Parting Shot: Moving to Digital Media Geek

Hello All! Yes you haven’t heard from me at all for the past five months. But there is a good reason.  I’ve been working on a new blog/website that will launch later  today. It’s called Digital Media Geek.

Digital  Media Geek is more reflective of where I am in my career. (I recently returned to broadcast television to “feed the website beast” for the education department’s site). It also reflects what I’m more passionate about blogging about: the media, movies and the gadgets to make them!

So on Digital Media Geek –  catch my new movie reviews. (Posting a review of “Thor” shortly.) Then during the week read about my take on the media industry’s continuing digital growing pains and trends. And read about gadgets and tools to create digital media.

As for The Sexy Geek Files – I’m closing shop.  Thank you for supporting The Sexy Geek Files for the past year and a half that I’ve blogged it. I’ve enjoyed using this forum to hold exchanges about what’s cool and sexy in the Geek universe with you. As a result, I’ve met some generous and amazing people.

Like Tom Baker from Morning Erection who includes me as a guest blogger this month. Check out my post on comic book movies you need to see based on the trailer.       

Like the ladies at BlogHer 2010 – Jes Ferris and Elisa Camahort Page who invited me to present at the convention last year.

Like Kristen Kuhns who co-presented with me at BlogHer 2010 on “You’re Online Legacy: How to Control Your Digital Footprint.”

Like the “Justices” from Blogalicious – Justices Fergie, Ny and Jonesie

Like my BlogHer 2010 roommates Karen Malone Wright, Amethyst Moon and Stephanie Mitchum. (Thanks Karen for extending the invitation to guest post on Communications Goddess.)

Like my Blogalicious roommate Boni Candelario.

Like the Blog Rollers for inspiring me to blog in the first place

And My Urban Reporter Amani Channel for additional inspiration and support.

Digital Media Geek – check it out!

4 Tech Trends and Celebrities at the Consumer Electronics Show 2011

Tomorrow I’m CES bound  – that’s the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas – to gawk at, touch  and discover what gleaming gadgets, software and apps are forthcoming. And I’ll also likely run into  50 Cent or actress Olivia Wilde as they are among several celebrities who are converging down there too.

In a nutshell, here are 4 tech trends coming out of CES so far and a short list of celebs who plan to rub elbows with us cool nerds:

1.)   Smart TVs: These are television sets that combine traditional television watching with the web and apps. Google TV, Apple TV and newbie Roku are the big players so far. Word on the street is that Windows TV will be unveiled at the show. Not to be confused with -

2.)   Internet Connected TVs: Internet Connected TVs also web surf easily and are really designed to stream online videos like those on YouTube and Netflix.  The NPD Group reports most Internet Connected TV owners are streaming Netflix. So expect Netflix packaged remotes to begin cropping up – another headline from CES.

3.)   More Tablets: More than 80 tablets are estimated to have coming out parties at the show – most notably the Google Android Tablet followed by HP’s tablet.

4.)   Apps All Around: Apps will be everywhere on everything – cameras, appliances, tvs, printers, cars phones and yeah refrigerators too.

5.)   Celebrities at CES: CNN’s Piers Morgan & Larry King, Rap star 50 Cent, Arianna Huffington, members of  R&B group Full Force, “Entourage” star Adrian Grenier, “House” and “Tron: Legacy” star Olivia Wilde, NBA Champ Rick Fox – this is definitely the short list.

Here are some links to keep up with the show:

http://www.cesweb.org/socialcircle/

http://revision3.com/ces2011

You might also like Tech Savvy Mama’s Tech predictions for 2011

Tech Savvy Mamma – Predicting the Blogging and Tech Trends of 2011

Must Have Video Game Christmas Gifts for Wii Giveaway Winner Announced

Image courtesy Sesame Street Video Games.

Congratulations to Traci Jones Sumter of Myrtle Beach! She won the Elmo’s A to Zoo Adventures video game. Thanks for tweeting, commenting and reading the blog, Traci!

And thank you everyone for supporting and reading this blog too. Happy Holidays.

Must Have Video Game Christmas Gifts for the Wii

Last year I “got into” fitness videogames after I got a Wii fit balance board for Christmas. The hardcore two months I spent using the Wii fit thereafter was a lot of fun.

I’m no major gamer but I appreciate the fact that the holiday gift giving and getting season provides the perfect shot to acquire new games for my Wii. In doing some research for my personal Christmas list, I found several that I’d like to recommend as must haves.

Video Game Giveaway Contest:
One of the games on my must have list is up for grabs in a new contest. Read on to find out which one and how to enter the contest to win it.

Here are a few Wii Games to Get and Give:

1.) Epic Mickey - I like how in this game you stumble through a Wasteland populated by Disney’s forgotten characters as Mickey Mouse. Paint and paint thinner are the weapons you use to reinvent your world. Plus it’s a darker, edgier game compared to the fluffy Disney movies. (Note this is not for very young gamers.)

2.) Michael Jackson: The Experience - This game uses the same functionality of the Just Dance games to allow you to step into the shoes of the King of Pop. One of the best parts of this game is the music of course. Most of the vintage Jackson dance songs are here.

A "scene" from Elmo's A to Zoo Adventure Videogame which helps young children learn how to read and spell.

3.) Elmo’s A to Zoo Adventure - If you want to get your little one to read and spell, this is one of the fun ways to do it. It teaches spelling by taking kids through an imaginary zoo. Kids are prompted to identify letters to spell different animals. The directions are very easy for kids to follow. The videogame comes with a Wii remote cover shaped like Elmo to keep kids from pressing the wrong buttons.

4.) Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II - As a dedicated Star Wars Fan, this is just what the Jedi ordered. This game is a sequel and continues the adventures of Starkiller, Darth Vader’s apprentice. It’s all about the combat here. You can wield dual lightsabers and use Jedi Mind Tricks to get your opponents to fight on your side or take their own lives.

Video Game Giveaway Contest Rules: Win Elmo’s A to Zoo Adventure game as a gift. Here’s how: Comment here and tweet to @thesexygeek what your favorite old school video game is. (Mine is Tetris and ultimately still is!) Use the hash tag #musthavegames in your tweet. The winner will be chosen at random and will be announced on Thursday December 16,  Friday, December 17 2010 – deadline has been extended!

Full Disclosure: A videogame was provided to me to offer as a giveaway.

How to Vote Bristol Palin Off Dancing with the Stars

Brandy being ouster from “Dancing with the Stars” that left Bristol Palin in the finally three is basically a blip in this country’s lengthy list of major problems. (Ok it’s really not a problem.)

But it apparently set off three major reactions:
1.) Many angry people decided to boycott the show and started boycotting campaigns

2.) One man from Wisconsin shot his television in rage.

3.) Many people decided to band together on Facebook to start an Operation Vote Off Bristol campaign  by using the same tactics the Tea Party Hill Buzz guy promoted on his blog that is keeping her on.

(There is also a Bring Brandy Back campaign but I digress. )

Anyhoo- I’m in Camp #3 – Team Vote Off Bristol. In all fairness she definitely isn’t that great and hasn’t improved that much. (Somewhere Kelly Osborne who DID improve significantly is cursing profusely!)

And honestly either the Disney Channel’s Kyle Massey or Dirty Dancing’s Jennifer Grey – the bigger stars deserve to win.

So in a nutshell here are those tips on how to vote Bristol off.

1.) Set up fake email addresses to vote online and do so at http://abc.go.com/ after the show is over.

2.) Vote via phone and text as soon as the show starts:

Jennifer Grey – 800-VOTE4-11 or Text: 3411
Kyle Massey – 800-VOTE4-03 or Text: 3403

3.) Join the Operation Vote Off Bristol Facebook page for further updates and to chat and stuff.

Holiday Gift Giving and Getting with the Gap and McDonald’s

Buy the Gap this weekend and you'll get a 30% discount off of your purchase, plus 5% of the sale will go to Teach for America.

Halloween was over just barely a couple of weeks ago and we’ve already skipped ahead to the holiday shopping season – particularly online. The Black Friday Web 2010 site with deals from almost every store from Ace Hardware to Tommy Hilfiger went up November 1st. Walmart is coaxing shoppers by offering free shipping to online buyers.

My friends at the Gap are sharing a way to give and get these early shopping days thereby indulging the shopping “id” and giving back at the same time.

Gap Give and Get Program – Now through November 14th.

If you hop online to the Gap or their family of stores – Old Navy, Banana Republic, Piperlime and Athleta -  and use this online promo code: MPJT371RYZRT -  not only will you get 30% off what you buy, but %5 off your purchase goes to Teach for America – that organization that is training the next generation of Teachers.

You can get the same discount if you go into the store. Just use this coupon: www.gapinc.com/giveandget/teachforamerica

McDonald’s Give a Photo Sweepstakes:

McDonald’s doesn’t require that you buy anything in order to give back . A picture of your hand is sufficient. Starting now through November 20th – just take a picture of your hand with a message written across it that shows support for the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Upload your photo to the sweepstakes site. One entrant will be randomly chosen each day and gets $500.00 dollars. Five hundred dollars will also be donated to the Ronald McDonald House charities on that entrant’s behalf.

Get to shopping and picture taking!

Announcing the Blogalicious Geek Lounge Schedule

The Blogalicious Weekend Geek Lounge schedule is all set. The lounge will be open on Friday and Saturday and I’m excited about the tech superstars  who are volunteering to help out.

The lounge works as follows: Where indicated, staffers will be available to answer questions and help troubleshoot. These are the “Ask a Geek/General Help” hours of the schedule. Also we indicate in the schedule where presenters or experts in particular areas will give mini geek workshops on “how tos”.

One of our Geek Loungers is Michele McGraw of scrapsofmygeeklife.com who has a show on MomTV. (She is also conducting the Saturday 2:30 p.m. session Social Media Tools to Build Your Tribe.)   She’ll be broadcasting from the Geek Lounge during her sessions. Good times!

Without further adieu – here is the Geek Lounge schedule:

Friday – 10/8/10

9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. General walk in hours Ask a Geek questions – Kris Cain, Little Tech Girl , Rosemary Jean-Louis, The Sexy Geek

1:15 p..m. – 3:15 p.m – Pimp your Blog with Plugins – session with - Jessica Benton, That Tech Chick

3:15 p.m -4: 15 p.m .- Hands on with Awesomely Luvvie – (Follow up to Blogging 101 )

Saturday – 10/9/10

9:15 a.m – 10:15 a.m .- General walk in hours Ask a Geek questions – LaShanda Henry, Sistasense

1 p.m.- 2 p.m. – General walk in hours/Ask a Geek questions – LaShanda Henry, Sistasense, Rosemary Jean-Louis, The Sexy Geek

1 p.m. – 2 p.m. – MomTV webcast from the Geek Lounge with Michele McGraw, Scraps of my Geek Life

2 p.m.-3 p.m – General walk in hours/Ask a Geek questions – Amber McKinnon, Brown Bombshell Beauty

3 p.m – 4 p.m. – Special tutorial of choice session with Adria Richards, Fresh Workshops

4 p.m. – 5 p.m -  Hands on with Michele McGraw, Scraps of my Geek Life