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  • Budget Roundup: Headphones Under $100

    Budget Roundup: Headphones Under $100

    Beats headphones are wonderful, but they’re really quite expensive. Ironically, you don’t have to spend all that much money to get a solid pair of headphones. To be honest, unless you’re the type that just loves name brands, you should probably check out some of these options instead! Let’s look at some of the best headphones under $100.

    Klipsch R6

    If you’re looking for a great value on a great set of earbuds, we’ve got good news for you. The Klipsch R6 earbuds are a steal, running only around $40-$50, having been knocked down in price considerably. They were introduced around $100, but they were well worth that price too. The fact that they’re running for less than half that now is pretty mind-blowing. If you can find a good sale on these, pick them up. You’ll be glad you did.

    Shure SE112

    These come in right at $100, but they’re all-around great wireless earbuds. There’s a wired version, too, if your phone still has a headphone jack. If not, no sweat, the wireless configuration is also great, with excellent battery life and sound quality. These earbuds sound great on all registers, high and low, and do a good job blocking outside sounds. The sound quality is the real star of the show, and these earbuds cost about half what a product of their quality could.

    V-Moda Forza

    These comfortable, powerful and stylish earbuds will set you back $100. And man, they’re worth every penny. They have a wide variety of endcaps and fins, so you can customize yours until they fit in your ear perfectly. They’re also water-resistant, making them perfect to bring by the pool or take out exercising. These little workhorse earbuds sound great, too, bringing a big, wide sound despite their small size. The drivers are crisp, and all genres sound great with them. If you’re looking for a great, affordable set of workout earbuds, here they are!

    Our Favorite Headphones Under $100: Marshall Major II

    These fantastic over-ear headphones are our favorites that come in under $100. Marshall’s headphones are often stylish, and these are no exception. They have a classic appearance, looking like a vintage set of earphones. Importantly, they also have impressive sound quality, blowing headphones that cost twice as much out of the water. It’s really hard to justify buying more expensive headphones when these can be snagged for around $50 when they’re on sale.

  • Nest CEO Steps Down After Google Rearranges

    Nest CEO Steps Down After Google Rearranges

    Google acquired smart thermometer maker Nest in 2014. Nest, founded by ex-Apple engineer Tony Fadell, has experienced a ton of shakeups lately. New reports from C-NET indicate that Alphabet, Google’s parent company, even shopped the company around to Amazon at one point. Given Google and Amazon’s current relationship, that’s honestly quite surprising.

    Nest CEO Marwan Fawaz

    Fawaz was installed in 2016 after Fadell left the company. According to anonymous sources from within Nest, he wasn’t exactly an office favorite. Many felt that Fadell was a visionary, and his brand of leadership inspired the team. His Apple-inspired product design led to clean, effective products. Fawaz, on the other hand, proved to be a bit more of a “logistics guy.” It’s not so much that he was disliked, according to sources, as he was un-charismatic.

    Many sources stated that they felt as though Fawaz was more of a “numbers guy,” someone who was more suited to logistics than leadership. In fact, Fawaz is moving to an advisory position within Alphabet, which indicates that his bosses felt the same.

    Google’s Fight to Dominate Smart Homes

    In February, Alphabet rolled Nest back into the fold after leaving them as a semi-independent entity since 2015. In the interim since Google acquired Nest, the smart home market has heated up significantly. Amazon holds nearly half of the market, its Alexa virtual assistant being a household name. Google, by contrast, only holds about a quarter of the market. This is something they wish to change, of course.

    Amazon doesn’t sell Google’s smart home products, generally. Nest thermostats and some other Nest devices appear on the site, but Google’s proprietary Google Home is nowhere to be seen. That has certainly limited Google Home’s reach, and the company has been playing catch-up in that regard. However, Google has also pursued upgrades for its assistant through its incorporation in their smartphones. Google Pixel phones and Android OS both support Google Assistant, just like Google Home. This gives them a unique edge over Amazon, one that they plan to leverage.

    However, the relatively unstable Nest situation has certainly not helped them achieve smart home domination. In that light, Fawaz’s redeployment as an advisor makes sense, as Google reworks the hierarchy of their smart home division. The heat is on, and they want to win the race with Amazon.

  • TOP 3 RUNNING SHOE RETAILERS

    TOP 3 RUNNING SHOE RETAILERS

    Running relieves stress, strengthens your immune system and keeps you in shape! In the U.S. alone, more than 64 million people went jogging or running in 2016. Even with all the great benefits and growing popularity running can also cause a lot of extra stress on your feet, legs, and back. This is especially true if you are not wearing quality running shoes. 

    Trying to find good running shoes isn’t always easy, but these three running shoe retailers will help you find the best possible shoes to keep you running for as long as possible.

    TOP 3 RUNNING SHOE RETAILERS

    These top 3 retailers provide not only get great running shoes but also help you save by having better prices than most other retailers. The top three running shoe retailers are Finish Line, Running Warehouse, and Road Runner Sports. All three of these retailers offer the latest running shoes from well known brands like Nike and Adidas. They also offer lesser known brands if you are interested in trying new brands or prefer a particular fit or style. For those experienced runners  who know a certain brand and shoe is perfect, you can find those shoes at a much lower price at these top retailers.

    Do these retailers only sell shoes?

    No, you can find many running and athletic accessories as well as athletic clothing in all three places. Their deals include items like socks, insoles, headbands, hats, shorts, and other apparel that makes running more comfortable and keeps you stylish.

    What kind of shipping cost can be expected?

    Running Warehouse offers free two-day shipping and free returns. You can opt to have a package of one to four pounds shipped overnight for $9.99. Road Runner Sports also offers free shipping. Finish Line’s shipping is a bit more complicated. If your package contains only new, non-sale items and the subtotal comes to over thirty dollars, they offer free shipping. If the order includes any discounted items, either sale or discontinued, there is a flat rate shipping charge of seven dollars. Some of their premium shoes are not included in either deal.

    What about returns?

    Finish Line offers returns up to 45 days. You only need to go online and pick the item you wish to return from your purchase history. You then receive a return label to print out and return your item free. Running Warehouse offers a full 90-day money back guarantee and will give you a return label to use for free shipping. Road Runner will refund any returns on new items within sixty days. For exchanges, VIP members can exchange new or used footwear within ninety days. For those who are not members, the exchange on new or used footwear is within forty days.

    What is the Road Runner VIP program?

    Road Runner offers a program that normally costs $28.99 a year, although they often run specials that allow new members to get their first year as low as $1.99. VIP members get access to deals not available to the general public. They also get a guarantee that they will get the best price anywhere in the country on a certain pair of shoes, a ten percent discount on all items at all times, a full ninety days to try shoes, socks, and insoles and a guaranteed return if they aren’t what you want.

    How to find the right shoe for you

    WHAT IS PRONATION, AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?

    Picking the right shoe for your running style is as important as the retailer. That is why you should understand pronation and how it impacts your shoe selection.  Pronation is part of the natural movement of the human body and refers to the way your foot rolls inward for impact distribution upon landing. Understanding your pronation type can help you find a comfortable running shoe.

    • Underpronators (supinators) need a lot of cushioning to avoid impact injuries
    • Neutral pronators can wear a wide variety of shoes
    • Overpronators should look for support or structured cushioning shoes
    • Push Off: pressure on smaller toes on outside of foot
    • Injuries: plantar fasciitis, shin splints, ankle strain
    • Foot type: high arches

     

    CHECK WEAR PATTERNS ON YOUR SHOE

    For Underpronators/Supinators:

    The outside of your running shoes show the most wear. If you put your running shoes on a flat surface, you may notice a slight outward tilt.

    For Neutral Runners:

    The soles of your running shoes show wear in an S-shaped pattern, from the outer (lateral) heel to the big toe. If you put your shoes on a flat surface, you may not notice any tilt

    For Overpronators:

    Extra wear on the inside of the heel and under the ball of the foot, especially the big toe. If you put your shoes on a flat surface, you may notice an inward tilt.


  • Don’t Overpay For K-Cups – Find The Best Online Deals

    Don’t Overpay For K-Cups – Find The Best Online Deals

    Need coffee? K-cups are the most convenient and fastest way to get your daily dose of caffeine in the morning. Great for people always on the go, K-Cups are a godsend to working people and stay-at-home parents everywhere.

    Available in grocery stores and other retail stores nationwide, K-Cups have come to dominate the coffee industry. With tons of K-Cup options and accessories available, you can find any flavor and type of coffee you can imagine, making for a whole lot of options, and with K-Cup refill filters, you can use any brand of coffee you prefer and save money. If you are interested in learning more about K-Cups where to get them at the best prices, read more below.

    When they first came out, there were only a few choices of K-Cups available, now there are literally hundreds to choose from. You can find Keurig brand K-Cups at most stores including popular flavors such as Keurig’s Donut Shop coffee. If you aren’t sure which cups you might like, you can purchase a variety sample pack, just like the ones you might find included with your Keurig machine. If you already have a coffee brand you prefer, you can find both home-brew brands like Folgers and Café Bustelo, and coffee shop brands like Starbucks, Peet’s Coffee and Dunkin Donuts in a variety of their flavors. With these conveniently ready-to-brew pods, you can make coffee almost instantly – just turn on your Keurig coffee machine, load the pod, press the button and you’ll have a piping hot cup of coffee in less than a minute.

    How You Are Overpaying Now

    When it comes to replenishing your supply, there are a few different ways to go about it. The most expensive way is to buy your K-Cups in the store. Often, you’ll find K-cups in packs of 10 for around $6 or $7, but this is not the most economical option. This brings you to $0.70 per cup of coffee…

    How to Save Now

    When it comes to saving money, the key is to buy the larger boxes because, the more you buy, the more you can save in the long run. While the packs of 10 are great for trying out certain flavors, you can buy larger boxes of 60 to 75 K-Cups for $35 to $40 in wholesale stores like Costco, in some grocery stores like Ralphs, or even online from websites like Amazon. Doing this could bring you to $0.50 per cup of coffee or less, saving you almost a quarter each cup that you drink. If you are anything like our staff at GoodFind, that savings adds up very quickly.

    With Amazon, you can subscribe and save on K-Cups, having your preferred brand and flavor ordered and shipped to you automatically each month. Another option for subscription services is to use Keurig’s Auto-Delivery service that allows you to buy all Keurig branded cups as often as you like with a savings of 25% off. There’s also premium coffee subscription services like Coffee cargo, where you can try premium coffees that you can’t get anywhere else.

    Other Options

    Another great way to fill up is with refillable options. With K-Cup refillable pods and filters, you can use literally any coffee you prefer, because you can add your own ground coffee into the pod. This is a great way to get that same fresh ground taste right out of your Keurig machine. Refillable K-Cups called GoodCups can be purchased through Amazon and are loaded into the same spot where you would put your disposable K-Cups. Coffee Bean N Leaf Brews makes another great refillable coffee pod that is completely reusable and dishwasher safe. Of course, Keurig also makes their own refillable pod: the Keurig My K-Cup that allows you to use your own gourmet coffee by adding it to the filter provided. Replace the filter with the pod loader attached to your machine and you are ready to go. Using any refillable pod is not only a great way to have your favorite coffee not available in disposable cups, but it’s also great for the environment too!

    Keurig Green Mountain said it plans by 2020 to change the plastic composition in the billions of K-cup single-serving coffee containers it sells annually, making them more lucrative to recyclers while removing one of the nagging complaints that mountains of the little pods are piling up in landfills.

    “Our goal is 100 percent Keurig K-cup pods diverted from landfills by curbside recycling,” said Monique Oxender, the coffee brewer’s chief sustainability officer. “The consumer is going to brew it, peel and empty it, and pop the pod into the recycling bin in the same behavior they would do with a yogurt cup. We want them to make it a habit.”


  • Get a Taste of Luxury with the 2019 Acura MDX

    Get a Taste of Luxury with the 2019 Acura MDX

    2019 will be remembered as the year of SUV. Trends in the automotive market show that everyone wants an SUV right now, and who can blame them? They’re spacious, offer a smooth ride and can carry you and your family all over! Not to mention, they’re great for carrying equipment and going camping. Acura hasn’t missed the signals, either, and has brought a pretty sweet new model for the 2019 year.  The 2019 Acura MDX, unveiled earlier this year, is a new entry-level SUV in Acura’s range. Don’t let its entry-level price fool you, though, it’s a sweet vehicle.

    2019 Acura MDX: A Modern Design

    While the MDX has been around since 2013, this newest entry is a slight overhaul. It now features LED-matrix headlights that are crazy bright, first seen on the TLX. Acura’s new diamond-pentagon front grille also makes an appearance here, looking mean and sleek all at once. The A-Spec has a pseudo-sporty look that underscores the combination of luxury and style. The interior boasts sports pedals, A-Spec gauges and incredibly comfortable seats. It’s really hard to beat the A-Spec!

    And A Modern Ride to Match

    The engine, a Honda-made 3.5-liter J series, has 290 horses and 267 pound-feet of torque. Those are impressive numbers for such a big, easy-riding vehicle. On top of that, the smooth suspension and clean braking give you an enviable ride that matches the MDX’s sleek looks. Whether you’re heading across town or across country, this vehicle will handle great and make the ride fun.

    High-Tech Amenities

    The MDX also sports a ton of high-tech accoutrements that you want to see in an SUV in this price range. For one thing, the MDX sports AcuraWatch, the company’s proprietary advanced safety features. These include things like lane keeping assist, cruise-control with radar guiding, braking assist and forward collision warnings.

    Pricing

    The 2019 Acura MDX has a starting price of $44,300, which sets it firmly in the “luxury” spectrum of SUVs. That said, you get a lot of bang for your buck! If you’re looking for a high-tech, luxury ride, look no further!

    Feature Image Credit: CNET

  • Russian BTC-e Suspect Ordered to France, not America

    Russian BTC-e Suspect Ordered to France, not America

    Russian national Alexander Vinnik has been ruled to be sent to France in connections to crimes related to Bitcoin. Vinnik is suspected to be the mastermind behind the BTC-e bitcoin exchange, a high-profile exchange that was preferred by criminals. The court that ruled him to go to France was a lower Greek court in Thessaloniki, which contradicted an earlier ruling. Previously, the Greek Supreme Court had ruled that Vinnik should be sent to America, where an indictment of him is ongoing.

    Russia’s Response

    Russia, a country known for its diplomatic tact, was rather candid when assessing the situation. Regarding Vinnick’s potential extradition, the Russian Foreign Ministry had this to say. According to them, sending Vinnick to France would “continue to complicate [Greece’s] relations with Russia” and that Russia wouldn’t “leave these actions unanswered.” Well, that sounds ominous and threatening.

    Mt Gox, BTC-e and Vinnik

    American prosecutors have connected Vinnik to the criminal bitcoin exchange BTC-e. In their indictment of him, they stated this. “BTC-e was an international money-laundering scheme that, by virtue of its business model, catered to criminals and to cybercriminals in particular.” They elaborated, “Through VINNIK’s efforts, BTC-e emerged as one of the principal means by which cybercriminals around the world laundered the proceeds of their illicit activity. BTC-e facilitated crimes, including computer hacking and ransomware, fraud, identity theft, tax-refund fraud schemes, public corruption, and drug trafficking.”

    Vinnik has also been connected by prosecutors in the theft of bitcoin from the exchange Mt Gox. Mt Gox, a Japan-based bitcoin exchange, was one of the most popular exchanges early in the currency’s history. However, following the theft, the exchange went into a downward spiral and eventually went under. If Vinnik is connected to that case, his involvement would solve a long-standing injustice in the bitcoin community.

    Vinnik’s Fate

    Where Vinnik will ultimately be sent is up to the Greek minister of justice. Vinnik will either be sent to America, France, or back to Russia, depending on what the minister thinks is the best course of action. The country he is sent to will likely have huge repercussions in the ongoing case against him.

    Feature Image Credit: CBS News

  • Valve Puts Temporary Hold on Adult Games on Steam

    Valve Puts Temporary Hold on Adult Games on Steam

    Valve’s guidelines for what games will be allowed on the service have changed quite a bit recently. While they were initially a bit more direct, cautioning developers to reduce offensive content in said games, they’ve recently backed off of this a bit. Instead, the massive publishing company has stated that they’re reworking the Steam Marketplace to allow users finer control over what they see.

    For instance, if a parent wishes to restrict their child’s marketplace from being able to view adult games. Or, even if certain customers simply don’t want to see adult games or have them recommended to them. As far as Valve’s concerned, under the new policy, you can have whatever you want in your game, as long as it isn’t illegal, such as depictions of certain acts involving minors.

    Adult Games Held Back from Steam

    According to some developers, though, their games have been put on hold from being released for the time being. Apparently, according to developer Love in Space, their game Shining Song Starnova was being put on hold by Steam until it met new requirements. According to Valve, they’ll have more information on why titles like this are being held back soon. The company maintains that this is all part of the new initiative that customers can be selective with what they see on the marketplace.

    Unseen Benchmarks

    For developers like Love in Space, however, this is a rather unsettling prospect. They’ve been given no official timeline on when they can expect their game to be released. Further, they’ve received no statement as to what changes they need to make so that it can be released. While such measures might seem trivial to some, to many developers, this is unsettling.

    While content restrictions on mature games make sense, the developers need to be informed. Informed as to what guidelines they’re operating under, for one, and what won’t fly. Steam is the single largest platform for PC games in the world. And, as such, not having one’s game be available through the service is a poor business decision. As such, the developers’ distaste for this opaque policy is understandable.

  • New Samsung DRAM Chip Set to Overhaul Smartphones

    New Samsung DRAM Chip Set to Overhaul Smartphones

    Processors in smartphones are receiving countless upgrades these days. Industry mainstay Qualcomm is ahead of the curve, producing chips for Android phones that rival some laptops. Apple’s A11 Bionic processor is like lightning on a chip, performing tasks with blistering speed. The newest entry into this smartphone race is Samsung, the Korean juggernaut that makes the Galaxy line of phones. Testing on their 8GB LPDDR5 DRAM line of new chips has begun in earnest. This new DRAM chip is slated to ship in AI-powered 5G smartphones.

    Less Power Consumption

    The biggest takeaway from Samsung’s marketing of this new DRAM chip is the low power consumption. In general, they promise that the chip is overall more efficient and will help save battery life. More importantly, though, the “deep sleep mode” offered by the chip will help ensure that battery consumption is low when the phone isn’t being used. Samsung claims this will lead to an average of 30 percent longer battery life for phones with these new DRAM chips.

    Surprising Power

    The 8GB LPDDR5 DRAM also boasts some impressive specs. The data rate is much faster than standard chips are currently, transferring around 51GB in a second. That’s a bit hard to visualize, so here’s an example: that’s about 14 HD video files per second. Which is, frankly, nuts.

    The combination of that high amount of transfer speed and low consumption will be critical for AI phones. AI will likely require large amounts of through-put for data as it parses information. Similarly, the always-learning programs will benefit from lower consumption of power and longer battery lives. This means that Samsung’s newest chips will likely give it a competitive edge as personal phones with AI companions become the industry standard. Programs like Alexa, Siri and Bixby will likely evolve alongside new chips in this vein, taking advantage of their strengths. The future of phones is AI, and Samsung has set themselves up for success in this field.

  • Facebook Protecting Far-Right Extremist Groups

    Facebook Protecting Far-Right Extremist Groups

    Facebook has been at the center of many controversies recently. The Cambridge Analytica leak was a huge breach of user data that set the company on the back foot. Then, news broke that the site had been used as a platform by Russian nationals seeking to influence the outcome of the 2016 election. After some purported changes in the site’s algorithm and some nominal moves to oppose “fake news,” Facebook is back in the hot seat. This time, they’re reported to be defending Far-Right extremist Tommy Robinson and his group Britain First, among others.

    “Shielded Review”

    The policy in question was referred to at the time as “Shielded Review.” The way Facebook deals with groups that violate its terms of service is pretty clear. After the fifth post in the group that is evidence of hate speech, the group is shut down. However, in many instances, including the Britain First case, the group fell under “Shielded Review” (which has since been renamed “cross-check”). Shielded Review meant that, even though the offending posts were taken down, the group was allowed to continue existing. According to Facebook, this was because of the high-profile nature of the group and the large number of members. It would seem these groups are so large that their traffic makes Facebook too much money to ban outright.

    Facebook’s Statement

    A spokesperson for Facebook, Richard Allen, stated the following in a Tuesday blog post. “It’s clear that some of what is shown in the program does not reflect Facebook’s policies or values, and falls short of the high standards we expect,” referring to Shielded Review. “We take these mistakes in some of our training processes and enforcement incredibly seriously and are grateful to the journalists who brought them to our attention. Where we know we have made mistakes, we have taken action immediately. We are providing additional training and are working to understand exactly what happened so we can rectify it.”

    Emboldening the Far-Right

    This comes at a particularly sensitive time. Last year, Far-Right terrorists in Charlottesville killed a peaceful protestor, sparking national outrage. Facebook’s apparently light hand with these hate groups is especially troubling in light of this fact. It begs the question: which move is too much? Facebook has had numerous second chances to recover from costly mistakes. At some point, the company will be too deep in their own mistakes to wade back.

  • Best 5 Laptops Under $500 in 2018

    Best 5 Laptops Under $500 in 2018

    Laptops are very essential these days- for school, work, or just personal use. The price of a premium new laptop can cost up to $1,000, which is pricey for anyone. Numerous companies have made laptops more affordable while keeping the quality and capabilities of more expensive laptops.

    You don’t have to feel like you’re settling when shopping for a laptop under $500. There are value-priced notebooks that include full-HD displays, solid performance and long battery life, plus all the ports you need. We picked all the best all-purpose laptops in $500 price range which we think are best laptops to suit the wide range of requirements of people. Here is a list of the best five laptops under $500!

    1. Dell Inspiron i3567 Laptop

    The latest version of this Dell laptop has a powerful system in place with 8GB of memory and a 128GB hard drive and a Intel Core i3-7100U 2.4GHz processor. It has a professional feel in it’s all black look with a 15.6-inch laptop with a screen resolution of 1366 x 768. The operating system runs smoothly with Windows 10 and is backed with a 12 month warranty, with 12 months of tech support.

    • A new, powerful hardware system
    • Has many ports and slots to use your external devices
    • 8 GB Ram
    • 7th Gen Intel Core i5 processor
    • It is not backlit enabled
    • Battery life up to 5 hours

    2. Acer Aspire A515-51-50RR Laptop

    The Acer Aspire 5 is one of the best budget full-size laptops you can find in stores today. It checks most of the right boxes: well built, slim and fairly light, gets a decent keyboard, an IPS screen and modern hardware, performs well, runs cool and quiet and lasts for a long while on a charge. This slim and sleek laptop is a great all round performing laptop, especially for the price. The visuals are spot on with vivid, bright colors.

    • LCD display and is backlit
    • 2.50 GHz Intel Core i5-7200U processor
    • Storage: 1TB hard disk
    • Intel HD 620 graphics
    • Battery life up to 7 hours
    • All-plastic chassis

    3. HP 15-ay191ms Laptop

    The HP 15-ay191ms, a signature edition laptops that comes with a seventh-generation Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB DDR4 system memory, 1TB of storage and a touchscreen, but still remains insanely affordable. It’s one of those laptops you’d buy without a second thought if you find inexpensive chromebook attractive, but really, really need Windows. If you love touchscreen, this one’s for you! This laptop contains the Kaby Lake processor which makes this laptop consume little power. Apps are not an issue here, they all run very smoothly.

    • Touchscreen
    • Intel Core i3-7100U processor
    • 8GB RAM
    • 1TB hard drive
    • Lag-free performance
    • Battery life up to 6 hours

    4. Dell Inspiron i3567-5185BLK Laptop

    Yet another Inspiron made this list! This version comes in different color options and a textured finish.  Packed with a large 15.6 Inches display and a decent 7th Gen Intel Core i5-7200U up to 3.1GHz CPU processor. This Dell laptop model would work well for portability with its 4.85 Pounds lightweight design and sleek black look. Great for school work or the family computer. A huge bonus with this laptop is it doesn’t heat up much!

    • 2.4 GHz Intel Core i3-7100U processor
    • 8GB RAM
    • TB hard drive
    • LED display with a built-in webcam and mic
    • Battery life is up to 6 hours

    5. ASUS Chromebook Flip

    This is one of the best convertible laptops on the current market. The Asus Chromebook Flip C302 is worthy of its premium stature with a gorgeous screen, tactile keyboard and a classy design that’s equally as comfortable to use in tablet mode or as a traditional laptop. The screen is a full HD touchscreen and can be converted from a laptop to a tablet by turning the screen. A top pick for a college student!

    • Intel Core m3 processor
    • 4GB RAM
    • 64GB of SSD storage
    • Battery life of up to 10 hours