The Brightest LED Bulb Overall

The SANSI 65W LED Light Bulb is very bright, producing 10,000 lumens. Because it is a non-dimmable daylight-style bulb, it is probably best suited to garages and warehouses.

The Brightest “Warm White” LED Bulb

The SANSI 27W A21 Dimmable LED Light Bulb is a warm white bulb and produces 4000 lumens. I have one in the laundry room and it produces a very bright pleasing illumination. I wasn’t able to install it in a ceiling fan fixture, because it was slightly too large.

The Brightest Standard Size LED Bulb: Philips 5000 Lumen Bulb

The Philips 5000 LED Light Bulb is rated at 5000 lumens, making it the brightest standard-sized (A21) LED light bulb on the market. It uses 43 Watts and it has a 5000K color temperature (daylight white). It is suitable for outdoor areas and garages. If you need a warm white bulb for interiors, see the Philips bulb below.

The Brightest Standard Size Warm White LED Bulb

The Philips 100w Equivalent LED Bulb is another standard-size household bulb available. It uses 13.5 watts of power to produce 1500 lumens of warm white light. I have many of these in my home, and they produce excellent quality light (the CRI is 80). These bulbs are also dimmable and rated to last 22.8 years.

Bright LEDs: Few Notes On Color Quality

The Color Rendering Index (CRI) is a numerical system that rates the “color rendering” ability of light bulbs in comparison to natural daylight. If a light has a low color rendering index of 50, it does not render colors very well. If the lamp has a color rendering index of 80 – 95, which is very good to excellent.

The Color Temperature is expressed in Kelvin (K). Low color temperature implies warmer (more yellow/red) light while high color temperature implies a colder (more blue) light. Moreover, the “color temperature” of a lamp refers to how reddish, greenish, or bluish the lamp appears. If the lamp appears reddish, it has a lower color temperature (e.g., 2500K-3000K) and is considered to be “warm” in appearance. If the lamp appears to be bluish, it has a higher color temperature (e.g., 4000K-4500K) and is considered to be “cool” in appearance.

Warm White: 2500 K to 3000 K
Cool White: 4000 K to 4500 K
Daylight: 6200 K to 6800 K

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Almost every professional Christmas light installer uses conical LEDs for their displays. Conical LEDs are waterproof and snowproof because the LED is injected molded into the plastic cordage. Conical LEDs are also 25% brighter than an incandescent indoor Christmas light. The brightness comes from the intensity of the LEDs and the magnification of the conical lens.

The Details On Conical LED Lights

Overall, LED lights are a great choice for Christmas because the lights almost never fail, and they are impervious to freezing temperatures. They are also much more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs. For this reason you can string up to 40 sets of LEDs together, and plug them into a normal electrical socket.

Conical LEDs are not recommended for indoor use due to their intensity (M5 or C6 LEDs are a better choice inside).

Conical 5mm LEDs are available from Amazon.

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Yes, they are finally available. However, only a few Chinese companies manufacture them. These batteries are AA and AAA rechargeable lithium polymer batteries that output 1.5 volts.

• Tenavolt Lithium-Ion AA Batteries (2775 mWh)
• Deeleepow Lithium-Ion AA Batteries (3400mWh)

Lithium-ion batteries normally operate at 3.7V per cell. The circuitry inside the cells reduces the voltage to 1.5 volts. The batteries have a capacity of 3400mWh, which matches Eneloop Pro (NiMH batteries with the highest capacity). Additionally, lithium-ion cells are lighter than NiMH cells.

Other Lithium-Ion Rechargeables

There are also some lithium-ion rechargeable batteries made for high-performance flashlights and cameras in these sizes: 18650 and CR123.

A single 18650 battery can replace two CR123A batteries, although at a lower voltage (but much higher amperage). However, the 18650 is a wider cell and will not fit into a flashlight designed strictly for the narrower CR123As. Most modern tactical LED lights are designed to use a single 18650 or two CR123As, but it’s best to check before buying. See our article on The Best 18650 Batteries for more information.

There are also numerous other types of lithium-ion batteries made for specific laptops and other electronic gadgets. There is currently no standard size for these lithium-ion cells.

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The reputation that USB tables are junk doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that they are USB. It has everything to do with the cheap materials that they are made from. A turntable consists of many precision parts, including the arm, the platter, the plinth, the motor and the cartridge. Most USB turntables are all about style (or budget) over substance. So long as it looks good in a sepia-filtered Tumblr photo, does it really matter how the thing sounds? The problem isn’t just that they look and sound cheap (many play music at an abysmal 128Kbs). But some of these players, like the Crosleys you see at Urban Outfitters, use non-changeable ceramic cartridges that have a heavy tracking force that damages records. Why even spend the extra money?

In other words, most USB turntables are not made with the audiophile in mind.

Best USB Turntable For Digitizing Vinyl: Sony PSHX500

So what happens if you are sitting on boxes of vinyl that need to be converted to digital for posterity’s sake? That’s where the Sony PSHX500 Hi Res USB Turntable comes in. Its cartridge isn’t the best on the market and it isn’t packed with a ton of features, but this is the first device that converts to digital in high resolution.  The PSHX500 is also almost completely customizeable, a fact that sets it apart from most other USB turntables.

So how good are the recordings? Sony uses a patented circuit that the takes the record’s signal and converts it into a digital audio data stream using a Burr-Brown PCM4202 analog to digital converter. You can record files in everything from WAV to  double DSD (although good look finding a vinyl that will rip at 5.8MHz).  After you rip a track, the file appears on Sony software, which lets you choose the file format. It also lets you do some basic manipulation, like rearranging the tracks.

Now, you don’t always get a perfect recording. Some reviewers noted a faint humming in the background. But this is bar-none the best commercial option available for getting those rare options off wax and onto silicon. The process is also incredibly streamlined. You just plug the USB from the device into the computer, drag the needle, and hit play. Finally, you can digitize your records.

I like the minimalist matte black design for home use. It’s modern and goes well with polished dark wood cabinets and exposed brick and all the other staples of 2o10s interior decorating. The bare-bones approach means you are forgoing DJ staples like reverse function and pitch range. You get two speeds: 33 and 45 rpm(78 is missing, so don’t plan on converting those).

The Sony PSHX500 is outfitted with a moving magnet cartridge that is fit at the top of the arm. It is a fine cartridge, but audiophiles will want to switch in their preferred one. It also has a built-in phono preamplifier with RIAA curve, which is a nice feature for a turntable in this range. If you would rather play through your own phono EQ, just switch off the built-in one. It also has a removable lid and and integrated shell for solid stabilization.

All in all it is a durable piece of equipment, with a belt system that uses spindle-bearing construction. The platter is aluminum die cast and the mat is rubber, so that’s good. The spindle hinges are worrisome. I don’t recommend this unit for DJs who are going to be transporting their equipment around, but it will hold up in a stationary environment for a long time.

Best USB Turntable For DJs: Audio Technica AT-LP1240

Hauling a turntable around to parties and shows necessitates a device that can withstand wear and tear. The Audio Technica AT-LP1240 is a professional quality DJ turntable that is equipped with an internal stereo phono pre-amp and a high-torque motor. The thing is built to last and weighs like it.

If you are drawn to turntables for their retro aesthetic, then the blue LED lights and the slick pitcher and controls on the LP1240 won’t appeal to you. The turntable platter is made with die-cast aluminum, an S-shaped tone arm with counterweight, and anti-skate adjustment. These quality components are held together in a futuristic black and silver design. The LP1240 is a 3-speed fully manual and comes with plenty of ways to keep your speed accurate. It also has a a high quality brake. DJs also get a target light for dark clubs, two start/stop buttons, a reverse function, and a pitch change that goes to 50 percent over or under record speed.

You can plug right in to your laptop via USB and record using Audacity software. It doesn’t come with a cartridge so you will have to supply your own. You won’t find a better turntable in this pricerange, USB or otherwise.

The post Convert Vinyl Records To HiFi Digital Recordings appeared first on Reactual.

The Details

Even die-hard traditional book readers have to admit that an e-reader has advantages over analog books in certain situations. Nothing quite replicates the feel and smell of an old paper book while curled up at home on a rainy autumn day. But try reading a cumbersome door-stopper like Infinite Jest while sitting poolside without your arms withering and the pages flapping in the wind. Or if you are going on a backpacking trip for a few months you can bring thousands of books with you instead of just two or three.

The latest iteration of e-readers replicate the look of a book. Unlike backlit tablets they are easy on the eyes and perfect for reading outdoors. Online marketplaces have gotten much better over the years, giving you access to millions of choices anywhere there is wifi. They are also lightweight and comfortable to hold, easy to keep in hand on long plane rides or days at the beach.

There are a few important factors to weigh when choosing which E-Reader is right for you. Backpackers and travelers want to opt for options with the longest battery life, as they will last the longest in between charges. Beach bums want a model that is waterproof and can stand up to the brightest sun. Read below to find out the best e-readers you should go for.

Best Overall E-Reader: Kindle Voyage

The Kindle Voyage tops the list in all of the categories that make up a great E-Reader. First, there’s the lightweight design, weighing in at a breezy .4lbs. Then there is the screen, a 6″ display using E-Ink Carta to replicate the look of a printed book page in an impressive 300-ppi display. It doesn’t strain the eyes in the way an LED or LCD tablet will, which means that you can stay up late in to the night trying to power through the final chapters in your A Song Of Ice And Fire marathon.

What sets the Voyage apart from other high-end competitors is an adaptive brightness that automatically adjusts to ambient light. So whether you are reading in a dim coffee shop or out by the pool, your Kindle’s screen will adapt to make the experience as easy on the eyes as possible. This is thanks to a built-in lighting system that uses 6 bulbs as opposed to the 4 used in many other e-readers.

The design is also lightweight and thin. It features a thin bezel and sleek look, with a feature called Page Press that lets you change pages without even lifting your finger. You really can’t ask for much more than that.

Finally, the Kindle Voyage comes with 4GB memory which is perfect to store you entire digital collection of books and more. Amazon’s reading collection is the broadest and subscription services give you access to more books than anything else on the market.

Best Water Proof E-Reader: Kobo Aura H20

For a durable Reactual-approved e-reader that can survive the elements, go for the Kobo Aura H20. As the name suggests, this is a waterproof and dustproof device that can be taken with whether you are heading out on a cruise or to the desert. It even has an IP67 certified rating, meaning it is resistant to splashes and small-particle ingress.

It has a large 6.8″ screen, one of the largest of any e-reader, and it reads just like the printed page of a book, thanks to ClarityScreen+ technology. The screen is a beautiful high-definition that presents your books in wonderful quality. At 265dpi, the resolution is a bit worse than that of competitors like Nook and Kindle, but most readers would not even be able to notice the difference.

There is a great deal of customization and fun features in the interface. The ComfortLight feature redirects light away from your eyes and on to the screen, reducing glare and giving you enough light to read. Other nice features include 24 font sizes and the ability to highlight and save, as well an integrated dictionary.

The device has 4GB of storage and can offers a great deal of variety in terms of formatting. It plays files including Epub, PDF, Mobi, and CBZ, which is an advantage over Kindle and its proprietary restrictions.

One more huge advantage of the H20 is a 2 month battery life that far exceeds its competition. One great weakness is a lackluster online store with a clunky UI that causes headaches when looking for appropriate titles.

Best Value E-Reader: Kindle Paperwhite

Get an 8 hour battery life and a HD resolution screen for an affordable price with the Kindle Paperwhite.

Previous iterations of the Kindle Paperwhite were a bit lacking in resolution and crispness, but the latest one sports an impressive 300ppi, which matches the flagship model the Voyage. It also has a vibrant and pronounced differences between black and white which leads to a satisfying reading experience. The screen is bright enough to to eliminate glare in direct sunlight and there are 4 LED lights for night reading.

There are less features than on the Voyage like microSD slots, and the device is heavier than others on the market. At the lowest price point it does show you advertising, which is a major turn-off for some readers. An upgrade can take the ads off entirely, which lets you enjoy the Amazon bookstore through WiFi.

The relatively plain Kindle Paperwhite can’t compete with the more expensive Kindle Voyage’s design. At nearly half a pound, it is a little on the heavy side, and like other Kindles there’s no microSD slot. However, with 4GB of internal storage there’s enough space to store thousands of books, making this one of the best e-readers around.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

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The Details

Portable electronics are only as useful as their battery life. If you get caught away from a power outlet with a low charge and no external power source then it doesn’t much matter what other specs your device has. But an answer is out there. Portable chargers are an inexpensive and convenient answer to one of the modern world’s little frustrations. They are ideal for vacationers, business travelers, and just about anyone who is worried that their cell phone or tablet might not make it through a full day of extensive use.

But what should you look for in a portable charger? It depends on what you need. If that need is to simultaneously charge multiple devices, veer toward high capacity chargers.

The capacity of a battery is expressed in milliampere-hour (mAh), a unit of electric charge  that measures power delivered over discharge interval. The higher the mAh, the larger the charging capacity. A 3000 mAh portable charger will charge an iPhone 6 once. A 20000 mAh charger will fill the phone 7 times.

Lower mAh batteries will recharge a device quicker than their high capacity competitors, so go with them if you prize speed over quantity. They also are smaller and lighter because they have less cells.

Ruggedized and waterproof options are also available for those who need to recharge their phone or tablets on the beach.

Ultimately, try and strike a balance between value, portability, durability, capacity and speed.

Best Overall Portable Charger: Intocircuit External Battery

Durable, compact, easy-to-use and lighting fast, Intocircuit’s portable charger is the best all around external power source on the market. It has Samsung Grade A Lithium-ion cells that supply over 1000 lifetime charges.

This is the best balance between charge capacity and speed. It is rated at 15000mAh, which is enough to charge an iPhone 5S 7 times. The 4.8 dual USB output is 2.4A per port, as well as a respectably fast input of 5V/2A.

We also appreciate the brushed metal exterior, which provides the lithium ion battery cells with better protection. Since it uses a material that is more durable than the standard thick plastic, it has increased portability.

The Intocircuit also has smart technology that automatically detects what device charges at and adapts to maximum speed, so you don’t need to worry about cross-referencing your device with the correct USB charger. LED lights also indicate how much charge is left in the battery, eliminating some of the annoying guess work.

The Intocircuit External Battery is available on Amazon for around $37.

Best High Capacity Charger: MMSA Power Bank

MMSA Power Bank has 20,000mAh of charge, which is enough to refill an iPhone 6 7 times and a Samsung Galaxy S5 5 times. It has a 5V/1A input and an impressive four USB outputs, enough to charge the whole family’s portable electronics at once.

This is also quite a bit lighter than other 20k batteries on the market. High capacity chargers tend to run on the heavy side, because they house larger batteries than their smaller counterparts. High capacity chargers also are slower, but this is one of the faster ones on the market. Still expect it to take a 5-10 hours before you get a full charge on most phones and tablets.

The MMSA Power Bank is available on Amazon for around $35.

Best Hyperspeed Charger: Patriot Fuel

If want one device charged fast, use a hyperspeed charger. Look at a charger’s output to determine how fast it can charge your portable device. A 1A (5W) charger is the slowest, 2A (10W) cuts the charge rate in half and a 2.5A (12.5W) charge is one of the fasted currently available. Recharge speeds also depend on the cord. Newer Apple devices are outfitted with lightning charging cords and some Android devices work with Turbo chargers.

The Patriot Fuel is outfitted with a 2.5A USB output for hyperspeed charging. It has a 9000mAh capacity and two USB ports (1A and a 2.5A). It has a built in self-monitoring system to prevent under or over charging and to optimize charging efficiency. It can get smartphones back to full charge in around 1 hour. It also comes with a 2 year warranty.

The Patriot Fuel charger is available on Amazon for around $25.

Best Waterproof Charger: Unifun Waterproof External Battery

This dustproof, waterproof and rugged charger is perfect for use in the great outdoors. It is IP66 waterproof rated, which means it is totally dust-proof and protected against string water jets and waves. The 10,400mAh lithium polymer core provides up to 1,000 lifetime charges, and each charge will refill an iPhone 4 times. It has 2 USB outputs.

Rechare your iPhone 6 Plus 5S, 5C 4 4S, iPad Air/iPad Mini, Samsung Galaxy S5 S4 S3, Google Nexus 7, cameras, and tablets at the ski lodge, on the beach, poolside, camping, at a construction site, or in the desert with this durable and waterproof portable charger.

The Unifun Waterproof External Battery is available on Amazon for around $17.

The post Portable Chargers With Longest Battery Life 2016 appeared first on Reactual.

The best windproof lighter is the Zippo Armor.

This windproof, liquid-fueled lighter won’t freeze in cold temperatures. It has a lifetime warranty and is available in dozens of colors and themes.

• Other best windproof lighters include: the Ultimate Survival Technologies Floating Lighter and the Windmill Classic Stormproof All Weather Lighter.
• Along with being windproof, the best lighters should be resistant to cold, reliable, with ease of refueling and use.

The Details: The Best Windproof Lighter

A windproof lighter is a handy tool to have around. You can use it to start a campfire when out in the woods; it’s handy to have when working on a project in your shop; and also great for lighting those Fourth of July fireworks. But a tool is only as good as its reliability. An when it comes to determining the reliability of a product, my motto is “simpler is better.” So when it comes to choosing the best windproof lighter, the Zippo Armor is the clear winner.

Zippo has been making lighters since 1932, so the company knows its way around a lighter. And their design hasn’t changed much since the first one that came off the assembly line. Their lighters are simple, bombproof and extremely reliable.

They’re fuelled by Zippo’s proprietary lighter fluid, which is poured into the bottom case, where it’s absorbed into the fluffy rayon balls stuffed in there. The nature of this liquid fuel system makes Zippo lighters naturally freeze-resistant.

In the realm of wind resistance, Zippo’s ability to deliver fuel consistently via its wick and the screen that encases said wick make it almost impossible for wind to extinguish the flame on one of these lighters. And because there’s no button that needs to be held down, it’s easy to keep the flame burning. You could even set the lighter down on a flat surface and use both hands if necessary.

Along with a lifetime warranty that offers you a free repair for your lighter if it ever breaks, Zippo’s parts are highly replaceable. That includes; the flints, wicks, rayon balls, and other internal parts.

As if a regular Zippo isn’t tough enough, cases on the Armor models are 50 per cent thicker than the average Zippo. That’s a super handy feature, especially if you ever need your lighter to stop a bullet.

Add to that the fact that Zippo Armor lighters are available in a mind-boggling array of styles, designs, colors and prices – and you’ve got one of the best, most reliable lighters available anywhere.

Zippo Armor is available from Amazon for about $18.

An Alternative

The Windmill Classic Stormproof All Weather Lighter is said to stand up to 70-80 mph winds. It has an elastomer armor that helps protect it against impacts and drops.

The post The Best Windproof and Freezeproof Lighters appeared first on Reactual.

LED lanterns that run on AA batteries are particularly useful. These lanterns are small yet bright enough to light up a tent. You can power them with low-discharge rechargeable AA batteries (or regular AA alkaline batteries).

Budget Choice: Coleman 3AA High-Tech LED Mini Lantern

This LED lantern from Coleman is the highest rated AA-battery powered LED Lantern on Amazon. It shines with 85 lumens of light for 6 hours using just three AA batteries.

The Coleman 3AA High-Tech LED Mini Lantern is available at Amazon for around $20.

Best Overall: Black Diamond Apollo LED Lantern

The Black Diamond Apollo lantern runs on 4 AA batteries. Reviewers like the even light of this lantern, which can shine at a maximum of 80 lumens for 15 hours or at (up to 60 hours at 10 lumens). The Apollo also features a dimmer switch and battery-life indicator.

The Black Diamond Apollo LED Lantern is available at Amazon for about $42.

The Black Diamond is no longer being made. I now recommend these Vont lanterns instead.

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