Are you hungry? If you’re a competitive food eater than the answer is always a resounding, “Yes!” Believe it or not competitive food eating is serious business. The most famous event is the annual Fourth of July Nathan’s Famous Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest. For years, this event had been dominated by Japanese native Takeru Kobayashi but in recent events American hero Joey Chestnut has brought the gold back home. How much gold? Try $10,000 smackers for cramming 68 hot dogs into your gullet in less than ten minutes. Do you have what it takes to become a competitive eater?

Image Source: TheEpochTimes.com

Dining With the Pros

Technically, any restaurant can set up a competitive eating event. There have been many a company picnic where gobbling pies is a fun event for all. However, if you want to have a sanctioned competitive eating event you need to turn to the MLE or Major League Eating organization. This is the official world body that oversees all professional eating contests. At least that’s what it says on their website. They do look pretty legit. Recent sponsored events have included the Hooters World Wing-Eating Championship Qualifier, the National Sweet Corn Eating Championship, the Deep-Fried Asparagus Eating Competition and the Foodabluza Oyster Eating Championship. That’s a lot of fast eating.

Image Source: BoweryBoogie.com

So, what does it take to be a champion? It’s not always a big stomach, although that helps. Reigning female champ Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas only tips the scales at 100 pounds. Every eater has their own methods for winning. Here are two of the most popular:

Chipmunking: Wherein you stuff you mouth with as much food as possible, filling out your cheeks in the final seconds of the contest. There are some who think chipmunking is a cheat. We’ll leave that for history to decide.

Dunking: This is where you can dunk your food into water or some other liquid to make it go down faster. However, if the event is honoring picnic style rules then it’s straight up chewing and swallowing and you have to clean your plate. Literally.

Competitive eaters are also encouraged to eat what agrees with them. If a “purge” occurs anytime during the contest that is grounds for automatic disqualification. You should also try to exercise before the event. Playing HALO for hours on end is not good prep work. Other competitors eat pounds of lettuce leading up to the event in order to expand their stomach. All for the fame and glory.

Image Source: EpochTimes.com

Winner Takes All

Among some of the most noteworthy competitive eating record holders are:

· 22 oz Sports Slurpee knocked by in nine seconds by Patrick Bertoletti

· Six pounds of baked beans in one minute and 48 seconds by Don Lemon

· Three pounds of pickled beef tongue in 12 minutes by Dominic Cardo

· Five pounds of birthday cay in 11 minutes and 26 seconds by Richard LeFevre

· 80 chicken nuggets in five minutes by Sonya Thomas

· 57 pounds of cow brains in 15 minutes by Takeru Kabayashi

· 65 hardboiled eggs in six minutes and 40 seconds by Sonya Thomas

· 118 jalapeno poppers in 10 minutes by Joey Chestnut

Still hungry? Well, if you have a hankering for steak you can actually turn your iPoll survey rewards into some juicy steaks from Omaha Steaks. Just don’t rush through your meal unless there is a prize waiting for you at the end of the meal.

Inspiration comes in many forms. For Sir Isaac Newton all it took was an apple falling on his head to make the startling discovery, “Hey, things fall… plus gravity.” Benjamin Franklin was inspired by lightening to see if he could harness that power. He could. Legend has it that Thomas Edison actually saw a light bulb appear over his head which inspired him to invent the light bulb. (Okay, that one might not be true.) As for out next generation of leaders, where will they get their inspiration from? One terrific source is HOBY or the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership organization. For over 54 years, HOBY has been getting teens excited about service and leadership. They’ve also managed to forge friendships which last a lifetime. That’s why HOBY is one of iPoll’s charities that matter and, yes, you can help!

Image Source: NSHSS.org

The HOBY Mission

HOBY has a mission: “To inspire and develop our global community of youth and volunteers to a life dedicated to leadership, service and innovation.” They also have a vision: “To motivate and empower individuals to make a positive difference within our global society, through understanding and action, based on effective and compassionate leadership.” How do they accomplish their mission and bring their vision into focus? Through a series of leadership seminars and conferences, HOBY teaches the kinds of skills that benefit students as they prepare to head off to college and enter the workforce for the first time. Most importantly, they elevate the desire to help others through service. Most of the instructors at the HOBY events are previous participants. In other words, they are paying it forward.

Image Source: HOBYOhio.org

HOBY sponsors seminars in school all around the world. Last year, they added 499 new schools to their roster of active participants. Khalil Coffield from Dallas, Texas was a recent HOBY ambassador and his experience was a game changer.

“After attending my local seminar I decided to change a lot about myself, and try to make a difference with what I learned at HOBY,” said Khalil. “Inspired by Megan Meier’s story from my seminar, I have started my own anti-bullying organization called ‘Don’t Lose Hope’ to prevent teens who are bullied from committing suicide by spreading the message of hope and letting them know that they have people here in the world that loves them. I was once one of those teens; in my life I have been bullied several times and attempted suicide due to some of the things I was going through at home. I wrote a list of all of the reasons I should live, and all the reasons I shouldn’t and I couldn’t come up with one reason I shouldn’t live. I am now using my voice to speak for those teens that are afraid to speak for themselves.”

World Leadership Congress

The World Leadership Congress is referred to as the HOBY Super Bowl. This is where all the participants from the various local seminars gather in one place to share what they’ve learned. This is a nine-day event with over 400 HOBY ambassadors from all across America and places like China, Mexico, Canada, Germany and Argentine. During this intensive conference there are panel discussions, interactive workshops, training exercises and one-on-one counseling that fires up these teens like nothing else. Think of it as a model U.N. on steroids.

Image Source: AL.ODU.edu

Pitch In

What the HOBY kids bring back to their communities is having a direct and positive impact. Lives are being changed and you can get in on all the action. HOBY is always looking for volunteers to conduct their leadership seminars and they’ll do all the training. You can also make a donation with… wait for it… your iPoll rewards! Just think your next mobile mission could help support a future world leader. Talk about six degrees of iPoll!

Working from home does have it advantages. You can make your own schedule. You save on commute time and you can be here to make sure the dog doesn’t go after the mailman. On the other hand, nothing beats getting out into the real world and going on a mission. I’ve had several successful iPoll Mobile Army missions thus far but for today’s excitement I decided to stay close at home and live blog taking iPoll Surveys. What follows is the actual survey taking. Fasten your seatbelts:

Image Source: NewHomesSection.com

10:29 Upon clicking on to iPoll I’m hit with a banner telling me I can qualify for a new survey. I’m down. Turns out we’re talking magazines. Since getting my iPad reading magazines has gotten a whole lot better. I’m not an exclusive online reader. Plus it makes me feel like I’m on Star Trek.

10:31: The survey I just qualified for says it will take 15 minutes. It never takes that long.

10:32: First up a little demographic background. They need this to get a broad sample. Full disclosure: Sometimes I don’t qualify for a survey. It would be extremely embarrassing to go through all of this set up and miss out on the survey.

10:33: They want to make sure I don’t work in certain industries and that I am the primary buyer of stuff. No and yes. It’s good to be in charge of my household. Now if only I could balance my checkbook.

10:34: Rats! This survey is no longer available. Not a problem because iPoll has plenty more to choose from!

10:35: Starting a new survey. This one is only going to take 7 minutes. Fingers crossed.

10:36: Hot dog! It’s a food survey. This is perfect because I didn’t know what I was going to have for lunch.

Image Source: Sonoma-glenellenmkt.com

10:41: They sneaked in a test to make sure I’m really reading the survey. Have no fear, iPoll. I read every line!

10:43: Looks like I’ll be surveying about California Pizza Kitchen. Guess where I’m headed for lunch? I might even post my own restaurant review.

10:48: Survey done. Money in my bank. Stomach rumbling. Do I dare roll the dice for another survey? Oh yeah!

10:50: Looks like it’s a movie survey. Ironically, next to eating watching movies is my favorite thing to do. Thanks iPoll. It’s a list of summer blockbusters and iPoll wants to know if I’ve heard of them. Oh yeah.

Image Source: HDWpapers.com

10:51: Now I’m being asked about slogans used in movie advertising. I’m totally going to nail this.

10:52: Nailed it. Money in the account. FYI that survey said it would take ten minutes. By my live blogging calculations it was only 3 minutes.

Things to do today: Go to CPK for lunch. Go to see Star Trek: Into Darkness. Cash in my iPoll rewards. Sounds like a full rich day on many levels.

Do you cringe when asked to pick a wine at a restaurant? Is it easier for you to just say, “Something from a grape?” Perhaps you need a crash course in wine. You’re in luck because no matter where you live you’re sure to find a wine tasting event. In fact, this could be a perfect event to add to your bucket list.These are usually held by restaurants, wine clubs or even your local wine store. If you can make it to an actual wine distillery all the better. Now if you think that a wine tasting is just for the Park Avenue set you’d be wrong. It’s wine. Anybody can taste it! Of course, there is nothing wrong with wanting to look “cool” at a wine tasting. Thankfully, I’ve been to many a wine tasting and have come off extremely cool (honest). Here’s how you can get the most out of your next wine tasting event if that wine tasting will be your first.

Image Source: InsideIWM.com

Look, Smell, Taste

The first thing you want to do with wine tasting is check the color. Red or white? Sure but there are shades and variations of shades which determine the type of wine. You’ll then want to swirl the wine in the glass to release the fragrant aromas. Take note of what you’re smelling. That could actually influence what you’ll be tasting. Finally, take a sip. There are some pro wine tasters who like to swish a wine around like a mouthwash. They might think this is releasing the flavors but it’s kind of silly. Another thing the snobby wine tasters do is spit out the wine after swishing it around. Why would you waste a perfectly good gulp of wine? Swallow away because that’s really the best way to get the taste.

Now that you’ve done all that, take a moment to discuss. Hopefully, the person pouring the wine will know what they’re pouring. At a restaurant these are the referred to as the sommelier. (Full disclosure: I had no idea how to spell “sommelier” so I just Googled: “What’s that wine guy in a restaurant?” Thanks Google.) As they are pouring that should tell you want flavors you might taste. These are also referred to as “notes.” As in, “I’m getting a note of strawberry.” BTW, the more times you can say stuff like that, the cooler you’ll sound.

Image Source: Coreyblake.com

Pass the Cheese

In between wines, you’ll want to cleanse your pallet. That just means getting the taste of the wine out of your mouth. A nice slice of cheese ought to do the trick. Just make sure it’s not too strong because you don’t want to wipe out those notes. (See what I did there?) Actually, wine and cheese pairing parties are all the rage. You might also find that after tasting all of those wines that you’re getting quite buzzed. Have a designated driver for the night or rent a limo. Again, all based on personal experience!

Image Source: Accentwine.com

As you make your way through several wine choices be sure to take note of your favorites. It could be a type or a specific label. Depending on where the tasting is taking place you might be able to pick up a couple of bottles of the squeezed grape right then and there. Not matter what happens, the next time you order wine in a restaurant you should know what you’re doing. Tasting wine could unlock your desire to taste more. Nothing wrong with that because wine is good for you. Wine Spectator Magazine can help you pick your next wine and bring you up to date on all the happenings in the world of wine. Don’t have a subscription to Wine Spectator? You’re in luck because iPoll offers that as one of the many rewards for taking surveys. Answer a few questions, earn some bank and become a wine connoisseur. What could be cooler than that?

So, what is your favorite wine? How many times have you seen “Sideways?”

Back in the day when we needed to clear out our closets or garages we would hold a yard sale. This meant dragging all the junk out to the front lawn, putting up a couple of signs and then waiting for the bucks to rain in. Chances are you might have had a few items which someone picked up but more often you had to drag all that junk right back where it came from. The real problem with yard sales is a lack of foot traffic. Without that you have no customers. Enter eBay. This is the online auction site that was founded in 1995. Legend has it that the first item sold was a broken laser pointed that went for $14.83 to someone who apparently collects broken laser points. At first, eBay was focused on selling collectibles but that soon changed and now just about anything and everything is put up for auction. Their “buy now” feature lets you skip over the auction process and get what you want right away. That’s certainly giving online marketplace Amazon a run for the money. From the sublime to the ridiculous, you’ll find it on eBay.

Image Source: Examiner.com

Food Look Alikes

Most of us dig into a bag of Cheetos or potato chips without thinking much about what they look like. Boy, are we wasting a golden opportunity. There have been many eBay auctions centered on special food look alike items. You’ll also have religious icons popping up on pieces of toast or grilled cheese sandwiches. However, one Nebraska women hit the mother-load with a Chicken McNugget shaped like our founding father George Washington. That sold for $8,000. Another man is hoping to cash in on the love of all things royal by selling a jellybean with the face of Kate Middleton. Then there was the cornflake shaped like Illinois that sold for $1,350. Honest. This will make you rethink that next bag of salty snacks, huh? Fear not. There are insightful steps for follow for how to sell a potato chip that looks like a celebrity.

Image Source: Roamingtheplanet.com

Haunted History

There are rules for what you can sell on eBay. For instance, no human organs can be sold but apparently that doesn’t apply to passed kidney stones. The original Star Trek’s Captain Kirk, William Shatner, passed a stone and sold it on eBay to support his favorite charity. It went for $75,000. The actual window frame that was used by Lee Harvey Oswald sold for over $3 million. If ever there was something that would be haunted it would be that thing. There have also been haunted dolls, haunted keys, haunted paintings and haunted mirrors. There was even a ghost trapped in a jar put up for auction. In fact, there are so many haunted items offered on eBay that they published their own guide to buying haunted items. That can probably best be summed up with the Latin phrase “caveat emptor.” Translation: Buyer beware!

Image Source: Creepyhollows.com

Buy Now, Buy Often

In 2002, eBay bought PayPal which makes bidding and buying a breeze. As it happens, adding to your PayPal account is another of the many rewards offered at iPoll. You can transform survey questions into eBay bucks with a click of the mouse. The downside of eBay actions are when they turn into an obsession. Yes, we’re talking about full-blown hoarding. Hopefully, your quest for a childhood toy or unique pair of salt and pepper shakers won’t turn you into a crazy eBay shopper. (Full disclosure: I recently purchase a G.I. Joe and a Bugs Bunny salt and pepper shaker.)

What have you bought or sold on eBay? Let us know!

Image Source: Lovethesecretingredient.net

What are the best summer jobs for teens? Consider these options:

1)    Lawn Care: Clearly this is a location specific type of job. Not a lot of call for lawnmowers in downtown Chi town. However, if the teen resides in grass country then mowing lawns is a time-honored tradition to put some extra shackles in their pocket. The issue becomes bring your own mower or use the owner’s mower. Either way can work if you keep it in the neighborhood.

2)    Food Service: Yes, this would be the proverbial burger-flipping job but there’s nothing wrong with that. The food service industry is one segment of the workforce that is always hiring. Whether you’re a server, cook or clean up (go busboys!) it’s a good job.

Image Source: Biteandbooze.com

3)    Movie Theater Worker: As it happens, my second job after busboy was as a movie usher. Great benefits if you consider watching new movies for free and having all the popcorn you can eat as benefits… which I do.

4)    Camp Counselor/Life Guard: Nothing wrong with spending your summer outdoors especially if you can get paid for that. As camp counselor there could be an added bonus of having the teen go away for the summer. Yes, they will be missed but it’s a go prep for college. As a lifeguard, your teen will need to learn life saving techniques which is always nice to know. There are also opportunities to work at themeparks like Disneyland, Six Flags or other resorts.

5)    Tutoring: If you’ve got a good student why not put those skills to work. There are many opportunities for a teen to be a tutor with younger students who want to stay academically tuned during the summer or prep for the dreaded SATs.

6)    Internship: Around the time that a teen starts looking for their first job might also be the time when they are figuring out what they are going to do with the rest of their lives. No pressure! For someone who has an inkling about what industry they’d like to go into a summer internship could be just the ticket. If nothing else, it will either reinforce their career path or set them on a new road.

7)    Start a Business: Don’t you love stories of teenage moguls making millions of dollars overnight? Well, that next mogul could be sitting on your sofa playing Halo. Why not encourage your teen to start their own business. There is dog-walking, house cleaning/sitting and/or car detailing that can be done all within walking distance of the home. There are plenty of resources to help a teen set up a business. If it happens that their business takes off maybe you can ask them for a job!

Image Source: Jasminewanders.com

8)    Survey Taker: Here comes the shameless plug. Another great way for a teen to earn some extra cash is getting them signed up with iPoll. They happen to be in a demographic sweet spot that can open up plenty of survey taking opportunities. That’s easy money for sure.

What was your first summer job? Good experience? Horror story? Did it set you on your career path? Let us know!

If given the right amount of lumber and the perfect set of tools would you know how to build a house from the ground up? There are many stories about grandparents building homes for their family. There was even a time when you could order a home building kit from Sears. According to the instructions it only took 90 days to build a house from scratch. There is one organization that has home building down to a science and that is Habitat for Humanity. This is a non-profit international organization the believes, “every man, woman and child should have a decent, safe and affordable place to live.” To achieve that goal, a veritable legion of volunteers have been building and repairing homes all over the world since 1968. Since then thousands upon thousands of families have been given a new lease on life with a new lease on a home.

Image Source: UCSummit.org

How Habitat Works

Habitat works strictly through volunteers and donations. Money collected goes towards all the construction materials and site management. They also have a restore store that takes in collections and sells them with the money going directly to Habitat. I can personally attest to the benefit of this part of the organization. I had a bunch of furniture I needed to get rid of and called Habitat for Humanity. They sent a truck over and two capable workers and in a flash the furniture was packed up. All it cost me was a $5 fuel charge. Such a bargain. That furniture will go to be refurbished and resold to be reused at the ReStore. Really.

There is a misconception that Habitat for Humanity builds homes and then just gives them away. The truth is that families who are sponsored by Habitat are asked to make a down payment on the home. They also need to contribute up to 500 hours of “sweat equity” either building their home or someone else’s. That’s a great investment that builds ownership pride. Habitat for Humanity also steps in when disaster strikes. They lead the rebuilding charge after Hurricane Katrina and are now helping out the victims of Super Storm Sandy.

Image Source: Delgado90.blogspot.com

How To Help

One of the most famous supporters of Habitat for Humanity is former President Jimmy Carter. Even at the age of 88 he still volunteers one week a year at a Habitat site. On any given weekend, there is a Habitat build going on somewhere in the world and chances are they would appreciate a helping hand. You can volunteer with a local chapter or coordinate a trip abroad to build. What skills do you need? A good attitude. Everything else will be taught. There are experienced construction supervisors at every site. If you can’t climb a ladder to put up a roof you can probably paint the interior. If you can swing a hammer all the better but that’s not required. All that is really needed is your time.

Imagesource: TheAtlantic.com

The other way to help is with a donation. Not only can you donate furniture but also your car. The ReStores are online to make purchases of the refurbished furniture. Of course, cold hard cash is always welcomed. Many building teams from college campuses, companies, civic organizations and church groups fire up their own fundraising efforts to coincide with a building weekend. Here at iPoll we make giving to Habitat for Humanity as easy as clicking your mouse. Habitat is one of the designated charities that matter where you can transfer your bank account cash. Just think; that donation is going to help a build a house. Pretty cool. Have you ever volunteered for Habitat? Share your stories!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So says everybody. Okay, I get it, I eat breakfast to get charged up and fuel my day. Happily, I’m a big fan of breakfast with “eggs anyway” and “blueberry pancakes anytime” topping the list. However, there is one go-to breakfast staple we can all agree and that would be cereal. Actually, we can agree on cereal as a concept for breakfast but when it comes to personal preferences it’s “Katy bar the door” (which means there are way too many choices for breakfast cereal). So it was with great excitement and awesomeness that my last iPoll mobile mission involved cereals. Who would have thunk it?

Image Source: Consumerpsych.blogspot.com

Scanning Cereal Barcodes

Here’s how it went down: I tapped into my iPoll iPad app and found a survey about cereals. Color me there. After answering a few background questions I was selected to participate in the survey. Much to my delight, this survey was going to add $10 to my iPoll bank. That’s a lot of bank for answering questions. Off to the grocery story I went and made a beeline to the cereal aisle which happens to be my favorite aisle in the store. All I had to do was pick my cereal and scan the barcode. Then the iPoll survey got cheeky. It asked, “If you couldn’t but this cereal what would you do?” My pick was Cocoa Pebbles and my first response would have been “panic.” Then I went ahead and scanned a couple of other box picks and answered some questions about whether it was on sale or not. When that was done, I had to shoot a picture of my receipt to prove that I actually bought the Cocoa Pebbles in question and done. Mission accomplished and bucks in the bank. It was the best tasting bowl of cereal I ever had.

Image Source: Flickr.com

The Prize Inside

Full disclosure: Cocoa Pebbles is a guilty pleasure cereal pick. Most often the cereals I buy tend to waver on the healthier side of things. High fiber? Good for the heart? Sure but every now and then I like a blast from the past for breakfast. Like many, my love for cereal started young. Nothing beat a heaping bowl of Captain Crunch while watching Saturday morning cartoons. As a young lad, I would gravitate towards picking a cereal depending on the prized contained within the box. If you had siblings then there were well-established protocols to see who got the prize. You either let fate decide by waiting for the prize to pour out or you dived in with both hands digging through the sugary goodness until you captured the treasure. I was a digger.

As it happens, I wished I held onto those prizes. Apparently, there is a big business in collecting cereal prizes. No doubt you’d be able to find the cereal prize that got away up for sale on eBay. For that matter, collecting vintage cereal boxes is also a fun hobby shared by many. Famous sports stars on Wheaties boxes are among the most sought collectibles in this arena. This was a great marketing campaign that the connected Wheaties with sports performance. For the athletes, you didn’t make it until you made it onto a a Wheaties’ box. There have been many discontinued cereals which means anyone who has a rare box of cereal is sitting on a true treasure, at least by collector’s standards.

Image Source: Livingdowntown.com

Today, cereal is still a big business. In fact, there are cereal restaurants that have popped up all over the country. It’s actually a clever idea because how could you get a negative restaurant review if everyone knows exactly what the menu tastes like? Here’s a sidebar survey: What’s your favorite cereal? Do you remember any prizes? What cereal do you miss the most? We want to know!

Have you tried Groupon yet? No? Then you’re missing out on an awesome amount of discounts. Groupon is a mega discount site that offers daily deals targeted to your specific neck of the woods. You sign onto Groupon with your email address and locale. Then you get to pick the type of discounts you’d most appreciate. Categories include foodie, fresh air, home improvement, good for kids, pampered, pet lover, healthy living. Adrenaline, road trip, will call and new car smell. I’m focused on foodie, home improvement, pampered and pet lover (otherwise my dog would never forgive me). Then you’re presented with daily deals. You buy those deals directly through Groupon for the advertised and deeply discounted price, print out the Groupon coupon and off you go. Piece of cake right? (Note to self: check for cake Groupons). Here are some important tips you should follow to help you get your Groupon On.

Image Source: Planetwhale.com

Wait Before Your Buy

Today on my Groupon suggestions is a swell looking whale-watching cruise for two in Long Beach, California. That’s perfect because right in the top 50 of my bucket list is whale watching so why not click it now? Best to wait. First, I need to find someone to watch whales with. Then coordinate their schedule. Then figure out how long a day this will be because, you know, the dog. A lot of factors to factor in. There are some Groupons that are easy to click and buy without giving it a second thought but you really want to think before you buy because once your do you’re stuck with the deal. (Note to self: Find someone to go whale watching with and someone else to walk the dog.)

Check the Reviews

Since we all have opinions about everything and we now get to share them online, cross check your Groupon especially if it’s a new place you’ll be going to. What good is getting a discount at a restaurant that has been universally panned by reviewers? This is especially important if you’re using a Groupon for traveling. It would be horrible to plan out your dream vacation only to end up at the Bates Motel. (Note to self: Double-check the locks on the bathroom door.)

Image Source: AETV.com

Read the Fine Print

Ahhh, the dreaded fine print. The very bane of our existence as consumers. Every Groupon deal comes with fine print details. There could be restrictions on when you can use the Groupon. There might be a time limit. Bottom line: Read the bottom line.

Be Flexible With the Business

Businesses who use Groupon are doing so for a major influx of customers. You might find that when you show up to cash in your Groupon there are already crowds waiting to do the same thing. This could be a new experience for a slow restaurant. Just be patient. If there is a crowd and you can come back, do so. If not then embrace the good deal you’re getting and make some friend with your fellow Groupon groupies.

Image Source: Ascportfolios.org

Here at iPoll we’re big fans of Groupon. In fact, we offer Groupon gift cards that you can use for any discount. Do your missions, bank your bucks and cash out with Groupon. After that you’ve got to tell us the great deals you got! Hopefully, I’ll be uploading pictures of whales ASAP!

“A cathode ray tube amusement device.” That’s how the first video game was described and the U.S. Patent Office issued that particular patent in 1947. However, it would take another thirty years before the video game would be mass produced and hold the world captive. As with most of the cool stuff we have, video games started out as a college project among a few uber computer geeks. The first coin operated video arcade game was built in 1971. It was Galaxy Game which was a precursor to the popular Space Invaders. Yet it was really a video version of tennis which opened the floodgates for all the video games to follow. All  you needed was a pizza for sustenance and a TV and you could go all night long. We’re talking about Pong and yes, it was a game changer.

Image Source: Games.softpedia.com

To Atari and Beyond

The concept for Pong was simple. You could play against the machine or another player. All you had to do was move a paddle vertically up and down and smack a ball over a net. The game was so popular in arcades that many of the machines were broken because of jammed quarters. In 1975, Atari introduced a home version of Pong with a video game console that could only play Pong. This console was soon adapted to accept game cartridges. By 1978, Space Invaders was all the rage and poor little Pong was left in the dust.

While home video gaming consoles were limited, the 70s and early 80s became the golden era of arcade games. In 1982, video arcade games generated upwards of $2 billion in revenue and it was all in quarters. This is when Pac Man was gobbling up everyone’s time. If you couldn’t get on the Pac Man machine then you’d be equally enthralled with Asteroids, Galaxian or Centipede. However, it wasn’t all skittles for gaming companies. In 1983 there was a video console crash and it would take years before it came back with a vengeance.

Image Source: Dorkhorde.blogspot.com

The Box Revolution

In the mid 80s home video game makers went belly up as personal computer gaming took over. Every house was getting its own computer which meant the need for games to keep people busy when they weren’t trying to figure out how Windows worked. Then a funny thing happened: TVs got a lot better. So did computer technology. All those home PCs improved manufacturing and home video consoles started to make a comeback and it was the PlayStation which lead the charge.

The fifth generation of consoles released between 1993 and 2006 was adapted 32 and 64 bit processing. Sony’s PlayStation console proved to be very popular with games like Super Mario Brothers. Sony was also the first to mass produce high-end hand held game consoles with the PlayStation Portable or PSP. Now you could take your video games wherever you wanted to. In 2005, Microsoft introduced the Xbox 360 which featured HD graphics, HDMI connections, huge hard drive storage to save games and integration with online gaming. This is where Halo lives and it became yet another game changer for the gaming industry. It seems as though every year Sony and Microsoft get into their own version of a battle to see who has the coolest console. That’s good news for gamers who enjoy being the first for the latest upgrades.

Image Source: ps3news.com

Today’s video games are in 3D with surround sound. You can play against a rival half a world away and download updates through your TV. We’ve come a long way since Pong and there appears to be no end in sight for this multibillion-dollar industry. Thanks to iPoll you have a chance to turn your reward bank into game playing with Xbox LIVE Microsoft Points. So, what’s your video game addiction? Sim City? Call of Duty? Grand Theft Auto? What’s the longest you’ve ever played a game?