About Dave Parrack
Dave Parrack is a Deputy Editor at MUO and also oversees the site's coverage of current events. He has been writing about technology since 2007, and with MakeUseOf since 2011.
He has previously written for various sites, including Blorge, WebTVWire, and New Atlas.
Dave uses ChromeOS and Android, but isn't a Google fanboy. He thinks AI will change the world sooner than people think, for good or for bad. He has a particular interest in new and emerging technology.
5 of the Best New Spotify Apps for Music Fans
At the end of 2011, Spotify, the insanely popular and rapidly growing music-streaming service, added apps into its already heady mix of awesomeness. There were some true gems hidden in there, with 5 of the apps in particular being truly addictive. Several months later and Spotify has added a second round of apps to its service. This next generation of apps are a mixed bag.
Why Next-Generation Games Consoles Can Wait [Opinion]
The current generation of home games consoles - the Wii, the PS3, and the Xbox 360 - have all been with us for some time. This seventh-generation began in 2005 with the release of the Xbox 360. The Microsoft console was joined by Nintendo's innovative new motion-control-based Wii and Sony's more-of-the-same PS3 a year later in 2006. By industry standards this is a long-lasting generation.
5 Of The Best Google Doodles Videos
The Google logo is recognized the world over. It's a logo that many people see on a daily basis as they make the Google homepage their first port of call in exploring the wider web. It's simple and yet iconic at the same time. But no one wants to see the same old logo staring back at them every time they search for something online, do they? Google doesn't think so.
Why You Should Never Queue For New Gadgets [Opinion]
I personally cannot fathom the mindset of people who queue for the latest gadget on launch day. I've tried, I really have, but I think it's a bizarre choice to queue up for hours or even days, through all weathers, purely in order to purchase a next-gen device in person. There is absolutely no need to ever queue for a new gadget on day one as, the Internet means queuing is unnecessary.
The Fourth Wall Game Provides Mind-Bending, Screen-Wrapping Fun
The fourth wall is the invisible wall which separates the audience from a performance, whether it be on stage, on television, in movies, or in video games. Breaking the fourth wall is when a performer obliterates the idea of that invisible wall and talks directly to an audience. This is how The Fourth Wall, an indie game for Windows, got its name.
8 Awesome Angry Birds Videos For The Addicted
I hate to admit it but I'm a little addicted to Angry Birds. I know many people hate the game in all its different iterations - it's for casual gamers, it sucks, it's pointless - but I just can't get enough. I know why this is so, having explored the reasons Angry Birds is so addictive in a previous article, but that hasn't helped. Never mind. There are worse things to be addicted to.
5 Reasons the New iPad Sucks
As you're no doubt aware thanks to the blanket coverage all across the Web, Apple unveiled its latest hardware on March 7. That hardware being "the new iPad," or "iPad (third-generation)," or, as most people will call it, the iPad 3. While all the Apple fanboys and fangirls virtually creamed their pants in anticipation of spending five minutes with the new iPad, some of us weren't quite so impressed.
How To Get The Most Out Of Metacritic
Metacritic is one of a handful of big review aggregation sites. Its motto of, "Keeping score of entertainment" sums up what it does perfectly. Rather than focus on just one aspect of entertainment such as movies or games, Metacritic tracks them all, with separate sections for 'Movies', 'Games', 'TV', and 'Music'. However, Metacritic can be a force for both good and bad.
What Is Your Social Network Of Choice, & Why? [You Tell Us]
Last week we turned MakeUseOf over to you in order to gauge opinion on a relevant topic. We asked you a question, and you answered in a multitude of interesting ways. We have read and replied, cogitated and compiled, and ended up with an understanding of what you think of the subject at hand. The subject at hand was social networking; which has become a dominant force on the Internet in recent years.
5 Microsoft Video Ads Sure To Make You Cringe
I have ripped on Apple quite a bit here on MakeUseOf in recent weeks. Partly because a company of that size and stature deserves to get taken down a peg or two from time to time, partly to counter the weight of Apple fanboys on the Web, and partly because, well, it's fun, quite frankly. However, in the spirit of fairness there are other tech giants ripe for a little gentle ribbing.
4 Reasons The Wii U Will Fail [Opinion]
While there is no sign yet of a PS4 or Xbox 720 (not likely to be the real names when they do finally arrive), we do have one next-generation games console on the horizon to look forward to. Or dread. Depending on your point of view. That console is the Wii U, it's the follow-up to the Wii.
5 Funny Videos Starring Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer
A lot of people really don't like Steve Ballmer. Perhaps because he's Mr. Microsoft, or because he was (for many years) Bill Gates' lickspittle underling. Whatever the reason, he's a figure of fun in a way neither Gates, or his sparring partner Steve Jobs, has ever been. And there are plenty of videos demonstrating why Steve Ballmer is ripe for being laughed at, five of which are embedded below for your pleasure.
Find Free Music With Freemake Music Box [Windows]
The Internet has brought plenty of new ways to discover and listen to new music. Some are completely legit, others not so much, and a fair few of these methods are positively illegal. Thankfully there are enough that reside on the right side of the law to mean those of us who don't want to cross the line don't have to. One of which is Freemake Music Box.
5 Reasons Angry Birds Is So Damn Addictive
My name is Dave Parrack, I'm a 34-year-old freelance writer from England, and I have a problem. I'm addicted to playing Angry Birds. Being hooked on catapulting feathered weapons of mass destruction into smug pigs may not be as bad as addictions to cigarettes, alcohol, or hard drugs, but it's an addiction nonetheless. I've admitted I have a problem. Which is the first sign on the road to recovery, or so they say.
What Would Make You Buy An Apple iPad 3? [You Tell Us]
Last Wednesday we began a new weekly column here on MakeUseOf. We ask you, the MUO readership, a direct question and invite you to do our work for us let us know what you think about the subject at hand. After a healthy debate we then compile the answers into an easily-digestible summary for your pleasure on the following Tuesday.
10 Hilarious Apple Ad Parody Videos for the Non-Fanboys & Fangirls
If you're an Apple fanboy or fangirl then Apple can do no wrong. And their commercials are perfect slices of marketing genius that border on being works of art. The rest of us find most of them a little pretentious, to say the least. From the PC vs. Mac and iPod ads right through to the MacBook Air and Siri ads, all Apple commercials have a particular look and feel to them.
Why You Should Never Spend More Than $10 On An HDMI Cable
To get the best out of your HD equipment, be it a nice widescreen television, a Blu-ray player, a PS3, or an HD streaming set-top box, you need at least one HDMI cable. Or more than likely, several HDMI cables. The thing is the pricing of HDMI cables varies wildly, from a few cents on one from the likes of Amazon to $100 or more from big-box retailers and 'boutique' manufacturers. Why does the pricing vary so wildly?
5 Hilarious Anti-Apple Videos You Must Watch
I don't have any love for Apple. I don't have any hate either. In fact, I find it odd that anyone would express such strong emotions, whether positive or negative, for a technology company. Or any company for that matter, whatever business it happens to be in. This means that while I don't hate Apple, I can't abide Apple fanboys. Thankfully I'm not alone.
Artweaver: Weaving Art for Free on the PC [Windows]
Give me a blank canvas and some pencils, charcoal, or paint, and I'll rustle something up without a problem. It won't be worthy of hanging in a gallery but my mum would hang it in her living room. But give me some digital art software and you'll get a blank look in return. Digital art is most certainly not my forte. Thankfully it doesn't actually matter when there are programs as good and as free to use as Artweaver available.
Is Everyone Ripping Off Apple's Designs? [Opinion]
Apple's products all have a certain look to them. Steve Jobs and Jonathan Ive wouldn't have it any other way. The question is whether everyone is ripping off Apple's designs at this point in time - and in the most glaring of fashions. It's a question that is being asked in protracted legal battles around the world, and that's no exaggeration.