Archive for May, 2011
Boge 510 Cartomizers Review
May 18th
Have you been thinking about trying cartomizers lately with your electronic cigarette? Maybe you already do, but you’ve been looking for a better solution?
Maybe you should give Boge 510 cartomizers a try.
I’ve been pretty lucky in getting good parts this time around, and the Boge 510 is no exception to this rule.
These cartomizers are available in low resistance (1.9-2.1ohms), standard (2.9-3.1ohms), and high. They are available from Pure Smoker for $1.50 each, come empty, and are re-fillable.
I ordered the Boge 510 because I was put off by the expense of regular atomizers, especially given the track record I have of burning them out. That’s not to say I haven’t burned out a carto or two, but it’s a much rarer occasion.
Low Resistance Boge 510 Cartomizer
Let me just start by saying… WOW.
I’ve tried a multitude of electronic cigarette products, but this was the first method I tried that really stuck.
Low resistance is not necessarily the best for all flavors, since it can have a tendency to burn some flavors, but if you use lighter colored juices, I recommend you give it a go. Just remember that LR atomizers should not be used on anything higher than 3.7v. If you’re using anything stronger, I recommend you try…
Standard Resistance Boge 510 Cartomizer
Standard resistance, for me, is a different animal. Many people start here and move on to LR, I went the opposite route.
I find that vapor production drops off a bit between LR and SR, but the SR Boge 510 is still quite nice, and really brought a sweetness out of my Firecracker flavor that I had never seen before. If you want more flavor without as much risk of burning, go with SR.
Of course, I still prefer the LR Boge 510 myself since it vapes like a king.
Use-ability
I find the cartomizers to be more convenient for me, and provide a few hours between refills. Filling them is rather simple, particularly when using the condom method or the taryn spin.
Reliability
Most retailers will tell you that cartomizers are disposable, one-time-use things. Most retailers would be right. Unless they are talking about the Boge 510 of course.
These cost me about $1.50 each, and I haven’t lost one yet due to a failure. I’ve had a couple get slightly harder to pull on after about a month of use, but still usable, especially after cleaning by soaking in alcohol.
Maintenance is a snap, and these things last. If you use a thin, light colored e-liquid, always keep the filler wet, and never burn them, they will likely last you for several months each.
How to ditch cable tv for good
May 18th
One thing is certain these days: Cost of living is only going up. One way many consumers find they can cut a huge chunk out of their budget is by limiting spending on entertainment. I am going to show you how to do that for the lowest cost possible.
The good news is, you don’t necessarily have to give up your favorite shows to ditch cable.
What you will need
An internet connection
Ok, so this is admittedly one place you won’t necessarily be completely ditching cable. You will still need it for internet access. You can get away with other services, such as DSL, but nothing is going to beat the reliability of a good cable internet connection. Fortunately, this is probably something you already have.
A television or other display
For the purpose of this article, we’re going to go ahead and assume you have this.
A media center PC OR streaming media player
A media center PC is going to cost you more up front, but will provide a lot more entertainment for you in the long run. It doesn’t have to be a powerful PC to do this job. Important factors to consider are power consumption, heat generation, and of course, start up time. A media center PC will have a slower start up time, and consume more power than a streaming media player. You can usually re-purpose an old laptop computer for this.
How to do it
1. Cancel your cable TV. Enjoy the freedom! Be sure to keep your internet connection. This dropped my monthly bill from $130 to $60 for Roadrunner Turbo, which is more than capable of HD streaming.
2. Get premium content: I subscribe to Hulu Plus ($7.99/mo) and Netflix streaming (also $7.99/mo).
Hulu is there to provide you with access to new shows as they are aired, usually within a day of their live television broadcast. Sure, you have to wait, and yes, there are still commercials. Still worth it in my opinion. If you want current television legitimately, this is the best way to go about it.
Netflix streams movies, and has a fairly robust collection that, like Hulu, is always growing. But in truth, the best part about Netflix is access to previous seasons of a lot of shows.
Between these two, I am never bored, and always have plenty of material to watch, both old and new. Movies are there when I want them.
3. Pick your method of delivery:
The media center PC is by far the most powerful, with the least restrictions. It is also the most expensive option. You can repurpose almost any computer with proper outputs (this gets easier if you have HDMI output on the PC) as a media center PC. I personally recommend using Boxee software and a media center remote control for this. Be aware that while Boxee is currently in negotiations to provide access to Hulu, this is not yet in place as of the writing of this article. The good news is, with a media center PC, you can simple install Hulu Desktop for the time being. Boxee also has nice social media integration, which is always welcome. There are a lot of other alternatives, many of them free. Just do a little research to find the right one for you. Boxee also has a set-top box for media streaming available for about $200, but be warned it has been plagued with firmware problems. Still, it is a nice product, and I would love to have one.
The media streaming box is by far the cheapest and easiest to set up, with the least power consumption.
Many Blu-Ray players have Netflix capability built in now, and if you already have one of these, you might be set. Far fewer have Hulu Plus enabled. You can also get away with using an XBoX 360, Playstation 3, or Wii in many cases if Netflix is all you want, although some support Hulu as well. If you own any of these, check out the offerings you have available to you before spending more money.
Now, if you want streaming media AND have a tight budget, but don’t already own a device capabpe of the job, there’s good news for you.
The Roku HD player is only $59.99, and provides both Netflix AND Hulu Plus, with integrated Wi-Fi. I just ordered one of these myself using a special from Amazon, and got mine for $35 because the Kindle my girlfriend received for a college graduation present came with a free coupon.
If you own a Kindle, I suggest keeping your eyes peeled for this promotion. It is an excellent deal.
My favorite thing about the Roku is that it doesn’t matter if you have a nice, new HD TV, or an older set (I haven’t upgraded, too stubborn to spend the money) since you can use the analog A/V plugs. The Boxee Box is HDMI only, but this is not a problem so long as you have a TV that supports it. In many cases, you can get away with a computer monitor that supports HDMI, and in fact get a much clearer picture, at the cost of a smaller screen.
The Roku, as well as some of the other products here do have an option to add additional “channels” to them, such as YouTube or CNN. Many times, you can get all the same things that you get on cable for free online.
Are there shows you can’t live without, but aren’t available for streaming?
Rift Assassin PvP–Level 39
May 5th
So I got bored and made a PvP video showcasing why I love PvP as an assassin rogue in Rift.
It’s like playing a rogue in WoW, only it’s still effective at killing and CC’ing people.
Rift–Assassin Rogue PvP–Level 39
