Super Mario Odyssey Collector's Edition Strategy Guide and amiibo

Xbox Design Lab Custom Xbox One Controller Showcase

Unboxing & Overview

What: Xbox Design Lab Custom Xbox One Controller

Where: Xbox Design Lab (https://xboxdesignlab.xbox.com)

How Much: $64.99 Sale Price (MSRP $79.99)

Laser Etching: $9.99

Shipping: FREE

Lead Time: 1 Week from Placing the Order until Delivery!

So, no need to beat around the bush...this is definitely somewhat of a luxury purchase.  You can comb around online and find new, standard black or white Xbox One controllers for around $45 if you are diligent and catch a break.  The standard issue price is $59.99.  

If you step up to the "custom" designs from Microsoft you will find that prices can range from around $50 on closeout pricing up towards $75, with $69.99 being the MSRP.  These include the Dawn Shadow, Ocean Shadow, Dusk Shadow (loved that one!), and the special issue stuff like Winter Forces, Gears of War, Halo, etc.

Basically, you can go standard for $60, special edition from Microsoft for $70, or custom from the Design Lab for $80.

I was at a point where my left analog stick got so bad, a new controller became mandatory.  I will admit, I had my eye on the Dusk Shadow controller for a long time...sadly, they are no longer in production and the resultant stock is basically scalped.  The Ocean Shadow, Blue, and White controllers all appealed to me, but for just slightly more I could go full custom...If you know me, that means I will save the money and take the off the shelf option and keep $10-$20 in my pocket.

However, as fate would have it, Xbox ran the first ever sale on Design Lab controllers.  The offer was $15 off which brought the $79.99 down to $64.99...$5 less than any of the "Shadow" controllers, and only $5 more than a plain-jane Black, or White controller.

Since I do this as a side hobby, enjoy showcase videos, and came up with a design I liked well enough to justify spending the money...I went with their sale and now have this beauty in-hand!

It seems slightly lighter than my original Xbox One controller, has a very subtle texture to the back (which I like), and most importantly has a left analog stick that doesn't track straight up, lol.

My build broke down as follows:

Body, D-Pad, and Thumbsticks: Photon Blue

Bumpers & Triggers, Back: Robot White

ABXY + View & Menu: Black on White

I wanted to do Gray on White for the Buttons, but in the preview it looked a bit washed out...I think the high def preview on the following page would have better showcased it, but I had already decided on the White on Black.

Overall I think it turned out great!  I liked my creation well enough to justify the additional $9.99 to add "1ofWiisdom" laser etching on the front.  I figure if it ever gets stole, the pawn show buying it should raise eyebrows, or assuming the thief is a fan of my design and keeps it...will at least have to deal with it having my name on it, lol.  It was tempting to leave the "Your Message" that is the default prompt, but I held out and went for my YouTube username.

Given the sale, I was able to score a true custom controller, complete with laser etching for just under $75...not a bad deal given the pricing nowadays!  

The Design Lab is definitely a cool service, and I'm glad I got to finally create and order a controller.  I placed my order early Monday morning (the last day of the sale), and got the controller exactly one week later.  That is way faster than expected and I can't complain about that given it was also FREE Shipping.  The $10-$20 you save there can't be forgotten either.

Moving forward, should I ever have the left analog stick fail again, I would be hard pressed not to go custom thru the Design Lab again...I might hold out for a sale, but it is hard to argue with picking your colors and having your name, or Gamertag etched in the controller!  It would be great to see Nintendo and Sony follow Microsoft's lead and allow players the option to expend a little more for their controller and having something very cool to enjoy and show off!

Let me know what you think of my design and feel free to post up some of your creations...especially if they are in hand!  That said, here are a few glamour shots from my build:

Clutch Chairz Gear Series Bravo Blue Gaming Chair: Unboxing, Assembly, and First Impressions & Features

The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild: Game Case, Collector's Edition Strategy Guide, and Full amiibo Set

Unboxing Nintendo Switch Pro Controller with Comparisons vs Joy-Con Grip, Wii U Pro Controller, Xbox One, and More!

Unboxing Nintendo Switch and My Switch Story

Skylanders Imaginators Unboxing Wolfgang

Skylanders Imaginators Unboxing Kaos

Unboxing Skylanders Imaginators Xbox One Starter Pack

Unboxing Blue Yeti Whiteout Edition USB Microphone

Unboxing Blue Yeti Whiteout USB Microphone:

What's in the Box, Initial Impressions, & Overview

Check the mic out in action via these recent videos:

Super Smash Bros. March Madness: Final Four & Championship

^^

In this video, we had the mic on the floor, set to stereo mode to pick both of us up...

Skylanders SuperChargers Research: Dark Spitfire's Speed Demon Upgrade Path

^^

In this video the Yeti was set to "Carioid"

Astro A50 Wireless Headset Overview: What's in the Box, Initial Impressions, and Review!

Astro A50 Wireless Headset

Unboxing, What's in the Box, Initial Impressions, and Review

In this video we unbox Astro's A50 Wireless Headset showcasing what is included and the stand assembly, while covering my experience with them thus far.

These are the three EQ Presets as per Astro's Website:
-Pro: Boosted high frequencies for competitive gameplay
-Core: Balanced for single player gaming
-Media: Enhanced bass, for movies and music

I have not seen any custom tags for the A50s, but I am sure they are coming.  I don't have any prior experience with their products to know if previous series can interchange.

Overall, this is a very nice headset.  The sound quality is good and the headset is lightweight and most important, comfortable.  I will be testing the mic (sans adhesive film) very soon. There are several color options available...the Black and Lime shown here is targeted for use with the Xbox One and as a Gen2 release, includes the chat cable.

Here is a link to the product's release statement:
http://blog.astrogaming.com/2014/10/t...

Update 4/3/2016

I am just about to release this video (only 2 months after uploading, lol)...That said, I have been using this headset DAILY.  Friday night I recorded about 5 hours of Minelogix footage.  The sound is good, the mic is very good, and more importantly this thing is comfortable, even in continuous usage situations.  My old headset (which I still defend!) would start to slide off after about 1.5-2 hours of use (hard to explain, but I'm sure many of you can relate).  The feedback I have gotten on the headset's mic has been favorable from my viewers.

Helpful Troubleshooting:
I had one issue where the headset would NOT get sound...I could not figure it out.  Online people reported the same issue and most had it resolved by repairing the headset.  What had happened to me is that the RH Side has the Voice/Game buttons and it has gone all the way to one side...tapping around on it got things back to normal!

Hear the Mic in Action:
Pretty much any of my recent Minelogix videos will give you an idea of the sound quality.  I have since bought a Blue Yeti, but still use this headset for PC Gaming...
Minelogix Playlist: Minelogix SMP Playlist

Conclusion:
-Very nice headset, good sound, solid mic...comfort is king though and imo that is where this set excels!  Hope this helps some of you out as it is a pricey headset, but well worth it if you wear it for long interval!

My Website: http://www.1ofWiisdom.com
Twitter: @1ofWiisdom
Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/1ofWiisdom
SkylanderClub: http://www.skylanderclub.com
Minelogix SMP: http://www.minelogix.net

Skylanders Trap Team Eon's Elite Complete Set and Bonus PanoramicBackgrounds

Skylanders Trap Team Eon's Elite Complete Set

Eon's Elite Panoramic Picture via 3D Lenticular Backgrounds

Skylanders Trap Team Wave 5 Unboxing Videos: Enigma, Fling Kong, and Flip Wreck

Skylanders Trap Team: Unboxing Enigma

Skylanders Trap Team: Unboxing Fling Kong

Skylanders Trap Team: Unboxing Flip Wreck

Skylanders Trap Team Wave 4 Unboxings

Well, Wave 4 came with a bang!  I got a surprise delivery on St. Patrick's Day (made it one of the best in my opinion) and the insanity began: Thunderbolt, Shortcut, Rocky Roll, High Five, Bat Spin, Echo, and the Easter Skylanders (Easter Bunny Earth Trap, Power Punch Pet Vac, and of course Eggsellent Weeruptor).  I got their unboxings cranked out and began work on the Introductions and Upgrades...

Then, Mario Party 10 hit with a new line of Super Mario Amiibo AND I was able to land Blackout and Spotlight.  Needless to say, things have been VERY busy.  As such, I am going to just compile all the recent Skylander Unboxing vids here for your convenience.  You can also find stand alone posts on the Skylander Club Forum, or by taking the link at the top of each description box.

I hope to eventually update them with my usual format (FAQ and Card Stats etc).  For now, I'm quite busy and content running thru Introductions and Upgrades for all thsese great new Skylanders!

Skylanders Trap Team Unboxing Blackout

Skylanders Trap Team Unboxing Spotlight

Skylanders Trap Team Unboxing Thunderbolt

Skylanders Trap Team Unboxing Shortcut

Skylanders Trap Team Unboxing Rocky Roll

Skylanders Trap Team Unboxing Bat Spin

Skylanders Trap Team Unboxing High Five

Skylanders Trap Team Unboxing Echo

Skylanders Trap Team Unboxing Power Punch Pet Vac

Skylanders Trap Team Unboxing Eggsellent Weeruptor

Skylanders Trap Team Unboxing Easter Bunny Earth  Trap

Skylanders Skystones in General Mills Cereal

Breakfast just got even better!  Now, in addition to your morning bowl,of ceral, you can enjoy a few lively rounds of Skystones!

Skylanders Skystones Showcase: 4 Sets of 10 in Select General Mills Cereal

Here are a few pictures to help you stake your claim:

Cinnamon Toast Crunch (Front)

Skystones Board (Back)

Krypt King Box (Includes Chompy Mage & Dr. Krankcase)

As always, I like to document and archive things as best as possible.  I will be trying to get the set of 40 and will make additional updates here as necessary.  I am interested in a few things:
1-Will the "Krypt King" box always have these exact Skystones
2-What are the other characters featured on the boxes
3-What are the other "Boss" Skystones
4-What are the other Skystones

You can help me out by reporting back what you get in your cereal: who is on the box, what boss Skystones are included, and what the other 8 Skystones are.  Obviously, a single picture can accomplish this with ease.

You can also post and share the info on the Skylander Club Forum:
http://www.skylanderclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=336

Skylanders Trap Team Unboxing Love Potion Pop Fizz

What: Love Potion Pop Fizz
Where Did You Get It: GameStop
What Did It Cost: $9.99 plus tax
What Was Stock Like: 2 at the store
What is Included: Love Potion Pop Fizz, Stat Card, and Sticker Sheet

Unboxing Love Potion Pop Fizz

Love Potion Pop Fizz
Magic Element, Alt-Deco for Valentine's Day

Slogan: "The Motion of the Potion!"

Card Stats
Power: 100/250
Armor: 90/250
Agility: 60/250
Luck: 200/250
Totals: 450/1000

Skylanders Valentine's Mailbox

What: Skylanders Valentine's Mailbox

Where Did You Get It:  Gift (Walmart)

What Did it Cost: $3.98 plus tax

What is Included: Skylanders Mailbox, (2) Sticker Sheets

Review of Skylanders Valentine's Mailbox

I have to say, this thing is pretty cool.  The quality is great, especially given the $4 price tag.

The only  real downside is that this seems ideal to come packaged with Valentine's cards, but I am sure they aren't hard to find.  The stickers weren't exactly "Valentine" themed, but were cool nonetheless.

I think this would excel at being opened and then stocked with a Skylander, Trap Master, a few Traps, and some favorite candy for your favorite Portal Master this Valentine's Day!  Plus, after it is cleaned out of candy and Skylander gear, it makes for a very nice tin for whatever you want (candy, cash box, Skylander storage, and so on).

I definitely think this is a good value and has a lot o options!  It would no doubt go great with Love Potion Pop Fizz as well!

Unboxing GameStop Exclusive Rebel Lob Goblin Shining Ship Trap

What: Shining Ship Light Trap with Rebel Lob Goblin
Where Did You Get It: GameStop
What Did It Cost: $5.99 plus tax
What Was Stock Like: Several on hand, more in the back

Unboxing and Review of Rebel Lob Goblin Shining Ship Light Trap

Enough ice melted and the crowds had thinned, so I was able to make my way up to GameStop...They got stock of this trap awhile back, but I am not a fan of driving on ice when I don't have to...

Anyway, I picked the trap up and got a flyer for their Skylander Day this Saturday, so be sure to check that out!

Rebel Lob Goblin is pretty cool in game and what's more important we have a 2nd Light Trap and it is in a very cool sculpt (Rocket) as well!

Skylanders 2015 Wall Calendar

What: 2015 Skylanders Wall Calendar

What Did It Cost: Christmas Gift, lol...Likely $12-15ish

Skylanders Trap Team: Blastermind Unboxing, Introduction, and Upgrades

What: Blastermind, Magic Element, Trap Master
Where Did You Get It: Special Delivery
What Does It Cost: $14.99 plus tax
What is Included: Blastermind, Stat Card, and Sticker Sheet

Blastermind

Magic Element, Trap Master

Card Stats
Power: 170/250
Armor: 60/250
Agility: 160/250
Luck: 150/250
Totals: 540/1000

Game Stats:
Health: 240
Armor: 30
Speed: 70
Critical Hit: 50
Elemental Power: 25
Totals: 415

Introduction #42: Blastermind

Blastermind Upgrades

-Coming Soon