#and four voice (two for general purposes and two with user limits for games and stuff) | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

emsartwork · 6 years ago

Note

Oh, could you tell us about specific festivities or holidays each planet has? Like, are they significant to events or locations, are they based on legends or mythos, that kinda stuff!

They’re based on all kinds of things!

below the cut this is hella long

Starting with the basics, Day of the Rose is a reference to a famous lady magic user(Lesya) who focused on caring for outcasts in society, she used a mix of Fairy transformations and Witch style magic but her title is Mage of Roses. When she died, thousands of people placed roses over her grave, and started giving roses to women who were similar to Lesya and the flower itself became a symbol of honor and respect for compassionate and inspiring women. It originated on Magix but is celebrated Dimension wide. Mothers are the most common recipients of roses, but anybody can give a rose to any woman they want to show appreciation for. Magix city has a large parade with floats and dancers and street food and carnival games, other parades vary.

Hala, or, The Storm Celebrations. Andros has a a lot of rain in general, but early spring is monsoon season, boats don’t go out and people stay inside unless absolutely necessary. Hala is both a celebration of the rainy season which brings life afterwards, and a ceremony that is supposed to ease the potential damage from the storms. Always held on a full moon, Hala is celebrated with feasts, traditional/ceremonial dances, and large bonfires in the evening(with more dancing and food). Hala also includes a commemoration of Queen Nephele, who protected the capital city from a record breaking storm for more than a week(she survived but had lasting health complications due to over use of magic). Aisha is pictured here in Hala ceremonial dance wear, featuring a headdress, braided cords, shells, and fan leaves.

The most practical of Holidays, Zenith “celebrates” the end of winter with a few days off and a relieving breath of fresh air. Zenith technology keeps the most bitter cold out of communities, but the difference in air temperature can lead to the snow melting and re-freezing at the boundary. Eventually this leads to a build up of packed ice creating a “zenith snow globe” as its jokingly called. Once the temperatures rise enough that the dome won’t reform, the dome is shattered and the ice packed up and shipped out for various purposes. The shattering of the ice dome is considered especially beautiful to off-planeters, but zenithians consider it a matter of necessity.

Solaria has the Summer Center Festival, held twice a “year” when the planet is in the center of it’s orbit. It a huge, three day party, Solarians feast, dance, drink, and decorate themselves, their hair, and literally everything else with ribbons gemstones and glitter. Each day is supposed to represent one of Solaria’s suns, the Dawn Star, the Dusk Star, and the Second Sun of Solaria(not a real sun, a magical power source), but much of the distinctions between each day have been lost as the festival has gotten older. Another holiday on Solaria is a much less popular one called Iahlayculi (ee-ah-lah-koo-lee, don’t ask its a mash up of like three words and languages) or the Night of Many Eyes. Its celebrated once a year, whenever the most moons will be around the planet (calculated with astronomy and physics and shit). It’s much more somber than The Summer Center Festival, and is considered a time of great self reflection and magical potential. Practitioners wear a loose draped dress, a wreath around their head, and craft a lunar lantern(usually magic but sometimes by hand). The wreathes are burned, and the lanterns released to the sky as offerings to the moons of Solaria. This celebration is a favorite of witches(especially Mediums and Psychics) but the general population views it as a little too occult.

Firefest is held at the height of summer. There isn’t really a central location for the celebration, though the capital city is known for it’s fireworks display. Each community puts together it’s own local festivals featuring a large bonfire, large and small fireworks, and food/game booths. The Firefest honors the first king and queen of domino, Volenae(queen) and Zaphiric(king). They were also the first holders of the Dragon Flame and Phoenix Flame. They aren’t a married couple but siblings, sharing a joint reign over Domino and eventually creating two bloodlines for the dragon and the phoenix to flow along. Volenae’s symbol is antler like horns, and Zaphiric’s symbol is a black feather, both of these feature prominently in folk art and Firefest masks.

Celebrated in late summer, The day of the Singing Whales is the one time a year the whales surface for a breath of air. It is unknown if the Whales are Natural Animals, Fairy Animals, or Ethereally Blessed beings. While the Whales only surface in one specific bay, music festivals are often held inland, and everybody participates in fireworks and festival type games after sunset.

The day of Returning is an odd holiday for non-Lynpheans. While Lynpheans are known for their nature preservation and association with living plants, the Day of Returning celebrated the ever present death in nature. Lynpheans are very familiar with death, and don’t view it as a “bad thing” most of the time. Untimely death or unwarented violence is frowned upon but Lynpheans understand that death follows life and life follows death. In fact in some Lynphean dialects, “death” is refered to as “returning” (ex: Old Uncle Bush returned peacefully in his sleep last may.) Mushrooms are the central icon of “returning” being organisms that live off of death in a very tangible way. The Common Lynphean Green Cap is the most popular to use. The cap of Green Cap contains psychedelic substances that can very often result in death. However, the stalk of the Green Cap contains the anti toxins. When taken alone the cap results in severe hallucinations and eventual death. When the stalk is taken alone it clears the body of toxins and has pain relieving effect. When taken together the cap and the stalk produce a mild euphoria, sometimes with (usually auditory) hallucinations(basically its kinda like acid). On the Day of returning Local Temples/Sanctuaries open up the use of the mushrooms as a way to come in to hear the voice of nature and connect the spirit with the physical manifestation of death. These Mushrooms are easy to get addicted to, and are a controlled substance limited to ceremonial or pharmaceutical use, but possession isn’t criminalized and the Lynphean community is very involved with addiction recovery programs.

A Lady I’ve mentioned in passing a few times, Reagis the Cruel, Fairy of Lace. When the Anscestrals first started looking for the Dragon Flame, they placed a Fairy on the throne of Eraklyon as pawn, “blessing” her with their power and tying her core magic to the planet itself. Reagis is Eraklyan, and reigned with an iron fist. She had no empathy for basically anyone, but hated men especially(bad childhood and lots of trauma combined with a superiority complex and power equals big yikes), placing them lowest on the social status and promoting women like her above them. Compassion was a social sin, an act of kindness towards another could lead to public censure and imprisonment, and the people of Eraklyon started to abandon each other emotionally. Sky’s Grandfather and Grandmother, Oris and Edra(along with a young Erendor), resisted and became anonymous figures who helped people in trouble. Eventually they had enough of a following to hold a proper rebellion. Oris and Edra lead the charge and Edra(a warrior) fought with Reagis while Oris(a magic user) worked on disconnecting Regis from her power sources which revived her every time Edra did manage to land a blow. When Reagis was finally un-linked her magic core freaked tf out and Edra landed one final blow with her spear to make Reagis’s magic go completely berserk and burn her up. Edra unfortunately took too much damage and passed after that. Oris was crowned king, established New Earklyon Day, and ruled for a few years before also passing away (due to complication in his core magic because of the way he un-linked Reagis’s from the ancestrals and the planet), and Erendor took the throne. New Eraklyon Day is celebrated with a parade in the capital city and is a national holiday(ie, day off work). Street fairs along the parade route are also common. Reagis’s reign is partially why women aren’t trusted in positions of power or the emotional realm of decision making, and are instead usually pushed towards physical fighting and enforcement.

Vaonaa celebrates the Festival of Threads! The festival is to honor the Ethereal Fairy known as The Threaded One. The Threaded One is unusual for Ethereal Fairies, in that they have regular, benign, interactions with a specific people at a specific time in a specific place (ethereals are usually much more unpredictable). But for whatever reason, The Threaded One seems to enjoy the Festival of Threads. The Festival is centrally located at the Woven Temple, but smaller scale local festivals are also common. The event happens over four days, with a different activity and group each day. The first day the grass fibers are gathered by the youths in the community, this is preformed as a game with kids leading lines with a flag and running/ducking in a pattern across fields to grab the grasses. The second day the adults preform the spinning dance, rotating and using drop spindles to spin the grass fibers into threads. The third day is when the elders groups together and weave the story of the year into the textile in a mix of group chants and oral poetry. The fourth day is for everybody, and the fabric created for the ceremony is burned in a hug bonfire as a sacrifice to The Threaded One. The bonfire is usually when The Threaded One publicly appears but some years they appear periodically through the other four days.

(psa: Vaonaa is very heavily based on Navajo native american culture, I very loosely based this festival on some of the four/nine day healing ceremonies, but ultimately I didn’t want it to just be a weirder version of a religious and culturally significant ceremony so I changed and added a lot. As always, please let me know if you have issues with this im always willing to listen and learn.)

Another practical society, Zhen’s featured festival is the Spring Shear. Just as winter is ending, local communities on Zhen start a flurry of activity. The domestic herds of Argali are sheared, and the wild herds are searched out and counted, hunted, selected for domestication, or moved to a different location. While Argalis do produce a wool like substance, they do not absolutely need to be sheared the way our sheep do. Their wool is shed or scrapped off by the sheep naturally, and it comes off in fluffy chunks, but the Zhen people find it useful and easier to shear their herds for a clean fleece. The fleeces are carded, spun, and wound onto spools in huge huge amounts, a lot of weaving is done at this time as well but its not the main focus. After the majority of the work is done, Zhenese relax and eat/drink/play in a fair like environment, usually held in market squares of estate courtyards.

On Koyu, the Koyuvian Silk Moths are an iconic animal. Uniquely adapted to it’s environment, the Koyuvian Silk Moths are one of the only creature to live in the outer reaches of the Tangles, feeding off the radiation and burrowing into the living fungal limbs. However, the pupal stage is too fragile to survive the outer Tangles, so the moths travel inward to lay their eggs. The caterpillars eat a the leaves of a luminescent plant called Naemtaj, and eventually produce a silk strand cocoon and transform into the moth. After the moth wiggles out of the cocoon, they’re wings begin to glow and they begin to flock together to travel to the outer Tangles. This is the signal for the Koyvians to begin hunting for the cocoons when begin to give off a faint glow as they deteriorate with out the moth’s body chemicals to keep it intact. The Koyuvians must move fast and usually have several locations in an area with a boiling pot to stabilize the strands as they hunt for the cocoons. Eventually the searching dies down and the silk strands are brushed and wound onto spools for future use. The anticipation before the moths are born is buzzing with energy and bets are placed on who can find the most cocoons. After the work, the Koyuvians relax with food and drink.

222 notes · View notes

boostmobileofficial · 7 years ago

Text

Boost Mobile ComplexCon Sweepstakes

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. The Boost Mobile ComplexCon Sweepstakes (the "Promotion") begins at 9:00:00 AM Pacific Time (“PT”) on October 26, 2018 and ends at 12:00:00 PM PT on October 31, 2018 (the “Promotion Period”). The Promotion contains a game of chance (“Sweepstakes”). The computer clock of the Sponsor (defined below) is the official time-keeping device in the Promotion.

This Promotion is not sponsored, endorsed, administered, associated with or certified by Facebook, Inc. (“Facebook”) or Instagram (“Instagram”). Any questions, comments or complaints regarding the Promotion should be directed to the Sponsor at the address listed below and not to Facebook or Instagram. The information you provide will only be used for contacting the prize winners or if the user opts in to receive more information.

1. ELIGIBILITY: The Promotion is open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, who are 18 (except Alabama and Nebraska 19 and 21 in Mississippi) years of age or older as of date of entry. Employees, officers and directors of Boost Worldwide, Inc. (“Sponsor”), Scheifer Chopshop, Realtime Media LLC (“Administrator”) and their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising, contest, fulfillment and marketing agencies, (collectively, “Promotion Parties”) their immediate families (parent, child, sibling & spouse and their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside) and persons living in the same households as such individuals (whether related or not) are not eligible to participate in the Promotion. By participating, you agree to these Official Rules and to the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding in all respects. Void in any state not listed above and where prohibited by law, rule or regulation. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.

2. HOW TO ENTER THE PROMOTION: There are two (2) methods of entry which are outlined below:

a) FACEBOOK: During the Promotion Period, the Sponsor will post on Facebook (“Facebook Post”) on Boost Mobile’s Facebook Page, located at: https://www.facebook.com/boostmobile. To enter via Facebook, (1) log in to your Facebook account during the Promotion Period, (2) comment on the Facebook Post within the comment section of the post. Within your comment, tag one friend and state the reason you want to attend the event. Your comment must include “#BoostxComplex” and “Sweepstakes” (“Official Promotion Hashtag”) hashtag to receive one (1) entry into the Sweepstakes (“Sweepstakes Entry”). The comment within the sponsor’s post will be considered your “Entry”.

b) INSTAGRAM: During the Promotion Period, the Sponsor will post on Instagram with the (“Official Promotion Hashtags”) on Boost Mobile’s Instagram Page located at https://www.instagram.com/boostmobile. To enter via Instagram, (1) log in to your Instagram account during the Promotion Period, and (2) comment on Boost Mobile’s post about the Promotion using the Official Promotion Hashtag (listed above.) Within your comment, tag one friend and state the reason you want to attend the event to receive one (1) entry into the sweepstakes (“Sweepstakes Entry”). The comment within the sponsor’s post will be considered your “Entry”.

The steps listed above for Facebook or Instagram must be completed for your Entry to be valid. Limit of up to one (1) Sweepstakes Entry, per person, per Facebook or Instagram account, per day throughout the Promotion Period.

3. SWEEPSTAKES DRAWING/ODDS: On or about October 31, 2018, the Administrator will conduct a random drawing from all eligible Entries received within the Promotion Period and select One (1) Grand Prize winner. Odds of winning a Promotion prize depend on the number of eligible Entries received.

4. WINNER NOTIFICATION: The potential prize winners will be notified by email and/or phone within one (1) business day of winner selection or as soon as reasonably practiceable. Potential winners will have twenty-four (24) hours to respond to winning notification before forfeiting their prize. Potential winner becomes the “Winner�� only after verification of eligibility by Sponsor. If such potential winner cannot be contacted within a reasonable time period, if the potential winner is ineligible, if any notification is returned undeliverable, or if the potential winner otherwise fails to fully comply with these Official Rules, he/she will forfeit that prize and an alternate winner will be selected from among all remaining entries for that drawing.

5. PRIZES/PRIZE RESTRICTIONS: One (1) Grand Prize will be awarded during the Promotion. The Grand Prize consists of: • Two (2) Two-Day General Admission Tickets to ComplexCon 2018 (November 3-4, 2018)

The Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) of the Grand Prize is $200

PRIZE RESTRICTIONS: Limit of one (1) Promotion Prize per person/per household. All Promotion prizes will be fulfilled approximately four (4) to six (6) weeks after the Promotion has ended. Prizes will be awarded only upon winner redemption, confirmation, verification and final approval by Sponsor. No substitution, transfer of any prize or cash alternative permitted, except by Sponsor who reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to substitute a prize of equal or greater value, if prize, or portion of prize, becomes unavailable. Promotion Parties are not responsible for late, lost, stolen, damaged, delayed, or undelivered prizes.

PRIZES ARE AWARDED “AS IS” WITH NO GUARANTEE. ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE HEREBY DISCLAIMED BY THE PROMOTION PARTIES. ALL PRIZE DETAILS ARE AT SPONSOR’S SOLE DISCRETION. ANY COSTS AND EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH PRIZE ACCEPTANCE AND USE NOT SPECIFIED HEREIN AS BEING PROVIDED ARE WINNERS’ SOLE RESPONSIBILITY.

6. GENERAL: Each winner hereby expressly grants to the Promotion Parties and their respective designees all rights to use and publish his/her name, likeness (photographic or simulated), voice, and province of residence for all purposes, including without limitation, advertising, marketing, promotional and publicity purposes in connection with this Promotion (“Advertising”), in any and all media now or hereafter devised, worldwide in perpetuity, without any form of notice or any amount or kind of compensation or permission, except where prohibited by applicable law. All copyright, trademark or other intellectual property rights in such Advertising shall be owned by Sponsor and/or its licensors, and each winning participant hereby disclaims and waives any claim of right to such Advertising. Such Advertising shall be solely under the control of Sponsor and/or its licensors, and each winner hereby waives any claim of control over the Advertising content as well as any possible claims of misuse of such winning recipient’s name, likeness or voice under contract, tort or any other theory of law. The Promotion Parties do not assume any responsibility for any disruption in the Promotion Parties, including but not limited to the failure or interruption of Facebook or any internet service provider. In the event there is a discrepancy or inconsistency between disclosures and other statements contained in any Promotion materials and the terms and conditions of these Official Rules, these Official Rules shall prevail, govern, and control. In no event will more prizes be awarded than those listed in Rule #5. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. All decisions as to these Official Rules and interpretations thereof are exclusively within the sole discretion of the Promotion Parties and may be changed from time to time without notice. The Promotion Parties reserve the right to cancel or modify the Promotion at any time without notice. A potential winner may be requested to provide the Sponsor with proof that the potential winner is the authorized account holder of the email address associated with the winning Entry. If, in Sponsor’s sole determination, a dispute cannot be resolved, the Entry will be deemed ineligible. Entries generated by a script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified. Entries that are incomplete, garbled, or corrupted are void and will not be accepted.

7.CONDUCT: By participating in this Promotion, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Promotion Parties, which shall be final, binding and non-appealable in all respects. Failure to comply with these Official Rules may result in disqualification. The Promotion Parties reserve the right at their sole discretion to disqualify any individual found to be tampering with the participation process or the operation of the Promotion, or to be acting in any manner deemed by the Promotion Parties to be in violation of the Official Rules, or to be acting in any manner deemed by the Promotion Parties to be unsportsmanlike or disruptive, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person and void all associated Entries and/or registrations. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY A USER, YOU OR ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE PROMOTION IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS, AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, THE PROMOTION PARTIES RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES AND OTHER REMEDIES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES) FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

8. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY: The Promotion Parties assume no responsibility or liability for (a) lost, late, stolen, undelivered, inaccurate, incomplete, delayed, misdirected, damaged or garbled registrations, Entries, URLs, or emails; (b) any incorrect or inaccurate Entry information, or for any faulty or failed electronic data transmissions; (c) any unauthorized access to, or theft, destruction or alteration of Entries or registrations at any point in the operation of this Promotion; (d) any technical malfunction, failure, error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or communications line failure, regardless of cause, with regard to any equipment, systems, networks, lines, cable, satellites, servers, computers or providers utilized in any aspect of the operation of the Promotion; (e) inaccessibility or unavailability of the Internet or the Web Site or any combination thereof or for computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties, or other errors or difficulties of any kind whether human, mechanical, electronic, computer, network, typographical, printing or otherwise relating to or in connection with the Promotion, including, without limitation, errors or difficulties which may occur in connection with the administration of the Promotion, the processing of Entries, social networking posts, or registrations, the announcement of the prizes, or in any other Promotion-related materials; or (f) any injury or damage to participants or to any other person's computer which may be related to or resulting from any attempt to participate in the Promotion. If, for any reason, the Promotion (or any part thereof) is not capable of running as planned for reasons which may include, without limitation, infection by computer virus, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which may corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this Promotion, then the Promotion Parties reserve the right at their sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Promotion in whole or in part. If terminated, the Promotion Parties will award the prizes from among all non-suspect, eligible Entries received for the Promotion up to the time of such action.

9. RELEASES: All participants, as a condition of participation in this Promotion, agree to release, hold harmless and indemnify Facebook, Instagram and the Promotion Parties from and against any and all liability, claims, damages, or actions of any kind whatsoever for injuries, damages, or losses to persons or property which may be sustained, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in connection with (i) participation in any aspect of the Promotion, (ii) the receipt, ownership or use of the prize awarded, including any travel associated with any prize, (iii) participant’s registration material on any related website, or (iv) any typographical or other error in these Official Rules.

11. PRIVACY: Except as noted in these Official Rules, information collected for this Promotion is used only for the purpose of Promotion administration and winner notification and will not be re-used, sold or shared in any manner by the Promotion Parties or any third parties unless you have elected to receive additional information or promotional material from the Sponsor, or a third party. By participating in the Promotion, participant agrees to all of the terms and conditions of the Sponsor’s Privacy Policy, which is available at https://www5.boostmobile.com/?INTNAV=BotNav:Legal:Privacy#!/about/legal/privacy-policy. In the event of any discrepancy between the Sponsor’s Privacy Policy and these Official Rules, these Official Rules shall control and govern.

12. TAX INFORMATION: All federal, state, local, and other taxes on prizes and any other costs and expenses associated with prize acceptance and use not specified herein as being provided, are the sole responsibility of the applicable winner.

13. WINNERS LIST: To receive the list of winners of prizes, send a #10 self-addressed, stamped envelope for receipt by November 15, 2018 to: Boost Mobile ComplexCon Sweepstakes Winners List Request, c/o Realtime Media, 200 Four Falls Corporate Center, Suite 100, Conshohocken, PA 19428.

SPONSOR: Boost Worldwide, Inc., 6591Irvine Center Drive, Suite 100, Irvine, CA 92618

ADMINISTRATOR: Realtime Media LLC, 200 Four Falls Corporate Center, Suite 100, Conshohocken, PA 19428

5 notes · View notes

nothingman · 8 years ago

Link

For years, Reddit’s r/TheRedPill forum has been one of the worst corners of the internet. It’s the home of the pickup artist movement, it gave Milo Yiannapolis a fawning fanbase, and it’s the hub of the perceived “manosphere”–a community built around the “men’s rights” philosophy that feminism is a sham built to oppress men.

Reddit is deliberately designed to protect anonymity. But that doesn’t mean users don’t also have to work to protect themselves–something that someone probably should have told Robert Fisher of New Hampshire, who has just been outed by The Daily Beast, via a trail of usernames and custom URLs with ties to Fisher’s email address, as the creator of the misogynistic forum.

Fisher, by the way, also happens to be a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, not that the connection is very surprising. If I had to name the two communities most vocal in their loathing of women, I’d probably go with Red Pill dudes and the GOP.

In addition to Red Pill, Fisher’s reported aliases had also written and published a pickup artist site, a blog attempting to “Explain God,” and one site titled “Existential Vortex.” He also was or maybe still is a singer-songwriter and kazooist in an “indieelectronic” band. Basically, he sounds like exactly the sort of bro-ish college kid, straight off a few frat party rejections and his first philosophy class, whom you would expect to found a misogynistic Reddit forum with a name referencing The Matrix. (Except Fisher had, at the time of Red Pill’s creation, aged out of the follies of youth excuse. He’s 31 now.)

Fisher’s reported “Pk_atheist” alias started the subreddit in October 2012, just before he lost his first election—one he ran as a Democrat. He won his seat in November of 2014, by which time the subreddit had grown to 83,000 members. He had already stepped down as a moderator in early 2013, but continued to be active in the community.

The Daily Beast writes that “within hours of contacting Rep. Fisher, and after delivering by email a summary of his apparent connections to The Red Pill kingpin, his two primary Reddit usernames had been wiped, and four blogs connected to him were deleted or made private.”

[Update: His own colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, are already calling for his resignation. Fisher responded with a statement asserting he is “not disappearing,” adding, “I will continue to stand strong for men’s rights and the rights of all.”]

But the internet doesn’t let you hide from your awfulness that easily. Through archived posts and comment threads, we have way too clear a window into this man’s mind and his motivations for starting this giant sexism feeding ground. Here are just a few direct quotes.

Content warning for, well, for everything Red Pill is about. (Misogyny and rape denial abound.)

–If you want the short version of his views on women: “I find women’s personalities in general to be lackluster and boring, serving little purpose in my day to day life. So I usually only compare body types.”

–“Because when I told myself I thought they were smart, I really had the footnote in the back of my head … smart … for a woman.”

–“I don’t hate women. I just understand what use they are to me. Stimulating conversation is not one of them.”

–“Understand that in the old days, women were not brought up the way they are today. Before feminism, there was less freedom, and therefore it was not necessary to teach women consequence. Consequence was strictly a man’s game.”

–“Women are not oppressed- they’re literally free from a lot of the responsibilities men are- to the extent where women have no need for the functioning every-day knowledge that most men have by the age of 18 … If you took the conversation skills, the sub-par intelligence, the lack of curiosity and put it in a man’s body- would you hang out with that guy? No! Would he be successful? Hell no! Those things are useless without a woman’s body attached.”

–In a post with “seduction” advice, he proposes “There’s a good girl voice inside each woman telling her that she needs to make sure to be proper and avoid being a slut.” He follows up with a lot of tips on how to invade the “good girl’s” personal space and trick her into letting out the “slut.”

–In response to a question about the Free the Nipple movement: “Hot women are a cartel, and they will continue to keep prices as high as possible. Anybody “freeing” their nipples will either be low-quality, or they will have a smear campaign against them to make them seem low-quality, despite the equality implications supposedly working for the cartel.”

–He defended being sexually attracted to teenage girls. “15 year old girls have boobs. Puberty doesnt strike at 18 overnight. Secondly, not creepy- 15 year old girls and guys are commonly sexually active. Its just illegal.”

–In one of his many comments alleging women frequently falsely accuse men of rape, he says he has a video camera in his room, presumably to record his exploits for proof of innocence.

It’s bad enough that someone could hold all of these beliefs, let alone feel confident to enough to put them out in public (even if anonymously so). Add to that the fact that there are, as of now, nearly 200,000 subscribers to the subreddit.

But nothing is scarier than knowing that this is what at least some (and some is too many) of the men who make our country’s laws think about women. And if you think Fisher’s purported Reddit persona is all talk, it’s not. It’s clear that his misogyny infects his platform.

Taking a quick look at Fisher’s terrible, stock-photo-filled campaign website, you can see the threads. In the site’s “Family” section (complete with a stock picture of what I assume is a random family of strangers, so you know he really cares), he says he wants to “strengthen the family.” But all that seems to mean to him is something about the family court legal system. He writes, “It is long over-due to bring oversight and accountability to our family courts. Every parent deserves justice in our courts regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or orientation.”

This obsession with family courts looks to date back to 2012, when his colleague and fellow men’s rights activist Joshua Youssef began publicly decrying the “feminist judicial tyranny” over a custody battle with his ex-wife. A reddit username the Daily Beast attributes to Youssef posted a lengthy rant about the “corruption, deception, greed, lawlessness, and feminist entitlement-mindedness, of the family court” to /theredpill, with Fisher in the comments defending him.

Remember that comment about “low quality” women exposing their nipples? Another one of New Hampshire’s Reps, Al Baldasaro, insulted the physical appearance of a female legislator who was fighting a bill, written by an all-male team, which would have outlawed breastfeeding in public.

Just four days after the 2014 election that put him in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, with only 100 subscribers, Pk_atheist wrote a manifesto of sorts, explaining the point of the, as of then, two-week-old forum.

“Our culture has become a feminist culture,” he wrote. “A president cannot be elected today without succumbing to the feminist narrative and paying them tribute. How many times has Obama given credit for his manhood to his wife? How many times has the debate hinged on women’s pay gap – which is a myth that gets lip service because if you don’t you’re a misogynist!”

Yet he maintained, “It’s too easy to blame feminism for our troubles.” He’s all for equal rights, he says, although he takes care to specify, “Equal rights are something I strongly am in support of. For men and women.” As opposed to unequal equality, I suppose.

His big message is that feminism has led not to equal rights, but to female domination. Women, as he puts it, control the conversation. “I am here to say, for better or for worse, the frame around public discourse is a feminist frame, and we’ve lost our identity because of it.”

Therefore men, he proclaims, need to take back this role of central dominance from women. The Red Pill is “men’s sexual strategy,” designed to counter feminism, which is, apparently, nothing more than a sexual strategy itself.

This, through the Daily Beast’s sleuthing, appears to be Robert Fisher’s worldview. This is a man who gave a space to hundreds of thousands of others looking to blame and conquer women, while simultaneously being elected into public office, where he has the ability to affect real policy.

Here’s the kicker, and keep this in mind the next time you think your vote doesn’t matter: In Fisher’s small New Hampshire district, he won his re-election by only 700 votes. He won his first election in 2014 by 276 votes. Squashing the internet’s rampant misogyny is a challenge too big for any one of us, but if you’re eligible to vote, you can do your part to keep immature, idiotic monsters like this one out of office.

(via Daily Beast, image: Shutterstock)

Want more stories like this? Become a subscriber and support the site!

—The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.—

via The Mary Sue

#IFTTT #Feedly #Nothingman uses feedly

4 notes · View notes

cdrforea · 5 years ago

Text

SimpliSafe Home Security System Review: Beautiful -- and Brains, Too!

New Post has been published on https://bestedevices.com/simplisafe-home-security-system-review-beautiful-and-brains-too.html

SimpliSafe Home Security System Review: Beautiful -- and Brains, Too!

"Stylish hardware, a range of sensors and home security monitoring make SimpliSafe a top choice."

Beautifully designed base station fits seamlessly into your home

Setting and forgetting the installation means that you will only be interrupted if there is a problem

The affordable home surveillance service offers comprehensive coverage

No contracts

Limited smartphone integration ex works

Home Monitoring Service subscription required

If you're concerned about home security but don't have the time (or inclination) to explore the myriad of products available, a one-box solution like SimpliSafe Protect can calm your fears. This starter kit is part of a wider selection of smart home security lines that include alarms, sensors, cameras and more, and offer professional surveillance support 24/7.

The security of smart homes is booming with only 20 percent of the currently protected Americans: Amazon is pushing for 360-degree smart home security with the recent takeover of Ring via Smart Doorbells and is competing with Nest Secure from Google and newcomers like Abode, for example. SimpliSafe is not (yet) a well-known name, but the company has been active in the home security field for more than ten years. The company is valued at over $ 1 billion after a recent capital injection.

With the company's third generation system on the shelves of your local big box store, there's no better time to try SimpliSafe.

Home security reinvented with beautiful hardware

In 2018, safe, intelligent, and simply are no longer the differentiators for smart home devices that they used to be. Now consumers are also demanding style. Inexpensive Kickstarter kits may have been good enough in 2014, but optimized systems like Nest Secure have improved the game thanks to beautifully designed sensors and curved keyboards.

Terry Walsh / Digital Trends

In response, SimpliSafe worked with the design gurus IDEO to reinvent security hardware for smart homes – with elegant results. The SimpliSafe base station is the star of the show and resembles the fruits of a one-night stand between Amazon Echo and Google Home. Equipped with a high-quality loudspeaker, a 95 dB siren and free cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity, the powerful hub blends wonderfully into the background. However, when asked to act, you and your intruders know it's there. An integrated emergency power supply offers continuous protection in the event of a power failure.

While other components don't have the same visual impact, exploring the beautifully presented starter kit shows a generous selection of smart home sensors and controllers. You can customize the kit contents when ordering your system so prices vary depending on your requirements. Otherwise, choose a pre-configured bento box of your choice.

The fruits of a one-night stand between Amazon Echo and Google Home

For comparison purposes, a custom selection of the SimpliSafe kit that exactly fits the Ring Protect system for $ 199 (base station, keyboard, an input sensor, and a motion detector) costs $ 229 – a little more expensive, but as we'll discuss in a moment , SimpliSafes hardware is more advanced.

The base station is accompanied by a large, wall-mounted keyboard that can be used to activate and deactivate the system. In contrast to Nest and Ring, the SimpliSafe keyboard has a monochrome display and is used both for system configuration and for arming. This new device is more compact than the previous generation and has a larger, brighter screen, illuminated buttons and a larger signal range. Soft-touch plastics and sleek lines ensure a good match with the base station, but clicking controls (where you press to navigate the sides of the screen) and annoying beeps that accompany each command make the experience cheaper. An oversized keychain can also be included to switch protection.

Terry Walsh / Digital Trends

Four entrance sensors for windows and doors are neat enough, but they lack the finesse and first-class finish of Nest Secure. A motion sensor fits perfectly in a corner between the wall and ceiling (or it can sit on a desktop). An independent panic alarm, a water leak sensor and a freeze sensor are also included in the scope of delivery. For the sake of simplicity, most sensors have a self-adhesive back, but screws are also included for permanent installation.

To ward off potential intruders, a large garden sign and window stickers with SimpliSafes 24-hour surveillance protection are also included. When you add an expanded selection that includes smoke and CO2 alarms, surveillance cameras and an upcoming smart doorbell and lock, SimpliSafe is one of the most comprehensive security systems on the market today.

Voice-controlled configuration is easy once you get used to a physical keyboard

Given the number of components included, installing the system is expected to take some time, although you will find that the starter kit is partially pre-configured for you upon arrival. Of course, you need to invest some time to figure out the best placement for the various sensors and other triggers in your kit. After the physical installation, simply press a button on each component to register. You will then be asked to enter a personalized name for this component on the keyboard. A included test mode allows you to go through the house again by pressing each button to check that all devices are working.

A lack of ready-to-use smartphone integration is a real disappointment.

SimpliSafe appears to connect to the cellular network automatically, but in the past, lack of signal strength has left users somewhat in the dark. Wi-Fi support has been added to this latest generation. So if you remember, you will find that connecting the system to your home network is easy enough.

The process is easy once you get used to using a physical keyboard instead of a smartphone app. The voice announcements via the high quality loudspeaker of the base station ensure that you are never lost.

It blends beautifully into the background, but you have to register for all functions

Once you are ready to go, you will find that SimpliSafe is largely invisible unless there is a problem. This is a big plus for us. Large "Home" and "Away" buttons on the keyboard and key chain make it easy to activate and deactivate the system. We found the sensors to be robust and very responsive. Activating the base station alarm and keyboard notifications took less than a second.

At 1,000 feet, SimpliSafe offers a better sensor range than nest and ring and at the same time outperforms the competition with a battery life of five to seven years. However, a lack of ready-to-use smartphone integration is a big disappointment. SimpliSafe offers both a web app and a mobile app. However, without subscribing to the company's subscription service for $ 15 a month, only basic features are included, such as: B. Activation of home surveillance, camera surveillance and account management.

As soon as the service is active, remote notifications and app control as well as monitoring of people are opened around the clock. When your alarm goes off, your base station will notify the surveillance center that will contact you (and other specific family members or friends). False alarms can be easily deactivated with a safe word, otherwise the police or fire brigade will be sent to your home.

As another sweetener, subscribing enables a growing number of third-party device integrations, including August Smart Locks, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, the Nest Learning Thermostat, and more.

We love SimpliSafe's low price and comprehensive home security, but would rather have remote notifications and system access available without having to pay for full home surveillance.

Warranty information

SimpliSafe is covered by a three-year limited warranty, well ahead of Nest Secure (two years) and Ring Alarm (one year).

Our opinion

If you want to protect your home with a remote monitoring service, choosing SimpliSafe makes a lot of sense. An affordable service subscription with 24-hour monitoring, remote access, powerful sensors and elegant security hardware is a convincing combination.

SimpliSafe certainly offers real value and performance, even without home surveillance, but the lack of remote app access and notifications weakens the offering. However, such a comprehensive selection of sensors and supporting hardware makes SimpliSafe a fantastic choice for 24-hour house protection.

Is there a better alternative?

At $ 499, Nest Secure offers great hardware, but it can't keep up with the price and doesn't have the multitude of security sensors offered by SimpliSafe. Ring Alarm is a more compelling competitor at $ 199. Here too, the breadth of SimpliSafe is lacking, but Ring is rapidly expanding its ecosystem for security hardware and making it an observable ecosystem. A comprehensive selection of sensors, supporting hardware and monitoring services make SimpliSafe a fantastic choice for 24-hour house protection.

How long it will take?

SimpliSafe is one of the original pioneers of smart home security, and a substantial capital injection means that it will continue for some time. Buy with confidence.

Should you buy it

Good-looking hardware, a comprehensive selection of sensors and supportive monitoring services make SimpliSafe a fantastic choice for 24-hour house protection. Put simply, SimpliSafe is one of the best home security systems on the market.

Updated September 19, 2018 to find that SimpliSafe now works with Google Assistant.

Editor's recommendations

#Beautiful #Brains #Home #Review #security #SimpliSafe #system #Smart Security

0 notes

ncmagroup · 6 years ago

Text

by SHERMAN STANDBERRY

Social media is turning out to be one of the most effective tools to market your brand and stand out of the crowd. When social media branding is done correctly, it can and will help you connect to your target market in an optimal way. Social media branding forms a natural but essential part of your overall marketing efforts on major social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Social media branding is about consistently using the right methods to engage with your target audience on social media platforms. The aim or purpose is to boost brand awareness. By leveraging the power of social media branding, you can build a robust network of fans who are not only loyal to your brand but are also eager to buy from you.

In a research report by Social Fresh, they found that the number one goal of brands with social media is to grow awareness. Which clearly shows that social media branding is a priority for most brands.

Branding is an important stage for any business that wants to generate long-term business. It’s about defining what you stand for and at the same time attract prospects that are likely to turn into customers. In the initial branding stages, every business lead is important, which is why it’s necessary to start the relationship on the right note.

Social media branding makes it easy for you to get more relevant people into your sales funnel by giving them a reason to trust you. When you get social branding right, the rest of the sales process becomes more efficient.

Right from brand exposure to customer retention, you not only see results but measurable results. Which means better business and stronger customer relationships.

There are four key areas that you need to work on to improve your social media branding game:

1. Your Identity: In order to make find success with social media branding, you need to know your business. What defines your brand and how does it differentiate from the others? What does it seek to achieve? Who and how does it want to impress? The clearer you are about your brand’s identity, the easier it will be craft the right message.

2. Your Audience: A big part of social media branding is understanding and knowing your target audience like the back of your hand. This allows you to take a precise, tailored approach with your marketing efforts, rather than a blind, blanket one.

If you want to help your audience, you need to get into their shoes. And look at their problems, wants and needs from their eyes. Ask yourself the right questions to identify them. For instance, what age group does your audience belong to?

3. Your Content: The type of content you share on social media shapes your brand, which is why it is integral that you share the right type. The content you share has the power to make or break your social media marketing campaign. So sharing the appropriate content on each network should not be ignored.

For instance, the power of video marketing in social media is something marketers shouldn’t disregard as the traffic from this content is expected to rise up to 82% in 2022. Although that’s a good percentage for potential consumers, keep in mind that the number of competitors is also growing. Yes, that is the inevitable reality of social media growth. And since statistics state that you only have two seconds to capture a potential buyer’s attention, you’d better create a strong video content that would stop the users from scrolling past your video post.

4. Your Design: Visual elements play a crucial role in how your followers perceive your brand on social media, which is why aligning your brand design with your marketing goals is a step you cannot afford to ignore. Remember, our brains tend to process visual content 60,000x faster when compared to regular text.

Social Media Branding Myths to Avoid

Being a business, it’s important that you focus on getting favorable results from your social media marketing efforts. And for that to happen, you need to ensure that you’re not looking at social media marketing from the wrong lens. In other words, you should avoid believing in the following three common myths in order to get positive returns.

Myth #1: Social Media Can Make Your Brand Popular Overnight

A lot of social media marketers are focused on getting their content to go viral on social media and get as many votes or likes as possible. Their aim? Get super popular overnight. They want more and more people to know their brand, in little time. Which is a mistake.

Now, regardless of how you see social media branding, it’s simply not possible to get hundreds of thousands of genuine followers in a few weeks. Nor can you get an unrealistic number of likes or fans in a few days. Even if you do manage to make it happen, it’s not going to be ethical. You will end up interacting with the wrong people. And along the process hurt brand image.

Try and build a real relationship with your target audience by using social media as a tool. Don’t think about getting quick results. Rather, know and understand what makes your brand tick. Taking the slow and steady or the more patient approach will make your brand look more trustworthy in the long run.

Myth #2: Being On Every Network Is Crucial For Social Media Branding

Finding success with social media branding starts with your focus. If your focus is in the wrong direction, you may send an irrelevant message to your audience. Or worse, you may end up not reaching them at all. Besides that, you have a limited amount of time to spend on social media, so you have to use it wisely to ensure you’re getting a good return on your time investment.

While it may be tempting to be active on every major social media website out there, it can work against you. Why ? Because each network is different and has a unique set of users. Your brand-building efforts should be directed towards the right type of people who would be interested in your business. The point is, social media branding takes work, and you certainly don’t want to dilute your efforts by spreading yourself too thin.

Myth #3: You Need Hundreds of Thousands of Followers for Brand Building Via Social Media

Building a big social media audience definitely has its perks. But is it really necessary to see great results? Do you really need a huge number of social media followers to slash fans to grow your brand’s recognition? The answer is an obvious no. As a business, your goal should be to leverage social media to build a better connection with your customers and prospects.

Your brand’s popularity won’t shoot up overnight on social media, so there’s no use fretting about vanity metrics such as follower count. What you should rather be aiming for is building a loyal and dedicated following. The size or the quantity of your following matters far more than the quality.

There’s no doubt that having more followers will fetch you more business. But, they should genuinely recognize and like your brand.

One of the key advantages of having a laser-focused following is that your content is seen by only those followers who truly like and trust your brand. This way you wouldn’t be crafting content that is uninteresting or boring. But rather something that is highly relevant.

Myth #4: Social Media Branding Is “Set and Forget”

This is far from the truth because your social media activity directly affects how people view your brand. You have to be active on social media to showcase your brand’s professional side. You want people to see you as a brand that cares by being responsive in every possible way.

You’ll have customers and prospects posting on your social media accounts from time and time. This is your opportunity to show them that they matter by responding to their comments. It doesn’t take much effort to interact with your social media fans, but it can make a positive impact on their lives. The indirect effect of being active on social media is you’ll see more business coming in.

Every time someone leaves a comment on your social media content, they’re taking out the time to voice their concern. Or simply share their thought or opinion. By getting back to them, you not only show them respect but also make them feel important. It’s easy for people to take the wrong impression if they see you inactive. This may even lead to people unfollowing you or forgetting your brand. Which is the last thing you want.

5 Social Media Branding Strategies that Work

Social media has evolved over the years in terms of helping businesses grow their brand and reach out to customers. It is no longer just about building a social presence. Today, it’s also about creating a brand image strong enough to increase traffic, leads and sales. It’s about taking multiple approaches to build a brand that truly cares about its audience.

However, as more and more businesses realize the importance of social media, it is becoming a crowded space. Which in turn is making it harder for brands to stand out from the rest. It’s not enough to just have a unique selling point. You have to have a complete social media branding plan to get the best results with the least amount of risk. Whether it’s Facebook or Instagram, you will need to take the right steps to give your brand a unique edge over the competition.

Let’s look into some efficient social media branding strategies that can help you represent your brand the way you want. Don’t worry, these tips are simple to apply, but when followed consistently over a period of time, can give big results.

Strategy #1: Choose and Leverage the Most Appropriate Social Network

The type of social network you use can literally make the difference between success and failure on social media. Because the last thing you want is for people to see your brand as incapable or negative. You want your social media progress to be in sync with the efforts you’re putting in. Being active on the wrong social network will drain your energy with poor results.

There are many social media platforms out there that you can work with to reach out to your target audience. Your goal should be to test out each of these platforms to find out which goes with your brand’s overall objectives. What do you want to achieve with your social media branding efforts? And how do you want your social media activity to impact your bottom line?

For example, if you’re a B2B business, such as a residential management company, then you may want to tap into the power of LinkedIn for building your brand. Why? Because LinkedIn has many business owners actively using it. But if your business is more on the B2C or C2C side, you may want to get more active on Facebook or Pinterest, and use these networks to grow your social media presence.

Remember, every social media platform has an audience that is used to seeing a certain type of content. When you understand this, it will be easy for you to decide on a social network that helps you achieve your branding goals.

Strategy #2: Be Consistent with Your Messages

Brand building on social media isn’t complicated. In fact, it becomes far more simple when you understand the importance of crafting the right kind of messages – consistently.

Your brand becomes more involved with your target audience when you regularly use visuals and text that matches with your purpose. People on social media are used to identifying patterns or themes, so it always pays off when you are consistent in your efforts. The longer you do it; the better the results you will see.

It doesn’t matter at what stage your brand is on social media. You should try to be consistent with your messaging right from the start. Every single social media channel has the potential to help your brand grow, given that your audience is able to rely on your consistency. When your messages are consistent over a period of time, it becomes easy to win the trust and build rapport.

In the beginning, you will have to test out different types of content to see what works the best for your target audience. However, this trial and error is more about understanding their demands and less about your own potential to create good, relevant content. It takes some time to get it right, but once you have recognized what works and what doesn’t, you will find it easier to be consistent.

Strategy #3: Post as Frequently as Possible

While maintaining a consistency with your content is important, it’s also critical to post good content on a regular basis. How often people interact with your brand on social media has an impact on how much they connect to it. Creating an account on the right social media platform and making it look perfect it’s just the first part of the equation. The other part is getting your word out there.

As a business, when you’re starting out, you should aim to make the best first impression on your social media followers. Because that’s the first step building a strong, long-term relationship with your target audience. It’s easy to lose your presence in the middle of the chaos on a social media platform. But by posting regular, informative updates, you manage to stay in front of the mind of your social media audience.

You should at least post these many times on each social network you’re active on:

It is safe to say that social media marketing has many components or moving parts to it. And in order to make sure they are running together smoothly, you have to ensure that you’re publishing engaging content frequently. The most practical way to do this is to create an organized content calendar. This way, you won’t lose track of your social media postings and will be able to make it top priority.

With a content calendar, you can plan your messages in advance. You’ll get a bird’s view of what messages you’re sending out and how they’re impacting the overall results you’re getting. You can always use a social media management tool like Buffer for planning your content and scheduling your updates.

Keep in mind that it is important to maintain a healthy balance between value-oriented content and promotional posts. There has to be a ratio that doesn’t make you look like a social media spammer. Or else you may end up having people unfollow you.

Strategy #4: Find Your Voice

Every brand has a personality that differentiates it from the others. This unique personality not only helps a brand connect with its target audience but also helps it build better relationships. But if your brand’s personality isn’t reflected in your social media content, it will be hard to get heard. This is why you need to find and develop your voice on social media.

Whether it is posting an update on Facebook or a video on Instagram, it is important that your message gets heard. Developing a voice doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a while to find it and get comfortable with it. But once you do, creating the right kind of content becomes more practical and easier.

Here are two things to keep in mind when developing your voice

1. Say No to Templates

While using templates for your social media content makes things easier, it will soon get noticed by your audience. Also, it defeats the whole purpose finding your own unique voice.

Posting text, images, and videos in the same format is a strict no-no when you’re trying to build a brand on social media. Your audience shouldn’t feel that you’re being lazy. Rather, they should know for a fact that you’re innovating.

Also, avoid posting duplicate content when you can. If for some reason you have to re-post or re-promote some content, then do so with a difference.

2. Include Subtle Yet Consistent Branding

The updates you post on social media should not scream your brand. But at the same time, they shouldn’t be empty of any branding. In order to make sure you have a successful and noticeable social media presence, make sure your content has consistent branding. Just don’t over-do it. For instance, you the images that you post can have a color coordination with your brand’s logo. Remember, be subtle and persistent at the same time.

Strategy #5: Optimize Your Profile Bio

As a business, you shouldn’t look at social media profiles like an average user. No, your social media profiles hold a lot more importance since they help you put business’s message across to your audience. They give you an opportunity to pitch social media users who are interested in learning more.

If you want your social media branding efforts to pay off, don’t ignore the bio section of your profiles. Don’t leave your visitors clueless about who you are and what you do. Your business may be offering the best service or products, but what’s of being on social media if your profiles don’t reflect your values?

A lot of brands makes the mistake of adding irrelevant information in their profiles. Information that gives zero clarity about their business. So instead of adding random motivational quotes in your bio, use it to describe the purpose of your business in a few words.

You can also choose the showcase the benefits or advantages of your company offerings in your profile description area. Make sure to optimize the content of your profile with relevant keywords along with a contact button to help people find you and get in touch.

Optimizing your profile bio may seem like a simple step, but it makes a world of a difference to your social media branding.

Conclusion

No matter what business you are in, you should know that consumers are more interested in your brand’s personality. When someone regularly buys products from Amazon rather than, say, Best Buy, what they’re actually buying is the brand called Amazon.

While there is no doubt that you should try to offer the best product possible, that should not come at the expense of creating and nurturing a positive relationship with your customers.

Social media is a proven tool that take this relationship to the next level. It’s how many big and small brands are connecting to consumers, including your competitors. So why should you be left behind?

Go to our website: www.ncmalliance.com

The Ultimate Guide to Social Media Branding for Small Businesses by SHERMAN STANDBERRY Social media is turning out to be one of the most effective tools to market your brand and stand out of the crowd.

0 notes

charlottelan01 · 6 years ago

Text

A Concise Intro to Artificial Intelligence -

Most of us recognize that Siri, Google Now, and Cortana are all intelligent digital personal assistants on various programs (iOS, Android, and Windows Mobile). In summary, they help locate useful information if you ask for it is utilizing your voice; you can say"Where is the nearest Indian restaurant" ,"What's on my schedule today?" ,"Remind me to call Mom or Dad at eight o'clock," and the assistant will respond by finding info, relaying information from the phone, or sending orders into other apps.

AI is essential in those apps, as they gather information on your own requests and use that information to recognize your address and also serve you results which are tailored to your preferences.

Read more about Android App Development Toronto and much more details related to application development.

Microsoft says that Cortana"continually learns about its user" and it will eventually develop the ability to anticipate users' needs. Virtual private assistants process a huge number of data from a number of resources to find out about users and also be more effective in helping them track their data.

Read here for more information related to - & development companies and much more.

Your smart phone, calculator, video games, car, bank and also your house all use artificial intelligence every day; sometimes it's clear what its' performing, such as when you ask Siri to get you directions to the closest gas station. At times it's not as evident, like when you create an abnormal purchase in your credit card and don't receive a fraud alert from your bank. AI is everywhere, and it's making a huge difference in our own lives daily.

So, we can say that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the branch of computer sciences that emphasizes the development of intelligence machines, thinking and working like humans. As an example, speech recognition, problem-solving, learning and preparation. Nowadays, Artificial Intelligence is a highly common subject that is widely discussed in both the tech and business circles. Many experts and industry analysts argue that AI or system learning is the future - but when we look around, we are convinced that it is not the future - it's the present.

Yes, the technology is in its first phase and more and more companies are investing resources in machine learning, indicating a robust growth in AI products and apps shortly. Artificial intelligence or system intelligence is that the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, particularly computer systems.

What's the usage of AI?

Vision systems. The requirement to interpret, fully comprehend and make sense of visual input on the pc, i.e. AI is used to test to interpret and understand a picture - industrial, military use, satellite photo interpretation.

What is the purpose of AI?

When AI researchers first began to aim for the Aim of artificial intelligence, a main interest was human reasoning... The particular functions which are programmed to a computer may Have the Ability to account for Lots of the conditions that Let It fit human intelligence.

What is an ASI artificial intelligence?

A superintelligence is a hypothetical agent that owns intelligence far surpassing that of the brightest and most talented human minds.

What's the Objective of AI?

Colloquially, the word"artificial intelligence" is applied when a machine reproduces"cognitive" functions that people associate with other human minds, such as"learning" and"problem solving". General intelligence is among the area's long term goals.

What are the different forms of AI?

We need to overcome the boundaries which define the four different kinds of artificial intelligence, the obstacles that separate machines from us and us .

Type I AI: Reactive machines Type II AI: Limited memory Type III AI: Theory of mind Type IV AI: Self-awareness

Is computer vision component of AI?

Artificial intelligence and computer vision discuss other subjects like pattern recognition and learning methods. Consequently, computer vision is sometimes seen as a part of the artificial intelligence area or the computer science field in general.

Is machine learning exactly the same as artificial intelligence?

More importantly, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) are cropping up as solutions for handling data. The two are often used interchangeably, and even though there are some parallels, they are not the same thing.

What are the fields of artificial intelligence?

· List of software �� Optical character recognition. · Handwriting recognition. · Speech recognition. · Artificial imagination. · Computer vision, Virtual reality and Image processing. · Game concept and Strategic planning.

How significant is Artificial Intelligence?

AI is your machines that are engineered and designed in such a manner that they and believe and act like a human. Artificial Intelligence becomes the most significant part our daily life. Our life is changed by AI because this technology is used in a diverse area of day to day solutions.

For most of us, the most evident outcomes of the improved powers of AI are neat new gadgets and experiences like smart speakers, or being able to unlock your iPhone with your face. But AI is also poised to reinvent different regions of life. One is healthcare. Hospitals in India are testing software that assesses images of a person's retina for signs of diabetic retinopathy, a condition often diagnosed too late to avoid vision loss. Machine learning is vital to jobs in autonomous driving, where it permits a vehicle to make sense of its environment. Artificial intelligence is already within plenty of software, from search algorithms and resources you use daily to bionic limbs to the handicapped.

#Android App Development Toronto #App Developers Canada

0 notes

technojourneyblog · 7 years ago

Text

Get Unlimited My Singing Monsters Resources For Free!

Are you into online games? Do you prefer something that will test your gaming abilities, or you are a laid back person who loves games without hustle?

No many social-building games can spike your interest and provide you with a real motivation to play. When we are on social media and browsing through timelines, we often skip boring game ads and requests. There are a couple of reasons why people tend to avoid them.

They usually have demands, such as, build your zoo or cuddly animals, or earn money while playing, which never happens. But, that not the case with My Singing Monster. This might be the first social/building game that challenges your abilities and makes your play further.

It directs tasks to you have to complete a couple of missions before you add another monster tenant to a quiet island. We are convinced that not only, but your kids will enjoy playing this game.

Why Do You Need a Hack for My Singing Monsters?

The plot revolves around a bunch of monsters who are placed on a silent island, and it’s your mission to fix that silence immediately. You will get a couple of singing monsters with the help of the in-game tutorial, and then you are left to assemble the rest of the band.

The first few monsters are purchased from the store, but the real fun starts when you have to combine and breed your animal and make a band. The characters in the game are all cute and adorable, and each of them brings a unique voice or an instrument to the silent island.

Every time you breed a monster and put its new house, he quickly adapts to this environment, but also adds a personal touch, by singing, drumming or stomping. It doesn’t matter how complete the melody already sounds, the new tenant always contributes and offers a new dimension to the act.

On the other hand, when you’ve had enough of their music, you can always mute the monster.

About My Singing Monsters Hack Tool

The primary purpose of the hack tool is to provide the players to obtain as much as recourses they desire in the game. For a long time, we have been working on a similar hack that will offer you such possibilities and give you unlimited access. With the endless amount of recourses, players can freely enjoy the game.

We have tested this hack on numerous occasions, and so far, we haven’t experienced any problems or banned accounts. The tool is straightforward to use and has a user-friendly interface. It works perfectly on any device and doesn’t require your smartphone or tablet to be rooted or jailbreak.

Here are a couple of steps which can help you use My Singing Monster hack app.

First of all, you need to click on the link provided on our page and enter your username. The program will identify the platform, and you will be able to choose all the recourses you require. After that, select generate and obtain free resorts.

The hack has a few beneficial features such as it’s free, safe, compatible with all devices, works with almost all Android and iOS devices and has anti-ban script enabled.

Fast

Whether you use a software, app, or a hack, you need it to be fast, reliable and secure. One of the features our hack provides with is the speed. You can finish everything in a matter of seconds. You only need to head to our site, complete a couple of steps and the unlimited recourses are yours.

Online Based

The hack is entirely online based, so there is no need to download anything. You have immediate access to our website. This action saves you the amount of time you will spend on searching and downloading. Considering that the majority of hacks are web-based, this will facilitate this entire task.

Secure

We are all aware that the majority of online hacks carry a potential risk and many people tend to avoid them. They often carry viruses and malware that can damage your devices, but that’s not the case with our hack. We got you covered because this app is secure and will do no harm to you, not your smartphone or computer.

Updated

From time to time, we tend to improve our services, so our clients will be satisfied with the performance and the stability. Once a month you can expect an update release, which has several key features, such as speed, security and new recourses added. It’s crucial to pay attention to updates and what they bring you.

About the Game

In My Singing Monster game, people are introduced to a world of primarily populated odd animals, and you need to gather, breed and control them. The monster will sing, murmur, shriek, and shout for you and in return, you will observe their amusing behavior.

In this case, a player creates a world full of music, and each of monsters will have its own unique identity. You have an option to explore the sounds and tunes and create a particular symphony. Breed them, observe them while they sing and you will be compensated with immense joy.

Players have a chance to create their paradise, while they breed animals. This game is excellent for kids as well because it will give them something to look forward to every time they start playing. Over the course of the game, you will add monsters and enlarge your band, while each of them sings them or plays their tune.

Game Goals

One of the first goals, you will encounter when you start playing is to stop the silence on the silent island. All the monsters are located on the silent island, and you must engage them to begin paying instruments of sing songs.

The next objective is to enlarge your band so that they can create beautiful music. Usually, you have to purchase monsters within the app, but there are a variety of tasks you have to complete to get a hold of animals. The bigger band you have, the better your orchestra of Symphony will be.

Game Resources

When it comes to this game, you can explore many recourses, which will make My Singing monster interesting to play. Purchase diamonds and used them to buy monsters, or buy coins, which help you improve the exterior of the island.

Even though, if you think it’s nearly impossible to play the game without making a purchase, then you are wrong. With a bit of patience, you can earn money, gain monsters, and buy food without spending a penny.

Monster Basics

When a monster is fully incubated in a nursery the thought cloud (H) will appear with a broken eggshell, above the egg. You should use a though could to grab a monster and place it on the island (I). You can also turn it around so that it could face right or left side.

Each time you choose a monster to feed it, mute or unmute it, collect coins, sell it or move it. When you move an animal, drag it to change the position the then confirm the action. You should create as many monsters as you want and mute an animal to remove a sound or play another tune.

How to Make Monsters Happy?

Once you enter the monster info page, you should find a small section that indicates the monster’s happiness level. Then place four of monster’s likes within two spaces of it to increase the happiness to a maximum. When using the unit three, you can put a monster’s like anywhere on the island, and this action will still make your animal happy.

It is crucial to attend to their happiness level because the happier they are, the better the songs and tunes they will produce.

How to Breed Monsters?

Here is the my singing monsters breeding guide, which can help you more monsters to build a bigger orchestra.

First of all, you can buy one-element monsters such as the Noggin and Tweedle from the store. Save the diamonds to purchase more demanding and complex animals, but if you want to save money, you can breed them as well.

Some monsters are only available are rare wins on nursery scratch card. You should select the breeding structure to choose two level monsters or animals with a higher ranking for breeding.

Also, you can use my singing monsters combinations to produce more characters for this game.

Islands

When you start with a game, it will begin with a plant island, which is game-generated. But, this shouldn’t limit your playing abilities, and you can purchase any island you want. To buy an island, you should select the map icon on the main screen.

This allows you to visit other islands and purchase more. You will notice the greyed out area; those are the places you can’t get by. The different island features various new elements or element combinations.

In this case, monsters will have more space. Keep in mind when you reach the Ethereal Island because shards replace coins as the primary currency.

FAQ

How do I feed my monster, and what is the benefit?

Within the app, bakeries are used to create food. They can make the various amount of food in exchange for the coins. However, the medium and substantial bakery upgrades let you produce more food than a small bakery. You may also buy food from the currency store or win it as a prize.

How do I rename my monster?

Renaming your monster is a smooth action. All you have to do is to their info menu and click the green box above the animal’s portrait. This is how you will be able to input a new name. You can any name you like.

Why can't I add a newly hatched monster to the island?

Each monster takes up a specific number of beds, which are organized in the island’s Castle. The number of beds an animal takes can be found in his bio in the info section. If you are trying to add a new animal which requires more accommodation than the Castle can provide, then you will have to upgrade the Castle.

How does the Memory Game work?

To use a memory card, you have to select it from the Castle menu, and it’s only free for daily use. To play the game, you have to choose the four monsters and then tap the play button. The character will perform the musical note that you will have to repeat.

Why can't I sell a monster on my island?

If you want to sell a monster, but the monster’s menu is greyed out, then likely that’s the only monster you have. Developers made the game in such a way that you can’t sell the last beast on an island.

Conclusion

If you are in need of a light and none- challenging game, then My Singing Monster will be the right choice for you. It is easy to play, doesn’t require much attention and even your kids can enjoy it. This is one of those games that aren’t invasive, and you will have a great time with it.

However, it’s highly addictive. We spend one month playing it, and we can’t stop. It the first thing we check when we get up in the morning and the last thing we do when we go to bed. This is a reliable indicator that game is excellent age groups.

If you still haven’t tried it, then you have nothing to lose, only a beautiful tune that monsters make.

GO TO ONLINE HACK

The post Get Unlimited My Singing Monsters Resources For Free! appeared first on Techno Journey.

from Techno Journey https://ift.tt/2QsqBnS via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Techno Journey

0 notes

boostmobileofficial · 8 years ago

Text

Flip Off Taxes Scavenger Hunt Sweepstakes

Official Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. The Flip Off Taxes Scavenger Hunt Sweepstakes (the "Promotion") begins at 9:00:00 AM Eastern Time (“ET”) on September 22, 2017 and ends at 4:59:59 PM ET on September 22, 2017 (the “Promotion Period”). The Promotion contains a game of chance (“Sweepstakes”). The computer clock of the Sponsor (defined below) is the official time-keeping device in the Promotion.

This Promotion is not sponsored, endorsed, administered, associated with or certified by Facebook, Inc. (“Facebook”) or Twitter, Inc. (“Twitter”). Any questions, comments or complaints regarding the Promotion should be directed to the Sponsor at the address listed below and not to Facebook or Twitter. The information you provide will only be used for contacting the prize winners or if the user opts in to receive more information.

1. ELIGIBILITY: The Promotion is open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, who are at least 18 (except Alabama and Nebraska 19 and 21 in Mississippi) years of age or older as of date of entry. Employees, officers and directors of Sprint Communications Company LP (“Sponsor”), Scheifer Chopshop, Realtime Media LLC (“Administrators”) and their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising, contest, fulfillment and marketing agencies, (collectively, “Promotion Parties”) their immediate families (parent, child, sibling & spouse and their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside) and persons living in the same households as such individuals (whether related or not) are not eligible to participate in the Promotion. By participating, you agree to these Official Rules and to the decisions of the judges and Sponsor, which are final and binding in all respects. Void in any state not listed above and where prohibited by law, rule or regulation. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.

2. HOW TO ENTER THE PROMOTION: There are two (2) methods of entry which are outlined below: a) FACEBOOK: During the Promotion Period, the Sponsor will host a Facebook Live video (“Live Video”) on Boost Mobile’s Facebook Page, located at: https://www.facebook.com/boostmobile. To enter via Facebook, (1) log in to your Facebook account during the Promotion Period, (2) like the Live Video post and (3) comment on the Live Video within the comment section of the post. Within your caption you must include the “#FlipOffTaxesSweepstakes” (“Official Promotion Hashtag”) hashtag to receive one (1) entry into the Sweepstakes (“Sweepstakes Entry”). The comment within the sponsor’s post will be considered your “Entry”. b) TWITTER: During the Promotion Period, the Sponsor will post a tweet on Twitter with the (“Official Promotion Hashtags”) on Boost Mobile’s Twitter Page located at https://twitter.com/boostmobile. To enter via Twitter, (1) log in to your Twitter account during the Promotion Period, and (2) retweet Boost Mobile’s tweet about the Promotion using the Official Promotion Hashtag (listed above) to receive one (1) entry into the sweepstakes (“Sweepstakes Entry”). Your re-post of Boost Mobile’s original tweet and the Official Promotion Hashtag will collectively be considered your “Entry”.

The steps listed above for Facebook or Twitter must be completed for your Entry to be valid. Limit of up to one (1) Sweepstakes Entry, per person, per Facebook or Twitter account, throughout the Promotion Period.

3. SWEEPSTAKES DRAWING/ODDS: On or about September 25, 2017, the Administrator will conduct a random drawing from all eligible Sweepstakes Entries received within the Promotion Period and will select Nine (9) potential Sweepstakes Prize winners. Odds of winning a Sweepstakes prize depend on the number of eligible Sweepstakes Entries received during the Promotino Period.

4. WINNER NOTIFICATION: The potential prize Sweepstakes Prize winners will be notified by email and/or phone within three (3) business days of winner selection or as soon as reasonably practiceable. Potential winners will have ten (10) days to respond to winning notification before forfeiting their prize. Any winner of a prize package valued at $600 or more will be sent an Affidavit of Eligibility/Liability Release and W9 Form via email. All forms must be completed, signed, notarized and returned to Administrator within ten (10) days of date of issuance. Potential winner becomes the “Winner” only after verification of eligibility by Sponsor. If such potential winner cannot be contacted within a reasonable time period, if the potential winner is ineligible, if any notification is returned undeliverable, or if the potential winner otherwise fails to fully comply with these Official Rules, he/she will forfeit that prize and an alternate winner will be selected from among all remaining entries for that drawing.

5. PRIZES/PRIZE RESTRICTIONS: Nine (9) Sweepstakes Prizes will be awarded during the Promotion. Each Sweepstakes Prize consists of:  One (1) Motorola Moto E4

The Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) of each Sweepstakes Prize is $99.99

The total ARV of all Promotion Prizes is $899.91

PRIZE RESTRICTIONS: Limit of one (1) Promotion Prize per person/per household. All Promotion prizes will be fulfilled approximately four (4) to six (6) weeks after the Promotion has ended. Promotion Parties are not responsible for late, lost, stolen, damaged, delayed, or undelivered prizes. If any winner is considered a minor in his/her jurisdiction of residence, prize will be awarded in the name of his/her parent or legal guardian who will be responsible for fulfilling all requirements imposed on winners set forth herein. No prize substitution, cash equivalent of prizes, transfer or assignment of prizes is permitted, except by Sponsor which reserves the right to substitute a prize with one of comparable or greater value, in its sole discretion. PRIZES ARE AWARDED “AS IS” WITH NO GUARANTEE. ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE HEREBY DISCLAIMED BY THE PROMOTION PARTIES. ALL PRIZE DETAILS ARE AT SPONSOR’S SOLE DISCRETION. ANY COSTS AND EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH PRIZE ACCEPTANCE AND USE NOT SPECIFIED HEREIN AS BEING PROVIDED ARE WINNERS’ SOLE RESPONSIBILITY.

7. CONDUCT: By participating in this Promotion, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Promotion Parties, which shall be final, binding and non-appealable in all respects. Failure to comply with these Official Rules may result in disqualification. The Promotion Parties reserve the right at their sole discretion to disqualify any individual found to be tampering with the participation process or the operation of the Promotion, or to be acting in any manner deemed by the Promotion Parties to be in violation of the Official Rules, or to be acting in any manner deemed by the Promotion Parties to be unsportsmanlike or disruptive, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person and void all associated Entries and/or registrations. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY A USER, YOU OR ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE PROMOTION IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS, AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, THE PROMOTION PARTIES RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES AND OTHER REMEDIES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES) FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

9. RELEASES: All participants, as a condition of participation in this Promotion, agree to release, hold harmless and indemnify Facebook and the Promotion Parties from and against any and all liability, claims, damages, or actions of any kind whatsoever for injuries, damages, or losses to persons or property which may be sustained, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in connection with (i) participation in any aspect of the Promotion, (ii) the receipt, ownership or use of the prize awarded, including any travel associated with any prize, (iii) participant’s registration material on any related website, or (iv) any typographical or other error in these Official Rules.

10. CHOICE OF LAW AND JURISDICTION: Except where prohibited, all issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation, and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of entrants or winners, Sponsor, and administrator in connection with this Promotion, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Kanses, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions (whether of the state of Kansas or any other jurisdiction), which might otherwise cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the state of Kansas. Any action seeking legal or equitable relief arising out of or relating to the Promotion or these Official Rules shall be brought only in the courts of the state of Kansas. You hereby irrevocably consent to the personal jurisdiction of said courts and waive any claim of forum non-convenience or lack of personal jurisdiction they may have. 11. PRIVACY: Except as noted in these Official Rules, information collected for this Promotion is used only for the purpose of Promotion administration and winner notification and will not be re-used, sold or shared in any manner by the Promotion Parties or any third parties unless you have elected to receive additional information or promotional material from the Sponsor, or a third party. By participating in the Promotion, participant agrees to all of the terms and conditions of the Sponsor’s Privacy Policy, which is available at https://www.boostmobile.com/?INTNAV=BotNav:Privacy#!/about/legal/privacy-policy/. In the event of any discrepancy between the Sponsor’s Privacy Policy and these Official Rules, these Official Rules shall control and govern.

13. WINNERS LIST: To receive the list of winners of prizes, send a #10 self-addressed, stamped envelope for receipt by September 30, 2017 to: Flip Off Taxes Scavenger Hunt Sweepstakes Winners List Request, c/o Realtime Media, 200 Four Falls Corporate Center, Suite 100, Conshohocken, PA 19428.

SPONSOR: Sprint Communications Company LP, 6500 Sprint Parkway, Overland Park, KS 66251 ADMINISTRATORS: Schiefer Chopshop, 17922 Fitch #100, Irvine, CA 92614 Realtime Media LLC, 200 Four Falls Corporate Center, Suite 100, Conshohocken, PA 19428

3 notes · View notes

romerobjerring5-blog · 7 years ago

Text

A Short Introduction to Synthetic Intelligence

We all know that Siri, Google Now, and Cortana are all smart digital individual assistants on various platforms (iOS, Android, and Windows Mobile). In limited, they assist uncover valuable data when you request for it is making use of your voice you can say "Where's the closest Indian cafe?", "What is actually on my timetable nowadays?", "Remind me to phone Mother or Father at eight o'clock," and the assistant will answer by obtaining info, relaying info from your telephone, or sending commands to other applications. AI is critical in these applications, as they acquire data on your requests and use that data to much better identify your speech and provide you benefits that are personalized to your tastes. Microsoft says that Cortana "regularly learns about its user" and that it will eventually build the ability to foresee users' requirements. Virtual personalized assistants approach a large amount of knowledge from a range of sources to understand about end users and be far more effective in helping them arrange and keep track of their details. Your smartphone, calculator, online video video games, car, lender & your home all use synthetic intelligence everyday occasionally it is clear what its' performing, like when you ask Siri to get you instructions to the nearest gas station. Often it truly is much less clear, like when you make an abnormal obtain on your credit history card and will not get a fraud warn from your financial institution. AI is everywhere, and it really is generating a enormous variation in our lives every single working day. So, we can say that Synthetic Intelligence (AI) is the branch of pc sciences that emphasizes the development of intelligence equipment, pondering and functioning like humans. For instance, speech recognition, problem-fixing, finding out and organizing. Nowadays, Artificial Intelligence is a quite well-known matter that is broadly reviewed in the technologies and enterprise circles. Several authorities and industry analysts argue that AI or equipment studying is the long term - but if we appear around, we are certain that it really is not the future - it is the present. Of course, the technology is in its preliminary section and far more and far more companies are investing resources in equipment studying, indicating a strong growth in AI items and apps shortly. Synthetic intelligence or machine intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence procedures by machines, particularly laptop systems. What is the use of AI? Eyesight programs. The require to interpret, fully realize and make perception of visual enter on the laptop, i.e. AI is used to try and interpret and understand an image - industrial, army use, satellite photo interpretation. What is the function of AI? When AI researchers 1st started to intention for the aim of synthetic intelligence, a main desire was human reasoning... The distinct capabilities that are programmed to a pc may be capable to account for a lot of of the demands that permit it to match human intelligence What is an ASI synthetic intelligence? A superintelligence is a hypothetical agent that possesses intelligence significantly surpassing that of the brightest and most gifted human minds. What is the goal of AI? Colloquially, the term "artificial intelligence" is applied when a equipment mimics "cognitive" functions that human beings affiliate with other human minds, such as "finding out" and "difficulty resolving". Standard intelligence is amongst the field's extended-expression goals. What are the diverse kinds of AI? We need to conquer the boundaries that outline the four different sorts of synthetic intelligence, the obstacles that individual equipment from us - and us from them. Kind I AI: Reactive devices Variety II AI: Limited memory Type III AI: Theory of mind Kind IV AI: Self-awareness Is laptop eyesight part of AI? Synthetic intelligence and personal computer eyesight share other subjects this sort of as pattern recognition and finding out tactics. As a result, personal computer vision is often witnessed as a element of the artificial intelligence area or the personal computer science discipline in common. Is device studying the same as artificial intelligence? More and more, device finding out (ML) and synthetic intelligence (AI) are cropping up as answers for dealing with information. The two are typically used interchangeably, and despite the fact that there are some parallels, they're not the identical point. What are the fields of artificial intelligence? · Checklist of apps · Optical character recognition. Click Here · Handwriting recognition. · Speech recognition. · Experience recognition. · Synthetic creativity. · Laptop eyesight, Virtual actuality and Graphic processing. · Diagnosis (AI) · Match principle and Strategic organizing. How crucial is Synthetic Intelligence? AI is the devices which are made and programmed in such a manner that they and consider and act like a human. Synthetic Intelligence becomes the important component of our everyday existence. Our lifestyle is transformed by AI simply because this technological innovation is used in a broad area of working day to working day companies. For most of us, the most apparent outcomes of the improved powers of AI are neat new gadgets and ordeals these kinds of as smart speakers, or becoming in a position to unlock your Iphone with your encounter. But AI is also poised to reinvent other locations of lifestyle. A single is well being treatment. Hospitals in India are testing software that checks photographs of a person's retina for signs of diabetic retinopathy, a condition often identified too late to avert eyesight reduction. Machine understanding is crucial to initiatives in autonomous driving, the place it makes it possible for a car to make perception of its environment. Synthetic intelligence is already current in a lot of purposes, from search algorithms and instruments you use every day to bionic limbs for the disabled. Occasionally it seems like every single other internet site, application, or productiveness tool is citing AI as the mystery ingredient in their recipe for good results. What is actually less frequent is an clarification of what AI is, why it truly is so great, and how firms are leveraging it to offer greater consumer experiences. If you don't know significantly about AI, the absence of an clarification can be perplexing. Today, the discipline of synthetic intelligence is much more vibrant than ever and some feel that we are on the threshold of discoveries that could change human society irreversibly, for greater or even worse.

0 notes

bestforstreaming · 8 years ago

Text

The Best Microphones for Streaming

In a hurry? Click here to skip to the top mics for streaming.

In this guide you’re going to find the best mic for your streaming needs.

With a massive 15 million daily active users, multiple monetization options, and steady growth since 2011, Twitch continues to entice thousands of people to start streaming each day.

And considering affiliate revenue, Twitch bit donations and services like Streamlabs, streamers certainly no longer need to be Twitch partners in order to earn extra money.

According to Streamlabs, tipping alone accounted for over $102.8 million in revenue for Twitch streamers in 2016, an increase from $80.2 million in 2015. Streamers also raised $25.3 million for charity through donations and tips in 2016. Those numbers are expected to grow again in 2017.

Of course, streaming is about much more than the money, but it’s a nice bonus when you’re playing your favorite games and socializing.

So, whether you have a casual interest or are dedicated as a pro, investing in the best Twitch streaming mic possible can really pay off for you or the causes you support in the future.

Although your webcam or headset microphone might get you through the start of your efforts, having a separate condenser mic will significantly improve your sound quality.

You’ll probably want to invest in one of the best mics for Twitch streaming at some point, especially if you’ve noticed issues with your webcam mic or if your stream is starting to get more followers.

The Top Mic for Streaming

Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ Cardioid Condenser USB Studio Microphone

Ask most streamers and voice professionals who use the critically acclaimed Audio-Technica AT2020 or AT2020USB+ (the USB version), and they will tell you that it works like a dream in almost every situation.

This mic is renowned for its unrivaled recording sensitivity, convenient setup, moderate price and studio-level quality.

One problem with the standard AT2020 is that it requires a more extensive setup than most streamers would like, with preamps and XLR cables being a necessity. The AT2020USB+ solves this problem with its USB output.

Although in the past USB microphones lacked the depth and the quality of their wired counterparts, the gap has been significantly narrowed. Mics like the AT2020USB+ are at the forefront of that technological advancement.

This USB mic isn’t just used by streamers; it’s also used by some of the top professionals in the world who record their voices for a living and enjoy its flexibility. It’s mid-range in terms of pricing but performs like a much more expensive microphone.

The AT-2020SUSB+ offers a 16-bit 44.1/48 kHz sampling rate for premium quality with a frequency response of 20 to 20,000 Hz, offering more than enough sensitivity for streaming needs.

One thumbwheel on the mic controls the headphone volume while the other is used to balance the microphone’s signal with the computer’s stereo output. A built-in headphone jack allows you to monitor your sound while it’s live with zero latency to make adjustments as required.

As a condenser mic, it’s designed to be highly sensitive to pick up everything around it. Unlike some of the other mics in this guide, background noise is significantly limited through its design. It captures the subtle nuances of your voice whether its higher or lower pitched and provides a very well rounded and full sound.

A Cardioid polar pattern is the only option for this mic, making it ideal for streaming since it’s designed to perfectly capture everything in front of the mic, exactly where you’ll be sitting. The pattern also limits noise from your keyword or computer fan.

Setting it up is a breeze – by simply plugging it in you’ll see the blue LED light turn on and it’s ready to be used. It comes with a small tripod stand, carrying pouch, swivel stand mount, and 10-foot USB cable.

With a stylish black aluminum case, it looks impressive and offers a neutral color to fit into your existing room décor.

With a MSRP of $149.00, it’s the highest price among our recommendations, but the unrivaled quality of its sound, lack of background noise, and widespread usage on the professional level make it a sure winner when you want to provide your viewers with the absolute best sound possible.

Pros

Sound is comparable to a high-end wired mic at a lower cost

Superior clarity and vocal sound richness for streaming

Simple plug and play installation

Background noises are limited

Cons

Highest MSRP of the four mics

The Best Value Mic

Blue Yeti USB Microphone

The Blue Yeti microphone is among the most popular and best mics for streaming because of its amazingly clear sound quality, multiple capture patterns, and competitive price.

As a top unique feature, it can record in up to four different patterns, giving you the ultimate in flexibility for streaming or other recording needs. The four patterns and their typical use are described briefly below:

Cardioid – as previously mentioned, this setting is ideal for recording directly in front of the microphone, so it’s commonly used for streaming purposes.

Omnidirectional – captures all of the sound around the mic and is good for roundtable type discussions.

Bidirectional – captures sound at the front and rear of the mic and is ideal for recording interviews between two people.

Stereo – ideal for capturing live music recordings or a general realistic sound.

These four settings cover just about every situation you could encounter as a streamer, but it performs in the Cardioid mode really well, which is likely what you’ll be using the most often.

You can listen to yourself in real-time with the 3.5 mm headphone jack, allowing you to make adjustments and hear exactly how you sound with no delay.

It also has controls for mic gain, headphone volume, pattern selection and muting. If you notice that your recording is starting to become a bit too loud or distorted, simply adjust the gain setting. Or mute it easily during breaks.

With plug and play functionality, you won’t require any special drivers to start using this mic like the AT2020USB+, making it one of the easiest mics to get up and running.

This mic comes in an impressive number of color variations to choose from including silver, blue, red, teal, red, slate and white along with a unique retro style.

With a retail price of $129.99 and significant discounts at many retailers, this mic doesn’t push the upper limit of cost yet has many of the features that are commonly found on higher end mics.

Your viewers are sure to appreciate the sound quality and performance of the Blue Yeti mic. With its reasonable price, rich sound, reliability, plentiful features and build quality, it’s a top choice for any new or established Twitch streamer.

Between the AT2020USB+ and this mic, you really can’t go wrong. However, there’s no question that this mic lacks some of the richness in tone and resolution that the AT2020USB+ has.

It may also pick up slightly more background noise, which can often be dealt with through adjusting positions or tweaking settings.

Pros

Four distinct sound pickup settings

Excellent Cardioid sound performance for streaming

True plug and play performance

Multiple controls for easy operation

Cons

Lacks the depth and sound resolution of higher end mics like the AT2020

The Best Cheap Microphone

Blue Snowball

The Blue Snowball is a budget mic produced by the same company that makes the Blue Yeti.

It offers three patterns: Cardioid, Cardioid with -10 dB PAD, and Omnidirectional. The -10 dB mode is designed to capture louder sources such as amplified instruments. It records at a sample rate of 44.1 kHz at 16-bit with a frequency response of 40 to 18,000 kHz.

Like the Blue Yeti, it doesn’t require any driver installations to get started with. It also comes with a convenient desktop stand.

The Blue Snowball can be prone to picking up background noises and static, which can be obviously undesirable, and may have to be kept to the recommended distance of about 6 to 8 inches to mostly avoid the noise.

At a MSRP of $69.99 it’s lower than every other mic in this guide. It is an acceptable option to get you started with streaming but lacks the sound clarity and features of the Blue Yeti or the AT2020 USB+.

Those mics are worth every extra penny you spend on them, but for the absolute minimum expenditure, the Blue Snowball is a viable streaming option.

Pros

Lowest MSPR of the group

3 sound pickup patterns

Cons

Can be prone to picking up static

Lacks in sound richness compared to other mics

Lacks in features

Best New Mic Worth Considering

Razer Seiren X

Released in October 2017 in combination with the Razer Kiyo webcam, the Seiren X offers some of the best mic technology available and was specifically made for the needs of streamers.

It’s a continuation of the Razer Seiren microphone series, which has proven to be fairly popular among streamers but lacked the price competitiveness that the Seiren X now offers.

It’s a sleek looking mic that will fit well into your current setup, and it also happens to be very compact and portable, something that Razer thought about for the streamers who often travel to conferences, tournaments or other events.

It’s designed to rival its top competitor in its price range, the Blue Yeti mic. Like the Blue Yeti, it has a 3.5 mm headphone jack for live monitoring of the recording.

Sound quality is also comparable to the Blue Yeti, making it a decent contender. However, it lacks the multiple recording patterns of the Yeti, sticking to its proprietary “SuperCardioid” pattern, a variation of the Cardioid pattern which is designed to record your voice clearly.

The stock mount that comes with the mic is very sturdy and will likely do the job. A built-in shock mount also reduces the impact of any knocks or vibrations that could impact the quality of the stream’s sound when you get amped up.

The Seiren X is also designed with a small form factor so that it fits nicely in areas with limited space. This is also ideal whenever you need to stream while traveling and might not have much space to work with.

The controls directly on the mic are barebones, with a simple headphone volume knob and a mute button.

It also requires the user of Razer’s proprietary software to get started, which adds a step to the installation process. However, the software allows you to change sampling rates between 44.1 or 48 kHz among other settings and ensures the mic can be adjusted to perform at its best.

This mic starts at $99.99 MSRP in a similar price range as the Blue Yeti but lacks its features and reputation for reliability. It may be worth exploring if you’re a fan of Razer’s products or want to try one of the newest models on the market.

Pros

Compact design

Unique integrated shock mount

Comparable sound quality to the Blue Yeti

Cons

Requires software install

Minimal controls on the mic

Still unproven compared to the Blue Yeti

Best Mic Boom Scissor Arm Stand for Streaming

Etubby Scissor Arm Microphone Stand

For optimal sound and to set your mic up in a more convenient position, it’s also a good idea to get a boom scissor arm stand. By setting your mic up further away from your mouse and keyboard with boom stand, it’s far less likely to pick up background noise.

The Etubby Upgraded Boom Scissor Arm Stand is sturdy, easy to install, adjustable, and designed to work with heavier mics like the Blue Yeti as well as the other mics reviewed here.

It clamps to your desk rather than taking up floor space like a standard boom stand. Then you just move the mic into position whenever you’re ready to stream, and then simply push it out of the way when you don’t need it.

You can find it for about $20, so it’s reasonably priced and certainly one of the most useful add-ons you can purchase for your mic. Other boom stand options are available for slightly less, but some of them do not support the weight of heavier mics like the Blue Yeti, especially if you decide to add a shock mount.

Our Microphone Recommendations

Investing in one of the best streaming mics is worthwhile to improve your viewer experience and help your channel grow. Buying a higher quality mic will ensure that you won’t have to replace yours for a long time and is well worth it if you are serious about taking your stream to the next level.

At the very top of the list when it comes to sound quality and reliability is the Audio Technica AT2020USB+. Although it lacks the multiple patterns of the Blue Yeti, it excels at capturing very robust and rich sound in the Cardioid pattern, which is what you’ll be using the most.

If you’re looking for a solid “bang for your buck” microphone that is a true streamer favorite and wildly popular, the Blue Yeti remains another top choice. Although the sound quality isn’t quite as high as the AT2020, it is still reliable and proven, and you’ll save a few dollars.

If you’re looking to spend the least amount possible on an entry-level model, try out the Blue Snowball, which offers a sound quality that is noticeably lower than the other mics but will suffice for basic needs.

Finally, the Razer Seiren X is an intriguing new alternative to the Blue Yeti that features a concise and portable design and a similar price with new features like shock absorption along with its “SuperCardioid” pickup pattern for streaming. However, the Blue Yeti will prove to be hard to dethrone in its position as the best mic for streaming in its price range.

The post The Best Microphones for Streaming appeared first on Best for Streaming.

source https://www.bestforstreaming.com/best-microphones-streaming-twitch/

0 notes

lukerhonda · 8 years ago