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NuForce gets serious about making great headphones

You can be safe in the wisdom that I bring the top headset articles, some of which are my own some of them are curated by me, when i choose to use someone elses articles it is because it is relevant to my readership, so feel confident that you are reading the best from my industry.

The new NuForce Primo 8 in-ears are supposed to be awfully good. The Audiophiliac tries them on.

NuForce is primarily known as a high-end electronics manufacturer that also makes outstandingaffordable products. I’ve been a fan for years, and while they’ve offered headphones in the past, the new Primo 8 in-ears aim higher. I liked them from the get-go, so I used the Primo 8 for a few weeks as my everyday, walking-around headphones. The more I listened, the more I liked them. That’s really saying something because when I’m not reviewing an in-ear headphone I use my Jerry Harvey JH13($1,099) custom-molded-to-my-ears ‘phones. Hey, I’m a headphone reviewer and a hard-core audiophile, so I use the best stuff.

Anyway, the Primo 8, which runs $499, didn’t leave me missing the JH13.

The Primo 8′s rated 38 ohm impedance and high sensitivity make it easier to drive than most in-ears, so it can play pretty loudly from your phone. I found the Primo 8′s isolation from noise on the New York subway better than I’ve found in most universal-fit in-ear headphones. NuForce claims it has a proprietary cable and crossover network for the Primo 8′s four balanced armature drivers in each earpiece. The cables are user-replaceable, so when they break, and all headphones cables will eventually fail, you can just buy a new cable and be on your way. The Primo 8 comes with a huge assortment of ear tips, so getting a good, tight seal should be easy.

The Primo 8′s sound is neutral and clear — there’s no boosted bass or exaggerated treble; it just sounds right. The clarity is unforced, and that’s a rare commodity nowadays. Take the Cardas EM8513 in-ears ($425) — they have more bass and overall detail, but switching to the Primo 8, the sound is far more natural. It’s also more comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. The Sennheiser IE-800 in-ear headphones are more transparent and open sounding than the Primo 8 or EM8513, but the IE-800 sells for $1,000! Again, the IE-800 succeeds by being even-tempered in its sound; nothing jumps out or annoys — the balance is spot on. Even so, the Primo 8 is more comfortable, and until you compare it with headphones that sell for double the price, the sound is very respectable. The Primo 8 is a true audiophile headphone, and while it’s expensive, you’d have to spend a lot more to get something better.

Source – http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/headphones-reviews-nuforce-primo8-audiophiliac/

Why Kevlar Is Stronger Than Nylon?

You mean besides reinforcing the tyres on the Batmobile? (True Bat-Fact – look it up).

For those not in the know, Kevlar (or Poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide, to give the material its scientific name) is a very tough and durable man-made fibre. It was first developed in 1965 by Polish-American scientist Stephanie Kwolek and has been commercially used around the world since the early 1970’s. Today, Kevlar is available in several grades, which are used for different tasks and exhibit greater, or lesser, tensile strength as well as flexibility and tenacity.

Since its introduction in 1971, Kevlar has been used for body armour (i.e. bullet proof vests), army helmets/protective gear, car and bicycle tyres (I once had a set, actually), protective clothing, paraglider suspension lines, shoe tread, headphones, musical instruments (strings and drumskins), fire resistant clothing, kitchenware (for its non-stick properties), cables and ropes, brake pads in cars, smartphone casing and even wind-turbines.

According to DuPont, Kevlar’s parent company,

“It’s about resilience, strength, saving the day, and helping keep people safe from harm —DuPont™ Kevlar®. DuPont™ Kevlar® aramid fiber is used to make a variety of clothing, accessories, and equipment safe and cut resistant. It’s lightweight and extraordinarily strong, with five times the strength of steel on an equal-weight basis. Best known for its use in ballistic and stab-resistant body armor, Kevlar® brand aramid fiber has shown its own heroism in helping to save the lives of thousands of people around the world. And since its invention over 40 years ago, things have only gotten better. DuPont™ Kevlar® continues to take on new challenges, with our scientists continuously innovating and working on a range of new opportunities through collaborations with communities, industrial manufacturers, and governments. Together we’re bringing the strength and durability of Kevlar® to so much more. The result? Kevlar® aramid fiber is now successfully used in everything from vehicles and industrial clothing to fiber optics and city roads. And we’re only getting started”.

The discovery of this wonderful material is actually quite an interesting story. Back in 1964, Kwolek’s group was searching for a way to make tyres stronger, but also a little bit lighter. Apparently, the by-products of their solutions were usually thrown away, but Kwolek saw potential in one of them, as it had formed a type of liquid crystal, something that had never been seen in their polymers before. She tested the strength of the new material and discovered that it was extremely strong. The rest, as they say, is Wikipedia.

Oh, Happy New Year, by the way!

English Isn"t As Easy As You Think.

You think English is easy? The next time you’re trying to explain english to someone that is trying to learn the language, go over these phrases and explain the subtle differences.
1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture..
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert..
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13) They were too close to the door to close it.
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear..
19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
Let’s face it – English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren’t invented in England or French fries in France . Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
And why is it that writers write but fingers don’t fing, grocers don’t groce and hammers don’t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn’t the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices? Doesn’t it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?
If teachers taught, why didn’t preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.
English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

A Look At The Different Motorola Connectors On The EarpieceOnline Website

When it comes to discreet affairs, there definitely must be a discreet communication. Whether it is a security personnel or just a private group of designated people. Radios are used for communication between compatible devices within a specified location. Nevertheless, it would be less comfortable if someone talks via the radio and everyone hear the entire communication. Given the different types of two-way radios in the market, they usually come with a compatible earpiece. Among the most common radios are the Motorola radios. It would be super discreet and stylish if you had a Motorola radio earpiece to accompany your device. Some of the ideal 2-way radio earpiece connectors at EarpieceOnline include the following;

CP040 & DP4400 2-Pin Connector
This Motorola 2-pin connector can work with a number of Motorola 2-way radios. It can also support some of the old version radios such as the GP040 and the GP300. Some of the novel version of radios that are compatible to this earpiece include the DP1400 and the DP1000. 

Features of the connector
• It has a changeable Foam sock so that you can replace if it has worn out.
• The earpiece also has a comfortable and flexible C-shaped earpiece.
• There is a secure moulded ear hook, for holding firm on the ear.
• It provides high quality audio.
• It comes with a noise reducing microphone for enhanced reception of incoming voice messages.
• The earpiece has a plastic that is covered by a label clip PTT button. The wire PTT is separated from the microphone and an ear hangar earpiece. 
• It has a RoHS compliant feature and comes with Motorola earpiece 2-pin connector GP300/CP040/XTN and GP340 adapters.

DP3400 & DP3600 Multi Connector
This is an adjustable connector earpiece that lets you to modify the connector to be compatible with the accessory. It will also function with other 2 pins such as Motorola, Kenwood and Icom 2-pins. It will also be compatible to Entel, Kenwood and Icom multi pins. 
Features
• It is incorporated with Kevlar Reinforced for better surveillance and security. 
• It has a secure fit tube connector, to avoid accidents of it cut from rough encounters. 
• It offers a high quality audio. 
• The earpiece has a Lapel clip PTT button and a separate wire PTT. That is separated from a noise reduction microphone and an acoustic tube. The acoustic tube runs over the ear, the FBI style. 
• There is a changeable connector for flexible modification and flexible mushroom plugs that you can replace whenever. 

DP2400 & DP2600 multi connector
This is yet another different multi connector that lets you connect the earpiece so that it can be compatible with your device. It goes for about £35 and is compatible with a majority of 2-pin and 3-pin connectors. 
Features
• The acoustic tube runs over the ear and it has a secure fit connector for super surveillance and comfort.
• It has a separate wire PPT different from the acoustic tube and a microphone that reduces noise from the surrounding. 
• The mushroom plugs are changeable and you can simply remove them when they are loose or worn out.
• It produces a high quality audio that reduces strain even when in a noisy environment.

GP340 & GP680
This multi connector is compatible with any Motorola, Icom or Kenwood 2-Pin. It also works well with a GP340 and DP3400 connector. You can use 2 different connectors on one earpiece and it will not be of any problem. 
Features
• This multi connector has a high quality audio reception. That makes it comfortable to use anywhere, even in a crowded, noisy place. 
• There is a microphone, which is separate from a wire PTT and an acoustic tube. The microphone is a noise reducing microphone, that helps to make the other end-user be comfortable. 
• It has a RoHS compliant and an over the ear acoustic tube that holds firm to the ear. 
• There is an adjustable connector that is versatile to other devices. 

An elegant and well fitted earpiece will not only promote surveillance, but it will also be comfortable on the ear. That will ensure it is safe from damages in rough situations. A Motorola radio earpiece will be beneficial if you want a comfortable communication without having to speak loudly over the radio. Some of the radios are also slightly heavy, which makes them more comfortable when using an earpiece, that is worn beneath the clothing.

NASA Confirms Liquid Water on Saturn’s Moon

A major scientific discovery was made this week as scientists uncovered overwhelming evidence indicating the presence of a ‘great lake’ on Saturn’s moon Enceladus. The discovery is important because it marks Enceladus as being a possible site for life existing outside of our own planet.

Initially, icy material was seen being squirted into space from an odd ‘striped’ pattern on the moon’s southern pole. It was theorized that this material was water being ejected from a large body of liquid H20 on the moon’s surface. This week, measurements from NASA’s Cassini probe revealed the water’s gravitational signal, effectively confirming the theory. The Cassini probe even sampled the water as it was ejected into space.

Professor Luciano Less, of the Sapienza University of Rome, who was interviewed on the subject by BBC news, said, “The measurements that we have done are consistent with the existence of a large water reservoir about the size (volume) of Lake Superior in North America,”

To add context to this statement, Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface and the third largest in the world by volume. It reaches depths of 147 metres and has an approximate volume of 12,000 Km3. It also plays home to over 80 different species of fish.

Data extracted from the probe suggests that the water is about 40km underneath Enceladus’ icy surface.

Enceladus is locked in an eccentric orbit around its parent planet; this means that the moon’s orbit is non-circular and it therefore follows that Saturn’s gravity will have the effect of melting the ice in some places and freezing any liquid found in others. 

There are a lot of places in our solar system that possibly house liquid water, but not as many where that water can come into contact with rock. Rock is important because rocks release minerals and salts into the water – and these materials are among the key building blocks of life.

Professor Andrew Coates of the UCL-Mullard Space Science Laboratory was also interviewed for BBC news, he remained positive regarding the possibility of microbal life on Enceladus. Prof Coates said, “I think Enceladus has gone to the top of the charts in terms of a place where there could be life. (…) It’s got several of the things which you need for life – there’s certainly the presence of heat, there’s liquid water in this ocean, there’s organics and that type of chemistry going on. (…) The only question is, has there been enough time for life to develop?”

However, as Professor David Stevenson, from the California Institute of Technology, pointed out “we don’t know whether the ocean is being added to at present or is freezing up”. It is theoretically possible that the great body of water confirmed this week has been there for 100 million years, but it is also potentially a far more recent development. At present, no one knows for sure. 

SOURCES

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-26872184

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Review

Boy, time flies when you’re having fun (read that as: things change when you aren’t looking). Turn on the TV, or go to the movies after a couple years away and you’ll find that Pokemon is now pronounced ‘Yu-Gi-Oh’ and that early 90’s Shawn Michaels and late 90’s Val Venis have had a baby and named it Dolph Ziggler.

What’s more, it turns out that the fictional world of ‘Pandora’ from the movie Avatar was actually Superman’s homeworld of Krypton after all and, as a related point, ‘Prince of Persia’ is no longer the worst movie I’ve ever seen. In fact, after viewing the risible ‘Man of Steel’ I can now accept ‘Prince of Persia’ as the underrated cinematic classic it appears to be by comparison.

Anyway, the point is that it seems like only a few months ago that I was (favourably) reviewing The Samsung Galaxy Note and now, here I am reviewing a slightly bigger version. Ah, well, join me as I turn and face the strange ch-ch-changes…

THE SPECS

The design is nice, smart and modern. The rounded edges and sleek casing of this tablet help it to stand out (if only a little), but also allow it to remain familiar to users picking it up for the first time.

As a hybrid of phone and tablet, referred to by some (stupidly) as a ‘phablet’ this device is quite hotly anticipated and finds itself in somewhat virgin territory. However, as we will soon see, the design is very much more tablet than phone.

Fitted with a 1.6GHz Exynos 4412 quad-core processor and housing 2GB of memory, this tablet goes like the script for ‘Man of Steel’ off of a shovel. As a web device, the Galaxy Note 8 is genuinely lightening quick, even faster than the iPad 4.

As for the screen, the Note 8 features a basically standard resolution. We’re talking Nexus-level here. Not bad at all, but certainly not a Retina screen.

Annoyingly, the Note 8 only runs about 5 hours of battery life, this is really not very good, especially when you consider that the iPad 4 boasts more than twice that amount.

THE PRICE

If you’re wondering why I’m comparing the new Note with the iPad so much, well, let me explain. At £339, this is a high-priced tablet. It is therefore directly competing with the iPad for customers; however, the Note is competing without the strength of Apple’s brand identity to prop it up. Also, your £340 only covers the WiFi-only, 16GB version of the Note 8, not the top-spec version.

So far, I’m not convinced, but there’s always time to change my mind. 

THE PERFORMANCE

There are too many pre-loaded apps on this tablet, the reason why this is a problem is that customers are largely familiar with Google’s apps (available from the Android store) and so it sort of feels that Samsung are pushing their own apps at you when you don’t necessarily want them to. 

Taking advantage of the bigger screen is the excellent ‘Multi-Window’ option that allows you to have two apps operating on screen at any given time. This is actually a wonderful option to have and the processing power of the Note 8 allows for few interruptions, its really cool.

Using this tablet is easy, the stylus works well and there’s even a SIM card slot for phone calls. The array of extra features available here, shows that Samsung have poured a considerable amount of time and effort into this one.

THE VERDICT

All told, this is a good tablet. It is, however, not a great tablet. I have a hard time justifying it at the price, to be honest. If you’re looking for a phone/tablet hybrid, this is one of the best around, but how many of you are really making phone calls with your tablets?

If Samsung knocked a few notes off of the price, we’d be looking at a real winner. As a value tablet (more in line, price-wise, with the larger versions of The Nexus or Kindle Fire models), the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 would be something rather interesting, but at this price? No, I can’t recommend it.

It’s certainly not a steaming pile of ‘Man of Steel’, but, by the same token, we’re not looking at a future classic either.  

Former Wrestling Champion Ultimate Warrior Dies at 54

Former WWE star The Ultimate Warrior has died aged 54. His death came just one day after he gave an eerily prophetic speech on WWE’s April 7^th RAW broadcast and just a few days after he had been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

One of the biggest stars in wrestling during the late 80’s and early 90’s, The Ultimate Warrior was noted for his energetic ring entrance, during which he would run at full speed down the entrance ramp and vigorously shake the ring ropes.

He was also well liked for his muscular physique, unique interview style and colourful face paint.

Warrior is perhaps best remembered for his victory over Hulk Hogan for the WWE (then WWF) Championship at WrestleMania VI in 1990. He also feuded with other notable stars like Andre The Giant, ‘Mr Perfect’ Curt Hennig, Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts, ‘Ravishing’ Rick Rude and ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage, amongst others. Warrior was also a two-time WWF Intercontinental Champion.

The Ultimate Warrior had been at odds with the WWE management for a number of years. However, his appearance in the recent WWE 2K14 video game, followed by his induction into the Hall of Fame earlier in the month, seemed to announce that any/all burned bridges had been mended prior to his death.

WWE released a statement a short while after Warrior’s death, stating that, “WWE is shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of the most iconic WWE superstars ever, The Ultimate Warrior. (…) We are grateful that just days ago, Warrior had the opportunity to take his rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame and was also able to appear at WrestleMania 30 and Monday Night Raw to address his legions of fans. WWE sends its sincere condolences to Warrior’s family, friends and fans.”

Tributes poured in from all corners of the wrestling business, including many who had been previously critical of Warrior’s actions or career. Wrestling stars Hulk Hogan, Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart, Mick Foley, Iron Shiek, Triple H and (current WWE Champion) Daniel Bryan are just some of the marquee names that offered their heartfelt messages to Warrior, his family and his fans.

Born Jim Hellwig in 1959, the man who would become known around the word as The Ultimate Warrior originally wanted to become a chiropractor. He took up bodybuilding as a hobby, entering several contests in the process and eventually transitioned from bodybuilding to professional wrestling in the mid 1980’s.

In various regional promotions Hellwig wrestled under the names Jim ‘Justice’ Hellwig, ‘Justice’ and ‘Blade Runner Rock’ – forming one half of the team The Blade Runners with ‘Blade Runner Flash’ (AKA Steve Borden, who would go onto greater fame as Sting in WCW and later TNA).

Hellwig also wrestled as ‘Dingo Warrior’ before joining the WWF and being re-packaged as The Ultimate Warrior in 1987.

As The Ultimate Warrior, Jim Hellwig was an instant success, being promoted to the top of the card and becoming the WWF Intercontinental Champion in 1988. In 1990, he became WWF Champion for the first and only time in his career.

He departed WWF in 1991 after losing the championship to Sgt. Slaughter and following a series of contractual disputes. Warrior briefly returned to the WWF in 1992 and 1996, although neither stint matched the success of his first run with the company. Although The Ultimate Warrior surfaced in rival promotion WCW in 1998, his run only lasted for four matches.

His final match was in 2008, where he wrestled former WWE and TNA wrestler Orlando Jordan in Spain, winning the Nu-Wrestling Evolution (NWE) Championship from him. 

In his final televised speech, Warrior addressed the WWE fans in the voice of his wrestling persona.

“No WWE talent becomes a legend on their own”. He began, “Every man’s heart one day beats its final beat; his lungs breathe their final breath. And if what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse through the body of others and makes them believe deeper in something larger than life, then his essence, his spirit, will be immortalized by the storytellers, by the loyalty, by the memory. You, you, you, you, you, you are the legend makers of Ultimate Warrior. In the back I see many potential legends. Some of them with warrior spirits. And you will do the same for them. You will decide if they lived with the passion and intensity. So much so that you will tell your stories and you will make them legends, as well. I am Ultimate Warrior. You are the Ultimate Warrior fans. And the spirit of The Ultimate Warrior will run forever!”

‘Wrestling Observer’ founder and world-renowned wrestling expert Dave Meltzer said of Warrior that “Warrior and Hogan represented that period, the era of the big bodybuilders and he was a huge, muscular guy (…) He connected well with kids and was a massive superstar at the time” 

Meltzer continued, making reference to Warrior’s daughters, aged 11 and 13, who joined their Dad onstage for the Hall of Fame ceremony. “I didn’t know him personally, but you could tell he lived for those kids (…) After the [induction ceremony], everybody got together and whatnot, but he disappeared to be with his kids.”

The Ultimate warrior left a unique imprint in the annals of professional wrestling and he will never be forgotten.

With So Many Kenwood Radios, What Types Of Connectors And Earpieces Work On These Sets?

Kenwood radios are the second most popular radio on the market, with hundreds of different versions. The fundamental types used on these radios are the 2-pin connector and the multi-pin connector. The two pin model features two connector pins and the multi-pin model features multiple pins. Any difference in performance is a matter of customer discretion.

The 2-pin connector’s earpiece features an in-line PTT (push-to-talk) button and a built-in microphone. It also has a surveillance audio tube and comes complete with a clothing clip. This Kenwood earpiece is available for just over £22 (including shipping and handling fees).

The multi-pin connected earpiece is a different type of connector entirely. However, the earpiece is the same, as it also features an in-line PTT button, a built-in microphone, surveillance tube and clothing clip. The cost is the same as the 2-pin version.

Both types of Kenwood earpiece can be upgraded by paying extra money and can include features like a ‘swivel’ earloop, for increased ease of use and comfort, a noise-reduction feature and a steel clothing clip (replacing the plastic version).

The types of connectors compatible with Kenwood two-way radios are limited when compared with some other manufacturers, but Kenwood know when to specialize in a certain area, because sometimes less is more.

Kenwood radios may only connect via two types of connector, but their equipment is among the best in the world. A Kenwood radio customer does not have to spend undue time searching his/her choices and researching them before purchase, provided the connector/earpiece falls into one of the two aforementioned categories, then the equipment will work fine.

Kenwood have been producing quality products since 1946 and they have a long history of trust, customer loyalty and cutting edge equipment. Because of this, Kenwood earpieces are well known and usually sell well on the international market.

For More information on the full range of Kenwood earpieces visit kenwoodearpiece.co.uk