This post is a recap of how I got involved in the Internet and IT, what phones and laptops I’ve used, and gradually replaced them to the Apple ecosystem, and me becoming a fan of Apple.
As a former fan of Android and Windows (not that I hate them now, I just like Apple ecosystem over them now), I wanted to give my two cents about the things that Apple does better than others, and share my story of becoming a fan of Apple.
This is not a thorough analysis. Rather, my personal story of how Apple ultimately satisfied my needs regarding IT devices.

My early experience with Apple

When I was a kid, my grandpa had an iMac. And I vaguely remember goofing around with it few times, but nothing serious.
Around 2010, my mom got an iPhone 3GS. It was the first iPhone released in South Korea. And it was really revolutionary. Even to the eyes of 10-year-old me. It showed the Internet and played videos and shit. In a handheld device. It was like a fucking magic.
In 2011, when I was 11, I got a chance to get a first smart device. A tablet PC, to be exact. I contemplated my choice between iPad and Galaxy Tab 10.1. My little brother, who was already an Apple fan back then and have already bought iPod shuffle 4th (to lose it about a week later lol), insisted I get an iPad. But I chose Galaxy Tab 10.1. It was not that I didn’t like Apple (at least) back then. I think I was just more inclined to Galaxy Tab 10.1 because it’s Samsung, the company of my country. It was not like I compared specs and benchmarks. Anyway, I really loved it, because it played videos lol. I watched hours of YouTube videos with my Galaxy Tab (and stumbled upon the first porn. It was a Japanese AV, with a doctor dogging a nurse. You know, back in the wild days of YouTube. I was kinda shocked because I really didn’t have a knowledge about these stuffs back then, and couldn’t get my head around why he was sticking a penis in the bum. I just wanted see some tits).

Smartphones I’ve used

Blackberry Q10 (2015 Aug-2016 Aug)

The first smartphone I got was a Blackberry Q10 (It was not my first smartphone, per se. But it wasn’t a really serious or major smartphone player in the market, so I will skip the previous one). My little brother was fascinated, and so was I, with Blackberry because they got a whole damn QWERTY keyboard in a phone, and it was fucking awesome. So we both got a Blackberry Q10.
It was a quite decent device, IMO. I really loved the keypad. Though, the lack of app ecosystem was a huge blow. I didn’t really have a game to play with a Blackberry.

Nexus 6P (2016 Aug-2018 Jun)

It was just about the time that I really wanted to try either Android and Apple, two serious players in the smartphone market.
At the time, Android had a tech-savvy impression for me. That was what I was looking for. On the other hand, Apple was just an overpriced, and not-so-tech-savvy option to me. My logic was powerful customizability == tech-savvy. It was back in the day when the jailbreak was still a thing, and I thought, "Why would you need to go through so much hassle just to tweak some stuffs?" So, the choice was obvious. Android.
I originally considered getting Samsung Galaxy, but I really loved the idea of having a pure Android phone. So I chose Nexus 6P.
I really loved it. It was snappy and beautiful. And I loved the customizability of Android. I liked tweaking stuff, and Android was just the right OS for me.

iPhone 7 (2018 Jun-2018 Sep)

I’ve been using Nexus 6P without an issue (although I could feel it was getting slower), but one day in Jun 2018, I dropped it and it shattered. It wouldn’t turn on. It was not a serious problem though, since I’ve using cloud to backup important stuffs like photos. That’s when I got a first Apple device. iPhone 7.
My brother, who’s been a fan of Apple already, had a spare iPhone 7. Although I still thought Apple was overpriced, but if I’m not going to pay for it, it really doesn’t matter, right? And I also wanted try Apple to, so I gladly changed to iPhone 7.
At first, I was kinda worried that I wouldn’t be able to get used to iOS. But it wasn’t. iOS, compared to Android, was more simple and unified. Although not as customizable as Android, it didn’t bother me much. I just didn’t need to.
While using iPhone 7 for about three months, my impression on Apple changed. From an overpriced phone to a phone with a decent OS.

Galaxy A8 Star (2018 Sep-2019 Oct)

My little brother, the original owner of the iPhone 7 I was using, needed it back. So I had to change a phone again. So why didn’t I change to iPhone 8, you might ask. Well, it was mainly because of an app called Kanji Study developed by Chase Colburn. Seriously, it’s damn impressive. It’s the best app you can find for studying Japanese. I loved it so much that I became a volunteer translator for Korean of that app. Unfortunately, iOS version of the app was few more years behind than the Android version as the developer was focusing on Android. Besides, I also wanted to try Samsung phone too.
So that’s what I got. Galaxy A8 Star. Although not on the flagship lineup (such as S series or note series), it was a really powerful device, positioned right below the flagship lineup. And Samsung did a great job of polishing Android too. I was quite satisfied.

iPhone 11 (2019 Oct-)

In 2019, I started to consider iPhone as my next smartphone, and I waited until iPhone 11 was released in South Korea, and bought it right away. And I can’t be more satisfied choosing an iPhone. My positive experience with iPhone 11 made me seriously go into Apple ecosystem.
So why did I finally decide to switch to iPhone again after all these 4 years? Few factors played into this.

1. Apollo App

I’ve been using reddit since 2017, but I only came across with the existence of Apollo app in early 2019. From the descriptions and appraise from the users who’ve used the app, it really seemed like a decent app. At this point, I already have been browsing reddit quite a lot everyday, so I really wanted to experience a decent reddit app. Although the official reddit app was quite great, I really wanted to know what the fuss for Apollo app was about.

2. Apple Pay

Having visited Japan before, I’ve already experienced how fast and convenient Suica card is. Seriously, you barely swing it around the reader and it’s done. And almost every vending machine and convenience store accepts Suica. As I was having a plan to visit my friend in Japan in late 2019, I really wanted to use Suica with my phone. Unfortunately, for Android devices, Suica is generally only supported by Japan-specific models due to licensing issues. On the other hand, iPhone supports Suica on every model, starting from iPhone 8. So if I wanted to use Suica with my phone, I had to get an iPhone.

3. Updates

This is the point where I was quite disappointed with Android. Even though Samsung being a major manufacturer in Android, it took about a year to get an Android 9 update on my phone (Android 9 was released in Aug 2018, and Samsung rolled out update to Galaxy A8 Star in Jun 2019). Seriously, a year? I could’ve gotten a Google phone. But Google discontinued Nexus series at this pointed and launched Pixel series, and I didn’t like Pixel series much.
On the other hand, Apple was known for releasing updates quite frequently, and providing updates for devices released more than 3 years ago. Apple began to seem like a really attractive option for me.

4. Pre-installed Apps

This is the another point I was disappointed with Android. Frankly, compared to iOS, pre-installed apps from Android, Google or Samsung, was lacking in quality-wise. Having used iPhone 7, I began to miss the simple, beautiful, yet powerful pre-installed apps, such as fitness tracking and photo. Google and Samsung apps did the job too, but overall experience wasn’t as satisfying as Apple apps.

5. OS

This is the point I become to like Apple. Apple seems have more unifying language around the iOS. Experience is consistent and expectable. Design is unified across the apps. Android was more fragmentized. Design and experience differs across the apps. I’m not saying that being fragmentized is the bad thing. It was the reason I originally liked Android. But I realized I liked unified experience more.

Laptops I’ve used

Just like the case with phones, Mac was never an option for me. I’ve been growing up using Windows, and all the programs I needed was on Windows. Besides, I really didn’t have other Apple devices back then.

ASUS laptop (2016 Mar-2017 Mar)

As I went to the high school, I needed a laptop for school stuff like homework and such.
The first laptop I got was a cheap ASUS laptop around $300, which I can’t even remember the model name. It doesn’t really matter anyway as it didn’t really have a distinguishable model name. It was advertised as a budget gaming laptop.
It did the job, but it was clunky and super heavy (about 3 kilos), and it constantly made the fan noise, and it got really hot after the moderate usage. I needed more light and slick laptop.

Dell XPS 13 9360 (2017 Mar-2019 Feb)

I originally contemplated between MacBook Pro and XPS 13. I did my research, and hardware-wise, MacBook Pro was the top notch. Without considering OS, I wanted to get a MacBook Pro. But XPS 13 was also a very decent laptop, and was considered a "Mac killer". As I couldn’t picture myself using macOS. Bootcamp was not an option for me neither. So I chose XPS 13.
XPS 13 was fantastic. It was light, slick, and fast. I really loved the aluminum feeling of the machine. The coil noise bothered me though.

Surface Pro 6 (2019 Feb-2020 Jun)

In 2019 I went to a university. That meant I needed a note taking device. I didn't want to carry physical notes. When you can just take notes and have them in cloud, why would you need to carry physical notes, which are prone to damage and loss?
So, two options for me. iPad, or Surface Pro 6. My logic was "Why would you need to carry two devices (laptop and iPad) when you can use both of them in one device (Surface Pro 6)?" So I chose Surface Pro 6.
Surface Pro 6 was a really decent device to. It was lightweight, and Surface Pen was great. Though the heat when I use it as a note was quite bothering. I could feel it with my palm. And the edge of the device made my wrist sore.

MacBook Pro 13-inch 2017 (2020 Jul-)

Because of coronavirus, all classes this year was done online. It meant no need for note taking. No need for note taking meant that, Surface Pro 6 didn't have a real advantage over traditional laptops.
And after I bought my Apple Watch in April, I've become more fascinated with Apple ecosystem, and wanted to expand my experience with the ecosystem.
Windows 10 experience also pushed me into trying Mac too. It periodically acted up, and I spent lots of time fixing them, or formatting the whole machine (these experiences gave me deeper understanding in computers though). Installing IDEs such as PyCharm or Anaconda broke things in Windows 10. And most of all, fonts and overall aesthetic in Windows really sucked. It was like a dumpster fire. HiDPI was a half-assed feature. It worked on some, but didn't work that well. Oh yeah, CLI tools in Windows 10 suck too. At least not as good as in Linux or macOS.
And again, whole experience was too fragmentized. I wanted my laptop to work as is. When I got a new Windows laptop, what do I do first? Format the whole machine and do a clean install of Windows 10 because it's filled with useless craps from the manufacturer. I started to feel being tired of needing to tweak things constantly.
So as soon as my first semester this year ended, I got MacBook Pro 13-inch from my brother. And it's much better than Windows experience, at least for me. Things work as is, as I expected. Aesthetics are beautiful, and there are much less issues related to legacy support (e.g. file path length limit in Windows). Although macOS has its own learning curve, I adapted quickly. Having used Mac for about 3 weeks now, I wonder why I hadn't switched earlier.

My Current Apple Devices

Currently, I have four Apple devices.

iPhone 11
AirPods Pro
Apple Watch Series 5 (44mm)
MacBook Pro 13-inch (2017, two thunderbolt 3 ports)

And I really love them! Maybe after this corona thing calms down and I take offline classes again, I might get an iPad as well.

What do I love about Apple now

Now having used a phone, laptop, and smartwatch from Apple, there are few points I really love about Apple.

1. Simplicity

The design, and overall experience can’t be copied by other companies. In iOS, gesture controls are self-explanatory and intuitive.
This includes not only iOS and macOS, but their web pages too. Apple web pages are just astounding. It shows what their products are, and how these products are great for you. It’s simple yet holds all the information you need. On the other hand, Microsoft and Samsung webpages are too bloated and not simple enough, IMO.

2. Running smoothly out of box

This is what I really love about Apple. There is little to no need to tweak things. I can turn turn it on and get the things going with Apple devices.

3. Powerful ecosystem

This is what only Apple can do, IMO. Sure, Microsoft, Samsung, Google has their own share in their field. But when you see the whole thing, only Apple successfully deliver unified, powerful, and interconnected experience across every device: smartphone, laptop, OS, tablet PC, and smartwatch. Windows and Android has their own strength in their own field, but when it comes to using them all together, Apple really is convenient.

4. Aesthetics and unified experience

It’s just beautiful. They really care about the design. What I especially love about Apple is fonts. Their East Asian language support (for Korean and Japanese) is top notch. These default fonts are beautiful. And it’s unified across the whole Apple devices.
I also can expect my iPhone and MacBook work just the same anywhere in the world. I can just bring my iPhone and Apple Watch to Japan and use Suica right away. Apple making a single model to distribute to the whole world (it’s not the same model per se, as they slightly differ due to carrier support, but you get the point), really makes Apple unique. No one can deliver the unified experience across all devices and the whole world better than Apple does, IMO.

5. Updates

Apple provides update constantly, and for a long time. Apple also discontinues legacy techs when needed, like discontinuing 32-bit apps. I really appreciate it. I love that Apple can push and implement new technology this aggressive.
Man, the post is much longer than I thought it would be. I think about 2/3 of this post is just me changing phones and laptops lol. I just wanted to share my story of getting into Apple ecosystem, and why I become to love Apple and their products. Thanks for reading!

[DEBUNKED] Did Phil Spencer really shoot down xCloud on Switch? | The Definitive Analysis

This started out as a simple reply to a comment but turned into a 10+ hour long writing session of a huge wall of text! Hope you can still read it, though, as it will answer all your questions and doubts :) ------------------------------------------------ CONTEXT I made a video on why Master Chief in Smash makes perfect sense as a marketing buzz for xCloud on Switch (as well as Halo: Infinite, especially since it's F2P), but then Phil Spencer (head of Xbox) seemingly said Game Pass/xCloud isn't coming to Switch/PS4 in an interview. Let's analyze that!
Video on why Master Chief in Smash makes sense Phil Spencer's interview (6:11) ------------------------------------------------
TL;DR: read headings "In Conclusion" and "Final Conclusion"

== Analysis ==

People seem to be jumping to conclusions from Phil Spencer's statement, so let me clear this up after carefully analyzing his words:

The thing about other gaming console platforms is we're not able to bring a full Xbox experience on those platforms

According to him, they've brought the "full Xbox experience" on PC and mobile devices:

In places where we have [been able to bring a full Xbox experience], like mobile phones, like we're doing now with xCloud coming to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate [and] what we've done with PC and bringing our full Xbox experience there.

so, What does "full Xbox experience" exactly mean?

(continued directly from last quote) Because we know when somebody is playing one of our Xbox games there is an expectation that I've got my Xbox Live community, I have my Achievements, Game Pass is an option for me, my first-party library is there, is completely there...
And the other, you know, competitive platforms, aren't really that interested in having a full Xbox experience on their hardware. But for us, we want to be where the gamers want to be.

"Full Xbox experience" consists of:

Xbox Live (community, achievements, etc.)
Game Pass option
1st party titles

He mentions this list twice in the full interview! But is he sure about Nintendo not wanting such an experience on Switch? Let's tackle these one by one for Switch.

Xbox Live

Xbox Live is already implemented in Minecraft for Switch (Bedrock edition). You can sign in with your Microsoft account (required for cross-play and servers), earn achievements, join Microsoft friends' worlds, and online doesn't require Xbox Live Gold (only Nintendo Switch Online)! The achievements you earn and skins you buy will be saved to your Microsoft account (aka cloud saves).
- Xbox also officially stated that Cuphead for Switch would receive Xbox Live support (March 2019), but as of writing, that still hasn't happened
Voice chat and text messaging shouldn't be an issue either, because some games like Fortnite have native messaging and voice chat, which is NOT a part of Nintendo's app

Game Pass

He doesn't specify Game Pass through xCloud or directly, but I'm assuming that on Switch it's Game Pass through xCloud, since that's the most feasible technically
Game Pass would seem to be the biggest barrier as people say that it would cannibalize the sales of Switch games in three ways:
- Switch and Game Pass have a shared library of indie games that people think will see less sales of on Switch, which means Nintendo lose out on sales (because they get like a 30% cut of every sale).
- Having a great library of 100+ games available for $10/month would seemingly render buying games useless on Switch, which again means Nintendo losing sales because Game Pass is plenty enough.
- 3rd party ports and AAA titles would seemingly decline as they can just release their games on Game Pass and tell Switch users to "play it on xCloud".
But does Game Pass on Switch really need to have the same library as on console/PC to be considered as a "full Xbox experience"? Can't they just release xCloud on Switch with a limited library to mitigate competition with Switch sales? Turns out Phil Spencer considers Xbox console as a "full Xbox experience" AND also PC as a "full Xbox experience" ™.
- The problem is that Xbox Game Pass for PC and for console are two different services. They offer different games, even if many are shared, but you can't say they're the same. The fact that Phil Spencer still refers to both of them as the "full Xbox experience" means that the number of titles in Game Pass isn't part of the "full Xbox experience".
- PC-only games include: Halo 3, Halo MCC, Saints Row IV, and Age of Empires II
- Xbox console-only games include: Halo 5, Soulcalibur IV, Kingdom Hearts III, Red Dead Redemption 2, Nier:Automata, The Witcher 3, Devil May Cry 5, Mortal Kombat X, Tekken 7, Fable, DiRT 4, PUBG, Quantum Break, and Banjo-Kazooie
- Clearly you CANNOT call them the same!
Yet, he is calling both the Xbox console and PC as a "full Xbox experience" each, meaning the Game Pass libraries don't have to be identical to be considered as part of a "full Xbox experience"!
So, what's really stopping Xbox from having a separate Game Pass library of games for xCloud on Switch?
- If Nintendo aren't "that interested in having a full Xbox experience on their hardware" because of competing sales of shared titles, then simply remove those titles from Game Pass on xCloud for Switch!

1st Party Titles

First-party Xbox titles should definitely not be a problem for Nintendo. More AAA titles on Switch are always welcome, and being 1st party Xbox titles would mean nothing to compete with on Nintendo eShop.
Halo, Gears and Forza on Switch would only help drive Switch sales!
These games wouldn't otherwise be ported, so cloud streaming is the only way.

In Conclusion

Xbox Live is already mostly implemented in Minecraft for Switch, and planned for other titles like Cuphead
Game Pass doesn't need to have an identical library across platforms to be considered as part of a "full Xbox experience"
1st party Xbox games shouldn't be a problem for Nintendo to have on their platform
Which means:
- There's already a "half Xbox experience" in place on Switch (Xbox Live)
- If Nintendo is having an issue with the other half of the experience -- Game Pass through streaming -- then Xbox should simply remove the games Nintendo don't wish to have on Switch as competition. According to Phil Spencer, that should still be considered a "full Xbox experience" ™.
  - Xbox likes to offer choices to players (a large part of the interview), which is why Xbox games are published on Steam, as well as on their own Microsoft store and Xbox Game Pass for PC (separate app), because gamers want that choice.
  - However, people who buy Xbox games on Steam won't get the benefit of cross-buy, though. That means they'll have to re-buy the game on consoles and other platforms. With Microsoft store/Game Pass, it's buy once, play anywhere. This benefit is not carried over to Steam.
  - Xbox is willing to accept sacrifices on their services if it means giving players choices.
- There should really be no problem for Xbox to give into this criteria of limiting their Game Pass library for Switch.

Conclusion: release Game Pass on Switch through xCloud with a limited Game Pass library, and it should still be considered a "full Xbox experience", meaning Phil isn't being 100% honest about Nintendo not wanting a "full Xbox experience" on the Switch.

B-but, Nintendo gains NOTHING!!

Then there are those who claim that Xbox Game Pass coming on Switch is a loss for Nintendo, as they wouldn't get a cut from the monthly fee of subscriptions, and it would only take over Nintendo's sales.

Technically, they could reach an agreement where Nintendo gets an x% cut of each subscription made through Switch, OR they could get an x% cut of every microtransaction made on Switch through xCloud
- In Minecraft on Switch, buying coins leads you to the Nintendo eShop where you perform the transaction, meaning Nintendo already get like a 30% cut of every microtransaction made on Minecraft for Switch!
- If Xbox is serious about putting xCloud on every device imaginable, then they must've prepared for platform fees and royalties. This shouldn't be a problem for them.
Hulu on Switch (USA only) has been there since 2017, but AFAIK it's not possible to login or buy memberships through the Switch app. You have to login through a web browser on your PC/smartphone, just like how logging into/registering a Microsoft account in Minecraft for Switch works. Nintendo seemingly don't profit off of this (unless there's a separate deal in place).
- These services just serve as hooks to get new users onto the Switch platform, where they hopefully will buy 1st part Nintendo titles and other games.

But still, wouldn't Game Pass cannibalize Switch sales?

Actually, it's been proven time and again that putting a game on Xbox Game Pass increases its exposure, playtime, and most importantly, its sales across platforms!
- Death Squared put their game on Xbox Game Pass and witnessed the sales of their Switch version increase exponentially (-90% off also helped, though)! [sales graph]
- Descenders experienced their weekly sales rise to 5 times as much after putting their game on Xbox Game Pass. Their total Xbox sales have TRIPLED after joining Game Pass! This is a game that's only available on PC and Xbox atm, but slated for PS4 and Switch soon.
- Oxenfree, which is available on every platform, were worried about Xbox Game Pass cannibalizing their sales, but they discovered it didn't; and what's more, it increased their sales everywhere else on every platform!
- Clearly Game Pass is amazing for indie titles and exposure!
The same argument can be made for the Xbox console: wouldn't putting a game on Xbox Game Pass cannibalize sales of that game on the Xbox console?
- But that's not the case. Descenders, as mentioned above, is a great example of an Xbox game being added to Xbox Game Pass and actually increasing its sales greatly!
  - Phil Spencer said in 2018 that putting a game on Game Pass raises its awareness, which generates word-of-mouth, which then starts trending on Mixer, Twitch, people talk about it on Discord, etc., and that helps bring in more sales, because people "play based on what everybody else is playing". Here are hard numbers for Game Pass (2019) -- most notably being 25% increase in preorders, and 10% increase in franchise sales.
If anything, Xbox Game Pass through xCloud on Switch might just increase sales of games, thereby giving Nintendo more revenue!
- Analogy: eBooks were thought to replace physical books completely, but in 2019, it was reported that only 20% of total book sales come from eBooks. The rest, 80%, are still from physical books! Cloud gaming isn't replacing local gaming anytime soon..

The most convincing argument, that many seem to fail to grasp, is that cloud gaming is the future, it's coming in hard and it's here to stay. How is Nintendo, with its portable Switch, prepared for this wave?

Switch will lose even more if xCloud comes to mobile phones and NOT the Switch, because that would be in competition with Switch's and casuals wouldn't have a reason to get a Switch. Gaming AAA games portably on their smartphones for only $10/month will be a viable and cheaper alternative to Switch, especially to parents and casuals/non-gamers. Nintendo will face competition regardless of what they do, so by not putting xCloud on Switch they would be losing out on the growing curious non-gamer market.
- xCloud with its amazing games line-up and value for money would definitely pose a threat to console gaming because of the extremely low entry barrier, both economically and accessibly -- especially to Switch, because of portability. More and more companies are most likely coming with their own cloud gaming services, so preparing for this wave is inevitable for Nintendo.
- I realize that Stadia isn't a success AFAIK, but xCloud has a much better pricing and value for money, and thus a much better chance at capturing the market!
and Let's face it, who's going to pay $300 for a Switch and then only use xCloud?? That'd be like paying $1000 for a MacBook/iPhone just to use Facebook, or get a Switch just to play Fortnite and watch YouTube... oh, wait...
- Jokes aside, those who've bought a Switch must've been allured by its unique aspects, like portability, offline play, its hybrid nature, different playstyles, 1st party games and their creative playstyles (like Super Mario Party), etc. The rest is icing on the cake. Cloud gaming won't just come and replace that! Maybe it will replace some 3rd party games purchases for some, but the gameplay will be heavily dependent on internet and a good stable connection, which will limit portability!
The best case scenario for Nintendo is to embrace cloud gaming early on and let people experience it through Switch with xCloud. They can't compete with it.
- Microsoft has the perfect cloud infrastructure to pull this off, while Nintendo still struggle with their horrible netcodes (read: Smash Bros Ultimate). They'd be wise to jump on the superior cloud gaming service than to try and cook up a half-baked version of their own later down the line.
  - Besides, if they do try cloud gaming, it's highly unlikely they'll make their own cloud infrastructure. They'll anyways have to go with something like Microsoft's Azure cloud infrastructure, just like how Sony have partnered with Microsoft for their own cloud streaming service, because that's Microsoft's main business.
  - And let's face it, Nintendo's 1st party games rarely go on sale, except for on the eShop, because they know their games keep selling for $60. I don't think they would want to make an Xbox Game Pass replica and sell their 1st party games for $10/month. Heck, they recently stated that they're focusing less on mobile games because it's not quite working out for them and the recent success of Animal Crossing has them realize where the true money lies -- on their hardware.
  - But, Nintendo have in fact acknowledged that cloud gaming will be widespread in the future, and that they "must keep up with such changes in the environment". But they emphasize on their unique aspects as selling points, even if cloud gaming is to take over the industry. Also cloud gaming will only increase the number of gamers, so Nintendo will have even more people to sell their hardware to, or so they believe. But just like how they lagged behind in the mobile market, it'd be bad if they embraced cloud gaming too late.
- Game Pass has already 10 million subscribers, reportedly, and it's only going to grow since Xbox is pushing it as their true next-gen "console". Nintendo had better jump on that before it really takes off with xCloud on every device without them getting any exposure from it.
If Nintendo don't accept xCloud now, which will anyways come to every device out there, they risk losing out on potential Switch buyers from the user base of xCloud subscribers on mobile! It's only in their best interest to embrace xCloud on Switch now, as they might get a share of xCloud users on to the Switch, because once casuals have tried xCloud on mobile, they might look for Switch with its dedicated gaming controllers as one of their many devices to play xCloud on. This also holds true for Xbox owners, who might be inclined towards getting Switch as a portable extension to their Xbox consoles. And once they're on Switch, Nintendo can push their 1st party titles and unique aspects.
- Nintendo's 1st party games are still the biggest revenue makers on Switch. Almost 50% of Switch owners have bought Mario Kart 8 Deluxe! Besides, the unique aspect of Switch's many forms and playstyles isn't something cloud gaming can replace. So once people are onboard on Switch, they may buy other games, and thus increase Nintendo's revenue.

The last argument remaining for why this is bad, is that 3rd party developers can just put their games on Game Pass and tell Switch owners to play it there through xCloud

One question: do developers get paid for every time someone plays their game on Xbox Game Pass? -- NO! They most likely get paid once upfront, and have to rely on microtransactions to keep revenue coming in. Yes, xCloud on Switch might increase player base and thus revenue from microtransactions, but indie games with no microtransactions will suffer from this.
The whole point of Game Pass is to raise awareness and thus increase sales! Meaning they want the exposure to translate into hard sales. Otherwise they probably won't earn anything from it.
Putting 3rd party games on to xCloud and just telling Switch users to play them on Game Pass is a horrible business model! They need to make ports/Switch versions available as well so people can actually buy them from all the exposure. This way the developers actually earn cash, AND Nintendo get a 30% cut from the revenue -- win/win!
- unless we're talking about EA here -- this would only incentivize them to halt all future Switch ports, save money on that, and milk microtransactions...
However, that's not to say that some developers may still tell Switch owners to play their games on xCloud. That way they can test the waters and get a better insight on engagement from Switch users, to assess if making a Switch port is worth it. This means more 3rd party games having a higher chance of getting a Switch port, which is only great for Nintendo!

Final Conclusion

The cloud gaming revolution and games subscription model is coming and it's here to stay. It will compete with the Switch as a viable and affordable alternative. Nintendo have no choice but to embrace it, either now or later on.
- They can't compete with it, however.
Nintendo ought to put xCloud on Switch to act as a hook and a gateway to their own Nintendo ecosystem.
- As Game Pass is growing with its currently 10 million subscribers, it's going to be everywhere with xCloud on mobile devices, and Nintendo need to tap into that user base to not lose out
- By putting xCloud on Switch, Nintendo give xCloud/Game Pass subscribers an option to use xCloud on a Switch -- which has dedicated gaming controllers and a portabie form factor better suited for gaming than smartphones -- thereby pulling them in Nintendo's ecosystem.
xCloud on Switch won't cannibalize sales either, but may rather increase sales!
Xbox should put xCloud on Switch with a limited Game Pass library (or not limited), and Nintendo should embrace the coming age of cloud gaming and take advantage of it while they can!

---------------------------- There you have it! Can't believe I sacrificed my sleep for this, haha, but would love honest criticism if there is any :)

When is Black Friday 2020? Early deals, predictions, and the latest news

Black Friday is a name given to the Friday following Thanksgiving Day, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November every year in the United States. Since 1951, this Friday is considered as the beginning of the United States Christmas shopping season. According to the US police, the Friday and Saturday following Thanksgiving Day are termed as Black Friday and Black Saturday also because of the huge traffic that happens during this season. Black Friday offers impressive deals and heavy discounts to the consumers while shopping during this period.
📷This year, Black Friday is on the 27th of November and is already set to be another impressive and huge consumer event. Following Black Friday, Cyber Monday is on 30th November, which is famous for online marketing. On this day, heavy discounts and impressive deals are provided to the consumers on online shopping. However, this time there will be a change due to the COVID-19 pandemic as most of the shops in the United States are giving Thanksgiving off to their staff, and most of the stores are not likely to open this year. This time, more online deals can be expected as compared to offline deals. Also, Amazon Prime Day can be set between 13th October to 14th October, which might impact the Black Friday sales this year.
If we talk about the last Black Friday, the hottest selling products were Argos Crazy Codes and the Nintendo Switch being the most lovable gaming console. This year, the new PS5 and the Xbox Series X can be expected to be the hottest selling products, even without discounts. There will be heavily discounted deals on electronic items as usual such as mobile phones, smart speakers, laptops, cameras, televisions, and other gadgets. It becomes difficult for a consumer to select one gadget out of so many impressive gadgets, which are available at great prices.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday both of the days are related to marketing following Thanksgiving Day. However, both events share different modes of shopping. On Black Friday, people rush to the high streets for shopping, whereas Cyber Monday is reserved for online shopping. The Black Friday deals are more about technical products, but Cyber Monday focuses more on lifestyle products. Black Friday will officially start at midnight on 27th November, but you may see some of the shops offering Black Friday deals earlier also. Although you may see some earlier deals, the majority of the deals can be seen on an actual day.
How will Black Friday 2020 be different?
Black Friday 2020 is expected to bring a lot of deals and offers, but there can be some changes also in the behavior of shopping because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This pandemic has already affected the economy and might also affect the availability of the deals. We may see impressive discounts on smart televisions such as HDR and 4K TV. Apple can also bring its usual deals on iPads and AirPods for you this year. The older version of AirPods Pro can be available at lower prices. Similarly, PS4 can also be available for you at a lower price, and the new PS5 is expected to arrive in the Black Friday deals 2020. If we talk about the cost of the iPhone 11, then it is not expected that Apple will drop the prices for iPhone 11 because of the delay in the launch of the iPhone 12.
Where to find the best Black Friday deals?
Currently, Amazon is one of the largest retailers, which provides a lot of offers and deals during this festive season. Its primary products are Echo Dots, Kindles, and Fire TV sticks that you should grab during this heavily discounted event. John Lewis is another excellent and popular brand which may also tend to drop the prices of their products such as 4K TV and several other technical products with a discount of up to 30 percent off. Another fantastic brand that may drop prices on their electronic products can be Currys PC World that provided a lot of early offers last year. This may include smartphones, gaming consoles, and smart televisions.
To keep the consumer aware of all the Black Friday deals, we have a lot of guides on the best Black Friday deals such as Amazon Black Friday, AO.com Black Friday, Apple Black Friday, Argos Black Friday, Currys PC World Black Friday, Dell Black Friday deals, and many more.
After learning about Black Friday and Black Friday deals, we have concluded that Black Friday 2020 is going to come with a lot of deals and offers. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the deals can be seen online instead of stores. There will be early deals also, and one of the major parts of the Black Friday 2020 is that it may include the new PS5 and the Xbox Series X.
Source-Early deals, predictions, and the latest news

[DEBUNKED] Did Phil Spencer really shoot down xCloud on Switch? | The Definitive Analysis

== Analysis ==

People seem to be jumping to conclusions from Phil Spencer's statement, so let me clear this up after carefully analyzing his words:

The thing about other gaming console platforms is we're not able to bring a full Xbox experience on those platforms

According to him, they've brought the "full Xbox experience" on PC and mobile devices:

In places where we have [been able to bring a full Xbox experience], like mobile phones, like we're doing now with xCloud coming to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate [and] what we've done with PC and bringing our full Xbox experience there.

so, What does "full Xbox experience" exactly mean?

(continued directly from last quote) Because we know when somebody is playing one of our Xbox games there is an expectation that I've got my Xbox Live community, I have my Achievements, Game Pass is an option for me, my first-party library is there, is completely there...
And the other, you know, competitive platforms, aren't really that interested in having a full Xbox experience on their hardware. But for us, we want to be where the gamers want to be.

"Full Xbox experience" consists of:

Xbox Live (community, achievements, etc.)
Game Pass option
1st party titles

He mentions this list twice in the full interview! But is he sure about Nintendo not wanting such an experience on Switch? Let's tackle these one by one for Switch.

Xbox Live

Xbox Live is already implemented in Minecraft for Switch (Bedrock edition). You can sign in with your Microsoft account (required for cross-play and servers), earn achievements, join Microsoft friends' worlds, and online doesn't require Xbox Live Gold (only Nintendo Switch Online)! The achievements you earn and skins you buy will be saved to your Microsoft account (aka cloud saves).
- Xbox also officially stated that Cuphead for Switch would receive Xbox Live support (March 2019), but as of writing, that still hasn't happened
Voice chat and text messaging shouldn't be an issue either, because some games like Fortnite have native messaging and voice chat, which is NOT a part of Nintendo's app

Game Pass

He doesn't specify Game Pass through xCloud or directly, but I'm assuming that on Switch it's Game Pass through xCloud, since that's the most feasible technically
Game Pass would seem to be the biggest barrier as people say that it would cannibalize the sales of Switch games in three ways:
- Switch and Game Pass have a shared library of indie games that people think will see less sales of on Switch, which means Nintendo lose out on sales (because they get like a 30% cut of every sale).
- Having a great library of 100+ games available for $10/month would seemingly render buying games useless on Switch, which again means Nintendo losing sales because Game Pass is plenty enough.
- 3rd party ports and AAA titles would seemingly decline as they can just release their games on Game Pass and tell Switch users to "play it on xCloud".
But does Game Pass on Switch really need to have the same library as on console/PC to be considered as a "full Xbox experience"? Can't they just release xCloud on Switch with a limited library to mitigate competition with Switch sales? Turns out Phil Spencer considers Xbox console as a "full Xbox experience" AND also PC as a "full Xbox experience" ™.
- The problem is that Xbox Game Pass for PC and for console are two different services. They offer different games, even if many are shared, but you can't say they're the same. The fact that Phil Spencer still refers to both of them as the "full Xbox experience" means that the number of titles in Game Pass isn't part of the "full Xbox experience".
- PC-only games include: Halo 3, Halo MCC, Saints Row IV, and Age of Empires II
- Xbox console-only games include: Halo 5, Soulcalibur IV, Kingdom Hearts III, Red Dead Redemption 2, Nier:Automata, The Witcher 3, Devil May Cry 5, Mortal Kombat X, Tekken 7, Fable, DiRT 4, PUBG, Quantum Break, and Banjo-Kazooie
- Clearly you CANNOT call them the same!
Yet, he is calling both the Xbox console and PC as a "full Xbox experience" each, meaning the Game Pass libraries don't have to be identical to be considered as part of a "full Xbox experience"!
So, what's really stopping Xbox from having a separate Game Pass library of games for xCloud on Switch?
- If Nintendo aren't "that interested in having a full Xbox experience on their hardware" because of competing sales of shared titles, then simply remove those titles from Game Pass on xCloud for Switch!

1st Party Titles

First-party Xbox titles should definitely not be a problem for Nintendo. More AAA titles on Switch are always welcome, and being 1st party Xbox titles would mean nothing to compete with on Nintendo eShop.
Halo, Gears and Forza on Switch would only help drive Switch sales!
These games wouldn't otherwise be ported, so cloud streaming is the only way.

In Conclusion

Xbox Live is already mostly implemented in Minecraft for Switch, and planned for other titles like Cuphead
Game Pass doesn't need to have an identical library across platforms to be considered as part of a "full Xbox experience"
1st party Xbox games shouldn't be a problem for Nintendo to have on their platform
Which means:
- There's already a "half Xbox experience" in place on Switch (Xbox Live)
- If Nintendo is having an issue with the other half of the experience -- Game Pass through streaming -- then Xbox should simply remove the games Nintendo don't wish to have on Switch as competition. According to Phil Spencer, that should still be considered a "full Xbox experience" ™.
  - Xbox likes to offer choices to players (a large part of the interview), which is why Xbox games are published on Steam, as well as on their own Microsoft store and Xbox Game Pass for PC (separate app), because gamers want that choice.
  - However, people who buy Xbox games on Steam won't get the benefit of cross-buy, though. That means they'll have to re-buy the game on consoles and other platforms. With Microsoft store/Game Pass, it's buy once, play anywhere. This benefit is not carried over to Steam.
  - Xbox is willing to accept sacrifices on their services if it means giving players choices.
- There should really be no problem for Xbox to give into this criteria of limiting their Game Pass library for Switch.

B-but, Nintendo gains NOTHING!!

Technically, they could reach an agreement where Nintendo gets an x% cut of each subscription made through Switch, OR they could get an x% cut of every microtransaction made on Switch through xCloud
- In Minecraft on Switch, buying coins leads you to the Nintendo eShop where you perform the transaction, meaning Nintendo already get like a 30% cut of every microtransaction made on Minecraft for Switch!
- If Xbox is serious about putting xCloud on every device imaginable, then they must've prepared for platform fees and royalties. This shouldn't be a problem for them.
Hulu on Switch (USA only) has been there since 2017, but AFAIK it's not possible to login or buy memberships through the Switch app. You have to login through a web browser on your PC/smartphone, just like how logging into/registering a Microsoft account in Minecraft for Switch works. Nintendo seemingly don't profit off of this (unless there's a separate deal in place).
- These services just serve as hooks to get new users onto the Switch platform, where they hopefully will buy 1st part Nintendo titles and other games.

But still, wouldn't Game Pass cannibalize Switch sales?

Actually, it's been proven time and again that putting a game on Xbox Game Pass increases its exposure, playtime, and most importantly, its sales across platforms!
- Death Squared put their game on Xbox Game Pass and witnessed the sales of their Switch version increase exponentially (-90% off also helped, though)! [sales graph]
- Descenders experienced their weekly sales rise to 5 times as much after putting their game on Xbox Game Pass. Their total Xbox sales have TRIPLED after joining Game Pass! This is a game that's only available on PC and Xbox atm, but slated for PS4 and Switch soon.
- Oxenfree, which is available on every platform, were worried about Xbox Game Pass cannibalizing their sales, but they discovered it didn't; and what's more, it increased their sales everywhere else on every platform!
- Clearly Game Pass is amazing for indie titles and exposure!
The same argument can be made for the Xbox console: wouldn't putting a game on Xbox Game Pass cannibalize sales of that game on the Xbox console?
- But that's not the case. Descenders, as mentioned above, is a great example of an Xbox game being added to Xbox Game Pass and actually increasing its sales greatly!
  - Phil Spencer said in 2018 that putting a game on Game Pass raises its awareness, which generates word-of-mouth, which then starts trending on Mixer, Twitch, people talk about it on Discord, etc., and that helps bring in more sales, because people "play based on what everybody else is playing". Here are hard numbers for Game Pass (2019) -- most notably being 25% increase in preorders, and 10% increase in franchise sales.
If anything, Xbox Game Pass through xCloud on Switch might just increase sales of games, thereby giving Nintendo more revenue!
- Analogy: eBooks were thought to replace physical books completely, but in 2019, it was reported that only 20% of total book sales come from eBooks. The rest, 80%, are still from physical books! Cloud gaming isn't replacing local gaming anytime soon..

Switch will lose even more if xCloud comes to mobile phones and NOT the Switch, because that would be in competition with Switch's and casuals wouldn't have a reason to get a Switch. Gaming AAA games portably on their smartphones for only $10/month will be a viable and cheaper alternative to Switch, especially to parents and casuals/non-gamers. Nintendo will face competition regardless of what they do, so by not putting xCloud on Switch they would be losing out on the growing curious non-gamer market.
- xCloud with its amazing games line-up and value for money would definitely pose a threat to console gaming because of the extremely low entry barrier, both economically and accessibly -- especially to Switch, because of portability. More and more companies are most likely coming with their own cloud gaming services, so preparing for this wave is inevitable for Nintendo.
- I realize that Stadia isn't a success AFAIK, but xCloud has a much better pricing and value for money, and thus a much better chance at capturing the market!
and Let's face it, who's going to pay $300 for a Switch and then only use xCloud?? That'd be like paying $1000 for a MacBook/iPhone just to use Facebook, or get a Switch just to play Fortnite and watch YouTube... oh, wait...
- Jokes aside, those who've bought a Switch must've been allured by its unique aspects, like portability, offline play, its hybrid nature, different playstyles, 1st party games and their creative playstyles (like Super Mario Party), etc. The rest is icing on the cake. Cloud gaming won't just come and replace that! Maybe it will replace some 3rd party games purchases for some, but the gameplay will be heavily dependent on internet and a good stable connection, which will limit portability!
The best case scenario for Nintendo is to embrace cloud gaming early on and let people experience it through Switch with xCloud. They can't compete with it.
- Microsoft has the perfect cloud infrastructure to pull this off, while Nintendo still struggle with their horrible netcodes (read: Smash Bros Ultimate). They'd be wise to jump on the superior cloud gaming service than to try and cook up a half-baked version of their own later down the line.
  - Besides, if they do try cloud gaming, it's highly unlikely they'll make their own cloud infrastructure. They'll anyways have to go with something like Microsoft's Azure cloud infrastructure, just like how Sony have partnered with Microsoft for their own cloud streaming service, because that's Microsoft's main business.
  - And let's face it, Nintendo's 1st party games rarely go on sale, except for on the eShop, because they know their games keep selling for $60. I don't think they would want to make an Xbox Game Pass replica and sell their 1st party games for $10/month. Heck, they recently stated that they're focusing less on mobile games because it's not quite working out for them and the recent success of Animal Crossing has them realize where the true money lies -- on their hardware.
  - But, Nintendo have in fact acknowledged that cloud gaming will be widespread in the future, and that they "must keep up with such changes in the environment". But they emphasize on their unique aspects as selling points, even if cloud gaming is to take over the industry. Also cloud gaming will only increase the number of gamers, so Nintendo will have even more people to sell their hardware to, or so they believe. But just like how they lagged behind in the mobile market, it'd be bad if they embraced cloud gaming too late.
- Game Pass has already 10 million subscribers, reportedly, and it's only going to grow since Xbox is pushing it as their true next-gen "console". Nintendo had better jump on that before it really takes off with xCloud on every device without them getting any exposure from it.
If Nintendo don't accept xCloud now, which will anyways come to every device out there, they risk losing out on potential Switch buyers from the user base of xCloud subscribers on mobile! It's only in their best interest to embrace xCloud on Switch now, as they might get a share of xCloud users on to the Switch, because once casuals have tried xCloud on mobile, they might look for Switch with its dedicated gaming controllers as one of their many devices to play xCloud on. This also holds true for Xbox owners, who might be inclined towards getting Switch as a portable extension to their Xbox consoles. And once they're on Switch, Nintendo can push their 1st party titles and unique aspects.
- Nintendo's 1st party games are still the biggest revenue makers on Switch. Almost 50% of Switch owners have bought Mario Kart 8 Deluxe! Besides, the unique aspect of Switch's many forms and playstyles isn't something cloud gaming can replace. So once people are onboard on Switch, they may buy other games, and thus increase Nintendo's revenue.

The last argument remaining for why this is bad, is that 3rd party developers can just put their games on Game Pass and tell Switch owners to play it there through xCloud

One question: do developers get paid for every time someone plays their game on Xbox Game Pass? -- NO! They most likely get paid once upfront, and have to rely on microtransactions to keep revenue coming in. Yes, xCloud on Switch might increase player base and thus revenue from microtransactions, but indie games with no microtransactions will suffer from this.
The whole point of Game Pass is to raise awareness and thus increase sales! Meaning they want the exposure to translate into hard sales. Otherwise they probably won't earn anything from it.
Putting 3rd party games on to xCloud and just telling Switch users to play them on Game Pass is a horrible business model! They need to make ports/Switch versions available as well so people can actually buy them from all the exposure. This way the developers actually earn cash, AND Nintendo get a 30% cut from the revenue -- win/win!
- unless we're talking about EA here -- this would only incentivize them to halt all future Switch ports, save money on that, and milk microtransactions...
However, that's not to say that some developers may still tell Switch owners to play their games on xCloud. That way they can test the waters and get a better insight on engagement from Switch users, to assess if making a Switch port is worth it. This means more 3rd party games having a higher chance of getting a Switch port, which is only great for Nintendo!

Final Conclusion

The cloud gaming revolution and games subscription model is coming and it's here to stay. It will compete with the Switch as a viable and affordable alternative. Nintendo have no choice but to embrace it, either now or later on.
- They can't compete with it, however.
Nintendo ought to put xCloud on Switch to act as a hook and a gateway to their own Nintendo ecosystem.
- As Game Pass is growing with its currently 10 million subscribers, it's going to be everywhere with xCloud on mobile devices, and Nintendo need to tap into that user base to not lose out
- By putting xCloud on Switch, Nintendo give xCloud/Game Pass subscribers an option to use xCloud on a Switch -- which has dedicated gaming controllers and a portabie form factor better suited for gaming than smartphones -- thereby pulling them in Nintendo's ecosystem.
xCloud on Switch won't cannibalize sales either, but may rather increase sales!
Xbox should put xCloud on Switch with a limited Game Pass library (or not limited), and Nintendo should embrace the coming age of cloud gaming and take advantage of it while they can!

---------------------------- There you have it! Can't believe I sacrificed my sleep for this, haha, but would love honest criticism if there is any :)

Great deals for 6/23, including 4-Day Best Buy Apple sale, and a bunch of new Mac bundles from StackSocial

Amazon Tech Deals for 06/23 - Today's tech deals include Apple Usb C Power Adapter, Anker USB-C charger, & Twelve South Travel Apple Watch. Amazon doesn't allow me to give prices or links here, so check MDM Deals to see full info, prices, & links.
Best Buy 4-Day Apple Sale for WWDC - Nearly everything Apple is on sale at Best Buy for WWDC; save $100 on MacBook Air, $200-$1050 on MacBook Pro, $80-$100 on iPad, & more; highly recommended.
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Great deals for 6/15, including great Apple hardware sales for Father’s Day, Pro Camera, Pyto, & more

Amazon Tech Deals for 06/15 - Today's tech deals include Apple iPad Mini, Powerbeats Pro. Amazon doesn't allow me to give prices or links here, so check MDM Deals to see full info, prices, & links.
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iPad 7th generation - Get $80-$100 off the newest model of the iPad, depending on the model you choose, as part of Best Buy’s Father’s Day sale; recommended.
Apple Watches - Apple Watches on sale at Best Buy for Father’s Day, $20-$100 off depending on the model; highly recommended.
HomePod - HomePod’s on sale at Best Buy for Father’s Day; highly recommended. 33% off, was $299, now $199!
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Great deals for 5/25, including a massive Memorial Day sale at a Best Buy, Spend Stack, and more

HomePod - Apple’s HomePod in white and space grey on sale at Best Buy; recommended. 33% off, was $299, now $199!
iPad (latest model) - Apple’s newest iPad, in 128GB configuration on sale right now at Best Buy ; highly recommended. 23% off, was $429, now $329!
Apple Watch Series 5 - Get Apple Watch Series 5 in aluminum at Best Buy on sale for Memorial Day; highly recommended. 25% off, was $399, now $299!
CyberPower Battery Backup system - Protect your sensitive electronics from lower fluctuations or failures with this 950VA battery backup UPS ; recommended. 22% off, was $89, now $69!
Powerbeats Pro - Powerbeats Pro by Dre, airless headphones with Apple’s H1 chip; recommended. 20% off, was $249, now $199!
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My toxic ex boyfriend

This is my story from when I was 14 (female) and my ex boyfriend at the time 14 male.
We dated we dated for 2 years and about 3 more is where my story arises.
I want to write this to get it off my chest because I have stayed quiet for way to long, to get my story out. I feel like reddit is where people can read it.
This is to why I’m so quiet, to why I kept my friend groups small.
This isn’t a sob story, but to probably why I pushed myself to do things I wouldn’t do, or even as far as going against my family’s words and just to think of only myself like what was better for me? To make my life a better place.
My first love broke me, and I probably still consider myself broken from what has happened to me, but I worked on that and have made myself a better person.
I was 14, I thought I had it all, a perfect boyfriend. He was honestly everything to me, both gamers and really didn’t ask for much other than each others attention. First for everything. We did everything together, stayed up for days without sleep just gaming and enjoying each other’s company. I genuinely thought we were both happy.
Until it changed, distancing. That hurt. Ever had those late responses or the short replies, the appearing offline sort of deal? Left on read. No more gaming nights. No more walking home together. No more spending any time together, everything was cut short. We didn’t even speak to each other at school. Till one day during lunch I asked for his phone because that’s where everything would be right?
Messages upon messages from another girl.
But this just didn’t happen once it was constant, and because he was my first I was so scared to be alone, I tried everything to keep him, to just have him stay.
When caught, he was angry, abusive, even hit me. But as I kept finding pictures and messages he started hurting himself, or others around him. He would punch anything that was near him to then just act like nothing happened.
All I ever wanted to know was what did I do wrong? Why was I not good enough? Did he even love me?
Why?
This went on for 2 years. Chances upon chances I gave him. Maybe he would stop?
Different girls, different accounts, different names he would even go under just to hide from me. He blocked my number to only unblock it. He never broke it off but he would constantly ignore me for days and even weeks till he felt like it was okay to message me like nothing ever happened.
He made me out to be that psycho to everyone. Even to the girls that I called my best friends, but as you may have experienced as well, one of those girls was already having another taste. I say that because she dated him in the past and now she thought it was a great idea to put two and two together. I found out when I was over at her place, when her iPad wouldn’t stop buzzing, finding out it was my boyfriend at the time both exchanging nudes on a different account. I kept that quite for a while.
When I finally called it off the word psycho spread like fire. I even tried cutting him off but he always found a way to make me feel guilty and just as I started to move on... I even ended up running back.
This went on for another 2 years during our high school years together. No we weren’t even dating. I call it abuse. I was confused and still in love and had no one else To even talk to about this situation but him.
The hard part was I lost everyone but the hardest bit was as he talked down on me to everyone he knew, when he was coming to me after school about what we had planned for the night. He was using me. He’d let me know what he wanted from me knowing I wouldn’t say no. He made it clear that I was nothing to him but just friends with benefits. I went with this because I thought I still had a chance. This went on as everyone started calling me the town bus, but me being me I didn’t care because I thought I still had someone... he knew what he was doing and he did it to keep other guys away from me.
We went everywhere together. He got me things as if I was still his girlfriend, it was hard because I loved him and he just always had to remind me he didn’t. He always wanted to know how happy I was with him, or how I couldn’t go without him.
He showed me photos nudes of girls he was messaging he asked me to do roll play the things they sext about. Which was when I knew I wasn’t even in his mind anymore.
I moved on in the last year we had of high school. Well I thought I did, thought I had it on with another guy, so happened to be his mate. But you guessed it he came crawling back. Yes I fell for it AGAIN.
I remember when it just fell apart, I broke a persons heart because I fell for this manic again.
We weren’t messaging for a good 6 months, I found new friends, people who kept my mind off everything. When one introduced me to this guy she knew, thought we would work. We messaged everyday for about two weeks , in classes, out of classes but then this is when it went down hill.
During class we had a media project, and I was in my ex’s media group. I had to do his makeup for a scene, as I was applying the make up we locked eyes, I would say it was a long stare. I shook it off before my boyfriend come into the room to check up on me, before he went home. That’s when I felt like I wasn’t ready, I wasn’t ready for another new relationship.
I went home with my ex. It was a mistake, I broke it off with the guy and honestly it’s not his fault. But he didn’t understand that I wasn’t ready. That I was still stuck in my old toxic relationship, and that it wasn’t right for me.
Just as school ended I guess they both spoke about me, because the guy I dated for two weeks asked if I could be and I quote “no strings attached”. I was shocked I asked him to repeat himself and all he had to said is “well you’re doing it with him so why not with me?”.
I left In my car crying, because is that really all I am?
I told myself I wasn’t doing this again, that this was too much for me.
I went 4 years and it was destroying me more. It was destroying my family. I was his sex doll as I can only describe it, called me when he needed me for his sexual needs as well as drive him places to get high as he had no licence. I even took him to other girls places. He had other girls too that he would see and because we were only “friends” he showed me people he was seeing. A lot more bigger girls, he liked the emo look in some the dark black hair, tats and all, he liked to be dominated by these girls. I felt uncomfortable but this is where I told myself it was enough.
I ended up changing my number and blocking all of his social media accounts, all his other named ones too.
It was the hardest thing I have ever done. It took a lot. I tried it so many times before and I felt as if this time was going to just end up like the rest but it didn’t. I successfully moved on. Without him.
Doesn’t end there though.
It’s now 2020 this started in 2012 all the way through to 2016.
I found someone and guess who didn’t like that? The first 2 years of being with my partner my ex checked up on me about every month, he went through the effort of finding my social media accounts. He always wanted to meet up and chat, but he didn’t like it when I showed up with my partner in my car and when I showed him I was happy guess who slowly got the point that I wasn’t ever coming back. Only took him 2 years? To get the message.
My partner knew I was broken, that my trust wasn’t so easy to gain. Honestly it was worth going through everything to end up where I am today.
He knows I’m still paranoid, sometimes a so called psycho but he assures me that even when I’m feeling that uneasy he will let me know that his nothing like my ex.
He understood that my past was going to come with me, He knew there was work needed to be done. He walked me through it, and that road wasn’t easy but it did get easier.
Being intimate was hard with my partner and still is today, in all honesty, because of the memories I have, it’s still a working battle but I’m able to talk about my past, and it’s made me stronger. I don’t hate on it. I just don’t wish it on anyone.
I’m quiet and chose my friends wisely but do you understand me?
I worked hard, so hard that my family even said I wouldn’t be able to with this depression that was circling me.
I found my happiness, in my partner.
I worked on better distractions, I even proved myself wrong, as well as my family.
I bought my first own car. I rented my first house to then buy our first house to then Buying my second car. I feel like I’ve done it all, have it all. A dream come true.
I’ve started a family and I don’t have it as hard as some people out there but I am grateful.
TL;DR** this is about my ex who think I had hope for 4 years, only to remind me that I was nothing more than just friends with benefits, he lied, cheated and much more. I’ve now moved on and I’m in a better place**
Thanks for reading! Something that’s needed to be said and I think this is the best place to have it.
I want to hear from you.
Were you in a similar position?
Did you have a toxic relationship?
How long did you keep thing going between you two?

Removed comments/submissions for /u/Valroz

My toxic ex boyfriend

This is my story from when I was 14 (female) and my ex boyfriend at the time 14 male.
We dated we dated for 2 years and about 3 more is where my story arises.
I want to write this to get it off my chest because I have stayed quiet for way to long, to get my story out. I feel like reddit is where people can read it.
This is to why I’m so quiet, to why I kept my friend groups small.
This isn’t a sob story, but to probably why I pushed myself to do things I wouldn’t do, or even as far as going against my family’s words and just to think of only myself like what was better for me? To make my life a better place.
My first love broke me, and I probably still consider myself broken from what has happened to me, but I worked on that and have made myself a better person.
I was 14, I thought I had it all, a perfect boyfriend. He was honestly everything to me, both gamers and really didn’t ask for much other than each others attention. First for everything. We did everything together, stayed up for days without sleep just gaming and enjoying each other’s company. I genuinely thought we were both happy.
Until it changed, distancing. That hurt. Ever had those late responses or the short replies, the appearing offline sort of deal? Left on read. No more gaming nights. No more walking home together. No more spending any time together, everything was cut short. We didn’t even speak to each other at school. Till one day during lunch I asked for his phone because that’s where everything would be right?
Messages upon messages from another girl.
But this just didn’t happen once it was constant, and because he was my first I was so scared to be alone, I tried everything to keep him, to just have him stay.
When caught, he was angry, abusive, even hit me. But as I kept finding pictures and messages he started hurting himself, or others around him. He would punch anything that was near him to then just act like nothing happened.
All I ever wanted to know was what did I do wrong? Why was I not good enough? Did he even love me?
Why?
This went on for 2 years. Chances upon chances I gave him. Maybe he would stop?
Different girls, different accounts, different names he would even go under just to hide from me. He blocked my number to only unblock it. He never broke it off but he would constantly ignore me for days and even weeks till he felt like it was okay to message me like nothing ever happened.
He made me out to be that psycho to everyone. Even to the girls that I called my best friends, but as you may have experienced as well, one of those girls was already having another taste. I say that because she dated him in the past and now she thought it was a great idea to put two and two together. I found out when I was over at her place, when her iPad wouldn’t stop buzzing, finding out it was my boyfriend at the time both exchanging nudes on a different account. I kept that quite for a while.
When I finally called it off the word psycho spread like fire. I even tried cutting him off but he always found a way to make me feel guilty and just as I started to move on... I even ended up running back.
This went on for another 2 years during our high school years together. No we weren’t even dating. I call it abuse. I was confused and still in love and had no one else to even talk to about this situation but to him only.
The hard part was I lost everyone but the hardest bit was as he talked down on me to everyone he knew, when he was coming to me after school about what we had planned for the night. He was using me. He’d let me know what he wanted from me knowing I wouldn’t say no. He made it clear that I was nothing to him but just friends with benefits. I went with this because I thought I still had a chance. This went on as everyone started calling me the town bus, but me being me I didn’t care because I thought I still had someone... he knew what he was doing and he did it to keep other guys away from me.
We went everywhere together. He got me things as if I was still his girlfriend, it was hard because I loved him and he just always had to remind me he didn’t. He always wanted to know how happy I was with him, or how I couldn’t go without him.
He showed me photos nudes of girls he was messaging he asked me to do roll play the things they sext about. Which was when I knew I wasn’t even in his mind anymore.
I moved on in the last year we had of high school. Well I thought I did, thought I had it on with another guy, so happened to be his mate. But you guessed it he came crawling back. Yes I fell for it AGAIN.
I remember when it just fell apart, I broke a persons heart because I fell for this manic again.
We weren’t messaging for a good 6 months, I found new friends, people who kept my mind off everything. When one introduced me to this guy she knew, thought we would work. We messaged everyday for about two weeks , in classes, out of classes but then this is when it went down hill.
During class we had a media project, and I was in my ex’s media group. I had to do his makeup for a scene, as I was applying the make up we locked eyes, I would say it was a long stare. I shook it off before my boyfriend come into the room to check up on me, before he went home. That’s when I felt like I wasn’t ready, I wasn’t ready for another new relationship.
I went home with my ex. It was a mistake, I broke it off with the guy and honestly it’s not his fault. But he didn’t understand that I wasn’t ready. That I was still stuck in my old toxic relationship, and that it wasn’t right for me.
Just as school ended I guess they both spoke about me, because the guy I dated for two weeks asked if I could be and I quote “no strings attached”. I was shocked I asked him to repeat himself and all he had to said is “well you’re doing it with him so why not with me?”.
I left In my car crying, because is that really all I am?
I told myself I wasn’t doing this again, that this was too much for me.
I went 4 years and it was destroying me more. It was destroying my family. I was his sex doll as I can only describe it, called me when he needed me for his sexual needs as well as drive him places to get high as he had no licence. I even took him to other girls places. He had other girls too that he would see and because we were only “friends” he showed me people he was seeing. A lot more bigger girls, he liked the emo look in some the dark black hair, tats and all, he liked to be dominated by these girls. I felt uncomfortable but this is where I told myself it was enough.
I ended up changing my number and blocking all of his social media accounts, all his other named ones too.
It was the hardest thing I have ever done. It took a lot. I tried it so many times before and I felt as if this time was going to just end up like the rest but it didn’t. I successfully moved on. Without him.
Doesn’t end there though.
It’s now 2020 this started in 2012 all the way through to 2016.
I found someone and guess who didn’t like that? The first 2 years of being with my partner my ex checked up on me about every month, he went through the effort of finding my social media accounts. He always wanted to meet up and chat, but he didn’t like it when I showed up with my partner in my car and when I showed him I was happy guess who slowly got the point that I wasn’t ever coming back. Only took him 2 years? To get the message.
My partner knew I was broken, that my trust wasn’t so easy to gain. Honestly it was worth going through everything to end up where I am today.
He knows I’m still paranoid, sometimes a so called psycho but he assures me that even when I’m feeling that uneasy he will let me know that his nothing like my ex.
He understood that my past was going to come with me, He knew there was work needed to be done. He walked me through it, and that road wasn’t easy but it did get easier.
Being intimate was hard with my partner and still is today, in all honesty, because of the memories I have, it’s still a working battle but I’m able to talk about my past, and it’s made me stronger. I don’t hate on it. I just don’t wish it on anyone.
I’m quiet and chose my friends wisely but do you understand me?
I worked hard, so hard that my family even said I wouldn’t be able to with this depression that was circling me.
I found my happiness, in my partner.
I worked on better distractions, I even proved myself wrong, as well as my family.
I bought my first own car. I rented my first house to then buy our first house to then Buying my second car. I feel like I’ve done it all, have it all. A dream come true.
I’ve started a family and I don’t have it as hard as some people out there but I am grateful.
** this is about my ex who think I had hope for 4 years, only to remind me that I was nothing more than just friends with benefits, he lied, cheated and much more. I’ve now moved on and I’m in a better place**
Thanks for reading! Something that’s needed to be said and I think this is the best place to have it.
I want to hear from you.
Were you in a similar position?
Did you have a toxic relationship?
How long did you keep thing going between you two?

My toxic ex boyfriend

My toxic ex boyfriend
This is my story from when I was 14 (female) and my ex boyfriend at the time 14 male.
We dated we dated for 2 years and about 3 more is where my story arises.
I want to write this to get it off my chest because I have stayed quiet for way to long, to get my story out. I feel like reddit is where people can read it.
This is to why I’m so quiet, to why I kept my friend groups small.
This isn’t a sob story, but to probably why I pushed myself to do things I wouldn’t do, or even as far as going against my family’s words and just to think of only myself like what was better for me? To make my life a better place.
My first love broke me, and I probably still consider myself broken from what has happened to me, but I worked on that and have made myself a better person.
I was 14, I thought I had it all, a perfect boyfriend. He was honestly everything to me, both gamers and really didn’t ask for much other than each others attention. First for everything. We did everything together, stayed up for days without sleep just gaming and enjoying each other’s company. I genuinely thought we were both happy.
Until it changed, distancing. That hurt. Ever had those late responses or the short replies, the appearing offline sort of deal? Left on read. No more gaming nights. No more walking home together. No more spending any time together, everything was cut short. We didn’t even speak to each other at school. Till one day during lunch I asked for his phone because that’s where everything would be right?
Messages upon messages from another girl.
But this just didn’t happen once it was constant, and because he was my first I was so scared to be alone, I tried everything to keep him, to just have him stay.
When caught, he was angry, abusive, even hit me. But as I kept finding pictures and messages he started hurting himself, or others around him. He would punch anything that was near him to then just act like nothing happened.
All I ever wanted to know was what did I do wrong? Why was I not good enough? Did he even love me?
Why?
This went on for 2 years. Chances upon chances I gave him. Maybe he would stop?
Different girls, different accounts, different names he would even go under just to hide from me. He blocked my number to only unblock it. He never broke it off but he would constantly ignore me for days and even weeks till he felt like it was okay to message me like nothing ever happened.
He made me out to be that psycho to everyone. Even to the girls that I called my best friends, but as you may have experienced as well, one of those girls was already having another taste. I say that because she dated him in the past and now she thought it was a great idea to put two and two together. I found out when I was over at her place, when her iPad wouldn’t stop buzzing, finding out it was my boyfriend at the time both exchanging nudes on a different account. I kept that quite for a while.
When I finally called it off the word psycho spread like fire. I even tried cutting him off but he always found a way to make me feel guilty and just as I started to move on... I even ended up running back.
This went on for another 2 years during our high school years together. No we weren’t even dating. I call it abuse. I was confused and still in love and had no one else To even talk to about this situation but him.
The hard part was I lost everyone but the hardest bit was as he talked down on me to everyone he knew, when he was coming to me after school about what we had planned for the night. He was using me. He’d let me know what he wanted from me knowing I wouldn’t say no. He made it clear that I was nothing to him but just friends with benefits. I went with this because I thought I still had a chance. This went on as everyone started calling me the town bus, but me being me I didn’t care because I thought I still had someone... he knew what he was doing and he did it to keep other guys away from me.
We went everywhere together. He got me things as if I was still his girlfriend, it was hard because I loved him and he just always had to remind me he didn’t. He always wanted to know how happy I was with him, or how I couldn’t go without him.
He showed me photos nudes of girls he was messaging he asked me to do roll play the things they sext about. Which was when I knew I wasn’t even in his mind anymore.
I moved on in the last year we had of high school. Well I thought I did, thought I had it on with another guy, so happened to be his mate. But you guessed it he came crawling back. Yes I fell for it AGAIN.
I remember when it just fell apart, I broke a persons heart because I fell for this manic again.
We weren’t messaging for a good 6 months, I found new friends, people who kept my mind off everything. When one introduced me to this guy she knew, thought we would work. We messaged everyday for about two weeks , in classes, out of classes but then this is when it went down hill.
During class we had a media project, and I was in my ex’s media group. I had to do his makeup for a scene, as I was applying the make up we locked eyes, I would say it was a long stare. I shook it off before my boyfriend come into the room to check up on me, before he went home. That’s when I felt like I wasn’t ready, I wasn’t ready for another new relationship.
I went home with my ex. It was a mistake, I broke it off with the guy and honestly it’s not his fault. But he didn’t understand that I wasn’t ready. That I was still stuck in my old toxic relationship, and that it wasn’t right for me.
Just as school ended I guess they both spoke about me, because the guy I dated for two weeks asked if I could be and I quote “no strings attached”. I was shocked I asked him to repeat himself and all he had to said is “well you’re doing it with him so why not with me?”.
I left In my car crying, because is that really all I am?
I told myself I wasn’t doing this again, that this was too much for me.
I went 4 years and it was destroying me more. It was destroying my family. I was his sex doll as I can only describe it, called me when he needed me for his sexual needs as well as drive him places to get high as he had no licence. I even took him to other girls places. He had other girls too that he would see and because we were only “friends” he showed me people he was seeing. A lot more bigger girls, he liked the emo look in some the dark black hair, tats and all, he liked to be dominated by these girls. I felt uncomfortable but this is where I told myself it was enough.
I ended up changing my number and blocking all of his social media accounts, all his other named ones too.
It was the hardest thing I have ever done. It took a lot. I tried it so many times before and I felt as if this time was going to just end up like the rest but it didn’t. I successfully moved on. Without him.
Doesn’t end there though.
It’s now 2020 this started in 2012 all the way through to 2016.
I found someone and guess who didn’t like that? The first 2 years of being with my partner my ex checked up on me about every month, he went through the effort of finding my social media accounts. He always wanted to meet up and chat, but he didn’t like it when I showed up with my partner in my car and when I showed him I was happy guess who slowly got the point that I wasn’t ever coming back. Only took him 2 years? To get the message.
My partner knew I was broken, that my trust wasn’t so easy to gain. Honestly it was worth going through everything to end up where I am today.
He knows I’m still paranoid, sometimes a so called psycho but he assures me that even when I’m feeling that uneasy he will let me know that his nothing like my ex.
He understood that my past was going to come with me, He knew there was work needed to be done. He walked me through it, and that road wasn’t easy but it did get easier.
Being intimate was hard with my partner and still is today, in all honesty, because of the memories I have, it’s still a working battle but I’m able to talk about my past, and it’s made me stronger. I don’t hate on it. I just don’t wish it on anyone.
I’m quiet and chose my friends wisely but do you understand me?
I worked hard, so hard that my family even said I wouldn’t be able to with this depression that was circling me.
I found my happiness, in my partner.
I worked on better distractions, I even proved myself wrong, as well as my family.
I bought my first own car. I rented my first house to then buy our first house to then Buying my second car. I feel like I’ve done it all, have it all. A dream come true.
I’ve started a family and I don’t have it as hard as some people out there but I am grateful.
TL;DR** this is about my ex who think I had hope for 4 years, only to remind me that I was nothing more than just friends with benefits, he lied, cheated and much more. I’ve now moved on and I’m in a better place**
Thanks for reading! Something that’s needed to be said and I think this is the best place to have it.
I want to hear from you.
Were you in a similar position?
Did you have a toxic relationship?
How long did you keep thing going between you two?

Removed comments/submissions for /u/Valroz

best offline games for ipad 2020 video

The Best iPad Games for 2021. Sometimes your iPhone just isn't big enough to enjoy the best of iOS gaming. Grab your iPad and take advantage of the expanded screen real estate with these fun Bar some slightly blurry visuals on iPad Pro, this is the real deal – one of the best games in existence, carefully optimized for the touchscreen. Card Thief ($2.99/£2.99/AU$4.49) Deze offline spelletjes zonder wifi kun je spelen op iPhone en iPad. Omdat je deze games zonder internet kunt spelen heb je geen last van trage verbinding. Top 10 Best Free Offline Games For Android & iOS. There are loads of offline games for Android and iOS available via Google Play Store, and Apple’s App Store that does not require internet. Before I listing down with respect to their genre, it would be a nice idea to list down the top ten regardless of the genre. Minecraft Pocket Edition The best strategy games for iPad The best word games for iPad In this guide, we've rounded up the very best iPad games you can download right now, with something for everyone. / 20 Best Offline iphone (iOS) Games to Play Without Internet (2020) I may earn a small commission if you buy through the links in this website without any extra cost to you. My Recommendations however are not biased in any way. Top Offline iPhone and iPad Games Lined Up for You. There you go! So, these are my favorite offline iOS games. Now that you have known my favorites, it’s your turn to share your preferred collection. Besides, if you think that some games deserve to get a mention in this roundup, make sure to let me know their names as well. Best free iPad games 2020. We round up the 40 best free iPad games: our pick of the App Store for iOS gamers on a budget. And they aren't stuffed with adverts and costly IAPs, either. The best iOS games you can play offline on your iPhone and iPad This list is a rundown of our favorite paid and free games you can enjoy offline on your iPhone or iPad — anytime, anywhere. 30 Best Offline Games For iPad (Play Without Internet) It’s not always easy to find awesome games for iPad that can be played offline. iPads are the best devices for games because of the large screen size. Although iPhone screens are getting bigger with each release, nothing beats the iPad.

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Top 15 Best OFFLINE Games for Android & iOS 2020 Top 10 ...

Looking for something free to play on iPhone or Android? We've got you covered with some newly released mobile games.Subscribe for more: http://youtube.com/g... HEY GUYS, In This Video, I am Gonna Show You The Top 10 Best OFFLINE Games for Android 2020, Top 10 High Graphics OFFLINE Games for Android ... DOWNLOAD LINKS:https://www.phonearena.com/news/15-best-strategy-games-for-Android-and-iOS_id121469[00:00] Intro[00:15] #1 Rome: Total War — Barbarian Invasio... Hi folks, Welcome again in a brand new vidoe of top 15 best offline games for android & iOS 2020. Specifically in this game genre includes are: offline high ... Here's a list of 10 Best OFFLINE Games for Your Android so you can enjoy your time without internet or data connection.Top 20 Best Android Games 2020 You MUS... We round up the best games for iPhone and Android so far this year.#1 Call of Duty Mobile Source: Call of DutyApp Store link: https://apps.apple.com/au/app/c... Top 10 Best iPad Pro Games to get started with 2020. All the games have amazing game play and hence we feel these are Must Play games for your iPadTop 20 Bes... #1 Dungeon QuestDownload for iPhonehttps://apps.apple.com/us/app/dungeon-quest/id574486553Download for Androidhttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=c...

12 Best Offline Games for iPhone You Can Play in 2020 | Beebom

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What phones and laptops I've used in my life, and how I finally become a fan of Apple

My early experience with Apple

Smartphones I’ve used

Blackberry Q10 (2015 Aug-2016 Aug)

Nexus 6P (2016 Aug-2018 Jun)

iPhone 7 (2018 Jun-2018 Sep)

Galaxy A8 Star (2018 Sep-2019 Oct)

iPhone 11 (2019 Oct-)

1. Apollo App

2. Apple Pay

3. Updates

4. Pre-installed Apps

5. OS

Laptops I’ve used

ASUS laptop (2016 Mar-2017 Mar)

Dell XPS 13 9360 (2017 Mar-2019 Feb)

Surface Pro 6 (2019 Feb-2020 Jun)

MacBook Pro 13-inch 2017 (2020 Jul-)

My Current Apple Devices

What do I love about Apple now

1. Simplicity

2. Running smoothly out of box

3. Powerful ecosystem

4. Aesthetics and unified experience

5. Updates

[DEBUNKED] Did Phil Spencer really shoot down xCloud on Switch? | The Definitive Analysis

== Analysis ==

Xbox Live

Game Pass

1st Party Titles

In Conclusion

B-but, Nintendo gains NOTHING!!

Final Conclusion

When is Black Friday 2020? Early deals, predictions, and the latest news

[DEBUNKED] Did Phil Spencer really shoot down xCloud on Switch? | The Definitive Analysis

== Analysis ==

Xbox Live

Game Pass

1st Party Titles

In Conclusion

B-but, Nintendo gains NOTHING!!

Final Conclusion

Great deals for 6/23, including 4-Day Best Buy Apple sale, and a bunch of new Mac bundles from StackSocial

Great deals for 6/15, including great Apple hardware sales for Father’s Day, Pro Camera, Pyto, & more

Great deals for 5/25, including a massive Memorial Day sale at a Best Buy, Spend Stack, and more

Email List Building 2020: How To Create A Mailing List From Start To Finish?

Email marketing has the highest ROI – 42:1 – compared to any other form of communication. As such, it’s the best approach for businesses to build a relationship with their customers. Yet, if you are starting from square one, creating an impressive email list can feel like a Herculean task.

“A small list that wants exactly what you’re offering is better than a bigger list that isn’t committed.” – Ramsay Leimenstoll

In this article, we’ll cover the following email list building topics:

What Is An Email List?

Pre-Email List Building DOs and DON’Ts

DOs

DON’Ts

Email List Building Techniques

1) Don’t underestimate the power of pop-ups

2) Surprise potential subscribers with sign up CTAs on every page

3) Utilise your social media profiles

4) Add sign up/opt-in forms in your email signature

5) Use a referral program

6) Use gamification

7) Create powerful lead magnets

8) Try out telemarketing

9) Piggybacks and forwarding

11) Use the power of the printed press

12) Offline email list building

Final Thoughts

Open your Unlimited Sends one-month free trial today – after your first month with us you can switch to our FreeForever account giving you 12,500 sends to 2,500 contacts each and every month for free, forever. Corporate email marketing? Contact us.

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best offline games for ipad 2020 video