Swoopdeal Blog

Buying an electric guitar can be an overwhelming process. After all, there are countless brands and each brand can easily have a dozen different offerings. A seasoned guitarist can scroll through pages and pages of instruments and narrow it down to a shortlist of candidates in an instant, but what if you aren’t an experienced guitarist? What if you don’t know the difference between a Humbucker or a single-coil pickup or what the heck a Floyd-Rose is? This article is for you.

Appearance

Musicians may deny it, but looking cool is certainly a perk of playing the electric guitar! Fortunately, when it comes to solid body electric guitars, the actual shape has little impact on sound quality. That’s why you’ll find guitars in a wide variety of shapes, from your classic “Fender Stratocaster” look to the Gibson “Flying V”, to the star shaped Washburn made famous by the late Dimebag Darrell.

Most electric guitars can be used to play any style of music, so the choice is purely aesthetic. The Stratocaster, Les Paul, and ‘SG’ looks are the most popular. You’ll find guitarists of almost all genres playing guitars with body shapes that resemble these three classic instruments. The more adventurous body types, such as the Flying-V and Star were heavily adopted by hair metal guitarists of the 80s. Though there are always exceptions: the Flying-V design originated in the late 50s and was the favorite guitar of blues legend Albert King.

What should you pick? Personally, I like the Fender Stratocaster shape. It’s the “classic” electric guitar look you’re probably familiar with and you’ll never look out of place holding a Stratocaster shaped guitar. That said, it’s a matter of personal preference!

Pickups

When it comes to actual sound, the Pickups (and their placement) are the most important component of an electric guitar. These electro-magnetic parts of the guitar lay underneath the strings on the body of the guitar, between the bridge and the fretboard. As their name implies, they are responsible for picking up the sound generated by the vibrations of the strings.

Electric guitars generally have more than one pickup and a pickup selection knob that allows for various combinations of the pickups to be activated or deactivated depending on the desired sound the player wants.

There are two main types of pickups found in most electric guitars: single-coil, and Humbuckers.

The single-coil pick up is the pick up that looks like a single row of metal circles. The sound they generate is most associated with blues and early classic rock: A clean, crisp sound with well defined separation between notes. These pickups; however, are prone to hums and interference.

A Humbucker pickup looks like two single-coil pickups attached to each other. This is no coincidence: it is composed of two coils! Originally designed to help reduce the hum effect of single-coil pickups, Humbuckers have become synonymous with fuller “fatter” tone. It is a favorite among heavy rock, metal, and also jazz.

Many guitars have both, and the option to switch a coil off in the Humbuckers to make them act like single coils. If you aren’t sure which sound you’re going to like, pick a guitar that has both a Humbucker and single coil pick up.

The Neck

The pickups have the biggest impact on actual sound, but as a guitar player, you’ll be spending most of your time using your fingers on the fretboard and your hand wrapped around the neck. The most important components of the neck are the number of frets and the action.

There are other components, such as neck shape, wood type, and scale length, but while these features matter, they are mostly a matter of preference and unlikely to make a large difference to all but the most experienced guitar players.

For example, I spent at least a decade playing the guitar before I even knew that different guitars had different scale lengths and never once noticed my playing impacted by differences in this feature.

The typical guitar has 22 frets, which is sufficient to play most electric guitar music; however, some guitars go as high as 24 frets, if not more. Usually guitars with 24 frets are more costly, but the 24th fret is a convenient two full octaves higher than the open string, quite useful if your interest lies in guitar solos and improvisation.

Action describes the distance between the fretboard and the strings. Low action (a low distance between the fretboard and strings) is easier to play since one does not have to press the strings down as much distance. However, ‘fret buzz’ is possible if the action is too low. This is caused by the strings being too close to the fretboard such that they strike the metal of the frets. Ideal action for play-ability is as low as possible without fret buzz. Note that the action of the guitar can be adjusted.

The Bridge

The metal piece near the bottom of the guitar body where the strings connect is called the bridge. If you never use the whammy bar, bridge decisions are likely not of significant concern; however, if you want to mimic the sounds of guitarists such as Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai, you’ll need a tremolo bridge, and ideally a locking or Floyd Rose tremolo bridge.

One disadvantage of using the Whammy bar in a typical tremolo bridge is that large movements of the bar can put the guitar out of tune. The Floyd Rose (or similar designs) allow for extreme Whammy bar bends and tugs without impacting guitar tuning.

Price

If money is no object there are plenty of high end guitars such as a $4000 PRS Custom24 which you can’t go wrong with. However, not all of us can afford spending $4000 on an electric guitar, and a beginner isn’t going to appreciate the nuance of such an instrument. A borderline playable electric guitar can be had for as little as $100, though you won’t be able to have much of a say on the feature set. At around $300, plenty of reasonable options emerge, and a great pro-level electric guitar can be had for under $1000.

The Wizard Not The Wand

Choosing the right guitar is an important step on your guitar playing journey. But, it’s always important to remember “it’s the wizard, not the wand”. What is going to be responsible for a great sound isn’t just the guitar, it’s mostly you! So no matter what guitar you pick, the perseverance you put into your guitar playing is what matters most!

Target Aims Its Efforts at Prime Pantry Copy-Cat

Announced yesterday, Target has unveiled a new next-day delivery program for “household essentials,” currently testing in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Available only to Target REDcard holders, this nifty new service allows customers to order their groceries and toiletries online by filling up a “box” and having it shipped to them for a flat rate of $4.99. This new genius program is called Target Restock. It is the latest move in an attempt to take a stab at Amazon’s grip on the grocery delivery market, as well as other grocery delivery services like Instacart.

Target’s goal with Target Restock is to offer a convenient low priced service for their customers who loyally shop at the red themed store instead of being sucked into the ease of Amazon. “Target Restock is all about making the Target Run easier–and helping our guests save time in their busy lives,” said Mike McNamara, Target’s chief information and digital officer. “We look forward to seeing how guests in our hometown market respond to this new offering.” To use the service, customers must have a valid zip code and verify that they are a REDcard holder before accessing it on their Target account.

Customers can choose from over 10,000 items (WOWZER BOWZER), and fill up a limited “box” in a similar fashion to Prime Pantry. Once that box is full, you may not add any other items. A local store the fulfills the order and ships it to arrive next day to the customer. This service is still in beta, so shoppers should be cognizant there may be some flub ups here and there at first, and maintain patience while it is still new. If you want to give this new service a shot, be a pal and contribute any comments to Target so that they are able to improve it and roll it out full time and not just in beta.

No More Brick-and-Mortar Stores?

Other department stores are going to want to follow suit with Target and offer these various one-day shipping or grocery services, since Amazon is really taking the cake lately with all of their affordable speedy options.  Especially since Amazon just acquired Whole Foods, it’s only a matter of time before Amazon Fresh is available nationwide, meaning certain death for traditional grocery shopping. The only competition would be from small store loyal shoppers. Although with groceries, and specifically produce, I personally don’t think everyone will be willing to sacrifice the grocery store experience, but more and more people are just leaning towards what is convenient nowadays. Only time will tell.

Stay On Your Couch & Give It A Try

So if you live in the Twin Cities and want to try out Target Restock, give it a try and see if they deliver you guacamole ready avocados or the equivalent of tennis balls, but with either one you won’t have to leave the comfort of your own couch.

July 4th is coming up this weekend, and God bless America! But moreso than America and its crumbling political system, God bless the savings from the many online retailer sales that occur during holiday weekends.

Not just July 4th, but during all major holiday weekends, online retailers go ham on their discounts. Thankfully, I have an eerie ability to get a shopping craving RIGHT before holiday weekends and then I hit any website and am greeted with a front page of THIS [insert holiday here] WEEKEND ONLY: 75% OFF HOLD ONTO YOUR HOLIDAY THEMED PANTIES BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE A DOOZY.

Some of the notable sales going on this July 4th 2017 weekend are:

Department Stores

Barney’s New York: up to 60 percent off select designer styles, plus an extra 10 percent off select sale styles

Bloomingdale’s: up to 50 percent off of select items, plus up to 70 percent off select sale and clearance styles when you sign up for a code through email; through 7/4

JCPenney: additional 25 percent off when you spend $100 or more with your JCPenney Credit Card or additional 20 percent off under $100 with your JCPenney Credit Card (use code: 34BUYNOW); online only through 7/4. Also, enjoy $10 off $25 or more (use code: 9SHOP) in stores and online through 7/4

Lord & Taylor: 20 percent off your online order and up to 70 percent off clearance items (use code: FOURTH); 7/1 – 7/4

Macy’s: up to 60 percent off site-wide

Saks Fifth Avenue: up to 60 percent off select designer styles in stores and online

Clothing & Shoes

Ann Taylor: up to 60 percent off all sale items

Anthropologie: up to 50 percent off sale items

Aquatalia: additional 20 percent off sale items (use code: SALE20); through 7/5

ASOS.com: up to 50 percent off select styles

Boden: 50 percent off select items; through 6/29

Chinese Laundry: extra 25 percent off all sale items (use code: 4THJULY); through 7/4

Coldwater Creek: 20 percent off all sale items and 40 percent off all outlet items (use code: FREEDOM); through 7/4

Cotton On: up to 70 percent off select styles; through 7/2

ELOQUII: up to 50 percent off select styles (use code: EXTRA)

Express: up to 50 percent off select styles

Foot Locker: extra 25 percent off select markdowns

French Connection: extra 30 percent off sale items (use code: FSALBR)

Gap: up to 50 percent off select summer styles

Halston: additional 30 percent off sale and clearance; through 7/4

H&M: up to 70 percent off select styles

J.Crew: 25 percent off purchase and 40 percent off sale items (use code: SUMMER); through 6/29

J.Crew Factory: 40 percent off new arrivals; through 6/29

Joe’s: 30 percent off select styles

Kate Spade New York: extra 30 percent off all sale items (use code: SUNNY); through 7/5

Ked’s: extra 20 percent off sale items; through 7/9

Leon Max | Maxstudio.com: extra 40 percent off sitewide (use code: JULY40)

L.K. Bennett: up to 30 percent off sale items (use code: CELEBRATE)

L.L. Bean: up to 50 percent off select styles

Loeffler Randall: up to 50 percent off select styles

LOFT: up to 50 percent off select made-for-sun styles and and extra 50 percent off all sale items

MATCHESFASHION.COM: up to 70 percent off luxury labels

Michael Kors: take an extra 25 percent off already reduced prices; through 7/4

M’oda ‘Operandi: up to 70 percent off select designer styles; through 7/11

Neil J. Rodgers: 50 percent off sitewide; through 7/5

Of a Kind: 30 percent off select items; through 7/6

Old Navy: up to 50 percent off select items

Parker NY: to 70 percent off select items (use code: LUCKYSTARS); through 7/2

Ramy Brook: 25 percent off select styles; through 7/4

Rebecca Taylor: 40 percent off sale items (use code: JULYSURPRISE); through 7/4

Schutz: up to 50 percent off select styles

Shopbop.com: up to 70 percent off sale items

Sigerson Morrison: up to 70 percent off (use code: HAPPY4TH); through 7/5

Solid & Striped: 20 percent off select items (use code: USA25); through 7/4

Soludos: 25 percent off select styles (use code: JULY25); through 7/3

Soma: up to 80 percent off select styles

Sperry: up to 50 percent off select sale items; through 7/12

The Outnet: extra 30 percent off select items at checkout

Topshop: up to 50 percent off select styles

Tory Burch: up to 30 percent off select sale items (use code: EXTRA30)

Trina Turk: additional 25 percent off sale items; through 7/4

Yumi Kim: take an additional 30 percent off sale items (use code: FIREWORKS); through 7/4

White + Warren: up to 50 percent off select styles

Jewelry, Handbags & Accessories

BaubleBar: up to 75 percent off select styles and an extra 20 percent off select sale styles

Coach: 50 percent off all sale styles

Furla: 50 percent off all sale items plus an extra 10 percent off sale items; through 7/4

Henri Bendel: 50 percent off select styles

Rebecca Minkoff: up to 60 percent off select merchandise; through 7/4

Taii Jewelry: 20 percent off sitewide, through 7/4

Home & Travel

Dormify: 20 percent off sitewide (use code: FIRECRACKER); through 7/4

Williams Sonoma: up to 75 percent off select items, extra 25 percent off select clearance items

Beauty

Dr. Brandt Skin Care: save 35 percent (use code: FNF35); through 7/4

It is absolutely advantageous to either wait to buy something or buy something early so that you can get it during a holiday weekend sale, so whip out your wallets, grab your hot dog and your tiny flag, and get shopping during those July 4th sales! Don’t miss out!

Shop More & Spend Less

Have you ever wondered how some people seem to have a magical knack for purchasing items cheaper than you? Are you wondering what special deal and savings blackhole all of your money seems to be disappearing into? Meanwhile your deal hunter peers are getting animal style fries at In n Out and you are stuck with their plain cardboard fries that don’t even come with salt on them. Ironically, this is enough to make anyone salty, but fear no more! I am going to teach you how to save fat money on your online purchases and all it takes is a few measly minutes of researching (which is far less than the time it would take to eat those viciously delicious animal fries you will finally be able to afford).

Too Good To Be True?

As we all know, there are lots of various websites touting various coupon or cashback benefits, but there is understandably a lot of skepticism from the general public as to which of these actually work, which ones actually pay out your cash earned, which ones have the best savings, amongst other concerns. On my quest for the best cashback click through service, I discovered something far better than just cashback. Thanks to a deal savvy blogging angel, I found the website TopCashBack.com, through which I stumbled upon the savings wonderland known as Raise.

Gift Card Heaven

Raise.com is an oasis where unloved relatives who received gift cards instead of actual presents sell their unused cards, which would likely just expire and turn to Lotto Scratchers scraping tools, and instead sell them to you at an upwards of 20% discount so they can get cash to definitely not use on Aunt Susan, instead of a gift card, and you can get your animal fries saucy savings. Almost every single major establishment and a huge assortment of smaller websites have gift cards listed for sale on Raise.com. In the last 3 weeks I have saved $109 on purchases from Nordstrom, Forever 21, Amazon, Macy’s, Starbucks, amongst other places. The cards rotate as does the amount of savings, but you can guarantee a minimum of 1-5% savings, with the occasional, but not rare, 5-20% savings on cards. In addition to the savings you will get by purchasing these gift cards, both the eBates cashback and TopCashBack services have cashback earning chances on Raise.com, so you can determine which cashback service you want to use depending on the rate that day. Even if all of those savings percentages are only 1%, you are doubling down by getting cashback on the Raise purchase, 1-20% savings on the Raise gift card, then cashback on the site you are purchasing from if it’s available. Add in using a cashback credit card and hot damn, we’re in business.

Now to ensure that you are getting your best savings, it is well worth your precious time to poke around websites for a product you may have found somewhere (e.g. Amazon) and see if the cashback and Raise savings are better if you got it from Target, Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, what have you. Usually once I determine I am purchasing an item, I will first see if it’s available elsewhere and compare the gift card savings from Raise between websites. For example, I want to purchase a $100 rice cooker on Amazon that is listed at Target for the same price. At the time of purchase, Raise.com has Amazon gift cards worth $100 for $99, but has Target gift cards worth $100 for $83. A few extra clicks just made me aware that I could save $16 extra dollars if I bought it from Target, so you bet your sweet behind I am buying it from Target. Sometimes this tactic has saved me upwards of $30-50 on large purchases from certain websites, especially since gift cards for very product-specific establishments consistently have higher saving percentages than, say, Amazon, which is quite popular on Raise and thus has only a 1% savings most of the time. Overall, this process adds about 5 minutes of extra time to the purchase process, which is less than the amount of time it would take me to find a parking spot at the physical establishment, and while we’re on the topic, less than the amount of time it would take me to eat a hearty plate of my well earned animal style fries, dou$ed in chee$e onion$ and $pecial $auce, which thanks to Raise.com, I can now afford.

Give Me The Animal Fries!

So what do you say, friends? Would you spend an extra few minutes to Raise your income hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars over the years and swim in your very own mountain of animal style fries? Or will you be a sucker and keep paying full price with no discounts and no cashback on all your purchases? Make the right choice. Nothing is worse than In n Out’s plain fries. Raise your savings with Raise.com!

 

Whether you spend your entire day on your feet in your sneakers or simply use them a couple times a week at the gym, at some point, it’s going to be time to buy a new pair. While many people simply wait until their toes are poking through the seams to pick up a brand new pair of kicks, waiting too long can have consequences. Here are five signs that it’s time to get a new pair.

Lack of comfort

The most obvious reason to move to a new pair of shoes is comfort. You should always be paying attention to your body: feet are no exception. Is walking long distances more uncomfortable than usual? When playing a sport or running, are your ankles not getting the support you remember when you first bought your shoes? What about the soles of your feet? Are they are hurting after modest distances on the treadmill? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it’s time to consider a new pair of sneakers.

Worn Treads

Traction is an important element of a sneaker. If the traction, driven by the treads on the sole of the shoe are worn thin, it’s time to consider replacing your shoes. Worn treads reduce the shoes traction which can be dangerous in certain situations!

Uneven soles

Sometimes, even if some treads remain intact, the soles have been worn unevenly. For runners, the front of the sole is often worn too thin, while for walkers, the heel experiences disproportionate wear and tear. Not only is this wear and tear a general sign your shoes need to be replaced; prolonged use can lead to unwanted changes in gait.

Structure Breakdown

Good sneakers provide support and cushion for your feet. If your sneakers are no longer adequately accomplishing this dual purpose, then they need to be replaced. Try twisting and folding your shoes. If they twist and fold too easily, it’s likely they are worn out and need replacing.

Time and Distance

If you aren’t sure if your shoes need replacing, thinking about how long you’ve worn them.  Many experts recommend running shoes be replaced after 300 – 500 miles of usage. If you mostly use your shoes for walking, you can expect them to last longer, six months is the number most commonly sited.

Do your shoes fit any of these criteria? It may be time to pick up a new pair! Check out these great deals on top of the line sneakers.

Throw a party and have too many Bud Lights and have cans sitting all over your kitchen? Have a serious soda addiction and your recycle bin is piling up with cans? Don’t throw them away or even take them to the recycling center for your pitiful payout, keep them! There are all sorts of ways to upcycle a simple aluminum can into trinket boxes, wall tiles, chic labels, and more!

Mosaic Style Trinket Boxes

Aluminum is thing and pliable, making it easy to apply designs and use tin snips to cut the metal into any shape you want and create all sorts of designs with the metal. Another nifty advantage to working with aluminum is that it can be practice for anyone looking to make items out of pewter, which is just as pliable but far more expensive, so you wouldn’t want to work with it without a bit of practice.

Embossed Bowl or Dish Covers

Since aluminum is so soft and pliable, you don’t need any fancy or expensive tools to craft with it. You can simply turn it over and and use a ball point pen and draw any design you want, maybe even trace a stencil, and the other side will show a beautiful embossed design.

Projects for the Kids

Kids can get crafty with aluminum cans as well, with embossing and coloring, glitter, what have you. Just do all the cutting beforehand and use a Dremel Multitool and grinding stone to dull the edges, so that it’s safe for kids to make their own unique creations.

Decorative Wall Tiles

You can make beautiful Spanish style custom wall tiles using patterns or stencils, like these ones. You can choose any paint color to match your home decor.  Perhaps put all the tiles together in a frame for a unique art piece that will go in any room and add some mediterranean zest.

Simple and Resilient Plant Labels

One of the most useful ways to upcycle aluminum cans is to again use the ballpoint pen opposite side embossing trick and label your herbs, flowers, and plants. It can be tricky to label plants due to water and being outside in the elements, but now you don’t have to worry about confusing the cilantro and parsley ever again!

Hip Modern Mirror

You don’t have to only use the plain side of the aluminum. If you have a favorite single canned drink or if you drink a large variety of sodas, you can use different parts of each of the labels in a tidily set up mosaic design around a mirror for a fun and colorful statement piece in your home.

DIY Greeting Cards

Cut and decorate pieces of aluminum to embellish your own home made greeting cards. You can use stencils or cookie cutters to get your shapes.

No matter which craft you choose, it feels good to upcycle and use your waste, turning it into a creative and environmentally friendly project. Save those cans and get crafting!

Finding the right sofa for your living space is easier said than done. Unlike many other purchases, furniture purchases generally occur few and far between. This shouldn’t come as a surprise: most furniture is long lasting, and even for those who move often, it isn’t a guarantee their furniture won’t come with them. The sofa is no exception. However, as fate would have it, you need to buy a new sofa. Where should you start? What should you look for? Here are the answers.

Size and Shape

One of the most important aspects of choosing a sofa is the size and shape. Are you looking for a small two seater? A bulky three seater plus love seat? Maybe you want an L-shaped couch or a sofa bed. These configurations vary in size, as do individual sofas of a particular type. For instance, different three seater sofas can vary in length by a foot or more. All your sofa purchasing decisions should start here.

Remember to consider the dimensions of your living space. You will want to always err on the side of too small over too big. If you aren’t certain your house or apartment can fit the design you want, use a tape measure and figure it out. Be sure to always give your self extra space. You may have forgotten to account for that floor lamp you picked up the other day. Or even if you did, it can be very annoying to maneuver a couch that takes up too much of the room should you need to move it.

Design

Going for a modern look? A flash back to the 1980s?  Or perhaps a tribute to the prohibition era? Picking the right design can really make the room come together, while picking the wrong design will be an eyesore you’ll be faced with every day.

Modern couches typically have firmer cushions, thin arms, and clean designs with very pronounced rectangular features. On the other end of the spectrum are traditional couches which usually feature significant detail, embroidery, prominent wooden legs, and more rounded edges.

A balanced design based on dark colors is usually a safe bet for most homes but most shades of gray and brown can fit other typical furnishings and floor types. Bright colors such as Reds and Yellows are decidedly riskier choices, as are overly detailed traditional cushions.

Upholstery

The upholstery is an essential component of a sofa. It will play a factor in appearance, comfort, and durability. A key sub-component is the type of fabric. The most common materials used in sofa upholstery are:

Leather — Perhaps the most common sofa material. Leathers’ smooth appearance make it a staple of many modern and contemporary sofa designs. It’s easy to clean and generally long lasting. However, leather is prone to scratches (from a pet for example) which can be unsightly, especially on dark colored couches.

Artificial Leather — Artificial leather is a synthetic material meant to mimic the look and feel of leather. Some added benefits over real leather is increased durability and lower cost. It doesn’t look or feel exactly like the real thing and lesser quality sofas made with artificial leather have a “cheap” look.

Microfiber — Another very common synthetic material mostly seen in lower cost sofas. The couches that look like they are “woven” are often microfiber. The material itself is quite durable but its look leaves something to be desired.

Cotton — For those who don’t like the leather look, cotton is a viable alternative impression and comfort wise. Unfortunately, cotton is significantly less durable than leather or synthetic fibers. A cotton sofa is definitely not recommended if you have pets.

Cushions

Along with upholstery, cushions are a crucial driver of comfort and convenience. Choice of cushions is a very personal decision: some people like cushions on the firmer side, others like a fluffy feel. For the former, look for sofas with high density foam filling. If you like nice and fluffy, down is the premium choice, but its shape can become uneven over time. Polyester filling is also a common choice and offers a variety of firmness levels at a fair price. It is best to try out different cushion types as you would use them in your home. If you like to lie on the couch while watching TV, see how the sofa feels while lying on it.

Another important consideration is whether the cushions are detachable or not. Usually seat cushions are detachable, but back cushions aren’t always such. This is an important consideration for convenience, especially when moving or cleaning.

Price

Many buying decisions are easy if money is no object. Unfortunately, that is rarely the case. The key to finding a great value on a sofa is focusing on the factors you think are most important and being willing to compromise on others. For example, don’t be immediately turned off by synthetic filled cushions or artificial leather if the sofa looks and feels great. Similarly, if real leather and down filled cushions are a must, maybe compromise on size or seek out a value brand.

Winter is Here

It’s official. The citadel has confirmed it. Winter is here. Game of Thrones Season 7 is less than a week away and the general public is losing their beans over the highly anticipated, unbelievably looked forward to new season, premiering Sunday July 16th.

To get yourself in the zone, other than going through Costco sized boxes of Cheez-Its and cases of wine while you marathon the previous six seasons to get you in the zone, here are a couple fun ways to get yourself in the mood.

Watch This Epic Mashed Up Mega Trailer

The next season of Game of Thrones is looking more like a movie franchise than a television series. With fewer episodes and longer runtimes, including an 81 minute finale, it promises to be a groundbreaking cinematic experience on the small screen. If you want proof, all you have to do is watch this three-minute trailer mashup that looks like it belongs in a movie theater.

YouTuber Sebastian Hughes has combined all the trailers and promos for Game of Thrones season 7 into an almost seamless trailer, mashing together related scenes and moments to give us further insight into where these characters are and where they’re going.

It’s honestly difficult not to watch something like this and marvel at the fact that it’s not a feature film. It shows how far television has come that it can produce something this unbelievably massive and excellently done. You can check out the trailer mashup here.

Have a Chat with the Game of Thrones Snarky Chatbot

Want to refresh your memory about Game of Thrones without spending hours glued to HBO? I don’t know why in the name of the Seven you wouldn’t want to marathon, but some people don’t have the time. Luckily for those people, there’s a Game of Thrones chatbot that is more than happy to educate your sad too-busy-to-marathon self (I’m not judging, I just feel legitimately terrible for you).

This chatbot has a wealth of information, about major and minor characters alike. It knows characters’ siblings, houses, photos, nicknames, the actor who played them and whether they’re alive or dead—even characters who are undead (Benjen Stark), resurrected (Jon Snow) and uncertainly dead (Syrio Forel). All you have to do is ask.

It does have some flaws. The info is limited to the television series, so don’t get offended when it can’t answer your questions about book plot details. The chatbot can only delve into facts on people, not places. Instead of giving you information on Brandon Stark, Eddard’s brother, it gives information on Bran the Builder, the founder of House Stark. But it did recognize a misspelling of Petyr Baelish (“Peter Baylish”).

Best of all, this chatbot is full of snark, and the fun begins when you drink a little too much wine and start asking it questions it doesn’t reconize. Some moments of sass include telling jokes, throwing shade at modern day pop stars, offers teenage photos of Jon Snow in exchange for not knowing answers, and in moments of not knowing the answer to the human inquiry, just replies with HODOR . Pretty informative and entertaining. Check it out on your Facebook messenger software here.

GET READY

Other than poking around some of the above online fun, GET READY. THIS SEASON IS GOING TO BE EPIC.