How to Shop Safely on Aliexpress

It may be hard to believe, but between October 2017 till date, I've done more shopping on Aliexpress than I have on any other stores, and today I'll be sharing a few tips with you on how to shop safely on the website.

It is no longer news that many people believe it is very unsafe to shop on Aliexpress. They believe that there are only fake products or as they usually say, "Chinese products", in the store. This is false and in this post, I'll be shedding some light on why it is so.

Believe me, Aliexpress is a good place to shop, there are many misconceptions about the place but as a regular shopper on the website, I can tell you that it's a really safe place to shop.

Of course, I'm not trying to dispute the fact that like most other online stores, there are items that are counterfeited on Aliexpress, but just like the other stores, if you shop carefully on Aliexpress you won't fall for the deceitful sellers.

There are a few things you have to consider when shopping on Aliexpress, mostly about making sure that the product you would receive would actually look like what you saw on the website.

I've listed below, a few tips that if implemented correctly, you'll always be sure of getting only the expected genuine products that you paid for, rather than getting scammed of your money.

How not to get Scammed on Aliexpress

Always check the product descriptions: 

This is the best way to make sure that the pictures of the item you're seeing are actually true, you may see a different item pictured and even titled on a product but in reality, the product is actually something different. By checking the description you would get to know what it really is, the sellers tend to always write the real specifications and features of their products there.

Read the product reviews: 

There are numerous people shopping on Aliexpress every day, though only a few of them actually write helpful reviews while others may only leave comments like "It arrived in peace and in one piece", the comments you should look for are those that sound like they actually have knowledge about the actual product and its functions. 

The best reviews to look at most of the time are those with pictures, that way you can judge the product by yourself and even make comparisons. Don't forget the one-star reviews; if numerous people are complaining of the same thing on a product then you should probably avoid it and look for another, the chance of all those people to be lying at the same time is very low.

Talking about product reviews... how about you check out a few product reviews of mine below;

Spectranet Blaze CPE Review

Ipega 9099 Wolverine controller

ExpressVPN Review

Compare products in different stores: 

Aliexpress is a market with different sellers and their respective online stores. It's only wise to compare the prices, reviews, and shipping options available in different stores for the same item before making your purchase from any of them.

Buy from stores with an already high number of orders

When comparing products between stores, I'll advise clinging towards the stores with an already high number of orders for the product you intend to buy, and that has good customer reviews and ratings. This is because chances are high that the product is real and will be delivered to you when other customers have nothing but praises to sing about the store and product in particular.

Chat with the sellers: 

If you're in doubt about the quality, specs, or reviews of a product, you can clear your doubt by chatting with the seller. You could even chat with the sellers to ask for special offers or discounts in some cases, maybe if you're buying in bulk or something. 

Also, you don't have to worry about not knowing how to type Chinese, most sellers there speak and write in the English language, and Aliexpress has an auto-translation system that works really well to display your English language written chats to the seller in the Chinese language.

Search deeply and precisely, especially if you want normal branded parts: 

For some reason, Aliexpress does not push some normal branded parts to the front page of the market, even when you search for a product categorically you would usually find only the Chinese branded ones or the normal branded parts but in used condition. To find a specific brand that isn't Chinese or used you may have to be very specific. I mean searching for "Noctua CPU cooler" instead of "CPU cooler", else you may have to scroll through pages to actually find what you want. I'm sure you get the point.

Shopping on Aliexpress is really safe once you take the necessary precautions. Your money is always safe with the Aliexpress management and would only get released to the sellers when you confirm that you received your item without any problems, otherwise you'd be refunded as long as you're able to prove that there's a problem with the item you received, or if you didn't receive it at all. 

Happy shopping.

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Spectranet Blaze CPE 4G Router Review and Guide

The Spectranet Blaze CPE 4G LTE router is the latest router that Spectranet launched a few days ago. It is an upgrade and replacement to the Zoom CPE.

I'll be reviewing this new Spectranet Blaze CPE right away, and also guide you to make the right decision on whether or not to buy this 4G router.

Please note that this review is not sponsored by Spectranet or any other company. With that said, you should know that this review would be very unbiased. So let's begin.

Spectranet Blaze CPE - A perfect upgrade to the Zoom CPE?

My Experience:

Two weeks ago, I and my brother decided to get a wireless router for home use. After much search and reading numerous reviews, we finally settled for one from Spectranet, which at the time was the Zoom CPE since it was the only Spectranet home router with far enough range that could suit our house.

I quickly browsed through Spectranet's website and found that the Zoom router we wanted was selling for 25000 Naira, with an unlimited Gold plan inclusive.

That's a good deal, we thought. So we got the money ready and I headed out to one of the closest Spectranet stores in Gwarinpa, Abuja, to purchase the router.

Before heading out, I had already called a Spectranet sales agent that I enquired about Spectranet and exchanged numbers with some time ago.

I asked her if she still had the Zoom CPE but she said No, that she had finished selling the stock that she had.

She, therefore, directed me to their Gwarinpa branch, though I had already seen this branch while searching for Spectranet stores on Google Maps.

I got to the Spectranet store at Gwarinpa on Friday, 1st November 2019, at a Plaza named "Pathfield", just after the more popular Chambian plaza.

I walked into the store and my eyes were met with four energetic staff sitting behind the counter, 3 females and a male. Their faces weren't scary, nor were their voices, lol.

My eyes were sharp enough to notice a couple of Zoom CPE routers on the table which the staff was using to work.

One of the ladies quickly asked me "Good day Sir, how may I help you?", I told her what my mission was, which of course was to buy a Zoom CPE router.

She told me that they no longer have it. But that they are expecting a restock to arrive the next day.

The second lady (I later found that her name was Mrs. Nana), a very jovial kind, quickly affirmed to what her colleague had just told me.

She continued with her jovial words of encouragement, encouraging me to be patient till the next day when their stock would arrive.

I went on to enquire why they, being one of the biggest Spectranet stores in the state would not have such an important gadget in stock at all times.

She then told me the reason, one that made me very comfortable and skeptical at the same time.

The reason she gave was that the company was getting rid of the Zoom CPE as they wanted to introduce a better and more battery efficient device, the Blaze CPE.

She confirmed that they still had one Zoom CPE router remaining but have been instructed to stop selling it, so she wouldn't sell that to me.

I asked her why such instruction was given and she told me that it was because the Zoom CPE had some problems which have been fixed on the new Blaze CPE.

She showed me pictures of the Blaze CPE on a Spectranet flier which she had on her phone. That was one of the few places where any detail or picture of the new router could be seen, aside from a picture of it which I had seen online prior to visiting the store.

That was because Spectranet had not updated their website with details of the new 4G router at the time.

She collected my phone number and urged me to be patient, that she would give me a call once the stock of Blaze CPE router arrives the next day, or on Monday as one of her colleagues had informed her.

From the details on the flier, I could see that customers would be able to buy the Spectranet Blaze router in either of two options.

There was an option to buy the router with a 60GB monthly plan + free night browsing for 20000 Naira.

The second purchase option was the same offer as the one I saw for the Zoom CPE, which is a Blaze CPE + an unlimited monthly Gold plan for 25000 Naira.

I left the store with different thoughts running through my mind.

One of which was if I should go for the 60GB purchase option instead when I get the call, or if I should go for a different network entirely.

The only network I could think of was Ntel, but that was indeed a very bad thought.

I already have an Ntel SIM which I use with my phone and MiFi, the network recently hasn't been anything to write home about.

From the slow internet speed, the regular increase of the price of data plans to the inconsistent connection that the Ntel network is known for, I quickly removed the thought of it from my mind. 

On Monday, 4th November 2019, at around 1PM, I got a call from Mrs. Nana. She informed me that the Blaze CPE was now available in their store.

I left with my brother immediately and after a short while on the road, we arrived at their store.

I was shown the new Blaze CPE router and without wasting any time, I quickly made known my dissatisfaction with the fact that it only had one Ethernet port, the Zoom CPE that it's meant to replace had four.

I went ahead to check the other specs and features on it, and should I say I was impressed? Well, not really.

I was told that the Blaze CPE would be an upgrade to the Zoom CPE, but the specs looked almost identical to me, with the Zoom even having better specs in some cases, like the number of Ethernet ports which I just talked about.

However, I and my Bros had already made up our minds, we weren't ready to go back home without a router.

I quickly filled the necessary KYC document, submitted my National ID card (Paper NIN edition, if you know what I mean, lol), and they took a passport photograph of me.

The two POS machines in the store rejected my debit card, I guess the issue was from my bank, Guaranty Trust Bank.

I quickly went out and withdrew the sum of 25000 Naira from a nearby ATM, went back in and made the payment to Mrs. Mariam (one of the three female staff), then she coupled and handed me the device.

And off we went with our new Blaze CPE router, with SIM and battery already inserted.

We arrived home and powered on the router, it took a couple of seconds to initialize and then we were greeted with three signal bars out of the five on the front of the Blaze CPE.

The blue indicator lights on the Blaze CPE are really beautiful and bright.

The power indicator turns orange when the battery is low, blinks when the device is powered on and charging, and stays still when the battery is full.

I was disappointed that there is no way to tell if the router is charging when connected to A.C and powered off, the lights do not come on unless when powered on.

We updated a few apps on the Google play store to test the network speed, we were comfortably going over a megabyte per second, and it occasionally went as high as 4 megabytes per second.

I turned off the WiFi connection on the router using the Wifi button on the back of the device and plugged it in with the 12V - 1Amp charger supplied in the box so it could charge properly.

It took around 3 to 4 hours to get it fully charged. I powered it on and started my speed test with Ookla's Speed test software.

I can confidently say that Spectranet doesn't really perform well on speed tests, I've done a speed test in two Spectranet stores including the one that I bought the router from and the results were absolutely unremarkable.

The results I got from testing in the stores were always less than 700KB/s (I'm talking about actual Kilobytes per second and not kilobits per second which some people are confusing it with).

The speed test I did at home wasn't any different. The upload speed was even settled at 0KB/s... Really!?

However, the ping results of the tests I've done at home were really good, the ping was always less than 50ms.

I went into Google play store to see the miracle of Google's "give me all your speed" protocol once more, lol.

As expected, I was still comfortably downloading at speeds between 1MB/s and 2MB/s, and occasionally hitting over 3MB/s.

At that point I was impressed, this shouldn't be a surprise when you consider the fact that Ntel wasn't giving me anything above 800KB/s on very good days.

Should you buy the Spectranet Blaze CPE? 

My Verdict:

We've used this router for more than a week, and from my experience I would say it's a YES. But don't take my word for it, your mileage may vary due to location and other circumstances.

The new Spectranet Blaze CPE 4G router has a couple of pros and cons.

Spectranet Blaze CPE Pros

The 2000 mAh battery is good enough, that's one of the selling points according to the members of staff I met at the Spectranet office.

They hyped that the device could last up to 10 hours on the battery... Of course, it's only a marketing lie that can be pardoned. 

Though they weren't too far from the truth because the device stays on for around 6 hours when unplugged and actively in use. That's a pro.

Another pro is the range of its wireless connection, though I personally think it could be better.

When compared to my smaller Huawei Mifi I could tell that the Spectranet router has almost thrice the wireless range.

The size could also be a pro for you depending on where you want to use it, it is noticeably smaller than the older Zoom CPE but is nowhere close to being called a Mifi like the Spectranet Evo and Ace Mifi.

Spectranet Blaze CPE Cons

Let me talk about the cons now, starting with the inability to know whether or not the router is charging while it's turned off and plugged in.

All the lights just stay off like you didn't do anything.

I'm also very dissatisfied with its one Ethernet port, this would mean that one had to use an Ethernet splitter to connect the router to more than one computer via Ethernet. 

This wasn't the case with the Zoom CPE that I saw in the Spectranet office when I visited.

Another thing you should be aware of is that this router supports only 2.4Ghz WiFi band, the ability to choose or use a 5Ghz WiFi band for any reason is non-existent.

This shouldn't be a problem for homes since it's usually best to use the 2.4Ghz WiFi band for better wall penetration and longer wireless range which the 5Ghz band is not known for.

However, the absence of a 5Ghz band could be a problem when you're using the router in close range, say on a table, very close to your laptop or desktop.

In such cases, it's sometimes best to use the 5Ghz WiFi band in order to avoid interference from other devices that are using the 2.4Ghz (which most household gadgets use).

The ability to unlock this router to use other network SIM cards is still very impossible. You should take note of that too.

Moreover, we don't even know yet if the router has support for other 4G bands, or if it supports only Spectranet's band 40.

What's in the box of the Spectranet Blaze CPE?

• Spectranet Blaze CPE 4G LTE Router x1
• 2000mAh Battery
• Two Antennas
• Gospell Tozed 12Volts 1Amp charger x1
• Ethernet cable x1 (I haven't measured its length yet)
• Device Manual x1

You should watch my quick unboxing and test video of the Spectranet Blaze CPE 4G LTE router below to get the full information of its contents and also see what they look like.

Spectranet Blaze CPE Quick Unboxing Video

Is Spectranet currently the best telecommunication company in Nigeria?

Spectranet has a lot of exciting data offers but they are still very far from being called the best, that's my two cents.

I've heard and read a lot of positive reviews about them, and some negative ones too.

One problem I've experienced on the network is some random times when the network would just go off and sometimes doesn't come back until I reboot the router.

Or maybe I'm usually not patient enough to wait over 15 minutes for it to return by itself before I manually reboot it.

Aside from that, we've all been having real fun at home with the network's performance.

I also want to mention that the "unlimited" Gold plan which Spectranet offers technically has a limit.

Spectranet states that the internet speed would be throttled to a mere 512kb/s which is equal to just 64KB/s (8 kilobits = 1 Kilobyte) once 100GB has been used from the plan.

We're still about 10GB shy of using 100GB on the plan so I can't say what the experience is like, but I do know that 64KB/s would be unbearable, to say the least.

From my experience, I can say that only Ntel truly has an "unlimited" unlimited monthly plan.

The problem is that the slow speed of 512KB/s on the Ntel network may frustrate you to the point that you would just decide to dump it.

Spectranet's 4G LTE is quite fast when it's not throttled, though it's not as fast as MTN's 4G LTE which I've hit an amazing 12MB/s on some time ago while I was downloading.

I did go over 6MB/s for some seconds while downloading with Spectranet on one of its good days, so I feel that's good enough.

I would give Spectranet a 7/10 rating in general. Maybe they'll get a better rating from me when they introduce an unlimited plan that has no strings attached.

Talking about having no strings attached, Swift networks seem to have amazing data offers that are just too good to be true.

I noticed that they have data plans with unlimited night browsing that are usable from as early as 10PM to 8AM for as low as 3000 Naira.

This is also with some amount of capped data for day usage, with a 15 days validity.

If what they offering on paper is what it is in reality then I wouldn't hesitate to give them a 9/10, especially since I've seen screenshots of their internet speed to be around 2MB/s to 3MB/s.

The obvious reason why I went for Spectranet instead of Swift networks is that Swift is only currently available in Lagos, and I'm based in Abuja.

Which Nigerian Telecom Network's Router Should You Buy?

Finally, I'll end this article by saying this;

If you're in Lagos and you need a network that's cheap with lots of great promises which I'm yet to know if they really live up to since I haven't tried it, go for Swift networks.

If you're in need of a network that gives you a real unlimited data allowance for your money, and downloading files with less than 1MB/s internet speed is your thing, then go for Ntel Nigeria.

You want something in the middle of the two I just talked about? go for Spectranet.

Other networks you may want to try are Smile (Quite expensive), Tizeti (I recently heard about this one, I've never seen it in action), or our very popular Nigeria telecom networks - MTN, Airtel, Etisalat, Glo (ranked by internet speed, with MTN being the fastest).

I hope you found this review helpful, if you did, please leave a comment and also share this article with your friends using the social share buttons below.

I would also appreciate it if you would subscribe to my Tech Youtube channel and also invite your friends to do the same.

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I plan to write an article to guide you on how to connect the Spectranet Blaze CPE to any device, both wirelessly and wired, soon on this blog. Therefore you should make sure to hang around so you don't miss it.

You can subscribe to our email newsletter by submitting your email to us using the email widget on this page, to be notified of our new posts immediately we publish them.

See you later, stay Techy! Enjoy Tech.

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Download PES 2020 Mobile Apk Obb for Android | eFootball

Konami's eFootball PES 2020 mobile apk obb files have been released, and as you know, it is the best football on Android and iOS. With that said, I'll quickly teach you how to download and install this game on your Android smartphone.

Before we go into the installation procedure for this game, let's quickly take a look at its system requirements.

PES 2020 Mobile Requirements

• Android 5.0 or above
• Fast Chipset - Snapdragon or MTK
• 2GB RAM or more
• Fast Internet (WiFi or Mobile connection)

That's all the system requirements that you need to play PES 2020 Mobile.

Note that the game is fully online so you really must have a stable internet to enjoy it.

See Also: 15 Best Offline PPSSPP Games

Now let's quickly take a look at the new features and changes on this game from last year's Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 Mobile.

Changes and Features on PES 2020 Mobile

• New player ratings
• New manager ratings
• New menu colors and design
• Customizable buttons on classic controls
• New Advanced controls
• Manual cursor change
• Screenshot for squads
• New player signing animation
• Improved commentary
• Finesse dribbling
• Local league removed

Video of Pro Evolution Soccer 2020 Mobile Gameplay and Changes

Below is PES 2020 mobile's description by Konami on Google's Play Store, let's hear about what the game is meant to offer from the creators themselves.

"
■ Experience eFootball's Online Mobile Matchplay
Here at the PES team, the eFootball PES 2020 mobile update represents another tremendous stride towards realizing our goal of providing fans with the most immersive competitive soccer simulation ever created.

For us, the core concept of PES is defined by the type of heart-stopping thrills that can only be experienced when facing off against real people in real-time. This idea is embodied by our new title: eFootball, which symbolizes an unprecedented fusion between esports and soccer. In alignment with this, PES 2020 will redouble the series’ focus on providing fans the world over with fun and creative ways to compete against one another, in both local and online multiplayer.

■ The Thrill of Console Soccer on Your Mobile Device
With eFootball PES 2020, we've taken the same critically acclaimed console gameplay that won E3 2019's "Best Sports Game" award, and distilled its essence to bring you the most authentic mobile soccer experience to date. 

Take creative command of the ball like never before thanks to the brand-new "Finesse Dribble" technique, developed in collaboration with iconic Spanish midfielder Andrés Iniesta. Other enhancements to trapping and overall ball control will also enable you to take advantage of small differences in the way each player plays on the field. 

We've also added the "Inspire" system, which allows certain players to influence the way in which nearby teammates behave. The sum total of these parts is an experience that accentuates player individuality, lending increased importance to choosing the right players for the right situations and tweaking your formation to perfection.

■ New Big-Name European Club Licensing
In PES 2020, we've extended the list of top-flight European Clubs featuring as official PES Partners. In addition to FC Barcelona, we're proud to announce the addition of Manchester United, FC Bayern München, and Juventus - the latter of which are exclusive to PES this year.

We've also added a number of licenses from the various club and national teams, including official leagues such as Italy's Serie A TIM and Serie BKT. You now have more options than ever before to build your team of international superstars.

■ Real-Time, Online Matches
Experience local matchplay with a friend on the same couch, or register a friend online to play together over the internet. In "eFootball", you can face off against users from around the world, enter time-limited competitive events, and enjoy the very best high-intensity esports gameplay.

■ Even More Legends
A number of new legends are set to join the ranks alongside all-time favorites Maradona, Batistuta, and Kahn, as well as exclusive legends like Beckham, Zico, and Totti.

■ Rare Featured Players
Players who performed well during weekend matches will appear in the game as Featured Players. These special versions have increased ratings, unique card designs, and in some instances, additional skills. Starting in PES 2020, you can also expect to see national team Featured Players make an appearance throughout the season."

You've heard right! Now let's dive into what we came in here for.

Download PES 2020 Mobile Apk Obb for Android

I have provided two methods to download and install PES 2020 Mobile Apk and Obb files for Android. 

The first is a link to Play store while the other (to be added) is a third party link for people that are unable to download from play store.

Download PES 2020 Mobile - Apk + Data (Play Store)

Apk Only - eFootball PES 2020 Mobile 4.0.1 Apk (to be added soon)

Obb data file - eFootball PES 2020 Mobile 4.0.1 Obb data file (to be added soon)

How to Install PES 2020 Mobile on Android

If you downloaded the game from the play store link it would be automatically installed once the download is completed.

However, if you downloaded it from a third party link you should follow the following steps (no pun intended) to install it.

1. Install the PES 2020 mobile apk executable file on your Android

2. Extract the Obb data file into Android/Obb folder using a file archiver like Winrar or 7Zipper,

3. Launch the game and give it access to storage. You are good to go.

How to Fix Lag on PES 2020 Mobile on  Android

You may experience lags, stuttering, slow gameplay or even force closes while playing this game on a low-end smartphone or on an Android phone with low RAM (1GB or 2GB RAM).

For this reason, I have made a video dedicated to showing you how to completely fix lag on PES 2020 Mobile game, you can go ahead and watch it below.

If you loved that video and want to see more like it then do well to click and subscribe to my youtube channel, or by clicking on the subscribe button below.

That would be all for now. Keep checking back for more games and updates.

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Confy Scenty Youtube Channel - For Your Tech Needs

Today is a good day for every ConTechBlog fan because you can now watch our tech guides, Android and PC tutorials, gadgets and accessories reviews, gameplay videos live on Youtube by subscribing to Confy Scenty Youtube channel.

Lots of videos would be uploaded on the channel, including but not limited to; PC Tricks and Troubleshooting, Android tips and guides, Phones and Gadgets Review, Gameplay videos, game bug fixes and benchmark, App Reviews, and every other Tech related topic.

Videos would also be made for articles that are written here which may require further explanation with visual guidance. This is to ensure that everyone is carried along and that no one is left behind.

I decided to create this channel because I discovered that not everybody understands how to fix issues by simply reading the procedure, most people would require physical or visual guidance.

Though pictures are attached to articles for easier understanding, some newbies may still not understand the procedure until they watch a video and then follow the steps gradually.

If you ever find any guide discussed in an article posted here to be difficult, and unfortunately did not also find a video for it on our youtube channel, you should immediately make a comment on that article requesting a video to be made for it.

We would make a video for the article you requested as soon as possible and a mail would be sent to notify you.

Remember, you can also submit your own video to be uploaded. When it is reviewed and found to be relevant it would be uploaded to our channel and you would definitely receive a mention/credit. Terms and Conditions apply.

Check our contact page for different ways to get in touch with us.

Click on the Subscribe button below

Visit the channel and click on the bell icon beside the subscribe button so you would be notified when we upload new videos.

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How To Increase The Dedicated Video Memory (VRAM) On Intel HD Graphics Without Bios

Today I'll show you gamers how to increase the video memory on Intel HD graphics processors without using the bios menu. Video memory and Vram may be used interchangeably as you read on, however, they both mean the same thing.

Before now, the usual method of increasing the dedicated Vram on the Intel GPUs was through the bios. However, we had to find a better way of increasing the Vram without making use of the bios because some laptop's bios do not have the option to increase the video memory.

As technology evolves and advances every day so does everything that's connected to it, including video games.

Video games have gotten so real, and so demanding too. The PC hardware needed to run AAA games five years is no longer what is needed to run them now, that hardware can no longer run recent games because of how demanding the games have gotten.

Gamers would always be gamers, but not all gamers can afford to upgrade their PC hardware every year in order to run recent games.

Many of us still only have laptops with Intel HD GPU and we also want to play the recent games. This brings us to the topic of today - How to run recent games on your Intel HD GPU by increasing the dedicated video memory.

The realism in recent games make them consume much more memory than they used to, this is why we have troubles running such games on Intel HD GPUs because Intel GPUs only have limited memory dedicated to it for gaming.

By increasing the dedicated video memory on the Intel GPU we would be able to run recent games at least in low graphics setting and run older games at higher graphics with better FPS.

How To Increase The Dedicated Video Memory (VRAM) On Intel HD GPU Without Bios

This process is very simple and shouldn't take you more than a few minutes to complete. 

You should pay attention to each step and execute it as written here in order to have a successful result.

I have also attached a video made by a friend of mine, a fellow tech guy, Elvis Chibundu. 

The video has the same steps as the procedure I've written below, so you should watch it to see how he performed the steps on his laptop if you're unable to understand the written procedure.

Steps to increase Vram on Intel HD Graphics:

1. From your computer's desktop, go to the Start menu and type "Regedit" without the quotes into the search box. Launch the program that appears from the search results, it may appear either as Regedit or as Registry Editor, both are the same.
2. While on the registry editor, click on the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" option to bring up a dropdown menu, from the dropdown menu you should click on "SOFTWARE" to bring up another dropdown menu.
3. Right-click on "Intel", hover on the "New" option and select "Key".
4. Rename "New Key #1" to "GMM". Right-click on GMM, hover on "New" and select "DWORD (32-bit) Value".
5. Rename "New Value #1" to "DedicatedSegmentSize". Right-click on DedicatedSegmentSize and select the "Modify" option. 
6. Change the "Value data" to the new number of dedicated Vram you want and click on "Ok" to save the setting. Note that in some Intel HD GPUs the number you typed in may be added to the original Vram you had, this means that if you had 64MB Vram and then typed in 256 into the value data you would have a total of 320MB Vram when the process is complete.
7. Reboot your computer to activate the changes.
8. After reboot, check your new dedicated Vram from the display adapter properties page on the Advanced display settings page.
9. Hurray! Your dedicated video memory should have increased to the new value if you followed the previous steps correctly. Go on and run those benchmarks.

Video Showing How to Increase Intel HD Graphics Vram without Bios

I hope that was as quick and easy as I claimed it would be?

I also hope that I was able to help you successfully increase your PC's dedicated video memory without making use of the bios as I was able to do on my Intel HD 630 graphics in the screenshot above.

Disclaimer: You should note that this process may not work on all Intel HD GPUs though it wouldn't hurt to try. However, you should know that you're responsible for your actions and the result you get by using this guide.

Don't go without checking and subscribing to my Youtube channel where I post tutorials that are related to this one you just read. Click on the subscribe button below to subscribe.

Happy Gaming! Please don't forget to share this article with your friends and family. Also, drop your questions and suggestions in the comment box.

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MTN Introduce Limit On Welcome Back Data Plan Renewal

The MTN welcome back special data plan has been the cheapest data bundle on the MTN network for over a year now. It is, in fact, the cheapest data plan in Nigeria, offering you 1 gigabyte of data for only 200 Naira, valid for 1 week.

The three data options on the MTN welcome back special data plan menu that is accessible by dialling *131*65# are:

• 250 MB, 3-Days plan; Costs 100 Naira
• 1 GB Weekly plan; Costs 200 Naira
• 4 GB Monthly plan; Costs 1000 Naira

You would agree with me that there is no other network in the country that has data bundles that are as cheap as what MTN is offering on its welcome back program.

The MTN welcome back offer has been running since 2018 and is still effective at the time of this post.

The only comparable data offers from other Nigeria telecoms to the MTN welcome back special data plan are:

• The Etisalat Blaze-On time bundle of 200 Naira for 1 GB
• The new Airtel night plan which offers 1.25 GB data for 125 Naira
• Glo's 3 GB for 500 Naira weekend and night plan

The welcome back offer was meant to be exclusively available to MTN customers that haven't been active on the network.

However, some customers have reported their eligibility for the data plan despite their lines being active, while others have also reported being ineligible as expected since their lines haven't been dormant.

How to be Eligible for the MTN Welcome back Offer

I've been making use of the MTN special data plan since last year to date. You may be wondering how I could achieve this since every eligible line is only meant to be eligible for a maximum of three months after which it would lose its eligibility.

The trick is simple, I have more than one MTN line which I swap when the other loses its eligibility.

What to do when you have exceeded your limit to buy the welcome back special data plan

Before now, one could resubscribe and renew the welcome back data plan as many times as you wish, that is no longer the case (hence my reason for writing this post). 

A few days ago, I tried to renew my welcome back data plan of 200 Naira for 1 GB only to be greeted with an unusual response that read "Oops, you have exceeded your limit to buy the WelcomeBack 1GB Data Plan special data bundle. No worries, simply dial *131*65# to buy this bundle on 02/10/2019 08:54:22. Thank you!" as seen in the screenshot below.

A friend of mine also tried to renew his and was greeted with the same response.

What does this unusual response mean for users of the MTN welcome back offer? It's very simple to understand what the response above means, MTN has set a limit to the number of times that a customer can renew the welcome back data every month.

I am not yet sure of the number of times that MTN has restricted the number of renewals to because I had already renewed the data plan on my line several times before the limit on renewals was put into effect.

Read also... How to borrow data from all Nigerian networks

And... How to set up APN settings on all Nigerian networks

From my past experience with MTN Nigeria, I wouldn't be surprised to find out that they've restricted customers from renewing the data plan at all every month, which would mean that we would only be able to purchase the welcome back data bundle only once per month without the option to renew it until the next month.

If that should be the case, then it would mean that each eligible line would only be able to purchase the welcome back special bundle thrice in 3 months before it loses its eligibility.

Unless if you make use of the workaround that I've shared below which would enable your line not lose its eligibility for the MTN welcome back special data plan.

How to renew the MTN welcome back special data plan and sim eligibility

There's a trick I've been using to maintain my line's eligibility for the MTN welcome back offer plan for over a year now and I will share it with you now.

This trick would also enable you to renew the welcome back special plan more than once every month now that MTN has introduced a limit to its renewal. Simply follow the steps below.

1. Get two or more MTN SIM cards (it doesn't matter if they're new or old, so you could skip this if you already have more than one MTN SIM). You should recharge and make calls with the sim cards if they are newly registered before moving on to the second step.
2. Remove both sim cards from your phone and keep them in a safe place for 30 days. You should make sure to leave them inactive for 30 days, which means that you shouldn't put any of the sim cards back into a mobile device until after 30 days.
3. After 30 days, bring out one of the sim cards and put it on your mobile phone, recharge with 100 Naira voucher and you would discover that the 100 Naira would be debited and instead, you would be given a bonus of 500 for voice calls and 1500 for data. This is a confirmation that the line is now eligible for the welcome back offer.
4. Recharge with the required amount to purchase any of the welcome back data bundles that suit you (I advise that you go for the monthly plan so you may not have any need to renew it before the next month), then dial *131*65# to purchase the data bundle. Check your data balance to be sure that your purchase was successful.
5. Continue making use of the first sim until after 3 months when it would no longer be eligible then you can pick up the second sim and repeat steps 3 and 4. Make sure you keep back the first sim in a safe place, in an inactive state while you use the second, by doing so the first sim would have regained its eligibility for the data plan by the time the second sim would become ineligible in 3 months.
6. Continue to repeat step 5 after each sim loses its eligibility to continue using the MTN welcome back special data plan.

I hope that was helpful, believe me, it looks more tasking in writing than it actually is in practice.

Ran out of airtime? See how to borrow airtime from popular Nigeria networks.

I would probably update this post once I am sure about the number of times that MTN has restricted the welcome back data plan renewal. Nonetheless, the trick I shared above would enable you to keep enjoying and staying eligible for the special data plan until MTN finally discontinues it (if they do).

Share this post with your friends using the share buttons, comment and share your experience with us.

Don't forget to drop your suggestions in the comment box if you have a better trick that would enable us to keep using this awesome MTN data plan without exceeding the limit.

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Ipega 9099 Wolverine Bluetooth Wireless Controller Guide

Ipega gamepads are known to be among the best when it comes to choosing controllers for any device and the new Ipega 9099 wireless game controller is no exception to this. The Ipega PG-9099 codenamed "Wolverine" is a Bluetooth wireless controller with amazing features, design, and specifications that makes it stand out from other generic controllers.

Ipega 9099 Wolverine Gamepad Quick Specs and Features

• Sturdy plastic body with non-slip grip

• Stylish gamer design and aesthetic

• Telescopic phone holder, up to 6.2"

• LED light on the A/B/X/Y function keys

• LED light for different connection modes

• LED light on the Home key

• Wireless Bluetooth connection

• Wired USB connection

• D-input connection mode (Wireless)

• X-input connection mode (Wired)

• iCade mode for iOS devices

• Turbo mode

• Dual motor vibration

• L2 and R2 keys with Hall sensor (pressure-sensitive) function

• Replaceable D-pad plate

• Vibration feedback on connection changes

• Long-lasting battery.

My Review of the Ipega PG-9099 (Wolverine) wireless controller

I've had the Ipega 9099 Bluetooth controller since January and I must say it is one of the best controllers I've used after testing different controllers from different brands. 

I currently have three wireless controllers which include the Ipega wolverine gamepad, the Gamesir T1s, and the Gen Game S3. You may be wondering if the gen game gamepad I have now is the same Gen game S3 which I reviewed on this blog in 2017, well, yes it is.

The Ipega 9099 is a very well-built gamepad, it is packed with lots of features to complement its gorgeous design.

The non-slip handle is also a nice addition, it makes it look even more pleasing to the eyes while it also helps prevent any accidental drop of the controller when you're holding it.

I like the fact that the D-pad plate is replaceable, this gives room for users to replace the factory-installed plate to the alternative plate which is included in the box if they ever wish to do so.

I happen to be among the set of people that would prefer the alternative black D-pad plate to the default shiny plate that has the same silver-finish as the trigger and bumper keys.

If you're a fan of lights, or should I say RGB lights? Be rest assured that the Ipega 9099 controller is out to satisfy you to a good extent.

The white LED under the A, B, X, and Y keys do not only add to the Wolverine wireless gamepad's beauty, but it also serves the purpose of letting you see the keys clearly when playing at night.

I mentioned RBG, right? well, technically the Ipega 9099 has RGB lights because when the white LED shines from under the colored function keys it reflects off as Green, Blue, Yellow, and Red colors on the A/X/Y/B keys respectively.

It also has a blue light on the Home key, plus 4 blue LED indicators at the top of the home key that indicates the connection modes.

Enough with the looks, let's talk about the more important part of this controller which are the awesome specifications it packs.

I'll start by talking about the dual-motor vibration function that's responsible for the haptic feedback in games. The gamepad also vibrates when it is connected or disconnected from a device, and when the connection mode changes. This is a feature that was absent on the gen game S3.

Another important feature that was not on the gen game s3 but is available on this Ipega wolverine controller is the hall sensor on the L2 and R2 keys, this enables the controller to detect how far the keys are pushed and to respond accordingly, a feature that I found useful in many genres of games especially racing games.

Turbo mode is most useful for shooting games since it allows you to map action buttons to be automatically pressed continuously while you free your fingers or use them to press other buttons. 

The telescopic phone holder is a must-have feature for mobile gamers, hanging your phone on the Ipega 9099 controller while connected wirelessly to it via Bluetooth and playing a game of Dead Trigger 2, PPSSPP, or PUBG Mobile (using a third-party application to map the gamepad buttons) gives you that ultimate hand-held gaming experience that brings along a lot of nostalgic feelings.

I personally do not use the phone holder so much since I mainly use the controller on my PC rather than my smartphone. 

However, I've used the controller to play PSP's God of War - Ghost of Sparta on my 6 inches screen Redmi Note 5 AI with a case on it, the Ipega 9099 telescopic holder was able to hold the phone without problems.

I believe that the 6.2 inches display size which the manufacturers stated as the maximum which the gamepad's phone holder can hold is correct, though this would depend on how much side-bezels the phone in question has.

A bezel-less 6.3 inches smartphone may fit in while its 6 inches counterpart with very large side-bezels may have trouble fitting into the telescopic holder. I would say it all comes down to the phone's width in general rather than the screen size alone.

The Ipega 9099 is on the heavy side amongst the different controllers I've used, in fact, it is the heaviest amongst all three that I currently have, with the Gen game S3 being the lightest (almost weightless).

I'm attributing its weight to the dual vibration motors that are placed on both handles of the gamepad, the battery could also be the culprit because it does last very long (over 10hrs on a single charge) and I'm assuming that it would have some kind of weight to it which makes it that efficient.

If you intend to get this controller for mostly gaming on your Windows PC, you should have it in mind that the X-input mode only works when it's connected via USB, wireless connection to a PC via Bluetooth would limit the controller to D-input mode only.

This is not much of an issue for me since I mostly use my controller to play Pro Evolution Soccer games, and the games support D-input controllers with the ability to remap the controller buttons individually.

I, however, have no other choice than to connect the gamepad via wired USB to my PC when I want to play games that only support X-input controllers with it.

The Ipega 9099 can be used with different gadgets which include Windows computers, Android smartphones, tablets, Playstation 3, iPhones, Smart TV, etc.

You can connect the Ipega wolverine gamepad to all of the listed gadgets via both wired USB and wirelessly via Bluetooth, with exception to the iPhone which I haven't tested this gamepad on, and the PS3 which I've had no luck making it connect via Bluetooth, therefore I only use it via a wired USB connection.

That's all I have to say about the Ipega 9099 wolverine wireless controller, you could scroll fast down to now to read my verdict on whether you should buy this gamepad or not, and why. Or you could gently scroll below to read on how to connect the Ipega 9099 to various devices for different modes.

Ipega 9099 Wolverine Bluetooth Wireless Controller Connection Guide

How To Connect Ipega 9099 Wireless Controller To Android Via Bluetooth

Step 1: Press and hold both the "X" and Home buttons simultaneously for 2 seconds. The 4 LED indicator lights should start blinking very fast.

Step 2: Go to your phone's Bluetooth settings, turn on Bluetooth and click on "Pair new device". Your phone would start searching for Bluetooth devices and would eventually come up with one that's named "PG-9099", you should click on that to connect to your Ipega controller.

Once it has connected successfully the top-left LED indicator (LED 1) would stay lit while others would go off. You can now head over to your game, map the buttons and start playing.

If you want to play PSP games on your phone you should make sure to use these PPSSPP configurations for a smooth gaming experience.

How To Connect Ipega 9099 Wireless Controller To iPhone/iOS Via Bluetooth

Connecting the Ipega 9099 to an iOS device is pretty much the same steps as when connecting it to an Android as I explained above.

The only difference is that the controller can only be used in iCade mode on iOS devices if you're outside China, buyers in China do not have this restriction.

How To Connect Ipega 9099 Wireless Controller To Windows PC Via Bluetooth

Step 1: Press and hold both the "X" and Home buttons simultaneously for 2 seconds to put the gamepad into pairing mode. When the 4 LED indicator lights start blinking fast you should then move to step 2.

Step 2: I would assume that your laptop has Bluetooth connectivity, else you would need to purchase a Bluetooth dongle and follow the steps in the picture below to connect your gamepad to your PC.

If I'm right and your PC does have Bluetooth then you should over to its settings.

Step 3: When you're on your PC's Bluetooth settings, turn it on and click on "Add Bluetooth or other devices" and on "Bluetooth" (Windows 10), your PC would search and find your Ipega gamepad with the name "PG-9099", click on that to connect your controller to your PC.

Once it's connected the top-right LED indicator (LED 2) would stay lit.

Note that by connecting the Ipega wolverine controller to your PC via Bluetooth that the controller would only function as D-input. You should use the wired USB connection method if you want to use the controller in X-input mode.

How To Connect The Ipega 9099 Controller To Windows PC Via USB (Wired)

You can only use the Ipega 9099 controller as an X-input gamepad when it's connected to your PC via USB as I've already stated several times in this article. Follow the steps below to set your controller up in X-input mode on your PC successfully.

Step 1: Connect a micro USB cable to your PC then press and hold down the "Start" button on your Ipega 9099 controller, while the button is still held down you should connect the micro end of the USB cable to your controller.

LED 2 indicator on the controller should lit up, which indicates that the controller has been connected to your PC in wired D-input mode, perform the second step below to change it from D-input to X-input mode.

Step 2: While the LED 2 indicator is still lit after performing the first step, press and hold the Home button for 3 seconds or until the LED 3 indicator (bottom-left) is lit.

Your controller is now connected in X-input mode, you can go ahead and play any game on your PC that supports an X-input gamepad (which is over 90% of controller-supported PC games).

How To Connect The Ipega 9099 Controller To A Playstation 3 Via USB (Wired)

Connect a micro USB cable to your PS3. Press and hold down the "Start" button on your Ipega 9099 controller, while the button is still held down you should connect the micro end of the USB cable to your controller.

LED 2 indicator on the controller would lit up to indicate a successful connection, you're good to go.

Ipega PG-9099 Technical Specs

Working voltage: DC3.7V

Working current: 30 mA

Charging voltage: DC5V/500mA

Static current: Less than 35uA<35ua div="">
Bluetooth version: 4.0

Bluetooth transmission distance: 8M or less<9m div="">

Battery capacity: 400mAh

Battery uptime on gameplay: 10hrs

Standby time: 30 days on a full charge

USB connector: Micro
Weight: 248g
Dimensions (L x W x H): 6.3 x 4.33 x 1.57 inches

Where to buy an Ipega 9099 Wolverine BT Controller

You can buy the Ipega PG-9099 from Jumia Nigeria through our affiliate link for 8000 Naira only.

The controller at the time of this post sells for between $20 to $28 on Aliexpress, click here to see the current prices on different Aliexpress stores.

What's in the box:

Gamepad x1
D-pad plate1 x1
D-pad plate2 x1
Micro USB cable x1
User Manual x1

My Verdict

If you're wondering whether or not to buy the Ipega PG-9099 wolverine wireless controller then I have a few things to say to you, after which you should be able to make a better decision.

The controller is a very good buy if you're looking to play lots of Android mobile games, it is also a very good buy if you own a PS3 (even though you can't use it wirelessly).

However, for PC gamers, the fact that this gamepad doesn't support X-input mode wirelessly because it doesn't have a wireless receiver like the gen game S3 and instead it connects via Bluetooth is something that may make one double-minded about buying this controller or not.

But the truth still remains that, depending on the types of games you play and how far away you stay from your PC, this controller may or not be the best for you.

I personally haven't had any troubles with it and its lack of wireless X-input feature haven't really been much of a concern to me since I usually sit close to my laptop to play games, so I don't see it as a big deal to play in USB wired mode.

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Back to the real deal. In conclusion, I'll say, if you're like me that plays lots of games with D-input support and sits close to the PC to play X-input required games then I'm advising you to pick up this controller.

However, if you're on the other edge of the bridge, I mean if you're the type that likes to sit a bit far from your PC to play games, you could do either of two things;

1. You could buy a micro USB cord that is long enough to cover the distance that you sit away from your PC

2. You could check other wireless controllers that have wireless 2.4ghz dongles which give them X-input support even when connected wirelessly. Gen Game and Gamesir have lots of controllers in that category that would serve the purpose, you should check them out.

Having used both the Gen Game S3 controller and the Gamesir T1s for over a year, and now using the Ipega PG-9099, I believe there are very noticeable differences between all three of them and we would look into those differences in my next article where I would compare all three controllers.

Watch my unboxing of the Ipega PG-9099 Wolverine controller below

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That would be all for now. Please make sure you share this post with your friends on social media using the share buttons below.

 I would be expecting your comments in the comment box too if you have any questions or suggestions. Stay tuned and keep checking back for my next super exciting article.

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