When it comes to winning at life, the Internet has your back like a trusty pal or a well-worn but cosy cardigan.
Want directions to a much-raved-about pub? Ask Google. In a hurry and need to ring a local taxi firm? Do a quick search and voila! It even helps us freelance copywriters find those all-important facts and 'fillers' to pop into our articles and features.
When you really think about it, there isn't anything that the Internet hasn't made better. Or more convenient.
Or is there.....?
Yep. Just like that trusty old pal, the Internet may have let you (or anyone else, for that matter) down at least once. That age-old Sunday afternoon pastime - the pub quiz - is a prime example of the Internet, in all its smart Alec brilliantness, putting a dampener on things.
Okay, so the Internet doesn't make life less convenient all that often really. But in the case of the humble pub quiz, the lure of a sneaky Google search can take all the fun out of what should be a jolly good time lording it over your mates because you're more knowledgeable than they are. Chortle, chortle.
So, cue Leeds-born entrepreneur Mark Walsh (pictured far left, below) with his Google-proof interactive digital quiz platform, KwizzBit.
During a special launch night (organised by my good pal and former work colleague, Ellie of MacComms PR) Mark was able to showcase this pretty exciting new technology at Leeds' Editor's Draught pub - and what a launch night it was!
Essentially, it was about getting the word out about KwizzBit, which is a fastest-finger first quiz you play on your smart phone, but it was also a great opportunity to mingle with some pretty clever folks, too.
The fastest finger first element ensures there's no cheating, with a leader board kept (and updated!) on a central big screen in the pub. Making for an exciting quiz (you could actually see which team(s) were pipping you to the post as each answer became apparent) the technology is clearly very clever - and fool proof.
Grabbing a quick chat with Mark before the event, it was clear how passionate he was about this new venture. He's already founded a popular music-based bingo quiz, so it was pretty obvious that KwizzBit was going to be a hit (if you'll pardon the pun), too. And it was!
There was much hilarity as eager quiz players jabbed their smart phones in a bid to be the first to get the answer correct - and I'm certainly now a convert to mobiles being whipped out during socials down the pub.
Well done Mark and the MacComms team for pulling off a fantastic event. And cheers to Ellie for putting together a really gorgeous goodie bag, too. I enjoyed having a rummage through it when I got in after our quiz-based victory (we aced the music round, dontchaknow!); it features all sorts of lovely treats, including a candle from LubyLu and some delicious cold coffee from Artemis Cold Brew. Ta!