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Quikthinking Software Blog
  • 0 Black History Express App Stories

    Three familiar faces: President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, and former first lady Michelle Obama. Custom portraits of the Obamas sketched for Quikthinking Software by artist Julia Liberali. General Powell passed away on October 18, 2021. Powell (1937 - 2021) was born in Harlem, New York on April 5. During his distinguished career, he served as a four-star general, National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of State, and as the mastermind of operation Desert Storm (against Iraq). He entered City College of New York in 1954 as an engineering student. He switched his major to geology one semester later, then entered the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC). Powell credits ROTC for giving him an important life change direction that was very influential in shaping his character. The story of Powell, the Obamas, and hundreds more are included in our popular Android mobile App Black History Express. Black History Express is a story based collection of biographical information paired with a trivia quiz game for you to enjoy. Dive in, explore the stories, and discover more from the link above to download. Here's the original Black History Express digital press kit on our website: bit.ly/bhepresskit.    

  • 0 iOS and AAeMojis Sticker Help

    • Apps
    • by Kingsley H. Smith
    • 10/13/2021

    You may not use emojis as much as you used to, but your family, friends and neighbors might still be all in the game! Some of the folks you personally know may have joined the thousands who just had to have our AAeMojis: 159 stickers with a variety of genders and ages for iOS and Android. Cynthia L. recently contacted us saying "I cannot get the emojis on my iPhone 12." Here's what you can do to put these AAeMoji stickers on your iPhone or iPad to charge up the expression in your messages. Watch this helpful 59 second video below. I do a clean installation to an iPad. It's the same process for your iPhone.  

  • 0 Halloween Headliner: QuikMoji App Just for Fun

    • Apps
    • by Kingsley H. Smith
    • 10/06/2021

    For the young at heart or the young ones in your circle. Just for fun, it's Halloween QuikMoji Game for Android (recently updated). Match the spinning Halloween heads using the slow, medium or fast game controls. Start begins the spin, Stop ends the spin. Did you get a match? Here's the game in the video below. 

  • 0 Audiobooks on the Go

    On long 3 hour car based weekend commutes across three U.S. states between home and office, I always looked forward to listening to short and longer form audio entertainment. Happily we eliminated this torturous commute several years ago after doing it for 17 consecutive years! Some of these audio vignettes we engaged with were downloaded MP3 or WAV files to a mobile phone. Some of them were podcasts (an audio or video recording). Some of them were radio features. Keeping up with podcasts was always annoying because of the technical tightrope walked between the subscription, download, and playback process. It always seemed as though I was behind the weekly episodes as the new podcasts dropped into my mobile device. What makes audiobooks so wonderful? Simplicity. The ones that don't require subscriptions are the most convenient. You can stay updated on subject material that drives your interest. You can learn more about the things you are really passionate about. Audiobooks also have great entertainment value. Here are three of our iPhone - Android audiobooks you should listen to. Black History Audiobook puts together 30 specially selected biographical Black history stories read by either a female or male announcer. With thousands of free downloads between Android and iOS, this one is our most popular audiobook. Discover more about Black History Audiobook. With 25 chapters reviewing strategies and tactics for approaching the task of finally kicking the cigarette habit Quit Smoking Audiobook is well worth the investment. I recommend you also checkout the article Blowing Cigarette Smoke During a Pandemic that we wrote revealing what the professionals in the medical field have to say about smoking and a health crisis. Finally, there's Brain Health Fitness, a three hour audio presentation that reviews brain enhancement strategies. Audio segments are conveniently presented in 15 minute sections. You can listen to the 12 chapters by topic in any order you choose. See the disclaimer about the material while you learn more about Brain Health Fitness Audiobook for Android.

  • 0 Playing RnB and Hip Hop Quiz Trivia Game

    • Games
    • by Kingsley H. Smith
    • 09/22/2021

    If you are sharp eyed you probably spotted Patti LaBelle on the left in the smaller picture of this post. Sadly, on the right is Labelle member Sarah Dash who passed away on Monday, September 20, 2021. R.I.P. Labelle is Nona Hendryx, Patti LaBelle, and Sarah Dash. This photo is from their great 2008 album Back to Now with production contributions from Lenny Kravitz, Gamble & Huff, and Wyclef Jean. What a wonderful musical legacy these three soaring songbirds have blessed us with. Back in the day they scored big time with the super hit "Lady Marmalade" in 1974. It's not important how many Labelle related gems there are in our RnB and Hip Hop Quiz trivia app for iPhone, iPad, and Android but you'll find nearly 600 questions (iOS version) to keep things interesting. Rather than me listing all of the ways you'll enjoy this app, here's a 4 minute video of me playing the game. From each genre: R&B and Hip Hop, I'm presented with three questions at random for a total of six questions. Two single answer questions Two multiple answer questions Two true or false questions  See how I do! Grab the free app now. Everything is included. Watch the video,  discover more, then musically cover with your mobile device RnB and Hip Hop Quiz.

  • 0 Sizing Up Thanksgiving Match 3 Game App Screens iOS

    • Games
    • by Kingsley H. Smith
    • 09/15/2021

    iPhone 13 has just been released. As a follow-up to the disclosure about Android screen sizes in Sizing Up Thanksgiving Match 3 Game App Screens, here's a quick look at the same mobile app on iPhone. Although it is easier to design screens for iPhone and iPad because there are many less variants than Android, the iOS screen design process is still tricky. Here is the same Level 7 of the game, first displayed on an iPhone 12 Pro Max. Now, the same Level 7 on an iPhone 8 Plus:   The subtle difference between these two is where the 'Home' button in the upper left corner is rendered by development software. To support every iPhone from iPhone 6S to iPhone 12 (and now the new iPhone 13 as of this writing), screen elements have to adjust as precisely as possible so you'll see a pleasing layout that is easy to use. This technique is implemented in the screen design process by the developer using various tools. We rarely get notes from our app users anymore about games or informational applications not displaying correctly on their mobile screens. Our past two posts have explained what's behind the contemporary screen design process for iOS and Android.  Thanksgiving Match 3 Game app version 2.0 for iPhone has now been submitted to Apple for review. Look for it soon (Update September 15, 2021: now approved and live in the App Store), and also see the new Android version right now!

  • 0 Sizing Up Thanksgiving Match 3 Game App Screens

    • Games
    • by Kingsley H. Smith
    • 09/09/2021

    What kind of mobile phone do you have? From a game developers point of view, if your phone is iOS, we celebrate. Why? iPhone and iPad models add up to a few dozen variants so designing a visual layout to accommodate these devices is straight forward. Unfortunately (for app developers) there are thousands of Android device models with design features that challenge our screen layouts! As an example some of our mobile apps have nearly 14,000 Android devices in their list of supported units! Every manufacturer takes liberties with the Android operating system to make changes. Samsung in the past has made more changes than others. Here are some examples using our Thanksgiving Match 3 Game, just updated for Android. An older version is in the App Store for iOS, but the new version of Thanksgiving Match 3 is coming for iPhone - iPad soon. Except for the Fire tablet, all examples you see are rendered through emulators while we actually play the game live in real time. We use in the examples the same game level 9 (there are 20 levels) featuring an 8 column by 5 row design for level 9. See how there are subtle differences across the devices? One comment about Samsung. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G phone (their most expensive) challenges this game layout. Yes it works on their foldable phone (screen shot with the game on it not shown) but the phone is so wide rather than tall that we'd have to make a minor adjustment to just the home screen (and not the game) to optimize the look. Now, see the differences between the LG and Google phones... Here are two more, Huawei P40 Pro and Amazon Fire 7 (9th generation) tablet.   Note again it's the same exact screen design but rendered differently across all of these devices! It has gotten easier over the past couple of years to build app projects that will look good despite what phone or tablet you have. We asked you about your phone or tablet. Here are a few of ours that we own and use the most: Samsung Galaxy S8 Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Motorola Droid Turbo 2 Two Fire tablets (3rd generation and 9th generation) iPhone X iPad Air 1 We have to use a lot of devices to test-test-test the apps we develop. The highlighted ones above we use everyday. The Droid Turbo 2 is always in my pocket! Wifi is wonderful for all of these phones - tablets. iPhone X and Droid Turbo 2 do have active cellular service. There are a few more not listed that we use only for testing and for nothing else. These Fire tablets are the only devices we purchased brand new. All other devices were bagged pre-owned used! As for the game used in the examples, you'll want Thanksgiving Match 3 Game version 2.0 submitted to both Google Play and the Amazon App Store as of this writing. Hopefully they will go live within days. Grab the original iPhone version too right now. Version 2 for iPhone is coming soon. Have a wonderful fall season! Also see Sizing Up Thanksgiving Match 3 Game App Screens iOS (with the focus on iPhone)

  • 0 Backpack Bounce Match 3 Game App Video Tips

    • Games
    • by Kingsley H. Smith
    • 09/02/2021

    We've added two new improvements worth noting to Backpack Bounce Match 3 game for iPhone and Android mobile devices. Bounce through the 29 second video below to learn more!   

  • 0 12 Mobile Apps For Fraternity And For Fun

    • Apps
    • by Kingsley H. Smith
    • 08/26/2021

    6 Black History mobile Apps and 6 mobile game apps are in the spotlight for this update. Why should you check them out? As the headline says, for fraternity and for fun. Anytime is a great time to discover or rediscover pioneers and trailblazers who made their mark in the past resulting in progress in our society today. The fun factor also calls. That's why playing a game a day will keep the blues away. Check out all of these Quikthinking winners throughout the many pages on our website. Download a new discovery now.  

  • 0 Black History People Game Keyboarding App

    Voted by The Great Apps and their game players as a solid 9+ on a scale of 1 to 10. The secret sauce in this game is the keyboard.  Below are the keyboards in Black History People Game for iOS on the left, and Android on the right. Get your eyes ready for the action. The letters of the names of our cherished historic notables float down the screen one after another. You touch your keyboard to enter the name before the letters reaches the white horizontal line in the middle of the screen. Hundreds of names, 30 different levels and just enough lives in each round to make things interesting. Put your fingers or thumbs in play to score quickly. We tell you all about each person in a separate scrollable section of this game for iPhone, iPad, or Android so you can zero in on what each person has done. Get into Black History People Game and give your hands a workout!

  • 0 Snakes and Ladders Mobile Board Game App

    • Games
    • by Kingsley H. Smith
    • 08/11/2021

    According to the Times of India, "The board game, today called Snakes and Ladders, originated in ancient India, where it was known as Mokshapat or Moksha Patamu." Ancient is an understatement! The Times of India adds "According to some historians, the game was invented by Saint Gyandev in the 13th century A.D." "Originally, the game was used as a part of moral instruction to children." "The square in which ladders start were each supposed to stand for a virtue, and those housing the head of a snake were supposed to stand for an evil." You can learn more about the game backstory elsewhere. Luckily, we aren't interested in teaching you morals here! As board games go, Snakes and Ladders is a classic. One of our summer of 2021 projects was to create our first mobile board game. This is it. Here's a sneak peak at the finished mobile game in the video below. Some more tweaking is in store including increasing the size of each square. Game play is person vs. person, or person vs. device (artificial intelligence). In the slightly sped up 45 second example video below all four players roll the dice themselves by touching the 'Roll Dice' button in their color (bottom of screen). Our Snakes and Ladders game is currently in Portrait view. We may experiment in making it landscape instead so the game board can be bigger and wider. Take a look and expect a fall 2021 release for iPhone, iPad, and Android. An enjoyable game is coming for all ages.  

  • 0 Black Inventors In Session

    He invented and patented the first electric light bulb with a carbon filament. He also published the first electric lighting system textbook. In New York City, there's a house owned by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation where this mystery inventor lived for over 20 years. The house is now a museum open to the public bearing his name. In 1886, the Thomas Edison Company welcomed him as a gifted African American electrical innovator and inventor. Have you guessed his name yet?   Lewis H. Latimer is just one of over 50 Black History Inventors profiled in our iPhone, iPad and Android mobile app. You can listen to or read quick summaries about the Black men and women who are the unsung heroes of genius innovation. Find out more about Black History Inventors app. 

  • 0 Always Quikthinking Swag Boosts Your Style

    • Shop
    • by Kingsley H. Smith
    • 07/29/2021

    We thank you for the nearly half a million downloads for all of our mobile apps! For an additional connection to Quikthinking, sample the stylish gear you can wear to help support us! Choose from hoodies, t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs and more. Get it all from the Quikthinking Shop (you will go to the SpreadShirt website). Thank you!

  • 0 Word Game Runners Digital Marathon Video

    • Games
    • by Kingsley H. Smith
    • 07/21/2021

    Word games have always captured the attention of a universal audience. They are popular for entertainment while building language skills. Expanding the mind is not necessarily the focus of runners. There's the athletic challenge along with the drama of competition in a race. We have elements of both words and running in the action based mobile game app Spelling Runners for iPhone, iPad, and Android. Can you be the first to complete all 400+ levels? In the 60 second video below, we show you levels 30 - 34. The action sequences are sped up to keep the video short. Spelling Runners is designed for fun. The game words are common everyday English words. This is a excellent app for English learners. Spelling Bee skill builder? Not here! Spelling Runners is a fun mobile game app to put some speedy action back into word play. The plot. It's green runner (the hero) vs. red runner the challenger. Slide your finger on the screen to move green runner to the correct letter in each word. Red runner uses artificial intelligence to pursue the letters. Let your fingers do the walking, or running in the Spelling Runners stadium. Good luck! Have fun. Watch the video, then Learn more about Spelling Runners Game.  

  • 0 RnB and Hip Hop Quiz for iPhone Video

    • Quiz
    • by Kingsley H. Smith
    • 07/14/2021

    Trivia can get boring when all of the questions are multiple choice with just one answer to each question. To make things more interesting and fun, it took much longer than we planned to develop the RnB and Hip Hop Quiz game app for iPhone and iPad even though we based it on our preexisting Android version. Watch the quick 20 second video below. We wrote nearly 600 questions, about 70% are brand new (single answer, multiple answer, and true or false) for the iPhone - iPad version. Finally, all elements of this game are done. The plan is to release RnB and Hip Hop Quiz for iPhone and iPad early in September, 2021. Update September 6, 2021: Now released. Here's another sneak peak at the iPhone - iPad version. Don't miss the original Android version to! RnB and Hip Hop Quiz. See these updates: May, 2021: RnB and Hip Hop Quiz for iOS February, 2021: RnB and Hip Hop Quiz Just for Mobile Fun 

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