Ever since I witnessed the launch of the new Apple TV for $99, I’ve been planning on getting one. Then I started hearing a lot of hype and buzz about Roku. Have you heard of Roku? I first heard about them thanks to Twitter. I then saw it compared to the Apple TV on a TV show.
If you want more info, read THIS article that share’s one guy’s opinion on why you should buy the Roku instead of the new Apple TV and read THIS article that gives a good comparison of the two products.
I’ve mentioned before that I think there are a number of uses for products like these at churches. I know my church has an Apple TV and uses it often. I also remember Terry Storch of LifeChurch.tv saying that it was an essential piece of gear that all churches should possess.
What about you? Any of you have the new Apple TV? Any of you have the Roku? Have you compared the two? What’s your verdict? Or are you waiting for something else (like Google TV or the new Sony product)? What are your thoughts?
This made a splash on Twitter on Wednesday. I’m just now getting to blog about it. I think this has great potential to be a game-changer and will be keeping my eye on the development of this technology.
Check out what FastCompany had to say about this new product:
Ever see something you wish you had on film? Say, a miraculous home-run in the ninth, or your baby’s first steps? A new wearable camcorder called Looxcie (look-see) aims to capture all these shooting-star moments.
Looxcie ($199) is a Bluetooth headset that features video recording–but no record button. Rather, the device is designed to constantly capture video, which can either be viewed live on one’s smartphone, or saved to memory if a YouTube-worthy event occurs. Like any Bluetooth headset, Looxcie fits snugly around one’s ear (it’s a bit heavy), and can make and receive calls. But since the device is constantly on and recording to a temporary storage buffer, one must only hit the “Instant Clip” button, and the last 30-seconds of footage is automatically saved to your Android, and soon BlackBerry and iPhone. What you see is what you record.
“How can I capture things and be fully present in the moment?” says Bob Kron, Looxcie’s VP of marketing. “Everybody gets the splash, but nobody gets the whale–you’re always just a little bit too late. With Looxcie, you capture the moment as it happens.”
To store and record constantly, Looxcie comes with 4GB of flash memory and has a 4-hour battery life when continuously recording video. (Battery life is much longer when the camcorder is turned off.)
What’s more, using the Looxcie app, video clips can be instantly shared via email, Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter. It’s the camcorder for the social media age–a device that captures tweet-size video which can immediately be uploaded online. And in case the last 30 seconds wasn’t enough, users can always grab up to the last hour of footage through using the Looxcie app.
Though many smartphones have video recording, they’re often sitting in your pocket. It is Looxcie’s TiVo-esque playback feature that won’t let you miss a moment (think: Sully landing the plane on Hudson).
Of course, there’s always the issue of style. Capturing video of your baby’s first steps with Looxcie means you’re probably wearing a Bluetooth headset during your baby’s first steps. It means you’re probably the kind of person who wears a Bluetooth headset around-the-clock. But if you’re comfortable or shameless enough to wear one in public, why not add a camcorder? Who knows what you might see.
Check out the video quality below:
*** What are your thoughts? I can see bank tellers wearing these. I can see police officers wearing these. What uses can you see for this? Do you see a way that this could be used at church? Share.
Last night my wife and I watched the movie “Chariots of Fire“. Those of you that know me know I’m a movie guy, but I had never seen this classic Academy Award winning movie (it won 4 Academy Awards, including Best Picture). I really enjoyed the movie and was moved by Eric Liddell’s convictions and great witness as a Christian. He was a great athlete, but very humble and a true sportsman.
The scene that moved me the most was his refusal to run on a Sunday (at the Olympics- mind you) due to his conviction and sacred observance of the Sabbath. Now please know that I’m a HUGE believer in grace and a New Testament view of living. I absolutely hate legalism and run from it (I also know that there are many strong Christian football players that play on Sunday and strong Christian coaches that coach on Sunday and I’m okay with that), however, learning of Liddel’s taking a stand and passing up an opportunity to compete in the Olympics due to his desire to honor God was very refreshing.
If you haven’t seen the movie, I encourage you to watch it. If you have, you know that an American runner named Jackson Scholz handed Eric Liddell a note before he raced that said that since he had honored God, God would honor him. I believe that is the principle and take away for us today – that if we honor God and our convictions and commitments to Him, He will honor us.
I also think the principle of the Sabbath – observing a day of rest is desperately needed in our lives today. Far too many pastors and Church leaders struggle with burnout and depression and are in desperate need of rest. Rest from work. Rest from social media and the web. Rest from ambition and drive (I’m talking to myself). Just plain REST.
My encouragement to you, dear friends, is to be sure to honor God and observe a day of rest. Your heart, health, wife, family and ministry will thank you for it.
As you know, God speaks to me through movies (and music). I love movies, especially when there are spiritual themes running all through them. Personally, I think all Church leaders should see Denzel Washington’s new movie The Book of Eli.
I don’t want to spoil anything for you if you haven’t seen it or tell too much. I’ll simply say that I’m going to see it again – because it’s a movie you have to see twice. I’ll also say it struck a chord deep within me and that chord is that the Word of God is precious. Absolutely precious. There is no other book like it. Devour it!
I stand corrected… I love Invictus and think it is an outstanding story and movie, but after recently seeing Avatar, I think it will win Best Picture and James Cameron will beat out Clint Eastwood for Best Director.
Creative teams: listen to me. Go see this with your team and be inspired. The world that James Cameron creates is simply breathtaking. See it in 3D.
This weekend I saw Clint Eastwood’s new movie Invitus (twice). “Invictus tells the inspiring true story of how Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) joined forces with the captain of South Africa’s rugby team (Matt Damon) to help unite their country. Newly elected President Mandela knows his nation remains racially and economically divided in the wake of apartheid. Believing he can bring his people together through the universal language of sport, Mandela rallies South Africa’s underdog rugby team as they make an unlikely run to the 1995 World Cup Championship match.”
I blog about movies that move and inspire me. I’m a movie-guy and God speaks to me through movies. I saw Crash and instantly knew it would win an Academy Award. I saw Slumdog Millionaire and instantly knew it would win an Academy Award and blogged about it on here.
Earlier this year, I blogged about Jamie Foxx and his performance in The Soloist. I think it’s an amazing movie, so I’m currently torn. I think Clint Eastwood should win Best Director for Invictus. I think Morgan Freeman will be fighting hard against Jamie Foxx for Best Actor and it will come down to these 2 movies for Best Picture. Matt Damon also ought to be up for an Oscar.
You heard it here first. Now go see the movie. It’s a powerful story of forgiveness and reconciliation.
4 years in the making // over 3 years of filming // over 2000 individual tapes // over 150,000 minutes of footage // over 25,600 gigabytes of memory space // edited over 550days //
NOW here we are, ONLY LESS THAN ONE WEEK OUT from THE PREMIERE of ‘The I-HEART Revolution’ Film Documentary: ‘WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER’!!
The date is set // The invitations are sent // The theatres are filling fast (don’t miss out, get your tickets here… [USA Tickets] [CANADA Tickets])
Never before seen or heard //
Hillsong United are streaming new songs of worship LIVE from Sydney, Australia, and directly to your theatre //
What has been a huge journey already, is only really beginning – because now, it’s up to US – & we’re all in this together!
Last Friday, with some friends in Oklahoma City, I saw The Soloist (with Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx). Going into the movie, I knew I would love it because I’m a musician and it seemed the movie was about a man’s love of music (which is a big part of it).
What I left blown away by was the spotlight it shined on the areas/issues of homelessness and mental illness. These are true realities that we all come across and many are working to minister to people in these situations. I loved the brilliance of the movie. It was beautiful and brilliant in its messiness.
They showed places in LA that I have actually been to and walked – rough, scary, real places. They involved the homeless in the movie and told their story. I thank God that someone is now putting the rawness of poverty on the big screen (like I raved about Slumdog Millionaire) and am now thankful for The Soloist.
I encourage you to go see the movie and get a healthy dose of reality. Homelessness is real. Mental illness is real. How music can encourage, bring hope, bond and transcend is a gift from God and a beautiful part of this true story. Have you seen it? What did you think?
I hate to say “I told you so”, but I did. I knew the moment I saw “Slumdog Millionaire” for the first time that it would win an Academy Award. It won 8 last night, including Best Director and Best Picture. It is truly an amazing piece of art and a wonderful film. If you weren’t convinced to go see it by my first post on it, I strongly encourage you to go see it now.
What were your thoughts on The Oscars? Who did you think got what they deserved? Who didn’t?
I’ve been in touch over the last few months with Andrew Morgan. Andrew leads a non-profit organization based out of Atlanta called Broken Voices. This is an introduction to their work:
Does my life matter? What is my purpose? Is it really possible that my life was meant for something bigger? – Something Greater?
Six friends travel the United States in search of answers to these questions. Living on the road for a month in a borrowed (and crowded) RV, they encounter seven stories of normal people doing extraordinary things with their lives.
This week Broken Voices releases there first full length documentary film entitled “Anthem”. To pick up your copy today click here.
Now go see the movie. It’s a powerful story of forgiveness and reconciliation.
