#hit me on my nextel

[dogshit420]

can we bring back push to talk cell phones again that shit was so crazy

[anarchywoofwoof]

What’s Biddy?

i saw your follow-up ask that you saw realized it was a nickname, but i figured i'd answer this anyway because it's a funny story.

so basically, at my last job, i used to dispatch tow trucks and light service vehicles for a variety of states (missouri, southern illinois, southern indiana, arkansas, louisiana, mississippi, tidewater virginia) for a popular roadside assistance company that uses three letters of the alphabet.

at this job, i was one of the main metropolitan city dispatchers, which was done via handheld nextel-style cell phones at the time. depending on the city that i was dispatching for, we could have as many as 20~ drivers on the clock at one time.

the software that we used to dispatch trucks was somewhat old and various features had been depreciated... but we weren't a software company, we were a roadside service company. so our answer whenever a feature in our software was depreciated was "just don't use that anymore."

the problem is that the buttons still WORKED. and one of the buttons was the "BID" button. if you pressed the "BID" button, it would automatically send the call on your screen out to every single driver on duty. and this would trigger every single one of them to call you and be like "hey, i'm like... 30 miles away from that call. do you seriously want me to drive that far?"

this would highly piss off my radio partner because for a good 20 minutes, all of the radios would be occupied with drivers asking "where'd that call go?" "do you want me to run that?" "do you realize how far i am from that?" "did you mean to send that to me?"

if i hit this button once, i hit this button a good... i don't know... dozen times? so my name became "Biddy." and it became a ritual to loudly shout my nickname, to the point where it became a genuine disturbance in the call center.

so yeah, there's your story for the evening of how i got my nickname.

[lexiloos-currentobsession]

Memorable moments, lines, and my observations from season 4:

Smoke

-Howard saying “Jimmy, don’t” while standing in front of the coroner van right before it drove off made me gasp

-Jimmy’s reply to Howard bearing his soul about causing Chuck’s suicide sent a chill down my spine

Breathe

-Lmao at Jimmy fawning shock over the printer being so good it could counterfeit money. Bob played that so well.

-Kim goes OFF on Howard, like DAMN. I would watch this woman scream the phone book

-Kim kissing Jimmy on the couch 🥹

Something Beautiful

-Me when Jimmy opened the door for the twins at the Vet’s 😳

-I feel confident the Vet saying “can you not hit every damn pothole, please!?” was a Joe DeRosa ad lib

-The printer shop guy sleeping in his office specifies he wants his pizza sliced- in my head cannon that’s a Breaking Bad call back to the pizza place that doesn’t slice their pie

-HEY GALE!!!

Talk

-The cell phone store aesthetic is spot on. My dad had a few Nextel/Sprint stores in the early 00’s and like Jimmy I had to make my own fun while hanging out there for hours on end

-The twins raiding the compound was v Breaking Bad-esq

-Just realized the advice Mike gives Jimmy after Bag Man about realizing you can forget came from Stacy talking about Matty in group!

Quite a Ride

-We get our first flashback to the Breaking Bad timeline!

-Jimmy’s hair is SO fucking cute in phone selling montage

-I did not enjoy seeing Howard so broken in the courthouse bathroom

Piñata

-Fuck you, Jimmy

Something Stupid

-The “Need to call? Buy from Saul!” business card we see in the opening montage is just the next step in his catchphrase evolution. I wholeheartedly appreciate the attention and care that went into showing us exactly how Jimmy got to Breaking Bad Saul

-I love that you don’t know who Jimmy is giving the office tour to and it’s Huel lol

-You’ve been selling drop phones? On the street?

-KIM’S FACE when Suzanne Erickson refers to Jimmy as a scumbag disbarred lawyer

Coushatta

-SO many silly one liners:

-I’ll leave the bottle

-Are you prosecuting Santa Clause!?

-Clarence is going at the organ, I’m gonna step into the vestibule

-I will be with you PRESENTLY!!!

-The fake donations on the church website is some tasteful foreshadowing/calling back to Saul laundering Walt’s money through fake online donations

-The staircase kiss!!

-I love the painting in the boardroom at Mesa Verde. It’s called The Blue Rigi: Lake of Lucerne Sunrise

-PACA PACA PACA it’s LALO!!!

-Overall this episode is a 10/10. It’s silly and entertaining but also feels so pivotal on a rewatch because it sets the stage for everything else that will happen. The entire show can kinda be divided into pre and post Coushatta

Wiedersehen

-Slow down, I’m wearin flip flops!

-I didn’t know I needed an origin story for that fucking bell until I got it

-The! … suspense… ! They really make you think Werner is gonna explode and then he does but not how you expected

-Jimmy driving like a bat out of hell through the S&C parking garage is a vibe

-The way Jimmy’s voice quivers when he says to Kim “you look at me and you see Slippin Jimmy” 😭I just want to comfort him

Winner

-ICONIC karaoke scene

-Mike’s gum trick was so slick. What can I say the man knows parking

-Two details about Kristy Esposito reinforce Jimmy seeing himself in her: Howard’s question to her was about working with elders and she’s the only candidate wearing a fun funky shirt

-Michael, is that you? 😏

-I’ll do everything in my power to be worthy of the name McGill… changes his name 5 minutes later

[lovelytsunoda]

lovelytsunoda’s definitive motorsports fiction rec-list

because i am a bookworm and aspiring goodreads influencer. this is where i am going to fawn over fictional men and addictive storytelling.

part one/ ?

throttled - lauren asher ( dirty air #1 )*

rating: 4 stars

where to begin with this one? i have a whole pinterest board but that’s a story for another day. maya alatorre’s brother santiago just beame the secondary driver for bandini and she’s joining the team on the road for race season, where she meets ( and ultimatley falls in love with ) noah slade, formula one’s resident golden boy and legacy driver with daddy issues. featuring enemies to lovers, brother’s rival and secret romance.

collided - lauren asher ( dirty air #2 )*

rating: 4.5 stars

set in the same world as throttled, collided follws sophie mitchell, daughter of bandini team principal james mitchell as she spends the summer on the road with the team, and finds her way into the arms of german mccoy driver liam zander ( who is literally the PERFECT man, like he hits every single point on my trifecta: he’s german, he drives a formula one car and he reads books ). liam is mccoy’s resident bad boy, and his pr team has him on a dating ban after he sleeps with the team principals niece. sophie has a naughty ( vvv spicy ) bucket list, and liam offers to help her out, falling hopelesley in love along the way.

thunderstruck - roxanne st.clair ( harlequin nascar )

rating: 3.5 stars

shelby jackson is the co-owner of the last family owner team in the nascar nextel cup series. sadly, thunder racing is in a terrible financial position and they haven't won anything in years. something that british soccer player mick churchill wants to change when he offers to by the other half of the team. shelby is unimpressed, and keeps trying to push mick out of the business, ultimately falling in love with him in the process. shelby is a girlboss, who commands attention everywhere she goes. mick is a dumbass, match made in heaven. the cover on this one SUCKS but the book is pretty good for being written in 2007, however it lacks any sexy time scenes, as the scenes always cut before there is any real smut.

flash and bones - kathy reiches ( temperance brennan / bones #14 )

rating: 4.5 stars

a dead body is found in an oil drum in the waste processing facility behind the charlotte motor speedway ahead of nascar race week. forensic anthropologist temperance brennan lands the case, and begins looking into the disappearance of a seventeen year old girl and her older boyfriend twelve years prior at the behest of a nascar mechanic related to one of the missing. from there, it’s a rich mystery and vast conspiracy involving militia groups, the fbi, biotoxins and car racing. listen, i was already in love with detective andrew ryan from the other temperance brennan books, but to find out that he is a jacques villeneuve fan, i am swooning.

wrecked - lauren asher ( dirty air #3 )*

rating: 5 stars

this book broke me, i'm not even kidding. this book is forced proximity and enemies to lovers between driver jax kingston and elena gonzalez, his media rep. they both have torubled pasts, and i f i could just warp them both in bubble wrap and protect then from the rowld, i would. jax is dangerously self-destructive, and elena has a hard time letting people in, but once they break down their walls (and god does it take a while) they are truly made for each other.

yes i cried like a baby, no i will not elaborate.

taming zach - amy sparling ( team loco #1 )

rating: 3 stars even.

cute, wholesome but predicatable and a little lame. this book follows motocross racer zach pena who has lost his focus on the sport and this also lost his place at the summer classic. as he risks getting cut from the team, he heads back home to hopewell, where he falls in love with bree grayson, the daughter of the groundskeeper ath hopewell motocross park. it's calssic good girl-bad boy shit, and it's been done many times before. although it can get steamy, there's no smut.

currently undecided if im actually going to finish the series.

redeemed - lauren asher ( dirty air #4 )*

rating: 5 stars

santaigo motherfucking alatorre. santaigo is recovering from a crash at silverstone three years ago that resulted in the loss of his right leg. since the crash, he's sequestered himself inside his mansion on lake como and hidden himself away from the world. chole carter never knew who her father was. after her roomate buys her a drugstore dna kit, she finally has her father's identity and finds herself on a trip to lake como to find him.

what i really liked about this one was that as they fell in love with each other, they also learned how to love themselves more in the process.

the final ranking order i have for the dirty air series (and men) is as follows: 1. Redeemed (Santi), 2. Wrecked (Jax), 3. Collided (Liam), 4. Throttled (Noah).

*bonus chapters are available for all the dirty air books at lauren asher’s website!

[emilyshotchniss]

Starting Fresh

Summary: After your best friend Elle leaves the BAU, you’re devastated - and a replacement agent is just adding salt to the wound. Or is it?

Pairing: Emily Prentiss x Fem! BAU reader

Warnings: a little angst? fluff, non-graphic implied smut, nothing major:)

Word Count: 1677

Oh you have got to be kidding me...

You looked up from your desk to find a slender brunette woman standing in Hotch's office. She was carrying a large box, presumably filled with her things, and that could only mean one thing: she was likely Elle's replacement. You rolled your eyes as JJ called you all into the roundtable room, interrupting Hotch's conversation with said brunette, leaving her standing doe-eyed in the doorway, clutching her box. You followed JJ to meet the others, huffing as you went.

"Her body isn't even cold yet! She's been gone less than a week!" You exclaimed to the others.

"Y/N, calm down. We don't even know who she is," Derek said, trying to reassure you. Hotch entered the room with Gideon, looking both annoyed and confused.

"Who was that in your office?" You asked, trying to act cool.

"Nobody. JJ, lets present," He said, abruptly changing the subject.

********************

You made your way across the jet and sat opposite Hotch. He glanced up at you, waiting for you to speak. You squirmed awkwardly, before blurting out your question.

"I just need to know one thing... Is she replacing Elle?" You asked.

"Y/N, not now. I know how close you were with Elle, but this is a private matter." He stated.

"Fine," You sighed, and made your way over to Gideon, at the other end of the jet.

"Hey Gideon, can I ask you something?"

"Fire away kiddo," He replied.

"That woman... You know, the one from Hotch's office this morning? Is she replacing Elle?" You asked, desperate for some more information.

"Look," He began. "I don't know who she is, or why she's here, but she has all the right paperwork saying she's supposed to be here. Hotch is waiting to hear back from Strauss about her." He told you, keeping his voice low so Hotch wouldn't hear. You knew he'd be honest with you, he was almost like a father figure to you, ever since he took you under his wing when you first joined the team. He knew that Elle was your best friend, and how much her leaving affected you - and thought it only fair you knew all the information regarding her vacant position.

"Thank you, Gideon," You said, sincerely.

"Anytime kiddo," He replied, before returning to his book.

*************************

You returned from St Louis, laughing with the team as you entered the bullpen. You noticed the light in Hotch's office was on, and upon closer investigation you saw the same brunette sitting on Hotch's couch, waiting. You knew then she'd be sticking around.

"Alright guys, I'm heading out," You declared, masking your true emotions, dodging everyones' glances.

You walked swiftly to your car, and got in quickly. Everything then hit you at once - Elle was gone - and she was never coming back. Your best friend, was gone for good. You wiped your tears, and drove home, preparing yourself for the difficult day ahead of you.

***************************

Walking into the bullpen the next morning, you saw the brunette arranging some of her things opposite your desk - what was Elle's desk, was now her desk. You sighed, rolling your eyes, psyching yourself up, when Garcia body-blocked you.

"Stop." She stated.

"Ugh- Penelope," You said, attempting to get past, and failing miserably.

"Before you go any further, fix your face. I know she's not Elle and I know you miss her, but she's only trying to do her job. She's actually very lovely," She replied, smiling and booping your nose as she moved aside.

"Okay Garcia, I'll give her a shot," I said, walking up to my desk, when I heard my name.

"Y/N? Agent Y/N Y/L/N?" The voice said. "Hi, I'm Agent Emily Prentiss," She said, extending her hand for you to shake. You hadn't noticed over the last few days, but she had gorgeous brown eyes, you could almost get lost in them.

"Y- Yes, hi," You replied, shaking her hand, before sitting down. "You nervous?" I joked.

"Uh- yeah, actually, a little. I hear I have big shoes to fill," She said, with a sympathetic look in her eyes.

"That you do," You replied, trying to be nice, "But don't worry, I have a feeling you'll fit right in," You finished, no longer faking the niceness, finding it easier to speak to her as the conversation went on. But god, those eyes...

***********************

"The cell members bailed out through a tunnel, the DEA recovered a nextel two-way and managed to intercept a message," JJ began, handing each of us a piece of paper, when she stopped Emily.

"That's not the transcript, it's-" She began, but Emily stopped her.

"No, it's in Arabic," She stated.

"Uh, our friends surprised us and eloped, we can no longer wait for the wedding as planned, we can deliver our gift at the next crescent." She said, oblivious to everyone's stares and gaping jaws. She looked up, as embarrassment flushed over her cheeks. I was in awe.

"I lived in several middle eastern countries growing up," She mumbled. This woman really was full of surprises, wasn't she? You didn't know what you were feeling, but as soon as you met those dark brown eyes you knew there was something different about her. I placed my hand on her thigh, reassuring her. She smiled gently in return, placing her hand delicately on top of yours, squeezing it gently. You were secretly praying that she would be your new field partner, but knowing Hotch and his trust issues, she probably wouldn't even fly with us.

You all returned to your desks, as Hotch and Gideon stood in his office doorway, quite obviously discussing Emily.

"Jason, this is an interrogation, not a training exercise." Hotch said sternly.

"She's the only member fluent in Arabic," Gideon countered.

"There's other translators," Hotch replied. You and Emily both glanced up from your desks.

"They haven't studied behavior," Gideon rebutted again.

"Does she even have her ready bag yet?" Hotch asked. At this, I noticed Emily duck beneath her desk, fumbling about.

"My guess is there isn't much that woman's unprepared for," Gideon said. Just as the words left Gideons' mouth, Emily re-emerged from below her desk, sliding her packed ready bag onto the table, standing awkwardly next to it. You couldn't help but giggle at her, which caught her attention.

"What," She grinned.

"Nothing, it- it's just your cute, that's all," You smiled back, causing her to blush. You had no idea where your boldness was coming from, but you weren't lying - she was cute...

"Prentiss, Y/L/N, you're flying with Gideon to Guantanamo, car leaves in 4 minutes." Hotch stated.

"Yes sir," You both replied, Emily struggling to hide her wide smile. She had the most amazing smile...

********************************

The team returned back from GTMO, after an exhausting few days. Thankfully, you were able to prevent the terrorist attack that Al Ikhteraa had planned, and everyone was headed to O'Keefe's for drinks. Hotch went straight home to Haley and Jack, and Gideon decided to skip. You were headed to your cars, when Emily stopped you right before you unlocked your door.

"Hey, Y/N wait up," She said, running over to you. You immediately felt your palms begin to sweat and your heart rate increase. You never expected to - but you liked her. A lot.

"Hey, I just wanted to say thank you," She began.

"Thank you? For what?" You said, letting out a confused giggle. She smiled back, sending the butterflies in your stomach crazy..

"Oh, just helping me settle in the last few days,and being the most awesome field partner I could've asked for, having my back and all," She continued. "I know it couldn't have been easy, you know, they told me you were close with Agent Greenaway," She said. Oh my god - you'd gone the whole week without thinking about Elle once. Were you finally moving past her?

"Uh- Uh yeah, yeah, she was my best friend." I replied, looking at the ground.

"I'm sorry, that must've been difficult," She said, grabbing your arm, the physical contact sending chills down your spine. Screw it. You had had a great week despite your first ideas, and you were feeling bold.

"I wanted to hate you so badly," You began, catching her off guard. "I wanted to hate you, because you were replacing Elle, because I knew that you joining the team would make me have to accept that my best friend was gone, and never coming back." She tightened her grip on your arm, softly stroking it with her thumb.

"But as soon as we first spoke, I knew there was something about you that I couldn't quite put my finger on. And as the week went on, I only became more sure." You continued, smiling at her, making her blush.

"Sure of what?" She questioned, nervously giggling.

"Sure that I wanted to do this..." You hummed, before grabbing her waist and pulling her close to you, then gently placing your lips on hers. You panicked when you didn't feel her kiss back initially, but were reassured when you felt her tongue brush over your bottom lip. You started slow, but things progressed fairly quickly and she took control, pushing you flush against your car. She let out a few faint groans of pleasure, before you pulled away for air, grinning from ear to ear, feeling like you were going to burst with happiness.

"You still wanna get drinks?" She whispered.

"I have other plans in mind, if you'd like to join me," You winked, before unlocking your car.

"I'd love to," She replied, jumping in the passenger side. The whole car journey home was filled with stolen glances and wandering hands, and when you finally arrived at your apartment, you could barely contain yourselves. Lips met, clothes were ripped from each other, and you spent the night exploring every inch of each other. You both knew then that this was the beginning of a beautiful adventure...

[childfreeisthewaytobe]

08.08-08.11.2010

The day I found out I was pregnant, I was at my family reunion. It was a blistering 100 degrees outside and I was feeling absolutely 100% fine until my dad tried to hand me a fresh grilled hot dog. I saw it and immediately felt sick. I objected and probably told him I just wasn't ready to eat yet, but I immediately knew. Immediately. It was unlike any other sick I had ever felt. Unlike any other nausea.

I left the reunion a real short time after to buy some pregnancy tests at Walgreens. I got home and took one right away.

Positive.

Oh my god. What did I do? What the fuck did I do? What did WE do?!

I called my boyfriend. No answer. Called again. No answer. Chirped several times (good old Nextel), and texted. No reply. I knew he was sleeping. He'd spent the whole day running callbacks as a part time firefighter (if you could even call it that) and he was dead to the world, but I needed to talk to him so I got in my car and drove all the way there, calling, chirping, and texting the entire time, nonstop, wondering how the fuck I put myself in such a dumb position.

When I got to his house I banged on the front door so hard I bet his parents thought I was being chased and/or murdered. His mother came to the door and I blew past her like a bull in a China shop up to his room.

I threw the door open and shook him awake harder than anyone should really ever be shaken awake, but in all of my time before getting there, I wondered what a mistake we made and how I couldn't even get him to answer all of these calls and messages. How could I make him grow up and be a father? The firehouse was his stupid life and I didn't ever want to compete.

The bastard was awake. I made up a story about a fake fight with my family to get his mom to leave so I could unleash the horrible news.

"I'm pregnant."

Silence.

Me: "What the fuck are we gonna do?"

Him: "I'm going to get another job and take care of you."

While it's typically every mother-to-be's dream to hear that sort of thing when some dudes straight bounce, that was literally the last thing I wanted him to say. I wanted him to tell me he didn't want to have a baby. I wanted him to cry.

I shook my head with vigorous force.

"No. No. No you're not. I don't want this."

I had decided before he even knew the possibility existed. Regardless of his reaction, he didn't get a say. There was no choice for the boy because he was there or because it was his too or whatever. No no no. No.

I spent the night that night and when we woke up the next morning, he reminded me of our beach plans we made with friends the day before and asked me if we could still go. It was right then that I knew I wouldn't be able to rely on him in the way that I would need to if I ever really entertained the idea of going through with the pregnancy. The beach?

I had to go home. I had to tell my parents. I needed them and I needed the truth out of me. I jumped out of his bed and we drove to my house. Me in my car and him in his. When we got there, we went up to my room and I told him to stay there. I wanted to tell them myself and just be away from him.

I went downstairs to the family room where my parents were sitting on their computers.

"I need to talk to you, " I told them with a shaky voice.

They knew. Come on. They had to.

"I'm pregnant."

"Oh no" my mom blurted out.

"... And we're not keeping it."

Her voice fell. "Oh no."

I didn't tell them so I could feel less guilty or get their blessing. I didn't feel guilty and I didn't need anyone's blessing, thank god. I was 22 and knew all I needed was whatever it was going to cost and my own consent.

My dad silently got up and walked upstairs. My mom and I sat in silence while we listed to his footsteps in the hallway above us and knew he was going to retrieve my boyfriend from my room. Or worse.

They both came downstairs and we waited for their words. I can't even tell you what was said to make me cry. I believe in my heart that I pretended to be upset and unsure of my decision but really I had no remorse and knew I needed to get on the phone and call anyone who could help me end this thing.

We fell silent until like in my family's notorious fashion, we left the room quietly, one by one. When my boyfriend left, I jumped online to search for an abortion, praying to fucking god that I wasn't too far along for a doctor to even want to do it. The literal last thing on earth I wanted was a forced pregnancy.

This would be the first time I ever had an experience with Planned Parenthood, but I feel the need to mention that, hey! They offer way more than abortion services!

I learned that 8-12 weeks was the cutoff for an abortion, but I wouldn't know where I was until my appointment, so I took the very first available time they could see me which was 2 days later; Wednesday, August 11th.

In the 3 days that I spent aware of my condition, I only knew I wanted it OUT. I was constantly ill. I couldn't even think about food, much less eat any. I was so irritable and tired. I did not feel like I was glowing or beautiful or sacred. I wanted to kill the baby myself just to feel better. I did not have one single iota of a maternal attachment to my baby. I could only think that every minute that passed was one minute closer to feeling better.

The morning of my procedure was torture. The nausea was always the worst in the morning and naturally we had to be at the facility as early as we could literally to secure a spot. I didn't understand why since we had an appointment but I would soon learn that the appointment came with a "before" interview that was apparently required by Planned Parenthood or the state or whoever. Each patient's interview was sometime before the actual procedure and they all seemed random.

I sat in the waiting room with my boyfriend in silence and observed the room around me. The nonchalant atmosphere affected me more than I thought it would, not because of how sad it was that we were all there to end our pregnancies, but because of how normal it seemed for some of them to be there. I did not regret my decision but I certainly wasn't able to smile or mess around on my phone or close my eyes and take a nap while we waited.

When my name was called, I thought it was because it was "my turn," but I was wrong. I was pulled into a small office by myself; he was not allowed to come with me. I was sat across a nurse lady with a warm smile who asked me questions I never even considered like "are you here with anyone?" and "are you here on your own accord?" and "do you have a support system at home?"

I immediately understood that some girls that come through there maybe didn't make the choice to end their pregnancies based on their circumstances. I only knew what I felt in that moment and that was that my decision was 1000% my own. I made sure to mention that out loud and asked about the others in the waiting room. She said that I was right but also that she had seen a few of the girls more than once. She called them "frequent flyers."

The interview was all of 10 minutes. We paid the $500 and then I was back out in the waiting room.

Finally, my name was called for real. I got up and followed the nurse into the office. I climbed up on the bench and waited for the anesthesiologist and my surgeon, I guess you could call her. I was thankful they were both women.

It only took me 7 or 8 seconds to fall asleep, but I'll never forget still hearing the sound of the vacuum and the pressure of it being moved in and out and around my uterus to make sure it... "got everything." I feel like I REALLY fell asleep only after the procedure was over.

I woke up in a recliner and a diaper in a room with 5 other girls in my exact position. There was nothing glamorous about it. It was a bright room and I was sitting there with no pants and a diaper on. I looked around the room and immediately started crying. It was awful to see and hear and feel. I hated being there and getting myself there and everything about everything. The other girls talked calmly to me, trying to relax me and calm me down with their "it'll be okay's" and other soft hushings I can't even recall. I just remember wondering how they were so alright. It seemed normal to them and I hated them too.

I woke up enough to ask the nurse to tell my boyfriend to come get me. He walked back and helped me get dressed and gather my stuff. I walked out with him and never ever looked back.

He left me sitting in the foyer while he picked up the car and parked it right in front to come back inside and help me. The good thing about him in that moment was that he had had extensive medical training through all of his firefighter training so he was pretty attentive and knowledgeable about how to take care of me after waking up. It was a quiet ride home if I remember correctly. I may have told him a few things but probably nothing like I left here.

When we got back to his house, I was pretty awake and knew I was going to have to pull it together a little bit if I was going to hide the fact that I had just woken up from surgery from his parents.

When we walked in, his dad immediately offered us grilled hot dogs and I realized I was hungrier than I had ever been in my life. It hadn't hit me until I was faced with the idea of food. My boyfriend looked at me as if to let me decide for us both. I nodded and ate 2.

It started, and ended with grilled hot dogs.

And an epic, epic nap.

I woke up to the sound of my idiot boyfriend listening to fire tones and calls on literally every device he owned as if I didn't just go through one of the most traumatic experiences of my life.

Man was I pissed.

And glad I didn't decide to go through with having a baby with him.

[droneseco]

The Lutron Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug Review: For Lutron Loyalists With $79 Burning a Hole in Their Pockets

Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug

8.00 / 10

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If you want a quality outdoor smart plug, and money isn’t much of a concern, then the Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug is worth a look. On the other hand, there are certainly other options like the Caséta that can be had for less.

Key Features

Solid Core Construction

Works With Pico Remotes

Lutron App Integration

HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home Integration

Easy to Setup and Install

Mountable

Weatherproof

Specifications

Brand: Lutron

Connectivity: Type A RF

Integrations: Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Lutron Smart Bridge

Schedules: Yes

Current Rating: 120V 50/60Hz

Pros

Simple To Use

Durable

Long Range Operation

Easy To Remove

Cons

More Expensive Than Most Outdoor Plugs

Apps Do Not Work Without Lutron Bridge

Up-Front Cost Does Not Account for Pico Remote

Limited Uses

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  Rain, snow, sleet, hail, and even hot and cold temperatures can permanently damage the sensitive electronics of your standard smart plug. But what if those elements weren’t an issue? What if a smart plug could handle the outdoors so that you could power things like string lighting or holiday decorations?

Well, thanks to Lutron and its new $79 Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug, you can now bring all the power and function of a smart plug to the outdoors. But how does it stack up to other smart plugs? And what makes it different? Let’s find out.

The Lutron Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug Design

Indoor smart plugs are everywhere. In fact, according to Security.org, around 22% of all homes that have smart devices use at least one smart plug. And while they are great for indoor applications, there are not many plugs available that can handle inclement weather.

Unlike standard smart plugs, The Lutron Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug is built with bad weather in mind. It holds an IP65 rating, and its internal components are encapsulated to resist moisture, cold, and heat.

Overall, the smart plug has a fairly straightforward design. It looks as if someone cut about two feet of exterior extension cord and slapped an electronic box in the middle. But this is not a bad thing. The simplicity of this unit means that there are fewer potential points of failure.

In the center of the housing is a single button to control the pairing and the on/off function. On the rear of the unit are four hex-head screws that hold the Caséta's mounting bracket in place.

Related: How to Set Up a Smart Plug For Home Automation

Technical Specifications

The Caséta Outdoor Plug can handle lighting loads of up to 15A and up to 1/2HP motor and pump loads. The plug will also support up to 1200VA for lighting transformers and magnetics ballasts.

This unit is designed specifically for 120V household current and has an operating voltage of 120V 50/60Hz and an operating current of 6.8 mA at 120V with no load connected. The Caséta Outdoor carries an IP65 rating and is both FCC and IFTEL certified.

It’s also rated for extreme temperatures and will continue functioning between -4F and 122F (-20C to 50C). This range means that whether you live in a climate that gets desert-like in the summers or downright polar in the winters, the Lutron Caséta will handle most of your outdoor power needs. The full technical specifications are available on Lutron's website.

The female portion of the unit is about 5.125 inches (130 mm) from tip to control box, and the male portion measures 7 inches (178 mm) from the edge of the controller to the base of the prongs.

The control box portion of the unit is 5.5 inches in length and 1.5 inches in height at its tallest point. The mounting plate extends slightly farther than the control box itself.

On the rear of the mounting plate, four pre-drilled holes allow the Caséta plug to attach to almost any structure. The total weight of the device is 4.9 ounces.

What’s in the Box?

The contents of the Lutron Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug box are as basic as it gets. Inside you’ll find:

The Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug

A Quick Start Guide

There isn’t much else you need here. Some folks may find the lack of mounting hardware surprising, but this makes sense considering that the unit mounts to so many different types of surfaces. Besides, mounting hardware is inexpensive, and this way, you can tailor it to your specific application.

I should mention that Lutron sent this unit to us specifically for review. Hence, a few other goodies arrived with this plug, including a Pico Remote, a Pico Remote pedestal, and a Pico wall plate bracket.

Controlling the Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug

Because I don’t own a Lutron hub, the Pico Remote was integral for controlling this unit. Pairing the Pico Remote with the outdoor plug was as easy as holding down the bottom button on the remote for six seconds and holding down the button on the plug for the same amount of time.

The best part of this pairing process is that it doesn’t use your home wireless network. That means if your network goes down, you can still use your outdoor switch. On our demo unit, the pairing worked excellently, and I found no trouble using the remote, even from two stories above the plug.

In addition to the Pico Remote, if you have a Lutron smart home hub, you can use the Lutron app with Apple Homekit, Google Home, or Amazon Alexa to control your smart plug. This flexibility means that you can easily integrate the Caséta Outdoor into your current smart home setup.

Related: The Best Smart Plugs to Make Your Life Easier

Potential Applications

There are two main types of applications that a plug like this is excellent for. First would be the obvious—holiday decorations. Plugging this unit into your outdoor GFCI would be a great way to control holiday lighting from the warmth of your living room. That’s the application that I will most likely use for this unit when the holiday season hits.

A subcategory here would be additional outdoor lighting. In my research, I’ve seen many people using the unit to control outdoor string lighting. This is also an excellent way to put the Lutron Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug into service.

The second type of application primarily has to do with outdoor pumps/motors. For those lucky few that have the luxury of ponds or fountains on their property, this unit would work great as a way to control their operation remotely. The Caséta’s durability and sealed design would go great in areas prone to the occasional moisture that a water feature might create.

Unfortunately, due to the 15A rating here, you should make sure your pump draws no more than 1800W if you’d like to use this plug. That means many swimming pool pump motors and some larger spa pumps might overload the device. It’s best to check with your pump manufacturer before committing to using the smart plug for these larger applications.

Repairability of the Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug

There is absolutely no way to repair this plug due to the encapsulated nature of the unit. During testing, I removed the four hex-head screws from the rear to see the electronic components inside. But they are surrounded by Lutron’s internal epoxy-like coating. While this is great for keeping weather and dirt out of the unit, it also means that if the Caséta Outdoor plug malfunctions, then you’ll need to purchase another one.

The material inside of the plug also holds all of the electronic components stationary. This design means there is less potential for damage to those internal components. So, what you sacrifice in repairability, you gain back in durability.

However, if the outdoor plug fails, you’ve got a one-year warranty against any defects in materials or manufacturing. You can extend this warranty to two years by filling out a Caséta Wireless Feedback Questionnaire on Lutron’s website.

What’s Great About Lutron’s Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug?

The most significant benefit to the Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug is its durability. You can tell just by picking up the unit that it’s not flimsy or delicate. This is a smart plug designed to handle what other smart plugs cannot. This trait is often the biggest draw for Lutron products and allows the smart home product manufacturer to command top dollar.

The overall simplicity of the unit is also great. It’s so easy just to pick the smart plug up and get it installed. For me, it took less than five minutes, including programming the Pico Remote. I feel confident that I could hand this plug to anyone, and they would be able to integrate it into their home almost immediately.

Lastly, controlling the outdoor plug with smart home devices like Alexa and Google home is great. These are features that allow the Caséta Outdoor to work like it would a standard indoor unit.

Related: The Best Outdoor Security Systems

What Could Lutron Improve?

The biggest drawback of this smart plug is going to be the cost. $79 is almost double the price of some of the other smart plugs on the market. And while quality is an important factor here, the idea that you can get a smart outdoor plug at your local hardware store with similar functionality for much less makes this smart plug a little pricey.

However, the quality is there, and for anyone who wants a plug that feels like it will last a long time, the Lutron is the way to go. Unlike its half-priced competitors, I would feel extremely comfortable leaving this plug attached all year long without worrying that it wasn’t going to hold up to the blistering New England winter or the shower-filled spring.

Then there is the issue of app control. The Lutron Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug offers the most flexibility when using smart assistants with the device. But for that, you’ll need the Lutron Smart Bridge. None of the assistants will work without it.

Additionally, while the Pico Remote is a great control option, it’s still $20 over and beyond the cost of the smart plug itself. That difference drives the unit’s total cost with the remote to around $100 if you don’t already have a Lutron Smart Bridge.

If you do, on the other hand, this limitation isn’t a problem. But for those folks who aren't already in the Caséta ecosystem, they’ll need to choose a $20 remote or an $80 bridge. If money is no object, then this choice might not matter.

Should You Buy the Lutron Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug

Overall, the Lutron Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug is a solid unit, if not a bit of a pricey one. While it does have limited applications, you can be sure that it performs its intended functions without any issue. I would certainly trust it to hold up in the temperamental climate of New England. In fact, the Caséta Outdoor is probably the toughest smart plug I’ve reviewed to date.

I say that if you want a quality outdoor smart plug, and money isn’t much of a concern, then the Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug is worth a look. On the other hand, if you're on a strict budget, there are certainly other options that can be had for less.

The Lutron Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug Review: For Lutron Loyalists With $79 Burning a Hole in Their Pockets published first on http://droneseco.tumblr.com/

[ninthcampaign]

NINTH CAMPAIGN NEW MIXTAPE OTW 04 10 19 http://NINTHCAMPAIGN.info

—

CHRIS WISE is a true polymath: husband, recording artist, business magnate, humanitarian, scholar, and athlete.

http://CHRISWISE1700.com

http://instagram.com/CHRISWISE1700

http://twitter.com/CHRISWISE1700

http://facebook.com/CHRISWISE1700

—

Credits:

Song Produced by DJ Scratch From the “Poison” Album by Swizz Beatz Originally Performed by Nas

Recorded in Brooklyn, NY at Brewery Studio Engineered by Andrew Krivonos A&R / Operations by Mrs. WISE

Songwriting by CHRIS WISE (ALL CAPS)

—

Lyrics:

G train but never claimed to be a gangster

Educated on Wanksta Now I’m in functions with Rosenberg

Dapping up Budden Introduce him to my WISDOM like “We grew up on your sound, sun”

Fire featuring Busta Check my scenario

Full-fledged hustler Seven days of shifts while I’m shifting the paradigm

My peers at 18 might of had a pair of 9s I just had the white and navy joints Same joints I heard Benny mention on the Tana

Might just run it back and be the freshest on the campus Bring home the doctorate Emperor’s robes

Without a question: my live show is classes in session Soundwaves I caress and finesse the midsection

Surely by now I know your interest is piqued I like reclining with a memoir and D’usse neat

The night was young and my forecast was reign So I bought my first bottle after all my dues paid I’m getting warmed up (2x) Like cheddar biscuits out the doggy bag

Calling all my dogs to hit the 40 on a Wednesday Need great seats to watch the ‘Bockers and the Rens play It’s bonafide that I’m ahead of my time (2x)

In this world of raw snakes I behead ‘em with rhymes

Pulling up to the function with the guillotine Mr. Young taught us how to use the triple beam

7th grade Skipping class Smoking blacks Uninformed Sipping brandy out Ms. Haynes’ stash

TV dads provided then home training ‘Cuz Lopez fucked, ducked then left my whole home frameless

I’m not complaining Surviving, maintaining

But my family’s ruined roots are never far from my brain

If I can save one life with my example, damn…

I’ve already had to I know my life is much wider than my own pursuits That’s why I always browse sedans and never the coupes

Feathery touch like a Tone Park floater It’s the cold heart soldier Traverse all tundra

The poem froze, prone to rip the globe asunder Far from the edge No Trump can pull me under

Hundred years Greenwood remains unrepaired And reparations ain’t BHM Nike airs

MOST VALUABLE wordsmith Masterful businessman Rather than support the Europeans I’ma build a brand

And seize the world with the Bol Bol wingspan Wingtips and pinstripes Hushed tone Corleone

Guard the throne The martyr’s home Rolling with the David stone Show me your Goliath Sure as iron sharpens iron Ima write a mine of diamonds, make it sound like not trying

Is this lyrical exercise or exorcism? 27 Club – rejecting the membership

They saying we three-fifths I’m setting the record straight

Scratch that Flash that

I’m Furious Five Last time that I checked Bloods and Crips bout to unify

Civil war coming Brown side is the only side And I ain’t been the same since Fred Hampton died

Shawn Carter was born December Fourth I followed his blueprints Like the Holy Route north

Now I’m only bout studio budgets Signed, sealed with the flourish Never will I diminish

42 in the flesh I’m coming home with the pennant

Couple mentors perished crushed me like velvet

From the ashes developed The next Times best-seller

My Nextel been blinging new WISDOM they yearning Always knew that I had it first I had to go earn it

8 years down fine tuning the formula CHRIS The Terror is here Foolie, I’m warning ya

Never one for the social media forecasting More lyricism Job scriptures Raw passion

God blessed me with the illest camp GVLM Upright citizens but be spilling champ

Never judge what you don’t know And you DON’T KNOW

The scars on my soul Or the costs of my tolls

Natural star But I had to bulk up so I could play the role And now you’re watching a master at work

Revolution won’t be televised It shall be recorded.

[wrandino]

Hit me on my Nextel Chirp

When you hear dat “Berkk Berkkk”

[usuallyrics-blog]

Like Dat

New Lyrics has been published on usuallyrics.com https://usuallyrics.com/lyrics/like-dat/

Like Dat

Sniper game, Kodak Cause I got it by myself Skrrt, skrrt, aye, skrrt, skrrt (skrrt, skrrt) Free lil Kodak, free lil tap boy

Why you, why you keep that tool like dat? Why you move like dat? I hit the club 50 deep (aye, aye) How you get so high like dat? Why your eyes like dat? Cause I put molly in my lean (aye, Kodak, Kodak) Kodak, why you act like dat? Why you strapped like dat? Cause I got it by myself (aye, aye) Nigga, I don’t need no pharmacy I be smokin’ broccoli, they say it’s good for my health (aye, aye)

I’m from the No, my lil bitch from the Def I like my money fast, you movin�� like a snail All I smoke is L’s, on that paper trail Can’t you tell? I got clientele on my Nextel I don’t need your help, got it on my own This a million dollar phone, but I ain’t got no ring tone (aye, aye, aye) Kodak, why you keep that thing on you? (aye, aye) Cause I ain’t got no time to play with you All I do is win, I hate to lose Got your boo dancin’, cause that’s what them bands make her do (make her dance) I’m smokin’ broccoli, count this green (count this green, nigga, aye) I’m on molly, I’m on lean (I put molly in my lean, nigga)

Why you, why you keep that tool like dat? Why you move like dat? I hit the club 50 deep (with my niggas, aye) How you get so high like dat? Why your eyes like dat? Cause I put molly in my lean (in my lean, aye) Kodak, why you act like dat? Why you strapped like dat? Cause I got it by myself (by myself) Nigga, I don’t need no pharmacy I be smokin’ broccoli, they say it’s good for my health (aye, aye, Kodak)

Kodak, why you always in the foreign? (in the foreign car) Cause if it ain’t foreign, then it’s borin’ (that’s a boring car) I’m chasin’ dreams, while you snorin’ Kodak Black, might be yellow, but her favorite color orange (color orange, boy) Please don’t call my phone no more, I’m on tour (bitch, I’m on tour) Only two can fit, fuck a four door (fuck a four door) Nigga, this a jag, this is not a Ford (not a Ford) Polo, to the floor, fuck that Tom Ford (poppin’ molly) Nigga, this a Rollie, fuck that Michael Kors (fuck that shit) I made her move in slowly, cause I poured a four (I’m on that shit) Got her on her knees, like “forgive me lord” (fuck that bitch) I remember pullin’ schemes, way in Baltimore (remember I was hittin’ licks)

Why you, why you keep that tool like dat? Why you move like dat? I hit the club 50 deep (with my niggas, aye) How you get so high like dat? Why your eyes like dat? Cause I put molly in my lean (in my lean, aye) Kodak, why you act like dat? Why you strapped like dat? Cause I got it by myself (by myself, aye) Nigga, I don’t need no pharmacy I be smokin’ broccoli, they say it’s good for my health (I’m the healthy kid)

Who is Kodak Black

The rapper was born in Pompano Beach, Florida. Recently, he often declared his name as his perfect marks, and his crimes. The Baby project, the heart of the projects, Instution and Lil Big PAC have been released so far.

[itaughtmyself]

Yo hit me on my Nextel chirp

[lyricshot-net]

Wu-Tang Clan - Fast and Furious Lyrics

Wu-Tang Clan – Fast and Furious Lyrics

[Intro] Pass the fuckin’ weed, nigga Man my fuckin’ phone is goin’ crazy right now, man Once this nigga hit me up and bring me this blunt Shit, man Ahh this bitch Ayo, ayo [Verse 1: Hue Hef] It’s like six in the morning Me and Miller just finished our pack Couple fiends on the avenue, they lookin’ for crack Grab the Nextel like yo L, police on the jack I’m in that wide-body six and I’m sippin’ on…

[arenatechgq-blog]

Tech regret: most exceedingly bad devices we at any point purchased Close experiences with mechanical abominations.

As much as we adore innovation, it can likewise be a killjoy. With each awful contraption buy, however occasional, we're reminded that chip-based living things are frosty and unconcerned. A touchscreen demands you tapped a full inch to one side from the symbol you intended to hit; a tablet turns up its fan as the hard drive declines to yield a Word archive; a voice recorder depletes its 4 AAs, spots the edges of its lips, and kicks the bucket for the third time today.

Contraptions that willfully decline to work the way the manual, promotions, bundling, or imperceptibly capable business people said they would ought not be endured peacefully. Here, we exorcize the mechanical devils that have brought us genuine contraption torment in the course of the most recent couple of decades.

The 3Com Ergo Audrey, via Sean Gallagher

About a similar time 3Com was setting itself up for the scrapheap of history by turning off its Palm division, the organization chosen to get into the Internet "apparatus" business. Its first and final endeavor was the Ergo Audrey, an adorable little Internet terminal styled like a retro-cutting edge TV, finish with a translucent stylus that stuck in the highest point of it like an antenna.The Audrey was an endeavor to bring what the organization called the "Internet way of life" to the kitchen counter—giving occupied families a place to match up their Palms, check email, leave jotted electronic notes, and by and large live as any millennial rendition of the Jetsons would, short the robot pooch and house keeper. I never met any individual who really lived like that in 2001, which may have been an indication that the Audrey was stuck in an unfortunate situation.

As adorable as the thing seemed to be—it arrived in a palette of kitchen-accommodating hues that included "daylight" and "knoll," and was wipe cleanable—it was especially futile for something that cost nearly as much as a genuine PC. When you paid $60 additional for the USB Ethernet connector to get it snared to broadband, it had one USB port left for a Palm or an extremely select arrangement of perfect Canon printers. It had a Compact Flash port, however that couldn't be utilized for capacity. Its email customer couldn't deal with anything more than 400k. It had 32MB of RAM—and that was it. There was a handle on the front for Web "channels," sites worked by 3Com's companions at ABC and different organizations who were by one means or another persuaded to arrangement them only for the Audrey.

Luckily, I recovered mine in the container to 3Com preceding they euthanized the entire line only seven months after dispatch. You can even now discover them for $50 or so on eBay in the event that you need to take a gander at what the future used to resemble. Be that as it may, even the equipment programmers have become worn out on them at this point.

Broderbund U-Force NES controller, by Kyle Orland

The TV ad was gravely lit and amazingly anxious, yet in the wake of watching it about one million times amid reruns of Wild and Crazy Kids, eight-year-old me was almost certain he could tell that the U Force was the best thing at any point concocted. See, that person's holding his hands like a controlling wheel to control Rad Racer! See, he's really punching the air to make Little Mac punch in Punch-Out!! Despite the fact that Back to the Future revealed to me I shouldn't need to utilize my hands, and the U-Force obliged you to utilize your hands, I could tell this was the eventual fate of computer games.

It cost me $60 of remittance cash (which changing for child recompense swelling is worth around 10 bazillion dollars today) to discover that notices don't generally speak to reality totally precisely. No doubt, I could hand the auto over Rad Racer, however just on the off chance that I held my hands amazingly still before me and moved them right when I needed to turn. Better believe it, utilizing genuine punches in Punch-Out!! was fun, yet the controller was far too ease back and finicky to take into account dependable avoiding, even against a regrettable adversary like Glass Joe.

Besides, waggling your arms to do each easily overlooked detail in an amusement was entirely tiring and irritating. In any event with present day movement controlled amusements for the Wii or Kinect, fashioners know this and can attempt to plan around it, ideally with regular breaks. With the U Force, I discovered that recreations intended for steady catch crushing don't act too when each catch press require a gigantic arm development.

I'm almost certain I tossed this in the junk not long after my first play session, which is somewhat of a disgrace, on the grounds that eBay venders are obviously approaching $90 for units in "great" condition. Trust me, that offering cost would have been the main genuine esteem I escaped the buy.

IBM Thinkpad, by Matthew LasarIn the mid-1990s I bought an IBM Thinkpad. Everybody was raving about them (and heaps of people rave about them still). Be that as it may, for reasons unknown, mine was just about the most exceedingly bad Tablet I have ever claimed.

How could it come up short? Give me a chance to tally the ways. Programming would not introduce on the Windows-fueled machine. Despite everything I have 3.5 inch circle loaded memories of more than once attempting to get MS Word to stack up on the gadget, with strange disappointment messages that drove me insane. Whenever, bafflingly once more, the product did at last introduce, my bigger records perpetually smashed, the OS whining about lacking memory.

Despite the fact that my agreement asserted to incorporate specialized support by means of a phone number, the refined man logician with whom I talked was evidently paid not to help me with this issue, but rather to offer me sympathies. "It may be the equipment," he pontificated. "It may be the product."

"On the other hand, maybe the air is to be faulted," I snapped, before hanging up the telephone.

This was just the start. The modem bombed, so I took it over to that most perilous of spots: a PC guarantee repair warehouse. That shop was claimed by, tsk-tsk, Computer City, destined to be gained by CompUSA. After three weeks I got the machine. The modem worked fine; shockingly, the printer and outside speaker at no time in the future worked.

I considered bringing the clunker back, yet by 1998 the chain's new proprietor had covered around 50 Computer City stores, including the one I managed. The time had come, I closed, to proceed onward to my next huge equipment experience.

Nextel i30sx, by Casey Johnston

It's sheltered to state now that Nextel, as a system, had for all intents and purposes no saving graces from the begin, which is the reason it doesn't exist any longer. Be that as it may, one of its most unpleasant perspectives was its handset offerings. Because of conditions outside my ability to control, in 2004 (t-short three years to the iPhone), I was honored with a mobile phone that was very unequipped for sending an instant message: the Nextel i30sx.

Up until I was 16, I didn't have a wireless. I wasn't generally craving for one, even as my companions moved on from playing Centipede on their Nokia piece of candy telephones to taking the soonest wireless pictures (sexting, luckily, presently couldn't seem to be imagined by our more youthful siblings and sisters). In the fall of junior year, my folks gave me an i30sx. I was spurned by its outline: revolting and thick, with rubbery keys, an extending reception apparatus, and monochrome screen.

To be consummately fashionable person y about it, content informing was not yet A Thing in 2004. Be that as it may, I had general telephone discussion nervousness, so content was (and is) a perfect medium of expression. Sadly, dissimilar to each other phone in I found in my associates' hands, the i30sx couldn't send instant messages. Peculiarly, however, it could get them. I couldn't exactly trust my own particular memory this was the situation, however the telephone's manual (PDF) ends up being valid—some board of trustees configuration group really thought one-way informing was a totally down to earth highlight.

I worked out a framework where I could content companions' telephones from AIM, and they would react to my Nextel telephone number, however that was excessively firm. A couple of months after the fact, I dragged away to the AT&T store and purchased a Sony Ericsson pay-as-you-run telephone with my well deserved, supermarket checkout dollars. Finally, I could send all the instant messages I needed—for 10 pennies a pop.

ThunderScan, by Nate Anderson

In the mid-to-late 1980s, when I was a small fellow with an Apple IIGS and a duplicate of Publish It!, I supervised a distributing domain that produced sci-fi stories, a sci-fi pamphlet, and comical sci-fi themed sees for the way to my room. (I know...) They all spilled, line by sluggish line, from my 9-stick, dab network ImageWriter II.

My distributing domain had a lot of yield, however information was another matter. I had a console for content, obviously, yet what's a self-regarding distributer with no pictures? I persuaded myself—and after that my father—that I severely required a scanner.

Presently, kids today don't see how hard scanners were to return by then, or the amount they cost. In any case, there was one alternative that may conceivably, with enough dissensions about how gravely my production was enduring according to its 15 perusers, be reasonable on our tight family spending plan: the ThunderScan.

The ThunderScan was astounding. It supplanted the print head in an ImageWriter II with a little optical scanner. Pages to be examined were sustained through the printer and the filtering head moved back and drive over the page, developing a picture that was exchanged to the PC by a link trailing out of the machine like a tail.

Shockingly, not being a marvelous craftsman, I didn't really have my very own lot work to filter, and the apparatuses for controlling pictures were primitive at the time. At that point there was the bother calculate. You needed to remove the scanner from the case, supplant the print head, and module the link each time you needed to utilize it, then start up the checking programming that may or won't not push my PC to the brink of collapse. Moreover, the ThunderScan reclassified "moderate." As early Apple build Andy Hertzfeld reviews.

[tayfridaynightwrites-blog]

Forbidden Knowledge - Raury Lyrics

Forbidden knowledge can destroy mankind

I spend large hours of my days alone I don't believe we share this universal space alone I think we got a lot from them, they gave us phones Internet and now we all know what is forbidden knowledge Forbidden knowledge is too great for a man Think if man could read your mind, you think that man understands How to use it with integrity, not conquering land Would it be good if we increased the lifespan, well that's forbidden knowledge Forbidden knowledge can destroy mankind We can grow out of control like cancer under the skin of Mother Nature Busy cities much alike to a tumor Too many cells, the residents, the body's pollutor I say woosah and alley-oop the chubby doobie to Judah Child of Jacob, I know my history, I know we are moors There's a universe in her afro, hold us back though Power in the black folk, well that's forbidden knowledge At first they want to keep us separate but equal But it's not so we fight against the hatred and evil Now they let us think we got it and they killin' our people Why does history repeat like a sequel? Well that's forbidden knowledge Is God a man watching TV like people? Rewinding his favorite parts to play it back like it's TiVo Have I wrote this shit before? It all feels like a redo Deja vu is left to die like our dreams do, but that's forbidden knowledge I had some shocking memories as a kid Waking up onto a table, a lab, some typa bizz Too vivid to be a nightmare, mom would tell me that shit Can't remember anything that they did, guess that's forbidden knowledge

Forbidden knowledge

Are dreams another kind of preview to Heaven? We manifest our reality based on our personality Karma from shit we did since the day we were seven You share toys? Or did you masturbate at eleven Just a 90s baby, a millennial kid Indigos are on the rise to make perennial shift Hope this music stands long as Redwood Sequoias Pyramids and stones, like stones from Stonehenge Come on, let the future tell the truth Cause you a shell of you You played your cards wrong, now you got hell in you Be glad I still retain respect for you Cause I got bullets that'll kill yah if your vest is hell and heaven-proof I'll never understand your corporate greed Just a group of people, all they want is more than they need Signing off on papers, blinded to the pain overseas Blood resulting from the ink that they bleed, that's forbidden knowledge

Forbidden knowledge

So who put the liquor store on the street across from the gun shop? The park a hop skip in the dark 'way from the gunshots That rang out in the neighborhood where the youth's misunderstood Fighting over concrete squares but the laws just ain't no good I think their agenda's meant to kill us all How good is education long as you can ball? Standin' on the couch inside the club and hit the mall Barely feed a bum, but you buy it all Think they laughin' at us, cause while we're watchin' some cable They was talkin' 'bout the economy, sharecroppers and stables How to keep the horse runnin' his course, give him some blinders So he lack remorse for whoever's right beside him His own kind, I pray you dig deeper If you don't find, what you're lookin' for on the surface The knowledge that you need can't be Nextel chirpin' You're every bit of worth it, not worthless You're kings and queens, were meant for better things Than flexin' on the scene, or burstin' out the seams Of your blouse you told yourself you'd never wear outside your mama's house Cause the energy it lends puts strong women down, down Brother, look, you don't need to go to jail to read you a book I wonder what Malcolm found after goin' to Mecca Or the mindstate of Martin after visitin' Selma The leaders that were slain for speakin' the topic On the schemers and the reapers of forbidden knowledge

[droneseco]

The MeshForce M7 Tri-Band Router Is an Easy Way to Improve Your Wi-Fi Signal

MeshForce M7 Tri-Band Whole Home Mesh WiFi System (3 Pack)

9.00 / 10

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The MeshForce M7 tri-band router is an excellent way to improve the Wi-Fi signal throughout your whole home. With sleek components and a straightforward setup procedure, it's suitable for any house and users of all abilities.

Key Features

SSID Broadcast

Beamforming

Smart QoS

Specifications

Brand: Meshforce

Range: 6,000 square feet

Wi-Fi Bands: Tri-band AC2100

Ethernet Ports: Yes

USB Ports: None

MU-MIMO: Yes

Mesh Network Compatible: Yes

Pros

Parental controls

Guest network

Aesthetic design

WPS

Dedicated backhaul

Cons

No USB ports

Lack of indicators on the unit

Cheaper mesh systems are available

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Wi-Fi networks can be a fickle beast. You might find that you have a great signal in one part of your home, but when you move a few feet in a different direction, the performance falls off a cliff.

Many factors can cause the issue. It could be the location of your router, the location of your walls, the materials used to build your home, or simply poor-quality equipment from your ISP.

When people encounter such issues, many turn to repeaters, powerline adaptors, and other inferior solutions. These solutions are rarely worth the money; the best approach is to buy a mesh router system.

Today, we put the MeshForce M7 Tri-Band Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System through its paces. Keep reading to find out more.

What's in the Box?

MeshForce sent us the three-pack version of the M7. Inside the box, you'll find three of the M7 units along with three power cables, a single ethernet port to connect one of the router units to your existing hardware, a quick start guide, and a small product registration card.

If you enjoy the "unboxing experience," you're going to be disappointed. There is nothing flash about the exterior packaging, and within the box, all the nodes are packed in regular cardboard plastic wrapping.

In fairness, considering this is a tri-band mesh router with three nodes for less than $300, it's not surprising that the company has opted to save on its packaging.

Product Design

The cylindrical three units are all identical, meaning you can connect any of them to your existing ISP's modem. Each is plain white with a silver disk affixed to the top. The silver disk helps to add a touch of class to what is otherwise a very plain design.

There are ventilation holes around the bottom of each unit, and underneath you'll find the two LAN ethernet ports, a WAN/LAN ethernet port, the power connection, and a tiny device reset button.

The side of the node has a solitary LED light. When it's solid green, your Wi-Fi connection is good; when it's yellow, your connection is average; when it's red, there is no connection.

The big drawback of the design is the size of each unit. Their bulkiness surprised me when I took them out of the box, with the router having a diameter of 5.3 inches (13.4cm) and standing 4.4 inches (11.2cm) high. Their size means the MeshForce M7s are not something you can discretely tuck away on a shelf or on your TV stand; people are going to notice them.

On the plus side, each router is extremely lightweight. There's no danger of it causing injury if it's accidentally knocked off a shelf by a pet or small child.

MeshForce M7 Specs

Here are some of the headline specs you need to know about:

Processor: Dual-core 900Mhz CPU

RAM: 256MB DDR3

Standards and Protocols: IEEE802 11a/b/g/n/ac, IEEE 802.3, IEEE 802.3u, IEEE 802.3ab.

Mesh Network Standard: IEEE802.11s

Speed: 2.4GHz, 300 Mbps / 5GHz, 867Mbps

Frequency: 2.4-2.4835GHz, 5.15-5.25GHz, 5.47-5.725GHz, 5.725-5.85GHz.

Antennas: Four, all internal

Security: WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK

Firewall: VPN (PPTP/L2TP/IPsec) passthrough, prevention of TCP/UDP flood attacks

Internet Connection: PPPoE, DHCP, static IP

Virtual Server: Port forwarding and UPnP

Modes: Router mode and bridge mode

Setting Up the MeshForce M7s

Perhaps the most significant benefit of the MeshForce M7s is the setup process—it is remarkably straightforward and means the product is the ideal mesh router system for anyone who does not consider themselves to be tech-savvy.

Sure, the Asus ZenWi-Fi AC CT8 might offer more power and some more advanced features, but it also costs more, and it is not as easy to get started.

To begin, download the MeshForce app onto your Android or iOS device. Next, connect your router's ethernet port to the WAN/LAN ethernet port on your M7 and hook up the power.

You then need to connect your phone to the M7's default network (you will find it printed on the bottom of the unit). Open the app and you will see a prompt to change the default network name and password.

To add additional nodes to your mesh network, you just need to plug them into a wall socket and the app should detect them automatically. If it doesn’t, open the app, go to Settings > Add a Mesh, and scan the QR code on the base of the unit.

Keep in mind that a unit should be within 32 feet of the next nearest node to optimize performance. You should also keep them away from fridges, microwaves, and other wireless devices.

Performance

Needless to say, setting up a mesh network and placing one of the nodes in my office made a huge difference to the Wi-Fi speed.

In the image below, you can see the speed results when connected to my old ISP router in the lounge (approximately 20 meters from the office):

And here are the results after setting up the mesh network:

Smart Phone App

Aside from using the smartphone app to perform the initial network setup, it is also the way in which you manage your Wi-Fi network remotely.

Using the app, you can set up a DHCP server, enable/disable UPnP, add port forwarding rules, enable QoS, control your parental settings, and a whole lot more.

Device Support

Although the product ships with three units in the box, you can connect up to six MeshForce M7s to your mesh network.

This is really useful if you want to get a strong Wi-Fi signal into a detached garage, guest house, or up a couple of flights of stairs and onto a roof terrace.

The mesh network itself supports up to 75 simultaneously connected devices. Unless you’re a massive tech fanatic or have an extremely large party, you are unlikely to ever hit the limit.

Tri-Band Networking

The tri-band aspect of the MeshForce M7s isn't just marketing lingo—it has a practical benefit.

By constantly assessing the traffic on each router, the system can automatically throw you onto another router in your system if one becomes too bogged down with users. In turn, this helps to optimize bandwidth and upload/download speeds to keep your network running as efficiently as possible.

Smart QoS

Smart QoS is a key feature for gamers and people who stream a lot of online videos. It will automatically reroute anything with high bandwidth usage to give you the best connection possible, and will thus help to eliminate staggering, lags, and buffering.

Guest Network

You can toggle a guest network on and off from within the smartphone app. It is ideal when you have visitors and do not want to grant them access to your main network.

Parental Controls

Like all MeshForce mesh router systems, the M7s come with a parental control feature. You can set it up via the accompanying smartphone app.

It has far fewer features like a dedicated parental control app (for example, you cannot block individual sites or apply age-specific filters), but you can pause the internet with a single button, create a user profile for everyone in your household, and create access schedules on a user-by-user basis.

Amazon Alexa Is Coming

At the time of writing, you cannot use your voice to control your mesh network via Alexa. However, MeshForce insists that the feature is close the completion and will be available to all users in the near future.

Repairability

We often like to refer to iFixit's repairability scores when assessing the viability of fixing a product. Sadly, iFixit has not reviewed the MeshForce M7s.

A quick inspection of the units reveals there are no accessible screws to get inside the device, and a search for spare parts on the web reveals that nothing is available.

If the unit does go wrong, therefore, there is little you can do other than buy a new unit. The units are available individually, so you will not need to buy another three-pack, but it is not ideal.

Should You Buy the MeshForce M7 Tri-Band Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System?

Not everyone is going to benefit from a mesh Wi-Fi system. If the Wi-Fi signal around your home is already strong and reliable, there is no need to spend $260 dollars on this system.

Similarly, even if you have a lot of dead spots but you live in a small house or apartment, you will not need the 6,000 square feet of coverage that the MeshForce M7 provides. You would be better advised to opt for one of MeshForce's cheaper options with a smaller range. For example, we reviewed the slightly less powerful MeshForce M3 in 2020 and found it to be excellent.

However, if you live in a large home with poor Wi-Fi coverage, you will be hard-pressed to find a better mesh Wi-Fi system at this price point. If you fall into this boat, the MeshForce M7 Tri-Band Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System will revolutionize the way you can use the web when at home.

The MeshForce M7 Tri-Band Router Is an Easy Way to Improve Your Wi-Fi Signal published first on http://droneseco.tumblr.com/

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Black Shark 4 Gaming Phone Review: This Feels Like Cheating

Black Shark 4

9.00 / 10

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The Black Shark has the best controls and inputs for gaming. Its 720Hz touch response and pop-up triggers will actually make you a better gamer.

Specifications

Brand: Black Shark

Storage: 128GB, or 256GB

CPU: Qualcomm 870

Memory: 6GB, 8GB or 12GB

Operating System: Android 11

Battery: 4500mAh

Ports: USB C Type 2

Camera (Rear, Front): 48 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 5 MP, f/2.4, (macro), AF

Display (Size, Resolution): 6.67-inches (1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio)

Pros

144Hz refresh rate

Vibrant AMOLED screen

720Hz touch sampling

Magnetic pop-up triggers

Excellent value specs

120W fast charging

Cons

Camera performance is mediocre

Heavy gaming causes phone to get too hot without using optional cooler

Using the phone while charging can be awkward to hold

Several competitive games don't support more than 60fps

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A few weeks with this phone, and its changed my perspective on mobile gaming. I’ve never enjoyed mobile games as much as I want to. The biggest thing that's been holding me back, especially for MOBAS and shooters, is the notoriously hard-to-use and imprecise touch-screen controls. With Black Shark's latest release of the Black Shark 4, they’ve got a couple of tricks to fix all that, the two biggest being, a highly responsive touchscreen, and physical buttons.

To celebrate the launch, Black Shark is offering a $30 coupon off the purchase price of $479 at AliExpress. This is valid until April 30th. Also, the first 200 orders will get a bonus original fluorescent case, and a Black Shark "Gaming Finger Sleeve" (we are just as clueless about that one, I promise you). If you'd rather order from the official site, the first 100 orders get a free case and fan cooler. 

We've been testing the Shark 4 for the past few weeks and were really surprised with not only how much more enjoyable games were compared to our non-gaming phones (an iPhone 12 mini and a Google Pixel 4a) but also how much better we actually were. In just two days, we quickly ranked up in games like Call of Duty Mobile, where we reached the master tier. We weren’t just playing better, we were outperforming everyone else. Coming from someone who doesn’t generally do all that well at shooters, that’s saying something. I used to be pretty skeptical about gaming phones, and for the most part, still am.

Of course, this phone does more than just game, but for this review, I’ll be focusing on the key features that make the Black Shark 4 not only stand out from other gaming phones but fundamentally changes the way you game with it.

Black Shark 4 Specs

Before even getting into the important game-related features, the device packs a lot of great specs at its price.

The Black Shark 4 uses the Qualcomm 870 processor, which is commonly found in many upper mid-range and affordable flagship devices. The Shark 4 Pro on the other hand, sports the beefier Qualcomm 888 which is currently Qualcomm’s most powerful processor.

The standard model is equipped with 6GB of RAM, which can be upgraded to 8GB or 12GB. Storage starts at 128GB UFS 3.1, which is very speedy, and can be upgraded to 256GB.

I’m reviewing the base version which includes the Qualcomm 870, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage.

The Shark comes in 4 color options including Magic Black, Black, Blue, and Silver. In the test box, they’ve included a case as well which covers most of the phone’s rear but has a few cutouts, which I assume are for improved heat dissipation.

Important connectivity includes 5G, Bluetooth 5.2, USB Type-C 2.0, and (thankfully) a headphone jack, which can be handy for a latency-free audio experience while gaming.

It also has a fingerprint reader in the middle of the right side. It responds quickly and is situated at a reasonably good height to reach it easiest when holding the phone with one hand. Smaller hands might struggle, however, as it is still a bit of a stretch given how big this screen is.

Screen and Size

Equipped with a massive 6.67-inch AMOLED screen that supports HDR10+, you'll see impressively deep blacks and vibrant colors. Everything has a very punchy pop and combined with its size, this makes it great for watching movies and browsing the web. You definitely have a lot of screen real estate to work with here.

The display could do with being a bit brighter, which I primarily wanted when gaming outdoors. This is a pretty common downside to AMOLEDs however.

Holding the Black Shark 4 with one hand is ultimately not very comfortable, and I most often found myself using both hands. Likewise, even though the phone is relatively thin at only 0.39 inches (10mm), it’s 6.42 inches (163mm) tall and 3 inches (76mm) wide. It’s not very pocketable and will likely stick out a bit.

The plastic build helps keep the weight relatively low at just 7.41 ounces (210g), which is slightly less than the similarly sized 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max.

144Hz Refresh Rate | Benefits & Limitations

The screen is actually very special in some key areas. For starters, it has a 144Hz refresh rate compared to last years’ 90Hz. You can keep up with fast movement more easily whether gaming or just scrolling because more frames are shown each second compared to lower refresh rate screens. It can actually make the phone feel snappier and more enjoyable to use because of how fluid everything feels.

It's important to note, however, that not all games and applications can take advantage of that 144Hz display.

For mobile gaming, a higher refresh rate screen can be great so long as the CPU/GPU can keep up. There are a good number of games that now support 144FPS or uncapped FPS, though many of the more popular titles like Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile and PUBG do not. Those are capped at 60FPS. Moreover, even if they did support it, you’d likely be hitting GPU/CPU bottlenecks unless you were playing at lower graphical settings.

While there are a growing amount of games and applications that support 144Hz, more graphically intensive ones still might not hit 144fps. Playing Genshin Impact, for example, with more demanding environments which had a lot going on, could easily dip the FPS to the low 40s and even 30s, with graphics set to maximum quality.

I don’t necessarily think fast refresh rate screens are a gimmick for phones, as they still have their advantages for certain games, apps, and the overall navigation of the phone. But they aren't as fully utilized as you might think. This is more of a limitation to the optimization of current games and the performance of current mobile chips.

Controls

720Hz Touch Sampling | Precise On-Screen Controls

What’s more impressive, however, and in my experience actually more beneficial to gaming, is its 720Hz touch sampling rate. Black Shark claims this to be “the most responsive smartphone touchscreen ever”. This high pressure-sensitivity makes it super easy to get precise movements for even the most competitive games.

Unlike with modern iPhones which have a 120Hz sampling rate, the slightest movements across the screen register more accurately. Higher sampling rates, as with the Black Shark, let the phone register your taps, flicks, and movements more quickly and frequently. This was immediately noticeable to me.

I've never been a huge fan of mobile gaming, primarily because the touchscreen controls never felt precise. With shooters=, I could never point and aim where I wanted to, making it overly frustrating. Movement and aiming with the Shark’s touch screen is a day and night improvement, but it doesn’t stop there.

Pop-Up Triggers

Introduced with last year‘s model, the magnetic pop-up triggers make their return with the Shark 4. The two top sliders reveal a left and right trigger button which can be custom mapped, via their Shark Center app, to any two A and B points on the screen. Having highly responsive physical buttons helped transform me from one of the worst at mobile shooters, to crushing the leaderboards.

At heart, I’m a PC gamer. Especially when it comes to first-person shooters and MOBAS, nothing has really come close to a mouse and keyboard in terms of fast and precise controls for me. That is until this phone arrived.

Honestly, at times it felt like I had an unfair advantage. Comparing the gameplay of just using the onscreen controls vs having the physical buttons is a huge difference. For shooters especially, being able to map your triggers to aiming down and the other to firing, makes you much more competitive. Your thumbs can focus on movement and aiming while your index fingers can handle shooting.

Combined with that high 720Hz pressure-sensitive screen, it actually gave me more precision and comfort compared to using an Xbox controller. While I don’t think I’m as good using this phone compared to my PC controls, it's by far the second closest thing.

Cooling

Keeping temperatures cooled is especially important with gaming phones. For the past few weeks, I’ve tested a number of long gaming sessions to see if the phone ever got hot to the touch or uncomfortable. Black Shark has upgraded their liquid sandwich design cooling system, which it claims is 30% more effective at heat dissipation. More graphically intensive games like Genshin Impact do stress the phone more and after a few hours, it can still get too hot.

FunCooler 2Pro

But, that’s where you then attach the optional "FunCooler 2Pro". Atrocious product naming aside, the heatsink and seven-bladed fan cools the phone noticeably in seconds. You can even see the temperature drop with its built-in display on the front. Of course, this has customizable RGB lights, because what doesn’t these days?

When paired to your phone’s Bluetooth, it can even be programmed to change colors based on the game you’re playing. At full “Frozen” speeds, it can get pretty audible, but it genuinely feels like a freezer is attached. Quieter fan speeds are available for when you don’t need that arctic cool. For less than $30, if you plan on gaming hard with this phone, it’s a no-brainer. Props to them for also making this compatible with other phones too, even iOS.

I would have liked to see a more integrated way of connecting and powering the cooler, however. Now you’ve got to remember to pack an additional charger and cable for the cooler if you take this on the go. Instead of having to power both the phone and cooler individually, a single charging solution would have been more convenient and easier.

Cameras

Cameras are more of an afterthought on gaming phones but are still worth mentioning. The Black Shark 4 has a triple camera system on the back and a front selfie camera.

The main shooter is a 48MP f/1.8, while the other two rear cameras are an 8MP ultra-wide and a 5MP macro. Compared to the iPhone 12 Mini (which sports a 12MP f/1.4 main sensor and a 12MP f/2.4 ultrawide) photos and videos overall weren’t nearly as polished and punchy as I'm used to, but by no means does that mean the Shark 4 was bad.

Most daytime side-by-side comparisons for stills were pretty close in fact. High contrast scenes, though, highlighted (pun intended) the weaknesses of these cameras and their processing. Switching between the 3 cameras and their modes, too, was much slower than I was used to. There was a noticeable delay before you could snap a photo and it wasn’t as seamless as iPhone’s and other implementations which allow you to tap to zoom in and out to switch between the cameras.

Selfies were alright. They did struggle with sharpness, however, looking overall soft, as well as struggling again in high contrast scenes.

Low-light shots were actually pretty decent if you held still for long enough. Most impressive, it seemed to retain the dark blacks, instead of making them bright purples like some cameras with their night modes often do.

That said, more cameras and higher megapixel counts do not give you the full picture (pun also intended). The 48MP images never looked sharper than 12MP iPhone shots, even when cropped in. Taking photos with the full 48MP was also a slow experience which required switching to a different mode as well as taking longer to actually capture the image.

I don’t see much practical use for the 5MP macro camera, given the niche use case and low resolution. It feels like an easy way for them to advertise having more cameras, while not necessarily having a single great one.

Video recording is decent but also has some quirks. The OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) is best for slow panning or tilting movements—anything too fast and it came off as very digital. 4K recording is limited to the main camera only;  switching to the ultra-wide lens brings the resolution down to 1080p.

Battery and Charging

Between all that, you have a 4500mAh battery that supports 120W charging (and that's not a typo), whcih can charge the phone to full in less than 17 minutes. That’s fast. Even using the standard 67W charger, you’ll charge to 100% in less than 25 minutes.

If you’re like me and frequently forgetting to charge your phone overnight or use your phone heavily for longer sessions, the combination of a long-lasting and quick charging battery is great.

One downside, though, is the placement of the USB-C port. While yes, the bottom middle is the most obvious and commonplace for the port, charging the phone and gaming at the same time can be very awkward, causing your hand to cramp as you try to hold and play around it. Moving the port to say the middle left or right side would have been a unique feature and way for a gaming phone such as this to distinguish itself from a “traditional phone”.

Not Just for Gaming

I used to think gaming phones were more of a gimmick without any noticeable benefits compared to their non-gaming variants. In a lot of ways, this is still true, especially with those potential bottle-necks I mentioned earlier holding the phone back from taking full advantage of their higher refresh rate screens and being stuck with the same clunky touch-screen controls.

The Black Shark 4 has addressed the biggest issue with mobile gaming, giving you a more responsive screen as well customizable triggers. This is the first phone I actually enjoyed playing more competitive mobile games on. Not only that, I was actually really good at them, which I think is reason enough to get this for most people.

Even if you’re not that big into gaming, you’re getting some pretty killer specs in an awesome package for less than $500 that are hard to match, let alone beat.

Black Shark 4 Gaming Phone Review: This Feels Like Cheating published first on http://droneseco.tumblr.com/