#this also applies to other apps but designing Spotify of all apps to be an even worse version of tiktok makes the least sense to me | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

tpnga003 · 3 months

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WEEK 8: Unmasking the Algorithm: Decoding the Hidden Language of Filters

From the rosy glow of Snapchat and Instagram to the recommended playlists of Spotify or diverse posts in the same themes on social media feeds, filters are everywhere, shaping and expressing how we see ourselves as well as the world around us. But beyond the simple act of beautification or personalization, lies a hidden language - a code that decides what we see, hear, and experience online. Dive deeper and unveil the secrets of the algorithm, decoding how filters, in all their diversity, are transforming the way we interact with technology and shaping our digital reality.

Beyond the Bling: Beauty Filters

First, it is crucial to establish clear definitions. Beauty apps, as Elis and Gill (2017) defined, are designed to “analyse, rate, evaluate, monitor or enhance appearance”. Associated with beauty apps is beauty filters, which broadly refer to any digital tool that beautifies a user's image. Besides these filters, a subcategory exists is surgery filters, which specifically target heavy augmentation that replicates popular cosmetic procedures.

Snapchat is a prominent example. In 2015, the platform introduced “lenses”, face filters that incorporate augmented reality into self-presentation. These filters allow users to take selfies with virtual accessories and modify facial features. Taking advantage of facial detection technology, the app recognizes facial features and aligns virtual elements accordingly, ensuring a dynamic experience.

The famous dog filter of Snapchat

Similar trends are evident on Instagram. This platform offers diverse filters providing user preferences for improving aesthetics in photos and videos. Beyond selfies, landscape edits are also possible. The recent emergence of Xingtu (Chinese app) provides young users seeking beauty or surgery filters, with the distinction based on the editting level. A subtle touch of makeup or color correction falls under the beauty filter umbrella, while significant alterations to facial structures classify as surgery filters. Locket, another newly launched platform, uses “ambient filtering” to create a homogenized version of “natural” beauty, where “real” signifies a filtered appearance rather than its raw counterpart (Lavrence & Cambre 2020).

The filters of Instagram can be applied to the landscape photos/videos

Xingtu app (Chinese app to edit portrait photos)

Locket app with the light makeup (ambient filtering)

Using Filters Motivation and Our Post-Stories

Two key theories analyze the motivations behind filter use: Social Comparison Theory (Festinger 1954) and Objectification Theory (Fredrickson & Roberts 1997). Social Comparison Theory highlights the inherent human desire to evaluate ourselves by comparing ourselves to others. We use these comparisons to understand various aspects of ourselves, including abilities and opinions. Objectification Theory, on the other hand, focuses on the social pressure on women to view themselves through the male gaze. This can lead to compulsive body monitoring and result in anxiety, guilt, and a disconnect from internal bodily experiences.

However, the widespread use of filters can have unintended consequences. Defamiliarization, a process where the familiar becomes unrecognizable, can occur. Filters have the potential to homogenize appearances, eroding individuality and the appreciation of unique beauty. Furthermore, research by Lavrence and Cambre (2020) suggests that the association of filters with beautification, often coded as feminine, can lead to questions about masculinity and heterosexuality when used by cisgender heterosexual men.

After all, beauty apps and filters have become popular, shaping self-presentation and influencing beauty standards. While they offer creative ways for self-expression, it is crucial to acknowledge the underlying theories driving their use and the potential downsides associated with excessive reliance on such tools.

The World of Algorithmic Filters: Social Media Platforms

Social media platforms offer a diverse landscape for self-expression, with each platform forming a distinct user culture. Users towards specific platforms based on the functionalities that best suit their desired mode of expression. For instance, Facebook is best at news sharing, Instagram prioritizes aesthetics through photos, videos and stories, Youtube allows for longer video content, and TikTok thrives on short and engaging videos.

This development of self-expression is demonstrably influenced by platform features. The decline in Facebook status updates exemplifies this. Initially, users freely expressed themselves through statuses, but the potential for judgment led to a decrease in activity. Instagram stories, with their special features, motivated the desire to share photos and videos due to the reduced pressure of permanence and the increase of beauty through filters. However, the number of stories sparked concerns about bothering followers. This led to the creation of “close friends” stories, which provides a more intimate and less judgmental space for users. Recently, the appearence of Threads has caused a stir. People come to this platform to share their view. It is similar to X (or Twitter); however, the viral algoriths are different in that everyone' threads can be viral and appear on other feeds.

Beyond platform design, algorithmic curation also shapes our behavior and feeling status. The news feed filtering system on Facebook, for example, can influence the language users employ in their posts. Study by Kramer et al. (2014) was mentioned in Rettberg research (2017) suggesting that users exposed to positive posts tend to adopt a more positive tone in their own updates. This highlights the way Facebook filters not only content, but potentially user behavior and self-expression as well.

Social media platforms are not merely passive tools for expression. They are dynamic ecosystems where users and platform design coexist. As Alice Marwick (2013) conclusion was cited in Rettberg research (2017) aptly states, social media platforms act as filters, shaping user behavior and promoting communities which are adjusted to their specific functionalities. Furthermore, these platforms are constantly developing to adapt to their users' needs, creating a feedback loop that continues to redefine the landscape of online self-expression.

Spotify: Your Personalized DJ with a Magic Touch

Ever felt stuck in a music rut? Same old tunes on repeat? Spotify’s got your back with its clever personalized recommendation features. No psychic powers here, just some seriously impressive tech. Here is how Spotify works its magic:

Friend for Life: It learns your tastes by analyzing the music you listen to, from upbeat pop anthems to mellow jazz nights. The more you listen, the better it gets at predicting your next obsession.

Weekly Discoveries: Get ready for "Discover Weekly", a fresh playlist delivered every Monday, packed with new artists and songs it thinks you'll love. Broaden your musical horizons and find hidden gems!

Daily Doses of Your Favorites: Feeling indecisive? No problem! Spotify's "Daily Mix" serves up multiple playlists tailored to your specific genres and moods. Need an energy boost for your workout? There's a mix for that. Feeling mellow? Take your pick!

Surprising Facts: Receiptify website sums up our top tracks, artists, or genres, etc in the last month, 6 months or all time. Believe me, it will surprise you with some interesting information out of your expectations.

Spotify - Your Personalized DJ with a Magic Touch

So, let Spotify manage your listening experience. It's like having a personal DJ who gets you, always ready to introduce you to amazing new music and keep your playlists fresh. Hit play and rediscover the joy of exploration!

The Future of Filters

The use of filters goes beyond the realm of social media applications and becoming integrated into technologies. This trend is proved by the incorporation of facial recognition systems, such as Face ID, into smartphones across various brands including iPhone and Samsung. Furthermore, the application of Face ID extends beyond mobile devices, with its implementation in banking and payment. Research by Peng (2020) highlights the use of filters within the Alipay banking app in China. When people make a payment, they don't need to pay by smartphone or cash, they just need to scan their face on the screen to finish the payment.

Face ID Payment of Alipay in China

Reference List

Barker, J 2020, ‘Making-up on mobile: The pretty filters and ugly implications of Snapchat’, Fashion, Style & Popular Culture, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 207–221, viewed 3 March 2024, <https://intellectdiscover.com/content/journals/10.1386/fspc_00015_1>.

Elias, AS & Gill, R 2017, ‘Beauty surveillance: The digital self-monitoring cultures of neoliberalism’, European Journal of Cultural Studies, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 59–77, viewed 3 March 2024, <https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1367549417705604?journalCode=ecsa>.

Festinger, L 1954, ‘A Theory of Social Comparison Processes’, Human Relations, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 117–140, viewed 3 March 2024, <https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/001872675400700202>.

Fredrickson, BL & Roberts, T-A 1997, ‘Objectification Theory: Toward Understanding Women’s Lived Experiences and Mental Health Risks’, Psychology of Women Quarterly, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 173–206, viewed 3 March 2024, <https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-6402.1997.tb00108.x>.

Lavrence, C & Cambre, C 2020, “Do I Look Like My Selfie?”: Filters and the Digital-Forensic Gaze’, Social Media + Society, vol. 6, no. 4, p. 205630512095518, viewed 3 March 2024, <https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2056305120955182>.

Peng, AY 2020, ‘Alipay adds “beauty filters” to face-scan payments: a form of patriarchal control over women’s bodies’, Feminist Media Studies, vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 582–585, viewed 3 March 2024, <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14680777.2020.1750779>.

Rettberg, JW 2014a, ‘Filtered Reality’, Seeing Ourselves Through Technology, SpringerLink, pp. 20–32, viewed 3 March 2024, <https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9781137476661_2>.

#MDA20009 #Week8 #Filters #BeautyFilters #AlgorithmFilters

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nickgerlich · 4 months

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I'm The Taxman

The Apple Tax has proven to be one of the most lucrative propositions ever for Apple, specifically when it applies to in-app purchases made from our phones. While the EU is starting to attack them, they still have complete freedom in the US to levy this tax with ruthless cunning.

Here’s how it works: Every time you buy something on your iPhone, whether it is a game, an upgrade to a premium service, whatever, 30% of that price goes to Apple for the privilege granted to the app provider to exist in the Apple eco-system.

And I was today years old when I learned that when a business or even an individual opts to boost a post on Facebook or Instagram such that it becomes sponsored content, that too has the Apple Tax applied. Parent company Meta thus loses 30% of those sales (even though the company isn’t exactly hurting these days).

But now comes news that Meta is going to offload that burden to the buyers, rather than absorb it. In other words, if I or anyone else wants to boost a post or account, if the price is $100, then I will be charged $130 to cover the part going to Apple. Apple is assessing the fee at the cash till.

Meta, in its quest to appear less bad, has encouraged everyone to simply pay for boosting on a desktop computer instead of by phone, thereby dodging Apple. That will work. In fact, it would be pretty easy to do this in Facebook. On Instagram, though, I know there are a lot of users who do not even know you can access your account on a computer, because the platform was designed originally to be mobile-only.

So now we’re left trying to figure out who the bad company really is. Is it Meta for making its customers pay the fee? Or is it Apple for maintaining this fee structure in the first place?

I know. It’s kind of like asking if Ticketmaster is evil for handling concert ticket sales, and then passing along outrageous service fees for the privilege. We all know how a $100 ticket can wind up being more than $150 after all is said and done. If you want to see a super headliner like The Eagles, prepare to drop some major money, especially if you are taking a date.

My hunch is that, even with Meta’s encouragement to boost your posts via a computer, this is going to hurt them in the long run, and then Apple subsequently. This news makes us all aware of what is going on, because before all this, we just didn’t know. It’s not just paying $6 a month for personal MapMyRun MVP premium features, and maybe knowing that Apple takes a slice. Now we all know that those social media boosts have been a revenue stream not just for Meta, but also Apple.

Maybe we’ll all just stop the madness.

Although I doubt everyone will quit, I think the effective 30% increase in costs for the advertiser will cause many to reconsider. Small businesses and individuals, such as artists and musicians, will be affected most. Larger companies may just consider it the price of doing marketing.

Apple has had many long-running battles with some of its biggest app developers over the tax. It hindered Spotify’s ability to fully launch its audible books initiative, because it meant that Apple would get a huge chunk of every audio book a user purchased. Apparently Meta has just been sucking it up, even though it too has engaged in battle.

Now that the EU is clamping down on Apple, from power cords to revenue sharing, I suspect the time will come soon here in the States when our own regulators put their foot down as well. I realize that the business culture is very different here in the US than in Europe, and that we are far more laissez faire, it will depend on who is in office in Washington. Recall that President Biden is already trying to put his foot down on hidden charges we consumers endure, like overdraft and late payment fees. It wouldn’t be much of a stretch to follow the EU’s lead on Apple as well.

But is Apple being evil? After all, it is their platform. It’s just that they have a tight monopoly when it comes to apps. Yes, their testing and scrutiny give us a high degree of consumer safety, but they are a toll booth at the same time. And the toll to get across the bridge is just as steep as the bridge itself to get in the App Store.

In the end, our court system will have to resolve this one. But for now, those entities and individuals least able to spend large sums on marketing are going to feel the brunt of Meta’s latest action.

Dr “One For You, Nineteen For Me” Gerlich

Audio Blog

#marketing #Apple #Meta #app

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fahrni · 7 months

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Saturday Morning Coffee

Good morning from Charlottesville, Virginia! ☕️

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I know I did! It’s a time for family and wonderful food at the Fahrni household, especially the pies! Kim’s pumpkin and Haileigh’s Pecan pie are amazing and I always eat a little too much of each. 😋

<static.crabapples.net/atcNov.pn…>

Ruth Ben-Ghiat

Some have wondered why the Trump campaign is being so open about the repressive policies they intend to implement. This “transparency” is in line with authoritarian history: Autocrats often tell you who they are and what they intend to do to you before they take office. They do this as a challenge to norms, and they do this as a threat.

If TFG is elected again and destroys our Democracy we will deserve everything we get and I hate the thought of it happening.

Where will people immigrate to if our democracy comes to an end in favor of an autocracy? Canada? Germany? Some other European nation not caught up in this current authoritarian wave?

Anita Chabria • Los Angeles Times

A unicorn costume, a hammer and a belief that pedophiles are using public schools to destroy democracy: The trial of David DePape for attacking Paul Pelosi was strange and disturbing.

It’s frightening how folks can go down these rabbit holes so quickly and turn into complete, frothing at the mouth, lunatics. 😳

Adi Robertson • The Verge

Music streaming service Spotify struck a seemingly unique and highly generous deal with Google for Android-based payments, according to new testimony in the Epic v. Google trial.

Well, well, well, good for Spotify. I’m sure any indie app maker would take a deal like that but it’s always the “big guys” that get preferable treatment.

It can’t hurt that Spotify is a direct competitor to Apple Music and puts a dent in Apple’s bottom line because of it. Not that it’s hurting Apple. 🤣

Law Dork

Monday was a day that crystallized on just how many levels our democracy and its promises stand on a precarious perch.

So a Colorado judge found that his Orangeness is in fact responsible for the insurrection. She also said he’s still eligible to run for President because the 14 Amendment doesn’t apply to the President because he was not “an officer of the United States” that could be disqualified under the amendment.

What?! That makes no sense. 😳

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James Boyd and Dianna Russini • The Athletic

Former Colts LB Shaquille Leonard goes unclaimed on waivers: How injuries derailed his stellar run in Indy

Hearing this bummed me out. I like Shaq Leonard. He’s a true leader on and off the field and he has a motor that won’t stop.

Here’s hoping he finds a new team soon and is able to get fully healthy and back on the field.

Heck, even if things are over for him prematurely, due to injury, he’s had a great career.🏈

Hixie

I do think the clock is ticking, though. The deterioration of Google’s culture will eventually become irreversible, because the kinds of people whom you need to act as moral compass are the same kinds of people who don’t join an organisation without a moral compass.

Interesting read from an 18-year employee of Google. Companies change as they grow. It’s just a fact. WillowTree has changed tremendously since I joined in 2019, especially after the Telus International acquisition. It happens as companies get bigger. ❤️

Oliver Darcy • CNN

NFL denounces hate speech, says it has expressed concerns to Elon Musk’s X

Sure, like Space Karen is going to listen to the puny NFL.

Some advice for the NFL. Get off of X, start a Mastodon instance called nfl.social, and start doing whatever it is you use X for on your Mastodon instance. Problem solved. You’re welcome.

KRISTEN RADTKE • The Verge

Adobe has been issued with a formal antitrust complaint by EU regulators regarding its $20 billion bid for cloud-based product design platform Figma.

I wonder what kind of deal Adobe will have to strike to make this work? It’s obvious Figma is winning the hearts and minds of designers. I feel really bad for the likes of Sketch who are a native Mac only shop. Their work is beautiful and extremely useful but can it survive? I hope so!

Also, please stop using Figma for EVERYTHING in the company. I’ve seen folks make presentations with it and make project plans with it and both of those uses really sucked.

Andrew Wallenstein • Variety

You might as well hitch your wagon to Musk with Krazy Glue at this point, Linda, because despite what your deluded pals on Madison Avenue might think, there’s no going back now. Stacking the events of the past week on top of the mound of insanity that’s already piled high over the course of your short reign has seen to that.

Good luck, Linda. I hope the man is at the very least paying you crap tons of money to destroy your good name and reputation.

Maybe it’s all worth it to her for that CEO title? 🤔

Rodrigo Mesquita

First part of an in-depth guide into developing a native macOS application using Haskell with Swift and SwiftUI. This part covers the set-up required to call Haskell functions from Swift in an XCode project using SwiftUI.

I love seeing other languages integrated into applications! VBA on Windows apps was a huge benefit to app users and gave them the ability to create specialized scripts to help automate their workflows. Even with all of the security implications and exploits it is the best implementation of a scripting environment to date.

I’ve also seen folks integrate Lua with great success and look at how the integration of JavaScript into native iOS and Android apps — ala React Native — has changed the app landscape.

The Eclectic Light Company

Following on from the previous memory leak I have demonstrated in the Finder in macOS 14.1.1, here’s a second, discovered by Kate, which might have a common root cause.

I have questions. Is this a leak or is it memory consumption? Those are two different things. One is not freeing resources because of a coding error, the other is not freeing resources intentionally. An intentional case would be caching things in memory to improve performance.

Also, if the system needs memory at some point and can’t find enough does the Finder relinquish this memory back to the OS?

Either way I suppose it can be seen as a leak. At the very least it could be a performance problem if system performance degrades because of it.

Jason Snell • MacWorld

What I’m saying is that Apple sometimes takes its failures and learns important lessons that inform its future attempts… but sometimes, it seems to just give up.

Apple is a company of people and people make mistakes.

I feel like the Vision Pro could be a mistake. Maybe mistake is too harsh a word? Maybe it’s just a product that’s too immature at the moment? I’m sure they’ll sell a hojillion of them on day one but will there be a great app ecosystem to support it?

My guess is highly specialized applications will drive sales but what do I know? Not much. 😂

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Lauren Goode • WIRED

Harvey’s urgency, even 12 hours later, is a reflex: This is exactly what she did for 13 years as the head of Twitter’s trust and safety team.

It must have been almost impossible to squelch all the crazy and hate on Twitter. Now X just doesn’t care and allows all the crazy and hate to blossom.

Get out, now. ☢️

Ben Wolford • protonvpn.com

Last month, Google launched a new feature for Chrome called IP Protection that makes it easier for the company to spy on you. No surprise, since this is Google’s business model. But what’s concerning is that Google is marketing this as a privacy feature.

I don’t know much about this but it seems like something I need to better understand.

I’m a Safari user and I mix Firefox in there.

I had to install Chrome at work because a client has some Chrome friendly tools we need to use. 😮

Nilay Patel and Alex Heath • The Verge

After an attempted coup by OpenAI’s board that lasted five days, Altman is returning alongside co-founder Greg Brockman.

Dizzying. I hope Altman keeps a good set of ethicists around him to keep him in check.

We don’t want the robots to take over the world, do we. 🤖

Colin Walker

It is this type of definition, however, that holds RSS back. Why does it just have to be updates to a website? RSS can be used to distribute all sorts of information. Once you start adding custom namespaces the possibilities are amazing.

I agree with Colin. RSS can be used for many things and why not? It’s extensible and there are gobs of tooling for it.

Just think of what it did for Podcasting.

I know at one someone maintained an RSS feed of hospitals with extra drugs other hospitals could ask for. You’d be surprised how many hospitals run out of certain drugs and how many have a surplus. It was a nice way to connect folks. Yet another niche served by RSS.

I’ve had the thought of just publishing my blog as RSS only. Sure, discovery would suck, but feed readers are just another type of web browser, only the web comes to the feed reader.😃

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Happy Birthday President Biden! 🥳🎂🔥🚒

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nothingnothingaaa · 2 years

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Apple to Allow Outside App Stores in Overhaul Spurred by EU Laws

By Mark Gurman, Dec 13 2022 (Bloomberg)

Apple Inc. is preparing to allow alternative app stores on its iPhones and iPads, part of a sweeping overhaul aimed at complying with strict European Union requirements coming in 2024.

Software engineering and services employees are engaged in a major push to open up key elements of Apple’s platforms, according to people familiar with the efforts. As part of the changes, customers could ultimately download third-party software to their iPhones and iPads without using the company’s App Store, sidestepping Apple’s restrictions and the up-to-30% commission it imposes on payments.

The moves — a reversal of long-held policies — are a response to EU laws aimed at levelling the playing field for third-party developers and improving the digital lives of consumers. For years, regulators and software makers have complained that Apple and Google, which run the two biggest mobile app stores, wield too much power as gatekeepers.

Apple’s Second-Biggest Market. Europe generated about $95 billion in sales during the last fiscal year.

If similar laws are passed in additional countries, Apple’s project could lay the groundwork for other regions, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the work is private. But the company’s changes are designed initially to just go into effect in Europe.

Even so, the news bolstered shares of companies that offer dating services and other apps. Match Group Inc. jumped as much as 10% and Bumble Inc. was up as much as 8.6% — a sign investors think the companies could get a break from Apple’s commissions. Spotify Technology SA, the audio streaming service, climbed as much as 9.7%. Apple’s shares, meanwhile, were little changed.

A spokesman for the Cupertino, California-based company declined to comment on the upcoming changes.

The main new European law, dubbed the Digital Markets Act, takes effect in the coming months, but companies aren’t required to comply with all of the rules until 2024. Government officials in the US and other countries have pushed for similar laws but haven’t gotten as far as the EU yet.

The act requires technology companies to allow the installation of third-party apps and let users more easily change default settings. The rules demand that messaging services work together and that outside developers get equal access to core features within apps and services.

The laws apply to technology companies with market valuations of at least €75 billion ($80 billion) and a minimum of 45 million monthly users within the EU.

The changes underway within Apple are being led by Andreas Wendker, a longtime software engineering vice president who reports to Craig Federighi, the company’s top software executive. Jeff Robbin — Apple’s top engineering manager for its services, who reports to head of services Eddy Cue — is also involved.

Apple is applying a significant amount of resources to the companywide endeavor. It hasn’t been a popular initiative within Apple, considering that the company has spent years decrying the need for “sideloading” — the process of installing software without using the official App Store. In lobbying against the new European laws, Apple has argued that sideloading could put unsafe apps on consumers’ devices and undermine privacy.

Some engineers working on the plan also see it as distraction from typical day-to-day development of future features, according to the people. The company is aiming for the changes to be ready as part of an update to next year’s iOS 17, which would be in line with requirements.

Epic Games Inc., maker of the hit game Fortnite, waged a legal battle with Apple over the App Store fees. After Epic sought to sidestep the commission with Fortnite, Apple removed the game from its store. In the ensuing fight, Epic accused Apple of using monopolistic practices, but a US court found that the iPhone maker didn’t violate federal antitrust laws.

To help protect against unsafe apps, Apple is discussing the idea of mandating certain security requirements even if software is distributed outside its store. Such apps also may need to be verified by Apple — a process that could carry a fee. Within the App Store, Apple takes a 15% to 30% cut of revenue.

Apple hasn’t made a final decision on whether to comply with a component of the Digital Markets Act that allows developers to install third-party payment systems within their apps. That would let users sign up for subscriptions to a travel app, for example, or buy in-app content from a game maker — without involving Apple.

As part of an agreement with the Japanese government, the company already allows some media and cloud apps to point users to the web to complete transactions. But the Digital Markets Act likely wants Apple and other technology giants to go further.

Apple also is working to open more of its private application programming interfaces, or APIs, to third-party apps. Those are the underlying frameworks that allow apps and features to interact with Apple’s hardware and core system functions.

Currently, third-party web browsers, including ones like Chrome from Alphabet Inc.’s Google, are required to use WebKit, Apple’s Safari browsing engine. Under the plan to meet the new law, Apple is considering removing that mandate.

Apple is also working to open up other features to third-party apps, including more camera technologies and its near-field communications chip — at least in a limited fashion. Currently, only the company’s Wallet app and Apple Pay service can use the NFC chip to enable mobile wallet functionality. Apple has faced pressure to let third-party financial apps have the same capability.

The company hasn’t, however, made a decision on how it may open iMessage and its Messages app to third-party services — another requirement of the Digital Markets Act. Engineers believe that such a change could hurt end-to-end encryption and other privacy features offered by iMessage. The company also isn’t currently considering integrating RCS, or rich communication services, a messaging protocol that Google and others are pushing Apple to adopt.

Apple is discussing further opening up its Find My network to accessories, like Tile, that compete with the AirTag. The Find My network allows AirTags to provide their location to its owner by using surrounding Apple devices as signals. While Apple has offered third parties that functionality since 2021, Tile and others have said the company gives its own accessory an advantage.

The EU, which includes France, Germany, Italy and Spain among a total of 27 countries, has threatened fines of as much as 20% of a company’s annual global revenue if they repeatedly violate the law. Apple generated nearly $400 billion in worldwide revenue in fiscal 2022, which would put such a fine in the $80 billion range.

Apple generated about $95 billion in revenue from Europe, which includes the EU and the UK, during fiscal 2022. That revenue base will likely take a hit when it makes the changes, which are poised to make the App Store less lucrative.

Overall, though, Apple should be able to absorb the financial impact. The App Store makes up 6% of total revenue, and Europe’s contribution to that is likely less than 2%, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Anurag Rana and Andrew Girard. It wouldn’t be the first time Apple had to make major changes to abide by local laws. The company is also planning to use a USB-C connector on the next iPhones in 2023 instead of Lightning, also to meet an EU regulation. In China, the company has made numerous compromises. That’s included using a local provider to host iCloud data and shifting AirDrop settings in a way that made it harder for protesters to share information.

#Apple

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energylifedv · 2 years

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Paint 3d chromebook

This is where things get slightly complicated. Since this is Windows, you’ll probably be using Microsoft Word to do it. If you’re buying a Windows 10 S machine, there’s a good chance you’re a student or working professional who’s going to need to do some word processing at some point. Of course, any web-based services, like Pandora, Google Play Music, YouTube Music, or Tidal will all work fine in Edge. But Microsoft announced at Build 2017 that it’s reached a deal with Apple and will be offering iTunes on the Windows Store soon, though we still don’t have a firm date as to when that happens. Apple doesn’t offer a web player, so you need iTunes. If you’re an Apple Music subscriber, right now you’re still out of luck. While you might have been forced to use a mobile version of the Spotify app at one point, Microsoft now offers the regular desktop version of Spotify on the Windows Store, so you’ll be able to use it like you would any other computer. Obviously, if you use Microsoft’s Groove Music service, you’re already good to go, but I suspect that applies to fewer people than Microsoft would like. exe files on Windows 10 S, but it’s unclear how far it’s implemented it, and there’s clearly more work to be done to make this clear to consumers. Microsoft is going to redirect users to the Windows Store when they try to download. You just can’t install anything outside of the store. Similarly, Edge didn’t have any of my usernames or passwords conveniently saved, but using a password management service like LastPass (which functions cross-platform, and is available through the Windows 10 Store) will help simplify that process.įrustratingly, Windows 10 S is still Windows at its core, so websites will still ask if you’d like to install apps (Yes, Google, I would prefer to use Chrome but I can’t!), and installers will even tantalizingly download as they normally would. Alternatively, you can get a different Windows 10 computer, sync your Chrome settings, import them to Edge, and then sync those to your Windows 10 S machine. It’s messy, but the easiest way to get all your Chrome or Opera data to Windows 10 S is to export bookmarks to an HTML file, and manually import them. While Edge on regular Windows can import bookmarks and other data from installed browsers, Windows 10 S can’t grab data from other browsers. The biggest annoyance with Edge, however, is importing user data. Flash is also available on 10S, although Edge will disable it by default, even on pages like the Microsoft Store.

I work almost entirely web-based, and between writing and browsing, I didn’t really run into any issues. Microsoft’s Edge browser isn’t my preference, but it’ll still get the job done for most of what you need to do. Google doesn’t make Chrome for Windows 10 S, and even if it did, Microsoft won’t let you set it as the default browser. If you’re on Windows 10S, that means you’re stuck using Microsoft Edge. In today’s cloud-based world, your web browser is almost a more important choice than your operating system. So whether you’ve got a fancy new Surface Laptop or a budget HP ProBook, here’s how to survive with those limitations and make the most out of your Windows 10 S experience. The flip side is that by requiring applications to only come from the Windows Store, Microsoft can do a whole lot more to ensure that Windows 10 S is a fast, secure operating system. What that means in practical terms is that 10 S is a more locked-down version of Windows, with users limited to only being able to install Windows Store applications. It’s designed for students, and it’s meant to take on Google’s Chromebook and Chrome OS ecosystem. Windows 10 S is Microsoft’s newest version of its Windows operating system.

#Paint 3d chromebook

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argus-monitor-crack-5i · 2 years

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Download Argus Monitor crack (license key) latest version QYV,

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argus-monitor-crack-gb · 2 years

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astonishinglegends · 3 years

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Ep 204: Nain Rouge

“Suddenly across their path, trotting along the beach, advanced the uncouth figure of a dwarf, very red in the face, with a bright, glistening eye; instead of burning it froze, instead of possessing depth emitted a cold gleam like the reflection from a polished surface, bewildering and dazzling all who came within its focus.”

– Marie Caroline Watson Hamlin from her book, Legends of Le Détroit, 1884

Reference Links:

Nain Rouge on Wikipedia

“Myths and Legends of Our Own Land” by Charles M. Skinner on gutenberg.org

Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac

“Antoine de la Mothe, Sieur de Cadillac, founder of what is now Detroit” on RobinsonLibrary.com

Louis-Hector de Callière

Detroit, MI

Chateau St. Louis

Château Frontenac

“People of Detroit: Antoine de la Mothe, Sieur de Cadillac” on historydetroit.com

“The legend of Detroit’s Nain Rouge: Raising Nain” by Lee DeVito from The Detroit Metro Times

“THE RED DWARF OF DETROIT AND THE MARCHE DU NAIN ROUGE” on AbsoluteMichigan.com

1701, The Great Peace of Montreal - Part 1 of 3 on YouTube

1701, The Great Peace of Montreal - Part 2 of 3 on YouTube

1701, The Great Peace of Montreal - Part 3 of 3 on YouTube

“THE LINCOLN IMP: SURROUNDED BY MYTH AND LEGEND” on VisitLincoln.com

Will-o'-the-wisp - The Americas

John E.L. Tenney’s WeirdLectures.com website

John E.L. Tenney’s “What’s Up Weirdo” website

John E.L. Tenney’s “Realm of The Weir‪d‬” podcast

John E.L. Tenney and Jessica Knapik’s podcast on Spotify, “What's up Weirdo?”

John E.L. Tenney on Twitter

Location:

The Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, possibly near where author Marie Caroline Watson Hamlin in her 1884 book, Legends of Le Détroit, says Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and his wife were strolling in the old King’s Garden, formerly “between Jefferson avenue and Woodbridge street, near the site of the present Chamber of Commerce,” when they encountered the Nain Rouge.

Related Books:

Suggested Listening:

Click here to listen to John E.L. Tenney and Jessica Knapik’s podcast on Spotify, “What's up Weirdo?”

And the What’s Up Weirdo? website

And his WeirdLectures.com website

Hear Scott and Forrest interviewed by their podcasting buddy Max Kreutzer for his comedy podcast, The Story Of, and visit his website, https://maxkreutzer.com/podcasts

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Credits:

Episode 204: Nain Rouge. Produced by Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess; Audio Editing by Sarah Vorhees Wendel. Sound Design by Ryan McCullough; Tess Pfeifle, Producer, and Lead Researcher; Research Support from the astonishing League of Astonishing Researchers, a.k.a. The Astonishing Research Corps, or "A.R.C." for short. Copyright 2021 Astonishing Legends Productions, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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krisroley · 3 years

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February 9th, 2021

One Small Moment

Today I want to talk to some specific friends who I won't name, but I'm fairly sure that this will apply to way more of just them.

First things first, I'm not going to insult your intelligence by giving you a bunch of platitudes. In my experience, they're nothing but empty calories. Filler and no substance, they're designed to make the person giving them feel better, not the person who needs help. In some cases, people who need help end up feeling worse. I'm one of those people, so I absolutely understand the feeling. So, no bullshit from me. Cool? Moving on.

Let me describe my lack of bona fides right upfront. I'm a guy with a high school education and one year of college because I let my dick do the thinking up to the point that I ended up homeless and friendless. I tried to follow in my Dad's footsteps and join the military and washed right out after six months because I have a mouth bigger than my brain. I come from a family that describing as dysfunctional is exceedingly generous. My dad had anger issues, my mother was a narcissist manipulator, as is my brother. He's got a criminal record and is probably on his way back to prison for at least 12 years as I write this. I'm the voice of reason in my family, and as I have said repeatedly, this should scare the fuck out of you. I got married at 24, and I had three kids by the age of 30. I've been dirt poor most of that time. At this stage of my life, I believe that I am an undiagnosed case of autism from the 1970s because my kids--all of them--are on the spectrum. I didn't have a bad childhood if you looked at it from one angle, but I had a horrible one if you looked at it from the inside out. I inherited my Dad's anger issues and my mother's narcissism. I was a horrible husband for years until my wife walked out on me in 2005. It made me face myself in a way I had not seen before, and I couldn't take it. I had a nervous breakdown. My wife thought I was worth saving, and I am forever grateful for it. I promised I would work on my issues, and I have. Three times in my life, I thought I was at the end of my rope. Not from a thought of suicide ideation, just that there was nowhere else to turn. No one else to ask for help. No one else I could lean on. Just Roley.

That moment right there is the point. The entire lesson. One small moment when your brain says, "Well, you're really fucked now, aren't you?" There is only one answer to that question, and that answer is yes because if you answer no, you ain't there yet. Trust me on this. You have to answer yes. This is the moment where you're accountable to no one but you, and you cannot lie to yourself. You can TRY. It ain't gonna work. Not for long.

Let's not bullshit ourselves. There is a lot of work in repairing a life that you fucked up on your own. You climb up out of a hole for years before you ever see daylight. I was a shut-in for two years because I thought it better that the world forgets about me. I tried to make a living from home in 2006-2007, but this world we live in hadn't come to pass yet, and I was living a fantasy. It made me feel worse that I couldn't provide for my family, but I could barely function as a human at that point. So I decided to do the only work I was capable of: Working on myself. I read every self-help book and mental health book I could lay my hands on. I dug deep into myself to try to figure out why I was the person I was, how I became that way, and the answer was straightforward. First, I thought I was absolutely normal. My behavior, though abhorrent, was how I was raised. My parents treated each other and us kids horribly, but it wasn't physically abusive save for a couple of times I'll keep to myself. I grew up in the same environment I perpetuated. I was continuing a cycle. Secondly, to accept that fact and to change meant work I wasn't ready to take on. But human psychology is a lot like a car in that regard; you can do the work now, or you can do it later, but it's going to cost you a lot more. In my case, it almost cost me everything. It was the third of those three times that I faced myself in the mirror and heard that voice, and this was the time I said yes.

For two-thirds of my life, my story is a story of failure, of self-hatred, of being a bad example. But from the age of 35 to 50, it's a story of repair and redemption. I'll put my humble path to today up against anyone's and dare them to do the work I've done to heal myself and come out who I am today. I'm still married to the same woman for over 25 years now. I've got three amazing kids who I adore. Up until May of this year, I had what I consider to be a dream job until COVID ate it, but I'm still with the same company, and I'm going to bust whatever amount of ass it takes to get my job back or demonstrate the skills I learned there to someone else who's willing to take me. I have a sense of self-worth and purpose that I've never had before, and I'm not taking being a call center tech support agent for the rest of my life. It is a means to an end, and it is not my life's work. I know what that is. It's helping you in the best way I know how: By being not the example of how to fix it, but from showing you by my example, it CAN BE FIXED that you can go from being a person full of anger and self-loathing and cruel behavior to being a person of kindness and compassion and love for people. That you can go from being a person who has no prospects to a person who can go to a job every day that fulfills them personally and professionally. That you can go from being a person who hasn't got their shit together at all to a person that can get morning to night without falling apart at the seams. This is my road, and my lane, but it's big enough for you, and I want you on this road with me. Some of you are gifted and talented beyond description, but the world doesn't know it yet because you have these problems. I know. I get it. I also see who you are, and the world deserves to see you as well. I had no one else to turn to at that last moment, so I did what I had to do. Myself. I'm asking you to take a walk with me because I don't want you to have to do it on your own. I may not know your way home, but I can get you as far as Anchorhead. You can get transport there to Mos Eisley or wherever you're going.

I had to get one joke in there somehow.

Did Joe Know About This?

On the heels of the news of Joe Budden maybe-kinda-sorta-moving his show to Patreon (which is weird since it looks like it’s being hosted on Libsyn now), Spotify has announced plans for multiple business models for podcasts, possibly to include ad-supported subscriptions and a la carte options. These may be discussed at a live stream event later in February.

Asked if Spotify thought customers would be willing to pay for podcasts, Ek on the earnings call responded that he believed there were several new models that could be explored.

“I think we’re in the early days of seeing the long-term evolvement of how we can monetize audio on the internet. I’ve said this before, but I don’t believe that it’s a one-size-fits-all,” he said. “I believe, in fact, that we will have all business models, and that’s the future for all media companies — that you will have ad-supported subscriptions and à la carte sort of in the same space, of all media companies in the future.”

“And you should definitely expect Spotify to follow that strategy and that pattern,” Ek added, more definitively.

The answer seemed to indicate that Spotify is considering some of the ideas in that recent survey — of getting consumers to pay for some podcasts, instead of accessing them all for free or having them bundled into their music subscription.

I wonder if Budden was aware of this and balked. Would there be a revenue split between Spotify and the creators, and what’s the ratio? Now that I think of it, isn’t that what they’ve been crying about re: Apple?

For more than a year, Spotify has been making noise about Apple’s unchecked power over the App Store, and in March 2019, it filed a complaint against Apple with the European Commission. Spotify claims Apple’s practice of taking 30 percent of an app’s revenue is unjustified, and says the company operates as a monopoly on iOS.

Suddenly, I find this Budden/Spotify deal more intriguing.

Wait, You Can Make Money Doing That?

Julie Miller from Vanity Fair writes about Hollywood coming over to the Pod Side for ‘fun and profit’:

…entertainment types began orbiting the audio space about two years ago in earnest, as the number of Americans listening to podcasts every month headed toward the 100 million it is today. It was also around 2018 that agencies like CAA began incorporating audio deals into their development packages. One insider estimates that many celebrities could get a six-figure guarantee per year, with the biggest actors receiving between $1 million and $3 million to launch an unscripted podcast. Scripted projects offer less up-front money but can be adapted into TV shows, films, books, and so on.

For the record, I am Steve Jobs, “Podcasts are Amateur Hour" Years Old. For years, podcasting was seen as less-than, so when I see stories like this, the little imp of the perverse in the back of my head tosses a bone at every true media elitist who, strangely, has a podcast now..

How About Not Doing That?

Chris Curran over at PES has a question about your thin mouth:

When I’m doing my fine-tuned editing on a podcast episode I use TwistedWave or Sound Forge because they allow me to VERY QUICKLY zoom in, highlight very small things like single mouthclicks, and delete them.

When I try to make the same kind of edit in a DAW (Reaper and others) it takes forever.

What say you?

For the most part, my workflow tends to remove mouth clicks, or at the very least minimize them. If they still show up through my noise gate, I highlight and remove them. I can’t say this happens often because I like to make sure I keep some water near me while I’m recording. The single biggest thing you can do to prevent mouth clicks is to keep hydrated. Remember, you can’t fix it in Post if it never happens in the first place.

Shot Of The Day

#Joe Budden #Spotify #Monetization #Podcasts #Hollywood #Vanity Fair #Julie Miller #Podcast Engineering School #Mouthclicks #PES

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gamingmyhero428 · 3 years

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The future of gaming is a globe where you are empowered to play the games you want, with the folks you want, anytime you want, wherever you are, and on any device of your deciding upon. Our vision for the evolution of gaming is similar to music and motion pictures — entertainment really should be obtainable on demand and accessible from any screen. Today, I am excited to share with you 1 of our essential projects that will take us on an accelerated journey to that future planet: Project xCloud.

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violetsystems · 4 years

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Apple has removed Epic Games’ battle royale Fortnite from the App Store after the developer on Thursday implemented its own in-app payment system that bypassed Apple’s standard 30 percent fee. The decision marks a significant escalation in the feud between Epic and one of the most popular mobile app stores in the US, and it comes at an especially fraught time for Apple as the iPhone maker navigates antitrust concerns over its operation of its mobile marketplace and the rules it imposes on certain developers.

Apple said in a statement to The Verge says it plans to work with Epic to “resolve these violations,” but that it has no intention to create a “special arrangement” for the company. Here’s the company’s statement in full:

Today, Epic Games took the unfortunate step of violating the App Store guidelines that are applied equally to every developer and designed to keep the store safe for our users. As a result their Fortnite app has been removed from the store. Epic enabled a feature in its app which was not reviewed or approved by Apple, and they did so with the express intent of violating the App Store guidelines regarding in-app payments that apply to every developer who sells digital goods or services.

Epic has had apps on the App Store for a decade, and have benefited from the App Store ecosystem - including it’s tools, testing, and distribution that Apple provides to all developers. Epic agreed to the App Store terms and guidelines freely and we’re glad they’ve built such a successful business on the App Store. The fact that their business interests now lead them to push for a special arrangement does not change the fact that these guidelines create a level playing field for all developers and make the store safe for all users. We will make every effort to work with Epic to resolve these violations so they can return Fortnite to the App Store.

Epic’s approach seem designed to provoke Apple into a response, as the Fortnite studio explicitly laid out in its new iOS update how using Epic’s in-app payment system would result in cheaper prices. For instance, 1,000 v-bucks, which is roughly equivalent to $10 in-game Fortnite currency, now costs just $7.99 if you use Epic direct payment, instead of the standard Apple payment processing. Normally, that amount of currency costs $9.99. Epic says that in this case, customers and not the company itself keep the extra savings, which cast the new arrangement as a pro-consumer move instead of a greedy power play.

Epic isn’t just trying to weasel its way out of money it rightly owes. CEO Tim Sweeney has long complained that mobile app stores no longer justify the 30 percent cut they take from all developers, and he’s called for substantial changes to how companies like Apple and Google conduct business with third-party developers. “It’s time for change,” Sweeney told The Verge in 2018. “Apple, Google, and Android manufacturers make vast, vast profits from the sale of their devices and do not in any way justify the 30 percent cut.” Epic itself launched a game store on PC in which it takes only 12 percent of revenue as a way to try and encourage a similar change in competitor Valve’s Steam marketplace.

”EPIC ENABLED A FEATURE IN ITS APP WHICH WAS NOT REVIEWED OR APPROVED BY APPLE, AND THEY DID SO WITH THE EXPRESS INTENT OF VIOLATING THE APP STORE GUIDELINES.”

The debate is larger than just the 30 percent cut. Apple is facing heightened criticism these days over how it not only manages the App Store and its mandatory fees, but the ways it applies its guidelines in ways some developers and critics feel is unfair and may in fact be designed to benefit Apple over its competitors.

For instance, Apple recently gave Amazon an exemption to the 30 percent fee when selling TV show and movie rentals through its Prime Video app, something the company says is only allowed for certain streaming video platforms. Additionally, court documents released during the recent Big Tech antitrust hearing last month revealed Apple cut a special deal with Amazon in 2016 to lower the fees it takes on Prime Video subscriptions from 30 percent down to 15 percent to get Amazon’s app on the App Store.

Meanwhile, four years later, Apple just laid out why it will never approve cloud gaming apps and game subscription services like Microsoft’s xCloud and Xbox Game Pass, as well as Google Stadia. Apple’s justification for doing so — that it cannot individually review all the games offered by cloud gaming platforms as it would standard iOS apps — provoked Sweeney to issue another harsh condemnation. “Apple has outlawed the metaverse,” he wrote on Twitter. “The principle they state, taken literally, would rule out all cross-platform ecosystems and games with user created modes: not just XCloud, Stadia, and GeForce NOW, but also Fortnite, Minecraft, and Roblox.”

Since Fortnite first arrived on mobile in 2018, the game has existed as a standard iOS app; Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has openly said his company only did so because there is no other way to enter Apple’s closed ecosystem. That means Apple has taken 30 percent of all in-app purchases of Fortnite currency used to purchase its battle pass subscription service and the cosmetic skins, emotes, and other digital goods that make the battle royale one of the most lucrative entertainment properties on the planet. Fortnite earned Epic $2.4 billion in 2018 and $1.8 billion in 2019, helped in large part by its popularity across platforms, as players can use the same account across iOS, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Epic previously bypassed Google’s Play Store on Android by releasing Fortnite as a direct download through its own software launcher. But the studio eventually relented earlier this year after failing to appeal Google for an exemption of its similar 30 percent cut of all in-app purchases. “After 18 months of operating Fortnite on Android outside of the Google Play Store, we’ve come to a basic realization,” reads Epic’s statement. “Google puts software downloadable outside of Google Play at a disadvantage.”

Epic’s statement at the time was transparent in its displeasure at how Google, and by extension Apple, treat third-party software that doesn’t abide by its rules. Epic also later joined Match Group, the parent company of Tinder and other dating apps, in issuing statements of support for two ongoing antitrust investigations into Apple conducted by the European Union, launched only after Spotify and other app makers protested App Store policies they say unfairly punish Apple competitors.

#oooooooooooooh shit

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perseus-jacks · 4 years

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tagged by @syndullastars thank you !! ♡

on a scale of 1-10, how excited are you about life right now? I want to say 7, but its probably more like a 4.5

describe yourself in a hashtag? #i’llsleepwheni’mdead (#overlycaffinated applies too)

if you could do a love scene with anyone, who would it be? such a tough question... either Timothée chalamet or Gavin Leatherwood

if your life was a musical, what would the marquee say? biggest goofball in the town

what’s one thing people don’t know about you? that I care waaaaaay too much about what others think

what’s your wake up ritual? shower, brush teeth, wash face, get dressed, cook breakfast/make coffee and then read

what’s your go to bed ritual? pick out clothes for the morning, brush teeth, wash face, write agenda for the upcoming day

what’s your favorite time of day? I would say late at night, like at 2am when im the only one up and I can already hear birds chirping outside my window.

your go to for having a good laugh? YouTube videos (commentaries, reviews, and even my fave books as vines)

dream country to visit? Switzerland

what’s the biggest surprise you’ve ever had? my life isnt full of surprises, sadly. I guess when I was able to live and study in Oxford for two days (I honestly didnt know if I could, it was a mess)

heels or flats/sneakers? sneakers

vintage or new? vintage for sure

who do you want to write your obituary? my sister

style icon? a mix of Cher from clueless and Monica Geller, with a hint of my sister’s style ( I draw my inspo from many people ok)

what are three things you cannot live without? friends, my books, my laptop

what’s one ingredient you put in everything? sugar

what 3 people living or dead would you want to make dinner for? my mom, my sister, and oddly enough,, van Gough (it would be interesting to share a meal/convo with him)

what’s your biggest fear in life? failing / not living up to my family’s expectations of me

window or aisle seat? Aisle. I love day dreaming while looking out the window, but the aisle is a matter of convince

what’s your current tv obsession? Outer Banks, and I'm trying to get into Anne with an E too

favorite app? Spotify, it houses all my music, and thus, a source of happiness.

secret talent? I can quote every episode of Friends word for word

most adventurous thing you’ve ever done in your life? Spent my spring break in Spain

how would you define yourself in three words? perceptive, passionate, witty

favorite piece of clothing you own? My distressed Shawn Mendes tour T-shirt ( wear like 3 times a week)

a must have clothing item that everyone should have? a black turtle neck

a superpower you would want? telepathy/compulsion

what’s inspiring you in life right now? writers and storytellers

best piece of advice you’ve received? sometimes the best thing to do is take risks without fear of the consequences

best advice you’d give your teenage self? stop worrying so much about what others think and speak you mind always

a book everyone should read? Jane Eyre

what would you like to be remembered for? being a good friend

how do you define beauty? Beauty cant be defined. It's everywhere and in everyone.

what do you love most about your body? My eyes

best way to take a rest/decompress? lounging around and reading with a coffee in hand, or cruising with the windows down with my friends/fam

favorite place to view art? the Met in nyc

if your life was a song, what would the title be? Smile

if you could master one instrument, what would it be? guitar

if you had a tattoo, where would it be? a small crescent moon behind my ear or on the part of my hand that is in-between my thumb and index finger

dolphins or koalas? dolphins !!

what’s your spirit animal? an owl

best gift you’ve ever received? a pretty, vintage looking necklace

best gift you’ve given? I made a friendship timecapsule for my friend when she moved away, and every two weeks or so she would tell me how it cheered her up

what’s your favorite board game? monopoly

what’s your favorite color? cornflower blue

least favorite color? burnt orange (sorry Peeta)

diamond or pearls? diamonds

drugstore makeup or designer? drugstore, it does the job

pilates or yoga? hip-hop yoga

coffee or tea? coffee

what’s the weirdest word in the english language? canoodle, moot

dark chocolate or milk chocolate?both stairs or elevators? stairs, i hate elevators

summer or winter? both

you are stuck on an island, you can pick one food to eat forever without getting tired of it, what would you eat? just the thought of that makes me tired of every single food in existence lol

a dessert you don’t like? anything fancy

a skill you’re working on mastering? life drawing and general storyboarding stuff, for school and career purposes

best thing to happen to you today? the clone wars finale :((((

worst thing to happen to you today? also the clone wars finale :((((

best compliment you’ve ever received? a few of my friends have told me that i always know exactly what to say, and that makes me happy bc i try very hard to understand them and be what they need so i’m glad it pays off

favorite smell? pine trees and snow on the air, but also sunscreen and the sea

hugs or kisses? hugs

if you made a documentary, what would it be about? the evolution and highlights of reality tv; its fun to watch but has serious implications if you look closely enough

last piece of content you consumed that made you cry? Wall-E

lipstick or lipgloss? lipgloss

sweet or savory? sweet

girl crush? Jenna Coleman

how do you know you’re in love? i’ve only been in love once and it was a very fledgling thing but it was like, they’re always on your mind, seeing them is like a thunderclap to your heart, you want to be near them and laugh with them, you constantly wonder what they think of you (like the littlest thing), you care about how they see you, time with them feels like nothing and everything

a song you can listen to on repeat? Golden by Harry Styles + Dust Your Pocket by Glass Animals

if you could switch lives with someone for a day, who would it be? whoever is dating Gavin Leatherwood, I just want to know what thats like (even if its for a day)

what are you most excited for/about this time in your life? Im excited for law school actually and moving out west

this is long so i’ll just tag a few: @maxons @wizardra @vikingthors @oceanvs @thorne( feel free to ignore ofc ♡ )

#about me

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macresolver · 4 years

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With Android's opening, these 4 apps will make you cooler to "listen to songs"

Earlier, the Internet was not so developed, and streaming media was less of a mainstay of entertainment, with the vast majority of people only able to transcribe or download music files from CDs to listen to music. At that time, my love of music didn't all come from the song itself, but some cool things - visualizations, skin changes, lyrics, and so on.

After the rapid popularity of streaming media, listening to the song seems to be just "by the way", I did not go to stow "let listening to the song cool" thing. It wasn't until one day that I found out that my phone's built-in music player took advantage of the curved-screen feature to make the side screen light up with the rhythm of the music.

The little feature disappeared after the system was updated, and I had to start looking for other ways to make listening songs on my phone becomes cool.

Muviz Edge: "Running Lights" at the Edge of the Screen

The Muviz Edge app perfectly reproduces the side-screen flash above, and even better, it offers a variety of styles for free, in addition to regular side flash, as well as a more powerful visual impact such as full-screen wrap and edge spectrum.

If you're not happy with the default style, you can also adjust the flash line a little thicker in the custom options, and drag "SPREAD" "LENGTH" to the left and right, respectively: the former is used to set the extension of the subline, the higher the number, the more dispersed the sub-line, and the lower the value, the shorter the number.

After adjustment, each subline does not overlap too much, each color can be clearly distinguished, the visual effect is excellent without confusion. When you authorize the Muviz Edge, Muviz Edge can match album covers and automatically turn them on or off for different apps, so you can avoid popping edge flashes when watching videos.

You can download the Muviz Edge for free in the Google Play Store, unlock all flash styles and all features for $1.49, or purchase custom color matching features for $0.99.

Muviz: Navigation bar can be a little cooler

The Muviz Edge is primarily used to beautify the edges of the screen, making the visuals more stereoscopic on surface phones. For non-curved phones, or if you want to make the results even more stunning, use the navigation key area at the bottom of the screen and use Muviz to display the waveforms and spectrum on the navigation bar. Muviz and Muviz Edge are part of a series that has been introduced in the minority. After several iterations, Muviz is now even cooler.

As with Muviz Edge, app-related permissions are required before use. Muviz itself has evolved into a creative community, Discovery, which includes all user-published waveform schemes that allow users to categorize and filter according to their personal preferences. Each scheme has also been labeled differently, making it easy to choose a similar scheme.

Since you're a creative community, you can certainly create your own waveform effects. Muviz Free offers up to 29 waveform styles, and unlocking Premium offers an additional 10 more featured waveforms. Each style adjusts color, gradient, transparency, and size.

In addition, Muviz has entered the concept of "layers", allowing users to overlay up to 3 layers of waveforms, such as filling with "strip" spectrum, contouring "line" waveforms, and "circular" individual beautification of the Home key, making custom items so all-encompassing and extremely free.

You can go to the Google Play Store to download Muviz for free and pay $2.49 for Muviz Pro to unlock all waveform styles and community solutions.

Live Wallpapers: More Immersive Music Visualization

If the Muviz series of apps can enhance the visual impact of your music, music live wallpapers can give you a more immersive visual experience, such as the three "Rhythm" series of music live wallpapers built into your Pixel 3 phone.

When using a normal phone, the desktop background will have a very soft dynamic effect, but as the play button is pressed, the desktop background will be like its name, with the music from time to time exciting, sometimes gently rhythmic.

Non-Pixel 3 devices can also get this range of wallpapers by installing a portable installation package, and there are many other live wallpapers available in the app. If you're also interested, go to APKMirror to search for Pixel Wallpapers 2018 for an installation package that corresponds to your phone system. In addition to the Pixel series of live wallpapers, the background of the Apple Music lyricinterface can change dynamically based on album cover color and music rhythms, but it's actually great for wallpapers - remember the stunning live wallpapers of Cosmopolitan and Skyline? Developer @Justin Fincher's new work, Diffuse, brings the Apple Music effect to the Android platform as a live wallpaper.

Diffuse requires player notifications and microphone permissions to get album art and audio information to show dynamic effects based on the cover color scheme and music rhythm.

Developers have made statements in the app about the privacy implications of microphone permissions, and Diffuse is not forced to apply for microphone permissions, as long as Diffues is allowed to get playback notification permissions, the wallpaper can still change color with the album cover, but will not change with the rhythm of the music.

According to the developer's prompt, Diffuse is only compatible with software that invokes the system's native style to play notifications, QQ music, NetEase Cloud Music and other players need to manually change to the system native playback notification style, and for App Diffuse, which only supports its own playback notification style, Will Adiffuse will not work properly. Diffuse is now available on the Google Play Store for $1.99 for Premium, and a free version for download and trial.

Audio Widget Pack: Good Music With Widgets

For most music players, whether it's a streaming player or a local music player, desktop widgets have always been a "yes" marginal product, and Spotify even took the feature out of it in an earlier update - a move that didn't happen to attract many users' displeasure and had to be added back in subsequent updates. If the desktop widgets you're using aren't great enough, you might want to take a different approach by using third-party widget gadgets to "skin player controls." Audio Widget Pack is a widget tool specifically built for music players that seamlessly connect music players with Android features. Audio Widget Pack sits with a total of 46 desktop widgets in 9 styles, each with a strong sense of design, including the "new figurine" design style that is very popular today.

In addition to the widget desktop widget, Audio Widget Pack also provides music playback statistics, and every time you open the app master, the notification bar displays today's and this week's play statistics. Interested friends can download the Audio Widget Pack in the Google Play Store, where 2 widget styles are available for free and 7 more are available for $4.99.

The developers of Audio Widget Pack have also developed a music player, Stellio Player. The basics, with online lyrics and cover retrieval, and the payment of Stellio Player Premium to unlock many of the great player themes remind me of the joy of tossing the player's skin on a computer. Interested friends can also go to the Google Play Store to download the experience.

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isobel-thorm · 4 years

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73 Questions

Tagged by: @returnofthepd3 Tagging: All y’all

On a scale of 1-10, how excited are you about life right now? -10. I’ve got nothing to look forward to in life anymore and that’s finally starting to weigh on me.

Describe yourself in a hashtag? #CorgiMom

If you could do a love scene with anyone, who would it be? I’ll pass.

If your life was a musical, what would the marquee say? “Come see the Human Afterthought.”

What’s one thing people don’t know about you? I mean I’m lonely af and try to get friendship going with lots of people so I’m entirely open and will talk about anything, so nothing.

What’s your wakeup ritual? Currently roll out of bed at 10am-11am, tune out whatever nonsense my dad is spewing that afternoon, pack more boxes, fruitlessly apply to jobs, and play RDR2.

What’s your favorite time of day? 7PM-1AM. Blessed alone/unbothered time in this house.

Your go to for having a good laugh? Talking to my college friends and The One That Got Away

Dream country to visit? England

What’s the biggest surprise you’ve had? My parents finally caving and letting me get a dog after we lost our first corgi two years prior/they didn’t want to “do all the doghair” again.

Heels or flats/sneakers? Sneakers but not flats. I’m a toe-walker so flats are a nightmare. I have better luck in heels than flats, and I don’t mind heels, but they just feel too formal for me.

Who do you want to write your obituary? The One That Got Away. He’ll do me justice and not get too preachy. He’ll have fun with it.

Style icon? Becca in Pitch Perfect, Carrie Underwood when she/her stylist is pairing stuff with jeans

What are three things you can’t live without? My dog, creativity, art supplies

What’s one ingredient you put in everything? Lemon Pepper

What 3 people living or dead would you like to make dinner for? The One That Got Away, my first senior year roommate, and... my three college best friends. No, I won’t narrow it down to three.

What’s your biggest fear in life? At this point it’s about to come true, so moving away and not being able to find a job/carry on the exact same way I’m going now, so... yeah.

Window or aisle seat? Window

What’s your current TV obsession? I had to axe Hulu for a bit but when I still had it, it was Prodigal Son, Almost Family, Dollface, and Perfect Harmony (yeah the latter is fairly preachy and bad but it’s charming and funny in its own weird way). That reminds me I need to re-up Hulu.

Favorite app? Spotify, Choices: Stories You Play

Secret talent? Interior Design, Giving My All to Some People Who Just Won’t Bother to Do the Same For Me

Most adventurous thing you’ve done in your life? Digging in my heels when my parents were trying to deter me from going to a college seven hours away. I’m not adventurous and I hate it.

How would you define yourself in three words? empathetic, creative, A Pleasure to Have in Class

Favourite piece of clothing you own? My college hoodie. It’s mostly black, has my college logo but the neck/pullstrings are modelled after a hockey uniform’s. I’ve only gone without it the last three days during this whole lockdown and I miss it. The print is also crackling so I need to find another close thing to it.

Must have clothing item everyone should have? Slightly too-big hoodie.

Superpower you would want? Mind reading

What’s inspiring you in life right now? Nothing

Best piece of advice you’ve received? “Stop caving to your parents.”

Best advice you’d give your teenage self? Same as the last question, cut out [Toxic Ex Best Friend], be more aggressive pursuing The Guy it Turned Out We Both Had a Crush on, also be more aggressive pursuing The One That Got Away.

A book that everyone should read? Austenland by Shannon Hale if romantic comedies and/or Jane Austen is your thing.

What would you like to be remembered for? Loyalty.

How do you define beauty? Selflessness, put-togetherness

What do you love most about your body? If eyes count, my eyes. If not, lmao I hate my body, nothing.

Best way to take a rest/decompress? Mindlessly browse internet, play videogames.

Favourite place to view art? On here, tbh. Like, I could say the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the city, but... idk everything but the Egyptian Exhbit drains me in that place for some reason. I’m more of a Natural History Museum gal. Gimme the fun taxidermy and that giant whale sculpture in the food court any day.

If your life were a song, what would it be? Falling Apart - Matt Nathanson

My Name is Thunder by Jet and The Bloody Beetroots.

If you could master one instrument, what would it be? Baritone. I used to play it and then got snubbed from band in 7th grade and my skill with it tanked to nothing. Picking it up again would be nice.

If you had a tattoo, where would it be? Well, the plan before the lockdown was to get one in the middle of my inner forearm.

Dolphins or koalas? Dolphins

Best gift you’ve ever received? Our first corgi

Best gift you’ve ever given? When I was in college I made polymer clay ornaments for Christmas for my five housemates. They were all fairly terrible but I had fun and most of them apparently willingly enjoyed getting them/had a good laugh about it. One of them still sends me the photo of his whenever it’s on the tree.

What’s your favourite board game? Stratego but the version from the 1960s, Battleship from the 1980s. Yes the years are important, the modern ones are entirely different games and they’re Weird and I don't like ‘em.

What’s your favourite colour? Peacock blue

Least favourite colour? Yellow

Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds

Drugstore makeup or designer? Drugstore

Blow-dry or air-dry? Air dry. Fuck blow drying, I have too much hair and it puffs out if I blow dry. I call it “Hermione Grangering.”

Pilates or yoga? Neither

Coffee or tea? Both

What’s the weirdest word in the English language? Moist. Why does everybody hate it, idgi. Is it really just a mind in the gutter thing?

Dark chocolate or milk chocolate? Yes.

Stairs or elevator? Stylistically stairs, general preference: elevator.

Summer or winter? WINTER!!!! Summer is evil.

You are stuck on an island, you can pick one food to eat forever without getting tired of it, what would you eat? Mac and Cheese

A dessert you don’t like? No Dessert.

A skill you’re working on mastering? Digital coloring, figuring out what I want to do with my life without caving to my parents trying to gaslight me because they want me to be something I don’t want to be.

Best thing to happen to you today? lmao nothing. Since it’s been a rough few hours I’m waiting on The One That Got Away to sense my depression and text me because he’s just got that talent.

Best compliment you’ve ever received? My high school bus driver ran into me at the grocery store I worked at and introduced me to his partner as “the girl I told you about, the one that if we ever adopt a kid and they don’t end up exactly like her, I’m gonna be disappointed.” Also, because I need to put this one into writing somewhere, when my classmates and I were out on a college trip, our professor/advisor was with us and was a few drinks in, so she gave us all superlatives. I was “the smartest person in this entire group... .... .... but [ I ] had to come out of the closet ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... of smartness.” Cue everyone, including myself, looking from her, to each other, and then back to me, absolutely not sure how to process that. It was wild and confusing but because of that it still ranks on one of my best moments in college. And it was arguably a compliment.

Favourite smell? Vanilla, or baked goods.

Hugs or kisses? Hugs

If you made a documentary, what would it be about? Documentaries are garbage, I’d do a drama- movie or show.

Last piece of content you consumed that made you cry? RDR2 fic, post canon where John meets Albert and tells him A Thing and it killed me.

Lipstick or lip gloss Lipstick

Sweet or savory? Sweet

Girl crush? Alicia Vikander

How you know you’re in love? Undying loyalty to the person, lots of laughs and smiles.

Song you can listen to on repeat? Sinner - Andy Grammer

If you could switch lives with someone for a day who would it be? Anybody other than me lmao

What are you most excited about at this time in your life? Again, I’ve got nothing to look forward to in life anymore. So uuuhhhh... maybe having something to look forward to again? But there’s a minimal chance of that.

#long post #sorry for all the sads like I said it's been a bad last few hours #feeling unwanted and worthless and all that fun stuff

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patriotstudies · 5 years

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10 Productive Uses For Blank Notebooks

I was cleaning out my room earlier this week, and I discovered that I have some empty notebooks. So I made a list of things I could fill these notebooks with. I thought I’d share that list because I know many people have empty notebooks just lying around and might want some ideas for what to do with them.

1. Research and Thoughts

Whether you already like reading scientific research, or you are interested in a topic and want to learn more about it, having a research journal is a great idea! You can take notes on the articles you have read and jot down your reactions to those studies. You could also think of possible applications for both your personal and professional life that are not mentioned in the article itself. Additionally, you could record and research other topics that might be of interest to you after reading an article. Who knows, you might even be inspired to conduct your own research!

2. Journal and Life Lessons

Keeping a journal is extremely beneficial because it is great for mental health! Writing in a journal is a very cathartic experience, so it is no surprise that it can help regulate your emotions. And reflecting on your day will help you organize your feelings, which in turn will elevate your mood by allowing you to appreciate the little things that make life great. Journaling can also help stimulate your creativity, as you may come up with ideas to improve your life just a little bit each day. Additionally, journaling improves your writing, as you learn to communicate important information more effectively.

This journal could also double as an ongoing list of life lessons that you learn from various sources: books, movies, shows, documentaries, mentors, interviews, conversations with others, etc. All of our experiences, no matter how small, teach us something, and it is important to reflect on those as well, as they can offer so many insights that will help us better conduct ourselves in all aspects of life.

3. Blog Log

I know this one is super relevant for all of us, and this log can be an incredibly useful tool. This is a great place to store all your content ideas and outlines for easy access. You could even draft an entire blog post here, so that you can easily make any edits if necessary. If you’re using sources in your posts, this would be a good place to cite those so that you can easily reference them whenever you need to. Or, if you have been tagged and/or want to tag someone, you could record those here too so that you don’t forget to give credit to the amazing bloggers who wanted to hear from you. And don’t forget to celebrate your milestones! This could mean number of followers, or most popular posts, number of original posts written (in a period of time or in general), blog birthdays/anniversaries, really anything you want to celebrate.

4. Creative DIY Projects

Personal projects are always really exciting to work on. Not only can they serve as a nice escape from our regular lives, but they are also very engaging hobbies that incentivize us to work harder in our personal and professional lives. DIY projects also allow us to become more independent, self-reliant, and creative thinkers, which is a rewarding experience in and of itself.

However, just because these projects encourage independence, doesn’t mean they can’t be socially beneficial as well. They can serve as talking points for when you’re networking or talking with loved ones at get-togethers where you can discuss your current project(s) and your plans for future ones. Additionally, other people may have advice for how to improve your process and get more out of each project.

Projects are great for other practical reasons too! They are a productive use of our spare time and also allow us to develop our soft skills (time management, planning, organization, creativity/creative problem solving, adaptability, just to name a few). These transferable skills will also surely make job hunting and mapping your career development just a little bit easier.

If you don’t want to work on DIY projects, that’s perfectly fine too! The point of this journal is to express yourself creatively and independently, no matter what form your art takes. For example, if you want to have an art journal where you sketch creative designs, go for it! Or if you’d rather compose poems or novels, there is literally nothing stopping you! Just don’t limit yourself, no matter what you choose.

5. Career and Professional Development

Many of us either already have jobs, or are actively working towards securing one. This notebook could be used to keep track of every aspect of our professional development. For example, exploring career interests can be used to develop concrete plans for how to achieve professional success. You could use this journal to help keep track of the jobs you applied for, or keep track of the jobs you have already done. You could write about how long you held those positions for and what you learned during your time in that position or company.

Note all that you have accomplished, such as your ideas and contributions to projects, or how you solved problems. Not only does this give you an opportunity to reflect on your professional life, but it can be really useful when you edit your resume and other professional documents, as well as your LinkedIn account.

Just remember that you can have fun with it too, and remember the more entertaining parts of the job and team, by recalling memorable events. Jobs can be boring and tedious sometimes, so remembering the fun things can incentivize you to start the job searching process.

6. Life Audit Lists

Sometimes there is a gap between our current and ideal life, and that is perfectly natural. There are several steps you can take to bridge that gap. Conducting a life audit is an incredibly useful tool to help you live your best and most fulfilling life. Analyzing the results of the life audit will encourage you to take responsibility and actively work on self-improvement. Below are just some ideas to help get you started:

Goals - These could be daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, however you want to organize it. I personally would narrow it to three main goals so that it you aren’t overwhelmed, but you do whatever works for you. You can divide these goals into various categories, for example: academic, professional, social/personal, etc. And if it helps, divide those categories too, so that you can get a more comprehensive view of your life and develop a more specific plan for how to improve it.

Seasonal Bucket Lists - Bucket lists are a really fun way to push yourself out of your comfort zone so that you can be more adaptable and can experience so much more than you would have otherwise experienced. Maybe there is something you’ve always wanted to do but never did. Write that down and make a plan to actually do it! You never know, you might discover things you actually enjoy doing and these experiences will help you get more out of life. Plus, it’s just really motivating to have things to look forward to!

Self-Care Ideas - Prioritizing your mental health is absolutely necessary to get your life in order. So, make this a routine. Find things that you enjoy doing, whether it’s drinking tea or coffee, or meditating, or journaling, or something else entirely, and make it a point to do at least one thing a day that positively contributes to your mental health. And don’t be afraid to add more things to this list than any other one, because I truly cannot stress how important it is to not neglect your mental health.

7. Habit/Skill Trackers

Often times, the hardest part about making (or breaking!) a habit is just getting started. That’s why I like to record my streaks for each habit that I would like to develop and maintain. One way you could track this in your journal is by writing the habit on one side and recording the number of days you’ve consistently done that habit on the other. You could also organize it like a chart, with the days of the week labeled on one side and the habits you want to develop on the other and you could cross off each day that you completed each habit.

You could use this same approach for tracking your skills, as learning a skill is a habit itself. For example, if you want to learn computer languages or other technical skills to make yourself more professionally marketable, try to set aside an hour a day and integrate this into your daily routine. And don’t neglect developing soft skills, those are just as important. And don’t forget to monitor your progress in each skill, because having a visual representation of your progress can serve as a great motivator to continue developing skills!

8. Language Learning Progress

Language learning is both a wonderful and marketable skill. I know many of us are in the langblr community, and use resources such as Duolingo and Youtube among others. This is an excellent place to take notes on vocabulary and memory triggers for those terms, plural forms and tenses/conjugations for those terms, grammar rules and exceptions to those rules, example sentences such as the ones that Duolingo provides, and even your own original writing so that you can practice using your knowledge practically.

However, as important as language learning is, it is also important to learn about the respective culture. Fully immerse yourself in understanding the culture to get a more clear picture of your global understanding. Languages and cultures shape each other to a certain extent, so it is important to give as much weight to learning the culture when you are learning a foreign language.

9. Podcast/TED Talk Notes

Whether you like to listen to podcasts on your commute, or actively listen to them on Spotify or any other Podcasts app, taking notes from podcasts is always a good idea. I’ve personally been listening to TED Talks for approximately five years now, and I find these speeches, however short, to be extremely interesting and informative. Of course, you don’t need to just limit yourself to TED Talks, as all podcasts have value to different audiences. Noting your reactions to the information presented is also a good idea. Analyzing things will always lead to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the material, as well as developing your critical thinking skills.

10. Event Plans

There is so much to look forward to in life, such as vacations, graduation(s), birthdays, weddings and anniversaries, etc. This notebook allows you to store all your plans in one place! You could divide it into sections if you want to organize it and find your plans more easily. For example, for vacations, you could record where you would like to go, the prices of the plane tickets, where you’ll stay, what to pack for the trip, the itinerary and points of interest, the cuisine, the activities you’ll do there, really anything you can think of. For graduation, you could think of graduation cap decor ideas if that’s your thing, party themes, food, picture ideas, location, etc. For birthdays, same thing. Wedding and anniversary planning are on a whole other level of difficulty, so organization is key here, and this notebook would really help with organizing all the details.

I recognize that there is a lot of overlap with these ideas, so if you don’t want to dedicate an entire notebook for any individual idea, you can use these as series for your bullet journal. Or you could combine these ideas into a single journal. Also, if journaling is not your thing, you could create binders for these ideas, or any other ideas you come up with.

I hope these ideas are helpful! :)

What did you think of the list? Feel free to share your own ideas in the comments!

#studyblr #langblr #notebookideas #lists #ideas

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