Wednesday, September 27, 2017

REVIEW: Citizen Perpetual Chrono A-T








And for the CITIZEN ECO DRIVE PERPETUAL CALENDAR side of the watch, this is just a great function to have in a quartz timepiece. The Citizen can charge under a variety of lighting sources; once fully charged, it will remain so for up to 370 days. Of course, sunlight will work best to get things topped off.




At an or less on this is a compelling purchase. With the solar charging and atomic clock syncing, this is about as trouble-free of a watch you could hope for; this particular model will work well in a variety of settings with it’s size and styling.

You know who we’ve not reviewed here in quite some time? Citizen, that’s who. Today, we’ll have a look at a rather intriguing model in their collection, the Perpetual Chrono A-T.

By it’s name alone, you can tell some of the functionality in play – a chronograph and a perpetual calendar. A closer look at the dial will reveal the other technology tricks up its sleeves – solar powered, and atomic clock syncing. Let’s have a quick run-down of the dial:
At 10 o’clock, you’ve got a 24 hour indicator
At 2 o’clock, the subdial can indicate: chrono minutes sub-seconds, charge level, or day of the week
At 6 o’clock, this will set the radio you sync with, as well as indicate if you’re in timekeeping, chrono, or alarm modes


I will admit, many of the atomic syncing watches, especially those with analog dials, can be complex to operate (I’ve got one in my collection I have to carry a cheat sheet for). With this Citizen, though, it’s very simple to get the hang of, and the subdials clearly indicate what you’re doing.

Monday, September 11, 2017

What I'm using: Aukey Quick Charge 3.0 car charger

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Quick chargers help your phone charge quickly. Here's a quick look at one.

I tend to not overthink charging. There's been so much ink spilled over AUKEY USB C cables that are out of spec and whether my phone is going to melt or irradiate my brain ... or worse.

I don't worry about such things. I just want to plug in and charge and trust the companies that are making the products I use. And to that end, I've been rocking the Aukey's dual-port car charger with Quick Charge 3.0 for a few months now. And as I've said before, this sort of product has changed the way I look at my phones.

So this is your basic plug-looking car charger. It sticks out from my outlet a little more than others I've used, but not so much that I can't get a cup in the cupholder when not in use. It's done up in glossy plastic, which becomes a bit of a dust magnet over time. (As you can see in these pictures. Let me never be accused of not showing you the real deal.)


A quick 20-minute charge on the way home means I don't have to worry about making it through the day.

But other than that? It's charging like a champ. This charger has two USB-A ports, as you can see. One orange, one green. And so that you don't have to worry about remembering which color does what, there's the Qualcomm Quick Charge logo beneath the orange port, showing that, indeed, it's the one with QC3.0. If you want to charge via QC3.0, this is the one to use. The other port sports Aukey's AiPower tech that "gives all your USB powered devices exactly what they need with up to 2.4A per Ai USB Port." You can use both at once if that's how you roll.

I get in my car. And I charge. If it's been a rough day for my phone, I'll forego hooking into Android Auto and use this instead. On my 15- to 20-minute commute, I can get upwards of 30 percentage points back (sometimes more, depending on the capacity of the phone I'm using) on the drive home. That's a game-changer. That's the difference between worrying about charging my phone after I'm home, instead of looking after the people I went there to hang out with.

And it's that simple. And inexpensive.

Friday, July 21, 2017

Solar Generator Reviews – What is the Best Solar Powered Generator?

goalzero yeti 400 solar generator s
GOAL ZERO YETI 400 is a system that captures energy from sunlight using photovoltaic (PV) cells mounted on panels. The harvested energy is then converted into electricity in the form of direct current (DC), and then inverted into alternating current (AC) before being deposited into a battery bank.
Depending on the number of panels and batteries used, a solar powered generator can power anything from small appliances and laptops to entire households. However, most small-to-moderate models only produce enough power to charge devices like laptops, smartphones, tablets, and televisions. In this guide, you’ll learn how to choose a solar generator after being introduced to some of the most popular systems in all shapes and sizes.

Why Should You Get a Solar Generator?

The most obvious advantage solar generators have over fuel-powered generators is that they’re the “green” eco-friendly GOAL ZERO YETI 400. The ability to harvest power without fuel is not only better for the environment, it also equates to no ongoing costs associated with purchasing gasoline, propane or any other fuel source.
This not only saves the owner money on electricity bills in the long-term, it also provides a reliable and independent method of power generation that relies merely on sunlight and the proper functioning of its parts.
In addition to cost-effectiveness, reliability, and eco-friendliness, here’s a more comprehensive list of 10 reasons why most people find GOAL ZERO YETI 400 advantageous to have a solar generator:
1. Generates cheaper energy – If you calculate the cost of electricity per watt over a 5-year period, even with maintenance accounted for, solar generators are always exponentially cheaper than fuel-powered generators.
2. Decreases utility bill and grid reliance – Even if your panels only produce enough output to cover 25% of your home’s electricity needs, that would still be a sizable chunk of the energy bill each month.
3. Smaller solar generators are perfect for camping – There is a wide range of portable models being especially useful for camping.
4. Neutral carbon footprint – Solar generators won’t produce any greenhouse gases or byproducts that are harmful to the environment.
5. Suitable for summer use – Solar generators thrive in the summer sun, and since they do not emanate heat they can be used in hot climates without causing discomfort or heat-related fire hazards.
6. More compact and portable – Even the smallest fuel-powered generators are bulky in comparison to the slender panels and flexible setup of a solar generator.
7. No potentially deadly fumes – Fuel generators need to be used in well-ventilated areas to prevent a buildup of potentially fatal carbon monoxide fumes. Solar generators carry no such risks.
8. More reliable when fuel is not available – In times of emergency, when fuel is not easily accessible, solar generators will still be in use.
9. Power can be stored for later usage – The system’s battery bank can store power, whereas a fuel-powered generator can only provide power while running.
10. Utility companies will pay for your excess electricity – If you expand the setup by adding enough panels, you can route the excess power to your city’s grid and receive a check from the utility company every month instead of having to pay them.

What Do You Need to Know Before Buying a Solar Generator?

Most solar power generators generate just enough electricity to power household appliances for several hours at a time. However, some of the more powerful systems can be used continually and are expandable, allowing you to add more panels to increase your energy production capabilities.
The main job of a solar generator is to harvest radiation from the sun’s rays, process it through a power inverter to produce an AC output, and store the captured energy in a deep-cycle battery setup.

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

How Publishing Great Content Can Help Grow Your Business



Whether you’re simply writing blog posts to bring attention to your own writing, or you’re writing blogs for a website in order to promote your business, the quality of the content you’re creating should be high. In fact, this quality is something you should always aim to improve. Check out these tips – they’ll help you craft better content in no time!



Comparison


If you’re writing blog content, then there are probably other blogs out there of which you’re a fan, or at least particular writers whose content you follow. Ask yourself: what do you like about their content? What makes their content so popular? When you’re creating blog posts, try comparing what you’ve written to posts they’ve written about similar subjects. Is your content missing something? Is their content missing something that you could provide with your own? How can you enter the ranks of these esteemed blogs and writers?

Sunday, March 26, 2017

How an MBA Will Help You Build a Better Business



Where should you look first to acquire funding for your startup? What strategies will you employ to grow your business? How will you manage cash flow problems? Why should your audience pay attention to your business? When should you act, and when shouldn’t you?

Business is full of questions, and entrepreneurs are expected to have the right answers if they are aiming for growth and success. Yet, plenty of business leaders don’t even know which questions to ask, let alone what answers are correct.

MBA programs teach aspiring entrepreneurs how to build businesses the right way and provide solutions and skills that they will need in their coming careers. For the following three basic reasons, you do need an MBA to succeed in building a better business.

Monday, March 13, 2017

Cash is King (Not)! Small Business Owners – Accept Credit Cards or Wither



When it comes to transacting with customers cash is becoming less and less popular every day. It has come to a point when many people don’t even carry any cash in their wallet, if they carry a wallet at all! According to Gallup poll only 24% of US population is using cash for all or most of their purchases. This is down from 36% only five years ago. If this trend continues it will not be surprising if the federal government starts phasing out some of the cash all together! Few months ago India took a controversial step of banning large currency and instead encouraged the use of credit card and mobile payments for all transactions.



Small business owners who do not facilitate the use of credit card as a method of payment stand to lose customers. While it is true that it costs more for small businesses to accept credit card when accounting for the transaction fees they have to pay to credit card processing companies when you consider the negative impact of not accepting credit cards in the form of lost business it would be ill-advised not to pay this transaction fee. Just consider it as a cost of doing business. The alternative can be even worse!