Raymond Padilla

Vaping Diaries #82: Janty RY4 Review (DK, Classic, Elixir)

RY4 is arguably the most copied e-liquid in vaping. It was invented by Janty back in 2007 (more details here) and the vast majority of e-liquid companies in the world have served up their own version. For this installment of the Vaping Diaries, I checked out three RY4s from the company that started it all — Janty’s DK RY4, Classic RY4, and Elixir RY4.

When newer vapers hear RY4, they think of sweet e-liquids that highlight caramel and vanilla flavors. Those are modern RY4s. Classic RY4s, like these three, are generally bright, balanced, and slightly to moderately sweet. They use a relatively neutral tobacco flavor that’s complemented by caramel and vanilla flavors. The result is something quite unique. Some classic RY4s have an element that many RY4 aficionados call “sour.” I’m not certain that’s the best word for it, but I can’t think of a better one, so let’s just go with that. You can definitely tell that these three e-liquids have the same roots, but they diverge in different manners. While two of these juices have relatively old formulas, to me they’re still among the best RY4s you can buy. While the other is very good, I don’t think it’s quite in the same league as its sister products.

Here are the flavor breakdowns and steeping notes.

DK RY4: This juice is the closest to the original formula and to me it’s still the best synthetic RY4 out there. The balance is perfect; the tobacco, sweet, and sour notes come together seamlessly and no one flavor dominates. Out of these three juices, it had the most “sour” flavor, which can taste strange to those that have only vaped modern RY4s. I’m sure that most newcomers will get over it and enjoy this incredible juice. After trying a few dozen RY4s, this is still my gold standard — the one I compare all other RY4s to.

Classic RY4: Vapers that enjoy the taste of synthetic tobacco might prefer this juice over DK RY4. Their profiles are very similar, but the tobacco flavor in Classic is more pronounced and distinct. It doesn’t dominate the juice by any means, but its flavor is definitely easier to detect. For tobacco e-liquids, I greatly prefer naturally extracted tobacco (NET) over synthetic tobacco, so this juice’s leanings didn’t do much for me. It’s definitely a top-quality RY4 and I’ve playfully bickered with vaper friends over which Janty RY4 is the best. My pal ECF Jerms, for example, thinks it’s this juice and I totally understand why he thinks so.

Elixir RY4: Elixir is the sweetest of the three, with an emphasis on the caramel (to my tastebuds, anyway). You can tell it’s related to the other two juices, but I didn’t enjoy as much as the others. While this juice has its fans, I don’t think it’s in the same league as its sister products. It’s definitely very good — certainly as good or better than many RY4s you can buy. It reminded me of a celebrity’s less-famous sibling. I don’t want to say it’s Frank Stallone or Ozzie Canseco…. Perhaps Elizabeth Olsen is the right celebrity analogy. DK and Classic are the Mary Kate and Ashley, while Elixir is the Elizabeth. That’s fair, right?

Steeping Notes
On the advice of Wlad from Ahlusion, I’ve been trying a new steeping method starting December 27, 2012. When the e-liquids arrive, I leave them uncapped for five minutes. Previously, I left them uncapped for about two days. After the liquids are given a few minutes to oxidize, the caps are put back on. The bottles are shaken every day for at least two weeks before vaping.

DK RY4
House PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Uncapped: April 24, 2013 7:12PM
Vaped: May 14-June 15, 2013

Classic RY4
House PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Uncapped: April 24, 2013 7:12PM
Vaped: May 14-June 15, 2013

Elixir RY4 VG
House PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Uncapped: April 24, 2013 7:12PM
Vaped: May 14-June 15, 2013

Review Process (Updated February 17, 2013)
RPad.TV e-liquid reviews focus on the flavor of the e-liquids, since throat hit and vapor production can be altered by the PG/VG ratio and nicotine level selected. Each juice is vaped over a period of days in an atomizer, a cartomizer/tank setup, and a clearomizer. The exception is naturally-extracted tobacco (NET) juice; since those are known to clog up cartomizers quickly, those are vaped in atomizers and clearomizers.

Random Thoughts on The Newsroom Season 2, Episode 3

After a first episode with heavy setup and a second episode with a lot of setup, season two of The Newsroom appears to be hitting its stride in the third episode. Most of the characters played to their strengths and turned up the volume. The lone exception was Don, who is disturbingly and frustratingly stuck in “Nice Guy Don” mode. Here are some assorted thoughts on episode three.

Ballers: Several characters got their balls back this week (metaphorically speaking). After two episodes of being an insufferable woe-is-me whiner, Jim fights back on the Romney campaign and even manages to charm Meryl Streep’s daughter. Slumdog Millionaire gets frustrated that his Occupy Wall Street coverage keeps getting shot down and uncharacteristically barks back at MacKenzie. Sloan, played by our not-the-least-bit beloved Olivia Munn, slices up her executive producer in a way that would be sexy if the character wasn’t being played by one of the worst people on Earth. There was a lot of fire in this week’s episode and it was quite enjoyable.

J.A.W.: Will McAvoy was at his best this episode — Jumbled Amazing Will (J.A.W.) — which is to say that he was all over the place. He gleefully tore apart the republican candidates for not sticking up for a gay soldier, irrationally terrorized the newsroom over a press leak, angrily laid into Mac over their turbulent relationship, charmingly asked Nina Howard (played by the awesome Hope Davis) to kill a story, and softly denied that he was still in love with Mac. To top it all off, the episode ended with him getting laid. He showed a wide range of emotions and got a lot done. This is why he’s the show’s hero.

Charlie Returns…Almost: Although the head of ACN’s news division had some funny lines in the first two episodes of the season, they lacked the bite and impact of his best lines from first season. Charlie had better moments in episode three. While they didn’t quite pack the punch of his best zingers, they were a step in the right direction. Hopefully this trend continues.

Don’s Regression: I’m still trying to figure out what the hell happened to Don Keefer. He used to be the Han Solo of ACN’s news division. This week he was Jar Jar Binks. He unsuccessfully put tire-like wheels on his chair, leading to a bit with physical comedy. His chair is way to low and causes him to fall if he leans back. Where is the roguishly dickish Don that ruled the show in season one?!? That guy ruled. Now we have this sensitive fellow that keeps falling out his chair. *sigh*

Maggie is a Mess: Things are coming to a head for Maggie. Don dumped her, Jim’s treating her “like a sister,” and her best friend (that she has to live with for financial reasons) isn’t speaking to her. To prepare for her trip to Uganda, she started taking meds that have lots of side effects — irrational fear, suicidal thoughts, homicidal thoughts, itchiness, etc. Never mind that these side effects aren’t supposed to show up for another week. Maggie is an emotional mess now and is using the meds as an excuse to act out. It’s very cute (though not cute enough to help you figure out why Jim fell for Maggie over Lisa).

The Salami Story: The investigation of Operation Genoa (the sail, not the salami) is ramping up. Mac and ~~Brian Fantana~~ Jerry Dantana met with a soldier that was allegedly part of the black-ops mission that involved chemical warfare. Jerry has the staff combing through Twitter to find a second source for the story. They’re using translated tweets from a random source? No wonder the crew gets in legal trouble over this coverage.

Random Thoughts on The Wolverine

After the terribly uneven X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Marvel’s most famous mutant needed a kick to the X-gene. For the most part, he gets that in The Wolverine. Based (very) loosely on Chris Claremont’s highly regarded 1982 Wolverine miniseries, this movie focuses on Logan’s activities in Japan — one of the most fascinating aspects of the character. The action is fantastic and the good guys turn in solid performance, but the movie is limited by its villains. Read on for some random thoughts on The Wolverine.

Huge Jackman: Hugh Jackman is back and he’s bigger than ever. Seriously. Dude is frickin’ ripped. At this point, it’s difficult to imagine anyone else playing Wolverine. Yes, a chunk of the portrayal involves large periods of brow furrowing and screaming (“Grrrrrrr!!!” “Arrrrghhh!!!” “Raawwwrrr!!!”), but for many people Jackman is Wolverine. He’s very good at playing this character and it’s fun watching him be “the best at what he does.” That said, I dream about Jackman mashing up his X-Men and Oklahoma experiences. Watching Wolverine sing “The Surrey With the Fringe on Top” would be awesome.

Amazing Action: Some of the fight scenes in the movie are just brilliant. The action sequence on top of a bullet train will take your breath away. The post-funeral chasing and fighting early in the movie is fantastic. Wolverine and company vs. ninjas is always a good time. The movie is at its best when Logan is slicing and dicing nameless minions. It’s awesome adamantium-laced fun.

Impressive Newcomers: Relatively inexperienced actors Tao Okamoto (Mariko Yashida) and Rila Fukushima (Yukio) are quite charming in the movie. It’s nice to see movie damsels that are more than distressed beauties. Both women play characters that are capable and powerful. It would have been nice if Fukushima had the opportunity to crank Yukio up to 11 (the script’s fault, not hers). Her version of Yukio is quirky and eccentric. To me, Yukio is reckless to the point where you question her sanity. Fukushima could have rocked a borderline insane Yukio, but did well with the cute, quirky, and fierce version.

Famke Flashbacks: The movie had several dream sequences featuring Jean Grey. They were mostly unnecessary, but I’m all for scenes with Famke Janssen in lingerie. She’s the tall Dutch cougar of my dreams.

Japanese People in Japan: 20 years ago, this movie would have been full of caucasian actors. I love that we’re at the point where a Hollywood movie set in Japan has a cast full of Japanese people.

Unnecessary Roughness: The movie has a lot of needless gymnastics — dynamic moves that are made for the sake of looking cool. There was this one moment that was so bad that it pulled me out of the movie and made me laugh. A ninja performed a midair cartwheel that took him from one side of a doorway to the other. After landing, he closed the door. WTF?!? He could have accomplished the same thing and expended less energy by, you know, walking.

Viper Sucks: My biggest problem with the movie was Viper. As a comic-book nerd, I hated the changes made to this character. Why give her mutant powers? Why is she peeling off her skin for no reason? Why does she have a mid-fight monologue that explains her capabilities? The bigger and more universal problem was that the actress was horrible. Svetlana Khodchenkova’s acting was so terrible that it was distracting. She made Olivia Munn look like Meryl Streep. Many of her scenes pulled me out of the movie and left me thinking, “Wow. You suck.”

On a completely immature note, I was also distracted by her beauty mark. I was hoping for a scene where Wolverine went all Austin Powers on her, poked her beauty mark with one of his claws, and shouted, “Moley moley moley moley!” That would have made Khodchenkova’s crappy acting worth enduring.

Anticlimax: So Viper sucked and ~~secret character~~ was kind of a dull villain. Both of them would have worked better as supporting villains. Instead, ~~secret villain man~~ bastardizes the Silver Samurai character and constructs a giant adamantium suit of samurai armor. It’s like he watched Thor, was inspired by the Destroyer, and thought, “Hey, I have this huge stockpile of adamantium. That Destroyer thing was cool. Know what else would be cool?” Since the villains weren’t very good, the movie’s climax wasn’t all the climactic. It’s hard to get excited about the big face-off against the baddies when the baddies are tepid.

Verdict: The Wolverine was lots of fun for the first 3/4 of the movie. The action scenes against nameless ninja minions were highly entertaining, Jackman is great at playing this character, and the leading ladies were fun (and beautiful). Unfortunately, the movie flattens out at the end because the villains were kind of lame. As a comic-book nerd, I firmly believe that the movie would have been better if it followed the original Claremont plot more closely. Most of the things that went wrong were a result of stupid script adaptations. I definitely enjoyed The Wolverine, but not nearly as much as Star Trek: Into Darkness, Iron Man 3, and Pacific Rim.

If you caught the movie, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it. Kindly share your healing-factor enhanced feelings on The Wolverine in the comments section.

Vaping Diaries #81: Innokin iTaste 134 Review

Innokin has been pumping out quality devices that combine great performance and great prices. The iTaste MVP, iTaste SVD, and iTaste VV 3.0 are among the best in their respective categories. The iTaste 134 adds something really different and unique to Innokin’s lineup. Unlike its sister products, it doesn’t attempt to offer an affordable device with all the modern features you’d expect. The iTaste 134 offers a distinct style that makes it stand out from the crowd. Its “cool” design comes at the price of some features and performance. Read on to see if this unique vaping device is right for you.

What’s in the Kit: The iTaste 134 comes in a decorative box that includes the device and one iClear 30 clearomizer. The review sample I received was black with silver bars. An all-silver version is also available. The device has an MSRP of $169, so expect a street price a little bit lower than that.

Ergonomics and Design: The most outstanding — and divisive — feature of the iTaste 134 is its design. It’s definitely distinct and noticeable. People either love or hate it. I brought it to four different vape shops in two weeks and people with geeky tendencies loved it; they either enjoyed that it looks like an M134 machine gun or were giddy because it looks like a lightsaber. The people that hated it thought the design was too extreme, saying that it sacrificed functionality for coolness. No matter the case, the iTaste 134 received more attention than any device I’ve ever brought to a vape shop. You won’t need to see it in person to decide if you like the device’s looks (in my experience, many mods look better in person than they do photographed). What you see is what you get with this mod.

As for ergonomics, it really depends on the user. If you like heavy mods then there’s a good chance you’ll like the feel of this one. If thin-and-light mods are your thing then you definitely won’t enjoy using this device — it’s very big and very heavy. As someone that prefers hefty mods, I found the iTaste 134 enjoyable to use. Going into the review, I thought that the silver bars would make it uncomfortable to hold, but that wasn’t the case. After a few days of using it, I became accustomed to the weight and didn’t find it uncomfortable to hold. (Of course all my other mods felt like pencils after using this one.) While the length and weight didn’t bother me, I completely understand that many vapers will find this device cumbersome.

Construction and Build Quality: Like the iTaste MVP and iTaste SVD, the iTaste 134 features very good build quality. It’s a solid device that’s put together well. It’s also a very complex device to assemble (24 screws that you can see and probably several more inside that you can’t), so there are many areas where mistakes could be made. To my delight, there weren’t any loose screws or rattling parts in my review unit.

The two minor problems I had were with the scroll wheel and the firing button. I wanted the wheel to give off a louder click and have a tighter feel. The firing button was too “clicky” for me and I wanted a springier feel. These are two areas that will be improved in the final version of the device. My Innokin contact said that the button and scroll wheel on the final version will be made from better material that’s more durable. The final scroll wheel will also have a louder click. Obviously I can’t say how these facets of the device will end up, but keep that in mind when you’re reading reviews that are posted around the same time as mine or before — this is not final hardware and minor changes will be made.

Operation: This is one facet of the device that isn’t getting much attention. It’s so easy to use. Since it’s variable wattage, users don’t have to worry about the resistance (ohms) of the equipment they put on top. The output will be consistent. The scroll wheel couldn’t be easier to use; you simply slide the wheel to the desired wattage. In many respects, the iTaste 134 is like an eGo-C Twist on steroids. For vapers that find menu systems using multiple button clicks confusing or annoying, this mod is a great choice. It combines the simplicity of an eGo-C Twist with 18650 battery life and the accuracy/versatility of variable-wattage performance.

The ease of use comes at a price though: functionality. Since it doesn’t have an LCD screen and menu buttons, the iTaste 134 doesn’t do all the things that its sister product, the excellent iTaste SVD, can do. The big one for me is the battery indicator, which only gives basic information using three colors (green = high charge, yellow = average charge, red = low charge). Some people have complained that the iTaste 134 can’t display resistance. My Innokin contact said that since the device is variable-wattage then there’s no need to see resistance since the output will be whatever you set it to. I agree with him to a point. Most users don’t need to see resistance. There are some good reasons to know the ohms of your juice delivery system (particularly for people that build their own coils), but most users don’t need to know this. That said, even people that don’t need to know their resistance want to. I totally get the need for useless info. I’m a mark for advanced sports metrics. I’ve wasted hundreds of hours on Wikipedia researching things I don’t need to know about. While I use delivery systems that require rebuilding, I also use lots of standard gear. No matter the case, I find myself checking resistance for no reason other than “because I can.”

Performance and Battery Life: For the review, I used the iTaste 134 with rebuildable atomizers, direct-driping atomizers, a carto/tank, and a clearomizer. In all cases, the output was consistent. Compared to the iTaste SVD, which I found to be a very accurate device, the output felt a tiny bit lower at the same wattage settings. While it was a little puzzling considering that both devices use the same PCB, according to my Innokin contact, the variance wasn’t large enough to bother me.

The biggest issue I had was with the device’s wattage range. It can be set from 6.5 to 12.5 watts. However, from 7.0 to 12.0 watts it can only be adjusted in 1.0-watt increments. (And no, you can’t set it between numbers on the scroll wheel. The device won’t fire.) Compare that to the iTaste SVD (which, again, uses the same PCB), which has a range of 3.0 to 15.0 watts that can be adjusted in 0.5-watt increments. It’s not so much the limited range that bothered me (though that will certainly be an issue for some vapers) as much as the 1.0-watt adjustments. Being able to fine tune output for certain juices or delivery systems is a big deal and that can’t be done with the iTaste 134. As someone that usually vapes at 8.5 watts, I had to compromise in one direction or the other. I felt like Goldilocks with only two choices: “This vape is too soft. This vape is too hard.” With a lot of the juices I vaped on the iTaste 134, I couldn’t get the “just right” taste that I’m used to.

As for battery life, it all depends on the battery you’re using and your vaping habits. Using the excellent Panasonic NCR18650B, I got around 1.25 to 1.5 days of vaping per charge.

Verdict: If you’re looking for a great vaping device with all the bells and whistles then you should take a good look at the iTaste SVD. It simply does more than the iTaste 134. If you’re looking for a powerful mod that’s easy to use then the iTaste 134 could be a great device for you. What it all comes down to is looks. This is a very unique and distinct mod. For some people, a $150 street price is worth paying just to have something different. For others, it’s not. The iTaste 134 is somewhat limited and certainly heavy, but there’s nothing else like it on the market.

I like that the iTaste 134 is atypical and love that Innokin has tried something different in order to diversify its lineup. It’s a very unusual move for a Chinese vaping company. Most manufacturers from China release “me too” products, straight-up clones, or devices with unarguably ugly designs. I applaud Innokin for releasing a device that’s strikingly unusual. Would I buy one? Yes. I’m a big enough nerd to get $150 of vaping enjoyment just off of its looks. That said, I completely understand vapers that feel that this device is too limited and unwieldy for their money.

[Update July 29]: Innokin dropped me a line to make sure that people know not to use stacked 18350 batteries with the iTaste 134. The combined 7.4 volts of power may damage the PCB.

Neil Gaiman Gets Into Games in Wayward Manor

Fall is going to be an awesome season for Neil Gaiman fans. He’s returning to Sandman in Sandman: Overture and he has a game coming out. Wayward Manor is a serialized game being developed by Gaiman and The Odd Gentlemen. It will be available for Windows and Mac OS (and possibly more platforms). To fund the game, Gaiman and company have set up a Kickstarter-like page that allows you to pre-order the game and pay additional money for bonuses. The goodies include wallpapers, the soundtrack, an art book, naming a character in the game, and having dinner with Gaiman himself.

I could describe the game, but it’s better you hear it from Gaiman. Check out his description of Wayward Manor below:

While there have been several Kickstarter videogame projects that have failed to acquire funding, many successful ones were headed up by people or companies that are respected and beloved. As an author, Gaiman is both, so it’s a fairly safe bet that his fans will provide the funding that The Odd Gentlemen needs to launch the game.

What do you think of Wayward Manor? Are you excited for it? Will you fund the project? Do you think Gaiman’s reputation in the nerd world will lead to a successful funding campaign? Share your wayward thoughts in the comments section (please!).

Danica McKellar Gets Sexy in Avril Lavigne Video

I’m excited for Avril Lavigne’s video for “Rock N Roll.” I don’t care about the song. I’m excited because the video features Danica McKellar showing off her stomach, wearing leather, and sporting turquoise fishnet stockings. Danica McKellar is hot because she was the adorable girl next door in The Wonder Years and grew up to be a published math geek. That’s so sexy. Check out E! for a pair of photos of Danica dolled up for the video. That’s definitely not the Winnie Cooper Continue reading “Danica McKellar Gets Sexy in Avril Lavigne Video”

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

I received my review code for Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and I’m excited to play it this weekend (after a lunchtime viewing of The Wolverine). I was high on the game after seeing it in October. The gameplay is clever and simple, while the graphics look like a water-colored painting come to life. In many ways, it’s like a mashup of Ico and Heavy Rain. I adored both of those games, so hopefully I adore this one. The game hits on August 7, as part of the Xbox Live Arcade “Summer of Arcade” event. My review is under wraps until then, so stay tuned.

Now how about you? What’s on your weekend playlist?

Coffee Talk #597: Distinct Voices in Pop Music

With “Always on My Mind” closing out s2e2 of The Newsroom, lots of my Internet nerd friends were raving about Willie Nelson. They praised his distinct voice that used behind-the-beat timing and unique phrasing. While I dig Willie Nelson on multiple levels, the surge in his popularity (in the nerd world, anyway) got me thinking about voices in popular music that I find unique. Of course there are obvious ones like Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. For millions of people Elvis Presley’s voice is synonymous with rock and roll. After thinking about it for a few days, three vocalists stood out — Roy Orbison, Barry Gibb, and…more

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the salivating possibility of Alex Rodriguez getting a lifetime ban from Major League Baseball, product review requests from naughty companies, or Wolverine excitement, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Keep in mind that I’m talking about distinct voices, not necessarily the most powerful or ones with ridiculous range (though Mercury definitely possessed crazy power and range). I’m talking about singers that are so unique that you can identify their voices after two notes and can’t imagine anyone else singing their songs (other than homages).

Roy Orbison — Depending on the song, Orbison’s voice could be ethereal or haunting (and sometimes ethereally haunting). I was always amazed by how expressive he could be while being so controlled at the same time. While I love lots of his solo stuff, hearing him in the Traveling Wilbury’s “Handle With Care” is one of my favorites. It’s a very good song that’s made great by Orbison’s bridge.

Barry Gibb — I love the Bee Gees. While the Aussie trio’s harmonies were awesome, Barry’s voice is what made the band stand out. What makes his voice so memorable to me is that he had two distinct styles that were both fantastic. There’s the falsetto that everyone knows from songs like “Stayin’ Alive” and “Night Fever” but there’s also the deeper, breathy voice he used for “How Deep is Your Love?”

Freddie Mercury — Best. Rock. Singer. Ever.

If geneticist and sorcerers teamed together to make the perfect rock-and-roll singer, you’d have the second coming of Freddie Mercury.

So those are my picks for some of the most distinct voices in pop music. I’d love to hear about yours! Kindly use the comments section to share the voices that stand out in your head (not the voices in your head).

Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness Trailer Rules!

I was totally charmed by the Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness trailer below. The game is part of the series’ 10th anniversary celebration. It has everything I love about Disgaea games — cerebral gameplay, cute character design, quirky humor, fun music, and a surprising amount of heart. I expect it to have an insane amount of the depth too, so expect me to disappear for a few weeks in October after the game is released. A Disgaea hibernation session will be in order.

Check out the clip when you have a chance and let me know what you think of Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness (please!). Flonne rules!!!

Gran Turismo…the Movie?!?

With the success of the Fast & Furious series, it’s no wonder that movies based on racing-game franchises like Need for Speed are in the works. The latest word is that Sony’s immensely popular Gran Turismo series will be getting the movie treatment too. According to The Wrap, a Gran Turismo movie will be produced by Mike De Luca and Dana Brunetti.

A Need for Speed movie makes sense to me. Several games in the series featured a narrative element. Gran Turismo…not so much. Of course the advantage is that a movie based on Gran Turismo is working with a clean slate, while the Need for Speed movie will be compared (fairly and unfairly) to the stories in the games. Still…a Gran Turismo movie?!? That makes as much sense as Hot Wheels: The Movie. Oh wait, that’s happening too. *sigh*

What do you think of Gran Turismo: The Movie? Is it a good idea or a bad idea? Do you have any interest in seeing it? Or are you going to wait for director and actor information? Share your Gran thoughts in the comments section (please!).

Source via Polygon