New York City at Christmas is a magical time. The lights, the crowds, the noise. This post is the opposite. Black and white, quiet, pensive. Moments of quiet reflection I managed to catch even in the chaos of Rockefeller Center. [Read more…] about A New York Noir Christmas: A Midtown Photo Journal
Christmas
From My Archives- A Beatiful, Snowy Photoshoot
On occasion, I will go through some of my catalog of work and look back on certain periods of my work. Since we are in the last depressing months of this New York City winter I decide to pull out some photos I took a few years ago during a frigid, snowy photo walk. I remember this walk well since about half way through the telescopic focus on my lens broke.
I was trying to capture how New York life still goes on despite a horrible storm. Until my lens broke… I still was able to capture some photos but all in all, you might consider this an outtake collection.
[Read more…] about From My Archives- A Beatiful, Snowy Photoshoot
Christmas Shopping: Final Weekend. Best Options.
And here we are: the final weekend of Christmas shopping. The last push to get everything on your never-ending list of perfect gifts for all those people you love, and those you are sort of obligated to love. In these final stressful hours of panic and claustrophobia galore, one thing always seems to elude us as consumers: bargain hunting. It’s always a game of looking for the best deals right after Thanksgiving, with Black Friday being the culmination of it all. Yet as December 25th approaches, we find ourselves more and more concerned with getting anything at all, rather than getting something for the best price. And while yes, the smiles and laughter and joy of everyone’s satisfied faces on Christmas morning are worth it, what sort of looming raincloud awaits your wallet once the festivities are over?
To help you out, here are seven simple substitutes to some of the hottest tech gifts of the season. Instead of buying that five-hundred dollar game console, why not opt for something half the price, and worth equal amounts of fun? Check out the alternatives, and don’t go broke during these last few shopping-frenzied days.
1.
HOT ITEM
Bose Soundlink Bluetooth Mobile Speaker II — $314.95
It’s no secret that BOSE is the leader in sound technology and quality. The Bluetooth speaker is quickly emerging as the new big thing in speaker production. Not only do you not need to plug in your music device, but now the common dock for sound devices isn’t even necessary. The music is wirelessly transmitted via bluetooth from your device to the speaker, and we don’t have to tell you that the sound quality is pristine.
While BOSE is the leader in sound, it can be a little pricey. This speaker comes in at $314.95.
THE ALTERNATIVE
Sonos Play 1 — $199.00
The Sonos Play 1 is a newer item to the market, offering the same technology of wireless music connectivity for a lower price. While the device may not have the namesake, the quality is there. The Sonos Play delivers music without wires or docking, and can offer multiple speakers (with purchase) playing from the same music device all at once.
The Sonos Play 1 is available starting at $199.00.
2.
HOT ITEM
Apple TV — $99.00
So, you have iTunes, and tons of movies, but can only watch then on your iPhone or iPad. Same with your streaming Netflix account, Hulu Plus, HBO Go, etc. So what do you do? You get Apple TV. It’s a device that takes these entertainment streams and puts them onto your television screen. Sound useful? It is. The device can be used to project photos, games, apps, YouTube, and so on. Only possible setback – if you don’t have an apple device, it probably won’t prove very useful.
Apple TV is available for $99.00.
THE ALTERNATIVE
Google Chromecast — $35.00
Google has recently come out with the answer to streaming devices such as Apple TV – the Google Chromecast. It’s a small USB-looking device which does, well, the same thing. The Chromecast receives your streaming entertainment wirelessly and connects to your TV’s HDMI hookup, displaying your media on the big screen. Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Google Chrome, HBO Go, and many other mediums are included, and at a much lower price.
The Google Chromecast is available for $35.00.
3.
HOT ITEM
Apple iPad Air (32 GB with WiFi and LTE) — $729.00
Not much need be said about this one; Apple usually is in the forefront of the hottest tech items for the Christmas season. This year is no exception. The new iPad air is the lightest full-range tablet, with retina-display graphics and a pristine processor. The sleek look of the iPad is one of its biggest selling points, coupled with its reputation overall. The price, however, holds true to Apple standards, cutting a large dent into any purchaser’s finances.
The iPad Air is available with multiple options from $499.00 to $929.00.
THE ALTERNATIVE
Google Nexus 7 (32 GB with WiFi and LTE) — $349.00
The Nexus 7 has been rated one of the best tablets for 2013 by techradar.com. While it might not be the holy grail of tablets, it’s a very smart and sleek alternative. The device features countless apps and the display is sharper than most tablets on the market. For business or pleasure, if the iPad is too large an investment, the Nexus 7 would be the smart way to go.
The Google Nexus 7 is available with multiple options from $229.00 to $349.00.
4.
HOT ITEM
Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch — $299.99
Smartwatches are emerging, and fast. It’s not just a watch – it’s connected to your phone. The most popular smartwatch on the market right now – The Samsung Galaxy Gear. This watch, with a digital touch display: displays your emails, displays your texts, locks/unlocks your phone, makes hands-free calls, uses voice commands, and more. The one big obvious negative – the watch only syncs with Samsung phones.
The Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch is available for $299.99.
THE ALTERNATIVE
Pebble Smartwatch — $150.00
The Pebble Smartwatch is a fully functional wireless smartwatch that syncs with Android and Apple smartphones. With a less colorful display, it’s certainly an alternative to other smartwatches, but features a wide range of useful tasks, including text display, email display, music selection, alarms, and fitness apps. The Pebble does what you need for half the price.
The Pebble Smartwatch is available for $150.00.
5.
HOT ITEM
Apple iPhone 5s (32 GB) — $299.99
It’s the hottest phone on the market, and the only smart-phone featuring fingerprint technology. The sleek iPhone 5s sells itself, boasting retina display, fingerprint recognition, a super-fast processor, and two HD cameras.
The iPhone 5s is available with multiple options from $199.00 to $399.00.
THE ALTERNATIVE
Apple iPhone 5c (32 GB) — $199.00
Same Phone. Same company. Four very different elements: The shell is plastic, as opposed to its aluminum counterpart on the 5s – A slightly slower processor – Only the rear camera is HD – No fingerprint technology. With all of these in mind, the difference of about 100 dollars certainly makes up for what is missing considering the phone is still a highly functioning iPhone.
The iPhone 5c is available with multiple options from $99.00 to $199.00.
6.
HOT ITEM
Xbox One — $500.00+
This one will probably take the cake this year as the hottest selling item. The Xbox One sells itself. It supports the most popular games with the most pristine graphics, features streaming of movies and television shows, and features skype built in, to chat with fellow gamers or family & friends whenever you want. And, you can do all those things simultaneously. Given its popularity, the price of the One is rising as the Christmas deadline approaches, growing from a base price of $500. Retailers are selling it currently from as low as $500 to as high as $700 plus.
The Xbox One is available for at or around $500.00.
THE ALTERNATIVE
Wii U — $299.00
Trust us, they’ll love this one just as much. Yes it’s been on shelves for over a year, but the Wii U is still going strong, offering users an immersive gaming experience which puts the elements of the game both on the big screen and in their hands. The Wii U by all means stands up to the competition, and is nicely priced at 200 dollars less.
The Wii U is available for $299.00.
7.
HOT ITEM
Amazon Kindle Fire HDX (32 GB with WiFi and 4G) — $369.00
Tablets and readers: can’t go wrong with those this Christmas. And the Kindle Fire HDX surely measures up. It features sharp color display, several apps and display options, WiFi, and 4G capability (addition monthly plan). This reader is more than a book reader, offering email, games, social media apps, and documents. If it’s the reading you’re serious about however, you might want to check out the alternative.
The Kindle Fire HDX is available with multiple options from $229.00 to $424.00.
THE ALTERNATIVE
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (WiFi and 3G) — $189.00
Plain and simple, it’s a reader. There are no other functions like apps or video, just books. What makes the Paperwhite different is the display. The screen is lit to give readers full and clear resolution in any light – even in the dark. It’s all you’ll need, holding up to 1,100 books.
The Kindle Paperwhite is available with multiple options from $119.00 to $209.00
Guild Wars 2 – It’s Wintersday!
Guild Wars 2 is bringing you a White Christmas!
Avid MMO gamers will be pleased to know that Guild Wars 2‘s Wintersday events have returned to Tyria! Players can venture to the now snow-covered Lion’s Arch and participate in all kinds of fun activities! Snowball fights, escorting caravans with gifts, battling malfunctioning toys, a bell choir mini-game that is reminiscent of Guitar Hero, and Toypocalypse, where you must protect gifts from angry toys, are all part of this content update. Alongside this content is a boatload of new achievements, along with titles, gift boxes, loot bags, and a whole lot more to satisfy your Christmas spirit. In my estimation, this is the best update to the Guild Wars 2 Living Story since Halloween’s Mad King Returns event.
As someone who missed out on Wintersday last year due to being burnt out from the game (followed by losing my account password), this content is all new to me. While running around Tyria, I’ve instantly felt deprived for missing out on all the fun from a year ago. Unwrapping huge gift boxes in the open world, only to have them explode and release hostile armies of angry toys was certainly a fun surprise, though in the higher level zones this becomes more of a hassle to deal with than it’s really worth; one can simply bypass the boxes, however, so the choice is up to the player. The player vs. player Snowball Mayhem activity features two teams duking it out in a winter wonderland. Players are awarded points for defeating opponents as well as carrying a gift back to their base. Another piece of content that I found entertaining was the new dungeon, where you help Toymaker Tixx keep his workshop under control and operating smoothly. There is much to do this Wintersday, and so ArenaNet has stated that these events will persist for a month, until January 10th. After all the flops that the Living Story has produced since Halloween (namely the entire Tower of Nightmares arc), this is one update that I’m going to miss once it’s gone.
One more update to the game is the release of ascended armor. With ascended weapons and trinkets already in the game, armor will allow players to complete their gear sets and maximize their effectiveness. Naturally, it’s a huge grind to gain all the materials needed to make the armor, and taking a shortcut by buying completed components on the trading post is going to leave a huge hole in your virtual wallet. Unfortunately, not all characters are on an even playing field when it comes to crafting these goodies. While heavy and medium classes have had opportunities to craft items that can also be used on armor in the weaponsmith and huntsman professions, light classes have had no previous method of acquiring the cloth needed to make their armor. My two level-capped characters are both light classes, so it’s an inconvenience for me. However, removing all biases this is something that should have been addressed prior to the release of the update. I’m still going to make at least one set of ascended, it’s just going to take me longer than some of my friends who play warriors and thieves.
As always, this Guild Wars 2 content update is free to download and will do so automatically once you start up the game. Happy hunting!
For more information about Wintersday, click here
New York City Photography: The Holidays in the City
There is nothing better than the holidays in New York City. Thanks for a great first year everyone. I would be nothing without each and everyone of you. Peace and blessings to all of you. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you New York!
Kelly Clarkson’s Album “Wrapped in Red”- A Review
Wrap Yourself In Kelly’s Red
Now that Thanksgiving is over, we can finally talk about Christmas stuff. Aren’t you glad I bothered to wait?! So, one thing that happens, just about every year, is a bevy of pop Christmas albums. From Destiny’s Child, to Nat King Kole, to Aaron Neville, we get bombarded with pop renditions of Christmas carols and newly written stuff that either makes a place in our traditions, or quickly falls by the wayside. So, of course, that’s exactly what this review is about!
Why did *I* wait so long? Well, I try to avoid Christmas music till Thanksgiving, so I kind of forgot that this thing came out, but we’re doing it now, and you still have enough time to download it and gift it!! [Read more…] about Kelly Clarkson’s Album “Wrapped in Red”- A Review
A Sequel May Not Be So ‘Wonderful’
Sixty-seven years after Clarence got his wings, a sequel has been confirmed to be in the works for Frank Capra’s classic 1946 Christmas movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
The original film, which centers around family man, and bank manager, George Bailey, who has given up on his dreams and tries to imagine what life in his small town of Bedford Falls would be like without him, has come to be regarded as a Christmas staple for millions around the world.
A news release from the film financier, Allen J. Schwalb, and his company, Star Partners, explains that “It’s a Wonderful Life: The Rest of the Story” will pick up with what happened to the Bailey family after the end of the original film, and is said to focus on George’s mean-spirited grandson.
Schwalb has financed many other films including “Rain Main,” “The Color Purple,” and “Thelma and Louise.”
The role of little Zuzu Bailey will continue to be played by actress, Karolyn Grimes. It is also rumored that there have been talks with other living cast members of the original to see if they would want to join the sequel.
It will be interesting to see if the film ever even takes off, as NBC controls the rights to “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and only airs the classic sparingly during the holidays.
For a film that is considered one of the most critically acclaimed of all time, many are understandably feeling that the creation of a sequel will be more like a lump of coal than a present under the tree. Only time will tell, though it remains difficult to imagine that a sequel will do such a classic film any justice.
Screenwriter for the sequel, Bob Farnsworth, seems to understand all of the uproar. “Look, no one can make another ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’ But our story is solid, and we are going in with our eyes open. There is no doubt about it, there will be a ruckus. But I have this motto: All it takes to be a leader is to have a cause you believe in. And the stronger you believe in the cause, the more adversaries you will have. We strongly believe in this.”
The film is projected to be released in time for the 2015 holiday season.