Aftermarket Versus Manufacturer Car Parts

When you take your car to the dealership's service department for repairs, you know you're getting Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) car parts. However, if you take your car to an independent shop, you'll most likely get aftermarket car parts. Is there anything wrong with that? Does a less expensive part mean a poorer-quality part? And in what situations should you use only OEM parts?car auto body parts

To answer these questions, we've created a list of pros and cons to help you make a more informed decision when choosing what parts go into your car. In this way, you can strike a balance between cost and quality.

An aftermarket part is any part for a vehicle that is not sourced from the car's maker. If the parts are direct replacement parts, they will not void your car's warranty. A number of companies make parts designed to function the same, or in some cases even better than the original. Tom Torbjornsen, host of America's Car Show, estimates that about 80 percent of independent shops use aftermarket parts. "Be an informed consumer," said Torbjornsen."Shop around, make sure you're dealing with a good mechanic and request high-quality aftermarket parts."
When it comes to collision repairs, make sure you are getting OEM parts, since aftermarket body panels may not fit properly or have proper crumple zones for crash safety.

If you lease your car, there are also economic considerations. Since aftermarket parts decrease a vehicle's book value, using them to repair your vehicle's body may cost you part or all of your security deposit.

But here's the rub: In 21 states and the District of Columbia, a body shop's repair estimate does not have to indicate whether aftermarket parts will be used. You'll often find that your insurance company will favor aftermarket parts because they are cheaper. If you request OEM parts, some insurance companies ask you to pay an additional fee. Check with your insurance provider beforehand, to see what parts they will cover.

5 Best Bluetooth Neckband Headphones In 2019

If you’re a runner, you know how annoying wired headphones can get, always getting tangled up in your arms, sometimes even accidentally yanked out of the headphone jack in your smartphone or media device. Their only real advantage is that they don’t need to be charged up every time you use them, which might not be enough for keeping them around. That said, if you run, jog, or hit the gym quite a bit, you might want to consider picking up a pair of neckband headphones — they sit comfortably around the neck, all while providing you a mostly wireless (there are some wired options out there) and quality sound experience.mobile in ear headphones

So, what Bluetooth neckband headphones do you pick up? Follow along below and we’ll show you some of the best on the market. Here are our top picks.

First up, we have the Bluetooth Neckband Headphones by Osten Design. This pair of headphones runs on Bluetooth 4.1, so you get some great battery efficiency. Being a pair of neckband headphones, they comfortably wrap around your neck, with the earbuds going up to your ear — with these, you won’t be tangling up any cords in your arms as you go for a jog or run. These headphones can actually last a substantial amount of time on battery, up to a whole 14 hours of playback time. They have noise cancelling technology built-in, so you’ll be able to hear all the details of a an audio track without interruption.

LEOPHILE Eel
Next up, we have the LEOPHILE Eels. If you’re into water sports at all, these are the headphones to pick up. With built-in waterproofing technology, the LEOPHILE Eels won’t be harmed if they come in contact with water. We certainly wouldn’t go swimming in the ocean with them, but they’ll stay in working condition with a moderate amount of liquid. They’ve got a great rating on Amazon, and can last up to 10 hours of continuous music playback. These headphones are super flexible as well, allowing you to easily shove them in your pocket for when you need to get them out of the way.
Riodass Wireless Headphones
Riodass makes a great pair of wireless headphones as well. They only have a single earbud, but are super slim and flexible. Riodass’ earphones run on Bluetooth 4.1, so you get all of the benefits of Bluetooth LE, or Low Energy, with these as well. These are actually really nice for listening to music while at the gym or on a walk because they last up to 15 hours of constant playback time — you should be able to get at least two jogging or gym sessions out of these. They have an IPX5 waterproof rating, so they’re resistant against sweat and small spills; however, we wouldn’t go swimming with these.
LBell Bluetooth Headset
The LBell Bluetooth Headset is built all around portability. This headset has a folding/retractable design, allowing you to fold them up and put them in your back pocket when you’re done using them. They actually have some of the most impressive battery life on this list, taking full advantage of Bluetooth Low Energy, and lasting up to thirty hours of music playback time. You could go a full week without having to charge these bad boys up. When you do have to charge them, just 3.5 hours on the charger will put you right back up to full. LBell stands behind their product, giving you a 12-month replace-or-refund warranty against any quality defects.

Mi Neckband Bluetooth Earphones With 8 Hours Battery Life

Mi Neckband Bluetooth Earphones have been launched in India alongside the Redmi K20 and Redmi K20 Pro smartphones. The new in-ear headphones by Xiaomi sports a Micro-Arc collar design and come with Bluetooth v5.0 connectivity. The Chinese company claims that the Mi Neckband Bluetooth Earphones are capable of delivering up to eight hours of battery life on a single charge. The headphones also come with tri-band equalisation and have dynamic bass. Alongside launching the Mi Neckband Bluetooth Earphones, Xiaomi at its event in New Delhi also announced the price of the Mi Rechargeable LED Lamp. The LED Lamp is set to go on sale as a part of a crowdfunding campaign tomorrow.cheap in ear earphones

As mentioned, the Mi Neckband Bluetooth Earphones come with the Micro-Arc collar design. Xiaomi claims that the earphones are using a skin-friendly rubber material that is anti-slip and conveniently flexible. The build of the new offering is also easy to carry with a weight of 13.6 grams. Also, there are components to enable dynamic bass output and tri-band equalisation.

The Mi Neckband Bluetooth Earphones have a voice command feature to let you navigate, take calls, and play music. Further, you can also use the pre-installed voice assistant of your smartphone.On the connectivity front, the Mi Neckband Bluetooth Earphones have Bluetooth v5.0 along with support for HFP, A2DP, HSP, and AVRCP protocols. The headphones also come with a range of 10 metres.

There is a built-in 120mAh battery on the Mi Neckband Bluetooth Earphones that is touted to last for eight hours on a single charge. There is also a battery standby time of 260 hours. Moreover, the headphones take two hours to charge the battery fully.

Aside from the Mi Neckband Bluetooth Earphones, Xiaomi has announced that the Mi Rechargeable LED Lamp will be available for purchase with a retail price of Rs. 1,499. However, during the crowdfunding period, it will be sold at Rs. 1,299. The crowdfunding campaign will begin from Thursday, July 18.

LETSCOM Bluetooth Headphones IPX7 Waterproof

High Fidelity Sound: 11mm vibrating diaphragm, CSR chip and Bluetooth 4.1 technology deliver high-fidelity audio; CVC noise cancellation Built-in mic for stereo sound and superb bass sound. Clear high & low volume, makes calls clear and stable.sports headphones online
IPX7 Waterproof: Sports Earbuds Design, Internal nano-coating protects the headphones from heavy rains or sweat throughout intense exercises; just enjoy your time when running, jogging, riding, hiking, fitness, or in the gym
Foolproof Operation: Control buttons on the headphones so that you can play and pause music, adjust the volume, skip tracks, answer and end calls, and activate the voice control of your phone with one simple operation on the headphones
Long Playtime: Built-in polymer lithium battery; Only 2 hours charge gives you up to 8 hours talk time/audio play time, enough to power your workouts with music for a week
Comfortable and Stable: Lightweight and ergonomic design, customizable accessories with large, medium, and small size of gel eartips; soft silicon earhooks ensure comfortable and secure wear in even most intense workout

Neckband Headphones: Why Is This Design Becoming So Popular?

At some point during the past few years, you've no doubt noticed an intriguing new phenomenon. More and more people are sporting what can only be described as high-tech collars with headphones sprouting out the sides. Call them what you will—"neckband headphones," "behind-the-neck headphones," or even the more obvious "collar headphones"—but this distinctive modern style of in-ear and around-the-neck earphones is all the rage as of late. And if you haven't experienced them yourself, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about.best sports neckband headphones

Ultimately, the success of neckband headphones boils down to three essential considerations: a unique combination of convenience, features and battery life unmatched by any other in-ear headphone design.The first major benefit of neckband headphones is perhaps the most obvious, but it's worth pointing out. Given that the earbuds are hanging around your neck, mere inches from your ears, means you won't have to dig through your bag or your pockets when you want to listen to some tunes or take a phone call. And since virtually all neckband headphones connect to your smartphone or personal media player via Bluetooth, those two tiny little cords connecting the collar to the earphones are the only cables you need to worry about. That means no more rat's nests to untangle. Since those cables aren't extending from your head to your pocket, it also means fewer opportunities to snag them on a doorknob and rip your earphones out of your ears. Or worse yet, break the wires, rendering your precious audio purchase worthless.

While we all appreciate the lightweight and convenience of in-ear headphones, as well as the add-on features commonly found in many popular models these days, those two desires can conflict with one other. After all, the more electronics you pack into one of those little housings, the bulkier, heavier and more cumbersome it gets. That's the definition of defeating the purpose.

Housing all their electronics inside the neckband headphones allows for additional features, without dragging down your ears or increasing discomfort. These features include:Of course, these extra features take their toll on battery life. And with wireless headphones, every minute of battery life is precious, which brings us to the biggest benefit of neckband headphones: that extra real estate around your neck makes room for a much higher capacity battery. While other wireless in-ears do well to offer five hours of play time between charges (and that's without the benefit of noise-cancelling, mind you), neckband headphones like the BT 100 NC can deliver up to 7.5 hours of continuous music listening between charges with active noise cancellation engaged, a staggering 12 hours of play time if you don't need noise cancelling, and as much as 220 hours of standby time. If you want better battery life than that, you're going to have to opt for full-sized on-ear or over-ear Bluetooth headphones, like Phiaton’s BT 460 on-ear wireless headphones.

Supervisor budgets $240,000 for office furniture, remodeling

The recently remodeled office of County Supervisor Jim Desmond at the County administration office in San Diego on June 12, 2019. Desmond also has a satellite office in Vista that also is being remodeled. (K.C. Alfred & Cristina Byvik / The San Diego Union-Tribune)County Supervisor Jim Desmond’s new front office downtown is modest looking by any measure.home furniture living room

There’s a medium-sized sofa, a coffee table, a standard wooden desk, a few chairs, some fresh paint, a TV and generic, gray carpeting. His district office in Vista, while still being remodeled, is expected to be similarly utilitarian, his staff says.Though his new offices are nothing to gawk at, their potential price tag is more interesting.

Desmond budgeted $240,000 to remodel and renovate his downtown and district office space, according to spending records during his first five months in office. The final cost may come under budget, he said.So far, it far exceeds how much other county supervisors have spent on office improvements this year and in recent years, according to county records.

Desmond said in an interview that he has tried to save money and he is frustrated with the cost, but the upgrades are long overdue.“I inherited two offices, one in downtown San Diego and the other in the Vista County Courthouse,” Desmond said.

“Both offices had the same carpet and paint for over two decades. The downtown office update, which ran into asbestos, included updating mine and three staff offices. The North County Vista office is larger with a conference room, waiting room, bathroom and three staff offices. I had to use county-only union laborers and a single source furniture vendor.”He said he selected furniture from a county-approved catalog and didn’t pick the most expensive options, but other furniture purchases are the result of competitive bidding.

The projects also rely on contractors who are required to be paid a prevailing wage, he said.

Desmond’s offices also cost more than most supervisors’ because he is one of only two who use a field office and a downtown office. The other supervisors, except for Chairwoman Dianne Jacob, represent districts that are close enough for them to serve from one office downtown.

BEST COLLABORATIVE ORLANDO OFFICE FURNITURE

The traditional style office has seen its hay day in. With employees becoming more transient than ever, it is time for the Orlando office space and workplace to take a queue from flex hours and telecommute days and transition into the new age of communication and creativity.quality modern bedroom furniture

Cubicle farms are out and collaboration friendly office furniture is in. It’s time for your Orlando office furniture to reflect the new workflow and embrace the transition from traditional to creative and collaboration friendly arrangements.

Here are our favorite furniture pieces that will help bring a collaborative vibe to your current company culture.A change of scenery can be good for employees every now and then. Consider adding lounge areas with comfortable chairs and couches so workers can take a few hours from their desk to work in a slightly new environment.

Lounge areas work best when furniture is easily moveable. Have small tables for employees to set their laptops on. Also think about using chairs that are lighter weight and can be reconfigured if a small team wants to meet to discuss a project. Make sure you have plenty of electrical outlets available for employees to charge their phones, laptops, and any other piece of technology they might be using.You will find your employees thrive in different collaborative environments. While some blossom in a bullpen style office, others might do better in a cafe style booth. Add a few upholstered booths to your Orlando office redesign to ensure a wide variety of places for your employees to complete tasks and projects.

When looking at your options, make sure there are easily accessible power outlets as well as work tables for employees to put their laptops and notebooks. Nothing is worse than great seating with no place to set your computer.With the open, bullpen style, office configuration making an aggressive move into the Orlando office, it’s important to ensure there is a space for private meetings, focus sessions, or just a quiet place to make phone calls.

3 Trends in Durable and Functional Office Furniture

Office workers are becoming more mobile, both in movement and devices. Employees don’t have as much personal space in the office, and people can work almost anywhere. To meet these changing expectations, office furniture types and materials are changing.quality modern office furniture

“Where people have their personal work take place, the overarching trend is height adjustability and built-in technology support,” says Nick Meter, Director of Customer Experience at Tangram Interiors. “Does this table go up and down? Is there support for charging or multiple devices and a laptop dock? Does the space allow you the opportunity to meet collaboratively?”

Because people might be moving around, not have an assigned desk or even work in another part of the building, Meter says that clients are thinking beyond the desk when looking at office furniture.“There’s a diversity of spaces taking over – it’s more than desk and chair,” he explains. With mixed uses for social spaces, “there’s a lot of move to eclecticism and unique products.”

Integra’s Joel Riley, National Sales Manager, and Chandra Putnam, Director of Sales and Marketing, notice clients asking for more modular and flexible lounge seating options, with many spaces serving multiple purposes. As furniture is used more within a space, it needs to be multifunctional and durable.

Global Office Furniture Market Expected to Record Growth with Rapidly Growing Industry Forecast Analyzed during 2019

Global Office Furniture Industry 2019 is an extensive, professional analysis bringing research data which will be relevant for new entrants and recognized players. The Office Furniture Market covers significant data that makes the record a convenient source for analysts, managers, office furniture industry experts as well as other leaders get ready-to-access along with self-analyzed study together side tables and graphs to help global office furniture market trends, drivers and economic struggles. Mixing the information integration and analysis capacities with the findings that are applicable, this report also has predicted the strong future rise of this office furniture market in every its geographic and product sections.library reading room furniture
The industry analysis was given on a worldwide scale, for instance, present and traditional office furniture growth analysis, competitive analysis, and also the growth prospects of the central regions. At the upcoming section, the office furniture analysis discusses policies and the creation plans, in addition to the fabrication processes and cost structures of the industry. This office furniture report also claims they furnish and consumption amounts, import/export pace, in addition to earnings, price, price, and gross profit from the significant places, including both local and global.

The Office Furniture analysis gives an exhaustive investigation of this market alongside the modern trends and future projections to shed light onto the impending investment pockets. The analysis introduces a quantitative and qualitative analysis of this office furniture market throughout the forecast (2019-2028) to allow stakeholders from the main market chances. An office furniture meticulous investigation of this market on the grounds of application aids in understanding the trends within the business. The crucial office furniture industry leaders together side their plans are analyzed to grasp the competitive situation of this business.

Three Keys to Avoiding the Pitfalls of Vegas Casino Games

We’ve all got a little gamble in us, or otherwise we wouldn’t be playing poker. But there are ways to enjoy blackjack, slots and other casino games without busting our World Series of Poker budgets. Here’s how.

If you want to gamble in the pits or at the slots, you should allocate only a certain percentage of your bankroll for these games. And I suggest that the percentage should be low, as your expected value is a negative number given the house edge.no purchase required casinos

I’d also recommend only using a small amount of the money you allocate toward the pits during each session. For example, if you have $500 to play the games over multiple days of your trip, you shouldn’t blow all $500 in one sitting. Set a stop loss of $100 to $200 so you’ll have more to gamble with on succeeding days.I’m sure you’ve never heard of a professional roulette player, but surely you’ve heard of the MIT blackjack teams. Now while you probably don’t want to form a team and risk getting kicked out of the casinos, it is actually possible to have a slight edge over the casinos in blackjack with just standard solo play. Use the standard plus-minus card counting system and push out higher bets when the count is good for making blackjacks and profitable double-down opportunities. Even if you don’t want to bother with learning card counting, just playing correct basic strategy lessens the house odds to 1 or 2 percent. Just avoid those tables paying 6-to-5 on blackjacks that have sprung up in Vegas like weeds.

Avoid the aforementioned roulette, as well as keno. Slots are a bad bet too, although the payout percentage on $1 or above denominations isn’t terrible. Other good bets besides blackjack include playing pass line with odds in craps (avoid any bets in the middle of the felt) and video poker.