But The Dark Knight has an even more mysterious origin, one involving uncredited creators, ghost artists, and a morality scare that resulted in one of Batman’s most enduring character traits. Batman’s Secret Origin is fascinating and contains enough twists and turns to be worthy of inclusion in any comic.

Bill Finger – The Unsung Hero

Bob Kane is known as the creator of Batman, and it’s a detail that’s hard to miss – literally every appearance of Batman in the comics, TV shows, movies, and in games like the incredibly popular Arkham Trilogy, he is credited as the Caped Crusader’s creator in every single one of them.

However, while the idea of Batman was indeed conceptualized by Kane, his initial draft was immediately forgotten. He drew a character sporting blonde hair, in a red suit, without gloves, wearing a domino mask, with two wings jutting from his back. This “Bat-Man” was far from the iconic hero we know and love today.

Bob Kane turned to his friend Bill Finger, who redesigned Batman, giving him the iconic cowl, changing the wings into a cape, giving him gloves, changing the colors of the suit. He even created Batman’s alter-ego Bruce Wayne. He wrote a lot of the early stories as well, developing a big part of the mythos surrounding the character.

So why is Bob Kane credited as the sole creator of Batman? When he sold the ownership of Batman to National Comics (which would later be known as DC Comics), part of the deal was to give him a mandatory byline on all comics and adaptations. He would go on to have Batman comics published under his name, with numerous uncredited ghost writers and artists developing many of the early stories that built the Batman canon. He spent decades contesting Bill Finger’s claims, only acknowledging him in 1989, long after the latter’s death.

Today, many comic book creators, historians, and fans agree that Bill Finger’s many contributions make him the co-creator of Batman. Bill Finger was finally officially credited by DC Comics as Batman’s co-creator in 2015.

Batman’s One Rule

Batman debuted in 1939’s Detective Comics #27, in a story called “The Case of the Chemical Syndicate,” written by Bill Finger and drawn by Bob Kane. We see many of the basic elements that made the Dark Knight who he was – this was the first appearance of Commissioner Gordon, Wayne Manor, the Utility Belt, and the revelation that the “Bat-Man” was actually socialite Bruce Wayne.

However, this Batman was still different from his modern incarnation in one important aspect: he murders his enemies. In his very first appearance, he punches a criminal into a vat of acid, showing very little remorse for the murder.

In fact, the earliest Batman stories has him using guns and other implements to lethal effect. He used guns to shoot criminals (and in one instance, a vampire), broke a giant’s neck with a rope, and more.

This changed a year later in Batman #4 where it was explicitly noted that “the Batman never carries or kills with a gun!” This change in Batman’s personality was done presumably in response to growing concerns over comic books’ effect on young minds, and public outcry over gun violence.

In continuity though, the explanation was simple – Bruce Wayne lost his parents to a mugger in the streets. This random act of gun violence basically ripped this young boy’s life apart, and he now sees them as the weapon of the enemy, thus forming an almost-pathological aversion to guns.

The Many Incarnations of Robin, The Boy Wonder

Debuting in Detective Comics #38, Dick Grayson was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. He was a circus acrobat whose parents were murdered. Bruce Wayne takes on Grayson as his ward and offers him the chance to avenge his parents. He takes on the identity of Robin, the Boy Wonder, and the Dynamic Duo was born.

Dick Grayson wasn’t the only Robin, however. After years of working together, he and Batman had a falling out and he took on the identity of Nightwing. He led multiple incarnations of the Teen Titans and has built healthy relationships with the superhero community. He has stepped out of the shadow of being a sidekick and is a hero in his own right.

A wayward teen named Jason Todd took up the mantle of Robin after Dick became Nightwing. This incarnation was hot-tempered and impulsive, and was generally disliked by the purist subset of the fandom. In 1988, a mere five years after his debut, he was promptly murdered by the Joker after DC ran a phone poll asking their readers to decide his fate. It is said that one fan who hated Jason Todd so much automated calls voting for his death, although DC has never verified this story. He returned from the dead two decades later, and is now operating in Gotham as the Red Hood.

Jason was then succeeded by Tim Drake as Robin. He remains a lot of fans’ favorite incarnation of the character due to his pragmatic but optimistic nature. He was able to form a deep bond with both Batman and Dick Grayson. It is said that his detective skills rival that of Batman himself, and is the only other person whom Ra’s Al Ghul calls “Detective.”

The current Batman is Damian Wayne, son of Batman and Talia al Ghul. He also is the grandson of Ra’s Al Ghul, and this heritage has led to Damian trying to keep his violent impulses in check, as he believes father’s crusade is a better one to take compared to his maternal family’s side.

Do the Batusi!

In 1966, Batman would break out of comics with the eponymous TV show. Although this wasn’t the first time Batman appeared in a live-action adaptation – there were two black-and-white serials from the 40’s – but the show, starring Adam West, was a huge hit, much to the chagrin of fans.

This Batman leaned heavily into the absurd side of the character by being as campy as possible. Villains giggled like schoolchildren at every turn, scheming in their elaborate lairs, protected by costumed henchmen. Batman joins in the fun, prefacing every single gadget with “Bat-,” like the “Shark Repellent Bat-Spray,” punctuating every punch and kick with sound effects like in the comics, and by dancing the infamous Batusi.

The show was not without significant contributions to Batman’s canon, though. It reworked an obscure villain named Mr. Zero to Mr. Freeze, who would be a popular, tragic character decades later. It also introduced Barbara Gordon, Commissioner Gordon’s daughter who takes up the identity of Batgirl, who remains a very popular character to this day.

Doubling Down on the Darkness

Fans saw Adam West’s Batman as an affront to the character, completely abandoning his dark roots. The comics did not stray far from said roots, but fears of Batman turning into West-esque camp persisted for years.

Those who longed for a more mature take on Batman got their wish when Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns was published. Featuring an older Batman in an alternate future, TDKR was violent and tackled the psychological, moral, and political implications of vigilante superheroism. It also featured an amazing fight between Batman and Superman that the Dark Knight decisively won.

Alongside TDKR, DC rebooted their entire continuity with Crisis on Infinite Earths. This gave DC an opportunity to rewrite Batman’s beginnings, and they again turned to Frank Miller to pen Batman: Year One in 1987. This time we have a grounded and realistic take on Batman as he forges an alliance with a young James Gordon to fight the mobsters who have overrun Gotham City.

This rush to make Batman grim and gritty was not all good, however. 1988’s The Killing Joke, by Alan Moore, featured the Joker crippling Barbara Gordon, stripping her, and taking photos of her naked and broken body. It was a level of violence towards women that only hinted at the onslaught of women in refrigerator cliches in the 90’s.

Batman himself did not survive the 90’s unscathed. In Knightfall, he finally meets his match in Bane, who wears him out with a prison break from Arkham. Mentally and physically exhausted, Bane confronts Batman in the Batcave, where he breaks Batman’s back and leaves him paraplegic.

Worthy Successors

Yes, you read that right. Bruce Wayne was paralyzed from the waist down, spelling the end of his career as Batman. But here’s the thing: Gotham always needs a Batman. Bruce needed to pick a successor fast. You’d think he’d choose the young man he’d taken on all those years ago, the very first sidekick he trained to grow up into a well-loved hero in his own right…

Bruce picked a nobody named Azrael.

Azrael was DC’s response to fandom’s call for a 90’s-style extreme Batman, and he did looked the part. Wearing a grotesque armor that barely resembled Batman, he was brutal and merciless and showed little regard for innocent bystanders. He soon relinquished the mantle of Batman after Bruce himself healed his broken back.

However, Bruce wasn’t ready to be Batman just yet. He then offered the mantle to Dick Grayson, revealing that he did not want to offer it because Dick had already established his own identity and life as Nightwing.

Dick would become Batman again a few years later after the events of Final Crisis, where Bruce appeared to die after a fatal confrontation with Darkseid, the dark lord of Apokolips.

This being comics, Bruce Wayne returned from the dead and reclaimed the title again.

Other characters have also become Batman, like Commissioner Gordon himself, wearing a government-sponsored mecha outfit, and in an alternate future, Damian Wayne becomes Batman and has embraced his dark and brutal side. Terry McGinniss also became a young Batman under the supervision of an elderly Bruce Wayne in the animated series Batman Beyond.

Batman on Screen

Even though Adam West had his own Batman movie, it would take us until 1989 to see a Batman that hews closer to the comic book version. Tim Burton’s Batman showed us a leather-clad Batman, wearing bulletproof armor, fighting Jack Nicholson’s Joker. Outside of the cowl, Michael Keaton’s Bruce Wayne was charming and disarming. This movie wasn’t perfect though – it gave Joker a definite backstory, going as far as naming him Jack Napier. And it showed Batman wantonly killing criminals, a huge break from his comic book counterpart.

Michael Keaton would reprise the Dark Knight one more time in Batman Returns, starring Danny DeVito as a very grotesque Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman. The Batman series continued with new director Joel Schumacher, utilizing a decidedly lighter tone with Val Kilmer in Batman Forever and George Clooney in Batman & Robin. These two movies have been critically panned and are still notorious for including nipples on Batman and Robin’s suits.

The movie series would get a reboot with 2005’s Batman Begins, directed by Chris Nolan and starring Christian Bale. This version sets Batman in a more realistic depiction of Gotham, grounding Batman’s suit and equipment with real-life military equipment. The movie also heavily borrows elements from Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One. Nolan and Bale follows this up with The Dark Knight, featuring Heath Ledger’s amazing performance of an anarchic Joker. They close out the trilogy with The Dark Knight Rises, which adapted the Knightfall storyline. Tom Hardy plays a menacing Bane.

For the DC Extended Universe, Ben Affleck played the Caped Crusader for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. Although Affleck put in an amazing performance, both movies have been critically panned.

Robert Pattinson took over the cowl for 2022’s The Batman, which serves as yet another reboot for the caped crusader. This time it focuses more on the detective side of Batman and it also examines what the hero should stand for in Gotham.

The Dark Knight: Enduring at 80

Even though Batman’s future on the big screen is unclear, he is still a major driving force in the comics. Dark Knights Metal introduced multiple alternate universe versions of the character, while the main Batman is playing a vital part in the Doomsday Clock crossover. He proposed and was set to be married to Selina Kyle, was left at the altar, and is now trying to fight for his own happiness.

The fandom has also embraced Adam West’s campy take on the character, with comic book writers often inserting references to Adam West in their books. It seems that we have found a happy medium between the camp and the dark sides of Batman.Sure, he leads a lonely crusade, but there are no rules against Batman having a little fun out of this life he chose.

Take away all the excess the character has accumulated over the last 80 years, it still is a story of a young boy who has had his life violently changed. Bruce Wayne is doing his best to deal with his trauma by rising above it and becoming both a symbol of fear and hope. And isn’t that what makes Batman enduring?

This article was orignally published in 2019 in the now-defunct Mantle Magazine.

The post Batman: Who He Is and How He Came to Be first appeared on Ade Magnaye.

I don’t want to be that guy who hangs out in Starbucks who blasts game audio for everyone to hear. Sure, I can just get my trusty wired in-ear monitors so I can provide sanity for everyone around me, but it’s not always the most convenient option. I have been spoiled by true wireless earbuds for a while now. But here’s the thing: wireless options on the Nintendo Switch suck. For the longest time, I have struggled with wireless audio for the Nintendo Switch. There was a time when very few wireless headsets worked with the Switch, and it was a huge hassle finding a headset that worked back in the day.

But things have changed since then. Newer wireless headsets are now compatible with the Switch, manufacturers produced bluetooth dongles that offer low latency for the bluetooth headsets that you already own, plus Nintendo updated the Switch’s firmware to allow bluetooth audio pairing, which is cool.

Which brings us to the Edifier Hecate GT4 S. I normally wouldn’t have looked at Edifier’s TWS offerings, but this one has one feature that I couldn’t resist – a USB dongle enables gaming with latency that can go as low as 15ms. Plus, it works with PCs, phones, the Steam Deck, the Playstation 4 & 5, and the Nintendo Switch. Does it work? Is it any good? Is it something that you can add to your Switch everyday carry?

Disclosure: Edifier did not sponsor this review, nor did I receive a review sample of the Edifier Hecate GT4 S. I purchased the Edifier Hecate GT4 S with my own money.

Edifier Hecate GT4 S Specs

• Bluetooth version: 5.3
• Codec: SBC
• Playback Time:
  • 6.5 hours + 19.5 hours (Bluetooth)
  • 5 hours + 15 hours (2.4 GHz wireless)
• IP55 water and dust-proof rating
• 10mm bio-diaphragm unit
• PixArt PAU19 chip for low latency
  • 45ms in bluetooth gaming mode
  • 15ms in dongle mode

What’s in the Box?

The Edifier Hecate GT4 S comes in a small box that contains:

• The Hecate GT4 S earbuds
• Charging case
• 2 pairs of extra silicone earbud tips
• USB Type-A to C charging cable
• USB Type-C 2.4 GHz dongle
• USB Type-C to Type-A dongle adapter
• Manual & Warranty pamphlets

How Does it Work?

Edifier Hecate GT4 S Bluetooth Pairing

The first time you take the Edifier Hecate GT4 S’s out of its charging case, the earbuds will automatically go into pairing mode for bluetooth.

Just go into your phone’s bluetooth settings and look for the Hecate GT4 S. You should be able to pair it like any other normal piece of Bluetooth equipment. And with the Bluetooth 5.3 connection, I’ve never experienced any drop outs that I often encounter with my other TWS with older bluetooth versions.

Edifier Hecate GT4 S Dongle Mode

To go into dongle mode, just plug the USB dongle into the device you want to use, and then triple tap the left earbud and it’ll switch to dongle mode. It’ll then pair with the dongle, and you will get an audio notification if the pairing was successful. You can then switch between dongle and bluetooth modes by triple-tapping the left earbud.

I would have liked to see simultaneous connection on the GT4 S, where I can have both the Switch and my phone connected at the same time so I can take calls on my phone while gaming on the Switch/PC, but I’ve only seen a few full-sized gaming headsets offer that feature and for a premium, so I guess the technology isn’t quite there yet.

I knew about the lack of active noise canceling when I got the GT4 S, but when I used them in a noisy coffee shop, it was a bummer as I felt that the silicone tips did not provide enough passive noise cancelation. I’d pay a little more to get ANC on these buds.

Edifier Hecate GT4 S Touch Controls

Here’s how to control the Edifier Hecate GT4 S using the touch controls:

• Play/Pause Music: Double-tap the L or R earbud.
• Previous Track: Long-press the L earbud
• Next Track: Long-press the R earbud
• Answer Calls: Double-tap either L or R earbud
• End Calls: Double-tap either L or R earbud
• Reject Calls: Long-press either L or R earbud
• Switch Between Bluetooth and Dongle Mode: Triple-tap left earbud
• Switch Between Music and Game Mode: Triple-tap right earbud
• Turn on/off RGB lighting: Tap on either L or R earbud 4x

Fit & Comfort

I think we’ve reached a point where any single earphone manufacturer would provide a terrible fit and comfort experience. We’ve had enough knowledge of ergonomics that I think even a massively mediocre earbud would be uncomfortable for the average ear.

And the GT4 S is just that – pretty ok with ergonomics. They might take a bit of work before they fit in your ears just right, but once you get that correct fit, it’s alright. However, they tend to become incredibly uncomfortable the longer you wear them, as I unfortunately learned during a marathon Zoom call.

I also stopped using the stock silicone tips and I had fit issues with them as even the largest tips don’t provide enough grip to keep them in my ears. I’ve replaced them with foam tips from Misodiko and it fixed both my comfort and passive noise canceling issues.

Sound Quality

Take note that I’ve switched back to the default silicone tips and I’ve ensured a proper fit, just to give their sound tuning a fair shake. I’ve also tried to look for any EQ curves from Edifier’s website as I do not have the equipment to measure them myself, but no luck.

I made sure that this is set to Music Mode, which is on by default, and I tried listening on both bluetooth and dongle.

I’ve been spoiled by my use of various in-ear monitors. Over the years, I’ve leaned towards IEMs with a more balanced mix, and I have totally forgotten what bass-heavy earphones sounded like until I tried this on.

Oof, that bass is incredibly out of control.

It’s overpowering everything else and it makes the 2022 remix of The Beatles’ “Taxman” sound bloated. All of the instruments outside of the bass takes a backstage and it’s hard to discern anything else. This adds up to an incredibly fatiguing experience if you’re going to use this for music listening. I know I won’t, but you may be a basshead and this might be right up your alley.

This might not be great for music, but it was actually perfect for watching movies and playing games as the bass provides an extra level of oomph to explosions. Audiophile TWS earphones they are not, but I did find some enjoyment out of them for very specific uses.

Next, I switched over to Game Mode, which is supposedly tuned by their Edifier Acoustics Laboratory to make what they’ve called the H+ Game Sound Effect to enhance low frequency of footsteps and high-pitched auxiliary gunfire for better spatial positioning.

I would not advise you to use this as it merely compresses the sound, providing no depth to the soundstage, and makes everything sound muddy and incomprehensible. I did not enjoy using Game Mode at all.

A lot of my complaints can be fixed if the Edifier Hecate GT4 S was compatible with Edifier’s TWS app, but it’s not supported. I managed to get the GT4 S to a somewhat listenable state with the Wavelet app, but that’s just going to be on my phone and will be useless on the Switch and on my PC.

I know we’re dealing with a gaming TWS that costs less than 3,000 Philippine Pesos, but I was disappointed to see that the Edifier Hecate GT4 S supports only SBC. No AAC or LDAC support here.

Mic Quality

Here’s a recording of the Edifier Hecate GT4 S mic, connected via the 2.4 GHz dongle to Audacity, to give you the best possible audio quality possible. I did not process the sound in any way to let you hear what the mic sounds like.

Gaming Performance

So the day I got the Edifier Hecate GT4 S I immediately plugged them into my Nintendo Switch and played a couple of hours of Metroid Prime Remastered and the default sound signature actually lends itself well to gaming. Metroid Prime’s fantastic soundtrack and great audio engineering weren’t butchered at all while listening via the GT4 S.

Plus, there is no discernible lag when on Dongle Mode, so I can actually keep track of enemies and their location and time my attacks right easily. I don’t have any way to measure if the GT4 S is living up to its promised 15ms of latency, but I can say that it’s not something I can detect even if I tried.

Conclusion

Pros

• Solid and stable Bluetooth 5.3 connection
• No discernable latency on either bluetooth or dongle mode
• USB dongle with 2.4GHz connection that you can use on almost any device
• Great battery life
• Wide support with PC, Switch, and other devices

Cons

• Comfort is mediocre, can get uncomfortable with long periods of wear
• Both music and gaming sound signatures are not to my liking
• No support for audio codecs outside of SBC
• No app support
• No ANC
• No simultaneous bluetooth and 2.4GHz connection
• Mediocre mic

While I can think up of two TWS earbuds that offer a USB dongle for lag-free mobile gaming, the Soundcore VR P10 and the JBL Quantum TWS, the Edifier Hecate GT4 S is being sold locally for a quarter of the price, albeit lacking some features.

You know what? I can live with some of those missing features. Normally the overwhelming bass and the inability to edit the EQ would be a deal-breaker for me, but the addition of the 2.4GHz dongle is a game changer. This makes the Hecate GT4 S something I’d usually avoid into something good enough for gaming and casual use. The fact that I don’t need to unpair and re-pair it to my phone if I use it on a PC or the Switch makes this one of the most convenient wireless audio devices that I own.

I enjoy using it for gaming, and it’s good enough for meetings when I don’t want to be tethered to my computer. I have a ton of IEMs if I want to go for critical listening, but for gaming sessions and other quick tasks, the Hecate GT4 S is convenient enough for me to use it daily.

Get the Edifier Hecate GT4 S Gaming Earbuds here:
Shopee: https://shope.ee/8zZcpb7WNu

The post Wireless Gaming Earbuds for the Nintendo Switch | Edifier Hecate GT4 S Review first appeared on Ade Magnaye.

In The Witchfinders, the eighth episode of Doctor Who’s eleventh series, a woman accused of witchcraft was about to be executed. The TARDIS crew are in the crowd, doing their best to blend in and not to meddle in affairs. That is, until the Doctor couldn’t resist herself. She jumps in the water and disrupts the execution in a big way.

It was a big moment, not just for the episode, but also for the Doctor. For the rest of the series, we’ve seen Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor take a mostly passive stance on her time travel shenanigans. It’s a callback to Classic Who: don’t disrupt the Web of Time, as the Sixth Doctor famously explained.

That moment stayed with me for a while, not because I thought it was brilliant, but because it felt overdue this season, and highlighted one of my biggest problems with how this incarnation of the Doctor was written – she was reactive and was spurred to action only when confronted directly.

Let me get this out of the way: this isn’t about Jodie Whittaker, or her Thirteenth Doctor, or any misgivings aren’t about her gender. She’s a brilliant actor, and after her three most recent predecessors’ tortured portrayal of the Time Lord, her optimistic take of the universe is a breath of fresh air. A female Doctor is overdue. She’s as every bit the Doctor as the ones who came before her. And if you liked Chibnall’s run on Doctor Who, that’s also fine. I’m glad you really enjoyed and, and I wish I can turn off the critical part of my brain so I can enjoy it as much as you did.

But The Woman Who Fell to Earth was a strong introduction, and I expected a big and trailblazing season that was going to blow up the show and take it to even more storytelling heights.

However, for most of series 11, Whittaker’s Doctor has been mostly a passive observer, sharply rebuking her companions from directly interfering with events. This can be interpreted as a return to the show’s classic roots, but after ten seasons of the Doctor as the Oncoming Storm who does not hesitate to meddle in affairs, Whittaker’s passive Doctor feels off.

We can look at episode 4, Arachnids in the UK as an example. The episode’s weak Donald Trump parody, Robertson, was warned by the Doctor to not kill any of the gigantic spiders, as they weren’t there to kill or to conquer the earth. They were a mutated species after all, and they’re just trying to find their place. Towards the end, the Doctor finds the gigantic spider that was the source of the spider infection, who was already dying. Robertson barges in and kills the spider with a handgun. I was expecting the Doctor to attack Robertson with the ferocity her past incarnations have shown whenever somebody crosses the line. But she just… lets him go. Roll credits. It was anticlimactic and incredibly disappointing.

Sure, we could say that that big moment in The Witchfinders was the culmination of the Doctor’s character arc for the season, but with such a crowded TARDIS, the Doctor’s erstwhile arc wasn’t given the proper room to breathe. I never got the notion at all that the entire season was leading up to a realization that she could no longer be a passive observer anymore.

I understand that the show decided to play it safe with the mythos especially after the big gender swap. I get it – some fans are already wary of change and the show decided to throw them a bone by bringing some of the old familiar stuff back.

But it doesn’t work that way. The show should’ve built on it. Doctor Who should be making a bigger deal out of the fact that the Doctor is now a woman. Put her in more situations where she’d be challenged just because of her gender. Point out how much she took being a man for granted, like that moment in The Witchfinders where she was accused of witchcraft and she explains that she would’ve been taken seriously if she were a bloke. This is uncharted territory for the show, and that should have made her character less passive.

I’ll close this with one of my favorite moments of series 11.

In It Takes You Away, the Doctor meets The Solitract – a creature older than the universe itself, hiding away in a mirror dimension. The Doctor is fascinated, as this creature that gave her nightmares in her youth turns out to be lonely, having spent eternity on its own. They have a long talk on their parallel experiences and how The Solitract is fascinatingly beautiful, despite taking the form of a talking frog. She’d like to spend the rest of eternity with it, but she needs to leave as the pocket dimension will collapse with her in it. She says goodbye and gives The Solitract a big flying kiss as she escapes.

This is where Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor shines – big moments that highlight her compassion despite all the weirdness around her. The best part of Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor is that she never fails to wear her optimism and compassion on her sleeve, and that same compassion and optimism would make it impossible for her to become a passive observer.

And that’s it. For the next post, I’ll be talking about how Chibnall’s tinkering with continuity and making seemingly arbitrary changes damages the show – or not. The jury’s out on that one, and I’m just here to talk about how I feel about it and speculate if RTD is going to do about it.

But for now, let’s talk! Do you agree with my thoughts on Chibnall and Whittaker’s approach to the Doctor? Let’s talk about it – leave a comment!

The post The Problem With Chris Chibnall’s ‘Doctor Who’ (Part 1) first appeared on Ade Magnaye.

A pair of earphones or headphones

Working out can be boring especially if you’re doing a lot of cardio. Running or cycling for long periods of time can get a little dull, which is why we’d suggest putting on some music. If you’re working out at home then this is as easy as turning on the radio, TV, or your favorite music. However, if you’re running or cycling outside or working out at a gym, then you’re going to need a good pair of headphones.

This is to isolate the sound around you (although keep in mind, this is extremely dangerous if you’re exercising outdoors) and to provide good sound quality. You’ll need to think about things like sweat resistance and durability in case you drop your headphones, but these are features that are standard with workout headphones.

Smartphone apps are a great help

Smartphones apps are a fantastic aid when it comes to working out because they offer a plethora of features. You can get nutritional information on the things you eat, you can learn about the correct workout forms, and you can even get in touch with a personal trainer. There are loads of fantastic ways to use your phone to help with workouts, so you should definitely take a look at the type of apps that are available on the app store.

Another good reason to do this is because it helps prepare you for a personal training license with a company like ASFA. If you’re interested in teaching others how to work out and lose weight, then it helps to get familiar with these apps.

Group workouts with a webcam and computer

One of the difficulties of working out at home is that you don’t have access to a personal trainer or professional advice most of the time. Thankfully, a computer (and sometimes a webcam) can be a huge help. By connecting with personal trainers around the world, they can offer you remote workout assistance that will help you learn about different exercises, weight loss habits, and even teach you about good diet options.

A webcam can also help because it opens up the possibility of group workout sessions and assistance from your personal trainer in helping you fix your form and offer advice on how to better improve your exercise routine. Group workouts can also be a lot of fun if you invite your friends and family members, and it’s also a great way to meet others who are focusing on similar workout goals.

The post Tech That Can Help Make Your Workouts More Fun and Efficient first appeared on Ade Magnaye.

Too Many Startup Items

Startup items are programs that load when your operating system does. Whether on Windows, macOS, or Linux, these can be a hindrance. Too many startup items mean you can often wait up to a few minutes before you can begin to use your computer. Not what you need when you need to get some work done. Look at some of these solutions from MacPaw to boost your PC speed. Otherwise, reduce startup items on your device. Go into System Preferences on macOS and Task Manager on Windows to manually select or deselect your startup items.

Malware and Viruses

One of the most common causes of a slow computer is an infection. And a slow PC can alert you to an infection. Unfortunately, you can get a computer virus in many ways, often through no fault of your own. Common causes include fake emails, phishing scams, and pirate software. Fortunately, you can protect yourself from the most common causes of an infection by using anti-malware packages like Malwarebytes and Avast. However, you must also exercise caution when interacting with the web, such as downloading files and accessing certain websites. 

Causes of a Slow PC Include Overheating

Computer parts work better when they are kept cool. A hot PC or laptop will run slower and can even crash if it gets too hot. The ideal temperature for a machine is below 65^OC. As your parts reach higher temperatures towards 80^OC and above, they can begin to fail. Modern CPUs have automatic cut-out features, so there’s no need to worry about a melted chip or fire. You can keep your device cooler by ensuring the fans and vents are clear of dust and debris. And you can also install more effective cooling solutions than the stock ones that come with CPUs.

Not Enough RAM

Random-access memory (RAM) is vital for a computer. It allows files to be temporarily loaded directly into the CPU for extremely fast processing. But the space is limited. So the more you have, the better the performance. But as programs become larger and more complex, it becomes necessary to install more RAM. When there isn’t enough RAM available, your machine will use virtual ram in Windows or scratch disks on macOS. However, you will eventually reach the point where your RAM type isn’t sufficient, and a PC upgrade might be better. 

A Clogged Hard Disk

You can communicate with programs using macOS. Additionally, any applications you use occupy space on the device’s hard drive. According to what needs to be done, they can also create files temporarily or permanently. These can fill up space on your drive and become clogged over time. A fuller HDD performs inefficiently, leading to errors, crashes, and slow performance. For improved performance, try freeing up space on your disk drives. You can also use extended storage devices like USB external drives for more disk space.

Summary

A slow PC is annoying and hard to work with. Some of the most common causes of a slow PC include too many startup items, insufficient RAM, and overheating due to overworked fans.

The post 5 Top Causes of a Slow PC or Apple Mac Computer first appeared on Ade Magnaye.

Lawnmowers

Grass typically sees its fastest growth during the late spring and early summer months. It’s during these months that many people also use their yard more. As a result, this is when lawnmowers are most in demand. 

Lawnmowers see a fall in demand in fall. This is when people start using their yards less and when grass starts to grow less rapidly. The best time to get deals on lawnmowers is therefore fall or winter.

Barbecue grills

Like lawnmowers, the demand for barbecue grills is typically late spring and summer. This is when barbecue prices are most expensive.

You may find a few discounts around the fourth of July, but generally you have to wait until September onwards to see the best deals. In other words, it’s worth putting up with an old grill throughout summer and waiting until fall to treat yourself.

Winter coats

Winter is obviously the most popular time to buy a winter coat. You can get some great deals in December and even in the January Sales, however this is not the cheapest time to buy a coat.

You’ll generally find the biggest discounts on coats in February when a lot of clothing stores are trying to make room for their spring collections. A lot of stores will stop selling winter clothes by summer, although there are still a few places where you can buy coats (often for a discount). Coats may start to increase in price again in fall.

Swimwear

Summer is when everyone likes to hit the beach or pool and is definitely the most popular time for buying swimwear. As a result, this is when you’ll pay the highest prices.

Demand for swimwear dies down towards the end of summer. From August onwards, you’re likely to find the best deals on trunks, swimsuits and bikinis. 

Heating/aircon maintenance

Need to service or replace a gas boiler or furnace? The cheapest time to call out a maintenance man is summer. This is when less people are thinking about their heating and when heating technicians will often offer the best deals.

A for when it comes to air conditioning, winter is typically the cheapest time to carry out servicing or replacement. Air conditioning technicians may struggle to find work in the cooler months of winter and will usually offer better deals because of this. 

Outdoor furniture

If you’re looking for some new outdoor furniture for your yard, you may want to wait until fall or winter. This is when demand for this furniture falls and when you’re likely to get the best discounts as companies try to free up their stock. 

Prices are likely to go up again in spring and will be at their peak in summer. 

Bicycles

Summer is one of the most popular times of the year to buy a bike. Quite often, the best time to get discounts on bikes is in fall when demand for cycling reduces. Bike hire can also be cheaper during these months.

Prices of bikes can go up again in December as demand usually increases again in the lead up to Christmas. You may find however that prices go back down in January and stay low until spring. 

Holiday decorations

A lot of people buy holiday decorations in November or December. You can get some discounts around Black Friday but they won’t be huge.

The best discounts are definitely found in January. Many shops will slash prices on Christmas decorations by 50% or more. Bear this in mind if you’re thinking of buying some new fairy lights or baubles. 

Weddings

Wedding venues, wedding planners and wedding photographers all charge their highest rates in summer when demand for weddings is greatest. Prices may also increase around Christmas and around Valentine’s Day.

So just when is the most affordable time to get married? The cheapest prices are typically found in November, January, March and April. 

Vacations

When it comes to booking a cheap vacation, there are two months where you’ll typically find the cheapest prices on flights – October and January. Hotels can also be cheap in these months.

January is typically the cheapest time to book a beach vacation due to the iffy weather. Even ski vacations are cheapest in January, usually increasing slightly in February and March. 

The post 10 Things That Are Much Cheaper Off-Season first appeared on Ade Magnaye.

The new updates will finally bring in Martian Manhunter, one of the founding members of the Justice League. But a new threat is also emerging. While Superheroes and Supervillains are taking back their shared home, you need to join the Guild and team up with friends to fight Darkseid and his team.

Officially licensed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment,, DC Worlds Collide has some of the most iconic DC characters including Batman, Superman, The Flash, and Wonder Woman. DC Worlds Collide also features iconic Super-Villains Lex Luthor, Harley Quinn, and more.

Players can recruit these mighty DC’s Superheroes and Supervillains to form alliances and level up their squad. To win in idle battles, players need to form strategies and utilize hero Ultimates. Customizing the squad to stand up with your favorite Superheroes and Super-Villains will make for thrilling combat.

The latest update will mark the release of the much-awaited main storyline of how Evil has descended upon the Earth as the Crime Syndicate from another dimension invades in a bid to take over the world. With the action-packed animated plots, players will be immersed in the DC universe recreated by the game!

To celebrate the official launch and new updates, all players have a chance to receive the gift box. For more information, please follow the official Facebook page. Players can download the game via the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. 

The post ‘DC Worlds Collide’ is now officially available in the Philippines! first appeared on Ade Magnaye.

If you want muscle-bound wrestlers take the stage for a bombastic all-out brawl, just load up Big Bang Pro on your Switch, and you’re in for a rockin’ good time! Easy controls allow you to pull off sick and devastating special moves from the push of a button.

• 10 fighters to choose from including fledging newbies, masked wrestlers, and hulking heavyweights! The ring is calling you!
• Each wrestler comes with their own personalized Finishing Move. Fulfill the proper conditions and let it rip to win the fight!
• Change up the rules with exciting modes like Coffin Death Match where your goal is to toss your opponent into a coffin.
• Or, try to steal away the reward in Reward Death Match to really stick it to your opponent!

If you want Big Bang Pro Wresting, it’s now available on the Nintendo eShop for USD 7.99!

The post SNK Big Bang Pro Wrestling is now on the Nintendo Switch! first appeared on Ade Magnaye.

I think it’s fair to say that I am kind of a Nintendo Switch nerd. Up until recently, I’ve been playing almost all of my games on the Switch – even for games that I own on the PC. And you know that I’ve felt that the Nintendo Switch, fantastic as it is, needs a little help on the controller front. The Pro Controller’s got a few quirks and I was able to get pretty nice third party options to make up for those quirks. While the Joy-Cons… well, they’re legendary for their terrible analog sticks that drift if you look at them the wrong way.

Sure, while the best option for anyone with a Switch would always be first-party, genuine Joy-Cons, I’m getting sick of them. I have two pairs of Joy-Cons at home and they just randomly start to drift, forcing me to look for my electric contact cleaner, spraying the shit out of the analog sticks, and then there’s also the random disconnects because the lock on these things are broken, and that’s ten minutes of me getting annoyed and fixing things and I’m no longer in the mood to play by then.

So this is why the Mobapad M8 came in handy.

What is the Mobapad M8?

I don’t know anything about Mobapad, except that they make third party controllers. Their controllers look woefully generic, unlike the wonderfully retro-inspired controllers made by 8bitdo. You can probably put the Mobapad M8 next to the Hori Split Pad Pro and if you didn’t take a closer look, you’d probably think these were the same thing!

So. Mobapad M8. It’s essentially a Joy-Con alternative that offers a lot of the features that you want out of the Joy-Cons, except for a couple of big ones. But they make up for it with features that you might not be looking for.

Features

Let’s start with the four features missing from the Mobapad M8. If you’re expecting that IR sensor at the bottom of the right Joy-Con, no luck. I’m sure you’ll be aghast at the loss of that one feature used in, well, 1-2 Switch and Ring Fit Adventure.

Kidding aside, some of the more important features missing from the Mobapad M8 are HD Rumble, an NFC reader, and – here’s the big one – bluetooth. That means you can’t scan your Amiibos with it, and thanks to the exclusion of bluetooth, the Mobapad is a handheld-only affair. And without HD Rumble, you don’t get the sweet, sweet, refined vibrations from the Joy-Cons and Pro Controller. You’re stuck with this unrefined and frankly gross rumble that isn’t even as good as the one on the early Dualshocks.

To make up for the lack of these features though, the Mobapads are huge and, well, chunky. My hands grip them well, and the back’s got a texture that gives me confidence that my Switch isn’t just going to slip out of my hands as I’m playing. It also features swappable faceplates, and you get an extra set with the box. They’re also advertising analog sticks made by Alps – the same potentiometers used on Dualshocks. Alps claims that their stuff is used on 80% of controllers today. If you’re sick and tired of the infamous Joy-Con drift, this might be the thing for you.

The ABXY face buttons are also using mechanical switches, instead of membrane ones. Imagine those switches used on your mouse, and when playing on your switch, you hear that click over and over and over. It might drive some of you insane, some of you might not care, but pressing these mechanical switches actually gives a small satisfying bump. More on this later.

To round this off, the Mobapad has a gyroscope for motion controls, a perfectly serviceable d-pad, back buttons that you can assign to macros, turbo, and buttons that control the strength of the rumble.

Ergonomics & Feel

So for a good number of years, I’ve been rocking Skull & Co’s grips – the original Gripcase served me well, and I upgraded to the NeoGrip last year. Don’t get me wrong – I loved these. I would recommend them to anyone looking for a great grip. But only if they’re satisfied with their Joy-Cons. And there’s the rub, isn’t it?

I mean, compared to the Joy-Cons, these things are massive. It has grips which I find really comfortable. I always thought the NeoGrip was already comfortable, but this is night and day. The Switch now rests comfortably in my hands, and the nice texture on the back of the grip makes me feel confident that I won’t drop it if I one-hand my switch for some reason.

But that’s simply holding the Switch and Mobapad in my hand. Yeah, simply resting is a good experience. Playing on it needs a little adjusting to. See, the Mobapad ended up being too wide for me and it feels weird to play. Maybe it’s because I’ve been using the Switch for years with the stock Joy-Cons with their cute little buttons smushed together, but all of the Mobapad’s face elements feel a little too far apart for me.

Because of the width, the face buttons are too far off to the right and it feels awkward to use. While it may have a nice satisfying click thanks to the mechanical switches, travel distance seems to be a little too shallow and it takes away from the satisfaction of pressing them.

Analog Sticks are… weird

The analog sticks have a weird deadzone that, honestly, isn’t too bad. I survived a few levels of Quake on them. But the deadzone is a little disappointing considering that they’re being advertised as Alps sticks, which are like supposed to be the best of the best!

Speaking of the analog sticks – because of the width of the Mobapad, they’re awkwardly placed. I wouldn’t call them uncomfortable, but they’re a few milimeters away from what I’d consider comfortable. All I’m saying is that the Steam Deck and the Wii U were on to something with their stick placements.

The d-pad is fine. It doesn’t have mechanical switches unlike the face buttons, so it feels a little mushy. Especially when you compare it to the 8bitdos that I use almost daily. But play a few rounds of Dead Cells on it, you won’t notice the mush, and you’d have very little to complain about. 

Disappointing Triggers and Shoulder Buttons

As for the shoulder buttons and triggers… dear god they’re horrible. They’re some of the shallowest triggers and shoulder buttons I’ve had the misfortune of using, and that’s even coming from the Joy-Cons. I wasn’t expecting shallow presses with very little resistance, given that the Mobapad is really close to full-size! Even though I get that these are digital triggers, unlike the analog and deep triggers most modern controllers have. Sadly, the Mobapad gives me some of the most unsatisfying shoulder and trigger button experiences I’ve ever had.

Something about the back paddles

I never use marcos and back paddles, so I can’t really attest to how good or bad they were, but if you want to assign single face buttons to the back paddles – well, you can’t. They’re not the same on the 8bitdo Pro 2 or the Microsoft Elite Controller or any other controller with back paddles in existence – they’re marco buttons. Press the cog button, assign a macro (ie A-B-B-X-Y), and press the back buttons once and you’ll go through the pattern. Double press the back paddle, and you’ll trigger the macro, but as a turbo. Blech.

The button with three bullets on the other hand is the Turbo button, and it works like you’d expect. Hold the button and press a face button (ie Turbo+A), and if you hold down the assigned button, it’ll automatically keep on accentuating that one button for your spamming convenience.

Is the Mobapad M8 Worth It?

I’ve used the Mobapad as my only handheld controller since I got it, and I’ve played a variety of games – from retro, to first-person shooters, open world games, to platformers, and it’s… ok. It’s doing a good job of going out of my way, it’s comfortable, the gyro works as expected, and all of my complaints about how awkward it is to hold don’t rear their ugly head in the middle of a game. However, the incredibly shallow face buttons, shoulder paddles, and triggers can lead to an unsatisfying experience, and it can take me out of gameplay sometimes. Nothing egregiously bad, but if that sort of thing matters to you, then it’s something you need to take into consideration.

Also, the fact that it doesn’t have bluetooth is going to be a turn off for people looking to use it as their only controller, but since I have a Pro Controller and several 8bitdos lying around the house, it doesn’t bother me much. The exclusion of NFC might be a big deal for someone who uses Amiibos a lot, but if you have a right Joy-Con handly, then that’s a good way to work around that limitation.

PROS:

• Good, tactile, mechanical buttons
• Nice, solid, comfortable grip
• Solid Alps analog sticks
• Gyro is great
• Swappable face plates
• Adjustable rumble strength

CONS:

• Mushy, albeit passable, D-Pad
• Unrefined rumble
• Shallow face buttons, paddles, and triggers
• Weird back paddle behavior
• Slightly uncomfortable button placement
• Analog sticks have a minor deadzone
• No NFC and Bluetooth

Be ready for some minor jank that comes with third-party controllers and the fact that longevity and quality control on these things can be unknown, and you might find yourself enjoying using the Mobapad M8. It’s… okay. It’s a mixed bag, but when it works, it works.

By the way, if you’re looking for a carrying case that works with the Switch with the Mobapad M8 attached, try the tomtoc Carrying Case for the Hori Split Pad Pro. Using it now and I can recommend it heartily!

Rating:

Watch me play Nintendo Switch games and more live on Twitch! Hang out with me and ask questions about the Mobapad M8 and more peripherals. Give me a follow on https://twitch.tv/AdeMagnaye

The post Mobapad M8 Nintendo Switch Controller Review first appeared on Ade Magnaye.

You can summon people help you through the toughest of bosses or have your friends tag along with you on your journey. But if you prefer to go solo, you can still see various messages left by the community by tapping the markings on the ground, which reveals helpful hints. I managed to avoid multiple ambushes thanks to these warnings, actually.

But there are absolute mad lads in the game who see the messaging system, and make a whole new art form out of it. Elden Ring is full of the weirdest, funniest, and thirstiest messages. Here’s my small tribute.

Screenshots below are mine except when indicated.

Time for Head

Look I’m not here to yuck anyone’s yum, but I don’t think that’s the best place for that?

Edge, Lord

I… I really hope the community doesn’t have a ton of those.

Behold, Coffin!

Master detectives, these Elden Ring Players.

Head

I… don’t have time for this.

dog

I fucking love this game so much.

Seek hole and then Offer seed

I don’t feel safe anymore.

And of course, the legendary “but hole”

Truly the Dark Souls of things you stuff up your but hole.

If you want to join me in discovering more of these amazing messages scattered throughout the Lands Between, I’ll be streaming Elden Ring on Twitch! Follow me over on https://twitch.tv/AdeMagnaye and maybe even subscribe?

What about you? Are you playing Elden Ring? What’s the funniest message you’ve encountered so far? Share it in the comments!

The post But Hole: An Appreciation Post for ‘Elden Ring’ Messages first appeared on Ade Magnaye.