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Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Tech Time 2DS: Has Nintendo gone insane?

2DS
Nintendo has unveiled a new handheld gaming system. Nintendo 2DS sounds a lot like 3DS, but as you would expect it is a 2D system.  It looks like a door stop and does not have the ability to fold like the 3DS’s clamshell design.
It makes you wonder why would they release a 2DS which would appear to be a large step backwards. It is larger heavier and makes no improvements in the areas of battery life or screen resolution or features.  According to insiders at Nintendo the 2DS is for the under seven crowd.  
The DS family has grown from the DSi, 3DS, 3DSXL to the 2DS. The 2DS is not a new gaming format it will simply play the 3DS games in 2D and regular DS games as well.  So it does nothing that the 3DS you probably already have does.  
It makes you wonder. What is Nintendo thinking?


The 2DS cost $130.
The 3DS costs $170.
The 3DSXL costs $200.
The DSi costs $100.
The average 3DS game costs about $40.  
The average used 3DS games cost about $20 keep in mind Nintendo get 0% of this money.  


Android Angle
Most people get a new cell phone every 2 years which typically costs them between $100-200.   There are MILLIONS of old Android phones out there that can run the DS style games just not in 3D.  If you ask most 3DS players very few of them play in 3D anyway due to headaches caused by the 3D effect.  It would seem logical for Nintendo to get involved in the Android market. Nintendo has always been able to create addicting games.  They would probably do very well. The question then is, Why dont they?


Super Pirate Bros
The answer can be revealed in an earlier story from Nintendo where they decided not to include cut-scenes in the latest Super Smash Bros because they did not want them to leak on YouTube.  How every other game maker has deemed it beneficial, by way of free advertising, to allow people to post videos from games dating back to “Blue vs Red” Machinima from the early Halo days.  Nintendo is worried about pirating.  
You can already get emulators on Android to play Gameboy and DS games, but that is simply because there is a void in the market created by Nintendo.  Emulators are a pain to deal with.  You have to find ROM’s and sometimes buy an emulator.  They could clean up that piracy by releasing their own games with Bluetooth controllers if they wanted to.  Games would be much cheaper than current cartridges, and Nintendo would not have to bother with the investment of a handheld system.


Sega Angle  
Imagine if you could buy Super Mario Brothers or Super Smash Bro on a Sony or Microsoft system.  Sega learned that they could not compete in the console wars and made the next logical step. They became a game developer only in 2001 when they abandoned the Dreamcast.  It was a very smart move.  Look at the graph below.





In 2001 they were at $-530M in two years they made positive net revenue of $30M and today they are estimated to be at $410M.  You can also look at UbiSoft's revenue of $1.5B and EA’s revenue of $6.2B.  Compare that to Nintendo’s net Profit recently that was at 50% of its forecast at $88M.  


Next Step
It is not likely that Nintendo will make the switch anytime soon.  Companies tend to spend sometime in the red with huge yearly deficits before they completely overhaul their model.  
What do you think about Nintendo?
Would you like to see Mario on other systems?
Do you think the Android/Apple route is viable?


Is this all way off?



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Saturday, August 24, 2013

'American Idol' Season 13 Auditions Knoxville, TN *Audition winners leaked*


      We went to the Knoxville, TN American Idol Auditions to cover the story. The show does not air until 2014. I had never been to an event like this,  and I was curious to see what it would be like.  I would say about 1000 people showed up and sang their hearts out.  I did not see anyone cry, but dreams were crushed.  Watch now!

      Random jam sessions popped up throughout the line.  At any given moment you could hear a voice or a guitar. Some musicians were smart and used it as an opportunity to network.  The general mood on the line side was laughter and hope.  It was interesting to see all the joy and hope and 30 feet away the sadness and jealousy of the winners.  Quite a few people came in packs.

     Halfway through the event they had only selected 14 people most of which had guitars.  The people who were dismissed were not necessarily bad, they just did not have that "extra something" that the judges were looking for.  I heard one girl making a ton of excuses after her dismissal. One of which was, "I drove five hours and I am not sure what I was thinking." Another common one was, "I decided to change up my routine, and I have no clue why I did that."
     Here are some of the winners.  I happened to catch a few in line and as they won.  There was even a Spartanburg area winner. Local Kristina Ray (She has one of those all men are pigs attitude.  It is all over her FB.) was one of the early winners.  If you keep up with the show then be sure to comment on the Facebook Page and update progress on these contestants, and hit the "Like" button!





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Friday, August 16, 2013

Man Meals: Meatloaf

Meatloaf:


On Man Meals we are going to show you the easiest way to cook meatloaf and the best base recipe to use. It is a base recipe because you can start with this and add to it as needed. You can watch along on the video.

Toaster Oven Settings:
-Convection Setting
-350 degrees
-45-60 min *as always start with the lower setting and adjust. It will also depend on the thickness of your loaf.

Got an idea on seasoning? Leave your comments on the XcerptShow Facebook page.

That is it. The more lean the meat you buy the less grease you will have. The more lean it is will also make it shrink less. Meatloaf does take about an hour which gives you plenty of time to watch more XcerptShow videos and make some comments.

The beauty of using a toaster oven over a regular oven is it:
-Uses less power which saves you money
-It is perfect for 1-2 serving meals(great for bachelors)
-The timer controls the power thus the heating elements shut off(no more burning!) and you dont have to rush to get it out. In fact, I take into account that I intend to leave it in there for 10-15 min to continue cooking as the oven cools off.


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Thursday, August 15, 2013

Lifestyle: 5 reasons you should be taking a multivitamin

       

Multivitamins are an easy way to make up for missing nutrients in the not so healthy food we eat. Think of it as bringing your body flowers. The more often you do it the better off you are. This article will discuss just a few of the many reasons to take multi's, but also think about "stacks". "Stacks' are combination of supplements that help you fulfill your goals whether it is tearing it up at the gym or just trying to get up. Supplements help you get functioning on the level you should be by overcoming the deficiencies in the food you eat. You would not run regular unleaded gas in a performance motor vehicle would you? 

        1. You have nothing to lose! Your body is an amazing organism regardless of the garbage you put into it, it still functions. And at the rate some of you go that is no small feat. You know the types of artificial foods you eat and most of the nutrients on the label are not in the proper form for your body to absorb them properly. Taking a multi can fill those gaps and what your body does not uses is flushed from your system. 




       2. Heart health for all ages Most people do not think of heart health when it comes to multi's. According the the CDC 25% of all deaths are related to heart disease. Every year over 700k people have heart attacks. Most people also are not aware of the importance of minerals like magnesium and potassium and that their effects can be just as effective as statin drugs(lipitor and others), but they are natures way. Doctors do not tell you much about this because they are "motivated" to get you on insurance covered medication. This is not the main focus of multi's it is just an auxiliary benefit, but a pretty significant one. 

       3. Energy Most good multi's have an abundance of vitamin D which has been found to aid in a multitude of functions from muscle growth to ENERGY. Typically, your body produces this while you are out in the sun, and you might be saying, "During the summer I am always out in the sun." But how much are you really out there when it is blazing hot, and the AC inside feels great. What about the other three seasons? Two of those your entire body is probably covered. If you work at night you almost never see the sun. These are precisely the reason people take multi's to satisfy a deficiency. A multi isnt a caffeine jolt. It is natural energy from a balanced body. Other vitamins can be stacked with a multi to provide an additional kick.  



       4. Something is missing You just know when you eat some food that it is doing absolutely nothing for you and that your body is wondering what you are ingesting. What does your body do to that food? It turns most of it into fat and excretes what it cannot use. Multi's bridge the nutrient gap and help feel better.

      5. Workouts Anyone who works out should be on a multi. Everyone knows to supplement protein with their workout, but most people are not aware of how important vitamins and especially minerals are in helping you develop strong muscles. This isnt exclusive to heavy lifting either. Endurance and strength training can be vastly improved with multis.  Whether you want bulk up or just keep up, you can develop your own plan and take charge of your life.


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Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Man Meals: Steak (the easiest way)

On Man Meals we learned the quickest and easiest way to cook steak perfect everytime. You can watch the video for a step by step that takes under 2min. So give it a watch. Here are the details of the video. 



Toaster Oven settings:

-Convection setting

-400 degrees

-20 min *timing varies on steak thickness, start with 20min and if you need more time add 10-15 but lower the temp to 350 or 300. Make a few cuts to break up the center.

Got an idea on seasoning? Leave your comments on the XcerptShow Facebook page


That is it. Make sure you elevate the steak off of the pan to prevent burning and allow drainage. during that 20min you can watch sports or play video games.

The beauty of using a toaster oven over a regular oven is it:

-Uses less power which saves you money

-It is perfect for 1-2 serving meals(great for bachelors)

-The timer controls the power thus at 20min the heating elements shut off(no more burning!) and you dont have to rush to get it out. In fact, I take into account that I intend to leave it in there for 10-15 min to continue cooking as the oven cools off.

Save tons of time by not having to wait for an hour just for a seat at the steakhouse and save tons of cash! You can have steak more often and at whatever time you want!


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Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Cartersville Shriner Classic Car Show


I had the opportunity stop by the Cartersville Shriner Classic Car Cruise while I was on a shoot in GA. It was a much larger car show than the local Beacon Car shows that happen near my house. The location was the best because there were very interesting buildings in this small town. I thought I was in a state capital. Unfortunately, I dont have any pictures of them because they were very close together and I was more focused on the cars.



One thing I dont like at a car show is stock cars. There were quite a few brand new Mustangs and Camaros with absolutely no modding aside from the Shelby or SS upgrades from the factory. Dont get me wrong. I think the newer Camaro design is awesome. It just has nothing that sets it apart from all the other ones from the factory.



Regardless, at every car show you get to see a lot of familiar cars and then you get to see some very unique features on vehicles, and the uniqueness is why people go. It could involve styling, engine mods or some other minor detail or overall scheme.

I thought this emblem was awesome.
See the rest of the pictures here. It was a pretty good day and I hope you enjoy the pictures. It was overcast which helps soften the direct sunlight. I was able to use a variety of lenses. Be sure to subscribe on Currents, and Youtube and like the Facebook pages.


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Monday, August 5, 2013

Lifestyle: Lavender essential oil

How can you use Lavender essential oils?


Lavender is by far the most versatile essential oil.  It has many uses and isnt a harsh chemical. You can even ingest it.  Im sure with a little research you can find even more ways to use Lavender. If you find something that works for you be sure to post a comment.

1. Because all essential oils are naturally antiseptic you can use it to prevent infection on cuts and scrapes
2. Sleep aid as a result of its soothing abilities
3.Body or body part(feet) soak to relax muscles
4. Massage into lower abdomen for menstrual cramps
5. Splash on yourself to keep away mosquitoes(Untested)
6. Soothes bug bites or stings
7. Nausea: drop on tongue behind ears and around navel
8. Flavor boost: a 2-3 drops in sweets you bake to enhance flavor.

Check out this video and the list below:

1. Because all essential oils are naturally antiseptic you can use it to prevent infection on cuts and scrapes
2. Sleep aid as a result of its soothing abilities
3.Body or body part(feet) soak to relax muscles
4. Massage into lower abdomen for menstrual cramps
5. Splash on yourself to keep away mosquitoes(Untested)
6. Soothes bug bites or stings
7. Nausea: drop on tongue behind ears and around navel
8. Flavor boost: a 2-3 drops in sweets you bake to enhance flavor.



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