Hobbies

As stated in my previous post, I am good at analytical thinking - problem solving to achieve a result. I have many skills and hobbies oriented around this style of thought; 

I speedcube, solving 'Rubik's Cube' as fast as possible, and have reached a personal best of 15.65 seconds. I have also attended 4 official competitions, reaching an official best of 19.30. I can also solve many other format of puzzle, such as cubes of size up to 7x7x7. For my full competition results, check out my stats page. Cubing requires the type of a mind that can flex to visualize how each piece orbits around the cube, and can overcome problems that occur. I have taught a lot of my friends to speedcube, but they had it the easy way: They had me to teach them; If they make a mistake they ask me what's wrong, yet if I made a mistake, I had to work out what I was doing wrong and try to overcome the problem myself.

I write code; My fave is C#, I have written some pretty fun code that took a lot of thinking. C# really takes some time to think through how the code works, as it is a backend language. I am much more into writing the algorithmic code of the backend, instead of creating the clean polished look of the frontend. For example, I wrote a program to solve a Rubik's cube recently; it took a lot of thinking about to write, it's about 1-2 thousand lines of code...

I'm good at learning things quickly, I'm learning to play chess, and I'm learning Japanese in my spare time. I just have to look at something to memorize it. I learnt to touchtype over a weekend in November last year, and I now I can type at ~50wpm.

Let me know what you thought of this post, and if you have any suggestions!

Restart, updates and more!

So I haven't posted on here in a long time (My last post was nearly a year ago!), and I decided to restart my blog, but with a different theme. 

Instead of tech and cubing review-style posts, I'm going to post about me, and how I think. Compared to how other people describe how they think, I seem very different. My mind is highly analytical, good at problem solving etc, and I am going to be trying to describe how I think and what is unique about me.

I am good maths and computing, but I fall down when it comes to English and creative aspects. I often struggle in social situations, and I want to try to describe how.

Let me know what you think!

YJ GuanSu Review

Hey Guys,

So Today I'm going to be reviewing the YJ GuanSu, a 4x4 by the child company of MoYu. I unboxed this cube on YouTube, so please feel free to check that out here.

The YJ GuanSu is $8 on TheCubicle.us, although I bought it on ebay here, as the postage is a lot cheaper. It came packaged ok, and out of the box I could tell it was going to be a great cube. Stock tensions were excellent, and didn't need changing at all, as well as it was already lubed so that didn't need changing either. I have now done ~50 solves on it, and I haven't noticed a significant improvement, but there definitely has been a bit of a change.

The turning on the outer layers is amazing, but the inner layers are sometimes slow and sluggish. The corner cutting with stock tensions is not great, only 1/2 of a cubie and a fraction of reverse. I have never had a pop, but the cube does minor catches sometimes. Here is a photo of the mechanism for those of you that are interested:

The stickers are the standard Moyu shades, and they are excellent quality, as is standard from Moyu and its derivatives.

All in all, I would recommend this 4x4 to anyone, as it is great quality and definetly speedcubeable, as well as being extremely cheap.

Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Moyu TangLong Review

Hey guys,

So I haven't posted in months, I know, as I've been much more busy with The Geek Circle YouTube channel- if you haven't checked that out, make sure to do so here. 

Onto the review.

Today, I'm going to be reviewing Moyu's latest 3x3, the TangLong. I got this cube for £12 on theCubicle.us, and if you haven't checked them out, you should as they are a very reliable source of cubes, the only problem being they charge A LOT to ship to the UK.

The TangLong was released in September last year, so is fairly new. My first impressions of the cube were that the turning is extremely crisp, like the AoLong, but my AoLong is extremely over - lubed, with cubicle weight 3, a lube way too heavy for me. I thought the TangLong would just be a remake of the AoLong, but it isn't - the mechanism is completely different, as can be seen here:

The corner-cutting off the TangLong is just under 45°, and reverse is half a cubie. Corner twisting is possible, but it requires some force, so would not happen during a solve. Stock tensions were perfect, and didn't need any tweaking, although the white face makes some springing noises when turning.

The stickers are of course of excellent quality, as is to be expected with Moyu cubes. The stickers are larger than the ones on the AoLong, leaving less border, which I quite like the look of. The Moyu shades are very bright and look excellent as usual, as can be seen here:

All in all, this cube is great, and I would greatly recommend it to any speedcuber, whether new or experienced.

Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Argus Review

Hey Guys,

Today I've got another app review, but not for a game. Argus is a life-tracking app, that I mainly use for a pedometer, but can also be used to track things such as bike rides and other exercises. It puts all recent exercise into a cool looking hexagonal formation like so:

This formation is good looking, neat and easy to read. The items are a bit hard to determine what dey they are part of, as the dates are just another hexagon, but apart from that the view is excellent. The app automatically creates step battles against random people daily. One of the problems with this is that quite a lot of the people you can see here are inactive, with no steps for that day. This is probably because they have deleted the app and their account is still there.

One way to fix this problem would be to make it so that only people that had at least some steps the previous day get put in a face-off. One of the cool features of Argus is that it will recognise if you are doing a certain activity (eg. running) and start a running activity, gps tracking the run as well.

Thanks to the TWiT network (twit.tv) for recommending this app to me - I emailed a question in about what they would recommend as a pedometer app, and they mentioned this.

All in all, I would greatly recommend this to anyone that wants a pedometer app that will work well, have a social aspect and as well as being able to track a wide range of other activities.



Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Slack Review

Hey Guys,

So if you've read my IFTTT review, you will know that lately I have been testing a free online application called Slack. Slack is a messaging service intended to be used by companies and their teams, but can be used for other things. As an example, I am currently in 3 slack groups (or 'teams') - the Geek Circle, a group of my school friends, and a group for my family. The Geek Circle is currently just me and Theo (another blogger from this blog), but anyone can join if they want to (just email me at thegeekcircle@gmail.com ). My school friends use it to talk to each other (or at least I'm trying to get them to!), and my family uses it to plan events and other things.

The interface, as you can see, is very good looking and polished, and it's easy to find your way around. This is a shot of the desktop app, that is also very similar to the web interface, but there's also an iOS and Android app.

One of the reasons people go for Slack is the integrations. You can integrate slack with many different programs and apps, such as Google Calander, IFTTT and many more (full list can be found here). Integrations allow you to make slack do more, and you can even write your own. I have IFTTT set up to automatically publish the weather daily, and Google Calendar gives me a daily roundup. 

All in all, I think that Slack is a better option of a messaging service, weather you want it for communication with your family, or managing your project at work. I would greatly recommend it to anyone.

Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

New Website!

Hey guys,

So if you've been following me on twitter, you'll know the official Geek Circle Site is now up! It can be found at http://thegeekcircle.com/. It contains all links to all my latest content (youtube and blog posts), as well as other stuff about me (my setup, cubes etc.).

Also, sorry that I've not posted in a while, but I've been on holiday, and after that I've been quite busy making YouTube videos.




Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

IFTTT Review

Hey Guys,

So I'm sure a lot of you saw my test IFTTT post a few days ago, as I was trying out one of the functionalities of IFTTT. So - what is IFTTT? It stands for If This Then That. No, it doesn't have some sort of crazy hidden meaning - It is just an app and webpage where you build recipes for if a certain thing happens, do another certain thing.

You are able to connect certain channels to your IFTTT account, for things such as Twitter, Facebook, Dropbox etc. (For the full list check out this page) and then use these channels in your recipes. The recipe I was testing was this:

If it detects a new post on this very blog (yes, this one!) it posts a Buffer Tweet to @TheGeekCircle following the template shown on the second photo. Another one of my recipes is to post the weather of the next day to my family Slack. Slack is a collaboration/messaging service, and there should be a review of that coming out soon.

I would definitely recommend IFTTT to anyone, especially if they find themselves doing the same thing whenever a certain thing happens. It's free, so... Why not give it a go! You would be surprised at what it can do!

Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

IFTTT Test

Hey Guys,

This is just a test for a hopefully upcoming post about IFTTT.


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Mazecraft Review

Hey Guys,

So today, I'm reviewing another free mobile app, but this one’s a bit different. Mazecraft is, as the name would suggest, a maze building game. You build mazes, share them, and play other people’s mazes. You can collect coins in people’s mazes, and these coins can be used to build other mazes. This aspect I like, as it makes sure that you play mazes as well as build them. However, this can also be a bit of a problem, as some people just created empty levels with paths to all the coins.

This is one of my mazes that I have made, with many aspects such as doors, saws and spikes. You can see the total cost of the maze in the top right corner. When people play your levels, they can tip it 1-5 coins. this determines the rating of the level, that can be seen by other players.

All in all, I think this game is excellent for anyone that likes puzzle games, as well as building.

Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

King of Thieves Review

Hey Guys,

Sorry that I haven't posted in a while, but I've been on holiday in California. I've been vlogging about it on my YouTube Channel, so make sure to check that out if you haven’t done so already. Today I’m going to be reviewing King of Thieves. King of Thieves (or KoT) is the mix of a platformer and a PvP multiplayer, free for Android or iOS. Below is a screenshot of my current base design.

You can see the 3 different traps of my base: the Red Guy, the Green Cannon and the Fly one. This is my defence: the way you protect your gold and gems. You can edit the layout of your base so that is more difficult for attackers to get your loot. You also have the statue (centre top with 3 gems and a progress bar). This is what attackers have to get to when attacking, and the dungeon door (below and to the right of the statue with the key holes). Before attacking, the attackers must use up their lock picks to open your door (a slowly regenerating nanocurrency). Only one of the locks is the correct one, so it is chance to how many lock picks it takes to break in.

Once you are in, you have to complete their dungeon. Your character moves when it can, but if it hits a wall it stops. The only way to change direction is to wall-jump, and while on a wall, you would slowly slide down it. You have to dodge the traps: the cannons shoot, the flies follow you and the red blobs fly repeatedly between two points.

Like most games in this style, there is a ‘supercurrency’ for players who pay extra to build up their character quickly. As well as this, there are two other currencies. Gold is the thing you use to upgrade your traps and other misc. items such as the speed your lock picks take to regenerate. Gems are the items that define your status. Every so often, you get a gem from a gem mine, and these gems have a value. When you collect the gems they go into storage, and you use these gems in rituals to combine them, making bigger gems. The risk of this, though, is that when you have a ritual ongoing, other players have a chance of stealing your gems after attacking you. Your personal overall gem value is the sum of every gem you have, defining your rank and status. Here is a photo of my current gem collection.

One of the very well-made parts of this game is the collaboration with other players. When a gem is stolen off you, you are able to try to retrieve it by attacking the player that stole the gem originally. If you fail, people in your alliance are able to also attack that person, giving you a higher chance that you will get your gem back. You also compete in wars, where you have a few day’s battle with another alliance, and the group that gains the most gems during that time wins some of the supercurrency.

All in all, I think that this game is excellent for anyone that wants a game they don’t want to be playing all the time, but can play occasionally. People that like platformers such as Mario and multiplayer games like Clash of Clans would enjoy this game.

Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Moyu AoLong Review

Hey Guys,

So recently I ordered a Moyu AoLong V2 from Amazon, but it was from China so I expected not to get it before I went on holiday (check out my YouTube Channel for videos on that soon!). I got the cube a week or so ago, and have had some time to get used to it. First of all, I don't think what I was sent was an AoLong V2 - I heard one of the main changes in the V2 was that it reduces corner twists, yet my cube has frequent corner twists.

The turning is good along with corner cutting, although there are infrequent minor locks. All in all, I think that this is one of the best speedcubes on the market, and is definitely worth the £12 ($18).

Keep checking here for the latest in geek!

Moyu LingPo 2x2 Review

Hey Guys,

Sorry that I've not posted recently, but I've been very busy working on the new Geek Circle website that should be up soon. If you want to check that out, you can download the latest release here. I've recently had the Stickerless Moyu LingPo delivered, and after using it a bit, decided to write a post about it.

The LingPo has extremely fast turning - the best I've ever seen on a cube. Corner-cutting is good, at 45° and 15 reverse. When the cube came, it needed a bit of work - tensioning and lubing, but after that it was fine. Pops and lockups are non-existent, apart from the occasional minor catch. 

All in all, I'd greatly recommend this 2x2 to absolutely anyone that wants a good 2x2, wether you're a beginner or the new Feliks Zemdigs - especially as it is only £12 (~$18).

Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Moyu Skewb Review

Hey Guys,

So I've recently bought a few cubes, the Moyu Skewb being one of them. This is  my first Skewb, so I had to also learn how to solve it. I used Monkeydude1313's 1-algorithm method, which allowed me to solve Skewb easily. When I first tried to solve the Skewb, I had a lot of trouble, and even with the tutorial I was struggling to understand how it worked. After watching the tutorial a few times, I got my head around how the Skewb worked and I am now able to easily solve it. 

Onto the cube itself. The cube was out of the box tensioned, but needed lubing. The stickers are bright and easily recognisable, as well as being thick and sturdy. Corner-cutting is ok, but is not needed due to the ball bearings that click the pieces into place. Pops are non-existent, along with lock-ups - making the cube reliable and lets you feel more free.

All in all, I would greatly recommend this cube to anyone who wants a high quality Skewb, as this is probably the best on the market and is only £11 (~$15) so good value for money.

Keep checking here for the latest in geek!

Logitech C270 Webcam Review

Hey Guys,

So another thing I got for my birthday is a Logitech C270 Webcam, for use in my YouTube videos. It was £20 (~30)) and is can be seen here:

It has a clever stand for clipping to screens etc. and looks good with it's polished shiny plastic. It does 720p 30fps video and 3 megapixel stills, which is perfect for me. The software is easy to use and polished, allowing for recording, stills, and motion detection.

It also allows me to add it as a source in OBS so that if I stream or record, I can use the webcam too.

All in all, I think this webcam is useful and extremely good value for money, so I would greatly recommend this one if you have a need for one.

Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

iOS 9 Review

Hey Guys,

So recently the open beta of iOS 9 came out, and so I decided to give it a test. The installation process was not difficult - I just had to go to the webpage, and put my apple ID in. I then was able to download the 'profile' onto my device, enabling the option to update to the latest version of iOS 9.

The aim of iOS 9 is all about learning about you - what webpages and places you visit, what news and books you like to read etc. This ties in with the new Apple Music service, which learns the music you like and gives you new recommendations of what to listen to next.

There are also some graphical changes - the multitasking screen looks slightly different, as well as the siri graphic and a new default font. Here is images of some of he new graphical additions:

The news app was useful when it worked,  but it has stopped functioning and crashes every time I try to open it. I have submitted this as a bug report, along with other bugs I have found. There is a new "mode" to put your phone in - power saver mode. Power saver mode reduces power consumption until you fully charge your iPhone by turning of mail fetch, background app refresh and automatic downloads, and reducing some visual effects.

All in all, I think that iOS 9 is a good thing but only if you are prepared for the bugs and crashes. Due to this, I would only recommend it if you have a use for it for example to review it (like me!) or if you are a software developer.

Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Mic Boom Arm Review

Hey Guys,

So if you've read my previous posts, you will know that I have got quite a lot of tech for my birthday. One of the pieces of equipment I got was a boom arm for my mic. his allows my mic to be closer to me, so I am not leaning over into my mic. Here is a picture of the arm in action:

It is clamped onto the shelf that my monitor sits on - the perfect place for it to be held, as it is accessible and at the correct level. The mic attaches to the arm via an included piece that allows certain other mic types to attach. The arm is also the perfect place to screw my pop filter to, as it has perfect sized bolts to hold it in place.

All in all, I would recommend this boom arm to anyone that needs a functional but not too professional boom arm, as it is one of the cheaper ones on the market at only £10(~$17).



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Blue 'the Pop' filter review

Hey Guys,

So if you didn't know already, I have a YouTube channel that I post mainly cubing and Minecraft videos (feel free to check it out here). On my videos, I have commentary, and so need a mic. I have a Blue Yeti mic, and have recently been given the official Blue 'the Pop'. This is a pop filter, and if you didn't know a pop filter is to stop the sounds of Ps and Bs as well as breathing from being too loud in the footage. The pop filter looks very nice, and can be seen here:

I have it screwed onto my mic boom arm through one of the arm's attaching bolts, as I tried to use the clamp provided and it wouldn't stay on and dented the arm. The filter consists of two gauzes - a fine gauze on the front to be the actual filter, and a rougher gauze on the back to hold the front one in place.

I would recommend this to anyone with a mic that wants a pop filter that is aesthetically as well as physically functional, as it is £25(~$40) - quite a lot for a pop filter.


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QJ Speedtimer Review

Hey Guys,

So If you've read any of my earlier posts, I've recently had a birthday, and have got plenty of technology. One of the cubing related things is a QJ speed timer. This is a timer for things such as cubing or cup stacking, but mine is made by QJ - a speedcube manufacturer. It has two pads to put your hands on, and when you take your hands off, the timer starts. You then solve the cube, and once you are done you put your hands back on the pads. Here is a picture of the timer:

One of the problems with the timer is that the green and red ready lights flash while you are solving. This can be distracting and can mess up your colour recognition. Also, I occasionally have times where I finish, but the timer doesn't stop - I have to take my hands off and put them back on the timer.

Other than that, I would recommend this timer if you are a cuber wanting some practise for competitions.

Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

2000 Views + Blog Shout-Out

Hey Guys,

So recently we've hit 2000 views on this blog, and I want to thank you all for that - it really has been a great experience. Secondly, I want to just give a shout out to my friend Hannah, who has just started her blog here. It is more of a life blog - less like mine as this blog is a lot more factual, and so feel free to check that out.


Keep checking here for the latest in geek!