People Upset at Apple For Removing Headphone Jack on iPhone 7

Last night, while browsing the Internet, I saw an article talking about a petition with a million people who are upset at Apple from removing the headphone jack.
I personally think that it should be removed because my case prevents me from using most headphones. Without the headphone jack, the iPhone 7 will allow us to use Bluetooth to connect headphones, also it could be the slimmest phone.

This, along with the rumor that the iPhone 7 will charge wirelessly, leads me to think that Apple wants to provide a completely wireless phone. More information about iPhone 7 rumors coming tomorrow so stay tuned.

Written by Dustin Jones

Social Media Fave: Tumblr

TUMBLR is a popular website that combines social media and blogging on one simple platform. It’s threading capabilities make it very similar to Reddit but with much more user interaction. Unlike Facebook and Instagram, Tumblr focuses mainly on one’s interests instead of one’s life. Currently owned by Yahoo, Tumblr has gained popularity in the last few years, moving from a simple website to a corporation with major sponsors as well as ads. Even with its popularity, there still are a lot of people who have only ever heard of Tumblr. While starting a Tumblr can see like a daunting task, it’s pretty easy after you get the hang of it.

The basic way to describe Tumblr is as a blogging website. Unlike most blog sites this one allows the users to interact more with the post. Let me explain. First you name your blog usually to represent something personal or a particular interest. Then you, as a user, make a post. After your post is made, other users can reblog it and add their own comments/opinions.

Your tumblr blog is usually a personal expression of you as a person. You post about your interests or reblog post you see made by other users that you think of as relatable. Your dashboard (home page) is a continuous scrolling screen filled with posts and “reblogs” from your followers. The more people you follow, the more content appears on your dashboard.

Tumblr is not perfect. It has a website staff that has been shown to be slightly obtuse to the general user’s complaints. Plus, like any other social media site, there are users that will not always agree with your opinion and might try to argue with you or harass you. But simply block them and continue to go about your business. Sound a little easier now? Good! Now go out and make a Tumblr for yourself!

Written by Jasmine Bonner

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Free New App "Colorburn"

Do you tend to take a lot of selfies? Are you looking for fun and colorful ways to spice up your pictures? Well this week the AppStore is giving you a creative and free way to change how you take photos.
ColorBurn has a thousand filters that you can enjoy. Now a few of the filters aren't that great, but it has some really great ones that change the entire look of a picture. I took some photos of myself so that you can see the type of filters that are available on ColorBurn.

-Written by Dustin Jones

Aluminum VI Charge

Apple didn’t have the best 2015 in my opinion. While the Iphone 6s shattered sale records, many bought the phone out of loyalty. After the hype of the new pretty colors died down, many complained that the new phone wasn’t really all that special.  Of course, since it’s Apple, these reviews did nothing to skew their high flying numbers. In order to truly dominate the market, Apple came out with several additional products, including their new portable phone charger. This didn’t do as well. However, some good came out it. With every new apple addition, comes a competitor trying to do better. Introducing 4Second Life’s new aluminum VI Charge. Made to look “apple-esque,” you almost can’t tell that it’s not an apple product. Unfortunately, that’s pretty much where all the pros stop.  The charger completely lacks an on and off switch. The only way it  activates is if you sliding your finger across the panel on the front. The charger is also really bulky, making fitting it in your pocket while charging very difficult. Plus, it blocks the radio jack. I mean, why can’t you listen to music and charge your phone at the same time. The Aluminum VA Charge gets more expensive the higher the charge. Starting price of an Aluminum VI Charge for Iphone 6 and 6s is eighty five dollars. My advice, get a cheap portable charger. They’re everywhere, from Walgreens to Radio Shack, and won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

Written by Billy Coles

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Drone Days

     Move over Amazon! There’s a new package delivering robot in town, and it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. Everyone and their mother have heard of Amazon’s new proposed delivery method. Instead of week deliveries, Amazon is projecting a future filled with drones that enabled same day delivery. While this sounds amazing, the idea has sparked a huge round of debates, especially in terms of safety and privacy. Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis, the founders of Skype, have started a new robot company called Starship Technologies. There hope is that their little guy will be able to replace Amazon’s controversial drones altogether. Instead of a drone with the ability to fly, this cutie walks its way to your house. Some of its main features are its ability to self-steer exactly to your house at a “brisk walking pace of four miles per hour”, a GPS system which allows it to deliver exactly to your house, and a manual steering system which can be activated by people in case anything goes awry.

Many have shown skepticism to Heinla and Friis’ invention because how easy it would be to break into the container which holds the deliveries, as the robot would be traveling mainly on sidewalks and through suburban areas. Other concerns include safety for cars, parking, and the cost of shipping,  which predicted to be extremely high.

I’m personally all for any program which allows cute little robots to deliver us things, but I would also love to hear your opinion too. Comment below and tell me how you feel about the impending robot apocalypse!

Written by Madison Clayton

The #1 Game That Will Guarantee An End In Your Relationships

NBA 2K has always been by far one of the most addicting games on Xbox and PS4. Who wouldn't stop any relationship they have for this game? It is definitely a must have. Girlfriends,best friends, sisters, and brothers are getting cut off. Whoever isn't on good terms with me by the time that game comes out, it's too late for you. Nobody is getting a text back, nobody will get an answer, and phones will stay on airplane mode. Nothing but death will interrupt players from this game. If your significant other puts down NBA 2k16 for you, marry them. This is more than a game, it's life!

Written by Carlos Marrow

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The Benefits of PC Gaming Over Console Gaming

There is an ongoing debate in the gaming community if console gaming is better than PC. Well, I have come to the conclusion that PC is a superior platform…here’s why.

1. On a console, you are limited to the hardware that the manufacturer has used, while, on a PC, you can decide what processor, graphics, and everything else you can think of, based on what you need. If you want a top of the line gaming experience, you can have it

2. PC outperforms consoles in almost every aspect. Yes, it is true that for the same price of getting an Xbox One, you can build an even better PC. I would recommend building a $400 PC to outperform a console because the more money you spend on a PC, the better the experience.

3. More games are available for the PC than for consoles. Almost every “triple A” title for consoles is available on PC, excluding games such as Halo and Destiny. You can buy indie games from unknown developers on PC such as, Five Nights at Freddy’s, and Speed Runners. If you want a wilder library of games to choose from, PC is for you!

Overall, this comes down to a matter of opinion and what kind of experience you want to have. If your friends play on Xbox, get an Xbox because nothing is better than playing games with your friends; however, if you can wait and save up money, get a PC. You won’t regret it. What do you think? Comment your preference below

Written by: Dustin Jones

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Highlights from the Microsoft Event

This week Microsoft had held an event on October 6th showing off their devices made to explore Windows 10. While there were so many great contenders, listed below are some of our favorites.

HoloLens

The Microsoft HoloLens is truly amazing device. Using advanced 3-D technology, it brings your computer screen to reality. The HoloLens uses holographic technology to project images onto the world and your surroundings.

Microsoft Lumia 950

The Lumia 950 is the next phone by Microsoft, and runs on Windows 10. As we all know, the camera on a phone is one of the most important things. Well, the Lumia features a 20 MP sensor that captures the world in 4k. This means great photos for both the professionals and the average instagrammer. The Lumia has 32GB of storage, but with a SD card you can expand that even more: however, the thing that makes the Lumia an innovative device is its ability to be used as a PC. That’s right,  you can use a display dock that allows you to connect a monitor as well as keyboard and mouse. The Lumia will be available in November for $549 and $649.

Microsoft Surface Pro 4

The Surface Pro 4 takes the boring laptop/tablet category and changes it entirely. With a 12.3 inch screen and 5 million pixels, and .4mm thick gorilla glass, the new Surface Pro 4 is extraordinary. Like all new “LapLets” the surface comes with the Surface Pen that allows you to take your thoughts and make them into a reality onto your tablet. The Surface Pro 4 is also 50% faster than the MacBook Air, has 16 GB of ram, and 1TB of storage. This great new product comes out October 26 for $899.

Microsoft Surface Book

The Microsoft Surface Book is the first laptop by Microsoft, it has a 13.5 inch screen with 6 million pixels. While it may seem similar to the Surface Pro, it’s actually a polar opposite. With its NVIDIA GeForce GPU and GDDR5 memory, the Surface Book has 2x the power of the MacBook Air. It even plays graphically intensive games, record them, and edit them flawlessly. Plus for those who like to multi-task, the body of the product can detach and be used like a tablet. The Surface Book is available on October 26 and costs $1499 a great price for a laptop with this much potential.

What do you think? Were there any products that you thought deserved to be named? Comment below and let us know!

Written by Tech Reporter Dustin Jones

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Five Easy Steps to Taking a Good Instagram Picture

1. It’s All About Focus. When taking a picture you need to make sure that you focus on what you are taking a picture of. Focus is when you put all the attention on the main object of a photo and blur out the background. It all depends on what you are using to take the picture. If you are using a phone, you will need to tap the screen on the exact spot you want it to focus on. Unfortunately, most phone cameras don't have high enough quality to even have focus. If you are using an actual camera there are many different ways you can focus. Typically, these extra features make the quality end up much better than a phone camera can ever be.

2. Blurry is a No No. Make sure that your picture is not blurry! No one likes a blurry picture. If the photo’s  blurry don't even try working with it. The shot is already ruined and there's nothing you can do to fix it. However, if you want to keep the shot, the trashed photos can make great abstract backgrounds for something else.

3. Filter. Filter. Filter. Let’s be honest, a filter can definitely make a great photo look even better. Don't let people get you down by saying it’s not being honest. Look, we all know that “she” wasn’t born in sepia tone.  If you want to, you can add a filter or adjust the brightness or contrast to make the picture look even better. There are also many different editing options on the Instagram app itself as well as many other apps that you can use like VSCO Cam and Afterlight. A word of advice. Filters are meant to enhance things. But don’t fall into the trap of over-editing. Sometimes less really is more.

4.  Chop Chop. If you take a really cool picture and absolutely love it but then realize there's something or someone that seemed to photo bomb it, simply crop it out. Got a picture where you look great, but that pesky ex is beside you? Crop them out! Cropping can really help get rid of negative things that have potential to ruin the shot all together.

5.  Flash Is Your Friend. When you take pictures in lower lighting make sure your flash is on (unless you really don't want it to be). Most cameras and phone cameras take bad quality pictures in low lighting. The flash helps make the picture look less grainy and pixelated.

These five easy steps will greatly improve your photos and your instagram. Try it for yourself and post the comments below.

Written by Emily Taylor

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Top 5 Games That Ruin Friendhsips

Most people love games. Nothing’s better than hanging out with your friends, chilling, and having a little friendly competition.  But we can all agree that their are some games that just bring out the worst in people.  In honor of all the friendships that survived and the ones that didn’t, this week we’re bringing you the top five games that ruin friendships.

5. Call of Duty

If you and your friends like to see who is the best at a 1v1 on COD then be prepared to get frustrated. Call of Duty can be extremely fun with a team full of advanced players. But, bring an experience player on the team, and be ready to loose some numbers.  Just a little bit of confusion can turn this fast paced first person shooter game into “ WHERE ARE YOU GUYS?? IM RUNNING INTO THE WALLS!!! NO NO SAME TEAM SAME TEAM!!”

4. Wii Sports

While some might consider these multiple game, we can all agree on one thing. Wii Sports are no jokes.  This easy gaming system turns fun, simple, sports games into a challenge devoid of skill but full of good luck charms, tricks, and focused vendettas. What could start as a friendly game normally ends in tear and for the truly unfortunate: a broken TV. Hell hath no fury like not wearing the wrist strap.

3.  Mortal Kombat

If you love crushing people into dust in an extremely bloody, graphic, and fictional game, then Mortal Kombat is your kind of game. Fighting battles to the death with interesting characters with powers and mainly medieval weapons can be a great way to relax. But be warned, this is not a game of strategy. Even the truly advanced players find themselves devolved to a level of button mashing and insult yelling that dates back to middle school days. And if you thought that you might manage to salvage both your friendship and the win, crushing your opponent with the the cry “ FINISH THEM,” destroys any chance of reconciliation.  Maybe it’s the dragon with  its eyes full of fire, but by the end of the game most of your friendships have been reduced to smoldering ashes.

2. Monopoly

Now we know this isn’t a video game. But if we’re discussing the most hate inducing games, we can’t forget the original king of kings: Monopoly is probably one of the most confusing games in terms of competition. How does a simple game inspire so much conflict. Whatever the reason is, this banking game can still turn the strongest of blood brothers against each other. From the very start, Monopoly has the players scrapping over which inanimate object best suits them. This game can go on for hours, and by the end of it, you’re hoarding property,  somehow have a negative balance, there’s god knows how many house pieces on the floor, and the group is collectively getting ready to hang the banker. The real miracle is if you can make it through the game without someone flipping the board. Curse that stupid top hat! While we’re sure no other game could make us come close to the true feelings of destitution, Monopoly as an icebreaker is definitely the wrong way to go.

1. Mario Kart

There is no contest. Mario Kart is one of the greatest games to play with friends, but it’s also the worst. There’s just something about racing around a track in highly improbable go carts driven by cute children's’ cartoon characters that makes peoples’ blood boil. There are no friends here, only opponents to eat your dust. From its very beginning when we were children, to its yearly revamps; Mario Kart will always remain the champ. This game is known to bring even the most cool and collected adults to their knees with the world famous war cry, “ DID YOU JUST FREAKING BLUE SHELL ME.” Even now, the only thing we can think of that worse than a broken bone is driving on Rainbow Road. From the game cube tricks of unplugging the controller, to the Wii antics of knocking over the sensor, Mario Kart is one of the most effective ways to find out someone’s true character. If you’re trying to find out what your significant other is really like, this is a great option. Otherwise, keep this game far way from anyone you want to keep.

What do you think? Have other games that bring out the beast in you? Comment below and let us know!

Written by: Dustin Jones and Zoe Jones

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App of the Week: Pokemon Shuffle

This week’s app is throwing it way back. That’s right you 90’s kids:  it’s Pokemon. While not the exact replica of the Pokemon we knew and loved as kids. Pokemon Shuffle combines the best of both worlds into this free app.  It’s a great way to relive that era of your life. Shuffle plays like the Jewel Quest version of the original Pokemon, but allows you to catch and level up other pokemon. The best part? The app is completely free, and doesn’t require in app purchases for you to advance in the game. If you have a love for apps and old school fun, then Pokemon Shuffle is the app for you. Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself! 

Have an app you think should be the app of the week? Comment below!

Written by Tech Editor Dustin Jones.

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We “Heart Eyes” the New Snapchat Update!!

Recently, social media took a turn for the better when Snapchat released an unexpected update. The app’s staff added options like “travel mode”, which reduces the amount of data you use when you aren’t connected to wifi. They also made several aesthetic changes like removing the seconds display in the corner of story view. However, everyone can agree that the most noticed part of the update was the animations display. In addition to normal features like speed, height, and other filters; you can also add video animations to your Snaps. Choose from a daily rotating display of heart eyes, monster masks, or teary eyes; and send the best ones to your friends or post them to your stories. Here are some of our staff’s top picks!

    

What do you think? Comment your favorite animation below, or post it on social media and tag us!

- Emily Taylor

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The Good, Bad, and the Ugly: Jailbreaking Exposed

Jailbreaking an iPhone. This hack is considered a legend in the phone community. We all know people who have jailbroken their phones. Let’s be honest, we’ve all coveted those pretty cool apps and functions they can do. BUt we’ve also heard the horror stories. Here are some pros and cons of jailbreaking so you can make a more “informed” decision about your phone’s future.

Let's start off with the great things that comes with jailbreaking!

Pro #1. Free apps

After having had my phone jailbroken for an hour, I was dying to see what it could do. One of the first things that I discovered was that I would be able to get free apps! Getting paid apps for free is a really feature, so if I want something I can get it without money coming out of my pocket. This is a great feature that opens countless possibilities!

Pro #2. Endless amounts of features

With jailbreaking you can get a lot of features to make your phone look and act more appealing. The features include things like video pane, which allows you to popout youtube videos into a little window on your phone. Another basic feature that you should download is cylinder, which changes the transitions between pages on the home screen. My favorite feature is video wallpapers; video wallpapers allow you to set a gif as your lock and home screen.

Pro #3. Free music

This is the greatest part behind jailbreaking, I have been able to listen to Spotify without ads, and download the songs straight from Spotify for free. Out of everything available cause of jailbreaking, free music is the greatest feature. If you haven’t jailbroken your Iphone, free music is the reason to.

Now, the bad part of jailbreaking.

Con # 1. Voids the warranty of your device

When you jailbreak your iDevice it voids the warranty, so if something were to happen to your device they will not replace it or even try to fix it. Although, there are ways around it, it can cause complications in the long run.

Con #2. Risk of viruses

Like many other things that overwrites software, it comes with a chance of viruses. Recently the risk of viruses has increased . I had a virus that made the screen go black and white, and I couldn’t fix this even with the settings. Another issue I had was that it crashed my phone, which had to be restored to its’ factory settings in order to be fixed.

Con #3. More likely to get hacked

Almost a quarter million IPhone have been hacked after being jailbroken. Another unfortunate things is that jailbreaking your phone can also allow people to access its built in features like the camera. This may not bother you, but just think about all the information people can get from your phone, like where you live, or even more important information like credit card numbers.

Well there you have it, both the good and the bad of jailbreaking your iphone. Overall jailbreaking is a really nice thing that allows access to limitless features, but it also can give access to hackers. Even with all of the pros and cons, it’s pretty much a toss up whether a not jailbreaking your iphone would be worth it for you. So what do you think? Comment Your opinions below!

- Dustin Jones

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Five ways IOS 9 has improved Apple Products

On the 16th IOS 9 was released, and with it came some great new features. Here are some of the new features that make IOS 9 a substantial update.

1. Always On Hey SIRI

If you tend to use SIRI as means of finding information, play specific songs, or sending replies to texts, you will be happy to know that you can now just say “Hey SIRI” without being plugged in to access the AI assistant. I see this being useful to people that travel a lot, because they can use their phone without having to touch it, which might stop distracted driving.

2. Multi-Tasking for IPads

I like to do multiple things at a time, I type up papers while watching YouTube, and now on my IPad I can look at posts on Instagram and watch YouTube. If you’re like me then multitasking is now made easy on the IPad with IOS 9.

3. Better Notes

This is my favorite thing included with IOS 9, now I can draw stick people on my notes just to do it. Along with the inclusion of drawing on notes you can add photos, links, and have checklists. With this I’m going to be using notes a lot more just to draw what I think.

4. AD Block

In Safari, you can now have all advertisements disabled. Being a Chrome user I think most people will consider switching to Safari to not be interrupted by advertisements. This is by far the best thing in the IOS 9 update and I encourage the  use of Safari for AD Block

5. Hide Photos

Now I know mentioning this makes it seems like it’s helping some people hide inappropriate or unsavory photos, but there are actually many helpful things this function can do. From hiding surprises from your friends to photos of sensitive information, the hide photo option gives users a useful and easy way to keep things secure.

There is a lot more included in the update, but those I mentioned were my top 5 favorite things.What was your favorite feature? What was the worst? Comment your thoughts below!!

- Dustin Jones