Tuesday 31 May 2011

Best 5 Free Online Storage Services


Wouldn't be nice to have an Internet hard drive and be able to access your files on the move, anywhere and from any computer. Fortunately cloud storage services are there to address this issue.

Nowadays, there are many online storage providers around and most of them are free (or cheap) and easy to use. Furthermore, most of them provide sharing features, online editing and viewing and most importantly, backup functionality.

Among the vast number of these providers and the services they provide, it's hard to judge which one is the best to rely on, but here's a review of the most favorite free cloud storage services.

DropBox

On of the most favourite online storage providers, it has been around for more than 13 years, so it's trustworthy.
Dropbox provide you with a desktop client you install which create a folder on your computer where you put all files you want to sync online. 
This folder can also be be shared with other computers and mobile phones. For instance, whenever you update that folder using your mobile, it'll immediately sync with other machines so you always have up-to-date version.
The impressive feature with Dropbox, that it preserve every previous versions of your files, so if you have done something wrong with your files, you can easily retrieve your correct old version.
Dropbox offer 2GB for free with a maximum file size of 350 MB. The storage space can be extended to 2.25 GB if you complete 7 basic step when you first get started with Dropbox. Also they give you 250MB (up to 8GB) for every friend you refer to them.
Another good point for Dropbox, that it's support Windows, MAC, Linux, Android, iPhone, iPad and BlackBerry. Dropbix also signed a deal with Sony Ericsson in June,2nd,2011, so it'll be pre-installed in the upcoming phones.

Microsoft SkyDrive

Windows Live Skydrive is one of the most popular and concise cloud service from Microsoft. Skydrive offers huge 25 GB free (50 MB max file size) storage and full integration with other Windows Live services.
With SkyDrive, you don't need to install a desktop client, alternatively, you can access it using web browser providing your Live ID and password, then you just drag & drop files into the web browser window. Also, you can share your files, make them private or views pictures and documents. Unlike the other online storage where you can only have a copy of your files, SkyDrive gives you the ability to create or edit your documents on the go. No syncronization capability is available with SkyDrvive, however, Windows Live Mesh can be used to synchronize your files up to 5GB (Unfortunately Mesh is only available on Windows). Another downside of SkyDrive is the lack to support directory/folder upload.

StoreGate

StoreGate offers 1 GB free space where you can store your documents, files, pictures safely with a daily-basis backup feature. Users can share and access their files from virtually anywhere even from your mobile phone.

StoreGate services are very impressive specially the upload speed and large file support. One of the most attractive feature StoreGate provide is the ability to backup your mobile contacts and calender.

ADrive

ADrive is the most generous cloud provider yet, it gives you hefty 50 GB for FREE !!. It also support directory upload, FTP transfer and sharing option for your files.

The only downside of ADrive is the incient interface, it does not look like a modern service, however, the compelling service may attract you to give it a try.


SugarSync

One of the best ever. SugarSync offer 5GB free online space with beautiful website interface and desktop client workable on Windows and MAC. It also support mobile access from all mobile platforms (Android, iPhone, iPad, Symbian, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile). Another nice feature is the ability to share files via social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.



Monday 30 May 2011

Run Android on Windows with BlueStacks


Have you been struggling to decide between Android or Windows!! well, with BlueStacks, you can have them both.

The idea behind BlueStacks is to have applications developed for different operating systems to run simultaneously side-by-side on the same computer.

BlueStacks run Android OS and its Apps on Windows-based PC by virtualizing Android using lightweight and optimized Hypervisor. Users can choose between installing Android app directly to their Windows desktop or alternatively, having the full-blown Android environment where they can instantly switch to Windows environment with one click, which eliminate the need of carrying Windows and Android devices.

Key Features
  • Simultaneously run Android on Windows PC.
  • Support of Android apps, users can search, downlaod and install apps from varity of App stores such as AmazonAppStore, GetJar and SlideME.
  • Paid app from AmazonAppStore can be shared to multiple PCs.
  • Seamless experience, users can switch between Windows and Android in on touch.
  • Support wide variety of peripherals to be used in Android such as USB, camera and printers.
  • Flash contents can be played, which is not full supported by Android yet.


Availability
BlueStacks software is not available yet, however alpha testing will begin this summer. You can sign up for Alpha version from BlueStacks website, and they will send you the Beta once it's ready for testing.

Drawbacks:
The only downside I can see is the lack of supporting Android Market. App from Android Market cannot be installed on the virtualized Android.

Future Look A Head
BlueStacks technology is very impressive and flexible as it support many different combination of operating systems. Currently, it support Android on Windows, furthermore, in the near future, it will support Android on Windows 8, Android on Chrome OS and surprisingly,  Windows on Android !!.


Thursday 26 May 2011

Send Handwritten Notes to Internet using Livescribe Smartpen

Have you ever dreamed that you could write or draw in piece of paper and send those handwritten notes straight to the Net without having to scan, convert and upload them to Google Docs or whatever cloud service you use. Now, this dream came ture using Livescribe SmartPen.

What is Livescribe Smartpen?

Livescribe Smartpen is like any other normal pen, but it has got a micro computer in it that record everything you write. Not only this, it also record surrounding sounds which would be very useful if you listening to your tutor while drawing some relative diagrams. 



 


Later, if you want to revise your notes, all you  have to do is to tap the notes and the recoding will playback. If you want transfer them to your computer, just connect the USB cable, and your notes will be transferred on the go to Livescibe Software where you can organize, browser, search and even transcribe them to a digital text.
 
With Livescribe, users can share their notes to Email, Facebook, Google Dos, Evernote and Mobile devices simply by drawing a line, writing a destination (such as Email), tapping on the pages to be sent and then selecting the recipient Email address; next time the Pen is connected to the computer,  notes and audios will be transferred to the desired destination.



Key Features:
  • Recording handwriting and surrounding sounds.
  • Share to most popular platforms such as  Email, Facebook, Google Dos and Evernote.
  • Up to 8GB storage space (2GB and 4GB are available too).
  • Built-in Apps with the Pen such as Translation, Wikipedia, Dictionaries, etc
  • Easy transfer between Samrtpen and PC.
  • Powerfull Livescribe software that let you organize, search and share you notes.(Support Windows or Mac)
Prices:

Livescribe prices start from $99.95 for the 2GB Echo model, $137.02 for 4GB Echo and goes up to $180.77 for the 8GB Echo . However, these Smartpens are only compatible with a special kind of notebooks.

     Livescribe 2GB Pulse Smartpen (APA-00002)                     Livescribe 4 GB Echo Smartpen

Drawbacks:
  • It has to be used with a special type of paper.
  • No Wireless support, USB is needed when transferring files to PC.

Wednesday 25 May 2011

ESET Mobile Security for Android Beta is Now Available


It seems that the Android's security flaw which has been discovered last week, motivated security companies to launch their mobile security software to the leading Smartphone OS platform.

Monday 23 May 2011

Firefox Beta 5.0 for Android is Now Available for Download

It looks like there is a sturdy battle between mobile browsers developers nowadays, just after recent updates announcement from Dolphin Browser and Skyfire Browser developers, now it is Mozilla time to introduce their Firefox 5.0 beta for Android.




Earlier version of Firefox was so poor, bloated, extremely slow in addition to the huge file size. Subsequently it did not attract many users, however, this new update tend to fix all mentioned problem.


ViewSonic gTablet with 10" Multi-Touch LCD Screen, Android OS 2.2Superpad 10.2" Tablet PC, Google Android 2.1, Webcam, GPS, HDMI, USB, WIFI, 2 micro SD card slots



The beta Firefox 5.0 is available in Android Market as a stand-alone app, so if you install it, it will not affect or jeopardize the main Firefox 4.0 (if you have it already installed) to enable users to test it and even make comparison between the two version simultaneously.


What's New?


Firefox 5.0 Beta has got speed improvement specially on start-up as well as page load, smooth tabbing and the support of CSS3 animation.


One of the main advantages of Firefox browser, is the ability to synchronize all your history, bookmarks and even passwords with you Desktop Firefox, so you can actually start your shopping using your mobile, and finish it in your computer once you got home.


Another advantages is the Add-On support which most of Firefox users used to have in the Desktop version; Add-On feature provide great flexibility enabling user to personalize add more functionality to the browser.


The only disadvantage is that Firefox does not support Flash, however, Firefox developers stated on their website that they are working on ways to get the Flash supported using plugins in the next releases.  


How can I install it?


Firefox 5.0 Beta is available in Android Market under the name "Firefox beta" or by scanning the following QR.





Saturday 21 May 2011

Skyfire 4.0.3 for Android is Now Available to Download

Folks, Skyfire 4.0.3 is There

If you are not familiar with Skyfire, it is basically the best smartphone browser  as it the only one that support Flash contents to be played while surfing. A thrilling news for all Skyfire Browser fans, Skyfire 4.0.3 is now available for download in Android Market. With over 5 millions downloads, Skyfire become one of the world's most popular browsers beside being the world's most sociable browser, with a unique features  such as the configurable and scrollable bottom Skybar that enable user to easily access fourteen different  features (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc) .

The new update has fixed the minor bug experienced in Skyfire 4.0 such as uploading file problem, "I Like' it" and "Popular" buttons bugs. The update also provide improved Twitter experience, enhanced security and stability. Last but not least, Skyfire 4.0.3 supports Honeycomb (The latest Android OS version) users with a special support of Motorola Xoom Tablet's Hardware Acceleration which makes Skyfire even more faster.


To learn more about Skyfire, please visit Skyfire website.

Personal Opinion:

Actually, what I like most in Skyfire, is the ability to play Flash videos, it is in fact a vital advantaged over all comptitors such as Dolphin Browser and Firefox for those who run Android 2.1 and earlier. Also, there is another cool feature; it is the user switching button at the top bar which enable users to switch between desktop version and mobile version providing a magical flexibility and optimized surfing experience.


Dolphin Browser HD 5.0 BETA 2 is Now Available to Download



Dolphin browser is one the best browsers in Android Market. Generally, it has replaced the built-in Android browser as the majority of Android users are using it. Dolphin fans who are waiting for the next update, it is now available on public for download. The new version come with new features such as the new interface (which looks like Chrome Browser), brand new design of Bookmark side bar with the support of folders and of course fix bugs accrued in beta 1. This version tend to be more stable, fast and more user-friendly.



Dolphin 5 BETA is not available yet in Android Market, however, you can download it from here or from the QR below, save it to your SD card, locate it using any file explorer and install it to enjoy.


Although I love Dolphin Browser, but I still prefer SkyFire because of its support of Flash, which is unique feature and no other browsers support this important plug-in.

Friday 20 May 2011

Gtalk and AIM Integration is Now "unofficially" Live.




Google and Aol seems to silently rolling out their integration for Gtalk and AIM. It has not been officially announced, however, if you check your Gmail chat or AIM chat, you will notice that you can add your contacts from either services to the other. The the integration have started just after the announcement a while ago, yet at some points it did not work. Now, we can gain access to this service, making life easier for us to stay better connected as you can chat to all your contacts without having to sign in and out.

Check  out the short video which clarify the steps required to integrate gtalk with AIM.



Wednesday 18 May 2011

Andriod Phones Leaks Your Personal Data

A big shock  has raised today to all Android users regarding security flaw. The shock is that Android OS s are vulnerable to hackers who can steal personal  information stored in Calenders, Contact and personal photos stored in Picasa. 

Tuesday 17 May 2011

BitDefender Releases Mobile Security BETA for Android


Yesterday, May,16,2011 , BitDefender, the leader security software company has announced  on a beta version of Mobile Security for Android. It uses cloud scanning technology which will in turn make the software light, efficient and always up-to-date for future threats.

Because Android is an open-source OS, it is open to all developer and companies, unfortunately it is open to malicious hacker too (See this post for more information). Many Trojan malware has been detected in the Android Market, although it has been cleaned quickly, yet, installing un-signed application is still a big threat.
After Installation,  BitDefender will scan each app you download from the Market and give you a report whether the app is clean and safe to use or not.

BidDefender app (for Android) can be installed using three methods:

  1. From the Android Market,
  2. By visiting http://m.bitdefender.com/ from your Android device.
  3. By scanning the following QR. 
 
BitDefender is one of the leading industry's security software creators. It was founded in 2001, since then, BitDefender has continued to raise and evolve in a different standards for the proactive threat prevention. Bidefender has partners in more than 100 countries worldwide and has won a lot of awards such as Av-Test.org, Virus Bulletin, ICSA Lab, Checkmark, PC World Top 100, ComputerActive

Monday 16 May 2011

Hotmail: How to Link Email Accounts Together

Most of us have multiple Email accounts, whether in Hotmail, Live or other Email service providers, however, all of us want to easily access them all in one place rather than jumping between one website to another. 
You may think that Outlook, Windows Live Mail and the new EmailTray offer this service, yet, this option is only availabe when using our own computers or laptops; so what if we were using a computer in a university or an Internet Cafe!!

Fortunately, Hotmail offers a way to link all your Hotmail and Live accounts so you will be able to access them all at one go. For instance, f you have abcd@hotmail.com and efgh@live.com accounts, you can easily access the latter one from the former one.

Please, follow the next tutorial to have a clear idea on how to link all your Hotmail accounts in one place.



How To Save Webpages to be Read Later at Your Convenience Using PC or Android Device



Sometimes when you do your routine check on the net, you come across some websites that attract you, yet, you do not have the time to read them. Similarly, if you use your mobile for surfing, you might face the same situation. 

If you search the web for a solution, you may find a browser extension that do so such as Firefox or Chrome Read Later exttension, but what about having all you saved pages from you PC, Laptop or smartphone at one place!!. In fact, that is what Instapaper.com do. It provides a simple way of saving and synchronize all your wanted webpages at their servers, using their website for PC ad laptop user and their mobile app for smartphone.

The following tutorial guide you to how to use Instapaper website and their Android app.



Saturday 14 May 2011

The best PDF Creator: How to Easily Convert Any File to PDF



Most of us do internet shopping and purchase wide variety of products, so what if you want to have an electronic copy of your transaction receipt, in fact , the best format for such a copy is pdf. Dopdf software, made this an easy task, as you can instantly convert any webpage or office documents to pdf  format, instead of buying the expensive Adobe Acrobat Writer or any other similar products.

The steps to do so are very easy and straight forward, all you have to do is to install dopdf software, which will install a virtual printer in your system, and then, whenever you want to convert files to pdf, just click on Print and choose dopdf printer to convert your files to pdf.

Dopdf support many document tyoes such as DOC,DOCX, PPTPPTX, XLS, XLSX, PUB, PUBX, HTML, TXT as well as supporting about 20 different languages.

Watch the short video tutorial to make even clearer for you how to convert webpages to pdf.



Friday 13 May 2011

Watch Live Football Online Free in HD



You might be Manchester United fan, Real Madrid or even Barcelona fan, you might hope to watch all your favourite club's games, but to subscribing to paid channel will cost a fortune!!

Here is a quick step-by-step guide showing you in brief how to watch football games online, in HD quality.

1- You have to download and install Sopcast software, just search for it in Google or download it from this link.

2- If you are using Google Chrome browser, go to Settingt>Tools>Extension and search for and install Chrome Live Football add-on. After installation, tab to Chrome Live Football icon and then click on Live Stream button, this will list all today's matches. Click on the game you want to watch and select the Sopcast link.

3- If you didn't find your game or you are not using Chrome browser, Myp2p website provide you with the latest link for all current matches, just choose your match and select the Sopcast link. You will find a bit rate next to every link, the higher the better and the more quality; basically, any link above 700 Kbps is considered HD.

If you don't fancy reading, just watch the video tutorial underneath.



For Manchester United fans, there is a fantastic page on facebook that provide all Manchester United goals once they have been scored @ Manchester United Goals

I hope you find this article interesting

Tuesday 10 May 2011

Viber beta coming soon to Android


Viber App

Viber app for those who have no idea about it, is an application that let you make high quality and free voice call  SMS between Viber users either in 3G or WiFi, in addition, it support SMS as well. It is very popular to iPhone users, but now the company decided to give it a try on Android platform, not only this, but promised to provide unique features to its Android edition such as Full Screen calls, pop-up windows for SMS that allows you to reply without actually having to open the app and also, full integration with your address book.

The app still in beta, and not available on Android Market yet, if you would like to test the app, you have to fill a form from this link, providing your email address, and the company will send you the app in the next couple of weeks.

Here is a Demo video from Viber engineer demonstrate first-look on the app installed on Android device.


Tuesday 3 May 2011

Gmail: How to Move Emails from Inbox and Organize Them into Folders [Video]



Most of us use Gmail service, and most of us probably get dozen of emails everyday, after a while, you'll find thousand of emails filling you inbox and it'll be so missed up.

In order to manage your inbox, you'll need to filter the emails you've received, and then move them to a relevant folder you create, for instance, you may want to move all email received from British Airways to a specific folder, in addition, you many all future emails to be sent to that folder as well.

In this tutorial, I am going to show you how to create Label (e.g. folder) and then how to move some email to it and also to receive further email into it.



Thanks for watching, I hope you find this article beneficial.

 
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