SpartanNerd Unboxing and Review....Transformers Generations Grimlock- from The Fall of Cybertron

I have some history with Transformers.  I have certainly never been a hardcore collector.  CHEAPSKATE, REMEMBER!  But I had a couple as a kid, and even have the remnants of those few as an adult.

My children, on the other hand, have had quite a few Transformers.  And I have had the priceless privilege of helping transform them.  :(

Here is my strong opinion.  They just don't make them like they used to.  It seems like nowadays they are all plastic, while in the 1980's at least some of the main body parts were die-cast metal, or something similar to that.  Back then there were tight screws holding the joints together, but today, they make them so the joins can snap off and on easily.  In general they are ball joints, so this makes it even less less like the originals.  Then there is the Michael Bay influence.  Transformers nowadays take cues from the "Bayformers."  And I ain't necessarily a fan.

(For the record, I liked the first movie, and thought the second was tolerable.  But I hope I never see Transformers 3 again.  And do you think I am going to see the fourth movie?  NO WAY!)

Back to the subject at hand.  I went to the Wal-Mart this morning, and browsed the toys aisle.  It seems the girls are taking over.  There was only one aisle for the boys.  And three for the girls/babies.  So walking up the boys toys aisle, I thought I would maybe buy a new Chima lego set to review.  Or maybe finally get that lego Ninjago dragon I have been eyeing to review.  Instead, I saw Grimlock.  But I REALLY SAW GRIMLOCK.  He looked like the vintage toy I never had.  He looked like the G1 cartoon even.  He was marked $20, which I thought was reasonable.  (He was actually $23.95, but I wanted him more than I wanted to argue.)  There were a few others with him in similar boxes.  Most of them I thought were dumb or at least just not as cool as Grimlock.  Notably, there was a Sharkticon Megatron.  (Megatron is NOT A SHARKTACON.)

So I got him, and here's my review.  In fact, it is my first ever Transformers review, so, let me know what you think.  How many Hub City Geeks out there are interested in honest reviews of Transformers?

Grimlock came in this box.  This is the image that caught my eye at the store.

Doesn't he look just like Grimlock!  Unaware of what "Fall of Cybertron" meant, I thought it was just an updated version.  Instead, one of the SpartanSmurfs informed me that this is a video game version.  Who knew?  The word TransFormers has a little extra type...it says "Generations."  Not sure what that means.  But I hope to see more toys like this.  You'll see why!  But first, more packaging.

See that line graph.  OH YEAH!  Actually, they were better when I was a kid.  You had to look at the graph through a translucent red piece of plastic to decode the stats!

And more awesome packaging.  The sides and bottom of this box are also pretty neat.

So.  Now that I waited all day to open this up, throw away the box, and play with it some, here is a review of the ACTUAL TOY.

Grimlock is pretty durable.  I mean, he's not G1 Transformer durable.  But still, he's not falling apart like some of those Bayformers.  His knee joins were so tight I was afraid I was going to break him somehow.  Of course he's articulated.  Maybe even "Super Articulated," to use the retiring Poe Ghostal's words.  He has feet that rock up and down (but not side to side.  Knees that bend.  Thigh-cut joints, swivel arms.  Hinged elbows.  And his head turns from side to side.  All this articulation doesn't count the other stuff you can move.  You can move the backpack some, for instance, and the claws on his "cuff-links"

Also, notice those awesome weapons!  Grimlock came with a sword that might remind you of a cross between a lightsaber and a skill saw.  And that shield seems to be a copy of what one of the baddies on Quake 4 use.  Worth noting, there are additional holds in his arms and shoulders, where you can peg the accessories to and stylize him as you like...I'm willing to bet you could arm him up pretty heavily with similar modeled Transformers.

He has a light effect too.  One is generated from the button on the back of his T-Rex mode...(More on that later,)  But this transformer has the translucent plastic on the back of his head that allows light to shine through his eyes.  You know.  Similar to MetalHead from the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles line.

OK.  Here's a back view.

Not much to see here.  He has a backpack, which is actually the inverted T-Rex torso and head.

Grimlock's instructions say that he is a Level 2 "Intermediate" Transformer.  So, being an adult, I shouldn't have had much trouble this time....

I really didn't.  It took me about 5 minutes.  I only referenced the instructions for accuracy....

Speaking of instructions I remember saving these as a kid and just staring at them for weeks.  I would read all of the text.  I would be really sad when I had to throw them away also.  The instructions here don't seem to have the same "soul" as the G1 Transformers.  But maybe it's just me.

To transform him, basically, you have to flip his backpack over his head.  His chest becomes his back.  His arms become the T-Rex legs,H  And his legs and feet become the T-Rex tail

As a T-Rex, he isn't THAT impressive.  I don't dislike him.  But he seems a little....little.  If you know what I mean.  To me part of this reason is because he doesn't have much of a chest/belly.  In fact, he has none at all!  Just hollow nothing that you can unfortunately see.

(The instructions show that you are supposed to put the weapons on it's hips.  I din't just make that up. See...Accuracy, people.)

I also find his tail to be most unsightly.  You can clearly see Grimlock's mech feet on the tail  Which is dumb.  They should have been able to disguise them better.

Luckily, his charm isn't all in the form.  Nosiree.  This guy has a surprise trick!

That's right.  You saw it here first, Hub City Geeks.

This Grimlock can Actually Breathe Actual Fire!  (Not actual, actual, literal fire.)

Don't Doubt me, underlings!  "Me Grimlock Angry!"

If you are a true nerd, and you must be if you enjoy reading this blog, then you probably remember that Grimlock and the other DinoBots could breathe fire, giving children everywhere the misconception that actual real ancient dinosaurs could breathe fire, and also blurring the line between the fictional dragon and the factual dinosaur.

How this works...There is a button, really more of a pressure switch, on the back of the dinosaurs neck.  You press this, and his whole head lights up, as well as he opens his mouth in a menacing way.

(You can activate this in robot mode, but it lights up his chest and body rather unsuccessfully.)

So now for a comparison time...What?  Oh yeah.  This is my first ever Grimlock....I'll have to compare to something else.

Grimlock's underwhelming T-Rex mode might actually only be in my mind.  After all, I own the most awesome robotic T-Rex ever made...Gojulas Zoid!  (Actually, not the same one from when I was a kid, which was actually titled Terrox, and was blue and gray.)  Any Transformer up to maybe PowerMaster Optimus Prime, Revenge of the Fallen Devastator, or maybe MetroPlex looks kind of wimpy when compared to the Zoid.

How about comparing him to a similar modern Transformer.

Grimlock is a little bulkier than this Bayformer SpartanSmurf #1 lent me.  I appreciate that difference..I like my Transformers to have a little weight.  You can see that the SideSwipe figure here has skinny feet, and other dubious features.  None of that for Grimlock!

What about those weapons? Well, at first I thought "This sword will look good in Megator's hands."  Nope.  It looks dumb.

Then I thought, why not try He-Man.  Master of all swords.

Now we're talking!  This could easily be some variant He-Man.  Maybe some New Adventures space theme.  I'm sure that's what Hasbro was thinking when they made this sword. ( Because Mattel makes the MOTUC! )

My overall rating of Grimlock.

Well, he IS the first Transformer I have reviewed.  I think I'll go easy on him, and judge each mode separately.

As an Autobot, he is just awesome!  4/5.  Losing a point mostly because the backpack is obviously a T-Rex torso stuffed into his back.  And the battery doesn't light his eyes.

As a T-Rex, He gets a 3/5.  Because he feels kind of scant.  More like a Raptor.  With a really fat tail.

His accessories are great! 5/5  I think I will start to cross accessories for these reviews.  An accessory should be able to be used in other hands, especially in a similar scale.  (I consider Grimlock to be in scale with MOTUC figures, though technically he probably has a much different ratio number because in "real life" the Transformers are bigger than a house!

So Overall, My rating of Grimlock is 4/5.  Do you agree?  Or disagree?  Let me know!

Technology Review............Dell XPS 12 Ultrabook

CRASH!!!!!

Now that the prelude is over, let's get down and dirty with the details.

HANG UP!!!!!

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY...........................................CTRL....ALT.......DELETE

Can I get a word in here, seriously?

OK.  Joking aside.  Here is my real review.  Yes, it has crashed a few times.  Yes I lost a document or two already.  But that isn't really a tech review, is it?

I am a man spoiled rotten by Apple and their near flawless products...So I WILL take it hard on this machine.

To begin with, look at that name.  Dell XPS 12 Ultrabook----They should add a few more words, how about "Tablet Laptop Computer."  That would do nicely.  And that would almost fully explain the machine.  It's a Dell, so guess what?  Windows.  Not just any Windows, but shiny new Windows 8!  (Should I use the word Surface, or Pro, or Metro, or Windows Phone Mobile?  I lose track after awhile.)

I am going to start with the machine, then move to a review of the operating system.  You might say, "But SpartanNerd, that ain't fair!"  Keep yer "buts" down.  This is how I would review a Mac, no?  LEVEL PLAYING FIELD, Hub City Geeks.

To review the machine, just look at these pictures.

Yep.  This machine is a transformer.  It transforms from a laptop into a tablet.

In laptop mode, you can tell that it is clearly inspired by Appl....I mean Intel!  It is an ultrabook, meaning that it is inspired by the MacBook Air, literally, but by saying that it is inspired by Intel, they are skirting the truth that must be mighty uggly to them.  And that has two "g"s.  It has a backlit keyboard, which is cool, but the letters themselves don't light up.  This takes away from the "jewelry store" effect you get from first turning on a new mac, but it works essentially the same in every other way.  The keys are also "chiclet"style.  As you can see my standard issue model from work that I am reviewing here has a black and grey color scheme.  There is some shinier places on it around the edges, etc.

The trackpad is frustrating.  I am really spoiled with the Macbook Pro's trackpad.  The one on the XPS 12 isn't as responsive, seems to want me to actually click it, and doesn't mimic touchscreen gestures.  In other words, it is a different language than the tablet part of the machine.  Someone might say, "Big deal.  You know it is in laptop mode."  Well, as you get to using this thing, you start to see that this IS a big deal.  You have to teach yourself two different ways of communicating with the same machine.

One more, sort of minor thing.  Backspace and delete are DIFFERENT BUTTONS.  Has it been like this, and I just forgot?  And the little things count, so here's another one.  I like to be able to open my screen and the keyboard stay put, because the heavier part doesn't move.  Any MacBook Pro user knows what I am talking about.  But this don't happen with almost any other computer, including the XPS 12.

Other things, you turn the machine on via a little switch on the left side.  It has a glowing light, also akin to a Mac.  The USB ports are on the right side of the machine, for when you get frustrated with that trackpad and decide to switch to a mouse.  The USB jacks on mine are very tight.  I have to pull really hard to remove my USB chord from the socket!  There are also battery lights on the right side that activate at the push of a button.  Sound familiar?

So, while you are in laptop mode, you also have the touchscreen that works.  I might sound like someone who writes for Macworld when I say this, but it IS awkward to reach up and touch the screen while you are laptop mode. It just seems wrong.  After awhile, your hand does get tired.  Also, me and every other technology geek out there have trained ourselves..."Don't touch the screen!"   Now that we can, we feel like, "Why?  I have a mouse attached!"

So, is it a workhorse?  Hardly.  Read the first couple of sentences.  I don't know how much RAM it has, or anything, but I guarantee it isn't enough.  MICROSOFT WORD HANGS UP!  Keep in mind nothing else is running besides Outlook.  I hate to think I was playing an intense game on this machine ....shudder.....

I told the SpartanMrs. I would try and be nice, so here goes....It is light.  It is kind of cool looking in laptop mode.  I already like it better than my Desktop Windows machine.  How's that?  I can sit in my comfy office chair and check my e-mail.  And not walk 10 feet to the uncomfy plastic chair.

Now, let's transform it.  The transformation is spiffy!  But I have to wonder how long this mechanism will last.  My boss assured me that it was tested hundreds or thousands of times by a sweatshop worker robot.  We'll see.  I have my doubts, mostly because the springs that make it click in place are made of plastic.  You flip the screen around, and collapse it over the keyboard.  Now you have a tablet computer.

This tablet is supposed to use the ol' "metro" screen.  But it can switch to regular Windows.  See above for how well this works out.  The tablet stuff feels right here, but the desktop applications don't so much.

This screen is NOT "oleo-phobic."  It will pick up your fingerprints, streaks of oil and grime and dirt.  And because it is sort of big......much bigger than an iPad Mini (my preferred tablet,) you can't easily wipe it on your pants legs.  So keep a hanky handy!  And did I mention elbow grease?

You press the "Windows" button at the bottom, to get a Home Screen effect like you would on an iPod or iPhone.  Other than that, I don't know what to say, except that sometimes it gets stuck in an orientation that you don't want, and it doesn't readily switch the way you want it like an iPad would.  You have to exaggerate motions in the directions to get the re-orientation to trigger.

So what about this Windows 8 Operating System?  I would like to say a few nice things first.  I am glad it isn't an IOS clone, like Android is apparently.  "Stolen product," anyone?  The Windows Home Screen (formerly known as Metro, to techies out there) is kind of pretty.  I like how the "live tiles" update stuff.  This is arguably better than what an iPhone or iPad can do.  And the tiles don't work like IOS icons.  BUT, they aren't as easy to learn....not as intuitive.

I said a few nice things, but, it has the "I am going to make you work for it" philosophy that Windows has always had.  It isn't an intuitive system.  I am afraid Apple took the easy ideas already, and patented them.  Not that I believe MicroSoft would have chosen the easiest stuff if they were first to the party.  Remember, they were the first people to market "tablet computers," and were never able to bust the market open the way Apple did with their trained and groomed crowd of iPhone users.

Here is an example.  I was working in Microsoft Word.  I decided to switch and browse for some clip art with Internet Explorer.  I used the tablet version of the browser.  Then, I was like...."how do I get back to the desktop?  Well, the way this works, is you swipe from the top of the screen to the bottom to close a program.  I did that, which brought me to the Windows Home screen.  But I wanted to see the desktop....and I started to get frustrated, then I remembered.  Swipe from left to right to browse screens.

See what I mean?  If someone hadn't told me how to do that, I wouldn't have got it.

How about this, How do you make it sleep?  You flick the right side to make a menu appear, choose, "settings," then hit the power button graphic, and choose sleep from the menu.  Isn't that too much work FOR A BASIC FUNCTION?  I could transform it and close it clamshell style.  But that is too much work, too.

So what is my rating for this machine?

I give it a 5/10.  It is better than my old desktop (3/10.)  It isn't a 9/10 like my MacBook Pro  (I mark down the MB Pro because the rubber pads on bottom come off too easily.)  What computer is a 10/10?  My desktop iMac.  (2006 model)  Maybe I'm going too easy on that one, the SpartanMrs. and I spent a long night replacing the hard drive in that one.

Maybe after awhile this tablet computer will become like "an old friend,"  But I have yet to really bond with it.

"Silly Rabbi," said George, "Tricks are for Kids!"             (Nerdy quote from Captain Underpants #5)

I like putting these Nerdy quotes.  Comment people!

Spider-Man...The Birth of the SpartanNerd

What is my origin story?

Here goes!  My nerd life officially began with the purchase of a Value Pack of marvel comics at
Wal-Mart, in about....1990ish.  (Also....Wal-Mart was sort of new in Spartanburg at this time, on trivia buffs and historians!)

If you have been reading my blog, and some people have been apparently, (I am very grateful!), then in my post about "How I see comics..." I mention some of my history with the medium.  So here is a more detailed story, and how Spider-Man #6 and #7 were the official birth of the SpartanNerd!

1.  My first comics were without a doubt, the Mini-Comics that came with Masters of the Universe figures.  I was three or four years old at this point.

2.  I stumbled across the Sunday Funnies page at some point around six or seven years old.  It became a sort of ritual to read them every Sunday.  I remember reading "The Phantom," as my first "serious" taste of comics, but to this day I can't remember a single story.  All I remember was his swag.

3.  At about eight or nine years old, I got some collected editions of Masters of the Universe comics, and Transformers comics.  Oh if I still had these today!  But I remember them!  The He-Man stuff featured some nasty vine creatures.  To this day I have not seen this story archived or discussed on the internet.  The Transformers book had what was apparently the Marvel origins story of the Transformers...This was also my first Spider-Man book....It featured Spidey in the black costume, Pre-Venom!  So this was that brief stint of time between Secret Wars and Venom.  (I know this now....Back then I had no clue!)  Spidey mentions that the costume is a "cinch," and that all he has to do is think about becoming Spider-Man in order to change.  I'm sure this was purposely reviewed so that non-comics regulars like me at the time might understand why he was in a black costume, and some of the powers it had.

4.  Knowing that I was trying to get into reading comics, my uncle got me some for Christmas at around the age of 8 or 9 as well.  I read them a few times, then my mom caught me.  They were "WWIII."  Highly gory and lots of foul language.  She put those things in the garbage!  Sorry, Uncle!
This was my first awareness that not only kids were out there reading comics.

5.  So at around 12 years old I got this value pack of Spider-Man books.  This was a collection of five random books.  I'm pretty sure one of them was Wolverine, one of them was ghost rider, and then there were the real gems....Spider-Man #6 and #7.  There was also an re-print of a vintage crossover book that featured both Spider-Man and Ghost-Rider.  (You see, there was some rhyme and reason to this little packet!)

6.  I became a full blown comics addict, buying these value packs every time I could go to Wal-Mart, or off newstands when I could find them, eventually amassing a few hundred books. Eventually my interest waned a little and I sold them off to the Tangled Web for gas money, (which was a new store at the time.)

7.  Spurts of interest in comics would come and go.  I got all into "The Death of Superman," and "Reign of the Supermen."  I was allergic to the Spider-Man clone saga.  But I read it anyway, at least some of it.

8.  And now I am an old SpartanNerd who subscribes to lots of comics.  But I weigh every single comic I read against my two favorite comics, Spider-Man #6 and Spider-Man #7, either conciously or subconsciously.  To me, these are the pinnacle of the medium!

My next entry will be a review of why these two are so special to me!

"Gobbling like a Hobgoblin!"