How to Keep Your Phone Charged Without an Outlet

A solar powered charger will provide power without an outlet. Flexibility, portability and compactness are the key benefits this type of charger offers along with complete peace of mind for any user regarding having a charged phone.


You can operate a solar powered phone charger (like SUAOKI 25W ) by either using re-chargeable batteries or re-charging your phone directly from a solar panel, which transforms environmentally friendly solar energy into power.


However, a re-chargeable battery also needs to be previously charged by a solar panel and can then be used to charge any mobile at any time.


The speed that a phone will charge could fluctuate and there are a number of reasons for this such as the size of the panel in use and the degree of sunlight at the time of charging.


Another factor that could have an impact is cloud formation; an example of this being a heavy cloud passing over the solar panel at the time of the charge.


This occurrence could reduce power output drastically and even cease the charging process. In this situation, a phone might need completely re-setting before it would accept a charge regardless of whether the panel it is connected to is producing power or not.


The ways a phone can be charged vary. Dependent on its manufacturer, you might find that some will not accept a triple charge while others will only accept a charge at a particular rate.
With this in mind, it is advisable to consult the manufacturer’s literature to reduce the risk of any frustrating experiences.
Why Use Solar Chargers for Your Phone?
There is an excess of cell phone users around the world today - around 6.8 billion, which means that there are as many mobile phone subscriptions as there are people (7 billion) on earth.
Using solar powered charging solutions for your phone helps you reduce environmental impacts. Apart from being eco-friendly, there are also some other reasons why these type of phone chargers should be in use.
It is estimated that 600 million people have no way of re-charging their phones simply because a source of electricity is unavailable. For this reason, being able to re-charge mobile phones even in remote places and places where electricity is not available has become a necessity.
Similarly, when travelling, normal charging facilities are not always readily available, so having a backup charging device could become a very important part of your luggage, in case an emergency arises.

Oculus Rift DK2 Review

It’s been more than a year since the Oculus Rift DK1 headset shipped to developers.

Since then we’ve enjoyed 12 months of blurry, head-tracked virtual reality gaming, and it’s been mind-blowing. We’d go so far as to say the last year has been the most exciting 12 months of gaming that we can remember. Developers have released some incredible games for the Rift, including Among The Sleep, My Neighbor Totoro and Lunar Flight; and there are more to come, including Technolust, Radial-G and Dreadhalls 2.

Needless to say, the OCULUS RIFT DK2 has been highly anticipated; not only by those developing games but also those desperate to get in on the VR craze. When it became available to pre-order back in May, the company advised consumers to wait for the final hardware kit in 2015; but few are patient enough to wait that long, resulting in more than 40,000 pre-orders to date. It’s easy to understand why, because the DK2 introduces a full 1080p display that dramatically improves the image quality, it comes with a positional camera that enables players to lean forward or side to side; its display features richer colours and true blacks, and the software powering it is more versatile and advanced.

Today our DK2 box arrived via UPS, three days late after being left in a depot by accident. We tore it open, took some photos and gave it a spin. Here’s our in-depth first impressions and review…
What’s in the box

It turns out to be quite a lot. There’s a bewildering amount of unwrapping to be done, and there are silica gel packs everywhere (we counted seven in total). Here’s the full list of cables and equipment within the DK2 box, each wrapped carefully in crisp plastic bags:
Oculus Rift DK2 Headset
Positional Camera
USB to USB-mini cable
HDMI to DVI Adapter
DC Power Adapter
Four international power plugs
Near-sighted lens cups
Positional Tracker sync cable (looks like a stereo audio cable)
Lens cleaning cloth

While on the subject of the DK2 box, don’t expect to receive a sturdy carry case as with the original DK1. Instead, it comes packaged in a cardboard box, with a plastic handle and logo printed on the side. It’s a nice box, and should stand the test of time, but it doesn’t have that premium feel of the DK1.
Hardware


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Unwrap the DK2 and it’s immediately apparent that this is a new piece of kit. Its edges are rounded, and it feels more solid in the hand. But the first thing that really leapt out at us were the lens cups; they’re huge compared to the DK2. We were hoping this would lead to a better FOV, but that’s not the case, as we’ll discuss later in the review.

The headset is slightly heavier than the DK1 (440g compared the DK1 at 380g), but it’s just as comfortable on the head. We struggled to feel any difference in weight. Two screws on either side of the headset enable you to move the display forwards and backwards – just as they did on the DK1 – but here they appear to be slightly larger, with clearer indents for each setting. Out of the box the screen is at it’s nearest setting, so we had to move it back by 2/3rds to stop the lenses touching our eyes.

The front of the device hides several infrared lights that the positional camera uses to track your movements. You can’t see them, giving the front of the device a nice clean appearance. The HDMI and USB cables are now intertwined together, and come out of the top of the headset, running through the top strap and then over your back, before splitting into two at the end. It’s a nice and tidy arrangement that simplifies the setup, and means there’s one less cable running across your body.

The top of the headset has a small power button and LED light. Again, this simplifies things greatly when compared to the DK1 with it’s hardware box with multiple buttons. The LED has two colours: blue for when the screen is active and orange for when it’s off but the headset is connected.

As for the feel of the headset, it’s solid and smooth. It feels more expensive than the DK1, and has the appearance of a finished product, instead of a prototype. Oculus could put this on-sale today and we don’t think any consumers would complain about build quality.
Set-up process



It’s a good idea to read the brief instructions pamphlet before setting up the DK2, because it contains a simple step-by-step guide to getting everything working correctly. In short, the first step is download and install the latest Oculus Sofftare Development Kit. This installs the drivers for the positional camera alongside a small piece of software called ‘Oculus Runtime’, which is used to setup the device and configure it.

After the software is up and running it’s time to set-up the hardware. You begin by checking that the two cables are properly inserted into the headset. This is done by pulling up the front cover and looking at the cables. In our case everything was plugged in and ready to go. Next, the HDMI and USB cables need to be plugged into the back of the PC (or Mac when the SDK supports it). Simple, but if you’re short on a spare HDMI port than a DVI to HDMI adapter is included in the box.

The positional camera then needs to be connected and set-up. First, a mini USB cable needs to be inserted into the camera, with the other end plugged into the cable connector box, which is located towards the end of the DK2 headset cable. The camera itself then needs to be placed on top of your monitor or on a secure tripod (any movement or shaking will result in erratic head tracking). For optimal performance it needs to be located around 1.5 meters (5 feet) away from your head. That gives it a clear line of sight, but we can imagine quite a few gamers having trouble finding space, especially in small bedrooms.
Display Switching

The Oculus Rift DK2 no long mirrors or extends your desktop. Instead, games and apps display directly on the Rift screen, with a windowed preview displaying on the main monitor. Additionally, the DK2 display only turns on when a Rift game is running on the computer. It’s a small change to how the Rift display functions, but it’s a vast improvement, saving power and generating less heat. To indicate when the screen is on, a small LED on top of the headset changes colour. When the screen is off the LED is coloured orange, but when a Rift game is opened the LED turns blue.
Positional Tracking



The DK2 comes with a small webcam that sits above your monitor. Well, we call it a webcam, but the lens is mirrored, reflecting either your own face or the wall behind you. That’s because the camera isn’t for taking selfies or video calling, but instead tracks several infrared lights (hidden behind the front of the headset), and uses these to monitor the movements of your head in real-time. That means you can lean forward for a closer look at something, or peer over the edge of a wall to get a better look. It’s a subtle effect, but a vast improvement to the realism of gaming on the Rift, and it should alleviate the motion sickness that some have experienced with the DK1.
Visual Improvements

The new 1080p display is the biggest improvement over the DK1 headset. It uses the same panel found in the Samsung Galaxy S5, meaning it’s a pentile screen, so pixels don’t look square but instead more like small hexagons. Does it make for a vastly sharper screen when compared to the DK1? Yes, but it could be better. There’s still a screen-door effect, but it’s not as pronounced and everything is easier to see. In-game menus are now legitimately readable, which means no more taking the Rift off to squint at text on the monitor screen, aliasing is reduced, and colours are more vibrant. At the time of writing there’s a shimmering effect whenever something black moves across the screen. It’s instantly noticeable, and actually made us go cross-eyed, but Oculus have confirmed that a fix is due in an up-coming SDK release.

We spoke earlier about the new eye cups, which are considerably larger now. We were hoping this would increase the “sweet spot”, where the image is sharp and clear, but unfortunately it doesn’t. If anything it’s the same, and because the image is sharper it’s now very obvious when one of the cups isn’t perfectly aligned. It also appears that the DK2 renders graphics with a field-of-view of around 100 degrees, compared to 110 of the DK1 (here’s an image comparing the two). That means you see less detail around your peripheral vision, but with less detail to render we can confirm that games now run at a higher framerate than those using the same resolution on the DK1. One other note: the blinkered effect, where a black edge appears on the left and right of your vision, seems to be more prominent in the DK2.
Gaming



Right now owning a DK2 is a mixed blessing. It’s nice to have the latest hardware, but from a gamers perspective there’s little to play. That’s because every DK1-compatible game has to be re-compiled with the latest Oculus Rift SDK for it to work on the DK2; there are simply too many hardware differences at play here for the software to natively work out of the box. At the time of writing only Millennium Falcon Experience and Vanguard Valkyrie works on the DK2 without any issues (edit: Vanguard Valkyrie appears to have been taken down due to an intellectual property dispute!) Every other game, including Radial-G and Technolust, require some tinkering before they run properly with head tracking in place. We’ve got a vast list of DK2 compatible games hereon The Rift Arcade website, and we’re updating it live as games become available, so keep an eye on it if you’re lucky to already own a DK2.

So what’s it like to play a working native game on the DK2? It’s like playing a HD game for the first time, or going from an old iPhone to one with a Retina Display. The difference is immediate and dramatic. Everything is sharper, making it easier to spot enemies or explore alien worlds. Textures look richer, models look more detailed; it’s simply more immersive and realistic. However, the downside to seeing VR through sharper goggles is quickly apparent. The distant hills in the Tuscany demo now look jagged and low-res, and blurry textures are immediately apparent. It’s a bit like seeing an emulated game from years gone by, now rendered on an LCD instead of a CRT television.

Aside from graphics, the positional tracking adds a wonderful sense of freedom to gaming. When standing on the balcony of the Tuscan villa, you can now lean forward to peer over the bannister. When you’re stood against a wall you can literately stand up to look over it. The same goes for Technolust: you can now crouch down and look under tables, or lean forward to take a closer look at the arcade machines. However, the movement doesn’t seem to match my own 1-to-1, there’s less movement than I’m actually making. It doesn’t ruin the immersion, but it’s certainly noticeable.
Conclusion


If you’ve been desperate to experience the DK2 for quite some time, or envious of those who already have one, then it’s time to temper any expectations that you may have had. Sure, the DK2 is technological leap over the first prototype, but right now that huge library of Rift games sitting on your hard drive won’t work with the DK2, and the demos that are available need some serious tinkering before they work properly. Of course, we all knew that; the Oculus Rift DK2 is just that: a developer kit, intended for development use only.

But there’s clear potential here, and the improvements are both exciting and promising. The hardware is vastly improved, and the software is showing clear signs of promise, with a dedicated config tool that has separate user accounts, so you can swap between players without having to change software measurements and configurations.

The team of Oculus have made massive strides over the last year, and it feels as though they’ve created a piece of kit that’s ready for consumers to purchase and enjoy. With continued work on the SDK, and some tweaks to FOV and rendering, the DK2 could easily pass for a finished product. Now we just need some more games to play.

A Guide to Hiring an SEO Provider

If your business has some online elements (for example, a site), then NY SEO services are essential to the continuing success of your organization. You may have the priciest website on your industry, but without internet traffic (traffic) to this website, it is essentially useless. It's not only traffic that you want, but targeted visitors. A good quality best SEO company New York might provide relevant, consistent internet visitors to your site(s). This guide will allow you, as a non-expert, to distinguish between good and poor SEO company New York. There are many of both kinds, this guide should help you to find the good ones.

SEO company New York needs to be executed in a means that is successful in achieving your local SEO NYC goals and providing that all important purposeful presence on the World Wide Web.

Quality affordable local SEO services are crucial investment when it comes to developing effective growth and growth plans.

Ineffective google best local SEO company execution leaves your New York City SEO company efforts wholly inefficient and a waste of your cash.

4 things you Want to know and understand before Choosing local SEO agencies:

1) Selecting a search engine optimization provider ought to be seen as an investment in your company. You should not view it as a business investment, but rather a business strategy and an effective way of improving your company presence in your company sector. Do your best not to start your hunt with the intention of "purchasing some best local SEO services". Employing best local SEO company supplier ought to be viewed rather than hiring a worker that knows and cares about your company and its Internet objectives.

2) The first page of Google (or some other search engine) is all. Few individuals ever visit the second page of the search results. Google is really good at being a search engine that people kindly expect Google's ability to deliver the most relevant results on the first page. Think of how often you click on the second page. This usually means that if your business isn't on the very first page, it is almost as good as nowhere. The top rankings on page one get the most clicks, which diminish as you advance downwards on the web page.

3) The 'large' keywords aren't everything. It's much better to be on the very first page for some smaller keywords than attempt to rank for bigger keywords rather than be on the very first page at all. For instance, an accountancy company in Preston might not rank for the highly competitive keyword 'accountant' (unless they have a lot of SEO services NYC funds and time to wait around for rankings); however, the exact same business could rank highly for the keyword 'chartered accountant Preston'. A great SEO services New York  should research the keywords your business could realistically rank on page one for and keywords that have enough search volume to be rewarding for your organization to try rank for.

4) SEO services NYC is about beating your competitors. There's absolutely not any certainty in the internet search engines to state you will be on the first page of Google if you do certain things. Put simply, best local SEO Functions like That:

The search engines have their conventions; sites that conform to providing the search engines what they need will wind up reaching better search engine rankings. The only thing standing between you and the top spots in the search rankings is the competitors. Not your true business opponents, however your online competitions. The websites that currently have the top spots in the various search engines for your desired keywords are your online contest, and you want to conquer them from these top spots. Some keywords will be easy to rank for, others will be more difficult. It is only your online competition that dictates that is going to be the situation for each individual keyword. A fantastic affordable SEO company will find out more about the contest for every one of your keywords and phrases. Next, following the best keywords for your business enterprise industry have been identified they should be put into place in line with point number three above.

WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE GATE1® GA2500 SLIDE GATE OPENER

Having sliding gates ( for example: MIGHTY MULE MM360 )is one of the best decisions you can make as a homeowner. By doing this, you will be killing two birds with one stone. You will be adding a touch of beauty and sophistication to your home as well as beefing up security within your compound.

You need to install a sliding gate opener to enable you have the experience of sliding gates. There are various kinds of sliding gate openers in the market but not all of them are effective. You need to be careful when selecting a gate opener as you may end up with a poorly designed one that doesn't function appropriately. One of the most recommended openers is Gate1® GA2500 Slide gate opener. With this device, you will seldom go wrong.

Why you should choose Gate1® GA2500 Slide gate opener

Gate1® GA2500 Slide gate opener has a number of features which make it outstanding and the ideal choice for your gate. It is an automatic gate opener that is very easy to install. Installing it only takes a few minutes and then your gate is ready to slide outwards and open or inwards and close.

The gate opener is very easy to operate as it has a low profile design. It is designed to allow gate slide either to the left or to the right. This offers you the freedom to open your gate in either direction. Furthermore, you don't have to be concerned about locking the gate because it automatically locks when you are not operating the opener.

The efficient opener is designed for residential use it is electronically powered and requires an input AC power of 120V. Its output power is 24V. The device also has accessory input terminals.

In addition to everything, the opener is Wi-Fi enabled and has a built-in receiver. It also has an integrated anti-trapment reversing system and a reliable mechanical internal limit switch. The device is also allows for emergency key release and it is equipped with a nickel plated #40 chain.

Advantages of the gate opener

By using this opener, you will experience minimal noise disturbance. The device is extremely quiet and works very efficiently. An open or close sensitivity adjustment is also provided. You can therefore adjust it to function as efficiently as possible. The opener can be used to operate a gate of up to 1500Lbs and 30 Feet.

The safety and durability aspect of the opener is also catered for it has a weatherproof high-density polyethylene cover that protects it from damage. On top of everything, the device also comes with a limited lifetime warranty motor for residential applications.

You should buy the opener

If you are a homeowner wishing to have a sliding gate, you should by all means buy Gate1® GA2500 Slide gate opener. It functions very effectively and will certainly give you value for your money. Remember your home's security is very crucial and you need to only make the best decision in regards to it

Inspirational messages, handmade arts at Winthrop’s Purple Sage

Kyrie and Kathleen Jardin sit among handmade quilts for sale at Purple Sage …. Methow Style in Winthrop. Photo by Laurelle Walsh

Purple Sage … Methow Style is a “fun and funky” collection of handmade art, crafts, textiles, jewelry and decorative pieces in a bright storefront on the boardwalk in Winthrop.

Kyrie and Kathleen Jardin opened the doors of their new Riverside Avenue store on July 9, only one week before the Carlton Complex wildfires began raging and casting a pall over the valley at the height of its normally busy tourist season. The Jardins are still playing catch up.

“I haven’t minded that people didn’t know we were open,” said Kathleen, who spent much of the last two months dealing with the fire’s impact on the couple’s primary business, Central Reservations, a lodging service that handles most of the guest house, cabin and inn rentals in the valley.

When the power went out and evacuation orders were issued — one day before thousands of festival-goers were to descend upon the valley for the Winthrop Rhythm and Blues Festival — the Jardins were forced to relocate the business across the mountains. They began dealing with cancellations and issuing refunds that totaled over $100,000 before they were through.

But once they were able to return to Winthrop, Jardin re-opened the Purple Sage and derived strength from the art and inspirational messages printed on windowpanes hanging from the store’s ceiling, she said. Most inspiring to her is the message that hangs above the counter: “Don’t worry, everything’s going to be amazing.”

“The written word inspires me,” said Jardin. “It brings me vim and vigor.”

The Purple Sage features the work of many artists whom Jardin knew throughout her career as executive director of the Northwest Art Alliance, producer of the Best of the Northwest art shows, and owner of a gallery on Whidbey Island.

“This is art made by hands you can shake,” said Jardin, who has hand-lettered cards posted next to each artist’s work, describing who they are and how their art is made. “People want to buy art made by real people with a story.”

Select pieces in the large front window attract the attention of passers by, and a glass-paned door opens onto an inviting entry framed with meaningful quotations. A collection of handmade quilts drapes over a loveseat, and one-of-a-kind furniture and lamps by local artists Jim Gaston, Thome George and Barry Stromberger are featured front and center.

A stroll through the store reveals a variety of eclectic items ranging from cast concrete stepping stones to ceramics, greeting cards, hand-painted tables, thumb pianos, and cozy bedroom slippers made from all-recycled materials.

Also on display are Jardin’s own hand-painted silk scarves and garments, and color-coordinated enamel jewelry, which she has sold at art shows throughout the Northwest and nationwide for the past 26 years.

The Jardins encourage visitors to wander down the alley between the Purple Sage and the Arrowleaf Bistro to view more outdoor art and sit overlooking the river, where they hope the town’s riverwalk trail will pass through someday. “We envision an outdoor courtyard for art here. Our aspirations are big, but our pocket book is not so big,” Jardin said.

Store hours roughly correspond to the 9 a.m.-4 p.m. business hours of Central Reservations, whose office adjoins the Purple Sage through open glass doors. Presently, the store is open on weekends as well, but those hours are variable, depending on staffing, Jardin said.

Purple Sage … Methow Style is located at 245 Riverside Ave. in Winthrop. Call 996-2148 for more information.

Why Companies like Lyft, Uber, Postmates, Instacart etc Will Never Be Profitable.

The Pony Express
In 1860, the Pony Express moved mail between St Joseph’s, Missouri and Sacramento, California. Utilizing 200 relief horses along the route, the Pony Express delivered Lincoln’s first inaugural address from Nebraska to California in seven days and 17 hours. It was the company’s and the worlds fastest ever delivery of mail and it ushered in the era of high speed mail delivery. The horse riders who delivered the mail had a weight limit, between 100 to 125 pounds, to ensure they did not overburden the horses. One rider claimed he was 11 years old when he joined the Pony Express. The rider needed to be the size of an 11yr old, the weight limit was that strict!

Unfortunately, a mere 19 months after it launched, the company owners, William H. Russell, William B. Waddell and Alexander Majors, shut down the Pony Express. The company lost ~$200k (~$5M in 2017) for the period the business existed. While the financial losses crippled the business, it was the transcontinental telegraph that truly killed the Pony Express. After delivering 35,000 pieces of mail and traveling half a million miles, what disrupted the then-disruptive Pony Express was a new technology. A technology that looked nothing like the horses it disrupted and cost a lot cheaper than the resources required to provide the same service, deliver messages between people.

How to Simplify the Business Side of Photography

I think we can all agree that the fun part of being a photographer is taking photos and interacting with clients.

I think we can also agree that the less-than-fun aspects of photography are all the business tasks that seem to take up so much of the day.

You know, managing tasks, creating contracts, following up on leads, and so forth.

These are necessary evils of the self-employed photographer, no matter how much time they eat up over the course of the day.

But what if I told you that there’s a way you can simplify the business side of photography and spend much less time managing your studio and much more time actually taking photos?