Tech tips for students

Hey.  I'm sure going to University for the first time is both exciting and scary.  Here are some tech tips for you.

Get your own router

Unless you like random people blasting music on your Google Home or Amazon Echo devices, I recommend getting your own router. Depending on your budget, a cheapo router from Amazon could do the deed but if you plan on holding on your router for longer than 3 years, maybe it would be worth investing in a good brand name router. Look at reviews to decide which router is best for you.

Our rooms at Swansea University Bay Campus have an ethernet to plug in a router but this can vary depending on the accommodation you are moving in to.

Also, a router allows you to form a local area network in your room so that you can connect network devices like printers, Chromecasts, etc.

Getting some oomph from library computers (specifically for Swansea Students but your mileage may vary)

The computers at Swansea University have a hidden "C:" drive that is not normally seen. All files you save are stored in a network drive located at Singleton Campus. So running large simulations or CAD software from it can be slow and laggy. Therefore, I would save your files on the local C: drive and copy it off to a USB thumb drive or external hard drive once the simulation is done

Also, by default, you get around 2 GB of space allotted but you can ask nicely to have it expanded to 4 GB. Just email "engineeringit@swansea.ac.uk" with your request or visit room Engineering Central C105 (Engineering Central, C Block, 1st floor, Room 105).

Other Universities may have a similar configuration set up.

Make sure to match the version of software installed on the library computer

Most engineering software is not backward compatible. That means that files made with a newer version won't run on older versions. Software with known backward incompatibility:

• Solidworks
  For example, files made with version 2018 won't run on version 2017.
• Ansys
  For example, files made with version 19.2 won't run on version 18.2.

Therefore, always check the version installed on your university computers before downloading and installing it on your own PC. There's nothing worse than having to re-do the work because the file you send to your groupmate won't open on their computer.

If you feel I'm missing any tips, be sure to leave a comment on this post.

Image sources:

• Router: Image by RoboxInvasion from Pixabay
• Speedometer: Image by janjf93 from Pixabay
• Download icon: Image by IO-Images from Pixabay

Keeping your PC updated

There is nothing worse than switching on your PC and seeing the dreaded "Working on updates" screen," especially if you have a major deadline a few hours away.

To make matters worse, you can't skip the update.  However, here's some tip to keep it under control.

Microsoft release Windows updates on the second Tuesday of the month around 10 AM PST.  That translates to around 6 PM UK time.  Non-security updates to Microsoft Office tend to occur on the first Tuesday of each month and firmware updates for Microsoft's Surface devices on the third Tuesday of every month.

Therefore, to avoid unnecessary interruptions to your schedules, it might be good to block a "maintenance" period for your PC.  That way Windows won't interrupt your work.

At this point, you might be wondering why do I need the updates?

People often put off updating their PCs thinking that the updates are annoying and unnecessary.

However, they are wrong.  Windows updates often patch a major vulnerability that allows hackers to compromise your PC.

While it may take a while to update your PC, maybe block off a day "holiday" to update it.  Your PC will thank you for it.

Review: VicTsing 4k Action Cam

Disclaimer: This product was provided by VicTsing in exchange for an unbiased review.

Pros:

• Light weight
• Easy to use interface
• Does as described
• Stabilization of shots
• Can use larger than 64 GB microSD Card mentioned

Cons:

• Annoying prompt saying "video start."  But this can easily be turned off.
• Not so great at night shots.
• Can be a bit grainy and overexposed

Today I am reviewing the VicTsing 4k action camera, which cost £65.99.  The product directly compete with the GoPro Hero3 action cam, which cost £324.

Package Contents:

1x Camera (match box size)
2x Rechargeable batteries
1x Waterproof case
…. Lots and lots of accessories for different types to use, like helmet, motorbike, bicycle, etc.

It has a basic user interface which is quite easy to use when you get used to it.  According to the manual, the camera uses a Sony IMX117 Exmor R CMOS.  It also shoots UHD 4K(2880*2160) in 24fps, QHD 2K (2560*1440) in 30fps, and FHD 1080P in 60fp, etc all the way down to VGA.  The still picture resolution is touted to be 20 megapixels.

Here is a sample video of the Swansea University's 2016 Fresher Fair.  It was taken in 1080p 60 hertz.

VicTsing camera sample

GoPro Hero3 Sample - From YouTube

As you can see foreground objects are quite clear, but the background ones are a tad blurry.  Also, there is an annoying "video start" announcement captured on the start of the video.  However, this can easily be turned off under settings.  It is labeled as "voice prompt."

Furthermore, VicTsing had informed me that the largest micro SD card this camera can go is 64 GB.  Although VictSing said it wouldn't recognize larger sizes, but I was able to use up a 128 GB microSD card..  Also the camera enclosure is a little tricky to open up as you need to lift the hinge a little while pulling on the indicated tab.

Sample from my Xperia Z2 phone

Sample compilation comparing the VictSing Action cam and the Xperia Z5 Premium

Would I recommend to buy this product?  Maybe, if you're into action sports.  It is certainly cheaper than the GoPro Hero3 it is trying to compete with.

If you already have a phone with a good camera and just want to take casual videos, this would be an unnecessary purchase.

Review: VicTsing 3 in 1 Clip-On Lenses for Mobile Phone

Disclaimer: This product was provided by VicTsing in exchange for an unbiased review.

Update: On request to VictTsing I have re-reviewed the wide angle lens.  This time I have opted to use the Xperia Z5 Premium for the test.  As seen in the photograph below I could certainly see more.  However, the original problem with the black rings

Photo of Halbullock View without the lens

The black splodge in the right hand side is due to the edge of the wide angle lens, which I have simply slid away from the camera aperture.

Wide angle shot with VictSing lens

As you can see from the reshoot the wide angle lens certainly gives a wider view.  But the problem of black rings is still present.  Also it seem to me that the picture is less clear with the wide angle shot.

---

I received the VicTsing 3 in 1 Clip-On Lenses for Mobile Phone from Amazon.  I was quite skeptical over whether the product would work or not.  After testing it, I got mixed results.  The micro and fish eye lens worked quite well but the wide angle lens didn't.  I couldn't see a difference between the picture shot with the lense and one without.

Box content: Fish Lens, Micro / Wide Angle Lens, Manual, Clips to hold lens, carrying case

Test shots:
I took the pictures using the well renowned Sony Xperia Z3 running the experimental Android N Beta 3.

First up are the macro shots.  The macro and wide angle lenses are combo lens.  Unscrewing the wide angle bit gives you the macro lense.

I tried to take the shots using the same distance from the subject, an unappealing orange.

Macro lens

Orange shot without micro

Macro of orange peel

Macro of orange stalk

The macro lenses work particularly well.  It managed to enable the phone to capture the details of both the orange peels and the stalk.

Next up are the wide angle lens.

Wide angle shot of Habullock View

Non wide angle shot ie plain Z3

The wide angle shots weren't particularly impressive.  I couldn't see a discernible differences in the view captured.  And to make matters worse, it added a dark ring to the shot as seen in the wide angle picture above.

The last lens in the package is the fish eye test.

Fish eye lens

This lens certainly give that classic fish eye effect so nothing much to say here.

Fish eye shot of Halbullock View

Conclusions
The lens clips damaged my glass protectors, chipping them slightly.  The manual instructed me to "spread" the to fit but I was scared to do that in fear of damaging the clips.  In addition, unless you align them properly, you will get a black ring effect around the photos as you can see in the corner of the wide angle shot above.  All in all a mix bag.  In conclusion, unless you want to take macro shots and fish eye lens, you should stay away.  For £8.99 (as of the writing of this blog), you can't go wrong.

Review: Fallout Shelter on iOS

Fallout Shelter by Bethesda Studios is the hottest new game on the block.  It comes in hot heels of the highly anticipated game Fallout 4 by the same game studio.  The online reviews by Tech sites were all positive, so I decided to try it out.

I was initially impressed that I can progress the game without hitting a paywall.  But that doesn't mean there isn't any micro transactions -- there is.  Real life money could be used to buy packs that can give in game cash, resources, clothes, or weapons.  But it doesn't require the purchase of the stuff and the first two achievements give you two of the packs for free.

Five minutes into the game, I encounter my first problems: crashes.  Fallout Shelter on iPad Mini (1st Gen) crashes randomly.  It soon become more of a "when will it crash" game.  And to make matters worse, whatever you have done before the crash doesn't saves.  For example, if you "rush" -- one of the features of the game where you can get the resources faster -- and you succeed and then the game crash, the rush may not save.  And if you do the action again, there is a high chance it would fail.

The infuriating crashes happen more frequently as the game go on.  In addition, the game require you to have things right on the first go -- no messing up.  In the game you can combine the resource makers into one large plot.  However, once you build a plot, you can't move it around.  And you can only destroy the plot from the end first.  So if you want to change the middle plot, guess what, you have to build the entire row again.  So that sucks.

In the end, the random crashes just made the game too unbearable for me, so I ended up uninstalling the game.