Review: InfiRay Thermal P2 Pro USB-C Camera for Android


Screen with lots of options.

The good folks at InfiRay have sent me their latest Infrared camera to review. It is tiny. It's smaller than a normal USB stick and barely weighs anything. Shove the USB-C protrusion into your Android phone, launch the app, and... nope - that's it! Pretty much instantly plug and play. There's also a reasonably long USB-C extension cable, so you can poke the camera in small places without needing to get your phone up close to something hot. But, if you do want to get close, the magnetic…

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What's the point of Zip files?


Zip file icon.

My laptop ran out of space yesterday. Why? Useless ZIP files! I needed to download a Windows Virtual Machine in order to upgrade the firmware on a device (long story). The official Windows 10 VM is 20GB TWENTY GIGA-FUCKING-BYTES!!! It downloaded reasonably quickly - yay fibre! But I had to wait almost as long to unzip the bloody thing. Whereupon, I discovered that zipping the file - and it was only one single file in there - saved a whole 200MB. Yup, a 1% saving. As it happens, I downloaded …

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Gadget Review: Perixx Trackball (PERIPRO-506) on Linux / Mac


A red trackball set in black plastic.

I haven't used a trackball in earnest since about 1998 - when they were briefly all the rage at school. But we're all working from home during lockdown, and my desk isn't big enough to accommodate a full-sized keyboard and mouse. So I thought I'd try a trackball. This doesn't need an unboxing video, or any complicated set-up tips. It's an inert black box, with a red orb nestled in it. Made in Germany by Perixx, it's a heavy unit - no danger of it slipping around your desk. The ball is…

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USB-C powered Bluetooth Headphones - the Life Q10 from Anker


Headphone box.

I've been waiting for these for a long time. Terence Eden is on Mastodon@edent#LazyWeb can anyone find me some Bluetooth headphones which recharge via USB-C.All the C ones I've found are wired.❤️ 0💬 3🔁 017:18 - Fri 04 November 2016 Anker, through its sub-brand SoundCore - have released the "Life Q10" headphones. They're usually about £45 - but Amazon had an instant coupon which took them down to £33. Bargain! They're exactly what I want in over-ear headphones. They're large enough for my flap…

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Episode 32 - Switching from being a developer to being a manager


The emojified face of Kim Rowan.

We're back again with Kim Rowan. Listen to her thoughts about what it's like to become a manager of technical teams. 🔊 💾 Download this audio file. Read about how she got into tech. …

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Top 10 reasons to attend an all-male event


There's been lots of talk recently of the dearth of women attending technical conferences. This problem is blown out of all proportion! There are many excellent reasons to attend an all-male tech event: Reduced chance of having an affair while away on business ⚤ Hetrosexuals only! Won't accidentally mistake a CEO for a cocktail waitress 💁🍸 embarrassing! Excellent networking opportunities in the long queue for the men's toilets 🚽🚹 ⚣ Possible risk of inadvertent homosexuality! Impossibl…

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Review: Goolrc T47 Drone


Case open - all the bits layed out

This T47 drone was provided to me by RC Moment to review. A tiny, hand held drone, with blinkenlights, and SELFIE MODE! The 720p camera can record video as it flies, or turn around and snap a photo of you. It also has a range of SnapChat-style filters. Not bad for something costing £40. The motors and propellers fold away into the body of the drone - making it less prone to damage in transit. Black Box It all comes wrapped up in a portable padded box. Bundled in with the drone, you …

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LG 360 Camera Review


A distorted image

I've just bought an LG 360 - at £150, it's one of the cheapest dual lens cameras on the market. This an excellent bit of kit. Easy to use, impressive results, and an app which works pretty well. A single click button to take photos and videos, recording audio in surround sound, and perfect for uploading to Facebook or YouTube. Unlike most of the kit I review, I paid for this myself. I have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone who wants to get started in spherical photography. You can …

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Review: Sonoff 433 RF WiFi bridge


The good folk at Sonoff have sent me yet another gadget to review. This is a slightly curious device - an IP to 433MHz remote. This allows a smartphone to control smarthome gadgets which usually require an RF remote control. It costs £8 plus postage direct from Itead. This is similar to an Infrared device I reviewed a few years ago. It's a cute little box, small and light enough to hide away anywhere. Even under use, it doesn't get hot. Note - it only connects to 2.4GHz WiFi. That's …

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Review: PITAKA Carbon Fibre Wallet


The good folk at PITAKA have sent me one of their Carbon Fibre wallets to review. It is a gorgeous bit of kit - but does that justify the price tag? https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/PITAKA-Carbon-Fibre-Wallet-Review-6mP3siO8Sps.webm You can also view the unboxing on YouTube This is a card-holder with space for 6 cards - wrapped up in a protective bundle, secured with strong magnets. Let's get the price out of the way first, this wallet costs £80. That's not Gucci …

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Dear Technology World - Please Stop Trying To Give Me An Erection


Having sex is pretty good fun, isn't it? I enjoy it. I dare say you enjoy it. But, tell me, is it really appropriate for me to associate your products with having an erect penis? You see, being a heterosexual male, I'm biologically predisposed to be sexually stimulated by images and videos of women in various states of undress. When I'm sexually stimulated my penis has this tendency to experience a rush of blood, which makes the spongy tissues expand until the whole organ is fairly rigid. …

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Video Sunglasses - Further Details


A few updates on the Video Recording Sunglasses I blogged about earlier in the week. I stuck in an 8GB microSD card and let the glasses record indefinitely. I was curious what would happen when the size of the video went over the 4GB limit imposed by FAT32 - and what happened when the memory card ran out of space. (more…) …

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