The JBL Tune Beam earbuds stream audio with low power consumption at high quality, thanks to the next generation Bluetooth technology. Plus, BT 5.3 allows you to stream synchronized audio independently to each earbud, so that you can use either or both earbuds. Or you can share your video or music content with a friend wearing headphones, as BT 5.3 lets you seamlessly stream audio to multiple listeners.

The JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless (also known as the JBL Wave Beam in some markets) are simple in-ears designed for on-the-go use. They’re budget-friendly buds that offer a few extra features compared to similarly-priced models, especially since they give you access to a parametric EQ and presets for sound customization in the JBL Headphones app. These headphones have a roughly eight-hour battery life that will get you through most work days, especially since they come with a case for easy on-the-go charging. They lack ANC, but they still passively block out most office chatter. Plus, you can control how much sound you hear through the headphones, with an Ambient Aware mode to let in some background noise, as well as a TalkThru mode to hear what your coworkers are saying without removing your buds.

Active Noise Cancelling technology lets you minimize audio distractions and lets you hear more of what you want, less of what you don’t. With Ambient Aware, you can tune into your surroundings at any time so that you feel safer when you’re out in the world, while TalkThru lets you stop for a quick chat without having to remove your headphones. These true wireless earbuds give you up to 48 hours of exceptional JBL Pure Bass Sound, while the ergonomic, water and dust resistant design gives you all-day comfort in any weather.

A simple touch allows you to manage and enjoy perfect calls anywhere, without ambient noises. And with Active Noise Cancelling and Smart Ambient technology, you choose whether you want to tune out the world or engage with your surroundings. The stick-closed design ensures a secure fit, isolation from outside noise for better sound performance. Best of all, the JBL Headphones App lets you personalize your entire listening experience. Stay connected to your world, your way.

This AF wireless transparent mouse boasts an advanced Bluetooth 5.1 chip, ensuring a stable and low-latency connection. It also supports a reliable 2.4GHz wireless connection with plug-and-play convenience—no drivers needed. Switch effortlessly between up to three connected devices by touching the switch on the back. he AF transparent mouse features a built in high-performance rechargeable 400 mAh battery, providing an impressive 30 days of usage on a full charge. The automatic hibernation mode minimizes power consumption, effortlessly awakening with a simple button click.

The Real Time 4 grid power display allows you to effortlessly monitor the battery levels during use. Experience precise and swift tracking with the optical gaming mouse. Suitable for all mouse mats, it ensures high sensitivity and accuracy for both office and gaming use. Effortlessly switch to the desktop with a single click using the “Boss Key,” enhancing office efficiency and ensuring privacy. This ultra-light mouse is designed to seamlessly fit the palm of your hand, ensuring a comfortable and effortless feel.

Its see-through sleek aesthetic is both unique and captivating, providing a clear and cool visual appeal. The innovative design features a magnetic attachment for both the top cover and USB receiver memory slot. Never worry about losing your receiver again – simply open the top cover, attach the USB receiver to the memory slot, and enjoy hassle-free usage! A versatile companion for home, office, and gaming, this portable lightweight mouse is a must-have for those who appreciate style and performance. Choose from a range of vibrant colors!

Business-centric laptops seem to be a category all of it’s own in the universe of laptops. When shopping for a laptop, it is always good to do your research. Business-centric laptops offer some of the best security at a level not found on most mainstream laptops—case in point, the HP ProBook 440 G9, HP’s affordable business-centric laptop.

The HP ProBook 440 G9 is a sleek and elegant laptop with a silver aluminum body. It has a 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS display that does not claim a fast refresh rate nor specialized color gamut calibration. Is this a bad thing? Honestly, I don’t believe so. For the target audience of the ProBook series, having faster frame rates and all the color gamut are just good-to-have features but not necessary. My only issue with the display is that I felt it needed a bit of vibrancy since it was a bit too dull for my taste. The port selection is outstanding on the HP ProBook 440 G9. On the left, you’ll find a Kensington Lock, a full RJ45 Ethernet port, and a USB 3.2 Type-A port. On the right are two more USB 3.2 Type-A ports, a USB 3.2 (Gen 2) Type-C Port, the audio jack, a full HDMI (2.1) port, and the power port. There is also another slot for the optional sim card tray.

Where the HP ProBook 440 G9 really shines is its portability. The laptop is just 1.38kg. For comparison, one of the lightest mainstream options, the Apple MacBook Air is just .08kg lighter. For thickness, the HP ProBook comes in at 19.9mm thin, not the thinnest but still quite portable. At the heart of the HP ProBook 440 G9 is either an Intel Core i5–1235U or an Intel Core i7-1255U. Both variants are also paired with either an Intel UHD Graphics or Intel Iris Xe graphics. Mine comes with Core i5 and 16GB RAM and 512GB of NVMe SSD as storage. Benchmarks indicate that the HP ProBook 440 G9 is a fairly good device. The HP Long Life 3-cell, 42 Wh Li-ion battery can last about 3 hours with all the tools we open on our system for work.

Specifications:

• Screen Size: 14” diagonal FHD display
• Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-1235U Processor (up to 4.4 GHz with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology, 12 MB L3 cache, 10 cores, 12 threads)
• OS: Windows 10 Pro (available through downgrade rights from Windows 11 Pro)
• Camera: 720p HD privacy camera
• Battery: HP Long Life 3-cell, 42 Wh Li-ion
• Ports: 3 SuperSpeed USB Type-A 5Gbps signaling rate (1 charging, 1 power); 1 SuperSpeed USB Type-C® 10Gbps signaling rate (USB Power Delivery, DisplayPort™ 2.1); 1 headphone/microphone combo; 1 AC power; 1 RJ-45; 1 HDMI 2.1b
• Memory and Storage: 8GB memory; 512GB SSD storage
• Dimensions: 32.19 x 21.39 x 1.99cm
• Weight: Starting at 1.38 kg

Slack is a cloud-based team communication platform developed by Slack Technologies, which has been owned by Salesforce since 2020. Slack uses a freemium model. Slack is primarily offered as a business-to-business service, with its userbase being predominantly team-based businesses while its functionalities are primarily focused on business administration and communication.

This top business messaging app lets people punt on internal email and instead message more concisely with colleagues. As a messaging app, it works both in real time and asynchronously, making it good for hybrid and all-remote work environments. Slack creates a more spirited environment than many other business communication apps, and the ability to customize your app to a fine degree is a huge selling point. Slack is one of the best team messaging apps, and it’s a PCMag Editors’ Choice winner.

Slack offers Canvases, which are like whiteboards that you can use to collaborate with colleagues or clients to brainstorm ideas, create lists or share documents and files. Plus, Slack is easy to use and easy to customize. You can join the channels that are relevant to you, silence notifications in channels you casually follow and even create custom emojis for your workspace.

• Nickel plated USB connector.
• With strong neodymium magnets, the 50mm speaker drivers deliver solid performance in both low and high frequency sound reproduction.
• The revolving MIC in 360°with shielded wire produces great transfer functionality and clarity.
• The adjustable floating head beam is designed to deliver sturdy and durable fit for many head sizes.
• The ear cushions are comforable and breathe optimized for long periods of gameplay.
• The PVC audio cable with more than 20,000 cycles of the swing life test and 15kg stretching resistance enslong-lasting quality and sue.
• Strict adherence to HP standards and guidelines ensure long-lasting quality.
• 50mm Large Driver
• Stainless Steel headband
• Omnidirectional flexible mic
• USB Audio
• Volume control gear
• Durable Braided Cable

I got this USB headset as a gift from the office, kinda like a performance perk for the whole process that I was a part off (I just moved to a different process and client last month). It seems to be a really good one and I can use it for personal purposes if I want to. Nice!

Upgrading to 4K Blu-ray can be worth it, depending on several factors. Here are some key considerations to help you decide:

Picture Quality

Pros:

• Resolution: 4K Blu-rays offer a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels, which is four times that of standard 1080p Blu-rays. This results in sharper, more detailed images.
• High Dynamic Range (HDR): Many 4K Blu-rays come with HDR, which enhances the contrast and color range, making for more vivid and realistic visuals.
• Wide Color Gamut (WCG): 4K Blu-rays often support a wider color gamut, providing more accurate and deeper colors.

Cons:

• Visible Difference: The improvement in picture quality is most noticeable on larger screens (55 inches or more) and may be less perceptible on smaller screens.

Audio Quality

Pros:

• Advanced Audio Formats: 4K Blu-rays typically support high-end audio formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS, offering a more immersive sound experience.

Content Availability

Pros:

• Growing Library: The library of 4K Blu-ray titles is steadily growing, including recent blockbusters and remastered classics.

Cons:

• Limited Selection: While the library is growing, it is still smaller compared to standard Blu-ray and streaming services.

Cost

Cons:

• Higher Prices: 4K Blu-rays are generally more expensive than standard Blu-rays.
• New Hardware: Upgrading may require a new 4K Blu-ray player and possibly a 4K HDR-compatible TV, which adds to the cost.

It’s really rather simple – comfort. key position. key spread. palm rest. probably a dozen other reasons.

If the keyboard that is included has a differing format to what I’m used to (L shaped enter/return key vs I shaped. It repositions specific keys that can be troublesome to get used to. Especially ones needed for “programming”. 

Not every laptop has the numeral keypad – mine does. I don’t know about you but if I’m doing more than 3 or 4 sets of numbers, it’s faster via numeral keypad. So if your laptop doesn’t have one, use an external keyboard that does. I use the Xech bluetooth keyboard.

Depending on the size of the laptop, the spread between the keys can add to errors in a touch typist’s pace. But most importantly the height! Using an external keyboard it’s so I can raise the screen to eye level and still type in a comfortable position. Also, most laptops in my experience have lousy keyboards.

Yes I have purchased yet another earbuds to listen to music on the go. I have wanted a JBL device for a long time and I guess I finally decided to get one for myself. The JBL Tune 235NC Wireles ANC Earbuds is a superb product. It has a massive 40Hrs playtime with Speed Charge, customizable Bass with headphones App, 4 Mics for perfect Calls, Google Fast Pair, Bluetooth 5.2.

About this item

• JBL Pure Bass Sound: Precision-engineered 6mm drivers, which deliver JBL’s Pure Bass Sound
• Active Noise Cancelling with Smart Ambient: Hear more of what you want, less of what you don’t. Active Noise Cancelling technology lets you minimize audio distractions
• Ambient Aware: Stay aware of your surroundings, so you feel safer when out and about
• TalkThru: Stop for a quick chat without having to remove your earbuds
• 4-Mics technology: Clear calls, never muffled. 4 mics ensure perfect stereo sound
• VoiceAware : Adjust how much of your own voice you hear in the buds
• IPX4 water/sweat resistant design : Don’t let bad weather stop your workout. You can power through thanks to the IPX4 water/sweat resistance. There isn’t a workout or downpour the Tune 235NC can’t handle

What is in the box?

• 1 x JBL Tune 235NC TWS headphones,
• 1 x Charging case,
• 1 x USB Type-C charging cable,
• 1 x 3 sizes of ear tips, 1 x Warranty/Warning (W/!),
• 1 x Quick Start Guide/Safety Sheet (S/i)

Hear more of what you want, less of what you don’t. Active Noise Cancelling technology with 2 microphones lets you minimize audio distractions. With Ambient Aware, you can tune into your surroundings at any time so that you feel safer when you’re out in the world, while TalkThru lets you stop for a quick chat without having to remove your headphones. Enjoy hassle-free, hands-free calls in stereo. The Tune 235NC TWS are equipped with 4 microphones, so you’ll always be heard with perfect clarity. Never hesitate to take or make a call again. With VoiceAware you can control the amount of mic input routed back into your earbuds and choose how much to hear of your own voice.

1. Use a Custom Homepage

By default, WordPress shows your latest posts on the homepage of your website. You can change that and use any page as your site’s homepage. First, you need to create a new page in WordPress, and you can name this page Home. Next, you will need to create another page, and let’s call this page Blog, as you will use it to display your blog posts.

Now go to Settings » Reading page in your WordPress admin and under the ‘Front page displays’ option and switch to ‘A static page’.

After that, you can select the pages you just created as your home and blog pages.

2. Install Google Analytics in WordPress

Google Analytics is one of the must-have tools for WordPress site owners. It allows you to see where your users are coming from and what they are doing on your website. It will only start tracking your website users after you install it. That’s why it is important to have it set up when you launch your website. This way, you’ll have all the historical data to track and compare your website’s growth. The best way to install Google Analytics is by using the MonsterInsights plugin. It is the best Google Analytics plugin for WordPress and shows beautiful reports right inside your WordPress admin area.

Simply install and activate the MonsterInsights plugin. For more details, see our tutorial on how to install a WordPress plugin. Upon activation, the plugin will walk you through the setup. Simply follow the on-screen instructions to finish the setup. For detailed instructions, see our step-by-step guide on how to install Google Analytics in WordPress.

3. Password Protect WordPress Admin Directory

The WordPress admin directory is where you perform all administrative tasks on your website. It is already password-protected, as users are required to enter a username and password before they can access the admin area. However, by adding another layer of authentication, you can make it difficult for hackers to gain access to your WordPress site.

4. Show Images in Rows and Columns

By default, when you add multiple images to a WordPress post, they would appear right next to each other or on top of each other. This does not look very good because your users will have to scroll a lot to see all of them. This can be solved by displaying images in a grid layout. You can use the Gallery block to display images in a grid of rows and columns. You can also use the columns block to display images side by side. If you want to display an image next to the text, then you can try Text and Media block.

5. Allow Users to Subscribe to Comments

Normally, when users leave a comment on your website, they will have to manually visit the same article again to see if you or other users replied to comments. Wouldn’t it be better if users were able to get email notifications about new comments on your posts? Here is how to add this feature to your website.

Simply install and activate the Subscribe to Comments Reloaded plugin. Upon activation, you need to visit Settings » Subscribe to Comments to configure the plugin settings.

AVIF is an image file format developed by the Alliance for Open Media that can be used by anyone. It can store both still and animated images with the “.avif” file extension, using lossless or lossy compression. AVIF stands for AV1 Image File Format on account of its use of AV1 compression. It is widely seen as a replacement for HEIC (High-Efficiency Image Container), which uses HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding) instead of the newer AV1.

In case you’re confused: AV1 compression will eventually replace the older HEVC standard. Since the old HEIC container relies on HEVC, AVIF has been introduced as a new image format that makes use of newer AV1 compression. AVIF supports both high dynamic range (HDR) and standard dynamic range (SDR) content, including the commonly-used sRGB and BT.2020 color spaces. It supports color depths of 8, 10, and 12-bits, film grain preservation, transparency like PNG images, and animations just like the GIF format.

AVIF and WebP are engineered to outclass traditional formats like JPEG in compression efficiency significantly. AVIF, leveraging the advanced AV1 codec, generally achieves superior compression and, thus, smaller file sizes for equivalent image quality.

The LG Gram 17 line has always been about combining productivity and portability, delivering a roomy 17-inch display that provides ample room to work in a trim, three-pound package. This year’s version adds the option for dedicated GeForce RTX 3050 graphics, which makes the Gram 17 a good fit for content-creation basics. The graphics boost adds some weight to the Gram 17 and somewhat shortens battery life, but the Gram 17 remains impossibly thin and light — and long-running.

The LG Gram 17 line starts at $2,000 for a system that features an Intel Core i7-1360P CPU, RTX 3050 graphics, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. Our $2,300 test system doubles the RAM to 32GB and the SSD to 2TB. Both models feature the same CPU/GPU combo powering a 17-inch nontouch display with a 2,560×1,600-pixel resolution, a tall 16:10 aspect ratio and a variable 144Hz refresh rate. The LG Gram 17 starts at £1,600 in the UK for a model with the same Core i7-1360P processor but integrated Intel graphics. An RTX 3050-based model is available in Australia for AU$3,599.

Combined with the RTX 3050 GPU and a generous 32GB of RAM, the Gram 17 offers balanced performance. When matched up against other content-creation laptops, its performance fell in between laptops — namely the Dell XPS 17 9730 and Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Ultra — that feature power-oriented Core i7 H-series processors and newer and more powerful RTX 4050 or 4070 graphics, and the 16-inch Lenovo Yoga 7i that features a Core i7 U-series chip and integrated Intel graphics. The matte finish on the touchpad and elsewhere on the Gram 17 means the laptop is a magnet for fingerprints and smudges. Keep a cleaning cloth handy to keep the laptop looking pristine.

The 17-inch, 16:10 display is delightfully enormous. It’s taller than a traditional 16:9 widescreen display and is also an inch wider than 16-inch, 16:10 laptops that are growing in popularity. The 2,560×1,600-pixel resolution results in crisp text and images. And while the RTX 3050 doesn’t make it a gaming monster, its display is faster than the typical 60Hz panel with a variable 144Hz refresh rate that smooths out the appearance of fast-moving video and will keep up with you during Fortnite and other casual shooters.

PNG stands for Portable Network Graphics. It’s a type of image file format commonly used on the internet due to its lossless compression and support for transparent backgrounds. PNG files are often used for web graphics, such as logos, icons, and illustrations, as well as for storing images with high-quality detail. reated to exceed the performance of GIF files, PNGs offer not just lossless compression, but also a much broader and brighter color palette.  PNG files, which use the .png extension, can handle 16 million colors — which definitely sets them apart from most file types.

The PNG image format launched in 1995. IT expert Oliver Fromme came up with the name PING, later shortened to PNG. PNGs are the next evolution of the GIF format, which had already been around for eight years when PNGs first launched. GIFs had several drawbacks, like requiring a patent license and a limited range of just 256 colors, which didn’t keep pace with ever-improving computer screen resolution. To avoid these issues, PNG files were made patent-free and included a significantly larger color palette. PNGs, as opposed to GIFs, are a single-image format — they don’t support animation.

Designers often use PNG files for logos. That’s because the format supports transparent backgrounds, which means designers can layer logo files on different backgrounds in a way that looks natural. The PNG format uses lossless compression, which means that this file type retains of all its original data when compressed. This makes PNGs great for detailed graphics and charts on websites because none of the vital information gets lost.

Advantages of PNG files.

• By handling millions of color options rather than hundreds, PNG files can store much more detailed images than GIFs.
• PNG is open format, so you can view and edit these files in a huge range of programs without a license because there’s no patent.
• A PNG image won’t lose any of its data when it’s compressed, which makes it much easier to store and transfer. This is a big advantage over lossy options like JPEG files, where some information disappears in the compression process.

March 31st is World Backup Day. Huh? Just go back up your blog and computer. Furthermore, share your favorite backup plugin for your blog

Ever since 2010 I have had external hard drives to save a bunch of data. Most of the files that I have backed up are video files – mainly tv series and movies and yes my entire mp3 music collection but I do have images that I have saved from the internet and then photos I have taken on my phones.

I have 3 I TB drives and 2 2 TB drives that I currently use right now. I also have another large 1TB drive that works but because it’s one of those huge ones which needs an external power output instead of being powered by USB, I rarely ever use it plus I am getting updated versions of those tv shows onto one of the 2 TB drives. All the music that I listen to is on my laptop and also saved onto 2 of my disks – one a backup and the other is the backup for the backup. I currently have a little over 60GB worth of music on around 11,000 mp3 files.

As for the backup plugin I use for my blog, I use UpdraftPlus, which is the most popular free WordPress backup plugin available on the internet. It is used by more than 3 million websites. It allows you to create a complete backup of your WordPress site and store it on the cloud or download it to your computer.

Prompt from 31 Blog Post Ideas for the month of March at THE FRANGIPANI CREATIVE

Battery life continues to be one of the biggest complaints of laptop users, so understanding what you can do to help prolong the life is important. Technically speaking, keeping any relatively current laptop plugged in and charged at 100% for extended periods of time shouldn’t be a problem, but it’s best not to do so for a number of reasons. For optimum battery use, and to get the most life out of your laptop battery, keeping it charged between 40% and 80% has been seen as optimum.

Here are some tips to extend your laptop battery life:

• Avoid discharging your laptop completely after charging it.
• Make sure that your laptop doesn’t get too hot and your cooling fan is working properly.
• Overheating can reduce battery life, check the laptop’s cooling system is functioning correctly and use it on a flat surface to allow for proper airflow.
• Customize your laptop’s power plan settings to favor battery life over performance when running on battery.
• If you’re not using your laptop on battery power for an extended period, store it with the battery at around 50-80% charge to reduce long-term stress on the battery.

It is suggested to maintain your laptop’s battery level within the range of 40% to 80% charge. By doing so, you can effectively double the number of recharge cycles, increasing them from 300-500 to a substantial 1,000-2,000, ultimately extending the overall lifespan of your laptop.

I am thinking of buying a new tv. My Mi Smart tv is having some issues. I bought that online from Flipkart back in November 2018. At the time that was the first tv I ever bought. Since I live with my parents, I usually watched the tv that as in the living room. Then in 2006 I started watching mostly on my desktop computer that I bought that year and in 2010 I bought a new laptop and I used to watch movies and tv shows on that.

In 2015 I got a Dell laptop but I started to feel the need to watch movies on a bigger screen. So finally I bought the one that I currently have, which I bought during the Diwali sales on Flipkart. It served it’s purpose but since the past couple of months, the sound on the tv has suffered. I hate that it has happened but you know it’s been 5 years and it isn’t expensive at all.

So I am looking for tvs online and will possibly also go an drop in to a couple of places in person and check out what they have to offer. I think I have found two that I really like – 1 is a Samsung and just a 1000 bucks more, and pictured here, is one from LG. I will see in the next few days as to which one I want to buy.