Mens Buying Guide Magazine - GearCrave » Interviews

Gadget Blogger Interview: Geeky-Gadgets.com

Mike Payne — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:34:22 +0000

Starting off a series of interviews with some of the best gadget bloggers on the web, we sat down with Roland Hutchinson of Geeky-Gadgets. Learn a bit more about the geekiest gadget blog on the web straight from the man himself! Enjoy, GearCravers.

What is your name, occupation and favorite quote?

I am Roland Hutchinson, I suppose my occupation now is a technology writer, I still find it hard to believe that people actually enjoy reading what I write.

Up until 3 weeks ago I was working in finance, something I have done for over 15 years, but because Geeky Gadgets and my other sites have really taken off I am now able to do it full time, which is great because I am doing a job I really enjoy.

What is Geeky Gadgets?

Geeky Gadgets is a gadgets and technology blog, we aim to bring you the latest news on gadgets and technology, and also like to feature slightly different gadgets on the site, as well as adding some humour along the way.

Why should gadget/tech lovers read Geeky Gadgets?

I think gadget lovers would enjoy reading Geeky Gadgets, because we always try and find something different to write about, plus now that I am full time working on the site, we have some exciting new features coming up, which I am sure our readers will love.

What are your favorite gadget blogs other than Geeky Gadgets?

Gear Crave of course, geek alerts, gadget venue and Technabob are some of my favourites, as well as some of the larger ones like Gizmodo, Engadget, Dvice etc, there are far too many to list.

What non-tech websites do you find yourself reading daily?

This is a tough one, I suppose social networking sites like Digg, Reddit, Mixx, Stumbleupon etc, the majority of the sites I read are about gadgets and technology, I have been reading these types of sites daily for years, this was why I decided to start geeky gadgets.

What are a few of your favorite gadget/tech releases of this year?

Number one would have to be the 3G iPhone, I loved the 2G version when it came out, the iPhone has changed the mobile industry and there are loads of manufacturers bringing out new phones every week, based on some of the iPhoneâ€™s features, I think it is great for consumers, as we are all getting much more user friendly mobiles.

The second would have to be the Asus Eee, I know it was released last year but itâ€™s a great gadget, Asus have done really well with it and there are so many manufacturers bringing out netbooks now, they have really changed the market. I still havenâ€™t bought one yet, I am waiting for the new version with built in 3G to be released.

In recent memory, what are your three favorite posts on Geeky Gadgets?

This is a tough one as well, I tend to be quite critical of my own posts and find it quite hard to pick my favourite ones, so I guess the ones our readers have found the most interesting would be the best, so hereâ€™s the 3 most popular from last month.

Feature: 21 Cool Geek Cufflinks
Cool Mods – The CinematographHD All in one mobile PC
Feature: 10 Cool Spy Gadgets

Lightning Round: Mac, linux or PC?

PC at the moment, I have always built my own PCâ€™s, but I am getting more and more tempted to buy a Mac, I think my next notebook will be a MacBook Pro.

Wii, PS3 or XBOX360?

Xbox 360, I also have a Wii as well but definitely love the Xbox 360.

Muscle sportscar or Hybrid?

Has to be a Sports car, I am a bit of a car nut, and have always fancied starting a car related site, maybe thatâ€™s something for the future.

Last, if you could sit down with any tech-related personality for a drink, who would it, be?

It would have to be Steve Jobs, the guy is an absolute genius, I think it its amazing the way he has turned Apple around since he came back, and his marketing skills are brilliant, he manages to create such a buzz around every new product they launch.

Thanks for chatting with us, Roland. GearCravers, be sure to head over to Geeky-Gadgets to get to know the blog for yourself!

GearCrave Interview: Jason Chen of Gizmodo.com

Mike Payne — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:10:05 +0000

To call this guy “prolific” would be an understatement. If you’ve visited Gizmodo in the past few years, you’ve seen his work– and likely a lot of it. Its not the sheer volume of his work that makes him one of the web’s top bloggers, its the fun, humor and knowledge that fill each and every post he writes. This success has led Jason Chen to a recent promotion– to editor of Gizmodo.com, the web’s most popular gadget news blog. In congratulating him on his new digs, we sat down with Jason for an interview about gadgets, about blogging, and about life as a gadget blogger. Continue reading below for the dirty details…

What is your name, occupation and favorite quote?

Jason Chen, Writer (currently Editor of Gizmodo), and one of my favorite quotes of all time is from David X. Cohen of Futurama:

“The operating principle of Futurama was that you can do a joke that 1 percent of the audience gets, as long as it doesn’t derail the enjoyment of the mass audience,” Cohen says. “And that 1 percent becomes a fan for life.”

For those that are either sleeping under a rock, blind or Amish, what is Gizmodo?

Gizmodo is a gadget blog that focuses on being a tech site that’s readable, informative, entertaining and fun to visit. We’re basically your friend who you go to when you have a question about tech, who will always give it to you straight no matter what the subject is.

How long have you worked with Gizmodo? How many posts have you written? Do you have four hands?

I’ve worked at Gizmodo for two and a half years, written about 6666 posts, and wish I have four hands so I could blog AND play games at the same time. Or maybe four eyes so I could look at two screens at once.

You. Brian Lam. Mullets. Who wins at Rock Band?

Mullets win, of course, but I’d come in a close second. You can’t beat mullets at playing any Bon Jovi song.

What were your aspirations early in life? Did you imagine yourself as the editor of the leading tech publication on the web?

I had many aspirations early in life, from being an entertainer, to a philosopher, to a computer programmer, to an actor. Of course I was five years old and didn’t know what any of these things were, but in no way did I imagine myself as being the editor of anything except the Drool Club for Kids. As you can imagine, their readership is low since the publication gets quite soggy.

If you weren’t working as a blogger/editor, what would Jason Chen be doing as a career?

I would either be a software engineer and hating it, or be broke trying to get on the staff writing for a great TV show. Who knows, that might be what I’ll be doing 10 years from now.

What is your favorite part about writing for Gizmodo? What is your least favorite part about being a blogger/writer/editor?

The favorite part of writing for Gizmodo is the freedom to write pretty much however we want, as long as it’s concise and gets the point across. It’s a very good way for me to express myself in ways other avenues like watching TV don’t allow. (The TV rarely gives feedback.) My least favorite part of being all those things is the travel. There’s a reason why we bloggers love working at home.

What is your favorite mobile phone on the market today? Difficulty: aside from the iPhone.

Wow, this is difficult. The iPhone 3G! Ha. No, my favorite would probably have to be some kind of smartphone, so either an Android phone, which is not quite on the market, or one of the nicer Windows Mobile phones like the Touch HD or the Touch Pro.

The OS of the future: Mac or Linux?

Mac, just for the theory that paying someone to do something will get better results from them than having them do it for free. Nothing against Linux and open source in general, it’s going to take years and years before they get their UI and usability to the state where your parents are comfortable with it.

The best video game of 2008? Difficulty: aside from GTAIV

I’d have to say Metal Gear Solid 4. It’s one of the only ones that really got me hooked this year. Lots of winners in 2007, but nothing spectacular so far in 2008. The holiday lineup looks pretty damn good though.

What is your favorite post on Gizmodo of all time?

That’s like asking me to choose which one of my six thousand babies I like the most. I don’t know if this is my favorite now, but this post about the Japanese Wii Manual back in 2006 was one of my favorites for a long time. I often find and read old posts on Gizmodo, laugh, then feel weird when I realize it was one of my own posts I wrote a long time ago. (p.s. 500 of those babies are probably pretty awful)

Thanks for talking with us, Jason. Here’s to 6,666 more posts… just try to spread that out over a few years! GearCravers, if you don’t already read Gizmodo regularly, you are sorely missing out. Head on over and pay them a visit.

GearCrave Blog Spotlight: Unplggd.com

Mike Payne — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:45:52 +0000

What is Unplggd? When did Unplggd launch?

Gregory Han: Unplggd officially launched in December of 2007 as an extension of Apartment Therapy, a network of home design and decor sites, focusing upon the realm of home technology products that bridge the gap between innovation and an aesthetic quality compatible with home decor. Basically Unplggd is a depository of tech ideas that can be described both as functional technology and a harmonious aesthetic presence within the home, particularly aimed at those of us who live in small spaces. Posts revolve just as much around DIY solutions and incorporation of technology as the tech items themselves.

Why should people read Unplggd?

I’ve always believed Unplggd offers a unique experience because it’s curated with a particular perspective specifically addressing the desire to incorporate electronics and appliances into the home with equal parts geek aspirations and decor sensibility. Simple, elegant and beautiful are characteristics we’re looking for foremost in any of our posts, mixed in with affordability and the occasional delight in tech ideas that evoke a sense of humour and/or wonder. People will find not only tech eye candy regularly on the site, but also practical solutions that result in a more beautiful home such as how to hide and manage components and accessories, automation/integration of tech appliances with the rest of the home, and home tech tours from our own readers that embody the ideals of the site. Unlike most tech/gadget sites, Unplggd strongly relies upon readers’ own contributions, questions and insights to steer the site topically, and that makes the site unpredictably challenging and fun.

As your focus is tech and design for the modern home, what gadgets or designs exemplify what Unplggd means to its readers?

The iPhone embodies many of the ideals we hope to promote on Unplggd (sans the horrible 3G network aspect). The simplicity and elegance of an item that evokes an emotional response and allows for incorporation into several different aspects of life inside and outside the home is where many solutions are converging. The iPhone’s appeal is rooted in a careful (if still flawed) balance of technology, aesthetics, an understanding of the tactile experience between user and product, and most importantly a simplicity in use that supersedes the technology itself. Well designed tech should be invisible…until you turn it on…when it then should bring a satisfaction with each use.

What do you love most about writing for Unplggd?

The fact that I’m writing about and discussing a topic I already did on my own personal blog with semi-regularity makes the job an easy and helluva enjoyable one. In many ways, writing for Unplggd is not so much about the writing itself but the community of sharing solutions, whether they be from personal experience or gleaned from outside sources. For me, sharing information via online has always had a strange appeal, and each day allows me to learn a little more about realms of tech that I didn’t know about the day before…and then share it with thousands of others! There’s something satisfying (or perhaps narcissistic) about being an informational conduit.

What are your favorite websites and why?

One of my favourite sites has just recently gone the way of the dodo (with prayers of a phoenix-like return): The Proceedings of the Athanasius Kircher Society, a site dedicated to the curiosity cabinet set of esoteric lore that probably taps into my hermit-like tendencies. Essentially an ancient days Gizmodo.

Image collective FFFFound! I don’t know how many times I’ve seen something on that site that inspired posts for Unplggd, especially due to their propensity to post vintage era technologies and designs. Beautiful images occasionally result in beautiful ideas.

And of course, not a day goes by without reading the behemoth known as Digg. It’s both an asset and a productivity killer because of the scope of range of topics that often results in online meander-itis. Plus I’d rather admit to being a reader of Digg than revealing my love of celeb-tastic, The Superficial…oops!

What gadgets/technology can you not live without?

Photo manipulation software is both a necessity of my occupation and the source of many of my recreational Photochopping activities (as most every one of my friends can attest). I love technology that allows that sort of open ended discovery, so I guess I’d have to say my Mac is the closest thing to a gadget I cannot live without.

Many find it amusing although I write for a tech site and have a reputation as a first adopter, I’m mostly a proponent for living with less technology, not more. I don’t own a cell phone because I don’t need one. Years ago I reduced my surround system to a single integrated virtual surround solution due to our small apartment. I’m in the process of ridding myself of all my gaming systems. If it wasn’t for my NBA-loving girlfriend, I might have gotten rid of our digital satellite system and flat panel by now. So in my heart, I don’t believe in being beholden to any particular technology unless it adds quantifiable utility and joy to my life. Own your technology, don’t let it own you.

If you could have lunch with any personality in tech/gadget design/development, who would it be and why?

I’d love to meet John Lasseter and Brad Bird over at Pixar, as they’re glowing examples of creators/designers who use technology as a means, not an end. Although they do not design “gadgets” per se, in many ways their creations exhibit the same characteristics evident in successful products like the Nintendo Wii or the iPhone: fun, simple, intuitive and immediately engaging. The beauty in their work is how seamlessly the technology disappears into the background while experience arises to the front.

As an owner of a vintage Bang & Olufsen BeoGram 4004 Record Deck (purchased from a retiring Playboy mag executive, no less!), I’d certainly wouldn’t pass up the chance to break bread with Jacob Jensen. The man designed over 500 product designs, many in the realm of home electronics, most every one timeless in quality and exhibiting sublime everyday utility instead of gimmick-appeal that too often permeates throughout the tech/gadget realm.

List a few of your personal favorite Unplggd posts in recent memory.

DIY Stealth Swan Security System
This has to be one of my all-time favourite posts we’ve done on Unplggd because it hits all the marks. Peter is our resident DIY mad scientist-designer, and he took what was supposed to be a run of the mill product review into a humorous but effective home security solution.

Home Tech Tour: Hong Kong Condo
Some of our best content comes directly from readers, and home tech tours of small space solutions are always very popular. The incorporation of multi-use areas for appliances and tech items in the cozy 500 sq. ft. space is practically a showroom for great tech ideas.

How to Stream Video to Your PS3
Occasionally just posting informational directions that extend the use of an existing product is extremely valuable, as was the case with this Playstation 3/TVersity post.

DIY Arcade Cabinet
This is actual a series of posts all interrelated, documenting a couple home arcade cabinet projects that really exhibit a level of commitment that inspires others to take those steps forward toward solutions that aren’t necessarily off the shelf.

Unplggd Final Frame
Each day we end with an image labeled Final Frame, and these are often my own favourite posts since they’re a little more free association than the rest of the content. Contributors are simply asked to post images from the past or present that embody the site’s goals to cover all beautiful things tech.

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Gregory. GearCravers, be sure to check out Unplggd.com for your daily dose of Home Tech. If you love GearCrave, you’re sure to enjoy Unplggd as well!

Lifestyles of the Digger Famous: 3 Top Diggers on Social Fame

Mike Payne — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:54:38 +0000

Whether you are new to Digg, a seasoned pro or Kevin Rose himself (Hi Kevin!), these three men have a powerful influence on what you read. Msaleem, MrBabyMan and Zaibatsu have established themselves as a “Digg Trinity”, three unlikely friends whose names are synonymous with social media, their submissions appearing on the front page of digg on a daily basis, driving millions of readers to sites they discover.

GearCrave joined the trio to discuss Digg, social media and their latest project, the Drill Down Podcast…

GearCrave: What is your name, digg username, location and job title?

Msaleem: My name is Muhammad Saleem and I go by the user name msaleem on almost all social media sites (except for StumbleUpon where my user name is msaleem-stumbl. I live in Chicago and I work as a strategy and product/business development consultant to startups.

MrBabyMan: My name is Andrew Sorcini, I go by MrBabyMan on Digg (and other social networks), and I’m a film editor.

Zaibatsu: I’m Reg Saddler, I go by Zaibatsu on Digg, mixx, and everywhere else. I’m a retired tech consultant.

GC: How did the three of you originally come together? When was the idea for the Drill Down Podcast created?

MBM: We’re all submitters on Digg. It’s a natural occurrence amongst Digg submitters (and I really can’t explain why) that as they become more and more successful, they begin to connect with each other outside of Digg. For the most part, all the top submitters know each other and chat with each other fairly regularly. This is how Mu, Reg and I first connected.

Mu and I would occasionally chat about the tech stories we saw on Digg, and our conversations were so free and insightful, I began to wonder if anyone else would be interested in eavesdropping in on them. Mu suggested we make it a threesome with Reg, and we started to record our chats.

GC: What is The Drill Down Podcast? What does it mean for the world of social media?

MS: The Drill Down podcast covers technology-related and web-related news and often reviews new social web apps. As for social media, the podcast is a place for people to come together and discuss all the latest social media happenings. We don’t ‘run’ the show, in fact we take recommendations from the audience and often invite them to co-host the show with us.

GC: What doors has Digg opened for you and your respective careers?

MS: I don’t think it’s Digg specifically that has opened doors for any of us, but via Digg, it’s our respective understanding of some of the most important properties in the social web sphere that has opened doors for us. In fact it is this same understanding that allows us to utilize Digg to its maximum potential.

MBM: My entertainment industry career is independent from my involvement on Digg, and outside of the realm of social networking, my co-workers, friends and family are unimpressed, uninterested or just don’t get it. That’s fine by me.

Z: Digg has definitely introduced me to a lot of wonderful people in social media I otherwise wouldn’t have met. Since being on Digg, I’ve developed great relationships with them.

GC: What do you believe is the key to your success on Digg?

MS: There is no big secret to success on Digg. Submit good quality content and participate actively on the site and anyone can be just as successful on the site. The new crop of power-Diggers prove just that.

MBM: I think my success is due for the most part to the Digg community finding an affinity with many (roughly about 27%) of the stories I submit. And for that, I’m grateful to be able to choose and submit content they connect with.

Z: I think people really like me and my posts. Also I have a, shall we say, distinctive title/description style that I think people dig (pun intended)

GC: For each of you, what are a few of your all-time favorite personal submissions to Digg?

MS: My favorite submission so far was the announcement of Al-Gore being awarded the Nobel Prize.

MBM: That’s tough to say, but I’d have to say my favorites are the ones that really moved people, engaged them in heated debate, or inspired them to consider a viewpoint they hadn’t previously.

Z: So neighbors steal your wi-fi net access, kill the connection or have fun or anything with treefrogs.

GC: If you could change any one thing about Digg, what would it be?

MS: I would make it much more transparent.

MBM: I would call for more transparency in the process. I understand Digg’s desire to protect their process from spammers, but it also fosters uncertainty and mistrust. If users aren’t told how the process works (especially one as seemingly arcane as Digg story promotion), how can we be assured when or if it’s working right?

Z: They just need to call it Diggzbatsu and make every frontpage story one of mine. Digg my stuff!

GC: Where would you be today without Digg and Social Media online? What would you focus on?

MS: I would either be blogging or not be on the social web at all. I would be working for a venture capital firm or a consulting firm that invests in or works with Silicon Valley startups.

MBM: I’m a film lover at heart, so if I wasn’t involved with Digg, I’d probably be watching, making and writing about film.

Z: Drunk in bed, surrounded by several women and lots of great food. So basically no difference.

GC: What do you see as the future of social media?

MS: I think the future lies in better integration of social and collaborative technologies into our everyday lives, as well as better utilization of filtering and recommendation technologies that learn our preferences and adapt to suit our needs the more we use them.

MBM: The future of social media lies in the seamless integration of social media and networking with mainstream media until all content is accessible on our own terms and we can interact and develop conversations around it all.

The trend in software is to move beyond the server and host everything in “the cloud”, across multiple servers. In the future, social media will go to “the cloud” as well, but the multiple servers will be our own personal media devices. Want to watch a protest in Beijing on your iPhone? Connect to one of dozens of protesters streaming the event live from their iPhones– true virtuality.

Z: Whatever it is, it’s gonna have more me in it.

GC: For each of you, what gadgets or technology can you absolutely not live without?

MS: I would be completely lost without my MacBook Air (and probably iPhone too).

MBM: I’m a relatively new iPhone user, and I’m already addicted. Its basic concept, a multifunction, customizable, handheld touchscreen interface is the future of social media, and will be for a while. Beyond that, I couldn’t live without my personal computer, and of course, the HDTV!

Z: All of them. Especially those which allow the- ahem- unrestricted distribution of media and software.

GC: If you could have lunch with any one inventor, technologist or entrepreneur, who would you wish to meet?

MS: I have wanted to meet Tim O’Reilly for a while now.

MBM: This is a cliche answer, I know, but I’d really love to pick the brains of both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs and see what makes them tick. Their foresight on the future of technology is truly impressive.

Z: Probably Bram Cohen, the guy who invented Bittorrent. or Steve Jobs (although he DID write to me one time and bitchslapped me down when I asked him why he stopped authorizing Mac clones to be sold).

Thanks for chatting with GearCrave, guys. Be sure to take a moment to check out the Drill Down Podcast, and be sure to visit Msaleem, MrBabyMan and Zaibatsu on Digg!

(thanks to the talented Logan Lape of LapeDesigns.com for the main image!)

Interview: David W. Lloyd and Larry Oji of OCremix.org

Mike Payne — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:53:38 +0000

Have you ever found yourself humming a tune from a video game you can’t put down? Have you ever played a video game just to hear its soundtrack? You’re not alone, my friend. Video game music is one of the newest art forms to the world of media. While film soundtracks win Oscars and Grammys, video game soundtracks are beginning to earn an acclaim all their own.

A passion for the creativity behind video game music has led a large community of musicians to come together to appreciate this music with the highest form of respect– the remix. The OverClocked ReMix community takes the full history of video game music, from Atari to PS3, and reshapes it of their own inspiration. What is this phenomenon of fan-based video game remixing? What is OverClocked ReMix? We sat down with the artists behind the OCremix craze to hear about it in their own words…

What is OverClocked ReMix?

David W. Lloyd (djpretzel): Well, we’ve got our standard blurb on our website, but basically, we’re a community of video game music fans who express our appreciation by remixing/arranging classic and modern game music and making those mixes available freely.

Larry Oji (Liontamer): Part and parcel with that basic goal is that we encourage creative interpretation of the original game music into any and all genres and styles. Everything submitted to the site is peer reviewed for creativity and quality, so we pride ourselves as a great source of free music for anyone, gamers and casual music fans alike.

How long has the OC ReMix website been online?

djpretzel: We started off in early December of 1999, so almost 9 years. Which is like… 81 years old in “Internet years.”

What got you involved in creating video game soundtrack remixes?

djpretzel: I always loved VGM, even way back with the Colecovision and C64. When our family got a Sega Master System, though, that’s when I started actually tape recording the music and playing it back and what not. In 1999, I was involved in the emulation scene, doing a comic strip about it, and decided to branch out and also do video game mixes, plus post other people’s mixes. It was a great way to learn about music & improve my skills while at the same time contributing/interacting with the emulation/retrogaming scene. Since then, it’s taken on a life of its own, but the site’s roots are in the emulation community and my own desire to make music.

What do video game remixes mean to you?

djpretzel: They mean a way to channel and express my creativity, nostalgia, love & respect for video games and video game music, and desire to challenge myself and others. It’s a really unique form, one that we’ve clarified and cultivated by revising our standards and implementing a judges panel. Sometimes people think we take things too seriously, which I’m sure we’re guilty of from time to time, but honestly, that’s part of our whole point – video game music DESERVES to be taken seriously, and just throwing up Bubble Bobble music with drum loops sloppily added on top wouldn’t convey that respect.

Larry Oji: Nostalgia is definitely one thing, but I’ve heard so many great OC ReMixes from games I’ve never played, so nostalgia isn’t the only thing. There’s just a bunch of great video game music out there with great hooks from games I’ve never played. And the ReMixing community comes through with skilled, creative takes on those themes in a variety of genres. Game remixes not only educate fans on the strength and flexibility of game music compositions, they open people’s minds to genres they may not normally listen to. As a snapshot, the 25 most recent mixes on our front page include rock, electronica, orchestral, metal, jazz, trip-hop, ambient, hip-hop, and waltz. There’s even a mix in the style of a funeral dirge. And even though our front page constantly evolves with new mixes, that snapshot represents the variety the community offers.

You recently worked on the soundtrack for Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (which, by the way, offers 1080p high def resolution!) – how did you approach working on a project for such a legendary franchise?

djpretzel: One step at a time… after we got over the initial head rush of being involved with an actual Street Fighter game, we worked with Capcom to break the task down into components. They looked at Blood on the Asphalt, a Street Fighter II album OCR released, as well as individual mixes on OCR, and basically picked tracks they thought would work. It was then a matter of contacting original artists and getting them to make edits (and alternate, higher tempo versions) as needed for in-game usage. There were a few blanks that needed to be filled in, where Capcom didn’t think any existing material was appropriate, and in those cases we did stuff from scratch. AE and Prozax put together a kicking alternate cut of the Ken theme for the title screen and menus, and AE actually did several other tracks as well. JosÃ© the Bronx Rican did all but two of the character endings, which was a lot of work. A few other artists, including myself, fellow soundtrack director Shael Riley and assistant director Malcos, chipped in with stuff, too. In the end, when you put it all together, it shaped into a diverse but cohesive remixed SF2 soundtrack that I think folks will dig

At ocremix.org, has soundtrack remixing opened up doors for original game music production careers?

Larry Oji: Hopefully the Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix soundtrack will open the door to the careers of everyone who contributed to it. As the other assistant soundtrack director for HD Remix, I really couldn’t think of anything better than working on game music soundtracks day in, day out with the talent we have. I maintain an industry recognition page on OCR with information on ReMixers who’ve done professional game work, and look forward to that growing even further. Several of our staff, past and present, have gotten into game music on a professional level specifically thanks to OC ReMix sparking their interest in game music and encouraging them to become better musicians. Dain Olsen (a.k.a. Beatdrop) won a 2007 contest to earn a spot on Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA 2 with his original track “Until Forever,” which was also used for DDR Universe 2. Now, DDR Universe 3 is on the horizon and he’ll be creating new material for that, so his relationship with Konami is continuing nicely. Jillian Goldin (a.k.a pixietricks) is an amazing musician and vocalist, and, last year, her vocals were featured in 2K Games’ Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword. Meanwhile, current staff Jimmy Hinson (a.k.a. Big Giant Circles) and Andrew Aversa (a.k.a. zircon) both have some potential game soundtrack stuff in the works that everyone involved hopes will come through, so keep an eye on those guys as well.

What are your own personal favorite remixes that you’ve created?

djpretzel: There’s some part of me that always feels that my latest ReMix is my best; I think it’s just because it’s freshest in my mind, and I’m glad to finally be finished with it, as lately they’ve been taking a long time to complete. My most recent mix is a waltz arrangement from Doom II entitled “Red Waltz“; it took quite awhile to get the lead cello part just right. That being said, my “Short Skirts” Tifa piece from Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream and my Sonic the Hedgehog “Love Hurts” funk arrangement are two pieces I’m proud of; I still listen to them and come up empty in terms of things that I’d change after the fact, which is rare!

Larry Oji: I don’t make music, but I’ve somehow weaseled my way into 2 OC ReMixes so far. [laughs] I’ve got a vocal cameo in a Donkey Kong Country remix by my friend Jesse Taub (a.k.a. Vigilante). It’s called “Funky Monkey Love,” and it’s as goofy as it sounds. Check that out from our free album Kong in Concert, along with Jesse’s Valentine’s Day version on ocremix.org. On the more serious side, I also contributed some minor arrangement ideas and a spoken word section for a great Final Fantasy VII tribute mix by friends Big Giant Circles and zircon. That’s called “Adrenalyne Kyck” from our Voices of the Lifestream album, and my part quotes the game’s director referencing the most pivotal moment in that game, so check it out!

What are some of your favorite remixes from the OverClocked ReMix community?

djpretzel: Harmony’s “Dragon Song” from Secret of Mana is an absolute masterpiece; Star Salzman’s “Pillar of Salt” Xenogears mix and Disco Dan’s “Triforce Majeure” Zelda 3 mix are equally resplendent. Those are three tracks that most folks can agree on, but honestly, there’s dozens more like them, and hundreds that while perhaps not as universally acclaimed will speak to different listeners more. I’m big on musical diversity, and I feel like OCR does an excellent job in that arena.

Larry Oji: The funny thing is that Dave’s examples mirror a bit of what game titles and franchises are the most popular in our community, but he’s right about the community’s music offering diversity on many levels. As far as my personal favorites, it’s gets murky once I go past a top 2, but I have about 60 OC ReMixes so far that are in my absolute upper echelon. My two favorites are both from under-remixed soundtracks. Hazama’s “Reminiscence (Deep Sleep)” from Suikoden II is a haunting piano piece that sounds like it’s being played underwater, while ktriton & Christian Pacaud’s “Static Wonderland” from Tsugunai is some of the best, most eclectic jazz arrangement that I’ve ever heard on the site. I encourage anyone to check out our free torrents, grab everything we have in a few clicks and find your favorites. With more than 100 hours’ worth of music posted so far, there’s plenty of opportunity to find hundreds of great tracks.

What technology do you use to produce your remixes?

djpretzel: Well, it’s important to note that different artists on OCR compose/produce differently. Some play live instruments solo or in a band, some enter everything by mouse into a computer, note by note, and some (like myself) sorta do a combination – we play keyboards (musical, not QWERTY) to record parts into a computer, and then layer those parts, instrument by instrument, to form a complete composition. The core piece of software involved is called a “sequencer,” which allows for recording, editing, and playback of musical information in MIDI format. Modern sequencers also allow recorded audio – say, vocals, for instance – to be added in and synchronized, in addition to supporting effects and other audio editing capabilities. These more advanced sequencers that also support audio, effects, and a variety of plugins are called Digital Audio Workstations, or DAWs. There are a lot of DAW software packages out there, but some of the most popular are FruityLoops Studio, Cubase, Sonar, Reason, Pro Tools, and Live. They range pretty widely in terms of features and cost, but all of them will let you produce professional music. I myself have been using Cubase for a long time and find it very intuitive, but FL Studio has a huge following on OCR due to its lower cost, and Reason is a great starter package because it’s also relatively inexpensive and comes with a lot of sounds and effects built in. We let community members specify what instruments/software they use in their forum profiles, and you can see who uses what and get some valuable tips as well at http://www.ocremix.org/remixing/.

Aside from that, what gadgets/technology can you not live without?

djpretzel: My fiancÃ©e got me hooked on Gmail and Google Docs, and they’ve become invaluable tools in staying connected and organized and collaborating on projects with site staff. I’ve recently fallen in love with my PSP as I’ve been traveling more, and find Crush to be one of the best puzzle games ever created; it reminds me of playing Chip’s Challenge on the Lynx way back when, only better. I do software development both for work and as a hobby, and am a huge fan of VMWare for virtualization and Eclipse for Java/PHP/XSLT/etc. coding. I’ve finally upgraded my phone to an LG Voyager and started using that as my primary portable MP3 player, and that’s worked out well for long commutes into DC. Finally, it’s not exactly “can’t live without” territory, but I just recently bought my first handheld recorder (a Zoom H2 – very handy) and my first camcorder (Canon Vixia HF100), and have been playing around with those a bit. I like gadgets & gear, but I always feel like I want to research thoroughly before actually buying something, so these latest purchases were a long time coming.

Larry Oji: I live on the net, pretty immersed in what we’re doing with OC ReMix, so I’m a huge fan of web analytics software and blog search engines. Google Analytics and BlogPulse are my two favorite resources on the interweb. I always want to keep tabs on what people are saying about our community’s music, thank fans for spreading the word and being supportive and also step in if I see any misconceptions about our site. The latter doesn’t happen too often, but whenever I see someone say OCR is mainly a “techno” music site, I’m on it. I’ll never live without my Sega Dreamcast either. I don’t even have time to play much on it, but I’m never giving it away! That’s the retro gamer in me.

Last, in your opinion, what is the best video game soundtrack of all time?

Larry Oji: [Laughs] You can’t do that! There are more than 8,000 original game soundtracks out there, and that’s just the ones that have been formally released. As much as I love Tim Follin, Yack Watanabe, Koji Kondo and David Wise, and even though the whole Street Fighter II series had amazing stage themes, I’m gonna go with Yuzo Koshiro’s soundtrack for Streets of Rage. Masato Nakamura’s Sonic the Hedgehog soundtrack was a great example of what the Genesis’s Yamaha YM2612 sound chip was capable of when people first started working with it. But Streets of Rage did Sonic one better with the Caribbean influenced material Koshiro came up with. That soundtrack in particular sounded like nothing else I’d encountered in games.

djpretzel: I can only pick one?? I’m going to be predictable and say Chrono Trigger – at the moment. Ask me tomorrow, though, and it’ll be something else – there’s tons of great music out there, you just need to listen with an open mind!

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Larry and djpreztel. GearCravers, if you’re a musically inclined lover of video game music, you’ll find the OCremix.org community will give you a warm welcome. If you’re just a fan of good music, you’ll enjoy the remix albums put together by the talented community at OverClocked Remix. Thanks for reading!

Update– be sure to check out the Soul Calibur IV giveaway available to GearCrave and OCremix members!

GearCrave Blog Spotlight: YankoDesign.com

Mike Payne — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:18:19 +0000

What is YankoDesign.com?

Yanko Design is a design focused blog where we survey the latest concepts from students, upstarts, and established professionals. Our aim to create a community that normally is very isolated from each other. We aim to create a dialogue and the best way to do so is by sharing. It’s a place where people come for inspiration, to learn, and to spread good ideas.

Why should people read YankoDesign.com?

What sets Yanko Design apart from other design blogs is our editorial content and voice. We have a wonderful ability to translate the often loquacious and long winded descriptions designers give to us into meaningful, clever, and laymen’s terms. In that sense, we allow designers to connect with each other and the general public. We don’t just post everything submitted or found. We all have design backgrounds ourselves so we heavily scrutinize it and at the end of the day, allow readers to decide for themselves.

How did YankoDesign.com begin?

Well see, one day a giant stork wearing all these futuristic gadgets flew into Takashi’s (our founder) window. He handed a large semi-translucent egg and tasked Takashi with caring, nurturing, and raising that egg. In time, small and big ideas hatched from it, thus the birth of Yanko Design.

The real story is Yanko Design started off as a shop destination. Takashi aggregated all the best in design products and wanted a place for the public to easily buy the latest and greatest. As time went on, the site slowly changed into a place featuring new and would-be designs. Yanko Design still maintains a shop tho the inventory is a lot smaller now. It’s a part of our past that’s kind of cool so why get rid of it?

What do you enjoy most about your site?

Most definitely the readers. They come from all around the world, all walks of life. It’s amazing how design transcends language barriers. Everyone know what they do/don’t like and that’s what designers what to hear right? I mean you can’t be a designer and not expect the barrage of comments from strangers – be it positive or negative. It’s humorous, funny, insightful, critical, and sometimes even scathing.

What advice would you have for “would be” bloggers?

Write in your own voice. I can’t stress that enough. Understand content drives everything else. Regardless of site layout or design, blogs are just the written word so really the only thing you have to distinguish yourself is your own written word. Hone that and own it. It’s where all great blogs begin.

What are your favorite websites and why?

This is a toughy since I literally live on the internet. Off top Gizmodo.com. We’re friends with their founder and they’ve actually been very supportive of Yanko’s efforts early own. They’re focused on technology and have definitely found their own unique voice in that very crowded editorialized market.

Also love MocoLoco.com which I consider to be the apex of design blogs. They approach design from an art perspective.

Dezeen.com is a great destination for the latest in architecture. I’ve also wondered how architects do it. 90% of what they design will never go beyond the paper draft because it’s an industry that can’t alway afford to build everything designed. Some of the best designers in the world started as architects and Dezeen is a great place to see why.

TreeHugger.com writes about everything underneath the sun, as long as it’s “green” conscious and eco-minded. The future will have to be driven with the idea of conservation and sustainability. Designers today see that as a limitation since it means they can’t go balls out and use any material without considering it consequence to the environment – but if you look at that from another perspective, it’s only a design challenge that can and will be overcome. That’s part of a designer’s job.

What gadgets can you not live without?

iPhone, Nintendo DS, bluetooth headset.

Anything else we should know?

“Design is the first sign of human intent”. One of my favorite quotes by William McDonough. Oh and I’m also ticklish.

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Long. If you’re new to YankoDesign or its been a while since your last visit, here are a few articles Long recommend starting with. Enjoy, GearCravers!

The Dry Side: a rolling bench keeps you dry after a rain.
Need to leave a message for a housemate? Do it on toast!
This MP3 player folds out to play your CDs… pretty cool.
The Sony Vaio Laptop of the future?
A look at the Yanko Design offices.

Thursday Blog Spotlight: AfroJacks.com

Mike Payne — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:35:08 +0000

What is AfroJacks?

First off, I’d like to thank you for coming to my mom’s basement to conduct this interview. Excuse the mess, I just had baseball practice. Well, I think Froman Jacks himself said it best, “Froman takes everything you want to see and hear and stuffs it down your throat so you can choke on awesomeness throughout the day. Let it be known.”

Why should people read AfroJacks?

Well then I’d have to ask you this question, “where else can you find a moving picture of Carlton Banks sliding through his kitchen with Mac and his trainer from Mike Tyson’s Punch Out riding on his shoulder?” Where? And also because its better than reading books. TV sucks. And its updated throughout the day.

How did AfroJacks begin?

How did it all begin? Although this question has undoubtedly lingered for as long as humans have walked the Earth, the answer still eludes us.

When did AfroJacks launch?

July 2007, exactly one year after July 2006

What do you enjoy about your blog?

I can search for an image of a retarded transsexual midget fisting a horse to the soundtrack of Skid Row’s ‘Monkey Business’ with a certain degree of legitimacy.

What advice would you have for would be bloggers?

“Have a good time all the time” â€“ Viv Savage

What are your favorite websites and why?

Check out our Friends of the Fro on the site, but Bachelor Guy, Gorilla Mask, Asylum, Double Viking, the Break Network (Tasty Booze, Holy Taco), CO-ED Magazine, Camel Tap, Unibrow, Busted Coverage, Entensity.net, National Lampoon, College Humor, Stereogum, GearCrave (of course), and we heart meatspin(.)com.

What gadgets can you not live without?

One wordâ€¦lava lamp. But for school I’d say trapper keepers, my protractor, my compass, the erasable pen and my mechanical pencils. But when I go out with my friends, I need my Skytel pager and my Discman.

Any other anecdotes or information that you would like to cover?

Ricky was a young boy, He had a heart of stone.
Lived 9 to 5 and worked his fingers to the bone.
Just barely got out of school, came from the edge of town.
Fought like a switchblade so no one could take him down.
He had no money, oooh no good at home.
He walked the streets a soldier and he fought the world alone

Thanks for chatting with us, Mike! We admit, we’re not sure how to reply to that last one… Regardless, we love the site and the energy. GearCravers, if you’re looking for a barrel full of laughs, head on over to AfroJacks.com, or check out these stories which Mike highlighted with us:

A son who found his parents beastiality sex tapes
A monkey ripping off some guy’s balls
A Czech boy eaten by his family
A doctor who blew on vaginas to cure cancer
A baby born with an extra vagina on its head… this is actually very common, it’s just not widely reported

GearCrave Blog Spotlight: MentalFloss.com

Mike Payne — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:36:09 +0000

Take your eyes off the spreadsheet, turn off the TV and put down the beer– its time to whip that tired old brain into shape. No, we’re not talking about electrodes, chemicals or *gasp* math, we’re talking MentalFloss.com. Mental_Floss is an educational-focused website that delivers fun, interesting and often hilarious articles that if you read, you just might learn something. To get to know Mental_Floss, we sat down with managing editor Jason English for an interview. Continue reading, GearCravers, and you’ll discover a new site that will end up in your bookmarks before you can say “learning is fun!”

What is mental_floss, and when did mentalfloss.com start?

mental_floss magazine was launched in 2001 by two Duke students who saw the need for an educational-yet-fun publication (and who couldn’t stomach the thought of real jobs after graduation). There have also been several books, with mental_floss presents: The History of the World due out this fall.

The _floss took to the web in 2002, offering an assortment of quizzes and random facts, while also hocking quirky t-shirts on the side (”When life gives you scurvy, make lemonade.” That kind of thing.) Now we’ve got a crack staff posting roughly ten articles a day, with contests and giveaways sprinkled in to keep things lively.

The goal with all of this is to arm readers with fascinating stories that can be retold to impress your friends, family, airplane seatmates, reality show casting directors, and whoever else you might run into.

Why should people read mentalfloss.com?

Whether you’re trying to kill five minutes before lunch or four hours after, we try to always have something worth your time. Articles on things your body can do after you die, Vice Presidents actually worth knowing, ridiculous clauses in baseball contractsâ€”we like to mix it up. Our Daily Lunchtime Quizzes test your knowledge of everything from Shakespeare characters to WWF action figures.

And if you want to wow your co-workers at the proverbial watercooler, hit up our Amazing Fact Generator

Do you have any exciting projects in the works for mental_floss that you can share with us?

To all your college-age readers (and the parents paying those scary tuition bills)â€”we’re going to be awarding five $10,000 scholarships early next year. Landing one of those will help you rationalize your next half-dozen purchases of items featured here. Check mentalfloss.com for details this fall.

Thanks for talking the time to chat with us, Jason. As fans of Mental_Floss, it was good to get to know a little history behind the blog. Want to get to know Mental_Floss for yourself? We asked Jason to share with us a few of his current favorite articles. Enjoy!

5 Drinking Stories That Put Yours to Shame
How History’s Most Popular Board Game Helped Defend the Free World
Manly Ways to Prepare Turkey
A ‘Red Phone’ FAQ
He Took a Polaroid Every Day, Until the Day He Died
Discontinued Ben & Jerry’s Flavor or Band I Found on MySpace?

GearCrave Blog Spotlight: WebUrbanist.com

Mike Payne — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:00:12 +0000

What is WebUrbanist.com?

In short: WebUrbanist is a collectively produced weblog about all things urban and, well, some things not so much. It is a place to stop by and learn about something entirely new … and hopefully a place to find inspiration as well as entertainment.

Why should people read WebUrbanist.com?

Come for the craziness, stay for the discussion! But really: I (not so humbly) think people should read it because we put a lot of interesting stuff – images, links and information – into every post. We post at most one article a day but work hard on every one to make it worth reading. I like to think that’s a kind of made-up niche we fill – and feedback from readers suggests that a lot of them really like that aspect of the site.

When did WebUrbanist launch?

WebUrbanist just turned one year old last month actually – hard to imagine it has been that long.

How did WebUrbanist begin?

It started out as primarily a subculture site and has morphed into a place where you can find all kinds of interesting stuff on design, travel, architecture and alternative art.

What are your future plans for WebUrbanist?

Right around the one year mark we started putting a lot of new plans into action including some ‘WebUrbanist 101′ articles to introduce new readers to core content. Next up: forums and galleries to provide more ways to interact with the site and with other readers.

What do you enjoy about working on WebUrbanist?

I think the best part about it is getting great feedback from fans. Other than that it is simply loads of fun to research and write about interesting stuff. Who wouldn’t love doing that?

What advice do you have for would be bloggers?

Try try and try again. WebUrbanist didn’t know what it was going to be when it started out. It grew and changed with the times and in response to reader feedback. You never know how a site will evolve when you start it but if you work hard enough and aren’t obsessed with instant fame or fortune it will eventually become what it needs to be. Cheesy but true.

Has collective blogging made your job easier or harder?

I really enjoy how collective blogging turns out to be when you really get into it. Some might disagree but in my experience serious and successful blogging means connecting with other people, supporting others and accepting support, becoming part of a larger online community. This interview is a great example of bloggers working together and sharing information. I really look forward to interacting more with readers and other bloggers as WebUrbanist develops forums and more methods for feedback and communication.

What are your favourite websites and why?

Among them are: Deputy Dog, DarkRoastedBlend, Neatorama and MentalFloss … though really the list could go on a lot longer than that. In part that is because each of those sites has a kind of similar attitude to WebUrbanist and in part people working on each of those sites have been invaluable in helping us grow – and we’d like to think we have been supportive in return. They are all well worth a read!

What gadgets can you not live without?

I think it is just my laptop, really. I’m an amazingly gadget-free person … though I have to say I might be finally about to cave and get an iPhone.

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Kurt. GearCravers, keep an eye on WebUrbanist and grab their RSS feed. You’re always guaranteed a good read there… Here are five great articles to start with:

10 Amazing Treehouses from Around the World: Sustainable, Unique and Creative Designs
16 of the Most Crazy Hotel Rooms in the World: From Upside Down to Local Urban Art.
7 Abandoned Wonders of the Former Soviet Union: Deserted Cities, Buildings, Bases and More.
10 Pieces of Clever Transforming Furniture: From Tetris Tables to Rooms in a Box
3 Amazing 3D Graffiti Artists: Street Painting and Sidewalk Chalk Art

GearCrave Interview: Cory Jones of HolyTaco.com

Mike Payne — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:00:16 +0000

What is HolyTaco.com?

Well, the marketing answer to that question is, â€œHolyTaco.com is the preeminent site for guys. With daily riffs on the dayâ€™s breaking news, hottest celebs, sports, entertainment, gear, and more, Holy Taco is a guyâ€™s bible â€“a guyble, if you will â€” to anything and everything and nothing at all.â€ The non-marketing answer is, â€œHolyTaco.com is a website.â€

Why should people read HolyTaco.com?

When weâ€™re not creating our own high-larious content, me and my writer (Justin Halpern) put on our minerâ€™s hats and dig through the dark recesses of the Internet to find the stupid crap you want to send to your friends. For example, we have a video of monkeys and bears racing each other on bicycles. That little tidbit of info alone should be enough to make HolyTaco.com your homepage immediately.

When did HolyTaco launch?

We launched back in December. It was colder then than it is now. (Unless youâ€™re reading this in December. Then the temperature was about the same.)

How did HolyTaco begin?

The story I tell my girlfriend is that I was walking along the street one day when a black limo pulled up alongside me. Three men in suits jumped out, blindfolded me, beat me mercilessly and took me to their underground hideout. Then, after more beatings, they told me that I would have to start a website or they were going to kill my family. The real story is that Break.com wanted to start a menâ€™s blog. They interviewed hundreds of applicants. After all of them turned it down, Break offered the job to me and I accepted immediately.

What do you enjoy about working on HolyTaco?

The freedom. In past jobs, thereâ€™s always been a lot of red tape to deal with, but here, my bosses just want us to create funny and interesting content. If I feel like posting a photoshopped image of a dingo eating Nicole Kidmanâ€™s new baby or Nicole Kidman eating a dingoâ€™s baby as payback, then I can post that. (That reminds me, I have to find a couple dingo photos when weâ€™re done here.)

What advice do you have for would be bloggers?

Donâ€™t get discouraged. Since the Internet is so fast, itâ€™s easy to expect your site to grow overnight. But it takes time. If you believe in what youâ€™re doing, just keep at it. If itâ€™s good, people will take notice and slowly start checking your site out on a regular basis. If youâ€™re not good, well, then you should probably kill yourself. Just kidding, donâ€™t kill yourself. But make sure you realize that since you couldnâ€™t make it as a blogger, you are a worthless failure of a human being.

(image courtesy: massive defeat)

What are your favourite websites and why?

Well, aside from pornotube, redtube, youporn, pornporn, filthyporn, backseatbangers, milfhunter, 8thstreetlatinas, secretaries-in-stockings, lolcats, deep-throat-and-gag, smutreactor, skanks.tv, and canigetablowjob.com, I really like the Onion. Thereâ€™s no other site on the Internet that makes me laugh so consistently. I should probably say I like Break.com, too.

What gadgets can you not live without?

My Creative Zen MP3 player is with me whenever I go to the gym or hop on the subway. Itâ€™s small enough to slide into my pocketâ€¦or into the orifice of my drug mule (sometimes he moonlights as an MP3 Player mule.) Also, I need to buy a new phone and Iâ€™m leaning towards the Blackberry Bold. Iâ€™m currently using Sprint, but I think the Bold is AT&T only. So, if anyone from Blackberry or AT&T would like to send me a Bold, I will write a post saying anything you want. (Seriously, anything.) Oh, and I use a Panasonic ER421 Wet/Dry Nose Hair Trimmer more than Iâ€™d like to admit.

What are your 5 favorite HolyTaco posts?

10 Best Fat People Internet Videos â€“ I know Iâ€™m probably going to hell, but every one of these videos makes me laugh.
Squirrel Eats A Ritz Cracker To Huey Lewisâ€™ â€œIf This Is Itâ€ â€“ Iâ€™ve heard parents say that they love their handicapped children the most. I think that explains how I feel about this post.
8 Truthful Celebrity Autobiography Covers â€“The Stedman Graham is one of our classics.
10 Items You Think Make You Look Cool, But Donâ€™t â€“ We got our first death threats after posting this list, so it will always have a special place in my heart.
Monkeys Racing Bears on Bicycles â€“ Itâ€™s the worldâ€™s perfect video.

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Cory, and thanks for making us wipe down our screen twice while reading your responses. I spit beer out of my nose twice. TWICE. I suppose I should stop drinking while I work. At 9:00 a.m. On a Sunday. With a hooker. And Gary Coleman.

GearCrave Interview: Garett Croft Stenson of DB Clay

Mike Payne — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:00:44 +0000

What started about 10 years ago with billfolds made of duct tape has blossomed into a growing global business based on a fresh new kind of wallet. The DB Clay wallet brings personality to the pocketbook, by printing wild visual patterns and detailed images on an eco-friendly material of their own. We sat down with DB Clay’s founder Garett Croft Stenson to talk wallets, business and a how a simple fashion accessory has become a global movement. Continue reading, GearCravers, for some behind-the-scenes details on the coolest wallets you’ll see this summer.

And don’t forget, DB Clay is giving away five wallets to GearCrave readers. Head on over to the DB Clay Giveaway page to get yours!

In your own words, how would you describe DB Clay to someone new to your brand?

db clay is a Portland-based, global fashion brand, which specializes in designer wallets and unique personal accessories. We offer a blend of fashion, tech and gift minded products.

Where does the name “DB Clay” originate?

The â€œdbâ€ in our name stands for Ductbills. I first starting making Duct Tape Billfolds about 10 years ago and marketed them under the name â€œDuctbills.â€ When we decided to abandon our hand made Tape wallets, and move onto designer wallets, we then decided to re-brand ourselves too. The shortening of Ductbills to db and the addition of â€œclayâ€ to our name was the makings of a significant shift in our model. Ductbills was too quirky. We thought db clay was more timeless, sexy, and fitting for the new direction we were, and are, heading.

Was building an eco-friendly wallet your initial intention when you founded DB Clay?

Absolutely not. I suppose the intention was simply to pursue the perfect wallet. Our eco friendly textile (Tope) just happened to be a by product of exhaustive R & Dâ€¦we donâ€™t claim to be a green, or eco friendly company. Tope just happens to be as such. We certainly promote social responsibility, clean manufacturing processes, and sustainability, but it is not something we hang our marketing hat on. The wallet is priority number 1â€¦everything else is peripheral.

How much has the DB Clay wallet changed since its inception?

db clay is constantly on the move with the long term goal of creating a global wallet standard. Since inception, db clay has evolved from a simple hand made craft (in my college apartment) to a globally distributed line of designer wallets. I am probably most proud of the leap we made from hand made products to manufactured products. Iâ€™ve made about 30,000 wallets personally by hand and I canâ€™t tell you how excited I am to now have a solid manufacturing relationship in place. It has allowed me to really focus my efforts on creative direction, marketing and conceptualizing the future. That being said, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for my hand made Tape days of yore.

How important has the internet become in selling the DB Clay wallets?

The ever-changing landscape of the web represents our future; we are definitely excited for the possibilities therein. In particular, the web allows us to reach a global audience in a very economically sound and very efficient manner. On the front end, the web is a breeding ground for new ideas, exploration and connectivity. On the backend, we spend dollars and time on developing our infrastructure. We are building our own business management software that has been customized around our specific operational needs. We put a lot of focus on the front end, as well as the backend, because both are relevant to where we want to go.

Are there other areas of mens fashion accessories that DB Clay would consider branching out to? (belts, bags, etc)

Certainlyâ€¦though wallets remain our core. We are in the process of developing multiple product line extensions and most likely our menâ€™s side of things will head in the direction of small goods, travel accessories, and software development. We are also in the process of developing our first womenâ€™s line which will be available early 2009. Women have always been great customers of ours and I am excited to finally offer a product exclusively designed for them. The womenâ€™s line will be pretty, sophisticated and unique. The menâ€™s line will be functional, utilitarian and slick.

What other online clothing and style retailers do you admire right now?

To be honest, I donâ€™t really shop online or surf the web that much. I am a hermit and the only website I visit regularly is dbclay.com (though Gear Crave is now on my list!)â€¦the last thing I bought online was a Teak Oil Bath Mat, last week, for my new apartment. It has a â€œEuropean Style Showerâ€ in it- You have to see it to believe it. My favorite clothing brands are probably Brown Sound and Diesel Jeans. I shop a lot of vintage shops for most of my goods.

Last question– if you had never started DB Clay, what kind of career would you have liked to have?

Great question. If db clay never was (which is hard for me to imagine consider db clay is all I know â€“ it is in my blood), I imagine I would have ended up as some sort of marketing guyâ€¦or perhaps in architecture or maybe advertising. I donâ€™t like numbers. I am not really into fashion. I am not an entertainer. I played sports in high school, but it surely ended there. Maybe I would have been a forest ranger or maybe a philosopher? I donâ€™t knowâ€¦but definitely fun to think about.

Thanks a lot for speaking with us, Garett. We wish DB Clay the best, and we’ll certainly keep an eye on your future works and wallets. GearCravers, be sure to check out DB Clay Wallets at DBclay.com.

GearCrave Interview: Drew Curtis of Fark.com

Mike Payne — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:26:58 +0000

The junk that the mainstream media passes as news stories can be funny, saddening and downright dumb. When Congress approved an additional $70 Billion for the war on terror, CNN had a more important top news story for their readers: “What will you tell kids about Britney’s sister?” they asked. Since February of 1999, FARK.com and its massive community has been making fun of said “news”. GearCrave sat down for an interview with the founder of FARK.com and the godfather of social news, Drew Curtis. Farkers, myself included, salute Curtis as a bit of a hero. Continue reading to learn more about the man, the movement, and the hilarity that is FARK.com.

For the uninitiated on GearCrave, what is FARK?

Best description I’ve heard of it is ‘what if the Daily Show ran the Drudge Report’. Except we pre-date the Daily Show (at least the Jon Stewart part), and almost predate the Drudge Report.

When was FARK founded, and why?

February 1999. I was emailing strange news stories to friends of mine and thought they might be getting annoyed by it, so I decided to put them on a webpage instead.

In the long history of Fark, what have been a few of your all-time favorite articles ever posted?

There have been so many, very few actually stick out. Mainly because a lot of the truly funny stuff has actually repeated itself over the past few years. My favorite one is printed in the end of my book on junk news. It involves a crucifix, a penis, a nail gun, gasoline, and beer. And winning a bet. Good times…

On a day-to-day basis, what do you spend most of your day working on with FARK?

I spend most of the day reading the queue submissions, although I spend a surprising amount of time on the phone. Most of the time it’s useful conversations but it never ceases to amaze me that people will hold huge ass conference calls to discuss something that can be handled in a single email. I gotta get someone to start sitting in on those for me.

FARK blazed a trail that social media sites like Digg and Reddit later followed. While imitation is the highest form of flattery, it can be a bit annoying. That said, let’s put you and Kevin Rose of Digg in the ring. Who would win in a fight?

No idea what he does on a regular basis but I play soccer four times a week. I knocked someone out with a hard shot to the face a few years ago. Not on purpose and I’m sure there was flukey stuff involved but there you go. Doubt I could pull it off again. I’d really like to fight Uwe Boll if I had my pick.

You’ve held a very public, very long-lasting love affair with the beer Heineken. Are there any other beers you hold in similar acclaim?

I like anything made by Unibroue. It’s like what if the French had a sense of humor? We’d call it Quebec.

Late last year, you filed an application to trademark the phrase “Not Safe for Work”. While that phrase certainly did originate on FARK, have you had any success with that?

No which is too bad because we had a hell of a joke to go along with it. Still not over though. Stay tuned.

In the nearly ten years in which FARK has been in operation, you’ve seen a lot of really, really dumb stories covered by the media. Do you see social commentary on the web, on websites and blogs just like FARK, holding the media to task and creating a positive change?

I do notice a few things getting picked up that media either didn’t see or couldn’t figure out context for. By that I mean that any story works provided you can get the reader interested by explaining how it affects them. That’s how Fark works, except with us the context is humor. If it makes us laugh, it goes.

There have been quite a few things over the years that got noticed because of bloggers picking up on them. I kind of wish that bloggers had been around last time the big entertainment companies got a 20 year extension on when fictional characters pass into the public domain. That happened in the late 90s. I’d kind of like to see what a public domain superman movie or comic would look like.

Any new plans on the way for Fark that you can hint about here on GearCrave?

Yeah but they take too long to explain. Next one’s due out any day now. I don’t expect it will make a big splash but we’ll see. It’s an add-on that initially doesn’t seem to fit with Fark but we’ve seen our readershup actively trying to use our site to do the same kind of thing so we wrote a data structure for them to use instead.

Last, what is your all-time favorite Fark cliche?

Duke sucks

Yes they do, my friend. Yes they do. Thanks for talking with us, Drew. GearCravers, if you haven’t visited FARK.com in a while, you’re overdue for a visit! For the one or two of you who may have never been to FARK before, first– welcome to the internet, make yourself comfortable. Second, start here to learn more.

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