Shonzilla, a pattern-seeking animal

Life is a game of patterns and chance, and those who play well will win.


Twitter

See also (via Entrecard)

programming coupons powered by RetailMeNot.com

Fri Jun 26

The best street dance moves you have ever seen

This guy, Robert Muraine a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic, has got some wicked street dancing and popping skills.I’m also posting this as a short tribute to Michael Jackson’s who sadly passed away yesterday.

Thanks to Ivanjah for sending me this one. :-)

[via cashadz]

Sat Mar 28

Won a JavaRanch contest - book “Unlocking Android”

I was greeted by good news in my inbox this morning.
I won a JavaRanch contest and the award is a book on Android development - Unlocking Android. :-)

The prerequisite for taking part in the contest were to contribute to Android forum, which I did. I’m guessing they did not use a completely randomized system since I got selected after writing (only) 3 or 4 posts, but rather awarded by merit. I did put some effort in writing replies that are not only useful to the original poster but to a wider community

I believe it’s always a good thing to do contribute. Sometimes it pays off by winning something tangible like this book. In the rest of cases you win something even more valuable - enthusiasm. That’s my case at least. :-)

This book we’ll continue to expand my Android library next to Professional Android Application Development from Reto Meier, which I’m reading occasionally.

Anyway, I’m eager to get my hands on this book. I will post my book review and general impressions here.

Thu Dec 25
Wed Jul 23
Sat May 31

How about winning a $4200 laptop and $1000 of software & games?

A while ago, I was informed by Andy McCluskey, the author of my favorite podcast Slashdot Review, about a contest called “31 days of Dragon”.

Dragon is an appropriate code name for the HP Pavilion HDX laptop/tablet PC sporting wicked specs:

  • CPU: Intel Core 2 Extreme Processor X9000 (2.80GHz, 6MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB)
  • 20.1” diagonal WUXGA High-Definition HP Ultra Brightview Widescreen (1920x1200) 1080p,
  • 4GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm),
  • 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTS,
  • HP Imprint Finish (Dragon) + Fingerprint Reader + Webcam + Microphone,
  • Intel PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network Connection and Bluetooth,
  • 500GB 5400RPM SATA Dual Hard Drive (250GB x 2),hedragon.com/hp-pavilion
  • Blu-Ray ROM with SuperMulti DVD+/-R/RW Double Layer,
  • Integrated HP HDTV Hybrid TV Tuner,
  • 4 Altec Lansing speakers with HP Triple Bass Reflex subwoofer,
  • 9 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
  • BTW, it comes with Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (64-bit) which I would personally replace with a dual-boot configuration of Ubuntu and Windows XP, but that’s just me

As I’m getting more and more frustrated with my desktop configuration, I would really like to get my hands on this beast, er, Dragon. Here’s the beast:

HP Pavillion HDX a.k.a. Dragon

While writing this, the contest is still open at GeekNewsCentral, iStartedSomething, BleepingComputer, Hardware Geeks, GeekZone, The Tablet PC, GearLive, and GottaBeMobile. Go check those sites and register for your chance at getting a Dragon onto your lap, or maybe better yet, your desktop.

The contest rules depend on the particular participating site, and they’re usually quite simple. What’s great about this contest is one Dragon will be awarded by every participating site and anyone can enter, regardless of your country of origin. Having no pre-requisite for such a lucrative and drools-inducing contest is a good way to turn a contest into a viral campaign.

Good luck to everyone and a little bit more luck to me! ;-)

Fri Dec 21

Pattern-seeking service for Entrecard credits

This little post is for you visitors out there familiar with Entrecard, the (blogger’s) Business Card 2.0.

The guy(s) over there figured out a viral marketing campaign to get more reviews written about them. Kudos for the idea!

As this post will be interesting only to people who are already interested in Entrecard, I will not be writing much about Entrecard as you know already. However, if you’re new to Entrecard and you’re a blogger looking for some free promotion, just go there and you’ll quickly realize what is it all about.

The reason for writing is the new feature from them - The Entrecard Store is here - Contest for Seller Status! - and I am happy to announce that I would like to sell my pattern-seeking service for Entrecard credits.

So what’s the scoop?

Entrecard organizes a raffle where out of all participating bloggers only select 6 (yeah, six) of them will become sellers of digital or material goods of their choice. These might include anything from link love, online advertising and design services to customized t-shirts, iPhones (?) and what-not.

If I win this contest, and receive the coveted “Entrecard Seller” status, I will begin offering my pattern-seeking and writing skills to write reviews of other people’s sites, blogs and services in exchange for 333 Entrecard credits. The review would include: a research on the main topic of the site/blog/service, the site/blog/service itself and how it ranks in its market niche. I plan to begin offering pattern-seeking reviews once a week.

Perhaps I am too cheap or too expensive… I am not sure yet, as the value of Entrecard credits is almost a subjective thing. I am open to discussion and adjustment of the price in credits. The best measure (of Entrecard credits value) I can think of is the value of minimum time people spend to drop their Entrecard on other people’s blogs. What do you think?

Would you like to get reviewed by me?

Regardless, if you read this far - just drop me short comment to show off to the world that you did! ;-)

Cheers,
Shonzilla