Geek – Alondo

Pressing: Get to Know the Science

Delving into comic book pressing, I realized that advice was coming from journeymen who learned through experience – at some time, they were amateurs, like me. However, some referred to experts in paper conservation to be 12838-1002-3ww-l informed. I did some of the same research and am including links to these studies with attributions. I used these findings to develop my own processes.

Practical Considerations for Humidifying and Flattening Paper

A Preliminary Study of the Effects of Pressing on Comic Book Paper

CCS Comic Pressing Services (Specifically speaks about CGC’s stance on comics and what defects are good candidates for pressing)

The Conservation and Display of Comic Books

Shame on You, Sensational Tech Journalists

Why do flaws or glitches now get the “gate” suffix, thus associating it with a devious plot by the most powerful man in the world?

Enthusiasts hell-bent on being on the bleeding edge should expect problems, not allusions to conspiracies. The Takata airbag scandal didn’t get such notoriety, even thought it was far more deserving than “tattoogate“.

Shame on you, journalists.

Black Development in a Homogeneous World

This is a great article regarding diversity in gaming development. If not for my fatigue in being “the black guy” in any arena of IT development – application, web, or otherwise – I’d have pursued game programming long ago. I have to appreciate this read for bringing attention to rampant racism in on-line gaming, as well. It’s why I keep my multi-player chat muted.

Dr. Dre: From Compton to Forbes

465075-d0ea2a4a-e6b3-11e3-ba62-a129b4e220c3[1] Dr. Dre would eclipse the current richest hip-hop mogul, Sean Coombs, should a rumored deal of Apple buying Beats Electronics (Beats By Dre) for a reported $3.2B be true. There are numerous questions of why this move would make sense, but neither company takes such large decisions lightly, so it is probably not for us to know until the inevitable reveal.

DHS Not a Fan of IE

Having suffered from its own hacks, it seems the Department of Homeland Security is issuing a general warning to Americans to discontinue the use of Internet Explorer following an exploit that was recently identified. Of course, the real culprit here seems to be Adobe Flash, which might be proven to be as problematic as Steve Jobs claimed it was years ago.

Apple Drops Prices on Macbook Airs

Apple has long been known to charge a premium for its devices. Even their more antiquated hardware comes with the infamous “Apple surcharge“. However, in a move that might acknowledges the age of the Macbook Air line, they have dropped the price by $100. I wouldn’t be surprised if this move is in anticipation of the line finally getting a Retina display.

Poor Microsoft and Dell…Windows 8 Tablet is a Disaster

So I was recently tasked with the responsibility to evaluate a Windows 8 tablet; in this instance, it is a Dell XPS 10 tablet. Before I get started, let me tell you that this machine has been configured to work with my work domain, so there are some cutesy bells and whistles that don’t look to be available to me.

My first take of the device was that it had a great display, with rich colors and deep enough pixel count. Then I actually picked it up. Having used some form of iPad for the last 3 or so years, I felt this thing was some kind of heavy. Then I started to pay more attention to the display. It’s a landscape format that is probably 16:9, maybe even wider. My issue with that is it doesn’t really lend itself to being used in portrait mode. I mean, the thing seems to reach all the way down my entire lower arm when I do so. The size in combination with the weight would most likely assure me of Popeye forearms in no time. Continue reading “Poor Microsoft and Dell…Windows 8 Tablet is a Disaster”

What…No Reed Richards “Graying at the Temples” Look Yet? (Superman Turns 75)

Wow, Supes, you sure look good for a guy that is celebrating his semisesquicentennial anniversary. You sure look younger than…well…every other 75-year-old.

It was 75 years ago that the Man of Steel leaped from the minds of Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster. The two (and their heirs) have fought a bitter battle for the ownership and rights of their creation. Of course, things might have gone much differently if Superman had been created in the form of a bald, telepathic villain as imagined in one of their alternate versions of the character.

A new movie adaptation of Superman is coming to the big screen this summer, and DC has revamped the character (along with others) in their universe reboot, but many of us will have a fondness for the Christopher Reeve flicks and the comic book stories that made him truly iconic (especially his death at the hands of Doomsday – a story that garnered widespread media attention).

In the meantime, there are quite a few homages, little known facts, rankings of his greatest adventures, and parodies to help celebrate his date of origination in style. So put on your Underoos and join in on the fun.

When Real Gaming Meets the Real World – Game Characters in Real Settings

TMNT in Real Life

Like most 35+ year olds, there is a special place in our hearts for the Super NES. It took the best 8-bit home gaming system of the day and injected steroids into it, giving us near arcade-quality gameplay in homes everywhere. By the end of its life, it was a true powerhouse of graphics and audio capability that Sega just couldn’t quite beat. Just the availability of Mortal Kombat II in a living room was an amazing feat!

Well, it’s time to take nostalgia to level 42 with these sets of images by Glauber Tanaka and Victor Sauron. If only these images were screen caps from remakes of these games with the realistic backgrounds! The concept is refreshing and makes you want to break out an emulator just to relive the memories. I have definitely given new considerations to getting a certain item in the near future. Some of their other images are listed after the break, for your perusal.

Continue reading “When Real Gaming Meets the Real World – Game Characters in Real Settings”

If You Weren’t Convinced that the OUYA was Formidable, Consider the Emulator Possibilities

The story of the OUYA has been the amazing story of a little, hand-held game system with Kickstarter backing that might have enough clout to topple the big boys. Their concept is to bring the ubiquitous Android programming platform to a dedicated game system. The other advantages are its HD output and incredibly low $99 price tag (orders are supposed to start shipping tomorrow).

Well, a talented emulator developer, Robert Broglia, has announced, via OUYAForum, that he will be focusing his efforts on the device. The advantage is obvious, in that the wealth of nostalgic games will immediately expand the library right out of the gate.

Personally, I had only given the device a passing glance as a “cute trinket” that wouldn’t take up much space in an entertainment console, but this announcement, as well as the possibility of the thousands of other Android games that could be used on this device, got me thinking. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if the device steals some of the “mini game” business from the XBox 360 and PS3 platforms.