#IOS Call Recorder apps

[call-recording-app]

Your Ultimate Solution for Call Recording on Android 10+: Download Phone App and Phone Helper

If you're an Android user, you likely know the value of call recording. It's a feature that has proven invaluable for capturing crucial conversations, interviews, or even memorable moments. However, the landscape of call recording on Android has evolved due to recent policy changes by Google Play Store. In this article, we present your ultimate solution: Download the Phone App for call recording and Phone Helper for Android 10+ devices.

Decoding Google's Game-Changing Policy Shift

Effective from May 11, 2022, Google Play Store introduced a transformative policy update. This policy explicitly bars apps, including the default Phone app, from using the Accessibility Service API for call recording within their Google Play Store versions. It's essential to acknowledge that developers, like us, have no control over Google Play Store's policies, necessitating the exploration of alternative solutions. Impact on Call Recording Apps

This policy adjustment is a pivotal development. You won't find fully functional call recording apps on Google Play Store any longer. While some developers may opt to challenge the policy, conscientious developers have embraced compliance, resulting in the removal of Accessibility Service API usage from the Google Play Store version of the Phone app.

What the Policy Change Means for Call Recording Apps

The implications of this policy shift are clear - you won't find fully functional call recording apps on Google Play Store anymore. While some developers may choose to navigate the policy's challenges, responsible developers have chosen to comply. This has led to the removal of Accessibility Service API usage from the Google Play Store version of the Phone app.

Introducing Your Solution: Phone App and Phone Helper

Amidst these changes, we introduce the solution: the Phone App for call recording and Phone Helper for Android 10 and above devices. Here's why they're your ultimate answer:

1. Phone App: For Android users on versions 7-9, the Phone App delivers real two-way call recording, including compatibility with Bluetooth and headphones. There's no need for additional apps - the Phone App has you covered.

2. Phone Helper: For Android 10+ users, Phone Helper is the key. It facilitates silent audio recording using the Accessibility Service API, offering genuine two-way call recording, complete with support for Bluetooth and headphones. If you're on Android 10+, Phone Helper is your go-to solution. In conclusion, call recording is a valuable asset, and with the Phone App and Phone Helper, you can unlock its full potential. Experience automatic and reliable call recording, customizable options, efficient storage, and effortless playback. Download these trusted Android apps and transform your call recording journey today. Need the best solution for phone call recording on your Android device? Take control of your phone calls and choose our Phone Call recording App.

👉Join the Network - Discover Our Call Recorder App : Play Store Link : https://bit.ly/call-recordering Website : https://www.callrecorder.cloud/

[srkjngm]

Define Goals Choose the primary features you'd like to have: recording audio, playingback, file management, sharing, etc.

market Research Review existing voice recorder applications to discover features, User Interface (UI) and the potential issues.For more information please read cost to build a voice recorder app.

Find the target audience. Learn who is likely to be using your application and customize features and layout to suit.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

An Epic antitrust loss for Google

A jury just found Google guilty on all counts of antitrust violations stemming from its dispute with Epic, maker of Fortnite, which brought a variety of claims related to how Google runs its app marketplace. This is huge:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/11/technology/epic-games-google-antitrust-ruling.html

The mobile app store world is a duopoly run by Google and Apple. Both use a variety of tactics to prevent their customers from installing third party app stores, which funnels all app makers into their own app stores. Those app stores cream an eye-popping 30% off every purchase made in an app.

This is a shocking amount to charge for payment processing. The payments sector is incredibly monopolized and notorious for its price-gouging – and its standard (wildly inflated) rate is 2-5%:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/04/owning-the-libs/#swiper-no-swiping

Now, in theory, Epic doesn't have to sell in Google Play, the official Android app store. Unlike Apple's iOS, Android permit both sideloading (installing an app directly without using an app store) and configuring your device to use a different app store. In practice, Google uses a variety of anticompetitive tricks to prevent these app stores from springing up and to dissuade Android users from sideloading. Proving that Google's actions – like paying Activision $360m as part of "Project Hug" (no, really!) – were intended to prevent new app storesfrom springing up was a big lift for Epic. But they managed it, in large part thanks to Google's own internal communications, wherein executives admitted that this was exactly why Project Hug existed. This is part of a pattern with Big Tech antitrust: many of the charges are theoretically very hard to make stick, but because the companies put their evil plans in writing (think of the fraudulent crypto exchange FTX, whose top execs all conferred in a groupchat called "Wirefraud"), Big Tech keeps losing in court:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/03/big-tech-cant-stop-telling-on-itself/

Now, I do like to dunk on Big Tech for this kind of thing, because it's objectively funny and because the companies make so many unforced errors. But in an important sense, this kind of written record is impossible to avoid. Any large institution can only make and enact policy through administrative systems, and those systems leave behind a paper-trail: memos, meeting minutes, etc. Yes, we all know that quote from The Wire: "Is you taking notes on a fucking criminal conspiracy?" But inevitably, any ambitious conspiracy can only exist if someone is taking notes.

What's more, any large conspiracy involving lots of parties will inevitably produce leaks. Think of this as the corollary to the idea that the moon landing can't be a hoax, because there's no way 400,000 co-conspirators could keep the secret. Big Tech's conspiracies required hundreds or even thousands of collaborators to keep their mouths shut, and eventually someone blabs:

https://www.science.org/content/article/fake-moon-landing-you-d-need-400000-conspirators

This is part of a wave of antitrust cases being brought against the tech giants. As Matt Stoller writes, the guilty-on-all-counts jury verdict will leak into current and future actions. Remember, Google spent much of this year in court fighting the DoJ, who argued that the company bribed Apple not to make a competing search engine, paying tens of billions every year to keep a competitor from emerging. Now that a jury has convinced Google of doing that to prevent alternative app stores from emerging, claims that it used these pay-for-delay tactics in other sectros get a lot more credible:

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/boom-google-loses-antitrust-case

On that note: what about Apple? Epic brought a very similar case against Apple and lost. Both Apple and Epic are appealing that case to the Supreme Court, and now that Google has been convicted in a similar case, it might prompt the Supremes to weigh in and resolve the seeming inconsistencies in the interpretation of federal law.

This is a key moment in the long project to wrest antitrust away from the pro-monopoly side, who spent decades "training" judges to produce verdicts that run counter to the plain language of America's antitrust law:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/13/post-bork-era/#manne-down

There's 40 years' worth of bad precedent to overturn. The good news is that we've got the law on our side. Literally, the wording of the laws and the records of the Congressional debate leading to their passage, all militate towards the (incredibly obvious) conclusion that the purpose of anti-monopoly law is to fight monopoly, not defend it:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/14/aiming-at-dollars/#not-men

It's amazing to realize that we got into this monopoly quagmire because judges just literally refused to enforce the law. That's what makes one part of the jury verdict against Google so exciting: the jury found that Google's insistence that Play Store sellers use its payment processor was an act of illegal tying. Today, "tying" is an obscure legal theory, but few doctrines would be more useful in disenshittifying the internet. A company is guilty of illegal tying when it forces you to use unrelated products or services as a condition of using the product you actually want. The abandonment of tying led to a host of horribles, from printer companies forcing you to buy ink at $10,000/gallon to Livenation forcing venues to sell tickets through its Ticketmaster subsidiary.

The next phase of this comes when the judge decides on the penalty. Epic doesn't want cash damages – it wants the judge to order Google to fulfill its promise of "an open, competitive Android ecosystem for all users and industry participants." They've asked the judge to order Google to facilitate third-party app stores, and to separate app stores from payment processors. As Stoller puts it, they want to "crush Google’s control over Android":

https://www.epicgames.com/site/en-US/news/epic-v-google-trial-verdict-a-win-for-all-developers

Google has sworn to appeal, surprising no one. The Times's expert says that they will have a tough time winning, given how clear the verdict was. Whatever this means for Google and Android, it means a lot for a future free from monopolies.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/12/12/im-feeling-lucky/#hugger-mugger

[cheritzteam]

[The Ssum] Season 2 <Love from Today> & New Ssumone “June” Update!

Hello, dear lab participant!

Season 2 of <The Ssum>, <Love from Today> update has been completed.

Don't forget to claim the server maintenance reward of 10 Aurora Batteries, available for 3 days! *Claim your reward by: ~ October 21st, 2023 (KST)

[Download the new <The Ssum>] ♥ iOS: https://bit.ly/3oMM81e ♥ Android: https://bit.ly/3poKHTJ

For lab participants wondering what changed with the Season 2 update, we've summarized the highlights of this update below.

Please check it out and use it as a guide for your love research!

< ① Meet “June,” the First Ssumone of Season 2! >

You now have access to the new Ssumone “June” with this update! He's been waiting for you for a long time… 2 years!

Will you join June on his journey out of his little world and into a bigger one? This journey includes an unlimited supply of June's love♡

In version 2.0, you will be able to chat and call June for a total of 30 days, and the rest of his story will be added in future updates.

If you're currently matched with someone else, tap the Profile button on the main screen. Tap the arrow button next to your current match's profile picture to match with someone else.

*Chats with your current match will not be deleted and can be continued when you reconnect. When reconnecting, please note the time of your last chat so that you don't miss any chats/calls. *When you match with a new Ssumone, you will need to change your Ssumone at your wake-up time to ensure that all Day 1 chats can take place.

< ② An even more adorable and cuter UI! >

As part of our Season 2 update, we have revamped some of our UI along with the <The Ssum> logo.

Head on over to the app and check out the new design that reflects all the excitement!

List of UI redesign content:

App Entry Screen

Prologue

Voice Call Screen (Season 2 Ssumones only)

Loading Screen

< ③ Let's talk face to face! >

Have you ever missed your Ssumone and realized that a voice call just doesn't cut it? 

Now you can have a face-to-face conversation with your Ssumone via video call!

Don't miss out on all the different facial expressions and small gestures that show your Ssumone's emotions.

*Only some calls will have video; the rest will be regular voice calls. *Video calling is currently only available with June.

< ④ Free roam the Infinite Universe! >

Vanas, Mewry, Tolup….

Teo's and Harry's chats used to have seasonal planets assigned to them.

Starting in Season 2, Ssumones' chats will not be assigned a seasonal planet. Instead, the day's energy attributes will activate the corresponding Seasonal Planet's influence.

This gives you more freedom to explore the Infinite Universe!

You can see which energy day it is by tapping the heart button next to the Day display on the main screen.

List of contents affected by Energy Day:

Chat theme (automatic change can be turned ON/OFF in game settings)

Chance to craft Seasonal Planetary Frequencies when using the Emotion Incubator (increased chance of crafting planetary Frequencies for the season)

Chance to encounter regional creatures when opening a creature box in the Anti-gravity Chamber (increased chance of encountering regional creatures for the season)

Loading Screen UI

*Researchers matched with Teo and Harry will also have free exploration mode enabled starting with Chat Season 9, which will be released in a later update.

< ⑤ PIU-PIU Feature Update! >

We've improved the "I Can See Your Voice" feature that records and delivers conversations that happen around your Ssumone in real-time.

Instead of simply displaying the name of the person doing the talking, we've added a profile picture for each person so you can understand the flow of the conversation more intuitively.

*Please take note: PIU-PIU will omit profile pictures of people it deems are not important!

This feature was added to June's chat as well as Teo and Harry's, so if you were matched with either of the latter, we encourage you to check out their previous chats to see some familiar(?) faces♡

We're also celebrating the Season 2 update with events you won't want to miss!

Check out the details here: (link)

We hope this post was helpful to you with your love research.

If you have any further questions, please contact The Ssum Support Center!

Thank you for your support and interest in <The Ssum: Love from Today>. We will do our best to deliver more exciting content in the future.

Thank you.

-Cheritz-

[thatskindarough]

Oh it was only 3 actually, counting that one animatic on YouTube (that BTW i had no idea was yours! I was pleasantly surprised <3)

And I found it so funny that you have somewhat an idea of who I might be PFFF you can throw the guess, it would be funny if you get it right (don't have to say my name if you don't remember it, you can just go for something you remember NFKDSJ)

also time for an actual question since i'm already here, what program did you used for the animatic? I've always wanted to get into animating but most softwares cost money or are free but really bad so I could use some recommendations 👀

Good to hear there is no imposter lol. I should probably start using the false pfp so people know it’s me but I’m too lazy to change them all 💀 also my guess was right as to who you were but probably mainly because I put on my Aziraphale detective hat and you were the last notification before the ask inbox notification and your icon had a red beanie. We meet once again.

As for the animatic I used procreate for drawing and capecut for composting. Not the most efficient method but I liked it. I ended up segmenting off each camera angle into a different canvas and making any animation for the shot that way. I love capecut because the free version has every editing function you need for an animatic and the watermark only appears as a black screen at the end so it’s so easy to crop out. It’s probably the best free editing software I’ve found. (I also used a screen recording device to record the audio cause even if you buy a song it sometimes doesn’t allow you to put it in the program.)

I honestly recommend procreate if you have a device that supports it. I think it’s still only a 10 dollar onetime purchase. But if you don’t have a device that supports it, I have used things like flip a clip which is free, and the paid version is pretty cheap. I have also dabbled in an app called rough animate, also free (you don’t have to pay for the onion skins) which was also okay. I got frustrated cause of the lack of brush choice but other than that it’s not bad at all. If you can’t pay anything at all I’d recommend this because, unlike flip a clip, you don’t have to pay to unlock the a lot of the really helpful features. Ibis paint also added an animation feature I think so that’s an option. Idk if you need the paid version for it, but I remember only having to watch ads for a minute to unlock all the brushes so maybe it’s the same for the animation feature lol.

If you have a computer set up, I’ve also heard nice things about Krita for animation. It’s free and from what I remember it had a really good timeline set up. I actually tried to use it, but my computer at the time was old and slow and it lagged to much, and then I had a shitty no screen tablet and my hand eye coordination when it came to drawing and writing is quite bad, so it just wasn’t a good set up for me personally. But I know people make it work. I mean, people make this kinda shit in MS paint, if you’re dedicated enough you can technically do it in almost any program (though you may not be able to make it as polished as you’d like.)

Then there is Clip Studio Paint, which does cost money but is way less expensive than like, harmony or adobe. The EX version which gives you a second of free animation per project is a $5 monthly subscription for once device, PC MaC IOS, and the Pro version (which is more expensive) gives you unlimited animation animation access for I believe around 10 -15 dollars a month (still less than most streaming services lol). There’s also a one time purchase version that is $50 dollars, but it goes on sale A LOT for $25! Although I don’t think it gives you more than a second of animation. CSP also has a very long free trial period, for EX it was legit like 3 months. so if you try it out and like it, I’d definitely suggest finding a way to pay for it. It’s actually used in some professional studios in Japan, so if you have any professional aims for your work it’s a good starting platform to get into industry software. However a lot of the nice things CSP offers for animation are not needed in the story boarding/animatic stage, so if that’s as far as you wanna take your animations it maaaaaaay not be worth it unless you love it.

If anyone else has other cheap or free recommendations feel free to add on. I have attempted to make animatics on procreate, rough animate, and flip a clip; all of which I have uncompleted projects on. It just so happens that procreate is what I was using when I finally made an animatic I liked enough to see until completion. Whatever software you do use, just make sure you learn how to use it before attempting a big project. Do some smaller stuff before you try anything big.

Edit to check the comments! We got other good recommendations for computers!

[vwbugggie]

Idk what to call this- tip maybe???

If I’m gonna do a method nine times out of ten it’s gonna be the lucid dream method. Unfortunately in the last couple months I stopped being able to lucid dream?? Before I discovered shifting I used to do lucid dream I feel like a few times a month, then I started trying to use it for shifting and at first I could make a portal but nothing would happen I’d just go to another dream (yes I tried affirming that I was going to wake up in my DR) and then slowly I lost the ability to go lucid/ use the lucid dreaming method? Either I wouldn’t go lucid at all or I would recognize I was dreaming for like two seconds and then carry on with the dream. It got to the point where I was beginning to think that I wasn’t going lucid at all and it was just a part of my dream. Then I saw a tiktok (don’t remember who made it, but it was talking about subliminals vs spoken affirmations with no music over them) talking about an app called Parrot, essentially it’s a voice recorder app that will play the recording until you stop it, it’s free (on IOS idk about others) so I decided to download it and try it out. And let me tell you it’s been so helpful!!!! I had my first lucid dream in months where I was actually lucid and I made a portal! This was a few days ago and I didn’t shift, but progress is progress! Anyway I just thought this could help someone, if y’all have any thoughts please let me know!

[hacked-by-jake]

Reddit Interview with Everbyte

-> On the occasion of Duskwood’s third birthday, Everbyte and the moderators of the r/Duskwood Reddit community came up with the idea of making an interview as a special.

I thought it would be nice to share the interview here for those who don’t have and use Reddit. However, if you have a profile there, make sure you go to the post and like and maybe leave a comment as a thank you for the effort.

Again: I have no rights to the interview and I just share it, all credits go to the Reddit moderators and Everbyte!

-> Here is the link again!

And now, let's go!

Who is Everbyte? How did you meet? Where did everything start? Introduce yourself!

Hello reddit! We’re Vanessa, Jan & Kevin better known as Everbyte. We first met at university where we studied media informatics. In 2016, we started to release games on Google Play and the iOS App Store. Most of them were kind of experimental and none of them has been successful. However, we’ve learned a lot with every project and kept improving. Then, Duskwood happened. Since the release of Episode 1, we didn’t do anything but workon Duskwood, for two and a half years straight.

What would you say were your main influences (be it video games, books, movies…) for making Duskwood?

We’re living in a small town surrounded by dense forest… sounds familiar, right? It is a two minute walk from our office to the edge of the Blackforest - which basically looks like a fantasy movie. This obviously inspired and influenced Duskwood a lot. Another influence worth mentioning is various works by Stephen King. Vanessa, our author, is a big fan.

Where does the idea of the legend come from? Did it maybe sprout from a real legend in your (home)town?

When Vanessa was a child, she was often told stories by her grandmother. These stories were passed down from generation to generation and were often scary or even cruel. Not the best bedtime material for kids, but Vanessa and her granny loved them. The legend in Duskwood is made up and is not based on facts … or is it?

Were characters based on anyone you know?

No, not directly. However, we would enjoy hanging out with them and hoped that others would enjoy their company as well.

Did you ever think you would end up casting your family, at the start of development?

We had absolutely no budget at all. So hiring professional actors was no option, but we were convinced we needed real people for Duskwood. We ended up making a list of friends and family members that we could see in each role and started calling them one by one. Luckily everyone agreed. We think they did very well!

What character do you resemble the most?

We sit in front of our PCs as much as Jake does. We enjoy good food as much as Cleo. We (try to) crack jokes like Richy. We sometimes cross a line in order to achieve our goals just like Lilly does … it depends on the situation.

Did you have any experience in film-making, directing and editing before Duskwood?

We studied media informatics, so this kind of stuff wasn’t completely new to us. However, having heard of things in theory and doing them is quite a big difference. The production quality has gone up a lot since episode 1, as we learned on our way up to episode 10.

How complex was it recording media in two languages?

Not complex at all - at least not for us. Our actors however are not used to speak English in daily life so they struggled quite a bit. We’re happy our players are a bit forgiving in this area.

Can you tell us roughly how many people were involved in helping with the development throughout the process, in addition to you three?

We usually cover the whole development process on our own. This goes from writing, programming, video- and audio editing, graphic design to support emails. We still do everything ourselves. An exception was the ending scene of episode 10 where we worked with a film crew of 8 additional people as the sets were quite complex.

What was the most challenging thing you faced during development?

This is hard to answer as there is quite frequently something that sets a new standard. Game development is quite demanding as everyone in our small team has to fulfill many roles. Needless to say, you can’t be an expert in every field, so usually one big challenge is followed by another.

What really takes it out on us are problems that occur during the release of a new episode. On release day of a new episode, it is almost guaranteed that problems arise, whether it is a bug in the game or something server-related. The fact that there is hundred thousands of people looking forward to this particular moment and are now unable to play (or worse) hits us different. These problems need to be solved asap under heavy pressure. These days always leave marks.

What is something about the game you are most proud of?

If we need to nail it down to one thing, it is the community. We’re blown away by how many people gather online and share their theories, thoughts, drawings, songs, memes, fan fiction, love letters, … you name it. We’re especially proud of how cohesive and supportive the community is.

What made you realize that Duskwood was taking off?

At first we started to see unusual increases in downloads, followed by many more emails than usual. Players started to send in suggestions and wishes, or simply messages to let us know how much they enjoyed the game. Our social media channels (like instagram) blew up and we started to receive written letters and gifts from all around the world. It is very touching for us to see how many people enjoy Duskwood, which is a huge motivation for us. Thank you!

Were you expecting such a response and the creation of big communities around the game?

No. Never. Some of you might have read the post Vanessa did a while ago on her instagram (@hen_with_pen). We were very close to giving up on our dream of making games. No one cared for what we did, let alone supported our developments by purchasing something. We couldn’t pay our bills and it was very obvious that we couldn’t afford making games any longer. Duskwood was basically our last attempt. However, Duskwood players were different. They showed their support in many ways and encouraged us to continue. None of us expected this and we’re very thankful for that - as we already said, the community is what we’re most proud of. It’s beyond our wildest dreams and we’re still not 100% convinced this isn’t just a dream.

What was it like for you and for the actors to notice that you had so many fans all around the world?

We’ve not been able to travel a lot in our lives unfortunately. And even for people who do travel a lot, there are too many places to be able to visit them all. However, most places have at least one Duskwood player, which kind of connects all of us. The world has gotten a lot smaller - in a positive way.

Did you feel under pressure when you noticed that the game was getting more popular? Were you afraid of disappointing the fans, somehow? If so, did the pressure have a positive impact in the end?

Yes, the pressure was quite extreme and hard to handle, not only psychologically but also physically. We’ve worked for two and a half year straight without major vacation. This can be quite difficult, especially when creativity plays a big role.

With each episode, we tried something new in order to keep Duskwood interesting and pushing the boundaries of the genre. If you experiment in such a way, there is always a chance to fail and disappoint. But it is a necessary risk to take if you want to surprise even the most hardened detectives ;)

Do you remember reading theories that came extremely close to your story? What was your reaction?

We love it when this happens! It is definitely more of a ‘proud moment’ than a ‘bummer moment’. It has always been important to us, for the story to be comprehensible. However, we would like to note that this can also apply to theories that are far from the truth. As a detective, you have to make hypotheses, and being wrong is part of it. Some of the wrong theories are so detailed and well thoughtout that they impress us just as much.

How do you feel now that the game is finished? Most of the community (on reddit, at least) has been in a weird grief-like state. Is it the same for you?

When Duskwood was finished, it really shook us up. It was a bit like losing a good friend. We felt empty. It really helped that we started working on our next game right away. The desire to fill this void helped us to nail the important things, like feelings, atmosphere etc., especially in the early conceptual stages. We are very happy with the current progress, and the fact that it shares the same universe makes it already feel like home. We know everyone is on the edge of their seats and ready to play, but good games need time - there is no shortcut. We want to develop a successor that everyone agrees can follow in Duskwood's footsteps.

[who-do-i-know-this-man]

Oh boy, never expected to see a Devil Survivor character in here which means it’s anti-propaganda time. I cannot help myself.

The character I’m talking about in question is Kazuya Minegishi, who’s actually the protagonist of the first game. He’s actually a blank slate character like his spiritual successor, Hibiki Kuze, but this just means that you get to play the games entirely projecting yourself onto them. The Devil Survivor series was a Shin Megamind Tensei spinoff series created for the DS family line. While it’s absolutely a fan favorite when it comes to MegaTen/ Persona fans, the games unfortunately aren’t well known outside of the fandom which is honestly a DAMN shame because it’s not for lack of trying.

The first game is about trying to survive the next seven days inside of a city-wide lockdown. Thanks to a modified device called a COMP, you and your party (fortunately or unfortunately) have been given the ability to summon demons in an effort to survive against much stronger demons. While that’s already bad enough, you also have gained the ability to see a person’s “death clock”, the exact day that a person will die.

No one in the quarantine’s death clock is larger than seven days.

Several party members include: A cosplay idol, a local gang member, an elementary school tutor, the daughter of the cult leader that probably started this whole mess, and a demon that joined your party to help protect weaker demons because he became inspired after you saved his life.

Objectively the first game is the better out of the two, but the second game in my opinion is absolutely a worthy successor. Your character is convinced by his best friend, Daichi (voiced by Ben Diskin), to put an app on his phone that will send him the occasional creepy video of one of his friends’ death. Things stop getting funny after you each get separate videos of the both of you dying in the same train accident, alongside another girl named Io. Sure enough, minutes later a terrible earthquake happens and the only way to survive is to use the app to make a contract to be able to summon demons (hilariously, you can get a game over here if you keep selecting the no option, forcing you to start the game completely over).

You must survive the next seven days while having to battle a new threat each night- a massive demon belonging to a group of stars in the Ursa Major constellation known as Septentriones. Also the protagonist of this game is repeatedly called “Shining One” and is. Maybe the reincarnation of the Devil depending on how you interpret the story?

Both games each got a sort of remastered sequel a few years after they both came out, with a different route that made each game twice as long. They’re called “Overclocked” and “Record Breaker” respectively. They’re good games and you should play them.

^

[duckprintspress]

Round Table: What Software Do You Find Helpful for Your Writing Process?

We asked our authors what software helps them write - and got a range of answers! 

Contributors: Adrian Harley, B. T. Fish, D. V. Morse, not-gwaenchanha, theirprofoundbond, Tris Lawrence, unforth

*

Discord 

Tris Lawrence: Lately Discord is becoming critical because that's how I'm making notes for my series bible with a combination of private folders and channels to split out information

(B. T. Fish +1, unforth +1)

Evernote

not-gwaenchanha: I use Evernote for all the ideas, makes them easy to sort. One notebook (or even a notebook stack) per WIP. It lets you interlink notes, use tags to sort stuff. It also has a webclipper browser extension which lets you copy websites or parts of them straight into the notebook which is super helpful for research. Free version can be used on two devices.

Image from the Evernote website...they didn't have anything writing-related, apologies.

Google Suite (G Docs, G Sheets, G Keep)

Hermit: Gdoc for me because my writing tends to happen on my couch/at the coffee shop and thus on my phone a lot (I am totally the person who brings a wireless mechanical keyboard to the coffee shop). I also make use of Google Keep for research notes. And a notebook with some frixion pens.

D. V. Morse: At the moment, I'm tracking things in Google Sheets, which is great (except there's a lot of functionality from Trello that I'm missing).

not-gwaenchanha: I use gDocs to write, mainly because I don't have to worry I'll lose everything if technology decides it hates me, but it also allows me to write from my phone and easily share with my beta. Google keep is where all the "darlings" go when I kill them a.k.a scraps of text that are good but don't fit. It's got a nice integration with google docs, you can send stuff there straight from the doc from the context menu and then move all the scraps into one "scraps" doc 

(unforth +1, theirprofoundbond +1, Adrian Harley +1)

Microsoft Word

Adrian Harley: I have been using the same laptop since 2012, and when the hard drive gave out in 2020, my independent computer repair shop was kind enough to reinstall the 2010 versions of Microsoft Office so I didn't have to pay a subscription for them. It's what I'm used to. The "styles" function lets me find chapters easily, and it's easy for me to leave comments for myself when I see an issue and don't want to resolve it right at that moment. I think the free Microsoft Word, whatever they're calling it, has those basic features too, though I'm not positive.

(unforth +1)

Miro (formerly RealTimeBoard) 

not-gwaenchanha: it’s an endless white board. Great for visual plotting. You can put in sticky notes, tables etc. I also like to upload images to it to make a private moodboard for the story.

Image is from the Miro website.

Notes App (IOS, Android)

Adrian Harley: I prefer to use the Notes app on the go. It's just as easy as Google Drive, it doesn't freak out if I'm not connected to the internet, and I have to copy and paste the text from any portable software to my document record of choice anyway. 

(B. T. Fish +1, unforth +1)

Notion

theirprofoundbond: There is a desktop version and an app, with syncing between both. You can use it for writing but I prefer Google Docs for that. Instead, I've built myself a wiki, basically. My "Writing HQ" contains: current editing projects; word count table to track my daily word counts; gallery of my WIPs, which is pretty and motivating, and each "card" contains metadata and promotional info for each project; calendar for my posting schedule; and a gallery of completed work. Notion is incredibly customizeable with great documentation to help you get your head around all the possibilities. It'd be a great home for a worldbuilding bible, too, I think!

(B. T. Fish +1)

Scrivener

unforth: I use Scrivener for organizing my notes and research, its flashcard system is great for that.

Tris Lawrence: I live and die by a combination of Scrivener and Sprinting. Scrivener was the first piece of software I found that works the way my brain works, from the scrap documents to writing in the margins to index cards, and being able to organize it roughly but have it export pretty when I need it.

D. V. Morse: The main software I use is Scrivener, right up until it's time for critique/beta reading. Then everything goes into GDocs. I've experimented with mind-mapping apps with variable results.

Adrian Harley: Scrivener was incredibly helpful for my novella when I decided to turn it into a novel. It let me keep track of different drafts by chapter, so I could note which versions my writing group had already looked at. It also was easy to add in the "flashback" narrative that I've interspersed throughout the book.

Image from the Scrivener website.

SmartEdit Writer (formerly Atomic Scribbler)

B. T. Fish: It's a free word processor that has all the functions of Scrivener that I need and none of the confusing extras, is default dark mode, tracks my word count by scene and by entire project, and allows me to document and organize my writing projects from one-shots to novel length works. I use Discord for collaboration and have occasionally used Notion to organize writing prompts and story bible information, but most of that I also keep in Smart Edit, so it ends up being a bit redundant.

Image from the SmartEdit Writer website.

Spotify and Pandora:

not-gwaenchanha: because music helps my brain switch into the writing mode

unforth: I definitely use Pandora, music helps a lot

(theirprofoundbond +1)

Sprinto

Tris Lawrence: I cannot survive without a timer somewhere, because that's how I can force myself to focus in 20-30 minute spaces. 

StayFocusd

unforth: it's an extension that shuts off internet access for a specified amount of time, and it helped me not get distracted by All The Social Media. (I don’t use Chrome anymore, but when I did…)

@/porcupine-girl chimed in from the comments to mention that Leechblock is a similar extension for Firefox!

Trello

D. V. Morse: I've always loved Trello for organizing workflow and really need to get on that again. 

Tris Lawrence’s Word Tracking Spreadsheet

Adrian Harley: I have also tried a bunch of different software to track word count, because Number Go Up makes my brain happy. Can I recommend Tris's spreadsheet? That got me through a few months.

Tris Lawrence: I am slightly laughing that I didn't call out my own tracking spreadsheet. Probably because I've been SO focused on notes lately that I haven't gotten new words in uhhhh months. But obviously, yes, when writing I live and die by that as well! I love my charts. I loved the charts on the old NaNo site and wanted them year round. I wanted to be able to set goals and see how I was doing. I wanted to do comparisons. I wanted to see writing across weeks, months, and years, and it helped me learn that zero days and fluctuation were OKAY.

Image from Tris's 2022 spreadsheet blog post

*

What is your favorite software to use to help you write? We'd love to hear from you!

Have a question for us? Drop us an ask anytime!

Love what we do? Consider supporting us on Patreon or ko-fi.

Note that none of these comments should be interpreted as Duck Prints Press endorsing these products.

[lboogie1906]

Michael Leslie Winslow (September 6, 1958) is an actor, comedian, and beatboxer billed as The Man of 10,000 Sound Effects for his ability to make realistic sounds using only his voice. He is known for his roles in all seven Police Academy films. He has appeared in Spaceballs, Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie and Nice Dreams, The Love Boat, and commercials for Cadbury and GEICO.

He was born in Spokane, the son of Verdie and Robert Winslow. He grew up at Fairchild Air Force Base and attended the Lisa Maile School of Acting, Modeling, and Imaging.

His first television appearance was on The Gong Show in which he squeezed in sound-alikes of Benji the movie dog, Star Trek, and Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze”. Island Records released a 12” of Michael Winslow entitled “I Am My Walkman”. The song peaked at number 60 in Australia.

He presented the Best Sound Effects, Editing Oscar, to Charles L. Campbell and Robert Rutledge for their work on Back to the Future.

He is a motivational speaker. He has hosted the motion-picture television series called “Way Back Wednesday with Winslow”. He continues to perform stand-up comedy around the globe.

He debuted his iPhone and iPod Touch apps, bringing his sound effects and comedy to a mobile platform. That Kung Fu generates his kung fu fighting sounds when the device is swung in a fighting motion. NoizeyMan billed as the “World’s Noiziest App”, contains video, ringtones, sound effects, and mini-games, all created by him.

He worked with Orlando, Florida-based game development studio Phyken Media on a mobile game for iOS and Android platforms entitled Wizard Ops Chapter 1, providing all the sound effects for the game. He lent his voice to Wizard Ops Tactics, a turn-based tactical game and spiritual successor to the previous game.

He auditioned for America’s Got Talent. He had a guest appearance on the Talent Recap Show where he showed viewers how to make some of his signature noises.

He was married to Belinda Church (1985-93), he married Angela Baytops (1997-2001), and Sharon Winslow (2003-14). He has two children. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

#20yrsago Amazon discloses many reviews written by insecure, sniping writers https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/14/us/amazon-glitch-unmasks-war-of-reviewers.html

#15yrsago 700 comments tell the FTC “No DRM!” https://memex.craphound.com/2004/02/13/dd-to-be-reissued-by-wotc/

#15yrsago FTC gets an earful from the public on DRM, practically all of it anti- https://web.archive.org/web/20040314030944/https://www.gamingreport.com/article.php?sid=11796&mode=thread&order=0

#15yrsago Flashbake: Free version-control for writers using git https://memex.craphound.com/2009/02/13/flashbake-free-version-control-for-writers-using-git/

#10yrsago Self-published ebooks: the surprising data from Amazon https://memex.craphound.com/2014/02/13/self-published-ebooks-the-surprising-data-from-amazon/

#10yrsago Tell the IRS that mountains of DVDs are a stupid way to distribute public records https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL0E1-5IhYE

#5yrsago Tracking down Dick Davy, a mysterious “lost” comedian who once championed civil rights and antiracism https://stolendress.com/comedyonvinyl/episode-291-family-albums-episode-6-finding-dick-davy/

#5yrsago Chuck Schumer’s general counsel, once a Goldman Sachs lobbyist, won’t disclose the names of 95% of his former clients https://theintercept.com/2019/02/13/chuck-schumer-mark-patterson/

#5yrsago Burning Man purges one-percenter camp that charged up to $100K, littered like crazy, and ripped off its attendees https://journal.burningman.org/2019/02/philosophical-center/tenprinciples/cultural-course-correcting/

#5yrsago Ios and Android app stores both host Saudi government app that lets men track their spouses’ movements https://www.techdirt.com/2019/02/13/google-apple-called-out-hosting-saudi-government-app-that-allows-men-to-track-their-spouses-movements/

#5yrsago Blizzard/Activision celebrates record revenues by laying off 800 employees https://www.fanbyte.com/legacy/kiss-my-ass-activision-blizzard

#5yrsago Teen journalists profile each of the 1,200+ US children killed by guns since Parkland https://sinceparkland.org

#5yrsago Leak: Apple is demanding 50% of the revenue from its “Netflix for news” product https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/12/18222281/apple-news-subscription-service-50-percent-cut-publishers-media-deal

#5yrsago Phone scammer tried to con William Webster, the only person ever to serve as director of both the CIA and FBI: it did not go well https://www.washingtonpost.com/crime-law/2019/02/12/william-webster-ex-fbi-cia-director-helps-feds-nab-jamaican-phone-scammer/

#1yrato Obama's turncoat antitrust enforcer is angry about the Google breakup https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/13/the-last-man-to-die-for-a-mistake/#dont-let-the-door-hit-you-in-the-ass-on-the-way-out

[cheritzteam]

[The Ssum] The Ssum : Forbidden Lab Update (29/3 KST, v1.1.13)

Hello, dear lab participant.

You can now download the new version of &lt;The Ssum : Forbidden Lab>.

Google Play Store (Android) - link Apple App Store (iOS) - link

This update includes bug fixes, so you will receive 10 Aurora Batteries as Study Support upon accessing the game.

Make sure you access the Lab by the 1st of April 2023 (KST) to get your compensation! *You must collect your reward within 3 days.

-

The following are the details of the update we have received from the Lab.

[Feature Improvements]

> Carry out your studies with peace of mind, even when your special ssum-one is away!

Ever find yourself in the middle of a chat with your special ssum-one and they leave for an extended period of time? Now, when they return after being gone for more than 10 minutes, a dedicated notification will help you stay on top of new messages.

> Make sure you get that Special Call!

Have you unlocked a Special Call with your Aurora Batteries in chat? We've improved the UI so you can tell at a glance if the unlocked call is an incoming call or outgoing call - check out the color of the handset icon!

> Because details matter with your record with your special ssum-one!

Calls logged in the Milky Way Calendar can also be distinguished as incoming calls and outgoing calls by the icon’s color.

> From the Infinite Universe to the Main Screen!

Have you ever been in the middle of a study and suddenly wanted to meet up with Ssumone? We've added a home button that will take you straight to the main screen, so you can meet up with your Ssumone even if you're wandering the depths of the Infinite Universe.

> Commenting just got a little easier! 

You can now use the copy/paste feature in the Infinite Universe not only in the post, but also when writing comments. Enjoy a more convenient study experience!

> Let's immediately catch the culprit who interferes with writing!

Have you ever been frustrated by being warned that your content contains inappropriate words when nothing seems to be wrong? To address this issue, we've added the ability to index your posts for banned words.

> Rejoice, Legendary Comedians!

We've finally released a Trivial Feature just for our Legendary Comedians! If you haven't yet achieved Legendary Comedian status, why not hone your humorous skills further in the Mountains of Wandering Humor?

[Bug Fixes]

> I can’t log into The Ssum with my account…

An error that caused the app to crash when using social login was resolved.

> My chat completion level for Harry decreases by itself…

A bug that caused the completion levels for Harry’s current final bedtime chat to drop to 80% was fixed.

> I can’t replay our past chats in the Milky Way Calendar…

An error that blocked access to past chats after completing the current final Day’s chat of your special ssum-one was resolved.

[Others]

(Fixed) Your special ssum-one’s name shows in Korean on the loading screen after switching language settings from Korean to English.

Minor bugs were fixed.

-

We appreciate your reports and your activities as a part of the Lab.

Thank you.

-Cheritz-

[mightyoctopus]

Accessibility Review: Quran Apps

[ID: A banner reading, "Accessibility Review" next to the app logos for Quran, Quranic and QuranMajeed. /end ID]

Today I will be reviewing three iOS Quran apps for accessibility for the visually impaired and blind, especially large text support and screen reader accessibility. The apps are Quran, QuranMajeed and Quranic.

Quran

Let's start with Quran from quran.com -- if you want a straightforward app that offers the Quran in both Arabic and translated, as well as recordings of recitations, I would recommend this app. It has overall good accessibility and is completely accessible via screen reader (VoiceOver). All buttons are labelled and clickable, and both the Arabic text and translations are accessible. This app gains a full score on this metric. Alhamdulillah!

Quran also offers different font sizes, and the option to separately change the size of the Arabic and translated text. (So you can have one larger than the other.) While there is a good selection of font sizes, I would have still preferred if they had even larger Arabic.

Below you can see two screenshots, one with the smallest possible font and one with the biggest.

(All screenshots in this post were taken on my tablet, not my phone. The square "play" button in the bottom right corner is an accessibility widget and not part of the app.)

Dark mode is available.

QuranMajeed

Full disclosure, I don't really like this app, but I will try to stay objective. QuranMajeed is a very commercialized app with ads, a paid version, and lots of gadgets such as E-cards, Halal shop finder, and buttons that appear to be in-app but actually open your browser and redirect you somewhere else. It is a bit cluttered and not easy to navigate. However, it also has it's upsides. QuranMajeed supports very large fonts and even has the option to change to different fonts entirely. Dark mode and different background colors are available.

Below you can see two screenshots, one with the smallest possible font size and one with the biggest. (I chose a font that uses differently colored letters, but there is also uniform black.)

(Again, all screenshots in this post were taken on my tablet, not my phone. The square "play" button in the bottom right corner is an accessibility widget and not part of the app.)

The large text support is very nice and vital for accessibility, and I applaud QuranMajeed for giving this much support. I would have liked if it was possible to independently change the size of the Arabic and translation, though.

Now, onto the bad: QuranMajeed doesn't have screen reader support. At all. Many buttons are unlabeled and both the Arabic and translated text are invisible to VoiceOver.

There is an option called "Visual Quran" that pairs aesthetic images with Quran verses, and those verses are screen reader accessible, but it's not possible to turn the page with a screen reader, because you need to click and drag the page to turn it. So you can only ever read one verse. You'd have to turn your screen reader on and off constantly. (If anyone uses VoiceOver and knows how else to do this, please correct me.) The images also don't have alt text, and the text doesn't have different font size options.

[ID: A screenshot of the visual Quran option. One verse is shown in both Arabic and English, underneath a picture of a tulip. /end ID]

Personally, I don't really like QuranMajeed, but if you need larger font than what Quran has to offer and are fine with watching adds, you might want to check it out.

Quranic

Quranic isn't primarily a Quran reading app -- it's actually a language learning app for Quranic Arabic, but I'm putting it on this list because the latest update might be of interest for fellow VI people. It has three main options: lessons, exercises, and Quran. The latest update has brought dynamic text to the Quran section, and it's really really big.

I will put two screenshots below, one with the smallest and one with the biggest option:

Yes, you heard that right. That's the smallest font. I put it lower than 100%, and it's still larger than Quran's biggest font. It also shows a direct translation for each word, and then an overall translation for each verse. Darkmode is also available. If you want to sight-read the Quran using an app, this might be your best bet. It is, however, not screen reader accessible.

Conclusion

There are many Quran apps on the market with varying levels of accessibility. If you need screen reader access or only need moderately large text, check out Quran. If you need larger text, try Quranic. If you need large text but also want a recording of a recitation, you can give QuranMajeed a try.

Is there any other Quran app you'd like me to check out? Let me know!

[govindhtech]

Apple Intelligence powers iOS 18, iPadOS 18 & macOS Sequoia

Apple launched Apple Intelligence, the iPhone, iPad, and Mac personal intelligence system that uses generative models and personal context to provide highly valuable and relevant intelligence. Apple Intelligence permeates iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia.

It uses Apple hardware to comprehend and create language and graphics, act across apps, and use personal context to simplify and speed up daily chores. With Private Cloud Compute, Apple establishes a new benchmark for AI privacy by flexing and scaling computing power between on-device processing and bigger, server-based models on proprietary Apple silicon servers.

Apple Intelligence New Language Understanding and Creation Skills Apple Intelligence offers new ways to improve writing and communication. Users can rewrite, proofread, and summaries Mail, Notes, Pages, and third-party app content with new systemwide Writing Tools in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia.

Writing Tools boost confidence in writing by organizing class notes, proofreading blog posts, and perfecting emails. Apple Intelligence’s Rewrite feature lets users set a tone for their writing based on audience and task.

From perfecting a cover letter to injecting humour and creativity into a party invitation, Rewrite helps produce the proper words. Proofread evaluates grammar, word choice, and sentence structure and suggests modifications with explanations that users can review or quickly accept. Summaries can summaries text into a paragraph, bulleted points, table, or list.

While writing an email, a user can choose Proofread or Rewrite from the Writing Tools menu. The Summarize feature is selected in the Notes app for holistic health notes. In Mail, managing emails has never been easier. Priority Messages display urgent communications like dinner invitations and boarding passes at the top of the inbox. Instead than previewing the first few lines of each email, users can see summaries without opening them. Users can tap long threads to get relevant details. Smart Reply suggests rapid responses and identifies email questions to assure answers. Deep language understanding extends to notifications. Priority alerts display at the top of the stack to highlight what’s most important, while summaries assist users skim long or stacked alerts to see key facts on the Lock Screen, like ongoing group chats. Reduce Interruptions, a new Focus, highlights only urgent alerts like a nursery pickup SMS to help users stay focused. The Notes and Phone apps may capture, transcribe, and summarize audio. Participants are automatically notified when a call is recorded, and Apple Intelligence creates a summary to help recall key points after the call. The Notes app on iPad Pro can capture and transcribe audio. iPad Pro can summarize audio. Image Playground Enhances Communication and Self-Expression Fun Apple Intelligence enables innovative image creation to help consumers express themselves. Users may create amusing graphics in seconds using Image Playground’s Animation, Illustration, or Sketch styles. Images Playground is simple and embedded into apps like Messages. A separate software lets you experiment with different ideas and designs. Users can play with as many images as they wish because all images are made on device.

Users can choose from themes, costumes, accessories, and locales; provide a description to characterize an image; incorporate someone from their personal photo bank; and pick their favorite style with Image Playground.

Messages’ Image Playground lets users easily create amusing graphics for pals and explore personalized conversation-related themes. If a user messages a group about hiking, they’ll receive suggested concepts relating to their friends, destination, and activity, making image creation faster and more relevant.

iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 15 Pro demonstrates Messages Image Playground Image Playground presents the user’s mum as a superhero in iPhone 15 Pro Messages. In Notes, the new Image Wand in the Apple Pencil tool menu opens Image Playground, making notes more visually appealing. Users can generate beautiful graphics from rough sketches and even empty space utilising information from the surrounding region. Keynote, Freeform, Pages, and third-party apps that use the new Image Playground API also support Image Playground.

Genmojis Create Genmojis for Any Situation

Users can build unique Genmoji to express themselves. Typing a description displays their Genmoji and other options. Photos can be used to create Genmoji of friends and relatives. Genmoji can be used in texts or as stickers or reactions in Tapbacks like emoji. Genmojis are chosen for the prompt “Smiley relaxing wearing cucumbers.” In Messages, users can choose Genmoji Tapbacks.

New Photo Features Increase Control Apple Intelligence makes photo and video searching easier. Use natural language to find photographs like “Maya skateboarding in a tie-dye shirt,” or “Katie with stickers on her face.” Finding certain moments in clips to jump to the relevant segment improves video search. The new Clean Up tool can also remove background distractions without affecting the subject.

Memories lets users create stories by typing a description. Apple Intelligence will use language and picture understanding to select the finest images and videos based on the description, create a plot with chapters based on photo themes, and organize them into a movie with a narrative arc. Apple Music will even suggest songs based on memory. Apple and others do not access user photographs and videos, as with all Apple Intelligence features.

New Era for Siri Siri Siri becomes further integrated into the system using Apple Intelligence. With better English understanding, Siri is more natural, contextually relevant, and personal, simplifying and speeding up daily activities. It can track users’ stammering and preserve context between requests. Users can also type to Siri and switch between speech and text to converse as needed. Siri’s new look includes an exquisite flashing light around the screen while engaged.

Siri can now answer hundreds of iPhone, iPad, and Mac queries and provide device assistance anywhere. Mail app users can learn how to schedule emails and switch from Light to Dark Mode.

Siri will eventually understand and act on user content in more apps with display awareness. A buddy can text a user their new address in Messages and say, “Add this address to his contact card.”

Siri can do hundreds of new activities in Apple and third-party apps using Apple Intelligence. Siri will handle requests like “Bring up that article about cicadas from my Reading List” or “Send the photos from the Saturday barbecue to Malia.”

Siri will provide user-specific and device-specific intelligence. A user can say, “Play that podcast that Jamie recommended,” and Siri can find and play the episode without having to remember if it was mentioned in a text or email. Or they can ask Siri, “When is Mom’s flight landing?” and Siri will retrieve the flight data and compare them to real-time flight monitoring to give an arrival time.

Apple Intelligence must grasp deep personal context and respect user privacy to be helpful. Many Apple Intelligence models operate solely on device, a cornerstone of its processing. Privacy and security of Apple products are extended into the cloud to unlock greater intelligence for sophisticated demands that require more processing power.

Apple Intelligence can increase its computing capability and use larger, server-based models for difficult requests with Private Cloud Compute. Apple servers power these models, ensuring data is never retained or exposed.

Private Cloud Compute cryptographically prevents iPhone, iPad, and Mac from talking to a server unless its software has been publicly logged for scrutiny. Independent experts can analyze Apple silicon server code to verify privacy. Apple Intelligence with Private Cloud Compute redefines AI privacy, enabling trusted AI.

ChatGPT ChatGPT integrates across Apple platforms Apple is adding ChatGPT access to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, letting users leverage its expertise and image- and document-reading capabilities without switching tools. Siri can use ChatGPT’s knowledge as needed. After receiving inquiries, papers, and photographs from ChatGPT, Siri answers directly. An iPhone 15 Pro user tells Siri, “He have fresh salmon, lemons, tomatoes.” Help me create a 5-course feast with dishes for all tastes.” Siri on iPhone 15 Pro asks, “Do you want me to use ChatGPT to do that?” Siri displays ChatGPT results on iPhone 15 Pro. A bullet describes the first course, tomato and basil bruschetta. Apple’s systemwide Writing Tools will also include ChatGPT to let users write material for any topic. Compose users can use ChatGPT image capabilities to create graphics in many styles to match their content. ChatGPT users’ IP addresses are hidden, and OpenAI won’t store requests. Users who connect to ChatGPT must follow its data-use policies. GPT-4o-powered ChatGPT will launch later this year on iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. Users can access it for free without an account, while ChatGPT subscribers can connect their accounts and enjoy paid features from these experiences.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

[megalasaurus-rex]

As someone obsessed with Undertale, Deltarune, Omori, etc., I am constantly looking for indie games with similar vibes. The stylized pixelated art, meaningful choices, cute characters, and heartfelt messages for their audience. With this in mind, I would highly recommend the mobile game Afterplace. I usually wouldn’t recommend many mobile games, but this one was just made with so much heart. I hardly see anyone talk about it, but it has really stuck with me.

The game opens in a very Undertale-esque manner; the MC falls and lands in a pile of flowers in an unknown world. You are given a quick combat tutorial, and sent on your way. The game’s map is maze-like, and holds numerous hidden areas to discover and explore. The music is charming, with a sort of vintage video game feel from the almost vinyl record sound they hold. The game also saves automatically, so even if you have to take a call or close the app for some reason, you won’t lose any progress.

The cast of characters is rather small, but they worm their way into your heart immediately. From Clover, to Gramps, to Foxy, you’ll find adorable, but complex friends around every corner.

There’s a sweet variety of vibes in the game as well. There are open meadows and serene lakes for the whole peaceful, animal crossing vibe, but there’s also an abandoned, half-buried library, and a terrifying forbidden forest.

And while the game doesn’t have the same variety of endings my other favorite games have, there are a couple different endings you can get based on how well you explored the world. If you don’t explore it to its fullest extent, there are plot lines that won’t get wrapped up, or character arcs that won’t be fully realized. The game does seem to lack a certain amount of direction, as you don’t have a super clear quest log, and a lot of plot-relevant things can be a bit difficult to locate. But being forced to explore every corner of the world is one of the draws imo.

As of now, January of ‘24, the game only costs $7 on IOS. I binged it the first time in a little more than a weekend, and the game has IMMENSE replay value once you have unlocked its secrets.

I actually learned about the game through an Instagram story Griffin McElroy posted, recommending it. So if you don’t want to take my word for it, take his.

The link to the game’s official website: https://afterplacegame.com/simple.html

[wormflesh]

ok! I’m gonna talk about how to connect a joycon to android tablets to use for shortcuts with clip studio. This will also work with Krita. It’s fairly easy to do and I have a link on how to use it with windows and ios on the bottom of the guide.

 The joycon I got is a tiny 8bitdo zero, which just connects by bluetooth, there’s specific ways to connect to the different operating systems, and the instructions for each are in with it.

The apps you want to use for the keymapping are an open source key mapper one and the keyboard one that goes with it, I haven’t found any other keymapper that works or are easy to set up.

The keymapper will guide you through the setup, you’ll have to allow accesibility for it and recording keystrokes for it to work correctly, and the keyboard, you only have to toggle.

  Once you get the joycon connected, you open up the keymapper, follow the instructions to get it set up.

Once the keymapper is set up and your joycon connected, simply go to “record trigger” and press what you want your shortcut button to be. I keep mine all at short presses and only one shortcut per button because otherwise it might mess with other shortcuts. For example, I have my brush sizes linked to R1 and L1, and had the mirror horizontally as R1+R1, which would also increase my brush size every other press.

The arrow buttons only select things on the app, so I ignore them when it comes to mapping, but between the letters, shoulder buttons, start and select, I’m personally good with shortcuts.

After you have what you wanted recorded, go to the Add action, which takes you here:

There’s a bunch of stuff that it can do, but this is just for shortcuts, so we want the input text, and just type in the shortcut it’ll be for clip studio.

Toggling the keystroke recording and switching the keyboard will show up on your notifications and you just press them to turn them on and off. I also keep the little accessibility thing on the bottom menu bar (whatever you wanna call it)

The controller also works in Krita and the direction buttons do work, they show up as the button press so I don’t think you need the keymapper if you’re using this in krita. (but the letter buttons don’t work)

If there’s a different keymapping app that works well and is simple to set up, please share that as well!

a windows and ios guide can be found here: https://tips.clip-studio.com/en-us/articles/5773