I’ve participated in plenty of pranks in my time, both giving and receiving, and they’re almost always a lot of fun. My cousin, in particular, is a big prankster and joker who always enjoys a good laugh. This week, I got a couple Prank Pack prank gift boxes in the mail to review, and who better to try one out on than John.
What Is A Prank Pack?
A Prank Pack is a box designed to look like a real product that is just outlandish enough to make the recipient think you bought them some crazy gift that they may never use. Inside the box, you place a real gift so that your giftee isn’t left feeling like you cheated him out of a gift. So it’s the best of both worlds. You get to prank someone, but they still get a real gift that they’ll use. They make a bunch of different gift boxes such as CoffeeTalkies – travel coffee mugs that double as walkie talkies, Bathe&Brew – a shower head that brews your coffee with the same hot water you shower in, ToeTunes – slippers that have speakers built right in, and several others. They sell for $8 per box or you can get a 3-pack right now for $20.
Prank Packing John For Your Enjoyment
My cousin John, as my mentioned above, is no stranger to pranks, so he was definitely due to be pranked. We bought him a gift we thought he’d like, and as it’s a book, it easily fit into the Prank Pack box. The box we chose was the iArm seen in the photo above. It’s a device that straps to your arm that you can attach an iPad, remote controls, or even your dinner plate to. Since John has an iPad, we thought this would be a nice fit. Just believable enough for him to not know if we were seriously giving this thing to him. We wrapped it up and invited John out to breakfast. The video below shows hot it all went.
I really liked the Prank Pack, and I think John’s even going to re-use it to prank someone else for Christmas. $8 per box is more than I’d normally pay for a quick prank, but the boxes look pretty professional and are actually good quality. Pair that with the fact that it’ll likely get used two or three times, and it’s not a bad price at all.
Buy Or WIN A Prank Pack
Like any other product, you can buy a Prank Pack box, of course. As mentioned before, they’re eight bucks a piece or you can snag a deal for a three pack. The web site seems to guarantee shipping by Christmas (as of the time I’m writing this) for only $5, but you can also drop into a Bed Bath and Beyond and grab one there without waiting. You can also try to win one right here. All you have to do is comment on or Tweet about this post or share it on Facebook, but you only have 2 days, so do it now below. Note that the box I’m giving away is the CoffeeTalkies, perfect for that coffee fiend you know.
Bipper AS, a Norwegian tech company best known for Bipper, a parental control smartphone program, have come out with a new application that has already seen considerable European success: bSafe. The application allows you to immediately send out an S.O.S. if you find yourself in trouble while out walking at night. It does this by sending text messages and phone calls to a predetermined list of “Guardians” who function as your emergency contact and who are given a map of your exact location. This information can then, presumably, be passed on to the police.
The bSafe application, which available globally this week for both Android and iPhone users, has already hit select European markets. It has seen impressive success there, garnering media publicity and surpassing two of the most popular apps in the world – Angry Birds and Facebook – in recent downloads.
bSafe has proven that it can be successful, then. But can it actually keep you safe while walking at night? Can it give your phone a security feature besides a basic reverse phone lookup? Is it worth having as a last-ditch, security precaution?
The short answer, it would seem, is no. If you’re truly in a dangerous situation, calling 9-1-1 is probably easier and it is certainly more effective. Most cell phones allow you to program 9-1-1 into one of the speed dial options (usually “9″) and a police dispatcher can figure out your location even if you don’t provide one. Having a text sent to your best friend saying that you’re in trouble is simply not going to give you the same rapidity of response. Think about it; in this hypothetical situation, your friend will likely try calling you back first, just to make sure that you truly need their help. It is probably only if they don’t get an answer that they’ll call 9-1-1. Getting the bSafe app, then, can take away valuable time if you do find yourself in an emergency.
But the application does have some intriguing uses and possibilities, albeit not those that it originally intended. For example, it allows you to go into “Risk Mode”, which tracks your exact location by GPS and can then send that route to a designated computer. For people who want to go for a run and then see their route sitting on the screen when they get back, bSafe is an appealing application. Furthermore, the app’s general mapping and navigation software is accurate, fast, and easy to use.
So I might find myself downloading bSafe in the near future. But I certainly don’t plan to send out any S.O.S.’s – whether or not I find myself in a dangerous situation.
This guest post is by Nancy Evans. She is a freelance writer that specializes in tech and business.
The Nokia Lumia is designed to attract new fans to the Windows Phone ecosystem, and one of its key targets is gamers.
2011 has been the year when smartphone gamers have been able to pick from a wide selection of large-screened devices to make it easier to play games in greater detail in sharp focus. As a Windows Phone, the Nokia Lumia also has greater integration with Microsoft products; Xbox Live support makes it easier for gamers to pick up a game on their console and then their phone, or to check their status remotely when away from their Xbox.
Two of the most popular games so far for the device are Jet Car Stunts and Burn the Rope.
Jet car Stunts comes with 3D graphics, perfectly utilizing the AMOLED screen with 800 x 480 pixels and the ClearBlack technology reducing reflection glare. With a fast 1.4 GHz processor and 512 MB of memory, the device is more than capable of keeping gameplay speedy.
The 3D graphic accelerator is put to good use as well in Jet Car Stunts. With colourful tracks, which increase in difficulty the more your progress riders jump through hoops, leap over divides and ramps using 3D graphics to enhance gameplay and the experience. The handset is held like a steering wheel so users tips and turn to navigate the tracks. To speed up or slow down there are large buttons on the screen that only needs users to move their thumbs while playing. The game is available at the Windows Phone Marketplace for $2.99
Burn The Rope again utilizes the Lumia’s fast processor to incorporate movement of the device into gameplay. The aim of the game is to set fire to a rope and then twist and turn the phone to guide the flame until the rope has burnt away. The flame has to be directed upwards so while it may sound simple the phone needs to be tilted to make sure the flame is heading the right way, or it will burn out. The path of the flame gets faster and more intricate as users pass through the different levels. The game is available from the Marketplace for $2.99.
The speedy processor and screen resolution, along with the 3D capability means the Lumia 800 has a real potential for the gaming market. The new device marks the first delivered in the new partnership between Nokia and Microsoft, suggesting a desire to make a greater splash in the smartphone market. Whereas the App Store and the Android marketplace have made a big splash in encouraging gamers to turn off their console and instead play on their smartphone, Windows Phone has not had a similar appeal. Some critics blame this on a limited number of apps in the Windows Phone Marketplace but it could be more to do with a focus on the Xbox as one of the main Microsoft gadgets on the market. The interactivity and integration between the Nokia and the Xbox suggests this is definitely a target market for the Windows Phone. Their existing dominance in the gaming market, and the appeal they already garner amongst gaming fans, suggests Apple and Android may well be looking over their shoulder.
Simon writes on behalf of Best Mobile Contracts, the UK’s leading mobile phone comparison website, where you can find the cheapest mobile phone contracts for the new Nokia Lumia.
There’s more to the Star Wars story than you’ve been told in the movies. I always thought so, too, but apparently there’s a LOT more. I didn’t know just how interesting it was behind the scenes making these movies come to life until I recently began reading The Secret History of Star Wars : The Art of Storytelling and the Making of a Modern Epic, a book by Michael Kaminski, a cameraman in the film and television industry and Star Wars fan.
The Book And Its Secrets
Years ago, Michael Kaminski didn’t set out to write a book. Instead, he wanted to show his appreciation for the Star Wars Saga by writing a lengthy essay about its history to publish online. This essay evolved into a 600 page detailed account of everything Star Wars became from its inception through to current day. Spending a ton of time and reaching out to hundreds of sources for his research, Kaminski not only pieced together an incredible story of the birth and evolution of the single most successful series of films in movie history, but he did it in a way that makes it compelling to read. Instead of just throwing some facts on paper and organizing them, this author displayed some great writing and got me hooked from the first page. The book’s introduction paints a vivid picture of a twenty-eight year old George Lucas sitting at his desk just barely beginning with a title on a rainy Tuesday night.
Kaminski keeps the reader involved as you’re watching it play out in front of you, dropping hints and shocking nuggets about the evolution of Star Wars along the way. Although I’m nowhere near the end of this book, I’ve found myself stopping to tell my wife interesting bits I’ve read. One great example is that, according to The Secret History of Star Wars, Darth Vader originally wasn’t Luke’s father. Vader and Luke’s father actually had scenes together in early drafts and it was only through time and by necessity of the rest of the tale that Darth Vader wound up as Luke’s father.
If I tell you more about what I’ve read, it will not be much of a secret, but I will say that this book intrigued me by title alone and drew me in from the beginning. It’s $39.95 price at Barnes & Noble is beaten by a price of about $27 at Amazon and would make a pretty good gift for any Star Wars fan. I’m not the biggest Star Wars fan, and I’ve been having a hard time putting the book down.
Win This Book
The book doesn’t cost much to buy, but free is even better! For the next 7 days, you can enter to win one of two copies of The Secret History of Star Wars. Just follow the entry instructions below and come back here next week to see if you’ve won a copy. Entering is as simple as clicking the “Do it” link, following any instructions, and then clicking the “I did this” button. If you’re already subscribed to JoeTech.com via email or you already follow me on Twitter, you can skip right to the “I did this” button for those entries. Good luck!
