#Embedded & Mobile

[livixbobbiex]

Embedding audio in AO3 fics

A few people have asked about me adding atmospheric audio to my fic on AO3, and it took me quite a while to figure out so I wanted to document how to do it somewhere. In this example, I wanted some of the atmospheric background music from Ace Attorney, so I'll stick with that. I'm going to assume limited familiarity with HTML here. You will need to start by pasting your writing into the rich text editor. Now, flicking over to HTML like this I appreciate can make it look intimidating. So a quick 'pre-tip' is to actually click on preview (beside the 'post' button), and then return to edit again. For some reason, this makes paragraphs reappear in the HTML editor, which I just find easier to work with.

Adding your audio

I only directly know how to make it work with Soundcloud, though I think any hosting site that lets you embed like this would work. Be warned that Spotify only allows the first 30 seconds of a song to play, if you're using that.

Anyway, the next step is getting the embed code. This is not a link to the website! You need to go to 'share', and then to 'embed', and copy that code.

By the way, Soundcloud gives you a few options for how you want the embed to appear - with the more simplistic option being paywalled. You can then paste this directly into the HTML editor:

I appreciate this is a scary amount of text if you're not used to code, but fear not! This is actually all you need to do for the bare minimum. See how this looks in my preview:

Technically, you can stop here if you're happy with this outcome. However, especially if you're putting this in the middle of other text, I find this a bit overlarge. Thankfully, despite Soundcloud's paywalls, we can edit the code ourselves.

Refining the code

Going back to edit, AO3 has changed my code slightly (I input a paragraph at the top to show this off clearer):

From this point out, I will just paste the code directly as text here. In order to not make it actually embed into tumblr, I have replaced < and > with [ and ] so keep that in mind.

[iframe width="100%" height="166" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/842658844&;color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"][/iframe][div] [p][a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-338850232" title="Ace Attorney Trilogy OST" rel="nofollow"]Ace Attorney Trilogy OST �� [a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-338850232/psyche-lock" title="Psyche - Lock" rel="nofollow"]Psyche - Lock[/a][/div][/p]

Firstly, we don't need anything after the [/iframe] part. All this bottom part is doing is providing additional hyperlinks. So, you can delete everything after the [div]

We can change the numbers to make the player smaller. This is really up to your preference. I have found about 300 for width still looks okay on mobile browser. In this example, I change height to a value of 80.

We can also remove the audio artwork. In the part of the code right before [/iframe] (but still within the "quote marks"), add: & amp ; show_artwork=false

Note that this "& amp ;" part should not have spaces in it, I just have to type it this way to get it to appear on tumblr... If in doubt, look at my screenshots.

You can also just alter the other trues and falses to get rid of the interface showing comments etc.

In my case, I also want to align this button to the middle of the page. This is very simple. You just add [p align="center"] before [iframe], and close the link with [/p]

The final code, again with the caveat that [] need to be replaced by <> is as follows:

[p align = "center"][iframe width="300" height="80" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/842658844&;color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=false&show_user=false&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&show_artwork=false"][/iframe][/p]

And this is how the code looks without the weird brackets:

And this is how it looks when you go to preview:

You can mess around with it a bit more, such as changing the colour of the button for example, but I think this concludes the basics of how to achieve this

[media-geneous]

Mobile SEO: Optimizing for Googles Mobile-First Index

Mobile SEO: Optimizing for Google’s Mobile-First Index

You built a website. It looks great on desktop. But when you check it on your phone, it’s slow, buttons are tiny, and the text is unreadable. Guess what? Google noticed too.

Since Google shifted to mobile-first indexing, your mobile site isn’t just an afterthought—it’s the main factor in rankings. If your site isn’t optimized for mobile, you’re leaving traffic (and money) on the table.

So, how do you fix it? Let’s break it down—no fluff, just actionable steps.

Why Mobile-First Indexing Matters

Google crawls and ranks your site based on the mobile version, not desktop. If your mobile experience sucks, your rankings drop. Simple.

Key Problems Killing Your Mobile SEO:

Slow load times (Users bounce in 3 seconds)

Unresponsive design (Text too small, buttons misaligned)

Intrusive pop-ups (Google penalizes these)

Poor UX (If users struggle, Google notices)

Fix these, and you’re already ahead of 90% of websites.

How to Optimize for Mobile-First Indexing

1. Speed Up Your Site (Or Lose Visitors)

Mobile users hate waiting. If your site takes longer than 3 seconds to load, 53% leave.

How to fix it:

Compress images (Use TinyPNG)

Enable caching (Fewer reloads = faster experience)

Minify CSS & JavaScript (Less code = quicker load)

Use a fast host (Avoid cheap shared hosting)

Test your speed: Google PageSpeed Insights

2. Responsive Design is Non-Negotiable

Your site must adapt to any screen size. No zooming, no horizontal scrolling.

Key checks:

Fluid layouts (No fixed-width elements)

Mobile-friendly fonts (16px minimum)

Thumb-friendly buttons (At least 48x48 pixels)

Pro Tip: Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to verify.

3. Ditch Pop-Ups That Annoy Users

Google hates intrusive interstitials (those pop-ups blocking content). If your site has them, your rankings suffer.

Better alternatives:

Banners (Less intrusive)

Exit-intent pop-ups (Only show when leaving)

Inline CTAs (Embedded in content)

4. Optimize for Local SEO (If You Have a Business)

"Near me" searches dominate mobile. If you’re a local business, you need:

Google My Business listing (Claim & optimize it)

NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone—same everywhere)

Local keywords (E.g., “best pizza in [city]”)

5. Structured Data = Better Rich Snippets

Structured data helps Google understand your content and display rich results (like star ratings, FAQs).

How to add it:

Use Schema.org markup

Test with Google’s Rich Results Test

FAQs on Mobile SEO

Q: Does Google only use the mobile version for ranking now?

A: Mostly, yes. Google primarily uses the mobile version, but desktop still matters for some checks.

Q: Will a separate mobile site (m.domain.com) work?

A: Avoid it. Responsive design is better—one URL, less hassle, fewer errors.

Q: How do I check if my site is mobile-friendly?

A: Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.

Q: Does AMP still matter?

A: Not as much. Focus on core speed optimizations instead.

Final Thoughts

Google’s mobile-first index isn’t going away. If your site isn’t fast, responsive, and user-friendly, you’re losing rankings—and customers.

Fix the basics first: ✅ Speed ✅ Responsive design ✅ Clean UX ✅ Local SEO (if applicable)

Need help with social media promotion to drive more traffic? Check out MediaGeneous for boosting your YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok growth.

Bottom line: Mobile SEO isn’t optional. Optimize now, or get left behind.

Want more traffic? Start with your mobile site today. 🚀

[dhruvdave4446]

Top 10 Trends in Manufacturing Website Design for 2025

As the manufacturing industry embraces digital transformation, a high-performing website is no longer just an online brochure—it’s a critical business asset. In 2025, Manufacturing Website Design is about combining function, speed, and engagement to meet the rising expectations of B2B buyers, engineers, and procurement teams. In this blog, we explore the top 10 website design trends that are shaping the future of digital experiences for manufacturers.

1. Mobile-First Design and Responsive Interfaces

B2B users are increasingly accessing manufacturing websites on mobile devices, even from factory floors. Mobile-first design ensures seamless navigation, quick loading speeds, and full content visibility across devices. In 2025, Manufacturing Website Design must prioritize adaptive UI elements, touch-friendly interfaces, and fast performance using technologies like AMP and Progressive Web Apps (PWAs).

2. Enhanced User Experience (UX) with Industrial Navigation

Manufacturing websites often feature extensive product catalogs, technical documentation, and industry-specific data. Clear and intuitive navigation is critical. Expect to see robust mega menus, filterable product directories, and real-time search with auto-suggestions. Smart breadcrumbs and categorized dropdowns help users find components without friction—improving dwell time and conversion rates.

3. Integration of Augmented Reality (AR) and 3D Product Visualization

To replicate the in-person product evaluation experience, more manufacturers are embedding AR and 3D visualization tools on their websites. Whether it’s rotating a machine part in 360 degrees or viewing it in a simulated factory layout, this immersive capability helps B2B customers make informed decisions. It’s a standout feature in modern Manufacturing Website Design.

4. AI-Powered Chatbots and Virtual Assistants

AI-driven chatbots are revolutionizing customer interaction in manufacturing. These assistants can provide instant responses to RFQ submissions, pricing inquiries, and product availability. NLP-powered bots can also guide users to relevant datasheets, CAD files, and videos. By integrating with ERP systems, these bots improve engagement and reduce manual workload.

5. Content-Rich Resource Hubs

Educational content is a proven way to build trust with B2B decision-makers. Manufacturers in 2025 are turning their websites into resource centers, offering downloadable spec sheets, CAD drawings, installation guides, and video case studies. Structured, gated content also helps in capturing qualified leads, making it a core pillar of Manufacturing Website Design strategy.

6. Seamless CRM and ERP Integration

Modern manufacturing websites are becoming intelligent data conduits. When integrated with CRM and ERP systems, websites can automatically sync lead data, track quoting activity, and update product inventory in real-time. This backend connectivity improves workflow efficiency and ensures sales teams are always working with the latest data.

7. Voice Search Optimization

As voice search becomes more common in professional environments, especially in hands-busy settings like workshops and production floors, optimizing for voice queries is essential. This includes using conversational keywords, implementing schema markup, and ensuring fast, structured responses for typical voice-based questions like “What is the lead time for part X?”

8. Sustainability-Focused Design Elements

Buyers increasingly want to know a manufacturer’s sustainability commitment. In 2025, expect eco-conscious Manufacturing Website Design to incorporate visuals, badges, and certifications reflecting green practices. Dedicated sustainability pages and lifecycle impact stats can influence procurement decisions and appeal to ESG-minded partners.

9. Localization and Multilingual Capabilities

With global supply chains and clients across continents, manufacturing websites must support multilingual content and localized experiences. Features like geo-IP redirects, region-specific pricing, and compliance notices are becoming standard. A multilingual CMS helps ensure consistency while catering to diverse buyer personas across different markets.

10. Advanced Analytics and Conversion Tracking

Tracking user behavior is critical for optimizing website performance. In 2025, manufacturers are deploying heatmaps, form analytics, scroll-depth tracking, and session replays to understand how visitors engage with their site. This data guides improvements to CTA placements, navigation flow, and content hierarchy—resulting in higher lead conversion rates.

Conclusion

The future of Manufacturing Website Design lies at the intersection of functionality, intelligence, and interactivity. Manufacturers who adopt these emerging trends will not only enhance their digital presence but also create seamless, efficient experiences for their clients. As a tech solutions provider, we help manufacturing businesses integrate these modern web technologies—ensuring they remain competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

[arobasetechnologies]

12+ SEO Types | Best SEO Strategies to Boost Traffic in 2025

An ever-changing digital marketing tactic, search engine optimization (SEO), helps companies increase their organic traffic and online visibility. As search engines continue to refine their algorithms, mastering various SEO techniques has become essential for ranking higher in search results. In 2025, SEO is more complex than ever, requiring a combination of different strategies to stay ahead of the competition.

In this article, we will explore the 12 types of SEO and the top SEO techniques to increase traffic in 2025. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced marketer, these insights will help you optimize your website for better rankings and increased traffic.

12 Types of SEO Explained

1. On-Page SEO

In order to raise ranks, on-page SEO entails improving each web page's structure and content.

Key factors include:

· Keyword optimization

Title tags, meta descriptions, and header tags are examples of meta tags.

· Internal linking

· Image optimization

· Content readability and engagement

2. Off-Page SEO

Off-page SEO focuses on improving your website’s authority and credibility through external efforts. This includes:

· Building high-quality backlinks

· Guest blogging

· Social media marketing

· Brand mentions and influencer collaborations

3. Technical SEO

Search engines can quickly crawl and index your website thanks to technical SEO. Important aspects include:

· Website speed optimization

· Mobile-friendliness

· Structured data (Schema markup)

· XML sitemaps and robots.txt

· HTTPS security

4. Local SEO

Local SEO is essential for businesses looking to reach a specific geographic area. Techniques include:

· Google My Business (GMB) optimization

· Local keyword targeting

· Local citations and directory listings

· Managing online reviews

5. International SEO

For businesses targeting a global audience, international SEO focuses on optimizing websites for multiple countries and languages. Key strategies include:

· Hreflang tags for multilingual websites

· Geo-targeting in Google Search Console

· Localized keyword research

· Region-specific content

6. E-commerce SEO

E-commerce SEO helps online stores rank higher in search results. Key elements include:

· Optimizing product pages and descriptions

· Using structured data for rich snippets

· Improving site navigation and user experience

· Handling duplicate content issues

7. Voice Search SEO

Voice search optimization is essential with the popularity of voice assistants like Alexa and Siri. Strategies include:

· Targeting long-tail and conversational keywords

· Optimizing for question-based queries

· Implementing structured data for better results

8. Mobile SEO

As mobile searches continue to grow, mobile SEO ensures that websites perform well on smartphones and tablets. Key aspects include:

· Responsive web design

· Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)

· Mobile-first indexing readiness

9. Content SEO

Producing valuable, high-quality material that satisfies search intent is known as content SEO. Strategies include:

· Creating in-depth blog posts and guides

· Incorporating LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords

· Adding multimedia elements like images and videos

10. Video SEO

Video content is gaining popularity, making video SEO crucial. Optimization tactics include:

· Using descriptive titles and tags

· Creating engaging thumbnails

· Adding transcripts and captions

· Hosting videos on platforms like YouTube and embedding them on your site

11. Enterprise SEO

Enterprise SEO is designed for large-scale websites and businesses with thousands of web pages. It involves:

· Advanced keyword targeting

· Automation of SEO processes

· Scalable content strategies

12. Negative SEO Protection

The term "negative SEO" describes unethical strategies competitors employ to lower the ranks of your website. Protection strategies include:

· Monitoring backlinks for spammy links

· Strengthening website security

· Regularly updating disavow files in Google Search Console

The Best SEO Strategies to Boost Traffic in 2025

1. Optimize for AI and Machine Learning

Google’s AI-driven algorithms, such as RankBrain and BERT, focus on understanding search intent. To optimize for AI:

· Create high-quality, user-focused content

· Improve website usability and engagement

· Use semantic keywords

2. Leverage Google’s Core Web Vitals

Google gives preference to websites that provide an excellent user experience. Improve these metrics:

· Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Optimize page speed

· First Input Delay (FID): Improve interactivity

· Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Ensure stable layout design

3. Focus on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)

Google evaluates content credibility using E-A-T principles. Improve your ranking by:

· Showcasing expertise through author bios

· Getting high-authority backlinks

· Providing accurate, well-researched information

4. Optimize for Featured Snippets

Featured snippets boost visibility by showing up at the top of search results. To optimize:

· Use concise answers in content (lists, tables, definitions)

· Target question-based queries

· Format content with structured data

5. Use Long-Tail Keywords for Voice Search

Voice searches are becoming more common. To optimize:

· Target natural, conversational phrases

· Answer “who,” “what,” “where,” and “how” questions

· Create FAQ-style content

6. Improve Mobile Usability

Since Google follows a mobile-first indexing approach, ensure:

· Responsive design for all screen sizes

· Fast-loading mobile pages

· Easy-to-use navigation

7. Create Interactive and Engaging Content

Google rewards content that keeps users engaged. Consider:

· Adding quizzes, polls, and interactive infographics

· Using videos and animations

· Encouraging user-generated content

8. Enhance Internal Linking Strategy

Both user navigation and SEO benefit from a robust internal linking structure. Best practices include:

· Utilizing optimized anchor language to link to pertinent pages

· Creating topic clusters

· Using breadcrumb navigation

9. Pay Attention to Visual and Image Search Optimization

Google Lens and image search are growing in importance. To optimize:

· Use descriptive file names and alt text

· Optimize image sizes for faster loading

· Implement structured data for images

10. Regularly Update Old Content

Refreshing old content keeps it relevant and improves rankings. Update:

· Outdated statistics and information

· Internal links to newer resources

· Meta descriptions and headlines

11. Leverage Social Media for SEO

Social signals increase visibility even though they are not direct ranking considerations. To leverage social media:

· Share high-quality content on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook

· Encourage social sharing with buttons and CTAs

· Interact with your readers by leaving comments and starting conversations.

12. Monitor SEO Performance and Adapt

SEO trends change frequently, so regular monitoring is essential. Use tools like:

· Google Analytics and Search Console

· SEMrush and Ahrefs

· Screaming Frog for technical audits

Conclusion

SEO in 2025 requires a strategic and multi-faceted approach. By implementing these 12 types of SEO and applying the top SEO techniques, businesses can increase their organic traffic and stay ahead of competitors. From optimizing for AI-driven search to improving user experience and leveraging social media, mastering these strategies will help you achieve long-term SEO success.

Are you ready to enhance your website’s visibility and attract more visitors? Start implementing these SEO techniques today and watch your traffic grow!

[5ines]

Latest Web Development Trends Shaping Bangalore’s Digital Landscape

Bangalore, widely recognized as India’s Silicon Valley, stands as a beacon of technology and innovation. For businesses navigating this dynamic environment, staying abreast of the latest web development trends is essential. Whether you are a startup, a seasoned enterprise, or an entrepreneur expanding your digital footprint, understanding emerging trends in web development can provide a crucial competitive advantage. Collaborating with web development experts in Bangalore ensures that your website remains not only functional but also future-proof and engaging.

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs): The Future of User Experience

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are revolutionizing the way users interact with websites. By blending the best of websites and mobile applications, PWAs offer features like lightning-fast load times, offline functionality, and an app-like experience—all without requiring downloads. With the growing emphasis on mobile-first experiences, web developers in Bangalore are increasingly adopting PWAs to deliver seamless and immersive user interactions. Businesses leveraging PWAs see significant boosts in engagement, retention, and overall performance.

Artificial Intelligence and Chatbots: Enhancing User Engagement

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and chatbots is transforming modern websites into interactive and intuitive platforms. AI-driven chatbots offer instant responses, personalized interactions, and round-the-clock support, addressing everything from customer inquiries to troubleshooting. Web development companies in Bangalore are embedding AI into their solutions, helping businesses enhance user satisfaction, streamline operations, and foster meaningful connections with their audiences.

Mobile-First Design: Catering to a Mobile-Driven World

With mobile internet usage surpassing desktop usage, adopting a mobile-first design philosophy is no longer optional. Websites are now being crafted primarily for mobile devices, ensuring optimal performance and usability across all screen sizes. Bangalore’s web developers prioritize responsive design to create smooth, fast, and visually appealing user experiences. For businesses targeting Bangalore’s tech-savvy audience, ensuring mobile optimization is a strategic necessity.

Voice Search Optimization: Navigating the Future of Search

The surge in smart speaker adoption and voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant has brought voice search optimization to the forefront of web development. By enhancing natural language processing (NLP) capabilities, developers in Bangalore are making websites more accessible via voice commands. This trend not only elevates user convenience but also aligns with search engine optimization (SEO) strategies to boost visibility and traffic.

Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP): Speeding Up the Web

Page speed is a critical factor in user experience and search engine rankings, and Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) technology is a game-changer. By enabling web pages to load almost instantaneously, AMP improves engagement, reduces bounce rates, and drives conversions. Bangalore’s web development services are utilizing AMP to create fast-loading websites that cater to the demands of today’s impatient digital audience.

Single Page Applications (SPAs): Delivering Fluid Interactions

Single Page Applications (SPAs) are redefining web interactions by eliminating the need for page reloads. Instead, content is dynamically loaded, resulting in faster, smoother experiences. E-commerce platforms and social media sites in Bangalore are adopting SPAs to create engaging and highly interactive user interfaces. Leveraging frameworks like React and Angular, developers craft SPAs that captivate users and enhance usability.

Cybersecurity: Protecting Digital Assets

As cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, robust cybersecurity measures are paramount. Web developers in Bangalore are incorporating advanced security features, such as SSL encryption, secure login protocols, and data protection mechanisms, to safeguard user information and maintain trust. Addressing cybersecurity concerns not only fortifies a website’s integrity but also reinforces its reputation in a competitive digital landscape.

Motion UI: Adding Dynamism to Design

Dynamic and interactive web design is gaining popularity through the use of Motion UI. Animations, transitions, and micro-interactions bring websites to life, creating engaging and visually appealing experiences. By incorporating Motion UI, Bangalore’s web developers are helping businesses showcase their brand personality and captivate their audiences in unique and creative ways.

Conclusion

Web development in Bangalore continues to evolve, driven by innovation and a deep understanding of user needs. From Progressive Web Apps to voice search optimization, staying ahead of these trends is essential for businesses seeking to thrive in a competitive digital environment. By partnering with web development experts in Bangalore, you can ensure that your website remains cutting-edge, secure, and primed for success. Embrace these trends to create a future-ready digital presence that resonates with your audience and drives growth.

[mangxakorado]

“People of all faiths are coming together to stop what’s happening in Gaza,” said Shelo, 41, a documentary filmmaker whose parents were born in the region now held by Israel. “At this point, it transcends faith. This isn’t just a religious issue or a moral issue. It’s a human issue. Whatever your faith is, whatever your belief system is, you can look at what’s happening and know that it’s wrong and that you want to stop it.”

The Coalition to March on the DNC, the umbrella organization coordinating the various marches and protests, is composed of more than 150 groups, each with its own causes, whether immigration, reproductive health care or LGBTQ rights. But as a whole, the groups have united to demand an end to U.S. aid to Israel and to stand up for Palestinians. . . .

. . . “We want to make it very clear that the Palestinians are suffering with the enabling of aid by this administration embedded with our tax dollars,” said Tarek Khalil, a board member of the Chicago chapter of American Muslims for Palestine. “We’re not letting Kamala Harris off the hook just because she’s vice president and she can lay claim to the fact that she’s beholden to the president’s agenda.”

American Muslims for Palestine is arranging to bring demonstrators from mosques around the Chicago metropolitan area and beyond. While AMP marchers will be at all the week’s demonstrations, the group is co-sponsoring its own march on Wednesday (Aug. 21) at Union Park alongside the Coalition for Justice in Palestine.

The main two marches will take place Monday and Thursday.

Jewish organizations such as Jewish Voice for Peace will join in as well, as will members of the anti-Zionist Jewish congregation Tzedek Chicago, which is also sponsoring a rally on Sunday.

The American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization, is planning an interfaith vigil for Gaza at the Montrose Beach Harbor on Lake Michigan on Tuesday.

[suetravelblog]

Digital Health Passports

[inventivaindia]

Mocana raises $15 million for internet of things cybersecurity

Mocana raises $15 million for internet of things cybersecurity

Cybercrime is on the rise. As many as 73 percent of industrial companies have suffered a security incident resulting in the loss of sensitive data, according to Siemens, and those breaches are projected to be costly. A report from Cybersecurity Ventures pegs the total collective damages at $6 trillion by 2021.

An outsized number of vulnerable devices fall squarely into the internet of things…

[eternalfarnham]

Hell to Play, Episode 1: “Out of the Frying Land”

(Jonny O’Georgie, with terrified reference human for scale. Jonny has the “Increased Size” Skill, which means he is a 3x3 unit compared to the average person’s 1x1.)

In session 1, our leads are riding the last bus into Las Pleiades, music/sinfulness capital of the world, for a midnight appointment at the Hotel Kshirasagara.

Four of the bus’s occupants — Jonny (the aforementioned brick shithouse), Akane, Brigitte and Sid — are present and frustrated by one another. The fifth, besides the driver, is some regular guy who isn’t here for the competition at all, and who seems vaguely irritated to have so many entrants crowding him and his regular ride into the city. His phone, though…

Who knows what’s up with that.

In any case, the bus stops just outside city limits, where a makeshift barricade of abandoned vehicles — cars, trucks, and a full-on yellow school bus — has been erected across the highway. Jonny steps down, intent on just pushing the bus off the road, but experiences a mysterious phenomenon:

…and then he decides that this mysterious phenomenon is probably either mild arrhythmia or nothing, and proceeds to start shoving the bus off the road. Sid, watching from the bus, identifies this as affecting his soul with his Spirit Sight, but is sparse on the details, so the rest of the gang comes piling out.   

Meanwhile, the sudden swaying of the school bus alerts its occupants: some punk kid with horns and a gray-faced guy. (Around this time, Solfege.io, occupant of the fifth passenger’s phone, manifests in the physical world suddenly and without any intention of doing so, and falls on her previously nonexistent heinie. Something about the weird aura around CITY LIMITS again. But, still, probably nothing, right?)

Now, these guys are… pretty clearly a problem, considering they’re blocking the only road into town, right? But they’re also claiming to be “from the head office,” and official; the punk kid introduces herself as Marina Malebranche, and claims that there’s some kind of cap on entrants, or that she needs to be there to process them, or something. Now, they were going to try and coerce the party into giving them an “entrance fee” that’s transparently a bribe. The PCs definitely waited until then to thump them, right?

Do I object to getting to grips with the combat rules? No. Did I expect to run them this early… 

Several more grayfaces spill out of the bus, Marina Malebranche promises to teach the gang “some respect," and initiative is rolled. Solfege voluntarily opts for Initiative 0, uninterested in violence and also afraid of these gray demon people. Jonny — who is fast as hell despite his size — starts things off by smashing Marina over the head with his octobass for like half her health, and Sid conjures a swarm of unclean ghosts with Anesthetize ~ Premature Burial, a Technique that slows and repositions everyone in its range. Brigitte sets up an energy shield around herself and Sid, the team’s fragile caster types, and Akane utilizes the, uh...

Yep. She shakes her hips, channels demonic magicks, and gets access to Swift Step, a mobility enhancement option, which in position to smack some people with her keytar. This includes Marina Malebranche, who winds up embedded in the side of the bus she just came out of, unconscious, having gotten off exactly zero successful attacks. The grayfaces (or “Demon Scabs,” per their names on Roll20′s character sheets), legitimately upset, throw out some insults, kicks and profanity vile enough that they can spit it like projectiles, to some effect. One freaks out and re-boards the bus. Solfege proves capable of fighting, throwing a laser sword to intercept an attacker and healing Jonny with magical defragmentation. 

One big Technique later — Sid’s music disintegrating a massive swathe of land using a Ghost Amp — the scabs are panicking and the bus is on fire. Solfege takes advantage of the situation to imitate Malebranche with her “is a Vocaloid” Challenge Technique. Akane soaks the one scab in a position to notice in lava, which he successfully defends against by dint of being from Hell, where it is basically just lava all the time.

Solfege laser swords him into the bus for good measure. With that, it’s pretty much wrap-up time — the team’s big hitters pretty much evaporate all but a few of the gray-faces, who eventually surrender at Solfege’s urging (while the gang has a spirited debate about whether murdering demons is wrong, because they just go back to Hell, right? This is… not a fact of the metaphysics I have introduced, or anything, but sure, let’s go with that!). They offer the team a stolen truck in exchange for being let go.

With the demons limping into the distance, there’s some time for introductions.

(She spelled it wrong. Why does everyone get that wrong?)

Sid is definitely a normal human and will be sure to remind us of this on several occasions. 

Of course, eventually the group remembers their obligation to meet the devil in the city at midnight, so Sid commandeers the truck, Jonny squeezes into the bed (while Akane sits on his lap) and they’re off, out of the desert and into Las Pleiades. 

And that was Episode 1. Next post, Episode 2: “…And The Deep Blue Sea.” We’re probably ready to fight the final boss of Christianity right now, right? Right. Don’t miss it!

[clydeyl135]

Bee Tv Apk! 10 Tricks The  Competitors  Recognizes, But You Don’t

Android Data Transfer

As one anticipates from a wallpaper app, the application is simple to use, with all the wallpapers appropriately structured in each category. Additionally, subscribing on the application also synchronizes all the wallpapers over various devices.

Earn money apps gone free with Apphoarder

Utilizing Unified Remote, you can from another location awaken your computer system from sleep utilizing its "Wake on LAN" function. All the needed attributes of this top app of 2019 like screen key-board, computer mouse and mirroring, media gamer controls, and so on are offered within this application. Its paid versions unlock a multitude of helpful features, including personalized remotes and also features for Android wear.

For those registered for YouTube Premium, you'll have access to all the costs content, along with unique functions like audio playback while the display is off. As health authorities encourage social distancing worldwide, isolated activities like pc gaming and also other mobile app experiences can be an excellent method to keep your mind inhabited.

Get the most up to date Android security information as well as tips

However, if you wish to publish it on Google Play Shop, you need to update your app to among our paid plans. Beginning with simply $18 each month, we have different SMB and venture plans, which you can inspect here.

Publish your Android app.

We're hoping it's something Google gives other Android phones, but here's just how to download Recorder to the Pixel 2 or later right now. It has been over 10 years because Android was first outed by Google, as well as back then it was tough to think of the large variety of apps we would certainly have today. It does every one of the fundamentals, including playlists, tag editing and enhancing, organizational features, data browsing, as well as embedded lryics (LRC) support.

Finest free web browser app: Firefox

Kindle automatically synchronizes your reading progression throughout tools, allowing you to open Kindle on an additional maker and also get on the same web page, total with notes and also bookmarks. Additional functions include a built-in dictionary, in addition to Google as well as Wikipedia searches. Also if you're not inclined to spend a cent in the Kindle market, you can still delight in a wide range of public domain name digital books and the occasional cost-free book coupon. Provide JetAudio HD Music Gamer a try if you desire to amp up the music gamer on your Android tool. The totally free version of the application features a 10-band graphics equalizer and a number of playback functions including crossfading, playback control, and automated gain control.

If you are looking to utilize your Android gadget on your Windows PC, airdroid undoubtedly is a need to have Android app. If you do not have Android Pie, you can still get iPhone X-like motion navigation with the aid of Navigation Gestures.

Google Translate - Free Application for Android

Bitwarden Password Manager is one of a few good free password manager apps. You can keep as lots of as you want without concern and also get them as needed. Additionally, the app has 256-bit AES security and also it is totally open source. It hits all of the check boxes for a great, cost-free password manager.

It's an RSS reader which implies you can sign up for lots of different internet sites as well as get news from all of them at the same time. The major good idea about making use of an app like Feedly is having the ability to bring every one of your interests right into one place and also read about the latest news. As soon as you obtain it set up, it's entirely cost-free and extremely very easy to use. The app itself is undertaking some large redesign initiatives today.

Leading 10 Smartphones

It additionally has a committed team of internet designers that are dealing with a mobile variation of the application. Zomato, again one among the very best apps for Android, allows you discover restaurants near you to consume and also go out or order food online as well as get it provided. Take a look at the restaurants' pictures, food selection, customer evaluations as well as choose anywhere you want to eat, the Zomato's map function will lead you there. Until the (unlikely) day Adobe pleases to release its desktop products completely on mobile, we'll need to use the company sculpting off bits as well as spraying https://beetvapk.pro them into applications.

[tumbted15]

Do you need a mobile website or are you good with the current build?

There are technical requirements and costs involved in any solution that makes a website mobile-friendly. There are not necessarily high but business owners need to consider every option.

This article gives 6 reasons why you really need to consider making your website mobile-friendly.

Let’s give a brief history. The shift to mobile devices was initiated by Google at April 21, 2015. The intent was to offer a better and faster user-experience (UX) to a developing audience that use their mobile phones when on the move.

Research has shown that a huge chunk of traffic (50–60%) now comes from mobile devices and continues to develop.

The change was feared that will introduce another algorithm and the community gave the name ‘Mobilegeddon’ to this change. Mobilegeddon or the mobile-friendly change has proven that it does not directly penalize websites and research has shown that its impact was minor, not deserving at all the second part of its name ‘geddon’.

The intent to favor mobile websites is there but rather subtle. Google said, that they will push up mobile optimized sites and they show up a mobile-friendly label to those sites.

The push, if it becomes real, will of course, demote the websites that are non-optimized. That’s an action, currently an option, they can take at any time, so it’s best preparing for it than running after it.

But there’s another issue, which is more realistic and threatening in my POV

Below I give 6 reasons why this can go wrong for business owners that don’t adopt the change:

Reason #1. Google has pushed out this year the AMPs (Accelerated Mobile Pages) which require more coding than a simple styling sheet i.e. Responsive pages. So, Google continues to invest to mobile devices, clearly sees them as the future of web and the AMPs promise to offer lightning speed to users (their icon depicts a thunder).

Reason #2. Google ranks websites based on certain signals embedded in their algorithms. So more positive signals push up a website, not so many signals or even negative signals will demote it.

Reason #3. There are two separate algorithms for desktop and mobile devices, and speed is present in both algorithms and device types but probably executed differently. The important here is to understand that a very fast desktop website will not pull up the mobile version and viceversa as the algorithms are built and run independently.

Reason #4. Traffic that is generated by mobile devices shows increasing trends since last year, currently reaching percentages of 50–60% of organic and paid traffic but it is expected to further grow in the near future.

Reason #5. Google counts as positive signal the time spent on websites of any type, so a non-optimized website will plausibly not attract enough clicks and certainly will not offer a good UX for mobile devices with higher bounce rates. Bad UX and high bounce rates are negative signals for Google.

Reason #6. All the above can indirectly bring demotion as if not satisfied then they will be seen as negative signals. Maybe Google is not ready to release its algorithm since many business owners have not upgraded their websites, but all negative signals will eventually push up the websites that offer better and faster UX. The demotion may come as a result of a market/industry shift and pragmatic conditions.

Again, best preparing for the changεs is better than running after them. Responsive websites are not AMP websites, it’s one step behind.

[siamcomputing]

Have you ever wondered how mobile apps have changed our lives drastically?

Waking up to a morning alarm, catching up daily news, having a chit-chat with a long-distance friend, ordering a quick bite, booking tickets for the weekend party, maintaining your to-do lists, binge-watching your favorite series, checking your email and quickly following up with a project, monitoring your sleep time — you have exclusive mobile apps to pull all these off and accomplish a lot more.

Mobile apps have become part and parcel of our daily routines. A day without these mobile apps is uninteresting, boring, and like going back to stone ages. The trends in the mobile app sphere are changing on a daily basis and advancing rapidly with a focus to leverage technology to ease our lives and businesses.

If you are looking forward to launching mobile apps for your business, it is crucial that you need to be aware of the contemporary trends in mobile app development. In this article, we will walk you through the latest trends and developments in the app technologies so that you can develop an app that is future-ready.

What follows is a list of most recent and top nine trends in mobile apps that you need to know:

#1 Reality is more fascinating than fiction when it is augmented [AR]

AR that stands for augmented reality isn’t a new terminology for technology enthusiasts. It is researched that the market for the AR-powered mobile apps will hit $209 Billion by 2021. Augmented reality lets your app give more real-like experiences to your users. AR is a kind of technology where computer-generated elements and models are superimposed on real-world elements to give a stunning and composite experience to the users. This augmented reality has been on its booming curve since recent years, especially in the gaming and entertainment industries. You can leverage augmented reality to offer unique and compelling digital experiences to your customers and interact with them in a memorable way.

#2 Accelerated mobile pages that accelerate your performance

It’s been more than three years since Google started giving a high-preference to mobile-friendly webpages in indexing and ranking. Accelerated mobile pages, often abbreviated as AMP is a technology used to decrease the website’s load-time on mobile devices. This has taken the mobile design industry by storm and resulted in webpages that are lightweight and load quickly. Now, mobile apps are also adapting to AMP technologies and gearing up to faster, smooth, and seamless page loads. Make sure your app pages have a decent AMP score because AMP-enabled mobile apps go a long way in decreasing the bounce rate and increasing the user retention rate.

#3 Get all things done with Internet of Things (IoT)

From the time Internet used to be a luxury to today where it has become an absolute necessity, the rate of its growth has only been astounding. The future of the Internet is more than exhilarating. Internet of things (IoT) refers to interconnecting all the objects and things around us via Internet with computer-embedded smart devices to enable remote operations from anywhere any time.

The IoT devices are majorly operated, accessed, and controlled on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets and a lot of IoT-based mobile apps are being developed these days. The concept of IoT is definitely here to stay and mobile apps can’t envision their future without leveraging IoT.

#4 From chat to call, Artificial Intelligence does it all [AI]

The scope of incorporating new-age technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and natural language processing (NLP) in mobile apps has widened like never before. AI-powered apps like Google Assistant have raised the bars and set really high standards. The percentage of mobile apps that use AI has increased drastically in 2020.

Big players like Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and IBM are investing a huge chunk of dollars on Artificial Intelligence. AI-powered mobile apps make use of advanced analytics, cognitive interfaces, and intuitive dashboards to deliver data-driven insights and insight-based actionable items to its business users.

#5 M-commerce becoming the new eCommerce

Mobile devices have redefined online shopping experiences to a large extent in the last couple of years. From adding items to the shopping cart to integrating seamlessly with the payment gateways, there are mobile apps that provide comprehensive shopping interfaces end-to-end. Payment apps like Google pay and Apple pay are replacing conventional debit/credit card payments and preferred by customers for their ease of use and transactions. The future of apps is flourishing and promising with m-commerce integration. Thus, developers need to make it a point that their apps are scalable and m-commerce enabled.

#6 Cloud-based mobile platforms gonna rain cats and dogs

Cloud storage comes with a plethora of benefits and cloud systems cater to a broad set of users ranging from non-technical users, business users, tech-savvies, and hi-end professionals. From small-medium enterprises to mom and pop start-ups, a lot of businesses depend upon the cloud storage applications. This opens up great platforms for mobile-based cloud storage applications that are handy, flexible, and scalable. Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Microsoft storage are familiar cloud storage platforms used by numerous businesses. App developers need to learn and equip themselves to meet the humongous need of developing cloud-based apps that are going to be the order of the day.

#7 Safety and security is not an option

While technological advancement and growth have opened up the doors of innovation wider like never before, there’s a grey side to it too. The threat to security and data privacy has become a major reason to feel unsafe online. Towards the end of 2019 and the onset of 2020, the digital users’ community has become highly sensitive and more vocal to the security-related issues. The apps that are going to pass the test of the time are the ones that enforce a transparent mechanism in place to ensure safety, reliability, and data protection.

App developers need to understand the safety concerns and adopt foolproof mechanisms to prevent issues like insecure storage, privacy violation, data breach, inappropriate use of personal identifiers, and unsafe deployment.

#8 Let bots do all the chatting

Twenty years ago, if someone told us we can send unlimited free SMSes using cellular data, we must have ridiculed them. But apps like WhatsApp made it true and possible. Likewise, it should be hard to believe now that in another couple of years bots are going to take care of handling customer service, ticketing, and sales interaction completely.

Apps that have pre-programmed guidelines and logics to dictate the bots to choose appropriate and customized reply messages will take over communication all over the digital space. This replaces real-time communication and facilitates instantaneous, seamless, and effective communication without human intervention. It is expected that by the end of 2021, 85% of communication between customers and service providers will be taken care of by chatbots. App developers need to cope up with this most amazing trend to survive the competitive storm and provide unique and interactive conversational experiences to their users.

#9 On-demand apps are the next big things

As the very name reads, on-demand apps connect service providers and customers to those who have needs. Providing taxi services on-demand, delivering food on demand, running an errand on demand, rendering a babysitting service on demand, etc. are examples of providing services on demand via mobile apps.

The on-demand app market has made the Internet space a more open and democratic medium where service providers and customers interact with each other directly and effectively, thus empowering both the ends. These apps make it very easy for a customer to avail services on the go, in the blink of an eye. A lot of organizations have shifted their focus to adapt their business to an on-demand app model. It is studied that over 80 Million Americans make use of these on-demand services more frequently.

These mobile app trends are only glimpses of the future whereas, the actual and real future is more fun, interesting, mindblowing, and exhilarating. Technology enthusiasts can’t wait to see these trends get real, spread wide, and become a thing of commoners. When you hire a mobile app developer, you must ensure that they are up to date with these trends.

Follow this space to stay in the know of the latest advancements in mobile apps. This helps you leverage technology to upgrade your apps to current trends, beat the competition, and reach your customers better. For a free consultation on how to upgrade your apps to the recent trends, write to us at hello@siamcomputing.com.

At Siam computing, we help you deliver a remarkable mobile app experience to your customers. We provide mobile app development services that use the most advanced technologies and platforms. With the best app developers company, we ensure that the apps that we deliver are unique, best-performing, high-tech, and up-to-date.

In the next chapters, we will get you a handy checklist that you need while choosing the freelancer/company to develop your app.

[applsauss]

Mors Ab Alto [3/8] - Act 1

Description: Tieria’s arm twitches, and he frowns, then looks away, testing his fingers by curling them into his palm. After moment’s hesitation he raises a gloved hand to the glass, pressing his palm lightly against the window, low, by his waist. He meets your gaze, and it’s a concession, you realize. He doesn’t smile; neither do you, but you press your palm against glass of your own, mirroring his, and his shoulders slack enough for you to notice.

Fandom: 
Gundam 00

Pairing: 
Tieria Erde/Reader

Word Count: 4.1k+


Warning(s): Talk of Cancer. Death Caused by Cancer.

One year before the armed interventions. Lagrange Three, The Ptolemaios (Krung Threp).

     The news anchor’s voice is pitchless as she speaks into the camera, face pretty, dark eyes steady. With her back to the gathering crowd of protestors, she enunciates her words clearly, the familiar english rolling off her tongue without effort, like it belongs in her mouth. The microphone slips a millimeter through her gloves, she gestures widely to the scene behind her, and your chest begins to feel tight, hot with an emotion you’ve yet been unable to smooth a label over. 

The crowd of veterans and supporters jeers, then swells. You breathe out harshly through your nose, and pull yourself forward towards the screen, then push yourself back; one foot hooked under the handrailing, another flat on top. On screen, the wind picks up, and you pull your sweater tighter over your middle. Earth is frigid, the Ptolemaios is frigid.

Docked in Krung Thep, and still not the full-time residence of its future crew, the environmental controls haven’t been optimized. You’d do it yourself, here and now, but you’re off-duty, and the twilit corridors are inhospitable--abandoned, except for the strange shadows cast around corners.

It’s the graveyard shift, most normal operations have halted and non-essential personnel have retreated to their quarters for rest, but you’re too amped up on what’s happening down on Earth to sleep--too amped up on the promise of the armed interventions, not even a year away. You’ve got a buzz in your limbs and a stutter in your chest that won’t leave you alone. 

The projection of protestors is wide across the screen, the scene a familiar city, but not your home. Shots of the Washington Monument turn into pans over the Reflecting Pool as the crowd only expands and intensifies; Bulky jackets and brightly colored hats filling the broad avenues of the Union’s capital city. 

The lag between the commentator’s question and the anchor’s response is long enough for the shouting of the crowd to be heard, but there’s no unifying chant, it’s just angry noise. Above their heads, they’re waving scraps of cardboard and picketed signs scrawled with slogans: ‘Veterans! Unite and fight back,’ ‘medals for jobs,’ ‘what happened to social SECURITY?’ and, ‘we fought for you. Now you fight for us.”

The civil unrest settles at the bottom of your stomach until memories rise like bile. You should be down there, with a catchphrase of your own, but instead you’re on a space colony, watching the Earth churn far, too far, down below; and your mom should be there, marching for her life, but instead her ashes were taken by the wind and dumped into the rolling waters of the Pacific. Her life her own until it wasn’t, after the Union refused to give it back.

You can still feel the warmth of the sun, her hands, the ghost of her voice--but soldiers are soldiers until they’re useless, and though she still had arms for hugging and a voice full of reason, she couldn’t march or use a wrench and so they let her die, hollowed out and bedridden.

The protestors are flanked by riot police, they’ve got the streets intersecting the path of the march taped off and manned. With machined guns strapped to their fronts, and the snow feathering the ground, they paint a distinctly dystopian picture: Grey slosh falling around black helmets strapped under white faces, but it doesn’t look like it’ll get ugly. There’s no telling for sure, the anger at injustice is potent in the air, but this is a crowd filled with tired soldiers done with fighting wars.

The door to your left hisses open, and you tear yourself away from the railing, curling in slightly as you look towards the entrance way.

Tieria’s suspicious look melts into indifference at the sight of you, and after some deliberation, he pulls himself into the room. The news anchor picks up her commentary, bullet-pointing the protesters’ demands, and his eyes drift towards the screen.

“Too excited for tomorrow to sleep?” you ask in an attempt to draw his attention away from the broadcast, the display too close to home to share. 

He stares critically at the feed for a lingering moment, then seemingly writes it off as unimportant. He pulls himself farther into the room, catching himself on the railing closest to the door, and gives you a look that tells you he’s not going to dignify your flippant comment with a response.

“What are you doing up this late?” you rephrase when some more movement on the screen catches his attention. The protesters are testing the boundaries of the police tape, and beginning to throw taunts over the riot shields. Maybe you were wrong about tired soldiers and wars.

Tieria blinks as you switch channels. Quickly, the screen is filled with images of smoke rising off the shell of a town, mobile suits flying overhead. After a few seconds of the anchor reviewing the carnage in french, you cut the feed entirely. No such thing as a tired soldier.

Tieria looks at you, then huffs. “I was performing a systems check on Veda’s terminal aboard the Ptolemaios.” 

You shift uncomfortably. “Why?”

“You can never be too careful.”

You nod, then for lack of a better response, shrug his empty answer off. “You’re not tired though?”

“Are you?”

You don’t expect the laugh that his quick reply pulls from you, and neither does he. His eyes widen fractionally and his face loses its serious grimace. Huffing, you bend your knees, pulling yourself towards the handrail you’ve been anchored to, and grasp it, twisting your body around to mimic sitting on it. He’s quiet as you do this, his glasses picking up glare from the ring of lights embedded on the floor, lining the walls. You notice he’s wearing something that would more resemble sleep-wear than casual clothing: A plain shirt, his sweater hung open at the front, and loose fitting leggings, though he’s still wearing work boots, like he’s caught between worlds, unable to ever fully relax. 

The clothes don’t fit right, not without gravity to pull them down, and so the normally appropriately buttoned sweater billows around his waist and rounds off his shoulders. You remember his question. “I guess I am,” you say, covering an ill-timed yawn. “Don’t rat me out?”

Tieria scoffs. “As long as it doesn’t affect your work.” And maybe it’s the late hour, or the hazy, violet light that’s swathed the briefing room, but you think his words come out kinder than they usually do. He’s off-kilter, his tone is smooth, borderline soft, and he seems to realize this, if his sudden frown is anything to go by. He doesn’t meet your eyes, and you wring your hands around the railing.

The briefing room smells like formaldehyde, there’s an open panel of exposed wires in the corner, and there’s this buzzing in your head, like an early-warning system that’s perpetually being tripped. You’re reminded of why you’re here, and what you’re meant to do, the crescendo this is all building towards. Your stomach flips.

“Are you…” You suck in a breath like it’d clear your head of the fog. Cold, uncomfortable air fills your lungs instead “...Do you think you’re ready for the interventions?”

The corners of his mouth twitch downwards. “Of course I am.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

He folds his arms in front of his chest, and lets himself float away from the bar towards the wall. “Of course not.”

You exhale, long and slow, and scrub your face with cold hands. The skin around your eyes feels tight, and this upset growing in your gut is so volatile you can’t rest--not with the protests, not with the armed interventions, and not with Tieria, as fragile as he is. Every conversation you have with him leaves you floundering to make him stay, and you don’t have the time to think about why--you don’t want to think about why.

“Sorry, I’ve just been out of it lately.” 

It’s an off-hand confession, unthought-out and rough ‘round the edges, and you’re prepared to face the detached silence that’ll surely follow when he asks, “Does this have anything to do with what you were watching when I entered?”

You pull your face out of your hands with mild urgency, but before you can figure out how to respond, he wrinkles his nose, and looks towards the dark screen once more. In a flatter tone he says, “I am eager to have our operations underway.” 

“...What?”

“The armed interventions,” he clarifies. His arms are still crossed, and he doesn’t meet your eyes. He stays where he is, displaced against the stark white of the wall behind him. 

“Oh…” You swallow thickly. “Me, too.” 

He kicks off the wall towards the exit, pauses briefly in front of the door, then retreats back to Krung Threp proper. When you hear the distant clang of Ptolemy’s airlock, signaling you’re once again alone on the ship, you turn the projector back on, but the protesters are gone and replaced by a daytime talk show.

***

Present day. Lagrange One, The Ptolemaios.

      Ptolemy lurches and groans under the unnaturally tight turns Lichty forces the ship to follow through with. It’s awful, the stench of your own breath and fear as you fumble with Dynames, the dome of your helmet colliding with the scraped metal as you rush through repairs. 

You never meant to work on weapons of war, despised them for all your life, and yet here you are, elbow deep in a mobile suit responsible for nothing but war, trying to bring it back online. On the good days, you can convince yourself that you’re okay with giving up what makes you human so long as you can be a shepherd ushering in change. 

Today is not a good day. 

A violent shutter moves through Ptolemy’s bones, and Dynames is jostled in its supposedly shock-absorbant restraints. The adrenaline makes you hyper aware, but your fingers are clumsy, and you have no idea what’s happening outside the hangar, whether you’re winning or losing, suffering through the beginning, middle, or end of a battle. 

The hangar is your world, and it is even larger without the other Gundams occupying the space, and it is even lonelier while The Ptolemaios is in battle mode, with the lights dimmed and flashing. The utter silence is only broken by the aftereffects of explosions. 

One of Dynames’s restraints comes loose and you see it as Ptolemy’s momentum sends it towards you. You feel the impact, but don’t remember anything after that. 

When you wake up, Dynames is gone, the hangar is even more empty, and Haro is in your cracked helmet chanting Lockon’s name over and over again. You can’t help but feel like you’re fast approaching the end of everything you’ve fought for.

***

Present day. Lagrange One, The Ptolemaios.

      The background hum of the GN drives surges in the overbearing silence while you wait for the doctor’s final verdict. Dull pain and disbelief numb your thought process, sift everything out except for the singular longing for a universal pause button. 

Tieria didn’t even look at you when you tried to pull him off Setsuna, just stopped his clenched, white fist from flying into your face, and then Miss Sumeragi issued her orders with a tone so stern and warm that it made you want to throw up--because she’s a military woman born from everything you despise and no matter how far anyone walks, they can never quite shake their past. 

“Nine to ten hours.” Doctor Moreno pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose, and you frown. “The damage is extensive, it would never heal right without the regeneration pod.”

You’re sitting sideways on the examination table, cradling your right arm in your lap. The heavy leaded vest you wore during your x-ray is tangled with your feet. Your hospital slippers are weightless, and slowly slipping towards the center of the room. The walls are a mocking beige, their voices are cold, and the hallway is quiet as death.

You look away towards the door as Doctor Moreno and Miss Sumeragi begin discussing your treatment between themselves, trading words back and forth; the doctor in his chair, Miss Sumeragi with an errant arm keeping her anchored to the desk. Her joints are locked; her hair swims around her. 

You dig your nails into the synthetic leather of the bench and hold your tongue. You can’t help but feel distinctly betrayed by the garden of conspiracy they’re taking turns watering. 

“You’re undergoing the treatment,” Miss Sumeragi finally addresses you after a moment of intense thought, and behind her, you spy the regeneration pods. They seem to loom over her shoulder, distorted through the glass separating this room from the one beyond. You see Lockon’s ghost in one of them. You see your ghost in the other. Your stomach sinks. 

“It’s just a fracture,” you say, eyes fixed on your fate behind her, fingers moving to pick the velcro on your wrist guard. “And besides, you need me right now. I’ve still got a good hand-”

“You’re undergoing the treatment.”

“I’m fine-”

“You’ve got three broken fingers and a fractured wrist!” her voice wavers, loud. Your mouth snaps shut, and she at least does you the service of looking apologetic before continuing, this time more reasonably, “You’re not fine. We can’t risk this again. I won’t make the same mistake twice. Lockon...he…” She wipes her hands on her pants. “It would be a disservice.”

“This is...” You suck in a breath as your right hand twitches in pain. “...Different.”

“It’s not.”

“It is!”

“No.” Miss Sumeragi pulls herself closer to the desk with a resolute grimace. “It’s not.” She turns to look at the regeneration pods in the room behind her, then says, “It’s just nine hours--no time at all.” The words are quiet and insecure and convince no one. 

You look at your feet as Miss Sumeragi’s grip on the desk tightens, shoulders knotting, and then she lets out a breath and returns to herself. “Make the preparations.” She nods to Doctor Moreno, and then she pushes off the desk and towards the door. It slides open, you see purple lingering in the hallway, and Miss Sumeragi begins speaking. It shuts before you hear what she has to say.

And you seethe.

A couple minutes later, the door opens again. 

Tieria doesn’t say anything as he enters, barely acknowledges you. He’s got a far off look in his eyes, and you can’t tell if it’s the guilt or the grief that’s eating him, probably both. Doctor Moreno wisely excuses himself, holding his data pad to his chest as he disappears into the next room. The air grows heavier once the door shuts behind him. 

Tieria’s got his uniform on, but he’s gone and switched out his contacts for his glasses--he’s this odd mismatched version of dressed and undressed, one foot in the battle field, the other in his grave.

You can’t bounce your knee in zero gravity, so you settle for agitatedly tapping your thumb against your thigh, though it’s clumsy with your off hand; You can’t keep a steady rhythm.

Tieria crosses his arms in front of his chest, and the silence begins to make you itch.

“Are you okay?” The question burns your tongue before you manage to spit it out. 

He’s quiet for a beat too long, and then opens with, “I agree with Miss Sumeragi--”

“I know!” you grit out. He drags you right back into the pit of overwhelming indignation Miss Sumeragi tossed you down. “I’m doing it. Just stop talking about it.”

You can never guess his mood or what he’ll say next and it drives you up the wall when you’re in a bad mood. You can never tell what you are to him, he’ll act like he cares one day and then ignore you the next and it makes old insecurities surface no matter how hard you try and hold your head up high.

You both watch Doctor Moreno through the glass as he tucks his sunglasses into his breast pocket and begins fiddling with a regeneration pod. You feel the familiar unease begin to crawl under your skin. 

“Are you alright?” is the only thing you can ask, and it’s stupid, the way you’re just repeating yourself. You kick the leaded vest away from your feet, and watch it meet your slippers, then make them spin out in the center of the room. Tieria’s eyes follow the movement. 

He unfolds his arms, then folds them again. He doesn’t answer. Through the window, you accidently meet Doctor Moreno’s eyes, and quickly pretend to be interested only in your purple fingers. 

“Why’d you even come here if all you’re going to do is avoid talking to me?”

“I wasn’t aware I was required to answer questions by virtue of you asking them.”

“Tieria-”

“I’m fine.”

Your skin prickles, and you can feel it in your chest, the familiar need to be comforted. It makes your limbs buzz. You miss being held, you want him to hold you, but he...he just doesn’t understand, and you can’t find the means or resolve to explain. 

Your hands tighten around the edge of the bed, nails digging into faux leather. You don’t want to go in. You don’t want to be afraid. Your chest tightens. Your hands are cold. You bite your cheek and keep your gaze steady, expression neutral. 

You are afraid of missing something while you’re in there. You’re afraid of ending up like Lockon. You’re afraid of ending up like your Mother. 

Doctor Moreno approaches the door. You see him through the glass. Resigned, you curl forward, careful of your arm, then push off the bed with both feet. He holds the door open for you, but you’re clumsy and have trouble making it through the doorway. He helps you through.

“You’ll be out before you know what hit you,” Doctor Moreno jokes as he pulls the sling over your head and undoes your wrist guard. “Won’t feel like a minute’s passed.” When he moves onto your splinted fingers, he tugs just on the wrong side of too much, making you wince. 

He offers you an apologetic smile, but doesn’t stop.

Careful to keep your hand still, the doctor helps you into the regeneration pod. You lay down as he walks away, look to your left, and see Tieria waiting on the other side of the glass, watching you with eyes unfocused. The doctor joins him, and turns his attention down to the control panel at his fingers.

You’re surprised by the glass cover when it slips into place above you. The lid seals, then pressurizes slowly. “See?” Doctor Moreno’s voice comes on, rough, over the speakers. “Easy.” You watch Tieria and the doctor through the window. “Almost done,” he continues as the hissing dies down.

Tieria’s arm twitches, and he frowns, then looks away, testing his fingers by curling them into his palm. After moment’s hesitation he raises a gloved hand to the glass, pressing his palm lightly against the window, low, by his waist. He meets your gaze, and it’s a concession, you realize. He doesn’t smile; neither do you, but you press your palm against glass of your own, mirroring his, and his shoulders slack enough for you to notice. 

“Can you count down from ten for me, please?”

You nod your head, and begin: “Ten.” The air suddenly tastes too sweet, it makes your teeth ache and your toes curl. 

“Nine.” Your vision grows fuzzy, and your breathing picks up, which only makes you fall under faster. 

“Eight.” Your hands are freezing, but your chest is warm -– like black fabric in the sun. 

There’s no more sound. There’s no resolution. You don’t make it to seven.

***

One Year before the armed interventions. Lagrange Three, Krung Thep.

      Gundam Dynames is forest green, and it matches Lockon’s flight suit, though Dynames, nor his pilot, have been at the forefront of your mind as of late.Your thoughts keep returning to the image of dim corridor lights on rich purple and pale pink, eyes that you sometimes think glow. You’d bumbled along diligently through the start of your shift, turning over last night’s encounter in your head until Lockon made an appearance to check up on Dynames and you enthusiastically welcomed the distraction, the chance to tease and air some grievances. He has a habit of yanking too hard on the controls in the cockpit.

You reach up and pull the targeting apparatus down into place, then push it up, and pull it down again to make a point. “See?” you ask, continuing to mess with the attachment, your arms hanging above your head. “So smooth. No need to yank this baby off its hinges. It’s even got a lil’ bit of --” You let go with some flare, and watch as it floats back into its proper stowed position above you--“hydraulic magic.”

“I know how it works,” Lockon grumbles from outside the cockpit. He’s got Haro tucked under his arm, and his vest is open and breezy.

“He knows! He knows!” Haro chants, and you pull yourself out of the seat, then float up next to the pair with a playfully terse grin.

“If ‘you know, you know,’ then why do I have to keep fixing it?” You catch yourself on the ridge of Dynames’ chest plate, then stall to push your sleeves up your forearms, the grip of your gloves rough on your skin.

Lockon opens his mouth to retort, stares at you for a moment, and shuffles Haro under his other arm. “Right.” He wrinkles his nose and offers you a sheepish smile. “I’ll remember that for...next time.”

“Next time! Next time!”

“Mmhm.” You cross your arms, then uncross them and pull your sleeves down to your wrists when the cold makes the hairs on your arms stand up. You’ll never get used to how freezing the Ptolemaios is.

The door to the hangar opens, and you both watch as Tieria enters. He lets himself drift towards the railing, scanning the large room until his eyes find yours. You raise a hand in greeting, offer a smile, and then his eyes flick to Lockon. He turns suddenly and begins inspecting a terminal on the wall.

Lockon laughs and you look back to him.

“What?”

“Nothing,” he says. “He’s jealous.”

You snort. “Yea...maybe.” Your tone is just shy of disbelieving, and you roll your eyes because the conversation is familiar and worn to dirt, but you can’t help but wonder sometimes. You’re not completely oblivious to your own feelings, to the strange tug in your chest when Tieria’s around, and you know that he at least likes you more than most, that he unconsciously seeks your company after a hard day, after a good day, after a normal day. 

You both push off Dynames and the cockpit closes behind you, “Y’know,” you address Lockon again. “Be more gentle and Dynames might not take it’s revenge next time.” You nod up to the dark bruise on his forehead, and he laughs good-naturedly.

“Alright, alright. You got me there.”

The muted tap of foreign boots on metal is the only warning you get before Tieria appears beside you. “You should be more concerned with the damage he’s done to Gundam Dynames rather than himself.”

Lockon sighs. “Gee, Tieria, nice to know you care.”

“I don’t.”

“Mmhm.” Lockon gives Tieria a reproachful look, then mock shrugs his shoulders in agreement. “Well, I guess you’re right. We don’t matter very much, do we? We’re replaceable, cogs in a machine and all that...” A rhetorical question.

His tone is too light to properly support the harsh reality he’s reintroduced into the forefront of your thoughts--and you don’t really want to think about your personal worth judged comparatively to Celestial Being’s ultimate goal right now, especially since Lockon seems intent on getting an answer he won’t find in Tieria.

Nobody says anything, Lockon’s stubbornly waiting for a response, Tieria’s narrowing his eyes like he’s been challenged, and you’re left floating between the two, floundering in the sudden and unpleasant turn the conversation took. Even Haro seems unusually subdued, and so you force yourself to scoff nervously and say, “Speak for yourself.” You try and break the clouds with some humor. “I’m indispensable!” 

It works. Tieria looks annoyed again, and Lockon laughs, then takes the dip in the conversation as his chance to slip away. “Yea, yea, whatever you say,” he says, his body already facing away so you can’t see his face, but his voice still carries an airy tone.

Haro flaps happily, still under Lockon’s arm. “Whatever you say! Whatever you say!”

Both you and Tieria watch as Lockon leaves, Tieria more tense, intense than you, and then you turn to him with a smile. “How are you today?” you ask like you hadn’t met him in the middle of the night barely ten hours ago.

He looks startled by your sudden question, then settles back into his usual self. “Fine. How are you?”

You melt a little at his tone. “Good. Did you need something?”

A/N: Tsunami, Told Slant.

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JS Fest 2019 conference program announced!

As we announced before, April 5-6, 2019, Kyiv – it’s time for the second JS Fest – a conference devoted to the JavaScript development. The event will unite together 600+ JavaScript-developers and speakers from the USA, Europe and Ukraine. Eventually, JS Fest 2019 conference ...

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How We Grew Blog Traffic by 650% in Two Years — Organically

As a digital content marketer, your job is to grow traffic that converts into leads and sales. Some of us in this field are lucky to work with companies that sell sexy products. It makes it a little easier. But that’s not always the case. This post is for the other marketers that work in the not-so-sexy fields. I can speak to this audience because up until the spring of this year, I was the Digital Content and Marketing Manager at a synthetic oil company. I won’t fault you if you don’t know what that is — we’ll get to it shortly.

Grow blog traffic, stat

In 2016, I joined a company that sold synthetic oil (the stuff in your engine that you change once every couple of months). One of my tasks was to grow website traffic, and the best channel I landed on was the company blog. The corporate e-commerce website (yep, we sold engine oil online at a premium) was a political minefield, so I had very limited sway. The blog was not. A group of three contributors would meet weekly and throw spur-of-the-moment posts together. It had a sporadic publishing schedule. The topics were dry (it was a blog about motor oil, after all) and blog traffic was correspondingly sluggish. The blog at the time had averaged under 5,000 sessions a month. Within a year, we doubled it. Within two years, we scaled it up seven times. By the time I left, we had surpassed 100,000 sessions within a month threshold.

How we operationalized our blog for triple-digit growth

Within a few months of assuming leadership of the blog, we overhauled the entire publishing process, doubled the team of volunteer contributors, implemented a quarterly editorial calendar, and search-optimized the heck out of our blog posts. These are the tactics I used to increase our sessions, search visibility, and subscribers in two years. 1. No man is an island — neither is your blog Our company had a communications team of great writers. Correction: great-but-swamped writers. So we had to look elsewhere. I reached out to departments across the company in hopes of finding people that liked writing enough to publish something once or twice a month. The writer assigned to help manage the blog would proof and edit posts before they were published, so that these contributors wouldn’t have to worry about writing perfectly. Our efforts paid off; we grew the team from three contributors to a group of eight. 2. Build a flexible calendar, yo We cut back on the spur-of-the-moment publishing process and focused on getting content out three times a week. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays were our days, initially. I created a shared doc where contributors could add post topics. Each quarter, we went through the ideas and picked topics that we would publish. Then I ran each idea through keyword research (via Moz Keyword Explorer and Keyword Planner) and social research (Buzzsumo). This process gave us direction on which messaging resonated with different audiences and how we would distribute our content. Sometimes we wrote posts to answer search queries. Other times, we had a customer group in mind, or an event our marketing team was sponsoring. One of the events we sponsored was the Sturgis Rally. In this case, the post we created was purely for our social media and events support. Luckily, the rally promoted it, which brought an influx of their fans to our blog. An audience we were targeting with our event sponsorship, because they were likely to know and care about which brand of oil they used on their bikes.

3. Ditch the corporate speak — write like you We weren’t corporate mouthpieces. We were a team of individuals, each with our own personalities. One contributor was a handyman and liked to fix things; I encouraged him to write from that perspective. Another writer, Andy, was known for his colorful commentary (“Quaker, it takes more than one goose flying north to make a summer!”) so he infused his posts with some of it, as well. Our racing and events writer became a mom, and her son made an appearance in some of her posts. Our approach did not always align with our brand’s masculine tone. Not a best practice (shrug) but it made our posts a lot more genuine. Each piece we wrote had a distinct voice. Did this have a direct correlation to traffic growth? Probably not. However, it did encourage people to write more often, because the writing was a more natural process. This helped us churn out new content several times a week, which did have an impact. 4. Not all posts shall be optimized equally — that’s ok Despite our best efforts, the blog was a volunteer project slated among a slew of tasks we all had. Thus, not all posts were created equal. Some posts pulled more than their fair share of traffic. We focused on on-page optimization for those each summer with the help of our interns. On a given blog post, we might have: Tweaked the blog post titleAdded a table of contents (with anchor links and bonus points for voice search phrases)Changed the URL (with a redirect, of course)Implemented alt tagsAdded crawl/human/voice search-friendly sub-headsAdded videos (where relevant)Lengthened the post with relevant additional content By implementing these tactics, several of our posts were able to gain Position 0 or 1 and garnered pretty significant spikes in traffic. An example of a post that benefitted from some extra love was our engine flush blog post. It became our hallmark for how we could optimize good writing on a relevant topic into a high-ranking and ultra-SERP-friendly post.

5. Invest in AMP (if you haven’t already) Not judging. Sometimes it takes months for larger organizations to adapt to changes that are for their benefit. When we implemented Accelerated Mobile Pages, it blew our search traffic through the roof.

But driving AMP traffic is not enough. We learned through the process that the standard AMP implementation strips out most aspects of the blog interface. As a result, we lost links to sign up for our blog emails or shop our e-commerce website (egad!). Even though our mobile traffic was up considerably, traffic to the website suffered or lagged. Unfortunately, we had a custom-built design. Changes would have to be manual, and we didn’t have a budget or the resources for that. So we focused on doing a better job of highlighting our website and products within our posts. 6. Use social media to gather ideas Yes, we promoted our posts on social, but we also used social media to curate ideas. Some ideas were published. As a thank you, we embedded shout-outs in the post and on social media to the source. It was a way of making our posts feel personal to our audience.

7. Add more pep to your blog email newsletter Consistency is cool, but we tried to throw an element of surprise and delight into our blog emails. This meant taking time to create a clear and compelling reason why the recipient should open the email — not just listing new posts. Since there isn’t a lot of change month-to-month in the industry, we got creative. Each week I played with subject lines that were timely, relevant, fun, or attention-grabbing. I backed those up with a standard pre-header/teaser for consistency. Some subject lines we used included: Spit into this tube, we'll build a car for you.Remember this classic SNL skit?Cruisers, Firearms, and CashCan your truck go 500,000 miles? I also used the blog newsletter as a channel to curate and promote older, evergreen posts when relevant, which helped bring fresh eyes to existing material. 8. Do one thing at a time We split our goals into our top priorities each year, and focused on that. Once we achieved the first goal, we shifted focus to the next priority. Year one, our focus was growing traffic from search engine results pages and social. To drive traffic, we created search-optimized, evergreen posts and chose relevant topics with significant search volume. We also held team sessions on beginner SEO where we went over best practices and gave the team access to easy keywording tools (I used Spyfu). We propelled our organic search traffic after a year of consistently following this protocol.

In year two, our goal was driving sign-ups. We created premium content and leveraged social to capture some of our fans through lead ads tied to blog content. These tactics drove our blog subscriber list up by 44%. The third year, we focused on increasing the blog’s contribution to sales. We put our efforts into highlighting products in the blog email, publishing product-centric posts, and including very clear and compelling calls-to-action to shop our e-commerce website. We gamified our team’s participation by establishing a blogger leaderboard and highlighting up-and-coming creators, or those whose posts were doing well across different metrics. Could we have done this all concurrently? Probably. But that would have required more time and resources than what we had.

“Sexy” is what you make of it

For us, creating blog posts was something a team of volunteers contributed to between a myriad of other tasks that were actually on our job descriptions. But we grew the channel into a source of considerable traffic for the company. We rallied around an unsexy topic — synthetic oil — and turned it into a creative outlet that moved product. The project also sparked a team of empowered creators, stakeholders, and in-house champions across departments who were fired up by the results of a motley crew of writers, DIY-ers, and tinkerers. Source link Internet Marketing Read the full article