Latest in Offbeat

HAM radio. If you even know what it is, it conjures up images of grown men hiding in dark places with glowing vacuum tubes and devices with knobs and twiddle-bits. They're talking across the world about who knows what. They're part electronics guru, part mad scientist, part excited kid. These are the guys that preceded the computer gurus of today. These are the guys that could reach across the world when no one else could.
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The music featured on Sound Sunday is determined by chance. My own taste merely has a mild influence. I filter for sound quality and aim to compile a balanced mix. But in the end it comes down to what the web has to offer. And that always includes buckets full of high quality electronic music. Note that name your price albums can be downloaded for free by entering 0 in the price field.
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The sensation began just a few weeks ago. In that short time YouTube users have posted thousands of remakes which, in total, have attracted over 175 million views. People are doing the Harlem Shake in dorm rooms, offices, pools and even army bases. Just one problem – everyone is doing it wrong.
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The Internet is a somewhat lawless place. Sure, there are various legalities concerning the posting and viewing of certain content -- including pornography and copyrighted material -- but generally speaking the rules that govern the Web are both lax and difficult to enforce. Certain websites, such as social networks, will lay out their own ground rules which, if broken, could get you banned.
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For a while, there has been a trend that involves scammers posing as customer support and calling up innocent people only to falsely inform them that their computers have viruses. The scammers in question will then request for remote access to these computers, allowing them to acquire all kinds of information and data. Sometimes, they will even ask for personal information right over the phone. However, you can fight back.
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How-to videos are at their best when they don't provide a solution or successful walkthrough, but instead offer the exact opposite of sound advice. Mehdi Sadaghdar is a YouTuber who has only uploaded a handful of videos has already gained nearly 8 million views at the time of writing. His videos are wonderful examples of how not to approach a hobby in electronics, executed with a straight face and calm exterior.
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Every edition of Sound Sunday comes together like magic. Artists submit their work, some folks suggest albums, random Bandcamp browsing sessions reveal priceless gems, and occasionally traditional media point me to new music. All is added to my list. When it’s time to compile another edition, I draw a selection from the vast collection and [...]
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Last week, I talked about how important jQuery is to any modern web developer and why it's awesome. This week, I think it's time we got our hands dirty with some code and learnt how to actually make use of jQuery in our projects. I'll say this now - you don't need to learn Javascript in order to use jQuery. It's probably best if you think of jQuery as an evolution of Javascript.
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Judging by the popularity of our last home surveillance article, it seems quite a lot of you are increasingly worried about the security of your home. Whether that fear is justified or not, it's always a good idea to take precautions and be ready. Read on as we examine technological tools and tips that you can employ to both protect your home, and help deal with the fallout should the worst ever happen.
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"Does your phone have a camera on it?" said no one since 2005. Nobody even asks how many megapixels your phone's camera has anymore. With the ubiquity of smartphones today, and the resolution of the cameras they have in them, why does anyone even sell a point-and-shoot digital camera anymore? All you need is a decent smartphone to take your vacation pictures and click a button to upload them to Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, wherever.
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Photo editing is a fine art that you can only learn by experimenting. In the long run you will eventually find your own style, your own preferences and hopefully recognize some of your shortcomings as a photographer while tidying up in the post process. There are a few fixes that can really make a picture stand out, and they're often the simplest of things.
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It was only a mere 15 years ago when I was working at Blockbuster Video in Scotland, raising money for my numerous overseas travels. Back then, the VHS videotape ruled supreme, and DVD's were something that had just been introduced (and were a bit of a passing fad, not expected to last). Now, 15 years on, Blockbuster is gone, the videotape is becoming extinct, and we have moved on from DVD's to Blu-Rays and 3-D television. Isn't technology wonderful?
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The last time I did a terrible movies post it was a list of the usual suspects: The Room, Troll 2 and Birdemic; all of which have walked the halls of shame many times before. The article attracted way more attention than I thought it would, and for that reason it's time to serve up another course of cinematic sludge.
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Sound Sunday can introduce you to new artists and their music, but great bands are best experienced live. It’s always a treat to see musicians perform their art and witness them pouring their souls out. Skillfully crafted studio albums lack that special touch, which only sweaty live performances produce. Sometimes, however, a live recording can [...]
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We live in a very personal world where PC brands try to connect with us on a more intimate level. Sure, it's just another form of advertising, but with social networking, it's easier than ever to get in touch with these companies for support, information on new features, and insight on future products. It's all rather great, but shouldn't we able to contact the head honchos of these businesses, too?
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