I’m hosting a hardware launch at Monster Vape Lounge for some new AmeraVape Industries mods. There will be a cloud contest with a sweet grand prize, as well as hardware and juice giveaways throughout the day. It’ll be a great time, full of excellent people and free vaping stuff. Hope to see you there!
Following successful runs with Captain America, Spider-Man, and the X-Men, Marvel’s fourth comic-book movie of 2014 features the lesser-known Guardians of the Galaxy. While the film’s characters aren’t iconic like the other heroes featured this year, their relative (un)popularity and distinct setting (outer space!) were assets to the director and writers of the Guardians of the Galaxy film. They weren’t trapped by decades of history and millions of fanboys, weren’t limited by the quaint setting of Earth, and were free to create a movie that’s much more fun than its sister titles. While it’s certainly not the best Marvel movie of 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy is arguably the most entertaining.
To maximize your enjoyment of Guardians of the Galaxy, there are a few things you need to realize going into it. First and foremost, it’s much more of a sci-fi space-opera than a superhero flick. It has more in common with Star Wars and Star Trek than it does The Avengers and Iron Man. If you’re a fan of the source material (this iteration of the Guardians was made popular by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, and currently penned by Brian Michael Bendis) then you’ll notice a lot of changes. Some of them are small (and seemingly unnecessary), while others are a huge departure from the comics. If you’re unfamiliar with the source material then you’ll like enjoy the movie on its own, but if you love the comics then some of the changes will bother you.
While there were many things I loved about Guardians of the Galaxy, there were a few things that bugged me. Here are some binary thoughts on Marvel’s summer space opera. [Turn your spoiler shields on, please!]
Fantastic Pacing (Good): Guardians of the Galaxy has a runtime of 122 minutes, but it doesn’t feel like a two hour movie. Director James Gunn did a superior job of mixing action, comedy, and characterization, while maintaining a zippy flow. The pace is brisk and unlike some fast-paced movies, doesn’t cause viewer fatigue.
Non-Threatening Gamora (Bad): In the comics, Gamora is often referred to as “the most dangerous woman in the universe.” While she’s certainly fierce in the movie, she doesn’t quite live up to that lofty title. The movie version of Gamora is too vulnerable and pigeonholed as a “damsel in distress” in a few scenes. Her sister, Nebula, comes off as more of a bad-ass.
Incredible Special Effects (Good): While the spaceship and alien locations were expectedly dazzling, I was floored by the CG used for Groot and Rocket. They looked appropriately otherworldly, while still being believable in the context of the movie. Physically, the characters never felt forced. Oddly enough, some of Glenn Close’s scenes felt jarring because her character looked out of place.
(On a side note, I was half-expecting a cameo by Mike Myers. In my head, Austin Powers comes out, grabs Glenn Close’s hair, and exclaims, “It’s a man, baby!”)
Redneck Yondu (Bad): Man, I hated this version of Yondu. I’ve always been a fan of the character ever since I encountered the original Guardians of the Galaxy in “The Korvac Saga” storyline of The Avengers. For those of you unfamiliar with the character, Yondu is kind of like an outer-space Native American. He’s spiritual and mystic (and yes, he wears a loin cloth and shoots arrows in deep space). Save for controlling a magical arrow, movie Yondu is nothing like comics Yondu. Movie Yondu is an outer-space redneck scavenger. I would totally hate the movie version of the character, but the awesome Michael Rooker plays him. You gotta give it up for anyone that was part of Mallrats.
Excellent Soundtrack (Good): Guardians of the Galaxy makes stellar use of ’70s pop songs. Blue Swede, David Bowie, The Runaways, The Five Stairsteps, and more are heard throughout the film. The songs add to the movie’s fun vibe. More than any other Marvel movie, the soundtrack for Guardians of the Galaxy will sell.
Rewritten Origin (Bad): I didn’t care for Peter Quill’s origin story in the movie. Having his mother die in a hospital (movie) isn’t nearly as powerful as having her slaughtered by aliens (comics). While the hospital death sets up a sappy scene towards the end of the film, it detracts from Quill’s tragedy. In the comics, his mother is killed by aliens that want revenge on Peter’s dad, J’Son of Spartax. It sets the tone for what a bastard J’Son is and gives the comics a recurring theme (Quill’s daddy-abandonment issues). While Quill’s dad is mentioned in passing, it looks like the sequels won’t have this important launching point to play off of (unless they write that J’Son infected Meredith Quill with space cancer or something stupid like that).
Wrong About Quill (Good): One of my fears going into the movie was that Chris Pratt would be too goofy to play Peter Quill. In the trailers, he seems more comedic than anything else — kind of like Han Solo’s far less competent younger brother. I was relieved that Pratt didn’t go too far with the comedy in the movie. Yes, he has his funny moments, but he also kicks ass, gets the ladies, and is cool. He definitely fits into that “scoundrel” mold established by Harrison Ford.
Ronan the Dickhead (Bad): Sometimes a hero and sometimes a villain (depending on your point of view), Ronan the Accuser is a complex and layered character in the comics. He can be unrelentingly brutal, but he has a nobility about him and an undeniable love for the Kree people. Movie Ronan is just a dick. He’s a radical extremist that’s 100-percent villain. His characterization in the movie was lazy and shallow.
Batista Didn’t Suck! (Shockingly Good): As many of you know, I loathe WWE Batista. He’s mediocre in the ring and terrible on the mic. To my surprise, Dave Bautista the actor was entertaining in Guardians of the Galaxy. His portrayal of Drax the Destroyer was shockingly good. Obviously, he excelled in the physical scenes, but his deadpan humor was fantastic. While I didn’t like the rewritten origin of movie Drax, Dave Bautista’s performance was surprisingly strong — so much so that I’m going to have to think of him as two different people. I will always hate WWE Batista, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Dave Bautista in more roles that combine physicality and comedy.
Bottom Line: I was very much entertained by Guardians of the Galaxy. Objectively comparing it to the other Marvel 2014 movies, Captain America: The Winter Soldier was a much better film. Subjectively, Guardians of the Galaxy was way more fun. Even though some of the changes from the source material bothered me, I know that I’ll watch this movie again and again in the future. When it comes down to the cable TV test, I can see myself watching Captain America: The Winter Soldier a handful of times over the next five years. In that same five-year period, I’m certain that I’ll watch Guardians of the Galaxy dozens of times.
Last year, I wrote a blurb about Mike Tyson Mysteries and was intrigued by the upcoming Adult Swim cartoon. After watching the trailer, my intrigue has escalated to OMG-amazing-want-now!!! The cartoon looks glorious — kind of like a lewd version of a Hanna-Barbera or Ruby-Spears production. In some ways, Mike Tyson Mysteries reminds me the ridiculously wonderful Mister T cartoon. Instead of Mr. T traveling the country and solving problems with a team of gymnasts, Iron Mike travels the country and solves problems with the ghost of the Marquess of Queensberry (phenomenal boxing reference), a perverted pigeon named Pigeon (voiced by Norm MacDonald), and a young Asian-American girl named Yung Hee. The team can clearly give the Fantastic Four a run for their money.
The Mike Tyson Mysteries trailer above will likely leave you speechless. You’ll be amazed by Iron Mike’s problem-solving abilities as he figures out the best way to deal with a chupacabra. You’ll be stunned by Pigeon deducing why Yung Hee’s mother left her on Mike Tyson’s doorstep when she was a little baby. When Iron Mike sings “Ain’t Got No Time For Bird Sex,” you’ll wonder if he’ll win both an Emmy Award and a Grammy Award for the outstanding performance. The trailer packs so much brilliance that I’m almost afraid to watch an entire episode of Mike Tyson Mysteries.
Check out the clip when you have a chance and let me know what you think of Mike Tyson Mysteries. The show will definitely get a “season pass” on my DVR when it debuts in Fall 2014. If you don’t think that Mike Tyson Mysteries is awesome then there’s a good chance that Iron Mike will deal with you in the same way he deals with chupacabras (it’s not pretty). So let’s see some positive analysis on what should be one of the most glorious cartoons in the history of television!
Here’s the short version of my VLS Vulcan review — the atomizer is one of best values in vaping today. I’ve been using a pair of pre-production VLS Vulcan atomizers for the last month and I was quite impressed by what this atomizer brings to the table. The VLS Vulcan is well made, looks great, has excellent features, and offers sweet performance. While there are some minor issues that prevent it from being perfect for everyone, I believe that the majority of vapers will be happy with what the VLS Vulcan offers — especially when they see the price. Let’s take a closer look.
Design: The VLS Vulcan is packed full of fantastic features. The two sets of heat fins are the most striking. Like the popular Tobh atomizer, the VLS Vulcan’s top cap has rows of deep fins that help dissipate heat. The bottom of the atomizer also has rows of heat fins, to help dissipate heat coming from your mod and atomizer. The usefulness of the bottom heat fins depends on how low you build your coils and what batteries you use; some vapers will find it useful, while it’s overkill for others. The bottom layer of heat fins makes the VLS Vulcan longer than most rebuildable dripping atomizers, which might be an issue for some vapers.
Similar to the Tobh, the base of the VLS Vulcan is made from one piece of stainless steel. The negative posts and base are cut from one piece of metal. What very cool and practical about the base is that the metal underneath the negative posts is also carved out, allowing the atomizer to hold more juice. This makes the VLS Vulcan an excellent choice for vapers that want the full flavor of dripping and minimal refilling.
The VLS Vulcan handles airflow in a unique manner. Instead of traditional air holes, this atomizer has stylized “Vulcan” text on each side of the main cap. The “V” in Vulcan is laser engraved, allowing air to enter the atomizer. It’s certainly unique, but it does present some potential issues. For my builds, I positioned the coils close to the side walls instead of centered; it wasn’t difficult, but it wasn’t as brainless as building coils for a standard atomizer. For certain types of vapers (I’m looking at you cloud chasers!), the “V” is somewhat liming, which I’ll talk about more in the performance section of this review.
All told, the VLS Vulcan uses a great three-piece design that’s an outstanding blend of handsome aesthetics and useful features.
Build Quality: According to Vapour Lifestyle, the VLS Vulcan is made by “a Japanese CNC perfectionist producer.” While the company isn’t mentioned by name, its work is exemplary. This is a very well-made atomizer. Out of the box, the machining is impressive and stands up to competing atomizers that cost $20 to $50 more. I was quite happy with both of the VLS Vulcan atomizers I’ve been using for the last month and I’m confident that most vapers will be pleased by how well the product is made.
Out of the box, the VLS Vulcan has brass thumb screws. Also included are stainless steel thumb screws and extra O-rings.
Performance: The VLS Vulcan uses a copper contact for high conductivity. As many of you know, copper is one of the most conductive metals used in vaping — more conductive than brass or stainless steel, but not as conductive as silver. If performance is priority for you then the VLS Vulcan should keep you happy. Naturally, there are many other factors that contribute to overall performance (mod, battery, coil, etc.), but this atomizer provides a strong link in the chain.
For many vapers, the VLS Vulcan’s airflow is more than adequate. One possible exception is extreme cloud chasers. Vapers that drill out their atomizer holes to bullet-sized proportions will want more airflow. A potential issue with the VLS Vulcan is that its air holes are laser-engraved and stylized. Drilling it out can be tricky and vapers that do will be left with an “ulcan” instead of a “Vulcan,” ruining the aesthetics of the atomizer.
Verdict: On its own, the VLS Vulcan is a fantastic rebuildable dripping atomizer. The build quality is great, it performs nicely, and it has lots of versatility. The only issues with the VLS Vulcan are for people that prefer relatively short atomizers and those that like extreme airflow. If you don’t fall into either category then I’m certain that you’ll be happy with the VLS Vulcan.
When you consider that the VLS Vulcan has an MSRP of $60, this atomizer is a brilliant deal. It’s as good for better than most rebuildable atomizers in the $80-$100 range. After using the VLS Vulcan for roughly one month, it has become one of my favorite atomizers in my collection. I love the way it looks, the amount of juice it holds, and the way it performs. If you’re cool with the atomizer’s atypical height and the airflow that it offers, you’ll be thrilled by what the VLS Vulcan offers for a very fair price of $60.
After becoming one of the most popular mobile apps over the last five years, Foursquare is looking to reinvent itself in 2014. The company is making some bold moves and taking some big risks, but it’s also alienating many of its users. For those of you not familiar with Foursquare, it’s a social app that blends gamification and location sharing information. Foursquare users “check in” to various locations and have the option to leave tips or ratings on the venue. Users compete for badges and “mayorship” of locations, while the company gathers incredibly valuable data from user activity.
For most of the app’s existence, the majority of users focused on the check-in aspect of the app. The gamification system is fun and people love scores, achievements, etc. (even for driving!). Strangely, Foursquare wants to drastically change its identity and deemphasize check-in activity. In May, the company launched Swarm, an app that takes the check-in aspects of Foursquare, increases the font size, and dumbs down the whole gamification system. While some users are fine with Swarm, there are many longtime Foursquare users that loathe the app because it takes away the features (mayorships and scores) that made the original so popular. Check out some of the user reviews on the Apple App Store and Google Play to see why the app is reviled.
The reason for moving check-in activity to Swarm is that the company wants to make Foursquare a “Yelp Killer” of sorts. The company has five years of excellent data from its users and will use it to power local recommendations. In some ways, Foursquare has more useful and practical information than Yelp. While I believe that the idea of using Foursquare user information to power a “Yelp Killer” is fantastic, the company’s execution has been terrible. Worse yet, Foursquare doesn’t appear to believe that the company has a problem.
In a recent feature on The Verge, Foursquare CEO Dennis Crowley and COO Jeff Glueck addressed some of the criticisms the company has been facing. It’s a nice article, but there are two bits that really bugged me:
Foursquare admits that it could’ve managed expectations a bit better, and timed the two app launches closer together so users weren’t confused. ‘It wasn’t a mistake. There is no prior arc with someone trying to do an unbundling like this before,’ says Crowley, ‘but I don’t think there’s any real perfect way to do it.’
Glueck emphasizes that it’s a very vocal minority of Foursquare users who have opposed the company’s changes, which not only moved check-ins out of Foursquare but largely removed mayorships and the app’s points system for competing with friends for check-ins.
The pair come off as executives that have no idea what their customers really want. Addressing Crowley’s point, pissing customers off is always a mistake. Why unbundle to begin with? Why not leave Foursquare as it is and launch a new product like “Yelp Killer (Powered by Foursquare)“? Swarm is hindered by baggage that should have been anticipated; when you force people to use a new app because you removed functionality from the old one, people aren’t going to like it. While Swarm has been improving (though is still not great), there are some people that will always hate it because it was forced on them. The same goes with the “new” Foursquare; some people are going to hate because it’s not the old one. Why not launch a new product and give it a fresh, baggage-free start? “Yelp Killer (Powered by Foursquare” — it seems so obvious.
As for Glueck, the “very vocal minority” is comprised of many longtime users that loved the old Foursquare app and hate Swarm. In all likelihood, there are probably many Foursquare users that liked the old app, didn’t like Swarm, and didn’t care enough to write a review on the App Store or Google Play. It seems like he’s ignoring some of the company’s oldest and most passionate customers. Being ambivalent about burning bridges with longtime customers is…stupid.
Since the unbundling of Foursquare and the launch of Swarm, I find myself using the company’s products less. I used to use Foursquare maniacally. These days, I sometimes use Swarm, but often forget about it because the deemphasis of mayorships and points makes the app less fun for me. I barely touch the Foursquare app at all. It’s a shame, because Foursquare was one of my favorite social apps and something I’d use several times a day. Executive decisions have made it an afterthought.
While I’m curious about the new Foursquare and interested to see how the company will compete with Yelp, I’m not sure it’s something that I’ll use personally. Initially, I’m sure it will do some things better than Yelp and some things worse. I just don’t like some of the decisions the company has made and I’m not sure I want to support Foursquare (again, on a personal level). Foursquare has burned a lot of goodwill and its top executives don’t appear to care. Judging from their quotes in The Verge article, Crowley and Glueck seem out of touch with their customers and in denial about having problems.
I know that some of you were annoyed by the “unbundling” of Foursquare into Swarm. What do you think of the Swarm app? Has your usage of Foursquare products changed since the unbundling? Are you excited for the new Foursquare? I’d love to hear your thoughts on Foursquare’s strategy. Share your wise observations in the comments section (please!).
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 latest photo of Ben Batfleck, Ray Rice’s suspension, or everything you wanted to know about Harry Potter losing his virginity, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
This looks really stupid…and I really want to see it. The “Stay” bit totally cracked me up. Ha!
In a recent interview with Total Film (embedded below for your convenience), Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson gave some hints on a character he’ll be playing in an upcoming movie. The artist formerly known as Rocky Maivia said that he’ll be playing someone with “the power of Superman” and also gave the telling hint of, “Just say the word.” The latter bit has many people speculating that The Rock will be playing Shazam (known for decades as Captain Marvel). For those of you unfamiliar with Captain Marvel/Shazam, he was originally a Fawcett Comics character and was added to the DC Universe when the latter company bought the former. Captain Marvel/Shazam summons his powers by saying, “Shazam!” Today’s column is about why The Rock isn’t necessarily playing Shazam, but if that ends up being the case, why it’s a bad choice.
For years, DC fanboys have been clamoring for The Rock to play another character from Shazam’s world: Black Adam. A longtime villain of Captain Marvel/Shazam and more recently a popular DC Comics antihero, Black Adam also has a power set similar to Superman’s and summons his powers by saying, “Shazam!” Everything The Rock said in the Total Film interview applies to Black Adam as much as it does to Captain Marvel/Shazam. If you watch the interview below then you’ll notice that The Rock never said the words “hero” or “superhero” when describing the character. That gives me some hope that he’ll playing Black Adam rather than Captain Marvel/Shazam.
While I’m a big fan of The Rock, I think he’s all wrong for Captain Marvel/Shazam. The essence of the character is that he has the body of a supremely powerful being, with the heart and soul of a pure and innocent child (though his New 52 incarnation gives him the heart and soul of a childish prick). While The Rock is great at comedies and could pull off some gags based on the character’s duality, portraying innocence and purity aren’t his strengths.
Black Adam is a much better choice for The Rock. He’s an angrier character. He has a code of honor, but if you piss him off, he’ll obliterate you. The Rock would excel in this role. He would be fantastic as an antihero that’s equal parts nobility and ferocity. Plus, The Rock already has Black Adam’s receding hairline (bonus for the makeup department!). Black Adam is just a much better fit for what The Rock is cooking.
It’s largely expected that DC Comics and The Rock will be announcing the movie at San Diego Comic-Con 2014 this week. While it wouldn’t surprise me to see The Rock announced as Captain Marvel/Shazam, I’m holding out hope that he’ll be cast as Black Adam. He’s a more interesting character that plays better to The Rock’s strengths as an actor. I rather see him relentlessly kicking ass as Black Adam than having morality conundrums as Captain Marvel/Shazam. Plus, I had this nightmarish vision that a producer would (force) cast Jaden Smith as the hero’s alter ego, Billy Batson. The kid sucks and needs to stop acting.
Anyway, I’d love to hear your thoughts on The Rock’s DC Comics movie rumors. Would you rather see him play Black Adam or Captain Marvel/Shazam. Leave a comment and let me know (please!).
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 Rock’s mastery at “jacking it,” the Los Angeles Clippers’ legal drama, or wanting to punch people that call Lady Gaga fat, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
Amazon Game Studios has announced a pair of videogames exclusive to the upcoming Amazon Fire Phone — Saber’s Edge and To-Fu Fury. Saber’s Edge combines puzzle gameplay with strategic combat, while To-Fu Fury is a platform game that appears to star a…menacing ninja marshmallow (yes, I know it’s a tofu cube). Both games take advantage of the Fire Phone’s unique “Dynamic Perspective” feature. You can check out the trailers for both games below. Here’s a clip from the press release:
Saber’s Edge and To-Fu Fury are co-developed with partners, Hibernum and HotGen as part of Amazon Game Studios’ mission to build fun, immersive games from the ground up for Amazon devices. These new games were created exclusively for Fire phone and take advantage of Amazon’s groundbreaking Dynamic Perspective. With Dynamic Perspective, Fire phone enables players to control gameplay with their head movements or by tilting the device to change direction or view.
‘Amazon Game Studios is working with some of the best studios to co-develop games that leverage the amazing capabilities of our new devices,’ said Mike Frazzini, Vice President of Amazon Games. ‘The new games we are releasing today deeply integrate Dynamic Perspective and offer players new ways to engage with games—using head movements to navigate gameplay and tilt gestures to strategize upcoming moves.’
While I was intrigued by the Amazon Fire Phone when it was announced, there are some aspects of it that are unappealing to certain tech nerds. Seeing “exclusive” games like Saber’s Edge and To-Fu Fury is an important step in the right direction. Content is king and exclusive content is…uhm…an intergalactic warlord (yeah, that’s it!). It’s good to see Amazon supporting its unique phone with unique software. These titles should be the first of many that are exclusive to the Amazon Fire Phone.
Amazon appears to understand how important mobile games are and looks like it will support its hardware nicely through Amazon Game Studios. While I’m interested in the games (particularly To-Fu Fury), I’m more interested in seeing how big and bold Amazon Game Studios will be. There’s some fantastic potential there and it’s always good to have another big player in the videogame space.
Anyway, check out the trailers when you have a chance and let me know what you think about the games (please!). Also, what do you think Amazon will accomplish with Amazon Game Studios?
I skipped “Weird” Al Yankovic’s last video from Mandatory Fun, “Sports Song,” because I didn’t think it was very good. Thankfully, “First World Problems” is a lot better. Yeah, it’s not a clever as the outstanding “Word Crimes” or as flashy as “Tacky,” but I found myself cracking up from several lines in the song. “First World Problems” has several things that I’ve been guilty of — getting annoyed that I can’t fast forward through commercials because I’m watching live television, being irritated by having to brush my teeth manually because I let my electric toothbrush’s battery run out, ordering extra items from Amazon to get free shipping, etc. Check out the video when you have a chance, let me know what you think of it, and let me know if it contains any “First World Problems” that you’ve had.
Driving a Ford Focus Electric has a lot of similarities to playing videogames on a home console. In the immortal word of Christopher Cross, “It sounds crazy, but it’s true.” The Ford Focus Electric has a system of achievements, scores, and leaderboards that supplement the driving experience, similar to how PlayStation and Xbox consoles have these features to supplement the videogame experience. For certain drivers (i.e. nerdy ones), it makes driving more fun.
On the “My Driving” page on MyFordMobile.com, Ford Focus Electric drivers can keep track of their “Brake Score” and “Driving Score.” The former measures how well or poorly the driver uses the car’s regenerative breaking system. The latter factors in overall acceleration, breaking, and speed. The goal is to encourage Ford Focus Electric drivers to use their cars more efficiently and get the most out of every battery charge. For gamers and people that just like racking up high scores, this feature can be incredibly appealing.
Achievement whores will enjoy driving the Ford Focus Electric, simply because they can unlock achievements. MyFordMobile.com breaks up achievements into three categories: driving, environmental impact, and community. The categories are self-explanatory and appeal to different types of drivers. Those that care most about single-player achievements will focus on driving, tree huggers will want to rack up as many impact achievements as possible, and those with multiplayer leanings will enjoy unlocking community achievements. Again, it’s a fun way to supplement the Ford Focus Electric driving experience for people that know and enjoy these kinds of gaming systems, while those that are unfamiliar or dislike gamification can ignore this aspect of the vehicle.
Naturally, the biggest difference between the Ford Focus Electric’s various scores and achievements compared to their videogame counterparts is the way they’re presented. Whether you drive a Ford Focus Electric or see one on the road, you want all drivers to be focused on the road and driving conditions. You do not want someone zipping along, getting giddy from a dashboard achievement notification, taking their eye off of the road, and smashing into you. With that in mind, Ford Focus Electric scores and achievements can only be viewed on MyFordMobile.com, while leaderboards can be viewed on the MyFordMobile website and app. While this takes away the instant gratification of unlocking an achievement in a videogame, it’s safer for everyone on the road.
Speaking of leaderboards, this is probably the most robust gamification feature in the MyFordMobile system. There are currently six leaderboards: Braking Expert, EV Stretcher, EV Tour Guide, Kinetic Ninja, Renaissance Man, and Zen Master. The leaderboards are currently broken up into 14 regions that span America and Canada. You can read the descriptions of each leaderboard and see examples in the image gallery below.
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I know that many of you hate the term gamification and what it usually entails, but in the case of the Ford Focus Electric, it’s pretty cool. Achievements, scores, and leaderboards on MyFordMobile.com provide ancillary features that make driving a Ford Focus Electric more fun. These features certainly aren’t for everyone, but for gamers and competitive people, they enhance the driving experience.
As a lifelong videogame nerd, these gamification features make me hit up MyFordMobile.com at least daily (usually after every trip, if time permits). I enjoy unlocking achievements. It’s fun trying to maximize my “Brake Score” and “Driving Score.” While I don’t care for what muscle cars and rice rockets bring to the table, I’m all about nerding up driving. That’s exactly what Ford has done with the gamification features of the Ford Focus Electric.
What do you guys and gals think of these features? Do you think that’d you enjoy them? Or are you annoyed by the proliferation of gamification? Leave a comment and let me know (please!).
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 WWE Battleground PPV, Steven Gerrard retiring from English football duty, or the irritating Netflix vs. Verizon feud, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
