You Vs. Everyone Else
Jan 13th
At work almost on a daily basis the thought comes up about an idea that will revolutionize the norm of today’s society. The intelligent minds of our corporate world get together in each others cubicles, meet in the hallway or even at the water cooler (how cliche) and discuss ideas that will one day enrich themselves.
The news about Myspace, Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook, Deepak Vasandani at Roar Clothing, Andrew Mason at Groupon leads individuals such as myself and others like me to want a piece of that pie. There is a difference though between people like myself and others and this is what this post is focused on. From an early age, I’ve been on the quest to excel in the things that interested me and even things that did not interest me for that matter.
I have always been an excellent student and tried my best even at things that didn’t really interest me – History, Astronomy, etc. I just did what I needed to do, to be the best. I strived for the extraordinary and ended up starting my own company at the age of 12. There are people who look towards the future with a smile on his/her face as such a person is awaiting what the future holds for them. That person is me, and maybe it is you as well.
Its not how intelligent you are, its not where you got your education but it is what you do with yourself and the opportunities that you partake in that can make a world of a difference. We have several highly intelligent people at work who could possibly use their knowledge and skills and maybe even collaborate to come up with a genius idea. Anything is possible as long as you can dream it.
A few people come to my mind – CarlOCab, Syed Balkhi, Ian Fernando, RJ Rucker, Kashif and the list goes on and on. Maybe you haven’t heard of these people but each one of them is accomplished in what they do but at the same time they strive for the extraordinary. This is what separates “you” from everyone else. I’m not segregating anyone when I say “you” because I’m just speaking of a particular type of person.
In the end what it all boils down to is that you have to live, breathe and hope for success and if you couple that with effort and hard work then anything is possible. I look towards the techie greats for inspiration but I also try and do something it when I can. Dreaming is for dreamers, when you are a doer, you create opportunities to inspire others. Remember that!
Hope you all have enjoyed this post. Let me know your thoughts and be honest in telling me if you consider yourself part of this group of people that I have referred to or if you’re just “everyone else”.
Whats Your Addiction?
Jan 11th
There are many things that people are “addicted” to and although I say “addicted”, I’m not really talking about coffee or anything. I’m talking about things that interest you. For example, I love electronics (therefore the iPad picture above) and I will experiment with different kinds of electronics. I built two desktops last year, I have the 1st generation ipod touch and I recently got the Archos 101 tablet. I just enjoy seeing technology evolve and its just interesting to me.
People, just like myself, are always intrigued by something or the other whether its clothes, cars, whatever it may be. Today, I want to talk about things that interest me and maybe sooner or later, I’ll be able to provide more of an insight into such things. I want to know, whats your addiction? What is something that you just enjoy or love?
Another one of my hobbies is this “vehicle” you see above. Its the Traxxas Rustler VXL which is a remote control car and although most of you probably think that R/C cars are for kids, you’ll be mistaken. This particular car goes past 65 mph. As such speeds, its almost dangerous to hand over the control to an inexperienced user or young kids for that matter. I just enjoy going out there on the street and watching my Rustler run up and down the street at extremely high speeds.
Its also great because I get to make modifications to it, and fix it up when things go wrong – and things do go wrong or break but if you’re looking for a R/C car and you don’t mind spending a couple hundred bucks, then the Traxxas brand is definitely one that you should consider. I think quite a few guys have a need for speed and if you can’t get it on the streets in an actual car then you should invest in a R/C car. I should also note that a Traxxas even if its $300 brand new, even with 5 years of use, its still worth a $100 or $150 so it retains value and still works really really well.
Watches….Thats all that I need to say! Watches.. I love my watches. I think jewelry for women is overrated and its time for men to indulge in a little something for themselves. I always have a watch on my wrist no matter if its worth like $10 or if its priceless and although people don’t see the point of spending more than $50 for a watch, watches are like an investment. They are like owning property.
You’d be surprised to know that quite a lot of watches actually not only retain their value but also increase in value. Yes, agreed, those types of watches are expensive but still great nonetheless.
Let me know what you guys think is your “addiction”. It doesn’t really have to be something that you can’t live without but basically things that interest you, and things that you enjoy. Lets hear it!
2011 Kia Optima – Quick Review
Jan 9th
By now the 2011 Kia Optima is everywhere and there is a shocking change in the way the car used to look to the way it looks now. Kia has really transformed the new Optima inside and out and more importantly, it now looks more expensive than it actually costs. It is starting to creep up, price-wise, into the Accord, Camry, Sonata territory but with merit. The Kia today isn’t the Kia that it used to be. With inexpensive cars, and now excellent styling coupled with a fantastic 10 year/100,000 mile warranty, what is not to love?
MSN ran an article recently where the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety ranked cars in terms of safety and Hyundai, its Kia affiliate, VW and Audi all scored the highest with 9 awards followed by GM, Ford and then Toyota. The IIHS is a completely legitimate organization and their ratings always stand the test of time and as noted, the Kia and Hyundai brands have been growing significantly over the years. Think about how many Sonata’s you see on a daily basis compared to the amount you would normally see 5 years ago.
The market is changing and the way Kia is designing their cars is changing as well. Below is the picture of a 2010 Kia Optima. Compare it to the 2011 Optima at the top of this post. Do you see a staggering difference? I certainly do. Kia has gone with the black grille which will be seen on quite a few other Kia models as well in some other shape or form.
One of the big highlights that I have noticed Kia incorporate is the fact that people want a car that not only looks great but also drives well. Seems like Kia has taken that to heart with its 2011 line-up and designed its cars to be visually appealing aside from being easy on the wallet as well. The Sportage and the Forte have all followed with that concept and with the Optima one can see the aggressive appearance of the car follows to the back with the dual exhaust sporty feel.
Trims & Pricing
The base LX starts at $18,995 but thats with a manual transmission as the automatic will set you back $20,495. The standard EX upgraded model is $22,495 where as the turbo-charged 4 cylinder is $24,495. The SX is $25,995. You might think that the jump from the 200hp regular EX to the turbo EX producing 274 horsepower is quite steep at $2,000 and I feel the same way. I mean a base LX automatic version starts at $20,495. For comparison sake, the Camry LE automatic version starts at $23,130, the Altima 2.5 is $19,900, Accord LX is $21,980 and the Hyundai Sonata GLSis $20,915. Now the $20,495 for the Optima doesn’t sound as high, does it?
Lets consider this as well, it is probably really well equipped for that price as well considering the Nissan 2.5 does not even come with a radio. The Kia on the other hand not only comes with a radio, it even has SIRIUS and MP3 capability on its audio system as well as it has fog lights, an active eco drive system, bluetooth and steering wheel mounted audio controls.
Quick Summary
This obviously isn’t a detailed review and is mostly a quick look at the new design. I think Hyundai has done a great job with the car in terms of design, features list and even pricing. Although the new Optima is creeping slowly towards its competition, I still think it will take a lot for the loyal Hyundai, Honda, Toyota and Nissan drivers to make the switch. New car buyers will most likely be inclined to including the Kia Optima in their list of possible options but only time will tell how successful the Optima will be. Personally, it seems like a great car and I will be able to provide more feedback once I get to drive it around. If you have any comments or feedback, I would love to hear it! Below are some pictures of the interior and exterior for your viewing pleasure.
Interior Photos
Exterior Photos
Vlogging Genius of The ShayTards
Jan 7th
I hope that Mr. Shay Carl reads this post just because I’m taking the time to dedicate this post to his vlogging genius. “Hey, I’m Vlogging Here” has become his famous catch-phrase and at this point if you are still scratching your head and you don’t know who The Shaytards are, then you’ve sort of been under a rock this whole time. They are a family of 6 including Shay Carl, Mommytard, Sontard, Princesstard, Babytard and Rocktard.
It seems as though ShayCarl posts a video on a daily basis and this includes the almost 40 minute long Christmas episode. I say episode like its a TV show but it almost is and a good one at that too. They have over 700,000 subscribers and over 250 million total upload views and close to 200,000 Twitter subscribers. Sounds ridiculous but with over 700 videos, and a hilarious family, its only well deserved.
The Shaytards are also likeable mostly because they know how successful they are and they appreciate their viewers. Shay Carl takes a moment every now and then to remind everyone how he got to this point and how thankful he is. For the people that dislike The Shaytards, its merely jealously for their success but seriously, why wouldn’t you be? Oh and plus, its online hatred which doesn’t really mean much when you’re a success.
The biggest thing about their videos is Shay is very dedicated to using his flip on a constant basis and then editing it to the best bits. Most of the videos I have seen have been over 10 minutes and it becomes a small reality TV show if you watch the episodes back to back.
Shay Carl has definitely done his part in becoming a Youtube success and his work at the Station and for Pepsi and such have been excellent too. I think you should check him out and maybe Shay might swing by and check out this post!
Lenovo’s Multimedia Remote N5901 Review
Jan 5th
I recently got my hands on Lenovo’s Ultraportable “Remote” which is basically a keyboard and a mouse all-in-one. Its the N5901 Remote that I was able to pick up for quite a low price considering Lenovo was offering a 50% off discount.
The remote is listed on Amazon for a retail of $89.51 but currently sells it for around $43 and Lenovo retails it for a tad under $60 but has it listed for around $39. Its called the multimedia remote and that name is well suited considering it has all the buttons needed for a multimedia remote handy – volume up/down buttons, a mute button, stop, play/pause, forward/reverse. The remote itself is quite the perfect size too, depending on who you ask ofcourse. Here is an image of the upper half of the keyboard showing the multimedia buttons and the keyboard.
Keyboard
The keyboard buttons are quite flush with the surface but they are not hard to use at all. Now, if you have larger hands or your finger tips are large, you may have some trouble. I actually have “chubby” fingers and I didn’t see a problem in being able to use the keyboard at all. You have to get used to it, just like other keyboards you come across and the location of the buttons also is different considering its all crammed into a small form factor. I’ll get into the things I don’t like later on but personally, I think the keyboard is generally well laid out and the buttons on the top are easy to use and placed appropriately for this type of keyboard.
Mouse
The mouse on the other hand is quite good as well. Sometimes, and only sometimes, if you scroll really fast, it seems to miss a beat but for the most part, if you are just browsing or using it normally, you wouldn’t have a problem. The mouse scroll works perfectly and so do the two buttons. Some people complain about the buttons being placed above the scroll ball but, I didn’t find that to be a problem. The location of the mouse is also quite good for my use and the buttons (left click and right click) are nice to the touch and need to be clicked so that you don’t accidentally keep hitting the button.
Negatives/Cons
1. Its not backlit. Now, youll see that as a negative listed by a lot of different websites but we kind of knew that buying an item like this so, although I cannot complain, I think I should point it out that its not backlit.
2. My Computer button. The My Computer button (as you can see from the image above) cannot be seen when you look at the keyboard, but its there. Its the orange button on the top left hand corner. I just wish it was marked!
3. Its light! This could be a positive and a negative but when I hold the keyboard, I feel like I am holding a few mints. It barely weighs anything so it doesn’t feel like I have something substantial in my hands. I just wish it had a bit more weight on it so it felt better in my hands.
Positives/Pros
1. Its simple. Thats probably the best part, you know what you are buying and if you don’t mind the size then you’ll be highly satisfied, depending on price ofcourse.
2. Works fantastic. For the purpose I bought it for, to use with my HTPC, it works brilliantly. The lack of the backlit feature doesn’t bother me and the fact that its keyboard layout is different is something I have got used to.
3. Nano Dongle. The Nano dongle is quite small and that makes it convenient to plug into your desktop/laptop/htpc because its small. It also fits into the keyboard itself so if you need to travel with the keyboard, you don’t have to worry about losing the dongle as long as you put it in the right place.
4. Distance. My keyboard seems to work really well from 15 feet away as long as I don’t have any major obstacles in the way. It seems to be a little off if something is in the way or if you are at a weird angle but for the most part it works quite well.
Conclusion
Personally, I think the pros outweigh the cons but its all up to you and your personal taste. Plus, I’d like to remind you to buy this item only when the Price Is Right. The retail price on this item is on the high side, you know $60 through Lenovo or $90 through Amazon and their discounted prices are decent, which are in the $40 range. I was able to pick this item up for almost 80% off and I have been very happy. The keyboard goes on sale through Lenovo quite often and you should be able to score it for $25 or less and at that price, its well worth it. In the end, buy this keyboard if you find it for the right price and you’ll be extremely satisfied if you know what your needs are. Just don’t buy it because it has an awesome price tag.
