Google Nest Hub

The Google Nest Hub is what I got for Christmas in 2023. I was unsure what I wanted to get, so I wanted to try out getting the Google Nest Hub. I figured now would be a time to offer thoughts on this device with this blog post. So what you're about to see are my thoughts about the Google Nest Hub.

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Google Nest Hub

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Meet the Google Nest Hub:




^ from: Google Nest Help - Let Google Nest Hub be your Google-powered assistant for your home.

The Google Nest Hub is a connected device that can serve as your own assistant. You can request it to get weather updates, watch YouTube videos, play songs and sounds, and more. This is Google's answer to the Amazon Echo; and of course, it uses the Google ecosystem. The Google Nest Hub comes in two varieties- the Nest Hub and the Nest Hub Max. I have the former. The base Nest Hub is a 7-inch screen device, while the Nest Hub Max is a 10-inch screen device. The Hub Max can handle things like voice chatting and video calls with sound. The device must be plugged in to work, and you must have an active WiFi connection for it to work. It has no battery to operate on its own.

You can program certain commands to handle certain tasks or remind you of calendar effects. Throughout the months I tried out the Google Nest Hub, I experimented using certain commands for the device. A lot of things you can program it to mention can be trial-and-error. Some things require extra stuff. For example, you can't have it tell you Major League Baseball schedules or National Hockey League schedules without a subscription to YouTube. It used to have a feature that would monitor your sleep and give sleeping advice. Nowadays, I think you have to pay for having this feature.

While the Google Nest Hub uses the Google ecosystem, this device can not be used as a Google browser. For commands it can not process, it will instead link you to certain topics you suggest it. It also can use only so many external applications. You also can not use it to store data. So while you can do a lot with the Google Nest Hub, there are limitations.

I use Google Nest Hub like another clock in my room as well as asking it things from time to time.

Commands to Try.

Should you get a Google Nest Hub and not be sure what you can request it to do, I've created this section to give you some command ideas. To initiate Google Nest Hub to give commands, you must say "Hey Google" followed by what you want it to look up. Remember there are many more things you can suggest than what is in this section. These are just a few ideas, though. Each example is what you can say after telling it "Hey Google":

• ...tell me (sport) scores
• ...tell me (product) stock prices
• ...tell me today's weather (or "tell me tomorrow's weather") (you can also specify what city you want a weather report for. For example, "tell me today's weather in New York City.")
• ...tell me sunrise times; ...tell me sunset times
• ...tell me next game for (sports team)
• ...tell me a motivational quote
• ...tell me a fun fact
• ...tell me a joke
• ...turn up/down the temperature to (temperature) (this would require a smart thermostat)
• ...play a delightful chime
• ...play "happy birthday" (for if it is someone's birthday)

Try out different Routines and commands to enhance your experience with the Google Nest Hub. I told Google Nest Hub to play "Happy Birthday" for my mother, and it did a nice birthday wish to her! :) On a more serious note, if you want to change the routines for Google Nest Hub, it is recommended you do so online by accessing the Google Assistant page online. You can also use the Google Home application; but to handle Routines for the Google Nest Hub, I've had better luck using the webpage for Google Assistant and going to "Routines."

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Google Nest Hub: Final Thoughts

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The Google Nest Hub can serve as a great smart device to connect you to the world and connect your living space. While it connects you to the Internet and handles your media consumption needs, it is NOT like your smartphone or tablet PC. There are some things I wish it could handle better or without needing any kind of subscription. For the most part, the Google Nest Hub will serve you well for a number of different uses.

If I convinced you to get a Google Nest Hub, you can order one online using any of the following online stores and retailers (read the Affiliate section and/or Affiliate Notes for disclosure on the provided links):

• Amazon
• eBay
• Best Buy
• Walmart
• Target


Happy shopping (if doing any)! :)





That concludes another blog post of mine. Hopefully you found some value and insight in what I have discussed. Make sure to stay with my blog(s) if you enjoy my work. Subscribe/Follow my blog(s) in any capacity if you love my work. Share my blog post(s) with others if you enjoy my work. Support me further by connecting with me on social media; and if you are inclined, feel free to donate to me (tips/donations are voluntary but would be appreciated). Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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Ollie's Bargain Outlet

Ollie's Bargain Outlet has been a shopping mainstay mostly in the American Northeast. They sell "good stuff cheap!" It was only in recent years, however, that Ollie's opened a store in the Houston area in Friendswood, Texas, USA. I visited that Ollie's store to see what they were all about. My thoughts on this store will be shared in this blog post.

DISCLOSURE:

I was not contacted by this company to post on their behalf. This is NOT a sponsored blog post. I made this entire blog post on my own with my own personal commentary.

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Ollie's Bargain Outlet

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Ollie's Bargain Outlet has been in business since 1982. They were founded in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA; which also serves as their headquarters. The store is named after Oliver ("Ollie") Rosenburg, who died in 1996. This American northeast chain of stores started to open newer stores by expanding to the American Southeast and American South. It is a store offering incredible deals on a variety of goods. For all intents and purposes, Ollie's is basically one big clearance aisle that also happens to be its own store. These stores usually have deals on items including (but not limited to) electronics, books, clothing, home goods, kitchenware, furniture, office furniture, automotive products, toys, carpeting, and lots more. These are not just clearance-priced items, but they also include real products from real brands. So you won't see many no-name or dupe goods at an Ollie's. The experience is unique for shoppers who want quality items for a lower price than most major retailers. A lot of people can compare Ollie's to the likes of Big Lots or maybe Dollar Tree to an extent.

In fact, before I share my thoughts on Ollie's, I will let Ollie's tell you about themselves with this video:


^ Ollie's - Who We Are

I visited Ollie's Bargain Outlet in September 2022 in Friendswood, Texas, USA. I found it very fascinating how this store had so many different items in many categories marked incredibly low. The prices were cheap, but the products are anything but cheap. I did note a few very-low priced items like air fryers and some office equipment priced very low and of considerate quality. I was impressed for the most part at what Ollie's had to offer.

Because the inventory can change from time to time, shoppers are almost tempted to buy something at Ollie's while it's there, because you may not see the same items on your next visit to Ollie's. You may visit Ollie's next week (or even tomorrow!) and see a different inventory. You can still bag a few solid deals on a lot of quality items nonetheless from Ollie's.

The savings are even greater if you sign up for Ollie's Army. For each $1 USD spent at an Ollie's, you earn points towards getting discounts and special deals at Ollie's Bargain Outlet. This can be a great way to save more money and even get some good deals in the process.

Final Thoughts.

I think Ollie's Bargain Outlet is a very fine place to go shop for retail goods. Their offerings encompass a lot of different categories but offered for very marked down prices. One can pick up some great items for any number of applications by visiting Ollie's. In addition, the items are all high quality material from known makers. It is not as if Ollie's has items of questionable quality from brands you never heard of. While Ollie's isn't as fancy as higher-end retailers, you can have a shopping experience that is very unique and even fun at Ollie's stores. If there is an Ollie's in your area, feel free to visit and enjoy shopping for "good stuff cheap!"

For More Information...

To learn more about Ollie's Bargain Outlet, find more information about Ollie's, or sign up for their Ollie's Army program, please visit: ollies.us. You can also follow Ollie's on social media from their official website to further connect with Ollie's.





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Speedvision Returns!

Speedvision blew minds in 1995 with its devotion to automotive culture and motorsports. It became Speed Channel in 2002, and that offered more automotive awesomeness. It also had more NASCAR and Americana than Speedvision. It all ended in 2013, as Speed became FOX Sports 1. Now around 2022 and 2023, Speedvision rose up like the legendary Phoenix and became reborn as free ad-supported television (FAST). I'll be sharing some thoughts on the reborn Speedvision in this blog post, and I will also show some retrospective.

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Speedvision Retrospective

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I learned about the new Speedvision back on March 25, 2023 when I was watching a commercial on a network on Local Now. Before discussing the new Speedvision and know a lot about its importance to me as an automotive enthusiast and motorsports enthusiast, I must provide some retrospective. Because I have been such an avid Speedvision fan, I have a LOT of retrospective to cover before getting on to the main point of this blog post. Journey with me here...

My Retrospective on Speedvision.

The FOX-owned Speedvision hit airwaves first in 1995. The channel has had a handful of great shows and even at times some automotive-related movies. Speedvision was also well known for coverage of motorsports worldwide. Speedvision was best known for showing most motorsports not usually shown on the major networks. This is what made Speedvision so loved and revered. It would show a lot of racing events ranging from grassroots motorsports all the way to major events such as the Formula 1 World Championship, the World Rally Championship, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

What made Speedvision unique also related their unconditional love of any vehicle with a motor. Usually, Speedvision would dedicate Tuesday to "Two-Wheel Tuesdays," and Wednesdays would be "Wings and Water Wednesdays." Tuesdays were all about motorcycle racing usually with coverage of World Superbike and MotoGP. Tuesdays would also see a quality motorcycle show called "American Thunder," focused on some cool cruiser motorcycles and chopper motorcycles.

"Wings and Water Wednesday" was what it sounded like it was about- planes and boats. So on these days, you would watch things like plane races on the planes side. A handful of races involving powerboats, hydroplanes, jet skis, and more would make up "Wings and Water Wednesday."

Weekends were mostly devoted to both racing action as well as some automobile movies. So you could see movies like "Le Mans" or "The Speed Merchants" on Saturday nights. The weekends also had "Speedvision News" with all of the latest news updates in the world of motorsports. Usually when NASCAR was done, there would be coverage of international racing series such as the British Touring Car Championship, DTM, Australian V8 Supercars, and more.

In addition to quality automotive programming, it also sponsored SCCA racing with touring cars and GT cars with the Speedvision World Challenge series. This was an opportunity to see quality road racing featuring many racing talent racing across tracks in the United States and Canada. These were fun-to-watch racing events that further enhanced the appeal of Speedvision. Speedvision did have something different from the mainstream racing series when the USAR Hooters Pro Cup was featured mostly on Thursday nights. It also played host to covering non-racing events, such as the Barrett-Jackson Automobile Auction. Speedvision even shown off coverage of the SCCA's greatest showcase of talent- the SCCA Runoffs.

Speedvision did have some featured programs that I remember best in the Speedvision days. "Motorsport Mundial" was a great show showcasing the world of racing in a 30-minute program. "Legends of Motorsport" takes you back in time with past names, races, and marques who helped shape motorsports history. Speedvision also featured the "Victory by Design" series, which highlighted on certain world-class marques. The cars were driven and narrated by the late Alain de Cadenet (whom I loved). There was even the fun show, "Dream Car Garage," featuring the late Tom Hnatiw and Peter Klutt. This show had some very nice cars featured and worked on. For some perspective on automotive news, Speedvision shown "Autoline Detroit" with host John McElroy.

A lot of the personalities that made Speedvision included (but not limited to) Bob Varsha, David Hobbs, Calvin Fish, Dorsey Schroder, Rick Benjamin, Greg Creamer, Tommy Kendall, and Alain de Cadenet.

Speedvision had bigger plans for when 2002 came around. Gone was Speedvision and in will become Speed Channel the following year. Speedvision will be gone and be reborn as... Speed Channel.

My Retrospective of Speed Channel.

That magical formula of Speedvision would be modified when Speedvision became Speed Channel in 2002. With Speed Channel, more of Americana would make Speed Channel a bit more mainstream with NASCAR and some other mostly American racing series. Some would feel Speedvision lost its luster when it started being more NASCAR-friendly rather than stick to its love of all things automotive and motorsports. While it wasn't the perfect formula to some, the same love of automotive culture and motorsports was still alive. Many more new shows would surface as well as a broader array of featured motorsports events with Speed Channel.

So what did this new Speed Channel bring? Well, there is now two different Speed News shows- one devoted to NASCAR, and one devoted to all other motorsports. NASCAR Practice and Qualifying was on Speed Channel. It was mostly Mondays that were devoted to NASCAR. Tuesdays were still motorcycle-friendly. However, there wasn't any more of "Wings and Water Wednesday." Weekends were still about full-speed racing action. Some Speedvision purists would probably think this new Speed Channel shyed away from what Speedvision was all about. If Speed Channel brought something great, its grandest show was "WindTunnel With Dave Despain," a one-hour call-in show featuring motorcycle aficionado Dave Despain talking about the world of motorsports and interviewing many motorsports and automotive personalities.

What about shows? Between 2002 and Speed's demise, a lot more unique shows came along. Among the many- Hi-Rev Tuners, Sports Car Revolution, LUCAS Oil On The Edge, Fifth Gear, SpeedFreaks, MotorWeek (syndicated), Forza Motorsport Showdown, Pinks, Pinks All-Out, 100 Cars You Must Drive, Pass Time, Wrecked, Test Drive, World's Greatest Auto Shows, Tuner Transformation, I Wanna Date a Race Car Driver, Texas Hardtails, Setup, Drag Race High, and Wrecked. That was quite enough shows to keep automobile fans busy!

As Speedvision became Speed Channel, the Speedvision World Challenge would become the Speed Channel World Challenge. Personally around this time with "Sports Car Revolution," this was where I got to appreciate Chip Herr when he raced in the series. There were still a lot of great series that were aired on the network. In the later years of Speed Channel before its demise, it would even be the home of AMA Supercross.

Most of the same talent that made Speedvision great returned for Speed Channel. Among the newer names were Robin Miller, Leigh Diffey, Jamie Howe, and more.

What is this "demise of Speed Channel" I speak of? Well, some time in 2013, Speed Channel started airing things... other than motorsports. Speed Channel shown a pageant featuring Hooters girls, and they even aired some football (as in soccer) from the English Premier League. This was where Speed Channel was going to become FOX Sports 1. Additionally, Fuel TV, a channel devoted to outdoor sports, was to become FOX Sports 2.

Then on August 17, 2013; Speed Channel would become... FOX Sports 1, and Fuel TV would become... FOX Sports 2. Gone are 18 years devoted to automobile programming and motorsports programming. In their places are a sports network devoted to different kinds of sports but still airs racing from time to time. I called this move as "the biggest middle-finger to motorsports fans" when Speed Channel became FS1. Media would be without a true motorsports home.

Life After Speedvision/Speed Channel.

What happened after Speed Channel became no more? Mostly NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) had a good deal of featuring motorsports including the IndyCar Series, MotoGP, and even Formula 1. When NBC Sports Network became no more, the various NBC Networks (NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, and USA Network) have shown various racing series as well as other sports. CBS Sports Network featured a lot of motorsports also. This included the LUCAS Oil Off-Road Series and the Blancpain GT3 Series among others. The only networks close to what Speed Channel used to provide are MavTV for motorsports, and then Motor Trend TV for mostly automotive programming, and MTTV shows the 24 Hours of Le Mans on American television.


Even with these channels offering here-and-there content, it wasn't Speedvision or Speed Channel. Different channels with the same devotion is like having multiple friends or lovers for different things... only no singular entity offering all that Speedvision had to offer. That is... until 2022 and 2023...

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Speedvision Returns!

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Now for the main course of this blog post- Speedvision RETURNS! Speedvision returns as a free ad-supported television (FAST) network with over 500 hours of automotive programming. It can be seen on a number of platforms and TV apps. I watch Speedvision on Local Now. However, it can also be seen on other platforms like PLEX.

Speedvision has a lot going for it as a FAST network. Shows new and old are on this new Speedvision. Among them, Gearz, Truck U, Graveyard Cars, AmeriCarna, My Superbike Family, and more. Some other automotive programs are in the pipeline for the future of Speedvision. Shows like "Zero-60," "14th Street Wheels," and "Radford Reborn" are coming in the future as of April 3, 2023.

The new Speedvision does have one or two programs I saw that reminded me of the old Speedvision- two programs devoted to plane documentaries. One of those shows I saw was on the Tuskegee Airmen.

What I Want for the New Speedvision.

The amount of content for Speedvision so far is very good. I do, however, want Speedvision to somehow get itself some motorsports programming. This is to purely be like the former Speedvision. A number of other FAST networks have motorsports coverage, including (but not limited to) MavTV Select, MotorRacing, motorsport.tv, and Auto AllStars. The only thing I'm unsure about is if they could have themselves old school Speedvision and Speed Channel shows- just to take things back in time.

I wouldn't mind seeing something like "Legends of Motorsport" return with classic motorsports coverage. On the racing coverage front, I wouldn't mind seeing maybe some Trans-Am, SCCA racing, NASA racing, some grassroots racing, time attack, just a variety of racing. I just want to see a modern Speedvision drawing on past energy to produce some great material for the future.

That is more of what I am after- give newer viewers a quality experience of Speedvision, but then also let the old Speedvision fans get to enjoy the Speedvision that has been absent for a number of years.

Preview and More Information.

This is the official trailer for the new Speedvision. Check it...



^ SPEEDVISION is Back - Auto Enthusiasts Rejoice!

...and to learn more about the new Speedvision, please visit www.speedvisionnetwork.com.


I am glad to see Speedvision return, and I have a good feeling this reborn channel will last. At least this will last longer than, say... G4 TV.





Two-thirds of this blog post was retrospective, but I still had my say on the new Speedvision while looking back on the former Speedvision/Speed Channel. I hope you enjoyed my work here! If you enjoy my work, please Subscribe/Follow my blog(s) in any capacity if you love my work and want to support me any way you can. Share my blog post(s) with others if you enjoy my work. Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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Flashpoint

On December 31, 2020; Adobe ended support of Flash-based games played in Internet browsers. A lot of the past Flash games moved on to HTML5. What if you wanted to play those old Flash games again or watch Flash videos? Well, unlike games for the OUYA you actually CAN play old Flash games again! Meet Flashpoint. Flashpoint was developed by BlueMaxima to get you to play old Flash games again. I learned of Flashpoint when I was looking for YouTube videos and saw a video about Flashpoint. I will discuss Flashpoint to you all and what I think about it. So come along for this voyage!

BEFORE I BEGIN...

As of the time of this blog post (November 20, 2022), the latest version is Version 11, "Oops! All Plugins!". Future updates may be different from the version that will be discussed in this blog post.

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Flashpoint

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BlueMaxima's Flashpoint will allow you to play just about any Flash game conceived. If you can remember the name of an online Flash game you played before or a certain developer or publisher of that game, there is a good chance you will find it in Flashpoint. There is a good chance you will find a game you once played, considering there is a database of over 162,000 Flash games listed in Flashpoint! This program will also allow you to view various animations. So maybe if you remember (for example) a funny animation you saw on Newgrounds, you might find it again through Flashpoint and be able to see it again. All you need to enjoy these past titles (or play a game for the first time ever) is Flashpoint and the latest version of Adobe Flash Player you have.

Flashpoint is available for Windows, but there are steps to use Flashpoint for Mac and maybe even Linux. The program is completely free.

How to Use Flashpoint and How Flashpoint Works.

What you must do first is download Flashpoint to your PC. The download size will be rather large, and larger once you unpack the program. A lot of the individual games will just take up more space on your drive of choice. So it's best to put these files on an external hard drive or something. It is recommended you download the Infinity version because the download requires much less memory on your device- 790MB for Infinity as opposed to 1.31TB for the Ultimate version.

Flashpoint comes in two versions- Flashpoint Infinity and Flashpoint Ultimate. Infinity is the base program that links you to loads of the aforementioned online games as well as animations. An Internet connection is required to access and download each game you want to download. Ultimate is the entire collection of just about every single Flash game and Flash animation in one mega package with no Internet connection required. Any game and/or animation you download will be available for you to play whether or not you have an online connection. An Internet connection is only required for downloading games/animations or to update the program.

What Flashpoint will do is search for whatever game or games you are looking for. Limiting searches to individual names, developers, or publishers will whittle down this massive database to something more manageable. Any game you find will feature more information about it. Download the given game/animation, and it is yours to play at any time without requiring an online connection. A game/animation you download can be played immediately using Flashpoint along with the latest version of Adobe Flash Player you may have.

Thoughts on Flashpoint.

For one thing, I am pleased to be able to play these games again without needing an Internet browser open! I haven't noticed much in the way of glitches or performance hitches using Flashpoint and Adobe Flash Player. The fact I am accessing pretty much every proper Flash game ever and/or animation is astonishing. This is something casual gamers can certainly get into because the games are not intensive or require a powerful computer to play properly. I would surely recommend Flashpoint if you want to play these older Flash games and other web-browser games and animations.

All credit to BlueMaxima for making this all happen.

For More Information...

For more information about BlueMaxima's Flashpoint and to download it, please visit BlueMaxima's Flashpoint. You can also watch this video for more information about Flashpoint:


^ BlueMaxima's Flashpoint Trailer

That pretty much covers all I need to cover about this program. I hope this helps you out!





Thank all of you for reading and for your support! I hope you got to learn something and get to enjoy some gaming. If you enjoy my work, please Subscribe/Follow my blog(s) in any capacity if you love my work and want to support me any way you can. Share my blog post(s) with others if you enjoy my work. Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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Pillow Pad

The Pillow Pad from As Seen on TV is a unique pillow that holds your tablet PC or laptop along with your smartphone. I got one for Christmas recently. I originally didn't think it would work well with my Chromebook and my smartphone. However, and as I thought about it, it has comfortably held onto my Chromebook and my smartphone. Suffice to say, the Pillow Pad is a clever way to hold onto your tablet PC (or Chromebook) as well as your smartphone. Once time, I even put an external hard drive in the smartphone pouch, and it held that well also. I even rest the Pillow Pad on my stomach as I lie down on my bed using my Chromebook. It makes using your tablet PC or laptop easy and fun. Even if you don't use your Pillow Pad for your electronic devices, it can even be comfortable enough to hold a notebook or a tablet.

The Pillos Pad utilizes three different angles to hold your devices. I use the lowest angle one because it works the best and supports whatever is in the pouch properly. You can even wash the Pillow Pad's outside into the washer and dryer set. All in all, I think the Pillow Pad is a clever and comfortable item to have if you use your tablet PC or laptop a lot around the house.

Here is a look at the Pillow Pad I have been making mention to all blog post long:


^ from: walmart.com - The Pillow Pad comfortably holds your tablet PC or laptop, along with your smartphone or some other device that fits in its pouch.

If you see this at a store or online, I greatly recommend you get this thing. You have my word!

For More Information...

For more information on the Pillow Pad I discussed, check this out: Pillow Pad, as Seen on TV.





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ReBoot

ReBoot was one of the first computer generated (CGI) cartoon series ever. One might think 3D graphics cartoons are no big deal now, but this was something different and exciting in 1994. To offer proper respect to ReBoot, I want to provide this blog post to talk about this cartoon series.

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ReBoot

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I will provide my own introduction, but here is the introduction of ReBoot as YouTube puts it:

"Known as the very first completely computer-animated half-hour TV series, ReBoot debuted in the United States on ABC's Saturday-morning block in 1994 and has captured the hearts and imaginations of kids and gamers ever since!"

-YouTube description of "ReBoot"

ReBoot was one of the first cartoon series of its kind- computer generated. It debuted in 1994 by a Canadian company. A bunch of Silicon Graphics computers made up the fabulous graphics for this cartoon. As one might imagine, the realm of 3D graphics and CGI around this time wasn't as advanced as things are today. It also took a lot of time to actually develop the cartoons and the series.

Each episode of ReBoot is about saving the city of Mainframe from these viruses embedded in games from an entity known as "The User." Bot, Dot, Enzo, and Frisket try to protect the city from various evils. An episode consisted of trying to beat certain games that The User installed to try to take over Mainframe. All the while, fabulous (for its time) 3D graphics offered a level of unreal action few series before could match or better.

As I researched the topic, while "ReBoot" was shown in America, it mostly lived on in Canadian television up until 2001. It is fairly sad the USA never got to see more of the ReBoot series. There were four seasons of "ReBoot" and 47 total episodes. I don't have any real memories of my favorite episodes, so I won't comment on which episodes I most enjoyed from this series.

Why "ReBoot" is Important to Me.

"ReBoot" is personally important to me because it fueled my earliest career interests- computer animation. Seeing how attractive all of the 3D graphics were got me into wanting to make my own 3D art. Trouble is, I struggled to try to make 3D models. It took me almost 20 years to create a 3D model that I was actually proud of. However, my 3D modeling interests all began with ReBoot.

Final Thoughts.

"ReBoot" was one of different shows that would set the tone for more CGI and 3D media for TV and movies. It means so much to me personally in establishing one of my past ambitions and really influenced me to work towards 3D animation and computer media. Think about how Disney-Pixar (or what is now that name) came along with movies like "Toy Story" and how some other cartoons and movies have just gotten started with 3D multimedia for the masses. While today's 3D is very realistic and sometimes pushes the boundaries of real or fake, one of the trail blazers of 3D CGI media for the modern realm was "ReBoot."

Video Preview.

Here is a look at "ReBoot," featuring the introduction:


^ REBOOT - Intro


I hope you enjoyed this blog post.





Anything and everything are discussed on "John's Blog Space," so I hope you enjoyed your time here! I will be sure to keep providing as many topics as I can for your enjoyment. If you enjoy my work, please Subscribe/Follow my blog(s) in any capacity if you love my work and want to support me any way you can. Share my blog post(s) with others if you enjoy my work. Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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My Chromebook Experience So Far

Almost a week ago, I bought my first Chromebook. I didn't get the one I wanted, though, because it was out of stock and discontinued. I still got another one from the same company. After a week of using this Chromebook, I decided I share what it is like to use a Chromebook.

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My Chromebook Experience So Far

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Let me get into why I wanted a Chromebook. I wanted to buy a Chromebook because I heard Chromebooks could natively use Android apps. I felt like it was time to move on from my Android TV boxes and from my tablet PC. I used a Google Nexus Player previously, then upgraded (at least I considered it one) from that to the Xiaomi MI Box S. My tablet PC history went from my Hisense Sero 7 Pro to a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0A. So I wanted to try a Chromebook to see if it could be a better overall experience for me. I also wanted to see if I could possibly test installing Linux onto a Chromebook and use that.

Before I continue, let me provide some disclosure about my Chromebook experience...

Quick Disclosure...

For disclosure, I have a Lenovo Ideapad 3. The one I wanted to get that was discontinued was the Lenovo C340 Chromebook. I wanted the C340 Chromebook because it was convertible and had a touchscreen. I wanted to use that Chromebook for the perfect combination of laptop and tablet PC. Sadly, I didn't get to get one at the time I went to a Wal-Mart (or WalMart). I could try to get a better Chromebook in the future, possibly with a touchscreen and convertible features.

The Experience So Far.

So far, I had a lot to learn about using a Chromebook. I am not going crazy with Android apps on Chromebook. I am also fairly cautious with putting on intense mobile-compatible games on my Chromebook. For one thing, Twitch and YouTube apps run great to watch and chat. I do not experience as much lag like on desktop when using Twitch or YouTube. As a mod for some Twitch channels, operation seems better to use Twitch for moderating. My only problem really is in trying to avoid having so many typos typing.

I know gaming is not going to be a priority when using a Chromebook, so I sampled some casual 2D games. I put on "Neko Atsume" for testing purposes. I could try and port over some of my save game data from "Neko Atsume" and "Spoon Pets Collector/Atsume." The feel is much different using a trackpad for a touchscreen game than when using your fingers or a stylus. It was a pretty nice experience nonetheless. Some people use their Chromebooks for emulation gaming. I have my doubts on emulation, but it is something I may try on a Chromebook in the future.

Another reason why I wanted to use a Chromebook is to serve as a secondary PC. If the power goes out, I want something to use to be productive while power is out. Since my Chromebook doesn't have some carrier, I can't use it as my PC away from my main PC. What I can surely hope for is that I can make blog posts on my Chromebook for when power is out or maybe if I am away from home taking my Chromebook along. Though I haven't posted many blog posts lately, I still do and love blogging. Something I thought of was trying my hand at cloud storage and use that to be more creative with my blog posts and maybe post when there is no power. I found out I could tether my Chromebook with my smartphone to be able to use it online with no WiFi.

You may have recalled from my intro that I thought about the possibility of using Linux on a Chromebook. Well, there is a Linux Beta suite on most modern Chromebooks. I know I can only do so much with some Linux programs, so I am not entirely miffed about what Linux has to offer using a Chromebook. Some people suggest I get a Raspberry Pi instead to put a Linux build onto and use that for Linux.


All in all, I think using a Chromebook is a great experience. I didn't want a proper laptop. I thought about getting an inexpensive laptop until I was convinced to get a Chromebook instead. Chromebooks have come a long way. If you want to work within the Google ecosystem and use Android, get a Chromebook.





Well, I hope you enjoyed this blog post. Thank you for coming here! I appreciate your loving support! Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

Visit my JohnMarineDesigns Weebly site, subscribe to My Blog(s), and/or Follow on Bloglovin! Let's connect:
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NBA2K League

The NBA2K League is an eSports league featuring the best of the best in NBA2K. Watch as top-level NBA2K series players compete amongst themselves in fierce competition. This rising eSports league looks to get bigger and better in the coming years. While I do not know a whole lot about NBA2K League, I will make an effort to introduce and discuss this league to you all. So welcome to another post on "John's Blog Space!"

Before I Begin...

I am not at all educated about the NBA2K League series. Most of what I will be discussing is based on things I've learned from other people. I am also a perfectionist, so I have a LOT I feel I need to discuss to make a proper introduction to this league.

A Special Hello!

I want to extend a special hello to everyone affiliated with the NBA2K League- players, coaches, staff, management, and all. My name is John Marine, and I hope you enjoy your time here!

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NBA2K League

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Let me share as much as I can about NBA2K League through what I know and some extra research from other sites.

The NBA2K League is a professional gaming league that plays the NBA2K series from 2K Sports. It was founded in February 2017 and held its first season in May 2017. As of June 21, 2021; there are currently 23 teams in the NBA2K League. The series is currently in its 4th season as of 2021. All of the NBA2K League teams, except one, are actually affiliated with actual National Basketball Association teams.

Previously, NBA2K League has held its usual games at a studio in the New York City area. The NBA2K League players themselves along with many devoted fans (including family members) would fill the studio and cheer on their beloved players. Since the outbreak of COVID-19/Coronavirus, the studio hasn't been used after Season 2. There was instead remote play starting in Season 3. Season 3 had its start moved from March 2020 to May 2020 because of the pandemic. Season 4 has the NBA2K League players playing in the local markets of their affiliated teams.

NBA2K League used to play on custom PC builds of NBA2K. As of Season 4, all players are playing on PlayStation 5. So you get to enjoy next-gen power as the league proudly plays NBA2K 21!

Why NBA2K League?

So why should you care about NBA2K League? What's the real deal with this league? With all due respect, this is one TRUE eSport with an actual sport involved. It may be cool seeing games like League of Legends, any Call of Duty, Fortnite, or even Rocket League; all of which played competitively. However, NBA2K League is an eSport of an actual sport. The intensity and professionalism are real. The passion to win is real. NBA2K League may play games, but NBA2K League itself is NOT a game.

With the rise in popularity of NBA2K League, it can only get better. Say what you want about people playing video/computer games for money. Yes- actual cash is involved with these players. Tournaments with monetary prizes on the line are real in NBA2K League. Regardless, this is a competitive league that has a fun and engaging community.

Game Coverage.

NBA2K League broadcasts are showcased on Twitch, YouTube, SportsNet, Loco, and eGG Network. Select broadcasts were once shown on ESPN and ESPN2. The American broadcast of NBA2K League is handled by this commentary crew:

• Autumn Johnson: host/reporter
• Scott Cole: play-by-play
• Jamie "Dirk" Diaz Ruiz: analysis
• Harris Rubenstein: reporter of "Section 400"
• MADExINxINDIA: reporter
• Jeff Eisenband: "Behind the Screens" reporter
• BLKFrankWhite: host of "BFW Live" on Bud Light's Twitch channel

The show is hosted by Autumn Johnson. Autumn is a long-time reporter who has had segments on Twitch as well as on the likes of ESPN. She also hosts brief NBA2K League segments called "30 Seconds of Greatness," in which she asks an NBA2K League personality different rapid-rie questions to be answered within 30 seconds.

Scott Cole is a well-traveled broadcasting veteran who lends his unique play-by-play appeal to NBA2K League broadcasts. His résumé almost reads like an encyclopedia with coverage of football, basketball, and even NASCAR.

Jamie "Dirk" Diaz Ruiz has been a veteran commentator having covered several other eSports including NBA2K League. He provides the analysis for NBA2K League games. Dirk also has made a series of videos regarding the different archetypes of NBA2K League players.

Harris Rubenstein has his reports from "Section 400." Harris is way up in the [virtual] nosebleeds offering his reports. These reports range from conversations with personalities, responding to Chat comments, and even reporting on other games in progress.

On the reporting front, Autumn, Harris, and sometimes INDIA usually provide reports on players and teams as well as respond to Chat comments. Even yours truly had comments and questions responded to on the air or in Twitch chat. I promptly and politely shown my appreciation for the shout outs! :)

Special segments of "Behind the Screens" is hosted by Jeff Eisenband. These are more like special segments highlighting on the lives and personalities of NBA2K League personalities.

On Bud Light's Twitch channel, "BFW Live" is the pre-game show that is shown on Wednesdays. "BFW Live" is hosted by BLKFrankWhite and co-hosted by Harris Rubenstein (also known as "Sportstein"). This is the pre-game show which offers interviews with various NBA2K League personalities. WARNING: You must be at least 21 years of age to view content on Bud Light's Twitch channel.

The NBA2K League's Choc of Nets GC runs a popular show called "The Crossover." This show is hosted by Choc and features "DDouble" as a co-host. These two break down all of the games played (even including Choc's games played) and even discusses news topics around NBA2K League. There are sometimes even NBA2K League players who come into Chat and even on The Crossover to share their views about the league. You get a little of everything with this deal.

To add variety to NBA2K League broadcasts, Season 4 sees four days of certain features: Block Party Wednesdays, Bounce Pass Thursdays, Friday Night Fire, and Saturday Night Showdown. "Block Party Wednesday" is a night dedicated to drops in Chat. Fans are encouraged to type in certain codes to win gear from NBA2K League and other sources. Moderators in Chat then pick one individual to win the gear offered. "Bounce Pass Thursdays" gives fans the chance to pick what game they want to see of all the games playing. Think of it more like League Pass in the NBA. "Friday Night Fire" is highlighted by matches considered as the "GAME OF THE WEEK." Seeing those "GAME OF THE WEEK" matches lead to special drops similar to on Block Party Wednesdays. Finally, "Saturday Night Showdown" gives you some great NBA2K basketball action to close out the week.

My NBA2K League Testimonials.

I started watching NBA2K League in Season 2 in 2019. I began to enjoy the appeal of the league along with connecting with the personalities that make it happen. The first NBA2K League player I began to like was Dimez of Mavs Gaming. Dimez was the first superstar of the league and still remains a formidable talent today. Later seasons, I began to introduce myself to more of the other talents in the league. These talents include (but not limited to) Choc, Regg, Splashy, Mama Im Dat Man, oFAB, OneWildWalnut, Dayfri, Lord Beezus, Ramo, JBM, Shotz, SlayIsland, SAV, 630, and Jomar among many others.

One of the loveliest things about NBA2K League is about how the actual NBA2K League players may come into Chat, not to mention family members who cheer on NBA2K League players. The community has the feel of a down home environment though it is pro-level eSports gaming. So while this league is pro eSports league, it feels about as casual as parents seeing their child(ren) play sports in a neighborhood setting.

The Teams and Players.

The NBA2K League has 23 teams as I mentioned earlier. All of the NBA2K League teams, except one, are affiliated with actual NBA teams. The teams do take on names similar to the NBA teams they represent. For example, Mavs Gaming is affiliated with the Dallas Mavericks, Heat Check Gaming is affiliated with the Miami Heat, and Raptors Uprising GC is affiliated with the Toronto Raptors. The only team not affiliated with any actual NBA team is the Gen.G Tigers. Gen.G is a team from Shanghai, China; but they have affiliations in South Korea, Los Angeles, and recently moved to the University of Kentucky as their American home. The two youngest teams in the NBA2K League are in their sophomore seasons in 2021- Hornets Venom GT and Gen.G Tigers.

Here are all of the current teams:

• 76ers GC
• Blazer5 Gaming
• Bucks Gaming
• Cavs Legion GC
• Celtics Crossover Gaming
• Gen.G Tigers (no NBA affiliation)
• Grizz Gaming
• Hawks Talon GC
• Heat Check Gaming
• Hornets Venom GT
• Jazz Gaming
• Kings Guard Gaming
• Knicks Gaming
• Magic Gaming
• Mavs Gaming
• Nets GC
• Pacers Gaming
• Pistons GT
• Raptors Uprising GC
• T-Wolves Gaming
• Warriors Gaming Squad
• Wizards District Gaming

The inaugural champions of NBA2K League is Knicks Gaming. Season 2 saw T-Wolves Gaming win it all. The Season 3 champions (and current defending champions) is Wizards District Gaming. There has not yet been a repeat champion or even anything close to a dynasty.

The following NBA teams are not yet represented in NBA2K League, but I feel all 30 teams will eventually make up this league. Among the NBA teams not yet represented in NBA2K League as of 2021:

• Chicago Bulls
• Denver Nuggets
• Houston Rockets
• Los Angeles Clippers
• New Orleans Pelicans
• Oklahoma City Thunder
• Phoenix Suns
• San Antonio Spurs

Personal commentary... Obviously as a Houston sports fan, I'm sad Houston isn't represented. However, when I checked Twitter for the Houston Rockets' eSports league, Clutch City Gaming, most of the Tweets I've seen were from a few years ago. Maybe Clutch City Gaming could join NBA2K League by re-branding as (hypothetical name) Rockets Clutch Gaming. I'd love to see the "Texas Triangle" in NBA2K League with Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio.

The Players.

The players were once capped to 92 OVR. Starting in Season 4, players are now capped at 95 OVR. Double Takeover and Team Takeover are now possible to buff players and teams on a roll.

The NBA2K League players work closely with 2K Sports and the NBA2K team to help develop their characters as precisely as possible. They communicate a lot and share any number of issues regarding the league. They can even do things such as asking if something needs to be patched or anything, for example.

Many of the NBA2K League players got their start by doing well in various other NBA2K competitions before joining the NBA2K League draft. Usually, a prospective player would do have success in ProAm on Hall of Fame difficulty.

You too can be an NBA2K League player! A format unveiled in mid-late 2020 features NBA2K League teams hosting tryouts. These tryouts include a number of ProAm tournaments. Doing well can get you into the league through the NBA2K League Draft. And hopefully, us fans may be talking about YOU in Chat in games! :)

The 2021 NBA2K League draft was pretty diverse. Among the draftees are some international players and even two female players. Two of the three international draftees includes "Avemario" from Spain (on Cavs Legion GC) and Milo from Australia (on Kings Guard Gaming). There was another international draftee from the United Kingdom, but his name fails me creating this original blog post. Chiquitae was the first female player in NBA2K League, playing for Warriors Gaming Squad. The two new female players drafted are Ziah (on Mavs Gaming) and DjLayyy (on Celtics Crossover Gaming).

The Games.

NBA2K League plays four six-minute quarters. If needed, Overtime features sessions of three minutes. The games follow NBA-type rules. Players foul out on six fouls. However, instead of being taken out of the game, a Technical free throw is shot. There may be cases where the game may have to be restarted before of the game crashing or for issues like bad weather. If a game has been played but to be restarted, the game will be started and then end at a certain point.

Season 3 introduced a best-of-3 format. If you won the best-of-3 series, you get one official win. Losers of the best-of-3 series would get one official loss to their record. Season 4 now has two-game sets with about 32 games a week with about 16 teams playing a week.

The Tournaments.

Here is a look at some of the Tournaments in NBA2K League. I am only discussing this as best as I know it:

• The Tipoff:
The Tipoff is the opening tournament to tip off a new season of NBA2K League. Matches held here are in a best-of-3 round format.

• The Turn:
This was a unique tournament featuring best-of-3 rounds where teams choose to ban one certain archetype. For example, one team banned a two-way slasher, the other team must also has to ban a two-way slasher. It provided a unique challenge to sort of change up the flow of a team. Rounds are best-of-3, and I believe the final is best-of-5.

• The Ticket:
One aspect of pro sports is where bad teams or losing teams tank a season in hopes of landing better talent for next season. The Ticket, however, is seen as a Last Chance Qualifier for a team to make the Tournament. With the advent of a Western Conference and an Eastern Conference, two teams will make the final spot of each conference. The Ticket winners will have a guaranteed spot into the postseason. It gives losing or weaker teams one last chance to make the postseason.

• The Postsesaon:
This is where a team has a chance to become Champions of the NBA2K League. Each round of the Playoffs is a best-of-3 format and a best-of-5 Final. May the best team win!



That is as much as I know about NBA2K League. Here are some final thoughts coming up.

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NBA2K League: Final Thoughts

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NBA2K League is one of the more engaging and more fun eSports leagues in the world. Incredible personalities, great play, solid broadcasting, and more make this a real eSport to stand behind. Having NBA affiliation adds to the overall appeal of the league. As the season is currently playing Season 4, I can see this league expanding and growing. Further success will be dependent on involvement from fans, NBA2K players, corporate sponsors, and even the NBA itself will contribute to the future success of NBA2K League.

Personally, basketball is one of my favorite sports. I feel I am not as much a fan of NBA2K League only because I don't fully know the game of basketball and how NBA2K games play. I stayed because I love the community and the fun provided by this league. Despite this, many of my days and nights have been made better by watching NBA2K League broadcasts online. If you want something different as a watcher of eSports, you owe it to yourself to watch and follow NBA2K League. I may even go as far as to say you'll be a fan of NBA2K League even if you don't like NBA2K or even basketball. Scott Cole, Dirk, Autumn, Harris, and India all provide great broadcasting in streams. Jeff Eisenband's "Behind the Screens" offer up great perspective on NBA2K League players. I also salute the likes of the NBA2K League and of Matt Arden for making this happen. It is always great to be a part of the magic each week and in watching each game.

Hype Video!

If you want to get excited about NBA2K League, this video will get you in the mood. I LOVE this anthem. This video is one of those "wait for it..." things, but it's worth the wait. Check it...


^ NBA 2K League #LetsGo2KL Season 4 Anthem

Excited much, mates? ;)

To Any and All NBA2K League Personalities Reading...

I hope I've done what I can to discuss this league properly. I enjoy the community and comraderie to stick with this league. Thank you so much if you love my work.

For More Information...

For more about NBA2K League, visit their official website at 2kleague.nba.com.





Thank you for visiting my blog! You took time out of your day to visit this blog and its posts, and I thank you for it. I do what I can to talk about anything and everything on my mind. I been doing this since 2009 on Blogger/Blogspot and still going. Subscribe/Follow in any capacity if you enjoy my work. Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

Visit my official website at johnbmarine.com, subscribe to My Blog(s), and/or Follow on Bloglovin!
Subscribe to John's Blog Space (JBS)	Subscribe to John's Creative Space (JCS)	Subscribe to John's Race Space (JRS)	Subscribe to StyleSpace (SS)	Subscribe to John's Life Space (JLS)

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Questions or Comments? Contact Me (serious inquiries only)...
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