TechwareLabs

Cyber War

2024-05-19T14:00:46Z

Yes, you may or may not be aware yet, if not, then consider your awareness expanding right now. Currently as we speak, live our daily lives, some of us are aware of a lot of events happening simultaneously…. The economy falling weak to decades of FED money printer causing chaos on the American Economy thus affecting the global (not to say each individual country isn’t also struggling with their own economic problems or corruptions). Not to mention on top of the backs of the blue collar every day American, the corporate white collars are living life to their fullest getting bailout bank money to safeguard their risky investments (SVB).

But, that is only the surface which some may not even be aware of because the mainstream media doesn’t do a good job of providing accurate and full angle information, aka; they like to leave out information. Currently a cyber war has been wrecking havoc on Oil prices due to shut downs of infrastructure by hackers, and not to mention a whole worldwide Cyber War has been going on since the “Solar flares” in february! (if not stretching for years back, but the acceleration of network traffic as shown by kaspersky and checkpoint are insane. To follow the full story on the online network traffic start here on my X posting gifs, images, and events relating to the current cyberwar. From Feb24th and a month later until the Baltimore Bridge Collapse and then silence on the net…

So how do we track these things? Well loosely, and not as accurate as you would hope. For instance we only have sample data from particular players in the Network Security field such as Kaspersky (Russian Company) and Checkpoint (Isreal) which is an interesting east vs west alignment of hacking data… But here are the locations to watch for:
https://threatmap.checkpoint.com/
https://cybermap.kaspersky.com/

Both have filters for types of attacks, removing all spam based attacks and focusing on Botnets you can watch the traffic unfold… but again, suspiciously it’s been quiet since the bridge “accident” in Baltimore…
Keep up with me on X: https://x.com/TWLChristoph to find more OpSec, AI, Tech, and Educational news.

The post Cyber War appeared first on TechwareLabs.

Remote Learning and the AI Replacements

2024-05-06T15:50:34Z

As an educator within the professional grounds of University of Central Florida as a professor and math lab assistant, and the many years I have worked at Valencia SPA area, I’ve begun to see a pattern in students seeking help.

It’s obvious one to one conversations are more detailed and in depth than a one to many broadcast, and thus the remote educator began to flourish with websites like TakeLessons, taking the lead with partnerships from Microsoft boding a high quality set of tutoring (like this one: www.tl.page/christoph …eheh, shameless plug~) providing content support for students with provided subjects, a full review rating system that lets the student’s take control of verifying the tutor’s abilities and results, and as a finale has its own video ecosystem for educational content that educators get a slice per view!

So the educational ecosystem has indeed begun to flourish more on a one to one basis where students have begun to seek out their compatible educator. The cookie cutter process of education we focus on really does depend on everyone being the exact same, but in educational psychology humans aren’t that simple, tactile feedback, visual or auditory support, so many actual psychological factor come into play when providing a well rounded session that only a one to one personalized session can provide.

Academics from Algebra, Statistics, Calculus and furthermore programming languages such as C++/JS/Python and projects such as databases, servers, network tools, games, websites, QT interfaces, etc. I’m just taking a few moment to strut my horn a little and say, if you need to learn anything as long as there is as source of content, some time for me to absorb, i can convert that complex language into such a form that even a monkey will learn it. (Not my words, literally a student told me this!)

So yeah, call this a little “sponsored by” me sort of thing, also taking a moment to link some of my network for the sake of providing guidance to anyone that stumbles upon this article and wishes to find/bookmark an individual capable of teaching GED -> College -> University content just find me on my new community the Super Scholars!
http://superscholar.xyz

Otherwise find my professional info here: https://linked.com/in/chrismia
As well as my overall online network including developing services: https://linktr.ee/SuperScholarChrisMIA/store

That’s all for the plug! Namaste!

But seriously, personal mentors will become a huge thing in this technological environment, most people will be satisfied with AI mentors, but consider the human aspect of things as they degrade over time, without a professional guide will become a doom circle for many participants in public education…

From personal experience students that find a proper mentor can stay for years with that individual. I can’t’ say AI has the effectiveness yet to provide certainly true answers or any form of teaching module for simplifying complex content in terms of language use with metaphors and similes, but given years down the road it could happen.

Another job i had… interestingly enough… recorded all of our tutoring sessions, and one day they said “we’re ending our remote tutoring” and announcing some sort of “Subject Assistant” some redefined word they created, some internal digging and someone had told me they were using the videos we were recorded on and training AI to replace us! That’s insane!

Watch your jobs, because if this was true, then anything we are doing RIGHT NOW will be data harvested and fed to our particular AI model that tracks our job flow, and this could be the ultimate chess move by Evil Corp…

All this focus on AI to better “help” society yeah? I don’t see it.

The post Remote Learning and the AI Replacements appeared first on TechwareLabs.

Flipper Zero Tool

2023-12-07T14:45:28Z

Here is a new sense to the word “tool”. As per any aspect of technicians interacting with components whether mechanical or digital. A technicians requires appropriate tools to test, debug, and fortify systems in architecture, wiring, or any other form of configuration in the real life world. From multimeters to hammers and saws, we introduce an amazing tool in frequency analysis, whether from a wire or from the air, this device is the swiss army tool of the new age of technology.

While personally I have limited experience with this set of tech I have tested numerous systems including nfc detection, radio frequency sniffing, and even wireless frequency analysis using a dev board attachment to the GPIO top side input panel. Things i used to need special hardware on a computer for can no fit in my back pocket or around my neck for simplicity.

I am even motivated to write up a full out usage manual in the future after playing around with its hardware and software but for now I can attest to the intrigue this device gives me with the added sense of the frequencies that exist invisibly all around us at any given point in time.

The hardware provides internet ability to detect and observe frequencies from 300 MHz to 1000 MHz (adding the dev board grants access to even higher frequencies nearing 2.6GHz in length.

The best part is not just the air sniffing but the added ingenuity of exposing internet circuits through the GPIO (General Purpose Input Output) panel on the top of the device. With internal apps that can manually send and read signals through this panel is a great tool with a breadboard, some circuit knowledge, and imagination to create, connect, or even buy modules that can detect CO2, Radiation, and any extra sense available in a circuit board in today’s amazon store with this IO standard.

There will be more of this device on TechwareLabs given a full all-around usage by myself with time, but for now, if your into this kind of stuff like me, it’s a tool to have for sure.

Now i didn’t mention the kiddie aspect of this tool, because that’s what the first impression provides, and yes I can even run a Tamagotchi emulator and really have some nostalgia for the good ol’ days. It’s still an operating system of its own kind fully integrated into the hardware it stands on, so finding new applications with time that can probe different devices (there is a radiation counter app but requires the right wiring of the and hardware (GoolRC Assembled Radiation Detector System).

But look, I can’t explain to you what this device is for, it can be for nearly anything given the knowledge to create or even just assemble with already existing circuits. This is the beauty of this device, and once i get to play with it a bit more in detail expect some juicy guides to flourish in the future!~

The post Flipper Zero Tool appeared first on TechwareLabs.

Absolutely reMarkable

2023-12-07T14:47:53Z

There comes a day for men and women in their life, to make a very critical decision on whether they should buy lined paper or graphing paper, but worry no more. This device can manifest any paper type, including custom that you can create in PDF files. This device is amazing and honestly, the most efficient way to remove paper from my life and also enhance my teaching and note-taking organization to the next level, let me tell you more.

(One year later)

Yes, I realize, I’m late in reviewing the newest and greatest tech, but my point is quality, being able to use this device albeit was a remarkable surprise! (puns plz)

As an expanding freelancer having documents laying around, my god, is it exhausting. From legal to tax forms to so many different types, I’m relieved that technology has a super effective hit on tackling the bureaucracy of today.

So here is my official review of a fully applied Remarkable that has been used for these purposes:

So here is my official review on a fully applied Remarkable that has been used for these purposes:

Teaching Students and Organizing Subject Content (Math to History)
Managing Estate and Organizing documents, live ink signing on the tablet, tracking forms
Real estate managing work to be done and finished on rental, including saving statements directly from computer to tablet and then writing notes on top of documents
YouTube! (Yes I have a youtube.com/@ChrisMIA) Organizing video teaching content from Programming to Design. It’s still in development, obviously by the fourth bullet I’m already exhausted to think…
Investments as well! Managing and keeping track of market data, calculating on-hand fundamentals, and writing future and current economic reports to calculate sentiment and technicals.

I personally do have to say managing documents on the fly has not been easier than managing them all on the Remarkable, with live signing on the tablet it makes responding effective and more accurate than signing with a mouse or with digital methods. It is an absolute godsend!

Of course, the Remarkable is not limited to just the written word, rather, a great device to store pdf’s and epubs of books whether novelistic or instructional, great place to keep all the traditional paperback systems directly on one thin device.

Have I mentioned the battery? I can’t believe i haven’t said anything about the battery yet… but man, that battery though. I can keep this device in sleep mode for MONTHS without realizing the battery is only 50% down, the E-Ink display maintains high efficiency on battery life and the software is optimized to respond to interactions costing battery, but any standby none-interactive moments (minus the wifi) will extrude nearly no energy usage on the device leaving it in the whim of realistic time-driven drain and the other hardware points to be the only battery users 90% of the time. Realistically I charge the device once a month on heavy usage possibly once every 2 weeks, but reading and flipping pages takes nearly no drain.

How simple is it to manage? Well, it does take into account an individual’s organization, especially in the digital world of directories and files. Otherwise uploading comes in two forms: Either from the Remarkable Cloud App that synchronizes your tablet with your PC, so dragging and dropping over a file from the PC into the app will start a transfer then about 5-10 minutes later (based on connection) those files will be available on the device. Personally, i like an instant method of connecting the device with USB and transfering using the web-integrated app that any browser can run by accessing the provided ip-address in a browser under the USB web interface options in settings > storage.

That functions more as a direct FTP and lets me directly handle transfers without an online sync.

So as far as the overwhelming adjustment of trying to convert all physical documents with a scanner to digital form, after that initial organization step the rest is as easy as loading, sharing, editing, sending, and saving for later. It shouldnt need to be said how effective the E-Ink display is in providing visual comfort within a well-lit area (no background light, but neither does paper yeah?) One could spend hours and hours of time sifting through novels, textbooks, or documents that need to be worked on! I do have to say, the future of bureaucracy thanks you Remarkable, the age of wasting paper to portray meaning is beginning to end.

The post Absolutely reMarkable appeared first on TechwareLabs.

Tesla Stock Share Variation

2020-02-06T09:34:38Z

In the spirit of electrical empowerment, we here at TechWareLabs always like to explore all aspects of humanity’s passion for technological progress. Thus we turn our eyes to something extraordinary. Our favorite flame-thrower creator has just experienced a new expansion of his empire to drive our civilization forward! What is up with the Tesla stock share? Let’s dig deep!

There was doubt, of course, like all innovators of his type; especially an individual that has revived the infamous name of Nikolai Tesla. This subject is a very interesting history to explore. (YouTube his history with Westinghouse and Edison, you will be in shock).

Investors and critics have looked for many flaws in the company and the stock itself has seen this rollercoaster ride as the news indulges in social guidance of opinion towards this company. However, Elon Musk has yet to show any form of surrender.

The Tesla Stock Share

Barely a year ago Tesla experienced a drop in stock quality at 178 dollars per share. After this brief moment, it began an ascent into what is now a stock price that nearly breached 1000 dollars yesterday (Feb 4th). It experienced a doubling in share price just in the last 30 days. Though with such quick growth all companies experience a slight fall as the bubble pops.

Tesla Shanghai Factory Coronavirus

Many are blaming a factory in Shanghai that was in contact with the recent Coronavirus epidemic though we all know as investors the true case for this: A quick growth, a worried investor to gain personally, and a mass selling of the stock in order to profit from this growth. It is common to see such falls after quick growth such as this as investors rush to profit from what is a goldmine ready to blow.

The next step, as many companies have experienced is a steady growth towards that same ceiling it almost broke through. Here’s a summary of why Elon has nothing to worry about.

UK Future Bans

Many EU countries are actively enforcing taxation for vehicles that produce high amounts of CO2 and reduced taxes for all-electric vehicles. In fact, the United Kingdom has made a decision to ban non-electric vehicles come 2035.

With this movement and a definite global following to reverse the imminent effects of climate change. This is only a small piece of Tesla’s future security.

The electric products will be able to generate free cash flow that will help the company buy back many of its stock. This is convenient since Saudi Arabia’s wealth fund has nearly sold all of its Tesla shares.

Meanwhile, the company has just begun to generate this free cash flow, the timing is well placed in order to bounce back from nearly any drops of stock.

The Tunnel

Next but not last the infamous underground tunnels in Los Angeles, one of the humanitarian projects to reduce traffic in a cluttered city. It will provide back to the community. In the end, of course, generate yet another source of income that can continue to fund him and his ambitions.

As modern-day companies depend on the life expectancy of their product and customer product refresh to continue long term growth. Elon is dipping his fingers in some of the most permanent, reusable, and sustainable systems of the future, and we haven’t even talked about SpaceX!

The post Tesla Stock Share Variation appeared first on TechwareLabs.

Antimicro Keypad, Joystick, and Misc Control Unit Key Binding Opensource Software

2019-08-24T13:35:49Z

AntiMicro

Keypad, Joystick, and Misc Control Unit Key Binding OpenSource Software

I don’t normally go out of my way to review software as there is so much out there, but when I do I make sure it’s worth it, and this piece is damn worth it for those digital gamers out there with old or new hardware for their machine, from joysticks to command pads used to initiate hotkeys on the keyboard that can be customized to ANY game of your choice.

You heard me right, this software acts as an overlay that can literally use your typical keyboard keys for any game (as well as mouse movements and buttons/scrolls) this overlay means there are no direct access points necessary to be compatible with the game itself, it simply emulates keyboard and mouse usage!

Using my old Saitek Pro Gamer – Command Unit I had in high school with specific drivers with the software was seamless, automatically identifying every key on the unit, as well as the switch that goes into different modes of customized shortcuts.

Sadly the switch so far is simply a constant key press that can be changed based on the location of the switch. Other than that so far there is no guarantee I will be able to program the shortcuts to macro its way into swapping layouts in the same originally manufactured way.

With a similar, experience I programmed my Afterglow Blue XBox 360 styled USB controller to mimic Minecraft controls as well as SNES and other emulators! Oh, this software was a godsend since I had no use for these devices due to outdated drivers and software… oh what a little golden internet treasure indeed.

You can visit the GitHub page here: https://github.com/AntiMicro/antimicro and download the prepackaged contents based on your OS. Enjoy a little gold nugget! Direct package link here. All credit goes to jsbackus on GitHub, well-done brother!

The post Antimicro Keypad, Joystick, and Misc Control Unit Key Binding Opensource Software appeared first on TechwareLabs.

Orlando Megacon 2018 Photo Gallery

2018-07-07T15:07:05Z

Second year in a row we here at Techware Labs got a chance to visit Orlando Megacon. Check out their site here. As always it was crowded, fun, and filled with an amazing amount of very talented creators, artists, and actors/actresses. Between the rows of Artist Alley, the open space at the Exhibitor section, and even the concentrated tables at the Tattoo Alley, a con-goer will find themselves with a slew of things to do, buy, and gander at. Remember, as always: cosplay does not imply consent; all of the photographs were taken with the explicit permission of the cosplayer (asked prior to photographing) and if anyone feels like they want a photo removed are welcome to contact us directly to discuss this.

History

A little back-story: Megacon is an annually held convention focusing on SciFi, Fantasy, Anime, Gaming and comic-book communities that was first started in Orlando in 1993. The original convention held was the OrlandoCon that was held from 1974 until 1994 and was replaced by the MegaCon we know and love today. MegaCon has changed hands a few times in its life, starting with the Crossgen buyout from the creator James Brietbiel in 1999, and ending with the current Canadian owner Informa Canada INC.

Gallery

If you would like to view the full gallery with all the uncropped photos you can do so here: Megacon

The post Orlando Megacon 2018 Photo Gallery appeared first on TechwareLabs.

Think Tank Retrospective 6 Shoulder Bag

2022-03-10T19:06:33Z

Introduction

Who said well-designed bags are for purses? Manliness comes skin deep when it comes to showing who has more testasterone than another, however when it comes to elegant, sturdy, and OCD proof organization the Think Tank Retrospective 6 is hands down my favorite bag thus far. Apart from the compliments received for the design of the bag I can’t help but squee in happiness that I get to personalize how and what my bag holds.

Yes, the Retrospective 6 is meant/designed for the photographer, but like anything else sticking to the norm is also skin deep. Redesigning the way the bag compartments fit for a multitude of devices such as the Surface Pro, Netbooks running Kali Linux are now a joy to war-drive! (Ahem.)

Internal Dimensions:
13” W x 7.5” H x 5.3” D (33 x 19 x 13.5 cm)
Exterior Dimensions:
13.5” W x 7.9” H x 6.7” D (34.5 x 20 x 17 cm)
Front pocket (fits 8” tablet):
10.6” W x 6.3” H x 1.0” D (27 x 16 x 2.5 cm)
Weight: 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) With all accessories

The post Think Tank Retrospective 6 Shoulder Bag appeared first on TechwareLabs.

Nextbook FLEXX 11A 2-in-1 Quad Core Windows 10 Tablet

2022-03-08T16:24:00Z

Nextbook FLEXX 11A 2-in-1 Quad Core Windows 10 Tablet

Techwarelabs has a long history of analysis and review of mobile devices. We have looked at a few of Nextbook’s offerings and the latest FLEXX11A builds upon their experience to give us a product offering that is both affordable and has surprising performance. With a retail price tag of a mere $179 on special at Walmart you are getting a full fledged laptop 2-in-1 which includes some upscale features only found on pricier models.

Here is what Nextbook has to say about the FLEXX 11A:

Bigger and better than ever, the Nextbook Flexx 11A tablet is the enhanced tablet you’ve been looking for. With an 11.6-inch screen, 16:9 aspect ratio and 1366×768 resolution (IPS), the Nextbook Flexx 11A delivers great image quality to read, work, watch, stream or play. Weighing less than four pounds, the Nextbook Flexx 11A is a sleek, lightweight tablet, making it the ideal companion to enjoy anywhere anytime.

The FLEXX 11A is an ultra portable 11.6 and its 2-in-1 nature means that the screen can be removed from the keyboard to use as a tablet. This also means that the screen has touch capability. I personally like the 10″ and under category for the best in portability but the FLEXX 11A has an easier to use keyboard than anything in the 10″ and under category, and the screen size is larger meaning its easier to read and see. The FLEXX 11A would be perfect for a student, traveler, children, or seniors. I personally use a small 2-in-1 laptop in my kitchen for easy access to recipies and information. The new FLEXX 11A could very well replace it.

The post Nextbook FLEXX 11A 2-in-1 Quad Core Windows 10 Tablet appeared first on TechwareLabs.

Megacon 2017 Day 2 Gallery

2017-08-21T02:34:15Z

Megacon Orlando 2017 Gallery

Megacon is an annually held convention focusing on SciFi, Fantasy, Anime, Gaming and comic-book communities that was first started in Orlando in 1993. The original convention held was the OrlandoCon that was held from 1974 until 1994 and was replaced by the MegaCon we know and love today. MegaCon has changed hands a few times in its life, starting with the Crossgen buyout from the creator James Brietbiel in 1999, and ending with the current Canadian owner Informa Canada INC.

TechwareLabs had the opportunity to visit the 2017 Orlando Megacon and here is the gallery of our visit. Stay tuned for a comedy show hosted by Geeks of Comedy that will be up later today!

If you would like to view the full gallery with all the uncropped photos you can do so here.
[See image gallery at www.techwarelabs.com]

The post Megacon 2017 Day 2 Gallery appeared first on TechwareLabs.

Azpen A848 Projector Tablet

2017-08-21T02:54:23Z

Azpen A848 Projector Tablet

The A848 Projector Tablet from Azpen addresses a need that many users have had without knowing it. The A848 is a product that lends itself equally well to both business users as well as home consumers. It allows users the freedom to share in a way that works well for groups of people in a small setting. No more will people have to look over your shoulder, the A848 is a presentation tool for media and games alike.

For business users, sales professionals, and executives, the A848 is a diminutive portable device that holds the power to captivate attention focus your audience. Its small but powerful speakers are perfect for small groups and even better for those 1 on 1 scenarios. Home users will like the ability to take the A848 on their next plane trip and watch a movie on the back of their tray table instead of the nearest display panel which may be 5 rows in front. Mothers and fathers will find the A848 useful for occupying children who can watch and play games or movies together on a single device instead of bringing a tablet for each.

This is the concept behind the creation and development of the A848 Projector Tablet from Azpen. A single device with so much potential. We have the A848 at TechwareLabs for some in depth testing. Does it live up to the hype?

The post Azpen A848 Projector Tablet appeared first on TechwareLabs.

Cherry MX 6.0 Red Switch LED

2017-08-21T02:41:41Z

Cherry MX 6.0 Red Switch LED

Already leading the pack on quality and design of their line of fantastic mechanical keyboards, Cherry has brought us the Goliath of all keyboards. The Cherry MX 6.0 combines the mechanics of the silent Red Cherry switch series with vibrant and smooth red LED back-lighting (with a touch of blue for activated keys). The body is composed of a sturdy, soft aluminum alloy that has beautiful grooves that define a high-quality professional keyboard.

Being a past user of a Cherry, I can vouch for their quality product. The Cherry MX 3.0 was an ideal model for the typist, as I concluded, being one that types up pages worth of content daily. With both literary or journalistic writing and programming code, it’s important to be able to use a keyboard efficiently and accurately; the Blue switch provides exactly that, as well as added feedback from the audible clicks it produced when typing.

The post Cherry MX 6.0 Red Switch LED appeared first on TechwareLabs.

Accell USB-C to DisplayPort Cable review

2017-06-19T13:19:29Z

Introduction

With the release of USB Type-C, or USB-C, back in 2014 the USB Implementers Forum finally moved away from using USB-A, and USB-B connectors and created a future-proof, 24 pin double sided connector that is slowly but surely making its way into the market. From smartphones to consumer level laptops we have seen the support of this new format grow. Today we have the opportunity to showcase the Accell USB-C to DisplayPort cable that allows your laptops to use external monitors.

A little history

Accell is a company that puts ease of use and reliability at the core of its products. They strive to provide quality merchandise that is priced fairly and created with future-proofing your tech needs. Quoting Accell themselves:

The expansion of commercial and home theater audio and video systems are driving the need for enhanced connectivity and distribution solutions. Devices such as computers, smartphones, tablets and digital music players continue to generate demand for smart interconnect products. Accell has identified the need for connectivity to evolve in both form and function. To meet this need, we are creating products that are both easy-to-use and visually exciting. The Accell brand is built on a customer-centric and technologically advanced foundation with a focus on quality and value.

Audio and Video needs, power expansions and outlet adapters, from daily use to rare occasions Accell seems to have the products and quality consumers desire. Do their products stand the test of time and usage? Are the cables, adapters and peripherals priced fairly? Why should you use Accell’s cable, should you switch from HDMI or VGA to DisplayPort/USB-C type connector? What are the benefits? Read on and find out!

The post Accell USB-C to DisplayPort Cable review appeared first on TechwareLabs.

Megacon 2017 Gallery

2017-08-21T02:36:37Z

Megacon 2017 Gallery

Megacon is an amazing event held each year in Orlando Florida. Every year thousands of attendees arrive to show off their cosplay, meet their favorite celebrities, and explore amazing artwork and crafts.

MegaCon Orlando is the South East’s largest comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, and gaming event, attracting over 100,000 fans each year across four big days.

Everyone is a fan of something, and MegaCon is a place to celebrate all things pop culture. Get an autograph or a photo with your favorite guest and get the inside scoop about your favorite movies & TV shows at our celebrity panels! Watch professional comic artists battle it out in our popular Sketch Duels, learn from our “How To” workshops, and take photos with your favorite costumed characters! It’s also a great place to buy a unique gift (or treat yourself!) with over 400,000 square feet of shopping madness.

TechwareLabs hit the show floor to give you a peek at what the glamour and fun is all about. Take a look.

[See image gallery at www.techwarelabs.com]

The post Megacon 2017 Gallery appeared first on TechwareLabs.

Wraps Wristband Headphones

2017-08-21T02:38:51Z

From music to style, I suppose some gimmicks can kinda stick pretty good, this wristband type headphone set is an interesting cross in fashion, usability, and potentially even survival (if I take a good hard thought at how rope is generally used in survival) I could take the beads Wraps and looks stylish, the denim ones that awkwardly match my jeans, or just use any of them as rope for bunny traps in a barren destroyed world coming soon due to our global crisis of being human. OR maybe I’ve just played one too many survival games. I’ll let you be the judge of that.
Anyway lets take a look at the small existing hype behind these little oddly placed. I kid you not, when I take a look at a purchase I sometimes fall to the thought of “In a apocalyptic event, can this be useful without any form of power?” and seeing as these headphones have a surprisingly sturdy slightly elastic base cable it seems capable of having its use as temporary rope, it is a good 2.5 feet of fortified cable, why not.

I do like the design factor here before I throw it all in a bushel of flames, and it really does pertain to the individual of the worth of these headphones. Notice I mentioned little on the sound, that’s slight because it’s like any typical market headset that I could find at any convention with the business name printed on the side, “Look free headphones! All I need to do is have this logo on them the whole time? Doesn’t sound like Idiocy at all.” Yes, the sound quality is basic and personally very disappointing since I did like the way the cable was manufactured, it is a damn strong cable, but then I look at those tiny cheap headpieces, not to mention the cable weighs a good amount and those tiny headphones hang on for their lives in my ears as the big bad cable tries to pull them with his friend gravity.

So all in all its a lower end of sound as far as market in-ear headphones go, with a cool idea intertwined into a wearable concept, we are seeing a lot of these sorts of wearable technologies nowadays, hoodies with lace headphones, bracelet USB storage devices, and the very popular smart watch concept can now do just about anything short of “Beam me up Scotty” but we at TechwareLabs are pretty sure that’s not too far away, our lifetimes? Uh maybe. But the headset does look very slick, and it can also be adjusted as a necklace thing, and in the end, if the headset does disappoint you remember, bunny traps require a good amount of thread!

The post Wraps Wristband Headphones appeared first on TechwareLabs.

PowerColor Red Devil Radeon RX570 AMD

2017-05-11T14:10:15Z

PowerColor Red Devil Radeon RX570 AMD

Here we are: the new PowerColor sequel to the RX line has arrived, boasting new physical designs as well as internal modifications to achieve highly scalable efficiency. While most internal hardware features compare similarly to the Red Dragon, such as 4GB 256-bit GDDR5, it does feature some minor internal changes like a 4% increase of boost clock frequency and a decrease by 14% in stream processor count. (The implication is that a boost frequency increase with faster processing translates to fewer needed stream processors.) It’s the L1, L2 and L3 cache argument all over again, but we’re not going to go there; we are, however, going to do a full detailed examination of the Red Devil, so how about we begin?

First and foremost, it’s apparent from the myriad distinct physical manifestations of the card that much focus was applied to physical design. It’s hard to imagine external geometry could have much impact on a card’s performance—I mean it’s just the way it looks, right? Partly. Many objects in our physical realm deal a lot with geometric efficiency, like the airflow around the wing (and, for that matter, entirety) of an airplane; why don’t we fly box-shaped planes like semi trailers?

There’s a huge “gold rush” in geometric manufacturing, from ergonomic design to air flow and heat sink dispersal designs, so it’s not surprising we see fans being affected by this pursuit. Cooler Master worked on geometric manufacturing to improve its fans (number of fans, shape, spacing, etc) as well as new concepts to improve the way heat is extracted from peripherals based on microscopic geometric design (I can’t get over how sick that is). Lenovo studied owls to learn from their biological expertise in silent movement through air and applied it to reduce laptop fan noise.

Let’s take a further look into our Red Devil card and see how these pursuits have been applied.

The post PowerColor Red Devil Radeon RX570 AMD appeared first on TechwareLabs.

Monster Fatal1ty FxM 200

2017-04-19T17:16:25Z

Fatal1ty Monster FXM200

Monster is known for its diverse interaction with many popular cultures such as the Beats line-up with the Dr and the hip/hop rap community and lately, it’s been edging its way into the digital gaming culture. Fatal1ty himself is a popular and very talented gamer who holds 12 World Championship E-Sport titles, Johnathan Wendel is the target subject of the design the FXM200 aims at portraying onto the gamer world.

Before we begin with my experience with these headphones let me explain my history with Monster. Working at two major retailers that sold these sets I recall the beginning of the Beats by Dre line, headset snapping in half and all its glory. But my biggest fuss wasn’t really so much the flaw in the design of the beginning production of that headset, it’s that they attempted at appealing to a certain market especially with the functionality of the headset. I am not a fan of those batteries, no not because I have to buy them, I keep a plethora of rechargeable ones anyway. It’s because the functionality of these batteries was to morph the natural sound that I was hearing. The hip-hop world is known for its deep bass and ecstatic snares, but these headsets really tried to emphasize this style of music which destroyed any other forms.

Now, back to the Fatal1ty, I do get a bit nitpicky about sound especially recently getting into music theory and playing with digital tools to manipulate sound from basic waveforms. So when this Fatal1ty headset surprised me by letting me hear a new sound from a song I’ve had on repeat for the last week I was slightly shocked, as this headset is consumer friendly at around one hundred dollars depending on your shopping cart of choice. About 45 degrees from my right ear to the back I heard a new saw wave that i couldn’t from any typical headset. I double checked with my V-Moda Crossfades which I’ve owned since the retail store Beats days. With my experience I’ve trusted this headset through thick and thin, 5 years together I vouch for their quality. The comparison is not bad, the bass was satisfying on the Fatal1ty as well as the higher pitched sounds though it seemed to have a wider range of the higher pitches than the lower as distortion does happen at full volume, but that’s unhealthy, right?

So lets take a closer look on the quality of the set and dive into more sound and feature details of the the Fatal1ty brand.

The post Monster Fatal1ty FxM 200 appeared first on TechwareLabs.

What Is Xbox’s ‘Project Scorpio’?

2017-04-12T15:36:48Z

What Is Xbox’s ‘Project Scorpio’?

Article courtesy of Kayla Matthews

There have been murmurs in the video game community about Microsoft’s secretive Xbox Project Scorpio for some time. Is it a completely new console? Or is it an update of the current Xbox One?

Not every question has an answer quite yet, but the company did reveal some details that have many gamers excited. Here’s a look at what Microsoft’s early plans are for Project Scorpio and what it might mean for the future of the home gaming market.

Top of the Heap, On Paper

While we don’t know what the Project Scorpio console will look like or when it will be released, Microsoft has released some specs for the new console to whet gamers’ appetites. The specs are certainly impressive.

Let’s start with CPU. Project Scorpio uses eight x86 cores that produce speeds up to 2.3GHz. That compares to 2.1GHz for Sony’s current PlayStation 4 Pro and 1.75GHz for Microsoft’s own Xbox One.

Project Scorpio has 12GB of memory versus 8GB for both PS4 Plus and Xbox One. Its memory bandwidth is 326GB per second, well ahead of PS4 Pro’s 218GB and Xbox One’s 204GB per second.

The upcoming console sports a 1TB hard drive, which isn’t all that groundbreaking. The PS4 Pro has a 1TB hard drive, and some versions of the Xbox One have 2TB hard drives.

Finally, Project Scorpio’s optical drive is a step up. It has a 4K ultra-HD Blu-ray drive versus a standard Blu-ray drives for PS4 Pro and Xbox One — the Xbox One S also has a 4K UHD drive.

What It Means for the Industry

While the specs for Project Scorpio are certainly beefy, some people are skeptical it will be enough.

There are a couple of main reasons for this.

First, Project Scorpio’s specs are great news for those interested in virtual reality gaming, which seems poised to be the next big trend in gaming. When it comes to VR, the more power the better, and Project Scorpio looks to be plenty powerful.

The problem is that Sony has a huge head start in the VR market, selling nearly a million of its PSVR systems to date. Microsoft would not only have to catch market leader Sony, but the 420,000 HTC Vive and 243,000 Oculus Rift systems sold as well.

Second, no matter how powerful Microsoft’s new console is, it will need content that gamers want to play. The company does have the exclusive “Halo” and “Gears of War” franchises, but as it stands, Sony leads this race with the likes of “Uncharted,” “The Last of Us” and “MLB The Show.”

What We Still Don’t Know

Even though Project Scorpio’s specs look promising, many questions remain unanswered. Those answers will go a long way toward determining the success of the new console.

The most obvious question — How much will it cost?

Speculation is all over the board here. Last year, Xbox head Phil Spencer said the price of Project Scorpio will reflect a “premium console,” leading some to believe it could cost as much as $600 or $700 at launch.

Even if its launch price is $500, the same as the original Xbox One, that may be a bit on the high side for many consumers.

Another key question is just how big a role VR will play with Project Scorpio. Many gamers are gravitating toward VR, and the system’s specs seem to support it. Microsoft hasn’t said much yet about what its VR plans are as they relate to Project Scorpio.

In the end, what we know so far about Project Scorpio is impressive. Its specs alone blow anything we’ve seen out of the water.

It’s what we don’t know, including when it will roll out, that will determine whether Microsoft’s latest console will be successful or not.

The post What Is Xbox’s ‘Project Scorpio’? appeared first on TechwareLabs.

HyperX Cloud Stinger Headset Review

2017-04-11T16:28:10Z

Unbeatable Performance

Introduction

Today we have for you a HyperX Cloud Stinger gaming headset. This is the same headset used by professional gaming teams, Luminosity, Natus Vincere, teamliquid, and SK Gaming. The headset is an improved version of the HyperX Cloud line up of headsets. It has the same great sound and comfort of the previous gen, but a new, matte-black and uni-body design with swivel-to-mute boom/microphone and swivel over the ear pads that allow for convenient storage and transport. The headset can be purchased from all your major tech supply stores, and is 49.99$ as of the time of this review.

Read on to find out how the new Cloud Stinger performs against the competition. We will rock out, game out, and go out in this headset to test it in all environments and will let you decide if its worth the cost!

A little history

Back in 2002 Kingston launched a patented high-performance memory modules named HyperX. Ten years later they celebrated 25 years of unprecedented memory business, popularity and sales. Same year, 2012, they launch HyperX branded Windows-to-GO usb drive, and SSD drives. Next year in 2013, the drop the 1TB Predator 3.0, world’s largest capacity USB 3.0 Flash drive. One year later the FURY modules for entry-level overclockers drops on the market, and allows for the beginners to feel the benefit of overclockable memory.
Kingston’s HyperX Cloud Stinger was released for the commercial use in August of 2016, allowing all the gamers who used the original Kingston HyperX Cloud, and Cloud Revolver, to grab this 49.99$ headset and experience true performance at a margin of the price.

The post HyperX Cloud Stinger Headset Review appeared first on TechwareLabs.

Website Maker

2017-05-08T02:17:10Z

Website Development: A History

Once upon a time, web development was a quite simple thing: coding was done in the most basic of HTML and was commonly accomplished in one’s simple text editor of choice. Notepad, Word, and Wordpad, among others, were all commonly used and the most complex choices to make were elements that consisted of links, pictures, and animated GIFs. Soon, the savvy got the idea that making this coding easier was something that could earn money for the non-html proficient. Thus was born the age of html editors like HotDog and Adobe Dreamweaver. Things got even more complex with some websites being created and run solely in Adobe Flash. These website looked amazing, had advanced capabilities, and were all the rage for a while. One big problem with Flash was that the content inside was not readable by conventional search engines, and thus not searchable by regular users. After a few awkward years where big Web portals were the primary way to find material, search engines ruled the web and still do today.

Though by no means the first major search engine, Google gave computer users around the globe easy access to finding the websites and content they were looking for in one location. It essentially spelled the death for paper-based phone books like the Yellow Pages, and has since grown to encompass much more. Google, Yahoo, and Bing are the big three search engines today, and while they gave consumers content, they also introduced businesses around the world to the concept of Search Engine Optimization. SEO gave rise to all manner of companies and money-making strategies, but became a double-edge sword for many.

SEO was a boon to many initially: websites that had existed for a while and had a good deal of traffic and content were known as organically optimized. This meant search engines placed links to these sites ahead of smaller or newer websites due to a number of factors including (somewhat inter-relatedly) age, traffic, links from elsewhere on the web, and content. This was good for those websites that had existed a while and built themselves up along with their traffic. Organic website optimization is much more complicated now, and Google has replaced it with the Pay-to-Play model. Companies now compete globally for keywords, paying to have their website rank higher in results for certain search terms. Organic optimization is not dead, but the rules governing your website development, the content, and accessibility are now much more important than ever before.

Website development has become something that specialized companies and professionals are now responsible for. Hiring the right company and using the right software is very important to the overall success or failure of a website and recognition online. Not all people and businesses seeking an online presence need to hire expensive companies and professionals though: the internet is filled with software that will do the task and allow you to manage your content at the same time. Software that also manages or allows you access to change, add, and create content is known as a CMS or content management system. Even beyond that, not all companies need a CMS if they don’t plan to produce or modify content regularly, but those that intend to have fresh content on a regular basis would be best served to do their homework into which software they utilize. Making sure that you select the right software for your needs can prevent a lot of headaches down the road.

The software you deploy can manage every aspect of your website including:

Search Engine Optimization
Anti Spam
Subscriptions
Mailing Lists
Interactive content
Plugins
Mobile optimization
Social Media Integration

These are just some of the many aspects that the CMS of your choice may give you access to control; there are many more. Finding the right software to do the job can be difficult, due in no small part to the number of choices available. Thankfully, there are reputable websites that exist that compare and give a quick overview of some of the better selections available. For those that opt to select a website maker, the process is made relatively easy. You will want to review software choices online and see which gives you access to the controls you want, is rated well, and has a price within your budget. A good website will include helpful comparisons, articles on getting started, selecting the software, as well as rating different software packages. We recommend their use and, as always, doing your homework before making a decision. Good luck with your website development!

The post Website Maker appeared first on TechwareLabs.