Some of my best gaming experiences; Actually, only a few of my best solo experiences during the last year of the 80’s and throughout the 90’s came from the amazing “Point and Click Adventure” genre. Also known as “Graphic Adventures”, each game was an absolute, deeply layered, immersive journey: I was disconnected from reality and tuned into a different world, allowing me to be someone else from the moment those discs were inserted. the moment he hit that ON/OFF switch and went to bed.

To escape my normal life as a kid at school, all I had to do was boot up, and I instantly became a pirate, a secret agent, a time traveler, a space janitor, a detective, an archaeologist, a wizard. or a king. Douglas Quaid had “Rekall”, I had my Amiga.

This was beyond “the book”; Point-and-click adventures allowed the player to delve into a rich story, but actually be the protagonist, walk like them, respond like them, interact with other characters like them, and make decisions for them; each time being rewarded with more arguments, puzzles and brain teasers. Before the integration of actual audio dialogue into games when they came on CD-ROM years later (which I think spoiled them); the much cooler generation of users of the limited capacity floppy was forced to read all the dialogue in their head (creating their own voices if they wanted) with a 16-bit soundtrack and sound effects to go along with it. It was a sublime experience.

I preferred Point’n’Click only

Often with intriguing plotlines and an intense need to solve the current puzzle; Players spent countless hours on the games without a break, playing all day, night, and into the early hours of the morning. With a tired mind, this could transform them into a trance-like, dreamlike state, as if the dream they were having was right in front of them but in full color, completely controllable, and lucid. These were the best dreams they had ever had. Everything beyond the 4 sides of the screen in front of them collapsed and nothing else existed except the adventure; the only reminder that they were still a human watching was the feel of their wrist and hand pointing with the mouse and the sound of clicks as they chose a verb and then an object.

It was a very personal and lonely experience; a journey that can only be thoroughly enjoyed when done alone. I once sat down with a friend, trying together to solve some puzzles in a certain game that was available at the time, at his house. I had the feeling that I was invading his experience, and he was definitely spoiling mine; this was an experience I wanted to have locked away in my own room, not his. It was akin to trying to sit down and read a classic novel at the same time as someone else, both looking at the same pages, one wanting to turn a page and finish it, and the other wanting to stay and take in the complexities. of the story and dialogue and apply your imagination to enhance the scene. We were just two different instances of that sprite in two different mindsets. On his screen was exactly the same animated collection of pixels, but I did not recognize this character, he was not the same one who was waiting for me at home. We had been through different things at different times; I built a relationship with mine, and here I was just a clone doing actions I wanted to save for later, it just wasn’t the same. Needless to say, I never tried to co-play a Point’n’Click again.

Graphic adventure piracy, before Monkey Island

It all started for me in 1989, my uncle had given me a bootleg (naughty naughty) copy of Delphine’s brilliant Future Wars; this whetted my appetite for the genre, however, since I only know (unbeknownst to either of us) a two-disc set, I was only able to complete a few of the puzzles before being asked to “Insert Disc 2”. Without the disc, I couldn’t continue, which was frustrating to say the least, but this had me hungry for adventure games – I needed to play more.

I used to order Amiga games from some sort of mail order catalog (can’t remember for the life of me what this was called, or why I was doing it this way, since I could probably go to a computer store in the city). However, I believe that this catalog contained games that were not widely known or distributed at the time, perhaps from abroad. Inside it was a small ad showing a game with a weird and exciting cover, like that of a cool 80’s movie or cartoon, accompanied by a captivating sales pitch – right there you had to find out what was going on in the manic mansion. And so it was ordered and the waiting time began (I seem to remember 14 – 28 days?). Every day was a “Has the mailman been in?” routine, until a warm and fuzzy Saturday morning finally arrived. I remember opening the big brown bag and pulling out that amazing box. On the front, a large, colored version of what was shown in the catalog, but on the back, a strange painted image of the stories’ antagonists: Dr. Fred, Nurse Edna, and Weird Ed. that inside the box there was a huge poster showing a bulletin board with all kinds of references related to the plot and the backstory of the characters really convinced him. Maniac Mansion Disk 1 was in, and I was going to go into Maniac Mansion.

Adventures for a time without adventures

With a firm desire to point and click, and as the 90’s arrived, many more titles followed one another; Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Secret of Monkey Island, Operation Stealth, Loom, Day of the Tentacle, Cruise for a Corpse, Leisure Suit Larry, King’s Quest, Space Quest, Police Quest , Dark Seed , Dreamweb, KGB… Some atmospheric and serious, some full of incredible wit and humor; they arrived fast and dense, each one taking me to a different place, time and life.

As the genre became popular and steadily topped the charts, it wasn’t long before sequels appeared giving us even more adventures and more time to spend with (as) our favorite characters.

However, as consoles took on more and more prominence with their gamepads, this meant the end of point-and-click (consoles don’t use a mouse, of course), and with game sales at an all-time low due to the amount of floppy disk piracy; this spelled the end of the Amiga. PCs continued the genre for a while, but the new generation wanted more shock value and graphically exciting games in real-time 3D; the whimsical innocence of Point and Click games as we know them faded and the adventures were seemingly over. Fast-forward about 15 years… Although it lacks authenticity in interaction (less like “point and click” adventures, more like “look then touch” adventures), in recent years, with the intimacy of devices From touchscreens to tablets, the point-and-click adventure made me come back and I was happy to see some classics re-released. It’s good to see the genre become popular once again, though sadly, for me, they’ve lost the charm that made the games what they were. Maybe it’s because the actual hardware that was used at the time to play them is missing; With little storage space, processing power, and graphics capabilities, the stories and characters really shined because they had to. Or maybe it was because of what else was happening (or not happening) off the computer screen at the time. In an age before the Internet, mobile phones, social media, MMOs, and instant digital entertainment, there were few places to transpose the consciousness of a child seeking real adventure. With such a lack of options at the time for escapism, the Point and Click adventure was a Point and Click away from an entirely different world.

As we live longer, healthier lives, we face issues that were less of a concern to our parents’ generation. Today it is common for people to have gone through divorce or bereavement, and we don’t always have the extended, welcoming family to fill the void. Old age can often be seen as a time of loneliness: friends die, family is gone, and children move on. All that remains is an empty and meaningless life in front of a dying fireplace, right?

Wrong! Like the rest of life, age is up to you, and there are no rules that say that being over sixty means being more lonely or dissatisfied than at any age; In fact, it’s the opposite!

More than sixty years is an unparalleled opportunity to meet more people and do more things than we ever thought possible. We can sit at home and have access to the whole world. The home computer has more power than the one the Soviet Union had at the height of the Cold War. The TV does things we didn’t even know we wanted, the smartphone is a whole world in my pocket, and an e-reader holds more books than the library. And whatever anyone else says, a lot of older people are tech savvy.

Through the internet we can have friends all over the world. We sit in the living room and talk to people from all continents. We don’t have to be alone: ​​we can have all the friends we need at the touch of a few buttons. Sometimes the main problem is how to isolate everyone for a while and get some peace. But remember what they say: you can be in a room full of people and still feel lonely. There is quantity and there is quality; sometimes it’s also not about how many people we know; it is about having a special person close to us. Someone with whom to share our conversations, our daily activities, or spend some special time together.

But how do you go about finding that person? When a man or woman reaches their sixties, they may start to feel a little out of practice with dating. After all, for some of us it may have been more than forty years since we looked for a partner. And where do we go to find a partner? For many people, this is a very unknown business and so daunting that we can easily choose to abandon the idea in despair. Most dating sites are designed and used by people the age of our grandchildren. That’s where a dedicated 60+ dating site can prove invaluable as a way to meet the people of your dreams.

There are thousands of people, in their sixties and older, who are actively seeking love, romance, shared interests, companionship, or just friendship. We don’t have to go down to the disco or up to the ballroom to find them: they are a special group of people who have been selected just because they are looking for someone special. Among that group there are all kinds of interests, activities, preferences and experiences; and the dating app will find you the people who best match your own interests.

Almost as soon as the original Apple iPod was introduced, people in the marketing profession began to realize the medium’s potential for conveying brand and product messages. Today, podcasting is a popular method of communicating corporate information that allows companies to deliver valuable content to listeners. Because the sound of the human voice conveys emotion, the medium can deliver content more effectively than text. In fact, some marketing experts believe that podcasting is more powerful than other marketing mediums, such as direct mail advertising. By developing and incorporating a podcast into their marketing programs, companies can, for example, educate listeners about new and upcoming technologies in their industry, inform customers about soon-to-be-launched products, and promote new services. Use the following guidelines to develop your podcast.

plan your attack

Before you even start recording a podcast, you need to decide what you want to say, who your target market is, and what your call to action will be. At the end of your podcast, you may want to direct listeners to a specific web URL that will drive sales and measure how many people listened to your podcast. You should also develop a script that tells the voiceover person exactly what to say. And because of people’s generally short attention spans, you should avoid creating a podcast that’s longer than 20-30 minutes.

Get the right tools

To create your podcast you will need a PC and a microphone. Many computers already have built-in microphones. But you may want to purchase a variety of echo cancellation to ensure the best audio quality for your production. Headphones are also a good idea if you want to hear your playback recordings without hearing additional noise from your surroundings.

You’ll also need voice recording software, such as one of the basic or preloaded programs that come with your PC’s operating system. Or you can purchase a more sophisticated solution that allows you to edit the audio file, such as ePodcast Creator or the easy-to-use Windows and Mac compatible Audacity program. Audacity is available for free download at audacity.sourceforge.net.

start recording

Go to your program’s file menu and select New. Test the input level of your microphone and then just click the record button and start. If you are using Audacity, the software automatically saves the recording as an .aup file. However, some programs cannot open this format, so you must export your podcast as an .mp3 file after recording.

Upload your file

Once you’re done with production, you’re ready to upload the .mp3 file to your website or publish it to a blogging service like Podcasting.com or Apple’s iTunes Podcast Directory. If you want to post regularly, you’ll need to create an RSS feed. You can do this with an easy to use program like FeedForAll.

Advertise your podcast

To ensure you get a large audience, you should send an email to the contacts in your company’s database to let them know your show is available. Include some basic details that will catch their attention. And be sure to include a URL where they can download the podcast. You can also maximize your audience by making sure your podcast shows up in web search engines like Google and Yahoo and by using RSS search engines, including Google Blog Search, Bloglines, Feedster, and Technorati.

With vigorous globalization and dynamic economic trends, everyone wants to have a professional-looking and versatile website, equipped with online payment options, blogs, articles, etc. Open source applications readily available on the Internet have made the task of creating such websites quite easy and affordable.

With the changing global economy, online presence is paramount for everyone, from an individual to corporate entities. Having a website is not enough. To earn money online, it needs to look professional and has repository of some features like payment options for online transactions, content management system to manage website content, blogs, etc.

With such varied online demands, it is of the utmost importance to gain access to some sources, which can facilitate easy integration of the above features into your website and keep it in tune with the latest online trends. Nothing better than open source web applications!

Since open source applications allow users smooth programming and other functionality, they are widely used. You can get access to the source codes of such applications, absolutely free. Source codes can be easily edited and pages can be loaded in real time.

There are a lot of open source applications like WordPress, joomla, Bugzilla, Coppermine, Zencart, Oscommerce, etc. Most open source applications are available for free. These applications have almost transformed the face of web development in recent times. Now you can create your own blog or set up an online store in minutes. Now you can share your creations online by setting up your image gallery using one of the image apps. You can also manage your website content and add text, audio, video images to it with the open source CMS like Joomla, Drupal, etc.

You don’t have to be a programmer or developer to play with these open source apps. No specialized knowledge of HTML is required to use them. With basic knowledge of internet browsing, you can use these applications efficiently.

Most of the big websites like forums, social networking websites, e-commerce stores, etc. You are already reaping the benefits of these open source applications as they are enough for all your web needs. You can easily implement and customize solutions in no time with their support.

With the growing demand for web presence, a sharp increase in the number of web hosting providers has been observed. There are a number of good web hosting providers like LimeDomains, HostGator, FatCow, etc. that support most of these open source applications at fairly affordable prices. So get started with these freely available web applications and build your strong online presence.

Remember when launching a mobile app was a must for organizations planning to go digital? Time files and the new digital wave is here to conquer the world. Now having a mobile app is just a basic need for businesses. This new wave is not limited to a single technology or product. It goes without saying that to live up to the expectations of end users, efforts must be directed in a direction that adds a value proposition to the front line of the business. A study by Forrester highlights the importance of knowing your digital predators. It also suggests that those who overlook this factor are likely to fall behind their counterparts.

This article attempts to shed light on several factors that can help make your digital journey a rich experience.

Focus on creating a personalized experience for your customers

With the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT), digitization is spreading everywhere. Like it or not, most business strategists take for granted that Google and Siri know best what actions we’re taking and from where. There is no denying the fact that digital assets have become so ingrained in our daily lives that life seems incomplete without them. According to many research companies, IoT will be directly proportional to customer expectations. Simply put, the faster the IoT grows, the faster and higher our expectations become. It doesn’t matter if you’re a B2B or B2C organization, your end users expect a first-class, personalized experience from your offerings. To stay ahead of their competitors, each business adopts innovative techniques that have the potential to help them add agility while bolstering the revenue-generating cycle. Not all applications are the same, just like technologies. It must be verified that you are going to invest in the right technology that can generate multiple benefits.

It is true that today’s digitally driven customers shape their perceptions based on their ability to integrate your products or services. These expectations can only be met if companies collect comprehensive information about their customers, such as their requirements, the features they are looking for, their budget criteria, and the evaluation of their demands.

All clouds are not the same shape

It is truly difficult to become part of an end user’s personal value system as it requires unparalleled agility and guts to take calculated risks. If I have to define today’s world, I would rather call it a world of sensors, real-time data analytics, connected devices, and of course cloud computing. Here’s the problem, not all cloud computing platforms follow the same metrics or are designed using a standard scale. Most public cloud hosting providers focus on building the cloud as a commodity. However, organizations that only view the cloud as a utility model are not yet able to take advantage of its full capabilities.

Related to this, a report by North Bridge and Wikibon suggests that the adoption rate of cloud computing is not only increasing due to its scalability and simplicity, but also its ability to add agility to an enterprise. The report further states that an approximately 20% increase in the rate of hybrid cloud is a testament to previous proclamations. Wikibon also predicts that within the next 10 years, hybrid cloud computing will dominate all other computing models.

Cloud security concerns don’t go away: cloud experience matters

Without a doubt, the adoption of cloud computing is on the rise, and companies from all verticals with different demands are taking advantage of it to achieve their stated goals. However, concerns related to security and the cloud experience show no signs of abating. Well, this is due to the fact that the early cloud providers were more focused on cost. Apparently, many of the CEOs now believe that cloud expertise, including security, compliance, and privacy standards, is a must for a cloud benefactor. Here, industry-wide experience in the cloud domain can help meet these challenges.

The cloud is the future

Believe it or not, we have all entered a new era of cloud computing, in which reliability and interoperability challenges are beginning to be tied to security regulation, privacy, and blocking. Enterprises today exercise considerable caution when moving their business-critical data and applications between public and private cloud instances, so that every single point of failure can be mitigated.

The next decade of the cloud will be defined by its convenience and the level of agility it brings to its end users. It would not be surprising at all if it were mentioned that a single company will leverage multiple instances of the cloud to serve its different purposes, such as marketing, accounting, human resources, and operations.

Remember, don’t go for a cheap public cloud service provider; instead, focus on selecting a bidirectionally scalable and security-compliant provider. This will not only help reduce operating costs, but also provide a way to maximize ROI. Invest in a cloud that lives up to the always-on, always-available mantra, as it will ensure room for innovation and growth.

It is time to extend your conventional position to a better and innovative cloud space without compromising any of the necessary factors for business, such as security, performance, agility, to name a few.

Social Media Marketing seems to be the latest buzzword for anyone looking to increase their online presence and sales, but is Social Media Marketing (SMM) all it seems to be?

SMM companies are now popping up all over the place these days and they are telling anyone who will listen how incredibly important social networks like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are to their business but, for the average small and medium business, it does social media marketing. Do networks really live up to all the hype? Is it really worth spending a small fortune to hire an SMM company? And has anyone really researched this before hiring someone to set up a Facebook business page? Some SMM companies are setting up things like Facebook business pages (which are free) for $600 to $1,000 or more and telling their customers they don’t need a website because Facebook is the biggest social network in the world and everyone has a Facebook account. Now, while it may be true that Facebook is the world’s largest social network and yes, Facebook members are potential consumers, the real question is whether they are actually buying. Social media marketing companies are very happy to point out the positive aspects of social media like how many people use Facebook or how many tweets were sent last year and how many people watch YouTube videos etc. But are you getting the full picture? I once sat next to an SMM “expert” at a business seminar talking to anyone within earshot about the amazing benefits of setting up a Facebook business page for small businesses (with him, of course) and sell on Facebook. So, intrigued by the aforementioned “expert” advice, I looked him up on Facebook and found he only had 11 Facebook friends (not a good start). So, being the research nut that I am, I decided to take a hard look at SMM in regards to selling to see if it really worked, who it worked for, and if it did, why did Social Media Marketing work for them? And should businesses rely so heavily on social media for sales?

As a web developer, I was constantly (and now increasingly) faced with various social media challenges when potential clients said that having a website sounds good, but they had a Facebook business page and various sources (the ever-present but anonymous ones). they told me. them”) that social media was the thing to do, but after discussing their needs it became pretty clear that those potential customers didn’t really know why they needed social media or SMM to generate online sales, they just wanted it. small and medium businesses always recommended building a quality website on top of any kind of social media, why? Well actually it’s simple because social media is Social The media and social networks are Social networks that are No business media and business networks (which would be more like LinkedIn). I know it sounds simple, but it’s true and the statistics back it up. The fact is that social media marketing doesn’t tell you that Facebook is a social network, not a search engine, and even though the number of users on Facebook and Google is about the same, people don’t use Facebook the same way. the same way they use a search engine like Google (which has about half of the search engine market), Yahoo and Bing to search for businesses or products. They use it to stay in touch with family and friends or for news and entertainment. In a recent study by the IBM Institute for Business Value, about 55% of all social media users said they don’t engage with brands through social media, and only about 23% actually use social media to purpose to interact with brands. Now, of all the people who use social networks and who interact with brands, whether on purpose or not, the majority (66%) say that they need to feel that a company is communicating honestly before they interact.

So how do you use social media marketing? And is it worth doing?

Well first of all I would say that having a well optimized website will still bring you a lot more business than social media in most cases, especially if you are a small or medium local business because a lot more people will type in “hairdresser”. Port Macquarie” on a search engine like Google, Yahoo and Bing than ever on any social networking site and if you don’t have a website you are missing out on all that potential business. Yet despite all the statistics (not so good), I still think it’s still a good idea for companies to use social media, but not in the same way that many SMM professionals do today. Why? Because it’s clearly not working the way that they say it does.Basically SMM Companies and Business as a whole saw social networks like Facebook as a new market and ready to be picked and when Facebook started having users measured in the millions PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel invested US $500,000 for 7% of the company (in June 2004) and since then some venture capital firms have made investments in Facebook and in October 2007 Microsoft announced that it had bought a 1.6% stake of Facebook for 240 million dollars. However, from Facebook’s humble beginnings to now (2012), both SMMs and businesses have failed to truly capitalize on the sheer number of Facebook users online. The truth is that numbers do not equal buyers. Is it in the best interest of a Social Media Marketing company to talk about social networks? Absolutely. Is it in a Social Network like Facebook the best thing for people to believe that companies can sell en masse by advertising and marketing with them? Of course it is. In early 2012, Facebook revealed that its profits had jumped 65% to $1 billion in the previous year, as its revenue, which comes primarily from advertising, rose nearly 90% to $3.71 billion, so clearly the concept of SMM is working for them, but is exercising for you? Well…not statistically, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it never will.

I think the main difference between social media and search engines is the intent. People using Google are deliberately looking for something, so if they’re looking for hairdressers, that’s what they’re looking for at that particular moment. With something like Facebook, the main intention is usually to connect with friends and family. In October 2008, Mark Zuckerberg himself said, “I don’t think social media can be monetized in the same way that search (search engines) did… Three years from now we have to figure out what the optimal model is.” But that’s not our main focus today.” One of the biggest problems businesses face with social media and SMM is perception. According to the IBM Institute for Business Value study, there were “significant gaps between what companies believe consumers care about and what consumers say they want from their social media interactions with companies.” For example, in today’s society, people won’t just give you recommendations, Facebook likes, comments, or details without getting something in return, so the old adage “what’s in it for me?” comes into play. So the main reason most people give for interacting with brands or businesses on social media is to receive discounts, however brands and businesses themselves think that the main reason people interact with them in social networks is to learn about new products. For brands and businesses that receive discounts, it only ranks 12th on their list of reasons people engage with them. Most businesses believe that social media will increase promotion, but only 38% of consumers agree.

Companies need to find more innovative ways to connect with social networks if they want to see any kind of results. There were some good initiatives shown in the IBM study of companies that had gained some control over how they use social media to their advantage, considering that when asked what they do when they interact with companies or brands through social networks, consumers list “get discounts or coupons” and “buy products and services” as the top two activities, respectively, an American ice cream company called Cold Stone Creamery offered discounts on its products on its Facebook page. As an alternative, there’s a great program launched by Best Buys in the US called Twelpforce where employees can answer customer questions via Twitter. With both Cold Stone Creamery and Twelpforce, the profit is clearly in the prospect’s favor and the great trick to social media marketing is to sell without trying to sell (or look like you’re selling). Unfortunately, most social media marketing is targeted the wrong way. .

Building a tangible buyer-to-consumer relationship through social media isn’t easy and is probably the biggest benefit for businesses that use social media to boost their websites in Google rankings. But businesses need to understand that you can’t just set up a Facebook business page and hope for the best. SMM takes effort and potential customers need to see the value of what you have to offer through your social media efforts. Offer them something worth their social interaction and time, and then you can get better results.

Now, as a footnote, Facebook stock is down to less than $20 a share, that’s half its original price…and lawsuits are flying.

When shopping for golf equipment online, many people think of eBay (particularly for used clubs) and the ‘major’ online golf stores. However, there are many more options available to buy golf clubs online.

AUCTION SITES

Yes, there’s eBay, and it really is unbeatable for online auctions. eBay is unmatched when it comes to options and volume. However, it’s possible to get stung on eBay if you’re not careful (see the tips section below). Here are some other auction sites you might want to try:

o Online Auction (US) – I found over 200 golf items available for auction here. Mainly golf balls, gloves and other bits and pieces…not much in the way of clubs. It may be worth taking a look

o Golfbidder (UK/Europe): Sells primarily second-hand golf clubs, sourced from golf club professionals across the UK (a small percentage is sourced directly from the public). While most clubs are sold as ‘Instant Buys’, some are auctioned off. Usually more than 30 items are auctioned at any given time and you may be able to get a good deal.

o Grays Online (Australia) – Sellers on this site are primarily manufacturers, distributors or retailers trying to move excess or slow-moving stock…not consumer-to-consumer auctions. Not necessarily a bad thing, as this reduces some of the risk, but it also reduces the range. While there were only about 40 golf items up for auction when I last looked, there were some good deals. worth a look

In general, I would avoid buying new golf equipment through online auctions. While you can take some precautions, it’s hard to tell if you’re getting the genuine article or just a knockoff. The big, well-known eBay sellers are probably an exception.

MAIN ONLINE STORES

There are quite a few well-established online golf stores that stock a wide variety of equipment and have invested heavily in their brand. Some are better than others, but don’t be surprised and expect quality service, fast delivery, a refund policy, and lots of information for buyers (eg buying guides). Some of the best include:

or Golfsmith

or The Golf Warehouse

or Callaway Golf

or Rockbottom Golf

o US Golf Outings

or Golf Discount

or Austad Golf

oGolf Galaxy

Snainton Golf

online golf

ONLINE GOLF FORUMS

Some great online golf communities have formed in recent years and now you can choose from literally dozens of online golf forums to be a part of. Some of the largest have an area for buying, selling and exchanging golf equipment.

Because golf forums are small (sort of) communities of people with a shared interest, it’s a fairly safe and supportive environment to buy and sell equipment. If you are not sure if a golf club seller is genuine, you can simply ask other members of the forum.

There is a lot of combined knowledge on these forums, so bad apples are quickly discovered.

I find these to be the best and they have a very active buy/sell/trade area:

or Golf WRX – approx. 79,000 members (mainly US)

o Magic Golf – approx. 77,000 members (mainly UK/Europe)

iseekgolf – approx. 75,000 members (mainly Australia)

OCCASION GOLF EQUIPMENT STORES

Stores that sell used equipment are a very good alternative to eBay, classified ads, and other online auction sites. Larger online stores typically have: (1) a used club inspection and certification process, (2) no-questions-asked return policy, (3) 12-month warranty; and (4) shipping damage warranty.

While many of the big online golf stores sell used and new golf equipment, there are some online stores that only sell used equipment:

ONLY USED

o Second-hand Callaway: also sells other brands, eg Nike, Titleist, Ping, TaylorMade. Offers 12-month warranty, 90-day money-back and buy-back guarantee

o TaylorMade Pre-owned: 14-day money back guarantee and 12-month warranty

o Golfbidder (UK) – 7 day ‘no quibble’ returns policy, 12 month warranty and some good buyer’s guides to help you choose the right clubs

USED ​​AND NEW

o Golfsmith – 30 day return policy. No Warranty – Differs from the manufacturer’s warranty (which has probably expired!)

o Edwin Watts Golf – 30 day return policy. No Warranty: Differs from the manufacturer’s warranty.

o Direct Golf (UK): Used clubs obtained from trade-ins at Direct Golf stores. 14 day money back guarantee. No warranty

AMAZON

The Amazon marketplace is big…very big. And here is a good variety of new and used golf equipment.

The Amazon marketplace is a bit like eBay in that sellers (big and small) sign up with Amazon to sell their new or used golf equipment. The difference is that the items are not auctioned, they are sold at the advertised price. It’s also a little less risky with Amazon’s purchase guarantee: they’ll refund your money if you don’t get the item you paid for or if it’s not what you expected.

Amazon also offers a free subscription to Golf Digest or Golf World if you spend more than US$25 (US only).

Take a look at Amazon Golf.

SITES OF EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS

There’s really only one premium club manufacturer that sells online, and that’s Callaway. The others, like Titleist, Ping, Nike, etc., obviously have websites to market their equipment, but they usually sell clubs through retail stores.

Some manufacturers (listed below), while not selling equipment online, do provide information and tools that would be helpful to online shoppers:

o Titleist: Titleist provides a comprehensive description of its products (including Vokey wedges and Scotty Cameron putters) as well as a catalog of its past models. There is also information on how to spot fake Titleist equipment.

o Ping – The Ping site has an online club setting tool that would be helpful if you plan to purchase Ping equipment online elsewhere. Ping also has information on how to spot fake computers.

o Odyssey – here you can find a pretty good online tool to find the right putter. You can buy Odyssey putters on the Callaway website

o Callaway: You can buy gear directly from Callaway on their online store

ONLINE CLASSIFIED

Online classified sites are another option, primarily for used golf clubs. The local classified newspaper has moved online, so there’s a good chance you’ll find a classifieds website for your local area. While you may not find the largest variety of golf clubs, if the seller is nearby, you can drive by to see the clubs.

Craigslist hosts classifieds that serve the entire world, so you should take a look here as well. It is the 8th most popular website in the US, with around 50 million unique visitors per month!

Are you thinking of renovating your bathroom?

So it is very important that you make an intelligent decision about the tiles that you are going to choose for your bathroom.

And this is why we are here to help you achieve an amazing look for your bathroom.

3D tiles have been in fashion as bathroom tiles for quite some time, making them a hot product to try in your bathroom. There are a wide variety of 3D designer mosaics available for you to choose from for your bathroom redesign.

If you want a sophisticated finish for your bathroom interior decoration, these bathroom tiles are the best choice for you. These 3D tiles add an elegant and decorative look to your bathroom. Having a unique design and looking around, people today prefer these tiles. Plus, they’re crack-resistant, which is one more reason to definitely give them a try.

Why 3D designer wall tiles for your bathroom?

1. Many options – When it comes to 3D bathroom tiles, they come in so many varieties that you don’t have to compromise at all. Get the best! With so many colors and designs available to choose from, you can satisfy your and your family member’s preferences.
2. Great design and appearance. – Do you want your bathroom to look elegant and classy? Or do you want a more vintage look? Or it could be that you are a fan of something different and twisted. Whatever your preference is, you can achieve it through these 3D designer bathroom tiles. Have fun with your bathroom remodel and give it a new look.
3. crack resistance – Usually one of our biggest concerns regarding tiles is that they fade very quickly and crack easily. Right! But no more stress as these 3D mosaic tiles are crack resistant. So no more ugly cracks in the tiles making you spend money on them over and over again or go through the embarrassment of your guests seeing ugly cracked bathroom tiles.
4. highly durable – Another amazing benefit of these bathroom tiles is that they are very durable which means you don’t have to replace them again. Now, you can enjoy your great bathroom walls and great interior by investing in these 3D mosaic tiles. These wall tiles will last you a long time.

Given so many benefits of these 3D designer tiles, it only makes sense that you would remodel your bathroom with these tiles. These are perfect for people with different preferences but expecting supreme quality. So, make your bathroom new and stylish with these 3D tiles!

There are many quadcopters for beginners. The Smya X1 is one of the most popular. I like it because it has a 2.4GHz transmitter, it’s very durable and very easy to fly. You can also make him do somersaults at the touch of a button to impress your friends.

But I just recently got the Blade mQX, and I have to say I’m pretty impressed. It’s actually similar in size to the Syma X1, but has better performance with 4 x 8.5mm brushed motors, 5.5in fan blades, and a 4-in-1 receiver/ESC/mixer/sensor that acts as a dashboard. flight check. The built in DSM2 receiver is one thing I really like about the Blade mQX, many quadcopters come with proprietary transmitters and receivers and it can be difficult without hacking the hardware to make it compatible with your existing transmitter. With the Blade mQX, you can pair it with any DSM2 compatible radio, like Spektrum radios. So instead of lugging around a multitude of radios, you can program all of your models into one transmitter.

Out of the box, it comes in what is called a + configuration. This means that the upper arm of the + sign is forward. The + setting is a bit better suited for beginners as it will be more stable and respond a bit slower to commands. As such, it will be more difficult to lose control. You can easily switch to X mode, and this provides a slightly more advanced flight experience. Personally, I prefer X-mode. If you switch to X-mode, I would recommend changing one of the fixtures so that you have two fixtures of one color on the front and two fixtures of the other color on the back.

The battery that comes with the model is a 1S 3.7V 500 mAh LiPo battery and provides approximately 10 minutes of battery life. The battery takes about 45 minutes to charge, so you may want to get a couple of extra batteries to be able to fly for longer periods of time. They are quite cheap and provide much more fun!

And don’t worry about crashing, as long as you’re on grass, you can crash it all you want. The carbon fiber stringers are strong and the plastic cover is durable. It is so light that not much momentum is built up in a crash, so not much damage can be done. But if you DO break something, there are detailed tutorials online on how to fix your little quadcopter. It also comes with spare propellers and you can buy replacement parts online.

If you ever get a chance to explore the British Virgin Islands (BVI)… do it! The US Virgin Islands are great too, but there’s something about the beach bars and snorkeling in the British Virgin Islands that I really love. The best way to see the British Virgin Islands? We have BVI Boat Charter of course!

The Virgin Islands are made up of 4 “official” US islands and 15 British islands, there are actually more smaller islands, but these are the inhabited ones.

Each island on its own is enchanting and beautiful, but the best way to see the VIs is together. There are tour group trips you can take, but the real magic happens on private charter boats. These charters, or day trips, can be customized specifically for you. You get a boat and an experienced captain as your personal car and guide and a trip tailored to your tastes.

Are you a snorkel addict? The islands are packed with incredible reefs for beginners and novices alike. There are many guides on what fish can be found where and at what time of year. Virtually every island has a great snorkeling spot and the captain of your charter boat is bound to have some secret spots up his sleeve. The boat will usually have snorkel gear that you can use during the day as well, so there’s no need to bring extra luggage, but be sure to ask before your day trip.

Not a diver? No problem. Land lubbers love to spend the day in a sundeck at the rear of the ship. Many of the popular beach bars have a boat congregation where people are hanging out in the water, playing ball, dancing to the music, and jumping off the boats. These are great places to visit during your day trip. If you’re looking for somewhere a bit more secluded, there are plenty of islands with deserted beaches. Wild horses, donkeys, and iguanas roam freely on various islands. Ask the captain of your charter boat about the best places to see them…or stay away from them!

Does anyone drink? Rum is part of island life and there is as much rum as there is sand and water! There are plenty of watering holes around the islands, and you could even make your whole trip one big beach bar crawl! The Soggy Dollar on Jost Van Dyke doesn’t have a dock, so the soggy dollars make you swim ashore. Try their signature “Painkiller” as you lie in a hammock and listen to island music. Just around the corner, a bay over, is Foxy’s. Foxy’s is an iconic place where Foxy himself will tell you jokes and stories. The Willie T on Norman Island is an old barge set up in the middle of the bay that you can jump off of or drink from, but I wouldn’t recommend doing both. If you bring young children, do it during the day or risk them getting an anatomy lesson from the girls who like to go topless. The Pirate’s Bight is there too, and it’s a great place to eat.

See the islands the way they were meant to be seen: by renting a boat! Whatever your idea or paradise, the Virgin Islands have it!