Latest Articles
Why You Don’t Have To Use PayPal For Online Transactions: 5 PayPal Alternatives
Online shopping and online purchases have grown into something so important in many of our lives that it’s strange, at least for me, to think of a world where it doesn’t exist. PayPal is one service that really pioneered that world, especially in terms of purchasing without needing a credit card, debit card, or gift card. But are there any viable alternatives if you don’t like PayPal?
Save Your Eyes & Improve Web Page Legibility With Readability [Firefox]
Poor web design can really put a damper on your web browsing. Ever been to a website with a jet black background and neon font colors with flashing banner ads all over the place? Good luck trying to read that. But even properly designed websites can be hard to read thanks to intrusive ads or overall clutter. With Readability, you can bypass all of that.
Take a Break From the Mainstream Music Apps and Try Rocket Player [Android]
When it comes to Android music players, there are a few big names that everyone likes to throw around - e.g., Winamp and doubleTwist - but popular isn't always the best. Recently, I heard about a lesser known Android app called Rocket Player. I checked it out, the screenshots looked enticing, so I downloaded it and gave it a test run. The results were pleasantly surprising, but is it a contender for the title of Best Android Music Player?
Need a Custom Home Screen? Apex Launcher Gives You What You Want [Android]
For many users, Android is the mobile operating system that revolutionized the smartphone market thanks to the level of customization it allowed. Don’t get me wrong: the iPhone and the Blackberry (and more recently, Windows Phone) all have their place in the market, but nothing beats the out-of-the-box capabilities for personalizing an Android. And what iconifies the smartphone experience better than the home screen?
Faster, Leaner, Better - Alternatives To The Android Facebook App
Oh, the joys of having social media available to us at any time of day thanks to the advent of the smartphone. Facebook has always been (at least on the surface) about connecting with your friends and family and staying updated without having to meet up in person every few days. And in that sense, mobile Facebook apps have ushered in a new era of information convenience. But when it comes to Android, the official Facebook app is not perfect.
What Can You Do To Speed Up Your Browser?
If you’re like me and you spend a huge portion of your day browsing the web then you understand how frustrating it is to have a slow, bloated browser that seems to be on its last leg. While some of that slowness can stem from issues unrelated to the browser, like ISP and computer hardware, there are some steps you can take to maximize browser speeds.
What Is Onion Routing, Exactly? [MakeUseOf Explains]
Internet privacy. Anonymity was one of the greatest features of the Internet in its youth (or one of its worst features, depending on who you ask). Leaving aside the sorts of problems that spring forth from anonymous interaction, such as the lack of consequences, Internet privacy and anonymity is important for preventing some serious crimes, like identity theft. And so when topics related to Internet privacy pop up, you’ll often hear of "private browsing" and "proxy servers".
Why USB Sticks Are Dangerous & How To Protect Yourself
USB drives are so pervasive in today’s world of technology, but when they first debuted, they revolutionized data exchange. The first USB flash drives had an 8MB capacity, which isn't much by today’s standards, but a far cry better than the alternatives - the 1.44MB floppy or the CD that required permanent burning. Nowadays we have USB drives that are larger than traditional hard drives.
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 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?
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.