6 of the Best Apps for Creating and Recording Music on Linux

When people think of typical Linux users, they probably think of programmers, system administrators, and other techies. While Linux operating systems can certainly be great for this type of user, that’s far from the only type of person they’re good for. Linux is just as good for creatives as it is technical types. If you’re a musician on a budget, Linux might be attractive as there is a wealth of music production apps available. Whether you’re composing a score or mixing an album, there is software available to help you out. 1. Ardour Ardour is a Linux-native digital audio workstation (DAW), the equivalent of an… Read more

ANCEL AD310 Classic Enhanced Universal OBD II Scanner Car Engine Fault Code Reader review


REVIEW – While I am not a mechanic, I am quite handy as a jack of all trades, and over the years I have tinkered with many of the used vehicles that I owned before I started to lease new vehicles. I was always interested in the devices that I would see at the mechanic shop and when I first heard about the incorporation of the ODB Connector in newer vehicles, I was intrigued about its function and capability. Although my current vehicle is new, I was excited to see what insight I can gain via the ANCEL AD310 Classic Enhanced Universal OBD II Scanner Car Engine Fault Code Reader when I connect it to my vehicle. Here is how it turned out!

What is it?

The Ancel AD310 scanner is a well-built device with a nice size LCD display (128 x 64 pixels) that has a white backlight and contrast adjustment. It is able to display the test results directly on the screen which makes it a very mobile all-in-one package. This is also true because it gets the power directly from the OBDII Data Link Connector in your vehicle, so there is no need for batteries or an external power supply.

What’s in the box


1 x ANCEL AD310 Classic Enhanced Universal OBD II Scanner Car Engine Fault Code Reader
1 x User Manual

Design and features

Specifications
Display: Backlit, 128 x 64 pixels display with contrast adjustment
Operating temperature: 0 to 60 °C (32 to 140 °F)
Storage temperature: -20 to 70 °C (-4 to 158 °F)
External power: 8.0 to 18.0 V power provided via vehicle battery
Product weight: 300g

Features

  • Works on all 1996 and newer OBD II compliant US, 2000 and newer OBD II
    European, 2005 and newer OBDII Asian vehicles
  • Reads hard (memory) / pending (intermittent) and historic codes and shows definitions
  • Turns off Check Engine light, clear codes and resets monitors
  • Reads live data stream
  • View freeze frame data
  • I/M monitor readiness test
  • Retrieves vehicle information
  • Supports CAN (Controller Area Network) and all other current OBD II protocols Built-in OBD II Fault code lookup library


The Ancel Scanner comes with a built-in 2. 5’ long cable that is well insulated. There are 4 buttons on the scanner that include the Up and Down buttons for scrolling the menu, and the Enter and Exit buttons for accessing and exiting menus and settings.

On the other end of the cable, there is the OBD Connector.

Performance

When I plugged in the Ancel AD310 to the OBD Connector in my truck the screen lit up immediately and the logo ANCEL appeared on the screen. After a couple of seconds, and just as indicated in the manual, the following screen appeared. This just required me to turn the ignigiton to the on position and not to actually start the vehicle. (Please Note: all of the following pictures in this section were taken with a cell phone camera in the dark underneath my dashboard):

I am no expert on this type of device, but what I like is the amount of information it provides and its ability to erase codes, clear the check engine light and diagnose system issues which I am assuming includes faulty sensors, etc. Since my vehicle is new, it is not a good test subject to truly validate the capabilities of this device. However, as soon as I hear from one of my friends that their check engine light is on or that their vehicle is not performing properly, I will be on my way to them with this device and will post an update after should my visit yield any relevant information. The following are screenshots of some of the screens/options that are available:









Once I was done playing around with the options and screens, I selected exit and the folloing screen appeared:
Of course I started my truck afterwards to make sure that I did not create an issue with all of my playing around. LOL.

What I like

  • Its build quality
  • The display
  • The ease of use
  • No need for external power

What can be improved

  • The User Manual print is too small (At least for my naked eyes)

Final thoughts

The ANCEL AD310 is a very handy tool that simplifies much of what we see mechanics do when we take our cars to the shop. Years ago, it seemed like such a device was too technical for the average person and required a qualified mechanics with a complicated tool to clear a check engine light or to diagnose a faulty sensor. Paying for a part to be replaced was one thing, but paying expensive shop rates for simple diagnosis was hurtful. Now, with a device like this, you can have a bit of change left in your pocket to purchase the over-priced replacement part. This device is reasonably priced and in my opinion, is a great bang for the buck. (Disclaimer: my opinion is subject to change if it does not actually perform as advertised once I get to check the next faulty vehicle that I get my hands on)

Price: $34.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Sample: The sample for this review was provided by Ancel

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ANCEL AD310 Classic Enhanced Universal OBD II Scanner Car Engine Fault Code Reader review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 11, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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BuWizz gives your LEGO creations bionic powers

NEWS – LEGO builders will want to take note of the impressive features of the BuWizz. BuWizz is a deceivingly small remote control and battery for LEGO built into one brick. Believe it or not, this little addon for your LEGO Technic creations has enough power to pull a 7-ton (15,000 lbs) train carriage from 1860 filled with passengers (I’ve confirmed that the passengers are not from 1860). Don’t believe me? Just watch the video below.

If you want to add this awesomeness to your next LEGO build, head over to BuWizz and plunk down $134.

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BuWizz gives your LEGO creations bionic powers originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 11, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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Hairmax LaserBand 82 hair growth laser light device review

REVIEW – As a man starting to hit middle age a lot faster than I would like, one of the biggest realities I’ve had to face is the onset of male pattern baldness. In all reality, I could think of much worse fates to be honest, but around Christmas, I had a picture taken from behind and it was an eye-opener as I realized the spot on the back of my head was thinning much faster than I had thought. I have naturally thin hair as well, so any additional thinning just isn’t a good thing for me. So, when the call was sent out for a review of the Hairmax LaserBand 82, I jumped at the chance. Worse case scenario in my mind was that I’d be no worse off in the end.

Now, this review is going to be a bit different from most reviews here at the Gadgeteer. While most products we look at are pretty straight forward and can be reviewed in a day or two, this product recommends a full 26-week usage cycle to see full results, with continued usage beyond that time period to maintain results. Thus, I will have this initial post with my first 4 weeks of usage and then updates monthly until I reach the full 26 week period. Before I get into the meat of the article, let’s get the basics out of the way.

What is it?

The Hairmax LaserBand 82 is a laser therapy device intended to reverse the hair miniaturization process by stimulating and energizing hair follicles using a crescent-shaped laser band that you move across your head in 30 second or 4 second intervals. Three treatments a week for about 90-120 seconds per treatment is sufficient to provide results according to their documentation.

What’s in the box?

  • HairMax LaserBand 82
  • Charging Cord
  • Product Instructions and Usage Guide
  • Storage Bag

Design and features

The LaserBand is rather lightweight at 15 ounces. The 82 in the product name refers to the 82 laser heads within the band that provide the laser therapy. There are removable teeth on the front and back of the unit that help part and move hair out of the way to expose your scalp to the lasers throughout the treatment. I note that these are removable because you can order different size teeth based on your head size to adjust the fit of the band. Turning the unit on is very simple, there is a power button on the right side of the unit that you press once for 30-second treatments or twice for the 4-second treatments. At each interval, it vibrates to let you know when to move it back to the next section of your scalp. If using 30-seconds, you go through one full movement front-to-back through your hair, if you use the 4-second interval then you do 6 cycles front-to-back to complete a treatment.

Also, it has a pretty cool Sci-fi look to it during treatments!

Setup

Other than providing a 4-5 hour charging period before your first treatment, there isn’t much set-up to this device unless you find you need to change out the teeth for head size adjustment – instructions for doing so are included but you’ll need to buy the teeth separately.

There are guidelines on who this treatment is optimal for, as well as results for patients who have been subject to clinical trials.

From the chart above, you can see there are varying hair types that have proven to be successful. I fit within the category III for men. Unfortunately, this product hasn’t been clinically tested for Type 5 or 6 skin types, which is listed as dark brown and black skin tones. Now this doesn’t mean it won’t work, just that it hasn’t been clinically tested on those skin types. I fit in Type 1 skin tone.

Performance

The documentation included within the package indicates that weeks 0-12 will most likely not produce noticeable results. But I took a picture each week to keep track. Upper left is week 1, upper right is week 2, lower left is week 3 and lower right is week 4.

So, as you can see, there isn’t much as far as visible results thus far, but that is to be expected. This will provide a good basis for comparison as the weeks go along.

As far as the actual device, it is not uncomfortable to use at all. The teeth feel just like a heavy comb or brush as I push the unit back through my hair. It’s recommended to keep it as tight to the scalp as possible as you move it, so it kind of massages the scalp along the way as well. There are several warnings to refrain from looking directly into the lights, which isn’t always the easiest to do when taking the unit off your head. Turning the unit off takes a long press of the power button, but you have to be looking at it to know whether it turned off or not. Maybe having an additional distinct vibration when powering off would be helpful to avoid the risk.

What I like

  • Ready to go out of the box, no assembly, simply charge it.
  • Easy to use, 3 times a week in 90-120 treatments.
  • Comfortable – I was really afraid the band wouldn’t feel comfortable sitting on my head.

What needs to be improved

  • Power button isn’t easy to use while also avoiding eye exposure on some level when removing the device
  • I’ll hold off on any other “needs improvement” until I’m further into the treatments.

Not-Quite-Final thoughts

Thus far, the Hairmax LaserBand 82 has been a breeze to use. I’m hopeful that in another 8-12 weeks, I’ll see some significant changes start to take place. At the $799.00 price point, I would expect that it does produce some recognizable results.

Until my next update, thanks for stopping by.

Price: $799.00
Where to buy: Hairmax Website or Amazon for $10 less.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Hairmax.

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Hairmax LaserBand 82 hair growth laser light device review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 11, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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Walmart pickup towers a huge improvement

ARTICLE – I wrote earlier about Walmart’s new grocery pickup. In the comments, someone complained about Walmart’s regular pickup, and I agreed that it was less than ideal. Several times I’ve ordered from Walmart online, and either because it wasn’t available to ship, I didn’t want to pay for shipping, or I wanted the item right away, I went to the store to pick it up.

Well, I did this again last weekend, and it was completely changed. And a ton better. Walmart has introduced pickup towers and lockers (sometimes called vending machines) at 700 of its stores. Picking up my order was actually fun!

But let me back up.

The previous system would have you order online, and you’d get an email confirmation when your item was ready. (That part hasn’t changed.) To receive your purchase, you had to trek to the back of the store. Then you’d have to wait for an actual person, which often involved pressing a button to summon them from who-knows-where. Then they would have to search for your order, which often meant digging around to figure out your order number and where your item was stored. Then you had to wait for them to actually find it.

More than once it left me grumbling under my breath that I should have scoured the store for it myself or perhaps sprung for shipping if it wasn’t in-stock merchandise.

This weekend our pool hose cracked, and I really wanted to vacuum the leaves from the bottom to start getting it in shape for my little guy’s birthday party next month.

The Walmart site showed only one hose in stock out of the two stores in our town. I could have gotten it delivered but didn’t want to wait. So I gave the online pickup another try. And gosh was I happy I did!

We lumbered to the back of the store out of habit, but a sign directed us to the front for pickup. Apparently, we’d rushed right past the giant orange pick-up tube on our way in.

As we approached the orange tower, glass dropped away from the computer, which asked us to enter our order number or scan our phone (both barcode and order number were on the confirmation email). A couple of seconds after scanning my phone, a bright orange locker popped open behind us! Lo and behold, our pool hose.

The screen reminded us to shut the locker when we were done. And that was it! What had taken upwards of 30 minutes in the past was condensed into mere seconds. Well played, Walmart.

Read more about Walmart pickup towers in Business Insider and on the Walmart Blog.

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Walmart pickup towers a huge improvement originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 11, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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