Personal Activity Monitor tracks time you spend using desktop apps

Up until a couple of years ago, I used to turn to RescueTime to figure out how I spend my time online. Then it got too complex, and I stopped using it. Personal Activity Monitor is like a vastly dumbed-down version of RescueTime, and I mean that as a compliment. It's free and bare-bones -- all it does is track what applications you're using and for how long.

A big drawback at this point is that it doesn't integrate with Web browsers to help you analyze how you spend your time on the Web. Still, if your work doesn't require constant Web app use, knowing how long you've used a browser overall might be enough to help you manage your time.

This is far from the only application in this space -- alternatives such as Slife and Chrometa are full-featured and impressive -- but PAM is good option for those who want a nice, simple tracker.

Personal Activity Monitor tracks time you spend using desktop apps originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 05 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/05/personal-activity-monitor-lets-you-quickly-see-what-you-spend-ti/

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Let's Celebrate!: SpaceX Completes First Delivery Trip to Space Station, Proves US Space Industry Is Still Alive

This week SpaceX became the first US commercial company to deliver cargo to ISS and became the world's leader in returning cargo back to Earth from space.

Source: http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/10/spacex-completes-first-delivery/

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What We Learned Today: How to Eat a Triceratops

If you want to mix it up at Thanksgiving this year, and perhaps skip the traditional turkey, Nature, the International Weekly Journal of Science, gives us some instructions on how to eat a Triceratops — if you were a Tyrannosaurus ...

Source: http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/10/what-we-learned-today-triceratops/

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Interlocked is a three-dimensional brain teaser

Back when I was a kid, I used to love crafting ornate puzzle boxes out of Lego. There would be just one way to open the box, by carefully shifting and rotating a bunch of pieces. Well, either that, or breaking the box in frustration.

Interlocked takes that spirit and turns it into a beautiful Flash game. It's a good thing the soundtrack is soothing, because the game itself can get pretty frustrating.

At the start of each level, you're presented with a box built out of blocks in different colors. You can click and drag the mouse to rotate the box any which way. Once you decide you want to shift a part of the box, hit SPACE to switch into "move" mode. You can then click any part of the box and drag it. Of course, you can only move a part as long as nothing is in its way. So it becomes a matter of understanding how the box is built, and what parts you need to move around so you could eventually take the box apart.

It's a tricky, difficult game, but it's a great brain teaser -- and definitely a keeper.

Interlocked is a three-dimensional brain teaser originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/29/interlocked-is-a-three-dimensional-brain-teaser/

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Google Settles With Rosetta Stone Over Trademark Infringement Within Search And Ads Lawsuit

According to Reuters, Google has settled a lawsuit brought by software maker Rosetta Stone over the search company allowing people to purchase keywords within its ad product using its trademarked name. The lawsuit was filed in 2009 and has dragged on in Virginia since then. The language-teaching company says that competitors were getting a leg up by confusing people searching for them on Google. I've been through something similar, when someone purchased AdWords using my full name. It was pretty annoying.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/FhD9_Jq9bho/

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Mozilla Messaging reintegrates with Labs, unifies focus on Web-based communication

Mozilla Messaging, citing Mozilla's increased focus on Web-borne communications, will be reintegrating with Mozilla Labs.

The Messaging subsidiary was formed in 2008 to focus on Thunderbird, but given Mozilla Labs' current focus on identity and contact management, it now makes sense for the groups to be merged. Thunderbird will be unaffected by the change -- some URLs might change, but that's it -- and presumably Messaging's F1 and Raindrop will thrive in the Labs playground.

What this means for the end user -- for the hundreds of millions of Firefox users -- is that the next big additions will be communication- and messaging-oriented. Contacts and F1 will be almost certainly be baked into Firefox 5 or 6, both of which will be released this year -- and, who knows, there might be something else even more exciting up Mozilla Labs' sleeve!

Mozilla Messaging reintegrates with Labs, unifies focus on Web-based communication originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/mozilla-messaging-reintegrates-with-labs-unifies-focus-on-web-b/

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Sony NEX-5R review: focusing and performance improvements make this cam a winner

More Info

• Sony announces 16.1MP NEX-5R with Fast Hybrid AF, WiFi and downloadable apps
• Sony Alpha NEX-6 sample shots and video
• Sony NEX-6 mirrorless cam squeezes in between 5R and 7 with WiFi, EVF and dedicated mode dial

By some accounts, Sony botched the NEX-F3. Positioned as the successor to the fantastic C3, it replaced that camera's slim profile with a bulkier build, but sacrificed basic display tilt functionality in favor of a front-facing model. Image quality was fine, but focusing speeds fell short. Fortunately, the company has redeemed itself with the $750 NEX-5R. The mirrorless camera you'll read about today represents everything a successful update should: performance has been improved all around, the touchscreen tilts in every which way and the design has changed only for the better.

It's also the first Sony mirrorless cam to feature WiFi, along with the company's new PlayMemories Camera Apps. Wireless connectivity is undoubtedly becoming a popular addition in higher-end models, but that doesn't mean it's a feature users are demanding. With Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Camera, connectivity -- 4G in particular -- makes perfect sense, but how does that web experience transfer to a tiny 3-inch touchscreen? And does it detract from usability overall? Join us past the break for a closer look at this very capable 16.1-megapixel interchangeable lens camera.

Gallery: Sony NEX-5R review

Continue reading Sony NEX-5R review: focusing and performance improvements make this cam a winner

Filed under: Cameras, Sony

Sony NEX-5R review: focusing and performance improvements make this cam a winner originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/31/sony-nex-5r-review/

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Color vulnerable to simple GPS hack, lets you spy on anyone, anywhere

Color, the $41-million-in-funding location-oriented photo sharing startup, is susceptible to simple GPS spoofing. With nothing more than a jailbroken iPad or iPhone, you can use FakeLocation to trick Color into thinking you're somewhere else. Within seconds you can be browsing photos that were snapped thousands of miles away. With a little digging, you can pore through photos not intended for your eyes.

Of course, such a hack isn't illegal as such -- every photo you take with Color is public. With FakeLocation you are simply circumventing Color's very limited location-oriented security mechanism. It does undermine Color's usefulness (and uniqueness), though -- if nefarious types can sit in their bedroom or basement and eavesdrop on classy dinner parties and wild night club soirees, people might be less inclined to share personal photos with those around them.

Fortunately, both for Color and its users, this is an easy security hole to plug -- at least in the short term. The app (or server-side) code simply checks to see if the user has 'teleported' an impossibly large distance, without any intermediate steps in between. In the long term, though, Color's users must be aware that its social graph is completely public. Color's users must realize that every photo they upload is visible by anyone, from any place.

After the break, just to elucidate a little on Color's actual business model and ultimate intention, we have two amazing quotes from Bill Nguyen, Color's founder.

Continue reading Color vulnerable to simple GPS hack, lets you spy on anyone, anywhere

Color vulnerable to simple GPS hack, lets you spy on anyone, anywhere originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 05:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/29/color-vulnerable-to-simple-gps-hack-lets-you-spy-on-anyone-any/

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Why Apple (and You) Might Miss Scott Forstall

Apple announced Monday that iOS chief Scott Forstall would be leaving the company. While most commenters seem happy to see him go, it's worth noting that Apple is parting ways with one of the people who turned it into the ...

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/10/scott-forstall-apple-legacy/

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Webcomics We Love: Famous Physicists and Bear Poop — My Conversation With The Oatmeal

Visiting The Oatmeal, you can never be sure what you're going to find. The quirky comic site run by Matthew Inman offers a wide-ranging assortment of topics, seen nowhere else. Whether Inman is pondering what level of hell computer printers ...

Source: http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/10/oatmeal-interview/

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Aiming To Be A Full-Service Fitness Platform, Runtastic Launches New Indoor App Suite; Hits 14M Downloads

Thanks to MapMyFitness, RunKeeper, Nike and many more, apps that keep track of your exercise and push you to drop those extra pounds are by no means novel. Nonetheless, bootstrapped European startup Runtastic is still managing to carve out a name for itself in a crowded space by offering a simple user experience, while still offering the deeper functionality of higher-end products. Continuing to build out what it intends to be a full-service health and fitness platform, Runtastic today expanded beyond what has been its core focus to date -- outdoor recreation, like running and cycling -- launching a new suite of apps that target indoor exercise enthusiasts. Its so-called "Fitness App Collection," which is now available for Android, iOS and the Web, includes four motion-activated apps, including PullUps, PushUps, SitUps and Squats. You can probably guess at their content.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/XdzfWaSHcQU/

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Windows 8 wallpaper available to download, Jupiter and Twin UI spotted

With Windows 8 milestone 3 now up for grabs for select Microsoft Connect partners, it's inevitable that leaked bits and pieces will start popping up around the Web. In fact, the first "official" wallpaper image from the still-brewing OS is already making the rounds.

As you can see, it's got a similar feel to the good ol' Windows 7 default background, but features a more subdued smattering of cerulean hues. Those of you who want to use the Windows 8 wallpaper on your current desktop can download it from our file dump.

A few other details have been revealed, too. According to ZDNet's source, the Windows 8 Jupiter libraries and Twin UI are starting to take shape -- though all that's been located thus far are "[various files] scattered throughout the OS" and the aptly-named twinui.dll.

Windows 8 wallpaper available to download, Jupiter and Twin UI spotted originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/download-windows-8-wallpaper/

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Atlas by Collins: Pretty but Plodding

Atlas by Collins is a globe-view app similar in concept to Google Earth. Similar, that is, in appearance, but if you really want a robust Earth-view app, don't bother spending the money on this one. To begin with, you can't zoom past about the 30,000-foot view without encountering a serious lag in the data loading.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/25097d61/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C7650A50Bhtml/story01.htm

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N2Acards to let Nook Tablet owners dual boot Jelly Bean in November

If Nook Color owners cast their memories back to last summer, they may remember Nook2Android: a microSD card that could let their Barnes & Noble e-reader dual boot Gingerbread and the hardware's Android-based operating system. Now sporting the moniker N2Acards, they're just about ready to give Nook Tablet (but not Nook Color) devices a taste of Jelly Bean thanks to Cyanogenmod. The cards come in 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB flavors and range from $30 to $90 in price, but you can download the OS image for $20 and load it onto a card of your own. While those who'd rather purchase the whole enchilada will have to wait until the cards ship on November 1st, folks who prefer the download can already load their slates with Android 4.1.

[Thanks, Dmitry]

Filed under: Tablets

N2Acards to let Nook Tablet owners dual boot Jelly Bean in November originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 09:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/D3y8ARG87DQ/

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Daily Crunch: Mouse And Rat

Here are some of yesterday’s stories on TechCrunch Gadgets: Nintendo Shareholders Still Clamoring For Mario On The iPhone Mad Catz Intros The Cyborg R.A.T. 7 Albino Gaming Mouse For The Style-Obsessed Gamer SteelSeries Sensei Mouse Is Familiar But Enhanced Have No Fear, The 7-inch HP TouchPad Go Is Almost Here! The Motorola KORE: Just A Heart Rate Monitor?

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2011/08/12/daily-crunch-mouse-and-rat/

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Puzzle me this!: GeekDad Puzzle of the Week: Halloween Kids Party Puzzle

Kids' Halloween parties are great this time of year, unless of course you don't read the invite carefully and are the only adult in costume. In any case, my wife Allison and I took Max and Nora out to ...

Source: http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/10/geekdad-puzzle-of-the-week-halloween-kids-party-puzzle/

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Real-Time Wind-Map of Hurricane Sandy

Back in April, we posted about the real-time wind visualization web app put together by Fernanda Viegas and Martin Wattenberg of Google’s “Big Picture” research group. Given the current weather the north-eastern seaboard is experiencing, you might want to pop ...

Source: http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/10/real-time-wind-map-of-hurricane-sandy/

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How the Nexus 10 Stacks Up to the Competition

Google's Nexus 10 tablet has arrived, designed to serve as Android's flagship answer to the iPad and Surface. But is the thing worth its weight in salt? We compared the Nexus 10 to the other top new tablets to find out. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/3WhMA2wKt-A/how-the-nexus-10-stacks-up-to-the-competition

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FlockTag’s NFC-Based (Yes, NFC) Loyalty Card System Expands: Now Reaches 60K Users Across 100 Businesses

FlockTag, a loyalty card startup built by SideCar co-founder Adrian Fortino (who has since left SideCar to focus on this project), has been quietly flying under the radar, growing its CRM solution for small businesses over the past six months. Today, the company reaches 60,000 users across 100 businesses, primarily in the midwest. And here's the really odd part: it's an NFC-based solution.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/o0RAKhhh0XQ/

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PSX games now available in the Android Market, if you own an Xperia Play

If you're lucky enough to own an Xperia Play -- Sony Ericsson's new Gingerbread-powered smartphone-cum-gamepad -- you can now buy PlayStation (PSX) titles from the Android Market.

There are five titles currently available, all priced at £3.99: Syphon Filter, MediEvil, Cool Boarders 2, Destruction Derby, and Jumping Flash. They don't have an American price yet, but that will surely change once the Xperia Play launches in the States.

Two important questions remain unanswered: How big are these games? The Market descriptions say the games are only 5MB, but that sounds incredibly unlikely -- and more importantly, will it be possible to 'spoof' the Xperia Play and download PSX games onto other Gingerbread-powered phones, like the Nexus S?

In other news, the PlayStation emulator PSX4droid was recently removed from the Android Market. This obviously has nothing to do with today's release of first-party PlayStation games.

PSX games now available in the Android Market, if you own an Xperia Play originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/psx-games-now-available-in-the-android-market/

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What Lies Beneath the Surface Tablet's Screen

The last thing people probably consider when buying a new gizmo or gadget is how hard it might be to fix, but according to the teardown team at iFixit, Microsoft's shiny new Surface tablet is easier to repair than the latest iPad, but it is still difficult to take apart. The online teardown site rated the Surface's "repairability" a 4 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the easiest.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/2502ee57/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C7650A0A0Bhtml/story01.htm

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Eton Corporation Announces the Boost Line Mobile Charging Solutions

Eton Corporation produces a variety of emergency preparedness gear, and they are expanding their line with two dedicated charging solutions.  First up (right photo) is their BoostTurbine Series chargers.  The BoostTurbine2000 (2000mAh for $59) and BoostTurbine1000 (1000mAh for $49) feature a rechargeable lithium battery and a hand-turbine power generator that serves as a “back up for [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/10/29/eton-corporation-announces-the-boost-line-mobile-charging-solutions/

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Skinny Mini Joins Apple's Chorus Line

Apple revealed not only the much-anticipated iPad mini Tuesday, but also a flurry of updates across its product line. The full-size iPad, now in its fourth generation, gained a new A6X chip with twice the CPU and graphics performance as the previous generation's A5X chip. The 13-inch MacBook Pro picked up a graphic-intense Retina display, while Apple also announced a beefed-up Mac mini.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/24d36cac/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C764630Bhtml/story01.htm

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What to Do With Your Dog During Hurricane Sandy

If you are in the pathway of Hurricane Sandy and you are a dog owner, here are some quick tips to keeping your furry friend safe. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/zXmyj9Wd8j0/what-to-do-with-your-dog-during-hurricane-sandy

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