tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30471348834015215292024-03-13T09:32:34.441-07:00BigNerdBlogA blog about all things nerdy... from a big nerd.Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-60531950029005062252014-08-26T20:44:00.003-07:002014-08-26T20:46:30.755-07:00Laker ApologistsI get it. Most Laker fans don't like the Clippers. But let's not get the story twisted on how much better they would be if this or that.<br />
<br />
Let's break it down:<br />
<br />
1. Lakers trade Gasol and Odom for CP3.<br />
Laker fans: This is a new era for the Lakers!<br />
Reality: Wait, CP3 is an Alpha, Kobe is an Alpha, what happened to last Laker Alpha not named Kobe? And... do we forget that they lose Gasol too?<br />
<br />
2. Stern blocks the trade.<br />
Laker fans: Man, the NBA is out to get the Lakers.<br />
Reality: Well, it could go either way but at the time, the NBA owned Charlotte, they had the right to make that decision and wanted a younger player and a draft pick for the Hornets.<br />
<br />
3. CP3 gets traded to the Clippers for Eric Gordon.<br />
Laker fans: See, they don't block that trade.<br />
Reality: Was it one sided? Probably... but at least it was a younger player and Charlotte got a 1st round draft pick.<br />
<br />
4. Lakers trade for Nash AND Dwight Howard.<br />
Laker fans: This is the dream team, not a Big 3 but a Big FOUR!<br />
Reality: So had the CP3 trade gone through, you would only have CP3, Kobe and Dwight... no Gasol.<br />
<br />
5. Lakers fire Brown and hire Mike D'Antoni instead of Phil Jackson.<br />
Laker fans: Run and gun is back!<br />
Reality: Really? With this older team and and two bigs you really are going to go up tempo offense?<br />
<br />
6. Lakers season with their Big Four is a bust.<br />
Laker fans: This is the NBA's fault, if they didn't block the CP3 trade, we would have had CP3 instead of the non playing Nash and we would have a better record than the Clippers.<br />
Reality: Who knows how well the team would have played with 2 Alpha players and no Gasol.<br />
<br />
7. Kobe tears Achilles, Lakers don't advance past the 2nd round:<br />
Laker fans: It's okay, Kobe will be back next season, Dwight will re-sign.<br />
Reality: Maybe that up tempo offense wasn't so good for aging stars and bigs who like to be in the post.<br />
<br />
8. Dwight does not sign with the Lakers, CP3 immediately signs with the Clippers as soon as the deadline passes.<br />
Laker fans: See, if we had CP3, both he and Dwight would have signed with the Lakers.<br />
Reality: Yeah right. Seeing how Kobe treated Dwight when trying to recruit him, not sure if that was going to happen.<br />
<br />
9. Lakers have a dismal 13/14 season where Kobe and Nash barely play, they don't sell out the games for the first time in decades and they don't make it to the post season.<br />
Laker fans: It's the NBA's fault for not letting the CP3 trade happen.<br />
Reality: Back to that again?<br />
<br />
10. Lakers only get the 7th pick in the draft, end up with Julius Randle.<br />
Laker fans: Julius Randle is the next big thing.<br />
Reality: So 14/15 is going to be another lottery year?<br />
<br />
11. Donald Sterling loses ownership of the Clippers, Steve Ballmer spends $2b to buy the them<br />
Laker fans: So what, he overpaid, the Clippers suck.<br />
Reality: Clippers have had the better regular season record for the last 2 years that CP3 has been here and have been the Pacific Division champs in both those seasons.<br />
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Laker fans: That's because the NBA didn't let CP3 become a Laker.<br />
Reality: I doubt CP3 would have stayed one.<br />
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Now don't get me wrong, I love the Lakers, but the Kobe era is done. The Lakers will be good again, but not for at least 2 or 3 years.<br />
<br />
P.S. For those Laker fans complaining on why the NBA let the Love trade happen... the NBA doesn't own either the TWolves or the Cavs... it's NOT the same thing.Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-23431425906927320922014-05-21T12:15:00.004-07:002014-05-21T12:17:31.893-07:00A Sequel Or Not A Sequel<div class="tr_bq">
So Warner Bros officially announced the title of the upcoming Man of Steel "sequel":</div>
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<a href="http://www.batmanvsupermandawnofjustice.com/" target="_blank">Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice</a><br />
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But is this really a sequel? Here is what I posted on <a href="http://screenrant.com/open-discussion-may-21-2014/comment-page-1/#comment-1121599" target="_blank">ScreenRant</a>:<br />
<blockquote>
<i>I will submit that ‘Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice’ is not a Man of Steel sequel. </i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>It follows Man of Steel, but to be a true sequel, it should heavily be about Superman (in my opinion). </i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>It’s more like Avengers, it followed Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America but was a sequel to none of them.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>But I may be wrong, BvSDoJ might be a Supes-centric storyline and then I will retract my submission.</i></blockquote>
Dr. Mindbender disagreed with me:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>I don’t get this logic at all. It follows Man of Steel, therefore it’s the sequel. This “true sequel” stuff sounds closed minded, just my opinion.</i></blockquote>
Let me 'splain:<br />
<blockquote>
<i>@Dr. Mindbender:<br />I think the 2nd part of my post frames why I have that opinion. </i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>Do you consider ‘The Avengers’ a sequel? </i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>For me, I don’t think Warner/DC is really following a sequel formula. Each movie is another one set in the DC universe featuring the same or different heroes. To me, this is more like a series. </i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>To further explain, a sequel should focus on the premise of the first movie. If BvSDoJ is mainly about Superman, then I concede. But it seems it’s more like a prequel (if you will) to Justice League (hence the ‘Dawn of Justice’ subtitle). Based on that, I can’t really consider this a “true” sequel. </i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>Back to my Avengers analogy, if we were to use the fact that “it follows” the movie before it, then The Avengers was really Iron Man 3 and Iron Man 3 should be Iron Man 4 right? I’m being hyperbolic here but I hope that illustrates what I’m saying.</i></blockquote>
Is it really a Man of Steel sequel? Or a Batman cash grab? :)<br />
<blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-75001453539216462102014-05-13T11:27:00.001-07:002014-05-13T12:55:52.019-07:00New Batsuit and BatmobileSo Zack Snyder gave us a sneak preview of the upcoming Batsuit and Batmobile on Twitter, ScreenRant posted a lighter version to see more details:<br />
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<a href="http://screenrant.com/batman-vs-superman-ben-affleck-costume-batmobile/">http://screenrant.com/batman-vs-superman-ben-affleck-costume-batmobile/</a><br />
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Commentor jstaggs posted a link to a color version he Photoshopped:<br />
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<a href="http://i.imgur.com/bpCTMuE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i.imgur.com/bpCTMuE.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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Looks good to me. Just wish they used the white eye lenses.<br />
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And I like the bulkier Batman... more intimidating.<br />
<br />Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-65351080840560713292014-03-24T08:53:00.000-07:002014-05-13T11:28:39.133-07:00Batman's CowlI don't know why I keep thinking about this but I do hope that in the next iteration of Batman on film, they fix his cowl. What do I mean? Well... I don't really like that open eyeholes version where the actor has to wear black makeup. I would prefer something like they did in The Dark Knight with the sonic eyes version of the cowl:<br />
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<a href="http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111112192200/batman/images/1/1e/Batman_lenses_1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111112192200/batman/images/1/1e/Batman_lenses_1024.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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To me, that's a more realistic version of the BatCowl as the covered eyepieces do quite a few things:</div>
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1. Conceal's Bruce's identity: The eyes are actually one of best ways to figure out who someone is. It's the same reason why Spiderman uses reflective eyepieces over his mask.</div>
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2. Protects Batman's eyes: If I were a villain, I would use a 3 Stooges eyepoke to take Batman out.</div>
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3. Can provide technological functionality: Much like the sonar eyes, you can use the eyepieces as a Heads Up Display (HUD) like Iron Man. Or you can enable night vision or infrared vision.</div>
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4. Looks more menacing: For criminals, I think that white empty eye look would strike more fear than just a lispy "I'm Batman!". Think Darth Vader.</div>
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I understand that for film, people want to see the actor's face to get a better portrayal of their emotions, that's why Spidey gets his mask ripped off (like in every movie) and Iron Man always shows an internal view of Stark's face in the armor but they could do a similar thing for Bats. Heck, I would even go as far as making the cowl more of a helmet so that Bats can even seal it to prevent being exposed to gas etc etc (and even the suit more like armor but that's another time).</div>
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And this would actually also allow for the cowl to be worn by several people to throw off suspicion or in the case where Bruce is incapacitated (in the old TV show, did Alfred wear the suit one time?).</div>
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#FixTheCowl</div>
Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-83582483455065424732014-03-03T09:11:00.000-08:002014-03-03T09:16:46.019-08:00My 2014 TV Watch ListSo this is what I'm watching this season:<br />
<br />
The Blacklist (just started): Spader eats this series up but I do like the different subplots brewing<br />
Revolution: I think I'm the only one who watches this show, funny how Charlie went from nice girl to bad girl<br />
Arrow: If you haven't watched this, you should.<br />
The Tomorrow People: Arrow's cousin, reminds me of the movies Push and Jumper<br />
The Vampire Diaries: Yeah I know, but if you can get past the romantic drama stuff, it's pretty good.<br />
The Originals: Ditto above<br />
The Walking Dead: Who doesn't watch this show?<br />
Justified: Modern Western<br />
Banshee: Justified on PEDs. Lots of violence (and sex) so be warned.<br />
Agents of SHIELD: Have heard bad things about this but finally DVR binged and I really like it<br />
Helix: Another SyFy show that will probably only last one season<br />
Modern Family, Big Bang Theory and Brooklyn 99: Have to have some sitcoms on here<br />
American Idol and The Voice: Just like sitcoms, need to round out with reality shows.<br />
NBA and UFC are my sports shows<br />
HGTV: Renovation Realities, Love It or List It (and Too), House Hunters, Property Bros and Buying and Selling<br />
Food Network: Chopped and Diners, Drive-ins and Dives<br />
<br />
What I haven't watched in a long time is The Amazing Race and Survivor. Might start again but just don't have the time. Most of the stuff I watch is DVRed and I watch it late at night or on the weekends, the sports, HGTV and Food Network are on outside of primetime like when we are eating or nothing else is on.<br />
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Is that list a nerdy list?Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-47320391475845780232014-01-01T17:05:00.002-08:002014-03-03T09:17:00.097-08:00Tweeting vs. BloggingAs I've mentioned before, it's really hard to blog constantly.<br />
<br />
It takes effort, organization and more importantly... time.<br />
<br />
Really interesting blog posts can be all text but others rely on images and videos to get your point across and then you have to find and post those things.<br />
<br />
Twitter... or microblogging... seems to be suited to the casual blogger like myself. Short posts about different things, and at most times, responses to those you follow.<br />
<br />
I don't think I'm tweeting right, but it's not like I have followers, here or there. A long time ago, when I used to do notebook reviews, it was easy to get views. Now, with so much out there, I'll be lucky if one person responds to a blog post. I've actually got more responses on Twitter than on this blog.<br />
<br />
And then again, most of my online interaction is in different forums/message boards. I don't do Facebook because I prefer the anonymity that blogs, forums and Twitter affords me.<br />
<br />
So I added a Follow gadget here... not like it will get me any followers but moreso that anyone who does come here will know where I went. Heh.Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-36754945622859502772013-09-20T10:37:00.000-07:002013-09-20T10:37:00.277-07:00Getting my iPhone 5s today (I hope)So usually I just order through Apple.com after previous years of either waiting at an Apple store, preordering from Best Buy only to not get it until 3 weeks after release or jumping hoops trying to order online through my wireless carrier.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I was planning to use Apple's website but I didn't want them to ship it to my house because last year when I did that, I had to go home and wait for the FedEx guy. By accident, I went to BestBuy's site and they were allowing me to order an iPhone 5s and pickup in-store today. What? Too good to be true? And it was only 11:15pm at night. I placed the order anways and although I got confirmation of the order, I hadn't received a confirmation that I could pick it up and the order email said it might be today or after.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I wake up in the morning, and I get an email saying that I can pick it up but I should make an appointment. I also read a C|Net article this morning that said Best Buy opened up orders an hour early so that's why I was able to place mine. I called my BB at 10am when they opened and made an appointment to pick it up today.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Was it really that easy? Online ordering, no waiting in line, release day acquisition and on top of all that, Best Buy points for the purchase? We'll see... on my way to the store now.</div>
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Oh... and I think it's crazy that Apple can just refresh a phone, release a different color and sell out within hours. Who else can do that? Insane.</div>
Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-43226689384113268842013-08-23T06:31:00.000-07:002013-08-24T11:47:37.185-07:00Batfleck?!?So we now know who will play Batman in the upcoming tentatively titled 2015 Batman vs. Superman movie... none other than Mr. Argogeddon himself... Ben Affleck.<br />
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My first reaction was... WHAT?!?</div>
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But I'm actually okay with it. At least he's tall (6'4") and I do think he can pull off a charming Bruce Wayne. I'm concerned about his physical build and although I've seen pictures from The Town I just don't think he's ripped or big enough to pull it off. I guess that's fine since he will usually be in-suit which can make him look bigger than he is.</div>
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From the beginning, I've always said that it really doesn't matter who they recast as Batman, the film will do well on two points:</div>
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1. It's Batman.</div>
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2. It's Superman too.</div>
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So regardless, I still think it will be a $1bil film (I have a standing ScreenRant bet with a Patrick Bayard) despite the large internet backlash (<a href="http://screenrant.com/batman-ben-affleck-superman-man-steel-sequel-release-date-2015/">http://screenrant.com/batman-ben-affleck-superman-man-steel-sequel-release-date-2015/</a>) at the casting of Daredevil in the cowl.</div>
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I'm actually going to rewatch Daredevil and finally watch The Town to see if Batfleck will work.</div>
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So does that mean in some future film we may see Matt Damon as Robin (#RoBourne) and Jennifer Gardner as Catwoman? Maybe Jay and Silent Bob can have a cameo.<br />
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EDIT:<br />
<br />
Saw Daredevil, The Director's Cut... not bad. He should just stay away from romantic scenes.<br />
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Great picture on this <a href="http://thebollard.tumblr.com/post/59151731203/im-actually-ok-with-ben-affleck-as-batman-i">Tumblr account</a>:<br />
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Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-76520865773180106532013-08-02T09:57:00.000-07:002013-08-02T09:57:04.589-07:00Batman vs. Superman... or whatever you want to call itSo the rumor is the title of the next Man of Steel movie will be "Batman vs. Superman".<br />
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There are various arguments about how this movie will be, who will play Batman, why does it have to be "vs.", how it's not a proper Man of Steel sequel because Batman is in it... etc etc.<br />
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My take:<br />
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1. It's Batman AND Superman, who cares what the title is.<br />
2. It's Batman AND Superman, who cares who plays Batman.<br />
3. It's Batman AND Superman, who cares if it's not a proper sequel. If it helps, don't think of it as a sequel, think of it has a "sidequel". Did anyone think Avengers was a sequel to Iron Man, Captain America or Thor?<br />
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If you haven't checked out <a href="http://howitshouldhaveended.com/">HowItShouldHaveEnded.com</a>, you should. Their latest Super Cafe video is hilarious:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/3B96ctffVp8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Peace! I'm out! I'm Batman.Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-76383665166104014952013-07-24T06:58:00.000-07:002013-07-29T09:52:29.004-07:00Who should be the next Batman?So from Comic-Con 2013 we finally know that DC/WB is going to release a sequel to Man of Steel in 2015 but it's going to feature Batman in it too. With that, the internet is abuzz with who the new Batman should be. Of course, tons of people think it should be Christian Bale or no one else. Personally, I abhorred Bale's Batman (and esp his Wayne). ScreenRant (one of my favorite sites) posted this article:<br />
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<a href="http://screenrant.com/batman-casting-actors-justice-league/">http://screenrant.com/batman-casting-actors-justice-league/</a><br />
<br />
There are currently over 600 comments on it (usually 50 or so is a busy article) and the suggestions in the comments by people just don't make sense to me.<br />
<br />
Paul Walker: What? Bat and Burious?<br />
Karl Urban: I'm a doctor not a vigilante!<br />
Benedict Cumberbatch: Okay... he has the detective schtick down.<br />
Jensen Ackles: Batnatural?<br />
<br />
See my problem with all those people (and some of the choices by ScreenRant) is none of them are physically intimidating. To me, Bats has to be a big guy (well, not Adam West big). My choice for Bats?<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
Joe Manganiello<br />
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The guy is 6'5" (Bats should be tall), physically in shape (if you've seen True Blood, you know what I mean) and has that rugged look that Bruce Wayne should have. He actually tried out for the role of Superman so DC/WB is aware of him. Isn't this a Bat physique?<br />
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<a href="http://www.muscleandfitness.com/sites/muscleandfitness.com/files/styles/slideshow-main/public/man-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.muscleandfitness.com/sites/muscleandfitness.com/files/styles/slideshow-main/public/man-1.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Not too large, but a fighter's build. And if you're wondering if he can pull off the Wayne look, here's how he looks without the facial scruff and long hair:<br />
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<a href="http://cdn.sheknows.com/filter/l/gallery/joe_manganiello_as_owen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://cdn.sheknows.com/filter/l/gallery/joe_manganiello_as_owen.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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He's still in his 30s so not too old. Plus... he's not British (heh). What do you all think?</div>
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<br />Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-21549986907436164222013-05-18T10:41:00.001-07:002013-05-25T06:28:41.772-07:00Iron Man 3 MusingsSo unlike the rest of world who has already seen it, I finally saw Iron Man 3 last night. I've been hearing rumors of plot twists and complaints so I've purposely avoided reading reviews and any comments on IM3 related articles (like on ScreenRant.com). And I'm glad I did so.<br />
<br />
But before I continue one with my opinion.... Spoiler Alert!<br />
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*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The Mandarin<br />
<br />
Initial reports about the character said that the 10 rings the Mandarin wear are not like in the comics with special powers... and now we know why. Since the first Iron Man, there has been hints of the 10 rings but it was more of the terrorist organization, so many of us thought that the Mandarin would be revealed as the leader of this organization. Considering who he was in IM3, that even gives more explanation about the rings. Of course, this has the "fanboys" in an uproar because the Mandarin is an iconic villain to Iron Man (much like Joker and Lex Luthor) and they feel the movie ruined the character. I don't agree.<br />
<br />
1. It was a great plot twist because comic fans did not see it coming, and for non-comic fans who didn't know who the Mandarin was, it still worked.<br />
2. That doesn't mean that in some future movie (possibly without RDJ as Stark/IM), there could still be a character for the REAL Mandarin with REAL power rings.<br />
3. It went along with the Iron Man theme of weapon makers using the government to further their agenda.<br />
<br />
I also thought it provided a nice comic twist and Ben Kingsley was quite funny in his "down time" mode.<br />
<br />
Extremis<br />
<br />
Much of what I remember from Extremis was that it allowed Stark to control electronics and to "hide" his suit on him. I forgot the whole "super soldier" origins so I was a little thrown by how they used it in the movie. And while it didn't quite follow the comic story, I think it was very faithful to the concept of Extremis (even to the point where Killian spit fire). I even liked how they used it to be human suicide bombs.<br />
<br />
I don't really like the Extremis usage in the comics where Tony becomes more than human. It's his humanity when he's not in the suit that draws me to the character because he has to rely on his intelligence, innovation and technology in order to be superhero. I know at the end that Stark uses Extremis to make his heart normal, I just don't hope that in future movies, they don't use it the same way as it was in the comics. I prefer how they are using those microchips embedded in his skin to control the armor pieces.<br />
<br />
Too Much Stark<br />
<br />
A large portion of the movie is Stark doing things without his Iron Man armor and I've read comments that didn't like that. Why not? It's a consensus that RDJ makes the Stark character work, so why does it matter if he's in the suit or not? It's almost like he's a McGyver that has access to armor when he needs it. It also shows that Tony is strong even without the armor and that is appealing in my opinion.<br />
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No SHIELD, No Avengers<br />
<br />
I've read people questioning why there is SHIELD or fellow Avengers is this movie. Why would there be? It started of as a personal vengeance and then for a good portion of the film, Stark was considered dead or missing so why would SHIELD, Cap, Hawkeye or Black Widow show up during his escapades in Tennessee and Miami? They did mention Stark using the SHIELD database so he could investigate the bomb site... and there was a cameo after credits. This is an Iron Man movie, if you want more wait for the SHIELD TV series and Avengers 2.<br />
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Too Much Humor<br />
<br />
What? Would you rather it be like the Nolan Batman movies where Stark is slurring and lisping his lines? Why do you think people liked Joker and Catwoman... because they brought some humor into the movie. Stark is a snarky guy, humor is the core of an Iron Man movie.<br />
<br />
All in all, I thought it was another good Iron Man movie. Many think Iron Man 2 wasn't as good as the original... and compared to IM3, I guess 2 is the weakest of the trilogy... but they were all great. A better series to me than Batman (Gasp! I really only like The Dark Knight of the trilogy).<br />
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My one nitpick... lots more death in this one than the previous two.... scared my kids.Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-53662309467205466272013-05-14T13:16:00.000-07:002013-06-06T09:03:15.445-07:00Person of Interest Season 2 Finale - God ModeI didn't really get into Person of Interest until recently. I saw a couple episodes of Season 1 but really wasn't sure if it was good or not.<br />
<br />
After reading different sites comparing it to Batman (and the fact that a Nolan was attached) made me look harder. Season 1 started off a bit slow but as it progressed, the overall arc of HR, Elias, the Project/Control and the mythology of the Machine got me more interested than the POI of the week.<br />
<br />
It was good to Lost alums Ken Leung (Miles) as a recurring character and how it lightened up in later episodes. The addition of a Reese-like female and a Finch-like female made it more intriguing.<br />
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I'm not going to recap the finale as many more sites have done so but I do have a few questions that remain to be answered (spoiler alert):<br />
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1. So when did the "numbers notification" change from SMS to the Dewey Decimal System that Finch now uses? It reverted back to SMS when Finch was in Admin mode for that 24 hour period.<br />
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2. The ending made it seem like Root was still considered an Admin, does that mean that Reese still is too?<br />
<br />
3. Does the Reese/Finch conversation about the Jessica (the ex-GF who was killed by her abusive husband) signify that Finch will re-contact Grace?<br />
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4. Why did they leave Root alive considering how dangerous she could be, not only to the Machine but now to Finch since she knows about Grace?<br />
<br />
5. Why leave any of the Control operatives alive now that they knew about the existence of Finch? I would think Shaw would have wanted to terminate Hersch just for him trying to kill her earlier.<br />
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6. So now will Reese get real-time data from the Machine to expedite saving non-relevants faster? Like shooting angles in that first POI they saved in the storage unit?<br />
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I do like how they answered many questions, but still left it open enough to have mysteries left for the following seasons. You can actually have it end after this season and it would be complete, maybe giving the writers an out in case of no renewal for Season 3 or a rescission of that renewal.<br />
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We'll see what Season 3 brings, maybe more Lost alumni (it would be nice to see Hurley, Locke or Sawyer again).Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-45698188491443889502013-04-23T09:15:00.001-07:002013-04-23T09:36:16.101-07:00NBA on TNT... why the Clipper hate?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/8lhkS2oWux8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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The guys on TNT are very entertaining (especially now that they added Shaq)... but I often disagree with their analysis, especially Chuck's opinion of the Clippers (although I will admit I'm biased).<br />
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Last night's comments of the Grizz/Clips Game 2 is a good example. Chuck was going on about how they can't lean on CP3 every game and that for a series he won't be making those shots all the time... without realizing that wasn't the case during Game 1. He kept going on about having a 12 point lead and then blowing it as if they were the only team that has done that. And in his "breakdown" of what was wrong with the Clips' offense, he failed to notice that the Grizzlies weren't much better.</div>
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Did he notice that Conley was scoring or responsible for all of their points near the end? That as much as the Clips weren't changing their gameplan (going with CP3), neither with the Grizz (going with Conley). Or did he note that CP3 wouldn't be taking all those shots if he didn't need to, if a man opened up, he would hit him but since the Grizz were sticking to man-to-man, CP3 took the highest percentage play, scored on his defender. He kept talking about how the Clips were standing around... but think about the offense. CP3 with the ball at the top, send a player to screen, if the defenders don't pick up properly, run the pick and roll and dump for an easy bucket, pop a shot jumper or drive... and on the drive, if he's collapsed on, kick it to the players standing on the outside for an open jumper. They really can't cut because if they do, they bring their defenders to CP3, they are staying outside for a REASON.</div>
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And he kept saying (along with Kenny Smith) that the Grizz weren't adjusting to CP3 but they tried, that's why they switched defenders on him. The Clips adjusted to their defense to Conley's slashing by going smaller/faster defenders but that backfired on them because none of them could defend Marc Gasol on that drop pass.</div>
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He's letting his negative bias color his analysis because like Shaq said, it's one game at a time. Clips won't always go CP3 (like in Game 1) but in close games, that's the best option... and it was close the last few minutes so of course that's what they run. I also think he's a bit hurt because he picked Memphis over the Clips and the Clips are much better than he thought.</div>
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I still don't know how anyone picks Memphis over the Clips. Memphis lost Rudy Gay, their best scorer, and the Clips got Chauncey back, added Jamal (who should have been 6th Man), Barnes, Willie Green and veteran leadership in Grant Hill... how does that favor Memphis? Even during the season, Clips beat them 3-1 (2 at Memphis). </div>
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We'll see the Clips in Round 2 (they might even sweep Memphis) and I want to hear what Charles (and Kenny Smith) say then (or maybe they should just stick to their little skits).</div>
Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-72309887009512007122013-04-12T10:46:00.002-07:002013-05-14T13:16:40.649-07:00Let's get physical...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/vWz9VN40nCA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
I've been wondering about this for a while, but does anyone think the physical home button on the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note II have anything to do with their success? The just recently released Galaxy Note 8 also has a physical home button (which was not on the Galaxy Note 10) and it make me think that Samsung feels that that button does make a difference.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhnxqWp18Z4Q_muHd4XQ5zluex_t2rj1k6yi3exE-_0my2niGoqsFwFT1uZfJ3N6LADiIL8pQUobDNPNeuHKhhht5-LtiXXtp1pDQMWLHdv5_NUpAdy1EtZoPGBDSe2stMzTdepdd77PdJEEa7HcN23a8rvl8d0CAkyXlj4w0T46u6wLGuMaaulXs_PeWz6IPVX1l86aakLFX5svA=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhnxqWp18Z4Q_muHd4XQ5zluex_t2rj1k6yi3exE-_0my2niGoqsFwFT1uZfJ3N6LADiIL8pQUobDNPNeuHKhhht5-LtiXXtp1pDQMWLHdv5_NUpAdy1EtZoPGBDSe2stMzTdepdd77PdJEEa7HcN23a8rvl8d0CAkyXlj4w0T46u6wLGuMaaulXs_PeWz6IPVX1l86aakLFX5svA=" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhJU3qwMLHCdDA89w3Q11zMh470EuGfsdjmzVBt48ZJkEvbjjMZejJG-G3Hi1IKRQ28MB8DQcMldAqdFK8n_wVY3C_xVEdnEvzJcEcVgu90pzwUrrZaRtuI9Ny2bBPDoL2KR3rQVeyQSXSr2wmcMnUboSjJQoSg1QIhNAxguSzwQE_4Gimu66VpnXRzM1HpcYQMsLmWFNet-5jKs0CzZ5a86Dp2EAUMTN2TWj_6KsjhCAvfakwTRtvjRC5QV8FqJM_xq3zQ=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhJU3qwMLHCdDA89w3Q11zMh470EuGfsdjmzVBt48ZJkEvbjjMZejJG-G3Hi1IKRQ28MB8DQcMldAqdFK8n_wVY3C_xVEdnEvzJcEcVgu90pzwUrrZaRtuI9Ny2bBPDoL2KR3rQVeyQSXSr2wmcMnUboSjJQoSg1QIhNAxguSzwQE_4Gimu66VpnXRzM1HpcYQMsLmWFNet-5jKs0CzZ5a86Dp2EAUMTN2TWj_6KsjhCAvfakwTRtvjRC5QV8FqJM_xq3zQ=" width="200" /></a><br />
Does it help iPhone users transition to those phones? I own a Galaxy Note II and will admit that having that button does make me think it's easier to use. I own another Android phone and a Tab 2 that doesn't have physical buttons, but I think there is some mental process that prefers the tactile feedback an actual button provides.<br />
<br />
Maybe Apple should have copyrighted the physical home button. Heh.
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<br />
I've been a fan of the Clips since the Danny Manning/Charles Smith/Ron Harper era and I'm glad to see them have this type of success. The 17-game winning streak, getting over 50 wins and now the Pacific Division title (not to mention sweeping the Lakers season series).<br />
<br />
It's going to be really hard for the Lake Show if they don't make the playoffs (which is going to be tough considering who they are playing and if Utah's opponents lay down because of the Lake-hate).<br />
<br />
It would have been nice to see both LA teams doing well and it still baffles my mind that the Lakers are doing so bad but I'm not that torn up by it. Although I respect that Kobe is one of the most talented players in the NBA, I'm just not that much of a fan. I hope Dwight stays and when Kobe eventually retires, the Lakers are able to find the next big thing (Lebron to LA maybe?) so I can really like the Lakers again... but the Clips will always be my team.<br />
<br />
Thanks Mr. Stern for allowing CP3 to go red/blue instead of purple/gold (not sure how he would have got along with Kobe anyways)... and bless the hops gods who gave Blake Griffin those leaps. That fast break dunk where he was going to lay it up and then turned it into a dunk was redonk.Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-76113408684531019802013-02-19T10:15:00.002-08:002013-05-14T13:16:54.154-07:00HTC One... not enough to beat the Four (Galaxy S IV)?So HTC announced their 2013 flagship phone, the One today... and while it has a nice design and great specs (1080p screen!)... I don't think it's going to be able to compete once Sammy announces their Galaxy S IV in mid March.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/19/htc-one-unveiled/">http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/19/htc-one-unveiled/</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/02/htc-onesilver3v.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/02/htc-onesilver3v.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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One glaring con for me is the lack of a microSD card slot. I still don't understand why they do that (as with Google's Nexus series). The explanations for controlled environment etc just don't counter the convenience of expandable and switchable storage. I think it's one of the reasons why Samsung's Galaxy series does so well because they still have microSD expansion.</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
HTC says availability is mid March... but since that coincides with Sammy's rumored announcement... I don't see people rushing to get a One when they can get the IV.</div>
Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-78115506572243690722013-02-15T09:05:00.001-08:002013-05-14T13:17:10.084-07:00iWatch vs. Galaxy WatchThere are rumors that Apple is working on an iWatch:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bgr.com/2013/02/13/apple-iwatch-details-bloomberg-326158/">http://bgr.com/2013/02/13/apple-iwatch-details-bloomberg-326158/</a><br />
<br />
And that Samsung is working on a Galaxy Watch:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bgr.com/2013/02/14/samsung-galaxy-watch-images-rumor-327615/">http://bgr.com/2013/02/14/samsung-galaxy-watch-images-rumor-327615/</a><br />
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Really? Based on those articles, wristwatch computing is a "major hole" in their product lines and these will fill it. I'm skeptical.<br />
<br />
Myself and at least a few people I know stopped wearing watches because our phone tells time and does so much more... so why go back?<br />
<br />
Now, I understand that these "watchputers" are supposed to do more than just tell time... but with such a small amount of space, how much more can they do without sacrificing size and battery life?<br />
<br />
It might be kind of cool if it can function as a phone too so that you don't have to worry about pockets, holsters or armbands... but that kind of miniaturization has to be expensive and cost prohibitive. Even the Pebble Watch (<a href="http://getpebble.com/">http://getpebble.com</a>) is $150 so how much more will these be (although if it has phone functionality, could get carrier subsidies).<br />
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I'm sure these will be more like vanity gadgets and the previous gen iPod Nano proved it can fit in that form factor but I don't think this will become a money maker segment.<br />
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I guess we'll see.. but I think the minimum features should be:<br />
<br />
- Camera (video and still)<br />
- GPS<br />
- Expandable memory storage<br />
- Bluetooth (to interact with your phone)<br />
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I'm still watiing for someone to get a 5-7" tablet with physical game controls right (Archos is close).Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-69445646186916804682013-02-14T10:15:00.003-08:002013-02-14T10:15:59.222-08:00Continuum = Time Cop and assorted time travel stuffJust started watching Continuum... a Canadian sci-fi TV show about a "cop" and some "terrorists" from 2077 who get transported back to 2012.<br />
<br />
It's pretty good (the cop is Rachel Nichols, Scarlet from the GI Joe movie) but it reminds me of Time Cop (the TV series spawned from the movie of the same name). Or, if any of you remember, Time Trax, a TV show with a similar premise. The reason why Time Trax sticks out to me is it had this martial art called Mosh Ti and a thing that the protagonist could do called "time stalling" where he visually sees things faster than normal so it enables him to fight better.<br />
<br />
All these shows have to deal with the idea of if you change things in the past, do you affect the future... or the whole Terminator explanation that whatever you think you change in the past, it was meant to be and is actually required in order for the future to happen as it does.<br />
<br />
Time travel is always a tricky proposition, the Fringe finale generated some questions because they traveled to the future to change the future in order to change the past (huh?). Even Looper's explanation of time loops didn't really make sense.<br />
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I do like the neatness of Back to the Future where they explained that any divergence in the past breaks off and causes a new timeline resulting in multiple universes thus preserving original timelines.<br />
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But I'm not really on board with the multiple timeline theory (which was also a variant in the movie Timeline) so I prefer the whole Terminator paradigm, that changing the past won't markedly change the future no matter what you do (which was the case in the Time Machine movie with Guy Pierce). The Shatner Star Trek stuck to this theory (<i>"How do we know he didn't invent the thing?" </i>when Scottie gave the scientist the formula for transparent aluminum) while the new Pike Star Trek does not.<br />
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Back to Continuum, they tested that theory by targeting ancestors of the people who traveled back in time. They even killed the grandmother of one of them but he remained in existence, so I think they are sticking to the "can't change the future" paradigm although that effectively kills the endgame of the terrorists as their whole goal is to change the past to serve their needs.<br />
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Bah... time travel is a conundrum.Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-19630553626769735922013-01-17T11:56:00.000-08:002013-01-17T11:57:05.748-08:00iPhone XL?While there are rumors of an iPhone mini or a budget iPhone... I think the next logical step would be to go the opposite way... a bigger iPhone.<br />
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Most of the Android phones coming out are 4.5" screens are bigger and Samsung has found great success with its big screened Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note/Note 2 phones, so it would make sense for Apple to get into that market.<br />
<br />
While this may oppose what Apple has said about their iPhone being the perfect size... they (or Jobs actually) also said that they would not be making a smaller iPad.<br />
<br />
This would also allow them to upcharge for a bigger phone (ie the Apple Tax) and open up several options for their iPhone line. The XL would be their premium/phablet line, the iPhone 5+ their main line and the smaller iPhone 4S form factor would be their budget line. And with LTE becoming standard, a bigger form factor would allow for a bigger battery.<br />
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Would you buy a bigger iPhone?Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-59965392964416991342013-01-15T15:31:00.001-08:002013-05-14T13:17:29.937-07:00What kind of gear do I have?While I call myself a big nerd... I'm more "big" than "nerd". I'm a regular on different forums and there are people out there who used to be like I was back in the day where they know all the technical specs, performance details and mhz of technology gadgets. Back then, it was really only desktop computers and notebooks... now with tablets and mobile phones... it's hard to keep up. So while I don't get caught up in all those numbers any more and I don't have a gaggle of equipment that I tinker with (nor do I spend all my free time flashing ROMs), I do have a number of devices:<br />
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Main Computer:<br />
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Sony SE VAIO 15" i5 1920x1080 FHD (wish they still had 1920x1200 WUXGA)<br />
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It's a good deck... took me a while to get it but it was the first FHD computer that came in at about $1k (end of 2011). Since then there have been more and while this particular model suffers from OrangeGate (the screen renders reds more orange than red) but it works. I've been meaning to replace the optical disk with an SSD... but I really don't think the price warrants the speed benefit.<br />
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Mobile Computer:<br />
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Toshiba Portege Z835 (Best Buy version) 14" i3 1366x768 (what I call Bleh-tina Display)<br />
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When Intel announced their Ultrabook initiative, I was ecstatic. I used to marvel at how thin Apple notebooks and always wished PCs would follow. I even bought a 13" MacBook Air and put Windows on it... but interestingly enough, I ended up just using OSX and the browser. It was then that I realized that for my home use, I don't really need a high power machine (I don't play graphic intensive games), but just something that was very portable, so I sold the MBA and ended up picking the Toshiba as my first Ultrabook because it had the keyboard layout I wanted (dedicated Pg/Home/End buttons) and all the ports without using a dongle. The bonus was with discounts and sales, it ended up being only $699 when other Ultrabooks at the time (again end of 2011) were $1k or higher. There are more Ultrabooks now in the $700 range but eventually when I replace the Tosh, I think they will be in the $500s (late 2013/early 2014).<br />
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Tablets:<br />
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iPad 2 32GB<br />
Had an Asus Transformer (the first one)... sold it.<br />
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 8GB<br />
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After using a 10" tablet and now the 7", I actually think a 5-6" is better for portability... which brings me to...<br />
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Phones:<br />
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iPhone 4 32GB<br />
Moto Xprt<br />
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (my newest toy)<br />
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The Note 2 is a great convergence device for me. It's not my main phone, so you'll hardly see me making phone calls with this gigantic slab on my ear (although it doesn't look that big next to me)... but using it as a 4G connected tablet (with pen input!) is its main function. I think the market for "phablets" is going to get bigger are more people combine phone and tablet usage.<br />
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I eventually want to get a Win8 convertible unit, tablet + notebook (I like that Acer and Asus both have keyboard docks that are 2nd batteries) and the iPad mini if they ever put a higher resolution display on it. I'll also probably upgrade to an iPhone 5S or iPhone 6 (whatever they come out with this year).<br />
<br />
So what do you guys have?<!------>Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-36953182171603983372013-01-07T09:45:00.001-08:002013-01-07T09:45:57.144-08:00Do nerds follow sports?It's already known I'm an MMA fan but the NBA is actually my favorite sport. A group of friends have been doing Fantasy basketball for years... before the Internet and all these online leagues. I remember we had to compile stats from the newspaper each day and I even wrote a program to add up all the stats each week (this was before one of us started using Excel on Win 3.x/95 a few years later). I won our first year with a lineup of Shaq/Mourning (no one wanted to draft rookies) and Mookie Blaylock.<br />
<br />
Much has changed since then and while we still have to do our stats partly manually (we compile by week rather than in total)... Fantasy basketball has been a great way to follow not just your local teams, favorite teams or favorite players... but all players. I guess because of all the numbers and stats, it's the nerd way to follow a sport.<br />
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I've long been a Clipper fan... since the days of Danny Manning, Charles Smith, Ron Harper, Ken Norman etc... so to finally see them succeeding is great. So stoked that Stern interfered and CP3 ending up in the Red/Blue than the Purple/Gold. I feel bad for Dwight over in LaLa land... and it's a bit weird that they can't put together more wins... but if the Clips can get to the Finals and win a ring... that would be awesome.<br />
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That would of course trip up LBJ's plans on multiple rings in Miami... but maybe that will spur him to move to SoCal in 2014 (fingers and toes crossed). I would become a Laker fan again if it was Dwight, Nash and LBJ and NO Kobe.Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-91825120564394244632012-11-28T14:46:00.000-08:002012-11-28T14:46:30.351-08:00TV MusingsIt's been a while but I might as well go over what I'm currently watching now:<br />
<br />
Network TV<br />
<br />
Revolution:<br />
Another JJ Abrams "Am I only going to last one season?" show. I like the premise but there are too many plot holes and questions.<br />
<br />
Elementary:<br />
All I can say is Lucy Lu. But... the Sherlock by Johnny Miller (aka ex Mr. Angelie Jolie) is pretty good and it provides a twist to your crime drama.<br />
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Big Bang Theory:<br />
Never watched this before but finally watched all the previous seasons over the last few months... basically Friends for Nerds.<br />
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Glee:<br />
Less high schoolish now.<br />
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Nikita:<br />
Weird that they are Division now.<br />
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Arrow:<br />
Didn't start watching it until I read it had good reviews on ScreenRant.com. I actually think it's pretty good.<br />
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Modern Family:<br />
Still very funny.<br />
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Fringe:<br />
It's different to watch Future Fringe.<br />
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Cable:<br />
<br />
The Walking Dead:<br />
Good episodes this season.<br />
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Homeland:<br />
More unbelievable in its second season.<br />
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Dexter:<br />
Another one I never watched but caught up on this year.<br />
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The Ultimate Fighter:<br />
Not that many standouts this season.<br />
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On hiatus: Alphas and Warehouse 13.<br />
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I miss Eureka.<br />
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I want to check out Last Resort, but it's going to be cancelled, at least they said it will have a definitive ending.Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-65193809874699907232012-08-24T13:43:00.000-07:002012-08-24T13:46:06.801-07:00UFC 151 CancelledSo this is how I understand it:<br />
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1. Hendo gets injured, tells UFC yesterday and pulls out.<br />
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2. Dana tries to get Machida as a replacement but can't.<br />
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3. Dana White talks to Chael Sonnen who agrees to fight Bones in 8 days.<br />
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4. Dana White tells Bones, who consults with his coaches, and turns it down because 8 days is not enough time to train for a new opponent.<br />
<br />
5. Dana and friends cancel UFC 151.<br />
<br />
6. Dana gets Machida to agree to a fight Bones at UFC 152 on Sept 22, and Bones agrees (4 weeks is enough time).<br />
<br />
7. Machida decides to cancel because he doesn't think 4 weeks is enough time.<br />
<br />
8. Now Belfort will be Bones' new opponent on Sept 22.<br />
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9. But Dana blames Bones for why they had to cancel UFC 151 (and yet does not mention Machida mesing up the 152 card, who had more time to train).<br />
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And, to throw more into the drama... supposedly Hendo was injured 3 weeks ago, tried to train through it, Sonnen knew about it and that's why he was egging Bones on during that same time period.<br />
<br />
So why does Dana blame Jon Jones? And why do people think this will hurt Jon Jones' popularity with his fans? I think Jones made the right decision... and I think Dana is getting too caught up in the hate because he had to lose money by cancelling UFC 151.Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-64283588159421645522012-06-29T16:51:00.000-07:002013-05-14T13:17:48.164-07:00Yes... I'm alive...I got to give it up to bloggers... being able to post daily or even weekly is a task.<br />
<br />
I can't believe I've been so lazy I haven't even posted all of 2012.<br />
<br />
Anyways, just wanted to post stuff that's on my mind:<br />
<br />
1. Ultrabooks are here to stay:<br />
The 2nd gen ones have me excited, especially the ones who got rid of that gross 1366x768 resolution and went Full HD (Asus Zenbook Prime and the yet to be released Acer Aspire S7). Speaking of Zenbooks... the UX32VD seems to be very popular, not only because of the Full HD, but because the memory and HD are upgradeable... and... it has a dedicated GPU.<br />
<br />
2. Tablets, tablets, tablets:<br />
Finally Google announced the Nexus 7. Great that it's $199... bad that is has no microSD slot. The highest memory model is 16GB which is not a lot, and the 8GB entry level one only has about 5.9GB of space after the OS and things... booooo. I wonder if the rumors of the iPad mini are true.<br />
<br />
3. Samsung vs. Apple:<br />
Seems like these two are battling it out in the smartphone arena. Played with the Galaxy S III and it is an amazing piece of hardware... I will probably end up getting one. The Note is also popular and something I am considering instead of a tablet (yes... even a 7" seems big). But... the Note II is coming out and rumor is it will be releasing early, in September, to battle the iPhone 5 that is going to be out in October. Whether you like Apple or not... the iPhone 5 is going to sell like bonkers... whether they update it or not.<br />
<br />
4. Biggie no more?<br />
While I finally found a replacement for Biggie, my old Dell Inspiron 8000, a Sony SE 15.5... I find that I don't use it as much as my Toshiba z835 or my MBA. So I may just go all ultrabook all the time. I haven't even touched an optical disk in forever.<br />
<br />
Maybe I'll post again before 2013.Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3047134883401521529.post-49752448750290994162011-12-25T17:48:00.000-08:002011-12-25T17:48:22.331-08:00Netflix problems on your Nintendo 3DS?For anyone who got one under a tree today for themselves or a munchkin... you may have experienced the following error code:<br />
<br />
Error Code: 006-0803 <br />
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Googling around, people are saying because of Christmas, that the servers are overloaded and that is the cause. I'm not too sure because I was able to get Netflix to work on one 3DS but got that error on another.<br />
<br />
The only difference was I set up Parental Controls on the 2nd one. So when I removed them, guess what... I was able to start Netflix.<br />
<br />
Initially, I just put Parental Controls on 3D image viewing so I just removed that but I got a different error code. When I removed ALL settings... it worked.<br />
<br />
Not sure if that's a coincidence but you might want to try that to see if it helps you out... good luck and Happy Holidays.Big Nerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10234334270948054711noreply@blogger.com0