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10 Best Tools for Working Remotely From Home

by GeeksModo Staff

For some, working remotely (or ‘working from home’ as it is popularly called) is not a strange concept, as technology companies have long adopted this style of working for their employees. Remote working styles are effective and increase productivity.

The recent worldwide outbreak of the Coronavirus is forcing many companies to adopt the remote working style for their employees. So if things don’t improve quickly (hopefully they do) and the virus continues to spread, you’ll find yourself working from home, which for many is the first time working remotely.

For those new to the concept of working remotely, the switch may be a little strange and overwhelming. Especially if you are not prepared and do not have the right tools to work with.

This article highlights the tools you need to ensure it is distraction-free and productive while you work from home.

Best Tools for Working Remotely From Home

Our best picks:

For chat / collaboration

1. Slack

Just like we have WhatsApp and Telegram groups,Slack is also a chat group, but this time designed for organizations and companies. It is a tool that allows employees to communicate online, both as a group and in personal one-to-one conversations.

It is a perfect tool for remote work as it offers features including permanent chat rooms (channels) for staff that can be organized by topic, private groups and direct messaging.

Slack integrates with many third-party services, including services such as Google Drive, Trello, Dropbox, Twitter, Mailchimp, GitHub, Stripe, Google Calendar and many more.

For video conferences

2. Zoom

Zoom is a remote meeting tool that allows users to meet online. Since its launch in 2011,Zoom has helped companies and organizations bring their teams together throughvideo conferencing,online meetings, chats and mobile collaborations to get work done.

When Zoom launched, it launched with the ability to host conferences with up to 15 video partners, but that has since grown to 500 attendees, allowing you to connect with as many company employees as you like.

3. Google Hangout

Google Hangout, a product of Google, is another means of communication that allows members to participate in text, voice or video chats (one-on-one or in a group). The service is accessible via Gmail or the website.

4. Skype

Perhaps the most popular video conference service first released in 2003,Skype is anotherVideo Conferencing App that enables video chat and voice calls between two or more individuals (teams) from their computers, tablets and smartphones.

For productivity

4. EverNote

EverNoteis a cloud-based note taking app. Aside from taking notes, Evernote supports capturing images from your smartphone camera, recording and saving voice notes. It also supports touchscreen and tablet screens with handwriting recognition.

The Pro (read: paid) version of Evernote integrates directly with Google Drive, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Teams and Slack. Also readBest Notepad Apps for iPhone and iPad

6. Google Docs

One of the components of the Google Office suite, Google Docs, is an online alternative to Microsoft Word.

Google Docsallows you to create, edit and even share your documents online with other users with Google accounts. It stands out in that it allows users to share their documents with others online and even work on them together online.

7. Trello

Trellois a task management collaboration tool that organizes your projects into boards and tells you which project is being worked on and who is working on what.

The service works just like the normal bulletin boards we use, where you paste notes to remind you of tasks and projects. It also integrates directly with Google Drive and Slack.

For the convenience

8. Headset with microphone

Working from home means that you occasionally experience distractions from the TV, roommates or even neighbors. To avoid this, you need to have a good noise canceling headset to block out noise while you work. This is one of the most important tools for working from home.

We also recommend buying one with a microphone. This is useful when you need to meet other employees of your company through a voice or video conference service. Read also Apple AirPods 2 review, the good the bad and the ugly

9. Laptop stand / desk / chair

Working from home means working for hours and you don’t want that from your bed or couch. You need a good workplace environment.

To ensure that you feel comfortable during your working hours, you should purchase a comfortable chair and desk. Instead of a desk, you might as well get a laptop stand (if you use a laptop).

Others

10. MiFi / router

This is important. Without it, you will not be able to use most of the tools we have listed in this article. Since you’re not going to work from your office, where you normally get access to Wi-Fi, you will need to purchase a MiFi or router.

The choice between a MiFi and a router depends, among other things, on the number of devices at your disposal that need the Internet, the availability of the power supply. Also read differences between Wi-Fi and Mi-Fi

It all comes down to productivity

I’ve been working remotely for almost a decade now and I can say with confidence that all the benefits associated with it require you to do one thing: maximize productivity. Once you do this, everything starts to fall into place and you begin to realize the full benefits of working remotely.

You get more done, feel better about your job and have more time to name your own. The domino effects of this are greater happiness, reduced stress and stronger relationships with the people who matter most to you.

However, this is not automatic. With the wrong approach, working remotely can eat your personal life, increase stress, and hinder your relationships in a way that a normal office job would never do – and I say this from experience, too.

Again, it all comes down to productivity.

These iPhone productivity tipsgive you the benefit you need to get more done faster. This allows you to develop healthy work habits (eg, turn off after work) because you can afford it knowing that you’ve already done enough today. As I said, maximize productivity and everything good for working remotely will fall into place.

Work productively from home

Have you ever worked remotely? How was the experience? What tools have helped you work productively at home? Which of the Home Work Tools Have Helped You Avoid Distractions? Please share it with us in the comments section, we would love to know.
And that covers everything about the best tools you should use while working from home.

Tag: Productivity
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The Best iPad Apps for Students in 2023

by GeeksModo Staff

if you are looking for the best iPad apps for students, here are the apps that can help you increase productivity, retention, and workflow.
The possibilities to study smart and efficiently have never been greater. For the last couple of years, Apple has made some big strides to accommodate students. The release of the first iteration of the Apple Pencil in 2015 marked the beginning of what is undoubtedly the best handwriting experience on any tablet. iOS (now iPadOS for selected iPads) continued to improve steadily over the years and today the prospect of replacing laptops with the iPad Pro is within a shouting distance.
One of the things that makes the iPad such a great device is the seemingly endless number of apps in the App Store. Whatever task you want to do, there’s a high chance that there’s an app for it. Developers have made tremendous efforts to make use of the powerful operating system and outstanding hardware, making the iPad one of the best investments you could make as a student.
With that in mind, here are some of the best iPad apps for students. Enjoy!

#1. Notion

I found it challenging to come up with a perfect description of what Notion is, so I navigated to the App Store page. Notion is “the all-in-one workspace for your notes, tasks, wikis, and databases”. It’s so much more, though. You can use the app to count down days until deadlines and exams, keep track of projects, take notes, write article drafts, keep track of job applications, and much more. The list goes on and on.

Pros

  • Very user-friendly — can be very advanced if you want it to be
  • Clean user interface
  • Versatile — no need of many other apps by using Notion
  • GIF integration
  • Top notch support that takes feature requests seriously and releases frequent app updates

Cons

  • iPad app is not as polished as the macOS app.
  • Drag-and-drop for images does not function — you have to manually copy and paste (minor con, but other note-taking apps have included this feature)
  • Requires a keyboard to have most comfortable note-taking experience

#2. Notability

Looking for a great note-taking app for handwritten notes? Well, you’re going to want to choose between Notability and GoodNotes 5. I happened to start using Notability first, so I became used to the pen dynamics of Notability.
I’ve tried both applications, and while Notability is a little more “bare-bones” I find it to be incredibly powerful and a little polished than GoodNotes 5. The iPad + Apple Pencil allows for some really beautiful notes — if you have the time and patience.

Pros

  • Fantastic user interface and note sorting system
  • Runs very smoothly
  • Users can record, take notes, and then play the recording back with note-taking recorded on top
  • You can export directly to Google Drive

Cons

  • Very few paper and pen options

#3. ScanPro

If you’re a student you probably know the struggle; Handouts. Loads of handouts. For The vast majority of people, using an iPad is all about going paperless. So, if you are looking for the Best iPad Pro apps for students, ScanPro is a very simple document scanner that converts your handouts into nicely scanned PDF:s. The scanner automatically crops the image you take of a document (you can manually do it too.

Pros

  • The interphase is easy to navigate and use.
  • Does exactly what it’s says.

Cons

  • OCR scanning hidden behind paid upgrade
  • (there are loads of sites that do this free of charge)

#4. Anki

The science of memory and information is an interesting field, especially when applied to the area of studying. Two of the most common methods of studying are active recall and spaced repetition. Basically, active recall involves actively retrieving information on a subject as you study. The most efficient method of doing this is to use flashcards. As doctor and YouTuber Ali Abdaal preaches: active recall is a way of life. Spaced repetition means that in order for information to truly stick, you need to revise it at increasing intervals. When it comes to tying the two methods together, Anki is arguably the most well-built flashcard app on the market. The Anki app for iPad costs $24.99, which is a high price point considering that the macOS app is free, but being able to revise on-the-go definitely makes it worth it.
I trust you enjoyed these app recommendations. Feel free to leave a recommendation of some of your favorite iPad apps in the comments section below!
If you found this article useful, do consider Sharing it with friends.
See also: Best drawing apps for iPad

Tags: iPad Apps, iPad Pro, Productivity
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I Switched from Google Chrome to Safari! Here’s Why

by GeeksModo Staff

I did it. I ditched the behemoth browser that is Google Chrome in favor of Safari. And here are the reasons.

#1. Safari is faster

For a long time, the collective response to the above points was “Sure, but nothing is better”. However, recent versions of Safari are faster, sleeker, and better than Chrome.

Seriously, if you haven’t tried this browser out for a while, you don’t know what you’re missing. Even the extension ecosystem has come a long way; the most common tools are already waiting for you. It’ll be an adjustment, but you’ll never look back.

Chrome is a very fast browser… except when it isn’t. When it hangs and gets stuck before loading the page. Safari, however, has always been responsive when I’ve used it. It never lags or crash, like Chrome.

#2. Chrome Drains Your MacBook Battery

MacBook battery life has been a big feature for Apple in recent releases of macOS. Cupertino brought energy impact measuring tools to the operating system, which you can access by clicking the battery icon in your menu bar. If you’ve got Chrome running, Chrome will often show up here.

Chrome also consumes up a huge amount of battery life and RAM, which is terrible when you’re trying to use multiple apps on your MacBook simultaneously. Safari, however, is optimized to work on Mac hardware and uses almost no Power when it’s sitting in the background, in addition to taking up way less RAM than Chrome. Because of this, if battery life is important to you, avoid using Chrome on your MacBook.

Google is reportedly working on the issue, and has made progress, but the job is far from finished. And you don’t have to take my word for it: launch the Activity Monitor on your Mac, then go to the Energy section. Open some tabs in Chrome and the same ones in another browser—Chrome will almost always use more energy for the same task.

#3. Chrome Works in Its Own Way

Unlike Safari, many of Chrome’s features have their roots in ChromeOS, as opposed to macOS. This results into a less than ideal experience.

Most Mac apps close instantly when you press Cmd + Q; Chrome, by default, makes you hold the combo for a while (though you can disable that feature Most Mac apps have their own preferences window; Chrome uses a website in a tab for that.

Chrome is also slower to catch up with macOS features. macOS Mojave introduced Dark Mode in September 2018, which Safari supported out of the gate. But Chrome didn’t implement this feature until March 2019 which is six months later. Safari also has a feature that will turn supporting websites dark, whereas you have to install a Chrome extension to enjoy this feature.

The old notification system was also a mess. Chrome used its own notification setup that didn’t integrate with the Notification Center. The good news is that this is no longer the case, but it was a huge pain for a long period of time.

Obviously, it’s less than ideal to compell a user to learn an entirely separate interface when they’re accustomed to one already. Safari uses the same buttons and symbols as the rest of macOS, which leads to a more seamless experience.

#4. Chrome Extensions Come With a Price

It’s true that in the head-to-head Battle of Chrome vs. Safari, Chrome is the clear winner when it comes to extensions. Even so, a big extension library comes with a price.

One of the main reasons Chrome uses so much of your CPU and drains so much of your battery life is due to installed extensions. Extensions can also introduce privacy problems, as many of them need extensive access to your browsing. As great as extensions often are, their strain on your system can be a high price. If there are a few you can’t live without, don’t forget that Safari has numerous great extensions as well.

#5. Google Is Watching You

While Google and Apple’s interests might seem like they overlap, the companies are structured quite differently. Google’s revenue is primarily ad-based, meaning that as the user, you aren’t really the customer; you’re the product. Google only makes money if it can somehow collect information about you to sell.

While you can tweak Chrome to protect your privacy to some extent, you’ll never be entirely safe with a company whose business model is built on collecting your data. If that sounds Orwellian to you, Chrome on Mac probably isn’t for you.

#6. Apple Watches You Less

Apple’s business model is based on selling you, the user, its hardware. Its software is usually free, and is only valuable as much as it makes Apple hardware more attractive to the customer. The company has a more direct incentive to provide you with a browser that works well with other Apple products.

As a sign of this good faith, Apple introduced a whole suite of privacy protection measures in macOS Mojave. Intelligent Tracking Prevention 2 (ITP 2) is an update to a feature introduced in High Sierra that attempts to combat cross-site tracking, making it more difficult for websites to follow you on the web. It also attempts to scrub fingerprinting, which makes it more difficult for websites to identify you in the future.

#7. No Chrome Support Below Yosemite

Chrome’s system requirements cut off any Mac that’s below macOS Yosemite. Sure, you can update your Mac free of charge, but many people don’t want to for a number of reasons. This includes users on older computers that don’t support the latest version of macOS.

#8. Safari’s Reader Mode Is Great

Have you ever tried to read an article, but couldn’t get past the ads? Safari’s Reader mode cuts through all the bad formatting, strange fonts, and ad splash pages to deliver what you came for: pure, streamlined text. Images, videos, and links are included, all in an easy-to-read format.

#9. Safari Integrates Better With the Apple Ecosystem

If you’re all-in with the Apple platform, Safari is the better choice. All the little aspects just integrate better: your passwords, for example, are managed by Apple’s system-wide tool and synced using iCloud. The same goes for your Bookmarks.
Because I already use Safari on my iPhone, using Chrome instead on my MacBook meant that none of my passwords would sync across devices, which was a major headache. Now, with Safari on my Mac, my passwords are synced across my devices automatically, and I can autofill them using Face ID on my iPhone or Touch ID on my Mac.

Continuity
with iOS only works with Safari. If you use an iPhone or iPad,
Handoff
allows you to go to a site on Safari on your mobile device, pick up your Mac, and go immediately to the same site.

That’s pretty much it. I’m done with Chrome. And the only thing I’ll miss is the dinosaur game.
Thanks for reading! If you have any questions or feedback, drop them in the comments section and I’ll answer them.

Tag: Safari
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4 Great Applications You Need to Install on Your Mac

by GeeksModo Staff

The world of technology keeps on blooming; there seems to be no stop to it at all. From introducing new tech gadgets to new software applications, there is just so much going on at a single moment in time. In today’s article, we will be introducing you to some new and some old applications we should all have installed on our desktop. You may not agree with our list, but we feel these applications are a must-have for anyone from a student to an employee. Let’s not waste more time and get started.

SodaPDF

In current times the demand for paper documents has undoubtedly declined. Business, hospitals, and many other organizations are not relying on technology to serve as a ground for submitting, editing, and creating documents. PDF is one of the best formats to develop documents. However, previously there was no way to edit the documents or sign them. Now, however, a software called sodapdf allows users to edit and even sign PDFs. Soda PDF offers a free online PDF reader, PDF creator, and PDF converter. You can also convert PDF to Word, PDF to Excel, and PDF to PPT.

Skype

Skype is a must-have application for any business in the market. Skype has been around for some time now and due to its major success, it doesn’t seem like it will be going anywhere any time soon. Skype allows for businesses to communicate with their employees anytime, anywhere. It provides the freedom to create groups too. This will allow for the partition of individual teams that can communicate with the designated party only. Skype is mostly for free. However, if you wish to make international calls or purchase a phone number, it won’t be something that will pierce your pocket.

Netflix

Who doesn’t love Netflix? Netflix allows users to watch their favorite movies and TV series all on a single platform. You can download this application on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Once this application is downloaded, enjoy watching anything you like at any time. Another cool feature is that you can watch Netflix on PS4 as well as your X-Box. For those who are thrifty, please note that Netflix is quite economical, especially when compared to the average cable or phone bill, which can be outrageous.

Microsoft Sticky Notes

Microsoft Sticky Notes is a software that can benefit you in multiple ways for sure. For example, if you are an eco-friendly person and don’t wish to take down notes on a piece of paper, then you can do so on Sticky Notes. Any information you add to a sticky note will automatically be saved. Moreover, you can have more than one sticky note open at a single time. This helps to organize the sticky notes so you can keep each one for a separate entity altogether. Some cool features include the ability to change the background and font color, and they can be hooked to the internet.

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13 Best X Apps for iPhone and iPad in 2025

by GeeksModo Staff

In a perfect world, you wouldn’t even need third-party X formally Twitter apps for iPhone or iPad. The default X app would offer an optimal experience, and that would be pretty much it.

However, we don’t live in that world. Actually, there’s a legion of developers somewhere who feel it’ their obligation to not only improve X But also design it to their vision.

The developers of X apps for iPhone and iPad are focused on improving your experience as well as offering a glimpse at the potential of the platform through the eyes of a different creative vision. Not only do These apps improve Twitter, they also redefine it.

With that in mind, the following are the best X apps for iPhone and iPad in 2025:

Best Twitter apps for iPhone and iPad

Our best picks:

#1. Twitter

It’s a fact that most people browse social platform using the default Twitter app. As you may understand, it’s not the best options on the market. There are a bunch of other Twitter apps that offer so much more in terms of features, options, and customizability.

Having said that, the app excels In terms of reliability, performance, and overall design. It’s not the absolute best Twitter app, but that’s kind of its appeal. The app offers an easy and reliable way to browse one of the most popular social media platforms on the world.

#2. Circleboom Twitter

Tweeting is just one side of using Twitter. You need to manage and control your Twitter account and Circleboom Twitter has the most comprehensive Twitter management tool serves users with amazing features to manage their Twitter followers and connections in a variety of ways. You can track the growth of your followers and followings at the same time thanks to its user analytics tool. You can also get demographic information about your audience as well as detailed statistics. Your Twitter circle can be filtered by language and gender. Circleboom also allows you to see the optimal time to tweet and the interest areas of your Twitter followers with nice, cloud-like graphs.

Circleboom Twitter allows you to see detailed insights about your followers. In a few seconds, you can find followers who aren’t following you back on its simple interface. One of the other benefits of this multi-purpose application is the ability to filter inactive, bot, spam, and verified Twitter followers. If you want, you can look at the unfollowers, visit their profiles, and unfollow them.

Circleboom can also be used to search on Twitter. It allows you to locate and follow your target audience. Twitter’s user-friendly, intelligent search tool enables you to search for Twitter accounts that utilize keywords and hashtags related to your interests in their tweets, bios, profiles, and names. Then, if you want, you can go to their profile and follow them.

Moreover, you can delete all your tweets, retweets, likes, replies, and your Twitter archive in just one click on Circleboom Twitter. You can do everything mentioned above on your mobile devices.

#3. Twitterrific

If you want a well-designed Twitter app that is not mean with options, then Twitterific
might be what you are looking for.

Twitterific presents your Twitter feed free or promoted tweets and customized to ignore certain words, trends, and other qualifiers. Even better, the app allows you to customize your feed’s timeline to help focus on tweets that fall into a particular chronological criteria.

Again, however, the thing that really separates this from the other Twitter apps is its clean design. This is one of the oldest independent Twitter apps, and you can see how its design and functionality have been polished over the years.

#4. Tweetbot

Most Twitter apps are focused on achieving two things: expand Twitter’s features and make existing Twitter features a breeze to use. Few achieve those things better than Tweetbot.

For those not looking for too much, Tweetbot can prove to be a better way to use Twitter. The app makes it easy to schedule tweets, offers better filters, and it also allows you to sync your feed between multiple devices.

One great thing about this app, though, is its ability to allow you to create multiple, personalized timelines. Advanced features such as that make it easy to recommend this exceptional app despite a range of free alternatives.

#5. TweetLogix

If you want a Twitter app that better capitalizes on the capabilities of the mobile format, then TweetLogix might just be exactly what you are looking for.

In its simplest form, TweetLogix makes it easier to perform almost every Twitter task. Tasks such as muting, following, and composing can easily Be executed on TweetLogix than via the standard mobile app.

If you really want to explore the features this app has to offer, though, you’ll find so much to love. We’re particularly impressed with this app’s custom theme options, and its search functionality is one of the best among the apps of its nature. Experts and newbies will be impressed with everything this app can do.

#6. Crowdfire

As a matter of fact, Crowdfire isn’t the best Twitter app available today. However, that’s only because it’s not just a Twitter app.

Crowdfire is compatible with multiple social media apps and lets you carry out a range of tasks across them. Besides performing simple tasks such as scheduling posts, the app also recommends articles and content for your various social media feeds.

Only a small number of apps focus on curating content for various platforms, and that alone makes Crowdfire one of the best Twitter apps on the market.

#7. Echofon for Twitter

One thing you should know about Echofon for Twitter is that it features more ads than some of the other free Twitter apps on this list. However, that’s totally understood because it rocks a range of otherwise premium features.

As outlined on the app’s homepage, Echofon is one of the only free apps that offers in-line photo previews and push notifications. Those features alone make it a striking alternative however, one thing we love about this app is its uniformly smooth user interface.

Echofon might be one of the better options on the market for anyone who need premium features without the premium price tag.

#8 . UberSocial

Do you feel like Twitter could be a more “social” social media platform that presents you with expanded interaction options? Well, that’s one of the many functionalities that UberSocial offers.

UberSocial is popular for its social features such as an “inner circle” friends list that makes it easy to see what certain users are up to. Even better, it grants you access to an advanced tweet composer that lets you compose longer, more targeted tweets.

Put it all together and you have a Twitter app that offers more control over how you interact with people and various ways to see what others are up to. It’s definitely a unique style that will be valuable to some.

#9. Hootsuite

At times, you need a Twitter app that’s more than just a companion. Quite candidly, there are times when you need a Twitter app that is essentially a social media manager Hootsuite has a solution for the latter times. Frankly, it’s not the richest of the mobile Twitter apps when it comes to features. The app allows you to schedule Tweets, manage multiple accounts, and accomplish other premium tasks, but that’s all there is to it.

One area where Hootsuite really excels is through a series of advanced analytics that lets you better understand who is reading your tweets and why. For the people who manage a more professional Twitter account, that’s certainly useful information you don’t want to miss out on.

#10. Fenix

There’s certainly no shortage of relatively similar Twitter apps on the planet. As such, the difference between good and great ones is the matter of details.

What makes Fenix app to stand out from the rest is the details. It offers support for multiple accounts, media previews, as well as multiple social media and media clients.

Notably, this app truly sets itself apart via a fantastic interface that is rich and user-friendly. If you love your standard Twitter app but just Want something that offers a little more features, then this may certainly be one of the best Twitter apps for you.

#11. Janetter

Janetter is another free Twitter app that’s worth a mention. Its primary focus seems to be offering a more smooth mobile Twitter experience. It achieves that goal quite excellently.

Just like other free and premium Twitter apps, Janetter allows users to schedule tweets, manage multiple accounts, and enjoy expanded timelines. However, this app goes a little further by offering features such as customized touch controls that take advantage of the mobile medium.

Janetter is just one of those fantastic free Twitter apps that offers a modest upgrade without a lot of commitment.

#12. Listomatic

Has your Twitter account grown wild and unwieldy? Is it time to clean things up a bit and get things back in order? If that’s the case, then Listomatic has a solution for you.

Listomatic browse through your Twitter feed with the purpose of finding similarities. This could be your IRL friends, people who focus on music, or even just GIF posters. It then groups those similar accounts into categorized lists that gives you a better understanding of where your content is originating from.

Should you want to re-examine your Twitter feed or just want to better understand it, Listomatic will help you do so perfectly.

#13. Nighthawk

As you may already know, one of the most requested features for premium Twitter apps is advanced filters. In any case, even the most well-managed Twitter feeds can turn out to be a total mess over the course of just one busy day. Nighthawk is a relatively new Twitter app whose main aim is to simplify your Twitter experience. It lets you filter everything from spoilers to politics and even make a custom timeline that only features tweets from your friends.

This app offers one of the smartest suite of filters that we’ve seen in the apps of this nature. It’s definitely worth downloading if that’s what you need.

#14. Tweetings

Tweetings is a powerful Twitter client for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. The app offers an extensive feature list which includes lists, push, geolocation and syncs your timeline with your Mac or iPad!

The app allows you to follow your friends tweets, share your photos & videos, view conversations, who’s nearby and find out what’s trending at the moment.

Designed with users in mind, Tweetings is a worthwhile buy if you’re looking to try out another Twitter client for iPhone or iPad with some decent design.

And that covers pretty much everything about Best Twitter Apps for iPhone and iPad in 2023
We also have plenty of other articles below that I suggest you check right now.

Tags: iPad Apps, iPhone Apps
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Top 4 Amazing Piano Apps

by GeeksModo Staff

Learning how to play the piano can be a very difficult task. You’ll need to learn the correct hand placements and figure out what order to play the notes is. While you could pay for piano tutorials, there is a more modern solution to this problem. You could use a smartphone app. This is often one of the most enjoyable and convenient ways to improve your piano skills. Let’s take a closer look at some of the best apps available for you to try.
Piano

Perfect Piano

One of the keys to learning how to play the piano is practicing as often as possible. However, it’s usually not practical to carry around a full-sized piano with you. Because of this, you might want to download the Perfect Piano app. This will allow you to simulate the experience of playing the piano on your iPhone.
This app comes with several features that make it a great piano simulation option. First, you can touch the screen at multiple places
when playing. This will help you replicate the experience of playing multiple keys at once. It will also let you adjust the keyboard to better suit your smart device. This will make it easier for you to judge where the keys will be. Finally, you can also have a lot of fun with this app, with multiple built-in sound effects. For example, you’ll be able to use a grand piano or pipe organ.

Note Rush

Another excellent app to use while learning how to play the piano is note rush. In this case, it will use your iPhone’s microphone to determine which note you’ve just played. When it does this, it’ll match it up with the note shown on the note on the screen. This is one of the best ways for you to improve your note reading ability while having fun. The more often you do this, the easier it will be for you to understand sheet music.
There are a few other features available on this app. First, it will be able to detect which octave you’re using, making sure that you’re using the right one. It’s also been designed to wait for as long as it takes for you to find and play the right note. This will stop you from getting lost when playing. There are also different themes, and you can design your own levels. This will ensure that you are always able to test yourself and improve your skills.

Flowkey

If you’re learning how to play the piano, you can’t overlook the Flowkey app. This is designed to be as user friendly as possible. First, it will help you assess your current level of proficiency. Then, the app will recommend lessons, based on your skill levels. This app is suitable for both complete beginners and those who have a few more hours of experience.
Each of these lessons has been designed to be as easy to follow as possible, stepping you through everything you need to know. Also, when you are learning a new song, you can replay difficult sections, until you’ve mastered them. As you grow your skill level, you’ll also start to learn a little more about the theory behind the music that you’re learning. This will help you develop your overall understanding of the piano.

Musicnotes Sheet Music Player

Finally, you might want to consider downloading the Musicnotes Sheet Music Player. When you are playing the piano, you need to make sure that you have plenty of sheet music. This app gives you access to over 300,000 pieces of sheet music, from your favorite artists. It also has features that let you organize your songs into lists, which can help professional musicians create an exciting set.
There is a range of other useful features that you might want to explore. For example, you might be able to change the tempo of your songs, making it easy to put your spin on the material. It also comes with a pen function, so you can make notes as you’re playing, making it easier for you to create engaging arrangements. Finally, if you’re learning piano, you’ll be able to get a simpler version of the sheet music.

Conclusion

Apps can play a big role in helping you learn how to play the piano. Thanks to technology, you’ll now be able to practice your skills anywhere in the world. However, nothing compares to sitting down at a real set of keys. When you do this, you’ll really be able to start putting your skills to test, making music for real.
So, find a keyboard and put the skills you’ve learned from piano playing apps into practice.

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Cash Reader: Money reader for the blind: Review

by GeeksModo Staff

Several of my blind and visually impaired secondary students have been exploring money reader apps for the blind and visually impaired this semester. One of their favorite apps they have really been into with its accessibility features is the app
Cash Reader
a money reader app for the blind and visually impaired.
Money reader for the blind
It’s not often that I find an honor of blogging about an application which is not only feature-rich and revolutionary in its feature set, but takes accessibility to an entirely new level.
As a result of numerous positive feedback from my students, I’m privileged to blog about Cash Reader, the number one money reader for the blind and visually impaired!
Cash Reader is a blazingly fast money reader app which does its job very efficiently. When it come to money identifier Apps for the blind, nothing can beat Cash Reader.

Designed With Blind And Visually Impaired In Mind

You’re dealing with a seriously accessible app here!
Cash Reader is a money reader oriented application, but along with the likes of the fantastic — though irrelevantVoice Dream Reader
it’s the archetypal example of what developers can do to implement accessibility. In short, you are dealing with a seriously accessible app here. The developers of Cash Reader have taken accessibility seriously and their efforts should be appreciated.
This money reader is 100% accessible with
Google TalkBack?,
and
Apple voiceover
with the appeal that It also supports any text size for partially sighted users.

My students like The fact that Cash Reader has a much simpler interface than any other money reader out there, which makes it easier for them to navigate with
Google TalkBack
and
Apple voiceover

Useful Cash Reader settings

The Settings window of Cash Reader can be accessed from the bottom part of its home screen.
Money reader appCompared with other money reader apps for the blind, Cash Reader is the only money reader that provides the most comprehensive settings, categorized into properly labeled groups. But if I’m asked to name some of my favorite settings; I should point to the following:

#1. Use Cash Reader With Siri Shortcuts

One can take advantage of the Siri Shortcuts to recognize currency. You can record a personal phrase and swiftly identify all your favorite currencies just by saying it without having to search for the cash reader icon every time you want to identify currency.
Currency identifier

#2. Read Money With Cash Reader through Vibrations

To pay credit where credit is due, I must say that Cash Reader, is the only money reader for the Blind I’ve come across that can identify currency while your device is on silent mode.

The denominations value are transformed into a series of haptic or taptic vibrations. This feature helps blind and visually impaired to swiftly identify and count money even in noisy environments or when privacy is needed. . This is a great achievement worthy of a thousand accolades!
Money identifier

#3. Reliable Currency Identification

Cash Reader is a quick, reliable and fully accessible money identifier app.

To prove its efficiency, you can play with it showing all kinds of banknotes: folded, new, old, extremely used and under any lighting condition.

#4. Your app doesn’t require internet connection to succeed

Compared to other money reader for the blind, Cash Reader ap doesn’t require an Internet connection to identify currency and doesn’t identify counterfeit bills.

After downloading the currency database, you don’t require an internet connection to recognize currency, so you can now use the app at any time and anywhere.

To identify currency with Cash Reader, you just open the app and place the banknote in front of the
camera
and a speaker announces, “one dollar.” the same time, large contrasting characters appears on the screen for easy identification.

Another nice feature of this currency reader for the blind absent in other money reader, is its ability to make audible bippings to let you know its on, vibration of currency value, and an option to switch between black or white mode.

There’s a lot to like about this money reader app.

Its flexible and affordable subscription plans, as well as full time payment, is a boon to many of us and the fact that it identifies banknote denomination for the largest number of currencies along with its ability to speak multiple languages adds to its strengths.

How Much does this Money reader cost?

At the risk of repeating myself, I should talk about Cash Reader price a bit.

Cash Reader is free to download however, users have various options to choose from. There are subscriptions options available for one month or one year.
There is also a lifetime license which is also affordable. This means, you can easily adjust your Cash reader plans to fit your needs.

The full version costs $17.99 and once you pay for it upfront, everything will be unlocked and at your fingertips.

In addition, Cash Reader provides a 14 day free trial upon first downloading the app. After the trial ends, you will either be limited to only recognizing the lowest 2 bills for the set currency or purchase the full version for $17.99.

Alternatively, you can enroll into either monthly or yearly subscription which is also affordable and reasonable.

Note: The prices mentioned here may vary depending on your country or region.

If you’ve read this article up to this point, you’ve seen how great benefit this one-time payment might be.

Final thoughts

When it comes to accessibility, less is more.  If a developer has created money identifier app that has asimple interface that reliably works with

Apple VoiceOver as well as Android TalkBack and Helps my students to quickly identify money or sort different currency banknotes, you have a solid, inclusive assistive light app for the teens and adults with visual impairments!

Hope you like Cash Reader as much as my students do!

So, Tomas, huge thanks and plaudits are in order!

In case you’re reading this, just let us know how you managed to make this banknote reader identify currency without internet connection!
In case you are wondering, how blind people identify paper money,currency identification for blind and visually impaired is now possible through this currency identifier.
If you are blind or visually impaired, Download Cash Reader app for Android or iOS and identify currency fast with this fully accessible money reader for the blind.

Cash Reader is available on App Store and Google Play:
Download Cash Reader on App Store
Get it on Google play
If you are looking for currency identifier, there you go!
If you know any other banknote reader application for the blind out there, let us know in the comments section below.

Tag: Assistive Technology
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Top iPhone Apps That Work Without an Internet Connection

by GeeksModo Staff

How handy is your iPhone or iPad if you no longer have any data or cannot access the internet? Not very convenient, right? These things are sometimes inevitable; you may experience problems accessing the internet on an airplane or in areas with poor internet connection.

With that in mind, here are some of our favorite iPhone and iPad apps that work without an internet connection in 2020.

iPhone & iPad Apps that work without an internet connection

Our best picks:

1. Google Drive

Google Driveis one of the largest, if not the largest cloud storage platforms out there. It allows you to save a file (s) offline so you can work on it even without internet access.

To do this, click the three-dot icon at the top right of the document you want to open offline, then select “Make available offline”. Do this for every file you want to open offline.

2. Google Maps

Google Maps appis one of the absolute best map out there. You can use it to find hotels, restaurants, offices or even find your way from an unknown location.

So if you need directions to a particular location and you are unsure of the quality of the internet when you get close, simply download the map before you leave home.

To download the offline Google Maps, launch the app on your iPhone or iPad, type in the location and search. Tap the ‘More information’ card that appears and then select ‘Download’. Select the area you want to view offline and click “Download” again.

3. Spotify

Perhaps the most visited music streaming platform,Spotify allows you to save your favorite songs, albums, playlists and podcasts for offline listening. While it’s only available to premium subscribers, Spotify allows you to store up to 10,000 songs in your library.

To download, go to the playlist, album or podcast you want to download and tap Download. You can download an album or playlist) forr offline listening.

After downloading the songs you want to listen to offline, the next thing to do is to enable ‘Offline mode’. In “Settings” on the app, tap “Play” and enable “Offline”.

4. Netflix

Netflixis one of the most popular movie streaming platforms we have and allows users to download certain TV shows and movies – because not all content from the app can be downloaded – through the app Before attempting to download, make sure that your smartphone is running iOS 12 or higher. Also make sure that the Netflix app installed on your device is up to date.

5. YouTube

YouTubeis a perfect option for enjoying yourself on planes, trains and traveling to places with unreliable internet access, as you can download content for offline viewing.

To do this, open YouTube on your iPhone, tap the video you want to download for offline viewing and select “Download” and the content will be downloaded to the “Library” section of the app.

You should also know that Google has only made this feature available to users in developing countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Middle East. In countries outside of these regions, you must be a premium member to enjoy this feature. Read also 30 YouTube keyboard shortcuts you need to know

There you have it; our favorite iPhone and iPad apps that work even without an internet connection. Do you have any other favorite iOS apps that work without the internet? Or every desired app had an offline mode? Share with us in the comments section below.

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The Best Online Meeting Apps for iPhone in 2022

by GeeksModo Staff

Due to the spread of the coronavirus, millions of people around the world have been forced to start working from home and rely on online meeting apps.

Online meetings apps for iPhone makes it easy to still hold those meetings we all dread so much but are a part of our daily work lives. In fact, they might just be more useful than ever bearing in mind how much we all now rely on communicating with our colleagues as much as possible.

With those benefits in mind, the following are some of the best online meeting apps for iPhone in 2022.

Best online meeting apps for iPhone

Our Best Picks:

Zoom

We mentioned Zoom in our roundup of best Remote Worker Apps for iPhone and iPad but it’s worth talking about it here. In fact, you can argue that Zoom is just one of the absolute best online meeting apps for iPhone out there.

What separates Zoom from the pack is accessibility, quality, and features. The app allows users to start or join a meeting with just one or two steps. It rocks , and delivers, some of the best audio and video quality of any app of it’s nature. It’s packed with great features that ranges from easier hands-off use to smart visual sharing which open a whole world of online meeting possibilities.

Zoom is so good that you might start using it even when physical meetings are an option. It should be your first choice in this field, and it might be the only online meeting app for iPhone that you’ll ever need. You can check out How to Use Zoom App on iPhone and iPad Here

GoToMeeting

As one of the “older” online meeting apps for iPhone out there, you might be tempted to replace GoToMeeting with a newer option. but, you’d be overlooking some of the things that this app shines in.

First of all, this service’s oldness means that it’s been polished over the years. You can tell this just by exploring its clean user interface and smart user features. Next, GoToMeeting offers some of the most steady connections than any app of it’s kind. That steadiness often makes a big difference when you’re talking about overall quality.

Typically, however, GoToMeeting is mostly preferred because of its great features. From easy full-screen sharing to commuter options and smooth individual chat options, GoToMeeting delivers almost total suite of thrilling capabilities.

FaceTime

If you don’t already know, FaceTime is probably installed on your iPhone or iPad. We’re certain, nevertheless, that you don’t consider it as one of the best online meeting apps for iPhone.
Maybe, you only use it to communicate with friends and family.

However, FaceTime can do more than that. It doesn’t contain some of the more advanced features available on dedicated options, but it makes up for it with accessibility and easiness of use. FaceTime is user-friendly and most people already have it installed on their devices. If you’ve just gotta have a chat with your co-worker, it’s a largely pain-free way to do just that.

For larger business meetings, we can’t really recommend FaceTime as an option. However, you’d be amazed how well it works for small audience ,.

Google Hangouts

Another app we’d want to talk about is Hangouts. Just like FaceTime, we can’t really recommend this as one of the best full-service online meeting apps for iPhone. We understand that statement is quite ironical considering the proposition of the title of this post.

However, Google Hangouts is one of those options that makes too much sense to not recommend. As part of the larger suite of Google programs, it’s for most people to easily gain access to it. The best part, it’s probably attached to other Google programs that most people would want to access at a meeting. That qualifies it as one of the best choices for more “impromptu” arrangements.

In fact, with its support for multiple users capability, Google Hangouts is not a bad overall option for smaller meetings and chats of that nature.

Slack

As an iPhone user, there’s a high chance you’ve heard about Slack. It’s definitely one of the best apps for iPhone and iPad regardless of function.

One thing you might not be aware of is that Slack is also one of the better overall online meeting apps for iPhone. It offers some fairly expansive video call options that many users don’t know about. Just like Slack, it’s particularly fantastic at supporting conversations between multiple people.

Generally, however, we recommend Slack, why? There is a high chance your co-workers are already using it. That means that everyone can turn a regular Slack session into a full meeting with a few taps. Apart from making Video calls, Slack can also help in communicating with your team members in a way that hopefully ensures you can avoid having so many meetings in the first place.

Skype

Here comes another app that we don’t necessarily recommend as the best choice for those who need to host larger meetings quite often. Similarly, we understand that’s quite ironical taking into account why you probably decided to look for online meeting apps for iPhone in the first place.

Yet, Skype is one of the definitive examples of working with what is at your disposal. Most computers have Skype installed as a default communication option, and the vast majority of people knows how to use it. That makes it really easy to host a meeting with a colleague without having to go through a complex set-up process that includes installing new technology.

We assume your average workstation will get better options than Skype. For what it offers, though, it’s certainly a fairly great alternative to more complex options.

Cisco WebEx

Professionalism is very crutial in meetings, and it’s also crutial in online meeting apps. The best such apps should not only be professional in their Design but should be rich with professional features crafted to help you host and participate in meetings effortlessly.

That’s where Cisco WebEx stands out from the pack. Noticeably, Cisco WebEx is developed by professionals for professionals to host the smoothest web meetings possible. The quest of that ambitious goal involves everything from great connection speeds, easy file sharing, and fantastic options which makes it easy To schedule meetings with just a few taps.

With features such as custom video layouts, Cisco definitely doesn’t fall short of style. Yet, we tend to recommend it most to the people looking for something neat, reliable, and best of all, professional.

BlueJeans

Thinking that there’s not much new in the planet when it comes to online meetings apps for iPhone? Well, That’s not entirely the case, but there is an element of truth in That. There are many apps available today that offer excellent service, but they fairly also offer rather similar services.

BlueJeans is one of the few options which offer something a bit different. Apart from boasting the most extensive in-app scheduling modes that you Can ever find from the apps of it’s nature, it also feature smart options like low bandwith support. Moreover, it features fantastic touch screen interface and can support up to 25 people at a go (and up to 100 via the premium option).

What you’ve got here, then, is a total incredible app that happens to offer certain features that we’d love to see become standard. Some people may argue that this is the best overall online meeting app for iPhone, however, that’s a matter of debate

Join.Me

One major drawback with online meetings is relative lack of shared resources. In a physical meeting, you can all look at the same screen, the same board, or the same piece of paper. This simplifies the process of communicating similar ideas. In a virtual meeting, such options are usually much more limited. That’s where Join.Me kicks in. With features such as a virtual whiteboard, presenter swaps, and even screen sharing abilities, Join.Me offers one of the most striking collections of physical media alternatives that you can ever find. This is certainly the easiest way to share such materials with a large group of people digitally.

And that covers everything about best online meeting apps for iPhone. We hope we are able to help you in one way or another. For more articles like this, please visit our website

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Best Sleeping Apps for iPhone and iPad in 2022

by GeeksModo Staff

Sleeping apps are quickly becoming some of the most downloaded apps on the app store. As it turns out, millions of people around the world are looking for ways to sleep a little
better at night.

While that’s never an easy thing for those who struggle to get good sleep, you do have choices. There are dozens and dozens of apps designed to help you
sleep better. They’re not quite miracles, but you’d be amazed what they can do for you.

The following are some of the best sleeping apps for iPhone and iPad.

Best sleeping apps for iPhone and iPad

Our best Picks

Relax Melodies

During the initial days of iPhone, the most preferred apps were often the simplest ones. They featured some sort of function that people realized could hardly live
without. It’s all right, then, that one of the most popular modern apps on iPhone, Relax Melodies, is simply fantastic.

Relax Melodies’ main function is to play soothing music and other sounds that help you fall asleep in no time. Inaddition, it provides meditation instructions and other
Useful information for that same goal.

This app is almost certainly better than leaving the television on at night or listening to apodcast. It might just offer a different approach to how you choose to relax at night. It’s
certainly one of the best sleeping apps available today.Download Relax Melodies on the App Store

Sleep Cycle

It’s surprising to know that most people are not really aware how they sleep. That means that they’re sleeping while they’re…sleeping. As such, they are
unaware how their body reacts to that process.

That’s where Sleep Cycle comes into play. It tracks your sleeping habits and offers you a better understanding of what is happening. By monitoring information
Such as your snoring and common sleep hours, it allows you to figure out what can be disturbing your sleep patterns and how to correct them.

There are many apps like Sleep Cycle, however, it’s still one of the absolute best sleeping apps in the market.Download Sleep Cycle on the AppStore

Pzizz – Sleep, Nap, Focus

We’ve already pointed out how simplicity in sleeping apps is always welcome feature. In any case, you don’t want to have to think too much when you’re just trying
to sleep.

Simplicity is what separates Pzizz from the pack. At the push of a button, it presents you with a pleasing range of sounds designed to help create a relaxing
sleep atmosphere. And even better, it offers advanced sleeping stats when you wake up.

This is one of the best sleeping apps for iPhone and iPad. It’s easy to recommend even if you just want to use it for a trial period.Download Pzizz – Sleep, Nap, Focus on the App Store

White Noise Lite

Most of the best sleeping apps involve producing relaxing noises of some kind. Well, that’s not by mistake. Research have proven the positive effects
of such techniques.

White Noise Lite is one of the best sleeping apps for that purpose. Basically an advanced alarm clock, this app allows you to use pre-programmed or custom
soundtracks to build a relaxing sleeping environment. When it’s time to wake up, it allows you to do so in a more peaceful and systematic way.

The best part? White Noise Lite is free and easy-to-use. It’s perfect for those who want to dip their toes into sleep aid waters and just want a simple
Starting point. Download White Noise Lite on the App Store

Pillow

It’s true that most sleeping apps feature relatively similar functionality. The difference usually comes down to specific functions and the overall package
being made available.

As far as that last point is concern, Pillow is one of the most popular sleeping apps out there. It features a collection of sleep statistics along with one
of the best advanced alarm clocks we’ve seen in the apps of its nature. That clock can even help you figure out the most appropriate time to sleep and wake up.

Pillow is absolutely exceptional option that’s easy to recommend irrespective of your needs.Download Pillow on the app store

SleepScore

When trying to understand the complex process of human sleeping patterns, you want things to be presented in the simplest way possible. All the information
in the world is useless if you don’t know what to do with it.

That’s why tons and tons of people have turned to SleepScore. This app converts a wide range of data into simple scores that are easy to understand. Enhancing
your score (and your sleep) is then simply a matter of using the information at your disposal to your advantage.

SleepScore is one of the elite sleeping apps that not only helps you sleep better but understand why you sleep the way you do.Download SleepScore on the app store

Headspace

Specialists agree that meditation is an integral part of better sleep. The tricky part is that most people don’t actually know how to integrate meditation into
Their everyday lives.

That’s where Headspace kicks in. Besides offering sounds that help you fall asleep, this app can also help you in learning and integrating meditation
techniques. While it’s not the most advanced app in that area, The feature could actually come in handy for inexperienced users.

I recommend Headspace to anyone looking to slowly integrate relaxing techniques into their daily life.Download Headspace on the app store

Sleepzy

Do you require stats to help you better understand your sleeping habits? Are you just a stat enthusiast who prefer to have their lives presented in form of graphs and charts? Well,
Sleepzy might be one of the best sleeping apps for that purpose.

In terms of raw data, a small number of apps offer what Sleepzy does. From snoring tracking to sleep quality graphs, Sleepzy outlines almost everything you will ever need to
know if you’re going to surely sleep better. The app also includes the usual collection of sleep sounds and alarm options.

I recommend Sleepzy to anyone seeking a better initial understanding of why they’re sleeping the way they do.Download Sleepzy on the app store

AutoSleep

There are many sleeping apps that are compatible with Apple Watch. unfortunately, the number of such apps that truly take advantage of the Apple Watch is limited.

AutoSleep truly excels in that category. Not only does it offer a world-class array of statistics, but it easily presents that information
Through the Apple Watch. We struggle to think of another sleeping app that comes close to matching this one’s interface.

Even if you don’t have an Apple Watch, you might easily find yourself thrilled by everything that this app has to offer. Download AutoSleep on the app store

Noisli

There are numerous sleeping apps that help create bedtime noises, but what about the other times of the day? Surely there are benefits to figuring out ways to
relax throughout the day?

There are, and that’s where Noisli comes into a play. Yes, you can use its array of noises to help you sleep at night. However, they’re also designed to create
generally relaxing environments throughout the day. That makes it that much easier to prepare for bedtime during the course of the day.

For anyone looking to calm themselves before, during, and after they fall asleep, Noisli is a fantastic option.Download Noisli on the app store

Sleep Cycle Power Nap

Taking a nap is a great way to reset and truly rest. Every so often, though, we end up napping a bit too “hard.” This can bring the feelings of tiredness
that affect your sleep cycle.

Thankfully, Sleep Cycle Power Nap has a solution for that. By monitoring your movements and other pertinent stats as you sleep, this app helps you find the optimal
nap time. It wakes you before you fall into a truly deep sleep and ensures you maximize your naps without oversleeping.

It might take a llearning curve, but this app can be greatly benefitial to anyone looking to incorporate naps throughout their day.Download Sleep Cycle Power Nap on the app store

And that covers everything about the best sleeping apps for iPhone and iPad. I hope we are able to help you one way or another. We also have plenty of other articles that I suggest you check right now. Please visit our website

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