We Don't Walk Slow

Must Have Tech of 2014

Some people try to keep up with technology and others purposely fall behind. They think it’s an inconvenience. I’ve never understood resisting tech because what gains in popularity has some function that makes life easier. There is nothing more important in life than time and items that make processes simpler should be used. New things scare stupid people. I’ve compiled a list of a few must have of 2014. Sadly some of these have been around for years but I guarantee everyone who reads this doesn’t have them.

Paypal Account

Paypal has been operating for 16 years and the company who owns it, Ebay, is worth 5.6 billion. Not having a Paypal account is essentially saying that you have no interest making any financial transactions over the internet. It’s resisting the combination of two of the most important concepts in life, money and the internet. Paypal let’s you pay other people for debts, contests, and other expenses by transferring through accounts. Many companies accept Paypal during the checkout process which makes your transaction more secure. I recently made a donation to Wikipedia using Paypal and the money is deducted straight from my bank account. It took under 1 minute. If you have never opened a Paypal account, I’d guess you were a coal miner or on a fishing boat.

EZ Pass

This picture says it all. “If you guys don’t have EZ Pass, just ring your call button and Tommy will come back there and hit you on the head with a tack hammer because you’re a retard.” There is not one single reason you can give not to have EZ Pass. It costs nothing and you don’t have to wait in lines on the turnpike. If you still get a ticket, you might have a mental issue that you should get checked out. Ck4 used to say, “I don’t take the turnpike.” Guess what, you should still have it just in case.

DVR-Box

If you watch television, especially sports, you need a DVR box. The ability to stop and start live TV makes the experience that much more enjoyable. Sometimes action will happen in sports and you’ll have your head turned and miss the climax. Being able to rewind makes sure you don’t miss a thing. The disappointment you feel when a friend does not having a DVR box when something happens and you can’t go back is worth the 10 dollars a month. Off topic, I just cancelled my sports package which during football season is unbelievably worth the 9 dollars for Red Zone.

Twitter, Netflix, and Spotify Account

Twitter, Netflix, and Spotify are all minor investments and are well worth the cost. Facebook is lame and people should turn to Twitter because the content is more concise and relevant. Plus it costs nothing. Someone texted me today saying that they thought my tweets weren’t bad and I told them to follow me and I’ll follow them. They said they didn’t have an account. Well fucking open one! It costs nothing. Netflix is a minor investment but the beauty is that multiple people can all share an account. I haven’t been using it as frequently as of late but for shows like Orange is the New Black, Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, and others, I got my money worth. I won’t harp on Spotify much because people are honestly too stupid to understand how much better of a listening experience it is. The social aspect of playlists is so money that people can’t comprehend it. Itunes and Pandora are sad compared to it.

Amazon Credit Card

I’m not a sold on this one as the other ones but if you use Amazon, everything is one click during checkout. I assume it may be the same with every other credit card but I wouldn’t know because I only use my Amazon card when I shop on Amazon. Can anyone chime in with what happens with a regular card?

TV is Kicking Ass and Taking Names

TV is at the pinnacle when considering the abundance and the quality of shows out in 2013. It’s no longer network (ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox) television that reigns supreme. They certainly have the shows that cater to the masses in all singing and talent competitions but that’s not good TV. Networks have been coming out of the woodwork and delivering high end entertainment for many years now. A TV series packs more punch than a sitcom or movie because it has more time to develop characters and enter into a more detailed story. I want to run through a few of the various networks and what they are delivering.

AMC – In case you didn’t know, Breaking Bad’s final (part 2) season premieres this Sunday and that should get people excited. AMC has broken through as a network that has the ability to produce quality shows like Mad Men (never watched), Breaking Bad (2nd best show of all time), and Walking Dead which was good initially but has fallen off a bit. I’d doubt many of you know but ACMX is the stock ticker for this network which has been constantly on the rise due to extreme interest in the shows.

Showtime – Showtime is killing it right now with Dexter and Ray Donovan. Dexter fell off through it’s middling seasons but has really picked it up going in the finale. Ray Donovan is also garnering interest because of the many layers in the characters and the twists and surprises that are superbly unveiled. Jon Voight deserves an Emmy (or whatever they get). Showtime also brought us Homeland (best initial season I’ve seen), Weeds (way ahead of it’s time but fell off), and Californication (which I thought was great early on).

HBO – HBO is the staple of series programming. They brought us the Wire and Sopranos which are 1 and 3 in the realm of TV shows. Curb Your Enthusiasm is being anxiously awaiting as well as Game of Thrones. Eastbound and Down and True Blood provided filler. Entourage, Flight of the Conchords, and 6 Feet Under also top the list of well made shows. I’d say that even though they were the front runner in years past, they have been usurped, but I don’t think that will last forever.

Netflix – This is the dark horse. I’m watching Orange is the New Black and it’s wonderful. The cast is hilarious, the story is fantastic, and there are no restrictions to what they can show. The new Arrested Development was also good and I hear House of Cards was also entertaining. Netflix is just getting it’s legs under it and they will be a powerhouse for years to come.