Goodwill houston select stores conroe photos
Any recourse for defective camera?
2023.03.25 02:54 bluecrowned Any recourse for defective camera?
I bought a camera at the goodwill computer store yesterday and it looked like it worked fine. I went home and put a memory card in and tried multiple ones and it just says "memory card error" no matter what I do. $25 is a lot for a camera that will not take photos. I was excited to have a decent camera (compared to my phone) and now im just sad. What can I do?
submitted by bluecrowned to goodwill [link] [comments]
2023.03.24 22:52 kcheves Concrete Block BBQ Island Project
Following up on a comment i made in a post by u/Hop1226, here are some details of a project I’m just wrapping up. I did the design and material selection and my very talented stone mason did the work.
This was the original concept.
https://i.imgur.com/2ckHnlL.jpg
Here are photos of the finished product. You’ll notice that the patio cover is missing. The original plan was to fabricate this from Corten steel, but the cost was going to be crazy and we deferred this until later.
https://imgur.com/a/o7KKBhZ/
Here’s the rough gas line, electrical, and drain work.
https://i.imgur.com/wc2xCDm.jpg
I ended up not putting in a sink because a) I had one in my old BBQ island and rarely used it. The outdoor kitchen is adjacent to our indoor kitchen, and I have a hose nearby if I need it.
We trenched and then placed the first course of block. The electrical was run under the block and then brought up to a central location in the back wall of the island. Where needed, he poured short concrete walls to achieve the final dimensions.
https://imgur.com/a/QJqee4W/
Here’s a view with most of the island built up. The slab that will support the smoker has already been poured, and he’s starting to build the forms for the countertop.
https://i.imgur.com/s4fNy5f.jpg
You can see two of the j-boxes on the back of the island. There are three outlets total on the outside walls (plus one by the BBQ for a rotisserie) and 4 that are accessible inside the island for appliances. I also ran conduit between the BBQ island and an adjacent fire pit area in case I want to run AC or low voltage wiring to that location. Photos of the fire pit are at the end of this post.
All of the conduit is hidden in the block or in the poured countertops. My mason used a propane torch to bend the conduit smoothly so we could pull wires later.
https://imgur.com/a/0FBVYRt/
Here are some shots of the forms he created for the countertops.
https://imgur.com/a/3A43sZy/
There were several pours required to creat the openings for the appliances and storage drawers and doors.
Here’s a pic with the countertop poured. I really like the way the cantilever was constructed. We debated having two counter heights with a backsplash between them, but I think this looks cleaner.
https://imgur.com/a/E9slawq/
It’s not shown, but the inside of the island is brown coated and the floor is poured concrete.
The outside was brown coated, and then covered with architectural stone.
https://imgur.com/a/tzKOXeD/
We decided that we didn’t like the little shelf you can see poking out under the various openings, so it was removed.
Our original plan was to use granite for the countertops, but we couldn’t find any we loved. We ended up using large format porcelain tiles that a have a cool concrete look. We kept the grout lines as thin as possible to make it look more like a slab. We also used a 4” tall strip of tiles to cover the exposed edge of the slab, and coated the underide of the counter overhang with smooth concrete.
https://i.imgur.com/SfNicRp.jpg
A few other details…
My daughter gave this to me, it’s from a local brewery and adds a nice touch.
https://imgur.com/a/yXZP39V/
The grill is a 32” natural gas Artisan, which is the budget brand from Alfresco. I was originally going to get a 36” DCS grill, but we didn’t need something that large, and I’ve got an XL egg for turkeys and other big cooks.
https://imgur.com/a/tQQmYoK/
There are stainless access doors under the BBQ to get to the gas valves and outlets, and storage doors on the far side of the smoker for storing charcoal and accessories. There is also a unit with a double trash bin pullout and a storage drawer. I bought these directly from the company (Pacific Coast Manufacturing) that makes the house brand units for Barbecues Galore and BBQ guys.
https://imgur.com/a/JSy4T5S/
The egg, side burner and fridge were reused from my previous BBQ island. The fridge is on the North Side of the house and does not get direct sun.
The stools are teak, also left over from our old BBQ island. I had to shorten the legs because the new countertop is thicker and the height from my knees to the bottom of the counter was tight.
There’s a cheap 55” TV hanging behind the island. It is on an articulating arm so that we can watch from the bar or from a sitting area we have next to the house. It’s under the eaves and covered. I’m not sure how much well use this, but it would have been harder to add after we repaired the stucco.
The pavers are pre-poured concrete from a company called Stepstone Pavers. They still need to be cleaned and sealed, which will make them a shade darker and more uniform in color. They are sand set and are 2” thick. We used these for all of the pool and patio decking, and for several walkways through the yard.
Finally, I mentioned that I ran electrical to an adjacent fire pit area. It’s not part of the kitchen, but we like the way it turned out. This area has a concrete border, and the fire bowl and chairs sit on polished pebble.
https://i.imgur.com/guzMxUh.jpg
With the exception of the trees, the plants you can see are still in containers, they will get planted this week.
Thanks for looking!
submitted by kcheves to OutdoorKitchens [link] [comments]
This was the original concept.
https://i.imgur.com/2ckHnlL.jpg
Here are photos of the finished product. You’ll notice that the patio cover is missing. The original plan was to fabricate this from Corten steel, but the cost was going to be crazy and we deferred this until later.
https://imgur.com/a/o7KKBhZ/
Here’s the rough gas line, electrical, and drain work.
https://i.imgur.com/wc2xCDm.jpg
I ended up not putting in a sink because a) I had one in my old BBQ island and rarely used it. The outdoor kitchen is adjacent to our indoor kitchen, and I have a hose nearby if I need it.
We trenched and then placed the first course of block. The electrical was run under the block and then brought up to a central location in the back wall of the island. Where needed, he poured short concrete walls to achieve the final dimensions.
https://imgur.com/a/QJqee4W/
Here’s a view with most of the island built up. The slab that will support the smoker has already been poured, and he’s starting to build the forms for the countertop.
https://i.imgur.com/s4fNy5f.jpg
You can see two of the j-boxes on the back of the island. There are three outlets total on the outside walls (plus one by the BBQ for a rotisserie) and 4 that are accessible inside the island for appliances. I also ran conduit between the BBQ island and an adjacent fire pit area in case I want to run AC or low voltage wiring to that location. Photos of the fire pit are at the end of this post.
All of the conduit is hidden in the block or in the poured countertops. My mason used a propane torch to bend the conduit smoothly so we could pull wires later.
https://imgur.com/a/0FBVYRt/
Here are some shots of the forms he created for the countertops.
https://imgur.com/a/3A43sZy/
There were several pours required to creat the openings for the appliances and storage drawers and doors.
Here’s a pic with the countertop poured. I really like the way the cantilever was constructed. We debated having two counter heights with a backsplash between them, but I think this looks cleaner.
https://imgur.com/a/E9slawq/
It’s not shown, but the inside of the island is brown coated and the floor is poured concrete.
The outside was brown coated, and then covered with architectural stone.
https://imgur.com/a/tzKOXeD/
We decided that we didn’t like the little shelf you can see poking out under the various openings, so it was removed.
Our original plan was to use granite for the countertops, but we couldn’t find any we loved. We ended up using large format porcelain tiles that a have a cool concrete look. We kept the grout lines as thin as possible to make it look more like a slab. We also used a 4” tall strip of tiles to cover the exposed edge of the slab, and coated the underide of the counter overhang with smooth concrete.
https://i.imgur.com/SfNicRp.jpg
A few other details…
My daughter gave this to me, it’s from a local brewery and adds a nice touch.
https://imgur.com/a/yXZP39V/
The grill is a 32” natural gas Artisan, which is the budget brand from Alfresco. I was originally going to get a 36” DCS grill, but we didn’t need something that large, and I’ve got an XL egg for turkeys and other big cooks.
https://imgur.com/a/tQQmYoK/
There are stainless access doors under the BBQ to get to the gas valves and outlets, and storage doors on the far side of the smoker for storing charcoal and accessories. There is also a unit with a double trash bin pullout and a storage drawer. I bought these directly from the company (Pacific Coast Manufacturing) that makes the house brand units for Barbecues Galore and BBQ guys.
https://imgur.com/a/JSy4T5S/
The egg, side burner and fridge were reused from my previous BBQ island. The fridge is on the North Side of the house and does not get direct sun.
The stools are teak, also left over from our old BBQ island. I had to shorten the legs because the new countertop is thicker and the height from my knees to the bottom of the counter was tight.
There’s a cheap 55” TV hanging behind the island. It is on an articulating arm so that we can watch from the bar or from a sitting area we have next to the house. It’s under the eaves and covered. I’m not sure how much well use this, but it would have been harder to add after we repaired the stucco.
The pavers are pre-poured concrete from a company called Stepstone Pavers. They still need to be cleaned and sealed, which will make them a shade darker and more uniform in color. They are sand set and are 2” thick. We used these for all of the pool and patio decking, and for several walkways through the yard.
Finally, I mentioned that I ran electrical to an adjacent fire pit area. It’s not part of the kitchen, but we like the way it turned out. This area has a concrete border, and the fire bowl and chairs sit on polished pebble.
https://i.imgur.com/guzMxUh.jpg
With the exception of the trees, the plants you can see are still in containers, they will get planted this week.
Thanks for looking!
2023.03.24 21:10 nyc2pit iPhone Backup is Huge - Why?
Hi All -
Wife has an iPhone 13 256gb. Had had to increase her iCloud storage size repeatedly. I finally have got involved to try to help.
Used space on the phone is 164gb. Backup size is about 50gb.
HOWEVER - we are not backing up photos or videos to iCloud. They are de-selected. We have also turned off message backups. These two things should represent the majority of the "media" on the phone. We backup videos/pictures independently to our own server.
None of the apps seem to be storing large amounts of data on the backup page. The next largest is Apple Health @ 175mb.
I'd like to take her down to the free storage again.
I did delete the backups and then triggered a new backup ... same thing. New size is still 53.5gb for the backup.
Is this normal? Seems to be ridiculously large to me.
submitted by nyc2pit to iphone [link] [comments]
Wife has an iPhone 13 256gb. Had had to increase her iCloud storage size repeatedly. I finally have got involved to try to help.
Used space on the phone is 164gb. Backup size is about 50gb.
HOWEVER - we are not backing up photos or videos to iCloud. They are de-selected. We have also turned off message backups. These two things should represent the majority of the "media" on the phone. We backup videos/pictures independently to our own server.
None of the apps seem to be storing large amounts of data on the backup page. The next largest is Apple Health @ 175mb.
I'd like to take her down to the free storage again.
I did delete the backups and then triggered a new backup ... same thing. New size is still 53.5gb for the backup.
Is this normal? Seems to be ridiculously large to me.
2023.03.24 20:50 Taylor-Swifty A4A Hey, You’re Looking For An RP Partner? So am I!
[possible fandoms: Transformers, Disney, TMNT, Street Sharks, Pixar, Star Wars, G. I. Joe, Nintendo, Marvel, DC, possibly more!]
I am 18+ and all participants and characters must be 18+.
Hey there! Most people call me Desi. I am a role player, obviously! I usually spend my time indoors every day with a mild excursion here and there to the store, movies, or beach. I adore writing, but that's obvious.
I am very versatile on genre, I have major preference for romance, drama, slice of life, mysteries, action and adventure, Hallmark-esque plots, and anything else we might conjure up! I do have tons of canons and OCs! I’m sure you can find one you like. I can write from a paragraph to novella.
I am looking for any gender of partner and character, I have so many unique characters and ideas for each one!
Ideas:
your character replaces Sam/Charlie in the Transformers franchise while fixing various mistakes made by Michael Bay. I have the characters set up on my server, with alternate designs for Jazz, Sideswipe, and Hot Rod.
I also have a ton of Disney characters, I’ve been dying to play out a ripple in the space time continuum where one or a group of them get sent to the real world.
My character is a Spanish heiress, who lives a life of luxury, only her father is murdered, and the people who did it, are now after her. She runs away in search of a bodyguard to help her get back what was stolen from her.
The next idea I have is for a relationship that is on the rocks, and the two are left trying to navigate their lives past the honeymoon phase and learn how to adapt to living together.
This is specific to my character but she was a championship surfer, and she got injured at the top of her game. I really want to play out her becoming a mentor, teaching someone how to become the next champion.
One of my characters goes undercover to try and expose a illegal ring, this would play out like a suspense or thriller, could play male or female.
An emotionally damaged stripper who is abused by staff spends her days trying to get by, until the day comes where she meets someone who could help her pursue her true dreams of running her own operation.
A Russian woman who was stolen from her family as a little girl and tormented into becoming a living weapon is hired to bring your character to them. On the way, she finds out that the people who hired her are working for the militia that made her the way she is, and so, she decides to take a stand, and wipe them out.
This is only a third of my ideas, not even that, a fraction! Come check out my characters, let’s discuss something!
I have men, women, young and mature, thieves, business owners, single mothers, wayward young adults, college students and staff, bounty hunters, detectives, police officers, victims, patients, crooked therapists, strippers, so many unique stories to tell! I guarantee one of them will strike your fancy!
I am looking for a romantic role play as one of my many OC characters, drama or major events will happen depending on the character you select, and I have 300+ so far.
I also have many canon characters I would love to play as, such as Legolas, Transformers, Marvel and DC , Avatar and Disney.
I have many ideas depending on who you choose!
I am a very affectionate person, I love to make people happy, so I am always open to adjusting characters or role plays.
I don't like role plays with action asterisks, Sorry! I also don't like to role play without proper punctuation and grammar. I usually write at least one paragraph. 25 being my record.
I am a firm believer in conversation so I most likely will text you OOC for any reason, I also prefer to keep things adult, meaning I don't take part in petty or childish arguments.
I don't ghost either, so Ill probably rip the bandage off and tell you why I don't want to role play anymore.
I also love having friends! I used to get bullied quite a lot for many, many reasons, so I haven't had many friends in my 20 years of living. Lets chat, get to know one another!, I've been role playing for a long time, about 6-8 years give or take? I typically enjoy modern role plays with real life basing.
I enjoy stories of the romantic genre as well as action and adventure. My characters are original with face claims, some are canon characters from Marvel and DC. Characters like Barney, Captain America, Superman, just really selfless characters have always been my inspiration.
I always try to write my characters with loving aspects if I can. Life is broken and many people suffer, life isnt perfect so I usually write some darkness for a character if I feel it.
I don't use random face claims, I use actors or media icons I feel fit the character, I mentally put myself in the position of director, my role play is a movie, and I am casting the character, that is how I usually go about it, and if you don’t like it I am not the partner for you.
I definitely want a partner who can be a friend, who can be detailed yet tame, someone who can give me something to reply to, I am not very picky. I don't like people who are judgmental though, I prefer good vibes only.
Replies from me are vary. Sometimes I cant write as much as Id like because I get a writers block.
Sometimes I can reply 5 times a day, but sometimes I cant reply for a day maybe even two or three. But usually I update OOC. I look for people who aren't looking for perfection, I don't like role players who are too arrogant about their skill. I wouldn't say I'm the best role player out there, so if we don't mesh I completely understand.
I keep my characters location/job vague so that I can work them into a plot better. They are pieces to the puzzle, and I keep them so they can fit better into any story we choose!
I will only be role playing on discord partly just to be able to show you my original character portfolio server, which has channels with their backgrounds, age, and their galleries.
Simply DM me for my tag and we can get things started.
Sexuality wise all my characters are adjustable.
Reply wise, this will be fairly advanced. I strive to keep things above a paragraph but I can go lower depending on the plot. I write a maximum of 10 paragraphs but my usual is 3-4.
my character portfolio will be the main key to our discussion, so you will be viewing it upon your interest. I have 100+ characters. I can also role play over email or reddit chat, that way I can just copy the bios and send the photos.
That being said our characters will have romance, and adult content will be ahead If desired. All my characters are adults.I am looking for action, adventure, romance of course is my favorite, mystery, drama, anything is up for debate!
I am looking for both male or female characters to partner my own with, as well as trans or non binary as well, all are welcome.
I hope we can have a fun role play together!
submitted by Taylor-Swifty to RoleplayPartnerSearch [link] [comments]
I am 18+ and all participants and characters must be 18+.
Hey there! Most people call me Desi. I am a role player, obviously! I usually spend my time indoors every day with a mild excursion here and there to the store, movies, or beach. I adore writing, but that's obvious.
I am very versatile on genre, I have major preference for romance, drama, slice of life, mysteries, action and adventure, Hallmark-esque plots, and anything else we might conjure up! I do have tons of canons and OCs! I’m sure you can find one you like. I can write from a paragraph to novella.
I am looking for any gender of partner and character, I have so many unique characters and ideas for each one!
Ideas:
your character replaces Sam/Charlie in the Transformers franchise while fixing various mistakes made by Michael Bay. I have the characters set up on my server, with alternate designs for Jazz, Sideswipe, and Hot Rod.
I also have a ton of Disney characters, I’ve been dying to play out a ripple in the space time continuum where one or a group of them get sent to the real world.
My character is a Spanish heiress, who lives a life of luxury, only her father is murdered, and the people who did it, are now after her. She runs away in search of a bodyguard to help her get back what was stolen from her.
The next idea I have is for a relationship that is on the rocks, and the two are left trying to navigate their lives past the honeymoon phase and learn how to adapt to living together.
This is specific to my character but she was a championship surfer, and she got injured at the top of her game. I really want to play out her becoming a mentor, teaching someone how to become the next champion.
One of my characters goes undercover to try and expose a illegal ring, this would play out like a suspense or thriller, could play male or female.
An emotionally damaged stripper who is abused by staff spends her days trying to get by, until the day comes where she meets someone who could help her pursue her true dreams of running her own operation.
A Russian woman who was stolen from her family as a little girl and tormented into becoming a living weapon is hired to bring your character to them. On the way, she finds out that the people who hired her are working for the militia that made her the way she is, and so, she decides to take a stand, and wipe them out.
This is only a third of my ideas, not even that, a fraction! Come check out my characters, let’s discuss something!
I have men, women, young and mature, thieves, business owners, single mothers, wayward young adults, college students and staff, bounty hunters, detectives, police officers, victims, patients, crooked therapists, strippers, so many unique stories to tell! I guarantee one of them will strike your fancy!
I am looking for a romantic role play as one of my many OC characters, drama or major events will happen depending on the character you select, and I have 300+ so far.
I also have many canon characters I would love to play as, such as Legolas, Transformers, Marvel and DC , Avatar and Disney.
I have many ideas depending on who you choose!
I am a very affectionate person, I love to make people happy, so I am always open to adjusting characters or role plays.
I don't like role plays with action asterisks, Sorry! I also don't like to role play without proper punctuation and grammar. I usually write at least one paragraph. 25 being my record.
I am a firm believer in conversation so I most likely will text you OOC for any reason, I also prefer to keep things adult, meaning I don't take part in petty or childish arguments.
I don't ghost either, so Ill probably rip the bandage off and tell you why I don't want to role play anymore.
I also love having friends! I used to get bullied quite a lot for many, many reasons, so I haven't had many friends in my 20 years of living. Lets chat, get to know one another!, I've been role playing for a long time, about 6-8 years give or take? I typically enjoy modern role plays with real life basing.
I enjoy stories of the romantic genre as well as action and adventure. My characters are original with face claims, some are canon characters from Marvel and DC. Characters like Barney, Captain America, Superman, just really selfless characters have always been my inspiration.
I always try to write my characters with loving aspects if I can. Life is broken and many people suffer, life isnt perfect so I usually write some darkness for a character if I feel it.
I don't use random face claims, I use actors or media icons I feel fit the character, I mentally put myself in the position of director, my role play is a movie, and I am casting the character, that is how I usually go about it, and if you don’t like it I am not the partner for you.
I definitely want a partner who can be a friend, who can be detailed yet tame, someone who can give me something to reply to, I am not very picky. I don't like people who are judgmental though, I prefer good vibes only.
Replies from me are vary. Sometimes I cant write as much as Id like because I get a writers block.
Sometimes I can reply 5 times a day, but sometimes I cant reply for a day maybe even two or three. But usually I update OOC. I look for people who aren't looking for perfection, I don't like role players who are too arrogant about their skill. I wouldn't say I'm the best role player out there, so if we don't mesh I completely understand.
I keep my characters location/job vague so that I can work them into a plot better. They are pieces to the puzzle, and I keep them so they can fit better into any story we choose!
I will only be role playing on discord partly just to be able to show you my original character portfolio server, which has channels with their backgrounds, age, and their galleries.
Simply DM me for my tag and we can get things started.
Sexuality wise all my characters are adjustable.
Reply wise, this will be fairly advanced. I strive to keep things above a paragraph but I can go lower depending on the plot. I write a maximum of 10 paragraphs but my usual is 3-4.
my character portfolio will be the main key to our discussion, so you will be viewing it upon your interest. I have 100+ characters. I can also role play over email or reddit chat, that way I can just copy the bios and send the photos.
That being said our characters will have romance, and adult content will be ahead If desired. All my characters are adults.I am looking for action, adventure, romance of course is my favorite, mystery, drama, anything is up for debate!
I am looking for both male or female characters to partner my own with, as well as trans or non binary as well, all are welcome.
I hope we can have a fun role play together!
2023.03.24 19:42 ClassifiedsCR Unveiling Bilbao's Charm: Top Tours and Experiences
 | submitted by ClassifiedsCR to HotelsTravel [link] [comments] Bilbao Bilbao, nestled in the vibrant Basque Country of northern Spain, is a captivating city celebrated for its rich culture, groundbreaking architecture, and delectable cuisine. With an array of must-see attractions, including the iconic Guggenheim Museum, the enchanting Old Town, and the picturesque Basque Coast, Bilbao promises a memorable experience for every traveler. In this article, we will guide you through some of the top tours and experiences that will help you uncover the true essence of Bilbao. Bilbao Private Tour: Unveiling the City's GemsEmbark on a personalized journey through the highlights of Bilbao on this exclusive private tour. Begin your adventure at the world-renowned Guggenheim Museum, where you'll spend two hours marveling at its stunning art collection. Then, make your way to the majestic San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, a beloved chapel famously featured in the Game of Thrones series. At Plaza Nueva in Bilbao, indulge in scrumptious local pintxos, savory bite-sized treats, before concluding your tour with a leisurely stroll along the serene Bilbao River.Rioja Private Wine Tour from Bilbao: Savor the Flavors of Northern SpainDelight in the exquisite tastes of Rioja, a fertile wine-producing region in northern Spain, on this intimate private tour. Visit three distinguished wineries to learn about their unique winemaking techniques and sample their finest wines. At one winery, you'll have the rare opportunity to explore a 400-year-old cave where their precious wines are stored. Complete your experience with a guided walk through the medieval city walls of Laguardia before returning to your hotel.Private Transfer Tour Bilbao to San Sebastián: Exploring the Breathtaking Basque CoastThis exceptional private transfer tour whisks you away from your accommodation in Bilbao to San Sebastián, visiting remarkable landmarks and picturesque sites along the way. Admire the spectacular Bay of Biscay from a hermitage in San Juan de Gaztelugatxe and marvel at the dramatic Zumaia flysch cliffs that plunge into the ocean—both iconic locations from the Game of Thrones series. Traverse verdant fields and Txakoli vineyards before visiting the charming village of Getaria, where you'll learn about traditional Basque fishing methods. Conclude your journey with a glimpse of Zarautz and the longest beach in the Basque Country before arriving at your San Sebastián accommodation.Old Town Private Tour with Meal: Savor Bilbao's History and FlavorsImmerse yourself in the charm of Bilbao's Old Town and its delightful flavors on this private tour led by a local guide. Embark on a 90-minute walking tour, passing breathtaking sights like Santiago Cathedral, a bustling riverside market renowned for its tantalizing food and traditional pintxos, and a grand medieval palace. As you wander, your guide will regale you with fascinating stories from the town's 700-year history. Conclude your excursion with a sumptuous meal at a local restaurant, savoring authentic grilled delicacies accompanied by Txakoli, a dry, slightly sparkling white wine that pairs perfectly with tapas.Basque Coast Highlights Tour: A Coastal Adventure from BilbaoEmbark on an exciting tour from Bilbao to explore the awe-inspiring beauty of the Basque Coast. After a convenient pickup, the journey towards the coast, passing historic industrial areas en route. Pause for a photo opportunity at Vizcaya Bridge, one of the world's oldest transporter bridges. Next, admire the breathtaking views of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe from a scenic viewpoint before venturing into the vibrant coastal town of Bermeo. Here, joins a brief walking tour to uncover its top attractions. Finally, visit the Assembly House of Gernika for an insightful guided tour before returning to Bilbao.Finding the Perfect Accommodation in BilbaoWhen it comes to selecting a place to stay in Bilbao, Booking.com is an invaluable resource. Offering a diverse array of options, from budget-friendly hostels to luxurious hotels, you're sure to find the perfect accommodation to suit your needs and preferences.ConclusionBilbao, a dazzling city in the heart of the Basque Country, entices visitors with its remarkable blend of art, architecture, and gastronomy. With so much to see and do, exploring the city and its surroundings can be a truly unforgettable experience. Our selection of top tours, encompassing everything from the iconic Guggenheim Museum to the breathtaking Basque Coast, promises to make your visit to Bilbao an extraordinary adventure. So, pack your bags and get ready to immerse yourself in the wonders of this captivating Spanish city. |
2023.03.24 19:42 ClassifiedsCR Unveiling Bilbao's Charm: Top Tours and Experiences
 | submitted by ClassifiedsCR to u/ClassifiedsCR [link] [comments] Bilbao Bilbao, nestled in the vibrant Basque Country of northern Spain, is a captivating city celebrated for its rich culture, groundbreaking architecture, and delectable cuisine. With an array of must-see attractions, including the iconic Guggenheim Museum, the enchanting Old Town, and the picturesque Basque Coast, Bilbao promises a memorable experience for every traveler. In this article, we will guide you through some of the top tours and experiences that will help you uncover the true essence of Bilbao. Bilbao Private Tour: Unveiling the City's GemsEmbark on a personalized journey through the highlights of Bilbao on this exclusive private tour. Begin your adventure at the world-renowned Guggenheim Museum, where you'll spend two hours marveling at its stunning art collection. Then, make your way to the majestic San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, a beloved chapel famously featured in the Game of Thrones series. At Plaza Nueva in Bilbao, indulge in scrumptious local pintxos, savory bite-sized treats, before concluding your tour with a leisurely stroll along the serene Bilbao River.Rioja Private Wine Tour from Bilbao: Savor the Flavors of Northern SpainDelight in the exquisite tastes of Rioja, a fertile wine-producing region in northern Spain, on this intimate private tour. Visit three distinguished wineries to learn about their unique winemaking techniques and sample their finest wines. At one winery, you'll have the rare opportunity to explore a 400-year-old cave where their precious wines are stored. Complete your experience with a guided walk through the medieval city walls of Laguardia before returning to your hotel.Private Transfer Tour Bilbao to San Sebastián: Exploring the Breathtaking Basque CoastThis exceptional private transfer tour whisks you away from your accommodation in Bilbao to San Sebastián, visiting remarkable landmarks and picturesque sites along the way. Admire the spectacular Bay of Biscay from a hermitage in San Juan de Gaztelugatxe and marvel at the dramatic Zumaia flysch cliffs that plunge into the ocean—both iconic locations from the Game of Thrones series. Traverse verdant fields and Txakoli vineyards before visiting the charming village of Getaria, where you'll learn about traditional Basque fishing methods. Conclude your journey with a glimpse of Zarautz and the longest beach in the Basque Country before arriving at your San Sebastián accommodation.Old Town Private Tour with Meal: Savor Bilbao's History and FlavorsImmerse yourself in the charm of Bilbao's Old Town and its delightful flavors on this private tour led by a local guide. Embark on a 90-minute walking tour, passing breathtaking sights like Santiago Cathedral, a bustling riverside market renowned for its tantalizing food and traditional pintxos, and a grand medieval palace. As you wander, your guide will regale you with fascinating stories from the town's 700-year history. Conclude your excursion with a sumptuous meal at a local restaurant, savoring authentic grilled delicacies accompanied by Txakoli, a dry, slightly sparkling white wine that pairs perfectly with tapas.Basque Coast Highlights Tour: A Coastal Adventure from BilbaoEmbark on an exciting tour from Bilbao to explore the awe-inspiring beauty of the Basque Coast. After a convenient pickup, the journey towards the coast, passing historic industrial areas en route. Pause for a photo opportunity at Vizcaya Bridge, one of the world's oldest transporter bridges. Next, admire the breathtaking views of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe from a scenic viewpoint before venturing into the vibrant coastal town of Bermeo. Here, joins a brief walking tour to uncover its top attractions. Finally, visit the Assembly House of Gernika for an insightful guided tour before returning to Bilbao.Finding the Perfect Accommodation in BilbaoWhen it comes to selecting a place to stay in Bilbao, Booking.com is an invaluable resource. Offering a diverse array of options, from budget-friendly hostels to luxurious hotels, you're sure to find the perfect accommodation to suit your needs and preferences.ConclusionBilbao, a dazzling city in the heart of the Basque Country, entices visitors with its remarkable blend of art, architecture, and gastronomy. With so much to see and do, exploring the city and its surroundings can be a truly unforgettable experience. Our selection of top tours, encompassing everything from the iconic Guggenheim Museum to the breathtaking Basque Coast, promises to make your visit to Bilbao an extraordinary adventure. So, pack your bags and get ready to immerse yourself in the wonders of this captivating Spanish city. |
2023.03.24 17:59 moody95 Dear Pokémon fans, I have something extraordinary for you!
 | Dear Pokémon fans, I would like to present to you my personal project which I have been putting a lot of work and passion into it for the past 3 years, Pokedexus! submitted by moody95 to pokemon [link] [comments] Some of you already know about it but for those who don't, Pokedexus is a beautifully designed and free fan-made Pokédex Android app with lots of unique features. What is special about Pokedexus? Besides all information being available offline for everything in the Pokémon universe such as Pokémon, items, moves, abilities, natures, locations, types, regions, etc. Pokedexus has a unique twist. It gamifies all the information making it enjoyable to learn and discover the Pokémon universe with features such as: * Play Quiz to Catch Pokémon ( everyone's favorite feature ) * Battle Online against other trainers * Complete daily quests * Pokémon and trainers leaderboards * See the latest news about Pokémon and other Trainers on News Feed * Edit your Trainer’s profile and select your follower Pokémon * Pokedex completion * Play Quiz Games and beat your personal record * Participate in live events and much more! Pokedexus can be downloaded for free on Google Play Store! Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.stefanmarinescu.pokedexus I have attached some photos below for you to see some of what Pokedexus has to offer, I hope you will try my app and please let me know your feedback in the comments. I will continue developing the app and I wish to make as many people as possible happy with it. https://preview.redd.it/shvvfsvxuppa1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=05d10f1a21b932caa9bd6a31ef076a7ec653a30e https://preview.redd.it/os84wtpyuppa1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c28b4c533185ba4dc045bef2e299430a411fd116 https://preview.redd.it/tn54rtdzuppa1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d90993a44bc7b35600c5f042607aaedd0748999c https://preview.redd.it/uz0coapzuppa1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=26edb9de1cd6704f4e2b4a0b53a68c9825fdd8ba https://preview.redd.it/hldxu751vppa1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=18fcb3aae6bff02ab50b043b10d04d821525b763 https://preview.redd.it/951ie8h1vppa1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4e9e048df174bcf83eaeacc3c0f4ed31faf52e1a https://preview.redd.it/75d3cge2vppa1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e9f8ae3524579951ed46ec90de6a62f1aac56c00 https://preview.redd.it/h2kw41h4vppa1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d00e66d5bd7ee907bea9a5a064fcc18633b528b0 https://preview.redd.it/fanvls65vppa1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2bc279e42ef8cfed19176b6202a9ef9571674266 https://preview.redd.it/azur1mk7vppa1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=684e105879de853d39d6d5f830eca15feadf581a |
2023.03.24 12:51 Radiokot Android gallery and content provider for PhotoPrism
 | Good day to everyone with Android phones 👋🏻 submitted by Radiokot to photoprism [link] [comments] As you may have noticed, the official PhotoPrism web app, despite being mobile-friendly, can't be integrated into the OS and has other drawbacks. I've made a native gallery app which can:
There are more handy features in the gallery:
If you like to check out the app, you can download it: |
2023.03.24 12:19 qUxUp (OC) I originally wrote this long review of the Mobapad M9-HD as a Nintendo Switch controllers review. However this is a multi-platform controller and as I found the controller really good, it might be interesting to gamers on other platforms as well.
You can just ignore any nintendo references and focus on the primary functions: the rumble, analog triggers, mechanical buttons, rgb-lights, swappable ABXY buttons, included swappable thumbsticks that come in 3 sizes.
TLDR: Out of all the Nintendo Switch controllers I currently own it's most similar to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. The glossier finish of the Pro Controller is smoother and looks more attractive. It's worth noting that in a real world use the Mobapad M9-HD sits better in the hands due to matte finish & textured grips. If you value ergonomics and like the the Pro Controller (especially the HD-rumble), it's likely that you will enjoy the the M9-HD. For the $75 retail price ($6 more than Pro Controller) you will get a considerably better HD-rumble than the Pro Controller has (this surprised me the most), analog triggers with two positions, mechanical buttons, mappable backpaddles, thumbsticks in various sizes and multiple additional features.
Disclaimer: I started playing videogames in the early 90s (a NES clone was my first console, followed by Gameboy, PC etc). Outside of Reddit I've worked in the gaming tech field & tech journalism for about two decades (Europe/Estonia). After providing the makers of Mobapad (Guangzhou Xinxiang Culture Co. Ltd.) with my credentials (& examples of past work), I asked if I could test one of their controllers with the purpose of writing a review intended for the /Switch/ & /NintendoSwitch/ subreddits. They sent me the Mobapad M8 and Mobapad M9-HD. The review is be based solely on my experiences. I get to keep the controllers and won't be receiving additional compensation in any other form (no commission fees, affiliate marketing or ad-revenue etc). I don't have a social media presence (or followers) elsewhere. As my Nintendo Switch controller collection grows, I might write more reviews for our Switch-related subreddits.
Cheers :)
The Mobapad M9-HD Controller (with the tallest thumbsticks)
What this review is and is not.
There are many ways of covering a tech product: from a highly technical analysis aimed at the tech-savvy crowd to an emotional hype-piece. The Mobapad M9-HD will be reviewed as a controller on the Nintendo Switch platform and compared to other Switch controllers that I own. A practical amount of real life examples with a select amount of technical details will be included (with brief explanations that are understandable to people who might be new to gaming). This review will not cover every detail about the M9-HD (such as all of the features, how to change various settings, how the controller works on other platforms etc).
The package.
Out of all the Nintendo Switch Controllers I own, the box of this controller is the best looking. The artwork is lovely (IT'S A TIGER ON THE BOX - I think), the box itself is sturdy. While you can't use the box to increase your aim in a videogame, you can put it on a shelf if you are a collector or someone who likes boxes.
What's in the box?
The controller itself, a USB-dongle receiver, a high quality braided USB-cable, a manual (in English), 4 sets of thumbsticks and 2 sets of replaceable buttons (Switch/PC layout).
On the left: Hori Split Pad Pro. On the right: the box of Mobapad M9-HD
Lets talk about the extra buttons & potential for modding.
Having two sets of buttons is a welcome extra if you play on multiple platforms. The manual mentions that you can change the buttons, but it doesn't explain how to change them. It also does not say that you can/have to remove the faceplate. Turns out that you have to pry open the faceplate of the controller. While I removed the biggest portion of the faceplate, it really felt that I might break something while doing it. The faceplate is in three parts & is connected to the controller with plastic connectors. I doubt that anyone who plays on multiple platforms (using the same controller) will be motivated enough to swap the buttons from the Switch to PC layout and back on a regular basis.
Note: The plastic connectors will probably get slightly less stiff with a few removals of the faceplate, so it will become easier to change it. Using magnetic connectors for the faceplate would probably have been a better choice (like on the Mobapad M8 controller). It's also worth noting that for those of us who like modding their controller, the ability to remove the faceplate is a nice extra to have. As it makes the customization process easier if you want to paint the faceplate for example.
RGB-lights!
The controller has some neat RGB-lights. They are visible in 3 locations & in 8 different colors. The lights have 3 different modes (on, off, breathing). While changing the modes and colors of RGB-lights in a very rapid fashion, I was able to cause an error. The lights didn't change color even though I pressed the button combination to change them. After waiting for about 5-10 seconds the colors started to change correctly again. I was not able to reproduce this bug later.
Do you need RGB-lights? Not really. But they look pretty and when Christmas comes around you can turn on red or yellow lights and be in a festive mood.
Mechanical A/B/X/Y buttons.
Simply put the A/B/X/Y buttons are mechanical, they are clicky and a pleasure to use. In comparison to regular buttons (such the ones used in the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, Hori Split Pad Pro & Nintendo Switch Joycons) the mechanical buttons in the Mobapad M9-HD are more resnposive, can be pressed with less force and make a small audible click when you press them. These days there are many keyboards that also come with mechanical switches. If you haven't had a chance to use a mechanical controller, you might have used a mechanical keyboard (or a mouse) which can produce a similar click and feeling when pressed.
Note: In a way I feel that not including the RGB-lights in the A/B/X/Y buttons is a missed opportunity.
Closeup of the D-pad, RGB-lights, textured grip and buttons on the Mobapad M9-HD
What about the D-pad?
It's a good D-pad. The Mobapad M9-HD D-pad has a slightly lowered/concave area around the D-pad similarly to the Nintendo 64 controller's D-pad. Pressing the D-pad on M9-HD takes slightly less force than it does on the Pro Controller's D-pad. On the Switch I'd say that to this day my favorite D-pad is on the 8Bitdo SN30pro (which is on the stiffer side in terms of how it handles & the size is perfect). The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller's D-pad is somewhere between the M9-HD & SN30pro. I usually play handheld, but when I play with a controller, I don't usually choose controllers based on a genre. So overall, I'll probably stick to Mobapad M9-HD for most genres. On the rare occasions when I feel nostalgic, I'd probably go for the 8Bitdo SN30pro because it reminds me of my childhood & first consoles.
Note:: Since the A/B/X/Y and thumbsticks are swappable, I think that it might be an interesting feature to have a swappable D-pad as well. One of the obvious inspiration points for M9-HD has been the Xbox One Elite controller which has a swappable D-pad.
How are the thumbsticks?
While there are 4 sets of thumbsticks included, the thumbsticks come in 3 different heights. All of these are concave thumbsticks. The shortest thumbsticks are about 19mm wide and similar to the Hori Split Pad Pro. The medium & high thumbsticks are 18mm wide (similar to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller). The original Nintendo Switch joycons are about 15mm wide. Changing the thumbsticks takes a few seconds: you pull the thumbstick straight up and swap it to whichever of the included thumbsticks you fancy. On the technical side it's worth mentioning that these are ALPS thumbsticks.
What's the benefit of changing thumbsticks?
It's a neat extra that could make the controller more comfortable to hold, eespecially if you have medium/large hands or play longer gaming sessions. In certain genres (like FPS) higher thumbsticks may make it easier to perform more precise movements. Usually controllers do not come with different sized thumbsticks, but you can buy thumbstick extenders which are sold by various brands with the starting price at around $12.
Ergonomics & how the controller feels to hold.
Out of the Nintendo Switch controllers that I own, the closest comparison would be to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. It's worth noting that the Pro Controller is slightly glossy and feels smooth in the hand. This makes the build of Pro Controller feel a tiny bit better. The Mobapad M9-HD Controller is made out of matte plastic and has textured grips. The texture is slight yet aggressive enough to make the controller feel very secure. The location of backpaddles feels ergonomic. Pressing the backpaddles feels nice and you can map them to various buttons.
The M9-HD is currently the most ergonomic Nintendo Switch controller that I have used. The overall comfort comes from the solid build, different sized thumbsticks, superior triggers, mappable backpaddles and the weight plus the slightly textured grip.
The included swappable thumbsticks & extra A/B/X/Y buttons of the Mobapad M9-HD
Gyro.
Gyro is present and by default quite sensitive. In general gyro isn't my preferred way of playing videogames, so take my "quite sensitive" impressions with a grain of salt, as I've also used gyro on the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and also found it a bit too sensitive for my liking as well.
Triggers, analog triggers!
One of the major features that makes the Mobapad M9-HD stand out is the fact that the triggers are analog. In practical terms it means that you can hold the analog trigger down partially, thus giving a limited amount of acceleration to your car in racing games. This makes makes it much more satisfying & easier. On regular controllers (such as the Nintendo Switch Joycons or the Pro Controller) you can't do that and have to constantly press and release the trigger to accelerate, without the option to accelerate lets say 30% while just slightly pressing on the trigger.
Sadly analog triggers function as regular triggers in most videogames on the Nintendo Switch platform (unless the developer of a certain videogame has included analog trigger support to that specific game). As far as I know, a very select number of videogames on the Nintendo Switch include analog trigger support. GRID Autosport being one of them, I've tested it with the Mobapad M9-HD & the analog triggers work. If any of you know other Nintendo Switch titles that have analog trigger support, I'd appreciate your comment. I want to try them out and confirm if the triggers work in those games.
Another neat feature of Mobapad M9-HD triggers is that they have two different positions you can choose between. The shorter travel distance position has a nice clicky sound to it. As you can imagine, the shorter distance makes it possible to press the triggers very rapidly. The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller trigger feels slightly mushy in comparison. I like using both controllers, but the M9-HD feels better. The longer travel distance position of the trigger is also nice. In terms of gameplay, it feels more relaxed. In my gaming experience the shorter distance is better for something like shooters or fighting games but longer is better for racing. But it's Nintendo Switch after all, so choosing which one is for you is a matter of preference. The good thing is that on the M9-HD you have a choice when it comes to trigger travel distance. As far as I know 8Bitdo also has a controller that has analog triggers with some adjustability, but I can't comment on those as I don't own that specific controller.
Note: It's neat that more companies such as 8BitDo and Mobapad have started to produce controllers that allow you to configure how the triggers work. Hopefully we'll see companies produce more joycons as well as controllers that have more features at some point. I'm sure Nintendo itself could pull it off easily, but I doubt they have any plans to do something like that in the near future.
The HD-vibration motor.
Oh boy! This is probably the biggest draw of using this controller. I still remember the first time I felt the vibration motor of Mobapad M9-HD in my hands and I wasn't expecting it. My previously favorite vibration motor of the Switch platform was in the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. I was sure that I will never ever see another company produce something of similar quality for the Switch console.
Mobapad M9-HD did it and truly, the HD-vibration motor on Mobapad M9-HD is better than the Pro Controller's vibration feature. It's hard to explain, but I'll give it a shot. The rumble on Nintendo Switch Pro Controller feels pleasant and doesn't rattle, so it's quiet in a way, but feels very good in the controller when playing and has some depth to the vibration. Mobapad M9-HD is a different beast. It has more weight & power to it in addition to the other features the Pro Controller's vibration motor has. You can instantly feel that it's more powerful than the Pro Controllers HD-vibration. You can feel the bass of rumble in your hands when playing. And make no mistake, the increased power of Mobapad M9-HD vibration doesn't feel creaky like some of the lower priced controllers can be. It feels powerful, well balanced, doesn't make too much sound and if I could, I'd buy joycons with the same HD-vibration motor.
Note: As the quality of the HD-vibration on Mobapad M9-HD surprised me greatly, I reached out to Mobapad and asked why the vibration feels different than in other Nintendo Switch controllers. I received the following reply: "Our controller features linear motors, which are the most costly part and what sets it apart from other controllers." In a way this explains why the vibration is different from other 3rd party controllers, but why it feels so much better than the official Pro Controller's vibration still puzzles me (maybe a trade secret?). Maybe the motor is bigger or has a better position or something along those lines, who knows.
What else is there?
There are multiple features that I won't even attempt to cover (the review is already a long read). The controller currently comes in black, white and purple. For the purpose of the review I asked for the purple model as it looks the most cheerful. There's also the NFC function (I was not able to test this as I don't own any Amiibos).
Final thoughts.
The Mobapad M9-HD is a well executed example of a premium controller that seems to be mainly targeted at the experienced gamer demographic. It's priced at $75 and is one of the highest priced Nintendo Switch controllers out there. In terms of features it clearly competes with the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller ($69.99-109.99$ depending on the color scheme) & 8Bitdo Ultimate Controller ($69.99). The price is worth it for those who benefit from the extra features (best HD-rumble, ergonomics, mechanical buttons, additional thumbsticks etc).
To me personally the pricing seems fitting to the features that the controller brings, however there are a few more aspects to consider.
Will a experienced gamer benefit from the features that come with the pricetag? Yes, we will.
Will a newer or casual gamer benefit from the features? Yes, some of them (like the analog triggers, awesome rumble and ergonomics that come with swappable thumbsticks). However I think that since Mobapad as a brand isn't very well known in the EU & US region, some might be hesitant to pay the full retail price.
Mobapad M9-HD just out of the box, next to Mobapad M8, Hori Split Pad Pro, 8Bitdo SN30pro (and the right handle of Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Splatoon Edition.
And here is a comparison table.
I did my best to rate various features of the Switch controllers that I own (in order to give a kind of an overview). Keep in mind that such comparisons are subjective and ratings might vary from person to person (for example someone with very small hands might find the Nintendo Switch Joycons with the grip to be the best controller ever due to their size).
Rating is on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the worst, 5 being the best).
The price is for the regular model of any controller and is based on the official pricing I found/received. This does not include sales or limited edition color schemes that may cost more.
What could be improved upon:
https://imgur.com/a/dwGAFeP
Photography equipment used when taking these photos: Fujifilm X-T4 mirrorless camera, Fujinon XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR lens, Fujifilm MCEX-11 macro extension tube.
Closing notes:
I hope you like the review :)
My personal thanks to Mr. Zhang & Amy from Guangzhou Xinxiang Culture Co. Ltd.
Edit: I forgot to include this part. If you have some questions about the controller, feel free to ask. I will happily answer all the questions I feel competent enough to answer and the rest I'll collect and reach out to the people who made this. So we'll get answers from the company who built it.
submitted by qUxUp to Controller [link] [comments]
TLDR: Out of all the Nintendo Switch controllers I currently own it's most similar to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. The glossier finish of the Pro Controller is smoother and looks more attractive. It's worth noting that in a real world use the Mobapad M9-HD sits better in the hands due to matte finish & textured grips. If you value ergonomics and like the the Pro Controller (especially the HD-rumble), it's likely that you will enjoy the the M9-HD. For the $75 retail price ($6 more than Pro Controller) you will get a considerably better HD-rumble than the Pro Controller has (this surprised me the most), analog triggers with two positions, mechanical buttons, mappable backpaddles, thumbsticks in various sizes and multiple additional features.
Disclaimer: I started playing videogames in the early 90s (a NES clone was my first console, followed by Gameboy, PC etc). Outside of Reddit I've worked in the gaming tech field & tech journalism for about two decades (Europe/Estonia). After providing the makers of Mobapad (Guangzhou Xinxiang Culture Co. Ltd.) with my credentials (& examples of past work), I asked if I could test one of their controllers with the purpose of writing a review intended for the /Switch/ & /NintendoSwitch/ subreddits. They sent me the Mobapad M8 and Mobapad M9-HD. The review is be based solely on my experiences. I get to keep the controllers and won't be receiving additional compensation in any other form (no commission fees, affiliate marketing or ad-revenue etc). I don't have a social media presence (or followers) elsewhere. As my Nintendo Switch controller collection grows, I might write more reviews for our Switch-related subreddits.
Cheers :)
The Mobapad M9-HD Controller (with the tallest thumbsticks)
What this review is and is not.
There are many ways of covering a tech product: from a highly technical analysis aimed at the tech-savvy crowd to an emotional hype-piece. The Mobapad M9-HD will be reviewed as a controller on the Nintendo Switch platform and compared to other Switch controllers that I own. A practical amount of real life examples with a select amount of technical details will be included (with brief explanations that are understandable to people who might be new to gaming). This review will not cover every detail about the M9-HD (such as all of the features, how to change various settings, how the controller works on other platforms etc).
The package.
Out of all the Nintendo Switch Controllers I own, the box of this controller is the best looking. The artwork is lovely (IT'S A TIGER ON THE BOX - I think), the box itself is sturdy. While you can't use the box to increase your aim in a videogame, you can put it on a shelf if you are a collector or someone who likes boxes.
What's in the box?
The controller itself, a USB-dongle receiver, a high quality braided USB-cable, a manual (in English), 4 sets of thumbsticks and 2 sets of replaceable buttons (Switch/PC layout).
On the left: Hori Split Pad Pro. On the right: the box of Mobapad M9-HD
Lets talk about the extra buttons & potential for modding.
Having two sets of buttons is a welcome extra if you play on multiple platforms. The manual mentions that you can change the buttons, but it doesn't explain how to change them. It also does not say that you can/have to remove the faceplate. Turns out that you have to pry open the faceplate of the controller. While I removed the biggest portion of the faceplate, it really felt that I might break something while doing it. The faceplate is in three parts & is connected to the controller with plastic connectors. I doubt that anyone who plays on multiple platforms (using the same controller) will be motivated enough to swap the buttons from the Switch to PC layout and back on a regular basis.
Note: The plastic connectors will probably get slightly less stiff with a few removals of the faceplate, so it will become easier to change it. Using magnetic connectors for the faceplate would probably have been a better choice (like on the Mobapad M8 controller). It's also worth noting that for those of us who like modding their controller, the ability to remove the faceplate is a nice extra to have. As it makes the customization process easier if you want to paint the faceplate for example.
RGB-lights!
The controller has some neat RGB-lights. They are visible in 3 locations & in 8 different colors. The lights have 3 different modes (on, off, breathing). While changing the modes and colors of RGB-lights in a very rapid fashion, I was able to cause an error. The lights didn't change color even though I pressed the button combination to change them. After waiting for about 5-10 seconds the colors started to change correctly again. I was not able to reproduce this bug later.
Do you need RGB-lights? Not really. But they look pretty and when Christmas comes around you can turn on red or yellow lights and be in a festive mood.
Mechanical A/B/X/Y buttons.
Simply put the A/B/X/Y buttons are mechanical, they are clicky and a pleasure to use. In comparison to regular buttons (such the ones used in the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, Hori Split Pad Pro & Nintendo Switch Joycons) the mechanical buttons in the Mobapad M9-HD are more resnposive, can be pressed with less force and make a small audible click when you press them. These days there are many keyboards that also come with mechanical switches. If you haven't had a chance to use a mechanical controller, you might have used a mechanical keyboard (or a mouse) which can produce a similar click and feeling when pressed.
Note: In a way I feel that not including the RGB-lights in the A/B/X/Y buttons is a missed opportunity.
Closeup of the D-pad, RGB-lights, textured grip and buttons on the Mobapad M9-HD
What about the D-pad?
It's a good D-pad. The Mobapad M9-HD D-pad has a slightly lowered/concave area around the D-pad similarly to the Nintendo 64 controller's D-pad. Pressing the D-pad on M9-HD takes slightly less force than it does on the Pro Controller's D-pad. On the Switch I'd say that to this day my favorite D-pad is on the 8Bitdo SN30pro (which is on the stiffer side in terms of how it handles & the size is perfect). The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller's D-pad is somewhere between the M9-HD & SN30pro. I usually play handheld, but when I play with a controller, I don't usually choose controllers based on a genre. So overall, I'll probably stick to Mobapad M9-HD for most genres. On the rare occasions when I feel nostalgic, I'd probably go for the 8Bitdo SN30pro because it reminds me of my childhood & first consoles.
Note:: Since the A/B/X/Y and thumbsticks are swappable, I think that it might be an interesting feature to have a swappable D-pad as well. One of the obvious inspiration points for M9-HD has been the Xbox One Elite controller which has a swappable D-pad.
How are the thumbsticks?
While there are 4 sets of thumbsticks included, the thumbsticks come in 3 different heights. All of these are concave thumbsticks. The shortest thumbsticks are about 19mm wide and similar to the Hori Split Pad Pro. The medium & high thumbsticks are 18mm wide (similar to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller). The original Nintendo Switch joycons are about 15mm wide. Changing the thumbsticks takes a few seconds: you pull the thumbstick straight up and swap it to whichever of the included thumbsticks you fancy. On the technical side it's worth mentioning that these are ALPS thumbsticks.
What's the benefit of changing thumbsticks?
It's a neat extra that could make the controller more comfortable to hold, eespecially if you have medium/large hands or play longer gaming sessions. In certain genres (like FPS) higher thumbsticks may make it easier to perform more precise movements. Usually controllers do not come with different sized thumbsticks, but you can buy thumbstick extenders which are sold by various brands with the starting price at around $12.
Ergonomics & how the controller feels to hold.
Out of the Nintendo Switch controllers that I own, the closest comparison would be to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. It's worth noting that the Pro Controller is slightly glossy and feels smooth in the hand. This makes the build of Pro Controller feel a tiny bit better. The Mobapad M9-HD Controller is made out of matte plastic and has textured grips. The texture is slight yet aggressive enough to make the controller feel very secure. The location of backpaddles feels ergonomic. Pressing the backpaddles feels nice and you can map them to various buttons.
The M9-HD is currently the most ergonomic Nintendo Switch controller that I have used. The overall comfort comes from the solid build, different sized thumbsticks, superior triggers, mappable backpaddles and the weight plus the slightly textured grip.
The included swappable thumbsticks & extra A/B/X/Y buttons of the Mobapad M9-HD
Gyro.
Gyro is present and by default quite sensitive. In general gyro isn't my preferred way of playing videogames, so take my "quite sensitive" impressions with a grain of salt, as I've also used gyro on the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and also found it a bit too sensitive for my liking as well.
Triggers, analog triggers!
One of the major features that makes the Mobapad M9-HD stand out is the fact that the triggers are analog. In practical terms it means that you can hold the analog trigger down partially, thus giving a limited amount of acceleration to your car in racing games. This makes makes it much more satisfying & easier. On regular controllers (such as the Nintendo Switch Joycons or the Pro Controller) you can't do that and have to constantly press and release the trigger to accelerate, without the option to accelerate lets say 30% while just slightly pressing on the trigger.
Sadly analog triggers function as regular triggers in most videogames on the Nintendo Switch platform (unless the developer of a certain videogame has included analog trigger support to that specific game). As far as I know, a very select number of videogames on the Nintendo Switch include analog trigger support. GRID Autosport being one of them, I've tested it with the Mobapad M9-HD & the analog triggers work. If any of you know other Nintendo Switch titles that have analog trigger support, I'd appreciate your comment. I want to try them out and confirm if the triggers work in those games.
Another neat feature of Mobapad M9-HD triggers is that they have two different positions you can choose between. The shorter travel distance position has a nice clicky sound to it. As you can imagine, the shorter distance makes it possible to press the triggers very rapidly. The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller trigger feels slightly mushy in comparison. I like using both controllers, but the M9-HD feels better. The longer travel distance position of the trigger is also nice. In terms of gameplay, it feels more relaxed. In my gaming experience the shorter distance is better for something like shooters or fighting games but longer is better for racing. But it's Nintendo Switch after all, so choosing which one is for you is a matter of preference. The good thing is that on the M9-HD you have a choice when it comes to trigger travel distance. As far as I know 8Bitdo also has a controller that has analog triggers with some adjustability, but I can't comment on those as I don't own that specific controller.
Note: It's neat that more companies such as 8BitDo and Mobapad have started to produce controllers that allow you to configure how the triggers work. Hopefully we'll see companies produce more joycons as well as controllers that have more features at some point. I'm sure Nintendo itself could pull it off easily, but I doubt they have any plans to do something like that in the near future.
The HD-vibration motor.
Oh boy! This is probably the biggest draw of using this controller. I still remember the first time I felt the vibration motor of Mobapad M9-HD in my hands and I wasn't expecting it. My previously favorite vibration motor of the Switch platform was in the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. I was sure that I will never ever see another company produce something of similar quality for the Switch console.
Mobapad M9-HD did it and truly, the HD-vibration motor on Mobapad M9-HD is better than the Pro Controller's vibration feature. It's hard to explain, but I'll give it a shot. The rumble on Nintendo Switch Pro Controller feels pleasant and doesn't rattle, so it's quiet in a way, but feels very good in the controller when playing and has some depth to the vibration. Mobapad M9-HD is a different beast. It has more weight & power to it in addition to the other features the Pro Controller's vibration motor has. You can instantly feel that it's more powerful than the Pro Controllers HD-vibration. You can feel the bass of rumble in your hands when playing. And make no mistake, the increased power of Mobapad M9-HD vibration doesn't feel creaky like some of the lower priced controllers can be. It feels powerful, well balanced, doesn't make too much sound and if I could, I'd buy joycons with the same HD-vibration motor.
Note: As the quality of the HD-vibration on Mobapad M9-HD surprised me greatly, I reached out to Mobapad and asked why the vibration feels different than in other Nintendo Switch controllers. I received the following reply: "Our controller features linear motors, which are the most costly part and what sets it apart from other controllers." In a way this explains why the vibration is different from other 3rd party controllers, but why it feels so much better than the official Pro Controller's vibration still puzzles me (maybe a trade secret?). Maybe the motor is bigger or has a better position or something along those lines, who knows.
What else is there?
There are multiple features that I won't even attempt to cover (the review is already a long read). The controller currently comes in black, white and purple. For the purpose of the review I asked for the purple model as it looks the most cheerful. There's also the NFC function (I was not able to test this as I don't own any Amiibos).
Final thoughts.
The Mobapad M9-HD is a well executed example of a premium controller that seems to be mainly targeted at the experienced gamer demographic. It's priced at $75 and is one of the highest priced Nintendo Switch controllers out there. In terms of features it clearly competes with the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller ($69.99-109.99$ depending on the color scheme) & 8Bitdo Ultimate Controller ($69.99). The price is worth it for those who benefit from the extra features (best HD-rumble, ergonomics, mechanical buttons, additional thumbsticks etc).
To me personally the pricing seems fitting to the features that the controller brings, however there are a few more aspects to consider.
Will a experienced gamer benefit from the features that come with the pricetag? Yes, we will.
Will a newer or casual gamer benefit from the features? Yes, some of them (like the analog triggers, awesome rumble and ergonomics that come with swappable thumbsticks). However I think that since Mobapad as a brand isn't very well known in the EU & US region, some might be hesitant to pay the full retail price.
Mobapad M9-HD just out of the box, next to Mobapad M8, Hori Split Pad Pro, 8Bitdo SN30pro (and the right handle of Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Splatoon Edition.
And here is a comparison table.
I did my best to rate various features of the Switch controllers that I own (in order to give a kind of an overview). Keep in mind that such comparisons are subjective and ratings might vary from person to person (for example someone with very small hands might find the Nintendo Switch Joycons with the grip to be the best controller ever due to their size).
Rating is on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the worst, 5 being the best).
The price is for the regular model of any controller and is based on the official pricing I found/received. This does not include sales or limited edition color schemes that may cost more.
| Model | Nintendo Joycons + grip | Mobapad M9-HD | Nintendo Pro Controller | 8Bitdo SN30pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-Pad | 3 | 4.5 | 4 | 5 |
| Thumbsticks | 3 | 5 | 4.5 | 4 |
| Triggers | 3 | 5 | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Buttons | 3 | 5 | 3.5 | 4 |
| Build | 5 | 4.5 | 5 | 4.5 |
| Ergonomics | 3.5 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Features | 3.5 | 5 | 3.5 | 3 |
| Included accessories | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Crossplatform support | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4.5 |
| Vibration | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Price (not rated) | $79 | $75 | $69 | $45 |
| Weight (not rated) | 197g | 254g | 249g | 112g |
- While the bundled items (such as the different thumbsticks etc) are worth the extra cost to those who use them, it's likely that some of the potential customers might not pay much attention to the included extras and/or just don't benefit from them (since they don't customize their controller in any way and are happy with whatever configuration is quickly accessible out of the box).
- A slightly cheaper version of the Mobapad M9-HD that comes with less extras (no replacable buttons or thumbsticks for example) might be something that's worth looking into. Such a move may make it easier to lower the price slightly. An even cheaper model could be closer to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (so something like the current M9-HD but without the option to change thumbsticks or buttons or faceplates).
- Increased availability in the western market would be helpful (such as a US & EU official stores or resellers).
- My copy of the Mobapad M9-HD had a small slightly sharp corner in one of the joints where the bottom & top part of the controllers case meet). If you hold the controller while gaming, it's unlikely that you would notice it. While it's a minor issue that can be easily fixed with gently sanding the edge with small piece of sandpaper or something abrasive, it's still something that could be fixed in the quality control or production process.
- Additional color schemes and designs for the controller might appeal to gamers. For example the colored (Splatoon edition etc) Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers are very popular. Some companies have also produced controllers with a transparent casing which is also something that's worth looking into. An upgraded version with RGB-lit A/B/X/Y buttons would also be neat.
- An updated manual that does a better job at explaining all the functions (such as how to replace the A/B/X/Y buttons) would be a welcome change.
- The current package is very well produced and has an overall effect on the cost of the item. A slightly smaller package could reduce the production cost.
- A semi-glossy version of the controller that uses similar plastic to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is something that would probably be well received by some gamers.
https://imgur.com/a/dwGAFeP
Photography equipment used when taking these photos: Fujifilm X-T4 mirrorless camera, Fujinon XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR lens, Fujifilm MCEX-11 macro extension tube.
Closing notes:
I hope you like the review :)
My personal thanks to Mr. Zhang & Amy from Guangzhou Xinxiang Culture Co. Ltd.
Edit: I forgot to include this part. If you have some questions about the controller, feel free to ask. I will happily answer all the questions I feel competent enough to answer and the rest I'll collect and reach out to the people who made this. So we'll get answers from the company who built it.
2023.03.24 12:19 qUxUp (OC) I originally wrote this long review of the Mobapad M9-HD as a Nintendo Switch controllers review. However this is a multi-platform controller and as I found the controller really good, it might be interesting to gamers on other platforms as well.
You can just ignore any nintendo references and focus on the primary functions: the rumble, analog triggers, mechanical buttons, rgb-lights, swappable ABXY buttons, included swappable thumbsticks that come in 3 sizes.
TLDR: Out of all the Nintendo Switch controllers I currently own it's most similar to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. The glossier finish of the Pro Controller is smoother and looks more attractive. It's worth noting that in a real world use the Mobapad M9-HD sits better in the hands due to matte finish & textured grips. If you value ergonomics and like the the Pro Controller (especially the HD-rumble), it's likely that you will enjoy the the M9-HD. For the $75 retail price ($6 more than Pro Controller) you will get a considerably better HD-rumble than the Pro Controller has (this surprised me the most), analog triggers with two positions, mechanical buttons, mappable backpaddles, thumbsticks in various sizes and multiple additional features.
Disclaimer: I started playing videogames in the early 90s (a NES clone was my first console, followed by Gameboy, PC etc). Outside of Reddit I've worked in the gaming tech field & tech journalism for about two decades (Europe/Estonia). After providing the makers of Mobapad (Guangzhou Xinxiang Culture Co. Ltd.) with my credentials (& examples of past work), I asked if I could test one of their controllers with the purpose of writing a review intended for the /Switch/ & /NintendoSwitch/ subreddits. They sent me the Mobapad M8 and Mobapad M9-HD. The review is be based solely on my experiences. I get to keep the controllers and won't be receiving additional compensation in any other form (no commission fees, affiliate marketing or ad-revenue etc). I don't have a social media presence (or followers) elsewhere. As my Nintendo Switch controller collection grows, I might write more reviews for our Switch-related subreddits.
Cheers :)
The Mobapad M9-HD Controller (with the tallest thumbsticks)
What this review is and is not.
There are many ways of covering a tech product: from a highly technical analysis aimed at the tech-savvy crowd to an emotional hype-piece. The Mobapad M9-HD will be reviewed as a controller on the Nintendo Switch platform and compared to other Switch controllers that I own. A practical amount of real life examples with a select amount of technical details will be included (with brief explanations that are understandable to people who might be new to gaming). This review will not cover every detail about the M9-HD (such as all of the features, how to change various settings, how the controller works on other platforms etc).
The package.
Out of all the Nintendo Switch Controllers I own, the box of this controller is the best looking. The artwork is lovely (IT'S A TIGER ON THE BOX - I think), the box itself is sturdy. While you can't use the box to increase your aim in a videogame, you can put it on a shelf if you are a collector or someone who likes boxes.
What's in the box?
The controller itself, a USB-dongle receiver, a high quality braided USB-cable, a manual (in English), 4 sets of thumbsticks and 2 sets of replaceable buttons (Switch/PC layout).
On the left: Hori Split Pad Pro. On the right: the box of Mobapad M9-HD
Lets talk about the extra buttons & potential for modding.
Having two sets of buttons is a welcome extra if you play on multiple platforms. The manual mentions that you can change the buttons, but it doesn't explain how to change them. It also does not say that you can/have to remove the faceplate. Turns out that you have to pry open the faceplate of the controller. While I removed the biggest portion of the faceplate, it really felt that I might break something while doing it. The faceplate is in three parts & is connected to the controller with plastic connectors. I doubt that anyone who plays on multiple platforms (using the same controller) will be motivated enough to swap the buttons from the Switch to PC layout and back on a regular basis.
Note: The plastic connectors will probably get slightly less stiff with a few removals of the faceplate, so it will become easier to change it. Using magnetic connectors for the faceplate would probably have been a better choice (like on the Mobapad M8 controller). It's also worth noting that for those of us who like modding their controller, the ability to remove the faceplate is a nice extra to have. As it makes the customization process easier if you want to paint the faceplate for example.
RGB-lights!
The controller has some neat RGB-lights. They are visible in 3 locations & in 8 different colors. The lights have 3 different modes (on, off, breathing). While changing the modes and colors of RGB-lights in a very rapid fashion, I was able to cause an error. The lights didn't change color even though I pressed the button combination to change them. After waiting for about 5-10 seconds the colors started to change correctly again. I was not able to reproduce this bug later.
Do you need RGB-lights? Not really. But they look pretty and when Christmas comes around you can turn on red or yellow lights and be in a festive mood.
Mechanical A/B/X/Y buttons.
Simply put the A/B/X/Y buttons are mechanical, they are clicky and a pleasure to use. In comparison to regular buttons (such the ones used in the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, Hori Split Pad Pro & Nintendo Switch Joycons) the mechanical buttons in the Mobapad M9-HD are more resnposive, can be pressed with less force and make a small audible click when you press them. These days there are many keyboards that also come with mechanical switches. If you haven't had a chance to use a mechanical controller, you might have used a mechanical keyboard (or a mouse) which can produce a similar click and feeling when pressed.
Note: In a way I feel that not including the RGB-lights in the A/B/X/Y buttons is a missed opportunity.
Closeup of the D-pad, RGB-lights, textured grip and buttons on the Mobapad M9-HD
What about the D-pad?
It's a good D-pad. The Mobapad M9-HD D-pad has a slightly lowered/concave area around the D-pad similarly to the Nintendo 64 controller's D-pad. Pressing the D-pad on M9-HD takes slightly less force than it does on the Pro Controller's D-pad. On the Switch I'd say that to this day my favorite D-pad is on the 8Bitdo SN30pro (which is on the stiffer side in terms of how it handles & the size is perfect). The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller's D-pad is somewhere between the M9-HD & SN30pro. I usually play handheld, but when I play with a controller, I don't usually choose controllers based on a genre. So overall, I'll probably stick to Mobapad M9-HD for most genres. On the rare occasions when I feel nostalgic, I'd probably go for the 8Bitdo SN30pro because it reminds me of my childhood & first consoles.
Note:: Since the A/B/X/Y and thumbsticks are swappable, I think that it might be an interesting feature to have a swappable D-pad as well. One of the obvious inspiration points for M9-HD has been the Xbox One Elite controller which has a swappable D-pad.
How are the thumbsticks?
While there are 4 sets of thumbsticks included, the thumbsticks come in 3 different heights. All of these are concave thumbsticks. The shortest thumbsticks are about 19mm wide and similar to the Hori Split Pad Pro. The medium & high thumbsticks are 18mm wide (similar to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller). The original Nintendo Switch joycons are about 15mm wide. Changing the thumbsticks takes a few seconds: you pull the thumbstick straight up and swap it to whichever of the included thumbsticks you fancy. On the technical side it's worth mentioning that these are ALPS thumbsticks.
What's the benefit of changing thumbsticks?
It's a neat extra that could make the controller more comfortable to hold, eespecially if you have medium/large hands or play longer gaming sessions. In certain genres (like FPS) higher thumbsticks may make it easier to perform more precise movements. Usually controllers do not come with different sized thumbsticks, but you can buy thumbstick extenders which are sold by various brands with the starting price at around $12.
Ergonomics & how the controller feels to hold.
Out of the Nintendo Switch controllers that I own, the closest comparison would be to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. It's worth noting that the Pro Controller is slightly glossy and feels smooth in the hand. This makes the build of Pro Controller feel a tiny bit better. The Mobapad M9-HD Controller is made out of matte plastic and has textured grips. The texture is slight yet aggressive enough to make the controller feel very secure. The location of backpaddles feels ergonomic. Pressing the backpaddles feels nice and you can map them to various buttons.
The M9-HD is currently the most ergonomic Nintendo Switch controller that I have used. The overall comfort comes from the solid build, different sized thumbsticks, superior triggers, mappable backpaddles and the weight plus the slightly textured grip.
The included swappable thumbsticks & extra A/B/X/Y buttons of the Mobapad M9-HD
Gyro.
Gyro is present and by default quite sensitive. In general gyro isn't my preferred way of playing videogames, so take my "quite sensitive" impressions with a grain of salt, as I've also used gyro on the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and also found it a bit too sensitive for my liking as well.
Triggers, analog triggers!
One of the major features that makes the Mobapad M9-HD stand out is the fact that the triggers are analog. In practical terms it means that you can hold the analog trigger down partially, thus giving a limited amount of acceleration to your car in racing games. This makes makes it much more satisfying & easier. On regular controllers (such as the Nintendo Switch Joycons or the Pro Controller) you can't do that and have to constantly press and release the trigger to accelerate, without the option to accelerate lets say 30% while just slightly pressing on the trigger.
Sadly analog triggers function as regular triggers in most videogames on the Nintendo Switch platform (unless the developer of a certain videogame has included analog trigger support to that specific game). As far as I know, a very select number of videogames on the Nintendo Switch include analog trigger support. GRID Autosport being one of them, I've tested it with the Mobapad M9-HD & the analog triggers work. If any of you know other Nintendo Switch titles that have analog trigger support, I'd appreciate your comment. I want to try them out and confirm if the triggers work in those games.
Another neat feature of Mobapad M9-HD triggers is that they have two different positions you can choose between. The shorter travel distance position has a nice clicky sound to it. As you can imagine, the shorter distance makes it possible to press the triggers very rapidly. The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller trigger feels slightly mushy in comparison. I like using both controllers, but the M9-HD feels better. The longer travel distance position of the trigger is also nice. In terms of gameplay, it feels more relaxed. In my gaming experience the shorter distance is better for something like shooters or fighting games but longer is better for racing. But it's Nintendo Switch after all, so choosing which one is for you is a matter of preference. The good thing is that on the M9-HD you have a choice when it comes to trigger travel distance. As far as I know 8Bitdo also has a controller that has analog triggers with some adjustability, but I can't comment on those as I don't own that specific controller.
Note: It's neat that more companies such as 8BitDo and Mobapad have started to produce controllers that allow you to configure how the triggers work. Hopefully we'll see companies produce more joycons as well as controllers that have more features at some point. I'm sure Nintendo itself could pull it off easily, but I doubt they have any plans to do something like that in the near future.
The HD-vibration motor.
Oh boy! This is probably the biggest draw of using this controller. I still remember the first time I felt the vibration motor of Mobapad M9-HD in my hands and I wasn't expecting it. My previously favorite vibration motor of the Switch platform was in the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. I was sure that I will never ever see another company produce something of similar quality for the Switch console.
Mobapad M9-HD did it and truly, the HD-vibration motor on Mobapad M9-HD is better than the Pro Controller's vibration feature. It's hard to explain, but I'll give it a shot. The rumble on Nintendo Switch Pro Controller feels pleasant and doesn't rattle, so it's quiet in a way, but feels very good in the controller when playing and has some depth to the vibration. Mobapad M9-HD is a different beast. It has more weight & power to it in addition to the other features the Pro Controller's vibration motor has. You can instantly feel that it's more powerful than the Pro Controllers HD-vibration. You can feel the bass of rumble in your hands when playing. And make no mistake, the increased power of Mobapad M9-HD vibration doesn't feel creaky like some of the lower priced controllers can be. It feels powerful, well balanced, doesn't make too much sound and if I could, I'd buy joycons with the same HD-vibration motor.
Note: As the quality of the HD-vibration on Mobapad M9-HD surprised me greatly, I reached out to Mobapad and asked why the vibration feels different than in other Nintendo Switch controllers. I received the following reply: "Our controller features linear motors, which are the most costly part and what sets it apart from other controllers." In a way this explains why the vibration is different from other 3rd party controllers, but why it feels so much better than the official Pro Controller's vibration still puzzles me (maybe a trade secret?). Maybe the motor is bigger or has a better position or something along those lines, who knows.
What else is there?
There are multiple features that I won't even attempt to cover (the review is already a long read). The controller currently comes in black, white and purple. For the purpose of the review I asked for the purple model as it looks the most cheerful. There's also the NFC function (I was not able to test this as I don't own any Amiibos).
Final thoughts.
The Mobapad M9-HD is a well executed example of a premium controller that seems to be mainly targeted at the experienced gamer demographic. It's priced at $75 and is one of the highest priced Nintendo Switch controllers out there. In terms of features it clearly competes with the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller ($69.99-109.99$ depending on the color scheme) & 8Bitdo Ultimate Controller ($69.99). The price is worth it for those who benefit from the extra features (best HD-rumble, ergonomics, mechanical buttons, additional thumbsticks etc).
To me personally the pricing seems fitting to the features that the controller brings, however there are a few more aspects to consider.
Will a experienced gamer benefit from the features that come with the pricetag? Yes, we will.
Will a newer or casual gamer benefit from the features? Yes, some of them (like the analog triggers, awesome rumble and ergonomics that come with swappable thumbsticks). However I think that since Mobapad as a brand isn't very well known in the EU & US region, some might be hesitant to pay the full retail price.
Mobapad M9-HD just out of the box, next to Mobapad M8, Hori Split Pad Pro, 8Bitdo SN30pro (and the right handle of Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Splatoon Edition.
And here is a comparison table.
I did my best to rate various features of the Switch controllers that I own (in order to give a kind of an overview). Keep in mind that such comparisons are subjective and ratings might vary from person to person (for example someone with very small hands might find the Nintendo Switch Joycons with the grip to be the best controller ever due to their size).
Rating is on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the worst, 5 being the best).
The price is for the regular model of any controller and is based on the official pricing I found/received. This does not include sales or limited edition color schemes that may cost more.
What could be improved upon:
https://imgur.com/a/dwGAFeP
Photography equipment used when taking these photos: Fujifilm X-T4 mirrorless camera, Fujinon XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR lens, Fujifilm MCEX-11 macro extension tube.
Closing notes:
I hope you like the review :)
My personal thanks to Mr. Zhang & Amy from Guangzhou Xinxiang Culture Co. Ltd.
Edit: I forgot to include this part. If you have some questions about the controller, feel free to ask. I will happily answer all the questions I feel competent enough to answer and the rest I'll collect and reach out to the people who made this. So we'll get answers from the company who built it.
submitted by qUxUp to xboxone [link] [comments]
TLDR: Out of all the Nintendo Switch controllers I currently own it's most similar to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. The glossier finish of the Pro Controller is smoother and looks more attractive. It's worth noting that in a real world use the Mobapad M9-HD sits better in the hands due to matte finish & textured grips. If you value ergonomics and like the the Pro Controller (especially the HD-rumble), it's likely that you will enjoy the the M9-HD. For the $75 retail price ($6 more than Pro Controller) you will get a considerably better HD-rumble than the Pro Controller has (this surprised me the most), analog triggers with two positions, mechanical buttons, mappable backpaddles, thumbsticks in various sizes and multiple additional features.
Disclaimer: I started playing videogames in the early 90s (a NES clone was my first console, followed by Gameboy, PC etc). Outside of Reddit I've worked in the gaming tech field & tech journalism for about two decades (Europe/Estonia). After providing the makers of Mobapad (Guangzhou Xinxiang Culture Co. Ltd.) with my credentials (& examples of past work), I asked if I could test one of their controllers with the purpose of writing a review intended for the /Switch/ & /NintendoSwitch/ subreddits. They sent me the Mobapad M8 and Mobapad M9-HD. The review is be based solely on my experiences. I get to keep the controllers and won't be receiving additional compensation in any other form (no commission fees, affiliate marketing or ad-revenue etc). I don't have a social media presence (or followers) elsewhere. As my Nintendo Switch controller collection grows, I might write more reviews for our Switch-related subreddits.
Cheers :)
The Mobapad M9-HD Controller (with the tallest thumbsticks)
What this review is and is not.
There are many ways of covering a tech product: from a highly technical analysis aimed at the tech-savvy crowd to an emotional hype-piece. The Mobapad M9-HD will be reviewed as a controller on the Nintendo Switch platform and compared to other Switch controllers that I own. A practical amount of real life examples with a select amount of technical details will be included (with brief explanations that are understandable to people who might be new to gaming). This review will not cover every detail about the M9-HD (such as all of the features, how to change various settings, how the controller works on other platforms etc).
The package.
Out of all the Nintendo Switch Controllers I own, the box of this controller is the best looking. The artwork is lovely (IT'S A TIGER ON THE BOX - I think), the box itself is sturdy. While you can't use the box to increase your aim in a videogame, you can put it on a shelf if you are a collector or someone who likes boxes.
What's in the box?
The controller itself, a USB-dongle receiver, a high quality braided USB-cable, a manual (in English), 4 sets of thumbsticks and 2 sets of replaceable buttons (Switch/PC layout).
On the left: Hori Split Pad Pro. On the right: the box of Mobapad M9-HD
Lets talk about the extra buttons & potential for modding.
Having two sets of buttons is a welcome extra if you play on multiple platforms. The manual mentions that you can change the buttons, but it doesn't explain how to change them. It also does not say that you can/have to remove the faceplate. Turns out that you have to pry open the faceplate of the controller. While I removed the biggest portion of the faceplate, it really felt that I might break something while doing it. The faceplate is in three parts & is connected to the controller with plastic connectors. I doubt that anyone who plays on multiple platforms (using the same controller) will be motivated enough to swap the buttons from the Switch to PC layout and back on a regular basis.
Note: The plastic connectors will probably get slightly less stiff with a few removals of the faceplate, so it will become easier to change it. Using magnetic connectors for the faceplate would probably have been a better choice (like on the Mobapad M8 controller). It's also worth noting that for those of us who like modding their controller, the ability to remove the faceplate is a nice extra to have. As it makes the customization process easier if you want to paint the faceplate for example.
RGB-lights!
The controller has some neat RGB-lights. They are visible in 3 locations & in 8 different colors. The lights have 3 different modes (on, off, breathing). While changing the modes and colors of RGB-lights in a very rapid fashion, I was able to cause an error. The lights didn't change color even though I pressed the button combination to change them. After waiting for about 5-10 seconds the colors started to change correctly again. I was not able to reproduce this bug later.
Do you need RGB-lights? Not really. But they look pretty and when Christmas comes around you can turn on red or yellow lights and be in a festive mood.
Mechanical A/B/X/Y buttons.
Simply put the A/B/X/Y buttons are mechanical, they are clicky and a pleasure to use. In comparison to regular buttons (such the ones used in the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, Hori Split Pad Pro & Nintendo Switch Joycons) the mechanical buttons in the Mobapad M9-HD are more resnposive, can be pressed with less force and make a small audible click when you press them. These days there are many keyboards that also come with mechanical switches. If you haven't had a chance to use a mechanical controller, you might have used a mechanical keyboard (or a mouse) which can produce a similar click and feeling when pressed.
Note: In a way I feel that not including the RGB-lights in the A/B/X/Y buttons is a missed opportunity.
Closeup of the D-pad, RGB-lights, textured grip and buttons on the Mobapad M9-HD
What about the D-pad?
It's a good D-pad. The Mobapad M9-HD D-pad has a slightly lowered/concave area around the D-pad similarly to the Nintendo 64 controller's D-pad. Pressing the D-pad on M9-HD takes slightly less force than it does on the Pro Controller's D-pad. On the Switch I'd say that to this day my favorite D-pad is on the 8Bitdo SN30pro (which is on the stiffer side in terms of how it handles & the size is perfect). The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller's D-pad is somewhere between the M9-HD & SN30pro. I usually play handheld, but when I play with a controller, I don't usually choose controllers based on a genre. So overall, I'll probably stick to Mobapad M9-HD for most genres. On the rare occasions when I feel nostalgic, I'd probably go for the 8Bitdo SN30pro because it reminds me of my childhood & first consoles.
Note:: Since the A/B/X/Y and thumbsticks are swappable, I think that it might be an interesting feature to have a swappable D-pad as well. One of the obvious inspiration points for M9-HD has been the Xbox One Elite controller which has a swappable D-pad.
How are the thumbsticks?
While there are 4 sets of thumbsticks included, the thumbsticks come in 3 different heights. All of these are concave thumbsticks. The shortest thumbsticks are about 19mm wide and similar to the Hori Split Pad Pro. The medium & high thumbsticks are 18mm wide (similar to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller). The original Nintendo Switch joycons are about 15mm wide. Changing the thumbsticks takes a few seconds: you pull the thumbstick straight up and swap it to whichever of the included thumbsticks you fancy. On the technical side it's worth mentioning that these are ALPS thumbsticks.
What's the benefit of changing thumbsticks?
It's a neat extra that could make the controller more comfortable to hold, eespecially if you have medium/large hands or play longer gaming sessions. In certain genres (like FPS) higher thumbsticks may make it easier to perform more precise movements. Usually controllers do not come with different sized thumbsticks, but you can buy thumbstick extenders which are sold by various brands with the starting price at around $12.
Ergonomics & how the controller feels to hold.
Out of the Nintendo Switch controllers that I own, the closest comparison would be to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. It's worth noting that the Pro Controller is slightly glossy and feels smooth in the hand. This makes the build of Pro Controller feel a tiny bit better. The Mobapad M9-HD Controller is made out of matte plastic and has textured grips. The texture is slight yet aggressive enough to make the controller feel very secure. The location of backpaddles feels ergonomic. Pressing the backpaddles feels nice and you can map them to various buttons.
The M9-HD is currently the most ergonomic Nintendo Switch controller that I have used. The overall comfort comes from the solid build, different sized thumbsticks, superior triggers, mappable backpaddles and the weight plus the slightly textured grip.
The included swappable thumbsticks & extra A/B/X/Y buttons of the Mobapad M9-HD
Gyro.
Gyro is present and by default quite sensitive. In general gyro isn't my preferred way of playing videogames, so take my "quite sensitive" impressions with a grain of salt, as I've also used gyro on the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and also found it a bit too sensitive for my liking as well.
Triggers, analog triggers!
One of the major features that makes the Mobapad M9-HD stand out is the fact that the triggers are analog. In practical terms it means that you can hold the analog trigger down partially, thus giving a limited amount of acceleration to your car in racing games. This makes makes it much more satisfying & easier. On regular controllers (such as the Nintendo Switch Joycons or the Pro Controller) you can't do that and have to constantly press and release the trigger to accelerate, without the option to accelerate lets say 30% while just slightly pressing on the trigger.
Sadly analog triggers function as regular triggers in most videogames on the Nintendo Switch platform (unless the developer of a certain videogame has included analog trigger support to that specific game). As far as I know, a very select number of videogames on the Nintendo Switch include analog trigger support. GRID Autosport being one of them, I've tested it with the Mobapad M9-HD & the analog triggers work. If any of you know other Nintendo Switch titles that have analog trigger support, I'd appreciate your comment. I want to try them out and confirm if the triggers work in those games.
Another neat feature of Mobapad M9-HD triggers is that they have two different positions you can choose between. The shorter travel distance position has a nice clicky sound to it. As you can imagine, the shorter distance makes it possible to press the triggers very rapidly. The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller trigger feels slightly mushy in comparison. I like using both controllers, but the M9-HD feels better. The longer travel distance position of the trigger is also nice. In terms of gameplay, it feels more relaxed. In my gaming experience the shorter distance is better for something like shooters or fighting games but longer is better for racing. But it's Nintendo Switch after all, so choosing which one is for you is a matter of preference. The good thing is that on the M9-HD you have a choice when it comes to trigger travel distance. As far as I know 8Bitdo also has a controller that has analog triggers with some adjustability, but I can't comment on those as I don't own that specific controller.
Note: It's neat that more companies such as 8BitDo and Mobapad have started to produce controllers that allow you to configure how the triggers work. Hopefully we'll see companies produce more joycons as well as controllers that have more features at some point. I'm sure Nintendo itself could pull it off easily, but I doubt they have any plans to do something like that in the near future.
The HD-vibration motor.
Oh boy! This is probably the biggest draw of using this controller. I still remember the first time I felt the vibration motor of Mobapad M9-HD in my hands and I wasn't expecting it. My previously favorite vibration motor of the Switch platform was in the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. I was sure that I will never ever see another company produce something of similar quality for the Switch console.
Mobapad M9-HD did it and truly, the HD-vibration motor on Mobapad M9-HD is better than the Pro Controller's vibration feature. It's hard to explain, but I'll give it a shot. The rumble on Nintendo Switch Pro Controller feels pleasant and doesn't rattle, so it's quiet in a way, but feels very good in the controller when playing and has some depth to the vibration. Mobapad M9-HD is a different beast. It has more weight & power to it in addition to the other features the Pro Controller's vibration motor has. You can instantly feel that it's more powerful than the Pro Controllers HD-vibration. You can feel the bass of rumble in your hands when playing. And make no mistake, the increased power of Mobapad M9-HD vibration doesn't feel creaky like some of the lower priced controllers can be. It feels powerful, well balanced, doesn't make too much sound and if I could, I'd buy joycons with the same HD-vibration motor.
Note: As the quality of the HD-vibration on Mobapad M9-HD surprised me greatly, I reached out to Mobapad and asked why the vibration feels different than in other Nintendo Switch controllers. I received the following reply: "Our controller features linear motors, which are the most costly part and what sets it apart from other controllers." In a way this explains why the vibration is different from other 3rd party controllers, but why it feels so much better than the official Pro Controller's vibration still puzzles me (maybe a trade secret?). Maybe the motor is bigger or has a better position or something along those lines, who knows.
What else is there?
There are multiple features that I won't even attempt to cover (the review is already a long read). The controller currently comes in black, white and purple. For the purpose of the review I asked for the purple model as it looks the most cheerful. There's also the NFC function (I was not able to test this as I don't own any Amiibos).
Final thoughts.
The Mobapad M9-HD is a well executed example of a premium controller that seems to be mainly targeted at the experienced gamer demographic. It's priced at $75 and is one of the highest priced Nintendo Switch controllers out there. In terms of features it clearly competes with the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller ($69.99-109.99$ depending on the color scheme) & 8Bitdo Ultimate Controller ($69.99). The price is worth it for those who benefit from the extra features (best HD-rumble, ergonomics, mechanical buttons, additional thumbsticks etc).
To me personally the pricing seems fitting to the features that the controller brings, however there are a few more aspects to consider.
Will a experienced gamer benefit from the features that come with the pricetag? Yes, we will.
Will a newer or casual gamer benefit from the features? Yes, some of them (like the analog triggers, awesome rumble and ergonomics that come with swappable thumbsticks). However I think that since Mobapad as a brand isn't very well known in the EU & US region, some might be hesitant to pay the full retail price.
Mobapad M9-HD just out of the box, next to Mobapad M8, Hori Split Pad Pro, 8Bitdo SN30pro (and the right handle of Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Splatoon Edition.
And here is a comparison table.
I did my best to rate various features of the Switch controllers that I own (in order to give a kind of an overview). Keep in mind that such comparisons are subjective and ratings might vary from person to person (for example someone with very small hands might find the Nintendo Switch Joycons with the grip to be the best controller ever due to their size).
Rating is on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the worst, 5 being the best).
The price is for the regular model of any controller and is based on the official pricing I found/received. This does not include sales or limited edition color schemes that may cost more.
| Model | Nintendo Joycons + grip | Mobapad M9-HD | Nintendo Pro Controller | 8Bitdo SN30pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-Pad | 3 | 4.5 | 4 | 5 |
| Thumbsticks | 3 | 5 | 4.5 | 4 |
| Triggers | 3 | 5 | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Buttons | 3 | 5 | 3.5 | 4 |
| Build | 5 | 4.5 | 5 | 4.5 |
| Ergonomics | 3.5 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Features | 3.5 | 5 | 3.5 | 3 |
| Included accessories | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Crossplatform support | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4.5 |
| Vibration | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Price (not rated) | $79 | $75 | $69 | $45 |
| Weight (not rated) | 197g | 254g | 249g | 112g |
- While the bundled items (such as the different thumbsticks etc) are worth the extra cost to those who use them, it's likely that some of the potential customers might not pay much attention to the included extras and/or just don't benefit from them (since they don't customize their controller in any way and are happy with whatever configuration is quickly accessible out of the box).
- A slightly cheaper version of the Mobapad M9-HD that comes with less extras (no replacable buttons or thumbsticks for example) might be something that's worth looking into. Such a move may make it easier to lower the price slightly. An even cheaper model could be closer to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (so something like the current M9-HD but without the option to change thumbsticks or buttons or faceplates).
- Increased availability in the western market would be helpful (such as a US & EU official stores or resellers).
- My copy of the Mobapad M9-HD had a small slightly sharp corner in one of the joints where the bottom & top part of the controllers case meet). If you hold the controller while gaming, it's unlikely that you would notice it. While it's a minor issue that can be easily fixed with gently sanding the edge with small piece of sandpaper or something abrasive, it's still something that could be fixed in the quality control or production process.
- Additional color schemes and designs for the controller might appeal to gamers. For example the colored (Splatoon edition etc) Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers are very popular. Some companies have also produced controllers with a transparent casing which is also something that's worth looking into. An upgraded version with RGB-lit A/B/X/Y buttons would also be neat.
- An updated manual that does a better job at explaining all the functions (such as how to replace the A/B/X/Y buttons) would be a welcome change.
- The current package is very well produced and has an overall effect on the cost of the item. A slightly smaller package could reduce the production cost.
- A semi-glossy version of the controller that uses similar plastic to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is something that would probably be well received by some gamers.
https://imgur.com/a/dwGAFeP
Photography equipment used when taking these photos: Fujifilm X-T4 mirrorless camera, Fujinon XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR lens, Fujifilm MCEX-11 macro extension tube.
Closing notes:
I hope you like the review :)
My personal thanks to Mr. Zhang & Amy from Guangzhou Xinxiang Culture Co. Ltd.
Edit: I forgot to include this part. If you have some questions about the controller, feel free to ask. I will happily answer all the questions I feel competent enough to answer and the rest I'll collect and reach out to the people who made this. So we'll get answers from the company who built it.
2023.03.24 12:17 qUxUp (OC) I originally wrote this long review of the Mobapad M9-HD as a Nintendo Switch controllers review. However this is a multi-platform controller and as I found the controller really good, it might be interesting to gamers on other platforms as well.
You can just ignore any nintendo references and focus on the primary functions: the rumble, analog triggers, mechanical buttons, rgb-lights, swappable ABXY buttons, included swappable thumbsticks that come in 3 sizes.
TLDR: Out of all the Nintendo Switch controllers I currently own it's most similar to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. The glossier finish of the Pro Controller is smoother and looks more attractive. It's worth noting that in a real world use the Mobapad M9-HD sits better in the hands due to matte finish & textured grips. If you value ergonomics and like the the Pro Controller (especially the HD-rumble), it's likely that you will enjoy the the M9-HD. For the $75 retail price ($6 more than Pro Controller) you will get a considerably better HD-rumble than the Pro Controller has (this surprised me the most), analog triggers with two positions, mechanical buttons, mappable backpaddles, thumbsticks in various sizes and multiple additional features.
Disclaimer: I started playing videogames in the early 90s (a NES clone was my first console, followed by Gameboy, PC etc). Outside of Reddit I've worked in the gaming tech field & tech journalism for about two decades (Europe/Estonia). After providing the makers of Mobapad (Guangzhou Xinxiang Culture Co. Ltd.) with my credentials (& examples of past work), I asked if I could test one of their controllers with the purpose of writing a review intended for the /Switch/ & /NintendoSwitch/ subreddits. They sent me the Mobapad M8 and Mobapad M9-HD. The review is be based solely on my experiences. I get to keep the controllers and won't be receiving additional compensation in any other form (no commission fees, affiliate marketing or ad-revenue etc). I don't have a social media presence (or followers) elsewhere. As my Nintendo Switch controller collection grows, I might write more reviews for our Switch-related subreddits.
Cheers :)
The Mobapad M9-HD Controller (with the tallest thumbsticks)
What this review is and is not.
There are many ways of covering a tech product: from a highly technical analysis aimed at the tech-savvy crowd to an emotional hype-piece. The Mobapad M9-HD will be reviewed as a controller on the Nintendo Switch platform and compared to other Switch controllers that I own. A practical amount of real life examples with a select amount of technical details will be included (with brief explanations that are understandable to people who might be new to gaming). This review will not cover every detail about the M9-HD (such as all of the features, how to change various settings, how the controller works on other platforms etc).
The package.
Out of all the Nintendo Switch Controllers I own, the box of this controller is the best looking. The artwork is lovely (IT'S A TIGER ON THE BOX - I think), the box itself is sturdy. While you can't use the box to increase your aim in a videogame, you can put it on a shelf if you are a collector or someone who likes boxes.
What's in the box?
The controller itself, a USB-dongle receiver, a high quality braided USB-cable, a manual (in English), 4 sets of thumbsticks and 2 sets of replaceable buttons (Switch/PC layout).
On the left: Hori Split Pad Pro. On the right: the box of Mobapad M9-HD
Lets talk about the extra buttons & potential for modding.
Having two sets of buttons is a welcome extra if you play on multiple platforms. The manual mentions that you can change the buttons, but it doesn't explain how to change them. It also does not say that you can/have to remove the faceplate. Turns out that you have to pry open the faceplate of the controller. While I removed the biggest portion of the faceplate, it really felt that I might break something while doing it. The faceplate is in three parts & is connected to the controller with plastic connectors. I doubt that anyone who plays on multiple platforms (using the same controller) will be motivated enough to swap the buttons from the Switch to PC layout and back on a regular basis.
Note: The plastic connectors will probably get slightly less stiff with a few removals of the faceplate, so it will become easier to change it. Using magnetic connectors for the faceplate would probably have been a better choice (like on the Mobapad M8 controller). It's also worth noting that for those of us who like modding their controller, the ability to remove the faceplate is a nice extra to have. As it makes the customization process easier if you want to paint the faceplate for example.
RGB-lights!
The controller has some neat RGB-lights. They are visible in 3 locations & in 8 different colors. The lights have 3 different modes (on, off, breathing). While changing the modes and colors of RGB-lights in a very rapid fashion, I was able to cause an error. The lights didn't change color even though I pressed the button combination to change them. After waiting for about 5-10 seconds the colors started to change correctly again. I was not able to reproduce this bug later.
Do you need RGB-lights? Not really. But they look pretty and when Christmas comes around you can turn on red or yellow lights and be in a festive mood.
Mechanical A/B/X/Y buttons.
Simply put the A/B/X/Y buttons are mechanical, they are clicky and a pleasure to use. In comparison to regular buttons (such the ones used in the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, Hori Split Pad Pro & Nintendo Switch Joycons) the mechanical buttons in the Mobapad M9-HD are more resnposive, can be pressed with less force and make a small audible click when you press them. These days there are many keyboards that also come with mechanical switches. If you haven't had a chance to use a mechanical controller, you might have used a mechanical keyboard (or a mouse) which can produce a similar click and feeling when pressed.
Note: In a way I feel that not including the RGB-lights in the A/B/X/Y buttons is a missed opportunity.
Closeup of the D-pad, RGB-lights, textured grip and buttons on the Mobapad M9-HD
What about the D-pad?
It's a good D-pad. The Mobapad M9-HD D-pad has a slightly lowered/concave area around the D-pad similarly to the Nintendo 64 controller's D-pad. Pressing the D-pad on M9-HD takes slightly less force than it does on the Pro Controller's D-pad. On the Switch I'd say that to this day my favorite D-pad is on the 8Bitdo SN30pro (which is on the stiffer side in terms of how it handles & the size is perfect). The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller's D-pad is somewhere between the M9-HD & SN30pro. I usually play handheld, but when I play with a controller, I don't usually choose controllers based on a genre. So overall, I'll probably stick to Mobapad M9-HD for most genres. On the rare occasions when I feel nostalgic, I'd probably go for the 8Bitdo SN30pro because it reminds me of my childhood & first consoles.
Note:: Since the A/B/X/Y and thumbsticks are swappable, I think that it might be an interesting feature to have a swappable D-pad as well. One of the obvious inspiration points for M9-HD has been the Xbox One Elite controller which has a swappable D-pad.
How are the thumbsticks?
While there are 4 sets of thumbsticks included, the thumbsticks come in 3 different heights. All of these are concave thumbsticks. The shortest thumbsticks are about 19mm wide and similar to the Hori Split Pad Pro. The medium & high thumbsticks are 18mm wide (similar to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller). The original Nintendo Switch joycons are about 15mm wide. Changing the thumbsticks takes a few seconds: you pull the thumbstick straight up and swap it to whichever of the included thumbsticks you fancy. On the technical side it's worth mentioning that these are ALPS thumbsticks.
What's the benefit of changing thumbsticks?
It's a neat extra that could make the controller more comfortable to hold, eespecially if you have medium/large hands or play longer gaming sessions. In certain genres (like FPS) higher thumbsticks may make it easier to perform more precise movements. Usually controllers do not come with different sized thumbsticks, but you can buy thumbstick extenders which are sold by various brands with the starting price at around $12.
Ergonomics & how the controller feels to hold.
Out of the Nintendo Switch controllers that I own, the closest comparison would be to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. It's worth noting that the Pro Controller is slightly glossy and feels smooth in the hand. This makes the build of Pro Controller feel a tiny bit better. The Mobapad M9-HD Controller is made out of matte plastic and has textured grips. The texture is slight yet aggressive enough to make the controller feel very secure. The location of backpaddles feels ergonomic. Pressing the backpaddles feels nice and you can map them to various buttons.
The M9-HD is currently the most ergonomic Nintendo Switch controller that I have used. The overall comfort comes from the solid build, different sized thumbsticks, superior triggers, mappable backpaddles and the weight plus the slightly textured grip.
The included swappable thumbsticks & extra A/B/X/Y buttons of the Mobapad M9-HD
Gyro.
Gyro is present and by default quite sensitive. In general gyro isn't my preferred way of playing videogames, so take my "quite sensitive" impressions with a grain of salt, as I've also used gyro on the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and also found it a bit too sensitive for my liking as well.
Triggers, analog triggers!
One of the major features that makes the Mobapad M9-HD stand out is the fact that the triggers are analog. In practical terms it means that you can hold the analog trigger down partially, thus giving a limited amount of acceleration to your car in racing games. This makes makes it much more satisfying & easier. On regular controllers (such as the Nintendo Switch Joycons or the Pro Controller) you can't do that and have to constantly press and release the trigger to accelerate, without the option to accelerate lets say 30% while just slightly pressing on the trigger.
Sadly analog triggers function as regular triggers in most videogames on the Nintendo Switch platform (unless the developer of a certain videogame has included analog trigger support to that specific game). As far as I know, a very select number of videogames on the Nintendo Switch include analog trigger support. GRID Autosport being one of them, I've tested it with the Mobapad M9-HD & the analog triggers work. If any of you know other Nintendo Switch titles that have analog trigger support, I'd appreciate your comment. I want to try them out and confirm if the triggers work in those games.
Another neat feature of Mobapad M9-HD triggers is that they have two different positions you can choose between. The shorter travel distance position has a nice clicky sound to it. As you can imagine, the shorter distance makes it possible to press the triggers very rapidly. The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller trigger feels slightly mushy in comparison. I like using both controllers, but the M9-HD feels better. The longer travel distance position of the trigger is also nice. In terms of gameplay, it feels more relaxed. In my gaming experience the shorter distance is better for something like shooters or fighting games but longer is better for racing. But it's Nintendo Switch after all, so choosing which one is for you is a matter of preference. The good thing is that on the M9-HD you have a choice when it comes to trigger travel distance. As far as I know 8Bitdo also has a controller that has analog triggers with some adjustability, but I can't comment on those as I don't own that specific controller.
Note: It's neat that more companies such as 8BitDo and Mobapad have started to produce controllers that allow you to configure how the triggers work. Hopefully we'll see companies produce more joycons as well as controllers that have more features at some point. I'm sure Nintendo itself could pull it off easily, but I doubt they have any plans to do something like that in the near future.
The HD-vibration motor.
Oh boy! This is probably the biggest draw of using this controller. I still remember the first time I felt the vibration motor of Mobapad M9-HD in my hands and I wasn't expecting it. My previously favorite vibration motor of the Switch platform was in the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. I was sure that I will never ever see another company produce something of similar quality for the Switch console.
Mobapad M9-HD did it and truly, the HD-vibration motor on Mobapad M9-HD is better than the Pro Controller's vibration feature. It's hard to explain, but I'll give it a shot. The rumble on Nintendo Switch Pro Controller feels pleasant and doesn't rattle, so it's quiet in a way, but feels very good in the controller when playing and has some depth to the vibration. Mobapad M9-HD is a different beast. It has more weight & power to it in addition to the other features the Pro Controller's vibration motor has. You can instantly feel that it's more powerful than the Pro Controllers HD-vibration. You can feel the bass of rumble in your hands when playing. And make no mistake, the increased power of Mobapad M9-HD vibration doesn't feel creaky like some of the lower priced controllers can be. It feels powerful, well balanced, doesn't make too much sound and if I could, I'd buy joycons with the same HD-vibration motor.
Note: As the quality of the HD-vibration on Mobapad M9-HD surprised me greatly, I reached out to Mobapad and asked why the vibration feels different than in other Nintendo Switch controllers. I received the following reply: "Our controller features linear motors, which are the most costly part and what sets it apart from other controllers." In a way this explains why the vibration is different from other 3rd party controllers, but why it feels so much better than the official Pro Controller's vibration still puzzles me (maybe a trade secret?). Maybe the motor is bigger or has a better position or something along those lines, who knows.
What else is there?
There are multiple features that I won't even attempt to cover (the review is already a long read). The controller currently comes in black, white and purple. For the purpose of the review I asked for the purple model as it looks the most cheerful. There's also the NFC function (I was not able to test this as I don't own any Amiibos).
Final thoughts.
The Mobapad M9-HD is a well executed example of a premium controller that seems to be mainly targeted at the experienced gamer demographic. It's priced at $75 and is one of the highest priced Nintendo Switch controllers out there. In terms of features it clearly competes with the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller ($69.99-109.99$ depending on the color scheme) & 8Bitdo Ultimate Controller ($69.99). The price is worth it for those who benefit from the extra features (best HD-rumble, ergonomics, mechanical buttons, additional thumbsticks etc).
To me personally the pricing seems fitting to the features that the controller brings, however there are a few more aspects to consider.
Will a experienced gamer benefit from the features that come with the pricetag? Yes, we will.
Will a newer or casual gamer benefit from the features? Yes, some of them (like the analog triggers, awesome rumble and ergonomics that come with swappable thumbsticks). However I think that since Mobapad as a brand isn't very well known in the EU & US region, some might be hesitant to pay the full retail price.
Mobapad M9-HD just out of the box, next to Mobapad M8, Hori Split Pad Pro, 8Bitdo SN30pro (and the right handle of Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Splatoon Edition.
And here is a comparison table.
I did my best to rate various features of the Switch controllers that I own (in order to give a kind of an overview). Keep in mind that such comparisons are subjective and ratings might vary from person to person (for example someone with very small hands might find the Nintendo Switch Joycons with the grip to be the best controller ever due to their size).
Rating is on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the worst, 5 being the best).
The price is for the regular model of any controller and is based on the official pricing I found/received. This does not include sales or limited edition color schemes that may cost more.
What could be improved upon:
https://imgur.com/a/dwGAFeP
Photography equipment used when taking these photos: Fujifilm X-T4 mirrorless camera, Fujinon XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR lens, Fujifilm MCEX-11 macro extension tube.
Closing notes:
I hope you like the review :)
My personal thanks to Mr. Zhang & Amy from Guangzhou Xinxiang Culture Co. Ltd.
Edit: I forgot to include this part. If you have some questions about the controller, feel free to ask. I will happily answer all the questions I feel competent enough to answer and the rest I'll collect and reach out to the people who made this. So we'll get answers from the company who built it.
submitted by qUxUp to RetroArch [link] [comments]
TLDR: Out of all the Nintendo Switch controllers I currently own it's most similar to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. The glossier finish of the Pro Controller is smoother and looks more attractive. It's worth noting that in a real world use the Mobapad M9-HD sits better in the hands due to matte finish & textured grips. If you value ergonomics and like the the Pro Controller (especially the HD-rumble), it's likely that you will enjoy the the M9-HD. For the $75 retail price ($6 more than Pro Controller) you will get a considerably better HD-rumble than the Pro Controller has (this surprised me the most), analog triggers with two positions, mechanical buttons, mappable backpaddles, thumbsticks in various sizes and multiple additional features.
Disclaimer: I started playing videogames in the early 90s (a NES clone was my first console, followed by Gameboy, PC etc). Outside of Reddit I've worked in the gaming tech field & tech journalism for about two decades (Europe/Estonia). After providing the makers of Mobapad (Guangzhou Xinxiang Culture Co. Ltd.) with my credentials (& examples of past work), I asked if I could test one of their controllers with the purpose of writing a review intended for the /Switch/ & /NintendoSwitch/ subreddits. They sent me the Mobapad M8 and Mobapad M9-HD. The review is be based solely on my experiences. I get to keep the controllers and won't be receiving additional compensation in any other form (no commission fees, affiliate marketing or ad-revenue etc). I don't have a social media presence (or followers) elsewhere. As my Nintendo Switch controller collection grows, I might write more reviews for our Switch-related subreddits.
Cheers :)
The Mobapad M9-HD Controller (with the tallest thumbsticks)
What this review is and is not.
There are many ways of covering a tech product: from a highly technical analysis aimed at the tech-savvy crowd to an emotional hype-piece. The Mobapad M9-HD will be reviewed as a controller on the Nintendo Switch platform and compared to other Switch controllers that I own. A practical amount of real life examples with a select amount of technical details will be included (with brief explanations that are understandable to people who might be new to gaming). This review will not cover every detail about the M9-HD (such as all of the features, how to change various settings, how the controller works on other platforms etc).
The package.
Out of all the Nintendo Switch Controllers I own, the box of this controller is the best looking. The artwork is lovely (IT'S A TIGER ON THE BOX - I think), the box itself is sturdy. While you can't use the box to increase your aim in a videogame, you can put it on a shelf if you are a collector or someone who likes boxes.
What's in the box?
The controller itself, a USB-dongle receiver, a high quality braided USB-cable, a manual (in English), 4 sets of thumbsticks and 2 sets of replaceable buttons (Switch/PC layout).
On the left: Hori Split Pad Pro. On the right: the box of Mobapad M9-HD
Lets talk about the extra buttons & potential for modding.
Having two sets of buttons is a welcome extra if you play on multiple platforms. The manual mentions that you can change the buttons, but it doesn't explain how to change them. It also does not say that you can/have to remove the faceplate. Turns out that you have to pry open the faceplate of the controller. While I removed the biggest portion of the faceplate, it really felt that I might break something while doing it. The faceplate is in three parts & is connected to the controller with plastic connectors. I doubt that anyone who plays on multiple platforms (using the same controller) will be motivated enough to swap the buttons from the Switch to PC layout and back on a regular basis.
Note: The plastic connectors will probably get slightly less stiff with a few removals of the faceplate, so it will become easier to change it. Using magnetic connectors for the faceplate would probably have been a better choice (like on the Mobapad M8 controller). It's also worth noting that for those of us who like modding their controller, the ability to remove the faceplate is a nice extra to have. As it makes the customization process easier if you want to paint the faceplate for example.
RGB-lights!
The controller has some neat RGB-lights. They are visible in 3 locations & in 8 different colors. The lights have 3 different modes (on, off, breathing). While changing the modes and colors of RGB-lights in a very rapid fashion, I was able to cause an error. The lights didn't change color even though I pressed the button combination to change them. After waiting for about 5-10 seconds the colors started to change correctly again. I was not able to reproduce this bug later.
Do you need RGB-lights? Not really. But they look pretty and when Christmas comes around you can turn on red or yellow lights and be in a festive mood.
Mechanical A/B/X/Y buttons.
Simply put the A/B/X/Y buttons are mechanical, they are clicky and a pleasure to use. In comparison to regular buttons (such the ones used in the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, Hori Split Pad Pro & Nintendo Switch Joycons) the mechanical buttons in the Mobapad M9-HD are more resnposive, can be pressed with less force and make a small audible click when you press them. These days there are many keyboards that also come with mechanical switches. If you haven't had a chance to use a mechanical controller, you might have used a mechanical keyboard (or a mouse) which can produce a similar click and feeling when pressed.
Note: In a way I feel that not including the RGB-lights in the A/B/X/Y buttons is a missed opportunity.
Closeup of the D-pad, RGB-lights, textured grip and buttons on the Mobapad M9-HD
What about the D-pad?
It's a good D-pad. The Mobapad M9-HD D-pad has a slightly lowered/concave area around the D-pad similarly to the Nintendo 64 controller's D-pad. Pressing the D-pad on M9-HD takes slightly less force than it does on the Pro Controller's D-pad. On the Switch I'd say that to this day my favorite D-pad is on the 8Bitdo SN30pro (which is on the stiffer side in terms of how it handles & the size is perfect). The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller's D-pad is somewhere between the M9-HD & SN30pro. I usually play handheld, but when I play with a controller, I don't usually choose controllers based on a genre. So overall, I'll probably stick to Mobapad M9-HD for most genres. On the rare occasions when I feel nostalgic, I'd probably go for the 8Bitdo SN30pro because it reminds me of my childhood & first consoles.
Note:: Since the A/B/X/Y and thumbsticks are swappable, I think that it might be an interesting feature to have a swappable D-pad as well. One of the obvious inspiration points for M9-HD has been the Xbox One Elite controller which has a swappable D-pad.
How are the thumbsticks?
While there are 4 sets of thumbsticks included, the thumbsticks come in 3 different heights. All of these are concave thumbsticks. The shortest thumbsticks are about 19mm wide and similar to the Hori Split Pad Pro. The medium & high thumbsticks are 18mm wide (similar to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller). The original Nintendo Switch joycons are about 15mm wide. Changing the thumbsticks takes a few seconds: you pull the thumbstick straight up and swap it to whichever of the included thumbsticks you fancy. On the technical side it's worth mentioning that these are ALPS thumbsticks.
What's the benefit of changing thumbsticks?
It's a neat extra that could make the controller more comfortable to hold, eespecially if you have medium/large hands or play longer gaming sessions. In certain genres (like FPS) higher thumbsticks may make it easier to perform more precise movements. Usually controllers do not come with different sized thumbsticks, but you can buy thumbstick extenders which are sold by various brands with the starting price at around $12.
Ergonomics & how the controller feels to hold.
Out of the Nintendo Switch controllers that I own, the closest comparison would be to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. It's worth noting that the Pro Controller is slightly glossy and feels smooth in the hand. This makes the build of Pro Controller feel a tiny bit better. The Mobapad M9-HD Controller is made out of matte plastic and has textured grips. The texture is slight yet aggressive enough to make the controller feel very secure. The location of backpaddles feels ergonomic. Pressing the backpaddles feels nice and you can map them to various buttons.
The M9-HD is currently the most ergonomic Nintendo Switch controller that I have used. The overall comfort comes from the solid build, different sized thumbsticks, superior triggers, mappable backpaddles and the weight plus the slightly textured grip.
The included swappable thumbsticks & extra A/B/X/Y buttons of the Mobapad M9-HD
Gyro.
Gyro is present and by default quite sensitive. In general gyro isn't my preferred way of playing videogames, so take my "quite sensitive" impressions with a grain of salt, as I've also used gyro on the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and also found it a bit too sensitive for my liking as well.
Triggers, analog triggers!
One of the major features that makes the Mobapad M9-HD stand out is the fact that the triggers are analog. In practical terms it means that you can hold the analog trigger down partially, thus giving a limited amount of acceleration to your car in racing games. This makes makes it much more satisfying & easier. On regular controllers (such as the Nintendo Switch Joycons or the Pro Controller) you can't do that and have to constantly press and release the trigger to accelerate, without the option to accelerate lets say 30% while just slightly pressing on the trigger.
Sadly analog triggers function as regular triggers in most videogames on the Nintendo Switch platform (unless the developer of a certain videogame has included analog trigger support to that specific game). As far as I know, a very select number of videogames on the Nintendo Switch include analog trigger support. GRID Autosport being one of them, I've tested it with the Mobapad M9-HD & the analog triggers work. If any of you know other Nintendo Switch titles that have analog trigger support, I'd appreciate your comment. I want to try them out and confirm if the triggers work in those games.
Another neat feature of Mobapad M9-HD triggers is that they have two different positions you can choose between. The shorter travel distance position has a nice clicky sound to it. As you can imagine, the shorter distance makes it possible to press the triggers very rapidly. The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller trigger feels slightly mushy in comparison. I like using both controllers, but the M9-HD feels better. The longer travel distance position of the trigger is also nice. In terms of gameplay, it feels more relaxed. In my gaming experience the shorter distance is better for something like shooters or fighting games but longer is better for racing. But it's Nintendo Switch after all, so choosing which one is for you is a matter of preference. The good thing is that on the M9-HD you have a choice when it comes to trigger travel distance. As far as I know 8Bitdo also has a controller that has analog triggers with some adjustability, but I can't comment on those as I don't own that specific controller.
Note: It's neat that more companies such as 8BitDo and Mobapad have started to produce controllers that allow you to configure how the triggers work. Hopefully we'll see companies produce more joycons as well as controllers that have more features at some point. I'm sure Nintendo itself could pull it off easily, but I doubt they have any plans to do something like that in the near future.
The HD-vibration motor.
Oh boy! This is probably the biggest draw of using this controller. I still remember the first time I felt the vibration motor of Mobapad M9-HD in my hands and I wasn't expecting it. My previously favorite vibration motor of the Switch platform was in the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. I was sure that I will never ever see another company produce something of similar quality for the Switch console.
Mobapad M9-HD did it and truly, the HD-vibration motor on Mobapad M9-HD is better than the Pro Controller's vibration feature. It's hard to explain, but I'll give it a shot. The rumble on Nintendo Switch Pro Controller feels pleasant and doesn't rattle, so it's quiet in a way, but feels very good in the controller when playing and has some depth to the vibration. Mobapad M9-HD is a different beast. It has more weight & power to it in addition to the other features the Pro Controller's vibration motor has. You can instantly feel that it's more powerful than the Pro Controllers HD-vibration. You can feel the bass of rumble in your hands when playing. And make no mistake, the increased power of Mobapad M9-HD vibration doesn't feel creaky like some of the lower priced controllers can be. It feels powerful, well balanced, doesn't make too much sound and if I could, I'd buy joycons with the same HD-vibration motor.
Note: As the quality of the HD-vibration on Mobapad M9-HD surprised me greatly, I reached out to Mobapad and asked why the vibration feels different than in other Nintendo Switch controllers. I received the following reply: "Our controller features linear motors, which are the most costly part and what sets it apart from other controllers." In a way this explains why the vibration is different from other 3rd party controllers, but why it feels so much better than the official Pro Controller's vibration still puzzles me (maybe a trade secret?). Maybe the motor is bigger or has a better position or something along those lines, who knows.
What else is there?
There are multiple features that I won't even attempt to cover (the review is already a long read). The controller currently comes in black, white and purple. For the purpose of the review I asked for the purple model as it looks the most cheerful. There's also the NFC function (I was not able to test this as I don't own any Amiibos).
Final thoughts.
The Mobapad M9-HD is a well executed example of a premium controller that seems to be mainly targeted at the experienced gamer demographic. It's priced at $75 and is one of the highest priced Nintendo Switch controllers out there. In terms of features it clearly competes with the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller ($69.99-109.99$ depending on the color scheme) & 8Bitdo Ultimate Controller ($69.99). The price is worth it for those who benefit from the extra features (best HD-rumble, ergonomics, mechanical buttons, additional thumbsticks etc).
To me personally the pricing seems fitting to the features that the controller brings, however there are a few more aspects to consider.
Will a experienced gamer benefit from the features that come with the pricetag? Yes, we will.
Will a newer or casual gamer benefit from the features? Yes, some of them (like the analog triggers, awesome rumble and ergonomics that come with swappable thumbsticks). However I think that since Mobapad as a brand isn't very well known in the EU & US region, some might be hesitant to pay the full retail price.
Mobapad M9-HD just out of the box, next to Mobapad M8, Hori Split Pad Pro, 8Bitdo SN30pro (and the right handle of Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Splatoon Edition.
And here is a comparison table.
I did my best to rate various features of the Switch controllers that I own (in order to give a kind of an overview). Keep in mind that such comparisons are subjective and ratings might vary from person to person (for example someone with very small hands might find the Nintendo Switch Joycons with the grip to be the best controller ever due to their size).
Rating is on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the worst, 5 being the best).
The price is for the regular model of any controller and is based on the official pricing I found/received. This does not include sales or limited edition color schemes that may cost more.
| Model | Nintendo Joycons + grip | Mobapad M9-HD | Nintendo Pro Controller | 8Bitdo SN30pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-Pad | 3 | 4.5 | 4 | 5 |
| Thumbsticks | 3 | 5 | 4.5 | 4 |
| Triggers | 3 | 5 | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Buttons | 3 | 5 | 3.5 | 4 |
| Build | 5 | 4.5 | 5 | 4.5 |
| Ergonomics | 3.5 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Features | 3.5 | 5 | 3.5 | 3 |
| Included accessories | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Crossplatform support | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4.5 |
| Vibration | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Price (not rated) | $79 | $75 | $69 | $45 |
| Weight (not rated) | 197g | 254g | 249g | 112g |
- While the bundled items (such as the different thumbsticks etc) are worth the extra cost to those who use them, it's likely that some of the potential customers might not pay much attention to the included extras and/or just don't benefit from them (since they don't customize their controller in any way and are happy with whatever configuration is quickly accessible out of the box).
- A slightly cheaper version of the Mobapad M9-HD that comes with less extras (no replacable buttons or thumbsticks for example) might be something that's worth looking into. Such a move may make it easier to lower the price slightly. An even cheaper model could be closer to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (so something like the current M9-HD but without the option to change thumbsticks or buttons or faceplates).
- Increased availability in the western market would be helpful (such as a US & EU official stores or resellers).
- My copy of the Mobapad M9-HD had a small slightly sharp corner in one of the joints where the bottom & top part of the controllers case meet). If you hold the controller while gaming, it's unlikely that you would notice it. While it's a minor issue that can be easily fixed with gently sanding the edge with small piece of sandpaper or something abrasive, it's still something that could be fixed in the quality control or production process.
- Additional color schemes and designs for the controller might appeal to gamers. For example the colored (Splatoon edition etc) Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers are very popular. Some companies have also produced controllers with a transparent casing which is also something that's worth looking into. An upgraded version with RGB-lit A/B/X/Y buttons would also be neat.
- An updated manual that does a better job at explaining all the functions (such as how to replace the A/B/X/Y buttons) would be a welcome change.
- The current package is very well produced and has an overall effect on the cost of the item. A slightly smaller package could reduce the production cost.
- A semi-glossy version of the controller that uses similar plastic to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is something that would probably be well received by some gamers.
https://imgur.com/a/dwGAFeP
Photography equipment used when taking these photos: Fujifilm X-T4 mirrorless camera, Fujinon XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR lens, Fujifilm MCEX-11 macro extension tube.
Closing notes:
I hope you like the review :)
My personal thanks to Mr. Zhang & Amy from Guangzhou Xinxiang Culture Co. Ltd.
Edit: I forgot to include this part. If you have some questions about the controller, feel free to ask. I will happily answer all the questions I feel competent enough to answer and the rest I'll collect and reach out to the people who made this. So we'll get answers from the company who built it.
2023.03.24 12:11 MohnJaddenPowers I'm in Tokyo and found some city pop sheet music books!
I'm on vacation in Tokyo and was in the Yamaha flagship store, and they have a pretty huge selection of sheet music and song books. I was Google Translating my way through the anime/J-pop section and found a book of city pop songs for guitar.
Turns out there's not just this one. Shinko Music Entertainment put out a bunch of other titles, and I found a few others in the Yamaha store and in a nearby Yamano Music branch. Searching Yamano's site for city pop yielded this list: https://www.shinko-music.co.jp/?s=%E3%82%B7%E3%83%86%E3%82%A3%E3%83%BB%E3%83%9D%E3%83%83%E3%83%97 There are books for saxes and tons of other instruments too. Virtual city pop band, anyone?
Looks like most of them can be ordered from Japanese retailers and shipped via Buyee and other services. Imgur isn't behaving on my phone but if I can post the photos I took of the other books, maybe there'll be something of interest.
submitted by MohnJaddenPowers to citypop [link] [comments]
Turns out there's not just this one. Shinko Music Entertainment put out a bunch of other titles, and I found a few others in the Yamaha store and in a nearby Yamano Music branch. Searching Yamano's site for city pop yielded this list: https://www.shinko-music.co.jp/?s=%E3%82%B7%E3%83%86%E3%82%A3%E3%83%BB%E3%83%9D%E3%83%83%E3%83%97 There are books for saxes and tons of other instruments too. Virtual city pop band, anyone?
Looks like most of them can be ordered from Japanese retailers and shipped via Buyee and other services. Imgur isn't behaving on my phone but if I can post the photos I took of the other books, maybe there'll be something of interest.
2023.03.24 12:08 qUxUp Based on one month of testing I wrote a rather long text-review for a Nintendo Switch controller - Mobapad M9-HD. Swappable thumbsticks, analog triggers & mechanical buttons, surprisingly I was most surprised by the HD-rumble feature.
TLDR: Out of all the Nintendo Switch controllers I currently own it's most similar to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. The glossier finish of the Pro Controller is smoother and looks more attractive. It's worth noting that in a real world use the Mobapad M9-HD sits better in the hands due to matte finish & textured grips. If you value ergonomics and like the the Pro Controller (especially the HD-rumble), it's likely that you will enjoy the the M9-HD. For the $75 retail price ($6 more than Pro Controller) you will get a considerably better HD-rumble than the Pro Controller has (this surprised me the most), analog triggers with two positions, mechanical buttons, mappable backpaddles, thumbsticks in various sizes and multiple additional features.
Disclaimer: I started playing videogames in the early 90s (a NES clone was my first console, followed by Gameboy, PC etc). Outside of Reddit I've worked in the gaming tech field & tech journalism for about two decades (Europe/Estonia). After providing the makers of Mobapad (Guangzhou Xinxiang Culture Co. Ltd.) with my credentials (& examples of past work), I asked if I could test one of their controllers with the purpose of writing a review intended for the /Switch/ & /NintendoSwitch/ subreddits. They sent me the Mobapad M8 and Mobapad M9-HD. The review is be based solely on my experiences. I get to keep the controllers and won't be receiving additional compensation in any other form (no commission fees, affiliate marketing or ad-revenue etc). I don't have a social media presence (or followers) elsewhere. As my Nintendo Switch controller collection grows, I might write more reviews for our Switch-related subreddits.
Cheers :)
The Mobapad M9-HD Controller (with the tallest thumbsticks)
What this review is and is not.
There are many ways of covering a tech product: from a highly technical analysis aimed at the tech-savvy crowd to an emotional hype-piece. The Mobapad M9-HD will be reviewed as a controller on the Nintendo Switch platform and compared to other Switch controllers that I own. A practical amount of real life examples with a select amount of technical details will be included (with brief explanations that are understandable to people who might be new to gaming). This review will not cover every detail about the M9-HD (such as all of the features, how to change various settings, how the controller works on other platforms etc).
The package.
Out of all the Nintendo Switch Controllers I own, the box of this controller is the best looking. The artwork is lovely (IT'S A TIGER ON THE BOX - I think), the box itself is sturdy. While you can't use the box to increase your aim in a videogame, you can put it on a shelf if you are a collector or someone who likes boxes.
What's in the box?
The controller itself, a USB-dongle receiver, a high quality braided USB-cable, a manual (in English), 4 sets of thumbsticks and 2 sets of replaceable buttons (Switch/PC layout).
On the left: Hori Split Pad Pro. On the right: the box of Mobapad M9-HD
Lets talk about the extra buttons & potential for modding.
Having two sets of buttons is a welcome extra if you play on multiple platforms. The manual mentions that you can change the buttons, but it doesn't explain how to change them. It also does not say that you can/have to remove the faceplate. Turns out that you have to pry open the faceplate of the controller. While I removed the biggest portion of the faceplate, it really felt that I might break something while doing it. The faceplate is in three parts & is connected to the controller with plastic connectors. I doubt that anyone who plays on multiple platforms (using the same controller) will be motivated enough to swap the buttons from the Switch to PC layout and back on a regular basis.
Note: The plastic connectors will probably get slightly less stiff with a few removals of the faceplate, so it will become easier to change it. Using magnetic connectors for the faceplate would probably have been a better choice (like on the Mobapad M8 controller). It's also worth noting that for those of us who like modding their controller, the ability to remove the faceplate is a nice extra to have. As it makes the customization process easier if you want to paint the faceplate for example.
RGB-lights!
The controller has some neat RGB-lights. They are visible in 3 locations & in 8 different colors. The lights have 3 different modes (on, off, breathing). While changing the modes and colors of RGB-lights in a very rapid fashion, I was able to cause an error. The lights didn't change color even though I pressed the button combination to change them. After waiting for about 5-10 seconds the colors started to change correctly again. I was not able to reproduce this bug later.
Do you need RGB-lights? Not really. But they look pretty and when Christmas comes around you can turn on red or yellow lights and be in a festive mood.
Mechanical A/B/X/Y buttons.
Simply put the A/B/X/Y buttons are mechanical, they are clicky and a pleasure to use. In comparison to regular buttons (such the ones used in the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, Hori Split Pad Pro & Nintendo Switch Joycons) the mechanical buttons in the Mobapad M9-HD are more resnposive, can be pressed with less force and make a small audible click when you press them. These days there are many keyboards that also come with mechanical switches. If you haven't had a chance to use a mechanical controller, you might have used a mechanical keyboard (or a mouse) which can produce a similar click and feeling when pressed.
Note: In a way I feel that not including the RGB-lights in the A/B/X/Y buttons is a missed opportunity.
Closeup of the D-pad, RGB-lights, textured grip and buttons on the Mobapad M9-HD
What about the D-pad?
It's a good D-pad. The Mobapad M9-HD D-pad has a slightly lowered/concave area around the D-pad similarly to the Nintendo 64 controller's D-pad. Pressing the D-pad on M9-HD takes slightly less force than it does on the Pro Controller's D-pad. On the Switch I'd say that to this day my favorite D-pad is on the 8Bitdo SN30pro (which is on the stiffer side in terms of how it handles & the size is perfect). The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller's D-pad is somewhere between the M9-HD & SN30pro. I usually play handheld, but when I play with a controller, I don't usually choose controllers based on a genre. So overall, I'll probably stick to Mobapad M9-HD for most genres. On the rare occasions when I feel nostalgic, I'd probably go for the 8Bitdo SN30pro because it reminds me of my childhood & first consoles.
Note:: Since the A/B/X/Y and thumbsticks are swappable, I think that it might be an interesting feature to have a swappable D-pad as well. One of the obvious inspiration points for M9-HD has been the Xbox One Elite controller which has a swappable D-pad.
How are the thumbsticks?
While there are 4 sets of thumbsticks included, the thumbsticks come in 3 different heights. All of these are concave thumbsticks. The shortest thumbsticks are about 19mm wide and similar to the Hori Split Pad Pro. The medium & high thumbsticks are 18mm wide (similar to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller). The original Nintendo Switch joycons are about 15mm wide. Changing the thumbsticks takes a few seconds: you pull the thumbstick straight up and swap it to whichever of the included thumbsticks you fancy. On the technical side it's worth mentioning that these are ALPS thumbsticks.
What's the benefit of changing thumbsticks?
It's a neat extra that could make the controller more comfortable to hold, eespecially if you have medium/large hands or play longer gaming sessions. In certain genres (like FPS) higher thumbsticks may make it easier to perform more precise movements. Usually controllers do not come with different sized thumbsticks, but you can buy thumbstick extenders which are sold by various brands with the starting price at around $12.
Ergonomics & how the controller feels to hold.
Out of the Nintendo Switch controllers that I own, the closest comparison would be to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. It's worth noting that the Pro Controller is slightly glossy and feels smooth in the hand. This makes the build of Pro Controller feel a tiny bit better. The Mobapad M9-HD Controller is made out of matte plastic and has textured grips. The texture is slight yet aggressive enough to make the controller feel very secure. The location of backpaddles feels ergonomic. Pressing the backpaddles feels nice and you can map them to various buttons.
The M9-HD is currently the most ergonomic Nintendo Switch controller that I have used. The overall comfort comes from the solid build, different sized thumbsticks, superior triggers, mappable backpaddles and the weight plus the slightly textured grip.
The included swappable thumbsticks & extra A/B/X/Y buttons of the Mobapad M9-HD
Gyro.
Gyro is present and by default quite sensitive. In general gyro isn't my preferred way of playing videogames, so take my "quite sensitive" impressions with a grain of salt, as I've also used gyro on the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and also found it a bit too sensitive for my liking as well.
Triggers, analog triggers!
One of the major features that makes the Mobapad M9-HD stand out is the fact that the triggers are analog. In practical terms it means that you can hold the analog trigger down partially, thus giving a limited amount of acceleration to your car in racing games. This makes makes it much more satisfying & easier. On regular controllers (such as the Nintendo Switch Joycons or the Pro Controller) you can't do that and have to constantly press and release the trigger to accelerate, without the option to accelerate lets say 30% while just slightly pressing on the trigger.
Sadly analog triggers function as regular triggers in most videogames on the Nintendo Switch platform (unless the developer of a certain videogame has included analog trigger support to that specific game). As far as I know, a very select number of videogames on the Nintendo Switch include analog trigger support. GRID Autosport being one of them, I've tested it with the Mobapad M9-HD & the analog triggers work. If any of you know other Nintendo Switch titles that have analog trigger support, I'd appreciate your comment. I want to try them out and confirm if the triggers work in those games.
Another neat feature of Mobapad M9-HD triggers is that they have two different positions you can choose between. The shorter travel distance position has a nice clicky sound to it. As you can imagine, the shorter distance makes it possible to press the triggers very rapidly. The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller trigger feels slightly mushy in comparison. I like using both controllers, but the M9-HD feels better. The longer travel distance position of the trigger is also nice. In terms of gameplay, it feels more relaxed. In my gaming experience the shorter distance is better for something like shooters or fighting games but longer is better for racing. But it's Nintendo Switch after all, so choosing which one is for you is a matter of preference. The good thing is that on the M9-HD you have a choice when it comes to trigger travel distance. As far as I know 8Bitdo also has a controller that has analog triggers with some adjustability, but I can't comment on those as I don't own that specific controller.
Note: It's neat that more companies such as 8BitDo and Mobapad have started to produce controllers that allow you to configure how the triggers work. Hopefully we'll see companies produce more joycons as well as controllers that have more features at some point. I'm sure Nintendo itself could pull it off easily, but I doubt they have any plans to do something like that in the near future.
The HD-vibration motor.
Oh boy! This is probably the biggest draw of using this controller. I still remember the first time I felt the vibration motor of Mobapad M9-HD in my hands and I wasn't expecting it. My previously favorite vibration motor of the Switch platform was in the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. I was sure that I will never ever see another company produce something of similar quality for the Switch console.
Mobapad M9-HD did it and truly, the HD-vibration motor on Mobapad M9-HD is better than the Pro Controller's vibration feature. It's hard to explain, but I'll give it a shot. The rumble on Nintendo Switch Pro Controller feels pleasant and doesn't rattle, so it's quiet in a way, but feels very good in the controller when playing and has some depth to the vibration. Mobapad M9-HD is a different beast. It has more weight & power to it in addition to the other features the Pro Controller's vibration motor has. You can instantly feel that it's more powerful than the Pro Controllers HD-vibration. You can feel the bass of rumble in your hands when playing. And make no mistake, the increased power of Mobapad M9-HD vibration doesn't feel creaky like some of the lower priced controllers can be. It feels powerful, well balanced, doesn't make too much sound and if I could, I'd buy joycons with the same HD-vibration motor.
Note: As the quality of the HD-vibration on Mobapad M9-HD surprised me greatly, I reached out to Mobapad and asked why the vibration feels different than in other Nintendo Switch controllers. I received the following reply: "Our controller features linear motors, which are the most costly part and what sets it apart from other controllers." In a way this explains why the vibration is different from other 3rd party controllers, but why it feels so much better than the official Pro Controller's vibration still puzzles me (maybe a trade secret?). Maybe the motor is bigger or has a better position or something along those lines, who knows.
What else is there?
There are multiple features that I won't even attempt to cover (the review is already a long read). The controller currently comes in black, white and purple. For the purpose of the review I asked for the purple model as it looks the most cheerful. There's also the NFC function (I was not able to test this as I don't own any Amiibos).
Final thoughts.
The Mobapad M9-HD is a well executed example of a premium controller that seems to be mainly targeted at the experienced gamer demographic. It's priced at $75 and is one of the highest priced Nintendo Switch controllers out there. In terms of features it clearly competes with the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller ($69.99-109.99$ depending on the color scheme) & 8Bitdo Ultimate Controller ($69.99). The price is worth it for those who benefit from the extra features (best HD-rumble, ergonomics, mechanical buttons, additional thumbsticks etc).
To me personally the pricing seems fitting to the features that the controller brings, however there are a few more aspects to consider.
Will a experienced gamer benefit from the features that come with the pricetag? Yes, we will.
Will a newer or casual gamer benefit from the features? Yes, some of them (like the analog triggers, awesome rumble and ergonomics that come with swappable thumbsticks). However I think that since Mobapad as a brand isn't very well known in the EU & US region, some might be hesitant to pay the full retail price.
Mobapad M9-HD just out of the box, next to Mobapad M8, Hori Split Pad Pro, 8Bitdo SN30pro (and the right handle of Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Splatoon Edition.
And here is a comparison table.
I did my best to rate various features of the Switch controllers that I own (in order to give a kind of an overview). Keep in mind that such comparisons are subjective and ratings might vary from person to person (for example someone with very small hands might find the Nintendo Switch Joycons with the grip to be the best controller ever due to their size).
Rating is on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the worst, 5 being the best).
The price is for the regular model of any controller and is based on the official pricing I found/received. This does not include sales or limited edition color schemes that may cost more.
What could be improved upon:
https://imgur.com/a/dwGAFeP
Photography equipment used when taking these photos: Fujifilm X-T4 mirrorless camera, Fujinon XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR lens, Fujifilm MCEX-11 macro extension tube.
Closing notes:
I hope you like the review :)
My personal thanks to Mr. Zhang & Amy from Guangzhou Xinxiang Culture Co. Ltd.
Edit: I forgot to include this part. If you have some questions about the controller, feel free to ask. I will happily answer all the questions I feel competent enough to answer and the rest I'll collect and reach out to the people who made this. So we'll get answers from the company who built it.
submitted by qUxUp to nintendo [link] [comments]
Disclaimer: I started playing videogames in the early 90s (a NES clone was my first console, followed by Gameboy, PC etc). Outside of Reddit I've worked in the gaming tech field & tech journalism for about two decades (Europe/Estonia). After providing the makers of Mobapad (Guangzhou Xinxiang Culture Co. Ltd.) with my credentials (& examples of past work), I asked if I could test one of their controllers with the purpose of writing a review intended for the /Switch/ & /NintendoSwitch/ subreddits. They sent me the Mobapad M8 and Mobapad M9-HD. The review is be based solely on my experiences. I get to keep the controllers and won't be receiving additional compensation in any other form (no commission fees, affiliate marketing or ad-revenue etc). I don't have a social media presence (or followers) elsewhere. As my Nintendo Switch controller collection grows, I might write more reviews for our Switch-related subreddits.
Cheers :)
The Mobapad M9-HD Controller (with the tallest thumbsticks)
What this review is and is not.
There are many ways of covering a tech product: from a highly technical analysis aimed at the tech-savvy crowd to an emotional hype-piece. The Mobapad M9-HD will be reviewed as a controller on the Nintendo Switch platform and compared to other Switch controllers that I own. A practical amount of real life examples with a select amount of technical details will be included (with brief explanations that are understandable to people who might be new to gaming). This review will not cover every detail about the M9-HD (such as all of the features, how to change various settings, how the controller works on other platforms etc).
The package.
Out of all the Nintendo Switch Controllers I own, the box of this controller is the best looking. The artwork is lovely (IT'S A TIGER ON THE BOX - I think), the box itself is sturdy. While you can't use the box to increase your aim in a videogame, you can put it on a shelf if you are a collector or someone who likes boxes.
What's in the box?
The controller itself, a USB-dongle receiver, a high quality braided USB-cable, a manual (in English), 4 sets of thumbsticks and 2 sets of replaceable buttons (Switch/PC layout).
On the left: Hori Split Pad Pro. On the right: the box of Mobapad M9-HD
Lets talk about the extra buttons & potential for modding.
Having two sets of buttons is a welcome extra if you play on multiple platforms. The manual mentions that you can change the buttons, but it doesn't explain how to change them. It also does not say that you can/have to remove the faceplate. Turns out that you have to pry open the faceplate of the controller. While I removed the biggest portion of the faceplate, it really felt that I might break something while doing it. The faceplate is in three parts & is connected to the controller with plastic connectors. I doubt that anyone who plays on multiple platforms (using the same controller) will be motivated enough to swap the buttons from the Switch to PC layout and back on a regular basis.
Note: The plastic connectors will probably get slightly less stiff with a few removals of the faceplate, so it will become easier to change it. Using magnetic connectors for the faceplate would probably have been a better choice (like on the Mobapad M8 controller). It's also worth noting that for those of us who like modding their controller, the ability to remove the faceplate is a nice extra to have. As it makes the customization process easier if you want to paint the faceplate for example.
RGB-lights!
The controller has some neat RGB-lights. They are visible in 3 locations & in 8 different colors. The lights have 3 different modes (on, off, breathing). While changing the modes and colors of RGB-lights in a very rapid fashion, I was able to cause an error. The lights didn't change color even though I pressed the button combination to change them. After waiting for about 5-10 seconds the colors started to change correctly again. I was not able to reproduce this bug later.
Do you need RGB-lights? Not really. But they look pretty and when Christmas comes around you can turn on red or yellow lights and be in a festive mood.
Mechanical A/B/X/Y buttons.
Simply put the A/B/X/Y buttons are mechanical, they are clicky and a pleasure to use. In comparison to regular buttons (such the ones used in the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, Hori Split Pad Pro & Nintendo Switch Joycons) the mechanical buttons in the Mobapad M9-HD are more resnposive, can be pressed with less force and make a small audible click when you press them. These days there are many keyboards that also come with mechanical switches. If you haven't had a chance to use a mechanical controller, you might have used a mechanical keyboard (or a mouse) which can produce a similar click and feeling when pressed.
Note: In a way I feel that not including the RGB-lights in the A/B/X/Y buttons is a missed opportunity.
Closeup of the D-pad, RGB-lights, textured grip and buttons on the Mobapad M9-HD
What about the D-pad?
It's a good D-pad. The Mobapad M9-HD D-pad has a slightly lowered/concave area around the D-pad similarly to the Nintendo 64 controller's D-pad. Pressing the D-pad on M9-HD takes slightly less force than it does on the Pro Controller's D-pad. On the Switch I'd say that to this day my favorite D-pad is on the 8Bitdo SN30pro (which is on the stiffer side in terms of how it handles & the size is perfect). The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller's D-pad is somewhere between the M9-HD & SN30pro. I usually play handheld, but when I play with a controller, I don't usually choose controllers based on a genre. So overall, I'll probably stick to Mobapad M9-HD for most genres. On the rare occasions when I feel nostalgic, I'd probably go for the 8Bitdo SN30pro because it reminds me of my childhood & first consoles.
Note:: Since the A/B/X/Y and thumbsticks are swappable, I think that it might be an interesting feature to have a swappable D-pad as well. One of the obvious inspiration points for M9-HD has been the Xbox One Elite controller which has a swappable D-pad.
How are the thumbsticks?
While there are 4 sets of thumbsticks included, the thumbsticks come in 3 different heights. All of these are concave thumbsticks. The shortest thumbsticks are about 19mm wide and similar to the Hori Split Pad Pro. The medium & high thumbsticks are 18mm wide (similar to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller). The original Nintendo Switch joycons are about 15mm wide. Changing the thumbsticks takes a few seconds: you pull the thumbstick straight up and swap it to whichever of the included thumbsticks you fancy. On the technical side it's worth mentioning that these are ALPS thumbsticks.
What's the benefit of changing thumbsticks?
It's a neat extra that could make the controller more comfortable to hold, eespecially if you have medium/large hands or play longer gaming sessions. In certain genres (like FPS) higher thumbsticks may make it easier to perform more precise movements. Usually controllers do not come with different sized thumbsticks, but you can buy thumbstick extenders which are sold by various brands with the starting price at around $12.
Ergonomics & how the controller feels to hold.
Out of the Nintendo Switch controllers that I own, the closest comparison would be to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. It's worth noting that the Pro Controller is slightly glossy and feels smooth in the hand. This makes the build of Pro Controller feel a tiny bit better. The Mobapad M9-HD Controller is made out of matte plastic and has textured grips. The texture is slight yet aggressive enough to make the controller feel very secure. The location of backpaddles feels ergonomic. Pressing the backpaddles feels nice and you can map them to various buttons.
The M9-HD is currently the most ergonomic Nintendo Switch controller that I have used. The overall comfort comes from the solid build, different sized thumbsticks, superior triggers, mappable backpaddles and the weight plus the slightly textured grip.
The included swappable thumbsticks & extra A/B/X/Y buttons of the Mobapad M9-HD
Gyro.
Gyro is present and by default quite sensitive. In general gyro isn't my preferred way of playing videogames, so take my "quite sensitive" impressions with a grain of salt, as I've also used gyro on the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and also found it a bit too sensitive for my liking as well.
Triggers, analog triggers!
One of the major features that makes the Mobapad M9-HD stand out is the fact that the triggers are analog. In practical terms it means that you can hold the analog trigger down partially, thus giving a limited amount of acceleration to your car in racing games. This makes makes it much more satisfying & easier. On regular controllers (such as the Nintendo Switch Joycons or the Pro Controller) you can't do that and have to constantly press and release the trigger to accelerate, without the option to accelerate lets say 30% while just slightly pressing on the trigger.
Sadly analog triggers function as regular triggers in most videogames on the Nintendo Switch platform (unless the developer of a certain videogame has included analog trigger support to that specific game). As far as I know, a very select number of videogames on the Nintendo Switch include analog trigger support. GRID Autosport being one of them, I've tested it with the Mobapad M9-HD & the analog triggers work. If any of you know other Nintendo Switch titles that have analog trigger support, I'd appreciate your comment. I want to try them out and confirm if the triggers work in those games.
Another neat feature of Mobapad M9-HD triggers is that they have two different positions you can choose between. The shorter travel distance position has a nice clicky sound to it. As you can imagine, the shorter distance makes it possible to press the triggers very rapidly. The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller trigger feels slightly mushy in comparison. I like using both controllers, but the M9-HD feels better. The longer travel distance position of the trigger is also nice. In terms of gameplay, it feels more relaxed. In my gaming experience the shorter distance is better for something like shooters or fighting games but longer is better for racing. But it's Nintendo Switch after all, so choosing which one is for you is a matter of preference. The good thing is that on the M9-HD you have a choice when it comes to trigger travel distance. As far as I know 8Bitdo also has a controller that has analog triggers with some adjustability, but I can't comment on those as I don't own that specific controller.
Note: It's neat that more companies such as 8BitDo and Mobapad have started to produce controllers that allow you to configure how the triggers work. Hopefully we'll see companies produce more joycons as well as controllers that have more features at some point. I'm sure Nintendo itself could pull it off easily, but I doubt they have any plans to do something like that in the near future.
The HD-vibration motor.
Oh boy! This is probably the biggest draw of using this controller. I still remember the first time I felt the vibration motor of Mobapad M9-HD in my hands and I wasn't expecting it. My previously favorite vibration motor of the Switch platform was in the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. I was sure that I will never ever see another company produce something of similar quality for the Switch console.
Mobapad M9-HD did it and truly, the HD-vibration motor on Mobapad M9-HD is better than the Pro Controller's vibration feature. It's hard to explain, but I'll give it a shot. The rumble on Nintendo Switch Pro Controller feels pleasant and doesn't rattle, so it's quiet in a way, but feels very good in the controller when playing and has some depth to the vibration. Mobapad M9-HD is a different beast. It has more weight & power to it in addition to the other features the Pro Controller's vibration motor has. You can instantly feel that it's more powerful than the Pro Controllers HD-vibration. You can feel the bass of rumble in your hands when playing. And make no mistake, the increased power of Mobapad M9-HD vibration doesn't feel creaky like some of the lower priced controllers can be. It feels powerful, well balanced, doesn't make too much sound and if I could, I'd buy joycons with the same HD-vibration motor.
Note: As the quality of the HD-vibration on Mobapad M9-HD surprised me greatly, I reached out to Mobapad and asked why the vibration feels different than in other Nintendo Switch controllers. I received the following reply: "Our controller features linear motors, which are the most costly part and what sets it apart from other controllers." In a way this explains why the vibration is different from other 3rd party controllers, but why it feels so much better than the official Pro Controller's vibration still puzzles me (maybe a trade secret?). Maybe the motor is bigger or has a better position or something along those lines, who knows.
What else is there?
There are multiple features that I won't even attempt to cover (the review is already a long read). The controller currently comes in black, white and purple. For the purpose of the review I asked for the purple model as it looks the most cheerful. There's also the NFC function (I was not able to test this as I don't own any Amiibos).
Final thoughts.
The Mobapad M9-HD is a well executed example of a premium controller that seems to be mainly targeted at the experienced gamer demographic. It's priced at $75 and is one of the highest priced Nintendo Switch controllers out there. In terms of features it clearly competes with the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller ($69.99-109.99$ depending on the color scheme) & 8Bitdo Ultimate Controller ($69.99). The price is worth it for those who benefit from the extra features (best HD-rumble, ergonomics, mechanical buttons, additional thumbsticks etc).
To me personally the pricing seems fitting to the features that the controller brings, however there are a few more aspects to consider.
Will a experienced gamer benefit from the features that come with the pricetag? Yes, we will.
Will a newer or casual gamer benefit from the features? Yes, some of them (like the analog triggers, awesome rumble and ergonomics that come with swappable thumbsticks). However I think that since Mobapad as a brand isn't very well known in the EU & US region, some might be hesitant to pay the full retail price.
Mobapad M9-HD just out of the box, next to Mobapad M8, Hori Split Pad Pro, 8Bitdo SN30pro (and the right handle of Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Splatoon Edition.
And here is a comparison table.
I did my best to rate various features of the Switch controllers that I own (in order to give a kind of an overview). Keep in mind that such comparisons are subjective and ratings might vary from person to person (for example someone with very small hands might find the Nintendo Switch Joycons with the grip to be the best controller ever due to their size).
Rating is on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the worst, 5 being the best).
The price is for the regular model of any controller and is based on the official pricing I found/received. This does not include sales or limited edition color schemes that may cost more.
| Model | Nintendo Joycons + grip | Mobapad M9-HD | Nintendo Pro Controller | 8Bitdo SN30pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-Pad | 3 | 4.5 | 4 | 5 |
| Thumbsticks | 3 | 5 | 4.5 | 4 |
| Triggers | 3 | 5 | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Buttons | 3 | 5 | 3.5 | 4 |
| Build | 5 | 4.5 | 5 | 4.5 |
| Ergonomics | 3.5 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Features | 3.5 | 5 | 3.5 | 3 |
| Included accessories | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Crossplatform support | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4.5 |
| Vibration | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Price (not rated) | $79 | $75 | $69 | $45 |
| Weight (not rated) | 197g | 254g | 249g | 112g |
- While the bundled items (such as the different thumbsticks etc) are worth the extra cost to those who use them, it's likely that some of the potential customers might not pay much attention to the included extras and/or just don't benefit from them (since they don't customize their controller in any way and are happy with whatever configuration is quickly accessible out of the box).
- A slightly cheaper version of the Mobapad M9-HD that comes with less extras (no replacable buttons or thumbsticks for example) might be something that's worth looking into. Such a move may make it easier to lower the price slightly. An even cheaper model could be closer to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (so something like the current M9-HD but without the option to change thumbsticks or buttons or faceplates).
- Increased availability in the western market would be helpful (such as a US & EU official stores or resellers).
- My copy of the Mobapad M9-HD had a small slightly sharp corner in one of the joints where the bottom & top part of the controllers case meet). If you hold the controller while gaming, it's unlikely that you would notice it. While it's a minor issue that can be easily fixed with gently sanding the edge with small piece of sandpaper or something abrasive, it's still something that could be fixed in the quality control or production process.
- Additional color schemes and designs for the controller might appeal to gamers. For example the colored (Splatoon edition etc) Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers are very popular. Some companies have also produced controllers with a transparent casing which is also something that's worth looking into. An upgraded version with RGB-lit A/B/X/Y buttons would also be neat.
- An updated manual that does a better job at explaining all the functions (such as how to replace the A/B/X/Y buttons) would be a welcome change.
- The current package is very well produced and has an overall effect on the cost of the item. A slightly smaller package could reduce the production cost.
- A semi-glossy version of the controller that uses similar plastic to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is something that would probably be well received by some gamers.
https://imgur.com/a/dwGAFeP
Photography equipment used when taking these photos: Fujifilm X-T4 mirrorless camera, Fujinon XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR lens, Fujifilm MCEX-11 macro extension tube.
Closing notes:
I hope you like the review :)
My personal thanks to Mr. Zhang & Amy from Guangzhou Xinxiang Culture Co. Ltd.
Edit: I forgot to include this part. If you have some questions about the controller, feel free to ask. I will happily answer all the questions I feel competent enough to answer and the rest I'll collect and reach out to the people who made this. So we'll get answers from the company who built it.
2023.03.24 09:56 No_Road2388 FINALLY SATISFIED TO INTL! Will update once I get more results back. In the meantime, let me know your predictions! (UPDATE)
Intended Major: - Fine Arts (second intended major: art history)
Hooks: - no hooks
Demographics: - Female/Asian - International student studing abroad - Private high school in Massachusetts - No financial aid needed
UW GPA: (school doesn't do gpa but my counselor calculated for me) - 3.99/4.00 (Straight As except one A- sophomore yea had 3.97 gpa end of junior year so assuming it'll be 3.99 as I am taking 4 aps and 1 honors and got all As senior mid term) - no ranking
SAT: Test optional 💀 for most colleges except USC, NYU, and CWRU but got 1480 (super score of 800 math & 680 english)
Honors/AP & test score: (Total 8 aps - full year courses so can't take more than 5 major classes per year)
Sophomore: - AP stats - 4 - Honors Chem
Junior: - AP chem - 4 - AP AB calc - 5 - APUSH - 3 (not submitted)
Senior: - Honors Math (highest math course at school) - AP art - Ap art history - Ap bio - Ap english
Awards: scholastic art regional gold key & 4 other international level awards for painting
EC: 1. Art club head
Co-President & Head Planner (11-12) Member (10) - Hosted welcoming art space through weekly crafting and organized jewelry fundraisers. Gave $372 to (specific name of the organization). Worked with (specific name of our school's environmental club).
Essays (I would say my essays are pretty good and polished. Very authentic)
Overall theme: love of art and promoting community wellbeing (and some sort of using art to talk abt social issues or personal emotions)
Recommendations - AP AB calc teacher - Ap Art teacher - School principal I believe she wrote to only few students if not only me (additional recommendation)
Interviews - Got interviewed only from Columbia(ED), Upenn(RD), and Cornell(RD) but most schools I applied dont offer interviews. - I think all my interviews went pretty fine. I was rlly nervous so i prob used wrong tense or words few times but upenn interviewer told me after one of my answers that it is a very good answer and cornell interviewer told me im a very impressive woman lol
Additional - Dad passed away last summer. - No financial aid needed. - Sister goes to NYU - Got fee waived from CWRU and WashU( i dont think this means anything tho)
College list
Accepted: - UCSD - UCI - UCD - Case Western Reserve (got offered their Baker-Nord Scholars Program) - WashU☺️
Deferred: - Columbia - Umich
Waitlisted: - Tufts smfa - UCSB
Rejected: - UCLA🤢
Pending: - Stanford, Upenn, Brown, Cornell, Vanderbilt, Carnegie Mellon(CMU), USC, UCBerkeley, NYU
I'm grateful for what I got now, but hoping for more to come in my way :)
submitted by No_Road2388 to collegeresults [link] [comments]
Hooks: - no hooks
Demographics: - Female/Asian - International student studing abroad - Private high school in Massachusetts - No financial aid needed
UW GPA: (school doesn't do gpa but my counselor calculated for me) - 3.99/4.00 (Straight As except one A- sophomore yea had 3.97 gpa end of junior year so assuming it'll be 3.99 as I am taking 4 aps and 1 honors and got all As senior mid term) - no ranking
SAT: Test optional 💀 for most colleges except USC, NYU, and CWRU but got 1480 (super score of 800 math & 680 english)
Honors/AP & test score: (Total 8 aps - full year courses so can't take more than 5 major classes per year)
Sophomore: - AP stats - 4 - Honors Chem
Junior: - AP chem - 4 - AP AB calc - 5 - APUSH - 3 (not submitted)
Senior: - Honors Math (highest math course at school) - AP art - Ap art history - Ap bio - Ap english
Awards: scholastic art regional gold key & 4 other international level awards for painting
EC: 1. Art club head
Co-President & Head Planner (11-12) Member (10) - Hosted welcoming art space through weekly crafting and organized jewelry fundraisers. Gave $372 to (specific name of the organization). Worked with (specific name of our school's environmental club).
- Town community art project about asian/asian american culture & life
- Student Council
- School literary arts magazine
- Volunteered at art center
- Summer art programs @ Columbia & Yale
- International association club
- Badminton Club
- School Tour guide (9-12)
- Varsity fencing
Essays (I would say my essays are pretty good and polished. Very authentic)
- PS: It's about how I used to be a realist when I was young but as my dad asked opened ended questions I slowly started to think about a life goal for myself. And that I realized how impactful my dad's way of asking question was after he passed away. basically j emphasizing that I am a risktaker and a dreamer lol (sounds much better in my actual essay I promise lmao)
- community essay: I mainly focused on to show how I worked w students and administrators to better the community and how much I cared abt my boarding community (advocating for others)
- intended major essay: mentioned art project & summer programs and said that seeing the art's power to communicate and art's inevitable presence in modern made me wanna pursue art
Overall theme: love of art and promoting community wellbeing (and some sort of using art to talk abt social issues or personal emotions)
Recommendations - AP AB calc teacher - Ap Art teacher - School principal I believe she wrote to only few students if not only me (additional recommendation)
Interviews - Got interviewed only from Columbia(ED), Upenn(RD), and Cornell(RD) but most schools I applied dont offer interviews. - I think all my interviews went pretty fine. I was rlly nervous so i prob used wrong tense or words few times but upenn interviewer told me after one of my answers that it is a very good answer and cornell interviewer told me im a very impressive woman lol
Additional - Dad passed away last summer. - No financial aid needed. - Sister goes to NYU - Got fee waived from CWRU and WashU( i dont think this means anything tho)
College list
Accepted: - UCSD - UCI - UCD - Case Western Reserve (got offered their Baker-Nord Scholars Program) - WashU☺️
Deferred: - Columbia - Umich
Waitlisted: - Tufts smfa - UCSB
Rejected: - UCLA🤢
Pending: - Stanford, Upenn, Brown, Cornell, Vanderbilt, Carnegie Mellon(CMU), USC, UCBerkeley, NYU
I'm grateful for what I got now, but hoping for more to come in my way :)
2023.03.24 08:09 charlie6678 Birthday Celebration Ideas
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Birthday gifts
Birthday gifts are the testament of your love, care and appreciation. Gift giving is an art and requires an intense thought process. It's crucial to select a perfect gift that echoes your heart pounding emotions. There are host of Birthday gifts available in market stores keeping varied preferences and inclinations of buyers in mind. When flowers sound cliché, take help of our galore of glorious gifts in affordable price range like perfumes, hand bell, glass painting, ethnic jewelry, wall clock, brassware, candle stand, wall hangings, woodcraft, figurines, curios
Birthday Cards
When words seem trivial and pricey gifts lose its charm - one can rely on cards. Cornucopia of Birthday cards is cascading in the market stores. A greeting card is tantamount to a gift. Adorned with beautiful imagery and tender quotations - cards spell its magic instantly - bringing smile on everyone's face. It's a rewarding experience for your loved ones to receive a Birthday greeting, exclusively selected for them. Pep up your friends, lover, mom, dad, acquaintance and colleague's celebration and wish them 'Happy Birthday' with colorful and elegant Birthday Cards, which will surely brighten up their day with sparkling joys.
If puzzled in finding a right Birthday card? Several online sites offer range of ecards. Flip through the pages of site and if you come across the card of your choice eye-catching in fanciful pictures and colorful fonts, then select and send it right away with just a click of mouse. It's the easiest and hassle free way to convey your wishes.
Birthday Party
What better way to commence on a new start, then to celebrate it with loved ones? Jazz up Your Birthday Party and dance to the tunes of groovy numbers. Do away with the birthday blues and make it unique with innovative ideas. Arrange Birthday supplies - invitations, decorations, banners, favor bags, games, food or costumes- prior to the celebrations. Set the scintillating party theme like 'Hollywood Birthday Party', 'Dinosaur Birthday Party', 'Disney Princess Birthday Party', 'Casino Night', 'Dare Party', 'Black Tie Party', 'a Posh Affair', and 'Climbing Affair'.
You have reached another milestone in life. Welcome one more precious year of your life with splendid Birthday celebrations. Make the day perfect and receive special greetings from loved ones.
submitted by charlie6678 to u/charlie6678 [link] [comments]
Birthday gifts
Birthday gifts are the testament of your love, care and appreciation. Gift giving is an art and requires an intense thought process. It's crucial to select a perfect gift that echoes your heart pounding emotions. There are host of Birthday gifts available in market stores keeping varied preferences and inclinations of buyers in mind. When flowers sound cliché, take help of our galore of glorious gifts in affordable price range like perfumes, hand bell, glass painting, ethnic jewelry, wall clock, brassware, candle stand, wall hangings, woodcraft, figurines, curios
Birthday Cards
When words seem trivial and pricey gifts lose its charm - one can rely on cards. Cornucopia of Birthday cards is cascading in the market stores. A greeting card is tantamount to a gift. Adorned with beautiful imagery and tender quotations - cards spell its magic instantly - bringing smile on everyone's face. It's a rewarding experience for your loved ones to receive a Birthday greeting, exclusively selected for them. Pep up your friends, lover, mom, dad, acquaintance and colleague's celebration and wish them 'Happy Birthday' with colorful and elegant Birthday Cards, which will surely brighten up their day with sparkling joys.
If puzzled in finding a right Birthday card? Several online sites offer range of ecards. Flip through the pages of site and if you come across the card of your choice eye-catching in fanciful pictures and colorful fonts, then select and send it right away with just a click of mouse. It's the easiest and hassle free way to convey your wishes.
Birthday Party
What better way to commence on a new start, then to celebrate it with loved ones? Jazz up Your Birthday Party and dance to the tunes of groovy numbers. Do away with the birthday blues and make it unique with innovative ideas. Arrange Birthday supplies - invitations, decorations, banners, favor bags, games, food or costumes- prior to the celebrations. Set the scintillating party theme like 'Hollywood Birthday Party', 'Dinosaur Birthday Party', 'Disney Princess Birthday Party', 'Casino Night', 'Dare Party', 'Black Tie Party', 'a Posh Affair', and 'Climbing Affair'.
You have reached another milestone in life. Welcome one more precious year of your life with splendid Birthday celebrations. Make the day perfect and receive special greetings from loved ones.
2023.03.24 05:06 sussy2055 Remembering Shopko
This is my first post on this sub. I noticed there's been virtually no discussion of Shopko here, or on any related subs I could find.
I live in central Illinois and the Shopko in my town closed down about four years ago, and the building has been sitting abandoned ever since. Shopping there was always a joy, as it had a fairly broad selection and was seldom over-crowded, so shopping there always felt more relaxed than going to Walmart or anywhere else in town. Strangely, Shopko Optical remained in business and still has a store in a different location here.
I've been thinking of taking some photos of the building; if I do, I'll post them in AbandonedRetail.
Out of curiosity, anyone else here have memories of Shopko?
submitted by sussy2055 to RetailNostalgia [link] [comments]
I live in central Illinois and the Shopko in my town closed down about four years ago, and the building has been sitting abandoned ever since. Shopping there was always a joy, as it had a fairly broad selection and was seldom over-crowded, so shopping there always felt more relaxed than going to Walmart or anywhere else in town. Strangely, Shopko Optical remained in business and still has a store in a different location here.
I've been thinking of taking some photos of the building; if I do, I'll post them in AbandonedRetail.
Out of curiosity, anyone else here have memories of Shopko?
2023.03.24 04:38 ClipIn 2024 GMC Sierra 2500 & 3500 Heavy Duty: Everything I know
This post is specific to the 2024 GMC Sierra model year's 2500HD and 3500HD aka Heavy Duty versions. I'll include info on all trims. If you're looking for 1500 series models, some discounts below might be interestingvbut fair warning: most everything else is about the HD series trucks.
I've been watching all the news, spy shots, auto shows, press releases and can't wait to see this truck in person. Until then, I've been researching like crazy. Because I'm a nerd. Figured some other people might be like me, looking for all the quality updates, videos, pics, and (eventuallyI can't wait) reviews - so why not put them all in one place. Here goes...
submitted by ClipIn to gmcsierra [link] [comments]
I've been watching all the news, spy shots, auto shows, press releases and can't wait to see this truck in person. Until then, I've been researching like crazy. Because I'm a nerd. Figured some other people might be like me, looking for all the quality updates, videos, pics, and (eventuallyI can't wait) reviews - so why not put them all in one place. Here goes...
Official stuff
- GMC's Sierra 2500HD Homepage / Model Details
- Build and Price
- GMC's press release
- Ultimate Heavy Duty press release
- PDFs of all the trims, packages, option codes: https://www.gmfleetorderguide.com
- Video: 2024 Sierra HD: First Ever Sierra HD Denali Ultimate GMC
Track Your Order
Automated Method- Go to www.GMC.com >> click black "Message Us" icon in bottom right corner. If you don't see, adblockers and pi-hole will break it; disable and refresh page.
- Reply to the first message with Hi (this will have an automated reply) >> type order status >> when prompted for your six-digit order number (it might be alphanumeric) type that into chat.
- It will tell you order status in plain English. It will not provide dates or Event Codes.
- Follow the steps in Automated Method above. At end, type Agent >> the system will automatically reply saying it'll transfer you to someone that can help. You can only do this during US business hours, otherwise chat will say they are closed and tell you to return the next day.
- Once an actual person replies, ask them to provide the status of your order. They may ask for the order number. In theory though, they should already see it from the steps earlier in the chat.
- They will give you a brief explanation of your order status.
- Reply by saying, "Can you please provide me with the event code on the order?" They'll most likely provide the code on the fist ask. If not, be firm and polite. If they still decline, close the chat and try again in a week.
- GM quotes 6 to 12 weeks from order to delivery at dealership, barring any unforseen delays.
- They won't provide more detailed order updates until you reach Event Code 3400 or greater.
- At code 3800 or greater, you have a VIN assigned. Dealership ONLY can login to VinView to track the realtime location of your vehicle using the OnStar's GPS as identified by your VIN number. It shows the location history of the vehicle since it left the factory.
- OrdeEvent Codes are listed here (backup).
- Order info is updated 1x/week on Thursdays. No sense in asking more frequently.
Pricing
- GMC Supplier Discount website
- Check if you're eligible (here) aka work for a company that gets this. There's a ton. It's worth trying. Look up your company here, grab the code, then make a free account and use that code. It's crazy simple.
- The Supplier version Build/Price tools aren't online for 2024 models, but you can do it anyway just use the one depending on your model:
- GMC Friends and Family Discount website
- The Friends & Family version Build/Price tools aren't online for 2024 models, but you can do it anyway just use the one depending on your model:
- Dealers do not have to accept Friends&Family or Supplier pricing. They are reimbursed partially by GM, so in effect are taking some hit by accepting it. Hence, why so many turned away buyers during pandemic.
- In Feb 2023, GM idled its Fort Wayne, Indiana production for two weeks (source) because inventories of 1500 series reached 100 days. That's above their stated goal of 50-60 days of inventory. At year-end 2022 inventories were at 50 days. TL;DR supplies of light duty trucks have outstripped demand, and I'd hope that means good news for pricing now and into 2Q.
| Engine | Denali Ultimate | Denali | AT4 | SLT | SLE | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSRP 6.6L V8 Gas w/ 4WD (starting at) | n/a | $75,095 | $70,995 | $65,195 | $57,795 | $52,795 |
| MSRP 6.6L V8 Turbo-Diesel w/ 4WD (starting at) | $93,795 | $84,585 | $80,485 | $74,685 | $68,280 | $63,780 |
Discounts
- Dealerships that have told me they're honoring Supplier Pricing
- Dealerships offering discounted pricing to anyone. Does not stack with Supplier or Friends and Family though.
- Costco discount / Costco Auto Program Savings Event. I don't know what it is (will be?) for 2024, but was $1,000 off for 2022 and 2023 models (source, also mentioned on a few forums and in askcarsales).
- Uber - discount for Uber drivers. In past was $2,750 off BoltEV, no idea if anything for Sierra models and if so, if even for this model year.
Reviews
I mean, it's about the best info we've got from the bigger websites- 2024 GMC Sierra HD Preview [JD Power]
- 2024 GMC Sierra 2500HD [Car Buzz]
- 2024 GMC Sierra 2500 [Cars.com]
- 2024 GMC Sierra HD Brings the Luxury and the Muscle [Car and Driver]
- 2024 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 HD First Look: Denali Goes Ultimate, AT4X Joins the Ranks [Motor Trend]
- 2024 GMC Sierra HD: High Luxury Meets High Limits [Edmunds]
- Hope You’re Ready: The 2024 GMC Sierra HD Now Tops Out Over $100,000 [The Fast Lane Truck]
- 2024 GMC Sierra HD Debuts As Part Workhorse And Part Luxury Vehicle [Car Scoops]
- 2024 GMC Sierra HD Looks Sharper, Picks Up Fancy New Denali Ultimate Trim [CNet]
- 2024 GMC Sierra HD Gets Engine Upgrades, Towing Aids, Two New Trims [The Drive]
Videos
ProTip browser extensions: SponsorBlock auto-skips intros, comment/like/subscribe junk. uBlock Origin eliminates all YouTube ads.- By GMC: 2024 Sierra HD: First Ever Sierra HD Denali Ultimate GMC
- - First dealership to get a truck (3/22)
- Here Is Why the New 2024 GMC Sierra HD Is the MOST Luxurious Truck Ever Built! [The Fast Lane Truck]
- 2024 GMC Sierra HD In Depth look with all the Experts [Pushing Pistons]
- Four In-Depth Interviews! 2024 GMC Sierra HD Revealed! [Pickup Truck Plus SUV Talk]
- 2024 GMC Sierra HD First Look [Alex on Autos]
- The NEW 2024 GMC SIERRA 2500HD / 3500HD is AMAZING! [GM Jeff]
- Interviewing the GMC TEAM about the NEW 2024 GMC Sierra 2500 & 3500 HD! [GM Jeff]
- 2024 GMC Sierra 2500 AT4 [DeLo Enterprises]
- 2024 GMC Sierra 2500 Denali Ultimate Edition [DeLo Enterprises]
- 2024 GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali Ultimate Full Review and Walkaround CLE Auto Show [Cochran GMC dealership]
- 2024 GMC Sierra 2500 HD Denali Ultimate at the Chicago Auto Show [Garage Talk]
- Hands On - The 2024 Duramax GMC Sierra AT4 Now Tows 4000 Pounds More & Goes Off-Road! [TFLnow]
- NEW, 2024 GMC Sierra 2500HD AT4, Duramax! [GM Jeff]
- 2024 GMC Sierra 2500 HD Denali Ultimate // $100k Ultimate CAPABILITY & LUXURY! [Car Confections]
- 2024 GMC Sierra 2500 HD - Did GMC Make The RIGHT Changes? [Vehicle Visionary]
- 2024 GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali Ultimate New Interior, Refreshed Exterior! [Cars Made Simple]
- 2500 HD Ultimate Denali 2024 GMC Sierra 4x4 Truck [InterUnetAutomotive]
- New 2024 GMC Sierra 2500 HD Denali Ultimate [GM Jeff]
- 2024 GMC Sierra 2500 Denali Ultimate Nightshade HD Very Luxurious [Express Car Reviews]
News
- GM Authority: Sierra HD news. Note: Skip the comments section on their articles. It's straight cancer.
- Prior sales numbers here.
Gallery
- https://www.gmc.com/trucks/sierra/2500hd-3500hd
- https://gmauthority.com/blog/gm/gmc/sierra/2024-gmc-sierra/2024-gmc-sierra-hd/ >> scroll down and click "Gallery" it expands with a ton more pics than GM has in link above.
Other conversations w/ recent intel on 2024 Sierra 2500HD's
- Relevant search of askcarsales: https://old.reddit.com/askcarsales/search/?q=2024+sierra+2500hd&include_over_18=on&restrict_sr=on&t=all&sort=new
- DuramaxForum: thread on 2024 HD's
- Leasehackr forum: https://forum.leasehackr.com/search?q=2024%20sierra%202500
- GM-Trucks.com forum: https://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/forum/240-2020-2024-silverado-hd-sierra-hd/
Latest info I've heard
- Downpour Metallic paint color is delayed, marked "late availability". Any orders with this color are delayed for likely months, but dealers don't have exact timing.
- Best discount is $2,500 off MSRP (at Laura GMC)
- Costco discount does stack with other discounts
- $1,500 OnStar Premium is included in vehicle price, but for the first time can be Deleted for $1,500 savings.
- GMC MultiPro tailgate Step Lights are a $150 option, even on Denali Ultimate. Wut!?
- For Super Cruise to work, need OnStar. But it's an add on feature, for ANY plan. Pricing is here, skip the BS graphic and click on Compare All Plans which gives you this PDF. Tl;DR in build options choose OnStar Premium Delete ($1,500 savings), then after get truck choose plan you want. Cheapest one, "Remote Access" for $14.99/month, gives you the app and "remote key fob" then just inlcude Super Cruise add-on for $25/month. Also: this still fees like a ripoff.
- CarbonPro bed isn't available on Heavy Duty series trucks, irregardless of trim.
- OEM Upfitter switches will be available (here >> GMUpfitter.com) and go in the "change pocket" area (pic), directly in front of new Trailer Brake controls placement.
- First dealership to have a 2500HD arrive was on Mar 22nd: Tom Kelley GMC in Fort Wayne, IN. They put up a youtube video here.
- Bigger GMC dealerships have been telling custs expect first trucks arrive on lots May 2023.
- The tailgate Step Lights do work even if have Kicker audio systems in tailgate. There's small knockout holes in the center two square panels above the Kicker controls, and the lights go in there. If you don't have the Kicker system, the lights sit in a similar square plate with knockout hole, just rest of panel is blank. Without the audio system, the lights are in the outer two tailgate holes. If have speakers, lights go in inner two holes, as speakers take up the outer two holes.
2023.03.24 03:26 Elegant-Reflection-3 Two offers - Luno - Free £40 of Bitcoin when you buy £100 of crypto - or - Free £10 of Bitcoin (No Deposit or Purchase Necessary)
Luno is a crypto platform founded in 2013 that have their HQ in the UK. Luno's website and app are beginner friendly so this is a quick and easy offer to complete.
You can do either of two offers. You are eligible if new to Luno, a UK resident, and 18+. It is free to deposit and withdraw GBP.
Your £40 of Bitcoin shows as pending for 30 days then is automatically sent to your Bitcoin Wallet, where you can buy, store or sell Bitcoin.
You can access a free webinar for the basics about Bitcoin, investing and an Ask Me Anything, designed to help minimise the risks of investing and maximise Bitcoin holdings.
For a quick introduction this 2 min BBC Click video gives a good overview of how Bitcoin works.
submitted by Elegant-Reflection-3 to freebitcoin [link] [comments]
You can do either of two offers. You are eligible if new to Luno, a UK resident, and 18+. It is free to deposit and withdraw GBP.
Offer 1: £40 of Bitcoin if you buy £100 of any crypto
You are free to sell the crypto you bought at any time. £40 is the maximum bonus on Luno.**
Offer 2: £10 of Bitcoin - no deposit or purchase required.
This is a Bitcoin Pioneers offer - we're a group who help promote Bitcoin adoption in the UK and we give away £10 of Bitcoin free to anyone who signs up to Luno. There is no deposit required - simply enter code BPKSTEELE10 after your account is verified.
Offer 1 - £40 of Bitcoin when you buy £100 of crypto
- Sign up using Luno’s app or tap referral link to sign up on Luno’s website.
- After photo ID verification tap the Rewards tab, enter code ADS967 then tap ‘Apply Code’.
- Deposit £100 to Luno and buy £100 of any crypto using an Instant Buy (see 'How to Instant Buy crypto' below).
Your £40 of Bitcoin shows as pending for 30 days then is automatically sent to your Bitcoin Wallet, where you can buy, store or sell Bitcoin.
How to deposit GBP to Luno
Tap Wallets / GBP / Deposit. You can connect your bank account or deposit by bank transfer.
How to Instant Buy crypto on Luno’s website:
Tap Buy / select the coin you wish to buy/ Once-off/ GBP Wallet/ enter £100.
How to Instant Buy crypto using Luno’s app:
Tap Wallets/ Buy/ Individual Coins/ select a coin/ Once-off/ GBP Wallet/ enter £100.
Offer 2 - £10 of Bitcoin (no deposit or purchase necessary)
- Sign up using Luno's app or at Luno.com.
- After photo ID verification tap the Rewards tab, enter code BPKSTEELE10 then tap ‘Apply Code’.
For a quick introduction this 2 min BBC Click video gives a good overview of how Bitcoin works.
2023.03.24 01:34 IvorFreyrsson English Magic, Vol. 2, Ch. 11
After the younger Haarthuu had left, Elizabet and I simply sat a while, discussing the decidedly odd interaction.
“I mean, she certainly seems nice, but I worry that she may try to come between us. I know you say that she won’t, but the fear is still there,” Elizabet said, hugging her arms.
“Hey, now,” I said softly. “The word is can’t. She can’t come between us. I love you, Elizabet. Not anyone else. Don’t forget that,” I said, gently stroking her arm.
She smiled and leaned into my chest, and I lay down, holding her to me. “There’s no force here that will keep me from loving you. Nobody could possibly come between us. That’s not a worry you should ever have,” I said, running my fingers through her auburn hair.
She sighed softly and snuggled close to me. “I will trust your word. I still think we will have to tread carefully when it comes to her. I don’t want us to unintentionally hurt her,” she said softly.
“Neither do I. Let’s get some sleep, okay?” I asked.
Elizabet sat up, removing her habit. I gazed longingly at her beautiful body, and undressed. We curled up in the bed, and she pressed my face into her warm cleavage. Sighing contentedly, I snuggled in, and let my exhaustion take me into dreams.
*********
The next morning, I was so stiff and sore that I could barely move. My back hurt intensely from pulling my new bow as much as I had, and my shoulders creaked and protested loudly every time I tried to move them. Ullr was correct. I was extremely sore.
“Well, that’s the last time I do that,” I said.
“Do what? “Elizabet asked as she bent over to retrieve her habit. I tried unsuccessfully to grab her ass, my arms seemingly being several hundred pounds of dead weight.
“Shoot like that. I can barely move. I’ll be alright in a bit, I just need to get myself up and moving,” I said, standing slowly.
Several joints in my body protested, creaking loudly and popping even louder as I stood beside the bed. I slowly dressed myself, planning to accompany Elizabet to breakfast. As I stomped my feet into my boots, we heard a knock at both doors.
Elizabet and I looked at each other, shrugged and we each opened a door.
“Hi Mr. Ivor! We brought you some breakfast,” Ahte-tan said.
“Hi, Elizabet. I brought you guys some breakfast. Would you mind if we all ate together?” Liss-ran said.
I started laughing and Elizabet covered her mouth in an attempt to stifle her mirth. Ahte-tan looked confused until he peered around me to see Liss-ran at the other door.
“Hi, Liss-ran! Have you come to have breakfast, too?” the child said happily, a broad smile on his face.
“Hello, Ahte-tan,” Liss-ran said sweetly. It looks like we all had the same idea, huh?” She looked up at Elizabet, smiling. “I say we should all have breakfast together. What does everyone think?” she asked.
“All of us, Liss-ran?” I asked.
“Sure! I’ve not had much chance to even get to know Talah-ma’at, much less the boys, so why not?” she said happily. “Also… I’ve not gotten to know much about you or Miss Elizabet. I think that would be a smart thing for family to do, right?” she added, somewhat embarrassed as her skin flushed.
“Absolutely, Liss-ran. Where would be the best place for seven people to eat?” Elizabet asked.
“With any kind of privacy? Outside. Unless one of you knows of somewhere more secluded?” Liss-ran posed.
“Well, it’s kind of cold out right now. I’d be fine, but the rest of you might not be.” I said, thinking. “How about my workshop? It’s not very far, and it’s more than big enough. What do you think, Elizabet?” I asked.
After a moment, she nodded. “Talah-ma’at?” she called, “We’re all going to Ivor’s workshop for breakfast with Liss-ran. Are you coming?”
“Absolutely! I’ll pick up a bit more food, and meet you there,” Talah-ma’at answered.
With that settled, I grabbed my bow, using the stave as a staff and we slowly made our way towards my workshop, my muscles and joints protesting every step of the way. My boys kept up a veritable torrent of chatter with us as we slowly walked.
After a few minutes, I opened the door to my workshop, pausing to remove the shield from the lamps I had installed. Liss-ran set the food she had brought on the central table that Loki had made, and looked around.
“So this is your workshop? What do you do here?” she asked as she walked around, inspecting each station, pausing to look at what would become my new Bag.
“Well, as you can see, I’m making a new bag there. It’s taken me a couple weeks to get this far. It will replace the one I have here” -I set my smaller red Bag down next to it- “as it will be several times the size of this one,” I said.
“This one is big enough that I could fit in it. Why is it taking so long to make? I don’t understand,” she said.
Elizabet chuckled lightly and watched. “It’s taking so long to make because I’m trying to figure out how much energy it’s going to take to replicate this,” I said as I reached into my Bag and pulled out the Dire Bear pelt.
“How did… Where did that come from? What is that bag?” Liss-ran asked, her eyes wide.
“This is a Bag of Holding, and I made it the same day I arrived on Chaia. It’s about full, and I need to replace it. It currently holds three of these” -I stuffed the pelt back into the Bag- “pelts, a full set of camp gear, several bundles of firewood, a bunch of stones, about my bodyweight in raw and dried meat, a couple of knives, both of my guns, and some fingers,” I said, and Elizabet recoiled from the Bag.
“Fingers? Fingers, Ivor? Why do you have fingers in the Bag?” she asked, horrified.
“Remember the idiots in Nogogard? The one that wanted to eat my boys? I took his third and fourth fingers from both hands. Stuffed them in the Bag, and kind of forgot about them,” I said sheepishly. “I should probably send those back to him,” I mused aloud.
“Ugh. No, just… just forget they’re there, okay? That’s morbid,” she said, holding her hand to her stomach.
Liss-ran had paled at the mention of the fingers, and stared at me in shock. “You… why did you take his fingers?” she asked.
“To put it bluntly, he wanted to eat Ahte-naah. I threatened him and warned him off, but he decided to press his luck. Along with a fellow Guard, they broke into the room we were sleeping in, and I beat them back, shredding my right arm in the process, when I punched through the floor. They got in a few good hits, though. I was extremely lucky that night. I took the one man’s fingers, making good on the promise I’d made earlier that day. I was going to take his hands, but I decided to be kind. He can still feed himself,” I said.
Liss-ran stared in shock and horror. “People do that?”
“Some do, yes. It’s something I had heard of while I was in the Guild underneath Gnok. I thought it was disgusting even then,” Elizabet said, barely repressing a shudder.
“Yeah. I was pretty incensed that it was even a thought in his head. I nearly killed him on the spot, but I was trying to be a bit more calm. We see how well that worked out,” I said wryly. “Anyway, let’s see about making some more space for my family, yeah?” I said, looking around.
Since the workshop was more or less a rectangular affair, I had some room to work with. I looked at the table and decided it would be best if I simply expanded it. I Shaped the table to be a bit lower in order to better accommodate the kids, then added another four feet to its length. I Duplicated the wooden chair several times over, and set them around the table. As an added flourish, I decided to Shape a lamp in the center of the table, complete with little designs in the shade, depicting a large, happy blended family sitting around a table for a meal. I walked outside, picking up one of the rounded waste stones, made a Light that was about as intense as a pair of candles, and made it flicker like fire. Setting it in the holder, and placing the shade over it, the designs were backlit to great effect. It almost looked like they were laughing and talking in the light.
“There we are. A table and chairs for my entire family. There’s room for Blainaut, Thaddeus and any partner they may decide to take, as well. Maybe we can make this our dining area for larger, more private, family meals?” I asked.
The kids were in awe of what I’d done, as was Liss-ran. Elizabet simply smiled as she watched me work, as she’d seen me do things like the before. The others hadn’t.
I was looking around, deep in thought, when Talah-ma’at came in, accompanied by Blainaut and Thaddeus, each carrying a tray of different foods.
“Oh! I see you’ve expanded the table. Good move, Ivor,” the lithe Lizardfolk woman remarked as she came in.
“Welcome! Blainaut, Thaddeus, this is my workshop. And, if everyone agrees, how about we make this our family dining area? I can find a way to cover or hide my work, if needed,” I said proudly.
Nodding appreciatively, Blainaut said, “Well! I’d no idea you were this industrious, my friend. Or that you had interests and skills this broad. I think this might be an excellent place for us to have meetings and family gatherings. What do you think, Thaddeus?”
Thaddeus looked around and smiled. “Ah say t’would be a right nice place. We should do this more,” the younger man said.
“I’ve a few more touches, and it’ll be done. Don’t worry, it won’t take much out of me to do,” I said excitedly.
I picked up the few sconces I had abandoned in my search to make the blacklight solution. Since they were made of mostly clear crystal, I figured they’d make decent windows. I took them and some waste stone to my open window, and Shaped window panes out of the sconces, and fittings out of the stone, and set them in the wide window I’d made previously, Fusing them in place. I figured I’d make a sign while I was at it, and across the top of the window panes I Shaped the words “Ivor's Workshop”, and in two of the side panes I put the words “Open” and “Closed”, respectively. Hollowing out a small recess above each letter on the top, I placed a low-intensity blacklight stone in each that would illuminate just the letters, and did the same for the “Open” and “Closed” panes, as well, but only making one stone that I could switch to the correct pane as needed. I set the stone in the “Closed” position.
“There! Now I’ve got a proper shop and can take orders. What do we think?” I said, turning to my family.
They all stood or sat there, in open-mouthed shock.
“What? What’d I do?” I asked in confusion.
“You know, he never ceases to amaze me?” Blainaut said to Elizabet.
“I know. Me too,” she replied. “Ivor, just how did you come up with this? I would never have even thought about using the crystals here in such a manner, let alone with the blacklights. Just…how?”
“I dunno. I guess I wanted a taste of Earth here. It isn’t the same, not quite, but it’s similar” -I sat down in one of the chairs- “to almost any storefront you’d find in most cities in my world. I always wanted my own shop. Now I have one,” I said simply.
“So, you mean to tell me that stores on Earth have crystal windows that are lit by these blacklights?” Blainaut asked.
“No, the windows are glass, and they’ll have lights made of neon tubes or something similar,” I replied.
“All the windows are glass on Earth. Most signage that is meant to be seen at night is neon or lit up in some way. Here. If it still works, I’ll show you,” I said, reaching into my Bag, removing an old backpack.
I sighed. I’d not thought about my phone or headset or anything technological from Earth since I’d arrived. Hopefully, it still had some charge to it. Or my backup power pack did, at least. I walked over to one of the workstations, setting the backpack down. Digging through the bag, I pulled out my kilt, and unrolled it, revealing my phone and power pack. I pulled a power cable out of a pocket of my kilt, and turned on my phone.
While it booted, I walked back to the table and sat down. I laid the phone down, screen up, on the table, and waited. The screen went magenta, and I heard the familiar T-Mobile jingle, which startled everyone around me. I smiled, and the phone completed its cycle, coming up to my home screen. I still had almost a full charge after a couple months of not being used. That would change in a few minutes, but it was good to see.
I waited a couple seconds, seeing that no service was found. My heart sank in my chest as the last hope I had of telling my mom and sisters, friends and relations, that I was okay evaporated like smoke in the wind.
“Well, I don’t know why I expected any different, but here we go,” I murmured as the entire group crowded around me.
I opened my pictures, finding a series I had taken of a cousin’s business shortly after he had set it up.
“This is Louisville. A city in my home state. This is my cousin’s storefront on the day he opened. The windows are glass, and that sign there is a neon sign. When electricity -or caged lightning, don’t ask- is fed into that sign, it excites a very specific gas inside those glass tubes, and they glow.” I swiped to another picture, “And this is that same sign at night, lit up,” I explained, sniffling.
Elizabet laid her head on my shoulder, and hugged me gently. She pointed at a car, and asked, “What’s that? It looks…mean.”
“That’s a car. My car, specifically. Blainaut, do you remember when I told you I had things that could travel forty leagues in a couple of hours? This is one of them. My world doesn’t have magic of any kind. We rely on technology, such as this object in my hand, to help us in our daily life,” I said, tears flowing down my cheeks, getting lost in my beard.
“Ivor, you didn’t have to show us this. It’s okay. I believed you, you know,” Elizabet said softly.
“I know,” I sniffled, “I guess I wanted to see my home world again. Even if only in a picture,” I said, smiling.
“A picture? You mean, like a portrait?” Blainaut asked. I nodded. “Can that device make a portrait?” he asked, his hand rubbing his chin in thought.
“Yeah. I can take a picture or a video -a moving picture with sound. Why?” I asked.
“Make one of us. We’re your family, right? Take a picture of us all. That way you have both worlds,” he said softly.
“Heh. I’d never even considered that. Part of me wasn’t going to ever get my phone out again, but I guess that part got overridden. Let me make a stand for it. This time I’ll be in the picture,” I said, rising.
I explained how the picture taking worked to my family, warning them that they may have a bright light in their eyes, then shaped a stand to hold my phone at the perfect angle, set it up to take a picture on a delay, and pushed the button. I raced back to my seat, put my arm around Elizabet, and told everyone to smile at the light.
CLICK
The flash momentarily blinded everyone at the table, and I got up to see my picture. There we all were, one big, happy, smiling family. Sitting at the table, about to have a good meal. I sighed, and brought it back, showing everyone the photo.
The Lizardfolk were almost terrified at how real it looked. They were intensely curious, however, and got over their fear quickly. The Humans at the table were in awe at the technology, and said as much.
“Ivor, this is incredible. Something like this would revolutionize our world. Do you know that?” Blainaut exclaimed in wonder.
“Yeah, I know. Which is precisely why I’ll never let it be Duplicated. Chaia isn’t ready for this. Chaia may never be ready for this. It would require a special network of towers and machinery just to make it work. I can’t, in good conscience, let it loose upon this world,” I said somberly.
“You told me when we arrived in the Lizardfolk territory that you had music on this device. Could we hear some?” asked Elizabet.
“Music? On that thing? I’d like to hear that, actually,” Blainaut said.
“Really? Well, I guess so. Would you guys please set out the food while I see if I have something that would be okay?” I asked.
The others nodded, and I sifted through my vast library to find something that would be pleasant, and not angry-sounding, like the majority of my music. In the end, I settled on a selection of classical guitar pieces to play. No lyrics, just pleasant guitar in various styles.
“Here we are. Some calm breakfast music for my family,” I said as I pushed play.
Immediately, the room was filled with beautiful music coming from my phone, and I began getting myself a decent helping of breakfast. The rest of the group were too busy staring at my phone. I smiled, waiting for the first song to finish, then paused it.
“Well?”
“Ivor… That was simply beautiful. What was that?” Elizabet asked, her voice soft and emotional.
“Old ballads from a country called Ireland. I had a friend that played guitar, and he gifted me a copy of some of his music. He couldn’t sing worth a damn, but he could play a guitar as easily as ringing a bell. Would you like to hear more?” I asked.
A chorus of affirmations later, and I had pressed play again. I began to eat, and the rest of the group did the same.
We ate and I told stories from my home, in good spirits and even better company.
submitted by IvorFreyrsson to Words_From_Ivor [link] [comments]
“I mean, she certainly seems nice, but I worry that she may try to come between us. I know you say that she won’t, but the fear is still there,” Elizabet said, hugging her arms.
“Hey, now,” I said softly. “The word is can’t. She can’t come between us. I love you, Elizabet. Not anyone else. Don’t forget that,” I said, gently stroking her arm.
She smiled and leaned into my chest, and I lay down, holding her to me. “There’s no force here that will keep me from loving you. Nobody could possibly come between us. That’s not a worry you should ever have,” I said, running my fingers through her auburn hair.
She sighed softly and snuggled close to me. “I will trust your word. I still think we will have to tread carefully when it comes to her. I don’t want us to unintentionally hurt her,” she said softly.
“Neither do I. Let’s get some sleep, okay?” I asked.
Elizabet sat up, removing her habit. I gazed longingly at her beautiful body, and undressed. We curled up in the bed, and she pressed my face into her warm cleavage. Sighing contentedly, I snuggled in, and let my exhaustion take me into dreams.
*********
The next morning, I was so stiff and sore that I could barely move. My back hurt intensely from pulling my new bow as much as I had, and my shoulders creaked and protested loudly every time I tried to move them. Ullr was correct. I was extremely sore.
“Well, that’s the last time I do that,” I said.
“Do what? “Elizabet asked as she bent over to retrieve her habit. I tried unsuccessfully to grab her ass, my arms seemingly being several hundred pounds of dead weight.
“Shoot like that. I can barely move. I’ll be alright in a bit, I just need to get myself up and moving,” I said, standing slowly.
Several joints in my body protested, creaking loudly and popping even louder as I stood beside the bed. I slowly dressed myself, planning to accompany Elizabet to breakfast. As I stomped my feet into my boots, we heard a knock at both doors.
Elizabet and I looked at each other, shrugged and we each opened a door.
“Hi Mr. Ivor! We brought you some breakfast,” Ahte-tan said.
“Hi, Elizabet. I brought you guys some breakfast. Would you mind if we all ate together?” Liss-ran said.
I started laughing and Elizabet covered her mouth in an attempt to stifle her mirth. Ahte-tan looked confused until he peered around me to see Liss-ran at the other door.
“Hi, Liss-ran! Have you come to have breakfast, too?” the child said happily, a broad smile on his face.
“Hello, Ahte-tan,” Liss-ran said sweetly. It looks like we all had the same idea, huh?” She looked up at Elizabet, smiling. “I say we should all have breakfast together. What does everyone think?” she asked.
“All of us, Liss-ran?” I asked.
“Sure! I’ve not had much chance to even get to know Talah-ma’at, much less the boys, so why not?” she said happily. “Also… I’ve not gotten to know much about you or Miss Elizabet. I think that would be a smart thing for family to do, right?” she added, somewhat embarrassed as her skin flushed.
“Absolutely, Liss-ran. Where would be the best place for seven people to eat?” Elizabet asked.
“With any kind of privacy? Outside. Unless one of you knows of somewhere more secluded?” Liss-ran posed.
“Well, it’s kind of cold out right now. I’d be fine, but the rest of you might not be.” I said, thinking. “How about my workshop? It’s not very far, and it’s more than big enough. What do you think, Elizabet?” I asked.
After a moment, she nodded. “Talah-ma’at?” she called, “We’re all going to Ivor’s workshop for breakfast with Liss-ran. Are you coming?”
“Absolutely! I’ll pick up a bit more food, and meet you there,” Talah-ma’at answered.
With that settled, I grabbed my bow, using the stave as a staff and we slowly made our way towards my workshop, my muscles and joints protesting every step of the way. My boys kept up a veritable torrent of chatter with us as we slowly walked.
After a few minutes, I opened the door to my workshop, pausing to remove the shield from the lamps I had installed. Liss-ran set the food she had brought on the central table that Loki had made, and looked around.
“So this is your workshop? What do you do here?” she asked as she walked around, inspecting each station, pausing to look at what would become my new Bag.
“Well, as you can see, I’m making a new bag there. It’s taken me a couple weeks to get this far. It will replace the one I have here” -I set my smaller red Bag down next to it- “as it will be several times the size of this one,” I said.
“This one is big enough that I could fit in it. Why is it taking so long to make? I don’t understand,” she said.
Elizabet chuckled lightly and watched. “It’s taking so long to make because I’m trying to figure out how much energy it’s going to take to replicate this,” I said as I reached into my Bag and pulled out the Dire Bear pelt.
“How did… Where did that come from? What is that bag?” Liss-ran asked, her eyes wide.
“This is a Bag of Holding, and I made it the same day I arrived on Chaia. It’s about full, and I need to replace it. It currently holds three of these” -I stuffed the pelt back into the Bag- “pelts, a full set of camp gear, several bundles of firewood, a bunch of stones, about my bodyweight in raw and dried meat, a couple of knives, both of my guns, and some fingers,” I said, and Elizabet recoiled from the Bag.
“Fingers? Fingers, Ivor? Why do you have fingers in the Bag?” she asked, horrified.
“Remember the idiots in Nogogard? The one that wanted to eat my boys? I took his third and fourth fingers from both hands. Stuffed them in the Bag, and kind of forgot about them,” I said sheepishly. “I should probably send those back to him,” I mused aloud.
“Ugh. No, just… just forget they’re there, okay? That’s morbid,” she said, holding her hand to her stomach.
Liss-ran had paled at the mention of the fingers, and stared at me in shock. “You… why did you take his fingers?” she asked.
“To put it bluntly, he wanted to eat Ahte-naah. I threatened him and warned him off, but he decided to press his luck. Along with a fellow Guard, they broke into the room we were sleeping in, and I beat them back, shredding my right arm in the process, when I punched through the floor. They got in a few good hits, though. I was extremely lucky that night. I took the one man’s fingers, making good on the promise I’d made earlier that day. I was going to take his hands, but I decided to be kind. He can still feed himself,” I said.
Liss-ran stared in shock and horror. “People do that?”
“Some do, yes. It’s something I had heard of while I was in the Guild underneath Gnok. I thought it was disgusting even then,” Elizabet said, barely repressing a shudder.
“Yeah. I was pretty incensed that it was even a thought in his head. I nearly killed him on the spot, but I was trying to be a bit more calm. We see how well that worked out,” I said wryly. “Anyway, let’s see about making some more space for my family, yeah?” I said, looking around.
Since the workshop was more or less a rectangular affair, I had some room to work with. I looked at the table and decided it would be best if I simply expanded it. I Shaped the table to be a bit lower in order to better accommodate the kids, then added another four feet to its length. I Duplicated the wooden chair several times over, and set them around the table. As an added flourish, I decided to Shape a lamp in the center of the table, complete with little designs in the shade, depicting a large, happy blended family sitting around a table for a meal. I walked outside, picking up one of the rounded waste stones, made a Light that was about as intense as a pair of candles, and made it flicker like fire. Setting it in the holder, and placing the shade over it, the designs were backlit to great effect. It almost looked like they were laughing and talking in the light.
“There we are. A table and chairs for my entire family. There’s room for Blainaut, Thaddeus and any partner they may decide to take, as well. Maybe we can make this our dining area for larger, more private, family meals?” I asked.
The kids were in awe of what I’d done, as was Liss-ran. Elizabet simply smiled as she watched me work, as she’d seen me do things like the before. The others hadn’t.
I was looking around, deep in thought, when Talah-ma’at came in, accompanied by Blainaut and Thaddeus, each carrying a tray of different foods.
“Oh! I see you’ve expanded the table. Good move, Ivor,” the lithe Lizardfolk woman remarked as she came in.
“Welcome! Blainaut, Thaddeus, this is my workshop. And, if everyone agrees, how about we make this our family dining area? I can find a way to cover or hide my work, if needed,” I said proudly.
Nodding appreciatively, Blainaut said, “Well! I’d no idea you were this industrious, my friend. Or that you had interests and skills this broad. I think this might be an excellent place for us to have meetings and family gatherings. What do you think, Thaddeus?”
Thaddeus looked around and smiled. “Ah say t’would be a right nice place. We should do this more,” the younger man said.
“I’ve a few more touches, and it’ll be done. Don’t worry, it won’t take much out of me to do,” I said excitedly.
I picked up the few sconces I had abandoned in my search to make the blacklight solution. Since they were made of mostly clear crystal, I figured they’d make decent windows. I took them and some waste stone to my open window, and Shaped window panes out of the sconces, and fittings out of the stone, and set them in the wide window I’d made previously, Fusing them in place. I figured I’d make a sign while I was at it, and across the top of the window panes I Shaped the words “Ivor's Workshop”, and in two of the side panes I put the words “Open” and “Closed”, respectively. Hollowing out a small recess above each letter on the top, I placed a low-intensity blacklight stone in each that would illuminate just the letters, and did the same for the “Open” and “Closed” panes, as well, but only making one stone that I could switch to the correct pane as needed. I set the stone in the “Closed” position.
“There! Now I’ve got a proper shop and can take orders. What do we think?” I said, turning to my family.
They all stood or sat there, in open-mouthed shock.
“What? What’d I do?” I asked in confusion.
“You know, he never ceases to amaze me?” Blainaut said to Elizabet.
“I know. Me too,” she replied. “Ivor, just how did you come up with this? I would never have even thought about using the crystals here in such a manner, let alone with the blacklights. Just…how?”
“I dunno. I guess I wanted a taste of Earth here. It isn’t the same, not quite, but it’s similar” -I sat down in one of the chairs- “to almost any storefront you’d find in most cities in my world. I always wanted my own shop. Now I have one,” I said simply.
“So, you mean to tell me that stores on Earth have crystal windows that are lit by these blacklights?” Blainaut asked.
“No, the windows are glass, and they’ll have lights made of neon tubes or something similar,” I replied.
“All the windows are glass on Earth. Most signage that is meant to be seen at night is neon or lit up in some way. Here. If it still works, I’ll show you,” I said, reaching into my Bag, removing an old backpack.
I sighed. I’d not thought about my phone or headset or anything technological from Earth since I’d arrived. Hopefully, it still had some charge to it. Or my backup power pack did, at least. I walked over to one of the workstations, setting the backpack down. Digging through the bag, I pulled out my kilt, and unrolled it, revealing my phone and power pack. I pulled a power cable out of a pocket of my kilt, and turned on my phone.
While it booted, I walked back to the table and sat down. I laid the phone down, screen up, on the table, and waited. The screen went magenta, and I heard the familiar T-Mobile jingle, which startled everyone around me. I smiled, and the phone completed its cycle, coming up to my home screen. I still had almost a full charge after a couple months of not being used. That would change in a few minutes, but it was good to see.
I waited a couple seconds, seeing that no service was found. My heart sank in my chest as the last hope I had of telling my mom and sisters, friends and relations, that I was okay evaporated like smoke in the wind.
“Well, I don’t know why I expected any different, but here we go,” I murmured as the entire group crowded around me.
I opened my pictures, finding a series I had taken of a cousin’s business shortly after he had set it up.
“This is Louisville. A city in my home state. This is my cousin’s storefront on the day he opened. The windows are glass, and that sign there is a neon sign. When electricity -or caged lightning, don’t ask- is fed into that sign, it excites a very specific gas inside those glass tubes, and they glow.” I swiped to another picture, “And this is that same sign at night, lit up,” I explained, sniffling.
Elizabet laid her head on my shoulder, and hugged me gently. She pointed at a car, and asked, “What’s that? It looks…mean.”
“That’s a car. My car, specifically. Blainaut, do you remember when I told you I had things that could travel forty leagues in a couple of hours? This is one of them. My world doesn’t have magic of any kind. We rely on technology, such as this object in my hand, to help us in our daily life,” I said, tears flowing down my cheeks, getting lost in my beard.
“Ivor, you didn’t have to show us this. It’s okay. I believed you, you know,” Elizabet said softly.
“I know,” I sniffled, “I guess I wanted to see my home world again. Even if only in a picture,” I said, smiling.
“A picture? You mean, like a portrait?” Blainaut asked. I nodded. “Can that device make a portrait?” he asked, his hand rubbing his chin in thought.
“Yeah. I can take a picture or a video -a moving picture with sound. Why?” I asked.
“Make one of us. We’re your family, right? Take a picture of us all. That way you have both worlds,” he said softly.
“Heh. I’d never even considered that. Part of me wasn’t going to ever get my phone out again, but I guess that part got overridden. Let me make a stand for it. This time I’ll be in the picture,” I said, rising.
I explained how the picture taking worked to my family, warning them that they may have a bright light in their eyes, then shaped a stand to hold my phone at the perfect angle, set it up to take a picture on a delay, and pushed the button. I raced back to my seat, put my arm around Elizabet, and told everyone to smile at the light.
CLICK
The flash momentarily blinded everyone at the table, and I got up to see my picture. There we all were, one big, happy, smiling family. Sitting at the table, about to have a good meal. I sighed, and brought it back, showing everyone the photo.
The Lizardfolk were almost terrified at how real it looked. They were intensely curious, however, and got over their fear quickly. The Humans at the table were in awe at the technology, and said as much.
“Ivor, this is incredible. Something like this would revolutionize our world. Do you know that?” Blainaut exclaimed in wonder.
“Yeah, I know. Which is precisely why I’ll never let it be Duplicated. Chaia isn’t ready for this. Chaia may never be ready for this. It would require a special network of towers and machinery just to make it work. I can’t, in good conscience, let it loose upon this world,” I said somberly.
“You told me when we arrived in the Lizardfolk territory that you had music on this device. Could we hear some?” asked Elizabet.
“Music? On that thing? I’d like to hear that, actually,” Blainaut said.
“Really? Well, I guess so. Would you guys please set out the food while I see if I have something that would be okay?” I asked.
The others nodded, and I sifted through my vast library to find something that would be pleasant, and not angry-sounding, like the majority of my music. In the end, I settled on a selection of classical guitar pieces to play. No lyrics, just pleasant guitar in various styles.
“Here we are. Some calm breakfast music for my family,” I said as I pushed play.
Immediately, the room was filled with beautiful music coming from my phone, and I began getting myself a decent helping of breakfast. The rest of the group were too busy staring at my phone. I smiled, waiting for the first song to finish, then paused it.
“Well?”
“Ivor… That was simply beautiful. What was that?” Elizabet asked, her voice soft and emotional.
“Old ballads from a country called Ireland. I had a friend that played guitar, and he gifted me a copy of some of his music. He couldn’t sing worth a damn, but he could play a guitar as easily as ringing a bell. Would you like to hear more?” I asked.
A chorus of affirmations later, and I had pressed play again. I began to eat, and the rest of the group did the same.
We ate and I told stories from my home, in good spirits and even better company.
2023.03.24 01:32 IvorFreyrsson English Magic, Vol. 2, Ch. 11
Guide available! Go here.
Series beginning is here.
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After the younger Haarthuu had left, Elizabet and I simply sat a while, discussing the decidedly odd interaction.
“I mean, she certainly seems nice, but I worry that she may try to come between us. I know you say that she won’t, but the fear is still there,” Elizabet said, hugging her arms.
“Hey, now,” I said softly. “The word is can’t. She can’t come between us. I love you, Elizabet. Not anyone else. Don’t forget that,” I said, gently stroking her arm.
She smiled and leaned into my chest, and I lay down, holding her to me. “There’s no force here that will keep me from loving you. Nobody could possibly come between us. That’s not a worry you should ever have,” I said, running my fingers through her auburn hair.
She sighed softly and snuggled close to me. “I will trust your word. I still think we will have to tread carefully when it comes to her. I don’t want us to unintentionally hurt her,” she said softly.
“Neither do I. Let’s get some sleep, okay?” I asked.
Elizabet sat up, removing her habit. I gazed longingly at her beautiful body, and undressed. We curled up in the bed, and she pressed my face into her warm cleavage. Sighing contentedly, I snuggled in, and let my exhaustion take me into dreams.
*********
The next morning, I was so stiff and sore that I could barely move. My back hurt intensely from pulling my new bow as much as I had, and my shoulders creaked and protested loudly every time I tried to move them. Ullr was correct. I was extremely sore.
“Well, that’s the last time I do that,” I said.
“Do what? “Elizabet asked as she bent over to retrieve her habit. I tried unsuccessfully to grab her ass, my arms seemingly being several hundred pounds of dead weight.
“Shoot like that. I can barely move. I’ll be alright in a bit, I just need to get myself up and moving,” I said, standing slowly.
Several joints in my body protested, creaking loudly and popping even louder as I stood beside the bed. I slowly dressed myself, planning to accompany Elizabet to breakfast. As I stomped my feet into my boots, we heard a knock at both doors.
Elizabet and I looked at each other, shrugged and we each opened a door.
“Hi Mr. Ivor! We brought you some breakfast,” Ahte-tan said.
“Hi, Elizabet. I brought you guys some breakfast. Would you mind if we all ate together?” Liss-ran said.
I started laughing and Elizabet covered her mouth in an attempt to stifle her mirth. Ahte-tan looked confused until he peered around me to see Liss-ran at the other door.
“Hi, Liss-ran! Have you come to have breakfast, too?” the child said happily, a broad smile on his face.
“Hello, Ahte-tan,” Liss-ran said sweetly. It looks like we all had the same idea, huh?” She looked up at Elizabet, smiling. “I say we should all have breakfast together. What does everyone think?” she asked.
“All of us, Liss-ran?” I asked.
“Sure! I’ve not had much chance to even get to know Talah-ma’at, much less the boys, so why not?” she said happily. “Also… I’ve not gotten to know much about you or Miss Elizabet. I think that would be a smart thing for family to do, right?” she added, somewhat embarrassed as her skin flushed.
“Absolutely, Liss-ran. Where would be the best place for seven people to eat?” Elizabet asked.
“With any kind of privacy? Outside. Unless one of you knows of somewhere more secluded?” Liss-ran posed.
“Well, it’s kind of cold out right now. I’d be fine, but the rest of you might not be.” I said, thinking. “How about my workshop? It’s not very far, and it’s more than big enough. What do you think, Elizabet?” I asked.
After a moment, she nodded. “Talah-ma’at?” she called, “We’re all going to Ivor’s workshop for breakfast with Liss-ran. Are you coming?”
“Absolutely! I’ll pick up a bit more food, and meet you there,” Talah-ma’at answered.
With that settled, I grabbed my bow, using the stave as a staff and we slowly made our way towards my workshop, my muscles and joints protesting every step of the way. My boys kept up a veritable torrent of chatter with us as we slowly walked.
After a few minutes, I opened the door to my workshop, pausing to remove the shield from the lamps I had installed. Liss-ran set the food she had brought on the central table that Loki had made, and looked around.
“So this is your workshop? What do you do here?” she asked as she walked around, inspecting each station, pausing to look at what would become my new Bag.
“Well, as you can see, I’m making a new bag there. It’s taken me a couple weeks to get this far. It will replace the one I have here” -I set my smaller red Bag down next to it- “as it will be several times the size of this one,” I said.
“This one is big enough that I could fit in it. Why is it taking so long to make? I don’t understand,” she said.
Elizabet chuckled lightly and watched. “It’s taking so long to make because I’m trying to figure out how much energy it’s going to take to replicate this,” I said as I reached into my Bag and pulled out the Dire Bear pelt.
“How did… Where did that come from? What is that bag?” Liss-ran asked, her eyes wide.
“This is a Bag of Holding, and I made it the same day I arrived on Chaia. It’s about full, and I need to replace it. It currently holds three of these” -I stuffed the pelt back into the Bag- “pelts, a full set of camp gear, several bundles of firewood, a bunch of stones, about my bodyweight in raw and dried meat, a couple of knives, both of my guns, and some fingers,” I said, and Elizabet recoiled from the Bag.
“Fingers? Fingers, Ivor? Why do you have fingers in the Bag?” she asked, horrified.
“Remember the idiots in Nogogard? The one that wanted to eat my boys? I took his third and fourth fingers from both hands. Stuffed them in the Bag, and kind of forgot about them,” I said sheepishly. “I should probably send those back to him,” I mused aloud.
“Ugh. No, just… just forget they’re there, okay? That’s morbid,” she said, holding her hand to her stomach.
Liss-ran had paled at the mention of the fingers, and stared at me in shock. “You… why did you take his fingers?” she asked.
“To put it bluntly, he wanted to eat Ahte-naah. I threatened him and warned him off, but he decided to press his luck. Along with a fellow Guard, they broke into the room we were sleeping in, and I beat them back, shredding my right arm in the process, when I punched through the floor. They got in a few good hits, though. I was extremely lucky that night. I took the one man’s fingers, making good on the promise I’d made earlier that day. I was going to take his hands, but I decided to be kind. He can still feed himself,” I said.
Liss-ran stared in shock and horror. “People do that?”
“Some do, yes. It’s something I had heard of while I was in the Guild underneath Gnok. I thought it was disgusting even then,” Elizabet said, barely repressing a shudder.
“Yeah. I was pretty incensed that it was even a thought in his head. I nearly killed him on the spot, but I was trying to be a bit more calm. We see how well that worked out,” I said wryly. “Anyway, let’s see about making some more space for my family, yeah?” I said, looking around.
Since the workshop was more or less a rectangular affair, I had some room to work with. I looked at the table and decided it would be best if I simply expanded it. I Shaped the table to be a bit lower in order to better accommodate the kids, then added another four feet to its length. I Duplicated the wooden chair several times over, and set them around the table. As an added flourish, I decided to Shape a lamp in the center of the table, complete with little designs in the shade, depicting a large, happy blended family sitting around a table for a meal. I walked outside, picking up one of the rounded waste stones, made a Light that was about as intense as a pair of candles, and made it flicker like fire. Setting it in the holder, and placing the shade over it, the designs were backlit to great effect. It almost looked like they were laughing and talking in the light.
“There we are. A table and chairs for my entire family. There’s room for Blainaut, Thaddeus and any partner they may decide to take, as well. Maybe we can make this our dining area for larger, more private, family meals?” I asked.
The kids were in awe of what I’d done, as was Liss-ran. Elizabet simply smiled as she watched me work, as she’d seen me do things like the before. The others hadn’t.
I was looking around, deep in thought, when Talah-ma’at came in, accompanied by Blainaut and Thaddeus, each carrying a tray of different foods.
“Oh! I see you’ve expanded the table. Good move, Ivor,” the lithe Lizardfolk woman remarked as she came in.
“Welcome! Blainaut, Thaddeus, this is my workshop. And, if everyone agrees, how about we make this our family dining area? I can find a way to cover or hide my work, if needed,” I said proudly.
Nodding appreciatively, Blainaut said, “Well! I’d no idea you were this industrious, my friend. Or that you had interests and skills this broad. I think this might be an excellent place for us to have meetings and family gatherings. What do you think, Thaddeus?”
Thaddeus looked around and smiled. “Ah say t’would be a right nice place. We should do this more,” the younger man said.
“I’ve a few more touches, and it’ll be done. Don’t worry, it won’t take much out of me to do,” I said excitedly.
I picked up the few sconces I had abandoned in my search to make the blacklight solution. Since they were made of mostly clear crystal, I figured they’d make decent windows. I took them and some waste stone to my open window, and Shaped window panes out of the sconces, and fittings out of the stone, and set them in the wide window I’d made previously, Fusing them in place. I figured I’d make a sign while I was at it, and across the top of the window panes I Shaped the words “Ivor's Workshop”, and in two of the side panes I put the words “Open” and “Closed”, respectively. Hollowing out a small recess above each letter on the top, I placed a low-intensity blacklight stone in each that would illuminate just the letters, and did the same for the “Open” and “Closed” panes, as well, but only making one stone that I could switch to the correct pane as needed. I set the stone in the “Closed” position.
“There! Now I’ve got a proper shop and can take orders. What do we think?” I said, turning to my family.
They all stood or sat there, in open-mouthed shock.
“What? What’d I do?” I asked in confusion.
“You know, he never ceases to amaze me?” Blainaut said to Elizabet.
“I know. Me too,” she replied. “Ivor, just how did you come up with this? I would never have even thought about using the crystals here in such a manner, let alone with the blacklights. Just…how?”
“I dunno. I guess I wanted a taste of Earth here. It isn’t the same, not quite, but it’s similar” -I sat down in one of the chairs- “to almost any storefront you’d find in most cities in my world. I always wanted my own shop. Now I have one,” I said simply.
“So, you mean to tell me that stores on Earth have crystal windows that are lit by these blacklights?” Blainaut asked.
“No, the windows are glass, and they’ll have lights made of neon tubes or something similar,” I replied.
“All the windows are glass on Earth. Most signage that is meant to be seen at night is neon or lit up in some way. Here. If it still works, I’ll show you,” I said, reaching into my Bag, removing an old backpack.
I sighed. I’d not thought about my phone or headset or anything technological from Earth since I’d arrived. Hopefully, it still had some charge to it. Or my backup power pack did, at least. I walked over to one of the workstations, setting the backpack down. Digging through the bag, I pulled out my kilt, and unrolled it, revealing my phone and power pack. I pulled a power cable out of a pocket of my kilt, and turned on my phone.
While it booted, I walked back to the table and sat down. I laid the phone down, screen up, on the table, and waited. The screen went magenta, and I heard the familiar T-Mobile jingle, which startled everyone around me. I smiled, and the phone completed its cycle, coming up to my home screen. I still had almost a full charge after a couple months of not being used. That would change in a few minutes, but it was good to see.
I waited a couple seconds, seeing that no service was found. My heart sank in my chest as the last hope I had of telling my mom and sisters, friends and relations, that I was okay evaporated like smoke in the wind.
“Well, I don’t know why I expected any different, but here we go,” I murmured as the entire group crowded around me.
I opened my pictures, finding a series I had taken of a cousin’s business shortly after he had set it up.
“This is Louisville. A city in my home state. This is my cousin’s storefront on the day he opened. The windows are glass, and that sign there is a neon sign. When electricity -or caged lightning, don’t ask- is fed into that sign, it excites a very specific gas inside those glass tubes, and they glow.” I swiped to another picture, “And this is that same sign at night, lit up,” I explained, sniffling.
Elizabet laid her head on my shoulder, and hugged me gently. She pointed at a car, and asked, “What’s that? It looks…mean.”
“That’s a car. My car, specifically. Blainaut, do you remember when I told you I had things that could travel forty leagues in a couple of hours? This is one of them. My world doesn’t have magic of any kind. We rely on technology, such as this object in my hand, to help us in our daily life,” I said, tears flowing down my cheeks, getting lost in my beard.
“Ivor, you didn’t have to show us this. It’s okay. I believed you, you know,” Elizabet said softly.
“I know,” I sniffled, “I guess I wanted to see my home world again. Even if only in a picture,” I said, smiling.
“A picture? You mean, like a portrait?” Blainaut asked. I nodded. “Can that device make a portrait?” he asked, his hand rubbing his chin in thought.
“Yeah. I can take a picture or a video -a moving picture with sound. Why?” I asked.
“Make one of us. We’re your family, right? Take a picture of us all. That way you have both worlds,” he said softly.
“Heh. I’d never even considered that. Part of me wasn’t going to ever get my phone out again, but I guess that part got overridden. Let me make a stand for it. This time I’ll be in the picture,” I said, rising.
I explained how the picture taking worked to my family, warning them that they may have a bright light in their eyes, then shaped a stand to hold my phone at the perfect angle, set it up to take a picture on a delay, and pushed the button. I raced back to my seat, put my arm around Elizabet, and told everyone to smile at the light.
CLICK
The flash momentarily blinded everyone at the table, and I got up to see my picture. There we all were, one big, happy, smiling family. Sitting at the table, about to have a good meal. I sighed, and brought it back, showing everyone the photo.
The Lizardfolk were almost terrified at how real it looked. They were intensely curious, however, and got over their fear quickly. The Humans at the table were in awe at the technology, and said as much.
“Ivor, this is incredible. Something like this would revolutionize our world. Do you know that?” Blainaut exclaimed in wonder.
“Yeah, I know. Which is precisely why I’ll never let it be Duplicated. Chaia isn’t ready for this. Chaia may never be ready for this. It would require a special network of towers and machinery just to make it work. I can’t, in good conscience, let it loose upon this world,” I said somberly.
“You told me when we arrived in the Lizardfolk territory that you had music on this device. Could we hear some?” asked Elizabet.
“Music? On that thing? I’d like to hear that, actually,” Blainaut said.
“Really? Well, I guess so. Would you guys please set out the food while I see if I have something that would be okay?” I asked.
The others nodded, and I sifted through my vast library to find something that would be pleasant, and not angry-sounding, like the majority of my music. In the end, I settled on a selection of classical guitar pieces to play. No lyrics, just pleasant guitar in various styles.
“Here we are. Some calm breakfast music for my family,” I said as I pushed play.
Immediately, the room was filled with beautiful music coming from my phone, and I began getting myself a decent helping of breakfast. The rest of the group were too busy staring at my phone. I smiled, waiting for the first song to finish, then paused it.
“Well?”
“Ivor… That was simply beautiful. What was that?” Elizabet asked, her voice soft and emotional.
“Old ballads from a country called Ireland. I had a friend that played guitar, and he gifted me a copy of some of his music. He couldn’t sing worth a damn, but he could play a guitar as easily as ringing a bell. Would you like to hear more?” I asked.
A chorus of affirmations later, and I had pressed play again. I began to eat, and the rest of the group did the same.
We ate and I told stories from my home, in good spirits and even better company.
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After the younger Haarthuu had left, Elizabet and I simply sat a while, discussing the decidedly odd interaction.
“I mean, she certainly seems nice, but I worry that she may try to come between us. I know you say that she won’t, but the fear is still there,” Elizabet said, hugging her arms.
“Hey, now,” I said softly. “The word is can’t. She can’t come between us. I love you, Elizabet. Not anyone else. Don’t forget that,” I said, gently stroking her arm.
She smiled and leaned into my chest, and I lay down, holding her to me. “There’s no force here that will keep me from loving you. Nobody could possibly come between us. That’s not a worry you should ever have,” I said, running my fingers through her auburn hair.
She sighed softly and snuggled close to me. “I will trust your word. I still think we will have to tread carefully when it comes to her. I don’t want us to unintentionally hurt her,” she said softly.
“Neither do I. Let’s get some sleep, okay?” I asked.
Elizabet sat up, removing her habit. I gazed longingly at her beautiful body, and undressed. We curled up in the bed, and she pressed my face into her warm cleavage. Sighing contentedly, I snuggled in, and let my exhaustion take me into dreams.
*********
The next morning, I was so stiff and sore that I could barely move. My back hurt intensely from pulling my new bow as much as I had, and my shoulders creaked and protested loudly every time I tried to move them. Ullr was correct. I was extremely sore.
“Well, that’s the last time I do that,” I said.
“Do what? “Elizabet asked as she bent over to retrieve her habit. I tried unsuccessfully to grab her ass, my arms seemingly being several hundred pounds of dead weight.
“Shoot like that. I can barely move. I’ll be alright in a bit, I just need to get myself up and moving,” I said, standing slowly.
Several joints in my body protested, creaking loudly and popping even louder as I stood beside the bed. I slowly dressed myself, planning to accompany Elizabet to breakfast. As I stomped my feet into my boots, we heard a knock at both doors.
Elizabet and I looked at each other, shrugged and we each opened a door.
“Hi Mr. Ivor! We brought you some breakfast,” Ahte-tan said.
“Hi, Elizabet. I brought you guys some breakfast. Would you mind if we all ate together?” Liss-ran said.
I started laughing and Elizabet covered her mouth in an attempt to stifle her mirth. Ahte-tan looked confused until he peered around me to see Liss-ran at the other door.
“Hi, Liss-ran! Have you come to have breakfast, too?” the child said happily, a broad smile on his face.
“Hello, Ahte-tan,” Liss-ran said sweetly. It looks like we all had the same idea, huh?” She looked up at Elizabet, smiling. “I say we should all have breakfast together. What does everyone think?” she asked.
“All of us, Liss-ran?” I asked.
“Sure! I’ve not had much chance to even get to know Talah-ma’at, much less the boys, so why not?” she said happily. “Also… I’ve not gotten to know much about you or Miss Elizabet. I think that would be a smart thing for family to do, right?” she added, somewhat embarrassed as her skin flushed.
“Absolutely, Liss-ran. Where would be the best place for seven people to eat?” Elizabet asked.
“With any kind of privacy? Outside. Unless one of you knows of somewhere more secluded?” Liss-ran posed.
“Well, it’s kind of cold out right now. I’d be fine, but the rest of you might not be.” I said, thinking. “How about my workshop? It’s not very far, and it’s more than big enough. What do you think, Elizabet?” I asked.
After a moment, she nodded. “Talah-ma’at?” she called, “We’re all going to Ivor’s workshop for breakfast with Liss-ran. Are you coming?”
“Absolutely! I’ll pick up a bit more food, and meet you there,” Talah-ma’at answered.
With that settled, I grabbed my bow, using the stave as a staff and we slowly made our way towards my workshop, my muscles and joints protesting every step of the way. My boys kept up a veritable torrent of chatter with us as we slowly walked.
After a few minutes, I opened the door to my workshop, pausing to remove the shield from the lamps I had installed. Liss-ran set the food she had brought on the central table that Loki had made, and looked around.
“So this is your workshop? What do you do here?” she asked as she walked around, inspecting each station, pausing to look at what would become my new Bag.
“Well, as you can see, I’m making a new bag there. It’s taken me a couple weeks to get this far. It will replace the one I have here” -I set my smaller red Bag down next to it- “as it will be several times the size of this one,” I said.
“This one is big enough that I could fit in it. Why is it taking so long to make? I don’t understand,” she said.
Elizabet chuckled lightly and watched. “It’s taking so long to make because I’m trying to figure out how much energy it’s going to take to replicate this,” I said as I reached into my Bag and pulled out the Dire Bear pelt.
“How did… Where did that come from? What is that bag?” Liss-ran asked, her eyes wide.
“This is a Bag of Holding, and I made it the same day I arrived on Chaia. It’s about full, and I need to replace it. It currently holds three of these” -I stuffed the pelt back into the Bag- “pelts, a full set of camp gear, several bundles of firewood, a bunch of stones, about my bodyweight in raw and dried meat, a couple of knives, both of my guns, and some fingers,” I said, and Elizabet recoiled from the Bag.
“Fingers? Fingers, Ivor? Why do you have fingers in the Bag?” she asked, horrified.
“Remember the idiots in Nogogard? The one that wanted to eat my boys? I took his third and fourth fingers from both hands. Stuffed them in the Bag, and kind of forgot about them,” I said sheepishly. “I should probably send those back to him,” I mused aloud.
“Ugh. No, just… just forget they’re there, okay? That’s morbid,” she said, holding her hand to her stomach.
Liss-ran had paled at the mention of the fingers, and stared at me in shock. “You… why did you take his fingers?” she asked.
“To put it bluntly, he wanted to eat Ahte-naah. I threatened him and warned him off, but he decided to press his luck. Along with a fellow Guard, they broke into the room we were sleeping in, and I beat them back, shredding my right arm in the process, when I punched through the floor. They got in a few good hits, though. I was extremely lucky that night. I took the one man’s fingers, making good on the promise I’d made earlier that day. I was going to take his hands, but I decided to be kind. He can still feed himself,” I said.
Liss-ran stared in shock and horror. “People do that?”
“Some do, yes. It’s something I had heard of while I was in the Guild underneath Gnok. I thought it was disgusting even then,” Elizabet said, barely repressing a shudder.
“Yeah. I was pretty incensed that it was even a thought in his head. I nearly killed him on the spot, but I was trying to be a bit more calm. We see how well that worked out,” I said wryly. “Anyway, let’s see about making some more space for my family, yeah?” I said, looking around.
Since the workshop was more or less a rectangular affair, I had some room to work with. I looked at the table and decided it would be best if I simply expanded it. I Shaped the table to be a bit lower in order to better accommodate the kids, then added another four feet to its length. I Duplicated the wooden chair several times over, and set them around the table. As an added flourish, I decided to Shape a lamp in the center of the table, complete with little designs in the shade, depicting a large, happy blended family sitting around a table for a meal. I walked outside, picking up one of the rounded waste stones, made a Light that was about as intense as a pair of candles, and made it flicker like fire. Setting it in the holder, and placing the shade over it, the designs were backlit to great effect. It almost looked like they were laughing and talking in the light.
“There we are. A table and chairs for my entire family. There’s room for Blainaut, Thaddeus and any partner they may decide to take, as well. Maybe we can make this our dining area for larger, more private, family meals?” I asked.
The kids were in awe of what I’d done, as was Liss-ran. Elizabet simply smiled as she watched me work, as she’d seen me do things like the before. The others hadn’t.
I was looking around, deep in thought, when Talah-ma’at came in, accompanied by Blainaut and Thaddeus, each carrying a tray of different foods.
“Oh! I see you’ve expanded the table. Good move, Ivor,” the lithe Lizardfolk woman remarked as she came in.
“Welcome! Blainaut, Thaddeus, this is my workshop. And, if everyone agrees, how about we make this our family dining area? I can find a way to cover or hide my work, if needed,” I said proudly.
Nodding appreciatively, Blainaut said, “Well! I’d no idea you were this industrious, my friend. Or that you had interests and skills this broad. I think this might be an excellent place for us to have meetings and family gatherings. What do you think, Thaddeus?”
Thaddeus looked around and smiled. “Ah say t’would be a right nice place. We should do this more,” the younger man said.
“I’ve a few more touches, and it’ll be done. Don’t worry, it won’t take much out of me to do,” I said excitedly.
I picked up the few sconces I had abandoned in my search to make the blacklight solution. Since they were made of mostly clear crystal, I figured they’d make decent windows. I took them and some waste stone to my open window, and Shaped window panes out of the sconces, and fittings out of the stone, and set them in the wide window I’d made previously, Fusing them in place. I figured I’d make a sign while I was at it, and across the top of the window panes I Shaped the words “Ivor's Workshop”, and in two of the side panes I put the words “Open” and “Closed”, respectively. Hollowing out a small recess above each letter on the top, I placed a low-intensity blacklight stone in each that would illuminate just the letters, and did the same for the “Open” and “Closed” panes, as well, but only making one stone that I could switch to the correct pane as needed. I set the stone in the “Closed” position.
“There! Now I’ve got a proper shop and can take orders. What do we think?” I said, turning to my family.
They all stood or sat there, in open-mouthed shock.
“What? What’d I do?” I asked in confusion.
“You know, he never ceases to amaze me?” Blainaut said to Elizabet.
“I know. Me too,” she replied. “Ivor, just how did you come up with this? I would never have even thought about using the crystals here in such a manner, let alone with the blacklights. Just…how?”
“I dunno. I guess I wanted a taste of Earth here. It isn’t the same, not quite, but it’s similar” -I sat down in one of the chairs- “to almost any storefront you’d find in most cities in my world. I always wanted my own shop. Now I have one,” I said simply.
“So, you mean to tell me that stores on Earth have crystal windows that are lit by these blacklights?” Blainaut asked.
“No, the windows are glass, and they’ll have lights made of neon tubes or something similar,” I replied.
“All the windows are glass on Earth. Most signage that is meant to be seen at night is neon or lit up in some way. Here. If it still works, I’ll show you,” I said, reaching into my Bag, removing an old backpack.
I sighed. I’d not thought about my phone or headset or anything technological from Earth since I’d arrived. Hopefully, it still had some charge to it. Or my backup power pack did, at least. I walked over to one of the workstations, setting the backpack down. Digging through the bag, I pulled out my kilt, and unrolled it, revealing my phone and power pack. I pulled a power cable out of a pocket of my kilt, and turned on my phone.
While it booted, I walked back to the table and sat down. I laid the phone down, screen up, on the table, and waited. The screen went magenta, and I heard the familiar T-Mobile jingle, which startled everyone around me. I smiled, and the phone completed its cycle, coming up to my home screen. I still had almost a full charge after a couple months of not being used. That would change in a few minutes, but it was good to see.
I waited a couple seconds, seeing that no service was found. My heart sank in my chest as the last hope I had of telling my mom and sisters, friends and relations, that I was okay evaporated like smoke in the wind.
“Well, I don’t know why I expected any different, but here we go,” I murmured as the entire group crowded around me.
I opened my pictures, finding a series I had taken of a cousin’s business shortly after he had set it up.
“This is Louisville. A city in my home state. This is my cousin’s storefront on the day he opened. The windows are glass, and that sign there is a neon sign. When electricity -or caged lightning, don’t ask- is fed into that sign, it excites a very specific gas inside those glass tubes, and they glow.” I swiped to another picture, “And this is that same sign at night, lit up,” I explained, sniffling.
Elizabet laid her head on my shoulder, and hugged me gently. She pointed at a car, and asked, “What’s that? It looks…mean.”
“That’s a car. My car, specifically. Blainaut, do you remember when I told you I had things that could travel forty leagues in a couple of hours? This is one of them. My world doesn’t have magic of any kind. We rely on technology, such as this object in my hand, to help us in our daily life,” I said, tears flowing down my cheeks, getting lost in my beard.
“Ivor, you didn’t have to show us this. It’s okay. I believed you, you know,” Elizabet said softly.
“I know,” I sniffled, “I guess I wanted to see my home world again. Even if only in a picture,” I said, smiling.
“A picture? You mean, like a portrait?” Blainaut asked. I nodded. “Can that device make a portrait?” he asked, his hand rubbing his chin in thought.
“Yeah. I can take a picture or a video -a moving picture with sound. Why?” I asked.
“Make one of us. We’re your family, right? Take a picture of us all. That way you have both worlds,” he said softly.
“Heh. I’d never even considered that. Part of me wasn’t going to ever get my phone out again, but I guess that part got overridden. Let me make a stand for it. This time I’ll be in the picture,” I said, rising.
I explained how the picture taking worked to my family, warning them that they may have a bright light in their eyes, then shaped a stand to hold my phone at the perfect angle, set it up to take a picture on a delay, and pushed the button. I raced back to my seat, put my arm around Elizabet, and told everyone to smile at the light.
CLICK
The flash momentarily blinded everyone at the table, and I got up to see my picture. There we all were, one big, happy, smiling family. Sitting at the table, about to have a good meal. I sighed, and brought it back, showing everyone the photo.
The Lizardfolk were almost terrified at how real it looked. They were intensely curious, however, and got over their fear quickly. The Humans at the table were in awe at the technology, and said as much.
“Ivor, this is incredible. Something like this would revolutionize our world. Do you know that?” Blainaut exclaimed in wonder.
“Yeah, I know. Which is precisely why I’ll never let it be Duplicated. Chaia isn’t ready for this. Chaia may never be ready for this. It would require a special network of towers and machinery just to make it work. I can’t, in good conscience, let it loose upon this world,” I said somberly.
“You told me when we arrived in the Lizardfolk territory that you had music on this device. Could we hear some?” asked Elizabet.
“Music? On that thing? I’d like to hear that, actually,” Blainaut said.
“Really? Well, I guess so. Would you guys please set out the food while I see if I have something that would be okay?” I asked.
The others nodded, and I sifted through my vast library to find something that would be pleasant, and not angry-sounding, like the majority of my music. In the end, I settled on a selection of classical guitar pieces to play. No lyrics, just pleasant guitar in various styles.
“Here we are. Some calm breakfast music for my family,” I said as I pushed play.
Immediately, the room was filled with beautiful music coming from my phone, and I began getting myself a decent helping of breakfast. The rest of the group were too busy staring at my phone. I smiled, waiting for the first song to finish, then paused it.
“Well?”
“Ivor… That was simply beautiful. What was that?” Elizabet asked, her voice soft and emotional.
“Old ballads from a country called Ireland. I had a friend that played guitar, and he gifted me a copy of some of his music. He couldn’t sing worth a damn, but he could play a guitar as easily as ringing a bell. Would you like to hear more?” I asked.
A chorus of affirmations later, and I had pressed play again. I began to eat, and the rest of the group did the same.
We ate and I told stories from my home, in good spirits and even better company.
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2023.03.23 23:46 im_avoiding_work A Guide to spotting dropshippers
Dropshippers have been a problem for a while now, but I’ve been seeing an increase in relatively slick websites (and even some brick-and-mortar stores) getting in on the scam. After seeing the post about cotonhouse.fr I thought it might be helpful to pull together advice on spotting them, because their website is scarily convincing at first glance! So, how do you spot a dropshipper?
First, if you’ve never heard of a brand before, do a google reverse image search on some of their products. While some of these brands will include their own photo on a model, they almost all also use the same generic image of the lingerie set lying flat on a surface, often surrounded by a couple aesthetic objects. That image is your best bet for getting a quick result. Right click on the image and select “search image with google.” If you see results for the same image come up on etsy, aliexpress, and amazon, you’re done—the company is dropshipping.
Sometimes a reverse image search won’t turn up anything if the company has taken the extra step of only using their own photos.
In that case, look for common red flags. Any company that is selling full sets where you can only select a single S/M/L size is immediately suspect. Legitimate lingerie brands that are producing their own products do not do that. While some budget brands do use s/m/l sizing or sell sets as a unit, they will still let you select the bra and underwear size separately.
Another warning sign is if the shop seems to have an overly eclectic style where pieces look reminiscent of other brands. Legitimate companies can absolutely have eclectic styles, but dropshippers will often carry idiosyncratic pieces that don’t look like they were designed by the same company because they weren’t.
Finally, if you’re skeptical of the brand, look up their domain name on https://lookup.icann.org. Does the information that comes back match up with what the brand claims? Can you even get any information, or are they using a service to hide it? Legitimate brands do not do that.
Please add your tips in the comments! These brands are so scammy and I hate to think that people are getting tricked into buying from them.
submitted by im_avoiding_work to LingerieAddiction [link] [comments]
First, if you’ve never heard of a brand before, do a google reverse image search on some of their products. While some of these brands will include their own photo on a model, they almost all also use the same generic image of the lingerie set lying flat on a surface, often surrounded by a couple aesthetic objects. That image is your best bet for getting a quick result. Right click on the image and select “search image with google.” If you see results for the same image come up on etsy, aliexpress, and amazon, you’re done—the company is dropshipping.
Sometimes a reverse image search won’t turn up anything if the company has taken the extra step of only using their own photos.
In that case, look for common red flags. Any company that is selling full sets where you can only select a single S/M/L size is immediately suspect. Legitimate lingerie brands that are producing their own products do not do that. While some budget brands do use s/m/l sizing or sell sets as a unit, they will still let you select the bra and underwear size separately.
Another warning sign is if the shop seems to have an overly eclectic style where pieces look reminiscent of other brands. Legitimate companies can absolutely have eclectic styles, but dropshippers will often carry idiosyncratic pieces that don’t look like they were designed by the same company because they weren’t.
Finally, if you’re skeptical of the brand, look up their domain name on https://lookup.icann.org. Does the information that comes back match up with what the brand claims? Can you even get any information, or are they using a service to hide it? Legitimate brands do not do that.
Please add your tips in the comments! These brands are so scammy and I hate to think that people are getting tricked into buying from them.
2023.03.23 21:29 RadioactiveE33 Can't open any windows 10 apps or windows. HELP Please!
Got on pc today and noticed that my windows button on my taskbar didn't open, tried opening the search bar next to it, didn't open or activate the typing prompt, tried opening calendar and Wi-Fi buttons of taskbar, didn't open. Tried opening photos using the standard photos app, said something along the lines of application could not be provisioned, tried opening windows store, window opened for a split second then closes, can't even view right click > properties on This PC in file explorer.. doesn't open, and finally since my taskbar windows button doesn't work I right click it (which luckily does still work) and open settings from there.. once again the window opens for a split second then closes, nothing opens. I've already tried looking up a bunch of YouTube videos, including doing cmd commands such as:
>sfc /scannow ==restarted pc, didn't work==
>DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth ==including all other DISM commands, restarted pc, didn't work==
>Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”} ==which supposedly reinstalls all windows store apps, restarted pc, didn't work, also I did use WSReset.exe command before this but it said "you need a new app to open this ms-windows-store-link==
I'm starting to think that somehow my windows got corrupted but idk what to do, I have files I need on this pc and don't want to hard reset it, granted I don't know how I would even if I wanted to since my settings app has completely crapped out. I don't know what to do at this point, and I am at the point of panicking, if someone could help with this, I would greatly appreciate it.
EDIT (SOLVED): I literally just reinstalled windows using this method (check link below), should be time stamped, it is a bit tedious but I figured if it is the windows store and such corrupted, I just selected the option to delete apps and keep files. Which to me works fine, since I only need the files (I could simply just reinstall the applications anyway). Here is link to timestamped video I used: https://youtu.be/yidWdy-Xwdk?t=403
submitted by RadioactiveE33 to techsupport [link] [comments]
>sfc /scannow ==restarted pc, didn't work==
>DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth ==including all other DISM commands, restarted pc, didn't work==
>Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”} ==which supposedly reinstalls all windows store apps, restarted pc, didn't work, also I did use WSReset.exe command before this but it said "you need a new app to open this ms-windows-store-link==
I'm starting to think that somehow my windows got corrupted but idk what to do, I have files I need on this pc and don't want to hard reset it, granted I don't know how I would even if I wanted to since my settings app has completely crapped out. I don't know what to do at this point, and I am at the point of panicking, if someone could help with this, I would greatly appreciate it.
EDIT (SOLVED): I literally just reinstalled windows using this method (check link below), should be time stamped, it is a bit tedious but I figured if it is the windows store and such corrupted, I just selected the option to delete apps and keep files. Which to me works fine, since I only need the files (I could simply just reinstall the applications anyway). Here is link to timestamped video I used: https://youtu.be/yidWdy-Xwdk?t=403