Uncategorized | Byte Gremlin

iPhone X to 13 Pro Max Review

November 5, 2021 by Charlie

Max VS X

Note: Byte Gremlin uses Affiliate Links, which generate income to help support the site.

I know. There’s already two billion iPhone 13 Pro Max reviews out there.

But in researching for my own upgrade, I couldn’t find anything in-depth on the experience of transitioning from the (very popular) iPhone X to the much larger and heavier Pro Max. It seems like the bulk of the respectable nerd reviewers out there see the existence of the Max iPhone as a kind of evolutionary joke (“how big ARE your thumbs?”) and their reviews tend to focus on the smaller Pro size. Finally, reviewers these days seem to have assumed that everyone has already settled on what size device they prefer, but I sure hadn’t.

The state of the iPhone lineup has changed quite a bit since I last decided between the big phone and the really big phone, and so I’m sharing my experience shifting to the iPhone Maximus.

In fact, I was so ambivalent about which size iPhone to get, that I went a little nuts and made myself a true to size/weight prototype to carry around in my pocket for a few days before pulling the trigger.

My Brilliant (or crazy?) iPhone Pro Max Mockup

The state of the iPhone lineup has changed quite a bit since I last decided between the big phone and the really big phone, and so I’m sharing my experience shifting to the iPhone Maximus.

Thoughts on Oculus Quest 2 (from a PCVR Die-Hard)

February 9, 2021February 9, 2021 by Charlie

Quest 2, hope you like white

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I want to hate Oculus’s latest headset, Quest 2. See, I’m part of the contingent of VR early adopters. We’re a stoic bunch, who have eagerly braved the waters of expensive, buggy, content-sparse, difficult to setup VR headsets while the rest of the world scratched their heads. Why? Because for us, these early years of VR have given us transformational experiences that have left flatscreen games feeling dull and uninviting, like leaving The Avengers in IMAX for a black & white movie—with subtitles.

I’ve written previously about my downright distaste for the approach taken by the original Quest.

Unfortunately, most of the world has disagreed, either because they’ve neglected to try VR, or are simply frustrated by its inherent clunkiness and price. I’ve spent the last few years arguing passionately in favor of that initial vision for VR, complete with a bulky headset, cables, and an expensive attached gaming PC. Quest 2 is almost the polar opposite of that approach. Comparatively light, inexpensive, and lacking the hyper-precision of external tracking or the raw power of an external PC, it’s the antithesis of the Valve Index headset I’ve put on a pedestal. I’ve written previously about my downright distaste for the approach taken by the original Quest.

So naturally, I want to hate Quest 2. Unfortunately, Oculus has made that very difficult indeed.

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Valve Index: A Comprehensive Review

October 5, 2020July 31, 2019 by Charlie

The Beast

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Since the dawn of modern VR in 2016, two companies, Oculus and Valve, have dominated the development and consumer releases of VR headsets. Now, after three years of quietly spearheading the underlying tracking technology and design for the HTC Vive, Valve has gone hands-on, in the form of the Valve Index.

Valve has been characteristically blunt about their goal with this headset. This is not the “bang for your buck” option. Rather, this is their play at dominating the premium, minimal compromise market for Virtual Reality HMDs (Head Mounted Displays).

As always, the Gremlin stands ready to put it through its paces.

The Ultimate Joystick Guide

October 5, 2020August 9, 2018 by Charlie

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Updated: 8/27/20 with more information on Logitech’s offerings, and info on calibrating the Warthog HOTAS

In the last few years, the flight sim genre has awoken from years of dormancy, as gamers flocked to epic experiences like Elite Dangerous, Star Citizen, War Thunder, and others.

These titles basically mandate the use of a competent joystick, and yet most of your buying options are years old, and lack a set of comprehensive reviews.

The Byte Gremlin is here to right this wrong. He’ll help you steer clear of the various dated and unreliable models out there so that you get the best product for your use case.

A Guide to Creating the Best Home Theaters, Large and Small (Part 3)

October 15, 2019July 21, 2018 by Charlie

Part 3: The Room & Miscellanious

So you’ve got a projector or a shiny TV. You’ve got the best sound setup you can afford. (If you haven’t, check out Part 1 on Projectors & TVs, and Part 2 on Sound systems. What’s left?

The third leg of the Home Theater triumvirate is your space itself. This final section of the guide will delve into how to setup the best viewing space possible, as well as a series of miscellaneous products and advice for turning your TV nook into a true Cinema experience.

A Guide to Creating the Best Home Theaters, Large and Small (Part 2)

October 15, 2019July 15, 2018 by Charlie

Part 2 of this guide focuses on sound quality in home theater. If you haven’t already, check out Part 1. Looking for info on Acoustic Treatment, building a space, or adding finishing touches to your TV setup? Check out Part 3.

Recommended PC Builds for Every Task

October 5, 2020July 2, 2018 by Charlie

business-1839191_1920

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For those considering building your own PC (which I highly recommend), I’ve created a set of recommended builds with various uses and goals in mind.

If you’d like to know more about how to compile a list of compatible parts yourself, check out my other guide here.

A quick note: Purchases made through links on this site earn me a commission, which will in turn support the future of this site. I only endorse products that I’ve personally used and loved, or thoroughly researched and genuinely recommend.

How to Build Your Own PC, and Why You Should (Part 1)

October 5, 2020June 21, 2018 by Charlie

electronics-3491378_1920

Note: Byte Gremlin uses Affiliate Links, which generate income to help support the site.

The average Joe looks at a computer and sees a single device that’s equally capable of performing an infinite number of tasks. They know that some computers are faster than others. But what they don’t know, is that most consumer PCs are configured based on margins and ease of manufacturing, and their capabilities vary dramatically.

On a typical $500 pc from Dell or Acer, you can absolutely launch a game, stumble through editing some photographs or video, and lurch around the interwebs. What you may not realize, is that for that same $500, you could fine tune a custom built computer, that sacrifices in areas that aren’t important to you, in order to have a gaming powerhouse, a lithe living room PC, or an editing behemoth.

Welcome

June 19, 2018June 18, 2018 by Charlie

Let me start by telling you about myself. My name’s Charlie. I am one of the countless gremlins on the internet with an unhealthy obsession with technology. I suffer from gadget acquisition syndrome (props to whomever coined that).

As a byproduct of my illness, I have developed an unhealthy level of knowledge on technology’s greatest trends. VR? Check. Smart thermostats, cars, watches and sprinkler systems? Yup. Streaming ripped blu-rays across your home network and beyond? Uh-huh. Anything from that all too talked about fruit company? Definitely (in fact I worked there for a spell).

I’m the guy who visits The WireCutter on a regular basis just for fun (if you don’t already know what that is, you should). I’ve developed a habit of examining regular household items and questioning their quality and design, and then scouring the web for something better—I’m giving my desk chair the stink-eye right now. Bottom line… If it’s a product category with cool toys, I’ve probably read up on it, played with it, and bought into it.

I’m creating this site with the intention of providing one guy’s thoroughly researched advice on various hot button areas of tech. This is not meant to be an unbiased review site, but rather a comprehensive look at different product categories with my point of view front and center, take it or leave it.

Today, I’m sharing/spreading my knowledge, opinions, and occasional technological pipedreams with you.

May this be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.