10/27/16 10/27/16

Tech and Small Groups Plus Pixel XL: Theotek Podcast 083

How can technology help in your small group ministry? We examined some ways that tech can help you with a more dynamic small group discipleship ministry. This focused on three areas, content, organization and the small group meeting time.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxKvql_dS0wIn our discussion of using tech in small groups ministry, we got the following recommendations:

Consider using digital study materials since they are easier to distribute and in the case of free resources easy to share using something like an online storage or sharing tool.
A flipped classroom approach where the group members watch a lecture or video at home and then come together to discuss it focuses more on discussion and relationships instead of putting one person at the center of the group.
Shared calendars help keep everyone together for meeting times and reminders about tasks they're asked to do before meetings or after meetings.
Use some sort of community builder software especially if your church small group has access to a Church Management System.
Facebook Groups or Slack Chat can help with communication among the group.
Use a service like Call Them All to get word to group members quickly, if you don't use the previous things on this list.
Set up reminders in iOS or Android for daily devotions or other regular activities that group members need to do.
You could even use Google Hangouts to host the group online like we do with the Theotek Podcast.

We also took a look at the Google Pixel XL Phone. I shared my early review after a week's uses.The things that set this phone apart include the following:

Great battery with longer than all-day life
A nice AMOLED screen
Excellent camera (see image below)
Fast Snapdragon 821 processor
Excellent build quality
USB Type-C charging
Android Nougat 7.1

google pixel xl camera sample In Our Favorite Things, we got recommendations from Antoine and LaRosa. Here's what they offered.

OURA Smart Ring

oura-smart-ring The OURA Smart Ring focuses on health over communication. In fact it doesn't offer notifications. Instead the sensors in the ring track your health using things like sleep, activity, heart rate, body temp, and your movement. The companion app will give you recommendations based on what it finds.The OURA Smart Ring isn't cheap at $300. It comes in three styles. Antoine Wright loves his and recommends it despite the cost.

Moxiware Apple Pencil Magnet

moxiware-apple-pencil-magnet LaRosa's a recent Apple iPad Pro buyer and so he recommended something to help him hold his Apple Pencil. The Moxiware Apple Pencil Magnet is like a sleeve that slides on to the Apple Pencil and magnetically grabs hold of the iPad Pro, kind of like the Surface Pen with Microsoft's Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book line and their new Surface Studio desktop they just announced. The Magnet's not that expensive at only $16.95.

10/7/16 10/7/16

Google Machine Announces Pixel Phone and More: Theotek Podcast #081

Google announced their new hardware in an event held on October 4. During the event they announced Pixel phones, Google Home, Google Wi-Fi and a new Google Chromecast. The Theotek team talked about the new devices and shared our opinions. Are they desirable for people wanting a new phone or other gadgets? Watch the podcast below or listen to it at the end of this post. Below the podcast is a list of what they offered with a few details and links to their store to order them.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNqBQg-ZCfQ

Pixel and Pixel XL Phones

These two phones will run Android 7.1 operating system. That makes them the most up-to-date Android phones on the market. They hold 5 or 5.5-inch screens powered by the newest Snapdragon 821 processor. Throw in 32GB or 128GB or storage.The announcement event also included the new Google Assistant, a form of their Google Now service akin to Apple's Siri. It's a chatbot essentially and helps people find things, control their phone with voice and look up pertinent information like movie times, directions, appointments and more. It's pretty nifty looking.The 12MP camera on the back got the highest rating from DXOMark, a camera rating service. The company will give users free unlimited Photo storage for the full resolution photos and 4K video the phone can shoot.They look drool-worthy and I've seriously considered picking up the Google Pixel. Right now they're backordered and buyers can't get one till some time in November if they order directly from the company's device store. Verizon customers might get one sooner, but they'll also likely get a phone riddled with Verizon apps they can't get rid of and they won't get OS updates as soon as the unlocked versions sold the device store.

Google Home

google-home Next up we talked about Google Home ($129). This Amazon Echo or Amazon Alexa replacement works like a voice activated search appliance and speaker. I wrote a post comparing the Amazon Alexa and the Home over at GottaBeMobile.The Google Home connects to the Internet over Wi-Fi and listens for the user to say "Ok Google" like they would on their Android phone or with the Chrome browser on a computer. Search for things like weather, news, local sports scores, nearby movie times, restaurants and more. Also interact with your their services like your Calendar or To Do list. Play music or send videos to your Chromecast connected to a TV.The speaker on the Google Home looks nice and the mic that listens for your voice should work really well. There's a mute button to turn off the listening anytime you want.

Google Wi-Fi

google-wi-fi Our host Wes Allen got excited about Google Wi-Fi because it's a Wi-Fi router that hooks up to your Internet router and then sends the signal throughout your house or office. Get one for $129 or three for $300. If you get three you can set them up as a mesh network which helps offer a strong Wi-Fi connection in larger homes or buildings. That's why Wes got interested. He's been looking for a good Mesh network.

Google Chromecast Ultra

google-chromecast-ultra The Google Chromecast was one of the most popular "set-top" streaming devices when it showed up a few years ago. I think it had more to do with the $35 price than the functionality. However, taking advantage of that popularity, they're testing the market by upping the price to $69 on their new Chromecast Ultra while adding 4K and HDR support. It still plugs in to and HDMI port. Get's power from the USB port on a TV or you can plug it in via an AC adapter. This time around they added an Ethernet port to help with the 4K and HDR streaming bandwidth.

Daydream View

Google Cardboard started almost as a joke or more likely an experiment. However, it took off and helped kick off the VR craze today. The search company announced a competitor to the Samsung VR for $20 less. The Daydream View ($79) holds your Google Pixel phone, the only one that works with it for now, and lets the user enjoy VR content like 360-degree videos or images and games. The device comes with a motion sensing remote to help with gaming controls and video controls. daydream-view This kind of device offers some interesting possibilities for believers. Imagine 360-degree views of the temple or Jerusalem. A church could give a 360-degree tour of their facilities or stream their worship in 360-degree video so viewers can not only see what's going on up on the platform, but also see the audience.