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by Christopher Witt · Posted
The most frequent response many people gave me when I told them I was going to learn to make fire was, “Why?” Followed closely with, “We have matches, and lighters, and ovens, and a hundred other ways to make fire quickly and easily.” And while it’s true that there are dozens of ways to make fire in our 21st-Century society, there are also dozens of reasons why one would want to know alternative methods. In my case, it was a practical decision: I typically go camping a few times a year, but it’s at a national park, with rudimentary cooking
by Joseph Albanese · Posted
Take only pictures, leave only footprints.” Over time, the origins of that quote have become muddy. Some attribute it to the Baltimore Grotto, a caving club whose members feared their activities would mar the landscapes they so enjoyed. Whatever the origins, it has come to stand for an ethos encouraged by many outdoor organizations that promote responsible recreational uses of our outdoor spaces. One activity that does not alter the scenery is photography. All you are doing is capturing the essence of an area—the blues, greens, reds, and
by Cris Silvestri · Posted
Memory cards are as ubiquitous as memory itself—almost every mobile device you own has some type of built-in storage, from cameras to iPods to tablets, and almost every device has a slot for adding additional storage space. Storage on a device can range from a couple of gigabytes of memory to dozens of gigabytes. You’ll soon find, though, that it’s never enough.
Photographers Love CF
Photographers are a rare breed. From amateur to professional, photographers depend on gear to make a difference in their art, and some of them produce astounding
by Cris Silvestri · Posted
One of the most important features of computing is one of the least understood. A hard drive is at the core of any computer, and yet many consumers don’t realize the complexity of the different components that make up a hard drive. Let’s look inside the drive and explain some of the basics while we explore different types of drives and their uses.
External versus Internal Drives
First of all, if you want to store data, you need a hard drive.
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
Seven by fifty. That is all you need to know. Almost. The classic size of binoculars for marine use is 7x50. This means that they have 7x magnification and the objective lenses are 50mm in diameter. There are three characteristics of the 7x50 binoculars that make them attractive for marine use: conservative magnification, large objective size, and generous exit pupil size.
Many binocular shoppers, regardless of the planned use for their optics, start off
by Sara Lovelace · Posted
Safety first. Remember that great little phrase? Even children know that safety comes first. But do you feel that way when it comes to your electronics and camera gear? What about when you aren't using them—do you keep them in a safe place? Do you have other valuables that you would like to hide and keep secure, but perhaps you have limited space? A high-tech safe may be the perfect safety solution for you. One of the following fantastic safes can keep your valuables and your most precious treasure—your camera gear—secure, yet quickly
by Joshua Kleiner · Posted
No matter how experienced the bird watcher in your life may be, there is almost certainly something missing from that person’s rig. Whether it’s a new set of compact glass or an accessory to round out their bag of tricks, this is a gift opportunity that should not to be missed. This year, instead of giving your friend or family member a gigantic tin of flavored popcorn, give them a gift that will enhance their birding experience for years to come.
We have compiled a list that includes some of our favorite optics and accessories. Below, you
by Cris Silvestri · Posted
Storage options are always tricky. Casual users use storage much differently than prosumers who need the storage to act and interact in a certain way. For instance, you may just want some offsite storage for massive amounts of photos, videos, music, and other digital media—most of us do. But there are users who need their storage to contain zero lag, like when transferring RAW Adobe Lightroom libraries or 4K footage for post-production editing. A simple 5400 rpm hard drive and a USB 2.0 connection are never going to be able to serve their
by Cris Silvestri · Posted
Mac users love their machines—they may try to convince you that the Apple operating system is the best there ever was, so much easier and more intuitive than PC operating systems. However, the lack of expansion options on Mac computers is not one to ignore, and can be a sore point of contention between the two camps. Apple computers are not made to be modified easily, and even though it is possible, don’t you wish there were a way you could add more to your Apple computer without opening it up?
Well, here comes the
by Cris Silvestri · Posted
Are laptops seeing the end of their era? Many would proclaim this truth to be self-evident (you don’t see the Ultrabook™ moniker tossed around as much anymore, do you?), but the end of the laptop would only signal the ushering in of something similar, because mobile computing will never die. Welcome to the age of the hybrid—convertible tablets.
"Are laptops seeing the end of their era? Many would proclaim this truth to be self-evident."
Hybrid tablets are mobile machines that try to merge the efficiency of a laptop with the ease and
by Christopher Witt · Posted
Many lay people and beginners believe, somewhat naïvely, that they have a pretty good understanding of microscopes. However, like many scientific instruments, microscopes come in many shapes and forms, with varying levels of intricacy and accuracy. And—much like many of the tools that have been around for centuries—as technology has advanced, so have microscopes. In this buyer’s guide, we’re going to discuss the many iterations of today’s microscopes, and look at the people and professions who rely on these instruments. Along the way, we’ll
by Staff Writer · Posted
It's that time of year again, when the days become shorter, the shadows become longer, and students all over our world prepare to go back to school for another year of learning, growing, and intellectual exploring. There was a time when that meant shopping for notebooks, Number 2 pencils, pencil cases, rulers, sharpeners, and rubber erasers. These days, students still shop for notebooks, but the modern student is looking for notebooks of a different stripe—computer laptop notebooks, to help them organize notes and research, write term
by Cris Silvestri · Posted
If you haven’t gotten on the bandwagon lately and looked into NAS, you may be missing out on one of the most exciting technological advancements for the home since the advent of wireless routers. Network attached storage (NAS) is becoming increasingly popular among home entertainment enthusiasts, archivists, and small, work-at-home entrepreneurs.
The reason? Network attached storage allows you the freedom to store large volumes of digital data and access that data from within your network. You can put every baby picture, every video, every
by Lawrence Neves · Posted
When using Cat5E/6 cables, USB 2.0 has a maximum effectiveness range of only 15 feet―until now. The Muxlab extender kit uses a transmitter and receiver to extend cabled USB ranges to 328 feet (100m) over standard Cat5e/6 cables.
True USB 2.0 with data-transfer rates up to 480 MB/s are made possible with this unique kit, which is
by Jack Wolff · Posted
As with all types of weather, it’s important to know the differences between categories of Weather Alerts. Floods have three basic classifications of potential alerts: Watches, Warnings, and Advisories.
Types of Flood Watches, Warnings, and Advisories
Flood Watch: Conditions are right for possible flooding (stay alert for announcements).
Flash Flood Watch: Conditions are right for a possible flash flood (stay alert for announcements).
Flood Warning: Flooding has started or is about to start in the immediate warning area. You may be advised