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Free Olympic Events in Vancouver
Presenting to all the SFU Students and money savers around the lower mainland, a list of free concerts from February 12th to 28th 2010. Part of the Cultural Olympiad. ALL showtimes are PM. Courtesy of the Facebook group FREE Olympic Shows.
The one I’m most looking forward to is Deadmau5 on the 19th in Yaletown. It’s gonna be bumpin!! Hit the jump for the rest of the free shows!
Apple’s iPad is Official
I’m not sure I really like the name, but I really like the device. There weren’t many surprises, since the rumored “iTablet” has gotten lots of speculation over the past few months but I am stoked that it’s finally official. It’s basically a full-blown version of the iPhone that does everything a laptop or netbook would do but in a very stylish and intuitive way.
Alongside all of the typical media features like Photos, HD Video, and Music, it also has a digital “bookshelf” allowing you to store and read books…and *ahem* textbooks. The addition of iBooks is significant, because no other electronic device has the ability to display full color, multimedia pages in a seamless format like the iPad. Remember that video clip that your professor showed in your last lecture? Imagine if it was embedded in your textbook page like a YouTube video. The possibilities are endless, and I think the iPad is on the right track to revolutionizing this industry. As the production and distribution costs of electronic textbooks approaches “zero,” it should drastically bring textbook prices down while maintaining the same profit margins for the textbook companies. (fingers crossed)
Another great feature of the iPad that no one really expected is the addition of a whole new productivity suite called iWork. This is going to allow people to use their iPad for work as well as entertainment. This means you’ll be able to create papers, spreadsheets, presentations right on there. Another nifty part of iWork is the paint program, which allows you to finger paint, sketch, and draw right on the screen using the best multi-touch technology in the industry (am i turning into a fanboy?).
In summary, if you like your iPhone you will probably love the iPad. It takes the iPhone OS platform as far as it could possibly go (other than video calling) and I’m really excited to get my hands on one in a few months. If anyone wants to watch the full keynote, check out the link below.
Resources:
Hardware specs and High Res pics: http://mac.appstorm.net/general/app-news/an-in-depth-look-at-the-apple-ipad/
Mashable’s Summary: http://mashable.com/apple-tablet/
The full Apple keynote in HD: http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/1001q3f8hhr/event/index.html
The Winter Olympics in Vancouver
The 2010 Winter Olympics are right around the corner, so I thought it would be a good time to reflect on what the games are really about. When I first heard that the games were going to be in Vancouver, it seemed like 2010 was really far away. Since then, the 2010 Games have catalyzed a lot of change in BC, but they’ve also created a lot of controversy. When I was a kid I remember growing up and being captivated by everything from curling and figure skating to the more exciting sports like hockey and….hockey. Me and my family would sit around and catch as much of the action as we could, and you couldn’t help but feel a sense of “connectedness” each time a Canadian athlete would claim victory. Back then it wasn’t about business or politics…it was all about sports and bringing people together.
I think winter sports are an important part of who we are as Canadians, because most of the country gets blanketed in snow every winter. Instead of basketball and running, our attention naturally goes towards more winter-oriented things like snowboarding and ice hockey. These things are essentially a part of Canadian identity and what make the Winter Games so special. Sports are the ultimate catalyst for breaking social and cultural barriers and I appreciate the role they play in our multicultural world. That’s why I’m so glad that we have an old tradition like the Winter Olympics right in our own backyard. Of course theirs a lot of business interests involved and politics going on behind the scenes but at the end of the day it’s the pursuit of excellence by each and every athlete that really matters…everything else is just noise.
These are some of the reasons that I think of the Olympics as a unique event and a tremendous source of inspiration. The fact that the 2010 Olympics are in Vancouver is even more exciting, because it gives everyone a chance to participate in the excitement first hand! So cheers to all the snowboarders, skiiers, ice hockey players, figure skaters, curlers and everyone else who is looking forward to February for the games to begin. Forget the noise, have fun and make sure you get the most out of the Olympic experience. Something like this only happens once in a lifetime, and will be a defining moment Vancouver’s history.
Watching the Games:
If you guys wanna watch the olympic action and don’t have access to the live events (like me) then I think the best bet is to get an Olympic Pass from Cineplex. For $30 you get full access for all 17 days that the games are on, and you get to watch them on a big huge movie theater screen in HD. It’s a pretty fun way to enjoy the games and it’s a good environment, so check out the links for more info:
“Coming this February, Canadians will experience the Olympic Winter Games like never before – on fifty foot screens, all in HD and in crystal clear 5.1 surround sound audio. From the spectacular Opening Ceremony to cheering on your local athlete to the excitement of the gold medal hockey game, imagine the thrill of watching every moment of Vancouver 2010 with family and friends at the CTV Olympic Games Broadcast at Cineplex!”
Resources:
More info: http://www.cineplex.com/Promos/CTVOl…ndTickets.aspx
Olympic Schedule: http://www.ctvolympics.ca/2010-schedule/index.html
