Some USB chargers will charge your devices more quickly than others. However, your charger is not the only determining factor. The wrong USB cable can also slow down charging speeds.

The Lower the Gauge, the Faster the Charge

It all has to do with the gauge of the internal wires that make up your USB cable. “Gauge” refers to the thickness of the wires; the higher the gauge, the thinner the wire. Cheaper USB cables will often have thinner wires.

Thinner, higher-gauge wires are obviously made with less material and therefore cannot deliver as much current – charging will take longer. This is because a thicker wire reduces electrical resistance and allows for a better flow of electrons.

The length of your USB cable also affects how fast you can charge your device. For example, cheap, short cables may charge your device fairly quickly, while cheap, long cables could take longer.

What to Look for When Purchasing a USB Cable

There are two common types or gauges of USB cables: 28AWG and 24AWG. Once again, the gauge refers to the thickness of the wire inside the USB cable. And, somewhat counter-intuitively, the lower the gauge, the thicker the wire–24AWG is thicker than 28AWG.

So, a USB cable that uses 24AWG wire should charge your phone or iPad faster.

28/28 versus 28/24?

Another fact to consider is most USB charging cables include both a data wire and a charging wire. Cheaper USB cables will be identified as “28/28”–this means the cable uses 28AWG wire for both data and charging. “AWG” is an abbreviation of “American Wire Gauge”, and is a standardized wire gauge used by electronics manufacturers.

A 28/28 gauge will charge more slowly, while a 28/24 gauge cable, thanks to the presence of 24AWG, can handle up to 2amps. The maximum the 28/28 will provide is 500mAh which can be considered slow charging.

And, as we mentioned previously, the higher the amps, the higher the flow of electricity to your device. And the higher the flow, the quicker it can charge your phone or tablet.

So, if at all possible, always look for a 28/24 gauge USB cable. The 24AWG will charge faster, and this is usually the kind of USB cable that is included when you buy a tablet or smartphone.

Top Quality USB Cable – Free Giveaway

CompuCleverGEAR.com is currently giving away a limited number of Nylon Braided USB Cable With Metal Plug for iPhone/Android (1M-1.5M), while quantities last. This USB cables is probably the strongest USB cable you can find on the market and it features:

• 28 AWG / 24 AWG gauge and USB 3.0 support for faster charging and file transmission
• Braided-nylon fiber jacket and anodized aluminum shell for strong protection and durability
• 1 meter or 1.5 meter length with metal end cap

Regularly priced at over $20.00, this high-end USB cable is currently free – you just have to pay shipping + handling.

The post How to Choose a Good USB Data and Charging Cable appeared first on CompuClever.

Bluetooth is the next big thing in consumer technology. At least, that’s what companies like Apple are betting on.

In September Apple unveiled the iPhone 7. While some are saying the new iPhone features revolutionary technology under the hood, Apple got the most press for deciding to kill the headphone jack.

Instead, if you want to listen to anything on an iPhone 7 you’ll have to use wired (and very expensive) earphones that plug into the iPhone 7’s Lightning power port. You can also purchase Apple’s sophisticated Bluetooth earphones—aka “AirPods“, and a supercomputer in their own right.

Thanks to Apple’s iPhone 7 launch, then, Bluetooth has come back into style. But what is Bluetooth? And it is any good for listening to music?

Bluetooth—Simple to Set Up

Bluetooth is a wireless technology that transmits and exchanges data over very short distances. For example, while your WiFi router reaches to pretty much every part of your home, Bluetooth transmits up to twenty feet or so.

Bluetooth’s main advantage over WiFi technology is that is extremely simple to set up—typically all it takes is the press of a button in an app. WiFi, on the other hand, can be tricky and time-consuming to configure.

Bluetooth also requires far less power to operate than WiFi. This makes Bluetooth a great technology for devices such as Apple’s new ultra-expensive wireless headphones.

How Is Bluetooth Used?

Popular “sound bar” speakers use Bluetooth technology. Pair a sound bar with your smartphone and listen to music on the patio, out at the beach, or just around the house.

As well, many higher-end cars come equipped with a Bluetooth transmitter that pairs your phone with the car’s audio system. This allows hands-free driving.

However, Bluetooth is most typically used with wireless headphones, as well as wireless headsets paired with smartphones.

Easy to pair with your smartphone, these wireless gadgets have no wires that can get tangled, or that fray and wear out.

Bluetooth headphones also don’t use much power, so, all in all, they’re pretty convenient.

Doesn’t Bluetooth Cause Cancer?

Ever since World War II, people have been worried about the health effects of wireless technologies, and Bluetooth is no different. However the power output of a Bluetooth device is much lower than even a cellphone.

The IEEE—the organization representing engineers and other scientific experts around the world—says the biggest danger from Bluetooth comes from being distracted while you perform day-to-day tasks. The biggest risk of Bluetooth, according to the IEEE, is walking into a pole, or perhaps crashing your car if you aren’t paying attention.

Bluetooth devices don’t emit a lot of power, says the IEEE, so there are no health risks, including cancer, when using the technology.

What to Look For In Bluetooth Wireless Headphones and Earphones

While the iPhone 7’s wireless AirPods are going to cost a ton of money, there are more affordable, high-quality Bluetooth earphones on the market already.

Good acoustic reproduction

Bluetooth earphones and headsets, even if they’re not made by Apple, can be pretty expensive. It’s tempting to look for cheaper headphones. The problem with this strategy? Poor audio quality. So, the first consideration (after your budget) is good audio quality.

Long battery life

While Bluetooth doesn’t use a lot of technology, not every headphone set gets good battery life. It’s a question of engineering. So look for Bluetooth earphones that have at least 5 hours of battery life. This should get you through the day.

Multi-functional and light

There are some Bluetooth rigs that are just gigantic, so be on the lookout for more up-to-date designs that fit lightly into your ear.

Make sure that your headphones are multifunctional as well. All headphones should include a mic, so you can make telephone calls, and a simple switch that allows you to pause audio.

Noise isolation

It’s possible to get headphones with “noise isolation” without having to pay the hefty price of noise-cancellation. While noise cancellation uses expensive technology, “noise isolation” does not make use of any power or electronics to block out surrounding noise. Rather, it employs the choice of optimum construction materials and an ergonomic design to block out as much noise as possible from entering the ear canal. Think of it as sound-proofing for your ears.

Sweat proof

If you go to the gym with your headphones, the sweat from your workout will probably destroy them pretty quickly… unless you purchase headphones that have been designed to deal with sweat and other ambient moisture.

Reasonably priced

While Bluetooth earphones can be pretty pricey, sometimes the big price tag is just a marketing gimmick: “if the headphones are expensive, it means they’re really good, right?”

However, it’s possible to find high-quality Bluetooth earphones for a reasonable price. You don’t have to spend a fortune.

Editor’s Pick: Bauseus Bluetooth Wireless Headphones

So, are there any wireless Bluetooth headphones that meet all of the above criteria? We think so—let’s take a look at Bauseus Bluetooth wireless headphones, featured on CompuCleverGear.com

What we like about Baseus Bluetooth wireless earphones:

• Baseus Bluetooth wireless earphones deliver high quality sound in a compact form while looking simple and elegant
• They have a long 5-hour battery life while playing audio
• There are handy buttons to control volume, accept calls, search for music and more
• The headphones are also designed and manufactured with a water-resistant rating of IPX-4 to be sweat-proof and rain-proof
• Best of all, the earphones are completely cordless

Baseus Bluetooth wireless earphones, along with all other earphones,  are currently on sale at CompuCleverGear.com.

In Conclusion...

Thanks to the ultra-premium (and ultra-expensive) Apple AirPods, Bluetooth technology looks like it's here to stay. Bluetooth is a safe, useful technology, and there are many affordable options that allow audiophiles to go "cord-free."

If you have any questions about Bluetooth, let us know in the comments!

The post What Is Bluetooth, and Does It Cause Cancer? appeared first on CompuClever.

The biggest problem with saving remotely on cloud services such as Google Drive and Dropbox is you could be hacked. Even Apple’s iCloud service, with some of the toughest security in the world, has been hacked.

So, it’s always a good idea to backup locally first before relying on remote backup. USB or “thumb” drives are handy devices that in many ways can be the perfect solution for local backups.

Reliable and cheap, USB drives can store anything from 1GB (the size of a feature-length HD movie) to 1TB (1000 feature-length movies) of data. Unlike a powered HDD backup drive, USB drives are also portable and easier to keep safe.

How Many Files Can Be Stored on a USB Drive?

If you’re backing up images from your camera and want to know how many will fit on a USB thumb drive all you really need is to know is the size of the image, which is measured in megapixels. Use the table below to find the size of the megapixels along the left, and then the size of storage in the USB key across the top:

So, a 64GB USB key can store over 8,000 high-resolution images—this should be more than enough enough to back up all of the photos you take on a vacation if, say, you have limited access to Internet to make an online backup.

For videos, documents and other files, file sizes range dramatically. To figure out your storage needs you’ll have to look at the sizes of your files or folders in Windows Explorer.

Remember, the larger the file, the longer it will take to transfer from your computer. So it may be worth it to consider USB 3.0, which is the latest and fastest USB standard.

Compared to USB 2.0, USB 3.0 is about 10 times faster and USB 3.1 is about 20 times faster. Along with being faster, USB 3.0 also has the ability to provide power if the device does not have a power connection of its own.

Speed Up An Older Computer With a USB Drive

Besides performing backups and safeguarding your data, USB drives can speed up your computer. This technique is super effective for older computers that typically have smaller amounts of RAM—2GB, for example. RAM is the “secret ingredient” to making your computer run fast, and if you don’t have a lot of RAM, using a computer can be a frustrating experience.

A USB drive can help with that. Using a technology called ReadyBoost, you can plug a USB into your computer and get a performance upgrade. Read more about it here.

Try Out a USB 3.0 Kingston DataTraveler—On Sale Now!

If you’re interested in trying out USB 3.0 for yourself, the Kingston Digital DataTraveler USB 3.0 flash memory drives are on sale right now on our newly launched hardware site CompuCleverGear.com.

Since the Kingston USB flash memory drives uses USB 3.0 technology it's a great way to not only speed up your backup process but also to future-proof your saved files.

The post Why You Should Always Backup Locally—Even if You Use Cloud Storage appeared first on CompuClever.

The Device

There are going to be some of our readers who are inspired by this weather sensor technology and want to take the step of buying an actual weather device for themselves. We covered how to assemble the device and now we will look at connecting it with the available software. First we’ll review some of the features of the device.

A Serious Weather Station

For weather hobbyists, you will immediately recognize the value of the BloomSky device. It has sensors to constantly measure the temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, along with ultra-violet sun exposure and a rain sensor. It is built to withstand weather extremes and it can last 20 days on one battery charge, and it can be powered by solar or AC power.

BloomSky enables you to connect your device and share weather data with Internet weather service like the Weather Underground. Those who are serious about collecting weather data can trust BloomSky’s industrial grade quality when it comes to withstanding the most severe weather conditions. We couldn’t help but share this photo that was posted on Xiao’s, BloomSky’s CEO, personal blog. He proudly stated that the seemingly frozen device below is still powered on, functioning, and transmitting weather data!

Dashboard – the Device Software

To connect to your device and examine the data that is now being collected, you can access the software known as the dashboard. Simply go to this link: https://dashboard.bloomsky.com/ using your desktop or mobile device. You’ll need to create an account with a user name and password. Once your device is up and running for a day or more, you can view time-lapse captures of previous days’ recordings using a calendar view to select the day you want to view.

There is also a Data view with graphs that display the weather information you are taking from your location as can be seen here:

A Fun Device

For those of us who are not weather hobbyists, BloomSky is a fun device that allows you to connect with others in ways that you’ve never imagined before. The BloomSky device takes pictures of the sky every few minutes and has a fish-eye lens that is pointed upwards. The 170 degree ultra-wide lens can be adjusted vertically.

The devices are designed to forward images to the BloomSky website, which assembles the pictures and produces a time-lapse video on its cloud-based network. You can then check out the weather in another location for yourself and get a firsthand look at transmissions along with corresponding temperature measurements. So, by getting this unit, you are plugging yourself into a weather information network.

Furthermore, all of the information collected, including the time-lapse video generated daily, can be easily shared with the rest of the world including your family and friends who may be keen on admiring the weather you are enjoying. Along with the BloomSky website, sharing is also made easy through the BloomSky app, which supports mobile devices running on either the iOS (Apple App store) or Android (Google Play) platform. What’s also amazing is that your friends and family can subscribe to your BloomSky weather station through the app and receive not only daily time-lapse videos but also “push messages” you send regarding important updates and alerts.

Our Tech Corner Evaluation:

Our Technical Support specialist Richard has this to say:

I have to admit that at first blush I was skeptical of the weather sensor device. It wasn’t that I did not believe it could be accurate in its measurements or incapable of handling wet or cold weather, but rather the utility of such a device. That is always the acid test isn’t it, what purpose does it serve?

For some people being able to check the weather conditions at home while they are away is valuable, but then you’d have to be away from home for long periods to justify it. So, I went to the BloomSky webpage to see if they could sell me on it.

One of the first things I came across was IFTTT technology (IF This, Then That). This refers to the ability to use the information gathered from the device for a purpose. Simply put, if a condition arises than a corresponding action ensues. That is to say, you would be able to set your home thermostat according to the temperature changes. “For example, you can have BloomSky trigger your connected thermostat to turn on (or off) when an outside temperature is reached.” We see other options are available as well including have your home thermostat adjusted remotely using a device such as a Wi-Fi thermostat controller. Or, you could simply contact a friend or neighbor who could adjust it for you. There is also the option to have it record data and present it to you. Getting an idea of how much rainfall you had locally or overnight or tracking freezing temperatures could be very useful for farmers and gardeners.

As global weather and forecasting becomes increasingly variant and harder to predict, the value of this technology could be even more salient. BloomSky has also placed considerable effort toward establishing a weather network community. They have a Facebook page and anyone can join in regardless of whether you have the BloomSky hardware.

Recommendation and Offer

We feel that this is really the definition of an emerging technology, and the impact is hard to predict, but we can easily see value for such devices as it relates to automation of homes, for people to use in their businesses, and to assist with travel plans. In reading their blogs we also see opportunities to learn about how weather affects people in different vocations and walks of life. Certainly handling the device for a couple of days, and seeing what is being done with it has been an education for our team.

With the BloomSky device the sky may really be the limit!

We hope you enjoyed our volume of the newly minted “Gears and Gadgets” column. We will bring more creative and smart high-tech products to you on a regular base. If you have any specific interest that you would like us to cover, simply send us an email to: newsletter@compuclever.com

The post BloomSky – Serious but Fun appeared first on CompuClever.

When the box from BloomSky arrived, Andy was quite excited about it. So, I was somewhat surprised when he asked me to set up the unit and document the proceedings. I’m Richard from the Technical Support team and I would think the assumption is that this should be a snap for me, right? The truth is I learn how to do things by repetition – doing them over and over. However, it’s not likely that I would be a good assembly line worker – my strength is working with computers! So, if I can succeed at setting this up… most anyone can.

Out of the Box:

We received the Solar Powered Weather kit that includes both the solar panel and the mounting bracket. To begin, I opened one box to find three smaller boxes as can be seen below. One was for the main sensor, and it included the electrical adaptor and the central mounting pole. The flat box contained the solar panel. The third box (the smallest), had the mounting bracket.

I found a couple packages of screws to help with mounting the assembled unit. Also included is a brief manual to help with setting up the system.

Opening the boxes you will find the following items as depicted in the image below:

Putting it Together:

The assembly is fairly simple. First, you assemble the sensor unit and the mounting pole. Begin by connecting the two pieces of the mounting pole together. Next, connect the sensor module to the top of the pole. There are four little notches to fit the sensor on the pole (you can see a couple of the guides at the top of the pole in the main picture). Once down, turn the sensor to the side to secure it on the pole.

Now you have to decide whether or not to use the mounting bracket. This really depends on two conditions:

Keep in mind, these conditions impact one another. If you plan to have the sensor in a place higher up where there is no AC power outlet close by, you have to use an extension cord or consider the solar power option, which necessitates the use of the mounting bracket. Also, if you want to place the sensor at a location where you can’t drive the mounting pole into a piece of lawn or a flowerbed, then you also need to use the mounting bracket.

If you have decided to use the mounting bracket, find a place to secure it. You could clamp it over your patio railing, as shown above, or simply screw it to a vertical fixture. If you plan to use the solar panel, there is a mounting plate on the underside of the solar panel. You need to slide it up so you can remove it from the panel and then attach it to the main mounting bracket. There are four small holes on the angled part of the bracket where you attach the plate to the bracket using four dark screws that came with the larger plastic bag as seen in the picture that shows all the parts.

Once the mounting bracket is in place, as seen in part 2 of the illustration shown above, slide the mounting pole (with the sensor unit attached), down through a hole near the top of the angled piece of the mounting bracket and then through a hole near the turn handle on the bracket. Next, slide the solar panel back onto the mounting plate and make certain it is secure, and will not slide off the plate. The notch in the panel denotes the top side of the panel and is necessary for the panel to connect securely when the central pole is in place.

Power Up and Connection

The cable from the solar panel (or the AC adaptor) clicks into a connector at the bottom of the module; you will need to move the cover to the side to insert it. To the left of the power connection is the power switch for turning the module on and off. To the right of that connection is a button to reset the Wi-Fi connection.

Once the unit is assembled and powered up, you can start the process of connecting it to the Internet. A smart phone or tablet (iOS or Android), with an established connection to the Internet is required at this step. You also need to download and install the BloomSky app from either the Apple App store or the Google Play store. Your smart phone or tablet acts like a conduit so that you can use the BloomSky app to connect the weather sensor to the Internet.

Once connected, the app will install and guide you through connecting the sensor to your Wi-Fi and your phone or tablet. You will need to sign on to the router which involves supplying the router name and password. From there it will connect with the sensor and have you up and running in three minutes or less!

Our Review:

We found the assembly to be a straightforward process without any real hiccups. The instructional documentation is brief but doesn’t complicate what is a fairly straightforward assembly. The unit is largely metal so it should stand up to any harsh weather conditions. Also, the clamping system is very sturdy. When put together the unit is secure and not flimsy in any way.

To provide an unbiased and instructive review, we would also like to point out a few issues that we ran into during the installation and configuration process:

We recommend you read and follow the instructions, as seen above and shown on your mobile app. This includes performing steps in the right order. This should largely reduce the chance of failures and make your installation process a happy experience!

Recommendation to Date

To recap… we are pleased with the BloomSky hardware in terms of ease of assembly, instructions given, and even the quality of the materials / device. The software to connect to the device is easy to understand and to use. For our next article, we will continue our review of the BloomSky technology including our experience with the information it collects such as the time-lapse videos it generates, and we will finish with a complete overall review.

We hope you enjoyed this edition of Gears and Gadgets. We plan to offer our final review and recommendation in the last article of this series available to you in the next few days. Feel free to email us with questions and comments: newsletter@compuclever.com

The post BloomSky Weather Sensor – Setup appeared first on CompuClever.

We’ll get started by looking at the company vision and the technology offered.

The company vision at BloomSky is to change the way people access weather information.  They are setting out to build a weather network based on data that is “crowd-sourced” and image based.  Weather is captured by devices around the world by regular people and presented using images and daily time-lapse photographs.  Of course it is available to be viewed online with your PC or your mobile device.

The Vision:

Speaking of regular people, we’ve had a chance to connect with the CEO and the marketing coordinator at BloomSky who shared more about the company and the vision.  They are located in the Bay area and the CEO’s name is Xiao (pronounced: Shee’ou).  He tells us his goal is to bring about the largest independent data network that covers the globe.  The emphasis is on “independent”.  The collection of weather data is independent from other sources.  They want to better serve areas not currently covered by government or agencies.   This includes for example, rural areas and territories that have little to no coverage.

The Product:

The hardware portion of this technology is an HD camera equipped smart device with some impressive features:

Here’s a good video that highlights the functionality of this device:

The Community:

Taking part in the BloomSky community is easy and you can choose your level of involvement.  We’ll start by introducing you to the basics.  The application is freely offered in the following flavors:

Let’s Get Started:

We’ll walk you through the first steps of checking out the BloomSky community.  Once on the site you can begin to explore locations around the globe!

Our First Impression:

Like the BloomSky community growing around the globe, we’re excited.  This is real-time weather tracking provided by real people.  It’s a true indication of a global neighborhood.  The features that inspire us include:

As the BloomSky community is saying… it’s fun and educational too.  We will be following up this review with further reviews of the BloomSky technology for those of our readers that are interested in taking the next step:  getting a BloomSky weather device of their very own.

Stay tuned!

The post Introducing the BloomSky Network appeared first on CompuClever.

This past Christmas, my wife and I decided to escape the wet and chilly weather common to the Pacific Northwest to spend some holiday time in Long Beach, CA.  Two weeks before the trip, I realized that instead of bringing my laptop shoulder bag I actually needed a different bag other than my usual Samsonite carry-on suitcase.  This bag needs to be more than just multifunctional.

I actually sat back and wrote down my “wish-list” for such an item:

To be honest, this list is very demanding and I wasn’t even sure this type of luggage even existed.  I started my quest using Amazon.com by searching for certain keywords.  After spending some time filtering through hundreds of results, I took specific interest in a multifunctional backpack that not only satisfied my list but also provided many more other options.  According to the product images and description, this is a 4-in-1 multifunctional bag that serves as: a backpack, a travel duffle bag, a messenger bag, or a carry bag.  I was quiet amazed and thrilled.

As an avid reader and technical writer, I have been a long-time Amazon member for over a decade.  My purchases have only been for books, including both paperbacks and lately Kindle versions.  But I had never purchased any physical goods from Amazon.  So I emailed the vender with a few questions, verifying that the bag can fit my 15” laptop.  I placed the order and the bag arrived the day before my trip so I had an opportunity to test the bag. The result?  It exceeded my expectation!  Here is what I like about this bag:

4-in-1 multifunctional

This bag can indeed be converted to one of the following types:

The design of conversion was well thought of because converting from one type to another takes less than 10 seconds, whether it involves removing / attaching shoulder straps or revealing / hiding the backpack shoulder straps.

A secure laptop storage

This bag can not only fit in my 15” laptop but also features a purposefully designed laptop storage compartment with secure strips.  The back of the backpack is also designed to provide enough cushioning for shock absorption as well as provide ventilation for extended comfort.

Roomy but not bulky

The capacity is amazing; although I only chose the medium size bag, it can host quite a bit of stuff.  I managed to stuff an entire IKEA sofa cushion (see image below) while my laptop snuggly tucked away in its own compartment.

Nevertheless, you can still stay stylish, in the event you decide to dress in business-casual and use it as a messenger bag or hand bag. It is because the bag doesn’t look bloated when not stuffed to its full extent.

Good design and quality

The material and construction of the bag is high quality, featuring waterproofing, terylene oxford nylon fabric and heavy duty durable luggage parts (I refer here to the buckles, the straps, the zips, etc.).

After returning from the holiday trip, I lost the bag to my 13-year old son who convinced me that he could make much better use of it as a school bag because he has way more “important stuff” to carry on a daily basis.  Well, I just ordered another one because I am more than convinced that this bag really fits my ongoing needs as well, whether for mountaineering, hiking, camping, backpacking, business travel, or personal vacation.

Recommendation and Offer

As is fairly obvious – I recommend this item highly.  So much so, that during the course of writing this column, I managed to get a few of my CompuClever colleagues convinced that this is a worthwhile purchase so I actually reached out to the vendor and managed to get some fairly awesome discounts.

Furthermore, I was also authorized to pass these discounts to our readers and subscribers for a limited period of time.  If you are interested in this multifunctional bag and want to purchase one for yourself, you can use the following coupons to get some considerable discounts.

That said, I have to provide a disclaimer: neither CompuClever nor myself will financially benefit from any purchase that may result from this article, which serves as a purely independent review.

The post Product Review: A 4-in-1 Leisure Outdoor Backpack for Your Laptop appeared first on CompuClever.