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skvaderarts · 4 years

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Chapter Fifteen: Telemiscomunications

You can check out the Masterlist Here for more links to places to read!

Firefox decided not to work today, so I had to use Edge *shudders* between this and the app not working earlier this year, I think Tumblr just hates me.

Note: Hey everyone! Thanks for the comments once again! I tried to take the time to respond to them all. Talking to everyone always puts a smile on my face. This chapter and the next are shorter set up chapters, mostly due to the fact that the next few chapters will be longer as we reach the climax of the story, and I needed to flesh them out more. But don’t worry. This isn’t the end of the story; not by a long shot. This is just book one. At about chapter seven I realized that this wasn’t going to be a single book affair, so I started work on planning part two’s ending. The structure of the story didn’t work as one very long book, so there will be a second installment. More on that later. For now, thank you for your continued support and enjoy this chapter! I’ll keep writing for as long as you keep reading!

-~-

If it was somehow possible to sleep for almost a full day without trying to, Vergil had just done it. This was very much unlike him. The eldest Son of Sparda couldn’t remember the last time that he had slept that long, especially considering the fact that he was in an unfamiliar environment and didn’t generally drop his guard. Genuinely restful sleep wasn’t something that he experienced often, so he relished the opportunity despite the fact that he hadn’t intended to do so. When he had gone to check out the room that Dante had given him, it was as if the bed had called him into it. One moment he was standing in the doorway, and the next he was waking up at dusk the next day. The transition had been so seamless and sudden that he had thought it was the same day at first. But then he had stumbled into the main office and Dante had started laughing. Vergil had no idea what his younger twin brother found so humorous, but he had a feeling he was going to find out very shortly.

“I was starting to think you were dead,” Dante said as he sat at his desk eating pizza.

The Jukebox was blasting some song that the older twin didn’t recognize but didn’t really acknowledge enough to feel any sort of way about. It was just aimless background noise to him. Vergil glanced over at him, not really sure what to say to that. It wasn’t his fault that his brother hadn’t been smart enough to check his pulse if he thought that something was wrong. It occurred to him that Dante had more than likely checked on him multiple times in order to come to that conclusion. How odd that he hadn’t noticed. Did he really sleep that deeply? Surely not. He liked to think that he would notice if someone was that close to him, even if he was unconscious. Dante couldn’t be that sneaky, could he?

Vergil strolled across the room to glance out of the large windows that spanned the length of the walls, in need of something to idly pass his time. While residing within the same building as his brother wasn’t something he had come to dislike as of yet, he still found the need to have his own space. Right now, he was out of his element. The office didn’t quite feel like home to him just yet. While he never felt entirely safe and wasn’t very adept at dropping his guard (a lifetime in the underworld does that to you) he felt more at ease here than he’d like to admit. Although he wasn’t really sure quite yet why that was, he couldn’t help but notice.

As Vergil gazed out at the storm that raged just beyond the glass, he clasped his hands behind his back. He suddenly had the feeling that something wasn’t quite right. The eldest Son of Sparda didn’t know what that premonition pertained to, but it was as clear as day. Or perhaps not the day, considering the current weather. The storm was quite… dramatic, wasn’t it?

“... You thought I was dead and didn’t think to check,” Vergil didn’t turn to look at Dante as he spoke. He was thinking, but about what, he wasn’t sure. It seemed that he might not be as awake as he initially thought.

Dante took a piece of pizza and leaned back in his chair, placing his feet on the opposite end of the desk from where the delivery box was. “Well, if you died, I guess we could just give your friend a call,” Dante said, clearly being sarcastic. The younger of the two obviously didn’t want Vergil dead. But even if he thought he was, there was no way in hell he was going to try to wake him up to find out.

Before Vergil could retort, the phone rang. The old rotary style phone had been through plenty of abuse in its lifetime, so it was a wonder that it worked at all. Much like the jukebox, it seemed to be determined to remain a part of the office. Vergil glanced over his shoulder at his brother as Dante groaned. Why did people always have to interrupt him when he was trying to eat?

“If I didn’t know better, I’d almost think you were avoiding someone,” Vergil said sardonically, a hint of amusement in his voice,” one your female companions, I presume?”

Dante pointed at him as if to tell him to watch it, resisting the urge to mock him childishly. Vergil was on a winning streak in regards to his behavior. It had been three whole days and he hadn’t stabbed anyone to death yet. That was truly something to cherish. Mind you, he had spent a third of that time asleep, but still. It was an achievement he didn’t want to actively sabotage. But Vergil was actually right for once. He was absolutely avoiding Lady, Trish, and Morisson at the moment. Or even worse… Patty. He had a lot going on right now. The last thing he wanted to think about was the money he owed the girls or the birthday party that Patty was never going to let him live down. There would be a time and a place for that later. Hopefully much, much later. As in never.

Half expecting to be cursed at the moment he answered the phone, Dante reached forward and snatched the phone off of the receiver. It had been a long time since he’d answered it. Before he could recall a single syllable from the English language, a woman’s voice spoke from the other side of the line. It wasn’t the girls. It was Magnolia.

“Oh thank heavens! I’ve been trying to get a hold of you lot all day! Where have you been?!” The woman’s voice held a note of worry as she spoke. She was clearly concerned and flustered but holding her composure well nonetheless. “I’ve been trying to speak to Vergil. Something is happening and I’m not sure what it is.”

Despite the fact that the phone didn’t have a speaker function, Vergil heard her loud and clear. The twins had a keen sense of hearing. Barely anything escaped their notice. Vergil turned away from the window and walked back over to the desk, interested in hearing what she had called them about. Dante glanced up at him as his brother leaned on the desk, tilting his head inquisitively. The Youngest Son of Sparda held the phone out so that they could both listen in.

“You wanted to talk to me, Magnolia,” Vergil said almost hesitantly, clearly out of his element talking to someone on the phone,” What is it?”

Magnolia sighed in relief, clearing her throat. “I may have bumped into that cult that everyone on TV keeps going on about. You’ve heard about them, I presume?”

Dante and Vergil glanced at one another. No. No, they had not. Dante didn’t exactly watch TV and Vergil had been, well, asleep for an entire day. There weren’t in the loop as far as current events were concerned. All they knew was that this storm didn’t seem to want to let up and that the naps had been in order. She seemed to glean her answer from their silence, shuffling slightly from the other end of the line. They both took a moment to think about her statement, not entirely sure yet as to if this turn of events should concern them.

“What about em,” Dante said nonchalantly,” Are they actually a threat?”

Magnolia nodded before considering the fact that they couldn’t possibly see her through the phone. “I believe that some of them, maybe. A few of them attacked me on my way to Fortuna,” She paused for a moment, thinking about the attack,” I couldn’t tell you how they pegged me as a threat. They had a summoner with them who presented a decent challenge. He managed to conjure a Kyklopse, but I made quick work of it. But that wasn’t the main reason for this phone call.”

The twins seemed to absorb the information given to them, Vergil seemingly more troubled than Dante though he wasn’t showing it. Kyklopse were native to Malet Island. How had this person managed to gain control of such a formidable and obscure demon? This didn’t bode well. As they thought in silence, Magnolia continued, conscious of the fact that they were listening intently.

“I’m at Nero’s house at the moment. Charming little place. I quite like it,” as if on cue, the children could be heard screaming in the background, Nico yelling something to them about piping down because an adult was using the phone,” Apparently your sons took an impromptu trip to Fortuna Castle in the Lamina Mountains. According to the lovely young ladies here, they were looking for something in the library? Either way, they’ve been there a couple of hours and haven’t returned. Everyone is worried, even the little lady who swears up and down that she isn’t.”

Nico cursed at the statement.

Vergil looked visibly uncomfortable and Dante seemed about two seconds from bashing his head into his desk. They had both had occasion to visit that place and neither of them had particularly enjoyed their stays. It was probably the most dangerous castle in the human world that wasn’t located on Malet Island. Why on earth would they go there, especially with the condition that V was more than likely currently in? This could be very bad. Vergil leaned forward further, sighing slightly before continuing their correspondence. “And this is the part of this conversation where you inform me that that isn’t the worst part.”

Magnolia sighed too. Vergil could still read her like an open book, even from the other side of a phone. “Yes. That isn’t the worst part. I believe the cult may have followed me here. I arrived a short while ago and snuck here as discreetly as I could, but I saw another boat approaching from the distance as I arrived. I don’t believe that they are after me, but I have a feeling they may go snooping around the castle. Call it intuition, but why else would a cult with summoners in their ranks visit this island?”

Without speaking Vergil stood up and walked down towards the back door of the shop. He opened it and disappeared behind it. Dante glanced at him before turning back to the phone. “... I think we’re gonna have to call you back.”

With that, he hung up the phone and turned his attention back to his brother. Where the hell had he just gone?

-~-

Magnolia stood in the entryway of the house holding the wall-mounted phone in her hand, staring at it as the dial tone blared loudly. They would call her back? What the hell did they mean they would call her back?! There was no time for that! For all she knew, the cult could already be at the castle and both Nero and V could be in terrible danger. While she was certain that Nero could handle himself, V absolutely couldn’t fight right now. It could take a week or more for his powers to begin to trickle back in. If he possessed healing abilities, he would be lucky if they had kicked in by now.

After a moment she hung up the phone and turned around. Kyrie stood just a few feet away, her hands clasped and her posture entirely too at attention. She wore a pleasant smile, but anyone with any basic level of comprehension of human emotions could tell that she was scared. She smiled gently at the young woman for a moment. A few seconds passed like this, the two of them locked in this silent understanding. Kyrie couldn’t bring herself to ask this woman that she had barely just met for her help, but she could tell that she could handle herself. Magnolia walked over to her and placed her hand on her shoulder, giving her a gentle shake. She recognized what the young brunette with the large doe eyes was too afraid to ask.

“Don’t trouble yourself, dear,” She said in a firm, reassuring tone,” I’m going to go to the castle and see what they are up to. You just stay here and stay safe.”

Kyrie smiled wearily, unable to find the proper words for her relief. She didn’t know why, but the middle-aged woman before her made her feel safe. She opened her mouth to thank her but was stopped by a loud noise reminiscent of some kind of humming. A split second later, the front slammed open, bounding off of the wall. Although not quite hard enough to split the frame, it produced a loud, thundering boom that took the young woman by surprise, causing her to let out a terrified shriek. Nico scrambled down the hall, her hands clenched firmly around the neck of a lamp as the cord dangled uselessly. She had clearly just yanked it from the wall, desperate to come to her rescue. Magnolia glanced at her, her brow furrowing as she nodded to herself in approval. She liked this wily young lady. There wasn’t an ounce of fear in her.

The three ladies turned their gaze back to the door just as Vergil walked in, still in the process of sheathing Yamato. He had clearly left in a hurry as his hair was drenched from the rain. He’d made no effort to stay dry whatsoever. He looked grimly miffed and not at all in the mood for this. But, there was no anger in his demeanor. That couldn’t be a look of concern, could it? Magnolia shifted from the protective stance that she had taken and straightened her back, folding her arms. It was good to see that Vergil still took her seriously when she called him, even after all these years. It was rare that she needed to, but the fact that he had immediately shown up spoke volumes. She knew that he was aware of her capabilities. If there was a threat she didn’t feel comfortable taking on, he took it seriously.

Dante followed shortly after he, the look on his face somewhere between befuddlement and curiosity. He had never seen Vergil jump up and immediately race off to another location based solely on the testimony of another individual before. And he clearly took this potential threat seriously. Was it the mention of the Kyklopse that had irked him so thoroughly?

“... You were going to the castle,” He said rather bluntly, clearly ready to assess the situation for himself. Vergil was not the least bit pleased about this and it was very slowly starting to show.

Magnolia nodded, stepping forward to join him. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I was just leaving. I didn’t expect you to come so soon,” She grabbed her coat off of the hook nearest to her and shrugged into it, flaring it out in order to adjust the fit,” I’d have you know, I’m out of practice. Haven’t been in a good fight for several years now. I’m a healer now. Do keep that in mind?”

“How fortunate for his opponents,” Vergil thought to himself,” She could piece them back together after he diced them into bite-sized chunks.” He had no idea who this cult was, and he didn’t care. All he knew was that they needed to die and they were going to, especially if any harm came to either of his sons. While Nero was quite capable, it was rather difficult to launch an effective offense against an opponent with someone who was essentially helpless in close proximity. There had better be a good reason they had taken a trip to that godforsaken death trap, especially with V in the state that he was in.

The eldest Son of Sparda stopped for a moment to consider his somewhat irrational but fully warranted response. Was he actually worried about them? No, that was preposterous. Vergil, the Darkslayed, feared no one (well, virtually no one) but here he was, stymied by the concept of his two very capable children possibly being in harm’s way? Where had this sudden concern for their well being originated from? He would worry about that later. For now, he needed to know where they both were. Precisely where they were. And they needed to take care of this “cult”.

“It won’t matter in the slightest,” Vergil said as he glanced at Kyrie before turning to go back outside. He couldn’t help but notice her change in demeanor, much like Magnolia had,” They will be dealt with soon enough.”

Vergil descended the front steps and set off, expecting that they would simply catch up. He wasn’t going to wait for them and he wasn’t going to ask for them to follow him. The eldest of Sparda’s twin sons had spent a lifetime in the underworld. Vergil would make quick work of these cultists, with or without the help of his companions. Magnolia and Dante shared an acknowledging glance before he followed after him, jogging lightly to catch up with his brother’s brisk pace. Magnolia turned to Nico, stealing a glance in the direction of Dante and Vergil. She would have to catch up with them after their sudden departure.

“You there, with the lamp,” She said firmly.

Nico brandished the lamp before lowering it, not entirely sure what she planned to do with it now that she thought about it. Tiffany lamps were heavy, yes, but they required getting in close to be effective as a blunt force weapon. She wasn’t getting that close to a potential summoner with a demon. But she hadn’t thought of that at the time. She had simply acted in what she assumed to be the best interests of the people she had come to care about.

“Y-yes? Wadda ya need?” She fumbled over her words for a second, her slight embarrassment intensified by the acknowledgment of how ridiculous she looked in this moment. This woman probably thought she was certifiable.

“... as you were then, dear. Keep up the good work.” Magnolia said pleasantly. She nodded to her, reaffirming her statement. Nico stared at her like she’d lost her mind for a moment before nodding back. She now understood what the older woman was telling her.

“Don’t worry, miss,” Nico said with certainty,” Nothing’s gonna happen to anyone here under my watch.”

Magnolia nodded and turned towards the door, sauntering away. She stopped in the doorway, glancing over her shoulder in Nico’s direction. She smiled as she spoke. “Oh, I know you will dear. Of that, I have no doubt.”

With that she stepped out of the door, using her food to push it closed as she went. As she stepped out into the rain, she noticed that Dante and Vergil were about a block ahead of her. She shook her head. They moved awfully fast, didn’t they. It was going to be quite the job to keep up with them. But then again, nothing having to do with Sparda’s descendants was ever easy. And she relished the excitement, although in the hopes that it would be short-lived. She had a feeling this was going to be a long night.

-~-

Okay, so this didn’t end up being any shorter than normal. LOL. Well, maybe like 100 words. How ironic. I guess that’s what I get for assuming I couldn’t hit my minimum word count with just a phone call scene. I’m kinda proud of myself. Toon in on Friday the 19th for chapter 16 and thank you as always for reading this chapter. We're all going through a lot right now, so it makes me happy to give you something to look forward to every week. Hopefully! And go listen to the song this chapter is named after. It’s good. There’s only one so it shouldn’t be hard to find. Take care, everyone!

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itsclydebitches · 5 years

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How do you feel about derivative art? I'm guessing you approve since you're big into fanfics. Is art that's derivative as good as original art? Could a well made video critique of a film be better then the film? Or a fanmade rewrite be better then the original book? And yes I know nothing "original" exist, but that's not the same thing as art that is obviously derivative. And the big question. Should artist be allowed to make money off derivative art?

For me it’s an all around “Yes.” I’ve read fics leagues better than published novels. I’ve seen fanvids far better than films. Granted, when you get into the subject of visual media you run into things like finances and access to technology. Anyone can craft a story with words, but only a few have the budget and tools required to re-create the sort of Blockbuster films we’ve grown used to. But why in the world would that very specific style be the only “good” art out there? Obviously it’s not. If anything, we value limitations in our art. Six second vines shot on cell phones are adored and can lead to lucrative careers. Films like the Blair Witch Project want to mimic an armature cinematography, like these people really were just shooting what they could while running for their lives. Amateur does not in any way equal lesser. To say nothing of the fact that fans have shown time and time again that a passion for the material and a huge amount of work ethic is more than enough. As the recent Loki logo abomination attests, all the money and resources in the world doesn’t guarantee taste---or success. Outsiders to fandom love to criticize the “horrible” fics they found when they dove into AO3 for all of ten minutes, but fail to acknowledge that you’re just as likely to find a terrible book when you pull one randomly off of B&N’s shelves. If derivative art is somehow lesser than we need to re-evaluate the comics industry. And every formulaic western, rom-com, police procedural. And every great author (there are a LOT) who wrote “classics” based off of other’s characters and worlds. Art is art. Mainstream art is in no way superior to fan art, no matter how much people still want to convince us of that.

The money question is, admittedly, waaaaaay more complicated. For me though it’s still a “Yes” simply because of how fandom functions. That is, we need the canon. Even if it becomes outdated, or is considered offensive, or is absolutely terrible compared to what the fandom has now produced, people will STILL consume that material (and more importantly buy it) in order to get access to all the good fan stuff. I’ve simply never bought into the argument that derivative works are a threat to the livelihood of the original piece because they depend on that piece. All my friends are in a fun discord for TV Show X. They’re producing all these fics I want to read. I’ve heard that Show X is actually pretty bad, but I’m going to watch it anyway because that provides me with the context that produced all this other stuff. It’s the foundation, the blueprints, the golden ticket to get inside the fandom. Will every fan do this? No, some do bypass the canon and just dive right in, but the majority of them will. Meaning that rather than posing a threat to the original author’s livelihood as most people assume, fanworks help keep mainstream content alive. Adding a price to that doesn’t change anything. If someone offers me a fic for free I’m gonna tackle the canon book first. If someone offers me a fic for $10... I’m still gonna tackle the canon book first. Either way the author gets paid and are likely to get more if fans use their work as an entry point into the fandom. “I wouldn’t have read/watched your stuff at all, if it weren’t for the fact that I want to read the stories my friend is now producing.” Giving that friend some rent money is the least we can do.

(There are obviously other arguments against making money off of derivative works, two of which boil down to “It’s against the law”---which funnily enough we create and control and can change if perspectives change---and “They’re my creations and I don’t want you messing with them, let alone making money off them.” I’ve got a lot of feelings regarding that one and in an effort to save a bit of space I’ll boil it down to a very unkind response: Too bad. Transformation is at the heart of human interaction with art. If you didn’t want that you shouldn’t have given it to the public in the first place. Authors don’t get to police how fans interact with their work: “I love it when you take the time to write me glowing reviews! .... oh, but not when you write another story. Please continue making awesome fan posters that promote my work! ... but not one with those two characters kissing ew.” Authors don’t get to dictate how fans interact with the art they’ve put out there; how much of it is active and in what ways.)

We also have to consider that we’re already in a world where those lines are irrevocably blurred. Why does E.L. James or Anna Todd get to make a fortune off of their barely changed fics? Why do artists get to sell their fanart but fic writers are still largely terrified of lawsuits? Fans are already making money off their work---always have, really---and I doubt that’s something we can reverse. Whether or not it continues to grow is the real question.

Personally, I wouldn’t want to see derivative works commercialized, not because fans don’t deserve to earn money for their labor (we do), but just because that would irrevocably change fandom dynamics. We’re a gift economy and we’re built on that. Fandom has always been about progressive acts: be it writing about queer identities, providing accessibility accommodations decades before mainstream art did, or (and this is the kicker) helping to level out class differences. Meaning, mainstream art is often for the rich and the elite. Broadway shows are insanely expensive and impossible for most to get to. Movies prices have skyrocketed. Every company is creating their own streaming service, requiring that you pay three or four $20+ monthly subscriptions instead of just the one. It’s all about money and fandom is one of the few places where we still exchange art for praise and more art, rather than a paycheck. Fic is free. Fanvids are free. You guys want a cute drawing of this couple? All you have to do is send in a prompt ask and I’ll draw it! Sure, I’d also love it if you paid for a commission, but I’m going to keep creating free drawings on the side. When was the last time we saw a mainstream author go, “Please continue to buy my last story, but in the meantime here’s a free novel I’m putting up on my website. Hope you enjoy!” I mean yes, we do get things for free (especially when it comes to many games, apps, and some short stories), but not like in fandom. There’s a culture of giving that I never want to lose. Are we already doing commissions and con sales? Yes. Do we often ask for donations and payment? Yes. Should we be able to continue doing so without fear of legal action? I think so. But I don’t want a general sense of “I should be allowed to earn money off of this” get turned into “Well if I can earn money off of this why wouldn’t I?” I never want our work to exist fully behind a wall where the key in is your credit card number. Fandom is unique in its, “I made this thing because I wanted to and I shared it with you because I wanted to do that too, no strings attached” and that, I think, is worth protecting.

#fandom #fic things #mymetas #Anonymous

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phcking-detective · 5 years

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5. Bad Habits

Fic Title: First Blood

Rating: E

Length: 5/33 chapters, ~128k

Tags: Slow Burn, Idiots to Lovers, Trans Character (gavin), Autistic / Asexual / Non-binary Character (nines), BDSM, learning to use good etiquette and safe words, Dom Nines / Sub Gavin, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort

Chapter Tags: Gavin acts like a sleazy corrupt asshole to get another sleazy corrupt asshole to drop his guard, (it’s kind of hot), banter, so much banter in this one, Nines says Creepy Things, dumb idiots flirting without realizing they’re flirting, Nines saves pictures of Gavin’s dumb cute face when he laughs

Link on AO3

***

Senator McAshlynn Dernham [CEO: Synergy Paradigm] acquiesces to an interview with Detective Reed, but his heartbeat picks up to ninety-one BPM when Nines steps into his office as well.

Downtown view, fifty-second floor. Eight hundred and sixty-five square feet--nearly a hundred more than Reed's apartment. Minimalist furniture, a display of signed sports balls, and a jade paperweight shaped like a turtle valued at over four thousand dollars.

It would make an excellent bludgeoning tool.

"Detective Reed." Senator McAshlynn stands up from his desk and meets Reed halfway in the room. "Come in, have a seat."

They shake hands. Reed exerts an estimated fifty-six pounds of pressure on the handshake. Senator McAshlynn's grip strength does not exceed thirty pounds. He tries to hide a grimace, but the one facial expression Nines can reliably detect is pain.

"Sit down, sit down. What can I do for you, detective?"

Nines is not offered a greeting or a seat. It would hurt all zero of his feelings, except no talking and no physical contact is how he prefers to interact with humans. He stands behind Reed while the detective sprawls out in the offered chair.

"Just have a couple of financial questions for you, Mr. McAshlynn," Reed says.

"Oh no, McAshlynn isn't my last name," Senator McAshlynn replies. He grips the back of his chair with an estimated thirty-two pounds of strength. "Senator McAshlynn is my first name, both of them. My last name is Dernham."

"Right."

Detective Reed performed fairly extensive research on Senator Ashlynn Dernham (limited as he is by his lack of neural connection to the internet) before their arrival. Despite being fully aware of the not-senator's two first names situation, he lets the silence drag on for thirty-six seconds before clicking his tongue and continuing.

"I only need to confirm a few things about Mr. Russell's finances, and then we'll go."

Senator McAshlynn's BPM ticks up to ninety-four. "I'm not sure why that would interest you or be relevant to me. Russell personally made those investments with money given directly to him by his … investors. Although he did found this company, I can assure you, Synergy Paradigms remained completely uninvolved and unaware of--"

"Yeah, yeah." Detective Reed waves his hand. "Relax, I'm not here to bust your balls, and I don't care. I just gotta make sure Russell really did have plenty of motive to commit suicide."

"Is there something questionable about shooting himself in the head?" Senator McAshlynn asks.

Reed shrugs. He pulls out his phone and scrolls through a takeout ordering app. Nines can hear the other human begin to grind his teeth, and pinpoint the exact moment he begins inhaling in order to speak again. Even with his limited human senses, Detective Reed somehow senses this precise moment as well.

"Look, the media's making this into a big shitstorm out there, all right?" he says. "Didn't think I needed to tell you that. I just wanna make sure I'm covering my own ass, and I get that you want to do the same. No problem. Like I said, you answer some questions about <I>his</i> finances, and we leave."

Senator McAshlynn considers. "All right. I may be able to do that."

"Cool. Like I said, I'm not here to bust your balls." Reed's reflection in the wall-to-ceiling windows in front of him gives a smile even Nines can recognize as sleazy. "Guy's already dead. If you work with me here, I don't mind working with you."

Senator McAshlynn's BPM begins to fall, and he smiles back at Reed. "I'm always happy to assist the DPD, but. As you said, Russel is already dead. I'm not sure what's left for you to work with."

"Mmm." Reed puts his phone away and tilts back in the chair until the back of it rests against Nines' abdomen. "Well, my partner here has done some digging into Russell's finances. Did you know his bank account has been hemorrhaging money this last month?"

"I was not aware of that, no."

"Yep. And here's the really interesting part--he pinged the IP of some other android messing around in there."

That is so inaccurate Nines almost corrects him on sheer principle. He deactivates his voice box though, both to halt that immediate impulse and to prevent interrupting in a conversation that clearly won't involve him.

"Again, I'm not sure how that's relevant to this company," Senator McAshlynn says.

Reed shrugs. "Doesn't matter. You and I both know the media is going to drag Russell's name through the mud and into the spotlight for as long as they can milk it--and they're going to keep mentioning Synergy Paradigms while they do it. Makes for a better story."

"Well, I would certainly like to avoid that." Senator McAshlynn smiles at him again. The action barely involves his lips. "I don't suppose you know an especially talented PR agent?"

"I know large sums of missing money plus a mysterious android equals a damn good story," Reed replies. "So if there's anything you know about that, now's a good time to let me know."

"Is it?"

"I'm not looking to arrest anyone in a suicide. And if some unsavory shit comes up--you know, the kind that would stay on the ten'o'clock for the next month--maybe my partner here deletes some stuff. Maybe I let you know about it, so you get some closure on your dear friend's death."

Senator McAshlynn stays silent as he considers it. Detective Reed lets his chair drop back down to the floor with a loud thunk in the quiet room.

"But in another minute now, I'm gonna go interview that reporter who broke the story," he says with a smile that only serves to show his teeth. "So like I said. Right now is a good time to start working with me."

Senator McAshlynn takes a seat. "What can I do for you, detective?"

Nines saves the smile Reed gave to his most encrypted folder. It shares several points of similarity to his own facial expression categorized as [hostilesmile-murder]. He places the file next to the zoomed view of Gavin's nipples he attempted to delete two weeks earlier.

"Do you know where Russell's money disappeared to this last month?" Detective Reed asks.

Senator McAshlynn sighs. "No. If Russell got into escorts or red ice, I never saw any of it. And even if he did, there's no reason for his indiscretions to drag this company down with him."

"Sure," Reed says. "My partner and I are going to do some digging. See what we find."

"I don't suppose you could be persuaded to … take a holiday?" Senator McAshlynn asks.

Reed clicks his tongue. "Not how this works. And I might not know any PR agents, but I have heard it's better to get ahead of stories before they break. Know what shit stinks in your own house 'n all."

"I might like to know what the hell Russell was doing," Senator McAshlynn admits. "But maybe I'd like it better if no one knew. If we all just, dropped this whole matter?"

"Mmm."

Reed takes his phone back out and takes his time choosing from the menu of the Chinese restaurant closest to the precinct. Nines adds a side of fried vegetables and rice to his order of Chicken Kung Pao (spicy).

While Gavin works at increasing the CEO's stress levels, Nines continues syncing with the smart desk. As soon as Senator McAshlynn rested his hands on its surface, the handprint scanner activated and unlocked the interface, although it stays resting on the set screensaver of mahogany wood.

Nines doesn't alter anything or open any files. He doesn't need to. Senator McAshlynn's calendar, contacts, and social media feeds are set up to sync automatically with all of his devices.

It's simple enough to copy the handprint from the scanner and convince the "smart" desk that he himself is one of those devices.

"Oh, yeah. See." Reed says when Senator McAshlynn begins tapping his twelve hundred dollar pen. "The money? Yeah, maybe that's old news. It was all a Ponzi scheme anyway. But the android …"

Reed lets out a long sigh and tips his seat back again.

"What android?" Senator McAshlynn snaps.

"The one messing around in Russell's finances," Reed says. "Traces of it in his loft too. Can't just let that go."

Senator McAshlynn lays both hands on either side of his desk. Human body language is as chaotic and individual as every human, but this gesture clearly reflects a threatened animal attempting to look bigger than it really is. The motion also places his right hand closer to the portion of the desk's touch screen devoted to summoning security.

Nines tells that particular program to begin an update. The entire smart desk will now need to be restarted in order for the program to function.

"And why not?"

Reed reaches up and taps backwards against Nines' chest. "Say something creepy."

"Jade is porous."

"What are you talking about?" Senator McAshlynn asks, very firmly maintaining eye contact only with Reed.

"Your paperweight would make an excellent bludgeoning tool, but jade is porous," Nines says. "The blood would absorb and stain. Useful for a murder itself, but a liability afterward."

"God, you never disappoint," Reed says as the other human's face pales. "They gave him all this info and programming on solving crimes without ever stopping to think about what reverse engineering means. Takes a special kind of hand to manage him."

Nines deactivates his voice box once more. The problem with custom-building a social module is that he can only learn from his environment. The second problem is that the only human he regularly interacts with is Gavin Reed.

[dialogue options: AVAILABLE]

:Yeah, I bet your hand is real special to you.:

:I gave a special hand to your mom last night.:

:You can catch these special hands in the parking lot.:

"Are you threatening me?" Senator McAshlynn demands.

His finger presses down on the incognito security alert. A dialogue box pops up on the table informing him of the necessary restart, ruining the illusion of real wood.

Reed scoffs while he scrambles to close the notification. "I don't care about you enough to do that. It's only the android we're after. Any LM one hundreds, PJ five or six hundreds, or WB five hundreds you seen around Russel?"

"LM—a personal assistant?" Senator McAshlynn looks up from his desk. "No, Russell didn't have one of those. I don't even know what the other two are."

"University lecturer and financial accountant."

Senator McAshlynn huffs. "No. And for the last time detective, this isn't relevant to me or my company."

"All right." Detective Reed stands up. "Thanks for your time, Mr. McAshlynn."

"It's Dernham. Please leave or I will have my security team escort you out," Mr. McAshlynn informs them.

"Two GJ five hundreds and a refurbished GS two hundred." Nines nods his head toward the desk. "Is that paperweight for sale?"

"Get out!"

***

"God that was great. You really fucking asked him if it was for sale."

Gavin is still so pleased about getting kicking out of Synergy Paradigm, he lets Nines control his truck from the passenger's seat. Nines keeps the speed a steady five miles over the limit like his partner prefers and passes him a pack of the regular, non-marijuana cigarettes he smokes while on duty.

"Did you get a picture of his face?"

Nines sends the file to his cellphone. Gavin checks it immediately when it dings, then shoots him a wide smile. Nines saves a picture of that too before he's aware of making the decision to do so. He now has fifty-four pictures of Gavin saved for purposes other than building a databank of facial expressions. Anything more than three is a pattern.

A habit.

"Anything else?" the detective asks. "Wait, if you fucked with his table, don't tell me. Anything you got from that is inadmissible in court, and if there's any chance you might get caught, don't do that shit anymore."

"If there is any chance I might get caught," Nines repeats back to him. "Hypothetically, what if Senator McAshlyn's cell phone--"

He tries to put the right amount of emphasis in his voice to imply air quotes. It is difficult to preconstruct which syllables to stress and in what order. Gavin stares blankly at him. He tries raising his volume by ten percent.

"His cell phone."

Gavin suddenly huffs and rolls his eyes. "Jesus, yeah, OK. If his cell phone did …?"

"Connected to his smart desk and automatically synced to his calendar, contacts, and social media feeds."

"And anyone looking into the like, syncing history or whatever, would confirm his cell phone was the only device to connect to his smart desk about ten minutes ago?"

"Correct."

"OK, hypothetically speaking," Gavin says. "If there's no chance of getting caught--and keep in mind that would mean our whole case could get thrown out and lots of lawyers and Fowler screaming about privacy violations and IA jumping on the chance to fuck over their very first android …"

"Understood."

"If there's no chance of getting caught, that shit is still a slippery fucking slope and you shouldn't risk it."

Nines stares at the human's face, trying to determine if he is being that aspect of [sarcastic] that is not meanly saying the opposite of what he really thinks, but is still saying the opposite in order to [cover his own ass].

"Anyway." Gavin clears his throat. "On a totally unrelated note, do you have a hunch about anything?"

"A hunch."

"Yeah. Like, a gut feeling you can't really explain to me in--"

"Oh."

Gavin clears his throat again.

"I do not believe Senator McAshlynn Dernham was close friends with Maverick Russell," Nines says. "I do not believe the two planned to meet with each other within the last two weeks or the next fortnight."

"You fucking had to say fortnight. Pull over, I have a dance I want to show you."

Nines locks the passenger door. "My 'gut instinct' is that Senator McAshlynn has in fact been distancing himself from the victim for several months now and likely thought Russell was a bad investor, desperate to be liked, and only got lucky mooching off of his co-founders' talents and his father's inheritance when founding Synergy Paradigms."

"That's all your gut instinct, huh?"

"Social media accounts are public knowledge, and I have the processing power to review literally everything Senator McAshlynn has ever made publicly available online. He has not been discreet about his feelings. That is my assessment of them."

"You remember what I said about staying out of my life?" Gavin asks.

"Yes, detective." Nines does not sigh, because that would be redundant. "I am not to access your medical history or background information."

"Just keep that in mind."

"I am affixing a permanent post-it note to my field of vision right now."

"Fuck off. Is there anything else I need to know about?"

Nines considers. "Do you need the video and audio I recorded?"

Gavin actually does sigh, blowing out a cloud of smoke. "What the fuck did you record?"

"Technically speaking, I am always recording."

"This whole fucking conversation is justifying every bit of my goddamn paranoia about androids, you know that, right?"

"Humans may also acquire go-pros."

"So you admit that's what you are."

"Do you wish for me to upload the video and audio recording of our walk through the interior of Synergy Paradigms to your terminal or not, detective?"

"Yeah, sure." Gavin takes a long drag of his cigarette while he thinks. "I mean, I was right fucking there with you though. I saw everything you did."

"True," Nines admits. "You did see everything I did, but you do not possess the ability to review that video with perfect recall. My hearing is also significantly more advanced than yours, and I recorded audio from humans on the first and second floors, as well as the fifty-first, fifty-second, and fifty-third, within an approximate three to five office radius."

Gavin nearly lets the cigarette drop from his open mouth. "Holy shit. Uhhh, yeah, sure. Fuckers in a company like that gotta be gossiping about what happened. Maybe we'll pick something up."

The majority of the audio is, in fact, gossip. Nines has already processed and reviewed it of course, but he is also aware his lack of a social module and general understanding of humans must necessarily limit his ability to determine the relevance of what he's heard.

Personally, he would declare it all irrelevant. "Petty gossip" does not even begin to describe how asinine and crude the humans' dialogue is. It's all about who has been fucking whom, who is climbing the corporate ladder, and who is fucking whom in order to climb the corporate ladder.

The entire experience of walking through one [1] human corporation has justified every bit of his disgust for humans.

Still, Nines will transfer the files to the detective's workplace terminal via direct connection once they arrive back at the precinct. So far, there is nothing currently illegal about his advanced hearing and "privacy violations." And technically, anything in plain sight or said within hearing of an officer may be admitted in court as evidence.

It just so happens that Nines's sight and hearing have a bit wider scope than current laws predicted.

Gavin works on nursing his cigarette down to a nub for the next several minutes without speaking. When he taps the backs of his knuckles against his window, Nines rolls it down for him. They're moving slowly enough through the city traffic for him to ash his cigarette out the window. The cold air whipping through puts a red flush on his face as he smokes and blows it out the window.

"But seriously," the human continues after a few minutes of quiet driving. "If I ever get like that for real, knife me in the back of the neck. Straight through all of that good brain-spine stuff."

Nines runs several preconstructions. While monitoring other police officers isn't part of his mission, he was created to serve as a form of Internal Affairs. RK800s to track down the deviants and RK900s to monitor the eights.

(His [pride] pushes the idea that he is more akin to Military Police, but that is irrelevant to the preconstructions and possibly a deviant thought pattern.)

Still, Nines is aware a not-insignificant number of police officers commit errors ranging from abusing their authority to planting evidence to outright working alongside criminals for profit. Even Detective Reed has shown a propensity to skirt right along the edge of what is legal--or not technically illegal.

His assumed persona at Synergy Paradigms seems to have illustrated crossing the line however, so Nines categorizes those behaviors as [unacceptable] in his system and updates his own action-paths accordingly.

The preconstructions of killing or permanently disabling Detective Reed still fail.

But his partner is designated as his [human partner] within his system, and there may be dormant programming preventing Nines from causing serious harm to him.

"I will inform you that your behavior is no longer acceptable," Nines tells him. "If you continue after my warning, then I will neutralize you."

Gavin takes a long drag off his cigarette and gives him the facial equivalent of the :eyes: emoji. Not an apologetic look as Nines originally interpreted, but an expression known as "side-eyeing." His extensive collection of saved images focused on Gavin's face has given Nines a much higher rate of success at interpreting his partner's nonverbal signals than the average human.

"Didn't take you for the type to give warnings," Gavin finally says.

"Well." Nines practices shrugging. "It takes a special hand to manage me."

Gavin snorts out smoke. "Fuck. Did I really sound that stupid?"

[dialogue options: AVAILABLE]

"I estimate your hand is very special to you, detective."

That earns him another snort. Eighty-three chance of [amusement].

"I gave a special hand to your mother yesterday evening."

"Hope you didn't bother paying for that shit."

"You may receive these special hands at a Denny's parking lot of your choice."

That finally makes Gavin laugh, long and loud enough that he starts coughing. He flips Nines off around a wheeze, still grinning. Nines watches him keep smoking and adds to his collection of saved images.

It's a very bad habit.

***

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 30 / 31 / 32 / 33

I also have a Patreon for this fic, if you want to support me! $1 gets you access to chapters a week early, $2 gets bonus content and deleted scenes, and $3 gets short chapters from two AUs I’m writing: an A/B/O heatfic and reverse!AU

#reed900 #reed900 fic #gavin reed #dbh #dbh fic #ch 5 #my writing #writing #the ao3 fic is up to ch 10 but I'm slowly getting caught up posting them here too!

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loadthree979 · 3 years

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460le Transmission

This 4L60E transmission is ideal for vehicles producing factory horsepower and torque levels. The Bare Bones 4L60E is for unmodified vehicles looking for an affordable transmission that won't break the bank. Bare Bones transmissions retain the stock shift pattern for the ease of driving you look for in an automatic transmission. Assault Racing Products A7599BK GM 700R4 4L60E Black Transmission Pan Stock Capacity Automatic Trans 4L60 4L65E. 4.6 out of 5 stars 56. Only 5 left in stock - order soon. ECOGARD XT1211 Premium Professional Automatic Transmission Filter Kit Fits Buick Rainier 4.2L 2004-2006, Roadmaster 5.7L 1994-1996. The 4L60E transmission is both the physical and spiritual successor to theTH700R4. It was the workhorse of the GM automatic transmissions at the turn of the century. It began replacing the 700R4 (which was then known as the 4L60) in 1997.

The 4L60E transmission came onto the scene back in 1992. It served as a replacement or an upgrade to the 700R4 transmission, which was also known as the 4L60 transmission. Both transmissions were mostly similar. But the major difference came from the upgrade coming from hydraulically to electronically controlled transmissions. The transmission which was developed and produced by General Motors/Hydramatic, became widely available in a large number of GM vans, SUV and truck applications. It was also available in many rear-wheel drive car applications too. Some of the most popular car applications include the Chevrolet Corvette, Camaro, Impala and more.

Sky Go Watch TV on any device. click to open detail panel. Download the app - click to open detail panel. IOS - install the app; Android - install the app; Fire - install the app; Windows - download the app; Mac - download the app; Sky Sports on Sky Go - click to open detail panel. Sky Cinema on Sky Go - click to open. Upgrade to new macbook Pro running MacOS Big Sur 11.1 Everything else works but the Sky Go App will not open. It says it is looking for updates. I have uninstalled it and tried to reinstall. Suggestions please. I have used Sky Go on my Macbook Pro (early 2013 model) several times in the past, even as recently as a month or two ago. There's been no change to my Macbook in terms of system updates etc. And the app now ceases to function. To clarify, on trying to use the Sky Go app on the Macbook, the app opens but then a warning box with 'Something is. The Sky Go desktop app makes it even easier for you to find the programmes you want to watch. And with Sky Mobile, you can watch Sky TV on the go without using your data. Sky Go is included at no extra cost to your Sky TV subscription. Got the Sky Go desktop app already? Sky go app on macbook.

The Good And The Bad

The 4L60E can be classified into both an early version as well as a late version. Given such, the differentiation occurred in 1996. With many variations, the easiest to recognize externally is the removable bell-housing found on the late model 4L60E transmissions. As the arrived in 1996, it was not fully created in until 1998. With this transmission not as widespread as it once was, there are still some applications that GM uses for this 1998 transmission. This transmission can still be found in light-duty van applications and even in the overseas market in the Holden Commodore.

The popularity of this transmission was based on many of the carryover features. The low speed performance capability was one of them. Additionally, the transmission also featured strong fuel economy performance. Then, there was the addition of the electronic control that improved the performance of this transmission tremendously. Given its performance, there were common issues with the transmission; the component’s ability to use the reverse gear was seen as a grave issue. This was generally caused by buildup of debris.

4L60E Performance Specs

The 4L60E transmission is equipped to withstand as well as a handle the max engine torque of 360 lb.-ft. Additionally, the 4L60E’s name states a tremendous amount about the transmission. The number 4 in the title indicates that the transmission is a 4 speed transmission. The L in the title signified that the transmission as an engine that sits longitudinally. The 60 in the name signifies that there is 6000 pounds of GVW.

Why Is The 4l60e A Bad Transmission? Is It The Worst Ever Made?

For many, the 4L60E transmission is a good transmission, but for others, it appears as if it is the worst transmission ever made. One GM owner stated: “My opinion is that the 4L60E is not the worst transmission ever made. Did you buy the truck new or used? If used, then one has no idea exactly what the transmission went through before you bought it.”

Another 4L60E owner added: “The 4L60E is as common as the TH350 except it is newer and bigger. No, its definitely not the most defective transmission on the road. Most all vehicle manufacturers have their “Problem children”. When I was at the Oldsmobile GMC dealer back in the 80’s it seemed that all I ever worked on was the 440T4. They would be lined up out the door and I made a ton of money on them. They were replaced by the 4T60 and 65E’s. Aftermarket has pretty much taken over with the 4L60E’s much like the TH350’s. There are aftermarket parts I prefer to use in my overhauls of these. GM had some design flaws in these which got corrected by GM and the aftermarket. I, personally would rather have a fresh built HD 4L60E any day than some of these newer models coming on the market.” Th400 transbrake kit.

How Can I Tell If My 4l60e Transmission Is Bad?

When it comes to troubleshooting the 4L60E, you have to keep in mind that the automatic transmission (4L60-E) in your rear wheel drive GM vehicle will usually experience failure in one of two ways:

The Transmission Will Begin Slipping

Internal mechanical failure will be the cause of transmission ‘slippage’.

Your transmission fluid will appear at a low level. This is generally due to a fluid leak somewhere which will result in the transmission slipping.

Transmission Fails to Shift Out of Gear

Generally, this problem will arise when the PCM will sense an electrical issue and commands the transmission not to move and stay in “limp mode”.

While the transmission is in “limp mode”, the automatic transmission will fail to downshift or upshift.

How Long Do 4l60e Transmissions Last?

Different 4L60 owners offer their perspective on the longevity of the 4L60e transmission:

Owner Number One:

“It really depends who you ask. Some say it's on borrowed time, and others will say it will be fine as long as it shifts good and all. I'm somewhat in the middle. I'd be a little hesitant, but I also wouldn't be terribly worried of I drove it and it felt good with no slippage or harsh shifts.”

Owner Number Two:

“I have close to 300k on my truck back in the day before I sold it. (The) 4l60e from 1996 held up well. Reverse (kind of) was finicky, every now and then it would slip but had a good life. I honestly think around 250-300k it should be rebuilt if its original.”

Owner Number Three:

“To answer it in short, I took ($2000) put it aside for the (transmission), learned over the fourteen years I’ve owned it, (that it’s a matter of not if, it’s when). (I changed) the fluid regularly and found adding a bottle of Lucas non slip is the best thing. Typically (I) think most that stuff is snake oil but I’m telling you it works, keeps solenoids from sticking too. I do it yearly. Don’t use (overdrive), unless you’re going over 60, you’ll get the same mileage and won’t be wearing the 3-4 out. I drive it easily in 1st till its in 2nd then slowly give it more throttle. Driving it hard that 1-2 shift seems to shorten life How do I know, I’ve been through 5 of these. Just my opinion. (My first transmission) lasted less than 100 miles. (The) last one lasted close to 100k (miles). Seems most of these around 40-50 can go.” Hope you make 300k. (If you do, I would be) shocked. Go easy on them they aren’t all that great, (in my opinion).”

Owner Number Four:

“I would be more interested in the number of shifts before failure. Wear in a transmission in my opinion- mainly occurs during shifts. Once the transmission is in a gear it should see very little wear. Towing and heavy abuse increases fluid temps and reduces lubrication resulting in more wear during shifts. Yes, clutches wear but that is mainly when they slip during application and release. So, to just go off mileage alone is probably not the best way to judge. A 4l60e that has 300k miles from towing between the coasts could be in better shape than one with only 50k miles on it that was stop and go with thousands of shifts per day.”

What Is the Difference Between A 4l60 And A 4l60e Transmission?

The biggest difference between the 4L60 and 4L60E is how both are controlled. For 4L60E control comes from a computer. For the 4L60, control comes form a TV cable. With one being controlled by computer and the other not, there are compatibility issues that the two have.

If you tried to put a 4L60E transmission in the place where a 4L60 once resided, prepare to buy an aftermarket transmission controller so that you can control it.

If you don’t, it will not know when to kick down, when to shift or the speed of the vehicle. The 4L60 transmission would require a custom bracket to hook into the TV cable properly. Additionally, when comparing both transmissions, they don’t also don’t have the same geometry for engaging the torque converter. As a result, you will need torque converters to accomplish engagement.

Similarities Between The 4L60 and 4L60E Transmissions

Sure, the 4L60 and the 4L60E have some differences, but there are some things that they share. Some of the similarities include:

Citrix Receiver unattended installation with PowerShell is a must in automated environments. Also, Citrix Receiver requires some additional configuration to make it run smoothly in your environment. This article explains and automates the most important ones. Note: Citrix Receiver has been replaced. You can install Citrix Workspace app for Windows using the installation media, a network share, Windows Explorer, or a command line by manually running the CitrixWorkspaceApp.exe installer package. Launch the CitrixWorkspaceApp.exe file and click Start. Read and accept the End User License Agreement and proceed with the installation. If you are attempting the installation on a domain-joined ma. The following two command line switches are required to uninstall Citrix Workspace app: /silent /uninstall. The /noreboot parameter is not needed during a silent installation according to the Citrix documentation. Installation dependencies: No; Other dependencies: No; Reboot required: Yes (for certain components such as Single Sign-on, /includeSSON). C:/ ReceiverCleanupUtility.exe /silent. ReceiverLogs folder is created in the location where the utility is run and tracks all uninstall actions and results. NOTE: In order to improve the Citrix Receiver experience, anonymous uninstall data will be sent to Citrix. Citrix workspace app command line.

Both transmissions have the bellhousing bolt pattern.

Both transmissions also use the same bolt pattern as well as the same transmission pan.

They have the same length.

Both the 4L60E and 4L60 have the same number of gear ratios as well as the same number of gears.

Common 4l60e Transmission Problems

Below is a partial list of some of the most common 4L60E transmission problems: Imessage on chromebook.

Slipping, Slow or No Reverse Available

Many owners find that the “lo-reverse” clutches are beat up or worn out. There is also a fluid leak located in the reverse apply circuit. Additionally, there is a broken sunshell.

The 1-2 shift is harsh and delayed

Not only do 4L60E transmission owners experience a delay or harshness in 1-2 shift, but there have also been reports of an inability to shift into overdrive.

4l60e Transmission Troubleshooting

The 3-4 Clutches Are Not Working and Quickly Worn Out

Daniel craig clue movie poster. The 3-4 clutches are reportedly quick to wear out. So, as a result, they will need to be rebuilt after being removed. You can drive the car safely in 2 till you can get to a mechanic.

4l60e Compatibility Year Chart

Sell Your Car with the 4L60E Transmission Problems!

4l60e Transmission Controller

Tired of getting that car fixed and trying to remedy those 4L60E transmission issues? Sell that problematic car to Cash Cars Buyer! We buy all makes and models of General Motors cars- including those with 4L60E transmission issues! You can obtain your FREE online quote hereand call us to get a guaranteed offer on your GM car! Our GM car buying services are FREE and you never have to pay to have your GM car towed away!

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hafizhamza313 · 5 years

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Best CDN providers of 2019 to speed up any website

A content delivery network (CDN) works to accelerate almost any website by caching its files in servers around the world. Whether your visitors come from Europe, North America, Asia or anywhere else, content is automatically served from the nearest location for the fastest possible speeds. If you're new to the technology then it might seem intimidating, and there's no doubt that prices can be high, but don't let that put you off. A CDN is not just for massive corporations. You can set up the simplest services in less than five minutes, and if you choose your plan wisely, it might not cost you anything at all. Whatever your website, from a simple blog to a sprawling site for a big business, we've picked out some of the best services around to help point you in the right direction. If you find anything that looks interesting, give it a try – you can explore many of these CDNs for free, without handing over payment details or signing up for any contract.

Cloudflare is a hugely popular American content delivery service which combines novice-friendly ease of use with expert-level features and functionality. Setup is simple, with no need to edit your code. Just update your DNS nameservers to use Cloudflare and the service kicks in automatically, caching content and serving it to visitors from their nearest location. But there's much, much more. Web filtering can block bots, limit content spam, keep you safe from hackers or detect and mitigate DDoS attacks. Smart image optimizations can reduce image file sizes by up to 35%, further improving speeds. There's wide support for standards like IPv6, HTTP/2 and SPDY, clever page rules to help you manipulate traffic, and a REST API allows developers to take full control of what the service is doing. Cloudflare's free plan allows you to see what the service can do, without making any commitments. It's very usable, with unlimited bandwidth and no annoying restrictions to try and force you to upgrade. Upgrading to the Pro plan costs a reasonable $20 (£16) a month, and adds the image optimization rules, extra configurability and improved support. Whatever you choose, Cloudflare delivers great performance. As we write, the benchmarking site CDNPerf ranks Cloudflare at seventh place for worldwide HTTP request response times out of a field of 20 top CDNs. You can sign up for Cloudflare here

Fastly provides CDN tricks for some really big organizations, including the likes of Spotify and Reddit, and the firm lives up to its name, delivering impressively fast performance levels. Going by the rough guideline of CDNPerf’s rankings, it’s the second fastest CDN for the UK, and worldwide speeds are mostly good, too. Perhaps Fastly’s strongest point, however, is just how configurable the service is. For example, there’s diverse support for different types of video caching, and tons of low-level controls for those who want to get stuck into the likes of manipulating HTTP headers to customize how content is served. Of course, some know-how is required to set up everything, and novices to the CDN world will doubtless be confused by all the options on offer. But for those who need this level of flexibility and configurability, it’s priceless to have. Speaking of which, Fastly operates a pay-as-you-go model with a minimum charge of $50 (£37) per month. In addition, you can test up to $50 of traffic for free. You can sign up for Fastly here

KeyCDN is an easy-to-use budget CDN that might be a good pick for first-time users. Getting started couldn't be much simpler. Sign up with your email address and you get an immediate 25GB to play with, no payment details required. A well-designed web dashboard enables creating your first zone with the minimum of clicks, and there are guides to help you integrate the service with WordPress and other apps. Worth mentioning is that as of late November 2018, KeyCDN fully supports IPv6. More experienced users will appreciate options like Origin Shield – this allows you to specify a KeyCDN server to be the source for updates rather than the origin, reducing your server load. You're able to manipulate headers, cache or strip cookies, or set up a custom robots.txt. Once the service is running, a capable set of reporting tools enable watching CDN performance in near real-time. Also, all customers have access to the Image Processing feature, which is great for image optimization. KeyCDN's standout feature has to be its low prices. Bandwidth charges start at $0.04 (£0.032) per GB, less than half the price you'll pay with some of the high-end competition. The minimum usage is a tiny $4 (£3.2) per month and the minimum payment is $29 (£23.3). The company doesn't even try to cash in on the extras, for example offering shared SSL and custom Let's encrypt SSL certificates for free. Perhaps unsurprisingly, these low prices don't get you leading-edge performance, but there's still plenty of power here and you do get a lot for your money. You can sign up for KeyCDN here

MetaCDN is an Australian company which combines the CDNs of Amazon Cloudfront, Fastly and Verizon's EdgeCast into a single speedy service. Why? It's all about performance. When a visitor accesses your site, MetaCDN has three networks and more than 120 locations to choose from – way more than anyone else. In other words, there’s a much greater chance any visitor will have a server near them. This matters because every CDN delivers its best performance in different areas. EdgeCast scores highly in North America, for instance, but Fastly is quicker in the UK. MetaCDN automatically chooses the best network for every visitor's location, giving you the best of all worlds. This approach does have a catch. When you sign up with a single CDN, you can get access to all its individual settings and options, but combining three means you only get settings which apply to all of them (for obvious reasons). Which essentially means MetaCDN has barely any configuration options at all. (Check the Support site to get a rough feel for how the system works.) Still, MetaCDN is nicely user-friendly and it could be a good pick if speed is your top priority. Pricing is complicated (although not bad for access to enterprise-level CDNs) and there are three plans, Basic, Lite and Pro. The most popular one, Lite, is $50 on a monthly basis (you can also choose a yearly rate, for a $39 a month). You can sign up for MetaCDN here

This CDN provider focuses mainly on the West, with 14 points of presence (PoPs) in North America, and nine in Europe. There are only five PoPs in Asia, and two in Australia and South America (Brazil). StackPath is user-friendly, complete with a straightforward web console to manage your settings, and if you do get stuck, there’s extremely efficient technical support available via either live chat or phone. Performance seems good in the US and UK, and indeed Europe, but further afield you may see things tail off a bit, which is hardly a surprise given StackPath’s aforementioned focus on Western nations. Another strength here comes on the security front, with this CDN giving users free shared SSL (or the option to use your own SSL certificate, if you prefer). There’s also anti-DDoS technology and a capable Web Application Firewall. All in all, this is a tempting offering with a baseline plan that charges $10 (£7.6) for up to 1TB of bandwidth per month. The first month is also free. You can sign up for StackPath here

Update: The service has been now integrated with StackPath - "Everything you love about MaxCDN is being integrated into the new StackPath CDN service." MaxCDN is actually owned by StackPath now (the previously mentioned CDN) but provides a standalone service of its own which is well-suited for novices. You get 24/7 tech support with speedy responses promised (and indeed these claims stood up to our testing), and it’s easy enough to set up, and indeed use going forward. You don’t get as many settings to play with as some of the more advanced services, but that’s hardly surprising when trying to keep things more user-friendly. Another definite benefit is a range of useful reports and a solid core network. MaxCDN offers eight edge locations in the US, five in Europe – and you can add additional locations in Asia (and Australia), but you have to pay extra for those. Overall, though, pricing is a strong point, starting from $9 (£6.75) a month for a 100GB account, with a clear pricing structure which isn’t confusing in the slightest (often not the case with CDN offerings). Performance is, generally speaking, solid enough, and this CDN does pretty well for speeds in the UK and US. You can sign up for MaxCDN here

Amazon CloudFront is the CDN facet of AWS (Amazon Web Services), so it’s certainly part of a heavyweight operation. And indeed CloudFront offers a raft of advanced features as you might expect, and you can customize all manner of things such as enabling automatic GZip compression for better speeds. Another strength here is the in-depth analytics on tap, showing you details of your visitors’ device type, OS and so forth. There’s also the handy ability to set up alerts, meaning you can be warned when data transfer usage goes above a certain level. The downside to all the options on offer is that relative novices to the CDN world may find CloudFront’s control panel a little intimidating, at least initially. The other slight sticking points are that calculating pricing can be a rather tricky matter, and if you aren’t an experienced user familiar with CDN basics, tech support isn’t free – if you need help, you’ll have to fork out for it. Prices vary depending on region, but the good news is there’s a free tier (which gives you 50GB of data per month for one year). Performance levels are fairly average, too, but there’s no denying the power and configurability that Amazon offers to the slightly more tech-savvy user. You can sign up for Amazon CloudFront here

As you’re doubtless aware, Microsoft Azure is a big old stack of integrated cloud tools for building and managing applications and services, with a wide range of coverage including a CDN offering, which is what we’re focusing on here, naturally. Note that this doesn’t use Microsoft’s own edge servers, but rather three plans that use other CDN networks: Standard Akamai, Standard Verizon, and Premium Verizon. We fully discuss these various plans in our review of Microsoft’s CDN service, linked below, but suffice it to say that in terms of pricing – which can be somewhat confusing to work out – this isn’t the cheapest offering around. Still, those who want integration with other Microsoft technologies and services may well find the price worth paying. You get a web dashboard which is absolutely crammed with features, although as ever, this means it’s not particularly easy to use for beginners (and the setup process is pretty involved, too). Performance levels are impressive, and at the time of writing, according to CDNPerf, Azure CDN is the third fastest content delivery network in the US and worldwide. This has to be a tempting prospect if you’re using other Azure services, or if you’re a developer who will appreciate the likes of .NET or PowerShell management features. You can create a free account and get started with 12 months of free services. You can sign up for Microsoft Azure CDN here

CDN77 is a big-name player in the content delivery game, with some heavyweight clients signed up including the European Space Agency. It has an expansive CDN network with 35 data centers across the globe, with many of those in Europe and the US, but there are also locations in South America, Asia and one in Australia. The web console interface is very streamlined and keeps any jargon to a minimum, making it suitably user-friendly for novices to the CDN world. The flipside of this is that there aren’t a huge amount of options, although you can do some tweaking of various settings. In terms of performance, CDN77 is solid enough, and it ranks as a lower-to-mid pack player that’s unlikely to disappoint, but certainly isn’t the fastest CDN network we found when reviewing these various services. You get a free Let's Encrypt SSL certificate, and CDN77 is a pretty good value for money overall in terms of its per-GB pricing, although it’s not the cheapest outfit we’ve highlighted here. Pricing starts at $0.049 per GB of data for US and European locations, with Asia and Latin America being more expensive. If you want to test the waters, there’s a 14-day risk-free trial, and you don’t need to supply any payment details for this. You can sign up for CDN77 here

If you need a powerful CDN, look no further than Leaseweb, an enterprise-level operation which is still suitable for regular business users – just about, although we should say up front that it isn’t cheap, as you might imagine. Pricing starts at $113 (£88, €99) per month for an entry-level plan with a 2TB data allowance, the good news being that even with this ‘basic’ subscription, you get all the same security and CDN features as the heavyweight enterprise plans. That includes a smartly designed console for overseeing your CDN needs, complete with an extensive raft of potential settings and tweaks, featuring many options you don’t get with your average service (like the ability to set the cache-control header or determine how long to cache 404 responses). There’s also an in-depth statistics section which displays graphs and charts showing many interesting stats, such as visitor and traffic breakdowns, cache performance and the top file types which are seeing action. The one somewhat bleak spot is Leaseweb’s performance, which seems somewhat off the pace going by CDNPerf’s findings, although it’s difficult to gauge exactly what results you’ll get in practice. Users who want a powerful range of features in their CDN could give the 30-day trial a go to find out. You can sign up for Leaseweb here Check our tips to improve your SEO rankings! Read the full article

#bestcdnproviders #cdn #contentdelivery

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jobsearchtips02 · 4 years

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Apple’s App Shop policies are bad, however its interpretation and enforcement are even worse

I began this morning all riled up and prepared to write a newsletter about how Google is using its market power in one segment– Gmail– to offer itself a possibly unreasonable advantage in another section: video conferencing.

That was the strategy, but then Apple chose to use its market power in one section– the App Shop– to offer itself a potentially unjust benefit in another sector: buying digital goods.

I’m obviously going to focus on Apple.

In Apple’s case, the choice was to tell the company that makes the brand name brand-new e-mail app called Hey that it can not distribute its app on the iPhone unless it makes it possible for users to sign up by means of Apple’s own prescribed methods– which gives Apple a 30 percent cut.

The timing of all this is merely unbelievable, with a lot of happenings that I ‘d be nuts to concentrate on anything else. Not only does Apple’s WWDC designer conference kick off in less than a week, the EU actually opened up an antitrust examinations into App Shop and Apple Pay practices the really exact same day this Hey thing went down! Tom Warren:

The first investigation will penetrate whether Apple has actually broken EU competitors guidelines with its App Shop policies, following problems by Spotify and Rakuten over Apple’s 30- percent cut on memberships and sales of ebooks through its App Shop. “We require to guarantee that Apple’s guidelines do not misshape competition in markets where Apple is taking on other app developers, for instance with its music streaming service Apple Music or with Apple Books,” states Margrethe Vestager, the head of the EU’s antitrust department. “I have therefore decided to take a close look at Apple’s App Store guidelines and their compliance with EU competitors rules.”

And Apple itself was promoting a research study declaring how much its App Store has actually contributed to the economy on Monday, declaring it created $519 billion in commerce in 2015 Nick Statt:

In-app advertising, also mostly dedicated to mobile gaming, comprises another $45 billion. Of whatever else– from ride-hailing software to food delivery apps to mobile retail stores from Finest Buy and Target– comprising the remaining $413 billion, Apple takes no cut, the research study states.

We’re going to go through some of the play-by-play of Hey, digging into what Apple’s policies are and how they might or may not apply. Here’s the pertinent paragraph from Apple’s App Shop policy, 3.1.1:

If you want to open functions or functionality within your app, (by method of example: subscriptions, in-game currencies, video game levels, access to premium material, or opening a complete variation), you must use in-app purchase. Apps might not utilize their own mechanisms to open content or functionality, such as license secrets, enhanced reality markers, QR codes, and so on.

The key thing to know is that the text of this policy is not actually the policy.

It ought to not shock you to understand that Apple’s analysis of its text frequently seems capricious at finest and at worst appears like it’s encouraged by self-dealing. And the enforcement consequently typically appears unjust.

The rule mentions that if you want to offer digital products, you have to use Apple’s payment system. Other than that’s not how 3.1.1 has been analyzed to date. It has actually been translated as permitting people to gain access to services they paid for elsewhere on their iOS gadgets, but not permitting those apps to attempt to navigate the Apple payment guidelines when people register on those gadgets.

That’s complicated, however that analysis is what keeps Netflix from having an account sign-up in its app. It’s the policy that has actually infuriated Spotify and keeps you from buying Kindle books on your iPhone without jumping through a million odd Safari hoops. That was currently a very bad guideline, if you ask me. Now, with this email app, Apple is apparently changing its interpretation to be more rigorous.

David Pierce at Protocol spoke with the folks at Basecamp, who make Hey, about what Apple informed them was the thinking for their app updates getting declined. In other words, the original app was accepted but updates will not be because somebody inside Apple began enforcing their modified interpretation. And young boy howdy, if you desire a masterclass in the real guidelines being concealed in interpretation and enforcement instead of in the plain text, buckle up:

Due to the fact that Hey didn’t qualify as a “Reader” app, Apple stated that existing customers could log in as typical but Hey required to make all memberships available to new users as in-app purchases. Apple allows these kinds of client apps– where you can’t sign up, only indication in– for business services however not customer items.

So now the rule is you need to use Apple’s system unless you were fortunate sufficient to make a popular subscription app, in which case you could simply keep going. Now, apparently, there are unwritten special classes of apps that are enabled to let you sign up elsewhere however still access the app on the iPhone: “service services” and “Reader apps” and these terms retroactively apply to those other apps? As Pierce tweets:

One other distinction: Apple permits “Reader” apps– things like Netflix and Kindle and Dropbox, where you’re using the app to gain access to existing memberships– as long as they do not offer a method to register. Email, messaging, etc do not count as Reader apps

Now we remain in complete pretzel mode. Dropbox is a “Reader” app in some way and for that reason exempt? I cracked a joke about the No Real Scotsman rational fallacy, but more I think about it, the more it uses.

Finding Out whether your app is consisted of in Apple’s analysis of its guidelines or whether Apple will implement those guidelines upon you is a straight up guessing game. Here’s a tip, though: if you’re huge and effective and have leverage, you have a better shot. Apple is fully letting Amazon get around some of these rules right now on the Apple TELEVISION, even the 30 percent cut! Keep in mind that kerfuffle? Here’s the so-called “established program” that nobody understood about:

On certifying premium video entertainment apps such as Prime Video, Altice One and Canal , consumers have the choice to buy or lease movies and TV programs utilizing the payment approach tied to their existing video subscription

Basecamp CTO David Heinemeier Hansson has actually been popping off about Hey’s potential App Store ban on Twitter throughout the day– and appropriately so. He has also affirmed before congress about Apple’s outsized market power (Heinemeier Hansson, you might recall, also brought the Apple Card’s predispositions against offering equal credit to women to light)

To me, arguing over whether the text of Apple’s policy is being translated or imposed relatively is practically beside the point. I state “practically” because the entire guessing video game about guidelines is disturbing for designers, it lays bare that Apple holds the power to prohibit their app.

An approximate ruler applies their will more powerfully and more onerously than one who follows the guideline of law. Opaque and arbitrary interpretation and enforcement puts more power into Apple’s hands– and it already has the power the set the text of the rules in the first place.

The real problem is Apple’s power, of which this whole Kafkaesque series of changing rules is a sign. We all know the rating here: Apple requires to secure the 30 percent cut it takes, and if it enables a lot of apps to circumvent that cut then some sort of dam may break. From Apple’s perspective, it’s not a lot the cash for its services bottom line however that if everyone utilized a various payment system, the experience on the iPhone would genuinely be broken down, if not fragmented. (The money doesn’t harmed, though.)

For Apple, the line has actually to be drawn someplace. And offered how complicated the analysis and enforcement has been in this case, the thinking for those wiggles is much easier to explain by looking at Apple’s organisation imperatives than it is by looking at Apple’s policies.

Google, for what it’s worth, draws its line at video games. Other apps are complimentary to connect out to other locations where people can register and pay for their accounts. Obviously, even then there’s debate: Fortnite was denied an exemption and after that stop and lastly rejoined the Play Shop under pressure Android does not limit users from installing apps from non-Play Shop sources, however it does make doing so feel dangerous and frightening.

There’s a cognitive harshness to calling Apple a monopolist. Apple’s marketshare in the US is significantly higher than it is in the rest of the world, but it’s not that high.

Ben Thompson at Stratechery has been writing about this for years– he just recently pulled his 2018 article on this really concern out from behind the paywall

The monopoly Apple has is a monopoly over the iPhone itself, not over smart devices. Which is an extremely strange way to think of a monopoly. Should not Apple be complimentary to make whatever rules it wants on the gadgets it sells? Is it unjust for Apple to demand a cut of all digital commerce on its platforms?

Here’s how Thompson addressed that concern, and I’m not sure I can state it much better:

What ought to be limited, though, is leveraging a win in one location into supremacy in another: that indicates Apple winning in mobile phones need to not suggest it gets to own digital payments, and developing the App Store does not mean it gets 30%of all digital goods (or be permitted to diminish the user experience of its competitors).

The thing about Hey is that it was an extremely high profile app with a prominent launch and prominent executives getting attention over this issue.

P.S. I asked Google a series of concerns about its organized Meet integration into Gmail. Here’s the only one that really matters:

Do you have any talk about the issue that Google is utilizing its market power on popular apps like Gmail and Google Calendar to give its own video conferencing app an unjust competitive advantage?

And here’s Google’s action, which I discover to be disingenuous however am communicating in full:

Google Hangouts, with assistance for video conferences and direct/group messaging, has actually been in Gmail and Calendar for years (Gmail on web has actually had video requiring over a years). We are now upgrading the video calling performance that Hangouts provided with Google Meet and extending the experience to mobile. As always, we will continue to allow user choice and enable users to choose in or out of functions to their preference. In addition, as G Suite is a platform, third-party apps have access to integrate with our applications through the G Suite Add-on structure.

When It Comes To why that combination needs to be a gigantic button at the bottom of your Inbox rather of just showing up in the sidebar, Google says “A tab is easier to access […] and screening shows that users like this technique.” I think that real-world testing will show Google something extremely different.

Disclosure: My other half deals with the Oculus Store, including setting policies for that shop. I recuse myself from reporting on Oculus so I am not at all knowledgeable about what Oculus’ policies are.

More from The Edge

┏ The Lenovo Flex 5G is the world’s very first 5G laptop computer you can in fact purchase

┏ What’s left of Magic Leap? Adi Robertson looks at what follows all that hype. It’s very little!

┏ Boston Characteristics will now offer any service its own Area robot for $74,500

┏ The gadgets Late Night with Seth Meyers uses to keep the show running from home

┏ Google is bringing Microsoft Workplace and other Windows apps to Chromebooks

┏ Bose gives up on its augmented reality noise job

from Job Search Tips https://jobsearchtips.net/apples-app-shop-policies-are-bad-however-its-interpretation-and-enforcement-are-even-worse/

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technato · 6 years

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Review: Ohmni, a Telepresence Robot for the Rest of Your Family

Is a relatively affordable telepresence robot a worthwhile investment for keeping in touch with people you love?

Most telepresence robots are designed for business use. They’re expensive, but the argument is that they work significantly better than a phone call and they pay for themselves since you don’t have to spend so much time and money traveling instead. We’ve reviewed telepresence robots in the past, and while in our experience the being-better-than-a-phone-call thing is definitely true, it’s still difficult for most people to justify getting one for personal use.

OhmniLabs, a Silicon Valley robotics startup with CMU roots (they’re advised by Manuela Veloso) wants to make telepresence robots easy and affordable enough that people start using them to stay connected with their families. In order for that to work, their telepresence robot (called Ohmni) is designed to be as independent as possible—you can send it to someone who isn’t at all comfortable with tech, and they can take it out of the box, turn it on, and it’ll just work. It’s potentially ideal for family members who you don’t live close to, or elderly family members who you like to talk to (and check up on) regularly. It seems like a good idea in theory, so we decided to give it a try.

Rather than doing this review myself, I had OhmniLabs ship a robot to my partner’s grandfather, Gerry. In his late 80s, he lives in an apartment in New Jersey with 24/7 care. Gerry is mostly confined to a wheelchair and has a mild form of dementia, although he’s able to chat with people and loves to talk with his family.

Despite living over an hour away, my partner’s father makes the drive to visit Gerry several times a week, supplemented with phone calls several times a day. It’s a big time investment, which he is of course happy to make, but I wanted to see to what extent Ohmni would be able to make Gerry feel more connected while perhaps making the distance less of an issue. And for other people in Gerry’s family, located farther away, Ohmni might give them a chance to interact with him more often, and in a more engaging and fulfilling way.

How Does Ohmni Work?

Here’s an intro to Ohmni from their successful Indiegogo campaign:

And here are all of the specs, for people who like specs.

Ohmni is built in California, and many of the parts you’ll find on the robot itself are 3D-printed to help keep costs down. This is a bit unusual—we see lots of 3D-printed parts on prototypes to help designers iterate quickly, most of the time followed by injection molded parts once a design is finalized. In principle, there isn’t a problem with a production robot using 3D-printed parts, as long as you don’t mind the look and it stands up to wear and tear.

The basic functionality of Ohmni is much like other telepresence robots, and that’s not a bad thing. It’s designed to provide good audio and video streaming, with a decent camera, screen (the tablet is included), and audio system, although you’ll need similar hardware on the other end to properly take advantage of it—the built-in webcam on your laptop will do, but you’ll generally have better luck with headphones and an external mic and camera. A robust and reliable internet connection, on both ends, is also a requirement. Ohmni is statically stable, and has no trouble navigating over most hardwood floors, carpets, and rugs, although you can only drive it down a flight of stairs once.

This review is about whether Ohmni’s unique features make it more appealing as a personal communication system for family members who aren’t necessarily tech savvy. So this review isn’t about what I think of the robot; it focuses primarily on the experience of my partner’s family with Ohmni, and I quote them extensively throughout the post (using their initials, for privacy). Most of them are fairly comfortable with technology, but I doubt that they’d ever considered using a telepresence robot before. Our hope is that their perspective will help you make a better decision about whether this is something your family might actually use and enjoy.

Setting Up Ohmni

Before OhmniLabs shipped us our review unit, we provided them with the login information to Gerry’s home Wi-Fi network, which they programmed into the robot before boxing it up (that’s an option available to any user who wants it set up that way). The robot arrives at its destination slightly folded into a giant box and mostly charged, and with the Wi-Fi already configured, you can just unfold it and turn it on and it’s good to go. The idea is that you can send Ohmni to someone who barely knows what a Wi-Fi network is, much less how to set up a robot, and they’ll be able to get it running without any trouble.

This was mostly our experience; the way that Ohmni works is not completely self-explanatory, but there is a card that comes in the box that points you to a comprehensive set of online tutorials (including videos). Once it was plugged in and turned on, the robot connected itself and was fully operational.

Gerry decided to name the robot Abner. One immediate critic of Abner was Charlie, Gerry’s dog:

Here’s how one of Gerry’s family members describes the situation:

“Charlie was deeply unsettled by Abner. I don’t know if there’s anything OhmniLabs could do to make the robot more dog-friendly, but it was kind of annoying dealing with Charlie’s constant barking whenever Abner moved. I bet this is less of an Abner problem and more of a Charlie problem.” —KF

Charlie did eventually get used to Abner, and more recently, we’ve heard that she’ll even lay her head on Abner’s base when someone is using the robot. Someone she likes, anyway.

Using Ohmni

To use Ohmni, you simply log in with your Google or Facebook credentials at the OhmniLabs website on Google Chrome. Any robots you have access to will appear there, and you can click on one to start the call—as long as the robot is turned on and available, there’s no need for anyone on the other end to do anything. Ohmni will power up, announce who’s calling, and then be under remote control.

The driving interface is very simple, and requires literally zero training (albeit some practice), as several of Gerry’s family members describe:

“The learning was seamless. I’d never used a robot like this before, but I’ve played enough first-person video games to have a pretty intuitive understanding of how it worked. The forward-facing and downward-facing camera combination were all I needed, and it was very easy for me to figure out how to move around.” —KF

“I think everything from the interface to the navigation would be incredibly intuitive and second nature to any millennial. Anybody who’s used to that type of interface will have no problem with it. For some of the people my age and older, there was a slight learning curve.” —EJF

“I am Gerry’s sister and, no doubt, the oldest of the guests using the robot. As the oldest, my computer skills are probably the weakest. It took more than one attempt to get signed on. Probably accessing the computer app was my biggest challenge, but the sign-in was easy. And there I was in the dining room and ready to park Abner directly across the table and feel as if I was joining my brother for breakfast. With practice, even driving and parking became easier.” —SA

While it’s simple to give other users permission to use Ohmni by sending an invitation to their email, it doesn’t seem to come with any kind of mandatory tutorial, which might be beneficial to a new user. The basic functionality is immediately obvious, but things like how to properly dock the robot and some information about how Ohmni announces itself when powered on would have been appreciated by our users.

Ohmni comes with a drive-on dock for charging. A successful docking requires some careful driving, so OhmniLabs has thoughtfully included a self-docking feature based around an optical tag on the dock. As long as you’re close enough, this works reasonably well, although with a bit of practice, manual docking (or, “parking”) isn’t too difficult.

Audio and video quality is about what you’d expect—totally decent and usable, and performs well in low light. Using typical telepresence etiquette on both sides can significantly improve the experience: good lighting, a mic and headphones, that sort of thing. As long as you’re careful to dock Ohmni when it’s not in use, it should have plenty of battery life—OhmniLabs estimates 5 hours, and we never had battery issues unless the robot was accidentally left undocked (and it will warn you if this happens).

How Useful is Ohmni?

The big question with Ohmni is whether or not the experience it gives both you and the person you’re talking to is worth the significant premium you pay to be able to use it. While I don’t think anyone (including OhmniLabs) would try to argue that Ohmni is just as good as being there in person, it does have to be significantly better than a phone call to be justifiable, and it also has to compare favorably to more affordable but stationary video communications systems like Kubi or Amazon’s Echo Show. So how did it do with Gerry’s family? Here are some of their comments:

“Once I was in front of Gerry with Ohmni’s camera and screen engaged, he was able to focus in and enjoy. It made for a richer communication than a phone call and it’s easier for him to access than Skype or FaceTime since I was able to be in control. While not as good as in person, it was a meaningful step closer than a phone… and saved a lot of commuting time!” —JF

“While the call was going on it felt better than a phone call, since I could see his facial reactions to things. Not quite as good as an in-person visit, but that’s probably not surprising. It didn’t feel very different from our usual activity of sitting at the table together, just through a screen instead of in person. If we were going on a walk or something I could believe I would have noticed some problems, but standing still it did great. Since Gerry doesn’t move around much, I’m not sure how much of an improvement this was over traditional video chat. I’m pretty sure we could have used FaceTime on an iPad or something, set on Gerry’s table, to accomplish the same thing much more easily. It’s worth noting that while we could have probably figured out a way to set up video chat, we didn’t, and we did set up Abner. Maybe it’s too much to ask of Gerry to keep an iPad charged and ready to FaceTime, and easier for us to make sure Abner was always ready to go.” —KF

“I have not used it myself, but I have been there when [Gerry] gets a call. He really likes it, and reacts well to the face to face. I think it’s great for him.” —AH

“It was… different than a phone call. I liked being able to see Gerry, I liked being able to move around a bit, and I liked not having to worry about him being able to operate the telephone— sometimes he struggles to get the phone up to his ear, so he can’t hear you. It wasn’t as good as being there in person, at all. It felt weird to leave without giving him a hug, but I know he gets lonely and he seemed to perk up when someone was on Abner. It lets us have a sort of halfway contact with him when we can’t visit in person. I would keep using it; I like it better than calling, and I can’t see him as much as I would like.” —EHF

“Abner arrived at Gerry’s home just as my summer visits were coming to an end; I have lived in Florida for over 54 years and can no longer deal with the cold northern climate. Abner was definitely more fun than the traditional phone call. It was so much more personal being able to chat while seeing each other. Second best to actually being there. I think that Gerry benefited greatly by having the ability to see each other as we spoke. He felt as if he had company and I know I felt wonderful seeing him smile and laugh as we conversed. I would certainly love to be able to continue our visits going forward. That will benefit me as well as [Gerry] getting us through the winter months without an in person visit.” —SA

“I contacted Gerry more using Abner, because of his engagement with it. Before, I would usually call at noon, and maybe around dinner. With Abner, I’d call at least twice a day. It’s a bright point of Gerry’s days; it’s not as good as somebody visiting, but it’s better than a phone call. It’s more engaging than other forms of contact.” —EJF

I’d also mention an experience that I’ve had with mobile telepresence robots— they can provide a sense of remote embodiment, of independent agency, that’s very distinct from something that doesn’t move. This is a tricky thing to explain, but it results in a sense of “being there” that you don’t get otherwise, and can enable a much different kind of casual, comfortable remote interaction. (You can read more about this in my review of the Double 2.)

The other aspect of mobility that we should address was that Abner has the ability to move from room to room. Gerry has in-home help and people to come check on him if he needs it, but many elderly people aren’t in that situation. If necessary, Abner can be used to check in on someone (as long as they aren’t up or down stairs), which could provide some valuable peace of mind if for whatever reason the person you’re worried about isn’t answering the phone. If that person doesn’t want to be reached, though, things can get a little complicated.

Ohmni and Privacy

One of the concerns that we heard about using Ohmni was that it sometimes felt too easy—since Ohmni can be logged into whenever it’s on, and part of the point is that it’s always on, using the robot without checking with the person on the other end first (by phone, say) can feel invasive.

“I have one major criticism of the robot, which is that I was able to connect to it at any time, with or without Gerry’s permission. This felt very different from a phone call or typical video chat, and definitely different from an in-person visit, since it meant I might have been connecting to Abner when Gerry was doing something where he might have liked some privacy. I certainly didn’t want to somehow remotely walk in on him in a compromising situation and make both of us uncomfortable.” —KF

“I felt somewhat uncomfortable just telepresence-ing in, and I wanted to verify that it would be a good time beforehand, and since that took a text or phone call it was just as potentially troublesome. The one time I did sign in without checking first, he wasn’t at home, and that felt very strange.” —EHF

It’s possible to put Ohmni into a “do not disturb” mode locally through its tablet, but that wasn’t something Gerry was likely to do, and it partially defeats the purpose of having Ohmni so easy to access in the first place.

We asked OhmniLabs founder Thuc Vu about this, and he told us that feedback they’ve gotten from users showed that people are, indeed, concerned about privacy, especially older adults. “We spent a lot of time thinking about how to design the robot to make sure that there were extra layers of assurance,” he says. “One is that the local user can switch between do not disturb mode, or accepting calls with approval. These different modes give the local user more control over how they want to be connected. The second thing is that we announce the people who call in very loudly. We make sure that people are aware that someone is on the other end, driving the robot.”

Another privacy feature they came up with is that, when the robot is parked and not in use, it faces the wall. “there ’ s no camera looking out, and our users don ’t have to worry that someone is spying on them through the camera,” says Vu. He added that people’s privacy concerns seem to decrease as they get more comfortable with the robot. “They get used to the fact that people will visit them. And on the other end, people get to know what times they can call in, too. It becomes less of a worry that family will pop in at random times,” he says.

Is Ohmni Right for You?

Ohmni was initially funded through Indiegogo, and robots pre-ordered that way are in the process of shipping. If you place an order now, the pricing is US $1,499, and we’re told that you can expect your robot to ship in January. There are no subscription fees. This compares favorably to other mobile telepresence robots like Double ($2,500 for the basic robot with no dock or iPad) and Beam ($2,140).

At this point, though, we feel like Ohmni does have a little bit of maturing to do on the software side, as Gerry’s family members explain:

“I think that when this works it works very well at what it says it’s going to do, but there were a couple times where it simply didn’t turn on and there wasn’t anything we could do remotely to fix it. If technically fluent grandkids can’t come and fix it, it has to be really stable.” — EHF

“Abner worked flawlessly probably 75 percent of the time. Ten percent of the time, I couldn’t connect to the robot, and as far as I could tell, there was nothing remotely that could be done—you had to reset the robot locally. I tried the remote reset, but I don’t think there was ever a time when I couldn’t connect to Abner and the remote reset fixed it. Another 15 percent of the time there were glitches that included low frame rate video, or illegible sound, things like that, that made it less functional than a phone call. I would be able to initiate contact with Abner, but the quality was sufficiently poor that I had to use the phone instead. This wouldn’t happen halfway through a call— once Abner was working, everything would be okay.” — EJF

It’s also unclear how often Ohmni will require more substantial maintenance, like updating the Ohmni software that runs on the tablet, or updating the tablet operating system itself. Stuff like this is easy for most users with even a passing familiarity with tech, but again, the whole point of the Ohmni is that the people with direct access to the robot shouldn’t need that familiarity. I don’t know if there’s an elegant solution for this, but it’s something to be aware of—every once in awhile, you’ll need get someone to poke around a bit and make sure everything on the robot is running as it should.

Since these aren’t major issues, we’re optimistic that OhmniLabs will tighten things up over time, especially as they ship more robots and get more real-world feedback. In fact, the company is already considering some additional features and hardware upgrades. A frequent request they get from users is the ability to play a video or display a photo on the robot ’s screen, so that it ’s easier to share media while using the robot. Other requests include making the height of the robot adjustable and the ability to zoom in and out with the camera. And of course, they also get a lot of requests for an arm.

The upshot is that when Ohmni was working well, most of our testers seemed to agree that it was certainly worth using. The robot might have been even more useful to interact with people with a bit more mobility and independence than Gerry has; we probably didn’t take as much advantage of Ohmni’s mobility as we could have.

A telepresence robot, even a (relatively) inexpensive one like Ohmni, is still a substantial investment. While it doesn’t take the place of an in-person visit, our experience shows how it can make communicating remotely much better, for the people on both sides. The value of Ohmni increases the farther you are from the person you’re talking to, as well—Abner was great for us, but as some of OhmniLabs’ beta testers point out, it’s even more valuable for family across the country, or the globe. Software reliability is a bit of a concern at this point, but it’s manageable, and we think that it’s something OhmniLabs ought to be able to address in the near future. When they do, we’ll have no trouble recommending Ohmni as a useful and effective telepresence platform, and a way of staying connected with your family that’s way, way better than calling them on the phone.

“Abner is incredibly more personal and intimate than a phone call. I think it’s the combination of it rolling up and appearing to join the conversation, along with the video. The best thing about Abner is that Gerry loves it—when it’s working, he’d get a big smile on his face and say, ‘Here comes Abner!’ ” — EJF

[ OhmniLabs ]

Thanks to OhmniLabs for lending us a review unit, and extra special thanks to my partner’s family for giving Ohmni a try, particularly Gerry and EJF, and Charlie too!

Review: Ohmni, a Telepresence Robot for the Rest of Your Family syndicated from http://ift.tt/2Bq2FuP

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einekleinelinny-blog · 7 years

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five True Methods to truly Earn money On the net

They seriously give on the internet income building a bad name. However it is feasible to help make revenue on the web. I necessarily mean, the individuals offering all of those millionaire pitches are earning profits,

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Listed below are some respectable internet websites that fork out: Swagbucks - Swagbucks is great for earning some further dollars. You are able to do a number of things to create funds, from using surveys to making use of their search motor. You will not get rich, but you will get paid a couple of bucks. When you've got the time to kill, you could expend it earning some further hard cash, as an alternative to surfing the net. InboxDollars - InboxDollars is analogous to Swagbucks, due to the fact you’re about to be taking surveys, purchasing, and so forth., therefore if you ought to optimize your return, register with the two websites. They also give a search engine that pays you (like Swagbucks) and you simply get $5 only for signing up. I will not go on to list study internet sites a single right after an additional down the record, however, if you ought to receives a commission to get surveys, also check out GlobalTestMarket, E-Poll Surveys and Study Club.

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Not surprisingly, it doesn’t begin out like that. You’ve acquired to develop your portfolio and your résumé, blah blah blah. If you’re thinking about writing, I’m confident you are aware of this. If you are not enthusiastic about writing, I would not suggest traveling down this highway just for the money. It requires dedication and time, nevertheless it can be highly financially rewarding if it’s anything you love. Assuming it really is what you adore, let’s talk about making money with it. Before you make a decision to begin reaching out to all these freelance writing providers, you need to use a net existence. You need a blog site (in my humble blogger opinion, not surprisingly). Or you could just have an internet based portfolio. Even a LinkedIn profile will work for getting started off. When you are able to start off, here's a hundred and fifty sources to help you publish superior, more rapidly and even more persuasively. If that’s intimidating, just start with these 50 methods. Now for what you’ve all been awaiting; once you are prepared to actually start out creating wealth, listed here are 10 websites you'll be able to begin with: Listverse - Listverse pays $100 for each approved put up. The write-up must be an inventory, it needs to be at the least one,five hundred text therefore you ought to include at least ten factors. Apart from that, you can find really inventive with it. TopTenz - TopTenz pays $50 for each recognized post. Again, the post has to be inside a record structure and it have to be at the very least 1,five hundred terms, with few exceptions. They put up normally so your chances of obtaining approved are quite large.

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eBay - Naturally you can not read an article about making a living on the net that doesn’t mention eBay. You can start off an eBay store and get serious about it otherwise you can just provide some things to declutter your house. In either case, I’ve built my truthful share from promoting on eBay and it’s nonetheless a preferred solution to receive money. If you choose to commence an actual eBay keep, you’ll would like to discover a drop-ship organization like Doba that should retail store and ship things straight towards your prospects which means you really do not really have to manage a listing. Etsy - Should you love to create arts and crafts, it is possible to market them on Etsy.It is wholly totally free to open an Etsy store. You just join, put up shots of your respective creations and starting off marketing. It is possible to opt for your payment solution, but PayPal is normally the easiest. Etsy helps make it straightforward to offer and maintain monitor of your respective inventory. There may be a little listing payment they usually get three.5% of every sale you make. Fb - Fb swap stores are perfect for selling items domestically. It is like CraigsList, but slightly less difficult. You just seek for swap retailers with your area and inquire to hitch the group. At the time you are in, get a picture in the item, generate a fast description with the price tag and publish it. It doesn’t get less difficult than that. You can normally assume to acquire about everything you would get at a garden sale, perhaps a little additional.

four. Running a blog Hey glance, an short article about creating wealth on the net that does not mention running a blog. . . oh wait, in this article it really is. Initially off, I’m a blogger so it seems completely wrong to not point out it, but extra importantly, it’s a reputable technique to generate income. It’s fairly quite possibly the least straight-forward way on this record, but it is very doable and it’s also quite perhaps the funnest way on this list. I like running a blog and i know many bloggers who come to feel a similar. So let’s discuss about being profitable blogging and what it truly indicates. Blogging is one area that needs patience, persistence and self-control. It might imply crafting day to day for over a year prior to deciding to genuinely start out to discover any cash from it. You will find exceptions for the rule, but from my dealings with other bloggers, it appears to get really typical to spend one as well as two decades building your blog site, your model plus your authority, before you make any major number of dollars. Some people argue that you could earn cash with out a large amount of visitors and though that is true in certain situations, you may frequently want many website traffic to get started earning from the web site and that will take a while. When you’ve arrived at that time, here i will discuss the key ways to monetize your site and start earning: Marketing - That is undoubtedly essentially the most old-school method of earning revenue using a website. It’s also beginning to come to be the the very least frequent way. You could provide promoting places immediately in your internet site or else you can register which has a enterprise like Google AdSense or Media.web. In any case, you won’t see a complete great deal of money from ads right up until your views are very well to the countless numbers every day.

Affiliates - You can find numerous affiliate networks, these kinds of as FlexOffers and CJ Affiliate that allow you to market other people’s products and services. You merely place a backlink or simply a banner on the web site and afterwards you will get a percentage if an individual clicks by way of and purchases the product/service. You are going to would like to select products which have been precisely within your blog’s class.That is a successful method to generate funds after you have the traffic coming towards your website. Membership - A lot of people have designed a paid out membership space on their web site. This is often generally for exclusive material that you could only obtain from the “member’s area.” In case you have a really fantastic notion on what to include, this can become a wonderful plan. You are going to really need to build a thing that cannot quickly be accessed round the world wide web. Goods - You can build your own private product, these types of as an e book or laptop or computer software. You would probably then make use of your web site like a marketing resource for getting persons to purchase your solution. So long as you produce a legitimate item by using a total good deal of worth, you'll want to have the ability to acquire some purchasers, but like everything else which has a website, you’ll want the visitors to have the sells. Products and services - You could provide a paid support, this sort of as daily life coaching, website coaching, purpose setting or economic scheduling. Just you should definitely look into all the authorized implications and ensure you’re not saying to be an experienced if you’re not 1. With a provider similar to this, you’re mainly employing your weblog to offer oneself. You are going to want to influence individuals that you are worth buying after which you can have the option to back again up your promises at the time they buy your assistance.

Sponsored/paid posts - Many weblogs publish sponsored and paid out posts. Sponsored posts are fundamentally just posts about a distinct brand name, products or company. A firm pays you to definitely publish an post about it. It is related with other paid out posts in addition. Your mainly offering the location to the article on your own web-site. If you decide to consider this route, you are going to desire to create your targeted visitors prior to deciding to will get quite a few provides. Subscription - When you visualize some thing beneficial (newsletter, on the web journal, etcetera.) which you can continuously provide with a specified foundation (weekly, every month, etcetera.), you may want to give you a subscription company. This could become a cost charged each time your product or service is distributed out or over a regular basis. In any case, this needs to be something that your clients can only get by subscribing to your website. Movies - This may be a whole portion on it is own. A lot of people have designed income by generating YouTube videos. Evan of EvanTube is actually a child and he has made thousands and thousands by developing critiques of products and solutions that other kids his age would use. It’s not easy to obtain sights to the millions, but after you need to do, you’ll start seeing some income can be found in. Several bloggers have entirely turned to videos to acquire their place across by commencing a movie website. If you are certainly enthusiastic about starting to be a blogger, begin by on the lookout through the archives of ProBlogger, Copyblogger and Raise Web site Targeted visitors. Then go read by way of each of the cost-free guides in excess of at Rapid Sprout. It may just take you a 12 months to finish individuals duties on your own, nevertheless it is going to be well worth it. You are going to basically have a very MBA in blogging.

5. Work-at-Home Providers At last, you will find some organizations that could employ the service of you to get the job done within the comfort and ease within your own residence. If you are enthusiastic about doing work for someone else, whilst however earning your very own plan and choosing wherever to operate from, listed below are a number of organizations which will permit you need to do just that: CrowdSource - CrowdSource gives several sorts of employment from “microtask” work to larger sized producing and modifying careers. You choose the amount of you're employed and you can do most of it proper at your laptop or computer. Demand Studios - Need Studios is selecting an array of inventive experts, from writer to filmmakers. The shell out is not remarkable, but it’s competitive for any work-at-home work. Rapidly Chart - Quick Chart lets you perform from your home being a professional medical transcriptionist. There are some requirments and qualifications listed within the web page, but when you meet them, you will make aggressive purchase the market. You’ll also be capable to set your own program because you are going to be doing the job from your home. Leap Drive - Leap Drive is a method that Google charges web-sites for research engine ranking. If you’re hired, you make good income (usually in excess of $11/hour), you established your very own program and it can be quite pleasurable to check out and rank web sites. Liveops - Liveops is a call heart which allows you to definitely operate from your home. At the time your established around consider the calls, you are able to begin building a weekly timetable and working from home. The pay is usually close to $10/hour, however , you can earn much more with commissions.

SpeakWrite - SpeakWrite will pay you up to $15/hour to transcribe facts. You established your individual program and operate from home. Now you have got many distinctive alternatives to get started on earning online. For those who noticed something that really interests you, try it out and learn more about it. If you’re truly wishing to produce a full-time earnings on the internet, you might want to be dedicated to studying the best way to do whatever you choose to do. There are a ton of absolutely free methods in existence. You only need to seek for them!

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askgamerluna-blog · 7 years

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Scatter Slots Hack! Get Free Coins – No Survey!

New Post has been published on http://www.elitegamersclub.com/scatter-slots-hack-get-free-coins-no-survey/

Scatter Slots Hack! Get Free Coins – No Survey!

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Scatter Slots Hack! Get Free Coins – No Survey!

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vizion-vizion-blog · 7 years

Text

Windows Phone 7 three months on: a review Windows Phone 7 has been available for three months now.

When I explored Windows Phone 7, I'd been utilizing it for barely seven days. At the time, I finished up:

Microsoft doesn't frequently get variant one discharges right, however this time, it has the discharge right without a doubt. Windows Phone 7 looks extraordinary, functions admirably, and is a treat to utilize. Market achievement isn't guaranteed, yet judged on its benefits alone, this is a stage that completely should succeed, and I super expectation it does.

Starting today, the cell phone stage has been at a bargain for precisely three months—in length enough for things that felt like minor defects at an opportunity to form into deadly, incensing, carbuncles. I've been utilizing it since dispatch on a scope of handsets: how can it stack up now that the new contraption gleam has worn off? Is it still a stage with guarantee, ready to stand its ground against the opposition? Or, on the other hand are its generally advanced blemishes and oversights devastating in longer-term utilize?

I remain by my unique appraisal. This is an extraordinary stage that in a general sense functions admirably. The Metro UI is quick and exquisite, the applications that are most imperative to me—email, Bing, and the program—function admirably, and the equipment is for the most part quite not too bad. It remains a discharge that Microsoft ought to be pleased with.

Be that as it may, not each early impression was exact. A few things that appeared like issues at the time ended up being not such a major ordeal. Different things that I thought I would utilize regularly have for some reason fallen by the wayside.

Glad amazements and disturbances

Everyday, the smooth movements, moves, and clean illustrations keep on delighting. There is frequently a threat with activitys to make them over the top. HTC is a rehash wrongdoer in such manner; its applications (for both Android and Windows Phone 7) contain a wide range of cutesy livelinesss, (for example, windscreen wipers wiping the screen when the climate application says it's raining) that look fun and entertaining the first occasion when you see them—they make extraordinary demo applications—however are quite recently out and out irritating the 900th time, when all you need to do is take a gander at what the climate is.

Indeed, even three months in, I'm finding the Windows Phone 7 activitys to fall solidly in favor of "good." There's no time when I'm sitting tight for the movement to finish to make sure I can accomplish something valuable. The moves and activitys simply serve to make the distinctive parts of the product grope incorporated and joined. Microsoft has struck a decent adjust here.

A couple of things have astounded me. I utilize the Bing application significantly more than I thought I would. I didn't generally think I'd require moment access to a web crawler all that regularly. But since the Bing application is savvy and "knows" that if, for instance, I'm scanning for an eatery, it should discover places that are adjacent and demonstrate them on a guide—and not simply do a stupid Web seek—it is important when out on the town. It gives snappy access to significant data—Microsoft's fundamental mantra for the stage. It makes the iPhone's worked in Spotlight and Web look appear to be to a great degree primitive and unhelpful in examination.

I've additionally discovered that I don't generally mind that the Bing application doesn't look the telephone itself. This was hailed by numerous as an oversight at dispatch time—all things considered, the iPhone searches the telephone—yet while I do look my mail and contacts all the time, these things are adroitly sufficiently extraordinary that I don't generally need them in the Bing application. So while I presume that some sort of brought together inquiry will emerge later on, it won't not be as attractive as I once thought.

Without a doubt, the one place where nearby and remote substance is sought in parallel, the Zune application, irritates me more often than not. When I'm looking for a melody, I don't really care the slightest bit about stuff in Marketplace. Indeed, I could get it. In any case, I ain't going to. I simply need to tune in to what I as of now have. The Zune application conceals neighborhood seek hits behind a bolt, promising me to purchase new melodies rather, making it enhanced for the wrong thing. I assume I may think diversely on the off chance that I had a Zune membership, however I don't, thus looking for music to purchase is for me consistently particular from hunting down neighborhood music. The two shouldn't be conflated.

What's more regrettable is that if the telephone has no system association—and henceforth can't look Marketplace by any means—it likewise loses the capacity to seek neighborhood music. This is plainly silly.

Indeed, in the event that one frail spot has developed in utilizing the telephone for a delayed period, it's Marketplace. It endures an indistinguishable conflation issue from looking Zune—in the event that I bore down into "applications" and after that scan for "Twitter," despite everything it'll demonstrate me tunes and music that contain "Twitter." Who needs that? No one, that is who.

Applications are shockingly great

Which is a pity, since I've been for the most part satisfied with the outsider advancement on the telephone. Alright, it's still got far to go to equal iOS or Android, yet development has been enduring, with around 6,500 applications right now accessible. Some are imbecilic fart applications, shockingly, yet I have, for instance, a great Facebook application, a great Twitter application, Yelp, and a helpful travel application (Wipolo). I've been reliably awed that designers have truly tried to make applications that use Windows Phone 7 UI ideas like scenes and turns, and they do as such to great impact. This is delighting to see: it makes the applications feel like they're truly part of the stage, that they have a place there.

I've likewise ended up gaming on the telephone significantly more than I thought. Obviously Microsoft has spent a considerable amount of cash around there, to empower outsiders (quite EA) to produce for the stage. The outcome is a scope of amusements (Tetris, Rocket Riot, Need For Speed: Undercover, Crackdown 2: Project Sunburst, Bejweled, The Harvest and others) that are pleasingly occupying or even out and out engaging. I'm not going to surrender PC gaming at any point in the near future, however similarly, I know I'm not going to be exhausted on the transport; there are a lot of astounding diversions to browse. The improvement may not be completely "natural"— without money related impetuses from Microsoft I'm certain amusement accessibility would be more awful—however that doesn't bring down the agreeableness of what's on offer.

The trial choice (discretionary in all outsider programming, however obligatory for amusements that need to accomplish the more stringent Xbox Live assignment) is astounding. Not all things have a trial, but rather I've been happy to see that numerous designers have gone for the choice. I just expectation their transformation rates are great, and that they keep on doing so. Trials make buying basically hazard free, and the stand out from Apple's App Store is stark.

Maybe this is on the grounds that I don't claim a Xbox, yet I haven't discovered the Xbox Live coordination to offer much esteem. Alright, I gather gamer scores and accomplishments from the recreations I play, yet I sincerely couldn't think less about that.

Regardless I need multitasking

One range that outsider programming appears to have done less well is tombstoning. Windows Phone 7 doesn't offer any genuine multitasking of outsider applications, however it has a suspend/continue show that enables applications to spare their state to guarantee that changing back to an application after, say, answering to an instant message is rapid. I don't know what the trouble is, but rather it is by all accounts outrageously erratic. When it works, it appears to work really well, with an ordeal that is nearly on a par with multitasking. In any case, I find that is the exemption as opposed to the run the show. More often than not, continuing applications appears to make you basically sit tight for them to restart.

I don't know where the blame lies here, but rather I do realize that it takes away from the telephone involvement, and it has all the earmarks of being a quite reliable issue in outsider applications. It's superior to pre-multitasking forms of iOS—particularly when it functions admirably—yet it's still not what it ought to be.

The issue is intensified by some exceptionally long load-times in outsider applications. Restarting programs each time would be middle of the road if just it were speedy; frequently, it isn't.

When I initially evaluated it, I found the back catch conduct irritating, especially in conjunction with the program. In some cases I need to backpedal to the past application, however the program simply needs to take me back to the past site page. I felt at the time that on the off chance that anything about the telephone would drive me to forsake it, it would be this.

Despite everything it bothers me, however a great deal short of what it did—yet that is simply because I figured out how to sort of function around the conduct. The primary issue circumstance: I click a connection from an email (or other program, yet ordinarily email), and afterward explore past the connected page. I at that point need to backpedal to the email, however without retreating from the route I performed. The workaround is basic and inelegant, yet it works: make another, vacant tab in the program, and afterward hit again from that point. This pulls out to the email application straightforwardly. It's as yet not flawless, on the grounds that it implies that I can never again visit history things for the email started perusing, yet that is ordinarily an exchange off I'm upbeat to make. Well—not glad, but rather it makes the telephone more bearable. My stress is that nothing better will ever emerge, in light of the fact that this double utilization of the back catch is so prepared into the OS.

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davidegbert · 7 years

Text

LG G6 Review: Versatility at its finest

So factor in your most common complaints with smartphones today. Your phone is either too big or slippery for regular sized hands, or some companies ignore design efficiency with large bezels, or my least favorite, which is a beautiful phone that doesn’t sport software optimized to make it feel that way.

This is one of the main reasons why I’ve spent nearly half a decade carrying two phones. The small one has always been my communicator, since large phones can be uncomfortable to handle in one hand, and the large one is my media powerhouse, since consuming content is best on a large display. I can’t say this is the best solution, but you end up getting used to it.

Now, what if a company decided to offer just one product that could serve both needs? A device small enough to be used in one hand, but also large enough to be comfortable for media consumption? We’ve dreamed about the ideal of bezels taking a step back in order for displays to get larger on regular smartphones, but the Sharp Aquos didn’t really find a massive launch in 2015, and then the Xiaomi Mi Mix that we saw in 2016 still remains a concept. It seems that 2017 is the year for this to actually happen, and LG has begun the trend with its new G6.

Is it really bold enough to be the only smartphone you need? Read our full review to find out.

Hardware

To describe the LG G6 in a word, I think “Versatile” would be the most fit. I mean seriously, what else do you call a product that’s designed to solve specific needs without affecting core experiences? At least for me, these needs are practical communication, without affecting my ability to enjoy content consumption, though obviously your needs may vary.

To achieve this new approach, LG came up with a few genius design moves. The bezels got reduced significantly, providing an insane near 80% screen to body ratio. The display became taller, now of 2 x 1 aspect ratio. And since they went fancy, we even have curves on the corners of the display in order to make it stronger in case of a fall.

Now fancy is about more than just the curves. The aluminum trim is actually slimmer than it seems, but it provides an amazing sense of grip when holding the phone. The back, now made of glass, has managed to fit a sizeable 3300 mAh battery, in addition to the dual cameras. Oh, and did you notice that it’s all flush on the chassis, and also including IP68 water and dust resistance?

Seriously, the effect is surreal. On a table, and in the hand, this phone feels small, but it actually isn’t, which is both a good and a bad thing.

What hasn’t been so surreal at least in the opinion of some is the choice for internals. We have a Snapdragon 821 with 4 gigs of RAM and 32 gigs of expandable storage, all either steps back or adjacent to the OnePlus 3T, which costs a lot less than this phone. If you ask me, I haven’t complained one bit about performance after nearly a month of going from the demo unit to the final product. Whether it’s your standard daily usage or the most demanding of games, I have yet to find this phone stutter with anything, so I think waiting for the Snapdragon 835 would’ve been a waste of time.

My favorite thing about this phone is honestly the display. We have a 5.7-inch QuadHD+ panel at 2880 x 1440 that LG is dubbing its “Full Vision Display.” This is still IPS technology, but now capable of Dolby Vision and HDR10, which you can enjoy on certain Netflix content at the moment of this review. Color accuracy is top notch, and if your content is of the new 18:9 aspect ratio, you’ll feel right at home. It’s only flaw at the moment is being ahead of its time, as apps are still not enhanced for this new resolution. The result is pillar boxing on key apps like YouTube, which can be annoying. LG does offer a new app scaling feature, but it can result in content not fully shown on the display, and it sadly still doesn’t work with YouTube. We have a feeling apps will scale soon, but at the moment, you will deal with this problem.

Software

This 18:9 or 2:1 aspect ratio is actually quite practical for LG’s new UX 6.0, which takes advantage of the fact that you’ve got perfect squares at the top and bottom.

Most of the user interface is design as a split of areas as a result. Since this phone runs on Android 7.0 nougat, split window multi-tasking seems far more like if every display should be of this aspect ratio. I can’t say that I’m a fan of LG’s design choices for its user interface when it comes to iconography, but your taste may vary.

Things I applaud are the fact that LG continues to push for extra functionality with navigation buttons by adding the option to include up to two extra buttons. I’m a big fan of the notification shade button, but sadly the other options available are kind of useless. Q-Slide, which lets you launch certain native apps as windows over your UI is something I rarely use, and Capture is really only for those rare occasions when you need a screen shot. I would love it if LG would create an extra button that becomes context aware, and that helps navigate through hamburger menus at the top left, or become the arrow button, or menu button when needed. Yes, we know you can slide from the left to activate hamburger menus, but it doesn’t make selecting options at the top any easier. Sadly the biggest problem about using a display this tall is that one handed use goes down the drain if items are at the top.

In about everything else, I love how dense the LG launcher has become, and yes, if you’d prefer the option for the App Tray, it’s here as well.

Camera

Where I’d give this phone a solid A+, and even add an extra plus if I could, would be the camera experience. LG has spent the last two years impressing with their camera performance, and the G6 has taken what was already good to a great level. This year we have dual 13 megapixel cameras, both sporting the same sensor, the primary with f1.8 aperture and 71 degrees of field of view, the secondary at f2.4 aperture and 125 degrees. This creates the illusion of optical zoom, but instead of getting closer to your subject, it allows you go farther.

It became really convenient in my recent trip to the Vatican, and later Barcelona, where certain areas would require you to step away, and where the G6 solved the need brilliantly. The added megapixels on the wide angle and reduction in field of view have allowed me to trust it just as much as I’d trust the primary camera with great color, saturation, detail, and very little barrel distortion.

The selfie camera can also be used in a wide angle 100 degree mode, or in the standard crop, depending on your needs. There are manual controls for both photos and video as well.

youtube

And since we already started talking about video, this is another spot where having a secondary wide angel lens makes filming anything far more practical, even if stability is mixed depending on what camera you use.

Performance

When it comes to the experience of using the G6 as a daily driver, I’d rate this phone on an A-. Phone calls are loud, callers said I sound clear, and Juan is very optimistic on the audio quality of this phone, even without the quad DAC. Sadly for me, I just can’t get over the lack of stereo speakers. Yes, it is probably the loudest single firing speaker I’ve heard, but that’s until you muffle it.

youtube

The same goes for things like battery life. Our final review units still run on Android 7.0, and since it still lack the battery enhancements of 7.1, the device barely reaches a day of moderate use. Quick Charge 3.0 does come to the rescue for a quick top up, and if you’re in the US, you can always count on wireless charging.

Pricing and Availability

At the time of this review, pricing on the LG G6 really depended on the carrier. We have cases like Verizon, which is selling the device out right for $672, or $28 a month. AT&T is offering for a little less monthly at $24, but if you want to buy it out right, the price is higher at $719. Sprint has it for $708, or $29 a month, and then in the case of T-Mobile, you have the lowest out right price of $650, or a moderate $26 a month compared to the rest. Pre-orders will also land you a free Google Home, so it drops the cost of the phone by another $100 if you do the math.

Conclusion

Overall, the versatility of the LG G6 is unquestioned. This is a phablet, that feels like a standard phone. It has a set of cameras that adapts to your surroundings like no other dual-camera combo in the market. Best of all, it sports a design that will turn heads no matter where you go.

I wouldn’t call it perfect. It brings the hardware that I need in order to actually drop my second phone, and use just one device for both communicating and content consumption, but the software still needs work. The battery could sure use Android 7.1 for better longevity, and LG also needs to re-think its user interface if it truly wants to push ergonomics to the next level. Most of the presentation we received from LG focused on how well it would be to use this phone with one hand, but reaching menu items at the top of such a tall display is truly a challenge, even for hands as large as mine. What´s funny is that LG did have features like these in previous G flagships, so all it needs is to bring them back.

For everything else, I’m going to close this review by inviting you to go to a store and hold one for yourself. This is really a product that’s hard to describe on a video, or through a text review. Try it out. I’m sure that’ll help you understand why this product is worth your money. Welcome back LG!