TechSource: How to Record Screencasts on Android

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How to Record Screencasts on Android Posted: 29 Jun 2012 06:29 AM PDT We've already discussed some of the best screencasting tools for Linux. Screencasts are videos of the graphical user interface (GUI) that developers use in making tutorials as well as advertisements for their applications. Usually the norm for desktops, these little videos are then uploaded to YouTube thus allowing users from all over the world to get to know the application more closely without going through the trouble of downloading and installing it. Furthermore, even biggies like Apple use screencasts to explain various parts of their desktop to new users. So, in short, there's no denying the fact that screencasts are an integral part of an application or even an operating system's success. Catching up with this trend is the world of tablet computers and smartphones, where, these days, you'd see more and more screencasts being made. Thanks to some great applications, taking screencasts on your smartphone isn't that hard. So is the case with our beloved Android, where too, taking screencasts isn't such a big hassle anymore. So, if you're looking to make a nice video of you using your favorite Android application, here's how to do it. Note: Taking screencasts on Android requires root privileges. If you're on the fence about rooting your brand new Android phone, consider perusing our earlier article where we've discussed rooting at great length. Screencast Video Recorder This app, once installed, lets you capture your Android smartphone at high frame rates with MPEG4 quality. Before taking a screencast, you can decide on the frame rate you want. Once the recording starts, the app shows you the memory used, recording length and other important data thus making sure that you don't overwork your phone. To browse the recorded screencasts, the app comes with a gallery where you can view, play, rename, delete, and share any of your recorded videos. Though the app can be tried out for free, it has a time limit which can only be circumvented by buying the full version. That limitation aside, Screencasts Video Recorder can be deemed as the best app for recording videos on your Android. AirDroid AirDroid has recently introduced an experimental feature (root-only) that lets users view their Android screen in real-time from their desktop. With it, you can view your Android screen, take a screenshot, and more importantly, record a screencast. Though the feature is not as developed as it is on the aforementioned Screencast Video Recorder, it does, however, provide a good, free alternative to the paid app. It's worth noting that we've also mentioned AirDroid on our previous article about managing Android devices on Linux, so you may also want to check it out. Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.

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[HowtoForge] Newsletter 06/28/2012

HowtoForge Newsletter 06/28/2012
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New HOWTOs:
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* The Perfect Desktop - Pinguy OS 12.04
* Using PHP5-FPM With Apache2 On Fedora 17
* Using mod_spdy With Apache2 On Fedora 17
* Installing Cherokee With PHP5 And MySQL Support On Ubuntu 12.04
* ProFTPd: Enabling/Disabling TLS Based On User Or Group
* App Development For Android On Android In Four Steps

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The Perfect Desktop - Pinguy OS 12.04
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This tutorial shows how you can set up a Pinguy OS 12.04 desktop that is a full-fledged replacement for a Windows desktop, i.e. that has all the software that people need to do the things they do on their Windows desktops. The advantages are clear: you get a secure system without DRM restrictions that works even on old hardware, and the best thing is: all software comes free of charge.

You can find the document here:
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http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-pinguy-os-12.04




Using PHP5-FPM With Apache2 On Fedora 17
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This tutorial shows how you can install an Apache2 webserver on a Fedora 17 server with PHP5 (through PHP-FPM) and MySQL support. PHP-FPM (FastCGI Process Manager) is an alternative PHP FastCGI implementation with some additional features useful for sites of any size, especially busier sites.

You can find the document here:
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http://www.howtoforge.com/using-php5-fpm-with-apache2-on-fedora-17




Using mod_spdy With Apache2 On Fedora 17
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SPDY (pronounced "SPeeDY") is a new networking protocol whose goal is to speed up the web. It is Google's alternative to the HTTP protocol and a candidate for HTTP/2.0. SPDY augments HTTP with several speed-related features such as stream multiplexing and header compression. To use SPDY, you need a web server and a browser (like Google Chrome and upcoming versions of Firefox) that both support SPDY. mod_spdy is an open-source Apache module that adds support for the SPDY protocol to the Apache HTTPD server. This tutorial explains how to use mod_spdy with Apache2 on Fedora 17.

You can find the document here:
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http://www.howtoforge.com/using-mod_spdy-with-apache2-on-fedora-17




Installing Cherokee With PHP5 And MySQL Support On Ubuntu 12.04
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Cherokee is a very fast, flexible and easy to configure Web Server. It supports the widespread technologies nowadays: FastCGI, SCGI, PHP, CGI, TLS and SSL encrypted connections, virtual hosts, authentication, on the fly encoding, load balancing, Apache compatible log files, and much more. This tutorial shows how you can install Cherokee on an Ubuntu 12.04 server with PHP5 support (through FastCGI) and MySQL support.

You can find the document here:
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http://www.howtoforge.com/installing-cherokee-with-php5-and-mysql-support-on-ubuntu-12.04




ProFTPd: Enabling/Disabling TLS Based On User Or Group
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FTP is a very insecure protocol because all passwords and all data are transferred in clear text. By using TLS, the whole communication can be encrypted, thus making FTP much more secure. While this is a good thing, not all FTP clients support TLS. This article explains how to enable or disable TLS in ProFTPd based on the FTP user or group.

You can find the document here:
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http://www.howtoforge.com/proftpd-enabling-disabling-tls-based-on-user-or-group




App Development For Android On Android In Four Steps
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This guide gives you a quick insight into creating Android apps directly on an Android device. This short article is not meant as a full documentation, but rather guides you in the right direction so that you should get the idea. There are a lot of app howto's for Android on Eclipse, but none for on Android, so here's the skinny.

You can find the document here:
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http://www.howtoforge.com/app-development-for-android-on-android-in-four-steps


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TechSource: Top Video Editing Apps for Android

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Top Video Editing Apps for Android Posted: 26 Jun 2012 11:31 PM PDT Cell phones have transformed themselves from mere communication devices to these smart gadgets that can do everything. From playing music to recording video, smartphones today have become a necessity. This slow suffusion of these little pocket-sized devices has, in turn, made many other gadgets obsolete. For example, MP3 players, which were so a la mode a few years ago, have now become out-fashioned thanks to the music-playing functionality of smartphone. Moreover, those who are looking for a simple point-and-shoot camera now prefer buying a phone instead of investing in a costly Nikon or Canon cameras. Thus, there is very little doubt that smartphones can do much more than we'd expected them to do a couple of years ago. And now, with the rapid surge in popularity of Android, people rely more on their smartphones for tasks they usually would do on a computer. One of such tasks is video editing, which, though a memory-intensive ordeal, has been made very much possible on a smaller scale albeit with compromises on some features. So, if you're looking to edit your recent holiday video on your smartphone, here is a list of some of the best video editing apps for Android: VidTrim - Video Trimmer VidTrim, as the name suggests, is more of a video trimmer than an editor. Once installed, the free application will let you trim original video clips, save them, and share them on YouTube and other social networks. Powered by the GPL-licensed FFmpeg library, VidTrim features a very easy to use interface that many new users won't find difficulty getting used to. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars, VidTrim is freely available for download from the Play Store. DOWNLOAD HERE AndroVid Video Trimmer AndroVid, as compared to VidTrim, comes with many interesting features. Apart from giving you the ability to trim your videos, the free app also lets you grab video frames, set video frames as wallpapers, split videos, and of course, share them. Furthermore, for all the music junkies out there, the app also comes with a feature that lets you save a video as an MP3 file. Overall, the app can be used as a default video editor for editing holiday videos and downloaded YouTube videos too. Rated 4.1 out of 5 stars, AndroVid Video Trimmer is freely available for download from the Play Store. DOWNLOAD HERE Movie Editor Movie Editor is an application that lets you create new movies by combining existing videos. Pretty useful for creating video montages, Movie Editor lets you add videos directly from the gallery and edit them freely. You can then select music from your music collection and add it as a background track to the video. Once finished, you can export the video to YouTube, Facebook, etc. DOWNLOAD HERE AndroMedia Video Editor AndroMedia Video editor is a fully featured video editor for Android that lets users combine and trim videos on the go. Once installed, you can get started by dragging and dropping clips to the timeline. Then, you can apply different effects and transitions to your video including overlay title clips, captions, and movie credits. Furthermore, AndroMedia also supports fade in/fade out and Ken Burns effect for the video tracks. Once finished, you can then export the video in standard definition or HD (320p, 480p, 720p). DOWNLOAD HERE Also, you can upload videos directly to YouTube making it even more convenient for video bloggers or travel bloggers who are always on the go. Overall, though the app has many features, it hasn't been received that nicely by users. It has slow rendering times and few bugs here and there; however, when compared to other video editors on the list, AndroMedia can be deemed as one of the best in terms of features. Rated 3.1 out of 5 stars, AndroMedia Video Editor is freely available for download from the Play Store.

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TechSource: 3 Ways to Automate Tasks on Linux

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3 Ways to Automate Tasks on Linux Posted: 24 Jun 2012 07:40 PM PDT Linux is, and always was, one of the most powerful operating systems on the planet. From Android to Ubuntu, Linux's versatility has made it quite popular with developers, system admins, hackers, and of course, end users. Though simple to use and learn, Linux's untapped prowess can be used to accomplish many tasks in your daily life. From running a garden sprinkler to rocking a baby's cradle, Linux is just about as awesome as Chuck Norris. Don't worry if you are not that adventurous, because the penguin can also help you save the time you spend on simple repetitive tasks by automating them. Tasks like backing up your important folders, rebooting your computer, and even downloading torrents. So, whether you're a little lazy (as all geeks are) or just someone who doesn't have much time, this article will guide you in saving a few precious hours in your life by automating boring repetitive tasks for you. Take Automatic Backups If you're worried about losing your data, then backing it up safely is the best solution. We've already listed some of the best backup tools for Linux; however, the shining new Deja Dup is our favorite these days. Its simplicity as well as its inclusion as the default backup application in Ubuntu has made it a reliable choice. Deja Dup, once set up, can allow you to take automatic backups of your data without you having to manually do it. To get started, simply open Deja Dup by searching for it using the launcher (Super key). Now, once the application starts, go to the "schedule" tab and select the frequency that suits you best. Also, don't forget to choose whether to keep backups forever or for a set period of time. You don't want to have your hard disk or online account bloated with just backups. Then, once you are set, go back to the 'Overview' tab and turn 'Automatic Backups' on. This will ensure that your data is safe even when you're not using the computer. Of course, you'll have to leave your computer on for this. Reboot or Shutdown your computer Using the 'at' command you can shutdown or reboot your Linux device even while you're away from it. So, let's say you want to shutdown your computer at 3 PM. To get started, open the terminal first (Ctrl + Alt + T), then punch in the following command: at 3pm Now, the command will take you to a prompt mode wherein you'll instruct 'at' to do a particular job. There, simply enter the command 'halt' without quotes. Press Ctrl+D to exit. Now, you've instructed the computer to halt (that is to shut down) at 3pm. You can, in the same way, add more commands to the list. To check on the current pending jobs, simply enter the 'atq' command without quotes. To remove a particular job, use the 'atrm' command. Auto-start torrent downloads If you're sleeping or out of the house and wanted to auto-start a download at a specific time, then Linux can be your best friend. Say, you're leaving your house at 10 AM, you can then schedule Linux to start Transmission (popular torrent client) at 2 PM using the following command. sleep 4h && transmission-gtk The above command will start Transmission exactly 4 hours after you've issued it. If you want Transmission to run after 3 and a half hours, simply enter this command: sleep 3h && sleep 30m && transmission-gtk This can be very useful for people who use data plans where in the ISPs provide unlimited downloading at night. Also, if you want to stop the download before you wake up, or at a specific time, you can issue the following command: sleep 8h && pkill transmission-gtk Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.

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TechSource: Best Server Apps for Android

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Best Server Apps for Android Posted: 21 Jun 2012 05:32 AM PDT Remember the earliest cell phones? All they could manage to do was make phone calls, send text messages, and yeah -- this is my favorite part -- let you play Snake for hours. No one, at that time, had imagined that these little devices of communication would be capable of achieving things, most of which, we never dreamed of. These days, cell phones, or rather smartphones as they're universally hailed by manufacturers, have the ability to let you check e-mails, discover new places, and even watch movies. It wouldn't be wrong to say that smartphones now possess as much functionality as your laptop or desktop computer albeit with a little less power and much more mobility. Apart from video playback, GPS navigation, and hardcore gaming, smartphones, more specifically Android phones, let you even do complex tasks like use BitTorrent, do photo editing, and remotely control your desktop PC. One of such tasks is using your phone as a server, thus making it an awesome mobile beast. So, if you're looking to carry your web in your pocket, here are some of the best server apps for Android. kWS - Android Web Server kWS is a free application that lets you use your Android device as a web server for hosting websites. Using HTTP-1.0, you can run a full-fledged website without the need for a computer or a server. Of course, it's not the same thing as hosting a site on a server; however, if you're looking for a simple and cheap solution, then kWS won't disappoint. The app is basically free, but to access more features, you need to buy the pro version. The premium version lets you use features like HTTPS/TLS support, password-based file encryption, gzip compression, directory-level compression, and much more. Rated 4.6 out of 5 stars, kWS is freely available for download from the marketplace. DOWNLOAD HERE FTP Server FTP Server, as its name suggests, lets you run your phone as an FTP server. Compared to the aforementioned SwiFTP, this application comes with a much simpler interface with a lot less options. It supports multiple transfers and comes with a nice upload and download speed. DOWNLOAD HERE AndFTP AndFTP is a free FTP/SFTP client. Equipped with the ability to manage multiple connections, this free application offers download, upload, synchronization, and sharing with resume support. Furthermore, not only can AndFTP be used as an FTP client, it can also be utilized as a FTPS, SCP, and SFTP client. Other features in this application include the ability to update permissions, run custom commands, and sharing files from gallery. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars, AndFTP is one of the most feature-loaded and reliable server apps for Android. DOWNLOAD HERE Media Server Media Server is an application that lets you create UPnP/DLNA media server on your Android device. By connecting your smartphone to Wi-Fi, you can let other devices in your home (UPnP/DLNA compliant only) to access your media. So, for example, you have a PS3 at home, you can access the music files on your Android device from there wirelessly. If you use your PS3 as a media center though, you can use the Media Server application to open and play your recent holiday videos on your phone. Though not as great as a full-fledged media server, the free application does what it promises albeit with some limitations and bugs here and there. DOWNLOAD HERE SwiFTP FTP Server SwiFTP is an open-source application that lets you use your Android device as an FTP server. By connecting your smartphone to Wi-Fi or 3G network, you can upload or download as many files as you want. The hosted files can then be accessed from any FTP client. Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.

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