Category Archives: Mind Uploading

STATUS UPDATE: The Circle is a reality show on Netflix. Its an American version of a show with the same name that started in the U.K. in 2018. And it is perfect.

STATUS UPDATE: The Circle is a social media competition. What that means is

OK, you know how on most reality show competitions theres a group of players on an island or in a mansion or whatever and theyre all trying to win some kind of prize? The Circle is the same as thatit starts with eight players trying to outlast each other to win $100,000except all of the interactions among the players take place on a social media program called The Circle (picture Facebook, except you can access it only when it wants you to and only in the ways it wants you to, and also there are no Nazis). Nobody knows who anybody is in real life, they know only what theyre seeing on the screen in front of them. So rather than trying to figure out a way to make people like you in real life like you would on, say, Survivor, contestants on The Circle have to figure out a way to make people like them on social media, which requires a much different skill set. Every so often, the players all have to rate each other from I Like This Person the Most to I Like This Person the Least. The two most popular players (and sometimes the single most popular player) then have to choose someone to block from the group.

STATUS UPDATE: Several of the players on the show are catfishing the others. One guy, for example, is named Alex and hes married and kind of dumpy and, in real life, has probably often been described as a little bit weird. So instead of uploading pictures of himself to his player profile, he uploads pictures of a very handsome, extremely in-shape guy named Adam. Theres all sorts of stuff like that going on: A different guy is on the game pretending to be his girlfriend; two other women are on there pretending to be other women; one guy posts real pictures of himself, but his mom is also with him coming up with stuff to post during status updates and group chats. Its a lot to explain to someone whos never seen the show, but not a lot to understand when youre actually watching the showwhich is exactly the way talking about social media works, by the way.

STATUS UPDATE: Part of what makes The Circle so great is how despite early assumptions that a show like this would lean into the loneliness heavy internet users might feel has been baked into their bones, it somehow does the opposite. Once the novelty wears off several episodes in, everything and everyone begins to feel ultra humanized. The isolation somehow begins mushing people together through their TV screens. Its incredible to watch happen. There are of course fun and funny moments on the episodes that speed the show forward (the guy pretending to be a woman, for example, is routinely invited into woman-only chats, and every single time he gets invited in hes two or three sentences away from tipping his hand), but there are also big philosophical moments that ground everything in a I Wasnt Expecting This Water to Get So Deep way. Watching a catfish having to process why theyve chosen to catfish feels like peeking inside someones diary.

STATUS UPDATE: To address a point from earlier about how this show requires a different skill set than traditional reality competition shows, heres an example: In the very first episode, we meet Karyn, a 37-year-old lesbian from New York City. Karyn has many likable qualities: shes funny, shes charming, shes smart, shes engaging. But Karyn decides she might be more successful on the show as Mercedez, a slimmer woman whose pictures she found on the internet that she describes by saying, Guys see her, they usually drool. When girls see her, they usually wanna be friends. Shes Fenty all the way down, and I am not. So why not make myself approachable? For a good few episodes, her strategy mostly works. But when all of the players are given a chance to add another picture of themselves to their profile page, someone comments that the new picture Karyn chooses doesnt match with the other pictures that Mercedez has posted. (Its a picture of the same person, mind you, but its a picture that appears philosophically out of sync with the others.) Its a tiny misstep, and one that most people probably wouldnt even recognize, but the players in The Circle pounce on it, and ultimately its the reason that Mercedez eventually gets sent home. As soon as her new picture went up, the whole group turned on her. And just like thatbecause of a simple picture somebody said didnt quite fit with her other photosshe went from being one of the more powerful players on the show to not being on the show at all.

STATUS UPDATE: The five best, most interesting, most invaluable players on the show are the five who ended up making it to the finale. Theres Chris, whos from Texas (he produces the most amount of laughs per episode). Theres Shubham, whos from California (he starts out hating social media and then stumbles into winning several within-the-show competitions and realizing that he has a fondness for it). Theres Sammie, whos from Florida (her funniest running bit is that the men on the show try to flirt with her and when they do they think theyre doing a bang-up job, but shes on her side of the screen making gag noises and grossed out faces). Theres Seaburn, whos from Massachusetts (hes pretending to be Rebecca, his real-life girlfriend). And theres Joey, whos from New York (when the show starts you think youre going to hate him, but after listening to him talk for 45 seconds you are absolutely smitten). Each one of them is just different enough that watching them become friends with each other is intriguingbut each one is also similar enough that it makes absolute sense they would become friends on the internet.

STATUS UPDATE: Everything Shubham does and says is delightful. Theres a part at the end of the season before the winner gets announced when the final five players all meet each other for dinner. Shubham is the first one to arrive, followed by Seaburn (whos supposed to be Rebecca). When the two meet, of course Shubham is perfect in his open-mouthed shock. A few minutes later Sammie shows up, and immediately recognizes Shubham from his photos. Shes confused by Seaburn, though. And Shubham, a wonderful angel of light and love, covers his gigantic smile with his right hand, points at Seaburn with his left, and then, in the most charming moment of the season, says through his smile and through his teeth and through his hands, Its Rebecca. Its perfect. Its so fucking perfect. It comes pouring out his mouth, the words Its Rebecca. You can watch it 60 times in a row and it only gets funnier, and sweeter, and more endearing.

STATUS UPDATE: One of the things that happens on The Circle is each time someone is kicked off the show, they get to choose one person to meet before they go. Every time someone got kicked off, Seaburn, who was pretending to be Rebecca, would turn into a twisted knot because he didnt want to be exposed as a catfish. When it finally happens, thoughwhen he finally hears his door open and realizes that someone is going to see who he actually is its another catfish whos standing in front of him. And listen, its hard to fully describe how all-caps-and-italicized GREAT the payoff is to see these two guys standing in front of each other, figuring out that they were both catfishes, but its exactly that: all-caps-and-italicized GREAT. Its like a scammer reunion. And it is beautiful.

STATUS UPDATE: It doesnt make any sense that someone sitting alone in a room talking to a TV for two weeks could be entertaining at all, but Chris is totally captivating in that context. Hes Tom Hanks in Cast Away when Hanks is stuck on that deserted island for four years by himself without anyone to talk to or be with. There has to be an even money bet somewhere that Chris is going to spin his appearance on The Circle into his own show.

STATUS UPDATE: Chris and Karyn (who was pretending to be Mercedez) meet up after Mercedez gets eliminated. And watching those two bounce compliments and love back and forth make it clear very early on that The Circle is going to be a sneaky emotional show. As soon it was over, it felt like (a) we needed Chris onscreen as much as possible and (b) Karyn going home was going to be a real crusher. (Not counting the thing when the final five people meet up right before the finale, the Chris and Karyn meeting was my favorite IRL interaction. It was just so endearing and compelling watching them see each other, realize the insta-connection they had, and then become fast friends.)

STATUS UPDATE: A lot of people will say The Circle is a good-bad show or a trashy but satisfying show or a guilty pleasure show. And theyll do so because its a reality TV show about people making friends on the internet. But fuck that. Its a genuinely good, legitimately fun show. You dont need any qualifiers. Its good. ITS A GOOD SHOW.

STATUS UPDATE: Joey, who opened the show by saying people regularly tell him he looks like a young Robert De Niro and whose voice sounds like his trachea has been sitting in a humidor for six weeks, wins the first season of The Circle. He was just the right amount of fun (like the way he would start shouting SEND MESSAGE! whenever hed start getting worked up during private message sessions), just the right amount of threatening (he was the first one to confront another contestant in a way that made it clear he did not like them), just the right amount of sincere (minus the confrontation, basically every interaction he had with someone ended with him saying that hed die for them), and just the right amount of clever (he had the chance to eliminate a powerful player late in the game, but chose to save her because he knew if he did she would vote for him in the final ratings). It makes absolute sense that he won a social media-based competition.

STATUS UPDATE: I absolutely cannot wait for Season 2 of The Circle.

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The Circle Is the Perfect Reality Show for the Social Media Age - The Ringer

Born in 1994, Justin Bieber has always loved music. As a young child, he learned to play guitar, piano, drums...and even the trumpet. He was raised by his single mother, who worked as many jobs as she could to support her family.

When Bieber was 12 years old, he sang Ne-Yos So Sick in a local singing competition. While he placed second, he got a whole lot more when the video was uploaded to YouTube, because it was seen by his future manager, Scooter Braun.

Justin became the first artist to have seven songs from a debut record chart on the Billboard Hot 100. To this day, he is one of the best-selling musical artists in the world! But Justin isnt that little boy anymore.

Here are 20 photos that change the way we see Justin Bieber.

Justin Bieber was discovered when he was only 13 years old. Scooter Braun saw a video on YouTube of Justin singing...and brought Usher along to check out the Canadian native. It wasnt long after that we started seeing Justin Bieber pop up everywhere. Justin was young and sweet and still unaffected by fame.

Justin was charming in all his interviews and was courteous to everyone, including his fans. He seemed like a great role model and parents didnt mind letting their daughters idolize the young star. His early songs were also appropriate for younger audiences, yet catchy enough for the older crowd. Justin Bieber was a hit around the world.

Unfortunately, Justin didnt remain unaffected by fame and fortune for long. His attitude began to change and he started to get into trouble. One of these incidents was a fight with a member of the paparazzi.

Justin and his buddies also got caught with illegal substances on his private jet, on the way to the Super Bowl, although charges were eventually dropped.

One incident that really started to change the way that people looked at the sweet pop star was when Justin was caught drag racing. The officer said that he immediately smelled alcohol on the underage pop star's breath. When the officer attempted to arrest him, Bieber cussed and tried to resist.

Justin started to get tattoos as early as his sixteenth birthday. While tattoos can be a great expression of art and self, they can also be a little concerning, especially when a seemingly wholesome pop star starts getting them at such a young age.

Justin upper body is almost entirely covered in tattoos now, and he doesnt show any sign of slowing down.

Justins Calabasas neighbors might know more about his trouble-making than anyone else. They finally filed charges against Justin after he trespassed on their property and egged their house. They also claimed that Justin had spit in their faces.

Justin eventually settled, but he had to take anger management classes, do community service, and pay them $80,000.

Those close to him were concerned about his antics. They were scared they were going to lose him.

His managerScooter Braun said:"I thought he was going to die. I thought he was going to sleep one night and that he would have so much crap in his system that he would not wake up the next morning."

Scooter Braun and the rest of the team decided to pull Justin out of the limelight. Scooter admits that Justin wasnt happy about the decision, saying, "He used to yell and scream at me, and he wanted to put music out, he wanted to tour.

Justin eventually realized it was for the best and started to turn himself around.

After Justin realized how far off the path he had gone, he took time off to reflect and wrote his super honest and authentic album, Journals. It was the album that broke him out of the cute teen pop star mold. It let others see the toll that Hollywood and fame had taken on him.

Justin came out on the other side and realized how lucky he was that he didnt completely lose himself. He told Billboard Magazine, I started going through the motions. I felt like people were judging me all the time. I came out alive. I came out swinging. But I was close to letting [fame] completely destroy me.

Justin told fans that he wasnt the one who turned it all around; instead, he gave the credit to Jesus. He started uploading videos of himself singing Christian songs and going to church.

Justin wrote a heartfelt message on Instagram and ended it with, Be kind today, be bold today and love people today, not by your standards but by Gods perfect unfailing love.

In 2015, Justin came out of his rough patch a stronger person. He re-launched the Bieber brand to more closely align with who he is now. He wasnt a teenager anymore and it was time to show the world that he had made changes. He wanted to put his childish behavior behind him.

The next album Justin released was his 'Purpose' album, showing fans that he had found his purpose. It was still honest and real, like his 'Journals' album, but also showcased his new sound to the world. It was a mix of pop, EDM, and R&B, and some people called it his best work ever.

What some people don't know is that, in the midst of his partying and getting in trouble with the law, he was also dealing with a serious breakup. Justin and Selena had an off-and-on relationship for many years, but it eventually became public knowledge that the two stars were no longer a couple.

On September 13, 2018, Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin were seen entering a marriage license courthouse. Two days later, Justin announced on social media that the pair were in fact married.

Of course this came with drama, especially from those still shipping Justin and Selena. Despite everything, it seems the two are very happy!

I guess if youre going to let yourself go, you should wait until after youre married. At least that seems like Justins policy. Justin shed his cool hairstyle and polished, pulled-together outfits. You can now find Justin with shoulder-length hair and facial hair, wearing what looks like anything he could find when he woke up that morning.

Justin and Hailey are not afraid of PDA. They also love to gush about each other on their social media accounts. After their first Thanksgiving as a married couple Justin wrote on Instagram, Every day is a learning process, trying to be more like him, patient, kind, selfless, boy I got a long way! But God's grace is sufficient!

The happy couple recently got a new puppy together. In her Instagram Stories, Hailey shared all the difficulties that go along with having a puppy and a Christmas tree. Justin has also put his house on the market and Hailey has been seen looking at new houses, so it seems the pair are looking to settle down.

Justin posted a picture on Instagram of a side by side, with his mug shot next to a recent picture of him smiling. The caption said, I LOVE THIS because it reminds me IM NOT EXACTLY WHERE I WANT TO BE BUT THANK GOD IM NOT WHERE I USED TO BE!!

Whether you see him as a naive boy, a troublesome teen, or a changed young man, Justin has continually proven that he is going to be his own man, regardless of what others want him to be. Beliebers continued to stick with him through his musical changes and trying times. It looks like theyll continue to stand with him.

Sources: E! News

Next19 Little Known Facts About Grey's Anatomy Star Justin Chambers

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20 Photos That Change The Way We See Justin Bieber | TheThings - TheThings

Are you stranded on how to end a cover letter? The conclusion of such a correspondence is as crucial as the address, introduction, and the body. To stand a chance of landing your dream job, you need to write an impressive letter and end it on a strong note.

Image: pexels.comSource: UGC

The process of shortlisting job applicants could be long and tiresome. During this exercise, recruiters review cover letters, CVs, and other relevant documents of potential employees. Applicants, therefore, ensure they write their best letters to appeal to the recruiters.

It is a piece of writing that describes an applicant's work history, professional skills, and interest in applying for a job. Recruiters use it to select the best candidates to interview.

It comprises of several elements, including the contact, a salutation, the body, the closing, and a signature.

The contact section includes details about the applicant's and employer's information. The salutation section has the name of the receiver. In the body, the applicant expresses their interest in the job and gives a review of their skills and qualifications.

The last part is the closing and sign-off section. Closing a cover letter may be quite a task to some people, but that does not imply that it is hard. There are simple rules and principles that one should have in mind when crafting a cover letter ending.

Every job application must have a closing paragraph to make it complete. It serves many purposes, including;

Here are some of the things to consider when writing a perfect conclusion of your application.

Image: pexels.comSource: UGC

As you write your conclusion, avoid the mistakes below:

Here are some excellent examples:

Signing off is a crucial part, and it comes at the very bottom. There are some salutations that you should avoid because they may appear rude, offensive, or unprofessional. They include;

When sending your application through mail, you need a hard copy with a handwritten signature and your full name.

Best regards,

(Your signature)

John Doe

Some organizations do not accept hard copy applications; therefore, you will need to upload it on their portal. To sign-off, write your name after the closing sentence.

Sincerely,

John Doe

You may also include a digital or scanned signature.

Image: pexels.comSource: UGC

The difference between signing for uploading and for emailing is that in the latter, applicants include their contacts.

Thank you,

John Doe

Email

Phone number

You may also include your street, country, ZIP code, and even professional social media accounts.

Hopefully, you have learned how to end a cover letter. With a good cover letter, you stand a chance of being shortlisted for an interview and even landing the job. Feel free to share this article with friends and help them improve their letter writing skills.

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How to end a cover letter: Tips and examples - Latest News in Nigeria & Breaking Naija News 24/7 | LEGIT.NG

Having dedicated a major part of his life to creating and uploading videos on YouTube over the last decade, it appears as if PewDiePie has finally decided to throw in the towel, so to speak.

The internet star, who owns YouTubes most-subscribed independent channel, confirmed in a video titled YouTubes New Update Has A BIG FLAW that hell be taking a step back from his work commitments in the New Year. I think now is a great time as any to announce: I have a special announcement to make, he said, adding, I am taking a break from YouTube next year. I wanted to say it in advance because I made up my mind.

In reassuring fans that the timeout wont be permanent, PewDiePie, real name Felix Kjellberg, inferred that his reasons for the limited-time departure come largely as a result of fatigue stemming from uploading new videos almost every day for 10 years on the trot.

The news comes not long after YouTube outlined changes to its anti-harassment policy, which has come under heavy fire for making life incredibly difficult for genuine content creators. Kjellberg has been a vocal critic of both the aforementioned proposals and YouTubes business practices numerous times in the past and we wouldnt be surprised if recent events have contributed to his momentary departure.

As for when the stars legion of followers can expect a return to normality, Kjellberg hasnt specified an exact date and, whats more, appears to have committed to a total detox of social media. In the days since his initial shock announcement, the YouTubers Twitter profile has been scrubbed clean and abandoned, its profile bio simply reading I dont use Twitter, this account is just to prevent fake accounts.

In light of the total blackout, then, it appears fans will simply have no choice but to wait until the New Year arrives to learn when PewDiePie plans to make his return. Watch this space.

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PewDiePie Quits Twitter After Confirming YouTube Hiatus - We Got This Covered

BOSTON, Dec. 17, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Everipedia, the worlds largest blockchain-based encyclopedia, and GIVE Nation, a childrens gamified wallet focused on teaching sustainable financial literacy program and altruism, announced a co-education sharing partnership!

GIVE Nation will be the first outside organization to build a custom front-end that interacts with the IQ Network. This is a major milestone for both organizations and is a perfect synergy for Everipedias mission to be the knowledge layer of not only blockchain but of web 3.0.

In this collaboration, GIVE Nation will be powering its content from a selection of Everipedia pages that are deemed age-appropriate for their audience. Furthermore, GIVE Nation will be uploading their lessons to Everipedia. The goal for this partnership is to provide a reliable platform for GIVE Nation to pursue its mission of educating children.

Everipedia currently boasts millions of monthly visitors from all over the globe who are curious about the world around them and counts Brave browser as one of their partners. GIVE Nation is providing a suite of financial literacy programs to children and encourages philanthropy through a number of activities. GIVE Nation has partnered with organizations and governments around the world to fulfill its mission.

We are looking forward to building a new ecosystem with Everipedia. This will be an essential piece of GIVE Nation's media infrastructure, empowering millions of children around the world" states Arnaud Saint-Paul, the CEO of GIVE Nation.

Everipedia Director of Partnerships and Exchanges David Liebowitz adds that We see GIVE Nation being the first of many partners that utilize our platform to foster learning for people of all ages worldwide. We are excited to be working on this together and look forward to making a substantial impact.

About Everipedia InternationalOriginally started in 2015 as a more modern and inclusive alternative to Wikipedia, Everipedia is now building the worlds first peer-to-peer encyclopedia on the blockchain, incentivizing content creators by making them stakeholders in the knowledge base themselves. With millions of monthly unique users and millions of wiki articles, everipedia.org has already surpassed English Wikipedia as the worlds largest English encyclopedia by content. Find out more at everipedia.org and follow Everipedia on Facebook and Twitter.

About GIVE NationBy focusing on community driven education and including philanthropic actions; GIVE Nation helps 518 year olds with sustainable financial literacy while positively impacting their community through the power of altruism and partnered charities. GIVE offers unique education and opportunities for children, while providing a reward system for good behavior & charitable acts. GIVE Nation's incubator retains features for our children within a safe ecosystem that's been scientifically proven to not only generate business opportunities, but more importantly; GIVE Nation's platform offers features for our children within a safe ecosystem to improve our planet and foster entrepreneurship, imagination, and altruism. GIVE's mission encourages an altruistic culture in young minds by improving the planet through promoting transparent acts of kindness. Future generations achieve happiness and sustainable financial well-being through a real-world education using digital currencies, blockchain and A.I. technology, while supporting charities. GIVE Nation is a world for kids by kids.

All trademarks and product names are the property of their respective companies. Our discussion may include predictions, estimates or other information that might be considered forward-looking. While these forward-looking statements represent our current judgment on what the future holds, they are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect our opinions only as of the date of this presentation. Please keep in mind that we are not obligating ourselves to revise or publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements in light of new information or future events.

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Everipedia Gives Back to Children by Partnering with GIVE Nation - GlobeNewswire

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Given each trip is about eight kilometres, you can imagine why relocating them some 3400 kilometres across the Nullarbor has not been considered.

"The time it was on the road, the amount of drying that would happen if it was exposed, you would actually need a week or two to settle it back down to play on it," Optus Stadium curator Brett Sipthorpe said.

"It's not like you could take one to each venue and keep it going. I don't think it's a feasible option, no."

Cricket Australia insists the punishment Hobart Hurricanes wicketkeeper Emily Smith received for innocently uploading her team's batting order onto social media won't be revoked. Smith was banned for 12 months, with nine months suspended, covering the WBBL, WNCL and even grade seasons.

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Australian Cricketers Association president Shane Watson will meet with CA chairman Earl Eddings next week to discuss how the case was handled but nothing is likely to change despite the ACA arguing CA has the power to change its own rules. What is clear is that all parties could have done things better. Smith, for one, should have had legal support in her initial hearing, and been encouraged to launch an appeal.

The ACA and CA agree Smith's actions were not linked to corruption but the punishment has angered many, including Isa Guha, the former England cricketer and now Fox Cricket commentator who said "common sense" should have prevailed.

Guha suggested it had been a case of "targetting someone who might not necessarily fight back".

"I personally didn't think the punishment fit the crime," she said. "But it's a situation that I am glad people are talking about now because that didn't happen a few years ago when a few girls got done for gambling where again it was a tricky circumstance, just the way it was handled, the way the girls were kind of ostracised from the cricket community they weren't able to set foot in the nets, turn up to games, which I just thought was horrendous.

'Bigger issues': Isa Guha has gone to bat for Emily Smith.Credit:Getty

"This has become their life. Cricket is now a viable option for women, so I was gutted to hear she was going to be out for the whole year but it looks like the ACA are providing some good support. The way I see it, Cricket Australia is using it as a deterrent. For me, there are much larger issues going on in match-fixing and gambling, just in world cricket."

The planets were aligned for Mitchell Starc's bid for a hat-trick. He had a pink ball, under lights and the jinx, broadcaster and writer Adam Collins, was nowhere to be seen at Optus Stadium.

Collins, who estimates he has attended 116 Tests and never witnessed a hat-trick, has left the Test circuit for the summer. Alas, for Starc that was not enough to seal the deal, though he does not seem to mind. "It's definitely not a goal that I have to tick off. If it happens, it happens," Starc said.

Kim Hughes has never been afraid to speak his mind, and the former Australian captain has made it clear what he thinks about the possibility of Steve Smith returning to the top role.

Tim Paine remains a series-by-series proposition, and Smith appears his logical successor, despite having served a ban for bringing the game into disrepute in South Africa last year.

"As far as Smith is concerned, he should never captain Australia again," Hughes said at the Lord's Taverners Breakfast during the week.

"Our national side is the most important [team] sport. I hope that he can concentrate on being the best player in the world and then let other people do the other things.

"It would be a mistake [for Smith to captain] even in two or three years' time."

Andrew Wu writes on cricket and AFL for The Sydney Morning Herald

Jon Pierik is cricket writer for The Age. He also covers AFL and has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.

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Heavy freight: Why drop-in pitches can't be moved interstate - Sydney Morning Herald

Amazfit GTR is a smartwatch that doesn't look like a smartwatch (Jeff Li/IBTimes)

Being a watch enthusiast, I find myself struggling to appreciate smartwatches as timepieces.

They feel much more like extensions to my phone that straps to my wrist, and I think the main reason for that is not because they can't tell time as well as traditional watches. In fact smartwatches are connected to phones which gets it's time from an atomic clock through GPS, which means when in sync, its accuracy is unbeatable by any traditional watches.

The main mental block that prevents me of thinking of smartwatches as timepieces pertains mainly to its craftsmanship, its aesthetics, and the fact that they need to be charged too often when compared to traditional watches.

After using the Amazfit GTR for the last few weeks, I'd have to say that my mental block is crumbling down over time. This is a Smartwatch that has been beautifully crafted out of premium material, and balances its functionality with its aesthetics, plus having a large user base who are watch lovers and having the ability to be customized; it is a package that cannot be equaled by any other smartwatches on the market right now.

Polished Stainless Steel case with a Ceramic bezel: What else do you need? (Jeff Li/IBTimes)

Premium build

There are not many smartwatches on the market that I would call premium build, and I certainly did not expect this from the GTR mainly due to its price point. However taking it out of the box, the first thing I noticed is that it handled exactly like a traditional watch. Its weight, cold and polished metal body and dimensions felt oddly familiar. At first touch, I immediately thought Huami has struck some kind of perfect balance in the build to make this Smartwatch not feel like a Smartwatch at all. I bet if someone gave me a blind test, I would not be able to pick it out by feel next to other traditional watches.

On closer inspection, the stainless steel case did not disappoint. Its curves and finish are precise and exudes strength and class. They did not skimp out on the two buttons either which are both clicky and felt as premium as the case.

Curiosity did strike me when it came to the bezel though, as it is a ring of matt finish with hourly markings but also has a polished chamfer. After inquiring the Huami team, they confirmed that the bezel is actually made of ceramic (Specifically microcrystalline zirconium ceramics according to the website, like the ceramic edition of the iWatch). This I thought was very promising, because the Gorilla glass surface recesses below the ceramic bezel and would be strong enough to be its protection from scratches.

Leather outer, rubber inner - my perfect combo (Jeff Li/IBTimes)

Going to the back of the watch, the back of both the watch and the leather strap is synthetic, which for me, I was completely ecstatic. One of the biggest challenges I face with watch wearing is sweat corrosion and unpleasant smells. Name a trick online, and I've tried it all on my leather straps, and nothing have worked. Not only is the leather strap of the GTR rubberized, it is also ribbed, allowing for extra air flow. In the weeks of testing this watch, I have not experienced any odor issues. I'm also a fan of the synthetic back of the watch for similar reasons. I have started to like synthetic backs since trying out the Suunto Traverse, and the back on the GTR is just as inert and sweat resistant - exactly how I like it.

Amazfit itself has plenty of good looking watch faces, but there's even more (Jeff Li/IBTimes)

Watch loving community generated watch faces

This is arguably the best thing about Amazfit watches, and the GTR in particular; the watch enthusiasts behind it. The Amazfit somehow got all the planets aligned, where it:

Because of not one, not two, but all three of these things combined, what you get is a Smartwatch that can load beautifully made watch faces made by watch lovers, of which a considerable library is already available.

When I realized this, I immediately found an app to customize the watch face and started trying out them out. I felt like a giddy teenager who just discovered Windows Vista sidebar and widgets for the first time! Compared with any other smartwatches that I know of, the Amazfit GTR has the most extensive and high quality custom watch faces that I have seen, thanks to the community of watch lovers behind it.

(Caution: Do use unofficial watch faces at your own risk. Like any computer device, uploading unregulated, user generated software always come with an unavoidable risk and may cause damage to your device if there are malwares. If you want to play safe, the Amazfit app itself has plenty of well-built watch faces to choose from)

You only need to see this once a month (Jeff Li/IBTimes)

24 Days Battery life

Not sure if this was a tongue in cheek statement, but instead of a 24 hour battery life - which is quite typical for smartwatches, the GTR has a 24 day battery life. When put into daily use, this makes a day and night difference. After its first full charge, enduring all my watch face uploading, synchronizing, and all the screen-on time for gawking at new watch faces - I haven't needed to charge the watch, not even once.

Magnetic 'puck' for charging (Jeff Li/IBTimes)

When you do need to charge it, the GTR charging system is easy enough that you might as well charge it every night. With a magnetic puck, it attaches itself (Like the good'o Magsafe chargers on the Macbooks) and the way it goes.

Who is the Amazfit GTR for?

What sets this smartwatch apart is not its software, and Huaimi knows it. They made a conscious decision to put a considerable effort into getting the hardware just right, and after using it for a few weeks, I'd say it paid off big time. From the premium build, to the long battery, to the possibilities of loading on sophisticated watch faces, the Amazfit GTR has become in my mind the first compelling Smartwatch that belong in my timepiece collection.

David is a tech enthusiast/writer who is often on the move and is on a mission to explore ways to make his overhaul flights more enjoyable. This is a contribution to an ongoing IBTimes review series on gadgets for Business Travellers.

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Amazfit GTR is the Best First Smartwatch for Watch lovers - International Business Times

Jigs and fixtures are often made with custom parts from Xometry. Both of these devices help engineers and manufacturers to make better products.

A jig is a device that helps support, hold and locate a workpiece by guiding the tools that are needed to execute a manufacturing operation. Well-made jigs can have a major impact on the repeatability and accuracy of a manufacturing process. Jigs are used in uni-dimensional processes like drilling, tapping and reaming. Jigs also can have installed components, like bushings, which can come into contact with the cutting tool. An example is a drill bushing, which keeps drills in the right position and at the right angle to perform their work. 3D printing jigs is common practice due to the process ability to create conformal shapes and off-angle features without expensive tooling and setups.

Unlike jigs, which help to guide tools, fixtures help to hold workpieces in position so that they can be machined accurately. Examples include blocks of raw materials fixed inside machines and vices or clamps that hold workpieces in place. Most manufacturing facilities use fixtures to enable automation to increase production speed. For example, Xometry builds automotive fixtures for BMW that are used for aligning a vehicles front end during assembly. This helps BMW to manufacture their vehicles more efficiently and reduce operational error though repeatable work holding and installation solutions. BMW uses 3D printing services, urethane casting and CNC machining services to produce custom fixture assemblies.

Jigs and fixtures are both used to increase the productive time of mass production processes. But there are key differences between the two. Jigs always help guide a tool, while fixtures hold and locate the work, but do not guide tools. Fixtures are usually heavier and are bolted directly to the machine table, while jigs are usually lighter and are not affixed directly to the table. Jigs are also generally more complex to design and more expensive to produce than fixtures.

Both jigs and fixtures can be made with CNC Machining or 3D Printing, though it is more common to see 3D printed jigs since they are lighter. 3D printing can be a great choice with parts with complex geometries since they can often be expensive or challenging to machine. 3D printed jigs can be significantly cheaper than machined ones, so its worth getting a quote in 3D printing as part of your process.

Designing a fixture or jig begins with the application in mind as well as the quantities needed. There are three main processes used when making jigs or fixtures.

1. CNC machining is great for producing low to medium complexity shapes that require high stiffness, extreme environments and precision tolerances. Delrin (Acetal), Garolite, PTFE and PEEK are the most common polymers used for machining jigs and fixtures. In metal, typically Aluminum 6061-T6 is the most common, which can be enhanced by finishes like metal plating, color anodizing and chemical conversion coatings. CNC milling is the best approach for quality check fixtures, due to its ability to achieve precision tolerances and surface finishes.

2. Additive manufacturing or 3D printing can produce low to very high complexity shapes with ease. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is heavily used in making fixtures because of a build area up to three feet and the ability to make lightweight parts using sparse infill. Handheld jigs, such as surgical drill guides, may utilize processes like Carbon DLS or Stereolithography due to a good combination of precision and durable parts. PolyJet 3D printing is useful for laser marking fixtures because of its ability to produce soft-touch, non-marking holders using multi-material 3D printing, similar to a rubber overmold.

3. Urethane casting combines the design freedom of 3D printing with high-wear, urethane-based materials. Urethane casting can produce low volume production parts that can be color-matched, hit a specific durometer and are non-marring for holding finished products and ornamental pieces. Cast urethane parts are often flexible or rubber-like but can also be highly stiff depending on the material used.

Each jig or fixture is custom, and specifically designed for its application. There is no right way to make or combine parts together but there are best practices that will help guide your thought process. The tips below aid in design best practices for fixtures and jigs.

1. Make a mockup if you do not have the part yet. 3D printing is by far the best means to get a rapid prototype of a part to be fixtured. Even before the design process, a physical model to reference can be a powerful tool to inspire a design approach. 3D printed parts can also be robust enough to trail fixture or jig setups, including drilling, part marking and running automated inspection like CMM.

2. Limit your touchpoints in the design to those which critically support the object as well as indicate or index its orientation. This will reduce the complexity of the jig or fixture and save headaches when the digital design meets realitywhere minor deviations may occur from manufacturing.

3. Give clearances to corners and bends when designing conformal jigs and fixtures. Many manufacturing processes may have small radii in sharp internal corners. Instead of risking an interfering fit, it is best to design generous pockets or clearances around those features. For fixturing bent tubing or sheet metal components, it is best to design for the maximum condition of the curve or avoid touchpoints in that area altogether. This is due to deviations from the CAD which can often occur in the bent or formed locations.

4. Split up large parts to reduce manufacturing costs and increase the flexibility in the design. For example, you can build a 30 fixture, but it may be 2-3X less expensive to build smaller components only where the touchpoints are requiredespecially if the fixture will be mounted to a threaded plate.

5. Make the parts lightweight by using ultralight or sparse infills with FDM, or by designing features like pockets, ribs and holes to reduce the material used. This is particularly useful for jigs, where it is very common they will be handheld. Lighter parts will reduce fatigue over time and can be easier to store between uses.

6. Mix materials and processes to get a specific function out of the jig or fixture. It is not uncommon to see 3D printed components cover the highly custom contours of a jig or fixture while other features are generated using precision milling or other processes. Each process has its strengths and trade-offs, and with manufacturing as a service models (MaaS) like Xometry there are very few restrictions to what process and materials can be used.

7. Use COTS frequently to reduce costs on standardized components like handles and clamps. COTS stands for commercial off the shelf and is a catch-all term for anything you can buy without needing to custom design it (screws, pins, handles, rails, etc.). COTS components are almost always cheaper than custom manufactured pieces, often by orders of magnitude in costs. The custom components machined, cast or additively manufactured should be specific to the application need. Adding threaded inserts or tapped holes to the custom components prepares them for custom COTS integrations.

8. Prepare for benchtop adjustments by incorporating adjustable features. For example, metal shims between screw-mounted components are extremely common to compensate for tolerance deviations in assemblies. Using slots for table top-mounted fixtures allows minor adjustments to be made without heavy rework. Spring-powered pogo pins, whether custom or off-the-shelf, are also useful for giving firm mounting while allowing for small deviations between parts.

With online machine shops and online 3D printing services available today, it has never been easier to produce single and low volume custom jig and fixtures. Xometry has the benefit of providing the most common services and materials used for producing custom guides and work holding solutions with short lead times and low costs. Xometry can even build custom assemblies on-demand as it does for BMWs automotive line. Getting started is easy by uploading the 3D models for the jig or fixture to Xometrys Instant Quoting Engine.

This article was published in collaboration with Xometry.

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Jigs and fixtures by Xometry - 3DPMN

The HDFury Vertex is the Swiss Army knife of HDMI and capable of solving a multitude of problems that can crop up with the HD and Ultra HD world were in. Its been designed with AV professionals in mind. It can be used with pretty much any HDMI device in existence and scales the output to fit the capabilities of the connected display or receiver, says Adam Phillips, commercial channel manager for OneAV. This eliminates the need to upgrade existing displays should your client not wish to.

This handy device also has a screen that tells you what signal is being received and from where its being sent. The Vertex also includes a D/A audio combo-jack, management in the Windows GUI, full room control via RS232, HDR Metadata Injector with extended options for extracting, editing and uploading HDR metadata, as well as AVI and VSIF Infoframes (if you inserted/edited HDR metaframes it would allow you to change the colour volume of HDR as well as maximum and minimum luminance).

The HDFury Vertex combines the advantages of the 4K Linker (the ability to downscale/upscale manually and automatically) with those of the HDFury Integral (22 matrix that offers a variety of features for modifying a signal) and offers even more professional features (such as an OLED screen on the Vertex itself that will give the user more information about the signal coming into the Vertex).

The OLED display on top of the device measures 25664 pixels and displays all data of the HDMI input and output signal, including the HDCP version, colour depth, colour and subsampling.

With the control options via OSD, OLED display, Windows GUI, iOS / Android App (only with HDFury GoBlue not included), this device allows you to be able to control your HDFury Vertex via Bluetooth, an app on your smartphone, and RS232 you get full control over the entire AV system. Vertex also provides constant 18Gbps 5V signal integrity for longer cable runs and transmission distances.

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Getting multi-tooled up with OneAV - AV Magazine

TOWAMENCIN- I left Penn State on Wednesday, was admitted to an out-patient center for eating disorders on Thursday, and got sent to the E.R on Friday.

Born and raised in Harleysville, North Penn Class of 2011 Alum Erin Morrissey visited her old stomping grounds on Monday, December 9th, to talk to the students enrolled in Womens Voices about her past experiences battling eating disorders and how she turned her unhealthy habits into a successful media business.

Morrisseys teenage years were as normal and ordinary as it can get; her parents worked during the day and they ate dinner together every night around the dinner table, she played almost every sport under the sun, attended church, and experienced the same stresses that high school teenagers face every day. In the shadows of her older brother, Morrissey felt the pressure not only from her parents but from herself to succeed.

When I went to high school, I continued to feel the pressure [from myself]. School didnt always come easy to me, Morrissey remembered.

As the stress and pressure added on, Morrissey made sure there was nothing lower than an A on her report card. She eventually applied and attended The Pennsylvania State University as an undecided major, unsure of what she wanted to do with the next chapter of her life.

I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life, I felt so lost, Morrissey stated as she recalled beating herself up for having no desire to pursue any career.

I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life, I felt so lost

Erin Morrissey

Throughout her first year at Penn State, Morrissey found it hard to find a group of friends to stick with, envious of other girls who made it look so easy to find their niche. Morrissey regretted not participating in greek life but was too scared to be told she wasnt good enough by the top sororities on campus. Between switching majors, not having a group of friends, and the thoughts of not being good enough, the pressure started to build up.

I put so much pressure on myself to try to figure it all out. The pressure started to manifest and I channeled that anxiety through health [and fitness], or what I thought was being healthy, recalled Morrissey.

Over the summer, home from college, Morrissey started going on runs, working out, and restricting her diet. Over those few months, she would only agree to eat at healthy restaurants and would run that extra mile every day and work out more to the point that she returned to school much thinner than when she left.

Naturally, the weight came off really quickly, and I was shocked at the amount of attention I was getting. I finally felt like I had control of something in my life, Morrissey claimed.

Then it took a turn for the worse. Hoping that she would be picked by the best sorority since she was skinnier than ever, Morrisseys self-confidence and esteem plummeted as she got rejected. Her excessive weight loss got so bad that her parents had to pull her out of school and admit her to an out-patient center for eating disorders where she was then admitted to Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia for 12 days where she stayed on permanent bed rest out of the fear from doctors that her heart would collapse and stop beating.

It was the one thing the perfectionist in me knew I could control the outcome of. I took it too far. I remember laying there feeling hopeless, and that these things shouldnt happen to someone like me, Morrissey stated in the silent room of shocked students.

I remember laying there feeling hopeless, and that these things shouldnt happen to someone like me

Erin Morrissey

Discharged from the hospital, Morrissey started her long process of recovery. During those 12 months and then some, Morrissey went through treatment, therapy, meetings with nutritionists, and the long process of learning to love her body again. Even after she graduated from her out-patient program, the recovery process didnt stop there. Its a lifetime of her learning and trusting to love her body and mind again.

It was a new start for Morrissey. Instead of returning to Happy Valley, she decided to stay closer to home and attend Temple University. She also turned her undecided major into a major in Public Relations where she found her passion for media. Morrissey fell in love with Temple as she found a group of friends, got internships, and even lived on campus her last year. After graduation, Morrissey entered the corporate world and started working. But something was missing. She found herself reading blogs and checking Instagram instead of doing her work. Outside of her day job, she found a love for baking, but not just your ordinary brownies in a bag where you add eggs and milk, she started creating her own healthy recipes like brownies made out of chickpeas. Her love for making her own healthy recipes grew and her kitchen turned into her own bakery and therapy session.

I used the time in the kitchen to heal my relationship with food, Morrissey claimed.

In 2017, Morrisseys mother said the words that changed her life, you should start a blog. So in April of that same year, Erin Lives Whole came to life. She started out with a small following where she posted mediocre pictures of her recipes. Morrissey started to gain more followers as she was consistent with uploading content to the site, and people just kept coming back for seconds. After a year of Erin Lives Whole, Morrissey made the important, yet difficult decision to leave the corporate world to pursue the blog full time because she would kick [herself] if she didnt try.

Jump forward to today, Morrissey runs her own media business with more than 128,000 followers on Instagram. She has worked and will continue working with brands such as Whole Foods and Panera Bread and continues to follow her passion for media, blogging, and healthy baking. Some may think shes crazy, why would she leave a corporate job to start a blog? Well funny enough, Morrissey actually earns more than she wouldve at her corporate job and even brings in more than her boyfriend who is an engineer at a high-end company.

Morrisseys journey wasnt easy. It wasnt pretty. It took a lot of time, reflection, failures, and sacrifices. She learned her self worth and educated herself on the right way to be healthy, and not just a healthy body, but a healthy mind. She turned one of the darkest times in her life, where she was at the foothold of almost killing herself by what she was doing, to creating it into something beautiful, something worth talking about.

Its my story; Im not ashamed. It could happen to anyone, eating disorders dont discriminate. My platform allows me to bring attention to eating disorders and to show that recovery is possible. Everything in my life happened for a reason; if I never left school for treatment, Erin Lives Whole wouldnt exist, concluded Morrissey.

Erin Lives Whole: https://www.erinliveswhole.com/

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NP grad Erin Morrissey proving life is what you bake it - Knight Crier