I spend my time bouncing between my AZ and my CA places but I lack any sort of portable home computer unfortunately. This Intel AIO PC that Intel sent me to review was the perfect way to have my digital profile in CA while leaving my large tower gaming rig back in Arizona. It is ultra portable and I move it from room to room as I need it, even using it as a 22” tablet when sitting in the living room while watching the Thanksgiving Day parade on NBC.
Also, I get to participate in the Guild Wars 2 events that I would otherwise be missing on Thanksgiving and for me, it isn’t a holiday if there isn’t some gaming involved. With the boys alternating between World of Warcraft, Guild Wars 2, Minecraft and other games while my wife and I prep for the holidays (ok, mostly my wife prepping the food as I am the cleaner). We have a rule in my house, my wife does the cooking and I do the cleaning when major meals are being prepared and cleaning a roaster after all those turkey drippings and burned aluminum foil residue is no easy task.
Like so many others technology is a integral part of the holidays now, we use it to watch our favorite things but instead of just watching TV we now interact with it using things like X-Ray or social media to engage with others who are watching the same content, add our voice and become one with the content in a way. With our families we use technology to share our moments or video from the year, but now that everyone is connected on social media other than the generation that doesn’t exist online or those who don’t have access to it, sharing memories and photos is really something that occurs so frequently now that in itself isn’t so much a tradition anymore in my family like it used to be. We used to remember watching slideshows of family vacations and photos, but now that is all real time shared while people are on the vacation. You miss the story telling a bit, which takes some of the fun out of it but it’s still cool.
So my tradition that I started this year and hope to continue every year that was done from my #AIOPC from Intel which you can learn a lot more about here. is that I intend to put together a list of some of the top people I converse with online or have met in 2013 online and give thanks to them in a blog post, publicly acknowledging them. I did this on my personal blog and dozens of people made the list, people who I follow on Facebook or Twitter and who have shared information that I have found helpful, or just plain entertaining. I particularly am thankful for all the Dragon Blogger fans out there, the fact that I run a technology and entertainment blog part time and have grown to nearly 15,000 fans is simply amazing to me. People like connecting with others, they like sharing feedback, getting opinions and just being able to win some cool free stuff I guess 
Happy Thanksgiving to all out there who celebrate, one thing you realize when being in the online world is that more than 60% of my following isn’t in the U.S. and therefore doesn’t celebrate the holiday. Still, no need to have an official holiday to be thankful for what you have and those who are in your life.
How has technology helped you celebrate the holidays or changed your traditions? Has it added value, removed value? Does it help keep in touch with someone who can’t be there, or constantly cause distractions at the dinner table? I want to hear your stories and share anything, I am hoping to see some unique stories.
#spon: I am in a partnership with Intel. Through this partnership I gain access to content, product, or other forms of value.
I have been obsessed with computers, tech, gadgets and games since the early 1980’s having grown up on the Commodore 64 and Amiga computers.
By day I work in the IT Security Industry and have been in IT for over 20 years. On my spare time I am a Vlogger, Blogger, Streamer, Gadget Reviewer, affiliate marketer, influencer and entertainer. I am also an avid movie fan, TV Show fan, Anime fan, video game fan and fan of trying anything and everything new.