Tag: articles (Page 4 of 4)

      Want a Nexus 4? Apparently So Does Everyone Else

      November 28, 2012 /

      Ever since its release, the LG Nexus 4 has been garnering praise from all corners due to it’s much improved camera, enhanced overall system speed, baffling array of high-end powerful features, and one of the most beautiful displays on any smartphone. Despite its notable lack of 4G LTE service (at least in the US), there are few out there that are denying it is one of the most technically impressive phones available.

      Odds are good though you haven’t had a chance to experience what all of the hype is about, as it’s proven to be one of the most difficult to get phones on the market. Since launch, buyers have been scouring the internet looking for rare windows to purchase one at reasonable retail prices. Ideally, this would be done through the Google store, and sure enough yesterday for the first time since the Nexus 4’s release  they were offering the phones back in stock.

      However, it  now looks like no real celebration is in order since as of today attempting to buy the phone will only warn you of its 8-9 week delivery time for the 8 GB model, and month minimum shipment date for the 16 GB version. Considering how long the window of opportunity was, it would seem that the sale was either an aberration, or that the Nexus 4 truly is the hottest phone of the holiday season.

      In either case, the shortage of available phones is making some fans remember the madness surrounding the Nexus 7 tablet earlier this year, where even buyers who believed they purchased an in-stock tablet found themselves suddenly waiting and waiting for a unit to free up and ship out. Although, this time Google has taken precautions to insure those same expectations are kept more in check.

      Considering that the Nexus 4 was meant as a high end smartphone at a competitive price, the sudden lack of options has changed the outlook of the the device so that it is now a high end smartphone at absurd prices. To fetch one, you have to turn to suspicious third party sites, or gouging eBay sellers, and deal with price inflations that are ranging anywhere from $150 to $300 or more. If you must have one by Christmas though (or in 2012), it would seem that may be the only option though.

      There are more high quality smartphones on the market than ever before, and yet it seems in the mind of consumers the real race is now between the Nexus 4, the Galaxy SIII, and the best selling smartphone ever in the iPhone 5 for the crown. Considering most buyers won’t even be getting a Nexus this year, I’ll be interested to see how the hype and mania around the new model carries over to the other big two’s inevitable new designs in 2013.

      News

      CannaBliss: Must Have Smoking Accessories

      November 7, 2012 /

      Congratulations to the re-elected president Obama, as yesterday after a long campaign you and your team claimed victory and will lead this country again in the next four years.

      But sir, with all due respect, you did not have the biggest headline from yesterday. Instead that would go the states of Colorado and Washington which became the first US states to approve the long awaited legalization of marijuana for recreational use.

      Or, as the great Homer Simpson put it, you could “…walk up to the President and blow smoke in his stupid face and he’d just have to sit there groovin on it”

      With that in mind, if you live in one of the recently impacted states, it may be time to consider the an upgrade to your smoking equipment in celebration. After all, now that you don’t have to shame hide your pieces in old socks, or cupboards any more, it may be time to add a little more class to your glass. To help you, here is a quick rundown of the best paraphernalia on the market.

      Water Bong

      The centerpiece of any respectable collection is a good bong. Many smokers own one with a variety of “trippy” colors, a funky name, a few fun stories, and maybe a skull or two. However, there are few brand names that serious smokers swear by, and among them the best may be Sovereignty Glass.  Of that particular collection, the jewel in the crown would be the Peyote Pillar Perc.

      This 19 inch beauty is made of some of the finest glass work available in this particular field. However, unlike other flashier models, it isn’t meant to impress just by looks alone, but rather with its functionality. Sporting a multi chamber base, you can load the bong with more smoke than any other model, while producing a cleaner pull than you ever felt possible. It is a model of dangerous design and efficiency and is the absolute head of its class in every measurable way. As a testament to its quality, it retails for a hefty $1,200 and is regularly sold out.

      Pipe

      Ideally a pipe is going to be your on the go piece, or similar option. As such, you don’t have to invest as much in it, and there are a variety of ways to go. Since so many pipes are of good quality, don’t be afraid to go for a little more style, or something that reflects your personality.

      Or, if you want a really cool and extremely practical option, just go with the Monkey Pipe. A handy little wood model, the Monkey Pipe is extremely portable in its native form, is easy to maintain, looks cool, and is still very reliable. Now that residents of Colorado and Washington will be able to smoke freely in the great outdoors, a Monkey Pipe is a perfect solution for smoking on the go.

      Vaporizer

      A more modern solution to smoking, there is no substitute for the vaporizer. The unit heats up to a high degree and evenly burns your marijuana with minimal effort and maximum effect. Even better, it produces virtually no smoke and is kinder for your lungs. Every smoker must own one.

      But which to buy? For years the answer was, without argument, the Volcano. While it is still a great way to go, I must recommend the Exteme Q vaporizer from Arizer. It’s cheaper than the more popular Volcano, has memory settings for temperature, comes with a remote, and unlike the Volcano has traditional hose as well as a bag option for your toking pleasure. Wrap it up in a well designed package, and for an even $239.00 you’ve got the only home piece you’ll ever truly need.

      Grinder

      If you’re new to the smoking game, you may underestimate the value of a good grinder, but you do so at your own peril. It crushes and breaks up your marijuana in an instant, and not owning one is the equivalent of peeling all of the potatoes you will eat for the rest of your life by hand, and not using a peeler.

      You’ll be wanting the best then, so you’ll be wanting a four piece Space grinder. It’s output consistency is impeccable, its durability is unquestionable, it features magnetized top seal, and has a mesh screen for collecting that most potent of smokeables, crystallized kief. There’s no going back from one of these, but considering how well they work, that’s a good thing

      Snack

       

      Not technically an accessory, definitely not a gadget, but without a doubt a necessity. There are an impossible number of ways to go for snacking, from the bag of chips, to cookies and candy. However for something salty, sweet, creamy, and satisfying it’s hard to argue against Ben and Jerry’s “Jimmy Fallon’s Late Night Snack” ice cream.

      It’s vanilla bean ice cream with a salty caramel swirl and fudge covered potato chips, as well as evidence, besides the recent de-criminalization acts, that smoking has definitely planted roots in the mainstream.

      News

      The World’s Most Advanced Rocking Chair, Just in Time For Christmas

      October 30, 2012 /

      The mention of a rocking chair conjures many images. Among them are old men whittling away the hours on slow country nights, creepy horror movie sets, banjos, swamps, and of course, people looking infinitely relaxed. Of all the images though, none of them would probably be that of top of the line technology. Instead rocking chairs are a relic of a simpler time, and thankfully always will be.

      Nah, I’m just messing with you.

      Called the iRock (…ok that’s pretty good) this oak rocking chair is designed by the Sweedish based Micasa Labs and retails for $1300. While I’m sure that it is quite sturdy, well built, and comfortable, the real appeal of the iRock comes from its Apple compatibility.

      On the arm rest is a standard Apple dock for your iPad or iPhone. Plug into the dock, and as long as you continue to rock the chair, your device will keep charging. Specifically, the makers of the chair estimate that rocking for 60 minutes will charge an iPad 3 to 35%, although as long as it’s in use your device will continue to charge and can also store energy. There is also a nice pair of 25 Watt speakers on either side of your head for a completely integrated media experience. It also comes in 5 different colors, although it’s hard to argue against the standard Apple white.

      Now obviously the appeal of this device is going to be niche to say the least. However, I think that you’ll be surprised by the depth of potential buyers. Groups that include:

      –          The Rich

      –          The Eccentric

      –          People who love their iPads way too much

      –          Your rich, eccentric grandfather who loves his iPad way too much.

      –          People in areas with really, really, unsteady electrical output

      –          Minamilists that are secretly tech-freaks

      –          Benjamin Franklin

      Benjamin Franklin? Yeah, you see not only was he an innovator in the field of electricity, but he’s also rumored to have created the rocking chair. So I think he might appreciate this device.

      Actually no, even he’d probably think it’s ridiculous.

      Although, you’ll still need a lot of him to get one

      News

      How Jesse Ventra and “Predator” Innovated U.S. Combat Operations

      October 27, 2012 /

      Ideally the movie “Predator” would inspire us all in our everyday lives.

      The story of an expendable soldier, left for dead, fighting against not just the elements, but the most dangerous creature to ever set foot on the planet, as well as an internal struggle to maintain his own humanity, remains to this day one of the most poignant and heartbreaking tales ever told on the big screen. Its political allegories, deep characterization, and a neorealism sense of perspective remain beacons of creative guidance for all young filmmakers. Truly, its throwaway lone Oscar nomination for visual effects is the greatest crime in the history of the Academy Awards.

      At least that’s how I always saw it. To most I guess it really is just the story of Arnold Schwarzenegger showing off his 80’s physique while a group of action film bad assess proceed to destroy the better part of a rain forest. The truth is the average viewer sees it as nothing more than a simple, albeit classic, relic of the over the top action movie era where nothing was in any way realistic.

      However, there is at least one other person that didn’t view the movie like that, and his name is Staff Sargent Vincent Winkowski. He looked at the movie and saw a true potential military innovation.

      Specifically, it was in relation to former pro wrestler Jesse Ventura’s character in the movie, Blain. In the movie, Blain toted a usually mounted size mini gun around with him, that was fed a seemingly infinite amount of ammunition from a backpack he wore. Single handedly, he was able to mow down waves of enemies with ease, despite the incredible weight and bulk of his weapon. It was one of those ideas that made it such a beautifully absurd film, and led to one of the most iconic movie weapons of all time.

      Only Sargent Winkowski didn’t think it was so absurd. After all, the usual method for using a similar heavy weapon in the real field of combat involves a three man team, each with an individual task, to make such a gun work. Having three men assigned to one weapon proved very difficult in combat scenarios, when the chaos of the moment can often make it difficult for three soldiers to maintain the rigid tactics required to operate a heavy machine gun.

      Following a conversation about the movie “Predator” with fellow soldiers, Winkowski began to wonder why there really wasn’t a device like the backpack that Ventura wore that would allow for one man to operate a heavy machine gun. He started creating such a device and, though heavily jerry rigged, eventually came up with a design very similar to the one in the movie. He passed it off for testing to some specialists on the subject (IE: bad asses) and they concluded that even in its early stage, it was still superior to the old method. One of them even took it into a heavy combat zone, and not only reported back alive, but also that it indeed worked as intended.

      That was in 2011, and from there the prototype was passed on to a military development team who, with the help of input from soldiers and its original creators, have been working on a fully functional production model. Now, as being reported by core77.com, military memos from earlier in the year have this once pipe dream film prop looking for a manufacturer for field use.

      They’re calling it the large capacity ammunition carriage system (wait, our military is taking advice from “Predator” and that’s the best they got?), and it’s essentially a backpack carrying an ammo crate with protruding belts that feed into the weapon. It allows for more mobility, less personnel required, more ammunition availability, and (ideally) less jamming, meaning it could actually re-imagine how the military uses this type of soldier. Not bad for a few guys who saw “Predator” a few too many times.

      Although, considering that two of the actors in “Predator” went on to become governors, you would think there would have been enough political pull available to get some of this tech released sooner.

      News

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