Apps To Have Fun

Apps To Have Fun: Mobile, Watch, VR, And More

As a kid, my goal was to maximize my fun time. As an adult, I saw that other things like responsibilities can get in the way. So it becomes extra important to make sure we take the time to have fun, even if it is just a short break.

Depending on your device of choice, you have options like:

• Mobile Game apps - I may not game hours at a time, but I do use apps to play word games & chess daily. There's also games like Tetris & Roblox.

• Mobile Music apps - I use apps to help me play instruments like piano, & picking the songs I want to play is definitely helping me stay motivated. Lately I've been learning to play theme music from movies, TV, & games. There are also apps for other instruments like guitar & ukulele. It took me a while, but on the ukulele I am finally getting used to playing some of the chords.

• Watch apps - after trying to avoid getting a watch, it was hard to say no when I was offered an Apple Watch through my health insurance. The watch lets me track all my activities like pool laps, respond to texts/calls, & even make it easier to track my disc golf scores. Read more at https://ninja.ninjaforlife.com/2022/07/health-tech-watch-vr.html

• VR games - there are a lot of great apps to try out, not just Beat Saber but even games through the web. Not only games, but also other immersive experiences to check out as well.

• Console - consoles like Nintendo Switch have lots of great games to play together like Mario Kart.

• PC - many games these days you can play from different devices, but sometimes the experience can be better on a PC. Playing games like Roblox on PC lets you play using a mouse & keyboard while others are limited to the controls through a mobile device.

What apps are your favorites to have fun? Let us know @AGamerWarrior

Ultimate Beat Saber VR Challenge

So I found a new ultimate fitness challenge - beating one of the hardest levels in the VR game Beat Saber.

If you haven't already seen it, check out the video "What The Cat!? by Camellia (Expert+)" under the VR playlist at our channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChf64Zj-RbjPhlKf6J00kVA/playlists

Games like Beat Saber are a great workout. I have a long way to go, but gave myself a realistic goal - 6 months to beat it or I lose a bet.

The device starts at $300 for 128GB & you can opt for the 256GB version for another $100.

If you end up getting one, you can also get $30 in credits for games like Beat Saber by purchasing it using this link https://www.oculus.com/referrals/link/dbeyond, or you can always buy from other places like Amazon https://amzn.to/3CMqvA9 

See you in the metaverse :-)

Gaming The Metaverse

So we are officially owners of our first VR headset - Oculus Quest 2.

Originally planned for our younger daughter, we found out post-purchase that it is intended for age 13+ & requires a Facebook account.

The immersive experience is mind-blowing, so it became a gift for me this Christmas. It gets intense, so you'll definitely want to ease into it the first few days.

Games like Beat Saber are incredibly addicting, but luckily I'm good after a few quick rounds for a while.

The device starts at $300 for 128GB & you can opt for the 256GB version for another $100.

If you end up getting one, you can also get $30 in credits for games like Beat Saber by purchasing it using this link https://www.oculus.com/referrals/link/dbeyond, or you can always buy from other places like Amazon https://amzn.to/3CMqvA9 

See you in the metaverse :-)

Holiday VR Gaming Wishlist

The holidays are approaching fast! Since I've enjoyed a lot of gaming over the years & like to plan, I wanted to have my gift wishlist for the holidays planned early this year.

We have been playing the Nintendo Switch more https://amzn.to/3qbKip8 & even bought a year of the $35 family online plan https://amzn.to/3016tUd to play old console games (NES, SNES), & new games like Tetris with friends. But lately I've started obsessing to get something new for the holidays.

So VR is nothing new, but is finally becoming more accessible due to a couple of changes:

• Entry-level - if you ever tried the $20 headset to use your phone in VR, it obviously doesn't compare to the headsets that cost thousands. Luckily we have the Oculus Quest 2 starting at $300 for 128GB https://amzn.to/3CMqvA9

• Total immersion - running into walls with small spaces has been a problem in the past. But now you have accessories like VR treadmills, & there is a Black Friday special going on now on the Kat Walk C https://www.kat-vr.com/products/kat-walk-c

We plan to get a VR headset for the holidays, but in the meantime I signed up for the Xbox Game Pass for PC. Normally it is $10/mo, but the special right now is a 3mo subscription for $1 https://www.microsoft.com/en-US/p/pc-1-month/CFQ7TTC0KGQ8

This subscription gives you access to hundreds of games like Undertale, Tetris Connected, Overcooked 2, & Doom Eternal. There are also upcoming games like Forza Horizon 5 & Halo Infinite that I plan to try out.

One thing I did realize is the amount of space these games now take up, so I may also look into adding an external hard drive, which luckily can be had for under $100 for a 1 Terabyte (TB) fast solid state drive (SSD) https://amzn.to/3qnUqeu

So what games are you playing lately? Let us know on social

Best disc golf game ever

My latest hobby is disc golf, & I recently I was able to score an under par (-1) for my best score ever. Even at the recreational level, I would have expected a solid year before this would have happened. I believe much of this has to do with programming my mental state, doing other activities that have calmed my mind, such as paddleboard & playing ukulele. You can check out the score at https://udisc.com/scorecards/X4Xnl36QXJ

Stop Losing Things with AirTags

Have you ever struggled to find something you just had a minute ago - such as a phone, keys, or other valuables? While learning to master disc golf, our group frequently runs into this issue with our discs. 

I was tempted to invent my own DiscFinder, but then we discovered the Apple AirTags, which are: 

• Inexpensive individually, or even less for a 4-pack 
• Water resistant 
• Trackable via an app / sound

When lost can use NFC from other devices to help find it, including Android 

The battery is also easily replaceable versus other solutions out there. 

This should be perfect for what we need. You can check out the Apple AirTags using this link https://amzn.to/3AiD0BQ. 

What is your favorite product that provides an abundance of value? Let us know in the comments

Top Gift Purchases This Year

Recently I'm celebrating many things - including receiving my COVID-19 vaccine, my birthday month, growing wealth, & investing in myself.

 

Just a year ago I did my fastest February 5K race & started a mastermind group based off a book we read together.

 

Recently for gift purchases I've tried to focus on experiences versus material items, but COVID-19 prevented a lot of in-person events from happening.

 

At home I thought about building my own arcade cabinet, but got arcade stick that gives a pretty good experience. For piano I finished a summer & winter challenge, & even won a t-shirt.

 

I've been known to be cheap - see https://nextlevelfi.com for stories. But there are some purchases that I find value in, so I'll share my top 10 list for the past year here.

 

My Favorite Gift Purchases:

1. Books - Kindle e-readers
2. Media/Books - Echo devices home & car
3. Sports - Running shoes TSLA
4. Music - Piano
5. Media - 4K TV for computer & movies
6. Media - Outdoor speakers / PA, Portable speaker, & bluetooth headset
7. Computers - laptop, gaming computer, & iPad
8. Gaming - Nintendo Switch
9. Gaming - Arcade stick & other Game controllers
10. Food & Drink - Wine/Beer

 

Bonus – I help my family contribute to their Roth IRA accounts. See https://nextlevelfi.com for more

 

You can see links to many of the gifts bought below:

 

1. Kindle https://www.amazon.com/s?k=kindle&linkCode=ll2&tag=digitalbeyond-20&linkId=c807e3fc917f01d72d7a078c71419ae5&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
2. Echo devices home & car https://www.amazon.com/s?k=echo&linkCode=ll2&tag=digitalbeyond-20&linkId=43177b1e8274e8e062420ec5347d7e9a&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
3. Running shoes https://www.amazon.com/TSLA-Running-Walking-Sneakers-Performance/dp/B07G5BHHD7?dchild=1&keywords=tsla+shoes&qid=1618364863&sr=8-4-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExVFVLTDJPRktSWFQ0JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDU0NjM5MzY4WVJFOUgxMk1BNiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjk1Mzc3TzNNVTc4QkdBRU0xJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ%3D%3D&linkCode=ll1&tag=digitalbeyond-20&linkId=d563780e4ec172d0efdc44772fb0670b&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
4. Piano https://welcome.gamerwarrior.com/2019/11/master-instruments-like-piano-with.html
5. 4K TV http://digitalbeyond.com/
6. Speakers
7. Computers http://digitalbeyond.com
8. Nintendo Switch https://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-Switch-Neon-Blue-Joy%E2%80%91/dp/B07VGRJDFY?dchild=1&keywords=nintendo+switch&qid=1618365539&sr=8-3&linkCode=ll1&tag=digitalbeyond-20&linkId=cbd2b3b014c49267cbb2d60cb3daadd2&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
9. Arcade stick https://www.amazon.com/MAYFLASH-Arcade-Stick-F101-Switch/dp/B07D26RD9P?dchild=1&keywords=arcade+stick&qid=1618365864&sr=8-9&linkCode=ll1&tag=digitalbeyond-20&linkId=39afea9e2940c852f5adb4af43d07a4d&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl Other game controllers https://welcome.gamerwarrior.com/2019/11/control-your-classic-gaming-experience.html
10. Food & Drink

• Alcohol WF wine https://www.amazon.com/Three-Wishes-Cabernet-Sauvignon-750/dp/B07G4QBH42?dchild=1&keywords=wine&qid=1618364434&sr=8-3&linkCode=ll1&tag=digitalbeyond-20&linkId=580ed24b785e653ef5d0b0e95712ce3c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
• Fresh Beer https://www.amazon.com/Kona-Brewing-Island-Variety-bottles/dp/B00OPC4032?dchild=1&keywords=beer&qid=1618364570&refinements=p_n_feature_ten_browse-bin%3A17295631011&rnid=17295628011&s=grocery&sr=1-5&linkCode=ll1&tag=digitalbeyond-20&linkId=43a572c0005bcf64f1f5af2a62865cef&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

 

What are your favorite gift purchases in this past year? Let us know in the comments