Tag: Saved for Later

Dell continues making bets on Android in its computing lineup with a new $129 device that brings Google’s mobile OS to any TV or display with HDMI input. The new stick runs Android Jelly Bean, also supports MHL connections (mobile high-def) and offers Bluetooth and mini USB for mouse, keyboard and other device connectivity. In addition to onboard connectivity for Bluetooth, the new Dell Wyse Cloud Connect also offers 802.11n dual-band Wi-Fi and the standard Google Play store for Android software. It’s an enterprise and business focused device, however, and also has Dell’s Wyse PocketCloud software preloaded to help it act as a virtual terminal for remote computers. This is, in effect, supposed to be the long-vaunted and sought-after thin client PC you can carry with you in your pocket that still manages to provide access to all your files, software and communications back home. Of course, that doesn’t mean it can’t also provide entertainment options to business travellers, since it’s capable of full HD output and should be able to easily run Netflix’s Android app. That “multi-core” Cortext-A9 ARM SoC might not be the most muscular mobile processor in the world, but Dell does specifically tout its HD and 3D graphics abilities in its specs sheet. It has 8GB of onboard storage, and 1GB of RAM, plus a micro SD slot that supports up to 72GB of additional space. Based solely on surface impressions, you could do far worse in a pocket computer for those gruelling weeks on the road if you’re a frequent business traveler. It’s interesting to see Dell move in this direction, effectively taking a page out of the playbook of devices like the Ouya and the Gamestick but cutting out all the nonsense and painting it with a business brush. Weirdly, more than anything else over the past half decade at least, this makes me want a Dell computer. Go figure.
via TechCrunch
Dell’s $129 Dongle Puts Android On Any Screen With HDMI Input

(NSFW: Language/Gore) If you haven’t seen the original Robocop in a while, dust off that old BetaMax, VHS or DVD and drop what you’re doing. We just rewatched it, and it’s one of the most awesomely cheesy films of all time.
via The Awesomer
Honest Trailers: Robocop (1987)

Let’s face it: No one wakes up in the morning with a burning desire to buy everyday necessities like pet food, toilet paper, batteries, or diapers. And yet, when you’re out of them, your entire world can come to a screeching halt.

This post originally appeared on DealNews.

When you’re in a rush, a savvy shopper’s commitment to buying discounted goods goes out the window, and it’s easy to pay too much because you can’t wait around for a deal. Therefore, it’s cheaper and easier to stock up on these items when you don’t need them. We’ve rounded up a collection of items that you should always buy when you see a deal, even if you’re still fully stocked at home. Read on to see how you can save over $200 with a little advance planning.

Cleaning Supplies

Potential Savings: $10 on laundry detergent, $6 on dishwasher detergent

If cleaning supplies aren’t on your list of necessities, you either live in a dorm room or in a cave (and are apparently stealing WiFi from a nearby Starbucks). Still, even the average person probably doesn’t think about purchasing these household supplies until they run out. However, you’ll save an average of $10 on laundry detergent and $6 on dishwasher detergent if you buy in bulk ahead of time.

Paper Goods

Potential Savings: $9 on toilet paper, $27 on paper towels

Fact: There is never good time to run out of toilet paper. It’s all that separates us from the animals! Paper towels, conversely, may seem to be a less urgent purchase, but a minor kitchen spill can quickly turn into a Messapocalypse if you’re out of Bounty or Brawny. The only defense against a dearth of paper goods is proactive bulk-buying. In the last three months, we’ve seen an average savings of $9 on toilet paper multi-packs. Buying your paper towels in bulk is even better; you’ll save $27 on average.

Nonperishable Foods

Potential Savings: $12 on coffee pods, $10 on beef jerky

When you’re running low on funds, it helps to have a pantry stocked with sundry canned and boxed provisions. Nonperishable foods like breakfast cereals, coffee, ramen noodles, canned goods, and other such noms are all things that can be bought in bulk via Amazon’s Subscribe & Save program, which yields big savings. In fact, we’ve seen an average savings of $12 on Keurigs coffee pods and the like in recent months, and an average $10 off beef jerky snacks.

Pet Care Items

Potential Savings: $15 on pet food, $7 on treats

As a responsible pet owner, you know that Sir Fluffykins and Sgt. Barksalot have very basic needs, the ignoring of which will result in mad and/or sick pets. To save your furniture from claw marks and your slumber from hourly wake-up calls, your best bet is to stock up on pet supplies with coupons and rebates from stores like PetSmart and Petco; that way you can save an average of $15 on pet food and $7 on treats, which both Fido and our bank accounts have been happy about for the last three months.

LED Light Bulbs

Potential Savings: $9 on single bulbs, $30 on 4-packs

In the long run, LED light bulbs are extremely energy efficient and long lasting. However, the start-up cost of replacing every light in your home can be overwhelming. And unfortunately, waiting until a traditional light goes out to buy an LED bulb can mean missing a significant deal. We see a variety of deals on LED bulbs, sold singly or in multi-packs, and your savings will vary accordingly. If you just buy single LED bulbs when they go on sale, our research shows that you’ll save about $9 on average. However, if you grab a 4-pack on sale, you’ll net an average savings of about $30.

Office Supplies

Potential Savings: $16 on printer paper, $3 on ink, $8 on toner

An emergency office supplies purchase can send you into the red faster than you can say "I believe you have my stapler." Scoring office supplies when stores like Staples and Office Depot promote in-store coupons and rebates can yield big savings, like about $16 on printer paper. Of course, when you’re all out of cyan and your printer goes on strike, it’s best to already have some internet-bought generic ink on hand. (Brand-name ink and toner is considerably more expensive, so your best bet will always be generic.) In recent months, we’ve seen an average savings of $3 on ink cartridges, and an $8 savings on toner.

Batteries

Potential Savings: $11 on AA, $7 on AAA

If you’ve got a lot of small electronics (or at least one child) you know the extreme annoyance that running out of batteries can cause. By simply jumping on a battery deal every time you see one, you can save about $11 on AA batteries and $7 on AAAs. Interestingly, when you’re buying batteries, you won’t necessarily see the biggest savings if you spring for those super-jumbo-crazy bulk packages. The best battery deals we’ve seen in the past few months have been for packs of 4 to 20.

Baby Products

Potential Savings: $11 on diapers, $2 on wipes

Attention new parents: You will never, ever, have enough diapers. Newborns go through at least 10 or 12 per day. When added to the myriad of other baby products you’ll need to keep on hand at all times (like wipes, formula, breast milk storage bags, etc.), the costs can be daunting. Save yourself some future heartache and buy the bulk pack of Size 4 diapers that’s on sale now, even if your little one currently only weighs 6 lbs. In recent months, we’ve seen an average savings of $11 on disposable diapers and $2 on wipes.

Shaving Supplies

Potential Savings: $6 on razor cartridges

Running out of razor blades can, at first, feel liberating. After all ladies, no one can tell that you haven’t shaved your legs if you wear pants. And gentlemen, who doesn’t feel more dashing with a bit of stubble? But eventually, no matter your sex, you’ll either have to embrace your new life as Sasquatch or break down and buy some grooming goods. If you stock up ahead of time, however, you can save an average of $6 on replacement razor cartridges.

Toiletries

Potential Savings: $2 on toothpaste, $5 on deodorant

You’ll end up making some, let’s say, creative decisions about personal hygiene when you’re out of toiletries like soap, toothpaste, deodorant, and shampoo. If you don’t want to smell like a Comic Con refugee, you’ll definitely want to jump on any toiletry sale you come across, even though these items are always fairly cheap. Our research shows you’ll save about $2 under what your local Walmart charges if you pickup your toothpaste online when it’s on sale. Furthermore, in recent months we’ve seen an average savings of $5 on bulk packs of deodorant.

Total Savings: $206

There’s no worse feeling than unexpectedly running out of the necessities, but looking out for big discounts ahead of time will keep you well-stocked, sane, and in the black. By our count, if you’d only purchased our examples when they went on sale at any time in the past three months, you could have saved over $200! Clearly, avoiding those need-driven, spur-of-the-moment purchases by planning (and purchasing) ahead of time is your best bet for a happier life.

Readers, did we miss anything? What items do you think are best bought ahead of time? Have you saved a boatload of money buying something before you needed it? Brag about it in the comments below!

You Could Save Over $200 Buying These Items When You Don’t Need Them | DealNews

---

Marcy pens consumer news stories of all sorts, in addition to adding pithy prose to many of the roundups you see every day. Her work for DealNews has appeared on sites like Lifehacker, the Huffington Post, and MSN Money. She is by far the most metal member of the DealNews staff, and you can see why by following her on Twitter @ThatBonebright.

Follow @dealnews on Twitter for the latest roundups, price trend info, and stories. You can also sign up for an email alert for all DealNews features.

Want to see your work on Lifehacker? Email Tessa

via Lifehacker
Ten Items You Should Always Stock Up On

This video from the American Chemical Society explains the science behind several life hacks, such as using salt to fix bitter coffee, and introduces us to a new one: easily getting the rust off of cast iron with a little bit of Coke.

Coke, the video reveals, contains phosphoric acid, which is used industrially as a rust and tarnish remover. It makes the rust easier to remove. So if you ever accidentally leave your cast iron pan covered in water, just grab a bottle of Coke and get your cast iron looking brand new again (after you season the pan, that is).

Thank you, chemists.

Chemistry Life Hacks (Vol. 1) – Reactions | YouTube via Business Insider

via Lifehacker
Clean Up Rusty Cast Iron with Coca-Cola (and Other Chemistry Hacks)

Let’s be honest: You’re never too old to play with Legos. Thanks to the latest Chrome experiment (and a little help from WebGL) you can build whatever your heart desires directly from your browser. Using Maps, you’re able to choose a …
via Engadget RSS Feed
Build anything you want with Legos, in Chrome

When we are hired for a MySQL performance audit, we are expected to review the MySQL configuration and to suggest improvements. Many people are surprised because in most cases, we only suggest to change a few settings even though hundreds of options are available. The goal of this post is to give you a list of some of the most critical settings.We already made such suggestions in the past here on this blog a few years ago, but things have changed a lot in the MySQL world since then!Before we start…Even experienced people can make mistakes that can cause a lot of trouble. So before blindly applying the recommendations of this post, please keep in mind the following items:Change one setting at a time! This is the only way to estimate if a change is beneficial.Most settings can be changed at runtime with SET GLOBAL. It is very handy and it allows you to quickly revert the change if it creates any problem. But in the end, you want the setting to be adjusted permanently in the configuration file.A change in the configuration is not visible even after a MySQL restart? Did you use the correct configuration file? Did you put the setting in the right section? (all settings in this post belong to the [mysqld] section)The server refuses to start after a change: did you use the correct unit? For instance, innodb_buffer_pool_size should be set in MB while max_connection is dimensionless.Do not allow duplicate settings in the configuration file. If you want to keep track of the changes, use version control.Don’t do naive math, like “my new server has 2x RAM, I’ll just make all the values 2x the previous ones”.Basic settingsHere are 3 settings that you should always look at. If you do not, you are very likely to run into problems very quickly.innodb_buffer_pool_size: this is the #1 setting to look at for any installation using InnoDB. The buffer pool is where data and indexes are cached: having it as large as possible will ensure you use memory and not disks for most read operations. Typical values are 5-6GB (8GB RAM), 20-25GB (32GB RAM), 100-120GB (128GB RAM).innodb_log_file_size: this is the size of the redo logs. The redo logs are used to make sure writes are fast and durable and also during crash recovery. Up to MySQL 5.1, it was hard to adjust, as you wanted both large redo logs for good performance and small redo logs for fast crash recovery. Fortunately crash recovery performance has improved a lot since MySQL 5.5 so you can now have good write performance and fast crash recovery. Until MySQL 5.5 the total redo log size was limited to 4GB (the default is to have 2 log files). This has been lifted in MySQL 5.6.Starting with innodb_log_file_size = 512M (giving 1GB of redo logs) should give you plenty of room for writes. If you know your application is write-intensive and you are using MySQL 5.6, you can start with innodb_log_file_size = 4G.max_connections: if you are often facing the ‘Too many connections’ error, max_connections is too low. It is very frequent that because the application does not close connections to the database correctly, you need much more than the default 151 connections. The main drawback of high values for max_connections (like 1000 or more) is that the server will become unresponsive if for any reason it has to run 1000 or more active transactions. Using a connection pool at the application level or a thread pool at the MySQL level can help here.InnoDB settingsInnoDB has been the default storage engine since MySQL 5.5 and it is much more frequently used than any other storage engine. That’s why it should be configured carefully.innodb_file_per_table: this setting will tell InnoDB if it should store data and indexes in the shared tablespace (innodb_file_per_table = OFF) or in a separate .ibd file for each table (innodb_file_per_table= ON). Having a file per table allows you to reclaim space when dropping, truncating or rebuilding a table. It is also needed for some advanced features such as compression. However it does not provide any performance benefit. The main scenario when you do NOT want file per table is when you have a very high number of tables (say 10k+).With MySQL 5.6, the default value is ON so you have nothing to do in most cases. For previous versions, you should set it to ON prior to loading data as it has an effect on newly created tables only.innodb_flush_log_at_trx_commit: the default setting of 1 means that InnoDB is fully ACID compliant. It is the best value when your primary concern is data safety, for instance on a master. However it can have a significant overhead on systems with slow disks because of the extra fsyncs that are needed to flush each change to the redo logs. Setting it to 2 is a bit less reliable because committed transactions will be flushed to the redo logs only once a second, but that can be acceptable on some situations for a master and that is definitely a good value for a replica. 0 is even faster but you are more likely to lose some data in case of a crash: it is only a good value for a replica.innodb_flush_method: this setting controls how data and logs are flushed to disk. Popular values are O_DIRECT when you have a hardware RAID controller with a battery-protected write-back cache and fdatasync (default value) for most other scenarios. sysbench is a good tool to help you choose between the 2 values.innodb_log_buffer_size: this is the size of the buffer for transactions that have not been committed yet. The default value (1MB) is usually fine but as soon as you have transactions with large blob/text fields, the buffer can fill up very quickly and trigger extra I/O load. Look at the Innodb_log_waits status variable and if it is not 0, increase innodb_log_buffer_size.Other settingsquery_cache_size: the query cache is a well known bottleneck that can be seen even when concurrency is moderate. The best option is to disable it from day 1 by setting query_cache_size = 0 (now the default on MySQL 5.6) and to use other ways to speed up read queries: good indexing, adding replicas to spread the read load or using an external cache (memcache or redis for instance). If you have already built your application with the query cache enabled and if you have never noticed any problem, the query cache may be beneficial for you. So you should be cautious if you decide to disable it.log_bin: enabling binary logging is mandatory if you want the server to act as a replication master. If so, don’t forget to also set server_id to a unique value. It is also useful for a single server when you want to be able to do point-in-time recovery: restore your latest backup and apply the binary logs. Once created, binary log files are kept forever. So if you do not want to run out of disk space, you should either purge old files with PURGE BINARY LOGS or set expire_logs_days to specify after how many days the logs will be automatically purged.Binary logging however is not free, so if you do not need for instance on a replica that is not a master, it is recommended to keep it disabled.skip_name_resolve: when a client connects, the server will perform hostname resolution, and when DNS is slow, establishing the connection will become slow as well. It is therefore recommended to start the server with skip-name-resolve to disable all DNS lookups. The only limitation is that the GRANT statements must then use IP addresses only, so be careful when adding this setting to an existing system.ConclusionThere are of course other settings that can make a difference depending on your workload or your hardware: low memory and fast disks, high concurrency, write-intensive workloads for instance are cases when you will need specific tuning. However the goal here is to allow you to quickly get a sane MySQL configuration without spending too much time on changing non-essential MySQL settings or on reading documentation to understand which settings do matter to you.The post 10 MySQL settings to tune after installation appeared first on MySQL Performance Blog.
via Planet MySQL
10 MySQL settings to tune after installation

via Gizmodo
Watch Steve Jobs Show Off the Mac in Footage Unseen Since 1984

VentureBeat is one of the many outlets featuring recently surfaced video of Steve Jobs doing an early demo of the Macintosh, 30 years ago. I remember first seeing one of these Macs in 1984 at a tiny computer store in bustling downtown Westminster, Maryland, and mostly hogging it while other customers (or, I should say, actual customers) tapped their feet impatiently.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

via Slashdot
Watch Steve Jobs Demo the Mac, In 1984

Now that Canon has two semi-professional full-frame cameras, the EOS 5D Mark III and EOS 6D, naturally photographers wonder which is the best model for them. As a former Technical Editor of EOS Magazine (the best magazine Canon owners could possible buy) I would like to share my insights. But first, if you’re in the […]

The post Review: Comparison Canon 5D MarkIII vs the Canon 6D by Andrew S. Gibson appeared first on Digital Photography School.

via Digital Photography School
Review: Comparison Canon 5D MarkIII vs the Canon 6D

When it’s a super cold day or you have aching joints, nothing quite beats the soothing heat a microwave heat bag can deliver. With some basic sewing skills, you can make your own right at home.

Lizziecharlton over at Instructables has put together a step-by-step guide to creating your own DIY microwave heat bag. All you need some cotton material, thread, and some filing for the bag. Fillings can include rice, wheat, feed corn, beans, or several other items. Optionally, you can add some essential oils if you like your bag to have a scent when heated. That, plus being able to choose a fabric that suits your tastes, is what elevates these bags over their store-bought counterparts.

Hit up the full post at Instructables to see how to make one for yourself.

Making A Microwave Heat Bag | Instructables

via Lifehacker
Make a DIY Microwave Heat Bag