Not every one of us can remember gadgets, the purchase of which turned his life upside down. In my case, the Amazon Kindle changed everything. With his help, I not only advanced my English thoroughly, but also learned Spanish at a basic level. A lot has been written about the Kindle, but in this article I would like to focus on the language aspects of its use, which reviews usually do not pay enough attention to.
I read a lot, mostly literature in foreign languages. Therefore, the choice of an e-book for me is largely dictated by how convenient it is to work with dictionaries. However, in addition to the well-implemented support for dictionaries, the Kindle has a number of other features that are useful for learning a language.
Initially, I will make a reservation that all of the following is true for the Amazon Kindle 6 sample of 2014 (with a touch screen), which I own. Later in the article, I refer to it as the new Kindle. Along the way, I also note some differences between the new Kindle and the previous version (Kindle 5 of 2012 with button controls), which for brevity we will call the old Kindle.
Most likely, the content of the article can be extended to older devices of the modern Kindle line (such as Kindle Paperwhite), however, since I personally did not deal with them, I can not vouch for this. By the way, I'm quite happy with the simplest, most basic version of the Kindle, because it has all the features I need for a minimal price. As of the date of this writing, the cost of the device was $79, and on sales days - in my memory - it dropped to $49 (excluding the cost of shipping to Russia and intermediary services, which adds another $20-25 to the price).
Search in dictionaries
In the old Kindle, dictionary lookups took quite a long time. I had to use the buttons to move the cursor to the right word, while only the first few lines of the corresponding dictionary entry were displayed on the screen, which were usually not enough. As a result, I had to go to the full text of the dictionary entry, then return to the text of the book ... All this was rather tedious.
In the new Kindle, thanks to the touchscreen, to access the dictionary, you can simply click on the word you are interested in or highlight the phrase. The dictionary will open in a pop-up window that takes up most of the screen, while the contents of the window can be scrolled. Most importantly, everything works fast enough.
The big plus of the new Kindle is the ability to quickly switch between dictionaries.
Those who read non-adapted fiction know that one dictionary is not enough for a full reading. The old Kindle could load multiple dictionaries, but the device only looked up one of them, the default dictionary for that language. It was impossible to quickly switch to another dictionary. Of course, it was very inconvenient.
Now you can easily switch from the default dictionary to any other dictionary.
As before, Kindle works with word forms. This means that when you click, for example, on the word “dogs” or “dog,” the Kindle will open a dictionary entry titled “dog.” However, the quality of support for word forms depends on the particular dictionary.
Another advantage of the new Kindle is that it has the ability to search dictionaries in other languages, that is, other than the language in which the book is written.
This is useful not only if the English-speaking hero suddenly says a phrase, for example, in French. It often happens that the language is spelled wrong in the downloaded book (by the way, this also happens with books bought on Amazon). For example, a book is written in Spanish, but the Kindle assumes that the book's language is English. Kindle of the previous version in such a situation will persistently refer to the English dictionary, and without additional manipulations with the book file, this problem will not be solved. The new Kindle will also search the English dictionary by default, but you can always manually select a different dictionary.
The Kindle buyer receives a set of dictionaries for the most common languages: they are automatically downloaded from the Internet the first time they try to access the dictionary.
Additional Kindle dictionaries can be purchased from Amazon. Just make sure that you are buying a dictionary in the full sense of the word. It turns out that not all books titled as a dictionary can be connected as such to the Kindle.
In addition, on the Internet you can find a large number of unofficial Kindle dictionaries created by enthusiasts for a variety of languages. It should be borne in mind that their quality varies, in particular, word forms are not always processed correctly, and sometimes searching in the dictionary leads to Kindle freezing. However, in general, you can work with them.
Search in "Wikipedia"
If the word is not in the selected dictionary, Kindle tries to find it in Wikipedia. You can also force the search in Wikipedia by selecting the appropriate item in the drop-down menu. Of course, this search only works when connected via Wi-Fi (or 3G for older Kindle models).
The search is carried out in the version of Wikipedia that corresponds to the language of the book. So, for English it's en.wikipedia.org , for Spanish it's es .wikipedia.org and so on. This cannot be changed. Searching for word forms is not possible here. In a pop-up window, the Kindle shows the beginning of the corresponding Wikipedia article without illustrations. If you wish, you can follow the link to the full text. By the way, in Wikipedia you can search not only for individual words, but also for phrases.
The ability to search Wikipedia appeared for the first time in the Kindle, and so far, in my opinion, its potential has not been fully realized. However, the fact that it exists is in itself a big plus, because with the help of Wikipedia, you can not only understand the meaning of a particular concept, but also, for example, decipher an unknown abbreviation.
If you dream, it would be nice to see future versions of Kindle search not only in Wikipedia, but also in popular online dictionaries such as Wiktionary or Urban Dictionary.
Vocabulary increase:Vocabulary Builder andflashcards
After reading a book or a certain fragment of it, you can repeat all unfamiliar words encountered in the text using the Vocabulary Builder function.
When activated, Kindle will display a list of words whose meaning you looked up in a dictionary. When you click on a word, you can see the fragments of the text where this word was used, and also, if necessary, refer to the dictionary again.
Flash cards (Flashcards) - another one useful tool for foreign language learners. It works in a similar way to programs like Anki. The user is sequentially shown cards with words in the target language, the task of a person is to remember the meaning of the word. If you can't remember, you can look in the dictionary. Those cards that the user, in his opinion, has mastered, are put aside, the more "stubborn" ones remain in the deck for later demonstration.
In terms of functionality, Kinde's built-in flash cards cannot compete with spaced repetition programs like Anki (and Amazon has something to work on here). At the same time, a huge plus is that the Kindle creates cards based on the books read and, when showing the cards, shows the words in the context in which they met the user on the pages of these books.
Thus, words are not studied on their own, but in relation to an already familiar text, which makes memorization easier. There is no need to spend precious time creating decks of cards: Kindle will do it for you.
Text simplification:Word Wise
Curious feature Word Wise, specifically designed for users who read in a non-native language. When it is activated, the most difficult words in the text will be provided with a brief description written in simpler and more understandable words. The description is given directly in the text, above the word. This function can be compared with an appeal to an explanatory dictionary. Here's what it looks like.
But you shouldn't be too embarrassed. This function works only with English-language books purchased on Amazon, and even then not with all, but only with those in the description of which there is an explicit indication of Word Wise support.
Translation
By selecting a phrase in the text, you can get its translation (including into Russian) using Bing Translator. I rarely use this opportunity, since I already know the target languages well and can translate mentally, resorting only to dictionaries. However, if you sometimes need to translate a phrase from a completely unfamiliar language, this feature can be useful. Like the search on Wikipedia, the option only works when connected to the Internet.
Interface language
This idea is not new, but few people use it. For a deeper immersion in the language you are learning, set it as your Kindle interface language - of course, if it is supported. By the way, the list of supported languages includes English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Dutch and Chinese.
1. Whether to look in the dictionary for all unfamiliar words or not is up to you. There are different opinions on this matter. My opinion - you need to read so that you feel psychologically comfortable. I turn to dictionaries quite often, but sometimes I catch myself reading many pages, omitting unknown words, and not losing the essence. So the choice is yours.
2. The subject of controversy is also the question of which dictionaries are better to use: monolingual (explanatory) or bilingual. Here, again, I advise you to proceed from your own feelings. But, if you prefer a bilingual dictionary, stock up on an sensible one anyway, it will come in handy sooner or later. In general, the more dictionaries you have, the better. So, for the Spanish language, I have six dictionaries installed (Spanish-Russian, Spanish-English and explanatory), and I really use all of them. Often I check the meaning of a word in several dictionaries at once, especially if the word is polysemantic and the context allows for several readings.
3. Choose books based on your language level. If, having opened a book, you do not understand almost anything in it without a dictionary, it is worth taking a lighter book. You can always come back to a book that turned out to be too difficult.
4. Take unfamiliar books. Or books that you read in your native language for a long time and have already thoroughly forgotten what they are talking about. In this case, the motivation will be higher, since you will be driven by your own interest in the plot.
5. Take books a notch above your level. Let me explain what I mean.
The entire huge array of literature that exists in the target language can be divided into several main groups according to the level of complexity (for simplicity, we consider only fiction) like this:
- adapted texts. I note that these texts also vary among themselves in terms of the amount of vocabulary used (from 200 to 3000 or more words).
- Non-adapted books written for children and adolescents who are native speakers.
- Unadapted books translated into the target language from other languages.
- Unadapted books originally written in the target language.
Do not "hang" at a certain stage. If you feel that you are becoming easy and comfortable, complicate your reading. Only in this way can you progress.
6. Focus on modernity. Language is a phenomenon that continuously changes over time. The literature of the middle of the last century is unlikely to give you an idea of the language norms. today. If you are learning a language for practice, limit your choice of books to modern literature.
7. Pay attention to differences between dialects of the target language. So, in the case of English, these are British and American variants, in Spanish - the language of Spain proper and numerous Latin American dialects. If you are targeting the language of a certain country, for example, if you are planning to work or study somewhere, you need to focus on regional peculiarities all the more.
8. Remember to enjoy reading. Yes, you have to come to terms with the fact that you will not be able to enjoy the process as much as when reading in your native language. You will not always be able to recognize all the shades and meanings that the author has invested in his work, you will not always understand humor (unless you already know the language at a level close to native speakers, and in this case you do not need these tips). However, this does not mean the impossibility of obtaining pleasure in principle. React to what you read. Empathize with the characters, laugh and cry with them. And then the foreign language, passed through your own feelings, will become more alive and close to you.
When talking about a device called "e-reader", it is inevitable to mention perhaps the most popular e-reader in the world - the Amazon Kindle. Since 2007, Kindle readers have been sold out like hot cakes, and the first batches of new products disperse in the first hours of sales. Today we decided to review everything model range Kindle, a look at old and new models that have made Amazon the market leader in readers and one of the world's most popular manufacturers of hardware - readers and tablets.
Kindle 1
The first generation of the device was made by LAB126, which later became a subsidiary of Amazon.com and is now responsible for every new Kindle reader or tablet. The first reader went on sale in 2007 and cost $399. However, the high price did not prevent her from becoming mega-popular - the entire stock of readers available for order was sold out in just 5 hours! Demand was so great that Amazon customers had to wait five months to finally get their coveted first Kindle.
The main innovation offered by the reader was the availability of 3G Internet access. This made it possible to purchase books from the Amazon library directly from the reader without the need to connect to Wi-Fi or use a computer. This reader was the only Kindle that supported memory cards - the manufacturer abandoned this on new models. The first Kindle was officially sold only in the States, but its popularity forced Amazon to bring the next generation of the device to new markets.
Kindle 2
The new model was released in a minimalist cardboard box which later became famous. It was half the size of the first generation Kindle. A small but strong box did not require additional packaging before shipping - a label with the buyer's address was simply glued on it and the box was sent to the post office.
The Kindle 2 hit the market in February 2009 and was also expensive at $359. It was the first reader in the world to have the function of reading printed text aloud by voice. Amazon decided to ditch the use of an additional memory card in order to reduce the already high cost of the device.
As part of the marketing campaign to mark the release of the Kindle 2, Stephen King's "UR" is now available exclusively on Amazon's e-library, exclusively for Kindle readers.
Kindle DX
A larger screen reader was introduced on July 1, 2009. The diagonal has increased from 6 to 9.7 inches. At that time, the Amazon Kindle DX was the thinnest device with an E ink screen released by the company. The reader was originally equipped with PDF support and was designed to read technical literature in this format, books in which you can comfortably read only on a large screen.
Originally only available for purchase in the US, the Amazon Kindle DX didn't make it to 100 other countries too quickly. This happened only on January 19, 2010. The starting price was not very affordable - $489. This reader was and remains a niche product for buyers with specific needs.
Kindle 2 International
In October 2009, he introduced the international version of Kindle 2, and on November 24 of the same year, a new firmware for it was released, which increased the duration of the reader on a single charge by 85%, and also provided the reader with PDF format support.
The international version of Kindle 2 became available to buyers in 100 countries of the world. Unlike the Kindle 1, which allowed book purchases over 3G only in the States, the new e-reader allowed you to purchase books from the Amazon library and download them via 3G worldwide.
Kindle DX Graphite
On July 1, 2010, Amazon released the Kindle DX Graphite. It was an update to the "big" DX model. The price has been reduced from $489 to $379. The novelty in the graphite color of the case received an E Ink display with a contrast ratio increased by 50%, thanks to the use of a new generation screen - Pearl. The dark color of the case was found to be more suitable for readers, due to the fact that the dark edging around the display visually enhances the whiteness of the E ink screen.
The reader had a 3G-module, the function of reproducing text by voice and an audio player. Low sales of the reader forced Amazon to repeatedly reduce its price, which eventually dropped to the final $199 in May 2014. The reader is still for sale. Its peculiarity is poor software, which has remained practically unchanged for 5 years. Like its predecessor, it is a highly specialized device designed for comfortable reading books in PDF format.
Kindle 3 or Kindle Keyboard
The new Kindle Keyboard was the first Amazon model to be offered in two versions. The Wi-Fi version cost $139, while the Wi-Fi/3G version cost $189. In the first version, it was one of the cheapest readers, which literally blew up the market and brought e-reading to a new round of popularity.
With the release of the Kindle 3 in 2010, sales of e-readers reached 12 million units, up 40% from the same period in 2009. At the end of January 2011, Amazon announced that sales of electronic copies of books from the company's website for the first time exceeded sales of paper books.
Kindle 4
The fourth generation of the Kindle reader was presented without a hardware physical keyboard on the case - the reader has become more compact. Instead of physical buttons, the user was asked to use a virtual keyboard. The novelty has become the lightest Amazon reader, completely different in design from its predecessors. Kindle 4 is 30% lighter than Kindle 3 and fits easily into pockets.
The fourth Kindle lost support for audio and headphone jack. The model was produced in a modification with Wi-Fi, and did not have a 3G version. This made it very affordable. went on sale September 28, 2011 and cost only $79.
Kindle Touch
The Kindle Touch reader was introduced on September 28, 2011, at the same time as the Kindle 4. It was Amazon's first touchscreen model with virtually no physical buttons. The growing popularity of smartphones and tablets forced the manufacturer to provide the reader with a touch screen, which has become a necessary parameter for many users. The Kindle Touch had speakers, a headphone jack, and an audio player that had a more user-friendly interface than other Kindles.
Kindle 5
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2013) is the company's latest model to date. It was introduced in September 2013. The price of the reader has not increased in comparison with its predecessor. This is the first reader in the world to use a new generation display - E ink Carta. The display has become more contrast, the brightness of the backlight has increased, which has become perfectly white. The novelty received a processor with a clock frequency of 1 GHz, which increased the speed by 25% compared to the Kindle Paperwhite 1.
Amazon continues to be a major player in the e-reader market. The Internet is rife with rumors about the new generation of Kindle Paperwhite with a flexible screen that will not be afraid of bumps and drops. The company has long been waiting for color readers with an E ink screen. Amazon's previous releases have consistently surprised with innovations and quality solutions. Everything suggests that the history of Kindle readers will definitely get a new, interesting continuation!
Today, spyware allows you to track your phone. And in the past, when you wanted to know if a husband/wife is cheating on you, or you would like to know the details of cheating, you needed to hire a private detective. This practice was so popular that it became common in films.
Why mobile phone spyware can be better than private detectives?
Today, with the development of mobile technology, there is another alternative: mobile phone spyware, and nowadays many people use it. By comparing both options, cell phone spy software can be the best alternative to find out the truth about your husband or wife.
Let's talk first about the most obvious benefit of spying on a person: the cost. Hiring a private detective is probably good only if you are willing to spend a lot of money. At a cost of several thousand rubles per hour, you really have to be careful about the hours you want to hire a private detective. The practice of having a private detective follow a person all day long is common in movies but unrealistic in real life. In practice, most people hire a private detective for a few hours on key days, usually at night or on weekends. Even if you hired a private detective for four or five hours on the weekend, this is already a significant waste of money. And if your spouse is innocent or decided not to meet this weekend, then that money will go down the drain.
Foreign variants of mobile phone spyware cost between $60 and $150 and will run for three to four months during which it is activated at any time. In fact, the only real time limit for surveillance is yours. own wish sleep.
Of course, the main criterion should be efficiency, not price. Fortunately, according to the developers, the mobile phone spyware does what it's supposed to do, detects if your husband/wife is having an affair, as well as all the details of the deceit. A spy on the phone even does what a private detective does not - shows you where your spouse is at any time, follow the sms (sms). You will always know where the wife/husband is and if he/she is lying to you about where she/he is going.
Finally, there is one thing that a private detective does that cell phone spyware does not: a photo of your husband/wife. However, due to the price difference, you can simply get detailed information about the places where your spouse meets his fling, and then just hire any photographer to shoot. After all, the photo itself is important, and there is no need for a private detective to take it.
Huawei's 5G chipsets could become available for sale to third-party phone makers, and the company will say yes if the US iPhone maker wants to buy. Something like this the other day, Richard Yu Chengdong, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group (CBG), told the Global Times. But, so far, Apple IT Corporation has not commented on Huawei's latest proposal.
High-tech news in the world: Apple iPhone 5G and Huawei phone chips mobile communications fifth generation.According to a recent report, Huawei is ready to sell its 5G technology to Apple if the purchase price is right. Currently Californian Apple company is in the spotlight after IT companies Huawei and Samsung successfully launched their 5G smartphones this year. And even the long-forgotten firm Motorola has released its Moto Z3 multimedia phone, which can connect to Verizon's 5G network.
The reason that Apple is lagging behind its competitor in this competition is due to the lack of a 5G modem chip, the kind of device that is used to transfer data across a wide range of physical environments.
Since the company parted ways with Qualcomm, the main chip supplier for Apple's iPhone line of phones, in 2016 due to patent and royalty issues, Apple has moved exclusively to Intel to implement the 5G plan.
What is 5G?
5G is the hottest technology in the smartphone world. It is a next generation network technology designed to work with existing 4G networks. The new link offers many benefits, including ultra-fast gigabytes per second (Gbps) data transfer rates that will allow you to download an entire series in minutes.
5G technology is already working in some communication markets, in regions such as Seoul, Korea and Chicago, USA. The new link should be rolling out in the UK in select locations, including London and Manchester, by the end of the year.
5G equipment manufacturers.
The news follows reports that Apple is "losing confidence" in Intel, which currently supplies the modems used in its iPhones. Fast said Intel was struggling to fulfill an order for demo 5G modems due this year. It is reported that the lack of equipment may force Apple to postpone plans to release the iPhone 5G as scheduled.
But according to Intel, its 5G modem chip will not be available in the first half of 2019, and it is not known when the product will be available to customers. Bloomberg previously reported that Apple may not have a 5G iPhone ready until 2020.
In January, Apple held talks with Samsung and MediaTek, along with existing vendor Intel, to supply modem chips in the near future, but neither company is likely to have chips ready by 2020.
The question of when the iPhone 5G will be released remains open?
Huawei once stated that its 5G chips are for "in-house products" only and will not sell its own 5G chipsets to third parties. But now, according to the CEO, "Huawei is open."
Also via Engadget, news broke that unnamed sources familiar with the matter confirm that Huawei is ready to sell its 5G Balong 5000 chipsets to Apple.
A notable change in Huawei's strategy, which previously refused to sell its chips to competing phone and tablet makers, could be news.
Which phones support 5G frequency? Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S10 5G at its Unpacked event in February. LG also has a new LG V50 5G phone that will be released very soon. Most of the new phones are configured to use the Qualcomm 5G-ready X50 modem.
Many Android phone manufacturers have already announced plans to launch a 5G phone by the end of the year. Huawei unveiled its first 5G smartphone, the foldable Mate X, at MWC 2019 in March.
The era of 5G phones has already begun!
TrunCAD 3DGenerator is a very fast and intuitive furniture design, calculation and fabrication software. In the future, with TrunCAD's 3DGenerator software, you will be able to automate your workflow steps to a high degree and reap the benefits of your workflow.
Furniture industry news: 3D furniture software has many functions, including design / modeling, calculation and production.
The latest version of 3DGenerator has a new module called Scribble. With this module, you can immediately design your closet the way you like it. You simply click on the screen. Dividers and cabinet fronts are placed and moved with the mouse. After you complete the sketches in the 3DGenerator furniture program, the information is exported and displayed in 3D content. After importing "drawings" / "doodles" into 3DGenerator, all functions such as Partlist and CNC-export can be used directly. The Scribble module will speed up the presentation of designed furniture for your client.
Planning and designing furniture with the help of the program.
Involving your client directly in the planning process. Thus, it is possible to reduce the frustration of the furniture project, the client can take part in the design of the furniture. 3D Generator TrunCAD will help you design both individual furniture and plan entire rooms. It only takes a few parameters to get a realistic 3D furniture/project model for your client. If your client needs time to make a decision, just give him a presentation of the furniture and the 3D Viewer will show the work on a personal computer or laptop.
When your client is satisfied with the design, 3DGENERATOR calculates an offer according to your individual salary. All information is available immediately after the design is completed. Thanks to the high compatibility of Truncad 3DGenerator, data can be exported to many software packages. You can use a trusted software environment and efficient transfer of furniture data is guaranteed.
Complex furniture projects.
As easy as furniture presentation, one click is all it takes to create parts lists, cut lists and even CAM programs as well as 2D and 3D geometry. You can define different inserts which can be exported as 2D DXF drawings to almost any CAD system. A design from 3DGenerator can be exported to almost any 3D CAD system and modified. So you can use Truncad 3DGenerator for complex projects to get started and export data to CAM systems.
Creation of furniture.
Now with TrunCAD 3DGenerator, furniture production can begin immediately.
Cross-platform frameworks provide mobile app developers with a complete set of tools designed to improve productivity by solving common problems. The question is which frameworks are best for you mobile development. To help you answer this question, we have prepared a special list of cross-platform frameworks for developing high-quality mobile applications.
Developing a mobile application using a cross-platform framework is a shorter path to the successful completion of the task.
With nearly three million apps on the Google Play catalog, the Android operating system dominates the mobile landscape. Individuals, small companies and large enterprises are working hard to ensure a strong mobile presence and capture their market share. However, not everyone has the experience and resources needed to create a good mobile app from scratch using native tools.
The goal of frameworks is to make mobile app development as easy as possible.
List of cross-platform application development frameworks:
- Corona SDK
Is it easy to create applications and games on the Corona SDK? The creators of the Corona SDK framework promise ten times faster development of games and mobile applications. How is this even possible? Probably because the internal structure of the Corona application is entirely based on Lua, a lightweight multi-paradigm programming language with a focus on speed, portability, extensibility, and ease of use.
The official website of Corona SDK contains guides, lessons, examples designed to turn novice mobile application developers into experienced professionals. The guides and tips cover all sorts of topics for the developer. From the basics of mobile development to more advanced topics. The Corona SDK framework is absolutely free. Remember about cross-platform. It runs on both Windows and Mac OS X and supports real-time application testing.
- TheAppBuilder;
So, the description of TheAppBuilder, a framework used by some of the largest organizations in the world, is equipped with a user interface to speed up the development of application code. There is feedback that the version works best when used to create company presentations and other information applications. The framework comes with ready-made blocks for push notifications, feedback, polls, content updates, analytics, and more. Best of all, TheAppBuilder integrates directly with Google Play, allowing you to publish finished apps with just one click.
- Xamarin;
The Xamarin framework was developed by the same people who created ECMA compliant Mono, and there is a .NET Framework compliant toolkit. Xamarin provides developers with a single C# codebase that they can use to build their own apps for all major mobile operating systems.
Unlike many other frameworks, Xamarin has already been used by over 1.4 million developers worldwide. With Xamarin for Visual Studio, developers can take advantage of the power of Microsoft Visual Studio and all of its advanced features, including code completion, IntelliSense, and application debugging on a simulator or mobile device. The Xamarin Test Cloud feature allows you to instantly test applications on 2000 real devices in the cloud (remotely, via the Internet). This is by far the best way to deal with the highly fragmented Android ecosystem and release bug-free mobile apps that run without any major issues on most gadgets.
- Appcelerator Titanium;
The Appcelerator Titanium framework is part of the Appcelerator Platform, which includes all the tools mobile app developers need to build, test, and deploy highly optimized apps. The Titanium framework uses JavaScript to call a vast collection of APIs. These APIs call native functions of the operating systems, providing exceptional performance and a natural look and feel.
Titanium includes a visually-centric mobile app development process that to a large extent relies on pre-built code blocks that can be assembled by drag and drop. You can create data models programmatically or visually. Test completed mobile apps in the cloud and monitor them with the Mobile Lifecycle Dashboard, which gives you valuable insights into app performance.
- phonegap;
PhoneGap by Adobe is one of the world's most popular Android app development frameworks. It is created by the Apache Cordova development team. An open source mobile application development environment that uses CSS3 and HTML5, as well as JavaScript for cross-platform development. PhoneGap is also a completely open source software (Open Source).
It is based on an intuitive desktop application used to create applications and connect these applications to mobile devices (phones/smartphones, tablets). Finally, no more obscure text commands that are easy to make mistakes and hard to remember. The fantastic desktop app is complemented by the PhoneGap mobile app. The application allows you to instantly see the changes on the connected mobile device. Other things that make PhoneGap so recommended are its large plugin library, third party tools, and thriving community.
- Ionic;
Ionic is a free and open source framework licensed under the MIT license. It offers a whole library of components and tools. Ionic allows you to develop progressive web apps and native mobile apps for every major app store - all from a single codebase. Thanks to the best in-house plugins, it's extremely easy to use features like Bluetooth and the Health Kit, and fingerprint authentication is still supported.
Ionic is also designed for performance tuning and optimization. All apps built with Ionic look like they are standardized and they work equally well. At the moment, about four million applications have been created by five million Ionic developers from around the world. If you want to join them, visit the official website and learn more about this framework.
- NativeScript;
JavaScript and Angular, as well as TypeScript, are arguably the most used web development technologies. With the NativeScript framework, you can also use them to build applications. Simply put, NativeScript builds platform-specific user interfaces from a single code base. Unlike other frameworks, NativeScript is backed by Telerik, a Bulgarian company that offers various software tools.
Looking for tutorials on building mobile apps in the cross-platform NativeScript framework? To help mobile app developers get familiar with this framework, there are many examples and detailed tutorials on the official website. teaching aids. You can view real implementations of mobile applications, study official documentation, and even dive into the source code.
- React Native;
React Native is developed by Facebook and is used by Instagram, Tesla, Airbnb, Baidu, Walmart, and many other Fortune 500 companies. Facebook's React JavaScript framework is open source. Because React Native uses the same UI building blocks as regular mobile apps for iOS and Android gadgets, it's impossible to distinguish a React Native app from an app built using Objective-C or Java. As soon as you update the source code, you will immediately see the changes in the application preview window. If you ever feel the need to manually optimize certain parts of your application, React Native lets you combine native code with components written in Swift or Objective-C and Java.
- Sencha touch.
What is Sencha Touch? Like TheAppBuilder, it is an enterprise framework for building universal mobile applications. It uses hardware acceleration techniques to achieve high performance. Sencha Touch comes with five dozen built-in UI components and decent looking themes, making it easy to create stunning apps that will engage users.
The framework includes a robust data package that can use data from any internal data source. With this package, you can create collections of data using highly functional models that offer features such as sorting and filtering. Sencha Touch has received praise from many influential companies and organizations.
Conclusion of the review of cross-platform frameworks for developing mobile applications:
No matter which mobile development framework you choose, don't be afraid to change your mind if you ever feel like there are better development environment options out there. Cross-platform frameworks are extremely volatile and new ones are released on a regular basis. Their goal is to help you quickly turn a rough idea into a working application, and a working mobile app- into the finished product. In the end, it doesn't matter if you achieve your goal by using the latest modern framework that everyone is talking about, or a long-established framework that is starting to collect dust.
When Chinese tech company Huawei decided to unveil its new multimedia phone, surrounded by the ornate National Museum of Catalonia in Barcelona, it certainly gave hints to the tech journalists in attendance as to what they would see. After all, the recently unveiled Huawei Mate X foldable smartphone looks a bit like a rare Picasso painting.
Huawei Mate X first review: folding screen smartphone - attractive, powerful specifications and an incredibly expensive price to buy it.
So, what is the Huawei Mate X smartphone? The impression from the first review of Huawei Mate X can be expressed by the phrase that this smartphone is great. Even the phrase that this is a beautiful smartphone softens the review a little. Rather, he is magnificent in his own way. It has perhaps the most worthy industrial design of any mobile phone that has ever been released by the tech giants in the last few years. The new Huawei smartphone from contemplation and deep imagination clearly pushes the boundaries of what smartphones can be. Since the size of a smartphone screen easily turns into a tablet. Thus, mobile content can be viewed in a convenient way according to the situation.
Those who know everything about phones might think that by asking for a unique price, the Mate X is a bit like the Picasso story in that it is a very expensive smartphone. The Mate X has raised the price bar for smartphones. But perhaps given the specs it offers, it can justify its high price for those who are deciding which phone to buy.
Display on Huawei Mate X.
Which display is better? Huawei Mate X has one display that can be transformed into three different configurations. The first mode is an 8-inch tablet. This is an almost perfect square with an aspect ratio of 8:7.1 and a resolution of 2480 by 2200 pixels.
Since the screen is on the outside of the smartphone, when the mobile device is folded, you get two screens. The front screen offers 6.6 inches edge-to-edge, complemented by a 19.5:9 aspect ratio and a 2480 x 1148 pixel resolution.
There's also a rear that offers fewer inches of screen space as it contains the device's cameras and a pen. You will primarily use this part to create selfie photos. This part delivers a decent (but thin) screen size of 6.38 inches with a slightly compressed 25:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 2480 by 892 dots (Pixels).
How comfortable is the Huawei Mate X in terms of thickness?
When folded, the Huawei Mate X mobile phone is 11 millimeters thick, and unlike the rival Samsung Galaxy Fold phone, it does not have a bulky gap. It is completely flat and is fixed with one click. It would be interesting to test how well it locks when thrown into a purse, for example, and see if it can accidentally open or not.
When unfolded, the Mate X is 5.4mm thin, slightly thinner than the iPad Pro!
On Huawei Mate X camera, pen - everything for the user!
A quick look at the side of the Huawei Mate X is a pen (a fairly descriptive term from Huawei). The device contains three mobile cameras, including one using Leica hardware. For technology news, this was not a surprise. The same configuration has appeared on all Huawei phones since the P20 Pro. It would be strange if the manufacturer Huawei refused such a feature in such a revolutionary device.
You may notice that the phone does not have a dedicated front-facing selfie camera. This is because the three main cameras are selfie cameras. To take a photo of yourself, you just need to fold your phone and turn it upside down.
All of this is pretty exciting. Huawei premium phones are regularly ranked as having the best camera phones on the market. Although the company did not share camera samples during the launch event, it can be recognized that some people like the ability to take selfies with a high-end mobile camera enhanced with Master AI software.
And since the back of the Mate X also contains a screen, you can use your smartphone when taking photos, for example, to show the subject of the photo a preview of how it will eventually look in the picture.
Huawei employees say that there are no problems with the camera on the Mate X model. This is good news, both in terms of appearance and in terms of overall durability. The latter is what the company has been focusing on by announcing a specially designed protective case with the phone.
The new 5G connectivity and performance of the Mate X smartphone.
When reviewing the Mate X, it is important to remember that Huawei is not just a phone manufacturer. It targets many IT areas, including SoC design. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Mate X uses a Balong 5G modem, as well as a Huawei Kirin 980 processor.
The modem is especially interesting, as Huawei promises more than double the performance of competing modems such as Qualcomm Snapdragon and Samsung Exynos. It is assumed that users who can afford to buy Huawei Mate X in stores will be able to use the download speed of 4.6 Gb / s, for example, to download a 1 GB movie in just three seconds. Of course, right now, we have not been able to independently verify this, so for now it remains to take our word for it.
What operating system is installed in Huawei Mate X?
From point of view software, Mate X runs on Google Android 9.0 Pie system.
Huawei also said that Desktop Mode software will be available for its latest foldable phone, allowing the Mate X to be used as a smartphone, tablet, and even a desktop computer.
Memory Huawei Mate X.
The Mate X is a dual SIM mobile phone with one slot supporting 5G networking and the other limited to 4G connectivity. If you don't need the latter feature, you can simply insert an NM card (clarification, NM is a nano memory card invented by Huawei that offers the same type of memory as a microSD memory card but in a smaller form factor) and add an extra storage space on the mobile device. At the same time, the basic version of the smartphone comes with 512 GB of memory. Even the most dedicated filmmakers are unlikely to use all this amount of memory in a mobile phone.
Rechargeable battery for Mate X.
With such a big screen to work with, you'll be happy to know that the Huawei Mate X comes with a pretty gigantic battery. The device has two cells, which in total are measured up to a respectable 4500 mAh. Unfortunately, there are no battery tests right now, so it's hard to say how this affects the actual use of the new smartphone.
The Chinese company shared that the Mate X comes with a 55W Super Charge function that can recharge a phone's battery by 85 percent in just thirty minutes.
Huawei Mate X pricing.
The Huawei Mate X is arguably the most important phone the rising Chinese tech brand has ever unveiled, and not just because it solidifies its reputation as an innovative premium phone maker. This phone implements more than three years of research and development of the company and combines achievements in materials technology and communication equipment.
With this in mind, do not be surprised that the smartphone is sold with really expensive prices, from 2299 euros. When Huawei CEO Richard Yu (English spelling of the name "Richard Yu") broke the news, the crowd's silence that he used to enjoy was replaced by a questioning whisper. How much, how much does it cost?
Speaking of prices, that's about 300 euros more expensive than Samsung's flagship mobile device, the Galaxy Fold. And it's about 800 Euros more expensive than the most expensive Apple iPhone. Price-wise, the Mate X is in the same range as the company's previous luxury phones that have carried the brand of luxury car brands, namely Porsche.
Huawei is mindful of the high cost of the Mate X, and in the course of the conversation, Richard Yu said that the price of the phone reflects the high cost of research and development of a mobile device. He explained that the patented hinge that separates the two displays is a three-year development process and contains over a hundred different parts. Such research and development is not cheap, and it is inevitable that there will be costs.
However, two things are inevitable. First, there will be no shortage of pioneering enthusiasts willing to save a lot of money in order to raise money for a premium phone. For these buyers, there is an undeniable allure in being among the first to own something special. Perhaps Huawei will be able to take advantage of the news noise and benefit from more than just selling cheaper phones.
Secondly, market prices will inevitably decline. Maybe not for this smartphone, but certainly for foldable smartphones in general. By and large, the price of 2300 Euros for the phone will be perceived as a deviation from the norm. This will be driven by several factors, ranging from inevitable cost savings to competition from other up-and-coming brands like Xiaomi and OPPO that are making inroads into the Western smartphone market.
Availability to purchase Huawei Mate X.
For example, Huawei hasn't revealed how much it will cost in the UK, but guess what, it could be around £2,300. This assumption takes into account previous price trends, high sales tax in the UK and the continued decline of the pound.
Also, Huawei CEO Yu did not mention any plans to release the Mate X in the United States. Which is not surprising. The company rarely releases phones in the US. For example, the Mate 20 Pro, which until recently was the best Android phone that you could buy for a reasonable price, was completely absent from the US market, forcing American consumers to order a smartphone from abroad. This situation could push prices even higher for US users, who may be forced to pay high customs duties and taxes.
When will Huawei Mate X be available?
Huawei has announced that the Mate X will be released in the middle of the year. Unfortunately, this message was not more specific. For clarification, you just need to wait and see what the official release date of Huawei Mate X will be on sale.
Planning to buy a new premium phone? There are reasons why it's better to wait before buying a premium phone right now. Which? Here are some of the main reasons. From the premium phones of 2019, what the buyer can expect: the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 mobile chip, new super fast 5G connectivity, folding screen design and 48-megapixel mobile camera.
All about phones and buying them: If you are planning to buy a new premium phone, wait at least one month with your purchase. And that's why:At Mobile World Congress 2019 (also known as MWC 2019) in just a couple of weeks (on the 20th of February), most of the leading smartphone manufacturers are expected to present their latest flagship phones with enhanced features and updated specifications.
So the new features cell phones for this year.
Samsung will release the Galaxy S10 multimedia phone, while manufacturer HMD Global will introduce the Nokia 9 PureView five-camera phone. Phone makers Huawei, Oppo and LG will also showcase their latest mobile devices at the upcoming Mobile Show.
But in 2019, buyers should be thinking about more than just another upgrade cycle when buying a new premium phone. And the reasons for this are the unique technical characteristics in the description of the phones.
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor.
Qualcomm's top-end processor powers most premium phones, from the Samsung Galaxy S9 to the OnePlus 6T. The Snapdragon 845 processor is now history. The latest Qualocmm Snapdragon 855 chipset based on 7nm process technology brings better performance, higher battery efficiency and built-in artificial intelligence (aka AI) processing.
Combined with the Snapdragon X50 modem, the Snapdraon 855 processor will also bring 5G mobile connectivity to premium smartphones in 2019.
Other highlights of the chipset include improved gaming performance (Adreno 640 GPU), artificial intelligence and a higher resolution camera, as well as an in-screen fingerprint sensor.
- 48 megapixel camera.
The latest premium smartphones are expected to come with a higher resolution camera. The 48MP camera is the new rage and already several phones like the Honor View20 and Redmi Note 7 have this feature.
Although the resolution is certainly not best measurement for camera evaluation, the built-in sensors are also greatly improved. Most of these 48MP camera phones will probably use the Sony IMX586 sensor, called the highest resolution camera sensor in mobile phones.
In addition to better camera and sensor resolution, Cell phones 2019 premiums can also come with Samsung-like quad and penta camera setups (five). In most phones in 2018, dual cameras had a main camera, while the secondary camera ranged from ultra-wide, depth to monochrome.
We expect new phones to feature most of these sensors with three, four, or five cameras.
- Mobile communications of the fifth generation: 5G.
The evolution of mobile networks continues! The upcoming MWC 2019 will also be the launching pad for 5G phones. Xiaomi, OnePlus, Samsung and almost all the leading players in the mobile market are expected to present their new phones with 5G connectivity. Most of these phones will also hit European and US markets later this year. Some Apple fans are already looking to buy an iPhone 5G. For other countries, the rollout of 5G networks may be delayed by at least one year. But investing in a 5G-enabled phone right now wouldn't be a bad idea.
- Foldable mobile phone.
Foldable phones are no longer a concept, screen folding is already part of the feature of mobile phones. The Korean company Samsung introduced its first foldable phone at the end of last year. She is expected to unveil the commercial version of the phone at her event on February 20, ahead of the mobile show MWC 2019.
It's likely that Samsung is betting big on the new form factor as it plans to release at least one million foldable phones this year. Given that Russia is one of the priority markets, we can expect foldable phones to be released as well. In addition to Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo have plans to release foldable phones this year.
- Artificial intelligence in phones, plus do not forget about machine learning.
Google last year introduced the Android 9 Pie operating system. Android Pie features such as adaptive display and adaptive brightness are based on machine learning to help improve the experience on Android phones. Going forward, artificial intelligence and machine learning will be an important part of the updates to the Google Android platform. It might be worth making sure that your new phone will be compatible not only with Android 9 Pie, but also with the Android Q receiver.
Beyond Google, phone companies like Xiaomi and Asus are injecting artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) directly into system apps. The camera, for example, on premium phones uses AI and ML to automatically recognize scenes and automatically optimize settings. Most mobile phones in 2019 will be equipped with AI-enhanced cameras.
The only thing that remains a dream when buying is when the best mobile phones will have a full "3D phone" feature.
News added:
1) Samsung has released the latest version of the Galaxy S10, and people believe that the iPhone can lose its position as the king of smartphones.
The latest flagship smartphone Samsung Galaxy S10 was released by the company on February 20th. On this day, Samsung introduced a lot of new products. The audience was really interested in the demonstrated new phone. So much so that they say that the Apple iPhone smartphone has a serious alternative. With the latest Galaxy S10, Samsung surprised and shocked fans, in a good way.
2) Attractive, powerful and incredibly expensive Huawei Mate X foldable 5G phone.
Following the announcement of the first folding smartphone Samsung Galaxy Fold, the Chinese company Huawei is betting on the folding screen form factor and announces the release of Huawei Mate X, which still works with 5G communication. Developer Huawei takes a completely different approach compared to Samsung, namely placing the smartphone's foldable display on the outside instead of inside, and this decision has a number of pros and cons in describing new generation phones. The price of Huawei Mate X starts from 2299 Euros.
3) Will Apple release a foldable iPhone?
Some analysts believe that a foldable iPhone may be in development at the Cupertino company. Then, if the new Apple smartphone comes with a folding screen, it has a chance to become the best among the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X folding smartphones already released.
Moom, from the developers of Many Tricks, has been bringing order to chaos since 2011, making managing windows in the operating system as easy as clicking a mouse button or using a keyboard shortcut. With Moom, you can easily move and scale windows to half screen, quarter screen, or fill the screen; set custom sizes and positions, and save layouts open windows for positioning with one click. Once you try Moom, you'll wonder how you used your Mac without it before.
Software Overview: Moom is a program for moving and scaling windows on the Mac OS system.So, Moom allows you to move and scale windows - using the mouse or keyboard - in predefined locations and sizes, or in full screen mode. When using the program with a mouse, all you have to do is hover over the green resize button and the Moom interface will appear. When you use the keyboard, click on the shortcut you defined and the Moom keyboard frame will appear, then you can move windows around with the arrow keys and modifier keys.
Moom can be run as a traditional app, as a menu bar app, or as a completely featureless background app.
Location of pop-ups.
Hover your mouse over the green button of any window and the Moom palette will pop up.
Quickly fill the screen or move and resize vertically or horizontally at the edges of the screen. Want a quarter size window instead? By holding down the Option key, the palette presents four quarter-size corner options along with a "center without resizing".
Resizing is not a problem.
It's actually drag and drop using Moom's unique on-screen resizing grid.
Click on the empty box below the pop-up palette, move your mouse to where you want the window to be, then click and drag to resize it.
Release the mouse button and the window will fill the outline you drew on the screen, it's not difficult at all.
Want to quickly move and scale windows to specific areas of the screen? Just turn on the Moom edge and corner snapping feature.
Take the window, drag it to the edge or corner and release the mouse button. You can set the resize action for each location in the Moom settings.
Set the window set to the size and position you want, then save the layout. Restore the layout using the assigned hotkey or through the Moom menu.
This feature is especially useful if you are using a laptop with an external display, Moom can launch saved layouts when you add or remove displays.
No mouse required.
Don't worry keyboard users. Moom isn't just for those who prefer to use a mouse. Turn on keyboard controls and you can move, resize, center, use the on-screen grid and more - all without touching your mouse.
In addition, each custom Moom command, continue reading, can be assigned a global keyboard shortcut or one that only works when the keyboard controller is on screen.
Countless user commands.
Create and save frequently used Moom actions in the custom command menu, with additional separators and labels.
Moving, scaling, resizing, centering, even moving to other displays can all be done with custom commands. You can even create a sequence of commands tied to a single shortcut, simplifying complex moving and resizing operations.
But wait, it's not all about moving and scaling windows on Mac OS with Moom.
Use Moom as a regular Dock-based app, as a menu bar icon, or as a completely invisible background app.
Custom commands are accessed through the Moom menu bar icon, green button pop-up palette, or keyboard shortcuts.
Use a small hexagonal grid to resize the grid instead of a full screen virtual grid.
Move windows around displays, and use related commands to scale them to new sizes and locations as you move them.
You can display a keyboard cheat sheet that shows which tasks you have assigned to which keys in keyboard mode.
Resizing windows to precise sizes, ideal for checking how well windows fit into windows of different sizes.
The developers of the Moom program have made efforts to achieve these goals, when great software should do its job efficiently, have a clear interface and be pleasant to use.
Summary:
Moom is a Mac OS application developed by Many Tricks that allows you to quickly arrange, resize, move, scale and shape windows so you spend as little time as possible placing windows and more time working with them.
Moom system requirements:
The program requires macOS 10.8 "Mountain Lion" or later to be installed on the computer. You can try Moom for free.
Trying to download and choose the best file manager for Windows? There is good news, it is XYplorer portable program, it is just a file manager for Windows and has features such as tabbed browsing, powerful file search (as explorer, alternative), universal preview, customizable interface, optional dual panel and a large set of unique ways to efficiently automate repetitive tasks. This file manager for Windows computers is fast, innovative, lightweight and portable, according to developer Cologne Code Company. Read on for an overview of XYplorer!
What is a file manager for Windows today.Learn more about the functionality of the XYplorer file manager. So, there is an export of extended information about the files of entire directories (or even directory trees) to CSV text files. Automatic setting column width. Customizable display formats for file size and date information. For each file and folder, the used (real) disk space is immediately displayed. Remembers the last folder and sort order. Browser-like history functionality. You can assign favorite folders. A large set of useful commands added to the standard file context menu, including "Copy to", "Move to", "Copy file name with path", "Copy file properties", "Rename multiple files". Icon extraction, multi-file timestamp and attribute label. Instant display of full file/version information for each selected file. Instant preview of images, audio and video files (display detailed information about multimedia). Instant view of file contents for all files (ASCII and binary), including text extraction from binary files (fairly fast). Full support for Drag and Drop and mouse wheel.
XYplorer what is it for the user
XYplorer as a two-pane file manager for Windows was created to run heavy work. The program is easy to install and easy to uninstall. Installing and running the program does not change your system or registry. Ease of use in that you can start working in as soon as possible(the interface fully complies with the standards of the file manager). The program is small, fast and convenient for the computer's RAM.
Portability:
XYplorer is a portable file manager. That is, it does not require any installation into the computer's operating system, stores all configuration data in the program's data folder, and running it does not change your system or registry. Take it with you and you can run the program from a USB flash drive. Further file management is in your hands.
Working with tabs:
Tabs in the file manager make it easy to switch between folders. Drag them, hide them, lock them, name them or drop files on them. Tabs remember their configuration individually and across sessions. In addition, the user gets tabs and a dual panel.
Functionality:
XYplorer was designed to make the user experience faster, according to the developer. Indeed, numerous usability improvements in an attractive interface help to optimize the workflow and increase its efficiency. Under these conditions, you can save a lot of time when working with files in Windows.
Scripts in the file manager for many tasks:
Yes, you can program this program. Individual solutions for individual tasks. No plugins are required, scripts are run from the program folder. Even beginners can benefit from this feature, as many ready-to-use scripts are available on the official file manager forum.
The speed of the program:
Speed has always been the main goal of XYplorer software development. Code is constantly optimized for performance, zero tolerance for slowness. In addition, the file manager uses very little RAM in Windows, the executable file is small (only 7 MB) and loads almost instantly on the system.
Reliability:
Can XYplorer file manager be trusted. One thing is clear, that the program works as intended by the developer and as expected in operation, it seems that it is very difficult to introduce it into a failure state. In addition, the developer states that any problems with the program are immediately resolved and are usually resolved within a few hours. It is worth adding that a large community is closely following the development of the file manager and is constantly testing frequently released beta versions.
Software customization:
You can customize the file manager to look and behave the way you want. Customization ranges from fonts and colors to customizable toolbar buttons and even file icons and program associations. And every part of the XYplorer file manager is completely portable. Even dark mode.
Responsiveness of the developer of the XYplorer program:
System requirements for the program:
Because XYplorer is a portable file manager. File management does not require you to install or modify your operating system or registry. You can take the program with you and simply launch the file manager from a USB drive along with your personal configuration.
The XYplorer program works under 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Microsoft operating systems:
Windows Server 2003;
- Windows XP;
- Windows Vista;
- Windows Server 2008;
- Windows 7;
- Windows Server 2012;
- Windows 8;
- Windows 8.1;
- Windows Server 2016;
- Windows 10.
You can try the file manager for free, but remember that the demo version of XYplorer is fully functional only 30 days after installation on your computer!
Nimble internet video downloader for Mac: Downie will save video content one time or by list and customizable "alarm clock".Online Video Downloader - Downie currently supports over 1,000 different websites (including Facebook, Vimeo, the legendary YouTube, Lynda, Youku, Daily Haha, MTV, iView, South Park Studios, Bloomberg, Kickstarter, NBC News, CollegeHumor , MetaCafe, as well as Bilibili and other video sites). Plus, the list of sites from which the program can download videos is growing rapidly.
Features of the Downie program:
Support for downloading 4K YouTube videos - Unlike many other YouTube video downloader software, Downie supports HD YouTube videos up to 4K format.
Frequent updates - no need to wait long for new sites to be added from where you can download videos or bugs are fixed. Downie is updated about once a week with new features, supported sites, and more.
International approach - Downie downloader not only supports specific sites created for a specific country, the program is also localized into different languages. If your language is not on the list of supported languages, just contact the developer of Charlie Monroe Software and discuss this issue.
New features in Downie:
Program UI redesign - The downloader UI has been redesigned from the ground up. The interface, according to the developer, has become faster, more convenient and visually pleasing.
Menu Bar Icon - You can manage your downloads from the menu bar, without having to take your eyes off your current work.
Improved HLS support - according to the developer of the program, HLS streams are loaded four times faster.
DASH support - DASH streams are now supported.
Major post-processing improvements - Post-processing of some uploads can take only seconds instead of minutes thanks to Downie, a short cut to analyze video before converting it.
Simple Mode - If you prefer to keep the user interface as simple as possible, there is the "Easy" mode for you.
Grouping video files by site, from which the download was made and playlist - all downloads can now be sorted into folders depending on where you downloaded them from or what playlist they are from.
Delayed start of the queue - a function of scheduling downloads for the required time (for example, you can assign a video download to the middle of the night) so as not to overload the Internet channel for the whole family.
Support for user-controlled pop-ups - The program now additionally supports pop-ups, so you can log in to sites that open the login in a separate window.
Simple tips for using Downie:
If you have a large list of links or a lot of links within some text, just drag and drop it all onto Downie - the downloader will scan the text for links with video content.
You can also use copy and paste - just hit Command-O in Downie and you can paste a lot of links.
Quick user support:
The developer of the video downloader usually responds to emails within 24 hours and quite often adds support for the requested sites in the program in the next update.
A few words from the developer of the program:
Charlie Monroe, CEO, developer and user support:
"My goal is to release the best apps and provide the best support."
Downie Compatibility:
To all who thought about downloading the Downie program for Mac. You should be aware that the program requires a computer running macOS 10.11 or later.
Software Breaking News: VideoSolo DVD Creator for converting and burning videos, with rich functionality for the user.So, with VideoSolo DVD Creator, burn almost any video to DVD and even Blu-ray discs easily and quickly, with excellent flexibility of settings (you can burn video, edit video, add audio, edit DVD menu).
It is possible to download online videos for burning DVD or Blu-ray discs.
Need to solve the problem of how to download videos from sites online? For example, from sites such as YouTube, Facebook, MTV, Vimeo, Yahoo, Dailymotion, TED, Vevo, Niconico, AOL, Worldstar Hip Hop, Youku, CBS, ESPN and others. With this program, home movies or videos can still be burned to DVD or Blu-ray after being downloaded from an online site.
The program allows, in a few simple steps, to download 3D video, high definition video (4K, 1080p and 720p resolution) and music for any player.
Styling your DVD with the right menu.
The flexible VideoSolo DVD Creator offers many different and incredible templates to edit DVD disc menus for you. Already available design themes such as holiday, family, wedding and more. After selecting the menu template you like, you can edit the DVD menu text and define its font, size, color. Creating a DVD menu is quite convenient.
What's more, you can separately set background music, background picture and opening movie with your music, picture and video file.
Setting DVD subtitles and audio tracks.
Need to change or create DVD subtitles or audio tracks? DVD Creator allows the user to customize the subtitles and audio track. That is, you can add subtitles and audio tracks to your DVD manually. Supported subtitle file formats are SSA, SRT, and ASS.
For audio files, this program supports almost all popular audio formats, so it's easy to import them into the program. With the DVD Creator utility, you can edit the audio volume and adjust the position of the subtitles to get a personalized DVD file.
Video editing and live preview.
This DVD burning tool is designed with a powerful video editing feature that allows professionals and beginners to create professional-looking DVDs. Which allows you to adjust video effects such as brightness, saturation, hue, volume, and contrast.
VideoSolo DVD Creator also supports the ability to trim video length, cut video, change aspect ratio, set position and transparency, and add watermark from text or image to video.
The user of the DVD Creator software can review the DVD video before burning to make sure everything is created as it should.
Video review of VideoSolo DVD Creator: User's Guide.
Summer has come - the season of holidays, vacations in the country and big trips. Oddly enough, this is a time when many busy people find the opportunity and desire to read (not to mention schoolchildren who simply have to read in the summer). And many think about e-books ah, and also about devices for reading them. offers to figure out if they are needed when everyone has a smartphone in their pocket and there are free programs for reading e-books?
While the Kindle is in the headline, there are, of course, other brands out there. It's just that Kindle is the standard and for many people is generally associated with electronic reader, as such. And in Russia PocketBook is still popular, on the Internet you can find the brands InkBook, Kobo, Onyx Boox, Nook. If you're lucky, you might still be able to buy a device from the Sony Reader family, although the company recently announced that it was pulling out of the business and phasing out its readers. There are also "Chinese" cheap options, although for our taste, if possible, then you should not save on a reader - you, your child or your parents will look at its screen for long hours.
Advantages of Readers
The most important plus of individual devices for reading books is a special screen, which is fundamentally different from the screen of a smartphone or tablet in that it does not strain your eyes. The "readers" use the technology of "electronic ink" - in fact, what you see on their screens is "written" as if it were real ink, that is, the screen does not flicker. As a result, it does not irritate the eyes at all, absolutely, categorically. Reading from the screen of devices like Kindle or PocketBook is physiologically the same as reading from paper!
Other tangible bonuses are a long life on a single battery charge (from several weeks to several months), as well as - in expensive models - special buttons for turning pages, which are more convenient to use than “swiping” on the screen with your finger.
More bonuses:
- Hundreds or even thousands of electronic books fit into a typical reader;
- Expensive models have a screen backlight;
- Most readers can access the Internet (via Wi-Fi or 3G);
- With Kindle, you can also buy e-books in the Amazon store (although more and more in English).
Cons of "readers"
Serious minuses in "readers" two. First, it is still a separate device. Yes, it is small - smaller and lighter than any tablet, fits into any bags and backpacks. But - it's still another additional device, no matter how you sweeten the pill.
Secondly, of course, the price. Yes, there are Kindle and PocketBook for 5-8 thousand rubles (and Chinese crafts are even cheaper), but the cheapest Kindle with a full range of functions - Kindle Voyage - already costs 15,000 rubles. But he has not only a screen backlight and Internet access, but, more importantly, physical buttons for turning pages. He, yes, the new Kindle Oasis, but that price is completely merciless.
The high price is brightened up only by the fact that e-books are cheaper than paper counterparts.
Pros of Free Apps
The main plus is zero cost. Although there are paid counterparts, in general, these programs are more often free than not. Or cost a couple of dollars - everyone can afford.
The second tangible plus is that they live on smartphones and tablets, not being a separate device, that is, they are always at hand and it is almost impossible to forget to take them with you.
Another mini-plus, interesting, perhaps, to students: it is easier to copy or save the necessary passages from e-books on tablets, as well as make notes in different colors. Reader displays are black and white due to the limitations of electronic ink technology.
Cons of free apps
The main disadvantage: they work on traditional tablets and smartphones, the screens of which, although safe for the eyes, but only in small doses. You don't want to stare at an invisibly flickering iPad display (worse, a penny Chinese tablet) for hours, and we wouldn't recommend it to children and their grandparents either.
The second minus is that turning pages with a finger seems brutally inconvenient for us, in any case, if you read for hours. The hand is tired!
The third, significant drawback is that a smartphone or tablet will work without recharging well, if for several days. You can't go to the "taiga" with them.
conclusions
If your family reads a lot, then it's time to master the world of e-books. Depending on financial wealth, we would recommend choosing between free, "a little paid" and "heavily paid" in the following sequence: free programs -> cheap readers of obscure brands (but only with screens based on electronic ink) -> "good" models priced at 6-12 thousand rubles -> cool models with dedicated page turning buttons, 3G, high-resolution displays, etc.
The biggest - huge - plus of readers compared to programs is electronic ink technology, and everything else is just additional convenience. That is why, if there is no money for a "company", then you can take an "incomprehensible" reader - there would only be support for the Russian language, and an electronic ink screen.
There are simply too many flickering screens around us to further burden our eyes when reading.
P.S. By the way, even Amazon has tablets with regular screens - don't mix it up! The main advantage of any e-reader is the electronic ink screen (Ink, E-Ink, etc.). When choosing, strictly look at its presence in the characteristics, and a bright clue when viewed in a store is the lack of color - screens on electronic ink are always black and white.
Download various apps. The reader does not have to be read-only at all, you can download a lot of different applications there! Bring up the menu on the main page and select Apps.
- You can download applications social networks- Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc. Actually, if you want to share with the world the news about what you read and what you like about these books, then such applications will serve you faithfully.
- You can also download the Netflix app (if you have the appropriate Account) or HBO to watch movies and shows directly from the reader.
- Even games can be downloaded to the reader! For example, free versions of Candy Crush Saga, Words with Friends and other games.
- Sideloading (installing apps from unknown sources) is a great way to install apps on your reader that aren't available through Amazon. In this case, you need to go to the settings, then More, then Device, and then find the phrase “Allow Installation of Applications” or “Apps from Unknown Sources” and activate this option. You will then be able to download apps from third-party Android app sources. To do this, you need to go from the reader to the network, go to the site from which you are supposed to download the application, find the application and click on the “Download” button or similar. Then go to the Amazon app store and download the ES File Explorer app there (this will help you find apps from third-party publishers). When it downloads, open it and go to the downloads folder. There you will find the app you downloaded. Select it, agree with everything and click Install. Once the app is installed, open it.
Convert PDF files. Alas, the Kindle opens the .pdf as if the page size of the text is exactly the same size as the screen. In other words, the text can simply be compressed to the point of obscenity and unreadability. To avoid this, you need to send a .pdf file to your reader with the word "convert" in the subject line. Kindle will then convert the .pdf to its format.
- However, this is an experimental feature that does not always give a qualitative result. However, it's better that way!
- And yes, you can upload .pdf files to your e-reader, either converted to native Kindle format or not (and you can read them instead of books).
Solution of problems. Alas, even Amazon readers can suddenly start to work incorrectly. The reasons for this are darkness, and most of them can only be corrected by a specialist. However, before you panic and look for the address of the nearest service center, it's worth checking something yourself - but, of course, not when the reader constantly overheats, such problems require replacement of components.
- If your screen is frozen or seriously freezes, then hold down the power button for 20 seconds. Then release the button, but press it again for another 20 seconds. The start screen should appear. There can be many reasons for the appearance of a “frozen” screen - from outdated firmware and clogged memory to overheating and low battery power.
- Email not working? Yes, sometimes. Sometimes it does not turn on at all, sometimes it works, but only for a short time. Either way, it's annoying. The best way to deal with this is to download the third party K-9 app or Kaiten mail, or buy the Enhanced Mail app.
- Problems with access to the network can lead to white heat, because if there is no connection, then there is no opportunity to buy books! In this case, you need to check the connection (upper right corner of the screen). If the signal is weak, but still there, then restart the reader. Also check the battery level - sometimes this affects the quality of the connection.