Month: March 2016

Adobe has set the standard for software across a number of creative fields, and Adobe Premiere Pro is one of it’s flagship programs. Premiere is arguable the best video editor on the market. While all of this makes it sound like it should be everyone’s first choice, this is not necessarily the case. As a pro level tool, it is laced with complexity that people just wanting to crop and chop could easily find baffling. Also its pricing model – which requires a subscription to Adobe’s Creative Cloud – really limits its use among enthusiast editors. It is undoubtedly state-of-the-art, and stuffed with features and tools, but Adobe Premiere Pro is only a tool for professionals

Apple’s pro-grade video editor has been popular among video professionals for years, but it’s latest version Final Cut Pro X the program rebuilt from the bottom-up. This new build is considerably more powerful, while also being slightly more streamlined for new users. This change could frustrate long time fans and professionals who may feel it has been dumbed-down, but for new users it provides easier access to its many tools. This focus on a different level of user is also reflected in a recent update which allows uploads to multiple YouTube accounts at a time – a huge bonus for more active vloggers. Despite being more friendly for beginners, Final Cut Pro X is still a pricey proposition for causal editors who may want to look else where.

Designed for professionals needing to produce high-quality HD videos up to 4K, Sony Vegas Pro is another expensive tool. However, unlike the previous apps on the list, the full range of Sony video editors provides a number of entry level options – such as Movie Studio 13 – allowing you to build your talents and progress through their products as necessary. This Professional version includes features such as support for gigapixel images, multilayer files, and a wider support of capture cards that the lower end versions lack. The Vegas family of products offers a good range of options for every skill level, but Sony Vegas Pro is certainly the jewel in the crown (but it is priced accordingly).

iMovie is Apple video editor to create and edit movies on your Mac. This free tool allows you to import your movies and clips, before offering you simple user friendly ways to cut and paste them together. Its simplicity extends beyond the ability to splice clips together too, providing new comers a selection of simple tools to edit, add soundtracks from iTunes, record voice over, and easily import images and clips from their iPhone. iMovie does lack advanced editing functions but, for most people, it should allow for fantastic results with minimal effort.

If you are looking for a free editor that can apply small cuts, add filters, and utilize multiple formats, Avidemux is a brilliant choice. Supporting AVI, MPEG , MP4, and ASF files in a variety of codecs, you should have no trouble importing videos to edit from a huge variety of sources. If you are feeling a little more technical then you can also automate tasks using its projects, job queues, and powerful scripting capabilities. It’s not perfect, but Avidemux is a great tool for performing basic editing without the hassle of converting formats – and it’s free.

You may already know AccuWeather from its web version, and the Android and iOS apps mirror this same functionality. Its services include the ability to see the current weather anywhere in the world and upcoming forecasts for the next 15 days. The ease with which you can change location makes it brilliant for people who regularly travel. AccuWeather offers lots of additional weather information, this includes weather alerts for some locations, a satellite map to track weather fronts,  and up the minute climate news.

Where AccuWeather offers lots of information and tracks points of interest from all over the world, WeatherBug detects your current location to gives you constantly updated information. It shows all the relevant information about the weather in your area and even goes into specifics like dew point, humidity, and pollen count – with is brilliant for hay feaver sufferers. Additional support includes storing locations and video reports, all presented in a clean modern format. A great feature set.

Perhaps the most recognized source for weather, The Weather Channel provides in-depth weather reports, live radar, and free videos. The app is no exception, offering all of the information available on the web-version presented on a straightforward touch interface. In the apps Local section you can track the current climate, see a 36 hour forecast, or look at the weather for the next 15 days. The Weather Channel app also lets you set up push alerts for sever conditions, breaking weather news, lighting, snow, rain, and pollen in the local area.

MyRadar Weather Radar is a fast and easy-to-use app that displays an animated weather radar of your current location. This enables you to easily track incoming weather and to plan accordingly – no more excuses for forgetting your umbrella. Just start the app, and a map of your location will pop up, complete with animated weather conditions. Its high-res animated radar helps lets you see weather in vivid and colorful detail, although at times it can be slow to load.

1Weather manages the perfect balance between being simple and clear, while still providing all the detail you could want in an app. It is well designed and offers loads of different widgets to ensure you always have exactly the information you want at your fingertips. You can even track weather in up to 12 different locations at once, so even globe trotters should be able to know the climate conditions where they are and where they are going.

Noom is a light and cheery app that is perfect for people looking for an easy way to start tracking activity and diet. With a focus on weight-loss, the app and online service offer advice and encouragement. It’s wealth of options also make it easy to find whatever you are trying to log. A subscription model is available to get more tailored advice.

Though it is a great place to start, Noom is not the best choice for more experienced fitness fans: crowd sourced calorie information is not always accurate and some deeper options (like water consumption) are lacking.

Offering a slightly more complex experience to Noom, MyFitnessPal takes a little longer to learn and become familiar with. However, once you are versed in its various function and it knows your regular activities, it provides a more complete experience. The sheer volume of options can be overwhelming, and not always brilliant, but again putting in the effort is eventually rewarded with more refined searches.

Two definite advantages of MyFitnessPal are deeper exercise tracking elements – including individual weight training activities to help you with routines – and a water tracker to ensure you are hydrating properly.

Fitivity offer loads of training options split over different difficulties and activity types. If you are a traveling, and have limited access to equipment, then its Home Bodyweight Program is brilliant. Once you find an appropriate level, you can use its routines to get a good training in your hotel room or the park. There are also videos on hand for each exercise to ensure you know the correct form.

Using your own body’s weight for resistance, Fitivity offers a training you can do almost anywhere. Its routines cover your entire body, and slowly increase in difficulty as you move through the weeks and levels.

If you are looking for a way to spice up you run, then you nee Zombies, Run! The premise is simple, as you run the app tracks your progress and at set distances it will activate a radio play. This story casts you as a runner in the zombie apocalypse, and provides you with advice and encouragement from a local camp of survivors over a walkie-talkie. It can even track via either GPS or internal accelerometer – while the later is not as accurate it does allow for tracking on treadmills.

Serious runners may find the story unnecessary and casual runners may struggle with the distance, but people looking for a way to spice up their run will enjoy the gamification Zombies, Run! offers.

One of the most popular and well known activity trackers, the basic Runtastic app offers a great way to track your run. It’s GPS mapping allows it to accurately track your route including element’s like elevation which can impact your workout. Combine this with its timer, split-time counter, music player, plus other extras, and this app offers a comprehensive way to enjoy and record your sessions.

However, Runtastic’s greatest asset is not the app itself but the full Runtastic service it is attached to. This allows you to login and connect your training across its full range of apps (including – but in no way limited to – Runtastic Road Bike, Runtastic Push-ups, and Runtastic Six Pack Abs Workout) to get an overview of all your activity.