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weshallneverrevolt · 4 years

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In-Home Streaming, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Couch

I’m a longtime PC gamer for many reasons. Yes, there’s the snob factor: PC games can look better than consoles almost all of the time. But it’s also because of the customizability. You pick your framerate, your resolution, your graphical settings. But you also own a machine, not an appliance: you learn its quirks, its inner workings. It’s something you take care of. For an enthusiast, a custom built computer is like a tailored suit.

And yet, there’s something I have missed for a long time: gaming on the couch.

Couch gaming is how I grew up. Huddled with friends around a tiny TV and N64, controllers in hand, shouting and laughing. Or leaned back in a chair with a cold soda, savoring every moment of a lengthy Final Fantasy cutscene. An office chair just isn’t the same. It’s rigid and harsh. It says “at attention,” not “relax.” It was the antithesis of my ideal gaming experience.

But after I got my PC, I never bought a console. For one, I couldn’t afford them. In college my money was precious, and my computer – already cobbled together from low-end or used parts – was expensive enough to maintain. The idea of dropping hundreds on a console and proper television was out of the question.

As an adult with more disposable income and now a home of my own – complete with an awesome living room my wife put together – I wanted to have that experience again. But my budget-mindedness and graphical snobbery hadn’t changed, and my PC was upstairs on the other side of the house. What to do?

I wanted couch gaming. And I managed to get it without buying a console or moving my PC to the living room thanks to a hugely underappreciated technology: in-home streaming. Here I’ll share what I’ve learned, discuss setups, and evangelize one of the coolest tech tricks I’ve discovered in homeownership.

What is In-Home Streaming?

You’ve probably heard of Google Stadia, Google’s uh…interesting new streaming game service. The basic idea is that your console isn’t in your living room. Instead, it’s located in a Google datacenter, which streams the game as a video through the internet. It sort of works, with the hiccups you’d expect with streaming a game over the internet: lag, input delay, graphical glitches. It’s like having very, very long HDMI and USB cords.

In-home streaming is basically that, but in your house. With the distance being just a few rooms instead of across state lines, latency becomes much less of an issue. It finally gives PC gamers the one thing we were missing: the couch.

Because it encodes video in real-time, in-home video streaming is a pretty new technology, and it requires certain hardware and software. The two dominant solutions are Steam and Moonlight, and they’re different in important ways.

Steam Remote Play

Steam Remote Play is by far the simplest method. For one, it integrates directly with Steam, so there is no complicated setup. Just install Steam on both devices, boot em up and you’re good to go. It pairs well with Steam’s “Big Picture” interface for a console-like experience.

Steam streaming also runs on just about anything, including very small computers like a Raspberry Pi. This is because it uses H.264 encoding, a standard that has been around for a long time. Just about any computer made since 2008 can play H.264 video, meaning that your old laptop or a $25 PC from Goodwill can be turned into a stream machine. Encoding H.264 on the host machine also has little performance cost.

Where Steam hits a limit is in resolution. Steam can only stream games at the resolution they use on your native monitor. So if your computer monitor is 1080p, you can’t play in 4K when it’s streamed to your TV. You can go lower resolution, which is fine if you’re streaming to some laptop screens.

Steam works with all Xbox controllers, as well as the Dual Shock 4 through DS4Windows.

Moonlight

Moonlight is what I use for in-home streaming. It’s an open-source implementation of NVidia’s “GameStream” technology, originally developed for their Shield devices. My main PC has a GTX 1070, which supports GameStream.

Moonlight has a number of significant advantages over Steam. For me, the most important is its ability to stream in a different resolution than your desktop. So while my desktop monitor is 1080p, I can play games in native 4K on my TV set! For newer games that my PC can’t run at full 4K, I use NVidia’s dynamic super resolution feature to run at 1440p or another resolution, then upscale it to 4K.

GameStream can also encode in HEVC, a cutting-edge video codec that offers superior quality with lower bandwidth. There’s virtually no artifacting, and colors usually look better than with Steam streaming. There is also HDR support. Because HEVC is lower bandwidth, it’s also ideal for wi-fi streaming.

If you’ve been keeping up with all the NVidia mentions, you’ve probably figured out the most significant drawback of Moonlight: hardware exclusivity. GameStream can only encode certain NVidia graphics cards. For instance, the 10-series locks GameStream to the 1050ti or higher, so budget gamers with a 1030 or 1050 are out of luck. Good news is that the receiving PC can run non-nVidia graphics.

GameStream also supports H.264, but for HEVC you need more powerful hardware on the receiving end. So while any old shitty laptop could stream with Steam, it would choke on HEVC.

Moonlight has the same controller support as Steam.

My Setup

When I first built my setup, I set a few standards:

4K, 60 frames per second

Option for “upscaled” 4K similar to the PS4 Pro/XB1X

4K Blu-ray quality HEVC (around 100mbps bitrate)

Quiet

An unobtrusive look, like a home theater appliance

A hard-wired setup for low latency

Less than a week after we moved in, I hard-wired my house for internet. I ran an Ethernet cable all the way from my office, through the garage, under my crawlspace and into my living room. I then crimped the ends (badly) and installed a wall outlet in my office (barely.) If I were to do this now, I’d buy a pre-made 200-300ft CAT6 cable on Amazon and just run that. That said, my cable still works for what I need.

For my streaming PC, I knew that I had to go small form factor. The credenza in my living room didn’t have space for a full-size PC, and the aesthetic of most of those would offend my non-gamer wife. I considered building one, but most SFF hardware is targeted at enthusiasts and so doesn’t come cheap.

But small form factor PCs have a particular application: offices. When offices dump their old hardware, you can get it for almost nothing. I found just such a deal on reddit’s /r/buildapcsales for a Lenovo ThinkCentre m58p, refurbished from Staples for $20 shipped. It was small, simply designed, and not too flashy. But it is from 2008, and needed a few cheap upgrades:

I swapped out the dual-core E8400 processor for a quad-core Q9400 I had on hand.

I replaced the loud, slow hard drive with a small, cheap ADATA SU635 solid state drive.

For my quiet living room setting, I also replaced the cooling fan with a high-quality Noctua model.

But chief among these upgrades was a graphics card. This PC, being more than a little old, could not play HEVC video without specialized hardware. And it had to be silent, not require much power, and be able to fit inside this small case.

So I turned to the NVidia GT 1030, specifically the MSI low profile silent model. Targeted at home theater PCs and poor gamers, the GT 1030 is not gonna blow anyone’s socks off. But it does 4K, and it does HEVC, and it does all of this over HDMI so it plugs straight into my TV with no issues. One quirk with my model is that the heatsink didn’t fit in my unusual case, so I had to take a hacksaw to it.

For a truly 1%er experience, I wanted to be able to start my upstairs PC remotely. That way when I want to play, I don’t even have to walk up there. For this I used an Android app called Unified Remote, which allows you to remotely control a computer from a phone. Unified Remote is free, but I bought the premium version with Play Rewards points.

The Value Question

Let’s get the first question out of the way: if a NVidia Shield is $150, why not just buy that? A few reasons:

It has hard-wired ethernet. No matter how good your wifi is, hard-wired is better.

Moonlight’s interface is more flexible than the Shield’s.

This also runs YouTube with a full keyboard remote for easier searches.

I can install a Blu-ray player at some point, if I choose.

I can emulate many games on the living room PC; the GT 1030 is great for that.

It runs party games like Jackbox just fine.

This is more fun.

So let’s run a tally. I’m not counting the hard-wiring, since I needed that for my office computer anyway.

The PC itself: $20

GT 1030: $75

Noctua 92mm fan: $15

Bluetooth receiver: $10

SSD: $15

Q9400: free to me, but you can get one on eBay for like $10

So for $135 – less than a PS4 Pro or Xbox One X – I get 4K couch gaming at higher framerates and higher settings. And for certain games, like Overwatch or Cities: Skylines, I still have a killer keyboard and mouse setup.

You can easily make this cheaper, especially if you use Steam and aim for 1080p instead of 4K. A Raspberry Pi – around $60 with accessories – can do 1080p Steam streaming flawlessly. Most Intel CPUs made after 2011 can decode H.264 without a graphics card, and the 6000 series and higher can even decode HEVC. You could also go for a GT 1030 with a fan, which are usually cheaper.

So How’s It Perform?

In short: great!

I’ve played everything from The Outer Worlds to Slay the Spire to Rocket League on my streaming setup, and they all work perfectly. Sekiro – which requires extremely precise inputs – does suffer a bit from the input lag, but I can’t detect lag with most games. Visual quality is excellent with very little loss in color saturation. You will notice artifacting on grass or leaves when you’re up close, but this is less visible at 1440p or higher.

I would not play competitive games on a streaming setup. The only one I play seriously is Overwatch, and there is definitely a difference in my performance when streaming. Competitive first-person shooters also suck to play on a controller, and a proper couch desk is not an investment I’m prepared to make.

Be prepared to tweak graphical settings if you’re shooting for 4K on most setups, as the video encoding does have a slight performance cost. This is not true for older games; Dark Souls and Dishonored run at a locked 4K and 60fps. For modern games, Forza Horizon 5 runs at 1800p on High, and Resident Evil 2 is smooth as silk at 1440p.

One final tip: if you’re streaming over wi-fi, be prepared to make some compromises. I would stick to 1080p to avoid lag, or do 4K only on HEVC with lower visual quality. Also streaming basically requires 5ghz wifi, so if you have an old router you should probably cut back to 720p.

So that’s in-home streaming! If you’re already a PC gamer, it’s an affordable and easy way to achieve a console-like experience. Feel free to DM me with any questions you have about hardware or software setup.

#tech #gaming #streaming #in-home streaming #remote play #steam #moonlight #nvidia #gamestream #hardware #pc gaming #couch gaming

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bygosscarmine · 5 years

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The Regrets of Park Soo Bong, Manhwa Assistant

a Soo Bong one-shot set in the W: Worlds Apart continuity

Set between Ch. 61 & 62, at the end of Volume II: Worlds Away

(1646 words)

In which Soo Bong tries to patch things up with Ms. Editor, and things go as poorly as usual. (ft. Kim Seul Gi’s character from Flower Boy Next Door)

Park Soo Bong was not sure what he had done in a past life to deserve his lot in this one, but lately he was adding several layers to his past-self's sins in his imagination.

"Hello, Editor Kim," he said, as he picked up her call with fear and trembling.

"YAAAAA" she exclaimed, the volume only slightly cut by the complex wireless relay system between them.

"Yes, see, I can explain," he said, glancing around the cafe where he was working, wondering if she'd been heard by the room in general.

"We had agreed," she said, now in an eerily quiet tone, "that there was going to be a little after-matter. A note from the author. I get an e-mail from you with a proposal to add a bit of an epilogue. Some scenes. Sure, I think, I'll consider it. Then this morning my alerts--because I've had to get a feed for alerts, so I know when anything is happening around here--tells me, Hello! Good morning! THERE HAS BEEN A NEW CHAPTER POSTED IN W BY OH SEUNG MOO."

"Yes. That is true. See, he was supposed to send me the draft. But he wanted to just be finished with it. He just posted it."

"He's not supposed to post it," she said, sounding baffled. "He's not supposed to have access to post it. How in the world does this keep happening?"

Soo Bong sighed.

There was silence on the line for a moment.

"Ms. Editor," Soo Bong ventured, "can I buy you a drink?"

The cackling laughter the emanated from his phone's speaker made him wince, but not because of its volume. He was afraid for a moment he had finally broken her.

"Oh boy. How wonderful. My most troublesome comrade wants to get me a drink. When do you think I will have time to go out for a drink? Maybe somewhere between talking my most unpopular author off the ledge and persuading my most money-making author he doesn't want to do a zombie romance? See, I'm sure I've said this before. I repeat myself a lot because I am so sleep-deprived it is mentally decapacitating. Decapitating?"

"Incapacitating," Soo Bong offered.

"Yes, thank you. I DO NOT SLEEP. I HAVE TOO MUCH WORK. EVERY MOMENT WE SPEAK I AM GETTING MORE LATE WITH THAT WORK. Goodbye."

The call blooped to a close.

Soo Bong stared at the phone. Then he had a terrible idea.

A few hours later, he stood in front of the publishing house's highrise building holding a bag containing fried chicken, jjajangmyun, and kimbap--just to be sure. It was a beautiful afternoon, the sun just dipping toward the river so the day grew golden. He had to leave this beauty behind to face his worst fear. Well, one of them. His worst fear was probably actually being eaten to death by beetles from the feet up, but humiliating himself in front of a superior was definitely up there.

The publishing house spread over four floors, midway up the building, and for a moment when he got in the elevator Soo Bong panicked, sure he had forgotten which floor her office was on. But when he stepped off at the 11thfloor, there was a reassuring sign that listed the departments housed here, including "Webtoon/Internet Media".

He steeled himself with a giant, sheepish grin and walked in.

Nodding and smiling, he made his way through the labyrinth of offices with furtive sidelong glances for the right department sign. When he finally made his way to the back he remembered it was in the corner, and turned left. He almost, but not quite, missed the correct cubicle because the chair was empty.

He was, however narrowly saved by a muttered expletive in a familiar tone. So he timidly said, "Editor Kim?" and poked his head in.

Editor Kim was struggling over the top of her large monitor, doing something with the wires in the back.

"Can I help you?" he asked, recognizing the signs of distress in the face of technology.

She whipped up, squinted at him, then laughed unpleasantly.

"What are you doing here? You brought me food? Bless you, what a little brown-noser. My keyboard has been going out for weeks now. The IT guy says I have beaten it to death, and it should be replaced, but this model is discontinued. If I jiggle the connector usually it comes back. It's fine."

It was disconcerting, the difference it made to catch her off-guard, struggling in the glaring fluorescent light. It gave her a very different aspect from business meetings set in the conference rooms or over the phone, at the mercy of the power of her voice. She was small in stature, with a wide, stubbornly dimpled face. The glare on it had no less ferocity for her diminutive size, but something about the moment made Soo Bong remember that her tirades came from a place not only of exhaustion, but fear of failure, too.

"Yes, I brought you food. I figured I couldn't do much else, but I know we've given you trouble. And I'm really sorry about it, but there's not a ton I can do."

Editor Kim flopped onto her chair, then clasped her hands over her lap and scrutinized him.

"You are worried," she pronounced. "The career of Oh Seung Moo is going sideways and you are going to have to find a new job. You're trying to make nice because you're running out of luck."

"Of course I'm worried," said Soo Bong, stung. "But even if I'm worried about the future I'm still neck-deep in work to do for Oh Seung Moo. And I'm trying to make that work go easier for both of us. Including taking care of you."

"Please don't, that's mypleasure to have," said a pleasantly deep male voice from behind Soo Bong.

It was Soo Bong's turn to whip around.

He looked up into the face of a fair-skinned, tall young man with irrepressible dimples set in a square, winsome face. He was carrying two steaming to-go cups, and shouldered past Soo Bong to say, "Here's that tea. Why haven't you fixed your keyboard yet? I told you Oh Jin Rok has a box of old keyboards you can use until we can replace or repair it. I'll bring one tomorrow."

There was a gentle mother-hen aspect to the fellow, swooping in on Editor Kim like a brooding bird. Soo Bong, who had been the recipient of tirades on the state of working singleness in South Korea, was a little disturbed to realize that she apparently had a boyfriend now. She sat, clutching her tea, and let the young man lean much more easily over her monitor to wriggle the connection until she gasped.

"It's back on!"

Then she took a sip of her tea and made an exaggerated face of delight at the taste.

It occurred to Soo Bong he was seriously intruding now.

"I'm glad," he said, hurriedly. "I will just leave this for you, give it to co-workers if you like. I just hope you can understand that we're all trying our best. And I'm sorry it's stressing you out."

"Well," she said, in a totally different voice than he had ever heard her use, with an affectionate gaze on her handsome young man, "I do understand your position. And I know that you have worked hard to make everything go on smoothly despite the catastrophes we've been beset by. I'm annoyed because the direction the manhwa went in was not what we'd planned together, but I also understand sometimes reality interferes with the vision in publishing. Sometimes its my job to make those bad decisions. I won't do you a bad turn just because of the difficulties. And honestly, once you're through helping Writer Oh with all this final contract closure and so on, you should change your resume to something like agent or liaison. You've seen more nuts and bolts than any assistant I know. no offense, Honey."

"I like it that way," her boyfriend averred. "I'm more a vision-and-execution guy."

Soo Bong thought it was pretty visionary to be helping Yeon Joo to learn to draw and execute the epilogue to W so they could shut down the portal between worlds, but he could hardly say that. So he did what he always did when authority figures had said the final word. He apologized for the intrusion, and fled.

Outside it was still a beautiful afternoon. He drove his car down to the river and tried to ignore the pinging of his phone with alerts for the reviews of W, the e-mails from the publishing house. He tried to envision himself in Editor Kim's position, as the thing he did all day every day, and shuddered. Then he frowned, thinking of her boyfriend. That man could definitely have come out of a manhwa, just like Chul. What was a comics assistant doing looking that handsome? Did he moonlight as an escort or a model or something?

When the alert he'd set up flashed activity on the W page, though, he opened it in dread. "She is going to kill me," he said without any doubt whatsoever, as he scrolled down the pages. "She's going to think I was there just to soften this blow."

He glared at the new "story" that unfolded before his eyes. It was so awkward to know that somewhere, these two were actually up to whatever it was they were doing in front of the whole internet.

"At least Yeon Joo is living the dream for the moment," he said to himself. "Just what the Chul fangirl in her always wanted, really. I'm surprised it took her this long."

He sighed, and restarted his engine to get back somewhere he could set up his laptop and get back to crisis management.

#W Two Worlds #crossover #Flower By Next Door #kdrama #fanfiction #fic #W Worlds Apart #Kim Soo Bong #Kim Seul Gi

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lianordin · 5 years

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The best smartphones, tablets and smartwatches for students

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2018)

What sounds better: lugging around a backpack full of books or toting a sleek e-reader to class? The answer is clearly the latter, and Amazon’s latest Kindle Paperwhite is still one of the finest ways to access loads of books in one place. It’s slightly slimmer than the model it replaces, the screen’s lighting is more even, it comes with even more storage (8GB, up from 4GB) and it’s fully waterproof. There might not be a more convenient way to blow through all that Chaucer you were just assigned.

Admittedly, though, Kindles are less than ideal in certain ways. For one, not all Kindle books have page numbers that correspond to written copies, and lit majors won’t have much luck downloading Norton Critical Editions. That said, these devices make for a pleasant reading experience; that’s nothing to sneeze at when your list of required books starts piling up. — Chris Velazco, Senior Mobile Editor

Buy Kindle Paperwhite on Amazon – $130

Apple iPad Air (2019)

Some people swear by the iPad Pro for note-taking, and thankfully, Apple took just about everything that made the tablet ideal for schoolwork and transplanted it into a more affordable package. This is the first iPad Air that Apple has made in three years, and the wait was worth it: The new Air shares a processor with last year’s iPhone XS and is compatible with Apple’s Pencil and Smart Keyboard accessories. Because of the way the tablet market has been shrinking, you’d also be hard-pressed to find a device with a 10.5-inch screen that looks as good as this one.

More importantly, the Air is going to get better with time. We already know that iPadOS packs significant enhancements to performance and multitasking, but new additions — like the ability to save and manage files directly on the tablet — mean the iPad Air will be better-suited for getting work done. Sure, it might not replace your standard laptop for everything you’ll need at school, but since it handles work and play equally well, it’s a valuable addition all the same. — C.V.

Buy iPad Air (2019) – $499+

Apple Watch Series 4

The Apple Watch has come a long way since its debut in 2015. And with the Series 4, Apple made its wearable even better than the previous model, thanks to a bigger, edge-to-edge screen; longer battery life; more-accurate step-tracking; and an electrocardiogram test that can detect an irregular heartbeat. That’s in addition to being water-resistant and working with thousands of popular apps out of the box, which is what makes the Series 4 a well-rounded package.

The Apple Watch Series 4 starts at $399 for the GPS-only, 40mm model or $429 if you want the bigger 44mm screen. Meanwhile, the LTE version, which lets you make calls from the Watch without a paired iPhone nearby, costs $100 more. If you already have an iPhone, though, your best option may be the GPS edition, since you can still make calls from your wearable as long as your smartphone is within range. — Edgar Alvarez, Senior Editor

Buy Apple Watch Series 4 on Amazon – $349+

Google Pixel 3a

The original Pixel 3 and 3 XL were nice enough in their own right, but the newer, cheaper Pixel 3a proved Google could make excellent phones on the cheap. $400 gets you one of the best smartphone cameras on the market right now, not to mention years of big software and security updates and some of the best battery life we’ve ever seen out of a Google device. Play your cards right — by which we mean don’t drop it in a beer — and the 3a could easily get you through the next few years of academia. — C.V.

Buy Pixel 3a – $399

Fitbit Versa

This Apple Watch lookalike is actually quite pretty in its own right, especially if you get it with a rose gold case and lilac strap. But looks aside, the Fitbit Versa is also a powerful fitness-tracking smartwatch that’s ideal for those who care more about their workouts than being able to reply to messages from their wrist. You can track a variety of activities, including swimming, and refer to the Versa’s built-in workout guides if you need some inspiration at the gym.

If you really need to save $30, consider the Fitbit Versa Lite, which does most of the same stuff but lacks a gyroscope to count laps in the pool, an altimeter to detect flights climbed, not to mention WiFi, music storage and on-screen tutorials. That’s why, if you have the funds, we strongly suggest the Versa instead. — Cherlynn Low, Reviews Editor

Buy Fitbit Versa on Amazon – $179.95

Mophie Powerstation XL

If you’re carrying multiple gadgets to and from class, it’s a near certainty that at least one of them will run low on battery during the process. That’s where Mophie’s updated PowerStation XL comes in. It doesn’t weigh much more than a standard paperback, so it won’t put any undue strain on your back, but its 15,000mAh battery means you can charge whatever you’ve brought with you several times over. You can even charge multiple devices at the same time, assuming that at least one of them uses USB-C cables to draw power. This year’s models come clad in surprisingly nice fabric too, so this most utilitarian of gadgets now feels a touch more stylish to boot. — C.V.

Buy Powerstation XL on Amazon – $69.95

Oculus Quest

Just because you’re on a tight school budget doesn’t mean you have to forego quality VR. At $399, Oculus’ Quest headset is an affordable way to get into virtual reality while preserving many of the features that make the technology so great. You still have six-degree freedom of movement and full-featured controllers, but you won’t have to buy a powerful PC. There aren’t any wires to trip you up either. And when you can both watch videos as well as play hot VR titles like Beat Saber and Vader Immortal, it offers plenty of ways to tune out your roommates. — Jon Fingas, Contributing Editor

Buy Oculus Quest on Amazon – $399

OnePlus 7 Pro

You don’t have to give up dreams of owning a top-tier smartphone when you’re scrimping and saving for tuition. The OnePlus 7 Pro may be more expensive than past OnePlus devices, but it still delivers flagship-worthy smartphone features for hundreds of dollars less than other premium devices. Its giant, responsive screen is a treat for watching videos in between classes, and its speedy performance ensures that you can juggle all the chats for your next big party. While the camera isn’t spectacular, it’s more than fine for the price — and the rest of the phone is done so well that you probably won’t mind. — J.F.

Buy OnePlus 7 – $669+

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active

You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much better Samsung’s wearables are at tracking your activity than Fitbits and Wear OS watches. The Galaxy Watch Active is Samsung’s most affordable smartwatch, and it’s proactive about reminding you to get up and move when you’ve been idle for an hour. By calculating your heart rate variance, the Watch Active can also gauge your stress levels to tell you to take a breather — a useful feature when midterms roll around.

In addition, the device tracks your sleep, lets you dictate or type out email and text replies, and has a no-frills aesthetic that will blend with most outfits. It can even act as a remote control for your presentation so you can advance to the next slide by swiping your watch face. Plus, it lasts two to three days on a charge, which means you’ll still be able to track your morning run if you stayed out all night. Those with bigger budgets should go for the $330 Galaxy Watch, which features a useful rotating bezel that makes navigating the Tizen OS interface easier and more precise. That watch also has a bigger face and lasts longer. It has a more masculine look, though, so if you want something more neutral you’re better off sticking with the Watch Active. — C.L.

Buy Watch Active on Amazon – $179+

Skagen Falster 2

Don’t discount Wear OS watches yet. With a user-friendly activity-tracking interface, compatibility with a ton of apps and the powerful Assistant baked in, Google’s wearable platform is useful for those looking for convenience who don’t need a lot of frills. The best thing about this ecosystem is the vast amount of options available, so you can pick one from your favorite luxury brand or simply go with the prettiest.

In our humble opinion, the Skagen Falster 2 is the most attractive, thanks to its clean, minimalist design. It’s also impressively light and comfortable yet water-resistant enough that you can take it for a lap or two in your pool. One thing to note though: Most Wear OS watches available last about a day, regardless of the chipset they use, so maybe get a bedside charging stand too. — C.L.

Buy Skagen Falster 2 on Amazon – $275

In this article: amazon, apple, applewatchseries4, bts2019, facebook, falster2, fitbit versa lite, fitbitversa, galaxy watch active, gear, google, ipad air 2019, mobile, mophie, oculus, oculus quest, oneplus, OnePlus 7 Pro, pixel 3a, powerstationxl, samsung, skagen, skagenfalster2, thebuyersguide

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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littlecomma · 7 years

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Social Caterpillar in a Cocoon

It comes in a wave of nausea and panic. I have barely put on a bra and, already, my heart is hiding its pulse behind other organs, my brain is storming with excuses, and my knees and feet are ready to comply in shutting down for the evening. But I am determined. It is time for social interaction. (And in person, too.)

One on one is bearable. Nervousness takes root, but my body moves through it. Alone is preferable, with only brief glimpses by others in a world of anonymity. But a group of unknown number? I tremble.

I try not to. They are nice folks and, logically, I know them to be kind and caring. "They are not judging you," I tell myself. I know it's true but it is difficult to feel it. It will take me twice as long as normal to get ready today.

It was fine with my husband and myself, I realize, to go out into the world. But I can focus on him and use him like a grounding wire. And he is not a part of my faith, so I will be alone in a room of people I know, feeling like an outcast when they do not know it and fighting the urge to run.

Only ten minutes now; no longer the twenty I had before I go. But I need to write. Also, I need to brush my teeth. Dinner sits on my tongue like bile at the back of the throat. The minty toothpaste helps, but I brush furiously. I don't need to be in a hurry but the threat of my knees giving way and the speed of my brain in panic mode make it so.

I go to pick a shirt and now mu hands have joined the fray. They tremble and shake. I know the shirt doesn't match, but I need to where something. I debate changing my skirt. One voice in mu head shouts "no judgement!" - a motto I have been trying to adapt - but the other side of me will win this battle.

I should be gone now, but I had nearly forgotten the reports I needed to take. It's okay, I remind myself, if I am a few minutes late. I take deep breaths to the car.

The night is over now and I’ve made it through. My breath is still unstable, working around the subtle pounding of my chest. I want to hide in a dark cave somewhere out of sight, but I’m also kind of proud of myself.

You may not have noticed, or maybe you did. But if I could focus on just one person at a time, it was easier; and in moments where I could focus on no one but my own hands, I did.

I do not hide what I am going through. I may not tell everyone if they do not ask, but I am doing my best not to hide it. When someone asked if they could inquire as to how I was doing, I knew what they meant before they began. It actually meant a good deal to me to know that I had a choice. I wasn’t expected to answer if I wasn’t ready. I talked to that person because I look up to them and respect them, but also because, sometimes, putting a thing like that out into the ether makes it easier to work on.

When it’s not bottled up inside my soul, when it’s out in plain view and hanging in the middle of an empty, white, room, it’s easier, then, to look at it a little more objectively. I’m still connected to it. I still feel it. It tugs and the wires and ribbons that join us in the art exhibit of my mind. But at least I can look at it without cutting myself open. I can wonder at its creation and its meaning, think about its implications and consider the artist’s resolutions. Aren’t I the artist, you ask? In a way; it is actually my subconscious who built this structure. I merely posed, blindfolded and waiting for the painting I expected, only to find myself trapped in my subconscious’s cage once the blindfold was removed. Or at least, that is how it feels.

More likely, it was gradual. Also likely, I saw it building around me. I didn’t recognize it for what it was and made assumptions that it was another kind of art. Did I let it happen? No, I didn’t have a say. But I do have a say in how I deconstruct the work now. I do have a say in how my consciousness takes the work of my subconscious and reconstructs it into something healthy and beautiful. Still thought-provoking, but full of joy instead of despair and fear. That is the hope: to learn from this anxiety and turn it into something functioning and useful for the future.

For now, however, I nurse a pain in my side that even Advil could not cure; only calming breaths and the sound of clicks as my fingers press upon a keyboard. For now, I congratulate myself on another day gone by, on a social event completed, on not running away when that seemed like the easier solution. And also on not throwing up, though I don’t do that often.

For now, I am learning to accept this small victory in what shall be my re-entry to the world. For now, I am focusing on me and my breathing. Tomorrow is another day, maybe one of rest, but after that, I intend to work on leaving the house when it is the most comfortable place, on talking to people like I used to, and on learning how to get through another social event, eventually.

For now, I am taking this one step at a time. First breathe in. Then, breathe out.

#social anxiety #self care

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shockcity · 7 years

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Suits #3 - Agency

Rating: T

Summary: Mike is not a lawyer. He's totally CIA.

Category: M/M

Pairing: Mike Ross/Harvey Specter pre-slash

Warnings: none

_______________

Mike's first field assignment was only granted to him after he screwed the Russians out of obtaining restricted nuclear technology from a Lebanese spy. He did this from his perpetually frozen computer at Langley, with a keyboard he'd spilled ramen on the day before.

Even obtaining the job at the CIA was much easier than getting a proper assignment. Mike was recruited after he'd decoded Linear A and duplicated it in a letter to his grandmother (which the CIA read for totally legit illegal reasons), and apparently he'd been on some kind of watchlist ever since his eighth grade science project successfully used a copper plate and some wire to generate electromagnetic repulsion to create a hoverboard. Besides getting the CIA’s attention, the coded letter only convinced his grandmother to drug test him, and he ended up selling the hoverboard prototype for a PlayStation and a year's worth of free pizza.

Mike was a savant.

He worked as a cryptanalyst for a few years, which entailed combating terrorism, passive-aggressively attacking Russia, cracking Kryptos, and annoying the hell out of his boss. Mike once wore Tom Ford for a month while doing James Bond impressions, until he was threatened with suspension rather than a transfer to field work like he wanted. He'd been almost fired sixteen times since being employed by the U.S. Government.

"That's sixteen times we've been too fucking nice," said his handler, once he'd finally got one. "Genius or not, Ross, you're a goddamn pain."

Mike was not offended. His handler was a badass.

"Dude, I'm gonna get this guy," he said, waving the target's classified information around. "He's gonna be Gitmo'd so hard. Then I'll get a raise."

Daniel Hardman (the person of interest) was supposedly embezzling from his own company to fund weapons trafficking for Al Qaeda (and how a Harvard educated lawyer with a minor in art history had ended up a terrorist was not actually that much of a mystery. The Jackson Pollock obsession was a dead give away, in Mike's opinion). Apparently Hardman was using his own law firm as a front for his nefarious deeds, and though the CIA had one field agent with a JD that they could have used instead, that particular employee was currently deep undercover as a humble rabbi within an Israeli terrorist group. Shalom.

So (reluctantly) his boss suggested Mike. Or more like whispered his name to his resigned superiors at a strategic meeting after they'd considered pretty much everyone but Mike. Whatever.

"He passed the bar in twenty-seven states," his boss offered tentatively.

"He also does horrible Stallone impressions and recently asked if we could have soda in the drinking fountains," the boss of his boss retorted.

“Well, anyone got a better idea?”

“Bob might be an option.”

“...we’re not sending in the janitor.”

Honestly, Mike wasn't that bad.

---------------

"I'll help you school those Harvard douches, and I'll be the best goddamn lawyer you've ever seen."

"Did you just call yourself a douche?" asked Harvey Specter. "I admire your honesty– you are a douche. Maybe I'll actually hire you."

Once Harvey actually did hire him (a Christmas miracle), Mike focused on entrenching himself in the Pearson Hardman community and into the good graces of the junior and senior partners. Though Jessica was a lost cause. She'd taken one look at him and had said, "Wonderful, another Harvey."

Which was fine. Mike wasn't even offended. Harvey had great hair.

Hardman, who had come back to his law firm a few months previous with some brand new Al Qaeda friends in tow, was easier to crack. Mike didn't necessarily suck up, but he did make himself accessible, which to Harvey was as good as betrayal. So they weren't speaking to each other and pining from afar when shit finally went down.

And thanks to Shelia Szas, Mike's first field assignment ended in a complete disaster.

----------

"This boy is a fraud," she said, pointing at Mike in outrage. "I carefully vet every student at Harvard before they're admitted into its sacred halls, and you, young man, were not one of them!”

The FBI agent currently cuffing him was not doing it very gently. "You're making a mistake," Mike choked out, grimacing. "No, seriously— "

"And I'm afraid his duplicity doesn't end there," Hardman said, stepping forward. "He's been working with Mr. Harvey Specter, who I'm afraid to say...has been funding the selling of arms to terrorist extremists. It's all here on this flash drive, gentlemen."

"Sorry, what?" said Harvey, and Mike groaned.

This wasn't technically his fault. There was supposed to be some interdepartmental cooperation between Langley and D.C., but the current directors took funding disparities to a Cold War-esque extreme. Not to mention they were in the middle of a divorce.

This whole situation, Mike thought, could have been avoided had my boss worked just a little harder on his marriage.

"We have to take these types of accusations seriously, sir," the agent said, coming at Harvey with another pair of handcuffs.

"No, you don't," Mike told them just as Hardman sighed mournfully.

"I, too, was shocked when I found out," he pontificated. "But I managed to gather enough proof to bring him to justice. I have a record of his correspondence with what seems to be Al Qaeda operatives. It's truly horrifying."

"It's completely ridiculous," said Jessica.

"Harvey wouldn't do this," Louis insisted, to everyone's surprise.

"I'm so sorry, everyone," said Hardman.

Mike jangled his handcuffs in supreme agitation.

"Dude, we've had you tapped for months!” he exploded. "You're so fucked. You used a gmail account to traffic weapons! How did you ever think that that was a good idea? Oh, and FYI, deleting mail doesn't actually mean it's deleted. Also, that account in the Caymans? Not so untouchable. Quit watching bad television."

"We?" the FBI agent said.

"Breast pocket," Mike sighed.

One of them reached in and took out Mike's wallet, which had a laminated ID with a really bad picture of him on it and a legit looking shield.

"Ah, shit," the Quantico graduate said. "He's totally CIA."

"What? Really?"

“Him?”

The fact that the entire office was visibly skeptical if not outright laughing at the idea of Mike being a secret agent was extremely rude and Mike told them so.

"Can you arrest the actual bad guy now?” he sulked. “I have to go get reamed for blowing my cover. I might be Gitmo'd. I don't know. I'll write."

"Get out of my office," Jessica said to everyone.

--------

Pearson Hardman didn't really survive the whole 'affiliated with terrorism' thing after that. Mike was fired from the company, which made sense, and suspended from the CIA field work, which he thought was totally unfair.

Also, suggesting "Can't I blame this on the divorce?" hadn't gone over well. Shocker.

The big surprise though, was Harvey.

"I'm starting up my own firm," he told Mike, after he'd forgiven him for being a lying liar that lied. "Paulson Spector."

No one asked why Donna was name-partner, because duh.

Then Harvey said, "You should come work for us," as if Mike wasn't a total fraud and also a CIA operative.

But it was really tempting, was the thing. Once Mike was fired from his fake job, he realized that he didn't actually want to stop working with Harvey. They made a good team.

"You could keep me on retainer," Mike offered cheekily, before sobering. "Thanks though, Harvey, it sounds awesome, but... believe it or not, I actually do some useful stuff for the agency. When I'm not blowing my cover. Or getting arrested by the Feds. But we need to keep in touch, dude. We can't let Butch and Sundance be torn apart by Al Qaeda!"

And surprisingly...they did.

They texted mostly, though their messages weren't very profound.

Sometimes they'd talk about Donna or Louis or Jessica. Sometimes Harvey would take pictures of food only found in New York and send them to Mike in Virginia so he could suffer. Mostly though, Mike tried his hardest to annoy Harvey to death.

___________

When Mike finally got another field assignment, this time in Kuwait, he emailed Harvey on the regular. As time passed their friendship blossomed into something neither of them could really define or even live without, so when he was on leave about six months after the Hardman debacle, Harvey and Mike met up at a cafe in midtown.

"Not tired of the spy life yet?" asked Harvey. "Offer still stands."

"Actually," said Mike. "I think I might take you up on that."

"Wait, really? What about the CIA?"

Mike shrugged. "There's only so many times you can crack the Voynich or poke Putin in the back before he turns around and rips your face off, and after a while you sort of miss the quiet life, so lawyering might be fun. Plus, you know, where would Batman be without Robin?"

"In that case,” Harvey answered. “Glad to have you on board." He grinned and reached out to shake Mike's hand. They didn't actually pull away though, so there was legit hand-holding happening. Awesome.

Mike beamed and made sexy eyes at his new boyfriend.

"But I'm totally Batman,” said Harvey, ruining the mood.

And like a loser in love, Mike let him have it.

---

#suits fic #suits prompts #FT3

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thethefitnessmojo-blog · 6 years

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Best Gaming Mouse 2018-2019 ( Top 5 Gaming Mouse Reviews)

Best Gaming Mouse 2018-2019! It would not make sense to use a $ 5 mouse or keyboard with a $ 2,000 PC, right? If you’ve just bought one of the best gaming PCs, it might be the time to pair it with the best gaming mice on the market. There is a myth that “the most expensive product is the best product” – Don’t believe this myth. When you go out for buying for the best gaming mouse, you should look for a mouse that has a good balance between price and performance. Fortunately, when we compiled this 5 list of the best gaming mice, we had this philosophy in our mind. Just look at our number 1 pick the SteelSeries Rival 700, – it’s not more expensive than a game, but it balances this low price and fantastic performance with a bevy of high-end features. After researching and testing more than 60 gaming mice and playing over 50 hours of Overwatch with them, we've concluded that the SteelSeries Rival 700 is the best gaming mouse for most people. While keeping your budget on point, you can stay on top of your game if you buy one of the best gaming mice from the below list. Checkout Best Gaming Mouse

Top 5 Best Gaming Mouse Reviews 2018-2019

1. Steel Series Rival 700

Our first gaming mouse on our list is the Steel Series Rival 700. This gaming mouse company is the favorite among most of the professional e-sports gamers. And it has also earned a lot of reputation among the pretty much every single passionate gamer. Before we start seeing how good the Steel Series Rival 700 is, there are some obvious things you need to know about this mouse; The Rival 700 is unique in that it carries an OLED screen that can display a variety of different things, including settings, as well as some GIFs that are mainly made for this display and that can be downloaded from several series. Speaking of technical details, Rival 700 is a modular mouse that offers features such as modular design, RGB illumination, OLED display, adjustable DPI settings with a maximum DPI of 16,000 on the optical sensor and 8,000 on the separate laser sensor. Unfortunately, the mouse does not have an ambidextrous design and could be a problem for people who are not left-handed. This is the only problem with the Rival 700 is that it should have been available for the users on the left. However, this does not mean that the Rival 700 is not a good mouse, behind the high price there is a very good mouse that is suitable for players of all types, regardless of whether you play an FPS, an RPG, an MMO, the mouse is there to serve you and serve you well. Check Price

2. Razer Ouroboros

The next on our list is the Razer Ouroboros, and in case you do not know, Razer is perhaps one of the best peripheral companies in the market, which should not surprise anyone because it is too good. This mouse can be called the direct competitor of Asus Spatha, but it has existed for quite some time.

Again, a wireless / cable combination and, unlike Spatha, offers an ambidextrous design that makes it a point of reference for many users. Keep in mind that Ouroboros is strictly for fans and does not offer features like RGB lighting, although given the age of a mouse, Razer could launch an updated version with Chroma lighting in the near future. He may be called the direct competitor of "Asus Spatha", but he has been around for quite some time. That said, in case you're wondering about the good things that happen in this mouse, well, there are a lot of them. Razer designed this mouse and kept the changes in mind, most parts of the mouse can be removed and moved, and yes, you get a weight adjustment, something that most people like. Some of the parameters include the ability to adjust the weight and the palm rest for an optimal grip experience. The mouse also has 11 programmable buttons and two extremely accurate sensors to keep everything in order. There is no way for this mouse to be perfect because there are some obvious flaws, for beginners, the mouse is expensive considering that, after all, it is a mouse for games. In addition to the price, for people looking for a simple experience, it can be a bit confusing. However, do not let this stop you from buying this fantastic mouse for games. Check Price

3. Asus ROG Spatha

Asus surprised everyone when they announced their best gaming mouse known as Spatha, if you think the name is aggressive, take a look at the mouse. The Spatha, of course, belongs to the Republic of Asus alignment best players, then you know you will have a great game of mouse that is full of all kinds of functions, extra buttons, RGB sync effects even with their other brand products ROG, like motherboards, graphics cards and even the Asus keyboard. Now, before we start discussing the details in depth, we should know that Spatha is more than a gaming mouse, from the construction point of view, it's really wonderful, and the choice of Asus to use a magnesium alloy instead of traditional materials used in the mouse for games. This mouse can be considered quite heavy compared to the competition it has, and the price is only for hardcore gamers. That said, if you're wondering about the technical details, you should know that the ROG Spatha comes with a lot of programmable buttons, and that's not all, it also has a charging problem that looks as elegant as hell. Now, at this point, you may have guessed that the mouse is wireless, well, here's a trick, you can use it wirelessly without any input delay, and you can even use it with the cable. Get RGB lights and pretty much all the features you'd expect from a starry rat. The mouse is equipped with 12 programmable keys that can be programmed according to your needs using the Asus Armeria software, you get even 8200 DPI maximum ergonomics and incredible comfort for long sessions of play, the main keys used Omron switches, have a very high score high done Click on the cycle, and even if you run out, you can always replace them. We will not say that ROG Spatha is the perfect gaming mouse, it has some defects like the buttons on the side that feel a bit 'fragile, but that does not mean it is less capable. So, without further ado, let's read some of the pros and cons of this mouse. Check Price

4. Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum

This should not surprise anyone, but there is no list of devices that would be complete without the inclusion of a Logitech device. Whether it's keyboards, speakers or headphones, Logitech should be on the list just because they're so good, and no, we're not just talking about Logitech gaming devices. We are talking about almost all types of devices that the company has launched during its long stay in the sector. Likewise, a list of game mice would have been incomplete without the inclusion of the Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum; Now, before you begin, you should keep in mind that this mouse can really be considered a direct competitor for the much revered Asus Spatha and Razer Ouroboros mainly for the price and the number of features you get, and it's far from a bad thing So, what's so good about the chaos spectrum? Well, there are many things to get started, you can go 200-12,000 DPI on the fly, and it's really impressive, keep in mind that this is not just software and increasing DPI is effectively changed around the world. Onboard, you get Spectrum lighting, which is Logitech's RGB lighting version, and you get the legendary software suite for which Logitech is known and appreciated. The spectrum of chaos can be used wirelessly and wired and, like the Ouroboros, has an ambidextrous design. Keep in mind that this is a Logitech tip mouse, so if you're worried about paying a high price, you'll also get some of the best features, regardless of whether you need it or not. That said, if you're wondering if we have any problems, there's no change in the offer here. Of course, the mouse has a considerable price, and the general aesthetic of ambidextrous design can deter some people conscious design, but under the hood, the Chaos spectrum is one of the most powerful and brightest of the mouse. So we used the pros and cons with the off-hand one, all right? Check Price

5. Corsair M65 Pro RGB

The incursion of Corsair in the peripheral games industry managed to ask some questions; Especially because everyone was excited about the fact that their favorite case, the RAM and the food manufacturer, was finally presenting something different on the table, and believe it or not, the raid was a success. Corsair not only distributed a range of products for all budgets, but also for high-end readers, but they have ensured that not all products share a significant difference between the price they have and the price they have. features they offer. This means that, whether you buy your K70 medium-high range or your K95 enthusiast range, it would not sacrifice much functionality. It is something really good and something that many other companies do not follow. That said, let's take a look at the Corsair M65 Pro RGB, one of the best gaming mice available on the market, and we certainly target users who are more inclined to save money, and who still get a lot back. The mouse, as the name implies, is equipped with RGB lighting that can be easily controlled through the Corsair personalization software. The software itself is easy to use, although it may require a certain learning curve, but that's fine. Obviously, you get the buttons to adjust the DPI to your liking, some customizable buttons and a convenient weight adjustment system that allows you to remove some weight and store them to make the mouse lighter. Now, in case you're wondering, a lighter mouse means your hand will be easier to drag, which is what many FPS players are looking for. Now, in essence, M65 Pro is undoubtedly a mouse designed for FPS players, however, the good thing is that it adapts to all players, no matter what type they play. So, it's definitely a positive point there. That said, let's analyze what is good and what does not concern the Corsair M65. Buy From Amazon Read the full article

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