Posting Cyberfaces on Moddingway

So lately, I've been messing around in Adobe Photoshop while editing cyberfaces from the video game: NBA 2K13.  I have had some failures and some successes (check my Moddingway.com posts).  It's great to see my work be appreciated as well as harshly criticized.  Because I have only started, my work is not going to be the greatest.  Improvement will be seen, but will only come along with time.

NBA All-Star Weekend

It's here, but it has been disappointing to say the least.  Although I neglected to watch the Rising Stars Challenge (otherwise known as Team Shaq vs. Team Chuck), I did watch the Skills Competition, the Three Point Shootout and the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest.  Although my favorite player, Stephen Curry, did not make it to the final 3PT shootout round, I have to congratulate Kyrie Irving for being the most explosive player this weekend and the past few weeks.

My rant for the week: The Sprite Slam Dunk Contest was utterly disappointing.  I was looking forward to Gerald Green and James White, but they could not even make their first dunk!  Jeremy Evans' painting dunk was nice, but Terrence Ross deserved to win.  Faried's dunk was nice, but it honestly should not have gotten a 50.

Anyway, the main event is tonight and I am definitely going to tune in.  I'll be rooting for the West this year because of David Lee.  It's unfortunate that Stephen Curry was not named an all-star.  He has to be one next year.

Does Facebook Owe You $10?

Check your emails!  If you have receive any sort of legal notice from the Zuckerberg run company, you may be entitled to claim up to $10.  It seems that over 100 million users are entitled due to a lawsuit that claimed Facebook was publicly releasing status messages from various users.  This violated the Terms and Services of the company, the one which nobody reads, and cost Facebook to lose a $20 million lawsuit.  In addition, they must now pay back the users and it is unsure how much each eligible claimant can receive.  Have you received any legal email?

Windows 8 Review

So I upgraded to Windows 8 Professional yesterday and I must say that I am surprised at how much different it is to Windows 7.  Even when Windows 95 first launched, there has not been such a drastic change to Microsoft's operating system with the additions of Windows XP and Windows Vista.  It has been very intuitive to use and it seemed like everything was where it should be.

Moving along, Windows released the newest version of their OS that was meant to revolutionize the tablet, phone, and PC industry all at once.  It is difficult to say if they have done this successfully because everyone user has a different experience.  This is ironic due to the face Microsoft wanted all of their platforms to maintain a similar layout, but the first step, the upgrade, has consumers worried about they will potentially be using for another few years.

(Windows 8 Start Page.  Its customization options are welcoming, but sometimes the page feels too cluttered.  This is how I set up my start page and I'm enjoying it.  The Social app brings all social media into one tile and displays recent events from Facebook and Twitter.  I censored some profile picture to ensure privacy.)

When I first booted up Windows 8, it felt slick and professional.  Then you get to the start up page and it looks amazing.  It is something you have probably never seen before.  Everything is right in front of me, but this is where it stops.  When you want to go to your Desktop page, navigation is much more different and less designed for Mouse and Keyboard options.  Any consumer can clearly tell the OS was optimized for touch screen devices.  If I had something like the Microsoft Surface, I could see why it works, but not everything works perfectly on a Desktop.

Everything is based on the corners.  Literally.  The top left corner brings up the previous program you launched.  Move the mouse down the edge of the left and it shows the list of programs open.  The bottom corner brings you back to the Start Page when in the Desktop.  It's hidden so there is no "button" you can click.  Just the corner.

(Work in Progress) 

Friday Night Basketball in the NBA

It's Friday and you know what the means.

Games scheduled for today:

Chicago Bulls vs Boston Celtics (100-99)
Toronto Raptors vs Philadelphia 76ers (101-108)
Charlotte Bobcats vs Orlando Magic (106-100)
Houston Rockets vs Indiana Pacers (95-105)
Atlanta Hawks vs Brooklyn Nets (89-94)
Sacramento Kings vs Memphis Grizzlies (69-85)
Golden State Warriors vs San Antonio Spurs (In Progress)
Washington Wizards vs Denver Nuggets (In Progress)
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Dallas Mavericks (In Progress)

Credit: 2K Sports (NBA 2K13 Association)

Generated rookie hits the game winner over Kevin Durant's tremendous defense.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

A universal saying that has been popularized by consumers of a variety of products.  From a technological standpoint, many preach this phrase to major companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google.  It makes sense right?  Why would one need to change something if it works perfectly fine?  While many people in society believe this to be the case, there are many contradictions to this.  

For example, the famous Apple software iOS has been around for a few years now and has rarely changed. The minor updates every couple of months add some useful features that made using an Apple device easier to use.  When iOS 4 was released, it incorporated multitasking which allowed applications to run in the background and enabled a much more satisfying experience.  While this was groundbreaking in terms of Apple product development, the concept of multitasking had long been introduced in competing products.  

Now with today's new iOS 6, the new Maps application has taken harsh criticism.  If you have not heard, it is believed that the maps direct users to obscure locations miles off their intended destination.  This is definitely a problem that Apple has been working to resolve.  Google Maps has made a comeback on iOS devices and proves to be much more reliable for the time being.

(Apple iPod Touch 2nd Generation running iOS 3.1.2)

Apple's operating system has come a long way without mixing up the formula drastically.

Looking forward, iOS 7 is under heavy speculation that it will revolutionize the Apple user experience.  Consumers are complaining that the mobile operating system has gone stale and is due for an overhaul.  This is where the question comes in to play.  If iOS is so simple and intuitive to use, why does it need a complete redesign?  Analysts are expecting a major update, but is Apple willing to take a risk if something goes wrong like their Maps application?   I highly doubt it.  The operating system works well and many understand why it is one of the top products in the market today.  

What do you think?  Does Apple need to wipe the slate and start fresh a new innovative design?  Is that what it takes to bring sales back to Apple after losing a majority of its customers to competitors Samsung?

Insurance

What is insurance and why is it so important to have in society?  Why does an insurance plan make sense?  According to trusty Wikipedia, insurance "is the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another in exchange for payment. It is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss" (Insurance).  What does all of this mean?

What's the difference between companies and their policies?

Obviously, not all companies are the same.  Excluding rates and service, much of the company's credentials lies upon customer satisfaction.  True, most jobs include insurance for its employees, so health insurance may not be up to what you would like.

(Work in progress)

Stay healthy! (Photo courtesy of Dreamstime.com)