Thursday, January 31, 2013

Alternative Ways to Read Ebooks Other Than The Kindle

Alternative Ways to Read Ebooks Other Than The Kindle

books-and-mouseThe Kindle is the most popular e-reader currently on the market. As a result, most ebooks are available in the Kindle’s proprietary format accessible only to Kindle e-readers and Kindle apps. If you aren’t a Kindle fan, don’t worry. Different devices and different formats exist, giving you many alternative ways to read ebooks.

Choose a format

The epub format is the open ebook standard supported by most of the alternative e-readers. If an .epub file isn’t locked down, then it can be downloaded and used across any of these devices. Unfortunately, most ebooks purchased from the major online stores come locked down with Adobe DRM, meaning you are restricted t o reading this book only on the device or account you used to buy it. Still, if you don’t want to invest in the Amazon ecosystem, the epub format is the best way to go.

Alternatives formats include PDFs and TXT files. The vast majority of ebooks sold in stores cannot be acquired in these formats, and they lack the easy formatting options that come with reading an epub on an e-reader or in an app.

Pick a device

books-amazon-devices

There are many e-readers to choose from, such as the NOOKs by Barnes & Noble, the Sony e-readers, and the Kobo e-readers.

For those who have a smartphone or tablet, getting access to ebooks is only a click away. The major booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Sony all have apps available for smartphones and tablets. Their apps automatically sync the books you’ve purchased from them across all of your devices, as long as you are signed into their services. iOS users also have access to iBooks sold from Apple.

You can also find alternative ways to read ebooks by downloading e-reading apps that aren’t tied to a major bookstore. The Aldiko app for Android has seen millions of downloads and allows you to read ebooks from many different stores. If Aldiko doesn’t tickle your fancy, you may be interested in the features offered in the Moon+ Reader or Cool Reader apps. iOS fans can consider checking out the Bluefire Reader or Stanza.

The ability to read ebooks from the comfort of your browser is a new trend sweeping the e-reading landscape. While Google Books has had this functionality for years now, Amazon and Barnes & Noble have both jumped on board and allow online access to your personal libraries. This makes it easy for you to read wherever you are, even if you are stuck at work while your e-reader rests on your bedside nightstand.

Choose a store

books-read-anywhere

eBooks can be found all over the Internet. Feedbooks is a bookstore with a wide selection of free and public domain material alo ngside a decent selection of current bestsellers. Smashwords and Lulu provide independent authors with a place to self-publish and distribute their creations. Project Gutenberg provides a massive selection of public domain material in a plethora of formats, including TXT and HTML. New initiatives such as StoryBundle provide regular exposure to new or independent authors. Occasionally even the Humble Bundle team will put out an ebook-centered bundle.

Conclusion

If you want to read ebooks without using a Kindle, there is no shortag e of options. You only need to know where to find them. Most alternatives use the epub format, and this format is an open standard that you can feel comfortable knowing it will continue to be around for quite a while. The ebook market is a highly competitive market with Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google, Apple, and Sony all competing heavily with one another. One benefit of reading ebooks as opposed to traditional books is the wealth of indie content available to choose from, whether its tucked away inside the stores of these major players or lurking within indie-centric initiatives such as Smashword and StoryBundle.

If you know of any alternative ways to read ebooks, please share them in the comments below.

40 Amazing Geometric Designs in Graphic Illustration

40 Amazing Geometric Designs in Graphic Illustration

geometric-designs

Geometry might be a boring and difficult subject for many, but this branch of mathematics has an interesting purpose everything from buildings to creative art. Geometric designs are core elements of building architecture, and they not only determine the look of the structure, but also the strength and durability. In art, we have seen many graphic illustrations created out of interconnected geometric shapes, and they seems to have great appeal to the audience. This type of art tend to be strong and rigid with sharp points and ridges.  The artwork encourage us to see the whole frame of the artwork first and we are then drawn to individual shapes that make up the object. If we are going to observe, geometric illustrations are composed only of simple shapes whether or not they are complex, minimalist, or otherwise.

In today’s post, I have collected awesome examples of geometric shapes used in graphic illustration. With skillful gradient concoction and proper use of color, a talented artist can produce stunning results with triangles, squares, polygons and other geometric shapes. Check these out, be inspired and enjoy!

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Forest Spirits by  Trek Matthews

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Wolf by satmack

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Geometric Landscapes by JR Schmidt

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Greenwaves III by Peter Gutierrez

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Islands by Erwin Kho

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Summer cocktail by iuneWind

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The Year of the Dragon â€" Form Fifty Five Header by Javier Garcia

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Illustrations 4 by Seb NIARK1 FERAUT

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wonderland by Gosia Czyszczon

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Yorukubo Issue No. 18 Cover by Pablo Abad

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Potalaka by YouWorkForThem

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Children of the Idiom by Joao Oliveira

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Geometrical Wonders by dandingeroz

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Ying-Yang Series by Luis Pinto

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Ferris Wheel by Yellowjacket

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Animals by Paula Rusu

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Experimental Geometry Graphic by Mike Hung

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Programme Cover by Emma Fisher

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Animals by Paula Rusu

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Portraits with Geometry by Katherine Liu

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Low-Poly [Isometrics] by Timothy J. Reynolds

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Chaos Theory by Niandson Leocádio

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Famous Polyg ons by Marinos

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self-portrait by Daniel Miko?ajczak

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Quadrofarius by Artem Ogurtsov

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Strange Magic by Sebastian Bentler

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Geometry Poster by Mike Hung

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Commission Pieces & Exhibition Work by Dani Hunt

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Sacred Geometry 2 by ArtOfWarStudios

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Somatology and Geometry by Linshu Zeng

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Geometry by DsyneGrafix

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Hallowed Geometry by saralicious

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We love geometry by sarahfee

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Symmetry by Catarina Alves

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Islands by Erwin Kho

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Grand Geometry 2 by TomWilcox

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Experimental Geometry Character Design by Mike Hung

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Wolf in sheep skin by Kevin Harald Campean

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No Disguise by Süyüm bike Güvenç

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Geometric Landscapes by JR Schmidt

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Author : Sonny Day

Sonny M. Day is a passionate SEO and web design enthusiast who loves photography, mountain climbing, snorkeling and dirt bike riding.

3 Alternative Home Launchers for Android

3 Alternative Home Launchers for Android

alternative-home-launcher-introSwapping out the home launcher is a great way to change the look of your Android devices. The home launcher can change everything about the look from the colors to the icons and even add features like an app dock or widgets. The beauty of the process is that there’s no root access required. Assuming your device meets the minimum requirements, such as operating system, you’re good to go.

We have previously covered plenty of home launchers for Android, and we realized that this is an area that is updated regularly. Many new and better Home Launcher spruce up with each update of the Android system and it is worthwhile to revisit the topic again.

Normally we like to mention mostly free applications. However, some of the best possible applications might cost a couple bucks. That being said, the following is a list of different home launcher options, both free and paid.

1. Chameleon

Chameleon is the home launcher on this list made specifically for tablets. Some launchers give you different widgets. Usually the widgets offer sizes of their choice, and you just need to deal with it. Chameleon was designed to increase your productivity while using your tablet. The screen is broken down into the grid. The size of the widgets are extremely customizable. For example, you can have a Twitt er widget that’s only one block of the grid or it can take up a whole screen. If you are the crafty type, you can make your own widget too.

alternative-home-launcher-chameleon

Only one home screens is meant to be used in each category. Each screen can have different widgets, apps in the dock and conditions. The conditions are things like time and/or day of the week, being connected to a specific WiFi network or in a specific location. These conditions let your tablet know which home screen you like to see during certain times of day or at certain locations.

Pros: 

  • To my knowledge, this is the only home launcher built specifically for tablets.
  • The way the screen grid is designed, it lets you be more productive by not letting you overload the screen.
  • The conditions make it easy to see different important information at different times of the day.

Cons:

  • Right now it is only for tablets. A phone version is in the works.
  • Limited number of widgets.

Chameleon  ($ 3.99)

2. ADWLauncher

ADW has been around for quite a while. In fact, ADW Launcher was the first home launcher I ever downloaded. The reason it made the list is because some developers recently reworked it completely. Now ADW is more competitive with some of the newer launchers in the Google Play Store.

alternative-home-launcher-adw

What you get in the new ADW is a lot more customization. For example, you can resize the screen. It let’s you designate an area where widgets and application icons will be. Everywhere else will just be open. Another handy feature is the ability to group applications. This might not seem like something you want to spend your time doing, but for an Android power user, this can save a lot of time.

Pros:

  • Really fast and lightweight launcher.
  • Not only can you use ADW.Launcher themes, you can use themes and skins made for other launchers.
  • Gestures, screen resizing and tons of other customization.
  • Add-ons like ADWNotifier add even more functionality.

Cons:

  • Too many options can b e intimidating to new users.
  • To get some cool 3D features, you need to buy the paid version.

ADW.Launcher

3. Nova Launcher

Nova Launcher is made for devices running Android OS 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or higher. Right now, Nova Launcher Prime (the paid version) is the launcher I’m currently using on my Nexus 7. The reason I chose it over some of the others is because it offers features like overlapping widgets. I like a fairly minimalist screen, and being able to overlap the widgets lets me create this kind of look.

alternative-home-launcher-nova

The dock is really nice and gives you a lot of room to keep the most used applications easily acces sible. I also really like some of the built-in actions. The Nexus 7 doesn’t have a button allowing easy access to voice search. Nova Launcher makes this possible. After playing with quite a few different home launchers, this was the one best fitting my needs.

Pros:

  • Very clean design.
  • Allows add-ons like TeslaUnread.
  • Gestures, actions and other settings give just the right amount of customizing options.
  • Overlapping widgets let you move things closer together and create different looks.

Cons:

  • Not as many features or widgets like some launchers on the market.
  • Only on 4.0 or higher. I have to use a different launcher on my main phone and tablet.

Nova Launcher

 Final thoughts

A lot of different home launchers out there offer different combinations of features. Picking the right one really comes down to trying the different options and seeing which one has the right combination of features and cosmetics that work best for you.

We will cover more on this topic as we discover more gem from the Play store. Meanwhile, you tell us which home launcher do you use and why?

Master FTP File Transfers On All Of Your Sites With FileZilla

Master FTP File Transfers On All Of Your Sites With FileZilla

ftp file transfer clientFor those of you that have been around the block a few times when it comes to computers, you must surely recall the days when everything was text-command based. Even after the world of computers gravitated away from VAX or IBM mainframe-centric computing, we still had DOS for a long time. However, even after the advent of Windows, and its many iterations through the years, one of the core functions of that and other operating systems â€" remote file transfers â€" remained a largely text-based operation.

After using “GET” and “PUT” commands for so many years, it seemed a bit awkward to start using point-and-click FTP file transfer clients , which offered the promise of never having to type another FTP command again. While the idea felt pretty exciting, I constantly found that those FTP tools were lacking. I guess it’s sort of like how a person that drove a car with a standard stick-shift for years has such a hard time graduating to an automatic. It doesn’t feel like an upgrade. It feels like you have less control, and therefore much less power over what’s going on.

Mark covered the FTP file transfer client FileZilla in 2007, and noted some problems that a large number of FTP clients had hiccups when it came to large file transfers. The apps experienced the usual timeouts that you would expect when the computer sits there for 15 to 30 minutes, transferring massive files. More recently, noticing so many positive reviews around the web for FileZila, I decided to take a closer l ook at what the latest iteration of the software had to offer. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.

I liked FileZilla a lot when I tried it years ago, but as Mark pointed out in his review, there were glitches when it came to connections. Testing it more recently, I was pretty impressed with how robust the system is and how easy it is to set up different remote FTP accounts for quick connections later on. I also liked the speed and simplicity of doing file downloads and uploads, and most importantly I really like the interface itself.

Uploading and Downloading Files

So, let’s dig right into the latest version of FileZilla, and for starters, here’s what the latest interface looks like.

ftp file transfer client

Sorry for the long picture â€" but I wanted to show all of the elements on the main screen. You have got host connection details at the top, and connection status updates below that. Then you have left and right panes for your local and remote sites. If you are just uploading a single file from your C: drive, calling your local machine a “local site” seems strange, but if you consider that such FTP clients are primarily used by web designers to upload local development websites to the active remote servers, this terminology makes perfect sense.

For most standard FTP accounts, you really won’t have to mess around with port settings because you’ll be connecting to the standard FTP port 21, which FileZilla defaults to when you do a “QuickConnect”. Just type in the remote FTP address, your user name and password, and click on “QuickConnect”.

free ftp file transfer

You’ ll see the FTP status window scrolling a series of command/response updates. You can see all of the commands that you used to type by hand scrolling by in seconds â€" clearly saving a whole lot of time over doing these FTP commands manually.

Once a connection is established, FileZilla performs a remote directory listing, and both your local directory and remote directories are displayed in the two panels below. If you’re connecting to a remote web host, you’ll be able to click on the public_html or public folder to get to where your website is hosted.

free ftp file transfer

Some of the biggest differences from the older versions are robust connectivity and ease-of-use. Transferring files back and forth is just ridiculously easy. Open a remote folder, and then right click on a local file (or entire folde r!) and select “Upload” to send all of those files to the remote directory.  Watching a mass upload of an entire directory’s contents will make anyone that has done those transfers by hand smile. FileZilla accomplishes a dizzying stream of quick commands in seconds what a person would have required up to 15 to 20 minutes to accomplish. Really, the only thing that slows down FileZilla is your bandwidth and the time it takes for each file transfer.

free ftp file transfer

Open a local folder in the left pane, and then right click on a remote file (or an entire folder!) and select “Download” to transfer all of those files to the selected local folder. Again, the download is fast and completely automated for multiple files when you choose a folder.

So, that’s the core purpose of FileZilla in a nutshell, and during my testing I noticed long file transfers that would have caused connection issues years ago took place without any problems. Of course, the value of FileZilla comes from the bells and whistles â€" a few added features that make it really convenient to use as your only FTP client.

FileZilla Extra Features

One of the favorite features is the ability to search entire directories and sub-directories on a remote server using different filtering methods. I can’t tell you how often I recall editing a .css or .php file in some directory on my site, but can’t remember the exact name of the directory or the file. I remember part of the file, or the extension and main folder, but with everything else on my mind these days, the name of the file slipped through the cracks.

ftp file transfer

With file search, you can choose a higher level directory, add multiple criteria for your search, and FileZilla will do the rest of the work, all through the normal FTP protocol commands. Pretty slick.

Of course, if you’re so old school that you still want the ability to type in your own FTP commands, FileZilla gives you that option. Under the Server menu item, click on “Enter custom command…”

ftp file transfer

The raw FTP command will issue the command at the directory level that you selected prior to opening up this dialog box.

ftp file transfer

Issue any command you like and you’ll see it update in the top status window, along with any server response.

Another cool feature is bookmarking. Select a local directory and a remote directory and click on “New Bookmark”.

This basically saves the two directory structures, so by simply clicking on that bookmark, it’ll open up both directories for you. This is really convenient for those times when you have a remote directory on a web server where you are constantly transferring files back and forth between the remote site and your local machine, like image files for example.

When you want to see all of your bookmarks, just go to the Site Manager under the file menu, and you’ll see your bookmarks show up with a star icon under your sites.

Yes, that’s sites â€" plural. You can set up a long list of FTP accounts with FileZilla, and those different accounts will show up in the dropdown when you click on the site manager icon at the left of the top toolbar.

A few other cool little things you can do with FileZilla is to change the theme of the main screen by going into the settings and choosing from the 7 available ones that are listed there.

You can also perform a quick directory comparison by using the directory compari son icon. If you select both a local and a remote directory before clicking this, you’ll see all of the differences between the two directories. This is a nice way to compare what new files you may have under your local development folder that haven’t been uploaded to the site yet. Yellow shows you which files only exist on one side, red shows you different file sizes and green shows you which files are newer. No color means you have a perfect match on both sides.

ftp file transfer client

As you can see, the folks that develop the FileZilla FTP file transfer client have come a long way through the years. I don’t see the same sort of bugs and connection issues that I noticed when I first tested FileZilla years ago, and when I compare it to the other FTP clients out there, it remains the best one available to d ate.

Of course, if you want to do something funky like transfer files between your local PC and your Android â€" you can install FTPDroid on your phone, and start treating your remote phone like a remote FTP site using FileZilla. Cool stuff you can do with FTP, right?

What’s your take on FileZilla? Are you a regular user, or do you prefer a different FTP client over it? Share your own thoughts and views on this or any other FTP client in the comments section below.

Image Credit: ShutterStock

//PART 2