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  • Small and Sleek, Personal 3D Scanning Is Getting Better with Bridge

    Imagine a virtual world that is based on your favorite, private getaway location. Picture your child's playroom rendered in detail and used as the basis of a mobile game personalized just for him. The possibilities for augmented reality can take on a whole new meaning when the reality is yours. What might people create if they could generate 3D scans with their standard mobile device? The developers at Occipital, the company that created Red Laser and the 360Panorama application, want to know. Occipital has unveiled the Structure Sensor, a small, sleek and shiny 3D scanner that can attach to a standard mobile device such as an iPad. Their goal is to create an entirely new ecosystem of mobile applications that are based on accessible, easily generated 3D scans. Occipital is well on the way with a highly successful Kickstarter campaign that raised over $1 million in just four weeks. Structure Sensor 3D: Sleek, Small and Snappy Although 3D scanners have existed in the marketplace for a while, they are mostly desk bound; the few portable scanners are both costly and clunky. The Structure 3D is different. Small and handy, this mobile scanner can be carried around as easily as your smartphone. With a light-weight, aluminum case and a minimalist design, this scanner is also a beautiful piece of hardware. The scanner comes with four demo applications: You can create an accurate 3D rendering of your entire room simply by pointing the scanner as you walk around the room. Object detection lets you find and scan individual items. You can generate output for both CAD software and 3D printers, and you can also send your 3D object scan directly to Shapeways for printing. Bouncing balls demonstrate the physics of motion while you watch and see how moving objects interact with your scanned area. If you are in a playful mood, you can enjoy virtual pets that populate your rendered rooms. 3D Applications: A Legion of Cutting-Edge Developers These demo applications show the capability of the mobile scanner, but what Occipital really wants is an entire suite of 3D mobile applications geared for the general public. Just as Instagram and Snapchat are used across the globe by people of all ages to capture their memories in pictures, Occipital wants to create similarly popular mobile 3D scanning applications. Clearly, this suite of applications will require an large, excited group of mobile developers, and Occipital is gathering just that with its 45 day Kickstarter campaign aimed squarely at the development community. For around $300, a developer can get the Structure Sensor, SDK and demo source code, and, more importantly, be on the cutting edge of new technology. The Kickstarter campaign raised over $1 million in the first four weeks alone, amply demonstrating that the development community is sold on easily accessible, mobile 3D scanning. The scanner runs on iOS devices via the new Apple Lightning connector. However, Occipital knows that it needs to reach all of the popular mobile platforms, so the company has deliberately designed the scanner in an open fashion. It offers a Hacker Kit for developers who work on the other mobile platforms. The kit includes Occipital's USB Hacker Cable to allow developers to connect via a standard USB port, open CAD models for creating custom brackets to fit alternate devices and open source drivers for Android, Linux, Windows and OS X environments. Given Occipital's road map, it looks like the general public does not have long to wait. Occipital has launched a new project available for pre-order the Bridge. Unlike their last project the pre-ordering of Occiptal's latest contraption is not on the popular crowdfunding platforms but available on their site.

    Christopher Moore
    01.17.2017

  • 5 Most Amazing Gadgets To Make Your Home Smart

    From smartphones to 'smart homes,' technology has encapsulated almost every aspect of one's life. Today, there are thousands of products available in the market, which are changing the way we live. Automatic thermostats, smart light bulbs, motion recognizing televisions, smartphone-controlled windows, technologically is evolving at a faster rate than ever and so is our lifestyle. Some independent, others integrated to perform with existing commonly used devices. Here are the best gadgets available in the market that will make your home smart and life easier. THE ITBED ITBED is a smart bed equipped with sensors that record and analyze movements, heart rate, breathing and more as you sleep. This data is then analyzed using the SleepIQ app, which in turn provides valuable personalized insights such as best sleep time, bed firmness, information about sleep patterns, etc. Even the firmness of the bed itself can be adjusted with the app that can easily be installed on smartphones and tablets. Stack Smart LED Bulbs But these smart LED bulbs are designed to automatically turn on/off by detecting the presence of a person in the room and use electronic sensors for these features. Each bulb is equipped with a smart sensor that reacts instantly the moment anyone enters or leaves the room. No more forgetting to turn the lights off as you exit the house with these installed. Samsung Family HUB Refrigerator The Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator is perhaps the most innovative of its kind out there in the market. It is equipped with three cameras that automatically capture images and email them to defined recipients the moment its door is opened. It also has a touchscreen which lets you type in and leave messages/notes for family members, watch TV, play your favorite music and do a whole lot more. IHOME ISP5 Smart Plug This smart plug can be controlled using a smartphone from anywhere. Using this, one can schedule to turn the plug off or on and even do so instantly. A simple yet very effective solution that not only adds convenience but also helps save energy which is often lost as a result of forgetfulness. Ecobee3 Ecobee3 is a smart thermostat that allows even temperature control across all rooms. The thermostat comes with wireless sensors that are placed in different places and record temperatures independently. Once a certain specified temperature is reached, these sensors send a signal to the thermostat, which then disrupts/allows flow of heat or cold to ensure that the right temperature is maintained across all rooms at all times. Bottom Line When I launched my website Electrician Training Hub a few years ago, I had no idea that a day will come when these smart gadgets will replace traditional ones so soon. The best part of the whole scenario is that you don't have to be a technical expert or need to take training (From mine or any other institute) to operate these smart devices. Technology has changed the way we live, and we should be thankful enough to the genius minds behind these 'smart' inventions.

    Shekhar Mishra
    01.16.2017

  • The Advancement Of Games And Their Influence In The Present Day

    Technology is one of the fastest growing sectors in the world, we all have the help of technology, newspapers that once made millions with their newspapers now focus on their publications on the Internet and are increasingly gaining space. The truth is that the web has dominated the world at an impressive speed, and the ease of enjoying these technologies are getting better. The games are an evolution of this technology, available for different types of consoles they have been moving Billions of dollars every year, and it is amazing how they manage to evolve their graphics and functionalities every year, today there is a multitude of games, however not everything is just joy. Many consider these games to be a threat to children as children have access to games with heavy weaponry in a simulation world very similar to real life. According to Whitney DeCamp, an associate professor of sociology at Western Michigan University, some studies have revealed the connection between kids playing violent video games and violent behavior. But there is a problem with "looking at those two things in a vacuum": Kids who like to play brutal video games may have a predisposition towards aggression, he said. Reports of a study by the American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics that more than 90% of children in the United States play video games. Among kids between the ages of 12 and 17, the number rises to 97%. More important, 85% or more of video games on the market contain some form of violence. You can read more by clicking here. The influence of the Games With an impressive success, Minecraft that was released in 2011 reached the second best selling game place in the world losing only to Tetris. But unlike most games that focus only on surviving in a square world, with the primary focus on mining their minerals and building interesting things, there are a few bugs called Mobs that are there to liven up the adventure even more. The game is very stimulating for the brain because it requires fast reasoning, and concentration for crafting materials in the game, these stimuli in the brain can stimulate a child's intelligence in an incredible way. The game has already been deployed in several colleges around the world, with a slightly different version of the original available for home play, where teachers can spend their activities and narrate and help their students being their private guide. If you are curious about the game and want to test before presenting your children, the game can be easily downloaded for free from Google or purchased by the official game site, some computers may not run the game appropriately and there it will be necessary to have Optifine HD modification to the game that allows most computers to execute the game smoothly, essential for anyone who has an older computer. It is a way of using technology and the influence of games on children, games that may not be so safe for their children, but others like this can be very important for the correct development of children, all that is needed is a good Care of the parents with the control of hours that the child will be entitled to play. If you have the curiosity to know a little more about games and especially about Minecraft, you can read here in Wikipedia all about the game.

    John Stevens
    01.15.2017

  • 7 Most Important Features You Require In A Device Optimizer App

    Most of us are tired of our Android or IOS device's deteriorating slow performance. Be it any device of any manufacturer or model, millions of smartphone users out there experience this on a daily basis. It is precisely the reason there are thousands of applications available for download that claim to improve device performance by tailoring/manipulating features as per usage. Believe it or not, the demand for such apps is increasing at a faster rate than ever. I personally have tried tons of apps looking for perfect one which has features that I require. One such app, which increases device performance by cleaning memory and more, is Power Clean – Optimize Cleaner. Available for free download on 'Play Store' and 'App Store' for both Android and IOS devices respectively, Power Clean packs in a number of useful features that improve device performance without compromising usage or control. 7 Features A Device Optimizer Should Have That Power Clean Provides 1. Application Manager App Manager option allows management of both pre-installed (factory installed) and self-installed applications. With this feature, users can disable applications, backup necessary ones and remove those unwanted, including redundant installation packages. App Manager is the first and most important feature that any optimizer app should have. 2. Memory Boost One of the main reasons for slow device performance is running background applications. Power Clean has a 'Memory Boost' option, which stops background applications, auto-start important ones, and also cleans RAM to improve device performance. 3. Junk Clean The Junk Clean' feature of allows easy cleaning of device storage space including cache memory, folders, cluttered data and a whole lot more. This is the most common feature you will find in all device cleaning and optimizing apps. 4. Duplicate Photos Remover This is a good one. Power Clean also has an independent, duplicate-photos-removing feature that automatically scans and displays redundant pictures. Users can then manually scroll through the list; select/deselect pictures as per preferences and finalize removal to free storage space. 5. App Lock With the 'App Lock' feature, users can secure applications like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Gallery and more to enhance the privacy of personal accounts and/or private data. It is one big reason why Power Clean has been downloaded close to 100 Million times on play store. 6. Display Device Information The 'Device Information' option allows easy on-screen retrieval of important information such as storage space, CPU status, device temperature, hardware specifications, Graphics Processing Unit information, memory (RAM) usage and more. Using this information, users can take appropriate steps to improve performance. ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ 7. Notification Clean You definitely want to remove unwanted notifications that may be taking up unnecessary panel space. Using this feature, users can make their notification panels clean and tidy. Again there were very few apps, including LionMobi's Power Clean which had this feature. ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ We all look for all-in-one comprehensive 'smart' device clean and optimization application that comes with a number of useful functions that are in line with the demands of any type of modern day smartphone users. We loved apps like Power Clean.

    Shekhar Mishra
    01.15.2017

  • The Value of Mobile Apps for Startups

    In 2012, the amount of Internet data accessed from a mobile device increased to as much as 12 times compared to mobile Internet usage back in 2000. It has come to the point where the use of mobile devices has become a big part of modern culture. Check out your Facebook chat box and you wouldn't be surprised to find that many of them are accessing their accounts from a mobile device. In fact, four out of five people access their Facebook accounts through their mobile devices (the same goes for Twitter) in 2013. Along with the widespread use of mobile devices came the use of applications that are tailored for it. In 2013, the mobile app industry generated an estimated amount of $25 billion in revenue, which was 62% higher than the previous year. It is clear that mobile applications are taking the world by storm. The question now is how businesses (especially small- and medium-sized ones) can benefit from its use. Mobile apps are no longer just for entertainment purposes, as developers have created such programs that prove to have significant commercial value. They can now be used in a myriad of areas, such as e-commerce, management tasks, and marketing. Let's have a run through of how the usage of applications can help in a startup company's growth: Mobile apps make administrative tasks easier It is a known fact that many startups have fewer employees than they would ideally have. This then means that the workloads are heavier, since there are only a few of you who would be working on them. Everyone needs to effectively manage their time (especially the higher ups), since any delay on the deliverables would surely cause a domino effect that could potentially jeopardize your small group's workflow. Unfortunately, as everyone is practically jumping between tasks, it's highly probable that someone could forget about a crucial meeting, report, or materials for a presentation. This is where mobile apps come in as these programs provide utility that could help lessen the load and keep everyone stay on track: Evernote Brilliant thoughts are fleeting. Have you ever had those eureka moments but lost it forever because you didn't have a pen and paper on hand? Worry no more. Evernote allows users to store and organize photos, texts, and voice recordings, then sync the data to a desktop or other mobile device. This way, you can get back on those spontaneous ideas you had when you get more time to ponder over them. Expensify Are you having a hard time keeping track of earnings or costs to be reimbursed? Expensify can make that easier that for you. It allows users to record their entire costs and earnings on its dashboard. It is also worthy to note that it allows users to scan receipts with their mobile devices for faster documentation. Hootsuite One of the tasks done in a startup is handling its social media accounts. While it could be a fairly light task, there are times when the workload is just too much. There will be times when you won't have time to attend to your company's social networks. Hootsuite fixes that problem as this app can set your status updates and tweets in advance. You can do these things in advance during those rare slow days in the office. If This Then That (IFTTT) This particular app (IFTTT) lets you connect different channels to one another to perform the same action. For example, if you change your Facebook profile picture, then your Twitter's profile picture will change into that one too. When you upload a particular picture on your Instagram, you can set it to automatically go to your Dropbox. ClockShark We all know that sorting paper time sheets is a waste of resources and very time consuming. This fee free time tracker app could help you track time, location, job costs, and most importantly it can get rid of paper time sheets. Mobile apps allow easier collaboration Collaborating during work brings about best results since solutions to problems would be suggested from different points of view. Not everyone is granted the luxury of being present in every department meeting, especially if the nature of their occupations requires them to be on-the-go. Luckily, wireless Internet access and applications allow people to virtually collaborate despite the physical barriers. Basecamp Asana Trello These three applications (Basecamp, Asana, Trello) allow end users to post tasks on a virtual bulletin board. Every user who is a "board member" is given the authority to put up tasks (in text) and move them from "to do", "doing", to, "done". Skype This particular application (Skype) allows users to engage in group chats and video chats. This is great for conducting interviews with someone far away, since you could hear and see each other like you could when face-to-face. Mobile apps provide an alternate channel for transactions One of the problems e-commerce sites face is that its modes of transactions may not be all that appealing to their audience. Many online stores have established wire transfers and credit card payments for consumers to deal with their transactions. However, some people may prefer methods that you may not be prepared for, such as cash on delivery and shipping. Moreover, some of your audience may not have credit cards, rendering them unable to buy from you even if they want to. This then could lead you to lose potential sales. Fortunately, PayPal allows a payment method where transactions could be tracked (that's why people trust it) and doesn't require a credit card. Use of its service, however, requires a fee from the beneficiary (merchant). Mobile apps are powerful engagement tools One of the best things about mobile applications is that they can simplify things. Some of the branded mobile apps that end users like a lot are electronic loyalty cards. These e-cards set them free from the hassle of carrying loads of loyalty cards in their wallets that make them bulky. Moreover, these applications are usually one of the first things they will see (or access) on their mobile phones. Most applications are strategically placed on a device's background, making it easily available for use with a touch. As for the entrepreneur, they acquire certain perks once their prospects start using their apps: You now have a direct communication line with your consumer. You can send out new promos and offers to them through the application in real time. It's bound to be viewed since almost everyone carries their mobile phone everywhere. Since you own the app, all its stored data belong to you. This then gives your business development opportunities. You can look at certain metrics to determine which of your brand messages bring the highest conversion rates or in-store visits. Being able to see the results of your tactics puts you in the perfect position to make improvements since they're based on hard stats. Overall, mobile apps' capability of making things more convenient for both you and your audience is exactly why you should use it. The best businesses are the ones that could adapt to the fast changing times, and one of the good things about startups is that they are flexible. Use this to your advantage to ensure growth.

    Vincent Sevilla
    01.15.2017

  • Keeping Your Confidential Information Safe Online With These Tips

    Over the years, hackers have greatly improved their techniques. This has led to widespread headlines spotlighting numerous security breaches. As a consumer in modern times, it is truly impossible not to be worried about your safety online. While it is not always possible to completely deflect a potential breach, there are ways to greatly reduce your chances of falling prey to a schemer. Below, you will find tips for avoiding the hacker's web. Be Cautious Of Phishing Schemes It is downright impossible to be a member of any website without having an email address. While the email is a necessity, it also opens you up to a wealth of attacks. Therefore, it is downright pertinent to familiarize yourself with phishing scams. Hackers utilize phishing schemes to convince the consumer to click on a link and provide their confidential information. This tends to be enormously effective, because the scam emails will appear to come from legitimate sources, such as Amazon, PayPal, and even Apple. When you receive an email from PayPal suggesting your account has been restricted or blocked, you should visit their site directly. Never click on the link embedded in the email. This will reduce the potential for problems and will help to keep your account safe and secure. Always Use Anti-Virus Software A lot of consumers will mistakenly shut off their anti-virus software or delete it all together. This is often done to try and speed up their computer or clear up resources. Sadly, this could prove to be an enormous mistake. These programs are capable of protecting your computer from viruses, spyware and other types of malicious software. Not only should your computer be protected by an anti-virus software twenty-four seven, but you should also make a habit of scanning your computer for viruses regularly. This will give you peace of mind, while also going to great lengths to keep your computer safe. It is truly no coincidence that using anti-virus software is one of the cyber security best practices you could ever follow. Password Tips A lot of consumers are very forgetful and this will result in them creating easy to remember passwords. This could be very risky. Instead, it is pertinent to create strong passwords and you should utilize different passwords for each of your accounts. You should also be cautious of storing your passwords directly on your computer. If your computer is indeed breached, your passwords will be there for the taking. Keep your passwords strong and make sure they differentiate from one account to the next. Maintain Security Patches Hackers are working around the clock, trying to find vulnerabilities in your security network. One way to secure your home network is with anti malware tools. More often than not, users will receive a notification that malware has been detected on their computer. Anti malware software will scan and remove codes that attack the network or degrade performance. Educating Your Children A home network will have multiple users, including adults, young children and adolescents. With this many users operating on the same network, there is no doubt that a cyber breech will be a possibility. The only way to remedy security issues in this case is by regularly educating the users on the best practices of cyber security. You should also encourage them to avoid phishing emails and create strong passwords. If necessary, you will need to hold monthly family meetings, where you can bring everyone up to date on security risks and cyber security best practices. Secure Wi-Fi Access Everybody wants to connect to the Internet wirelessly. However, many people fail to secure their wireless network. When you create your Wi-Fi network, you will need to make sure that it is protected by a strong password. When guests visit your home, you should create them a separate guest network, which can later be turned off. Never share your password with others, because you never know if they will try to hack into your account at some point.

    Pulkit Thakur
    01.14.2017

  • 6 Apps That Help Me Work as a Freelance Writer

    I've been writing as a freelancer for over a decade. Since I began, the industry and our technology have evolved for the better. If you're getting into a freelance writing career now, you're super lucky - there are so many free and cheap tools to help you increase productivity and make your job easier and more entertaining. These are my favorite tools and apps for work. 1. UpWork Team App This app is only helpful for members of the UpWork platform. Since this is my favorite place to find gigs, the Team App comes in handy nearly every day. It allows me to receive notifications and respond to new interview invitations and messages from clients and teammates from my phone and desktop. There is also a time tracker that monitors hours worked on hourly rate projects and takes screenshots of what I'm doing. For this reason, clients love it, and it seems to increase retention. 2. Tweak Your Biz Title Generator This tool is especially great because once you input your topic, you get more than ten categories with over twenty headline ideas each. For example, you enter "technology", and get headlines like 9 Reasons People Laugh About Your Technology and This Technology Is Bound To Make An Impact In Your Business. Some of the headlines will turn out absurd, but still, I usually squeeze out a couple great ideas. 3. CoSchedule's Headline Analyzer After I've generated a list of working topics, I often need to make sure the reader will be interested to see what's behind the title. The Headline Analyzer that CoSchedule offers will help do just that. It has several functions. First, it analyzes the structure, grammar, and readability of the headline. Next, it looks for a balance of common, uncommon, emotional, and powerful words. Then it checks the headline type (generic, listicle, etc.). Finally, it counts the characters and words to make sure the title is optimized for readability. 4. Google Docs When I first started working as a freelancer, I used Microsoft Word for all of my projects (I still use it sparingly). Over the years, I've tried all of the cutting-edge writing software on the market. After all of this experience, Google Docs is my go-to writing app. I can use add-ons at my convenience. All of the files are created inside my Google Drive, saved automatically every few seconds, and are easy to share. Some clients don't like to use this platform, for personal reasons, and that is never a problem. I can still easily download my files in DOCX, PDF, HTML, and more formats for quick sharing via email. 5. Writing Service When I get busy, there is sometimes a need for some help with editing, as I often lack time for that. Instead of keeping on an assistant (who might have to go sometimes weeks without work), I decided to enlist the help of an online service. Essay Tigers is a writing service that also offers professional editing help. Of course, I don't use this every day, but it certainly comes in handy from time to time. Final Thoughts As a freelance writer, there's no limit to how high your career ladder reaches. Use tools and apps that help save you time and increase productivity to make the most of your job and your life. This list is enough to get you started, but it isn't all inclusive. What other writing and productivity apps have you used? Do you have a favorite? Tell us about it in the comments.

    Cassi Dulittle
    01.13.2017

  • Five Couple Apps That Bring Intimacy Back into Relationships

    Love is tricky. You want to be with your significant other at all times. You crave their touch and their proximity. But if the connection – both mental and physical – isn't strong, misunderstandings and misalignment are common especially during long distance spells away from your partner. It's like you want to melt into your sweetheart but circumstances hold you back. We have all been through these frustrating phases right? Work and education take you away from your beloved. There are an estimated 14 million long distance relationships (LDR) in the US alone and almost 3.5 million married couples consider themselves in LDRs. Even if you stay around the block from each other, life manages to find you distractions and anxiety to leach the passion from your relationship. But thankfully technology is here to save the day. The apps of today are not just utilities like torches and noise detectors anymore. They are delving deep into the matters of the heart as well, helping lovers know each other better, be constant companions and even rock the bed in new and innovative ways. All with a swipe of the thumb! Here are five top rated and highly reviewed apps that are changing the game for couples. ⦁ iPassion Price: Free Imagine getting up close and personal with your lover. You have a wonderful new move in mind. But as soon as you initiate the foreplay, your partner freaks out. They DO NOT like it. In fact they think it's quite perverted. What were you thinking? Stuff intimacy nightmares are made of! People don't like talking about sexual likes and dislikes. Even romantic preferences are often shoved under the rug. Couples pretend to be mind readers and keep doing things the other party may find annoying and even frustrating. Yet talking about what turns you on and gives your significant other thrills is an essential part of a great relationship. And iPassion does its bit to ease you into the habit of asking "What do you want?" without feeling challenged or rejected. With this application you: ⦁ Play a game of "Do you know" with your partner ⦁ Are served two questions about your in-relationship likes and the answers are saved ⦁ Get to see how closely your lover knows your quirks as they try to guess your replies The process is repeated with your significant other and the one who reaches 100 points first can choose a "hot" prize – like a date night or an erotic massage – that the happy "loser" has to facilitate. iPassion allows you to customize prizes and it even supports same-sex gameplay, talk about being politically correct. Launched last year, it already has more than 120,000 users. Players are rooting for variety and the ability to keep score of who has won the most rounds and iPassion provides a fun way to spice up the relationship and having a great deal of laughs together. You can grab this app from the Play Store and the App Store. ⦁ Couple Price: Free Yes, it could be more creatively named but "Couple" is an app that is literally all about you and your better half. It tries to create a private haven for lovers where they can: ⦁ Exchange messages in real time ⦁ Use emojis to express feelings ⦁ Transfer images, videos and voice snippets ⦁ Build a timeline of shared memories ⦁ "Kiss" each other remotely through the ThumbKiss – place your thumb on a designated spot of your screen and if your SO does the same vibrations are induced bridging the distance. Sexy! ⦁ Share naughty bits of media that disappear within seconds of viewing ⦁ Sync calendar dates and share to-do lists ⦁ Plan outings from suggested hang outs And bond all over again without a constant stream of messages from other people in the app because this application is private to the two of them. Some of the quirkier features include the ability to sketch doodles and images together and broadcast locations to facilitate a quick rendezvous. "Couple" users are staunch supporters. However some complaints over the years have been the lack of emojis to serve the LGBT community, poor functionality on computers, no way to video call and the oversight of not allowing the exchange of MP3 files. You can download "Couple" from the Play Store and the App Store. ⦁ Between Price: Free The sentiment of "Between" reflects that of Couple. It's a private messaging and interaction application for two people in love. Yes, you can build a private "library" of images, video and voice messages. Yes, you can chat in real time with cute stickers to spice up your conversation. Yes, you can share calendars, schedules and reminders through a pleasant and user friendly interface. Additionally you can count down to special days like Anniversaries and lock your app for better privacy – a very handy feature. The Plus version also boasts colorful skins and themes to make interactions pop. With 20 million global users "Between" has been in the fray for years now. Users are eagerly looking forward to video chats, self-destructing messages and crash support for the unpaid variant. All in all it's a comprehensive application that lets you enjoy quality time with your lover away from over cluttered platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. You can download "Between" from the Play store and App Store. ⦁ Lovedays – D Day for Couples Price: Free Vibing with your significant other is easy with Lovedays. It is a simple app and widget that solves the biggest problem tormenting lovers – forgotten anniversaries and other important occasions. With Lovedays you can: ⦁ Manage and set reminders with your partner ⦁ Keep track of how long you have been together – this shows in days and you feel oh so accomplished ⦁ Set your lover's image as the Lock Screen and initiate calls directly from it ⦁ Customize font settings and other details of the user experience Lovedays isn't really an application that looks to sort your relationship. Its main focus is on the milestones you reach on your journey together and a guaranteed celebration of the passion. Lovedays is available in the Play Store and App Store. ⦁ iKamasutra Price: Free Adult movies are warping sexual expectations. Outlandish poses and the pressure to enjoy the antics is stripping sex of its magic. iKamasutra to the rescue. This app is based on the wisdom in the ancient Indian book of love making. And it helps you climb the ladder of erotic prowess one level at a time. Through the iKamasutra, lovers can: ⦁ Choose exotic and interesting positions based on intimacy level, strength and complexity ⦁ Read blurbs on why they should try a particular pose and who enjoys it more ⦁ Mix things up and shake the phone to be presented a position at random ⦁ Play soothing music to set the mood ⦁ Add their notes to the poses – tagging some as their favorites and keeping track of preferences The upgraded version offers 110 positions with 3D views. iKamasutra evangelists would definitely like to see more exotic ways to do the deed but as far as apps go this one is a great mix of intimacy and technology. iKamasutra rates well for both Android and iOS. Trying new things and keeping the excitement alive figure prominently on the list of most couple counselors. They are the pre-requisites of a healthy relationship. Give these applications a shot and let the world of digital pleasures revive your love life.

    Justin Graysmark
    01.13.2017

  • Best tech gift: Entertainment on the Go

    The holidays have just passed, and individuals around the world are rejoicing with enchanting gifts. Until now, many of us have received leading-edge smartphone, television, smart watch, tablet, laptop, and devices that are more striking. With that, I am sharing an anecdote about the incredible tech gift that made my vacations a worthwhile. The cool gadget will deliver cutting-edge entertainment experience to every entertainment-geek around. Last month, I received a wrapped box from my kin. In the wake of unpacking, I spotted all new Roku Premiere plus. Being a Chromecast user, I couldn't control my excitement to test the striking features of streaming widget. Soon after connecting Premiere Plus to 4K TV, I was able to stream various on-demand entertainment services including HBO Now/Go, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Watch ESPN and Sling TV instantly. As a binge-watcher, I streamed latest episodes of Breaking Bad, Mr. Robot, The Walking Dead, The Big Bang Theory and more popular shows. Interestingly, Roku Premiere Plus offers 4K and HDR support, high-speed streaming and a handy remote for an elite entertainment experience. Although, many streaming services don't offer 4K and HDR broadcast right now, when they do, Roku Premiere Plus will be the prime gadget to access them. As a proud owner of Roku Premiere Plus, I think of it superior to many streaming boxes available in the market. Google Chromecast on another hand might be trendy. However, it has few downsides, for example, no remote control and absence of 4K and HDR support. The Roku Premiere Plus is the best present for entertainment lovers. An engaging interface, sleek design, 4K and HDR playback support and wonderful features make Premiere Plus a perfect solution for one-touch entertainment experience.

    Ali Khan
    01.13.2017

  • Tips to Keep Your Small Business Secure from Data theft

    Data theft is a serious concern that gnaws at the peace of mind of an e-commerce business. The small companies who are novices in the digital world are more vulnerable to prowling cyber criminals. Data theft thwarts the growth of a budding company. Novice or not, each online business must shield its company from the harm of a potential security breach. With the need of securing a company rising in the digital world, there has been an emergence of a lot of security measures. Some measures apply well to some businesses while some others do not make a difference. When deciding on what a company needs to secure itself with it is important that it assesses what works for it. Here, I present to the readers' with the basic and time-tested security tips that can keep small businesses secure from suffering the repercussions of a data theft. #1 Encrypt Data Encrypting Data is one of the best ways to keep off data theft. Encryption of data translates all data into an undecipherable code. There are many ways that one can encrypt data. One of the most popular methods used is the installation of an SSL Certificate. The market has a wide range of SSL Certificates to choose from with Thawte SSL certificate being the most popular and time-tested choice. #2 Train Employees Employees of a company need to be trained on security measures. A lack of knowledge about how to handle security information also leads employees to unknowingly put a company's security in a jeopardy. It is important that a business trains its employees about their role and importance of keeping company information safe. To make this step more effective, a company can also include repercussions in its company policies for employees who breach security. #3 Secure Gadgets Gadgets like computers, laptops, mobile phones and even printers store a host of confidential information. It is important that these gadgets are properly secured. Many people secure the network and overlook to secure mobile phones and printers. This loophole leads one to expose confidential information to cyber criminals. #4 Install an Anti-virus The effectiveness of an anti-virus is often overlooked because of the simplicity of its usage. It is a very common way to secure a company's network. The simplicity of anti-viruses make it easy to use and implement but it also makes it something that people take for granted. Installing a good antivirus can save a company from many sources of data theft. #5 Update Softwares Many people think that it is enough to put security software in place. It is one thing to install security software and quite another to keep an out-of-date software. Cyber criminals are good at what they do and with all innovative software that are designed to secure a company website also comes a cyber criminal who knows how to break through its security. It is important for companies to keep a watch on the effectiveness of software and update it as and when needed. #6 Strong Passwords The effectiveness of an undecipherable password cannot be denied. Secure company information by using strong passwords. To make this step more effective, replace each password at intervals. So if someone who tries to break the password, the next time he/she tries to gatecrash into a company's network. #7 Carefully Dispose Company Information Every employee and business owner must be careful about how they dispose of the company information. It is not safe for company information to be lying around exposed just because it is no longer needed in a paper format. Many people print information and when this information is saved digitally they dispose of the paper. It is important that one does not dispose of paper with company information in the dustbin. Shred them. This will make sure that no disposed information falls into the wrong hands. #8 Prohibit Use of Personal Gadgets inside the Workplace One can secure its network and all the gadgets that are being used in a workplace, but it is impossible to monitor the personal gadgets of everyone who uses the company network. Make it a rule to restrict the usage of personal gadgets inside a company. Users who access gadgets occasionally, they should be provided an authorised identity and password so that his/her activities can be tracked. #9 Install a Firewall Enable the company's operating system's firewall or install a firewall software. Next, configure a VPN to provide employees with secure means of accessing the company network when working remotely. #10 Watch Out for Third Party Vendors A company needs to associate with third party vendors. It is not wise to trust them without any evaluation. This is because a third party vendor has serious access to a company's sensitive information. It is important that these third party vendors are evaluated well before confirming a business association. Have strong security policies in place when interacting with them. Track their activities. Know about the standard of their security policies. All these measures will make sure that third party vendors are kept away from a potential security breach. Data theft is something that when overlooked can really put a company's image to a risk. It is important that every small business that is serious about its company's unhindered rise to success is well secured against potential data theft. The fact that cyber criminals can break through all innovative security measures makes it ever more important for companies to stay a step ahead from them when it comes to protecting its information. The best way to stay ahead of them is to shield a company's network with the basic security measures. One can then build on its security from a strong and secure foundation. Shield a company's foundation with the basic security measures and keep cyber criminals miles away from the possibility of accessing a company's information.

    Martha Hill
    01.13.2017

  • The Public Access Weekly: Switch lanes

    Friday again already?! Well, okay then. Let's get on with it! For all you Public Access members: Just FYI, if you're actively in an article, we cannot be -- which means if you submit an article and then go in to make changes or edits we have to wait for you to finish to view and approve your post. Also, we are 100% back on track after the holidays so the wait to get an article reviewed is back down to the 24-48 hour range (with it taking a bit longer over the weekend). And if you've been waiting to hear back on your member application, you should get a reply today! For all you commenters, we have one quick GIF of advice this week: We know there are some bad actors in there, every community has a few, but no one wins when you spend your valuable time baiting and encouraging them. Plus, to be honest, it is just really, really boring to moderate. Just walk (virtually) away and let our mods deal with it.

    Amber Bouman
    01.13.2017

  • How to Use MetaTrader Trading Platform in United Kingdom

    There are many popular trading platforms in the world, MetaTrader is one of them. It is a popular platform between the futures and the forex day traders. For those who are in UK, you can learn how to use MetaTrader. The Reason of Using MetaTrader The first reason is because it is a simple trading platform. The designer make it to enable the traders to make customized platform and the technical indicators for fast or slow paced trading and fast execution. The trading platform enables the traders to make strategies so when the trade starts, the target orders and stop loss can be sent out immediately. This feature will also prevent financial catastrophe, especially when the data provider is down, internet connection is lost or the broker is disconnected. You can make it simple or complex based on your need. For instance, placing a tailing stop loss, one target or multiple targets. Try to Use a Demo or Receive a Package of Information First, you need to try a demo account out. Click Trade FX or Trade Futures on the website; according to your preference. Scroll the screen down and complete the information of demo account. To get a login information, you should use your email address and fill UK in the country information so the proper information package can be had. It will guide you to the page to download MetaTrader and the guides. You may also need to download Connection Guide if required later. Besides, the credentials of login and downloading platform will also be sent to your email address if you don't know about the information yet. Find to Know More about MetaTrader There are many tools and functions offered by MetaTrader. By clicking the video library, you can find kinds of the platform's features tutorials. Market Replay connection is one of the platform's best features. It enables you to download the past sessions of trading and trade like you were in real time trading. You can learn much from it and enables to combine multiple learning sessions in one day. MetaTrader Account Setting Up Besides the login credentials to the demo account for software trying out, you also can get setting up information if want it. The information can be gotten from the brokerage. Open the futures trading account by having a minimum deposit; USD 1,000. Whilst for the forex account is USD 2,000. The day trading margins for the popular day trading futures are $500. The trading margins of Mini Dax and FTSE are $1,000. The commission that can be gotten starts from $0.53 for every contract; whether the platform is purchased, leased or the free version. For those who trade forex, the account can be opened through the emails gotten when you try the demo account. The commission starts from 0.03 pounds/ 1000 in the traded currency (6 pounds round trip or 3 pounds/ 100,000). If you make $50 million every month, then you can get the volume discounts. MetaTrader costs $299 for 4 monthly payments or $999 for the lifetime license. The leasing cost is $600 annually, $330 per six months, or $180 per three months. Meanwhile, the free MetaTrader is also available, yet it is with a little higher commissions. MetaTrader Supported UK Brokers Another trading platform that also offers MetaTrader is Interactive Brokers UK. You can use MetaTrader if you have this broker account. However, it has a downside. The MetaTrader will off the platform of the trader workstation so that it causes communication problems or delays among the platforms. Besides, not every Trader Workstation version are well-matched with MetaTrader versions. Conclusion You have some options when you are going to trade with the platform of MetaTrader in United Kingdom. Besides, MetaTrader also can work with Interactive Brokers UK that needs a couple trading platforms linking, but it sometimes causes issues. You can try the demo account out before you decide which platforms to choose for trading. So you can learn each of the platforms and understand which one best for you for successful trading.

    Rahul Raj
    01.13.2017

  • How Business Software Will Evolve in 2017 and Beyond

    Businesses everywhere now rely on software for a number of important functions, as they've gradually been able to replace mechanical or—in some cases—human-level tasks with automation. It helps business owners collect and organize data, streamline communication and productivity, and even measure and analyze the results of their efforts. But like all forms of technology, business software is going through constant changes, and 2017 looks to be an interesting year for its advancement. If you're accustomed to a lineup of software dictating how you run your business, look forward to these momentous changes to come: Predictions for Software Evolution These are some of the biggest and most important changes we'll see in the coming years: 1. More intuitive features. Most business software will work harder to make its features more immediately intuitive to use. This leads to higher user satisfaction and easier adoption, which are musts for customer retention and acquisition, respectively. For example, as Deputy illustrates, we'll start seeing functions like "drag and drop" editing and WYSIWYG-style platforms becoming commonplace. Rather than investing in lengthy tutorials, businesses will make the functionality of their software products more discoverable. 2. More flexible integrations. Because businesses are using so many different types of software platforms, the winners of the next several years will be the ones most accommodating to external integrations. SalesForce currently leads the way in that department, with an open API and a full forum dedicated to its peripheral developers. Business owners will be looking for options that allow them to keep the software platforms they already have, and stitch platforms together to consolidate as many functions as possible. 3. Greater reliance on visuals. We're already starting to see more data visualization platforms rise up—Domo is a good example here—but in the future, we'll see even greater reliance on visuals to process information and communicate. Visuals are easier and faster to process, and most software platforms are trying to jump on this bandwagon early. 4. Higher forms of security. Though it's a natural progression and not necessarily something new, business software of the next few years will likely boast higher forms of security. Better encryption, multi-factor authentication, and more advanced methods of storage and retrieval are a minimum here. cybercrimes will always be a threat, and businesses will always be looking for the most cutting-edge security in their software platforms of choice. 5. Greater customizability. Demand for custom-made apps has been rising dramatically over the past few years. Out-of-the-box solutions are fine for some businesses, but most brands are demanding more, especially as technology becomes more sophisticated and more malleable. Expect to see more customizable solutions grow popular for businesses in the next few years. 6. Interdisciplinary specialties. The most successful business software platforms tend to be ones with a niche specialty, such as tracking SEO progress or improving web conversions. However, we may start seeing a trend to interdisciplinary specialties, or hybrid platforms that make the most of both worlds. This is a way to distinguish apps from their competitors and give bonus incentives for business owners who sign up. It's a step away from the specificity we've seen in the past. 7. Blurrier lines. As the Harvard Business Review explains, virtual and augmented reality have the power to completely change how we think about retail—but it may also blur the lines between physical and digital realities in business. When combined with the power of data visualization, an augmented reality platform for managers could radically change how we interact with our environments and with each other. Though unlikely to become popular by the end of 2017, it's reasonable to suspect the emergence of AR and VR for business within the next 5 years. How to Prepare These predictions are all well and good, but what can business owners start doing now to accommodate them, or otherwise anticipate their arrival? Because many of these features and possibilities still lie on the horizon, there aren't many practical options you can take today. Your best bet is to take inventory of your current software platforms and how you're using them, taking special note of any key areas that require improvement, or problems that could be mitigated. This will help you keep an eye out for solutions that could potentially solve those problems, or better equip you in the fight against them. Beyond that, work to stay abreast of new developments and keep working toward more streamlined procedures.

    Anna Johansson
    01.13.2017

  • 5 Unique Home Tech Gadgets you can use

    Technology has made our lives smarter, better and much comfortable. Are you in search of some amazing gadgets that promise you a smarter home? If we look into the tech market, we will see that there is a variety of home gadgets that one can buy. They are not only smart but they promise a lot of ease and comfort. Just like the world of smartphones is increasing day by day, the number of smart home gadgets is rapidly growing too. Here are 5 best home tech gadgets that can make your life easier and better these days. They are more of "must have in your house" products. Water Cooler Dispenser:We all want to lead a healthy lifestyle but are we drinking healthy? To ensure safe water, you can look into different types of water cooler dispensers. Whirlpool water dispenser brings in the technology of sixth sense. It also kills bacteria's and viruses through its unstable oxygen tech. so always look into the "smartness" that a water cooler dispenser has to offer you, before you invest in it. So always try to find the best water cooler dispenser . Yale Keyless Connected Smart Lock:We all want security in today's world and your home should be the most secure place for you and your family. If you have smart home, then this smart lock is the best bet for you. You can easily lock doors with this and unlock it through the smart lock only. You can also set PIN codes for other family members so that they can enter the house in your absence as well. Nest thermostat:It is really cold outside these days, isn't it? With this amazingly simple gadget, you can adjust the warmth of your house easily. If it's too cold for you, then you can simply get it warmer through this gadget. And if the heating is too high, then you have various settings in the app which will help you settle the temperature quite easily. Phillips Hue Starter Kits:We all like lightings our way. Some people like them low and others want them to be bright. However, with this simple kit, you can adjust the brightness, hues and contrast of your lights, just through an app. This kit allows you to control 50 lights at one time. This can be a great gadget for a big home or maybe when you have a hug birthday bash at your place. 5. Body Fat Analyzer : Body fat analyzers are one of the best methods to keeping track of fitness and overall health from the comfort of your own home.Having a healthy amount of body fat is crucial to maintaining proper health and avoiding health risks such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. A Quality body fat analyzer scale can help you to control your body fat . For those looking to maximize their diet and exercise routine, these smart scales, or body fat analyzers, are incredibly useful to track progress and shape specific fitness goals. These are the top 5 best home tech gadgets that you can look forward to buying this year or maybe anytime as they ensure security, smartness and comfort.

    Pritom Das
    01.13.2017

  • In Order to Experience a New Era of Virtual Reality, We Also Have to Usher in a New Era of Virtual Behavior

    Virtual reality is no longer virtual, it's a fact of life. Anyone who thinks that it's not going to change almost every part of the entertainment industry is the same type of dinosaur that thought no one would ever want a tiny little movie screen in their house. All around the web pundits, writers, visionaries, and experts are discussing and analyzing the "VR revolution." They ask when it will happen, what it will be like, and how it will affect our culture. The truth is, the spark of the VR revolution lies, as is usually the case with revolutions, with the public. The technology is there, and while content might not be as commonplace as we wish, the one thing virtual reality really needs is a sweeping behavioral change in the way we actually consume VR content. What does this mean? It means that we won't consume VR content in the same way we currently consume movies or TV shows. We might even need to find a whole new verb, since it won't be accurate to say that we watch VR like we do with TV and movies. This is not new. Any time the entertainment industry developed a new medium, a behavioral change had to occur in order to make it widespread. We used to go and see plays, we moved on to watching movies, then we decided to start listening to the radio, sat in front of TVs, and, most recently, we started playing video games, or gaming. Nowadays, we don't just watch, we binge. As much as each medium had to change the way content was created in order to truly find its own magic formula, so did we, the consumers, have to change our behavior. But how should we change our behavior? We see three types of VR consumers with huge potential, and each of them will experience VR in a different way, just as they experience current mediums in vastly different ways. Here they are, and this is how they will experience virtual reality. The Resting Gamer - VR in Between Raids Every self respecting gamer knows the only way to regenerate health is to rest. Gamers are currently the top target audience for high-end VR rigs such as the Oculus Rift, the new VR enabled Xbox Scorpio, and the Playstation VR. So, the question arises - what will gamers do with these high-end VR goggles when they are not gaming? This is not inconsequential. In 2013, it was widely reported that the most popular platform used to watch Netflix was the Playstation 3, and both major consoles already come integrated with various entertainment services for when they're not used for gaming. Resting gamers will help define the initial content created for VR. They will require content as exciting and almost as immersive as the VR games they were just playing. The way they will consume content will function as a much needed break. Just spent the last 10 hours on an energy drink fueled rampage killing orcs? Why not take a 45 minute break watching a VR experience that puts you in your favorite game environment, with a plot unfolding all around you? The book "Ready Player One", soon to be adapted as a film by Steven Spielberg, theorizes that while the entire world will run on VR, it will be first and foremost a world built for and by gamers. The Eager Escapist - Immersing in New Worlds The reason "Game Of Thrones" is so popular, outside of the sex and violence, is world building, and GoT is not alone. Harry Potter, Lord Of The Rings, Star Wars, and even Sex and The City with its over the top version of NYC, are all rooted in building exciting and interesting worlds for cultural escapists to explore. For them, VR will be the place to be, it will become a brand new obsession, unparalleled by anything seen before. You think Potterheads are passionate about Harry Potter right now? Wait until JK Rowling's first scripted VR experience becomes available. A big chunk of this group are tech early adopters who are chomping at the bit to use their brand new VR rigs. These escapists will progress from reading the books, to watching the shows, to experiencing what it's like to fly on the back of a dragon next to Daenerys Targaryan. They bought into VR through curiosity, and will soon look to find experiences that make them feel like they're getting their money's worth. VR will become another mandatory medium for those who want to be on the very forefront of culture and tech, as streaming was in it's very early days. The difference is that of the experiences, though similar in structure to each other, will be different to the consumer every time. This will increase the rewatchability potential each piece of content has. This will be especially true for the escapists, who in their pursuit to gather all of the information about their latest obsession, might spend the weekend binging one piece of content, as opposed to a whole season. The Connected Family - Virtual Reality Changing Actual Reality Much like radio, TV, and the set-top box before it, VR must conquer the living room in order to truly become a mainstream form of entertainment. We went from gathering around the TV at a precise time to watch the latest episode of Leave It To Beaver, to playing Mario Kart against each other, but where will we go next? The family VR experience will be a communal one, perhaps most similar to a family vacation, where the entire family will create memories and one-of-a-kind experiences together, in an immersive world. Imagine sitting in the living room with your kids, while you're all taking a stroll together on the surface of the moon, your eldest son playing on the lander left by Apollo 11, while you and your daughter run down a crater together created by an asteroid billions of years ago. Families can enjoy dance or exercise classes together in their own living room with real live instructors right in front of them, or take a stroll through an interactive museum, the real world counterpart of which exists halfway across the world. Families will remain the same, but the way they can experience things together will be different. And your teenage son will have no problem not looking at his phone for family fun time. Virtual reality will change everything we know about entertainment, just like any new medium before it. The secret is to understanding that VR does not simply equal a 360 video. It is as similar to 360 video as radio is to television. While you can have a television show of a man reading a script and nothing else, that would be a criminal under-utilization of the medium. VR will have to rise above these simple concepts, and find its own new paradigms. Understanding the behavioral changes that consumers will have to take is critical to that process.

    Benny Arbel
    01.12.2017

  • Payment Systems of the Future: Will Smart Technology and Biometrics Make Credit Cards Obsolete?

    The plastic credit card already feels somewhat dated. After all, it is over 50 years old! Credit cards have come a long way since their inception. When you compare today's contactless scanners to the machines of the 1960s, when the cashier had to punch the number into a machine, it's clear just how much the technology has developed. But it seems like the humble credit card we've all grown so accustomed to is reaching the end of its lifespan, soon to be replaced by smart devices and biometrics. Wearable Items Chief executive of Barclaycard, Amer Sajed, predicts that plastic credit cards will be replaced with wearable items, such as a ring, bracelet or key chain containing a chip that will be scanned when the shopper walks through a shop door. Amazon are already testing the technology in Seattle. In December 2016 they opened up a checkout-less store where customers simple scan their phones as they enter in order to connect to the Amazon Go application. Sensors installed around the store then tracks what the customers pick up and put back. Retina Scanning Eye scanning technology has improved dramatically over the past few years. While it's still yet to be adopted as a widespread identifier -- although Microsoft did try to popularize it with their smart phones -- it could one day become just as common as finger printing. Some predict that cameras of the future will be able to zoom in to the retina and identify shoppers on the fly, adding up the tally as they stroll around the supermarket, and then deducting it from their bank accounts as they exit. Facial Recognition A study conducted by Juniper Research concluded that passwords would become obsolete in the very near future as we begin to embrace biometric technology beyond our smart phones. Facial recognition will no doubt become more prevalent as micro-cameras get incorporated into everyday hardware. Most computers, laptops and tablets already have in built webcams, which could be utilized when purchasing online or logging into websites. Fingerprint Scanning Juniper Research also believe that fingerprint scanning applications will be widespread by 2019. Touch ID hardware is already very common on the smart phone market, and despite initial skepticism, is now a very trusted form of identification among users. Fundamentally, it's just a matter of time before biometric technology is incorporated into banking systems and shops. Smart Payment Applications Apple Pay was the first step towards the widespread implementation of biometrics as a payment processing tool. Most contactless payment units can accommodate the hardware, and if the current data continues trending in the same direction and at the same rate, mobile banking will be the international standard by 2020. Now that giant companies such as McDonald's, Staples and Whole Foods Market are implementing Apple Pay systems in their stores, others will soon follow. Some are scared by the prospect of this new technology, stating that it could easily cause financial snowballing and lead to irresponsible spending habits. However, it's important to remember that the absence of physical cash was a fear when credit cards first hit the market, and that made little difference. In all likelihood, bank accounts will simply remain the same. In fact, with such a broader scope of accessibility, allowing users to manage their finances on the fly, it could even be beneficial!

    David Bishop
    01.12.2017

  • What Are Progressive Web Apps

    Progressive web apps represent a new development web design, and they offer exciting opportunities to both businesses and developers. These new developments could mean that web browsing on mobile devices are about to change in a big way for users and consumers. So, now is the right time to learn a bit more about progressive web apps and what they can do. I have a lot of experience in designing and developing progressive web apps, due to my years of experience working with Avex Designs. Let me share with you what you need to know about progressive web apps. Read on to learn the details of what makes progressive web apps different from ordinary apps. What Are Progressive Web Apps? To put it simply, progressive web apps use a whole host of technologies to create a mobile web browsing experience with app-like qualities. They have features that we would ordinarily associate with conventional mobile apps, but function in a mobile browser. Progressive web apps enhance the web browsing experience using existing technologies. One of the main technologies behind progressive web apps are service workers. According to Google's developer blog: A service worker is a script that your browser runs in the background, separate from a web page, opening the door to features that don't need a web page or user interaction. Service workers provide a network proxy which manages requests, and provides the best of conventional apps alongside the best of mobile web browsing. The model used for progressive web apps is called an App Shell. It allows for content to be loaded more quickly, meaning the user won't have to wait forever for the app to load. This is the framework that is used for most progressive web apps. What Can They Do? Next, we'll look at what progressive web apps do that makes them stand out from both conventional mobile apps and mobile web browsing. The following is causing more and more developers to believe that progressive web apps are the future of mobile web content. Progressive Enhancement Progressive enhancement is one of the strategies that is at the core of progressive web apps. This means that core content is given priority. In practice, when the user is interacting with their progressive web app, the content will display properly, no matter what browser they're using. Responsive Progressive web apps are designed to be responsive. That means that they can fit the requirements and limitations of the device that is being used by the user to browse them. Whichever form the user prefers can be adapted to, and this is another one of the key things that make progressive web apps stand out from the alternative options. Connectivity Independent Users don't even have to be connected to the internet to use progressive web apps. This is one of the big things that is brought to the methodology by service workers. They allow for offline browsing, as well as browsing on a connection that might be of a poor or substandard quality. That's not something that would otherwise be possible, so it's a big step forward. App-Like These days, users are accustomed to apps. And the fact that progressive web apps are so similar to apps in how they function, users will have a very similar experience. This should help the new methodology be adopted and accepted by users more readily. They don't have to get to grips with something new and different because it will all already be familiar to them. Up to Date The way in which service workers update content means that no manual or automatic updating will be necessary. Everything is kept up to date by the web app itself. Whenever it is opened and used, any new content or improvements that are available will already be there and ready to use. Safe Progressive web apps are secure and safe, meaning that content can't be hacked and changed. It also prevents snooping by external entities. The reason why this is possible is the use of HTTPS, which they are served by. Safety and security are two issues that users and businesses alike are taking more seriously than ever before, so this development is viewed very positively. Discoverable It's possible for search engines to find progressive web apps. This allows for them to be integrated into the SEO landscape in a way that isn't possible with ordinary mobile apps. Businesses and brands can start to take advantage of this and direct more people towards their web apps and stores. This is all down to W3C manifests, which allow identification by search engine algorithms. Re-Engageable Progressive web apps have many of the same benefits as ordinary mobile apps. Engagement is one of the things that apps are good at, and progressive web apps are good at this too. Things like push notifications can be used to make users aware of new offers, deals or news that the owners of the app might want them to know about. Installable Users don't need to download progressive web apps in the way they do with conventional mobile apps. But they can be kept and installed on browser home pages. This makes them easy to access and return to whenever the user wants to do so. This process is much simpler than having to engage with an app store and oversee downloads and updates through it. Linkable Because of the fact that there is no need for downloads, progressive web apps can be shared via links. This means that if someone finds on that they like, they can easily share it on social media and tell their friends about it via an email. They can spread much more easily than an ordinary mobile app would be able to, which is a pretty big deal. What Are the Benefits of Using Them? There are a few reasons why companies are turning to progressive web apps. Now it's time to find out more about those reasons. They offer something different to the current browsing options out there, so read on to learn more. They Can Save Time for Users Because of the App Shell that progressive web apps use, they tend to load very fast. So, up to date information can be pulled up and presented to the user in no time at all. This is something that can not be so easily achieved via mobile apps or through mobile web browsing. We're all short of time, and speed is a huge asset when it comes to browsing content on mobile devices. Not Much Data is Required Compared to ordinary mobile apps, progressive web apps use very little data. This is important in many ways. First of all, people don't like to use more data than necessary if they're paying for it. And it's an even bigger deal when you look at the use of apps in developing markets where data is at a premium. So, using less of it is definitely a big plus point for progressive web apps over ordinary ones. Can Result in Higher Conversion Rates for Businesses For businesses that decide to start using progressive web apps, the benefits can be huge. It's thought that they could even lead to higher conversion rates. Many consumers still don't download companies' apps. And the difficulty of buying items on mobile browsers means that opportunities are being missed by retailers when it comes to online browsing. Progressive web apps could change all that. No Updates Are Required When you download an ordinary web app, you have to download updates periodically. This is not necessary when using progressive web apps. All information is updated automatically, which is good for developers and users alike. They simply update themselves in the same way a web page updated when you refresh it, making the process much smoother. Which Brands Are Using Them? There are plenty of companies out there that are already taking advantage of what progressive web apps have to offer. For example, the Washington Post has created a version of their website that is a progressive web app. This means that it only functions on mobile devices, and offers the best parts of an ordinary news app combined with the benefits of mobile web browsing. They are not the only company to take this leap either. The time-sensitive nature and interactivity of these progressive web apps make them suited to all kinds of tasks. Google has created a weather progressive web app because of its suitability to displaying content that is constantly changing and need to be up to date. As we move forward, more and more brands will start to use this methodology to create content that meets the needs of customers best. Brands looking to create progressive web apps can enlist a digital agency or development company. Resources That Will Help You to Get Started To start creating your own progressive web apps, there are a few things you will need. First of all, you'll have to have a basic knowledge of CSS, JavaScript, HTML and Chrome DevTools. You'll also need a web server and Chrome 52 or higher. Finally, you'll need a text editor. This link should help you when it comes to using App Shell architecture. That's a part of the process that's vital.

    John Surdakowski
    01.12.2017

  • 5 Couch Denting Games Coming This Year

    It's a new year and time to start thinking about what you're going to play this year. 2017 promises to bring an array of amazing options sure to excite even the most dedicated gamer. Whether you play casually, socially or professionally, by yourself or broadcast to the world, here are five games you won't want to miss! Red Dead Redemption 2 Social media exploded with teasers and speculation when the potential for a Red Dead Redemption 2 announcement seemed to be on the horizon and the company did not disappoint. Rockstar Games plans to release the game for PS4 and xBox One in the fall of 2017 with whisperings of a PC version in the future. There has been much talk over a Red Dead Redemption sequel, or in this case, prequel, for many years (6 years to be precise) and it is finally about to be a reality. This Old Western open world game should prove to hold up to the reputation this series has previously built. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild The next in a long line of Legend of Zelda games, Breath of the Wild is taking the game to a whole new level. With a release date pushed back from December 2015 to spring/summer 2017, depending on your location, this title will be released on both the Wii U and the new Switch console, following in the footsteps of the dual release of Twilight Princess. Trailers and previews of this Zelda game promise an open world experience with new weapons and bosses and an experience unlike any of its predecessors. With new survival elements like the need to eat and to dress appropriately, this journey will be unlike any other you have experienced in the kingdom of Hyrule. Sea of Thieves Have you ever wanted to be a pirate and lead a band of thieves on an adventure? With the release of Sea of Thieves, you will be able to embark on a solo adventure or round up your friends and play in co-op mode, all working together on one ship. You will search for hidden treasure and work to hide it from rival pirate gangs until you can get it back to an outpost to cash in. With on sea battles between ships and the threat of rivals around every corner, this game should equal hours of fun with your friends on xBox One and PC. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard The Resident Evil series is a popular horror series that has seen plenty of success. With the release of Resident Evil 7, Capcom has made some changes to ramp up the level of horror. Due to be released for PS4, xBox One and PC on January 24, 2017, this game has changed to first-person perspective and eliminated some of the combat features to enhance the scare factor. With this game also compatible with PS4 VR, gaming fans are sure to get the scare of a lifetime. It's a perfect tribute to the 20th anniversary of the franchise. Yooka-Laylee Is a cute platformer reminiscent of Donkey Kong Country and Banjo-Kazooie more your style? Playtonic set up a Kickstarter for Yooka-Laylee back in 2015 and is finally ready for an April 2017 release of the game. This platformer follows two characters, Yooka and Laylee, as they adventure through an open world to defeat corporate scum. The strange characters and colorful world will provide hours of entertainment, keeping you enamored with the story. With things to collect and characters to meet, this is an adventure you're going to want to finish. Whether you're a fan of platformers, long-running series, horror games or any genre for that matter, there are some big surprises coming for 2017. While these five games are sure to be at the top of many gamers' lists of must-haves, there are plenty of others waiting in the wings, each one hoping to be named the game of the year. Which one are you going to try first?

    Alesia Hsiao
    01.12.2017

  • Thinking To Gift A Drone To Your Child ?

    It is 2017 and many children are asking drone as a gift for their birthday or after achieving a good score in examinations. Small, unmanned aircraft that can be controlled are in the news every day, and since 2014, drone manufacturers have seen a huge surge in their turnover. Both boys and girls are apparently very eager to fly drones. Children and drones What to look for when buying a drone for kids? Are drones suitable for toddlers? Well, parental supervision is desirable and drones can be purchased for less than 200$. Some drones with cameras can reach speed of over 30 km/h. This can cause dangerous situations. Many parents see unmanned aircraft or quad copters as fun toys for children, but they forget that for example, can be very dangerous if a child at full speed hit it against an object, person or animal or bird. If the drone has a camera, the child can break the privacy of your neighbours. Before your son or daughter becomes a good pilot, they must spend hours of drone training in advance. Hubsan Micro X4 H107D Age Recommendation: 14 years and over. May be a little expensive gift for a child, however, the drone is very robust and of high quality. The Hubsan Chinese manufacturer has released several drones of the X4 series. The Micro X4 H107D and H107L are very popular in the Netherlands and Belgium. The H107D is equipped with a 0.3 megapixel camera that shoots from the air with a resolution of 640x480. You also get a controller to control this drone. The drone must be charged for 30 minutes to get the average flying time of 8 minute. One can use an extra battery to increase the flight time of 16 minutes. W100S QR with camera Age Recommendation: 14 years and over This drone is made by the company Walkera based in China. The USP of this drone is that it can be connected to your smartphones and tablets. So you see exactly what your drone will see. Either you or your child will experience aerial view on phone or tablet screen once the drone is connected to it. This is called FPV flight. Parrot Rolling Spider with camera Suitable for the age 14 and over French manufacturer Parrot had launched Rolling Spider in 2014. This drone type quad copters falls into the product line of Mini Drones. It weighs only 0.55 kg. It can reach height of up to 20 metre. Maximum speed is 18 km/h and it can flip in the air. It also supports Bluetooth. Mini Drone is controlled with the help of an application that can be downloaded to your tablet or smartphone. Before giving this gift to your niece, nephew or a son, you should ensure if he/she is in possession of a proper smartphone or tablet.

    Sameer Costy
    01.12.2017

  • App Review: Making Creative Music with SoundBow

    Among different music apps available for iOS and Android OS, SoundBow is one of the most interactive and creative apps to have come along. This app has a simple, minimalist surface of predetermined notes. All you have to do is draw your music along the vertical lines of notes. The notes themselves are also movable, allowing you infinite choices on your instrumentation. For musicians and non-musicians alike To the classically-trained musician and to the musician with the gifted ear, SoundBow is capable of producing looped sounds that can compliment any piece of music, as long as the rules of tonality, rhythm, and harmony are followed consistently. To the non-musician, creating music with SoundBow is also possible with experimentation. As a visual guide in sound, this app delivers insights to those who have little experience in the area of music. Since it has an easy-to-use interface, anyone will be able to get the hang of it in a short time. Educational for all SoundBow provides the user a clear idea between the relationships of evenly-spaced vertical lines that represents notes, as well as the free-form shapes the user is drawing to connect the said vertical lines. This gives the user a clear insight on how a conductor orchestrates instruments and harmonies. In classical training, everything has to be even and every rule in the tonality rulebook obeyed, which will result in evenly-drawn lines shaped with peaks and valleys. For the non-musician, rules are meant to be broken. With practice and random placement of notes and drawings, experimental sounds could then be processed. Creating a Multimedia Production Here are a couple of ways users can create multimedia productions using this app: Create multi-track harmonies. With mastery of SoundBow, one can create layers upon layers of multi-track harmonies. Multi-tracking is the process of laying two or more individual tracks to give the illusion that more than one person is playing at the present. Looping is the process in which a selected portion of a recording gets played again and again. By combining these two processes, one can produce a one-man looping band. Create a visual multimedia show. With basic video and sound editing skills, a SoundBow user can then proceed to make a visually-stimulating show. Just connect your Android or iOS device to a projector, play your project, and blow your audience away. With its sheer simplicity and easy-to-understand graphics, SoundBow is one of the most intuitive, interactive and creative apps today. This app's success is enough for it to win the FWA Mobile of the Day aware in July 27, 2012. Considering its unique approach on providing visual references for music, SoundBow is both intellectually stimulating and enlightening for the music lovers out there.

    Vincent Sevilla
    01.11.2017
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