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How to Easily Install a Full Bitcoin Lightning Node on a Raspberry Pi
I recently installed a full bitcoin node on our home network, and lucky for me, I got everything up and running quickly without bumping into some issues. Before I will show you the steps on how to install a full bitcoin node, allow me to explain some of my reasons why I ended up doing this.
As some of you may already know, bitcoin is a network composed of thousands of nodes. A record of every bitcoin transaction is verified and maintained inside a node. So if you are running one, you will essentially be hosting and sharing a copy of the bitcoin blockchain and you will help maintain the network decentralized.
What are the benefits of running a bitcoin node?
Unlike mining, you will not be rewarded with a bitcoin when running a node because you are simply giving support to the network instead of solving complex computational math problems. However, one of the main advantages of running your own node is that you can do some transactions on the Bitcoin network without the need for a third party provider thus allowing you to save money for the fees. For added peace of mind, you can connect your wallet and forward all your transactions through your own node, making sure that every transaction is safe and secure.
For me, another reason for running a node is for educational purpose and taking a deep dive on the blockchain technology. I am very passionate about this emerging tech because it is already shaping up to change the world for the better.
Without further ado, here are some of the steps that I have followed to easily install and run a bitcoin node:
Step 1: Prepare the hardware
You donat need an expensive mining rig to run a bitcoin node. I bought the following items, but you can always use your existing hardware provided that you have all the recommended system specs:
1. Raspberry Pi Model 4 (Particularly, I bought the Model B with 4GB RAM starter kit that includes the power adapter, 16GB microSD card, and case)
2. 1 TB SSD (SanDisk SSD Plus 2.5a 1 TB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive)
3. SSD Enclosure (SENDA Transparent USB 3.0 SATA III 2.5 HDD/SDD Enclosure)
Note: I bought all the items at Lazada and the total cost is around 10,000 Philippine Pesos (200 USD).
Step 2: Download the software
Download Umbrel OS HERE and extract the file. Download Balena Etcher HERE and install it on your computer.
Note: For downloading the software, obviously you will need a laptop or desktop computer. A microSD card reader is needed for flashing the software to the microSD card.
Step 3: Flashing Umbrel OS
Put the microSD card on your card reader, open Balena Etcher, and flash the downloaded Umbrel OS to your microSD card. After flashing, remove the card and insert it into the Raspberry Pie.
Step 4: Plug it up
Put the SSD drive into the enclosure and plug it into any of the blue colored ports (USB 3.0) of your Raspberry Pi. Connect the Raspberry Pi to your Internet connected router via ethernet cable. Connect the power supply and power up your Raspberry Pi.
Step 5: Starting up
Around 5 minutes after powering up, Umbrel OS can be accessed at http://umbrel.local on the web browser of your device (smartphone, tablet, desktop or laptop) that is connected to the same network as the Raspberry Pi.
Follow the initial set up of Umbrel and enjoy running your very own bitcoin node.
I am still exploring some of the features of Umbrel and might write a quick review about it soon, so watch out!
The Bitcoin Revolution is Here
Since 2014, Iave been talking about bitcoin here (read: Is Bitcoin The Next Open-source Software Revolution?, Best Bitcoin Applications for Linux). Back then, bitcoin was still very much in its infancy and our articles about it were some of the least popular posts weave ever had. However, I have already seen its potential and proclaimed that it could become a revolutionary open-source software project and that it has the potential to be bigger than Linux.
Today, bitcoin and cryptocurrency in general have already gone mainstream in terms of popularity. Although widespread adoption could still be a few years away, different personalities like social media icons, hip hop moguls, top athletes, famous actors, financial gurus, and several billionaires are already talking about it incessantly.
Speaking about widespread adoption, different countries have already started recognizing the value of cryptocurrency. In fact, one country has recently passed a law to make bitcoin its official currency. I believe more countries will follow after we will all be able to clearly see the positive economic impact of having a legal tender in bitcoin.
Recently, we have witnessed institutional investors or publicly traded companies that have started filling their balance sheets with bitcoins. To name a few, thereas Tesla (invested around 1.5 billion dollars worth of bitcoin), Microstrategy (250 million dollars), Galaxy Digital Holdings (176 million dollars), and Square (50 million dollars).
Although I am not a financial advisor and this site is not about making money, I encourage you to consider investing it bitcoin. Forgive me for not telling you this in 2014 when 1 bitcoin was equivalent to around 500 dollars. At that time, buying and selling cryptocurrency was difficult because there were very few trusted exchanges and wallets so the possibility of losing your investment was enormous. If ever you decide to invest in cryptocurrency today, I suggest that you do your own research first because, like all others investments, there are still risks involved, albeit much lesser than before.
After promoting Linux and other free and open-source software in the past, I have decided from now on to focus most of my time here in writing about bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, and other interesting blockchain projects. I think it is about time to enlighten people that bitcoin is not purely a speculative asset, but something that is more valuable because of its capability to empower people from around the world. Like most of you, I find joy in freedom and for me bitcoin is freedom. Now, I can safely say that the cryptocurrency revolution is underway, and we are just getting started.
25 (More) Funny Computer Quotes
I have been reading some of my old posts here and noticed one that is still quite popular simply because a lot of us love humor. If you are a new site visitor, kindly check out "My Top 50 Funny Computer Quotes" post to know what I mean. Inspired by that one and since itas been a long time that I wrote or posted some funny stuff here, I decided to collect a few more amusing quotes.
So without further delay, here is a brand new collection of funny computer quotes:
25. What if one day Google got deleted and we could not Google what happened to Google?
24. Never trust a computer you canat throw out a window.
23. The attention span of a computer is only as long as its power cord
22. Microsoft has a new version out, Windows XP, which according to everybody is the amost reliable Windows ever.a To me, this is like saying that asparagus is athe most articulate vegetable ever.
21. Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain.
20. "Computers are useless. They can only give you answers." - Pablo Picasso
19. If you think patience is a virtue, try surfing the net without high-speed Internet.
18. The real danger is not that computers will begin to think like men, but that men will begin to think like computers.
17. aThe Internet? We are not interested in it.a - Bill Gates, 1993
16. The only truly secure system is one that is powered off, cast in a block of concrete and sealed in a lead-lined room with armed guards.
15. "Being able to break security doesnat make you a hacker any more than being able to hotwire cars makes you an automotive engineer." - Eric S. Raymond
14. I'm sorry that I'm not updating my Facebook status, my cat ate my mouse.
13. "I am not out to destroy Microsoft, that would be a completely unintended side effect." - Linus Torvalds
12. Dear humans, in case you forgot, I used to be your Internet. Sincerely, The Library.
11. My wife never gives up. She is so insistent that she entered the wrong password over and over again until she managed to convince the computer that she's right!
10. Computer dating is fine if you're a computer.
9. I love my computer because all my friends live inside it!
8. The only relationship I have is with my Wi-Fi. We have a connection.
7. The problem with troubleshooting is that trouble shoots back.
6. Why can't cats work on the computer? They get too distracted chasing the mouse around.
5. My wife loves me so much, she tries her best to attract me to her. The other day she put on a perfume that smells like a computer.
4. I changed my password everywhere to 'incorrect.' That way when I forget it, it always reminds me, 'Your password is incorrect.'
3. A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any invention in human history--with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila."
2. Life is too short to remove USB safely.
1. Passwords are like underwear: you donat let people see it, you should change it very often, and you shouldnat share it with strangers.
I hope you enjoyed our latest list of amusing computer quotes!
How to Install Raspbian OS on Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+
After my Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ First Impressions, allow me to share with you how I installed Raspbian OS on this tiny computer as promised. But first a quick introduction about Raspbian. This lightweight Unix-like operating system is based on Debian Linux and is highly optimized to run on Raspberry Pias ARM CPU. Its desktop environment is called PIXEL (Pi Improved X-Window Environment, Lightweight), which is made up of a modified LXDE desktop environment and the Openbox stacking window manager. It comes pre-loaded with useful applications such as web browser, office suite, programming tools, and several games among others.
Now, letas get down to business and give you some of the requirements needed to install Raspbian OS. If your Raspberry Pi is not bundled with a microSD card you should get one with at least 8GB of space. Some of the basic PC accessories required for setup are USB keyboard, USB mouse, and a computer or TV monitor (preferably with HDMI port). The Raspberry Pi Model B+ has an HDMI port for video output. So if your monitor has DVI or VGA port, you should have an HDMI-to-DVI or HDMI-to-VGA cable. You will also need an extra desktop or laptop computer for downloading the OS and then flashing it to the microSD card.
The next thing that you should prepare is the installer. You can download it from HERE. It is recommended to Download the NOOBS version, but if you are adventurous enough you can go for the full Raspbian version of the installer. The file that you will download is compressed in ZIP format so you will need to extract the OS image (.img) to use it. After extracting, you may now proceed to flash the OS image to your SD card. To do that, you will need to download the recommended tool for the job HERE. Install it, and then follow the simple step by step process of flashing the OS image to your microSD card. It is also worth noting that you will need an SD card adapter and an SD card reader if your laptop or PC donat have one built-in.
Finally, the Raspbian OS is now installed, and all you have to do is eject the microSD card from your computer and plug it in your Raspberry Pi. Connect all the needed Raspberry Pi peripherals and power up your tiny but very capable Linux desktop machine.
Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ First Impressions
I have always been curious about the tiny computer called Raspberry Pi but I didnat have the time or opportunity to buy one until now. I got the latest version (Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+) along with bundled accessories from AliExpress for $65. I think it was a good deal considering what I got which I will explain to you later on. But before that and for your convenience, here are some quick facts about Raspberry Pi that I got from Wikipedia:
Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+
* The Raspberry Pi is a series of small single-board computers developed in the United Kingdom by the Raspberry Pi Foundation
* It aims to promote teaching of basic computer science in schools and in developing countries.
* The original model became far more popular than anticipated, selling outside its target market for uses such as robotics.
* According to the Raspberry Pi Foundation, more than 5 million Raspberry Pis were sold by February 2015, making it the best-selling British computer.
* In March 2018, sales reached 19 million.
* On the CPU level, the first generation Raspberry Pi is similar to a 300 MHz Pentium II of 1997a99. While its graphical capabilities are roughly equivalent to the performance of the Xbox of 2001.
* More info about Raspberry Pi including tech specs can be found HERE
First Impressions
I have only seen a Raspberry Pi in photos before so I was quite in awe of its size when I finally opened the box. It measures just 85.60mm by 56.5mm or around 3 by 2 inches.
Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ beside my iPhone 6 and glasses for size comparison
As I said, I got the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ rather cheap since it is bundled with a case, power cord, 32GB micro SD card + adapter, HDMI cable, heatsink, USB cable, and 3.5 inch touchscreen display. It is loaded with a 1.4 GHz 64-bit quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor, 1 GB RAM, gigabit Ethernet, on-board dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, Power over Ethernet (PoE) feature, and USB and network boot capabilities.
Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ running Raspbian OS
The first thing that I did after unboxing the package was placed the Raspberry Pi inside the included plastic case. The plastic case needs to be assembled and it didnat come with instructions so I had to figure it out myself. Next, I searched on Google on how to install an OS into my Raspberry Pi. So, I downloaded Raspbian, a Debian-based OS highly optimized for the Raspberry Pi and installed it. On my next post I will be sharing with you more about Raspbian and will guide you on how to install it and give you tips on some of the things that I did after installation.
Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ setup alongside my iPad Pro
As you can see from the photos above, I now have a full-pledged desktop powered by a tiny computer. I connected my Raspberry Pi to my 13-inch HD display and it runs smoothly without lag or graphics issues. I also connected a wireless mini keyboard with built-in touchpad and an external hard drive to complete the setup. As of now, I am using my Raspberry Pi as file and VNC server (set up my iPad Pro as VNC viewer). I also intend to use it for testing Linux distros and for doing a bit of Python programming.
As Iave said, my next post will be all about installing and setting up Raspbian on Raspberry Pi so watch out.
Dark Mode on Appleas macOS? Linux did it First
Last year, Apple introduced the highly anticipated adark modea feature on their macOS (Mojave) desktop operating system. Many Apple fans regarded it as a cool and useful enhancement to their desktop user interface. It allowed users to turn on the system-wide dark color scheme and encouraged third-party app developers to offer a dark mode for their Mac apps. If you are thinking that Apple is the first to use this feature on the desktop, think again.
As far as I can remember, Linux is the first desktop OS that lets users easily customize the UI and provided plenty of dark theme options. I think Ubuntu started the trend in using darker themes out of the box several years ago, and they did it in a more elegant way when compared to other Linux distros. Elegant in a way that the dark scheme UI was consistently used and built-in apps were using dark themes.
Apple macOS
When customizing my Linux desktop, I always prefer dark themes since it is easy on the eyes and it looks good. Dark background also allowed me to focus more on the job at hand because there is less visual distraction. Using dark mode on my Mac desktop right now, I canat help but think about the endless customizations I did before on my favorite Linux distros to achieve that perfect dark look.
Ubuntu Linux
So to all the Mac users out there who also enjoyed using the dark mode on their desktop, perhaps you can thank Linux for showing the guys at Cupertino that dark mode UI is not just cool but also usable. However, correct me if Iam wrong through the comments below if you think that Linux did not have any influence whatsoever in this new macOS feature.
My Top 10 PlayStation 4 (PS4) Games of 2018
2018 was an awesome year for PlayStation 4 (PS4) gamers. Top game developers have released several exciting titles that made us stay on our couch for much longer periods of time :-)
So letas get started. I made here a list of my favorite PS4 games last year. Do please note that my choices of games are mostly action, simulation, survival, sci-fi, fantasy, first-person shooter (FPS) shooter, and role playing games (RPG). These games only made it through the top ten list because of their cool realistic graphics, amazing storyline, and of course their highly engaging gameplay.
So now, here are my top ten PS4 games of 2018:
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
10. Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Made by Warhorse Studios, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a single player, open world action role playing game set in the Medieval Kingdom of Bohemia in 1403. Although this game barely made it to the top ten, it is an awesome game with a fantastic storyline. This game takes place during a war in Bohemia where you will be playing as Henry, a common blacksmithas son who lived a very normal life until the Cuman mercenaries (the gameas main enemy) attacked and destroyed his village and killed (almost) everyone he knows and loves. Luckily, Henry escapes and soon joins Sir Radzig Koblya who leads a resistance movement against the Cumans.
The Game has a pretty long main storyline with lots of side quests and amazing characters for you to discover. Its combat mechanics are a little bit hard to master and its realism is a bit high because the armor can offer a lot of protection. The swords and gear can break and get dirty and with the armor offering heavyweight protection, you really need to search for weak spots in order to defeat your enemy. It also gets very frustrating when your shiny plate armor gets bloody and dirty after a long journey or a fight because you have to clean it frequently. But still the gameplay is enjoyable and and above all, it does not need Internet connection to be played.
This is a Business Simulation game created by Frontier that lets you create your own Jurassic Park. It is a very nice simulation game that takes place on the six islands based on the movie Jurassic Park. It is a fun game because you can observe your dinosaurs roam around your park. You also get to take care of your dinosaurs by feeding them and giving them a perfect home with lots of buddies, and another exciting feature is, you can create your very own dinosaur arena and watch your dinos fight or might I say rip each other to pieces.
The game also features main missions, side missions, and of course your very own sandbox, so that you can create the perfect park with unlimited cash and without your dinos attempting to break out. The only thing that is quite disappointing about this game is the short dino lifespan, but of course in the sandbox mode you can let your dinos live forever perhaps even longer than you. Thus, overall this game is very entertaining especially to those who are a fan of dinosaurs, But Dino fan or not, this game is definitely worth a try and it does not need Internet connection to be played.
Developer by Capcom, this game is the newest installment in the Monster Hunter series. In this game you can create your own custom character and you are tasked to track down, kill, or capture any monster you see. The plot of the main story of the game is that you are one of the hunters of the new world. You are sent to hunt and capture monsters for your colony. Although some of the old monsters are returning to the game, there are a lot of new monsters, some even bigger and scarier than the old ones. The game also features a lot of new weapons for your hunter such as swords, spears, bows, and even guns, along with a lot of very customizable armor pieces so that you can kill monsters in style. Overall, the gameplay is surprisingly fun and worth your dime. You can play this alone or with friends for more fun and theyall definitely be amused. This game does not need Internet connection to be played.
Created by Ubisoft, Far Cry 5 is an open world FPS game that sets place in Hope County. The main story lets you start as a deputy trying to stop a cult from taking over hope county. After a failed attempt, you are saved by freedom fighters and you join them in the fight against the cult. In Far Cry 5 you can create your own character and equip him or her with various weapons, vehicles, and customizations, and you can also bring in guns for hire in the fight against the cult. This game also features a map creator so you can create your own levels and even play with your friends.
You can play Far Cry 5 in singleplayer or multiplayer mode and it does not need Internet connection to start. This game is really entertaining and gut-busting, but I think that the main story goes a bit too fast. And although this game is single player and does not need Internet connection to play, but you can connect online and look for challenges or online players to make the game even more exciting.
God of War is an action adventure game that is developed by Santa Monica Studios. The latest game is the eighth installment of the God of War series, and it continues the story of Kratos years after he killed his father Zeus and destroyed all of the Greek World. In God of War you play as Kratos who is now in Norse Mythology, and his son Atreus. In the main story Kratos and Atreus will journey throughout the nine realms to fulfill their promise to Kratosa second wife and Atreusa mother to spread her ashes in the highest peak in the nine realms.
The latest God of War has a fantastic and highly moving storyline. Most of the characters are fun to interact with, and the game features lots of enemies, jaw-dropping boss fights, and a variety of enjoyable characters. The graphics of this game is really cool and realistic, and the monsters look awesome, so it is definitely worth checking out. God of War is a single-player game and does not need Internet connection to play.
Soulcaliber VI is a Fighting Game Produced by Bandai Namco Entertainment. In this game you can play with more than 20 existing characters to choose from or you can create your own custom characters. It also features a lot of cool weapons for your custom character and a lot of other customization options.
Soulcaliber VI is a very fun fighting game that features 2 campaign modes, soul story (the original story mode), and Libra of Souls (the story of your own custom character). The gameas fighting is very detailed and is highly realistic because your armor can break, you can roll if you are knocked down, and you can push your enemy off a cliff for an instant kill. The characteras fighting style is also diverse because each weapon has its own moves, special skills, and fighting style.
Overall, the gameas graphics is superb. Though there were times the capes clip with the armor, and the story mode isnat the best out there, but itas the fighting strategies that really made Soulcaliber VI an awesome game and worth it. Although this game is single player and does not need Internet connection to start, you can still play this on split screen in online multiplayer mode.
Created by Insomniac Games, Spider-Man is an awesome game based on the super hero Spider-Man. In this game you play as Peter Parker, or should I say Spider Man who spends his time swinging all over New York stopping crime wherever he goes. This game features most of Spider-Manas enemies such as Kingpin, Shocker, Doctor Octopus and more. It also lets you craft a whole lot of cool gadgets and high tech suits to help you bring those bad guys down. It even has these cool skins a the Avengers Infinity War Iron Spider suit, Spider-Man Homecoming suit, and the Homecoming Stark suit.
In this game you will not only take down common street criminals but super powered minions as well. These super powered minions can either have dark demonic powers, high tech jet packs, rock hard skin, and more making the game very enjoyable than ever. You will also face many challenges, find cool collectables, and even visit the Avengers Tower. The game also has one of the best main stories, you will want to keep playing until the very end because it gets more exciting and you will even meet a lot of interesting characters along the way. The game also has side missions, challenges, and a whole lot of landmarks. Overall, Spider-Man is an awesome game and is definitely worth it. The game is single player and does not need Internet connection.
This game is an open world action RPG game created by Ubisoft and is probably one of the best in the list. In this game you play as either Alexios or Kassandra and the story takes place in Greece during the Peloponnesian War, a war between Sparta and Athens. In the game, no matter what character you choose you start off as a common mercenary that wields the blade of Leonidas (who is your grandfather) the former king of Sparta and has a pet eagle named Icarus who looks out for enemies and helps you hunt for materials. Your main weapon is the blade of Leonidas that serves as your hidden weapon in the game (sadly there are no other hidden blades in this release compared to the previous) and gives you incredible powers such as bull rush, hero strike, and the good old Sparta kick.
In Assassinas Creed Odyssey you are on the hunt for the people who destroyed your family, which is the cult of Kosmos (the main enemy) while at the same time trying to bring your family together again. The game has a nice main story and has a lot of interesting side quests all over Greece. It also offers your character a lot of weapons such as axe, swords, daggers, hammers, bows (but sadly no shield), and a lot of armor for your characters protection and style. It even has a few mounts to buy and unlock. In this game you also have your own boat where you can customize your crew members and add special lieutenants to improve ship power. Overall, the game is magnificent and is worth every penny.
Just Cause 4 is an open world action game created by Avalanche Studios and Square Enix. In my opinion, this game is probably one of the best games of 2018. In it you play as the badass former secret agent, Rico Rodriguez who (after killing Di Ravello and avenging his family) went to the fictional South American country known as Solis to search for his fatheras secrets, only to find that his father left a weather machine capable of unlimited destruction. This game, like all other Just Cause games, features a lot of guns, vehicles, and a lot of destruction. It also offers a whole lot of tech, explosion, and awesomeness. Like for example you can have a gun that shoots drones and lasers or a boat that can make the enemy base rain with lighting. Just Cause 4 also lets you create an army of chaos that you can use to help yourself in the fight against the Black Hand, which are the gameas main enemies. Overall, the game has fantastic graphics, storyline and is highly engaging.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is my top favorite game of 2018 and it may be the best game I played since 2016. It was developed by Rockstar Studios and for me it is just perfect, a flawed masterpiece. I could play this game for a month and could not still get enough of it. In Red Dead Redemption 2 you play as Arthur Morgan, an outlaw in 1899 America who just escaped a place called Blackwater with his fellow gang members after a failed heist, and has a mission to make his gang rich again (after losing all their money in Blackwater) and to ensure that he and his gang survives with the law chasing them.
In terms of graphics, this game is just amazing and the realism is excellent that guns look like the real thing. The game also has some realistic survival elements because your character can get sick, hungry, tired, dirty, and even your hair can grow in this game which is so cool. You can also hunt 100 plus animals in the game for food. The NPCs of this game also feels so alive and breathing you almost donat want to kill them. In addition, the environment details of the game are very realistic like the snow, the dirt, even the water.
In Red Dead Redemption 2, horse riding is probably the best means of transportation and the horses are very detailed that their sizes, speed, and faces differ. The horses are your most valuable companions and they can even kill some enemies if you are lucky. This game also offers your character a lot of outfits and guns to use, and you can even go bounty hunting or go rob a train if your money is low. In the game, you also have a special ability called deadeye that allows you to slow down the time and then you shoot the life out of multiple enemies like a pro.
Overall, Red Dead Redemption 2 is so close to perfection that it is my top pick for 2018. You just have to get your hands on it and for sure youall be hooked. Please note that even if the game is single player and does not require Internet connection to play, there is always an online mode if you want to play with friends.
Written by: Marco Auza. Note: This is Marco's first article for TechSource. He will be writing game reviews during his free time since he is still in Junior High School.
The Essential Smartwatch: From Motorola MOTOACTV to Apple Watch
Although I am not a watch enthusiast, I have a soft spot for smartwatches. They have tons of features that ordinary wristwatches donat have and as a techie, I think they look way cooler than your average watch. Since 2011, I realized I have not been using my conventional wristwatches that they are already gathering dust in my closet. The reason? I bought my first smartwatch that year - the Motorola MOTOACTV.
For $300, I got a brand new Motorola MOTOACTV and wearing it felt like having the most awesome watch in the world. At that time, smartwatches are not yet popular but I enjoyed using it because it has features that I thought was ahead of its time. Powered by Android, it features built-in fitness apps, accelerometer, Bluetooth, music player, FM tuner, capacitive multitouch LCD display, ANT+ for connectivity to fitness sensors (eg. heart rate sensor) and has the capability to connect to smartphones to display calls and text messages.
Motorola MOTOACTV
Although I love the MOTOACTV, it was far from perfect. In terms of design, it looks bulky and there was really no room for customization. As for the software, it was stable at first but was later on plagued with buggy updates. It was also not as durable as I thought it would be since it was made by Motorola. It took just one waist-high drop that shattered the LCD display of my MOTOACTV, and so I was quickly in search for my next smartwatch.
For around $100, I got the very first version of Pebble. Considered at that time as the most funded project in Kickstarter history, I never regret purchasing that smartwatch. The original Pebble had some of the features that I want such as Android and iOS app support, notifications (calls, texts, emails), water resistance, aalways ona display, 7-day battery life, and array of sensors (magnetometer, accelerometer, ambient light). One of the best things about the Pebble was its app store that contains tons of free downloadable applications and watch faces. In terms of design, the Pebble looks plain and simple but you can customize it by replacing the 22mm wrist strap or using some skins to cover the bezel.
Pebble
The Pebble was definitely better than the MOTOACTV but it also had some crucial issues. Iave been using it for around 3 years and had experienced several buggy software updates that became really annoying. The most recurring issue Iave encountered was constantly losing connection to my phone hence the notifications feature was a hit or miss. In addition, the first version of Pebble had no built-in GPS and heart sensor, which for me was a major caveat since Iam a fitness buff. Lastly, although it can control the music from a connected smartphone, it didnat have a stand-alone music player like the MOTOACTV.
Using it on a daily basis, my Pebble looks good as new even until today so there is no question about its durability. I just got tired of the look and its limitations so I decided to hunt for my next smartwatch.
In September 2016, Apple released the Series 2 version of their smartwatch. Aimed at enhancing the iPhone experience, I considered the Apple Watch way better than the MOTOACTV and two steps ahead of the original Pebble. For around $400, I bought the Series 2 (aluminum, space grey, Nike+) in January 2017 and Iave been using it almost every single day since then.
Apple Watch Series 2 (Nike+)
The first thing I liked about the Apple Watch is its sleek and highly customizable design. I bought a few cases for protection and plenty of bands (wrist straps) for styling and comfort. After constant usage, I begin to appreciate the Apple Watch for its stable hardware and software integration. Connecting to my iPhone is a breeze and it runs flawlessly that I didnat have to worry about not receiving important notifications. I think this is the main reason why Iam still using this smartwatch.
Here is a list of features that I love about the Apple Watch (Series 2):
* Awesome display (OLED Retina display with Force Touch) * Customizable watch faces * Built-in sensors (optical heart, accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient light) * Built-in GPS * Water resistant up to 50 meters * Built-in fitness and wellness apps * Activity tracker (motivates me to exercise or stay active) * Supports third-party apps * Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity * Built-in music player * Easily removable bands and plenty of cheap bands available * Simple but good-looking design * Durable screen and body
Some of the features that I wish Apple Watch should have:
* Longer battery life * Always on display * Third-party watch faces
Although the Apple Watch Series 4 has been released in 2018, I didnat find it necessary to upgrade as my Series 2 still serves its purpose well, and looking at the features of the latest Apple Watch, it didnat tick any of the wish list I wrote above.
My Apple Watch is my constant and reliable companion. I regularly use the Breathe app when meditating, the built-in fitness app when swimming, running, cycling, weight lifting, or doing yoga, and the stand-alone music app when playing music on my AirPods. I also heavily rely on its notifications feature for calls and SMS. The Apple Watch can do all those things while looking sleek and of course showing me what time it is.
These days, there are still a lot of people who are using traditional watches compared to those who are using smartwatches. I think this is mainly because ordinary watches are more convenient to use for non-techies, as they are easy to set up and donat have to be charged all the time. As for me, I will probably stick to wearing smartwatches until my heart rate per minute goes zero.
Hello (Again) World!
Hello (again) world! After 10 years of posting here, I left without saying goodbye. Now that Iam finally back, allow me to say sorry to my loyal readers. Is it too late now to say sorry? :-) I hope not. Now, why did I take a very long break? To keep it short, here are the two main reasons why I stopped:
Hello!
* I finally got burned out of thinking about topics to write, writing, proofreading, editing, and posting.
* The other reason is that I got into iOS app development that took most of my free time.
I lost focus, and so I started my disappearing act from the World Wide Web.
Some of you may wonder why I came back after all these years. Well, I just missed writing. Iam now more excited than ever to share with you again all the tech-related stuff that I find interesting. Although I am still quite busy with mobile app development and physical (offline) business, I have more hunger and freedom now to write so I think this is going to be fun.
So where do we go from here? Before I decided to make a comeback, Iave been thinking about ways to revive the site. Like, should I change the design of the site first? -Which I did. As some of you may notice, the site now has a new design. It is now more mobile friendly than ever and more responsive. I hope you all like it, and please bear with me if you encounter some problems as we are still making a few adjustments and site enhancements.
I have also been thinking about changing the main topic or the future content of the site. Since the beginning, I have been posting mostly about Linux and other open-source software. When I took a break and have been developing apps for iOS, I obviously have been relying on my Mac as my main computer and OS X operating system. So I have to be honest with you that I have not been using Linux for a long time now and have lost track on whatas happening in the world of free and open-source software. Some of you Linux fans out there might be disappointed but I hope youall understand. As some of you may know, I also love Apple products simply because of their excellent hardware design and software reliability. In fact, I posted here before that I run Linux on my Macbook Pro.
Moving forward, Iam still going to post tech-related stuff but I will not just focus on a particular niche. That way, I will have more freedom to share with you what I know or experienced. I just hope that the things that I will be writing about will somehow be useful to you because that has always been the main reason why I started this site.
For those of you who stick around and for those who are planning to follow this site no matter what, thank you and see you soon!
Edit: My apologies for those of you who commented using mobile devices the past few days. Comments were not published due to error. I have already fixed the issue and comments will now push through.
4 Cloud-based Applications that Work Perfectly on Linux
As far as cloud-based applications go, the market seems to be very competitive. With the recent OneDrive controversy, users are becoming much more conscious about how and where they invest their valuable data. Pricing changes or changes in business models have started to backfire against companies pretty quickly. In other words, cloud-based applications are no longer second-class citizens on the desktop. In fact, they have become a solid business model that big companies like Google, Microsoft, and Apple heavily rely on.
Now that the cloud has become an end-user commodity rather than a product that was meant for data giants, companies are trying hard to increase the outreach of their cloud services to clients across all platforms. One such attempt is to bring more Linux users to the party by treating Linux-based desktops at the same level as their Windows and Mac counterparts. Many cloud-focused companies have already made available well-supported Linux clients for their services. This, in turn, has made Linux as a lucrative platform for people who dual boot or switch their computers a lot. That way, they can enjoy all their important files on Windows at work and Linux at home. It's a win-win situation for both parties.
Today, we will be focusing on a few such cloud-based applications that work natively on Linux without any major glitches or bugs.
Insync
While we waxed eloquent about the cloud-based applications available on Linux right now, we would be more than glad to leave out Google's name in this case. The search giant has already angered a lot of Linux users lately over their lack of support for the penguinian desktop. While the Google Drive client seems to be well-supported on Windows, Mac, and Android, the Linux desktop has largely been ignored for more than a year.
Thankfully, some great alternatives have emerged to make sure that Linux users don't miss out on the amazing service. Insync is one such alternative. The application comes with a host of features that even the official Google Drive client doesn't offer. Features like command-line usage, Raspberry Pi usage, feed of file changes, and multiple accounts are present in this application. However, unlike Google's client, it's not free. The developers charge about a one-time $20 fee for downloading and installing the application. If you are someone who relies heavily on Google Drive and your Linux desktop, this is worth paying for.
More about Insync HERE.
Copy
Copy is an often-forgotten application in the small list of cloud-based services on this platform. What separates this app from its competitors is its focus on providing a cross-platform syncing solution with a focus on security and privacy. While it is not as secure as SpiderOak, it does, however, make security a priority. Another great thing about Copy is that it is generous when it comes to providing storage space. While Dropbox offers a meager 5 GB for starters, Copy gives you 15 GBs of storage space to begin with. Overall, it is a great backup solution if you're looking for something new and fresh.
Dropbox
Dropbox is the tried and tested solution for Linux users that has worked well in the past and continues to work well even now. It offers a stable and powerful interface that is at par with its clients on Windows and Mac. Furthermore, the support and the steady stream of updates the Linux client gets makes it a great default cloud solution for many users. Whether you are a new Linux user or a penguinian ninja, you'll have no trouble getting used to Dropbox.
More about Dropbox HERE.
SpiderOak One
These days, securing the data you store on cloud has become a number one priority for many uses. Furthermore, there is one more area where companies are a bit nebulous in their offerings towards their customers, and that is privacy. SpiderkOak is a company that plans to change that. Their service has a strong focus on keeping your data safe and secure and making sure that no one other than you can access it. By providing adequate security measures, SpiderOak is designed in such ways that not even the company's employees are allowed to access your data. The best thing about SpiderOak is that it works perfectly on Linux and can even be accessed via command line (for those terminal junkies out there).
More about SpiderOak HERE.
Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.
Popular Hollywood Movies that Utilizes Linux
Hollywood, with all its glitz and glamour, seems like the last place you'll find the mighty penguin's influence. Well thankfully for all Linux fans, the truth is quite the opposite. The open source operating system has played a key role in turning many directorial dreams into silver screen successes. What attracts the billion-dollar industry to this 'free as in free beer' operating system is not its price. In fact, it is Linux's unmatched performance is what makes it the preferred choice over some of the top-of-the-line operating systems like Windows and Mac OS X.
Be it screenwriting, animation, editing, or post production, Linux can be used in pretty much every department involved in the making of a major motion picture. If you're wondering where exactly the mighty penguin has impacted Los Angeles, sit tight as we list some of the most prominent examples of Linuxian influence in Hollywood movies.
Scooby-Doo (The Movie)
Scooby-Doo was a popular 2002 flick by Warner Brothers starring Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. Adapted from the popular cartoon series, this was the first live action movie in the franchise. Since the success of the movie relied on portraying an animated dog, and not just any dog, but the mighty Scooby Doo himself, the pressures were high. And this, my friends, is the scene wherein Linux steps in to save the day.
Animators of the post-production studio Rhythm & Hues used about a hundred Linux desktops to make the popular Hannah-Barbara look as realistic as possible. Using Film Gimp (now Cinepaint http://www.cinepaint.org/ ) and other proprietary Linux-based tools, the open-source desktop was a key contributor to the movie's success. No wonder, Scooby-Doo was the 15th most successful film of 2012 with an official box-office gross of more than $275 millions.
Spirit Stallion of the Cimarron
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is a 2002 Oscar-nominated movie that has grossed over $122 million so far. On June 3rd 2002, in a press release, HP announced that Linux played a critical role in the production of the movie. It was also the first movie to place Linux in the hands of animators giving them power to create a unique blend of 2D and 3D animation. Furthermore, it also helped power Dreamworks' proprietary 2D animation software Toonshooter thanks to HP's high-power Linux workstations.
Karen Duffin from HP had the following to say about Linux:
"This deal also signifies a larger emerging trend - the shift in Hollywood from proprietary (a la SGI's IRIX systems) to open source platforms, and HP's leading role in this evolution. Many of the major studios are moving over to Linux, but DreamWorks is pioneering this movement. The evolving relationship between HP and DreamWorks and the movies emerging from the multi-year alliance is indicative of this movement." Source: https://lwn.net/Articles/1712/
Shrek the Third
Shrek the Third is another great movie where Linux was involved in the making. Released in 2007, the third installment of the popular animated movie franchise grossed over 322 million dollars at the box office. DreamWorks with their powerhouse animation backend of more than 1,000 desktops and more than 3,000 server CPUs relied heavily on Linux for bringing the movie to fruition. What was more important was that Shrek pushed the limits of where animation can go with the accurate detailing of the models' hair and flow dresses. Furthermore, the movie also included lighting and effects that were rarely found in movies at that time. You can read more about the involvement of Linux in the movie on a Linux Journal article.
Titanic
Probably one of the biggest movies ever made, Titanic ranks amongst the movies with the best special effects. According to Box Office mojo, the current worldwide gross of the Oscar-winning masterpiece stands at a whopping $2,186,772,302. And yes, here too, Linux had a big part to play in the making of the film. Titanic, as you may know, relied heavily on the use of visual effects. A risky move at that time considering they had to create a complete ship from the ground up and everything from the water to the flag on the ship was to be pure CGI. Despite having a lot of choices in the operating systems department, no other OS proved as powerful as Linux to give birth to one of the biggest cinematic experiences of the decade.
Digital Domain, the company responsible for the visual effects of Titanic had the following to say about Linux:
"The Linux systems worked incredibly well for our problems. The cost benefit was overwhelmingly positive even including the engineering resources we devoted to the problems. The Alpha Linux turned out to be slightly more difficult than first expected, but the state of Alpha Linux is improving very rapidly and should be substantially better now.
Digital Domain will continue to improve and expand the tools we have available on these systems. We are engendering the development of more commercial and in-house applications available on Linux. We are requesting that vendors port their applications and libraries. At this time, the Linux systems are only used for batch processing, but we expect our compositing software to be used interactively by our digital artists. This software does not require dedicated acceleration hardware, and the speed provided by the Alpha processor is a great benefit to productivity."
Source: http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/2494
Conclusion
Time and again, Linux has played a huge role in successes of many Hollywood blockbusters and continues to do so till this day. It is not just the low cost that has made Linux such an attractive choice for high-profile media studios, it is also the unmatched performance it offers that easily outshines what Apple or Microsoft offers.
Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.
Best Cross-Platform Note-taking Apps to Enhance Productivity
When it comes to taking notes on the go, there are many solutions you can try out. You can carry a small notepad, you could take notes in a simple text file, or you could try out any app from the thousands of choices the Android Play Store offers. While there seems to be no dearth of good choices in this department, apps that are truly cross-platform are hard to find. That's why, in today's article, we'll help you find apps that you can use to take notes and refer to them from everywhere.
OneNote
OneNote is Microsoft's heavily publicized note-taking application. It is a simple, easy-to-use service that ties in perfectly with MS Office Suite of desktop tools. Compared to Evernote, OneNote stacks up quite well with its easy-to-use interface and cross-platform capabilities. You can take and access your notes on desktop, web, mobile, and tablets. The interface conforms to Microsoft's popular ribbon UI and anyone who has used MS Word or MS Excel (2013+) would have no trouble getting started with it. The best thing of all is that OneNote is entirely free to use with no premium tiers or restrictions. Much like Evernote, there isn't a Linux version for OneNote. However, having tried the web version myself for about a few months now, Linux users won't be missing out on much.
Pricing: Free Publisher: Microsoft OpenSource: No Platforms: Windows, Mac, Web, Mobile Website: www.onenote.com
Evernote
Evernote is a frontrunner in the race for being one of the best cross-platform note-taking applications out there. It is stable, works across all major platforms, and has excellent features that are useful for users from all backgrounds. What's great about this application is that it seamlessly syncs all your data across all platforms. Be it bills, receipts, or even a complete novel, you can store pretty much everything in your Evernote account without having to worry about data loss. While there isn't a Linux version for this service yet, there are a couple of third-party applications you can try that will let you access your notes on Ubuntu and other distributions. Once such application is Nevernote, an open-source clone of Evernote ( http://nevernote.sourceforge.net/). The app provides a basic interface for accessing your notes and creating new ones. Other than that, you won't find any bells and whistles you usually find on the Windows or Mac application. The basic version is free to install and use and is enough for anyone who's looking for a solid cross-platform note taking solution.
Pricing: Free for Basic, $24.99 per year for Plus, $49.99 per year for Professional Publisher: Evernote Corporation Platforms: Windows, Mac, Web, Mobile Website: www.evernote.com
Simplenote
Simplenote has been around for quite a while now. However, it never really got the attention it deserved. Its lightweight, clean interface is something that makes it stand apart from other feature-heavy applications and services. The application has a web-based interface and has apps that work perfectly well on iOS and Android. Simplenote, by living up to its name, ensures that you get the bare minimum features you need from a cross-platform note editor. That said, as simple as it is, the service supports Markdown thus letting you publish your notes on the web and share them with your friends and coworkers. Overall, Simplenote stands apart not only as a great note-taking tool but also an effective productivity app.
Pricing: Free Publisher: Automattic Platforms: Mac, Web, Mobile Website: www.simplenote.com
Google Keep
Google Keep is the search giant's way of letting you know that it has its tentacles spread across all areas of your life. Just kidding. If you're an avid note-taker and are looking for something that ties in well with the Google ecosystem, this is an app you must try. It's simple, colorful, and does the job pretty well. You can group your notes in categories and tag them with different colors. Furthermore, it also allows you to show notes based on your location, thus letting you remember anything you have to buy whilst going out shopping.
Pricing: Free Publisher: Google Platforms: Web, Mobile, Chrome-based apps for Windows, Mac, Linux Website: https://keep.google.com/
5 of the Best Raspberry Pi Projects Out There
Raspberry Pi, when first launched about two years ago, became an instant phenomenon. After all, who could have thought of a $35 computer that lets you browse the web and does most of your office work? What is even more surprising is the reception it got from average users. Usually, one would expect a bare-minimum $35 board computer that runs Linux to be popular only among developers or geeks. However, as many as 100,000 Raspberry Pi units were sold on the day of its launch eventually selling more than 2.5 million units till date.
Completely open-source, Raspberry Pi lets you do most of the basic tasks you'd normally do on a full-fledged desktop. You can browse the web, you can create documents, and you can even play music and watch videos. When it comes to desktop computers, Raspberry Pi is a veritable "Starter's Edition." Since its inception, the project has made common computing available to parts of the world where owning a desktop was once considered a luxury. Moreover, it has also spurred a flurry of interesting projects that take this tiny superboard to a whole new level. If you are ready to show your creative, geeky side, then read on as we cover some of the best Raspberry Pi projects out there.
1. Turn Raspberry Pi into a Low-cost Coding Tutor for Kids
We've already covered a list of the best programming courses out there. However, as good as these courses are, learning programming can be a tough ordeal for kids who need a more hands-on approach to code. Instead of letting them mess up your production computer, you can buy them a little Raspberry Pi box, hook it up to a monitor, and let them code their heart away. A good programming language that's up to this task is Scratch that turns programming into an activity that's geared towards kids, making the whole process fun and enjoyable to them. In fact, this combination of Pi and Scratch can make programming accessible to places where kids who don't have the privilege of owning a computer, thus making it easy to spread knowledge everywhere.
2. Turn Raspberry Pi into a Media Center
Did you just say media center? Yep, there's a lot this little board can do that you won't usually expect it to do. What's great about Pi is that it supports 1080p out of the box with a tiny-but-powerful GPU running behind the scenes. Combine that with the Xbian project, you got a full-fledged media center on your hands. XBian is a small, fast and lightweight media center distribution that is designed for Raspberry Pi that brings the latest of XBMC to your mini-computer. It's a great, cheap investment if you're someone who likes watching a lot of movies.
3. Turn Raspberry Pi into a Car Computer
A very interesting blog post by developer Andrei Istodorescu shows you exactly how you can turn Pi into a PC that sits in your car. This means that you'll be able to watch your favorite movies or TV shows in your car. While that's a perfect idea for a romantic date, just make sure that you're not doing Game of Thrones marathons while driving. The blog post explains pretty much everything you need to do in order to install, configure, and get it up and running. The approximate cost of the parts requires comes down to about $200. However, as costly as that sounds, compared to the $25 board, it's a worthy investment for every geek who also loves her car.
4. Make a Wearable Raspberry Pi Computer
Envious of your Google Glass-sporting friends? Or maybe you're too privacy conscious to try the search giant's latest wearable. Whatever the case maybe, geeks and privacy enthusiasts can make use of Pi to create a DIY wearable that they can brag about to their friends who are busy drooling over Android Wear, Google Glass, and other wearables. While no way near perfect, this project can provide a full-powered desktop computer that you can use wherever you are. Even while walking. Although the cost of this project is about $400, it's a justified investment for every geek out there who wants to have a great learning experience.
5. Turn Raspberry Pi into a Universal Remote
Instructables has another cool guide on turning your Pi computer into a universal remote. Though you'll need some parts to get that working for you, those little investments are worth it if you're a lazy geek who loves to control everything from the couch. Also, it's a great learning experience for anyone who's interested in knowing more about the LIRC or tinkering with electronics. A bit tough to get working overnight, this project can be treated as a huge learning experience more than just a way to create a universal remote. You can also pair this off with XBMC and then create an ultimate media center with remote and everything at a very low cost.
Best Bitcoin Applications for Linux
Bitcoin is, if many industry experts are to be believed, the future of currency. Everyone from expert coders to entrepreneurs is banking on it thus making it one of the hottest topics. We already discussed a lot about bitcoins in our earlier article and we believe that it does have a potential to cause a huge disruption in the market. For our FOSS supporters out there, bitcoin means a great deal. The reason for this is that this digital currency is entirely open-source. Which means, if Bitcoin ever reaches public adoption, it will be the most popular use of open-source technology.
If you are a Linux user, managing your bitcoins and even mining them is a piece of cake. The penguinian platform offers some great tools for bitcoins enthusiasts to manage their digital currency.
CGMiner
CGMiner is a multi-thread multi-pool miner for bitcoins. It works from the command line and can help you mine bitcoins in a way that makes maximum usage of your resources. The commands are pretty simple and straightforward thus making it easy even for non programmers (with a little bit of help, of course) to get started with bitcoins. What makes CGMiner popular is the fact that it gives you complete control over the mining process. If you are new to Bitcoins and want to get started with mining, a fantastic guide that teaches you how to mine Bitcoins on a Xubuntu desktop with CGMiner can be found HERE.
Bitcoin QT
Bitcoin QT is the official Bitcoin app that provides you with the ability to manage your coins. It has a simple interface that works across most Linux distributions and makes it easy for you to handle all your bitcoin transactions from one place. Though there are better Bitcoin applications out there, this one may be a preferred choice if you are looking for something more official.
MultiBit
MultiBit is a free application that serves as a wallet for your Bitcoins. Open-source and easy to install, MultiBit works across all major platforms. Once installed, it lets you manage your Bitcoin transactions from one single place. The application is very lightweight and quick to install. It even stores your data in files of really small size, thus making it easy to work with on computers that have low resources. This also means that you can backup your data onto a pen drive or even your smartphone's SD card and not have to worry about computer crashes. MultiBit is fast and keeps all your private keys encrypted on your machine. Overall, it is a great lightweight application for Bitcoiners.
BitMinter
If you are someone who wants to make money mining Bitcoins, BitMinter is a mining pool that allows you to do just that. The aim of this mining pool is to make mining accessible to everyone so that they too could be a part of this open-source phenomenon. Of course, mining coins using a regular computer is not really profitable. It will not only tax your resources but will also send you a huge electricity bill. However, if you have a powerful graphics card, you can surely use it to mine coins as much as you want. And, for that, you'll need to install the BitMinter application. Built on Java, BitMinter works across all major platforms out there.
Electrum Bitcoin Wallet
Electron is a Bitcoin wallet that lets you store your coins in a safe place. One of the striking features about this app is its simple user interface. Working perfectly well across all major platforms, Electrum stores your data in a secret phrase so that even if your computer gets stolen, only you would have access to your stuff. Also, apart from security, Electrum also offers a lot of convenience for users who like to travel. It does so by letting you use your wallet offline. If you are an Android user, Electrum will also work on your smartphone.
Best Firefox Add-ons for a Better YouTube Experience
From blocked videos to annoying ads, there are many things about YouTube we don't like. These restrictions and distractions only dampen the amazing experience that the video-sharing website is meant to provide. If you are a Firefox user, however, you won't have to worry about such things. Firefox offers a variety of add-ons that let you fix pretty much any annoyance that YouTube has. Furthermore, they also let you download videos right to your desktop so that you can watch them whenever you want, even without a connection.
So, without much ado, here are some of the best Firefox add-ons that help you have a better YouTube experience.
1-Click YouTube Video Downloader
What makes this downloading app so special is purely its simplicity. Once installed, you'll find a small button below the video you are watching. This will let you choose the quality of the video you want to download, and then once you click it, the video starts downloading automatically. The add-on supports a wide variety of major formats like MP4, FLV, WebM, 3GP thus letting you watch the video later on any device you like. While it doesn't add any fancy functions to the mix, its simplicity is the only reason, which will probably make you start using it right away.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Ageless for YouTube
If you are over 18 but still find it annoying that you have to sign in to watch age-restricted videos, then this next add-on is just for you. Once installed, you won't have to sign in every time you watch an age-restricted video. This is great for people who don't have a YouTube account or don't want to sign up for one.
DOWNLOAD HERE
CleanTube
If you are someone annoyed by some of the unwanted elements on the YouTube page then this extension will come in handy. By simply a single click you can hide the comments section, the sidebar, ads, and other parts of YouTube that you find annoying. What gives this add-on the upper edge is that it lets you customize the look of your YouTube page the way you want it to. If you prefer, you can customize it till the only thing you see is your video and nothing else. It is really a great tool for minimalists.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Download YouTube Videos as MP4
Much like the aforementioned 1-click YouTube Downloader, this one too puts a simple download button below your videos. What is great about this add-on is that it doesn't require you to restart the browser. As far as restrictions go, this one is limited to MP4s only. However, if all you do is watch videos on your desktop, this addon fits the bill.
DOWNLOAD HERE
YouTube Unblocker
If you are not living in the United States, watching videos that are blocked in your country can be quite a trouble. Though there are many workarounds for that (like VPN), there isn't a convenient solution that just works. Thankfully, though there's a simple extension to remedy that problem. YouTube Unblocker does exactly what it says, it automatically unblocks disabled videos like VEVO by enabling proxy that directs to the US website. So instead of completely using YouTube with a proxy server, this addon intelligently queries the video so that you will be watching only the blocked videos through a proxy. There are no VPN or shady sites involved here.
DOWNLOAD HERE
7 Nifty VLC Tricks You Should Know
VLC started as an academic project in 1996 and back then it was called "VideoLAN Client", and hence the name VLC. Soon, however, it grew to become a client as well as server that can be used to stream videos across the network. Its popularity showed steady growth leading up to the development of Version 1.0 that was released in 2009. In other words, the project took 13 years of development to reach its first major release, something that shows us how stable the open-source tool has indeed become.
Be it Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux, VLC still remains the undisputed king of media players. From playing YouTube videos and MP3s to helping you enjoy Blu-ray movies, this open-source tool is regarded as one of the indispensable tools every desktop user should have installed. If you are using Linux right now, chances are you are a VLC user too. And if you are, we've got some useful tips for you that will help you get the most out of it.
1. Taking Screenshots of the Currently Playing Video
Whenever you are playing a video, you can grab a quick screencap without even pausing. All you have to do is press the combination Shift + S and your screenshot will automatically show up in the Pictures folder. If, however, you are using Mac OS X, use the shortcut Cmd + Alt + S and the snapshot will be waiting for you in the Pictures folder.
2. Bookmark a Position in a Video
Imagine you are busy watching your favorite movie and suddenly your smartphone rings. It is a bummer right? Start the video again and then seeking to the last position you were on. Thankfully, VLC saves you the trouble by letting you bookmark a position in the video so that you can come back to it whenever you want.
All you have to do is go to the menubar and then Playback -> Custom Bookmarks -> Manage. A new window will pop up. Here, simply click on the button that says "Create" and you will have the bookmark at your disposal whenever you want.
Note that you can also use this for listening to audiobooks as well where bookmarking plays an important role.
3. Record the Currently Playing Video/Audio
If you listen to streaming audio or watch a lot of online videos natively, this next tip will help you keep the best bits to yourself. By recording a currently playing song or video, you can re-listen to it whenever you want.
To start recording, simply go to the menu bar and navigate to View -> Advanced Controls. Once you do that, a small red button will show up below the video or audio. Click on it and the stream will be saved to your default Videos or Music folder.
4. Record from a Webcam
If you are a wannabe rising YouTube star, this tip might help you a lot. VLC, apart from playing your favorite movies, also lets you do a recording from the webcam. Simply go to Media -> Open Capture Device. There, you'll find a dropdown menu. There, select DirectShow to select your webcam. Once that is done, start recording by hitting the red button. The video will be stored in the default videos folder.
5. Play Video Files in .zip and .rar Archives
The next time someone hands you a bunch of video files packed in a .rar archive, simply open it in VLC and it will play. VLC reads through the archive letting you play the video files contained in it.
6. Watch a YouTube Video Without a Browser
Instead of watching a YouTube video in a distraction-ridden webpage, you can use VLC to watch it on your desktop. Simply click on the menu bar -> Media and click Open Network Stream. There, paste the URL of your favorite video and it will start playing automatically. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + N anytime and paste the video directly.
7. VLC Does Podcasts Too
VLC can do a lot more than playing videos and music. It also acts as a full-fledged podcast downloader and player. Open VLC and if the playlist view isn't showing up yet, press Ctrl + L or hit the playlist button at the bottom. In the left pane under Internet, you'll find an option that says Podcasts. Hit the grey button besides it and paste your favorite podcast URL.
Windows 10: Is it Really Worth Ditching Linux for?
Though we won't call Windows 10 the perfect desktop OS, it is certainly an eye-catching offering packed with features that are hard to resist, even for Mac users. The homely start menu, the sharp Cortana, and Linux-esque features like virtual desktops all blend in to provide a seamless desktop experience that, for the first time, matches up with the prowess of the Mac OS X desktop experience. While Ubuntu's growth remaining stagnant and no new 'big' announcements on the Linux front this year, many penguinian users are considering migrating to the dark side. While some have already crossed the threshold, others are reflecting on the pros and cons. For them the following article will shed light on some of the tempting features of the OS and how they compare to what Linux currently offers.
The Search Experience
One of the biggest changes in Windows 10 is the integration of search with Cortana, local files, and content from the web. This combination makes search a powerful addition to the Windows 10 experience. With the ability to look through files, folders, and content on the web, the need for opening the web browser time and again becomes redundant.
The search experience on Linux, however, is still mediocre as compared to what Windows or Mac offers. On Ubuntu you can search through files; but searching on the web through the Dash is still flaky. If you are someone who wants a unified desktop and web experience and online search is a big deal for you, switching to Windows 10 might not be such a bad move. Otherwise, the good ol' Dash works perfectly for the normal desktop user.
The Start Menu
Yep, it's back. After hearing the complaints of millions of users from around the world, the Redmond giant finally decided to bring the Start menu back. Though it is not the same as what Windows XP and 7 had, it still retains the functionality of its predecessor. You can search, browse through programs, and even pin tiles to your start menu. This is a welcome change from the gaudy Windows 8 start screen that took up useful real estate. For Linux users, there has always been an equivalent of the start menu. In Mint for example, the start menu is reminiscent of the Windows 7 start menu and on Ubuntu we have the Dash, which is the right blend of modernity and functionality. If you are looking to ditch Linux for the Windows 10 start menu, unfortunately, it might not be worth it.
Free as in Free Beer, but not Freedom
Windows 10 is free. Yes, completely free. Well, almost. If you own a genuine copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8, you can upgrade to the latest desktop without paying a single penny. If you don't, you'll have to pay the retail price for a new copy of the operating system. So, if you are already on an earlier version of Windows, probably dual booting with your tux desktop, there are no reasons not to upgrade to Windows 10. However, it is essential that you backup your data before making the switch as the upgrade has been known to cause some issues.
Always Updated
Both Linux and Windows rely on updates to provide a secure and up-to-date desktop experience. Windows, however, goes a step further with this process. Switching to a software-as-a-service model, the latest version of the desktop will deliver all future updates and upgrades online. This means no Windows 11 or 12 and every new feature or major change will be delivered to your desktop via a simple over-the-air update. The only problem, though, with this model is that you can't opt out of it. If you upgrade to Windows 10, there's no official way of disabling those updates. So, if you have a limited bandwidth, just think a couple of times before upgrading. Compared to Linux, this might feel like an intrusive move, but Microsoft plans to make money as a service rather than an operating system that is quite different from the way Linux operates.
Privacy Issues
Last, but not the least, one of the controversies surrounding Windows 10 is quite a biggie for Linux users and that is of privacy. Despite clarifications by Microsoft on this matter, Windows 10 is known to collect a huge amount of data that is quite unsettling for a desktop user. If there's one big deal breaker Linux users have to face while installing Windows 10 is this one. Even though you can tweak the settings, having complete control over your data is something only a Linux user can enjoy in its full glory.
Conclusion
So, is it worth ditching Linux for Windows 10? While it is a great update to Windows 8, the one that fixes it all, upgrade problems and privacy issues are main reasons Linux users should be wary of the upgrade. However, if you want the latest and greatest, it should be a no-brainer. Our advice is to wait till Microsoft settles the issues plaguing the OS and then give it a shot. Till then, penguins are always your friends.
Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.
5 Best Tools You Need To Create Your Next Big Android App
Creating a simple Android app that calculates the amount of tip you have to pay at a restaurant is easy. Creating a fully functional messaging app with third-party integration, not so. Android app development is such a big area that the possibilities for you are practically endless. You can create very basic apps that make you enough money to pay your rent and then you can create those big apps like Snapchat, which make you a billionaire. Android marketplace isn't just an app store anymore; it's a playground for showcasing your best abilities and creating something valuable for millions of mobile users.
That said, good apps do need some extra effort, some manpower, and more importantly some solid tools that help speed up the process. That's why today we've listed some of the best tools out there for helping you create your next big Android app. These will help you get through some of the most common hurdles that show up when you create, deploy, and test your app.
Android Studio
This is the most basic stuff you'll find in an Android developer's repertoire. Android Studio replaces Eclipse as the official IDE for Android and comes with all the libraries and developer tools that will help you create your app right from scratch. The whole bundle works across all major operating system platforms. The huge download also gives you access to a version of Android system image for the emulator. This means that you can write your app then test it right on your desktop. You won't even need an Android device at any stage of the development process.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Titanium SDK
If you have strong aversion to Java and prefer coding in languages like HTML, PHP, JavaScript, Ruby and Python, this SDK is for you. Instead of sticking to a native SDK like Android SDK, you can develop apps for multiple platforms at the same time. In other words, you can create apps for iOS, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows from the same codebase. If you are a small business or a budding startup that needs to get apps up and running across multiple platforms, Titanium is a great choice. It has been used by many developers from around the world and many apps are created using it.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Genymotion
The default Android emulator, despite being distributed by Google, itself happens to be quite slow and buggy. Genymotion remedies that problem by providing a blazing fast Android emulator that does much more than what the default Android emulator does. Moreover, apart from providing an Android emulator, Genymotion also provides more than 10 virtual devices so that you can test your app across all the major platforms out there. If your app or game has special features that make use of the motion sensors or requires connecting to a big display, Genymotion handles that too by providing specialized features to test your app. If you are developing a small app, the default emulator is good enough. But for big apps that need to be deployed to millions of users (in case of startups, etc.), there's nothing better than Genymotion out there.
Rhomobile
Much like Titanium, Rhomobile lets you build apps for multiple platforms without requiring you to become a Java ninja. What makes it so special is that Rhomobile focuses more on enterprise clients. We've already written a lot about Enterprise apps on Android and if your next app is one then Rhomobile might come in handy. You can code in HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, and Ruby yet be able to deploy a single app across multiple platforms. The basic suite is free but if you're a company then go for the Silver or Gold plan depending on your needs.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Ubertesters
If you are building a big app that needs to be tested aggressively, Ubertester is a service that will definitely come in handy. It lets you organize and monitor your app's beta testing process much more efficiently. It doesn't matter if you have 4 or 400 testers Ubertester gives you a lot of flexibility, which the usual testing process doesn't allow. You can send OTA updates (much like Google does) to your testers and get quick feedback. Among other features, Ubertesters also allows you to do in-app bug editing which comes in very handy if you are reiterating on the go. Overall, it is a great service for testing and improving your Android app.
5 Best Calendar Apps for Google Chrome
Managing time has become so important these days. You have a meeting at 10 am, then lunch at 2 pm, and a lot of things in between. It is hard to manage so many things in one day. Thankfully, these days we have so many time management apps that it is barely a hassle anymore. As humans, we should be grateful to the wonderful technology we have at our disposal.
Technology, in many ways, has saved us from the hassle of being late to meetings, forgetting important birthdays, and missing out on some great parties. Be it an app, a web-based service, or a nifty command-line trick, never before has time management become so easy. One of the biggest proofs of this advancement is the way our calendars have been reinvented. From simple sheets of papers that we used to hang on the walls to the omnipresent "apps" we carry with us anywhere we go, Calendar has come a long way. If you're a person who lives in their browser, however, nothing comes more handy than these calendar apps.
So, if you are looking to ramp up your productivity this week, read on as we list some of the best calendar apps for Google Chrome:
Google Calendar
Undoubtedly the most popular web-based calendar service out there, Google Calendar's omnipresence is hard to deny. Be it a corporate meeting or a family gathering, this nifty service makes sure that punctuality will be the last thing you need to worry about. What's great about Google's calendar service is that it allows you to share your calendar with your coworkers and friends. This means that they won't have to call you up every time they want to schedule a meeting with you. They can simply add an event to a calendar and you can choose whether to accept or to deny the invite (much like Facebook events).
Another good thing about Google Calendar is that it syncs with most of your desktop applications thus helping you access it no matter where you go. This app for Chrome, though almost identical to the web app, lets you have a quick access to the service.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Boomerang Calendar for Gmail
While this might not be necessarily an app, it does give you some great functionality if you are someone who gets lost in a myriad of appointments and commitments to keep. Once installed, you'll be able to schedule your meetings with just one click. Whenever you get an invite, the extension goes through your schedule and checks for any available spots. If it finds any, it will let you book that spot in just one click. The add-on is pretty simple and straightforward and works quite well with Gmail.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Zoho Calendar
Zoho Calendar is part of the Zoho suite, a well-known competitor to Google Docs. While neither as popular or as feature rich as Google Calendar, Zoho seems like a perfect choice for those who want to unshackle themselves from Google's huge ecosystem. As far as the UI goes, the app looks pretty similar to Google Calendar, almost as if it is a clone. However, the fonts and many other UI elements do a good job at reminding you that this is a different application you are using. Also, Zoho allows you to embed your calendar on any website or blog. This can be very useful for bloggers who like putting out schedules and future post announcements on their site.
Apart from being a solid, Google Calendar alternative, Zoho makes itself stand apart from the web giant by allowing you to integrate the calendar with various CRM applications.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Memo Calendar
This app stands apart from others on this list by focusing on simplicity rather than features. Memo Calendar acts and feels much like the memo calendars we used to (or still do) hang on our walls. On each date, you can stick a small note so that it could help you remember something important that you have to do that day. Be it a birthday, a meeting, or an award show, just write it down on the memo calendar and you'll be fine. If you are looking for a simple, clean alternative to Google Calendar, this is your pick.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Sunrise Calendar
Compatible with the aforementioned Google Calendar as well as iCloud, Sunrise calendar is what Wunderlist is to a plain-old to-do list. Gorgeous design coupled with all the essential features you'd want from Google Calendar or any other calendar app, Sunrise is probably the best calendar app out there (Yes, it's even better than Google Calendar). What makes it so special is the fact that it integrates with many of the important services that have similar features built in. In other words, you don't have to open Facebook to check your distant cousin's birthday, Sunrise brings your Facebook Events and GCal events together thus removing the necessity for you to keep checking multiple sites at the same time. Much like Google Calendar, Sunrise works offline and allows you to add maps to a particular event. If you are already using Google Calendar, try this.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Using Android Apps for Keeping the Family Safe
Thanks to the GPS technology many smartphones come built with, you can easily locate your family members on a map and reach them whenever they are in need of your help. This is also a great way to keep track of teenagers when they go out to a party late at night thus keeping you up worrying about them. Furthermore, even when you are in a supermarket or a mall, you can prevent your kids from getting lost by tracking them on a map. The aforementioned safety measures don't come built-in with a new smartphone, however, there are some really good apps that provide those features at a very low cost or for free. Following is a list of few such apps:
Life360 - Family Locator
Life360 is a well-designed and useful family safety app that is great for small or even big families. Once installed, you can view your family members' locations on a private map along with their display pictures. What's good about Life360 is that it has a "Check-in" button like Foursquare that lets your kids or you punch in their current location. Also, if there is any trouble, you can push the "Alert" button and notify your parents. Among other features, this free app is great for chatting up with your family members while you are away.
DOWNLOAD HERE
ZoeMob Family Locator
Much like the aforementioned Life360, ZoeMob too serves as a GPS tracker for your family members. What is great about this app is that it comes with a GeoFence feature that lets you receive alerts whenever your family members arrive at school or at home. This is great for working moms who want to get notified once their kids get home from school. Furthermore, ZoeMob also features a family messenger app for chatting with other family members.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Family Safe
Family Safe is a GPS tracking system that can be used for tracking family members' locations. The application operates on 2 modes: Guardian profile and Protected profile. Under the Guardian profile (aimed at parents), you will be able to add your kids, elders, or any other relatives to your list and locate them on the map. If they're in trouble, you can quickly drive over to them using Google Navigate. There is also an option to call your relative right from the app. Under the protected profile (aimed at kids/elders), you're able to send a quick alert to a guardian signaling any emergency.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Family Safety GPS Tracker
If you want to track specific members of your family using their phone's GPS tracker, this app is worth a try. It has a unique functionality that gives you your relatives' GPS position at specific predefined intervals. This means that, you can get alerts about your kids' positions every one or two hours and not every minute (which can be quite annoying for both parties). Another good thing the app comes with is the emergency button. Just press the power key (even when your phone is in your pocket) four times and it will sound an emergency alarm. Also, if you want to know your child's location using SMS only (useful for older phones), you can simply send the SMS : REQUEST LOCATION and you'll get the location. Overall, a clean and simple app that does what it says on the tin.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Family Locator - GPS Tracker
Family Locator is another good app for locating your family members. What's unique about this app is that you can manually set safe or danger zones in the phone. This means that if your child goes into a particular part of the town (let's say the one that's more prone to violence, robbery etc) it will sound an alarm. Similarly, in a safe zone, when your kid leaves a particular zone, it will inform you. Apart from those features, the app has pretty much all the bells and whistles from other Family safety apps like messenger, maps, and real-time location.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.
7 Best Chrome Apps and Extensions for Coders
Whether you are a code ninja or a budding programmer, having a good programming environment is a must. However, with the high amount of time we spend in our browsers and on our Chromebooks, finding any coding tools that are not native is a bit of a daunting task. Thankfully, Chrome with its huge repository of apps and extensions, has us covered pretty well. So, if you are looking for some great coding tools that work perfectly in your Google Chrome browser, read on as we cover the best of the lot.
Zed Code Editor
Zed Code Editor is a nice, clean-looking code editor designed specially for Chrome. Fully capable of running offline, its dark UI makes you focus on coding and nothing else. What's great about Zed is that it allows you to edit files locally as well as the ones that are stored on your Dropbox or Github account. Zed also supports syntax highlighting for most of the popular programming languages and can complete your code thus saving you the usual typing trouble. Another unique thing about Zed is that it has no tabs, it exists in a simple Chrome window that can be navigated using the goto UI. Built using web technologies like HTML5 and CSS, Zed is probably one of the best code editors you can have not just on Chrome but on desktop as well.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Code Cola
If you are a web developer, you will love Code Cola. It is a simple little extension that allows you to edit an online page's CSS in a visual way. Once installed, you can treat the whole web as your playground as you edit pretty much any page that you find worth experimenting on.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Caret
Modeled on the famed Sublime Text, Caret is an offline-capable text editor with syntax highlighting capabilities. What is special about Caret is that it is a great companion for users who love their Chromebooks thanks to its syncing capabilities. You can edit a file on your home computer and then you can continue working on it whenever you're traveling. Just hook your Google account to Caret and it will let you carry on where you left off.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Text
What Text lacks in features, it makes up in simplicity. Though definitely not as feature rich as the other editors on the list, this one is capable enough to become your default text editor. It has a clean and simple UI and it handles opening multiple files pretty well. With syntax highlighting for most major programming languages, Text can serve as a great, lightweight companion for a budding coder.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Tailor
Tailor is an experimental code editor for Chrome. With support for Git, it lets you work on multiple files with full syntax highlighting enabled. Though it doesn't have as many features, it is still a very simplistic, bare-bones app that works perfectly well offline. Though still in heavy development, it will be interesting to watch out for future additions to this project.
DOWNLOAD HERE
ShiftEdit
If you are a web developer, you'll love Shift Edit. The online IDE lets you develop in PHP, Ruby, HTML, CSS and JavaScript with full syntax highlighting. You can then publish those files through SFTP, FTP, and Dropbox to any location you want. Despite taking a freemium approach to an IDE, ShiftEdit does live up to the expectations many web developers have from a good coding tool.
DOWNLOAD HERE
GistBox
If you are a developer who spends most of your coding life on GitHub, this next app is just for you. Once installed, you'll be able to collect the useful code snippets you find on a daily basis and organize them according to a programming language, project, or goal. Another cool function of Gitbox is the ability to quickly search through your text files. Just enter your query with a # or a keyword and the results show up instantly. What stands out in Gistbox is its simple UI and easy-to-use layout that makes it a treat to work with.
DOWNLOAD HERE
How to Doodle and Sketch on Your Android Smartphone
Sketchbook Express
If you are a professional artist, Sketchbook is a must-have app for you. Developed by Autodesk, this free app provides a set of dedicated sketching tools for devices with screen sizes 7" or smaller. Whether you prefer to capture your ideas on a paper napkin or draw beautiful sketches of people that you see everyday, this application lets you take your creativity to a level that you want. Though the app is for professionals, it can be used by pretty much anyone who has a flair for drawing and sketching.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Evernote Skitch
While not strictly a sketching or a doodling app, it is a useful addition to the list, nonetheless. Evernote's Skitch lets you annotate images and even PDF files so that you can be more expressive with the data you already have. It's a great tool to snap a picture of something, mark it up with your own ideas, and then send it to someone who can help transform the idea to reality. It is definitely worth a try for the creative types.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Doodle Magic
Doodle Magic is an app that kids will love. It is simple, without any extra bells and whistles, and just works. You get to draw on a black background with bright glowing colors, which might seem a bit odd at first, but results in some great artwork if you are good at it.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Doodle Text
If you are someone who likes to have more fun with your photos, Doodle Text is an app for you. Once installed, you'll be able to doodle on your photos, add some funky effects, and then send the picture to your friends. This means that you can draw a moustache, make yourself look like a ninja, or even type in messages for your loved ones. As far as sharing features go, this app has plenty with even an ability to post to your Facebook wall. Go ahead; share your masterpieces with your buddies!
DOWNLOAD HERE
Bamboo Paper
Bamboo Paper is an app with a simple goal: Turn your Android smartphone into paper. Among the apps mentioned in this list, this one is probably the most accurate and the most useful one. With precise inking tools, annotation capabilities, and much more, Bamboo Paper really strikes out as a doodling app that you can actually use in your daily life. Once installed, you can create your own notebooks wherein you can sketch, write, or doodle anything you want. Once you are done, you can share those notebooks with colleagues and friends via Dropbox, Evernote, Twitter, and Tumblr.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Infinite Painter
Infinite Painter is an app specially designed for Galaxy Note smartphones that come with S-pen or similar styluses. Once installed, there is a lot you can do with this app. Aimed for creative minds, this app is perfect if you are someone who paints a lot or likes sketching. Instead of frantically searching for a canvas every time you head out, you can have a full-fledged virtual canvas at your disposal. Though using the app on smaller (5 inch or less) devices won't do it much justice, it is still a good investment if you are serious about sketching.
DOWNLOAD HERE
5 Best Enterprise Apps and Extensions for Google Chrome
We have already covered a lot of enterprise applications on our site before. However, one would never expect apps in this genre to exist on a browser like Google Chrome. But, nothing could be further from the real truth. Google's effort to outsmart even the biggest players in the enterprise market are gradually paying off. Slowly spreading its wings into the business world, Google is venturing into arenas where Microsoft once reigned supreme. While the competition doesn't concern us much, but what has happened, in effect, is that the rivalry is bringing out the best in both companies.
Both Microsoft and Google are trying their best to give enterprise clients exactly what they need, and for consumers, this is a huge bonus. If you are a Chrome user or a Google fan that uses the search giant's services in their company, there's much more you can do with your browser. And, the following applications and extensions let you do exactly that. So, without much ado, here's a list of the best applications and extensions for Chrome tailored for enterprise customers:
Contactually
With the ability to integrate with CRM's, Contactually helps you manage your work relationships better. The way this service works is that it prioritizes your email contacts so that you can connect with the right person at the right time. If you are into business and are looking to build a network of connections, Contactually might help you take things up a notch. Its email-centric workflow is great for anyone who uses LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to make their work relationships easier.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Presentme
Presentme is a great service that lets you create personalized sales messages. Integrated with Google Drive, the app is great for creating personalized sales messages you can deliver to your prospective clients. What's nice about Presentme is that it brings everything together in a neat little place. You can manage your presentations, videos, and other stuff all in one place and focus only on the task at hand. Another great thing about Presentme is that it lets you create full presentations from scratch and then publish them instantly to your clients. This way, you get an uninterrupted workflow that helps you manage things in a much more organized way.
DOWNLOAD HERE
BookedIn
Whether you have a salon, a small motel, or a big restaurant, you can use BookedIn to accept bookings online. This simple application lets you create your own booking webpage where your clients could look you up and then make their bookings. With web-based scheduling and client reminders, BookedIn aims to be a one-stop solution for booking and scheduling and it does do a good job at it.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Nutcache
Nutcache is a free multilingual online application for invoicing and time management. If you are looking for something to help you track your invoices, multiple projects, and lost time, this app claims to handle it all. Its web-based interface works great for tracking your time on those big projects. Within the app itself, you can create unlimited invoices and estimates and then track them when they are overdue. If you are more of a budget person, Nutcache also lets you keep an eye on your expenses. One of the nice things about this app is that you can monitor your spending and then bill your clients accordingly. Overall, it is a great free app for small businesses that are looking for a simple and cheap solution.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Insightly
Insightly is a free CRM and project management application that is targeted towards small businesses. It integrates with Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Apps as well. What's noteworthy about Insightly is how well it handles its integration with the rest of the Google services. Be it client relations or project management, this app works well on many fronts together. The web app itself has a nice, sleek look with a search bar at the top that allows you to search clients, projects and many other things. The tab-based layout then brings it all together in one place making it easier to sort things out.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.
SwiftKey vs. Fleksy vs. Google Keyboard: Which keyboard is best for you?
The keyboard is probably one of the most overlooked aspects of a smartphone or tablet. For years, iPhone users had to put up with the default keyboard simply because Apple thought that having third-party keyboards wasn't necessary. However, as soon as they saw the success third-party keyboards were having in the Play Store, it made them reconsider their decision. Now, the market is flooded with keyboards for both iPhone and Android, making this a lucrative field for many developers and innovators.
Furthermore, a keyboard doesn't just involve typing. These days, you'll find all sorts of useful additions to your typing experience. From themes to integrated emojis, keyboard apps keep adding features that differentiate them from their competitors. While there are many such applications out there, only three stand out as far as popularity and performance is concerned: SwiftKey, Fleksy, and Google Keyboard. All three apps are fast, provide great features, and are used by millions of users. So, let's do a quick comparison between the three and find out which one is the best for you.
Predictions:
As far as predictions go, SwiftKey remains the undisputed king. The app is shockingly intuitive and can predict your next word even when you least expect it. In a way, prediction is SwiftKey's USP. Many users have stuck with this app over the years because of its amazing prediction. It reads your writing style and adapts to it thus giving you accurate predictions. SwiftKey can also hook into "Trending Topics" to give you predictions; however, we recommend disabling that option if you are noticing any lags in performance. Overall, SwiftKey's predictions are near to perfect and you can always rely on them even if English isn't your first language.
So, how does it compare to Google keyboard and Fleksy? Well, if we had to rate these two apps with respect to SwiftKey, Google Keyboard would come in at a second place while Fleksy will take the third spot. Google Keyboard is quite accurate and is the second-best choice for many users as far as predictions go. Couple that with Google's mind-reading technology that looks into your usage in other Google apps, this keyboard sounds excellent on paper. However, in the real world, the predictions are not as good as the ones we find on SwiftKey. We find that as we type, occasionally it misses a beat here and there. While that's not something that would make you stop using the keyboard entirely, it's definitely one of the shortcomings of the app that Google needs to improve on.
Thirdly, the newest of the apps is Fleksy, which is not yet up to the mark when it comes to predicting next words. Sometimes it's too slow (especially on older devices) and sometimes it predicts a wrong word here and there. That said, it's not terrible, especially when compared to some of the lesser-known keyboard applications in the Play Store.
Overall, if you are someone who relies heavily on predictions, SwiftKey is your best bet with Google Keyboard being a second choice.
Winner: SwiftKey
Speed:
When it comes to actual typing speed, there's not a lot of difference between SwiftKey and Google Keyboard. Both have a sleek design and soft well-spaced buttons that make typing a breeze. However, they both pale in comparison to Fleksy, which is especially known for its typing speed. Holding the Guinness World Record for the fastest typing speed, this app relies more on gesture control rather than pressing keys mindlessly. While on first install you won't find yourself typing an essay on Proust in an hour, you will definitely feel a difference. The difference gets more and more visible as you take the time to learn how to use the app like an expert. Don't worry though, Fleksy has added enough gamification that give you rewarding incentives to learn the keyboard. Overall, if you get the hang of it, Fleksy can be a dream typing machine.
Winner: Fleksy
Design:
As far as design goes, Fleksy looks quite stunning with its big keys and HOLO-friendly theme. So does SwiftKey with a fantastic set of themes that you can buy from the market place. However, when it comes to default design, Google Keyboard wins the race with its simplistic material look that appeals to pretty much everyone. While Fleksy and SwiftKey both offer a lot of customization options, the default theme on SwiftKey is no way as good as that on the Google Keyboard. That said, we'll have to contend that both Google's material look and Fleksy's sleek big look are hard to beat.
Winners: Fleksy and Google Keyboard (tie)
Pricing:
SwiftKey comes free for all users; however, if you had to buy new theme packs, you'd have to shell out some extra cash. Fleksy, on the other hand, comes as a trial. This means that in order to use the app fully, you'll have to spend some money. Compare that with Google Keyboard, which is 100 % free, those two keyboards get a little left behind in this arena. Winner: Google Keyboard
Performance and Reliability:
As far as actual usage goes, Google Keyboard comes out as the most reliable keyboard of the lot. Why? Well, it runs perfectly across almost all devices, newer and older without any glitches. The same, however, can't be said about SwiftKey and Fleksy. SwiftKey occasionally slows down and lags on older phones and Fleksy too suffers from the same fate. If you are using an older phone, Google Keyboard is your only choice.
Winner: Google Keyboard
Conclusion:
It's not hard to see why people still prefer the default Google keyboard. It's fast, reliable, and looks really good. SwiftKey, on the other hand, is the second best choice in this arena. Its quick predictions and predictive typing make it quite popular among many users. Last, but not the least, Fleksy is a new entrant, and while it's yet to grow as big as SwiftKey, it shows a lot of promise.
Overall, if you are a new Android user, there's a simple way to choose which keyboard is best for you.
Overall Winner: Google Keyboard because it's still the most reliable and fast keyboard around.
How to choose:
If you are using an older device: Google Keyboard. If you are looking for speed: Fleksy If you are looking for accurate and intuitive predictions: SwiftKey.
Battle of the Phablets: Nexus 6 vs. iPhone 6 Plus vs. Galaxy Note 4
When it comes to smartphones, the recent trends seem to veer towards the notion that abigger is better.a It all started with Samsungas Galaxy Note series. At that time, phones looked like boxes of tic-tacs compared to this giant beast they dubbed as phablet (phone/tablet).
While there were other big phones around, the Galaxy Note was the first smartphone that showed the world that using a big phone can actually make you more productive. Then, in just a few years, big phones became the norm. Slowly, but steadily, the size of the average smartphone kept getting bigger. Phones, nowadays, resemble a tablet more than anything else. A screen size of 5 inches of more is actually quite common, the kind of phone that covers the whole side of your face while you talk. The iPhone 6 Plus and the Nexus 6 are two new entrants in this phone-tablet, that is phablet race, aiming to take down the giant Galaxy Note 4.
For any casual user, choosing between these 3 expensive smartphones could be quite an ordeal. That's why, we decided to do a quick comparison between the devices and help you pick the one that's best for you.
Design
The Note 4 comes with a metallic frame with an S-pen tucked neatly at the bottom right corner of the phone. There are curves at the corner, but they're not as angular as the ones found on Nexus 6. This gives the Note a more rectangular shape, making it look professional. Compare that to Nexus 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the Note is the first phone that a business user would most likely pick up.
Coming to the Nexus 6, it does look similar to the Note 4 in some aspects, however, the curved edges give it a much more modern feel. At the back, the phone is curved thus making it easier to hold in your hand and also easier to use given its big size. Overall, it looks like a bulked up Moto X. Not that there's anything wrong with that, we'd have loved it if Google had tried something different with this one.
The design of the iPhone 6 Plus is a similar story. It does look like a bulked-up iPhone, and it too doesn't look that bad. In fact, when compared to the Nexus 6 and Note 4, it's the most nice-looking phone of the lot. Its aluminum body with a smooth finish and a ring-styled Home button make it an attractive phone. So, as far as design goes, the iPhone 6 Plus leaves behind Samsung and Google.
Winner: iPhone 6 Plus
Software and Usage
The iPhone 6 Plus comes with the latest version of iOS. The operating system doesn't look out of place on the phone and it does work quite well with the 6-inch screen. The same goes for Nexus 6, which is the first phone to come with Lollipop out of the box. It looks quite good on the phone and makes use of the 6-inch screen very nicely. However, when you compared them to the Galaxy Note 4, they both pale out in comparison. Despite having a clunky version of Android known as TouchWiz, the Note 4 surprisingly delivers in the software department. It comes with software that makes perfect use of the S-pen hardware and the large screen. From note-taking apps to "Smart Select" that lets you select important text from an article, Note 4 is loaded with tools that help you get the most out of the big phone. If you're a businessperson, the Note 4 is the best of the lot because of the amazing features geared towards office goers. Even for casual users, Note series of phones have a lot to offer, thus making it an all-round treat to use.
Winner: Note 4
Hardware and Performance
Both the Galaxy Note 4 and the Nexus 6 come with a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor that clocks at 2.7 GHz. They are also loaded with an Adreno GPU and 3 GB of RAM making both smartphones absolute powerhouses when it comes to hardware. On the other hand, the iPhone 6 Plus comes with a Dual-core 1.4 GHz Cyclone ARM-based processor and 1 GB of RAM. While iPhone's specs don't quite match up to what the Nexus and the Note have to offer, Apple's software optimizations make the smartphone a treat to use. However, if we did compare these phones purely on specs basis, the Note 4 and Nexus 6 would come out on top. Between those two, well, that's a tough choice but we'll have to pick Nexus 6 here since it uses pure Android thus giving it an ability to get the maximum from the chips.
Winner: Nexus 6
Display and Screen
The iPhone 6 Plus screen comes with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 and 401 ppi pixel density. It's about 5.5 inches in size, which is still smaller than the Nexus 6. The Galaxy Note 4 comes with 2560 x 1440 pixels display that has a 515 ppi pixel density. It's a Super AMOLED display that makes the colors stand out and look vibrant. The Nexus 6 is slightly larger in size with a 5.96in AMOLED display that has a resolution of 1440 x 2560. Among the three devices, the phone with the "best-looking" display would be the Note 4. It's saturated display looks vibrant and bright even at odd viewing angles. As for the iPhone 6 Plus, it looks slightly brighter than the Nexus 6 but its display quality is pretty much at-par with these devices. However, if we did have to pick one, we'd go with the Note 4.
Winner: Note 4
Camera
The Nexus 6 comes with a 13 MP rear camera with HDR+, panorama, photo sphere, and many other useful features. The Note 4, however, comes with a 16 MP camera with a boatload of features in the camera application (which is typical of Samsung). Samsung's camera captures details quite well when compared to the Nexus. Quality wise, they are pretty much at par, however, the Note 4 camera is a little better than the one on Nexus. The iPhone camera, though has an 8MP shooter, takes surprisingly good photos. Compared to ones taken by the Note 4, the iPhone pictures are a bit warmer in tone. Not that it is a bad thing, but the warm tone gives the photos a much "realistic" feeling. If you disregard the differences in color tones, all three cameras pretty much take pictures of similar quality that won't disappoint you.
Winner: Tie
Pricing
Depending on where you live, all of the three phablets are few of the most expensive gadgets in the market. You'll find these phones around the $700 range. Also, these phones though expensive, offer some of the best specs around, so they do serve as a good investment in the long run.
Winner: Tie
Conclusion: Which one to buy?
If you are planning to use your phone in the office and for business, the Galaxy Note 4 is the best phablet you can buy hands-down. It has the best specs and the best apps suite that is geared towards office owners and business users. The Note line of products is the best thing Samsung created and it is not a phone that you can overlook. It is loaded with the best specs and features out there.
If you are not a business owner, still the Note 4 is worth considering. But as far as casual work+play devices go, both the Nexus 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are great choices. The big discriminating factor between them as far as value for money goes is the presence of different operating systems. If you are someone who's already in the Android ecosystem, go with the Nexus 6 as that will guarantee you updates for quite a long time. The iPhone 6 Plus is a great addition to the family for anyone who already owns a lot of Apple products. That said, the Note 4 still remains a solid product that both Apple and Google will have to work hard to take down. Overall Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.
LimeWire AI Studio Review 2023: Details, Pricing & Features
In the rapidly advancing landscape of AI technology and innovation, LimeWire emerges as a unique platform in the realm of generative AI tools. This platform not only stands out from the multitude of existing AI tools but also brings a fresh approach to content generation. LimeWire not only empowers users to create AI content but also provides creators with creative ways to share and monetize their creations.
As we explore LimeWire, our aim is to uncover its features, benefits for creators, and the exciting possibilities it offers for AI content generation. This platform presents an opportunity for users to harness the power of AI in image creation, all while enjoying the advantages of a free and accessible service.
Let's unravel the distinctive features that set LimeWire apart in the dynamic landscape of AI-powered tools, understanding how creators can leverage its capabilities to craft unique and engaging AI-generated images.
Introduction
LimeWire, a name once associated with the notorious file-sharing tool from the 2000s, has undergone a significant transformation. The LimeWire we discuss today is not the file-sharing application of the past but has re-emerged as an entirely new entityaa cutting-edge AI content publishing platform.
This revamped LimeWire invites users to register and unleash their creativity by crafting original AI content, which can then be shared and showcased on the LimeWire Studio. Notably, even acclaimed artists and musicians, such as Deadmau5, Soulja Boy, and Sean Kingston, have embraced this platform to publish their content in the form of NFT music, videos, and images.
Beyond providing a space for content creation and sharing, LimeWire introduces monetization models to empower users to earn revenue from their creations. This includes avenues such as earning ad revenue and participating in the burgeoning market of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). As we delve further, we'll explore these monetization strategies in more detail to provide a comprehensive understanding of LimeWire's innovative approach to content creation and distribution.
LimeWire Studio welcomes content creators into its fold, providing a space to craft personalized AI-focused content for sharing with fans and followers. Within this creative hub, every piece of content generated becomes not just a creation but a unique assetaownable and tradable. Fans have the opportunity to subscribe to creators' pages, immersing themselves in the creative journey and gaining ownership of digital collectibles that hold tradeable value within the LimeWire community. Notably, creators earn a 2.5% royalty each time their content is traded, adding a rewarding element to the creative process.
The platform's flexibility is evident in its content publication options. Creators can choose to share their work freely with the public or opt for a premium subscription model, granting exclusive access to specialized content for subscribers.
LimeWire AI Studio
As of the present moment, LimeWire focuses on AI Image Generation, offering a spectrum of creative possibilities to its user base. The platform, however, has ambitious plans on the horizon, aiming to broaden its offerings by introducing AI music and video generation tools in the near future. This strategic expansion promises creators even more avenues for expression and engagement with their audience, positioning LimeWire Studio as a dynamic and evolving platform within the realm of AI-powered content creation.
AI Image Generation Tools
The LimeWire AI image generation tool presents a versatile platform for both the creation and editing of images. Supporting advanced models such as Stable Diffusion 2.1, Stable Diffusion XL, and DALL-E 2, LimeWire offers a sophisticated toolkit for users to delve into the realm of generative AI art.
Much like other tools in the generative AI landscape, LimeWire provides a range of options catering to various levels of complexity in image creation. Users can initiate the creative process with prompts as simple as a few words or opt for more intricate instructions, tailoring the output to their artistic vision.
What sets LimeWire apart is its seamless integration of different AI models and design styles. Users have the flexibility to effortlessly switch between various AI models, exploring diverse design styles such as cinematic, digital art, pixel art, anime, analog film, and more. Each style imparts a distinctive visual identity to the generated AI art, enabling users to explore a broad spectrum of creative possibilities.
The platform also offers additional features, including samplers, allowing users to fine-tune the quality and detail levels of their creations. Customization options and prompt guidance further enhance the user experience, providing a user-friendly interface for both novice and experienced creators.
Excitingly, LimeWire is actively developing its proprietary AI model, signaling ongoing innovation and enhancements to its image generation capabilities. This upcoming addition holds the promise of further expanding the creative horizons for LimeWire users, making it an evolving and dynamic platform within the landscape of AI-driven art and image creation.
Sign Up Now To Get Free Credits
Automatically Mint Your Content As NFTs
Upon completing your creative endeavor on LimeWire, the platform allows you the option to publish your content. An intriguing feature follows this step: LimeWire automates the process of minting your creation as a Non-Fungible Token (NFT), utilizing either the Polygon or Algorand blockchain. This transformative step imbues your artwork with a unique digital signature, securing its authenticity and ownership in the decentralized realm.
Creators on LimeWire hold the power to decide the accessibility of their NFT creations. By opting for a public release, the content becomes discoverable by anyone, fostering a space for engagement and interaction. Furthermore, this choice opens the avenue for enthusiasts to trade the NFTs, adding a layer of community involvement to the artistic journey.
Alternatively, LimeWire acknowledges the importance of exclusivity. Creators can choose to share their posts exclusively with their premium subscribers. In doing so, the content remains a special offering solely for dedicated fans, creating an intimate and personalized experience within the LimeWire community. This flexibility in sharing options emphasizes LimeWire's commitment to empowering creators with choices in how they connect with their audience and distribute their digital creations.
After creating your content, you can choose to publish the content. It will automatically mint your creation as an NFT on the Polygon or Algorand blockchain. You can also choose whether to make it public or subscriber-only.
If you make it public, anyone can discover your content and even trade the NFTs. If you choose to share the post only with your premium subscribers, it will be exclusive only to your fans.
Earn Revenue From Your Content
Additionally, you can earn ad revenue from your content creations as well.
When you publish content on LimeWire, you will receive 70% of all ad revenue from other users who view your images, music, and videos on the platform.
This revenue model will be much more beneficial to designers. You can experiment with the AI image and content generation tools and share your creations while earning a small income on the side.
LMWR Tokens
The revenue you earn from your creations will come in the form of LMWR tokens, LimeWireas own cryptocurrency.
Your earnings will be paid every month in LMWR, which you can then trade on many popular crypto exchange platforms like Kraken, ByBit, and UniSwap.
You can also use your LMWR tokens to pay for prompts when using LimeWire generative AI tools.
Pricing Plans
You can sign up to LimeWire to use its AI tools for free. You will receive 10 credits to use and generate up to 20 AI images per day. You will also receive 50% of the ad revenue share. However, you will get more benefits with premium plans.
Basic plan:
For $9.99 per month, you will get 1,000 credits per month, up to 2a,000 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 50% ad revenue share
Advanced plan:
For $29 per month, you will get 3750 credits per month, up to 7500 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 60% ad revenue share
Pro plan:
For $49 per month, you will get 5,000 credits per month, up to 10,000 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 70% ad revenue share
Pro Plus plan:
For $99 per month, you will get 11,250 credits per month, up to 2a2,500 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 70% ad revenue share
With all premium plans, you will receive a Pro profile badge, full creation history, faster image generation, and no ads.
Sign Up Now To Get Free Credits
Conclusion
In conclusion, LimeWire emerges as a democratizing force in the creative landscape, providing an inclusive platform where anyone can unleash their artistic potential and effortlessly share their work. With the integration of AI, LimeWire eliminates traditional barriers, empowering designers, musicians, and artists to publish their creations and earn revenue with just a few clicks.
The ongoing commitment of LimeWire to innovation is evident in its plans to enhance generative AI tools with new features and models. The upcoming expansion to include music and video generation tools holds the promise of unlocking even more possibilities for creators. It sparks anticipation about the diverse and innovative ways in which artists will leverage these tools to produce and publish their own unique creations.
For those eager to explore, LimeWire's AI tools are readily accessible for free, providing an opportunity to experiment and delve into the world of generative art. As LimeWire continues to evolve, creators are encouraged to stay tuned for the launch of its forthcoming AI music and video generation tools, promising a future brimming with creative potential and endless artistic exploration
Top 10 AI Tools in 2023 That Will Make Your Life Easier
In this article, we explore the top 10 AI tools that are driving innovation and efficiency in various industries. These tools are designed to automate repetitive tasks, improve workflow, and increase productivity. The tools included in our list are some of the most advanced and widely used in the market, and are suitable for a variety of applications. Some of the tools focus on natural language processing, such as ChatGPT and Grammarly, while others focus on image and video generation, such as DALL-E and Lumen5. Other tools such as OpenAI Codex, Tabnine, Canva, Jasper AI,, and Surfer SEO are designed to help with specific tasks such as code understanding content writing and website optimization. This list is a great starting point for anyone looking to explore the possibilities of AI and how it can be applied to their business or project.
So letas dive into
1. ChatGPT
ChatGPT is a large language model that generates human-like responses to a variety of prompts. It can be used for tasks such as language translation, question answering, and text completion. It can handle a wide range of topics and styles of writing, and generates coherent and fluent text, but should be used with care as it may generate text that is biased, offensive, or factually incorrect.
Pros:
Generates human-like responses to a variety of prompts
Can be fine-tuned for specific tasks such as language translation, question answering, and text completion
Can handle a wide range of topics and styles of writing
Can generate coherent and fluent text, even when completing a given text prompt.
Cons:
May generate text that is biased or offensive
Can generate text that is not accurate or factually correct
May require large amounts of computational resources to run
The model can sometimes generate text that is not coherent or fluent, depending on the prompt given.
Overall, ChatGPT is a powerful tool for natural language processing, but it should be used with care and with an understanding of its limitations.
2. DALL-E
DALL-E is a generative model developed by OpenAI that is capable of generating images from text prompts. It is based on the GPT-3 architecture, which is a transformer-based neural network language model that has been trained on a massive dataset of text. DALL-E can generate images that are similar to a training dataset and it can generate high-resolution images that are suitable for commercial use.
Pros:
Generates high-resolution images
Can generate images from text prompts
It can be fine-tuned for specific tasks such as generating images of a certain style or category
Cons:
May generate images that are not entirely original and could be influenced by the training data
May require significant computational resources to run
The quality of the generated images may vary depending on the specific prompt
Overall, DALL-E is a powerful AI-based tool for generating images, it can be used for a variety of applications such as creating images for commercial use, gaming, and other creative projects. It is important to note that the generated images should be reviewed and used with care, as they may not be entirely original and could be influenced by the training data.
3. Lumen5
Lumen5 is a content creation platform that uses AI to help users create videos, social media posts, and other types of content. It has several features that make it useful for content creation and marketing, including:
Pros:
Automatically summarizes text from a blog post, article, or another source into a script for a video or social media post
Offers a library of royalty-free videos, images, and music to use in content
Has a drag-and-drop interface for easy content creation
Can create videos in multiple languages
Has a built-in analytics tool to track the performance of created content.
Cons:
The quality of the generated content may vary depending on the source material
The automatic summarization feature may not always capture the main points of the source material
The library of videos, images, and music is limited.
The analytics feature is basic
Overall, Lumen5 is a useful tool for creating content quickly and easily, it can help automate the process of creating videos, social media posts, and other types of content. However, the quality of the generated content may vary depending on the source material and it is important to review and edit the content before publishing it.
4. Grammarly
Grammarly is a writing-enhancement platform that uses AI to check for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors in the text. It also provides suggestions for improving the clarity, concision, and readability of the text. It has several features that make it useful for improving writing, including:
Pros:
Checks for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors in the text
Provides suggestions for improving clarity, concision, and readability
Can be integrated with various apps and platforms such as Microsoft Office, Google Docs, and social media platforms
Offers a browser extension and a desktop app
Has a premium version with more advanced features such as plagiarism detection and more
Cons:
The suggestions provided may not always be accurate or appropriate
The grammar checker may not always recognize context-specific language use
The free version has limited features
Limited to English language only
Overall, Grammarly is a useful tool for improving writing, it can help users identify and correct grammar and punctuation errors, and improve the clarity, concision, and readability of their text. However, it is important to review the suggestions provided by the tool and use them with caution, as they may not always be accurate or appropriate.
5.OpenAI Codex
OpenAI Codex is a system developed by OpenAI that can create code from natural language descriptions of software tasks. The system is based on the GPT-3 model and can generate code in multiple programming languages.
Pros:
Can automate the process of writing code
Can help developers to be more productive
Can help non-technical people to create software
Can generate code in multiple programming languages
Cons:
The quality of the generated code may vary depending on the task description
The generated code may not always be optimal or efficient
The system may not be able to handle complex software tasks
Dependence on the tool may lead to a lack of understanding of the code.
Overall, OpenAI Codex is a powerful tool that can help automate the process of writing code and make it more accessible to non-technical people. However, the quality of the generated code may vary depending on the task description and it is important to review and test the code before using it in a production environment. It is important to use the tool as an aid, not a replacement for the developer's knowledge.
6. Tabnine
Tabnine is a code completion tool that uses AI to predict and suggest code snippets. It is compatible with multiple programming languages and can be integrated with various code editors.
Pros:
Can improve coding efficiency by suggesting code snippets based on context
Can complete entire code blocks
Can predict variables, functions, and other elements of code
Can be integrated with various code editors
Cons:
The suggestions may not always be accurate or appropriate
The system may not always be able to understand the context of the code
May not work with all code editors
Dependence on the tool may lead to a lack of understanding of the code.
Overall, TabNine is a useful tool for developers that can help improve coding efficiency and reduce the time spent on writing code. However, it is important to review the suggestions provided by the tool and use them with caution, as they may not always be accurate or appropriate. It is important to use the tool as an aid, not a replacement for the developer's knowledge.
7. Jasper AI
Jasper is a content writing and content generation tool that uses artificial intelligence to identify the best words and sentences for your writing style and medium in the most efficient, quick, and accessible way.
Pros:
User-friendly interface
Generates a wide variety of content types
Guarantees 100% unique and free-plagiarism content
SEO friendly
Create articles of up to 10k words
Cons:
Not the cheapest AI writer on the market
8. Surfer SEO
Surfer SEO is a software tool designed to help website owners and digital marketers improve their search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. The tool provides a variety of features that can be used to analyze a website's on-page SEO, including:
Features:
A site audit tool that checks for technical SEO issues
A content editor that suggests optimizations for individual pages
A keyword research tool that suggests keywords to target
A SERP analyzer that shows how a website's pages rank for specific keywords
A backlink analysis tool that shows the backlinks pointing to a website.
Pros:
Can help website owners and marketers identify technical SEO issues
Can provide suggestions for optimizing individual pages
Can help with keyword research
Can show how a website's pages rank for specific keywords
Can provide insight into a website's backlink profile
Cons:
Some features may require a paid subscription
The tool is not a guarantee of better ranking
The tool can only analyze the data it has access to
The tool's suggestions may not always be applicable or optimal
Overall, Surfer SEO can be a useful tool for website owners and digital marketers looking to improve their SEO efforts. However, it is important to remember that it is just a tool and should be used in conjunction with other SEO best practices. Additionally, the tool is not a guarantee of better ranking.
9. Zapier
Zapier is a web automation tool that allows users to automate repetitive tasks by connecting different web applications together. It does this by creating "Zaps" that automatically move data between apps, and can also be used to trigger certain actions in one app based on events in another app.
Features:
Can connect over 3,000 web applications
Can automate repetitive tasks
Can create "Zaps" to move data between apps
Can trigger certain actions in one app based on events in another app.
Pros:
Can automate repetitive tasks
Can save time
Can improve workflow
Can increase productivity
Can be integrated with a wide range of web applications
Cons:
Can be difficult to set up
May require some technical skills
May require a paid subscription for some features
Some apps may not be compatible
Dependence on the tool may lead to a lack of understanding of the apps
Overall, Zapier is a useful tool that can help users automate repetitive tasks and improve workflow. It can save time and increase productivity by connecting different web applications together. However, it may require some technical skills and some features may require a paid subscription. It is important to use the tool with caution and not to rely too much on it, to understand the apps better.
10. Compose AI
Compose AI is a company that specializes in developing natural language generation (NLG) software. Their software uses AI to automatically generate written or spoken text from structured data, such as spreadsheets, databases, or APIs.
Features:
Automatically generates written or spoken text from structured data
Can be integrated with a wide range of data sources
Can be used for a variety of applications such as creating reports, summaries, and explanations
Provides an API and a user-friendly interface
Pros:
Can automate the process of creating written or spoken content
Can help users create more accurate and consistent content
Can help users save time by automating repetitive tasks
Can be integrated with a wide range of data sources
Cons:
The quality of the generated content may vary depending on the data source
The generated content may not always be optimal or efficient
The system may not be able to handle complex tasks
Dependence on the tool may lead to a lack of understanding of the data
Overall, Compose AI's NLG software can be a useful tool for automating the process of creating written or spoken content from structured data. However, the quality of the generated content may vary depending on the data source, and it is essential to review the generated content before using it in a production environment. It is important to use the tool as an aid, not a replacement for the understanding of the data.
Conclusion
AI tools are becoming increasingly important in today's business and technology landscape. They are designed to automate repetitive tasks, improve workflow, and increase productivity. The top 10 AI tools included in this article are some of the most advanced and widely used in the market, and are suitable for various applications. Whether you're looking to improve your natural language processing, create high-resolution images, or optimize your website, there is an AI tool that can help. It's important to research and evaluate the different tools available to determine which one is the best fit for your specific needs. As AI technology continues to evolve, these tools will become even more powerful and versatile and will play an even greater role in shaping the future of business and technology.
Top 10 AI Content Generator & Writer Tools in 2022
Are you looking for a way to create content that is both effective and efficient? If so, then you should consider using an AI content generator. AI content generators are a great way to create content that is both engaging and relevant to your audience.
There are a number of different AI content generator tools available on the market, and it can be difficult to know which one is right for you. To help you make the best decision, we have compiled a list of the top 10 AI content generator tools that you should use in 2022.
Jasper is a content writing and content generation tool that uses artificial intelligence to identify the best words and sentences for your writing style and medium in the most efficient, quick, and accessible way.
Features
It's trusted by 50,000+ marketers for creating engaging marketing campaigns, ad copy, blog posts, and articles within minutes which would traditionally take hours or days. Special Features:
Blog posts have been optimized for search engines and rank high on Google and other search engines. This is a huge plus for online businesses that want to generate traffic to their website through content marketing.
99.9% Original Content and guarantees that all content it generates will be original, so businesses can focus on their online reputation rather than worrying about penalties from Google for duplicate content.
Long-Form Article Writing a Jasper.ai is also useful for long-form writing, allowing users to create articles of up to 10,000 words without any difficulty. This is ideal for businesses that want to produce in-depth content that will capture their audienceas attention.
Pros
User-friendly interface
Generates a wide variety of content types
Guarantees 100% unique and free-plagiarism content
SEO friendly
Create articles of up to 10k words
Cons
Not the cheapest AI writer on the market
Pricing
Jasper.ai offers a free trial
Starter Plan: $29/Month
Features:
50 AI copywriting skills
Unlimited projects,
Up to 5 user logins
The cheapest option covers up to 20,000 words generated each month.
Boss Mode: $99/Month
Features:
Up to 100k words are generated each month and can go up to over 300k.
Wait! I've got a pretty sweet deal for you. Sign up through the link below, and you'll get (10k Free Credits)
2. Copy Ai
Copy.ai is a content writing tool that enables its users to create marketing copy, social media posts, Facebook Ads, and many more formats by using more than 90 templates such as Bullet Points to Blogs, General Ads, Hook Text, etc.
The utility of this service can be used for short-term or format business purposes such as product descriptions, website copy, market copy, and sales reports.
Key Features:
Provides a large set of templates where you can input the data and the AI will generate Templates with around 10 or more options to make it easy for the user to choose.
Smooth and efficient user experience with chrome extension where one can easily transfer information from Copy.ai to a content management forum, Google docs, etc without having to switch tabs.
Generates content in 25 languages where your input and output language may differ if you are not a native English speaker.
Pros
The best option for short-length content generation such as market copy, sales reports, blogs, etc.
Facebook community and email support for users to understand the AI better and to interact with other users.
Beginner-friendly user experience with various templates to help the process of content generation.
Free plan and no credit card required.
Cons
The free plan from Copy AI is a welcome sight, however, it is just suitable for testing the software.
Pricing
Free Trial a 7 days with 24/7 email support and 100 runs per day.
Pro Plan: $49 and yearly, it will cost you $420 i.e. $35 per month.
Wait! I've got a pretty sweet deal for you. Sign up through the link below, and you'll get (7,000 Free Words Plus 40% OFF) if you upgrade to the paid plan within four days.
Claim Your 7,000 Free Words With This Special Link - No Credit Card Required
3. Frase Ai
Just like Outranking, Frase is an AI that helps you research, create and optimize your content to make it high quality within seconds. Frase works on SEO optimization where the content is made to the liking of search engines by optimizing keywords and keywords.
Features:
Generate full-length, optimized content briefs in seconds and review the main keywords, headers, and concepts in your SEO competitorsa content in one intuitive research panel.
Write high-converting, SEO-optimized copy and make writeras block a thing of the past with automated outlines, blog introductions, product descriptions, FAQs, and more.
An intuitive text editor that uses a topic model to score your content Optimization against your competitors.
A dashboard that automatically identifies and categorizes your best content opportunities. Frase uses your Google Search Console data to serve up actionable insights about what you should work on next.
Pros
Unlike Outranking, the interface to Frase is very user-friendly and accessible.
Users who are content writers and have to research get a lot of time to write and ideate instead of juggling from one website to another as data can be easily accessed on Frase for research on a topic.
Optimizing content with keyword analysis and SEO optimization has been made easier with Frase's Content Optimization.
Reports on competitors' websites help in optimizing our own articles and websites.
Content briefs make research very easy and efficient.
Cons
The paid plans are a bit pricey because they include many tools for content optimization.
Pricing
Frase provides two plans for all users and a customizable plan for an enterprise or business.
Solo Plan: $14.99/Month and $12/Month if billed yearly with 4 Document Credits for 1 user seat.
Basic Plan: $44.99/month and $39.99/month if billed yearly with 30 Document Credits for 1 user seat.
Team Plan: $114.99/month and $99.99/month if billed yearly for unlimited document credits for 3 users.
*SEO Add-ons and other premium features for $35/month irrespective of the plan.
4. Article Forge a Popular Blog Writing Software for Efficiency and Affordability
Article Forge is another content generator that operates quite differently from the others on this list. Unlike Jasper.ai, which requires you to provide a brief and some information on what you want it to write this tool only asks for a keyword. From there, itall generate a complete article for you.
Features
Article Forge integrates with several other software, including WordAi, RankerX, SEnuke TNG, and SEO Autopilot.
The software takes information from high-ranking websites and then creates more credible articles to rank well in search engines.
If you want to generate content regularly, Article Forge can help. You can set it up to automatically generate articles based on your specific keyword or topic. Or, if you need a lot of content quickly, you can use the bulk content feature to get many articles in a short period.
Pros
Excellent for engaging with readers on multiple CMS platforms
No spinner content. Create multiple unique articles
Extremely quick and efficient
One of the cheapest options online
Cons
You need to pay attention to the content since itas not always on point
Only ideal for decent-quality articles a if youare lucky
Pricing
Whatas excellent about Article Forge is they provide a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can choose between a monthly or yearly subscription. Unfortunately, they offer a free trial and no free plan:
Basic Plan: $27/Month
Features:
This plan allows users to produce up to 25k words each month. This is excellent for smaller blogs or those who are just starting.
Standard Plan: $57/month)
Features:
This plan allows users to produce up to 250k words each month. This is excellent for smaller blogs or those who are just starting.
Unlimited Plan: $117/month
Features:
If youare looking for an unlimited amount of content, this is the plan for you. You can create as many articles as you want, and thereas no word limit.
Itas important to note that Article Forge guarantees that all content generated through the platform passes Copyscape.
5. Rytr a Superb AI Content Writing Assistant
Rytr.me is a free AI content generator perfect for small businesses, bloggers, and students. The software is easy to use and can generate SEO-friendly blog posts, articles, and school papers in minutes.
Features
Rytr can be used for various purposes, from writing blog posts to creating school papers. You can also generate captions for social media, product descriptions, and meta descriptions.
Rytr supports writing for over 30 languages, so you can easily create content in your native language.
The AI helps you write content in over 30 tones to find the perfect tone for your brand or project.
Rytr has a built-in plagiarism checker that ensures all your content is original and plagiarism free.
Pros
Easy to use
Creates unique content
It supports over 30 languages
Multi-tone writing capabilities
Cons
It can be slow at times
Grammar and flow could use improvement
Pricing
Rytr offers a free plan that comes with limited features. It covers up to 5,000 characters generated each month and has access to the built-in plagiarism checker. If you want to use all the features of the software, you can purchase one of the following plans:
Saver Plan: $9/month, $90/year
Features:
Generate 100k characters per month
Access 40+ use-cases
Write in 30+ languages
Access 20+ tones
Built-in plagiarism checker
Generate up to 20 images per month with AI
Access to premium community
Create your own custom use-case
Unlimited Plan: $29/month, $290/year
Features:
Generate UNLIMITED* characters per month
Access 40+ use-cases
Write in 30+ languages
Access 20+ tones
Built-in plagiarism checker
Generate up to 100 images per month with AI
Access to premium community
Create your own custom use-case
Dedicated account manager
Priority email & chat support
6. Writesonic a Best AI Article Writing Software with a Grammar and Plagiarism Checker
Writesonic is a free, easy-to-use AI content generator. The software is designed to help you create copy for marketing content, websites, and blogs. It's also helpful for small businesses or solopreneurs who need to produce content on a budget.
Features
The tone checker, is a great feature that helps you ensure that your content is consistent with your brandas voice. This is excellent for crafting cohesive and on-brand content.
The grammar checker is another valuable tool that helps you produce error-free content.
The plagiarism checker is a great way to ensure that your content is original.
Pricing
Writesonic is free with limited features. The free plan is more like a free trial, providing ten credits. After that, youad need to upgrade to a paid plan. Here are your options:
Short-form: $15/month
Features:
Access to all the short-form content templates like Facebook ads, product descriptions, paragraphs, and more.
Long-Form: $19/month
Features:
Awesome tools to help you write short and long-form content like blog posts, ebooks, and more.
7. CopySmith a Produces Quality Content in Seconds
CopySmith is an AI content generator that can be used to create personal and professional documents, blogs, and presentations. It offers a wide range of features including the ability to easily create documents and presentations.
CopySmith also has several templates that you can use to get started quickly.
Features
This software allows you to create product descriptions, landing pages, and more in minutes.
Offers rewritten content that is both unique and plagiarism free.
This feature helps you create product descriptions for your Shopify store that are SEO-friendly and attractive to customers.
This is an excellent tool for new content ideas.
Pros
Excellent for generating eCommerce-ready content
No credit card is required for the free trial
SEO-ready content
Cons
The blog content isnat the best
Better suited for short copy
Pricing
CopySmith offers a free trial with no credit card required. After the free trial, the paid plans are as follows:
Starter Plan: $19/month
Features:
Get 50 credits monthly with up to 20 plagiarism checks.
Professional Plan: $59/month
Features:
Upgrade to 400 credits per month with up to 100 plagiarism checks.
Enterprise a Create a custom-tailored plan by contacting the sales team.
8. Hypotenuse.ai a Best AI Writing Software for E-Commerce and Product Descriptions
Hypotenuse.ai is a free online tool that can help you create AI content. It's great for beginners because it allows you to create videos, articles, and infographics with ease. The software has a simple and easy-to-use interface that makes it perfect for new people looking for AI content generation.
Special Features
You can create custom-tailored copy specific to your audienceas needs. This is impressive since most free AI content generators do not offer this feature.
Hypotenuse takes data from social media sites, websites, and more sources to provide accurate information for your content.
If youare selling a product online, you can use Hypotenuse to create automated product descriptions that are of high quality and will help you sell more products.
Pros
Excellent research capabilities
Custom-tailored copy
Automated product descriptions
Cons
No free plan
Pricing
Hypotenuse doesnat offer a free plan. Instead, it offers a free trial period where you can take the software for a run before deciding whether itas the right choice for you or not. Other than that, here are its paid options:
Starter Plan: $29/month
Features:
This plan comes with 100 credits/month with 25k Words with one user seat. Itas an excellent option for individuals or small businesses.
Growth Plan: $59/month
Features:
This plan comes with 350 credits/month with 87.5k words and 1 user seat. Itas perfect for larger businesses or agencies.
Enterprise a pricing is custom, so donat hesitate to contact the company for more information.
9. Kafkai a Leading AI Writing Tool for SEOs and Marketers
Kafkai is an AI content generator and writing software that produces niche-specific content on a wide variety of topics. It offers a user-friendly interface, as well as a high degree of personalization.
Features
Kafkai offers a host of features that make it SEO-ready, including the ability to add keywords and tags to your content.
Kafkai is designed explicitly for creating niche-specific content, which can be a significant advantage for businesses or bloggers looking to target a specific audience.
Kafkai produces high-quality content, a significant advantage for businesses or bloggers looking to set themselves apart from the competition.
Kafkai offers a unique feature that allows you to seed content from other sources, which can be a significant time-saver when creating content.
Pros
Quick results with high efficiency
You can add seed content and phrases
It can be used to craft complete articles
Cons
Its long-form-content generator isnat very high quality
Pricing
Kafkai comes with a free trial to help you understand whether itas the right choice for you or not. Additionally, you can also take a look at its paid plans:
Writer Plan: $29/month Create 100 articles per month. $0.29/article
Newsroom Plan $49/month a Generate 250 articles a month at $0.20 per article.
Printing Press Plan: $129 /month Create up to 1000 articles a month at roughly $0.13/article.
Industrial Printer Plan: ($199 a month) a Generate 2500 articles each month for $0.08/article.
10. Peppertype.ai a Best AI Content Writing Software for Blogging
Peppertype.ai is an online AI content generator thatas easy to use and best for small business owners looking for a powerful copy and content writing tool to help them craft and generate various content for many purposes.
Features
You can choose from various pre-trained templates to create your content. This can save you a lot of time since you donat have to spend time designing your templates or starting entirely from scratch.
Peppertype offers various copywriting frameworks to help you write better content.
Peppertype is lightweight and easy to use. This makes it perfect for beginners who want to get started with AI content generation.
Peppertypeas autocorrect feature automatically corrects your grammar and spelling mistakes as you type. This ensures that your content is free of errors.
Peppertype tracks user engagement data to help you create content that resonates with your audience.
Pros
It doesnat have a steep learning curve
It helps users to create entirely original content
The basic plan comes with access to all of their frameworks and templates
Built-in style editor
Cons
More hits than misses on content generated
Tons of typos and grammatical errors
Pricing
Unfortunately, Peppertype.ai isnat free. However, it does have a free trial to try out the software before deciding whether itas the right choice for you. Here are its paid plans:
personal Plan:$35/Month
Features:
50,000 words included
40+ content types
Notes and Text Editor
Access to templates
Unlimited projects
Active customer support
Team Plan: $199/month
Features:
Everything included in the Personal
Collaborate & share results
Access control
Export results
Request custom content types
Enterprise a pricing is custom, so please contact the company for more information.
Final thoughts:
It is no longer a secret that humans are getting overwhelmed with the daily task of creating content. Our lives are busy, and the process of writing blog posts, video scripts, or other types of content is not our day job. In comparison, AI writers are not only cheaper to hire, but also perform tasks at a high level of excellence. This article explores 10 writing tools that used AI to create better content choose the one which meets your requirements and budget but in my opinion Jasper ai is one of the best tools to use to make high-quality content.
If you have any questions ask in the comments section
Note: Don't post links in your comments
Note: This article contains affiliate links which means we make a small commission if you buy any premium plan from our link.
Beginner Guide to CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction) in 2022
Image by vectorjuice on Freepik
In this CJ Affiliate guide, I will share with you everything you need to get started on the platform, I will give you an in-depth look at the network and how it works.
You will learn how to earn money with the platform. If you're not interested, I'll share some of the best CJ affiliate programs and alternatives. By the end of this post, I will also answer some of the FAQs on the platform and give my quick CJ review.
Sounds Good So letas start
What is CJ Affiliate?
Commission Junction is an online advertising company that offers affiliate programs for various retailers. Since 1998, it has been known as one of the oldest and most popular affiliate networks.
Commission Junction has consistently ranked among the top 10 affiliate networks
With in-depth data analysis and an unmatched understanding of clients needs, CJ has established itself as a leader in performance marketing.
For Advertiser:
CJ provides advertisers with a variety of tracking, management, and payment options. As an affiliate network, CJ can help you launch multiple affiliate programs from a centralized network.
CJ's experienced team of account managers is available to help at every stepafrom program set-up to optimization.
For Publishers:
CJ offers a variety of well-paying affiliate programs. You can find affiliate programs in almost every niche at CJ. With CJ, you can also find promotional tools such as banners and product feeds, which help you promote your website.
The reporting tools are unparalleled and provide granular data that can assist you in fine-tuning your campaigns for maximum results.
Requirements
First things first, CJ is free to join! If you are new to the world of affiliate marketing, don't worryayou'll be able to join right away.
The requirements for joining CJ are almost similar to other networks. For example, you must have a blog or social media follower.
Isn't it obvious? Let's explore the details.
High-quality, unique content.
Non-gated content, of course.
Site privacy policy.
No software, coupon/deal, or incentive models
Your traffic must be from US and Canada.
The main traffic source must not be paid
10K+ monthly trafic on your website.
How Does CJ Affiliate Work?
Between advertisers and publishers, CJ Affiliate acts as a middleman.. Advertisers sign up on CJ to promote their products or services, while publishers sign up on CJ to find and join affiliate programs to make money. CJ then tracks the sales or leads generated by the publisher and pays them a commission according to the terms of the affiliate program.
CJ provides a win-win situation for both sides: advertisers get more sales and publishers make money.
In order to free up both parties to concentrate on their job, CJ also handles payments and other technical issues. Now that you know how CJ works, let's learn more about how to sign up and start making money with it.
How to Start Making Money Online Using CJ Affiliate
To get started using CJ's affiliate network, you'll need to register for an account. To do this, you must have a website or social media profile with relevant content and an audience from the US or Canada.
Create a CJ account, complete the application process, and then wait for approval. You shouldn't worry CJ is not strict as other network in approving applications.
Here's how you can signup for Cj
Visit cj.com to register as a publisher.
Fill in information such as your nationality, email, password, and more.
Verify your email address now.
You will be transferred right away to your CJ Account Manager, which contains crucial data including network statistics and performance summaries.
Now from the Account menu, head to Network Profile. And to sign up for any affiliate programme offered on CJ, complete this profile separately.
When applying for CJ, you need to share these two pieces of information
Description of the website (include statistics for your site and more)
Promotion methods (Traffic sources)
The process of setting up a CJ Affiliate account is a way for you to prove to CJ and the merchants that you're a serious affiliate marketer. Your CJ account is complete once you've added or edited your payment information; now you need to add or edit your tax certificates if required. You are now prepared to start making money on CJ Affiliate program apply for product when approved start promting and earn commissions on every sale.
Click on "Advertisers" and then select a category to go to your niche advertiser area. You can apply for it by clicking the 'Join the Program' button and analysing three months' earnings per click and overall earnings! After you're approved, you'll get links from all over the Internet.
After you've completed the steps above, you can share your affiliate links in your blog post. You can view performance reports for your affiliate links by visiting the CJ account dashboard. Click "Clients" to see details about clicks, sales, and commissions earned by each client.
With CJ, you can make money promoting great products and services in any niche imaginable! So start joining CJ programs now and watch your business grow.
Best CJ Affiliate Programs in 2022
On CJ, you can find thousands of affiliate programs in almost any niche. Some of the top affiliate programs enlisted on CJ include:
Contabo VPS
Fiverr
Hostinger
Godaddy
Namecheap
You'll find a lot of programs to join at CJ, depending on your niche. Just enter your keywords in the search bar, and CJ will show you all the relevant programs that match your criteria. You can further filter the results by commission type, category, or country.
A Quick CJ Affiliate Review: Is It Good Enough?
CJ Affiliate is one of the oldest and most well-known affiliate networks. The platform has been around for over 20 years and has a massive network of advertisers and publishers. The features on CJ Affiliate are easy to use, and it offers advertisers a wide range of tracking, management, and payment options.
CJ offers some great features for publishers tooapromotional tools like banners, links, and social media are available to help boost your site's visibility. The only downside is that CJ has a bit of a learning curve, and the approval process can be strict. But overall, CJ Affiliate is an excellent platform for advertisers and publishers.
Top Alternatives and Competitors
CJ Affiliate is a great place to earn an income from affiliate marketing. It offers a wide range of features and options for advertisers and publishers. But if CJ doesn't work for you, plenty of other options are available. Here are some of the top competitors and alternatives in the market today:
ShareASale
AWIN
Impact
Rakuten Marketing
PartnerStack
Partnerize
ClickBank
Here are some of the best CJ Affiliate alternatives that you can try. Each platform has its own set of features, so make sure to choose one that best suits your needs. Regardless of which CJ alternative you choose, remember that quality content is key to success as a publisher, so ensure to focus on providing high-value, engaging content to your readers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cj Affiliate Marketplace
Is the Cj AffilIs late Network legit?
CJ Affiliate is a legitimate affiliate platform that has earned the trust of many marketers because of its vast network of advertisers and publishers.
How much do CJ affiliates make?
It's not just about CJ; it's about how much effort you put into making money. It is possible to earn a few dollars to a few thousand dollars
How much does it cost to join Cj?
Joining CJ is free of charge. There are no monthly or annual fees. You only pay when you make a sale, and CJ takes a commission of 5-10%.
What are the payment methods accepted by Cj?
You can receive payment via direct deposit or check, as well as through Payoneer. CJ pays out within 20 days of the end of the month if your account has at least $50 worth of deposits ($100 for those outside America).
How to get approved for CJ affiliate?
CJ is friendly to both beginners and advanced affiliates. You need a website or social media profile with a solid organic traffic source and make yourself known using your profile description. Be honest, and you'll get approved for CJ's affiliate network.
How to find programs on CJ affiliates?
CJ affiliate offers a straightforward and user-friendly interface. All you need is to log in to your CJ account and click on aAdvertisers' from the menu. Depending on your niche, you can then search for any affiliate program on CJ
What are the Pros of CJ Affiliate for advertisers?
CJ Affiliate is one of the most advanced affiliate programs available, providing advertisers with a range of features and options including advanced tracking, management, and payment options.
The platform is also easy to use and provides promotional tools like coupons, banners, and widgets that can help increase our sales.
Final Saying
Choosing Commission Junction as your affiliate program isn't easy. CJ is a big company and they have a wide range of affiliates, big and small. They offer everything from banner ads to text links and so much more. The sheer amount of choices can seem intimidating at first, especially to new Affiliates, which is why we've put together this simple guide for people looking for a successful CJ affiliate program to join. If you have any questions feel free to ask in the comments.
TOP 11 AI MARKETING TOOLS YOU SHOULD USE (Updated 2022)
The marketing industry is turning to artificial intelligence (AI) as a way to save time and execute smarter, more personalized campaigns. 61% of marketers say AI software is the most important aspect of their data strategy.
If youare late to the AI party, donat worry. Itas easier than you think to start leveraging artificial intelligence tools in your marketing strategy. Here are 11 AI marketing tools every marketer should start using today.
Jasper is a content writing and content generation tool that uses artificial intelligence to identify the best words and sentences for your writing style and medium in the most efficient, quick, and accessible way.
Key Features
It's trusted by 50,000+ marketers for creating engaging marketing campaigns, ad copy, blog posts, and articles within minutes which would traditionally take hours or days. Special Features:
Blog posts have been optimized for search engines and rank high on Google and other search engines. This is a huge plus for online businesses that want to generate traffic to their website through content marketing.
99.9% Original Content and guarantees that all content it generates will be original, so businesses can focus on their online reputation rather than worrying about penalties from Google for duplicate content.
Long-Form Article Writing a Jasper.ai is also useful for long-form writing, allowing users to create articles of up to 10,000 words without any difficulty. This is ideal for businesses that want to produce in-depth content that will capture their audienceas attention.
Wait! I've got a pretty sweet deal for you. Sign up through the link below, and you'll get (10k Free Credits)
Also Read: Top 10 AI Content Generator & Writer Tools in 2022
2. Personalize
Personalize is an AI-powered technology that helps you identify and produce highly targeted sales and marketing campaigns by tracking the products and services your contacts are most interested in at any given time. The platform uses an algorithm to identify each contactas top three interests, which are updated in real-time based on recent site activity.
Key Features
Identifies top three interests based on metrics like time on page, recency, and frequency of each contact
Works with every ESP and CRM
Easy to get up and running in days
Enterprise-grade technology at a low cost for SMBs
3. Seventh Sense
Seventh Sense provides behavioral analytics that helps you win attention in your customersa overcrowded email inboxes. Choosing the best day and time to send an email is always a gamble. And while some days of the week generally get higher open rates than others, youall never be able to nail down a time thatas best for every customer. Seventh Sense eases your stress of having to figure out the perfect send-time and day for your email campaigns. The AI-based platform figures out the best timing and email frequency for each contact based on when theyare opening emails. The tool is primarily geared toward HubSpot and Marketo customers
Key Features
AI determines the best send-time and email frequency for each contact
Connects with HubSpot and Marketo
4. Phrasee
Phrasee uses artificial intelligence to help you write more effective subject lines. With its AI-based Natural Language Generation system, Phrasee uses data-driven insights to generate millions of natural-sounding copy variants that match your brand voice. The model is end-to-end, meaning when you feed the results back to Phrasee, the prediction model rebuilds so it can continuously learn from your audience.
Key Features
Instantly generates millions of human-sounding, brand-compliant copy variants
Creates tailored language models for every customer
Learns what your audience responds to and rebuilds the prediction model every time
5. Hubspot Seo
HubSpot Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an integral tool for the Human Content team. It uses machine learning to determine how search engines understand and categorize your content. HubSpot SEO helps you improve your search engine rankings and outrank your competitors. Search engines reward websites that organize their content around core subjects, or topic clusters. HubSpot SEO helps you discover and rank for the topics that matter to your business and customers.
Key Features
Helps you discover and rank topics that people are searching for
Provides suggestions for your topic clusters and related subjects
Integrates with all other HubSpot content tools to help you create a well-rounded content strategy
Also Read: Top 10 AI Content Generator & Writer Tools in 2022
6. Evolve AI
When youare limited to testing two variables against each other at a time, it can take months to get the results youare looking for. Evolv AI lets you test all your ideas at once. It uses advanced algorithms to identify the top-performing concepts, combine them with each other, and repeat the process to achieve the best site experience.
Key Features
Figures out which content provides the best performance
Lets you test multiple ideas in a single experiment instead of having to perform many individual tests over a long period
Lets you try all your ideas across multiple pages for full-funnel optimization
Offers visual and code editors
7. Acrolinx
Acrolinx is a content alignment platform that helps brands scale and improves the quality of their content. Itas geared toward enterprises a its major customers include big brands like Google, Adobe, and Amazon - to help them scale their writing efforts. Instead of spending time chasing down and fixing typos in multiple places throughout an article or blog post, you can use Acrolinx to do it all right there in one place. You start by setting your preferences for style, grammar, tone of voice, and company-specific word usage. Then, Acrolinx checks and scores your existing content to find whatas working and suggest areas for improvement. The platform provides real-time guidance and suggestions to make writing better and strengthen weak pages.
Key features
Reviews and scores existing content to ensure it meets your brand guidelines
Finds opportunities to improve your content and use automation to shorten your editorial process.
Integrates with more than 50 tools and platforms, including Google Docs, Microsoft Word, WordPress, and most web browsers.
8. MarketMuse
MarketMuse uses an algorithm to help marketers build content strategies. The tool shows you where to target keywords to rank in specific topic categories, and recommends keywords you should go after if you want to own particular topics. It also identifies gaps and opportunities for new content and prioritizes them by their probable impact on your rankings. The algorithm compares your content with thousands of articles related to the same topic to uncover whatas missing from your site.
Key features:
The built-in editor shows how in-depth your topic is covered and what needs improvement
Finds gaps and opportunities for new content creation, prioritized by their probable impact and your chance of ranking
9. Copilot
Copilot is a suite of tools that help eCommerce businesses maintain real-time communication with customers around the clock at every stage of the funnel. Promote products, recover shopping carts and send updates or reminders directly through Messenger.
Key features:
Integrate Facebook Messenger directly with your website, including chat history and recent interactions for a fluid customer service experience
Run drip messenger campaigns to keep customers engaged with your brand
Send abandoned carts, out-of-stock, restock, preorder, order status, and shipment notifications to contacts
Send branded images, promotional content, or coupon codes to those who opt in
Collect post-purchase feedback, reviews, and customer insight
Demonstrate social proof on your website with a widget, or push automatic Facebook posts sharing recent purchases
Display a promotional banner on your website to capture contacts instantly
Also Read: Top 10 AI Content Generator & Writer Tools in 2022
10. Yotpo
Yotpoas deep learning technology evaluates your customersa product reviews to help you make better business decisions. It identifies key topics that customers mention related to your productsaand their feelings toward them. The AI engine extracts relevant reviews from past buyers and presents them in smart displays to convert new shoppers. Yotpo also saves you time moderating reviews. The AI-powered moderation tool automatically assigns a score to each review and flags reviews with negative sentiment so you can focus on quality control instead of manually reviewing every post.
Key features:
Makes it easy for shoppers to filter reviews and find the exact information theyare looking for
Analyzes customer feedback and sentiments to help you improve your products
Integrates with most leading eCommerce platforms, including BigCommerce, Magento, and Shopify.
11. Albert AI
Albert is a self-learning software that automates the creation of marketing campaigns for your brand. It analyzes vast amounts of data to run optimized campaigns autonomously, allowing you to feed in your own creative content and target markets, and then use data from its database to determine key characteristics of a serious buyer. Albert identifies potential customers that match those traits, and runs trial campaigns on a small group of customersawith results refined by Albert himselfabefore launching it on a larger scale.
Albert plugs into your existing marketing technology stack, so you still have access to your accounts, ads, search, social media, and more. Albert maps tracking and attribution to your source of truth so you can determine which channels are driving your business.
Key features:
Breaks down large amounts of data to help you customize campaigns
Plugs into your marketing technology stack and can be used across diverse media outlets, including email, content, paid media, and mobile
Final Saying
There are many tools and companies out there that offer AI tools, but this is a small list of resources that we have found to be helpful. If you have any other suggestions, feel free to share them in the comments below this article. As marketing evolves at such a rapid pace, new marketing strategies will be invented that we haven't even dreamed of yet. But for now, this list should give you a good starting point on your way to implementing AI into your marketing mix.
Note: This article contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission if you buy any premium plan from our link.