Blackberry Playbook

By now I believe it should be public record that Ivan S. Harris is #teamblackberry to the heart. With that being said, for my loyalty, RIM, the company that produces Blackberry, has given me the privilege to test out and keep my very own Blackberry Playbook tablet.

One word...Amazing. Of course being that the Playbook is a Blackberry produced tablet, I carry a little bias by possessing the "keep it in the family syndrome". Although another brand tablet would be cool to use, the fact that I do have a Blackberry and can "bridge" my cell phone device to the Playbook which makes for a crackberry on steroids, I find this to be an amazing connection between smartphone and tablet.

The truth is this is a very good professional grade tablet and any Blackberry user will love the enhancements because with the Playbook being bridged to a Blackberry device you are pretty much put on the same playing field with those devices comparable to both the Droid and iphone OS platforms.

I really can't go anywhere without my Playbook and each day I find something new that I love. After 2 weeks of using the Playbook continuously, I am definitely satisfied with the first generation Blackberry Playbook Tablet and will recommend it to everyone!

Obviously with any first generation product there are bugs, quirks and other things that I feel could make the playbook better. First thing is making the bridging faster. I love the fact that the Playbook reads your Blackberry device transferring all data, calendar, memos and other phone items directly to the tablet.

If there is no wifi available the Playbook can surf the internet via your Blackberry’s browser while using your cell phone data usage but I have noticed when you do bridge with Browsers it freezes up the phone so be sure to stop all apps on your Blackberry during your Playbook browsing session.

This browser bridging is however different from tethering as there is no direct internet, wifi or modem connection but being able to use your Playbook as a “monitor” for your “Blackberry browser” in the middle of a no wifi zone is pretty cool.

One thing I have found to be frustrating is the landscape to vertical frame change lags dramatically especially while in camera mode or when viewing pictures the landscape won't turn to portrait at all. The transition is not smooth and the lag going back and forth can make it frustrating when I'm trying to show the Playbook off to friends.

Speaking of the Playbook's camera, the camera does have a front and back camera which is great for video chat but not having a camera flash is really depressing.

The other thing that I feel is really a negative is the fact you can't send a picture through email or bluetooth. The only way I could figure out how to send a photo I snapped on the Playbook’s camera was to upload it to Facebook...go figure.

I do however love the adobe flash installed to view websites to the full capacity.

Last but not least (Blackberry Messenger) BBM. Its almost like having a Blackberry with a 7 inch screen. I love being able to BBM my friends straight from the Playbook. I call my Blackberry Bold2 a key, kind of like having a push to start engine. As long as the Key is in close range, I can use the Playbook as if it is actually my Blackberry Bold2...I love it.

If I could get the Torch and Playbook to combine forces with speed, adobe flash and voice capabilities, this new generation of blackberry devices would be stellar and second to none.

Paranormal Activity...I wonder...

Hype. Marketing. Buzz. These are all terms I'm sure we are familiar with. If you are a owner of a product, business or you are a "talent" and don't have one or all of those things, you could potentially be considered just an amateur, but with talent, a killer marketing team, hype and a street buzz even if you are a no talent worthless bum, you can still be successful because with proper marketing, you can promote crap and still make it a hit.

This is the exact reason for www.StopSellingDreams.com, to erase the hype about something and uncover the actual truth if this "something" is worthy of all the accolades.

Alright Kids, today's hyped up product was the alleged scary movie Paranormal Activity. For about a week straight, I had been hearing people talk about how scary this movie was. That only can mean one thing, Research Time!!!!!! I love this site because it gives me a reason to enjoy work by researching pleasure.

I went to finally go see this movie after about another week of trying to round up the troops brave enough to encounter this phenomenon, if its that scary I wasn't going to go alone, who goes to the movies alone anyway? What's funny is the movie takes place in San Diego, so that made me more excited to go see it.

Without giving to much away, the movie did indeed have "creepy" parts but for all the Internet buzz and street talk it recieved about how scary it was, after going to see it, I was less than pleased. I am not hating at all, there were times in the movie where I was like, Awww heck naw, that's some madness right there!

(Translation: I'm jumpy, but I'm still cool and I hope no one noticed me fidget because it didn't last that long anyway).

Overall to be like wow this movie is soooooo scary, I don't necessarily agree with.

I DO think you should go see it for yourself, I will give it that, but I wasn't just scared the whole time. I can't think of a movie which had me like that in a long time.

Burger Lounge...

So, this past Wednesday Burger Lounge offered a free burger if you showed you were following them on Twitter. Ah, gotta love blackberry and smartphones with apps to make life easier. With this economy in turmoil, I'm starting to think the word free means having physical hard earned cash. Why? Because right now, businesses are literally giving the candy store away in order to get people to walk through their doors.

Having freebies now-a-days gives you the feeling that you have money even if you don't because subconsciously you KNOW money is scarce but you're still living like Prince Akeem, while sowing your royal oats provided by the fruits of the land. Or that could just be me?

HA! Anyway, I was more than happy to get a free burger especially when I found out they won best local Hamburger joint by San Diego Magazine. Oh wow, time for research!

Wait, SSD! It was a readers poll so I have to ask, even though I respect San Diego Magazine very much, how many of YOU all reading this article, read San Diego Magazine or voted in the reader poll for that matter? Nothing against SDM, but readers polls alone are biased based of the demographic by it self. I won't get into that dream sold, that is for another day.

The Burger was actually pretty good, but I did notice the regular price was kinda steep for a local burger joint, and to be real, although I did enjoy it, I could think of a few other Burger joints (LOCALLY) that I WOULD go to before traveling to Adams Street again. (There is also a location in Little Italy, which may be a better locale for me since I'm always downtown).

Don't get me wrong, it was good and if a group of my friends mentioned going to get a burger at Burger Lounge I wouldn't be opposed, but I define something "being the best" as, having a reoccuring CRAVING for that particular product, like the Firehouse Burger, hmmmmm, but that's neither here nor there. All in all, the Burger was good, and if you all are burger lovers you should at least give them a try.

Jay-Z Bp3 Leaked Online...Hear It Now...

Sometimes you literally have to just stop and smell the roses to gain and enjoy the meaning of life in its entirety. In my day-to-day grind, I have learned the only thing that is universal is music, meaning everyone can understand or relate to you in some sort of way through a melody or song. And the only thing that will bring you back to that passion of understanding and enjoying the meaning of life is a birth.

A birth meaning something new, something fresh, or something to make you fell alive again. Whether it be the birth of a child, the birth of a new business venture or or the rebirth of a spark of passion you once had in your youth only to regain as an adult. I believe the meaning of life is working hard to achieve personal happiness by pursuing a passion and living a happy and fulfilled life. I speak about my passion on this site and through my work daily, which happens to be Art by way of music and photography (in the form of creativity).

Tears, Passion, Joy: All things that come along with the ups and downs of Life. When you go through these trials and tribulations to come to the sunny side of the road its usually a gradual learning process throughout a life long journey hopefully that will teach you to cherish life as a gift more so then a nuisance of tragic situations. Many times things in our lives tend to become more of an obstacle than a positive, motivating challenge which holds us back from enjoying this fulfilling life we hear stories about.

Today was a great day for artists and musicians alike or even people that just needed some type of pick me up because they lacked something refreshing in their life. Why? Because Jay-Z's 11Th studio album The Blueprint 3 leaked online today. Although Jay-Z may or may not have had something to do with this, the end result is the art has landed. And what great art it is.

By this album dropping today, I had a refreshing, rebirth of my love and passion for music inside the genre of Rap & Hip-Hop. It made me feel alive again and happy about rap music not being labeled as "garbage" as it has been in the past 5 or 6 years.

Before I go any further, GO AND BUY/SUPPORT this ALBUM. If you are a fan of any hip-hop circa 2001 and back, take a ride with me by fast forwarding to the past to rewind to the future while sipping this new classic material of the present.

I have to give a forewarning: if you like bubble gum rap or you don't like songs that contain lyrics which make you rewind and say "that was tight, let me hear that again," this album is not for you. I guess its the difference between generations.

Growing up guys wouldn't wear skinny jeans, color contacts and bright colors all meant for little girls. But then again, this album is grown man rap and not intended for the kiddies (sorry got to put the young, silly madness to bed). D.O.A. indeed.

With Songs like Venus Vs. Mars, Empire State Of Mind featuring Alicia Keys, As Real As It Gets featuring Young Jeezy and So Ambitious featuring Pharell, it just reminds me of the classic cuts from Jigga's Black Album, Blueprint and Reasonable Doubt and the reason why Jay-Z is truly Hova The God MC who was crowned King in 2001.

Just as in the Lord of The Rings Trilogy, it seems The Blueprint 3 has brought us the return of the King.

*side note: Just because the album leaked online doesn't mean, I'm gonna post it here. SSD If you think I would. If you don't have it yet, then you'll just have to wait until it hits stores Sept 11.

Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3 (Leaked on Rhapsody.com)

Breakfast, The Meal Of Champions?

In order to get your day off to a positive start most nutritionists believe eating a healthy breakfast in the morning will give your body the vitamins and energy needed to accomplish your goals. Breakfast is also supposed to be the most important meal of the day because its the first meal so logically eating breakfast makes sense because food is energy and breakfast is food so its the first boost of energy to keep you going until lunch or if you're a career on the go person, until that next snack to hold you over.

Now that we have the technical jargon and healthy mambo jumbo out of the way, let's get down to the real question at hand. Where is a great place to eat this most important meal? Although its an opinion, I believe the best place for this tasty breakfast would be in your own kitchen.

Cooking your own breakfast will do miracles for your pocketbook as well as your time management and the rolling-out-of-bed-to-eat convenience factor would be second to none. But, if you are not a master of gourmet proportions with kitchen utensils, short on time or just plain out as most Americans want to do, pay someone to do your labor, then there are a few places in San Diego I would definitely recommend.

Here at SSD, we are ALWAYS trying to find the latest hyped up product, person or concept to see if it is truly worth of the accolades and publicity that it receives. The latest to come across my path was an ad about a pancake house downtown. I have been seeing ads for this restaurant for quite some time. I'm even convinced that they own stock in all the media publications here because I see the ads in all the magazines, handouts and even pamphlets. I'm joking, but the advertising is clearly visible. The place I'm referring to is Richard Walker's Pancake House.

Out of every meal including the in between meals snacks, junk food and on-the-go pick me ups, I actually love breakfast the most, sort of a connoisseur of this continental meal, so I take my breakfast very seriously.

Recently, I was actually invited to breakfast by a friend and what do you know, the perfect opportunity to try a new breakfast spot came up. Richard Walker's Pancake house has a very comfortable bistro feel, sort of like an LA brunch spot. I liked the decor and definitely the service was very friendly. The menu offers a lot of colorful choices including waffles and french toast, but seeing as I was there strictly to erase the hype and uncover the truth, I pulled all the stops by ordering the Raisin Nut Flap Jacks with a custom made sausage and cheese omelet. Being a vegan, my friend Janelle order the Best Western with Cheese omelet minus the ham.

I do have to admit, my custom made omelet was not custom made which kind of put a damper on my spirits as I had to wait for my new omelet to arrive before being able to dive into the pancakes. (Honest mistake, no points deducted...lol). The Raisin Nut Flap Jack was indeed tasty and I would go back again just for the pancakes, but I'm not sure about the omelet because I didn't get to enjoy it and reheated eggs the next day just don't work no matter how you prepare them...Ha!

For me, RWPH overall experience was pretty cool. The prices are very reasonable especially for being downtown and the portions are huge, so believe me breakfast was served the next morning. As for Janelle, she really had a bad experience and would not recommend it again. So right now I am at odds end. You can read her review here.