A Novel Idea!

The other day I was speaking with the local bookstore owner. She told me about how she spoke with a person for about an hour and helped him find some books that would fit him. Then, after she spent all that time helping him the jackass said, "I'm going home to order that on Amazon. It's cheaper there." Aside from the extreme rudeness of that announcement, this fool just proved how thoughtless and simple minded consumers can be. That is why I have created the following meme and I hope it catches on. In either case, I greatly enjoy the long talks, wonderful service and VERY reasonably priced books that are sold there. Nothing beats the feel, smell, service, and experiences of a good bookstore.

On a side note, if you are ever in the area of Cedar City, Utah please stop by Main Street Books (formerly Braun Book). The service is amazing and the coffee shop next door, The Grind, has the best drinks and sandwiches in the world!

Go R2D2!

The Avengers!

If I understand this does that mean I am old?

President Lincoln is the Chosen One...

We're off to kill the wizard!

Technology PWNED!

Ah, I remember these days! Thank Heaven they are over!!!

Voldemort wants a hug!

Beaker

Books... This Is How It Is.

The Truth About the S.A.T. & A.C.T.

I know this does not have a lot to do with all things geeky, but it does have a connection in a way. Geeks value knowledge (generally) and this has to do with knowledge. So here goes...

Eugenics, if you were not aware of the term, is the process of breeding humans to make them "super human". It was the basis of Adolf Hitler's "Final Solution" and the Holocaust. It was and is the justification for racism. Along with this theory is the idea that anyone of below average intelligence not only could not be "educated" but also that eventually they should NOT be allowed to reproduce. At one point or another the majority of the States in the U.S.A. has laws on the books that allowed for the forced sterilization (or neutering) of people who did not have the right type of intelligence. This was also the case for most nations in Europe. Fortunately these laws were repealed around the Second World War. Still, the fact that a test that is used to allow for admittance to the majority of our universities indicates that we as a nation (perhaps as a world?) have not fully rejected the ideas of eugenics. Furthermore, this shows how stuck in the past the U.S. Education system is. Therefore the question MUST be asked, why does our education system still use it?

Love This Stick!

I felt there needed to be a clean version of this meme!

Psycho Clown Killer Checklist

The Internet

Why Will Why?!?!

In an interview Will Smith said he turned down the role of Neo in the movie Matrix for the role of Captain James West in the movie Wild,Wild West.
Hence the above meme.

Dem Candidate Get's Smeared Over WoW "Obsession". Is it right?

I usually try to keep politics of the Republican/Democrat nature out of the blog simply because I feel that 1) both parties are both so similar in their nature I don't want to dive into that pile of sh** and 2) it brings that pile of sh** into the blog because politics is a crap fest. Its bad enough there is a devision between techies over Apple vs Android or Mac vs PC. Add politics to the mix and things start circling the drain. But this particular tid-bit of news got me thinking. So here goes.


The GOP (Republican Party) of Maine has recently launched a smear champaign against Democrat candidate Colleen Lachowicz for her "bizarre double life" as a level 68 female orc rogue (assassin) in the game World of Warcraft (WoW). They even went so far to launch a website called ColleensWorld.com to mock/expose her enjoyment of the game in question. Now this just brings me back to the crapfest we call politics. I would like to say this is ridiculous, but would the media reaction be different if it were the Democrat party exposing a GOP candidate for enjoying WoW? I think so. One of the things that fuels the vile bile spewing about Lachowicz's enjoyment (obsession?) of the game WoW are quotes such as "I stab things a lot. Who would have thought a peace-lovin' social worker and democrat would enjoy that?". In any party politic sh** slinging contest that quotes like this are just the Golden Christmas Poo of ammunition.

So let's agree here that when it comes to party politics it just degrades into the crapfest, but this brings up a few questions I want to consider. Please keep in mind that I am personally sick of the crap BOTH parties are throwing out. 

So here are those questions:

1) In an age of online openness & limited privacy, can a public figure "get away with" crass behavior without scrutiny?

2) Is a child's game (sorry WoW fans, but it is) something a holder of public office (or a potential one) should be dedicating a significant amount of time to no matter the party? Average play time in WoW is about 20+ hours a week.

3) And how is crass behavior on a public forum such as WoW any different from similar behavior on a Facebook account or in spectator sport game?

The last question I think is particularly cogent since on Facebook and while watching a football game you are, in fact, living in a sort of fantasy world. The reality of the matter is that while both provide enjoyment and release, they are also not reality. So can a person in a public area behave in a way contrary to expected behavior and then expect to be exempt from  any criticism resulting from such behavior? I get that WoW is a fantasy based game. I get there is fighting. Heck, I get the enjoyment from such games. Personally I don't play MMO's. I can't stand them. But that doesn't mean I don't occasionally go over to a friend's place and play a game or 3 of some first person shooter with him and some other buddies and not enjoy it. Still, if it is public is it fair game? Please, share your thoughts. I want this to be a discussion. I want to hear what you think. Please keep the commentary clean and civil. This commentary is not about political parties so much as it is about what should or should not count in the political arena. What is considered public and private. Stuff like that.

Where I Get My Music From

Back in the days of yor when Napster was the thing I use to get a lot of my music from there. Then Limewire. But then life took a turn when my computer had an epic blue screen of death and I lost all of my data. Since then I have realized there were ways to recover said data, but at the time it was lost and that was it. You live you learn. In either case, I took the crash as a message from the gods of the mystical computer that they were not pleased with the buccaneer-like lifestyle I was leading. That and the fact that I have my own intellectual property I would like to protect. So I put up my eye patch, stuffed parrot, fake hook, and cutlass to never hold them again. Now my music and audiobooks are obtained through hard earned money. The good news is thanks to things like Napster the cost to have music is now very cheap to free depending on how much control you want to have. Here are the options I used.

Pandora

The internet radio Pandora was among the first of its kind and works very well. Personally I think Pandora should transfer its tech over to OTA (Over the Air) radio as well. How awesome would that be to have a radio station or 3 that is set to a specific genre and the playlist dictated by user requests with no obnoxious DJ's ruining my morning run or commute with pointless prattle?!?! But that is for a later date. I list this option first because it is the option with the least amount of control. I don't pay for the service so I do get the occasional commercial which I am fine with because it is less than a real radio station. Still, paying $36 dollars a year for Pandora One to get rid of commercials is a decent enough deal. On the flip side, the control over your music is about the same as a radio station. You can request specific songs and bands, but it is random. The good news is that at least until further notice the basic service is free and includes less commercial interruptions than traditional radio.
As a side note, I am aware that there are other internet radio options out there such as Slacker etc. I am a creature of habit and that habit started with Pandora. Until such a time as I am shown a better option, I am happy with Pandora. But that doesn't mean you should be limited to that. Check you options and try out what you are interested in. I do recommend research before committing, but that is your option.

Amazon MP3

This option is one of my favorites simply because of one reason... cross system compatibility. While the Amazon Cloud player isn't the best mp3 playing system in the world, it works and it works well. Further more, I can play my music via the "Cloud" to almost any device from an Apple to Zune (Yes, I know the Zune is dead, but its a Z people! Give me a break!). If the device doesn't support cloud based services I simply download the MP3 from the unlimited storage for purchased music that Amazon provides and load it to the device or burn it to a CD. All legal. All happy. Furthermore, since I use amazon for shopping any ways I occasionally get a bone thrown my way from Amazon in the form of MP3 credits. In this way I get my music on for a lot cheaper than say Google Play or... dum dum dummmmm, iTunes. Like the other two MP3 purchasing system Amazon offers free music as promotions, but I have noticed that Amazon tends to have more sales than the others. What? Can you say that louder? What about the Artists you ask? Oh, the royalties thing for artists. Well, here's the deal. You see I am a believer in the free market. So long as the artist are getting paid something for their work I am fine with deal shopping. The market adjusts to demand. If more people would deal shop in their music then there would be more deals for music. Furthermore, artist would have more leverage in negotiating with production companies. But this article isn't about the free market. If you're interested in that go look up Free Market on Youtube and watch. I recommend ReasonTV. Still, my point is I have no issue taking a deal offered by Amazon because I am getting the music that I like for a price I can afford that does not compromise my standards of ethics. This is the same reason I recommend shopping around for Android apps. Because if you do you can get a good deal WHILE supporting the creators of those applications. Piracy is a nice ideal, but in reality it harms the creators more than it harms anyone else. And without that creation process we would not have what we have now. So save a life, buy your music, movies, shows, and apps. Or at least use services that get money to the creators. Voting with you money is more powerful than a political vote. Pffffffffewwww! Okay, off my soap box!

The point is Amazon is my first stop for music.

Google Play

I am a user and lover of Android. Sorry iOS fans, I dumped my first love Apple because she kept making life harder. If you don't get what I mean read my article titled Why I Dropped My iPod Like a Hot Rock. So Google Play is my next stop. Mainly because I am shopping for deals. If the price is right it is mine. It helps that Google Play works on my PC's and all of my Android devices, but there is something lacking. Recently Steve Wozniak suggested that Apple extend it's iTunes service to Android so that the could maintain their slipping dominance of the digital music scene. I would like to suggest the same to Google. Why not make it so music, movies, and more are available for purchase and use on all operating systems? Amazon has the right idea. Why not have Google join in? In either case, I can still download my music and use it how I like if the service not not available on the device I am using. Sometimes the Cloud is overrated.

Physical Media

This next step is something I often jump to if I find that the physical media is cheaper than the digital. Why this is the case is often a mystery to me since the music companies pay less to produce and deliver the digital music than a CD, but what ever. Since my number one concern as a person who does not have unlimited funds is getting the best bang for my ever inflating buck then I'll get what is the best price. In this case it is important that you research your options. Often digital offers a couple songs more as and incentive to buy that. If this is of interest to you, buy digital. If it is not, get the physical media. The best part is that both Amazon and Google offer services that are free that allows you to back up you music digitally to their servers. Amazon offers a certain amount of space for free while Google offers 20,000 songs with no limit on storage size. While iOS offers iCloud (which name was stollen without permission from a small company in Arizona), it is limited only to Apple products. So I don't count it because at least with Google you can access your music on Mac or PC. On top of that, you physical media is a great back up in and of itself. Sure if can be lost, stollen, or damage, but so can your devices. Heck a unlucky surge in a server farm could ruin that for you. Life has risk, deal with it.

Why I Don't Use iTunes

It's bloatware! I use to use it all the time until I realized that it took more system resources and time to work with iTunes than with any other system out there. If you like it good for you, but for me the need of special software to load, burn, transfer, or purchase music died many many years ago. Give me the freedom of simple, basic interfaces. This is kind of sad considering that Apple was known for this "innovation". 

Conclusion

So there you have it. This is where I get my music from. It is rather nice. I enjoy it. I save money. I get the tunes I crave and in the case of services like Pandora I get the music exploration I want as well. Thoughts? Comments? Share them below.

Why I Dropped My iPod Like a Hot Rock

I remember all my iPods. I loved them. I've had a 2nd, 4th and 5th gen iPod classic as well as several iPod nano/minis. In all cases I loved them more than I hated them. The actual hardware was well designed and beautiful. The UI was annoying at times, but functional. I listened to music, podcasts, and audiobooks. But when I realized that greener pastures were availible I dropped that iPod like a lava hot rock. The reason for this warp speed drop is simply summed up into one word... iTunes!
What initially started as an awesome program that acted as a jukebox, music store, and sync interface has ballooned into the biggest joke of the retail/tech world. It is bloatware in the cyber-flesh. The fact that so many Apple products require iTunes in order to sync, reset, and so forth is a testiment to how one company can be so full of itself that it fails to see when it's star innovation is now crapware. And iTunes was innovation in its time. It was a unifying idea that caught on, but that time as past. Now is the time of the cloud, the app, the web browser. I think of my current setup for music, audiobooks, and podcasts, and I shudder at the thought of having to re-install iTunes if I were to move back to an Apple product. The mere removal of that program alleviated such a large load off of my laptop & desktop's system. Compairing syncing, uploading files to my smart devices, backing up info, and much more anything more than basic "click & drag" like function is just way too much. So dear iPod, I didn't abandon you because of anything you yourself did. No, I abandoned you because you medlesome parent iTunes just kept getting between us. Know I have found another in Android. As I once listened to you, I know listen to her more because I do not have interuptions like that of you parent iTunes. Can't you see this is for the best? I hope we can still be friends!

Why Steve Woznik is My Tech Hero & Why He Should Be Your Too

Steve Wozniak is like Santa Clause, except Santa wishes he was that cool. No seriously, Wozniak, or The Woz, is such an awesome guy I would invite him to my birthday party even though I've never met him. Here's why. Despite the fact that he hitched his proverbial horse to the Apple cart (pun intended), the Woz is so very chill about different techs and OS's co-existing. Over the years since I've gotten into tech I have heard one major voice that has talked about how great each tech is and how they build off of each other. That was the Woz. While other major "inventors/innovators" such as Steve Jobs mutter threats about going nuclear on the competition, the Woz has consistently said what he likes and dislike about each OS and the celebrates the fact that both exist.

The Woz is essentially like George Takei when George step in between two major stars of the Star Trek and Star Wars genres when they were having you pissing match over which was better. George essentially said its all good. They both have their advantages and disadvantages. He then pointed out the true enemy which is Twilight and its fans. The Woz is essentially try to do the same thing. While Wozniak prefers iOS devices over Android, he still enjoys both because each offers a different take on what personal electronics make.
What I think the Woz has failed to do is point out the true enemy to Android and iOS fans. The true enemy is Patent Trolls. Sadly this enemy has taken root in companies such as Apple and Samsung. The real losers when Patent Trolling happens is us, the end users. If this behavior is allowed to continue the end result will be stagnation in electronics and technology. Apple paved the way with user interface. Google paved the way with availability of smartphones and improved notifications and user control. Both companies have borrowed ideas from each other. The most notable borrowing which has happened is with Apple's release of iOS 6, which borrowed ideas from Android's notification and integration features. Is this bad? NO! Its good! The over all user experience for Apple users has improved. Does this mean I'd go iPhone over Android? No. I've bought into the ecosystem of Android AND I feel like I have more freedom. But that doesn't mean I can't be friends with Apple users. That doesn't mean I have to be a hater. When I trash on any company it is because of patent trolls. If you were to ask me which is better, Android or iOS, I would say Android. I freely admit I am biased. But that does not mean I cannot point how what iOS does better than Android. Heck, there were things WebOS did better than either and that OS is essentially dead because HP screwed up royally. The message of this entire rant is this, the reason I think Steve Wozniak is cooler than Steve Jobs and Bill Gates or any other heavy hitter in tech is because he has talked the talk and walked the walk of a true blue techy. He loves innovation. He loves creativity. He isn't a snob who doesn't want the "little people" to have what he has. He promotes ideas, knowingly or not, that will make the world better. That is why when it comes to tech, despite the fact that I don't agree with him in all things or even because of it, Steve Wozniak is my Tech hero.

For more information on Steve Wozniak's stand on the OS battles, check out this article by the Android Authority.

George Takei (Sulu) in his now famous request for peace between Star Wars and Star Trek fans:

Down with Twilight!!!

Reflections on Apple v. Samsung Trial

What with the verdict of the trial being very much in the favor of Apple, it seems that Samsung (and by connection Android) has lost a major battle last week. But the issue isn't so easily defined. As a Android fanboy, I am rather surprised with myself on how I can step back and have a looksy at what is happening and what this means.

First, it is clear to me that BOTH Apple and Samsung have actively and repeatedly infringed on patents that each holds. The validity of those patents are, in some cases, questionable. But that is really a question of whether the system is broken or not. It is VERY clear to me that the system is broken. Having participated in the application process for several patents I can tell you that it is long, drawn out, and is more about bring money into a governmental agency than protecting the rights of the inventor. In the case of Apple and Samsung I have seen ample evidence that both are more interested in "knocking out the competition" rather than protecting intellectual property rights. If anyone thinks that this conclusion in court is the end you have another thing coming. This is likely to drag out for a very long time. The fact that the jury was very much slanted towards Apple rather than doing as the South Korean Judge did and smack both upside the head just means that life for Android and iOS users is going to become rougher for US residents at least.

And that leads to my second point, this ruling can be taken one of two ways. Either this will make life worse for consumers or better. It could really go either way and since I don't have a crystal ball I really can't tell you which. Either this case will set a precedent of enforcing a monopoly through the courts, or it could result in an expansion of innovation that is greater than we have already seen. My big issue with Apple fanboys is that they claim that Samsung did no innovation and "stole" everything from Apple. That is crap. Just like its crap to say Apple hasn't "stolen" anything from Samsung or Android. The competition that Android, and by connection Samsung, brought to the table has made both operating systems better in both the long and short run. To claim that Apple (or Google) has an exclusive on the ideas and innovations that have come about is as ridiculous as claiming that Ford should have had exclusivity on making cars back in the day. Competition improves the market place. The fact of the matter is that Steve Jobs, and by connection Apple, has it in for Android simply because the creators dared to challenge the Apple ecosystem. And ecosystem that was intentionally limiting until recent years. The main reason Android has so much power is because Apple refused to deal with anyone other than one wireless carrier per country. While I am not sure of the other carriers in other nations, I can tell you that having worked for AT&T in the past, it did more harm than good for AT&T and its users to have the iPhone as an exclusive. Let's be clear here, I am not an AT&T spokes person, I just was the poor smuck who handled the customer service calls on poor coverage and crappy service etc. By Apple refusing to deal, the other carriers realized that Android was the next big thing. And Apple is still doing the same when it comes to T-mobile. If Apple really wanted to be supreme in Smart Devices, they should have been available on all carriers and services as soon as they could. In either case, my point still stands. Apple may have started down a road of innovation, but Google made it better and by doing so made Apple's product better as well.

Finally, the ruling was in many ways very fishy. The fact that evidence such as previously existing ideas and images that far proceeded the iPhone and iPad were disallowed as evidence. The fact that Steve Job's statements of wanting to go nuclear on Android. The fact that there is very much a bias in the public's eyes all make me question the validity of the ruling and the use of a jury. As an example, the other day I was having a conversation with a friend. He told me to get out my iPhone and search something. He knows I don't have an iPhone so I corrected him. His response, "Same difference..." The problem we see here is that there isn't. iPhone is a brand. If he had said, "Get out your smartphone," or to use an older term since he was older, "Get out your PDA," then there would be no need for correction. Smart devices have been around much longer that the iPhone. Apple just made them hip and trendy. Personally, I think that the case should be retried. I think if there is a jury, it should be a jury of unbiased experts. I think that in reality that both parties have intentionally wronged the other. I think this entire thing was really one big farce. In the end all I see coming out of these trials is increased cost for the consumers. I see a failure in our patent system. I see that in the end no one wins and everyone, include innovation, loses.

Confessions of a Sports Agnostic

I have a saying. I think its quite funny, but some don't agree. My saying is I'm a sports agnostic. Sports may or may not exists, but I don't care. To be fare, I need to qualify that. What I mean is spectator sports. For some reason I just can't get excited about watching or following stats for any major sport. Sure I may watch the odd game with family or friends. I may even tune into the Olympics for a spell, but I just don't feel the umph that others seem to get out of it. And it isn't because I don't understand the game. For heaven's sake, I get most of the rules of Cricket. I know some fans who don't even have that much. So what am I suppose to do?
This particular dilemma is compounded because a family member criticized me for my "anti-social" behavior when it comes to sports. So I've been thinking about what I can and should do. Sadly, it seems that spectator sports is just a huge deal in all walks of life. At school, work, and even church it always seems to be a central topic of discussion. Of course there are my geeky, nerdy, and techy friends who care less about such sports, but I have never been one to limit myself socially if I can help it. Of course, add to this the fact that my profession of choice is high school teacher and sports becomes a huge issue. I can get behind the high school team because that's what you're suppose to do, but what if my lack of interest and by connection knowledge in the area of sports handicaps my carrier advancement because I don't know much about the latest team or player?
I suppose the reason I'm writing this is partly to ask for help in this regards and partly to get things off of my chest. Where should one start when learning to care at least a little about spectator sports? I'm great at conversational BS but I can only take it so far when I have lost track of who is whom in the arena of sports. Is there a book, article, or app (for Android, I don't have any iOS devices currently) that I can get to at least start me down the road of being an undercover sports agnostic? Your feed back is wanted. Share them in the comments section.

Samsung, Barnes & Noble Drop Tablet Price. Worth It?

Last week Samsung announced the Galexy Tab 2 student edition for $250. While it is the same price as the regular Galexy Tab 2, the dual core tablet also comes with a bluetooth keyboard and adaptor to allow use of usb drives with the tablet.
Further more, Barnes & Noble announced a price drop in their Nook color and Nook Tablets. Nook Color is $149, Nook Tablet (8GB) $179, and Nook Tablet (16GB) $199. Essentially a $50 drop in price. This was done to compete with the Nexus 7 by ASUS.
This begs the question of whether it is worth it to get either one of the tablet options over the Nexus 7? With respects to the deal I can honestly recommend the Nexus 7. While the peripherals for the Galexy Tab 2 is great and while the Nook devices have expandable memory, both are running processors that are dual core (or in the case of Nook Color a 800mhz single core processor. Also both are running old software and lower screen resolution. Over all the fact that the pricing is fairly comperable to the Nexus 7 pricing there is just nomajor reason except the expandable memory not to go with the Nexus 7. Even with that the use of services such as Google Drive, Box and Dropbox (among others) solves any major storage concerns. I have a 16gb Nexus 7 and memory isn't such a big deal. If your iching to get a 7 inch tablet, the Nexus 7 is a far better deal with more flexability as well.

Why Microsoft Why?!?!

It was recently announced that Windows 8 will not allow for a computer to boot up to the classic desktop we all know and love by default. Rather it will only allow for the Metro UI silly thing that we can no longer call the Metro User Interface due to poor planning in trade mark and copy right on Microsoft's part to boot up. If you want to go to the classic desktop UI from there you have to manually switch EACH AND EVERY TIME! Seriously?!?! While Microsoft thinks their interface is hip and all, I personally hate it. Okay, so some people like it. And it may be more effective on a touch screen. But why take choice away from users with classic laptop and desktop computers. I was actually considering upgrading from Windows 7 Pro too Windows 8 Pro because of the decreased boot time and increased system preformance, but at this point I'm just going to wait until either there is a work around for this issue or until Microsoft gets their head out of their collective ass. Either way, this makes me glad I dual boot Ubuntu since it has most, if not all, of what I am looking for in my desktop OS. All of that aside, what do you guys thing of the formerly Metro UI? Likes? Dislikes?

Shut the *bleep* Up About the iPhone 5 Already!

This little rant was in my head for a while so I figured I may as well get it out. The iPhone 5 isn't even out yet and already people are working themselves up in yet another frenzy over it. The sad part to me is that as the device goes, the iPhone name has been behind on the game since the iPhone 4. Sure its a really nice UI. Sure it broke boundries and really revitialized the industry. But if we were basing the device on what it did we would all be using Palm Pilots right now. Or I would be driving a Chevy. My point is let's judge the next iPhone on what it delivers. As things go I was emensly underwhelmed with the announcement of iOS 6. It is a great improvement for sure, but when even Windows Phone 7 users have the fuction that iOS 6 brings you have to ask yourself if it really is as cutting edge as Apple Fanboys claim it is. I personally love how competition makes things better for me as a consumer, and yet it still annoys me to no end when people are foaming at the mouth over something that isn't even announced yet and also promises to be as underwhelming as the iPhone 4, 4S and iOS 6. I'm the wait and see sort.

Best Buy Founder Suggests the Company Makes Improvements

The founder of Best Buy suggested the other day that the big box store cut prices and provide "Apple like" customer services as part of a plan to turn the store's sales numbers around. Those of us who have expirenced the poor service Best Buy (dubbed Worst Buy by us) can't help but agree with the move. While our parents may be willing to drop $1000 on a sub-par laptop or desktop, those of us who know anything about this stuff look for our electronics some place else. Let's hope that "Apple like" isn't too much like Apple though. I don't even use Macs all the time and I can still run circles around the numb skulls at the so called "Genius Bar."

Google's Launch of Google Now Voice Search on iOS is One Awesome Move!

It was recently announce by Google that the amazing voice search that has been putting Siri to shame is becoming availible on iOS devices very soon. What makes this interesting is that this feature which was previously only availible on Android 4.1 and some 4.0 devices will be availible to the users of Google's top competing mobile OS. Android fanboys everywhere are scratching their heads and asking "Why dear god why? The horror!" Maybe I over exagerate. Hell, as a huge fan of Android, I asked that question for a nano second or two. But then I remember what Google is. Google is a search company. They are an ad company. The entire reason Google bought and developed Android and develops things like Chrome is not to make massive profits from them (although it helps) or to fuel fanboy wars between Android and iOS. No, the reason Google does all it does is to protect their profitable search and advertising castle. Android, Chrome, Project Glass, all of these are Google's defeances against competition. Taken in this light, Google's release of the Google Now like voice search function that makes Siri cry like the little girl she really is just reaffirms that Google has some leaders at the helm that know what they are doing. Android fanboys out there, just remember that Android would die without Google search. The one thing that pisses me off about the Google Now search function on iOS is that the majority of Android users are left out. That will change as OEMs stop using Gingerbread and start using Jelly Bean, but OEMs can be lazy at times. Case in point, I'm writing this post on a phone running Android 2.3.4. But that will be changing very, very, very soon. Just remember people, you heard it here first!

OUYA Game Console: What the Nexus Q & Google TV Should Be

You may have heard of the Kickstarter project for the open source gaming console OUYA (Pronounced Oo-yu). Its been talked about in the positive and the negative. The console will run Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) at its core with a Tegra 3 quad core processor, 1 GB RAM, Bluetooth 4.0, 8GB built in memory, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, HDMI with 1080p support and USB 2.0, not to mention a console controller. Now, some people are shouting that the open source game console has been tried before and failed. Those same people claim that this console will fail just as hard. Yet others shout that this console will be a success because it is designed around Android and that operating system isn't going away anytime soon. With over 50% of the smart phone market share, not to mention a rising share in the tablet market, basing the gaming console around the Android OS is a better move than making an OS from the ground up. Add to this the fact that emulators for other game consoles such as the N64 & PS systems among others and its a huge win for gamers everywhere. But I'm not arguing for the Ouya Game Console based off of the gaming ability. I am arguing for the Ouya Console because of it's entertainment functionality.

Gaming is of course a part of the devices draw. It is awesome that you can do that on your TV. You can do the same with any Android tablet or phone. But as a dedicated entertainment system and living room computing device it is even more awesome! Stream video through Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Youtube and more. Stream music as well. Heck, you can play ANY music or video file via the USB 2.0 port or even by streaming from on device to another such as a PC or another mobile device. You can connect any Bluetooth peripheral to it as well. Stream music to Bluetooth headphones, connect other controllers like a Wii remote, PS3 controller or remote control. Since hacking of the Ouya Console is encouraged, really the limit is in imagination of the hacking and programing community. A community that is alive and well in the Android ecosystem! Currently with 24 days left on the Kickstarter project, you can grab a console and controller for $99.00. If you think of getting this device as an investment in a potential gaming console, that's a big risk because as a console it may not pan out. But, if you purchase the device as a multi-media solution then this is the device for you. Google has released Google TV and the Nexus Q. Both  of them are good but lacking.

Now we haven't seen Ouya as a finished product yet, so there is a chance it won't be as awesome as a multi-media device for your living room as I am hoping it will. Still, I'm betting on it as a win. Check out the project. If it looks to be a fit for you, consider investing in it. At $4.6 million and counting, 35,999 other investors think its a good gamble. Oh, and did I mention the project has 26 days to go? Well, now I did.

UPDATE: Whoohoo! I love it when I'm right. At 8.5+ million, this game console is looking very, very good. The Kickstarter project is over, but the games have just begun. Before finishing some major names officially jointed the club in supporting the OUYA. Check out the Kickstarter page above for details.

Attention PC Gamers! Check Out the Steam Summer Sa...

TriForce Radio: Attention PC Gamers! Check Out the Steam Summer Sa...: For some of you this is old news. But for others this is a great opportunity. The online game store Steam is holding a summer sale from now til July 22nd where many of its games are discounted. Further more there are daily deals and even games voted for by the site users that are heavily discounted. To the tune of 75% off! We would suggest you hold off on buy that game you always wanted until the last day because there is a chance you can get it cheaper with one of the many daily deals. Still, this is one awesome sale. Now you can get that game you've been aching to play but just couldn't push yourself to dropping the cash on. Nothing makes life for a gamer better than saving a little dough. To enjoy the steamy goodness (pun intended) go to SteamPowered.com.

P.S. There have been reports of some issues due to heavy traffic on the site, so if you do plan on waiting till the last day to buy, I would not suggest waiting till the last minute just in case the Steam servers are a little over taxed.

Android In Education: Deal on ASUS Transformer Prime! An Awesome Deal

Android In Education: Deal on ASUS Transformer Prime! An Awesome Deal: The Transformer Prime is an Android tablet that has some amazing specs. The first Quad Core tablet (even before the iPad 3), it runs Android 4.0, has 1 GB internal RAM and comes with 32 or 64 GB of internal storage as well. The best part of the entire deals is that the base model starts at the same price as the iPad 3 but with much more choice for the user. For example, you can use the tablet as a standard tablet, or you can get the keyboard dock which makes it essentially a mini computer. Productivity on the tablet with the keyboard dock is a breeze. I'm speaking from experience here. The majority of my computer usage is via the Transformer Prime tablet. But here is the kicker, the standard price for the Prime is $499 for the 32GB model. For a limited time, CowBoom.com is offering Certified Pre-Owned Primes starting at $299.99. If buying pre-owned makes you nervous, CowBoom offers a 1 & 2 year warranty extension with protects the tablet against electronic or mechanical failure. Basically what the standard manufacture's warranty covers. The 1 year is $34.99 and the 2 year is $62.99. In both cases you are spending less than if you were to buy an iPad 2 with half the memory. Add to this that you can shop around for apps unlike with the Apple ecosystem and this is one amazing deal. To check out the tablets simply go to this link. The deal isn't going to last forever, so check it out!

Back to the Future Meme Corrected...

I've seen variants on this meme pop up a couple times in the last few months. I am so sick of people getting the facts wrong because they want to whine that they don't have a hover board or something. Enjoy!

The Problem with Mobile (commentary)

       I love the mobile revolution! The software and devices coming out of Apple, Microsoft and Google & friends just makes my inner geek freak out with nerdy, geeky, techy joy! But there is a problem... Mobile is it is MOBILE! Prior to my jump into a tablet, my primary device of choice was a laptop. While not as mobile as a tablet, the laptop worked very nicely for my purposes. I had something like 6 hours of battery life and complementing programs that did what I needed. But the move to a tablet added a lot of things and I am mostly happy with it. But this article is not about what I am happy with. It's about what the mobile experience currently lacks.

True Multi-Tasking

I have played with all of the mobile operating systems that are currently available. From Blackberry to Symbian, from iOS to Android. What I haven't played with I have researched, and the one thing that is lacking in all of these devices is true multi-tasking. Sure some of them run programs in the back ground, but that isn't what I mean. What I refer to is the ability to work two tasks simultaneously without the need to switch between them. I am referring to windows people. OSX, Linux and Windows (which is named for the capability) all have it. I've worked on all three. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, but they all have the mutli-tasking ability I refer to. Now, I understand the limitations of multi-tasking at this level for mobile devices. First, the average phone's screen is way too small. But why should we preclude tablets from the game because phones have small screen space? Second, multi-tasking on such a level can cause a little larger strain on the mobile cpu and os. Still, I feel the primary reason that you can't find an iPad or Android tablet that has "windows" functions on it is laziness. 

The "Window" is Open

Of all the reasons listed above, laziness is the answer in my mind. I have seen that the window function is capable on mobile devices. A perfect example of this is MBFG's products. Things like OverSkreen (a floating web browser), StickIt! (a floating video player), AirCalc (a floating calculator) and AirTerm (a floating terminal). These apps all feature the window floating capability and play nice with other apps as well. What is more, Tablified Apps has released LilyPad Floating IM which does the same thing but for IM clients. Samsung also introduced something like stick it on the Galaxy S III phone. All of these apps can be resized, moved and minimized with little to not fuss. I have even used them on my small Android phone screen. While I am convinced that such a function is somewhat useless on such a small screen, I do feel the function should be available for those who would like to use it. And that is what MBFG does for Android. But that isn't enough! Just because there is some functionality in this area doesn't mean that it is the answer. Why isn't this basic function that has been available in computers since I can remember lacking in the computing devices of the future? Why can't I have a movie playing in one corner while I web browse on the other without having to modify my tablet? Why can't iPad users do this? Why is it that this basic functionality that we all use and take for granted on standard computers lacking in mobile? I would suggest it is because we are not asking for it. Right now, the only mobile tablet that may have this functionality built in is the Microsoft Surface. A device that isn't even released yet! From what I can tell, the Windows 8 & Windows RT maintain the floating windows function without much fuss. This means that Apple and Google could be playing catch-up to Microsoft if people realize that for the same or similar price to Microsoft's competition they can get a mobile device that is more functional. Now, I understand I could be way of base here. Maybe I'm making a big deal out of something everyone else could care less about. So what do you think. Is the floating window function a big deal?

Run Android Apps on PC & Mac!

Blue Stacks is an app developed that allows users to run Android applications on a PC. That is old news. What is big news is that now Mac users can get in on the fun and games. This is a beauty of Android. Since it is open source by design Google has no problems with such things happening. In fact, by its very nature, Android is creating an ecosystem that is almost viral. If more and more users and utilize Android apps on more and more devices this makes the Android operating system more essential to more people. My hope is that Microsoft and Apple take a hint from this success by opening up such functionality in their mobile device applications. Sadly, while I can hope, I don't see such rational thinking happening on either software companies part. Still, the ability for an Android user to have their software they have spent good money on be transferable to the computer of their choice just adds further value. I can see someone using the Mircosoft Surface Tablet and running Blue Stacks and Android apps on it. Wonderful! To enjoy Blue Stacks for Mac, go here. To enjoy Blue Stacks for PC, go here.

I asked my wife if she would wear this shoe. She said yes!

High heels can be a real monster! I don't speak from experience mind you. Rather, I speak from observation. Still, this rather awesome shoe and two others made with the similar design sense of EPIC AWESOMENESS are with 3D printing. The designer, Janina Alleyne is a  U.K. based fashion footwear designer. She partnered with 3D printer Inner Leaf. 

I think this is something Kerrigan (from Star Craft) would wear. 

Hit the link to enjoy more pictures of these epic shoes. While they are currently for sale, I'm sure if the girls of Geekdom were to demand them they may become available.

What the Hell Google?!?!

To start with, I want to say that the Google I/O event was awesome and I really wish I could have been there. Watching it on YouTube is just not the same. I am super excited about the Nexus 7, Jelly Bean and even Project Glass. The updates for Google+ and all the other stuff was awesome as well, BUT...

The Nexus Q

What the hell is this thing?!?! It looks cool. It sounds cool, but in reality it is either a little ahead of its time or a lot behind on understanding human psychology! If you haven't heard, this little device hooks up to you speakers and TV and lets you play things from your Google Play and Cloud accounts. In theory  this sounds nice. Not so sure about the practice. Let me break it down for you.

Android Only

You can use your Android device to control this thing. That's it! Hey, I love Android, but there are other devices out there. While I dislike Apple greatly for their big bully behavior towards Android OEMs, they still make a great product, and the lack of support of iOS devices means you are leaving people out in the cold. The reason I love Google is because they don't play the Apple game. Seems to me like this is an attempt to do that. 

Music Ques

Using your Android device you can control and create music ques with you Google Play music. It sounded like you could also port your existing music into the Google Cloud so you could use that music too (up to 20,000 at no cost). All of this is nice, but they added the ability for anyone who has and Android device to control the music. Now there is a nice side to this in that I could share my music with friends without them having to buy said music while protecting the copyright of the band, but they forgot about human nature. Maybe its because I was enjoying Malcom in the Middle reruns when I found out about the Nexus Q, or perhaps its because I great up with 6 siblings, but I' fairly certain that giving all users equal access to the device and allow them all the ability to interrupt the current song is a disaster waiting to happen. 

Limited Ecosystem

The Google Play store is awesome, but there are so many countries where it or psrts of it are not available. Now this may be because of the studios, or governments, or heaven knows what else, but it is limited. Also, the fact that you have to have a Google Play compatible device is a big limiter. Netflix has the right idea. Make it compatible with all devices and there won't be any issue of limits. But why would I cough up $9.99 for a digital copy of a movie when I can buy the DVD or Blue-ray and make a backup copy? Now, if Google Play were offering an All You Can Eat option like Amazon Prime or even Netflix, that is a different story. But this device is currently limited to Google Play. I can get more out of my Logitech Revue than out of this thing because at least the Revue works with Pandora, Netflix and Amazon Prime.

The Final WTF: The PRICE

This device is $299! Sure its running a dual core processor. Sure it's cutting edge, never been done before, blah blah blah blah blah. BUT $299!!! Considering all the options we the people have in the electronics market I say save your money. Buy an amp and hook in a Nexus 7 tablet. You'll likely have just as good and experience and save $100. Either that or wait until the price drops or more functionality is added because at this point, its nice, but not I NEED IT nice.

There is Hope

The Nexus Q runs Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich. It was designed on the open source mobile OS that is taking the world by storm. In the Keynote for Google I/O 2012 the presenter encouraged hacking it! That is awesome. Perhaps this little device could bloom into something we do NEED. But at this point I'm thinking you should invest in Pocket TV or a Google TV box if you want to enjoy the Google Ecosystem without the premium.

The Blue Desk: Memes...

This is an awesome little meme! Follow the link back to the original blog to enjoy the fun!

The Blue Desk: Memes...: So my husband is a freelance writer and has been creating a geeky blog where he writes whatever he wants. He dumped a whole bunch of memes o...

The Google Nexus 7!

Yesterday the Google Nexus 7 tablet was announced. This 7 inch tablet packs a massive one two punch. It starts at $200 for the base model ($250 for the next up) and packs the Nvidia Tegra 3 Quad Core +1 processor. The +1 is a fifth core that fans lovingly call Ninja core because it kicks in for low processing needs like web surfing or watching HD video to conserve on battery power. The tablet also boasts 1GB of ram, a super IPS display, a N wireless module and the latest iteration of Android called Jelly Bean. The manufacturer is ASUS and they have released 3 tablets prior to this. All three were great successes and were very well made. Additional all three are well supported as well. In fact, I'm writing this review on the ASUS Transformer Prime. But that's besides the point. This Nexus tablet is the first of its kind and will hopefully receive some tender love and care not only from ASUS but also from Google.


Why This is a Big Deal


This is the first time a high end tablet could be purchased at such a low price. Now some would suggest that the Kindle Fire or the Nook Tablet would both qualify for this prize, but this is not the case. Sure both had dual core processors on board which was top of the line at the time of release, but both run limited versions of a mobile operating system (Android) that are heavily customized so the user does not get a fully functional tablet without rooting the devices in questions. Not only is there some amount of specialized knowledge needed to do this, but by rooting the device you void the warranty. The Nexus 7 on the other hand not only delivers the high end quad core tablet with supporting hardware, but is also offers a fully functional mobile operating system.


My One Reservation


The one thing I do not see in the tablet that makes me frustrated is the lack of an expandable memory slot. There is no SD or microSD slot for which the user can add additional memory as needed. This is a must considering the base model comes with just 8GB of on board memory. The next model up offers 16GB of memory. The problem is that both versions the operating system takes up some of that memory. About 2.5GB is taken up by the OS. That is why I would recommend the 16GB model. Since the OS takes up the same amount of space on both the 16GB model actually delivers much more total memory available to you the user than the 8GB model does. Still, despite the lack of expandable memory slots, this tablet is still very much worth the money asked for it. Considering cloud storage will take up a lot of the slack, the memory issue isn't a huge deal.


Educational Potential


This little gem is perfect for schools. It has the right combination of price, size, and functionality. Admin, teachers, students and parents can all take advantage of a device that is portable, light and has a battery life that surpasses any laptop computer. The larger screen is bigger than a smart phone screen and offers the better functionality. For the same price of a high end smart phone under contract you get a tablet that does as much or more without the cost associated with a phone plan. Pare a bluetooth keyboard to Nexus 7 (or go without) and you have an extremely effective word processor. The research potential for students makes this an ideal device to have in or out of class. Then there is the things schools can eliminated with the introduction of the tablets. For example, rather than having very expensive and heavy textbooks the schools could use ebooks. Furthermore, the open source textbook option is an amazing and VERY low cost alternative to the traditional approach. What is more, this tablet is more than capable of providing such things as tutorial apps, interactive lessons, scientific and graphing calculators, charts and more for little to no cost. Every student could have a full set of references such as dictionaries and encyclopedias at hand too. Teachers could provide schedules and even update them so that all students and parents are aware of what is happening. Emergency notifications could be delivered to the tablets so students and teachers remain safe. Students can be called to the office or pulled out of calls without the need for the entire school to be disrupted by a general announcement that could also embrace the student in question. Essentially our schools could move out of the late 80's and into the 21st century. The best part is that the tablet or those that follow are the devices that can do this because of the low cost and high end combination.



                                                                                    Entertainment

The Nexus 7 has great potential as an entertainment devices in additional to its educational functions. The +1 on the Tegra 3 means you can browse the web and watch hours of HD footage while sipping away at battery life. Then is you want to kill some time while waiting with a game you can do that with access to hundreds of thousands of free and paid games. What is more, you aren't just limited to the Google Play store. There are other Android appstores such as Amazon and GetJar. You aren't limited in you music or video content either. If you are stuck in the Apple ecosystem you can simply port all your music and videos over at no cost since Android is compatible with many different media formats. If it isn't out of the box compatible for some of your content, there are apps that give the needed drivers to make them compatible at little to no cost. Then of course there are other options for music, audiobooks, ebooks and more. Why limit yourself to one ecosystem? I am the Kindle and Nook apps installed on my tablet and smartphone. I purchase the books I want at the best price. Same goes for music. It all centers in on my Android devices that are not limited in the least. Furthermore, if video content is your drive then you can access YouTube, Netflix, Amazon, HBO, Hulu and more. You can also bring your own digital files to the table without the need to convert them like other products such as Apple's. Back to the games thing, there are a large variety of casual and advanced games available through all appstores. Whether you want to kill a few minutes with Angry Birds or Cut the Rope, or if you want to spend more time with games such as Dead Space, Max Payne, Shadow Gun or Dark Meadows, you have plenty of options  on hand with a tablet that is built to handle the demands of them all!


Review to Come


So I'm taking one for the team here guys. I've pre-ordered the Nexus 7 16GB model and will be posting a full review as soon as I get my hot little hands on it. It is important to note that the current pre-order offer includes a bonus $25 credit for the Google Play store, so if you are interested in taking the dive without reviews that may be a nice little bonus for you. In either case, the wonders of the latest iteration of Android  combined with high end hardware is a nice temptation. I can't wait to see what other manufacturers will be offering to counter the Nexus 7. Either way, in the end guys we are the winners! I love living science fiction!

To purchase the Google Nexus 7 go to this link.

Update:

I missed this the first time, but the Nexus 7 also has a 12 core GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) that makes game play and over all beauty and usability of this tablet a pleasure. Essentially, this means that the tablet is running 16 cores when your playing games or other graphic intensive functions and still gives you 8 to 9 hours of battery life! If you are considering getting a Kindle Fire, think again. This tablet is the best bang for your buck. Especially the 16GB model.

Meme Dump!

I love memes! Especially sarcastic, silly memes. Enjoy this dump of memes.

8 Bit Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter!

Thanks Wisdom from TriForce Radio for sharing this on Facebook!


This is epicly AWESOME!

TriForce Radio: An Interesting Webseries: Video Game High School

TriForce Radio: An Interesting Webseries: Video Game High School: What if the skills of playing video games great was as worshiped as pro sports (or sports in general)? Click the link above to check it out.

The Truth about the Tablet's Origins

First, please enjoy this video. You will love this epic rap off between Bill Gates and Steve Jobs is epic. The meme follow the video will probably be easier to under if you enjoy the short video. It is most epic!

Oh, and Apple's do catch viruses!
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Now that you have enjoyed that, please enjoy this little gem!
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29 Free Fantasy Books in Honor of 2012 Summer Solstice

This deal only works from the date of June 20th and 21st of 2012. The ebooks for just fine with Kindle (not sure about Nook). Either way, free is free. Click the link to get them. Enjoy!

Speck Kindle Fire Fitfolio Case    M-Edge Latitude Kindle 3 Case    M-Edge Go! Kindle 3 Case