Don't Let Your Smartphone Take Over Your Life
Back at the end of 2012, just in time for New Year’s Resolutions, I wrote an article all about smartphone addiction. We created technology to serve us, yet so many of us - myself included - have fallen enslaved to our phones. Ever lose your phone for one moment and felt your heart jump out of your chest? That’s what I’m talking about. Don’t let your smartphone master you. Take control over your smartphone by avoiding these potentially harmful habits.
Don't Like Amazon? Alternatives To The Kindle eBook Reader App For Android
Amazon has its own set of flaws that send readers looking for an alternative that’s just as good. Looking to get away from Amazon, the Kindle, and DRM? Here are some of the best ebook reading apps that I’ve found on Android over the years. I’ve used each of them at some point in my life and I’ve been satisfied with all of them. Hopefully they work well for you, too.
How To Deal With Telephone Spam
The greatest aspect of the telephone? The fact that you can speak to anyone at a moment’s notice, even if they’re halfway across the world. Sit back and think about that for a second because it’s amazing. But there’s also a drawback: spammers can constantly attempt to reach you with texts and calls and you may feel helpless against the endless barrage.
Word Processing In Google Docs? 5 Important Tips To Keep In Mind
For the majority of my life, Microsoft Word was the word processing tool to use if you were going to do any serious work. Sure, there were alternatives like Corel WordPerfect and later on OpenOffice, but Microsoft Word held a pretty tight grip as leader in that field. Since then, Google Docs shifted all of that into a cloud environment and has been quite successful. In the future, I truly see Google Docs taking over traditional desktop word processors.
3 Fun Tools to Get More Out of Your Webcam
To be honest, I never understood the big fuss over webcams and video chatting. Sure, it’s nice to chat face to face every once in a while, especially when you haven’t seen your significant other or family members for long periods of time, but other than that, I've always thought webcams weren't a justified purchase. Until I learned you can use webcams for more than just chatting.
Quell: The Most Relaxing Free Puzzle Game for Mobile Devices [Android, iOS]
There are many Android games that deserve praise, many of which are logic-based puzzle games like Move the Box and Unblock Me, although there are a few action games like Death Worm to seal the deal. I’ve found yet another fantastic logical puzzler that will calmly pick your mind and stump you regularly. It’s called Quell and it’s available on both Android (Free) and iOS ($1.99).
Learn To Play The Drums With These Websites & Tools
Who doesn't love a skilled drummer? Beats are the heart of music and a great beat by a great drummer can absolutely transform the spirit of a song into something transcendent. I've tried learning how to drum on a few occasions in the past but always ran into an obstacle: drums are expensive. Luckily for any of you readers in that same boat, there are now a handful of fantastic resources on the Internet
Jango Radio: Like Pandora With More Customization & Fewer Ads [Android]
Who doesn't love Internet radio? I was a slow adopter when it came to streaming online music, but now I’m a believer and I wouldn't have it any other way. Fortunately, the technology has been continually advancing and now we've got a number of great mobile music streaming services. Jango Radio is one of them and it most definitely deserves your attention.
Have a Hard Time Tracking Debts With Friends? Use What Do I Owe You
Like most people, I enjoy going out to places with my friends. Restaurants, movies, overnight trips, amusement parks, paintballing - you name it and I’ll go. Going out as a group is great but sometimes there are complications, especially when it comes down to money. Fortunately, there’s a new website that aims to solve this problem. It’s called What Do I Owe You?
How To Debunk Online Rumors & Urban Myths
Have you ever seen a post on the Internet and your only reaction was "what? That can’t possibly be true". It’s happened to me lots of times and I’m always sent on a wild goose chase, researching websites and articles from all over, just to confirm whether or not it really is true. Debunking an online rumor or urban myth takes time, but it’s quite satisfying. Keep reading to find out what makes these rumors and myths so believable.
Use Music Pool To Broadcast Music Across Multiple Devices [Android]
I love it when MakeUseOf readers suggest new apps and programs to me. With every article I write, I’m just waiting for all of those comments that point me in new directions and expand my own library of cool software. That’s how I stumbled across this cool new Android app that will surely come in handy at future parties - Music Pool, an app that lets you sync up your Android device with other Android devices nearby.
Stay Safe & Private With These 5 Encryption Add-Ons [Firefox]
Ciphers have been used throughout history to maintain secrecy and security for sensitive pieces of data. Instead of leaving important information out in the open and available to anyone for reading, these ciphers kept knowledge and messages locked away behind puzzles. At one time, those ciphers may have been simple, but now we have extremely powerful forms of encryption. Think about all of the sensitive data you transmit on a day-to-day basis through your browser.
Ad-Aware Pro 10.5: Latest Update to the Quick & Powerful Security Suite [Giveaway]
Security suites are a big deal. There are so many avenues of attack and you may one day find your computer buckling under the weight of malware and viruses. In the latter half of last year, I actually reviewed Lavasoft’s Ad-Aware Pro as part of MakeUseOf’s Rewards Program. But here’s our offer this week: we’re giving away 25 copies of Ad-Aware Pro 10.5 worth a total of $900 for FREE!
How To Quit Using Google
So what can you do when Google encompasses a ton of products and services all around the world and you want to escape their control? When complaints and protests don’t work, the best way to speak your mind is to quit using their products and services. But with a company as pervasive as Google, this can be extremely difficult.
Springpad vs Catch vs Evernote vs OneNote - Which Is Best On Android?
At one time, people actually had to carry around notebooks if they wanted to take notes - remember the once-big fad of Moleskine notebooks? Nowadays, smartphones have made most pocket objects obsolete. Why carry around a notebook when you can just take notes right on your phone?
Why Update Your Blog: WordPress Vulnerabilities You Should Be Aware Of
I have a lot of great things to say about Wordpress. It’s an internationally popular piece of open source software that allows anyone to start their own blog or website. It’s powerful enough to be extensible by seasoned coders, yet simple enough that tech-illiterate people can still benefit from it. We even have a mini-guide for starting your own Wordpress site. However, as with all Internet-related software, there will always be security holes that need patching.
6 Tips Prevent Internet Procrastination
I am a master of procrastination. Perhaps you are too. There are millions of people who suffer from crippling procrastination and it’s a real drain on productivity and efficiency. The weird thing is, many of us don’t want to procrastinate; we want to work at full capacity, but we just can’t. But with a few tips, I think you’ll be able to overcome this beast.
Build Up Your Google+ Community With These Great Tips
Though there was a lot of hype surrounding Google+, a lot of people who tried it out ended up returning to their usual social networks, like Facebook. However, if you thought that Google+ was dead, gone, and buried for good, you may be pleasantly surprised. It’s still kicking and some communities are actually flourishing on the platform.
How To Choose The Best Android Keyboard For Your Own Needs
If there’s one reason to pick Android over any other type of smartphone, it would be customizability. Whether you’re looking for different kinds of apps, themes, or ROMs, you’re always just one click away from changing the way your phone operates. Did you know that you can also change the keyboard of your phone to something new?
Delete Duplicate Files Quickly With These Tools
One of the fastest ways to clog up your hard drive is to store duplicate files. Most of the time, you probably aren’t even aware that you have duplicate files. They come from a variety of places: accidental copies, misplaced files, multiple downloads, etc. But one thing is for sure: they can really bog you down.