Embedded systems and firmware Embedded systems are everywhere, in mobiles, cameras, TVs, smart cards, and other automated devices. They have become an integral part of our lives and have made it comfortable and easy. But how do these embedded devices work? They have installed firmware, which has its own set of instructions running on the hardware’s processor. Firmware is basically a binary file installed on customized operating systems such as Unix or Windows and very small in size....

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZcV0c_7pmE&feature=youtu.be] Right before Apple made AirPlay mirroring for Macs official with the Mountain Lion developer preview, we told you about AirParrot, a third-party app that brings the same functionality to Snow Leopard. The same developers just announced the first solid release of another AirPlay app, but this time it is for iPad 2 and iPhone 4S mirroring to your Mac. “Reflection” ($14.99 single license) allows users to easily view their iPhone or iPad’s screen (and audio) on a Mac’s display over AirPlay....

There are a lot of similarities between Doctor Who and Rick and Morty. Both feature weird sci-fi adventures. Both have devoted fan bases. They go eons between seasons. But one of the most similar things are their protagonists. Rick and The Doctor are brilliant, space-faring explorers with courage and ingenuity beyond most other mortals. However, since there can never be a two-way tie at the top, we figured we’d find out exactly which sci-fi adventurer was better....

The Ring doorbell features a built-in video camera, so you can see who is at the door directly from your smartphone. You can respond to callers through the built-in speakers, even if you’re not at home. The Ring app also allows you to record short clips of any motion detected by your doorbell, helping to keep your home safer. Unfortunately, you can lose all of these useful functions if you have issues with your Ring doorbell not charging....

The Star Wars saga is coming to an end with The Rise of Skywalker now just over a month away. Despite the mixed reception to The Last Jedi, fans seem on board with the blockbuster and willing to place their faith in JJ Abrams delivering a satisfying conclusion to a franchise that has so far spanned over 40 years, 10 movies and 100s of fascinating characters. With that in mind, we now take a look at the best bad guys we’ve seen on-screen over the last four decades....

The Rogue One prequel series for Disney+ will commence production in London next year. With the Star Wars movies about to go on hiatus for a few years after The Rise of Skywalker, the Disney+ streaming service is a major part of Lucasfilm’s plans as they create new content in the galaxy far, far away. The platform will be the exclusive home to three upcoming live-action Star Wars TV shows: The Mandalorian, an Obi-Wan Kenobi series starring Ewan McGregor, and a Rogue One prequel headlined by Diego Luna and Alan Tudyk....

Roland Emmerich’s latest mega-blockbuster Midway hit theaters earlier this month, and it ranks pretty well against some of his other movies. The German-born Emmerich began his film career while enrolled at the University of Television and Film Munich, and only decided to become a director after watching Star Wars. Emmerich released a number of direct-to-video films and theatrical releases in his native country before bursting onto the Hollywood scene with Stargate, which became a surprise smash in the United States....

Ever since the Mac Pro was released in December, we’ve faced an onslaught of 4k displays. We reviewed Seiki’s budget offering last year, and while we liked it overall, it did have more than its fair share of set backs. For instance, you could only use the full 4k resolution at 30Hz, which meant that there would be noticeable lag when using the display as a monitor. Despite the low refresh rate, the display was still a great deal at its then $450 price point (now down to $390) and truly got us excited for the potential of 4k....

Plan risk management It is the procedure of defining how to perform risk management activities for a project. Risk Identification It is the procedure of determining which risk may affect the project most. This process involves documentation of existing risks. The input for identifying risk will be Risk management plan Project scope statement Cost management plan Schedule management plan Human resource management plan Scope baseline Activity cost estimates Activity duration estimates Stakeholder register Project documents Procurement documents Communication management plan Enterprise environmental factor Organizational process assets Perform qualitative risk analysis Perform quantitative risk analysis Plan risk responses Monitor and control risks...

Roku has today announced that it will start offering over 20 different paid premium subscriptions within its Roku Channel app. These new options like Showtime and Starz add to Roku’s library of over 10,000 free TV shows and movies. However, it’s not just Roku’s stand alone hardware that holds opportunity for the company. The Roku Channel and new video content are now available through its iOS and Android apps, and is currently ranked number six in the entertainment category....

Following reports this morning from Macotakara that claimed Sharp would be supplying display panels for a next-generation iPad, a conflicting report from Korean publication Electronic Times Internet News (via PatentlyApple) claimed Sharp “failed to pass Apple’s approval process for mass production.” The report also claimed Samsung and LG already kicked production for iPad 3 panels into full capacity as of the beginning of this year: According to the report, Apple is planning on placing orders for 65 million LCD panels for iPad 3 during 2012....

A new report today shares the forecast that Apple will be making even more moves to offer some of its products at more affordable prices this year. The new products to allegedly receive even lower price tags include both MacBook Air and a new HomePod. Meanwhile, another report today suggests that a new iPad Pro with Face ID could show up as soon as June at WWDC — earlier than others expect....

One thing is for sure: accessory makers are pulling out all of the stops when it comes to decorative HomeKit lighting accessories. Back in May, we took a look at the Lifx Beam accessory, which offers smart lightning in a neon tube-like format. Now, Lifx is back with its Tile accessory, which is seemingly its more direct competitor to the Nanoleaf Aurora. Unfortunately, where the Aurora excels, the Lifx Tile often seems to fail…...

Over the past few weeks, Mophie has released two new battery cases for the iPhone 5: the Juice Pack Helium (above, right) and the Juice Pack Air (above, left). Both cases are similar in functionality, but both offer their own unique pros and cons. Read on after the break for our reviews. Design: The Helium and Air cases actually share a very similar design. Externally, the main way to differentiate the two cases is by the coloring....

Over the past decade I’ve been reviewing cases for Apple devices, people have occasionally asked how I can find new ways to write about products that are so similar to one another. My answer: I focus on the differences, and sometimes find fascinating how something that worked or didn’t work for one Apple device has flipped for another device. SwitchEasy has been making cases for almost as long as I’ve been reviewing them, and quickly developed a reputation for outstanding value across budget-priced options....

Spider-Man and Spider-Gwen have a shared history with one another on their universes, but both have seen tragedy strike. Seeing Gwen Stacy die has understandably made Peter Parker protective when he sees a different version of her. However, the two’s shared grief ultimately made the pairs kind-of-reunion one of the sweetest moments in Marvel Comics history. The original Gwen Stacy died in Amazing Spider-Man #121 after the Green Goblin kidnapped her and knocks her off a bridge....

Rogue Amoeba, the company behind several popular audio apps for Mac, has updated all of its software today with full support for M1 Macs — which includes the new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. Apps like Airfoil, Audio Hijack, Loopback, and SoundSource can now be installed and run natively on Macs with M1 chip instead of using the Intel binaries through Rosetta 2. Running software natively on ARM architecture provides better performance and efficiency....

After sharing some details about the ninth-generation iPad this week, MacOtakara reported today that Apple is planning to launch the next-generation iPad Pro in March this year. The new models are expected to have a similar design to the current generation, but with a mini-LED display for the 12.9-inch version. MacOtakara previously said that the 2021 iPad Pro will remain with the same design as the 2020 models, and this seems to be the case as the blog has once again reinforced that in today’s report....

In fact, there’s even a way to control your Roku from Google Chrome. So it’s nice to see the Roku app finally come to Windows Phone. Roku App Windows Phone In the app description, it does exactly what you’d expect it to: Roku is arguably the best set-top box out there because it’s easy to use and the amount of channels on it dwarf its rivals, (Apple TV added four new channels this week), but on top of Roku’s enormity of channels, it also has some very cool hidden channels you can install....

Back in December, AgileBits released 1Password 4 for iPhone and iPad. The app presented a completely revamped take on password security, but lacked feature parity with the Mac version of the software. Today, 1Password for Mac has been updated to version 4, bringing a ton of new features to the Mac. In fact, the update brings so many new capabilities that the Mac version of 1Password has now surpassed the iOS version in features....