Month March 2022

Dropbox’s answer to Google Docs is now available on iOS and Android

Dropbox Paper is now available on iOS and Android, allowing users to collaborate on documents in real time. It does away with the Microsoft Word-like menus and toolbars of Google Docs in favour of a simple white page.

Highlighting text brings up formatting options, and you can easily embed media, such as YouTube videos and image galleries. Send docs with just a click to either one person or your team. Work with a team at the same time, in the same doc and see feedback and edits immediately.

The release of Paper for iOS and Android is a minor milestone in Dropbox’s difficult, ongoing pivot from a file-syncing business to an enterprise one. The company has wasted time and money on apps like Mailbox and Carousel, but for it to survive in offices around the world, it needs projects like Paper to pay off. Though given the relatively light feature-set of Paper, it might also need to move a little faster.

Picture Credit : Google

How to quickly scan documents with the Google Drive app

If you have the Google Drive app for Android then you can use your phone as a portable scanner. From the front screen of the app, tap the large plus icon, then choose Scan from the pop-up menu.

You can rotate and crop images manually, plus create multipage documents, and your scans are instantly uploaded to Google Drive as PDFs.

To quickly scan a document on Google Drive, open Google Drive, and tap on the New Button (the colorful plus sign at the bottom right). After you tap on this option, a window from below will appear with various options. On the first row, tap on the Scan option.

When the camera opens, take a picture of the document you want to save as a PDF. If you don’t like how Google Drive saved it, you can make some changes if you want. Next to the color palette option, you can rotate your image in all directions. The final option allows you to crop your image.

Credit : Techni Pages 

Picture Credit : Google 

What is Artisto app?

Now put an arty layer over your videos as well as Artisto transforms them into moving paintings. Apply filters to videos that are already in your gallery or shot from your phone through the app. You have to select the 10-second sequence that you want to apply the filter to and the app does the rest.

Information on the application first appeared on Mail.ru Group Vice President Anna Artamonova’s FB page on July 29, 2016. At the moment of posting there was only an Android version available. According to Anna, the application’s first version only took eight days to develop. On July 31 the application was added to the AppStore for free download.

From this moment and continuing on into the present, Artisto has been the world’s first app that uses neural networks for editing short videos, processing them in the style of famous artworks or any other source image. Prisma (app) application developers promise to deliver similar functionality at any moment.

The application soon won recognition and started to attract the attention of both international brands (e.g. Korean auto manufacturer Kia Motors) and popular singers and musicians.

According to the independent App Annie analysis system, within the first two weeks on the market the application made it onto TOP download lists in nine countries.  Available on iOS and Android.

Picture Credit : Google 

What is Prisma app?

Using a combination of AI, neural networks and filters, Prisma takes your photos and turns them into works of art reminiscent of famous artists like Van Gogh and Picasso or famous ornaments and patterns. With more than 30 different styles and the ability to fine-tune for unique results, Prisma helps you create artistic pictures.

The app was created by the team led by Alexey Moiseenkov who also founded the Prisma labs, based in Moscow. Moiseenkov previously worked at Mail.Ru and later resigned from his job to dedicate his time to the development of the app. He has said that the development of the app took one and a half months and the team did not do anything to promote the app.

The algorithm that powers the app is based on the open source programming and algorithms behind DeepArt. Available on iOS and Android.

Picture Credit : Google

SanDisk launches iXpand Memory Case for iPhone 6 and 6S

Protection, storage, battery life – SanDisk’s IXPAND Memory Case is a three in one package. Designed for the iPhone 6/6s this case can hold 32, 64 or 128GB of extra storage. Plus, you can add on an optional 1900mAh battery pack to extend the life of your phone.

The case’s free companion app, Memory Case, allows you to view and manage what you have stored in the case’s storage and also view battery life stats and settings. There’s a power button and LED indicators for battery life so you can use the battery without the app if you wish, and it charges with a micro-USB cable.

The hard plastic case provides decent protection for the device, and it slides on and off with ease. The device makes a connection to the case via a built-in Lightning connector as it slides in (pictured at the top), and it also requires a Bluetooth connection when using the app, which the company says is “to wake up the device from sleep.”

But without the optional battery attached, the design of the product feels a bit incomplete. Large openings on the back that allow for the battery pack to slide in make the case a bit uncomfortable in the hand without it attached.

Without the battery, you have to put up with quite a bulky case, measuring 3 inches x 5.95 inches x 0.59 inches just to get the extra storage. That’s about 15mm thick at its thickest without the battery pack.

Attach the battery pack, though, and the problem is less noticeable when compared to other products on the market, all of which are necessarily bulky in order to add any significant amount of extra battery life. The battery increases the total thickness of the case to about 20mm (and adds an extra 83gm or 2.93 oz), but its tapered design makes the product more comfortable in the hand than without it. There’s a power button and LED indicators for battery life so you can use the battery without the app if you wish, and it charges with a micro-USB cable (you can charge the battery while it’s attached or not). 

Credit : 9 to 5 mac

Picture Credit : Google 

Change the way you hear

With two smart buds and a connected app, Here One allows you to do the usual stuff like play music, watch videos and take calls, but they also allow you to reduce incoming noise selectively, amplify speech, and remix your world with a live EQ.

Here One works as a way to augment the sounds you hear around you. So you can be at the station listening to music without having to hear the noise of the train. The smart buds work with an app on your phone that filters out noises or enhances others based on your settings.

Set the app to enhance certain sounds (maybe you need to hear more around you) or filter out annoying sounds. Its built-in microphones let you communicate with assistants like Siri or Google Now.

Picture Credit : Google 

Which are some outlandish proposals from brave thinkers?

Rain, Rain, sulphur rain!

Volcanoes are mean they devastate a large area whenever they erupt. But the after-effects can sometimes be useful, like reducing the effects of global warming, at least momentarily. A few scientists have actually suggested an artificial volcano as the solution for soaring temperatures around the world. It’s not a fake volcano that they have in mind, thankfully. However, the idea is equally odd – releasing sulphuric acid into the atmosphere with the help of jet planes. It’s not clear how dangerous this could be and opponents believe it would be like trying to spray perfume on a skunk!

Lighting up the moon

We’re all aware that we have been overusing electricity, day and night. A few experts believe that a really bright moon is all that we need to make us switch off the lights at night. This does sound awesome especially since everyone around the world can benefit from it. But the good scientists have not discussed how they plan to light up the moon. Or for that matter if the cost involved in this project could put all the countries in permanent debt.

Just making a mountain or two

Arid, dry countries in the Middle East lack one thing that prevents them from enjoying good rainfall – a mountain. Mountains help in the formation of clouds and stimulate rain. A team of scientists believe that a man made mountain is all that is needed to tackle this problem – easy peasy! But there’s just one small issue: where do you get all the raw materials to build one?

A unique way to beat the heat

With so many suggestions to tackle global warming and the sun’s scorching heat, a suggestion from a team of Scottish scientists really takes the cake! A dust cloud can effectively block the sun’s heat for some time and lower global temperature. And the best way to get the quantity of dust we need for this project is to capture an asteroid and bring it close enough to do the trick. Of course, one must make sure to blast it quickly, before it starts descending towards the Earth!

Dedicated to world peace

Solving world problems and addressing climate change can be accomplished by doing one simple thing. Just fuse all the continents on Earth into one gigantic super continent! According to Jonathan Keats, an experimental philosopher, this seemingly tough task can be achieved by tweaking the planet’s tectonic plates using the latest geoengineering methods. Keats seems serious about this idea, because he’s established a political tectonics lab that specializes in political geoengineering. Of course, we’re working under the assumption that coming closer together will solve all our tensions!

Let’s protect our glaciers

Glaciers are one of the biggest sources of fresh water, but unfortunately they’ve been melting at an alarming rate. If this continues, many coastal cities would get submerged in a matter of decades. A glaciologist suggests wrapping up the glaciers with huge reflective blankets. That could create a new market for mass manufacture of blankets too, right? That’s two benefits from one idea.

Picture Credit : Google 

Unsubscribe From a Newsletter or Mailing List in Gmail

 

Does your inbox get flooded with newsletters for various services and products? To get rid of them, type label: “unsub in the search box in Gmail. The results will display all the newsletters/emails which have “Unsubscribe’ options at the bottom, allowing you unsubscribe with ease.

Gmail offers a handy shortcut for unsubscribing from mailing lists, newsletters, and other recurring, subscription-based messages. You can unsubscribe to emails in Gmail with a link that automatically replies to the message with a notification to cancel. Some emails don’t support that type of unsubscription, in which case Gmail auto-detects the unsubscribe link offered by the email sender and directs you to a page to manually unsubscribe.

Open a message from the mailing list or newsletter. Select Unsubscribe directly right of the sender’s name or email address. You can find this at the top of the message.

Sometimes, it might instead read Change preferences. That will let you alter how the subscription emails are sent to you, but most emails don’t have this.

When you see the Unsubscribe message, select Unsubscribe.

You may have to complete the unsubscription process at the sender’s website. If not, you’ll just see a message from Gmail, letting you know that you’ve unsubscribed.

Credit : Lifewire 

Picture Credit : Google 

Narendra Modi is most followed politician in Asia on Twitter

Not only does Prime Minister Modi have 37.6 million followers on Twitter, he’s also the most tweeted about world leader in the world after U.S. President Donald Trump. Modi is also the most followed head of state across the Asia-Pacific region by far, with Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo coming in second with 9.1 million followers.

The Prime Minister tweets almost every other day, and he’s not afraid of sending out numerous tweets on the same day. He’s also a social media star on Facebook (43 million followers) and Instagram (10.4 million followers).

Among other world leaders, former United States President Barack Obama has a following of 129.8 millio followers, while his current counterpart Joe Biden is followed by 30.9 million accounts.

Donald Trump, who had the highest of followers at 88.7 million, was permanently removed from Twitter following the riots at the US Capitol

Picture Credit : Google 

For a Better Instagram Experience, Follow Hashtags Instead of People

Following a hashtag is a good way to discover new users who post about content you care about on when you want to see more of a certain topic, but don’t want to deal with everything else individual users post. Search for or tap on a hashtag you’re interested in, and select ‘Follow’.

Instagram will only show “top posts” from a hashtag, so you don’t have to worry about your feed being overwhelmed. If your account is private, the hashtags you follow will only be visible to your followers.

Copying and pasting the exact same list of Instagram hashtags into every single post and call it a day won’t just impact your engagement, but it can also make you look spammy!

The most important thing to keep in mind when deciding what hashtags to use is that you’re being intentional — as in, you’re using hashtags that your target audience is actually searching for and following!

Instead, try looking for ultra-niche community hashtags that are specifically relevant to the content you post. It’s not a bad idea to use Saved Captions to build multiple hashtag lists that are organized by theme or category.

Some may be specifically for small businesses, while others might be about fashion and ecommerce. The key is to collect and categorize them so that when they are used in a post, you can easily tell which pulls in the most engagement on your post.

And don’t forget to use your branded hashtag whenever it makes sense! The first step to getting other users to share your branded hashtag is to use it yourself.

Credit : Later 

Picture Credit : Google