While we could discussed Twitter’s rebranding or the issues with the UK’s Online Safety Bill. As none of these topics are particularly interesting. We decided that for Augusts news we would try highlight some of the gadgets we have recently purchased, or are thinking of purchasing in the future.
Lenovo L32p-30 monitor
Until recently we were using a Gigabyte G34WQC monitor with our Apple Mac-mini. However, because the G34WQC was giving us headaches, we decided to switch to a Lenovo L32p-30. While its 4K video output produces a much sharper image, and we no longer get eye strain. As the Lenovo L32p is considered to be a good all rounder. We do find the speakers to be a little tinny, and the 60Hz refresh rate, to limited for hard core PC gamers.
- The Lenovo L32p-30 offers 31.5-inch display and 4K (3840×2160) resolution.
- IPS panel with 16:9 aspect ratio.
- Connectivity: USB Post: 4x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (DP 1.2 Alt Mode, USB upstream).
- Video Connectivity: 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DP 1.2, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (DP 1.2 Alt Mode).
- VESA mount capability.
- 60Hz refresh rate and 4ms – 6ms response time, 90% DCI-P3 color gamut. TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification recues eye fatigue even after long hours and The AMD FreeSync technology removes any latency, so you get smooth, tear-free visuals.
- 3 Years Base Warranty.
Amazon link: Lenovo L32p-30
ErGear Single Monitor Stand
If you spend large amounts of time in front of a computer screen. You need to make sure that you are comfortable. Unfortunately as the stand supplied with the Lenovo L32p-30 can only offer a front and back tilt. Long periods of typing can lead to neck and shoulder pain. So we decided to fit our L32p with a different monitor stand. As the L32p-30 is VESA compatible, we chose the ErGear single monitor stand. So not only does this stand have an elegant industrial look, it also makes our new monitor fully height adjustable.
Amazon link: ErGear Single Monitor Stand
Victorinox Swiss Army 1 Pocket Knife
As a Swiss Army knife is such a versatile tool, we own three. However, the Victoroinix Swiss Army 1 Pocket knife is the knife we use the most as it’s small and discreet. Made from stainless steel, this single blade pen knife is the perfect pocket tool. So it’s always on hand to help us open boxes and packaging or act as a general purpose cutting tool.
- Streamlined and sleek – slices rope, wood or your on-the-go snacks Key features: Includes a large blade
- Swiss made pocket knife with 1 function: Large blade
- Dimensions: height 9 mm, length 93 mm, weight 44 g Scale material: Alox Item number: 0800026
- Item name: Swiss Army 1
Synology BeeDrive
While we love Synology products because they offer great functionality while being simple to configure. We are not sure why Synology release the BeeDrive. Intended as a personal backup hub, the BeeDrive seems to be trying to fill a hole that Synology thinks it has in its product line. However if data backup is that important to you, and you use your computer “on the go”. Would you not already be using a cloud backup solution?
While the BeeDrive is technically a lot cheaper than a Synology NAS or a yearly cloud subscription. A BeeDrive at £129.60 ($119.99) for a 1TB drive and £214.80 ($199.99) for a 2TB drive is still a substantial investment. So because we can purchase a 2TB Samsung T7 Portable SSD drive for £117 ($150) and then use Windows backup or Time Machine on a Mac. We are not sure that the Synology software included with the BeeDrive can justify such a heavy financial investment.
- External Backup 1TB SSD Mobile Backup.
- Currently only available for Windows, Android and iOS
- High speed USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type C) with internal SSD.
- BeeDrop Transfer files from your mobile device to your PC via Wi-Fi.
Amazon Link – Synology BeeDrive
JSAUX Station 5 in 1 Steam Deck docking station
Valve’s Steam Deck’s are currently in short supply in the UK, so we decided to buy one second hand. While we have been really enjoying the experience of playing games on the go. As the Steam Deck does not include a docking station, we decided to invest in one.
While there are so many different brands of dock, we settled on the JSAUX Station 5 in 1 Steam Deck docking station, which is currently on sale at Amazon. So now not only can we easily charge our Steam Deck, we can also connect a monitor, keyboard and mouse to play games on a bigger screen.
- 6-in-1 Docking Station for Steam Deck: Equipped with an HDMI 4K@60Hz output, an Gigabit Ethernet input, three USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port for charging.
- 4K@60Hz HDMI Output: The Steam Deck Dock comes with a 4K@60Hz HDMI 2.0 output.
- Full Charging Speed for Steam Deck: JSAUX Steam Deck docking station supports 100W Max power delivery, which is sufficient to charge your Steam Deck and ROG Ally at full speed when paired with the original charger. [Note: the MAX charging speed of Steam Deck is 45W. Cannot guarantee 30W Turbo Mode for Rog Ally. It may require a charger over 65W, based on current information. Ultimately, enabling 30W Turbo Mode depends on the specific charger used.]
- A Perfect Combination: JSAUX all-in-1 Steam Deck docking station blends Hub and stand together perfectly.
- Universal Compatibility: The Docking Station is designed for the Steam Deck, but it also compatible with ROG Ally/iPads and Android phones with USB-C ports.
Amazon Link – JSAUX Station Docking Station
Posting to the Website and YouTube
In the first video of the month we will be looking at how you get the popular open source application FileZilla to work on a Chromebook. For those that don’t know FileZilla is a free application that is very useful for transferring files over the internet. So you will often find that FileZilla is needed if you are a software developer or website designer.
Then for the rest of the month we will be posting more tips and tricks videos. These videos will include looking at factory resetting macOS, disabling peer to peer updates in Windows 11, and how you fully close the Linux Development Environment on a Chromebook.
Finally having now covered the theory regarding network shares, we are ready to start creating network shares on our Synology NAS. So at the end of the month, we will be releasing the next video in our series on setting up a Synology NAS.
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