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FreeNAS vs. Unraid: Which Is Best for Your Storage Needs?

If you’re building a Network Attached Storage (NAS), you’ll know it’s more than just the hardware that matters. You need software to run on it as well. While you can use nearly any operating system, such as the Linux distribution of your choice, there are more specialized options. FreeNAS and Unraid are two popular options, but it can be tough to figure out which one is best for you. There are a few factors that make it easier to choose which one to use. Pricing FreeNAS is free, both in terms of price and in that it’s open source. The project is based on the… Read more

EMT-The EveryMan Tool – Notable crowdfunding project

CROWDFUNDED – EDC is sort of our bag here at The Gadgeteer, baby.  And the best EDC gadgets are small, sleek, and multi-functional.  The EMT-EveryMan Tool is all that, and you just might be able to add a bag of chips.  (Not really, but customization is available!)

What is it?

The EMT-EveryMan Tool is a pocket-sized multi-tool that includes several base features and also can be customized with several add-on features.

Why do I like it?

The EMT packs a lot into a compact, cool-looking size and shape.  At the heart of the EMT is a utility blade that slides to deploy and can be locked in virtually any position along its deployment path.  It accepts standard utility razor blades for low cost and high availability, and blades also appear to be quite easy to swap out.  Also included is the obligatory EDC tool bottle opening (which I find to be quite useful as a craft beer drinker).  A flat head screwdriver and pry bar are also present, as well as a 6mm hex driver.  It open slot can be used to attach it to a keychain or paracord lanyard.  One of the more unique features is a 3x11mm Tritium slot that has a glow bead embedded in it to help you find the EMT in the dark.  The EMT is made from stonewashed Titanium and Aluminum materials.  As if all of that wasn’t enough, there are a whole host of customization add-ons planned, like pocket clips and various Tridium glow bead colors.

Where can I find more info?

The EMT-EveryMan Tool campaign ends on March 21, 2019. To date, over 200 backers have already pledged over $13,000 toward the $7,500 funding goal. Pledge packages start at $30 for a single EMT with standard blade insert, black paracord lanyard and green/blue glow bead and package prices increase from there pen of any of the style, or $195 for a set of all three. After the end of the campaign period, rewards are expected to start shipping in June 2019. Visit the EMT-EveryMan Tool campaign site for more information or to become a backer.

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EMT-The EveryMan Tool – Notable crowdfunding project originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 8, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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Just Mobile Gum Slim power bank review

REVIEW – One of the very first battery banks I ever reviewed was from Just Mobile. It served me well for several years and was passed along to a friend just a year or so ago. Today’s offering from the same company offers about the same charging power but in a unit half the size, and almost a third the price. Battery tech marches onward, and the Just Mobile Gum™ Slim has landed in my review queue.

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

What is it?

The Just Mobile Gum™ Slim is a highly pocketable, fast-charging battery pack for modern electronics in a slim, rounded metal case that could be mistaken for a phone on first glance.

Hardware specs

  • Simultaneously charge 3 devices
  • USB-C and 2x USB-A output
  • PD/QC dual-standard fast-charge
  • Fast charge USB-C input
  • USB-A to USB-C cable included
  • USB-C: 5V/3A, 9V/2A 12V/1.5A (PD 3.0 / QC 3.0)
  • Output：USB-A1: 5V 3A 9V 2A 12V 1.5A (QC 3.0)
  • USB-A2: 5V 3A 9V 2A 12V 1.5A (QC 3.0
  • Total: 18W
  • Capacity：10000mAh / 3.7V 37Wh
  • Indicator：4 LEDs

DIMENSIONS

  • 13.85 x 7.3 x 1.5 cm
  • 247 g
  • 5.4 x 2.8 x 0.6 inch
  • 8.7 oz
  • Material：Aluminum

What’s in the box?

  • Battery Pack
  • USB-A < => USB-C cable
  • User manual

Design and features

The Just Mobile Gum™ Slim is a 10,000 mAh battery pack that offers two USB-A jacks and a USB-C jack as output options. It can charge from all three at once, and each is metered to deliver the correct power according to the device at the other end of the charging cable. Total combined output is 18 Watts. You can also charge from the two USB-A ports while charging the unit itself through the USB-C port.

Performance

In the ten minutes, since I started this review, my iPhone 8 Plus has gone from 20% and wanting to be on Power Reserve to 34%. That’s a pretty fast recovery! I’m seeing similar speeds on other devices in other parts of their charge range. (Remember, today’s devices fast charge up to a certain level, then slow-charge or trickle charge to complete charging. The 20%-80% range is where you’ll see the fastest charging the device can handle, usually.) For such a small item (it’s about the same size but a tad heavier than the phone), it really packs a punch.


I’m also noting that the Gum Slim keeps it’s charge a long time. This was true of earlier Gum units, but I’ve noticed quite a few others that lost power when sitting idle. This speaks to the quality of materials and design.

What I Like

  • USB-C Charging
  • USB-C to USB-A cable included
  • 18 Watts charging is amazing

What needs to be improved

  • I can find nothing I would improve.

Final thoughts

Battery packs are going to be with us for the foreseeable future unless we invent some type of forever battery that pulls power out of the air. Having one that is thin, powerful, and fast to recharge, as well as being flexible in use is quite a bonus. This device has taken its place in my EveryDay Carry bag.

Price $49.95
Where to buy: JustMobile’s webstore
Source The sample of this product was provided by Just Mobile.

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Just Mobile Gum Slim power bank review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 8, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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PC and Tablet Shipments Expected to Continue Slow Decline

There has been much debate over the past several years whether the tablet was going to replace the traditional PC. People who enjoy tablets insist it could happen while PC purists insist it never could. But the interesting trend, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) is that both markets are declining. They lump them into one category of “personal computing device shipments.” According to their WorldWide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker, they predict the market for this category will continue a slow decline over the next five years. IDC Prediction IDC predicts traditional PCs and tablets will decline 3.3% in 2019. This is despite… Read more

Posted by / March 8, 2019 / Posted in News

Instagramen for ramen – FOODBEAST Dream Machine Instagram Nissin Cup Noodle vending machine

NEWS – If you live near Los Angeles or Las Vegas, go take a selfie and get some free noodles! FOODBEAST, a digital media house that covers food news and also produces food experiences has debuted a new type of vending machine.  In a clever collaboration with Nissin Cup Noodles, FOODBEAST placed the machines within Del Amo Fashion Center (near Lids) in Los Angeles County starting March 1, and Las Vegas Premium Outlets South (near Volcom) starting March 6.

Rather than cash, credit or Bitcoin, the Dream Machine uses Instagram posts as currency. When you press the big button on the machine, it generates a unique hashtag for you. Take a selfie with the machine and post it on Instagram with that unique hashtag and tag @foodbeast and @originalcupnoodles. The machine will instantly dispense a Nissin Cup Noodles for you to enjoy.

The build is a fun mix of old and new tech:

  • Two retrofitted 1970s-model vending machines bought off Craigslist & eBay
  • Internet connected ‘Raspberry Pi’ computer installed within that virtually controls all aspects of the machine
  • Hashtag session authentication system to verify posting and the active user
  • Vending Machine Motor API to turn spirals and control at-random vending
  • Web server running multiple sets of signals between Instagram API, vending machine API, and the cloud
  • Private VPN connectivity to encrypt data across the open web
  • Custom interface atop newly affixed instruction screens

Initially tossed out as a joke in an idea session, the folks at FOODBEAST recognized the potential power in social media influence and decided to put the build together. For Nissin, it is a way to directly target their consumers, who tend to be younger, connected consumers.

You can follow @foodbeastdreammachine on Instagram to see where the FOODBEAST #DreamMachines is scheduled to go next.

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Instagramen for ramen – FOODBEAST Dream Machine Instagram Nissin Cup Noodle vending machine originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 8, 2019 at 8:13 am.

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