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Month: April 2019

  • Best Budget TVs: Bang for Your Buck!

    Best Budget TVs: Bang for Your Buck!

    TVs have only been getting bigger and better over the past twenty years. At the same time, they’ve been getting much more affordable. Screens that were once thousands of dollars can now be had for a few hundred. If you’re looking for a good second TV, or maybe just a budget first one, here are some of the best options for you.

    Best Budget TVs

    Samsung UN43NU6900

    $300 for a 4K TV might sound too good to be true, but that’s just the era we live in. This stellar Samsung panel is not only an affordable and sizable TV, it’s got full 4K support and wonderful picture quality. It’s not totally without its faults, of course. It has only 2 HDMI ports, poor HDR implementation and a narrow optimal viewing angle.

    In essence, this isn’t a screen you’d get for the living room. For a game room, however, or in the bedroom, this is a great option. For a single viewer, this is a great way to spend $300 and get a 43” 4K screen.

    Vizio E43-F1

    If you want a huge screen but don’t want to break the bank, this Vizio panel is for you. The 65” variant of this panel retails for a whopping $650, making it a steal for the size. For those who want to go even bigger, the 75” can be had for a cool $1,300, which is great value.

    This Vizio panel is great for hardcore gamers on a budget, too. The input lag is negligible, and the motion blur is only slight. While the colors aren’t terribly impressive and HDR is lackluster, this is all mitigated by the low price and high performance of the screen.

     TCL 32S325

    The word with this panel is “cheap”, and we mean it. You can pick up this TCL screen for a crazy-low $150 for the 32” variant. That’s a price to envy, and it’s surprisingly a really nice TV for that price range. It’s not terribly bright, and the picture quality isn’t very impressive, though, so it’s not ideal for being a main TV.

    However, for its price and features, it makes a wonderful secondary TV. It would go well in a kitchen, a garage or a rec room as a backup screen. All size variants come included with a Roku interface, making them great for a guest room, as well. Essentially, this is a budget TV that will satisfy most secondary needs for your home!

  • Will Streaming Replace Everything?

    Will Streaming Replace Everything?

    Netflix streams movies and TV shows straight to your TV. Spotify and Apple Music stream music from your phone, through your car and into your headphones. Google Stadia promises to stream video games for you, Marvel and DC offer digital comic books and Amazon sells ebooks by the millions. Will streaming swallow up all physical media?

    Streaming and Physical Media

    Convenience

    Some people will trade anything for convenience. Ownership, affordability and quality are all negotiable as long as the thing in question can be acquired conveniently. Consider the success of apps like Uber and Airbnb. The quality of the service or product isn’t as important, to some, as the sheer convenience of it.

    The same goes for media. In 2019, one need not own any hardware aside from a television and a smartphone, and they can still experience the breadth of entertainment. Music can be streamed, TV shows and movies can be beamed right in. Soon, even video games will be streaming right to your TV, no hardware needed.

    What You Lose

    The only problem with this distribution model is that, in the end, the consumer owns nothing. No albums they can collect, no DVDs or Blu-Rays they can go back and watch. When the streaming platform they use loses the rights to their favorite media, it’s just gone.

    Not only that, but you have no resale value. Spending money on streaming subscriptions nets you nothing real. You get the experience of the content you’d like to stream, of course, but when all is said and done, you can’t sell the old media. You don’t own any media: you’ve spent hundreds and have nothing to show for it.

    Is This Worth It?

    In some cases, it’s not that big of a deal. You would likely spend much more than a Netflix or Spotify subscription to experience all the movies and music you’ve experienced just to own the physical media. But what do we lose when we give up ownership of everything? If you own no books, no movies, no music, the content you consume becomes curated.

    The Future

    It seems unlikely that the future will be streaming-only. Streaming services certainly aren’t going anywhere any time soon: they’re multibillion-dollar enterprises. However, physical media isn’t going extinct, either. People love their stuff. Holding a book, or a record, or a DVD case in your hand has a certain inimitable quality that streaming will never replace.

  • Borderlands 2 Review Bomb on Steam Met with new Policy

    Borderlands 2 Review Bomb on Steam Met with new Policy

    Valve has addressed an unfolding controversy involving review bombs of Borderlands 2 on Steam. The review bombs come as a result of the news that Borderlands 3 will be a timed exclusive for the Epic Games Store on PC. Valve has introduced a new “off-topic” tag for reviews to address the issue.

    Borderlands 2 Review Bombs

    Borderlands 3 Controversy

    The controversy regarding Borderlands 3 is a bit convoluted. In short terms, Gearbox, the developers of Borderlands 3, have announced that the game will be available only through the Epic Games Store on PC for roughly six months. The game will still be available through normal retailers for consoles.

    Some people have taken issue with this, stating that they feel as though Epic is unfairly competing against Steam, a larger PC content delivery system. To voice their frustrations, they’re review-bombing Borderlands 2 on Steam to announce their distaste. However, these reviews have nothing to do with the content of this earlier game.

    Valve’s Response

    Valve, graciously, has taken the situation in stride. They’ve implemented a new system to tag reviews as “off-topic”. In the case of the Borderlands fiasco, the off-topic reviews simply don’t relate to the content of the game. People looking to make a purchase based on a game’s merits don’t need to be caught up in weird reviews about digital content distribution.

    This is a great opportunity for Valve to indicate that they are serious about preserving the integrity of their user reviews. After all, many consumers rely on the user reviews to tell whether they would enjoy a given game. People abusing it muddy the waters as to what’s good and what’s not.

    Brand Loyalty

    Largely, it appears people upset with Epic Games and Gearbox feel as though Steam is some kind of “default” for PC game distribution. However, this isn’t the case: Steam is simply the largest platform. Valve is no more friend to a consumer than any company selling goods. As such, outrage over a game’s distribution rings unusual, in the least.

    In broad strokes, consumers’ speed to condemn a strictly lateral move from one digital storefront to another is odd. Downloading a launcher and using it to purchase a game is a bit annoying, sure, but it’s hardly ruining the experience. Boycotts over such a miniscule inconvenience ring a bit hollow.

    Other concerns, such as the idea that Epic Games is somehow a greedy corporation just trying to grab your cash, are even more odd. Epic is no more or less “greedy” than Valve. They’re both just trying to sell games.

  • Best Luxury Compact Cars for 2029

    Best Luxury Compact Cars for 2029

    When you want the best of the best, it helps to be informed. That goes double for when you want a luxury car: they’re expensive, and a pretty big investment for your future. When you go shopping for luxury, you don’t want to settle for second best. Here are our top picks for luxury compact cars in 2019.

    Best Luxury Compact Cars

    Audi A5

    Audi’s name is a respected one in the world of luxury vehicles. The Audi A5 for 2019 is a killer vehicle for a number of reasons. The vehicle starts around $44,200 and can run you all the way up to $74,200. The engine options in the A5 are suitably impressive, bringing a might and heft to the otherwise breezy convertible.

    The trunk space is small, even for a compact vehicle, and the price is quite high. However, for the money, you get a stellar ride. The ride is smooth and responsive, the interior is high-quality and luxurious, and the sound quality of the stereo is top-notch.

    2019 Genesis G70

    The Genesis G70 is another wonderful luxury vehicle that you should consider if you’re a fan of going fast and looking stylish. The handling and performance of this vehicle make it well worth the starting price of $35,000. Options could bring it up to $52,250, making this a more affordable luxury vehicle than the average.

    The cabin is very slick and attractive, with a high build quality and tons of amenities. The seats are cushy and comfortable, the finish and material are both stellar. The infotainment system is somewhat lackluster, and the fuel economy is sub-par. However, this is still some great bang for your buck in the terms of a luxury compact car.

    Tesla Model 3

    Sleek, stylish, with a name brand that turns heads and an all-electric motor, the Tesla Model 3 is the pinnacle of luxury compact cars. The interior is spartan and calm, while the drive is aggressive and quick, and the lack of a conventional engine saves you tons on gas. Not only that, but it’s great for the environment.

    The Model 3 has a ton of configurations and various price ranges. It could run you as little a $40,000, or as much as $60,000 for some configurations. Tesla promises that there will be a $35,000 configuration in the near future.

  • Even More Samsung Phones on the Horizon

    Even More Samsung Phones on the Horizon

    Samsung Galaxy S9’s are the newest Samsung phones, right? No, actually, the Galaxy S10 line just launched. There’s an S10 Plus that’s larger, and there’s the normal one. There’s even more Samsung phones coming soon: the massive Note 10 phones will be the follow-up to last year’s Note 9 phones.

    According to new rumors swirling, the Note follow-ups could be coming as soon as the end of this Summer. This would bring Samsung up to staggering 7 new phone releases in fiscal 2019. Could this kind of release schedule be sustainable for the Korean manufacturer?

    Samsung Note 10

    Specs

    It’s early yet, but we do know a few things about the Note 10. Firstly, it’ll come in two flavors, one with a 6.28-inch screen and one with a 6.75-inch screen. If those sound like ridiculously huge screens, that’s because they are. Tremendously so. However, that’s the entire appeal of the Note line of phones: they’re essentially phones mixed with tablets.

    Early rumors hold that the Note 10 phones will be released in both LTE and 5G compatible configurations. 5G is the coming network connectivity type that will allow for even faster wireless internet. If these rumors are true, it’s likely we’ll see these phones later in the year, around August or September.

    Samsung’s Release Schedule

    These rumors are a bit confusing, as this would mean that Samsung is releasing a full 7 new phones in the 2019 fiscal year. However, this comes amid the growing concerns that smartphone market saturation is reaching its peak.

    Samsung is, far and away, the most successful phone manufacturer in the world. The Korean phone manufacturer is rivaled only by Huawei, a Chinese smartphone company that is embroiled in legal drama at the moment. However, can even the juggernaut support so many phones coming out so quickly?

    Smartphone Saturation

    Smartphones are slowing in innovation as the limits of handsets are pushed by each new generation. Likewise, smartphone prices have climbed above the $1000 mark for many flagship phones. This has come to result in the slowdown of smartphone sales.

    Consumers hang on to their three- or four-year-old phones in lieu of upgrading for a huge fee. It’s not hard to see why: wages have been flat for decades in the West, and inflation hasn’t been met with rising wages. Can Samsung support a release schedule of so many high-priced phones in the face of this economic reality?

  • Smartphone Rumors: Budget Google Pixel 3a

    Smartphone Rumors: Budget Google Pixel 3a

    A potential slip on the part of the Google Store has hinted that Google’s rumored Pixel 3a could be coming soon. The Pixel 3a will be a midrange, budget-friendly version of Google’s stellar Pixel 3 phone. This comes amid growing concerns that smartphones are pricing normal users out of using them.

    Google Pixel 3a Rumors

    Google Pixel

    The Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL are two of the best phones money can buy. These two phones sport great cameras, killer processors that allow for fast multitasking and gorgeous design. The finish is high-quality and impressive, and the build quality leaves little wanting. However, they’re rather pricey.

    For a Google Pixel 3, you’ll have to pony up $800, and if you want the larger Pixel 3 XL, you’ll need $900. There’s a lot to love about these phones, but those are some pretty hefty prices. Stepping back from that, the Pixel 3a is likely to be a rather affordable phone that still sports the main selling points of the Pixel 3.

    Pixel 3a

    A slip-up on Google’s website listed the Pixel 3a as a new item briefly before it was pulled down. This is likely confirming rumors that have been swirling of a more affordable Pixel phone. The 3a will likely be released sometime in August of this year, and will likely retail for $700 or $600.

    There has also been speculation that there will be two versions of the 3a. One will be a standard sized, more affordable options, while the other will be a 3a XL. Both will likely sport comparable cameras and screens to the full-version of the Pixel 3, albeit with some cost-saving measures.

    Rising Smartphone Prices

    Smartphones are in an awkward place in the market. Most people find their handsets to be extremely powerful and hard to replace. Smartphones have largely plateaued: each new generation has introduced less and less revolution and more evolution.

    This goes hand-in-hand with the rising prices of smartphones. The iPhone XS is $1000, as is the Samsung Galaxy S10. These phones, while incredible, are nigh-on unaffordable for the average consumer. As such, moves to produce more affordable versions of top-of-the-line smartphones will likely become commonplace.

    If smartphone companies are to keep up with the shifting market, it seems likely that these in-between, compromise-style phones will become the norm. Expect to see the Pixel 3a before the end of the year.

  • Best Horse Barn Kits: Take Care of your Equine Friends

    Best Horse Barn Kits: Take Care of your Equine Friends

    When it comes to your horses, you want to make sure they get all the best. The best food, the best saddles, the best grooming and especially the best lodging. If you’ve been looking for a great way to get your horse shelter from the elements, we’ve got you covered. Today we’re going over horse barn kits, one of the most efficient ways to house your horse on the market. Make sure you treat your equine friends with love!

    Horse Barn Kits

    Why Horse Barn Kits?

    You might be asking why you’d want to go with a prefab horse barn over simply hiring a contractor for the work. Well, as you might know, contractors can tend to make for very expensive work. For a quality barn, you might pay as much as $100,000 or more after materials and labor are all factored in. That’s where horse barn kits come in.

    Prefab horse barns are perfect for people on smaller budgets who have just one or two horses. You’re just looking for a good, high-quality barn for your horse to stay in, nothing custom or over-the-top. If that describes you, then a prefab barn is exactly what you need. Not only does it keep the cost way down, it also makes it much easier to build in a short time span. Usually you can get a prefab barn together in as little as a few days of work.

    The thing with prefab barns is that they’re shipped in a mostly-completed state. There are usually only a few parts that you need to snap together in order to have a finished product. This means that you can spend a few days assembling the barn instead of a contractor assembling it in a few months. As such, your horse can be in a comfortable barn in no time!

    The Prefab Difference

    What’s the main difference between a custom barn and a prefab, though? Well, generally speaking, prefabs are only really for people with one or two horses. Custom barns can be much more varied and accommodate more specific needs. Prefabs, in general, are made for more generic use cases.

    That said, prefab barns are nearly indistinguishable from normal barns when viewed. Most casual onlookers won’t be able to tell the difference. Your horse will be just as comfortable in a prefab barn as in a custom job, and it won’t cause you to break the bank!

    Types of Prefab Barn

    There are three main types of horse barn kits. There are run-in sheds, modular barns and shed row barns. The most affordable and simple of these types are run-in sheds. Run-in sheds are simple barns that are horizontal and comprised of two bays separated by a shoulder-height wall. These make a great storage space for tack, hay and other horse-related sundries you may have.

    Modular barns, by contrast, are more traditional-looking, with large doors and a more barn-like appearance. These tend to have loft space for your tack and other tools so that you can keep them high up and away from the horse or horses. These are often the higher end of prefab kits, making them a great pick for enthusiasts with two or so horses.

    The midway point between those two extremes is the shed row barn. Like run-in sheds, they are horizontal barns with very open designs. Like modular barns, though, they have sliding doors that shut and windows as well. This makes them ideal for people with one horse but a lot of tools they want to keep from the elements. Generally speaking, any of these options tends to be as much as 30 percent cheaper than going with traditional contractors for the work.

    Options for Prefabs

    Prefab horse barn kits don’t lack for options for both stylistic and functional add-ons. You can typically add these types of options piece-by-piece when shopping for a prefab kit. These options can include things like extra storage space for tools, hay and the like, or even stylistic add-ons. Extra stall partitions, window coverings, kickboards and the like can all be added on, too.

    For those with a love for rustic appearances, flower beds and flower boxes can often be added. Skylights, high, decorative windows and even different colors for you barn so it matches the aesthetic of your property.

    In conclusion, if you’re looking for a great structure to house your equine friends without spending a pretty penny, horse barn kits can be the best option for you. Treat your horses with love!

  • Should You Buy an Electric Car? The Breakdown

    Should You Buy an Electric Car? The Breakdown

    Here’s the deal: electric cars have a lot of rumors and notions swirling about them. Are they powerful? Do they have strong engine performance? Are they able to make it very far down the road? Are they really cheaper to own than conventional cars? Today we’re going to break down whether it’s worth it for you to buy an electric car.

    Electric Cars and Preconceptions

    Electric Motors

    As a matter of fact, your average electric car is going to be comparable in power to a conventional engine. This goes for both luxury and budget electric cars, though the power, of course, varies by make and model. Tesla’s vehicles, for instance, have been described as quite powerful and very fun to drive.

    Electric motors don’t have to be underpowered. Cutting around turns, peeling out quickly and burning rubber is just as fun with an electric engine as it would be with a gas engine.

    Speaking of motors, the range of the batteries in electric cars has increased dramatically in the past ten years. While range varies based on cars, most electric vehicles offer at least 180 miles of distance on a single charge.

    Economy

    The main reason someone would want to purchase an electric vehicle, outside of environmental concerns, is the economic savings. While most EVs are much more expensive for the initial purchase than conventional cars, you save a lot over the course of owning an EV.

    Electric vehicles don’t require gas, of course. Think of how much money you spend on gas every month. Now think about how much you spend on car maintenance, like oil changes and general engine maintenance. Imagine not having to spend any of that for the rest of your days owning this vehicle.

    Environmental

    More so than just saving you money, electric vehicles are great for the environment. You will no longer be burning fossil fuels, and you’ll also stop using motor oil. Both of these steps are great for the planet. Secondly, you’ll also find that your electric vehicle will last much longer than the average conventional vehicle.

    Preliminary estimates holds that the average EV will last around a decade before they need updates to their batteries and drive trains. During that decade, you’ll be burning no fossil fuels and using no motor oil. Not only are you saving money, you’re saving the planet from the carbon footprint you’d otherwise be leaving behind.

  • Should You Rent or Buy Your Home? The Age-Old Question

    Should You Rent or Buy Your Home? The Age-Old Question

    Should you rent or buy your home? It’s a question people have been asking for years, especially in crowded and expensive cities. Even out in the suburbs, though, it can be difficult to decide which is the right choice. Renting is cheaper in the short term, though owning gives you an asset you can later sell. Which is the better option?

    Should You Rent or Buy Your Home?

    The Case for Renting

    Renting has some upsides. For one, it is less expensive over the short term. When you want to rent a property, you put a deposit down of about two months rent, then you pay a monthly fee to stay there. Your landlord pays for maintenance, upkeep and any repairs that need to be made. You also don’t have to pay property taxes, as you don’t own the place.

    By not owning the place, you’re free from a lot of responsibility. It’s sort of like living at your parents house: it’s cheaper and everything is taken care of. You have no maintenance to worry about and just need to manage your living space. For people who are a little short on money or simply not staying in any one place for long, renting keeps you really freed up.

    For people who are younger and don’t have as much money built up, this can be a very attractive proposition. That goes double for people who travel often and don’t want to be tied to one spot. Owning a home is a big responsibility, and largely tethers you to the spot. Unless you have a lot of money to keep a place up while you’re not there, it’s not practical to own a home and travel all over at the same time.

    On the Other Hand…

    On the flipside, if you rent a place, you can’t really do anything with it other than, you know, live there. If you have a dog or cats, you might pay extra for that. You also lose every penny you pay on the rent into the landlord’s pocket. The upkeep of the place, and timely payment of your rent, does nothing to increase your assets or financial security.

    Also, remember, the landlord isn’t running a rental property out of kindness. They’re making a profit on you. You pay more, by design, for the space you’re renting than it’s worth. The landlord has to make money, right? Which means, by definition, you have to lose money in the long run for this arrangement to be profitable.

    That’s not to say landlords are jerks or anything, but to illustrate why renting might not be right for someone in the long term. If you plan on investing in your future and settling in to one place, owning is likely the better situation for you.

    Why Own

    Owning a home has some notable upshots, namely that you’re investing in your future financial assets. Any money you pay into your mortgage is debt being alleviated from you. Any money put into repairs, upkeep and enhancements on your own home comes back to you by way of equity.

    If you own your own land, you can build what you want on it (within the laws of your municipality), have who you want over and own a dog or cat without paying more. Generally speaking, it makes you the master of your own destiny.

    Owning Considerations

    It’s not all upside, though. You usually need to go into quite a bit of debt, via a mortgage, when you buy a home. You also take on the burden of paying property taxes when you own property. That means that, in the short term, owning is much more expensive.

    It would also be unfair to not mention the price of upkeep on a home. When something breaks, it’s up to you to fix it. If the plumbing gets backed up, or if the electrical wiring is shot, you’re on the hook for those repairs. It’s hardly fun, but that’s the way owning a property works.

    Bottom Line

    However, these costs are largely mitigated by the equity your home gets as you live there over the years. Assuming you plan to stay in a home and keep it up over time, you should be able to at least break even when you go to sell.

    Alternatively, if you plan on living the rest of your days in a location, the home’s equity could be a great boon to your children after you’re gone. That way, you leave them with either a home or a financial windfall.

  • Does Certified Pre-Owned Mean You Get a Better Car?

    Does Certified Pre-Owned Mean You Get a Better Car?

    Buying used can help you really keep the costs down on a vehicle. However, how can you be certain that the vehicle you’re purchasing isn’t a lemon? How can you know what the vehicle has been through? Certified pre-owned vehicles are often considered the safer pick when it comes to buying used, as they typically pass inspections and history checks by the auto dealership.

    That said, you can never be one-hundred percent certain when it comes to used cars. While CPO cars tend to be a safer pick than straight-up used car from someone you don’t know, they’re not going to be as safe as a brand-new car. If you really want to spend more and get a car that will last longer, a brand-new one is the one you want.

    However, if you want to be safer than a straight-up used car but save money compared to a new car, CPO cars are the happy middle ground. But does that mean certified pre-owned means you get a better car than buying used?

    Certified Pre-Owned

    How Cars Get Certified

    Auto dealers differ from place to place but, generally speaking, CPO cars have to pass a number of inspections. Depending on the dealer these could be more or less strict, but they typically involve checking a number of systems. Brakes, steering, belts and the like are all usually checked out and certified.

    Another aspect of CPOs that can make them a safer pick than regular used cars is that they have a clear history and background. Maintenance records, accident reports and the like help to paint a picture of what, exactly, has happened to the vehicle in the past. That way you can rest assured knowing exactly what issues the car has had in the past.

    The Benefits

    Generally speaking, CPOs are going to be cleaner vehicles that were well taken-care of and have few, if any, issues. Dealers normally only take in rather new vehicles with very low miles as certified pre-owned. That means that, essentially, CPO cars are marketed as “good as new.”

    Dealers tend to offer a number of benefits to those who buy CPO vehicles, too. If you need repairs on the vehicle or something goes wrong with it, it’s usually covered by an extended warranty from the dealership. The warranty alone can often be well-worth the extra money you spend on CPO, depending on the vehicle and what you’re looking for.

    The other upside to CPOs is that dealers often offer things like rental cars in the event the vehicle is in the shop, free satellite radio, and even reduced lease rates. Generally, these upsides are all there to keep the CPO deal an attractive option for dealers.

    The Downsides

    CPO vehicles aren’t without their downsides. For one, any used vehicle runs the risk of having some unforeseen issues. Most notably, though, CPO vehicles tend to be rather expensive. While not as pricey as brand-new vehicles, they tend to be markedly more expensive than regular used cars.

    Generally speaking, many car experts find that CPO vehicles are often a bad value compared to buying regular used cars. If you know what you’re looking for in a used car and know what warning signs to look for, regular used can be a better value than CPOs. This can vary based on the dealership and where you’re buying the used vehicle, but it generally bears out to be true.

    If you save up a bit of money and set it aside to cover repairs then you can use that to cover the things the extended warranty that a CPO would normally cover. That way you not only save money by not buying the expensive extended warranty, you can use the money you save to put towards any repairs that might come up. If no repairs need to be done, you simply pocket the savings!

    Conclusions

    So, do you get a better car when you buy certified pre-owned? Yes and no. You’re likely going to get a car with less miles, a clearer history and an extended warranty. While these are all great upsides, they’re also things you spend a pretty penny for. As such, while the CPO vehicle is likely a great car, it’s probably a bad value.

    If you want to save money and buy a used vehicle, consider a getting a regular used vehicle. If you get it inspected by a mechanic you trust and set aside money to cover repairs you’ll likely get more value for your money.