Author: Beau

My $7000 Mac Pro

The Great

Design like a timeless piece of breathtaking art
Lots of expansion ports
Twin GPUs
Incredible, unstoppable mind blowing performance
Removable SSD

The Not

Few internal expansion possibilities
No bundled keyboard mouse or monitor
No optical drive

The Conclusion

This is just an amazing machine. Incredibly fast. And a great price too..The graphics on this computer are amazing. It’s so beautiful, This is not just Apple’s best professional machines but any professional computer and its worth every penny

So I’m fully invested in the Apple Eco-system. From my phone X to the iPad Pro, 3 Apple TVs, iWatch, AirPods, Apple Music subscription and all my movies in iTunes, I’ve got it all. However, I’m not using any Mac computers, I’ve got a 2008 IMac hooked up but I never touch it. I’m looking at a new computers for my home office, why not a new Mac Pro? It’s pricy but I can use it for at least 7 years, my IMac is still up,and functional after 10. I don’t even keep cars that long. Ok I’m sold, now to configure.

Option One

6-Core or 8-core, this is an easy choice. It’s $1000 dollars more but the 8-core gives me an extra 2 cores processing power and the AMD FirePro D700 with 6GB instead of the 550 with only 3GB of VRAM. The RAM stays the same at 16gb but I got a feeling I can add more before the order is complete. I decided for my lifeblood main computer, go big or go home. $3999.

Next, More Processing Power.. Yep

So in the first phase of the configuration tool at Apple.com, I can upgrade from the 8 core to a 2.7 GHz 12-core with 30mb of L3 cache. For another $1200.. gulp, but it’s like I need it. I run alot of apps that are not highly multithreaded. I know Highly multithreaded applications will perform best on processors with a higher core count, even with a slightly lower clock speed. And the games, who knows what games I’ll be playing and what the power requirements will be in 2022. $5199

Memory in Corner of My Mind

Next up memory configuration, multitasking abilities of the next decade made in a decision today. The only thing I ever wished my iMac of 2008 had was more memory. I even attempted to upgrade it back in 2011 only to find it had only 2 RAM slots, wit a max capacity of 2gb each. Essential I could replace the 2 1GB DIMM for At total of only 4GB. Not again Apple! Not today, I’m going big. Give me the juice, add another $1200 to take me from 16 to 64. I’m getting a little excited about the future now. I know I’m getting up there in price, but the big stuff is over and accounted for. $6399

The Rest

I’m gonna add a 1TB PCle based SSD and a Magic Mouse 2. I think I have a Magic Mouse around the house somewhere but it’s just $79 for a nice new one. Total $7078… Add to Bag. And here come the add ons. Nope, just check me out.

So is it Worth the Price? I Believe So

2 weeks later and a pick up trip to the Apple Store and another 6 hours setup and data transfer time. I’m ready to experience this monstrosity of designer computing power. I spent the money, and have the beast I need. It’s beautiful and elegant. A 21rst century nouveau art price rather then a computer. Design wise there is no conversation the cylinder beats anything conceived in the computer cosmos. After laying eyes on this, I couldn’t bare looking at a giant suitcase of unnecessary glowing green and blue LEDs. It’s quiet, silenty humming. I don’t feel much heat being expelled. I’ve passed on a monitor for this, no no no this needs better. I went with dual, yes dual 46 in, Samsung 4K OLED. Because, it’s not a just a new device, it’s a computing revolution. I’m loading battlefront 2, while watching Wonder Woman in 4K on the other screen, grunting I am man!!! Total with TVs and battle front $8708. Worth it.

February 2, 2018
Lock it Down; The ZKTeco DL30Bl

The ZKTeco DL30Bl is a fingerprint lock with voice-guided feature, which makes operation very easy and quick. It uses the mechanical anti-theft mortise with one latch and two security deadbolts, that allows users to lock the door from both indoor and outdoor. Packed various approaches to open the door, such as with fingerprint, password, card and key.

The Great

Various access for your convenience – password/card/key/smart phone
Enhanced security by random password for code access
Idle handle design to prevent from forcible entry
Voice guide for easier and more convenient use
Voice volume is adjustable, includes mute mode
Smart alarm for low battery & illegal operation
Normal open mode

The Not

Slow to unlock
Cumbersome app
Hard to connect
User profiles are unconsolidateable and redundant

The Conclusion

It’s a responsive capable smart-lock, packed with the features and functions and is by far the sleekest and most elegant looking, but misses on the execution.

So Close, but Nope

First problem, User passwords are restricted to 6 digit numbers, I want 4. Every NFC key, phone, and passcode needs an individual user profile, I want 1 that has all three modes. I now have to make 3 users just for me.

The build quality feels very solid and the touch pad is very responsive. The smartphone app is a bit cumbersome to navigate and some sections are hidden under 4 or touches, inefficient, but it does work. The app also won’t let you to add additional passcodes or NFC card users, you have to to modify them once they’re added manually.

You have to open the app, select the lock, and pray it connects. Setting up the lock in the app is another struggle. Even with my phone sitting on top of the lock, I had to pair it six times before it paired. I also noted the instructions are complicated and ambiguous at best. Unlocking the door with a phone is shockingly slow and unresponsive. It sits there a connecting for a while before it allows you to unlock. I thought it was stuck at first.

The Final Thought

I wanted to protect my collection of hot sauces and sneakers, smartlock will do I thought. I originally thought I was testing this lock, but the only thing being tested is my patience.

January 28, 2018
The Wall, Samsung’s TV Vision

All In All

MicroLED is a technology that shrinks traditional LEDs to a smaller size, and gives them the ability to produce their own light. Think OLED, but take out the organic part. MicroLED doesn’t require a discrete backlight, and there’s no need for LCD shutters. In turn, this creates a brighter, more contrast-rich television that can turn pixels off individually. This has brought us the next level of cool from Samsung… The Wall.

The Wall is an all encompassing 146-inch modular MicroLED TV that, thanks to its sheer size and gorgeous self-emitting pixels, commands attention. It can transform into any size, and deliver an incredible brightness, color gamut, color volume and black levels. Get excited about this it is the next step along roadmap to the future of screen technology.

Whats a MicroLED Again?

The MicroLED technology featured in The Wall eliminates the need for color filters or backlight, yet allows the screen to offer consumers the ultimate viewing experience. Also, the MicroLED screen excels in durability and effectiveness, including luminous efficiency, the light source lifetime and power consumption, setting the standard for future screen technology.MicroLED uses an array of millions of individual, tiny LEDs to create the image. It’s very similar to the technology used in scoreboards and jumbo screens, but scaled for home use. A big, expensive home. Samsung says the 146-inch size was chosen to comply with the standard ceiling height. While 146 is the talked about size, this MicroLED tech let’s you adjust the screen size to any size with no quality loss, distortion or color change.

The name says it all and there is no other way to describe this, the future of TV… all in all it’s just another tv on …The Wall.

When Can we expect this?

Samsung says we are still years away, their next step is a 2-5 year plan for a 75 inch MicroLED set. They say this can be manufactured in a size and quantity to actually compete against OLED in the mainstream market. I guess I’ll just keep waiting and saving..I’m guessing a 10k price tag for the Wall.

January 25, 2018
Echo Spot? Tell Me More!
An Amazon Alexa enable smart alarm clock. Echo Spot is small designed to fit anywhere in your home 2nd generation far-field voice recognition to watch video flash briefings, see music lyrics, weather forecasts, to-do and shopping lists, browse and listen to Audible audio books. All hands-free it connects to Alexa, a cloud-based voice service to play music, read the news, answer questions, set music alarms, control smart home.

The Good
- Connects to Alexa
- Video playback capabile
- Can Connect with multi room speaker
- Its kinda adorable
- Can show you the song lyrics as you listen
The Bad
- 2.5 inch screen
- poor sound quality
- Alarm can only be set by voice command
- $130 alarm clock
- No celebrity voice customization
The Bottom Line

a smart alarm clock is fare to unnecessary to even be considered niche, spend the few extra dollars and buy the Eco Show.

The Eco Spot is another in the ever expanding market place of Alexa enabled devices. It looks really cool so for a brief moment I got pretty excited to see what this little guy was all about. So it turns out the Echo Spot is a glorified alarm clock. Lame. The Spot does have Alexa so that’s good, but it’s a $130 alarm clock, that’s bad. Don’t get me wrong, it is definitely more than just a smart alarm clock, but that is its main point – a Sleek Alexa enabled voice-assisted bedside peripheral… with a camera

Whats to like?

Echo Spot’s screen is a useful addition to Alexa. Aesthetic design is great, the sound is decent to nice for such a tiny speaker. I love that I can play video from Amazon Video and youtube. Great Music functions with compatibilities from Amazon Music, Spotify, and Pandora. Add it that you get free audio calls to US, Mexico, and Canada. Plus it’s got all the benefits of Alexa, like buying more shampoo and controlling my thermostat.

Why Bother?

It’s another Alexa device, with a camera pointed at my bed. Do I need or want a camera in my bedroom, another camera in my bedroom? The screen is 2.5 inches, I’m not really going to bother watching anything on that. I just keep thinking, I know, I know but the price is high and the video ecosystem is almost useless.

Final Thoughts

For me this is a pass, but to all the Uncle Daves’ out there that will ask me about picking one up, ask yourself 3 questions. Do you have $130 for an alarm clock but not $180 for the Eco Show? Do you have amazon prime, music and video subscriptions? Do you like the idea of a device always looking at your bed? If all three are a yes, happy purchasing! For me this is a hard pass. Would it be to much to ask to have custom voices enabled with celebrity voices, then have it wake me up with a preset of updated information I require daily. I would buy this right this instance if it could have Anthony Hopkins voice wake me up with the weather, traffic updates, followed by last nights Yankees score and what ever President Trump has tweeted through out the night. Just imagine Jude Law saying COVEFE, there is no snooze button on that, and that I need.
January 24, 2018
A Little Lighter HP Spectre x360 13

The HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx is a high-end convertible- hybrid 2 in 1 touch screen laptop with all-day battery life, more than enough speed for day-to-day and multimedia tasks, and a premium chassis. It features a Windows 10 64 OS, 8th gen Inlet processor, with up to 16gb SDRAM and 13.3inch 4k IPS WLED touch screen. Starting at $999.99 and an all out specs price of $1320.99.

The Great

Really Light And looks fabulous, the HP Spectre x360 13 has a great feel and responsive peripherals, a fantastic display and adequate sound. Add in a the new HP Active Pen, fingerprint reader and better battery life with an upgraded display and it is… great. Its great.

The Not

Nothing revolutionary, the devices itself gets a little warm.

The Conclusion

The HP Spectre x360 13 was a great 2-1 laptop and it just got a little better. It’s not a cheap computer, but you get what you pay for and this is worth every penny.

First impressions

I’ve been using the HP Spectre x360 13t for a little while now. I fell in love with the 2-1 convertible laptop with a touch screen. When I adopted this little guy it has condensed many devices for me. There is a ton of computing power built in to a ergo dynamic, sleek and useable design. Like a 2-1 should be it’s the best of both a powerful laptop and a user friendly tablet. Then it got a late 2017 upgrade. Lets look at the pumped up new guy.

What’s changed?

With the update HP has packed with solid features, latest 8th gen processor and powerful RAM. Face recognition and finger print sensors. We got a processor upgrade to the Intel® Core™ i8. The Display has been enhanced to a 4K IPS micro-edge WLED-backlit touch screen with a micro edge. All of this is going to need a better battery, got that too.

Look, Feel, and Function

Functionally flawless, although I’ve noticed and read others experiencing the temperature of the device getting a little high. This is probably due to the postponed fan activation curvature. Thankfully, the improved cooling for the 8th gen chips is working. I like that the new HP rechargeable pen is included, it adds a nice touch and experience. I’m getting a full heavy use day on the battery, no issues other than the slight heat. Display is brilliant, can brightness can be a little low, and I’ve had to turn it to 100. The fingerprint reader is a very nice feature, though I can get it to work only about half of the time. It is also positioned in a weird place.

Final Thought

Overall, the Spectre x360-13t is a very good computer. It’s quick, reliable, light with great peripherals. When looking for the ultimate 2 in 1 its between this and its main rival the surface Pro. I would strongly recommend that prospective buyers give The Spectre serious consideration. Its worth the price tag if you want quality.

January 23, 2018
iClever Bluetooth Keyboard just Clicks
The iClever wireless keyboard is a foldable wireless keyboard with portable pocket size, aluminum alloy housing for your iPad, iPhone, tablets, laptops and smartphones.

The Great
- Attractive
- Heavy duty
- Foldable
- Wireless with great response
The Not
- Small
- Uncomfortable
- Clicks are a little noisey
The Conclusion

This is as good or better than any other lost cost wireless keyboard. As for foldable, portability can’t be beat. It’s a great buy in the wireless keyboard market.

I tend to have anxiety if I don’t have the ability to type a significant-length email quickly, and my phone/tablet keyboards just don’t cut it if I want to type more than a paragraph or so. So I usually carry around a big, relatively bulky bluetooth keyboard in my bag, because up until now the folding bluetooth keyboards were either hard to use or prohibitively expensive. This is the time, friends — this is the time to get a folding Bluetooth keyboard

Manage your expectations about usability. It’s tiny, so it’s not going to be as comfortable and easy a typing experience as your full-size keyboard. So your typing is not quite as efficient and quick as on a standard keyboard. The keys themselves are closer together and somewhat smaller than those on a standard keyboard. This is what you want, if you want a keyboard that can fold up to roughly the size of a large-format phone.

Final Thought

I have hooked this up to my iPhone iPad, Chromebook, computer and now to my Amazon Fire TV. It’s versatile, durable, easy to use and keep with you. For $40 it serves its purpose.
January 21, 2018
Seneo QI Wireless Charger is Top in Class

Seneo delivers Fast QI wireless charging pad Stand. Looking at it fresh from the box This wireless charger features fast charge with 10W coils, a sleep friendly LED, and will even provide quick charge for Samsung Galaxy phones. … I found that I can even lift my phone a could millimeters off the charging stand and it will still charge.

The Great

Nice Design
Inexpensive
Vertical and horizontal charging
Fast Charge capability

The Not

Cord for the stand could be longer

The Conclusion

Seneo wireless charger is the most suitable charger for phone lovers. This charger has the holder stand design that help customers charge their phone vertically or horizontally. Most importantly, they can enjoy movie and music without interrupting while charging. At only $19.99 Don’t miss out this great opportunity for a top of the line wireless charger.

Testing 123

I’m laying my iPhone X on the Seneo wireless charger.. 3:43 pm with 16% battery life.. 4:15 check 31%, 5:00 an impressive 73%, 5:30- 100% charged in less then 2 hours. Times that against traditional plug in charging with the Apple OEM lightning, yielded almost the same results. I had expected the wireless charging to be twice the charge time.

The Final Thought

Im always concerned with after market charging products. China seems to spit them out at zero cost with quality being highly disregarded. To my surprise, for a very small cost the wireless charging stand, works great with no issues after 6 months. I’ll but a buy recommendation on this over any high priced QI charger available.

January 18, 2018
Top 5 Galaxy Cases Under $25

Now you’ve got a Galaxy S8and are looking for a good case to protect it. You’ve come to the right place. These 5 cases are the best protection for your new phone under $25.

1.Unicorn Beetle Pro

It is the ultimate protective solution for your Samsung Galaxy S8
Shock-resistant, dual layer case with PC hard shell and flexible TPU and built in screen protection. This will keep you safe stylish and not to bulky.

2.Spigen Neo Hybrid

The new Neo Hybrid for Samsung Galaxy S8 is the future of all cases – possessing maximum protection with an extraordinary look

3.JAITY Galaxy S8 Waterproof Case

Waterproof film posted steel mesh, not easy to damage. Invisible seal ring type sealing waterproof, sealed from snow, ice, dirt & dust particles.

4.Temdan Samsung Galaxy S8 Waterproof Case

Transparent back panel make this case support S8 wireless charging. Full body protection designed to exceed Military Standard 810G-516, guard your phone even after 1000 times drop

5.The Ares Samsung Galaxy S8 case from i-Blason

The Ares for the Samsung Galaxy S8 embodies the best of both worlds when it comes to a stylish clear case with full body protection. Equipped with a built-in screen protector, responsive buttons and multiple layers of TPU in the bumper, you can be sure that your Galaxy S8 will survive the occasional drop without sustaining any serious damage.

January 16, 2018