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CRKT Tighe Rod - Review

2017-01-13T11:55:00.000-08:00

CRKT Tighe Rod - a Brian Tighe design and Collaboration

TIGHE ROD™

CRKT TIGHE ROD™

Designed by Brian Tighe in Ridgefield, Ontario

"You can't judge a great knife on looks alone. Just in case, this one goes way beyond looks."

Custom knife designer Brian Tighe demonstrates his unique style in knife design. This latest design will please the casual knife user and the knife connoisseur. The Tighe Rod will not disappoint.

The handles are made of thick, stainless steel, and are skeletonized to reduce weight without sacrificing strength. The final touches include Titanium Nitride coated blue and then surface finished, thus creating its unique style.

Other features include:
-Innovative, Patented, Handle Integrated, Klecker Lock
-Blue Two-Tone Titanium Nitride Buffed Handle
-Satin Polished

MSRP $175.00
Check my links to Amazon for current pricing and/or special deals.

The Klecker Lock provides a solid blade lockup, and is uniquely formed within the steel scales. This is an innovative, modern lockback design. It took me a while to get used to this design, but once I got used to it I appreciate it more. Other knife aficionados have mixed feelings about this locking mechanism.

The Tighe Rod's blade is paired with caged mini ball bearings in the pivot, which provides smooth opening and closing. The blade shape has a broad sweeping, deep belly, and hollow ground cutting edge. Perfect for general use.

Ambidextrous thumb-studs and its blade flipper allow the user to open the blade easily.

I used DuPont Krytox PFPE lubricant on the pivot/bearings, and the knife opens and closes like butter!

Brian Tighe (Ridgefield, Ontario)

There are edged tool artisans...and then there’s Brian Tighe. A Canadian Renaissance Man, he is practiced in the art of metallurgy, photography, and tool and die making. It’s what helped him make the leap from a creator of high-quality custom folding knives into the top 10 elite. We were honored to have his Buy Tighe™ blade as our limited edition CRKT® 20th anniversary knife and are releasing the new Tighe Tac™ 2’s for 2016.

SPECIFICATIONS

Blade Length 3.57" (90.68 mm)
Blade Edge Plain
Blade Steel AUS 8, 58-59 HRC
Blade Finish Satin
Blade Thickness .12" (3.05 mm)
Closed Length 4.64" (117.86 mm)
Weight 4.8 oz
Handle 420J2 Stainless Steel
Style Folding Knife w/Klecker Lock
Overall Length 8.19" (208.03 mm)

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If you liked this review and decide to purchase this knife, please support us by clicking the links to Amazon above or below to purchase. Thank you.

Going to a concert? Use earplugs!

2016-08-12T09:56:00.001-07:00

I enjoy going to live music concerts. I do not enjoy the suffering after: the pain and ringing in the ears once we leave the gig. This is tinnitus. It tends to ring for a few hours. Fortunately, everything gets back to normal after a few hours... or overnight... or sometime the next day (maybe).

Normal, everyday conversation hovers around 65dB, and this ambient level is typically accepted as safe for your ears. Exposure to noise over 85 dB is acceptable for short-term, transient times. However, continuous exposure (eight hours or more) can result in the permanent hearing loss. Although eight hours seems a lot, but if you’ve been listening to Spotify on your way to a concert, chances are that you’re pretty close to that limit.

For example, loud hip-hop or rock concerts can expose your ears to up to 120 dB which can be devastating to your ears. A three minute blast like this can result in some pretty serious consequences.

To avoid this and protect your hearing while you enjoy the live band playing your favorite songs, a simple solution is to use earplugs.

My recommendations are the following:

ETY-Plugs
Developed to provide low cost, one-size-fits-most high fidelity earplugs that can be used in a variety of noisy environments. The goal of the ETY-Plugs design was the same as Etymotic's famous Musicians Earplugs: to reduce noise but preserve sound quality; in effect, to turn down the noise but not muffle voices, environmental sounds, or music. These high-fidelity earplugs are effective or anyone who needs to hear accurately in noise: attendees at concerts, clubs, other loud performance venues; aircraft personnel; construction workers; industrial workers; medical/dental workers; workers in environments with loud music such as concert halls, nightclubs or bars; emergency vehicle personnel; athletes; participants in motor sports; truck drivers. Each purchase includes high fidelity earplugs, black cord, carrying case, and instructions. Easy to carry in your purse, backpack or pocket. Available in standard size for smaller ear canals or large size for larger ear canals.

DUBS Acoustic Filters
Are advanced tech earplugs that reduce volume without sacrificing the clarity of live sound. Whether you're in the city, at a concert, on a plane or at the game, the DUBS protect your ears to keep you going louder, longer.

ER20XS
ER20XS earplugs are smaller, more discreet and have identical frequency response characteristics and performance of ETY•Plugs® which have protected the ears of hundreds of thousands of musicians worldwide since their introduction. ER20XS earplugs feature a low-profile, stem-less design that sits snugly in the outer ear without protruding. This makes it especially comfortable to wear under hats, helmets and other headgear. ER20XS earplugs come with a small, flexible pull tab that allows for easy removal, an easy-to-install neck cord and a carrying case. Hearing loss from exposure to loud sound affects millions of people. Noise-induced hearing loss is preventable. And it's easy to prevent. ETY-Plugs were developed to provide low cost, one-size-fits-most high fidelity earplugs that can be used in a variety of noisy environments. The goal of the ETY-Plugs design was the same as Etymotic's famous Musicians Earplugs: to reduce noise but preserve sound quality; in effect, to turn down the noise but not muffle voices, environmental sounds, or music. These high-fidelity earplugs are effective for anyone who needs to hear accurately in noise: attendees at concerts, clubs, other loud performance venues; aircraft personnel; construction workers; industrial workers; medical/dental workers; workers in environments with loud music such as concert halls, nightclubs or bars; emergency vehicle personnel; athletes; participants in motor sports; truck drivers. Each purchase includes high fidelity earplugs, cord, carrying case, and instructions. Easy to carry in your purse, backpack or pocket. Standard size fits most. Large size for larger ear canals.

LiveMus!c HearZSafe Ear Plugs
Unlike traditional foam earplugs, HearSafe earplugs contains a precision filter / damper with varied levels of strength. The precise structured filter reduces and weakens background noise and high frequency noise attenuation, thereby keeping useful music and speech signals suitable for musicians, percussionists, drummers, concerts, clubbing and more! Forget about the ringing of ears after a night of clubbing, or after attending a rock concert, or even after a jamming session with friends, because HearSafe earplugs are here to protect your ears from hearing loss without compromising on quality of sound.

My essential MacBook Air add-on: Transcend JetDrive and SanDisk UltraFit flash drive

2016-08-08T17:49:00.003-07:00

The MacBook Air is a great portable yet full-featured laptop. It is thin, lightweight, and functional.

However, it suffers on one very important feature: Storage.

The flash storage is fast: Because it is not a traditional hard drive, it has no moving parts. But, the cost of the SSD limits the storage on the MacBook Air. At least on the older versions. I got the Mid-2013 128GB version. Suffice it to say, it is now running at 98% capacity.

The immediate solution is to get two drives.

SanDisk Ultra Fit flash drive.

This goes on one of the USB ports on the MacBook Air. For $30, it adds 128GB of extra storage. The limitation is if the USB port is one of the "slower" USB 2.0 (and not the USB 3.0). So this would be good for storing and accessing data that does not require fast data transfer (music, photos, Word documents, etc.)

There are also other small-ish USB drives out there, such as the Samsung Flash Drive Fit and the Lexar JumpDrive. Both of which come in 128GB so plenty of extra storage.

Transcend JetDrive
There are several flavors of this drive. I initially got the 128GB version, but recently had to get the 256GB version. Depending on your budget and your needs, I would recommend one or the other.

Of course, you can also upgrade the boot drive. This is a bit trickier, since it will require you to do research on the type of drive you need (Mid-2013 and newer requires PCIe SSD, which are different from the earlier laptops that use SATA).

With a 128GB flash drive and a 256GB JetDrive, I added enough storage to store my files from DropBox and Google Drive, as well as Photos Library and iTunes.

Transcend 480GB SSD - Amazon Deal under $100

2016-07-29T11:38:00.002-07:00

Transcend 480 GB TLC SATA III 6Gb/s 2.5" Solid State Drive (TS480GSSD220S)

Awesome deal on Amazon! For less than $100, you can get a 480GB SSD drive from a highly reputable name brand.

UPDATE: The deal has ended, but for $115 (as of A
July 31h this is still a sweet deal!!!

Transcend' s next-generation SATA III 6Gb/s solid state drives deliver significantly improved performance and reliability to modern Ultrabooks, notebooks, and desktops. Designed with multitasking power users in mind, the productivity-enhancing SATA III SSDs are the ideal upgrade solution for advanced multimedia computing and intense gaming.

Product Description:

Boost your computer's speed and capacity with a Transcend SSD

Max. Read 550MB/s, Max. Write 450MB/s

Powerful controller with high-quality flash chips

Supports DevSleep ultra low power state

Supports TRIM, NCQ and S.M.A.R.T. function

Silent, low-power operation. Resistant to shock and vibration

Three-year limited warranty

For Mac users please refer to the JetDrive product lines for compatible products

Other Technical Details:

Brand Name	Transcend
Item model number	TS480GSSD220S
Item Weight	2.1 ounces
Product Dimensions	3.9 x 0.3 x 2.7 inches
Item Dimensions L x W x H	3.9 x 0.3 x 2.7 inches
Color	Silver
Computer Memory Type	DDR3 SDRAM
Flash Memory Size	480

What's in the package?

SSD220S
Quick Installation Guide/Warranty Card

Kershaw Blur - Review

2016-07-27T16:29:00.000-07:00

I have owned A LOT of folding knives. Some very good. Some not so good. I have also given a lot of knives out to family and friends. This Kershaw Blur is one of the first knives I recommend to family and friends who want to invest in a knife, whether it be their 1st or 21st knife.

Kershaw Blur (Olive Drab) 14C28N Steel with DLC Coating

This Kershaw Blur is one of the best folding knives I've owned, carried, and used. It is one of three everyday carry (EDC) and everyday use (EDU) knives I keep in my pants. The other two being the Kershaw Leek and the CRKT Ken Onion Ripple. When I want to rotate out any of the knive or if I need to do some heavy-duty cutting, I carry the Kershaw Knockout in satin/black or black/olive. The Knockout is another of my favorites, but it deserves a review of its own. I also carry two other knives in my jacket, the Spyderco Paramilitary 2 (with black G-10 scales and black powdered blade) and the Benchmade Griptilian with black scales and satin blade.

Back to the Blur. It holds its own in terms of functionality, design, and cost. At around $55 it is one of the best bang-for-your-buck. I've gotten some for about $33 on Black Friday deals. I've also gotten the S30V version for $50 on a recent online special. I have this in various colors (black, olive green, blue, green, and red). I also have the one with the glass breaker built-in. I bought my first Blur back in 2007, and it is still functional. I keep it in my car in case of emergencies.

Some key features:
-Speedsafe opening - This is one of the best features of this knife. The opening is fast as a blur (pun intended).
-Liner-lock, but relatively strong.
-Steel - 14C28N (DLC coating); All of my blurs came wicked sharp out-of-the-box. For the one I carry and use everyday, I sharpen every other month at most (depending on use)
-Aluminum Handles - 6061-T6 Anodized aluminum with Trac-tec inserts for grip
-Blade length is 3 3/8 inches; Closed length is 4 1/2 inches; Weight 4 oz
-Tip-up or Tip-down carry

It opens easy and fast. A little thumb pressure on the thumb stud and it cracks open. I've practiced with this knife so much that I can open and close one-handed, either left or right hand, with my eyes closed or with the knife behind my back.

The blade is strong enough for 99.8% of my daily use. When the blade is a bit too big, I use my Kershaw Leek. Compared to the Blur, the Leek blade and handle are more slender, easier to keep in your pocket, lighter to carry (even the stainless steel versions), slightly shorter in the closed and open positions (but not that much shorter). I put the two next to each other (picture above) to compare the size of the Blur and the Leek.

The liner lock probably the only thing I don't like about this knife. Not because it is weak, but because this knife could have been made with a stronger frame lock. Having said that, I do not knock anything off this knife due to the liner lock, only because the liner lock is strong enough for my use. Imagine having a titanium handle and Chris Reeves-type frame lock on a Blur... drool.

The alignment out of the box is quite good. It does not go to one side. Pretty much spot on center (or at least good enough for me).

Overall, I think this is a great knife. Buy one. Buy several. Buy all models. If I have to have one folding knife on me, it will be one of the Blurs.

Highly recommended.

Motorola VerveLoop+ Wireless Earbuds - Review

2016-07-25T16:25:00.002-07:00

"Take your music anywhere with Verve Loop+. These wireless stereo earbuds are super light, perfect for high impact activities, and are IP57 water and sweat proof to hold strong during your most intense workouts - indoors our outside. The integrated mic lets you take calls with ease without having to reach for your phone, while the extended 150 feet of range gives you mobility at the gym or the o ice. Go ahead, listen to music for up to 9.5 hours without interruption using your phone, tablet, or computer. Verve Loop+ Super Light, Waterproof, Wireless Stereo Earbuds. Cut loose."

This review is for the Motorola VerveLoop+ Waterproof Wireless Stereo Buds.
Features:
-Sweat & waterproof (IP57 protection)
-Super light with HD Sound
-Up to 9.5h Playtime*
-Up to 150ft of range
-Siri & Google Now compatible
-Integrated mic for calls

It comes with a black neoprene zipped carrying sport case, stabilizers/fitclips, and several sizes of eargels. It comes with a short charging micro-USB cable, but you can use any micro-USB cable to charge, and I have a lot lying around from various devices. The charging port is on side of the power/volume module, and has an orange (not black) rubber cover. It took a few hours to charge to full (was not fully charged out of the box). Pairing to my iPhone 6+ was easy after power-up (no security code required).

The fit is nice, but needs a bit of work. The eargels are held in place by the stabilizers. The stock ones (Medium?) were the best fit, the small and large did not fit me. These are comfortable earbuds to use. Coupled with Bluetooth (wireless), this is a decent backup to my current go-to Bluetooth headset for workouts, the Jabra Sport Pulse Stereo Headset with HRM or my Denon AH-W150 In-Ear Headphones. Why a backup? Well, unlike my Jabra Sport Pulse and my Denon AH-W150, these Motorol VerveLoop+ bluetooth headset does NOT pair with my iMac or MacBook Pro. The Motorola website is not user-friendly: There are no support pages for this headset to see if there is an update on the firmware, software for advanced control. And because it is relatively new (at least I think it is new), others have not reported problems with it.

The battery life is not as long as I expected. It lasted an average of about 6.5 hours of continuous use. This was mixed use, about half hour phone use, the rest is for audio/music. I have yet to see 9.5 hours of "continuous playtime" but I suppose the key description is "up to 9.5 hours." Having said that, these last longer than my Jabra Sport Pulse (about 5 hours of real-time use).

It took a bit of adjusting to get the best "HD sound" out of these. Although the sound is very good, it is not the best I've heard. Even with optimal fit, it seems a bit lacking on the low end. This may be due to fit, so I'm still playing around with this. I've tried to "burn in" these headphones at night when I am not using them (several nights of 4-6 hours continuous audio playtime, with various music genres ranging from Classical, Jazz, R&B, Reggae, Dance, etc.) and there does not seem to be any perceptible difference in sound. (Note: Headphone "burn-in" is a contentious topic among audiophiles, some think it helps while others think it is a waste of time. It has to do with breaking in the headphone drivers to improve sound.)

I suppose it is sweat-proof enough (at least for me). I ran 10K while using these. The only problems I had was that the left earbud kept popping out of my ear.

The mic is acceptable. It is not wind-proof, so it was practically unusable under windy conditions OR when running. It was fine when I walked. However, I was told by several people that I broke apart on their end, and when I did come in I sounded a bit tinny. So the mic gets a poor rating.

The range is surprisingly very good. I don't know how far away I was, but I left my phone in the living room in the front area of the house, and I stayed connected when I went upstairs to the bedroom in the other side of the house. It went through several walls, one floor up and the other side of the house.

Pros:
Comfortable. Secure fit.
Easy to pair with iPhone 6+ and various iPads.
Sound is decent.

Cons:
Short battery life (about 60% of max battery advertised)
Sound is lacking on low end
Mic is unimpressive
Does NOT pair with iMac or MacBook Pro (both El Capitan OS)

I would not use this for more active sports, like basketball or tennis. I use this to listen to music and monitor my training while running, on a treadmill or stationary bike, etc.

I give this a strong 3-star/weak 4-star rating. The lack of Mac integration, as well as an above-average sound and mic quality prevent me from giving this a 5-star or even an enthusiastic 4-star rating.

Speculation on What's New at Apple's March 21 Event

2016-03-18T15:52:00.000-07:00

Various sources are predicting what may be announced at the next Apple event in March 21. These include 9to5Mac, CNET, AppleInsider, and Bloomberg.

A Smaller iPhone than the 6/6+
"iPhone SE"
4-inch screen
Will it replace the iPhone 5S line? Will be a smaller version of the iPhone 6/6S?
Price is still not known. But may start around $650 for the lowest (16GB) size.

Smaller iPad Pro
9.7-inch version (ie. same size as the iPad Air 2)
However, may include the same hardware as the iPad Pro (an A9X processor), a display to accommodate the Apple Pencil, and a Smart Keyboard cover.

Apple Watch update
(Apple Watch S?)

Tricorder
...just kidding... for now...

Galaxy S7 Edge vs. iPhone 6S Plus Speed Test

2016-03-16T12:20:00.003-07:00

A new video published on YouTube demonstrates a realistic performance test pitting the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge versus the iPhone 6S Plus.

YouTuber "PhoneBuff" used a model that has been accepted by many (though not all, and with various issues still floating) to be representative of how everyday users may use these phones.

Specs: Apple Samsung

Processor Apple A9 Snapdragon 820

RAM 2GB 4GB

Resolution 1920x1080 2560x1440

Software iOS 9.2.1 Android 6.0.1

Who wins? Check out the video to find out. It may surprise you (or not).

Say "bye" to invites, and "hi" to Project Fi.

2016-03-07T12:23:00.000-08:00

TNW has reported that you can now sign up for Google's Project Fi without an invite.

Google announced the change in a blogpost earlier this month.

Project Fi is Google's attempt to break the traditional and antiquated cell carrier plans. For $20 a month, you get unlimited talk and text, plus an additional $10 for every GB data use. In addition, you get credit back for any unused data. So if you paid for 1GB of data and only use half, you get $5 credit back. You essentially pay for data as you use it.

The plan makes use Wi-Fi calling (if wi-fi is available) and the ability to use two LTE radios at once to get the best coverage.

Unfortunately, you still need to have a compatible device: The Nexus 6P, Nexus 6, and Nexus 5X. At least you don't need to be invited to try anymore.

Check out Project Fi for more details.

Jabra Sport Pulse Wireless Bluetooth Stereo Headset with Heart Rate Monitor - Review

2015-12-01T13:59:00.000-08:00

This review is for the Jabra Sport Pulse Wireless Bluetooth Headset. It comes with a Jabra carrying case, a charging micro-USB cable, fitclips, and several sizes of eargels.

The fit is nice. These are one of the most comfortable earbuds I have tried, and I've tried plenty. Coupled with Bluetooth (wireless) and the heart rate monitor (HRM), and this may replace my current go-to Bluetooth headset for workouts, the Denon AH-W150 In-Ear Headphones and my Timex Personal Trainer HRM. I'm still on the fence, but I do love this Sport Pulse.

Pros:
Comfortable. Secure fit.
[Relatively] accurate HRM tracking
Easy app with useful features.

Cons:
Short battery life
Sound is lacking on low end
Expensive

I have a few issues with this device. The audio component is not as well rounded as my Denon W150. It lacks on the low/bass side, and the highs are not as sharp as I would like. The battery life could be better: It is rated 4.5 hours for music, but I get no more than 4 hours when paired with my iPhone and using the HRM. Also, the HRM seems to drop off or lose connection when I am running. For example, while running or on the treadmill I've seen my HR drop 5-10 bpm on the Jabra Sport Life app but not on my Timex personal trainer.

I would opt for an around-the-ear version to help keep earbuds in the ear during more instense workouts, and to get more battery life.

I would not use this for more active sports, like basketball or tennis. I use this to listen to music and monitor my training while running, on a treadmill or stationary bike, etc.

Highly recommended.

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Pairing - This is a relatively easy task.

1. Turn on Bluetooth on your iOS device.

2. Turn off the Jabra Sport Pulse Wireless by pressing and holding (3 sec) the Multi-function button until the indicator light flashes red.

3. Press and hold the Multi-function button until the Bluetooth indicator flashes blue.

4. Follow the voice-guided connection instructions to connect to your Bluetooth device.

For iOS, go to the Bluetooth menu and connect to Jabra Pulse a3.8.0 (not Jabra Pulse Smart).

Note. A second Bluetooth profile Jabra PULSE Smart will appear in the paring list. Do not connect to this profile unless you intended to use the headset with Apple Health Book. If using the headset with Apple Health Book the battery time might be reduced.

Enter 0000 (4 zeros) if asked for a pin code.

Charging - Pull back the EarWing on the right earphone to expose the USB charging port. It takes about 2.5 hours to fully charge the battery. For first time charge, I typically charge at least twice the recommended time (about 5 hours).

For calls and music control, use the controller located on the cord near the right earbud.

For controlling the app, use the Sports button on the left earbud.

PNY Elite Performance 64 GB SDXC Class 10 U3 Flash Card

2015-06-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

Excellent performance at half the cost of Pro cards

PNY Elite Performance 64 GB High Speed SDXC Class 10 UHS-I, U3 up to 95 MB/Sec Flash Card (P-SDX64U395-GE)

This SDXC card works well, and is an upgraded version of the PNY Elite Performance 64GB SDXC Class 10 U1 which maxes out at 90MB/s (on paper). This U-3 card provides transfer speeds up to 95MB/s. In either benchmark tests or practical applications, I did not see any performance difference between this U3 card -vs- the previous U1 version. I did not encounter any issues with this card in any DSLR, point-and-shoot, or digital camcorders.

Compared to the SanDisk Extreme PRO 64GB U3, this PNY 64GB U3 is slower on benchmark tests and in practical use on a DSLR (using a Nikon D7000 and D5100). But at half the price of the SanDisk Extreme PRO, this SDXC card is good enough for most consumers.

DSLR:

These are the numbers on a D7000:
-JPEG (Fine): 6 fps for 21 frames, then 2 frames at ~3fps captured every second (approx) up to 100 frames total.
-JPEG (Normal): 6fps for 31 frames, then 4 frames at ~4fps (sometimes sped up to ~5fps) up to 100 frames.
-RAW: 6 fps for 10-12 frames, then 2 frames at 2fps captured every 2-3 seconds.
-RAW+ JPEG (Fine): 6 fps for 10 frames, then around a frame every 2 seconds.

These were almost identical to the NY Elite 64GB U1 version.

BENCHMARK:

Using Disk Speed Test, I got the following average numbers out of three tests (Updated 2015-06-26):
Read - 86MB/s
Write - 52MB/s

These numbers are similar to the older U1 version (Read 86MB/s, Write 51MB/s), tests were performed sequentially (U1 then U3, repeated three times) on a MBP. However, compared to the SanDisk Extreme PRO 64GB (90MB/s Read and 82MB/s Write) this PNY Elite Performance has slightly slower Read (5% slower), and significantly slower Write speeds (~40% slower). This is only relevant if, for example, you use a DSLR and shoot in burst mode that often fills the camera buffer (ie. Wedding, Sports, Events photography). For me, this PNY is sufficient.

At about half the cost of PRO cards like the SanDisk Extreme PRO 64GB, this 64GB SDXC card has excellent performance for the price point.

Highly recommended. Deserves the 5-star rating.

You can purchase one online via Amazon below:

Amped Wireless High Power Touch Screen AC750 Wi-Fi Range Extender (TAP-EX2)

2015-06-15T23:09:00.000-07:00

My home coverage from a single WiFi router is spotty at best. I have to use two access points (one upstairs, one downstairs opposite side of house from router) in addition to the main WiFi router to get complete house coverage. This means i am running a 50' and 100' Cat6 network cable from the router to the access points. It's a clean setup and it works well, but I also use three different SSID depending on where I am in the house.

This WiFi range extender eliminated all the wires, and I am just using the main WiFi router and this TAP-EX2 to cover the entire house.

Set up is completed within minutes.

-Easy touch-screen setup - Scan for and select the WiFi networks you wish to extend, connect your WiFi devices to the Extender, and enjoy the new, extended WiFi network. That's it.
-Small, powerful, fast - Simultaneous dual-band 802.11ac WiFi for fast streaming of HD content
-Helps eliminate WiFi Dead Spots - Receives the signal from your existing WiFi router (2.4GHz and 5.0GHz) and then amplifies and retransmits the signal in a new location, up to 10,000 sq ft.
-Works with any router. I tried three different ones (D-Link DIR-655, TP-LINK Archer D9 AC1900 Wireless Router, NETGEAR AC1600 Dual Band Wi-Fi Router R6250) and this range extender worked with all of them.

To operate, press "Scan" to scan for available 2.4 and 5.0 GHz networks, select the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz networks from the list, and you're done! It's that simple! Simultaneous 2.4 and 5.0 GHz WiFi networks.

This is a high power amplifier, delivering up to 800mW output power! Other range extenders typically deliver about 50mW output power and typically 1500 sq ft of coverage.

Other notable features:

-Guest networks (up to 4) with unique SSID and passwords/security keys
-Coverage controls to adjust power and range of wifi signal (15, 35, 50, 70, and 100%)
-Adjust access schedule to specify time and days of network use
-Restric access to specific devices that want to connect with user-access controls
-When the touchscreen is not in use, you can set it to clock mode to display time and date

Highly recommended.

Calculated Industries 3356 Compact Digital Distance Measurer

2015-05-14T11:48:00.000-07:00

Accurate. Compact. Easy to use.

Calculated Industries 3356 Laser Dimension Master 130 Compact Digital Distance Measurer with 130-foot Range and Bright Color Display for Real Estate and Interior Design Pros.

As a measuring device, this works, period. I've used this to measure rooms, windows, hallways, garage space, office space... almost anything that I can measure. It works best to measure the height of a room, where one might need a ladder to reach the ceiling. With this toy... errr, device... you just stand it on the floor, point up to the ceiling, and it gives the measurement. I've checked the measurements against a tape measure, and up to 100 feet, the difference is less than 1/8 inch. Simple. Easy. Works.

Select what you want to measure. Distance, Area, Volume. Press the red button to turn on the laser, then another push takes the measurement.

Product Description:
-"Measure up to 130 Feet with accuracy of 1/8 Inch or better over entire range." Absolutely correct.
-"Its small size makes it easy to use in hard-to-access areas." Yes, this is small and compact, and easy to carry around. It fits in small areas.
-"Measure distances in Feet-Inches, Decimal Feet, Inches or Meters." Easy to change out with a push of a button.
-"Large, bright, color easy-to-read display." Easy to read in the day or night.
-"Includes a protective carrying case, wrist lanyard, 2 AAA batteries and a 2-year warranty"

Description from Manufacturer:

This is the new Laser Dimension Master 130, an elegant solution designed for professional users who don't tote bulky toolboxes!

It's perfect for real estate professionals, architectural, interior design and decor specialists as well as serious home improvement DIYs who need fast, accurate indoor measurements.

SIMPLE, ONE-HAND OPERATION – only the features you need for common measuring jobs, no confusing overkill of functions you'll never understand, or use! It has 3 simple modes – straight linear measurements for lengths of rooms, 2-wall measurements for square footage of rooms, or 2-walls + height for cubic volume.
BRIGHT, COLORFUL MULTI LINE DISPLAY – unlike many more industrial models with dim monochrome displays or small, hard to read characters, the Laser Dimension Master 130's high-contrast colors and full .25" tall main digits make viewing the last 3 measurements clear and simple. Plus, you can instantly retrieve your last 10 measurements with a flick of your thumb.
DISTINCTIVE DESIGN – with its handsome bone-white body and silver grey and red accents, nobody is going to confuse yours with a burly contractor tool. Functional AND fashionable, it looks right at home on a conference room table or at a client lunch meeting and just might be mistaken for the latest i-accessory.
TECHNICAL STUFF – Class II, 620-690nm laser <1mW, battery-saving automatic shutoff after 3 minutes, operating temperature range is 32F-140F, storage range is -4F-149F, Size: 4.3"L x 1.7"W x .95"D, Weight: 2.5 ounces. Power: two easily accessible and replaceable AAA batteries are included and will provide up to 3000 measurements.

Stop wrestling with uncooperative tape measures or laser measurers made for commercial contractors, click "Shop now" below to improve the accuracy and professionalism of all your future room measurements today!

BLU Studio 5.0 HD Unlocked Cellphone - Review

2015-01-10T11:53:00.000-08:00

Could be an excellent cheap android/smartphone alternative

*** ORIGINAL REVIEW ***

I have a love-hate relationship with this phone. Firstly, this review is based on my own experience with this phone, and hopefully it will cover the things that this phone CAN DO and what it IS or IS NOT. I will go over all aspects that may or may not interest you, in hopes that you will know what you're getting yourself into with this phone:

This unlocked Blue Studio 5.0 phone is, for the most part, a very good phone with some unique technology not found on other phones. Blu Products is a mobile phone manufacturer founded in 2009 by Sammy Ohev-Zion. The headquarters is based in Florida, but the phone itself is manufactured in China (at least it says so in the sticker behind the battery). Out of the box, there were mixed feelings of surprise for the good by the size and clean lines, and for the bad by the cheap-ish plastic back cover.

The phone itself is packaged well. The phone already has a screen protector (yes!!!), there is a spare screen protector in the box as well, and it also comes with a clear protective case. Then the standard earbuds with mic, microUSB charging cable and a BLU-stamped 5V 1amp portable rectangular USB charger reminiscent of the square iPhone chargers. Cool so far...

Charged this baby overnight and powered up.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:
-Already running 4.4 KitKat (no word yet on when this will be ready for 5.0 Lollipop)
-Screen is bright and clear
-Unlocked and ready for GSM network. I have mine with T-Mobile (I had my share of headaches with this phone on T-Mobile during the first few days)
-8GB internal storage is larger than most unlocked smartphones (usually 4GB)
-13MP Main Camera, with 5MP self-facing camera
-MicroSD slot to store your playlists of songs and videos
-Thus far (from what I've seen) the only Blu phone with 8GB internal storage, HD screen (720p) and 4G LTE
-4G 20Mbps download and 12Mbps upload. Fast!!!

Cons:
-Already running 4.4 KitKat, so problems with KitKat cannot be avoided (such as running apps off of the SD card)
-8GB fills up fast; the OS +apps took up almost half of this space already, so it would be nice to see at least 16GB internal storage
-you need to remove back cover AND battery to add/remove MicroSD card and SIM card
-MicroSD slot WAS NOT able to format or mount any of my 64GB microSD cards (more on this later); seems to max out accepting 32GB MicroSD cards
-Because the phone is already running KitKat, apps AND pictures cannot be downloaded/stored on MicroSD card (though it is possible to tweak the OS to make this work)
-would be nice to have Dual-Sim, which are in a lot of the new phones now (the internals already looked like it is ready for Dual-Sim (has a micro SIM space between the micro SD slot and the micro SIM slot)

*** Brief Details ***
Based on a 5-star rating (1-Poor... 5-Excellent)
*Build Quality - (4) Feels light and cheap at first, but is quite sturdy and works well
*Display - (4.5) 5" Bright, clear, and vivid
*Camera - (4) Takes surprisingly sharp pictures in the daytime, but so-so pictures with not-so-optimal lighting
*Processor, RAM, and Internal Storage - (3.5) Average CPU; 1GB RAM works but could be higher; 8GB storage is better than most pre-paid phones (usually running 4GB) but could be higher
*Storage Expansion - (3) expansion slot accepts up to 32GB MicroSD cards, but would like to see compatibility with 64GB or higher cards; Issues with KitKat
*Graphics - (4) Decent. HD videos play well, with occasional stuttering but not all the time.
*Audio - (3) Average sound
*Battery Life - (4) With proper settings and mild use, I have gone two days without recharging. On average use, I charge every night
*Speed - (5) 4G is impressive! 20 Mbps download and 12 Mbps upload.
*Apps - (4) Google Play.
*Conclusion - Average score (3.9) rounded to 4. Very good feature phone. Highly recommended.

IMO, for the initial MSRP of $200 this phone is a very good feature phone running android, and has almost all of the things I want/need. Lately, it has been floating around the $130-140 price range on Amazon. There are limitations (listed below), but for its cost it is one of the best bang for your buck.

It works for T-Mobile and Simple Mobile. I haven't tried AT&T or other carriers. So it's cost is on the upper-end of "unlocked phones" since you can get cheaper ones for under $100. However, what you are getting extra are: an HD screen, 4G LTE data speed (at least with T-Mobile), micro SD expansion (up to 32 GB) that you can store music and videos to listen and watch, and an already upgraded OS to 4.4 KitKat. Disappointed with 1) not being able to store pictures and videos taken from the phone on the SD card, 2) not being able to use 64 or 128 GB microSD expansion, and 3) not having dual SIM capability. Maybe a future upgrade?

I will give this phone a 4-star rating. Highly Recommended.

*** UPDATE #1 2015-01-21 ***

I am trying this phone on T-Mobile pre-paid pay by the day plans for unlimited talk and text, either on 2 dollars a day (unlimited 2G) or 3 dollars a day (First 200MB at up to 4G speeds with a 4G-compatible device, 2G speed after reaching cap). When using the 4G plan, I get 20/12 Mbps for down/up speeds. When using 2G plan, I get 13/11 Kbps down/up. I tried these on consecutive days, with consistent results. The cell calls were 75% good, with the other 25% sounding garbled and incomprehensible.

Briefly, I want to use this phone as a mini-tablet over wifi (not mobile data) to access various things (email, Goog Hangouts, websites, Netflix, Youtube, Facebook, etc.). I hardly use the phone, so I wanted to see how this phone will do with Mobile Data disabled. Recall that I am using the pay by the day plan with T-Mobile. The problems started when I left the phone at home over the weekend (untouched and unused, with Mobile Data turned off, but the phone left on). When I checked the balance, I found there were two days worth of charges on my account. This puzzled me, since I have not used the phone for anything. I did not send or receive calls or texts. I haven't even used the phone for watching Netflix or web surfing. When I called T-Mobile, I was informed that there were minuscule amounts of data usage (ie. 0.0002 Kb or something like that, according to support), but enough to trigger a day charge. I verified with tech support that 1) Mobile Data was turned off through the settings, and also 2) restricted background data. No charges, until I got to work connected to my work wifi to check the balance on my starbucks app. Somehow, this triggered another daily use charge by 0.2kb data use. So even though Mobile Data is turned off, background data is restricted, and connected by wifi, some data was sent/received through the cell data. This is unacceptable! If mobile data is off, then the phone should not transmit data. Period. Otherwise, if I planned on using this mostly as a mini-tablet (wifi connection to surf web, email, stream videos, etc.) with minimal/no phone use (once a month?), the balance would trickle away daily. So it is either the phone's hardware, or the OS (4.4.2) is faulty by letting data leak in/out through the cell data EVEN THOUGH mobile data is turned off. Something is faulty, I just don't know what it is.

I have been working with T-Mobile support to try to resolve the problem. In the meantime, I switched the Mobile Network Access Point to another server to prevent the phone from talking with the T-Mobile network.

*** Details Below ***
*** Proceed if you are interested ***

Let's get into the features...

*Build Quality - Weighing in at about 5.6 ounces with a plastic back and aluminum-ish frame and buttons, the Blu Studio 5.0 feels a bit on the cheap side. I've taken the back cover off so many times to get to the micro SD card slot, and at first I was a bit hesitant doing this because I was afraid the plastic tabs might break, but they seem to be holding up fine. It does not have the solid feel like pickup up an iPhone 6 Plus or a Samsung S5, but you also buy 3-4 of these Blu phones for the price of one iPhone 6 Plus.

*Display - The display is bright, clear, and vivid. I was quite impressed. The display is 5" 1280x720p IPS LCD capacitative touchscreen, so although it can handle 720p HD videos, it is not full HD at 1080p (or greater). Almost thankful for this, since the GPU may not be able to play 1080p videos smoothly. There is also a lower-end version, the [[ASIN:B00LI4DY82 BLU Studio 5.0 LTE]] sporting a 540x960 resolution screen (ie. not HD) with an 8MP back camera (-vs-13MP) and 4GB internal storage (-vs-8GB). This phone does quite well playing HD movies from Netflix, but for some reason seemed to stutter with YouTube HD videos. Unfortunately, I cannot find anywhere if the screen is Gorilla Glass, or what other type.

*Camera - Remember when DSLRs were 13 MP and were considered professional grade cameras? In fact, the resolution of this phone's camera is higher than my Nikon D200 (10 MP). This Blue Studio 5.0 HD Phone has a 13 MP front-facing camera that takes advantage of HDR and autofocus. However, these are apples and watermelons, an unfair comparison (for taking pictures, I carry around and prefer the Nikon D200 over this phone), but this phone can take decent pictures in a pinch. Daylight and outdoor pictures come out really nice, but indoor and nighttime shots come out a bit "blue" (pun intended). The higher resolution on this camera helps with zooming in on shots: I took a picture of my coffee on a desk from 5 feet away and I can still read the fine print on the sleeve ("Same great sleeve, less waste..."), whereas the same shot with an iPhone 5 I could not read the print. Impressive! I set the pictures at a lower resolution (5MP or less) to save on precious storage space. The camera has digital zoom for both still photos and video. Spread your fingers across the screen to zoom, pinch down to zoom out. Oh, and there's also a flash, which helps with taking pictures in the dark (but you get some major red-eye pictures).

*Processor, RAM, and Internal Storage - The Blue Studio 5.0 comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 1.2 GHz Quad core with Andreno 305 GPU, and sports a 1GB of RAM and 8GB internal storage. 8GB is the minimum internal storage size of what you would like on a smartphone running Android (almost 4GB will be used by the OS and apps the phone came with), so if you want to download and run other apps AND take pictures and videos, you would really like 8GB or more. Unfortunately, KitKat is wreaking havoc with how users can download/store/run apps and pictures. Prior to KitKat (JellyBean and older), you can run apps from the expansion card (if the phone has a slot), and you can store pictures and videos you took with the phone on the card as well. With the KitKat upgrade, this is not possible from a stock build. Some tweaking is required to get around this (with apps like KitKat External SD Card Patch or others like it) and will require rooting into your phone, and which I have NOT tested on this BLU phone.

*Storage Expansion - Here's where my headaches came back (after the initial headaches from talking with T-Mobile support to troubleshoot my poor call reception). The product info states (copied and pasted here) "8GB Internal Memory, 1GB RAM. Micro SD Slot up to 64GB." Unfortunately, this phone seems to support up to 32GB, since I've tried many 64GB MicroSD cards to no avail. I think there was one other reviewer who mentioned using a 64GB microSD card, and maybe they were lucky enough to receive a functional unit (or maybe I am unlucky... who knows). This may be a non issue for some, and a big deal for others.

Side Note: My music library is comprised of various formats, ranging from mp3 at 256-320kbps, some CD quality at 1411kbps, and some 24-bit/192kHz tracks at 9216kbps. The mp3 files are about 5MB each, so about 200 mp3 files will take up one GB. Right now I have about 20GB of music files on my current phone (iPhone) and listen to 60-75% of these songs every week and rotating albums and songs in and out of the playlist, so I need as much storage space as I can get.
With regards to pictures and videos taken from the phone, I have about 15GB of picture and video files on my phone, which is a lot and does not necessarily have to be this large. But my OCD about keeping several copies of personal pictures and videos has gotten the best of me, and although I delete a lot of random, junky, or accidental shots, I cannot delete from my phone those pictures that matter to me. This is why I started with a 32GB iPhone 4S (which was plenty) then to a 64GB iPhone 5S, and now considering the 128GB iPhone 6/6+. So for me, having an SD slot of any kind will help, especially if I can use the ones with larger capacity (64-256GB).

*Graphics - The Adreno 305 GPU performs well in playing HD videos in Netflix and HBO GO, but unfortunately YouTube videos occasionally stuttered. I don't quite know why this is the case. I wanted to test how my HD videos would play on this phone, but alas I cannot mount my micro SD card in this phone (it is not recognized by the phone, and it thinks there is no SD card). UPDATE 2014-01-14: YouTube videos have been playing better through WiFi, but still occasionally stutters running through 4G.

*Audio - The Blue Studio 5.0 HD LTE has decent audio, and average speakers. Other phones, such as the [[ASIN:B00OC0USA6 Amazon Fire Phone]] uses Dolby Digital Plus and sounds better than this Blu model. At best, this phone's sound is Average, which is still very good if you factor in the low cost. The phone (as a phone) is loud enough, but overall average to below-average max sound. When I use VoIP, the call is decent/above average. When I use the cell phone (T-Mobile coverage) the audio was very choppy the first two days (to the point of being unacceptable, and I had to ask T-Mobile to call me on my VZW phone... no problems there). It's gotten better over the last week, but coverage is still poor.

*Battery Life - The battery is a 3.8V 2200mAh Lithium-Ion Battery, but there is no mention of approximately how long the battery will last. Sure, it all depends on whether you are using this phone to watch videos, stream audio/video through 4G LTE, or just web browsing. But for 200 dollars, I would buy an extra set of chargers and maybe a portable battery. At least the battery can be replaced, unlike other phones (*Apple* ahem). For me, the results have been a mixed bag of lasting a day and a half (the first day) to lasting through mid-afternoon, but used extensively (3 hours on phone support), watching a movie on Netflix, web browsing, and benchmark stuff.

*Speed - 4G speed is impressive, but not the fastest I've seen. Using Ookla, I was able to get 20 Mbps download and 12 Mbps upload. This is in San Francisco, with full bars of 4G LTE signal. I just wished the call quality was just as impressive (it isn't). *** UPDATE *** I was lucky enough to be with a few friends with iPhone 5S from T-Mobile, ATT, and Verizon and tested the 4G "LTE" speeds for each (same Ookla app for testing). The results for Download/Upload (Mbps) were: T-Mobile 22/12, ATT 28/14, Verizon 4/2. So this BLU Studio is on par with another LTE phone on T-Mobile.

*Apps - Google Play. `Nuff said. Not as much as what is available for iOS, but it has enough. If you are invested in Android devices, you will know the strengths and limitations of what is available in Google Play. Our household is mostly Apple, but I have an older [[ASIN:B007P4VOWC Samsung Galaxy Tab 2]] so I am familiar with Google Play's offerings.

*Conclusion - For about 200 dollars, this phone has almost all of the things I want/need. There's still room for improvement. But for its cost, it is one of the best bang for your buck.

What I would like to see in other/future iterations:
-at least 16GB internal storage (32GB preferred); 8GB is too small
-at least 2GB RAM
-support for 64GB MicroSD (128GB would be nice, too)
-ability to run apps from MicroSD card; ability to store photos on MicroSD card (this is a limitation of KitKat, so I can't fault the phone too much, but nevertheless it is still a major limitation of this phone)
-Dual SIM (instead of single SIM); some of the newer unlocked phones are dual SIM. BLU already has a line of phones that sport dual SIM, like the [[ASIN:B00GXHPN1U BLU Advance 4.0]] and the [[ASIN:B00I2LRLPG BLU Studio 5.0 II]], and the [[ASIN:B00HEYICBY BLU Dash 5.0]] lines. In fact, the BLU product [[ASIN:B00QKVEUP4 BLU Studio 6.0 LTE HD display]] seems to have most of what I asked for, but I can't verify yet because I do not have one.
(How about having a "Developer Edition" that has these features?!)

Based on these limitations, I will give this phone a strong 4-star rating (for now).

Currently, this phone is available unlocked for $199. It works for T-Mobile and Simple Mobile. I haven't tried ATT or other carriers. So it's cost is on the upper-end of "unlocked phones" since you can get cheaper ones for under $100. However, what you are getting extra are: an HD screen, 4G LTE data speed (at least with T-Mobile), micro SD expansion (up to 32 GB) that you can store music and videos to listen and watch, and an already upgraded OS to 4.4 KitKat. Disappointed with 1) not being able to store pictures and videos taken from the phone on the SD card, 2) not being able to use 64 or 128 GB microSD expansion, and 3) not having dual SIM capability. Maybe a future upgrade?

I am still testing the phone out, but I thought I should get this review out ASAP.

Troubleshooting - I went through 10 different 64GB micro SD cards (from various devices), only to find out by trial-and-error that this phone is maxed out at 32GB (for MicroSD cards). So, it seems that this phone is compatible with a max MicroSD of 32GB, something that either Amazon and/or BLU will need to correct on product information.

***** Warning GEEK Alert!!! *****

SPECIFICATIONS

Technology
Android v4.4 KitKat
3G 850/1700/1900/2100
4G LTE 1700/2600

Processor
1.2 GHz Quadcore with Adreno 305 GPU

Memory
Internal 8GB, 1GB RAM
*Micro SD up to 32 GB (based on my experience)

Display
BLU Infinite View Technology
5.0 HD 720 x 1280

Camera
13MP Forward-facing Camera - 5MP Self-facing camera - LED Flash
HD 1080p Video @30fps

Connectivity
Bluetooth 3.0
Wifi, Hotspot
MicroUSB v2.0

Buy from Amazon by clicking the link below:

D-Link DIR-651 gigabit wireless N router

2011-12-14T10:59:00.000-08:00

The D-Link DIR 651 Wireless N Router is one of the new releases of consumer routers from D-Link. It is D-Link's attempt to create an entry-level gigabit wireless-N router for the consumer. Key word is "attempt."
Is it note-worthy, or not-worthy? Read on...
The only major upgrade on this unit is the gigabit Ethernet port (-vs- high-speed from previous model, the DIR 615). It does NOT have an active USB SharePort(tm) for attaching USB devices (external HD, shared printer, etc).
The router administration for this DIR-651 is almost identical to the DIR-655 (my current wireless router for 2+ years, and currently my yardstick for wireless routers). A few minor changes, but overall the same features, functions, and controls. I configured the device manually (without the disk installer) via web browser, changed the Router IP address, range, and other settings. It took less a bit over 15 minutes to complete the setup from unboxing to having a functional wireless router. Using the disk took a bit longer (a little over 20 minutes), but it got me to nearly the same state as my manual configuration, plus a few minor tweaks on the router setting. The disk setup is user-friendly, and works properly for setting up the router.
Data transfer when hard-wired (using Cat 5e network cables) were nearly identical to the DIR-655, and data transfer speeds were relatively fast. I won't get into this too much more.
As a stand-alone wireless router, I was a bit disappointed with its out-of-the-box functionality (or lack thereof). One major drawback was the ineffective/lackluster QoS service for bandwidth prioritization. Network traffic seems arbitrary, whether it be VoIP or movie streaming. Another major negative was that it consistently dropped wireless connection, even though the signal strength indicates a strong connection between router and laptop. With a strong (>56 Mbps) connection, it cannot handle streaming a standard (DVD quality) movie. Finally, the DNS router function was also highly problematic (it will occasionally prevent internet access). Out of the box, the product failed as a stand-alone wireless N router.
After playing with the router, the only workaround I found to make this unit barely acceptable as a wireless N router required the following tweeks:
************************
- Turn off QoS option. This defeats the purpose of this router which totes that it can "organize and prioritize your network traffic so your video streaming, gaming, and VoIP calls run smoother over both your wired and wireless network." This is straight from their website.
- Turn off Advanced DNS Services (If you can get to this feature at all). The option to change this setting was not available until I performed several resets on the unit. Software/firmware glitch?
- Turn on DNS Relay under Setup/Networking.
- Setup DHCP reserved IP addresses for all devices connected to this router. This is easy enough, but is not as straightforward for the average user.
-Make sure the devices are set to auto obtain an IP address. I have a few devices where I specify the IP address on the devices themselves (several wireless APs are set up this way).
- Set Firewall settings to Endpoint Independent for TCP and UDP.
- Ensure Mutlti-cast Streaming is enabled under Advanced/Networking
- Use either single mode G or mixed G and N.
- Use WPA2 security mode and cipher type to AES (if your device support this).
************************
These did the trick for me. Currently, the "updated" firmware (1.10NA) available through D-Link is the same firmware as what came on this unit. However, when I used the firmware from the website, it somewhat fixed most of the major problems associated with this router. I'm not really sure why, but there it is. There were still some network issues, like not seeing ANY of my NAS drives OR my shared folders on several PCs. Disabling the firewall partially solved this issue, but it is so frustrating to have to troubleshoot so much.
Next, I tested the wireless feature alone (independent of the router function), by making a few setting changes. With the router feature disabled, and using this device as a wireless access point, this device worked absolutely perfectly. At mixed wireless G+N, it was able to maintain a strong signal throughout the house, downstairs and upstairs. The signal strength was not as strong as the DIR-655 or the DIR-645 routers, but those are more expensive and supposedly has a stronger wireless signal due to more antennae. This was verified in the tests, where I placed the three routers side-by-side in the middle of the house, and tested the signal strength throughout the house. I would give the DIR-655 and DIR-645 the top signals in all the rooms, and this DIR-651 at approximately 60-80% of the signal of the other two. I was able to connect various wireless G/A/N devices with no drop in signal for days. So it seems that most of the problems that I encountered had to do with the router features of this unit.
Bottom line is that this router has a long way to go with fixing its problems. Once all these issues are squared away with firmware updates, this wireless device can be a decent wireless-N router upgrade from the older wireless B/G devices.
Another major con is the lack of a USB port (SharePort) for sharing a network printer, drive, or other peripherals. It is almost a common feature in many of the newer wireless routers. Not everyone uses it, but at least it can be an available feature for future upgrades.
If you are looking for an out-of-the-box functional wireless-N router, I cannot recommend this DIR-651 (yet). Unless you want the headache, or just have a thing for pain. It can work, but you either have to update the firmware, or you have to make a lot of setting changes to make it work (YMMV). If you are looking for a decent configurable AP to add to your system, and if you have the technical know-how, then this unit is acceptable. But for the price, there are lots of better models out there. I give it a strong 1.5 stars (rounded up to a weak 2 star rating).

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2011-12-11T10:56:00.000-08:00

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

From Martha Stewart Living

Ok, so this is not a post about electronics. But I just have to share this cookie recipe. It is by far the best recipe I've ever followed. The holiday season and the festive spirit has given me the baking itch.

The cookie portion is chewy and moist, and very chocolatey. I found the peanut butter chips to be my favorite option, but the chocolate chips are also very good. I tried a batch with the peanut butter cups, which gave an interesting taste and texture, but was edged out by the peanut butter chips in overall yumminess.

I hope you enjoy it.

Yield: Makes about 2-3 dozen, depending on the size of the cookies

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

8 oz good-quality milk chocolate

4 oz coarsely chopped

4 oz cut into ¼ inch chunks

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1 ½ cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

2. Melt coarsely chopped chocolate with the butter in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. An alternative to this is to microwave the butter and chopped chocolate for 10 seconds at a time (may take 3-4 cycles).

3. Add sugar, eggs, and vanilla to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until combined. Transfer chocolate mixture into bowl. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chunks*.

4. Scoop batter using a 1 ½ inch ice cream scoop; place 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are flat and surfaces begin to crack, about 15 minutes.

5. Transfer on parchment to wire racks. Let cool 5 minutes. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

* The chocolate chunks can be replaced with peanut butter chips, and it is just absolutely delicious.

D Link DIR 645 - Whole Home Router 1000

2011-11-02T10:43:00.000-07:00

The Whole Home Router 1000 Wireless N Router (DIR-645) is the newest consumer router from D-Link designed to handle large home networks. It utilizes “SmartBeam” technology that is supposedly able to send focused beams of bandwidth to individual wireless devices simultaneously, which effectively delivers uninterrupted connectivity to any device, anywhere in your home. Also included is an active USB SharePort™ Plus for streaming USB devices, and with 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports, you can connect your favorite entertainment devices as well, and give you up to 300 Mbps speed and advanced QoS bandwidth prioritization you need for seamless HD video streams, high-performance gaming, and VOIP calls without annoying glitches or lags.

This is not your average router, which is evident in its design (round cylinder, instead of the usual box-shaped routers). This is a D-Link Green router, which is as good for your wallet as it is for the environment. According to D-Link, the Whole Home Router 1000 is designed to conserve energy, protect our environment from harmful substances and reduce waste by using recyclable packaging. D-Link Green devices provide eco-friendly alternatives without compromising performance.

Sounds good so far, but does it deliver?

I will be comparing it to my D-Link DIR-655, which currently serves as my primary wireless router, and which has been working well for over two years now. I consider the DIR-655 to be one of the best routers for wired or wireless networking. I was pleasantly surprised that the DIR-645 was on par with many features, better in some yet lacking in others.

The router administration for this DIR-645 is almost identical to the DIR-655. A few minor changes, but overall the same features, functions, and controls. As a stand-alone wireless router, it worked flawlessly. I configured it manually (without the disk installer) via web browser, changed the Router IP address, range, and other settings. It took less than 10 minutes to complete the setup from unboxing to having a functional wireless router. Using the disk took a bit longer (a little over 15 minutes), but it got me to nearly the same state as my manual configuration, plus a few minor tweaks on the router setting. The disk setup is user-friendly, and works properly for setting up the router. I tested other features (QoS engine, advanced firewall, routing, WISH, etc.) for a few days only, but they all seemed to work just as well as the DIR-655.

Data transfer when hard-wired (using Cat 5e network cables) were nearly identical between the two units. I won’t get into this too much more.

Next, I tested the wireless feature of the DIR-645. I used a DIR-655 as the DHCP router (with the wireless off), and connected the DIR-645 and another DIR-655 configured these two as wireless access points. This is a relatively simple setting change, but I only recommend it if you are tech-savvy. Because the router functions are handled by a single router upstream of the test routers, I can test the wireless connections purely and separately from the router features. Both routers are connected using Cat5e cables (for gigabit connectivity). The two routers are on the main floor of the house, placed about three feet apart on top of the same bookshelf (to simulate the same conditions). I enabled 802.11 mixed mode (g,n), wpa2 security mode, set at channel 6, transmission rate set at “best”, and channel width at auto 20/40 MHz (to test both n and g connections).

I used several computers to test these units: 1) WinXP Pro Dell X1 laptop with internal 802.11g Intel wifi, 2) same laptop with D-Link DWA-160 Extreme N USB Adapter, 3) Macbook Pro 17-inch with Airport, 4) Dell XPS via D-Link DWA-140 (where I store my movies), and 5) an IBM Thinkpad T43.. I bypassed the disk installer for the computers and did a manual configuration. I searched the available wireless network, found the router SSID for both wireless “AP” units, typed in the password for network security (a definite must-do in San Francisco), and I was wirelessly connected. All connected well, and I get at least 24 Mbps speed in the farthest corners of my house, and well above 80 Mbps speed anywhere on the same floor as the router (using WinXP Pro wireless connection setting). Using large video files (150 MB to 2 GB large) I got about 10 MB/s transfer using wireless N (at Auto 20/40 MHz and mixed g+n wireless). With the DIR-655, I got about 8 MB/s, but this is with mixed g+n wireless connection. When the DIR-655 was set at wireless n only, it got up to speed with the DIR-645. Obviously I have a long way to go with testing, but I am pleased to see that this DIR-645 can perform just as well as my DIR-655.

When I brought my laptops upstairs, the signal for this DIR-645 was just as strong (if not slightly stronger) than the DIR-655. Also, the theoretical speed calculated by WinXP Pro was faster when connected to this DIR-645 than the DIR-655. Again, these are theoretical calculations by the computers.

Both wireless routers streamed DVD quality videos with no problems. However, the one major difference is in performance when streaming HD videos (1080 at 12+ MBps video rate), and I have to give it to the DIR-655 for performance. When streaming HD videos onto any of the computers in the living room, there was a little stuttering with this DIR-645 that was not seen with the DIR-655. I’m not really sure why this was the case, given that the DIR-645 had a faster raw data transfer rate.

Bottom line is that this unit (the DIR-645) has equal or better theoretical wireless connectivity than the classic DIR-655. I sat in my living room (about 100 feet and a few walls from the wireless routers). This was true for a Macbook Pro laptop, a Dell X1 laptop, and an IBM Thinkpad. The download and upload rates were similar when connected purely as wireless G or wireless N. In mixed mode (G+N), this DIR-645 seemed to perform better. The DIR-655 dropped to wireless G throughput in mixed mode, whereas this DIR-645 seemed to better handle a mixed mode connection with theoretical connectivity (WinXP wireless tool indicator). I’m not really sure why this is the case, since this router does not seem to be dual band (although most dual-band routers run at 2.4 and 5.0).

Overall, this DIR-645 performed just as well as my DIR-655 in terms of wireless connectivity. Highly recommended.

Droid Bionic demo at Verizon Store

2011-08-12T17:22:00.001-07:00

The Motorola Droid Bionic has not been officially released. Rumors have already been making its rounds around the mills, water coolers, and blogs in the form of numerous leaks (real or not). However this leak is as close as it can get.

What you see here is a picture of the Motorola Droid Bionic in the sexy hands of a Motorola sales representative at a Verizon Wireless store. In this particular store, some of the lucky customers were also able to get a glimpse of the laptop dock which is compatible with the dual-core Android.

The Motorola rep did not confirm any of the details, such as the rumored 720p HD display and the uber long >10 hours battery life. However, one thing that this picture clearly shows is that the screen is huge!!!

For me, I am still a bit peaved by the lack of transparency. When is it coming out? How big is the screen? Is it 720p HD capable? Can I have one?!

Come on, give us a frikkin bone!

Tutorial - Upgrade Seagate 2TB ST32000542AS firmware to CC35

2011-07-22T08:58:00.000-07:00

These days, we are relying more and more on electronic files for everyday things, such as pictures, videos, bills, and mail. Because of this, the need to store these e-files is ever increasing. These 1-2TB drives are becoming the rave of data storage addicts because of the cheap cost-to-GB ratio. However, people have reported having issues with these drives in NAS devices, especially when used in a RAID configuration.

The solution: upgrade the firmware! I will show you how easy it is to upgrade to firmware CC35, which according to Seagate is supposed to fix the aforementioned problem.

I populated a D-Link DNS-343 NAS box with 4x Seagate 2TB (ST32000542AS) green drives I ordered online. They came with CC34 firmware, and having read numerous posts and discussions, I realized that it is important to check on whether or not I need to upgrade the firmware before popping them in. It was not easy, but it was not too difficult either... if you know what you're doing, or if you have the proper guide. I will show you how I did it with relative ease...

According to Seagate, the new firmware (CC35) is advised for these drives:

ST3500412AS
ST31000520AS
ST31500541AS
ST32000542AS

However, the firmware upgrade tool does not recognize all drive serial numbers within the family product range as requiring an upgrade. If this is the case, and the drive firmware is CC34 or older, Seagate created an upgrade utility to “Force” the upgrade on their disks.

Automatic Upgrade:

1. First, get the upgrade utility ISO image at the Seagate site.

2. Make sure the Seagate SATA drive is connected to a native SATA controller.

3. Check that the BIOS is set to ATA (and not AHCI). I found out that this was necessary for a few older computers I was setting up with these Seagate green drives.

4. Boot from ISO CD.

5. Follow the prompts that will lead you through the automatic upgrade.

6. The firmware flash process will begin. Once successful you will see the prompt.

7. Power Down.

If not successful, try to force the upgrade.

How to force an upgrade:

1. Boot from ISO CD.

2. On the option screen (where you can try an auto upgrade) break the command line ([Ctrl] + [C]).

3. Press [Y] on the keyboard to confirm

4. Type the following

FDL486A -m Hepburn -f HECC358H.LOD -s -x -b -v -a 20

…then press enter:

5. The firmware flash process will begin. Once successful you will see the prompt.

6. Power down the machine

7. Repeat for each additional disk.

If you still have problems, it's possible that your drive is not recognized. Try this alternate loader file:

FDL486A -m Hepburn -f HECC352H.LOD -s -x -b -v -a 20

This method worked for the drives that were not recognized by the [HECC358H] version.

After the upgrade, I’ve tried RAID0, RAID1, and RAID5 with these Seagate drives in the DNS-343, and I ultimately configured them in RAID1 (for the redundancy feature). I have the power saving feature disabled for the NAS box, and no issues so far. I have seen a few of my friends' DNS-343 boxes give them problems, but I checked that the power saving feature was enabled. Once I disabled this feature, no more problems. Yes, it defeats the purpose of having a green drive, but it is a temporary fix for this problem.

I have another box I am running RAID0 loaded with 4x Seagate Constellation ES drives. These drives work fine.

Good luck! And make sure you backup any data on these drives. The process is not supposed to be data destructive, but you never know.

Review - Seagate Barracuda 2 TB Green Drive ST32000542AS

2011-07-22T08:51:00.000-07:00

Seagate Barracuda LP 2 TB SATA Green Drive ST32000542AS

3.5-Inch Internal Hard Drive
5900RPM
SATA 3 GB/s 32 MB Cache

I purchased a handful of these for various purposes: to increase storage capacity in a few computers, to put in a D-Link DNS-343 NAS box, and to replace the existing drives on a Buffalo LinkStation Duo (2TB) NAS box. Bottom line is that these drives are excellent data storage drives.

I first updated the firmware, and then I ran benchmark tests on these drives. The testing and results are as follows:

First thing I did was update the firmware to CC35 for these drives, and thankfully so because each of the drives were still running CC34. I used the bootable disk (available at Seagate.com), and unfortunately the updater rejected all of the drives. The error message is as follows: "The existing CC34 components did not match what was called out in the update matrix in the configuration file." So I just forced the update on the drives by using the bootable CD and going into the FreeDOS prompt. After power cycling the drives after the update, the disks were ready to go. For detailed information on how to upgrade the firmware, see this blog.

The computer I used for testing has the following specs: Dell Precision 490, Quad-core Intel Xeon 5300, 4GB DDR2 fully buffered DIMM 667MHz ECC memory, Dual ATI FireGL V7200, WD Raptor 160 GB boot, WinXP Pro SP3

I performed at least three tests to get an average value posted below:

Using HD Tune,
Average Read - 91.9 MB/s
Burst Read - 166 MB/s
Average Write - 84.5 MB/s
Burst Write - 159 MB/s
Temp: 36-39 degrees C in operation

Using HD Tach...
Average Read - 90.2 MB/s
Average Write - 72.8 MB/s

Using CrystalDiskMark:
Average sequential Read – 93 MB/s
Average sequential Write – 75 MB/s

Then, I tested the real-world read/write speed using actual data and while the drive was online (connected to internal SATA ports). I used folders with 20GB of 4GB video files from a Barracuda 7200.12 (also an internal SATA) to this drive, and I got an average read speed of 80 MB/s and write speed of 72.2 MB/s. I copied the same folder from the Seagate Barracuda LP to itself (simultaneous read/write operation), and the transfer rate was about 30 MB/s. Using smaller files (5GB of 3MB picture files), this Barracuda LP read at 72 MB/s and wrote at 46 MB/s. The simultaneous read/write operation here was again about 30 MB/s. Two things I was highly impressed with during these tests were that the drives ran cool and quiet. The operating temp was about 36oC (peaking at but not exceeding 39oC), and at 5900rpm was very quiet (compared to the Barracuda 7200), so I did not find any of these drives to be noisy. On my PC, the boot drive is noisier because it is a 10K rpm drive. On my Mac, it is not louder than the boot drive (WD Black 7200 rpm).

Then, I tested offline speeds and mounted these drives into a D-Link DNS-343 NAS box set up for RAID 1. I hooked up the DNS-343 over a gigabit network and transferred data over SMB (I did not try FTP). In WinXP Pro, I clocked an average of 14 MB/s write and 24 MB/s read. In Mac OS X (Snow Leopard), I clocked 20 MB/s write and 30 MB/s read. So it seems capable of handling HD movies, and I verified this by watching an HD movie in full 1080p from the NAS box to my computer... worked without a hiccup.

My only gripe is that Seagate knows the firmware updater does not work for all of these drives (especially those with serial numbers starting with 5XW). I drop half a star for this oversight by Seagate, so I round down to 4-stars.

I have these drives set up as RAID 1 in a DNS-343 NAS box. Two weeks later and over 1 TB of videos transferred onto them, these drives are holding up and working very well. I will try it set it up as RAID 5 in the near future.

I played with 4 of these drives in a D-Link DNS-343 in RAID1 and RAID5 array. RAID1 works very well, and has been quite stable, and the read/write speeds of large files are consistent with first tests. With a PC, I get about 14 MB/s write and 24 MB/s read. With a Mac, I get 20 MB/s write and over 30 MB/s read. RAID5 was very problematic at first. The volume kept degrading every day, but only when I try to access it while it has been hibernating. With a few tweaks of the settings (ie. disabling power saving), the kinks were smoothed out and I have been able to run it for almost a week with no problems. I have been transferring various files onto it, from personal documents, picture files (over 300 GB of pictures), and video files (over 1TB of various video files). RAID5 transfer rate has been pretty consistent with large files: about 10 MB/s write and 30 MB/s read speeds.

On one occasion in a two-week span, the volume degraded (I suspected that one of the disks did not spin up fast enough), so I ran a manual rebuild of the volume. It took about 24 hours to do so, but the rebuild restored the volume perfectly. I set the box not to put the drives to sleep after this, and the NAS box has been functional. I've read many people complain about this drive in NAS boxes and/or RAID arrays. I don't think this drive was built for RAID, and I would not recommend it for RAID5.

Having said that, I switched back to RAID1 because I am just not very comfortable with these drives with RAID5. The Seagate Constellation ES drives work perfectly well in RAID5 in the DNS-343 NAS box.

Overall, these drives are very nice drives for backups. When they were available for under $100, they were well worth the money and are excellent drives. These drives are being phased out with the 64MB Cache version (ST2000DL003) for about $80.

Highly Recommended.