#zoom app development

[codenance]

Zoom Video online Conferencing App: Features, Tech Stack, Monetization, Cost in 2023

Zoom Video Conferencing App: Features, Tech Stack, Monetization, Cost in 2023

The year 2023 brought us a revolution and completely altered how we live. To thrive amidst the pandemic, we had to find new transforming ways. Some saw this as a challenge to find new ways to live and not just survive, at first.

A recent report shows that in just the first quarter of 2023, the popular video conferencing application “Zoom” gained over 2.5 million users. The video-first culture has been adopted by a wide array of companies around the world, and it is predicted that by the year 2025, the market for the online conferencing app will be worth $20 billion.

Today, more companies are interested in developing their apps because of the success of the Zoom app. We will cover all the details regarding the development of video conferencing software such as Zoom in this article.

Zoom App: Everything You Need to Know

Eric Yuan, a Cisco Systems engineer, discovered this cloud online conferencing app in 2012. The main goal of the application was to provide people with the ability to meet others virtually by video, audio, or both, as they desired. More than half of the Fortune 500 companies used this app in 2020, and they still use it to this day. This app is compatible with iOS, Mac, Android, Linux, Windows, and many others.

Calls can be made free of charge for up to 40 minutes, while longer conversations will require an upgrade to $14.99/monthly. Entry-level upgrades allow 100 people to participate at once in a conferencing call and for 24 hours.

How Zoom Video Conferencing Makes Money

By describing these revenue models, we tell you how Zoom makes money:

Meeting via Zoom

Video calls can be made via the Zoom mobile app, and the app's main function is remote video calling. Users won't be charged if the call doesn't last longer than 40 minutes. Using the annual plan will cost $12.49/month for users who wish to hold uninterrupted meetings lasting more than 40 minutes. The monthly charge is $14.99 for meetings lasting more than 40 minutes. You can have a Zoom-like app for your business and have a revenue model similar to theirs if you so choose. Freemium is the name of this kind of revenue model.

The Zoom Room and Workspace

Besides offering video meetings, Zoom also provides companies with the option of renting physical conference rooms. Customers are offered hardware and physical space to conduct conferences without having to worry about how to manage them. Even a professional service unit ensures that conference rooms run smoothly. It offers hardware support for conference rooms through partnerships with hardware manufacturers. A monthly fee is charged for Zoom Rooms and Workspaces (or an annual fee, if you choose that option).

Read Also: On-demand Logistics App Development Cost

Zoom on Phones

Video calling is not available in this feature. Instead, it is designed for users who only wish to use voice calling. The main product includes tools that can be used to enable video calling. Zoom Phone comes with features like HD audio conversations that are secure, voice mailboxes, and call recording, as well as AI-based call management, automated call attendants, and IVR tools, which make the calling experience seamless. Their subscription model is monthly for this product.

Subscription-Based Business Model for Zoom

Basic Zoom for Free

Meeting on a personal basis

Up to 100 participants are welcome

A maximum of 40 minutes for group meetings

Meetings one-on-one are unlimited

$14.99/month for Zoom Pro

Can accommodate up to 100 participants

Increasing participant numbers to 1,000 (scalable)

A 30-hour meeting for a group

The Social Media Stream

Cloud recording of 1 GB (per license)

$19.99/month for Zoom Business

You can host up to 300 people

Increasing participant numbers to 1,000 (scalable)

Log in with a single account

Transcripts of recorded meetings

Domain management

Branding for companies

A premium toll and call out option is available through India Audio

You get all the features in Pro, plus more.

$19.99/month for Zoom Enterprise

Organize a meeting for up to 500 people

Storage on the cloud is unlimited

The Customer Success Manager is dedicated to the customers

Transcripts of recorded meetings

URI of the corporate site

Sign-on through a single account

Cloud services in hybrid mode

Using REST APIs

The remaining features of the business

Add on for Indian subcontinent - Premium Toll & Call Out

Online Video Conferencing Apps: Basic Features

A majority of apps are the same, and the features they have to offer to their users are what make them different from the rest. Zoom, for instance, has several essential features to make use of.

Use your email address or social media profile to register

Creating and managing profiles

Utilize a virtual background when video conferencing

Attend a video meeting while chatting with the team

Take notes during the videoconference

Watch the video preview of the pre-call

Video conference file sharing

Screen sharing

Keep starred contacts, channels, and messages at the top of your list

Notification of upcoming meetings via push notifications

Web browsers and Google calendar can be integrated with the application

Making and receiving calls with a softphone

Keypad for making PSTN and internal calls

History of video meetings and video calls

Listen to and manage your voicemails

Themes can be changed

You can call your regular contacts with an instant video call

Contact ID's can be managed and added to meetings

Cloud-based recording of video calls

Check your social media networks to see if anyone is using the video calling app

You can invite someone to chat or video call by email using the 'Invite me' feature

Join a public or private channel

Set up meetings

Meetings can be scheduled according to availability

A Video Chat and Conferencing App Could Add These Advanced Features

High-Resolution Cameras

A 4K camera resolution is recommended for video calling apps because seeing a hazy distorted face can be frustrating.

Distance Management

Large enterprises having multiple VC units will find this feature useful. Using distance or remote management in that scenario, the users can adjust the settings without traveling from room to room.

Noise Blocker

The sound of people talking or typing on their keyboards, children crying, car traffic, and other background noises can distract you from video meetings. It's possible to keep distracting noises out of the meeting with Noise Blocking technology. It mutes the microphone automatically when it does not recognize a real person talking.

Acoustic fences are another option for reducing noise. Microphones are used to create a virtual boundary around the meeting area, allowing a virtual boundary to be built. This prevents sound from escaping the meeting area.

The Push Notification System

For the Zoom-like app, this is a critical feature since it allows people to easily get notifications when they miss calls, receive messages, or receive updates.

Frame-automation

Manual framing is not necessary with this feature. A moderator who has to zoom in and out of the video would waste time. There is an automatic adjustment of the view here so that all the people in the picture can see it.

Encrypting of Data

Video-conferencing apps are used more and more frequently by businesses, and they all prioritize security over anything else. It's best to provide your users with the assurance that their data is safe when building trust among them for your videoconferencing apps. Is end-to-end encryption the best way of accomplishing this? Only those involved in the exchange can see the exchanges and discussions.

Virtual Backgrounds & Green Screens

With the help of this functionality, the video conference host can use a background image or green screen to showcase their presentation. Virtual background images will make the experience more appealing for the presenters if they use attractive backgrounds.

Forum/Chat

A chat room is an important feature for online meeting apps, and MOTS video conferencing apps restrict users to only those with invite codes, which is a great feature. The video call can only be joined by those with the invite code. A user with the invite code can join a virtual chat room as soon as it has been created and join the ongoing webinar or meeting.

Tech Stack for Zoom Video Conferencing App

To handle thousands of calls (with no delay) without dropping calls, Zoom uses Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and its servers. Zoom is capable of providing services in two ways:

Website-based apps

Various APIs like MediaStream, RTC DataChannel, RTC PeerConnection

JavaScript, HTML, and CSS for the frontend

Vue, Angular JS, and React JS are used for the back end

Android and iOS Native Applications

Ionic and Android frameworks

A developers kit for Android, a developer kit for iOS, and a developer kit for Apple Code;

Applications for iOS and Android use Objective C and Swift, respectively, while Java and Kotlin are used for iOS.

You can integrate third-party APIs such as Vonage Video API, Twilio, PubNub, and CometChat.

Scripts by Turnkey

An alternative to mobile app development services and web-based applications is the turnkey script. It conforms to brand standards in terms of brand identity. Zoom clone scripts provide a back-end admin panel as well as a user interface on the front-end. It takes a long time and costs a lot of money to develop a platform from scratch. A turnkey solution saves time and offers efficiency.

Developing An Online Video Conferencing App like Zoom: Costing

Video-calling apps are costed based on several factors, including:

Developer's hourly rate

Conceptualization & Design

Features

Platforms available

Among all of these, the hourly development rates vary from location to location, and these impacts the overall development cost of the app the most. In the USA, Eastern Europe, and India, the hourly development rate, if you hire a hybrid app developer is a lot higher.

To be more specific, the cost of developing a video conferencing app with basic features will likely be between $20000 and $55000. If the Indian region is chosen for development, the cost for an app with advanced features would be between $45000 and $80000.

The Bottom Line

The rise of video conferencing mobile apps has certainly been one of the big changes we all noticed amid the pandemic. Multinational firms with multiple offices around the world used these apps more frequently in the past. Even small business owners have adopted these apps post-pandemic, as the situation was completely different during the pandemic. Now is the perfect time to hop on the bandwagon and develop an online conferencing app!

Read Also: Restaurant Websites Development Costs

[harshathusm]

How much does it cost to develop an app like Zoom

The cost to develop a video conferencing app like Zoom depends on core features, such as HD video and audio streaming, screen sharing, real-time messaging, and virtual meeting rooms. Advanced functionalities like encryption, breakout rooms, and third-party integrations can increase the development cost. Platform compatibility (iOS, Android, Web) and the app’s ability to scale for large audiences also influence the budget.

For top-quality video conferencing app solutions, USM Business Systems is the best mobile app development company, offering tailored, robust solutions.

USM Business Systems

Services:

Mobile app development

Artificial Intelligence

Machine Learning

Android app development

RPA

Big data

HR Management

Workforce Management

IoT

IOS App Development

Cloud Migration

[blissfullyecho]

Using the Power of Habit Stacking in 2025

Join my 3-hour live workshop on Zoom, where we will create a tailored luxe glow-up plan personalized for you for 2025. Seats are limited and are first come, first served. Click here for more info.

When it comes to personal development, one of the most powerful strategies for creating lasting change is habit stacking. It’s something I’ve been testing out in 2024 that I’m bringing with me into 2025. This method is simple yet incredibly effective, allowing you to seamlessly add new habits to your routine without overwhelming yourself. Whether you’re aiming to boost productivity, improve health, or cultivate a more luxe lifestyle, habit stacking can be the shortcut to sustainable growth.

Habit stacking is the practice of attaching a new habit to an existing one. You take a habit that you already do automatically—something that’s ingrained in your daily routine—and pair it with a new behavior that you want to establish. This creates a “stack” of habits that flow together, making the new habit feel natural rather than forced.

The beauty of habit stacking lies in its simplicity. Humans are creatures of habit, and the more you can align new behaviors with your existing routines, the more likely you are to stick with them. Your brain already associates certain actions with specific times of the day, so why not take advantage of that structure? Instead of trying to create an entirely new habit from scratch, you leverage the momentum of your established habits.

1. Identify Your Anchor Habit

The first step in habit stacking is identifying your “anchor habit”—a behavior you already do without thinking. For example, maybe you always have a cup of coffee first thing in the morning, or you walk your dog after dinner. Your anchor habit is the base that you will attach your new habit to.

2. Choose a Small, Achievable Habit

Next, choose a small habit that aligns with your goals. It should be something so simple that you can’t fail at it—this increases your chances of following through. For instance, if you want to read more, you might stack a 5-minute reading session immediately after your morning coffee. Or, if you’re looking to practice gratitude, you could write down one thing you’re thankful for after brushing your teeth.

3. Make It Specific and Clear

The more specific and clear your stack is, the better. Don’t just say, “I’ll workout later today.” Instead, say, “I’ll stretch for 5 minutes right after I take my vitamins, then I’ll get ready for the gym” The more precise your action and timing, the easier it is to follow through.

4. Start Small, Then Build

Don’t go overboard by trying to stack too many habits at once. Start with one or two simple habits and see how they fit into your routine. Once you’ve mastered those, you can gradually add more habits to your stack. The key is to avoid overwhelm and build slowly over time.

5. Make It Enjoyable

You’ll be more likely to stick with your stacked habits if they bring you joy or fulfillment. For example, if you’re stacking a habit of reading, make sure it’s something that feels easy and enjoyable, like reading something you’ve been wanting to read or something that you know will help you. The more positive your habit feels, the more likely you are to continue.

6. Use Visual Cues

Sometimes, even the best habits can slip through the cracks if you’re not reminded of them. Use visual cues like sticky notes or apps that help track your progress. For example, if you’ve stacked a habit of doing 5 push-ups after brushing your teeth (I hate push-ups but this is just an example), you can leave a reminder on your bathroom mirror or set a reminder on your phone.

7. Celebrate Your Wins

Celebrating small wins is crucial to reinforcing your habits. Every time you complete your stacked habit, take a moment to acknowledge your success. This could be as simple as giving yourself a mental pat on the back or marking it off on a habit tracker.

Here are a few examples of habit stacks to get you started:

Anchor habit: Brushing my teeth

Stacked habit: After brushing my teeth, I’ll exfoliate with a lip scrub.

****

Anchor habit: Finishing a workout

Stacked habit: Immediately after finishing my workout, I’ll drink a glass of water and stretch for 5 minutes.

****

Anchor habit: Cooking dinner

Stacked habit: After cooking dinner, I’ll clean up my apartment for 10 minutes.

****

Anchor habit: Starting work

Stacked habit: As soon as I sit at my desk, I’ll write down three priorities for the day.

Join my 3-hour live workshop on Zoom, where we will create a tailored luxe glow-up plan personalized for you for 2025. Seats are limited and are first come, first served. Click here for more info.

[rescreatu]

Today we’re sharing our plans for the new map system that will be in the next version of Rescreatu. Let’s have a look around!

Traverse the planets far and wide!

Maps will become the centralized place for Rescreatu citizens to explore the universe. You can go to every location directly within this new map system. (There will be easy ways to access certain places or pages via a site menu as well.)

⚡❗ Heads up: This information is in the early stages of development! The images you see here are mock-up sketches showcasing the overall concept of our exciting new map system. They’re designed to give you a sneak peek at how it’ll work, but keep in mind that some details might change before the official release. Just a friendly reminder: We’ll begin creating this map system after we’ve laid the groundwork for our shiny new website. We’re sharing this with you now because we value your input. Your feedback will help us make sure the concept is rock-solid when the time comes to bring it to life!

The solar system map

Visit each planet quickly through the solar system map view. Currently there are 4 main planets you can visit and 1 inaccessible planet in the Rescreatu solar system. And who knows what else is out there!

Planet maps

Each planet map is projected in an isometric view, such as this concept art above of Relcore’s new map. You may notice some familiar locations and some new ones. 😉

More places to discover

This new map system will allow Rescreatans to chart the planets more than ever before. There are so many unknown discoveries that await! Have you ever asked yourself what’s on the “other side” of these planets we all know so well? 👀

Interactive user interface

The planet maps will have an app-like interactive map experience where you’re able to easily zoom, show/hide labels, and click on specific locations. Above is a mobile demonstration showing this.

Locations

Each location has an icon that can be clicked to see where it leads, and every location will vary on what you can do there. This could be a specific activity or shop that you can visit to bring you to a new page, or you can have your creatu explore a location to see what items or eggs they can find.

Location information

Clicking on a location will show at a glance what each location entails before entering.

Detect new species, quests, or items

Checking locations will also tell you if the system detects a new creatu species or quest item that can be discovered there.

Creatu spots

Most creatu species can be found while exploring any location throughout their given planet. However, it’s been discovered recently that each creatu species has a specific location where they can be found more frequently as well.

Map visibility/progression

New location icons will appear as you explore and do quests, and parts of the map may even be revealed by becoming uncovered.

Quests

Your quests may often lead you to any of the four planets in search of something or someone. Available and current quests will be noted by distinct icons on the planet maps, so you know exactly where they are.

What do you think about the new map system?

[nanowrimo]

5 Tips for Building a Sustainable Writing Practice

Every year, we’re lucky to have great sponsors for our nonprofit events. First Draft Pro, a 2023 Camp NaNoWriMo sponsor, is a great writing app—whether you’re writing solo or with a co-author. Here are a few tips for building a sustainable writing practice, brought to you by author Ariana Brown and First Draft Pro.

We’ve all heard the advice to “write every day,” as if it were that easy! Translation: suck it up, no one cares if you’re tired. But what if there was another way to get writing done, without being unkind to yourself? 

Hi, I’m Ariana Brown, and I teach writers how to create a writing practice that is sustainable, flexible, and fulfilling. Most of my students are chronically ill, disabled, neurodivergent, or simply exhausted from the daily stresses of life. I know writing isn’t your only responsibility—capitalism makes sure of that! But I strongly believe that writing should be an enjoyable activity you look forward to.

Below I’ve compiled my top tips for exhausted writers who want to be kinder to themselves—and still get the work done.

1. Add pleasure to your writing routine.

Sensory pleasures are neither frivolous nor are they only for children. They’re a crucial part of being alive! They give us something to look forward to when times are tough and we need motivation. Candles, soft blankets, cold beverages, mood lighting, dance breaks, yummy treats—whatever you choose, make sure it’s something you love. Paint your nails a fun color so you have something beautiful to look at while you’re typing away. Make a playlist of your favorite songs and after you finish a chapter, blast one song so loudly you have to get up and dance. Then, get back to writing. Remember, even for the most focused among us, pleasure is a better motivator than shame.

2. Be clear about your intentions.

What brought you to writing in the first place? For some, it was the ability to escape into our imaginations. For others, it was the chance to finally express what we’d been holding inside. Identify your reason for writing, then ask yourself: Am I still enjoying this? Do I still feel connected to my reason for writing? If not, explore how you can strengthen your connection to your inner child’s reason for writing. 

3. Work with your brain, not against it.

If we know that everyone’s brain works differently, why do we force strict discipline and linear processes on ourselves? My advice: find or create a writing process that works for you. Maybe you love outlines; maybe you prefer to see where the words take you. Either way, make space for wandering, play, and discovery as you write. Take brain breaks. Doodle, map, dance, and draw when you get distracted. Body double with other writers, try new exercises and prompts to make the writing sing, and take plenty of breaks to stretch your body and talk to friends. We come to writing with our whole selves. Listen to your body, don’t shut it off.

4. Find a writing community.

You don’t have to wait for a community to come to you! I offer co-writing sessions on Zoom four times a month for my Patreon supporters, but do what works for you. Attend local open mics as an audience member and cheer on your peers. Invite your best friends to your living room once a month for a two hour writing/crafting session. Or check your local library and bookstores for free workshops and author events. You don’t have to do this work alone.

5. Develop a gratitude practice.

Finishing your draft is a huge accomplishment, but it’s not the only milestone to be celebrated. Consider creating opportunities to thank yourself throughout your writing practice. You’re doing an amazing and difficult thing. The fact that you keep showing up is worthy of celebration. Whether you decide to journal, rest, pray, meditate, or reward yourself, a little gratitude goes a long way.

Ariana Brown is a queer writer from San Antonio, TX, based in Houston. She is the author of We Are Owed (Grieveland, 2021) and Sana Sana (Game Over Books, 2020), and a national collegiate poetry slam champion. Ariana holds an MFA in Poetry, MS in Library and Information Science, and a BA in African Diaspora Studies and Mexican American Studies. She has been writing, teaching, and performing for over a decade. Follow her online @ArianaThePoet and www.arianabrown.com. 

[prettyboysdontlookatexplosions]

three weeks down, 12 to go… i said yes to a new student which i’m kind of having second thoughts about but well too late now. (they’re taking the hunter test, so going through january, which is nice since most of my others will be dropping off in december.) that brings me to 12 total, two of whom are twice a week, and also meant that this was another 7-day tutoring week (at a little over 35 total hours of work), lol. the good news is that the content development race is over, with all sets for this leg of the project having been claimed, and while i have a few to do i no longer feel the pressure of “if i do these too slowly i’ll miss out on more hours.” which is already a huge psychic lift! i am not fully prepped for tomorrow’s sessions but i am tbh not worried about it for various reasons, including that tomorrow i will work on some answer keys while watching the indistry finale and it will be nice and chill.

MOST excitingly in work news, i found an app that combined with my new love affair with the apple pencil will i think allow me to compose my work to do lists as i dreamed… thrilled beyond the telling of it tbh. we’re so back.

my room is still very messy but i did a bunch of dishes today. i have not done many of my little habits but i hit five workouts & 70k steps. i think i am going to do as a redditor suggested and treat this 10 week workout program as two 5 week ones with a break in the middle to keep working out but take it easier for a week or so, which means i’m more than halfway done with the first “leg” and also gives me a place to do my covid vax (i don’t… love… that covid vax season coincides with my busy season lol). i have not given a lot of conscious time for fun or rest this week but i kept it moving on a busy donation day for free store & i had a really good zoom talk with my friend i have a standing zoom date with & tonight i got to see faith/void fuck it the hell up on the lower east side with several fond familiar faces in attendance. i also did finish the patrick radden keefe book about human smuggling in chinatown although it came so down to the wire i wound up screenshotting the last 20 pages to finish after libby took it back. today i looked at the silly magicians fic i started right as things were kicking into full gear and found that i still liked the little of it that hours recently spent content developing. in the next twelve weeks there WILL be times when i wonder why i am doing this to myself but i’ve been at this long enough to know now that the answer is that this stretch is what makes possible things elsewhen in the year like sending a few emails and fucking off because i have cramps or i have plans or i’m very busy reading an entire middle grade fantasy series in a single month, plus ofc all of the sleeping in. my goal so far has been to get through it without feeling crazy and so far i feel pretty sane!

[angelasscribbles]

Law's End: Murder at Vista Heights Chapter 7

Series: Law’s End

Episode 1: Murder at Vista Heights

Fandom: The Royal Romance (loosely, there is zero canon, I've just borrowed the characters)

Pairings: None yet

Word Count: 2,582

Rating: MA

Warnings for series: adult themes, any given chapter may contain murder, violence, language, drinking, drug use, etc.

My other stuff can be found here: Master List.

The conference room in the homicide division of the seventh precinct was filled with the smells of coffee and fresh pastries. It was early. Too early, considering they’d all been there until well after midnight interrogating witnesses.

The food was Bertrand’s way of making up for the fact that no one had gotten much sleep the night before, but everyone still turned up bright and early, ready to work.

“So, she does have a history of stalking.” Liam flipped the file across the table to Flynn.

Detective O’Malley reached for the manila folder and flipped it open. “Who’d she stalk?”

“Clarence Coleman. An app developer. The police reports are in there. He was granted a restraining order. I’ve left a message for him to contact us. See if he’s heard from her lately.”

Flynn skimmed the information in front of him. “This was three years ago.”

Liam nodded. “It’s likely that she stopped harassing Cole when she started sleeping with Trent.”

There was a knock on the conference room door and Rashad entered, carrying a laptop. “There are no security cameras at the vic’s apartment complex, but I found a late model Nissan Pathfinder registered to the suspect and scrubbed video footage from nearby traffic cameras.” He placed the laptop on the table and flipped it around for the detectives to see.

Liam leaned forward to get a closer look. “Is that our suspect?”

“Yes,” Rashad confirmed, “Three blocks away from our vic’s house, heading that direction, fifteen minutes before the 911 call. And this….” He swiped to another image. “…is her ten minutes after the call heading the other direction through the same intersection.”

“We need more than that for an arrest warrant,” Flynn said as he zoomed in, looking for any evidence of blood visible in the photo, but it was too grainy. “It’s not illegal to be in the vicinity.”

Liam pushed away from the table. “Let’s get back over to the apartment complex and show her photo to the neighbors. Maybe someone will remember seeing her that morning.”

An hour later, he was seated in a small but elegant dining room as Stella Haltom served him coffee. Flynn was canvassing other neighbors, ones they hadn’t been able to reach yesterday.

Liam had tried to decline, but Stella was insistent.

“You’re very young for a homicide detective, aren’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am, I—”

“Are you single?”

“I am. But—”

“Really? A young, handsome, successful man like you?”

“Well—”

“You know, if things don’t work out between my granddaughter and that nice reporter—”

Liam shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Ma’am, if we could get back to business. I just have a few quick questions—”

“Oh, yes, of course! You wanted me to look at more photos?”

“Well, one more.” Liam pulled up the photograph of Sabrina Simmons on his cell phone and held it out to her.

“Oh, my yes!” Stella somehow managed to convey disapproval with a nod of her head. “That was the one that was over there the most.”

“Did he entertain a lot of women?”

Stella snorted so hard she choked on her coffee. Once she recovered her breath, she clarified, “Whatever you think a lot is, multiply that by at least three!”

“That many?”

“Yes, and now that I think of it, two days before the murder, this one,” she gestured toward his phone, “showed up while one of the other ones was there.”

“Was there an argument?”

“Was there an argument?” She scoffed as a frown pulled her lips down. “Woke half the building with the screaming. I’m surprised no one called the cops.”

“Thank you. This is very helpful. Did you happen to see her on the day of the murder?”

“No, but that doesn’t mean anything. I was gone for most of the morning.”

“Where were you, again?”

“I left to help organize the church rummage sale early that morning.”

Liam checked his notes. “So, you overheard the argument between the two men when?”

“On my way out. I had to walk past Mr. Hayes’ apartment on my way to the elevator.”

“Just to review… you overheard the argument at roughly seven a.m., left for the church, followed by brunch, and returned home just after noon.”

“That’s correct.”

“So, you were home when the gunshots were fired?”

“Yes.” She shuddered. “It was terrifying!”

“And you didn’t see or hear anyone else coming or going from his apartment that day?”

“No.”

“Is there anything you can think of that you noticed that day? Anything at all?”

“I already told you everything yesterday. And that lovely reporter as well.”

Liam sighed at the mention of Riley. He couldn’t forbid a private citizen from speaking to the press, no matter how much he wanted to. But it did remind him of something. “Speaking of Miss Brooks… she mentioned you saw a woman at the victim’s apartment the night before the murder?”

“Yes.”

“Was that woman either of these?” He showed her the photographs of both Sabrina and Katie again.

Stella peered at both, then shook her head. “No.”

“Do you know who she was?”

“No, sir. I’m sorry. I couldn’t keep up with all the women that were in and out of that apartment. Besides, I don’t like to get into other people’s business.”

It took a concerted effort for him to not react to such an obviously false statement.

He jotted down a general description of the woman before extricating himself from the conversation. “Okay, ma’am. Thank you for your time.”

“I’m always happy to help the boys in blue!” she smiled proudly. “You have my number in case you have any further questions, right?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ve got it.” Liam flipped his notepad closed. “If you think of anything else, please let us know.”

He stepped out into the hallway and reconvened with his partner. “How’d it go on your end?”

Flynn shrugged. “I found multiple witnesses that identified Sabrina Simmons as Trenton Hayes’ girlfriend, but none that could definitively place her at the scene on the day of the murder.”

“I confirmed there was a third woman here the night before the murder, but I don’t know who.”

“We’ll have the plainclothes canvas again and try to find that information. I think it’s time you and I go have a conversation with Ms. Simmons.”

“Agreed.” Liam pushed the button for the elevator. When it dinged open, he found himself face to face with Riley. “What are you doing here?”

“Good morning to you, too.” She stepped back so they could fit into the lift with her. “Probably the same thing you are.”

Liam made a noncommittal sound in the back of his throat as they stepped into the elevator. “Where’s your sidekick this morning?”

“Max?” She looked surprised at his question. “I don’t know. Probably sleeping in after that late night we all had. Why do you ask?”

Liam shrugged. “I’m just used to seeing the two of you together.”

“When I need a photographer.” She studied his demeanor, then a small grin crept across her face. “Why so interested in who I spend my time with, detective?”

“I’m not.”

Before she could answer, the elevator rocked to a stop on the first floor and the doors slid open. As they stepped off, a familiar face caught her eye. “Drake!”

The PI turned from the concierge desk to face the trio, his eyes lighting up. “Riley! What a pleasant surprise!” He was less enthusiastic as he greeted the two men. “Hello, detectives.”

The men exchanged handshakes as Liam asked, “Why are you here, Walker?”

“I’m investigating the murder of Trent Hayes. I was officially retained to do so this morning by Sadie McGraw. I was thinking it would be in both our best interests to collaborate.”

“I don’t know—”

Flynn’s phone cut through the conversation. He pulled it out and glanced down at the screen. “This is the boss. Hold on.”

Flynn stepped away to take the call, leaving Riley with Liam and Drake.

Not awkward at all.

After a brief conversation, Flynn returned to inform the group, “The chief just got out of a meeting with the mayor. We are to collaborate and cooperate fully with Walker here.”

“Great!” Drake gloated.

“Great,” Liam grumbled.

Flynn shot a pointed look at Riley. “If you’ll excuse us, ma’am, we have a case to discuss.”

“Don’t let me get in your way. I’m just going to grab a latte and update my notes.” She gave them a disarming smile and turned on her heel, disappearing into the small coffee shop located just off the main entrance.

She really was going to update her notes, but she had no intention of leaving without an update on the case. Liam was never going to crack, but she liked her chances of getting information out of Drake. She fired off a quick text as she waited for her drink.

Ten minutes later, Drake was at her table. “You said you had some information for me?”

“I said I was willing to trade information with you.” She gestured for him to sit as the barista approached to take his order.

He ordered a black coffee and then returned his attention to the reporter. “What information do you have that I can’t find out for myself?”

“Maybe none.” She lifted a shoulder. “But it took me three hours of knocking on doors to find out the identity of the woman Trent was with the night before the murder. You could spend the next three hours doing the same or we could help each other out.”

He regarded her thoughtfully for a moment. He didn’t have to reveal anything about his client to slip her the information about who the police were looking at as their prime suspect. “I suppose I could share a detail or two. You’re going to find it out on your own anyway.”

Her eyebrows raised. “How do you know that?”

“Because I did a little digging. Your investigative skills are impressive. No wonder you’ve won the Edward R. Murrow Award for journalism as well as two Scripps Awards.”

Her eyebrows arched even higher as she took a long sip of her latte before placing the cup carefully on the table in front of her. “Wow. You really did do your homework. I don’t know whether to be impressed or alarmed. Are you stalking me, sir?”

“Hardly.” He snorted. “Are you going to tell me that you did absolutely no research on me after agreeing to a date?”

“I agreed to dinner. No one said it was a date.”

“Semantics, but fine. Dinner. Answer the question. Did you not look into me at all?”

“You mean did I find out that you graduated from the police academy at the top of your class but quit six months into your first year to go into business with your father? That you have one sister, Savannah, and that you’ve never been married?”

He gave her a smug smile. “I knew you were into me.”

“Please,” she laughed, “It’s just common sense to find out what you can about a man you plan to be alone with.”

He leaned across the table with a smirk. “So, you plan to be alone with me?”

She hid a grin behind her cup. “At the very least I’ll be getting into a car alone with you when we go to dinner.”

“Is that all?”

“Well, we’ll see how the evening progresses, won’t we?”

“Can’t wait.”

“Now, are you going to tell me what you learned from the cops?”

“I don’t know. Are you going to tell me who the woman from the other night is?”

“If your information is good enough.”

“I know who their prime suspect is.”

“Is it Katie or William Sloan or Dean Collins?”

“No.”

She sat up straighter. “There’s another suspect in play?”

He twirled his coffee cup in his fingers. “Yep.”

“Okay. Yes, that’s a fair trade. Who is it?”

“Sabrina Simmons. She was his secretary when he was engaged to Katie. He cheated on Katie with Sabrina. That’s the reason they broke up. After Katie dumped him, Sabrina became his girlfriend. Last weekend, she showed up while he was entertaining someone else. Several neighbors heard the argument. The theory is that she got fed up with his womanizing. She has a history of stalking, and the cheating gives her motive.”

“Interesting theory, because the woman that was there Monday night is his current secretary.”

“Sounds like he has a history of sleeping with his secretary. What’s her name?”

“Sarah Foster. She’s not at work today. I already called.”

“Well, her boss slash boyfriend was murdered yesterday. I can track down a home address for her.”

“Way ahead of you.” She shoved her notes into her bag as she stood up. “Wanna go question her together?”

“How the hell did you get her address already?”

It was Riley’s turn to smirk. “I have my sources.”

“Okay, let’s go. But I’m driving.”

“I don’t want to leave my car here. I’ll meet you there. Here’s the address.” She quickly scribbled the information on a piece of paper.

He threw some money on the table to cover the coffee, took the slip of paper from her, and then pulled his phone out and opened the contact list.

“What are you doing?”

“Holding up my end of the deal with the CCPD. Collaboration works both ways.”

“Could you at least wait until after we have a chance to talk to her?”

He hesitated as he considered her request. “Why?”

“Because you and I both know that once the police get there, I won’t be allowed to talk to her! Police protocol this and interfering with an investigation that, blah, blah, blah… Come on…. You wouldn’t even know who she was if it wasn’t for me.”

“I would have eventually knocked on the right door and found out.”

“Yeah, hours from now, by which time I would have already interviewed her for my article. Don’t make me regret sharing information with you.”

“Fine.” He slotted the phone back into his pocket. “You get ten minutes with her, then I’m making the call.”

“Deal. Let’s go!”

The drive from Vista Heights to Sarah’s apartment complex took nearly forty-five minutes. Riley found Drake waiting for her in front of the entrance.

The apartment complex was a stark contrast to Trent’s. A dingy brick building surrounded by other dingy brick buildings, it had no doorman, and the front door was propped open. There was certainly no concierge desk or coffee shop in the lobby.

No elevator came when Drake pushed the button. “Looks like we’re taking the stairs.”

“Good thing she’s only on the fourth floor.”

As they approached apartment 412, Drake suddenly stopped and put his arm out to halt Riley.

“What?”

“Shhh….” He moved in front of her and pulled a gun from his hip. “The door is cracked open. Stay here.”

Riley Brooks hadn’t built her career by standing down. The moment Drake pushed the door open and stepped across the threshold, she followed, keeping quiet so he wouldn’t notice.

“Hello? Is anyone home? Sarah?” He called out as he made his way through the living room. He entered the kitchen and stopped in his tracks. “Well, shit.”

Riley entered right behind him, craning her neck to peer around him. Well, shit was right.

Sarah Foster lay on the kitchen floor in a pool of blood.

[reasonsforhope]

Across New York City, delivery drivers are a ubiquitous sight: congregating outside big restaurant chains waiting to collect orders, zooming through the city streets with orders in tow. “The most chaotic time for deliveries is easily during lunch time,” says Elijah Williams, who delivers food for both Uber and DoorDash. “I’ve had up to four orders at one time.” 

Mayor Eric Adams recently announced a major change that will deeply impact busy workers like Williams: app-based delivery workers will be paid $17.96 an hour starting July 12th — and nearly $20 an hour by 2025 — marking the nation’s first minimum pay for such workers.

“Our delivery workers have consistently delivered for us — now, we are delivering for them,” he said. “They should not be delivering food to your household, if they can’t put food on the plate in their household.”

The Background

Mayor Adams made the announcement at City Hall, surrounded by delivery workers as well as members of the nonprofit organizations, Workers Justice Project (WJP) and Los Deliveristas Unidos.

Ligia Guallpa, executive director of WJP, expressed her excitement and gratitude.

“This first of its kind minimum pay rate will uplift working and immigrant families,” said [Ligia Guallpa of Workers Justice Project (WJP)] alongside Gustavo Ajche of Los Deliveristas Unidos. “[It will] ensure that workers who keep New Yorkers fed, are able to keep also their families fed too.”

WJP was founded in 2010, and coordinates numerous worker-led programs, including Los Deliveristas Unidos, that aim to improve conditions for low-wage immigrant workers across the five boroughs.

The Details

The current minimum wage in New York is $15 an hour. On average, service workers are paid $7.09 an hour, excluding tips. The new wage is in keeping with a law passed by the City Council in 2021, which requires the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to set a standard minimum rate for delivery workers.

App-based delivery workers are classified as “independent contractors,” which means they’re not entitled to the standard minimum wage that applies to salaried employees’ pay. Instead, delivery workers who work for the big food delivery services, like Uber Eats and Relay, are entitled to just $2.13 an hour before tips — a so-called “tipped sub-minimum wage.”

Research has shown that getting rid of tipped sub-minimum wages benefits not just the workers getting the raise, but the economy as a whole. A 2021 analysis found that states without a tipped sub-minimum wage saw 29 percent growth in their leisure and hospitality sectors, compared to just six percent in states that used the federal tipped sub-minimum wage of $2.13.

...For many of the workers who face hostile roads and unpredictable weather conditions to get New Yorkers their ordered goods, this is a life-changing development.

“This is my full-time job. I get up every day and do this,” says delivery driver Justin Martinez outside the Chick-Fil-A in Washington Heights. 

Martinez, 30, is originally from the Dominican Republic. His commitment to completing deliveries, he explains, is fueled by his love for his family.

“This is my way to contribute. I go out, 9, 10 hours a day, do deliveries, and then I can come home,” he says. Martinez first started driving for Uber in 2019 before transitioning to delivering food for Uber Eats and other apps in 2021. He’s excited for the pay wage increase: “Maybe now, I only [have to] go out for 6 hours.”

-via Reasons to Be Cheerful, June 30, 2023

[transthatmasc]

Day 5: Portrait

Cas gets his phone stuck in portrait mode and asks Dean for help, leading Dean to see the photo he was trying to look at.

on AO3 or below the cut

“My phone won’t turn sideways.”

Dean raised his eyes from the book he had been staring at for almost an hour now.

“What?” Dean raised his eyebrows at the grumpy angel standing over him.

“Dean, my phone won’t turn sideways.” Cas repeated, glaring at Dean, clearly already frustrated since he had resorted to asking for help.

Dean, partly due to a lack of understanding still, partly in hopes of being a little shit, slowly took the phone from Cas’s hand, turning it to the side so that it now lay horizontal in Cas’s palm.

Cas squinted harder, glaring at Dean like he was considering lethal force. “No, Dean. The screen. The picture on the screen won’t spin so it can be bigger and fill up the screen.”

Dean began to laugh heartily, “Cas, is your phone stuck in portrait mode? Let me see it.”

Shoulders still shaking with laughter, he took the phone from Cas’s hand once more. Turning it on and typing in Cas’s passcode, Dean quickly opened up settings to search for orientation lock. Less than thirty seconds later, Dean had resolved the problem and was about to hand the phone back to Cas when he thought to ask, “Wait, what were you trying to look at?”

Cas reached for his phone without answering, only for it to be snatched away as Dean pulled his hand back. “Nuh uh mister, if you have a tech problem, you gotta show it to the tech solution.”

Dean wiggled his eyebrows and bit his lip in an obnoxious attempt at sexiness. Cas flushed, though clearly not in response to Dean’s stupid antics. “I was trying to look at a picture… it’s quite old, so it’s too grainy when I zoom in so I wanted to see it just a little bigger.”

Dean’s face slipped into curious confusion before he returned his eyes to the phone. Opening up the running apps, he swiped back to photos and found a picture he had not seen in a very long time. It was from the night he took Cas to the strip bar when he thought that his conversation with Raphael might mean certain depth. Dean had taken a quick photo of Cas from across the table while they were waiting for their drinks, partially out of fear that it would be the last time he saw him, and partially because the look on his face had just been so priceless. Dean couldn’t remember sending it to Cas, but angels had their ways.

When Dean thought to look back up at Cas again, wrenching himself from his memories, he found Cas looking sheepish with a blush still lingering on his cheeks. “Didn’t I take this photo?” Was all Dean could get out, though he didn’t think it was what he really wanted to ask.

“Yes,” Cas answered slowly, “it was my last night on earth.”

Dean waited for Cas to continue, but when he didn’t, “Why do you like it so much?” Dean didn’t want it to come out harshly, but he thought it did anyway so he kept going. “I mean, I like it cause I had a great time that night, but I don’t remember you particularly enjoying yourself…”

Cas smiled fondly, seemingly able to see the humor of the situation, even if only in hindsight. “I…” He paused, face contorted as he tried to phrase his thoughts appropriately. “I like seeing myself the way you see me. At the time, I had not yet developed a strong connection to this physical form. I have become more fond of it since then, and being human helped ground me in this shape, but still when I think of myself, it is something more akin to my true form. But I like the reminder that, even then, this is what I looked like to you and this is what you think of when you think of me.”

Cas finished his explanation with a resigned smile, having just laid bare his heart, and waited patiently for Dean’s thoughts to catch up.

After a moment, Dean began, “That’s… That’s not what I think of when I think of you.”

Cas’s face dropped and he quickly started to apologize, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to assume that you—“

“No no no, that’s not— you’re more than that.” Dean stopped for a moment and licked his lips hesitantly before resolving himself. “When I think about you that’s the face I see, yeah. And the trench coat and suit. But you’re… I can feel your energy, Cas. You’re bigger than that. I can’t see it, but I can feel you in the whole room. Sometimes I can almost swear I bump into your wings when I walk past you. It’s… your true form is there, I can sense it, even if I can’t see it. But mostly when I think about you, it’s not even what you look like at all. Like, yeah, your face is good and your hair and……. Yeah, but you’re just a cool guy to be around. I think a lot more about how funny you are and what a pain in my ass you are and how kind you are and how much I care about you….” Dean trailed off, blushing as he realized how much further he had gone than he meant to.

Cas smiled broadly, “I see… thank you, Dean.”

Dean chuckled awkwardly, “Yeah bud, don’t worry about it. I wish I could take a picture that had all of you in it to show you what I see.”

“It’s okay Dean, I often wish that I could show you exactly what I see when I look at you. Your soul is beautiful, even if you can’t see it.”

With that, Cas turned to leave, tucking his phone back into the pocket of his trench coat, guiding himself out of the room as Dean gripped the back of the chair next to him and tried not to let his eyes get misty. He wondered how he could be so lucky as to have someone who found him beautiful.

[girlballs]

oh my god i can't zoom in on like 99% of the images on my dash. this new fucking photo thing is straight up bringing me to random posts instead of the image i actually clicked on. great work as usual from the incompetent fucking ghouls that develop this app

[mogwaipoet]

I used to ask Topic Lords guests to record own their audio locally

It was usually not that big a deal but would often create technical difficulties -- counterintuitively, the audio professionals were often the ones with the technical difficulties, because their setups were more involved 😂

There are turnkey solutions to this like Zencastr and Riverside FM. I tried Zencastr once and it shit the bed hard enough that I am leery of any web-based recording solutions.

Nowadays I record on Zoom, using the premium feature to record each guest's voice separately to my local drive, for later mixing. This solves several problems: most people already have or know how to use Zoom, they can even call in from the phone app in a pinch, and Zoom has invested a lot of development effort into making people's voices intelligible with noisy recording setups, so there's an entirely tolerable quality floor with no need for post-production fiddliness. (We do the fiddliness anyway.)

The downside is that the result has the audio quality of a VOIP call. I just recorded an episode with a couple guests who record podcasts on pro audio setups as part of their job, and it kills me that they're going to end up sounding like a 64kbps MP3. If you google for how to improve your Zoom audio quality, you get tips like "get a better microphone" but no matter how good your mic is it's not going to compensate for being transcoded into low-bitrate audio.

Any ideas? I found support threads discussing the hidden checkbox for HD video, but is there one for high quality audio? And if so, does that translate to recording quality, or does it just improve the quality of the call that you hear as it happens?

[pigswithwings]

since art has been brought up what is your process and brushes you use?

the gist of it is: i use my phone, my index finger, and the app IbisPaintX to draw! also my brushes are the Digital Pen and the Fade Watercolor (Opaque). my general process is making sketches and focusing on the energy of a piece, then sticking to that

long stuff and more detailed stuff under the cut... i put a bunch of images in there for reference

overall its not very fancy!! mostly i make art when i feel very inspired by something (which is to say, not super often). i usually start with a very rough sketch which helps me figure out how i want the art to feel. so for example this piece

was originally this sketch

basically the purpose of the super messy sketch is to outline ideas and stuff. i say "i think this would be cool, it looks cool in my head. this is what the finished product should emulate" and then i roll with that. also usually i have multiple sketches based on the same idea, but more often than not there will only be one sketch that i want to work with.

i tend to pick colours based on the feeling of the piece! so for me, the idea of plants gets the colour green, the "i have no mouth and i must scream" art gets a lot of red and orange. it's basically colour associations.

although very simple, my backgrounds tend to be developed around either the concept or the sketch. for the plant one above, i tried to use more flowing shapes in the background to emulate leaves, hills, and vines. for my first few "factory pomo" style pieces i wanted to get a sense of contrast, so i designed the background to be almost split into two colours/two parts, etc.

other examples

you're probably noticing how similar my sketches are to my final pieces. it's basically because i treat sketches like lineart. i pick a sketch and enlarge it so that it takes up most of the frame. then, i set it to a low opacity and draw on the layers underneath it. oftentimes i turn the layers on and off to get a sense of how the whole thing looks, and the finished product will not include the original sketch layer. but a work in progress for me usually looks something like this

it's a whole lot of going back and forth! zooming and out, erasing and redrawing and turning off layers and zooming out again. it can be messy sometimes but i stick to it and enjoy it a lot. i am not always faithful to the sketch, either; i usually add whatever i think looks cool. for the piece above i did Not originally intend to have glitching effects on my sona's body. but then i thought it would be cool to add some!! so i did :]

as for Brushes i work in IbisPaintX and i use this bad boy the Digital Pen (set to various thickness depending on whether i want very small and fine lines or just want to cover a Big Area). its basically just pixels so thats how i usually get very crisp lines!! also you can turn it all the way down to just 1 pixel if you want to be really precise. eraser tool and ruler tool are my best friends. also the Fade Watercolor (Opaque) that is right underneath the Digital Pen is what i use to sketch sometimes.

um hope this helps or satisfies your curiousity!! yeah. not a formal tutorial to my art or anything, this is just how i do it. which is in a silly way

[realinspirations]

27 Must-Have Productivity Apps for Entrepreneurs

 Entrepreneurs are usually looking for methods to maximise their time and performance. Whether you're coping with initiatives, collaborating with a group, or truly trying to stay organized, the right productiveness apps could make all the distinction. Here are some of the quality productiveness apps for marketers in 2024, categorized with the aid of their capabilities.

Best productivity apps for busy entrepreneurs

Task and Project Management Apps

1. Trello

Trello is a visually attractive and consumer-friendly venture control device that uses a board-and-card machine to help you arrange obligations. It lets in you to create distinctive forums for numerous tasks, set due dates, and collaborate along with your team in actual time. Trello’s drag-and-drop functionality makes coping with projects convenient.

2. Asana

Asana is an exceptional preference for marketers managing more than one projects right away. It helps song obligations, assign obligations, and set time limits. With a established list or board view, Asana guarantees that not anything falls thru the cracks.

Three. Monday.Com

Monday.Com is an all-in-one paintings running device that provides customizable workflows, automation, and integrations. Entrepreneurs can track mission development, manage their group’s workload, and automate repetitive responsibilities, making it an invaluable tool for productivity.

Time Management Apps

four. Toggl Track

Toggl Track is an tremendous app for monitoring the time spent on one of a kind duties and projects. Entrepreneurs can use it to pick out where their time is going, enhance productivity, and make sure they're billing customers accurately.

5. RescueTime

RescueTime facilitates you recognize your each day behavior with the aid of monitoring how a lot time you spend on numerous apps and web sites. It offers insights into your most effective hours and offers features like computerized time tracking and aim setting.

6. Clockify

Clockify is some other extraordinary time-monitoring device, especially for entrepreneurs running with groups. It presents specific reviews on work hours and productivity, making it simpler to manage tasks efficaciously.

Note-Taking and Documentation Apps

7. Evernote

Evernote is a powerful be aware-taking app that lets in entrepreneurs to put in writing thoughts, clip internet pages, and prepare thoughts into notebooks. With a sturdy search feature and the ability to sync throughout devices, Evernote is a must-have for business proprietors who need to preserve music in their ideas.

8. Notion

Notion is a flexible workspace that mixes observe-taking, task control, databases, and collaboration tools. Entrepreneurs can create dashboards, record processes, and collaborate with their crew in a single platform.

9. OneNote

Microsoft OneNote is some other superb notice-taking device with a virtual notebook interface. It’s exceptional for marketers who decide on a extra conventional, paper-like experience at the same time as taking notes.

Communication and Collaboration Apps

10. Slack

Slack is a famous communication device that makes group collaboration seamless. With channels, direct messages, and integrations with different equipment like Trello and Google Drive, Slack guarantees that conversation stays green and prepared.

Eleven. Microsoft Teams

For marketers the use of Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams is an notable alternative for conversation and collaboration. It gives chat, video conferencing, and file sharing, making far off teamwork easy.

12. Zoom

Zoom is the cross-to video conferencing device for entrepreneurs who need to host meetings, webinars, and virtual events. With notable video and audio, display screen sharing, and recording options, Zoom is a need to-have.

Finance and Accounting Apps

13. QuickBooks

QuickBooks is one of the fine accounting software program for entrepreneurs. It allows song earnings and fees, manage invoices, and generate financial reports, making it easier to address enterprise finances.

14. FreshBooks

FreshBooks is another extraordinary accounting device, mainly for freelancers and small commercial enterprise proprietors. It gives invoicing, expense monitoring, and time tracking functions, making sure easy economic control.

15. Wave

Wave is a free accounting and invoicing tool designed for marketers and small business owners. It’s brilliant for managing coins drift without incurring excessive prices.

Automation and Workflow Apps

sixteen. Zapier

Zapier is an automation tool that connects extraordinary apps to create workflows, saving entrepreneurs hours of manual paintings. With Zapier, you can automate responsibilities like sending emails, updating spreadsheets, and managing consumer data.

17. IFTTT

IFTTT (If This Then That) permits entrepreneurs to create automation between special apps and devices. For instance, you could automate social media posting or set reminders primarily based on certain triggers.

Marketing and Social Media Management Apps

19. Buffer

Buffer is a social media scheduling device that lets in entrepreneurs to devise and put up posts throughout one of a kind systems. It also presents analytics to assist song engagement and overall performance.

20. Hootsuite

 Hootsuite is every other effective social media control device that helps agenda posts, display brand mentions, and analyze social media overall performance.

21. Canva

Canva is a photograph layout tool that allows marketers to create marketing substances, social media posts, and displays without difficulty. With customizable templates and drag-and-drop features, it simplifies the design technique.

Cloud Storage and File Management Apps

22. Google Drive

Google Drive presents stable cloud storage and smooth record sharing. Entrepreneurs can store, get right of entry to, and collaborate on files, spreadsheets, and shows in real time.

23. Dropbox

Dropbox is some other cloud garage solution that makes it easy to save and share documents securely with a crew. It integrates with various productiveness apps to streamline workflows.

24. OneDrive

For marketers using Microsoft products, OneDrive is an splendid cloud storage solution that seamlessly integrates with Office apps.

Mindfulness and Focus Apps

25. Headspace

Entrepreneurship can be stressful, and Headspace facilitates entrepreneurs exercise mindfulness and meditation to live targeted and reduce strain.

26. Forest

Forest is a focal point app that encourages marketers to stay off their phones by means of growing a digital tree at the same time as they work. If they go away the app, the tree dies—motivating them to live focused.

27. Noisli

Noisli provides heritage sounds to enhance cognizance and productivity. Whether you opt for white noise, rain sounds, or a coffee store atmosphere, Noisli facilitates create the proper paintings environment.

[bourbon-ontherocks]

So. Remember when I did this? Time for the results!

I'm very saddened to announce that we didn't get a bingo this year... More or less honest justification under the cut

Someone magically solves a case by zooming in on CCTV footage: they made infinite zooming on the 702 banner photo

An excruciating finale: 😭😭

At least two very obvious fanfic tropes: dating app, accidental love confession, not dating when everyone thinks you do, "just as friends", do I need to keep going?

Pardo does something very shippy: basically everything he did this season??

TUTOIEMENT: He didn't know it was her but it counts!

The Monet theme plays: I forgot when but it does, trust me

The Van Gogh theme plays: Oh I did not forget when 🫠

Someone leaves the OCBC: Uh, what happened to Greg? And Youssouf? (And Hugo BTW?)

Therapist meltdown: why do you think Florence's therapist has vanished? Also, Juliette is kind of a therapist now and she kind of has a meltdown, no?

A dead painter makes fun of Florence: have you met Botticelli?

Someone reminds Florence that she's alone: HAVE YOU MET BOTTICELLI???

Adèle gets some character development: she crafts earrings and enjoys gossiping. That's not nothing!

Where is my hug? Where is my shirtless scene? Why is Juliette stuck in the past instead of happily married to Nathalie? Where is my kiss? Where is my dream?? How come nobody got abducted this year? 😭😭😭

Hopefully we'll get more luck next season...

[barananduen-blog]

Sights from the drama & filming location, from local tourism office [Source] 🔊Sound on for the drama's cute "walking music"🔊

"BELL RINGING" - REVIEW

This drama performed extremely well, reaching #1 in viewership among currently airing short dramas and remaining in the top 2 spots through its entire run. Due to its good results, it stopped being only a webdrama and was broadcast on Chinese national TV and satellite TV as well! 🎉IMO, these accolades are very well deserved!

Plot Premise: The story takes place in Silver Bell Island, pastoral and peaceful with a hint of magic. Chi Ye, who, near the beginning of the story becomes the island's mayor, harbors a secret that none but his assistant know: he is immortal and has lived for hundreds of years, awaiting the return of his beloved, Shen Qi, for whom he made a sacrifice that not even he fully understands the depths of.

Present-day Shen Qi is a happy and carefree young woman, well loved by the community. She plans events and takes care of everyone, as they took care of her when she first arrived at the island. One day, she meets Chi Ye and falls in love at first sight, but, inexplicably, he always makes himself scarce around her. Thus begins her plan to "chase and capture" the reclusive Chi Ye.

✅Recommend! ✅Beautiful visuals, camerawork, etc. ✅Well-written, good flow and pacing ✅Interesting story ✅Good acting from almost all cast ✅Combination of ancient/modern was fun ✅Good characterization despite short length

❌It would have been nice if the second couple was developed more, but this was probably due to time restraints; it would have required a longer drama.

📺Where to watch: MangoTV website/app or MangoTV's official YouTube channels ("MangoTV Drama" and the language-specific channels)

Review (No Spoilers)

I was very impressed with this drama. It was very well written and the production and direction were excellent. Definitely one of my two favorite shorts/minis.

The writers managed the time restraints really well - I haven't read the novel it's based on, and yet I didn't feel like I missed anything at all for comprehension. I really, really liked how it's written like a long movie instead of a series of short episodes. In this sense, it's like a full-length drama, but shorter. This makes it stand out from among other short dramas: the flow is excellent, the plot and the two main characters have depth to them; so you do not get that feeling of superficiality that you see in most mini dramas.

The visuals also stand out. Despite being a modern drama, it has a magical, fairy-like feeling, with soft colors and lighting, rural and village scenery, lots of flowers (LOTS OF FLOWERS!). The camerawork impressed me, because the panning and zooming made even still scenes (like when the couple is just lying in bed) feel very dynamic, while contributing to mood and ambiance. Lots of people have described the drama's visual ambiance as "refreshing" and "healing," and I feel that's correct. The video above really shows a good sample of the feeling you get while watching the drama.

That said, plotwise, this is a very emotional show, and I think the juxtaposition of the peaceful scenes and the emotional turmoil was performed flawlessly. Life and death and fighting against fate are major themes, and the actors really make you feel for the characters.

The main story is set in the present time, with flashbacks to 500 years ago sprinkled throughout. The switching between the two time periods is done very well, and is neither obtrusive nor confusing. The viewer discovers and peels layers of what happened in tribal times as the characters themselves do. This layering is an integral part of the plot, and was written and executed very well.

Storytelling, camerawork, and post-processing filters come together seamlessly once again to create mood in the scenes leading up toward the end. The ending itself is very well written, too, and manages the viewers' feelings well.

Trivia: I forgot to add that voices are everyone's own and were recorded on-location, while filming the action. Recording studio work was limited to when characters were "thinking" and things like that.

[reesisserrano]

 “How ICT helped you at home, in school and in communicating with people”

In numerous aspects of daily life, including communication with others and at home and school, ICT (information and communication technology) is essential. ICT can be useful in the following ways in each of these areas:

1. At home Information Access: Information about interesting subjects is easier to obtain thanks to ICT. People may study items, read news, find recipes, and pick up new skills online. Entertainment: A variety of entertainment alternatives, such as streaming music and movies and playing online games, are made possible by ICT. Organization: ICT technologies that aid in time management and task, bill, and reminder organization include calendars, to-do list applications, and virtual assistants. Online Shopping: Time is saved and convenience is added when shopping and using services like groceries thanks to ICT.

ICT (Information and Communication Technology) plays a vital role in various aspects of daily life, from home and school to communication with others. Here’s how ICT can help in each of these areas: 2. In School Enhanced Learning: ICT tools like educational websites, digital textbooks, and interactive software enhance understanding. Platforms like Google Classroom, Zoom, and other learning management systems make it easy for teachers to share resources and engage students in virtual settings. Research: ICT provides access to a vast amount of online academic materials and resources, making it easier for students to complete assignments and projects. Collaboration: ICT fosters collaboration among students, enabling them to work together on projects using shared documents and online tools. Skill Development: Familiarity with ICT tools prepares students for technology-driven workplaces, giving them a competitive edge in their future careers.

3. In Communication Instant Connectivity: ICT tools like email, messaging apps, and video calls help people stay connected with family and friends, regardless of distance. Social Networking: Social media platforms allow people to build networks, share life events, and maintain connections with friends, family, and professional contacts. Work Communication: ICT enables remote working and collaboration through tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom, which is especially valuable for productivity and efficiency. Language Translation: ICT tools like Google Translate help people communicate across language barriers, making global communication more accessible.