Technology and Computing
Imagine a city’s history coming alive. With immersive technologies, this isn’t so far-fetched. As augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) are already making their way to heritage sites, installations, and museums, we will surely soon experience the history of our cities in a whole new way. For now though, we’ve got some things to figure out — is the technology quite there and who decides how and when to recreate history? Growth of Immersive Tech A…
TCL Manufacturers refer to dimming zones differently in their marketing materials. Look for words like “local zones” or “contrast control zones,” and be aware that larger screen sizes could have more zones than smaller ones, even on the same model of TV. Full-array local dimming is no longer mostly reserved for higher-end LED sets, with budget manufacturers offering the feature as standard on cheaper models like the TCL 5-Series. Budget Friendly With Local Dimming Best TV Overall LG C1 Amazon…
Xbox If you have a headset that doesn’t support wireless via its own USB dongle, you can connect it directly to your controller’s 3.5mm stereo jack (above). Even though this isn’t a truly wireless solution, the cable run from your controller to the headset is very short and much better than running a cable across your living room. Just be sure to take your controller with you if you get up to avoid any accidents! Shop for Xbox-Compatible Headsets If…
Ezume Images/Shutterstock.com Edison lights are modern, reproduction bulbs that harken back to the very first lightbulb made by Thomas Edison in 1879: a glass vacuum globe that let you see through to the filament inside. Check out a few modern options below. An Original That Never Goes Out of Style While the Edison bulbs of today aren’t exact replicas of the original electric lamp, they’re warm, ambient lights that can enhance your home’s vintage vibe. Where the original incandescent bulbs…
Tada Images/Shutterstock.com Apple loves to use the term “Retina display” in its marketing materials, but what exactly does this mean? And why are there so many different types of displays that carry this label? Let’s take a closer look at the phrase. It’s All About Pixel Density The term “Retina display” is something Apple made up, and so the term could apply to anything Apple deems “Retina” quality. It first appeared when the iPhone 4 was released in 2010, with…
pozitivo/Shutterstock.com What is the ideal DPI? This is a common question raised by FPS gamers. In fact, there is no standard DPI for players, and the ideal DPI for you is the one that you’re most comfortable with. In simple terms, DPI is short for “Dots Per Inch,” and it’s a measurement that determines how far your mouse cursor moves relative to an inch of mouse movement. This means that a DPI of 1600 gives you a cursor movement of…
slawomir.gawryluk/Shutterstock.com Are you tired of swapping hard drives? Do you need to access data from multiple machines on the same network, often at the same time? It sounds like you need a NAS. Read on to learn more. Network Attached Storage Explained NAS stands for “Network Attached Storage,” while NAS devices are referred to as “NAS drives” or “NAS systems.” They act as centralized network shares for use over a local network. Other machines on the network can connect to…
pozitivo/Shutterstock.com Once relegated as novelty lighting, LED strip lights can now be used everywhere in your home from behind your TV, beneath your kitchen cabinets, and inside your car. Our top picks will get you using these convenient, easy-to-install lights in no time. Table of Contents What to Look For in a LED Strip LightBest LED Strip Light Overall: Govee 65.6ft Strip LightsBest Budget LED Strip Light: TJoy 50ft Smart LED Strip LightsBest Waterproof LED Strip Light: Hitlights Waterproof Warm…
Jack Skeens/Shutterstock.com Pros ✓ Nice middle-ground size✓ Great display✓ Powerful performance Cons ✗ Not as many cameras as Ultra model✗ A little on the pricey side If there’s one Samsung phone that will be a good fit for most people, it’s the Samsung Galaxy S21. While it doesn’t have all the flash and pizazz as the Galaxy S21 Ultra, it hits all the sweet spots. First and foremost, compared to the rest of the S21 series, the regular Galaxy S21…
Raspberry Pi Want to build an affordable computer and wondering where to start? A Raspberry Pi kit can save you the hassle of buying components separately and then figuring out whether everything is compatible. But which kit should you pick up? Here are our recommendations. Table of Contents What to Look for in a Raspberry Pi Kit in 2021Best Raspberry Pi Overall: Vilros Desktop with Touchscreen DisplayBest Budget Raspberry Pi: CanaKit Zero WBest Raspberry Pi Starter Kit: 400 Personal Computer…
RELATEDHow to Stream a PC Game on Twitch with OBS When using a capture card, the source of the audio-visual signal is going to be a game console. While consoles starting with the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One have built-in broadcasting and gameplay recording features, they’re often limited and sometimes even block gameplay from viewers. A capture card not only bypasses the console limitations but also allows you to customize your stream using your PC and broadcasting software (such as…
William Hager/Shutterstock.com Confused by that “Fn” key on your keyboard? “Fn” is actually short for “function,” and lets you access a range of alternative functions for the other keys on your keyboard. Today, we’ll find out how to use it. What Is the Fn Key? The Fn key was originally created due to a lack of space on earlier keyboards. Instead of adding more keys, they were given multiple functions. As an example of one of its uses, the Fn…