GBOX Midnight MX2 Media Box

In my quest to find a small box that sits next to the television which runs XBMC and can play every movie in my collection, no matter what the format, I got advised to buy GBOX Midnight MX2. First let us look at the specs:

G-Box Midnight MX2 Specifications:

* Amlogic A9 Dual Core Neon HD CPU
* Mali400 Quad Core High Performance 3D GPU
* 1GB RAM (DDR3)
* 8GB Total Internal Storage
* USB Storage Extendable (Flash Drives/HDD)
* SD Storage Extendable (Up to 32GB!)
* 802.11b/g/n internal Wifi
* HDMI v1.4 video output
* 10/100 Ethernet Port
* Coaxial SPDIF Digital Audio Output (Surround Sound)
* Composite Audio/Video Out
* 4x USB 2.0 Ports
* Android 4.2.x Jelly Bean installed
* Supports Wireless USB Keyboard/Mouse
* Google Play Store installed
* Fully Rooted!

(more…)

Advice when buying a printer

When people ask me what printer to buy, the number one thing is always check the price of the ink before buying what seems to be a cheap printer / all-in-one. Why then why I came to buying a printer did I not follow my own advice? I Spotted the HP 4500 All-in-one in Tesco some time back (last year in fact) and a few things grabbed my attention:

• Reduced price (was £99.99 – now £49.99)
• Claims to have cheap inks on the box
• Functions as 4 in 1 device 
• Sheet feeder built in
• Wireless

When the original inks ran out, it was time to buy some news one’s and this is were the fun began.

(more…)

Gathering of the World Masters 2013

On the 18th & 19th May 2013, I went along to the Gathering of the World Masters 2013 held in Bridlington. The objective of this event was to allow various Grand masters of Martial Arts to go through a small section of the styles on offer to a small group of people lasting one hour at a time. What a great way to learn something new for everyone attending as well as soak up the knowledge from people ranging from 60 years of knowledge as well as 40+ for the rest.

(more…)

Time to Change Gyms

I have been going to the original gym for two years solid. I started originaly by paying £35 a month, did this for two months and then joined by signing a direct debt for a one year contract, paying £25 a month via my bank. There was nothing wrong with the gym as such and it was close at the time plus on my way home from work. A couple of times in that two years I got parking fines, one at Wicks (across the road from the gym) which costs me £85 and another one on a Sunday when I failed to check the sign saying that Sunday was not free (even though I was the only one in the car park). I have since moved house and it made no sense for me to continue this gym as it meant taking stuff into work to get changed plus the times were restrictive on a Sunday. I finally did what I was saying for ages – join a gym around the corner.    

(more…)

Open Broadcaster Software

Great news for live streamers. There is now a new alternative to XSplit and Wirecast. If you’re tight on funds and not able to dish out the money for XSplit. Let me introduce you to the new open source broadcaster software that is now available for free. OBS the Open Broadcaster Software

(more…)

Way of the Exploding Fist

This is not a review for the retro game Way of the Exploding Fist but my view on Martial Art Training, in this case Karate but can apply to others. We must have all seen the movies were the person unleashes a barrage of devastating blows and renders an entire gang of henchmen helpless and lying on the floor. At this point in time the person heads off to the nearest Martial arts place and think they are about to become the next Bruce Lee in a matter of weeks. The first thing that throws them is how most of the class consists of Children and how they are performing the rather boring art of walking forward with a single punch to the face turning around at the end of the hall and repeating basic moves for the best part of an hour. They begin to wonder when the exciting stuff will happen such as fighting with Sticks, breaking boards and performing flying roundhouse kicks. Normally these same people only attend a few lessons and leave.

(more…)