Author Archive
Gmail Label Notifier Pings You for Specific New Messages [Downloads]
Android only: The default Gmail client can sync individual labels, but only notifies users about new inbox messages. A tiny little app, Gmail Label Notifier, offers customized notifications of new labe…
How to Turn Your Android Phone into a Fully-Automated Superphone [Automation]
What if your phone automatically went silent when you step into the movie theater? Texted your significant other when you finished your long commute? Or automatically turned down the volume when a part…
Safari Extensions Now Available Through Browser Update [Safari]
Windows/Mac: Safari 5.0.1 is out, and it’s much more than just a bug fix. Installing the update activates Safari’s new extensions platform, which has roughly 100 extensions available through the Safari…
Maps for Android Adds Places for Instant Nearby Search [Updates]
Android only: What’s the fastest way to find a coffee spot, gas station, or ATM closest to where you’re standing? With Google Maps’ latest update for Android, it’s probably the Places shortcut that’s n…
ChompSMS Is a Handy Replacement for Android’s SMS App [Downloads]
Android only: The SMS messaging app included with standard Android phones is decent, but it could do so much more to make texting easy. ChompSMS does those things, including quick replies from home or …
Google Voice Calling Gets Faster in Android and BlackBerry Apps [Updates]
Google Voice connects its users’ calls through its own server, which meant that smartphones placing a call through Voice had to make a data connection before dialing. That’s changed with the latest upd…
Root the Droid X to Remove All Its Bloatware [Crapware]
The latest Verizon-pushed Android phone, the Droid X, has a huge screen, some pretty decent hardware—and lots of unnecessary, non-removable apps pre-loaded that you can’t kill off. Despite claims…
Google Voice Calling Gets Faster in Android and BlackBerry Apps [Updates]
Google Voice connects its users’ calls through its own server, which meant that smartphones placing a call through Voice had to make a data connection before dialing. That’s changed with the latest upd…
Use Dropbox to Easily Install Non-Market Android Apps [Android]
Android phones allow users to grab apps outside the official Market, but it usually involves either USB transfer or some tricking browser navigation. Lifehacker reader cinnamonster points out the smart…
A Primer on Moving Music and Pictures On and Off an Android [UltraNewb]
If you or someone you know has a Droids, EVOs, or other Android phones, and it’s not quite easy to explain how to move files on and off of it, the Times’ Gadgetwise blog has taken the time to explain i…
Antennas Provides a Better Look at Your Cell Coverage [Downloads]
Android: With cell reception cycling through the news, one Android app deserves credit for giving a pretty darned accurate view of how connected your phone is. Antennas shows not only signal strength, …
Opera Mini 5.1 Final Brings Pinch-to-Zoom and Improved Rendering to Android [Downloads]
Android: Opera 5.1 has left the beta tag behind, and its final release is a considerable Android alternative. Along with the off-phone page caching that makes slower connections bearable, Opera’s added…
Windows 7 SP1 Beta Available for Download—If You’re an IT Worker [Windows 7]
Microsoft has opened up a beta test of Windows 7 SP1, but only if you’re willing to sign on as an IT manager or professional. It’s not all that different from Microsoft’s normal course of action—…
Automatically Mount Your Android Storage via USB [Android Tip]
To mount an Android phone via USB and get access to its files, you have to connect it, turn on the screen, swipe down your notifications, and hit a screen button. Install the doubleTwist Player (or ano…
Google App Inventor Wants to Help Non-Coders Build Android Apps [Android]
Google’s just announced App Inventor, a web-based tool that aims to give non-coders a leg up in creating Android apps, designing their interfaces, and getting them released into the Market. Google says…