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Official Turn Off the Lights Blog

New Brightness Control and Color Palette Notification Widget

Posted on by Stefan Van Damme

Do you got tired or dazzled eyes when you work late at night on your computer. And you are struggling to find a way to get your screen more darker or find out you can not decrease the brightness of your screen. You can use the Turn Off the Lights for Desktop (available for macOS and Windows). With this desktop application you can dim everything on your desktop screen with a single click on the lamp button.

Color Palette Widget

Color palette from the macos notification sidebar

Now the experience gets even better, you as user can install the new Brightness Control, and Color Palette notification widget (only available in macOS). With a swipe from right to left, you open your macOS Notification Center, and on a click on one of the colors you change it live the dark transparent layer. From the widget can change this dark layer color, and his opacity value.

If you want to customize more elements than you can open the Turn Off the Lights Preference window by clicking on the white button “Preferences…”, that is visible below the color palette.

Brightness Control Widget

You can also keep it simple and to show only the opacity slider in your macOS Notification Center.

Brightness control from the macos notification sidebar

In this brightness control widget you can increase and decrease the opacity of your transparent dark layer. If you move the thumb to left of the slider, you decrease dark color that is added on top of your computer screen. When you move the thumb more the right side, you increase the value and makes the screen darker. To learn more about how to add this widget in your Notification Center sees this help center page from the Apple website.

Have you not tried out the Turn Off the Lights for Desktop app? Try it today the Turn Off the Lights for Desktop Mac App that is available in the Mac App store. And for Windows users in the Microsoft Store.

About The Author

Stefan Van Damme

Stefan Van Damme is the lead Developer of the Turn Off the Lights Browser Extension for Google Chrome, Safari, Opera, Firefox, Maxthon, Yandex, Vivaldi, Brave, and Microsoft Edge.

WebVR virtual reality technology is the Next Chapter

Posted on by Stefan Van Damme

In our previous post we talked about the 5 Pieces of Innovative Technology for Your Computer. And the virtual reality technology is one of them. Today we present you our new experiment, Aurora Player for VR. It is the next generation video player for your virtual headset, that show you a reality glow effect around the video content. You can try this WebVR app for free in your modern web browser.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHccFpLhjAM

This app is built up with the WebVR API and with the same technology as in the most popular Turn Off the Lights Browser extension. You can play the demo video that is default loaded, but you can also choose your own video from your hard disk or phone memory SD card. Set VR headset on, and you ready to experience this virtual reality. In this next-generation video player app, you can play it on your Google Cardboard, Daydream, Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Windows Mixed Reality headsets.

https://www.stefanvd.net/project/aurora-player-for-vr/index.html

You can try yourself this free Aurora Player for VR on your modern web browser. This virtual reality technology is only supported on Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Microsoft Edge. And if you liked the new experience you as user can get it also on your personal computer. The app is available for Mac and Windows users.

Customizable Virtual Reality Technology

In this virtual world you can play your own favorite videos and movies. And you can also customize the background to your own style. Such as the color black, gray, white, purple, red, yellow, blue and green.

Change webvr background color in Aurora Player app

We hope you like this new WebVR project, and experience yourself a beautiful way to enjoy your own videos in the VR headset. And you can always feedback us on the official support page of Aurora Player.

About The Author

Stefan Van Damme

Stefan Van Damme is the lead Developer of the Turn Off the Lights Browser Extension for Google Chrome, Safari, Opera, Firefox, Maxthon, Yandex, Vivaldi, Brave, and Microsoft Edge.

5 Pieces of Innovative Technology for Your Computer

Posted on by Stefan Van Damme

Do you find it hard to sift through the newest tech releases just to find the best of the best? Frankly, we don’t blame you.

One estimate suggests that 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are produced in one day alone! With that much new data created every single day, finding the best tech can be a tricky endeavor. But we’re here to help!

Keep reading, as we’re breaking down the top 5 trends in innovative technology for your computer.

5 Pieces of Innovative Technology for Your Computer

  1. Binaural Podcasts

Okay, so binaural audio isn’t necessarily “new” per say, but it has seen a resurgence in the last few years. Podcasts are more prolific than ever thanks to properties like Lore and Serial.

And if you’re a headphones addict, you’ll want to be sure to grab your nicest headphones and stream a binaural podcast. Think of it as surround sound without the hassle. There’s no need for an expensive system — just use headphones!

Whether you’re looking to unwind a bit or want some chills, binaural podcasts will practically put you in your favorite stories.

  1. FRAPS

This one is for the gamers out there. FRAPS is a fantastic resource for measuring your PC’s efficiency and frame rate.

A high FPS is an absolute must for streamers, so make sure to give FRAPS a free download. The only downside is that it takes up a bit of space on your PC.

If you’re a video editor, FRAPS is a fantastic recording resource. It records HD videos in either DirectX or OpenGL tech.

  1. Voice Assistants

Whether you’ve got an Android or an iPhone, a Windows PC or a Mac, voice assistants are taking the market by storm. But these fun, robotic friends are no longer confined to your phone.

Voice assisted technology is now available on almost every computer on the market.  Apple owners can use Siri with the click of a button, while Windows users get the high-powered Cortana.

These voice assistants can do everything from schedule an event for you to do a quick Google search. It’s innovative technology at its most helpful!

  1. Virtual Reality (VR)

Perhaps the biggest tech trend of 2016 was the VR boom. The Facebook-backed Oculus Rift launched onto the market to middling success, while the HTC Vive found an audience immediately.

Then there were more price-friendly options like Sony’s PSVR and the Samsung Gear VR.

Now, a year later, the tech is already improving. Oculus released touch controllers to make gaming easier and more immersive. Conversely, HTC lowered its price, making it easier than ever to get into the world of VR.

If 2017 is any indication, VR isn’t going anywhere. In a few months, Microsoft is releasing their own headset, the Hololens. The Hololens is targeted at business owners, so expect to create spreadsheets in VR in no time.

  1. Screen Dimming

With all of this new technology, your electric bill may jump a bit. But you can make things easier for your self with the right screen dimming app.

Whether you’re looking to dim an entire screen or just want to make reading easier, it’s a smarter, easier way to browse the web.

Wrap-Up

It’s amazing to think about how far tech has come in the last few years alone. And the future seems like it’s going to be every bit as exciting!

Don’t forget to give Turn Off the Lights an install. Whether you’re looking for mobile or desktop dimming, we’ve got the free solution for you.

About The Author

Stefan Van Damme

Stefan Van Damme is the lead Developer of the Turn Off the Lights Browser Extension for Google Chrome, Safari, Opera, Firefox, Maxthon, Yandex, Vivaldi, Brave, and Microsoft Edge.