Cursor changes might not be the most popular property in the world, but it’s still a useful tool for developers. While browsers will automatically change the cursors for certain objects, like links and some draggable items, developers can get better results from specifying their desired cursor specifically. Change the Mouse Point in CSS The appearance of the cursor is controlled by the cursor CSS property. This property controls the type of cursor rendered when the user mouses over the object. For example, mousing over the object associated with the class below would produce a four-directional dragging arrow: .cursor { cursor: move;} When mousing over the… Read more
REVIEW – My wife constantly complains about the number of wires I have running in our home. From her perspective, they seem to be everywhere. I have about 7 network switches and connected CAT5 cables running everywhere. I recently decided that I wanted to add projectors to a couple of rooms and she cringed at the thought of additional HDMI cables running everywhere. I believe in “Happy wife happy life”, so the opportunity to test and review the IOGear Ultra-Fast 60GHz Wireless 4K UHD Video Extender was a much-welcomed opportunity.
What is it?
The IOGear Ultra-Fast 60GHz Wireless 4K UHD Video Extender enables you to transmit 60GHz Wireless 4K Ultra High Definition UHD) Video with digital 7.1 surround sound audio from an HDMI source from the Transmitter to the Receiver up to 60 feet away with near-zero latency.
What’s in the box
1 x HDMI Extender Transmitter
1 x HDMI Extender Receiver
2 x 5VDC/2A Switching Power Supply
2 x HDMI Cable
1 x Quick Start Guide
1 x Warranty Card
Design and features
Specifications Video Input: HDMI 2.0/ HDCP 2.2 Video Output: HDMI 2.0/ HDCP 2.2 Power: 5V/1A Video Resolution: 3840 x 2160 @ 30Hz Video Streaming: Uncompressed Audio Output: Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio and LPCM digital audio streaming up to 7.1 channels HBR lossless audio Frequency Band: 60 GHz Antenna Type: Printed Circuit Board Operation Temperature: 32~122ºF (0~50ºC) Storage Temperature: 14~158ºF (-10~70ºC) Humidity: 10 – 90% Power Adapter: 5 VDC/1A Height: 3″ Depth: 4″ Length: 1.125″
Features:
Wirelessly send 4K UHD video from one HDMI source to one HDMI TV/Projector
Extends signals up to 60 Ft. line-of-sight
Uncompressed audio and video at near-zero latency – ideal for gaming and streaming
Resolutions up to 3840 x 2160 @30Hz
Minimal interference with existing Wi-Fi devices via 60GHz wireless frequency
Support 7.1 surround sound audio, Dolby® True HD and DTS-HD® Master audio format
Plug-n-Play – Transmitter, and receiver come pre-paired from the factory
Dedicated closed wireless system – Requires no Wi-Fi network
Advanced wireless technology speeds to 18 Gbps
LED status lights for source/display connections and wireless link
Supports dual power option via USB or included AC adapter
Compact mountable design for easy placement
HDMI 2.0 & HDCP 2.2 compliant
Supports 4K UHD High Dynamic Range (HDR) TVs and content
The IOGear extender kit consists of two main components that are the Transmitter and Receiver. They both have identical ports on one side. As shown below from left to right they are the power port, the HDMI port (Input on Transmitter and output on Receiver), the USB optional power input port, the Data Transmission Indicator, the Power Indicator, and the SET button.
The back of both the Transmitter and Receiver has mounting holes.
Performance
The Video Extender kit is very simple and straightforward to use right out of the box. For my testing, I connected my 4K Roku streaming stick to the Transmitter as well as the power supply. On the opposite end, I connected one of my portable projectors to the Receiver via an HDMI cable and the power adapter to the Receiver.
And voila!! As shown below, the Roku menu was immediately displayed via the projector.
Here is a better visual of some shots of the picture when I displayed it on the ceiling in the dark:
I also tested full 4K all the way through with my BenQ HT2550 4K projector and I did not notice any discernable latency or dropped signal in any of my tests.
What I like
The build quality
The simplicity of the design and the ease of use
While I was only able to test at a distance of about 20 feet, the quality of the video produced
What can be improved
Nothing as of yet
Final thoughts
While I am a fan of many things wireless, I am only a fan if the resulting service is close to or equal to that of wired service. In many cases, this is not so, and there is often noticeable degradation and latency when opting for the convenience that wireless provides. After reading several online reviews, I was expecting mediocre results at best when I tested this IOGear extender, but much to my joyful surprise, the performance was great and there was not any noticeable impact on the video output. I have read many reviews that indicate connectivity problems between the Transmitter and Receiver and the dropping of the signal. I also read reviews that stated that the extender simply stopped working after a few months. I can honestly say that I have not experienced any connectivity issues or quality of video issues, albeit that I only had limited 4K content to test with. It works flawlessly with 1080P and also with my current mini projectors that either downscale the output to 720P or accept a 1080P input signal irrespective of their output resolution. It also worked well with my 4K projector. I do understand that I have only had this device for a few weeks and that my testing distance is shorter than the claimed limits of the device. Many reviews indicated that there were connectivity problems from even just 10 feet away, so time will tell. If I experience any issues in the weeks or months ahead I will certainly submit an update. But until then, I am giving the IOGear 4K Extender two thumbs up!!.
Price: $245.35 Where to buy:Amazon Source: The sample for this review was provided by IOGear.
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NEWS – Exploding Kittens bills itself as “a card game for people who are into kittens and explosions and laser beams and sometimes goats.”
Worried about the fate of sweet, cartoon kitties? Actually, your goal is to save them (not kill them) with laser pointers, belly rubs, and feline yoga—and if they do sadly perish, well, you die right alongside them. The entire game is done with goofy humor (two Nope cards equal a YEP) and a lot of snark, with artwork from co-creator Matthew Inman of The Oatmeal fame.
The makers liken it to Russian Roulette, but in addition to luck, there’s quite a bit of strategy. CNN described, “It’s like UNO, except there are goats, magical enchiladas and kittens that can kill you.”
While it’s a bit expensive for a card game, don’t underestimate the magic of getting sassy tweens and eye-rolling teens to willingly participate in family game night. They may even invite their friends to join.
Impressively, Exploding Kittens blew up all previous Kickstarter campaigns, raising $8.8 million when it came out in July 2015.
As of writing this, it has a 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon with a whopping 12,743 reviews. Expansion packs are available and the game is priced from $13.99-$19.99 at various retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Target and the Exploding Kitten web site.
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REVIEW – Dashcams are used to record outrageous occurrences on the road or provide evidence of collision, vandalism, or corruption. However, only Tesla has a built-in dashcam; in other cars, the dashcam is purchased separately. The 70Mai Dash Cam Pro is one of the newest models to hit the market. Read on to see what I think!
What is it?
A dashcam is a small digital video camera that mounts to the dashboard and records the point of view of the driver. Each country and jurisdiction within the country has rules about the use of dashcams and the distribution of the videos that they record, so users must ensure their legal right to operate the camera. These legal restrictions are one of the reasons that automakers generally do not incorporate them. The benefit to these restrictions is that dashcam manufacturers can rapidly develop features outside of the snail’s pace of evolution that automakers are restricted to. As a result, consumers and manufacturers are no longer satisfied with a dashcam as merely a windshield mounted HD wide-angle camera that can store video to a microSD card. As part of this trend, the 70Mai Dash Cam Pro has some very innovative design and features and is an example of the rapid evolution of the dashcam.
Expandable memory: MicroSD card with a capacity of 16-64GB and read/write speed of Class10 and above
Supported OS: Android4.4/iOS8.0 and above
Power supply: car cigarette lighter
Battery type: li-polymer battery
Battery capacity: 500mAh
Input: 5V 2A
Operating temperature:-10C 60C
Dimensions: 82 x 58.2 x 40.5mm
Design and features
first thoughts
The physical design of the dash cam is very sleek and unobtrusive. This is the first camera that I have seen that supports mounting using an electrostatic film. This is similar to that film that is applied to glass phone screen protectors. Once the film has bonded to the windshield it is held securely in place but may be removed by peeling back one edge without leaving any residue. or film. This design allows the film to be freely repositioned without leaving traces of adhesive. This also permits the camera to be used on rented or other short term vehicle and then returned to the main vehicle. You can see the oval film in the photo below.
The camera mounts to the windshield so that the LCD display and buttons for the user interface are mounted in a fixed position against the windshield. This is a great option for a vast majority of vehicles but may be difficult to access for some vans or cars that have large windshields mounted at a low angle.
Setup
The camera is on the left-hand side and the USB cord is on the right-hand side. I would expect that since more cars are left side drive that the camera would be on the right-hand side so that the camera could be mounted center with the screen and buttons closer to the driver. The camera mount has an indicator light designed to alert the driver so a left side drive was definitely the target platform when the camera was designed. The camera is mounted on a rotating bezel so that the most use of the field of view can be obtained. The camera does not have any left to right adjustment, so the unit must be mounted in the center of the windshield to obtain the best results.
The review sample of the dashcam was provided with an accessory GPS mount holder that has an adhesive on it and is used to mount the camera to the electrostatic sticker. If the GPS mount is not purchased then a standard mount is provided. The mount allows quick connection and disconnection from the windshield without removing the electrostatic sticker. It also has small rubber feet so that it acts as a shock absorber for recording. The camera doesn’t have any built-in image stabilization so a little help from these rubber feet goes a long way.
Once the camera is mounted it looks very sharp and more like a built-in piece of the car versus an accessory stuck on the windshield. The USB power cable is very long, about 10.5 feet, and should allow inconspicuous mounting of the camera cable in a variety of cars. Owners should be careful to not block the operation of airbags. If you are able to remove the A-pillar faring and tie the wire to the other cables running in this area then that is best.
Operation
The instruction booklet is in the English language and gives a brief overview of the use. In addition, the camera and electrostatic mounts each come with screen protectors printed with instructive text. The camera screen protector indicates the function buttons and that the unit may be reset by holding the power button for 15 seconds. The electrostatic film protector describes the instructions for mounting the film and camera. The camera also provides some information upon the first use, but there is no way to revisit this information from a help submenu. The gallery below shows what it is like.
The website at the beginning of the book, https://help.70mai.asia/278.html, is quite helpful and provides much more information than the booklet shipped with the camera. Specifically, the website describes the voice control capabilities, the P vs N setting (PAL vs NTSC), the limited number of photos (100), and other items not mentioned in the booklet. (I suddenly long for the hundreds of pages that Microsoft Ofice included in the early ’90s.) One thing I couldn’t find any info on was what the 12V adapter said. The text is very hard to read amber on black and it is in Chinese. Good thing Google translate knows that this says “Dedicated power supply port.”
You will need to supply your own microSD card for the camera. The manual recommends a card that is 16 to 64 GB but I used a 128 GB card without issue and it was able to access the whole capacity. The camera records video in one-minute intervals and will delete the oldest video when the capacity of the memory card is nearly exhausted. The card capacity relates to how many minutes of driving record you wish to keep. The card must be formatted in the camera and will have four directories of video storage: Normal video which is the looped record of the drive, Emergency video which is triggered by a hard acceleration during driving, Parking video which is triggered by the movement of the accelerometer after power is cut off, and photo storage. I was surprised to read that the emergency video is also looped. I would think that these videos should be persistent until the storage of the card is full. The recordings are constant bit rate and each video has an audio track even when the audio is not recorded. The audio on silent clips is 1 minute of constant bit rate mono 44kHz 24bit sample.
The camera is able to record video in 4 different resolutions. The higher resolutions are recorded in H.265, which may not be supported natively on all devices and the lower resolutions are recorded in H.264. Each video segment also has a preview video in 640×360 that is downloaded to the mobile app for preview. The total capacity for each video is identified in the table below.
resolution (pixels)
codec
Frame rate (1/sec)
file size (KB)
2592×1944
H.265
30
163840
2560×1440
H.265
30
163840
1920×1080
H.265
30
122880
1920×1080
H.264
30
122880
1280×720
H.264
30
122880
640×360
H.264
30
20480
Photos are taken at the resolution that the camera is operating at. Each photo was stored in a 5 MB file. Even the highest resolution photo shouldn’t be more than 2 MB.
It seems based on this table that the incremental difference in the capacity required for higher resolutions is small based on the compression used and the way that video is stored on the card. Apparently, the 128GB card I used was formatted with a 5120 MB cluster size. I also tried a 32 GB card and it was formatted in the same way. The card is readable by a PC or Mac using an adapter.
The operation of the camera is menu driven. I think that some menu items are in the wrong place, but here is the layout.
The camera app allows you to manage all of the 70mai gadgets. The app has a local album of videos and photos that you download to the app. The app also has the same info presented on the web page above. The app settings allow you to clear the app cache and provide feedback to 70mai. The main screen of the app is a preview window of the camera feed and allows the user to take a photo using a button on the app. The app pairs with the camera using a WI-FI access point.
Once the power is cut to the camera the camera will remain on standby. if there is any movement detected by the camera in this state it will record a video. The camera also records a video while the car is moving if there is sudden acceleration.
A de-fog algorithm sharpens video taken in snow, smoke or haze but without a way to turn it off, I was unsure how well it works.
There is an optional GPS module that replaces the camera’s mount. The GPS mount enables a feature called Advanced Driver Assistance System, which gives real-time alerts when your car is leaving its lane or rapidly approaching a vehicle ahead. This feature didn’t work as well as my car’s built-in system. What I find frustrating is that the GPS isn’t used to EXIF tag the photos, label the files of the video or set the camera’s time. These should be minor programming changes that could have a profound benefit to understanding what happened on the road and when. One other item is that the operation is restricted to between 14 and 140 degF. Car’s interiors often reach conditions outside of this range and I’m not sure that the parking monitor will work in these extreme conditions.
Performance
I’ve included a few videos of the performance at the links below. Overall the videos are clear. I think that the enhancement that the advertisement shows is more like CSI than reality, but license plates are visible and readable.
This is the manufacturer’s video:
This is my video taken during the day at the highest resolution. The sun is setting to the left of the video but the glare doesn’t wash out the rest of the scene. I bet the couple who got in a collision had one of these cameras.
Here is another video that I captured taken at night. It is impressive how the sensor compensates when the headlights are turned off. It is actually brighter on the video display than it is through the windshield.
The images of my garage below show the different resolutions available. I added the resolution text but everything else is standard and not configurable.
What I like
Design
User interface (both verbal and button based)
App
What needs to be improved
ADAS implementation
GPS integration
Extreme weather operation
It is a bit difficult to get the microSD card in and out
Final thoughts
Ideally, the dashcam is the gadget that you won’t know you have until you really need it. This unit’s small size, easy function, and affordable price mean it won’t take up room in your car or burn a hole in your wallet.
Price: $75.97 Where to buy: Amazon Source: The sample of this product was provided by 70mai.
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NEWS – Andrew Davidge and his team have been steadily evolving their unique blend of electric bikes since 2013. With the exception of the Cafe model, all of their bikes have looked and felt more like motos in a good way. If you haven’t checked them out, you definitely should.
Sifting through today’s onslaught of emails I found an announcement of their brand new model, The Rally. It looks to leverage the Cafe’s frame, but everything else looks custom specified to let the bike tear up any terrain with lots of control over performance.
A removable battery pack that charges in 2 hours powers a 750w motor and provide 20-60 miles of range depending on how much effort you’re adding with your legs and which of the 5 assist levels you’re running.
With a total weight of 53lbs including the battery and a custom MRP Baxter suspension fork, my guess is you’ll be trying to figure out where you can’t go with this. Rally on!
Pricing starts at $4995 and it’s available now although quantities are limited. Hit up Vintage Electric Bikes to find out more or get your reservation in. Who needs a car?
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REVIEW – Dashcams are used to record outrageous occurrences on the road or provide evidence of collision, vandalism, or corruption. However, only Tesla has a built-in dashcam; in other cars, the dashcam is purchased separately. The 70Mai Dash Cam Pro is one of the newest models to hit the market. Read on to see what I think!
