LucidCam review

LucidCam ($499; available on Amazon) addresses one of the issues that prevents wide adoption of virtual reality (VR): VR headsets aren’t hard to find, but VR content creation remains a major barrier.

LucidCam is a compact, lightweight (8 ounce) stereoscopic 3D VR camera (like OCULUS GEAR VR ) that slides nicely into the palm of your hand, and it promises to boost interest in casual content creation by and for mainstream viewers.

The unit, whose smooth, stylish exterior sports two front-facing fisheye lenses—like a pair of eyes with peripheral vision—gives you a 180-degree spherical 3D visual field of view (left, right, up, and down) for each lens. It captures both video and still images with a single button and switches modes easily. Both the still and video record at 4K per lens, with video capture at 30 fps.

One thing that sets LucidCam apart is that it records 3D 180-degree VR, as opposed to 2D 360-degree footage. Lucid VR is betting that its method will better serve amateur videographers by producing more dynamic footage with a well-defined, compositional point of view. The 3D quality makes it deep and immersive, but the 180-degree angle also makes shooting and producing more accessible because the output is internally stitched, and it is compatible with conventional photo and video software. The camera generates some 50MB per minute. It also records stereo audio via 48Hz microphones, which produce non-compressed, editable 16-bit audio.

LucidCam is functional right out of the box, packed with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage, though you can plug an additional 32GB into it on a microSD card. If you want 360-degree 3D content from this unit, it can be done, but you’ll need three cameras loaded onto a rig.
LucidCam ease of use

LucidCam has no viewfinder, so you can’t see what you are filming with the camera. The best way to learn how to film, without the help of the companion Lucid VR iOS app, is to experiment with shooting to see what the camera sees, and thus position it properly without an assist.

With a 180-degree field of view, the camera sees what is in front of it in wide angle (f/2.2). Workflow instructions, linked from the LucidCam site, take you step-by-step through the process of shooting both images and videos.

The company says its lithium-ion battery lasts about 1.5 hours of shooting, but if you make sure the camera is off when not in use, it can last for the day
Lucid VR app

LucidCam works with its own mobile helper app, which lets you control the camera from your phone, observe previews of your shots, view your finished stills and videos, and even share the finished output via Facebook and YouTube.

The app also lets you view photos and videos from the camera on its gallery page, but you must choose the selections you want to save and download them to your phone.

iHarbort Power Bank MS024 5000mAh review: ultra-slim & ultra-cheap

Ultra-slim and clad with stylish gunmetal grey alumiunium alloy (also available in silver or black), the iHarbort power bank is perfectly proportioned for the pocket. It's very well designed with its sleek, rounded edges, and sufficient attention to detail has been paid that the power button lies flush with the casing.

The iHarbort power bank(like GOAL ZERO GUIDE 10 PLUS SOLAR KIT ) carefully balances capacity with size and weight, and with 5000mAh on offer you should get between one- and two full charges for your phone, depending on the model.

With most power banks averaging around 70 percent efficiency, expect around 3500mAh to be available to your devices. Our Samsung Galaxy S6 (2550mAh) would receive just under one and a half charges, but an iPhone 5s (1560mAh) could potentially manage two and a quarter. Also see: How to improve smartphone battery life.

Despite its budget price tag, iHarbort hasn't skimped on features. We found this little power bank would automatically begin charging our phone when we plugged it in via USB and, when it was full, it would also shut off the power without our instruction. More importantly, we could simultaneously charge both the phone and power bank (also known as passthrough charging).

Given that you'll probably charge only one device with this power bank, it makes sense that there is just the one USB output. iHarbort supplies a micro-USB cable in the box; if you want to attach an iPhone or other smartphone with a proprietary cable you simply provide your own lead. Also see: Best MiFi 2016.

Thankfully, this is a fast-charging port, rated at 10.5W (5V, 2.1A). That means this power bank will be just as happy to charge a tablet or other USB-powered device, although its capacity is better suited to a smartphone battery. The iHarbort also supports smart current control, which is able to detect your device type and battery capacity and deliver the optimum amount of power. Also see: How to charge your phone or tablet faster.

And while the power bank is fast to give away its charge, it's also quick to claw it back. The Micro-USB input on this iHarbort is rated at 10W (5V, 2A), so for the fastest charging you'll want to refill it using a 10W mains adaptor (although you can use any USB charger, such as that supplied with your phone or tablet).

You don't get an LCD screen, although one really isn't required at this capacity level, so you must judge how much power remains using the four LEDs on the power bank's bottom edge. We particularly like the fact these lights switch off during charging, so when the iHarbort is used at night you won't be disturbed by blinking LEDs.

There are a couple of cost-cutting measures but, thankfully, their omission didn't bother us in the slightest. Unlike many portable power banks the iHarbort is not supplied with a carry case (we don't think you'll need one in any case, and the iHarbort has a reassuring 18-month warranty), nor a built-in LED torch.

Does Solar Panel Efficiency Matter?

We love talking about solar panel efficiency!
Scientists love it. The media love it. Salesmen love it. With all the love going around, one might end up thinking… oh, I dunno, that solar panel efficiency is the be all and end all of everything.
Here at Understand Solar, we’re on a noble endeavor to find the truth. So frankly, we don’t care what everyone else thinks. We’re gonna tell you how it is.


So let’s cut straight to the chase.


If you want to get the most out of your money, you shouldn’t be worrying about efficiency. It’s NOT THAT IMPORTANT.

And as I can sense the torches and pitchforks already, allow me some internet real-estate to explain myself.

How to compare solar panel efficiency


First, what do we mean by efficiency?

Efficiency is the percentage of solar energy that a solar panel (for example: RENOGY 200 WATT 12 VOLT SOLAR STARTER KIT )converts into DC electricity. So a 10% panel converts 10% of sunlight into electricity.

Question: Panel A is 19% efficient. Panel B is 20% efficient. How much more sunlight does Panel B utilize than Panel A?

You might be tempted to say Panel B uses 1% more sunlight than Panel A and thereby that Panel B is 1% better than Panel A. But this isn’t the case.

Let’s pit Panel B with 20% efficiency against a new panel: Panel C with 10% efficiency. Under the same conditions, panel B will produce twice as much power than panel C. Clearly, the performance difference is not 10% – Panel B produces 100% more electricity than panel C.

Likewise, a 20% panel produces approximately 5% more electricity than a 19% panel. Confusing, right? Take a second a think through it all if you need to.

Okay, ready to go? Now that we’re all happy with efficiency, we can talk about why it should be low down on the list of your priorities.
The real question to ask yourself

Instead of obsessing about buying the highest efficiency panels, you should be more concerned with the solar option that produces the most watts for your dollar. In other words:

“What’s the most solar power production I can get for my money?”

Imagine you’re getting a 5kW solar system installed. System A uses 19% efficient panels for a grand cost of $15,000. System B, uses 20% efficient panels for a grand total of $20,000.

Now, both systems are 5kW; they produce the same amount of power. Note that the system with 20% panels can produce more electricity per panel, so the less efficient system will need more panels to achieve the same power production. Which system do you go for? A or B?

Let’s calculate the power you’re getting for your money.

System A: 5kw/$15,000 = $3 per watt
System B: 5kW/$20,000 = $4 per watt


Thus, you’re getting cheaper energy with system A than with system B. Provided both systems can fit on your roof, you’d be mad not to pick A.

But there’s the kicker: “Provided both systems can fit on my roof.” Well, can they?

Solar pundits these days rehash the same phrases. “If you’ve got limited space, you may want higher efficiency panels.” That’s not really a very helpful solution. It’s just too vague!

Let me be clear: IF you live in an average house, with half of your roof available for solar panels, and no giant tree in the way, going for the lowest $/watt is the way to go. If you get that with a lower efficiency panel, so be it. If a company makes it happen with a higher efficiency panel, great. The point is, for you and every other homeowner, efficiency doesn’t matter. Dollar per watt does.

Now let me prove it:

A 5kW system produces 5000W. It doesn’t matter if it’s from 10,000 panels that are 1% efficient or just 100 panels that are 100% efficient. A 5kW system produces 5kW.


A quick example to really drive the point home: Let’s say Power Plant A is 1MW and uses 1% efficient panels. Power Plant B is 1MW, and uses 20% efficient panels. Which produces the most power?


Answer: The same amount! They’re both 1MW! They produce the exact same amount of power. But Plant B’s panels are 20x better than Plant A’s, so it will need twenty times less panels to produce the same amount of electricity. Thus, Plant A will be giant, while Plant B will be modest in size.

Roof Repair NYC

Gone are the days when getting a damaged roof repaired was a Herculean task, and was sure to give people many a sleep less night. These days however, instead of having to worry about getting the roof repaired, most people find themselves spending many a sleep less night finding the 'right roof repair contractor' for doing the job.

Now, one may wonder, what makes appointing a roof repair contractor such a serious job. Well the answer is simple. Each roof repair contractor has his own skill and style of repairing the roof that sets him apart from the rest. In fact you may say that the number of choices you have while selecting a roof repair contractor, are as varied as the number of choices you have while selecting a roof for you house. Also, since your choice depends much on the nature of the roof that you need to get repaired, selecting an ideal roof repair contractor for yourself can be a Herculean task.

This is particularly true if you need to get your roof repaired immediately. If the damage caused to the roof is an extreme one, for instance a leak, and you wish to get it repaired as soon as possible, then you may have a rather tough time getting your roof repaired. However, in case your roof is not very seriously damaged, you can afford to spend some time doing your research and checking on the potential contractors.

In case your roof needs to be repaired immediately, you better be prepared to find your roof repair NYC contractor charging you a premium for the job. This is understandable, because just like getting any job done quickly, even getting a roof repaired quickly is sure to cost you more. Therefore, it is essential for you to weigh all the pros and cons before hand, and judge carefully if you need to get your roof repaired at an urgent notice, or if you can do without one. Managing your demands with your contractor's schedule can often reduce your costs.

When you are looking for a roof repair contractor, try to find yourself one who has enough experience working with the same material as the material used in the roof that you wish to get repaired. This is because different kinds of roofing material need to be repaired and dealt with differently. In fact it is not uncommon to see a roof repair NYC contractors refusing to repair a particular kind of roof, because he is used to repairing a particular type of roof only. For instance, for a roof repair NYC contractor who deals with the repairing of roofs of composite shingles, repairing a roof of tiles or wood shingles can be quite difficult a task. We must remember that different kinds of roofing materials need to be dealt with differently, and they often require different adhesives or in fact even a different variety of tools when they are to be installed or repaired.

However, there are times when people find it difficult to get roof repair NYC contractors who could work as per the desired schedule, within a given time span. For example, in case there has been a severe storm or any such weather condition in a particular area that is capable of destroying the roofs of a number of houses, then the excessive demand for roof repair contractors at the same time, make finding a roof repair contractor difficult for a while. In such situations, it is advisable that you request the contractor to take out some time, and at least install tarps, or any make any such temporary repair so as to stop the leakage problems etc for a while till they are free to make do the permanent repair job.

Small Business Owners: Ignore Employment Laws at Your Own Risk

One of the biggest worries for many small business owners is running afoul with employment laws. The number of labor laws in the U.S. has increased significantly in the last several years. There are countless federal and state agencies such as Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division that govern these regulations. All of these agencies are looking at all aspects of labor management to ensure small business owners comply with the laws. Forget to comply with one of myriad laws and you will find yourself in the crosshairs of one these agencies. The consequences of running afoul can range from hefty fine to even jail time. So what can you do to ensure you don’t end up in this situation?

There are several steps you can take to avoid being in trouble:

• Make yourself familiar with all the different employment laws and regulations. Some of the most important regulations you need to be aware of are Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Equal Pay Act, the WARN Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). In addition, different states have their own regulations that you should become familiar with.

3 Basic Skills Small Business Owners Must Have

Running a business is always challenging. With marketing being as competitive as it is today, business owners must go the extra mile to gain competitive advantage. If you are a business owner, you must be familiar with the ups and downs of the market. Some of you might even know how to cope with market changes already.

Before you can go further and take your business to a whole new level, however, there are several important basic skills to master. These skills will help you lay a strong foundation for growth and keep your business on the safe side at all times. In this article, we are going to focus on the three basic skills small business owners must have and whether they can be outsourced to ease your burden.

1. Leadership

Every business owner must lead their businesses by example. While there are ways to delegate some of these responsibilities to others, the job of setting a particular goal and leading every member of the team towards achieving that goal still lies on you as the owner of the business.

Fortunately, leadership is a skill that can be developed. Some business owners choose to go back to school and pursue a master’s degree in business administration to sharpen their knowledge. Others rely on their experiences as professionals and employees of other businesses to become the leader that they need to be.

Small Business Owners: How Can You save Money on Telecom and Credit Card Fees

Every once in a while I come across a service that can save small business owners significant amount of money without them having to spend much time and effort. On surface they may appear to be too good to be true, but many times these are really genuine people providing their expertise in specialized areas in exchange for a share of the savings.

One such consultant I came across recently is Tarek Hassan. He is an expert in telecommunication and credit card processing fees and understands the nuances of these industries. He also has knowledge of many different types of vendors providing these services. By analyzing your past spend history and understanding your needs he can save money you spend on telecom charges and credit card processing fees. He has already worked with number of small business owners and achieved excellent results. The best part is he doesn’t even charge any upfront fee. He gets paid commission on the amount of money you save using his expertise. This is what I call true win-win for all the parties involved.