It's a fast-paced world, screaming faster with the acceleration of technological advance.  Should I enumerate? NO TIME!  Just hear me out and surf the brainshare. We've been lusting after the gizmos on Star Trek for years... so now that we have picture phones and planet-spanning InterWebs, even MORE functional than the show, why aren't we having INSANE AMOUNTS OF FUN with them?  (And if you're cheap, what's stopping you from having fun wherever it's found, for cheap or even free?)

Even the Amish have been using mobile phones! Why? Because unlike land lines, which draw you away from the workplace, mobile phones knit a closer community.  KAG won't dictate what mode of hobby you have to play, but just when did we miss this horse and buggy?

PICTURE PHONES
This two-dimensional image is a QR Barcode.  If a Smartphone has the app to read 'em, this particular code will take them straight to our KAG Domain website.  Save this image.  Make stickers and put 'em on posters for our room parties and other promotions.  Wanna make your own URL links?  Grab a program like qrencode, or use a site like qrstuff.com to do it online.

Smartphones do great stuff from using their cameras to scan, sharing with social media, even using the GPS for maps, directions, geocaching, and searching nearby food & fun.  But even cheap phones with cameras can share pictures and texts that bring us glory.  (A prepaid TracFone runs less than $6/month when you use as few monthly minutes as I do.) Yet they too can send photos to social media for updates to the party life.

Ringtones are another source of phone fun.  Got some favorite quotes/lines and sounds effects from the TV shows or movies?  Or maybe songs from Queen or other metal bands?  Let's hear what you got!  And in the spirit of showmanship, why not make a prop case cover to match your phone to your Klingon uniform?

THOSE INTERWEBS
I'm currently hooked on Google Maps, and just downloaded Google Earth last night.  What an amazing world we live in!  We can get satellite photos of routes and locations, even if they don't have street addresses!  Right-click a point on a map, choose "What's here?", and you now have a precise point on the planet with Latitude/Longitude coordinates.  Use "Save to Map" to collect it in "My Places," and before you know it you've made a whole map of adventurous rendezvous. (Link courtesy of my 'SpiesGuild' site.)  It's a great way to share locations and driving directions.  You can even customize it for graphic icons and overlays. (Although I haven't gotten that far yet.)

Maps aren't the only unexpected search engine.  YouTube is a great place to search for things as well.  It's dripping with HowTos, Introductions, Unveilings, and other video riches.  Learn to construct props and costumes.  Learn to make a Scavenger Hunt and other cheap fun (courtesy of Tiny Buddha).  Learn Geocaching from GroundSpeak.com or from HeadHardHat. (And when you're out as a team, sign those logs as "KAG.org!")

There's SO MUCH you can share on the Internet that attracts new participants.  Event calendars, MP3 Playlists, YouTube playlists, Photo Galleries, and much much more.  Learn from Sqo'tty MacKlingon about Setting Up A Facebook Page for Your Ship! Once you've done that, it's time to LIKE and link up with other KAG ships.  And don't forget to share your discoveries and resources in the KAG Forums set up by qurgh.

....and the beauty, out of all of this, is that the Internet can be accessed for FREE. I have friends and family whose only access to web and email comes from the Public Library.

KAG SWAG
Ask around and you can find stickers and T-shirts made by fellow KAG warriors.  Start with our Quartermasters.

What kind of KAG swag am I cooking up?  KAG TAGS: Trekable Artifacts!  I've been bringing home all kinds of toys from geocaching: Ammo cans, magnetic nanos, and now trackable dog tags.  But if you don't like paying the piper to play by GroundSpeak's rules for geocaching, then MAKE UP YOUR OWN!  Invent games where you CAN bury caches, you CAN link to web sites and waymarks, and you CAN write your own tracking database.  So once in place, I can issue new tracking codes for FREE, tag it onto items you trade at conventions, and let you assign MISSIONS and GOALS to these artifacts.  With tracking codes, their missions, travel maps, and photo galleries are all available online.  (See? Many geocaching activities can be done with NO GPS!)

SUMMARY
It's a new era with new toys.  It's time we make up new games.  The Future of Fun awaits us... In fact, it has already arrived!

 ~ KwISt
 [email protected]