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Bose

A large portion of day I spend wearing headphones. It prevents me having to listen to background noise such as bird squawking, car tooting, dog ruffing, my associate Helen, etc.. and instead surrounds me in soothing music and entertaining podcasts. Such is the exotic life of someone who works at a desk (I should also brag that I share said desk with a COLOUR printer, and a telephone). I decided that good headphones are a worthy investment if I'm going spend so many waking hours wearing them.

I spent a long time using in-ear headphones. They isolated well and provided impressive sound, but they never felt that great, and lately the idea of jamming things into my ear has lost its appeal. Maybe I'm getting older and more sensible? Maybe I'm just developing a new phobia? Who's to say? Regardless, I decided I'd switch to an over-ear headphone and purchase one largely based on comfort. In the end I chose to go with Bose and the AE2i headphones.

A lot of geeks and audiophiles will now take to pointing and laughing at me in the street. They scoff at Bose products but to be fair, for a long while I, too, would scoff. Oh, how I would scoff. Their products seemed like a bit of a novelty and never really interested me. Not until I tried on these headphones. They're a perfect set of portables. Incredibly comfortable, very light, and have impressive sound quality (despite audiophile rants). I have a pair of reference headphones I listen to music with at home, their focus is sound quality and will never venture outdoors. Portable headphones have to balance sound quality, size and comfort. The AE2's do so perfectly.

Neil Wysocki

Photography: Neil Wysocki

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DualShock 4

At long last, the age of mediocrity is over. The DualShock 3 is dead. ALL HAIL THE DUALSHOCK 4! Truly this is the greatest PlayStation controller we have ever known. Wherever the controllers of the PS3 failed us, the PS4 controller has mastered. Somewhere out there, a team of Japanese engineers are patting themselves on the back for a job well done. What will they develop next for the PlayStation? Only time will tell, but for now let us all be sure to never discuss the Sixaxis ever again. Together we can ignore history. It just never happened.

Neil Wysocki

Photography: Neil Wysocki

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Laptabtops the new Tablaplets

Writing a blog can be very enjoyable, but everyone knows the real money is in writing either Star Trek Deep Space 9 erotic fan fiction or new and interesting interpretations of the Bible. These do, however, take a lot of time and hard work to get the big pay off. Now with so much writing to be done, you might look poorly on the iPad given its use of an inefficient touch-screen keyboard. If, like most people, you keep a list of regrets and instances in which you were wrong, then unravel that long scroll and add to it once again because there is a solution. Via "Bluetooth" (a special computer chip) the iPad can wirelessly connect to a variety of keyboards, or better yet, keyboard cases. I personally use a keyboard case from ClamCase, which has gifted me the modern computing lifestyle of an iPad and, when needed, a traditional laptop as well. Just buy a laptop? Oh sure, you could do that but the screen wouldn’t detach and become an iPad. I find that old fashioned.

Neil Wysocki

Photography: Neil Wysocki

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DEATH TO APPLE EARPHONES

 If ever there was a curse put on those who take public transit on a daily basis, that curse is the original Apple earphone. For over a decade they have been packaged with Apple products, as such, they are very common in the tight confines of public transit. They are made so cheaply and so poorly that their tin-can-like hollow sound echoes out past their owner’s skull towards everyone else’s ears. As if it wasn’t enough that the owner of the iPod must tolerate the terrible sound quality, now I too must listen. 

As I have mentioned, I have visited and paid witness to the future. I cannot get into the details, but this problem goes on for quite sometime. I can assure you though, when current governments crumble and we see the resurgence of overruling Kings, I will attempt to position myself as said King of Canada (or as I will rename it, New Canada). My first order of business will be to make use of these earphones punishable by death, or a scarlet letter of some kind (to wear a scarlet letter will regain its taboo status under my reign).

Neil Wysocki

Photography: Neil Wysocki

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Modern Home Computing

Visitors to my home often make mention of the same things, they say "Neil...is this a human skeleton? Are those expensive?" and "Neil... where is your computer? I cannot see it." These are keen observations and I don't think it rude to ask questions regarding them. The human skeleton is actually my very own skeleton and therefore both free and yes... completely legal. I retrieved it from my grave in the future when a foolish scientist left his time machine unattended. I keep it as a constant reminder that I die in a boating accident next summer... In regards to the computer, people are surprised to discover that my home computing layout is so simple and so elegant. A Mac Mini stored in a cabinet connected to my television, and an iPad. Given it is my personal home computing, its purpose is not so much for work as it is for my entertainment. It exists only to fetch my data and present it to me while I sit on my couch with a wireless mouse and touch pad, enjoying a variety of delicious chips. I encourage everyone to forego their bulky computer towers and over priced laptops. In this combination you get both a home theatre experience and a futuristic tablet experience in one perfectly balanced ecosystem. Anything else is as barbaric as the steam powered computing machines our great grandparents once used after the war.

Neil Wysocki

Photography: Neil Wysocki

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Switching: iPhone to Nexus

When I decided to switch from the iPhone to an Android device a lot of people couldn't believe it. One entered a coma due to pure shock and is still in that coma today; his family misses him and I feel somewhat responsible. Another while in a fit of rage, attempted to murder me. I barely escaped but I'm alive and will have my revenge... Meanwhile people are still banging on my door demanding answers. They want to know what drove me to insanity, what pushed me over the edge?

For one I was just bored. Apple’s was a pretty limited OS and I felt it had gotten stale. Update after update and it wasn't getting any different. Android, however, looked a lot more interesting with so many new and exciting things. Secondly I was growing bitter and jaded with Apple. The updates to iOS never supplied anything substantial but made my device constantly slower. I eventually decided to stick it to those trillionaires and give my money to those other trillionaires. That would teach them. They must have felt the hit to their bottom line by now. They'll call soon. They'll call and I'll laugh and laugh. 

Neil Wysocki

Photography: Neil Wysocki

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Retro Cameras

I welcome the growing trend in camera manufacturers building retro style bodies and lenses. It's a little gimmicky, but when done properly it really adds something. Picking it up, it feels substantial and well made. I like the idea of buying a camera and potentially keeping it for years to come. 

There was a time in my life that I was throwing away 2-3 digital cameras a week. Not only were they so quickly being replaced by new and exciting models, but their cheap plastic bodies would crumble at the slightest touch. Often times my fingers would be so soaked in mercury as a result that I could barely open the box of a new replacement camera.  

Imagine instead, handing a well crafted digital camera down to your son or daughter so that they may use it on rare occasion before pawning it for an electric guitar in lacklustre condition.

Neil Wysocki

Photography: Neil Wysocki

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Headphones

Perhaps you find yourself in a position that a large stereo system is less than appropriate. Share a wall with some dumb baby? An old Italian lady downstairs taking a broom to the ceiling? Is it for sure a broom? Truthfully you'll never know. Regardless what the blunt object is, take it as a sign that you are perhaps better suited for a quality set of headphones. This is excellent news. They'll present your music with perfect acoustics, less background noise and a stereophonic sound experience that was once reserved for only kings and international super models.

Sadly you'll find today’s market is a garbage dump full of rabid animals. Musician advocated expensive nonsense from a company who makes over priced cable wire and surge protectors have become unbelievably popular. 

I believe in buying headphones from a company who specializes in actually making audio equipment. I don't buy my produce from the hat salesman! He has weird sweaty hands and I find him genuinely disturbing company. 

Personally I use a pair of Grado headphones. I have never experienced such a quality of sound as I have with my RS2i's. (This is where people toss around a lot of descriptive nonsense regarding the sound, such as the crisp warm highs and subtle tone retention in the mids with a lower end that never completely bottoms out. All of it is true.)

There's even more to them than the perfect sound quality. Putting them on, you instantly appreciate their build quality. They have a timeless style and a design that fits your head perfectly. Being made of mahogany, if the threat of beaver or woodpecker attacks concern you rest assured such things are very rare.  

Should you find yourself tempted to invest in whichever celebrity endorsed, neon back-lit, turbo bass headphones please consider a pair of Grados instead.

Neil Wysocki

Photography: Neil Wysocki

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PS Vita

It’s an age old fact that being an early adopter of any new technology is an excellent decision. Everyone knows this to be true. As such, when Sony released the PlayStation Vita I made sure not to waste any time. Unlike some common chump, I paid top dollar to be part of an elite group of people fortunate enough to enjoy a small variety of reasonably well produced launch titles. 

Then unexpectedly... nothing happened for a very long time. 

Those dark ages are nearly past us. There’s a bright future ahead for the Vita and its user base. This isn’t going to be another Atari Lynx, Sega Game Gear, Nintendo Virtual Boy, Neo Geo Pocket, or PSP GO. This is going to work. Some laugh and think otherwise, but Sony has a plan. You'll see.  

Remember this; when the PlayStation 4 arrives those with a PlayStation Vita will become kings. 

(Preexisting kings who purchase the PlayStation Vita will become super kings)

Neil Wysocki

Photography: Neil Wysocki

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Thank you for visiting Bit Pigeon. If you’re reading this, it tells me you’ve connected to the internet via 56K modem or faster with a computer monitor supporting a minimum of 640x480 resolution. While these specifications are suffice, you may find that this site and many others will benefit from a more modern set up. I never created this site to instruct you on how to live your life so by all means ignore my suggestion and enjoy your personal computing however you see fit.