The main question that most customers have about Plantronics headsets is whether or not they are good. Thankfully, there are a variety of reviews online that exemplified the qualities that customers want the most. Altogether, reviewer’s comments give you an idea of what to expect when you purchase this brand.

Plantronics headsets are highly compatible
A common problem that headset users have is that they cannot find headsets that will work with their computer. They may get the right connecting parts for their computer, but some brands of headsets simply will not work with certain types of programs. On the other hand, Plantronics headsets are frequently cited as being one of the most compatible brands on the market.

Skype-certified technology
One of the most popular ways to communicate with friends, family and clients is with Skype. However, any one that frequently uses this form of video chat will soon become aware that they have some problems with feedback. This is especially true if only a webcam is used. To ameliorate the situation, Skype promotes customers to use a noise-cancelling headset and specifically points to Plantronics as a suitable brand.

Enduring long charge
Anyone that loves wireless headsets knows that there is an issue with the amount of charge that they can hold. In most cases, a typical brand will hold two to three hours of charge. Frequently, losing charge can cause issues with wireless headsets because they wind down. Instead of shutting off or giving you a warning that they are powering down, they will instead give you a lot of problems with feedback and make you sound gravelly on the microphone. Thankfully, some reviews of the wireless models of Plantronics headsets state that this product gives you a longer charge and provides a warning that it is time to re-power.

Clear sounding headphones
For some headphone users, it is extremely crucial that they understand what they hear. This could be anything from an important client or recorded information. Either way, headphones that do not have a good maximum volume are common with cheaper low-quality headphones. Since this is an issue for professional customers, Plantronics headsets are outfitted with tested audio output that satisfies most critical listeners.

Inexpensive for the quality
In today’s modern market, we are accustomed to high quality electronics costing a considerable amount. For this reason, seeing headsets that are only slightly higher in price can be confusing. After all, if they were the best, would they not be double or triple the price of the average headset? Instead, brands like Plantronics headsets remain at the top of the market because they bring a positive experience to their customers. Although they could charge a lot more, customers are lucky that they keep their prices considerably low.

N.M. enjoys blogging about various subjects and fields, including technology and gadgets.  They have found that Plantronics headsets are favored by reviewers.

We curse, we spit on the ground, and we grind our teeth. It’s that stupid computer again. Freezing, swallowing files, and just deciding to die. In our world of ease and advanced technology, we can’t help but curse when things break. We have a particularly tense love-hate relationship with our RAID hard drives and servers. We love the vast data storage, and we love the convenience. But when something goes wrong, it always goes wrong at the worst times.

1. College Finals

You got your RAID-0 hard drive on your laptop so you could play your games without worrying about the lag or overwhelming your computer system. But now you wonder why you didn’t put all that procrastination, such as playing new games and chatting with love interests, to better use. Your hard drive bit the dust and all your projects and papers have disappeared. So instead of celebrating the end of the semester with everyone else, you’re redoing all your final projects.

2. During a Big Business Deal

There’s no better way to lose a client than when your presentation or proposal material is erased the morning of the meeting. It’s easy to lament, but try to view it as the fates telling you that there are better clients to come. It may also indicate that you need to find a more reliable system. Better yet, simply get your RAID repaired and find your information again.

3. Launching a New Product

You’re selling super-fruit drinks, and you have come up with yet another concoction to heal cancer. You and your small company have everything set up to send it out into the world when the worse happens. The servers frizz and some of your product logos, articles and other information are scrabbled. What do you do? Launch, start over, or try to repair your server? Repairing it will save money, and it’ll possibly get all your information back, which then allows you to avoid putting out further effort to rework ideas.

4. Natural Disaster

The worst time for RAID, or any other server, to fail is during a natural disaster. Depending on what these servers are for, it could leave you without internet. Considering that there may be power surges or outages, and if there’s flooding, there’s not much you can do to prevent it. Yeah, it sucks. Just hope that your cell phone is working so that you can tell your family that you are safe. The faster the RAID server is repaired, the better.

5. VidCon (YouTube Conference)

A RAID server breaking down during VidCon is almost equivalent to a natural disaster. At least it would be if YouTube uses RAID servers. If VidCon were to be knocked out by a server error, the whole conference would be ruined–at least mostly. Thankfully, the people who made the videos come in person, but there is live streaming from VidCon into the homes of people who like the internet to stay on the internet. It may ruin it for them.

Conclusion

It’s tempting, but your hard drive doesn’t deserve to be thrown away even though it up and died on you. It can be repaired. If you have recently experienced RAID hard drive failure, see what talented technicians or recovery experts can do for you. They know how to rescue you from disaster and repair your RAID hard drive. Don’t ever try to fix the problem on your own because you’ll just be doing more harm than good.

Citations:

• mandyxclear. “and you thought you had computer problems”. April 20, 2009. Online image. Flickr. February 6, 2013.

Attached Images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source 

Claire Young is a freelancer. She is also a techie who regularly blogs about hard drives, computers, laptops, tablets, and other modern gadgets. Her articles have been used by www.securedatarecovery.com and other PC websites.

When Americans talk about the ‘digital divide’ they mean the separation of those with online access from those without it. In Hong Kong, the ‘digital divide’ could describe the difference between peak internet access speeds there and in the rest of the world. Hong Kong’s peak data rate (54.1 Mbps) clocks in nearly twice the average peak speed of the US (29.4 Mbps) and nearly four times the peak global average (15.9Mbps). 

Incredible Speed

Each quarter, global content delivery network Akamai analyzes its own traffic and publishes comparative statistics for 180 countries and regions. In the latest report covering 3Q 2012, Hong Kong’s average peak data rate is followed by South Korea (48.8 Mbps), Japan (42.2 Mbps), Latvia (37.5 Mbps) and Rumania (37.4 Mbps).

Akamai’s statistics for average data rates show the same top three countries, although with different ranks. South Korea’s 14.7 Mbps compares to Japan’s 10.5 and Hong Kong’s 9.0. Latvia and Switzerland tie for fourth at 8.7 each. The US trails in ninth at 7.2Mbps.

Country Size

Some disparity is attributable to the size differences between the countries. Vast stretches of rural America still lack broadband access, while over half the South Koreans live in and around metropolitan Seoul (not surprisingly, the US state with the fastest access is Delaware). Another factor is government policy. South Korea’s Information Infrastructure program committed the country to offering 1 Gbps access rates to 84% of the population by 2012. South Koreans pay significantly less for their Internet connections, as well. High speed broadband access, defined by Akamai as >10Mbps, is available to 52% of South Koreans compared to 18% of the US. High speed broadband costs South Koreans less than half the standard broadband access rates available on average in the US. There is little competition among US Internet service providers (ISPs), who lack an incentive to cut prices or invest in service upgrades because they don’t fear the customer churn found in more competitive markets. As long as this situation exists (and absent some intervention from the government), US customers will continue to face poorer service and higher prices than in some Asian and European countries.

The US performs equally poorly in mobile connectivity. The fastest mobile carriers in Q3 2012 for average peak data rates were in Russia (39.2 Mbps), Austria (27.2 Mbps), and Ukraine (19.0 Mbps). The fastest US carrier, by comparison, offered an average peak rate of 9.8 Mbps. The US picture is slightly better for average connectivity overall. Two US carriers placed in the top 25.

Attached Images:

Jason Kane is an avid tech blogger and online gamer. Jason writes articles on fiber-optic equipment such as optical transceivers and GLT-C modules. 

LED-LCD TVs have flooded the electronic market around the globe. There are different factors responsible for their growing popularity. Manufactures are vying with each other to get a hold of the market. Here is what makes these televisions a good buy.

The days of the box shaped TVs are over; this era belongs to the slim and sleek LED-LCD TVs. If the box type television is compared with the modern LED – LCDs TVs the differences will throw the former in very poor light. They were huge and downright ugly. The picture quality was considered good but then we didn’t know any better. The introduction of LED – LCDs has changed all that. The new televisions use newer technology and unlike the sets of the past they are incredibly stylish. With an LED-LCD installed at home you can be assured of an elegant looking gadget adorning your home and a better viewing experience. The chic design creates a style statement that adds classiness to the interiors. You can either mount these beauties on the wall or have them placed on smart stands. Either way they enhance the look of the space they are placed in. They complement ultra modern, contemporary furniture and homes as well as harmonize well in traditional settings.

Money Saver – Power Consumption

One of the major advantages with LED-LCD TVs is that they use far less power than normal television sets. It is estimated that they consume between 40% – 70% less power than CRT TVs. Though they are considerably expensive, they end up saving money in the long run because of the economical power consumption. There is a marked reduction in electricity bill of those who have installed these televisions at home. It makes sense to buy a television which takes less power while offering you better performance.

Superior Viewing – Brighter Pictures

The latest technology used in these televisions offers a brightly lit display which improves picture quality. Eyes are not strained even after watching television for long hours. Viewing television at night with the lights turned off is not stressful either. The non-reflective screen fitted on these TV sets makes it comfortable to watch television even when natural light is streaming in. The non reflective screen acts as a barrier to light and prevents glare.

Better Performance – Picture quality

There is no denying that the picture quality in LED-LCD TVs is much clearer and sharper. The same can be enhanced further by adjusting the contrast and brightness. High-end LED-LCD TVs with revolutionary technology have a multi-colored backlight that naturally augments images on screen.  

Light Weight – Allows Portability

LED-LCD TVs are extremely light weight and occupy hardly any space when displayed. In fact the ones with the edge lit technology are very slim. The televisions weigh a fraction of what televisions from the past weighed. This makes it easy to move them around.

Design – A Piece of Art

The ground breaking technology has been proven, boosting the popularity of the LED-LCD TVs. As a result the numerous television manufacturers have introduced different variants and models. Consumer’s now have the advantage of picking from the best brands available in the market. Manufacturers use different tactics to capture the customers’ interest and the most saleable of these has been introducing attractive designs.

Tim Johnson is head buyer for an electronics retail chain in Brisbane. He spends most of his hours testing new gadgets and home equipment before deciding which ones to carry in the stores. He currently enjoys testing the latest LED TVs.

If you’ve ever wished you were better at electronics, things are about to get worse. What follows are five purely awesome DIY projects built with basic hand tools, some solder wire, and a few electronic components.

Air Guitar

Why play Guitar Hero when you can rock out with a genuine micro-processor controlled, 9V battery-powered air guitar that you’ve built yourself? Designed after a right-handed guitar, the left-hand glove changes between four notes and a stick held in the right hand activates strumming. The distance between the glove and the stick determines the pitch of the note – allowing you to play real songs!

The author bears no responsibility if you take it to Wal-Mart and join in when they play Journey.

Defusable Clock

How cool would it be to build an alarm clock that looks just like the dynamite bundles that we always see in movies? It’s not just a regular alarm clock though; this is one that really does force you to wake up properly. Just hitting snooze doesn’t work with this one.

• A microcontroller to program the clock and effects
• A detonation sequence with a 10 second countdown timer
• Four randomly assigned defusable wires: two are dummy wires, one stops the timer, and the last detonates the bomb immediately!
• Alarm and Snooze functions
• Setting that makes alarm function as a countdown timer which requires defusing

Requires some basic hand tools and a $30 kit which contains all necessary components. The fake dynamite bundle is not included in the kit and must be made on your own.

Don’t be stupid with this though – It’s an alarm clock, so it sits by your bed, don’t take it out in public, people will not have a sense of humour about it and you risk putting yourself in real danger.

Mind Control Nerf-Gun

The weapon of evil geniuses everywhere is here: the mind-controlled Nerf gun. This one requires that you’ve already modified your Nerf Stampede gun so that you have external power (rather than the 6 heavy ‘D’ cells) and some way of firing other than the trigger.   You also are going to need an Arduino microcontroller have “Auto-fire Mindbullets” Arduino software. Other parts required are a modified Nerf Stampede and an expensive NeuroSky Mindset headband.  The Arduino is there to take the input from the headband and get the gun to fire and you’re going to need to get out the wire strippers and digital multimeter and some time to put it all together.  This is a fairly complicated build, the adaptations to the gun alone will be at least 2 hours for an expert and a full day for a rookie and with a price tag of $330, the mind-controlled Nerf gun doesn’t come cheap – but taking over the world rarely does.

Warning: I’m not kidding about this; this project really isn’t for rookies.

Mindbullets (Chris Meyer) / CC BY-SA 3.0

Botanical Twitterers

Finally, those of you cursed with a brown thumb can rejoice! The DIY Twitter kit from Botanicalls monitors the moisture level in your houseplants. When your plant needs watering, it sends you a Tweet to let you know it’s thirsty. After you water it, the plant will send you another Tweet saying thanks, telling you to water it more, or even to stop!

The Botanicals kit is well documented and I didn’t find it difficult to set everything up.  If you’ve already got through the Mind-control Nerf gun project, you’ll have no problems here.

Required equipment:  solder wire and iron, extra hands, computer with ZTerm or HyperTerminal, Arduino, and Twitter account.

Spatialized Umbrella – No Rain Needed!

The Spatialized Umbrella plays raindrop sound samples and flashes LEDs around the umbrella, increasing in speed the closer you are to an object. If you get close enough to any object, a “lightning strike sequence” is triggered and white LEDs flash at the top of the umbrella. The best part of this gadget is that even though you don’t need rain, it’s safe to use when the rain is real.

This is another project that needs some skill with a soldering iron and experience wiring up breadboards.  There are some soldering accessories that you can get to make detailed jobs a little easier.  I swear by my little flux pen, if you’re trying to avoid large blobs of solder (especially when you need to cram parts on a small board) it’s invaluable.

So whether you’re getting tweets from houseplants or zapping people with a mind-controlled gun, any of these projects will make you wish you were better at electronics.

Written by:

Christopher Parkinson’s interest in electronics stem from an early age, I remember watching my father using a multimeter to test my Scaletrix which had stopped working.  At that time this was the most fantastic thing I had ever seen bear in mind I was 6 and so very easily impressed.  I went on to study microprocessor design theory before working for a company repairing mobile phones.