Both offensives units are strong for very different reasons. The Giants stretch the field with three extremely capable receivers in Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks, and Mario Manningham. Throw in an improved running game and Manning has all the weapons he needs to orchestrate a solid Super Bowl performance. Unlike the 2007 season the Patriots do not stretch the field vertically but rather attack you over the middle with TE’s Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez and WR Wes Welker. Brady is very efficient but if the injury to Gronkowski allows the defense to play single coverage on him the Patriot’s offense will be handicapped.

The key to this game is the New York Giants pass-rush. If they can put pressure on Tom Brady, thereby limiting New England’s time of possession, Manning and the Giants offense will be able to keep the game close. Ultimately I expect the Giants to win this game 31-27.

1. Subscribe to my youtube channel
2. Leave a comment on the giveaway video

That is all you have to do. (For an extra entry use social media to share the giveaway with your friends) The winner will be chosen after Christmas and I expect to ship the the phone before New Years. All entrants will be placed in a word document and I will use random.org to choose the winner.

Please remember this giveaway is for the US only, if you are international I will not be able to ship the phone to you. Sorry friends.

Warm wishes and happy holidays everyone.

Camerabag comes preloaded with a myriad of filters to choose from. From ‘Hipster’ to ‘Italiano’, ‘Magazine’ to ‘Wedding’ you are bound to enjoy the built in styles. What’s even better is the multi-filtering power of Camerabag. Users are able to layer filters creating a nearly limitless array of possibilites. With just a few clicks you can take a simple picture and turn it into a masterpiece.

Although Camerabag is dead simple to use it also has several high-end features as well. Do you need to process a large bundle of pictures? No problem. Simply select an image, make your customizations, and then batch process the entire folder. In addition, have you created the perfect collection of filters and want to use it again? No problem. Simply save it for future use. You can even download custom filters from other users online.

Overall Camerabag is an exceptional application for photo manipulation. For only $19 you can purchase Camerabag 1.5 today with a free upgrade to version 2 (demoed in video) when it is released. Or if you want to try the application before you buy, download the beta build of Camerabag and try out all the features for free. Camerabag is an excellent application saving you time and frustration when editing pictures.

So called heavy users are receiving text message notifications from AT&T informing them of the upcoming data speed penalties.

Your data usage is among the top 5 percent of users. Data speeds for the rest of your current bill cycle may be reduced.

Consumers who are using limited data plans should not worry about being throttled. However it is clear customers do not like data caps nor do they like throttling. Although AT&T is set to report record sales this quarter it seems logical that Sprint’s “truly unlimited” plans could draw extra attention in the wake of AT&T’s throttling.

In honor of this memorable game, Rockstar is relaunching the game ten years later (December 15th, 2011) on iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. A full list of supported launch devices is bellow, with more handsets coming in the future. The game will sell for a mere $4.99, but how can you put a price on stealing cars wherever you may be?

I’ve seen some screenshots and it amazes me how much they remind me of the actual game. This isn’t watered down, this is GTA III in all its glory. It is crazy to consider a game that pushed circa-2001 hardware to the extreme can now be played on your mobile device. Who knows what gaming will look like ten years from now.

Supported Devices

Apple iOS Devices: iPad 1 & 2, iPhone 4 & 4S, iPod touch 4th Generation
Android Phones: HTC Rezound, LG Optimus 2x, Motorola Atrix 4G, Motorola Droid X2, Motorola Photon 4G, Samsung Galaxy R, T-Mobile G2x
Android Tablets: Acer Iconia, Asus Eee Pad Transformer, Dell Streak 7, LG Optimus Pad, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1, Sony Tablet S, Toshiba Thrive

Officially launched on November 16th, Google Music has remained much of the same. Users can still upload 20,000 songs for free. Moreover the web interface was refined to make it easier to upload, sort, and share. The biggest improvement is the ability to purchase songs directly from Google for a flat rate of $.99. These 320kbps songs are then made instantly available in your cloud and on your android device. It simply works. Google also announced exclusive tracks from a myriad of artists including the Rolling Stones, Coldplay, and Dave Matthews Band among others.

The most interesting part of Google Music is the social aspect. With just a few clicks you can share a full preview of the song or album you purchased with your friends on Google+ or via email. This makes it easier then ever to recommend music to your friends. Google is entering an already crowded market and only by implementing strong social tools can the service succeed.

Alright alright, hold on a second. Nokia does have a pretty aggressive rollout plan over the next two months. WP7-Nokia devices will shortly launch in several strategic countries. However, Nokia smartphones have never been strongly adopted in the US. That is a significant issue. The American market is one of the most important international markets and Nokia is not making it a priority to appease US carriers and consumers.

Granted I can not ignore Nokia’s comment on the United States launch.

Nokia also announced its plans to introduce a portfolio of products into the US in early 2012 and into mainland China in the first half of 2012. In addition to the existing products, which include coverage for WCDMA and HSPA, Nokia also plans LTE and CDMA products to address specific local market requirements.

Clearly Nokia is working hard to gain traction in the United States. However, enough is enough. How many times can Nokia delay rollout in the US. The N9 was an extremely appealing device when it was announced. A couple days later it was confirmed the N9 would never come to the US. This comes when many American journalists were particularly interested in the N9. Nokia had a chance to reclaim some market share and they balked.

Many of the most successful smartphone launches occur in the United States. Look at the iPhone. Apple has always focused on the US market and has consistently recorded blockbuster sales in the US. Why? Regardless of where you fall on the iPhone debate it is clear Apple does an exceptional job marketing their US product launches. The success the iPhone gains in the US trickles down to Apple’s international markets. The hype is built in the US and spreads across the world. Nokia is trying to build hype world-wide and then attack the US market. A strategy they tried with symbian powered smartphones. A strategy that failed.

By the time Nokia launches a WP7 device in the United States several dual-core, LTE android devices will hit the market. Moreover, I wouldn’t be surprised if 4G WP7 devices ship by then as well. In 2012 it could be too late for a newcomer to shake up the market. There is no doubt in my mind that Nokia builds extremely good hardware but the question remains, when will US consumers finally get their hands on that hardware? Whenever it launches, it better be impressive. And whenever it launches there better be several carrier-subsidized choices available.

In an email to all Apple Employees current CEO Tim Cook sadly confirmed the rumors. “Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being.” He said. “Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.”

Bill Gates, Founder of Microsoft, commented that he is “truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs’s death.” He went on to say, “The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come.”
Steve stepped down as Apple CEO in August and was immediately appointed chairmen of the Apple board of directors. At that time he said in an open letter, “I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it…and I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role.” Mr. Jobs was optimistic about the future and was excited for new opportunities.

Mr. Jobs is credited with shaping the iPod, iPhone and iPad lines. Through his innovation Apple evolved from a struggling computer manufacturer in the 1990s to become the leader of the consumer electronic market. Earlier this year Apple Inc. briefly passed Exxon Mobil as the most valuable company in the United States. Mr. Jobs is widely considered the most influential CEO of his era.

It is truly a sad day in Cupertino and around the world. No one else could have founded a company quite like Apple. Always thinking different, always striving for a higher grade of quality. Job’s influence will be felt for decades as many of our daily luxuries stem from Apple’s unquestioned leader. But we must move one. In the words of Steve himself, “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish.

If you would like to write a few words in Steve’s memory, you can email rememberingsteve@apple.com

Rest in Peace Mr. Jobs. You will be missed.

Steve P. Jobs
1955-2011

• Apple A5 Dual Core CPU
• 8 hours of talk time
• 14.4mbps HSDPA
• Improved antenna performance

One of the most interesting feature is the new 8MP camera. Capturing pictures has never been simpler, and with a CMOS backlight sensor, low light performance is improved dramatically. Not only does it capture full HD 1080p video clips but it does so with real-time image stabilization and real-time noise reductions technologies. Essentially, cell phone video have never looked this professional.

However, the main feature for the iPhone 4s is Siri, the personal assistant. Siri responds to your voice commands in a fluid way, there are no predetermined commands meaning Siri actually ‘understands’ your language. You can ask Siri how the stock market is doing or to find you a local restaurant for dinner. Siri also can read you your messages and send replies in a pinch. This service also connects to Wikipedia and Wolfram Alpha so any question you need solved, Siri can solve it.

The iPhone 4s will ship on October 14th, with pre-orders starting October 7th. The iPhone 4s will launch in white and black at $199 for the 16gb model, $299 for the 32gb model, and $399 for the 64gb model. The iPhone 4s will launch on AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and Sprint in the USA. There will also be an 8gb iPhone 4 on sale for $99 and an 8gb iPhone 3gs for free on contract.

iOS 5 will also ship preinstalled on the iPhone 4s. iOS 5, highlighted by a much improved notifications system and deep twitter integration, was announced this summer. The new software also includes the news-stand magazine subscription center, iMessage, and tabbed web browsing. iOS 5 will launch on current hardware October 12th.

Apple also slightly refreshed their iPod line. The new iPod Nano includes some UI tweaks to make navigation easier while the new iPod Touch ships in white. The Nano will sell for $129 for the 8gb model and $149 for the 16gb model. The iPod Touch will ship in black and white for $199 for 8gb model, $299 for the 32gb model, and $399 for the 64gb model.

BGR goes on to independently confirm the rumor and supply a little more detail. Their report suggests two iPhones will be launched tomorrow: again an iPhone 4s for all carriers and the 4G iPhone 5 for Sprint. The iPhone 4s falls in line with the latest rumors: A5 CPU, 8MP camera, NFC, and a metal back.The speculated iPhone 5 would include an even faster CPU, a larger 4″ retina display, improved battery life, a WiMax radio, and would solely launch with the rumored ‘assistant’ voice control system.

BGR goes on to report that the iPhone 5 would launch with LTE support in Q1 2012 on AT&T and VZW. The device would also launch with HSPA+ support for international carriers at that time.

The rumors here are extremely difficult to take in. For one thing, why would Apple want to limit their new flagship device to users on one carrier? Think about it. Only Sprint users would have the new device through 2011. No one else in the USA or around the world. It seems highly unlikely Apple would limit their market penetration. Plus, who would buy an iPhone 4s knowing what the iPhone 5 looks like? Apple would take a hit on two fronts. From the other side a $20 billion guarantee is quite interesting. That is cash in the bank. However, a sprint exclusive iPhone 5 still seems highly unlikely to me.

For more information check back tomorrow for Apple’s official word on the next iPhone incarnation. In the interim check out the video bellow highlighting my rumor roundup for Apple’s “Let’s talk iPhone” media event.

We all have our own memories from that day. I remember waking up for school and walking down the stairs thinking, “I’m excited for school today”. I lived in the Pacific time zone in 2001 so I never did make it to school but I’ll always remember the confusion in my mothers eyes as she told me I could stay home. It wasn’t until the television inevitably turned on that I came to understand the severity of my day off from school.

I suppose I didn’t understand the images I saw on television. I was only eight years old at the time. However those pictures and videos were permanently burned into my memory. Anytime I think back on 9/11 I see myself watching the news, trying to absorb what I saw. It was in the weeks, months, and years later that I fully digested the events of that day.

In the ten years since these attacks I’ve spent countless hours reflecting. Why did we have to loose so many innocent lives? Why were we unable to prevent these attacks? Why would anyone want to harm this nation? It is clear to me now that not everyone shares my high praise for the United States. Regardless, I will never accept murder as a medium for debate. Moreover, I will never allow an enemy, foreign or domestic, to conquer our spirit. We are strong. We are united. We are Americans.

Since 9/11 we’ve started two wars, entered a recession, and seen the election of Barack Obama. Regardless of your opinion of these events one thing is undeniable: we are safe. Since 9/11 no terrorist has attacked our soil. Although safety is a dynamic situation the US has been able to handle all threats. Much still can be done to protect our national security but we have made great strides in the past ten years.

In addition, this year we finally killed the mastermind behind 9/11. I remember that night vividly, not just because of the news but because of the impromptu rallies praising the death. I fully respect those who cheered for our country but I did find it odd that so many were cheering for the death of a mere man. Sure he was one of the ‘worst’ individuals on earth but still, it seemed bizarre to cheer for the loss of life.

September 11th is not political. Remembering 9/11 is about praying for those innocent lives lost. We should never forget who died and never give up our way of life. We have paid an unspeakable price for our freedom and our brothers continue to sacrifice for our protection. We will never forget. God Bless the United States of America.

One the hardest things to swallow when going to college is the people staying behind: friends and family you’ve become accustomed to. I would be lying if I didn’t say I miss them everyday. However, it is a very unique experience because you get to see who truly cares for you. It’s interesting to see the people who stick with you when you aren’t having a party or giving a ride or going to a game. When it comes down to loosing someone you realize how much they meant to you. The results may be surprising but you can truly see who was a friend and who was another face in the crowd.

Let’s start with my decision to move here. One of my closest friends in high school is a huge Clemson fan. He talked me into applying and we both got accepted. When I finally visited the campus I was taken back by its majesty. Clemson has a truly a beautiful campus. However I was more impressed by the people. They are so kind. I’ve been told it’s a southern thing but regardless the smiles you see every day make it hard to dislike the school. Sadly my friend decided to bail on Clemson at the last minute but hey, his loose.

Move-in day crept up on me but Clemson makes it extremely easy. There is a plethora of happy faces not only willing to help, but actively asking if you need help. The experience couldn’t be easier. Move-in day also introduced me to my randomly selected roommate. Frankly we couldn’t be more different but it will work out. Conversely the hall I’m on is extremely warm and interesting. I’ve already met several new friends and can’t argue with my dorms location on campus. I don’t know if I’ll live on campus again next year but thus far its been quite good.

I can not wait for the year to fully start because I want to get involved with several organizations. I look forward to pursuing the freshman council in the undergraduate student government as well as Clemson College Republicans and the William T. Howell Pre-Law Society. Additionally I’ve become involved in Clemson FCA and have been very impressed with it. I am also trying to join a couple intramural sports this year to keep my sanity, although I’ve never played ultimate frisbee before. Did you know ultimate is the sport of choice down here? Oh and Clemson football, fuggedaboutit.

I don’t think it would be fair to overlook greek life. Fraternities and Sororities are huge at Clemson. In the first week alone I’ve met several interesting brothers in a few different frats and am looking forward to pledging. There is definitely a good option for everyone on campus and the sense of brotherhood it creates is unmatched. And after the fall semester ends I’ll have three and a half years of smoothing sailing.

Alright alright, I won’t forget about academics. I mean you’re not paying tuition for all the bells and whistles, you are paying for the education. My high school prepared me very well for Clemson as I’m going in with thirty credits from AP coures. Thus far the work load is a little intimidating but it appears manageable. My professors are intelligent and approchable and Clemson offers several free options if I need any help. Hopefully I won’t need it but I do have peace of mind knowing it is available.

Overall I couldn’t be happier with my decision to come to Clemson. It is on the smaller side compared to the other colleges I was admitted into but I do enjoy the small town feel. I’ve already ventured off campus and found a couple small restaurants I would never experience in a different region. If you are applying to college I highly suggest checking out Clemson, I’ve only been here a week but I truly love the environment, the people, and the spirit. Go Tigers!

Let’s start from the beginning. She and I have been in the same classes for the past couple of years. However, it wasn’t until this senior year that we became really good friends. It all started on a Sunday night when she sent me a message with her phone number. What was our first conversation about: phone sex operators. I kid you not. The long and short of it is we’ve been close every since. In fact, I’d like to think we’ve been very close.

Since that night we’ve spoken almost every day. And not the obligatory “hi..bye”, I mean an actual conversation. I enjoyed the banter and felt at ease saying almost anything that came to mind. Her wit is unmatched but throughout the jokes and jabs I always thought she was caring and kind. That’s not to say there wasn’t problems though.

At least twice she crossed the line. Insulting me for this and that. Trivial things looking back but at the time they were tough to swallow. Being a kindhearted person I moved on, but I never forgot those situations. I also never forget the apologizes, or rather, lack there of.

But I disgres. Times were good and I felt even better. I mean ‘senior year, no regrets’ right? Hell, we were going to Prom together: how could life be any more bright. Sadly, it didn’t get brighter. It got gloomy.

To keep this part brief, we had a disagreement. Maybe that term trivializes it but nevertheless she did wrong. In her defense, she wasn’t thinking clearly but still. And sure, she tried to make it right. As I’ve told my closest friends I’ve never seen someone so ashamed and regretful in my life. This apology couldn’t be any stronger.

I have every right to be angry, disgusted, even disdainful. But I can’t. Not just because I’m a nice guy and hate being upset but also because of how hurt she felt. I couldn’t live with myself if I made her feel that badly. So even though this was the third strike I decided to give her another at-bat.

Obviously things can’t go back to the way they were. For one, it’s going to take some time for her to earn my trust back. But more importantly, I don’t want to feel like crap anymore. This is the last chance. I can’t keep going through this. I’m hoping she sees it my way, I just want things to be the way they used to be.

So right now I’m torn between moving on and reminiscing. In a couple of months we’ll be apart and I don’t want it to end like this. Who would? But I don’t know what to do. I want to talk to her, but she’s the person I can’t talk with.

In all honesty, this post is for me. For me to reflect and for me to progress. I have no problems with your emails and feedback but mostly this post is for me to remember. I don’t want to forget her and what she has meant to me. And I don’t want her to forget what we had.

-Michael
May 2011

It amazed me when I found this post. I never published it but left it as a hidden draft in order to remember the events. It’s actually very enlightening to consider my mindset at the time–three months ago. But how does this story end? Let’s take a peak.

Well, first let’s consider the friendship. It never returned to the way it was. Frankly how could it? Looking back I suppose I wanted to return to the good times and didn’t realize those emotions could never be rekindled. Those times were distant memories and memories they would remain. In fact as I tried to work it out, both with her and myself, a subliminal disdain grew. I didn’t want to yell or argue or fight anymore but I did loose my desire to remain friends. We continued to drift apart.

The funny thing is it looked quite different from the outside. Through my friends eyes it appeared the problems had been resolved and everything was back to normal. This is directly related to the fact that I can not stand being angry. Simply the work it takes to fight and argue isn’t worth my time. So to onlookers everything is normal again. To me, it will never be.

At this point it doesn’t really matter. I’ve moved on and could care less about what happened. Is it still wrong? Sure. Should it have happened? No. But right now it’s over, finished, complete. The book is closed. It is amazing how an individual can overcome something like this but it is a strong testament to the resilient qualities inside all of us.

As I sit here finishing up this memoir of sorts I’m glad I started this epic. Sure I omitted details but I will never forget them. As I said this post is for me. For me to reflect and for me to progress. Having the opportunity to look back and consider my raw feedback to the situation has been extremely helpful. In the future I will make sure to record my unfiltered opinions so I can look back upon them and recapture the mindset of the time. I suggest you do the same. It is more helpful than you can imagine.

-Michael
August 2011

The basic plot of this movie is simple. Lord Voldemort, the epitome of evil, is trying to destroy Harry and take over the world. Harry, driven by love for his friends, is trying to stop the dark lord Voldemort by destroying all of his Horcruxes, objects that contain pieces of Voldemort’s soul. Only when all of the Horcruxes are destroyed is Voldemort rendered powerless.

One interesting aspect of this struggle between good and evil is Rowling’s comment that pure innocence can not exist without evil. Harry who represents everything that is right in society is permanently linked to the dark lord. Therefore his ‘good’ always contains some evil, however, it is Harry’s ability to manage the evil inside of him that is truly noteworthy. It is the ability for an individual to compartmentalize their evil that makes someone pure.

The movie itself was packed with action. The director did a great job representing the immense size of this final battle. The sheer amount of death eaters, Voldemort’s followers, makes it clear that the final battle for civilization is about to occur at the gates of Hogwarts. Although several pieces of foreshadowing spoiled the ending for me, anyone who read the books will find these elements exciting. I don’t want to ruin any of the plot twists for people who have not read the books but I can say they are very well done and are quite exciting.

Overall, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is a must see movie. Not only because it ends a historic series with a bang but on its on merit. HP7P2 has all the elements needed for a great film: action, quality acting, even comedy all wrapped up into the fantasy world no can deny changed the landscape of witchcraft. Two thumbs up.

Partition

The first thing we need to do to prepare our computer is to partition our hard drive. Partitioning essentially splits your hard drive up into two virtual drives that run independently of one another. Right now you probably have one partition where Snow Leopard and all your files are stored. Creating another one for Lion is very simple.

1. Close all open applications
2. Launch Disk Utility
3. Select your internal hard drive in the left sidebar
4. Choose the partition tab
5. Click the plus button to create a new partition
6. Name and size your new partition
7. Click apply and let disk utility run

It’s really that easy to set-up a new partition in Mac OS X.

Launch Installer

Now that your partition is complete you’ll want to being the installation process. Open the Mac OS X Installer you downloaded from the Mac App Store. Agree to the terms of service but when the installer asks you to begin installation make sure to click “Show All Disks”. This will allow you to select the new partition you just created instead of your Snow Leopard partition.

You will also notice a customize button in the bottom left of your screen. From there you can personalize your Lion installation to include Lion server and such. Moreover, installation will take less than thirty minutes because the installer is stored locally on your hard drive and not on a DVD. The system will automatically restart and complete installation so feel free to get up and leave while the software is installed.

That’s it, you can boot into either Snow Leopard or Lion. To choose, simply hold down the option key while booting and you’ll see a nice graphic allowing you to select whichever operating system you want. Furthermore, you can go to system preference and startup disk to choose your default boot OS. Very easy, and very painless. Enjoy Lion everyone!