Easily craft long-form content with Scrivener 2, the preferred alternative to Microsoft Word

Tired of using Word to handle your writing tasks? If so, a world of convenience awaits in Scrivener 2, a powerful word processor and project management app.

We agree with Jason Snell, Editorial Director of Macworld, who puts it: “Scrivener is one of the best finds of the last ten years.” Here’s your chance to streamline your writing process and free yourself from the frustrations of Word, at a full 50 per cent discount from Pocket-lint Deals.

Like its predecessor, Scrivener 2 offers an extensive suite of writing aids without ever forcing users to confirm to any set process. Whether you want to jump in and start typing, or prefer to compile meticulous research and outline the whole narrative, Scrivener’s happy to hand you the tools and get out of your way.

Unlike a regular word processor, Scrivener is set up for long-form writing with distraction-free fullscreen mode for composing, as well as a “Snapshots” feature which allows you to restore and rewrite previous versions of your work. Users can also load documents into floating windows above the text for quick reference, and there’s a searchable database for storing notes. Scriptwriting mode provides custom formatting, along with the option to export to other apps, such as Final Draft.

Scrivener 2 also allows writers to track creative plots with the Storyboard feature, while storytellers can map out their narratives with the built-in outliner mode which allows for a macro, structural look at a piece in progress. You can even synchronize the text of your project with mobile apps.

If you’re looking for a better alternative to Word, it’s time to join countless writers, professionals and students with Scrivener 2, now £15.81 ($22.50) from Pocket-lint Deals.

Amazon Prime same-day delivery expands to 11 more US cities

You know what’s better than free two-day shipping? Free same-day shipping, and folks in 11 more US metro areas can now take advantage of Amazon’s speedy delivery times. Prime members in Charlotte, Cincinnati, Fresno, Louisville, Milwaukee, Nashville, central New Jersey, Raleigh, Richmond, Sacramento, Stockton, and Tucson are now privy to free same-day shipping on over a million items. For those keeping track at home, the latest additions bring the tally to 27 cities for the online retailer’s quick delivery. There is a $35 order minimum, so you’ll want to keep that in mind if you’re hoping to receive something before the end of the day.

Amazon says its same-day delivery will drop off orders placed before noon by 9PM in the areas where it’s available. To help you find which items are included in the one-day shipping option, you can filter products so that a category only displays the stuff that you can have in hand quickly. Unsure if Prime same-day shipping is available where you live? Input your zip code here to find out.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Amazon

Reddit’s blocking tool now hides unwanted comments and posts

In a big step towards making Reddit a more welcoming community for everyone, and not just its hardcore users, the site just debuted an upgraded blocking tool. Previously, you could block Reddit users from sending you unwanted private messages, but now the feature also hides hide posts and comments from those Redditors as well. It’s similar to Twitter’s mute function — you never have to see activity from a harassing user on the site, and they’re also unaware that you blocked them (which could encourage them to continue harassing you).

“Our changes to user blocking are intended to let you decide what your boundaries are, and to give you the option to choose what you want — or don’t want — to be exposed to,” wrote Reddit’s founding engineer, Christopher “KeyserSosa” Stowe. “[And, of course, you can and should still always report harassment to our community team!]”

The upgraded blocking tool has been a long time coming. Last June, Reddit finally broke away from its hands-off approach to censoring content on the site by banning subreddits that encouraged harassment. That led to a massive user revolt, with some defecting to alternative social news sites like Voat. At the time, I argued that the uproar would be a good thing for Reddit in the long run. Giving users the option to actually use Reddit without being bombarded by jerks is certainly a good start (though it would have been nice to see much, much sooner).

You can block users who message or comment on your posts by clicking a button in your inbox. If you change your mind, you can choose to unblock them from the “blocked” tab in your Reddit preferences.

Source: Reddit

‘Doom’ open beta kicks off April 15th

You won’t have to pre-order a game to get a taste of Doom’s multiplayer mode before the ultra-violent first-person shooter arrives on May 13th. Bethesda and id Software have revealed that the open beta for the game will run April 15th through the 17th on the PS4, Xbox One and Windows PCs. As with the closed test, you’re getting a sliver of the full online experience: you’ll have two maps (Heatwave and Infernal), two game modes (Team Deathmatch and Warpath) and one demon to invoke.

The developers have also offered a glimpse at the downloadable content coming to the game after launch. There will be three multiplayer add-ons, available for $15 each or for $40 as part of a season pass. The first, due this summer, will bring three new maps as well as a weapon, a demon, an armor set, equipment and a slew of ways to customize your soldier. You won’t have to pay for everything, though — additional gameplay modes and content for the build-it-yourself SnapMap tool will be free.

Via: Polygon

Source: Bethesda

Verizon team-up will create a mobile video service for teens

Apparently, Verizon doesn’t believe its go90 video service is hip enough. It just bought a minority stake in AwesomenessTV, and plans to work with the DreamWorks-owned firm to create a “premium” short-form mobile video service as part of go90. Verizon isn’t saying what the content will entail, but it isn’t shy about who it’s targeting — the carrier likes that AwesomenessTV caters to “Gen Z and millennials” (read: teens and twentysomethings), and it wants in on the action. The project doesn’t have a launch date, but it’ll unsurprisingly be exclusive to Verizon’s US-based platforms.

Source: Verizon (PR Newswire)

The ‘Rocket League’ boxed edition hits US shelves in July

The physical edition of the ball-bashing, car-crashing game Rocket League rolls into US stores on July 5th, though the lucky folks in Europe, the Middle East and Africa get it on June 24th. The game comes with four new vehicles plus the three existing DLC packs, Supersonic Fury, Revenge of the Battle-Cars and Chaos Run. We first heard about the Rocket League boxed version back in February.

Rocket League is a beautiful blend of soccer and derby cars that debuted on PlayStation 4 and PC in 2015; it hit the Xbox One in February. Psyonix, the developer of Rocket League, recently revealed that the game could easily take advantage of PS4-Xbox One cross-play, though that functionality remains a pipe dream for now. The game recently picked up an award for Best Design at the 2016 Game Developers Choice Awards.

If you haven’t played Rocket League yet, this summer is a chance to treat yourself while displaying some indie love on your gaming shelf.

Panama Papers firm says it was the victim of a hack

That gigantic Panama Papers leak revealing the sometimes shady tax haven dealings of the wealthy? If you ask the law firm the data came from, it’s no leak at all… it’s the fallout from an attack. Mossack Fonseca co-founder Ramon Fonseca tells Reuters that this “is a hack,” not the action of of a rogue insider. His company even has a theory behind the hack that it’s investigating, but he won’t say what that is — he’ll only say that the firm has filed a complaint, and that there’s a “government institution” looking into it.

Not surprisingly, Fonseca also isn’t happy with the coverage: he says the only proven crime here is a hack, and he maintains that his company didn’t do anything wrong, such as helping clients dodge taxes. To him, journalists are taking data “out of context” and creating a sensationalist frenzy with very real consequences, such as pressuring the Prime Minister of Iceland to resign.

The issue, as you might suspect, is that the claims hinge on Fonseca’s word. As yet, there aren’t any corroborating details surrounding the hack, let alone a possible suspect. It’s too soon to say how much of this is genuine concern about scapegoating versus an attempt to deflect criticism of Mossack Fonseca’s role in storing overseas income.

Via: BBC

Source: Reuters

Now you can order a Domino’s pizza simply by opening an app

Domino’s already has a slew of ways for you to tell the company you’d like a pizza. There’s the Easy Order button, the emoji tweet, the Echo method — heck you can even do it directly through an Apple Watch or your Xbox One. But all those require you to put in a modicum of actual effort *shudder*. That’s why Domino’s rolled out its “no touch” ordering app on Wednesday.

The only thing you have to do to order a pizza is open the app. Aside from an initial setup — wherein you log into your Domino’s account and set your pizza preference — literally all you have to do is launch the app and wait for your pie to arrive. We are living in the future here, people.

Source: TechCrunch

Game Boy mod plays nearly any classic Nintendo game

It’s trivial to play vintage Nintendo games if you’re not picky about what devices you use. But what if you miss the look and feel of the original Game Boy? Wermy has an answer: build a Game Boy that does it all. His Game Boy Zero modification uses a Raspberry Pi Zero, a modified game cartridge and a whole lot of drilling to emulate classic NES, SNES and Game Boy titles (up to the Game Boy Advance) while preserving most of Nintendo’s original look and feel. On the outside, the only concessions to modernity are the 3.5-inch color display and the stealthily integrated buttons needed to play some newer titles.

There aren’t detailed instructions available, but the hardware hack is relatively easy due to the nature of the design: the handheld was so big because it had to accommodate 1989-era handheld technology. A Raspberry Pi Zero, an SD card slot (in the cartridge) and a lithium-ion battery are comparatively tiny. If you’re willing to gut a Game Boy and have a knack for electronics, you can likely recreate this yourself. The creator is answering questions in the YouTube video’s comments, too, so you can get help if you’re willing to give it a shot.

Via: Sploid

Source: Wermy (Imgur), (YouTube)

Apple Campus 2 to Feature Custom Designed 18-Foot Tables Inside ‘Collaborative Pods’

Apple Campus 2 has been designed from the ground up to meet Apple’s exacting specifications, and the same careful attention is also being applied to the interior of the building, including the furniture. In a recent visit to the Apple Campus, design-focused site Design Milk was given a small tidbit of information regarding one element of the interior design of Apple Campus 2 — the tables.

Apple is having 500 custom white oak tables created for Apple Campus 2, each one measuring in at 18-feet long, 4-feet wide, and 660 pounds. The tables are being designed by Dutch company Arco from a single sheet of wood with skateboard-style rounded edges and a seamless surface.

The closest approximation that popped into my head was an enormous naked wood skate deck designed for a colossus Jony Ive. And if the length of all 500 tables inside Apple Campus 2 were combined, it would roughly equal the distance of the National Mall in Washington, DC.

These extra large Pod Island Tables by Arco are constructed from continuous sheets of solid Spesshart white oak sourced from the fairytale forests of Germany. There are no visible seams because of the company’s innovative manufacturing technique, which essentially peels away continuous single thin sheets of wood, which is then layered into a table top.

Apple plans to use the tables inside of open area “pods” located on each floor of the main ring-shaped building. The layout is designed to encourage “accidental mingling” between employees by providing an open workspace that “brings people together organically,” a concept Design Milk says originated from the time Steve Jobs spent at Pixar.

In an interview with Arco director Jorre Van Ast, Design Milk gleaned some details about what it was like designing a piece for Apple. Apple’s team of designers and Foster + Partners were looking for something built to their exact specifications, and van Ast describes the collaboration as “very intense and constructive.”

During a meeting to inspect the first prototype together with Apple and Foster+Partners, the question was raised: ‘but what if it was made out of a single piece? Can you achieve it?’ They challenged us to push the boundaries of our craft, we got excited ourselves as well and started to investigate how to overcome the limitations inherent to the way we produce tables–not just here at Arco but for the entire furniture industry including our partners. Design, machinery, logistics, finding the right material… it all had to be reconsidered.

When completed, the tables, along with 300 additional tables and 200 benches, will be shipped to Apple in Cupertino and installed at Apple Campus 2 using cranes and dollies. Apple’s second campus is still under construction, but much of the main ring-shaped building has been completed, as has work on several auxiliary buildings like an auditorium and a fitness center. Apple plans to finish construction at Apple Campus 2 by the end of 2016, with employees moving into the space starting in 2017.

For much more detail on the tables that will be used at Apple Campus 2, make sure to check out the full article on Design Milk.

Tag: Apple Campus 2
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