eXpress Headlines
5/20/2013
Most standalone GPS units have a night mode that draws the map with dark colors so the glare doesn't distract you while driving, but a lot smartphone GPS apps lack this critical feature. However, you can give any GPS app a reasonable stand-in for a real night mode by inverting your phone's screen.
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Chrome: Imgur took the crown as our favorite image host for it's speed and ease of use, and imgur Extension by Metronomik takes a few extra steps out of the process for Chrome users.
A lot of sump pump systems have a backup pump and an alarm that goes off in the case of failure, but that alarm is only good if you're home to hear it. With a little ingenuity though, you can hack your to send you a text if the water level starts getting too high.
If you're into knitting—or if you regularly need yarn for your DIY projects—you know it can be tough to keep your yarn under control and tangle free. A center-pull ball of yarn eliminates a lot of the hassle, and it's really easy to make your own.
Windows: As good as our camera phones have gotten, they can still produce some blurry images, especially of moving subjects or in low light. While you could try to sharpen them up in a feature-rich app like Photoshop and futz around with a bunch of sliders and settings to get decent results, SmartDeblur does a great job with less fuss.
There are so many Android phones on the market that choosing the best one can mean a ton of research, price-checking, and waiting to see what's coming out in the next few weeks or months. Some are exclusive to specific carriers, some run stock Android, some are littered with bloatware but have powerful features. This week we wanted to know which you thought were the best of breed, not just because they round out a checklist of features or high-end hardware, but because you think they offer a great overall experience. Here's a look at the top five Android phones, based on your nominations.
Old shopping bags have tons of uses, but just balling them up and tossing them in your pantry can get messy. Instead, mount a 2-liter bottle to the wall and use it as a makeshift bag dispenser.
"The way stories are consumed has changed, so we set out to alter how stories are told," said Neal Edelstein, founder of Hooked Digital Media, in an interview. "It's terrifying to studios the drain that these devices have placed on the industry, so we have to find a new way to harness them."
Please note that we have not yet evaluated your apps or your company’s practices to determine if they comply with COPPA as it is now – or as it will be starting July 1, 2013. We are sending you this letter to both alert you to the upcoming COPPA Rule changes and to encourage you to review your apps, your policies, and your procedures for compliance. The revised COPPA Rule requires all developers of apps that are directed to children under 13 – or that knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 – to post accurate privacy policies, provide notice, and obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting, using, or disclosing any “personal information” from children.
- New and improved look and feel - Checkout multiple items at a time with the new eBay Shopping Cart (US and UK only) - Tap the grid icon at the top of search results to see larger photos (iOS 6 required)* - Scan your drivers license for fast and easy eBay registration (available in select US states) - Improved last minute bidding - Selling support for Spain - Many bug fixes and enhancements
Google Play, the world's largest eBook collection, just got bigger. Now, you can upload your own files to Google Play Books to access on Android, iOS, and the web. Whether you're a student with a backpack full of PDF printouts or an avid reader with hundreds of pages held captive on your computer, relieve your back and start adding files today! After uploading your files, you can enjoy reading them with all the nice features available: bookmarks, highlights and notes, dictionary and more. What's more, your reading progress, highlights etc are synced to the cloud, so if you have multiple devices, you can easily pick up reading anywhere!
What's New in Version 2.5.0 NEW IN THIS VERSION Search and discover entertainment with the power of your voice. - Just talk as you would to a person and the app finds what you’re looking for. - Search for programs by mentioning title, channel, keyword, actor, time frame, genre and more. - Switch to TV mode to see your dialogue and search results on your TV screen. HD DVR (HR24+) required. Your phone and HD DVR must be connected to same Wi-Fi network. - See personalized recommendations as soon as you switch to TV mode.
The carrier did not elaborate on what qualifies customers for the deal and it also stressed that not every basic phone customer will be getting the offer, only those that it has identified as those who are interested in potentially upgrading to the iPhone 5. The promotion will last until the end of next month which means that it will last through Apple’s WWDC developer conference which is set to kick off in the middle of the month.
Kara Swisher:
As part of the deal, Tumblr CEO David Karp — who got a windfall of cash from the deal — will stay at Yahoo for four years at least and retain much control over the service, much in the same way Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom does at Facebook. But, as there, Yahoo will undergird Tumblr’s nascent advertising business with its large and established infrastructure.
If they treat Tumblr the way Facebook has (so far) treated Instagram, I think this will work out well.
Owen Good, Kotaku:
At the end of a week in which Electronic Arts confirmed it wasn’t developing a thing for the Wii U, one of the software engineers in EA Sports’ Canada studio, in a series of since-deleted tweets, disparaged the console as “crap” and suggested Nintendo should give up on hardware altogether.
Starting to get silly at this point.
Nick Bilton on the pervasiveness of Google Glass at I/O.
Justin Williams:
With WWDC just a few weeks away, I thought it’d be beneficial to the Internet at large to compile a working list of everything that is expected of Apple during their Keynote and subsequent “State of the Union” addresses in order to appease the Internet. Failure to introduce each and every one of these features and updates will result in another stock price plummet, calls for Tim Cook’s ouster and an infinite amount of comments on tech blogs decrying that Android is superior to Apple’s iOS.
Open always wins.
The difference between Google’s predatory rapaciousness and Microsoft’s of yore is that Microsoft wore it on their sleeve, they owned it.
Jeffrey Zablotny:
This is a spot by TBWA/Chiat/Day for Apple, called ‘Photos Every Day’. The craft is fantastic, and there’s some subtle, unusual attention to detail in it.
The more I see it, the more I like this commercial.