Category Archives: Hardware

Lenovo Mirage: VR for the Real World?

I was crestfallen that I was unable to attend CES this year but one of the benefits of working with Lenovo is that they still gave me the lowdown on some of the products they are coming out with this year. Nothing quite stands out to me like the Lenovo Mirage Solo and the Lenovo Mirage Camera. I, like most geeks, have longed to VR but being a cheap geek every system I have seen hasn’t been quite as adaptable as I want, user-friendly as I want, or has enough to actually do to justify its price tag. I think I may have finally found a VR system that will be worth investing in.

Let’s start with the Lenovo Mirage Solo. It is solo because it is all in one! No tethering a cord to the computer, no popping your phone into the system. I know, many people don’t consider it a big deal, but I do! I can just see putting a headset on a kid me and I trip, therefore pulling the computer down, falling and breaking me, and the headset falling to the ground. So no cords make me happy. No phone? That makes this more immersive. I already have the whole “hold your phone” viewer and it is fine but not all I hope for. So all that is huge.

The headset itself is supposed to be very wearable. This is a downside to not going to CES, I don’t know that this is true firsthand but I have heard about it from some reliable sources. The weight is distributed around the head and not just in the front so that makes it more comfortable and your experience less stilted. There is also breathable padding anywhere that it sits on your face.

It sounds great but really? What all is there to do and you really part of it? That is what really gets me! This project is a partnership with Google’s Daydream and that is a huge value add. First, they are using WorldSense which is Google’s Daydream VR platform. That allows you to actually walk around and be responsive to your environment. Which will be so cool in their new Blade Runner game because the player with be on the streets! It is also cool because there are already over 250 apps and games for Daydream. As a homeschooler, this will allow me to take my kids to the Acropolis or even into some the educational shows that we watch. This takes the virtual field trip to a whole new level. That adds a huge incentive for me because then you are no longer just buying a toy but a tool. 

With the Mirage Camera, you are taking the Mirage solo from tool to connection.  The camera, that is going to be less than $200, has 2 sets of lenses that have a 180 field of view. You can shoot family events and then people who weren’t able to attend can view your footage and immerse themselves in the experience. It isn’t the same as being there but the closest way I have ever seen. 

This camera isn’t just for sharing your family events. It really does so much that I, especially as a blogger and vlogger, really love. It shoots in 4k in 2D and supports Youtube’s VR180 video format for its 3D. It can take still pictures and live stream. It even has wifi so you don’t have to tether it to your phone to stream. You can use a microSD card to hold 128GB of storage but it also has 16GB onboard. It is even small like a phone and can fit in your pocket. 

I am so excited to get my eyes on this physical product that should be coming out sometime this spring/early summer. I may have finally found a VR experience that I am willing to splash out for! What do you think? Do you see the VR applications in your day today? I am curious to hear what you all think!

(Disclosure: I work with Lenovo as a Lenovo Insider but I am not paid. All words and opinions are mine and mine alone.)

 

The Creation Crate Mood Lamp!

Creation Crate Mood Lamp

CUE FLASHBACK!

So one day, Mom and Dad called me into their office along with Nerdpie and said, “We got sent this buildable mood lamp from Creation Crate, and were wondering if you wanted to make it.” Nerdpie was like, “Kind of, but if Nerdster wants to, he can!” Of course, to this, I said, “I would really like to make the lamp! Thanks!”

 END FLASHBACK!

And here I am, a week or two later, and I learned a lot. A couple of things I learned are:

  • I learned about circuit boards.
  • I learned about charges and how they travel.
  • I (surprisingly) learned about programming.
  • I especially learned about inputting circuits and lining them up.
  • And I learned about CHIMICHANGAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This lamp was super fun to make and incorporated a couple of cool features and skills, including:
  1. Circuit boards
  2. Programming
  3. Troubleshooting and Debugging
  4. Wire attachment
  5. Proper care of wires and LEDs (I learned this one the hard way :)C. Let’s just say, there was supposed to be three LEDs.)
All in all, this was really fun to make. I only have a couple complaints.
1)The wiring is a little confusing.
2)It didn’t come with a power source.
But other than that, the lamp was perfect. I really enjoyed learning how to implement the programming to the board, and how to program the timer for switching colors. Arduino programming is like some of the languages I like, such as JavaScript, Es6, or Python, but it also has its own sort from combining languages like JSON, CSS, or C++. It was really interesting and taught me things I hope to use later in life. Maybe I can get a job making supplies for Arduino. That would be fun. This was a super fun project which was very educational and helped me brush up on my programming skills.  Over all, this was a great experience and I can’t wait to see what will come next time. I rate this creation crate… two enthusiastic thumbs up! Comment on what you think would be something cool to make!
 
NerdMom’s 2 cents:
 
I love Creation Crate and the idea of it! This is one of the first STEM/crafting kits that I have seen that is actually for kids 10 and up.  It is something you can use as an actual curriculum. They claim that if you do 12 kits you will have more hands on programming experience than 99% of college computer science students. The cost ranges between $22.50 – $29.99 just depending on if you go month to month or a year at a time. It was a great project and my son learned a lot. This would make a wonderful gift because it is very educational and very fun!
 
(Disclosure: We were given the Creation Crate by the company and this post contains affiliate links. That said, all opinions are ours and ours alone)
 

Tech and Homeschooling

hp printer(This post is sponsored by HP but all thoughts and opinions are mine alone!)  

Everywhere I turn lately it seems people are both attached to their tech and bad mouthing it. About how there is life beyond the screen. I agree but technology is a tool and tools are something that are used to create. I have been homeschooling now for 11 years and my #1 tool beyond books is tech. So I thought I would go through some of the ways we used tech in our homeschool. 

Desktop computers: One of the biggest things we use a desktop computer for is media! We run our tv off of a desktop computer. Back when the kids were little, they all started preschool on a desktop. They played dexterity games and did early reading activities. 

Laptop computers: As the kids have gotten older (and laptops have gotten cheaper) they now work a lot more on laptops. When they started moving to laptops we started moving to online curriculum.  Laptops have definite advantages. #1 they are mobile! This means the kids can easily work in a variety of places without plugs so I don’t have to have a ton of tables set up for only computers. We use Khan  Academy a lot and when kids get stuck, they can bring their laptop to me and we can work together. It also means great family time when all 6 of us can play Minecraft in the same room. 

Tablets: We love tablets for the fun and reference side of homeschool. There are a ton of learning apps that the kids can play. But, it also means you can look up tutorials, wikepedia, etc to place along side an activity. 

Readers: We love our Kindles and Nooks! Books are the basis of so much and Kindles and Nooks are just great conduits. You can get all the books in public domain on them and we all love them so much. 

“Get Tech is a tool, utilize it and control it! It can enrich your children’s education no matter how they are schooled! To make it a little easier run over and use the coupon at HP!!!

(Disclosure: HP sponsored this post but all thoughts are mine!)

My new everything! Yoga 900 by Lenovo

 

I just realized this week that I never posted my video about my new Lenovo Yoga 900! Lenovo sent me this computer as a bit of an early Christmas present and it rocks. This is a mighty little machine! It is a convertible laptop like the previous Yogas. I think at this point a convertible laptop is a necessity.

The tablet is great as a standard tablet. But the Yoga 900 in tablet mode is even better because of the WriteIt app. I can write directly into standard computer programs. It is really awesome for jotting down note, writing pieces, and tweeting on the go.

Not only is the Yoga 900 gorgeous and travels well but it is my everything machine. I am even typing this on my 2nd monitor I have hooked up to it. It is a workhorse with lots of RAM and a great SSD. I have been using it now for a few months and highly recommend it to all. 

Here is where you all can grab 1 for yourself: http://www.geek4therealgirl.com/lenovo

IMG_20160112_075517111

 

(Disclosure: Lenovo gave my the Yoga 900 and case as part of the Lenovo Insiders group. All opinions are mine alone!)

2 Accessories from Lenovo You Must Grab Now!

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Right now Lenovo is having a “Hop to it” Spring sale until April 8th. And they have some great machines and tablets on sale (I really want the Carbon X1). But they also have some killer accessories on sale too. There are 2 specifics that I think everyone needs for their office, be it at work or home.

Lenovo_Ultra_Slim_Keyboard

The first one is the UltraSlim Plus Wireless Keyboard and Mouse. When I work at home on my laptop I like to use a separate keyboard and mouse, especially because I use multiple monitors. And when I am on a tower, I just don’t want to be tied down with a cord! There are no strings on me! And I am just in love with the full depression keys on the Lenovo keyboards. Great feel and I even catch my typos better (which there are always many;).

Lenovo_Laptop_Stand

A laptop stand is a must for any set up that includes docking or plugging in a second monitor. Traditionally laptops have screens that sit below eye line and that can cause neck aches, shoulder pains, and more. I have tried to cheap out and rig something up for myself with a flat box and then a ring box on top of that to give it an angle… Needless to say it was a precarious set up! Getting an actual laptop stand is a bargain! And it is secure and adjustable. It holds laptops 9 inches to 17 inches so it works for most people.

These don’t normally cost a whole lot but right now they are an even better price! Don’t miss out!

(I am a Lenovo Insider but all thoughts are completely mine! #LenovoIN )

My New to Me Computer

NerdPie and her new Yoga Pro 2!
NerdPie and her new Yoga Pro 2!

I have been looking for a computer for a while so when my mom gave me her Yoga 2 Pro  computer it was a dream come true. If she hadn’t done that I would of had to save for a year and my new Yoga is hundreds of dollars above what I was looking at. This computer has every thing I wanted: a touchscreen, a webcam, and Windows 8.1. 

I have started to do some graphic designing so I can use my computer to further my career. With my new computer I can play with one of my siblings on Roblox or Minecraft. I’m going to be writing more for the blog and have started  Minecraft Monday. I even get to play tablet games since it has a tablet mode!  I’m excited to be writing more so see you soon!    

 

(Disclosure and notes from NerdMom:

I received my new Yoga Pro 3 from Lenovo as part of the Lenovo Insiders program #LenovoIn and the #YogaMyWay program! I have never seen my daughter quite so excited. She had been looking at a variety of ultra books and hadn’t even dreamed of getting a full computer. She is also loving the tablet aspect and has downloaded (and been playing) a bunch of tablet games like Minion Rush.

She was already planning on saving for over a year so she could buy herself a simple chrome book and now she has more than she dreamed! Thank you Lenovo Insiders for helping me to give my daughter such a great blessing! )                                                                                       

 

A Quick Look at the Motorola Droid Turbo

B00E9WAUKU-moto-droidultra-red-veriz-main-sm

I recently got my hands on the new Droid Turbo from Verizon to check out. I really like it! It has a huge screen, Active View and a 20 mp camera. And I got it in red;). What isn’t to like?

Seriously, it has a quad core processor and is really fast. The Active Display means you can get a preview of your notifications by flipping your phone or hovering over it. That saves battery life because you don’t have to fully turn on your screen and it means you can sneak a peak and not interrupt what ever you are doing.

I love a nice big screen and the Turbo has a 5.2 inch screen. But it isn’t just a size issue because it also has a very nice quality HD display. The screen is the 3rd generation Gorilla Glass so it is basically indestructible which pairs well with the case that has Kevlar in it.

I was really to see how much Motorola has stepped up the camera! The rear facing camera is actually 21 mp! It is also fast and focuses really quickly so you can snap pictures as you live you life too. The camera also take 4D video. I don’t need 4D but I love that it takes such great video since I use my phone to vlog on and I need all the help I can get.

So far I am loving this phone! I am using all the Moto Assist features and will write more about those soon! I really recommend this phone! Thanks #VZWBuzz for sending it to me!!!

Tech Discounts for Students (even Some for Homeschoolers)

Lenovo ThinkPad T400
Lenovo ThinkPad T400

I have always heard of academic discounts on technology but have never seen them outside of a college until a couple of years ago. But even then, homeschoolers were not included and there just wasn’t that much on offer.

Needless to say, I was stoked to see someone mention the site! They have a variety of refurbished laptops at a discount for students (kind of like the name suggests;).

You can pay for specific upgrades and you buy 1 machine! It doesn’t have to be wrapped up in some mass order (though they do that too). It looks like for that you can just order straight off the main page. But if you are a school there are a couple of options. The one that interested me was the homeschool option! You get a further discount from the price on the front page. The discount correlates with the quantity you order. So if you get together with a couple of other homeschoolers, or want to buy a machine for each of your kids;), you can get even better prices.

Surface-Pro-3-with-Pen

Want something a little more cutting edge? How about a Surface Pro 3? This one is only for college (or university) students. You can get $150 off this new machine! I think technically it can still be called a tablet but it really is an ultra book! You can type to your heart’s content with the case’s keyboard and play all the games you want;). This deal is currently at Microsoft Stores, Best Buy, Staples and Tiger Direct in the U.S., and Microsoft Stores and Best Buy in Canada. This deal expires September 6th so don’t wait to take advantage.

So there are a couple great tech discounts! So go grab them!

(I am a Lenovo Insider and a Microsoft Champion but this post is all from me;).

Quick Look at the IdeaCentre Flex 20

lenovoflex

We got a new machine!!! Have I mentioned lately that I like this blogging gig;)? As an Lenovo Insider I received a Lenovo IdeaCentre Flex 20 to use and review. This machine really has 2 sides. One side is as a standard computer and one is as an entertainment/game center.

As a machine it is gorgeous. It has a great 19.5 inch screen that has a sparkling display (for work or media). It comes with Windows 8 preloaded and I just had to update it to Windows 8.1 to really get going (I like having my standard setup;). I just popped out the extremely durable stand and I was ready to go. The multi touch monitor meant that I could really take advantage of all the Windows 8.1 goodness! This is my first time in using a touch screen desktop and I don’t think I will be able to go back. And how it differs from using my touch screen Yoga is that there is so much more screen real estate that it is fabulous!!!

The hardware on this machine is more than I expected on a dual mode machine. It has 8 gb of ram and handled all the standard use I could throw at it. And I mean my multiple windows/tabs online along with some video editing and a couple of game apps all at the same time. I wasn’t doing heavy rendering nor compiling but I was doing my chaotic blogging work! It didn’t hiccup once.

While it is portable it isn’t a laptop so don’t be surprised that is fairly heavy with limited battery in comparison to a laptop. It has about a 2 hour battery ( little more). It is portable but really portable to a table because I don’t think it is both holdable and usable with 2 hands only;). While it converts to a tablet I view it more as a game board. Which leads to the funner side of this machine!

You can lay it down and play games on it! I find that you can totally play Windows 8 apps on it. All those word scrabble and racing games, the whole bit can be fun on the IdeaCentre Flex. But wait, there’s more! The IdeaCentre Flex comes with the Aura Interface and some great apps that are from Lenovo. This is some fun stuff! There are strikers and joysticks and dice that all will work with the system. Jeremy and I have had some serious rounds of Texas Hold Em and Air Hockey. There are also kids coloring apps in the interface that my daughters are enjoying quite a bit.

We are loving this system over here in the NerdFamily house! There will be more posts coming soon about all the fun we are having! This is another fabulous Windows 8 machine and I recommend it highly for families looking for a nice computer and some fun!!!

(I am both a Windows Champion and a Lenovo Insider. That doesn’t influence my opinions and all thoughts are mine alone! Thanks again for the machine Lenovo!)