Mavic Mini and Eachine E58

I always wanted to get a drone. Over the last few months I have had plenty of time on my hands and took the opportunity to learn something new. So I went ahead and got two drones.  A not very expensive Eachine E58 to learn and practice with and a not so inexpensive Mavic Mini.

The Eachine cost under $75 so if it crashed (which it did several times) it was not a crushing loss. It is very durable and was able to fly again even after quite a few mishaps. It was O.K. in light wind but became unstable in higher winds. If I knew then what I know now I would have spent a little more and gotten the GPS option. But not having GPS really improved my skills.

After feeling more confident with my piloting skills I went ahead and purchased a DJI Mavic Mini with the Fly More option which includes multiple batteries  a charging pack, prop guards and a nifty carrying case. Although not a commercial level drone it is certainly not a toy. This package cost just under $500.

Flying this drone is a pleasure even in pretty high wind. Very stable and responsive to the controls. Both photos and videos are of very high quality and add a whole new dimension to digital photography.

In the process of learning these new skills I discovered that there is a whole culture surrounding these photography tools. There are quite a few lucrative commercial applications for skilled pilots, these include: real estate photography, outdoor home inspections, construction site surveying, wedding photography and more. To fly commercially you need to obtain a special license.

If you would like to get into this, there are plenty of YouTube training videos as well as high end professional training.

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High Tech On Four Wheels

With a little bit of trepidation we traded in our F-150 pickup for a 2017 Ford Edge Titanium SUV. Our needs changed and so it goes.

We had an Edge back in 2011 but this year’s model is a whole different animal. It has more technology than I usually like but after living with this SUV for a few weeks I have come to appreciate some of the cool features.

One of the features that I  initially liked the least was the “Intelligent Key Access System and Push Button Start.” I now like this feature the best. Your digital key can be in your pocket. But if you are within 2 feet of the door you can open it and once you enter the driver’s cabin you can start up with the push of a button and go.

Our Edge also has a towing package with the extra heavy duty stuff that comes along with that option and 20″ wheels for extra height.

The 3.5 liter V6 produces about 280hp which is plenty for this type of SUV.

The handling is firm but not harsh and the new “Synch3” touchscreen is a big improvement over previous versions.

So far this ride has exceeded our expectations.

For more info go to: www.ford.com

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 Preserving Your Priceless Memories

So, you’ve accumulated thousands of photos over the years and some of them are starting to deteriorate. What are you gonna do? Well one thing you can do is digitize your precious memories with this Epson FastFoto scanner. It can scan up to 60 photos per minute front and back. If you have writing on the back it will copy that text and automatically name the photo accordingly. You can also scan panoramics.

It comes with a software suite that allows for automatic color correction for photos that have been diminished over time. This device is so much better than a flatbed scanner. It ain’t cheap, $550-650 is the going price. But, it is so fast that I think it is well worth the money.

You can learn more at:

www.epson.com

·    Up to 60 ppm/60 ipm monochrome and color  speed

·       USB 2.0 interface

·       Duplex scanning

·       48-bit color

·       80-sheets ADF (auto document feeder)

Check it out!

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We were considering getting a used PT Cruiser and tricking it out to our own specifications with custom paint, wire wheels and the whole nine yards. Looking at the used car ads we thought that this was pretty much a done deal.

The next day we were out and about driving on the Loop 101 in Arizona when we spotted a cool looking VW Beetle. Now, we never really considered getting a “Bug” but just for the hell of it, we stopped by the VW dealer near our house just to take a look and maybe pick up a brochure or two. We had our dog Teddi with us and didn’t plan on staying very long.

We were offered a test drive but didn’t really expect much from the little “Bug”.  Putting the pedal to the metal the little thing really took off with impressive acceleration thanks to the turbo charged 4 cylinder engine. The braking wasn’t too shabby either.

Two hours later we drove a new black Beetle with a beige leatherette interior off the lot.

We usually drive a big Ford F-150 truck so, this was a pretty big change to say the least. But it took only a day to fall in love with this car. Kinda like gettin’ a new puppy.

I still love the room and heft of my big Ford truck but the “Bug” is so much fun to drive around town. It has a pretty good sound system and nice little touches that I wouldn’t have expected from such a small car.  Kathy has pretty much taken over ownership, but I steal it away every chance I get.

Gotta go run some errands. See ya!

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