Find Any Symbol You Can Dream Of And Then Some With These Apps

No one knows why, but symbols are fun. They’re like emoticons on steroids. While we mostly see the same three or four characters used over and over again, there are actually hundreds of characters and symbols out there. Using them will not only make you the coolest person ever while communicating with friends, it could even become an educational experience if you are interested in symbols. The website and the Android app below will help you discover and use more symbols than you’ve ever dreamed possible, on your computer as well as a smartphone. You really should try them out....

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Is It Time To Give Yahoo A Second Chance?

From email and search giant to the butt of many jokes, Yahoo arguably had more downs than ups. Now that the company is experiencing something of a renaissance, is it time to Yahoo again? When I first started using the Internet in school, Yahoo was the web portal and search engine of choice. We’d chat for hours on their chat service, and only Hotmail’s integration with MSN Messenger trumped a Yahoo email address. Of late the company has been dusting off its repertoire, polishing old favourites and acquiring new blood – so maybe it’s time for the now-sans-serif Yahoo to...

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Ghost Launches Javascript-Based Blogging Platform As Simple Alternative To WordPress

WordPress is more than just a blogging platform and that’s fantastic. But developer John O’Nolan wanted something simpler — he wanted “just a blogging platform”. And so he created Ghost, building it entirely on Javascript. “Like a ghost writer, Ghost is your ghost publisher. It does the hard work anonymously, getting your content online so you can focus on the most important things: Your ideas. Your content,” O’Nolan says. Now, Ghost.org is ready to let you sign up and download the new platform, which you can then install on your server. You can’t currently host a blog on Ghost.org, but...

Read the full article: Ghost Launches Javascript-Based Blogging Platform As Simple Alternative To WordPress

Ghost Launches Javascript-Based Blogging Platform As Simple Alternative To WordPress

WordPress is more than just a blogging platform and that’s fantastic. But developer John O’Nolan wanted something simpler — he wanted “just a blogging platform”. And so he created Ghost, building it entirely on Javascript. “Like a ghost writer, Ghost is your ghost publisher. It does the hard work anonymously, getting your content online so you can focus on the most important things: Your ideas. Your content,” O’Nolan says. Now, Ghost.org is ready to let you sign up and download the new platform, which you can then install on your server. You can’t currently host a blog on Ghost.org, but...

Read the full article: Ghost Launches Javascript-Based Blogging Platform As Simple Alternative To WordPress

You Can Finally Publish Yelp Reviews From Android Devices

Yelp has finally updated their Android app to allow users to post reviews from their devices, after adding the same feature to iOS last August. Previously, users could only post tips or draft reviews on their mobile devices, but had to wait until they got back to a computer to actually post the review. Tips are staying around for now, but are meant for much shorter notes rather than in-depth reviews. Along with this major update, photos uploaded with a review now appear directly underneath the review, and users can swipe down on the page of any business to see...

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Bing Improves Search With Klout Verified Snapshots Of Social Profiles

Google has Google Authorship where users are linked to their Google+ profiles. Bing has now taken a page out of their rival’s social book by integrating Klout “Snapshots” alongside search results, which bring up LinkedIn public profiles. If you have a Klout profile, the Snapshots will be a reflection of your social media influence (as measured by the Klout score) alongside LinkedIn and any other social profiles connected to Klout. For anyone working on the Web, it is a good way to expand your social reach and get recognition for your work. It is also a nudge for you to...

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Awesome Things You Can Do With Google Scripts

A collection of top Google Scripts for Gmail, Google Drive, Calendar, Contacts and other Google services. No programming knowledge required to run the scripts.

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This story, Awesome Things You Can Do With Google Scripts, was originally published at Digital Inspiration on 15/10/2013 under GMail, Google Drive, Internet

TorSearch Aims To Be The Google For The Deep Web

“The Deep Web” is very real, and anonymity networks like Tor enable you to explore it. TorSearch is a new anonymous search engine that its founder Chris MacNaughton wants to turn into the “Google of Tor”. The Tor network cannot be accessed by regular search engines like Google and Bing. Tor maintains its anonymity by routing web traffic through a series of open connections (onion routes) run by volunteers around the world, and encryption is added at various stages. The nature of Tor also makes it difficult to search as no search engine before TorSearch has indexed it so far....

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10 Motivational TED Talks To Help You Chip Away At Your Mental Blocks

We need a spark plug. Something to ignite us when the body is willing, but the brain is not. Motivation has been discussed, debated, and pulled threadbare; but it hasn’t changed the fact that sometimes we have no control over it. Even the achievers of this world have admitted to frequent bouts of flagging motivation. But the valuable lesson from their lives is that they chip away at their mental blocks more consistently than others. TED.com always has ideas worth spreading. Sometimes they have taught us about creativity, inspiration, and passion…sometimes about human behavior. Many articles and websites have covered...

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You’ve Heard This Man’s Music Before, You Just Don’t Know It: Interviewing Dexter Britain

Here’s a video of a fireman saving a kitten from a burning house. And yes, it has everything to do with this post. Watch it first, then I’ll explain: That was pretty moving, wasn’t it? If you felt a surge of emotion, that’s in no small part thanks to the video’s soundtrack — the music just fits it like a glove. That music was created by composer Dexter Britain, and if you liked it, you can just go ahead and download the album and other albums of his, without paying a dime. And no, no BitTorrent is required — Dexter...

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How to Make Sure Your WordPress Blog Is Accessible To Mobile Users

Don’t make your readers zoom-in on their phone: offer a mobile version of your WordPress blog. Here’s how. When it comes to running a blog, the first thing you need to think about is your visitors. A key question you should ask yourself: do you want your blog to be easy to access on the go? If the answer is yes, then you need to ensure that your website renders as beautifully on a smartphone as it does on a desktop computer – and everything in between. There are a few ways you can make your website mobile or tablet-ready....

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AdTrap Is A Little White Box That Blocks All Ads From The Internet For $139

We’ve shown you how to remove ads from native Windows 8 apps, but how much would you be willing to pay for an Internet without ads? If your answer was close to $139, you’re in luck. Meet AdTrap, a new device that promises to block all online ads, whether on your computer or on your mobile. At its most basic, AdTrap is a firewall for online advertisements that sits between your modem and your router, filtering out commercials. The little white box is a small, zero-configuration device that works with video and music streaming services, regular web pages and almost...

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5 Scenic North American Drives To Enjoy Online

The Autobahn isn’t the be all and end all of highways. The famous German highway system is riddled with speed limits — yes, speed limits! — traffic, and lack of space. If you desire more from a road trip than the occasional speed kick, enjoy the spacious lanes and stunning views of your local North American highways. Better yet, cut both the traffic and your gas bill and virtually enjoy these scenic drives from wherever you are. This is also a great option while some National Parks and Monuments remain closed during a government shutdown. Below I present 5 iconic...

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Science Doesn’t Care What You Believe: PopSci Turns Off Comments

Comments can be bad for science. That’s what Popular Science argued when it announced it was shutting down its comment section back in September. “A politically motivated, decades-long war on expertise has eroded the popular consensus on a wide variety of scientifically validated topics,” wrote online editor Suzanne LaBarre. “Everything, from evolution to the origins of climate change, is mistakenly up for grabs again.” This is undemocratic. It reduces the power of the reader. It’s contrary to everything the Internet believes to be sacred. And it just might be exactly the right thing for Popular Science to do. Medium Matters...

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Science Doesn’t Care What You Believe: PopSci Turns Off Comments

Comments can be bad for science. That’s what Popular Science argued when it announced it was shutting down its comment section back in September. “A politically motivated, decades-long war on expertise has eroded the popular consensus on a wide variety of scientifically validated topics,” wrote online editor Suzanne LaBarre. “Everything, from evolution to the origins of climate change, is mistakenly up for grabs again.” This is undemocratic. It reduces the power of the reader. It’s contrary to everything the Internet believes to be sacred. And it just might be exactly the right thing for Popular Science to do. Medium Matters...

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8 Easy Exercises To Help You Stay Fit At Your Desk

How many hours a day do you spend sitting? Whether you’re gaming, freelancing or have a hardcore desk-bound job, you’re probably not moving enough. Not everyone has the time or ability to leave everything for 2 hours and go for a run or a bike ride, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up. Staying fit at your desk is actually possible. Below you’ll find a collection of exercises anyone can do. Some don’t even require getting up, others take no longer than 10 minutes out of your daily routine. Find some you can do. Find some you want...

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The New Google Gadgets

Do you think you will be missing iGoogle gadgets? Many similar gadgets are available in Google Search and you can trigger them with a simple search. Here are some examples:



- weather gadget: search for [weather] or [weather LOCATION_NAME]

- calculator gadget: search for [calculator], [calc] or enter an expression like [4*5-1/4]

- currency converter: search for [currency converter], [1 usd in eur] or other similar queries

- unit conversion: search for [unit conversion], [10 miles in km], [50 f in c] or other similar queries.

- mail gadget: search for [my mail] and you'll see the latest messages from your Gmail inbox (US-only). Other things to try: [my calendar], [my plans for tomorrow], [my packages], [my flights], [my reservations], [my hotels], [my places], [my photos], [my documents], [my spreadsheets].

- sport scores: search for [nfl], [nhl], [nba], [football scores], [premier league], [manchester united], [serena williams], [formula 1].

A Cluttered Google Homepage

Here's a screenshot of the Google UK homepage in Internet Explorer. I used the private browsing feature to get a fresh cookie. This is what you would see as a new Google user:



* a blue bar at the top of the page that informs you about the new terms of service

* a message that introduces the new app launcher

* a link that asks you to make Google your homepage (IE-only)

* a cookie disclaimer required in the European Union (EU-only).

Click "Got it", "x" and "OK" and you'll dismiss 3 of the messages. You'll no longer see them unless you clear your Google cookies.



What happens if you ignore the messages?

Cinnamon 2.0 Ditches GNOME, Features Enhanced User and Window Management

Cinnamon, the desktop shell using in Linux Mint, has finally released v2.0, which features new window tiling and snapping, along with enhanced user management options. And there are lots of other changes under the hood too, including a new backend that no longer requires GNOME. Prior to version 2.0, Cinnamon was a frontend on top of GNOME desktop, much like Unity. But now, it’s an entire desktop environment which no longer requires GNOME to be installed. But don’t worry, it’s still compatible with all GNOME applications as it uses toolkits and libraries such as GTK or Clutter. On the frontend,...

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Demystify SEO: 5 Search Engine Optimization Guides That Help You Begin

Most of us know how to use search engines generally. Most of us do not understand how search engines work — actually. In the age of Panda, Penguin, and Hummingbird, it could be a skill failure if one has anything to do with working on the Web. A basic understanding of how to position your work for high web traffic is a much needed skill if you are a freelancer trying to get a blog listed on Google, a social media writer, digital marketer, or an entrepreneur planning to start any sort of business. Search engine mastery takes knowledge, experience,...

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