Tag: Technology Post

Three Tech Necessities To Enliven A Dull Commute

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

The daily commute to and from work is not something any of us look forward to. It’s lost time; time that could be better spent at work, or enjoying leisure activities at home. It’s dealing with the annoying behaviour of other commuters, the pushing and shoving, the being forced to sit too close to someone you don’t know. It’s a miserable experience, but one that we have to put up with if we want to be able to do our jobs.

It therefore makes sense to consider the potential for making the commute as enjoyable as possible — or, at least, as bearable as possible. If this is something you’re always going to be forced to do, then turning to technology could be the difference-maker that takes you from mild irritation to as-pleasant-as-possible commuting experience.

So what do you need to ensure the time you spend travelling to and from the office is as good as it can possibly be?

1) Smartphone Games That Don’t Require A Data Connection

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If your commute is around 30 minutes each way, then relying on a data connection as a means to entertain yourself is going to get expensive – fast. Browsing the web and social media is how most of us spend our commute, but an hour per day of such browsing is an unnecessary expense.

Instead, turn to smartphone games that you don’t need to be connected to the internet to play. Put your phone in airplane mode and play to your heart’s content, without having to worry about running up a huge data bill.

2) Headphones (That Won’t Annoy Your Fellow Commuters)

Anyone who has ever been on public transport knows how irritating it can be to be forced to listen to the music of someone else. So if you’d rather zone out to music during your commute, you need to ensure that you’re not going to be one of those annoying commuters. Investing in a good set of best wireless Bluetooth headphones is a good first step, but it’s also worth promising yourself to keep the volume at a reasonable level.

At the very least, having a good option for listening to your own music means you’re going to be able to drown out the music of someone else if necessary!

3) A Reliable Power Source

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Smartphone batteries are terrible; this has been acknowledged, explained, debated, and discussed for years now. Given that we seem to have reached a peak point of performance when it comes to battery life, you’re going to need to ensure that you can keep your phone powered through your commutes. After all, if your phone is going to be your main source of entertainment during the daily work travel, then the last thing you want is for it to run out and leave you stuck with nothing to do.

Portable power banks have been around for a few years now, but they still have huge variances in their quality and durability. As a general rule, opt for a larger bank – around 20,000mAh should suffice – so you can be sure of multiple top-ups, just in case you forget to recharge it every night.

So while commuting is never going to be your favourite activity, the above should make it a little easier to deal with!

What You Need For Your Own Podcast

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Podcasts can be considered another type of blogging, and can be just as full time. Everyone can make their own podcasts nowadays about anything they love or find interesting. Yet even when you’re blogging you’re going to need some essential equipment, so it’s the same for going bigger with your recording activities. It can often feel like a closer way of interacting with your audience, and your friends and family as well as you can invite on special guests. So feel free to run your own podcast, but what technology do you need to record and edit your own audio show?

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There’s three staple things you’ll need to create a podcast worthy of upload:

A Good Microphone

If your computer comes with a built in microphone, you can use that to start off with. However, if you want something more durable and long term, USB microphones make the whole recording loop a lot easier to monitor. This is because you’ll often be able to see the sound levels in wave format on your screen.

If you need some comparisons for the best models, look here, and keep an eye out for entry level microphones as they’ll be best to start and get to grips with. Microphones don’t have to be necessarily complicated however, but are a little bit of an investment so it’s good to know what you’re buying.

A Recording Device

Use your own computer or have an external method of recording. It’s often easier to just use your computer’s built in software if you have nothing else and want to get started straightaway. However, this does mean your files will be harder to find and more easily corrupted as computers are not specialised for this activity long term.

Invest in an external device if you want to try making a podcast long term. These devices will keep your files safe in a format that’s ready to edit, like a WAV. file. They also won’t corrupt your data with trying to store it in a compatible way after being recorded.

Reliable Editing Software

Editing software can be found at many places across the web, but make sure you’re downloading a safe file, and that your software is easy for you to use. You could try something like audacity, which is easy to get to grips with and is completely free.

If you’re confident with what you do, you can use a mixer for your post production effects. These can be used to make a show intro if you’re so inclined, and can create some special effects if you have a themed show or want to dabble in the art of audio mixing.

Creating your own podcast couldn’t be easier with the modern world. Everyone can be their own mini celebrity with online culture, and as long as you have a few listeners you’re in business and everyone can make their own podcasts nowadays about anything they love or find interesting, especially with the help of Music Critic’s Top 10 Best DAW Recording Software of 2018 review for new software for recording! Of course it can always be done for yourself, as it’s another blogging platform, and is a good way to express your creative freedom.