directional coupler each have individual names and attributes. The first port is known as the through port. This port is where the signal of incidence mainly exists. The second port is known as the coupled port. This port is where a portion of the input signal will appear and represent itself in the form of decibels, in most cases. The third port is called the isolated port which is where the signal will be terminated. The fourth port, obviously, is called the input. This port is where the signal originates. In some instances, the end user may choose to reverse the direction of the signal so that it actually exits through the input port but this is not a common occurrence.

Best Tech Gadgets Released in 2017

Excluding phones and tablets. Obviously. If you're looking for phones check out yesterday's post about the Best Smartphones of 2017.

1. Nintendo Switch: A hybrid gaming console that can be used both as a handheld device and connected to a TV. It introduced a unique concept with detachable controllers and popular games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey.

2. Apple AirPods: Wireless earbuds designed for seamless integration with Apple devices. They offered automatic pairing, Siri integration, and a compact charging case.

3. Amazon Echo (2nd Generation): A smart speaker powered by Amazon's virtual assistant, Alexa. It provided voice control for music playback, smart home automation, information retrieval, and more.

4. Google Home Mini: A compact smart speaker powered by Google Assistant. It offered voice control for various tasks, including playing music, managing smart home devices, and answering queries.

5. DJI Spark: A mini drone with intelligent flight features, such as gesture control and automatic obstacle avoidance. It was designed for easy operation and capturing aerial photos and videos.

6. Fitbit Ionic: A smartwatch focused on fitness tracking, offering features like heart rate monitoring, GPS, music storage, and contactless payment capabilities.

7. Sony WH-1000XM2: Noise-canceling wireless headphones known for their excellent sound quality and effective noise isolation. They offered long battery life and customizable noise-canceling settings.

8. Microsoft Xbox One X: A powerful gaming console that supported native 4K gaming and offered enhanced performance compared to its predecessors. It provided backward compatibility with Xbox One games.

9. GoPro Hero 6 Black: A rugged action camera capable of shooting 4K videos at 60 frames per second. It featured improved image stabilization, enhanced low-light performance, and advanced video recording modes.

10. Sonos One: A smart speaker with built-in voice control powered by Amazon Alexa. It delivered high-quality sound and allowed seamless integration with other Sonos speakers for multi-room audio.

11. Samsung Gear Sport: A smartwatch focused on fitness and water resistance. It offered built-in GPS, heart rate monitoring, and various fitness tracking features.

12. Oculus Rift with Touch Controllers: A virtual reality headset that provided immersive gaming and multimedia experiences. It included handheld controllers for precise motion tracking.

Apple: It's good if you like crap

So the video below is by YouTube user Rick Beato - who has purchased a lot of Apple products over the years. Feel free to listen to his rant about why he thinks old Apple products are actually better than new Apple products.




Why I despise all Apple products: Overrated, Overpriced, Incompatible Garbage

By C. M.

To me Apple products were NEVER good, and it was never for a lack of using them.

• My high school used Apple computers. They always had errors.
• My university used Apple computers. They were annoyingly slow and had compatibility problems.
• Several work places over the years used Apple computers. They were very slow to work with. Doing what is normally a simple task would take forever on a Mac.
• My wife has an Apple computer and 2 iPhones. Both of which I find annoyingly slow to use due to bad software design.

And I hated these horrible computers the whole time.

So when iPods, iPhones and iPads eventually came out, I was none too impressed because it was always the same problems.

• Apple was not compatible with anything else - often including other Apple products.
• They were slower to use.
• Could not be modified or personalized as easily.
• More errors.
• Even simple things like using the phone to call people was sometimes beyond products like the iPhone 4 because of design faults.

And to top it all off, Apple products are notoriously overpriced and overrated. eg. You could get equivalent products from other manufacturers (Hewlett Packard for computers, Samsung for cellphones) which had better prices, better reviews, and less problems.

And innovation? Basically non-existent.

True, the iPhone and iPad were the first mass market smartphones and tablets which won popularity - but they were not the first products of this kind. They were actually ripped off from older products that were less popular, but had been innovative ahead of their time.

All Apple did was take innovative products, make a few tiny improvements, slap the Apple logo on it, and then market it.

And to be clear, most of Apple's operating expenses is actually marketing.

They spend very little on innovation.
Their software designs have become increasingly sloppy (as pointed out in the video at the top).
They don't even manufacture their own parts - they farm that out to Samsung and other companies and then hire intermediate factories to assemble the final product.

This is why the new iPhone X is now $999... and yet really doesn't anything new to brag about. It is basically identical to the iPhone 8 with a few minor tweaks.

The biggest change is actually just the price tag.

So look at the huge price jump between the iPhone 8 and the X. It is an extra $300 USD.

So what has changed...?

Slightly Bigger Screen Size, Resolution and Ratio

• iPhone X - 5.8-inch 18.5:9 True Tone OLED, 2436 x 1125 pixels (458 ppi), 82.9% screen-to-body ratio
• iPhone 8 - 4.7-inch 16:9 True Tone LCD, 1334 x 750 pixels (326 ppi), 65.6% screen-to-body ratio

Size and Weighs More

• iPhone X - 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm (5.65 x 2.79 x 0.30 in) and 174g (6.14 oz)
• iPhone 8 - 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm (5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 in) and 148g (5.22 oz)

Lightning Port

• iPhone X - Lightning Port compatibility problems.
• iPhone 8 - Lightning Port compatibility problems.

Chipset

• iPhone X - Apple A11 ‘Bionic’ chipset: Six Core CPU, Six Core GPU, producing 2.5 GHz, M11 motion coprocessor, 3GB RAM
• iPhone 8 - Apple A11 ‘Bionic’ chipset: Six Core CPU, Six Core GPU, producing 2.5 GHz, M11 motion coprocessor, 2GB RAM

Release Date

• iPhone X - November 3rd 2017. (2 weeks to go...)
• iPhone 8 - September 22nd 2017. (Almost 1 month ago...)

Price and GB Space

• iPhone X - 64GB ($999), 256GB ($1,149)
• iPhone 8 - 64GB ($699), 256GB ($849)

Trust me, when getting a new cellphone it is worth it to have the extra space. So only morons would buy the 64 GB version.

But ultimately you are paying an extra $300 for ... what? Slightly better screen resolution and size? I suppose if you cannot afford a TV set and you watch movies on your cellphone all the time, it might be worth it...

Meanwhile those of us with brains just go and buy a TV set.

eg. Canadians can currently get a Samsung 50" 4K UHD HDR LED Tizen Smart TV for $799.99 CDN at Best Buy. (Sale ends November 2nd 2017.)

And then just Netflix and Chill.

Is an extra tiny bit of screen size really important to you that you have to pay an extra $300?

Because if it is, just go buy a tablet - or a mini tablet even. They are getting really cheap...

Asides from price the biggest new thing on the iPhone X is that it has a retinal eye scanner, making it more difficult for thieves to open your phone - or making it more difficult for your husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend to check if you are cheating on them.

Meanwhile, just for argument's sake... lets see what Samsung is coming out with.


The Samsung Galaxy S8 (already on the market) is:

• The exact same screen size as the iPhone X. (So evidently the iPhone X is copying Samsung.)
• 64 GB in the base model (same thing), but you can get up to 256 GB.
• 4 GB RAM (that is 1 extra GB of RAM more than the iPhone X, and double what the iPhone 8 offers).
• 2960 x 1440 pixels (570 ppi), 18.5:9 ratio (same ratio, but with an extra 112 ppi than the iPhone X)
• Chipset x8 - Exynos 8895 Octa - EMEA Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 (so 8 chips instead of 6 in the iPhone 8 or X) producing 4x2.35 GHz Kryo.
• Micro USB port - compatible with pretty much everything on the market (except Apple phones obviously). 
• Li-Ion 3000 mAh battery. (The iPhone X only has a 2,715 mAh battery.)

And that is the current model that has been available since March 2017. 8 months ago.

So clearly the Samsung S8 is already superior to the iPhone X. More pixels per inch, more RAM, more compatibility, and more battery life. The CPU speeds are comparable.

But above I said "lets see what Samsung is coming out with."

Meaning the future. Not what Samsung released 8 months ago. What we really should be talking about is the...

Samsung S9

Samsung Galaxy S9

• Featuring a retinal scanner - again, so people can cheat on their significant others - but also with the options for facial recognition and fingerprint scanning.
• Probable release date? February 26th or March 2018.
• Snapdragon 845 processor - with 30% more power efficiency than the 835, which increases battery life.
• Boost modem speed by 20% so you can download files from the internet that much faster.
• Base price expected to be $1,049.99. Expect closer to $1,199.99 for the 256 GB version.

A lot of the details of what the S9 will have are unknown at this time.

But what we do know is several things.

1. It will probably be more expensive than the iPhone X.
2. It will be better than the iPhone X (seeing as the S8 is already better).
3. It will provide faster internet.
4. Significantly longer battery life - which will be a huge step forward.

And therein lies the problem with the whole Apple Vs Samsung rivalry. They are always trying to one up each other, but Samsung is increasingly winning.

Just look at the iPhone 8 / X for example. The S8 came out back in March 2017 and it took Apple 7 months to come out with the iPhone 8 (a clearly inferior product) and then they are rushing to market the iPhone X before Christmas (which is also still an inferior product, just not as bad as the 8).

So why should anyone buy somebody an inferior product as a Christmas gift?

Or better yet, why not wait? Just wait for the S9 to come out in February/March 2018 and then get it as a birthday gift or whatever instead. Because it will clearly be a superior product.

Which explains why Samsung will be able to charge an extra $50 USD for it.

Sigh.

Years ago we posted about the iPhone 4: Apple doesn't make the iPhone.

During the post we explained how most of the iPhone was made by other companies, like Samsung. The actual cost of the components to make it was a mere $178 USD.

So a good question now is, what does the components of an iPhone X or Samsung S9 actually cost?

It is an important question, but I am willing to bet it is less than $200 USD for both. They just jack up the price and sell it for $999 or $1200.

Which makes you realize that most of what they are doing is marketing. Marketing and claims about how wonderful their product is.

It makes me wonder what would happen if someone came out with a No Name Brand cellphone.

Spend zero on marketing, but design it, use Android as an operating system, and then sell it for a mere $333. Less than one third the price of an iPhone X or a Samsung S9, but with all the power, performance, screeen resolution, etc.

And don't sell it in Best Buy or electronics stores... sell it in grocery stores. Which means every time people go to buy food they see a sleekly designed smartphone that is affordable and does everything you expect a smartphone to do. A seemingly basic model that has comparable performance.

It would not be a status symbol like Apple or Samsung have become. It would be a phone that works, is inexpensive, and there is no fuss about company rivalry or status.

That would be a welcome change actually.

The Micro Air Conditioner that runs on Solar Power from your Window

What if you could buy an air conditioner that only weighs less than 10 lbs, fits in a small space in your window, and runs off of a solar panel that is on the rear of the air conditioner and facing the great outdoors?

It wouldn't be very powerful. The solar panel is small and only produces 10 Watts of power.

10 Watts of power, producing 100 BTUs of cooling. That isn't much, but here is the trick... you don't just buy 1. You buy one for every window in your home.

So if you have 5 windows in your home, you buy five of these micro air conditioners and put one in each window - producing 500 BTUs and cooling your home without a single cent of electricity from the grid.

Each micro air conditioner unit sells for $89 each and includes everything you need to install it in your window.

Pros

• Affordable, saves on electricity whereas conventional air conditioners cost way more on your electricity bill.
• Constantly cooling your home - even at night, using battery energy stored up from the day before.
• Because it cools your home constantly from multiple units it prevents your home from heating and cooling and heating and cooling cycles that a normal air conditioner goes through since most people only turn a conventional air conditioner on during time periods when it is more affordable electricity prices.
• Easy to transport, since it weighs less than 10 lbs.
• Easy to install. You just slide it into the gap of your window and window frame - and adjust the wings to make the window air tight.
• If you already own a conventional air conditioner you will save money on electricity costs.
• Perfect for people who want to live in an off the grid home.

Cons

There is one big problem with this product. It currently doesn't exist. We came up with the idea for the invention earlier today (June 21st 2017).

Slightly larger units producing 20 Watts of power / 200 BTUs and similar designs could be used to fill larger spaces in windows, providing even more cooling power.

The problem with conventional air conditioners is that even a small air conditioner uses 500 Watts of power and produces 5000 BTUs, but the amount of electricity being used and the subsequent cost is outrageous.

A single 500 Watt air conditioner costs the user 0.5 kWh per hour. During peak hours in Ontario (all electricity rates below are from Toronto Hydro, each kWh costs you 15.7 cents, but if you are running your air conditioner during peak hours for 25 hours per week it will cost you $1.9625 per week just for that amount of time being used*.

* You might also be running it during mid peak and off peak hours, costing 11.3 cents or 7.7 cents per kWh.

Do that for 25 weeks of the year for a single year and that is $98.125 (plus tax).

If you let your 500 Watt air conditioner run constantly for 28 days it would cost you the following:

100 Peak Hours at 15.7 cents per kWh = $7.85

120 Mid Peak Hours at 11.3 cents per kWh = $6.78

432 Off Peak Hours at 7.7 cents per kWh = $16.632

Total $29.262 for letting your 500 Watt air conditioner run constantly for 28 days. That doesn't seem like much after all, but it does add up over time. (And do you really need to run it constantly?)

Of course, the price skyrockets if you are using a 1000 Watt or 1500 Watt air conditioner, effectively doubling or tripling the costs.

A single month of running a 1500 Watt air conditioner will cost $87.786 in electricity costs, roughly equal to the cost of the proposed $89 micro air conditioner - which a person could use 6 or more months per year with zero cost.

Slightly larger 20, 30 or 40 Watt air conditioners could still be made to be lightweight, producing more electricity - plus blocking out sunlight from your home - and producing 200, 300 or 400 BTUs of cooling.

"Micro air conditioners" do already exist - or at least they are called that. They still weigh between 26 and 74 lbs, and they are still pretty large and clunky. Clearly, their definition and my definition of the word "micro" differs. Why are they using the word micro to sell their products, when that word really doesn't represent what they are selling?

The air conditioning industry in my opinion should be thinking smaller, more efficient, and solar-powered.

In the future every window in a person's home could potentially be filled with a solar-powered air conditioner during the hottest months of the year - allowing people to cool their homes and keep them cool, using zero electricity from the grid.

Dashcam Discounts on Car Insurance

For awhile now I have been trying to convince my wife to get a Dashcam (aka Dashboard Camera) for her car that records her driving - and records what happens during an accident, likely proving that other drivers were at fault.

For car insurance purposes Dashcams provide the insurance company with a way to make the other person end up paying for the damages. (And consequently the other insurance company.)

For providing proof of who was at fault during a car accident, even if the owner of the dashcam is at fault, it justifies raising their insurance premiums - however statistically the people who buy dashcams tend to be rather safe and conscientious drivers. They know they are being watched by their own dashcam, and thus behave responsibly.

Thus it makes good sense to offer a discount to car drivers who use routinely use a dashcam. (At some point in the future, all cars might automatically come with a dashcam, just like they all come with seatbelts and other safety features.)

Also, Dashcams reduce the likelihood of people committing insurance fraud. So that is a bonus reason for insurance companies to provide a discount.

However not all companies provide a discount to owners of dashcams.

eg. TD Insurance does not provide insurance.

TD Insurance does provide a discount if the car owner has an approved after-market anti-theft system or an approved anti-theft etching system.

But nothing for Dashcams.

Which is disappointing because TD Insurance is my wife's source of car insurance.

So either I need to convince TD Insurance to provide a discount for Dashcams... or I need to convince my wife to switch to a car insurance company that does provide a discount and equitable insurance coverage.

There is another problem too.

So far very few companies in Canada do actually provide discounts to drivers who have a dashcam. A few do, but it isn't anywhere near an industry standard.

Which means consumers need to be doing a better job of ASKING for a discount.

And then saying "Oh, you don't provide a discount to people with dashcams? Oh. I guess I will find a different insurance company."

As it currently stands I am thinking of contacting TD Insurance to ask the following:

"Hello! I am trying to convince my wife to buy a dashcam. She is already a TD customer. Does TD Insurance provide a discount to drivers who have a dashcam?"

I already know the answer is no. But when they say no, I will say: "Oh. Okay. I will tell her to switch companies then. Goodbye!"

It is then implied that TD Insurance just lost a customer.

If enough people do what I am talking about, insurance companies will suddenly realize they should be providing a discount. It makes sense since it is in their own best interest to save costs. Even a small discount makes sense.

There are many Dashboard Cameras available on the market. I have not reviewed any yet, as I obviously still need to convince the wife that we should buy one in the first place.

Guide to Buying Electrical Equipment Online

How to Buy Electrical Equipment Online

It doesn't seem like is was that long ago that you could walk around town and see multiple shops selling electrical equipment and supplies. These shops stocked everything from plugs and cables to entire machines. The rise of the internet though led to a number of shops shutting down. Those stores could no longer compete with the low prices found on the web. Even if you do have a shop in your neighborhood, it may not stock everything that you need. While you can buy electrical equipment online, you need to shop carefully to make sure that you get what you want and need.

Read the Description

Before you add any item to your cart, always read the description carefully. Pay special attention to the measurements listed to ensure that the product you buy will fit your project or need. Reading the description can also show you whether the item is in brand new condition or used condition. Some online companies specialize in refurbished supplies. These products come from customers that used those items and later returned those items.

Check the Shipping Prices and Times

When you find a great deal on electrical equipment and supplies online, you might feel like jumping for joy. Before you jump too high, take a look at both the shipping prices and times. Many online retailers offer extremely low prices on products because they charge so much for shipping. Those shipping rates may double the cost of the item and make it much more expensive than you can find it on another site. You also want to look at how long shipping will take. Companies based in other countries can take six to eight weeks or even longer to ship that item to you. If you need that product faster, it's worthwhile to pay a little extra.

Look for Reviews

Whether you buy from a web store or an auction site, you can learn more about the seller before you buy. Read reviews posted on other sites, and check the feedback of sellers on auction sites. This lets you see what other shoppers felt about their experiences buying from that person or store, including how much they paid for shipping and any issues they had. If you're in the market for electrical supplies and equipment that you can use at home or at work, click here to find a wide range of products.

The iPhone 7 - A Review of Useless Techno Gadgetry

The new Apple iPhone 7 is out... on September 16th in Canada.

And really the question you should be asking is "Why would I even want this?"

Let me elaborate.

#1. The Idiotic Audio Jack

The new Apple iPhone 7 is ditching the normal (standard, universal) audio jack in favour of its own Apple audio jack. This doesn't offer any improvement in sound quality, it is really just an excuse to sell you more Apple products for a lot more money than they are actually worth.

They are also including an adapter (shown below), so that people with old audio jacks can still use normal headphones. Basically you either have to use the Apple headphones (which will be expensive) or you have to remember to carry around the idiotic adapter all the time, and if you lose it and need to replace it, it will also be expensive.

From this point onwards the charging port will double as the audiojack, and users will be encouraged to also use wireless headphones instead (which require separate batteries, huzzah).

Oh and one more thing!

Using the charging port as the audio jack also comes with another problem. You cannot charge your phone while listening to the headphones at the same time (unless you have the AidPods mentioned further below).

Anyone who likes charging their phone while they are driving in the car often wants to be able to listen to music too. The audio jack/charging port takes away a lot of that convenience that people are used to.

Instead you have to buy an extra $40 USD adapter (shown right) just so you can listen on your headphones while charging your phone.

Which is a fancy way for Apple to fleece you one more time for an extra $40.

Oh and the adapter only supports 48 kHz / 24-bit audio output, so that you basically have no choice but to use Apple headphones. Which implies that if you like attaching your iPhone to your car stereo so you can use the cars speakers you might run into some compatibility problems. (Next thing you know Apple will come out with the Apple iCar Stereo, which is only compatible with other Apple products. It could happen...)

The adapter is also one more thing for you to lose or break or for the cat to chew on.

#2. The Usual Incremental Improvements

As is the norm whenever a company comes out with a new phone, they offer some small incremental improvements compared to the old phone, things like

• faster processor
• better battery life
• more storage
• nicer camera
• slightly more water resistant
• slightly more dustproof
• yada yada

All such changes are basically the norm and is all part of the one-up-man-ship rivalry between various manufacturers. However if you already have an amazing phone in your pocket, the tiny incremental changes will seem pretty minor.

#3. More Zoom for your Camera

To elaborate on one of the incremental improvements mentioned above, lets look at the cameras for the iPhone 7 Plus. The back of the 7 Plus now has the regular wide-angle camera, and a second zoom optical camera just for zooming in more, up to 10 times. Having two cameras on the back also technically makes it possible for a person to make 3D videos, but only of objects that are very close to you / tiny - using it for anything else will give you an headache because the distance between the two camera lenses is too small.

Note that the regular Iphone 7 doesn't get the two cameras on the back. Only the 7 Plus gets that.

#4. Hints of 3D / Virtual Reality

Apple keeps hinting that they want to make their phones to become more like virtual reality headsets (selling you more gadgets), and it is basically implied that they are trying to get closer to making it a reality...

But the problem is the technology just isn't there yet, and neither is the demand.

The goal essentially is for people to be able to communicate (and play virtual reality games) with other people who are really far away, using one person's camera as interface to send the other person images of what they are seeing. Essentially a livestream 3D image of a real reality, transferred via the internet to another person who can then see it as a virtual reality.

However there is several problems...

A. Bandwidth speed is too slow to do what Apple wants it to do. The video ends up being really choppy, horrible, and sloooooow.

B. You look like a complete dork with an Apple iPhone strapped to your head. I don't care how much you manscape that beard, you still look like a dork.

Apple Virtual Reality Dork

Thus buying an iPhone 7 for its failed attempts at a level of technology that just isn't ready yet - and frankly will never be helpful to the dorks who cannot find a girlfriend.

Maybe that is really what Apple needs to invent. The "iGirlfriend", for dorks who cannot meet real women. She could be a virtual reality version of Siri.

This past Wednesday Apple held a press event in San Francisco and there is a complete lack of 3D / Virtual Reality demos during the event, perhaps suggesting that Apple knows they are not ready to be plunging into the dorky-ness foray of VR... At least not publicly.

#5. Be prepared to charge your Wireless Headphones Batteries

As mentioned further above, the Apple iPhone 7 is also pushing wireless headphones. Which means the headphones need their own batteries and have to be recharged regularly. If you ever feel we are actually going BACKWARDS with user-friendliness / ease of use, now is one of those moments.

The iPhone 7s come with charging port connectable wired earbuds, but Apple will also be selling wireless "AirPods" at a price of $219 in Canada. Yep, you heard correctly. $219 CDN for a pair of headphones you will quickly lose/break and it will cost you another $219 to replace them.

The AirPods have a very tiny battery life, 5 hours, and can only be recharged about 200 times before their battery life will be significantly decreased. So expect to have to buy a new set every 7 months or so as the batteries start dying all the time.

The Airpods also look pretty silly - like tiny miniature hair dryers. The "handle of the hair dryer" is to accomodate the battery, because apparently anything smaller would have such a short battery life span that it would make them useless and super annoying. So instead you get an unfashionable gadget that costs you $219 CDN... which you will frankly eventually want to lose on purpose just so you can stop wearing the damn things and use something more convenient.

We are not the only ones saying they look silly and are impractical either.

"Say what you will about focus groups, but the earbuds Apple introduced would have been laughed off and shortcomings identified in [five minutes]," says Kaan Yigit, president of Toronto-based analysis firm Solutions Research Group, on Twitter.

Apple executives meanwhile claim that what they are doing takes "courage" to ignore what people want. Their goal apparently is to instead charge the sheep more money while the shepherds continue to fleece them for every cent.

Some people like to claim headphones and many devices are now trending towards wirelessness, but they seem to forgetting a key component of the idea of "wireless + convenient". If it isn't more convenient to go wireless, then why bother going wireless? The market trends usually head towards whatever is the most CONVENIENT, regardless of what new tech ideas people come up with.

CONCLUSIONS

So...

The new Audiojack is idiotic, annoying and overpriced.
The AirPods are overpriced, annoying and will be useless after approx. 200 charges. Plus dorky.
The camera and other hardware has been incrementally improved. Nothing new there.
Apple is trying to go towards more 3D and VR tech, but can't get it to work properly yet. And even if they do someday, you look like a dork.

And the company is blatantly trying to rip people off. Remember that moron who jacked up the prices of an HIV drug by over 5000%, and those other morons who did the same thing for EpiPens and other medications? Well, Apple is basically doing the same thing, but at least your life doesn't depend on owning a phone that is more known for being a fashion accessory for idiots.

Idiotic, Annoying, Overpriced, Technology Not Ready Yet.

Shopping for a New Cell Phone

So I recently (yesterday) decided to start browsing for a new cell phone. Partly because my old phone is getting pretty old, and I have to wonder if I can get something better - possibly even something that can do slow motion video, which is something I crave for making videos.

However as I begin browsing cell phones I also start looking at the specs and the reviews of various phones that are available.

For my purposes I am currently looking at Samsung phones, since my old phone is a Samsung and it has worked quite well for me during the past 3.75 years.

Purchased circa August 2012, the phone in question is a Samsung S II i9100 which comes with the following:

4.3 inch screen (480x800 pixels)
8 MP camera with 1080p at 30 fps
16 GB storage
1 GB RAM
1650 mAH battery life

Originally released in April 2011, it was an older model at the time I got it.

Now compare that to the Samsung Galaxy J1, which came out in January 2015.

4.3 inch screen (480x800 pixels)
5 MP camera with 720p at 30 fps
4 GB storage
512 MB RAM
1650 mAH battery life

Same screen size, a smaller camera, only one quarter of the storage space, half the ram, and the same batter life. It is actually a DOWNGRADE from my old phone. It is also slightly thicker and heavier.

So obviously that phone is clearly a dud. Also the reviews on the website I checked were dismal. It is the kind of phone you clearly don't want to buy.

Okay, fine.

Lets see what else Samsung has to offer.

Note - I won't be listing all the phones Samsung currently is offering, because some of them are remarkably similar to my old phone, or remarkably similar to the J1 above - which makes me wonder if we have reached the limits of how much technology we can pack into into a phone.

The Samsung S5 Neo

Released in August 2015
5.1 inch screen (1080x1920 pixels)
16 MP camera with 1080p at 30 fps
2 GB RAM
2800 mAH battery life

Now we're talking!!! Bigger screen, bigger camera, double the RAM of my old phone - and extra 1150 mAH worth of battery life over my old phone. This sounds like a dramatic improvement. Also as a bonus it is water resistant, which is something ALL phones should be.

The Samsung Galaxy S6

Released in April 2015
5.1 inch screen (1440x2560 pixels)
16 MP camera with 2160p@30fps, or 1080p@60fps, or 720p@120fps
3 GB RAM
2550 mAH battery life

Okay, so similar to the S5 Neo, but with a camera with a range of video options that makes me drool, lots of RAM, a slightly smaller batter than the S5 Neo, but still more battery power than my old phone. Definitely on the short list of possibilities. Thinner than my old phone, slightly heavier (likely due to the extra battery power).

The Samsung Galaxy S7

Released in March 2016
5.1 inch screen (1440x2560 pixels)
12 MP camera with 2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 720p@240fps
4 GB RAM
3000 mAH battery life

I was wrong. They have found a way to fit more technology into a phone. With a slightly smaller camera - due to the fact they wanted to make the camera jut out less they decided to make it smaller, but still with the robust range of video options I crave, and a waaaaay bigger battery, and more RAM.

But there is some cost differences.

The S7 is $899 CDN at Virgin Mobile (my carrier of choice).
The S6 is $729 CDN.
The S5 Neo is $549 CDN.
And in case you are wondering the J1 is $129 - for a phone so bad, my old SII is actually better than it.

At present I am leaning towards the S6, mostly because its camera is slightly better than the S7, and because it is slightly cheaper. With a 2 year plan from Virgin I can also get it currently for a mere $149 CDN, which makes it much more reasonable.

Now you might wonder, wait, why aren't I even considering BlackBerry or Apple products.

Several reasons. Yes, BlackBerry is made in Canada, and I love it when products are made in Canada, but I have never liked the BlackBerry designs. They simply don't appeal to me.

As for Apple, Apple products break all the time. They are fragile. Count the number of times you've seen someone using an Apple iPhone with a broken screen because they are stuck in a contract and don't have a choice but to keep using their crappy broken iPhone.

Also I should note that with the exception of the screen and the case, the inner bits of iPhones are actually made by Samsung. Samsung makes all the electronic bits for iPhone, all Apple does is take the technology and repackage it inside a shiny case design and use their own software and their own batteries (see note further below). Thus why would I buy an Apple phone when it is really made by Samsung???

For purposes of comparison here is the Apple iPhone 6s specs:

Released in September 2015
4.7 inch screen (750x1334 pixels)
12 MP camera with 2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps,1080p@120fps, 720p@240fps
2 GB RAM
1650 mAH battery life

Okay, so it has a smaller screen with less pixels. Camera is similar to the S7, but a little nicer. Only half the RAM of the S7, and only about half the battery life too. In fact, the Apple phone only has the battery life of my old SII phone.

What is also fascinating is that the pixel quality is so low that it is significantly WORSE than the camera. Compare to the Galaxy S6 or S7 and you can see they are making an effort to get the pixel quality higher.

Note - Wow. Apple really needs to invest in some better battery technology if they are still using the same batteries from 2011. This is 2016 already and they apparently are being left behind in the dust by Samsung with their 3000 mAH batteries.

We do similar to be stretching the limits of how much technology we can fit inside a cell phone. It might explain why Apple recently started to make their phones bigger, realizing perhaps that we now live in a world with tablets and where people play on their phones a lot - which means they want bigger screens for a better gaming experience. Apple is still clinging to old designs like the smaller 6s, but trying to play catch up by releasing bigger phones like the Apple iPhone 6s Plus.

Released in September 2015
5.5 inch screen (1080x1920 pixels)
12 MP camera with 2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 1080p@120fps, 720p@240fps
2 GB RAM
2750 mAH battery life

In the spirit of one-up-manship it has a slightly bigger screen than the Samsung Galaxy S6 or S7 - but somehow has less pixels, which means the picture quality is still lower, the same camera as the regular iPhone 6s, the same RAM as the regular iPhone 6s, and a bigger battery. So basically all they did is make it a bigger screen with a bigger battery. Everything else is the same as the 6s. And still less pixels, and less battery power than the Samsung S7.

Fragile screens, shorter battery life, and the innards of a Samsung does not encourage me to buy an Apple product. It encourages me to buy a Samsung.

After all, why buy a phony rip off like Apple when you can get the real deal from Samsung.

For me, I am going to get the Samsung Galaxy S6. All the phone I need, the camera that I want, and a good price too. In theory I could wait awhile for the price to come down, but I will likely go get it sometime in the near future.

Happy Shopping!

iHome Wireless Go+ Splashproof Portable Speaker

A portable bluetooth water-resistant speaker - handy, reliable, difficult to break.

By C. Moffat.

I have been meaning to write this review for several months now. About time I finally got it done.

I purchased the iHome Wireless Go+ Splashproof Portable Speaker at a Best Buy months ago and very quickly discovered it is an awesome little speaker with great sound quality and LOUD for such a small speaker.

Its small size belies its incredible power, it is rechargeable using a standard cellphone USB, can communicate with any BlueTooth device - I use it mostly with my cellphone, but I have also used it with my tablet and laptop for added volume.

The device is also very durable. Its rubber / steel outer layers means this speaker simply bounces off of any surface it falls onto. You would basically have to deliberately attempt to break the speaker in order to prove it can be broken. I have dropped it countless times, not so much as a scratch.

Oddly enough Best Buy no longer seems to sell this particular product, however iHome makes a variety of other BlueTooth speakers in a range of sizes and shapes which are also available at Best Buy.

Other websites have given the iHome Wireless Go+ Splashproof Portable Speaker four stars out of five, but I give it five stars out of five because it does exactly what it is supposed to do, is incredibly good quality, and was a pretty fair price.

I have seen it advertised at other stores for $39.99. According to my receipt from June 20th I paid $54.99 + HST, so the price has also come down a bit since June.

Sim Card Removed Error Message = Cellphone Annoyance

For the last day my cellphone has been giving me an error message that my Sim card has been removed. Without the Sim card I cannot place phone calls, send text messages or use the internet - which is really freaking annoying. (And apparently a very common problem with Sim cards.)

What is more annoying is that fact that the Sim card is still there. It has not been removed. It hasn't even been touched at all.

"SIM card removed - The mobile network will be unavailable until you restart with a valid SIM card inserted."

Note - Different cellphones use slightly different messages, but they all claim the Sim card has been removed. What would make more sense is a message that says "Your Sim card is broken. See your phone company for a replacement."

And the only way to get the phone to work properly again is to restart the phone... which appears to be a roughly 70 / 30 chance that you get the message again...

"SIM card removed - The mobile network will be unavailable until you restart with a valid SIM card inserted."

Or it works normally - for the moment. And then decides not to work later on and gives you the message again.

"SIM card removed - The mobile network will be unavailable until you restart with a valid SIM card inserted."

Thus when I woke up this morning.

"SIM card removed - The mobile network will be unavailable until you restart with a valid SIM card inserted."

So I restarted it and it worked fine. So I took a shower and then checked it again.

 "SIM card removed - The mobile network will be unavailable until you restart with a valid SIM card inserted."

Very annoying. To me it would make sense to have the option to click "Retry Sim Card" on my phone instead of having to restart it each time. Obviously it is not "trying hard enough".

I have checked various forums on the topics, people with the same problem - people who try removing the back, replacing the battery, removing/readding the Sim card, etc.

And the only conclusion that seems to be a permanent fix is to go to your phone company and replace the Sim card.

This follows the idea that the Sim card is just old and broken, and the only solution is to replace it.

My thoughts on this is that Sim cards must suck donkey balls if they break so easily for no apparent reason. Why are we using a piece of technology that breaks so easily?

iPhone 6 (and 6 Plus) Screens Breaking Too Easily

You may have heard recently in the news that the new iPhone 6 (+ 6 Plus) bends a bit over time when put in your pocket or when bowed under even small pressure... But have you also heard that this is causing the screens to break easier?

If you are familiar with iPhone screens breaking then you already know they break super easily. You drop the phone onto any hard surface (just a foot or two is enough) and the screen shatters instantly. Well now what happens is that the phone bends and the screen breaks when people try to bend it back into shape.

Design flaw?

I think not. Apple makes $100 every time a customer comes in with a broken screen ($150 for the 6 Plus).

This kind of defect would have been noticed during product testing. What Apple therefore must have done is shrugged greedily, knowing every time the screen breaks they make more money.

Defect? Pff. More like an opportunity to make waaaaaaay more money off of screens breaking.

Xmas Wish List - A ROBOT VACUUM

This year my xmas wish list is building upon several big ticket items designed to make life easier around the house.

#1. Roomba Robot Vacuum (see further photo below).

Honestly, for the $300+ for a robot vacuum, that is well worth the convenience of not having to vacuum with an old fashioned vacuum any more. The prices of robot vacuums have dropped a lot recently and they are now very economical.

#2. Countertop Dishwasher - because my kitchen is too small for a conventional dishwasher.

Note - In addition to taking up less space, countertop dishwashers are also more water and energy efficient and also work well in the cottage, RV, etc because they take up less space, and use significantly less power and water. Which means you can easily run one using solar / wind with battery system or diesel generator. And you don't need a plumber to install one. Size wise they are about the size of a microwave.

#3. Robot Dog that Fetches Shoes

Okay technically I made this up, but what the heck. This really should be a product on the market. The dog should come with some sticker tags, you attach the tags to different things you want the dog to fetch - and the dog is programmed via voice command of the owner(s) to fetch various items.

Rover, fetch my shoes.

Rover, fetch my laptop.

Rover, fetch the TV remote control.

I can even see military, police and security applications of such robot dogs. GuardRover, K9-Rover, MarineRover, etc. Hollywood would probably make a movie based off the concept of a robotic dog... Like the old Short Circuit movies, but canine-esque.

#4. Voice Command Remote Control

Honestly, why hasn't this already hit the market?

No more searching for the remote control. You just say commands for what you want the TV or whatever to do.

TV Pause
TV Rewind 30 Seconds
TV Skip Commercials
TV Record
TV On and TV Off
TV Lock Parental Controls (plus password)

The 3rd option alone would be a big money maker if you had programs recorded and you could auto skip the commercials.

My cellphone has voice command on it. Why not the TV?

Hello Nomad USB Chargecard and I/O Magic Battery Charger

Above - Hello Nomad USB Chargecard : Below I/O Magic Battery Pack

By Charles Moffat

I am typing this product review at the beach on my tablet while my phone is charging thanks to three things.

1. The Hello Nomad USB Chargecard - which is a credit card shaped USB cord that fits nicely in my wallet.

2. The I/O Magic battery pack - which once charged provides roughly twice the battery juice of my cellphone battery.

3. And the portable wifi hotspot from my phone, which grants my tablet internet access.

Which means I can go on a 3-day vacation and charge my phone using these two handy devices and still have plenty of juice by the time I return on the 3rd night. (I am basing this on my normal battery consumption per day, which is about 66% of a full battery per day.)

I purchased the I/O Magic battery pack months ago and have been meaning to do a review on the topic. It works, it is handy when I am going to be using my phone often on a particular day.  It does exactly what it is supposed to do and having three times the battery charge is very handy for vacations.

When I purchased it it also came with a 2nd battery charger, so if I take both batteries I can go on a 5 day vacation and really not have to worry at all about my battery power.

Hello Nomad Chargekey

The Hello Nomad USB Chargecard also came with a Chargekey, which attaches to your keychain - which I misplaced and recently found again last night. I really should stick it on a keychain so I don't lose it again. Anyway, the Hello Nomad USB Chargecard is simply a tiny USB cord in the shape of a credit card. It can be used to charge your phone or other USB device whenever plugged into any USB power source - like the battery packs mentioned above.

Together these two products make it really easy to charge my phone. The Chargecard alone is handy because then I just need to find a power source and it takes up very little space in my wallet.

But in combination, they are handy little things to have on me for vacations, work, events, etc.

Sometimes I forget to charge my phone and they end up saving a lot of time too since I can just grab the battery pack and I already know I have the Chargecard in my wallet so I don't need to go searching for a cord to take with me. Very handy.

If you are the type of person who uses their phone a lot - and it runs low regularly - then these are two devices you will find very handy. I use both devices regularly.

UPDATE, July 2015

Earlier this week the Chargecard from Nomad broke. I have been using the product for almost a year now, regularly, and keeping it in my wallet for whenever I need it. The part that broke was the plastic around the Mini USB. It just snapped unexpectedly.

I have contacted Nomad to report the defect and to see if it is possible to get a replacement. Hopefully they will be willing to snail mail me a replacement Chargecard.

GoPro Camera falls from plane, survives crash and gets licked by pig

The image is distorted due to the speed at which the camera was falling through the air, but the image on the right here is a snapshot taken from a GoPro camera that fell out of a plane while making a skydiving video.

Surprisingly the camera survived the crash by landing in a muddy pig pen, and then it was licked by a curious pig to see if it was food.

The "new owner" of the camera found it 8 months later and managed to recover the video from the camera.

So the end result would lead someone to believe that camera is really tough to survive the fall (into soft mud... so not really) and to survive 8 months outside (in an arid part of the USA where it rarely rains). So honestly, landing in mud and surviving 8 months in a relatively dry location is no big deal.

I once had an USB key go through both my washing machine AND my dryer, without so much of a scratch on it. It still works today. So the truth is some electronics (as long as they are reasonably well made) can withstand a fair amount of falling, bouncing and water. Unless it is an iPhone of course, in which case it will break the first time you drop it.

Glass and Aluminum Vs Plastic SmartPhones

Have you ever seen a broken iPhone or BlackBerry smartphone? Usually it will be the glass front that is broken.

They're so breakable they can fall from a mere 2 feet and shatter easily.

And then it costs you between $60 to $120 to replace the front glass piece - a piece of glass that costs the manufacturer less than $1 to make, but they make huge profits off of selling new glass pieces to people with broken iPhones and BlackBerries.

In contrast plastic smartphones like Samsung and similar companies don't break as easily. They're more durable and don't shatter like glass does.

Plastic does scratch more easily than glass, but it doesn't shatter and break.

And it is the same deal with aluminum cases for iPhones and BlackBerries. They get dented more easily and once broken are useless. In contrast the high grade plastic used in many smartphones is more durable because it absorbs shocks more easily.

Speaking for myself I have had 5 different cellphones in the last 11 years. All of them were made of plastic, and while they did get scratches I never broke a single one of my cellphones. Never had to replace any parts. I never had any complaints about their build quality.

My first cellphone back in 2003 was a LG. It was used, but I got it in South Korea which is a country obsessed with cellphones and new tech devices. If a new device comes on to the market it is often available in South Korea any where from 6 months to a year before it is available in North America.

I was immediately addicted to my 1st cellphones ability to send text messages. Texting quickly became one of my favourite things to do on my cellphone.

My 2nd cellphone I picked up when I returned to Canada in 2004. I opted for a LG again because I liked the one I had used in Korea.

When I returned to South Korea in Summer 2005 I took out my old LG phone from my first visit there and voila, it still worked. And I was getting free phone calls off it because somebody else was now using the same signal I was - so they were paying the phone bill and I was getting free calls. Waha! (South Korea reuses the same signal codes on cellphones. I don't know how it works precisely, I just know they reuse them.)

When I came back to Canada I started using my 2nd cellphone again. Lasted me a long time. I still have it in a box somewhere. Still works technically.

My 3rd cellphone was another LG, purchased in 2006. Came with a camera and video camera, which was a nice change. Meant I could have more fun with my phone. The display was black and white, but the photos it took were still in colour.

My 4th cellphone was a Sanyo, purchased in 2008. A change for once. Used it for 4 years and was very happy with it. Like #3 it had a camera and video camera, but more importantly it has a colour display. It had many more options too, like internet and other gadgets on there (many of which I didn't even use).

My 5th cellphone (and first SmartPhone) is my current phone, which is a Samsung Galaxy SII. Been using it since 2012 and it has no dents, no scratches, I have dropped it numerous times, and I never have any hardware or software* problems with it.

* I do sometimes have software problems with 3rd party apps that I download, in which case I just delete the offending app and then it is back to normal.

Phones 1 to 4 sometimes got scratches on them. My 5th phone is still in pristine perfect condition despite being dropped numerous times.

In contrast I have lost track the number of times I have seen people using broken screens on their iPhones or BlackBerries. Or trying to use a dented aluminum phone that can't get a proper signal any more.

Clearly, based on the evidence, plastic phones are far more durable.

And what is more in the future there are a number of companies planning to release flexible plastic phones - making them even more indestructible.

Some of the companies that are working on such flexible phones are LG and Samsung. No surprise there. They are leading the way in making phones more indestructible.

And I shake my head at any parents dumb enough to give their child or teenager a glass / aluminum phone. That thing will probably break in the first month!

I can guarantee that if someone surveyed teenagers in a highschool as to what manufacturer they got their cellphone from and whether it is broken or not, all the broken ones will have glass / aluminum cases. And the broken ones will all be iPhones (because teens don't buy BlackBerries).

Now that doesn't mean you cannot break a plastic phone. You can throw it against a wall, slam dunk it against a hard floor, run over it with your car - and absolutely, it will break. But simply dropping it during normal day to day use, no, it won't break.

You would have to be an idiot to buy a glass phone.

Plastic 1

Glass / Aluminum 0

Apple Vs Windows - The Screen of Death Statistics

If you Google various combinations of "screen of death" you get some interesting results as to which products people complain about the most when it comes to their computers / devices failing to work / load properly.

102 million for iphone blue screen of death

70.2 million for android black screen of death

58.9 million for apple white screen of death

54.7 million for windows blue screen of death

34.3 million for windows 7 blue screen of death

26 million for windows 8 blue screen of death

16.4 million for android black screen of death

6.76 million for windows me blue screen of death

5.48 million for linux screen of death

3.13 million for mac white screen of death

1.56 million for windows xp blue screen of death

546,000 for windows 3.11 blue screen of death

276,000 for windows 3.1 blue screen of death

Feel free to do your own research into this topic. Draw your own conclusions as to which operating systems are the most reliable / best for your computer / phone needs.

Please note that some products have larger market shares, and yet have less complaints about them.