raymond padilla, Author at RPad.TV

Vaping Diaries #361: A Planetary Elixir (APE) Interview

A Planetary Elixir (APE) is a new line of vaping e-liquids made by Intergalactic Industries, creators of the Doomsday mechanical mod. At Vape Nights 2015, I caught up with owner John Dela Rosa to learn more about the company and its three launch flavors. Keeping with Intergalactic Industries’ space theme, A Planetary Elixir was inspired by Albert, the first monkey to go into outer space. To use John’s words, “He was amazing and we’re trying to make an amazing juice.”

A Planetary Elixir has launched with three flavors. Way Milky blends the flavors of Chocolate Rice Krispies, milk, and bananas. The hint of banana helps the juice stand out from the numerous cereal flavors on the market. Out of the three flavors, it’s John’s personal favorite. But First Coffee comes from John’s Starbucks habit. It’s a mix of espresso and toffee. It’s one of the more savory coffee vapes I’ve had. Last, but not least, is Tea Time. Aimed at fruit lovers, this juice is a melange of watermelon and white tea.

As for future products, John said that the next juice from A Planetary Elixir will feature tea. On the hardware side, he said that Intergalactic Industries is working on a Doomsday II mod. While the original Doomsday was a mechanical tube mod, the next Doomsday will be a variable-wattage box mod. John said that he’s working with engineers on the chip and hopes to introduce the Doomsday II in the future. Like the original tube mod, the upcoming box mod with be manufactured in the USA.

To learn more about A Planetary Elixir and the upcoming Doomsday II from Intergalactic Industries, check out my Vape Nights 2015 with John below. If you dig what the company is doing, John asked that you follow the company on Instagram.

This interview was brought to you by Tiki Juice.

Vaping Diaries #360: Mr. and Mrs. Sweet Interview

Mr. and Mrs. Sweet is a new line of vaping e-liquids made by Drip of Choice Labs. If you’re a fan of candy-flavored juices then you’ll definitely want to check out this line. At Vape Nights 2015, Mr. and Mrs. Sweet mad mixer Britten Allen told me about the line, its launch flavor, and the next flavor he’s working on.

As some of you have probably guessed, this juice line gets it name from the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Instead of competing secret agents, Britten and his girlfriend at making vaping e-liquids. Which is good, because there’s a lot less gunfire involved. The first juice in the Mr. and Mrs. Sweet lineup is called Roxx. This flavor is a strawberry-watermelon concoction based on the Pop Rocks candy. Coming sometime around January 2016 is the next Mr. and Mrs. Sweet flavor, which is based on the blue gummi shark candies. Britten is currently working out the balance of blue raspberry sweetness and marshmallow savoriness for this juice.

While candy e-liquids aren’t usually my thing, I dig what Britten is doing with Mr. and Mrs. Sweet. The line is distinct from his Drip of Choice line and fills a niche. In Southern California, candy vapes are very, very popular and it’s no surprise that Mr. and Mrs. Sweet has been met with great fanfare. Many SoCal vapers dig Britten’s work from his previous companies and they love candy juices. Ergo they love his latest e-liquids.

To learn more about Mr. and Mrs. Sweet, check out my Vape Nights 2015 chat with Britten Allen below.

The interview was brought to you by The Big Levapeski.

Hearthstone The League of Explorers Hands-On Preview

At BlizzCon 2015, I played five games of the new Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft adventure, “The League of Explorers.” Featuring an Indiana Jones-style theme, an early portion of the “The League of Explorers” was playable at the show. I was able to play as the rogue (twice) and shaman (thrice) characters in a collapsing-temple setting. The game was an exercise in survival; the goal was to exit the collapsing temple after a certain number of turns. In addition to the standard battle gameplay, there were a few twists in this level of “The League of Explorers” that added a different type of fun to Hearthstone.

In between rounds, you’ll have to make a number of choices. Some of them are a matter of strategy and some are a matter of luck. Here are some examples of the choices you’ll have to make in “The League of Explorers.”

Gain a mana crystal or draw a card
Take 5 damage or take a chance of receiving 0 or 10 damage
Restore 10 health or draw 2 cards
Get one turn closer to the exit and face a 7/7 golem or do nothing

Adding to the fun are a number of events that occur as you get closer to the exit. From what I played, these events happen on the same turn every game, so they can be played for and around. Here are some of the “League of Explorers” events I saw.

A 0/4 boulder card appears on your side of the battlefield. It runs over all minions to its left.
The temple ceiling collapses and clears the battlefield.
After hearing, “Why’d it have to be bugs?”, a pair of 10/3 bugs appear as opponent minions.

Naturally, the most exciting part of any Hearthstone addition is the new cards. “The League of Explorers” adds 45 new cards in total. Here are some of the ones that I used.

Everyfin is Awesome: This shaman card gives all minions on the battlefield +2/+2 and costs one less for every murloc on the battlefield
Murloc Tinyfin: This is a scrub card, but the art is adorable. It’s a cute baby murloc with a sword.
Sir Finley Mrrgglton: This is a fun 1-cost legendary card. It lets you change hero power, giving you a choice of three others.
Elise Starseeker: This card shuffles a map into your deck. If everything pans out, it leads to an opportunity to play with a ridiculous amount of legendary cards. Sadly, it never panned out for me.
Unearthed Raptor: This card lets you choose a friendly minion and copy its deathrattle effect.
Huge Toad: I almost didn’t mention this card because the ugliness of the art scares me. It also has a deathrattle that deals 1 damage to a random enemy.

All told, I had lots of fun playing “The League of Explorers” for Hearthstone. I can see myself playing the adventure a few times, but I’m really excited about getting the new cards and figuring out how to incorporate them into my decks. Since my priest deck is the only that’s worth a damn, I’m wishing that “The League of Explorers” has some nifty priest cards. Get ready for an all-new, all-different Hearthstone exploration adventure when “The League of Explorers” hits on November 12, 2015.

Blizzard Announces The League of Explorers For Hearthstone

Just when I was getting “barely” competent with “The Grand Tournament” cards in Hearthstone, Blizzard went ahead and announced “The League of Explorers” at BlizzCon 2015. “The League of Explorers” expansion adds a new adventure and 45 new cards. Available on November 12, 2015, the expansion should add more depth and diversity to an already deep and diverse game.

Here’s a clip from the official press release:

The League of Explorers introduces four intrepid adventurers — Elise Starseeker, Reno Jackson, Sir Finley Mrrgglton, and Brann Bronzebeard — and invites players to join their journey through a series of exotic destinations, some familiar and some new, to recover an artifact of immense power. These brave explorers will face many perils as they navigate through the Temple of Orsis, Uldaman, the Ruined City, and the Hall of Explorers in hopes of discovering lost artifacts that will lead them closer to the relic. Escaping giant boulders and emerging from all of the locations in one piece will reward adventurers with a combined total of 45 treasured new cards, bringing a slew of new tactics to the game.

For many Hearthstone players, “The League of Explorers” will make the game even more fun and addictive. Completionists love when new cards come out and will stop at nothing to acquire them. Advanced and competitive players will enjoy finding new ways to tweak their decks and crafting new strategies. As for me — a habitual Hearthstone player that stubbornly refuses to spend money on the game — I foresee a frustrating month where everyone I play has the new cards and I don’t. I’m excited to see, learn about, and (very slowly) acquire the new cards, but I’m also prepared to hate them while everyone else has them I don’t. I’m bratty that way.

I’ll be getting some hands-on time with the game and will write about my experience with “The League of Explorers” for Hearthstone in a followup story. For now, enjoy some artwork from “The League of Explorers.”

Edit: Hands-on preview is live here!

Warcraft Trailer: So What Do You Think?

The Warcraft trailer was met with great fanfare at BlizzCon 2015. Attendees went wild over the clip, released at the show by Blizzard Entertainment and Legendary Pictures. Naturally, a high level of enthusiasm was expected at BlizzCon, as the show if full of ardent Blizzard fans. I’m curious to hear what you think of the trailer. The clip is embedded below for your viewing pleasure.

What do you think of the costumes and special effects? How about the story? Kindly share your feelings (like a Care Bear) on the Warcraft trailer in the comments section. For now, here are some random (and probably silly) observations on the Warcraft trailer (with convenient timestamps!).

00:13 — The eagles from The Lord of the Rings have defected to the world of Warcraft (see what I did there?). Tired of taking orders from senile wizards and providing Uber service to hobbits, the eagles are moving onto bigger and better things in the Warcraft movie.

00:16: Phallic towers are mandatory in fantasy films…but you already knew that.

00:23: There’s your hero, Anduin Lothar played by Travis Fimmel.

00:28: When orcs attack….

00:37: I spy a racist white lord.

00:40: The orc story is explained. See, they’re not bad. Their makeup and CG just makes them look that way. Also, there’s your other hero — Durotan, played by Toby Kebbell.

00:47: You know orcs are badass when they’re completely comfortable with canine creatures that dwarf them.

01:02: Ah, that’s what Paula Patton has been up to since divorcing Robin Thicke. Is it weird that I think she makes a sexy orc?

01:15: The heroes meet! Obviously this is the part where they come to respect and understand one another…which is followed by the part where their people think they’re nuts and the warring continues. I learned this in college in Hackneyed Contrivance Plots 101.

01:24: See, a white man is behind all the trouble.

01:44: Blatant Moses ripoff! *snicker*

01:48: Climactic battle looks climactic.

01:55: Anduin pulls a Legolas.

Japanese Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer

Are you ready for more Star Wars: The Force Awakens? If you answered yes then check out the Japanese trailer for the most anticipated nerd movie of the last decade. There’s a bunch of new footage and dialogue that wasn’t shown in the American trailer. Kindly check out the clip when you have a chance and let me know what you think of the international trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens in the comments section. And just because it’s Friday, may the Force be with you. #ForceFriday

Vaping Diaries #359: Aria Built Phenotype-L Atomizer Interview

Aria Built’s Phenotype-L rebuildable dripping atomizer has been getting a lot of attention from vapers that like to create exotic builds. With its two-post design and ample deck space, the Phenotype-L is a fantastic canvas for those that like to create “coil art.” On the more practical side, it also offers vapers plenty of flexibility when it comes to flavor production and vapor production. At Vape Nights 2015, I caught up with Aria Built product development specialist Edison Tan to learn more about the Phenotype-L atomizer.

Edison explained that the Phenotype-L is a collaboration between Aria Built and Anarchist. Each atomizer post has a 3mm hole, allowing it to accommodate a wide variety of wire gauges. The juice well is 4mm deep and holds plenty of e-liquid. The airflow features four escalating slots on each side and is controlled by the top cap. The atomizer’s positive post is gold-plated for better conductivity and corrosion resistance. Edison was quick to point out that the Phenotype-L uses real PEEK insulators; some vaping companies purport to use PEEK, but in reality use a cheaper material.

On the aesthetic side, the Phenotype-L is available in black and stainless steel finishes. Each has a “stealth” cap that accommodates standard 510 drip tips, as well as an 11mm wide-bore competition drip tip. One of my favorite features is its inset screws. There are so many 2015 atomizers that require the use of allen keys. I appreciate that Aria Built went with inset flathead screws on the Phenotype-L.

As you can see, there’s a lot going on with the Aria Built Phenotype-L. The atomizer is being touted as one that was made “for builders, by builders.” To get more details and to see the atomizer (in both finishes), check out my chat with Edison Tan below.

This interview was brought to you by The Vapor Spot.

Vaping Diaries #358: Drip of Choice Interview

Drip of Choice (D.O.C.) is a relatively new vaping e-liquid company that was started by Britten “Red” Allen. After gaining notoriety at a pair of previous juice companies, Red has struck out on his own (like Nomad) with Drip of Choice. The company offers some tasty juice that’s available at a low retail price. At Vape Nights 2015, Drip of Choice’s Checkmate e-liquid won the award for “Best Cream, Custard, & Vanilla Flavor.” In the interview below, Red talks about the philosophy behind the company and three of its flavors.

In addition to having low retail prices, Drip of Choice e-liquids are available in 1.5mg of nicotine. While a few companies offers this now, Drip of Choice was the first one I was aware of that offered the option. A few of you are probably thinking, “What the hell is the practical difference between 3mg and 1.5mg?!?” For vapers that like to chuck massive clouds or constantly perform tricks, 1.5mg of nicotine gives them the option to indulge in their particular style of vaping while still getting a tiny bit of nicotine. In the clip below, Red explains how the 1.5mg nicotine option was whipped up for more personal reasons.

As for the flavors, the award-winning Checkmate is a mix of Filipino mango and New York cheesecake. Personally, I think that Drip of Choice should have named the juice after me, since I’m a cheesy Filipino-American that’s original from New York. The Hustle is a twist on one of Red’s flavors from a previous company; it’s a blend of strawberry, kiwi, and mango. For cloud chasers, Drip of Choice has The Struggle. This 95/5 VG/PG juice is a mix of peach and strawberry.

To learn more about the e-liquids mentioned above and about the future of Drip of Choice, check out my chat with Red below.

This interview was brought to you by Revol Vapors.

Vaping Diaries #357: The Vape Barrel Interview

I hang out at Monster Vape Lounge frequently and have seen The Vape Barrel’s Plutonium e-liquid flying off the store’s shelves. With that in mind, I was keen to interview someone from the company at Vape Nights 2015. I spent some time with The Vape Barrel’s Rob Harrington to learn more about the company’s origins, hear some flavor descriptions, and learn about what’s coming next.

The Vape Barrel was started by three friends that have been smoking cigarettes together since high school. Tired of their corporate jobs and thrilled that vaping got them off of tobacco cigarettes, the three friends started an e-liquid company. The Vape Barrel’s flavors are layered, combining a number of different ingredients to offer a unique flavor. So far, three friends are off to a fantastic start.

As I mentioned in the intro, Plutonium is wildly popular at Monster Vape Lounge. This juice combines strawberry, mango, lemonade, and peach. As a fan of dessert e-liquids, I was drawn to Neptunium. This juice features toffee, vanilla, and Bavarian cream. The Vape Barrel has put an interesting twist on tobacco with Californium. Aimed at vapers just coming off of cigarettes, Californium is a blend of tobacco, peaches, and cream.

On a loosely related note, I want to compliment The Vape Barrel on its choice of swag. Most vaping company’s sell or give away snapback caps for promotional purposes. As a baseball fan that prefers fitted or flex-fit hats, I’m not a fan of snapback caps. (I also associate snapbacks with obnoxious younglings that use Snapchat as their primary form of communication.) Instead of the usual black snapback that most vape companies offer, The Vape Barrel has a classy grey flex-fit hat.

Thank you for indulging me on that hat tangent. To learn more about The Vape Barrel, check out my Vape Nights 2015 chat with Rob below.

Special thanks to Flavaho for sponsoring this interview.

Vaping Diaries #356: 528 Custom Vapes Interview

528 Custom Vapes has been serving up sub-ohm tanks before sub-ohm tanks were cool. While these kinds of tanks are hugely popular in the 2015 vaping world, 528 Custom Vapes has been serving them up for years. Many vapers consider the company a trailblazer and cite it as a big influence on today’s rebuildable tank atomizers. At Vape Nights 2015, I caught up with 528 Custom Vapes owner Tom Starkey to learn more about the company, hear about the Monster v3 tank, and learn about future products.

Tom told me a great story about the company’s origins. 528 Custom Vapes was initially funded by a check Tom received after wrecking his car. The company’s name was derived from the apartment he was living in at the time. Local vapers used to say, “Hey, we have to go to 528 to get out tanks customized!” 528 Custom Vapes became popular for its modified Kayfun atomizers. While the Kayfun was known for its great flavor, the vapor production left something to be desired for vapers accustomed to rebuildable dripping atomizers. Tom’s modifications drastically increased the airflow, allowing for one of the first — if not the first — tanks suitable for cloud chasers.

The modified Kayfuns went onto be known as the 528 Custom Vapes Monster. The company is currently on version three of the product. In the clip below, Tom goes over some of the features of the Monster v3. He also spoke about future products. 528 Custom Vapes is currently working on a dripper. I’m excited to see Tom’s take on a dripping atomizer.

Lastly, Tom spoke about the 528 Custom Vapes logo. It reminds many older vapers of the Thundercats cartoon from the ’80s. The symbol was actually influenced by Tom’s friends in the tattoo business, rather than the cartoon.

To learn more about 528 Custom Vapes, check out my chat with Tom Starkey below.

Special thanks to Revol Vapors for sponsoring this interview.