UICloud: An Exclusive Search Engine for Designers

Graphic designers’ eternal search for inspiration has finally found a destination. There are many blogs and websites that share design samples for graphics artists’ benefit, but the “one stop solution” was a utopian dream until recently.

A company named “Double-J Design” created a search engine for graphic designers. It’s called “UICloud” and helps artists get quick resources necessary for web and mobile user interface design.

The search engine is clearly inspired by Google and thus, features a minimalistic design. Type this URL http://ui-cloud.com/ and you will land on the home page. The site features total 6 pages, but mainly the first four pages, search, browse, categories and submit are helpful for users.

The home page or search page lets you search for various UI design items such as download button or progress bar. Type any UI element’s name and hundreds of design samples will appear. The best part is…everything is free. Download and use them any time.

The browse page shows all the collected designs in one place. From the latest additions to the most popular designs, everything is available in this section. Users can also rate the designs to encourage the dedicated designers who have created them. Click on any thumbnail and you will get to see the download link, license information, file type etc.

The categories page displays various OS, programming languages and UI elements categories such as Android, Apple, HTML, buttons, forms, sliders etc. These categories help designers find necessary items faster. For instance, if you want to build an app for Android, just click on the Android thumbnail and all the Android specific UI elements will appear.

If you want to share your designs with UICloud, then submit page is your destination. Fill up the form in submit page and help people find your designs. You may not earn money by doing this, but it’s a great platform to showcase your design expertise.

I have tried UICloud and liked it for its user friendly features and vast library of UI elements. The search engine is currently in Beta phase and hopefully, will add more features in future. If you are a graphic designer, then this site can be your best virtual partner.

Chrome Web Store: The Default Application Market of Chrome Browser

Today I was asking some of my colleagues about their browser preferences and they ranked the favorites like this- 1. Mozilla Firefox, 2. Google Chrome, 3. Opera. When I asked why Firefox tops the list, the answer was “it’s easier to use and fastest.”

Personally, I am a Chrome fan and as far as my knowledge is concerned, Google Chrome is the world’s fastest browser. However, “speed” is not the quality that makes it my favorite. I love this powerful browser because of its usability features.

“Chrome Web Store” is a popular application market that provides free utility and entertainment apps for free, but surprisingly, my colleagues are not aware of its services.

This post is for those people who have never tried the applications and extensions in Chrome. Here are some exciting apps and extensions that can improve productivity level and make your web experience less monotonous.

Install Chrome in your computer and get amazed.

• Google Dictionary- Easy to use and really helpful for anyone. Even if you are an English scholar, meaning of every English word is not known to you. Once you install this extension, just double click on any unknown word and enrich your vocabulary. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/google-dictionary-by-goog/mgijmajocgfcbeboacabfgobmjgjcoja?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

• Pixlr- This is the online Photoshop for everyone. Pixlr offers wonderful features and flexibility. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pixlr-editor/icmaknaampgiegkcjlimdiidlhopknpk?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

• AdBlock- We hate ads on web pages and always wonder “Is there any option to close these banner and pop up ads?” Actually, there is an option to block the unwanted ads easily. Just install this extension and voila! All the ads will be wiped out from your favorite sites. Here is the link https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gighmmpiobklfepjocnamgkkbiglidom?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

• Hover Zoom- Dial-up connection users don’t even click on the thumbnails because they know a large image takes 4-5 minutes to appear. However, the waiting period is over. Just install hover zoom extension and bring your mouse pointer over a thumbnail image that has a backlink. The enlarged photo will appear within a few seconds. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/nonjdcjchghhkdoolnlbekcfllmednbl?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

• Google Translate- Google has the translation website, but it does not let you translate an entire webpage instantly. If you check variety of websites from different parts of the world, this tool can easily break the language barrier. After installation, the translate icon will appear beside address bar. Visit a foreign language website and click on the icon to witness the magic. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/aapbdbdomjkkjkaonfhkkikfgjllcleb?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

• Awesome Screenshot: Capture and Annotate- Capturing a webpage or some parts of it was never easier than this. This extension not only allows you to take a screenshot, but provides editing options as well. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/alelhddbbhepgpmgidjdcjakblofbmce?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

• Firebug Lite for Google Chrome- Firefox users love this tool as it lets them check the hidden HTML and CSS properties of a site. Some of my programmer friends use it heavily to get inspired (or steal codes!). Google is now offering Firebug as well. However, my suggestion for budding programmers, use it to enrich your coding knowledge and never copy paste others’ codes. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/bmagokdooijbeehmkpknfglimnifench?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

• Angry Birds- Millions of game lovers enjoy this popular game on mobile OS platforms and Google decided to bring it to web users as well. I know this article is all about productivity and usability of a browser, but sometimes a little fun can increase efficiency. One of the biggest advantages of Chrome provided Angry Birds is that it’s an offline version. That means once installed, there is no need to connect internet for playing this game. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/aknpkdffaafgjchaibgeefbgmgeghloj?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

• PageRank Status- Want to check the page rank of your site quickly? This is an ideal extension for that purpose. It shows Google rank, Alexa rank and also the geolocation of a website. I have checked my company website http://www.webguru-india.com/ and it showed an impressive 5 page rank. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hbdkkfheckcdppiaiabobmennhijkknn?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

• HelloFax- Who told you that a fax machine is absolutely necessary to send a fax? Download this application from Chrome Web Store to send fax directly from browser for free. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hellofax-free-online-faxi/bocmleclimfnadgmcdgecijlblfcmfnm

Chrome has technologically evolved in past 4 years and now its the most used web browser in the world. There are hundreds of other apps in Chrome Web Store and you should try them as well. Hope the apps and extensions of Chrome will help you realize that a browser is not just for visiting web pages, it’s much more. Keep reading technologically yours to know more about web and technology.

Google Search: Features You May Not Know

Have you heard about Pandora’s Box? Nobody knew what it contains until Pandora opened it.  Google is like the Pandora’s Box. The more you explore it, the more amazing things you may find. However, unlike Pandora, Google brings joy to our life and makes our web experience even more enjoyable.

Last week, I was surfing the search features of Google and found some wonderful facilities. Some of them are extremely helpful for our day to day life and some are great to increase general knowledge. Here is a list of those features for the readers of Technologically Yours! Read them, try them, and tell me which one you liked the most.

Open www.google.com and start experimenting.

• Weather- To know the current weather of your residing city or any other city in the entire globe, just type- weather “city name” and you will know the exact weather condition from search result page.

• Time- I know, I know…you have a watch. But what if your friend lives in another part of the world and you want to know his local time? After all, nobody likes to receive a call at the midnight! Believe me, not even your best friend! Therefore, type time “city name” to find out the exact time of any city.

• Sunrise and Sunset- Watching sunrise and sunset from the sea beach or a hill top is a wonderful experience. While visiting a tourist spot, if you want to know the exact sunrise or sunset time, type sunrise “city name” or sunset “city name” and accurate data will appear within a few seconds.

• Calculator- “Don’t like equations? Poor in math? Shame on you!” I have heard this statement quite some time in my small life! L My student life is over, but Google finally brought an in-built calculator in their search page. Just insert the numbers and signs in the search box and hit enter. Result of any difficult sum will appear immediately.

• Unit Conversion- When I saw this feature, a broad smile appeared on my face. Why? Once in a sports competition, I wrote the height info in foot and the organizers told me that they need the measurement in meter. What did I do? Changed 5 feet into 5 meter! People thought that a gorilla may have come from the jungle to win all the medals! If you want to convert height, weight or volume data in different units, write like this- 12 cms in inches or 10.5 kg in grams and Google will convert it for you.

• Population- Want to know the population of any city? Type population “city name” and get the data quickly.

• Currency Conversion- Want to see where your country’s currency stands against the dominating GBP and US$? Type an amount and the currency name you want to compare it with. For example- 100 yen in usd and let Google do all the calculations for you.

I hope you will enjoy these features. Keep visiting Technologically Yours for more tech news. Hasta pronto!

Cloud Computing: Connect, Store and Share Data from Anywhere

In the past few years, we have witnessed the boom of smart devices. People are buying smartphones, tablets and notebooks like crazy. The future looks great for electronics industry, but what about users? Think of a situation like this- Mr X owns an iPad, MacBook and an iPhone. He stores different data in different devices and one day he brings iPad to the office but forgets the laptop! How can he access the data that he stored into the laptop for presentation?

Many people may have gone through this trouble and that is why, computer engineers started thinking about a solution. Can data be accessible from anywhere? Several companies like Microsoft (SkyDrive), Google (Drive) and Apple (iCloud) found an answer and that answer is cloud computing. Now we can sync data from different devices, access it from any device that is connected to internet and more importantly share it with anyone we wish to.

You may not realize it, but even Gmail is a cloud based service. Once you upload and send a picture, document or MP3 file to anyone, that data remains in your account and you can access it anytime even if it’s deleted from your hard disc.

That is how our individual small data cloud connects to a mother could and create a large database for everyone. Imagine that your college is storing thousands of student details on Google Drive and individually you are also storing your mark sheets to make sure that you never lose it. If you forget the Drive account password and lost the hard copy of mark sheet, call your college and they will share a copy within minutes. Cloud computing keeps your hard disc space free and protects the data from malware, virus and hackers.

Another huge benefit of this service is data sharing security. Users can decide with whom they want to share something and restrict the permission for editing as well.

Lets see how a could computing works in real life. If you own a Widows 7 computer, Widows 7.5 phone, then once you download a song in your computer, it not only shows up in the computer’s Zune player, but gets synced to all the devices. That means the same song is immediately added to the Windows phone play list. Now, when you take an image using the mobile, it’s immediately uploaded in the SkyDrive, Microsoft’s own data cloud. You can access those images by going to SkyDrive from any PC without touching the phone.

I know some of you must have started thinking, how much it costs? After all, if I can store everything without worrying about my hard disc, it must be pretty costly. Contrary to the popular notion, cloud computing is quite affordable. For 50GB storage, iCloud charges $8.33, for 100GB, Google Drive charges $4.99 and for 52GB space SkyDrive charges $2.08.

Cloud computing is not only good for common consumers, but business houses as well. Large companies can store their data on cloud and use it anytime. For instance, a web design company can store all the completed design projects in Google Drive and share it with clients once they send the final payment. This facility can also be helpful for demonstration. Instead of carrying a laptop for presentation, the BDMs can go to a client’s office, open any computer and extract hundreds of design samples from Drive to impress prospective clients.

Cloud computing offers endless possibilities and breaks the “storage” barrier. If you are using cloud computing, there is no need to carry data, because it glides with you.

YouTube Face Blurring Feature: Will It Protect Privacy or Help Criminals?

Do you remember the advertisement given by Idea to highlight how a video sharing platform like YouTube can bring justice? Since the evolution of YouTube and high speed broadband internet, video sharing has become one of our favorite activities. These days, you can take a video from smartphones, upload it within a few minutes and share with anyone. While this facility may seem wonderful, some people always expressed their concern for privacy.

A famous human rights organization “Witness” recently focused on this issue and said that “No video-sharing site or hardware manufacturer currently offers users the option to blur faces or protect identity". Some of the readers may disagree with this suggestion, but when you consider the video footages featuring kids and sexual assault victims, personally I think that face blurring facility should be offered by all video sharing sites to protect common man’s privacy.

Fortunately, Google noticed the statement made by Witness and recently announced that users can now blur the faces of an uploaded video by using their newly launched “face blurring” tool.

If you want to try the face blurring feature, log in to your YouTube account, go to “video manager” section and click on the “edit” button beside the video you want to smudge. Once the new page appears, select the “enhancements” tab and hit the “additional features” button. To finish the process, click “apply” button under “blur all faces” option. After that, delete the original video.

While this feature will help people protect their privacy, democracy lovers are expressing their concern and saying that this feature will help criminals hide their identity. They can hack into anyone’s account and smudge the faces to erase any proof against their crime. It’s a valid point and I think Google should take a step to make sure nobody evades justice using their technology. What do you think?

The Customer Preview of Office 2013 Is Now Available

Microsoft finally revealed….no, not something new! How can you expect that Microsoft will invent something new? They have just revealed the “customer preview” of Office 2013.

I always wonder how many new versions of Office they will keep introducing. There are several free Office like applications such as, Google Drive and LibreOffice available online and don’t know why Microsoft expects us to spend hundreds of dollars to buy new version of Office after every 2-3 years. I am not saying that MS Office is not useful. Its great software and help Microsoft earn billions of dollars every year, but do you need to buy the latest version?

Let me highlight some of the features of MS Office 2013. Read them and then decide wisely.

• Its touch friendly. Finally, the software giant realized that the age of touch screens is here. Users can pinch zoom to view a document and type using their touch device’s keyboard. Wait a minute…don’t the Google Drive app offers the same feature?

• Have you heard about Yammer? I guess not. It’s a social media site for businesses and Microsoft agreed to buy it for $1.2 billion. Hence, the company decided that poor Office users should join Yammer. Buy Office 2013 and you will get Yammer and Skype by default.

• It will save your documents in Microsoft’s own SkyDrive by default, so that you can access it from anywhere. I think Drive users have already started laughing!

• Office 2013 comes with a new feature “Inkling”. It converts any handwritten content into text. Don’t they know other stylus driven tablets/smartphones are providing this facility for years?

• You can embed a video in word document and share it directly on Facebook. Good feature.

• Last, but not the least is Bing Maps. Bing Maps is going to be a part of Outlook. If you receive a mail that contains the sender’s address, click on it and you will be able to see that place on Maps. The same thing can be done in Drive. If you want to test, just open a doc that contains any address, select the address and press Ctrl+Alt+R.

So, what do you want to do? Microsoft will launch Office 2013 in the market later this year and pricing is not disclosed yet. If you want to try the “customer preview”, follow this link http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/en

Pixlr Is the “Online Photoshop” for Everyone

When it comes to image editing, Adobe Photoshop is probably the ideal choice for many, but what if you are using a friend’s laptop, need to modify an image and suddenly discover that Photoshop is not installed in his system? For those critical times, Pixlr is a clever solution.

                                                                                          

Pixlr is an online photo editing tool that offers almost all the tools of Adobe Photoshop and helps users edit an image within minutes. It comes with layer adding feature and several filters for better customization.

The UI is extremely flexible and customizable. Drop down menu features all the adjustments, layering options and filters in an organized manner. The History window allows the user to undo or redo a modification.

Pixlr is available in the Google Chrome Web Store (for computer users), Google Play and iPhone App Store (for mobile users). It takes only a few seconds to download. Thanks to the user friendly features, after installation, you can start using it immediately.

If someone doesn’t want to download the app, he can access Pixlr directly from www.pixlr.com .

To edit an existing photo, click on “open image from computer”, import the chosen picture and edit it. Once the editing is completed, save it in the computer’s hard disc.

This powerful application features a “Help” section in the menu bar as well. Incase users face any problem and need guidance, they can check this section.

However, there is one shortcoming in this picture editing tool. The social media photo sharing options are not very user friendly.