#Repackaging modules

[forlinx]

🖥️ Learn how to enable virtual networking on Linux 4.1.15 with Forlinx's FETMX6ULL-C platform! Follow the detailed configuration methods for a seamless setup.

[prokopetz]

Doesn't Hasbro have a strong incentive to make a "lite" version of D&D with a pared-down paperback rulebook and sell it as a casual-friendly overpriced starter kit with a bunch of dice, figures, treasure cards, etc.? It could be a strict subset of the normal 5E rules (I guess - not that knowledgeable about TTRPG design). That way they could sell you all the same books. Seems like a slam dunk

Hasbro's present marketing strategy for Dungeons & Dragons is to try to position every D&D group as potential purchasers of every D&D product. Among other things, this is one of the main reasons that every campaign setting other than the Forgotten Realms is being repackaged as a series of tourist destinations for Forgotten Realms based campaigns to visit, and why there's been a strong move away from focused, topical sourcebooks and toward big, messy "book of everything"-style anthologies that consciously avoid focusing too much on any one type of character or campaign. It's also why the core books make a lot of noise about how wonderfully modular the rules are without actually providing any meaningful modularity in practice – if the game was designed to make it easy to pick and choose modular components, they'd risk fracturing the player base into distinct subsets with different preferred sets of modules.

All this in mind, it's fairly easy to see why there's currently no official "light" version of D&D. Under the paradigm of every single D&D group as a potential purchaser of every single D&D product, a version of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition that was actually, meaningfully simpler than the core product would function in practice as a competing game (what if people decide they like the simpler version better and just play that instead?), and the last thing you want is to compete with yourself. TSR learned that the hard way! With substantive simplification off the table, the only introductory version of Dungeons & Dragons Hasbro can offer is one with exactly the same rules which simply has less content, and tells people to buy the full version if they want more – which is exactly what they're selling in the various starter sets that are presently available.

[in-som-niyah]

"Come on princess, don't be like that. Give Red what he deserves..."

You are Red Hood's relief. Nothing more. Nothing Less.

Your bedside alarm clock displayed an ungodly time in the morning.

It was a cold night in Gotham, your apartment filled with a chill accompanied by a familiar emptiness. It was just you, after all, and you didn't really have anyone over.

This changed, however, when a certain masked vigilante came to you for help when he was bleeding. Knowing you were a medical professional, he decided to swing by for a stitch or two. Who were you to deny him?

How could you refuse the six foot something, broad shouldered, panting, limping man barely making it across your living room?

You decided to indulge your curiosity, because let's be honest here: If he wanted you dead, he would have made it so a long time ago.

One night became two, then three, then a month and now a few times a week.

You were always welcoming him with a fresh roll of gauze and a chilled bottle of spirits for the pain, since he refused to take anything else.

But it was more than just medical attention. It was the way his chest heaved, back muscles flexed and forearms tightened when you hit a particularly tender spot. It made another certain tender spot on you wet.

Scandalously so.

You tried to hide it by wearing dark underwear and pants to bed, but it didn't help; he had you squirming and squeezing your thighs together in no time.

And there was nothing you could do about it.

He unknowingly infiltrated your senses, his scent of sweat and musky body wash making you dizzy, his vice grip on your bedsheets when you cleaned his wounds making your knees weak.

You wanted him.

You wanted him bad.

On this particular chilly Gotham night, you might just get what you want.

A loud pair of feet landed on the hardwoods near your windowsill. Heavy, irregular, yet determined footsteps proceed into your bedroom, where you've prepared your ensuite for a battered and bleeding Hood.

"Quickly, in here." you rasped having been torn from a restless sleep.

"I'm comin' sugar. Someone's eager to see me huh?" the familiar teasing tone of his voice modulator replied.

"You're only allowed to make jokes when you're not bleeding on my floor, Hood" you shot back, followed by a playful scoff and a silent eyeroll.

However, that eyeroll might not have been so silent.

As Red Hood approached the bathroom doorframe, he caught a glimpse of your feigned annoyance in the mirror.

He sat down with a thud on your toilet, exhaustion invading his bones.

You made quick, wordless work of his belt and jacket, revealing his toned exterior and the scars littering it. You never mentioned his scars, for fear of making him uncomfortable but more so because you couldn't bear the thought of someone hurting him so much that it left such a vicious mark.

"Sweet girls like you shouldn't roll their eyes, it's rude" he huffs between pained groans.

You briefly still your hand, look up at him and quirk your brow as if to challenge him. Then, you roll your eyes right in his face. You have no idea what prompted this pettiness, but your thoughts were hazy and disorganized as you looked back down to continue cleaning and stitching his wounds.

Red Hood chuckled darkly and sighed as he felt you get back to patching him up after your little stunt.

He lolls his head to the side, as if to emphasize his astonishment at your smart comeback. He didn't take you for a fiesty one.

"Really doll?" he prompts.

You say nothing and continue with your bandaging.

"Hey. Look at me." He tries again, this time with a gentler tone.

Still, you ignore him and repackage the unused gauze for another guaranteed visit from him in the future.

You go to get up, but his hand presses your shoulder down and you stop, entirely oblivious to his intentions.

Finally, your eyes meet his mask.

Red can tell you're both making eye contact, which lasts an unusually long time. You both bask in the absence of awkwardness as you indulge in this tender moment.

Slowly, you move closer to him and reach a hand up to caress his helmet. You know he can't feel it, but it feels intimate and personal nonetheless. It is only until your fingers roam lower, toward the base of his helmet and lift, that one of his hands flies up to stop your own.

"Nuh-uh babydoll, the mask stays on" he spits sharply.

The vigilante shifts in his seat, and it's only then do you realize the growing tent in his pants.

Your eyes flick back up to his helmet and it is only now, that you realize you weren't alone in your inappropriate arousal.

Hood maintains the eye contact and brings his hands to your hips, as if asking for permission before taking the plunge.

Carefully, you move your hands down his naked torso, noting how his sore muscles twitch at your light contact.

"Fuck baby-"

A hiss escapes his concealed mouth when your hands ghost over his bulge. You knew this was wrong. You knew he should be gone to wherever he should be by now. Were there people looking for him? For Christ's sake was he a criminal?

Too many questions for a mind too far gone. You weren't thinking anything beyond how sticky the bottom of your panties had become, how puffy your lips had become from constant chewing, and the cool air ghosting over your sensitive nipples.

There's no going back.

While looking at him for confirmation, you begin to unzip his fly, then massage his length from his boxers instead.

A drawn out, desperate moan is exaggerated by his modulator as hood grinds his hips into your hand involuntarily.

"Don't tease me darling, you know what I want" he orders.

Normally, you would have slapped anyone that told you what to do, but here, it only made your sopping cunt beg for relief.

Mesmerized by his boldness and not wanting to keep him waiting, you pull him out of his boxers and kiss the tip. You're met with another whine and roll of his hips.

You begin to stroke him a few times, working him up just to give him his relief.

Just as he was about to speak again, you swallowed him from tip to hilt, making his words die on his tongue.

His body tensed and relaxed with every moan and heave as you began to bob your head up and down, taking him in full each time.

His hand flew in your braided ponytail to guide your head down his shaft the way he liked it, your tongue licking at his balls every time you went down.

"Shit- Want you to touch yourself pretty thing. Show me how those dainty fingers make you feel good"

Warmth shot straight to your core at that, but you were embarrassed to pull down your shorts and panties, and show him just how bad you wanted this.

You hesitated for a moment and pulled off his length. Stroking him with one hand and licking stripes up his shaft with your tongue, you managed to smile sheepishly in a weak attempt to refuse.

Though the heat between your legs was almost unbearable, your potential embarrassment was stronger.

Red Hood cocks his head and tuts in disproval.

"Come on princess, don't be like that. Give Red what he deserves..."

You looked up at him with glassy and desperate eyes, as if to ask if he really wanted to.

The strong hand in your braids comes down to cup your cheek and rub at the side of your mouth.

"Don't keep me waiting pretty girl, I ain't asking a third time" he rasps sternly. You knew better than to disobey.

Slowly, your removed your hands, earning a groan from him. You stood up and hooked your thumbs in between your panties and supple skin and began to pull down.

Embarrassment still clear on your features, the vigilante outstretched his hands and placed them on your plush hips, rubbing circles in your skin.

This silent encouragement prompted you to continue, until you felt the cool air brush against your exposed, puffy clit.

"So pretty" Red mumbles under his breath as the hands on your hips apply gentle pressure to get you back on your knees.

This is his turn to stand up, doing so with his angry red and leaking cock in his hand.

He held it out in silent offering to you, which you took gratefully, and resumed your earlier routine.

Subconsciously, your hand made its way down to your core and your fingers found purpose in rubbing tight circles on your clit. You moaned on his length at the contact, eliciting a pleasurable hiss from him.

You could tell his eyes were trained on the target between your legs even from behind the mask.

"That's it sugar...make yourself feel good for me...good fucking girl"

Your eyes rolled again at that as you increased your pace and suction. He wasn't going to last much longer.

Though you would have no way of knowing, Red was a true gentleman despite his nighttime activities. As a gentleman, he wanted you to cum before him.

"Faster pretty girl, come on, you can do that for me fuck-"

You gave a small nod and increased the speed between your legs. You began to focus on the feeling of your fingertips sending sparks throughout your body, but you weren't close enough.

As if a psychic, he pulled himself from your mouth and sat back down. Confused, the hand between your legs stilled, and your face beginning to pout.

Before you could protest his hands again found your hips and pulled them toward him. Your hands moved to find the back of his neck as the hooded man pulled you onto him to straddle his lap.

When his hands retreated, you whined in frustration at the lack of contact.

"Shhh pretty baby you'll get it" he cooed.

You began to rock your hips against him impatiently, but his strong hands stopped your movement. Before you could complain, his right thumb began to press circles into your core with full intent of making you cum.

"Ah-ah Red please-" you cried out, unable to take the sudden pressure and pleasure at the same time. You gripped his wrist, a weak attempt to get him to slow down.

"You can take it, yes you can princess" he replies. The cheeky bastard knows just how to make your pussy throb.

"Fuck- I'm gonna-... pleasepleaseplease" you blabber desperately nearing your peak. The pressure in your tummy growing and tightening, just waiting to snap.

The Red Hood pressed his shielded forehead to yours and whispered in a deep, modulated voice.

"'M right here pretty girl, cum for me. I know you need to. Let go."

The coil snapped with ferocity and left you screaming his name. Surely the old woman next door wouldn't appreciate it, but you didn't care. Not while he was here, making you forget about the world.

You gushed on his fingers, and he took this opportunity to pump himself to completion with your juices smeared over his shaft. He came with a low grunt and short pants.

After you came down from your high, you slowly and carefully eased yourself off of him, minding his bruises and sore muscles which he appreciated.

It was still ungodly early, your eyes beginning to close with sleep as you washed your hands in the sink.

He will never admit to you that he's never been more in love with you.

Instead, he stuffs himself back into his pants and brings you back to your bed.

Once you're situated under your duvet, you reach for his hand and weakly grasp his fingers.

"Stay?" You slur, barely holding onto your awake state.

He chuckles fondly, and you can almost see a blush under his helmet.

"Maybe another time doll."

[lonestarflight]

Cancelled Missions: Gemini Saturn V

-Concept Art, however this has a typo, as this is clearly the Saturn V.

"American manned lunar orbiter. In l LP late 1964 McDonnell, in addition to a Saturn IB-boosted circumlunar Gemini, McDonnell proposed a lunar-orbit version of Gemini to comprehensively scout the Apollo landing zones prior to the first Apollo missions.

Status: Design 1964. Gross mass: 11,182 kg (24,652 lb).

The lunar orbit version required an Agena stage to provide the delta-V for lunar orbit insertion and trans earth injection. The 1.52 m-diameter Agena was enclosed in an inverted conical fairing to both transmit thrust loads to the Gemini and provide thermal protection during the coast to the moon.

Alternatively, a propulsion module based on a repackaged Apollo Service Module propulsion system, as had been proposed two years earlier for a lunar-landing version of Gemini, could be used. This raised the translunar injection mass of the spacecraft to 11,182 kg, well above the capability of a Saturn IB or Titan III-C, but only a quarter that of a Saturn V. The launch vehicle was unspecified, but could only have been a Saturn V used on an early test mission. The mission profile would have involved a 68 hour flight from low earth orbit to lunar orbit, a 24 hour lunar mapping mission in a 10 nm x 80 nm lunar orbit, and a 68 hour return flight. The scientific equipment would consist of a modest camera array installed in the nose of the spacecraft. This consisted of a long focal-length telescope, to which were attached two narrow-field stereo mapping cameras, a wide field mapping camera, a panoramic camera, and two 16 mm film cameras. The film was not accessible by the astronauts, being stored in a film vault shielded against radiation in the nose of the spacecraft. The camera compartment would protrude from the stub nose of the Gemini after parachute deployment.

The manned portion was the same as the circumlunar version, a modified earth-orbit Gemini. The aft modules would be retained, but with the retrorockets removed. The retro module space would be used to install Apollo-type lunar distance communications, navigation, and test equipment. Deployable DSIF omni-directional and parabolic antennae would deploy from the aft modules to support lunar-distance communications. To handle re-entry from lunar distances, several modifications were necessary. The capsule's heat shield would be beefed up, and the Rene 41 corrugated shingles of Gemini's skin would be replaced with ablative shingles. The load of attitude control propellant for the capsule's reaction control system was substantially increased. Additional strap-down gyros and solar sensor packages would be added to provide navigation system redundancy. The ejection seats would be deleted and a Mercury-style launch escape tower added. The then-planned Rogallo wing recovery system would be used to glide to the Gemini to a runway landing on US territory after return from the moon. To handle the scientific payload, a camera compartment was added to the nose below the parachute/Rogallo wing housing. The Gemini spacecraft modified in this way had on on-orbit mass of 3955 kg as compared to the 3207 kg of the earth-orbit version.

Crew Size: 2. Habitable Volume: 2.55 m3."

-information from Astronautix.com: link

source, source, source

[dndhistory]

520. Frank Mentzer - I11: Needle (1987)

Essentially a repackaging of the adventure module that had been serialized in Polyhedron magazine starting with issue #24, back in 1984, Needle is originally, as all the modules published in Polyhedron, designed for competitive play. What does this mean? It means that a less than experienced party will very likely get their asses handed to them.

Your party is hired by a king to retrieve an obelisk that is in the middle of a jungle and, as you can imagine, that jungle is full of dangers, eventually if you are lucky enough to recover that obelisk you get to open a portal to another world and the dangers keep coming.

Competitive modules are usually merciless, they are designed to separate expert players and parties from more amateurish ones in the context of convention play events and this is reflected in the game. It easy to get a TPK, so tread carefully, but it is also a fun adventure, with Mentzer being generally a seal of quality for any module with his name stamped on it.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Canary Media:

Cleaning up the grid will require installing a lot of batteries to store renewable energy. Startup Element Energy has delivered a powerful proofpoint for a new way to do that more cheaply without sacrificing safety.

Element has been operating what appears to be the largest grid storage plant in the world composed of previously used electric vehicle batteries, co-founder and CEO Tony Stratakos told Canary Media last week. The 53 megawatt-hour project, which is located in West Texas at a wind farm owned by mega-developer Nextera Energy Resources, came online in May, but the startup is going public with the information now for the first time.

Previously, the largest second-life grid battery that Canary Media had reported on was B2U Storage Solutions’ project in Lancaster, California, which has grown to 28 megawatt-hours.

Element got its hands on a warehouse full of modules taken out of used EV battery packs, all in various states of health after their time pushing different cars around. The startup repackages them into containers operated by its proprietary hardware and software, which fine-tune commands at the cell level, instead of treating all the batteries as a monolithic whole. This enables the system to get more use out of each cell without stressing any so much that they break down or — worst-case scenario for a battery plant — cause a fire.

Element Energy is technically the battery vendor to the power plant’s owner. So far, no company has publicly taken credit for buying this innovative system from Element and installing it, though a Department of Energy grant announcement for the project describes it as a joint pursuit with Nextera, which happens to own the wind farm location where the batteries were installed.

Since Element isn’t in the business of power plant development, its strategy relies on leveraging the success of this first major installation to convince more storage developers to buy its lower priced, refurbished grid batteries instead of the brand-new variety.

Venture capitalists have doubled down on that strategy, handing Element a $72 million Series B last November, alongside a $38 million debt facility from Keyframe Capital. That followed a $15 million Series A in 2019. Stratakos also revealed that his company finalized a partnership with LG Energy Solution Vertech, the grid storage branch of one of the major global lithium-ion manufacturers. That much bigger company — which previously invested in Element through its venture arm — will take Element’s battery enclosures and supply the inverters and auxiliary equipment needed to make a turnkey power plant. LG will also provide operations and maintenance, alleviating the risks associated with buying a long-term grid asset from a young startup.

[theevolvingimportanceofmedic]

Content’s Industrial Revolution: Shaping the Future of Pharma

by Turacoz | Medical Publishing, Medical Writing

Communications

In a rapidly evolving digital ecosystem, the pharmaceutical industry’s relationship with content is undergoing a seismic shift. At the recent Reuters Pharma event in Barcelona, Dr. Namrata, Founder of Turacoz, led a thought-provoking panel discussion titled ‘Content’s Industrial Revolution’. The dialogue explored how content in pharma is undergoing a transformation driven by technology, collaboration, and an evolving mindset.

This transformation isn’t just about producing more content – it’s about producing smarter content that is personalized, compliant, and delivered at speed and scale. Here are the key takeaways that highlight how pharma companies can adapt to this revolution.

From linear to circular: Rethinking the content supply chain

Traditionally, the content supply chain in pharma has been linear – ideation, creation, review, and deployment. But the industry is waking up to a powerful realization: a circular content supply chain is the way forward. This means insights from content consumption must loop back into content creation.

It’s about listening, learning, and evolving continuously. When feedback and performance metrics inform the next content iteration, the result is more relevant, targeted, and effective communication.

Upfront partnerships: Shifting left in the review process

Another game-changing approach discussed in the panel was the concept of “shifting left” – engaging reviewers early in the content lifecycle. Instead of waiting until the end of the process for medical, legal, and regulatory (MLR) reviews, involving them upfront leads to fewer iterations and a higher rate of getting content right the first time. “Involving reviewers early and leveraging AI is no longer optional—it’s the only way to create content that’s both fast and flawless,” noted Dr. Namrata during the panel. This proactive alignment improves efficiency, saves time, and ensures clarity from the start.

AI and GenAI in Action: Smarter, Faster, Compliant

Nearly 80% of pharma companies are now embedding AI into their content workflows.1 The path forward lies in industrialization—standardizing content processes to eliminate duplication and reduce costs. This includes:

Tiered review systems based on content similarity

Modular content structures for reuse and recycling

AI-led automation for reference linking and claims validation

 These innovations reduce manual effort and error, speed up reviews and improve compliance and traceability.

Reduce, reuse, recycle: Sustainable content practices

Content sustainability is now a business imperative. Strategies like modular content creation, centralized digital libraries, and approved content recycling help reduce production time and content fatigue—while ensuring consistency across global teams.

Let’s break down what reduce, reuse, and recycle means in the pharma content world:

Reduce Minimize duplication by avoiding the creation of redundant content. Use centralized libraries and templates to streamline creation and approval processes.

Reuse Build modular content blocks that can be repurposed across different channels, regions, and campaigns. One approved module (e.g., a product description) can be reused in emails, websites, and brochures.

Recycle Refresh and repackage existing high-performing content instead of always starting from scratch. This ensures content stays relevant and reduces production time.

These sustainable practices improve efficiency, maintain global consistency, and cut down costs.

Mindset, toolset, and skillset: The three pillars of change

Technology is only part of the equation. To truly embrace this revolution, organizations need the right:

Mindset: Be curious, open to learning, and willing to fail fast

Toolset: Adopt tech that enables agility without sacrificing compliance

Skillset: Invest in training and upskilling teams for the future of content

Internal and external collaboration will be the glue that holds these pillars together ensuring that strategy, execution, and innovation move in sync.

Human + Machine: A balanced equation

While technology is a powerful enabler, the human touch remains irreplaceable. Keeping humans in the loop ensures contextual accuracy, emotional intelligence, and ethical responsibility especially critical in healthcare communications. The goal is to strike the right balance between automation and human oversight.

Final thoughts

As the content landscape shifts from volume to value, pharma companies need to focus on crafting impactful content that resonates with the audience. This means not just doing things faster but doing them better – with clarity, compliance, and compassion.

At Turacoz, we are proud to be at the forefront of this transformation, driving change that empowers our clients to communicate with precision and purpose. The content revolution is here—and we’re ready to lead it.

Ready to transform your content strategy? Connect with Turacoz to explore how we can help you scale smarter.

Reference:

Kudumala A, Konersmann T, Israel A, Miranda W. Biopharma digital transformation: Gain an edge with leapfrog digital innovation. Deloitte Insights. 2021 Dec 8. Available from: https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/life-sciences/biopharma-digital-transformation.html​

We’re social

info@turacoz.com

[arunachaluniversity95]

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What is a business administration course? 

Business administration is a program that is created to prepare people for various management roles in corporations. It combines all business functions, which are finance, marketing, personnel, operations, and strategic management. 

Best BBA College in Assam is a program that is mainly focused on the fundamentals of Business Administration at the undergrad level. It consists of such issues as accounting, economics, management principles, and organizational behavior. 

MBA (Master of Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree that deepens in business management by providing advanced expertise and skills. It includes leadership, strategic management, marketing, and finance, as well as niches like finance, marketing, or entrepreneurship.

MBA and Best BBA College in Assam programs emphasize the same skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills, that are the key to business success.  

The course structure of the MBA 

The MBA College in Assam program focuses on covering the fundamentals of finance, marketing, HR, operations, and strategy. This module will also comprise advanced-level courses with an emphasis on leadership, entrepreneurship, and other elected electives. During the whole program, students undertake case studies, projects, and internships to get practical knowledge and apply the concepts in real-world situations. 

The core concept behind this course is the fact that the critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills that are key to management and entrepreneurship are the main focus. 

What sets Arunachal University apart from others? 

Arunachal University of Studies, the Best College in Northeast India stands out in the MBA field through the combination of academic excellence, industry exposure, and successful placements. With a professional faculty team and a curriculum well in line with professional standards, the university offers a robust MBA program. 

Overall, they are proud of their success rate, as 95% of MBA graduates successfully secure jobs in leading companies. The university's emphasis on practical learning, case studies, and internships provides students with real-world skills that help them to be successful in their future careers. Such factors make Arunachal University a top option for MBA hopefuls seeking premium education and lucrative job profiles. 

Conclusion 

The Arunachal University of Studies, the Best College in Northeast India, is the key to a bright future. With its emphasis on academic excellence, industry-aligned curriculum, and good job placement record, Arunachal University could be the best MBA College in Assam. 

Through Arunachal University, you are not just investing in your education but in the roadmap to change your professional journey. Enjoy the best education, practical learning, and lots of job opportunities that will help you to become a leader in the ever-changing business world. Start the journey to a new life with Arunachal University of Studies.

[govindhtech]

Poco X6 Neo to Make Mark, Poco F6 Anticipation Grows

Poco X6 Neo The Poco X6 Neo is a new smartphone that Poco plans to release in India. The smartphone will be the brand’s first device to be released in 2024 with Neo branding. Our source said that the smartphone’s design is its greatest feature and that it is aimed mostly at Gen Z users.

Smartphone Arrival Launch Details and Price for the Poco X6 Neo in India Confirmed Our industry sources claim that the business plans to introduce the Poco X6 Neo in India by the end of next week. The next smartphone may come in several RAM and storage capacities and would cost less than Rs. 16,000.

Poco X6 Neo Live Photos and Important Details Disclosed Additionally, we managed to get pictures of the Poco X6 Neo that show off the rear panel’s design. The phone will come in Orange color variants. Poco branding is located on the left side of the elevated camera module at the top of the phone. Key specs of the phone are probably going to be comparable to those of the newly released Redmi Note 13R Pro variant.

Like the Redmi Note 13R Pro, the rear panel has an intriguing pattern and a flat shape. The photos verify that an LED flash and a dual camera configuration will be included in the Poco X6 Neo. Volume and power buttons are on the left.

The gadget will include a 108-megapixel rear camera. The phone will have a 5,000mAh battery. Having stated that, we may accept the formal declaration on the impending debut in India.

Poco X6 Neo Anticipated Features The Poco X6 Neo may include features and specs that are comparable to those of the Redmi Note 13R Pro, according to earlier sources. The smartphone was just released in China. When introduced in India, the Poco X6 Neo should offer similar features.

Pulse width modulation dims Redmi Note 13R Pro’s 6.67-inch OLED display at 2,160 Hz with 1,080×2,400 pixels and 120 Hz refresh rate. MediaTek Dimensity 6080 SoC has 256GB storage and 12GB RAM. It sports a 2-megapixel secondary camera and 108-megapixel primary camera. Front 16-megapixel cameras capture selfies. A side fingerprint sensor verifies the phone.

When is the Poco X6 Neo expected to launch? By March 2024, the Poco X6 Neo is anticipated to be on sale in India.

Is the Poco X6 Neo a new phone? Leaks imply that the X6 Neo is a repackaged Redmi Note 13R Pro that was introduced in China in November 2023, while this has not been officially verified.

What operating system will the Poco X6 Neo run? It is anticipated to be powered by MIUI 14 on top of Android 13.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

[ineffectualdemon]

This is an interesting discussion and is reminding me of my current studies.

A module I'm doing for my degree is covering 'new age' Spirituality and Consumerism/Capitalism particularly the "pick and mix" variety

And it clear it's a very complex discussion and not all "pick and mix" individualised spiritualities are of the same type. One book the module uses as a source is Selling Spirituality (which I just bought a copy of to read more) and in that book they try to make it clear that they aren't condemning all "pick and mix" spiritualities and that some are anarchist and anti consumerist in nature

Others are just an inherent part of some cultures. Some groups have a more electic approach to spirituality as part of their culture. Also it's not inherently bad or wrong to seek truth from new places

Their particular issue is when spiritual/religious practices are stripped entirely from their religious and cultural context and repackaged as a commodity to make you a better cog in the corporate machine

Think offices planned around Feng Shui or corporations making their factory workers meditate

But it also extends to some areas within other parts of "new age" as an industry. Like when we started covering this on my module I immediately thought about Silver Ravenwolf and her very expensive books where she said you had to buy very expensive things in order to be a "True Wiccan" (important to note most Wiccans I have met irl despise her)

And to wrap this back around to cultural appropriation and Wicca there is an argument of say taking meditation and applying it in the west in alternative spiritualities is done without really understanding it's purpose or cultural meaning and is using it in the same commercialised way that was criticised in Selling Spirituality. That it's appropriation

And is that happening in things like Wicca? I don't think so but I don't know

I haven't read up on Wicca in a long time so my memory is not the best for this and I'm obviously not Wiccan so I can't really say if this even applies but even if they do use meditation as part of their practice like I know some druids do (I was briefly a druid so I'm speaking from my own experience of the rituals i participated in) is that appropriation?

Or is that learning a technique about connecting to the spiritual and adapting it for the west in keeping with the spirit of the original? Is it appropriatation or is it appreciation and a recognition that doing it from the same angle and culture would be inappropriate so it is better to do something similar but from our own cultural angle?

I don't know the answer to that and I think it's a lot more nuanced and complex then most people think and people are going to have wildly different opinions about it on both sides of the argument

Do you have any idea why folks single out Wicca/Wiccans specifically when it comes to discussions about cultural appropriation in witchcraft spaces?

Simple: For most of the modern witchcraft movement, Wicca has been the dominant voice in the room.

It wasn't helped by Wiccans for the longest time treating Witchcraft and Wicca as synonyms (they obviously aren't -- Wicca is just one type of Witchcraft). So the cultural appropriation in the modern witchcraft movement got blamed on Wiccans because those were the visible members of the movement.

Now that non-Wiccan witchcraft is becoming more popular, a bunch of people who are new to witchcraft got told that "Wiccans culturally appropriate" without really looking into what or how. They repeat it uncritically, while not understanding that it's not a Wicca specific problem (and that Wicca itself is not the cause of the appropriation -- entitled white people are).

Meanwhile, those same things Wiccans get blamed for get done across the modern witchcraft movement.

It is what it is.

[prokopetz]

Hey why DO all those old tabletop RPGS and adventure games have such weird obtuse "act in this one scene or softlock forever" moments? Like, these weren't designed like arcade games that munch quarters... Why was this sort of thing so commonplace?

(With reference to this post here.)

Funnily enough, for tabletop RPGs there's actually a good answer.

If you're familiar with the popular history of tabletop roleplaying games, you've probably heard the idea that they developed out of fantasy wargaming. That's not actually terribly accurate; tabletop RPGs and fantasy wargames are more like two parallel branches that split off from the recreating-historical-battles kind of wargaming at about the same time, and for the first couple of decades there wasn't a bright line drawn between them like there is today. Many are genuinely hard to classify by contemporary standards – there are a lot of early fantasy wargames that look more like modern tabletop RPGs, and vice versa.

One of the consequences of that lack of sharp distinctions between tabletop RPGs and fantasy wargames is that early tabletop RPGs were often played in a sort of "competitive co-op" format at wargaming tournaments. Multiple groups would run their parties through the same adventure in parallel, and be ranked on their performance; sometimes this would involve scoring points for completing specific objectives, or speedrunning the adventure and aiming for the fastest time, but the most popular tournament format was the survival module: adventures which were deliberately designed to be unreasonably difficult, with whichever group's last surviving character's corpse hit the ground furthest from the dungeon entrance being judged the winner.

The upshot of that popularity is that many published adventures early on – and certainly the greater part of the more infamous ones! – were originally written as survival modules, created to be run competitively at a particular tournament, and later repackaged and sold as commercial products. Of course, practically none of them actually explained that; like nearly all tabletop RPG material of their day, they were written under the assumption that all tabletop roleplayers had come up through organised play at university gaming clubs, and thus already had all the context I've just outlined. This ended up causing no end of confusion when the hobby's mainstream visibility exploded in the early 1980s, and suddenly there were folks who'd picked up the rulebooks at their local bookstores trying to teach themselves how to play from first principles with no prior contact with gaming club culture.

As for why adventure games were also like that... well, this is going to sound bizarre by contemporary standards, and I don't blame you if you don't believe me, but once upon a time, point-and-click adventure games were considered the gold standard for Serious Gaming. Unforgiving routing, bizarre moon-logic puzzles, and a bewildering variety of unique ways to get yourself killed off were held up as the mark of the serious gamer in much the same way that janky soulslike combat systems are today, and a large chunk of the genre was made to cater to that ethos. Gamer culture is a hell of a drug!

(If you're about to ask the obvious follow-up question, "what changed?", the point-and-click adventure game's fall from grace and subsequent dismissal as casual fluff tracks more or less directly with a large demographic shift in the late 1990s that saw the genre's player base skewing predominantly female – and, well, you can probably connect the dots from there.)

[dndhistory]

134. Gary Gygax - G1-3: Against the Giants (1981)

A repackaging of the first three comercial TSR modules, this made perfect sense in 1981, as modules started getting longer. The original G series had some 15 pages each with maps and stuff, while A2, coming out at the same time as this repackage, was getting to 40 pages in length which is the length of the whole G series put together. In terms of content it’s pretty much the same as the original down to the artwork. You can see my reviews of each of the G series modules in earlier posts.

[taww]

First Take Review: Gryphon Essence Preamplifier & Stereo Amplifier

Okay, let’s get this out of the way: with a combined retail of over USD $40k (and that doesn’t include another $6k for the optional Zena DAC module), The Gryphon’s Essence preamplifier and stereo amplifier are by far the most expensive electronics I’ve ever had in my home! They might be the Danish firm’s entry point into separates, but that’s akin to calling a $146k Aston Martin Vantage “entry level.” There was a time in the not-so-distant past when spending such sums of money on stereo gear struck me as pointless excess. Perhaps I’ve been numbed by flipping through too many issues of The Absolute Sound or walking the halls of an audio show; perhaps I’m just entering a life stage (mid-life crisis, anyone?) where I’m allowing myself to indulge in such luxuries. Whatever the case may be, I’ve now had the good fortune of several months with the Essence combo, and despite a number of people prodding me for this review it’s been quite difficult to put into words how they perform. Why? Because every time I sit down to do the “work” of reviewing I just end up getting sucked into the music and forget to do the reviewing bit! But, here goes...

The arrival of the Gryphon components was a case of one thing leading to another. My first experience was when I strolled into Gryphon’s room at RMAF 2018. After being disappointed by so many other mega-buck systems at the show, I was delighted that this one actually sounded like music! Frankly, a lot of über-expensive show systems landed on my ears like amusical hi-fi effects or whimsical fancies of what some people think music should sound like, rather than an actual musical performance. Like other big systems, the Gryphon rig was imposing and fancy-looking, but with a decidedly purposeful, even stark, aesthetic. And the sound - so tangible and luscious, maybe a little dark and brooding, but in a way that connected me emotionally to the recorded performance rather than distracting me with sonic affect. 

At the time I was happily running the Valvet A4 Mk.II monoblocks, and also had @mgd-taww​’s Pass Labs XA30.5 at my disposal. Both delivered the pure and colorful musical flavors of Class A amplification, and both are superb amps. But things got thrown for a bit of a loop when I settled on the Audiovector SR 6 Avantgarde Arreté speakers as my new reference. I had auditioned them at AudioVision SF with the Gryphon Diablo 300 integrated amp ($16k) and the sound gave up nothing to high-quality separates - big, bold and dynamic with tremendous poise and nuance. Coming back to the Pass and Valvet amplifiers (coupled with a Pass Labs XP10 line stage) certainly wasn’t a let-down, but they didn’t have quite the same level synergy with the Audiovectors which sounded more complete and visceral with the Gryphon integrated. 

This combined with the strong aural memories from the RMAF room led to a call to Gryphon’s US distributor, Philip O’Hanlon and Pandora Pang of On a Higher Note. Philip acknowledged that the Diablo was indeed excellent but teased that Gryphon had recently introduced a new line of separates worth consideration. The Essence had just arrived in the States and he had one more set in stock if I were so inclined... and next thing I know, a pallet loaded with what my wife lovingly referred to as “an illegal arms shipment” landed at our doorstep.

Serious crates for serious gear

Like all separates in The Gryphon’s 35-year heritage dating back to the original DM100 amplifier, the Essence line features pure Class A operation with minimal negative feedback, but brings it at a lower price point ($22,990) with more conservative aesthetics and practical packaging. Prior to the Essence, to get a Gryphon amp one had to shell out anywhere from $39k for the Antileon EVO to $57k for the flagship Mephisto (double those if going for monoblocks). The tradeoff is a lower power rating - just 50wpc, albeit in pure class A and doubling into 4 ohms and again into 2 ohms - so you’ll want to pair it with a reasonably efficient speaker. The Essence preamp meanwhile is a repackaging of the Zena preamplifier launched in 2018 (also $17,500), reskinned with cosmetics to match the amp. It features fully balanced operation via a discrete DC-coupled Class A circuit with zero global negative feedback, and can accommodate either of two optional internal modules, the Zena DAC ($6,000) or an MM/MC phono stage ($2,250). Being strictly digital I opted to evaluate the DAC, which I’ll talk about in a later installment. I’ll also save more details about the design and operation of this beautifully-crafted gear, including Gryphon’s unique Green Bias system, for a more in-depth review. For now, let’s get down to the business of how it sounds...

The Essence Preamp

When the Essence components arrived I clearly needed my wife’s assistance to safely unpack and set up the 45kg/99lb Essence amp. But she was busy making reeds for her oboe that evening, so I initially made do setting up the preamp (it weighs in at “only” 13.4kg/29.5lbs) and comparing it to my Pass Labs XP10 with the Pass Labs XA30.5 amplifier.

Firing up the Essence preamp from a cold start was one of those “damn, I don’t understand how a preamp can make this much of a difference” moments. Even though the Pass XP10 is a very solid performer - I find the sound of my PS Audio DirectStream significantly improved by it vs. feeding an amplifier directly - the 3x-as-expensive Gryphon outclassed it from the first note, taking musical resolution from the micro to nano level.

The first thing I noticed was how the entire back of the stage opened up. I never realized how triangular it sounded before, becoming narrower as you went deeper. With the Essence it suddenly feels rectangular and whole, with winds, brass and percussion able to naturally spread out and breath on the stage. It didn’t even take a big orchestral recording to experience this - my very first track was an intimate vocal with piano accompaniment, soprano Elsa Dreisig singing Strauss songs with pianist Jonathan Ware (Qobuz). The sense of the space - a church, as you can see from this video - and where the performers occupied it became strikingly tangible. Piano has starting clarity, with all its complex overtones unfolded and laid out for your ear to sample at its leisure. Dynamic resolution is also unlocked - subtle gradations in vocal intensity flow so organically. Going back to the Pass pre, macro dynamics weren’t Iacking, but the transitions somehow came across more synthetically, as if the volume dial was being turned rather than the performers modulating their instruments in the original performance. 

One thing that didn't change too much was overall tonal balance. I find the Pass pretty neutral and extended, if anything having a subtly warmish character to it, at least by solid state standards. The Gryphon doesn't deviate notably from that, leaning slightly in that direction though with more sophisticated and varied tonal richness and density. The quality of the frequency extremes, however, is a different matter. Most striking is how triangles sparkle and ring with startling presence on the Gryphon. With a claimed frequency response out to 1MHz, the Essence pre delivers the highest highs with a sense of ease and finesse. And the bass is everything people have come to expect from the Gryphon house sound - deep, taut and powerful with beautiful tonality. The Pass Labs wasn’t missing any of the music per se, but the deepest bass notes and highest overtones sounded constrained vs. the effortless and wide-open delivery of the Essence.

So, yeah - a preamplifier that costs 3x as much as the Pass XP10 sounds clearly superior. Not much of a news flash, and a much fairer comparison in the Pass lineup would be the XP32 ($17,500) or at least an XP22 ($9,500). But what took me aback was how a preamplifier like the Essence could bring out so much life and nuance that was being curtailed by an otherwise fine piece like the Pass. The net effect was to make the musical performance feel significantly more tangible, visceral and unclouded - something that even the change of a DAC or amplifier doesn’t consistently achieve. The Gryphon Essence pre is simply an incredible conveyor of the musical signal.

And we haven’t even tried the amplifier yet...

The Essence Amplifier

Once I got my wife to assist in positioning the hefty Essence amp in the cabinet (safety first!), I hooked up the Audiovectors via my usual Audience Au24 SX cables and powered up the Gryphon using the stock power cord (the amp requires a 20A IEC connector, so standard cords won’t work). I played a bit with the Green Bias settings but obviously settled with it in red-hot Class A operation for serious listening. And while the amp has since benefited from multiple months of break-in, it was apparent from its first notes that the Essence had resolution, clarity, dynamics and tonal completeness on an altogether different level from any amp I’ve experienced in my system. But there was something else remarkable about its presentation that’s taken me many months to put my finger on, and I think I might be finally getting it.

The Essence amp has a very special ability to deliver the leading edge of a sound with incredible speed, precision and clarity. I’ve heard amps with fast leading edges (some attribute this to high slew rate), I’ve heard amps with very clean ones (lack of distortion and ringing). The Essence delivers a combination of fast and clean that is truly exceptional, and perhaps close to the state of the art. Every impulse and note attack hits you with perfect timing and delineation, then decay with similarly impeccable control. By comparison, amps like the Pass Labs that struck me as very pure have a bit of fuzz to them. Ever listen to an AM radio station when the signal gets weak, and all the starts and stops of sounds get staticky and fuzzy? There was a bit of that feeling going back to other amps in my system... no, they weren’t literally fuzzy and distorted. It’s just that the Essence amp sounds exceptionally lithe and clean, removing an extremely subtle layer of distortion that became difficult to un-hear in other amplifiers. 

Coming from the Pass XA30.5, the Essence’s midrange was less overtly warm but even more substantive in tone. The Pass is certainly on the warm and lush side for a solid state amp, but past Gryphons I’ve heard had their own dose of chocolatey richness, so I was initially surprised by the balance of the Essence. It has the midrange density and lush tonal colors I was expecting from a Class A Gryphon amp, and yet it also sounds close to dead neutral in character. There’s a crystalline transparency that makes everything else sound a bit cloudy by comparison. Class A amps usually get the tonal part right, but can sound a bit sluggish or rounded dynamically; Class AB amps often have great transient speed but with some roughness around the edges and a bit of tonal hollowness. The Essence backs its exceedingly snappy and clean transients with real tonal substance and an infinite palette of realistic tonal colors. It can simultaneously preserve the gravitas of a string bass ostinato, the glowing warmth of a French horn, the delicate nasality of an oboe and the ethereal lightness of a flute all in balance. Orchestral recordings have never sounded this vivid and realistic in my home.

An interesting display of the amp’s prowess was in violinist Hilary Hahn’s recording of the Vieuxtemps Violin Concerto (Qobuz). The album also contains Mozart’s popular “Turkish” concerto which probably gets most of the plays; the Vieuxtemps is infrequently performed and mostly known by violinists as a sort of advanced student concerto (yes, my teacher made me study it). Vieuxtemps was a Belgian virtuoso of the romantic era and while the concerto has its charms, its orchestration is rather clunky. This actually made for a fascinating sonic experience in the concerto’s orchestral exposition, where different instruments pass melodic fragments back and forth in somewhat disjointed fashion rather than the more cohesive harmonization and counterpoint you’d get from a German master. A flute here, a clarinet there, a timpani roll or violin flourish coming and passing - the Essence conveyed each one with striking clarity and trueness of timbre and dynamics, arranging all the instruments across the stage in perfect proportion. So much of the feel of an instrument lies not just in its tonal makeup but the shape and feel of its notes - the reedy breathiness of a clarinet, the ringing “bong” of a timpani, the firm attack of a trumpet, the brush stroke of a violin. This is where the Essence’s leading-edge precision and lack of electronic haze help it truly evoke the feeling of sitting on the stage with the musicians, each and every instrumental entrance having that tactile realism.

Having been a classmate’s of Ms. Hahn’s I also have first-hand experiences of her playing, and the Essence strongly evoked memories of hearing her performing in recitals or practicing in our conservatory. Though we were both teenagers at the time, she had already developed her distinctive tone and focused intensity, and hearing that reproduced so vividly through the Essence and Audiovector speakers is uncanny.

The frequency extremes of the Essence amp, particularly in combination with the Essence preamp, are also something special - the crazy-wide specified bandwidth of Gryphon components is no joke. The speed and tautness and slam of the bass brings realistic clarity to the foundation of the music. It’s bass that I like to call “sneaky” for the way it doesn’t unduly call attention to itself, but then will come out and smack you in the face as in a live event. Instruments like string bass or contrabassoon are naturally portrayed in the orchestration, rather than getting buried in the mix. The top end is extended and articulate, capable of bringing out all the energy and brilliance of string, brass and percussion instruments, and yet certain recordings that tend towards brightness actually sound warmer and smoother than I've heard before. It sounds so pure and free from distortion, so that if there’s any distortion already present on the recording it does nothing to aggravate it. Sibilants and tape hiss and clipping are still there, yet come across less obtrusively, making them easy to tune out in favor of the music. 

Case in point: the DSD remaster of Strauss Don Juan, recorded in 1958 by the Cleveland Orchestra under George Szell (Qobuz). My wife and I have listened to this recording dozens if not hundreds of times and while the performance is riveting, the recording quality has always been a bit hissy and strident. My wife asked to listen to it again on the Gryphon setup for study purposes and halfway through I remarked, "does this recording sound a lot less bright to you?" She concurred - we had never heard it sound so clean and natural, and for the first time I didn't notice the tape hiss at all. The Gryphon gear really does excel at extracting the essence of the musical performance locked in the recording, neither artificially filtering nor amplifying the distractions of its mechanical limitations. I’ve heard far too many ultra high-end systems that need absolutely pristine audiophile material to sound their best. With the Gryphons, every recording in my collection has never sounded more distinguished and compelling.

The sense of space that the Essence preamp conveyed with other amplifiers becomes even stronger in combination with the Essence amp. I have never heard the different sections of a symphony orchestra arranged so palpably. Winds and percussion have clearly delineated space behind the string section, and delicate clarinet solos that are typically a bit hazy in recordings are conveyed with both clarity and intimacy. There’s something about the Essence’s blend of clean transients, tonal rightness and harmonic resolution that bring out the distinct ambience and texture of each recording - the aural equivalent of the “mouth feel” of a wine. Going back to otherwise excellent amps makes everything feel a bit more homogenous, a hair less stimulating.

There are a couple of potential shortcomings to call out, and they may be interrelated. The first is that the bass in combination with the Audiovector speakers isn’t quite as hard-hitting as with, say, the 600wpc Class D Legacy iv2, or as what I heard with the Gryphon Diablo 300 integrated; nor is it as plump and room-filling as with the Pass XA30.5. Quality-wise it’s exceptional - fast and deep and pitch-perfect in ways they can’t match - but sometimes I just want it to fill out the space a bit more and punch me in the gut a little harder. I mostly miss this when listening to pop tracks, e.g. anything from Billie Eilish where the raw punch of the Legacy amp factors more strongly than the n-th degree of refinement from the Gryphon.

The other nit is that the soundstage, while vividly painted, feels a bit less “generous” than bigger-sounding amps like the Legacy or Pass Labs, or the Gryphon Diablo for that matter. There’s a bit more emphasis on the precise constituency of an orchestra, as opposed to its sheer scale - a little more of the trees, a little less of the forest. To some, this may make the Essence feel a hair light in presentation, despite its rich and layered midrange.  Ears I trust tell me moving up the Gryphon line to the Antileon EVO or Mephisto can give you the best of both worlds, but those are obviously at increasingly exorbitant price points. 

I’ll need to try tweaking these area of reproduction more (e.g. cables), but as it currently stands, I could see the Essence best matching with speakers that are tonally richer and a bit less critically damped on the bottom end, vs. requiring care with something leaner and more laser-focused. It’s slightly lean with some recordings on the Audiovectors, and I’d definitely want to check before paring it with the likes of a Magico. It goes without saying that when you get to this level of fidelity (and cost), you should expect to spend a fair amount of time and effort on component matching.

As a side note, I was able to further extend the capabilities of the Essence via Furutech’s DPS-4.1 power cord (custom built with 20A connectors) and DSS-4.1 speaker cables. These upped the clarity and transparency yet another notch or three, opened up dynamics further and created a wider sense of space on recording after recording. I’ll have more on these excellent cables and how they synergize with the Gryphons in a future installment.

Capturing the Essence

It’s been challenging pinning down the character of the Essence system, the amp in particular. Even more so than other great Class A amps I’ve heard, including from Gryphon, the Essence amp has a combination of purity, openness, refinement, clarity, speed and dynamic life that defy the usual idiosyncrasies and limitations of Class A vs. AB vs. D. It’s dynamically fleet, rhythmically incisive, tonally sophisticated, dimensionally resolving, and sneakily powerful and punchy. In combination with the superb companion preamp, it uncovers a sense of space in virtually every recording I throw at it with greater detail and palpability than I’ve heard before, without seeming artificially holographic like some tube amps. The tonal purity and resolving power of this pair are simply at a level I have rarely experienced anywhere at any price. Moreover, the name “Essence” couldn’t be more apt - all these sophisticated qualities are squarely focused on conveying the beauty and quirks of the original recording without need for enhancement or editorializing to make it enjoyable. The closest aural recollection I have of this sort of musical resolution was the MSB Reference + Magico M3 system at RMAF 2018, which had a significantly superior DAC and a total cost approaching $300k. 

As for the price... well, I can say that the monies spent on a piece by The Gryphon clearly go towards obsessive engineering and craftsmanship in the service of state-of-the-art music reproduction, rather than ostentation or frivolous excess. This is musical fidelity of the highest order, and my new reference in amplification.

[manuhd]

How To Make Your Mobile Apps Secured

There has been an exponential increase in the usage of mobile apps with each passing year. In fact the internet connected mobile devices are increasing across the globe with US alone accounting for 86 percent of the internet usage. Usually mobile apps can be availed via online app distributors like Windows store, Google Play store, App store etc. Also, mobile apps are viewed as a popular and easy access on the go to deliver content and value among the mobile users in the world.

Businesses across industries have embraced mobile applications for improving employee productivity along with making themselves aligned with a connected and a younger workforce.

Need for Mobile App Security

With the rapid growing of competition in the industry of mobile app development, it is high time that one should think about maintaining the security aspects. This is because mobile apps are now being extensively used either in Shops, or Malls, or on Food Delivery platforms, or on Online E-Commerce platforms, or in playing games online and even in making banking transactions. This can actually make your apps prone to the threat of hacking. So you need to protect your frequently used apps so that all your online activities remain protected from malicious attacks.

Listed below are some noteworthy stats which can compel you to rethink about your mobile app security tips.

56 percent of the top 100 paid apps on App store have been hacked till date.

Year by year the number of mobile malware infections increase by a whopping 163 percent.

Almost all of the top 100 paid apps on Google Play store have been hacked till date.

The above mentioned statistics can be really alarming as companies nowadays follow the policy of bringing your own device to combine both professional and personal interests.

Cracked or hacked mobile apps can result in the following:

Intellectual property theft

Major revenue loss

Loss of brand value

Unauthorized access to user and enterprise data

So being a developer today the first and the most important aspect to be taken care of is to come up with solutions that can protect mobile apps against malicious attacks.

The Following Sections will Talk about Tips for Mobile Application Security

There are differences between the ways through which mobile apps are developed and delivered to the end users from that of a normal software development cycle.

Source Code Encryption : Within the design and source code of mobile applications, mobile malware often taps vulnerabilities and bugs. According to recent surveys it has been reported that malicious codes are capable of infecting and providing security concerns to more than 12 million mobile devices at any given point of time. The common way to do this is to repackage the popular apps into rogue apps and publish the same. This makes it necessary to encrypt source code.

Assessing Platform Specific Limitations : Nowadays there is a need of getting the mobile apps developed for different operating systems which brings into the most essential part to consider and look into the security features along with restrictions of the usable platforms. Along with this there is a notable and important section to be taken care of such as password support, encryption support, geo-location data support for the different operating systems used. To take appropriate control and distribute the app in the chosen platform one need to consider these preventive measures so that the desired aims and objectives can be met.

Provisions for Data Security : When enterprise or confidential data are being accessed by mobile apps, it may happen that unstructured data gets stored normally within the device storage. For securing the data in a Sandbox, mobile data encryption can be used effectively either by offering file-level encryption across multiple operating systems or by using Proper Database Encryption Modules.

Support Integration with MAM/MDM : App development companies nowadays, are applying solutions related to mobile device management and mobile app management to reduce device and app related threats. You can create enterprise app stores with these solutions to eliminate device data and app, regulate distribution along with wrapping employee apps within multiple security layers.

Backend Security : There should be apt security measures for the backend servers for utmost protection against malicious attacks. This can be taken care by verifying the API’s dependencies on all the mobile platforms on which the app are developed and coded. This is because API authentication and support mechanisms vary from one platform to the other.

Prevention of Unintended Data Leakage : While engaging users to apps, they need to agree with certain permissions. This enables businesses and brands to obtain private and personal information of the customers. Users can protect themselves from their data getting unintentionally leaked to the malicious business vendors or hackers by implementing advertising and using secured analytics.

Use of Latest Cryptography Techniques : To get the most effective and desired result in negating the malicious attacks, the use of cryptographic algorithms like SHA 1 and MD 5 are not yielding the desired results considering the nature and scope of modern day security. Hence to overcome this, one has to always update with the latest hashing methods such as SHA-256 and AES 256-bit encryption. To add extra security and get 100% reading on the security meter, threat modeling and manual penetration testing should also be performed before making the apps go live.

Thus from this discussion you can now understand how a popular mobile app development company like us can make your apps secure to enable your business become competitive and stand out, by implementing secured and trusted development environment for your valuable product or app. We at Red Apple always thrive to deliver best and to practice and on research to work with latest and modern advanced Development Technologies and Databases Encryption to make the apps more easy and most secure.

Conclusion : Right from protecting user data to ensure safe transactions online, mobile app security measures can serve all purposes with high efficiency and accuracy. So if you need apps for your brands, do not hesitate to make those protected from malicious attacks by availing our tailor made solutions.

[liionbattery-blog]

18650 battery: which is better - TOP-10 best battery models

What is The Best 18650 Battery PrPrhigh capacity;the discharge current is higher than that of other cheap models;low cost;standard sizeshigh quality.widespread use of the model in the budget segment;low price;ease of use.Conventional batteries are considered unpopular today. Although they are inexpensive, they do not have even a fraction of the advantages that batteries have. Lithium-ion 18650 batteries are the most popular product with many applications. But what is also important - one set can be recharged many times, and not thrown away and taken a new one, as is the case with batteries. And nature will be grateful that you do not pollute it with them. 18650 battery: which is better - we'll talk about it in the article.

No. 10. Samsung ICR18650

This battery does not have such a large capacity - 2600 mAh, but this does not prevent it from being widespread in all markets of the world. It comes to the point that repacking companies themselves take them and release them under their own brand. Typically, such batteries can be found in remote controls, screwdrivers and various household appliances. They will also be well used in electronic cigarettes, although some models need more powerful batteries.

Pros

widespread use of the model in the budget segment;

low price;

ease of use.

Cons

no protection system;

small capacity.

No. 9. Panasonic NCR18650B

Remembering those batteries that everyone used fifteen years ago, either Sony or Panasonic come to mind. This model belongs to the second company. The rechargeable version of those old, but everyone's favorite batteries is now on the Russian market - meet the NCR18650B.

Like Sony, Panasonic went the easy way of not worrying about design. A simple green with all the basic information is all you'll see.

Let's move on to the details. The capacity of this model is 3400 mAh, which is good enough. The discharge current is also good - from 1.6 A all the way up to 6 A.

Unfortunately, this model's batteries cannot be used with some items such as remote controls. They need less discharge current from rechargeable batteries.

It should be warned that these batteries do not have protection, which means that they must be used where there is a protection controller (electronic cigarettes have one, you can not worry). The same applies to the charger.

Low price is what the manufacturer was striving for by releasing this model. However, something else had to be sacrificed besides protection - the number of recharge cycles. Believe me - even 300 cycles is already a record, they live less.

Pros

high capacity;

the discharge current is higher than that of other cheap models;

low cost;

standard sizes

high quality.

Cons

no protection against overheating and short circuit;

no micro-USB port for charging;

short service life.

No. 8. ROBITON 18650-3000

This manufacturer also indicated on the label that this model of rechargeable batteries has protection. And indeed it is. Protection against discharge and overcharge is used not for nothing, but to increase the service life of these batteries. After all, discharging to "zero" will not allow you to recharge the battery again. True, it should be noted that the short-circuit protection is not too strong. But this is because of the desire to get into the budget segment.

Due to the design familiar to everyone, on which everything is written, you can understand - to take or not to take. Their capacity is average - 3000 mAh. The cost is quite low, which makes this model affordable for many.

It is believed that the basis is a Samsung battery, although the discharge current of 3.5 A raises some doubts. While the battery is generally good, it can be used with many devices.

These batteries, by the way, can survive up to 300 charge cycles without changing their capacity. Further, only a slight decrease is expected. And yes - you need to look for a separate charger for them.

Perhaps these batteries are the best choice for those who want to save money, but have high-quality batteries to make the vape pleasant to vape.

Pros

multilevel protection;

low cost;

average, but still normal capacity;

a widespread model - it should be easy to find.

Cons

low discharge current;

the quality of protection leaves much to be desired;

no micro-USB for charging.

No. 7. Samsung ICR18650-26HM

Another model from Samsung with a simple design like Panasonic and Sony. A solid color with a minimum of information is what the Samsung ICR18650-26HM offers.

This battery, like all simple models, has no protection, which is not encouraging. But if we consider that this is just a preparation for repackaging companies, then everything becomes clear.

The capacity of this model is small - 2600 mAh. Although for the majority it may be enough. And what may surprise you is the price. It is smaller than other budget models. And the discharge current will also surprise - it is 5.2 A. It, in general, is enough for low-power devices, including for electronic cigarettes of the budget segment.

The micro-USB port, as is clear from the price, is absent, which means that you still need to buy a charger. And it is better to take care of this, otherwise there is no overcharge protection and the battery may overheat.

According to the manufacturer, this model can withstand up to 800 charge cycles, but most likely the figure is exaggerated. We put on 200 cycles, which is still acceptable for an extremely budget model.

Pros

astronomically low price;

discharge current - high for budget models;

self-discharge level is extremely low;

versatility.

Cons

small capacity;

no micro-USB port;

means of protection - none.

No. 6. Olight 18650 ORB-186P36

This battery also has a very high capacity, like the Fenix. Even slightly higher, to be more precise - 3600 mAh. And the discharge current reaches 10 A. With two of these, many devices can be powered. For example, a bicycle light will shine on you all night. If the device is not so powerful, then it will work even longer. For example, the same electronic cigarettes.

What's even more interesting is that this model is cheaper than many others, but the quality does not suffer. A Panasonic-controlled company is responsible for it.

Olight 18650 ORB-186P36 has protection against electrical problems (overcharge, discharge, short circuit), as well as overheating protection module.

These batteries are considered to be very reliable. 500 charging cycles with 100% capacity, then a slight decrease. The charger must deliver up to 1 A of amperage to be considered suitable for charging these batteries.

There is no protection against gas, but its formation is practically impossible. The only case of possible occurrence is the deformation of the case, but this is unlikely to happen on its own.

The lack of a micro-USB port creates some inconvenience as it requires a separate charger that supports AA batteries.

Pros

high discharge current;

good short circuit protection;

overdischarge, overcharge and overheating are practically excluded;

fairly large capacity;

standard length;

normal price

withstands up to five hundred discharge cycles.

Cons

there is no gas discharge system;

no micro-USB port.

No. 5. ANSMANN Li-Ion 18650

An equally optimal choice among other rechargeable batteries is the ANSMANN brand products. However, we warn you right away - although the price tag is low, the quality, contrary to expectations, is quite high. At least - due to the presence of good protection against both discharge and short circuit. There will definitely not be explosions and fires.

Among other things, a third protection has been installed - against overloads, which makes the product even more pleasant for a potential buyer. The discharge current is rather big - only 5 A.

By the way, about cycles. Without reducing the capacity, it can withstand about 500 recharge cycles.

What led to the low price? There are several factors in total. The first is the need for a separate charger. The second is a fairly low capacity (only 2600 mAh). So the owners of "gluttonous" equipment (bright lights, for example) are unlikely to use such batteries. The rest of the product should like it, including vape lovers.

Pros

small chance of self-discharge;

three-level protection;

high discharge current;

low cost;

long service life.

Cons

lack of a micro-USB connector;

small capacity.

No. 4. Fenix ​​18650 ARB-L18-3500U

This model from Fenix, despite belonging to the budget segment, has multi-level protection. In its design, for example, there is a means of preventing the formation of gas that can cause an explosion. In addition, there is a means to prevent a short circuit in the battery itself - the battery shell itself, which can be pierced, at least with an ax, no less.

What's more interesting - the model looks like a regular battery, except for a micro-USB connector. It is designed to charge this battery. What else stands out is the indicator light, which lights up when connected to a current.

500 charging cycles - that's how much this model is designed for. For many, this is more than enough. In addition, the possibility of long-term use of the tool with these batteries is more than encouraging. For example, your electric guitar will play for a long time on the same rechargeable batteries, and flashlights can generally replace each other, and the set of batteries will be the same. And your e-cigarette will last a long time.

What is more important - after 500 cycles the batteries continue to work with the same quality, just their capacity is slightly reduced. To be more precise, by a quarter.

Since the capacity is 3500 mAh, we can confidently talk about reaching almost the very maximum in this parameter.

Remember - you should not charge with adapters with increased current output, it is better to take a charger for 1 A. And even better - take a proprietary charger from the same company (it has a discharge current of 0.8 A).

Pros

large capacity;

micro-USB port for charging;

durable body;

multilevel protection;

acceptable price;

the capacity is maintained for 500 charge cycles.

Cons

the length is slightly longer than usual - not all connectors may fit.

Number 3. Rombica NEO X8 18650

Earlier we mentioned rechargeable batteries that support charging with a micro-USB cable (see Fenix ​​18650 ARB-L18-3500U model). And here is another representative of batteries with this "chip".

Rombica NEO X8 18650 stands out for the presence of a suitable type of cable in its package, so you don't have to look for anything - everything is immediately in place. Yes, it is, of course, short (10 cm long), but it is ideal for charging these rechargeable batteries.

What else is remarkable about this model? For example, the price. It is not too big, but not too small, which means that everyone can buy this model. Another of the remarkable advantages is the well-thought-out design and the discharge current - 2.1 A.

The manufacturer, interestingly, promises over 3000 recharge cycles.

It is also important to highlight the presence of a charging indicator, with which it becomes clear when the battery is fully charged, and when it is practically discharged. The presence of overcharge protection is also pleasing. Although nothing is known about other protective functions, which is not encouraging.

What is worth noting as a disadvantage is the low battery capacity. It is 1900 mAh, which will not be enough for "gluttonous" electrical appliances.

Note that this model is still a good option considering all its disadvantages. It is quite possible to use it for simple devices, if you consider how to handle it. Electronic cigarettes will also be "satisfied" with them, working long and efficiently.

Pros

average cost, but still within affordable;

presence of a micro-USB port;

USB cable included;

nice design;

long operational life.

Cons

small capacity;

problems with finding out the degree of protection of batteries;

low discharge current.

Number 2. Sony 18650 VTC5

Sony is a Japanese company known all over the world, including for its rechargeable batteries. For a long time, the Russian market was filled with various Sony models, and now it's the turn of this model.

The most simple design with high-quality internal filling - that's what the Japanese are going to surprise. Although these rechargeable batteries have a small capacity (2600 mAh), their discharge current is quite high - 30 A. Low-power electronic cigarettes will still feel fine, but this battery will not be enough for more powerful ones.

It takes about three hours to charge the battery on average, no more. Although it is possible to change the amount of time by changing the charger.

Since this battery has a low price tag to make the product affordable to many, sacrifices were made for the price. For example, there is no short circuit and overheating protection system. Therefore, you must use these batteries carefully so that you do not have to change them in one day. You also need to pay attention to charging - it is better not to use chargers with high amperage.

If you wish, you can buy heat shrinks for a small cost - up to 150 rubles.

Pros

initially high discharge current;

easy to buy - they are everywhere;

serve for a long time;

cost little.

Cons

small capacity;

lack of protection and micro-USB port for charging.

# 1. Bright BEAM YLP SA1826 18650

This is a domestic battery. Moreover, having information in English, it is sold not only in the Russian, but also in the foreign market.

We decided to choose the model Bright BEAM YLP SA1826 for consideration. The low price of the battery with a micro-USB port is a great option to buy. To make sure that the charge is 100%, you can look at the indicator light, which is located on one of the ends of the battery.

Unfortunately, nothing is known about the means of protection. But logically, there is definitely protection against overcharging - this can be understood from the charging port and the indicator light. You cannot find out about the rest of the functions of the protective board - therefore, you should use this model of batteries seriously enough.

The capacity of the product is 2600 mAh. Good enough for a budget model. It should be enough to light it up with a flashlight all night or smoke an e-cigarette for a long time.

Little is known about the discharge current, but 18650 batteries are made for powerful devices, which means that this model is doing well with it. But more is known about the number of recharge cycles - it can withstand up to 500 cycles without losing capacity.

Pros

presence of a micro-USB port;

low cost;

service life is long enough;

widespread use.

Cons

small capacity;

virtually nothing is known about remedies.

What is 18650 Battery

[kicksaddictny]

Nike Air Zoom Type

Unexpected geometries and hand-made detailing are hallmarks of the new Nike Air Zoom Type. The shoe's form finds its shape from an initial prototype for the Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Next%, but rather than set for record-breaking, the Air Zoom Type is engineered to solve for stress on the body and feet during a full day out.

The shoe has two Zoom Air pods in the forefoot and a supportive TPU plate running through the midsole. Both technical elements are housed within a plush foam and help create a new underfoot experience and sensation. The silhouette, stance, material choices and detailing celebrate Nike's irreverent approach to performance design, with an eye to progressive solutions for all athletes.  

"We took the original prototype, scanned it and then reverse-engineered it for daily wear," says Lee Gibson, Nike Design Lead. "For example, the TPU plate provides some of the modulation of the Alphafly carbon plate, but doesn't give as aggressive of a rocking sensation."

Aesthetically, the main objective of the Air Zoom Type was to hold as close as possible to the original hand-built prototype created in Beaverton, Oregon. This approach evolves the concept-driven Nike N. 354 label. While most of the output under the experimental banner reworks prototypes from the Department of Nike Archives, the Air Zoom Type derives from working real-time with the investigation of a new performance product. The parallel path creates visual continuity between the shoe and the closely connected Nike Zoom Alphafly Next%.

"Rather than just repackage an aesthetic, I felt it was authentic to create a true connection to the innovation story," says Gibson. "We achieve that by drafting off the initial concept and idea, ultimately delivering a really raw, visceral version of the performance runner."

The shoe's details also relay the creative process in the finished product. The hand of the designer is apparent — seen in elements like the N.354 logo treatment and overt stitching. And, with a subtle DNA touch, the breathable tongue is nod to another pioneering Nike running shoe, the Lunar Racer.

The Nike Air Zoom Type releases June 5 on SNKRS, SNEAKERS and at select retailers.