Futurelawyer

Living With The Mandalorian

The Mandalorian followed me home, and is now standing in my den. 

#WhyIAmASolo - I Can Fire Up The Galaxy Quest 2 Anytime I Want.

If there were ever a time when you wanted to get away to a galaxy far, far away, it is now. Leave the mundane and distressing reality behind, and venture into a virtual world populated with Star Wars droids and monsters, with the new Quest 2 game. Walk around Batu with a blaster and make another world safe for democracy. Combining Wild West action with a first person shooter is just the thing to take your mind off of pandemics and politics. You can't escape to another world effectively without VR glasses, and the Quest 2 is the best option. 

Oculus Quest VR And Baseball - Amazing.

I have been enjoying the Rays journey to the World Series; although, the results don't look too good right now. But, any baseball lover has to be excited about MLB's adoption of the latest tech to enhance game watching by fans. When I attended two World Series games in 2008, and the Rays only World Series game win until this season, I only had a PDA in my hand. An app allowed me to record balls and strikes and keep track on a digital scorecard. I got stares from other fans who were still using paper and pencil. These days, everything is done on a tablet computer, and MLB TV allows me to track the games with stats, and pitch location, and a host of other tech coolness. But, the most fun I have had watching a game has to be using my new Oculus Quest VR headset, and watching the games in 3D VR. The stats are still there, and I can point my controller at them to see what is going on, all while looking at a 3D rendering of the game in HD. With a set of earbuds, it is the closest thing to being there other than being there. If you don't understand the purity of baseball, I can never explain it to you. If you do understand, I don't need to explain it. The Rays may not win the World Series; but, I am a happy fan. They did beat the Yankees and the Astros, no? Championships may be the goal; but, the journey is the point. And, virtual reality makes the journey more fun, and more compelling.

So Many Fun Gadgets...So Little Time.

Review of Oculus Quest 2. The FutureLawyer got an early birthday present yesterday; two, actually. I bought myself the NexDock, which came simultaneously with the Quest 2 VR headset, a gift from the lovely Diane. She has my sense of the frailty of life, both of us having experienced the death of loved ones in the past. It is never too early to enjoy a moment or an hour or a day of life. This is a learned response. Many of us wish we had learned it earlier. However, since the Rays were losing yesterday, I took some time to crack open the Quest 2, and it is true. Thinner, lighter, faster, and sharper are better. Some users are not happy with the ownership of Oculus by Facebook, as an active Facebook account is required to use it; and, Facebook's sometimes Draconian seeming usage policies, administered by "learning robots", can block an account for seemingly innocuous reasons. But, most of us can still get the fun out of the machine, and it is really cool. My prescription lenses, purchased online for the original Quest (which I still have, and which can now be offered to the guests who demand to see what the fuss is about) popped right on top of the movable new lenses in the Quest 2. The lenses can be manually adjusted from side to side to accommodate each user; but, you still need a prescription lens to avoid wearing glasses. The headset is light and comfortable, and my 30 some apps automatically downloaded from my Facebook-Oculus account. I will post more reviews as I go, and the NexDock will get a run through later in the week. But, if Memento Mori strikes before then, I'll always have yesterday. Live virtually. Have fun. Do it now, while you can.

Windows YourPhone App Now Runs Android Apps On PC.

YourPhone App On Windows. If you want to run your Android apps on the big screen, you can plug in to the HDMI port on the screen with Samsung recent phones. But, you can also now do it over your WiFi network. Just connect your PC and your phone to your local WiFi network. Then, install and run the YourPhone app from Windows Store. Once connected, you can do phone calls, transfer files, view photos, and generally run your phone on the PC. It is very cool to run an Android game on the big screen. But, this app is a "business" tool.

Long Ago, In A Galaxy Far, Far Away

Almost 20 years ago, SWMBO bought tickets to a Lightning game as a birthday present. I had been a casual hockey fan before that, having grown up around beach sand and chlorinated swimming pools. But, I have always been a sports fan, and Tampa Bay had a hockey team since 1992. Who ever thought Florida could support hockey? Because a large portion of our population came from somewhere cold, and brought their fandom with them, it turned out to be a perfect fit. So, we went, and it took awhile to learn the rules, and figure out what blue lines, and red lines, and icing, and other things meant. The graceful movement of athletes gliding across ice was fascinating, and we became fans. Then, in a magical year, the Lightning won it all, and we experienced the thrill of a championship team. We got to spend 15 minutes alone with the Cup, and this photo is a prized possession. When Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman hoisted the Cup last night, it brought me back, and gave me chills again. Whatever tragedy or upheaval occurs in the world, there are some things that bring joy. The communal joy of sports and hard work and accomplishment under stress are the human things that should be celebrated.

Everyone Remembers The Day They Stopped Playing Golf

The pain! The frustration! And, then, the relief!

 

Phantom Covert Ops - Paddling Down The River With An M-16

I just lost 45 minutes of my life, and I can't wait to do it again. I have enjoyed touring the world in VR, and playing fast action shooting games, along with some tamer titles. But, VR with the Oculus Quest is mind blowing. The realism of paddling a kayak down a dark river filled with bad guys, and shooting targets with an M-16, makes you forget time. I was amazed when I took off the glasses and realized that what I thought was 5 minutes was actually 45 minutes in real time. You can lose yourself in the game, which is what Oculus VR should be about. Most fun I have had in a while. If you haven't invested $300 bucks in a Quest, you might want to wait for Quest 2, which supposedly will have 50% more pixels, and thus a much sharper image. But, if you don't want to wait, you can't go wrong with Covert Ops on the Quest. Get in some quality relaxation time before dealing with the next client. You'll be glad you did.

Guilty Pleasure Wednesday - Killing Monsters With Your Smartphone.

Razer Kishi Game Controller. I don't have a lot of time to play video games. I am a grown up. I have put away childish things. Oh, who am I kidding? There is a ton of satisfaction in running around killing monsters and blowing stuff up. There. I said it. Occasionally, I like to channel my 16 year old self and immerse myself in a classic video game. Doom is still my favorite. But, dedicating a big screen and computer with a high end graphics card isn't practical. My Smartphone is my traveling law office, and I can do just about anything with it. Connected to my Smartwatch, I literally can stay in touch with everything I need to ply my trade. But, alas, even a huge 6.2 inch phone screen and high powered processor can't handle the ergonomic difficulties of playing Doom. Using the thumbs and fingers on a tiny screen is not optimal when the monsters are coming to get you. Enter Razer, the company that became famous for gaming keyboards with satisfying deep throw mechanical keys that are a typist's dream. I use them for work, because I am a very fast touch typist, and I learned on mechanical keyboards. Now, the company has created a pullout game controller that connects to any candy bar smartphone. You stretch it and hook up to the MicroUSB connector. Presto, you have a handheld gaming setup that will keep you occupied. Now, excuse me, there are some monsters that I have to go kill. Hoorah.

Phantom - Covert Ops For Galaxy Quest VR. Lose Yourself In A Video Game

The release of Phantom - Covert Ops brings a new level of fun to the Galaxy Quest. You are immersed in a world that resembles the river in Apocalypse Now, and you paddle your canoe through some really scary situations. I haven't spent $30 on a video game in a long time. This one is worth it. Check out the review: