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Calibre Is an All-Purpose, E-Book Swiss Army Knife

Terrence O'Brien — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:17:00 EST

Filed under: Columns, Windows Software, Mac Software, Downloads, Back to School

When it comes to managing your e-book collection, there aren't a whole lot of options out there. If you want to organize a large library of e-books, especially ones that you're not buying or downloading directly from your e-reader's manufacturer, then there's really only one viable choice: Calibre. Not only does it organize your collection and load it onto your e-reader, but it will do so regardless of whether you run Windows, OS X or Linux. And the list of compatible readers is truly impressive, covering all the major models and quite a few you've probably never heard of.

Before we go any further, let's get this out of the way: if you own a Kindle and have no intentions of ever purchasing anything from anywhere other than the Kindle store, then you have no need for the Calibre app. (Though, you can use both concurrently.) As for the rest of you, stick around to find out how to get the most out of your e-book collection and e-reader.

Gallery: Calibre

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Calibre Is an All-Purpose, E-Book Swiss Army Knife originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Congress' App Brings Voting Records and Political Tweets to Android

Terrence O'Brien — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:30:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, Downloads, Web

There is more than one political junkie on the Switched staff, and the lot of us get pretty excited whenever we see a cool app that makes it easier to keep on top of the happenings in Washington. iPhone owners already have a host of options for tracking Congress, but, until now, Android users have been largely left in a lurch. Thanks to the Sunlight Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to government transparency, that has changed.

The simply entitled 'Congress' app puts almost any information you could possibly desire at your fingertips, delivering your representative's contact information, voting record and Twitter handle. While you can manually search for a particular congressperson from the home screen, you can also set the app to pull up your district's elected rep using GPS.

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'Congress' App Brings Voting Records and Political Tweets to Android originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Best Google Chrome Extensions for a Better Browser

Switched Staff — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Google, Downloads, Web

The browser add-on debate has been raging for years. Do those helpful little plug-ins help productivity or just grind your browser to a halt? Frankly, we can't live without them, and we think you might enjoy some of our favorite helpful additions, as well. With Chrome finally having a solid community of developers pumping out extensions, we thought it a perfect time to pick 13 essential plug-ins for your browsing pleasure.

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Best Google Chrome Extensions for a Better Browser originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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YouTube Launches Leanback, New HTML5 Mobile Site Gets Better Quality

Amar Toor — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Google, iPhone, Downloads

Big changes are afoot at YouTube, on both desktop and mobile fronts. The video sharing site finally launched its new TV-friendly 'Leanback' Web interface yesterday, just a month after parent Google announced its own highly touted GoogleTV platform. Leanback [Ed. Note: Does this make anyone else wanna 'Do the Rock Away?'] lets users navigate feeds, recommendations, searches and categories, by using a simple five-key setup (four arrow keys plus the return key). A video takes up the entire browser, as illustrated in the demo video below. Engadget's already played around with the new interface, and says that the streamlined navigation controls make for quicker browsing, even if YouTube's recommendations are still embarrassingly accurate.

Continue reading YouTube Launches Leanback, New HTML5 Mobile Site Gets Better Quality

YouTube Launches Leanback, New HTML5 Mobile Site Gets Better Quality originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Office 2010 Discounted Before It Hit Shelves

Terrence O'Brien — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:40:00 EST

Filed under: Computers, Downloads

Before Microsoft Office 2010 even had a chance to hit shelves Tuesday, online retailers were already slashing prices on the suite. Amazon and Newegg lead the way by cutting the 'Home and Student' edition, which retails for $149.99, to $129.99. Amazon, in turn, marked down the 'Home and Business' and the 'Professional' versions by $40, offering them for $239.99 and $459.99, respectively.

Microsoft is also offering a cheaper version of each Office edition called "key cards." These cards have no installable media; instead, you simply pay for a license key, which allows you to upgrade older versions of Office, or to turn a trial or Starter version into a fully functioning install. These cards start at $119.99 for the 'Home and Student' edition, with the 'Home and Business' going for $199.99 and 'Professional' for $349.99. It's also worth checking with your school and employer to see if they offer steep discounts on Microsoft Office products. Many college students, for example, can get Office for under $70. [From: Computer World]

Office 2010 Discounted Before It Hit Shelves originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rapportive Adds Social Contact Data to Gmail

Terrence O'Brien — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:40:00 EST

Filed under: Columns, Google, Downloads, Web, Social Networking

What is it: Rapportive is a browser add-on for Chrome and Firefox that adds information from social networks and other sources to your contacts in Gmail. Once installed, it looks up information from around the Web about people who send you e-mails, and displays it in a sidebar.

What we like: The right-hand sidebar in Gmail is largely a waste of space. It's primarily empty, occasionally populated with links allowing you to add items to a calendar or track packages. Otherwise, it's used to display print and new window buttons. Rapportive removes the text from those buttons, and shifts the icons next to the subject and label information, making for a cleaner, more efficient layout. With the sidebar now completely empty, Rapportive adds publicly available social data about the person who sent you the e-mail, including links to profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook and updates from their Twitter feed. Rapportive will also scrape these sources for a picture, a location and employment information.

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Rapportive Adds Social Contact Data to Gmail originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BP Garners Criticism for Ads Targeting Oil Spill Search Results

Warren Riddle — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:45:00 EST

Filed under: Downloads, Web

The irreversible ecological, financial and personal devastation wreaked by the BP oil disaster certainly has triggered feelings of depression, helplessness and rage in both local and international observers. BP's stagnant response, deplorable statements and corrective failures, all of which have tainted the agonizing six-week cleanup period, exacerbate those emotions to an indescribable level.

In following its trend of grossly underestimating the leakage, of denying the existence of underwater plumes and of neglecting its promises, the British company also apparently hopes to disguise blatant propaganda as advertising results. Terms related to the disaster continue to rank among the most popular queries on search engines, so BP reportedly paid Google and Yahoo! to host its own links in response to popular phrases like "BP oil disaster," "BP oil," "Deepwater Horizon" and others. Perched atop a list of results -- under a faded and almost unnoticeable "sponsored link" label -- a link about "How BP is helping" grabs readers' attention.

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BP Garners Criticism for Ads Targeting Oil Spill Search Results originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lala Stops Streaming, Still No Word on Apple's Plans for the Service

Caleb Johnson — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:25:00 EST

Filed under: Downloads

Streaming music service Lala finally shut down some time around 2 a.m. EST this morning, and visitors are now met with information on refunds and credits for current members. Since Apple announced its purchase of Lala in December, we're not surprised to see the site shut down, but Apple still hasn't confirmed how or if it will replace Lala, or whether or not it will use the existing technology.

Many in the industry speculated that the Lala purchase suggested Apple was gearing up for a cloud-based version of iTunes, which would let you access and stream your music collection from any device with an Internet connection (like Spotify). In January, The Wall Street Journal even cited sources claiming that Apple would announce a cloud-based music service in June, bringing us to where we are now. With Apple's Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) kicking off next Monday and news of a new Apple TV with cloud storage, summer 2010 could be the beginning of a big cloud-based push for Apple. [From: All Things Digital, Tech Crunch, Engadget and The Wall Street Journal]

Lala Stops Streaming, Still No Word on Apple's Plans for the Service originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Valve Parodies Apple's '1984' Ad for 'Half-Life 2' Release

Caleb Johnson — Wed, 26 May 2010 16:02:00 EST

Filed under: Computers, Video Games, Downloads

Earlier this month, Valve's online game download service, Steam, became available for Mac OS X users. Since then, new games have been released each Wednesday, and this week, Valve decided to ramp up the hype for one of its most anticipated releases. As Mac Rumors reports, Valve created a teaser trailer for 'Half-Life 2' that parodies Apple's Macintosh Super Bowl commercial. Valve's extremely popular first-person shooter is coming to Steam for Mac users 6 years after the game's initial release.

Apple's original ad was, in fact, an homage to George Orwell's novel '1984' -- so Valve is being extra meta. Both feature a Big Brother-controlled future and a woman running from menacing foot soldiers in order to smash a large video screen with a blunt object. But the 'Half-Life 2' spot, obviously, is computer generated, while the Mac ad has a grainy, vintage look. Watch the original Mac ad here and the Valve take after the jump, and compare and contrast for yourself. [From: Mac Rumors]

Continue reading Valve Parodies Apple's '1984' Ad for 'Half-Life 2' Release

Valve Parodies Apple's '1984' Ad for 'Half-Life 2' Release originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 26 May 2010 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Goggles Expands Translation Abilities, Reads Menus

Terrence O'Brien — Thu, 06 May 2010 16:48:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, Google, Mobile Software, Downloads

In February, Google teased us with an updated version of Google Goggles that could translate words appearing in photographs, but, sadly, that version was limited to German-to-English translations. Still, we were promised that an update would bring other languages, and that day is finally here. Now, Goggles can read images featuring English, French, Italian, German and Spanish words, and translate them into a host of other languages. (See the full list here.) This means we can finally figure out what all those words on the French menu actually mean.

The new version of Google Goggles, v1.1, brings other improvements, too, including better barcode recognition and a larger database of recognizable logos, artworks and products. Goggles can now even perform visual searches on images in your phone's photo gallery. The new version is available now, in the Android Market, for handsets running Android 1.6 and higher. [From: Google Mobile Blog]

Google Goggles Expands Translation Abilities, Reads Menus originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 06 May 2010 16:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HijackThis: The Ultimate Malware Removal Tool for Nerds

Terrence O'Brien — Thu, 06 May 2010 12:48:00 EST

Filed under: Columns, Windows Software, Downloads

What it is:

When we suggest that readers download software, we normally pick programs that are known for user friendliness. HijackThis is not user-friendly. In fact, it's downright dangerous in the wrong hands. Yet, its power for locating and removing malware is unrivaled, thanks to its catch-all approach that doesn't bother to determine what is good or bad, but merely tells you what is on your PC.

What we like:

Rather than exclusively looking for known baddies, HijackThis scans your browser, registry and other settings, and returns a complete log of everything it finds. From here, users can manually remove settings and other spyware components that might be missed by traditional anti-malware tools. This is all done from the HijackThis window, simplifying what would otherwise require digging through the registry and several other settings dialogs, and could ultimately take hours.

Continue reading HijackThis: The Ultimate Malware Removal Tool for Nerds

HijackThis: The Ultimate Malware Removal Tool for Nerds originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 06 May 2010 12:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubuntu Reviewed: Hands on With Lucid Lynx

Terrence O'Brien — Mon, 03 May 2010 13:35:00 EST

Filed under: Reviews, Downloads

It seems that every time Ubuntu gets an update there's talk about how the new version will finally usher in the era of user-friendly Linux and turn the open-source operating system (OS) into a serious competitor to OS X and Windows. We've been running the latest version, 10.04 (code-named Lucid Lynx), since it first hit beta in mid-March. While we have a hard time seeing it replace Windows 7 anytime soon, the regular six-month intervals of serious improvements are finally paying off in an arguably consumer-ready OS.

Continue reading Ubuntu Reviewed: Hands on With Lucid Lynx

Ubuntu Reviewed: Hands on With Lucid Lynx originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 03 May 2010 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nike Football+ Makes You a Better Soccer Player, If You're Into That Sorta Thing

Amar Toor — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 11:10:00 EST

Filed under: iPhone, Downloads, Web

Somewhere between Mars Blackmon and the Lebrons, Nike became much more than just a shoe company. Now, the Oregon-based empire has decided to throw its hat in the coaching ring with a new, interactive online program called Nike Football+ (read: Nike Soccer+). In what seems to be an extension of its Nike+ system for runners, Nike Football+ allows diehard soccer fans (read: non-Americans) to watch training videos, get tips on their games, and take skills challenges. The service, according to DesignBoom, also features interviews with professional coaches and stars, who, in theory, can help you start playing less like kaka, and more like Kaka. Once you're winded and sucking orange slices on the sideline, you can share your progress on Facebook or Twitter, and measure your performance against a global leaderboard. Minivan carpooling and over-parenting lessons, however, aren't included.

To use the program, of course, you have to buy a pair of Nike soccer shoes, which come with a special log-in code to access Football+ from your iPhone or from Nike's site. For the obsessive soccer enthusiast, this would probably be amazing. And if Nike could figure out a way to explain precisely why Americans hate soccer, the rest of us might find it pretty cool, too. [From: DesignBoom]

Nike Football+ Makes You a Better Soccer Player, If You're Into That Sorta Thing originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video Genome Project Stops Movie Pirates With DNA Science

Matthew Zuras — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Audio/Video, Downloads, Playroom

Video pirates, you now have digital genetics working against you. As if it weren't bothersome enough that Warner Bros. is hiring student interns to spy on their pirating peers, researchers at the Israel Institute of Technology have now begun developing a "video genome" database, which can be used to isolate the origins and subsequent mutations of digital video.

Previous kinds of video-identifying software have used action recognition algorithms that align similar movement between two files in a given scene. But cropping, color changes and unsteady camera movement (such as in the especially crappy bootleg versions filmed in the theater) can all change that action into something unrecognizable. But the researchers are now using a technique similar to DNA matching, in which those aberrations are simply viewed the same way as genetic mutations, so two films unlike in quality can still be matched. Shapes and borders don't change in the two versions, so additions (like commercials) and deletions (like gaps in the filming) are merely viewed as mutations, thus revealing the common foundation of the two videos.

Continue reading Video Genome Project Stops Movie Pirates With DNA Science

Video Genome Project Stops Movie Pirates With DNA Science originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 05 Apr 2010 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cortado Workplace App Lets You Print From Your BlackBerry, iPhone

Amar Toor — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 10:24:00 EST

Filed under: Downloads, Web

As sad a reality as it is, much of the digitized world still relies on paper. But for many of us who've become accustomed to completely paperless, smartphone-based existences, remembering to print a pair of concert tickets or a big term paper before leaving the house can be a difficult and often cumbersome task. Luckily, though, a new app now allows procrastinating or forgetful users to save both time and energy by printing directly from their phones.

With Cortado Workplace, a free app that's compatible with both BlackBerry and iPhone platforms, you can now print any attachment, e-mail or photo directly from your smartphone, as long as you're wirelessly latched onto a printer within the vicinity. According to the New York Times, the new ThinPrint AG app also offers 1 GB of free storage in the company's cloud server, where smartphone users can store files, e-mails and photos. Although the maximum individual file size is currently set at 3 MB, the company is reportedly planning on introducing a fee-based service that would enable subscribers to store files of any size, and would increase their overall storage space on the server.

Continue reading Cortado Workplace App Lets You Print From Your BlackBerry, iPhone

Cortado Workplace App Lets You Print From Your BlackBerry, iPhone originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 05 Apr 2010 10:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ultimate Guide to Productivity: Git 'Er Done With Helpful Hacks and Hints

Terrence O'Brien — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:20:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, Computers, Downloads, Web

Our mission here at Switched entails more than simply bringing you the latest tech and social networking news. We don't even stop at just helping you to become a smarter, better consumer of technology. We want to make sure that you use the power we bestow to enhance your life, not just watch videos of dancing fools and women covered in mud. So, as a spring cleaning gift for you, here are a few tips to increase your productivity and reclaim a little lost time for more leisurely activities -- like, perhaps, reading Switched.

Continue reading The Ultimate Guide to Productivity: Git 'Er Done With Helpful Hacks and Hints

The Ultimate Guide to Productivity: Git 'Er Done With Helpful Hacks and Hints originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get Your E-Spring Cleaning Done With OnyX and CCleaner

Terrence O'Brien — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:40:00 EST

Filed under: Windows Software, Mac Software, Downloads

We've got a double dose of Switched Downloads for you. Normally we try to cover cross platform apps so everyone can get in on the fun, but with the category of app we're covering today, that just isn't an option. CCleaner and OnyX are system cleaning and optimization tools for Windows and Mac respectively. We searched for a comparable product for Linux, but the closest we could find is the unreliable (and potentially dangerous) System Janitor built into Ubuntu.

PC: CCleaner

What it is:

CCleaner, which is generally understood to stand for 'Crap Cleaner,' removes all sorts of data that might gunk up your system. The program clears your browser cache, empties your recycling bin and clipboard, deletes temporary files, and straightens the disaster that is the Windows registry. Not only does this clear up hard disk space and leave less information lying around for cyber-criminals to harvest, but it can actually make your computer run a bit faster.

Continue reading Get Your E-Spring Cleaning Done With OnyX and CCleaner

Get Your E-Spring Cleaning Done With OnyX and CCleaner originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Little Bit Torrent of Knowledge Can Go a Long Way

Terrence O'Brien — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:05:00 EST

Filed under: Columns, Downloads, Web

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Part of being a good user and consumer is understanding how technology works, why we use it the way we do, and what the barrage of acronyms and PR jargon means. We're here to help you make sense of it all and give you a better appreciation for how that pile of transistors, pixels, and antennas works together to deliver the conveniences of the modern world to your living room or office.

What is BitTorrent?

BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer file sharing system designed for distributing large amounts of data. With the system, files are broken into tiny digestible chunks called torrents, and are pulled from multiple sources simultaneously. This results in two primary benefits: faster downloads; and lighter burdens for hosts. This also means that BitTorrent can't be shut down in one fell swoop, as was Napster, for instance.

Continue reading A Little Bit Torrent of Knowledge Can Go a Long Way

A Little Bit Torrent of Knowledge Can Go a Long Way originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steve Jobs Delivers Personal Call to Doubting Buyer of 10 Billionth iTunes Song

Caleb Johnson — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:03:00 EST

Filed under: Downloads

What would you do if you picked up the phone and the voice on the other end said, "This is Steve Jobs from Apple?" Laugh, hang up, utter a choice word or two? All would be appropriate responses -- unless you happen to be 70-year-old Louie Sulcer.

According to Rolling Stone, the grandfather from Woodstock, Georgia recently received a personal phone call from Jobs after he downloaded Johnny Cash's "Guess Things Happen That Way." Why was this purchase cause for such a rare call? Well, Sulcer's purchase was the 10 billionth song downloaded from the iTunes Store, making him the winner of a $10,000 iTunes gift card. Sulcer told Rolling Stone that he didn't even know about the contest until receiving the call, and he wasn't sure that it was the real Jobs on the line until he saw 'Apple' on his caller ID. " "I have a son that loves to play tricks and he does that every now and then - calls me and imitates somebody," he said. We hope the Man in Black is smiling somewhere... after all, today is his birthday. [From: Rolling Stone, via: 9-to-5 Mac]

Steve Jobs Delivers Personal Call to Doubting Buyer of 10 Billionth iTunes Song originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Oscar Enthusiast's Guide to the 2010 Nominees on Twitter

Caleb Johnson — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Columns, Celebrities, Downloads, Social Networking

Groundhog's Day is over (with, apparently, more winter on its way), and let's face it, there's not a whole lot to be excited about in February. Except for the bloated, yearly spectacle called the Academy Awards. While Hollywood pats itself on the back, offices around the country throw in cash and take their best shots at guessing who will carry home a golden statue.

We won't attempt to make any picks, as we're saving those for our office Oscar pool. But, like every other Oscar nut, we can't get enough information about the actors, actresses, directors, writers and producers that are vying for awards. As you know, there's no faster way than Twitter to get up-to-the-minute information. So here's our list of Oscar nominees that you should follow, and a few that we wish were part of the Twitterverse.

Continue reading The Oscar Enthusiast's Guide to the 2010 Nominees on Twitter

The Oscar Enthusiast's Guide to the 2010 Nominees on Twitter originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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