#ios 15 new features

[anitaradix]

Good Morning Tumblrsssss… ask me anything

[jennyfromthebes]

Hey! I wanna talk for a sec about the Live Music Archive. If you're a tMG fan who's on here you probably already at least know about it, but for anyone unfamiliar I want to do a quick post talking about what it is and how you can listen!

The Live Music Archive is a collection hosted by the Internet Archive for audio recordings of concerts. Specifically, the LMA hosts, with permission from the band, user-contributed recordings of concerts. Some fans will go to concerts with recording gear to take a full audio recording of the show and then upload it to the archive under the band's collection. As of writing this post there are almost 450 live tapes uploaded to the tMG LMA collection!

There's a few ways that you can listen to recordings on the Live Music Archive. The webpage works pretty well both on desktop and mobile browsers, and that's what I typically use. You can also listen on web without having to make an account on the Internet Archive, which is convenient for browsing. I also use the webpage to download mp3s of favorite tapes to my phone, so that I can listen to them in my local music player.

However, if you don't mind making a free account and prefer the convenience of something more like Spotify, you can also listen to anything on the LMA via the Taper's Section app for Android or the Live Music Archive app for iOS! (Obligatory disclaimer that I use an Android and can't personally vouch for the iOS app, but afaik they have similar features.) The apps have the same functionality as the webpage in a more streamlined mobile-friendly interface, plus things like notifications when there's a new tape added to a collection you follow and downloading in-app for offline listening. The Android app also has a tab for tapes from today's date, there's often at least one (there are FOUR for today!) and that's a really fun way to find tapes to listen to.

If you're looking at this going, wow, that sounds really cool but there's so many tapes that it's a little overwhelming to get into this, don't worry! I'll leave you with a couple recommendations. As mentioned above, I like to listen to shows from the current date. Another fun way to find shows is looking for a specific song - you can go on the wiki and it'll list every show at which the song has been played live, and then just search until you find one of them that has a tape on the archive. Lastly, a few specific favorite tapes of mine:

- 2014-06-15 has the entirety of Taboo VI: The Homecoming played live + one of my absolute favorite performances of both Woke Up New and The Best Ever Death Metal Band In Denton.

- 2015-06-01 is the only time Straight Six has ever been played live and it's interestingly pretty different from the EP version, plus a phenomenal back to back Spent Gladiator 1 & 2.

- 2021-08-06 was the first show after the band started playing concerts again post 2020, and it has a really incredible energy and a phenomenal setlist.

- 2024-03-01 is from the recent run of solo shows, this one was at Grace Cathedral and the ambience is truly truly incredible, it feels so ethereal.

Please feel free to add any additional notes or some of your own favorite tapes to the post as well! Happy listening!!

[forgottenporkbun]

Alright people. Buckle up cus it's finally time i tell you the history of Animal Crossing!!!! (After putting it off for awhile)

Originally named どうぶつの森 (Doubutsu no mori) in Japan meaning Animal Forest. It was introduced at Spaceworld 2000 in Japan and many people have claimed there was a playable demo there. I believe there is a bit if footage you can find on it but I may be wrong.

Doubutsu no mori released on April 14, 2001 on the Nintendo 64 exclusively in Japan. Only 8 months later on December 14, 2001 they released Doubutsu no mori + for the Gamecube which contained extra features left out of the 64 version such as the museum and the Able sisters (along with house upgrades I believe) and used the Gamecube's built in clock.

Finally, they localised and released the game under the title Animal Crossing: Population Growing in North America on September 16, 2002, Australia on October 17, 2003, and Europe on September 24, 2004 on the Gamecube

However, on June 27, 2003 Japan release yet another version of the game titled Doubutsu no mori e+ where they added even more new features for villagers such as: extended dialogue, the best friend system, sickness, likes/hates, catching fleas, etc. In this version of the game you could use the e card reader to obtain certain items. In this version of the game you could also buy an island from Tom Nook which you could access through Kapp'n. Once you got to this island you could name it, create a flag, and download it onto your Gameboy Advance to continue interacting with your islander or even trade islands with other players.

Animal Crossing Wild World released for the Nintendo DS in Japan on November 23, 2005, North America and Australia on December 5, 2005, and in Europe sometime in March of 2006.

On June 1, 2006 a Chinese version of Doubutsu no mori called 动物森林 (Dòngwù Sēnlín) was released for the iQue Player, a Chinese Nintendo console. Dòngwù Sēnlín is the original N64 version of the game despite featuring characters from Doubutsu no mori + on the cover.

Animal Crossing City Folk was releases in North America November 16, 2008 for the Wii followed by its release in Japan on November 20, 2008, Australia on December 4, 2008, and Europe on December 5, 2008. City Folk was compatible with the Wii Speak microphone, which allowed you to talk to other players who had it- essentially a form of voice chat. Fun fact: there's an add for the game where it is featured being used!!! One feature i absolutely love in this game is the fountain , where you can throw an axe into it and a special character named Serena will appear and she is how you obtain both the silver and golden axe.

Now onto Animal Crossing New Leaf was released for the Nintendo 3DS in Japan and South Korea on February 7, 2013. After that, it released internationally across June of 2003: June 9 in North America, June 14 in Europe, and June 15 in Australia.

Animal Crossing Happy Home designer was released for the 3DS in Japan on July 30, 2015, North America on September 25, Europe on October 2, and Australia on October 3. This game was very different from the others and the main goal was to design houses for villagers.

In November of 2015 we were cursed with Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival for the Wii U. The game only sold 490,000 copies and was considering a failure.

Animal Crossing Pocket Camp was released on Android and iOS mobile devices on October 25, 2017 and 40 other territories on November 22, 2017- but other sources say it was the 21. Sadly, in the last year we received news that it will be shutting down, but apparently from what i know they will be making another version of it or something of the sort.

Animal Crossing New Horizons was released on March 20, 2020 internationally for the Nintendo Switch. This game introduced DIY crafting and in later updates, cooking. Eventually they added the Happy Home Paradise DLC on November 5, 2021 which essentially functions like Happy Home Designer, but unlocks new skill you can use on your island.

I must say, we've come a longggggg way with this game. It helped a lot of people through 2020- including me. Can't wait to see what's in store for us next. Hope you enjoyed learning about the history of the games and if you would like to know more (like stuff about merch or even the movie) ask away! :D

[mariacallous]

Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Epic Games, had always worried that his company’s victory last year in a multimillion-dollar legal battle against Google’s app store monopoly wouldn’t be enough to open up competition. Even if Google could no longer keep alternative marketplaces out of Android, phone manufacturers could make them harder to access. In a US lawsuit filed in San Francisco today, that’s exactly what Epic alleges Google has conspired with Samsung to do.

Some newer Samsung phones have required settings changes to install apps from the web such as Epic’s app marketplace, according to Epic, which also develops Fortnite and Rocket Racing. The requirement became effective by default in July, and Epic launched its app store in August. Samsung claims the feature it calls Auto Blocker protects against “applications from unauthorized sources” and “malicious activity.” But it extends the installation process from 15 steps to 21, Epic alleges. The company says that it has found in the past that the greater the number of hurdles, the fewer people complete the process.

“It is not about reasonable measures to protect users against malware,” Sweeney told reporters in a briefing ahead of the lawsuit filing. “It's about obstruction of competition.”

“Contrary to Epic Game's assertions, Samsung actively fosters market competition, enhances consumer choice, and conducts its operations fairly,” said a Samsung spokesperson in a statement. “The features integrated into our devices are designed in accordance with Samsung’s core principles of security, privacy, and user control, and we remain fully committed to safeguarding users' personal data. Users have the choice to disable Auto Blocker at any time. We plan to vigorously contest Epic Game's baseless claims.”

Google didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.

The litigation builds on an effort Epic launched in 2020 to deliver more choice to mobile users and boost its own bottom line. While downloading apps any which way from just about any source is generally easy on desktops and laptops, Apple and Google have used warnings and varying policy and technical curbs to keep users downloading from the iOS App Store and Google Play, which deliver enormous profits to the tech giants by virtue of sales commissions they collect.

Epic, through a lawsuit, won a minor concession from Apple that is still being fought over; penalties against Google are expected from a judge soon.

In the press conference, Sweeney acknowledged that Epic doesn’t have clear evidence that Google and Samsung collaborated to roll out Auto Blocker. But emails and notes presented by Epic during its jury trial against Google last year showed how the search company regularly engaged in discussions with Samsung aimed at limiting competition. Google denied those accusations.

Early this month, Sweeney reached out to two senior Samsung executives to ask them to rethink the approach with Auto Blocker and allow for a smoother process to download legitimate software. Sweeney said a resolution couldn’t be reached that benefitted all developers, prompting the lawsuit. “We are going to continue to fight until there is a level playing field,” he says. He added that it “sucks” to sue Samsung, which has promoted Epic’s offerings in the past.

Epic has notched over 10 million installations of its mobile app store, short of a goal to reach 100 million by the end of the year, Sweeney says. He believes Auto Blocker and other new impediments, as he views them, have hurt Epic’s ability to gain traction. And his focus on fighting Apple and Google is costing Epic significant sums, with no end in sight to the litigation. “The benefits only come in the future, when the obstructions have truly been eliminated,” he says.

[himejoshikomaeda]

i'm kind of curious what you like about lostword. never really tried it myself n all.

— io

1. really easy to get your favorite characters

2. really easy to make your favorite characters viable no matter who they are

3. game isn’t very hard — no artificial difficulty spikes that force you to spend money to max out a unit or whatever. on that note, leveling up and upgrading units doesn’t take much time at all, allowing you to use lots of your favorite touhou characters if you’d like to.

4. the only characters that would probably require real money to aid in acquiring are the game’s made-up alternate universe versions of characters that i can’t imagine anyone giving a shit about. (sorry guys i’m never going to want to spend money so i can have.. sci fi space warrior sanae)

5. no temptation to buy anything in the store because the prices are all absurdly high. i will literally never be tempted to spend 80 dollars on a microtransaction. i consider this point to be a positive, because what is being sold is completely unnecessary.

6. game is written by perverts.

7. protagonist is a girl. this can’t be changed.

8. the main story is FANTASTIC. it’s really really really cool. finishing chapter 3 is what made me gush last night. the hifuu story is really cute too.

9. this might be something not everyone cares about, but the characters are very touchy-feely with each other, and with the protagonist. it’s very nice. i like when characters are handsy. skinship is compelling to me

10. writers aren’t pussies about yuri (important)

11. there is never not an event story going on (they rerun old events in between new ones), so if grinding event points is fun for you (it’s fun for me), that’s always an option no matter what.

12. great autobattle features. lots of customization for autobattles and auto-rematches for grinding materials.

13. despite what i just said, grinding is honestly optional. you don’t need to grind for levels, because levels come easily, and you don’t need to grind for materials after a while, because they give you so many.

14. story card (equippable items basically) art is cute. where would we be without modelo patchouli and her fat thighs?

15. despite having the usual scarlet devil mansion bias, a LOT of more obscure characters get a lot of spotlight, especially in event stories. one i remember enjoying a lot starred seija, sagume, and.. shizuha aki.. as the main characters (along with the protagonist of course). there are lots of cases like that.

16. characters all feel like they love you without it feeling at all like a harem game. sorry if this is cringe but don’t fucking lie and say you don’t want to be loved by the cast of touhou.

17. less of a point for me because i’ve been playing it since launch, but my girlfriend got into it recently and they have been ABSURDLY generous with her as a new player.

there are obviously criticisms to be had with the game (it’s a mobile game, it’s not perfect or anything by any stretch of the imagination), but you asked me what i liked about it. i’ve had a lot of fun with it in my time playing it, and my girlfriend is, like, obsessed with it, just getting into it.

[adarkrainbow]

Lost media quest: H&G Epic Tales (part 3)

Last time I ended my post while exploring the defunct epictales.com website. There was one page of this website (preserved in the Wayback Machine) that I did not add in this post: the About page.

The About page not only describes the Epic Tales line, but also lists the full staff that worked on this project. Here is what the website contains:

EPIC TALES™ is a developer and publisher of interactive storybooks for the iOS platform. EPIC TALES presents its own unique interactive adaptation of the imaginative and magical stories found in fairytales, folklore and world mythology.

All of our tales are narrated by our central storyteller, a most likeable dwarf named Silvertongue who used his magic to let our books and stories come to life. Each storybook offers stunning hand-drawn animations, a revamped storyline, original music scores, and spellbinding interactive environments that are sure to draw readers deep into the story.

EPIC TALES allows you to not only enjoy magical worlds and enchanting tales, but to experience them more closely than ever before.

We, the people at EPIC TALES, are always inspired by stories that fuel our ideas and imagination. We are storytellers, animators, and composers that gladly indulge ourselves in folklore, mythology, and the many tales and stories that have captured our imagination for generations. The result is a talented team of people driven to create original storybooks that are filled with whimsical characters, spellbinding environments, and interactive surprises. By combining creativity with technology, and talent with expertise, we hope to constantly produce exciting tales that bring every page to life. EPIC TALES is a joint venture between Cloud Castle Interactive and Anikey studios.

EPIC TALES Paul Hanraets, Founder of EPIC TALES and producer

Albert ‘t Hooft, Partner and creative director

Paco Vink, Partner and lead artist, animator

TEAM MEMBERS Lou Attia, Narrator and voice actor

Martin van Spanje, Software engineer

Joost van den Broek, Music composer

Arjen Schut, Sound designer

Sjan Weijers, Background clean-up artist

David Muchtar, Animator

Jelle Brunt, Animator

Ruben Zaalberg, Animator

The website also briefly offers descriptions/curriculum of the staff members:

Paul Hanraets Paul Hanraets has been a creative entrepreneur since 2002 when he co-founded Red Road Media, a media agency specialized in video games. Successful projects undertaken by Red Road include: Benelux largest annual game event Gamexpo, the tv show GAME FACTS broadcasted by TMF/MTV and the freely distributed game magazine Games Guide. In 2008 Paul founded Cloud Castle Interactive and was involved in the development of smaller game projects which further awakened his passion for the creative industry. As an immediate result Paul founded EPIC TALES, a developer of interactive storybooks for IOS and GAMBITIOUS an equity based crowdfunding platform dedicated to the games industry.

Albert ‘t Hooft & Paco Vink Albert 't Hooft and Paco Vink both studied traditional animation at the Willem de Kooning Art Academy in Rotterdam before they founded Anikey Studios in 2007. Anikey is an award winning animation studio which specialises in hand drawn 2D digital animation. Anikey creates independent and commissioned animations for television, films and games which have an emphasis on story, characters and fun. Anikey's first two independent films 'Paul & the Dragon' and 'Little Quentin' won several awards at international film festivals. In addition on working on the new EPIC TALES titles, Anikey is developing the first hand drawn animated feature film in the Netherlands since 30 years.

Lou Attia Working with the likes of Disney and Sesame Street, Lou Attia has been a professional voice-over artist for over 15 years. After studying professional vocals in London, England, Lou landed a radio host position at 104.2 Nile FM in Cairo, Egypt where he became Creative Director and then Program Director of the station. Throughout his seven years on the air, during which his morning show went on to be the No.1 listened to radio show in a city of 16 million, Lou continued to do voice-overs for numerous commercials, shows and features. In 2010 Lou moved to Toronto, Canada where he is currently a full time voice-over artist, writer and TV show host.

Martin van Spanje Currently co-owner of LayerGloss Digital Publishing, Martin used to program and design on 8-bit Sinclair machines in the eighties. Then came Macs, digital audio, ten years of IT-projects and finally, iOS. Nowadays he lives his life surrounded by Objective-C code, and he sometimes thinks cornflakes look a bit like people. Oh, and he doesn't do Twitter.

Joost van den Broek Joost van den Broek is a producer, composer, arranger and keyboardplayer based in Tilburg, The Netherlands. Starting out as a keyboardplayer for several metalbands like After Forever touring all over the world, he finished his conservatory with honour in musicproduction, keyboards and classical arrangement. Since then he been working as a freelancer in his own studio on several productions, compositions and arrangements, for acts/events like: Ellen ten Damme, Symphonica in Rosso, Wende Snijders, Games in Concert, Ben Saunders, Qlimax. Epic moviescores and/or/in combination with (pop/alternative)rock is what defines his style the most.

Arjen Schut Arjen Schut is a sound designer based in Hilversum, The Netherlands. As a freelancer Arjen has worked on numerous projects, both on location and in his own studio. Arjen is involved in sound effect creation for all sorts of media, but has a strong focus on interactive and animation projects. International blockbuster Killzone 3 being one of the larger projects.

I have taken upon myself to contact some of these artists, just in case they were open about talking or sharing information about the animation they worked onto. Is it a bad idea, or a good one? I don't know but that's the most straightforward direction one can take. I will warn you if I ever receive any response, positive or negative.

I forgot to link before the official page, on the Anikey Animation website, for their work on Hansel and Gretel - Epic Tales. Not only does it contain large, high-quality screenshots of the artwork, but their "Production" page also has one concept art for the storybook. They also list the credits of the app as such:

Title: Epic Tales - Hansel & Gretel

Release: 2012

Directed by: Albert 't Hooft & Paco Vink

Animation by: Jelle Brunt, David Muchtar & Ruben Zaalberg

Backgrounds by: Paco Vink & Sjan Weijers

Music by: Joost van den Broek

Sounddesign by: Arjen van der Schut

Producer(s): Paul Hanraets for Cloud Castle Interactive

AppAdvice still has a page dedicated to the application. There is also a review by the MacTrast website that is quite interesting because, while today the pictures contained within it are "dead files", in the Wayback Machine you can fetch them back, and they are pretty rare screenshots of the game! Here's an additional Dutch article I forgot to add earlier. Again, not much to add since they all basically just announce the game's release and rephrase the storybook's commercial description.

I also don't think I have added this to my previous posts, but Cartoon Brew also had a page for the app's launching, which contained this text:

The Hague, the Netherlands — April 24, 2012 — Hansel and Gretel – Epic Tales animated storybook is the first in a series of tales as told by Silvertongue, the likeable dwarf and storyteller, and is now available on the Appstore for IPad and IPhone.

Hansel and Gretel – Epic Tales animated storybook offers a world filled with whimsical characters ranging from pesky gnomes to witty dwarfs; from brave children to wicked stepmothers and cunning witches.

“But we are not just another fairytale App,” says Paul Hanraets, founder and producer. “What sets Epic Tales apart from other storybooks are the incredible production values. Each of Epic Tales storybooks are digitally hand-drawn by our award winning animators, and offer stunning 2d animations, professional voice acting, original music scores and ambient sounds by game industry veterans. These elements combined offer spellbinding interactive environments that are sure to draw readers even deeper into the story.”

“Of course, our alternating witty and wacky humour and the high quality of our animations are amongst the things that separates Hansel and Gretel from other storybooks,” says creative director Albert ‘t Hooft.”However, what ultimately distinguishes Epic Tales is the implementation of our central storyteller, Silvertongue the dwarf.” Using the magic of pesky gnomes, Silvertongue brings the stories to life and narrates them.”Silvertongue used to be quite the adventurer, travelling the world in search of the most intriguing tales and stories, and now looks after your storybook collection in his humble bookstore. He is a truly gifted storyteller who can take an audience from a gasp of fright to a roar of laughter in just the twist of a phrase.”

Epic Tales is a series of high quality, interactive fairytales that allows you to not only enjoy enchanting tales, but to experience their magical worlds more closely than ever before. Children will love the sense of wonder and discovery,while adults will certainly appreciate the clever and wacky humor.

A final piece to add to the dossier so far is Muchtar Productions' page for Hansel and Gretel - Epic Tales. Muchtar Production is the WordPress website of David Muchtar, a 2D animator and illustrator who worked on the Epic Tales animation as a (I quote) "Rough and Clean-up animator". He notably put within his portfolio an important number of concept art for the game's character designs. But, as with last time, I will keep it for the NEXT post!

Or... an almost final piece. I wanted to keep this for a much later post, but I ultimately decided to share it here. I vaguely described before one unofficial source for content about "Hansel and Gretel - Epic Tales". And that is an online review, a Youtube video, by a Youtuber named "Crazy Mike" specializing in app reviews. Here is the video, and the reason why this video is important (beyond it being the last remaining video review - unless I manage to get back the one from the defunct website) is because so far it is the only visual recording we have of the app outside of the trailers. Not only that, but at one point Crazy Mike opens the list of chapters within the app - which gives us a full glimpse of the story's main episodes, with thumbnails of each "tableau". Mind you, it is tiny details at the bottom of the screen so we can't get much of it... But with all the additional material I gathered, it will be a key element in my reconstruction of what the storybook looked like and was about.

[satoshi-mochida]

Trials of Mana now available for Xbox Series - Gematsu

Square Enix has released the 2020-released Trials of Mana remake for Xbox Series via Microsoft Store for $49.99, the company announced. It is also available via Xbox Game Pass.

Here is an overview of the mobile version, via its store pages:

About

Trials of Mana is the 3D remake of the hit classic RPG released in 1995 as Seiken Densetsu 3. This daring tale of overcoming the tests of fate has been given new life! Experience the beloved adventure fully modernized with graphic improvements, character voiceover support, a remastered soundtrack and a new episode which you can experience after the ending, in addition to an ability system and a new class that reconstructs the character levelling system plus more active battles! This overlapping story of interwoven destinies changes depending on who you choose as your main character and companions! Will these young adventurers be able to use the power of mana to save the world from the brink of destruction? When the world was shrouded in darkness, the Mana Goddess drew forth the Sword of Mana to smite the eight Benevodons, monsters of destruction. She sealed the horrors inside the eight Mana Stones, bringing the realm back from the brink. Weakened from rebuilding the world, the Goddess changed herself into a tree and fell into a deep sleep for many years. However, the forces of evil soon sought to free the Benevodons to gain control of the world. They started a terrible war to further their plot and destabilize the kingdoms. Peace was at an end. Mana itself began to disappear from the world and the Mana Tree started to wither…

Key Features

Revamped 3D Graphics – Trials of Mana is a full 3D remake of the third game in the Mana series, originally released in Japan as Seiken Densetsu 3. The entire game has been fully rebuilt from the ground up with modern 3D graphics.

Pick Your Party – Players can choose their favorite protagonist and two companions from six different characters. The story will play out in different ways depending on the combination of the protagonist and companions in the party.

Battles and Character Growth – Will you go for light or darkness? Create different character types with the class change system! Character growth has been re-worked, adding in a new “abilities” mechanic and a fourth class for each character, to expand the breadth of customization. Build the party you want to enjoy a thrilling battle system with expanded action gameplay.

Music – New arrangements for a total of 60 music tracks, overseen by composer Kikuta Hiroki. It is also possible to switch between the original and arranged soundtracks freely.

Trials of Mana first launched for PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC via Steam on April 24, 2020, followed by iOS via App Store and Android via Google Play on July 15, 2021.

Watch the announcement trailer below.

Xbox Series Announce Trailer

English

Japanese

[xxxnightcorequeenxxxv3]

The Curse of Magical Girl AU 15

So now that you know the characters' full names from the last post, you can look them up if you want. It's time to catch you up to speed on what the characters call each other. As for who wants to go by full name, not everyone on this list, that's for sure. On this chart, you'll see the different teams and their call singe on the map that Babs made to use to keep track of the Robins. (More on the map later, you know it's a in progress thing) So on to the nicknames, Full hero names, Hero nicknames, Map names, and Fake civilian identity names. I'll demonstrate with Timothy here. Nickname; Tim Hero name: Robin Emerald Nickname for hero work Em, short and sweet and easy to say on coms. On the map, RE is short for Robin Emerald, for ease of tracking what Robin is where. Then we got Emma Robyn. It's the fake civilian identity their hero can take on for a limited time. ps. Emma Robyn is the identity Tim met Bruce under, where he mistook Tim for Janet. Why? Cuz of that fake Civilian identity, they swap a feature with their "dance partner", Tim, and his partner swapped hair color. A dance partner is the one person with whom they are set up to make combo attacks. They will have matching Bows and glasses, so let's see if you can spot who is partnered with whom. ;)

Team A Harp- Robin Kunzite / Robin Kun / RK 🩷 Kurt Robyn. Dick - Robin Sapphire / Robin Safy/ RS. 💙 Saphira Robyn. Babs - Robin Jasper / Robin Jazz / RJ.🧡 Jake Robyn. Jay - Robin Ruby / Robin Rue/RR. ❤️ Ruth Robyn. Tim - Robin Emerald / Robin Em/ RE. 💚 Emma Robyn. Stef - Robin Ametyst / Robin Amy/ RA. 💜 Amos Robyn. Dami - Robin Diamond / Robin Dia / RD. 🤍 Daisy Robyn. Cas - Robin Onyx / Robin Nyx / RO. Oneil Robyn. Duke - Robin Topaz / Robin Arty / RT.💛 Tori Robyn.

Team B Maps - Robin Morganite / Robin Mort / RM 🧡 Micah Robyn. AJ - Robin Peridot / Robin Dot / RP 💚 Prince Robyn. Terry - Robin Zicron / Robin Z / RZ 🖤 Ziya Robyn. Matt - Robin Beryl / Robin Bae / RB 🩷 Bambi Robyn. Lacy - Robin Larimar / Robin Mars / RL 💙 Luke Robyn. Tom - Robin Fluorite / Robin Flor / RF ❤️ Fantine Robyn. Bobby - Robin Celestite / Robin Ciel / RC 🤍 Chrysta Robyn. Jim - Robin Iolite / Robin Io / RI 💜 Irene Robyn.

Team C Carrie - Robin Wairakite / Robin Rike / RW 🤍 Wade Robyn. Helena - Robin Halidor / Robin Hali / RH 💛 Hale Robyn. Cullen- Robin Quarts / Robin Artie / RQ 🩷 Queenie Robyn. Bette - Robin Nephrite / Robin Nephy / RN 💚 Nethan Robyn. Lance B - Robin Xenotime / Robin Xeno / RX 🧡 Xenia Robyn. Gan - Robin Uvite/ Robin Uvi / RU ❤️ Uriel Robyn. Drake - Robin Garnet/ Robin Gari / RG 💙 Grace Robyn. Claire - Robin Vivianite/ Robin Viv / RV 🩶 Vinny Robyn. Lance H - Robin Yedlinite/ Robin Line / RY 💜 Yessica Robyn.

Now that your head is spinning from all the new info, I'll leave you be for a bit to digest it. So until next time, when I drop more art or lore, depending on what gets done first.

[cheritzteam]

[The Ssum] The Ssum : Forbidden Lab Update (13/4 KST, v1.1.14)

Hello, dear lab participant.

You can now download the new version of <The Ssum : Forbidden Lab>.

Google Play Store (Android) - link

Apple App Store (iOS) - link

This update includes bug fixes, so you will receive 15 Aurora Batteries as Study Support upon accessing the game.

Make sure you access the Lab by the 16th of April 2023 (KST) to get your compensation! *You must collect your reward within 3 days.

-

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

[Feature Improvements]

> If you want to start your story with a clean slate!

We've added a new feature to wipe your data regarding a chosen special ssum-one. Please be careful when using this feature as it will erase all your memories of chats, calls, photos, private accounts, and Milky Way Calendar history! * Paid items that will be removed: special choices, premium images, and I Can See Your Voice.

> Hey, why did I send this gift?

Have you ever wondered what gifts you sent to other lab participants in the Forbidden Lab and why? Now you can see the recent history of gifts sent from PIU-PIU’s Belly. Please note that if the other lab participant decomposes the gift, the log for it will also be lost!

> Posts that match your taste at a glance!

A title search feature has been added to the Canals of Sensitivity. Find your dream piece with your favorite keywords!

> Of course, tastes differ!

Say goodbye to the days of squinting at posts you don't like! We've added lab participant blocking to Canals of Sensitivity.

> Original PIU-PIU is a doer when it means it!

If you've ever been stuck with a reward that's over the number limit on Planet Pi, PIU-PIU will swallow it for now. However, if PIU-PIU's Belly is already full, please empty it first!

[Bug Fixes]

> The message notifications just won’t go away…

We've fixed a bug that caused the notification dot to stay up when you delete an unread message.

> The number of Frequencies I received from Pi doesn’t immediately populate…

We've fixed an issue where Frequencies received as a reward from Pi were not immediately reflected in your inventory.

> My planet level for Pi seems to be off...

We've fixed an issue where Pi's level information would not display correctly in certain situations.

[Others]

Fixed the issue where the minor feature BGM would carry over to the chat screen.

Minor bugs were fixed.

-

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

Thank you.

-Cheritz-

[ridgeracerpictures]

Welcome to the world of Ridge Racer!

Ridge Racer, the home of drift racing...

Also available on Bluesky! https://ridgeracerpictures.bsky.social

Submit your own photo as an "Occasional Ridge Racer" post! https://ridgeracerpictures.tumblr.com/post/770305467724464128/submit-your-ridge-racer-photos (quick form access)

This blog catalogues a personal collection of screenshots from titles within the Ridge Racer series.

For "Daily Ridge Racer picture" posts

New post is published every 13:30 UTC, and will be tagged with #daily ridge racer picture. One game will always be featured for at least two consecutive days. May post duplicates in certain occasions.

For "Occasional Ridge Racer" posts

This designation is for cataloguing photos submitted to the blog by other people; a new post is published every 05:30 UTC whenever there are submissions remaining in the queue, they will be tagged with #occasional ridge racer.

Content tags

Notable content types featured in posts are shown below:

#race replay: The most common type of posts; represents replays of races which put focus on either the course sceneries, or the racing machines.

#course preview: Represents pre-race course previews, which have been an element since R4 / Ridge Racer Type 4.

#ui design (a.k.a. Design Language): Represents user interface and HUD designs of target Ridge Racer titles.

#machine intro: Represents snapshots of cinematic machine unlock sequences.

Flairs

The screenshots will mostly feature race course sceneries, but may also feature other elements of the target game. Additional flairs accompanying the content types are listed here:

Course Sceneries -- #course sceneries

Machine Focus -- #machine focus

Fun Facts -- #fun facts

"There's more to the series than just R4..."

Last edit: 19th December, 2024 -- 14:15 UTC -- Post reformatting

Here are the games that the blog has covered with the respective tags:

#ridge racer arcade -- Ridge Racer (Arcade, 1993)

#ridge racer ps1 -- Ridge Racer (PlayStation 1, 1994)

#ridge racer 2, #ridge racer 2 arcade -- Ridge Racer 2 (Arcade, 1994)

#rave racer -- Rave Racer (Arcade, 1995)

#ridge racer revolution -- Ridge Racer Revolution (PlayStation 1, 1995)

#rage racer -- Rage Racer (PlayStation 1, 1996)

#pocket racer -- Pocket Racer (Arcade, 1996)

#ridge racer type 4 -- R4 / Ridge Racer Type 4 (PlayStation 1, 1998)

#ridge racer 64 -- Ridge Racer 64 (Nintendo 64, 2000)

#ridge racer v -- Ridge Racer V (PlayStation 2, 2000)

#ridge racers, #ridge racer psp -- Ridge Racers (PlayStation Portable, 2004)

#ridge racer 6 -- Ridge Racer 6 (Xbox 360, 2005)

#ridge racers 2, #ridge racer 2 psp -- Ridge Racers 2 (PlayStation Portable, 2006)

#ridge racer 7 -- Ridge Racer 7 (PlayStation 3, 2006)

#ridge racer 3d -- Ridge Racer 3D (Nintendo 3DS, 2011)

#ridge racer vita -- Ridge Racer (PlayStation Vita, 2011)

Note for Ridge Racers and Ridge Racers 2: All contents shown that are not exclusive to either game will use both games' tags; any content shown that's exclusive to either of them (i.e. machines, courses) will have its tags limited to that game.

Here are the games that the blog has not covered (no ETA for when they will be featured):

R: Racing Revolution (PlayStation 2, 2003)

Ridge Racer DS (Nintendo DS, 2004)

This blog will NOT cover:

Critical Velocity (PlayStation 2, 2005)

Ridge Racer Accelerated (iOS, 2009)

Ridge Racer Drift (J2ME, 2010)

Ridge Racer Unbounded (Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, 2012)

Ridge Racer Slipstream (iOS, Android, 2013)

Ridge Racer Draw & Drift (iOS, Android, 2016)

All pictures are taken using emulators.

[aashirvad12121]

Case Studies of Successful Mobile Apps: What Makes Them Stand Out

Successful Mobile Apps

The development of mobile applications has become an essential component of modern life.The mobile app market is saturated with millions of apps, but only a few manage to achieve significant success. Understanding what makes these apps stand out can provide valuable insights for developers and entrepreneurs looking to create their own successful applications. In this blog, we will analyze some of the most successful mobile apps and uncover the key factors behind their success.

1. WhatsApp: Revolutionizing Communication

Overview: WhatsApp is a cross-platform messaging app that allows users to send text messages, voice messages, make voice and video calls, and share images, documents, and user locations.

Key Success Factors:

User-Centric Design: WhatsApp's interface is simple and easy to use, ensuring a seamless user experience.

Reliability: WhatsApp provides reliable and fast messaging, even in areas with poor internet connectivity.

Cross-Platform Availability: The app is available on multiple platforms, including iOS, Android, and web, ensuring broad accessibility.

Encryption: WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption ensures user privacy and security, which has built trust among users.

2. Instagram: Visual Storytelling

Overview: Instagram is one of the best mobile app development projects that has changed the way people share photos and interact with each other online.Instagram is a photo and video-sharing social networking service that allows users to share their moments with followers and discover content from all over the world.

Key Success Factors:

Visual Appeal: Instagram’s focus on high-quality images and videos has made it a favorite for visual storytelling.

User Engagement: Features like Stories, Reels, and IGTV keep users engaged and encourage content creation.

Influencer Marketing: Instagram has become a hub for influencers and brands, driving significant engagement and revenue through sponsored posts.

Continuous Innovation: Regular updates and new features keep the platform fresh and exciting for users.

3. Uber: Transforming Transportation

Overview: Uber is a ride-hailing app that connects passengers with drivers of vehicles for hire and ridesharing services.

One of the main reasons for the success of the Uber mobile app is its simplicity and user-friendliness. The app is user-friendly and provides users with an easy way to arrange their transportation. Moreover, the app’s real-time tracking features provide users with peace of mind.

Key Success Factors:

Convenience: Uber offers a hassle-free way to book rides with just a few taps on a smartphone.

Real-Time Tracking: Users can track their ride in real-time, providing a sense of safety and reliability.

Cashless Payments: The app integrates cashless payment options, making transactions smooth and efficient.

Dynamic Pricing: Uber’s surge pricing model ensures availability of rides during peak times, balancing supply and demand.

4. Spotify: Personalized Music Streaming

Overview: Spotify is a music streaming app that gives users access to millions of songs, podcasts, and videos from artists all over the world.

Key Success Factors:

Personalization: Spotify’s algorithm provides personalized music recommendations based on user preferences and listening history.

Extensive Library: A vast library of music and podcasts ensures that there is something for everyone.

User-Friendly Interface: The app’s intuitive interface makes it easy for users to discover and enjoy music.

Social Features: Spotify allows users to share music and playlists, fostering a community of music lovers.

5. TikTok: Short-Form Video Entertainment

Overview: TikTok is a social media platform for creating, sharing, and discovering short-form videos, ranging from 15 seconds to three minutes.

Key Success Factors:

Virality: TikTok’s algorithm promotes content based on engagement rather than follower count, allowing anyone to go viral.

Creativity: A wide array of editing tools, filters, and effects encourages creativity and content creation.

Community Building: Challenges and trends foster a sense of community and participation among users.

Global Reach: TikTok has a broad international user base, making it a global phenomenon.

Conclusion

Mobile application development has become an integral part of our day-to-day lives. Analyzing these successful mobile apps reveals several common factors that contribute to their success: user-centric design, continuous innovation, reliability, personalization, and strong engagement strategies. By incorporating these elements into your own app development process, you can increase the chances of creating a successful mobile application.

If you’re ready to take the next step,XICONET can bring your idea of mobile app development into reality with years of professional experience and learning. We have developed several flawlessly engineered mobile apps for start-ups and enterprises with great feedback. Consider partnering with experienced developers who can bring your vision to life. Book a 30-min call with our experts, and we can get started right away!

[govindhtech]

Apple Intelligence powers iOS 18, iPadOS 18 & macOS Sequoia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Genmojis Create Genmojis for Any Situation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read more on Govindhtech.com

[letssgolesbians]

mutazione review

mutazione is a beautifully illustrated adventure exploration game where you play as 15 year old kai, a queer teen who travels to the strange island mutazione to take care of her sick grandpa, nonno. mutazione is an island full of mutated people, mysteries flora and animals, and a wonderful ecosystem. kai goes around the island building musical gardens that are requested by different residents and talking to other people and building friendships to learn the community’s juicy gossip!! there is an unfolding strange mystery for kai to explore, and many compelling characters to interact with, along with fun events to attend like music night and a bbq.

the genre is action, and it is available on mac, ios (part of apple arcade), windows, ps4, nintendo switch and xbox one. the age rating is 13+. the gameplay hours are around 6-11. it is a calming, addictive game that you won’t be able to put down. there are nice quality of life features like kai’s journal which guides players towards the next plot point, an encyclopaedia with loads of information about the island’s flora, and frequent auto saving so game progress is almost never lost.

it costs around £16.75, and the game does have an ending which you can’t play after, but there is a feature where you can receive letters from the ppl you’ve met in the next summer after.

i thought it was amazing, and it is one of my fave games i’ve ever played. the illustration was beautiful and really added to the game, it was low pressure and chill with no time constraints, the musical gardens were fun to make and organise, all the characters rly resonated with me (especially miu!!), kai’s queerness was not a central part of the story and was very casual and not like a shock to anyone, i enjoyed finding out the gossip and how it linked to the main plot, and the journal was a great resource to remember what i was doing after picking it up again.

it is a single player only game, and i found it very easy and forgiving, with a nice replay value and options to make new gardens after you’ve finished the game.

the game was released on the 19th september 2019, and has an ign rating of 8.5.

overall, i absolutely adored this game and think it is super underrated, and more ppl need to play it. i am eagerly waiting for the studios next games, and i would recommend this to basically everyone!!!!

[the-sleepy-archivist]

Favorite iOS Safari Extensions

On iOS (iPhones and iPads), Safari is the undisputed leader of the browsers, primarily because Apple puts very tight restrictions on other browser apps that makes it very difficult for them to offer the same features that Safari does.

Thankfully, you can install extensions to tweak Safari's behavior and customize websites, as long as your device is running iOS 15 or higher. Here are the Safari Extensions I use on a daily basis. Most are free (or at least have a free version), and all work on both iPhones and iPads.

For desktop computers and Android phones, you can also check out my recommendations for Firefox addons)

Last updated June 2024 (fixed broken Bypass Paywalls Clean userscript link, added recommended adblock and ublacklist filter lists)

Index:

AdGuard

Noir

uBlacklist

Userscripts

Sink It for Reddit

UnTrap

Vinegar

AdGuard

This addon is free if you just want to use the built in adblocking lists. For a small yearly fee, you can pay for "Pro" features, which allows you to add any custom adblocking list to the app, as well as providing DNS-based system-level adblocking that can block ads and trackers inside any app on your phone. Note that it gives you two options for the system-level blocking, local VPN and native DNS; using the VPN option can drain your battery faster than normal in my experience, so I recommend using the native DNS instead. Between AdGuard and the two YouTube-customizing extensions below, I haven’t seen an ad on YouTube in Safari in months.

Recommended custom filter lists (in addition to the built-in default lists):

Bypass Paywalls Clean

Huge AI Blocklist

Fuck FuckAdblock

Noir

Adds a dark mode to any website. It's using heuristics (fancy guessing) to figure out which website colors need to be changed so that it's properly darking, so sometimes it can make mistakes. In that case, it has a built in way to send a bug report to the developer, who is pretty responsive in my experience. You can also turn it off for specific sites right from inside Safari.

uBlacklist

This addon hides search engine results with specific domains. Example: you can hide images results from AI generator sites, OR if you search for tech support advice and one of those stupid auto-generated sites filled with SEO garbage but no actual information keeps popping up, you can use this addon to hide everything from that website, right from the Google/DuckDuckGo/other search results.

Recommended filter subscriptions:

Huge AI Blocklist

Userscripts

Allows you to install userscripts and stylesheets that customize website behavior or appearance. The addon can check for updates of your userscripts and uses iCloud to synchronize them across devices too, which is really nice. The userscripts I use are:

Bypass Paywalls Clean (removes news website paywalls)

Amazon Sponsored Products Removal (self-explanatory)

Redirect Fandom to BreezeWiki (bypasses ad-filled fandom.com domains for indie wikis or an ad-free proxy site. The link documents 2 userscripts with slightly different behavior; use whichever you prefer).

Sink It for Reddit

I switched to using Reddit in the browser only after the whole API/third party apps fiasco. AdGuard blocks the ads in the web interface, but there were still a lot of annoyances because Reddit constantly bombarded you with prompts/popups trying to get you to switch to their app so they could track you and sell you ads. Sink It for Reddit removes all of those popups and lets you customize the behavior of the Reddit website too (tapping a post can open it in a new tab, back to top buttons for long posts, and video downloads, among other things). Constantly being updated too, which is nice to see.

UnTrap (USD $1.99)

This extension cleans up the YouTube interface in the browser. You can hide Shorts, Explore, Trending, and multiple flavors of Suggestions (videos, playlists, etc.). It also has a content filter you can use to ensure you never see certain channels or even specific videos by ID, username, or keyword/regex. There are over 50 options you can tweak for the video playback page alone, so if you’re looking to remove an annoyance from YouTube in Safari on iOS, this is the addon for you. Note however that this is the first extension I’ve recommended that does NOT have a free version.

Vinegar (USD $1.99)

This extension replaces YouTube’s custom video player with a standard HTML5 one. This means that YT videos will play back using the standard iOS video player interface, including all of the accompanying benefits: better interface, Picture in Picture/popout videos work, videos continue playing in the background even if you leave Safari, etc.. I was even able to start a YouTube video in Safari, lock my phone, and then continue playing the video and hear the audio over my car’s speakers via CarPlay. These are all normally locked features reserved for YouTube Premium subscribers. You can also set a default quality that it will use so YouTube won’t use “auto” and set you to 360p just because you’re using a phone.

[gamergirljournalist]

From Biting Apples to Embracing Galaxies: My Switch to Samsung

For more than a decade, I've always been using the Apple eco-system. My first modern phone was the iPhone 5 in 2012 and it lasted for a couple of years until I upgraded to the iPhone 10 in 2017 after convincing my father that my phone was dying.

The proof: this photo of my phone bricking every 20 minutes when installing a new iOS when I was in university.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Erielle Sudario (@eriellesudario)

As time passed, the iPhone X has survived numerous trips overseas, journalism jobs, freelancing gigs, concerts, and dating attempts. But like all tech devices, this one is about to reach its end after an incident where it wouldn't turn on properly when it was being charged.

I had two options: wait for the iPhone 15 to come out or move to Samsung. And based on the article, it's quite obvious what happened next.

One last bite of the Apple - why I love the iPhone

Moving to a Galaxy device has to be the hardest decision I've ever made. My original plan was to save $2000 for a brand new Apple product because the Apple ecosystem is pretty good. I can copy a link or photo on my phone and paste it on my Macbook. Airdrop is pretty convenient. Also, my entire family became Apple snobs ever since the release of Airpods. Also, since I moved out from home, Facetime became the most used method of communication between family members because it was instant.

Another cool feature that the iPhone has is that is very easy to customize. From having an Animal Crossing dark mode theme phone to selecting a case, the choices are ripe for the picking.

Lastly, it's just very easy to use. Unless you're planning to do some complicated stuff like jailbreaking, using an iPhone as an everyday device is very simple. Left it somewhere? Use the "Find my phone" app and annoy the heck out of those who try to steal it. Want music? Drop the file into iTunes and it will sync via iCloud. It's that versatile.

But as my phone was quickly on its final breath, as well as the cost of living crisis, waiting for the iPhone 15 was no longer a valid option anymore. So I had to say goodbye to these nifty features and swap to Samsung.

What it was like making the switch

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Erielle Sudario (@eriellesudario)

I bought the Samsung zFlip 4 during the End of the Financial Year sale, without realising that the zFlip 5 would be released 2 months later. Big oof. The reason I got this phone is because the 512 GB model cost $1300 AUD. The case was $10 from Telstra. I got a cuter one for $100 from Caseify.

If I were to buy the iPhone 15 (or in my case, the iPhone 14 Pro), the 512 GB model would have cost me $2400 + the cost of a case and the cable for the highest speeds. In case you were unaware, the 15 models only come with USB 2 speeds. WTF?! Also, there are the MagSafe accessories like chargers, which would cost even more.

The reason I chose to get the Samsung zFlip 4 is mostly because it's a flip phone and Samsung marketed it as "bending the laws of physics." Another reason is because of BTS. As a BTS fan, mostly a Suga stan, I learned that the K-Pop star will not hold Apple devices. I remember seeing a TikTok where a fan disguised her iPhone to look like a Samsung and the rapper was shocked until he held it on stage.

I was, however, warned about getting this Samsung model from my aunt. She told me that the battery life is bad and that Apple lasts longer. And she only uses her phone for the most basic usage - calls, text, and Facebook. But based on my experience, the battery isn't that bad… unless I use it for Pokemon Sleep.

Transferring my data from an Apple to a Samsung device is easier said than done. For starters, it nearly took a whole day for the transfer process to be completed. Second, I needed to use a wireless charger for one of my devices because it took so long.

When it came to the user interface, while it's somewhat different, some similarities made using my new phone not that difficult. It perhaps took a week to get used to the new functions and gestures.

I also liked the new camera. It's much more vibrant in my opinion. Much better than the iPhone X if I'm being honest. And there were times I did try filming like it was an old camcorder due to its flip functionalities.

If I have a complaint, it's that my game saves (except for Pokemon Go and Sleep) aren't transferable. This means all that effort I've placed in Tiny Tower for a year and a bit is gone and I would need to start over because the game is synced to Apple's Game Center. However, all of my texts since my senior year of high school made their way to the new device. WTF?

Also, not all the apps transferred to the new device, which makes sense since some of them were discontinued. But finding the APKs for them became a challenge, especially for a photo editor that I've been using for years. Thanks to the subscription model, it's been removed from the app stores.

Final Thoughts

Swapping to Samsung was probably a good decision to make. For starters, I'm no longer bombarded by my family's group chat messages since I no longer live with them. Second, I can text my boyfriend photos through NORMAL TEXT, not Facebook and discord. The amount of memes I've missed during the earlier parts of our relationship due to device differences was a massive pain and now it's all convenient.

While it's a shame I no longer have access to Siri, adding songs to a Samsung device is much easier compared to Apple since it is basically like a hard drive.

I will miss the Apple ecosystem though. iCloud and Apple Notes are super handy. Airdrop is pretty cool. And the new iOS features in the latest system look super appealing. However, these features are something that I would rarely use. I just need a phone to play games, go on social media, take photos and videos, and make phone calls. I won't be making 3D models of my room.

Looking forward to spending the next 5 years with this Samsung device until I have to make the switch once more.

[yosoyloqueveo]

Io Capitano | dir. Matteo Garrone, 2023.

Seydou, a teenage boy, together with his cousin Moussa, decides to leave Dakar in Senegal and make his way to Europe. A contemporary Odyssey through the dangers of the desert, the horrors of the detention centers in Libya and the perils of the sea.

I was deeply moved by the immense courage and humanity, the cinematography and costumes. Outstanding.

"Over the last 15 years, 27,000 people have died trying to make the journey that I show in the movie. We wanted to give a visual form to a part of the journey we don't see… I was honestly very worried about this movie, and it took eight years to decide to make it. I was worried about the risk of speculating too much and exploiting these poor migrants by making their journey about, and from, my point of view."

- Garrone.

"The first thing apparent to anyone who meets Matteo Garrone is his intrinsic kindness. When asked if the story is inspired by real events, Garrone answers, “yes of course, have you met Mamadou?” referring to Mamadou Kouassi Pli Adama, who is listed as one of the “collaborating writers” on Io Capitano, and has joined Garrone, actors Sarr and Moustapha Fall in Marrakech. “He’s one of the three guys who inspired the movie with his life and his experience,” Garrone explains, continuing “every frame of the movie is connected with some real story, of someone who really lived that experience. Behind these numbers are human beings,” Garrone continues, “human beings who are exactly like us, with the same desires — to move, to look for a better life, to discover the world.” Like looking in a mirror really. Only that mirror holds up the similarity of the power of humanity, not the reflection of our different skin tones. And what that entails, as far as privilege.

- E Nina Rothe

Io Capitano premiered at the 80th Venice Film Festival, where Garrone was awarded the Silver Lion for Best Director and Sarr won the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor. Now, the film is nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Oscars, which Garrone tells A.frame has made him "incredibly proud." | AFrame Article

Images:

The New Yorker

E NINA ROTHE

Kang diego | kang_junior64

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