#this is a fun and compact way to write a four digit number!

[regicidal-defenestration]

The language part (ie the Main Actual Game) of Chants of Sennaar is very fun don't get me wrong - figuring out when a radical means person, or signifies a verb, etc etc - but the number system is absolutely fascinating

[aurriii]

Holiday Gift Ideas: Best Tech and Electronic Gifts Under $100

These awesome gifts make easy pleasing presents, even better many of them can be found for less than retail when you use BIGWORDS.com price comparison search engine. Price reflects the lowest cost found on the internet which includes Amazon and ebay.

Fujifilm – Instax Mini 9

The new, Instax Mini 9 camera retains the ease of use and attractive design elements of the extremely popular Instax Mini 8 while adding five new exciting colors and a couple of new features. The new colors are: Flamingo Pink, Ice Blue, Lime Green, Cobalt Blue and Smokey White. The new, Instax Mini 9 features a selfie mirror for the perfect selfie photo every time. Close up macro photos are now easier thanks to the included close-up lens adapter which allows you to focus on subjects as close as 35-50cm. The Instax Mini 9 retains all of the other great features found in the Mini 8 including: Automatic exposure measurement. The camera signals the recommended aperture setting with a flashing LED light and the user can manually adjust the dial to the recommended setting. This helps the user capture the perfect photo every time. The High-Key mode enables consumers to take brighter pictures with a soft look -perfect for portraits. It also includes a new selfie mirror!

  Poloroid Snap Instant Digital Camera

olaroid Snap is the brand’s newest addition to its expanding instant digital camera line, delivering signature Polaroid instant simplicity and spontaneity in a pocket-sized form factor and at an affordable price point. In addition to its compact footprint and classic Polaroid instant camera experience, it combines digital imaging with Zero Ink printing. This enables you to easily print and share physical photos at the push of a button, while saving all your images for easy uploading Striking Minimalist Design True to the rest of the brand’s modern line, the Polaroid Snap camera’s minimalist design features an updated look that incorporates a number of design elements of legacy Polaroid instant cameras, such as the iconic Polaroid Color Spectrum.

  Amazon Echo Dot

Echo Dot is a hands-free, voice-controlled device with a small built-in speaker—it can also connect to your speakers or headphones over Bluetooth or through a 3.5 mm audio cable to deliver stereo sound to the speakers you choose. Dot connects to the Alexa Voice Service to play music, provide information, news, sports scores, weather, and more—instantly. Echo Dot can hear you from across the room, even while music is playing. When you want to use Echo Dot, just say the wake word “Alexa” and Dot responds instantly. If you have more than one Echo or Echo Dot, Alexa responds intelligently from the Echo device you’re closest to with ESP (Echo Spatial Perception).

  Amazon’s 4K Fire TV and Alexa Voice Remote

Fire TV connects you to a world of entertainment. With a compatible 4K Ultra HD and High Dynamic Range (HDR) TV, watch as thousands of movies and TV episodes come to life in vibrant colors and detailed contrast. Find your favorites with universal voice search across more than 140 integrated channels and apps or discover new content with personalized recommendations on the home screen.

Watch what you want Watch over 500,000 movies and TV episodes from Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Hulu, HBO, SHOWTIME, STARZ, and more. On Fire TV, it’s never been easier to access thousands of 4K Ultra HD movies and TV episodes from Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, and more. Enjoy live TV, including sports and news, as it airs. Plus, stream millions of songs through Prime Music, Spotify, and iHeartRadio. Subscription fees may apply.

Say it. Play it. Your Alexa Voice Remote can easily find, launch, and control content. Simply say “Alexa, find suspense thrillers” and Alexa will show you results. For hands-free content control, pair Fire TV with your favorite Amazon Echo device and Alexa will hear you from across the room using far-field voice recognition.

  Kindle E-Reader 6″

A booklover’s new best friendThin and light for one-handed reading The all—new Kindle is 11% thinner and 16% lighter than the previous generation Kindle, making it easy and comfortable to hold in one hand. No glare in bright sunlight Unlike reflective tablet and smartphone screens, the high contrast touchscreen display eliminates glare in any setting—even direct sunlight. No eye strain, reads like real paper Kindle uses actual ink particles and proprietary, hand-built fonts to create crisp text similar to what you see in a physical book. The blacks and whites on the screen are uniform, improving text and image quality. Battery lasts weeks, not hours

  Roku Streaming Stick

Powerful. Portable. Enhanced voice remote. The Roku Streaming Stick gives you smooth streaming with channels that launch in a snap. Easily hide it behind your TV or move it around the house, you can even take it to a friend’s. No more juggling remotes, our new voice remote lets you easily control your TV with buttons for TV Power and volume. Use your voice to search across top channels by actor, show and more.

Enjoy 500, 000 Plus blockbusters, award-winning original Series, kids’ shows, live network TV, and more-across thousands of free or paid channels like Netflix, Amazon video, HBO now, and PBS kids. New 2017 Model!

  Roku Express

Want to start streaming? then start here. Our best-priced player, Roku Express delivers a smooth HD streaming experience on your big-screen TV. Our next generation player is now 5x more powerful. It’s easy to get started, just plug it into your TV with the included high speed HDMI cable, connect to the Internet, and start streaming. Use the remote to search for your favorite shows and discover channels. Enjoy 500, 000 Plus movies and TV episodes, including blockbusters, award-winning original Series, kids’ shows, live network TV, and more-across thousands of free or paid channels like Netflix, Amazon video, ABC, Sling TV, and PBS kids. Get the free Roku mobile app for iOS and android devices for a convenient way to search on your phone, enjoy private listening, share photos and more. New 2017 Model! Easy HD streaming, incredible price. NOW 5x more powerful! 500, 000 Plus movies and TV episodes Easy-to-use remote, intuitive navigation, search across top channels Free mobile app for iOS or android

  LCD Writing Tablet 10-inch

Multi-Purpose & Fun: Electronic writing,drawing, note taking, memo, reminding, draft ,scrawl and etc. Ideal tool for kids, designers, students, office and family memos.

  Nintendo Super Nintendo Classic packs 21

Slightly out of budget if you don’t find it cheaper on BIGWORDS. But so so worth it for any gamer.

  Nintendo 2DS

The Nintendo 2DS system brings the power of two systems together into a single, affordable package. Play all games-both Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS-in 2D. Connect with friends, other players, and wireless hotspots using the wireless StreetPass and SpotPass communication modes to unlock exclusive content for games and download other entertainment. From games to photos and beyond, Nintendo 2DS is the ultimate 2D gaming experience. Nintendo 2DS is a 2D system that plays all Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS games. Nintendo 2DS is only capable of 2D display. The Nintendo 2DS system brings the power of two systems together into a single, affordable package. Play all games- both Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS-in 2D. Connect with friends, other players, and wireless hotspots using the wireless StreetPass and SpotPass communication modes to unlock exclusive content

  Roku Streaming Stick Plus

Turn your older TV into a smart TV with the Roku Express+, which works for TVs with HDMI or composite cable You’ll get the Roku streaming player experience at an incredible price. Set-up is effortless Kick back and access to 350,000+ movies and TV episodes across 3,500+ paid or free channels, including Netflix, VUDU, Hulu and PBS KIDS There are no monthly rental fees for owning a Roku Express+ – it’s so affordable, you can make every TV in your home smar

  Roku Ultra box

Get powerful streaming performance and stunning 4K* resolution at an amazing value. The new Roku Premiere is perfect for HD & 4K Ultra HD TVs. It comes with a fast quad-core processor for ultra-smooth streaming. Brilliant 4K Ultra HD picture quality immerses you in the action with crisp, life-like images that practically jump off the screen. There are no monthly rental fees for owning a Roku Premiere, so you can watch just about anything with access to 450,000+ movie and TV episodes across 4,500+ paid or free channels. Use the free iOS or Android Roku mobile app for voice search, sharing photos, private listening with headphones, and more.

TV Compatibility:HD TVs – Up to 1080p (1920 x 1080) with up-scaling from 720p,4K UHD TVs – Up to 2160p at 60fps (3840 × 2160) with up-scaling from 720p and 1080p *The 4K experience requires a compatible 4K TV and 4K content. 4K content will not be available on all channels. Perfect for HD and 4K Ultra HD TVs, features fast quad-core processor and 802.11ac dual-band wireless. 4K Ultra HD with four times the resolution of 1080p HD, delivers crisp detail and brilliant, life-like images. Easy access to 450,000+ movies and TV episodes across 4,500+ paid or free channels, including Netflix, Video, Hulu, and PBS KIDS. Unbiased search across top channels. Find where it’s free or cheapest to watch. Free Roku mobile app on your iOS or Android phone for handy voice search, sharing photos, private listening with headphones, and more.

  Fire HD 8

The all-new Fire HD 8 is the next generation of our best-reviewed Fire tablet ever–with up to 12 hours of battery life, a vibrant 8″ HD display, and Dolby Audio–made for all day entertainment. Engineered by Amazon Fast and responsive Enjoy your entertainment with a fast 1.3 GHz quad-core processor. Fire HD 8 offers 50% more RAM than Fire 7 for faster performance. Vibrant HD display Fire HD 8 features a 1280 x 800 high-definition display with over a million pixels (189 ppi) and a bright, vivid picture. Enjoy movies and games in a crisp, clear HD resolution, with less glare and more brightness thanks to a stunning IPS (in-plane-switching) LCD display. No more worrying about storage space With 2X more internal storage than Fire 7, Fire HD 8 comes standard with 16 GB. Expand your tablet’s storage by up to 256 GB using a microSD card, and keep photos, movies, and compatible games and apps with you. Plus enjoy free unlimited cloud storage for all your Amazon content and photos taken with your Fire tablet. Power when you need it Now with up to 12 hours of mixed-use battery life, Fire HD 8 gives you the flexibility to go where the day takes you.

  UE Wonderboom (waterproof)

Meet the UE WONDERBOOM. Don’t let the small package fool you: it packs SURPRISINGLY SERIOUS SOUND. Each portable speaker is capable of outputting a big, clear, crisp 86 decibels of 360-degree sound so it’s loud enough to liven up any party or to just chill out. Enjoying your music around water? No problem – the UE WONDERBOOM has been IPX7 rated, to withstand depths of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. Enjoy it in the rain, around the shower or in the tub! Each UE WONDERBOOM is powered by Bluetooth allowing you to connect up to 100ft (30M) away without your music dropping out. Seamlessly control your music from across the room. Tired of short battery life? The UE WONDERBOOM lasts for up to 10 hours on a single charge, so you can listen for longer. Run out of charge? Plug it in and 2.8 hours later you’re ready to go again. It’s easy to get started with your UE WONDERBOOM. Just hold the UE logo once to play and press it again to pause a song. Want to skip a song? Just double tap it and you’re good to go.

  JBL Flip 4

JBL Flip 4 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker (Black) Wirelessly connect up to 2 smartphones or tablets to the speaker and take turns playing impressive stereo sound Built-in 3000mAh rechargeable li-ion battery Supports up to 12 hours of playtime Ipx7 waterproof means no more worrying about rain or spills; you can even submerge flip 4 in water JBL connect+ allows you to Link more than 100 JBL connect+ enabled speakers together to amplify the party.

  JBL Clip 2

The JBL Clip 2 is an ultra-light, ultra-rugged and ultra-powerful portable speaker. Completely waterproof, the JBL Clip 2 provides 8 hours of playtime, allowing you to take your music wherever you go, be it land or water. Stream music wirelessly via Bluetooth, or plug it into any smartphone or tablet with its attached audio cable. You can also wirelessly connect two Clip 2 speakers together to enjoy amplified sound. Use the speakerphone to make clear, noise and echo free phone calls. The JBL Clip 2 is covered with durable waterproof fabric, and earns its name with its upgraded carabineer, clipping to your clothes or backpack to take on any adventure. Bluetooth Wireless IPX7 Waterproof Rating Integrated 3.5mm Audio Cable Mic for Speakerphone Calls Connects with Additional Clip 2 Speaker

  Bose SoundLink Micro

(slightly out of the budget, but it’s a Bose for a little over $100 which has previously been unheard of.) The Bose Sound Link Micro Bluetooth speaker delivers sound so good for a speaker its size, you’ll never leave it behind. Proprietary Bose technology produces loud, clear sound—even outdoors—thanks to its custom-mounted transducer and passive radiators. All from a speaker that’s at home in your hand. It’s also waterproof from the inside out, has a soft but rugged exterior and tear-resistant silicone strap, so it’s ready to take with you on all life’s adventures. Attach it to your backpack or cooler, and don’t worry if it falls on the sidewalk or in the sand. And if you drop it in the pool, just dry it off and keep playing. Enjoy up to six hours of play time with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Pair your smartphone or tablet wirelessly and easily with Bluetooth connectivity and voice prompts. Press a button and take phone calls out loud directly through the speaker with crisp, clear Bose sound. The built-in speakerphone also gives you voice access to your phone’s Siri or your Google Assistant—directly through the speaker. It even works with the Echo Dot for hands-free voice control. Want even more sound? Use the free Bose Connect app to pair more than one compatible Bose Bluetooth speaker for Party Mode to play the same music through each. Or use Stereo Mode to separate right and left channels. Available in Black with Black strap, Midnight Blue with Smoky Violet strap or Bright Orange with Dark Plum strap. Included: Sound Link Micro Bluetooth speaker; USB cable.

  Skullcandy Grind Wireless headphones

Grind Wireless delivers premium build and sound quality just like the wired version that inspired it. And like the original, it does it all without the premium price while also adding Bluetooth wireless listening and 12 long hours of battery life. For conveniently keeping you in control, it also has a built-in microphone and track, call, and volume controls built right into the ear cup.

Bluetooth Wireless. A premium-built headphone with killer looks packing the cord-free convenience of Bluetooth wireless audio.Connectivity Technology: Wireless 12-Hour Battery Life. You gotta sleep sometime, but until you do, Grind Wireless will keep you going with 12 long hours of battery life Supreme Sound. 40mm audio drivers tuned with Skullcandy’s Supreme Sound make all types of music sound equally impressive Durable Metal Headband. No flimsy plastic structures here, just a durable metal headband keeping things secure and comfortable Back-up AUX Cable w/ Microphone and Remote. If you’ve transcended the need to sleep and your 12-hour battery needs charging, just plug in the included AUX cord and never miss a beat.

  The Plantronics BackBeat 500

Lose the cords with BackBeat 500 wireless headphones. Whether you’re racing to class or sitting in a packed coffee shop, up to 18 hours of power on a single charge lets you listen more and charge less. Don’t just hear your favorite tracks, feel them. Deep, rich sound and powerful bass bring music to life. And when your days are long, your headphones won’t weigh you down. Wear them comfortably on your ears or around your neck for hours, thanks to a lightweight design and soft memory foam ear cushions that rotate to lay flat. BackBeat 500-experience wireless. LONG LASTING BATTERY LIFE: Rechargeable battery lets you listen more with up to 18 hours of wireless listening time on a single charge COMFORT: Lightweight, memory foam headband and earcups provide comfort and sound isolation so you can enjoy music, movies and calls without weighing you down BLUETOOTH COMPATIBLE: Plantronics Bluetooth headsets and headphones are universally compatible with supported Bluetooth devices. To pair a Plantronics headset or headphone with a Windows, Android, or IOS device, it must support Bluetooth audio streaming and telephony profiles (A2DP for media streaming and HSP or HFP for calls) HIGH QUALITY AUDIO: 40 mm drivers and advanced acoustic technology deliver the right audio balance and a deep, rich sound through extremely comfortable headphones

  The Sony MDR-7506 model (classics!)

Sony MDR7506 Professional Stereo Headphones are ideal for sound monitoring in recording studios, radio, film production, video, electronic news gathering – and virtually any application where high quality sound is required. The closed-ear design MDR-7506 is outrageously popular in pro and home recording studios. It features a rugged design, convenient folding construction, 40mm driver units, gold connectors and a professional-quality OFC (oxygen free copper) cord. Sony 7500 Series headphones offer a practical range of choices for everyone from the casual user to the studio pro. These include the MDR-7506 which is lauded by many professional studios and broadcasters. Features Rugged Design: Proven to be reliable in the toughest situations Folding Construction: Compactness in storage 40mm Driver Unit: For clear, high quality sound reproduction Closed-Ear Design: Comfort and reduction of external noise interference Stereo Unimatch Plug: 1/4 inch and 1/8 inch applications Gold Connectors and OFC Cord: Reliable and stable signal connection and transmission Supplied Soft Case: Protective storage AmericanMusical is an authorized dealer of Sony products.

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[tortuga-aak]

The best drones you can buy

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

The Insider Pick:

The humble drone has come a long way over the last few years. Even cheaper drones now offer excellent image quality, flying features, and other great tech. Of all the drones out there, the DJI Mavic Pro is our top pick, but we have drones in this guide that cost much less (and much more).

Drones are pretty cool. Sure, often you may not need one, but whether you need one or not, we think a household could always benefit from having a drone lying around. Whether it’s just for fun, or to use as a filmmaker, or to spy on your neighborhood.

Of course, they can get a little pricey, and before dropping the cash on a drone, it’s a good idea to think about exactly what you’re looking for. While normally you might have to do hours of research before buying, we’ve done all the work for you so that you don’t have to.

So what should you consider when buying a drone? Well, for starters, especially if you’re looking for a drone for filming purposes, you’ll want to think about video quality. Like any other camera, the footage that a drone can capture is only as good as the camera on the device, so resolution will come into play. You’ll have to consider how you can view that footage — whether you can live-stream it to a phone or computer, or if you have to wait and view it later once you have access to the SD card.

You also need to decide whether you want a drone that’s ready to fly out of the box (RTF) or a drone that you might have to assemble or buy extra parts for. Many recent drones are RTF, but some still require a little assembly, and if you’re not comfortable doing that, you’ll want to steer clear of buying one.

Next up is battery life. Drones are still relatively new, and they’re not able to fly for hours on end just yet. Some, in fact, can only fly for five minutes or so before they have to be recharged. The better drones available can fly for up to 30 minutes before needing a charge.

Last but not least is your level of experience when it comes to flying a drone. Unfortunately, this is a case of you get what you pay for. Cheaper drones are often harder to fly, while more expensive ones have auto features and landing features that make them easier to keep safe.

With all that in mind, read on in the slides below to see why the DJI Mavic Pro is our top pick, and why you should also consider the GoPro Karma, the Yuneec Breeze, the DJI Inspire 2, and the Parrot Mambo.

The best drone overall

DJI

Why you'll love it: The DJI Mavic Pro is portable, relatively inexpensive, and it captures high-resolution 4K footage. 

DJI is perhaps the most well-known and respected brand in the drone business these days, and for good reason. The company has long offered excellent drones with top-tier cameras that are easy to fly. The latest and greatest of these is the DJI Mavic Pro, which offers a 4K camera, is solidly built, and features DJI’s self-built video transmission system OcuSync, which is built to transmit high-quality video straight to your controller.

The drone doesn’t just offer an excellent camera and the ability to view streamed footage, it also has awesome flying features, like a decent flying time of almost 30 minutes per charge and a top speed of 40 miles per hour. It’ll also help you protect it from crashing with its front collision detection system.

Buying the DJI Mavic Pro is a somewhat big investment, but then again, drones in general are expensive. Compared to some of the other drones on this list, the DJI Mavic Pro is relatively inexpensive with its $950 price tag.

Still, most reviewers agree that for those interested in getting a high-quality drone, this is the best one to get. Digital Trends gave the drone 9/10, while Trusted Reviews took things a step further with a 10/10 score.

Portability is an important thing to keep in mind when buying a drone, and thankfully, the Mavic Pro is relatively small. It’s much smaller than most other drones on this list, and yet it still offers all of the features and top-quality footage you would expect from a top-tier device. Perhaps the only downside is that, while portable, the drone’s gimbal assembly is a little fragile.

Pros: Extremely portable, excellent camera, 4K video

Cons: Slightly fragile, still expensive

Buy the DJI Mavic Pro on Amazon for $950 (originally $999)

The best drone under $200

Parrot

Why you'll love it: The Parrot Mambo offers pretty decent flight controls and an included controller, but the best thing about it is the fact that it costs only $109.99.

Not everyone has a ton of money to spend on a drone, but thankfully those of you who don’t aren’t left out in the dark. Parrot has some excellent options for less than $200, the best of which is the Parrot Mambo.

There are a ton of things that make the Parrot Mambo a great option. While it's cheap, it still has great auto flying features, including three different flying modes: Easy, Drift, and Racing. Even beginners can get used to this drone thanks to Easy mode, and you will feel like a pro within minutes.

The drone is also pretty versatile. You can use the included controller if you so choose, but you can also use the smartphone app to control the drone. Reviews suggest that both are pretty easy to use, but the controller offers a much better flight range.

Speaking of reviews, they’re pretty good. Trusted Reviews and TechRadar both gave the drone 4/5.  

While the reviews were good, they did note some downsides. For starters, the battery life is pretty short, coming in at only eight minutes, and the image quality isn’t quite as good as the others on this list.

Pros: Cheap, easy to use

Cons: Low battery life, sub-par image quality

Buy the Parrot Mambo on Amazon for $109.99

The best starter drone

Yuneec

Why you'll love it: If you’re looking for your first drone, you probably don’t want to pay too much money, and that’s where the Yuneec Breeze comes in.

If you’re looking to get started in the drone world, you probably don’t want to spend a lot of cash, and you probably want a drone that will be easy to keep safe and sound. That’s where Yuneec steps in, with the Yuneec Breeze.

There are a number of things that make the Yuneec Breeze a great drone. The drone is small, light, and portable, which is awesome for those who want to take it on the road. That, however, doesn’t mean that it isn’t feature-packed. It offers a camera capable of capturing 4K video at 30 frames per second, and it can live-stream video straight back to your smartphone.

Beginners will want a drone that can practically fly itself, and thankfully, the Yuneec Breeze is pretty good at that. It has four modes: Orbit, in which it will fly around you; Follow Me, in which it will follow you; and Selfie, in which it will take a photo of you. Of course, you can also take control yourself, if you want.

Not everything is perfect here. With the absence of a dedicated remote, the drone relies on the app to be controlled, and it’s a little slower to respond than a controller would be. Still, you can pick up a dedicated remote for an extra $70 if you really want to. On top of that, the video footage isn’t stabilized, and the drone has a relatively short operating range. Last but not least is the fact that a charge only lasts around 12 minutes.

You would expect such trade-offs from a budget and beginner drone, and despite them, most reviewers consider the Yuneec Breeze to be a relatively good choice. PCMag gave it a “Good” rating of 3/5, while Digital Trends gave it a slightly better 7/10.

Pros: Compact, inexpensive, decent video capture, automatic modes

Cons: 4K footage not stabilized, smartphone control only

Buy the Yuneec Breeze on Amazon for $399 (originally $449.99) 

See the rest of the story at Business Insider from Feedburner http://ift.tt/2zT26Iw

[carot-dj]

Great idea! ....if you don't have a smart phone Going on a study abroad this summer. After flipping through the cool maps and conversion pages I realized how cumbersome and annoying it would be to do so while on a crowded train. It's a great idea, but one that needed to come out before smart phones and digital maps. I basically intend on this being a memoir of key events of my trip for my kids in the future. Go to Amazon

are excellent and suited me perfectly I used this while studying in London for 4 months a few years ago, and again on a more recent, much shorter trip. The maps, both street and tube, are excellent and suited me perfectly. Some other reviewers complain that it's cumbersome to be flipping through on a train or whatnot--it wasn't, and honestly, being able to discreetly look through this plain black notebook for directions instead of some obvious, touristy map was preferable to me. As for using your smartphone for maps instead, that's obviously easy, but not all travelers have access to data on their phone while traveling. I certainly didn't. Go to Amazon

Ready to go to London. Planning a trip to London. The book has great potential. The map is a bit difficult due to it being in book form. Once you sit down a figure out how the pages equal a full sized city map it is very useable. The stickers to customize chapters are great. Whatever you want you can add to the blank pages. All the basics, like a address book, a ruler, conversion tables, town highlights and notes sections are found within. There is also a pocket in the back for ticket stubs or receipts. Mine can shrink wrapped and pristine. Go to Amazon

I use them as a travel diary and navigating with the excellent maps is certainly cheaper than roaming broadband Even in the digital age there is something compelling about the Moleskin City Notebooks. I use them as a travel diary and navigating with the excellent maps is certainly cheaper than roaming broadband. I enjoy looking back a multiple trips to the same city have changed. Go to Amazon

Perfect for the Organized Traveler If you go on vacation with an itinerary of what to do and when to do it (maybe just short of scheduled bathroom breaks), you will understand what to do with this book. Go to Amazon

LOVE LOVE LOVE 'THE BOOK'! I bought this for my and my boyfriend's trip to visit my Dad in London. When it first arrived, we weren't quite sure what to make of it - my BF absolutely refused to sit down and thumb through guidebooks, so all the preparation people recommended was out the window. But it worked out alright anyway - we ended up using it as our go-to reference book for everything. We made notes of friends' numbers and addresses, used the map to look them up, kept track of every show we saw, everything we ate, everything we drank, everywhere we visited... Even though we were carrying a tube map and a couple of A to Z books, we never referred to them. The constant refrain - from us AND our companions who actually live in London - was, "Can I see 'the book' for a second?" When we were bored on trains, we amused ourselves by adding the blank labels to empty sections and christening them with some crazy category. It's great to thumb through and remember how much fun we had, and there's still plenty of space to fill in with new adventures next time we go - the perfect combination of scrapbook and guidebook! Love it! Go to Amazon

love these I got the San Francisco one first and liked it so much that I got the London one as well. Compact and clever design: there are maps and tracing paper so you can make up your own map/walking tour/whatever, and plenty of pages to write on. I filled it up with my observations about my trip to England London, and it will be great to look back through later if I'm returning to London. Make your own travel guidebook! Go to Amazon

Very nice but lined pages would make it better I bought this for my teen daughter to use on an upcoming trip to England. It's well-laid out and has lots of helpful info (written in a tiny font size). One fairly significant negative: the blank pages meant for writing down your thoughts/experiences during your trip are literally blank... no lines to help keep one's writing neat. My daughter is planning on taking a ruler and pencil to those pages. Go to Amazon

Five Stars It was dead weight on my trip to London. Four Stars Great idea, great design. I'll use one for every city I can. She really enjoyed documenting her trip this way Good Five Stars Moleskin London notebook

[superdecade]

Just Pinned to Brainfood: Can you use a BBC Micro as your main computer? Well the short answer is no (but I have been trying)... For a computer to be of any use I figure that it must be able to do the following well: Connect to the Internet and have a fast secure browser. Provide applications for work flow. Provide applications for playing media files. We'll look at these in turn but first some information about the BBC Microcomputer. A Graphical User Interface for the Beeb The BBC micro (or 'Beeb') was an 8-bit microcomputer commissioned by the BBC and built by Acorn in 1981. It was highly popular in education in the UK and survives today in the hands of enthusiasts such as myself. If you need to get your beeb 'fix' then there are a number of emulators available including browser-based and desktop (I recommend BeebEm). There is however nothing like running a vintage machine for the full experience. I recommend Retroclinic for all your BBC computer needs including the datacentre (more about that later). The Internet While Acorn produced Econet their own version of LAN connectivity for the BBC microcomputer in the modern world this is not going to get you very far. It is possible to connect a modem to a BBC micro computer however you must keep in mind that this machine was build before the World Wide Web was invented. You will be very disappointed if you need to upload your duck faces to Instagram on a beeb. You will find that you must keep your Twitter-rants to yourself and it will be virtually impossible to see what everyone is having for dinner on Facebook. As a main computer the BBC micro falls at the first hurdle. This was a pre-Internet machine and sadly you will need a modern computer to experience the modern Internet. That should be enough to kill anyone's dreams of using the BBC micro as a main computer however there are two other critical points of failure: Work flow Whatever your job business or hobby you will likely need to run some Office software or other such desktop publishing or productivity tools. If these are mission-critical to you then switching to a 35-year old computer is not an option. The Beeb doesn't fall flat completely however. Most BBC computers were packing work-flow software and although they seem primitive now you can get stuff done. My BBC Master computer has a word processor spreadsheet and text editor built into ROM and thanks to the Retroclinic datacentre it is possible to transfer files from the beeb onto my Windows 10 PC. That being said and despite having some albeit ancient productivity tools the beeb cannot replace my PC as a productivity machine (however I will talk about what it CAN do later). Media center I am currently typing away on a modern laptop and streaming music on a chromebook which is plugged into my amplifier. I have a library of music movies and photographs stretching back nearly two decades stored on a network drive and if any computer is going to be my main computer then it will need to handle my entertainment needs. For a while I used a Raspberry Pi as my main music jukebox although I now use Microsoft's Groove app. Whatever your media needs your BBC microcomputer is not going to do it. 8 bit machines simply do not have the codecs required to play audio and other media files. Although digital cameras were available for the BBC they are nothing compared to their modern counterparts. So it seems like the BBC computer cannot be used as a main computer. If however you accept these limitations then the beeb still has a lot going for it. In the rest of this post I shall talk about some of the cool things my beeb does for me. My BBC My computer is a Master series with 128K RAM and a second processor. The caps were replace about a year ago so there is no danger of the power supply failing anytime soon. The battery for the CMOS RAM is also in good condition having been replace fairly recently. I have a dual-drive disk drive however the main way of storing files is using the Retroclinic datacentre. This little device provides four virtual RAM disks a small non-volatile 64K RAM disk and it also has 2GB compact-flash cards which provide four 500MB hard disk drives. There is a USB flash drive sticking out of the front storing literally hundreds of disk images which can be transferred into RAM in just a few seconds. My microcomputer has 'pride of place' on my desk and supports a 32 inch monitor. When I first got it I promised myself that I would use it as an 'everyday' machine in order to justify its position on the desk. I often use the BBC as a notebook. The EDIT program built into ROM is always available and I use this to write notes to myself as well as my diary and other documents. I didn't go as far as writing this blog post on it however I just realised that I could have done and now I wish I had. I also use the spreadsheet program to help manage my accounts as well as other diverse tasks including calculating the most cost effective pizza as well as helping calculate options in online games. The Beeb performs all of these tasks admirably and there really is no need for a modern computer. I am waiting for the time a colleague requests some trivial or not critical information from me expecting an email but instead as I am a mischievous soul I will provide them with a text file on a portable USB disk drive. Mwah ha ha ha HAAAA! Although the BBC was not well-know for it's games this computer did have an extensive library of titles available for it and the beeb was no slouch when it came to graphics and sound for it's time. Most games are available to download online from such sites as Stairway to Hell. The best experience can be had from games with a focus on gameplayrather than graphics. Classic games such as chess backgammon connect-four patience solitaire UNO Yahtzee NIM Mastermind draughts reversi and cribbage all work very well on a BBC. There really is no need for a modern PC to play these games as the beeb will be a very challenging opponent. Being beaten at Minesweeper on the Beeb (again). Armies of programmers have over the years written countless applications for the beeb. I often trawl through the disk images that came with magazines in the eighties to find apps that are still useful today. Here is an app for finding the next few phases of the moon. This app calculates the dates of future eclipses and even shows a graphic of what the Earth's shadow will look like over the moon. Okay it's not quite Google Earth... The beeb has a (very good) version of BASIC held in ROM. For this reason it is very easy to write your applications for the beeb. You can read about my early attempts here. I currently have applications for telling me the time and date as well as useful stopwatches countdowns and alarms (yes I use it to help me cook my dinner). I have a perpetual calendar application and a calculator. All of which get regular use. I am currently working on a dictionary program. My very useful calendar/clock app. So in summary can you use a BBC microcomputer as your main computer? No but it does make a very handy and tremendously fun second computer. If you are still awake and for some reason you liked this post then you might like to read about my other BBC micro posts or even my adventures with the Raspberry Pi. Perhaps you just want to know how many floppy disks would be needed to store all of Google Maps? Either way I hope you liked this post. Please come back soon for more geeky stuff. BBC Master BBC Micro http://ift.tt/2kN9mCy

[superdecade]

Can you use a BBC Micro as your main computer?

Well, the short answer is no, (but I have been trying)... For a computer to be of any use, I figure that it must be able to do the following well:

Connect to the Internet and have a fast, secure browser.

Provide applications for work flow.

Provide applications for playing media files.

We'll look at these in turn, but first some information about the BBC Microcomputer.

A Graphical User Interface for the Beeb

The BBC micro, (or 'Beeb') was an 8-bit microcomputer commissioned by the BBC and built by Acorn in 1981. It was highly popular in education in the UK and survives today in the hands of enthusiasts such as myself. If you need to get your beeb 'fix' then there are a number of emulators available, including browser-based, and desktop (I recommend BeebEm). There is, however, nothing like running a vintage machine for the full experience. I recommend Retroclinic for all your BBC computer needs, including the datacentre (more about that later).

The Internet

While Acorn produced Econet, their own version of LAN connectivity for the BBC microcomputer, in the modern world this is not going to get you very far. It is possible to connect a modem to a BBC micro computer, however you must keep in mind that this machine was build before the World Wide Web was invented. You will be very disappointed if you need to upload your duck faces to Instagram on a beeb. You will find that you must keep your Twitter-rants to yourself and it will be virtually impossible to see what everyone is having for dinner on Facebook.

As a main computer, the BBC micro falls at the first hurdle. This was a pre-Internet machine and sadly, you will need a modern computer to experience the modern Internet.

That should be enough to kill anyone's dreams of using the BBC micro as a main computer, however there are two other critical points of failure:

Work flow

Whatever your job, business or hobby, you will likely need to run some Office software, or other such desktop publishing or productivity tools. If these are mission-critical to you, then switching to a 35-year old computer is not an option. The Beeb doesn't fall flat completely, however. Most BBC computers were packing work-flow software, and although they seem primitive now, you can get stuff done. My BBC Master computer has a word processor, spreadsheet and text editor built into ROM, and thanks to the Retroclinic datacentre it is possible to transfer files from the beeb onto my Windows 10 PC.

That being said, and despite having some, albeit ancient productivity tools, the beeb cannot replace my PC as a productivity machine (however I will talk about what it CAN do later).

Media center

I am currently typing away on a modern laptop, and streaming music on a chromebook which is plugged into my amplifier. I have a library of music, movies and photographs stretching back nearly two decades stored on a network drive, and if any computer is going to be my main computer, then it will need to handle my entertainment needs. For a while, I used a Raspberry Pi as my main music jukebox, although I now use Microsoft's Groove app. Whatever your media needs, your BBC microcomputer is not going to do it. 8 bit machines simply do not have the codecs required to play audio and other media files. Although digital cameras were available for the BBC, they are nothing compared to their modern counterparts.

So, it seems like the BBC computer cannot be used as a main computer. 

If, however, you accept these limitations, then the beeb still has a lot going for it. In the rest of this post I shall talk about some of the cool things my beeb does for me.

My BBC

My computer is a Master series with 128K RAM and a second processor. The caps were replace about a year ago, so there is no danger of the power supply failing anytime soon. The battery for the CMOS RAM is also in good condition having been replace fairly recently. I have a dual-drive disk drive, however the main way of storing files is using the Retroclinic datacentre. This little device provides four virtual RAM disks, a small non-volatile 64K RAM disk and it also has 2GB compact-flash cards which provide four 500MB hard disk drives. There is a USB flash drive sticking out of the front storing literally hundreds of disk images which can be transferred into RAM in just a few seconds.

My microcomputer has 'pride of place' on my desk and supports a 32 inch monitor. When I first got it I promised myself that I would use it as an 'everyday' machine in order to justify its position on the desk.

I often use the BBC as a notebook. The EDIT program built into ROM is always available, and I use this to write notes to myself as well as my diary and other documents. I didn't go as far as writing this blog post on it, however I just realised that I could have done, and now I wish I had. I also use the spreadsheet program to help manage my accounts, as well as other diverse tasks including calculating the most cost effective pizza as well as helping calculate options in online games. The Beeb performs all of these tasks admirably and there really is no need for a modern computer. I am waiting for the time a colleague requests some trivial or not critical information from me, expecting an email, but instead, as I am a mischievous soul I will provide them with a text file on a portable USB disk drive. Mwah ha ha ha HAAAA!

Although the BBC was not well-know for it's games, this computer did have an extensive library of titles available for it, and the beeb was no slouch when it came to graphics and sound, for it's time. Most games are available to download online from such sites as Stairway to Hell. The best experience can be had from games with a focus on gameplay rather than graphics. Classic games such as chess, backgammon, connect-four, patience, solitaire, UNO, Yahtzee, NIM, Mastermind, draughts, reversi and cribbage all work very well on a BBC. There really is no need for a modern PC to play these games as the beeb will be a very challenging opponent.

Being beaten at Minesweeper on the Beeb (again).

Armies of programmers have over the years written countless applications for the beeb. I often trawl through the disk images that came with magazines in the eighties to find apps that are still useful today.

Here is an app for finding the next few phases of the moon.

This app calculates the dates of future eclipses and even shows a graphic of what the Earth's shadow will look like over the moon.

Okay, it's not quite Google Earth...

The beeb has a (very good) version of BASIC held in ROM. For this reason it is very easy to write your applications for the beeb. You can read about my early attempts here. I currently have applications for telling me the time and date, as well as useful stopwatches, countdowns and alarms (yes, I use it to help me cook my dinner). I have a perpetual calendar application and a calculator. All of which get regular use. I am currently working on a dictionary program.

My very useful calendar/clock app.

So, in summary, can you use a BBC microcomputer as your main computer? No, but it does make a very handy, and tremendously fun second computer.

If you are still awake and for some reason you liked this post then you might like to read about my other BBC micro posts, or even my adventures with the Raspberry Pi. Perhaps you just want to know how many floppy disks would be needed to store all of Google Maps?

Either way, I hope you liked this post. Please come back soon for more geeky stuff.

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