Corel releases VideoStudio Pro X4, we go hands on (video)

Corel seems to be on a roll lately; after releasing WinZip System Utilities just last week, this morning the company announced VideoStudio Pro X4.

VideoStudio Pro is aimed at home users and small business professionals who want to create professional-looking videos, but without the hassle, steep learning curve and price of Adobe Premiere Pro and the likes.

This new version introduces several features:

• Stop motion animation: You can now capture still frames using a webcam, camcorder or DSLR and use them to produce an animation. Tools such as "onion skin view" let you compare the previous image in the sequence with the current one and make the animation as smooth as possible.
• Processor optimization: Corel says the app is optimized for Intel's new Sandy Bridge systems, and have shown us some graphs with very impressive numbers. We've been unable to test this particular point, but if you have a recent-generation Intel or AMD Fusion system, VideoStudio performance should be blazing. Even on our older test system performance was quite impressive.
• Customizable workspace: You can drag the video preview window to your secondary monitor (if you have one) and tweak just about any other element in the window layout. Once done, you can save your ideal workspace in one of three slots.
• Share-to-Web: VideoStudio Pro X4 hooks directly into YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook and Flickr, so you don't even have to launch a browser to upload your final product. Edit, produce and share from within the app itself.
• Smart Package: Video projects typically consist of many files; Smart Package lets you bundle all video assets for a given project into one ZIP file which you can password-protect and keep in a safe place once you're done editing.

I've had a chance to play around with a pre-release version for a few days, and have put it through its paces editing a short video for my day job. Overall, I've been impressed with how easy it was to create pro-looking results. If you do any sort of video editing but are leery of the investment other apps require (both in dollars and effort), VideoStudio Pro is well worth checking out. To see a bit of the interface itself and what the app can do, watch the video after the jump.

Note: We'll be running a give-away of ten VideoStudio Pro X4 licenses later today, each worth $100 USD. Keep your eyes peeled for the giveaway post!

Continue reading Corel releases VideoStudio Pro X4, we go hands on (video)

Corel releases VideoStudio Pro X4, we go hands on (video) originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/22/corel-releases-videostudio-pro-x4-we-go-hands-on/

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Leaked Android Music app images and hands-on review

This morning, an updated version of the stock Android Music app was leaked along with a new version of Android Market. The new Music app, which is labeled 'version 3', is similar to the leaked build from December, but it has received a ton of polish -- and indeed, it looks almost ready for prime time.

If you don't have Android 2.3 -- or don't want to root your phone to install the leaked Music app -- take a look through our gallery, and then read on for our initial hands-on impressions.

Gallery: Leaked Honeycombish Android Music app

Continue reading Leaked Android Music app images and hands-on review

Leaked Android Music app images and hands-on review originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/leaked-android-music-app-hands-on/

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Eightbit.me is an 8-bit retro avatar builder, will eventually be a game

If you've started to notice your Twitter friends looking a little blocky lately, it's probably because they've got trendy 8-bit avatars from Eightbit.me. This site lets you create a full-body 8-bit avatar in your own image, from hair color, glasses and facial hair down to the outfit you're wearing. The plan is eventually to let all these personal avatars participate in some kind of game experience, but Eightbit.me hasn't yet said what the game will be.

Facial detail is obviously limited with only a couple dozen pixels to work with for each character's face, so sometimes it comes down to the clothes when you're trying to make your avatar distinctive. That shouldn't be a problem in the Eightbit.me user gallery or in the mysterious forthcoming game, but it's a bit of a pain on Twitter. When all your friends have gone 8-bit, one brunette with glasses looks just like another.

I hope Eightbit.me turns into an amazing game, but I also hope people stop using their 8-bit characters' heads as Twitter icons.

Eightbit.me is an 8-bit retro avatar builder, will eventually be a game originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/01/eightbit-me-is-an-8-bit-retro-avatar-builder-will-eventually-be/

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IconWatch, orologio da polso molto geek

In questo blog si parla sempre delle solite cose: servizi online, software, servizi online, software e novit� in generale. Oggi voglio provare a fare qualcosa di nuovo e, invece di presentarvi il solito software freeware presentarvi un accessorio. Si tratta di un orologio, e non del solito orologio da polso con il suo bel quadrante [...]

Source: http://www.geekissimo.com/2010/05/24/iconwatch-orologio-da-polso-molto-geek/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=iconwatch-orologio-da-polso-molto-geek

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Reminder: Win a Samsung Infuse 4G today from Waze and Android Central

Just a reminder that the prize of the day in the Waze and Android Central big giveaway is a beautiful Samsung infuse 4G.  Entering to win one is easy -- be sure to check the Waze website for all the details, but here's a quick recap:

• Download Waze (m.waze.com) or via the Android Marketplace (we've got the download link after the break)
• Make sure you’re a registered user with an email on file (Waze needs your contact info to tell you you’ve won – check ‘Settings’ to ensure that you’re registered.)
• Munch (drive over) as many robot road goodies as you can

Winning a hot new phone by having fun and driving to work or school sure sounds like a great plan to me!

More information: Waze

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/u_Z6u1u_zLw/reminder-win-samsung-infuse-4g-today-waze-and-android-central

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Google Voice updated, provides fix for delayed SMS and voicemail notifications

 

The Google Voice app has been updated in the Android Market. The updated includes, among other enhancements, a new widget and a fix for delayed SMS and voicemail notifications.

Here is the full list of changes --

• Does not require data connectivity for making calls to all numbers you previously called
• Warns you when no data connectivity before you compose/send text messages
• Fix for bug that required to click the voicemail play button twice
• Fix for notifications delays for SMS and voicemails

There's also a new widget included with this update -- a larger Inbox widget displays your most recent text messages is available now. It's always great to see an update for Google Voice so head on to the Market to get the latest version, or use our links after the break.

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/ELirWPFUZOk/google-voice-updated-provides-fix-sms-and-voicemail-notification-delays

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O'Reilly helps Japan, offers entire e-book catalog for 50% off, today only

O'reilly make some of the best computer books in the world. They also sell them as DRM-free e-books in a bunch of formats, including PDFs and Mobi for Kindle.

They usually offer one "Deal of the Day", which is a 50% discount code for a book chosen for that one day. But just for for today, they've created a discount code -- DDJPN -- that gives you a 50% discount on their entire catalog, and they give a part of the proceeds to aid Japan relief efforts.

So far they've raised over $60,000, and the day is still young. So if you've been recently hankering after some nerdy book (or three), now would be a great time to grab one.

O'Reilly helps Japan, offers entire e-book catalog for 50% off, today only originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/22/oreilly-helps-japan-offers-entire-e-book-catalog-for-50-off/

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You can now rent Adobe Photoshop for $35 per month, CS 5.5 available soon

Rejoice! No longer will you have to fork over $700 for a Photoshop CS5 license! Adobe has unveiled a new subscription scheme where you can rent the entire Creative Suite, or individual packages, by the month, or for an entire year.

Adobe Photoshop can be yours for $35 per month if you agree to rent it for 12 months, or $49 per month if you require its services for a shorter period. Dreamweaver can be had for even cheaper, at just $19 per month. The entire Master Collection is still rather expensive, though, at $125 per month.

Today, Adobe also ushered in the release of Creative Suite 5.5, and simultaneously upped its release cycle from 18 months to 24 months. This means, if you rent Photoshop for two years, it's actually the same cost as buying it outright. There's no rent-to-own option, though -- so you wouldn't have access to the cheaper upgrade price once Creative Suite 6 rolls around next year. Still, if you need access to Photoshop, After Effects or Premiere for a one-time project, the new rental scheme could be exactly what you're looking for.

In other news, Adobe has announced that it will be launching three rather exciting iPad apps that work in conjunction with Photoshop: Eazel, Nav, and Color Lava. Eazel lets you five-finger paint on your iPad, and export the result into Photoshop; Nav acts as some kind of workspace, brush and menu extension, and the hopefully named Color Lava is a paint mixing palette. The apps are expected to appear in the App Store in the next 30 days.

You can now rent Adobe Photoshop for $35 per month, CS 5.5 available soon originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/11/you-can-now-rent-adobe-photoshop-for-29-per-month/

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Internet Explorer 9 users get a free month of Hulu Plus

In a bit of Microsoft/Hulu cross-promotion, Hulu is offering a free month of its premium Hulu Plus streaming video service to users of Internet Explorer 9. To qualify, you just have to download IE9 and use the new taskbar pinning feature to pin Hulu.com to your Windows Taskbar.

If you pin Hulu, you'll see the free Hulu Plus offer appear in your IE9 jump list starting on March 28th. Hulu is currently only available in the U.S. (although there are unofficial workarounds), so there are no guarantees that international users will get any use out of the offer. Looks like a smart way for Microsoft to up the adoption rate of IE9 and Hulu to get users hooked on its Plus service.

Internet Explorer 9 users get a free month of Hulu Plus originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/15/internet-explorer-9-users-get-a-free-month-of-hulu-plus/

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Customize Slide to Unlock Gesture for iPhone and iPad with StyleUnlock

So you don’t like the “Slide to Unlock” gesture? How about double tapping the lock screen to unlock? Or simply tapping with two fingers to unlock it? With a recent tweak named StyleUnlock, you’re free to customize the multitouch gestures to unlock your iPhone. StyleUnlock comes with 13 gestures for you to choose from. For [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SimonBlog/~3/jbfmBlfMr-M/

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Secondhand iPad ? A Good Idea?

Since the launch of iPad 2, many iPad first generations went on sale in the secondhand market. There are things to consider when purchasing a pre-loved iPad. Scrutinize closely all the features of the device and not just the exterior appearance. Here are some quick tips to check the performance of the secondhand iPad. First, make sure the device turns on with no glitch. Check if the speaker is functioning properly and if the output is clear. Also, try the [...]

Source: http://tabletbuzzblog.com/secondhand-ipad-%e2%80%93-a-good-idea/

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Windows 8 welcome screen revealed, looks very Metro

It's not really a secret the Microsoft had planned on bringing bits of Windows Phone 7's Metro UI to Windows 8, but we haven't seen a lot of really telling evidence. However, with the Windows 8 milestone 3 build now available to Microsoft Connect partners, it was really just a matter of time before we started to get a peek.

Thanks to Rafael Rivera and Paul Thurrott, we've now had a glimpse at what the Windows 8 welcome screen will look like. As you can see, the typography is very Metro indeed. Within Windows also mentions that the background image is customizable, and we're wondering if it might not pull from your current Windows 8 theme. This particular shot shows the CTRL + ALT + DELETE login option, but we imagine you'll still be able to log in by clicking your account picture tile as well.

Rivera and Thurrott also mention that the tablet version of the welcome screen will allow you to log in by swiping a pattern on the screen -- as you can on current Android devices.

Windows 8 welcome screen revealed, looks very Metro originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/windows-8-welcome-screen-revealed-looks-very-metro/

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Facebook for Android vulnerable to simple snooping tricks

Facebook's Android app has some serious security issues, according to a computer science professor at Rice University. Professor Dan Wallach and his students set up simple sniffers using freely-available software (including Wireshark and Mallory) and found that Facebook for Android sends a lot of data in the clear. That means it's possible -- easy, even -- for people to eavesdrop on your Facebook postings.

Even more troubling is Wallach's finding that the lack of OAuth or another signature method in Facebook for Android means someone could theoretically post to your Facebook account. There's also a possible SQL injection vulnerability which could cause all kinds of trouble.

To protect yourself from potential exploits, you can sign into the secure version of Facebook's site -- https://www.facebook.com -- and get a third-party encryption app that will let you use the secure site by default. Hopefully Facebook will quickly address these issues and release an updated, more secure version of the Android app.

Facebook for Android vulnerable to simple snooping tricks originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/24/facebook-for-android-vulnerable-to-simple-snooping-tricks/

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Angry Farm is an Angry Birds knockoff for BlackBerry

Angry Birds hasn't been officially ported to the BlackBerry, but a company called Smarter Apps got tired of waiting and produced an unofficial "alternative" called Angry Farm. The gameplay is virtually identical to Angry Birds, but you control farm animals instead of birds, and your opponents are foxes instead of pigs.

Angry Farm has 30 levels and free upgrades for life, and it works on BlackBerry devices running BlackBerry OS 4.6 and up. The cost: $4.99. How blatant can an Angry Birds clone get before Rovio attempts to shut it down? I have a feeling we may be about to find out. Either that, or the real Angry Birds for BlackBerry will come out ...

Angry Farm is an Angry Birds knockoff for BlackBerry originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/25/angry-farm-is-an-angry-birds-knockoff-for-blackberry/

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Google stirs cooking recipes into search results

Google's latest search trick is recognizing recipes in search results, and showing you a quick overview of a recipe before you even click through. Thanks to some XML tricks, you'll soon be able to see ingredients, ratings and thumbnail images for recipes right in your search results.

Google's recipe search also has some advanced options (found in the search sidebar), including filters for ingredients, cook time and calories. Recipe sites like food.com and tablespoon.com, with clearly-delineated sections marked up in XML, make it easy for Google to parse this information.

To see if you have recipe search yet, check the left sidebar on a search results page. Recipes should show up right under Shopping and above More. It hasn't rolled out to everyone yet, so don't fret if you don't see it.

Google stirs cooking recipes into search results originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/24/google-adds-recipes-to-search-results/

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Twitter for iOS updated with "quick bar" and new friend finder

Twitter's iOS apps have been updated with several new features and UI tweaks. The first thing you'll notice in the iPhone version is the new "quick bar" at the top of your timeline. It displays a rotating list of trends, including promoted trends, and can't be disabled. It's a feature if you like trends, but it's just a pesky ad banner if you don't. The quick bar hasn't appeared in the iPad version of the app yet.

More useful are improvements to the "new tweet" interface, especially the addition of more obvious buttons to add a photo or tag a location. Usernames you're following now autocomplete, as well, making it easier to write replies on the go. There's also a new friend finder that scans your iOS contact list for friends with Twitter accounts. Whether these new features outweigh the annoyance of the quick bar is a matter of personal preference.

You can download Twitter in the App Store.

Twitter for iOS updated with "quick bar" and new friend finder originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/03/twitter-for-ios-updated-with-quick-bar-and-new-friend-finder/

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Google Voice Search learns Latin American Spanish, Indonesian, and Malaysian

Google Voice Search has just introduced localizations for Latin America, Indonesia and Malaysia, enabling native language search for hundreds of millions of users.

Google's official blog post offers some interesting insights into the process of collecting and analyzing the speech data needed to expand support. Thousands of hours were spent gathering voice samples and choosing key regional accents to analyze, and International Program Manager Linne Ha is clearly very appreciative of the Google users who helped the company complete the expansion. Without an enthusiastic base of users to lend a hand, Google Voice Search's polyglot powers would have been nearly impossible to deliver.

Google Voice Search learns Latin American Spanish, Indonesian, and Malaysian originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/google-voice-search-learns-latin-american-spanish-indonesian-a/

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9/11 Memorial App for iPad Coming to App Store

One of the single most defining moments of this century would be the 9/11 Attacks on the Twin Towers.� Everybody remembers where he or she was during the attacks in 2001.� It has been 10 years and for the 10th anniversary, writer-director Steve Rosenbaum is preparing his 9/11 Memorial app to commemorate this occasion. The [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SimonBlog/~3/vK4QSlT24zc/

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Adobe Now Lets You Create PDF Document on iPhone and iPad

Today Adobe unveiled another iOS app named CreatePDF to the App Store. As the name suggests, the app lets iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users to create PDF document right on their devices. According to the release note, CreatePDF app comes with some interesting features: - Creates PDF files that look exactly like the original [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SimonBlog/~3/lNZpuQy1oMg/

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9/11 Memorial App for iPad Coming to App Store

One of the single most defining moments of this century would be the 9/11 Attacks on the Twin Towers.� Everybody remembers where he or she was during the attacks in 2001.� It has been 10 years and for the 10th anniversary, writer-director Steve Rosenbaum is preparing his 9/11 Memorial app to commemorate this occasion. The [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SimonBlog/~3/vK4QSlT24zc/

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100dollardreams, scommettere bei soldi per avere buone probabilit� di vincere

Sicuramente saprete a cosa mi riferisco se vi parlo di aste al ribasso. Per chi non lo sapesse si tratta di vere e proprie aste in cui vince che effettua l’offerta unica pi� bassa. Appena si capisce il meccanismo la prima cosa che si tende a pensare � di aver trovato un modo semplice di [...]

Source: http://www.geekissimo.com/2010/07/25/100dollardreams-scommettere-bei-soldi-per-avere-buone-probabilita-di-vincere/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=100dollardreams-scommettere-bei-soldi-per-avere-buone-probabilita-di-vincere

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Hello Expense is a simple, reliable expense tracker for Android

A good mobile application is a fine balance between simplicity and functionality. You're using it on the go, so you don't have a lot of time to sit there and fumble with the phone to figure it all out. But you also need it to be powerful enough to let you do whatever it is you're trying to get done.

Hello Expense is one mobile app that gets it right. It's an expense tracker that lets you use your Android-powered phone to quickly log the money you spend and then analyze it and see where it all went.

I recently had the chance to use it in a real-life situation - a road trip that took a few days and involved quite a few expenses. Logging each expense took seconds, and at the end of each day I could get a great overview of how much money I spent on each category so far.

Categories and tags are user-configurable; the app also sports its own number pad to make number entry easy, regardless of what keyboard you're using.

Hello Expense is a simple, reliable expense tracker for Android originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/29/hello-expense-is-a-simple-reliable-expense-tracker-for-android/

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Mozilla publishes name and shame list of slow Firefox add-ons, cracks down on tardy devs

Mozilla, continuing its year-long crusade to speed up Firefox startup and shutdown times, has published a name and shame list of the Firefox's slowest add-ons.

The list is just one part of Mozilla's new efforts to highlight slow add-ons, and to help developers make their add-ons more efficient. Over the next two weeks, 'slow performance warnings' will be introduced in the add-on gallery so that users can see, before installation, which add-ons will slow down their browser. If that isn't enough to spur developers into cleaning up their add-ons, Mozilla has also begun reaching out to developers of slow add-ons with tips on how to improve add-on performance. Finally, add-on developers will soon have the ability to perform 'on-demand performance testing,' so that they can test their add-on before it's deployed publicly.

Mozilla reports that the average Firefox add-on slows down Firefox's start-up time by 10% -- which means, if you install 10 add-ons, you will double your start-up time. On fast desktop PCs that kind of slowdown might be negligible, but on older computers, laptops and smartphones, it could be the difference between a 5 and 10 second startup. Mozilla has obviously realized that while massive performance gains might've been made with Firefox 4, the addition of third-party add-ons can destroy any user-perceived improvements.

In other news, Mozilla says that a future build of Firefox will block the installation of add-ons (such as toolbars) by third-party software. Add-ons and toolbars that are bundled in this way will require explicit approval when you next open up Firefox. Hooray!

Mozilla publishes name and shame list of slow Firefox add-ons, cracks down on tardy devs originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 05:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/04/mozilla-publishes-name-and-shame-list-of-slow-firefox-add-ons/

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Skype 5.3 for Windows released, improves mobile video call quality

Version 5.3 of Skype for Windows has just been released, with the main emphasis of the new release being improved call quality, and the quality of video received by mobile Skype users. Presumably one party of the video call must be using Skype for Windows 5.3, though.

Beyond improved call quality, not much has changed. You can now see your friends' presence icons when contact cards are collapsed, and the topic editing button is now always visible on the conversation header. For a complete list of changes, hit up the Skype Garage blog.

Download Skype 5.3 for Windows

Skype 5.3 for Windows released, improves mobile video call quality originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/07/skype-5-3-for-windows-released-improves-mobile-video-call-quali/

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App of the Day: The Secret of Chateau de Moreau is Stunning!

Secret of Chateau de Moreau, a murder mystery adventure title touted by maker 4:33 Creative Labs just launched. The devs have made a lot of noise about it?s wealth of puzzles (over 100) and impressive array of 40 alternate endings.� Numbers are one thing, but how does it play? It plays a lot like stepping [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SimonBlog/~3/dD5CIZUar8U/

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Facebook launches unified mobile site, announces 250 million mobile users

Facebook has announced that its two mobile sites -- m.facebook.com and touch.facebook.com -- have been unified, bringing a simpler mobile experience to Facebook users. And there are a lot of those -- a quarter billion, according to Facebook.

Smartphone users won't be losing any functionality because of the consolidation. If your phone supported the enhacned features offered by touch.facebook.com, the new site will automatically flip the switch when you visit.

Rolling the sites together helps simplify things for Facebook's developer team. Now changes can be pushed to a single site instead of two separate sites, which makes it easier to ensure that all mobile users receive a nearly identical experience regardless of the device they're using.

The new Facebook mobile can also check to see if your phone supports geolocation. If it doesn't, you won't be seeing much of Facebook Places -- which obviously relies heavily on geolocation. Images can also be optimized on the fly to keep page performance from suffering on less powerful devices. You can see the three different versions of the share button below, courtesy our friends at TechCrunch.

Facebook launches unified mobile site, announces 250 million mobile users originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/facebook-launches-unified-mobile-site-announces-250-million-mob/

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Evernote Chrome extension gets quick clipping and snippets

Evernote's Chrome extension might not be quite as powerful a tool as Evernote's Mac and PC apps, but it does make a great addition to any note-capturing addict's browser toolbox. The latest update adds common Evernote actions to Chrome's right-click menu, making grabbing a clipping or starting a new note even more convenient. "Clip this page," "clip selection" and "clip image" are now just a right-click away.

Evernote for Chrome has also gained the familiar "snippet view" from Evernote's desktop and mobile apps. To browse the compact snippet versions of all your notes, click the Evernote icon in the toolbar. For extra note-browsing efficiency, there's even a tab that shows your saved notes from the site you're currently viewing.

Smaller tweaks include speed improvements and background clipping. Yep, clipping now happens in the background, so you don't have to wait til your clip is saved before you leave a page.

Serious Evernote junkies will probably still want to feed their addiction with a desktop app, but the Chrome extension is great for work computers and other situations where it's not practical to install desktop software. It's also just plain convenient, especially now that you can save a clip with one click!

Evernote Chrome extension gets quick clipping and snippets originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/evernote-chrome-extension-gets-quick-clipping-and-snippets/

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TripAdvisor app for Windows Phone 7 now available

TripAdvisor, the popular travel planning tool, has just launched an app for Windows Phone 7. Just like the mobile website, the app allows you to search for anything travel-related -- from hotels and flights to restaurants and points-of-interest to visit once you reach your destination.

Geolocation is supported, which allows TripAdvisor to quickly locate places nearby. But while that's a neat feature, it's also a bit of a downer -- because, really, it's about the only feature TripAdvisor for WP7 brings to the table that its mobile Web app doesn't already offer (its browser-based geolocation doesn't work with WP7 at the moment).

While it's nice to see Windows Phone 7 users getting some big-name apps, it'd be even nicer if we saw some packing a bit more swagger.

Still, TripAdvisor for WP7 might just be worth installing on your device if you're frequently on the go -- at least until a better browser arrives with the Mango update.

Gallery: TripAdvisor for Windows Phone 7

TripAdvisor app for Windows Phone 7 now available originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/tripadvisor-app-for-windows-phone-7-now-available/

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Create a new Marimba remix for iPhone Live, win fabulous prizes! [Contest]

Have some musical talent, think you can remix Marimba — the default iPhone ringtone — into a kickass anthem to take our iPhone Live podcast into 2012 and beyond, and want to win about $200 in cash and prizes? Oh yeah, it’s on! Are you ready to kill...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/EufDuiFpg-Q/

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FlowPaper: Create Gorgeous Paintings as Your iPhone Wallpaper

Flowpaper belongs in one of those categories of Apps I like to term as ?what if? Apps.� In this particular case, ?what if? I could paint and was not artistically challenged in reality.� Like the time I actually bought a Ukulele to see ?what if? I am musically inclined and could actually belt out a [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SimonBlog/~3/EEcA18GS-Bg/

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Evernote Chrome extension gets quick clipping and snippets

Evernote's Chrome extension might not be quite as powerful a tool as Evernote's Mac and PC apps, but it does make a great addition to any note-capturing addict's browser toolbox. The latest update adds common Evernote actions to Chrome's right-click menu, making grabbing a clipping or starting a new note even more convenient. "Clip this page," "clip selection" and "clip image" are now just a right-click away.

Evernote for Chrome has also gained the familiar "snippet view" from Evernote's desktop and mobile apps. To browse the compact snippet versions of all your notes, click the Evernote icon in the toolbar. For extra note-browsing efficiency, there's even a tab that shows your saved notes from the site you're currently viewing.

Smaller tweaks include speed improvements and background clipping. Yep, clipping now happens in the background, so you don't have to wait til your clip is saved before you leave a page.

Serious Evernote junkies will probably still want to feed their addiction with a desktop app, but the Chrome extension is great for work computers and other situations where it's not practical to install desktop software. It's also just plain convenient, especially now that you can save a clip with one click!

Evernote Chrome extension gets quick clipping and snippets originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/evernote-chrome-extension-gets-quick-clipping-and-snippets/

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New software uses facial recognition to defend against prying eyes

Having the right programs and hardware to keep the information on your display safe from prying eyes is never a bad idea, and new software from Oculis Labs offers a very interesting take on how to do just that. It's called PrivateEye, and it utilizes facial recognition to automatically pixelate the contents of your display when you look away.

If you step away from your system and someone else decides to sit down and poke around, PrivateEye will present a confusing jumble of garbled text. It'll even notify you if someone tries to peek over your shoulder -- and display a picture of your peeping Tom, throw up an alert, or sound an alarm.

Check out the video embed after the break, and share your thoughts in the comments!

Continue reading New software uses facial recognition to defend against prying eyes

New software uses facial recognition to defend against prying eyes originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/07/new-software-uses-facial-recognition-to-defend-against-prying-ey/

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Internet Explorer 9 users get a free month of Hulu Plus

In a bit of Microsoft/Hulu cross-promotion, Hulu is offering a free month of its premium Hulu Plus streaming video service to users of Internet Explorer 9. To qualify, you just have to download IE9 and use the new taskbar pinning feature to pin Hulu.com to your Windows Taskbar.

If you pin Hulu, you'll see the free Hulu Plus offer appear in your IE9 jump list starting on March 28th. Hulu is currently only available in the U.S. (although there are unofficial workarounds), so there are no guarantees that international users will get any use out of the offer. Looks like a smart way for Microsoft to up the adoption rate of IE9 and Hulu to get users hooked on its Plus service.

Internet Explorer 9 users get a free month of Hulu Plus originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/15/internet-explorer-9-users-get-a-free-month-of-hulu-plus/

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9/11 Memorial App for iPad Coming to App Store

One of the single most defining moments of this century would be the 9/11 Attacks on the Twin Towers.� Everybody remembers where he or she was during the attacks in 2001.� It has been 10 years and for the 10th anniversary, writer-director Steve Rosenbaum is preparing his 9/11 Memorial app to commemorate this occasion. The [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SimonBlog/~3/vK4QSlT24zc/

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Install the Windows Phone 7 NoDo update regardless of your carrier

Some of you who own Windows Phone 7 devices are still waiting for your pre-NoDo preparation update -- never mind NoDo itself. A few workarounds have been posted, but unfortunately they didn't work unless your carrier had completed testing and was ready to schedule the update.

Now, however, the Chevron WP7 team's Chris Walshie has delivered a handy little utility that will allow you to update any Windows Phone 7 device -- regardless of your carrier.

1. Download and install the Windows Phone Support Tool (x86 or x64) and the ChevronWP7 Updater (x86 or x64)
2. Launch ChevronWP7 Updater and select your language. If your language isn't listed, stop and do not update.
3. If were running WP7 build 7004 (you can verify in Zune) then run the updater twice.

Once the process completes, you should be able to copy and paste to your heart's content. Let's just hope all this update foolishness gets sorted out before we're supposed to receive Mango.

Install the Windows Phone 7 NoDo update regardless of your carrier originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/04/install-the-windows-phone-7-nodo-update-regardless-of-your-carri/

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Google Chrome now uses SPDY HTTP replacement, halves page load time

We're not entirely sure of the time line here, but it looks like Google has now rolled out the SPDY HTTP replacement to its full bevy of Web services, including Gmail, Docs, and YouTube. If you're currently using Google's Chrome browser you're probably already using SPDY.

We originally reported on SPDY way back in November 2009, when Google introduced it as yet another experiment in making the Web faster, like Go, Native Client and speculative pre-connections. Over the last 18 months, though, SPDY support has found its way into the stable build of Chrome.

SPDY is basically a streamlined and more efficient version of HTTP. At its most basic, SPDY introduces parallel, multiplexed streams over a single TCP connection -- but at the same time, SPDY allows for prioritization, so that vital content (HTML) can be sent before periphery content (JavaScript, video). All in all, the SPDY protocol can halve page load times, which is obviously rather significant.

The best bit, though, is that SPDY is an open-source project. HTTP 1.1 is a lumbering beast that needs to be replaced before low-latency real-time computing really becomes a reality, and SPDY is one of the best options currently on the table. To be honest, we're not sure why SPDY hasn't received more coverage -- it's awesome in every way. At the moment, though, the only way to help speed up SPDY's proliferation, is with an experimental Apache mod.

As far as actually 'trying it out,' your best bet is downloading Chrome, hitting up some Google sites, and then checking chrome://net-internals to see your active SPDY sessions. SPDY is a transparent replacement for HTTP, though, and as such it's rather hard to see its effects. Google's sites definitely feel fast in Chrome, but there are more technologies than just SPDY at work.

Google Chrome now uses SPDY HTTP replacement, halves page load time originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/11/google-chrome-now-uses-spdy-http-replacement-halves-page-load-t/

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