Learning Photography? Join 8 Flickr Groups For Eye-Opening Lessons

I know the feeling. You unboxed your camera and thought that taking pictures would be just about pointing it and clicking the button. Technically – yes, you are right. Creatively – wrong. Taking great, nay even good pictures is understanding what makes a photo standout. That could involve a lot of reading, fiddling around the controls, and of course moving your feet while you take a few thousand pictures to begin with. You can be sure that quite a few of those pictures will find their way to Flickr. Flickr has been a home for serious photographers, and you will...

Read the full article: Learning Photography? Join 8 Flickr Groups For Eye-Opening Lessons

Don’t Be A Dropbox Jerk: Cloud File Sharing Etiquette You Should Know

Are you annoying the people you share files with services like Dropbox? Maybe; here are some things you do that may bug others, and some rules you can use to avoid doing so. Some people think “online etiquette” is a contradiction in terms, but it really isn’t. Since the early 90′s web users have agreed on rules about what is and isn’t appropriate online. For example: CAPS LOCK IS LIKE YELLING, AND GENERALLY CONSIDERED IMPOLITE. You should research before asking a question online. And there’s the strict Bittorrent etiquette, which can help you avoid being banned from private trackers. As...

Read the full article: Don’t Be A Dropbox Jerk: Cloud File Sharing Etiquette You Should Know

Groupon Shifts Focus From Daily Deals To Marketplace With A New Website

Groupon has been serving up deals to buyers since 2008, and in that time it has never done a complete redesign of its website. That’s all changed now, as the company has given it a full overhaul. It’s changed more than the look, as the new site actually shifts the focus from daily deals to more of a marketplace. This is a major shift in thinking from Groupon, and it will be interesting to see how its massive user base responds to the differences. When users first visit the new site they will see a deal placed in the spotlight,...

Read the full article: Groupon Shifts Focus From Daily Deals To Marketplace With A New Website

3 Steps To Get Google Authorship For Yourself And Your Website

If there’s a knock on your door and when you answer, a man tells you that he’s an FBI agent and needs to search your house, would you let him in without checking his identification? Probably not. The concept is the same when it comes to Google Authorship. Using another analogy, if you meet someone for the first time and they point at a book you’re reading and they tell you they’re the author, how do you know they’re telling you the truth? Odds are good you check their picture on the back cover. You might even ask them for...

Read the full article: 3 Steps To Get Google Authorship For Yourself And Your Website

Help Open Source Happen: Support Developers You Love Using Gittip

Isn’t open source code just great? It gave us all of these Linux distros and great Linux apps, Apache, Python, and the list goes on. If you’re a coder, this movement is very easy to contribute to. But what if you don’t code and still want to pitch in and show your support? We’ve previously discussed eight ways to support open-source projects besides coding, and today I’d like to expand on the first: Donating real, hard-earned cash to support the developers you love, using the online service Gittip. First Things First: Gittip Is About People, Not Projects Here is the...

Read the full article: Help Open Source Happen: Support Developers You Love Using Gittip

3 Multifunctional Docks To Replace Your Windows Taskbar

Why does Windows need a dock? The taskbar pretty much accomplishes the same tasks: quick program launch and organization of running programs with a few extra bells and whistles. But despite the overlap, a lot of people choose to use a dock over the taskbar for those bells and whistles. Mac OS X wasn’t the first to implement a dock, but they did it in such a way that made it beautiful, effective, and downright fun to use. Can you achieve the same with a taskbar? Sure, but as with most things, form is just as important as function. That’s...

Read the full article: 3 Multifunctional Docks To Replace Your Windows Taskbar

Google+ Easter Egg for Halloween

Google+ notifications have a special interface for Halloween. Mr. Jingles looks scary and there's a funny animation that's displayed when you click the Google+ mascot. To see Jingles, you first need to mark as read all the notifications.

Here's the GIF animation, now with infinite loop:

How to Disable Google Secure Search

Speaking of iGoogle redirects, there's an easy way to use the non-HTTPS version of Google Search: just go to http://www.google.com/webhp?nord=1 or add "&nord=1" to a Google search URL, while replacing "https" with "http". It's obvious that "nord" comes from "no redirect" and the nice thing is that this parameter prevents all redirects, including the one that sends you to the local Google domain if you're not in the US.

Why would you switch from the encrypted version of Google to the non-encrypted version? I can find a few reasons: maybe you want to use the highlighting feature of the Google Cache, maybe you want to send your query in Google referrals or you want to load search results pages a little bit faster.

"Google quietly made a change aimed at encrypting all search activity — except for clicks on ads. Google says this has been done to provide 'extra protection' for searchers, and the company may be aiming to block NSA spying activity," informs Search Engine Land.

Get The Perfect Self-Hosted Feedreader Solution With Tiny Tiny RSS

Back in July, Google Reader bit the dust, and RSS lovers everywhere flocked to Feedly in droves. Feedly is really great, and a lot of people actually think that it’s better than Google Reader, but what if you don’t like Feedly? Or what if Feedly decide to close their doors, just like Google Reader did? Where can you go then? Well, the answer in both scenarios is Tiny Tiny RSS. What Is Tiny Tiny RSS? Tiny Tiny RSS (TT-RSS) is a very simple, no frills RSS reader that you host yourself. The beauty of hosting TT-RSS yourself is that you...

Read the full article: Get The Perfect Self-Hosted Feedreader Solution With Tiny Tiny RSS

iGoogle Redirects to the Google Homepage

As promised last year, iGoogle will no longer be available after November 1st. That's today. Google kept its promise and iGoogle now redirects to the Google homepage: http://www.google.com/webhp?nord=1.

iGoogle's original name was Google Personalized Homepage. It was an extension of the Google homepage that allowed you to add gadgets, feeds and themes. The Google dashboard was a great way to keep up with the things that matter to you: news, weather, mail, calendar, bookmarks, to-do lists and more.

These use cases are better served by mobile apps and browser extensions. In many ways, they replace iGoogle gadgets. The truth is that very few iGoogle gadgets were updated by their developers and many gadgets were broken or didn't work well. Google didn't create iGoogle gadgets for new services like Google+ or Google Keep. iGoogle tried to stay relevant by adding features like social gadgets and canvas view, but they were tied to projects like OpenSocial or Google Reader (discontinued).



Google Now is probably Google's replacement for iGoogle. While Google is the only one that can create cards, a Google Now API could change that. Google Now shows information that's likely to be relevant when you need it using various sources like: Gmail, Google Calendar, Google News, Web History, location services. Google also shows gadget-like cards for searches related to calculations, unit conversions, weather, your mail and much more.

Halloween Easter Eggs in Google Knowledge Graph

Google's Knowledge Graph cards for searches like [zombie], [skeleton], [witch] or [ghost] include some Easter Eggs. For ghosts, Google informs users that the food source is "air, your fear, being remembered", you can avoid them by "burning sage; not building a pool on burial grounds; staying away from haunted places" and you can defeat them by "calling Peter Venkman and Ray Stantz" from Ghostbusters.

You can avoid skeletons by "staying away from catacombs and science classrooms" and skeletons have the following subgrouping "dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones".

To avoid zombies, "don't join a dance troupe led by a man in a red leather suit; stay out of graveyards".

{ via Search Engine Land }

Android KitKat

Android KitKat is the first new major Android release since Jelly Bean 4.1. There are so many changes and new features that it's hard to list all of them. It's a release focused on optimizations, immersive interfaces and support for new hardware. There's also a new device that showcases the new features: Nexus 5.

RAM is always an important issue when it comes to mobile devices, especially if they run Android. High-end phones and tablets now have 2GB or 3GB of RAM, but many low-end devices only have 512MB of RAM and they still need to provide a decent experience. One of the main KitKat goals is to run well on devices with 512 MB of RAM. "Changes across the system improve memory management and reduce memory footprint. Core system processes are trimmed to use less heap, and they now more aggressively protect system memory from apps consuming large amounts of RAM."



Most US carriers block Google Wallet and Google wanted to address this. "Android 4.4 introduces new platform support for secure NFC-based transactions through Host Card Emulation (HCE), for payments, loyalty programs, card access, transit passes, and other custom services. With HCE, any app on an Android device can emulate an NFC smart card, letting users tap to initiate transactions with an app of their choice - no provisioned secure element (SE) in the device is needed." If this works properly, Google Wallet's adoption problems could be solved.



Android 4.4 introduces native support for printing. "Android apps can now print any type of content over Wi-Fi or cloud-hosted services such as Google Cloud Print. In print-enabled apps, users can discover available printers, change paper sizes, choose specific pages to print, and print almost any kind of document, image, or file."



There's also an API that does for file pickers what the sharing buttons do for sending data. When you want to select a file to open it in your favorite app, Android 4.4 can show an interface that lets you pick a file from both local sources and cloud storage services. "A new storage access framework makes it simple for users to browse and open documents, images, and other files across all of their their preferred document storage providers. A standard, easy-to-use UI lets users browse files and access recents in a consistent way across apps and providers."

Android KitKat focuses a lot on improving battery life. "With sensor batching, Android works with the device hardware to collect and deliver sensor events efficiently in batches, rather than individually as they are detected. This lets the device's application processor remain in a low-power idle state until batches are delivered." You can also listen to more music. "Audio tunneling can dramatically improve battery life for use-cases such as listening to music over a headset with the screen off. For example, with audio tunneling, Nexus 5 offers a total off-network audio playback time of up to 60 hours, an increase of over 50% over non-tunneled audio."



There's a completely new phone app that shows the people you call often. "You can also search for nearby places and businesses, your contacts, or people in your Google Apps domain. Whenever you get a call from a phone number not in your contacts, your phone will look for matches from businesses with a local listing on Google Maps."

The features of the Messages app have been added to the Hangouts app, which now allows you to send SMS and MMS, while also displaying the messages you receive. The main goal of Hangouts was to provide a unified communication service and it's almost there. Google Voice integration will probably have to wait until next year.

Immersive mode, fullscreen apps. You can call them however you like. For those who found Chrome's fullscreen mode useful, they're in for a treat: there's an upgraded version in Android KitKat. "The book you're reading, the game you're playing, or the movie you're watching — now all of these take center stage with the new immersive mode, which automatically hides everything except what you really want to see. Just swipe the edge of the screen to bring back your status bar and navigation buttons."

Android has a new animation framework for transitions, which was inspired by Apple's Keynote app. For an almost-immersive experience, apps can use new window styles to request translucent system bars. Android's icons from the system bars are white, they're no longer blue.

When you're playing music, Android shows full-screen album art on the lockscreen. You can also say "ok Google" to use Google Voice Search directly from the lockscreen. Google Now cards are one swipe away from the homescreen: just swipe to the right.



The Chrome engine powers the embedded WebViews used by apps, there's a screen recording utility and there's native support for DASH (adaptive streaming).



Android 4.4 brings support for IR blasters and two new Bluetooth profiles. "Bluetooth HID over GATT (HOGP) gives apps a low-latency link with low-power peripheral devices such as mice, joysticks, and keyboards. Bluetooth MAP lets your apps exchange messages with a nearby device, for example an automotive terminal for handsfree use or another mobile device." There's also support for composite sensors: step detector and step counter.



The first Android device that runs KitKat is Nexus 5, a 5-inch phone manufactured by LG. It's lighter and thinner than Nexus 4, even though it has a bigger Full HD display. With a powerful SoC (Snapdragon 800), an improved 8MP camera with optical image stabilization, dual-band WiFI a/b/g/n/ac, LTE and a new look and feel inspired by the new Nexus 7, Google's new phone is one of the best devices you can buy. "Nexus 5 is available today, unlocked and without a contract, on Google Play in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan and Korea (and coming soon to India), starting at $349," informs Google. You can choose between 4 versions: 16GB/32GB, white/black. The 32GB versions cost $399.

Here's a hands-on video:

Android 4.4 updates for Nexus 4, 7, 10 will be available in the coming weeks. Galaxy Nexus won't get the update because it "falls outside of the 18-month update window when Google and others traditionally update devices."

6 Fantastic 3DS Games From 2013 That You Need To Play

When it comes to handheld video gaming, Nintendo has the market on lock down. The 3DS, and the newly released 2DS (which we just recently reviewed), are one of the most robust handhelds ever made. While it might lack the pure power of the PlayStation Vita, it more than makes up for it with the quality and quantity of games available. Over the course of 2013, some fantastic games have hit the market, and if you fancy yourself a gamer, you really should give each one of them a play, because they are downright fantastic. Pokemon X & Y For...

Read the full article: 6 Fantastic 3DS Games From 2013 That You Need To Play

A Complete Guide on How to Extend Your Laptop's Battery Life

For many of us our laptop is an indispensable part of our lives and is carried to work and back every day. However, nearly everyone knows the frustration of needing to do three or four hours' worth of work and only having an hour's worth of battery life left without a charger in sight! There are some ways to prolong the life of a laptop's battery, especially if your laptop is one of the new sleek and simple design, yet exceptionally powerful modern laptops, such as the new range of Samsung laptops.

Reduce Screen Brightness:

From a purely physical point of view the biggest power draw on a laptop is the screen display. Reduce the brightness of the screen to the lowest level that you can comfortably work at. Do not sacrifice your eyes for the sake of an extra half-an-hour of battery life, but do reduce the screen brightness as much as you feel able to.

Reduce Sound and use Headphones:

When watching videos or listening to music on your laptop reduce the sound as much as possible, even if you are using headphones. Not only does this conserve your battery, it can protect your hearing too!

Turn Off Wifi and Bluetooth:

Software can play a part in draining battery levels, and the worst offender is Wi-Fi. Modern laptops are designed to hunt around for Wi-Fi signals and can use an inordinate amount of battery power to do so. If you are travelling from home to work or vice versa and do not need to be connected to the Internet, then disable the Wi-Fi acquisition feature for the journey. This will prevent your laptop from hunting for access points that you have no intention of using anyway!

Remove USB and CD's when not in use:

If you are working during your commute to and from the office, try not to keep USB devices connected for long. Flash drives, optical CD drives and even USB mice can all drain power from a laptop, so plug them in, transfer information or do the tasks you need to, and then remove them as soon as you are finished. (It is not advised to try and use optical disc drives while travelling anyway, a sudden bump or jolt can damage the mechanism.)

Replace your Old Battery with a new one:

Finally, if your battery is over two years old, it may simply be getting old. Speak to the manufacturer about purchasing replacement batteries and ask if they offer long-lasting replacement batteries that hold a longer, stronger charge than the original one. Laptops are there for our convenience and to be used, but with a little care and attention your battery can last much longer, giving you a great user experience!

3 Great Facebook Games for Halloween

Watch any horror film, and you’ll learn one absolute truth. Things tend to go horribly awry whenever someone suggests that the protagonists split up. In the world of Eli Roth and M. Night Shyamalan, flying solo is perhaps the quickest way one can end up with an axe in the back. With that in mind, why don’t you spend this Halloween playing games with a slightly social twist? Facebook is a great platform for gaming with friends, and there are some incredible games to play this Halloween. Here are some that you will really dig. Ghost Tales – Ghost Saga...

Read the full article: 3 Great Facebook Games for Halloween

An Easy Way to Download APK Files from Google Play

Android apps and games are packed as APK files. Learn how to easily download any APK file from the Google Play Store.

---

This story, An Easy Way to Download APK Files from Google Play, was originally published at Digital Inspiration on 30/10/2013 under Android, Internet

New Features in Google+ for Android

Mobile apps for social services are strange. Until now, the Google+ mobile app didn't allow you to copy the text of a post. You had to get the URL of the post, open the browser and copy the text there. I thought this must be a bug until I checked the Facebook app and noticed that you can't copy text.



The latest version of the Google+ app for Android lets you copy the text of a post, copy comments, quickly reply to comments, translate posts and comments.

While the new features are useful, I don't see why you can't select some of the text and copy it. The Google+ app still doesn't support sharing intents. I assume that apps like Google+ and Facebook want to force users to stick to their own sharing features.



The Google+ app actually supports sharing intents, but only for your photos. The sharing interface looks different and it includes Google+ options. Google+ Photos has a new icon, it's now called "Photos", it includes photos and videos stored on your device, an Auto-Awesome section and is poised to replace the standard Android Gallery.

There's also an updated notification sidebar that shows the notifications you've read in a new section: "previously read". The interface is cleaner, but it's more difficult to hide the sidebar.



If you can't update to the new Google+ version, blame staged rollouts and download the APK file from here.

11 Hideously Scary Halloween Makeup Ideas You Can Borrow From The Web

Halloween is time for fun. It’s time for spooky music, it’s time for yummy creepy food, it’s time for good horror movies, and most of all, it’s time to unleash your creativity and dress up any way you want. While some may go for cute or funny, it’s hard to ignore the horror factor of Halloween. Anyone can color their face black or orange, but can you make your eyes bleed out? Can you zip open your face? Can you look like a zombie? With some inspiration to follow, you can. And we’ve found this inspiration for you, along with...

Read the full article: 11 Hideously Scary Halloween Makeup Ideas You Can Borrow From The Web

Technophilia 87 Live From MakeUseOf

This week: a new virus encrypts your files and takes them hostage until you pay. I’ll ask James – who definitely didn’t make this, why are you even asking – what could possibly be worse than this. Blackberry’s BBM service is out now for Android and iOS users, and we couldn’t possibly be less excited. Rating bots disagree, find out why (hint: it’s because they’re bots). And we tell you about the greatest anti-piracy tactic of all time. This week’s episode is brought to you by Bitdefender QuickScan. Whenever you need a quick check or a second opinion, such as...

Read the full article: Technophilia 87 Live From MakeUseOf

7 Tech Savvy And Fiendish Tips To Get Ready For Halloween

With Halloween hot on our heels, procrastinators may have slipped behind on getting ready. Fortunately, thanks to the magic of the Internet, even the lazy can catch up quickly with a few simple apps and sites. From playing the latest spooky games to dressing up your home, the Halloween experience can be yours in a snap! Get Candy or Costumes Quick Need a costume or candy immediately? A few websites ship a wide selection of Halloween costumes quickly and cheaply. In my experience, the best is Amazon, particularly if you have its Prime service. Amazon even has its own Halloween...

Read the full article: 7 Tech Savvy And Fiendish Tips To Get Ready For Halloween