Friday, 31 May 2013

Multi Hover Effect On Blogger Images Using Pure CSS

Today I'm going to show you how to add an amazing mouseover effect for Blogger images using only CSS, in which moving your mouse over an image from different directions (from above, from below, etc) will cause an overlay transitioned in from the same vector. This trick will change not only the images appearance when moving mouse over them, but will also allow you to add inside a text with a description.

hover effect, mouseover, blogger hover effects

You can see the effect on this image below: try moving your mouse from the left, right, and above.

hover right hover top hover left hover bottom

Adding Hover Effect From Different Directions on Blogger Images

First thing to do is to add the CSS style to our Template:

Step 1. From Blogger Dashboard, go to Template and press the Edit HTML button



Step 2. Search for the </head> tag - to find it, click anywhere inside the code area, press CTRL + F keys and type it in the search box.


Step 3. After you found it, add the following style just above it: 
<style>
  /* The container and the image */
  div.multi-hover {
    overflow: hidden;
    position: relative;
    vertical-align: middle;
    width: 100%;
    height: 358px;
    line-height: 358px;
  }
  div.multi-hover img {width: 100%;}

/* The texts that, by default, are hidden */
  div.multi-hover span {
    color: #FFF;
    font-size: 32px;
    font-weight: bold;
    height: 100%;
    opacity: 0;
    position: absolute;
    text-align: center;
    transition: all 0.3s linear 0s;
    width: 100%;
  }

/* And this is what will generate the effect */
  div.multi-hover span:nth-child(1) { /* right */
    background: none repeat scroll 0 0 rgba(255, 189, 36, 0.6);
    left: 90%;
    top: 0;
  }
  div.multi-hover span:nth-child(2) { /* top */
    background: none repeat scroll 0 0 rgba(106, 170, 255, 0.6);
    left: 0;
    top: -80%;
  }
  div.multi-hover span:nth-child(3) { /* left */
    background: none repeat scroll 0 0 rgba(204, 87, 166, 0.6);
    left: -90%;
    top: 0;
  }
  div.multi-hover span:nth-child(4) { /* bottom */
    background: none repeat scroll 0 0  rgba(97, 181, 115, 0.6);
    left: 0;
    top: 80%;
  }

  div.multi-hover span:hover {opacity: 1;}
  div.multi-hover span:nth-child(2n+1):hover {left: 0;}
  div.multi-hover span:nth-child(2n):hover {top: 0;}

</style>
Step 4. Save the Template

Now we are going to add the HTML that is nothing but a DIV where we included four SPAN tags with texts and an image:

Step 5. Choose Posts, create a New Post, click on the HTML tab (1) and paste this code inside the empty box:
<div class=multi-hover>
  <span>hover right</span>
  <span>hover top</span>
  <span>hover left</span>
  <span>hover bottom</span>
  <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSy3Xy8-i_fjfTejOPuXoP9-FKSKeuQSU2Ez3RKu0m4WHR1SgCHuIHjHXfVsEZHcGP9zufFo8mNeqtsHvyH2Sp0iGg1-Bp0g6pA7_qOg8xAyBHHfaYWhww3rNnSbcD88XEjZWAeXxgiW8/s1600/flowers">
</div>
Add your own text/description to "hover right", "hover top", "hover left" and "hover bottom" (2) and replace the url in blue with the image URL (3) where you want to apply the effect.
Important! Do not click on the Compose tab, otherwise the changes will be lost.


Step 6. After you finished editing your post, click Publish (4)

And that's it... enjoy! :)

WIP "OpenFlashpoint"

Here is another post about a project I found in the far ends of the internet ("here be dragons"), but which seems really promising never the less.

But first of all a disclamer by the original creator:
The screenshots you are about to see are not yet an eye candy, they're rather to be seen as a 'proof of concept' with lots of crappy placeholders. Work so far has mainly been done on the internal mechanics of game handling such as object interaction (player can carry gun which again can 'carry' a mag and the like), realistic calculation of trajectories, hit testing etc.
So what am I talking about? A (most likely) open-source Operation Flashpoint type of game running on the Irrlicht engine with the current working title OpenFlashpoint:



All there is so far is a thread on the Irrlich forums (with a few more details and development screenshots) and sadly the main developer seems to be bogged down by "real-life" ATM. But it seems like a worthwhile project to support.

Oh and get this: it is developed primarily for Linux :D

Thursday, 30 May 2013

Fathers day gift idea: 5 best tech gifts for dad 2013

Father’s Day is just around the corner (mark your calendar: June 16th). With Father's Day approaching, it is a great time to buy something special for dad, like a new bottle of his favorite cologne or one new Nautica grosgrain watch. But if your father has a taste for the latest and greatest technology, what should you surprise him with? Here we have tried to list out some Father’s day best tech gifts for dad 2013. Just read on to get started.
Smartphones:  Samsung Galaxy S4 or HTC One
Okay, now is the best time to get a new android phone due to Samsung and HTC both released its flagship smartphone several months ago, the Galaxy S4 and HTC One. Both of these two devices are power with strong processor, powerful camera and own a lot of new features. The Samsung galaxy s4 is the most powerful android phone and HTC one is the best HTC android phone, so in my eyes it is the perfect time to get one for your father if your dad has been hinting at for weeks.
Want to see the details about galaxy s4 and htc one, just check my review about these two devices. You can also check my list which shows you a list of Samsung smartphones you can get now.

Tablets:  Apple iPad, iPad Mini or Note 8
Get one tablet for your father is also a good idea on father’s day. So why not get the best tablet? Yes, the iPad, iPad Mini and Samsung galaxy note 8. Sure it's great for all those stereotypical dad things – watching sports through the ESPN app, playing high-resolution, 3D games – but it's also just a great reading companion and perfect for skimming emails before bed.
Apple iPad, iPad Mini
However, there are other really good options. I have list you the Best 7-8 inch tablets 2013 and Gift guide to Full-size tablets.

Streaming Media Player:  Roku 3
Roku 3
A Roku 3 box is the easiest way to bring broadband television directly into any living room, provided there's an HDTV and a fast Internet connection. Think lightning-quick searches across Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, plus hundreds more. And plugging headphones directly into the remote means he can watch without waking anyone.

Camera:  Canon EOS Rebel T5i
The EOS Rebel T5i is the latest in Canon’s amazing line of Digital SLR cameras. Featuring an 18 Megapixel (MP) CMOS APS-C sized sensor and a DIGIC 5 image processor, the EOS T5i delivers excellent image quality with accurate colors as well as exceptional speed.
Canon EOS Rebel T5i
The Rebel T5i is paired here with the all new EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens. The lens has a 35mm equivalent zoom range of 29mm to 88mm and a minimum focal distance of 9.8”. It features Canon’s Optical Image Stabilization and with a Stepping Motor (STM) it supports the T5i’s Movie Servo autofocus feature for quiet and smooth autofocus while recording video. It has a high-precision aspheric element to reduce chromatic aberrations and a 7-blade circular aperture to ensure soft backgrounds

Headphones:  Bose QuietComfort 15 headphones, Beats by Dre Executive
Yes, they're on the pricey side at $299, but we haven't met a dad who wouldn't mind getting a pair of these headphones as a gift. Thanks to its extracomfortable design, improved sound, highly effective noise-canceling circuitry, device folds for compact storage in included carrying case, the Bose QuietComfort 15s currently offer the best sound and silencing capabilities in a pair of noise-canceling headphones.

And everyone knows Beats Executive™ headphones are designed to take you from boardroom to the tarmac and everywhere in between. These over-ear headphones deliver the legendary Beats sound in a refined premium package that's easier than ever to take on the road.
Beats by Dre Executive
For cheap headphones, the Panasonic RP-HTX7 Monitor Stereo Headphones is a really good option which only cost you around $50.

So just show your love to your dad with these Best Fathers day Tech Gifts on this Fathers day 2013.

Wednesday, 29 May 2013

Google Buzz's last-gasp addition to your Google Drive

This QuickTip is about a file that Google Buzz is going to put into your Google Drive, as part of it's final turn-off routine, for all Buzz accounts that haven't yet been deleted.


quick-tips logo

Google Buzz was one of Google's early-and-short-lived social networking attempts, but was used by some bloggers looking to promote their blogs.

It was closed down in October 2011

I haven't seen it published in any of the Google blogs that I follow, but recently I was sent an email saying that the last step in the close-down will happen on or after 17 July 2013, when Google will save a copy of the Buzz posts from any remaining active Buzz accounts to the account-holders Google Drive

There will be two types of file, and the files won't count against your storage limits.   They say:
  1. The first will be private, only accessible to you, and have a snapshot of the Google Buzz public and private posts that you wrote.
  2. The second will have a copy of your Google Buzz public posts. It will be visible to anyone with the link, unless you change it later, and may appear in search results and on your Google Profile (if you've linked to your Buzz posts).   Any existing links to your Google Buzz content will redirect to this file.

Something to be aware of, if you used Buzz to make controversial comments:   Comments that you made on other users' posts will be saved to those users' files. After the file-download described here id done, the other user can change the sharing settings of those files, if they choose to do so. And if they do, and if you have commented on another person's private post, that person could choose to make that post and its comments public.   To remove the chance of that happening, you could delete all your Buzz content well before 17 July 2013

The Buzz-download Google Drive files will only contain comments from users who had enabled Google Buzz.  They won't include any comments that you deleted before Google moved your data to your Google Drive.

Comprehensive lists of open-source game engines for proprietary games

Recently came across these two very comprehensive lists of open-source game engines for proprietary games edit: and various clones and inspired projects:
I feel the latter has an a bit misleading title, as none of those are game clones (e.g. similar remakes) and most of those are based on the liberated original source-code also... but well I guess people get what the list is supposed to be about :) (Edit: see comments).

However talking about an actual engine reimplementation project: OpenMW has recently released a new update (0.23.0) with some impressive additions (as usual) and version 0.24.0 is already tested as a RC right now.



Feel free to comment about this release on our forums!