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If you travel with a power hungry device such as an iPhone and have to keep it charged at all times, you’ve probably taken to carrying around the device, a charger, and the accompanying cabling. This accessory has taken the place of the accompanying cable and added both a bottle opener and a carabiner to attach it to belts, bags, and more so it is always by your side. Perfect for holiday gatherings.
IRIS is an all-in-one autonomous aerial vehicle with a compact and durable design, built with the consumer in mind. Stylish and powerful, IRIS runs on the innovative Pixhawk autopilot system—the newest in advanced autopilot electronics from the PX4 open-hardware project. With wide-angled arms and a GoPro-compatible camera mount, IRIS is perfect for any aerial imaging application.
The Seagate Backup Plus Slim Portable Drive is the simple, one-click way to protect and share your entire digital life. Perfect to take on the go, the sleek metal case design allows for the thinnest portable hard drive available with up to 1TB of capacity. It goes anywhere — without getting in your way. Available in Black, Blue, Red, and Silver.
Computers are digital devices. Digital devices are distinguished from analog devices by their use of __digital logic__. This is the binary 1s and 0s you’ll so often hear about when discussing the nuts of bolts of a computer. More generally, digital circuits operate in discrete electrical states whereas analog circuits operate over a continuous range of electrical “states” (they aren’t really states at that point though). That is, they use discrete electrical conditions (1s and 0s or voltage signal and no voltage signal) to represent states and decisions. Everything computers can do is based on this single principle.
However without the wide array of analog circuit counterparts, digital circuitry would be fairly mundane, if not wholly useless. With that in mind, I’ll be starting a series here on interesting and useful analog electrical circuits and their very important uses in the digital devices that are so tightly integrated with our every day lives.
The first analog circuit I’d like to talk about is one of my favorites. It’s called a boost converter. One common problem with any electrical device is requiring one level of voltage, but being supplied with another. For the purposes of this discussion, we’ll assume the signals involved are DC-DC or AC-AC and no AC/DC conversion is required.
A perfect example of a situation requiring a boost converter is a cell phone. Most modern cell phone batteries are lithium-ion, which have a nominal cell voltage of 3.7 volts. If __everything__ inside the cell phone can run off 3.7 volts or less, we’re good. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. Some things like the cellular radio transmitter require more than 3.7 volts to operate. For the purposes of this example, let’s say that this radio circuit requires 5VDC to operate. Thanks to the boost converter, this is very possible.
!>http://blog.smalldog.com/images/4172.png! So how does a boost converter work? The simplest boost converter requires only three components: a switch, an inductor, and a diode. The whole operation depends on the fact that an inductor does not like rapid changes in electrical current. An inductor is an electrical storage device that stores energy in the form of a magnetic field. The idea in a boost converter is to charge up the inductor using the power source, then switch off the power source thereby allowing the inductor’s magnetic field to collapse and create a voltage. The load being driven, which is connected to the inductor, now sees some voltage which is being supplied by the inductor itself and not the power source. The specific configuration of the circuit will determine how much of a __boost__ in voltage our load gets.
You may or may not have guessed that the switch being used here is not like a light switch. In order for this circuit to work, the switch needs to be opened and closed very rapidly. The Maxim MAX757 for example switches at 500kHz. This rapid switching capability is made possible by semiconductors and fancy components like MOSFETs that are typically packed into a tiny integrated circuit like the MAX757. These ICs allow you to provide your own inductors, capacitors and resistors to build the appropriate type of boost converter for your specific application.
One final thing to note is that a boost converter is not a miracle device. We’re not __creating__ more power from nothing here. If the voltage in is 3.7VDC at 400mA (1.48 watts), and we boost to 5VDC, the load receiving the 5VDC will only see 296mA of current. In reality it will likely be less, since the conversion process is not 100% efficient.
_Hello friends and fellow Apple Enthusiasts,_
Recently many of us have had or attended a holiday party to celebrate each other’s company. Mine involved very few electronics, although we did make use of a flatscreen TV with a VHS tape, the “*Leonardo’s iPhone app*”:https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/leonardos-pizza/id855612476?mt=8&at=11lb7k (to order pizza), and a flashlight.
However, right after the party it’s back to the company laptop and my personal gadgets! While it is nice to leave technology now and again, one always returns to it, as a tool if nothing more.
While you wait for the wood stove to warm up and the nog to mull, have a seat by the fire with your pup and gather round the Mac (or iPad!) for some tales brought to you by our fine technicians!
-Mikhael
“mikhael@smalldog.com”:mailto:mikhael@smalldog.com
We’ve asked a few of our employees what their favorite gifts are this season – either to get or to give, of course…
Family: Mom, Dad, and three younger brothers Hobbies/Interests: Reading, Sports, Traveling, Hiking and Food! Favorite Books: Pretty much anything by Stephen King, Arthur…
Family: One Daughter, Two Sons Hobbies/Interests: Reading, Pinterest, tattoos, drawing, taking different things a part and putting them back together. Favorite TV: Orange…
It is going to be a bit different this year for Christmas, especially for the grandkids. When we were back in Vermont for Thanksgiving they seemed a bit shocked that we wouldn’t be in town to bring over the big stockings that Grace made years ago filled with goodies. I assured them that we would not forget them and we plan on bringing them down here for winter break. But it will be a low key holiday for Grace and I.
Chanukah starts next Tuesday and we wish everyone a very happy holiday!
Thank you for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!
Your Kibbles & Bytes Team,
_Don, Rachel, Mike & Dean_
Everyone loves our Chill Pill and now you can share the music, buy one get one free! A pocket-sized, self-contained capsule that transforms into two powered speakers. Designed for people who enjoy listening to music out loud and on the go!
*Buy one, get one free and save $39.99!*
__We’ve asked a few of our employees what their favorite gifts are this season – either to get or to give, of course – and we have highlighted a few of the best!__
*Joe,* __Key West Retail Store Manager__
!>http://blog.smalldog.com/images/4164.jpg! My favorite product is the Chill Pill Chillbox. It has great sound from its aluminum case and is so portable and lightweight. The battery seems to never die and the price is hard to beat. Every member of my family has one and I feel this gift would be great for anyone. And right now as part of our “*Mac The Halls*”:http://www.smalldog.com/macthehalls/holiday-2014-sale holiday sale you get a free Chillbox with the purchase of any MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, or iMac with AppleCare.
*Lonnie,* __Inventory Controller__
!>http://blog.smalldog.com/images/4167.jpg! I play a ton of games on my iPhone and my iPad, and every once in awhile I think to myself, “It’d be pretty awesome to play this game with a controller.” Only problem is that most controllers need to be physically connected to your iOS device, and I’m not a huge fan of attaching a bulky case to my phone just to have a controller with buttons on it. So that’s why I would like the “*Steelseries Stratus controller.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/search?search=Steelseries+Stratus It’s small, light, and connects to your iOS devices via Bluetooth, so if you have a case you’re attached to you don’t need to remove it. The battery lasts 10 hours between charges and can be recharged through USB. It’s compatible with a number of games, from Bastion, to Badlands, to Metal Slug 3, and the list continues to grow. So if you’re really into iOS gaming, what are you waiting for? The perfect controller is here!
*Tony,* __Business Solutions__
!>http://blog.smalldog.com/images/4165.jpg! Last spring I purchased a new iPhone 5S and prior to making the purchase I looked at all of the available protective case options on the market. I’m an avid outdoor enthusiast and am often found hiking in the rain, backcountry skiing in wet snow and riding my fat tire mountain bike in sub-freezing conditions during the winter months. I settled on the “*LifeProof fre iPhone Case*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/85085/lifeproof-fre-case-for-iphone-5-5s-red-black which has received thorough testing in all types of weather conditions that would have destroyed an unprotected iPhone. My phone, on the other hand, still looks and operates as if brand new. This case is thin, lightweight and I highly recommend it.
*Scott,* __Developer__
!>http://blog.smalldog.com/images/4166.jpg! I think the “*Belkin NetCam HD WiFi Camera with Night Vision*”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag900001649 is pretty awesome. I’d like one to monitor the home while away. They are easy to set up, provide quality pictures, and I really like that it can be used with WeMo switches. You can get an instant e-mail when motion is sensed. I would feel safe leaving my home this holiday season, and this camera is on sale now, for $30 off the original price.
*Jamie,* __Rutland Retail Store Sales Associate__
!>http://blog.smalldog.com/images/4168.png! I would like a pair of the “*Urbanear Plattan Headphones*”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag900001634 because they produce great sound and come in many different colors. They also are very portable and fit nicely on your head. Thanks to the remote control built into the cable you are able to pick up calls and fast forward or rewind your music. These headphones really have it all, and through the month of December are $15 off!
*For more holiday gift ideas and specials, visit* “*smaldog.com/macthehalls.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/macthehalls/holiday-2014-sale
No matter what you’re getting or giving this holiday season, be sure to share it with family and friends!
There is not much choice in the flying type of airport either here in Key West or in Vermont. When it comes to equipping your home or office with a wireless network, Apple offers three different options for Apple AiPort base stations: the Apple AirPort Express, Apple AirPort Extreme and the Apple AirPort Time Capsule. With an AirPort base station you can easily create a Wi-Fi network with a Mac or an iOS device in just a few steps. You can also use the AirPort base station to share a printer or hard drive, stream iTunes to your stereo and back-up your Mac.
Let’s take a look at each of Apple’s offerings:
*AirPort Express*
The compact AirPort Express utilizes the 802.11n Wi-Fi standard and supports AirPlay. It is great for an apartment or smaller space, it allows you to use AirPlay to wirelessly stream music to your stereo or compatible speakers and has a USB port so that you can print wirelessly. It also has an audio output port (AKA headphone jack) to support wireless music streaming. It has an Ethernet input and one Ethernet output so it can be easily connected to your DSL or Cable modem and to your Ethernet network if you have that, too. The Express has an internal power supply, so no wall wart!
*AirPort Extreme*
The Apple AirPort Extreme is more powerful, features 802.11ac Wi-Fi and offers increased performance and extended range. This is the unit for you if you have a larger home, a small business or in the classroom. Its taller shape increases the range due to better antenna performance and it features a USB port to enable wireless printing or to connect a hard drive. It features three Ethernet LAN ports in addition to the single Ethernet WAN port. The AirPort Extreme’s power supply is also built-in.
*Airport Time Capsule*
The Airport Time Capsule looks identical to the AirPort Extreme and has the same ports and wireless specifications. It adds either a 2TB or 3TB internal hard drive for Time Machine backups.
All of these Apple AirPort base stations are very easy to set-up. You plug it in, turn it on and connect it to your cable or DSL modem via the Ethernet WAN port. Your Mac or iOS device will recognize the AirPort, select the new AirPort base station and the built-in setup assistant provides step-by-step instructions and suggests the best network configuration. You select “Create a new network” create a password and you are surfing. !>http://blog.smalldog.com/images/4163.png!
Deciding which Apple AirPort base station is right for you depends on where you are using it, i.e. the range you need and whether you need the maximum speed. The latest Apple Macs all support 802.11ac and that may push you towards the Extreme or Time Capsule.
It is somewhat of an undocumented feature that you can, in fact, attach a USB drive to an AirPort Extreme and use that combination with Time Machine for backups. It does take a little bit more configuration time but I can say from personal experience that it works flawlessly. While there is an advantage to having the all-in-one Time Capsule it can also be an advantage having separate devices so that IF one fails, the other is still functional.