Sacrifice and Betrayal in OUAT’s “Smash the Mirror”

Things are wrapping up a bit. The cats are finally coming out of the bag, including Rumplestiltskin’s betrayals and of course his ugly head. We finally saw things come to a pivotal point where life changing decisions were to be made. There was the decision to choose between betrayal and sacrifice. On one hand there was Emma who was willing to sacrifice her magical abilities to save the people she loved. On the other hand, Mr. Gold had to choose between betraying Emma and Ingrid, the Snow Queen. Rumple chose betrayal. Like he said, he’ll always go for the power. While that was the case, take a look at how he failed to get the power he craved in “Smash the Mirror”.

 

 

The Snow Queen another Regina?

 

Regina has always longed for a family to call her own. However, happiness seemed to be elusive…until she met Henry who brought her some level of happiness. Ingrid, the now damsel in distress, is insistent on creating her own family. A family of magical sisters. Her sisters did not agree to what she was and so Elsa’s mother (FYI, Elsa and Ingrid are related by blood) trapped her in an urn (at least that’s what she claimed). As a consequence of the family she never had, the Snow Queen is bent on recreating her two sisters, but with magical abilities. She needs the power of Elsa and Emma to complete her spell and get the happy ever after she’s always wanted. While she did succeed at unleashing a curse using her mirror, she’s no match for Elsa, Emma and ‘the Dark One’.

 

 

Emma Loses Control

 

Emma has always been in control but not this time around. Her powers went haywire in Smash the Mirrors of Once Upon a Time. Without restraint, she was destined to hurt the people she loved. Determined to get rid of a crucial part of her life, Emma went to the diabolical Mr. Gold for help. As conniving as he was, Gold deceived Emma into thinking that he’d actually help her while setting her up for betrayal.

 

 

Mr. Gold trapped Ingrid with remnants of the Urn.

 

 

The Crocodile Strikes Back

 

Mr. Gold a.k.a Crocodile has always been at it. For one moment I thought he was working with Ingrid, but then everything changed when he trapped her with remnants of the urn she was previously trapped in. What was Gold up to? What was implied when he said he’d only be betraying Ingrid and Emma? I’m afraid his twisted mind is just too difficult to comprehend or go around. Would stripping Emma of her magic betray her when he disposed of the spell he initially wanted to use? Is that even possible? As it turned out, the Crocodile’s intention was to drain Emma of her power using a magical hat and then trap her in it. Of what gain would that be to him? I’m not sure. However, ‘Smash the Mirror’ revealed that the Crocodile will always be evil. While that’s the case, we did see how honest Mr. Gold was when Emma questioned him. At least we can give him credit for his honesty.

 

 

A Look Back at Elsa in Arendelle

 

While betrayal built camps in Storybrooke, viewers were given a glimpse into what it meant to be Elsa or at least how Ingrid crept her way into present day Storybrooke. We saw how Elsa and Anna put up a strong fight against Ingrid, but failed since they weren’t strong enough to conquer her.

 

Ingrid placed a spell on Anna which only reflected darkness and caused her to see all that was bad. With a spell of that nature, Anna had no option but to see the worst in Elsa. She later trapped her in the urn which went against Ingrid’s plan. Disappointed and frustrated, Ingrid embraced the evil within, took the urn from Anna and froze the entire kingdom, including Anna. This simply means that Elsa is searching for a sister who’s dead.

 

 

Anna and Elsa

 

Mr. Gold Gets a New Puppet

 

After catching up with Emma, Elsa helped her to appreciate that her magic was what made her special and being different wasn’t always a bad thing. She also helped her to appreciate that family is important and they’re needed to help her control her magic. Elsa’s little chat really resonated and so Emma realized that her magic was important and special. After embracing who she was, Emma gained control, putting a huge dent in Mr. Gold’s plan. You go Emma! However, someone had to pay! Since Emma thwarted Gold’s plan, her boyfriend, Hook, paid for it sincerely. Gold decided to take something more precious by ripping out Hook’s heart. Since Mr. Gold had known Hook before he became the ‘Dark One’, he was perfect for whatever plans he had in store. With Hook’s heart, he was in control and could use him to manipulate Emma and obtain the magic he wanted to fuel the magical hat. This episode surely went out with a bang. I’ll definitely be on edge waiting for the upcoming episode. Until then, bon voyage.

 

 

 

Sacrifice and Betrayal in OUAT’s “Smash the Mirror”

Arrow Review: Is Roy ‘Guilty’?

“Roy, where did you go? … Get your head in the game.” Those were the words uttered by the vigilante to his partner in an attempt to pull him back to reality. Roy had been restless. Why? Since his system was previously consumed by the Mirakuru drug, Roy was suffering from the side effects, even though cured of it. Roy was delusional. He was having vivid dreams and flashes of memory portraying him as Black Canary’s killer. How could this be? Even though I previously wrote about Black Canary’s death, I didn’t see this coming. Roy might be Canary’s killer? I am definitely not buying it. If Roy is in fact Canary’s killer, what would the vigilante do considering that Roy is his sidekick? What about Laurel who’s been training her derriere off to avenge her sister? Here’s what Guilty of the Arrow had to say on the matter.

 

 

Oliver met his Precursor

 

Highly motivated to catch the bad guys, Oliver and his gang pursued what they suspected to be drug dealers… and they were right. Before getting to them however, someone else did, but with different intentions. No doubt Oliver would have spared their lives after beating the hell out of them, but not this guy. During the process of beating the nuts out of them, they were killed and then hung high from a ceiling. With how this incident maneuvered, Oliver was led to find a former fellow vigilante. Seemly, this former vigilante had a sidekick who was cut loose due to a mishap in the past. To get the revenge he thought he so deserved, he killed in the name of the vigilante whose undercover name remained unknown. Surprisingly, Oliver found out that Laurel’s trainer, Ted, was a vigilante. In a short grapple with Oliver, Ted revealed that he was washed up and no match for the Arrow.

 

 

Oliver and Ted in a heated discussion.

 

 

Sidekicks go Toe-to-Toe

 

After finding out that Ted’s sidekick was behind all the murders, Oliver decided to face him. With much on his hands (saving Laurel from a vehicle set aflame), Roy had to face Ted’s sidekick. Two sidekicks going at each other? This keeps getting better. After both sustained and inflicted many punches, Roy was victorious. After his opponent mentioned that Oliver would abandon him just as Ted did to him, Roy lashed out implying that they were different. That was actually a pretty tense moment since Ted’s sidekick went rogue as a result of his ‘master’ cutting him loose. While Diggle was suggesting that Oliver let Roy go, Ted’s experience with his sidekick proved to be a sure lesson. For all the heroes out there with a sidekick, hold on to them or else they just might come back to haunt you.

 

 

What’s the verdict?

 

After lamenting about how much of a murderer he was, Roy decided that he was going to turn himself over to the authorities for the death of Sara Lance (Black Canary). As a great friend and mentor, Oliver decided that he was going to help Roy get over his problem with a memory technique he learned in Hong Kong during his captivity. To cut a long story short, Roy remembered. This time around he was not Canary’s killer. Roy may have killed before (he did kill a police officer, the same way Canary died), but he was not the one to drive three arrows through Canary. That must have been why Roy thought he was the one to kill Canary since Canary and the officer died a similar death. Mirakuru sure does know how to mess up a man. Then who could Canary’s killer be?

 

 

 

 

A New ‘Cupid’ in Town

 

Amidst all the guilt, love remained in the air. A new villain or hero has been added to the show. I’d definitely say this self-proclaimed Cupid is a villain. Why? If you’re caught shooting arrows at officers, especially while escorting a criminal, you’re definitely bad to the bone. This was the case with Cupid. She actually attacked the officers who were transporting Ted’s sidekick. After inquiring who she was, she uttered, “Cupid, stupid”, and then shot an arrow towards him. I’m skeptical as to whether or not she shot him, but we’ll definitely find out in the upcoming episode.

 

Who is this Cupid? Why is she in town and what is she capable of? Since Oliver wasn’t able to put a face to Sara’s killer, what will he turn to? Will Laurel continue in her quest for revenge? It’s all too much to think about at this point. While we’re not sure as to what will happen in the upcoming episode, I’m sure that it’ll be a hit!

 

 

 

Arrow Review: Is Roy ‘Guilty’?

Verizon Rolls out Wi-Fi Calling Next Year

Verizon Communications Inc. recently rolled out their VoLTE, Voice over LTE service, which changed the way their subscribers made video calls over a compatible network. However, Verizon Communications did not stop there. The provider company is now making plans to roll out a new service that does not have much competition on the market. This technology, as aforementioned, will revolutionize the way their subscribers interact with Verizon’s services.

 

 

New Service Next Year

 

Verizon plans to introduce Wi-Fi calling in the middle of next year. While this is the case, CFO, Francis J. Shammo of Verizon Communications Inc. highlighted that the roll out is not a priority or urgent but will occur subsequently. Since the company already has a firm network in place, the introduction of Wi-Fi calling is another way used by the company to tell their customers that their network is still efficient and reliable.

 

 

What is Wi-Fi Calling?

 

This terminology is not rocket science. The majority is familiar with Wi-Fi and also what it entails to make a call. Wi-Fi calling uses Wi-Fi or wireless technology to provide better coverage for mobile phone users. This service is only feasible with a smart device or one that’s based on Wi-Fi technology.

 

 

 

How does Wi-Fi Calling work?

 

As mentioned above, Wi-Fi Calling only works with a compatible or Wi-Fi enabled smartphone. This smartphone when enabled is then attached to a wireless signal or Wi-Fi. If a customer has home Internet services, they can simply configure their network in such a way that they’re able to connect to it. Some phones have to use a Wi-Fi application, but others are automatic and are able to connect once they pick up a Wi-Fi signal close in proximity.

 

 

Users do not have to search long and hard to determine whether there’s a Wireless connection. Some phones give alerts when a wireless connection is available. To determine if this service really works, a customer should try making phone calls in areas where they’re not accustomed to receiving coverage.

 

 

 

 

How Wi-Fi Calling will be made possible with Verizon

 

In order for this roll out to be made possible in the next 12 months, the CFO mentioned that the Verizon Operator will have to implement some level of technological work on their network to ensure that the Wi-Fi Calling feature is available to their subscribers. The quality of a call is what Verizon Communications has built its brand on. However, the quality of their calls when passed through a wireless network, as noted by the CFO, is not something that can be guaranteed by Verizon Communications. Since quality is a major factor for Verizon and the happiness of their subscribers, the provider has taken ample time before launching the recent VoLTE service. They wanted to ensure that coverage would be adequate to reproduce the voice experience of calls when made on its 3G CDMA network. With Voice over LTE affirmed, Verizon is set on rolling out Wi-Fi Calling.

 

 

 

The roll out of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus

 

With the recent release of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus on September 9, 2014, a new avenue was created that could be exploited by Verizon to create a better experience for customers who were jumping on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus chariot. Since one of the many features of the newly released iPhone 6 devices is Wi-Fi Calling, much can be done to revolutionize the way calls are made. With this enabled feature, users with the iPhone 6 and plus will be able to make calls and transmit text messages by using their home Internet network, instead of making calls the traditional way via cell towers. Wireless Calling from Verizon will be advantageous to their customers in areas where phone signals go down and coverage does not span. It’s also ideal for saving customers phone minutes which would inevitably result in a reduced monthly bill.

 

 

 

Will customers be able to access Wi-Fi Calling wherever they go?

 

An apparent benefit of Wi-Fi calling is that it provides coverage in areas that are usually difficult for a Carrier’s cell towers to reach. However, wireless calling may or may not work wherever a customer is. Why? Wi-Fi Calling works over a connected Wireless network. If a customer is in a location where they can tap into Wi-Fi, it is possible for them to use their wireless calling feature. However, if they’re not in a location where Wi-Fi can be accessed, they’ll not be permitted to use the service. While this is often the case, different Operators tend to have different configurations. With the rollout of the Wi-Fi Calling service slated for next year, Verizon will ultimately determine what their configurations entail.

 

 

With the iPhone 6 smartphones and other wireless enabled devices, Wi-Fi Calling will bring a new experience to Verizon’s subscribers when it is rolled out next year.

 

 

 

Verizon Rolls out Wi-Fi Calling Next Year

Motorola’s Droid Turbo comes to Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless recently added the stunning iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus to usher in subscribers. With a more contemporary and superior device, Verizon provided a better experience for subscribers boosting the recently released slim iPhone devices. However, after being unveiled on October 29, Verizon Wireless added the stunning Droid Turbo to its unique and wide smartphone collection. Motorola has been completely engaged with their Moto X and Nexus 6 smartphones, but they weren’t deterred from announcing their Droid Turbo smartphone with Verizon, officially released on October 30. Droid Turbo is expected to compete with its predecessors (Nexus 6 and Moto X) and other recently rolled out Samsung, Apple and HTC smartphones.

 

Droid Turbo’s design is more than just a concept of another smartphone thrown carelessly on the scenes with high expectations of wielding in sales. Turbo was carefully designed and morphed to exceed the capacity of what recently released smartphones are able to achieve. In fact, Turbo is expected to help customers ‘forget what they know about fast’. With the enchanting Droid Turbo, customers will experience what ‘fast’ really means. Features and specs associated with Turbo include:

 

 

Turbo Charge

 

On average, if the battery on an iPhone device is empty, it’ll take approximately 3-5 hours to be fully charged. Samsung’s Galaxy devices are no exception. With a completely drained battery, it’ll take about 2- 3 hours to get the battery life fully up and running. However, with Motorola’s Droid Turbo, charging the device is painless. With Turbo charge, users are able to quickly jump back into action after the battery life goes. Turbo charge allows users to plug in their device for only 15 minutes and get up to 8 hours of battery life on the device. It’s ideal for users who are always on the go and would like to forsake charging their smartphones for hours without being able to use it. Once in a hurry, Droid Turbo users can only spare 15 minutes to get their Droid device energized.

 

 

 

 

A Processor at Turbo Speed

 

With an accelerated processor, Droid Turbo makes everything else appear sluggish. Performing on a Quad Core processor clocked at 2.7 GHz, Droid Turbo is mind boggling and is the definition of what it truly means to be ‘fast’. Hardcore gamers will delight in expanding the borders of realism with their online gaming platforms, multitasking is taken to the extreme and the world’s view is now magnified with exceptional video capture capabilities. With Droid Turbo’s processor, not only is performance reliable, but it’s Turbo fast.

 

 

Go the Extra Hour

 

Droid Turbo lasts all day and night. In comparison to any other 4G LTE smartphone, Droid Turbo has the most battery capacity. The battery life is able to last up to 2 days numbering up to 48 hours of mixed use. The speed at which Turbo charges is reliant on how empty the battery is, the strength of a user’s network signal, how often the smartphone is used and the usage pattern.

 

 

Capture all the Details

 

The Droid Turbo boasts a 21 megapixel camera. This camera spec is ideal for capturing all the details of moments shared with family and friends. Everything snapped with Droid Turbo is captured using a ridiculously high definition. The ideal shots are possible by wielding the device’s camera, even without a professional photographer’s touch. Capturing every detail is painless and every shot is done professionally.

 

 

 

 

Exceptionally Hardcore Software

 

Droid Turbo runs smoothly on the stunning Android Kitkat 4.4 operating system and provides other exclusive features. This processor is very fast and heightens activities, taking computing on the smartphone to another level. Droid Turbo possesses the MinuteCast software. This software is ideal for providing information pertaining to the different weathering conditions. As the name highlights, MinuteCast envisages even the minute at which it’ll rain, hail or snow. It’s the perfect software for detailing conditions of the day, especially since it provides specifics in its readings based on where the individual lives.

 

Softcard is another software on the smartphone. If a customer is frequent in performing monetary transactions online such as paying for items, Softcard is the software to get it done.  By using this software, items are purchased a whole lot faster in comparison to using other methods. To use the app, a customer can simple add their credit card details and tap the back of their smartphone over the Softcard™ symbol at the point of checkout. All items can be paid for in the blink of an eye. Data usage is applicable with this app.

 

With Verizon Wireless wielding the Droid Turbo smartphone, customers using this device will meet with a fast processor, turbo charging and incredible software.

 

 

 

Motorola’s Droid Turbo comes to Verizon Wireless