Internet Explorer 10 Now Available for Windows 7

The latest version of Internet Explorer comes with Windows 8, but if you’ve decided not to upgrade, you can finally download Internet Explorer 10 today.

The release preview has been available for a little while, but today the final version dropped, complete with a speed boost, new supported standards (like the latest in HTML5), a Do Not Track feature enabled by default, autocomplete in the location bar, and more. It also has some handy touch gestures, if you have a touch-based computer still running Windows 7. You should be able to grab the new version via Windows Update, but if not, check out the link below to download it yourself.

Even though new IE looks nice, it still has some minor problems when loading pages with lots of images. At least that’s how it behaves on Windows 7. Hopefully this will be fixed within the next windows updates.

Download here: IE10 for Windows 7 Globally Available for Consumers and Businesses

 

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3D Printing: The Game Changer

told by Hugh Evans – 3D Printing is right up there as one of the most exciting innovations I’ve seen in the 20 years I’ve been around here. I think it’s going to change the way goods are manufactured across many industries. What we now call 3D Printing was called rapid prototyping for many years. An engineer would design an object as a CAD (computerized aided design) file, and then send that file to a machine to produce the real thing.The revolution took place when companies like 3D Systems started designing radically new materials. They came up with nanocomposites, different blends of plastics, and different blends of powdered metals. They were then able to create a part that, if you held it in your hand, you’d think it was steel. You can throw it down on the ground against cement, and it looks and acts just like steel. It’s impressive how the industry has graduated from flimsy, waxy plastics to very, very robust materials that can literally be used as a machine part, rather than just a prototype of a part.

The future is now
And so the invention of these new materials has allowed this industry to go from being bottled up in the lab to what many people call DDM—Direct Digital Manufacturing—and others call “additive manufacturing.” These new materials allow this 3D printing to be adopted by aerospace, automotive.
The promise of instant cad files
The other thing that’s accelerating the industry is the development of laser scanners. A company called FARO Technologies produces a handheld laser that you can point at an object, and the laser will create a CAD/CAM file of what you’re pointing at in real time. The data from the laser reading is imported into a CAD/CAM file, and so you can instantly create a CAD/CAM file with this laser technology. Even the labor intensity of creating a CAD file is reduced as you can create instant CAD files through this device. So now you can picture yourself walking down the street, point, click, get a CAD file, and click again, and it’s printed out an hour later. You saw a flower, you pointed and clicked, and now you’ve printed a replication of that flower, and it’s on your desk.
3D printing at home Six years ago the cheapest machine out there was $30,000, but most were $100,000. Today you can get a capable 3D printer for around $1,299, which launched at the Consumer Electronics Show this year.
At that price, the marketplace opens up to individuals like us. It could be as soon as three years from now that people will have a 3D printer at home to make toys, napkin holders, curtain rings, and whatever is needed.
That’s why 3D printing is so interesting. It’s not just tied up in the engineering world anymore. It’s impacting a large number of industries, and becoming more relevant to consumers. I’m seeing that even high schools now have 3D printers.
I just ran into a high school teacher the other day who teaches software classes, and he was telling me, “Oh, I just bought my first 3D printer.”
It’s exciting to see this technology begin to reach its full potential. A few years ago it was a little ahead of its time, but not anymore. It’s here today

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Would You Buy a Google Glass For Under US$ 1500?

Wearable Computing is one of the recent hot technology online topics, including Google Glass, iWatch. All the online discussions contain both positive and negative opinions. We strive to present a variety of different points of view to discuss the future possibilities of these techs.
Considering the price, practicality, and acceptance of Google Glass, are you willing to drop nearly US$ 1500 on glasses?

Google recently began to release some information about Google Glass which is currently scheduled to be released at the end of this year, and now even the pricing was basically settled with the listing. Although it is unknown yet if the Google Glass will initially support Chinese language or not, I still feel there are three points that are worth discussing.
Price
Now it will come with the price of $ 1,500 dollars. Though we assume the price is $ 1,000 dollars, which is about 6,229.68 RMB, roughly about one month salary of the younger Chinese generation who have more tendency of accepting electronic products. And furthermore, it must be used with the Internet and the price is about 1.5 times than a new iPhone, HTC or Samsung’s flagship models.
Given these factors, how many of us will want to buy one to play with?
When and Where
Most of us work in the office, there should be eighty percent of the time sitting in front of the computer, and sitting next to us are our colleagues. Everyone has its sense of privacy, in a word, we don’t want others know what we’re doing. Since Google Glass is voice-based, it seemingly that we have less time to play with it in the daytime.
So it looks as if in commuting time we should have a chance to use Google Glass? If that so, then we will have a lot of people on the bus or subway speaking around our Google Glass. And for those who drive cars or motorcycles, will they get distracted by keeping seeing Google Glass top right corner of the screen?
So when and where will we want to use it?
Compatibility
Among my friends and colleagues, there are more than half wearing glasses or contact lenses, so it sounds almost impossible that these people would like to wear two glasses every day.
Although, I usually hang 3D glasses above the original ones before I see 3D movies, will I want to hang another pair of glasses when I am out on the street? It would not only make me look very strange but if I accidentally fell, the repair fee of the glasses would cost me way too much!

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Improved wireless phone and tablet charging on the way?

Phone and tablet makers now pay close attention to wireless-charging technology, because it could erase one of the biggest headaches of device owners—having to plug in.

Instead, when your device is out of gas, you could just plop it down on a charging surface (maybe built into the kitchen counter) and pick it back up when the charge is done. No cable. No searching for outlets.
But wireless-charging technology is still in its developmental stage, and technical challenges still stand in the way of its working perfectly. For one thing, if other metal objects like pens or coins also sit on the charging surface, the phone of tablet to be charged won’t charge, or they will charge at a very slow rate. Some wireless-charging technologies can charge only one device at a time.
One company, Silicon Valley-based Proxi, says it has the solution to those problems. Tony Francesca, VP of consumer products, told me Sunday that his company’s wireless-charging surface will charge multiple devices at the same rate as if they were plugged into a wall outlet. And, no, pens and coins don’t mess up the process.
Read more at TechHive

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Identifying Chrome Tabs That are Currently Playing Audio

Google is working on identifying Chrome tabs that are currently playing audio (or recording it). The feature is expected to show an audio animation if a tab is broadcasting or recording sound.
François Beaufort first spotted the new feature, a part of which is already available in the latest Chromium build. For those who don’t know, Chromium is the open source web browser project that shares much of the same code and features as Google Chrome, and new features are often added there first.
Beaufort recorded a short clip to show how the new feature looks (it currently shows a small indicator on top of the tab favicon).

This is going to be a very cool feature, especially if you tend to open a lot of tabs. Sometimes it can be pretty hard to find out which tab makes the noise. If they had asked me, I would even colored that tab in some “yelling” tint.
Read more at: thenextweb.com

Turning your HD TV into an Android SmartTV is easier (and cheaper) than you think!

Turning your HD TV into an Android SmartTV is easier (and cheaper) than you think!
TV makers are launching a new breed of television sets called “SmartTVs”, but what exactly are they? SmartTVs are TV with a built-in operating system, usually Android, and which have an internet connection and the ability to install apps. Samsung, Sony, LG, Panasonic… all the big electronic manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon and have started to produce SmartTVs. But as with all hypes, those TVs are extremely expensive. Not only will you have to buy a whole new TV set, you’ll also have to pay an extra $500-$1000 just because the TV is “Smart”.
Luckily, there is a much cheaper alternative to SmartTVs. And you won’t even have to replace your current TV! Android Media Players and Android Sticks can be purchased for as little as $40 and provide the exact same features as those expensive branded SmartTVs. All you have to do is plug in the media player to your TV’s HDMI port (or other port) and your regular TV will instantly turn into an Android running Smart TV.
Android Stick Computers, as they are also called, are devices not much bigger than a chocolate bar which plug in directly into your TV. Once connected, you’ll be able to install Android Apps on your TV, browse the internet, watch your downloaded movies from the comfort of your sofa, play Android games, check your email on your TV and much more! And the biggest advantage, they can be taken with you anywhere!


Stream Movies To Any Display
Loads of different apps offering streaming services are available in the Google Play store and can be installed on your Android Media Player. Just plug in the media player, open the Netflix or Hulu app and start streaming movies directly on your TV! No Set Top Box needed!


Bring Android Games To Your TV
Playing Angry Birds, Plants vs. Zombies, Temple Run and more on your TV screen will now be possible. Just download the apps from the official Google Play store and you’ll be ready to game the afternoon away! The Google Play app store offers hundreds of thousands of free and paid games for you to choose from.

Range of Android Media Players and Sticks

Android 4.0 Media Player – 1080p, 8GB Built-in Storage, WiFi
Experience your favorite Smartphone operating system on your TV! You’ll be able to watch YouTube videos, browse the internet, share photos with friends, chat on Skype and do everything else you’re able to do with your phone and tablet. Connect your external hard drive to the Android player and watch your movies in HD, directly on your TV and A USB mouse/keyboard can be hooked up to easily navigate through all the delightful functions of this Android Ice Cream Sandwich system.
Enjoy watching thousands of free videos and movies over the internet, stream internet radio directly into your living room and much more. The possibilities are limitless! Over 600.000 Apps and games can be downloaded and installed directly on this media player through the Google Play App store and playing Android games on your TV will now be possible. This android media box will truly bring your TV’s multimedia capabilities up to a whole new level!


Android 4.0 HD TV Box – DVB-T, Wifi N
Enhance your home multimedia capabilities by simply connecting this Android 4.0 PC TV device to your TV to watch your favorite YouTube videos, access streaming music, play games, surf the net and answer your emails, and more! Then switch to digital TV mode to pick up digital TV signals whenever you feel like a change. Truly a fully functioning Smart TV for a fraction of the cost.
In addition, you can use the remote control to record and pause your favorite digital TV programs, so that you can watch them any time and then download them to your 4GB of internal memory or on to your own 3TB external hard drive easily connected though a USB ports on the Android TV box. Also with an array of ports and TV connections including HDMI OUT and AV OUT for connecting your choice of TV set and 3 USB IN ports for your wireless mouse and keyboard as well as a external HD, ease of setup and use is a snap.


Android 4.0 HD TV PC “Zipp” – 1080p, Wi-Fi, 1.2GHz CPU, 1GB RAM
The “Zipp” Android Smart TV stick instantly turns your HD TV into an Android 4.0 powered PC by simply connecting it to the HDMI port of your TV. Powered by a 1.2GHz CPU and 1GB RAM, the “Zipp” can easily run all your favorite apps and multitask without breaking a sweat! Supporting 1080p HD video playback you will be able to enjoy your movies in crystal clear resolution and 4GB of internal memory lets you store away all your multimedia and download app. In case you would need to expand the “Zipp’s” memory, a Micro SD card can be inserted to boost its memory.
Browse the internet while sitting in your couch, visit YouTube, update your Facebook status or send out a quick Tweet. Plugging in directly into your TV’s HDMI port, the “Zipp” is extremely easy to install and to use. Experience the power of Android on your TV today!


Android 4.1 “SmartTV” Mini PC – Dual Core 1.6Ghz CPU, WiFi N, HD 1080p
Introducing the new “SmartTV” which instantly turns your HD TV into an Android 4.1 powered PC by simply connecting the HDMI to your HDTV. Coming with Android 4.1 (Android’s latest and greatest OS with more functionality and power) the “SmartTV” also comes with the power of a dual core 1.6 GHz CPU processor, 1GB RAM, 1080p playback, and WiFi N speed, making your TV into an Android media monster. Quickly and easily download thousands of gaming or productivity apps over Google play app store, download and store your HD movies and more 4GB of internal memory that is easily expandable to 16GB by inserting a microSD card. Literally an “android on a stick” this HDMI android player even comes with an HDMI extension cable, allowing you to easily install the “SmartTV” to the most suitable position for your own needs.

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Top 10 Android SmartTV & Android Media Player Apps

Top 10 Android SmartTV & Android MediaPlayer Apps
Android SmartTV sticks and Android Media Players are becoming extremely popular these days and dedicated apps are emerging everywhere. To keep things easy, we’ve compiled a list of 10 must have Android apps for your Android SmartTV.


NetFlix
Netflix is the world’s leading subscription service for watching TV episodes and movies on your phone, PC and now Android SmartTV. The Netflix Android application delivers the best experience for streaming online movies and series. With subscription plans starting at $7.99, a whole new world for you and your TV are about to start. No TV should go without Netflix!


Vudu
Vudu gives you instant access to the latest movies and TV shows, straight on your Android TV. Browse, rent and watch directly from VUDU. The bad news is you have to pay for it, even for the free content you can view on your PC. A reasonable price of just $7.99 per month eases the pain a bit.


Amazon Video On Demand
As a great alternative for iTunes, Amazone’s Video On Demand offers an extended library featuring over 75.000 movies and TV shows, ready for download or streaming. No monthly subscription fee is required and most movies will cost $3.99 to rent and TV show episodes are available for only $1.99 to buy. Just use your smart TV to browse to Amazon Video On Demand, since an App is not yet available


HBO GO
The streaming service from HBO lets you enjoy your favorite HBO shows, movies, comedy specials, sports, documentaries and offers exclusive behind-the-scenes extras and more. HBO GO is free with your HBO subscription. Watch shows such as Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire and Enlightened, whenever you want from the comfort of your living room.


Youtube
Keep up with your favorite YouTube channels and access the world’s videos anywhere with the official YouTube app for Android. Everything you could do on your pc, do it now with your TV!


Pandora
Pandora is free and personalized radio App that plays music and comedy you love. Just start with the name of one of your favorite artists, songs, comedians, or composers and Pandora will create a custom station that plays similar tracks. Pandora features hundreds of music and comedy genre stations ranging from Dubstep to Smooth Jazz to Power Workout.


PlayUP
Use PlayUP to keep track of any sport in any country at any moment. Receive live updates of the score of your match in more than 70 worldwide leagues. Open and private chat rooms let you talk shop with just your friends, or fans all over so if there’s a sport around the world and you want to be part of the conversation, PlayUp is the App for you.


RUWT
RUWT stands for “Are You Watching This?” and this app might come in handy if you’re not a big sports fan or if you have plenty of other things to do but still want to see the interesting parts of the game. This app will tell you exactly when to tune in to the game you want to see when it starts to become interesting. You won’t have to miss any of the plays people are talking about the day after, nor will you have to sit through the boring moments to see them.


Accu Weather
Access a reliable and easy to use live weather forecast anytime through your TV. Now you won’t have to wait for your local news station to give you the day’s forecast. Accu Weather provides live weather information passed of your location.


CNBC Real-Time
The CNBC Real-Time App for Android gives you free access to real-time stock quotes – before, during and after market hours, directly from both the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ Marketplace. Additionally, you will get CNBC breaking news alerts, top news stories & analysis, and access to the latest CNBC business video clips, CEO interviews and market updates via CNBC video-on-demand. The CNBC Real-Time App allows you to create and track your favorite company stocks live, in real-time and interact with a custom CNBC Ticker.

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Google releases Chrome 25

Google released Chrome 25, patching 22 vulnerabilities and debuting a new security feature that blocks silent installations of add-ons. This new version works good and fast. We especially like the newly introduced voice recognition support – which can serve as a great tool for creating emails faster.

Google on Thursday released Chrome version 25 for Windows, Mac, and Linux. While Chrome 24 was largely a stability release, Chrome 25 is all about features, including voice recognition support via the newly added Web Speech API and the blocking of silent extension installation. You can update to the latest release now using the browser’s built-in silent updater, or download it directly from google.com/chrome.
The Web Speech API is a new JavaScript API that lets developers integrate speech recognition into their Web apps. Voice support is something Google has been pushing hard on Android phones but wants to bring to the desktop more and more. Aside from searching, the company envisions users dictating documents, controlling game characters, and even having a freestyle rap battle.

Read moer at: TheNextWeb

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Mailstrom Helps You Clear Out Thousands of Messages from Your Inbox in About an Hour

Inbox zero is a holy grail that seems unattainable for most, but a wonderful webapp called Mailstrom makes that dream a reality in hardly any time. Through clever sorting methods, it’ll show you your mailboxes in a different light and make it easy to clear out the crap in no time.
While I’m fairly good at looking at messages, I’m not good at clearing most of them out of my inbox and responding to the important ones. Wanting to improve my skills, I decided to give a few tools a try assuming that I wouldn’t get there on the first try. Mailstrom worked so well, however, that I’m now seven messages away from inbox zero after an hour of clearing out and responding to a pile of nearly 1,000 messages.
How does this work? Mailstrom provides unconventional views of your mailbox so you can take a quick look at what’s there and decide what’s important and what’s not. You can find shopping notifications, sort by time, sort by sender, find emails that take up a lot of space, and much more. As straightforward and simple as this may sound, it really makes a difference when clearing things out. I was able to find unimportant senders and random notifications with a few clicks. When I cleared out one view, I tried another, and then another, until my mailbox was virtually empty. If you’re looking to get yours under control, give Mailstrom a try. It’s free to try indefinitely, works with pretty much any kind of email account, and you can use it as much or as little as you need.

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Change Your Monitor’s Brightness In Just A Few Clicks

 

You’ve probably seen this scenario: you just changed the position of your monitor or moved it into another room which has less natural light and your monitor became like a bulb. Too bright and practically unusable in these new conditions. However, buttons on your monitor are too confusing and you spent half an hour trying to figure out how to adjust brightness…. You are angry and frustrated… but!
Never fear, there is a solution for this! These two apps can handle this much quicker.

ScreenBright is a simple app that doesn’t require any installation. Just download it, start it up, and move the brightness, contrast, and color sliders to your heart’s content. They’ll adjust your monitor’s settings without the need for its built-in menus.
Display Tuner is much cooler, but didn’t work on every display in our tests. After installing Display Tuner, you can tweak the brightness, contrast, color audio, and other settings, and even set up profiles that you can activate with a hotkey. That means you could set your brightness high in the morning and low in the evening with one keyboard shortcut, which is great for those of us that have a lot of light in the office.
According to each app, your monitor has to support DDC/CI for them to work, though that doesn’t necessarily guarantee that they’ll work (our DDC/CI-compatible monitor still had trouble with Display Tuner). If your monitor does support DDC/CI, which you can find in its menus, give them both a try to see which one works for you.

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How to Use Dropbox Like a Pro

One of the key advantages of Dropbox is that it’s so easy to use—you simply set it up and then forget about it — but if you dig a bit deeper into the application you’ll find that it has more strings to its bow than you might have realized.

1. Get as much free space as you can

Dropbox gives you 2GB of free space, but you get an extra 500MB for every friend you refer to the service. Dropbox also gives you 125MB extra just for tweeting about your love of the service

2. Keep your iTunes in sync

You’re probably going to need the extra storage of a Pro account for this one, but Dropbox can sync your iTunes library between several computers (at home and at work for example). This means your playlists, play counts and tunes are always available wherever you are. You’ll need to move your library into the Dropbox folder, then point iTunes towards its new location — hold down the Shift key when launching it on Windows or the Alt/Option key on a Mac to do this. A word of warning though: only keep iTunes open in one location at any one time to avoid syncing conflicts.

3. Recover deleted files

Should you accidentally wipe the pictures of your son’s 6th birthday party or an important company presentation, all is not lost — Dropbox keeps deleted files for 30 days after you’ve erased them.

4. Upload mobile pictures automatically

Both the iOS and Android Dropbox apps have a feature enabling you to upload your camera photos and video automatically, with no further steps required. Delve into the settings for your Dropbox mobile app to find the feature, which can be configured to work on Wi-Fi only if you’re worried about data caps.

5. Enable two-step verification for extra security

Two-step verification essentially means you need more than a password to set up Dropbox on a new computer or device, and it’s something Gmail has offered for a while. Two-step verification can be activated from the Security tab of the Dropbox Settings page, and once it’s up and running you’ll need a code from your mobile as well as your password to configure Dropbox on a new machine.

6. Share large files and folders easily

Sharing has been much simplified in Dropbox recently, especially if the person you’re sharing with doesn’t have Dropbox installed. You can share any file or folder by right-clicking it on the Web or your system and choosing “Share link”.

7. Back up Facebook, Instagram and Flickr pictures

You’ll need to add one of our favorite Web apps to the mix for this one, If This Then That. Sign up for the service and you can specify certain triggers—such as a new upload to Instagram or Flickr, or a picture you’re tagged in on Facebook—which then cause the image in question to be sent to your Dropbox automatically.

8. Download torrents automatically

With a little bit of work you can get your home computer to download torrents from anywhere in the world. You’ll need to set up a Dropbox folder for torrent files, then get your client software at home to watch this folder for new files, downloading anything new automatically. If you’re at work, or in a coffee shop, simply copy a torrent file to your designated Dropbox folder and it will be ready for you when you get back home.

9. Sync selectively

If you’ve been around since the early days of Dropbox then you’ll know that selective sync has been one of the most wished for features ever since the program was born. Well, it’s now here in all its glory—right-click on the Dropbox icon, choose “Preferences…” and then switch to the Advanced tab to find the Selective Sync feature.

10. Favorite a file for offline access

Favorite a file in the Dropbox mobile app on iOS or Android and it will be downloaded to the local storage system, meaning you can access it even without a Wi-Fi or data signal. Useful for reviewing that company report while your train goes through a tunnel, or listening to your most cherished album while trekking through the wilderness, perhaps.

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How To Block Phone Calls and Text Messages On Your Android Phone

How To Block Phone Calls and Text Messages On Your Android Phone

If you have an ex you never want to hear from again or telemarketers are spamming you day and night with annoying phone calls, fear not, blocking phone calls and text messages on Android Phones is fairly easy and doesn’t necessarily require any extra apps to install. We’ll take a look at how to do it without apps and we’ll recommend you some call blocking apps for android that are worth considering.

Blocking Text messages On Your Android Phone

When receiving an unwanted text message on your Android phone, just click on the particular message for 3 seconds and a menu will pop up, giving you the option to Register as Spam number. After doing this, messages from that number will land in your Spam folder and you won’t receive notifications anymore when receiving a spam text. To access your spam inbox, hit the menu button and click Spam Messages.

Blocking Calls On Your Android Phone
According to which android phone and Android version you are using, the process might differ a bit. We’ll first have a look on how to do it on a Samsung Galaxy S3 and we’ll then look at a workaround method for other Android Phones.
Start by navigating to Phone > Menu > Call settings > Call rejection > Auto reject list. You’ll have the choice of selecting auto reject for all unknown numbers by simply ticking the “Unknown” box or you can tap Create to enter specific number you wish to have blocked. You can also add contacts to the reject list by navigating through your contacts, hitting the menu button and selecting Add to reject list.

Rejecting a call with a text message is also possible by dragging Reject call with message up when a call comes is. If you want to add a customized text message to the reject list, go to Phone > Menu > Call settings > Set reject messages and add a custom text there.
Sending callers straight to voicemail is also a handy option featured in most stock versions of Android. Go to the contact in question, hit Menu, select Options and then check incoming calls. This will send calls from that particular contact directly to voicemail.
All Android smartphones should have the option to auto reject calls from specific contacts but unfortunately some carriers block this feature to offer services of their own. Generally, their features can be found in the Parental Controls Option but they might charge you for the service.
Using Google Voice To Block Calls
Google Voice users will be glad to hear that it supports spam filters and includes a database of known spam numbers which are blocked automatically. Another option is blocking a caller completely instead of sending them to voicemail.
To configure call rejects and more, navigate to Contacts, tick the box next to the contact you wish to block and choose Edit Google Voice Settings > When this contact calls you and choose between Sent to voicemail, Treat as spam or Block caller.
Turning on automatic spam filtering in Google Voice is done by navigating to Voice Settings > Call and tick Global Spam Filtering.

Android Apps To Block Phone Calls and Text Messages
If you are looking for a more user friendly option to filter your phone calls then one of the next three Android Apps might suite you.

Mr. Number-Block calls, Texts (Free)

Presenting itself as a Free Alternative to calling and texting, Mr. Number offers free messaging between members and real-time updates on when your messages have been read. Also featuring a powerful call and text blocking tool, the app allows you to block specific numbers or area codes. User submitted info keeps Mr. Number up to date about telemarketers and other spam.

Call Control (Free)
Another Android App using user submitted numbers is Call Control, which you can then select to automatically block those incoming calls. Letting you decide which calls get blocked and which once don’t and how those calls get handled, Call Control is a versatile app. The first 14-days, the full app is available as trial version, after that, the app reverts to a limited “Lite” version. If you wish to purchase the full app, you’ll have to cough up $8.

Extreme Call Blocker ($6)

For a onetime $6 fee, Extreme Call Blocker offers a comprehensive call and text message blocking app which is password protected and can run in stealth mode on an Android Phone. Send calls directly to voice mail, pick up and hang up automatically, or just mute the ringer. Also blocking outgoing calls, this app offers solid options with extended blocking features and the ability to set up profiles with various parameters.
Enjoy a Spam Free Life
Many other Android call blocking apps are available out there so do your homework carefully before installing. Most of these apps don’t play nicely together, so try to only use one. Also, your Mobile Anti Virus might conflict with call blocking apps.
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Google Drive’s Create menu now lets you add and access third-party, Drive-enabled apps

Google on Friday announced a new feature for its Drive service: a significantly revamped Create menu featuring third-party apps. For consumers, the change means Drive-connected apps are easier to access while for developers, their work is now more visible to potential users.

Here’s how it looks:

It’s a small change but a significant one if you dig a bit deeper. As you can see, and as Google explains, the menu means that the few hundred Drive-connected apps that exist are now on the same level as official Google apps (documents, presentations, spreadsheets, forms, and drawings on the left, everything else on the right).
Not only is there more space in the Create menu for your apps, but users can add them with the handy “Connect more apps” link at the bottom. This opens up a new “Connect apps to Drive” dialog, which Drive users can browse to connect Drive-enabled apps.
It looks similar to the Chrome Web Store; there are a few apps listed, a filter by category option, and of course a search box:

The reason for the Chrome Web Store similarity is simple: the service is leveraging it; that’s exactly where Drive apps are listed. Developers that have their work in the store don’t have to do anything new to take advantage of this change as Google will automatically pull all the information from existing listings.
What’s interesting here is that Google Apps users got an updated Drive menu just two days ago. That one shows the menu as more narrow and minimal, but this is simply because no apps had been added at the time:

Furthermore, Google actually cut out a feature: “To create a new file from a template, open the appropriate editor (Docs, Sheets or Slides) and click on File > New > From template. This functionality has been removed from the new ‘Create’ menu.”
It’s only a matter of time before we see how quickly Google Drive users start adding apps thanks to this tweak.

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How to Search Google Like a Pro

Exact Words and Phrases

One of the most basic and widely known search tricks is using quotation marks to search for an exact phrase. For example, perform the following search and you’ll only get pages that contain the word “ElectroShopWorld” followed by the word “Electronics”

“Electroshopworld Electronics”

Excluding a Word

The minus sign allows you to specify words that shouldn’t appear in your results. For example, if you’re looking for pages about Linux distributions that don’t mention Ubuntu, use the following search:

linux distributions -ubuntu

Site Search

The site: operator allows you to perform a search in a specific site. Let’s say you’re looking for information on Android ElectroShopWorld website. You could use the following search

site:electroshopworld.co.zaAndroid
or
inurl:electroshopworld.co.za Android

Related Words

The tilde (~) operator is the opposite of enclosing a single word in quotes — it searches for related words, not just the word you type. For example, if you ran the following search, you’d find search results with words similar to “gadget”:

~gadget

The Wildcard

The asterisk (*) is a wildcard that can match any word. For example:

android * from electroshopworld

Word Definitions

You don’t have to Google a word and look for a dictionary link if you want to see its definition. Use the following search trick and you’ll see an inline definition:

define:Electroshopworld

Calculator

Use Google as a calculator. Here’s an example:

(4 + 2) * (6 / 3)

Unit Conversions

The calculator can also convert between units. Just type “X [units] in [units]”. Here’s an example:

54uds in eur
or
30feet in m

File Type

The filetype: operator lets you search for files of a specific file type. For example, you could search for only PDF files.

filetype:pdf android user manual

What’s the best way to install Windows 8?

Ahh, Windows 8. If you’ve decided you’re ready to plunk down your hard-earned cash to give this modern UI a shot, you’ll want to spend a few minutes considering just how you take your first steps into the Windows 8 experience.
You have three ways to install Windows 8 after you’ve purchased it: (a) Run it as a virtual machine on your current operating system; (b) dual-boot it alongside your current operating system; or (c) perform a full install and overwrite the OS you’re currently rolling with. While the installation methods vary in complexity, all three are within the grasp of even Windows novices, and each brings its own pros and cons to the table.
Let’s take a deeper look at each option.

Running Windows 8 in a virtual machine

One of the easiest ways to play with Windows 8 without having it affect your current operating-system setup is to install it in a virtual machine. While you can get fancy and purchase premium VM software like Parallels Workstation for this purpose, a completely free program called VirtualBox accomplishes the same thing, minus a few bells, whistles, and advanced options.

A virtual machine is exactly what its name suggests. VM software allows you to install and run a virtualized operating system within your existing operating system, and everything you do in that Inception-like second operating system is contained within its own individual environment. Once you’re done playing around with your virtualized OS, you can eradicate it with just a few clicks of the mouse—the virtualized OS is really nothing more than a series of files on your normal system’s physical hard drive.
We can’t stress this enough: What you do within your virtualized OS has absolutely no bearing on your actual operating system. Delete files. Change settings. Do whatever you want! Once you’re done tinkering around for the day, all you have to do is shut down your virtualized version of Windows 8 to return to your normal operating system’s desktop.
The downsides? First, running a virtualized OS requires more configuration steps than installing Windows 8 directly. For example, most VM software requires you to have a processor that supports hardware virtualization to run Windows 8, and you’ll have to make sure that virtualization is enabled within your system’s BIOS. A quick and easy way to check all of this is to download Microsoft’s official Hardware-Assisted Virtualization Tool and run it as an administrator on your PC. If you’re ready to virtualize, the tool will let you know.
Second, you’ll need to make sure your that PC’s core components are up to the task of virtualization. Not only must the machine fulfill the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 8, it must also be able to handle not one but two concurrently active operating systems. That’s right: The virtual machine will use the same physical hardware resources as your normal OS, and because both systems will be running simultaneously, we recommend virtualizing Windows 8 on rigs with hefty system specs to ensure that you have enough resources to dedicate to both operating systems. In an ideal world, you’ll allocate at least 3GB of RAM to each OS.
Even with a beefy system, running Windows 8 virtually will likely deliver a slightly less than perfect experience on a standard PC, with occasional graphical lags, performance hiccups, and the frustration of having to move a mouse cursor between operating-system environments if you run the VM in a window rather than in full-screen mode. And Windows 8′s Internet connection sometimes glitches out momentarily in VirtualBox.
Our advice? Virtualizing Windows 8 is a great way to get a feel for the OS before you’re ready to commit for good, but it’s no replacement for a full-fledged installation.

Dual-boot Windows 8

Dual-booting Windows 8 alongside your current operating system is an easy process—so don’t be scared if you’ve never done it before. We’ve already published a guide that can walk you through creating a new, Windows 8-ready partition on your hard drive and starting the installation process itself.

Allocating partitions to prepare for a dual boot installation.

Once the secondary operating system is up and running, you’ll be given a “choose-your-own-adventure”-style screen whenever you boot up your PC, asking you whether you’d like to boot into Windows 8 or the other OS stored on your hard drive. If you don’t pick an option, your system will default to Windows 8 after a brief period of time.
The benefits of dual-booting are obvious: You gain access to two operating systems instead of one, and the performance of neither system is impacted by the other, because each is just a simple, separate partition on your hard drive.
The drawbacks? Once you opt to dual-boot, it can be a real hassle if and when you decide to remove Windows 8, and go back to a single-boot system using your older Windows operating system. Spoiler: You’ll have to poke around in Windows’ Boot Configuration Data Store Editor (bcdedit.exe) just to ensure that you have a means for booting back into your legacy OS after you’ve tossed Windows 8.
In other words, don’t just delete the Windows 8 partition!
You’ll also be sacrificing room on your hard drive to run two operating systems that are completely independent from one another. It almost goes without saying, but installing an app like Steam on Windows 7 doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to run it through Windows 8—they’re two separate worlds. You’d have to install Steam on Windows 8 as well, duplicating your efforts on a single drive.
All that said, dual-booting is a tried-and-true process for making the most out of two different operating systems if you absolutely can’t live without each. We recommend the process wholeheartedly unless space is of the utmost concern on your system. And if that’s the case, maybe it’s time for a second hard drive.

Fully installing Windows 8

Here we go. The biggie. You’re ready to take the full plunge and wave goodbye to your legacy operating system forever. Windows 8 has arrived, and it is the conqueror on your desktop. Let no other operating system stand in its path.
Installing Windows 8 is extraordinarily easy and extraordinarily quick. First, though, pay heed to the gentle but firm notice that you get only one shot at this if you’re doing a clean install. Make sure that you’ve backed up all important files from your existing operating system before you wipe it and start a new.

Upgrade or fresh install? Choose wisely, young Padawan.

You’ll also need to decide whether you’re going to upgrade from your existing operating system or go with a completely clean installation. In short, an upgrade installation will do its best to preserve your files and settings from one operating system to the next. Just how much of your existing OS experience is preserved depends on what you’re running: When upgrading from Windows 7, Windows 8 will attempt to preserve all your personal files as well as your applications. But if you’re upgrading from Vista or XP, Windows 8 will preserve only the files, and you’ll have to reinstall your apps afterwards.
The other option is to perform a clean installation, which completely wipes your existing OS and all the files on your hard drive partition, then follows up with a fresh, brand-new installation of Windows 8. Scorched earth.
So which do you pick? The jury is out. More experienced computer users who really enjoy the clean slate of a wipe-and-install—or who are otherwise terrified that they aren’t going to get peak performance from whatever drivers Windows 8 keeps around from Windows 7—should opt for the clean installation. A clean install is also a great way to give your PC a “do-over” to clean out the clutter that accumulates over the years. Indeed, on the second go-around of app installations, you might be less likely to install programs you don’t actually use much.
Otherwise, Microsoft has improved the upgrade process so that it’s not all that scary transferring information over to a new Windows (Windows 8) installation. You’ll still want to go into the nooks and crannies of Windows 8 itself to ensure that all of your major settings have transitioned over. We also recommend that you go straight to the manufacturers’ sites for new drivers for your various system components—video card, sound card, motherboard, and so on.
And, once again, please save your settings before you upgrade. For example, while your preferred Internet browser might make the journey to Windows 8, the operating system might not keep your bookmarks.
I love installing apps, so I love the thrill that a fresh install brings to the table. That being said, we have no official recommendation for which Windows installation process—clean or upgrade—would best work for you. There definitely are trade-offs in either scenario. Now that you know what’s on the table, the choice is yours.

Wrap-up

You’ll be staring at this screen no matter which method you choose!

And there you have it! If you’re most concerned with having an easy exit and don’t mind trading a bit of performance in the process, then virtualizing Windows 8 is a great way to get familiar with the OS—and tweak it in all sorts of crazy ways—without doing any damage to your existing OS. Dual-booting Windows 8 is a compelling option for mixing the old and the new; you’ll just give up a bit of space to do so. And going the distance with Windows 8 will give you the option to upgrade or start from scratch.
No matter which method you choose, you may want to check out our guide to optimizing your first 30 minutes with Windows 8 to ensure you make the most of your new OS.

www.electroshopworld.co.za

Opera acquires Skyfire Labs for faster mobile video delivery

Skyfire says its Rocket Optimizer software, which compresses multimedia content, gives mobile networks a 60 percent increase in bandwidth capacity

Browser developer Opera Software will acquire Skyfire Labs, which develops technology to speed video delivery over mobile networks, the companies said Friday. The deal is valued at $155 million, which includes a mix of cash and stock and expected performance based earn-out payments over the next three years, Opera said in a news release. The deal is expected to close before March 15.
Skyfire, based in Mountain View, Calif., supplies three large U.S. mobile operators with its Rocket Optimizer software, which compresses video and other multimedia content for faster delivery over 3G and LTE networks. The company says its software gives mobile networks a 60 percent increase in bandwidth capacity, which helps when mobile networks are experiencing high traffic. It says Rocket Optimizer detects and intervenes when users are experiencing poor-quality connections.
Skyfire also makes Horizon, which it describes as a mobile browser extension and toolbar that allows people to personalize their browsers. It’s a white-label product that operators brand themselves. Toolbar extensions can be customized by operators, which Skyfire said can act as a “beach front” for promotions and advertising that can bring in revenue. Opera said video is expected to consume two-thirds of available mobile bandwidth within two years. Skyfire’s technology will be integrated into Opera’s Web Pass, which is a product for operators for offering mobile data packages to subscribers.
In February 2012, Opera moved more deeply into mobile advertising, acquiring the companies Mobile Theory and 4th Screen Advertising, as it sought to increase revenue from ads on its Mini and Mobile browsers. Opera also announced on Friday its results for the fourth quarter of 2012. Revenue came in at $60.7 million, up 39 percent from $43.5 million for the same quarter in 2011. A bright spot for Opera was revenue from mobile advertising, which generated $19.6 million, up from $4.1 million a year before.
As far as the number of users of its browser software, Opera said it lost about 4 percent of its users on the desktop compared to the same quarter a year prior, down to 55 million. But the company said the total number of Opera users on mobile devices came in at 229 million, up 30 percent over the fourth quarter of 2011.
VIA | infoworld.com

www.electroshopworld.co.za

Android Key Lime Pie Launching During Spring?

 

A leaked document from technology giant Qualcomm suggest that Android 4.2 Key Lime Pie will be launched this Spring. The rumor spread quickly over the internet while Qualcomm was trying to manage the damage by using lawyers requesting the copyrighted materials to be pulled from the internet. There is no better way to confirm a rumor by panicking about it Qualcomm! So we can say with quite a bit of confidence that Google will release it’s next desert flavored OS during Google I/O in May. Just a few more months to wait!
In the mean time, you’ll have to do it with Android 4.1 Phones and Tablets which you can get at an extreme low wholesale price from www.electroshopworld.co.za

Navigate Web Forms Faster by Using the Tab Key

The other day I spotted something that made my eyes hurt. A woman was filling out a lengthy Web form. After she’d complete one field, she’d reach for her mouse, find the cursor, carefully click inside the next field, and type more data. Then she’d repeat the entire process.
Think about the last time you filled out a form in your Web browser. Usually this happens when you’re buying or registering for something; you need to type in your name, address, and all that. After you completed one field, did you reach for your mouse, find your cursor, drag it to the next field, click in that field, and then start typing again?
That’s four steps too many.

You need to get acquainted with my good friend, the Tab key. With it you can jump easily from one Web-form field to the next, no mouse required.
It works like this: When filling out an online form (or even one in, say, a PDF), use Tab to jump from your currently selected field to the one right below it (or, in some cases, alongside it). Type…hit Tab. Type…hit Tab. Repeat as needed until you’re done.
Make it habit and you’ll soon wonder why you wasted so much time reaching for the mouse.
By the way, pressing Tab moves you to the next field in any given form. If you need to move your cursor to the previous field, press Shift-Tab.
And here’s one final form-filling tip: when you’re done with a form, you can usually press Enter in lieu of clicking the OK or Submit button. Now you can keep your fingers on the keys where they belong!

WWW.ELECTROSHOPWORLD.CO.ZA

How To Secure Your Wireless Network

We’ve all stolen some internet from an unprotected Wi-Fi network at one point or another. However, connecting to an unsecure wireless network can be quite dangerous. Not only that, if you’re the owner of that unsecured network, you internet could be slowed down, someone could access your personal data or even worse, someone might perform some shady activities on your network and you would get the blame for them. While securing your wireless network might seems extremely difficult, it is in reality rather simple. All it takes are a few mouse clicks and a strong password.

To start with
When connecting to a wireless network, you connect to the router behind it, sending the wireless signal. If unsecured, any computer within range can connect to this network.
Most routers can be accessed by entering “192.168.1.1” in your browser’s address bar and filling in a username and password. Default passwords vary from router to router and from company to company so we advise you to have a look in the router’s manual or on the back side of your router. If you can’t seem to find the login details, try http://www.routerpasswords.com/ or http://www.cirt.net/passwords to find the default password for your router. You will need to log in to your router to change the security parameters of your wireless network.

Encryption
As a first line of defense, encrypt the data sent wirelessly between your device and the router. There are two main types of encryption you can use:
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP): Introduced back in the ’90, WPA was one of the first encryption algorithms to protect a wireless network. Although some older routers might still support this type of encryption, we do not recommend this one since it’s heavily outdated and has demonstrated numerous flaws over the years. It’s better than nothing, but extremely easy to crack.
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA & WPA2): As successors of WEP, WPA and WPA2 are two of the most commonly used advanced security encryptions for wireless networks. The encryption keys used change each time a device accesses the network, making it much harder to hack than WEP. If you have to option to choose between WPA and WPA2, go for WPA2.
When setting up your wireless network for the first time, your computer should automatically prompt you to ask which encryption you wish to use. If not, head over to the security setting of your router and turn it on there. And remember, your security is only as strong as the weakest link, your password. Make sure to choose a password with more than 10 characters, preferably a mix between letters and numbers.

Change the router defaults
Make sure to change your router’s Admin login and password to something more secure to prevent break-ins. You might also want to turn change the Service Set Identifier (SSID) name. Most manufactures just name the router after the company, for example “Broadcom” but to increase security, we advise to change the name so others don’t assume you’re using the router’s default username and password as well.

Turn off SSID broadcasting
Turning off SSID broadcasting is turning off the function which broadcasts a message to notify you (and everyone else within range) of the presence of the router. It’s not a big security feature but at least, the daily user won’t be able to connect to your network since he won’t be able to see it. However, some devices might have problems connecting to the network if it’s not sending out its SSID.

Allow access based on MAC address
Every network enable device –From Android Tablets to Desktop PCs- has its own, unique MAC address which helps the router to identify that specific device. Most routers can be configured to filter Machine Access Code (MAC) and only allow access to recognized MAC addresses. You can preset the MAC addresses of all your devices you use and add some to the list later when your collection grows.
To find your PC’s MAC address, open a command prompt, type cmd, and hit Enter. Then type ipconfig .all and hit Enter once again. The MAC address will show as “Physical” address or as 6 pairs of alphanumeric characters set apart by double points.
On other devices, such as Android Phones and Tablets, the MAC address can be found in the Advance Wi-Fi options, under MAC address.

Disable remote administration privileges
Disabling remote administration privileges is a great way to keep anyone out who is looking to access your security setting. This can be found in your router’s setting and once turned on, security settings can only be change when connected through a wired connection.

Try a mix of these
It is hard to completely secure a wireless network, but if you follow the steps above, you can rest assured that your signal will be better protected. Preferably, use all of the above steps to secure your Wi-Fi network instead of just one and make sure to turn off your wireless router when going on a holiday as an extra form of security.

WWW.ELECTROSHOPWORLD.CO.ZA

Free Office Suite Includes Popular PDF Reader Too

Not content with producing a free PDF reader that can put up a good fight against Adobe, and which has 190 million users, Foxit Software also produces a free office software suite.
Foxit Office Suite comprises the eponymous PDF reader along with three other bundled apps from Kingsoft. These are a word processor, spreadsheet and presentation graphics package, each claimed to be compatible with Microsoft’s own. Foxit Office Suite is a perfectly acceptable alternative for anyone who doesn’t need the size, complexity or expense of Microsoft Office. It’s a 51 MB download, should run on all recent versions of Windows, and does everything that you’ll probably need an Office suite to do. And the inclusion of the PDF reader scores it an extra point over Microsoft too.
Foxit Office Suite is free of malware and viruses, according to my up-to-date copy of Avast. You can get it from http://www.foxitsoftware.com/downloads/ (it’s currently the second link on the page).
VIA | techsupportalert.com

www.electroshopworld.co.za

EXPECTED SOON: Get TWO more SIM card slots without replacing your Phone or Tablet!

If you want your Android phone or iPhone to accommodate 2 more SIM cards at the same time, or you would like to make calls, send SMS and search the internet on your iPod, iPad or any Android tablet anywhere anytime,then KaKa, a tiny companion device is right for you.
Thanks to the slim design and wireless Bluetooth connection technology, KaKa can be easily slipped into any small pocket or wallet, acting as an invisible companion of iPod, iPad or Android tablet.
Simply insert one or two SIM cardsinto KaKa to make a phone call, send a message, or surf the Internetusingyour iPad or an Android tablet. To add one more Dual SIM/standby mobile phone feature to the tablet, you only need to download the apps and then connect the tablet with it via Bluetooth!
Check out these pictures of the KaKa taken by our Sourcing and QC team!

Key Features

• Turn your iPad, or any Android tablet into a Phablet.
• Compatible with Apple iOS 4.0, Android 2.2 above.
• Transform your phone into a triple SIM phone.
• Slim, light weight, fashion design.
• 850/900/1800/1900MHz.
• Bluetooth.

 

www.electroshopworld.co.za