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Prepping for Black Friday: steps for smooth sailing

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Black Friday is upon us. Halloween has passed, and while its spirit lives on for the rest of the year in our leftover candy and TPd house, attention is turning towards Black Friday. Walmart is already discounting their stuff to get ahead of the craziness that’s to come, but not everyone is eyeing Walmart discounts this year. For the savvy shopper, Black Friday can be a good opportunity to stock up on everything. And I do mean everything. Here’s a quick guide about how to prepare for Black Friday and make the most of the money that you’ve designated to shopping funds this year. Note that everyone approaches Black Friday differently and this is just an example of how I have been doing it for the past few years. I wanted to share my methods because I found that they work rather well and have brought in good deals for me.

Before we get to the tips, you should be aware of the fact that the massive discounts on Black Friday aren’t entirely real. Don’t go out and shop everything that has a larger than 50% discount on it. Most of the items that are discounted for the shopping season are refurbished items. Whether sellers let you know that or not is another discussion – most of them don’t and I have proof, if you’re curious. A lot of the bigger tech items like TVs are refurbished for the Black Friday sale and are actually units that have been used in showrooms. Not to say they’re not going to be good devices in good conditions, but don’t be surprised if you see scratches on the back or missing parts. It’s just how things go. Refurbished smartphones, tablets, wearables and many many other types of devices are the ones you’ll find cheapest on Black Friday, so if you’re out to save, be aware that you’re not always going to get the best of it. Now, let’s start on the tips that I have.

  1. Online shopping first

Black Friday in the U.S. is an event that spans from the physical world to the online one. Although I’m all in for the craziness that goes on on the date, it’s truly better to avoid going to the store, for safety reasons. Once you stand in line for an entire night waiting for the store to open, there’s no denying that by morning, you’re going to be groggy, impatient, angry and most likely sick of that sh*t. It’s not worth it, getting trampled, pushed around and losing your temper multiple times, not to mention losing your shopping buddies in the meantime.

The best way to approach online shopping on Black Friday, in my experience, is picking the shops that you are interested in and creating a wishlist on each. Last year on Black Friday, I started planning for the event a couple of days ahead, because that was enough for the things that I wanted to invest in. I sifted through my newsletter to see which shops were going to have Black Friday offers and which carry the brands and products that I am interested in. If possible, I added all the items I was interested in to my cart before Black Friday and just placed the order as soon as the discounts kicked off. This saved me a lot of time – and money.

By creating your online shopping wishlist a few days ahead of Black Friday, you can stay on top of your shopping list and buy only the things that you need. Splurging on discounted stuff is common on this “holiday”, seeing as everything seems so cheap. Before stocking up however, always think about product shelf life. Don’t buy something just because it’s on sale because you might end up regretting the purchase. Wishlists will keep your goals in front of you and will prevent you from browsing through tens of pages of discounted items, picking at random.

Having your shopping list ready for Black Friday when it comes to online shopping not only benefits your own state of mind, but also helps with shipping times. Last year, this worked very well for me. I placed the orders that I had waiting early on Friday morning and by Saturday 80% of the items I had wanted to buy were at my doorstep. Shipping times also depend on warehouse locations and store locations, as well as shipping address, so your next delivery might not be as speedy. Make sure to check delivery and shipping estimates on the websites you’re ordering from, so you can pick the ones that will get the products to you in the window of your choice.

At the same time, doing your Black Friday shopping online will be a breezier experience because you can ponder, think and compare the products as long as you want. Not having the pressure of getting all the stocks and discounts as fast as possible, like in stores, will make your shopping experience much nicer. Not risking getting trampled in Walmart is also a big benefit of online shopping, if we are to be blunt. People have actually died during Black Friday shopping, so it’s not a joke. I would always recommend online shopping on days with such massive discounts as Black Friday, because people forget their values when it comes to saving money.

Moreover, some online shops start their Black Friday sweeps ahead of the actual date, so you can do both: physical and online shopping. Always do your online shopping first, because this way you weed out items and you might not even have to participate in the sales going on in stores. While I always do my Black Friday shopping online, there are things out there that you won’t find online – those are the ones you should focus on when going to the store.

     2. Plan your shopping list

This is a bit of an obvious suggestions, but it’s a very important one. If you want to make the most of Black Friday discounts without too much effort, make a comprehensive shopping list. If you’re going out to malls and shops in the city you live in, make sure to be clear on which stores are participating to Black Friday sweeps and what kind of items will be part of their sale. You can find this information out from clerks or information centers within stores, but your best bet would be taking to employees who work in the aisles of the stores or at serving counters. That’s because, if they’re nice, they’re going to be truthful about Black Friday sales in the store. Management will usually lead people on with ambiguous information to draw them to the store on discount days – and keep them there. Clerks are your best bet, especially if they’re unhappy with their job. It’s a bit of an exploit, this one, but it really works if you are lucky and find friendly clerks.

Once you know the stores that you’re going to be visiting, you can create your shopping list. Most stores have catalogs online, so you can use those to make a list. You can use screenshots of products that you want to buy and save them on your phone, so that you can easily spot them when in a rush. Dividing your list into multiple categories is another good idea that has worked for me in the past. The items that you “need” should be first on the list. These items should also have a backup list featuring similar items from other brands  or from other stores, in case you can’t get the specific item you’re looking for.

If there are items on your Black Friday shopping list that you know everyone is going to be after, like consoles, tablets and TVs, make sure to jot down at least three alternatives to the item on your list – from different brands, different shops or from online shops. This way, you can easily see what you have to buy and what you can buy if you don’t find your original picks. This will save you time on Black Friday because you won’t be taking your phone out to search for similar items. It will also save you time and money because you will have a sense of purpose and you will know exactly what you’re looking for. This way, it will be harder to distract you with other offers and products that you pass by.

It’s a good idea to put estimated prices on your shopping list, too, to prevent you from spending too much. For example, if you have a hand mixer in your “need” category and you’ve picked one that costs $200 before Black Friday, expecting the price to drop to $100, make sure to note down the maximum amount you would be willing to pay for that item. In our scenario, let’s say our max price for this particular hand mixer is $120. If the price on the gadget is higher than the one you’re willing to pay, go to your alternative on the shopping list. The alternative should be a hand mixer that’s cheaper, but you can find in the same place. This way, you won’t grab the hand mixer that is not as cheap as you expected it to be and thus end up saving a couple of bucks on Black Friday shopping.

For shared shopping lists and even for your own list, it’s best to use paper in store. While I do advise you to keep your list on a smartphone because it’s easier to edit and stay on top of, when it comes to following a list in store, that’s about the worst idea. Use a paper shopping list because in the madness that is Black Friday, your phone is bound to get knocked out of your hands in the store. Although smartphones are a good investment during Black Friday, you don’t have to create need to buy them. Shared shopping lists are also better off on paper, even though apps do help groups keep on top of their shopping lists. It’s just not worth the risk of losing or damaging your phone in the crowd, in my opinion.

 3. Plan your route

Many shoppers in the U.S. go through malls or a couple of big markets on Black Friday and many times they get sidetracked or lost and end up forgetting to buy the items that they actually came shopping for. To avoid confusion and to save gas, it’s good to plan your route ahead of time. If you’re going to the mall and you’re familiar with its crowd, you’re going to have an easier time doing this. First, identify the stores that you want to visit and write them all down or mark them on a small map of your city. Then, map your route out based on how many items you need to pick up from each store. The stores from which you want the most items should be the first ones you visit, but take into account the crowd of the store, if you’re familiar with it. If your local Mall has a lot of gamers who crowd tech stores quickly, keep in mind that the game shop will be packed and you would be better off ordering online. If you prefer to go to the store, your best strategy is to pick out the items you need before going into the shop and targeting them only.

If you are planning to visit multiple stores in a mall, start at the top floor. You might miss out on products that are discounted on the bottom floor, but you’ll be first on the top floor of the building, avoiding the crowds. Map your mall out and mark each shop that you want to visit before starting your expedition so you don’t get lost. Teamwork is very important when shopping on Black Friday, so if at all possible, don’t go alone. Split the shopping lists you have created with members of your shopping party to save time and money. You could also use the assault tactic, if you’re on a team: half your team starts on the first floor of the mall while the other half starts at the top. This way, you can cover more ground in less time and take advantage of all the Black Friday discounts.

If your Black Friday shopping plan includes multiple stores in different locations, make sure to have a detailed map of your route on hand at all times. Part near the exits of mall and store parking lots, so that you can easily navigate your way out of the madness. Those fortunate enough to have multiple cars in their family or in the shopping group can split up stores and share shopping lists to make the most of Black Friday. Plan your route based on importance of stores to your shopping list. If your “need” list is filled with cookware, the first store you should visit is going to be a cookware store. Items on your shopping list that are in the “want” category (like upgrades to existing gadgets in your home, games, gifts, etc) should come after you’ve completed your “need’ category.

   4. Set a budget

Black Friday shopping can be hectic and overwhelming, and the excitement can easily bring you to spend a lot of money without even realizing it. The problem with Black Friday discounts is that they make products seem like they are super-cheap and make customers forget that even smaller sums add up. This way, a lot of people end up spending thousands and thousands of dollars on Black Friday only to find themselves regretting the most of their purchases. One sneaky way to avoid this is to set a budget well ahead of time for Black Friday shopping.

Setting a budget isn’t the easiest of all on Black Friday since you can’t anticipate the prices you will be paying. Nonetheless, you can set yourself a max amount you’re willing to spend, for example $1000. If you’re doing your shopping in stores, it’s best if you carry cash in the max amount that you’re willing to spend. Credit cards, especially contactless credit cards, are a no-no when Black Friday shopping, especially since contactless cards tend to pay for more than just your shopping – it depends on the card you have, but be wary. Also, credit cards during shopping are an incentive to spend more and more because you don’t have a physical limit like with cash. It’s best if you just take the cash you’re willing to spend, secure it in the inside of your clothes grouped in hundreds, fifties or some such even sums, so it doesn’t get stolen or lost.

When calculating a Black Friday budget, it’s good to have current price estimates inside. For example, if you’re after a PC that would cost you about $1000 now, your target price on Black Friday – and the max price you are willing to pay for it would be at around $700. It’s better to set lower max values, such as $500 in our case, but it’s safer to set higher ones for the items that are in your “need” category of your shopping list. If a PC is incremental to you and the most important on your list, it should have the top priority and the most funds allocated to it, so as to prevent you from spending additional money on things you don’t need. Calculate the max value you are willing to pay for a product and add everything up to find your total budget.

If that goes over what you’re willing to spend, you can start either eliminating products from your list or setting lower max price values for each. This is how that works: you set a $300 max price for all the tech accessories like speakers, mics, camera lenses, smartphone cases, laptop covers and so on. If your total budget for Black Friday is above the one you would like to pay, bring down the sum you’re willing to allocate to accessories to $200 or $150 – half. This way, you can even out your shopping list and invest where you need to, not where you want to. Prioritize the items on your list and estimate less for those that are not as important. This way, if you find an item for the lower price that you set, you can buy it, but if you can find it for a higher price only, you can easily let go of that item because it doesn’t fit in with your plans.

Although it will be hard to concentrate on these financial aspects of Black Friday shopping while in stores, they are a must, unless you want to spend a fortune on discounted stuff you’ll never use. Setting goals, max values, budgets and lists is a good way to prevent you and your family from spending too much and from getting items that your household doesn’t really need. Splitting your list up into categories and setting and adjusting price goals is the easiest way to make the most of Black Friday discounts. Even if it will take up some time to plan ahead, it’s totally worth it.

 5. Stay on top of the paperwork

Shopping on Black Friday has a few caveats. Many times, you won’t have the chance to get a warranty or insurance because of the crowded stores and occupied employees. Warranty and insurance is very important if you’re buying larger items that are meant to last for a couple of years. You must not buy anything like this on Black Friday if you can’t get a solid warranty or insurance plan to go with it. As I said before, many items that are cheapest on Black Friday are refurbished items or slightly used items that are in good working condition. These are prone to getting early malfunctions because of the way in which they were handled or put back together. That’s why warranty or insurance is a must on Black Friday, otherwise you might end up with a bunch of useless junk you can’t even resell.

To avoid getting trapped in stores signing warranties and insurance papers, it’s good to have all the documentation necessary on hand. IDs and other documents you might need, depending on your country and store that you’re shopping in, should be somewhere easy to reach. Front pockets with zippers are the best ways to keep your documents safe and on hand, just make sure not to forget the zipper open and lose your documents in the chaos within stores. If you have documents on hand, employees will get through your papers faster and you’re going to be done earlier.

For online Black Friday shopping, make sure to have all your documents on hand when the delivery comes and don’t pay the man or don’t take over the product until you test it and verify that documentation is in order and you received all the care packages and accessories that you bargained for. Online stores usually offer a 15 or 30 day return period so jot down these specifics of stores in your email or in a note, so that you know what to expect when the product comes around.

At the same time, if the things you ordered on Black Friday are late or take some time to get shipped to you, make sure to jot down all the information about products that you ordered, because you might forget. When the product arrives, make sure to know what to expect, so as you don’t take over products you didn’t order, defective products or products that are missing warranty or insurance information. Paperwork can be a hassle, but it’s very important to keep on top of it so as not to regret it later on. It would be a bummer if you bought a PS4 but didn’t pay attention to its warranty and end up with a faulty device after a couple of months which you can’t replace. Happy Black Friday shopping guys! Enjoy your discounted items.

As part of the editorial team here at Geekreply, John spends a lot of his time making sure each article is up to snuff. That said, he also occasionally pens articles on the latest in Geek culture. From Gaming to Science, expect the latest news fast from John and team.

Bionics

Highly efficient in energy usage and exceptionally precise – A novel frequency comb has been developed by researchers at Stanford University

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Researchers at Stanford University have introduced a novel frequency comb, a highly accurate measurement tool. This device exhibits distinctive characteristics such as its compact size, great energy efficiency, and remarkable accuracy. Through ongoing advancements, this revolutionary “microcomb,”  as outlined in a paper published in Nature, has the potential to serve as the foundation for widespread implementation of these devices in common electronic gadgets.

Frequency combs are laser devices designed to produce lines of light that are uniformly distributed, resembling the teeth of a comb or, more accurately, the tick marks on a ruler. Over the course of around 25 years, these “rulers for light” have brought about significant advancements in several fields of precise measurement, ranging from timekeeping to molecule detection through spectroscopy. However, due to the need for huge, expensive, and energy-intensive equipment, the usage of frequency combs has primarily been restricted to laboratory environments.

The researchers found a solution to these problems by combining two distinct methods for reducing the size of frequency combs onto a single, readily manufactured, microchip-style platform. The researchers anticipate a range of uses for their adaptable technology, including the development of sophisticated handheld medical diagnostic gadgets and the implementation of ubiquitous greenhouse gas monitoring sensors.

According to Hubert Stokowski, a postdoctoral scholar in the laboratory of Amir Safavi-Naeini and the primary author of the paper, the design of our frequency comb incorporates the most advantageous aspects of emerging microcomb technology within a single device. “Our new frequency microcomb has the potential to be scaled up for compact, low-power, and cost-effective devices that can be deployed in virtually any location.”

Safavi-Naeini, an associate professor in the Department of Applied Physics at Stanford’s School of Humanities and Sciences and senior author of the study, expressed great enthusiasm regarding the recently showcased microcomb technology. This technology has shown promise in developing innovative precision sensors that are compact and highly efficient, potentially suitable for integration into mobile devices in the future.

The process of manipulating light
An Integrated Frequency-Modulated Optical Parametric Oscillator, commonly referred to as FM-OPO, is a novel device.

The tool’s intricate nomenclature suggests that it integrates two methodologies for generating the spectrum of unique frequencies, or hues of light, that comprise a frequency comb. One approach, known as optical parametric oscillation, entails the reflection of laser light beams within a crystal medium, resulting in the formation of coherent and stable wave pulses. The second method uses laser light to enter a cavity, then modifies the phase of the light. This modulation is accomplished by applying radio-frequency signals to the device, resulting in the generation of frequency repetitions that function as light pulses.

The utilization of these two microcomb methods has been limited due to their inherent limitations. The aforementioned concerns encompass energy inefficiency, restricted capacity to modify optical parameters, and inferior comb “optical bandwidth” characterized by the gradual fading of comb-like lines as the distance from the comb’s center rises.

The researchers adopted a novel method to address the difficulty by focusing on a very promising optical circuit platform utilizing thin film lithium niobate as a material. The material possesses favorable characteristics in comparison to silicon, which is the prevailing material in the industry. Two advantageous characteristics of this material are its “nonlinearity,” which enables the interaction of light beams of different hues to produce new colors or wavelengths, and its ability to transmit a wide variety of light wavelengths.

The components of the new frequency comb were fabricated by the researchers through the utilization of integrated lithium niobate photonics. These technologies for controlling light are based on advancements made in the well-established field of silicon photonics, which focuses on the production of optical and electronic integrated circuits on silicon microchips. Both lithium niobate and silicon photonics have built upon the semiconductors used in traditional computer processors, which originated in the 1950s.

According to Safavi-Naeini, lithium niobate possesses distinct characteristics that are not present in silicon, rendering it indispensable for the fabrication of our microcomb device.

Remarkably exceptional performance
Subsequently, the researchers integrated components from optical parametric amplification and phase modulation methodologies. The researchers held specific performance expectations about the new frequency comb system on lithium niobate chips; nonetheless, the observed outcomes beyond their initial expectations.

In general, the comb generated a consistent output instead of brief pulses, allowing the researchers to decrease the necessary input power by roughly ten times. The device also produced a comb that was comfortably flat, indicating that the comb lines located further away from the center of the spectrum did not diminish in intensity. This characteristic enhances the accuracy and applicability of the device in many measurement applications.

Safavi-Naeini expressed astonishment at the comb’s unexpected nature. “Despite our initial intuition that we would observe comb-like behaviors, our intention was not to create a comb of this exact nature. It took us several months to create the simulations and theory that elucidated its primary characteristics.”

In order to get additional understanding of their surpassing device, the researchers sought the expertise of Martin Fejer, who holds the esteemed positions of J. G. Jackson and C. J. Wood Professor of Physics, as well as a professor of applied physics at Stanford University. Fejer, in collaboration with his colleagues at Stanford University, has made significant contributions to the advancement of contemporary thin film lithium niobate photonics technologies and the comprehension of the crystal characteristics of this material.

Fejer (year) established a significant correlation between the fundamental physical principles that underlie the microcomb and the concepts explored in scientific literature during the 1970s. This connection is particularly relevant to the ideas put forth by Stephen Harris, a retired professor of applied physics and electrical engineering at Stanford University.

With additional refinement, the novel microcombs may be easily produced at traditional microchip foundries and have numerous practical uses, including sensing, spectroscopy, medical diagnostics, fiber-optic communications, and wearable health-monitoring systems.

“Our microchip has the capability to be integrated into any device, and the overall size of the device is contingent upon the size of the battery,” stated Stokowski. “The technology we have showcased has the capability to be integrated into a compact personal device, comparable in size to a phone or even smaller, and can be utilized for various practical functions.”

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Engineering

Ukrainian officials view ground robots as a significant development in warfare

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Milan — The Ukrainian government is currently witnessing a rise in the number of applications submitted by robotics manufacturers seeking to assess the effectiveness of their combat systems. This trend indicates the growing significance of unmanned ground capabilities, particularly in light of the current deadlock on the front lines with Russia.

Brave1, a government defense-technology hub responsible for the development of field-ready capabilities, has recently announced the submission of over 50 ground robotic systems and more than 140 unmanned ground vehicles for evaluation.

In order to improve the Ukrainian army’s capabilities on the battlefield, Brave1 announced on March 12 that it would acquire a sizable number of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) through United24. These UGVs are expected to have a transformative impact on the ongoing conflict, similar to the existing role of drones. The Ukrainian government runs a website called United24 that seeks to raise money for the country’s ongoing internal conflicts.

Over the past year, there has been a notable rise in the proliferation of such platforms in military operations, with their utilization and evaluation expanding to encompass a broader range of objectives. Ukrainian social media platforms have lately disseminated video content purportedly showcasing an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) with the capacity to deploy six anti-tank mines simultaneously.

The online images shared by Brave1 depict a diverse array of compact tracked and wheeled ground robots in motion, armed with firearms, engaged in the evacuation of injured dummies, and seemingly outfitted with technology designed for mine detection.

A prevailing pattern observed in Ukrainian unmanned robots is their tendency to be somewhat light and less weighty compared to their numerous counterparts available on the global market.

According to Nataliia Kushnerska, the project lead at Brave1, Ukraine gains a strategic advantage on the battlefield by employing advanced technological solutions that outperform their adversaries in terms of efficiency, innovation, and cost. These hardware and software products serve as asymmetric responses, capable of altering the configuration during confrontations against the formidable resources of the enemy. This information was conveyed in an email statement to Defense News.

“Ukraine has emerged as a prominent international center for defense technology, and the expansion of this industry will have a crucial impact on Ukrainian defense strategy for many years to come,” she stated.

A considerable quantity of weapons and explosives employed by Russian and Ukrainian military forces persist without detonation, presenting a potential hazard to both military personnel and non-combatants. As of April 2023, it is anticipated that almost 174,000 square kilometers of Ukraine were polluted with landmines.

The impetus to expedite the advancement of Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) stems from the want to deploy robots for the perilous task of extracting live munitions that remain on the battlefield.

 

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Industry and Service

There is confusion among some regarding the inclusion of “Jeff” on a list of nuclear superpowers

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Since the advent of nuclear weapons, we have resided in a world where a full-scale conflict has the potential to annihilate humanity on multiple occasions. Research has indicated that a mere 100 or around 100 bombs had the potential to trigger a global nuclear winter, resulting in the loss of up to 1 billion lives. As of 2023, our nuclear arsenal consists of approximately 12,500 weapons.

Maintaining a record of them is undeniably crucial. It is undesirable to find oneself in a situation similar to the United States, where six nuclear weapons are lost.

Currently, there are nine nations, namely Russia, the United States, China, the United Kingdom, France, Pakistan, Israel, North Korea, and India, that possess nuclear weapons. According to a previous graphic by CNN, which relies on statistics from the Federation of American Scientists, Jeff ranks as the eighth largest holder of nuclear weapons.

Although this phenomenon occasionally reemerges, there is no cause for concern regarding the potential instigation of nuclear arms by an individual named Jeff, who harbors dissatisfaction.

Jeff is not a real person. It is an acronym for the Joint Evaluated Fission and Fusion Project, which is a group of countries working together to make a library of nuclear material. It’s possible that Jeff got put on the chart by mistake, making it the tenth largest nuclear weapons owner in the world for a very short time… on a bar chart.

Sorry, everyone. Jeff does not have any nuclear weapons. No matter who plays him—Goldblum, Bezos, or Daniels—this is true. But if it makes you feel better, Pepsi may have owned a fleet of Soviet boats for a short time.

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