Google's beautiful HTML5 guide to the Web

20 Things I Learned About Browsers And The Web is a beautiful and educational example of what we can expect from the HTML5 Web. It was developed by the Google Chrome team to showcase both the power of its browser, and of HTML5 itself.

20 Things is fully illustrated, too, and on each page a cheesy subtitle or piece of poetry awaits. Put simply, it's a delight. If you're a hardened Web expert, spend a few minutes leafing through it to enjoy the HTML5esque features -- the offline storage, the page-turning, flipping the light switch in the bottom-right corner -- and then send the link to a friend or family member. Check the Google announcement if you want more details.

It's a damn sight better than Google's last attempt at an HTML5 showpiece, that's for sure. At least this one actually works with Firefox and Internet Explorer 9! It's a little bit slow with Opera, but there should be a hardware-accelerated beta version of Opera 11 any day now...Filed under: web 2.0, BrowsersGoogle's beautiful HTML5 guide to the Web originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Incase Field Bag for iPad

If you like to travel light with just your iPad and maybe a cable or two – you don’t need no stinking keyboards! – give the Field Bag from Incase a look.� The Field Bag is made of coated canvas, so it’s durable and weather resistant.� The interior of the zippered pouch has a quilted [...]

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College Kid Discovers False Murder Accusation While Googling Himself [Mistakes]

Most of us probably Google ourselves semi-regularly, right? (Right guys...?) But if there's one thing worse than discovering you're an online nobody, it's discovering that you've been wrongfully accused of murder by your local police department. How very embarrassing! More »

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If Megatron Iced Everything He Touched [Optimus Prime]

Poor Optimus Prime. He was just cleaning up the streets, saving the planet... and then got iced by a Swissman for the Dutch Roermond Ice Festival. Autobots, hairdryers at the ready! [Atti via NerdCore via Neatorama] More »

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Zukmo is the best-named Web bookmarking service on the planet

I'm sorry; I simply could not resist covering a service with a name like Zukmo. Apart from the name, there's absolutely no connection between myself and the service. And I must say, the name is just about the most remarkable thing about this service at the moment (which is saying a lot).
It's basically a Web bookmarking service. I can't even call it "social bookmarking" because there doesn't appear to be anything social about it at the moment. You get a bookmarklet or a browser add-on (for Chrome, Firefox or IE). You then click the button when you're visiting a page you'd like to bookmark, and the page is saved. Very straightforward.
One significant difference from Delicious and Diigo is that Zukmo supports only preconfigured "categories". Meaning, you can't just tag your bookmarks - you need to set up categories beforehand, and then select a category for your bookmark.
The site's design feels fairly dated. The copyright starts at 2004 but extends all the way to 2010, which explains the general appearance. All in all, if your name doesn't happen to begin with "Zuk", I see no reason for you to try Zukmo. I still had to cover it, though.Filed under: web 2.0Zukmo is the best-named Web bookmarking service on the planet originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Daily Crunch: Bacon Soda Edition

Jones Soda Jumps On The Bacon Train Sharp Shows Cell Phone With Built-In Projector iPads Used For Studio (Or Non-Studio) Lighting CrunchDeals: 10% Off Megapots and V-Vessels The Weirdest Meetings Ever: Best Of 2010

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Read Library Books on Your iPad and iPhone/iPod touch with Bluefire Reader

Bluefire Productions has released their Bluefire Reader app for iPhone/iPod touch and iPad.� Unlike many reader apps, the Bluefire Reader makes it possible to read ePub and PDF books from most any bookseller, and many booksellers are accessible for in-app purchases.� You can transfer books you purchase or already own between your computer and your [...]

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GooReader updates to version 2.0, now a sexier way to read Google Books

We showed you GooReader back in August, and it was already a very slick way to read Google Books titles on your Windows desktop. It's now been updated to version 2.0, and GooReader is looking good and more functional than ever before. In addition to getting a bit of a facelift, GooReader 2.0 lets you highlight blocks of text or draw little notes on a page. There's no text tool this time around, but don't be surprised to see that functionality in a future build.

GooReader will pick up where you leave off when you close an e-book, but bookmarking specific pages isn't supported. Exporting to PDF is still limited to the paid version -- Google Book Downloader offers the functionality for free, if you'd rather download now and read later.Continue reading GooReader updates to version 2.0, now a sexier way to read Google BooksGooReader updates to version 2.0, now a sexier way to read Google Books originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Julie?s Christmas Ideas and Wish List

It’s Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when crazy shoppers (you know who you are) flock to stores to buy holiday presents for friends and family. Some of the team here at The Gadgeteer thought we’d get together and offer some gift ideas for products we love. We also wanted to share our own wish [...]

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Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: Gaming

Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! The team here is well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties of the seasonal shopping experience, and we want to help you sort through the trash and come up with the treasures this year. Below is today's bevy of hand curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season.

Sit back, relax, grab a controller, and enjoy some obsessive-compulsive button mashing while you work in that body-sized groove into the couch... that's not the M.O. for the console makers this year. You don't have to embrace the jumping, hand-waving, and other methods of physical exertion, but it's definitely the "it" gaming hardware of this holiday season. Be sure to triple-check just what box your loved ones play on, and click on through for our gaming gift suggestions.Continue reading Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: GamingEngadget's Holiday Gift Guide: Gaming originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 13:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

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JH Audio JH/13 PRO Earphones Review

Last July was an eventful month for this reviewer. I got to see firsthand how custom earphones are made by craftspeople who are experts in what they do. And I got to take delivery of my own pair of custom Jerry Harvey JH/13 PROs.� But before I delve into this review, a little history is [...]

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7-Zip version 9.20 released, still the best tool for compressed files

7-Zip, one of the most active and mature open source projects, has just reached version 9.20. Work on Version 9 only begun last year, in 2009, but it's already far ahead of the old version (4.65) in terms of speed and functionality.

If you've never used 7-Zip before, now's the time to start. In one fell swoop it removes any need for other compressed file managers. It's faster and slimmer than WinZip, and lacks the nag screens of WinRar -- and it supports more file formats to boot! After installing, 7-Zip (or '7z') sits innocuously in your right-click context menu, ready to decompress almost every archive under the sun.

With version 9.20, you can even decompress some EXE, FLV and SWF files, peek inside NTFS, FAT and VHD files, and the command-line tool has been beefed up considerably. There's also localizations for Hindi, Gujarati, Sanskrit, Tatar, Uyghur and Kazakh, meaning there's more than 70 supported languages.

Download 7-Zip for Windows, Mac and Linux7-Zip version 9.20 released, still the best tool for compressed files originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 23 Nov 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Facebook beta app for webOS gets Places support

HP Palm's webOS crew continues to churn out useful updates to their software, and this one is kind of a biggie if you're into social networking and check-ins. Today's update to the Facebook beta app brings Places support to Pre and Pixi owners.

To check in, simply tap the menu button in the app's top-right corner and then tap the Places icon. Nearby locations will be displayed, and you can then tap Check In to post your location to Facebook.

Places support is only available in the beta app right now, so here's hoping the new version gets rolled to all webOS Facebook users soon. It's a big improvement and has a lot of nice additional functionality.

[via PreCentral]Filed under: Social Software, webOSFacebook beta app for webOS gets Places support originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Kinect used to control Super Mario on a PC, redefine convergence (video)

If, like us, you've been waiting to see Kinect in control of a truly marquee game, your wait has now come to an end. The same fella that brought us the Kinect lightsaber has returned with a hack enabling eager nostalgics to enjoy a bout of Super Mario controlled only by their body contortions. OpenKinect was used to get the motion-sensing peripheral -- originally intended exclusively for use with an Xbox 360 -- to communicate with his PC, while a simple NES emulator took care of bringing the 25-year old plumber to life. The video awaits after the break.Continue reading Kinect used to control Super Mario on a PC, redefine convergence (video)Kinect used to control Super Mario on a PC, redefine convergence (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Nov 2010 12:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Engadget German  |  yankeyan (YouTube)  | Email this | Comments

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Samsung Nexus S gets new Wifi, GPS antennas, shows them to the FCC

What would you do if you were a smartphone and your maker just gave you new Wifi and GPS antennas? Why, you'd show them to the Federal Communications Commission, of course. And that's just what's been done with the Samsung GT-i9020T, otherwise known as the yet-to-be-announced-but-seen-a-plenty Samsung Nexus S. That mean we're going to see the phone anytime soon? Your uneducated guess is a good as ours. [FCC via Engadget]Samsung Nexus S gets new Wifi, GPS antennas, shows them to the FCC posted originally by Android CentralSponsored by Android Cases and Accessories

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Sony aims for half of Japan's e-reader market by 2012

Given the dominance of Sony's Walkman over in the Land of the Rising Sun, it's a little surprising to think that Sony has been all but silent regarding the Japanese e-reader market. We heard back in May that the mega-corp was planning an e-reader launch in Japan by the year's end, aiming to build out an elaborate e-book distribution platform with local telecom operator KDDI. Fast forward a few months, and it seems as if thing's are finally falling into place. New reports are suggesting that the 5- and 6-inch Sony Reader devices will be on sale in Japan on December 10th, with pricing set for ¥20,000 ($237) / ¥25,000 ($297), respectively. Additionally, it's planning to crack the seal on an online e-bookstore with around 20,000 titles, and that one should be ready to roll prior to the "year-end shopping rush." Perhaps more stunning, however, is Sony's intentions to "sell 300,000 Readers in the first year and win half the domestic market by 2012" -- that's according to Sony Marketing Japan president Nobuki Kurita. Bold words, Sony, but we love the ambition.Sony aims for half of Japan's e-reader market by 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Nov 2010 04:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |  Reuters  | Email this | Comments

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Opera 11 beta brings "tab stacking," on-demand plug-ins, more

So far with the Opera 11 snapshots, the focus has been on speed, extension support, and some pretty major UI work on the email client. There's been plenty of additional activity behind the scenes, however, and with the arrival of the Opera 11 beta today you can now play with one more feature: tab stacking.

What is it? It's a way to keep your browser tabs organized, and it's going to be very handy for those of you who tend to accumulate tabs like 8-year-olds accumulate Pokemon cards. Maybe you have 8 tabs open which are all related to a new motherboard you're buying -- just drag and drop them onto a single tab, and Opera automatically creates a stack for you. You can see the tiny arrow pointing to the right on my screenshot. Click the arrow, and your tabs slide out. Hover over a stack and Opera 11 shows you thumbnails for each tab inside it. [Firefox Panorama, eat your heart out -Ed]

Opera's shared a demonstration video which shows you tab stacking in action -- check it out after the break!

There's more to like about the new beta, of course. There's now an option to load plug-ins on demand, the address bar has been re-touched to make security information more visible, and Opera's mouse gestures have been improved. It's got extensions, too -- and we recently ran down 10 particularly handy ones.

Download Opera 11 Beta

Continue reading Opera 11 beta brings "tab stacking," on-demand plug-ins, moreOpera 11 beta brings "tab stacking," on-demand plug-ins, more originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 23 Nov 2010 07:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Use Your iPad To Manage Your Finances In Style

When it comes to budgeting and managing your finances on your iPad there are several apps to choose from, but very few compare to Checkbook by iBear LLC. This newly released app has everything you could want or even ask for when it comes to both style and functionality. Easily keep track of your mortgage, [...]

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Google Docs adds LaTeX support, customizable autocorrect

The official Google Docs blog has announced a handful of new features, including LaTeX equation support, the option to place images in spreadsheet cells, and automatic corrections.

LaTeX is a fairly significant addition, since it should greatly improve Google Docs' spreadsheet muscle. While that alone won't pull it even with Excel, it's certainly a step in the right direction. Image insertion is as also a nice addition, and it's as simple as popping image=(URL) into a cell. You can also use Google Image search to insert files which are marked for re-use with modification.

Autocorrect is an extremely handy addition -- especially since you can use it for more than fixing up typographical errors. Google allows you to add your own corrections, so you can also use Docs autocorrect as a text expander -- to turn ffx into Firefox, for example. Pair autocorrect up with Google Scribe, and it won't be long before Google just types your whole doc for you.Filed under: Office, GoogleGoogle Docs adds LaTeX support, customizable autocorrect originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Jolicloud Jolibook review

The Jolicloud Jolibook. Oh yes, it's sounded like a made-up device ever since the pictures of it started to leak out, but the netbook centered around the Jolicloud Linux operating system is indeed a real product. So real that we've been using the Atom N550-powered system over the past few days. Sure, we've gotten looks in public because its cartoon-covered lid, but the £279 ($443) machine isn't meant for "grown-ups" -- it's intended for a younger set, or those between the ages of 15 and 25. You know, those that tend to live in the Cloud. So, does the netbook have appeal beyond the young'uns? And is the social, app-based Jolicloud 1.1 OS, which is built on Ubuntu and HTML 5, robust enough to take you away from Windows or another flavor of Linux? We've got the answers to those questions and so much more in our full review. Gallery: Jolicloud Jolibook reviewContinue reading Jolicloud Jolibook reviewJolicloud Jolibook review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 16:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |  Jolicloud  | Email this | Comments

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Predicting the Future With Porn? [Porn]

An upcoming study claims that test subjects were able to accurately predict future events—and that pornography was one of the tools used in research for the project. Crazy, right? More »

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Coast Emergency Area Light Review

As a kid, I remember using those gas lanterns powered by propane or white gas.� Someone’s dad would pump up the lantern, light the fragile mantles, and a bright glow would descend upon the campground. The Emergency Area Light �from Coast�Products provides an adjustable brightness like the classic gas-powered ones, but goes a few steps [...]

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Google branches out into machine-curated high-fashion with Boutiques.com

Representing its first chic service, Google has just launched Boutiques.com. In true Google style, Boutiques parses hundreds of thousands of products to produce a personalized shopping experience that's tailored just for you. Interestingly, there's no sign of an accompanying Android app -- only an iPad app [iTunes].

Boutiques uses 'fashion rules' garnered from high-fashion taste-makers -- designers, fashion bloggers, stylists and celebrities -- to produce a wardrobe of clothes just for you. Have a quick step through the Stylyzer to discover your favorite style of clothes -- or take a look at the wondrous array of dress styles that you can choose from.

Of course, the ultimate goal is to shoehorn you into buying merchandise. Once you're done filling in your loved (and hated) styles of dress, top, bottom and shoes, you're shown to your storefront, which is full of perfectly-picked items of clothing with all the right accessories. Take a look at my storefront, if you can't be bothered to sign up and click through each of the steps.

Sadly, Boutiques only offers female clothes at the moment -- and the products it lists are all from American stores. Still, it's early days -- I'm sure Google has lots more in store.Filed under: Google, web 2.0Google branches out into machine-curated high-fashion with Boutiques.com originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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LeWeb ?10 Nears. Want To Go? Tell Us Why, We?re Giving Away Two Tickets

On December 8 and 9, the LeWeb conference will descend upon the city of Paris for two days of non-stop tech. This year, the event will have a bit more TechCrunch flavor, as several of us are going, and the startup competition has been tweaked a bit to be more like our own TechCrunch Disrupt competition. It should be a great time. But we realize it's also expensive. So organizer Loic Le Meur has given us two tickets to give away to readers.

Now, to be clear, these are tickets to the two-day event, they don't include airfare or lodging. But if you're at or around Paris and/or you don't mind paying for travel, this is a killer deal, as each ticket normally goes for about 2,000 euros.

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Gmail gets a new logo, slimmer homepage

Google has announced a subtle re-tooling of the Gmail homepage, trimming the verbal fat and giving the page a cleaner, more organized appearance. It's hard to believe, but the new version of the page is lighter by about 250 words. The update shouldn't come as a surprise, what with Google's penchant for keeping things slim.

More interesting than the facelift on Gmail.com is the updated Gmail logo. While the changes are subtle, it's worth noting that the new envelope icon in the logo first appeared in Google Chrome a few builds ago. If you had Chrome Web Apps support enabled in your browser, there's a good chance you, too, got an early peek at the updated logo's biggest change.Filed under: E-mail, GoogleGmail gets a new logo, slimmer homepage originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 06:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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SiteLauncher for Chrome lets you jump to sites using a single keystroke

Back in 2008, Lee covered SiteLauncher for Firefox. It's a simple add-on that provides you with a customizable "shortcut panel" for your favorite websites. SiteLauncher for Chrome provides basically the same service, but for Google's browser. I've been using it for a few days now, and while it's not perfect, it's still very handy.
Pros: When it works, it really does provide single-keystroke access to the sites I need. Ctrl+Space and then d can take me to Download Squad. I like it. It's very customizable. You can create and delete groups, move sites from group to group, etc. The hotkey assignment GUI is well thought-out. You can see at a glance what hotkeys are already used.
Cons: It doesn't always work. Sometimes I hit Ctrl+Space and nothing happens. That's mainly when the address bar ("Omnibar") is in focus, and I suspect it's due to Chrome's limitations. Still, it's annoying. It's one of those add-ons that takes some getting used to, but once you're addicted, you want to use it all the time. Having it work intermittently just keeps the habit from forming.
Okay, that was just one con -- but it's a big one!
Bottom line: Awesome add-on, if only it worked all the time.Filed under: BrowsersSiteLauncher for Chrome lets you jump to sites using a single keystroke originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 27 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Happy 25th birthday, Windows!

25 years ago today, Microsoft released the very first version of the operating system which now powers around 90% of the personal computers in the world. Even with the sweet analog clock to the word processing might of Write (and truly useful features like running multiple applications and a shared clipboard), Windows 1.0 failed to generate much excitement.

It would take five more years -- when version 3.0 launched -- for Windows to become a force to be reckoned with on the desktop. Sure, there have been bumps along the way like Windows ME and Vista, but Microsoft keeps on rolling. Most of our readers are now happily running Windows 7, Microsoft's customer satisfaction rate is at an all-time high, and things are generally looking good for the crew in Redmond.

This is actually the time of year when my family brought home our first Windows PC -- a sleek (for then) little unit from Magnavox complete with caveman overclocking. Oh turbo button, how I loved you... Filed under: MicrosoftHappy 25th birthday, Windows! originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 20 Nov 2010 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Team Viewer BETA now available for Android devices

If you've patiently been waiting for a better way to remotely admin Windows, Linux or Mac computers from your Android device, then this week brings some great news for you all. Team Viewer has finally released their Android Beta to the general public.It's been a long time coming as Team Viewer wanted their Android app to be up to par with their other offerings and having tested it out for the past little while, I can say the time was worth the wait for sure. Now when you get those emails, sms, calls from friends asking how to fix whatever it is they broke, you can do so with ease over Team Viewer. Hit the break for the download or head on over to the Team Viewer mobile site today. [Team Viewer]
Team Viewer BETA now available for Android devices posted originally by Android CentralSponsored by Android Cases and Accessories

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Daily Crunch: Fix It Edition

Tiny Robots Made From Measuring Tapes Move Slowly, Cutely The TunerMatic: It Can Tuna Guitar, But It Can?t Tuna Fish You Probably Don?t Need The $50 Klhip Nail Clippers? Pictures of Destroyed Apple Items Honda Shows Off Its Fit EV

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Jing, the all-in-one screen capture and recording tool from TechSmith, reviewed

TechSmith, with the launch of Snagit more than 20 years ago, is the definitive veteran of screen capture technology. Camtasia Studio, launched almost 10 years later, is now at version 7.1 and remains the best screen recording and video editing suite out there. TechSmith's latest tool, however, is an interesting mix of both Snagit and Camtasia. It's called Jing, and it makes sharing screenshots and screen recordings a total breeze.

Jing, at its most basic, lets you take perfect screenshots. You can drag a selection box around the target area, or let it snap to the current window. It's not as customizable as Snagit or Screenpresso, but it's definitely good enough.

When you probe a little deeper, however, Jing becomes a lot more interesting. Instead of taking a screenshot of a selected area or window, you can hit the 'Capture video' button and immediately start recording.

But it gets even better! Jing can automatically upload your screenshots and videos to TechSmith's Screencast.com site.Continue reading Jing, the all-in-one screen capture and recording tool from TechSmith, reviewedJing, the all-in-one screen capture and recording tool from TechSmith, reviewed originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Chameleon Lamp Copies the Color of His Surroundings, For Only $30 [Video]

While it won't cast enough light to read by, Huey the chameleon lamp would make a great night-light. Like a true chameleon, he adapts to his environment and glows in the same color as whatever's underneath him. More »

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Are You In A Foodpickle This Thanksgiving? Get Your Cooking Qs Answered In Realtime.

As everyone is getting their turkeys into the oven and putting the finishing touches on Thanksgiving Day meals, a lot of questions come up. What should the internal temperature of a turkey be to know it is done? How many mashed sweet potatoes would make 3 cups? How do I soften hardened brown sugar? The answers (165 degrees, 3, and microwave it) can be found on Foodpickle, a crowdsourced Q&A section of the foodie site Food52.

You can ask a question on Foodpickle itself, or tweet it to @foodpickle. Answers are tweeted back at you. Foodpickle also accepts text messages to 803-380-FOOD (3663). And if you are lucky, your question might even be answered by food writer Amanda Hesser.

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The Deparment of Homeland Security Is Cracking Down On BitTorrent Sites [Seize]

The Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is seizing domains of BitTorrent sites and sites associated with counterfeit goods. They're taking over sites without any prior complaints or notifications from the court. More »

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Choosing Between a laptop and an iPad: A guide

One of the big questions many consumers are faced with today is whether to purchase a laptop or an iPad. We hope to take some of the pressure off and help make that decision easier for you in this guide. Since many of you are already more than well aware of what laptops can be [...]

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Your guide to Firefox 4 and its shiny new features

Firefox 4, with the release of Beta 7, is as good as finished. From now until its release in early 2011, no new features will be added, no significant changes will be made -- Beta 7 is, for all intents and purposes, Firefox 4.

Unlike Firefox 3.5 (private browsing) and 3.6 (personas!!), version 4 has a significant number of new in-your-face features -- features that will take a little getting used to... like tabs-on-top! There are tons of neat little additions that improve your surfing experience, too. Many of these will exist in the background, under the hood, but it still helps to know exactly what your new browser is capable of; did you know that Firefox 4 is as fast as Chrome, for example?

This guide will fully prepare you for Firefox 4. It will teach you how to work with the big-hitters Panorama and Sync, and also introduce some other features you might not have heard about. If you're already using the Beta, this guide might teach you some new tricks. If you're holding off until the official launch in 2011, that's fine too -- bookmark this page and check back later!

You might find, after reading this guide, that you suddenly feel compelled to try out Firefox 4. It really is rather good.Continue reading Your guide to Firefox 4 and its shiny new featuresFiled under: Features, Mozilla, BrowsersYour guide to Firefox 4 and its shiny new features originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Daily Crunch: Dorm View Edition

Inside Foxconn?s Factories Google Street View Launches In Germany (But With A Win For Privacy Advocates) Review: Macbook Air 13-inch Two Magic Trackpads Merge Like Voltron To Become a Magic Keyboard Tea Candle Lava Lamp From Mathmos: Why Not?

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Team at Purdue University working on high-temp generators to suck power from car exhaust

You know all that gas spitting out the exhaust of your car? Not only is it full of carbon monoxide and other things you shouldn't breathe, it's also full of heat. Heat is wasted energy, and students at Purdue University, led by mechanical engineering professor Xianfan Xu, are working to capture it. With some funding from General Motors the team is working to create better thermoelectric generators, or TEGs, that work at much higher temperatures than those we've seen before. A current Purdue prototype works at 700C, or 1,300F, which could be found behind a car's catalytic converter and generate enough electricity to reduce fuel consumption by around five percent. Future versions would work at higher temperatures and offer better results. Last year BMW indicated it is working on similar tech with deployments coming as early as 2014, and so now the race begins, though the culmination of their efforts will surely look something like this.Team at Purdue University working on high-temp generators to suck power from car exhaust originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 19:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |  Physorg  | Email this | Comments

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XM, Sirius finally announce plans to merge in Canada

Ready to have your mind blown? XM and Sirius never merged in Canada. Even after the two companies joined forces in the United States, they continued to operate as separate entities north of the border, with XM Canada wholly owned by Canadian Satellite Radio Holdings, while Sirius Canada operated through a partnership of CBC Radio, Slaight Communications, and Sirius XM in the US. That's now finally set to change, however, with the two companies today announcing plans to merge in an all-stock deal valued at $520 million (including $120 million in long-term debt). Assuming the deal is approved by the CRTC, the combined company would boast a total user base of 1.7 million, and Canadian Satellite Radio chairman John Bitove promises that the new entity will deliver an "exceptional value to subscribers."XM, Sirius finally announce plans to merge in Canada originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 20:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |  CBC News  | Email this | Comments

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Facebook to launch alleged "Gmail killer" on Monday?

This morning, TechCrunch speculates that Facebook is going to launch a "Gmail killer" this coming Monday. Facebook has sent out invites to an event in San Francisco where they will supposedly announce it. Its working title is Project Titan, but it will probably change into something much more friendly for mass-consumption (let's just hope they don't call it "FaceMail" or something horrible like that).
Facebook already has a treasure trove of personal information and a huge messaging platform. If they throw email into the mix, this may become a real threat to Gmail. It would also make Facebook even "stickier" than it is - or provide people like me with one more reason to keep their distance from the privacy-invading behemoth.

[It's at times like these that I feel compelled to remind everyone that Hotmail and Yahoo both have more users than Gmail. A "Hotmail killer" would be far more impressive. -Ed]Filed under: E-mail, Social SoftwareFacebook to launch alleged "Gmail killer" on Monday? originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 12 Nov 2010 05:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Daily Crunch: Step Into The Body Shot Edition

Body Scanners That Don?t Keep Pictures Apparently Keep Pictures Sony Announces HandyCam NXCAM, An E-Mount Super-35 Sensor Camcorder Using The Kinect To Make Any Surface Multi-Touch Review: Barnes & Noble NookColor Codemasters Joins Growing List Of Companies That Hate Pre-Owned Games

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Myfav.es (Fav4) adds new icons, registration, custom URLs

Remember Fav4? It's a customized browser home page, with a super-clean layout featuring a huge, beautiful icon for each of your favorite sites.
And now it has a new domain name - Myfav.es (although fav4.org still works), along with a few notable additions. I couldn't find a list of all of the updates on the site, but here's what I've noticed:

Many new site icons: Including the world's leading software blog, yours truly.
User accounts: Last time I checked, there was no way to open an account on the site. Now you can open an account and save your settings on the server, not just on an ephemeral local cookie.
Custom URL: When you open an account, you can set a custom URL for yourself. This way you can just set all of your other browsers to that URL, without having to log in.
Three layout options: Last time I checked, there was just one. Now you can select between a single-row multipage layout, a single row "Magic Scroll" layout (that smoothly scrolls right and left) and a grid layout.

This thing looks so nice, I'm almost tempted to start using it myself!
(Thanks, TioNcoT!)Filed under: UtilitiesMyfav.es (Fav4) adds new icons, registration, custom URLs originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 12 Nov 2010 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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New York Set to Get Ultra-Techy Bike-Sharing Scheme [Bicycles]

Following Denver, Minneapolis and Washington—not to mention the original bike-sharing attempt in Amsterdam—New York is hoping to pimp out the community bike scheme, with 10,000 GPS and Wi-Fi* equipped bikes being proposed by the Department of Transportation. More »

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Rumors: iOS 4.3 Will Offer App Subscriptions as Early as December

iPad owners have had less than a week with iOS 4, but a software update offering news and magazine subscriptions targeted at them could arrive in less than a month.
Daring Fireball’s John Gruber reports that Apple’s Steve Jobs will join News Corp.’s Rupert Murdoch onstage at a December 9 event to announce Murdoch’s new forthcoming [...]

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iOS 4.2.1 out today, brings multitasking to iPad

Let the iTunes-powered updating begin: iOS 4.2.1 is here, and ready to install on your Apple device. If you own an iPhone 3, 3GS, 4, iPod touch 2nd gen or newer, or an iPad, you're good to go. Among the big additions to iOS this time around: multitasking and app folder support for the iPad. There's also AirPlay and AirPrint for even more cord-free computing action on your handheld and Game Center integration is now live as well.

The full presser from Cupertino is available after the break.Continue reading iOS 4.2.1 out today, brings multitasking to iPadFiled under: OS Updates, iPhoneiOS 4.2.1 out today, brings multitasking to iPad originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 08:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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11 Unusual Security Measures Employed By the TSA [Tsa]

With all the buzz body scanners and rubdowns are getting this holiday season, I wanted to give some attention to the TSA's more peculiar security policies. Here are 11 unusual measures that they have in place, courtesy of their website. More »

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Did America Lose its Cleantech Mojo, or Did Brazil, Germany and China Just Get More? (TCTV)

Nat Goldhaber of Claremont Creek Ventures thinks that 2011 will be the year of the cleantech IPO...finally. So does that mean that America hasn't totally lost the cleantech race after all?

The most�optimistic�case is that we're in a clump of countries leading the pack. The glass-half-empty version: Politics, boneheaded legislation and our lousy capital markets will saddle America's culture of innovation, giving other surging hot spots a leg up. In the second part of our interview with Goldhaber, we talk about America's cleantech mojo.

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LG BD690 is the first Blu-ray player certified for Wi-Fi Direct, keeps Bluetooth paranoid

The possibilities teased in 2009 by Wi-Fi Direct have probably kept Bluetooth up at night, and we're sure the commencement of device certification last month hasn't helped, either. Now the LG BD960 has emerged as the first Blu-ray player on the Wi-Fi Direct certification list, hinting direct P2P communication in our home theaters among WiFi devices (without the need for a routing middleman) could soon go from fiction to fact. Unfortunately, mum's still the word on shipping and pricing. The mere chance however that the player could stream content to any other WiFi-equipped device -- Direct certified or not -- is a big enough deal to give our dedicated media streamers Defarge-like glances already. Particularly, if the BD960 comes packed with features similar its suspected predecessor the LG-BD390, which can stream both Netflix, Vudu, and DLNA network content, as well as play DivX HD 1080p content. Until more details surface though, we'll simply have to keep reminding our poor Galaxy S that it isn't destined to be alone in this cold, cruel world forever.LG BD690 is the first Blu-ray player certified for Wi-Fi Direct, keeps Bluetooth paranoid originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 02:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Zatz Not Funny  |  Wi-Fi Alliance  | Email this | Comments

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Smartphone Sales In Asia On The Rise, Android Tops Symbian

We can't say we're really surprised: according to market research company Gfk, smartphones are getting increasing popular in Asia, with Android now being the region's most popular OS for this type of handsets. Cell phones with the Google software on board have reportedly enjoyed brisk sales in that region in the second and third quarters of 2010.

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Apps for the Thanksgiving Host with the Most [Appbattle]

Thanksgiving is almost here, and only one thing can save you from your lack of preparation, cooking abilities, and holiday etiquette: apps. Lots of apps. More »

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Dress Up Your iPhone for Winter (or Christmas)

You can give your iPhone 3G/3GS or iPhone 4 a festive look with the new Speck CandyShell holiday cases.� Dress them for Christmas with the Mistletoe Green cases with a Santa on the back.� Or choose the snowman designs for a look you can use all winter long.� The iPhone 3G/3GS case is Poinsettia Red [...]

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Salesforce.com Appoints Tech Heavyweight JP Rangaswami As Chief Scientist

Enterprise cloud computing company Salesforce.com this morning announced the appointment of JP Rangaswami, an internationally acclaimed thought leader in the tech industry, to the newly created position of Chief Scientist.

Rangaswami, an expert in enterprise software, had recently stepped down from a similar position at BT Group, after nearly five years with the company.

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Apple teases once-a-year Black Friday sales event

Apple Online and Apple Retail have only one sale a year — Black Friday, held the day after Thanksgiving — and Apple has already got a helpful reminder posted on their website:


Come back to the Apple Online Store the day after Thanksgiving for a special one-day-only holiday shopping event. You’ll find dozens [...]Apple teases once-a-year Black Friday sales event is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

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HP debuts Core 2 Duo G62x laptop for $430

HP's unceremoniously added the G62x to its previously released G62m and G62t models. The 15.6-incher boasts an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU unlike the Core i3s that the G62m and G62t models pack. Other than that, all three are identical, with 16:9 aspect ratio panels, WiFi, an HDMI reader, three USB 2.0 ports, and a 6-cell battery. The G62x is the lowest end, budget-minded laptop of the group, and has a starting price of $430. It's available now over at HP.HP debuts Core 2 Duo G62x laptop for $430 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Nov 2010 10:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |  HP  | Email this | Comments

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How to enable Google Instant Previews in Opera

Google's new Instant Previews are a nice addition, providing a thumbnailed look at results before you click through. Opera users, however, can't use the feature by default. Fortunately, it's a trivial task to get previews working in the Big Red O -- here's how to do it.

Browse to http://www.google.com/webhp?sclient=psy;
Right-click in some blank space and choose edit site preferences
When the preferences window appears, click the network tab

Change the browser identification drop-down to read identify as Firefox
Reload the page and try a search!

The trick works just fine on Opera 10.63, but I didn't have any luck on Opera 11. If you've got the know-how to enable Instant Previews in the latest Opera build, share it in the comments!

[via JK Webtalks]Filed under: BrowsersHow to enable Google Instant Previews in Opera originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 12 Nov 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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iOS 4.2.1 Jailbroken, Ready For Consumption

If you're a regular jailbreaker, you'll be happy to know that iOS 4.2.1 is jailbroken already and that you can download the iOS version and roll your own install immediately. RedmondPie has a great how-to but it's pretty simple.

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Camtasia 7.1 giveaway and video review

Personally, I think TechSmith's Camtasia is the best screencast recording and editing suite available for Windows today. It's an extremely capable application, and one of its only potential drawbacks is the price - at $300, this is not a cheap piece of software. This is where the giveaway comes in!
TechSmith recently released Camtasia version 7.1, with several interesting new features. Since this is a screencasting application, I figured that the best way to show it off would be by recording a screencast. So I've created an 8-minute review that showcases some of the new features, and you can watch it after the jump. Here are some of the highlights:

New callouts: There are several new types of callouts to draw viewer attention to where you want it, including animated "motion callouts."
Shortcut key callouts: Camtasia now remembers what keystrokes you pressed while recording the video, and it can automatically show this in special callouts (shown in my review).
A new playhead control: This new control makes it easier to select portions of the video. I've explained, in detail, how it works.

There are several other highlights, but I don't want to spoil any surprises. TechSmith has provided us with 10 licenses to give away to Download Squad readers, so go ahead and watch the video, and then leave a comment to take part in the giveaway!Continue reading Camtasia 7.1 giveaway and video reviewFiled under: VideoCamtasia 7.1 giveaway and video review originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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How to Make a Laser-Sighted Slingshot [Video]

Sorry, squirrels. Sorry, neighbors. Sorry, kid sister. Sorry, pets. Sorry, Grandma. Sorry, teacher. Sorry, just about everyone else. With this DIY laser-sighted slingshot, all my mischief is about to get a lot more accurate. More »

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How Microsoft Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Open Kinect

While Apple plays cat-and-mouse games with iPhone jailbreakers, Microsoft is playing a far friendlier game with Xbox Kinect hackers.
Two Microsoft employees went on the radio Friday and said nobody was going to get in trouble for making open source drivers for Xbox Kinect. In fact, they said, Microsoft was “inspired” by how fans and hobbyists [...]

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Copy Fixer for Firefox and Chrome lets you easily copy the URL and page title

Here's an operation I need to do quite often: copy both the page title and its URL. For some reason, neither Firefox nor Chrome provides a way to do this in one fell swoop. I need to activate the address bar in order to copy the URL, and I'm not even sure there's a way to copy the page title (I usually just type it out manually).
Copy Fixer is an add-on for Firefox and Chrome that provides a simple and elegant solution. With Copy Fixer, if you hit Ctrl+C when nothing is selected, your clipboard is populated with something like this:
Download Squad
http://downloadsquad.switched.com/
That's it. It's just the page title and the URL and nothing more. I tried out the Chrome version, and it worked perfectly. It did require a restart to begin working, though, but maybe that's due to the Canary build I'm using.
The add-on is very minimalistic. There's no UI to speak of, and there are no preferences. One option that I wish the developer would add is a way to wrap the title and the URL with arbitrary strings and lose the line break. This way, the add-on could be used to produce Markdown-friendly links - page title surrounded by brackets, followed by the URL surrounded by parentheses. Maybe that will come in the future!Filed under: Google, Mozilla, BrowsersCopy Fixer for Firefox and Chrome lets you easily copy the URL and page title originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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You Will Never Lose with the Jenga Pistol

I’m a terrible Jenga player. It’s not that I’m bad at it – quite the contrary: I usually win – it’s that I’m a really, really annoying opponent. Which is why I’m so impressed by this Jenga pistol, a spring-loaded gun which will smack the wooden blocks so hard the pile left behind won’t even [...]

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Chrome OS launch won't happen this year

Last month, it looked like Google Chrome OS was still on track for a Q4 2010 release -- as originally promised by Google when it announced the project. Back in June, VP of Product Management Sundar Pichai told Reuters that it was going to arrive earlier than expected. That didn't happen.

Later, our cohorts at TechCrunch got wind of a potential release this week -- but a comment by Eric Schmidt at the Web 2.0 Summit seems to have doused the flames. According to Schmidt, Chrome OS will launch "in the next few months." That, of course, means no Christmastime Chromebooks, and it makes launching in time for CES seem unlikely as well, since that's just seven weeks off.

[via The Register]Filed under: OS Updates, GoogleChrome OS launch won't happen this year originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Video: Recumbent Trike for Scary Bearded Children Gets Test-Drive

In June, we took a look at David Parott’s TrimTab 3×3, which I described as a “recumbent trike for scary bearded children,” giving this rationale:
Trikes are for kids and recumbents are for, well, Gore-Tex-clad hippies with too much facial hair. So the nightmarish rider of this machine, called the Trimtab, would be a bearded [...]

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Google Cloud Connect Syncs Microsoft Office With Google Docs [Google]

Love the awesomeness of Google Docs, with real-time collaboration and never worrying about your hard drive exploding, taking down all of your documents, but stuck using Microsoft Office? They just got together with Google Cloud Connect. More »

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Internet Explorer 9 preview 7 available, takes SunSpider crown; Beta now downloaded 13 million times

As of a few moments ago, you can now download Platform Preview 7 of Internet Explorer 9. The main focus of this update is the continued enhancement of the Chakra JavaScript engine; as a result, IE9 now leads the SunSpider benchmark by a few percent.

Like its predecessors, this preview lacks any kind of useful UI -- but if you have the Beta installed, you can follow Lee's guide to hack the Beta UI onto the preview. The Beta, incidentally, has now been downloaded over 13 million times. We're not seeing significant use of IE9 amongst Download Squad readers, but with almost 4% of Ed Bott'z ZDNet readership using IE9, there's definitely some evidence of its growing popularity. With my sources indicating a January release of IE9, Microsoft really ought to release a second beta...

Anyway, in infinitely more exciting news, there's a bunch of cool new HTML5 demos on the Test Drive site to play around with! Shakespeare's Tag Cloud is very cute (and educational!) Galactic, on the other hand, is an excellent example of the 'Open Web' 3D games that we can expect to see next year. It also acts as a very good benchmark tool -- I may have to do another head-to-head browser shootout!

Update: I just tested IE9 on the 'real world' Kraken benchmark... and it beats Firefox!

Another update: The IE Blog has been updated with more information about Preview 7.Filed under: Microsoft, BrowsersInternet Explorer 9 preview 7 available, takes SunSpider crown; Beta now downloaded 13 million times originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Windows Phone 7 launches in the United States

As of this morning, Americans, you can now buy a Windows Phone 7 device online from the Microsoft Store, Dell or Amazon, as long as you're happy with either an AT&T or T-Mobile service plan.

The lowest price seems to be $99 for the HTC Surround on Amazon, with an AT&T service plan -- but it looks like it's already on backorder.

Presumably you can also pick up a phone from your local AT&T and T-Mobile retail store, too. There's no sign of SIM-free, network-unlocked phone, alas.

[via Engadget]Filed under: Windows Mobile, Microsoft, MobileWindows Phone 7 launches in the United States originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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iOS 4.2 review (for iPad)

If you're an iPad owner, you've probably been on pins and needles lately. That's because back in September, Apple announced that a full-scale update to the tablet's OS would be coming in the form of iOS 4.2, bringing a slew of new features to the device. Included in that laundry list is proper iOS 4-style multitasking, folders, major mail improvements, Game Center integration, and Safari enhancements (like find-in-page text searches). Besides those features, the company has been touting two other big changes that could cause a major shift in the way you use your iPad -- namely, AirPrint and AirPlay. Both additions leverage your WiFi network, certain connected printers, and the new Apple TV in an attempt to make the company's slate less like a distraction and more like the center of your digital life.

When the update was originally announced, we took you on a walkthrough of the early developer beta. Though 4.2 will roll out to the iPhone and iPod touch, we wanted to focus on the iPad version, as it represents a major change for the platform. We've had a chance to spend time with the final version of the OS (which is actually 4.2.1 now), and put it through its paces. We've updated our original guide and given the finished product a critical once over, so read on for our full review!
Gallery: iOS 4.2 for iPadContinue reading iOS 4.2 review (for iPad)iOS 4.2 review (for iPad) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 08:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

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Conde Nast Adds A Street Style Fashion Platform With Teen Vogue?s Fashion Click

Sites like Fashism, Go Try It On and Weardrobe have shown that there is intrinsic value in the ability to share photos of what you are wearing and get feedback on your style. So it makes sense for fashion magazines to start launching similar efforts as a way to build a community around their online content. Conde Nast's Teen Vogue property is launching its own user generated street style fashion platform today, called Fashion Click, which is powered by content marketing company Tidal Labs.

Using Tidal Lab's ContentMetric technology, the Teen Vogue Fashion Click platform allows fashionistas to contribute looks and descriptions of what they are wearing as they post to their own blogs. Tidal Lab's algorithm identifies the more influential bloggers creating fashion looks and showcases content based upon posts most likely to be viewed.

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CrunchGear Week in Review: Egg Timer Edition

Here are some of last week’s stories on CrunchGear: Weekend Giveaway: One Of Two Swatch New Gent Watches Just In Time For Breakfast: The Egg Cuber Sony Announces HandyCam NXCAM, An E-Mount Super-35 Sensor Camcorder The Boxee Box: Sizing Up The Competition This Is Something You Put On Your iPhone

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Play Button, an Annoying MP3-Player In a Button

The Play Button is either a desperate attempt to incorporate all the annoyances of analog music into a digital package, or it is a genius marketing move which will perhaps usurp the USB thumb-drive as the ultimate in corporate schwag giveaways.
It’s an MP3 player, and it’s built into a button. The front of the button [...]

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Oneword.com helps get your creative juices flowing

Filed under: Text, Utilities
Writer's block is a drag. You just sit there staring at the full-screen, distraction-free editor that you spent forever tweaking so it would be just right. You're all set up to write, and ... nothing comes. Blank. The cursor blinks, the clock ticks by, and everything you can think of just seems trite and boring, like a stereotype of a story rather than the story you wish you could write.
Of course, I'm not talking about myself! Consider this a general comment on the human condition. I just found something that might come in handy if you ever find yourself in a similar situation: it's a neat little Web service called oneword.
As you might expect, oneword gives you just a single word, and then it has you write about it. What's not implied in the name is that you get just 60 seconds to do this. One word, 60 seconds, go!
It is a pretty invigorating experience. I couldn't not write, really. Once your time is up, a small form pops up where you can email your text to yourself.
The service is free, and you can also open an account so that you don't have to keep filling in your email and can access a few other features, such as "word ups" - a way to give and receive feedback for pieces of writing.Oneword.com helps get your creative juices flowing originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Google Apps accounts finally get full range of Google services

Filed under: Google
As a long-time Google Apps user, I was overjoyed when I could finally start using Google Reader with my Apps account a few months ago. And now, Google has announced that all Google services are to become available for Google Apps users over the coming months.
After the jump you can watch a beautiful video explaining the change, but in a nutshell, you will now be able to access over 60 Google services via your Apps account, including Blogger, Picasa Web Albums, and more.
The change will be rolling out over the next few months, and administrators would be able to control which of their users could access what services.
Google Apps accounts finally get full range of Google services originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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BeejiveIM for Android giveaway

Filed under: Social Software, Mobile, AndroidMust-have smartphone apps are few and far between. In fact, it's hard to name more than two apps that I use on a daily basis: Angry Birds is the first, of course, and BeejiveIM is the second.

I reviewed BeejiveIM for Android last month and came away with the conclusion that it's almost faultless. The interface is smooth, and you can customize colors and backgrounds to your heart's content. Integration to multiple networks is seamless, with the ability to send both audio and photo to any and all contacts. In fact, the only real fault is its price: at $9.99 it's not the cheapest app out there -- but imagine the money you would save by instant messaging from your phone instead of drinking coffee and reading a newspaper! Your friends and family would love you more, too -- can you put a price on that?

Then again, why fret about paying for software when you can get it for free... by entering this giveaway!

We have 10 BeejiveIM for Android licenses to give away -- just leave a comment and you'll be entered into the prize draw. Full terms and conditions follow after the break!

Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
To enter, leave a comment below.
The comment must be left by Monday, November 15 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
You may enter only once.
Winners will be selected in a random drawing.
10 winners will receive a BeejiveIM for Android license, retail value of $9.99 USD.
Click Here for complete Official Rules.
BeejiveIM for Android giveaway originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 12 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Droid 2 Global officially acknowledged by Verizon on Facebook

Verizon has finally and officially, kind of, sort of announced the Motorola Droid 2 Global on its Facebook page. You've actually been able to preorder the Droid 2 Global for a while now, but now it's official -- and $20 more than its initial listing -- at $199.99 after two-year contract and $100 mail-in rebate. In return you get the Droid 2 upgraded with a SIM card so you can use it overseas (forget about using it on T-Mobile and AT&T), plus a faster 1.2GHz processor.It's also interesting that it's the lone entry on Verizon's DroidDoes site, cementing the thought that it has replaced the original Droid 2, which is just a few months old. Anybody buying now? [Facebook, Verizon via AndroidOS.in] Droid 2 Global officially acknowledged by Verizon on Facebook posted originally by Android CentralSponsored by Android Cases and Accessories

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Daily Crunch: Happy Bear Edition

The White iPhone, She Is Dead Angry Birds Plush Toys go up for pre-order, will ship in December Review: Kirby?s Epic Yarn Video: Musician/Comic Reggie Watts Improvises Song About Pancakes Using Only His iPhone During Sirius XM Interview Next Nolan Batman Movie To Be Called ?The Dark Knight Rises,? Fans Upset At Riddler Snub

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Daily Crunch: From Beyond the Grave Edition

Coming Soon: 900GB Torrent Of (Mostly) Every Geocities Web Site Ever Half Of IT People Polled Plan To Stick With XP After It Expires Nice Boots: Cristiano Ronaldo?s CR Mercurial Vapor SuperFly II Have Dynamically Adjusting Studs SteelSeries? 30 Percent Off Halloween Sale; Pay For Your Gear At 7-Eleven Stores With PayNearMe CrunchDeals: Native Instruments [...]

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Daily Crunch: Bacon Soda Edition

Jones Soda Jumps On The Bacon Train Sharp Shows Cell Phone With Built-In Projector iPads Used For Studio (Or Non-Studio) Lighting CrunchDeals: 10% Off Megapots and V-Vessels The Weirdest Meetings Ever: Best Of 2010

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RSS Live Links for Chrome lets you monitor news feeds in real-time

Filed under: web 2.0, Browsers
Not everyone uses Google Reader; some people (a dying breed, perhaps) like to consume their RSS feeds locally, using a desktop feed reader. Firefox has long had a Live Bookmarks feature that gave it some of those "desktop feed reader" powers: Live Bookmarks understands RSS, and it can always show you a list of a website's most recent headlines.
RSS Live Links brings just that sort of functionality to Google Chrome, along with a nice extra feature: instant notifications.
Whenever one of the feeds you've subscribed to updates, you get a nice sound effect (a human voice going "Boing!"), the icon shakes, and an unread count appears. When you then click the icon, you can see a list of the unread items in each feed, and hover over them to see a preview. Naturally, clicking an item opens it in a new tab.
This is a powerful add-on; it has a very rich configuration interface, with no less than 20 different options (I counted!). You can also configure the color scheme, select one of several different notification sounds, and customize it in a myriad other ways. Slick!RSS Live Links for Chrome lets you monitor news feeds in real-time originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Slacker Radio for Windows Phone 7

Filed under: Audio, Windows Mobile
On my desktop, I'm a Grooveshark user -- but there's no Grooveshark app for Windows Phone 7 yet... so where does one turn for custom-tailored streaming tunes? Why, Slacker Radio, of course!

Search for a band, tap their name (Volbeat, for example), and Slacker begins buffering your first track and looking for other songs it thinks you'll like -- which you can like or ban while they play. Tap the album cover and Slacker loads band information, including a bio, album review, and lyrics from LyricFind. The free version allows you to favorite stations Slacker creates from your searches, while subscribers can also access their custom channels.

One big downside right now is that Slacker Radio doesn't run in the background. Tap the Windows button, and your track quits playing. To add salt to the wound, if you press back to return to the app it actually starts playing the next track in your queue -- even though it says 'resuming,' which I typically assume means a music app is going to pick up where it left off. Even if you tap to share with a friend, Slacker cuts out as soon as Windows Phone 7 loads up the email screen.

Still, Slacker is a solid app -- and you can use it without creating an account unlike the Last.fm app. The music library is massive, and the $3.99 a month price tag is hard to argue with. Bonus points for sending me on a detour through Bat Country, Slacker.

The good:

Unobtrusive ads on the free version, easy in-app account upgrades
Don't have to create an account to use the app
Good audio quality, even when my Wi-Fi network was "sluggish"
Does a very good job of selecting similar artists and songs

The bad:

Screen rotation is haphazard at best. To be fair, I have that problem with apps on my iPod touch from time to time, so it may not be the Slacker app to blame -- but WP7 or the phone's sensor.
No background streaming. If you share a song or press the Windows button, your music cuts out.
Sharing is limited to email -- Twitter and Facebook would be nice additions.
Slacker Radio for Windows Phone 7 originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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