Boredom Relief

Disney Buys Star Wars! Now What?

2012-11-04T14:13:00.002-07:00

Maybe you have seen the headlines, or maybe you have been hiding under a galactic rock, but George Lucas pulled off one of the most interesting deals ever. Jabba the Hut wouldn't have taken action on this ever happening, yet it did. Lucas sold the Star Wars franchise to Disney for $4.5 Billion! O.K. cool, but what does that mean for us Star Wars nuts???????

There is already talk of the making of 3 more films. But outside what us fanboys are guessing, its like betting on pod races. Most people, and I am one of them, hope and think that we will see the next trilogy with films 7, 8, and 9. If that happens, AWESOME, BUT Disney has to keep the the Star Wars universe or else they will have paid highly just to kill it. Translation: We don't need to see "Episode 7 - JarJar Becomes a Jedi". There is a small group of people that think we could see a reboot of the whole thing, but I personally think that would be the wrong place to start! To do the franchise justice, there are only 2 directions to go. Either pick up immediately after "Return of the Jedi" with how the rebellion rebuilds, or skip a generation and start with the now teen/tween offspring of our favorite characters continuing the Jedi tradition. Either will work for me! As a reader of most of the books that have been published since the early 90's, most of the trilogies that were written (look them up, there are a few) would make pretty good story lines. I have a feeling that whatever is made, it will probably follow closer to the "Young Jedi" novelettes then to the other stuff. Being that rumor is that the first of the new films could be out by as early as 2015, that could mean we will be finding out sooner rather than later what is going on as the studio starts to gather cast and crew.

No matter what happens, BRING IT ON!

Video Editing for Youtube

2012-10-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

It is so easy now to share your videos with the world. Has been for a while. But sometimes it bugs me when people just upload something without cleaning it up first. I mean I am not expecting a blockbuster movie quality video of the concert you went to last night, but if you are going to be serious and have a recurring show or something, put some effort into it. My program of choice is called Cyberlink Power Director. I believe it was the first one to come out with a 64 bit version, allows for more track layers than I will ever use, and was in my price range. It was $89 when I got my first copy. My wife uses it more than I do, so we have since bought a second copy, and try to keep one up to date with upgrades. I still upload the occasional video untouched by editing software but its rare now. I don't have a recurring show or anything, but after using editing software for the last 2 years, I tend to be more attentive when it comes to those that do now.

Cheap 3D Plastic Printer

2012-10-21T19:46:00.000-07:00

Cheap is the wrong word here. Inexpensive plastic printer is more appropriate. When it comes to quality, its hard to tell when you haven't played with the item. But for price, what is inexpensive? Solidoodle sells theirs for $499. I have yet to find one cheaper including ones that come in kits that you have to build yourself. The work space is 6" x 6" x 6" which is small, but can still make for some pretty cool printed items.

But maybe I am getting ahead of myself. Not everyone is familiar with plastic printing, while for me its second nature. I have been printing plastic models for the last 5 years for varying things where I work. But what we use is VERY expensive and the printing materials are proprietary. One cartridge of ABS material runs $260, so 2 cartridges is more than the Solidoodle. But its for work, not home so its not my call. But using it for the last few years has lead me to wanting one. And in the last year, there has been a lot of companies popping up ready to fill that void in my life! The printers on average have been ranging from about $2k to about $5k. No bad when compared to the $40k one I have at work that is WAY out of my price range, but at 500 bucks, I may just be ready to make the leap.

So, maybe you want one too? You have a bunch of ideas that are popping into your head as you read this as to what you would make with it? Awesome! But before you can print it, you have to have a file to print. Most of these printer print a universal file called an STL. There are a couple of free programs, like Google Sketchup that you can use and there are multi thousand dollar programs as well. Being for home use, you can guess which way I am leaning. Now just to convince my wife to let me get one!

Like I said, there are a lot of them out there. This is just one (an inexpensive one) that I am looking at. It happens to use a spool of material (ABS plastic) which is what most do, but there are others as well. Do your research well before making the leap. It has taken me a long long time to find one I am now willing to make the leap on. Hopefully the wait is worth it!

Trying Hard NOT to Follow the Debates!

2012-10-17T20:04:00.002-07:00

As of today, there is only a few weeks left before the 2012 Presidential election. Last night, there was another debate on TV that I missed. Darn. I think I got the high and low points from the people I follow on twitter. As for who to vote for, I still have no clue. You hear the cliche all the time, "the lesser of 2 evils". Easier said than done. I pretty much have the same problem with either candidate. They are politicians. Damn, that doesn't help much does it? Guess not. They are going to say what they think the majority will want them to say to get elected, then do what they planned all along after. Doesn't matter which party. Even if there was a 3rd, 4th, or even 5th party that was in the running, the problem would be the same. They are all politicians! But, to do the job, I guess you have to be. Hello Mr. Rock and Mr. Hardplace. So, with all that said, I have tried and succeeded at not watching the debates. And still managed to not be bored doing so!

Playing a Guitar Online

2012-10-13T09:30:00.000-07:00

I like to play guitar. I suck at it, but I still like to play. So when I came across Virtual Instruments I had a lot of fun playing with it. Not just guitar, but there is a virtual piano, drums, and bongos too. This gets back to what I used to like to find and post about. Stuff for boredom relief! I am kinda A.D.D. when it comes to pages like these so my fascination wore off quickly but I still found it to be a cool site. I got the first 5 notes of Amazing Grace down on the guitar before I lost interest because the next note required me to change the chords which killed the tempo. LOL. Still if you are bored and want a few minutes of something to do, give this site a chance.

Facebook or G+

2012-10-11T19:24:00.001-07:00

For the majority of people I have to say the answer is Facebook. For me its both. I love G+ but most of the people I am friends with on Facebook don't have an account on both. I do have a few friends that have Google accounts and refuse to get one on Facebook but that is not the norm by a long shot. But why do I choose to have both? It's not like an Apple/Android or Coke/Pepsi debate for me on this one. They both have their advantages. The biggest ones I like about Google is that if I follow something, it doesn't get posted all over my friends pages. I don't need to spam everyone I know when I decide to follow all my favorite sports teams. And I really don't need to know that 15 of my friends just liked Amazon. If I want to like, or circle a page or entity its because I want to, not because the company that runs the social network I am using at the time shoves it in my face. I also like Google because I can see "Whats Hot" and see what most people are talking about, not just my friends. But if I don't want to see it I can choose not to watch that feed. As for Facebook, the reason I like it is because everyone I know (almost) has an account and there are groups for just about everything.

I don't see Google challenging Facebook in shear numbers for a long time unless Facebook does something so drastically stupid that it causes a mass exodus overnight. It could happen. They have done stupid things in the past.

24 Hours Without Internet

2012-09-21T13:48:00.001-07:00

You don't realize how attached to the Internet you are until you don't have it. I'm not talking about on purpose like going camping (while that hits some hard too). What I mean is when you get home from work and notice everything is out. It was bad a few years ago but as more and more devices become connected we feel the outage pain even more.

Can't get online, well just watch tv. Oh right I canceled sat service because I wasn't using it enough. Netflix? Damn! Use my phone for Internet? Better see where I am on my data plan if I don't have unlimited data (thanks Verizon). Xbox? Oh right my favorite game is online only.

What's that smell oh yeah fresh air as I go for a walk before I start throwing things.

Good thing it wasn't longer. If it would have been I would have been the cause.!

Nexus 7 and the OTG adapter

2012-09-17T13:11:00.001-07:00

I have been asked by a few people about the little cable that I often have connected to my tablet. Its called an OTG (on the go) adapter. You can find them on the net ranging in price from 70 cents to 10 bucks. For an unrooted Nexus it requires an app called the Nexus Media Importer. Together with a thumb drive you effectively increased storage for the device. The only drawback is that its read only storage but i don't find this to be a big deal at all. Why? Because if i need to modify anything I can just copy it to my nexus. This is rare for me because the majority of the files I keep on my thumb drive are music and video. Both play tight from the thumb drive and don't need to be modified. Win win.

Now if you want to maximize the usage, it requires rooting your tablet which is what many people do. As always, that comes with the disclaimer about warranty breakage etc.. Do at your own risk.

If your in the market for an OTG cable beware they are not all created equal. Many less expensive ones tend to show a lack of quality. A few things I have read include poor micro b connector fit due to size and fraying of the wire. I have seen more about the connector size issues. So be sure to read the reviews before buying.

Apple vs. Android, Who Cares?!

2012-09-16T15:18:00.000-07:00

When it comes to this subject, the answer is a lot of people. Outside of what the outcomes of lawsuits mean to the end user, it really shouldn't. Easier said then done! Each side had its fan boys and its haters. At the same time, each company's product has pluses and minuses. I use Android, and my wife has an iPhone. You would think that this is like a conservative living with a liberal (luckily we don't have that problem). But the thing I have learned is people need to find the product that fits them. Not every product does that. Sorry Apple. The reason I say sorry only to Apple is they only offer one flavor of their product not counting upgrades. But for a lot of people that is exactly what they want and that is awesome. Android offers more options (read phone brands and os modifications) and even with all the options out there, they are not going to please everyone either. Case in point. My wife likes her iPhone for the same reason I think most iPhone users do. It does what they want. Here is the funny part to that line. It's the same reason most Android users don't like iPhone. There are a dozen things I like to do with my phone that I couldn't with an iPhone. I may be able to do a few of them after jail breaking it, but not all, and I am running a non rooted android phone. I have my Nexus tablet to play with root and unlocked boot loader stuff. ;)

So, yeah I mentioned my tablet. I have the Nexus 7. It's smaller than the iPad (until the inevitable mini comes out). But my wife does not have an iPad. She has a kindle fire and loves it. Again, same reasoning. It works for her and she knows how to use it. I think a 7 inch iPad will do very well in the market because sometimes bigger isn't better (insert crude joke). But I won't want one. I love that my phone and tablet use the same charger and that I have a ton of them around. I like that while my tablet is only 16gig, I have an adapter that allows me to hook it up to a thumb drive (currently have a 32gig drive that has music and movies on it just for travel). My phone is paired with my tablet thru blue tooth and when I have both, I get my text messages on my tablet. I have no clue if the apple products do this. I hear a lot about screen quality of the iPad and I guess visually I am just like I am audibly and difference doesn't do it for me. A lot of friends of mine have one and swear that I would love it yet they can't give me a great reason. "It's just better" doesn't cut it. But you will never hear me tell them mine is better and they would like it more. Why? Simple. They like what they have and that's all that should matter. I don't work sales.

I am not hear to sway you to my "religion". Just saying, don't expect me to be swayed to yours.

Guitar game for REAL players

2012-08-18T15:21:00.000-07:00

Well, RockBand and Guitar Hero are still around, the franchises are no where near what they were when they first came out. This is partly because they didn't evolve enough. Yeah, RockBand did make an attempt to let you play a real guitar (in expert mode) but that didn't live long either.

But Ubisoft just last year came out with RockSmith. If you haven't heard of it, I am not surprised. They don't seem to do much in the line of promotion, and the game has gotten around mostly on word of mouth and a small promotion team that went to concerts last year and set up. What set RockSmith apart is that it ONLY uses real guitars, and you don't have buy something made by them. As long as you have an electric guitar (or and acoustic with and electric pick up) you can plug it into the game. The game works well for beginners to experts. How it does that is by paying attention to the players skill level as they play and increasing or decreasing the level of difficulty to suit. Not hitting that 9 fret on string 3, the game removes it. Yeah, your score will suffer, but you still finish the song. Hit the notes more consistently and it adds more to the song. Your final score is the telling tale of how you did.

Now, that's awesome and all, but just last week they upped the ante! They added BASS guitar as a downloaded content. I have only had the bass loaded for a day but it works just like the guitar. Don't have a bass around the house? Not a problem. The game lets you use your standard guitar to play the base part. You tell it that you are using a 6 string and it walks you thru how to use it. Win win.

Now they just need to add some songs on my wish list! ;-)

Bionic: The Red Headed Stepchild of Motorola

2012-08-13T21:39:00.001-07:00

When it comes to electronics I am not normally a first adopter. I like to wait a few weeks to months depending on the tech. I didn't do that last year when I upgraded my phone. The very same phone I am typing this post on. I was one of the many people to get the Droid Bionic the day it was released only to see a new phone by Motorola overshadow it just one month later! To many Bionic fans Razr is truly a 4 letter word! Its that younger brother that gets all the hype and attention. And now with many Motorola phones getting their upgrade to ICS, we Bionic fans sit waiting and wondering if/when/how/why.... What these big companies don't understand is a little information (or lack of) goes a long way. O.K. we get it...we have to wait for an official update (or play with the many leaks which give hope) but if they don't have a when at least give us a why. Hell, I would rather have Moto say that they just don't care about me and my phone than keep wondering. Moto is now owned by Google, and just today released a memo on upcoming layoffs. I can bet those people are not coming from the Razr teams. And if Google really only wants Moto for its patents then this is one way to show it. Many Bionic fans are not going to other Moto products when they jump ship and have no plans of returning but Google knows we are hooked on Android, for now. But there is a new player in the Linux phone OS realm on the horizon and if Google plays like this with their own company why would other phone makers think they wont be treated the same. Could we see Firefox phones taking a big share in the future? Sure but Google needs to pay attention to the end user if they are smart and dont want to see it happen. Brand loyalty dies quickly when you feel like you have the red headed step child. The Bionic is it now but will there be others?

Fun with Paper: Make a Paper Titanic!

2012-08-12T18:20:00.001-07:00

Currell Grapics offers a hand full of free paper models for you to cutout and build for yourself. On the page is a wonderful model of the Titanic. There are plenty of other paper models to try as well including SpaceShipOne, the winner of the X prize. Each model has a level of difficulty listed for it so anyone from a novice to the most skilled can find something they may want to try.

Awesome advertising by Coke

2012-04-19T21:15:00.001-07:00

Watch "The Coca Cola Friendship Machine" on YouTube

When I saw someone post this over on Google+ the majority of comments were negative about how dangerous this is and how in the US it would lead to a lawsuit. Probably true but none the less its pretty cool and I would have helped someone get their 2 cokes for the price one and I prefer Pepsi (diet at that).

Google+ and Whitespace

2012-04-11T14:32:00.001-07:00

I have to admit that for me, designing a webpage is a pain when it comes to layout. Good thing they had templates to choose from here. So today the big thing on the net ( other than Betty Whites new twitter account) is the redesign og Google+ and all the wasted space. I can only assume that there will be future changes in the mix. This is very reminiscent of facebook changes to me in that a lot of people are quick to voice their disapproval. But if the "whitespace" is the goal and not an interim look I can see more people jumping on the fix it bandwagon fast!

Hard Time Choosing a Web Hosting Company

2012-03-30T19:33:00.002-07:00

Been doing a lot of research into web hosting companies and you know what I found out? That you can't trust reviews on the web. It seems that every site that reviews web hosting companies are paid for their reviews. Second thing I learned about is "resellers". These are companies that buy space on another hosts site that they then sell as their own. There are hundreds of these companies too. I guess its not a bad thing, but my worry is that I wont get the service I deserve from a company that does not even own their own machines. So, what does one do? I have been using the Better Business Bureau, and look at the actual complaints. My theory is the person that is happy tells 1 friend the person that is not tries to tell the world, so I want to see the explanation of the complaint to see if its what I consider legit. One complaint I read was a person complaining about the host because one of the sites they host (meaning the host doesn't own it) published their email. I blame the site on that one. I am looking for more personal relationship as a direct customer complaint. They suspended an account (and why) or they double billed (especially if this is a common complaint. And with all that I still am having a hard time choosing one.

As far as what I want, I have narrowed that down. I think a shared server (my site or sites would be on the same computer with many others) would be sufficient for now. It can be slower, but I am thinking small to start and can upgrade if need be. Every host overs plans like this so that doesn't narrow it down any for me. I want my host to allow multiple domains (at least 5, and not just parked). that actually kills some of the ones I have looked at YAY. I want unlimited band width. A lot offer this but from what I read, its misleading. Even tho a site says unlimited, if you get a spike in traffic, some will shut your site down no questions asked, others will suspend your account until you address it. They say this is because many times spikes are indications of an attack on the site or server. But if they don't define what they consider a spike, I have a hard time agreeing to their service. This is a sticking point in finding the right host for me. I do not want a reseller even if the price is right. Its not easy to tell in some cases but a little research like WHOIS will help there. With all that, my search continues.

You may have noticed I did not list any companies in my post. I have yet to choose a company and cant come to promote something I really have not tried. Besides, there are hundreds (no exageration) of websites that already do that.

Ever Use GMax?

2012-03-27T19:10:00.001-07:00

Its funny that I created a blog called Boredom Relief when I have so many hobbies I don't know how I was ever bored in the first place. So, along with one of my many hobbies, drawing, I was looking for some inexpensive (or free) animation software when I came across something called GMax. I have not actually downloaded it, because its not what I was looking for, but thought it would be a great subject for here. Its a program for creating 3D content for video games. The site states it works with GMax ready games and has a forum to communicate with other users with on your work. Long story short, I thought it sounded cool, have not actually tried it, but was curious if anyone has. Leave a comment if you have with your impressions of it.

What's Wood got to do with it?

2011-08-16T18:39:00.000-07:00

Ok, silver sounds cool, the sun exciting, but WTF is up with a wooden stake? Think about it. I know it goes back years, but really, of all the ways to kill a vampire, doesn't that just sound down right boring? That is all.

One of My Favorite Songs

2011-03-22T16:49:00.001-07:00

So, Sick Puppies newest single happens to be one of my favorite songs off their album Tri-Polar. Its Called Riptide! Hopefully soon their music video will be released, but in the mean time they have created a lyric video version for people to see! You can check it out here: http://t.co/nhcvqXf

What Would You Do For a Phone Call From Your Favorite Band?

2011-03-03T17:54:00.000-07:00

I'm addicted to the band Sick Puppies. Their music is contagious, whether its listening to the CD's in my car driving to and from work or at a live show! So a few days ago they released an 8 song EP that is accoustic and revamped with what feels like a full orchestra behind them available at Walmart and online at Amazon and iTunes. Now they they are having a contest and the Grand Prize Winner gets a phone call from one of the band members. Thats right, someone is going to get a call from Mark, Emma or Shim. So your question is how do I enter this contest. You can find all about it at http://www.sickpuppiesworldcrew.net/

Sick Puppies On Tonight Show 1-3-11

2011-01-04T14:09:00.000-07:00

Sick Puppies perform Maybe live on The Tonight Show on January 3rd 2011: (after the ad)

Sick Puppies Summer Tour 2010

2010-08-01T12:08:00.000-07:00

Its now August, and there are a lot of dates left on the Sick Puppies summer tour. They are currently the headline act, touring with My Darkest Days, It's Alive, and Janus. All great bands! Whats more, you could win a guitar signed by the bands. Click on the image below for more information. While your at it, make a quick visit to the Sick Puppies World Crew website and become a member. Its free, and gets you access to one of the best fan forums on the the web.

Jinx - Gear for Gamers and Geeks

2010-07-26T18:15:00.000-07:00

Or is that Geeks and Gamers? Or maybe Hackers. Ever see someone with a "HACKER" shirt or D&D but cool? Odds are they found it at Jinx. The sight is more that just a tshirt site tho. Its a community with games, trivia, and contests. Members get experience points and "gold". Unlike other sites, getting exp and gold is not impossible here. In one day you can surpass 600 points and get 100 gold just by voting, answering a trivia contest and commenting on designs. Designs? Well its a tshirt site where the members submit game/geek related designs that are voted on. Winning designs get printed and the artist gets paid! So, what does exp and gold do you ask? Well experience goes towards leveling, and any geek is going to want to get the highest level possible. I hit level 6 in just a couple of hours of stumbling around the site. Gold? well that's currency on the site. They sell stuff and you can build up gold to decrease the cost of your purchase or better yet make it free! 1 gold is worth 1 cent and there are ways on the site to win anywhere from 100 -1500 gold. That's $1-15. And the contests are fun and in many cases simple. Own one of their shirts? Just take a pic of yourself (make it funny or interesting) and upload it. it could be worth some gold! Its that simple.

What the Woot? Woot bought by Amazon

2010-07-11T18:08:00.000-07:00

So Woot is now one of many companies owned by Amazon. The question lies in what does that mean for us the consumer. If they follow the way Zappos did, it will probably go un noticed by the average consumer. But Woot is not the average company. Just follow Woots CEO on Twitter and you can tell that. Or better yet, see what their mascott had to say about it on Youtube. The first day after the deal was anounced, Woot was selling the famous Kindle. So now we wait for the next wootoff to see if the Random Crap becomes a higher class of crap as well!

Whats the Deal....of the day?

2010-06-08T19:58:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I got hooked on a site called Woot. If you never heard of it, its a website that sells one item a day until either they sell out of the item or the day ends and the next item goes up for sale. Beware, its very addicting. Woot is the master at the deal of the day and has been emulated many times over, even by their own people with Shirt.Woot (another favorite of mine) Wine.Woot, and Kids.Woot. But how does one keep up with all of these sites and the dozens more out there. The site I found recently is called Deal of the day tracker. And it does just what it says. It lists a ton of deal of the day sites (a few I wouldn't agree are DOD but that's semantics). and timers as to how long the deals are still available. The site is great, but it has put a small hurt on my wallet with more sites that I could have gone a lifetime and not known they existed.

Blog away for Android

2010-03-28T12:47:00.001-07:00

A few months back I got a Droid phone. But that's not what this blog is about. Its about an apparently that I just downloaded. Its called blogaway. After installing it just a few moments ago I am posting to this blog from within the app