Category Archives: Geeking around

Review: Korak at the Earth’s Core

Posted on March 20, 2024 by ricbret

Korak at the Earths Core is a welcome addition and continues the evolution of the world of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan. Continue reading →

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Cinequest 2023 – Star Wars Kid

Posted on August 11, 2023 by ricbret

If you were using the internet in the early 2000’s you probably had a first-hand experience in viewing the “Star Wars Kid.” The video portrayed a young teen boy going through vigorous motions with a rod, reproducing a lightsaber battle. … Continue reading →

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Review: Carson of Venus: The Edge of All Worlds

Posted on April 20, 2020 by ricbret

Can I tell you about a unique book experience? I’m going to work hard to spoil none of the book’s surprises, while telling you why this is a book you should enjoy. Consider a prolific writer, now long passed, whose … Continue reading →

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The Digital Dissolve…

Posted on July 1, 2019 by ricbret

Put another one on the list, and this time it’s significant. I’m talking about e-books. Particularly your rights and ownership of “your copy.” That’s confusing, I know, but bear with me. The short of it is that Microsoft will be … Continue reading →

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Sometimes, Always, AppleCare

Posted on June 20, 2019 by ricbret

I’m not typically one for extended warranties. AppleCare is the one exception. I always buy AppleCare. Continue reading →

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Cinequest 2018: How to Cinequest!

Posted on February 28, 2018 by ricbret

As regular listeners to the Fanboy Planet Podcast know, San Jose’s award-winning Cinequest film festival opened last night.  Opening night at Cinequest typically features an independent film that has or is expected to shortly gain general distribution, and last night’s … Continue reading →

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How Many PowerPoints in the World?

Posted on August 9, 2017 by ricbret

“How much PowerPoint is there in the world?” Does it matter? Should be bother trying to figure it out? And who does it help in the end? Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Geeking around, Graphics, Media, Organizations, Personal, PowerPoint, Presentations, Presenting, Random thoughts, Software, Technology, Thoughts, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Dark Tower – Defending the Rose

Posted on August 6, 2017 by ricbret

The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.
Probably the best opening line in literature. Yeah, better than Call me Ishmael.
(Seriously Ishmael, I was just asking you for a name to write on your coffee cup!) Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Cinequest, Entertainment, Film, Geeking around, Media, Movies, Personal, Random thoughts, Review, SciFi Fantasy, Thoughts | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Pointer Points for PowerPoint (And Keynote, and Excel, and…)

Posted on April 21, 2017 by ricbret

Innovating on a number of levels, Logitech brings us Spotlight Presentation Remote, packing some previously unseen pointer tricks. But is that a good thing? Continue reading →

Posted in Audience, Design, Geeking around, PowerPoint, Presentations, Presenting, Review, Software, Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

PowerPoint Tip: Stacking Artistic Effects

Posted on January 11, 2016 by ricbret

Normally your photos can only have one Artistic Effect at a time, but with this very simple process, you can combine them to create whole new effects in your PowerPoint presentations. Continue reading →

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What does Bill Gates read?

Posted on December 7, 2015 by ricbret

I find Bill Gates fascinating because he’s always surprising me with some new way to think about something we all think we already know. Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Geeking around, Health and wellness, History, Media, PowerPoint, Presentations, Presenting, Technology, Thoughts, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Star Wars VII trailer: Storytelling & the invisible structure

Posted on September 25, 2015 by ricbret

Storytelling and structure from Presentation Zen master Garr Reynolds by way of Star Wars: The Force Awakens and a priest named Father Roderick… Continue reading →

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Pebble Time Unboxing

Posted on June 3, 2015 by ricbret

I love the unboxing experience, even when it’s simply unzipping a package and unfolding the cover… Continue reading →

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Coca-Cola Life

Posted on March 10, 2015 by ricbret

8oz of cane sugar-sweetened Coke weighing in at 60 calories.
Fine print: also contains Stevia sweetener. Oh no, not again. Continue reading →

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They Called Me Spock

Posted on February 27, 2015 by ricbret

I admired Nimoy for this, and followed his career unflinchingly through everything from Mission Impossible to Fringe. And of course I enjoyed all his characters, as well as whatever speaking engagements I was able to attend, and his writing. But it they never spoke to me like Spock. Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Film, Geeking around, History, Home and Family, Media, Movies, Personal, Random thoughts, SciFi Fantasy, Thoughts | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Design vs. Fashion vs. User

Posted on October 24, 2014 by ricbret

I found myself rereading parts of Richard Saul Wurman’s Information Anxiety this afternoon. Last week at Presentation Summit I gave a talk on the Pecha Kucha format. Pecha Kucha is a form of presentation using exactly 20 slides, with each slide advancing automatically after 20 … Continue reading →

Posted in Audience, Books, Business, Design, Entertainment, Geeking around, History, Media, Personal, Presentations, Presenting, Random thoughts, Technology, Writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Beauty of Books

Posted on October 3, 2014 by ricbret

In 1981 an Italian artist, architect, and industrial designer named Luigi Serafini worked for three years crafting an alien artifact that pushed the concepts of beauty, alienation, and book craft to new dimensions. Serafini created a tome, thick and large, embellished with impenetrable glyphs and symbols that by style and repetition of forms can be nothing but a language, but one no human has ever spoken.
Continue reading →

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Considering the Blue Pill…

Posted on September 19, 2014 by ricbret

Sure, and there’s stuff you can do with digital that you could never do with physical media. I travel with hundreds of books in my backpack. I can choose what movie I want to watch on the plane. Mix tape from 100’s of albums when and where I want? Sure, I’m future boy!

It’s all upside, right? What could be wrong? But about this time in any SyFy movie, you know the foreboding music is about to rise and everything you’ve been enjoying is about to turn on you. Continue reading →

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Wireless… Not Really.

Posted on September 6, 2014 by ricbret

Looking at the otherwise seductive Moto 360, I’m struck by the beauty of the watch and the confusion it represents. Its charger is labeled “wireless” which is mismanaged marketing of what is more correctly known as inductive charging.  Inductive charging means … Continue reading →

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Warning Wunderlist Users!

Posted on August 9, 2014 by ricbret

          UPDATE: Apparently @WunderlistHelp just tweeted the following. Wunderlist Support‏@WunderlistHelp If you’re missing lists, they are safe. Please sign out and back in again. So sorry for the trouble! I have not tried this, will check … Continue reading →

Posted in Geeking around, Personal, Technology, Thoughts, Uncategorized, Writing | 3 Comments