extravagantGEEK

Just a geek and her thoughts…

Author: Rachel Elizabeth

Me & Windows Phone?!
“Note: this entry was previously written on my personal blog back in January but seemed relevant to my new site so I decided to re-share here.”

Yes, you read correctly! As many of my friends on social networking and in real life know… I am a HUGE and very loyal “Android Geek”, so when I started telling people that I was using a Windows Phone I got some strange looks and some funny comments. All I can say is… desperate times call for desperate measures. When you have to make a carrier switch a little sooner than you’ve expected and you’re on a budget things happen!

There was a part of me that considered getting a cheap Android phone instead, but with a budget of $100 the lower spec’d Android offerings left me unimpressed so I decided to give the Nokia Lumia 521 a chance. I’d heard mixed reviews and opinions about the devices and wanted to test one for myself.

It’s been interesting to say the least, some days I feel like “OMG, come on first pay day so I can get back to my beloved Android” and others I’m like “eh, it’s not so bad”.

I’ll be honest, the Windows Phone OS is not as bad as many people assume. It is fast, responsive… everything you expect a smart phone to be if you don’t rely on Google for most of your communication needs. Their “app store” leaves a lot to be desired but it does have some fairly popular cross-platform apps such as Pandora, Whatsapp, Angry Birds (because everyone loves that right?!) and even Instagram (Beta). I guess what I’m trying to get at is that its “sufficient”.
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August 17, 2014
Ninja Turtles For A New Generation!
I recall shuddering in disbelief the first time I saw the preview for the upcoming Teenage Mutant Njnja Turtles film, but on opening day as the devoted fan that I’m am who watched the cartoons faithfully on Saturday mornings and had seen all the previous movies… I decided to go see it and bring my dad along with me.

I was a little reluctant because it is a Michael Bay film, and because of the way the characters seem to be completely transformed. Anytime someone tries to revamp something from your childhood it’s a bit of a tough pill to swallow. You wonder if you’ll love it or hate it… and to my surprise I rather liked it.

Many people joke that the newly re-designed turtles look like Shrek which is quite laughable because when you look at older renderings of their characters… they kind of already did! But I can certainly understand the complaints. Leonardo with the bones over his chests, and Donatello with coke bottle glasses… I don’t remember any of that as a child. Oh and don’t get me started on the casting of Megan Fox as April O’Neil, she is definitely not a red head.
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August 16, 2014
Big Android BBQ, I’m Ready!
Most people that know me and even a few that don’t, know that I’ve always been an “Android Enthusiast” don’t get me wrong I’m not one of those Android or nothing people… I have an iPad mini that I love dearly and I’ve previously owned an iPod Touch with no complaints. But today I’m not worried about talking about anything Apple related (or for any other brand either).

So what is the Big Android BBQ? if you want the full back story you’re more than welcome to visit BigAndroidBBQ.com but it’s a great annual event for Android developers, enthusiasts, companies and even press to all get together and discuss… well, what else? ANDROID in all its awesomeness.

A wondrous 2 1/2 day geekfest where you get to hang out with people who share common interests and learn about new things regarding the platform and well as new products. Not to mention the giveaways that many of the Sponsors do as well.

This year marks the milestone 5th year that the BBQ’s been going and I’m anxious to get there. I’ve gone once in 2012 and it was an absolute blast! I came home with quite a few goodies or “swag” rather and even got to meet the awesome Tha Phlash who is not only an amazing designer of custom icons but quite a talented artist in general.
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August 16, 2014