A New Tool to Spot Deepfakes
/Intel says its new deepfake detection tool is accurate 96% at catching videos of computer generated faces. The company claims FakeCatcher can operate in real-time by analyzing blood flow from video pixels.
4 Scriptwriting Tools
/Fade In
Script-writing software with similar features toFinal Draft without the price tag. Not as many of the extras that come withFinal Draft but only $50. Windows, Mac, Linux.
Final Draft*
Industry standard for writing screenplays on both Windows and Mac. Notes section for keeping track of characters, special scene view to get an overview, index card system for summaries, etc. $170.
Trelby
Free script-writing alternative to Final Draft and Fade In. Enough features to get you started.
TV Tropes
Fiction writing help through examination of storytelling devices in creative works.
17 Text Editing Tools
/Looking for some tools (apps and online) that will help you with editing your writing (or the writing of others)? Here are some useful options. The tech tools site also has a list of links to writing helps for better organization, academic papers, and putting together scripts. If you have other suggestions, feel free to send them my way.
1Checker
Mac app that checks your grammar and spelling. Free.
After the Deadline*
Checks your story for grammar, spelling and style. Works as a plugin for WordPress blogs, an add-on for the Firefox browser, etc.
AutoCrit
Scans your writing and highlights flaws such as repetitive words, overuse of adverbs and use of passive voice. $30 a month.
Check-Plagiarism
Free plagiarism checker.
Expresso*
An app that analyzes your writing, breaking down everything from which words you are using frequently to the number of times parts of speech come up in your writing. See what percentage of sentences are extra-long and which words are filler and which verbs are weak. Free.
Ginger
Writing tool that works as grammar checker, sentence rephraser, translator, dictionary and text reader. Free.
Grammarly*
Automated proofreader and personal grammar coach. Free version though the premium option has more features ($29.95).
Hemingway App
The Hemingway app is designed to make you a better writer by highlighting problems in your writing. Goal is to make more direct and active--more Hemingway-ey, as the Washington Post proclaims. Just paste your text into the app and it will highlight hard to read sentences, adverbs, complex phrases, and passive voice. Color coordinated highlighting. Click on these words to see the suggested alternatives. Word count, readability grade, etc. $6.99.
Marked 2
Tools for writers including word counts, document stats, highlights repeated words. Mac only. $9.99.
oDesk
Hire an experienced proofreader based on an hourly rate (typically one hour for every 5000 words).
PaperRater
Grammar, plagiarism, and spell checker. Mostly free but $7.50 per month for all features.
Proofread Bot
Shows your mistakes and what areas of your writing that could be strengthened. The more words reviewed, the greater the cost starting at $5 for 20,000 words.
Quillbot
A paraphrase and summarizer tool that will also check grammar and for plagiarism. Can extract the essential parts of a text into bullet points. The grammar checker lacks some of the advanced features offered through services like Grammarly, Compatible with Word and available on Google Docs and Chrome extensions. The free version is limited with a 700-character limit per check . $80 a year for more tools—extra for plagiarism checker per page.
Readable
Scores text based on how long or complicated your sentences are and level of accessibility. Free.
Readability Score
Cut and paste your text into a dialogue box to see the writing's grade level. Free, but for any contribution you get access to more advanced tools like readability alerts, PDF and Word doc processing and bulk uploads. TextEvaluator offers more feedback on the text.
Slickwrite
Writing app that checks grammar along with flow, structure, word frequency, and overused phrases.
TextEvaluator
Like Readability Score, it will tell you what grade level a piece of text is written on, the average length of sentences, etc. But TextEvaluator goes further, including grammatical complexity, insights on vocabulary, etc.
Word Counter
Cut and paste your document (or just type) to see how many words, characters, and sentences you are using. It shows what words are overused, the average number of words in your sentences, and the reading level you are writing at. Free.
Word Frequency Counter
See how often you use (and overuse) words and phrases in your writing.
Writefull
Checks your text against a huge database of correct language. Use it to find language you might not have considered. A desktop app that works with emails, Word docs, etc. Free.
Video Stabilization & Teleprompters
/Video: Stabilization
GorillaPod tripod*
Joby GripTight PRO. Flexible legs wrap around objects for unlimited angles. From .7 - 11 pounds. Rubber foot grips provide stability on any surface.
Moment*
Cases, lens, batteries, lights, gimbals, etc. to enhance photos and videos taken with a phone.
Shoulderpod S2*
A handle grip for your smartphone to steady your shots. Works with tripods and comes with a wrist strap. Additional accessories available. $50.
SMOVE
This smartphone video stabilizer that doubles as a charger. Portable, fits in your pocket. $200.
Steadicam Smoothee*
The Smoothee gives you a steady, gliding shot by a balanced weight system that holds your phone on a frictionless ball joint. Simple to use, though the size could interfere with other attachments on you iPhone. $90.
Video: Teleprompters
CuePrompter
Turns your browser into a television telepromoter.
Parrot*
A teleprompter app for a phone allows the user to read scripts while looking directly into the camera to avoid looking to one side or having to memorize a script. Change the background and the font color. Free.
Video Teleprompter Lite
Video recording teleprompter app using either the front-facing or rear-facing camera. Works on iPhones and iPads as well as Android phones. Free.
9 Tools for Video Conferencing & File Transfer
/Video: Conferencing
Adobe Connect
Video conferencing.
GoToMeeting
Video conferencing. 14-day free trial. $14-$39 a month subscription.
Microsoft Teams
An all-in-one tool with video conferencing, chat and other productivity features, intended to do more than Zoom. The best choice if you are already using Microsoft 365 and focused on internal, productivity meetings, There’s a free option.
Mmhmm
Makes video presentations for video conference meetings. Easily superimpose a resizable version of yourself over photos, videos and slides and share a live feed. Fun tools like laser pointers and filters. There is an educational discount. $12 a month.
Zoom
Thanks to the pandemic it has become the go-to video conferencing option. The focus on being a video tool (rather than all the features Teams offers) means it’s likely the best choice if that’s what you want to do. Reliable and better than Teams with a large number of participants (and external meetings in general) where the goal is face-to-face rather than productivity There is a free plan.
Video: File Transfer
pCloud Transfer
Like WeTransfer, quickly transfer files up to 5GB. No account required. Free.
Send Anywhere*
A free file transfer app (iOS and Android) for images, video, audio and text. Share up to 10GB per transfer, Your recipient uses an URL to access and download the files from the cloud.
WeTransfer*
A file transfer service, though Dropbox has more options for the price. WeTransfer is free for individual users, but $12 for companies needing more.
Zamzar
Video and audio file converter.
8 Password Managers
/1Password*
This popular password manager stores them in your Web browser, allowing users to only have one master password to access them all. Makes good use of the cloud to keep it in sync with all your devices. Starts at $36. 14 day free trial option.
Bitwarden*
The free version of this open source password manager is one of the best but it bare bones so if you want more and are willing to pay you’ll find better. User experience not as intuitive as other options. $10 a year for more options though storage is limited.
Dashline
A solid password manager with VPN service. Strong interface. $60 a year.
DataVault
Password manager to protect your data. Can sync through Dropbox. $10 for any operating system.
eWallet
Password manager to protect your data. Nice look, customizable. The Windows version is $20, others $10.
KeePassXC
Open source password manager. Purposely no cloud option. All passwords are stored locally. Free.
Keeper
Password manager. Well-designed interface. Free plan is limited. Paid starts at $34.99 a year.
Lastpass
Generates and saves passwords. Strong cross-platform experience. The company has had some past security issues. Free version is limited. Paid is $36 a year.
More Tech Tools
A tool that generates images from text descriptions
/A new machine learning generative model from OpenAI can generate mashup images from text descriptions.
New Adobe tool for Content Creators
/
Adobe express logo
Adobe has released a single template-focused app called Creative Cloud Express (replacing Adobe Spark) that combines some of the best features from the Creative Cloud Suite for mobile and web. Quickly create everything from social media posts to promotional posters and videos with an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface. Drag all sorts of elements into your composition from text, icons, shapes, free photos and fonts, music and other design elements. Assets from Photoshop and Illustrator can be utilized as well. Convert videos to GIFs and documents to PDFs. Great for non-professionals with little video editing experience. However, if you’re a pro, this is not a full-featured video editor.
Creative Cloud Express includes premium features from:
• Adobe Premiere Rush — Shoot, edit, and share videos on mobile and desktop.
• Adobe Photoshop Express — Edit and retouch images, create collages, and combine photos.
• Adobe Spark Video — Quickly create stunning video slideshows.
• Adobe Spark Page — Turn words and images into beautiful web pages.
More on the features here.
Teaching resources from Adobe for Educators here.
While Express is already included in many Creative Cloud subscriptions, there is a free version available or get more templates, photos and fonts with a paid subscription for $9.99 a month (or $99.99 a year) here. Better yet, there is a three-month free trial here. More info on the plans here.