Technology according to me!

With the technology realm growing at a rapid rate, the need for slimmer and faster computers are at an all time high. Laptops have gone in a new direction being slimmer and lighter with a more robust frame and much more powerful internals. I would be willing to bet that in the next few years that the laptops with have 64+ of solid state storage, 8 gigs of RAM and an outrageously fast CPU. Granted the price tag will also be outrageous but is companies take notes from Apple's ads than consumers will be at their feet drooling over their products. As of July 15th, 2011 the first Chromebook was introduced and I will agree that it is a very different type of laptop all together but that's not always a bad thing to shake the realm of laptops up a bit. If you guy's remember when the first generation Microsoft Surface was released it raised a lot of questions in the tablet world and some would say that it still does but they are on their 4th iteration of the tablet and people love them. So see change isn't always a bad thing when we are talking about technology. Some of the best things have come as a result.

I was and still am a technology fanatic. Growing up I had a lot of towers scattered over my bedroom. My mother was getting annoyed to say the least but she still supported what I was doing and went along with my crazy antics. Up until a bout a year ago I was lost as to what I was most interested in, I wasn't  sure if I was going to continue with my YouTube channel for another year or I if was going to cut it off and find a better thing to do. Then I started writing reviews and you guy's took a liking to it and needless to say it look a few months but I now focus on my last 2 year in school, my job and writing reviews and articles for you lovely people!

I have always said that I prefer a desktop to a laptop but that was before I started to be more serious about school and writing. I now see that a desktop is not as portable as a laptop is, seems obvious right? well to me i was determined to to use a laptop because i would never find the "right one". I have owned 5 laptops and 2 desktops! so I guess that you could say that i was very hypercritical at the time  but at the time of writing this I have a laptop that stays at my desk and I use a Chromebook when I'm on the go.

I have been reading a lot of other reviews on Chromebooks but I think most people are being to critical of what they are used for. I would say that Chromebooks are better for school use, like taking notes in class because you have the use of Google Drive and Google Docs. Or for writing papers/ articles like what I'm doing now. Yes I know that the offline mode is quite bad but the platform can only improve from here. I love the concept of Chromebooks but I do agree that it platforms need to be revamped a bit. One of my personal favorites out of all the Chromebooks is the Pixel, sadly it's a tad bit out of my price rage at the moment!

This has been "Technology according to me!" Comment what you thought!

IOS 8.3 Change-log, What's it all about?

Many of you have an Iphone or an Ipad so you are aware of the iOS updates but what does this new 8.3 update bring to the table? Let's find out! So Apple revealed iOS 8.3 on April 8th with a bunch of bug fixes and a few other new additions. You can update by going to Software Update on your iOS device.

What's New in iOS 8.3?

As a point upgrade there aren't many sweeping changes to iOS, but there are a couple of features worth noting. 

Finally, 300 new characters have been added to the keyboard. They offer some racial diversity where there were limited before. By pressing hand holding on a certain emoji, it pops up with the different options. 

The new cloud photo's app has been better optimized to with Mac OS X 10.10.3.

Here is a list of the changes for Apple's iOS 8.3.

Improved Performance:   

• App Launch
• App Responsiveness
• Messages
• Wi-Fi
• Control Center
• Safari Tabs
• 3rd Party Keyboards
• Simplified Chinese keyboards 

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth fixes:

• Fixes an issue with consistently being asked to log in
• Being disconnected from Wi-Fi issues
• Fixes an issue with hands-free cell phone calls
• Audio playback fixes

Orientation and rotation fixes:

• Addressed an issue with not being able to rotate back to landscape position
• Improved performance and stability issues when rotating the device

The list goes on and on. If you would like to read them all in complete detail click here.

Article by Marc Pawelczyk

CAD GXL 2200 Condenser Microphone

        Do you like professional audio quality? If you said yes than you have most likely used or heard of the term "Cardioid Condenser" If not a Cardioid Condenser microphone is a special type and style of microphone that requires a power source "Phantom Power" The Microphone I am reviewing is a Cardioid Condenser Microphone, The CAD GXL2200, here are some of the specs:

• Operating Principle; Externally-biased condenser
• Polar Pattern; Cardioid
• Frequency Response; 20Hz to 30Khz
• Sensitivity; -36dBV(16mV) at 1 Pa
• Impedance;  75 ohms

        The GXL2200 is a fairly cheap microphone, at $56.92 (prices subject to change) it's a great buy and I do recommend one to anyone that needs a high quality microphone. If you would like to check it out click the link. GXL2200 Cardioid Condenser Microphone

Apple Watch launch won't be like the Iphone's

        As many of you know the Apple Watch is set to be released to the masses this Friday and Apple has made a change to they way they are launching it. They have said that they don't want customers lining up outside their stores, they would rather people bought online. This confuses me, the launches have always been the highlight of the event. Seeing all the massive lines with the sleep deprived people getting into arguments over which was the better film. I feel that if Apple goes through with this plan no only are people going to not do it but they will lose the personal connection and they will be just like everyone else. People like the simplicity yes but I would like to be able to say that I waited in line for a product that's got that huge price tag attached to it. It may be better for the company but it may prove not to be so beneficial tot he consumers in the long run. It is Apple after all and their fans will do whatever they say if they are giving out a high quality product.
        As I am a fan of technology I do own a smartwatch but I can't see myself spending the amount that they are asking for this watch. I find that I am happy with the Moto 360 and will not be picking up the Apple watch when it goes public.
        Apple employees are also getting a huge discount of the watch, up to $125 off the watch. The employees are also getting a training session in fashion and will be able to help you find the best style watch for you. I want to go into one of their stories and pretend to be looking at a watch just to get their help with fashion! I find it funny how Apple is becoming a "Jack of all trades" when it comes to technology, they have made phones, media players, adapters, tablets, computers/laptops, smartwatchs what's next? perhaps a car...? I guess we will just have to wait and see!

Article by Marc Pawelczyk

Is Netflix really Killing Cable TV?

Netflix VS Cable

     
        Is Netflix really killing cable? Well the CEO of Netflix Reed Hastings seems to think so. Hastings recently got himself some publicity when he openly predicted that by the year 2030 broadcast television would die. There's a reason why consumers are clamoring for unbundled channels. There's a sense of "bloat" that's hard to shake when flipping past channels you never watch. Verizon, Sony, and Dish are just a few companies hopping to capitalize when it does down.Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Prime Instant Video are a few of the great alternatives for cable and are in a great position to gobble up cable cutters. Adults and kids alike would much rather pay for a simple to use but also cheap video streaming service instead of a high cable bill.
        When It really comes down to it people in this day and age seem to focus more on the expense and mobility aspect rather than how usable the choice really is. So it didn't come as a surprise to hear that people 16+ are more focused on if they can watch their content while on the go. With the need for people to watch shows wherever they so choose to, the options to do so are forever growing. Who can blame people for switching to a streaming service like Hulu or Netflix? TV is pricey. The average cable TV bill, not including fees, promotions, or taxes, has increased by a whole 97%  over the past 14 years, according to the media research firm SNL Kagan, That bill could reach a whopping $200 per month by 2020, one study found. This could spell trouble for cable companies like Comcast and Charter down the line.
        Cable companies are like the gatekeepers to the internet, But if they wish to keep subscribers they will have to alter their billing to make up for the lose revenue. With the technology improving everyday I can't image what this kind of service will provide for us in the future. With Google's Chromecast and Apple's, Apple TV you can stream the YouTube app other Netflix app from your phone directly to your TV. You can't tell me that having something like that isn't neat!
        So do I think that Netflix and other video streaming services are killing cable? I say yes, you might think differently and I would love to hear why in the comments!

Article by Marc Pawelczyk