KWBaker

If you’ve ever used the Pomodoro Technique, you’ve probably noticed an increase in productivity and focus. But most people aren’t aware that there’s a lot more you can do with it. The way that it breaks up your day can lead to some powerful benefits.

Let’s take a look at some less traditional methods to apply the Pomodoro Technique to. If you’re not familiar with it, check out the basics of Pomodoro first.

1. Goal Setting

Have you ever finished a day and felt like you didn’t get enough done? Sometimes you might have actually had a productive day, but just weren’t sure once it was over. One of the first, best, and easiest ways to make the most out of your Pomodoro practice is setting micro-goals.

If you decide to accomplish 10 complete Pomodoros in one day and complete this, you can be confident that you did your best that day. Even if the day wasn’t the most productive, you can rest easy knowing you met your productivity goal.

If you do Pomodoros right and only count the ones you did without distraction, doing 10 a day is quite productive! It’s also a good idea to give yourself thresholds. For instance: if you finish 12, you’re a hero; complete eight, and you still did great.

2. Time Management

Doing Pomodoros is a great way to stay on track for short bursts of time. In the same vein, planning your days around your Pomodoros is an excellent overall management technique.

If you find you get sucked into one task but neglect other essential tasks, planning your days in terms of Pomodoros can help greatly.

For example, you can set aside one Pomodoro a day for responding to emails. Or if you need to handle a small project, you can assign three Pomodoros on Tuesday to knock it out.

If you keep irregular hours, using Pomodoros for time management can help you do the work you need to whenever you can.

3. Time Tracking

After you’ve spent some time planning your weeks around how many Pomodoros you finish, you can start tracking them on a spreadsheet. There are two ways to do this.

You can plan ahead using the time management technique and listing all the Pomodoros you wanted to get done that week. As you go through the week, highlight the items you finished.

The second technique is less rigid: list the overall projects you want to work on that week. You can set goals for the number of poms you want to finish and add them to the total as you complete them.

4. Project Management

If you manage projects for a small team of people, you can use Pomodoros to increase productivity and better track how everyone spends their time. The tricky part can be getting everyone on board to use the Pomodoro Technique. But once you do, this gets a lot easier.

If you get employees to use the techniques above to track their time, you can find out exactly how long a task or project took down to the half-hour. Even better, you’ll know that the time spent on that project was optimized by using Pomodoros.

You can also assign people to research projects and make sure they don’t go down any rabbit holes by limiting the amount of Pomodoros they can spend on that project.

5. Improving Estimates

This is a more advanced technique that becomes easier after you have a good amount of experience using Pomodoros to manage time. After you’ve become confident at tracking your Pomodoros, you’ll start to get a feel for how many cycles certain tasks take. Once you get used to this, you can give clients much sharper estimates.

For example, a graphic designer might need to give a client an estimate of how long it will take to deliver a landing page design. If the designer has done enough of this type of work, they can give clients highly accurate estimates within a tight range.

6. Billing Clients

Once you’ve gotten used to tracking everything you do with Pomodoros, it becomes a snap to see exactly how much time you spent on every aspect of each project. All you have to do is look at your week as you tracked it and find the work you did for your client.

There are at least two benefits of using Pomodoros for billing. One is that your charges will match your estimates more closely. Another is that you can bill your clients down to the half-hour, showing them that you respect their time and money.

Bonus: 10 Five-Minute Break Time Activities

Doing something productive during your break is a great way to maximize your day. Meanwhile, doing something relaxing is a great way to manage stress. Here are some ideas to put into practice.

1. Take a Walk Around the Block

Exercise is a proven way to reduce stress and improve overall health and well-being. Using it as a break time activity can help ensure that you’re doing something physical throughout the day.

2. Limit Social Media Usage to Break Time

One of the benefits of doing Pomodoros is that you can keep yourself off social media. But you can also use it to limit the time spent on social media if you have a problem with using it too much.

3. Check Email During Breaks or During a Dedicated Pom

Email can be a huge time suck. A five-minute break is the perfect time to work on getting your inbox to zero. And if you need to send responses, schedule a Pomodoro for getting through those.

4. Shop for Productivity Books

Many highly successful people, like Tim Ferriss, read at least one book a week. Five minutes is all it takes to pick up a great one; Ferriss’s own Tools of Titans is full of good advice.

5. Watch Just One YouTube Video

YouTube can be a huge time suck if you get into the rabbit hole of videos. But if used responsibly, it can also take your mind off work for a few minutes.

6. Clean the House or Tidy Your Desk

You might be surprised by how much cleaning you can get done in just five minutes. And if you do five minutes of cleaning multiple times a day, you can keep your place spotless.

7. Get Some Water or Coffee

It’s a good idea to stretch your legs and hydrate, so take a walk to the water cooler or fridge. Or if you’re still ramping up, you can grab a cup of coffee.

8. Draw or Doodle to Ease Your Brain

You can keep a pad of paper and a pencil in your desk drawer and pull it out to give your analytical brain a much-needed break. If you want to get serious, you can use YouTube to learn to draw.

9. Play With Your Kids or Pets

If you work from home, this is a great way to use your break. There’s no better way to interrupt your work than to give someone or something a big hug.

10. Read an Article on MakeUseOf

Reading this was a great way for you to spend five minutes, and there are many more articles like it on the site.

Think Out of the Box With Pomodoro

Hopefully, you now have a better idea on how to apply the Pomodoro Technique to other aspects of your life. With some time invested, you can really supercharge both your working and relaxing time.

If you’re after something different, take a look at some unique productivity techniques you haven’t heard of.

Read the full article: Step Up Your Pomodoro Productivity With These 6 Methods

TOYS! Leatherman Free P4

The sound of one hand opening a tool.

On this Cool Tools video, Donald Bell talks to our ol’ Make: colleague Matt Stultz about the Leatherman Free P4. This recent addition to the immensely popular Leatherman multi-tool line has a special new feature. All of the tools are deployable one-handed. This is really handy when you’re holding onto an object and want access to a knife or pliers without having to let go of your workpiece. At $140, these tools aren’t cheap, but you’ll have them forever. I gave my original Leatherman to a friend after having it for 6 years (and he’s still using it) and I still have the Leatherman Wave I replaced it with and have had now for 22 years. So, as the Dad saying goes: “Buy the best tools. You’ll only cry once.”

DIY Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR)

Welding respirator on the cheap.

Reader Kerry Benton emailed me this message and link: “I happened across this YouTube video of Joshua DeLisle making a DIY PAPR (Powered Air Purifying Respirator) and feel like it’s up your alley. I’ve been wanting one of these since I learned about them, but “real” ones are hundreds of dollars… way too much for a hobbyist. This one works out to about $100-150 in readily-available parts. I haven’t made one yet, because the last part hasn’t arrived, but I have high hopes.“ Note: This could be employed as a COVID-19 respirator but you’d need to add exhaust filters.

Cleaning Your Fingernails in the Shop

Clean your dang dirty nails!

On the Shop Hacks group on Facebook, a conversation was started over what makers use to wash their hands and clean their dirty, greasy fingernails. Several people recommended this Tweezerman fingernail brush. There were a lot of differing opinions on brushes and soaps, but many members said that one of the most important things is to moisturize your hands before you start working. This makes cleaning them easier when you’re done.

Life Hacks: Self-Watering Plants

Pro tip: Remove wine first!

When you’re away from home for a few days, what to do about plants that need regular watering? Here’s a solution I just bumped into and am eager to try. Fill a clean bottle with water, put your fingers over the opening as you stab the bottle into the soil. The water will leach out as the soil gets dry. That’s the theory, anyone. Has anyone here tried this?

Cool Tools You May Not Know About
Here a few of the responses I’ve gotten to my request for specialty tools readers love that others may not know about. Do you have any such favorites? Please share with the class.

Bob Knetzger writes: Although I have a decades-older X-acto version, this compass will hold any pencil, marker, felt tip, knife, brush, etc.

Reader Art Hildebrandt recommended this folding Stanley ruler with calipers. This doesn’t appear to be available commercially anymore, but you can find used ones on eBay.

Shop Talk

Feel the top of your key in the dark.

[Gareth’s Tips, Tools, and Shop Tales is published by Cool Tools Lab. To receive the newsletter a week early, sign up here.]

Simple Trick for Determining 2.1mm or 2.5mm Barrel Jacks

If it fits, you must equip.

Here’s a tip I learned from Donald Bell’s Maker Update. It’s from an old DigiKey “Teaching Moment.” Many barrel jacks have a consistent 5.5mm outside diameter. But the inside diameter can vary, usually either between 2.1mm or 2.5mm. If you don’t have your digital calipers handy, you can determine this inside diameter with common objects: a toothpick, a ball point pen, or a test probe. The brass housing on a ball point pen is usually 2.2mm. If it doesn’t fit inside the barrel of your jack, then the jack is 2.1mm. If the pen easily fits inside, the jack is 2.5mm. A standard toothpick is 2.1mm. If it fits snugly in the jack, it’s a 2.1mm jack. Also, a common multimeter probe needle with fit closely inside of a 2.1mm jack and be very sloppy inside of a 2.5mm jack.

Yet Another Method for Removing a Stripped Screw

Wrap that rascal.

There are at least a dozen ways of removing stripped screws. Many of them involve getting rubber material (say, from a rubber band) between the screw and the bit. From the Instagram page for Tradecktory comes this idea on using a disposable rubber glove wrapped around the bit to do the trick.

Creating a Level from a Carpenter’s Square

Getting on the level in a pinch.

Here’s an oldie but goodie from the Acme Tools Instagram feed: If you don’t have a level handy, wrap a chalk line over the top of a carpenter’s square at the 90 degree angle. When the string lines up with the 45 degree mark on the square, your surface is level. I recently bought the classic Swanson Tools Speed Square and couldn’t love it any more. A great tool for under ten bones. It even comes with the iconic (and very handy) Speed Square Blue Book [PDF].

Using a Shop Weight as a Temporary Stop Block

Weights and measures.

In this recent Laura Kampf video, where she builds a sweet little geodesic dome greenhouse out of trash, she employs a tip every maker should store in their mental toolbox. She uses a shop weight as a quick stop block for repetitive cutting of material to the same length. What she is cutting is ingenious, too. She used metal strapping bands as the struts for her wee dome.

Making a Quick Plastic/Laminate Cutter

Making the knife you need.

In a recent Jimmy DiResta Instagram story, he shared a useful tip. He was cutting a bunch of Formica and didn’t have a plastic/laminate cutter handy. So, he simply cut a hook in a utility knife to achieve the same basic effect.

Using the Pomodoro Technique to Fight Distraction
My long-time pal (and Cool Tools and Boing Boing colleague) Mark Frauenfelder has just launched a new newsletter, called The Magnet. There is a free version and a paid subscription version. More info here.

In his first issue, he talks about the Pomodoro productivity technique. This is a method for trying to focus on the work at hand in our extraordinarily distracted modern world. The basic idea is to set a timer for a set interval of time (say, 25 minutes), come up for air for a set interval (say 10 minutes), set the timer again, rinse, repeat. When under the timer, you do nothing but the work at hand. No checking your phone, email, FaceFart, etc.

I had no idea it had a name, but I’ve used the timer technique for years. Sometimes, it’s the only way I can get anything productive done. I set my timer for 56 minute sessions (don’t ask).

If you have similar distraction issues, consider giving this method a try.

Sketchplanations has a good, short guide to the Pomodoro Technique..

Shop Talk

The Stanley Butt Gauge No. 93

Reader Chris Johnson sent this response to last week’s piece on cool specialty tools and the antique Stanley ruler with calipers: “I’m a fan of old tools, too, having inherited a bunch from various relatives past. Here’s one from my Uncle Soren, a Norwegian carpenter who worked in Brooklyn in the 20s through 60s. It’s the Stanley Butt Gauge No. 93 (used for installing doors). I’ve hung doors, but have never thought to use it. It generally sits on my desk as a reminder to occasionally get my hands off the keyboard and onto a physical project of some sort.”

***

In response to last issue’s piece on using wine bottles to irrigate plants when you’re away, I got a bunch of responses. Here’s one:

John Seiffer: “My wife tried the wine bottle plant watering and said the dirt just clogs it up. She’s a big fan of using wine bottles stuck in these. Apparently the terra cotta works the magic.”

There are also plastic ones that have valves with an adjustable drip rate.

[Gareth’s Tips, Tools, and Shop Tales is published by Cool Tools Lab. To receive the newsletter a week early, sign up here.]

I live in a sprawling house, extensively wired with coax cable throughout (but not with Cat 5). My mesh wi-fi works, but with five grownups living and working from home, I wanted a wired connection for the main workstations, teleconferencing spots, and Apple TVs. Re-wiring the house with Cat 5 was intrusive and expensive and the Ethernet over the power line didn’t work across the isolated circuits.

Then I discovered Ethernet-over-coax-cable converters. I plugged one end of it into the coax cable in the basement near my Ethernet switch and the other end into the same cable in my office upstairs and it just worked. The spec says the bandwidth is up to 100Mbs, but I’m getting close to 200Mbs (which is what I get from my ISP anyway). I now have many of these and I have it for about 5 months and have no issues to report.

-- Daniel L

eKL IP Extender Kit Over Coax Cable Up to 6560ft(2000m) EOC Converter Ethernet Extender Set

Available from Amazon

What makes a great landscape photo, great? Some appreciate an image for its technical prowess or adhering to certain rules. It might be focused correctly and sharp throughout the scene. It could be well-exposed, offering wide dynamic range. Some like to see leading lines or the rule of thirds.

Others find art—in all its forms—mystifying. The image is great because it transports us, or because it makes us feel something. But that’s the effect of great art, not the cause.

The topic of what makes a great landscape photo is one I’ve considered for many years (and one I’m still exploring). Recently, I’ve found that there’s a broad concept that encapsulates many of the aspects of great landscape photos. 

One trait common to many compelling landscape photos is the concept of visual transitions.

As with everything in art, there is no one-size-fits all approach to great landscape photography. Nor should theories or techniques be too prescriptive, limiting our expression. But I want to explore here the concept of transitions—in their various forms—and how you might practically apply the theory next time you’re out in the field or back in your editing suite.

Big to Small Transitions

How many times have you heard that ‘photography is storytelling’? In landscape photography we often include foreground elements or compose the scene to reference the surrounding environment. Why? It’s to enrich the scene we are communicating with our audience.

If we point our cameras directly at a grand waterfall or a bold sunset, great, but that’s just a pretty snapshot. It’s nice to look at, but rarely will it hold our attention. To do that, we must tell the richer story of the scene. While that’s a challenging task in a single static frame, surrounding elements—such as lush ferns or jagged rocks—can imbue the scene with deeper meaning.

These contextual elements help to direct attention, guiding the viewer through the image, transitioning from near (big) to far (small).

If we simply point our camera at the primary subject and let it fill 80% of the frame, the viewer’s eyes will jump straight to the single, prominent element. Yet if we place the key subject in the top 30-40% of the frame, and fill most of the frame with foreground and midground, the viewer processes the nearer elements first (as the dominant area/zone). This offers viewers a richer understanding of the scene, before their attention turns to the key mountain peak/seastack/waterfall deeper in the frame.

Just because we have a striking subject to photograph, that doesn’t mean it needs to dominate the scene. Conversely, be careful not to make the subject so small as to be insignificant. Take time to consider the prominence of certain zones, and frame these to direct the viewer’s attention through the scene. 

Dark to Light Transitions

Like leading lines and the rule of thirds, many landscape photographers use vignettes and dodging/burning. Why? Our eyes are drawn to more luminous, brighter areas.

By darkening the edges of an image, we drift towards brighter areas in the centre of an image. Instead of applying a standard oval vignette across the image, examine the periphery of your scene. Perhaps there’s a bright patch of foliage in the corner, or a bright section of sky at the top. Then, you might look to selectively darken these more luminous regions to help the viewer’s eyes remain in the image and not wander off out to the periphery. I’ll often darken my foreground with a gradient, gradually transitioning to a brighter mountain peak or waterfall.

Likewise, dodging and burning helps to enhance the sense of depth in an otherwise two-dimensional image. Consider the natural direction of light and look to enhance this transition from light to shadow in post-processing, shaping how the light falls. As I often shoot seascapes on sunrise, I’ll dodge the side of the rocks facing the sun and burn the side away from the morning light.

The key here is subtlety. Dark to light transitions don’t need to go from black to white. But I encourage you to be mindful of the luminosity across your images. Consider increasing the light around your primary subject and decreasing it around the less notable features—this is a great technique to hide messy, distracting undergrowth in forest scenes.

Cool to Warm Transitions

Sunlight is warm (both in temperature and in white balance), while areas of shadow are often cooler in tone. As with dark to light transitions, cooler areas tend to recede into the image, while warmer areas tend to be brought forward out of it.

It’s quite easy to enhance this natural colour separation in post-processing, just don’t get too carried away. Using luminosity masks in Photoshop (or a luminosity range mask in Lightroom), try warming up the brighter areas and cooling down the shadows (the Split Toning module in Lightroom also achieves a similar global effect). This separation between light and dark helps to create greater depth through the image. For example, in a forest scene, you may want to cool down the less important undergrowth areas and warm up the brighter fern fronds to better help them ‘pop’ out of the scene. 

With the variety of colour combinations in landscape photography, there is no one size fits all approach, nor is there a single way to achieve a certain effect. The best approach to refining colour is to experiment and then critically review the impact. Did cooling down the entire image help to achieve a certain mood? Did adding warmth to the subject make it more prominent?

And like traditional light vignettes, a similar concept applies to colour vignettes. With our attention drifting towards the warmer areas in a scene, you may opt to cool down the periphery to prevent the viewer being drawn out of the photo.

Final Thoughts

Not every image needs or even suits the transition outlined above. A luminous high key image, such as a tree in snow, will be visually processed from light areas in the periphery to the darker tree branches. But it’s worth paying attention to how size, light and colour transitions influence how our images are perceived.

Likewise, transitions go beyond the three explored above. Sharp to soft transitions can also be used to enhance how your image is experienced. Sharpness naturally fades the further away a subject is—just take a look at distant mountain ranges next time you go hiking. So with your foreground and midground in focus, you might not opt to capture a frame focused at infinity, and instead mirror that natural clarity transition. Likewise, when sharpening for the web, you might exclude sunrise clouds from the final sharpening process to draw more attention to the sharper foreground and guide the viewer’s eye from near to far.

All these techniques can help the viewer to spend more time viewing your work and directly affect how your images are processed. What elements will receive more attention? What secondary elements can be enhanced to offer context and make the subject more memorable?

I’ve never been a fan of theory for theory’s sake. So I encourage you to be mindful of the concepts explored above—not all are appropriate all of the time. Instead, take time to appreciate the influence of transitions on how our images are experienced. Take time to critically apply theory (both in the field and in post-processing) in service of your creative vision.

About The Author: Mitch Green is an Australian landscape photographer. He can be found via his website, on Instagram, or down by the beach at 5am waiting for sunrise.

Google is synonymous with searching the web, but did you know there’s a lot that Google isn’t showing you? Here are some alternative search engines to search the internet in a way Google won’t.

There is nothing wrong with Google Search when it comes to finding web pages. But Google can’t search within your computer and cloud accounts to find a file. Google also restricts itself to the language you’ve set. And why are we helping a corporation get bigger by handing over data in exchange for them earning ad revenue?

Break the habit and try one of these search engines instead.

1. Command E (Windows, macOS): Lightning Fast Search for Local Files and Online Apps

Command E might finally replace Everything and Spotlight as the fastest way to find any file on your computer. Available for both Windows and macOS, this universal search bar is lightning fast and hooks into oft-used cloud services.

Currently, Command E connects to accounts on Google Suite, Github, Slack, Salesforce, Jira, Zendesk, Notion, Hubspot, Asana, Figma, Evernote, Dropbox, Trello, and other popular online productivity suites. Once you’ve authorized access, give it a few minutes to index, and then fire up the console by pressing Command+E or Ctrl+E.

The console enables instant universal search across all accounts. Type a few characters and you’ll start seeing results, changing on the fly as you type. It’s super-fast, and a treat for keyboard warriors. All your data’s file indexes are stored in an encrypted database on your computer, to quell privacy concerns. Try it out, you’ll fall in love.

For download links to the Command E apps for Windows and macOS, you’ll need to register on their website, which triggers the auto-download.

2. Million Short (Web): Search the Less Popular Results

Do your Google search results look a little too similar each time, as if the same websites keep showing up? Search engines prioritize big and popular sites. While that often gives good results, it also hides the serendipitous finds of gems in the deep recesses of the internet. Million Short wants to help you search these overlooked websites.

The idea of Million Short is to search by eliminating top sites. When you search any keyword, you have the option to remove the top 100, 1000, 10,000, 100K, or one million websites from the results. This will show you results that you wouldn’t easily find on Google or other big search engines.

Million Short provides further filters to only show or fully remove e-commerce and live chat sites. You can also filter results by date and location. It’s a fantastic way to find unique search results that others won’t come across, which is especially useful when you’re researching for an assignment or trying to make an impression with trivia.

3. Hopely (Web): Help Charities by Searching the Web

Hopely is on a mission to help the world using an activity we all do every day: search the internet. The idea is so simple. Every search you do results in ad revenue for Hopely. The organization will keep half of that revenue, and donate the other half to charity. Can you imagine Google or Microsoft Bing promising that?

On the main page, you can choose which charity causes you’d like to support. The main organizations are Bread for the World, Doctors Without Borders, and the World Wildlife Fund. You can pick all three, or only the one you want to donate to.

The search results are not too different from what you’d get on Google or other pages. You can even sort results by images, videos, news, and maps. Hopely doesn’t have additional filters though, like date, video length, type of site, image resolution and other options that you’d get on Google.

Still, for a basic regular search engine, Hopely does the job well enough to consider switching to it and helping the world. It’s an excellent Google search alternative that feeds real people rather than large corporations. On the rare occasion that Hopely doesn’t give you what you want, you can always Google it instead.

4. Sourceful (Web): Search and Discover Public Google Docs, Sheets, Slides

Google Docs gives you the option to make any Doc, Sheet, or Slide into a publicly viewable file on the internet. Sourceful finds these files and indexes them to make a library of public documents, which anyone can search.

You can refine the search by document, spreadsheet, or slideshow, and further sort results by Hot, Best, or New. There are a few popular search results already available to browse. For example, click “coronavirus” to find publicly available files about it, like trackers and statistics, toolkits and checklists, advisories and presentations, and more.

Sourceful users can also refine the description of each file, and add tags to make it easier to search. You can also comment on the results to start a discussion.

If you have an interesting file to share, whether your own or someone else’s, add it to Sourceful.

5. 2Lingual (Web): Search in Two Languages Simultaneously

The world speaks way more languages than English alone, and so does the internet. But when you Google search for an English keyword, you don’t see pages in Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Hindi, and several other languages. 2Lingual is here to fix that, by searching in two languages simultaneously.

Powered by Google, you can select from a range of languages from Arabic to Vietnamese. The results appear side-by-side in two panes, which lets you see the difference between simple English results and how much more there is to the subject.

In most cases, you’ll need to know how to read the second language as well. But if you’re searching something regional, you could turn on “automatic query translation” and try to parse the results. You’ll probably get better local insights that way.

Protect Your Privacy While Searching

Google and Bing are the leading search engines in the world, but both are notorious for how little they value your privacy. They track all your searches, use it to feed advertising, and you’re never in control of where your data might finally end up.

There are a few other choices for search that protect their users. DuckDuckGo is the most famous name among them, with plenty of integrations across platforms. But you might want to also check out some of the other best privacy focused search engines if you’re ready to dump Google for good.

Read the full article: 5 Search Engines to Find More Than What Google Shows

Podcasts are everywhere now; you’ve almost certainly subscribed to a few yourself. With over 45 percent of podcast listeners making over $250,000 a year, it’s become a business that many users want to get into.

Starting a podcast is like beginning any other business. You need a plan, proper execution of that plan, and an analytical mind to process the data and take actions to grow your podcast user base. If you’re completely new to it, this might sound like too much to you.

Luckily, there are some courses you can take to help you learn what it takes to start a podcast and make it successful. The Start-to-Finish Guide to Launching a Successful Podcast Bundle is one such course we’re highlighting today.

What’s in the Podcast Bundle?

The Start-to-Finish Guide to Launching a Successful Podcast Bundle is a group of many small courses that helps you launch your podcast. It takes you on the journey from setting up your equipment to recording your first podcast to finally bringing it to a large audience.

You will learn what equipment to use for your podcast, how to record and edit your podcasts, and finally getting people to know your podcast exists.

Right now at MakeUseOf Deals, you can grab the podcasting course for just $44.99. That saves you a total of 97 percent on the original price of the bundle, which is $1,800.

What Does This Podcasting Bundle Offer?

With comprehensive lectures on various essential parts of the podcasting process, you’ll learn the most essential steps for starting a podcast and the efforts it takes to make it a successful one. It includes lectures on presentation, speaking, mixing your audio, and more.

It will show how to utilize mind-mapping for your first podcast. You’ll then move onto putting yourself in front of the public. The bundle also has a social marketing course that explains how to utilize social media to get more subscribers.

Having crystal-clear sound is of utmost importance in podcasting. As a result, this bundle includes a course for mixing audio using a software tool. This should help remove any noises from your recordings to make them more refined.

Once you’re on track and have started a podcast, you may want to interview some people. The bundle offers a course teaching you how to go about interviewing heroes of yours online.

After nine courses and 541 lessons, you’ll become a podcaster that people love to listen to.

Get Started With Podcasting Now

To begin your podcast journey, head over to The Start-to-Finish Guide to Launching a Successful Podcast Bundle page and you’ll see the reduced price. Grab the deal and you’ll become the proud owner of extensive courses about podcasts. Follow each course, apply the newly learned skills to your podcast, and people will notice and admire your work in no time.

Read the full article: Launch a Successful Podcast With This Podcast Training Bundle

Photo: Buchette del Vino/Facebook

Want to buy an aperol spritz or a gelato without stepping indoors? The holes in the wall have you covered.

Because of the coronavirus, shops in Tuscany are reviving a centuries-old sales trick — arched, stone hatches called “wine windows.”

It’s like medieval drive-thru: Call out your order through the buchette del vino, and a phantom hand will serve you.

Where did these things come from?

17th-century Italian aristocrats wanted to run wine businesses, but they weren’t so keen on paying taxes. 

So they carved up slits in their cellar walls to sell vino on the DL. 

Then the bubonic plague hit 

Wine windows became a safe way to do business. A recent survey found ~300 still exist.

Now you can pay by credit card — but back in the day, you dropped coins into a metal holder, and the seller disinfected them with vinegar.

Contactless tech? That’s so 1600s.

Sure, television screens are getting larger all the time, but if you want a truly large screen without spending tens of thousands of dollars, you need a projector. Of course, a 4K projector capable of display sizes upwards of 100 inches isn’t cheap either. Not everybody needs one of those.

That is why the mini-projector market has sprung up in the last decade or so. They aren’t the most capable, but they’re portable, affordable, and easy to set up and use. Unlike some other manufacturers, AKASO doesn’t lie about what its tiny WT50 Mini Projector is capable of, which is exactly why we think it’s worth a look.

Specifications

The raw specs of the AKASO WT50 mini projector aren’t going to blow anyone away. Of course, at this price point, it’s a tough call as to who would be expecting incredible hardware specs in the first place. Still, it’s good to know what you’re dealing with.

• Brightness: 50 ANSI Lumens
• Resolution: 854×480
• Dimensions: 5.71×3.15×0.79 inches
• Weight: 0.64lbs
• Projection Ratio: 1.19:1
• Connectivity: Dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI, 2x USB, SD Card slot
• Battery: 3.7V, 5000mAh
• Android Version: 7.1

As with any piece of technology, there’s a lot more to the performance than numbers on paper and name recognition of the components. First, let’s take a look at the whole package.

What’s in the Box?

Taking the top off the box, the first thing you’ll spy is the projector itself, neatly nestled in form-fitting foam. The bundled accessories are tucked into three separate cardboard boxes underneath, creating a platform for the projector to rest on top of.

In one box you’ll find a tripod with a pivoting head, letting you align the projector at often unnecessarily odd angles, but we’ll get to that later. In the other boxes, you’ll find the AC adapter, HDMI cable for use with external playback devices, remote control (batteries not included), the manual, and a warranty card.

Setting Up the AKASO WT50

Before you can start watching movies or TV shows, the projector requires a bit of setup. Fortunately, this is a relatively simple process and doesn’t take all that long.

AKASO recommends that you fully charge the WT50 before first use. The battery was already mostly charged so this didn’t take long. Still, I plugged in the power adapter before I powered the projector on, just in case. Powering on is a two-step process: First, set the slide switch to “On”, then press the power button right next to it.

Once the power is on, make sure you’ve got the projector pointed at a suitable surface (a white wall will do) and you can set up the rest. In my case, this meant connecting to Wi-Fi, but you can also set up using a wireless hotspot or no networking at all, assuming you’re plugging in external players.

Before you do that, you’ll need to adjust the focus wheel to get the picture looking sharp and in focus. This is also when you’ll want to try using the included tripod if you need it. The design of the tripod leaves quite a bit to be desired. It’s nice that it’s included, but the pivoting head means it’s far too easy to tilt the projector, making getting a level image from the projector a little tricky.

Connectivity

When it comes to wireless connectivity, the AKASO WT50 has both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, as mentioned earlier. I was actually surprised that the WT50 supported 802.11ac wireless networks, which isn’t always the case on these lower-cost devices.

The WT50 also has a few ports to make connecting other hardware easier. The full-size HDMI port makes plugging in Blu-ray players, streaming boxes, and game consoles easy. You also get a pair of USB ports, an SD card slot, and a 3.5mm headphone / auxiliary audio jack.

If you want to play media from your phone, the AKASO WT50 supports a few different methods. You can use Wi-Fi Display (aka. Miracast), AirPlay, or a third-party app solution that requires you to download an app on your phone. Unfortunately in my testing, I was unable to connect to the AirPlay server on the projector despite trying with multiple devices.

Features & Interface

You’ve got two different ways to operate the AKASO WT50: the included remote and the touch interface on top of the projector. It’s handy that these are both included, as it means you’re not out of luck if you lose the remote.

The AKASO WT50 is powered by Android 7.1, meaning it’s a lot more capable out of the box than older, not-so-smart projectors. The Google Play Store is included, as well as a utility for sideloading apps in APK form. This means that you can install any streaming app you want and it should have a decent chance of working.

But don’t expect everything to work perfectly, especially with the included remote. Netflix, which is installed on the WT50 out of the box, worked with the remote long enough to sign in. After that, I thought the remote had quit working. Instead, it turned out that Netflix—at least this version—wasn’t working fully with the remote. Using the touch interface on top of the projector, navigating the menus worked fine, but this was less than ideal. Hopefully, a future firmware update may improve remote compatibility.

The location of the remote sensor is also a slight issue. It’s located on the back of the projector, but the remote is of the IR variety, meaning you need line of sight. Even if you’re a little off to the right or left, getting the remote to work can take some aiming.

Finally, the interface can be a little laggy at times. It’s not worse than a Fire TV Stick or similar device, and it’s not a big problem, but you’ll definitely need to be a little patient at times.

Picture: How Many P?

Mini or pico projectors aren’t often known for their high pixel counts, and this makes sense. It currently isn’t possible to make something that is capable of 4K resolution that is also small and affordable. Considering those last two points, it’s even tough to hit the 1080p mark without trouble. That said, you’ll see some that support 720p, even in this small size, like the Nebra Anybeam.

The WT50 accepts sources up to 1080p, but it’s not actually showing them at this resolution. Instead, the WT50 uses a native resolution of 854×480, while puts it at 480p. This means that as you push the size of the picture higher by moving the projector farther away from your screen, it’s getting blurrier all the time.

If you keep the screen size around 80 inches or less, it’s nowhere near as blurry as you might imagine. You’ll notice it more with text, especially navigating menus, but once you’re caught up in what you’re watching, you probably won’t notice it looking especially low resolution, unless you’ve just watched a 4K movie on a similarly sized screen.

The bigger problem with the WT50 is one that AKASO doesn’t shy away from: the limited brightness. At a peak brightness of just 50 ANSI lumens, this isn’t a bright projector. If you’re watching in a very dark room, the brightness isn’t a problem.

If you’ve got anything above minimal ambient light, the projector will struggle. Try watching something with sunlight streaming in the windows and you might as well just turn it off.

Sound Advice

It’s a very good thing that the AKASO WT50 offers both Bluetooth connectivity and a built-in 3.5mm audio jack. Why? Because the built-in sound, while functional, isn’t something you’ll ever really want to use if you have a choice.

This can’t really be helped, in AKASO’s defense. The WT50 is so tiny that there’s no way anyone could fit a speaker capable of creating movie-ready or even TV-ready sound inside. If you’re using this to quietly project a movie on to a close wall in the middle of the night—something I can’t imagine is all that common—the sound will be adequate, but only barely.

In my testing, I happened to have a Bluetooth-equipped soundbar nearby. Connecting the WT50 to this made a world of difference in making the movie feel more cinematic. Of course, if you’re using the WT50 for an outdoor movie night with the kids, you probably won’t be able to lug along a soundbar, but even a standard portable Bluetooth speaker will be a worthwhile upgrade.

Should You Buy the AKASO WT50?

As we mentioned at the very top of this article, AKASO doesn’t over-promise when it comes to the capabilities of the WT50. Fortunately, it doesn’t under-deliver either. This means that you’re getting exactly what you expect, which is strangely refreshing in this day and age.

That said, the WT50 isn’t for everybody. If you need higher resolutions or a projector you can use in anything resembling daylight, take a look at our favorite projectors for your home theater. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a portable projector to use outside for occasional outdoor movie nights and you don’t live in a brightly lit neighborhood, the WT50 may be just enough for what you need.

Read the full article: AKASO WT50 Review: Cheap and Cheerful Mini Projector

If you love cold drinks, a countertop ice maker might make your day. These machines tend to be more alike than different. But whether you want to chill a tumbler of lemonade, fill a cocktail shaker, or ice enough drinks for a party, the straightforward Magic Chef MCIM22/HNIM27 and the compact Igloo IGLICEBSC26 do the job well.

If you prefer crystal-clear ice, we recommend the Luma Comfort IM200. If nugget ice is your thing, we like the GE Profile Opal 2.0.

Learn the options for transmitting movement in your mechanical projects

Read more on MAKE

The post Skill Builder: Learn The Types Of Gears appeared first on Make: DIY Projects and Ideas for Makers.

Whether you speak English as a second language or frequently visit foreign websites, you’ll likely want to know how to translate text on your iPhone or iPad. There are plenty of options at your disposal, most of them relying on third-party apps.

Use the methods below to make your iPhone translate text messages, websites, emails, or even someone’s voice. You shouldn’t blindly trust these translations; they’re created by algorithms and might contain mistakes. But for the most part, they’re accurate enough.

1. Google Translate

The Google Translate app is the closest you’ll get to turning your iPhone into Star Trek’s universal translator. It works with over 100 different languages—many of which are available offline. You can use it to translate text, handwriting, speech, and even real-world objects thanks to your iPhone camera.

Like all Google products, Google Translate is completely free, with nothing hidden behind a paywall. However, you should take a close look at Google’s privacy policy if you’re concerned about Google collecting personal data from your translations.

After installing Google Translate on your iPhone, choose the languages you want to translate from and to at the top of the app. Then choose how you want to translate.

Google Translate even offers a conversation mode so you and someone else can translate between two different languages at the same time. To find out more, take a look at our breakdown of Google Translate features you need to know.

Download: Google Translate for iOS (Free)

2. Gboard

Gboard is Google’s keyboard that you can install on iOS or iPadOS. It includes built-in access to Google search, Google Maps, YouTube, and more. You can also use it to access Google Translate from your keyboard in whatever app you’re using.

This is a simplified version of Google Translate that lets you type or paste text to translate into any language. There’s no option to use handwriting or speech translation in Gboard.

For an easy way to translate text messages on your iPhone, Gboard is great. It lets you type what you want to say into a translation page in the keyboard. Alternatively, copy existing messages and paste them into Gboard to translate them without sending anything.

After downloading Gboard from the App Store, you need to give it full access to your iPhone for everything to work properly. Go to Settings > Gboard > Keyboard and enable Allow Full Access to do so.

The next time you open the keyboard on your iPhone, tap and hold the Globe icon to select Gboard from your available keyboards. Then tap the Translate icon to open the translator.

Download: Gboard for iOS (Free)

3. Google Chrome

When you load a website that’s in a foreign language, Google Chrome automatically offers to translate it to your native tongue. All you need to do is tap the language you want to use at the bottom of the screen and all the text translates in a flash.

After choosing your preference once, Chrome automatically translates websites between those two languages in the future. This way, you can keep browsing foreign sites on your iPhone, and Google Chrome will translate them without you even realizing it.

To view your translation settings, tap the More (…) button in the bottom-right corner and go to Translate. Then tap the Gear to choose between different languages or decide if you want Chrome to translate automatically in the future.

Built-in translation helps to make Google Chrome one of the most popular iPhone browsers. If you aren’t using it yet, it might be time to start.

Download: Google Chrome for iOS (Free)

4. iTranslate

iTranslate offers the same features you get with Google Translate. The main difference is that many of those features are locked behind a subscription. We’re including it on this list despite this because iTranslate offers a better keyboard, making it quicker and easier to translate your iPhone text messages.

You can grab iTranslate for free and use it to translate text across over 100 languages. With a premium subscription, you can also translate using the microphone and the camera on your iPhone.

After installing the iTranslate keyboard app, go to Settings > iTranslate > Keyboards and choose to Allow Full Access. The next time you open your iPhone keyboard, tap and hold the Globe icon and select iTranslate from your available keyboards.

Type into the iTranslate keyboard and tap the Green Arrow to translate it to your chosen language. Alternatively, copy some text and tap the Speech Bubble icon to view a quick translation.

You can also choose to send text messages in two languages from your iPhone. This makes it possible to read back through a conversation in either language. To enable this feature, open iTranslate and go to More > Keyboard. Then tap the Flag + Translation both languages option.

Download: iTranslate for iOS (Free, subscription available)

5. Siri

For quick, one-way translations, Siri is the best option. Either use “Hey Siri” or hold the Side button (or the Home button if your iPhone has one) to activate Siri. Then ask how to say something in a different language.

Siri displays your translation on the screen with a Play button available if you want to hear it out loud. With Siri, you can translate between 11 languages, including English:

• Arabic
• Brazilian Portuguese
• Chinese
• English (US and UK)
• French
• German
• Italian
• Japanese
• Korean
• Russian
• Spanish

Unfortunately, Siri can’t translate other languages into English, so this is not a good option if you’re trying to hold a conversation in another language. However, it is a good way to tell someone you can’t speak their language.

6. Apple Translate

With the release of iOS 14 in the fall of 2020, Apple will introduce a Translate app to the iPhone.

Apple’s Translate app features a minimalist design that lets you focus on the translations themselves. This is a great app to use if you’re trying to hold a conversation with someone, especially when you turn your iPhone landscape to enter conversation mode.

In conversation mode, Translate shows a different language on each side of the screen. There is a single Microphone button, which uses automatic language detection so it doesn’t matter who speaks into it. You can also tap Play to hear translations out loud or use the Fullscreen button to display a big, clear translation for people to read.

While Apple’s Translate app looks great and is easy to use, it only translates between 11 languages, including English. Thankfully, they’re all available to download for offline use.

7. Safari

Alongside the Translate app, Apple also plans to add a translation feature to Safari in iOS 14. Again, this software update is scheduled to release in September or October of 2020.

When you visit a foreign website in Safari, you should see a Translation icon appear in the address bar. Tap this icon to translate the website to your native language. Safari keeps translating the page as more content loads, so you can forget about it and keep scrolling down the page.

Once again, Apple’s translation abilities are limited compared to the competition. For the time being, Safari translation only works with seven languages:

• Brazilian Portuguese
• English
• French
• German
• Russian
• Simplified Chinese
• Spanish

A further limitation is that Safari’s web page translation is only available in the US during its beta phase.

Even More Translation Apps

We’ve shown you the best ways to translate text on your iPhone, whether your need to translate text messages, emails, websites, or anything else. But there are always other apps that turn your iPhone into a text or speech translator as well.

If you aren’t satisfied with the options above—maybe you don’t like the user interface or the features don’t offer what you need—take a look at our list of the best mobile translation apps.

Read the full article: 7 Ways to Translate Text on Your iPhone or iPad

Training your dog is a fun and exciting experience, but it’s not always easy. Depending on your dog’s age, breed, and personality, you might find yourself struggling to get your dog to behave. It’s a long learning process for both you and your dog.

If you’re struggling to get your dog to sit, stay, or even stop pulling on the leash, you might want to reevaluate your training methods. Try out these fantastic dog training apps for Android or iPhone, and you’re bound to see much better results.

1. Dogo Dog Training & Clicker

Dogo’s Dog Training & Clicker App is an all-in-one training program that comes with a built-in clicker. Once you open the app, you’ll have to answer a series of questions about your dog. These questions are used to figure out which training program is best for your dog’s needs.

The app offers five dog training programs: New Dog, Basic Obedience, Stay Active, Strengthen Your Friendship, and Little Helper. If you’re just looking for the basics of training, you’ll want to complete the New Dog and Basic Obedience courses. These programs help your dog learn essential commands, tricks, potty training, and how to walk on a leash; the other courses are best for more advanced training.

Aside from courses, the app also has many fun and interactive features. It comes with several games you can try with your dog, as well as an Instagram-like community that you can use to share pictures of your furry friend.

Download: Dog Training & Clicker App by Dogo for Android | iOS (Free, subscription available)

2. Puppr

Puppr comes packed with over 70 awesome dog training lessons. These programs can teach your dog just about everything it needs to know, and much more.

After you finish teaching your dog how to sit, lay down, and stay, you can move on to the advanced techniques. Not only does the app help you teach your dog how to put away its toys, but it even provides a jump roping lesson. Puppr is a fantastic app for any dog owner who wants to teach their dog the basics as well as some really cool tricks.

You’ll notice that each lesson comes with short videos featuring professional trainer Sara Carson. This makes it even easier to visualize every step. Although Puppr offers basic lessons for free, you’ll have to purchase additional lesson packs to get the most out of your training sessions.

Download: Puppr for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

3. Pupford

Pupford provides you with a 30-day training program taught by Zak George, a famous dog trainer. Each training session comes with a helpful video, as well as written step-by-step instructions. Some lessons include crate training, leash walking, teaching your dog to lay down, and more.

During the 30 days of training, you’ll sometimes have to complete the same lessons multiple days in a row—this helps reinforce your dog’s understanding. When you’re finished with the 30 days, you can always try out Pupford’s behavior-specific training sessions. These lessons help curb your dog’s bad habits, like biting and jumping.

You’ll have to subscribe if you want unlimited access to additional training programs. For $10/month, you can unlock every premium course, or you can pay just $20 to access a single premium course. Despite the premium add-ons, you can still use the app for free to cover the basics of training.

Pupford also contains various promotions for certain pet treats, but you can always stick to buying your own treats from your favorite online pet shops for pet supplies.

Download: Pupford for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

4. GoodPup

If you feel that you can’t handle dog training on your own, you might want to look into GoodPup. This app sets you up with a personal dog trainer who you’ll get to talk with via weekly video chats. In case you have any questions during the rest of the week, you can use the app’s built-in text chat to talk with your trainer.

GoodPup tailors training sessions to your dog’s needs. When you first install the app, GoodPup will ask you several questions about your dog’s age, the commands it knows, and what specific behavioral problems it has. Answering these prompts helps GoodPup create a custom course for your dog.

When you’re finished answering questions, you’ll get to look over the custom course generated by GoodPup. Depending on your dog’s training experience, your course might contain lessons on the eight basic commands, potty and crate training, or socialization skills.

While the app download is free, you’ll have to pay a subscription of $30/week for the training sessions.

Download: GoodPup for Android | iOS (Free, subscription required)

5. Pocket Puppy School

Pocket Puppy School comes in handy for anyone who wants a refresher course on dog-owning and training. It’s especially great for those who are planning to adopt a puppy—and if you are, make sure to adopt from one of these ethical sites for puppy adoption.

Upon opening the app, you’re greeted with a carousel of information and courses that you can easily swipe through. You’ll want to start by reading the introduction to dog-owning, which is filled with engaging information helpful for first-time owners. Other lessons include basic commands, potty training, simple tricks, and more. The app developers are always adding new content, so you can expect more lessons in the future.

In order to unlock the next lesson, you’ll have to wait another day. However, you can get around this waiting period by watching a short ad. You might get tired of watching promotions, but at least you don’t have to pay to unlock any extra content!

Download: Pocket Puppy School for Android (Free)

Better Dgog Training Means Better Behavior

When you follow the training instructions in any of the above apps, your dog just might surprise you. Before you know it, your pup will know all the essential commands along with some clever tricks.

If you’re leaving your pet home alone for the first time, it’s normal to be nervous. After all, who knows what your mischievous furball might get into? For some peace of mind, you might want to consider installing one of these handy pet cameras to keep an eye on your dog’s behavior.

Read the full article: The 5 Best Dog Training Apps for Android and iPhone

No soil? No problem. 

For those who want to start a garden but don’t have a patch of dirt, the answer to their woes might be hydroponics. This technique swaps soil for nutrient rich water and it requires minimal space. It also uses 90 percent less water and grows faster than traditional methods. 

Despite these perks, ready-to-use hydroponic facilities are often sold at a steep price. That’s why we’re going to tell you how you can build your own system. There are a variety of ways you can make an efficient floating garden. Today we’re showing you two easy options that will introduce you to the world of hydroponics using a basic, but effective set up.

Option 1: Deep water nutrient system 

What you’ll need: 

• A coffee container OR a food grade bucket with a lid 
• An exacto knife OR a drill with a two inch circle bit
• Air tubing 
• Nutrient mix for hydroponics 
• Seedlings
• Rockwool cubes
• An air pump 
• An air stone 
• Net cups  (two inches in diameter) 

1. If you have a coffee container, you’re going to want to cut or drill a hole that is two inches in diameter. If you’re using a larger bucket, you can drill up to four holes, just leave a little more than two inches of space between them. 
2. If you’re concerned about cutting a hole that is accurate in size, take the net cup and trace the outline of the bottom of the cup onto your container. 
3. Clean up any plastic scraps off the lid and any that may have fallen into your bucket or container. 
4. Drill or cut a small hole about an inch to half an inch away from the edge of the lid. This hole will be for your air tube, so ensure that it is roughly the same size in diameter or even slightly smaller. If you’re using an exacto knife, make a tiny “x” that you can poke the air tube through. 
5. Feed about six inches of air tubing up through the hole in your lid that you just made. Attach the airstone by sliding it onto the end of the tube. This will sit in the bottom of your bucket or container. 
6. Fill your container with water so that is about three quarters full. Mix in your grow solution. You can purchase the grow solution at any greenhouse or home and garden store. The directions on the solution will tell you how much you need to put in.
7. Hook up the end of tubing that is not inside the bucket to your pump. There should be a single valve on the front of the pump that you can plug your tubing into. 
8. Take one Rockwool cube and put one in each net cup with your seed or  seedling in the top of the cube. There is a tiny hole in each cube that allows for the seed or seedling to grow. It’s important that before you plant your seed or seedling that you’ve soaked your Rockwool cubes in water. When the cubes are moist, your plant babies absorb the water. A seedling that is about two inches tall with true leaves is a good size for transplanting into your system.
9. Place your net cups in each hole. Double check that there is enough water in your container that the bottoms of the cups are immersed in the water.
10. Plug in your pump and turn it on. You will want to leave the pump on the entire time because it ensures that you plant roots get the oxygen they need. If they don’t get oxygen, they will drown.

Keep this contraption in a well-lit area, ideally in front of a window that can provide 10-11 hours of sunlight. A temperature that is above 60 °F will allow your garden to thrive. It’s also best to change the water solution every one to two weeks.

Option 2: The Kratky method 

What you’ll need: 

• Mason jar
• Rockwool cubes 
• Seedlings 
• Net cups (size should be the same in diameter as the lid of the Mason jar)
• Clay pebbles
• Paper

1. Drop each net cup into the top of the Mason jar. The lip top of the cup should be resting comfortably on the top of each jar. 
2. Mix your water and grow solution in a separate container and pour enough into each jar that it reaches the just bottom of the net cup. Because this system does not have a pump or air stone, you are filling less of the container so that your plant roots have some exposure to air. 
3. Place each Rockwool cube with your seedling. As previously discussed, ensure the Rockwool is soaked in water before your seeds are planted. The best time for a seedling to be transplanted is at about two inches tall with its true leaves intact. 
4. If your Rockwool cube doesn’t fill up your net cup, use your clay pebbles to take up extra space around the cube. They will also be helpful in blocking out light that comes in from the top of the net cups. If there is light that hits the water, it can result in algae growth inside your container. 
5. Cover all your jars with paper so that there is no glass exposed. You can tape the paper against the jar to ensure it stays in place. This will also prevent algae growth. 
6. Monitor your plants. Ensure your plants are in a well lit space so they can get plenty of sun (10-11 hours) to grow big and strong. And shouldn’t have to change your water nutrients until you’re ready to harvest.

Depending on the plants that you are growing, the ideal pH level in the water will be different. The appropriate pH level depends on the type of plant you’re planning to grow. If you notice your plants aren’t thriving, then that level is likely off, You can check your pH using a test kit that is available to order online, in hardware or home garden stores.

The post How To Make Your Own Hydroponic Garden appeared first on Modern Farmer.

I have been carrying an Opinel #10 for more than 20 years as my everyday carry pocket knife. I have a ranch with draft horses, permaculture orchards, and have a business making ukuleles, and my #10 is used all day long. From cutting twine on hay bales, tree grafting, removing splinters from my hand to fine detail work making musical instruments… it does it all. I prefer the carbon blade for the fine edge it takes.

It also has a unique blade lock integrated into the handle that rotates to lock the blade open or closed. They have been making these knives in France since 1890 and in 1985 the Victoria and Albert Museum consecrated the Opinel knife one of the 100 best-designed objects in the world. I could not agree more!

When I purchased my first Opinel, I purchased a back up at the same time and to this day, the backup knife has remained in its packaging. I have never needed to replace my original. The beechwood handle has taken on a beautiful patina from the decades of use. I have never found an equal in function or beauty for an everyday carry pocket knife!

-- Clayton Jacobs

[This is a Cool Tools Favorite from 2016]

Opinel Carbon Steel Folding Pocket Knife with Beechwood Handle

Available from Amazon

Tags: Vehicle registration plate

3527 points, 147 comments.

Kolari Vision‘s new KOLARI IRND Filter is a new jack-of-all-trades neutral density filter that’s designed to perform evenly across both the infrared and visible light spectrums.

“Infrared photographers have a much harder time finding glass that can provide this neutral darkening effect reliably for their creative medium when most of it made for visible light,” Kolari Vision tells PetaPixel. “That’s why we decided to make an ND filter that can do both.”

While there are filters marketed as “IRND filters” on the market,” they’re designed to block IR light for visible light photography rather than to serve as ND filters for IR photography.

“Historically the first ND filters were completely transparent in the IR spectrum,” Ilija Melentijevic of Kolari Vision says. “Since NDs were used for long exposures, eventually this IR transmission would leak through and contaminate the issues. It was so common, that people used to use ND filters instead of an IR pass filter like the R72 so they could shoot IR.

“As this became more of a problem, companies launched the ‘IRND’ — basically ND filters without any IR contamination. This is typically done by just putting an IR cut element into it, instead of making them neutral to the IR range also.”

The KOLARI IRND Filter is designed to be consistently dark and 100% color-neutral from 350nm all the way to 1000nm in the near-infrared spectrum.

“This glass is truly indifferent to whatever wavelength of light is passing through it, and because of these constraints, it actually delivers better results in more traditional visual art mediums,” Kolari says. “The glass is made to match the spectral sensitivity of a camera sensor, which includes near UV and IR, rather than just the visible light that an [Optical Low Pass Filter] OLPF filters for.

“We think pushing the industry in this direction will lead to more versatile optics that enable a wider range of creative choices without sacrificing image quality or the practicality that we’ve come to expect when shooting in the visible spectrum.”

Build-wise, the IRND Filter features Corning Gorilla Glass that provides strength without thickness. It also has a lower refractive index than Schott B270 for better sharpness.

Surrounding the glass is a thin 3.4mm brass ring that provides reduced vignetting and smoother installation than aluminum housings with less cross threading and jamming. Two-stage knurling on the edges provides grip when handling the filter with dry hands or gloves.

On the surface of the filter are premium coatings that reduce reflectivity while helping the filter to resist water, oil, and scratches.

Here are some sample photos captured with the Kolari IRND Filter by the Kolari Vision team (the IR photos were captured with the IRND stacked on the IRchrome filter, which recreates the look of Kodak Aerochrome):

Here are some long-exposure photos captured in visible light by photographer Greg Dubois:

The KOLARI IRND Filter is available now through the Kolari Vision online store in 67mm, 77mm, and 82mm sizes with up to 20 stops of light reduction. The 4-stop and 5-stop filters cost $130 for all three sizes. 10-stop costs $160, 15-stop costs $170, and 20-stop costs $200. All filters come with a lifetime warranty.

Everything you need to know about the new Bronco and Bronco Sport, plus a conversation with Motoring Editor Will Sabel Courtney about how he expects the Bronco to perform.

Tips from White’s Boots president, Eric Kinney.