The Geek Church

It has become a tradition of mine for the last five years to drive the family down to Pocatello, drop off the wife and kids, and then go to Las Vegas for CES. About two weeks ago, I came back from Las Vegas after CES 2012, picked up my wife and kids, and the drove back to Pullman.

This is when things went horribly wrong. As I was travelling on Highway 84, I heard a tire explode. My first response was that I had a flat, and so I tried to pull over to the side of the road. The car didn’t respond that way, and flipped a few times before crashing completely off the road entirely. The last thing I heard was my wife and kids screaming, and this is all remember of the accident. I was hit on the head and had a subdural hematoma, and this incident seems like a dream, as I don’t remember the end or the beginning.

I remember beginning the drive to Pullman from Pocatello, and this was on a Sunday. We started late afternoon because my wife and youngest son were ill, and we didn’t even think we might leave that day. At about 4 PM, the accident occurred, and I awoke in a hospital two days later.

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What you are about to see in the video will affirm you belief that “a man can fly”. Unfortunately, it is really just a promotional stunt.

There are really not three men flying, as much as I would like it to be true. The flying men are just balsawood structures that are controlled like radio-controlled airplanes.

This is a promotional stunt from a studio called Thinkmodo, and it is promoting a movie known as Chronicle, which opens up this weekend I believe. I also believe the film is about a group of kids that gain superpowers. I’ve seen the poster, and that film takes place in Seattle, so I’m not certain why the flying people didn’t show up there.

Stay tuned for more viral ad campaigns for movies that you may or may not want to have seen.

Heads up, dear readers! We’ve got breaking news as Steve Jobs of Apple unveiled the iPhone 4 earlier today. Obviously, you’ve got plenty of questions about what to expect from this new smartphone so we’ll give the full rundown of Apple’s latest product. Let’s start by discussing the iPhone’s design. Of course, the outer body of the phone consists of black glass and stainless steel rim, just like the infamous prototype misplaced, discovered and leaked in the news several months ago. The iPhone 4 is also three grams heavier and 34 percent thinner than its 3GS predecessor and has split volume buttons made of stainless steel. Apple says that this smartphone is currently the thinnest one in existence today. The stainless steel rim is also used for the phone’s antenna to provide better reception for 3GS and WiFi. The physical size of the phone is 4.5 x 2.31 inches in width, 0.37 inches thick with a weight of 4.8 ounces (137 grams).

Now we’ll take a look at the smartphone’s hardware. Like the iPad, this iPhone has an internal Apple A4 chip. Furthermore, the phone also uses several other interconnected chips, which include a Cortex-A8 main processor unit, a PowerVR SGX 535 and two low-power 128MB DDR SDRAM chips. The Cortex-A8 processor acts as the phone’s main controlling mechanism, the PowerVR SGX provides hi-def graphics and the SDRAM chips give greater processing speed. The iPhone 4’s battery was also improved, made 16 percent larger than the previous iPhone battery with a longer lifespan. According to Apple, the new battery makes the iPhone 4 capable of 7 talk hours over 3G, 6 browsing hours over 3G, 10 browsing hours over Wi-Fi, 10 hours with video, 40 hours with music and 300 hours on standby.

The new iPhone’s multi-touch screen is 3.5 inches with 960 × 640 pixels and Apple calls it the Retina Display. Thus, it has four times as many pixels compared to the previous iPhone display with 326 pixels per inch resolution in the screen. Apple said that this IPS display is the same tech found in the iPad, so applications can run with better resolution, sharper view for text, 3D graphics and vectorial art. The new display also has the same oleophobic layer as the iPad and iPhone 3GS for easy cleaning. The iPhone 4 has two cameras as well. The main camera is backlit, has a larger sensor, larger lenses and a higher ISO but retains the same 5 megapixels. However, the main camera also has an LED based flash for making photos and video. Meanwhile, a video conferencing camera is located on the front of the phone. It has standard VGA resolution, third-party application compatibility and also features Apple’s own video conference solution. In addition to these features, the iPhone has a internal gyroscope for tracking movement with great accuracy. It has a 3-axis, enabling it to detect roll, pitch and yaw. It’s also combined with an accelerometer to make 6-axis sensing possible. It features an extra microphone to cancel out noise and the same micro-SIM standard as the iPad as well.

Finally, let’s consider the iPhone’s 4’s software. It has ISO 4 for selective multi-tasking. Thus, you can multi-task with applications while consuming less battery power and resources. ISO 4 also gives the Retina Display resolution independence, so applications are instantly adjusted to look sharper. This applies to typography, 2D vector graphics and 3D graphics as well. Meanwhile, the iPhone also offers the capability for video calling, made possible with its video conferencing camera. Apple calls this service FaceTime and communication is available from one iPhone 4 to another over Wi-Fi. Apple is featuring a new editing sofware called iMovie for iPhone as well. This software runs on hi-def with 720p, allowing you to edit video clips, add extra effects for still images and gives you access to a music soundtrack from your phone’s iTunes. Then you can export finished videos to 360p, 520p and 720p. However, iMovie is a separate application not included with the iPhone 4 itself. Lastly, ibooks are also compatible with ISO 4 and they’re accessible through the same controls used on the iPad’s iBook application. The new smartphone is scheduled for release on June 24 in black or white color options while prices are $199 for 16GB and $299 for 32GB.

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When attending a public event like a city or state fair, you normally expect to see the same types of attractions for local residents and out-of-town tourists. These attractions usually include carnival-style thrill rides, hand-made craft booths, art exhibits, musical concerts, theater performances and carnival-style games. But what about virtual, human sculptures made possible through the use of augmented reality technology? That’s how they do it in Amsterdam!

This past Saturday, a public fair known as a “flashmob” was held in Dam Square, Amsterdam. Apparently, there is a rising trend called “the human statue” concept. People can have their pictures taken with a virtual, human sculpture, which can also be downloadable as content if you have a smartphone such as the Android or iPhone. Furthermore, these virtual sculptures are brought to life with augmented reality through an application installed on your smartphone. At this “flashmob” on April the 24th, popular characters of film, television and comic books made appearances in Dam Square. These characters include Spider-Man, Darth Vader and Superman.

In order to create your virtual, human sculpture, you must first install the “Layar” application on your smartphone. If you’re an iPhone user, you can download the Layar app. and activate its flashmob AR view feature. Human sculpture models are downloadable with a SD card if you have an Android phone and using QR codes is also required. Then, you have to bring your own 3D model to the event and create obj/mtl files if you’re using an Android. The AndAR application is required for this process to work and it was made available for participants on the 23th of April. Finally, AR tags were provided at Dam Square as markers on the ground where your virtual model would appear and these tags are linked to your obj/mtl files.

Judging from the pictures I saw, this concept of the virtual, human statue looks quite amazing. Virtual characters are actually created to exist in the same location with real people and they can be seen in a photo or as downloadable content on your smartphone. It seems that Amsterdam has taken a more technological approach with the help of augmented reality in order to attract locals and tourists to public events.

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Now, what benefits does a hotel normally offer to its paying guests? Usually, hotels present their guests with options such as a complimentary breakfast, discounts on meals or rooms and package deals for the duration of their stay. Hotels also tend to have other benefits like room service, daily room maintenance by housekeepers, personal TVs in the room with cable, internet access, pools and even saunas. These things are what guests would normally expect at a hotel. But what if there were hotels who also offered thrill rides that you’d commonly see at a theme park attract its guests? Well, the Stratosphere Las Vegas Hotel & Casino is one vacation establishment that actually does this.

This hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada started with three thrill rides on top of its tower, known as Big Shot, X-Scream and Insanity. Since then, the Stratosphere Las Vegas Hotel has added a new attraction called Sky Jump Las Vegas this past January. The SkyJump is a controlled freefall in which thrill-seeking guests have the opportunity to plummet 855 feet at a speed of forty miles per hour over the legendary Las Vegas Strip. This thrill ride is similar to skydiving and base-jumping and it’s available during the day and at night. Before they can enjoy the experience of SkyJump, customers must receive a brief safety lesson and then get out-fitted for custom “jump suits” provided by the Stratosphere Hotel. Next, each participant is hooked up to a patented high-speed “descender” machine, leading them to a small platform, which serves as their launching point for a hundred-story jump and their descent is the same height as Stratosphere itself. Guide wires are the safety measure used to ensure that guests stay on course during the freefall. Then the machine slows down the person’s descent before they can make imminent contact with the ground below, providing a safe and controlled landing.

Furthermore, the entire SkyJump experience only lasts for thirty minutes. The new thrill ride for the Stratosphere Las Vegas Hotel is set to open this month. According to Frank Riolo, CEO of American Casino & Entertainment Properties, this new attraction is not just the only skyjump in North America but it’s also the biggest skyjump in the world. Well, this thrill ride definitely sounds like an amazing experience for adventure and thrill-seekers on vacation. SkyJump might just be one more reason to take a trip to Vegas.

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In this age of mobile, wireless technology, we find ourselves regularly dependent on batteries to keep our personal, electronic devices working. The problem with batteries is that most brands mainly offer disposable batteries, which have to be replaced eventually and rechargeable batteries tend to be more expensive than regular ones. So, if what a special battery charger was developed that could even restore the charge for regular, non-rechargeable batteries. Well, an Australian company named Digital Works has come forward to turn this “what if” scenario into a reality.

They call this special battery charger the ReZap Battery Engineer. This device is designed to restore the charge for both rechargeable and regular batteries and the regular kind can be recharged up to ten times. It can also recharge four cells of varying sizes at the same time. The ReZap Battery Engineer works by utilizing intelligent microprocessors and software to regulate the charging process for batteries and it is also designed to be environmentally safe for use. The device has a battery tester, which indicates the current charge level of any battery as well. Battery types such as AA, AAA, AAAA, C, D and 9 Volt are all compatible with the ReZap. This charger is quite unique since it is designed to to use the correct charging algorithm to handle the custom recharge of each individual battery type. Furthermore, the ReZap doesn’t require any settings to be made for buttons or switches, thus solving the problem of charging errors.

PC Treasures, a leading provider of award-winning OEM software bundles for computers has partnered with Digital Works to distribute the ReZap Battery Engineer on the North American market. PC Treasures has been active since 1998 and is based in Oxford, Michigan, working with computer system builders and resellers throughout North America. This provider is now focused on offering digital entertainment products, PC and netbook accessory items to general consumers as well. They have collaborated with Digital Works for a May 2010 release of the ReZap to North American stores and the suggested retail price is currently $59.95.

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Since the world is still reeling from last weekend’s release of the iPad, Apple is attempting to wow consumers further with their newest development, the iPhone OS 4.0. So far, fifty million iPhones have been sold, along with 450,000 iPads and OS 4.0 is scheduled to be applied to phones this summer. Then the iPad will get this upgrade in the fall. Obviously, people are wondering what the OS 4.0 can do. Well, here’s a rundown of its features and capabilities.

First of all, it offers multi-tasking. You can run applications with a double tap of the home button, pause games at any time and there’s a tray available for switching between applications. This tray pushes up the other home icons and has a metallic background. However, you will be facing limitations in using active applications even though you have the ability to switch between them easily. Furthermore, multi-tasking will not be available for iPhone 3G or the second generation iPod touch and there is no task manager to do the app. organization for you, either.

Second, seven background services are available for use. For background audio, you can play Pandora and manage it with pop-up controls. For background VoIP, Skype calls are still compatible, you can switch applications, a “return to call” button is available and you will be able to receive Skype calls on a locked phone. Push and local notifications are still available but local ones are for in-phone applications, pop-up alarms, etc. Fast app. switching is now possible. This feature allows you to store one app. in its present state as you switch to another one and then back to the previous one. The final background service is task completion, which allows for an upload if you close an app.

Next, folders are available for storing lists of usable applications. Up to 2160 applications can be stored for future use. There are also homescreen wallpapers, enhanced mail and unified mail to combine web mail, Mobile Me and multiple exchange accounts. A thread organization is provided as a more powerful inbox and attachments are now possible for third party email. Of course, iBooks are possible, similar to how they work on the iPad and you can sync bookmarks and between devices. There is also better email encryption and SSL VPN support for non-bold text. Then, gaming features include being able to challenge friends, compare high scores on leaderboards and do matchmaking and achievements. The OS 4.0 also supports Bluetooth keyboards. Lastly, ads will be appear in HTML 5, they are fully interactive and they now have access to APIs, which includes location and accelerometer as well.

However, there is no confirmation that it supports cameras with flash, and how easily you can download applications is another unanswered question.

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Hey there, gamers, some of you have spent time playing music games such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band in the last several years. Of course, these games have been popular because they give you the chance to play along with and listen to many of the classic hits of your favorite musical artists. However, this gaming experience isn’t perfect. Gamers are basically playing through a simulation with large, plastic controllers designed to look like guitars. But this lacks authenticity for playing music during a game.

For those of you who want more realism in your music game experience, Seven45 Studios is ready to grant your wish. This company is a game developer that originated from a professional musical instruments manufacturer called First Act, who specializes in making instruments for newer musicians at the beginner’s level. Today, Seven45 Studios announced their new creation called Power Gig: Rise of the Six String. It is a music game that uses real guitars for gameplay.

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As you might have known, we have just announced our first contest here at TheGeekChurch.com.

We now have a winner, Michelle Underwood.

Yes, she shall be receiving her Bushnell Backtrack very soon.

We will be having another contest coming up at the end of the week!

I’m not a Mac man, but whenever Apple does something, it is big, and always worthy of report.

Without further ado, here is what happened yesterday:

iMac: These aluminum-cased updates include a 21.5 and 27 inch screen, with 16 x 9 format, not to mention viewing angles of 178 degrees with minimal resolution of 1080p.

New iMacs will come with a wireless keyboard and Magic Mouse. The 27 inch model has an SD-card and video-in cable.

Magic Mouse: What is a Magic Mouse, you ask? This is a wireless mouse that has no scroll wheel but has multitouch gestures that will give greater control of your scrolling, among other things.

MacBook: It’s got a new unibody that is all plastic. It’s touchpad is made from glass and is totally multitouch. It’s also got a seven-hour battery.

Mac mini: The Mac Mini will feature an optional Mac Mini Server. This does away with the optical drive and replaces it with a 500GB HDD. As it is, the specs on the base model are 2.26 GHZ Core 2 Duo CPU with 2GB of RAM and a 160GB HDD.

Oh yes, there is an Apple remote that you can read about here.

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