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andreer · 6 years

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“Hello World” in morse: turning an FPGA into a radio transmitter

I’ll try here to explain everything that is going on in this picture, but first, the origin story. I recently tweeted this photograph of my first ever FPGA project:

Actually this is from a slightly different angle. Bonus! I got more attention on twitter from this than I’d ever gotten before, with lots of notifications on my phone throughout the next days, and of course I’m super flattered. So when a few people request a better explanation I can’t say no!

Even though the people who responded to this are probably a highly technical audience, I’ll try to start very basic and include a lot of links, for the benefit(?) of my other acquaintances whom I’ll pester to read this - so feel free to skim ahead if you’d like.

What is an FPGA?

First, what is this FPGA thing? You can see one in my photo, in front of my keyboard, connected to my computer by a white USB cable. Although this one is small, it contains a lot of the basic components from which digital circuits (like a CPU) are built: logic gates which can compute things, and flip-flops and RAM which can store stuff.

But unlike a CPU, the components in an FPGA are reconfigurable: you get to decide how they are connected together. And you can do it without having to solder millions of tiny wires and losing tiny transistors between the keys in your keyboard. Just describe how you’d like the circuit to be connected on your PC, using a “drag-and-drop and draw wires” program or a text-based “hardware description language”, and through the magic of logic synthesis you can make your circuit come alive within the FPGA.

The trick to it is that all the components in the FPGA are already all connected together in lots of ways, and your computer is just telling the FPGA which of these connections should be on or off - like a light switch decides if your lamp should be connected to power or not.

There are also connections from inside the FPGA to the outside of the board, where you can connect external components like an LED, an LCD display or a keyboard to your circuit.

The specific FPGA I’m using is the TinyFPGA BX. It’s small, very cheap at $38, and is fully open source hardware. All the software you need is open source too, so it’s all free and easy to get access to, and the TinyFPGA page has lots of great links to everything you need to get started.

How did I turn it into a radio transmitter?

Here comes the plot twist: it was a radio transmitter all along.

In order to keep the digital logic of the FPGA in sync and working in unison, it is equipped with an oscillator which transmits a clock signal - a signal that switches between high and low at regular intervals. You’ve probably heard about “clock rates” before, because it is one of the things that decides the performance of a computer, and these days it is usually measured in GHz.

Now simply by directing the FPGA to route the signal from this clock source out to one of it’s external connections, and connecting it to a small piece of wire, we have a radio transmitter! See the screenshot of this setup in the Icestudio FPGA programming environment, possibly the simplest example imaginable:

The output, and the wire connected to it, will be driven to high and low voltage levels by the clock signal, and waves of electromagnetism will spread out across the universe. Imagine the piece of wire (or “antenna”) as a tiny oar splashing up and down in the fabric of space time, in rythm with the clock signal.

But there are some serious disadvantages to the radio signal we are generating here. First, the “oar” of the antenna is very small, and the “muscle” of the clock signal is not very strong, so it’s can’t make very big waves - the transmission is not very powerful. But that is probably for the best, because trying to transmit using a square wave like the 16MHz clock signal will, in addition to a signal on 16MHz, create a lot of “harmonics” - unwanted signals on other frequencies.

Because I’m an amateur radio enthusiast, I have a very nice radio receiver sitting on my desk that can receive and display the transmitted signal in a very nice way (specifically a LimeSDR, It’s visible on the right in my first picture). Here’s a screenshot from GQRX, the program I’m using to control it:

It’s tuned to 16 MHz (the red vertical line), but you can also see some more of the radio spectrum on each side of it. In addition to the sharp peak of the main signal on 16MHz, there is a very apparent cloud of noise surrounding it - which we can see here as a raised area on the "panadapter” up top, or a brighter, yellow color around the 16MHz line on the “waterfall” below. There are also weaker, but still very visible symmetrical peaks to the left and right of the main signal.

Outside of what we can see in this screenshot, there’s also strong “harmonics” being transmitted on other frequencies, like 8 or 24 MHz. In short, what we’re doing here is generating what’s usually called EMI - ElectroMagnetic Interference, and it’s a Bad Thing™. This is the reason real products need conductive shielding, and try to keep wires as short as possible to keep them from acting as antennas. And of course, you should never connect a signal like this to an amplifier - because you don’t want to end up disturbing someone’s pacemaker or interrupting emergency communications.

(Just to make sure noone gets the wrong idea, the TinyFPGA BX itself seems well shielded and I’m hardly able to detect it being on without attaching the “antenna”.)

What you’d want, and what “real” radio transmitters generate, is something closer to a nice smooth sine wave like this:

Now it’s quite possible to get from a square wave to this, by passing the signal through a “filter” which can be easily constructed from inductors and capacitators. Well, if you consider soldering tiny components easy ...

I was able to assemble a kit for such a filter, allowing me to transmit “real” radio signals from the output pins of a Raspberry Pi with no additional components, and be received across town several kilometers away! And although that was with a much better antenna, it was without any amplification. So again, a warning about being very careful about what you transmit, intentionally or unintentionally, because even very weak signals can be heard quite far away.

Now there’s a couple of more things that are Bad™ about the 16MHz square wave signal we generated earlier: First, it’s not a frequency on which I am legally allowed to transmit(!). The radio spectrum is quite heavily regulated, but there are some frequency ranges for “free” use. These are typically quite crowded. There is one area around 433 MHz that is used heavily by all sorts of gadgets like wireless temperature monitors or doorbells, and another around 2.4GHz which is very heavily used by Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other high-bandwidth devices.

The other problem with our original signal is that it is very boring - just a steady buzz at 16MHz, hardly worth transmitting or listening to.

As a licensed (though inexperienced) amateur radio operator (my callsign in LB7HH!), I also have permission to transmit on amateur radio bands, with certain requirements. One of them is that during any transmission, I have to regularly include my call sign.

So with some copy-pasting and slight tweaks, here’s my first FPGA project:

The large rectangle on the left is a block of Verilog hardware description code - it’s a slight modification of the code from the TinyFPGA-BX project template. The code in the template blinks the LED in a SOS morse pattern. By doubling the size of the string, I was just exactly able to fit my callsign in morse code instead!

To the right, I first use the builtin “PrescalerN” component which can reduce the clock frequency by dividing it with 2^N. Lucky for me, there is a value of N that results in a frequency I’m legally allowed to transmit on - 2MHz, which is exactly the upper edge of the 160M band.

The last component is an AND gate which combines the two signals, only letting the 2MHz frequency signal through when the morse signal is high. And then it’s connected out to PIN_2 and my “antenna”. And that’s all there is to it.

So how powerful is this transmitter? I haven’t done the math, but judging by what similar hacks can do it should be around milliWatt at most, and with a very poor antenna the effective radiated power is much lower still. Which is actually a good thing, as I didn’t build that filter for 2MHz yet.

And I probably won’t, because the project I got this FPGA for is actually very different - implementing my own CPU design. I’ll just have to learn a lot more Verilog first ...

#fpga #verilog #radio #ham radio #transmitter #rfi #emi #morse

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sunblog29 · 3 years

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Mpd Client For Mac

RuneAudio is easy to use and platform independent. Due to its server-client nature, you can control the music reproduction from any type of external device: desktop computers, notebooks, tablets and smartphones.

Mpd Player

Mpd Client For Mac - enasava A Windows Music Player Daemon Client (WMC) with support for all common features of a regular MPD client, and some uncommon features like support for drag and drop of files into the player. Cantata is a graphical MPD client with support for Linux, mac OS, and Windows. MPD is a remote-controlled music player, not a music distribution system. Usually, the speakers are connected to the box where MPD runs, and the MPD client only sends control commands, but the client does not actually play your music. Practical Music Search is an open source client for the Music Player Daemon, written in C and ncurses. The target audience are power users who need an MPD client that is highly configurable. PMS features a simple but powerful interface similar to Vim, and runs on (at least) Linux, FreeBSD and Mac.

RuneUI – official client

Mpd Client For Mac

RuneAudio comes with a built-in and ready to use web interface: RuneUI is the client and configuration utility developed by the RuneAudio team.

Platforms: All (cross-platform) Teamviewer mac os catalina.

Mpd Client For Macbook

RuneAudio Remote Control

RuneAudio Remote Control is an app that makes it even easier to control one or more RuneAudio music players from your Android™ device.

Platforms: Android

Third party clients

If you would like to experience different ways to control your music, or if you have specific needs, you can try other third party clients that work perfectly with RuneAudio.

A complete list of MPD clients can be found on the MPD Community Wiki.

MPDroid – MPDroid allows you to control a MPD server (Music Player Daemon) and stream from it. It is a fork of PMix.

Platforms: Android

MPoD – An iPhone / iPod Touch client allowing for streaming over HTTP

Platforms: iOS

Mpd Client For Mac Free

GMPC – Gnome Music Player Client, a fully featured, low on resources player.

Mpd Client

Mpd Client Macos

Platforms: Windows, Linux

Mpd

For the users who are new to EasyMPD, this document explains all process from initial setting and to music playing.

You do not need to worry. It is not too difficult to build a network music player. Anyone who can understand the concept of network player a little, can easily build and can use the network music player. You don't need to hesitate to try and you don't need to buy the expensive pre-existing products that exceed thousands dollars in price. EasyMPD will help you can obtain the network player with PC Engines' Alix and APU, that will give you better sound quality and easier use than other pre-existing product even with low cost.

If you don't have Alix or APU board yet you can purchase it at PC Engines homepage.

You should buy 2D2 Alix board or APU to use EasyMPD. The item number is 'alix2d2', 'apu1d' and 'apu1d4'. It is recommended to puchase APU board if possible. APU board is more faster than Alix and mSATA SSD or SATA HDD can be directly connected to APU board.

The item numbers for aluminium enclosure are 'case1d1u' for Alix and 'case1d2u' for APU.

If you want wireless network connection you can buy miniPCI wireless card, 'wlm200nx' for Alix and miniPCI express wileless card, 'wle200nx' for APU.(antsma for antenna and pigsma for pigtail cable of antenna)

And you may need AC adapter 12V 2A or 18V 1.5A.(Jack inner diameter 2.1 mm for Alix and 2.5 mm for APU, outer diameter 5.5 mm, center positive.) You may can get this from your local market.

CF (CompactFlash) card over 1GB for Alix and SD card over 1GB for APU. You may can get this from your local market as well.

Go to see how to assemble the enclosure of Alix.

Concept of Alix or APU network player and how to configure.

If you are totally new to the network player or do not have any concept of it, you'd be better to read this document of how to configure Alix network music player before start. Go to read.

The requirements for Alix or APU network music player.

PC Engines' Alix or APU board in which EasyMPD is installed.

You need a DAC which has UBS input. If your DAC has no USB input you should purchase a DDC.

An internet router.

USB exteral HDD or the computer or NAS that shares their music file folder to network. If you are using APU board you can use SATA HDD ro mSATA SSD instead of USB external HDD. These storages are for music files you have.

Alix or APU network music player can work in 'MPD Player' mode or in 'DLNA/UPnP Media Renderer' mode. You can choose one of the two modes in initial Setup Wizard. And you can switch to another mode easily at any time when you want. Below is a brief description of each mode.

MPD Player - This is a commonly used method in Alix or APU network player. A music player program called MPD brings and plays the music files from the network shared folder on another computer or NAS in your network. It provides stability in use and high quality of sound, but you have to register the network shared folders of computer or NAS, which stores your music files. You can do it easily with help of EasyMPD if you make the shared folder settings correctly in your computer or NAS. And if you have a external USB HDD and you attach it to Alix via USB, you can even use Alix network music player without registering any network share folder. (If you are using APU board you can connect SATA HDD or mSATA SSD directly to APU board instead of USB external HDD.) Note, DLNA/UPnP Renderer is available in MPD Player mode as well. You can use both MPD and DLNA/UPnP if you will choose MPD Player.

DLNA/UPnP Renderer - If you are already using DLNA/UPnP Media server in your computer or NAS you can choose it instead of MPD player. In this mode you don't have to register any network shared folder. But if you don't know what DLNA/UPnP Media server is, you should choose MPD Player instead of it.

If you decide to choose one of the modes, You must continue to follow the steps for each mode as below.

If you choose MPD Player: Step 1 -> Step 2 -> Step 3 -> Step 4 -> Step 5 -> Step 6 (Step 7 and 8 are just for reference.)

If you choose DLNA/UPnP Renderer: Step 1 -> Step 2 -> Step 3 (Step 7 and 8 are just for reference.)

Important! If there are two or more LAN ports on Alix board, LAN cable from router must be connected to the ethernet port located near to the power connector on Alix. In case of APU board, the router should be connected to the ethernet ports located farthest from power connector on APU. Pleas see following images. Important! Even if you are going to use Alix or APU with wireless connection, the Initial Setup Wizard should be done with wired LAN connection.

(Step 1) Download and install EasyMPD to Alix and APU (You can try with 30 Days Free version or can purchase the license.)

You can use 30 Days Free Trial Version before purchasing.Go to download and install 30 Days Free version. Or you can purchase license for the official version without expiration.Go to see how to purchase EasyMPD license and installation.

(Step 2) Open EasyMPD WEB GUI(management web page)

All settings and any changes of settings are available on the web with just mouse click. EasyMPD provides Web interface for user to handle Alix easily in web browser. We call the Web user interface 'EasyMPD WEB GUI (Web Graphic User Interfaces)'. You can open EasyMPD WEB GUI with several various ways. But the easiest way is that you enter 'easympd/' in address bar at the top of web browser and hit enter. Please do not omit '/'. If you cannot open the WEB GUI with this method then please Go to see other ways. When the WEB GUI opens, it will ask you a username and a password. The initial default username is 'root' and the password is 'easympd'.

(Step 3) The initial Setup Wizard

If it is the first time you open EasyMPD WEB GUI, The Initial Setup Wizard will start automatically. Then you can follow the instruction of Setup Wizard. You can finish the initial settings of Alix network music player easily with help of this Setup Wizard. Alix network music player can work in two player modes, in 'MPD Player' mode or in 'DLNA/UPnP Media Renderer' mode. You can choose one of the two modes in this initial Setup Wizard.

If you choose DLNA/UPnP Renderer in the Setup Wizard, below step 4 and 5 are not applicable to you. Instead, you can see below three links to documents about DLNA/UPnP. (If you choose MPD Player, below links are not applicable to you. Go straight across to step 4.)

(Step 4) How to install and setup MPD Client

Sound bar mighty rock bluetooth soundbar user manual. If the Setup Wizard ended successfully in step 3, let's listen to music using Alix. Now you will need a remote control to control Alix. As a remote control, you can use your portable device such as smartphone and tablet PC or you can use a standard computer such as desktop and laptop computer. MPD Client is the program that is used to control Alix in those devices. There are many different types of MPD client programs for each devices, so you can select a program which can be installed at the device you want to use to control Alix. Below is the list of the MPD Clients programs that are commonly used. Please click the links below if you want to see how to install and setup the MPD Client program.

MPod, MPad - MPD Client programs used in iPhone, iPad.

DroidMPD, MPDroid - MPD Client programs used in Android based smartphone or tablet PC.

GMPC - MPD Client programs used in Windows PC.

Cantata - MPD Client programs used in Windows PC, Mac OS X.

MpcOSX - MPD Client programs used in Mac OS X.

Theremin - MPD Client programs used in Mac OS X.

This example video will help you to understand about MPD Client. As like all other music player programs, MPD also creates and manages the database for tag and path informations of music files. If you finished the Initial Setup Wizard successfully, EasyMPD orders MPD to scan the registered music directories and to create the database automatically. But if the change of music files in the registered music directories occurs after the Initial Setup Wizard, MPD cannot detect the change and will not update the database automatically. So you should manually let MPD update the database. You can do it with MPD Client program. You can see the way how to update database with MPD Client program in above links as well. Please go to Step 5 if you want to know about MPD database more.

(Step 5) Understanding MPD database

Most problems occur in use of Alix network music player are due to the lack of understanding MPD database. You might need to know about MPD database for your pleasant music life with Alix.

Please see below solutions if you failed to create database or it will take too much time.

a. You should suspect that there is a corrupted music file that is stored in the registered music directory.Go to see more.

b. If you registered the shared folder from Windows computer as a music directory and you have installed 'JPlay' on your computer, you should use another computer for file sharing. JPlay seems to have a bad influence on file sharing. It is recommended not to install JPlay on the file sharing computer. Sometimes this problem will not be solved even if you uninstall JPlay fron your computer.

c. If you are using Windows 64bit computer for file sharing, it is recommended to disable firewall on the computer.

(Step 6) Check the status of Alix with LEDs.

You can check the status of Alix with the three LEDs in front of Alix. This link explain how to know the status of Alix with the LEDs. It is recommended to know how to read the LED's signal. It will help you to use Alix easily.

(Step 7, for reference) Troubleshooting

Please search the case of your problem in this link before contact us. Most problem can be solved with this troubleshooting list.

(Step 8, for reference) Compatible DAC or DDC for Alix

If you let us know whether your DAC is compatible to EasyMPD or not via e-mail, We will update this list. And it will help for other users. Thanks.

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your-dietician · 3 years

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Best Day 4 sales at Walmart Deals for Days event 2021

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/lifestyle/best-day-4-sales-at-walmart-deals-for-days-event-2021/

Best Day 4 sales at Walmart Deals for Days event 2021

Yahoo Life has received compensation to create this article, and receives commission from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.

Prime Day might be over, but that certainly doesn’t mean the deals have run dry — in fact, they’re just as big as ever. Walmart’s Anti-Prime day sale, called Deals for Days, is chock full of discounts across the board. Here’s what’s in store for Day 4 of the sale, which btw ends…tonight!

The retail behemoth has slashed prices across categories. So whether you’re focused on a wardrobe refresh, a better work-from-home setup, tech to take along as you ramp up your workouts, kitchen appliances in need of replacement or more, Walmart has got you covered — with discounts as deep as 90 percent! There are still so many deals you can save big on.

Walmart will give you free shipping on orders of $35 or more. To score free shipping on all orders, plus lots more benefits including speedy delivery, sign up for Walmart+. Get a free 15-day trial here (a quick three-question survey will add on an additional two weeks for a solid 30 days of use).

Here are the best deals from Walmart’s Anti-Prime Day — Day 4 sale.

TVs

A 40-inch TV for $178? We’ll take it! (Photo: Walmart)

On sale for $178, down from $228, the Hisense 40-inch Class Full HD Roku Smart LED TV is undeniably sleek — with a near edge-to-edge 43-inch display (more picture, less frame). With an HD resolution at 1080p and DTS True Surround Sound, you’ll essentially have a movie theater-like experience at home, with colors that pop.

The built-in Roku streamer gives you instant access to thousands of video streaming channels, including Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, HBO Max, Prime Video, Hulu and ESPN+. It also has a few smart home features like voice search for hands-free navigation. That’s right: You can find your favorite TV shows and movies, just by speaking them into existence.

“Great TV. Once I selected ‘theater sound’ the clouds parted and there was entertainment bliss — OK, maybe that’s a bit extra, however, the sound did vastly improved,” shared a delighted five-star reviewer. “Perfect size for me. Easy setup and operation.”

Story continues

Check out more TV deals below:

Sony 32-inch Class HD LED Smart TV, $298 (was $350), walmart.com

TCL 32-inch 3-Series Class HD LED Roku Smart TV, $145 (was $200), walmart.com

Sceptre 40-inch Class Full HD LED TV, $155 (was $200), walmart.com

Samsung 43-inch Class 4K Ultra HD Smart QLED TV, $898 (was $1,000), walmart.com

Samsung 50-inch Class 4K The Frame QLED Smart TV, $1,198 (was $1,700), walmart.com

TCL 50-inch Class 5-Series 4K Ultra HD QLED Roku Smart TV, $528 (was $600), walmart.com

LG 55-inch Class 4K Ultra HD Smart OLED C1 Series TV, $1,497 (was $2,000), walmart.com

Sony 55-inch Class XBR55X800H Bravia 4K Ultra HD LED Android Smart TV, $798 (was $1,000), walmart.com

LG 65-inch Class 4K Ultra HD NanoCell Smart TV, $997 (was $1,200), walmart.com

Samsung 65-inch TU8300 Crystal Ultra HD 4K Smart TV, $648 (was $700), walmart.com

Headphones and earbuds

These Philips wireless earbuds are half price! (Photo: Walmart)

These Philips Wireless In-Ear Headphones are a handsome, waterproof option with a price that belies their high-performance quality: They’re on sale for just $30, down from $60. Yep, half price.

Walmart shoppers love everything about these cans: the sound, the comfy fit, the sturdy charging case. “I have had challenges finding in-ear phones that fit me well for a long time,” reported one fan. “I grabbed the chance to try these Philips Wireless In-Ear Headphones and I can say these are perfect! First off, I like the charging case, so you have power on the go when you need it. The headphones are super easy to pair both with my PC and my phone, and the sound is very good: The highs are not tinny and the bass is smooth…. Another quality product from Philips!”

What he said! You’ll never be juiceless with these Philips Wireless In-Ear Headphones — they offer up to 12 hours of playback. Impressive.

Check out more headphone and earbud deals below:

Beats Solo Pro Wireless Noise Canceling On-Ear Headphones, $149 (was $300), walmart.com

Apple AirPods Pro, $197 (was $249), walmart.com

Bietrun Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds, $26 (was $130), walmart.com

Philips Bass+ BH305 Wireless Active Noise Canceling Headphones, $40 (was $120), walmart.com

Meidong Bluetooth Noise-Canceling Over-Ear Headphones, $35 (was $70), walmart.com

Luxmo Bluetooth Headphones, $18 (was $36), walmart.com

Jelly Comb On Ear Headphones, $17 (was $50), walmart.com

Gaming

Save nearly a whopping 80 percent! (Photo: Walmart)

The NBA Playoffs are in full swing, so get all the basketball action your heart desires with NBA2K21 for PlayStation 4 — on sale for just $13, or $48 off at Walmart. That’s nearly a whopping 80 percent off! The game features all 30 NBA teams and your favorite players, including Damian Lillard, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Steph Curry, James Harden, Gordon Hayward and more.

NBA 2K21 has all the gameplay you want, from multi-player online to one-on-one with you versus the game itself. It features all WNBA teams and players—such as Brittney Griner, Elena Delle Donne, Liz Cambag, and Nneka Ogwumike — for the first time ever!

“This is one of my favorites, and I couldn’t wait,” raved a delighted gamer. “…The storyline is dope for my character, graphics are dope as always. Just an overall great game .”

Check out more gaming deals below:

Luigi’s Mansion 3 (Nintendo Switch), $40 (was $50), walmart.com

Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Nintendo Switch), $40 (was $50), walmart.com

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Nintendo Switch), $40 (was $60), walmart.com

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games: Tokyo 2020 (Nintendo Switch), $39 (was $60), walmart.com

Outriders: Day One Edition (PS4), $40 (was $60), walmart.com

Madden NFL 21 (Xbox One), $20 (was $60), walmart.com

The Last of Us Part II (PS4), $30 (was $60), walmart.com

Liphom Gaming Headset, $29 (was $50), walmart.com

Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Edition (PS4), $15 (was $60), walmart.com

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (Xbox One), $20 (was $60), walmart.com

The Pillars of The Earth (PS4), $29 (was $45), walmart.com

Smart home

A “smart” way to wake up, in more ways than one: Save nearly 40 percent! (Photo: Walmart)

The Lenovo Smart Clock is powered with Google Assistant for seamless syncing to a smartphone. It can rouse you from your slumber with your favorite tunes, the weather, calendar reminders and events, and that podcast you love. Because, really, who couldn’t use some help getting out of bed?

“I have trouble waking up in the mornings and this alarm clock doesn’t disappoint,” raved a satisfied shopper. “I like the wake-up feature that gradually wakes you up and then gives you a morning update of the weather and all the morning news. I’m able to connect it to all my Google devices too.”

At nearly 40 percent off during Walmart’s Deals for Days shopping event — the Lenovo Smart Clock is down to $49 from $80.

Check out more smart-home deals below:

Google Nest Mini (second generation), $35 (was $49), walmart.com

Apple TV 4K (2020), $99 (was $169), walmart.com

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 (44mm), $150 (was $279), walmart.com

Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS, 38mm), $169 (was $199), walmart.com

Razor Power A5 Electric-Powered Scooter, $119 (was $179), walmart.com

XODO Smart Home Security Surveillance Kit, $60 (was $80), walmart.com

XODO Smart Wi-Fi Video Doorbell Wireless Security Camera, $90 (was $150), walmart.com

TSV Smart Plug (two-pack), $18 (was $26), walmart.com

Defender Ultra HD 4K Wired Outdoor Security System (1TB), $260 (was $450), walmart.com

Anself Wireless Burglar Alarm, $20 (was $28), walmart.com

Fymall Wi-Fi Smart Color LED Light Bulb, $11 (was $24), walmart.com

Home office

Take note of this Lenovo Chromebook — save $80! (Photo: Walmart)

Just need a product that will reliably, consistently do what you need it to, without all the exotic (and expensive) bells and whistles? If you’re one of those people and you’re in the market for an entry-level machine that’ll get you, or a loved one, through a day of work, look to the Lenovo Chromebook S330. On sale for $159, or $80 off, at Walmart, it boots up quick, has a quad core processor, 32 GB of storage and a glorious 14-inch HD display. It’s great for watching YouTube and Netflix, and is powerful enough for Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides and more. It’s ultra-portable too, weighing in at a svelte 3.3 lbs. and less than an inch thick.

And have we mentioned its 10-hour battery life? This guy will. “I decided to give it a try. I am not sorry I did! I’m very impressed,” raved a delighted five-star reviewer. “I still have a desktop PC for my main computer but for the things that I need a laptop for, this fits the bill perfectly! It does everything I need and doesn’t do the things that I disliked about my previous laptops. It boots quickly, runs cool (without a fan!) and gives me amazing battery life! I’m very pleased!”

Check out more home office deals below:

Gateway Ultra Slim Notebook, $399 (was $749), walmart.com

Samsung CB4 Chromebook, $159 (was $199), walmart.com

Canon Pixma G4210 Wireless MegaTank All-In-One InkJet Printer, $300 (was $400), walmart.com

Cabina HD USB Desktop Webcam, $60 (was $70), walmart.com

Ousgar 47-inch White Desk, $80 (was $300), walmart.com

Kuku Mobile Call Center Telephone USB Headset, $28 (was $40), walmart.com

Beyerdynamic MMX 300 2nd Gen Conference Call Headset, $282 (was $422), walmart.com

Gamma Ray Optics 010 Slim Vintage Computer Readers, $18 (was $25), walmart.com

Hemu Fashion Bamboo Laptop Lap Tray, $38 (was $102), walmart.com

Vacuums

Get this robovac for half price! (Photo: Walmart)

An eye-opening 50 percent off, the Anker Eufy RoboVac 35C Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum’s BoostIQ technology helps navigate your home’s surfaces, including hardwood floors to rugs and beyond, with smooth transitions. And while it never loses suction, when it senses the need for extra oomph — like when crumbs are overtaking the kitchen floor or pet hair is embedded in the rug — it’ll amp up its power to get the job done.

“Albuquerque dust is a pernicious beast. I also have two dogs and a slew of resident dust bunnies, so this is a big help,” shared a Walmart shopper. “It gets the dog hair and dust up easily — slightly appalled at how much dust came up after a regular broom sweeping. The edging function works great — clears out stuff from the bottom of the walls with ease. I have concrete floors and it scoots over it fine; has gotten itself successfully untangled from under the kitchen table…I talk to it like one of the dogs: ‘Oh, don’t forget that speck in the hall.’ ‘Good job.’ At least I haven’t named it (yet).”

The Eufy RoboVac 35C is super slim, so it’s a ninja when it comes to getting into every crevice and corner — and it has an infrared sensor for identifying things in its way, like stairs.

Check out more vacuum deals below:

BISSELL Crosswave Pet Pro Wet Dry Vacuum, $229 (was $299), walmart.com

Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Slim Corded, $99 (was $199), walmart.com

Shark ION Robot Vacuum RV750, $148 (was $299), walmart.com

iHome AutoVac Eclipse G 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop, $179 (was $400), walmart.com

Eureka Groove 4-Way Control Robotic Vacuum, $129 (was $199), walmart.com

iHome AutoVac Nova Self Empty Robot Vacuum and Mop, $299 (was $599), walmart.com

ILife A4s Robot Vacuum Cleaner, $119 (was $180), walmart.com

Mighty Rock Robot Vacuum and Mop, $73 (was $130), walmart.com

ionvac SmartClean 2000 Robovac, $99 (was $180), walmart.com

ILife V5s Pro Robot Vacuum and Mop, $135 (was $180), walmart.com

EcoVacs DeeBot 711 Robot Vacuum Cleaner, $144 (was $550), walmart.com

Style

Reduced to $8 from $98. Get it in all three colors! (Photo: Walmart)

No, you’re not seeing things: This gorgeous Max Studio frock is on sale for 8 bucks! It has a billowy tiered skirt and a peasant-inspired tassel-tie neckline. It’s available in chambray and bright yellow shade, but of course, we’re partial to this fun poppy red hue. Note: Some shoppers say it’s a little short, but you can wear it with biker shorts or leggings underneath — or just as a bikini coverup.

Did we mention it’s $90 off?!

“Comfortable,” a shopper reported. “Like the bright color. I’m wearing it in Mexico in a few weeks!”

Check out more style deals below:

Scoop Women’s Espadrille Wedge Sandal, $20 (was $35), walmart.com

Zanea Womens Polka Dot Short Sleeve Long Dress, $24 (was $48), walmart.com

KOGMO Womens Premium Cotton Full Length Leggings, $12 (was $18), walmart.com

Status by Chenault Women’s Cotton Slub Jersey with Cotton Eyelet Dress, $26 (was $78), walmart.com

Cate & Chloe McKenzie 18k White Gold Dangling Earrings, $18 (was $136), walmart.com

Melrose Ave Vegan Leather Toe Loop Strappy Flat Sandal, $22 (was $29), walmart.com

Free Assembly Women’s Sleeveless Square Neck Fit & Flare Dress, $21 (was $36), walmart.com

Kitchen

Save $26 on this incredible indoor grill. (Photo: Walmart)

Summertime is the season of grilling, but if you don’t want to mess around with your charcoal and lighter fluid every time you want a juicy steak or burger, try this indoor grill for size. This Gotham Steel grill has a titanium and ceramic surface which helps distribute heat evenly, plus four temperature settings so you can easily adjust how you want your meats and veggies cooked. Plus, it’s super easy to store, too.

“I just made hamburgers on this grill and it worked like a charm!” a shopper declared. “The burgers didn’t stick and it was truly smokeless as it cooked. Cleanup was also a breeze. Although it is dishwasher safe, it was just as easy to clean it up by hand with some soapy water. Definitely recommend!”

Check out more kitchen deals below:

Tramontina Primaware 18 Piece Non-stick Cookware Set, Steel Gray, $40 (was $50), walmart.com

Instant Pot Viva Black Multi-Use 9-in-1 6 Quart Pressure Cooker, $59 (was $99), walmart.com

The Pioneer Woman Cowboy Rustic 14-Piece Forged Cutlery Knife Block Set, $39 (was $70), walmart.com

Chefman TurboFry Air Fryer, $69 (was $99), walmart.com

The Pioneer Woman Mazie 2-Piece Ceramic Red Rectangle Baker Set, $20 (was $25), walmart.com

Farberware 3.2 Quart Oil-Less Multi-Functional Air Fryer, $60 (was $99), walmart.com

Ninja 12 Cup Programmable Coffee Brewer, $69 (was $79), walmart.com

Best Choice Products 16.9qt 1800W 10-in-1 Family Size Air Fryer, $115 (was $255), walmart.com

Hamilton Beach 12 Cup Digital Automatic LCD Programmable Coffeemaker Brewer, $73 (was $105), walmart.com

Beauty

Get over half off off this heavenly Marc Jacobs fragrance. (Photo: Walmart)

Few scents are quite as universal — or as beloved — as Marc Jacobs Daisy. It’s light, frothy and fun, with notes of grapefruit, raspberry and pear mingling with jasmine, rose, lychee and apple blossom, and base notes of musk, cedar and plum. Despite the abundance of fruity notes, it still feels fresh and playful — and whether you want to try it out for the first time or pick up an extra bottle to keep in your drawer, this price simply can’t be beat.

“One of my favorite scents and I definitely will be buying it again,” a shopper reported. “I’ve always wanted a Marc Jacobs fragrance and the price was perfect. It smells amazing and the top to the bottle is too cute.”

Check out more beauty deals below:

BylissPRO Nano Titanium Lightweight Ionic Hair Dryer, $65 (was $85), walmart.com

Burberry Classic Eau De Parfum, $33 (was $98), walmart.com

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Face Serum, $64.50 (was $100),walmart.com

Remington Anti-Static Flat Iron, $16 (was $20), walmart.com

Artnaturals Anti-Aging Retinol, $12 (was $16), walmart.com

Conair Double Ceramic Curling Iron, $12 (was $23), walmart.com

Glycolic Acid 20% Resurfacing Pads, $25 (was $50), walmart.com

IMAGE Skincare Ageless Total Eye Lift Creme, $34 (was $50), walmart.com

Mattresses and bedding

Save $300 and get the greatest sleep of your life. (Photo: Walmart)

If you’ve had your mattress for longer than you can remember, it’s high time to replace it — and, lucky you, this one is on sale! It’s made with 12 inches of plush memory foam supported by coils, and it’s just the right balance between soft and firm. The only drawback? Getting out of bed in the morning will be that much harder.

“I was surprised at how soft and comfy this mattress was,” a shopper reported. “I took it out of the box and plastic and it opened right up to the 12-inch size. It is supposed to take 24 hours to expand but it expanded a lot right away. It’s super thick and so far feels very comfortable. I am surprised at how great a mattress in a box could be!”

Check out more bedding deals below:

Noble Linens 8-Piece Bed in a Bag Bedding Set, Twin, White, $45 (was $65), walmart.com

Mattress Topper Queen, 2-Inch Cool Swirl Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper, Blue, $70 (was $105), walmart.com

Simply Soft 3 Piece Ribbon Pattern Duvet Cover Set, $23 for queen (was $28), walmart.com

Hatch Embroidered Stripe 7-Piece Comforter Set, $30 (was $70), walmart.com

Zeny Weighted Blanket, $47 (was $78), walmart.com

Simply Soft 3 Piece Vine Pattern Duvet Cover Set, $24 (was $28), walmart.com

Wenzel 70″ x 60″ Camp Quilt – Red Brick Geo Print, $21 (was $29.50), walmart.com

Better Homes & Gardens Flowing Floral Comforter Set, $45 (was $65), walmart.com

Pets

Make bathtime for your pooch a little more fun. (Photo: Walmart)

If your pooch refuses to sit still for baths, nail trims, grooms, or, well, just about anything, try this trick on for size. Fill this lick pad with peanut butter, then stick it on a wall. It’ll keep him occupied for as long as you need. It has 37 suction cups, so it stays in place, and it’s even dishwasher safe.

“I have an obsessive border collie and try to always make him work for meals with Kongs or slow feeders,” a shopper shared. “This is a GREAT little treat for him that he gets very excited about! It holds just a couple spoonfuls and keeps him focused for about 20 minutes.”

Check out more pets deals below:

Oster Super Duty Dog Clippers, $35 (was $40), walmart.com

Portable Pet Dog Cat Outdoor Travel Water Bowl Bottle, $8.50 (was $11), walmart.com

Omega Paw Large Elite Self-Cleaning Litter Box, Black, $53 (was $78), walmart.com

Amgra Laser Pointer for Cats, $14 (was $16), walmart.com

Zimtown Pets Stairs with Cover, Small, Beige, $26 (was $51), walmart.com

Read More Reviews

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Meet the new Raspberry Pi Pico; a tiny microcontroller filled with big possibilities.

Specifications

Brand: Raspberry Pi

CPU: Dual-core 133Mhz ARM

Memory: 264Kb

Ports: microUSB

Pros

Powerful ARM Processor

Micro-USB Connectivity

Breadboard Mountable

Easy-To-Use Interface

Absolutely Adorable

Inexpensive

Cons

No Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity

No Header Pins

I/O Port Labelling on One Side Only

No USB-C Connectivity

Buy This Product

Raspberry Pi Pico other

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We’ve managed to get our hands on the coveted Raspberry Pi Pico. Today, we’re going to be looking at some of the most important features and putting it toe-to-toe with some of the biggest names in small electronics.

We’ll be showing you what the Pico can do, and we’ll get you started with MicroPython, one of Pico’s supported programming languages. We’ll even offer up some code to try in case you decide to buy a Pico of your own.

What Is a Raspberry Pi Pico?

Raspberry Pi Pico is a new budget microcontroller designed by Raspberry Pi. It’s a tiny computer built around a single chip, with onboard memory, and programmable in/out ports. Historically, microcontrollers are used in a variety of devices from medical implants to power tools. If you have an electronic device sitting in your vicinity, there’s a good chance that there’s a microcontroller inside of it.

Key Features of the Pico

The Pico is built around the RP2040 microcontroller chip, which was designed by Raspberry Pi UK. It’s a Dual-Core ARM processor with a flexible clock that can run up to 133 MHz. The Pico also supports 1.8-5.5 DC input voltage, has a micro-USB input port, and an onboard temperature sensor.

Flanking the chip on all sides are a series of castellations that allow easy soldering to a Veroboard or breadboard. This dual in-line package (DIP) style form factor is stackable, and can also be used in carrier board applications.

Technical Specifications

21 mm x 51 mm

264kb on-chip RAM

2 MB on-board QSPI flash

2 UART

26 GPIO

2 SPI controllers

2 ISC controllers

16 PWM channels

Accelerated integer and floating-point libraries

3-pin ARM Serial Wire Debug (SWD) port

What’s So Special About the Pi Pico?

The Pi Pico is a different kind of microcontroller. It’s Raspberry Pi’s first, and it features ARM technology in its RP2040 silicon chip. Many technology companies are embracing silicon ARM chips, with major manufacturers like Apple leading the charge.

The punchy little Pico packs a staggering 26 multifunction general purpose input/output (GPIO) ports, including 3 that are analog. Alongside these ports are 8 programmable input/output (PIO) ports. Compare this to other microcontrollers like the Arduino Nano, and the Pico packs roughly 18% more GPIO capability.

The most considerable difference between the Pico and its competitors, however, is the $4 price tag. Low cost is the main selling point of this unique offering.

At launch, many online retailers sold out of the device due to the interest and Raspberry Pi’s favorable reputation. By setting the price so low, the Pico opens the door for a new class of high-powered, budget microcontrollers.

There are many potential applications for the new Pico. With its onboard temperature sensor, the device is an obvious choice for IoT projects.

One talented retro gaming enthusiast even used a Pico to build a gaming console with full VGA video support.

youtube

This means that makers who have been curious about Raspberry Pi, or microcontrollers in general, now have the ability to experiment for less than the price of a fancy cup of coffee.

Related: The Raspberry Pi Comes of Age With the Pi 400 Desktop

The Raspberry Pi Pico Processor

The RP2040 ARM chip is an interesting choice for the Pico. At 133MHz, the chip is capable of leaving more expensive boards, like the Arduino Uno, in the dust.

Using ARM processors seems to be an emerging trend in the world of microcontrollers. In addition to Raspberry Pi, both Sparkfun and Adafruit also offer boards with similar ARM technology.

The industry-wide switch was made for a single reason—speed. ARM processors give a considerable boost over standard Atmel chips. In a board this size, using an ARM processor is like dropping a fully kitted Porsche engine into a Volkswagen. On the other hand, many microcontrollers don’t require that much processing speed. Yet.

Ramping up performance means that makers who want to push the limits of the Pico will have an abundance of power to do so.

The I/O Ports

The GPIO ports on the Pi Pico feature several interesting functions for common uses such as operating a screen, running lighting, or incorporating servos/relays. Some functions of the GPIO are available on all ports, and some only work for specific uses. GPIO 25, for example, controls the Pico’s onboard LED, and GPIO 23 controls the onboard SMPS Power Save feature.

The Pico also has both VSYS (1.8V — 5.5V) and VBUS (5V when connected to USB) ports, which are designed to deliver current to the RP2040 and its GPIO. This means that powering the Pico can be done with or without the use of the onboard micro-USB.

A full list of the I/O ports is available on Raspberry Pi’s website in its complete Pico documentation.

Pico vs. Arduino vs. Others

One question on the minds of many makers is whether or not the Raspberry Pi Pico is better than Arduino?

That depends. Pound-for-pound, higher-end Arduino boards like the Portenta H7 make the Pico look like a toy. However, the steep cost for a board of that caliber might be a tough pill for the microcontroller hobbyist to swallow. That's why the smaller price tag on the Pico makes it a win for makers who enjoy low-risk experimentation.

Along with minimal cost, the Raspberry Pi jams an extensive feature set into the Pico, comparable to boards like the Teensy LC, and the ESP32. But neither of these competitors manage to challenge the budget-friendly Pico on price.

That's what makes the Pico such a fantastic value, and a great choice for hobbyists and power users alike.

The Pi Pico: What’s Not To Love?

Unfortunately, to drive the price of the Pico down, Raspberry Pi had to make a few compromises. The most notable of which is the lack of an onboard radio module. Neither Bluetooth nor Wi-Fi is supported without add-ons.

The Wi-Fi limitation can be eliminated by adding a module like the ESP-01. Bluetooth support may prove a bit more challenging. If you need an all-in-one solution for your products, you’re better off skipping the Pico, and spending a little extra for something like the Pi Zero W, or ESP32.

Additionally, many early adopters are complaining about the lack of GPIO labeling on the top of the board. Raspberry Pi provides an extensive amount of documentation on its website to address this, but pointing-and-clicking, or thumbing through paperwork when you have a hot soldering iron in your hands isn’t often desirable.

Lastly, the lack of I/O pin headers is something of an issue for some, as it means less convenience when swapping I/O components. This minor annoyance can be solved via the use of leads, soldering the component wiring directly to the Pico, or using a breadboard.

If you’ve been using microcontrollers or small electronics for any period of time, then an unpopulated board is most likely a non-issue. Of course, you could also add your own pin headers if you plan on regular experimentation with different external components.

The final rub with the Pico is the micro-USB port. With many other microcontrollers like the Portenta H7 moving toward USB-C, Raspberry Pi's micro-USB port seems dated.

Logically however, the decision to use micro-USB makes sense. It was done by Raspberry Pi to keep costs as low as possible, and to keep interface capability almost universal. Everyone we know has at least a few micro-USB cables tucked away somewhere in their homes.

However, with future versions, a USB-C interface would be a nice addition to an already spectacular package.

Related: A Beginners Guide To Breadboarding With Raspberry Pi

Programming the Raspberry Pi Pico

Interfacing with the Pi Pico can be done via C/C++, or via MicroPython in the Read-Eval-Print-Loop or REPL (pronounced “Reh-pul”). The REPL is essentially a command line interface that runs line-by-line code in a loop.

In order to access the REPL, you’ll need to install MicroPython onto the Pico. This process is simple and only involves four steps.

Installing MicroPython

Download MicroPython for Raspberry Pi Pico from the Raspberry Pi Website

Connect the Pico to your computer via micro-USB while holding the BOOTSEL button

Wait for the Pico to appear as an external drive

Copy the MicroPython file to the Pi Pico, and it will automatically reboot

You can access the REPL in a number of ways. We used the screen command in a macOS terminal window to access the serial bus connected to the Pico. To accomplish this with Terminal, you’ll first open a new terminal window, then type ls /dev/tty*

From there, find the port where the Pico is connected. It should be labeled something like /dev/tty.usbmodem0000000000001. Then run the command:

screen /dev/tty.usbmodem0000000000001

Your cursor should change. Hit Return and the cursor will change again to >>>.

In the image below we've included the classic Hello World (Hello, Pico) command-line program in the REPL, along with a few lines of code that will turn the Pico's LED on and off. Feel free to try them yourself.

For more information, we recommend you invest in the official starter guide to MicroPython that Raspberry Pi has published on their website.

Download: MicroPython for Raspberry Pi Pico (free)

Using the Raspberry Pi Pico With Thonny

If you’re looking for a more proper coding environment, the Raspberry Pi Pico will also allow access to the REPL with Thonny. To enable this feature, first download and install Thonny. Once installed, connect your Pi Pico. Open Thonny and you'll see information indicating your Pico is connected in the Shell.

At the bottom right of the screen, you should see a version of Python. Click this version and select MicroPython (Raspberry Pi Pico) from the drop-down menu.

Now you can type commands into the Shell, or you can use Thonny’s editor to write or import multiple lines of code.

The abundance of interface possibilities make the Raspberry Pi Pico easy to program. For those who are familiar with MicroPython, this should be nothing new. For beginners, however, Thonny provides a powerful interface and debugger to get started with programming.

Download: Thonny (Free) Windows | Mac

Should I Buy the Raspberry Pi Pico?

The Raspberry Pi Pico is a powerful budget board that is perfect for hobbyists, or makers just starting out with microcontrollers. The documentation, low cost, and wide range of possibilities for the Pico also make it a great choice for seasoned small electronics wizards. If you’re a DIYer who loves to tinker, or you just want to challenge yourself to a weekend project, then you’ll love playing with the Pico.

On the other hand, if you don't have one or more projects in mind that need a microcontroller, then this board is probably not for you. Also, if your project needs Wi-Fi connectivity or Bluetooth, then the Pico won’t scratch that itch. And finally, for users who aren’t comfortable learning MicroPython, or exploring C/C++, the Pico isn't ideal. And remember: this Raspberry Pi is not like the others. It will not run a full Linux operating system.

But, if you dream in Python, or if you love the smell of solder, then you won't regret grabbing this tiny powerhouse. Most of all, if the sight of the sports-car-sleek RP2040 gets your creative gears turning, then we think you’ll really benefit from picking up the Pico.

Serving up Several Sweet Possibilities

While it isn’t perfect, the Raspberry Pi Pico is a strong entry into the world of microcontrollers. The reputation that Raspberry Pi has built for quality electronic components at a relatively low price extends to the Pico.

It’s everything a Raspberry Pi should be: small, sweet, and superb. It’s beautifully designed, and extremely inexpensive. But the best part isn’t the looks or the low cost.

The best part about this small wonder is picking it up, and holding it in your hands. It's feeling the tug of electronic inspiration. It's realizing just how powerful the Pico is, and what it means for microcontrollers going forward.

And truthfully, we think it's amazing that something as small as the Pico can offer so many unique possibilities.

A Peek at the Pico, Raspberry Pi's Newest Petite Powerhouse published first on http://droneseco.tumblr.com/

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wolfliving · 7 years

Text

Stacey’s IoT Xmas gifts

*I’m not gonna buy ‘em. I’m safe in Italy.

The 2017 Internet of Things Holiday Gift Guide

By Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel

This Friday kicks off the holiday giving season, so my IoT Podcast co-host Kevin Tofel and I have pooled our experiences over the last year to create a list of tried and true devices that make a good gift. Some are for kids, some are for pets, and some are for the guy or gal who already has a connected home. I hope you can find something worth gifting or buying for yourself.

— There are so many connected options for gift giving. Let us show you.

Smart Home Picks

Wyze Camera

($19.99): For $20 you might expect this camera to be a piece of junk, but in our two weeks of testing we found it works really well. The camera offers two-way audio, night vision, 1080p resolution, 14-day cloud storage and motion detection. It’s wired and rated for the indoors, but if you want a simple security camera this one is an excellent place to start. With a microSD card (not included) you can even see a time lapse shot of the day, a feature that the more expensive Nest Cam also offers. The camera’s makers licensed the hardware from a Chinese company and have placed their bet on making good software while offering the cheapest prices they can. The team is based in Seattle and hail from Amazon. It doesn’t work with any other smart home platforms today, but Jessie Zhou, director of marketing at Wyze, says the company plans to add support for popular options over time. And for $20, the lack of integrations is not a huge deal killer.

Arlo Pro outdoor 2 cameras and hub

($349.99): For the security conscious homeowner and renters alike, these cameras make for a nice outdoor or indoor option. They are rechargeable, offer 720p video resolution, two-way audio, motion detection and night vision. We leave ours on the roof deck when we have parties and want to keep an eye on children from the Amazon Echo Show or from our phones and then toss them outside or on window ledges when we leave town for vacation. These are not always recording, so they aren’t foolproof. They have to detect motion in order to turn on, and one or two people have told me the cameras missed an event. If you want failsafe security, wired cameras are probably the way to go. That being said, these are good enough, durable, convenient and a decent price.

Google Home

($79 during the holidays): In the smart speaker category, our choice is the Google Home, which has managed to surpass the Amazon Echo at offering responses to everyday inquiries and has mostly met the challenge in the smart home. If you haven’t decided yet on a smart speaker option for the home, for $79 during the holiday season, you can pick up a decent-sounding device that can

control hundreds

of smart home devices and process almost any query you can think of. Plus, it can make phone calls, which turns the Google Home into a de facto land line for people as long as there is internet access and power. My only quibble with this device is that the slanted design of the top means that you can’t always see if the device “heard” your initial voice command.

Sonos One

($174 from 11/23 to 11/27): As an alternative to Google Home, we also recommend the new Sonos One for specific people. For example, this new hands-free speaker

supports Alexa voice controls for your smart home

, as well as for music playback on Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and more. Even better: You’ll have a choice of digital assistants in 2018 when Sonos adds support for Google Assistant. Sound quality is excellent on the Sonos One and you can combine multiple units for multi-room audio. Plus, the Sonos companion app includes a smart configuration option to optimize audio playback for your specific room set up.

Wink Hub 2 ($99): You can buy the Samsung SmartThings Hub for less, but we recommend the Wink Hub 2 for the extra money. This second-gen hub improves over its predecessor with a faster processor, more memory, and dual-band WiFi support. You don’t need to hardwire it to a router either, making it easy to place in the center of your smart home for maximum range of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, Zigbee and Z-Wave devices. It’s easy to use the Wink app to add new devices, create schedules or automate devices as well. Local processing means that even if your internet service goes down, Wink can still control your home; a feature that Samsung only just added to its hub. With broad device support, simple setup and the ability to work with either Alexa or Google Assistant, the Wink Hub 2 is a great choice to be the brains of your smartphone.

Ecobee 4 ($199 on sale): Nest may be the most recognizable smart thermostat brand but we think the Ecobee 4 is better. It’s just as easy to install and includes a Power Extender Kit for older HVAC systems. It also has two key benefits: Remote sensors — one included, additional sensors cost $79 per pair — to monitor temperature in additional rooms and a built in microphone/speaker combo that works with Amazon Alexa. The Ecobee 4 is compatible with Apple HomeKit so you’re covered regardless of your hub or smartphone platform.

Google Wi-Fi ($289 for a three pack / $249 on Black Friday at Best Buy): Unless you need super advanced router features, the Google Wi-Fi mesh network units are a great addition to any home. They’re simple to set up and less expensive than most other competing products. The three pack covers 4,500 square feet and creates a single network for your devices, making them a better choice than older network extenders. Although you use Wi-Fi to connect the units, each has an Ethernet port for wiring a device as well. Some standout features include scheduling a Wi-Fi pause for family time, guest network support and the ability to prioritize your wireless signal to a specific device for a certain length of time.

Nvidia Shield TV ($149 on Black Friday) and Samsung SmartThings Link ($39.99): This recommendation might seem like it doesn’t belong on an IoT gift guide but bear with us while we explain. The Nvidia Shield TV is primarily a powerful Android TV streaming box and Chromecast unit that supports 4K HDR playback with ease. You can also play Android games on your big screen with the optional (but recommended) game controller included in the $169 Black Friday bundle. Nvidia also offers 1080p console games through a monthly $8 subscription fee: These titles are played on Nvidia’s cloud servers and streamed to you without any noticeable lag, provided you have a fast enough broadband connection. Here’s where the IoT part comes in on this double-duty device. The Shield TV supports Google Assistant voice commands through a microphone found in both the remote and the game controller. And Nvidia also plans to sell small plug-in microphones you can put throughout your home to use Google Assistant in any room. Lastly, you can add the new Samsung SmartThings Link USB stick for $40 which adds Zigbee and Z-Wave support, turning the Nvidia Shield TV into a fully functional SmartThings hub. For the kids Kano motion sensor kit ($29.99): This gizmo is made by the same company that makes the Kano build-it-yourself computer for kids. The sensor plugs into the USB port on a computer and lets the user wave their hand in front of it to make music, control games and more. It’s designed for the younger set, with kids as young as five likely to understand what the device does and start interacting with it. My 11-year-old thought it was a little young for her and was not excited to see the coding challenges that Kano has set up to help youngsters learn how to program the games that use the sensor. “Oh no, coding again!” However, with a less jaded audience the games are fun, and the product is simple and intuitive to use. I’ll also add that the Kano community is wholesome and full of good child-safe computing activities.

Littlebits R2D2 Droid Inventor Kit ($99.95): I have not tested this device, but we’re huge fans of Littlebits in this house so I’m excited about this package. Basically, the company has combined several of its bits into a Star Wars-themed Droid to excite kids. It solves one of the challenges my daughter and I had with the original Littlebits package, which was we had all these servo motors, lights and computers, but no real plan on what to do with them. We overcame that, but the cool part of this toy is that once the magic of the Droid wears off, the nits can be used to build whatever your kid desires. Or not. Either way, they still have a fun toy to play with. I’d recommend this for older kids, roughly in the tween demographic. Stocking stuffers

TrackR Pixel ($49.99 for 5): Bluetooth tracking devices are ideal for purses, wallets, backpacks, keys and any other personal item you don’t want to lose. The TrackR Pixel is roughly the size of a quarter so it’s easy to attach to just about anything without calling attention to itself. Once paired with the TrackR app on your smartphone, you can use Bluetooth or even enable an LED or a sound on the TrackR Pixel to find that lost item. It works in reverse too: By pressing a button on the TrackR Pixel, your phone will sound a tone. No more searching around the house for your smartphone! If you leave something behind while on the go, TrackR crowdsources data so if another TrackR app user passes by your lost item, you’ll see where it is in the app.

Flosstime ($39.99): This might be an insulting gift for an adult but it makes a good gift for a teen or child. Basically, this is a connected dental floss dispenser that suctions to your mirror and has an LED smiley face or frowny face on it. When you grab the floss, it will dispense the right amount automatically and then the frown turns upside down to cheer you on for flossing. As someone who doesn’t floss like she should I look at this as something that would compel me to actually floss in ways that my thrice-annual dental check ups do not. A warning though, this does require special refills that cost $6 a pop. Fibaro Z-wave Button ($49.99) This is not a gift for the smart home novice. This is a stocking stuffer for the person who already owns a SmartThings hub or Fibaro’s own Home Center line of hubs. The button is a beautiful device that can be programmed to respond to 6 different types of touches to set a pre-programmed scene or action in motion. It comes in 8 colors (I have orange) and it’s basically like a magic wand (button) that your loved one can use to impress people with their existing smart home setup and scenes.

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wirelessheadphonesguru · 5 years

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These are 9 of the Best Wireless Bluetooth Headphones on the Market

Wireless headphones are fabulous for numerous reasons. Between being easy to operate, simple storage, and no messy wires, the only other thing we need is a good Bluetooth connection. Bluetooth is essential when it comes to a wireless headphone because it allows us to listen to our phones, computers, or other devices without having to worry about plugging into something. The Bluetooth capability also allows us to take calls or use our phone’s voice assistant while still wearing the headphones, making them convenient for a person who is on the run.

With all the wireless headphones that are out on the market, it could seem confusing on what headphones are the best ones when it comes to Bluetooth. We decided to compile a list of some of the best wireless Bluetooth headphones that would be perfect for you.

Sony WH-1000XM3

The Sony WH-1000XM3 has Bluetooth capability and are comfortable to wear for long periods of time. There is a noise-canceling feature with the headphones that helps you concentrate on your music or studying, and the battery life for them is strong. They offer a quick charge feature that will give you 5 hours of use from a 10-minute charge, and they offer a 30 hours battery life if you listen with a moderate volume level. When it comes to the specs, the headphones offer a nice treble, with warm and natural mid-range, plus the bass is deep but defined. The Bluetooth has a range of 30 feet, or 10 meters, with a frequency range of 2.4 GHz band and supports a lot of formats like SBC, AAX, aptx, and LDAC. The Sony WH-1000XM3 do retail for a high price, but they offer a lot of great features which helps lessen the pain of the price tag.

2. Apple Airpods 2019

Apple has updated its Airpods with a new H1 chip that supports Bluetooth 5.0, and they have improved audio synchronization and an always-on Siri mode. The new model of the Apple Airpods also comes with a carrying case that features a USB/Lightning cable, but you can also purchase a Qi-compatible charging mat if you want. The Airpods offer a big battery life for a small headphone, promising 24-hours of playback. They also feature a new soft-touch coating that offers a grip to them, which allows them to stay in the user’s ear more securely. The biggest update with the headphones is the H1 chip that has voice recognition, so instead of tapping the Airpod to activate Siri, you just need to say “Hey Siri.” The Bluetooth is easy to install also and is typically listed in the Bluetooth connection menu across your devices.

3. AKG N700NC

The AKG N700NC wireless headphone is not only great when it comes to Bluetooth but also amazing for their noise canceling effect and their Smart Ambient feature. With this feature, you can assign a specific button on the headphone, which will activate an Ambient Aware mode, so it turns off the noise-canceling features and allows you to hear the sounds around you. The headphones are comfortable to wear with padding on the headband and ear cups to keep you comfortable for long periods of time. In the headphone’s app, you are able to create your own custom EQ setting that allows you to tweak the bass, treble, and mids to whatever you like. In general, the sound is clear, high, and natural-sounding, perfect for the price you are going to pay for these headphones. There’s a solid battery life that also comes with the headphones, promising 23 hours of listening with Bluetooth and noise-canceling turned on and 36 hours with Bluetooth turned off. With Bluetooth, the headphones can support up to 8 paired devices, but only one can play at a time.

4. Beats Studio3 Wireless

These headphones are basically the same as the ones that Beat released in 2014 but with a little added fun. The earpads are softer for a more comfortable and long wear fit, and they changed the sound. Now they offer a better sound, battery life, and noise-canceling feature than the previous model. The sound offers a better natural sound and a better bass definition, with cleaner sound altogether. The headphones also include new drivers with a new circuitry that includes Apple’s W1 chip. This is important because it helps you easily connect your headphones to Apple devices and offers a better battery life. These headphones can last for 22 hours with the noise-canceling feature on. The battery life can change depending on volume level, but you can easily hit 20 hours with playback and if you turn the noise canceling off the last 40 hours. The Bluetooth features allow you to connect these headphones to other non-Apple products, but there is a special pairing feature for Apple devices running on iOS 10 or later, WatchOS 3 or later, and macOS Sierra or later. The headphones offer a Class 1 Bluetooth, so you stay connected to your device even when it isn’t nearby and offers fewer dropouts.

5. Microsoft Surface Headphones

The Microsoft Surface Headphones are comfortable to wear for long periods of time and offer an integrated dial in each ear cup. For the right ear, you turn the dial to change the volume and the left to adjust the amount of noise canceling you want. The headphones are equipped with eight microphones, including four beamforming mics that help make your voice sound clear on calls or issuing commands with the Cortana digital voice assistant. Similar to the Apple Airpods, the Cortana feature is always on and all you need to do is say “Hey Cortana,” for a little extra help. These headphones work well with other mobile Bluetooth devices, including iOS devices, but Cortana won’t work. With Bluetooth 4.2, you can connect to multiple devices and swap between them easily. You can also charge your headphones via USB-C, and they offer a quick-charge feature that gives one hour of playback for a 5-minute charge. The battery life promises 15 hours but if you turn Bluetooth off and plug them in, they offer about 50 hours of playback.

6. Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2

Plantronics is labeling their headphones “premium headphones for less.” The newest model of the Plantronics headphones, the Backbeat Pro 2, offers a slimmer look and a reduced weight. The sound offers a clean, dynamic, and well-balanced sound that is pretty comparable to higher brand headphones. The Bluetooth offers minimal issues and allows for a clean sound as well. The headphones are made for calls and works great as a headset, plus they have a feature that allows you to hear your voice in the headphone as you talk. They are also equipped with a mute button on the side of the headphone, perfect for conference calls when you’re on the go. The battery life is 24 hours at a moderate volume level, but you can get more out of them if they are plugged in. These headphones come with a cool Smart sensor that will automatically pause or resume your music as you remove or put on your headphones. With the Bluetooth you can connect to two devices at once and easily switch between them. The headphones don’t run on the top of the Bluetooth line but do come with Bluetooth 4.0.

7. Bowers & Wikins PX

This is the first pair of Bowers & Wikins headphones that features both Bluetooth and a noise-canceling feature. They have a sleek and stylish design and come in two colors, space gray and soft gold. They not only look great on, but they also have a sturdy built. These headphones charge with a USB-C and offer a wired mode so you can plug in while on an airplane. They come with a 22-hour battery life with wireless and noise-canceling turned on. They have three different noise-canceling modes, and you can choose between the three on an app that you download. Similar to the Plantronics, they come with an auto-pause and auto-resume feature, so when you take an ear cup off your music will automatically stop playing. The Bluetooth performance is solid, and the integrated microphone works great if you need to make calls. The sound is natural, and it has great midranges and clarity. If you’re into bass, then these headphones are great since the bass is deep but not super punchy. The Bluetooth model is 4.1 with aptX HD, similar to the previous headphones mentioned.

8. V-Moda Crossfade 2 Wireless

The V-Moda Crossfade 2 comes with a 50mm driver and a better frequency response when listening to them. The 50mm driver gives you a frequency range from 5Hz to 40Hz, and there is a dual-diaphragm driver that use a high-resolution copper-clad aluminum wire coil that will give you a Hi-Red Audio when in a wired mode. For the price, these are one of the best-sounding Bluetooth headphones on the market. When using the Bluetooth devices, these headphones offer a better sound quality and sound clarity, plus a sculpted bass. The headphones are equipped with a microphone for voice calls, but it isn’t as impressive as other wireless headphones. There are minimal Bluetooth hiccups, and the fit of the headphone is comfortable, plus they come with a larger ear pad for maximum wearing time. The noise-canceling feature is also a plus on their headphones and help cut natural distractions when wearing them. With a 14-hour battery life, you can use your headphones for a while or an unlimited amount of time when wired in analog mode. With Bluetooth, you can listen to your device up to 10 meters, or 30 feet, away with no issues.

9. Bose SoundSport Wireless

Besides the Apple Airpods, these are the only other ear bud type headphone we are talking about. The Bose SoundSport Wireless is the companies first Bluetooth sports headphones and one of the best out there. The headphones come in three sizes, small, medium, and large, and don’t completely go into the ear canal like other headphones. Since they aren’t an over ear headphone some ambient noise can leak in when you are wearing them. There is an inline mic and remote inside the headphone that allows you to skip songs, adjust the volume. and make calls. They are water-resistant and sweat-resistant which is great since they are label as a sport headphone. There is minimal Bluetooth issues and easily pairs with numerous different types of devices. You can also download the Bose Connect app which allows you to manage your pairing list, upgrade the firmware, and change the auto power off settings. Since they are a smaller type of headphone the battery life is a lot small. Promising 6-hours of battery but you can get a charging case that extends the battery to 18-hours. The Bluetooth sound is great but it does have some sound issues when playing off of a computer.

As you can see, these nine headphones will stand up to all your wireless Bluetooth needs. Between great sound, long Bluetooth distance, built-in microphones, and promising battery life, any one of these will be perfect for your wireless headphone needs.

The post These are 9 of the Best Wireless Bluetooth Headphones on the Market appeared first on Wireless Headphones Guru.

from Wireless Headphones Guru https://wirelessheadphones.guru/these-are-9-of-the-best-wireless-bluetooth-headphones-on-the-market/

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fmservers · 6 years

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Gift Guide: 10 suitcase-friendly gifts for frequent flyers

Welcome to TechCrunch’s 2018 Holiday Gift Guide! Need more gift ideas? Check out our Gift Guide Hub.

I’ve been traveling a lot this year — more than any year in the past. It’s been both a blessing and a curse, so thanks, TechCrunch, for that. Honestly, I should probably be packing for Asia instead of writing this, but I’m looking out for you instead.

Rather than writing the standard Travel Guide or Holiday Gift Guide, we’ve opted to combine them into one. Because if there’s one key to making the most out of your time on the road, it’s efficiency. Technology can play an important role in helping streamline the packing process and generally making the most out of your trip.

Of course, as with everything, too much tech can also be a bad thing. I know I’ve found myself packing too many gadgets or jamming a messy rat king of cables in my carry-on, making a mess of things in the process.

What follows is a collection of gadgets, accessories and other products designed to remove some of the biggest pain points from travel and help you make the most of your trip, whether overnight or longer.

Amazon Kindle Oasis

Okay, maybe including a Kindle on here is a bit of a cheat, but very few devices have improved my travel life like an e-reader — and the Oasis is currently the nicest one you can get. It wasn’t all that long ago I used to jam several paperbacks into my carry-on. I do miss the tactility of real books from time to time, but when it comes to traveling, nothing beats the ability to jam thousands of books into a seat-back pocket.

Price: $249-$279 Available from: Amazon

Anker 40W 4-Port USB Wall Charger

A lot of modern hotels are getting better about USB ports. I recently found myself staying at one in LA where every single link had a place for me to charge my iPhone. But it’s still a crapshoot — especially when traveling to a strange city — and hey, if you can avoid plugging your personal devices into a strange port, all the better.

I started traveling with my own combo mini power strip/USB hub years ago, but Anker’s 40W 4-Port USB Wall Charger is a much more compact solution, bringing four USB ports directly to the wall. Best of all, like all of Anker’s products, it’s dirt cheap.

Price: $26 Available from: Amazon

BUBM Cable Bag

I’ve tried a LOT of cable organizers in my many years of gadget blogging. It’s the only thing that keeps my travel bag from turning into the Indiana Jones snake pit. At the end of the day, all of them ultimately suffer the same compromise: you can either have a lot of compartments for your various tech doodads or you can free up more space in your bag.

Ultimately, I tend to side with the latter. Especially when it comes to carry ons, anything you can do to free up space is a net positive. Lately, I’ve been digging this one from BUBM. It looks snazzy and the fold-over design helps free up precious bag real estate.

Price: $12 Available from: Amazon

Calm Subscription

This is one is admittedly an odd choice. Sure there are plenty of travel-specific apps out there, but when it comes to helping tamp down the stress associated with travel, the Calm app is a good place to start. This is coming for a very anxious flyer, mind you. It’s not a fear of flying — that part’s fine. It’s everything else. From the getting to the airport to the endless lines to the $3 airport water to the occasional middle seat.

I’m also, not coincidentally, an anxious meditator. I’ve tried a LOT of different apps to pursue mindfulness on my smartphone, and Calm is far and away the one I like the best. The guided meditation sessions are terrific and ditto for the the more freeform ones. It’s also a great way to get your bearings after waking up in a hotel room in some unknown city.

A year’s subscription runs $60, which is a small price to pay for peace of mind.

Price: $60 Available from: Calm

Harman Kardon Traveler Speaker

This one admittedly feels like more of a luxury than many of the others, but don’t underestimate how much a small Bluetooth speaker can improve hotel time. The vast majority of laptops have pretty terrible built-in speakers and even middling Bluetooth speakers are a major improvement.

Harman Kardon’s Traveler fits the bill and won’t add much size or weight to a carry on. It also has a built-in mic for teleconference — a definite bonus for work trips — and doubles as a power bank for charging up devices. The 2,500mAh battery isn’t much, but on the road, every little bit of juice counts.

Price: $150 Available from: Harman Kardon

HyperDrive USB-C Hub Attach

I travel with a LOT of gadgets. It’s kind of my job. As such, you’re no doubt catching onto the fact that lack of charging ports is a consistent theme in all of this. HyperDrive USB-C Hub Attach is a clever take on TwelveSouth’s iconic PlugBug that brings USB ports directly to the MacBook’s charging brick. Here, however, you’ve got the decided bonus of a third active USB-C port for data transfer. At $50 for the larger version, it’s also priced to match TwelveSouth’s offering. Price: $50 Available from: HYPER

Luna Display

As I noted in my write up last month, the Luna Display isn’t for everyone, but those who need it will find it to be a downright lifesaver. Once this thumbnail-sized $80 device plugs into a MacBook, it connects to a nearby iPad over Wi-Fi, converting the tablet into a second screen.

I’ve been using the hell out of it every time I’ve found myself working from the road or at home. I’ve become entirely dependent on my monitor at work, and now find myself being the guy with both a laptop and tablet out on the table at the coffee shop. Totally worth it for the ability to monitor my RSS feeds while working on a story.

Price: $80 Available from: Luna

RAVPower Wireless Portable Charger

Powerbanks are a dime a dozen these days, but RavPower is making some of the cleverest ones out there. It’s tough to narrow them all down, but this one lands on my list for its inclusion of a Qi charging pad that lets users wirelessly charge compatible handsets on top of the brick.

Keep in mind, some airlines and airports are limiting the size of batteries that can be stowed in a bag, so if the person you’re buying for is a frequent visitor to, say, China, double check the limits — though this 10400mAh battery should be fine in most cases.

Price: $50 Available from: Amazon

Timbuk2 Never Check Expandable Backpack

I always thought I’d outgrow backpacks, but aside from a brief flirtation with the messenger bag in the aughts, I’m rarely seen without one. Of course, no two are the same, and if there’s a frequent traveler in your life, a solid backpack makes all the difference in the world.

Timbuk2 makes some truly terrific bags, and the Never Check certainly fits the bill. It has a spacious interior for clothes, shoes and anything else needed for an overnight trip, while maintaining a small enough footprint to be stashed in an overhead bin or under the seat in of you.

Price: $200 Available from: Timbuk2

Twelve South AirFly

This is one of those travel concerns that doesn’t really dawn on you until you’re face to face with it. Love your Bluetooth earbuds? Great. But good luck listening to the movie on your flight. Twelve South, in all of its infinite wisdom, has designed a small wireless transmitter that plugs into headphone jacks, so you can use your go to headphones with the seat-back entertainment system. Turns out it also comes in handy for the TVs at the hotel gym.

The biggest downside here is pricing — $30 doesn’t seem like much, but you can grab a pair of wired headphones for pretty cheap these days.

Price: $30 Available from: Amazon

Via Brian Heater https://techcrunch.com

#TechCrunch

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hitcaseonline-blog · 6 years

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4 Tech Essentials for a Study Abroad Semester

Before you adopt a new identity as a world traveler and study abroad in a different country for a semester, you have to pack. Deciding what to bring, and what to leave behind, can be a daunting task for any trip, but especially when you’re traveling and moving your life across the world for several months. Here are a few tech essentials that will make your life easier, safer, and more creative while you’re living life to the fullest during your semester abroad. Phone Camera Lens When you’re spending four or more months living out of a suitcase and a backpack, streamlining your belongings is crucial to your sanity. Instead of bringing a heavy-duty DSLR and camera accessories, take advantage of your iPhone and get an iPhone lens kit instead. This is a lightweight alternative that delivers the same high-level photos that you would get with an expensive camera. Choose a lens kit with macro, wide, and superwide lenses for the most versatility. The best lenses are drop-proof and waterproof, so they’ll withstand all of your study abroad adventures. Protecting your phone in a waterproof case isn’t a bad idea, either. Support your creativity on a student budget with attachable lenses. From exploring the castles of Scotland to scuba diving in Thailand, capture the memories (wet or dry) without the hassle. Portable Battery You’re going to deal with different plug-ins and voltage abroad. When you’re going on a weekend exploration, you don’t want to mess with bringing along converters or risk not having an outlet at the ready. Having a portable battery for your iPhone and other mobile devices is not only a convenient idea but a safe one. Keep a portable battery pack on hand that can power your iPhone several times over in a single charge. Ones with multiple USB ports are handy, especially if you are traveling with other people who will eventually need it too. The last thing you want is to be lost or in need of help and have a dead phone on your hands. Bluetooth Headphones No matter where you go, Bluetooth headphones will make any travel situation so much easier. The fewer wires the better when traveling abroad. Get a set that's easy to store in your bag or backpack without taking up too much space. Make sure they can play your favorite music or podcasts for up to 12 hours or more on a single charge. Travel-Friendly Luggage Scale Eliminate the stressful situation of guessing how much your bag weighs and get a handheld luggage scale. Studying abroad often results in picking up a few belongings and mementos along the way. Your bag is probably going to be heavier on your flight home than when you left a few months ago. Handheld luggage scales are great because they weigh only a few ounces and can fit easily into suitcases and backpacks without taking up much space. If it makes your life easier, pick out one that measures weight in both pounds and kilograms. About Hitcase Hitcase offers a selection of durable iPhone cases and iPhone camera lens options that allow users to take stunning pictures wherever they are in the world. The company’s innovative, top-quality products help get people ready for adventure. For more information, visit Hitcase.com Original Source: https://goo.gl/VMdtmZ

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victorparker1-blog · 6 years

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Summit Semiconductor (WISA) Stock: A Household Name in the Making

Technology has brought plenty of revolutionary changes to how we see entertainment and communication. Think about Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Blu-ray. All of these technologies have become household names after providing solutions to key problems with entertainment in communication. That’s exactly what Summit Semiconductor, Inc. (NASDAQ: WISA) aims to do with WiSA, and in my opinion, they’re well on their way to doing just that.

WISA Is Focused On Solving Challenges with Immersive Sound

Summit Semiconductor is a company that sells semiconductor chips, modules, and licensable IP in the home theater space. In particular, the company focuses on the immersive sound experience. The problem that Summit Semiconductor aims to solve is how to simplify home theater setup for the video consumer and gamer. Wired surround sound is difficult. Wireless surround sound is easy.

From a historical basis, the home theater market has been a relatively small one. WISA believes that this is due to the inherent difficulties and high costs associated with quality home theater setups.

Common Problems in the Home Theater Space

When it comes to the home theater market, there are a few big issues that have held the industry’s growth back:

Cost – One of the biggest issues facing the home theater space is the cost of installation. At the end of the day, a fully immersive sound system with quality sound and without latency can cost thousands of dollars to wire and install properly.

Setup Difficulty – If you’ve ever had an immersive sound system, you likely know that setting these types of systems up, including connecting and running speaker wires, is a serious task. In fact, many that set up home theater systems ultimately decide to allow a professional to install the system due to the difficulty involved.

Latency – Bluetooth has become a go-to option for personal audio in single-speaker situations, but Bluetooth has significant shortcomings. Unfortunately, speakers using Bluetooth happen to be riddled with latency issues: the delay between seeing the video and hearing the audio. So, combining Bluetooth audio with a video leads to a poor user experience.

Limited Output – Finally, Wi-Fi has broken into the home theater market, but even this technology has its limitations. Wi-Fi can only produce three channels of sound. These channels usually are two rear speakers and a sub-woofer with a wired soundbar. However, when watching action driven content, the fully immersive sound experience requires far more channels. In fact, 6 or 8 channels are required to create the desired experience. These channels include left front, center, right front, left surround, right surround, left rear, right rear, subwoofer and even elevation channels in some more advanced systems. Without these channels, the immersive feeling of being in the action is missing but with them you are right in the middle of the action: i.e. you can see the NFL game or feel like you are in the stadium.

How Summit Semiconductor Plans To Solve These Issues

Summit Semiconductor is working to solve these issues by providing a fully immersive sound experience with none of the issues mentioned above. Here’s how the company is doing so:

WiSA Association – Summit Semiconductor is a founding member of the Wireless Speaker and Audio Association (WiSA Association). WiSA was created to develop and manage an interoperability compliance program for speaker brands and manufacturers of CE devices. Like the Wi-Fi logo we see on laptops, televisions and more, products that bear the WiSA logo provide consumers with confidence that they will work flawlessly together within their home entertainment ecosystem.

Summit Wireless – With WiSA in place to control the standard that builds an ecosystem around its technology, Summit Semiconductor has produced several products under its subsidiary Summit Wireless. Summit Wireless manufactures and sells wireless modules and a USB transmitter (under partnership with LG Innotek) that make WiSA compliant, fully immersive sound systems possible. Summit Wireless also sells multiple development kits designed to help developers improve their products through WiSA compliance.

Summit Wireless products are already featured in a variety of home entertainment products, including the Bang and Olufsen TVs and speakers, Axiim’s Q wireless home entertainment system as well as various products from brands like Enclave, and Klipsch.

Breaking The Cost Barrier – WiSA compatible systems can come in various shapes, sizes and prices. While the market is currently saturated with either low end products at low end prices or high end products at exorbitant prices, WiSA capabilities through Summit technology means that high quality surround sound can be created by manufacturers at a fraction of the cost. For example, Enclave Audio’s system sell for less than $999.

8 Channel Wireless Output – Adding channels to wireless home theater systems has proven to be a challenging concept. However, Summit has done just that. Instead of dealing with wires or a limited 3-channel Wi-Fi system, WiSA compatibility means full, 8-channel surround sound capabilities; creating the home theater experience that consumers have been waiting for.

Catching the Attention of Thought Leaders

Summit Semiconductor has created game changing products that are catching the attention of thought leaders in the home entertainment and audio space. In fact, Audioholics recently reviewed the Enclave CineHome HD home entertainment system, giving it a 4.5 out of 5 stars. This is important because the Enclave CineHome HD system is a WiSA compatible system that takes advantage of Summit Semiconductor components.

Perhaps the most important factor in the review for Summit investors had to do with system set up. In the video, the reviewer gives the system to his wife who has no experience setting up home entertainment systems. In about a half hour, the system was set up with no wires and providing an immersive experience, outlining just how easy WiSA compatible devices make the process of setting up and enjoying quality home theater sound.

Who Really Cares About Audio?

Audio is an incredibly important factor when it comes to any home entertainment system. In fact, George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, was once quoted stating:

Sound is 50% of the movie going experience, and I’ve always believed audiences are moved and excited by what they hear in my movies at least as much as by what they see.

The truth of the matter is that the audience here is massive. Anyone that has an interest in action video content like esports/gaming, movies/television shows, concerts or professional sports from the comfort of their home is a potential customer for WiSA ready devices. Gaming is also a massive industry with a wide audience. Just about every member of the gaming community would likely find use for WiSA-ready products. In fact, 84% of consumers admit to a desire for better sound in their home entertainment ecosystem, opening the door to a massive audience for Summit.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line here is that Summit Semiconductor is providing investors with an early entrance opportunity to get involved with what could become a cornerstone brand in the home entertainment industry. The company has seen 30% growth since November when Xbox and Harman International Industries got involved, and more and more big brands are seeing opportunity in WiSA capabilities. At the end of the day, we’re seeing a revolutionary change, much like what we saw in the early days of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and Summit Semiconductor is at the helm of that revolution. As a result, in our opinion, the stock represents what could become an overwhelmingly successful investment.

This article was originally featured on CNA Finance.

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from victorparker https://www.modestmoney.com/summit-semiconductor-wisa-stock-a-household-name-in-the-making/41870/

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atakportal · 6 years

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Bose, Sony, Beats, and JBL top our list

New Post has been published on https://idealz.cloud/2018/07/10/bose-sony-beats-and-jbl-top-our-list/

Bose, Sony, Beats, and JBL top our list

There is one frustrating truth about our modern, digital age: Wires are annoying.

As more of us are trying to end cable clutter, may we suggest you go the wireless route for your headphones too? It’s an approach being taken in every aspect of consumer tech, from computer setups to home theater systems. Headphones are proving to be no different.

More and more companies are releasing headphones that don’t require any auxiliary inputs to output audio. And since many smart devices are eliminating the number of input ports they include (we’re looking at your, iPhone), this makes sense.

But with all the wireless headphones available on the market, it can be hard figuring out which work best for you. Luckily, we’ve found some of the best earbuds and over-the-ear headphones on Amazon that deliver, regardless of your lifestyle.

Here are X of the best wireless headphones, according to what reviewers on Amazon had to say:

Best earbud-style wireless headphones

Earbuds are the headphones to look at if you’re more active. From sweat resistant design to recharging cases, earbuds have been able to pack high quality sound into a considerably smaller package. These are our picks for some of the best:

Of all the companies in the audio space, Bose has established itself as one of the best. From personal speakers to full audio systems, Bose has become synonymous with excellent sound. That quality is present in Bose headphones as well, and the Bose SoundSport Wireless earbuds are an example of the Bose quality in a small package.

The SoundSport Wireless headphones are the type of headset that can work for anyone because of their design. As standalone headphones, the SoundSports provide high quality audio that you’d expect out of a Bose product. But if you’re a runner or just like to hit the gym, the SoundSports are ideal for working out. The SoundSports are sweat-resistant and designed to stay in the ear during intense workouts.

Amazon customer Rae praised the SoundSport headphones in their review, saying:

“I have been using these headphones every day for almost 5 months now and they work just as well as the day I received them. Making the switch to the iPhone 7, I didn’t want to have to carry around the lightning to 3.5mm headphone dongle everywhere if I lost the Apple lightning headphones so I decided to make the jump and purchase some wireless headphones. I never liked the idea of the fully wireless ones (i.e. those that look like Bluetooth earpieces) so these were perfect for me.

I work a desk job that allows me to listen to music while I work so these are in my ears all day every day. They are very comfortable; I’ve used some headphones that have irritated my ears after a few hours but I’ll wear these at work and again when I’m working out. They stay in place even while running – I think is thanks to the design of the ear pieces. While at work I’ll use one side at a time and leave the other side draped over my shoulder. There are no issues with this as long as you use the provided clip that connect directly to cord. I recently broke this clip due to my own clumsiness and every once in awhile I need to adjust how it is draped so that it does not pull too tightly but it isn’t anything that isn’t manageable.

Battery life is exactly what I would expect for Bluetooth headphones. I get approximately 3-5 days use between charges. That is with me using these headphones for about 9 hours every day. I did not purchase the pair with the charging case so these charge via USB. I’ll plug them in when I get down to about 30% battery life (which the headphones conveniently tell you in-ear when you turn them on) and I’ll have a full charge in about an hour or so. They also come with a small case that is perfect to throw in your bag when you’re on the go.”

True wireless earbuds — as in the kind that don’t even have a wire connecting the ‘buds to each other — are becoming more popular within the space, and its not hard to see why. While having the link cable on the earbuds is definitely useful, it can still cause some annoyance, especially while working out. If that’s how you feel, Jabra has the set for you.

The Jabra Elite Active 65t are the ideal type of earbuds for the most active people out there. The earbuds provide quality sound and can take calls, despite the lack of any connective cord between the earbuds. The Jabra Sound+ app allows you to adjust noise filters and enable a voice assistant (like Alexa), plus the built-in accelerometer in the earbuds allows you to keep track of your workout as well.

Currently, 50% of users have given the Elite Active 65t five stars on Amazon, so the earbuds definitely deliver. Steven Bassett attests to the Jabra earbuds, saying:

“I have to give the Jabra 65t 5stars. I have no Quams doing it either. These wireless ear buds have superior sound quality and with the EQ customizing sound to your choice is a pleasure. Very easy to set up and bind via Bluetooth. Volume control and on off control are readily accessible. It takes a bit of practice to use the buttons but I found I was using the buttons in a few hours. It’s great to have everything from volume to battery level all accessible via two buttons!”

If you’re in the market for a pair of wireless earbuds but you don’t want to pay a whole lot, fear not. There are plenty of options that deliver quality at a lower price point.

The SoundPEATS 4.1 earbuds are excellent headphones for anyone shopping on a budget. They are able to deliver great sound and are able to last eight hours on a single charge, which is definitely better than most around this price. Choose from colors like the classic black or white straps, or get playful with the blue or red pair.

A volume control button allows you to quickly adjust the volume or answer phone calls, all while keeping your phone in your pocket. Included are four pairs of ultra soft ear tips and three pairs of ear fins, so you’ll have plenty of options when it comes to finding a comfortable fit. When they’re not in use, a magnet keeps the earbuds connected and will protect the strap from knotting.

Wesley Leong is among the 57% of Amazon users who gave the earbuds five stars. Read Leong’s review here:

“They are a great product and the headphones have a decent sound for the price. They are easy to pair to your device and work well. I love that they have an 8 hour battery life. The headphones have a nice volume control feature. I like being able to change the volume and pause or play on the headphones and not have to use my phone. The one thing that I wish they would add is a feature to have multiple devices paired to the headphones. It is really nice being able to use a pair of headphone with the stupid newer iPhones because they do not have a headphone jack. If you use your phone a lot like I do your battery runs out very quickly. The best option at least for me was to buy an external battery case. Unfortunately, I have gotten 3 to 4 Battery cases and I have been unsuccessful using my Apple headphones that were packaged with the phone. This means I need to bring around 2 pairs of headphones and this simplifies it so much. Thank you for these great headphones. I love that they have a magnet because I can leave it on my neck or in its pouch and I won’t lose it as easily. These headphones are very good and I would definitely recommend them.”

The Tranya earbuds are competitively priced at less than $50, but still have the deep bass and clear treble you’re looking for in a pair of wireless headphones.

The small earbuds pack in the features that you’d expect from these earplug style wireless headphones, like Bluetooth connectivity and a durable body design. These earbuds don’t try to do anything crazy or have a gimmick, and that’s definitely a good thing.

One a full charge, you’ll get 3-4 hours of playback, though the handy carrying case is also an external charger and can help you get another four additional charges out of it. (A battery indictor will show you where you’re at.) When the headphones are removed from the case, they automatically turn on and connect to your phone.

A sensitive antenna within the headphones mean you can use them up to 33 feet away from your smartphone, meaning you can leave your phone in your gym back without losing playback.

Some 74% of people have awarded the Tranya Sports Wireless Earbuds a five star review on Amazon. AngelaB is one such user, saying:

“Those are one of my favorite earbuds. The shape and the size is perfect, they don’t move at all while I’m running. They sit perfect and sometimes I even forget I got them on since they are so comfortable. The sound quality is very good, even when I change different locations in the building where I work. Sound is very clear and controls are intuitive and simple. The charging is very fast and the battery last for couple good hours.. I just love them !! It worth every penny!!”

Best over-the-ear wireless headphones

Maybe you want to put on some music and zone out while you travel or work. Or maybe you want to crank up the power and get lost in some heavy beats, or become completely immersed in an audiobook or podcast. Or perhaps you just want to send a clear message to the world that you’d rather be left alone, thank you very much. No matter what category you fall into, over-the-ear headphones might be perfect for you. Here are our favorites.

There are plenty of options from Bose for over-the-ear headphones that are sure to delight. If you’re looking for one of the absolute best, the QuietComforts are the ones to look at.

The QuietComfort 35 Series II headphones are one of the best headsets available from Bose currently on the market. These beauties can last up to 20 hours on a single charge, making them ideal for cross country air travel or blocking out noisy coworkers. Obviously, since its a Bose product, the sound quality is going to deliver. When paired with the Bose Connect app, the settings can be personalized, so you can decide just how much outside noise you want to let in. The app will also allow you to activate Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa so you can get notifications, news, and more sent right to your ears.

The headphones come with an included jack so you can use these on devices where Bluetooth connectivity isn’t offered or for when the charge is running low.

Some 66% of users on Amazon have given the QuietComfort five stars, so they definitely live up to the Bose brand name. Jordan T.’s review of the headphones make that clear:

“These headphones are amazing! I might have been perfectly satisfied with the first version of the QC35s, but I luckily stumbled on the second generation which includes the Google Assistant integration. I initially thought it would be a small bonus, but I totally underestimated how powerful and convenient this could be. It’s more than just a trigger for voice commands. It’s a surprisingly flawless implementation that allows Google Assistant to turn you into much more productive multi-tasker.”

Meanwhile, Mashable’s Jake Krol had this to say about the QuietComfort 35 Series II headphones by Bose:

“Overall sound is well balanced. Even with the volume at its highest (ouch!), I couldn’t detect any distortion. Music of all genres, like rock or pop, come across clear and just as the artists intended. High tones and low tones were both crisp, and the bass wasn’t too overbearing. EDM fans might not love the balance, as the bass doesn’t necessarily get a tremendous boost.”

Read the full review on Mashable here.

While Bose is definitely one of the best name brands, Beats by Dre is giving them some competition. Beats exploded in popularity when the brand first hit the market, which only grew when it was purchased by Apple. That hasn’t slowed the company down, as it still puts put some of the most popular headphones available.

The Beats Studio3 headphones have continued that trend with a quality wireless headset, thanks to some smart additions from Apple. The biggest is the W1 chip, which boosts the Studio3’s Bluetooth and battery performance. The Bluetooth improvements allow for a smoother connection, so there shouldn’t be any signal drops.

The battery will last you about 22 hours and can be recharged in about 10 minutes, which much quicker than most other headsets. Adaptive noice cancelling technology helps quiet the outside world, while audio calibration keeps things clear.

If that’s not enough, see any of the 64% of Amazon reviews that rated the Studio3 at five stars. Jennifer Segars said this about the Studio3 headphones:

I had the solo 3 wireless previously. They would fall off my head and hurt my ears after about an hour. Not these! Love the over the ear fit! They don’t slide at the gym and fit great! I’m at the gym each time for 1.5 hours and they last a little over a week on a full charge. Not bad at all.

Sony has always been a big player in the audio game, with lots of options on the market. Tt only makes sense that Sony would have a good selection of headphones. Among those on the market, the H900N headphones are definitely one of the best.

Available in black, grey, and red, the H900N headphones are on par with the Studio3 and QuietComfort. They includes features like noise cancellation, audio upscaling, and app controls, all of which seem to be standard for high-end headphones like these.

One major advantage that the H900N headphones have over the other headsets is the battery life. At full charge, the headphones can last up to 28 hours, which is a big jump from 20 or 22 hours.

Ryan is among the 67% of Amazon users that gave the Sony H900N five stars. Here’s what Ryan had to say in their review:

“Easily the best headphones to have ever adorned these ears. Such a nice even and detailed frequency spread. The touch controls on the right cup are excellent and responsive. The noise cancelling works as advertised. I use these to workout in a loud gym at least three times a week, and the difference between noise cancellation on and off is dramatic in the best possible way.”

Though we’d all love to have headphones that are almost $300, sometimes that high price tag just isn’t feasible. If you’re one of those people who just “cant have nice things, fear not. Sony has a set of headphones for all the penny pinchers out there.

If you’re trying to save a few dollars, the Sony MDRXB950BT headset is a great option. The headphones provide better than expected sound quality to some other headphones at that price point. They can last for some 20 hours of use on a single charge, which is on par with some headphones that cost $200 or more.

Available in red, blue, and black, the MDRXB950BT headphones have a five star rating from 62% of Amazon customers. Kristopher Clouden is one of the users, saying:

“Opened the box and actually had to read the instructions due to all the options. It sounds GLORIOUS! Set to to high sound priority (Power on while pressing vol up) and enjoy top quality BT streaming. The cups are super comfortable. The arch at the top of the head, not so much. It might just be my pointy head. Going back to the cups, lots of cushion that seal out the outside world even without active noise cancelling. I’ll update this after the initial break-in, but as far as sound quality it’s top notch without the bass boost. I save that for deep bass songs, where it really shines. Yes it sounds much better than beats Studio, Solo, and the rest of the lineup for a better price. They are HUGE, but if you haver a big ol head then you’ll be fine. The hardest decision for me was which color to get. I settled on black, since it’s universally neutral. The Red looks great in person btw. Definitely worth the pick up.”

As one of the oldest names in the audio space, JBL has some excellent options available.

The JBL E55BT headphones are on the affordable end of JBL’s options but still deliver the performance you want. One way it does is through “multi-tasking,” which allows for the E55BT to easily switch between two devices seamlessly, depending on what you’re doing.

This particular headset was also co-designed and endorsed by Quincy Jones, one of music’s greatest producers. (That’s why they’re the “Quincy Edition.”) This is the man who has produced albums and songs with the likes of Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, and Aretha Franklin, so we totally trust his judgement.

In case Quincy Jones’s name isn’t enough, there’s the 74% of reviewers on Amazon that gave the E55BT five stars. David Stewart said in his review:

“I took the risk and bought a pair. Came within a few days and they sound amazing. Charger chord is longer then most. Comes with a nice carrier bag. The headphones itself is a little smaller then usual (I have to have them fully extended for use) but in all in all- They are some durable headphones.”

We just love JBL so much, we had to include another pair on this list.

The Everest 710, much like the other high end headphones listed, deliver the high quality audio that one would expect from the price tag alone. But it’s the included features that really help these headphones stand out. The biggest is the ShareMe 2.0, which allows you to connect with friends over Bluetooth to share music with them. They also have one of the better charge times, only taking two hours to get a good charge.

If you need a little more convincing, check out the Amazon reviews. Currently, the Everest 710 has received five stars from 72% of users, so JBL definitely delivered with these headphones.

Here’s what Amazon reviewer Alison916 had to say:

“I own several JBL products & each of them are of the highest quality, built to last & are worthy of me spending my hard earned money on. All important to me when deciding on which brand I should choose. When it comes to the JBL Everest 710 wireless over-the-ear headphones they did not disappoint. They met all my basic headphone needs and more. The case provided to store them in was attractive and provided adequate protection.”

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#beats #bluetooth #consumer-tech #earbuds #mashable-shopping #shopping-amazon #shopping-list #tech #wireless-headphones

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lowcarbnutrients · 6 years

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Fitbit Flex Review: Pros and Cons Of The Fitbit Fitness Tracker Wristband And App

I have actually been seeking something to jumpstart right into a better physical fitness way of life, so I determined to obtain a fitness tracker.

I have a close friend who loves her Fitbit Flex.

Once I verified that the associated app would certainly function on my Android phone, my choice was made.

Linking The Fitbit Flex Via Bluetooth

Armed with a present card, I was off to Finest Buy.

The salesperson aiding me has the precise same phone I do (Samsung Galaxy S5), so he immediately took my phone and also connected the tracker with the phone's Bluetooth. I have no concept exactly how Bluetooth works, as well as thankfully I don't should know!

Now that my phone has been related to my tracker, it will certainly stay that way.

In instance you're asking yourself, the sales person opened my Bluetooth, hit "Scan for devices" and also it discovered the tracker. Next off, he hit "Link," and that was it.

I fretted that other person with Bluetooth might check, discover my tracker, and see my data. He ensured me that is not the case. Each tracker can only connect to one phone. There is an option for me to discuss my linked tool with other individuals, if I should ever intend to do that.

Activating The Fitbit Wristband

The package comes with:

1 Fitbit Flex fitness tracker

2 black wristbands (1 little and also 1 huge)

1 wristband clasp

1 charging cable

1 wireless sync dongle

Because I have actually never ever seen a "dongle" prior to, and there were 2 wristbands, I thought perhaps there was a mistake and also this package deal had 2 collections within. Nope, just various size wristbands to fit all, and a dongle.

The hold was currently on the huge wristband. I was able to easily eliminate it for the tiny one that fits me. I have small wrists as well as am fairly delighted with just how the band fits.

The 1-sentence guideline slide described the best ways to provide my Fitbit Flex tracker its initial arrested for the charging cable linkeded into my computer's USB port.

Then I popped the tracker into the wristband as well as I was off!

Well, not quite that easily. It is complicated to insert the tracker into the port on the back of the band - despite the little arrow on the tracker showing you how. It is really tight and also it took numerous shots for me to get it in properly. After utilizing it for over a month, it is not a problem.

What The Fitbit Flex Tracker Monitors

Since there is no individual's guide or guidebook consisted of with the product, I wasn't actually certain what need to be taking place. So I scrolled with the application and also might see it was already tracking my steps!

Here are the groups that appear on the app's control panel (on my Android, it may be different on an iPhone):

Steps taken - automatic

Miles walked - automatic

Calories burned - automatic

Active miles - automatic

Sleep - automated, once readied to sleep mode

Calories in/out - automatically calculated from your food log

Calories remaining to eat - immediately determined from your food log

Water consumed - you manually log

Weight lost - you manually log

You can decide to "conceal" any one of these categories, so you only see the ones you want.

Several groups increase to a graph that shows your progression throughout the day.

Most groups have an objective for the day. The objectives are pre-specified, yet you can readjust them to fit your needs. Examples of pre-programmed goals:

Steps for the day = 10,000

Active minutes = 30

Miles walked = 3

Understanding The Fitbit Flex Lights

The Fitbit Flex is pre-programmed to show progression of actions handled your wristband.

Two mild but solid taps just under the display screen panel will certainly activate the lights. Each dot stands for 20% in the direction of your objective, finishing at midnight each day.

The tracker begins by flashing 1 dot, suggesting that you are working in the very first 20% of the goal (or 1-1,999 actions).

Once you get to 2,000 actions, the first dot stays strong and also the second dot starts flashing.

When you reach your goal, all 5 lights will flash as well as the tracker will certainly vibrate. Appreciate your little success party!

The Fitbit Flex app will show you the exact number of actions in any way times, since it has real-time syncing.

You can choose whether you want the tracker to present your development to calories or miles instead of actions. And also you can increase/decrease the objective anytime.

Using The Fitbit Flex Without A Smartphone

Don't have a smart phone?

Don' t concern! You can also view your Dashboard at Fitbit.com as well as you could make adjustments there as well.

The wireless dongle synchronizes with your Fitbit Flex tracker equally as the phone finishes with Bluetooth.

Each group that needs you to by hand log the information could be adjusted via the website or through your phone app.

Finding Solutions To Your Fitbit Questions

There is an outstanding Community online complete of practical sources:

Help Forums

Discussions

Activity Groups

The Forums as well as Conversations are fantastic for fixing any type of trouble you may have with your tracker. Just search with the key words of your trouble as well as see the responses/answers from other Fitbit Flex individuals and/or Fitbit Flex administration.

You could sign up with a public Activity Team for extra motivation and discussions with like-minded Flex customers, or you could develop a group for you and your good friends to track each other's development and also deal motivation.

Here's the official User Manual for the Fitbit Flex.

Tracking Your Sleep With The Fitbit Flex

One point I really intended to do with my Flex was to track my rest, but I had no concept the best ways to place the tracker right into Sleep Mode.

A straightforward search on the Aid Discussion forum discussed precisely how to do it.

I likewise discovered this video clip on YouTube: Fitbit Flex Rest Mode Demonstration.

You will certainly see lights 2 as well as 4 flash two times and also you will certainly really feel a resonance. You do the tapping again when you wake to return into tracking mode. (The tracker does not track anything other than rest while in sleep mode.)

While I'm sleeping, the Fitbit Flex tracker gauges the motions of my wrist, logging my sleep as conscious, agitated, or asleep.

It has actually been fascinating to see my rest pattern each evening and also over time.

Another advantage to the logging attribute is if you miss out on a task or do not use your Fitbit wristband one day. For instance, you could have a workout program that is exceptionally energetic as well as burns a lots of calories. If you don't have distinct arm activity, the Fitbit tracker might not record that degree of activity. You could produce a name for your activity as well as associate it with energetic mins as well as calories melted. Just hit the + indication as well as include the task manually. It will certainly then calculate right into your daily tracking.

The very same holds true if you neglected to establish the wristband to sleep mode. You could enter the moment you went to bed and also the time you awakened. It will not have the task of motion during sleep, however you could videotape the basic dimension for tracking purposes.

Tracking Food And Calories

If you're ready to make the effort, you could create a substantial menu of food products for your food log.

When you search for foods, you'll see a wide range of alternatives by brand name or store.

If your item is not listed, after that you can develop a personalized food item with calories and also various other details. When it's time to log that food item, you just select it from your menu.

Tracking food items makes it feasible for the Control panel to present a calorie budget for you, comparing calories eaten vs. calories burned.

It will certainly use the everyday calorie total you develop to reveal you the number of calories you have staying in the day.

It Works With Various other Food and Exercise Apps Too

If you already make use of another application to track your exercises and/or calories taken in, you'll enjoy to understand that the Fitbit deals with several other mobile phone apps too. You could sync your information from one application to another.

For example, if you use MapMyRun to track your workouts, you could easily import your exercise data to your Fitbit account.

Here's the complete list of apps suitable with Fitbit.

Pros as well as Cons Of The Fitbit Flex

Things I like:

It's super easy to wear all the time. It is really light as well as comfortable, as well as it looks laid-back as well as natural on your wrist. When I require to put on a watch, I have one that rests beside the Flex rather easily.

You can obtain various Fitbit Flex wristbands, moderately valued, in lots of enjoyable colors!

I was happily amazed to find out exactly how several actions I walk during my typical work day. I do actually discover methods to fit in much more activity at the office, so I can enjoy the numbers go up.

It's water immune, so I can use it in the shower or in the rainfall without worrying regarding maintaining it completely dry. (Technically, it could be submerged approximately 33 feet.)

I do not ever need to connect the tracker to a computer or phone to upload my condition. It happens automatically through the Bluetooth or dongle.

There is a notice alert to allow me understand when my battery is running reduced. After 10 mins approximately in the demanding wire, it excels to go once again. The Fitbit Flex battery requires charging every 3 to 5 days.

Although there is a discovering curve to obtain the most from it, the Dashboard is a vivid as well as fun display of my activity. I could customize nearly every little thing. For instance, the monitoring of steps was not ONE HUNDRED% accurate when I initially obtained the Flex. I discovered on the Help Discussion forum exactly how to measure and also add my stride length to my profile. Before I did that, it was generalizing stride size based upon my elevation as well as gender. Now it more precisely counts my steps (examined by checking the Control panel, strolling ONE HUNDRED steps, after that examining the new total).

Things I don't like:

I wish it was a watch considering that I use it on the exact same wrist where my watch generally goes.

You can only charge the tracker with the USB cable.

It takes a lot of research in the beginning to establish your food menu in order to use the food log. I'm not rather prepared to do that yet, yet I would certainly like to track calories as well as use that to enhance my eating habits.

I occasionally have problem touching the tracker right into sleep method. It's possibly fairly amusing to watch me furiously-yet-gently touching away on my wristband! When this occurs I just wait a couple of minutes, after that try again.

So ... Is The Fitbit Flex Working For Me?

Yes and no.

I have actually been really thinking about seeing just how numerous steps I take in a day - throughout particular exercises or while shopping at the shopping center - yet so much I have actually not utilized this information to press myself further.

I have not fulfilled the 10,000 steps everyday objective yet, so I haven't obtained the little party lights as well as resonances. I have actually come close, and got an email telling me that I just have many steps left to satisfy my objective, but I had not been encouraged enough to hop on the treadmill at 10 o'clock at evening to complete my steps.

According to FitBit, 10,000 steps a day is a rough equivalent to the Specialist General's referral to collect 30 minutes of activity most days of the week. It should be sufficient to minimize your threat for illness and help you lead a longer, healthier life ... Unless you have a very energetic lifestyle or occupation, you possibly don't get to 10,000 actions on a provided day without putting some effort into your activity. Source

I recently signed up with a health club and also have been doing a range of various workouts. It has actually excellented to see how they track on my Fitbit Flex. I have really selected different exercises based upon just how the outcomes will certainly affect my daily overalls. In the future, I think this will certainly be a handy tool for me. Yet today, it appears to be more of a curiosity.

Even with the sleep display that I was so ecstatic about, I have all this info but absolutely nothing really to do with it. Yep, when I stand up to visit the washroom it states I am "energetic." I additionally have several restless moments during the night. As well as ... currently just what? I do not know how I can gain from recognizing all this - yet.

I am still finding new articles and also pointers on the Fitbit site and also other locations online, so I am still thrilled regarding the possibilities. I'm not sorry I purchased this fitness tracker and will certainly continue using it. I definitely believe more concerning steps and health and fitness while I'm wearing it, and that's a good point. Right?!

If you have a Fitbit Flex or a few other fitness band, let me recognize exactly how it benefits you and just how you utilize the info it offers you.

Comparing Fitbit With Other Health and fitness Trackers

26 Physical fitness Trackers Placed From Worst To First

A New Individual's 2-Part Testimonial Of The Fitbit Flex

Top 10 Fitness Trackers Reviewed

Comparing 5 Of The Leading Physical fitness Bands

Reviews From Individuals Of The Fitbit Flex

The Best Task Trackers for Fitness

#cabbage diet #cholesterol diet #diet #diet recipes #dieting #fruit diet #three day diet #vinegar diet #weight lost

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infotainmentplus-blog · 7 years

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Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus review: Follow the leader Samsung doesn’t need to revolutionize the smartphone industry in 2018 — it needs to iterate on all the hard work it did with the Galaxy S8 line last year. But with the added pressure of the tenth-anniversary iPhone out on the market, Samsung isn’t just resting on its laurels. The Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus bring both iterations on the Galaxy S8 design and some much-requested new features, but is the company’s focus in the right areas? Samsung Galaxy S9 review notes: We’ve been using the Galaxy S9 Plus on Vodafone’s network in Barcelona, Spain for roughly a week and a half. Our review unit is running Android 8.0 Oreo, Samsung Experience version 9.0, and build number R16NW.G965U1UEU1ARB7 on the February 1, 2018 security patch. We’re holding off on adding review scores until we can put both the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus through our full suite of tests, the results of which will be coming in a deep dive review in the near future. Show More Design If you’re not careful, you might mistake the Galaxy S9 for an S8, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus were two of the prettiest phones to launch in 2017 (or, dare I say, ever), and the S9 refines the design even further. Both the S9 and S9 Plus feature Samsung’s now-signature curved glass panels on the front and back, separated by an aluminum frame. Those curved pieces of glass make the devices feel extremely comfortable to hold, almost like they cradle right into your palm. The curved edges on the front panel are less intense than on the Galaxy S8, which makes swiping in from the edges of the screen a bit easier. The one big change in this year’s design is the location of the fingerprint sensor. The Galaxy S8 and Note 8‘s fingerprint sensors were in the worst place imaginable — to the right of the camera sensor. It was awkward and not at all well thought out. The sensor’s now where it should be, right under the camera in the middle, where your finger naturally falls when holding it. All the buttons, ports, and slots are in the same places as the S8. The SIM tray is on the top, the power button is on the right, and the left side houses the volume key and dedicated Bixby button. On the bottom, you’ll find the USB Type-C port, 3.5 mm headphone jack (yes!), and a slightly redesigned bottom-firing speaker grille (more on the speakers later). The Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus are slightly smaller overall than their predecessors. This is because Samsung shrunk the top and bottom bezels, making the S9 1.2 mm shorter than the S8, and the S9 Plus 1.4 mm shorter than the S8 Plus. Both new models are heavier though — the Galaxy S9 weighs 163 grams compared to the S8’s 155 grams. and the S9 Plus weighs in at 189 grams compared to the S8 Plus’ 173 grams. The differences in weight are actually pretty noticeable. Samsung gave us the Midnight Black model for review, but the S9 and S9 Plus also come in Coral Blue, Titanium Gray, and the all-new Lilac Purple, which has been a favorite of ours ever since Samsung announced these phones. Whichever color you choose, be prepared for the Galaxy S9 to be an absolute fingerprint magnet, which is common with all-glass phones. Fingerprints aren’t the only things you need to worry about. These phones are fragile. It didn’t take long for our review unit to get some scuffs on the display. The top layer of Gorilla Glass 5 is already wearing away, which is easy to see when the screen is off. This has happened to a few other of our other glass-on-glass Samsung devices in the past, too. As premium as they might be, they aren’t perfect. These phones are fragile The design may not be durable, but at least these phones are IP68-rated for dust and water resistance. This means they’ll be able to survive a dunk in fresh water at 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes. Display Samsung has had the best smartphone displays on the market for years, and the Galaxy S9 lineup is no exception Samsung has had the best smartphone displays on the market for years, and the Galaxy S9 lineup is no exception. Both Super AMOLED panels offer deep blacks, vibrant colors, and superb viewing angles. Seriously — these displays are a joy to look at day in and day out, no matter what you’re doing. Though the Infinity Display is a recurring feature of all Samsung flagships, the immersion aspect is a little dialed back because the left and right sides no longer bleed all the way to the edge. This minimizes the number of accidental palm presses users experience when reaching to the opposite edge of the phone’s screen. The displays also get 15 percent brighter than those on the Galaxy S8 line. They’re so bright, in fact, that turning the brightness all the way up is way too intense for anything but outdoor viewing. Fortunately, they get very dim too, which makes them great for reading on your phone before bed. The Galaxy S9 has a 5.8-inch, 18.5:9 aspect ratio display. The Galaxy S9 Plus comes with a bigger 6.2-inch screen. Both displays have a maximum resolution of Quad HD+ (2,960 x 1,440), though they are set at Full HD+ out of the box. They can also be downscaled to HD+ if you’d like to save some battery life. Samsung’s wonderful always-on display makes a return this time, too. This continues to be one of the more useful always-on display implementations out there. You can display the current time and home time if you’re traveling, as well as battery percentage, and all your notifications. Double-tapping a notification quickly opens it up too. Performance Samsung has gone the Apple route with its two smartphones, offering slightly higher-end specifications in the bigger model. The Galaxy S9 comes with 4 GB of RAM and the S9 Plus has 6 GB. It’s unfortunate to see this, as it feels like a way to make users spend more on the Galaxy S9 Plus just to get that extra boost in power, not because the device actually needs it. Both devices are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC in the United States, and Samsung’s own Exynos 9810 elsewhere. We have a Snapdragon 845-powered unit, though we will certainly be covering the Exynos version soon. Read more: Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus specs: All about refinements It should come as no surprise that we encountered absolutely no slow-downs or stutters throughout our testing period. We’re positive the Galaxy S9 runs wonderfully as well, though we haven’t been able to spend a lot of time with it at time of writing. Games like Tekken and Final Fantasy IX performed without any problems throughout our testing, though we had some issues getting Final Fantasy Omnia Opera to load on our review unit. We’re sure this will be remedied quite quickly, though. Whichever model you get, you should be happy with how these phones perform. Hardware It wouldn’t be a Samsung device unless it packed in everything but the kitchen sink. Samsung gives users a hefty amount of on-board storage with 64 GB, which can be expanded via microSD up to an extra 400 GB. That extra storage is great news for those who like to load up their devices with plenty of music and podcasts. If you’re not streaming audio over the S9’s Bluetooth 5 connection, you can plug in your favorite headphones to the 3.5 mm headphone jack. That’s right — though seemingly every other manufacturer is removing the headphone jack, Samsung has decided to keep it. After all, everyone still uses it. I, for one, am very happy about this decision. Though seemingly every other manufacturer is removing the headphone jack, Samsung has decided to keep it. After all, everyone still uses it. Samsung also included headphones in the box, unlike some companies. In this case, it included the same pair of AKG earbuds in the box as with the Galaxy S8, which is a nice bonus. There’s also Dolby Atmos support built in, to provide a more immersive listening experience over wired audio. If you’re not listening to music with headphones, you’ll be happy to hear Samsung is finally focusing on improving the quality of its speakers too. The S9 and S9 Plus still have a bottom-firing speaker, though it’s now accompanied by a front-firing speaker on the top of the device, above the display. These AKG-tuned dual speakers are 1.4-times louder than the speakers on the S8 line, which is a welcome improvement. Because Samsung didn’t change much on the design front, neither the Galaxy S9 nor S9 Plus have room for bigger batteries. They sport the same 3,000 and 3,500 mAh batteries as the Galaxy S8 lineup. That’s not particularly great news — last year’s flagships didn’t have stellar battery life. The 3,500 mAh unit in our S9 Plus doesn’t perform any better or worse than the previous generation, at least so far. With heavy usage, our Galaxy S9 Plus achieved a maximum six hours of screen-on time over the course of a 12-hour work day. The workload consisted of video calling, YouTube and Hulu streaming, sending email, and scrolling through social media. During our heaviest camera testing days, our S9 Plus drained very quickly. After a full day of taking photos and videos around Barcelona, we managed to only rack up three hours of screen-on time, which only consisted of 90 minutes of camera app usage. So you’ll definitely want to bring a battery pack if you’re constantly shooting photos and videos. Of course, until we get to spend more time with it, we can’t vouch for the regular Galaxy S9’s battery life. Samsung at least makes it super easy to charge the S9. Both devices are compatible with Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 standard through wired charging, which means it will take about 90 minutes to get from single digits to over 90 percent. The addition of fast wireless charging through WPC and PMA standards is also quite convenient too, though that is usually used when the phone is idle. Finally, Intelligent Scan is the merging of two biometric features, Face Unlock and Iris Scanner. The S9 will automatically search for either your face or your iris when the phone is woken up. It isn’t an instantaneous unlock all the time though. Most of the time, the phone looks for a face, but might not get it because of an incorrect angle or something else, and then switches to infrared light for an iris scan. This takes time. Multiple prompts appear at the top of the lock screen giving advice on how to achieve the unlock, but for the most part you just have to make sure the phone is pointed right at your face and you are looking right at the phone. Face Unlock is not easy for the phone to do in the dark, but infrared light can always find an eyeball. At night, this has definitely proven useful. Camera If there is one place Samsung really focused (no pun intended), it’s the camera. Samsung has improved its cameras a lot in the last few years, so it was interesting to see where it could possibly bring more innovation. As it turns out, there was plenty of room for improvement. Don't miss AR Emoji vs Animoji: The differences explained The Galaxy S9 is here and like the rumors suggested, Samsung has taken a leaf out of Apple’s book with its new AR Emoji feature. The iPhone X bought Animoji last year and Samsung’s comparative … Let’s start with the fun stuff — AR Emoji. Samsung’s take on the Apple Animoji is a self-customized avatar that can either be a caricature of oneself or a completely different thing altogether. It’s easy enough to make, no matter which camera is being used — let the camera detect the face and it will give you a starting template. The facial recognition is not perfect, but it probably was never meant to be. All AR Emoji face shapes are about the same so not everyone is going to get a picture-perfect version of themselves. Skin tone, hair style, and clothing can all be customized and the end result is saved in the camera app. Users can take pictures with their AR Emoji or even record video of the avatar’s face moving along with their own. Only the face is tracked, but it tries to move even the eyebrows correctly for more accurate expressions. AR Emoji are far from a polished product. This mode, while fun, is far from a polished product — plus, they’re pretty creepy if you ask me. You can also make yourself the character, but the face tracking is a little buggy and can lead to some odd twitches here and there. We’re sure there will be more options for customization eventually — perhaps sponsored by clothing companies or beauty brands. For now, it’s an easy way to make 18 GIFs of various emotions that can be shared easily with friends on any platform. Since we’re on the topic of personal expression, let’s talk about the front-facing camera. An 8 MP camera with autofocus is up front and it should be familiar to any recent Samsung user. The selfies from this camera are good, but may not be as good as results from the Google Pixel 2’s machine-learning shooter. A type of portrait mode is now available in the form of Selfie Focus, which tries to find the cutout of the subject and pleasantly blur the background. The results are hit and miss, even ignoring how soft the photos are to begin with. Regardless, selfie lovers will have plenty to enjoy with the Galaxy S9 front-facing camera, even with its quirks. If there is one thing we really wish the front-facing camera had, it’s the multi-frame processing of the main camera module. Whereas the Google Pixel 2 applies its machine learning to either camera, it seems Samsung gave this new processing power to only the rear camera — and only the main lens, at that. Related Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus vs Pixel 2 XL: Two of the best Now that Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is official, one of it's biggest and most obvious competitors will be the Google Pixel 2 XL. Both are the larger variants of each company's respective flagships so naturally … That said, Samsung is clearly putting its best foot forward with the rear 12 MP shooter, which sports a dual aperture mode (more on that in a second). Multi-frame processing is a technical term for the camera’s ability to capture dozens of photos in a split instant and use all of the data to properly process a good final result. All of this work happens on the camera module itself, where the built-in DRAM holds the data during processing. This has been seen in previous forms like HDR+ on the original Pixel. We will compare Samsung’s implementation a little more to the Pixel 2’s machine-learning algorithmic methods soon, but there is one distinct difference — Google has a massive photo database to draw its data processing from, which is a huge advantage. The pictures coming from the main shooter all look pretty great, even in low light. This is due in part to the f/1.5 aperture which helps flood in an incredible amount of light for a smartphone. The S9 manages to pull a good photo out of a less-than-ideal situation better than any Galaxy device before it, using the large aperture in concert with multi-frame processing and optical image stabilization to minimize blur from the lowered shutter speed. F/1.5 is great, but it is not the only aperture you can use on the S9. Yes, dual aperture is possible now, with actual mechanical blades closing down over the sensor to bring a f/2.4 option on the same lens. Photographers will say this is not a huge change, but when exposing a photo in super bright daylight situations, every little bit helps. It certainly is true for the f/1.5 setting in the opposite direction with dark scenes. The depth of field effects of the f/2.4 setting are noticeably different, as background elements don’t have as much blur. If you want to have that super soft background, it is easy enough to go into the Pro mode and change the aperture setting accordingly. Some optimization is still required, though. The camera still prioritizes lower shutter speed over higher ISO sensitivity and thus motion blur is somewhat common. Using different apertures means the rest of the settings have to change accordingly, and if the S9 is always trying to figure that out on the fly, it simply gets the math wrong sometimes. The Samsung camera isn’t perfect, but it has the most tools to get the job done. If you want every camera tool possible, the S9 Plus is definitely the one to look at — the question is just if you really need it. The telephoto lens does not seem to get the same multi-frame processing treatment as the main sensor, which makes sense because the main sensor is developed with the smaller S9 in mind. The telephoto lens is an extra on the bigger model. However, having a zoom lens affords the S9 Plus a proper portrait mode in Live Focus, instead of the software-driven Selective Focus of the S9. We got to test the differences between these two and the zoom lens combo clearly yielded better cutouts and overall better portraits. Selective Focus on the regular S9 is as hit or miss as the Selfie Focus on the front-facing camera. You’ll have to decide for yourself how important zoom and portrait mode are to you — and whether you’re willing to pay the extra to get them. Galaxy S9 Selective Focus (left) vs Galaxy S9 Plus Live Focus (right). Image 1 credit: Chay Lazaro/GadgetMatch Samsung knew photography buffs would get a kick out of the lens hardware upgrade — no one else will really notice the difference. The rear camera is capable of 4K 60 fps video capture, which is nice for very fluid motion capture. Videos from the S9 Plus are detailed and helped along by optical image stabilization in the rear module. The camera is also capable of very high speed, 960 fps video capture at 720p. The lower resolution might not be ideal for smartphone filmmakers, but the result is still eye-catching. In those cases when the moment is tough to capture, the camera app also has an Auto mode that triggers the Super Slow Motion at, hopefully, the appropriate time. One thing is clear: Samsung knew photography buffs would get a kick out of the lens hardware upgrade — no one else will really notice the difference. Typical users will like the AR Emoji and the Super Slow Motion, but when shooting in auto mode, the apertures change accordingly without user input. The f/2.4 aperture was a necessary move to cover the pitfalls of such a wide open f/1.5 lens. Sure, it floods in superb amounts of light, but having super fine focus isn’t ideal in all situations. Samsung found a way to engineer the best of both worlds in a way most users won’t notice and experienced photographers can exploit. If anything, this camera is a great example of Samsung actually finding a way to please everybody. Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus camera samples Software Samsung went with the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality with the Galaxy S9, leaving basically all aspects of its Samsung Experience launcher unchanged from the S8. That’s not a bad thing — the Galaxy S8’s software was a huge step up from Samsung’s previous phones, and we’re happy to see a very similar software experience here. We just wish it ran the latest version of Android. Samsung has an update problem Related Android 8 review: Oreo is for everyone Three years ago Google introduced us to its new design language called Material Design. It was flat, graphical and colorful. It was the visual change that ushered in the beginning of a new age for … The Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus are both running Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box, which at the time of writing is a seven-month-old version of Android. Don’t get me wrong — Android 8 is fantastic, but it’s not Android 8.1. Samsung has no excuse for launching its over-$700 smartphones without the latest version of Android, especially when it’s been available for three months. The good thing is that this likely won’t be the case going forward, as the S9 and S9 Plus are primed for faster updates thanks to Project Treble. One thing that hasn’t changed between generations is the number of duplicate applications Samsung includes in its software package. For some reason, the company still finds it necessary to include its own apps when Google’s apps are perfectly acceptable. Some of Samsung’s apps offer extra features which might not be available in Google’s ecosystem, but the fact remains the app drawer is pretty stuffed out of the box. For what it’s worth, Samsung’s stock Gallery app comes with a few unique features of its own. The GIF creator feature is a really fun way to extract up to six seconds of an existing video and makes it easy to share on just about any platform. If you put a little bit of extra thought into it, you can get a fun looping GIF like one of the few presented below. One of the smaller changes to Samsung’s launcher is that both the app drawer and home screen can now be used in landscape orientation. This may not be the flashiest feature on the Galaxy S9, but it’s certainly going to make some users happy. The company isn’t giving up on its virtual assistant anytime soon, either. Bixby returns on the S9 line, bringing only a handful of minor improvements, which likely won’t change the way you feel about it. If you used it before you’ll likely continue to, but if you didn’t, there’s no major reason to start. Samsung has added a few augmented reality features to Bixby Vision, including the ability to live translate text from other languages. Just point the camera at some text, tap the Bixby button, and it will (try to) translate the text in real time. The text appears as an AR overlay. Live translation has not been accurate in our testing, but it could be just good enough to help if you’re lost in translation. Bixby also has the ability to summon nutritional information for food it recognizes. In theory, you should be able to point your camera at a donut, press the Bixby button, and receive nutrition facts about the donut in just a few seconds. This doesn’t work extremely well, either — it’s been pretty hit or miss at best. There’s also a new mode in Bixby that lets you overlay makeup from Sephora, Cover Girl, and more, allowing you to see how it looks on your face before you buy it. We’ll just leave this here: You can still access Bixby Home by swiping over to the left-most home screen. This remains a worthy landing page for anyone who doesn’t already use the Google Feed. Pressing the dedicated Bixby button will also bring you to Bixby Home, but you can disable the button if you don’t want to use it. Related Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus vs Note 8: A glimpse of the Note 9 If you're in the market for a high-end, large-screened Samsung device, your best options are now the Galaxy S9 Plus and the Galaxy Note 8. The differences between the two phones might be obvious — only … Holding down that physical Bixby button will trigger Bixby Voice, which is slowly but surely gaining unique voice recognition improvements. Bixby is still one of the only virtual assistants that can recognize multiple commands at a time (“add coffee to my shopping list and call my wife”). Bixby is still miles away from Google Assistant in terms of speech recognition, reliability, and features, but it is making progress. Bixby 2.0 will likely launch this year and will supposedly bring voice recognition enhancements to better recognize individual voices. If you’re unimpressed with Bixby in its current form, you might feel differently on the Note 9. Though we briefly mention it in the display section above, a large amount of customization options are given to the user through the lock screen and always-on display settings. Videos created using the Super Slow Motion mode can immediately be made into a lock screen background, as can just about any 15-second video. Unfortunately, unless you are actively making it play, biometric features like Intelligent Scan or the fingerprint scanner make this a moot feature because you blaze past it to the home screen very quickly. Apps Edge remains on the edge of the Infinity Display and a number of panels allow for easy access to most used apps, most contacted people, and a number of other features. Samsung’s own gaming features provide Do Not Disturb modes and button locks while playing. Dual Messenger helps users with multiple accounts on social media applications. Features like Secure Folder, Samsung Health, Samsung Notes, and any other app you may or may not use from previous Galaxy S or Note device are all here too. While the experience might be generally overwhelming, it will all be familiar for Samsung veterans. Specs Samsung Galaxy S9 Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus Display 5.8-inch Curved Super AMOLED 2,960 x 1,440 resolution (Quad HD+) 570 ppi 18.5:9 aspect ratio 6.2-inch Curved Super AMOLED 2,960 x 1,440 resolution (Quad HD+) 529 ppi 18.5:9 aspect ratio Processor Global: 10 nm, 64-bit, octa-core Samsung Exynos 9810 (2.8 GHz quad + 1.7 GHz quad) U.S.: 10nm, 64-bit, octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Global: 10 nm, 64-bit, octa-core Samsung Exynos 9810 (2.8 GHz quad + 1.7 GHz quad) U.S.: 10nm, 64-bit, octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 GPU ARM Mali-G72 (Exynos) Adreno 630 (Snapdragon) ARM Mali-G72 (Exynos) Adreno 630 (Snapdragon) RAM 4 GB 6 GB Storage 64 GB microSD expansion up to 400 GB 64 GB microSD expansion up to 400 GB Cameras Rear: Super Speed Dual Pixel 12 MP AF sensor with OIS, f/1.5 and f/2.4 apertures Front: 8 MP AF sensor, f/1.7 aperture Rear: Dual camera with dual OIS Wide-angle: Super Speed Dual Pixel 12 MP AF sensor with OIS, f/1.5 and f/2.4 apertures Telephoto: 12 MP AF sensor, f/2.4 aperture Front: 8 MP AF sensor, f/1.7 aperture Battery 3,000 mAh Non-removable Fast Wired Charging compatible with QC 2.0 Fast Wireless Charging compatible with WPC and PMA 3,500 mAh Non-removable Fast Wired Charging compatible with QC 2.0 Fast Wireless Charging compatible with WPC and PMA IP rating IP68 IP68 Network Enhanced 4X4 MIMO / CA, LAA, LTE Cat. 18 Enhanced 4X4 MIMO / CA, LAA, LTE Cat. 18 Connectivity Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz) VHT80 MU-MIMO 1024QAM Bluetooth v5.0 (LE up to 2 Mbps) ANT+ USB Type-C NFC Location: GPS, Galileo, Glonass, BeiDou Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz) VHT80 MU-MIMO 1024QAM Bluetooth v5.0 (LE up to 2 Mbps) ANT+ USB Type-C NFC Location: GPS, Galileo, Glonass, BeiDou Sensors Iris Pressure Accelerometer Barometer Fingerprint Gyro Geomagnetic Hall HR Proximity RGB Light Iris Pressure Accelerometer Barometer Fingerprint Gyro Geomagnetic Hall HR Proximity RGB Light Authentication Lock type: pattern, PIN, password Biometric lock type: iris scanner, fingerprint scanner, face recognition, Intelligent Scan Lock type: pattern, PIN, password Biometric lock type: iris scanner, fingerprint scanner, face recognition, Intelligent Scan Audio Stereo speakers tuned by AKG, surround sound with Dolby Atmos technology Audio playback format: MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, APE, DSF, DFF Stereo speakers tuned by AKG, surround sound with Dolby Atmos technology Audio playback format: MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, APE, DSF, DFF Video MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM Virtual reality Gear VR with controller (SM-R325NZAXAR) Google Daydream View Gear VR with controller (SM-R325NZAXAR) Google Daydream View Software Android 8.0 Oreo Android 8.0 Oreo Dimensions and weight 147.7 x 68.7 x 8.5 mm 163 g 158.1 x 73.8 x 8.5 mm 189 g Colors Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Lilac Purple, Titanium Grey Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Lilac Purple, Titanium Grey Gallery Pricing, availability, and final thoughts As you’ve probably guessed, these phones aren’t cheap. The Galaxy S9 is now available for pre-order for $719.99, and the Galaxy S9 Plus can be pre-ordered for $839.99. Both phones arrive Friday, March 16, on Samsung.com and through a variety of other online retailers, carriers, and brick-and-mortar stores. Buy the Galaxy S9 from Samsung For those prices though you get two of the most beautiful, feature-packed smartphones ever made. These phones deliver in all the areas we expected. The displays are top-notch (and notch-less). They sacrifice nothing under the hood. Both boast solid camera performance. These are probably the best Android phones for most users, and I’d have no problem recommending them to almost anyone. These are two of the best Android phones for most users If we had to choose, we’d recommend the smaller Galaxy S9. Both are great phones — don’t get us wrong — but the S9 is easier to hold without sacrificing too much screen, and it still comes with most of the new camera features Samsung introduced this year. Sure, the S9 Plus is the obvious choice if you want dual cameras, a bigger battery, or more screen, but we think the smaller model will be the right choice for most people. However, they’re not perfect — Samsung needs to get better at software updates, or at least launch its phones with the most recent version of Android. They also lack the level of polish found in the Pixel 2 and iPhone X. AR Emoji are a bit buggy, and there’s still no compelling use case for Bixby. Luckily, those things can be fixed with software updates or by simply not using them. The Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus are predictable, iterative devices. But is that so bad when their predecessors were two of the best phones of last year? We certainly don’t think so. We hope you enjoyed our Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus review! Are you buying either one or passing? Let us know in the comments, and don’t miss out on our other related videos below: , via Android Authority http://bit.ly/2F3z0fC

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droneseco · 4 years

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A Peek at the Pico, Raspberry Pi's Newest Petite Powerhouse

Raspberry Pi Pico

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