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Hardware >
https://ca.ipevo.com/VZ-R_HDMI_8MP_Camera.html
On-device buttons, optical zoom, native H.264 hardware.
Garbage; do not buy this overpriced toy. It's only "good" because it comes with a stand, but newer webcams are coming out with the threading for mounting to a simple $20 stand.
more coming soon
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Hardware >
(on Wikipedia)
https://us.kobobooks.com/products/kobo-aura-one
(limited edition)
An E-book reader.
Because this is my first e-reader, I can't judge it against it's peers. It works well.
It is spectacular hardware-wise. Its software works, but it is sometimes obviously or even critically lacking. It lacking a file browser and respecting directories is bad enough that I can't really use it for its intended purpose, and almost regret buying it.
todo - there are more notes to be added, I've just been busy/lazy.
 Alpine white |
Hardware >
This is a low-end low-cost laptop. It was on extreme sale, and as it has USB 3.1 it'll do fine.
Very highly recommended: This thing is awesome in every way. Exception: It's childishly-glossy.
2018-06-08 - I used Windows 10 on it.
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Entertainment > Reading >
In a world where everyday people use the internet through total-sensory virtual reality, a specialist intelligence agency tracks down murderers and terrorists.
Slow and confusing, this book isn't just a challenge to read, it's a challenge to read with a straight face. One of the risks of speculative science fiction is that they can get very, very, wrong in their predictions. This book hand-waives people being transported into a magical world with no explanation as to how it's possible or what it's like. It is vague in everything it demands the reader suspend their disbelief in. It is awed at 900 Mhz computers. This is definitely a 1998 book that had way too much hope for its future.
I had a sticker with two, and the book had two.. and none of these are coming up with anything:
This inspired Netforce - (1999 movie)
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Entertainment > Reading >
An unlikely little hero is swept into an travel-adventure through dangerous lands to recapture the lost treasures of a fallen Dwarvish kingdom.
Considered a classic fantasy book, it's definitely a children's book from it's narrative tone. It's slow and awkward in a lot of places, and takes too long to pick up into anything interesting for me. Perhaps it's because I had read it long ago, and perhaps it's because of the staggering quality of its associated movies, but I didn't like it.
Definitely not recommended as an entry into fantasy fiction, in spite of its popularity. Veterans of the genre may as well read this just to say they have.
Published 1982-01
Note: This is an edited edition.
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Entertainment > Reading >
The United States Navy discovers a crashed craft, and includes a cross-disciplinary team in its investigation.
I liked it, though I found it rather simple. I had already seen the movie that was inspired by this book, which I really liked, and that likely coloured my views.
Published 2011-04
This inspired Sphere - (1998 movie)
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Entertainment > Reading >
Archaeologists discover the site they're working on is surrounded by land owned by their funder, a rich technology company, which is even more interested in it than they.
A riveting book that escalates into a great pace by its middle, and had me turning pages until I finished that latter half in one afternoon. The end chapter is an embarrassingly-bad wrap-up though, which was saddening, but it did not ruin the story.
Highly-recommended. This book has turned me back into a reader.
Published 1999-11-16, by Alfred A. Knopf
This inspired Timeline - (2003 movie)
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Entertainment > Reading >
Some kids are given Lantern rings for transporting around.
I read a decent ways in before getting bored. The combination of language (English-age) and language (audience-age) made it tiring. It's definitely a book to be read aloud to a 10 year old girl, and I respect that. I'd, even, be the one to do the reading aloud.. but not the listening.
This is a seven volume unabridge compilation, presented in the author's intended reading order.
Entertainment > Reading >
I could only get through the first chapter before setting this down. It has flowery awkward old English which I will avoid from now on.
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Entertainment > Reading >
(on Wikipedia)
http://www.thelastlecture.com/
A dying guy writes about how awesome he had it, and gives advice to his children.
It takes almost half of the book to mine more than two interesting points. It is a glaring reminder of how important it is to have a solid first chapter. Instead, chapter after chapter this book keeps promising something interesting, forcing the reader to cling to the "I'm dying" parts to hope for something better.
For people who stick it out, there is a lot of fluff which I was able to trivially summarize with two pages of bullet points. That's nothing to sneeze at, so I suppose this is worth reading for some, though I won't recommend it.
Published 2008-04-08
