Improbable Insights

Welcome to this week's podcast. Eric and I discuss a variety of tech subjects this week, ranging from Windows 10 Anniversary Edition, Nvidia's insane new graphics card, and what's Intel trying to do in automotive processing. We also talk about the Garmin VivoActive HR smartwatch in tools, replacing fluorescent lighting, and try to answer the question about just how much graphics cards improve each succeeding generation. As for fun, I finally catch up with Game of Thrones Season 5 (yes, 5), and dive into life after level 30 in Tom Clancy's The Division. Meanwhile, Eric finally picks up XCOM2, likes the idea of co-op Divinity Original Sin with his son, and is still digging his new Segway. I'm finally starting to see the light at the end of my crunch time, so I'm hoping for more frequent posts going forward.

Just a quick post to get the podcast up this week, as I'm slammed with work. Eric and I discuss, debate, and argue the merits of various tech tools for tracking fitness. What we both agree on: future fitness tools need better context, and better support for exercise psychology, not just raw fitness data. On the tools side, I'm thinking about replacing my current Scosche dedicated heart rate monitor with a smartwatch which integrates the HR monitor. I'm currently looking at the Garmin VivoActive HR, hoping for something a little less fiddly and more accurate. I'm also benchmarking Nvidia's new GTX 1060, which competes with AMD's Radeon RX480, but no firm conclusions yet. The eVGA card I received is pretty compact, though, and would make for a nice GPU in a mini-ITX system. Finally, I buy a car battery -- not a battery for the car itself, but a jump-start battery. These compact batteries replace the age-old jumper cables, allowing you to jump a car with a dead battery without needing another car. Pretty ne

Pokemon Go is the canary in the coal mine. VR may be cool, and may be more immersive, but even primitive augmented reality apps will generate vast sources of revenue. Some might argue that Pokemon Go isn't "true" augmented reality, but that's picking its.  So is Pokemon Go a one-off, or a harbinger of things to come? Join Eric Klein, David Bryant, and me in a spirited discussion of whether Pokemon Go will launch a thousand new AR ships, and what that might mean. Tools My older daughter, Elizabeth, is building a drone at Cornell University. Dubbed the "Zikadrone", it's long-term purpose will be to distribute and collect mosquito traps to enable better testing for mosquito-borne diseases like Zika. https://youtu.be/NoL1EkEW0jw On more mundane matters, I had a weird problem with Windows where a Spanish language keyboard mysteriously got added to my system. Removing it proved a little awkward, so I share how to do it. David's Sandman clock arrived, and it's pretty neat. It's a simple, seven-segment LED clock

This week's podcast focuses on the little things. David Bryant and I talk about tips and tricks for building a new PC, or rebuilding new PC tech into an old chassis. We discuss tools, lighting, and little hints we've learned along the way, over many PC builds. We also talk about topics such as build order, dealing with pesky non-standard cables, and how to conduct first POST. Tools Technology trickles down in areas outside of automobiles and mobile phones. Take blenders, for example. When my Breville blender abruptly stopped working, I needed a new one, and blenders have come a long ways, baby. Another prosaic tool that just got upgraded is the lowly case cooling fan. Corsair implemented magnetic levitation in their latest cooling fans, minimizing noise and extending fan life by requiring zero bearings. On the software side, I talk about 3DMark's new DX12 option and a neat cloud-based photo filter app called Prisma. David picks up a new lens for his Sony A6000, and yet another watch. He also talks about the R

Which graphics card should you buy? We have hard data on the GTX 1080, GTX 1070, and Radeon RX480, the GPU roadmap for the rest of the year, including the soon-to-ship GTX 1060. So Eric and I take a stab at making some hard recommendations for your gaming (and other) graphics needs. Tools I bought a pair of Aputure 528 LED panels for shooting video, but I now find myself using them for ordinary photography, and as useful tools for lighting up the inside of a dark PC case when building systems. I've also been experimenting with shooting video with the Nikon D500, with mixed success -- and it's not the camera's fault. And I've built my younger daughter's gaming PC, which she'll take with her when she heads off to grad school. I talk about my first experience with M.2 SSDs, which I used in her gaming build. Eric's replacing most of his lights with monochromatic variants of the Philips Hue. Realizing he doesn't need colored lights for most of his needs saves a ton of money. Plus, he's also looking for a good repl

David and Eric spend large swaths of time planning trips, traveling, and seemingly endless time waiting in airports or sitting in airliner seats. We discuss the various tools they use to plan their travel, facilitate the journey, and what they use once they arrive. These range from trip planning sites like TripIt Pro to luggage to actual hardware they consider essential for business travel or vacation trips. Take a listen and benefit from their collective wisdom as you contemplate your next long journey. Tools I've been having fun recently with the Seek Compact thermal camera, shooting images of hot (sometimes really hot) graphics cards when running benchmarks. While we're talking graphics cards, I just got in AMD's Radeon RX480, their new midrange GPU based on AMD's Polaris GPU architecture. You know those airline carts that flight attendants push up and down the aisles of airplanes as they hand out drinks? Eric buys a used airline cart with the intent of turning it into the ultimate tool cart. Also, Er

Eric Klein and I have a spirited discussion about how tech reporting and VCs fail to do proper due diligence when it comes to basic science as it pertains to technology topics. We bring up Theranos, crowdfunded artificial gills, UBeam, and other products and companies which fail at basic science. As a VC, Eric agrees, but also talks about the complexities of doing proper scientific due diligence. And let's not forget the reality distortion zone introduced by charismatic inventors and founders. I also talk about wanting better science education for non-scientists. a culture that's becoming more ignorant of science as it becomes more dependent on it risks turning tech into a belief system. Tools I begin with a mea culpa. Simply put, don't buy the Intel TS15A CPU cooler. It does its job just fine -- keeping a CPU cool -- but the noise levels and buzzing quality of that noise makes it a non-starter as far as I'm concerned. I also talk about rediscovering the value of a dedicated test system for benchmarking, a sp

This week's podcast focuses on the incredible changes occurring on the hardware side of the game business. Eric Klein and I discuss Xbox One S, Project Scorpio, Xbox One games on Windows 10, Playstation Neo, and more. We also touch on recent developments in VR, including how HTC Vive seems to be winning the PC VR war, Playstation VR, and what the 2016 holiday season might hold in store for VR gear and games. Tools On the tools side, I show Eric an actual eVGA GTX 1070, to which he responds, "disbelieve, disbelieve!" I also talk about how easy car buying has become on the Internet and how best to mount those pesky HTC Vive base stations. Eric talks about recent travels, his SIM card woes, and buying gear for his daughters as they prepare for overseas travel. We also debate the ease of installation (or lack thereof) of modern PC VR hardware. Fun Eric takes along not-so-light reading, finally wrapping up Neil Stephenson's REAMDE. He also attempts to do a little on-the-go gaming with a 2013 Macbook Pro with mixe

David Bryant and I discuss a few recent tech news bits in this podcast. Topics include Intel's recent Broadwell Extreme launch, Samsung's bendable screen, Facebook as a game streaming platform, and AMD's latest GPU. On the tools side, I finally clean out my toolbag, and get on the GoPro bandwagon. I've also turned my two Sonos Play 1 speakers into a stereo pair, and like this configuration much better than using them as separate, standalone speakers. David finds out the cyanoacrylate, aka superglue, works great on wood. And he once more dives into the intricacies of keyboards, going into amazing detail about why he swapped one Razer keyboard for another. I fired up Mirror's Edge Catalyst for the first time, and can see the end of the XCOM2 Ironman tunnel. Plus I've had some fun playing around with some more VR apps. David, meanwhile, is hip deep in Game of Thrones, still likes The Division, and looks at even more watches. Hear it all on this week's podcast.  

This week's podcast focuses on keyboards, mice, and other input devices. David's been descending into the depths of keyboard tech, learning all about mechanical keys, the history of keyboards, and more. The parameters of keyboard choices have vastly expanded in the past few years. I talk about my choices in keyboards and mice, and why wireless gaming mouse is no longer an oxymoron. Diving into tools, I talk about setting up the HTC Vive and my early impressions of the Fly12 action camera / headlight combo for bicycles. David details what he likes about his new Cannae Pro Gear backpack and MeFoto tripod. He also discusses a universal tool for package tracking, and the Particle Electron. On the fun side, I discuss all the games I played at Kublacon, including the much ballyhooed Star Wars: Rebellion, probably one of the best two-player, asymmetric strategy games to come out in years. David talks about his trip to Make Faire and how he's finally getting on the Witcher 3 bandwagon.      

An online friend, Robert Sharp, wrote an interesting post about moral responsibility in video games. Robert teaches university-level philosophy and loves video games, so he's well-equipped to discuss the topic. Do the decisions we make in games reflect our inner character? It's an interesting discussion, and David Bryant and I riff on Robert's discussion and take it a bunch of different directions. Tools I've acquired an iPhone 6s+, almost unintentionally. Also, Nvidia finally releases the specs on the GTX 1070, which is likely to be the affordable GPU of choice for many gamers. We're also contemplating video. Baby steps, people, baby steps. David waxes lyrical about his Cannae Pro Legion tactical backpack as well as his shiny new MeFoto Roadtrip tripod. Fun Most of David's recent fun times has been following the Sharks through the playoffs. He's also prepping for Maker Faire, playing The Division, and taking some tentative steps towards cosplaying. He also shares a few more podcasts he deems worthy. I'v

  Eric needed a new PC to run his spiffy HTC Vive VR kit, so we built one. The parts list impresses: Core i5 Skylake, GTX 980, 16GB DDR4. Eric, David Bryant, and I got together and tackled assembly chores. Along the way, we experience one of the worst case designs I've seen in a long time. The Bitfenix Prodigy micro-ATX case may look like its mini-ITX sibling, but it's an abysmal design internally. Eric discovers PCPartpicker, a nifty tool for configuring system builds, but it's compatibility tool is a bit lacking. We discuss lessons learned, and how we might do things differently in the next build. Oh, yeah, and we do a little troubleshooting. Well, more than a little. On the tools front, I talk about the really excellent Nikon 70-200 f/4 telephoto zoom lens, some minor problems with the Nikon D500, and the best traveling toiletries kit I've found yet. On the fun side, I'm prepping for this weekend's Kublacon tabletop gaming convention, the best and currently largest local tabletop gaming convent

The GTX 1080 now resides in one of the PCs in the lab and continues to impress. Stellar game performance at reasonable power and noise levels make for a great gaming experience. Graphics clearly drives the PC now, more so that CPUs. What does that mean for the PC, and what does GTX 1080's level of graphics performance mean for PC gaming? David Bryant and I discuss these topics in detail. On the tools side, I talk about tools in a very literal since, just getting in iFixit's nifty toolkit. Also, if you remember David's nifty MagicForce compact keyboard from several weeks ago? Rosewill just offered a similar keyboard, with slightly noisier Cherry MX Blue mechanical keys. I picked one of these up for $50, which will now be the main keyboard for the podcast rig, where the smaller form factor takes up less space. I also pick up a Juiced USB 3.0 powered hub, and look at how to best disassemble and repair my Watts Up Pro power meter. On the fun side, I finally brought the Orleans Deluxe board game to the table; i

Meaning People shoot literally billions of photographs each day. Whether they know it or not, people use some flavor of the photographic editing pipeline, whether it's applying a simple Instagram filter or creating elaborate art from their photos in applications such as Photoshop. Eric, David, and I explore the photographic pipeline -- its origins, where we are today, and how we might make it easier in the future, including a lively discussion about how using cameras can become easier. Tools I tell you exactly why you shouldn't get a UV filter for your camera lenses, and what you should do instead. I've also replaced my general use backpack with something that looks strangely familiar... David asks about polarizers for camera lenses, including which type would be most useful for his mirrorless A6000. We also discuss what mix of lenses he should take on his upcoming vacation. Meanwhile, Eric would like a better tool to help choose lenses. Meanwhile Eric is eyeing his Vive, with an eye towards building his V

Meaning Once upon a time, you'd update a game maybe once or twice in its lifetime. In the new, always-connected world, games are seemingly patched weekly. It's annoying, but given the social nature of modern gaming, may be necessary? Or is it?  Getting into a game during our Friday night LAN parties can be a crapshoot. Sometimes we just fire up a game and play. More often, though, we either need to wait for a big update to install, or start playing only do discover some of us can't connect to the server because we're running different versions of the game. The only solution: exit and update. David Bryant and I talk about the endless patching cycle of modern games, and how this state of affairs came to be. Tools I've got my D500, and the learning curve has begun. On the other hand, it's also so familiar, even though it's been years since I shot with a D300. I also picked up an Aputure LED lighting kit, as I think about shooting more video. The Aputure kit is definitely low-budget, but should be a good sta

Let's take a break for photography for a day, though this topic is peripherally related, as we do mention VR cameras briefly. Oh, yeah, and my Nikon D500 should be in my hot little hands by the time this posts. So we've got a bit about photography in our Tools discussion. Meaning People are receiving their first wave units of the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. But what's next for virtual reality? Will the hype and interest hold on long enough for better gear to make its way into the product pipeline? Will we ever have a holodeck? And what about wiring your brain right into the net? Eric and I bat ideas back and forth furiously as we think on what next gen VR and beyond really means. Will augmented reality and virtual reality eventually merge? How can we make VR audio better? What about including senses beyond sight and hearing? The future looks amazing, but also fraught with likely dead ends and disappointed users. Tools Eric's been fooling around a lot with maker tools, to the point of learning how to sew. But h

Eric and I discuss in detail the desktop PC in 2016. CPUs remain mostly in a status quo, while GPUs look to substantially evolve this year. I make some general recommendations: Abandon full-size ATX motherboards, unless you really dream of triple graphics cards Forget dual-core CPUs Build small SSDs all the way Efficiency is a win GPUs rule 1080p monitors are dead Skylake / DDR4 unless you're on a tight budget; AMD quad-core+ if you're on a tight budget On the tools front, I love my new Beyerdynamic MMX300 headset, and I lust for the new Trek Domane SLR, with its ability to absorb even more road vibration.   Eric picks up an eVGA GTX 980 Ti ACR for his VR rig, and digs it so far, and considers adding more SSD capacity. We've been playing a lot of The Division for fun, as well as reading. I just wrapped up the novel Gene Mapper by Taiyo Fujii, an interesting take on where technology such as CRISPR might take us in the near future. I also managed to bring Forbidden Stars, the Fantasy

A Medium post by Arlo Gilbert about Google's decision to shut down the Revolv home automation hub went viral recently. Google's Nest division bought Revolv 18 months prior. However, the company decided that part of the shutting down the service including bricking perfectly good, working hardware. Meaning The era of always-connected, always-on introduces a new set of headaches for users of said services. It's one thing when a service goes offline, but another thing completely when a product associated with the service also goes dark or becomes unavailable. Google's decision to brick the Revolv hardware, games no longer playable when servers shut down, or Kindle books mysteriously vanishing off owner's Kindle readers, always-on seems to come with infinite rights for sellers, with limited recourse for buyers. Eric, David, and I debate the pitfalls and merits of the always-on, always-connected industry, and what the long term prospects are for the idea of ownership and service. Tools David mentions the best web

Moore's Law is done. Get over it. Meaning It's podcast time, and this edition of Improbable Insights finds Eric and I mostly agreeing that Moore's Law has seen a good run, but it's time for it to ride off into the sunset. There's lots of evidence for this, and even if it's technically transistor counts can continue to double every two years, Eric points out that economics may be the real driving force to the eventual device of this 50-plus year old rubric. For more detail, download the podcast and give it a listen. Tools [caption id="attachment_995" align="alignleft" width="300"] What madness is this?[/caption] I talk about the Beyerdynamic MMX 300, but also about why you might use a headset rather than speakers and a desktop microphone. I also note the weirdness with the connector configuration. I also plug a couple of little-used Windows utilities, Sticky Notes and Snipping Tool. Eric receives his Echo Dot, but hasn't set it up yet. But he's pretty excited, particularly about automating lighting control

The first Silicon Valley Comicon (so named, anyway) wrapped up last weekend. While successful, the overly large crowds marred what should have been a great event. We talk about how what we liked, how it can be better, and why it might have to move out of Silicon Valley to be better. Meaning Friday evening made it all look easy. Relatively light crowds, friendly staff, and enthusiastic vendors created a pleasant buzz. Saturday... well, Saturday turned out to be a different story. The carefully choreographed check-in/check-out procedure broke down due to sub-optimal placement of the entry gates. The constant need to check out just to go to smaller panel sessions or get food proved too much for the RFID system. The spacious vendor aisles became packed, lines to the panels needed to be managed better. Even so, everyone seemed in good spirits, we saw some great cosplay, and the vendors looked like they were doing good business. Eric, David, and I talk about what we liked, what could have been better, and whether