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Jul 26

Anker releases faster, smarter GaN chargers

Charging up your power-hungry devices is about to get faster and more convenient. Anker, manufacturer of our best portable charger pick, has announced a new, third generation of Gallium Nitride (GaN) chargers that promise a smarter and more efficient charging experience in an even smaller form factor. Until recently, silicon was the preferred charging technology used in most laptops and mobile devices.

GaN technology more efficiently converts energy into power, producing less heat so internal components can be placed closer together. This means that even those huge laptop power bricks can now be replaced by more diminutive chargers. Anker already makes a ton of popular USB-C chargers, many of which include a previous generation of GaN.

With its latest products, Anker adds PowerIQ 4.0 technology, which not only tells the charger exactly how much power is needed for each connected device, but constantly adjusts the distribution to make sure each USB port is getting what it needs. Previously, if you had two devices plugged into a multiple port charger, I said a laptop that requires 65W of power and a phone that uses 15W, and you disconnect the phone, your laptop wouldn’t get the extra charge.

With GaNPrime, the charger will recognize that the phone has been disconnected and cleverly redistribute and reallocate the available resources. It also determines which device has the lowest battery level and prioritizes that device. That way, if you need to quickly charge up your laptop before heading out and it’s only at 20%, it will get powered up before a phone that’s already reached 80%.

In addition to reducing the size of the chargers (for example, the Anker 737 GaNPrime 65W charger is 53% smaller than the Apple 61W charger), Anker says GaNPrime saves energy use since more efficient charging takes less time overall. And because the new chargers are compatible with over a thousand mobile devices, you’ll likely need to carry just one. Hallelujah!

To take advantage of this new technology you need one of the new GaNPrime multi-device chargers, which range from 65W to 150W of power output, and a USB-C cable. Here’s what to look forward to.

Anker

At 150W this charger has the highest power output of the GaNPrime series. It has three USB-C ports and a USB-A port to distribute that power to, making it capable of fully charging a 16inch MacBook Pro in 1.7 hours.

Anker

This 120W charger distributes the power output between two USB-C ports and one USB-A port, so you can simultaneously charge a laptop, smartphone and a smartwatch. It can charge an iPhone 13 up to 3 times faster than an original 5W charger can.

Anker

This is the smallest GaNPrime charger with two USB-C ports and one USB-A port outputting 65W of power.

Anker

This power bank does double duty. Use it as a wall charger and you’ll get 65W of output, enough to charge a MacBook Pro in 50 minutes. Take it on the go and the 30W output can charge your

Jul 25

Smartphones, other gadgets in China: Will the decline end in 2nd half?

China has a huge consumer electronics market. /CFP

Smartphones and other gadgets – or consumer electronics as some call them – have witnessed a decline in sales in the first half of 2022 in China. The reason behind that is not only related to COVID-19 control measures, as some may think. And the future seems to be getting better but is still not clear.

A 10-week decline in smartphone sales took place in China from late January to April, according to data from market researcher Counterpoint.

Many media outlets said this signified that the once rapture market has finally calmed down after years of tumbling. But the latest data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), a government research institute, showed that shipments bounced back by one-third in June compared to that in May. The June data also beat last year’s numbers by 9.2 percent.

It seems like the decline in the smartphone market is coming to a stop. But the sales data during the “618” shopping season told us another story.

Source: Counterpoint Weekly Tracking Service

During the season, the only major brand that saw year-on-year growth was Honor, which separated from Huawei in 2020 to become a standalone. Other brands, including Apple, performed strongly in China with the iPhone 13 series, all saw a sizable decline in sales.

Many Chinese smartphone reviewers expressed their complaints about the heating problems in Qualcomm’s recent Snapdragon chips, which power many flagship smartphones in China. Like many of Apple’s A-series products, the chips get too hot under heavy use that they have to “throttle” – run slower – to prevent breaking.

“It seems that the chip’s design is great, but it was ruined by Samsung’s problematic manufacturing tech,” one reviewer concluded after testing dozens of recent Snapdragon-powered phones. “Newer chips may be built by TSMC so expect them to be a bit better.”

The Snapdragon 888 and 8 Gen 1 chips are not so welcomed like many of their previous products in China. /CFP

People’s will to upgrade their smartphones also seems to be fading, as the recent devices have become so powerful that many light users no longer need to get a new one – they just replace the aged batteries instead, as the hardware is still fast enough to keep WeChat running.

A similar thing is happening to TVs as well. One of the most important upgrades in recent years – HDR – is not even understood by a lot of Chinese buyers. Most people just go for larger sizes without looking at other features. After all, most Chinese people can only watch less than a handful of 4K channels and a few dozens of 1080i ones, and the mainstream streaming services only provide content at a pathetically low bitrate with which many

Jul 25

John Fetterman and Dr. Oz trade memes in Twitter fight

Over the last few weeks, the Fetterman and Oz campaigns have been locked in an online tit for tat as the midterm election cycle continues to heat up in Pennsylvania. The Oz campaign has repeatedly slammed “radical liberal” John Fetterman over Twitter for his 2016 Bernie Sanders endorsement and “crazier than you think” policy platform. But rather than distancing Fetterman from the criticism, his campaign has embraced the attacks as content inspiration.

The standoff burst into full view on Wednesday when Dr. Mehmet Oz posted a photoshopped image of Sanders and Fetterman styled as a 1980s department store glamor shot, taken from the film Step Brothers. The Fetterman campaign replied with an image reading, “graphic design is my passion,” mocking the meme’s crummy editing job.

Joe Calvello, the Fetterman campaign’s director of communications, said the approach is largely inspired by their opponent’s social presence. “A lot of the time, [Oz] is just asking for it,” he told The Verge on Wednesday. “I don’t know why he does bad posts.”

Invoking the infamous graphic design meme was just the Fetterman campaign’s latest troll targeting Dr. Oz. Last week, the campaign enlisted “Jersey Shore” star Nicole Polizzi, better known as “Snooki,” to scold Oz over his alleged New Jersey residency. “I heard that you moved from New Jersey to Pennsylvania to look for a new job,” Snooki said in the video. “Personally, I don’t know why anybody would wanna leave New Jersey, ’cause it’s like the best place ever, and we’re all hot messes.”

There are nearly four more months until Pennsylvania voters decide who to send Washington. But for now, “We let the people decide the ratio,” Calvello said.

Jul 25

Philadelphia kids feel safer with Kensington’s new summer programming

“They should put a fence around the park and give *us* the keys,” said one fourth grader.

Kids play in the McPherson Square Park playground during Playstreets, with Playstreet captains (in red) helping out — Daisie Cardona for Billy Penn

Each day this summer, the park and library at McPherson Square in Kensington transforms into a safe space for kids, complete with cooking classes hosted by the North Kensington Community Development Corporation and a new outpost of the city’s Playsteets program.

Though the public park has always had some level of summer youth programming, this is the first year it has been transformed with new signage and play equipment, designed by local nonprofit TinyWPA.

Neighborhood parents seem to like the program, which sections off the playground to create a space for children to play freely and safely — something often lacking in the area around McPherson Square.

“Many of these blocks have drug problems, so it’s not safe for Playstreets to be held on those blocks,” said neighborhood parent Theresa Malone.

Malone’s daughter Anastasia, a rising fourth grader, said she feels safer because of the new programming.

“Especially now that the fence is around the playground,” Anastasia said. “It keeps people out — they should put one around the whole park and give us the keys!”

The neighborhood is considered a gun violence “hotspot,” which means it consistently contributes disproportionately to Philadelphia’s shooting statistics. Twenty-five of the blocks that saw 10 or more shootings during 2021 are in Kensington, and the area has some of the lowest median household incomes in the city. The summer programming for kids is a bright spot.

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation is operating its pop up PlayPark program in three Kensington locations this year, said department spokesperson Maita Soukup: McPherson Square, Hissey Playground, and Harrowgate Park. They’re possible because of a partnership with the Free Library, the PPD, the Managing Director’s Office, and the city’s Community Life Improvement Program (CLIP), she said.

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In addition to the snacks offered by the Playstreets initiative, McPherson Square Library also offers daily free lunches for kids.

It’s run by a woman the kids affectionately call “Miss Maria the Lunch Lady.” She hands out food and even sends home extra meals for hungry siblings. Over 16% of School District of Philadelphia households experienced food insecurity during the 2020 to 2021 school year.

“I’m just trying to do my part,” said Bryan Belknap, the after-school program coordinator at McPherson Library. He’s worked there since 2015 and has a hand in creating its annual summer programming. Belknap says the Playstreets program averages around 40 youth a day, and that participation in the after-school program ebbs and flows with the academic year on top of library closures.

“If the library was ever to shut down, a lot of our young men would die or get wrapped up in something bad,” said Malone.

Scroll for a look at kids and adults enjoying McPherson’s summer offerings.

Bryan Belknap, McPherson Square Library after-school program coordinator, pushing Jolissa on the swing — Daisie Cardona for Billy Penn

Jul 24

LLG Designs, Green becoming popular graphic designer amongst local athletes

Photos courtesy of Leslie Green

When a local athlete posts a graphic on social media at any level, middle school, high school or college, more likely than not it was made by Owensboro native Leslie Green—owner of LLG Designs who has become a go-to choice for athletes making college decisions.

Green grew up in Owensboro playing basketball, before eventually returning home after college and having her daughter Zoe. Much like her mother, Zoe went on to play as well which only strengthened the love of sports Leslie has.

“Sports are a big part of my life,” Green said. “I grew up playing basketball, then I got to teach/watch my daughter Zoe do the same. I am a fan of almost all sports. I still love to play ball and occasionally hit the golf course for fun.”

While Green is an insurance broker during the day and has been with Assured Partners since 2005, her love of art and graphic design carried over from her studies at the University of Southern Indiana.

“It started with graphic design classes at USI, but I have always had a love for art,” Green said. “Recently a friend of mine reminded me that in elementary school, my friends would pay me to draw their names in bubble letters. I guess I have always had a passion for creating.”

With her being so passionate about both career options, she began doing little things here and there as a freelance designer when the opportunity arose.

“I love my career as a broker, and I love designing and creating as well,” Green said. “I am enjoying being dedicated to both careers. When I have my broker hat on, I am focused on just that. And on my free time, I work on my designing skills by participating in workshops,

taking classes, partnering with other designers in the field, and reading….a lot.”

She initially started honing her skills by looking at photos of her daughter before gradually venturing out. It was then that Green realized she had the chance to turn her hobby into a business if she wanted to—thus LLG Designs was created.

“I would look at sports images and I would think of ways I could use them to create something special,” Green said. “I started off just practicing with images of my daughter and kept practicing by slowly opening the window to people I knew, and then it just took off from there. I realized about a year into it, with the markets I was tapping into that I could make a business of it.”

Quickly Green went from getting messages on Facebook and Twitter from parents and athletes, to having zoom calls with college coaches, prep schools and more. Her marketing plan? Simply letting her work do the talking.

“I use my social media and word of mouth to help grow my business,” Green said. “I figure that if I put in the work on my craft that athletes and parents will notice. I know