This is my September blog post covering some of my general tech activities during the month.
Introduction
In September my health had improved and the diversity in my tech activities is increasing. I’ve started to get into photography again, carried on having a clear out, played co-op games and purchased audio hardware and memory cards.
Games
With my better half and a friend (remotely) we played Company of Heroes, Magicka and Titan Quest Anniversary Edition.
I had never heard of Titan Quest before and a friend suggested the game. We all enjoyed running around collecting items, fighting skeletons and other baddies, whilst traveling between Helios and Sparta!
My Company of Heroes gameplay style is adapted to playing against the AI. I focus on grabbing fuel, resource management (such as keeping tanks repaired etc), and pushing forward (often suddenly) strongly. Whilst I’ve been playing this game for years, I’m trying to improve my skills.
I noticed CoH 2 DLCs were reduced via Steam so I purchased the last one I hadn’t already purchased. I’ve been meaning to play Company of Heroes 2 more, but prefer its predecessor with its campaigns and available mods.
My better half and I also played Red Alert 3. We’ve been playing RA3 a RTS game for years. We have RA3 installed via Steam on our Windows 10 PCs and use the LAN connection options.
A screenshot of Red Alert 3 gameplay.
I wish the ‘Uprising’ version of RA3 was also multiplayer, but sadly it isn’t. Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 – Uprising is similar to its predecessor, but I’m glad I purchased it and like the additional units. I also played this game during September.
A screenshot of Red Alert 3 Uprising gameplay.
Tower 57 was a recent top down style co-op game purchase which I’m not good at! My better half and I connect a couple of gamepads to my old PC and we run around shooting baddies, collecting items and upgrading body parts! We’ve only played the game a few times, but we think it’s a fun co-op.
Xbox 360 Compatible Gamepads for the PC
Back in the day I used to use joysticks more than gamepads. I started using a joystick with a Spectrum 48K computer and another with the Atari STe. It was only with the Nintendo and Sega consoles that I started using a ‘gamepad’.
One of my gamepad controllers is heavily used and having some issues. I’ve decided to purchase a couple of replacement gamepads for PC gaming. They were cheap via eBay and I intend to use them with Windows 10 for games mainly installed via Steam, such as Broforce and Gauntlet.
October Update: I tried to use one of the replacement gamepads and had a problem with the left joystick, so I’ve now purchased a couple of alternative gamepads from elsewhere.
Fresh ‘n Rebel Caps Headphones
I wear the headphones most days and eventually a piece of plastic on the side broke, so I quickly purchased another pair of the same headphones! My fiancée and I both use these headphones and they are currently my favourite. I like the sound quality, fit over my ears and the cable length is good from my PC. It’s a shame the previous headphones broke.
Fresh ‘n Rebel Twins 2 Wireless Earbuds
I own a couple of wireless headphones, but I’ve been interested in obtaining some wireless earbuds for a while. My fiancée and I are fans of the Fresh ‘n Rebel brand and I noticed some of their earbuds on eBay for what I think was a reasonable price, so purchased two sets.
I’ve not tried them yet, but at the moment my fiancée and I intend to use them with our phones. My fiancée also has one of their power banks, which we quite like using.
MicroSD memory card for the DJI Osmo Pocket
I’ve been experiencing a problem with the DJI Osmo Pocket. Sometimes the pocket quickly stops recording, so I’ve decided to replace the microSD card. I’m not sure if replacing the memory card with a different card has solved the problem as I’ve not tried recording yet with the new card!
I’ve decided to try a SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB microSD card, which according to the packaging has a read speed of up to 180MB/s and up to 90MB MB/s write.
I’ve also purchased a second SanDisk Extreme PRO microSD card, but the 64GB version which I might use in another device using an adapter.
Kioxia 16GB microSD memory card
Last month I purchased some Kioxia USB memory sticks and this month I decided to buy one of their microSD cards. I don’t know whether the card is good or not, but I liked the price and I plan on using it in some old mobile phones.
What’s coming up?
I will probably review the earbuds I just purchased, perhaps write a blog post about co-op games and maybe blog about camera purchases.