Tennessee Gun

Tag: computer

  • Everyday Carry Items for the Connected Individual

    Everyday Carry Items for the Connected Individual

    Everyday Carry Items for the Connected Individual is about electronics and connectivity.  In the post below you will see all manner of portable chargers, cables, adapters, small electronic devices, and things that make the modern technophile’s life easier.

    I never seem to have the right charging cable, adapter or memory card when I am out doing something in the field.

    In order never have to stop shooting videos, I started collecting different charging cables and battery packs to ensure that I always had power and could connect my devices together

    I doubt any single person would find use for every item on this list, but since nobody’s needs are the same I wanted to give you lots of options.

    Personally, I haven’t tried every item on this list, but there are a few items on here that I swear by, others that I wish I owned, and a few that I just think are neat.

    Like all my other posts, you can click the picture to view this item on Amazon.  I do make a small commission if you purchase from this link, but it does not cost you any more money and the commissions pay for the hosting of this site and a small amount of the time it takes to find the information I share here.

     

    APEMAN Action Camera 1080P Full HD Waterproof Sport Camera

    $35.97

     

    Black Square Technologies Enigma

    $97.85

     

    Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth 16gb Usb 3.0 Flash Drive

    $41.73

     

    Titanium One Portable SSD – 120 GB

    $59.00

     

    Mini Digital Camera with 3 Inch TFT LCD Display

    $38.49

     

    US-KEY Portable Lightning Keychain Charging Cable

    $14.99

     

    Bluetooth Tracker Keychain

    $11.99

     

    Keyprop: Keychain Tripod

    $4.99

     

    Yowosmart Short Lightning to USB Key Charger Cable

    $13.99

     

    Seeshine Multifunctional 3 in 1 Lighting USB Cable Keychain

    $6.99

    (I ordered this as soon as I saw it, once it arrives we will see how it works)

     

    goTenna Mesh SMS & GPS Device

    $179.00

    (goTenna Mesh pairs to your phone and enables it to privately relay texts and GPS locations between other goTenna devices, up to 4 miles in range. )

     

    XY4+ Key Finder

    $39.99

     

    Sony ICDPX370 Mono Digital Voice Recorder with Built-in USB

    $39.97

     

    16GB Digital Voice Recorder

    $39.99

     

    Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8 Edge Charger! Adaptive Fast Charger

    $19.99

     

    Anker PowerCore 5000, Ultra-Compact 5000mAh External Battery

    $19.99

    (I bought this for the wife, she loved it, then promptly lost it the cavern of junk that is her purse)

     

    K-TOR Pocket Socket Hand Crank Generator Portable Power Supply 10 Watts 120 Volts

    $64.95

    (They also make a larger pedal kit that can be bolted down, but its too big for EDC)

     

    Universal Mobile Phone Stand

    $19.98

     

    Anker 8-in-1 USB 3.0 Portable Card Reader

    $9.99

    (I have one plugged in to the computer as I write this, it works well)

     

    USB card reader Micro USB OTG to USB 2.0 Adapter

    $6.99

    (I keep one in my camera bag just in case)

     

    Metal Braided Multi USB Charging Cable

    $9.33

    (I like these multi charging cables I have reviewed several

    Lightning to USB Cable Charging Bracelet

    $11.99

    (Stylish and a little James bond – covert cables – cool)

     

    Kingston Digital 32GB DataTraveler

    $23.55

    (This is the best flash drive I have owned, I keep it on my keys so I can’t lose.  I modified it for my KeySmart key bar)

     

    Solar Charger 24000mAh Portable Power Bank

    $39.88

     

    iWALK Battery Charger Portable Power Bank with Lightning Cable Built in

    $19.99

  • Clean Dish Indicator: The Perfect Romantic Gift

    Clean Dish Indicator: The Perfect Romantic Gift

     

    I got this as the perfect valentine gift for my wife.  It is a quality kitchen gadget so that we never mix clean and dirty dishes.  Yes for the 2018 valentines I bought my wife a magnetic clean & dirty dishwasher indicator.

    We constantly get confused about if we had ran the dishwasher or not, and I hate waste, so after looking for solutions I found this one.  This not a sponsored review, I bought this myself and have had no contact with the sellers.

    Actually, with the way my wife responded to her gift I may not have contact with very many people again….

    However, even though I had to make up for this “gift” she does admit that it is neat (and no this is not the only thing I gave her).

    From Amazon, here is a list of reasons to buy this specific dishwasher indicator:

     

    • MADE FROM HIGH QUALITY ALUMINUM not cheap plastic like the rest. This elegant indicator has a 100% waterproof finish that will suit any kitchen.
    • WON’T SCRATCH YOUR DISHWASHER – inbuilt industrial magnets are covered by soft silica to protect your dish washer. Magnetic and adhesive tabs option. Color & word guide. Solutions to Inspire designed clear letters to read GREEN is Clean & RED for Dirty.
    • MAGNETIC AND ADHESIVE STICKER OPTION. Works on all dishwashers, stainless steel, white, black, wood, cabinet doors. Looks great in designer kitchens. Solutions to Inspire makes this shutter small and sturdy. You will love it.
    • UNIQUE GIFT – Perfect for New Homes, Bridal Shower, Housewarming, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day and Wedding. Cool gifts for organizing Dad, Mom, Teens, Children, Husband, Wife, Nanny and Christmas Stuffers. Presented in a small, deluxe giftbox.
    • HOME AND OFFICE ORGANIZER – now your home and business kitchen is finally organized. Funny tools and accessories from Solutions to Inspire will remove your frustrations. LIFETIME GUARANTEE your satisfaction is everything.

    If you like this product, remember I am an “amazon influencer” and have a page of other great items on Amazon that I use to make these videos, or just like having around.  Please visit my influencer page on amazon, it won’t cost you any more to purchase those items, and the revenue I get helps me run this website

     

  • How to Build a Computer With Your Kid Using Kano and a Raspberry Pi

    How to Build a Computer With Your Kid Using Kano and a Raspberry Pi

     

    Build a Computer With Your Kids Using the Kano OS and a Raspberry Pi
    Buy at Amazon

    This article shows how to build a computer with your kid using the Kano OS and a Raspberry Pi.  The kit cost $70.00.  However, if you have a USB wall charger and a HDMI cable you don’t  need the kit.  You can do the same basic thing for the cost of the chip alone ($35.00).

    If you want a cheaper kit with a little less functionality the Pi zero kit is less than $25.00.

    I got the more powerful Pi 3 because I was not sure if this would hold my boy’s attention.  If he discards it I want to make a network attached storage (NAS) server so that I can store all my prepper files in a intranet.

    My goal is to put all my files in a WordPress setup and run that from a blackberry pi so that when we move to the land (the land without internet) I can access my documents from wherever I am teaching or working at.

    So far though, my son is having a good time watching youtube and exploring the features in the KANO operating system.

    The kit I bought has a micro SD card preloaded with the typical operating system used on raspberry pi builds, but I wanted to use the kid friendly Kano OS.  In a later post I will show you how to load that on a micro SD card.

    Snapping this kid built computer together is pretty easy.  Simply install a couple of heat sinks, snap the board in the case, plug in a power supply, a monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse.  Stick in the micro SD card with an operating system and its ready to go.

    The hardest part of this build was doing it and holding the camera.  Somehow my tripod broke so please forgive the wonky footage.

    How to Install the Kano Operating System

     

    Kid Built Computer Part II First Power Up
    Buy at Amazon a Kano

    The process to download and install the Kano OS is very well documented on the actual Kano website. I recommend just buying their setup. It is not that much more expensive than DIY, but the kit and the kit documentation is much more kid friendly.

    You are not going to find a better kid sized keyboard than you will from Kano.

    I used my own because I wanted a Pi for a NAS setup and this give me the opportunity to use it for my own stuff later.

    First thing you will need to do is to get a micro SD card, a computer adapter and download two programs,

    1. Download the actual Kano OS from their site.
    2. Down the etcher software.

    Next, insert the micro SD into the adapter and plug the adapter into your computer

    Open the etcher software and follow the prompts.

    The image you are using is the Kano OS you just downloaded

    Make sure the only SD or memory device you have plugged in is the one you want to install the Kano OS on.  It will permanently wipe the drive selected.

    Once selected hit the flash button to get started – it takes a while, this is a big program on a small card

    Once its done, close it out and insert in your device to get started with your kid built computer.

    How to Set Up the Raspberry Pi with the Kano OS

     

    Kid Built Computer Part II First Power Up
    Buy at Amazon a Kano

    This is my son and I powering up his blackberry pi mini computer and setting up the Kano OS.

    Once again, the footage is wonky.  My wife was holding the camera and as this was the first power up of the computer neither of us knew what would happen on screen.

    Our only problem with this device and the operating system is that while it is very kid friendly my kindergartner can’t read well enough to navigate on his own.  However it is simple enough he thinks he does not need help in using his computer.

    This leads to a lot of him pressing buttons and not really knowing what is happening.  As long as he is exploring and having fun on his own I try to bite my tongue and let him use it his way.

    Setting up the Kano OS did not take long.  It is pretty simple.  This makes sense as it is designed for kids ages 6 and up.  Basically, all you have to do is follow the screen prompts and type what is asked.

    It allows the child to tell the computer the name they want to be called.  They can also set up the avatar they want to use.

    My son made a zombie looking blackbelt, no surprise there.

    Once your done setting up the kano OS, the child can set up an account to share their creations with other children online.

    We then spent some time playing with the Kano, exploring how to code minecraft and play pong.

  • The Complete Soapmaker

    The Complete Soapmaker

    Making soap is an essential homesteading skill of our forefathers.  Imagine how life would be if you did not have soap.  Not only for hygiene, but for disease prevention.

    For years I avoided making soap for fear it was too complicated and dangerous.  However, The Complete Soapmaker and books like it made me realize it was not that hard to make soap.I found an easy soap method that took little effort and made my first batch of soap.  I still have some in the kitchen and I am pretty proud of the result.

    I even added the how to in my Food Preservation book.

    The problem is, once you start making soap you tend to keep wantingto experiment.  I had to put a stop to it before I started making blueberry lavender touchy feely soap.

    I have a reputation to uphold and I can’t make too many feminine products.  Beeswax Nipple balm is about a girly as I can go.  Fragrant soap is over the limit.

    Seriously thought, The Complete Soapmaker is a valuable book to have in your prepper/homesteader library.  Making soap is not hard, its not that expensive, and it is a valuable skill for times of need.

  • Contour Camera Review

    Contour Camera Review

    Gear Review: Contour Camera
    Buy at Amazon


    I recently purchased a contour +2 action camera to use in my video production.  I bought it because it was small, durable, had an external mic jack, streamed wireless to my phone, was water proof, and had a built in GPS.  So it only figures that I would do a post on a Contour Camera Review

    When I got it, I found that it was oversold just a little bit – it has an HDMI out port – which they say allows it to be used as a webcam to apple computers – but the laptop I have is HDMI out only, so it will not work to tape my classes.

    The video is a little jump as it has a low frame rate, and the lens makes everything look a little walleyed.

    However, it comes with a waterproof case for scuba and snorkeling activities, and a bunch of different mounts – if I was using this solely as a gun cam, I would be very happy, as it is smaller and has more features than the go-pro.

    Because I wanted a good quality camera with an external mic jack and I wanted to stay under $1000.00 I allowed myself to be taken by all the hoopla around this camera.  I guess sionce I have a waterproof case I can finannyl start working on shooting the Glock underwater…