mobile devices, technology, food, photography, and culture

Monoprice Select Mini 3D Printer v2 Review

Posted on by Posted in Daily News, Gadgets, Geek Life, Reviews Leave a comment

I was always intimidated by 3D printing because in my mind, it sounded complicated, messy and too time consuming. All of my assumptions were WRONG. It was super easy, this took 5 minutes to setup and the printer did all of the work.

Right out of the box you get the 3D Printer, a memory card with the instructions on it along with a CAD file to print a lucky cat, and filament barely enough to create that lucky cat.

The build quality of the unit itself was pretty solid and well constructed. I’s about the size and weight of a blender and takes up about the same amount of space.

Setting up was really easy. However a printed quick start guide would have been nice and I did have to watch a few YouTube videos to make sure I was doing everything correctly.

Setting up the software was also easy. I just downloaded CURA for my Mac, added the MonoPrice printer and boom, I was set to go. Loading the filament didn’t take too much work and I was ready to print! All I had to do was pop in the memory card with the CAD file, preheated the filament and then hit print and it started.

The process of printing a 3D Lucky Cat took about 2.5 hours, which I did a time lapse on. After printing the cat, I was almost out of the the filament it came with so definitely pick some up if you intend to create more than that.

Again, this is my first 3D printer ever and the first time 3D printing anything so I can’t really compare it to anything else. But at the price point that this is at, and how easy it was!

You can pick one up here: https://amzn.to/2KWmm0M


Super Quick Review and Thoughts of Shining Resonance Refrain on Nintendo Switch

Posted on by Posted in Daily News, Games, Reviews 1 Comment

I beat this game in about 33 hours. Really cheesy typical anime and JRPG elements. Not that much character development except maybe for Yuma, Sonia and Kirika. Dialogue got pretty painful and sometimes dragged and I ended up skipping through a lot of the scenes (thankfully you can do that)!

Game play was fun at the beginning but man, battles started to get annoying and it was too easy even when you play in the more experienced modes. Just load your inventory up on ether, turn into the dragon and have everyone healing you and you will plow right through the game. Most challenging part though was when your party splits off for a brief period of time.

Game did have moments of lag and dips in frame rate on the Switch version, which I’m pretty sure the other versions don’t have.

I admit I enjoyed it and was brainless fun. Going to pick up Ys VIII next, but can’t decide if I should go Switch or PS4. Or I might got for Xenoblade Chronicles II.

Storyline: C
Gameplay: C
Graphics: B
Music: B
Overall: C+


The Best Quiet Allergy Smoke Pet Dander Air Purifier for Your Workspace

Posted on by Posted in Daily News, Gadgets, Geek Life, Workspaces Leave a comment

I have a cat, live in Austin where it gets humid and the pollen is just horrible especially in the spring. And yes I am highly allergic to all of those things so I tried a bunch of allergy medication like Flonase, Allegra, etc. I’ve also tried different air filters and they are either really loud, ineffective, look like something out of the 70s or all of the above. Honestly, I don’t really care how it looks as long as it works.

I did my research and it came down to a few filters. One being the Honeywell HPA200 Air Purifier and the Oregon Scientific Air Purifier. Both are really good and they actually work. I however decided to go for the Oregon Scientific Air Purifier because it looked a lot sleeker, and most importantly the HEPA and Carbon Filters were cheaper to replace. Air quality in my house is a lot better, no one can really smell the cat, and my allergies have really improved. The unit also runs really quiet and doesn’t sound like a jet engine so it’s not annoying.

Pick one one here!


More Prime Deals! Vitamix and Roomba (Update: Deal Expired)

Posted on by Posted in Deals, Gadgets, Geek Life Leave a comment

Amazon Prime Day deals just keep coming and coming which about a day left to wrap up their huge annual sale. A few of the things that I personally picked up included the iRobot Roomba 671 Vacuum for $229.99 which is great for pet hair (I’m a cat owner) and I needed to replace my old 500 series Roomba that’s about 6 years old! The Roomba 671 features:

  • Works with Alexa for voice control (Alexa device sold separately)
  • Clean and schedule from anywhere with the iRobot HOME App; compatible with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant
  • Patented 3-Stage Cleaning System and Dual Multi-Surface Brushes pick up everything from small particles to large debris
  • Full suite of intelligent sensors guide the robot under and around furniture to help thoroughly clean your floors
  • Auto-Adjust Cleaning Head automatically adapts its height to effectively clean carpets and hard floors
  • Runs for up to 90 minutes before automatically docking and recharging


I also picked up a Vitamix Explorian Blender for $189, which is now sold out!

Keep checking Amazon for more Prime Deals!

Prime Day Deal – Essential Phone for $249 (UPDATE: Expired)

Posted on by Posted in Deals, Gadgets Leave a comment

If you need a really good Android Smart Phone without breaking the bank, pick up the Essential Phone right NOW before this runs out. Phone currently goes for $499, but is now only $249 for Prime Day! The Essential Phone features:

  • With a matte finish to both the titanium and ceramic, this Amazon exclusive Essential Phone has a more industrial look while maintaining its elegant design
  • Stunning edge-to-edge Quad HD display—the largest screen-to-body ratio of any smartphone. So you get a massive screen, but on a phone that still fits comfortably in one hand
  • 13MP Dual RGB + Mono Rear camera with Portrait Mode and 4K video recording . Get more natural looking shots and incredible high-resolution video
  • Huge 128GB of storage, included. Save all of your photos and videos without worrying about running out of space. Battery: 3040mAh
  • Never charge your accessories again. With the revolutionary Click Connector, your phone attaches to accessories, magnetically—and even powers them. No cables or adapters needed
  • Includes Amazon Alexa. Get real-time answers to questions, shop for items on Amazon, control devices around your home, access Alexa skills, and more, all with the sound of your voice
  • Android 8.1 Oreo now available! Improves phone and camera performance. And it adds lots of useful, new features like Picture-in-Picture, Smart text selection, and more
  • Award-winning MQA technology to deliver studio quality music listening on the go.
  • A 3-month TIDAL HiFi subscription for new and existing Essential Phone customers with access to thousands of MQA tracks. Visit essential.com/audio to redeem the Tidal offer.

 


Deals! Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV Family Heavily Discounted! (Update: Deal Expired)

Posted on by Posted in Daily News, Deals, Gadgets, Geek Life Leave a comment

Kicking off Prime Day, Amazon has put on heavy discounts on their Fire TV devices. All of these included a remote and is a great travel companion when you don’t want to watch the garbage they have in the hotel rooms or when you’re staying at places that don’t have a Smart TV and you need your fix of Stranger Things and Arrested Development. Visiting your in-laws or grandma won’t be so bad after all!

All the Fire TV devices come with a remote so you can still sit on your lazy ass and enjoy your Netflix, Hulu, and Prime TV!

Now if you are in need of a new 4K SmartTV altogether, you can pick up a Toshiba 50-inch LED 4K TV with Amazon Fire TV built in for $289!!!


Amazing Deal! Sandisk Ultra 200GB Micro SDXC UHS-I for $45

Posted on by Posted in Daily News, Deals, Geek Life Leave a comment

Do you take a lot of photos or video? Afraid of running out of space on your Nintendo Switch? Amazon now has a crazy deal on the 200GB Micro SDXC UHS-I by Sandisk for $45.60 with free shipping. Don’t miss out!

If yo don’t want to spend that much either, you can get the 16GB for $8!

You can pick it up here!


Your Built in TV Speakers Suck – At Least Get a Great Sound Bar for Cheap!

Posted on by Posted in Daily News, Gadgets, Geek Life Leave a comment

When I got my first 4K TV (a really nice LG display), I thought I would be able to deal with the built in speakers. I was too lazy to setup a true surround sound system and more importantly, couldn’t really afford it. The sound coming from the TV’s built in speakers were garbage. It was hard to hear any of the dialogue and a lot of the sound was muffled mainly because the built in speakers projected downward due to the thin build of the TV.

Then I discovered the sound bars. They are a practical, low cost solution in getting great sound without needing to break the bank. The TaoTronics Sound Bar is an example for getting really good 2.0 stereo sound for $70 and it doesn’t require any drilling, mounting, and takes up very little space. Here’s what it features:

  • 25″ Sound Bar: No need to have a spacious living room to enjoy better audio playback! This compact soundbar installs unobtrusively in bedrooms and small environments. (Note: Please use the adapter contained within the package)
  • Dual Wired and Wireless: Pair via Bluetooth from up to 33 ft / 10 m or connect with the in-unit 3.5 mm, RCA, and optical inputs
  • Multiple Setups, Multiple Options: Sits flat below the TV screen or securely mounts on the wall for a sleek, elegant home theater setup
  • Easy to Use and Operate: High-sensitivity IR remote control displays the different modes by means of differently colored LED lights
  • Optical Connection for Clearer Sound: Plug in via the included optical cable for a more pure, unaltered audio reproduction

You can pick one up here for free shipping!


Got $750? EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti SC Black Edition GAMING

Posted on by Posted in Daily News, Gadgets, Games, Geek Life Leave a comment

Don’t want to spend $6699 on an “underpowered” MacBook Pro 2018 and want to ascend to the PC Master Race? You can put that money to good use by buying a kickass Nvidia EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti SC Black Edition graphics card and build your own desktop for a lot less money. The GeForce GTX 1080 Ti is the best way to experience all your games such as Far Cry, Skyrim, PUBG, Overwatch, Rocket League, Battle Front, Dark Souls, and your Oculus VR games at maxed out settings. The Nvidia EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti SC Black Edition features:

  • Real Base Clock: 1556 MHz/Real Boost Clock: 1670 MHz; Memory Detail: 11GB GDDR5X. Redesigned cooling with L-shaped contact fins to improve contact surface area for better heat dissipation
  • EVGA iCX Cooling – Delivering industry-leading cooling performance to your Graphics Card. Vulkan API
  • Requirements-Minimum of a 600 Watt power supply. An available 6-pin PCI-E power connector and an available 8 pin PCI-E power connector.Total Power Draw- 250 Watts
  • New vented heatsink fin design and pin fins for optimized airflow. An available 6-pin PCI-E power connector and an available 8 pin PCI-E power connector
  • DX12 OSD Support with EVGA Precision XOC. Stream extreme GeForce GTX PC gaming experiences to portable device like NVIDIA SHIELD with super-smooth, low-latency performance

Seriously, if all you do is play Fortnite, you don’t need that kind of power. Stick with the Switch or a Mac! I’m kidding. Sort of.

Pick up the Nvidia EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti SC Black Edition!


Octopath Traveler for Nintendo Switch Released and Reviewed

Posted on by Posted in Daily News, Games, Reviews Leave a comment

One of the most anticipated titles by Square Enix is now out in North America and the reviews have been very positive!

Eight travelers. Eight adventures. Eight roles to play in a new world brought to life by Square Enix. And now, you can enjoy all of them in the new demo. Step into the shoes and live the stories of each of the eight travelers and freely explore the world of Orsterra. Then, carry your choices and adventure into the main game with save data transfer.

Use each character’s special abilities in and out of battle. Break through enemy defenses by discovering and targeting weaknesses. Store Boost Points with each turn and then spend them at strategic times to strengthen abilities, chain attacks, or provide aid. Choose the path you wish to walk and discover what lies beyond the horizon.

IGN has scored it at 9.3 “Amazing”
Gamespot has scored it 8 out of 10 “Great”
Overall Metacritic score is 84

If you’re a fan of strategic turn based combat, JRPGs, and Square Enix games, this would definitely be worth checking out. Octopath Traveler is currently in my backlog of games along with Ys VIII, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Shining Resonance Refrain. Still waiting on Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger, and a Mario RPG Remake to be on the Switch! It is pretty exciting that the Nintendo Switch is getting more and more titles by the day though!