Top 10 Torrent Sites of 2018

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Torrent websites are loved by many as they allow you to download large files easily and quickly. You can download video games, movies, software, music albums, eBooks, and more. This is made possible with the help of communication protocols for peer-to-peer file sharing (P2P) such as BitTorrent. It is important to note, downloading torrent files … Read more

Edward Snowden on Why Privacy is the Most Important Right

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Online privacy has become one of the most popular buzzwords today. It is frequently brought up on the major cybersecurity blogs, social media platforms, and authority websites including Secure Thoughts which is one of the top cybersecurity websites of 2018 that aims to educate the people in the most comprehensive manner possible. However, most experts will agree that the significance of online privacy was essentially highlighted by Edward Snowden who you may know from the iconic movie Snowden which is based on his real life.

Who is Edward Snowden?

Edward Snowden

Image Source

Edward Snowden is a U.S. citizen and a former CIA employee who is considered one of the most prominent whistle-blowers in the history of human rights and online privacy. He shot to fame when he found out that the NSA was conducting an invasive surveillance on the US citizens on a mass scale and decided it was his patriotic duty to inform the people about the same even though he knew it meant destroying his career and inviting stringent legal action. Still, unfazed and unafraid, he leaked critical information about the US intelligence’s phone and Internet surveillance in the interest of the public and left the country to settle in Russia as he knew his actions would make the government go after him.

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Fitbit Versa vs. Charge 2: What’s the difference?

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Fitbit Versa vs. Charge 2With the Versa, Fitbit has brought a new and very interesting fitness tracker to the market. Where the Fitbit Versa at first reminds you of the Ionic or Blaze, the new tracker is at the same price range as the very popular Fitbit Charge 2 and Charge 3.

Thus, we are comparing the Fitbit Versa with the Fitbit Charge 2, as we think it will definitely be very interesting. Even more interestingly as the Charge 2 has been my favourite of the Fitbit family thus far. In this article I compare both devices. The questions that will be answered are:

  • What are the differences?
  • Which device is right for you?
  • Is it worth upgrading from the Charge 2 to the Versa?

After the Versa, the Charge 3 also came to the market, which I have also compared with the Charge 2. If you are interested in seeing this comparison, you can have a look here: Charge 2 vs. Charge 3.

Fitbit Versa vs. Charge 2

We will start the comparison with the differences between the two. You will find an overview of the differences in the comparison table above. Below I go into detail about the differences between the two devices. Here we go, Fitbit Versa vs. Charge 2.

Pulse measurement HR function

Extremely important, though barely noteworthy for Fitbit – pulse measurement. Both the Versa and the Charge 2 have 24/7 pulse measurement. Thus, your heart rate is continuously being measured. Many devices from other manufacturers only measure your pulse on command. For day-to-day use, that is not very helpful.

Fitbit Versa vs. Charge 2Optically they are different. Both work with PurePulse technology and convince. Generally, pulse measurement by Fitbit has proved itself very well in its previous models. That is still the case now. Although the sensor looks different, Fitbit is sticking to its PurePulse technology for both devices. If you would like to find out more about this, you can look at the manufacturer’s website.

Waterproof – go swimming with the Versa

This is something that many as well as me have wanted for a long time. You can go swimming with the Versa! Indeed, you could also do this with the Ionic or the Flex 2, but one model is very expensive and the other does not have pulse measurement.

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Fitbit Charge 2 vs Charge 3 Fitness Activity Tracker, what’s the difference?

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Fitbit Charge 2 vs Charge 3The Fitbit Charge 2 is one of Fitbit’s most popular trackers. It is a noticeable model compared to models from other manufacturers within the market. This makes the new model, the Fitbit Charge 3*, an exciting thing. In this article I compare both models and look at the differences between the trackers.

Among other things, I will answer the following interesting questions:

  • What is new on the Fitbit Charge 3?
  • Is it worth upgrading from the Charge 2 to Charge 3?
  • New purchase – Charge 2 or Charge 3?

A small note – there are a few less photos than normally available. This will of course be supplemented and updated.

Differences in detail

As often seen in my Fitbit comparisons, we will go into detail about the crucial differences between the Charge 3 and Charge 2 by Fitbit.

Pulse sensor

https://pc4u.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/charge-3-1.jpg

Both devices have a pulse sensor which measures your pulse continuously. That is what characterises the Fitbit Charge series and it is of extreme importance for the quality and usability of fitness trackers. Fitbit uses in-house PurePulse technology. More about this can be found on the manufacturer’s website. In this regard, Fitbit has clearly proven itself and I have often praised the manufacturer for this. For this reason, I will not go into further detail about the measurement of heart rate and instead take a closer look at the differences between the two models.

Design

In terms of design, Fitbit has stayed true to the Change series, which I find very good. The slim and compact design with a display made the Charge. This makes the Fitbit Charge* similar to the Fitbit Alta*, which is completely opened without a display.

Fitbit Charge 2

Fitbit Charge 2

Overall, the Charge 3 is even more compact than the Charge 2. This is how Fitbit managed to fit the device closer to the arm, as the pulse sensor is sunk further into the tracker.

https://pc4u.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/charge-3.jpg

 

Fitbit Charge 3

I can only give the exact figures for the dimensions of the Charge 3 when I have it in front of me. On the manufacturer’s website, there is an image which indeed does give figures, but these do not seem to be quite right. It would be better to wait and measure the device itself. I also would not mind receiving figures from you if you receive it earlier than I do. Simply put them in the comments or write me an email.

Display

The display remains the same as the Charge 2 without colour. However, the Charge 3 has a touch function, which considerably extends its use. As such, there are also various functions which can be controlled via the display. Of course, it is not as extensive and complex as with the Versa* or Fitbit Ionic. Apps also cannot be installed onto the Charge 3.

Waterproof

Fans of the Fitbit Charge range have been waiting for a long time for this, and now it is here. Fitbit has made the Charge 3 waterproof. With the tracker you can go up to 50 metres underwater. This is a feature which I personally am very pleased about and in my opinion is a highlight of the Charge 3 as well as a difference from the Charge 2. Finally, we no longer have to take off our trackers when going swimming. Better still, swim sessions can be recorded and with pulse rates.

GPS

Both the Charge 2 and the Charge 3 do not have an integrated GPS. For me, this is not surprising because the more expensive model released by Fitbit this year also does not have a GPS module. Here I mean the Fitbit Versa. It would be odd to only equip the cheaper model of the range with the function that is in great demand.

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MacBook Pro 15″ 2015 Review: this time they got it right

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It took Apple three product generations to correct the problems with the newest version of its MacBook Pro. Three long years during which even the most committed macOS users were reticent to continue updating their hardware. Fortunately, the 2018 version of the MacBook Pro more than makes up for its predecessors’ shortcomings.

Building a good product is within the reach of most manufacturers these days. In 2018, most of the technological tools at the disposal of the general public (computers, smartphones, tablets) are both affordable and of good quality. However, there is a difference between making a good-quality product and a desirable product – an object that has been so well conceived, that is so enjoyable to use, and that is so efficient, that it cries out “use me!” every time you see it. An object that you long for when you are not using it and that you always enjoy using – regardless of the task you are performing.

I have only come across such a device a few times in my life, but, since every time was special, I remember each one… a SteelSeries mousepad, my first SSD drive, my first iPhone (and all of my following iPhones), Apple’s Magic TrackPad, Logitech’s MX series mice (which became the G series), my Bose QC 35 headphones, and, of course, my MacBook Air. Despite the fact that it is getting on in years, that its display is almost prehistoric, that its configuration is far from being modern, that it lacks up-to-date ports, that it has a small trackpad, and that it is rather thick (compared to more modern devices), the MacBook Air still remains my favorite portable computer because of its durability, versatility, and keyboard – which is neither too old nor too modern.

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Nvidia RTX at a glance: Should I upgrade my graphics card?

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Nvidia RTXThe new Nvidia RTX graphics cards mark a quantum leap. We explain what they are capable of and whether you should upgrade your graphics card.

It’s not every day that new graphics cards are announced. The last generation already arrived a good two years ago, which means that video games have never seen technology such as real-time raytracing. These are exciting times for all graphics nerds. That’s why we would like to take a closer look at the Nvidia RTX and find out what the new generation is capable of.

Nvidia RTX

The reflections of the light rays can be seen in a raytracing demo.

What can the new RTX cards do?

To answer this question, we will first look at the pros and cons of the new Nvidia graphics cards. The new technology in the RTX cards is called real-time raytracing. It has never been used in the video gaming field due to the required computing power simply being too high. With the new Nvidia RTX cards, raytracing can now also be used for video games.

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Blue Shadow: how the new cloud gaming service works

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Blue ShadowIs your old PC too weak for the newest games or complex 3D rendering processes? Instead of buying a high-end computer, you can soon rent a virtual one. This is what Blue Shadow is doing, and this is how it works.

Those who are not yet familiar with cloud computing and cloud gaming might be curious about this. Renting a virtual computer and installing demanding software or playing the newest games in maximum detail on it? How does that work? This is what service providers such as Blade are making possible. Its offer, called Shadow, is coming to Germany this week. The idea behind it is that you pay monthly for a fully-equipped PC with Windows 10 and stream all contents directly onto your old computer or even your smartphone.

How cloud computing works with Blade Shadow

In Amsterdam, as well as other places, the French company Blade operates a computer centre, in which there is extremely powerful hardware. If you opt for Shadow, you get the performance of a computer that has an Intel Core i7 processor, Nvidia GeForce 1080 GTX, 12GB DDR4 RAM and 256GB hard drive. Such a PC would cost around 1000 euros for sure, but with Shadow it only costs about 30 euros a month.

Blue ShadowThe difference is that the computer is not in your home, but you stream the system content from said computer centre to your living room. A 15 Mbps broadband connection is required to use the virtual Windows 10 machine on your old computer (Windows, Mac), smartphone or tablet (Android, soon on Apple also). You use your mouse, keyboard and gamepad – any input is received basically instantly so that there are no unpleasant breaks during gameplay. If the internet connection is problematic, the picture quality will worsen but it will not come to a halt. That’s what they have promised.

Focus: cloud gaming

Blade Shadow is primarily aimed at gamers who cannot afford or do not want a powerful computer. They get a system with can display games in 4K resolution (60Hz) or rather 1080p (144Hz). The pre-installed Windows 10 can be configured individually; you can also, for example, install Steam with your own games library.

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HDR formats: even more confusion in 2018

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Just like with Blu-ray VS HD-DVD, we are currently witnessing a battle between “HDR” image formats, specifically the HDR formats that use dynamic metadata. On the one hand, there is Dolby Vision – a proprietary format; on the other hand, there is the more open HDR10+ format.

If you are familiar with current developments in television technology, you will be aware of the fact that modern TVs have transitioned to 4K and HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology.

We will be focusing on HDR in this article. While 4K technology increases a display’s definition, its effect is not as readily apparent as that produced by HDR – a technology responsible for increasing the contrast of displayed images. The problem is that there are currently several different formats capable of producing this HDR effect.

HDR formatsThe majority of products on the market these days are compatible with the HDR10 format, an imaging technology that produces a dynamic contrast range by combining darker, more intelligible scenes with high-luminosity scenes. However, there are two different offshoots of this image format (HDR10+, an improved version of the HDR10 technology, and Dolby Vision) and it is easy to become confused by the many different announcements being made by this industry’s various stakeholders.

Who does what?

At CES 2018, Panasonic made up its mind regarding which format it will be supporting (or almost did…we will come back to this point later). While Apple, Netflix, LG, Sony, and Oppo all support the Dolby Vision format, Panasonic has decided to take a chance on HDR10+. Its future OLED TVs – the FZ800 and the FZ950 — will be compatible with the open HDR10+ image format developed by Samsung and Fox (in conjunction with Warner Bros) which has also been approved by the BluRay Disc Association.

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Shadow of the Tomb Raider for Xbox One X Review: feels very familiar

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The final chapter of a trilogy that began five years ago, Shadow of the Tomb Raider seems to have fallen back on past success rather than innovating.

For many years, Lara Croft was more than just the heroine of a cult video game, she was also a sex symbol, famous for her mini-shorts, her ample breasts, and her two pistols. However, her latest incarnation no longer fits that description at all. She is no longer the sex symbol created during an era when it was taken for granted that video games were exclusively male-oriented. Ever since Square Enix rebooted her image in 2013 (with its Tomb Raider game), Lara has become a mature young adult – a true explorer.

Square Enix decided to capitalize on the new direction in which it had taken the game franchise by creating a trilogy. After Tomb Raider and Rise of the Tomb Raider, Shadow of the Tomb Raider has now been released. This last chapter is meant to conclude Lara’s epic saga by allowing her to fully assimilate her legacy, her status, and her destiny.

Technological maturity

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is able to take full advantage of the power of modern gaming consoles – allowing Lara to look her absolute best. The technological maturity of the PS4 and the Xbox One has allowed Eidos Montreal, the studio that has taken over for Crystal Dynamics, to develop a highly-detailed and visually stunning game. This high level of detail made it possible, for example, to realistically recreate a Mexican village celebrating the Day of the Dead, the rich scenery of Peru as well as dark and dense forests – not to mention the stunning realism of the game’s underwater environments.

Amazingly detailed graphics

This rich detail can, in large part, be credited to a technology that we never get tired of highlighting: HDR. Eidos Montreal’s exploitation of HRD’s full potential allows Shadow of the Tomb Raider to excel. Far from being just another asset that can be mentioned on the game’s packaging, HDR accentuates the contrast between the game’s decidedly dark overtones and the luxuriance of its landscapes, the brilliance of its in-game treasures/reflections, and its amazing lighting effects. The Xbox One X, because of its increased resolution, provides wonderful detail (it is also possible to select a 60 fps mode geared towards more fluid gameplay).

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Philips Momentum 436M6VBPAB Review: a real gaming monitor – but not just for gamers

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Philips Momentum 436M6VBPABWhat do you look for in a gaming monitor? It is quite possible that the new Philips Momentum does exactly what you imagine. 4K, HDR and Ambiglow are just three of its many exciting features.

The brand-new Philips Momentum 436M6VBPAB seeks to combine everything on a 42.51-inch (108cm diagonal) monitor, in line with the current trend in the monitor industry. With a 4K UHD resolution of 3840×2160 pixels and high dynamic range (HDR), it should be a superb match for the current consoles Xbox One X and PlayStation 4 Pro. To simply speak of one monitor would sound like an understatement. Therefore, the manufacturer has also spoken of a “Momentum monitor” and Philips has a number of special features ready.

Philips Momentum glows with Ambiglow

Behind the name UltraClear 4K UHD, the Philips Momentum hides an LCD display (MVA) with WLED backlighting, 720cd/m² and a contrast of 50,000,000:1. Thanks to a BT.-709 coverage of 100 percent and a DCI-P3 coverage of 97.6 percent, the 16:9 screen is perfect for professional applications such as CAD, 3D or spreadsheets. Its strengths should be particularly prominent in video games, though.

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