Category: Tech

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Tech

How to Choose the Perfect Smartphone for You

Photo by ROBIN WORRALL on Unsplash

Everybody has a smartphone nowadays, but unfortunately, not everyone knows how to use such a device properly. That’s because a lot of smartphone users don’t know how to benefit from the best of what such a device has to offer, while others use it in abusive ways in the middle of a conversation or at the cinema.

There are thousands of smartphone brands and models out there, and these handy little gadgets become more and more powerful every year. While it’s impossible to predict with absolute certainty what the future of smartphones will look like, we can still focus on what we have in the present.

Figuring out which is the right smartphone for you can surely be intimidating, considering that there are more brands and models out there than there are stars in the Universe. But don’t lose hope, as we’re here to help:

Establish your priorities

Before you go ahead and explore the vast world of smartphone offers, take some time and consider what you want and need from such a device. Do you like to take lots of photos? Are you into mobile gaming? Are you more interested in processing power, above all else? Do you want to open numerous web pages and navigate across the depths of the internet? Depending on what matters most to you, you should choose the smartphone that suits your needs the best.

If, for instance, you want your future smartphone to navigate through the internet a lot so that you can read a lot of cool articles from websites such as billionaire.com, it means that it’s paramount to choose a device with lots of RAM power. If mobile gaming is your thing, on the other hand, you should definitely buy a smartphone that has great hardware power in all areas: RAM, CPU, GPU, and storage space.

Screen size and display

Most smartphones nowadays have large displays, but not everybody likes the idea of maneuvering such huge screens. Don’t worry, as there’s something for everyone out there! You can simply choose a smartphone that has a smaller display, such as the iPhone SE line of devices. Those gadgets are small and compact, offering some of the fastest processing speeds on the market.

On the other hand, plenty of smartphones nowadays come equipped with the so-called one-hand mode. This is a very useful functionality that will simply make the entire content from the display smaller in order to allow you to use the phone with just one hand. As a result, it doesn’t matter anymore if your phone’s display will be larger than you can handle as long as the one-hand mode is there to save the day!

Battery life

Let’s face it: being forced to carry a charger with you each time you leave the house is indeed very unpleasant, which is why taking the battery life of your future phone into account is also paramount. Lots of smartphones nowadays come with impressive battery power, as it can make the device last for even two days after a single full charge. Of course, these phones are usually more expensive than the rest, but it’s definitely worth investing a bit more for better quality.

Budget

Surely, you cannot buy the smartphone of your dreams if you don’t have enough money. You cannot get your hands on one for free, either, as generosity is in nobody’s trait list. Therefore, you need to have a budget prepared before you go out there and start looking for your next smartphone. If you’re aiming for premium devices such as the latest flagships from Samsung, Huawei, or Apple, you will have to spend around 1,000 euros for such a device. Midrange phones, on the other hand, cost around half that amount. If you can be satisfied with what an entry-level phone has to offer, you can get one at even 100 bucks.

Looking for the smartphone you wish for doesn’t necessarily have to be stressful, as the internet is loaded with information to help you get the best option for you.

 

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Tech

Is It Still Worth Learning Programming Amid the Rise of ChatGPT?

Photo by James Harrison on Unsplash

Artificial Intelligent (AI) tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT have taken over in the latest months for many of us, as too many people prefer to use them to get their work done faster and easier. ChatGPT can easily “spit out” lines of code for an entire app if you ask it, as long as you are as specific as possible.

As a result, it was only a matter of time until people started to wonder if it’s still worth learning to code when we have ChatGPT to do it for us. Coding indeed requires a lot of work and intellectual effort, and even so, not even the best programmers on the planet can’t get completely away from writing bad lines of code. So, is it still worth learning to code?

Yes, definitely!

Learning to write programming code is still worth it, even amid the rise of AI tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot. First of all, learning to code, regardless of the programming language you want, will help you understand a lot more about how technology in general and apps in particular work. Each and every app on the internet, including webpages and video games, which are still apps, at least technically speaking, were built using programming code such as PHP, JavaScript, Python, C++, and so on. Learning to code can definitely make you understand those apps’ structures. You can thus grant inspiration to build new apps and have all the freedom in the world to modify them as you wish.

Programming gives you “God-like” powers

If you’ve ever tried programming and coding, you know very well the great sensation of “God-like” powers that such an activity can give you. It allows you to build entire apps or games from scratch, using nothing else but a text editor such as Notepad++ or Sublime Text 3. Building an app using nothing else but your own knowledge cannot possibly leave you unmoved, and learning programming gives you the perfect opportunity to delight yourself with “God-like” creative powers.

On the other hand, AI tools such as ChatGPT can definitely rob you of the creative powers and satisfaction that only learning to code can give you. Usually, it’s the hardest things in life that are also the most satisfying, and that definitely applies to a programming career.

Problem-solving skills

While programming focuses on learning a coding language such as JavaScript, Python, PHP, or Java, it can also be used to open a broader perspective for you. Such an activity can definitely teach you how to break down complex problems into smaller and more manageable tasks. You don’t have to be the reincarnation of Einstein to realize that this can be a skill that is applicable across various domains and is essential for numerous professions.

Developing AI

Did you know that if you’re interested in AI, learning programming can be a fundamental step? That’s because understanding programming languages, data structures, and algorithms is crucial when it comes to developing AI systems.

Ultimately, we need to remember that even though AI tools such as ChatGPT can perform specific tasks, it cannot be a one-size-fits-all solution. There are plenty of tasks and applications where traditional programming is still needed and more efficient.

Programming skills remain in high demand across various industries. Whether you’re interested in data science, software development, cybersecurity, or many other domains, programming can open up numerous career opportunities.

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Games Tech

Master the Road: Top Apps and Video Games to Learn Driving Skills

Photo by Samuele Errico Piccarini on Unsplash

Learning how to drive a car can be one of the most pleasant experiences a man can have in life. While we should do it only under the guidance of a professional, there are plenty of apps and games out there that can help us practice driving a car even more in a virtual environment and from the comfort of our own house.

While there’s nothing like the real deal of actually driving a car in the real world, games and apps can grant you that level of comfort resulting from the fact that there’s no risk involved. Let’s check out a few of the best games and apps that simulate the driving experience:

Driving Academy – Car School Driver Simulator 2020

Available for Android and iOS devices, Driving Academy – Car School Driver Simulator 2020 has a comprehensive driving simulation experience to offer, as it allows users to practice various road signs, driving maneuvers, and plenty of traffic rules in a realistic virtual environment. There are multiple levels and challenges to consider, as this simulator can be a great choice for both beginners and experienced drivers alike.

City Car Driving

City Car Driving is a realistic driving simulator, and it was built for PC users. This simulator offers a wide range of vehicles and environments to explore. While using City Car Driving, players have the freedom to hone their skills in various driving conditions, as the simulator offers advanced driving physics and customizable settings. There are lots of types of streets to explore, from rural highways to urban streets.

Forza Horizon 4

Even though it is primarily known as a racing game, Forza Horizon 4, which is exclusive to Xbox One consoles and PCs, can offer a realistic driving experience due to its open-world environment and dynamic weather system. As a player, you can explore the virtual countryside of Britain, obey the traffic laws, and also participate in numerous driving challenges and events.

iRacing

iRacing, a game that is available exclusively for PC, is usually aimed at those who are racing enthusiasts. However, this game offers high-fidelity driving simulation with cars and tracks from the real world. iRacing has a strong focus on realism and competitive multiplayer racing, and it provides an immersive experience for those who want to improve their driving skills and racecraft.

Car Parking Multiplayer

Car Parking Multiplayer is a multiplayer mobile game that focuses on parking skills, exactly as its name suggests. Therefore, this simulator offers realistic car physics and a wide variety of parking challenges. As a player, you can choose to either practice alone in a free-roam mode or bring your buddies along and compete against one another.

Dr. Driving

Available for Android and iOS devices, Dr. Driving has been downloaded more than 100 million times, and there’s no wonder why. This is a popular driving simulation game that adds a focus on realistic driving physics and traffic scenarios. Players have the chance to practice city driving, parking, and highway cruising while they complete missions and earn rewards.

Surely, the best way to simulate driving a car is to also grab a gamepad steering wheel and use it for one of the games/apps mentioned above! However, nothing beats the real deal of actually driving a car in the real world!

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Tech

The Smartphones of the Future: The Out-of-This-World Shapes That Our Beloved Gadgets May Have in the Near Future

Photo by Daniel Romero on Unsplash

Regardless of how much we love our smartphones, we all need to admit that the vast majority of them look pretty much the same. Otherwise, we have good reasons to love our smartphones, considering that these gadgets are capable of numerous tasks such as waking us up in the morning, showing us the calendar, giving us the opportunity to take notes, taking photos, recording videos, scrolling through social media, and so on and so forth. 

Of course, some smartphones have the volume buttons placed in different places, as well as the ports for headphones and chargers and so on and so forth. Smartphones are a huge trend now in 2024, considering that it’s very hard to find a person who doesn’t have one. Whether we’re talking about elders, adults, teenagers, children, or even toddlers, they all have smartphones these days. But soon enough, in just a few years, we may all witness a radical change in the appearance of smartphones, not to mention that they will probably be a lot more powerful than they already are. Let’s speak about some of those possible changes, shall we?

Foldable and rollable displays

Perhaps each of us has to admit that one of the most interesting developments in smartphone design is the emergence of foldable and rollable displays. Considering the advancements in flexible OLED technology, manufacturers have begun experimenting with devices that can transition between a compact form factor and a larger display that looks more like a tablet. How about imagining a smartphone that falls out into a full-sized screen for exciting multimedia experiences and then falls back into a normal size that would make the device fit very well into a pocket? In a similar way, rollable displays offer the possibility for devices to expand or retract, adapting to the needs of the user. 

Holographic and transparent designs:

It’s true that this point holographic and transparent smartphones sound more like science fiction scenarios, but recent advances in augmented reality as well as transparent display technology are bringing that concept. How about imagining a smartphone that projects holographic images and interactive virtual elements into the world we all see today? Transparent smartphones, on the other hand, could offer us a glimpse into the inner mechanisms of the device, showing its components to anyone who is curious enough to look. 

Curved and wraparound displays:

While curved displays have already made their Mark in the smartphone industry, if we look ahead, we can realize that designers are exploring the possibilities of wrap-around displays that extend beyond the front-facing surface of the device. Such wraparound screens could incorporate secondary displays on the sides or back of the smartphone, providing extra functionality such as quick access to notifications, interactive controls, and shortcuts. Such scenarios come true in the near future, and we believe that the odds are pretty high they will redefine how we interact with our smartphones,

Could we even imagine our life without a smartphone? Could we live without one? Smartphones these days are even more popular than computers such as laptops or desktop PCs and a lot of folks all there are seriously addicted to these portable devices. We should be the ones owning smartphones not vice versa.

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Tech

The NoxPlayer Android Emulator for PC: How Good Is the Software?

Photo by Onur Binay on Unsplash

Even though Windows 11 has made it a lot easier for users to run Android games and apps directly on their laptop or desktop PC, that’s not a strong enough argument for people to make the upgrade to Microsoft’s latest operating system. Windows 11 still has its flaws, and plenty of folks out there are concerned about their privacy if they use the operating system.

That’s why third-party apps might represent a better option when it comes to emulating your favorite Android games and apps on a Windows laptop/PC. Luckily, there are lots of options out there, and you are free to choose the one that suits your needs and desires the most. However, NoxPlayer managed to catch our attention, as it seems like a very good option for anybody who’s looking for a powerful and straightforward Android emulator. Let’s see why:

A friendly and intuitive user interface

NoxPlayer should be able to install smoothly and rapidly on any device. It has a very friendly and intuitive interface, although all those buttons on the right might pose a few challenges if you’re not used to the icons. But as soon as you hover over the mouse a bit and find out what each of the buttons can do, you should easily remember that info. For instance, there are buttons for making print screens and opening multiple instances at once.

All of the Android games and apps you install will appear on the front page of the emulator, similarly to how programs/apps appear as desktop icons in Windows. In other words, you won’t have trouble while trying to locate those apps in NoxPlayer, as the emulator was built in such a way that it showcases the apps easily.

If you don’t like to see the Android apps and games in the NoxPlayer emulator itself, you can easily add them to your desktop as well, in exactly the same way you keep your other programs from your computer. When you click on those apps/games on your desktop, the NoxPlayer app will automatically launch and open the software. This simple operation can be done by first opening the app/game you need in your NoxPlayer, and hitting the last button from the low right side of NoxPlayer that says Create an app desktop shortcut. 

How’s the emulation

The emulation that NoxPlayer is capable of is smooth and efficient. It runs very well, and transparent buttons will appear on the display, matching those from the Android version. Personally, I’ve tested the eBay app on NoxPlayer, as I prefer using it over the desktop version due to the possibility of filtering the search results by the location of the products. I was surprised at how well NoxPlayer does its job, and I’ve also put the emulator to the test on SnapSeed and World of Tanks Blitz. Some freezes occurred at some point with these apps, but I assume it was a problem with the apps themselves, not the emulator. I’ve also tested the EZVIZ app which allows me to see my room through my surveillance camera, and it works as it does on my Android device.

Probably the best part about the NoxPlayer emulator is that it’s free to use. It won’t cost you a dime to use it, and you will have the chance to emulate pretty much all your favorite Android apps and games.

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