Will SlingTV kill cable

In January at CES Sling announced a partnership with several cable television networks including Disney and CNN to offer a monthly subscription service which promised to bundle together the most popular cable television networks into a single streaming service they dubbed "SlingTV". 

Including such popular networks as ESPN, FOOD Network, and CNN into a $19.95/month service the announcement rocked the internet and cable television worlds at the same time. 

The promised service launched today with a 14 day free trial, and I've been using it on a variety of platforms for a few hours to see how it works. 

My first notice that SlingTV was live today came via my FireTV, not a press release.  This ad greeted me when I turned my TV on this morning. 

The biggest limitation for most families is going to be that only one device can be logged in to the service at a time.  Logging in on my iPad deactivated my viewing on my TV, actually logging me out and forcing me to log back in with email and password to begin watching again.  For families with a multitude of screens like ours this is a serious limit with such a hefty price tag.  A $20 subscription per family member would make cable television cheaper and give us a wider range of programming. 

That being said there is a lot to like here.  Even with what I am sure is a huge look-in audience on launch day there were no quality issues on any of the devices I tried.  Playback is smooth and full HD quality, a must at this price point. 

At launch Sling also offers a sports add on pack featuring 10 additional channels including ESPNews and Universal Sports for an additional $5, with the promise of more add on packs such as family and movie packs to come as deals are made with production studios. 

In all it is a compelling if expensive service that delivers exactly what it claims if not anything more.  Give the trial a spin and if you find yourself using it enough it may be worth the price tag for your family. 

LootCrate: January 2015

This month LootCrate celebrates classic arcade gaming with its theme, "Rewind".  From 8-Bit sunglasses and Voltron t-shirt to a skinny tie featuring Space Invaders from BlackTieGeek and special limited edition cover of issue 1 of the new Star Wars comic re-launch.  There is nothing here that I don't want to hold on to.  As always we'll let the pictures do the talking as we unpack the box this month. 

Voltron T-Shirt from FlopHouse

The full box with the shirt removed

8-bit Glasses by Lootrate Lab

Comic Notebook from Unemployed Philosophers Guild

Retro Arcade Skinny Tie from Black Tie Geek

 Retro Arcade Skinny Tie from Black Tie Geek

10-Doh Figure from Squid Kids Ink

Star Wars #1 - Exclusive LootCrate variant cover

Kickstarter to Watch: Kraftwerk fuel cell power generator

Project by

eZelleron Inc.

eZelleron, a German based company launched Kraftwerk, an incredible new Kickstarter project this week that promises to change the way we charge our electronics.  One three second squirt from a standard LP or lighter fuel canister will fuel up to 11 recharges of your cell phone or iPad.

Affordably priced and amazing technology, they are showing the product off at CES this week to raves from technology reviewers worldwide.  Give it a look, the Kraftwerk is a game changer in personal electronics.

Leftover mashed potatoes? Earn some fat boy street cred with this Fat Boy Mashed Potato Soup

​The holiday season is full of big meals and family gatherings, but that means it is also full of leftovers.  One of the hardest things to reuse around our house has always been left over mashed potatoes.

i came across a recipe for mashed potato soup from Rachael Ray and decided to take it to the next level to make it a Fat Boy recipe instead of just a family friendly one.  The biggest changes are adding more bacon and switching to beef broth instead of chicken.  Both changes make for a deeper and richer soup, trust me, your family will love the changes.​

Ingredients

• A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

• 1 lb. bacon, chopped

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 4 tablespoons flour

• 1 quart beef stock

• 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes

• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

• Chopped chives, for garnish

Preparation

In a medium pot or Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve.

Drain off excess bacon fat from the pot and add butter. When it is melted, add the onion and cook until softened, about five minutes. Sprinkle flour into the pot and cook with a wooden spoon for one minute. Whisk in the beef stock and bring to a bubble. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.

Whisk in mashed potatoes, then stir in the cheddar cheese with a wooden spoon and cook until the potatoes are hot and the cheese is melted. Add half the bacon and let cook for 3-5 minutes to allow flavor to combine.

Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved bacon and chopped chives. Instant Fat Boy Heaven.

Boulder Creek Men's Big & Tall Fleece-Hooded Camo Shirt Jacket.

Boulder Creek has been making clothes for big men for a long time, and they are thankfully consistent with their sizing.  One of the biggest problems I have had with ordering clothing online is that a 6XL can mean wildly different things depending on what country and brand is producing it.

King Size sent me this Camo print hooded shirt jacket, and just from the brand I knew I wasn't going to need to worry about the fit.  As far as the shirt itself, it is warm without being too heavy, and the sleeves button securely but are thin enough to be able to roll them up if you need to.

If you are looking for something to keep you warm but not too hot while working outside that will wear well and fit the way you expect, this shirt will do the trick and keep you comfortable in Fat Boy Heaven.

A new service is on a mission- can they out-geek LootCrate?

A few months ago I was contacted by a new Kickstarter project with a simple concept: to be a better and geekier box-a-month service than LootCrate.  The project was successful, reaching their funding goal in less than a week, and GEEKFUEL was born.

I just received their first ever box, along with a Kickstarter exclusive bonus box, and so far their method seems to be at least partially focused on enlisting popular artists from the DeviantArt community to add exclusive artwork to the mix.  Add exclusive comic books, limited edition Pop vinyl figures, caffeinated beverages and access codes for games and downloadable content on Steam and I think they have a chance to give the veterans a run for their money.

Instead of listing the contents I figured the best way to describe this product would be to take pictures as I was unpacking the box.  So here we go.  I give you GEEKFUEL:  

All told a pretty impressive showing for a first issue.  Subscriptions are available monthly, quarterly, every 6 months, or annually with price breaks and bonuses at each increased level.  I've been a big fan of LootCrate for a long time but GEEKFUEL is definitely making a name for themselves in Fat Boy Heaven.

Stop the woman from yelling...a Kickstarted relationship saver coming your way

I came across a simple yet elegant Kickstarter project today that is going to save a lot of relationships if we can all get on board and support it and get orders placed.

Adam Raby was brushing his teeth one day when he stabbed himself in the gums with a stray beard trimming that had fallen into his toothbrush.  It led him to launch this project.​  A specially coated cloth with suction cups at two corners which attach to your mirror to keep it above the items on your counter.

A simple easy solution and it will keep mama happy.  Not a bad plan, and it will keep us all living in Fat Boy Heaven.

Five years ago the world almost ended - Big Drew's View

Five years ago today Carrie came home from a doctor's appointment and said she needed to talk to me.  Those who have known me all of my life know I've been in some scary places, but I didn't know what fear felt like until my wife told me she had cancer that afternoon.  I didn't know what to do, but a song from my youth popped into my head, and it's lyrics never felt more appropriate.  Petra had a song in the late 1980s called "Get on your knees and fight like a man", and never did those lyrics make more sense than that night.

Somehow we made it through Christmas without telling the kids ( I can't remember how we managed that), through our individual breakdowns with family and friends.  We made it through the doctors appointments and surgery the same way we have made it through everything else life has thrown at us: together by the Grace of God.

When you are facing the ultimate test of faith and grace you learn a lot about yourself and those around you.  I learned two things.  First, I married Wonder Woman.  She beat cancer and came out the other side deciding to run marathons and finish college while still working full-time and not missing a beat.  The second thing I learned is that I don't know who I would be without her in my life, but I know it would be far less than I am.

Carrie completing a half marathon the summer after her cancer surgery.

In a few weeks she will be "Officially" Cancer Free, and we will celebrate with joy.  But this Christmas I wanted to make sure to that the world knew how thankful I was for the only gift I'll ever need:  my beautiful wife.

Carrie, the kids, and I this Thanksgiving 

The gift every one on your list needs this holiday season and doesn't know exists

In today's high tech world I am sure I am not the only geek who has a gear bag that goes everywhere I do.  Along with my iPhone, iPad, Bluetooth speaker, and headphones there were few things as critical to life as charging cables and power adapters.  Now added to that list are the technology accessory I buy for all of the non geeks in my life, portable power packs from Anker.  For an extremely limited time the great folks at Amazon are letting me give you this link for more than 50% off the normal price of their latest product, the 16000mAh Astro E5.  Fatboyheaven.com readers can buy it now for $39.99 instead of $89.99 by clicking this link right here.

The 1st gen devices were a revelation to me, carrying enough power to last a cross country train trip with my iPhone.  When I got this 2nd Gen model I was blown away.  It was less than 1/3 the volume while providing more than 2/3 the power.  That leap in battery technology is huge, and critical to keeping me out of the chiropractic office and in the field.

In this age where everyone has at least one piece of tech they can't be stranded without, this is the perfect gift you can be sure will be used and appreciated, even though most of the people you give it to will never have even known to ask for it.

Gizmodo has all the best CyberMonday deals in one place

As always, Gizmodo and Kinja have teamed up to put together a comprehensive list of CyberMonday deals for all things tech and geek, I'll post deals as I find them but their list is a good place to start today.