As a kid in the 90′s, I would light up with joy whenever my parents would take me to Blockbuster or Hollywood video to rent the latest movies or games. The cashier would give us a receipt with the due date (I believe the rental was for about 2-3 days) and I would race home and get the most out of the rental as possible. As a kid in the 90s, I would have never imagined the declination of Blockbuster or Hollywood video. They dominated the method of video rental…until the digital age emerged. Folks traded in video tapes and DVD’s for digital versions. The visits to Blockbuster and Hollywood Video ceased and folks started accessing the same content online. This should come as no surprise in a society in which convenience and quick accessibility are of high priority. Just think about it- after a long, tiresome day at work, would you rather make a stop at the video store to rent the latest movie, or would you rather enjoy the convenience of going to your cozy home and simply accessing the same movie on the internet. I think most would choose the latter- I know I would!
The Google Cardboard VR Experience
Google graciously provided the 2017 DC Web Fest with handheld cardboard virtual reality (VR) boxes. A box of pure fun, the devices allow users to download various apps that provide different VR experiences. For example, one app (VR Trippy) provides a trippy-psychedelic experience with an array of vibrant, bright, flashy colors. Upon looking through the box into the bright, neon virtual world, I imagined my favorite EDM song and got the urge to dance.
Another really cool VR mobile app is VR Roller Coaster Virtual Reality. The user sits front row on a loopy roller coaster in a world with blue skies and bright green grass. The experience makes you want to throw your hands up and intake the virtual wind as the roller coaster races on the track.
There are numerous VR apps for one to enjoy the Google cardboard VR experience; however, one should be warned to enjoy in moderation! Excessive use may cause symptoms of motion sickness (with some folks). A cardboard VR viewer can be purchased for about $15
at https://vr.google.com/cardboard/get-cardboard/. Check it out!
Game Review: Mini Metro
My commute has become significantly more tolerable, all thanks to the morning commute simulator that is Mini Metro. The game from the New Zealand based game designer Dinosaur Polo Club, is a simple game where the player acts as somewhat of a city planner, whose job it is to build a working metro rail system. Just like on the real metro, you lose when a station gets too filled up and no train arrives. Mini Metro is surprisingly challenging as it throws more things at you as time progresses, such as new stations that need to be connected, new cargo which needs to be transported to new locations and it even has daily challenges. Mini Metro on the Metro is a great way to make yourself worry less about the train that is taking forever to arrive, and care more about the virtual train that is taking forever to arrive. The game is a lot of fun and it isn’t uncommon to find yourself playing even far after the commute has ended.
Notion Theory’s Basketball Demo
By: Diana Eaton
Notion Theory held an amazing tech showcase event on March 23rd. Techies, entrepreneurs, developers, scientists, and innovators convened to explore some of Notion Theory’s latest virtual reality demos. The basketball VR demo was quite fun. The demo consisted of a headset and two joystick-like devices that served as hands. Of course there was a big screen for spectators to view as the user played. The demo was rather simple. All the user had to do was use the sticks (i.e the VR hands) to aim at the basket and shoot, similar to real-life basketball! The users seemed impressed! Check out Notion Theory’s YouTube link to see for yourself. The basketball demo starts at 2:05.
23rd Annual Gala Awards
Jokingly coined, “The Asian Prom”, the 23rd annual APAICS (Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies) Gala Awards was held on the evening of Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at the elegant Washington Hilton. Guests arrived, dined, socialized, and enjoyed an array of award presentations. Until the 1990′s, the Asian Pacific Islander community lacked a caucus. In the last four years there has been a significant increase in representation and seats in congress. There are currently 50 representatives and Senators. The robust membership is rapidly expanding. Immigration reform and human trafficking are just a couple of societal focal points. Chanchanit Martorell won the Community Leader Award for her diligent work on over a half-dozen major human rights cases involving human trafficking. The keynote speaker, Senator Cory Booker, left us with a powerful quote from his father:
“Son, you can go through life as a thermometer, or as a thermostat.”
This quote implies that one can either simply measure the temperature of the atmosphere, or one can use the power to set the temperature of the atmosphere. The latter is the choice of an individual of power, influence, and change.
A special thanks to Google for allowing me to have a seat at their table during this event. It was so wonderful to see such a robust and diverse group of people convene with great purpose!
Web Series Review: Avalon Now
When hearing about a web series put out by an Australian real estate company, you might be skeptical at first about the quality of the show, but what we have is one of the funniest web series of last year. The series follows the lives of trendy and progressive people, living in the sunny Australian beach town of Avalon, where everyone wears striped shirts and drives a Prius. The concept has been done before, with shows like Portlandia, but this time it comes with a fresh Aussie take. Avalon Now details the struggles of a couple trying to plan a perfect party, and the chaos that ensues from their need to be picture perfect for their Facebook and Instagram feeds. The series is done very professionally, from the acting to the writing, the camera work, and everything in-between, every aspect is clean and polished. The show is made what it is by the quirky side characters and the problems they cause for the party planners, the wine shop owner being my absolute favorite. While you may dislike the main characters due to their over-the-top obsessiveness with what’s trendy, you still get to know them and their families very well within the first few episodes, and for some reason, they will win over your heart with their lovable humor and charm.