I have a Sony TV and their Netflix App is actually pretty good. It even has a dedicated Netflix button on the remote. I don't use any of their Sony Entertainment services or anything else like that since I prefer the connected desktop computer route. Their web browser on the other hand is beyond brutal and it's the main reason I connect it to a desktop.
What isn't good is their Miracast implementation. It only works with Sony phones/tablets...this seriously pissed me off since none of mine are made by them. Instead of disclosing this information, they hid it and then discontinued the model of TV early in the new year because the blow back from unhappy customers over this feature not working with non Sony products was pretty big.
Their matching Blu Ray player has the exact same functionality as the smart TV so things are redundant.
This is true. I have seen all my 3D titles in the theater and it is rather pricey (hence me wanting a copy of 3D Avatar after I saw it so I could repeat the experience on a whim) but I go to the theater to get out of the house and for the "event" nature of it all, granted it's not often I do this. I don't have kids though so I didn't consider that type of expense.
Just so you know, Corel's doing this sneaky renting bullshit too but they're just doing in peace meal with individual features. Coreldraw X6 was the QR code generator. X7 introduced a Hide Object feature. Both are "greyed out" unless you're a standard or premium member. Standard members don't pay but preemies do - aka, RENT. They'll continue to tie in more features this way also over time. Corel's not getting off easy on this one by any stretch.
I'll hop on board the Linux train if Illustrator and inDesign make the switch too. I mean, Microsoft's doing its best to push me away from Windows so ya, if Adobe is going to put their flagship application on Linux, I'll seriously consider switching out. I'll even wear a Penguin t-shirt to prove my loyalty.
I do wish CorelDRAW would come over too though since I come from a sign design background and much prefer it over Illustrator but I would hunker down and take a few courses to really get good at Illustrator if I had to. It would be really sweet if Sketchup would do the same but there is Blender though so that is pretty freaking awesome.
Maybe this really is the year of Linux on the desktop after all? My curiosity is peeked.
I have both features in my TV and I use neither of them - well, besides the built in Netflix app. Anyhow, I admit I fell for the hype, call me gullible. I have watched a grand total of 0 3D Blu Rays even though I own a 3D Blu Ray player and an unopened copy of Avatar 3D. The player is still in the box after a whole year. I hope it works because I think the warranty is about to expire in December. I don't buy Blu Rays since they're way more expensive than DVD and since Netflix came along, I don't really need to go on a wild goose chase to find a still operational rental store either. Too bad Netflix doesn't offer 3D capabilities on some of its titles. I might actually use the 4 pairs of stupid looking glasses that came with it.
For a real smart TV experience I connect my desktop computer to the big screen via HDMI cable and sit back with a wireless keyboard with built in touchpad. Now THAT'S a smart TV experience considering I can do everything and anything I desire with that kind of setup.
Moral of my story: If you can save a few bucks on a dumb TV then I'd seriously suggest you consider it. Connect your laptop or desktop to it via HDMI and go nuts if you really want a satisfactory experience.
You can also print out little toy solders for your kids if you have them. Why stop there? Need a certain Lego part for that extra special project? Model and print your own.
My Copam CP-2500 vinyl cutter didn't have a really decent pen option for paper plots. Originally I bought a flimsy ballpoint pen adapter for $12 shipped and using it practically shred the paper since the point tip was so hard and fine. Almost useless. So I went to eBay and found someone who was selling a simple 3D printed rectangular shaped Sharpie pen adapter with a tapered conical holes in it for $5 shipped. It came with two adapters, one for fine tip Sharpies and one for the fatter kind. You simply swap out the knife holder, put in the pen adapter and adjust the cutting pressure to a lighter setting. Works amazingly well and it turned my vinyl cutter into a useful plotter for templates. In this instance, it was the best $5 I have ever spent. The quality is very good and I don't see them ever wearing out.
This is quite funny. Though refrained taping my eyes shut (and I'm not a vampire), I did just last night, go around my room and put pieces of black electrical tape over every LED light I could find sans the clock (which dims in the darkness thank goodness). It's amazing just how sensitive your eyes are to light pollution at night. Every power bar I have has a glowing light of some kind. One even has two. I have a wireless extender that has several LEDs on it. Then there's the TV, the TV cable box, a heater...everything got the electrical tape band aid treatment. I even put a black screen wipe over my cell phone in it's charger cradle that likes to let me know it's charged by beaming me in the face with green light. Tablets get charged with their cases closed and the laptop charger goes face down into the carpet. When I charge my electric shaver or toothbrush, they get turned upside down to shine their light into themselves. Made a HUGE difference to the point where I have to feel my way around if I shut off the lights too soon.
I've had to get obsessive compulsive about this just so I can get a decent sleep...but it's worth it!
I think this has a lot more application than just games. I mean, there's archival of buildings, objects, knowledge, record keeping, procedures, etc. People forget how to manufacture items when record keeping isn't done properly or is lost. Now you can accurately scan objects, deconstruct them virtually and figure out how to rebuild things once those who originally built them have long passed on. It's happened already with engine parts with NASA. Military parts and items from WW1 and WW2 even. Think about ancient things like the Pyramids and other monuments (like the Easter Island statues). Today, we're still trying to figure out how things were done back then because we don't have an accurate blueprint or information to go on. However anything we build today, could and should, be archived in 3D with instructions on how it was completed. It preserves knowledge for generations to come.
How about law enforcement? Like scanning and matching criminals in 3D in a searchable database is much more revealing than scanning 2D pictures. It would help for non-criminals too. Say someone dies in some fashion and is partially decomposed. But they got scanned when they got/renewed their drivers license, and now the police can accurately see what the person once looked like and can match their identity.
The more I think about the implications of this, the more excited I become. Couple this technology with 3D printing and you're going to be able to do some really amazing things.
How about the medical field? They're figuring out how to 3D print items
I agree 100% and was just about to chime in and say the same thing. Now especially with 3D printers being cheap, you can print out models of any kind. Scan them in, skin them and go nuts.
I remember watching this movie as a child on TV late one night because I was feeling rebellious over being directed to go to sleep by my parents. Little did I realize until afterwards that doing so would prevent me from being able to sleep properly for two weeks or so beyond that instance. I was literally terrified. One of those "innocence altering" moments in life for sure. There has been one other movie that has had such an impact on me growing up and that one was Schindler's List. I guess I have a penchant for war movies...
I have watched the Day After a few times since and though I can shake off the 70's look and feel to the movie, the underlying effect is still the same. It's very powerful. This is one movie that should be redone with modern CGI and shown to the world like clockwork. Especially in schools - but I would not recommended it until kids are teens however and can actually grasp the ramifications of what they're watching.
Back in my parent's time, they would often describe practicing nuclear fallout drills in their schools, diving under tables, going into shelters, being told to eat iodine pills, etc. I can only imagine the effect this would have on my psyche growing up in such a time. I mean now, who would know what to do in such a situation? Not like you really stand much of a chance I suppose now a days unless your family bought one of those underground retrofitted missile silos for some iota of protection. I mean nuclear war preparedness was not taught to me in school in my generation and I know it's not taught now - at least in Canada.
I really think today's coddled youth have no idea just how close the world has come to being blown apart (except maybe the children of Fukushima and Chernobyl would perhaps be better informed). They also wouldn't have a clue as what to do in case of a disaster like this actually occurred and how to survive if you were around by chance afterwards. I have to admit, I don't have much idea myself even now as an adult to be honest but I do know enough that I might not want to either.
Damn, you beat me to it by a few mins!!!! Good show. Oh well, I'll post my thoughts for the record anyhow.
Funny you should mention that. I would bet seriously that they are going to do the same. In fact, I'll hypothesize that they go so far as collaborate with Bigelow Aerospace http://www.bigelowaerospace.co... and help expand their inflatable modules. Bigelow already has an orbiting station themselves you know? The Genesis II been up there since 2007. I used to know the URL of the tracking website but I have forgotten it now or else I'd post it here.
Anyhow, they'd be able to do a LOT more with these modules if they had a reliable rocket to do things with. Que SpaceX. Bigelow Aerospace isn't a fluke no-name company. They're the real deal and they make shit happen and already have a NASA contract. Combine them with SpaceX and you'll have a serious space powerhouse. These are the modules that make the most sense to ship to Mars and such. I wouldn't be surprised if they put these things on the Moon to get practice too and to establish a moon base.
I think you're being overly simplistic and obtuse, borderline pain in the ass in fact. You ARE on a nerd website after all (and I'm sure this isn't your first day on/. either) so use your head and I'm sure even you yourself could deduce that for Sandisk to magically release 128, 256 AND 512 GB memory cards within a year tells you that they have had the ability to do this for quite some time. But I'm sure somehow you'll enlighten me to something completely opposite...look forward to you proving me right.
You just know these memory companies have had the ability to do this for quite some time. Probably since the spec was released to the public way back when.
have no proof of this of course except reflection and observation of past trends, but common sense tells me that greed and the mighty dollar are the primary barriers to having a terabyte or more on a little itty bitty card - today. Milk the consumer for whatever you can! Then incrementally bump the standards and crank the price. Rinse, repeat, PROFIT!!!! Just like Wi-Fi, CPU's (I'm looking at you Intel and AMD), hard drives, SSD's, graphics cards (nVidia and AMD again), etc. This is how it's done - period. I sure as hell can't afford to spend $800 on one of these cards nor would I be stupid enough to do so. I mean, for me, I'd rather go with multiple cards because they DO get corrupted and may even get lost. With 64 GB cards going for around $45 or less a while ago (I have no idea what they are now without looking) and I'd imagine 128's to be around $100 or so give or take, it just makes more economical and strategic sense to go buy several smaller capacity cards and swap them out when full. But what do I know...
Sorry, but isn't there a law about distracted driving? So why not adhere to the rule and be a good little boy/girl and shut the damn thing off while driving. Turn it on when parked. They can't complain about it then since you are "just complying with the law". Oh, and if you need a GPS for your job, bring your own dash mount style. Give the fuckers nothing...
No seriously, don't put up with this bullshit. Dump Firefox and come over to Pale Moon (www.palemoon.org). Your favorite plugins and add-ons will still work, you can customize the interface just how you're used to (that means no Australis excrement) and have the latest security updates too. It's fast, stable, standards compliant and doesn't force needless stuff on their users. They don't and won't sell your details, snoop on your browsing behavior and subject you to advertising. This whole process is painless thanks to their profile migration tool but just in case, back up your browser settings/bookmarks/add-on settings and get back to browsing the Internet on YOUR OWN TERMS.
It's incredible that people are still using Firefox at all honestly. Firefox is just a shell of what it once was and now it's just a name - one forever tarnished by corporate greed/influence and the lust for money. Firefox has become a cancer. It needs immediate removal - permanently.
eBay prices/costs vary but for a laptop battery that goes for $150 retail and you get a brand new one for $50 genuine OEM...I'd say that's a deal you can live with. Phone batteries for $10? Not likely a genuine retail OEM battery...they'll probably come in some rip off packaging with a clone board (this is a giant red flag...if they don't come in retail looking packaging from your phone's manufacturer, it's a scam) and also clone boards (circuitry) copy the battery security key from an old battery to the knock off battery - bad, bad, bad. Retail or genuine batteries do not use clone boards. There's no need.
Shipping costs are something to pay attention to too. Some sellers like to offer a cheap price on an item but charge something stupidly expensive for shipping. This is a scam/trick so beware...read the entire page and make sure they ship to your country before buying. It's actually FUN shopping this way...you get the same satisfaction of getting a deal as you would through scoring something rare at a garage sale for cheap. Depending on your determination, you can find really cheap prices with free shipping from reputable people. I do.
The trick to using eBay is that the seller needs to have a lot of positive star ratings and has a recent selling history - as in they do this to make money, it's how they eat. Not someone with a 6 star rating who hasn't sold anything for months to years. The more perfect a score (closer to 100%) rating the better. The more decent ratings the better. Also, this is critical, read the seller feedback, they're short, but they scream volumes. When searching for items, search for words like "genuine OEM" or "original (brand here) battery". Lastly, when paying, use PayPal since they cover your ass if/when a seller doesn't come through. It has happened to me before twice in like 7 years and PayPal has helped me out and refunded my money both times.
I love eBay and have been using it for years. You can find some really obscure stuff and can land some great deals if you're patient, persistent and careful. No one likes getting fleeced or screwed over. Do you homework and you'll get exactly what it is you're after.
One last thing, don't be afraid to email the sellers and ask questions. If they don't reply, don't buy from them. You can even be bold and ask to negotiate price (within reason). You'd be surprised what you can get if you're nice, respectful and within reason.
My thoughts anyhow...
And just like that...life, living outside special suits and man made mechanical devices has spread from our planet. If there wasn't life in outer space before, besides ours (which I think is highly unlikely anyhow since space is so vast), there is now! Well done mankind on the beginnings of teraforming!
I do this stuff too but not through multiple apps coded by different sources. I use the web browser and associated Speed Dials (free visual thumbnail extension) for URL's of those types of websites in Pale Moon. I get way better (more detailed) information for weather, currency conversions, stocks, unit conversions etc. Anything I need for more serious productivity, I download and install apps from vendors I know and trust (and after doing detailed reviews through a search engine).
In fact, the other day, I picked up my friend's iPad and asked her, hey lets listen to some music while we're out on the patio...load up YouTube. She runs the app for YouTube and handed it to me. I was like WTF is this? It's way, way more complicated than it needed to be. I said, just load the actual website through Safari. She looked at me like I was strange...
For the majority of simple things, apps are just NOT needed in my opinion. Now even with pretty awesome 3D gaming in JavaScript and HTML5 Canvas I really don't see much use for standalone apps at all. At least with a website I can block ads using FlashBlock or AdBlock Plus. I can't do that properly with store bought apps since they're siphoning off my user data and begging for rights all the time they just don't need.
I see. Thanks. It makes me wonder then why they don't remove the Windows Update separate program altogether and have all OS updates done through their store if they're wanting more customer awareness and compulsive drive-buys for apps/media.
Slashdot Mirror
I have a Sony TV and their Netflix App is actually pretty good. It even has a dedicated Netflix button on the remote. I don't use any of their Sony Entertainment services or anything else like that since I prefer the connected desktop computer route. Their web browser on the other hand is beyond brutal and it's the main reason I connect it to a desktop.
What isn't good is their Miracast implementation. It only works with Sony phones/tablets...this seriously pissed me off since none of mine are made by them. Instead of disclosing this information, they hid it and then discontinued the model of TV early in the new year because the blow back from unhappy customers over this feature not working with non Sony products was pretty big.
Their matching Blu Ray player has the exact same functionality as the smart TV so things are redundant.
This is true. I have seen all my 3D titles in the theater and it is rather pricey (hence me wanting a copy of 3D Avatar after I saw it so I could repeat the experience on a whim) but I go to the theater to get out of the house and for the "event" nature of it all, granted it's not often I do this. I don't have kids though so I didn't consider that type of expense.
Just so you know, Corel's doing this sneaky renting bullshit too but they're just doing in peace meal with individual features. Coreldraw X6 was the QR code generator. X7 introduced a Hide Object feature. Both are "greyed out" unless you're a standard or premium member. Standard members don't pay but preemies do - aka, RENT. They'll continue to tie in more features this way also over time. Corel's not getting off easy on this one by any stretch.
I had mod points but I had already commented on this article so I couldn't mod you up but this is gospel. Halle-fuckin-lujah brotha!
Oh and inb4 Inkscape...
I'll hop on board the Linux train if Illustrator and inDesign make the switch too. I mean, Microsoft's doing its best to push me away from Windows so ya, if Adobe is going to put their flagship application on Linux, I'll seriously consider switching out. I'll even wear a Penguin t-shirt to prove my loyalty.
I do wish CorelDRAW would come over too though since I come from a sign design background and much prefer it over Illustrator but I would hunker down and take a few courses to really get good at Illustrator if I had to. It would be really sweet if Sketchup would do the same but there is Blender though so that is pretty freaking awesome.
Maybe this really is the year of Linux on the desktop after all? My curiosity is peeked.
I'll see your "smart TV" and raise you a "3D TV".
I have both features in my TV and I use neither of them - well, besides the built in Netflix app. Anyhow, I admit I fell for the hype, call me gullible. I have watched a grand total of 0 3D Blu Rays even though I own a 3D Blu Ray player and an unopened copy of Avatar 3D. The player is still in the box after a whole year. I hope it works because I think the warranty is about to expire in December. I don't buy Blu Rays since they're way more expensive than DVD and since Netflix came along, I don't really need to go on a wild goose chase to find a still operational rental store either. Too bad Netflix doesn't offer 3D capabilities on some of its titles. I might actually use the 4 pairs of stupid looking glasses that came with it.
For a real smart TV experience I connect my desktop computer to the big screen via HDMI cable and sit back with a wireless keyboard with built in touchpad. Now THAT'S a smart TV experience considering I can do everything and anything I desire with that kind of setup.
Moral of my story: If you can save a few bucks on a dumb TV then I'd seriously suggest you consider it. Connect your laptop or desktop to it via HDMI and go nuts if you really want a satisfactory experience.
I guess the entire OS is now spyware eh? Wow, this company really wants to commit suicide.
You can also print out little toy solders for your kids if you have them. Why stop there? Need a certain Lego part for that extra special project? Model and print your own.
My Copam CP-2500 vinyl cutter didn't have a really decent pen option for paper plots. Originally I bought a flimsy ballpoint pen adapter for $12 shipped and using it practically shred the paper since the point tip was so hard and fine. Almost useless. So I went to eBay and found someone who was selling a simple 3D printed rectangular shaped Sharpie pen adapter with a tapered conical holes in it for $5 shipped. It came with two adapters, one for fine tip Sharpies and one for the fatter kind. You simply swap out the knife holder, put in the pen adapter and adjust the cutting pressure to a lighter setting. Works amazingly well and it turned my vinyl cutter into a useful plotter for templates. In this instance, it was the best $5 I have ever spent. The quality is very good and I don't see them ever wearing out.
This is quite funny. Though refrained taping my eyes shut (and I'm not a vampire), I did just last night, go around my room and put pieces of black electrical tape over every LED light I could find sans the clock (which dims in the darkness thank goodness). It's amazing just how sensitive your eyes are to light pollution at night. Every power bar I have has a glowing light of some kind. One even has two. I have a wireless extender that has several LEDs on it. Then there's the TV, the TV cable box, a heater...everything got the electrical tape band aid treatment. I even put a black screen wipe over my cell phone in it's charger cradle that likes to let me know it's charged by beaming me in the face with green light. Tablets get charged with their cases closed and the laptop charger goes face down into the carpet. When I charge my electric shaver or toothbrush, they get turned upside down to shine their light into themselves. Made a HUGE difference to the point where I have to feel my way around if I shut off the lights too soon.
I've had to get obsessive compulsive about this just so I can get a decent sleep...but it's worth it!
I think this has a lot more application than just games. I mean, there's archival of buildings, objects, knowledge, record keeping, procedures, etc. People forget how to manufacture items when record keeping isn't done properly or is lost. Now you can accurately scan objects, deconstruct them virtually and figure out how to rebuild things once those who originally built them have long passed on. It's happened already with engine parts with NASA. Military parts and items from WW1 and WW2 even. Think about ancient things like the Pyramids and other monuments (like the Easter Island statues). Today, we're still trying to figure out how things were done back then because we don't have an accurate blueprint or information to go on. However anything we build today, could and should, be archived in 3D with instructions on how it was completed. It preserves knowledge for generations to come.
How about law enforcement? Like scanning and matching criminals in 3D in a searchable database is much more revealing than scanning 2D pictures. It would help for non-criminals too. Say someone dies in some fashion and is partially decomposed. But they got scanned when they got/renewed their drivers license, and now the police can accurately see what the person once looked like and can match their identity.
The more I think about the implications of this, the more excited I become. Couple this technology with 3D printing and you're going to be able to do some really amazing things.
How about the medical field? They're figuring out how to 3D print items
I agree 100% and was just about to chime in and say the same thing. Now especially with 3D printers being cheap, you can print out models of any kind. Scan them in, skin them and go nuts.
I remember watching this movie as a child on TV late one night because I was feeling rebellious over being directed to go to sleep by my parents. Little did I realize until afterwards that doing so would prevent me from being able to sleep properly for two weeks or so beyond that instance. I was literally terrified. One of those "innocence altering" moments in life for sure. There has been one other movie that has had such an impact on me growing up and that one was Schindler's List. I guess I have a penchant for war movies...
I have watched the Day After a few times since and though I can shake off the 70's look and feel to the movie, the underlying effect is still the same. It's very powerful. This is one movie that should be redone with modern CGI and shown to the world like clockwork. Especially in schools - but I would not recommended it until kids are teens however and can actually grasp the ramifications of what they're watching.
Back in my parent's time, they would often describe practicing nuclear fallout drills in their schools, diving under tables, going into shelters, being told to eat iodine pills, etc. I can only imagine the effect this would have on my psyche growing up in such a time. I mean now, who would know what to do in such a situation? Not like you really stand much of a chance I suppose now a days unless your family bought one of those underground retrofitted missile silos for some iota of protection. I mean nuclear war preparedness was not taught to me in school in my generation and I know it's not taught now - at least in Canada.
I really think today's coddled youth have no idea just how close the world has come to being blown apart (except maybe the children of Fukushima and Chernobyl would perhaps be better informed). They also wouldn't have a clue as what to do in case of a disaster like this actually occurred and how to survive if you were around by chance afterwards. I have to admit, I don't have much idea myself even now as an adult to be honest but I do know enough that I might not want to either.
Damn, you beat me to it by a few mins!!!! Good show. Oh well, I'll post my thoughts for the record anyhow.
Funny you should mention that. I would bet seriously that they are going to do the same. In fact, I'll hypothesize that they go so far as collaborate with Bigelow Aerospace http://www.bigelowaerospace.co... and help expand their inflatable modules. Bigelow already has an orbiting station themselves you know? The Genesis II been up there since 2007. I used to know the URL of the tracking website but I have forgotten it now or else I'd post it here.
Anyhow, they'd be able to do a LOT more with these modules if they had a reliable rocket to do things with. Que SpaceX. Bigelow Aerospace isn't a fluke no-name company. They're the real deal and they make shit happen and already have a NASA contract. Combine them with SpaceX and you'll have a serious space powerhouse. These are the modules that make the most sense to ship to Mars and such. I wouldn't be surprised if they put these things on the Moon to get practice too and to establish a moon base.
I think you're being overly simplistic and obtuse, borderline pain in the ass in fact. You ARE on a nerd website after all (and I'm sure this isn't your first day on /. either) so use your head and I'm sure even you yourself could deduce that for Sandisk to magically release 128, 256 AND 512 GB memory cards within a year tells you that they have had the ability to do this for quite some time. But I'm sure somehow you'll enlighten me to something completely opposite...look forward to you proving me right.
You just know these memory companies have had the ability to do this for quite some time. Probably since the spec was released to the public way back when.
have no proof of this of course except reflection and observation of past trends, but common sense tells me that greed and the mighty dollar are the primary barriers to having a terabyte or more on a little itty bitty card - today. Milk the consumer for whatever you can! Then incrementally bump the standards and crank the price. Rinse, repeat, PROFIT!!!! Just like Wi-Fi, CPU's (I'm looking at you Intel and AMD), hard drives, SSD's, graphics cards (nVidia and AMD again), etc. This is how it's done - period. I sure as hell can't afford to spend $800 on one of these cards nor would I be stupid enough to do so. I mean, for me, I'd rather go with multiple cards because they DO get corrupted and may even get lost. With 64 GB cards going for around $45 or less a while ago (I have no idea what they are now without looking) and I'd imagine 128's to be around $100 or so give or take, it just makes more economical and strategic sense to go buy several smaller capacity cards and swap them out when full. But what do I know...
Signed Captain Obvious
Sorry, but isn't there a law about distracted driving? So why not adhere to the rule and be a good little boy/girl and shut the damn thing off while driving. Turn it on when parked. They can't complain about it then since you are "just complying with the law". Oh, and if you need a GPS for your job, bring your own dash mount style. Give the fuckers nothing...
No seriously, don't put up with this bullshit. Dump Firefox and come over to Pale Moon (www.palemoon.org). Your favorite plugins and add-ons will still work, you can customize the interface just how you're used to (that means no Australis excrement) and have the latest security updates too. It's fast, stable, standards compliant and doesn't force needless stuff on their users. They don't and won't sell your details, snoop on your browsing behavior and subject you to advertising. This whole process is painless thanks to their profile migration tool but just in case, back up your browser settings/bookmarks/add-on settings and get back to browsing the Internet on YOUR OWN TERMS.
It's incredible that people are still using Firefox at all honestly. Firefox is just a shell of what it once was and now it's just a name - one forever tarnished by corporate greed/influence and the lust for money. Firefox has become a cancer. It needs immediate removal - permanently.
Well wait until one bursts into flames and burns down your house. Then get back to me. Then I think you'll change your tune.
eBay prices/costs vary but for a laptop battery that goes for $150 retail and you get a brand new one for $50 genuine OEM...I'd say that's a deal you can live with. Phone batteries for $10? Not likely a genuine retail OEM battery...they'll probably come in some rip off packaging with a clone board (this is a giant red flag...if they don't come in retail looking packaging from your phone's manufacturer, it's a scam) and also clone boards (circuitry) copy the battery security key from an old battery to the knock off battery - bad, bad, bad. Retail or genuine batteries do not use clone boards. There's no need.
Shipping costs are something to pay attention to too. Some sellers like to offer a cheap price on an item but charge something stupidly expensive for shipping. This is a scam/trick so beware...read the entire page and make sure they ship to your country before buying. It's actually FUN shopping this way...you get the same satisfaction of getting a deal as you would through scoring something rare at a garage sale for cheap. Depending on your determination, you can find really cheap prices with free shipping from reputable people. I do.
The trick to using eBay is that the seller needs to have a lot of positive star ratings and has a recent selling history - as in they do this to make money, it's how they eat. Not someone with a 6 star rating who hasn't sold anything for months to years. The more perfect a score (closer to 100%) rating the better. The more decent ratings the better. Also, this is critical, read the seller feedback, they're short, but they scream volumes. When searching for items, search for words like "genuine OEM" or "original (brand here) battery". Lastly, when paying, use PayPal since they cover your ass if/when a seller doesn't come through. It has happened to me before twice in like 7 years and PayPal has helped me out and refunded my money both times. I love eBay and have been using it for years. You can find some really obscure stuff and can land some great deals if you're patient, persistent and careful. No one likes getting fleeced or screwed over. Do you homework and you'll get exactly what it is you're after. One last thing, don't be afraid to email the sellers and ask questions. If they don't reply, don't buy from them. You can even be bold and ask to negotiate price (within reason). You'd be surprised what you can get if you're nice, respectful and within reason. My thoughts anyhow...
And just like that...life, living outside special suits and man made mechanical devices has spread from our planet. If there wasn't life in outer space before, besides ours (which I think is highly unlikely anyhow since space is so vast), there is now! Well done mankind on the beginnings of teraforming!
I do this stuff too but not through multiple apps coded by different sources. I use the web browser and associated Speed Dials (free visual thumbnail extension) for URL's of those types of websites in Pale Moon. I get way better (more detailed) information for weather, currency conversions, stocks, unit conversions etc. Anything I need for more serious productivity, I download and install apps from vendors I know and trust (and after doing detailed reviews through a search engine). In fact, the other day, I picked up my friend's iPad and asked her, hey lets listen to some music while we're out on the patio...load up YouTube. She runs the app for YouTube and handed it to me. I was like WTF is this? It's way, way more complicated than it needed to be. I said, just load the actual website through Safari. She looked at me like I was strange... For the majority of simple things, apps are just NOT needed in my opinion. Now even with pretty awesome 3D gaming in JavaScript and HTML5 Canvas I really don't see much use for standalone apps at all. At least with a website I can block ads using FlashBlock or AdBlock Plus. I can't do that properly with store bought apps since they're siphoning off my user data and begging for rights all the time they just don't need.
I see. Thanks. It makes me wonder then why they don't remove the Windows Update separate program altogether and have all OS updates done through their store if they're wanting more customer awareness and compulsive drive-buys for apps/media.