In the realm of immersive gaming experiences, the visual aesthetics of gaming peripherals play a crucial role. Logitech gaming wheels, renowned for their performance, take the experience a step further with customizable LED illumination. This extensive guide delves into the art of adjusting LED lighting on Logitech gaming wheels, exploring both creative ideas and practical applications to elevate your gaming setup.

Understanding the Significance of LED Illumination

LED lighting on gaming wheels serves a dual purpose – it enhances the overall gaming ambiance and provides visual cues or feedback during gameplay. Striking the right balance between aesthetic appeal and functionality is key to unlocking the full potential of LED illumination.

The Creative Spectrum: Ideas for LED Customization

• Color Synchronization with Game Themes:
  • Harmonize LED colors with in-game environments or themes, creating a visually seamless connection between virtual and physical realms.
• Dynamic Lighting Responses:
  • Tailor LED responses to in-game events, such as acceleration, braking, or gear shifts, for a more immersive and responsive gaming experience.
• Personalized Color Profiles:
  • Develop distinct color profiles for different games or genres, allowing you to instantly switch between custom lighting setups that complement each gaming experience.
• Real-Time Health Indicators:
  • Utilize LED colors to represent in-game health status, providing a quick visual reference without needing to divert attention to on-screen indicators.
• Interactive Lighting Scripts:
  • Create or download scripts that synchronize LED lighting with specific in-game actions, turning your gaming wheel into a dynamic visual storyteller.

Practical Techniques for LED Adjustment

• Logitech Gaming Software (LGS) Exploration:
  • Dive into the Logitech Gaming Software to unlock a plethora of LED customization options, ranging from basic color adjustments to intricate lighting patterns.
• Zone-Based Illumination:
  • Leverage the capability of Logitech gaming wheels to have zone-based LED lighting, allowing you to assign different colors and effects to distinct sections of the wheel.
• Intensity Calibration:
  • Fine-tune the brightness of LED lights to strike a balance between visibility and preventing distraction during intense gaming sessions.
• Synchronized Peripheral Lighting:
  • Explore the integration of Logitech gaming wheels with other Logitech peripherals, achieving a cohesive lighting setup that spans your entire gaming environment.
• Feedback-Driven Illumination:
  • Configure LED lighting to respond to force feedback, vibrations, or other tactile sensations, enhancing the sense of connection between the virtual and physical aspects of your gaming experience.

Innovative Applications in Various Gaming Genres

• Racing Realism:
  • Simulate realistic racing scenarios by adjusting LED lighting to mimic the shifting patterns of real-life vehicles, enhancing immersion during virtual races.
• Flight Simulation Flourish:
  • Capture the essence of flight by synchronizing LED lighting with altitude changes, speed variations, or specific in-flight events for an authentic aviation atmosphere.
• Combat Dynamics:
  • Utilize LED cues to indicate weapon or ammunition status, adding a tactical layer to your gaming experience in combat-oriented games.
• Exploration Enhancement:
  • Tailor LED lighting to mirror the mood of exploration games, shifting colors based on environmental changes or as a response to discovering new in-game elements.

Maintaining Consistency and Performance

• Firmware Updates:
  • Regularly check for firmware updates for your Logitech gaming wheel, ensuring optimal performance and access to the latest LED customization features.
• Community Collaboration:
  • Engage with the gaming community to share and discover new LED configurations, fostering a collaborative space for innovative ideas and applications.
• Backup Configuration Profiles:
  • Safeguard your customized LED profiles by regularly creating backups, providing a safety net in case of system upgrades or changes.

Conclusion

Mastering LED illumination on Logitech gaming wheels unlocks a realm of possibilities, transforming your setup into a personalized, dynamic, and visually captivating environment. Beyond elevating aesthetics, it also provides immersive and practical in-game feedback. Imagine flashing red LEDs as your tire temperature rises, or pulsing blue lights mimicking police sirens in a pursuit chase. This guide delves into both creative concepts and practical techniques, empowering you to craft a setup that’s uniquely yours.

Whether racing towards victory, soaring through the skies, or engaging in epic battles, your LED customization journey becomes an integral part of the immersive gaming narrative. Feel the intensity of a close finish with synchronized light shows, or enhance your focus with subtle ambient lighting. Logitech’s vast collection of gaming peripherals opens up a world of possibilities, where form and function seamlessly blend to create an unforgettable gaming experience.

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I. Insight into Your Gaming Steering Wheel

• Componential Proficiency:
  • Before delving into maintenance intricacies, acquaint yourself with the diverse components of your gaming steering wheel – from the wheel itself to the pedals, buttons, and the nuanced force feedback mechanisms.
• Material Discernment:
  • Acknowledge the materials constituting your gaming steering wheel, recognizing that cleaning methodologies may diverge based on whether it boasts leather, rubber, plastic, or a composite of materials.

II. Methodical Cleaning Routines

• Extricating Dust and Debris:
  • Employ a soft brush or compressed air to delicately expel accumulated dust and debris from the intricate recesses of your gaming steering wheel, safeguarding its internal mechanisms from potential harm.
• Surface Purity:
  • Utilize a mild cleaning solution coupled with a soft microfiber cloth to gently cleanse the surfaces of the steering wheel. Exercise caution with chemical cleaners to circumvent any potential harm to sensitive materials.

III. Thorough Cleaning Procedures

• Pedal Precision:
  • If feasible, disassemble the pedal set for thorough cleaning, ensuring each pedal is meticulously cleansed. Apply an appropriate lubricant to moving parts to sustain seamless functionality.
• Delving into Force Feedback Mechanics:
  • Adhere to manufacturer guidelines for the maintenance of the force feedback mechanism, encompassing periodic lubrication to perpetuate its optimal functionality.

IV. Strategies for Stain Eradication

• Leather Stain Dissolution:
  • Employ a mild leather cleaner and conditioner for leather-covered steering wheels, eradicating stains while preserving the material’s suppleness.
• Confronting Stubborn Stains:
  • Tackle persistent stains with a blend of mild soap and water, ensuring a prior inconspicuous test to ascertain its compatibility with the material’s color and texture.

V. Calibration Prudence and Software Updates

• Calibration Rigor:
  • Regularly calibrate your gaming steering wheel through the manufacturer’s software or in-game settings, perpetuating accurate responsiveness.
• Firmware Currency:
  • Stay abreast of firmware updates provided by the manufacturer, guaranteeing that your gaming steering wheel’s software remains current, thereby reaping performance enhancements and bug rectifications.

VI. Storage Etiquette and Environmental Considerations

• Prudent Storage Protocols:
  • Envelop your gaming steering wheel when not in use to shield it from dust, and stow it in a cool, dry location to mitigate exposure to extreme temperatures.
• Guarding Against Sun Exposure:
  • Shield your gaming steering wheel from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, a practice that can potentially impair materials and compromise performance. Opt for storage away from windows or use protective covers.

VII. Troubleshooting and Remedial Measures

• Diagnostic Stringency:
  • Routinely subject your gaming steering wheel to diagnostic scrutiny, identifying irregularities promptly to forestall any exacerbation.
• Professional Rectifications:
  • If persistent issues arise, consult the manufacturer’s support or seek professional repairs promptly, thus ensuring the sustained longevity of your gaming steering wheel.

VIII. Prolonging Lifespan through Prophylactic Measures

• Circumspect Force Feedback Utilization:
  • Eschew protracted use of force feedback at maximal intensity to avert undue strain on internal components, thus augmenting their longevity.
• Moderation in Driving Force:
  • Tailor force feedback settings to personal preference while avoiding excessive force, a practice that could contribute to premature wear.

IX. Insights from the User Community

• Virtual Communities and Forums:
  • Engage actively in online forums and communities, fostering an exchange of experiences and garnering insights on effective maintenance practices from fellow gaming steering wheel connoisseurs.
• Knowledge Exchange on Tips and Tricks:
  • Participate in knowledge exchange platforms where users share tips and tricks, ranging from unique cleaning methodologies to inventive customization ideas and DIY maintenance solutions.

X. Epilogue: Safeguarding Your Gaming Steering Wheel Investment

In conclusion, meticulous maintenance is the linchpin in preserving the longevity and optimal performance of your gaming steering wheel. By adhering to these scrupulous cleaning and maintenance methodologies, you not only extend its operational lifespan but also elevate your overall gaming encounters. Treat your gaming steering wheel with the reverence it deserves, and it will continue to be your unwavering companion through an abundance of virtual adventures.

We recommend trying the logitech wheel software to make sure of its high-quality work. Visit the logisofter website for information on drivers for mice, keyboards, joysticks and more.

The post Gaming Steering Wheel Maintenance: A Comprehensive Guide to Prolonging Durability and Performance appeared first on Wie_Soft.

According to Statista, mobile retail sales in the USA surpassed $360 billion in 2021. By 2025, that number is expected to double  to reach around 710 billion U.S. dollars. (Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/249855/mobile-retail-commerce-revenue-in-the-united-states/). This highlights the importance for e-commerce website owners to optimize their stores for mobile users.

Shopify is a reliable platform that offers a seamless mobile user experience. Every theme available on the Shopify store is fully responsive, meaning it adjusts to fit any screen size.

However, simply having a responsive design is not enough for effective mobile optimization. There are several key factors to consider in order to create a truly mobile-ready application. Here are some of the issues that can arise from a poorly optimized Shopify store:

1. Low SEO rankings: A well-optimized mobile website is highly favored by search engines, particularly Google. Since the introduction of mobile-first indexing, mobile-optimized content receives higher rankings in mobile searches. By optimizing your Shopify store for mobile, you increase the chances of customers finding your site and avoid being overshadowed by competitors.
2. No or poor sales: Even if a potential customer stumbles upon your non-mobile-friendly Shopify site, they may lose interest quickly if it’s difficult to navigate, slow to load, contains excessive text, or presents other barriers to user flow. As a result, you may experience a decline in sales.
3. Damage to brand image: Worst of all, a poorly optimized mobile website can harm your brand image. Word of mouth, an invaluable tool for businesses, can suffer as customers become frustrated with your Shopify site and are less likely to recommend your brand. A strong brand image is crucial for long-term success.

The good news is that you can avoid these issues by following our essential guidelines for mobile optimization.

How to Optimize a Shopify Store for Mobile

#1: Optimize Your Tap Targets

Ensuring that your tap targets are optimized is crucial for a smooth user experience on mobile devices. It can be frustrating when users accidentally tap the wrong button because they are too close together. To avoid this, make sure your tap targets have sufficient dimensions and are spaced out properly.

Consider making your buttons or images wide enough to be easily tapped with a thumb. Aim for a width of at least 48 pixels and maintain a minimum of 32 pixels of white space between tap targets. This will help prevent accidental taps and improve overall usability.

Don’t forget to test your mobile website thoroughly by gathering feedback from coworkers, family members, or friends who can provide valuable insights.

#2: Simplify Your Navigation

When it comes to mobile optimization, it’s important to keep your navigation simple and intuitive. Limit your menus to one level of nested content to avoid overwhelming users with too many options.

While it may be tempting to provide a wide range of choices for customers, excessive menu options can lead to confusion and higher bounce rates. By carefully organizing your navigation structure and prioritizing essential pages, you can create a more user-friendly experience.

Reducing the number of navigational layers is also crucial. The more taps users have to make to find what they’re looking for, the higher the chance they’ll leave your site without making a purchase. Streamlining your navigation will not only improve user satisfaction but also positively impact your search engine rankings.

Consider implementing hidden menus through toggle buttons. This allows users to expand and collapse the menu as needed, freeing up valuable screen space on mobile devices. By optimizing your menus in this way, you can enhance the overall user experience and make navigation smoother.

Remember, mobile optimization plays a significant role in improving the performance and usability of your Shopify store. By following these tips, you can create a seamless mobile experience for your customers and drive better results.

#3: Make Sure Your Text Is Easy to Read 

In order to effectively communicate important information about your offerings on mobile devices, it is crucial to ensure that your text is easily readable. Using a small font can lead to difficulty in reading and may deter visitors from continuing to browse your site. For optimal Shopify mobile optimization, we suggest selecting a font size between 14 and 16 pixels and scaling it within the viewport.

Opt for Standard Fonts

Unless absolutely necessary to describe your products or services, it is recommended to use standard fonts like Arial. The use of non-standard fonts may require users to download and install them on their devices, which can negatively impact the speed of your Shopify mobile site and contribute to an increased bounce rate. 

Minimize Text Content

We understand the challenge of providing detailed information within the limited space of the viewport. Therefore, it is important to include only essential information on product pages, such as the item name, price, and a CTA button. To provide additional details, we recommend two main methods: displaying them after a user clicks on a photo or image, or toggling them using a hamburger, three dots, or caret menu button.

Remove Overlaid Text From Images

Many websites feature banner ads with overlaid text embedded in their code. However, when viewed on a mobile device, this can cause difficulties in understanding the message as the viewport size decreases. To address this challenge in Shopify mobile optimization, we suggest extracting the text from the banner code and placing it underneath the image.

#4: Ensure Visibility of Your Call-to-Action Button

The primary goal of any e-commerce site, whether web or mobile, is to facilitate product or service sales. Visitors should be guided towards making a purchase consistently throughout their browsing experience. While desktop websites have ample space to prominently display the Buy button on every page, mobile devices have limited room.

To overcome this issue, it is recommended to keep a fixed Call-to-Action (CTA) button visible at all times, regardless of the user’s current location on the site. By ensuring its prominent display, there is a possibility that customers may even make unexpected purchases, thereby boosting your sales.

#5: Keep the Main Navigation Bar Always Visible

Users navigate through a Shopify mobile website by scrolling or swiping to access information. While this gesture-based interaction enhances the user experience, it can also have negative consequences. For instance, if a visitor swipes too quickly and misses crucial details about your best-selling product, the likelihood of their return becomes minimal.

To ensure that users always have access to important business-related information on their mobile screens, it is advisable to fix the main navigation menu. The specific items to include in this menu can vary according to your preferences. However, for optimal Shopify mobile optimization, we suggest including at least a call-to-action button, a link to the homepage, and a link to the checkout.

Concluding Thoughts

If you’re committed to the prosperity of your online store,  answering the question  “How can I optimize my Shopify store for mobile?” is absolutely crucial. Neglecting to make your Shopify website user-friendly on mobile devices is simply not an option. 

An online store that fails to adapt to mobile users will suffer from decreased SEO rankings, a decline in sales, and a damaged business reputation. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to implement the optimization strategies outlined in this article.

The post Enhancing Mobile Experience: A Guide to Optimizing Your Shopify Store for Handheld Devices appeared first on Wie_Soft.

1. Implement Strong Data Encryption:

Data breaches can have severe consequences for both users and app providers. Implementing strong encryption mechanisms ensures that data remains secure even if unauthorized parties gain access. Using industry-standard encryption protocols, such as SSL/TLS, for data transmission and storage is a fundamental step in protecting sensitive information. For instance, call-tracking.org employs robust encryption methods to safeguard call data, contributing to overall data protection.

2. Regular Security Audits and Penetration Testing:

Periodic security audits and penetration testing help identify vulnerabilities and potential threats in an app’s infrastructure. By actively seeking out weaknesses and addressing them before malicious actors exploit them, developers can enhance the app’s security posture. Call-tracking.org provides auditing features that can be instrumental in assessing the security of call data and associated systems.

3. Obtain User Consent for Data Collection:

Transparency is key to building trust with users. Obtain explicit consent from users before collecting any form of data, be it personal information or usage patterns. Clearly outline what data will be collected, how it will be used, and who will have access to it. With call-tracking.org, obtaining user consent and ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations can be seamlessly integrated into your app’s workflow.

4. Regular Updates and Patch Management:

Cyber threats evolve rapidly, and vulnerabilities that were once secure can become exposed over time. Regularly updating the app and promptly patching vulnerabilities helps prevent unauthorized access and data breaches. A proactive approach to updates shows users that you are committed to their security. Call-tracking.org ensures that its platform is regularly updated to address emerging security concerns.

5. Secure Authentication and Authorization:

Implementing strong authentication and authorization mechanisms is vital to prevent unauthorized access to user accounts. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) and role-based access control (RBAC) add layers of security, ensuring that only authorized users can access sensitive data. Integrating call-tracking.org into your app’s authentication process can help enhance security by ensuring that only authorized individuals can access call data.

6. Data Minimization:

Collect only the data that is necessary for the app’s functionality. Avoid storing excess user information to reduce the impact of a potential breach. By practicing data minimization, the potential risk in case of a breach is significantly mitigated. Call-tracking.org provides tools that allow you to collect and manage only the necessary call data, reducing exposure to unnecessary risks.

7. Transparency in Data Handling:

Users value transparency when it comes to how their data is handled. Create a comprehensive privacy policy that clearly outlines how data is collected, used, shared, and stored. Make this policy easily accessible to users within the app. Integrating call-tracking.org with transparent data handling practices can provide users with confidence that their call data is being managed responsibly.

8. Employee Training and Awareness:

Human error remains a significant contributor to data breaches. Conduct regular training sessions to educate your employees about security best practices and the importance of safeguarding user data. Ensure that your team understands the potential risks and how to mitigate them effectively. Call-tracking.org’s training resources can assist your team in understanding how to handle call data securely.

9. Compliance with Data Privacy Regulations:

Adhering to data privacy regulations such as GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA (where applicable) is crucial for building trust. Ensure that your app’s data practices align with the legal requirements of the regions you operate in. Call-tracking.org provides features that enable compliance with various data privacy regulations, facilitating a seamless integration of legal requirements into your app’s operations.

10. Incident Response Plan:

Despite the best efforts, security incidents may still occur. Having a well-defined incident response plan in place can help minimize damage and expedite recovery. This plan should outline the steps to be taken in the event of a breach, including communication strategies with affected users. Call-tracking.org can provide insights into potential breaches, facilitating a faster response to any security incidents involving call data.

In conclusion, the digital age presents both opportunities and challenges for app developers and businesses. Building and maintaining trust through robust app security and privacy practices is paramount to success. By implementing strong encryption, conducting regular security audits, obtaining user consent, and adopting other best practices, app providers can safeguard user data and establish credibility. The role of call-tracking.org in enhancing app security efforts cannot be understated. By integrating its features, developers can bolster their security measures, inspire user trust, and navigate the digital landscape with confidence.

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Deciphering Fixed Price Contracts

A fixed price contract is a kind of agreement where both the client and the service provider agree on a defined scope of work, timeline, and payment terms. You don’t have to be an expert in software development to outline a project’s scope with this model. At Orangesoft, we’re here to aid you in pinpointing potential hurdles, devising an exact project blueprint, and using these details to estimate the cost and timeline.

Even with a pre-determined project scope, it’s still possible to introduce new features during the app’s development phase. However, integrating these enhancements can only occur once the initial contract has been fulfilled, and they will require additional negotiations and payment.

Advantages of Fixed Price Contracts:

• Budget Transparency: In a fixed price model, you are aware of the costs involved in app development upfront, eliminating any surprise expenditures.
• Predetermined Deadlines: The project specifics agreed upon in the contract provide a reliable estimate for project completion.
• Minimal Management Efforts: Given the well-documented project features, the project can be transferred swiftly and efficiently.
• Predictable Results: The project outcome is negotiated and included in the scope beforehand, making the results more foreseeable.

Drawbacks of Fixed Price Contracts:

• Limited Flexibility: Fixed price contracts offer little scope for flexibility as any modification to project requirements leads to additional costs.
• Delayed Project Launch: Drafting the project roadmap can be a lengthy process, proving disadvantageous when dealing with tight deadlines.
• Diminished Control: Clients have less authority over the project as the vendor takes full responsibility for team and project management.
• Elevated Project Cost: Service providers typically account for potential risks when estimating the project’s price, potentially resulting in a higher final cost compared to the time and materials approach.

Ideal Scenarios for Fixed Price Software Development

Fixed price software development typically aligns well with projects that are short-term, operate on a limited budget, have firm deadlines, and possess clearly outlined features. This approach is particularly apt for modest-sized projects that are projected to wrap up within a three-month timeframe, MVPs that are designed with basic functionalities, and projects that already have a well-determined feature set.

Exploring Time and Materials Contracts

A Time and Materials (T&M) contract varies from the fixed cost model, where the cost is known in advance. This agreement requires the client to pay the vendor for the hours worked and the resources utilized in the software project. This model is highly flexible, allowing for adjustments and additions.

The T&M model is beneficial when the project’s cost or completion time is challenging to determine upfront. Unlike fixed price contracts, it doesn’t encompass fixed deadlines or predetermined prices.

Benefits of the T&M Contract Model:

• Enhanced Flexibility: This model facilitates immediate changes to a project when required, capitalizing on a product approach to swiftly respond to user feedback and market trends.
• Rapid Project Launch: The planning stage is relatively brief in a T&M contract, as the project’s specifications don’t need to be extensively detailed.
• Increased Control over the Project: Clients can participate in all development phases, including sprints, iterations, and meetings to discuss progress and decide on subsequent steps.
• Cost-Efficiency: Clients only pay for the time spent on a specific task, with the ability to control the rates for different tiers of software developers.

Limitations of the T&M Contract Model:

• Uncertain Budget: T&M projects can often exceed the initial budget as changes to the initial scope are likely to be incorporated during the development process.
• Unclear Deadlines: Without a well-defined scope at the project’s inception, the release date can be extended due to new requirements added during the development phase.
• Greater Client Involvement: Frequent meetings, planning sessions, and report reviews can demand significant time and effort from clients, who might not be prepared for such intense engagement.

Ideal Situations for a Time and Materials Contract

Large-scale projects requiring long-term commitment, projects with evolving specifications, or those with an ambiguous scope can benefit from a T&M contract.

The process of selecting the optimal pricing model for your project hinges on understanding your project’s scope, time frame, budget, and the level of involvement you can afford. At Orangesoft, we have extensive experience with both fixed price and time and materials contracts, enabling us to offer you the best advice tailored to your project’s unique requirements.

Our team is proficient in both fixed price and time and materials contract models. While we typically lean towards the T&M model for most projects, we recognize that some projects may necessitate a different approach, where fixed price contracts can be an excellent alternative.

Our mission is to simplify the decision-making process for you. Our team is always ready to provide you with the necessary support and present an accurate estimate for your project. We take pride in our deep understanding and experience in pricing models, and our objective is to help you make the most advantageous decision that will positively impact your project in the long run.

Regardless of the pricing model you choose, we aim to ensure its smooth implementation. We understand that the process of selecting the right pricing model can be complex and time-consuming, so we strive to make it more straightforward and efficient for you. With our assistance, you can have peace of mind knowing your project is in capable hands.

In conclusion, your decision between a fixed price contract and a time and materials contract should be based on the specific characteristics of your project, your risk tolerance, and the level of involvement you want to have in the project. In situations where the project scope is well-defined and predictable, a fixed price contract could provide the certainty and simplicity that you need. On the other hand, a time and materials contract could provide the flexibility and adaptability needed for more complex and uncertain projects.

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Project, task, or subtask?

Before you start, however. many clients wonder when it’s best to create (or not create) a project, task, or subtask when adding work to Asana. Here’s a visual guide to help you figure things out quickly:

• Create projects for large collaborations with multiple milestones and stakeholders who need to see information in different views (it could be a campaign, a launch/event or an editorial calendar/process).
• Create tasks if you need to formulate an individual task for one person that can be completed in minutes or working days (such as writing a blog post or fixing a bug in a program), if you also need to track it in different views.
• Create subtasks to break down the task or split up the work (e.g., check keywords for search engine optimization to be used on the blog or analyze the frequency of the bug). You can view subtasks only in the context of the overall task. (That said, we do not recommend creating more than five subtasks or multiple levels of subtasks!)

If you need a more detailed explanation of this structure, additional tips are given here.

Creating a Project

Even if you don’t know how to do anything else in Asana, understanding the process of creating and using projects will greatly improve your team’s performance and eliminate outdated spreadsheets, confusing email correspondence, and protracted meetings trying to get the same information.

Create a project. In Asana, projects are within groups and contain collections of related tasks. Projects can be used for everything from time-bound initiatives (like launch) to ongoing processes (like maintaining an editorial calendar) to information processing (like incoming design requests). You can switch between list, board, timeline and calendar views at any time. Save time with templates. Our templates are based on the most reliable and proven workflows in Asana. They include guidelines for setting up projects and moving tasks around as you go. You can also create your own templates.

Systematize your project

Once created, structure your project so that it is well organized and easy to work with.

Group similar tasks into sections. Examples of sections: by deadline, stage of work, type of task, etc. 2Clearly assign responsibilities by assigning tasks and specifying due dates. Then each employee will know exactly what he or she is responsible for and when the work is to be completed.

Supplement task information with custom fields. Custom fields are like columns in a spreadsheet. They are designed to collect information for each task. You can also filter and sort tasks by these fields. Status, priority, cost, etc. fields are useful.

Sort, filter, and save your project view. Don’t want to see completed tasks in the project list? Want your project to appear as a calendar when you open it? Use the project toolbar to filter, sort, and save your project.

Creating a project schedule

Now that the foundation for a project has been laid, Asana will help you create its schedule and workflow so that your team can move the work from start to finish clearly and seamlessly.

How to do it:

• Make project plans with the Chronology feature, which allows you to generate a Gantt chart-style view. This helps you plan and visualize each stage of a project. The timeline clearly shows the duration of each task, its due date, and its dependencies. Tasks can be moved around with ease to avoid overlaps and conflicts.
• The definition of dependencies between tasks allows you to always start work on time. If you’re waiting for a colleague to finish a task, Asana helps you keep track of its status so you can start your part of the job on time. It also means you’ll spend less time reconciling a blocking task and know right away that it’s done. The Chronology feature makes it very easy to establish dependencies between tasks.
• Split the work into subtasks (if needed). Many customers ask why tasks can have only one performer. This is done for a clearer distribution of duties. However, if the task involves preparatory work and additional steps, or if you just need to ask another colleague to complete it, subtasks can help to break the task into separate elements, which will simplify management and show the distribution of responsibilities.

Create a project overview that allows you to provide your team with a project task where all other plans and tasks are, and clearly spell out responsibilities within the project so that this information can be checked off at any time.

Move the work forward

Once your group starts working together, Asana becomes even more useful for project management. You can easily provide status updates in the context of the work your team is doing. In doing so, you’ll only receive notifications about what’s important to you.

How to do it:

• In the task comments, you can keep participants informed of how the work is progressing (or that it is blocked), and to answer questions and provide feedback.
• Publish status updates using project data and provide task burnout charts and progress on the project. You can also reference tasks, projects, and colleagues in the update (and celebrate their successes) using @mentions. All project participants are notified of updates. They can also leave comments.
• Create milestones to highlight key project goals and milestones. This way you will show your team what goals they need to achieve and help managers monitor the project against the milestones.
• Optimize checks and approvals with our approval workflow. If visuals are part of your project, you’ll be comfortable tracking feedback with our Corrections feature.
• Add rules to automate manual work such as assigning tasks, updating custom fields, moving completed tasks, etc. You’ll save time and make sure everyone follows the correct procedures.

Control information across multiple projects with portfolios. Portfolios are ideal for those who need to manage multiple projects or monitor the progress of specific initiatives in a single view and in real time.

Preparing for the next project

Yay! You’ve successfully completed a project in Asana. However, don’t rush right into the next one. Take time to analyze the completed project.

How to do it:

• Keep in mind that Asana is constantly introducing new features and improving the app, so your team still has discoveries to make that may change the way you think about using Asana-it’s okay and, in fact, perfect!
• Take any experience you have with your project and transform it into a template. This will avoid repeating mistakes and make your plan even more reliable next time.
• Transfer the project to the archive. Now that the project is complete, send it to the archive and focus on the tasks at hand. The project and all the information it contains will not be deleted, it will simply be removed from the project list.
• Celebrate with your team. Asana has lots of ways to show appreciation and show that you like something.

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Layering

This technique is often used by music producers. Producers are people who create music in so-called sequencers (music creation software). For example, Lady Gaga, even if she knows how to write songs, she can’t create the final product and she has the help of the same producers. One of the most famous producers who worked with her is RedOne.

So, back to layering. This technique is used to give fullness to any of your instruments, as well as to the track as a whole. It is most commonly used when creating a drum part and a vocal part. At first, let’s take layering as an example of a drum part.

Layering when creating a percussion part. When writing acoustic and electronic music, you use libraries of pre-recorded samples. Such libraries contain sounds recorded in a professional studio that novice musicians and producers do not always have access to. Examples of such sounds might be a single beat in a volume, a drum, a hand clap, a percussion drum, and other such things. Such libraries can easily be found freely available or for sale on the Internet. They are called “One Shot Samples” or “One Shot Libraries.”

The use of pre-recorded drum loops is also justified. They are usually complete and ready-made versions of drums and can be broken up into parts (e.g. drums separately, cymbals separately, percussion separately, tambourines separately), and if you put them together, you get a complete drum part. They are called “Drum Loops” and are widely available on the Internet. Among other things, there are many programs with ready drum libraries, the prime examples of which are XLN Audio Addictive Drums, Spectrasonics StyleRMX, Native Instruments Machine and others.

Consider the layering of the main drums (“kick”) in the figure below. To get rich and dense kick drum sound, you can use three different kick drum variations. Studio Kick, Acoustic Kick, and Electronic Kick.

Each of these drums has its own sound, but together they start to sound much denser than they do individually. When combining different drums, you must take into account that they may not blend together, so sometimes you have to equalize them. In the illustration below, one of the drums (left) has the low bass frequencies removed and creates what is called a clap or click in the upper frequency range, while the other has the emphasis on the low frequencies and fills in the bass component.

When combining drums made from “One Shot” samples, you can use programs such as “Native Instruments Battery” or “Image-Line FPC”. There you can set the volume of each of the instruments, and spread them out over the panorama. The illustration below shows 3 barrels combined in one cell of the “Image-Line FPC” programs.

In addition, music production often uses layering of already prepared drum loops. In my music practice, I use both approaches: I compose a part of the drum part from the “One Shot” samples, and fill in the other part with ready drum loops I have found in the special libraries or programs. In the example below, 6 levels of drums I compiled (3 levels of drums, one clap, closed cymbals and metal percussion) are highlighted in green, as well as 4 levels of ready drum loops shaded in blue. All together they make up the full percussion part of the song used in the chorus. This integrated approach allows you to get a fuller percussion sound.

Working with vocals

Initial vocal processing. Let’s consider vocal processing at the initial stage, and then we’ll talk about vocal layering. Naturally, the first thing you need to do is to record vocals. For this use FL Studio built-in plugin “Edison”. To record a vocal, you need to select the input channel you have your microphone connected to and then add the “Edison” plugin on the same channel, set the “NOW” and “IN NEW PROJECT” switches, then press the record button and record your vocal (everything is shown in the pictures below).

Don’t rush to save the vocals as soon as they are recorded. First, you need to get rid of the extra noise that your microphone, wires, audio card, and sound sources in the room usually give off. To do this, try to be silent for a while after recording your vocals, thereby leaving a small section from which you can read the noise from the recording. Then select this area and open the “Clean Up Tool” as shown in the figure below.

Then the plugin will need to make a so-called “noise map”, which it will exclude from your vocals. To do this, click on the “Acquire noise profile” button.

Then close the “Clean Up Tool” and select all the vocals you recorded, reopen the “Clean Up Tool” (the green areas will be marked with the most noise), set the “Amount” value to about the middle and press “Accept”.

Then (in the “Edison” window) you will see and hear that your vocals are noticeably cleaner.

Now let’s see how to remove the overly loud “S” and “Z” consonants from your vocals. In production, this process is called “De-essing”. De-essing can also be done with plug-ins (such as “AVOX Sybil” or “Fabfilter Pro-C”), but this process can also be done manually. This is relevant because many de-essing plugins do process and thereby distort all of your vocals, not just consonants, and to leave the rest of your recording untouched, you can use a “manual” approach.

To do this, load your vocals into Edison. Switching to the spectral view (as shown below):

you’ll see the loud “C” and “Z” sounds (marked in the picture below):

Then highlight in “Edison” one of the areas where the consonants are located and open “Equalize”, there you will see that area in more detail. Usually the ringing consonants are located in the range from 5K to 15K. Cut out these frequencies, set “Mix” to about 50% and press “Accept” (all indicated in the picture below).

Next, do the same procedure with all the ringing consonants “C” and “Z”. You can also do the same with the loud breaths, but you will need to equalize the whole range of frequencies (in fact, just make them quieter).

Layering for creating vocal parts. Now let’s consider the layering method that can and should be used for creating vocal parts. The well-known backing vocals are, in fact, layering. However, there are several different approaches to this question.

The first approach is that you invite backing singers, or you perform your own backing vocals. The pros of this approach are obvious, the real voice cannot be replaced by anything yet. Cons: You need both a recording studio and good backing singers. Then the recorded vocals are added to the lead vocals without precise timing (i.e. the vocals may sound slightly different, but not by much).

The second approach is that you can use programs such as “Antares Autotune” or “Image-Line Pitcher” to create harmonic backing vocals with only one lead vocal part. Let me briefly describe the process of creating these backing vocals.

First, you need to record the main vocal part (so called “Lead Vocal”). Then process it (about vocal processing – see below) and import it into FL Studio. Next, you need to send the vocal to the effects channel, where the Pitcher is located.

In Pitcher you need to set the following parameters: turn on button “MIDI” (when you turn on this button in the lower left corner there will be a port number, it should be memorized), and button “HARMONIZE”. You can also set the “Replace-Mix” switch to one of two positions. The “Replace” position completely removes the main vocal and leaves only the plugin-generated harmonics. As you can easily guess, the Mix position leaves both your vocals and the generated harmonics.

Then you must add “MIDI out” to the instruments, and specify the port in its settings.

Then, by opening “Piano Roll”, you can specify the harmonics to be generated (by the plugin). You need to specify the notes that the plugin will generate based on your main vocal, and time them so that they coincide with the main vocal and create the correct harmonics.

The pluses of this approach are that it’s easy and fast to create harmonics, and also that these harmonics will copy your vocals exactly, so you won’t have to adjust their position in the mix for a long time. Well, the main disadvantage of this approach is the sound of these backing tracks. No matter how you look at it, you can’t get rid of the synthesized sound.

The third way is to combine both approaches. Even having only one vocalist (in my case it is myself) you can get big, full and realistic vocal parts. All you need to do is use the method described above to create the right harmonics. Then you need to memorize what your harmonics sound like. To understand and hear how only your harmonics sound, you need to set the switch in the Pitcher program to “Replace” and memorize the harmonics sound and then try to reproduce them yourself. At first, it may be unusual to sing such backing vocals, because you need to sing them as smoothly as possible throughout their duration and try to remove unnecessary expression and “walking” over the notes from your vocals. If you don’t hit the notes at any point, you can tweak your backing vocals in Celemony Melodyne Editor or Image-Line Newtone. Real vocals, even extremely processed with these plugins, will still sound more realistic than generated harmonics.

Clearly, the more layers of backing vocals, the fuller the vocal part sounds. But it’s important to remember that you can’t sing the same way every time, and sometimes one phrase will sound longer than another, etc. Therefore, the backing vocals need to be arranged exactly according to your lead vocal.

Each backing vocal is matched to the others and to the lead vocal. If this is not done, the whole vocal part will sound like a mess. At times, up to 10 layers of vocals are used (when creating a chorus in a song, for example), and so this is doubly relevant. I hope you find my advice helpful.

The post How to Create Musical Works in FL Studio: Interesting Techniques appeared first on Wie_Soft.

Amazon may have one of the most widely used online bookstores. It’s very easy to find the book you want, buy it digitally, and use it quickly on your cell phone or in an e-book. With the Kindle app, you can sync all these readings with your Amazon account on all your devices. Let’s take it step by step.

The first thing you have to do is install the app from the Google Play Store. Once that’s done, you just need to open it and log in to your regular Amazon account with which you buy books and other products.

Once you sign in, Amazon Kindle will make you do a little quiz to find out your taste in reading and rate some popular books you may have read. You can skip this step with no problem. The app will then give you some sample books so you can start testing your reading skills.

En la start screen In Amazon Kindle, you can see as if it were an eBook, the last book you read, and an excerpt from the books in your library. You can also find recommended books and lists by genre related to the readings you have on your device below. In the center tab of the bottom panel, you’ll see the book you’re currently reading and can access it directly, on the page where you left off.

En la library tab you will be able to see all the books you have bought and downloaded. You can sort them in different ways: as a list, as a grid, or by collection. You can also sort by title, author, and recent reads.

In the store tab, you have all the books on sale through Amazon in Kindle format for your app or your ebook. You can buy them directly from the account you logged in with and get them instantly on your cell phone.

To start reading, you just need to click on any book you have in your library. You can use it to personalize your reading experience by enlarging the font, placing markers, searching for words, or taking notes. Enjoy reading!

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Teams bring together people, content, and tools related to different projects or outcomes in an organization.

You can create closed teams that are for invited users only.

They can also be public, that is, open to all employees in the organization (the number of participants cannot exceed 5000).

A team is intended for uniting a group of people who closely cooperate with each other to perform the set tasks. Teams can be created for specific projects (such as launching a new product or creating a project management center) or exist on a permanent basis, reflecting the internal structure of the organization (such as by department or office location).

Conversations, files, and notes in channels are visible only to team members.

Channels are dedicated team sections that help to organize conversations on certain topics within the team, projects, disciplines, etc.

In team channels all team members can openly communicate with each other.Private chat is visible only to team members.

Channels are most useful when you add apps to them that include tabs, connectors, and chatbots that give participants additional capabilities.

Teams Participants, Roles, and Options

Once Microsoft Teams is activated in your organization, designated team owners can invite any other employees to join the team. Team owners in Microsoft Teams can easily add employees to the organization by their names. Depending on your settings, you can add guests from outside the organization to teams. More information: Guest access in Microsoft Teams.

Team owners can also create teams based on existing Office 365 groups All changes in the group will be automatically synchronized with Microsoft Teams. Creating a team based on an Office 365 group not only makes it easier to invite and control participants, it also allows you to synchronize the team files with Microsoft Teams.

Team Roles

There are two main roles in Microsoft Teams: team owner, the person who creates the team, and team members, the people who are invited to join the team by the owners. Team owners can designate any team member as a co-owner already at the time of the invitation or at any time after being added to the team.Having several owners allows you to distribute responsibilities for managing team parameters and composition, including sending invitations.

Team settings

Team owners can manage whole team settings directly in Microsoft Teams. This includes the ability to add a team avatar and manage members’ permissions to create channels, add tabs and connectors, @mention the entire team or channel, and use GIF animations, stickers, and memes.

Microsoft Teams administrators in Office 365 have access to global system settings in the Microsoft Teams Administration Center. They can change the settings and defaults that owners see in their Teams settings. For example, you can enable the default “Shared” channel in all Teams for announcements, discussions, and resources common to the entire team.

Teams Teams are a prototype of a company’s organizational structure

You can create Teams according to the organization structure. This solution is best suited for managers who want to increase employee morale, get feedback on specific teams, optimize the inclusion of new employees, create organization plans for different staff categories and make them more transparent.

Before creating channels, teams, etc., we recommend considering the goals of the projects and the employees to be achieved. Once you have created a team, add these specialists to it so they start working with each other.

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What is Duolingo?

It’s an app that helps you learn a language in a fun way. Each lesson consists of exercises on listening, translation, speaking and grammar practice. Exercises are accompanied by theoretical material. All of this together will help to tighten your grammar, increase vocabulary and improve pronunciation.

Pros of

Free access. Access to absolutely all of the training, materials and tasks is absolutely free. Given that other applications of this kind are rarely free, this is an undeniable advantage. Auditioning. First of all, it is good that it is there. Secondly, it’s great that the audio can be listened to both at normal pace and in slow motion, which is invaluable for beginners or for those who have difficulty hearing speech.

Pronunciation. Repeat the phrases you hear and the app will analyze whether you’re doing it right.

Learning materials. Each lesson is accompanied by theory, whether it’s the gender of nouns or the subjunctive mood.

Constant repetition of vocabulary in different lessons. Words will be repeated throughout different levels, which increases the chance of memorizing them.

Minuses

There are disadvantages to even the good stuff and probably the biggest disadvantage of Duolingo is that its value is overrated. On the official website, in the description on Google Market, and in the application itself, you can find the information that 34 hours of practice in Duolingo can replace an entire semester of study at university. Of course, different universities teach differently, but by and large this information is from the series “how to lose weight in a month by 10 kilograms without diets and exercises”. Remember that no app, even the most wonderful, will not replace systematic lessons with a teacher.

Well, a few lesser disadvantages

Not all suggestions make sense and therefore have little applicability in practice. Here is in what life situation can be useful phrase “Your bear drinks beer”? They even made t-shirts like that.

The lessons are not systematic. Even though there are reference materials, you won’t get a clear picture in your head.

There is no practice of the productive skills: writing and speaking. The former is only present as a translation of short sentences, and the latter is essentially pronunciation practice. Too easy for high levels. There isn’t much new vocabulary, so something else is worth trying at levels above Intermediate.

Bottom line

Duolingo is a great app for vocabulary training and it will help you get into the habit of learning every day in an easy and fun way, but don’t expect miracles from it.

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