Geekazine

Looking for the best deals this weekend? I’ve scrubbed the internet looking for them – here they are!

HP Pavilion 590 : https://go.magik.ly/ml/hpcl/

–TVs–

Target Element 32″ Smart 720p

Best Buy 4K UHD TV:

Walmart 65″ 4k Roku TV

–more–

NewEgg Pioneer 7.2 Dolby Receiver: 

–Apple–

Macy’s – Apple Watch series-3:

Verizon – iPhone Xr:

Target – iPad 6th gen 9.7″ Wifi:

–IoT–

Echo Dot:

Ring Doorbell:

–Gaming–

Kohl’s PS4 Spider Man Bundle:

GameStop – Nintendo Switch:

–even more–

Walmart – Liberty Hoverboard:

Newegg – Seagate 8 TB USB drive:

JCPenny – All watches 40%off

Target – Jimu Robot

Amazon – Sengled + Echo Dot

Home Depot – LG Smart Refrigerator

–Software–

Magix Vegas Pro

Adobe – 25% off Photography plan

I am always looking for a good light system for interviews, product reviews, and more. I actually have Fositan lights in my pack. So when they asked me to review the Bi-color 336 LED lights with cowboy stand, I didn’t hesitate.

*I received product for review, but all opinions are of Geekazine.com

Get the Fositan 336 LED Bi-Color Lights on Amazon

Fositan is a brand name you may not have heard of, but many content creators, VLOGgers, YouTubers, photographers, and more have been using for a while. Like I said – I own Fositan lighting.

The newest lights in their offering is a Bi-color LED light for over the camera, or use on a cowboy stand for overall lighting. The versitility of this light is a great key to having it in the bag.

Unlike my Neewer light system, the Fositan LED lights already have a plug option. This light has 336 LED, can be dimmed, and have a color temperature between 3200K and 5600K. A control on the back, or remote can adjust the light to your need.

A single light can push out 2350 LUX and can be dimmed from 10% to 100%. The light does not cause any flicker on the subject, and will light up a subject from 5 feet away.

The lights are 7.9 x 5.1 x 1.14 inches in size, and are enclosed in a vented, plastic case.The front houses a clear diffuser, which you can put in color gels, or purchase other diffusers.

A single NP-F series battery will give you about 30 minutes of light. You can purchase larger batteries if you need more power.

In this pack are two cowboy stands that extend to 6.5 feet high. These cowboy stands are versatile, as you can use them in many different situations. Add a cross bar to extend your studio needs.

The lights come with adjustable tilt mounts if you need to point the lights up or down.

This is a great product for a travelling studio, a starter studio, and more. The lights come in a fabric case, with the whole system weighing a little over 11 lbs.

You can get the lights in singles, a 2-pack, and 3-pack to add more light in multiple directions.

We’re updating the $50 tablet Throwdown! This year, I decided to look at tablets that would cost between $50-90. These tablets will most likely be on discount during Black Friday sales, so you can get yours at a great price! This is also in conjunction with the Tablet Buying Guide article on Geekazine. A full rundown of what to look for in a tablet.

Setting the Tablet Guidelines for this Review

All of these tablets had to have Android 7 (Nougat) or better. The tablets had to have Quad-core processing at at least 1.2 GHz, and a comparable graphics processor (GPU). 2 tablets were 7″, and 3 were 8″. Bluetooth, and WiFi b/g/n.

I set the $50-90 price point since many tablets under $50 could not meet the requirements. Keep in mind, an older operating system can be a security risk to your home. Nougat is still supported and used.

The FireOS is a proprietary system based on the Android 7.1 software.

All tablets are new. There were no comparable new Windows or iOS tablets. On the same token, there were no new Samsung tablets -another popular brand of mobile devices.

7″ Tablet – Aoson S7+ $62.99

Get the Aoson S7+

The coolest part about this tablet is that it supports 3G cellular, and dual SD cards. With a 1024×600 display, this tablet supports GPS, WiFi b/g/n, and Bluetooth. 1GB RAM, 16 GB Storage, but the dual card can bring in almost 512 GB of storage.

5 MP rear camera, 2 MP front for photos, video chats, and more.

Other features include headphone jack, stereo speaker, Cortex A7 processor / Mali 400 GPU.

Thoughts: I tested all but the celluar service. The tablet runs fairly well, and the screen is crisp. Apps load ok, and games play with some lag. It’s not going to be a gaming tablet, anyway. The Aoson S7+ is a solid tablet for indoor or outdoor use.

7″ Tablet Neutab $49.99

Get the Neutab

This 7 inch tablet is $49.99 at the time of this recording. It actually is updated to Android 7.1.2 (May 2018) . Inside is a Quad-core Rockchip processor at 1.3 GHz. 1GB RAM, 8 GB storage, with SD card expansion.

The cameras are 2MP (rear) and .69 MP (front). 1024×600 resolution, with a 6 hour battery (active).

Other features include Wifi b/g/n, GPS, and Bluetooth.

Thoughts: This is also a decent device, but the slowest of the lot. The screen is darker, and will become harder to see pon slight tilting. I was able to load apps and play basic games easy. Surfing was also not an issue.

Games load. I also loaded TV apps like Hulu, Netflix, and Spectrum TV. Once again, slow loading, but it does work.

8″ Fusion5 Tablet $64.97

Get the Fusion5

The first in our 8 inch tablets, the Fusion5 is a 1280×800 screen with a Rockchip RK3126 processor (quad-core 1.2 GHz) and Mali400 GPU. Installed is Android 7.1.2 (Feb 2018), and 1 GB RAM with 16 GB storage with SD card slot.

Wifi is 2.4 GHz b/g/n, and bluetooth.  Both front and rear cameras are 2 MP

Thoughts: The photos from this camera are not really great. This tablet is slow, but manageable. The battery is not as powerful, either, but still can get a 6-7 hour lifespan.

The Fusion5 screen is very nice, using an IPS screen, and 170 degree brightness. Using a video app,

Do you want face detection? Do you want a fingerprint reader? Maybe a phone that fits well in your hand? How about a camera that replaces your DSLR? Both Apple and Google came out with stellar phones for all your needs, but is it enough for you to buy, or even switch devices? We’ll look at both, and look at the pros and cons.

The Pixel 3 XL is a review model supplied by Verizon. The iPhone XS Max is a my personal phone.

Google Pixel 3 XL

This is a 6.3 inch phone with a 2.5 GHz Octa processor from Qualcomm. The Adreno 630 GPU gives you a resolution is 1440×2960, has 4 GB RAM, and a minimum storage of 64 GB, with no card expansion. Of course, the latest version of Android in Pie is on the phone.

This device has stereo speakers front-facing, so it does affect the screen size. For example, the notch on top is a little bit deeper than that of the iPhone.

Inside is a 3430 mAh non-removable battery. 8W Qi wireless charging is also available, charging the phone at about 20% an hour.

The phone will charge a lot faster when plugged in.

Security fingerprint is on the back side of of the device.  Connection via the USB-C cable port, available on the bottom, running USB 3.1. Bluetooth 5.0, dual-band hotspot 802.11 ac WIFI, and NFC available.

Pixel 3 Camera

As we start to get closer to taking 2 trillion digital photos, this is probably the most important part of your phone.  The Pixel XL has a 12.2 MP main camera and 8 MP front camera. Both have Auto-HDR options, and the main camera sports a dual LED flash, and panorama option.

Video on the main camera can be created up to 2160p@30 (aka UHD) fps or 720p @ 240 fps (slow motion). The selfie camera video can do 1080p @ 30 fps.

Features iPhone XS Doesn’t Have

Pixel has a fingerprint reader for secure login without password. Interesting enough, Older Google phones used to have facial recognition, but don’t anymore. Other instant login features such as location based and even on-body unlock (which is not secure) are available.

Squeeze the sides of the Pixel instead of saying “Hey Google”.  You can flip the phone over to put it into silent mode.

The USB-C port for faster data transfer.

There is a setting to hide the camera/speaker notch. You loose screen space, though.

Flip to Shh. If the screen is down, the phone will be in silent mode.

The group selfie cam has the ability to zoom out a little more to get the shot. Top shot takes the best of your burst photos and stitches together for the perfect photo. No more blinking.

3 colors for the Pixel – Just black, very white, and not pink.

Finally – and this is one thing that Google hasn’t really announced – they will be supporting the Pixel 3 for 3 years with Android releases. That means your phone will be current all through the device life cycle, and possibly the hand-me-down cycle, too.

Now that might be mixed signals, because even the iPhone 6 can get newer updates. This is more of a “Buy Pixel over the other Android phones” feature because in the past, many Android devices wouldn’t update their OS after the first year.

iPhone XS Max

Inside is the A12 Bionic chip – a 64 bit ARM chip with 2 -2.5 GHz “Vortex” cores, and 4-1.6 GHz “Tempest” cores. A 4-core GPU processor, and their “Next generation Neural engine”, which adds another 8-cores and can run 5 trillion operations per second. That is a lot of cores…

The display is Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 1242×2688, and a display of 6.5 inches. 4 GB of RAM and a minimum 64 GB storage.

Sound is stereo, but the speakers are on the bottom of the phone. Therefore, palming will cause audio loss.

Battery is a 3174 mAh Li-Ion, and non-removable. Qi charging available at 10W, or 25% an hour.

When you buy a computer, does the price determine what you get, or is it the type of computer? On October 30, 2018, Apple announced their latest line of computers, including the Mac Mini, Mac Air, and iPad Pro 11 inch and 12.9 inch. These are a far cry from the $600 device days – with enhancements costing the user over $1,000. I look at all the new models, and price them out for you.

Apple Mac Mini

The first upgrade Apple talked about was the Mac Mini. What once was an affordable alternative to the $1,000 Macbooks and G5 machines, can now take you to the same prices those computers were.

Eighth-generation Intel core processors with up to 6-cores, Thunderbolt 3 for external upgrades, DDR4 memory up to 64 GB, and up to 2TB SSD storage, your Mac mini will be able to run a 5k monitor, and high-end apps for content creation.  Next generation security with the Apple T2 chip inside.

4 USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3, 2 USB-A, HDMI out, and Ethernet.

Base model starts at $799, but if you need performance and a 6-core processor, you could pay upwards to $4,199.

Apple MacBook Air

Apple’s light laptop gets it’s own upgrade, with a four million pixel screen, fingerprint reader, Apple T2 security, and more. Also with the eighth generation processor, and up to 1.5TB SSD and 16 GB memory, you can get a pretty powerful machine for quick use.

Base price is $1,199, but maxing this machine out means a $2,599 price tag.

Apple iPad Pro

So the big news was iPad with the most screen room of any iPad, a magnetic pencil holder that charges the device, and FaceID to unlock the iPad. Two models – the 11 inch (previously 10.9 inch), and 12.9 inch.

Eight CPU cores and seven GPU cores allows for games like NBA 2K and Assassins Creed to be played on the device with detail and gameplay like you would find in the XBox One. The Lightning port has been replaced with a USB-C (non Thunderbolt) connection. The A12X Bionic Chip and M12 co-processor with Neural Engine allows for speed and better functionality.

12 Megapixel camera, five-element lens, Smart HDR, 4k video at 60 fps, slo-mo 720p at 240 fps, and 7 Megapixel TrueDepth camera give you a tablet that can take photos and video with high quality, or high end Facetime calls with friends and family. You can also get cellular models to use this when your phone is not around.

Pricing this out in 2 models, the 11 inch will start at $799 and the 12.9 inch starts at $999. However,  if you max the 12.9 inch out, you’re looking at $1,899 without case, Apple Care, or even the pencil (Add $129 for the pencil).

Buy Back Programs

Apple does have a buy back program where you can send your old device for $$. Since Apple also supplies computers to schools, I wouldn’t be surprised if they use your old machine to help equip students. Depending on the age and quality, you could knock a good amount off the price of your new device.

Overall – Is it Time to Upgrade?

The iPad is impressive, but I am personally not ready to do the upgrade. If you have a 10.5 inch iPad, and not a gamer or Photoshop junkie, then waiting won’t hurt. The Air and Mini with T2 chip might be a deciding factor, especially if you use secure sites.

This last week, Facebook has rolled out a new way to make your photos pop on their service. 3D Photo is one of 2 new additions to the site, making your photos pop out (the other is 360 photos). Since I was in Sydney, Australia, I was able to use this to make some awesome photos of my trip. But with those photos came many replies entitled “How did you do that?”

How to Make 3D Photos in Facebook

First, you need a photo with depth perception information. On iOS, this is the “Portrait” feature. You can also create photos with depth. Hangingpixels has taken this to a new level by making their own depth-photos to import into Facebook. So with a little work, you can even take those older shots and make them pop out.

When on the Facebook app, create a new post. Choose “3D Photo” in the options list. All the photos that have the depth information will show up to be chosen.

Choose your photo, and next. The app will then turn it into a 3D Photo!

Whether your creating a scrapbook, giving photos for friends, or making real-time photos at weddings, birthdays, or other events, the HP Sprocket is a great portable printer for memories to be shared. Today, HP releases their 2nd edition of the HP Sprocket. With a redesigned look, updated app, and better printing options, this Sprocket will help you make, share, and post when you’re ready.

I was at HP Offices to check out the Tango X and Sprocket. We learned more about the products, and some of the cool things HP is doing with printing, including their 3D printing initiative.

New to the HP Sprocket 2nd Edition

The biggest difference is print quality. In pitting with the 1st generation Sprocket, I was able to notice simply through a side-by-side comparison how much more vibrant the photos are. The printer itself is thermal, so print speeds remain the same.

The device is redesigned so the HP logo is not standing out. They found from the community this device needs to look good over branding. A magnetic lid replaced the slide-lock lid from the earlier device.

Sprocket’s updated app sllows you to do more. A print queue was added, along with multiple printer connections. The Sprocket can be connected via iOS or Android, and multiple connections can be made to print from different devices (up to 3 at a time).

Three different styles of case – including Noir, Luna Pearl, and Blush – or simply make your own with pictures.

Add Augmented Reality to Photos

Another new feature is AR to Sprocket. Print a frame from your video, then when others move their devices over the photo, the video comes to life.

You can also add photo albums, and other items to bring your photos to life.

The Photo Wall

It’s rare that a product can help improve the look of the studio. With the new Sprocket and app, I’ve been transforming the look, while printing out all the fun photos I’ve taken for the last 11 years of Geekazine. From celebrity sightings, to product reviews, events Geekazine has covered, and more.

Sprocket 2nd gen. is $129.99 and available now (link soon). You can also get replacement paper starting at $4.99

In the Video

I talk about the Pros and Cons of this device, and run a couple comparisons with the 1st generation Sprocket.

Disclaimer: Product was supplied by HP, but all opinions of this review are that of Geekazine. Check out Geekazine.com/review 

 

Whether your creating a scrapbook, giving photos for friends, or making real-time photos at weddings, birthdays, or other events, the HP Sprocket is a great portable printer for memories to be shared. Today, HP releases their 2nd edition of the HP Sprocket. With a redesigned look, updated app, and better printing options, this Sprocket will help you make, share, and post when you’re ready.

I was at HP Offices to check out the Tango X and Sprocket. We learned more about the products, and some of the cool things HP is doing with printing, including their 3D printing initiative.

New to the HP Sprocket 2nd Edition

The biggest difference is print quality. In pitting with the 1st generation Sprocket, I was able to notice simply through a side-by-side comparison how much more vibrant the photos are. The printer itself is thermal, so print speeds remain the same.

The device is redesigned so the HP logo is not standing out. They found from the community this device needs to look good over branding. A magnetic lid replaced the slide-lock lid from the earlier device.

Sprocket’s updated app sllows you to do more. A print queue was added, along with multiple printer connections. The Sprocket can be connected via iOS or Android, and multiple connections can be made to print from different devices (up to 3 at a time).

Three different styles of case – including Noir, Luna Pearl, and Blush – or simply make your own with pictures.

Add Augmented Reality to Photos

Another new feature is AR to Sprocket. Print a frame from your video, then when others move their devices over the photo, the video comes to life.

You can also add photo albums, and other items to bring your photos to life.

The Photo Wall

It’s rare that a product can help improve the look of the studio. With the new Sprocket and app, I’ve been transforming the look, while printing out all the fun photos I’ve taken for the last 11 years of Geekazine. From celebrity sightings, to product reviews, events Geekazine has covered, and more.

Sprocket 2nd gen. is $129.99 and available now (link soon). You can also get replacement paper starting at $4.99

In the Video

I talk about the Pros and Cons of this device, and run a couple comparisons with the 1st generation Sprocket.

Disclaimer: Product was supplied by HP, but all opinions of this review are that of Geekazine. Check out Geekazine.com/review 

 

A stompbox is a great addition for any solo or duo musician. It adds a little while you are singing and playing. It also can lay down a beat so you don’t have to rely on one or two  instruments to do so. A stompbox (or stomp box) also allows a Cajon or hand percussionist to add to their sound.

But with technology comes new ways to get that stompbox sound. Miced blocks of wood can give way to drum pads. Those drum pads can do more than just kick drum, which can change per song. But there is still something about going old school.

So let’s throwdown old vs. new with two products from respected companies. Logjam Prolog – the analog stompbox, vs. Roland SPD:One – maker of electronic drums.

Logjam Prolog

You might think there’s only going to be but one sound from this block of wood, but you would be highly mistaken. The Prolog can produce a lot of tones on it’s own. Add in simple effects, and you can get this pedal kickin (pun intended).

The Prolog is a block of wood shaped like a shoe. At the front is a Piezzo pickup microphone. The 1/4″ TRS cable sends the signal to the mixer, where it is equalized, and given effects.

Different sounds can be made by where you strike the block with your foot. Additionally, the type of shoe can play in shaping the sound – harder sole shoes vs. rubber sole shoes.

Main downfall to this pedal is simply the fine tuning with the mixer. You may need an additional EQ pedal to get the sound your looking for. Also, the block can become sensitive depending on how much gain you give the device. It’s still a mic in a box, which can cause sound issues.

Roland SPD:ONE

This is a new concept for Roland – single trigger pads that can work solo, in in a group. The SPD:ONE has 4 different pads. For this review, we’re looking at the SPD:ONE Kick. This pad gives us ten different kick drum sounds, along with various percussive instruments. Casaba, cowbell, claves, hand claps, and even a user channel where you can import your own sound.

The SPD:One runs on 4-AA batteries, or plugs in with the standard BOSS PSA adapter. The trigger also will adjust tone, reverb, and even distortion, to give you some new sounds to work with.

With these features, you can use this like a Kick drum – beats on 1 and 4 – or another instrument on the off-beats or accents (such with the cymbal sound). You can also mount the device to a stand for hand percussive options.

One major issue with this pedal is some of the options are hard to change when you have it on the floor. The “instrument variation” – which allows you to switch between cowbell and claves – is not clear on which position it is in. If you start the song and are in the wrong voice, you might be stuck with it until the end.

In the Video

We look at both pedals, as I play some of my original songs and covers. I switch between the Logjam and Roland, along with use the pedals in tandem. I talk about more pros and cons of both devices.

Where to Get

Get the Roland SPD:ONE Kick here.  Get the Logjam Prolog here.

A stompbox is a great addition for any solo or duo musician. It adds a little while you are singing and playing. It also can lay down a beat so you don’t have to rely on one or two  instruments to do so. A stompbox (or stomp box) also allows a Cajon or hand percussionist to add to their sound.

But with technology comes new ways to get that stompbox sound. Miced blocks of wood can give way to drum pads. Those drum pads can do more than just kick drum, which can change per song. But there is still something about going old school.

So let’s throwdown old vs. new with two products from respected companies. Logjam Prolog – the analog stompbox, vs. Roland SPD:One – maker of electronic drums.

Logjam Prolog

You might think there’s only going to be but one sound from this block of wood, but you would be highly mistaken. The Prolog can produce a lot of tones on it’s own. Add in simple effects, and you can get this pedal kickin (pun intended).

The Prolog is a block of wood shaped like a shoe. At the front is a Piezzo pickup microphone. The 1/4″ TRS cable sends the signal to the mixer, where it is equalized, and given effects.

Different sounds can be made by where you strike the block with your foot. Additionally, the type of shoe can play in shaping the sound – harder sole shoes vs. rubber sole shoes.

Main downfall to this pedal is simply the fine tuning with the mixer. You may need an additional EQ pedal to get the sound your looking for. Also, the block can become sensitive depending on how much gain you give the device. It’s still a mic in a box, which can cause sound issues.

Roland SPD:ONE

This is a new concept for Roland – single trigger pads that can work solo, in in a group. The SPD:ONE has 4 different pads. For this review, we’re looking at the SPD:ONE Kick. This pad gives us ten different kick drum sounds, along with various percussive instruments. Casaba, cowbell, claves, hand claps, and even a user channel where you can import your own sound.

The SPD:One runs on 4-AA batteries, or plugs in with the standard BOSS PSA adapter. The trigger also will adjust tone, reverb, and even distortion, to give you some new sounds to work with.

With these features, you can use this like a Kick drum – beats on 1 and 4 – or another instrument on the off-beats or accents (such with the cymbal sound). You can also mount the device to a stand for hand percussive options.

One major issue with this pedal is some of the options are hard to change when you have it on the floor. The “instrument variation” – which allows you to switch between cowbell and claves – is not clear on which position it is in. If you start the song and are in the wrong voice, you might be stuck with it until the end.

In the Video

We look at both pedals, as I play some of my original songs and covers. I switch between the Logjam and Roland, along with use the pedals in tandem. I talk about more pros and cons of both devices.

Where to Get

Get the Roland SPD:ONE Kick here.  Get the Logjam Prolog here.