Victoria Fox's Blog, page 165
December 11, 2023
How To Create Your Own Android Widgets
Smartphones are no longer a part of our lives — they are an extension. Android devices, in particular, have long been celebrated for their unparalleled customizability. While Apple has made strides in recent iOS versions, introducing features like home screen widgets and customizable app icons, Android still holds the crown when it comes to flexibility.
One such feature on Android is the ability to add widgets to your home screen. These widgets act as dynamic shortcuts, providing instant access to information or functions from your favorite apps. Think of a weather widget offering live updates or a calendar widget keeping you informed about your day — all without navigating through various menus.
But the customization options on Android don’t stop there. You can take things a step further by creating your own widgets and here’s the good news: It’s made easy with widget builder apps. Some of the best Android launchers even come with built-in widget builders or integrate seamlessly with them, giving you the tools to unleash your creativity.
If your launcher happens to lack these features, there’s no need to worry. The Play Store has a variety of user-friendly widget-builder apps ready for download that put the power of personalization right at your fingertips, ensuring that your Android experience is uniquely tailored to your preferences and style.
Create your own widgets using a widget builder
SlashGear/Zainab Falak While there are several free widget builders available to download in the Google Play Store, the most popular option is the KWGT Kustom Widget Maker which stands out for its simplicity.
Here is how to use it:
Download KWGT using Google Play Store.Go to your home screen and long-press on an empty space. A customization menu will appear.Select “Widgets” and scroll down to find the KWGT widgets.Drag the widget size that you want to your home screen. You can resize it later by long-pressing on it and dragging the corners.Tap on the widget to open the KWGT app and click “Create”. It will show you a blank canvas where you can create your widget.Tap on the plus icon in the top-right corner to add a new element to your widget. You can choose from text, image, shape, progress, and more.Tap on the element that you added to customize it. You can change its size, position, color, font, and more.Add more elements to your widget by repeating the steps above.When you are happy with your widget design, tap on the save icon in the top-right corner. You will see your widget on your home screen.If you want your widget to do something when you tap on it, such as opening an app or playing music, tap on the touch tab in the KWGT app. You can choose from different actions that you can assign to your widget.Make the most out of your Android widgets
Knighturnal/Shutterstock Creating your own Android widgets is a fun way to customize your home screen. But how can you make the most out of your widgets and enhance your Android experience? Here are some tips that you should know:
Arrange your widgets smartly. If you have multiple widgets on your home screen, place them according to how often you use them. Put the widgets that you use frequently where they are easy to reach and see. Use a launcher that supports widget customization. Some Android launchers offer more options to customize your widgets, such as resizing, theming, and gestures. For example, you can use Nova Launcher or Action Launcher to change the look and feel of your widgets and add some extra functionality. You might also find their APK versions available for download, but you must know how to install APK files safely for that. Keep a consistent theme for your widgets. If you want your home screen to look neat and stylish, you might want to match your widgets with your overall theme. You can use KWGT to create widgets that fit your wallpaper, icons, and colors.If you’re transitioning between devices or wish to share your personalized widgets with others, you can transfer the widgets using the KWGT app. Simply select your preferred widget and choose Export Preset to save it on your device. Transfer it to your other device and then on that device, create a new widget using KWGT, tap on the menu, and choose Import Widgets.It is best to experiment with different styles, themes, and layouts until you find what suits you best. It is important to note that complex widgets with extensive animations, graphics, or interactive elements may consume more resources and impact the battery life.
5 Of The Best-Reviewed Laptops Available At Costco, Ranked
Finally, we have the only true gaming laptop to receive a five out of five from Costco: the Lenovo LOQ 15.6-inch. The computer operates using a 13th-generation Intell i5-13420H. This CPU is less powerful than the i7s used by the LG laptops, but the Lenovo is the only computer on this list to have its own dedicated graphics card, which makes a big difference when it comes to gaming. The LOQ comes equipped with an NVIDIA RTX 2050. This is far from the most powerful GPU on the market, with only 4GB of GDDR6 VRAM, but it’s still nothing to sniff at. It has about the same relative performance as a GTX 1650, a Radeon RX 6400, or an Arc A380, making it perfectly capable of playing a vast majority of current video games on medium settings. It performs much better than the integrated graphics chips used by the other laptops on this list, and dedicated graphics are also traditionally better for tasks like video editing and graphic design.
The Lenovo only has a 1080p display, though it does have a 144Hz refresh rate, making it an excellent candidate for FPS games that require high frame rates. It comes with 16GB of DDR5 RAM, 512GB NVMe storage, WiFi 6, and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. That might seem like kind of a mixed bag, but it’s also worth noting that the Lenovo LOQ is the cheapest laptop on this list by a considerable margin.
Omidyar Network to pull out of India market
Omidyar Network, backed by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, plans to shut down its India operations, two sources familiar with the matter told TechCrunch, in a stunning development for the impact venture firm that has backed nearly 75 startups in the South Asian market.
TechCrunch couldn’t determine why Omidyar had decided to pull from the Indian market, a development that was shared with the local team Monday, a source familiar with the matter said, requesting anonymity as the matter is private.
The firm didn’t respond to a request for comment Monday. Some of its partners in India also didn’t respond. After the publication of the story, Omidyar Network confirmed it won’t be making any more investments in India but didn’t say what happens to the local staff.
“Having achieved our primary objective of catalysing impact, Omidyar Network India will not be making any further investments in India,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.
Omidyar Network aimed to back startups in India that, at least on paper, were solving problems faced by half a billion people. Its portfolio startups includes 1mg, Bounce, Bijak, DealShare, Doubtnut, Entri, HealthKart, Indifi, M2P, and Pratilipi.
2023 has been a rough year for the Omidyar Network India team. Doubtnut, a startup which raised more than $50 million, sold for $10 million this month. And ZestMoney, once valued at nearly $450 million, also announced that it was shutting down.
Philippe Starck Unveils Futuristic Hydrogen Refueling Station At COP28
Renowned French designer Philippe Starck has collaborated with HRS, a leading European designer and manufacturer of hydrogen stations, to create an innovative hydrogen refueling station. Revealed at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, the design emphasizes a futuristic and nearly invisible aesthetic, aiming to underscore the “nothingness” of hydrogen, a colorless gas that serves as an alternative to traditional fossil fuels.
The HRS by Starck features a mirror-polished stainless-steel casing and dichroic glass, contributing to its futuristic appearance. Starck intends to dematerialize the design, making it unobtrusive and drawing attention to the transparent nature of hydrogen. The dispenser is contained within a polished stainless-steel box with a dichroic-treated glass panel, creating a subtle color-changing effect.
Designed to be modular and scalable, HRS’s high-capacity refueling stations can dispense hydrogen gas for a variety of vehicles, including cars, HGVs, buses, boats, trains, and construction machinery. The stations are filled with highly compressed hydrogen gas, stored and cooled to be dispensed through outlet points, accommodating two pressure settings (350 bar and 700 bar) for compatibility with various vehicles.
Starck describes HRS by Starck as “elegant and intelligent energy” in service of hydrogen, designed to serve both people and the future. The prototype is expected to be operational in 2024, with the dispensers installed at various locations across Europe.
Hydrogen is increasingly viewed as a crucial alternative to fossil fuels due to its potential to deliver efficient, lower-carbon, and affordable energy at scale.
The versatility of hydrogen power is demonstrated in various applications, including vehicles, aircraft, and retrofitted transportation systems. Starck’s collaboration with HRS represents a step towards promoting hydrogen as a clean energy source, with a focus on innovative and aesthetically pleasing design.
Filed in Green. Read more about Eco (environment) and Hydrogen.
The 6 Most Overlooked Exotic Cars Of The 00s
Although Audi has produced its share of high-performance machines in its more than 100 years in business, the four interlocking rings are not the first badge that comes to mind when the subject of exotic cars comes up. Until the early 2000s, Audi focused largely on cranking out reliable sedans, coupes, and wagons while also dedicating significant resources to its motorsports program.
That began to change in 1998 when the Volkswagen Group paid more than $100 million to acquire Lamborghini. Soon after, Audi sought to capitalize on its success at Le Mans by introducing the Le Mans Quattro concept car at the 2003 Frankfurt Auto Show. That concept merged with the R8 race car that had won the 24 Hours of Le Mans every year from 2000 through 2002; the new model debuted at the 2006 Paris Auto Show.
Little was changed between the concept Le Mans Quattro and the production version R8, except that the concept car’s twin-turbo V10 engine was swapped out for a naturally aspirated 4.2 liter V8 that put out 414 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. The 2007 R8 could go from zero-to-60 mph in 4.3 seconds and had a top speed of 187 mph.
In 2009, Audi added those two cylinders back to the R8’s engine, replacing the V8 with a 5.2-liter V10 that shaved nearly a half second off the R8’s zero-to-60 time and boosted the top speed to 196 mph. A lighter and more powerful R8 came in 2011, and Audi released a GT edition in 2023 with a 602 horsepower engine, rear-wheel drive, and a seven-speed automatic transmission.
‘CM Vijayan sending people to hurt me physically,’ says Kerala Governor
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan has alleged that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is sending these people to hurt him physically. Khan said that his vehicle was hit with hands by members of SFI (Students Federation of India) and DYFI (Democratic Youth Federation of India) on both sides after being surrounded by them on Monday.
“It is the CM, he is conspiring and he is sending these people to hurt me physically. The constitution seems to be collapsing. The collapse of the constitutional machinery cannot be allowed,” Kerala Governor said.
He added, “Today the ‘gundas’ are trying to rule the roads of Thiruvananthapuram. When they came, I stopped my car and I got down (from my car). Why have they fled? What have I done? Because I do not wish to be pressurised by their tactics, therefore they are trying to threaten me. They are trying to scare me. I am not the person to take things lightly”.
‘Kerala passing through huge financial crisis’: State govt tells HC
Khan also accused the state police of colluding with them under the direction of the Chief Minister.
“They came before my car. They hit my car from both sides. I got down. Will they allow anyone to come near the car of the Chief Minister? Police knew them but what can the police do when the CM is directing them? When I got down they all got into their jeeps and they ran away,” Governor Khan said.
Kerala government to set up ₹200 crore graphene production facility
Meanwhile, BJP State President K Surendran condemned the alleged attempt to manhandle the Kerala Governor by the members of the student and youth organisations of Vijayan’s party.
“SFI and DYFI criminals tried to manhandle Governor Arif Mohammad Khan in Trivandrum City yesterday and today,” Surendran said.
Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has been facing protests from these organisations of the ruling party over the university appointment issue.
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Published: 12 Dec 2023, 11:00 AM IST
Topics You May Be Interested InHere’s exactly how to use your iPhone as a white noise sound machine
Concentrate, fall asleep, and block out distractions for free with these great iPhone apps.
By Doug Aamoth2 minute ReadThanks to smartphones, the days of lugging around a sound machine on your travels to help soothe frazzled nerves at the end of the day have been over for quite some time.
That said, there’s an almost endless collection of iPhone white-noise apps available on Apple’s App Store—some are great, while most leave more than a bit to be desired.
If you’re looking for great ones, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s a handful of worthy contenders to check out.
iPhone Background SoundsFirst things first: You don’t need to pay for a white noise generator. There’s already a free, built-in collection of white noise sounds on your iPhone called “Background Sounds” that you can use.
It’s not an app, per se, and can be a bit difficult to find. You can access it by going to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual > Background Sounds.
From there, you’ve got access to a small collection of sounds: rain, stream, ocean, balanced noise, bright noise, and dark noise.
Now, let’s look at some of the best third-party white-noise generating apps.
myNoiseNot content to simply overpower unwanted sounds around you, myNoise includes 10 frequency-based sliders meant to help block out noise without your having to crank up the volume.
The app offers 20 freebie sounds, plus there’s an entire website featuring all the available sounds to use from your browser.
For a one-time payment of $20, you can get all the app’s sounds unlocked, which adds extras, including alarms, timers, and AirPlay streaming.
advertisementDeep Sleep SoundsLooking for everyday white noise? Take Deep Sleep Sounds for a spin. The free version of the app offers up such classics as Vacuum Cleaner, Air Conditioner, Cat Purring, among others. You can mix multiple sounds together as well.
There’s also a premium version, starting at $6 per month, that adds enhanced sounds, unlimited playback (the free version shuts off after eight hours), and a collection of ASMR audio clips.
Portal—Immersive EscapesIf you thought white noise was an audio-only affair, think again. The innovative Portal app pairs serene sounds with lifelike visuals from peaceful corners of the world.
The app features programs for working, unwinding, and sleeping—and even offers compatibility with Philips Hue and Nanoleaf smart lighting.
The free version offers a handful of experiences while the premium version (starting at $10 per month or $50 per year) unlocks all 80-plus portals.
BetterSleepIf better sleep is literally what you’re after, check out the BetterSleep app. With a customizable sound library of more than 300 sounds and music tracks, it also offers more than 250 meditations, hypnosis sessions, and stories to help put you to sleep.
Also, there’s an easy-to-use sleep tracker as well as sleep recording features.
The app has a free version with limited features or is available to unlock for $10 per month or $60 per year.
Amazon loses second AWS India and South Asia top exec in less than a year
Vaishali Kasture, the executive Amazon appointed as the interim head of AWS India and South Asia, has quit the firm, a source familiar with the matter told TechCrunch, merely seven months into the top role.
Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment by email and phone. Amazon counts India as one of its key markets for AWS, which has aggressively courted hundreds of thousands of companies in India as well as onboarded many government undertakings.
The e-commerce giant announced plans to invest $12.7 billion into its cloud business in India by 2030.
Kasture, who joined Amazon about five years ago, served as the interim leader of commercial business at AWS India and South Asia starting in June this year. A reason for her departure couldn’t be learned.
She was elevated to the role after Puneet Chandok abruptly quit the firm, jumping ship to assume the top position at Microsoft India. Up until two weeks ago, Kasture had been enthusiastic and optimistic about the growth prospects and momentum of Amazon Web Services in India.
“Our total planned investments in India will be more than $16.4 billion or 1.36 lakh crores by 2030, and we expect this to contribute $23 billion to India’s GDP by then,” she wrote in a LinkedIn post.
“In addition to investments in infrastructure and services, we are also investing in people and skilling and AWS has trained over 4 million people in India through various education and training programs.”
December 10, 2023
The Story Behind Norman Reedus’ Custom Indian Sport Chief Motorcycle
Yaniv Evan spent roughly four months overhauling the Indian Sport Chief for Norman Reedus. After showing the actor the finished product, Evan proudly declared, “I made sure this thing doesn’t leave here looking the same,” further noting he felt the vehicle proudly epitomized the spirit of both Powerplant and Reedus.
“The Boondock Saints” star agreed, proclaiming in the Indian Motorcycle Reveal video, “It’s so custom to me… I’m totally in love with it.” Badass upgrades aside, the bike was not built just for looks, and after the unveiling, Reedus, Evans, and Carey Hart promptly grabbed their helmets and set off for a ride through the streets of Los Angeles, with the actor noting of the Indian, “It fits and handles perfectly. It sounds sick.”
As Reedus continues, he admits the bike is all the more special to him as he’d never owned or even ridden an Indian motorcycle before, clearly reveling in now being a part of the company’s fabled history. Given Reedus’ celebrity status, it seems only fitting he rode an Indian for the first time with the cameras rolling. It’s probably just a matter of time before the custom-built Sport Chief gets another Hollywood-styled close-up on Reedus’ “Ride.”
Elon Musk brings Alex Jones and Infowars back on X after user poll
Elon Musk has restored the X accounts of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his media site Infowars. The X accounts of Jones and Infowars were “permanently banned” from Twitter by the previous management in 2018 for posting abusive content and violating the platform’s rules.
Musk ran a user poll on X on December 9 asking whether it was appropriate to bring Alex Jones back to the platform. Nearly 2 million people voted, with about 70% saying Jones’ account should be restored. Hours after the poll ended, the company reactivated Jones’ account. The Infowars account had also been restored at the time of publication.
Reinstate Alex Jones on this platform?
Vox Populi, Vox Dei.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 9, 2023
After Musk posted the poll, he agreed with a user calling permanent account bans “antithetical to free speech.” Musk said, “I find it hard to disagree with this point.”
I find it hard to disagree with this point
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 9, 2023
When a user pointed out concerns about misinformation on the platform as a result of restoring Jones’ account, Musk pointed to Community Notes and said those part of that program will “respond rapidly to any AJ post that needs correction.”
It is a safe bet that Community Notes will respond rapidly to any AJ post that needs correction
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 10, 2023
Jones has been infamous for peddling conspiracies about the Sandy Hook school shooting, which took place in 2012 and claimed 28 lives. The conspiracy theorist was sued, and had to take a stand in court for purporting that the shooting was staged. A court in Connecticut ordered Jones to pay $1.5 billion in damages last year.
Musk’s move comes amid X struggling to maintain some of the largest advertisers on the platform. Notable companies including Apple, Disney, and IBM stopped ad spending on the social network after Musk called an antisemitic theory the “actual truth.”
He later offered a clarification and apologized for his comment and called it “foolish.” But he wasn’t pleased with those who had stopped adverting on X. At the DealBook conference, Tesla CEO told advertisers to “go fuck yourself” during a conversation with journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin.
“If somebody’s going to try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money? Go fuck yourself,” Musk said. “Go. Fuck. Yourself. Is that clear?”
He also called out Disney’s Bog Iger, who also spoke at the conference. In the same interview, Musk said the advertising boycott was going to “kill the company” and those boycotting would be responsible for the firm’s eventual death.
Restoring accounts of Jones and Infowars may raise more eyebrows and irk advertisers and others monitoring hate speech. Responding to a user, the X owner admitted that the restoration could be bad for the platform financially but “principles matter more than money.”
I vehemently disagree with what he said about Sandy Hook, but are we a platform that believes in freedom of speech or are we not?
That is what it comes down to in the end. If the people vote him back on, this will be bad for 𝕏 financially, but principles matter more than money.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 9, 2023
After Musk took over X, he has restored many controversial figures including singer Kanye West, former U.S. President Donald Trump, far-right influencer Andrew Tate, and right-wing academic Jordan Peterson.
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