QuizUp: The app that will light up your brains.

Last month, I kept on looking for applications I can use with my phone. An application I will enjoy for the long-term. Then as I browse through the Google Play Store, I found the app that will change my life forever. I'm here to tell you more about the applications and the experiences I had playing it over the last month.

Photo ©Plain Vanilla Games

QuizUp is an app developed by Plain Vanilla Games. It was first launched last year on the App Store for iOS users. It was only last March when they released the application on the Google Play Store for Android users. QuizUp is an application to test your knowledge on a range of different topics. From topics about Geography, Sports, Nature, Science, Business, Music, TV, Arts, Games, and a range of other topics that add up as the days go by. Recently, they added a FIFA World Cup category with topics about the event and the nations participating in it.

Each game of QuizUp is composed of 7 questions worth a total of 160 points. The first six questions are worth 20 points each. While the last question has double points where a player can get a maximum of 40 points. It's also a game of speed as players are given 10 seconds to answer. A second lost would mean a point off the score (2 points on the last question). There is also a finish bonus of 40 points if you finish all 7 questions and a win bonus of 100 points in you win the match. In case of a draw, the victory bonus is halved to 50 points. Yes, draws happen and count with your records. No victory bonus is given in losses.

For a person like me who grew fond of quiz bee competitions over the past couple of years. Having been tested under time pressure a countless number of times. This app is a perfect fit for me and something I enjoy playing on a daily basis. Over the last month, I played a range of different topics. I won most of my games, but also drawn or lost a couple. It was just yesterday, when I reached a total of 1000 levels played on QuizUp. Here are some photos of my experience with the app:

 Yes, I played a couple of rounds in German.

As of writing, I lead in three categories in the Philippines.

Passed the 1,000 level mark yesterday.

Photos ©Karl Carandang

So for those who love to test their brains on a host of different topics. QuizUp is the application for you. It is available on the Google Play Store for Android and App Store for iOS.

My brain is being teased every single day!

K-Smoove

Facebook Timeline. Polarized Upgrade.

So here is the view of my Facebook profile on Timeline.
Disclaimer: I don't add strangers on my Facebook account.
Photo ©Karl Carandang

Facebook has changed the lives of people around the world. The brain child of Mark Zuckerberg who created the site in 2004, Facebook has more than 800 million users and is one of the most popular social networking sites in the world. Over the years, it went through barriers and had major upgrades which changed the history of social media.

The development of Facebook continues today as recently they rolled out the Timeline to the users and pages/businesses on the entire social network. The Timeline allows you to relieve your previous post on Facebook, add in life events like your first flight, the time you entered into a relationship, traveled to different places and many other life events. You can also add applications which make your Timeline experience worthwhile. You can also highlight your important life events and posts on Facebook, and many other features at the user's disposal. The Timeline is like a journal/diary of your life.

At first, getting the Timeline was voluntary, where it's up to the user to avail of it. However, Facebook later on started to roll out the Timeline on all its users. All pages on Facebook have been put on Timeline since late March. As of the moment, the personal pages of Facebook users have some people using Timeline, and some who are not using the Timeline which means not everyone has the upgrade on.

However the Timeline was not welcomed by everyone thus getting a polarized reaction from the users. Some people enjoy using the timeline, while some disliked it and would prefer their old profile back. The Timeline is like my favorite WWE Superstar John Cena who always gets a mixed reaction (sometimes hostile reaction) whenever he wrestles. Some cheer him, while some jeer him.

Those who oppose the Timeline say that it is confusing, difficult to navigate, and can compromise their privacy. Some even took a stand against it by launching an application that can be downloaded from the internet and is installed on their web browser allowing them to disable their profile and see their old profile back. (However, if you check in a computer without the application, you will see your profile on Timeline)

Personally, I have been on the Timeline since December 2011, just a few months before they released it to the public. I took the tutorials of availing the Timeline through reading from tech websites. After every step, finally my profile is on Timeline. At first it was difficult to adjust having been used to the old profile for the time I have been using Facebook since. After that, it was all smooth sailing for me and I made the best of my usage of Timeline. From uploading a cover photo to writing life events from before I began using Facebook. It has been a great journey for me to share my stories to my friends and family. The Timeline for me personally is not that bad once you get used to it.

I can't blame the people who oppose having the Timeline on their profile because the old profile was simple and easy to navigate. They have a right to say about their beliefs and opinions about the Timeline whether it is good or bad.

However, the thing here is that Timeline has "more than meets the eye". For those concerned with their privacy. Timeline doesn't strip away your privacy. Thru the "Activity Log" button on the top panel, you have the option to hide and/or delete posts that you don't want your friends or family to know about. Of course, the Privacy Settings is also an important feature where you can limit your entire profile to strangers. Timeline is a new development Facebook has to offer to its users, people really need to take time to learn about the features that it has to offer, of course I went through the adjustment of having my profile on Timeline. Getting used to Timeline is like learning how to play basketball for the first time or learning a new language or learning how to cook a new dish. There are other things to know about Timeline, so take time to learn more about them to make your Timeline experience worthwhile.

So I'm telling those who oppose the Timeline. Try to learn more about it before jumping into hasty conclusions. I'm not forcing anyone to take my word, but I can tell you that you are missing a lot of things without Timeline on your profile.

"I think that people just have this core desire to express who they are. And I think that's always existed." - Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook

Photo of John Cena setting up the Attitude Adjustment on The Rock ©Wrestling-match.com  


"I believe that we are smart enough to adjust in a short amount of time." 
K-Smoove