Samsung Galaxy S10

Almost 2 years later, I couldn't resist but to get a subscription for the tenth edition of the Samsung Galaxy brand known worldwide.

This is my 4th and perhaps final smartphone I will get in it. From S2 to S4, and from S8 to S10, these smaller generation gaps mean that specification wise, there won't be much of an improvement from a consumer point of view.

There is a new biometric way of using your finger print in order to unlock the Android OS, and although it doesn't always work, I registered two of my thumbs and also registered a PIN code just in case I lost both of my fingerprints, and/or it happened to be heavy raining.

After foolishly discovering late last year that my S8 was able to record in 4K resolution all the time, this time I was curious to compare my GoPro Hero 6 Black's wide shot imagery with the S10. It turns out that the S10 can shoot pretty wide shots, but the Hero 6 Black can do just that a bit further.

I was considering selling it, but that result, alongside the mounts being available and it's compact size makes me want to keep it for action moments. Back to the S10 though, alongside having 3 camera lenses on the back, at the front there are 2 camera lenses so that the fanatic among us can do selfies and tweak with filters even further.

By they way, I got the S10+ version, which means similar to the S8+, a better battery, and it's size is the same format. Migrating my data, my apps and my media from the two devices happened swiftly and easily, and within an hour or 2, using my new phone felt instantly familiar.

5GHz is supported for the upcoming future, it's storage can go up to 1 Terabyte, it's processing power is agile and not entirely on-topic, but I love the GPS technology. It is so vital towards navigating to new destinations, and it's crucial to use during my travels!

I did not really need this tenth edition as far as specifications go, but I couldn't resist, which makes me part of the smartphone zombie army which has been going on for years...at least I'm not buying them annually, as with smart phones I'm used towards using subcriptions instead.

And with a new pretty book case and a screen protector shielding it, as well as having bought a compatible car mount for my Spotify and navigation sessions while driving, and I am made whole again with this powerful part of mobile life.

Game of Thrones Concluded

 

 

The world recognizable TV series is finally over after about 8 years and 8 seasons, and I am utterly satisfied by it from the beginning to the end.

Traditionally, I had watched all of it with my buddy Rene, and for several years and weekend, we would discuss the direction, cliffhangers, sub plots and scenes alongside of cheering for our favorite characters.

Ambiguously, we would speculate what would happen next, and sometimes we guessed right, with me for example answering the question of where the hell Tyrion's father was during that particular dark scene; that he was s(h)itting on a toilet.

After about 2 or 3 seasons, I established that my top 3 favorite characters were Ygritte, Tyrion and Lord Varys. Ygritte for her sexy voice, Tyrion for his witty remarks and Varys for being the most rational.

Before the start of this final season, we would guess who would finally sit on the Iron Throne. My money was on Varys, and my buddy voted for Arya. We both got it wrong. In the very finale, after some very dramatic deaths full of retribution, vengeance and emotion, it turns out that Bran would rule next.

Not to mention that 2 chapters had amazing buildup, battlefields and war cries happening on epic scales in this last season, and before that, so many cruel deaths, betrayals and political mind games were happening to secure family, control and power, I lost the count.

Game of Thrones as the television series is finally over, but the stories of George R. R. Martin continue inside the novel books, and it has been said the prequels and spin-offs would also serve as extensions towards this world.

I was not disappointed, at all. Furthermore, GoT will serve as a majestic example for bringing out greatness towards the cinematic medium.

Avengers: Endgame

 

10 years of cinematic buildup and the previous Infinity War gives us the definite Avengers: Endgame arc, as the remaining heroes recover and reassemble their forces in order to undo Thanos's terrible yet balanced victory.

Clocking as the longest running Marvel movie with 3 hours, this final part of a massive project and overall storyline is a very fine conclusion that like the previous entry, marvelously manages to keep such a large cast full of super powers engrossing.

Avengers: Endgame says that the end is part of the journey, and thus, major characters will permanently die, and sacrifices will be made. Although it does not have as much action as the previous Avengers flicks, it compensates with more drama, more dialogue and more closure.

The timeline quest of snapping the Infinity Stones through a gauntlet crafted by the heroes in order to rewind the victims is an extension of what Thanos already did with the Time Stone. It offers for some interesting parallel realities to happen and gives a good excuse to see previous settings and characters  again.

As Hawkeye has a larger role and Ant-Man return, some other characters almost have no screen time, such as Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel. It doesn't really bother me considering this huge cast, but it is noticable.

Even with this entry, the traditional humor is still present, and my favorite scene is easily where it turns out that Thor has become The Big Lebowski, hanging together with his buddies from the Ragnarok arc while he gets trashed online with Fortnite.

Beyond the credits, there is no post-credits scene. It implies that the future movies will not be interconnected, or not at least as the previous 21 entries were. With Spider-Man: Far From Home being on the horizon, will Marvel Studios and their overlord Disney slow it down afterwards, or quickly continue on with filming other story arcs from the comics?

Avengers: Endgame is the end of the Infinity Saga. But it's not the end of being a (Marvel)superhero. In some form or another, the superhero movie genre is here to stay, as key movies such as The Avengers(2012)and The Dark Knight(2008) have proven already.

The future is unclear, yet bright.

Rating: 8.0

On Liberty

The Fifth of May has come and gone, and here in The Netherlands, we celebrate liberty and freedom then.

Saving us from occupation by Nazi Germany, the Allied forces did just that back in 1945, and since then, we, and other countries, have celebrated it. A major amount of countries are experiencing freedom right now, another major amount still suffers.

But what does it mean? Liberty lets you do as one pleases, although in a govern way, while it is said that freedom is a more raw form, with extreme prejudice, anarchism and such coming along the way if unchecked.

Freedom of speech, free will and similar concepts are forms of philosophy dealing with this subject. From a world perspective, the interpretation of these and also the primary terms can vary wildly, and the discussions continue.

Liberation Day, at least for us, is also broadly meaning about remembering the victims of the wars since WWII, and being glad that we are surrounded by virtues, nationally. It's an excuse to celebrate it annually, but more importantly, to remember and learn from history.

Arguably, capitalism enslaves us with materialism and consumerism for starters, harming liberty in a way,  but since that is the zeitgeist we are living in today, it's very hard to resist it. On the other hand, we wouldn't want to see other kinds of "ism's" globally acting extremely either, such as fascism,communism and anarchism.

To be liberated is to be saved from negatives. To have freedom is to move and act as you wish, if you ask me.

Devil May Cry 4 & 5

 

After a break from the series, it’s time to continue it now that the long awaited sequel has arrived.

Devil May Cry 4 introduces me to Nero, a new anti hero character who gets betrayed by the holy order who use his girlfriend for malicious means. The Special Edition comes with bonus content including being able to play as Vergil, Trish and Lady, while the graphics and framerate are improved as well.

The core gameplay is the same, sword and gun play return, as does Devil Trigger and the various style sets, and this time, you will play both Nero and Dante during the main story.

This also has about 5 frigging difficulty modes, re-using bosses a la Wily Capsules and the style scoring system is pretty much at the center of the gameplay. It’s one of the better parts so far. Devil May Cry as a series is not one of my favorites, but it’s definitely stylish, cool, metal and CRAZY!

Rating: 7.4

This long awaited sequel is everything the fans have been craving for, and that is more of the same gameplay, style, presentation and CURAAHZINESS!

Nero and Dante return as playable characters with their own movesets, while a new character named V spices things up by attacking more indirectly with his summons. The enemy design involves of course demons, and this time they offer an insect like theme.

Character models are graphically impressive, and on the RE Engine, the game runs beautifully at 60 frames per second. The heavy metal soundtrack genre is intact and continues to suit the series, and the stylish score system is also present.

It doesn't come off as a surprise to see Vergil returning, which is a fan favorite character. There are 2 plot twists revolving the plot, but I won't unfold them here. Meanwhile, Trish, Morrison and Lady act as supportive cast, while Nico is a geeky yet cute mechanical engineer with an accent to support Nero mainly.

Devil May Cry 5 is yet another healthy staple entry into not only the franchise itself, but Capcom's current momentum, and I praise them for this. I can't wait to see what they will reveal next from their magic hat!

Rating: 7.5

Prague

 

For my second city trip, I went to the capital of the current Czech Republic, Prague, with Rick.

I was unfortunately constantly coughing throughout the weekend and had a minor fever, but I still wanted to do this. Back in 2013, I briefly visited only Cesky Krumlov in the south, and now with this trip done, I can say that it's an ideal pick for sightseeing.

Close nearby and landlocked by larger and arguably more major definitive countries, the Czech Republic has seen a fair amount of experiences, and the historical Bohemian region is what drove me to visit.

I finally managed to strike off one of my scary travel locations I wanted to see; the Sedlec Ossuary based at the former mining city of Kutna Hora, where at least 40.000 parts of human bones are decorated in a uniquely fashion, while being surrounded by a grave yard.

The capital also had a fair amount of visually striking sights to see. The Old Town square with the Tyn Church, the Astronomical Clock and the lively marketplace with joyful music playing transferred me to a medieval mindset, while the Charles Bridge captured that further.

Prague Castle is considered the world's largest ancient castle complex, although aside from the St.Vitus Cathedral, I wasn't that impressed by it, as an actual form factor of a castle wasn't really present.

Nonetheless, Prague is an easy choice to explore during a weekend, and there was enough variety to see.

The Age of Information

Life is busy, busier and the busiest seen yet anno the beginning of the 21st century.

Collecting and storing information is nearly as old as mankind itself, but the reason I am calling this article's subject that way is that in my opinion, you get bombarded with all kinds of information these days.

Marketing, (fake) news, social media and the internet itself, these are just a few external factors which deliver the information. The internet and smart phone in particular are arguably the ones which occupy our lives the most when speaking of information.

Personal examples I can give are YouTube subscriptions towards mostly gamer related content, various active WhatsApp groups such as the Family and the Party Squad groups, reading up onto news on my bookmarks, and checking not only my own e-mail inbox, but that of my work too.

Speaking of which, work itself can get quite busy, almost to the point of chaotic. I have the option to work at home if I feel that necessary, or just simply when I need more time to review the information available to me and plan my next step per subject, be it a mail flow, an incident, a request, a project and so on.

Keeping up with family events and in my social network, keeping in contact with friends, those too are part of information related events happening. Keeping up to date with my hobbies is something I weekly consume too.

Doing the daily and weekly chores of grocery, housecleaning and cooking are also part of managing information. Lucky for me, I like to plan out ahead pretty much everything in life happening to me, but I also don't mind being flexible or getting adaptable towards unpredictable situations.

The Age of Information is a term I would use to reflect on society's current flows of information. Of course, everyone experiences this differently, be it in fewer or more proportions, but objectively, life is very busy.