Japan Travel Tips – Staying at a Japanese Hot Springs Resort May 25, 2021
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Welcome back to our look at Japan Travel Tips, where we share the research we’ve done for those interested in traveling abroad! Over the past few weeks we’ve shared great tips for food, transportation, shopping and entertainment, but we’ve barely scratched the surface for everything Japan has to offer! In fact, the purpose of this week’s article is to expand upon something we touched upon in one of the first articles in this series, a type of hotel accommodations in Japan that is truly Japanese, the Ryokan.
You’ve had a long and difficult year. You deserve a weekend with your family at a beautiful natural hot spring hotel. There, you can relax in the hot bath and all your meals are prepared. That’s the Japanese mentality behind staying at an Onsen, or Ryokan. Typically, a Ryokan is a destination resort. They are built in beautiful mountainous areas with natural geothermal activity. The natural heat from the earth can be used to warm the hotel’s bath water, and provide a perfect place for groups to stay.
If you’d like to know more about the ins and outs of a Ryokan, its history, and how it works from the perspective of a guest, I’ll let Life Where I’m From take it from here.
So what goes into the food? One of the big reveals about a Ryokan that made my father interested in traveling was learning that the food served was all locally obtained and prepared. Typically, Ryokans are located near major harbors which can provide a constant supply of fresh fish, but even if you aren’t a fan of fish they will still find ways to accommodate you. Here’s a video specifically dedicated to the food courtesy of Only in Japan.
So, what if you aren’t traveling with a full family and are just traveling with a significant other? A Ryoken can accommodate you both. Here’s what the experience was like for a married couple who run the channel Flying the Nest.
Hope you enjoyed this look at the Ryokan. Stay tuned for next week, because we are FINALLY going to be talking about Ramen!
iOS, iPadOS and tvOS 14.6 Released May 24, 2021
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Apple has been busy. Hot on the heels of the 14.5 release, Apple has just released another major update for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV devices. The new update brings support for Podcast Subscriptions, the Apple Card Family and improvements with AirTag support.
You can download the update right now. Depending on your device, it could require a download anywhere from 550MB-850MB. That likely means you will either need to get it over WiFi, or you’ll need to use iTunes.
Gaming History You Should Know – The Cybiko May 23, 2021
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Welcome back to a new Gaming History You Should Know, where we share some of the biggest independent videos produced about gaming history from across the internet. Now, let me take you back over twenty years. In the late 90s, people like me needed access to the internet while on the go. Unlike how it is today with cellular modem equipped smartphones and tablets, in the late-90s portable internet access was not an easy prospect at that time. If you wanted to surf the web, you needed a Personal Computer. Laptops were an option, but they were more expensive than desktops and had worse performance. High speed networks and WiFi were not options for the vast majority of online users, and people like me were in a bit of a bind.
In this time, companies like Palm and heck even Apple were producing portable computing devices that fit in your pocket and were meant to be used while on the go. They were called the PDA, for Personal Digital Assistant. Unlike smartphones of the day which do not require full computers and can function independently, PDAs were dependent on occasionally being synced with a full PC for processes like application installations and backups.
The PDA, for the most part, were used by busy businessmen who needed to constantly be able to keep track of their schedules, write emails, and check things like their address book. They weren’t really meant for playing games, and because of that most young people were not interested in them. Portable gaming consoles like the Game Boy had been out for years at that point, and were the preferred portable electronic device for most young people.
But what if a company stepped forward and said they had created a PDA that was capable of doing most of the tasks meant for businesspeople, could wirelessly allow for simple text commutation between devices, and could support playing games? A company stepped forward and announced they made one, it was called the Cybiko. I actually had a Cybiko and remembered using it daily for about a year, but nobody else seems to remember it.
Enter YouTube pillar LGR, known for his Lazy Game Reviews of classic PC games and unusual hardware. He took a closer look at the Cybiko and all it’s relevant software of the time. See what he thought about it.
Conversations with Curtis Part 2 May 21, 2021
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We are twenty minutes away from the live premiere of the next chapter of Conversations with Curtis, where the lead actor of the infamous PC horror classic Phantasmagoria 2, interviews people behind the game. Today, he’ll be interviewing the game’s female lead, Monique Parent.
Catch it live and you should be able to post questions, and there’s a good chance they could answer it during the broadcast! If you’d like to watch the feed, you can check it out below!
Phantasmagoria 2: A Puzzle of Flesh is out now for the PC.
Hulu’s MODOK Crossing Over With Marvel’s Avengers May 21, 2021
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The big baddie of Marvel’s Avengers, better known as the supervillian M.O.D.O.K., is getting his own animated television show on Hulu starting today. To celebrate, they’re offering exclusive in-game nameplates on Marvel’s Avengers for a limited time! Check it out!
Marvel’s Avengers is out now for PC, Stadia, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Conversations With Curtis Episode 2 Tomorrow! May 20, 2021
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Just a friendly reminder for you Phantasmagoria 2 fans, the second episode of Conversations with Curtis, an online series where the game’s lead actor, Paul Stetler, interviews the people involved with the iconic PC horror game. Tomorrow, the second episode will broadcast live and he is scheduled to interview the game’s female lead, Monique Parent!
Conversations With Curtis Episode 2 broadcasts live tomorrow at 7PM Eastern Time. Subscribe to the YouTube Channel to stay notified on the latest updates.
Phantasmagoria 2: A Puzzle of Flesh is out now for PC.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart – Planets and Exploration Video May 20, 2021
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Since it was first revealed, the newest Ratchet and Clank game is the reason to get a PS5. Take a look at the game’s worlds and environments!
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is coming June 11th, 2021 exclusively for the PS5.
Marvel’s Avengers Red Room Takeover Event Begins May 20, 2021
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What better way to celebrate the imminent release of Black Widow in theaters and Disney+ Premiere Access than to see the iconic Red Room take over Marvel’s Avengers?
The Red Room will be here until May 31st!
Marvel’s Avengers is out now for PC, Stadia, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PS4.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition Unboxing May 19, 2021
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EA has re-released three of the most influential sci-fi video games ever produced in glorious 4K. Now, Mass Effect Legendary Edition includes the first three Mass Effect games and the majority of its DLC. We picked up a copy on the Xbox One and decided to open it up for you guys. What is Maniac’s history with BioWare? Watch and find out.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition is out now for PC, Xbox One and PS4. It’s currently supported as enhanced for Xbox Series X/S and PS5.
The Last of Us Part II Now Enhanced for PS5 May 19, 2021
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One of the biggest PS4 exclusives last year was the controversial game The Last of Us Part II. The game has been backwards compatible with the PS5 since the console launched, but now Sony and Naughty Dog have released a free patch for the game to improve its performance when played on the PS5. Take a look!
The new patch has been tested and is promising 60FPS at 4K when played on PS5.
The Last of Us Part II is out now for PS4.
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