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Android app: A faster way to load web links in social apps (Link Bubble)

Android app: A faster way to load web links in social apps (Link Bubble)

by ben patterson | Apr 14, 2014 | apps, phones, reviews

You don’t want to be one of those people who comments on articles posted on Facebook without actually reading the articles, right? Well, to be honest, it’s easy to understand why it happens. Tapping on a link in the Facebook for Android app means watching...
Android app: Android Device Manager goes mobile, pinpoints lost Android devices

Android app: Android Device Manager goes mobile, pinpoints lost Android devices

by ben patterson | Dec 16, 2013 | apps, reviews, security

Just a few weeks ago, I told you about a new, web-based Google feature that lets you track a lost Android phone, à la “Find my iPhone” for iOS. Android Device Manager does a great job of zeroing in on a missing Android phone or tablet, but until recently,...
DVD/Blu-ray tip: Testing Vudu’s instant “disc-to-digital” service

DVD/Blu-ray tip: Testing Vudu’s instant “disc-to-digital” service

by ben patterson | Jun 5, 2013 | apps, home video, reviews, the cloud

Ever wish you could take your old DVD collection and zap it into the “cloud”—perfect for watching your favorite movies on any device you want, whenever you want? That’s the promise behind Vudu’s new “disc-to-digital” service, which...
Windows 8 tip: Get the Start menu back with Classic Shell

Windows 8 tip: Get the Start menu back with Classic Shell

by ben patterson | Apr 3, 2013 | desktops, how-tos, laptops, reviews

Even though Windows 8 doesn’t have a Start menu anymore, I still find myself clicking in the corner of the screen to open programs, search my PC, or do anything else the Start menu used to do. Of course, without an actual Start menu, I usually end up click the...
Hands-on with the new Pinterest app for iPad

Hands-on with the new Pinterest app for iPad

by ben patterson | Aug 17, 2012 | apps, reviews, social networks, tablets

Thanks to Pinterest’s new iPad app, you can finally pin items to your Pinterest boards without the hassle of installing a “Pin It” button on the iPad’s Safari browser. That’s the good news, anyway. The bad news? Well, read on. Pinterest,...
Hands-on with OnLive Desktop Plus, the latest way to watch Flash videos on the iPad

Hands-on with OnLive Desktop Plus, the latest way to watch Flash videos on the iPad

by ben patterson | Feb 24, 2012 | desktops, reviews, tablets

There’s already a $5 app that lets you play Flash videos on the otherwise Flash-less iPad, but now there’s a new game in town: OnLive Desktop, the clever new service that “streams” Windows 7 to the iPad touchscreen. The catch? It ain’t so...
Hands-on review: Sony PlayStation Vita, and why parents who game will love it

Hands-on review: Sony PlayStation Vita, and why parents who game will love it

by ben patterson | Feb 17, 2012 | gaming, reviews

Who needs a dedicated handheld game console like the new PlayStation Vita when you download hundreds of cheap games for your iPhone or Android phone? A dad-to-be like me, that’s who. Now, don’t get me wrong: I’ve got nothing against slicing and...
Hands-on review: Samsung Galaxy Note for AT&T

Hands-on review: Samsung Galaxy Note for AT&T

by ben patterson | Feb 16, 2012 | phones, reviews, tablets

Is it a phone or a tablet? That’s the big (and I do mean “big”) question about the Samsung Galaxy Note, a new and gargantuan Android phone that—if you ask me—tries a little too hard to do it all. Slated to go on sale February 19 through AT&T, the...
Hands-on: OnLive Desktop brings Windows 7 to your iPad

Hands-on: OnLive Desktop brings Windows 7 to your iPad

by ben patterson | Jan 13, 2012 | desktops, reviews, tablets, the cloud

Does anyone really need a full-on, touch-friendly version of Windows running on their iPad? Good question, but a company that specializes in streaming high-end games to PCs, laptops, TVs, and tablets has pulled it off, and you can try it today for free. Available now...
Hands-on review: the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, powered by “Ice Cream Sandwich”

Hands-on review: the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, powered by “Ice Cream Sandwich”

by ben patterson | Dec 21, 2011 | phones, reviews

The first smartphone running on Google’s newly-updated Android platform is here, and it’s a beaut. With its jumbo HD display and button-less face, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is scene-stealer, no doubt about it. But is it worth the hefty $299 price tag? Slim...
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