Speaking Geek
Let Your Geek Flag Fly
Justin Wylesky
Geeks, geeks, everywhere... in every size, shape, age, demographic. It seems like the number of people who identify as geeky in this world is on the rise. What was once a term to make someone a social pariah now is thrown around as a term of endearment and worn by many as a badge of pride. I personally believe that everyone has a little geek in them, and I have experienced the joy of discovering the hidden geek in many of the people I have encountered throughout my life. Like the loan officer who helped me get my first car loan when I was only 16. He was a clean cut, number cruncher, who happened to be a huge fan of First Edition Dungeons and Dragons. Or the College Admissions Head who was a no nonsense kind of guy in the office, but a Star Trek Cosplay nut whenever the conventions would roll around. Maybe it's the love of a good sci-fi movie, or your in depth knowledge of comic book trivia, maybe you can tear apart a 2 stroke engine in your sleep, or have read every book in the Harry Potter universe, including the fan fiction... either way there is some geek in you. I invite you to embrace it, nurture it, and let it grow. I know I do.
LG G6
Fly Like a G6
David Jarvey
It's time again for LG to reveal their newest Flagship Cellular Device. This time around LG has focused on what the masses complained about with their G5 model last year, namely build quality. A lot of people didn’t like that it wasn’t a premium and sleek design like Apple and Samsung offer and instead went with a plastic and metal hybrid to make it easier to equip the different attachments it offered with the phone. Very unlike a flagship device offering from a major manufacturer.
This year’s LG G6 sports a nice all metal unibody design that is thinner and more polished then their previous devices. Going with this design means they had to ditch the removable battery they had been known for but added some much needed durability to this year’s model.
Last generation's devices brought water resistance to the two most prominent brands in the wireless world Apple and Samsung. LG shows no sign of being left in the dust with this industry change and made sure it's newest device can withstand 1 meter of water for 30 minutes of time which means not waterproof, but just as water resistant at the Samsung S7 and S7 Edge. LG didn’t stop there; they continued by changing they edges of the G6's LCD display so they’re a little more curved which makes it less prone to cracking when it’s dropped. On top of that they incorporated one more final piece of the puzzle by making it dust proof as well. LG pulled out all the stops to make this device as durable and gorgeous as they could to compete in a very competitive market.
One feature of desire, which isn't going away anytime soon is wireless charging, and LG incorporated it into the G6 which means any current Samsung or Qi charger will give it the energy drink needed to keep it going.
LG also managed to squeeze a huge 5.7” Quad HD+ display in without increasing the size at all. This screen is also backed by Dolby Vision to make colors look deeper, richer and more vibrant than any of their screens prior. It’s also all covered with a Gorilla Glass 3 screen to give it the best scratch resistance and visibility available.
If none of the above things peak your interest, then maybe the promotions being flung your way will! There are three nice promotions available for a short time to people that purchase a G6 so check out the info below and give us a call at one of our two locations for more details.
Beaver Dam @ 920-319-4044 or West Bend @ 262-888-0861
Free Google Home With Purchase 3.17.17 to 4.30.17
Free 43" Smart TV with Purchase 3.17.17 to 4.20.17
$200 off LG G6 With Purchase & Select Device Trade-in
All offers are subject terms and restrictions as outlined by the entitiy providing the offer. Offers are provided by LG, Google, & Verizon Wireless. Please see an associate for further details.
Bridging Worlds
One device hopes to bring Apple & Android Together in Harmony
Kenan Goyette
Deciding between Android and Apple’s iOS can be quite a daunting task for many cell phone buyers. Each operating system and the devices that accompany them have their own perks and downfalls that can make the decision even tougher.
And unless you buy two phones and glue them together, there’s unfortunately no way to get the best of both worlds.
Or is there?
A new product that began on Kickstarter is now in the works to give cell phone users the ability to turn their iPhone into an Android capable device with a simple click.
The Eye is an iPhone case that is also a fully capable Android phone on the reverse side giving users full use of both operating systems.
The case, and additional phone, features a 5-inch display, 2800mAh of battery power, memory card storage and multiple SIM card slots along with countless other functions.
The case is designed to fit both the regular 6/7 size as well as both plus versions. ETSI, the creators of this product, will also be making one to fit the newest release this coming fall.
Size-wise, it’s even slimmer than the current Mophie charging case and even throws in a head phone jack that iPhone 7 users once thought was lost forever.
The case works similarly to the Mophie case in that it preserves the iPhone’s battery and runs solely on the cases battery before ever dipping into the Apple product’s juice. Once connected, users can flip back and forth between both screens and utilize the specific functions of each.
They can back up iPhone files to the Eye using the designed app and even run on the Android specific wireless charging pads. Trying to capture the perfect selfie just got easier too as you can use the back-facing camera of the iPhone while using the front-facing Android screen.
One other unique feature of the Eye is that it can hold two SIM cards inside itself meaning you can essentially have three phones in one. Have a separate phone for business and personal use, problem solved!
Adding a: 5 inch display, battery power, up to 256GB storage, extra SIM slots, an IR blaster & wireless charging!
Starting at $189, the one-of-a-kind accessory is receiving rave reviews from across the web with some calling it an “ingenious solution” and others claiming it has officially “ended the war between Android and iOS.”
And by all accounts, it appears it has done just that.
A geek with tools
Information is Power
Justin Wylesky
Recently I have found myself being asked more and more about my particular level of geekness. It seems almost daily I'm asked... "How do you know all this stuff?" or "Did you have to go to school to learn all this?" and my personal favorite "Where do you find the time to accumulate all this random knowledge?"
Well wonder no more. I've decided to delve into the bag of tricks I use to help me maintain my position atop the pinnacle of Geek knowledge.
ninite.com
Setting up a new PC, or looking to speed up the whole process of upgrading your existing programs on your home computer. Look no further than ninite.com This website allows you to choose a multitude of programs that are commonly installed, and batches them together into a single quicker install interface to save you time. If there is one thing we Geeks don't seem to have enough of... it's time. Easily choose from multiple programs accross multiple catagories like web browsing, imaging, word processing, security and many more. Then with one click a simple interface will download and install each selected program in the background freeing you up for more important things.
Getmacapps.com
Don't think I would leave out my friends in the world of apple. Getmacapps.com is a great resource for installing multiple programs on Mac computers. Again it is as easy as selecting your favorite program across multiple categories and telling the system to do the work for you. So easy even a Mac user can do it. ;)
oldversion.com
This one is a little more advanced but just as helpful. Lets say you just downloaded a new updated driver for your favorite printer, but now thanks to the new driver all you can seem to print is blank pages. Guess what, tech support is going to tell you that the old drivers are not available anymore and that you will simply have to upgrade your printer if you want to print. Well I say... nope... wrong answer. Instead take a trip over to oldversion.com. This particular online database keeps a vault of old software versions so you can uninstall the newest and greatest that doesn't seem to work and replace it with the old reliable version that served you so well for so long.
Coffitivity.com
I personally find this one a lot of fun, if not a little weird. Sometimes you are trying to get some good old fashioned geek work done... but the space your in is just too quiet. You can't turn on your favorite jams... nope that would have you singing and dancing instead of working. So how do you bring in something to cut through the silence without jeopardizing your work? You visit Coffitivity.com. This website has compiled a list of white noise that simulates the sounds of being in a cafe. Simulating the sounds of a morning murmur, as customers come in to get their double shot white mocha espresso to start their day, or maybe you want something to inspire higher thinking... University Undertones is an option that simulates the scholarly sounds of a campus cafe. Now all you need is a hot cup of your favorite coffee and the illusion is complete. No reason why you can't get that work done now.
MyFridgeFood.com
This one is super helpful, especially for the busy geek who just can't seem to make it to the grocery store. MyFridgeFood.com allows you to quickly input the items you have in your refrigerator right now and will generate a recipe for something delicious you can make with those ingredients. Now this may not work if the only thing you have in your fridge is a ketchup bottle and a 6 pack of suds... but I have been amazed by the variety of random things it can turn into a delicious meal. For an example I went ahead and selected some random items just as an example for this article (bacon, broccoli, BBQ sauce, cream cheese, eggs, ground beef, ketchup, & ramen) and it gave me a recipe for Bacon Wrapped Balls, or Low Carb Cream Cheese Pancakes, Bacon Wrapped Eggs, Full Bacon Wrapped Burger, & Beef with Ramen Noodles. Each one required no additional ingredients than what I selected. It even offered up some recipes that could be completed if I could obtain one or two extra basic ingredients like bread, or flour.
Khanacademy.org
I'm saving the best for last on this one. KhanAcademy.org is a site devoted to free learning for everyone, forever. Regardless of your age, or education level you can log in and learn about pretty much anything, or brush up on learning you may have let slip since your glory days of high school/college. Generally when I have some spare time, and am not filling it with my kids, my video games, or my other geeky endevors... I will find myself logging in and knocking out a lesson or two on anything from advanced physics, to geometry, to computer programming. Another huge benefit is the test prep section of the site which allows for learners to brush up on the skills needed for their SAT, MCAT, GMAT, IIT JEE, or NCLEX-RN. I don't even know what some of those acronyms are for, but for those who do, this will be a huge help. It can also be a help for parents who are worried about their childs decline in learning over the summer months. Maybe give your kids a head start on the next year, or reinforce their learning from the past year. I like to make my daughters do an hour a day to earn video game or TV time.
There you have it folks, a glimpse into my tool box. Hopefully I have shared something useful that you can use yourself to enhance your geek side.
Geek-Weird
Taking a flip side view at the world of the geek
A new sci-fi movie has hit theaters recently. Life, outlines the story of a space mission gone wrong when an unknown life form from Mars is brought upon the International Space Station for scientific study. This in and of itself isn't all that weird as the concept of a single alien life form threatening the lives of an entire crew of astronauts is not a new one. think Alien, Aliens, Prometheus, essentially anything touched by the hands of Ridley Scott, but Life takes things to a whole new level. How? Well to add to the realism of the film, the writers used actual NASA approved methods for testing and experimenting with the newly found organism. This means that in reality what the stars of the film (Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson and Ryan Reynolds) are doing, could actually happen with non-Hollywood astronauts. According to John Rummel, NASA’s planetary protection officer from 1998 to 2006 and who is now a senior scientist at the SETI Institute in California, the procedures in place currently match those approved and required by NASA and the European Space Agency. Although there has been talk about changing the procedures to prevent skewed data results. Under the current program, if astronauts believe they have discovered an organsim, it must be contained on the spacestation until either it is determined to be safe to transport to earth, or until it is determined to not be a life form at all. This could lead to those testing the organism to rush or engage in unsafe scientific processes to speed up the process so they can return home sooner. Under the new proposed system, any organism discovered that could still be living, will instead be contained, and transported directly to the surface of the earth to be placed in a containment unit at a containment facility where it can be studied properly. If this is safer or not for world is difficult to say. Either way, if you're into this particular sci-fi theme... I recommend you check out Life in theaters.
Geek-istory
A look at what past geeks were up to this week
March 19th, 2005 - A Sad Day For Time Travel
John DeLorean dies, but his legacy lives on with the rebirth of his namesake car again entering production.
March 20th, 1982 - Put Another Dime In The Jukebox
Joan Jett tops the charts with her hit song "I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
March 21st, 1871 - Dr. Livingstone, I presume?
On this day in 1871, journalist Henry Morton Stanley begins his famous search through Africa for the missing British explorer Dr. David Livingstone
March 22nd, 1947 - A Literary Geek
Prolific, best selling author James Patterson is born.
March 23rd, 1839 - It's All A-Okay!
On this day in 1839, the initials “O.K.” are first published in The Boston Morning Post. Meant as an abbreviation for “oll korrect,” a popular slang misspelling of “all correct” at the time, OK steadily made its way into the everyday speech of Americans.
March 24th, 1989 - One Big Mess
The Exxon Valdez runs aground in Alaska.
March 25th, 1954 - In Living Color
RCA begins starts the production line on the first color televisions.
March 26th, 1885 - The Birth Of An Industry
Eastman Film Co. manufactures the first commercial motion picture film.