15 New Articles on MakeUseOf |  |
- Cool Websites and Tools [April 29th 2013]
- 5 Great SNES RPGs Online & How To Play
- Can You Make an iPhone or Other Smartphone Stand From Paper?
- Hulu Plus vs. iTunes vs. Netflix vs. Amazon Instant Video: Which Is Best?
- Never Buy a Phone From Your Carrier! Buy Unlocked Phones and Save Hundreds
- 7 TED Talks For Shutterbugs
- 5 Ways To Improve YouTube Comments
- Using Paint.NET? Make It Even Better With These Great Plugins
- Praise The Supreme Leader! More North Korea Documentaries & Videos [Stuff to Watch]
- How to Access Region Locked Video on Your iPad or iPhone [iOS]
- 5 Android Music Recognition Apps Compared: Which Got The Most Songs Right?
- Use Your iPhone as a Webcam: Here’s How [iOS]
- Don’t Get Hacked On Twitter – What To Do To Stay Safe
- Your Last Minute Guide To Exporting Your Posterous Blog Before It Shuts Down Forever
- 3 Best Free Flight Simulators To Pretend You Know How To Fly
| Cool Websites and Tools [April 29th 2013] Posted: 29 Apr 2013 09:31 PM PDT
These are just half of the websites that we discovered in the last couple of days. If you want us to send you daily round-ups of all cool websites we come across, leave your email here. Or follow us via RSS feed. The post Cool Websites and Tools [April 29th 2013] appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 Great SNES RPGs Online & How To Play Posted: 29 Apr 2013 07:31 PM PDT
It may just be the nostalgia inside of me taking over, but gaming was best in the ’90s. The Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, and PlayStation are the three best consoles of all-time (in my opinion) and this is the age when they were ripe and at their peak. I’m a huge sucker for RPGs and the SNES really cracked that genre open. In this post, I want to introduce you to five of my favorite SNES RPGs online and show you how you can play them online. Chrono TriggerThis is the SNES RPG. I think this game really defines the genre perfectly, and it’s a game that hasn’t been tainted with countless remakes and sequels. Sure, there was Chrono Cross (and it was very underwhelming), but it was enough to look past. Chrono Trigger will forever be a top three RPG.
Chrono Trigger was an innovator in many senses. Where other RPGs offer battles based purely on random encounters, many of the enemies in this game are visible on the map. Chrono Trigger also uses the Active Time Battle system, which was popularized by the Final Fantasy series. Chrono Trigger includes seven playable characters and one of the most fun and unique plots you’ll be able to find in an RPG. What other RPG of that time revolved around time travel? In Chrono Trigger, you’ll travel through time on the Epoch and experience RPG gameplay that you never have before. Final Fantasy IIIKnown by most Final Fantasy fans as Final Fantasy VI (the official Japanese title), this is what I consider to be the breakthrough game in Square’s coveted RPG series.
Oh, how I miss the days when Square Enix was just Squaresoft. Final Fantasy III is sometimes refered to as the last “real” Final Fantasy game in the series, before the series took the turn to 3D graphics, futuristic themes, and other huge changes to gameplay. Like the games in the series before it, Final Fantasy III includes an overworld, town and dungeon maps, random encounters and boss battles, and your menu screens for items, equipment, and more. Those of you who are familiar with summons in other games in the series will really be pleased with the Espers system in Final Fantasy III. Final Fantasy III was also the first in the series to introduce powerful attack substitutions, such as what Limit Breaks are to Final Fantasy VII. Final Fantasy III’s storyline is as beautiful as the 2D graphics. This game has a huge cast of characters, and it’s my opinion that they include some of the best in the series: Celes, Sabin, Shadow, Relm, Umaru, Gau, Gogo, and more. Not much introduction is required to a Final Fantasy game. III, VII, and IX are the elite games in the series, and if you haven’t played this one then you absolutely must. Secret of ManaSecret of Mana is a game that I never actually played on the SNES console originally. I had heard so much about the game after the SNES was practically dead and gone that I was inspired to boot up ZSNES and give it a spin. How many RPGs do you know that are actually two-player compatible? Two-player netplay is what got me hooked on Secret of Mana.
Like Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana offered a lot of new elements to the RPG genre. In Secret of Mana, you’re able to switch between on-map control of one of three main players (the hero, the girl, and the sprite). The two not being controlled in this overhead view will simply follow and act accordingly via artificial intelligence. Without question, the main pull to this game is the combat system. Combat takes place in real-time. You’re able to fight using a sword, spear, bow, axe, boomerang, glove, whip, or javelin. Using this weapon will cause your attack gauge to reach 0% and then quickly recharge. Weapons are most powerful when charged fully. If you’re tired of turn-based battle systems and crave something that revolves more around mechanical skill, you need to give this game a try. The graphics and setting are awesome, and the combat system is just the icing on the cake. EarthBoundContinuing on with this recurring theme, EarthBound is an extremely unique RPG adventure that may hit some like an acquired taste.
Many elements of the game are extremely traditional. You have characters venturing through a two-dimensional world of villages, cities, and dungeons. You fight through encounters, gain experience, and level up. EarthBound gets pretty unconventional though. Weapons include baseball bats, yo-yos, and more. EarthBound includes special PSI attacks that require PP (psychic points), an element no other RPG seems to have jumped at. Another very interesting element is that when your player takes damage, your HP bar gradually rolls down rather than chunking all at once. This actually allows you to heal that player or finish the battle before a blow is able to kill you. EarthBound’s storyline is crazy and futuristic. It takes place in the 1990s, and begins with Ness (the main character) waking to realize that a meteorite has hit near his home. From here, you encounter aliens, child prodigies, psychics, and a martial arts master named “Poo” (of all things). EarthBound is a very special RPG and is worth playing. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven StarsThis is the first RPG in the Mario series of games. Does much more need to be said?
To explain it as simply as possible, Super Mario RPG is a game with the story and action of a game in the Mario series, and the gameplay of a Final Fantasy. Would it be a Mario game if the plot didn’t revolve around saving Princess Toadstool? To do so, you’re able to use a party of up to three characters in a turn-based system where you can attack, perform a special move, play defensively, or use an item. Super Mario RPG is another of the few games that allow you to essentially avoid battles by showing enemies visibly on the field. Though it is an RPG, Super Mario RPG plays a lot like a traditional Mario game: an isometric platformer. Yes, there are still tons of floating question blocks for you to punch at. If you love the Super Mario Bros. series then that is reason enough to give Super Mario RPG a try. As linked in the headings, these games are all playable on SNESbox.com, and it’s the best place to play any SNES or NES game online through a Flash platform. There are a ton of amazing SNES RPGs online on the Super Nintendo console. Want to talk about any I missed in the comments? Feel free to drop me a line! The post 5 Great SNES RPGs Online & How To Play appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Can You Make an iPhone or Other Smartphone Stand From Paper? Posted: 29 Apr 2013 07:00 PM PDT
Off to the dollar store. Or if you’re from the earlier part of the last century, off to the five and dime! For my little craft, you probably won’t need to get anything other than what’s in your office, but if you do I want to make sure you can get it as cheap as possible. Here’s a list of items you might use for one of the variations below:
Phone Stand Number OneThis is the absolute fastest and possibly most efficient and adaptable design. Yes it’s cheap, but even better…it’s lazy. Granted, it’s not very pretty, but for one sheet of scrap paper and 2 seconds of fussing, you can set up your phone to watch a little Hulu or Netflix while you’re waiting for your kids to finish bagpipe practice. Nobody waits inside that class.
Really, that’s all you do is scrunch up the paper and fuss a bit with it so you can rest your phone on it without it falling off. Phone Stand Number TwoI had this idea when I was walking through the dollar store and saw some cheap paper coffee cups. If I cut that cup just right, I’d have a really steady, fairly durable phone holder. The first cup that I cut up, I just kind of eye-balled the measurements and angles an it worked – sort of.
The problem is there just isn’t enough of a groove for the phone to sit in and stay safely. Any motion or a bump of the cable and the phone falls off. My prototyping system has an immediate feedback loop though so I was able to make another iteration of the product in about another 5 minutes. Mental note: using a sticky note to draw a straight line on a curved object works pretty well!
This one worked about 95% right. If you have a coffee cup and a knife handy, you can do this in seconds. The one thing that I didn’t plan for was the height of the bend in the USB cable, if I wanted to set the phone up vertically. But you could easily do that with a taller cup. I still use this one today.
Phone Stand Number ThreeThis is the engineered paper craft smartphone or iPhone stand. I have certain criteria that I want to meet with this phone stand:
With the final version, I tested and refined the design further yet. Now, I am ready to put this into production. I am ready to make a pedestal worthy of the Android based Samsung Galaxy S III. It shall be hewn of foamboard and gilt with zebra-patterned duct tape. First I did the layout using a steel ruler and a pen. I would have used a pencil if I had one in my office. Apparently it got wet, grew legs and walked away. Or I misplaced it.
The red lines show what I had drawn to get the over-all shape. The distance from the bottom of the foam board to the bottom of the cradle part is a few millimeters higher than the end of the USB cord is when gently bent. This should allow me to set my phone vertically in the stand. On each side there are rectangles. A diagonal line was drawn through each rectangle, as shown by the dashed yellow line. I extend the lines of the backrest portion down to the diagonal lines. The resulting green triangle on the top is what I cut out to make the stand cradle a device. I made it probably longer than it needs to be, but now I can cradle a tablet in there as well.
Once I got those parts cut out, I scored the center line of the board, where the dashed red line is, but just on the back. This allows the stand to fold inward, but keeps the strength of the boards surface. If you should happen to mess this step up a little, don’t panic, we have duct tape.
Let’s move on to the reinforcing the stand with duct tape. There are so many varieties out there now, that I’m sure you’ll find one to your liking. The dollar store happened to have zebra print so I went with that. The one thing that you have to be careful of when putting the duct tape on, is the score mark on the back of the stand. You need to make sure the duct tape gets down into that crevice, and doesn’t just go across it. If it doesn’t go into the crevice, your stand won’t fold and unfold properly. It would be like having a book whose spine was rigid and didn’t bend.
In the end, we have a nifty little stand that cost about 2 dollars to make. It’s stylish, it works, it’s portable, and we had fun doing it! See, it fits right into the back pocket of my jeans. Of course, I’ll end up sitting on it and that would curve it, but it might still work. Maybe it’s best to just put it in my coat pocket.
What more do you want? Oh there’s so much more you could do – bedazzle it, tape pictures on to it, make one out of aluminum or sheet metal, make a little carrying case for the holder and phone. So much you could do! Take AwayYes, you can make a smartphone holder out of paper. It just takes a little thought and ingenuity, a lot of measuring, and maybe a few tries until you get what you want. Take these ideas, use them as is, or tweak them further. If I had the time, I would consider making one out of papier mache. Really that’s just cutting up paper into strips and dipping them in glue and sculpting them into a form. A lot messier and time consuming and the end result is not as portable. It may end up prettier though because you could sculpt it like anything, as long as it has the nice cradle to hold the phone. Maybe a hand, or a giant head where the phone sets in the mouth. Who knows? Do you have any wild and wonderful ideas for smartphone cases? Have you made a more effective one than this? Let us know what you think in the comments below! The post Can You Make an iPhone or Other Smartphone Stand From Paper? appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hulu Plus vs. iTunes vs. Netflix vs. Amazon Instant Video: Which Is Best? Posted: 29 Apr 2013 06:30 PM PDT
The lifeblood of online cinema and television. The new wave of home media. The providers of endless entertainment in which pants are not necessarily required. They are the contenders of all that is streaming video. But alas, which service is the best? Which service can raise its virtual fist high in the air and proudly exclaim, “I am the one!” to be heard across all the land? This is exactly why we are here today, ladies and gentlemen. We are gathered here to analyze all of these best instant video streaming services and find out which one can hold the title of The Best. Our criteria will be based on the following:
The Selection
Right away, I have to say that Netflix offers a nice mix of both movies and television shows. Better yet, they are also in the market of original content, pumping out top-notch shows like House of Cards and Hemlock Grove. On the other hand, Hulu is definitely more television-focused because of its close ties with all of the major networks. Typically, you can catch shows the day after they appear on television, but their modest selection of films is rather poor. With Netflix, however, you occasionally can only receive some items on DVD. That kind of takes away the convenience of the whole streaming aspect. Moving right along, Amazon offers a great variety of movies and television series, and it is currently entering the world of original content. Here’s the catch, though: some titles aren’t compatible with Prime Instant Video – lame sauce. I was pretty displeased with the fact that, despite having a Prime account, I was still expected to pay for AMC’s Breaking Bad and Mad Men, both of which required $1.99 per SD episode and $2.99 per HD episode. Alternatively, there’s iTunes, which has a superior library filled to the brim fresh content, but it does not offer a subscription service that allows you to buy in bulk. Overall, I have to say that Netflix offers the best selection out of all of these. Relatively speaking, Amazon and iTunes have great selections as well, but they must be individually purchased. Selection is such a trivial thing to consider, though. With varying taste and opinions, it’s incredibly difficult to provide a solid answer. The only safe option is to base this answer on variety itself. Even still, I’ve chosen a few in-vogue items and listed which services offer them. As you can tell, Amazon and iTunes do wonderfully in the area of movies, and while Netflix offers the same content, it’s occasionally via DVD only.
Regardless, you get a solid mix of both movies and televisions with Netflix, and on top of that, the company produces new shows that you can’t see anywhere else. The Price
In an effort to make life easier, I have nailed down the subscription-based services’ yearly prices. (Of course, iTunes is excluded from this because of its lack of a subscription membership.)
As you can tell, Hulu and Netflix are exactly the same price, while Amazon offers a slightly cheaper Prime membership which allows for unlimited streaming of Amazon Instant Video. Movies on iTunes generally range from $10 to $20 each to own and around $5 for a “rental” while season passes for television shows can range from nearly $20 to $40 and around $5 per episode. Obviously, iTunes is not that great of a deal if you are wanting to view a massive amount of content, but if you want to own a movie or series that you can watch at anytime, then it may be worth looking into. Looking at the service as a whole, Amazon seems to offer the best deal as far as multimedia goes. Their Prime account plan allows for unlimited streaming, the ability to check out books for Kindle, and free shipping for certain items. In the end, if you’re a regular Amazon user, you’re going to get your money’s worth. However, in the context of video entertainment, it’s probably not worth it. Since some television episodes and movies are not even available for Prime users, you will likely end up paying more than $79. It seems like we have a back-to-back winner for this round: Netflix. As already mentioned, Hulu Plus is more focused on television while Netflix offers a great package of popular movies, television shows, and original content, offering you more for your money. Granted, this could be debatable due to the DVD and Blu-ray rental fees. Even still, I stand by Netflix since the world is already knee-deep in cloud-based media. The InterfaceBoth Hulu and Netflix offer the ability to browse genres using similar interfaces. You can scroll through covers on the main page, and for more specific categories, you can flip through a grid of various content. Personally, I believe Hulu Plus is the better of the two, for Netflix tends to prioritize recommended titles based on every single item you watch instead of standard genres and categories. Hulu puts the most popular content at the forefront while making use of a much more fluid interface.
As for Amazon, it’s just ugly. Period. Selections are presented in the same format as the regular site, so you really have to know what you are looking for in order to find anything. While there are decent recommendations (in the same fashion as regular Amazon purchases), the layout is just not suitable for a streaming service: It requires you to click too much. You can’t endlessly scroll looking through titles, and you also can’t hover over films to read their descriptions.
iTunes displays a very similar layout like Netflix and Hulu Plus. However, more items appear on the screen, and movies and TV shows are automatically divided into two separate pages. Content is delivered in a sleek, fluid, interactive format, and honestly, it’s a pleasure to use. The right sidebar showcases the most popular bits of entertainment in order for each genre, and content art is clearly viewable on all parts of the site.
This time around, iTunes takes the cake. Simply put, it’s easier to use and prettier to look at. The Devices
Rather than fluff things up, I’ll just let the device compatibility speak for itself.
As far as devices go, we have a three-way tie. Hulu Plus, Netflix, and Amazon Instant Video all do a marvelous job of supporting their customers regardless of how they are viewing content. As for iTunes, it’s stuck in Apple Land, surrounded by towers of polished aluminum and retina billboards advertising newish products. The Quality
Amazon advertises its streaming content for PC as being “DVD quality” – in short, this means it’s standard definition. So unfortunately, you cannot stream HD content to your computer, but you can stream HD to your Kindle Fire HD, Xbox 360, PS3, Roku, or TiVO. For regular laptop users, this means Amazon is out. No questions asked. Netflix and Hulu Plus streaming quality are too similar to really see a difference, and users can watch content in both HD and SD. However, Netflix provides the option to throttle your quality as a means to prevent from going over your data cap, and this is a nice consideration for its clientele. But for those of you who enjoy crystal clear viewing, iTunes’ HD content has been compared to Blu-ray. With that said, iTunes is the winner of this round. Bear in mind that the quality is also based on your connection. You could live in Podunk, Nowhere, with the worst ISP in the world, and iTunes would look pretty horrible. The ChampOur champ was based on selection, price, interface, device compatibility, and quality. With that said, we had to base this determination on the most well-rounded service available – a service that offers a wide range of content for a good price, is easy to use and browse, and provides excellent quality on a variety of devices. As you can tell, it appears that Netflix is the best best instant video streaming service out there. It’s incredibly well-rounded, providing a good variety of content for a vast set of devices at a fair price. This doesn’t mean that the other services are poor, by any means. Hulu Plus is perfect for those of you who are addicted to television shows. Amazon Instant Video comes with the total package, including books, music, and shipping via Amazon Prime. iTunes is great for hanging onto your entertainment. What do you think? Did I pick the best service? I want to know what your opinions, so leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments. Image Credit: tncountryfan, Amarand Agasi, ???chutam, dieselbug2007 The post Hulu Plus vs. iTunes vs. Netflix vs. Amazon Instant Video: Which Is Best? appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Never Buy a Phone From Your Carrier! Buy Unlocked Phones and Save Hundreds Posted: 29 Apr 2013 05:30 PM PDT
Never buy a smartphone from a carrier—ever. Most consumers don’t know that they can purchase their phones from retailers and pay less than if they did from the carrier. The key word that you’re looking for is unlocked. Unlocked phones can work with MVNO plans, which offer the same service as the big carriers for about half as much. The six phones presented in this article provide excellent value, with prices starting at $120 and going as high as $650. However, if you are looking to sign a contract with a carrier (and I strongly suggest that you do not), check out Matt Smith’s list of the best phones you can buy right now—he’s absolutely correct. However, if you need reasons to dump your carrier and hook up with an MVNO, read about it here. Two Kinds of PhonesAs I’ve mentioned before, there exist two kinds of unlocked phones—those that work with GSM networks, those that work with CDMA. I should note at this point that other technologies exist, but they’re not entirely mainstream and largely based on the ubiquitous GSM standard. CDMA: CDMA technology semi-locks phones into a single network, so while these phones can unlock, there’s all kinds of associated hassles in transferring them from one carrier to another. For GSM phones, however, phones can migrate to another network by simply changing the SIM card. CDMA technology in comparison does not use any kind of card.
GSM: Internationally, GSM remains the dominant cell technology. CDMA does exist in almost all markets, although it’s generally associated with third tier carriers. It’s only in the US that it possesses the lion’s share of the market. Consequently, most dual-SIM international phones are GSM based.
The phones presented in this article are specifically labeled with the correct network that they function on. When purchasing a phone, always make sure you’re buying the right model for your network. If you’re switching to an MVNO, the MVNO will correspond with a particular network—for example, Ptel (which rents spectrum from T-Mobile) only works with GSM phones, both AT&T and T-Mobile. I explain in detail in this article. CriteriaI use three factors in determining the phone’s final grade: First, the best features of the phone are weighed. Second, the worst features of the phone are weighed. Third, I divide the price of the device by the aggregated consumer feedback scores from Amazon, Newegg or other review websites (whichever was available). The final result shows how much you pay per star of rating. This measure isn’t intended as a serious metric, although it should indicate better overall value, rather than raw performance. BLU Dash 4.0 ($119.46 via Amazon)BLU Product’s Dash 4.0 is the cheapest Android 4.0 smartphone you can buy unlocked, anywhere. While the manufacturer is a newcomer, their products have been getting solid reviews. And they’re also the only manufacturer that specializes in unlocked cell phones. Networks: GSM Pros:
Cons:
Per star rating: $119.46/3.8 stars = $31 per star.
Apple iPhone 3G 8GB ($174.94 via Amazon)Apple’s iPhone 3G still works great, even though it’s aging. If you’re locked into the iOS app environment, the 3G provides the cheapest entry point for a mobile device that’s still functionally modern. Also, for refurbished phones, consider purchasing an after-market replacement plan. Networks: GSM Pros:
Cons:
Per star rating: $174.94 / 2.8 stars = $62.48 per star HTC Nexus One ($155 via Amazon.com)HTC built the first phone in the Nexus series. While the phone’s single core CPU is starting to feel its age, it retains one of the strongest followings within the Android development community. Also, for refurbished phones, consider purchasing an after-market replacement plan. Networks: GSM Pros:
Cons:
Per star rating: $155 / 3.7 stars = $41.90 per star. BLU Vivo 4.3 ($188.99 via Expansys)BLU Products manufactures a range of low-cost Android smartphones. Although an relative unknown in the US, it provides some of the best deals on an unlocked phone around. Additionally, it recently committed to upgrading the Vivo 4.3 to JellyBean. As a result, the Vivo provides a great deal to those who want a good performing phone, without the potential for modifying the ROM. Networks: GSM Pros:
Cons:
Per star rating: $188.99 / 4.2 stars = $45 per star.
LG Nexus 4 (8GB $299, 16GB $349)The Nexus 4 is part of Google’s Nexus program, where Google picks the parts and the manufacturer produces it. The Nexus series remains one of the best performing phones on the market. As an added bonus, these phones are highly prized because they can easily be rooted and modified with a custom ROM. Full disclosure: I own a LG Nexus 4 and love it more than my own family. Networks: GSM, rumors of a Sprint and Verizon CDMA model on the horizon. Pros:
Cons:
Per star rating: $299 / 4.5 stars = $66 per star and $349 / 4.5 stars = $77 per star.
Samsung Galaxy S3 ($439.95)Samsung, recently scandalized by possible phony HTC reviews, currently dominates the smartphone market. Their flagship phone, the S3, comes well regarded and is compatible on all major networks in the US. However, the GSM version works great internationally. Networks: GSM, Verizon-CDMA, Sprint-CDMA Pros:
Cons:
Per star rating: $439.95 / 4 stars = $110 per star.
iPhone 5 ($650 via Apple Store)The most ubiquitous brand in this article, Apple created the smartphone market. Networks: GSM (requires contract for Verizon-CDMA and Sprint-CDMA) Pros:
Cons:
Per star rating: $650/3.7 stars = $175 per star. ConclusionIf you’re looking for an unlocked cell phone with good value, BLU Products Dash 4.0 or the BLU Vivo 4.3 provide the best products on the market. Unfortunately, because of the relative obscurity of their manufacturer, few reviewers have given credit to otherwise value-packed phones.
On the other hand, the best reviewed, unlocked cell phone on the market is the Nexus 4. Personally, if I weren’t so obsessed with custom ROMs, I would have preferred the Dash or the Vivo over my Nexus. Combined with the right plan from an MVNO, you can save hundreds of dollars a year and still have a great phone. Anyone own a BLU phone? Or does anyone else prefer MVNOs/prepaid plans? Let us know in the comments. Image Credits: Piggy Bank via MorgueFile.com; cell phones via manufacturer websites. The post Never Buy a Phone From Your Carrier! Buy Unlocked Phones and Save Hundreds appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 29 Apr 2013 05:01 PM PDT
Check out the 7 videos below, in no particular order. And be sure to check out our other recommended TED videos – we've got something in there for everyone: 4 must-see talks on creativity, inspiration and passion, 5 fascinating TED talks that explore the edge of technology, 6 mind-blowing TED talks about psychology and human behaviour and 8 TED talks under 5 minutes. David Griffin: How photography connects usIn his 15 minute talk, How photography connects us, David Griffin, National Geographic Photo Director begins by displaying some of the magazine’s most iconic photographs – starting with the iconic photo of a young Afghani girl who’s image graced the cover of the magazine. He goes on to say “Photographs emulate the way that our mind freezes a significant moment.” More important however, according to Griffin, is that a photograph tells a story. Griffin displays gorgeous photographs that go beyond just images of exotic or far off locations – telling the poignant stories that go with these photos. Becci Manson: (Re)touching lives through photosIn under 10 minutes, Becci Manson will transform your preconceived notion of the photo editor who uses Photoshop to retouch images of models – making them “skinnier”, their skin more flawless – and will make you realize that they are artists. She took her talent to Japan, in the wake of the 2011 Tsunami that took the lives of almost 16,000 people. In the debris left among the ruins of the Japanese towns were family photos. Manson tells the story of how she and her peers cleaned and restored these images, some over 100 years old, for their owners. Jonathan Klein: Photos that changed the worldIn 6 minutes, Jonathan Klein of Getty Images tells TED viewers about Photos that changed the world. For Klein, these photos go beyond being iconic images that we instantly recognize, but instead provoke a reaction in us. From photos taken in the wake of the earthquake in Haiti, mountain gorillas murdered in the Congo, and black and white images of the holocaust – Klein reminds us we all have a choice – “we can look away, or we can address the image.” Ryan Lobo: Photographing the hidden storyIt’s hard to avoid the story-telling theme in TED talks on photograph – because after all – a strong photograph is one that tells a story. Lobo travelled to Iraq, Afghanistan and Liberia, photographing the subjects of war. In his talk, ”He reframes controversial subjects with empathy, so that we see the pain of a Liberian war criminal, the quiet strength of UN women peacekeepers and the perseverance of Delhi’s underappreciated firefighters.” Phil Borges on endangered culturesPhil Borges begins his talk on endangered cultures with a startling statistic. Of the 6,000 languages spoken throughout the world, 3,000 of them are not spoken by the children. With languages and cultures fast disappearing, Borges uses photography as a means to preserve a culture that is on the verge of extinction. Travelling to India and Ecuador, he tells the story of the people he photographed – exiled Tibetan monks and Amazonian tribes. Yann Arthus-Bertrand captures fragile Earth in wide-angleYann Arthus-Bertrand’s 15 minute talk is crammed with gorgeous images you won’t want to miss. The photos, breathtakingly beautiful aerial images from around the world, go beyond just showing viewers a point of view they often miss. They are a reminder of the impact that humans have on the earth. The Alberta oil sands, the threatened coral reefs in New Caledonia, Kilimanjaro without its iconic snow-topped peak. The stories that Arthus-Bertrand’s photos tell are a haunting reminder of the environmental dangers we are facing. Kristen Ashburn's photos of AIDSIn under 5 minutes, Kristen Ashburn has an incredibly powerful impact speaking about and showing photos she took in Zimbabwe, documenting the impact of AIDS on the African country. Bringing empathy and heartbreaking humanity to the images and to her stories, Ashburn’s talk is a powerful reminder of how much the photographer can be affected, just as much, if not more than, the viewer looking at the photos. Many of the photos are shown in complete silence, speaking volumes for themselves. What are your favourite TED talks for and by photographers? Let us know in the comments. The post 7 TED Talks For Shutterbugs appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 Ways To Improve YouTube Comments Posted: 29 Apr 2013 04:31 PM PDT
These comments can be improved with browser extensions, replacing them with intelligent or amusing quotes. You could also just rip all the comments out entirely. Translate Comments To Herp DerpsThe Herp Derp extension will convert all YouTube comments to herp derps instead of hiding them completely. This extension is available for Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Opera. Don’t worry about missing any important information when you use this extension — YouTube comments might as well contain “herp derps” for all the value they offer. If you haven’t heard of the “herp derp” meme yet, Know Your Meme defines it as “an expression used to indicate that someone is unintelligent or making ignorant statements.” That certainly seems appropriate for YouTube. You can click a YouTube comment to read the original comment, but, according to the add-on’s author, reading an original YouTube comment is “highly discouraged.”
Replace Comments With Feynman QuotesIf you really wish YouTube comments were more intelligent, you can install the FeynComment user script. It works in both Chrome and Firefox – you’ll find installation instructions on the Userscripts website. FeynComment replaces all YouTube comments with quotes from famed theoretical physicist Richard Feynman. With Feyncomment, the comment section on YouTube will become a serious, intelligent discussion of science and physics. Even if you just see these comments out of the corner of your eye, they’ll fill you with a sense that your fellow human beings are intelligent people having a discussion about the nature of reality rather than bickering and cursing over the latest popular music video on YouTube.
Replace Comments With Nietzsche QuotesAvailable as both a Chrome extension and Firefox extension, NietzscheDerp goes another direction by replacing all YouTube comments with quotes from German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche’s quotes can be rather bleak, so they somehow seem perfectly at home in a YouTube comment section. It’s as if all YouTube commenters have fallen into a malaise after being exposed to YouTube comments for so long.
Convert Profanity into Yuletide CheerIt may not be the holiday season, but YuleTube works year-round. This extension, which is available for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, converts profane comments into festive expressions of goodwill. As the extension’s website says, it will “turn the troll‘s comments from naughty into something nice.” With Yuletube, a YouTube discussion about Justin Bieber becomes a discussion about a chubby little elf. Mean comments become cute lines like “I bet every reindeer who gets into TV…”. You’ll wish your fellow men and women goodwill instead of being overcome by misanthropy. It’s the perfect pick-me-up to ensure you don’t become a Grinch in the holiday season, but it’s preferable to the original comments at any time of year.
Remove Them All!The most obvious way to improve YouTube’s comments section is by getting rid of it entirely. Just install the No YouTube Comments extension for Chrome or Comment Snob for Firefox. No YouTube Comments hides all comments entirely, solving the problem in just a few clicks. Comment Snob for Firefox is pickier by default, opting to filter comments based on the number of spelling mistakes, capital letters, and excessive punctuation they contain. You can tweak these filtering rules in the add-on’s options or just tell it to hide all YouTube comments completely.
French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry once famously said that “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” Removing comments brings YouTube that much closer to perfect. Of course, YouTube comments aren’t the only blasted wastelands of intelligence on the web. Other websites with comment sections — particularly news websites — can be as bad or even worse. To get rid of comments on other websites, try the Shut Up extension for Chrome, which allows you to toggle comments on and off on various popular websites. it will remember your choices, so you won’t have to see comments the next time you visit the same website. What’s your favorite way of dealing with YouTube comments? Leave a comment and let us know how you handle YouTube comments without going insane. (Don’t worry, our comment section is nowhere near as bad as YouTube’s! We wouldn’t tolerate that.) The post 5 Ways To Improve YouTube Comments appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Using Paint.NET? Make It Even Better With These Great Plugins Posted: 29 Apr 2013 04:01 PM PDT
That's where Paint.NET comes in. Don't make the same mistake that I made in thinking that Paint.NET is the new version of Paint that comes with Windows 7. It's not. Created by a guy named Rick Brewster, Paint.NET has become the best solution on Windows for when Paint is too barebones but Photoshop is too much. It's entirely free to use and the best part of Paint.NET is its community of plugin developers. Through the Paint.net plugin interface, you can extend the functionality of Paint.NET to be just as powerful as GIMP or Photoshop without all of the bloat and extra features that you'd never use. If you want a more in-depth overview, check out Aaron's Paint.NET review. How To Install Paint.NET PluginsThere are hundreds, maybe even thousands, of plugins that you can install for Paint.NET. The process isn't as simple as the plugin interface on something like Firefox or Chrome (where all you really need to do is click on a link), but it's still relatively easy. Paint.NET plugins fit into two general categories: FileTypes and Effects. The installation process is the same for both of them because they all come in the form of DLL downloads. Sometimes after you download a plugin, it'll be a ZIP or RAR file. Just unpack them and there should be a DLL inside. That's what you want. Once you have your plugin DLL, locate your Paint.NET installation directory. For me it was C:\Program Files\Paint.NET\ and yours should be the same if you didn’t set a custom destination when you installed it. Make sure your Paint.NET program is CLOSED before you proceed to the next step. Inside that directory, you'll see two subdirectories: Effects and FileTypes. Depending on the type of plugin you downloaded, you'll want to drag-and-drop the DLL into the appropriate place. Relaunch Paint.NET and it should have the added functionality now. If not, you probably placed it in the wrong directory so move it from the one directory to the other. Photoshop PSD (FileType)
This plugin allows you to both open PSD files and save your projects in the PSD format. I don't expect the conversions to work 100% perfectly, but it's almost there. For most PSD projects, anyway, you'll be able to open and save them without a hitch, which makes it convenient when you want to fiddle around with it without having to open Photoshop. Color Balance+ (Effect)
This plugin is similar to Photoshop's own color balancing effect. There are three types of balancing that you can do – Highlights, Shadows, and Midtones. If you aren’t sure what color balancing is, then you can perform a quick Google search and learn within minutes because it's a common technique in graphics work. Color Balance+ comes as part of dpy's plugin pack. Text+ (Effect)Though Paint.NET has a default function for placing text in your image, Text+ is a plugin that takes it to the next level. If you need precise levels of line spacing, draw positioning, and font pitch, then Text+ will work wonders for you. Text+ comes as part of dpy's plugin pack. Circle / Rotate / Spiral / Wave Text (Effect)
These four plugins are separate and independent but they all manipulate text, so I'm bunching them together. The Circle plugin lets you write a line of text that gets drawn in a perfect circle. The Rotate plugin lets you skew a block of text so that it becomes angled. The Spiral plugin is like the Circle plugin, except it spirals in towards the center. And the Wave plugin makes the text all wavy. These text effects are all part of dpy's plugin pack. Film (Effect)
This plugin takes an image and alters it in such a way that it looks like it was taken with a true film camera. It adds a touch of motion blur, some color correction, some balancing, and a few tweaks to hue and saturation, resulting in an image that appears genuine. Film comes as part of pyrochild's plugin pack. Smudge Tool (Effect)
If you need to smudge your illustrations a bit, this smudging plugin will do that for you. It may not look like anything special in the image above, but it's really useful for softening edges in illustrations or blurring out parts of pictures that you don't want discernible. Smudge Tool comes as part of pyrochild's plugin pack. ConclusionThere are so many other plugins that deserve a mention but I can't possibly list all of them here. Moral of the story? Paint.NET is extremely powerful thanks to the massive library of plugins that you can install and use. Combine that with the large, active community surrounding this great program and you'll see why Paint.NET is so great. Check out the Paint.NET plugin database if you want to browse through some more. So what do you think? Do you use Paint.NET? After learning about all of these plugins, I think Paint.NET is going to become my main image editor from here on out. Share your thoughts with us in the comments! The post Using Paint.NET? Make It Even Better With These Great Plugins appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Praise The Supreme Leader! More North Korea Documentaries & Videos [Stuff to Watch] Posted: 29 Apr 2013 03:31 PM PDT
With recent political tensions reaching levels not seen since the end of the Korean War, it’s once again time to turn the Stuff to Watch lens toward a country many people still know relatively little about. This week’s video post has documentaries, undercover filming and even some footage propagated by North Korea itself. DPRK: Land of WhispersJust short of an hour long and posted on YouTube as recently as March 2013, this is another film created by a visitor to North Korea. It’s very much a one-man documentary, and unsurprisingly contains footage of all the usual monuments, museums and mass-games known as Arirang. One thing that does make it a little different to usual though is the footage of some less-documented parts of the country including Chongjin and Wonson. At times I feel filmmaker oversteps the mark a little when it comes to repeatedly filming when asked not to, but only because it’s often reported that the guides and security members are punished for allowing such activity. The film does a good job of showing off some very human aspects, such as the train journey at the start of the film, while constantly reminding you what makes North Korea so isolationist in its foreign policy. Al Jazeera: What’s behind the North Korean crisis?Al Jazeera is a reliable source of news and insightful discussion, with one such current affairs program called The Stream recently turning its attention toward the North Korean situation. This documentary asks questions regarding the recent flaring up of tensions between North Korea and the US-backed south. There’s little in the way of “exclusive footage” but there’s plenty of discussion and insight into what makes the country tick. Most interesting are the accounts of North Korean refugees who have fled the country when asked whether or not they believe the threat of war, which is used as a tool against the population on an almost daily basis. Danny From North KoreaAbsolute must-watch stuff for DPRK nerds and non-nerds alike, Danny From North Korea tells the story of one refugee who fled the country in 2005. Not only is this one of the most interesting videos on the whole of YouTube but it’s also incredibly well-executed. The film is the work of on aid organisation called Liberty in North Korea who gain access and offer support to refugees like Danny. You’re already wasting time reading this when you can click the play button above. You won’t regret it. Voice of North Korea RadioI’m bending the rules here a little, but this is simply too good to leave out of a North Korea article. The Voice of North Korea is the country’s English-language shortwave radio station, with this particular recording made as recently as April 2013. Yes, it’s just radio, there’s no image and the quality is poor – but it’s still very interesting. The broadcast was recorded in Melbourne, Australia on the 13650kHz frequency. This was originally a full hour-long broadcast but the music has been edited out for length – it’s still interesting, though. The uploader appears to be following the situation as a radio enthusiast and you can find more recordings like this on the AusRadioHistorian channel.= Footage of North Korea from 2012Here are two short 15-minute films shot in 2012 showing some of the conditions inside the country. Don’t expect covert filming from a team of undercover journalists though, each of these videos was shot with guides present and aware. That means that most of what you see is what you are meant to see, and that’s relatively normal looking towns and villages. It is quite difficult to disguise poverty, a food shortage and political crisis though, and even from these short rushes it’s evident life is far from normal in the country. Alleged North Korean PropagandaFrom the same YouTube user who uploaded the videos above comes some very interesting propaganda, apparently originating from North Korea. I only say apparently because there’s technically no evidence these are definitely North Korean in origin, but I wouldn’t be surprised considering the contents, language and accent. Frustratingly I found myself agreeing with the video about the culture surrounding reality TV above. Very little North Korea has to say about such culture is hard to refute, something many commenters found too. Other docs include a two-minute condemnation of video games and WWE wrestling as well as the use of children in western advertising (below). Check out even more at the stiofandebrun channel. North Korea’s MarketsHidden video footage from within North Korea of the apparently non-existent free markets that supply much of the population with food. This video was originally taken in the mid-2000s and so is not necessarily representative of the current situation, but for markets that (according to the government) do not exist they seem pretty popular. VICE: North Korea Film MadnessNot a new documentary, or a recent one for that matter. This three-parter from VICE was shot on their past (and probably last) trip to North Korea in which they bribed officials to gain access to the country. This time they’re focusing on one of Kim Jong Il’s most favoured hobbies: film-making. By some incredible feat (paying a respectful tribute to the Great Leader Kim Il Sung) VICE founder Shane Smith manages to get some limited access to Pyongyang’s only film studio. There’s definitely some repetition in here if you’ve seen VICE’s other coverage, but it’s still worth watching – as are many VICE documentaries. That’s it for this round of North Korea documentaries. As the political situation continues to stew and the people continue to starve it’s a sure-thing that more films will emerge and hopefully in a few months there will be even more films and possibly even a glimpse at a resolve for the cold war raging on the Korean peninsula. Do you have any favourite DPRK documentaries or videos? Share your thought and favourites in the comments, below. The post Praise The Supreme Leader! More North Korea Documentaries & Videos [Stuff to Watch] appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| How to Access Region Locked Video on Your iPad or iPhone [iOS] Posted: 29 Apr 2013 02:30 PM PDT
Regardless, people are willing to go to great lengths to access their content. And great lengths are indeed required, as content often doesn’t become available for a big part of the world until months after its initial release. More so, even though there are websites like Hulu and Netflix boasting the infrastructure to offer that media globally, they actively work to keep people out. If you want to watch region-blocked videos on your iPhone or iPad, or entertain yourself with region-blocked apps, you’ll have to take matters into your own hands. 1. Proxy And VPN ServicesTo access region-blocked content, proxy and VPN (virtual private network) services work in largely a similar fashion. You’re unable to access the region-blocked content because the computer recognizes your computer (or rather, its IP address) as being outside the serviceable zone. So, instead of connecting directly to the server and giving away your location, you connect to an intermediary client that does reside in the serviceable zone. In the case of a proxy, you connect through another client. All your browser activity is routed through that intermediary client. A VPN, on the other hand, denotes network. You connect to a network with serviceable clients and your browser activity is once again routed through an intermediary client. The big difference then is that a proxy is placed between your web browser and the server; it only reroutes the websites you visit through the intermediary client. A VPN reroutes all your network activity, including instant messaging, VoIP, and such. A connection over a VPN can also incorporate additional security measures to protect your communication (emphasizing the P in VPN). 1.1 DownsidesAs Chris Hoffman discussed at length in his recent article VPNs Are Old: Better Ways to Access Region-Blocked Video, the main disadvantage of VPN’s and proxy servers is speed. Having to reroute your communications with the server through an intermediary client impacts the speed and latency of your internet connection. A chain is only as strong (or as fast) as its weakest link. If you’re connecting over a high-quality proxy server or VPN, its speed should exceed that of your internet connection or, at the very least, the access speed of the region-blocked content. However, because of its nature, there’s always a chance that you’ll outpace the service’s speed, especially in the case of high-traffic utilities. Freely available web proxies can be useful in some cases, but usually can’t handle the traffic load that comes with streaming video. 1.2 Netshade (Proxy & VPN)The VPN I’m fond of using is called Netshade. Like most VPNs, Netshade requires you to pay a usage fee. Although Netshade offers a 3-month Proxy+VPN or a 1 year Proxy plan for $29, the best value option is the year-long Proxy+VPN plan for $59. This will give you access to Netshade’s Proxy and VPN services, which are most easily managed through the free Mac and iOS applications.
To configure your iOS device for using Netshade, open the Preferences app. Under Wi-Fi, tap the blue arrow next to the currently selected network. At the very bottom of the next screen, under HTTP proxy, select Auto and enter “http://pac.netshade.net/“, without quotes.
Next, download and install the free Netshade app from the iTunes App Store. Tapping Device Setup will help you with the step above. If you’ve already added the proxy address to your settings, hit Launch Netshade. From here, you can already select a proxy server and start accessing region-blocked content. Netshade comes with premium proxies for several locales, including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Germany and France. Optionally, user proxies can be added manually.
If you want to use Netshade’s VPN, you can automatically configure your iOS device from the VPN tab. This will install a VPN profile to your device. After installing this profile, you can select a locale in the VPN tab in your Preferences. Note that if you’re using the VPN, you don’t need to select a proxy in the Netshade iOS app. 1.3 Tunnelbear (Alternative VPN)There are a lot of other VPN services besides Netshade. One such alternative is provided by Tunnelbear, which was reviewed in detail by Erez Zukerman. Compared with Netshade, Tunnelbear offers a more attractive pricing plan, but only a US and UK VPN. Contrary to Netshade, Tunnelbear also offers a Windows desktop client. Interestingly, Tunnelbear offers a free version with 500 MB transfer per month. You can earn an additional 1GB by tweeting about the service, each month. The monthly $9.99 (temporarily $4.99) plan offers unlimited data usage, whereas you can purchase 1 year’s worth of unlimited Tunnelbear for $60 (temporarily $49.99).
To install Tunnelbear, download the free app from the iTunes app store. Tunnelbear offers only VPN and no Proxy servers, so the setup process is slightly less convoluted. Simply install the iOS settings when prompted by Tunnelbear. Similar to Netshade, you can then select a locale in the Preferences VPN tab. 1.4 The Speed of Switching RegionsIf you want to enjoy the American Hulu, as well as the UK BBC iPlayer, you’ll have to switch between regions. This can be done by selecting a different VPN profile in your iOS settings. Although this doesn’t take a lot of work, the work adds up when you have to switch between different regions more often. 2. DNS Tunneling ServicesAs Chris argued in his article on VPNs and DNS tunneling, the latter offers most of the same benefits, but with hardly any of the disadvantages of VPNs. Instead of rerouting all your traffic through an intermediary client, DNS tunneling works its magic to let you connect directly to the target server. Better yet, DNS tunneling can differentiate between different websites, meaning you can keep browsing regular websites as usual. This means you don’t have to toggle the service on and off every time you want to access region-blocked content. 2.1 UnoTelly’s UnoDNSOne of the DNS tunneling services that comes most highly recommended is UnoTelly’s UnoDNS. Pricing starts at $3.99 monthly. For $4.99 monthly, UnoDNS will even throw in bonus US and UK VPN’s, so you can have the best of both worlds. UnoDNS supports mosts region-blocked content, including Hulu, Netflix and Amazon Instant Video, but also websites from Swiss and Norse locales. If you visit one of these website, UnoDNS will automatically help you pose as coming from the right region. This way you can have Netflix open in one tab and BBC iPlayer in another!
To set up UnoDNS, go to the Wi-Fi section of your iOS preferences and tap on the blue arrow next to the currently selected internet connection. Write down your current preferences to restore them later, or take a screenshot. Select the closest DNS server from UnoDNS’ Global DNS Clusters page and copy over the IP address in the DNS field.
Finally, fire up your web browser and head to http://unotelly.com/quickstart2/ to view a status report and finish configuring the service. If this is your first time using the service on this IP address, you’ll have to sign in with your UnoTelly account. Once you’re done, there should be a green bar topping the page. 3. Downloading Regional AppsIf you want to use locale-specific apps like Hulu and Netflix in an unsupported region, the above will certainly help. However, all that won’t do you much good unless you’re able to download the apps in question. To do this, you’ll have to create a new iTunes account from the country of the app. Luckily for us, you can download apps with a US iTunes account, log back into your own country’s account and keep using the US apps.
Jeffry Thurana wrote about How To Create A US iTunes Account (& Access US-Only Contents) Without A Credit Card. Of course, without a credit card, you’ll only be able to download free apps. To download paid apps, you’ll need to add a payment method. For some countries you can create a virtual credit card, which you then charge with your real credit card. EntroPay is a virtual US Visa service which comes suggested by UnoTelly’s UnoDNS. What region locked videos are blocked for you, and which service will you use to get to it? Share your experiences in the comments section below the article! Intro image: Shutterstock The post How to Access Region Locked Video on Your iPad or iPhone [iOS] appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 Android Music Recognition Apps Compared: Which Got The Most Songs Right? Posted: 29 Apr 2013 01:00 PM PDT
Today, there are better ways to do this which you can use the very minute you hear the song. These solutions are available for all platforms, from Tunatic and Audiggle for desktop, and Shazam and SoundHound for iOS, to a Google-powered widget/feature available for newer versions of Android. Many apps claim to identify songs quickly and accurately, but which actually do it? I put five music-recognition apps for Android to the test, pitting them all against seven songs of varying difficulty, and one humming test, in which I tried humming a well-known song to each app to see if it could recognize it. Which app came put on top? Which app should you use next time you must know what song is playing? Read on to find out. The AppsThe apps I chose for this test are the most popular and highly-rated ones I could find on Google Play. They are: 1. Shazam 2. SoundHound 3. TrackID Some of these music recognition app are more than just music-recognition apps, but for the purposes of this review, I ignored all other features and focused only on each app’s ability to recognize songs. If you’re looking for other features in your app, take a look at the apps’ pages on Google Play to see what other features they offer. It’s worth noting, however, that mobion music is the only one in the bunch that requires an account in order to identify songs. Not only that, you must provide a full name, gender and date of birth when creating an account. If this is a problem for you, feel free to skip it entirely. Walk Off The Earth – Somebody That I Used To KnowA little while back, this song was playing in my head while I slept. You couldn’t get away from it no matter where you were. The excitement may have died down a little, but this is still a fine specimen for a song I expect every app to easily recognize. It’s also a cover version, but in this case, the cover is arguably more famous than the original. So how did the apps fare? Shazam: Recognized the song immediately, and displayed full song information along with album cover, Amazon download link and YouTube video link.
SoundHound: Recognized the song immediately, displayed full information including album name and cover, release date, lyrics lookup, and automatic YouTube search. TrackID: Recognized the song, displayed correct name of song and artist, but a wrong album cover from “The Voice”. Included a download link for an actual local online music store (and in a country where there’s no iTunes, Amazon, or Google Music, that’s impressive), although the song wasn’t available there.
mobion music: Recognized the song quickly with right names, but presented the “The Voice” album cover. The cluttered interface included links to relevant YouTube videos, including the actual one I was listening to, and the original song my Gotye. Also included was an Amazon download link. musiXmatch Lyrics Player: Recognized the song easily, and presented the right names, but with the “The Voice” album cover again. It also presented the song’s lyrics in a sing-along fashion.
Lucky by Radiohead – Six Feet Under SoundtrackThis song is yet another very famous one, but in a setting that’s a little harder to recognize. I used the video above, which is a scene from the TV show Six Feet Under, and let the apps listen to the part where the song is played. There are background noises of fire crackling, people talking, etc., which makes the song harder to hear. Shazam: At first, the app had trouble with this one. After turning up the volume on my computer, it managed to recognize it, but not every time. When it did, it displayed the OK Computer album cover, as expected. SoundHound: Recognized the song easily and quickly, with correct information and album cover.
TrackID: Recognized the song quickly, and displayed all the correct information about it. mobion music: Took several seconds, but identified the song correctly. Its YouTube video links were not as spot on this time, though, leading to Lucky by Britney Spears and another song called Lucky by Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat.
musiXmatch Lyrics Player: Identified the song, and displayed the correct information and sing-along lyrics. Pomplamoose – Single Ladies (Beyonce Cover)We’re getting into tougher territory now. While Single Ladies by Beyonce is a very famous song, the Pomplamoose cover is not at all as famous. To compare, the official Beyonce video for Single Ladies has over 200 million views, while the Pomplamoose version has around 9 million. Still respectable, but just not as well-known. Was it a match for any of the apps? Shazam: Recognized the exact version of the song immediately, and included a cover to Pomplamoose’s album.
SoundHound: Took a little longer to identify the song, but managed to do so beautifully. It displayed the right names, but stated a wrong release date in 2013 (the video was uploaded in 2009). It also displayed an album cover I couldn’t recognize. TrackID: Failed to identify this song, despite multiple tries. mobion music: Failed to identify this song, despite multiple tries. musiXmatch Lyrics Player: Failed to identify this song, despite multiple tries. Roslin and Adama by Bear McCreary – Battlestar Galactica SoundtrackTaking things up a notch, I pitched this instrumental piece from Battlestar Galactica to the apps, curious what they’ll make of it. To be honest, I didn’t expect any of the apps to identify this track successfully, so it was sort of my “sure to fail” test for this post. Shazam: The app could not identify the piece, but it wouldn’t admit failure. It suggested three completely different tracks every time I tried it, including one Beethoven symphony.
SoundHound: Did slightly better, and recognized Bear McCreary as the artist and Battlestar Galactica as the source of the sountrack, but it still failed to recognize the actual piece, returning a different track called “Elegy” which is not very similar to the one I was listening to. Still, nice effort. TrackID: After failing to recognize the Pomplamoose song, TrackID completely surprised me by identifying this track quickly and correctly. This included the right track name, artist, and even album and album cover.
mobion music: Again, a surprise. The app identified the track quickly, complete with album and album cover, and the right YouTube links to go with it. musiXmatch Lyrics Player: By this point, I was no longer surprised when musiXmatch too managed to quickly identify the track and presented the correct names and album cover.
Don Omar – Hasta Que Salga El SolI must admit that I’ve never heard of this song prior to writing this post, but I was looking for a famous Spanish song to try the apps with, and this seemed to be it. In fact, it must be so famous, that all five apps recognized it immediately and all displayed right information about it, including album cover. This showed me that the apps were indeed capable of identifying non-English songs, but this test was obviously too easy. Sharon Haziz and Ivri Leader – Panasim (Flashlights)I decided to make the test much harder. This is a song in Hebrew that was pretty successful when it came out, which was in 2001, a full 12 years ago. An app that can recognize this song correctly would probably do pretty well with non-English songs in general. Shazam: Recognized the song immediately, displayed the correct song and artist names in English, and on my second try, even came up with an album cover. The links to YouTube were surprisingly relevant too.
SoundHound: Failed to recognize the song on multiple tries. Track ID: The app managed to get me a song name in Hebrew, which was pretty impressive, but that’s all it managed to get. The artist field showed simply says “collection”, and none of the links it provided helped me along either. Were I using TrackID without knowing the song, just knowing the name might not have been enough.
The exact same thing happened with both mobion music and musiXmatch Lyrics Player. Both presented the correct song name in Hebrew, but no further information. Humming test: Cryin’ by AerosmithWhy Cryin’? I don’t know, it’s the first thing that came into my head. It’s famous enough and distinctive enough to be recognized by humming, though, and I can definitely keep a tune, if I may say so myself. It’s worth noting that none of the apps except SoundHound even claim to work this way, so it’s not surprising that SoundHound was the only one that actually worked. I hummed the tune to all apps as best as I could, giving each of them multiple tries. The only one the returned any result was SoundHound, which gave me six options to choose from. One of them was indeed the right song.
Google Voice RecognitionYou may be wondering why I haven’t tested Google’s own music-recognition abilities. Available as a widget for Android 4.0+ devices, and as a built-in Google Search feature in Android 4.2 devices, Google’s music recognition abilities are probably pretty good. Unfortunately, Google doesn’t think this feature is important enough to be available worldwide, so I wasn’t able to test it. And The Winner Is…When looking at overall performance, all five music recognition app performed pretty similarly. Some identified songs other failed to, but none of the apps identified every song on the list. When it comes to interface and usability, my favorite ones were Shazam, TrackID, and musiXmatch Lyrics Player. SoundHound, however, can help you even when the song is not playing, which is a big plus. So to sum it all up: Overall best pick: Shazam If you need humming recognition: SoundHound For more obscure pieces, instrumentals and soundtracks: TrackID For easiest access to lyrics: musiXmatch Lyrics Player What’s your favorite app for identifying songs? Is there a really good one that should have been included but wasn’t? Tell us in the comments! The post 5 Android Music Recognition Apps Compared: Which Got The Most Songs Right? appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Use Your iPhone as a Webcam: Here’s How [iOS] Posted: 29 Apr 2013 12:00 PM PDT
Using your iPhone as a remote webcam might be useful for home surveillance, if you need to monitor a baby in another room, temporarily watch your front or backyard, or because you need an alternative external webcam to use with Skype, Google+, Windows Live Messenger, AIM, or other messaging applications. Simon has already come up with a wireless webcam solution for Android, this is for iPhone and the iOS platform. And Joel Lee shared three fun tools to get more out of your webcam. FaceTime as a WebcamIf you are a Mac user you can use the built-in FaceTime application (why by the way can be used over cellular by AT&T users) as a webcam which comes installed on your iPhone and Mac. To use FaceTime on your iPhone to connect with FaceTime on your Mac, you need to make sure they are not using the same contact number or email address on both devices, a relatively easy set-up. Open the Settings app on your iPhone and scroll down to the FaceTime button (FaceTime on the iPhone is not a separate app), and where it says “You can be reached by FaceTime at:” be sure just your phone number is checked, which is probably how most people will connect with you on FaceTime anyway. You can also choose an email address instead of your phone number.
Next, on your Mac, launch the FaceTime application and click FaceTime > Preferences in the menu bar and select a different contact email than the one on your iPhone. The purpose of doing this is to make sure that when you use FaceTime with either device you won’t get a busy signal. If need be, you can also add another unique email address for FaceTime on your Mac.
To use your iPhone as a webcam—for example to monitor activity on your front porch—locate your name in your Contacts on your iPhone, scroll down and tap on the FaceTime button and select the email address you entered for your FaceTime connection on your Mac.
Mobiola WebCamera ($4.99)Of all the third-party apps I tested for the iPhone, Mobiola WebCamera ($4.99) works the best on my Mac. As an iPhone app it connects to your Mac or PC using a Wi-Fi connection, though you will need to download connect to the desktop client viewer in order to use it.
Both the app and web client connect automatically, but when you first launch the Mobiola WebCamera app, the camera resolution is set to low. If you want and need a higher resolution, you will have to tap on the Settings button at the bottom of the screen and change the capture quality to High.
In Settings, you’ll notice that Mobiola WebCamera also includes a flashlight, speaker, and mic. However, the latter two features never worked for me. The app also includes video and snapshot capture, but using the former feature caused the app to crash several times in my test. It worked better when I changed the camera resolution to Medium. All of your WebCamera captures are saved by default to your Movies and Pictures folder on your Mac. The Mobiola is not good as using FaceTime, but it’s a good option if you don’t want to tie up your iPhone when using it as a webcam. PocketCam (Free)PocketCam is the best free webcam app that worked in my tests. The free lite version provides only black and white resolution, while the paid version ($4.99) supports full color and audio.
As with Mobiola WebCamera, you can adjust the video resolution and compression rates to low or high, and you will need to download and install the Windows or Mac software client to use as the viewer. You can also change the webcam position in PocketCam, including the ability to flip the screen vertically and horizontally. The Bottom LineWhile you will never use your iPhone as a dedicated webcam, FaceTime and these third-party apps are handy to use and cheaper than buying a more expensive web camera. Let us know how these apps work for you, and if you have a better solution, please share your recommendation. Do you use your iPhone as a wireless webcam? What apps are best for you? Share your thoughts with us in the comments at the end of this post. The post Use Your iPhone as a Webcam: Here’s How [iOS] appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Don’t Get Hacked On Twitter – What To Do To Stay Safe Posted: 29 Apr 2013 11:01 AM PDT
Sites like Twitter are not soft targets. They are protected by firewalls and other safeguards. Twitter has even implemented security protocols like DMARC for stronger phishing protection. But even as I write this, news has come in of a hijacked Associated Press Twitter account being used to broadcast false update of an attack on the White House. The Stock Market nosedived. Twitter will beef up its defenses. We, the users are part of those fortifications. Usually, we are its weakest link too. The Ground Covered So Far…My friend Chris gave us the absolute basics you need to know to secure your Twitter account. Let's rehash them again quickly:
I strongly urge you to read his popular article to grasp the first things you need to do. Here are a few more Twitter tips that should be useful to protect yourself against hackers. Deal With SpamAn attack could come disguised in the form of a spam message on Twitter. Spam attacks take many different forms. Twitter recognizes aggressive following; exploiting @reply or @mention to post unwanted messages; and even creating multiple accounts as spam behavior. It could also be something as innocuous as posting unrelated links. The trick is to recognize spam early and take action to report it. Here's how…
Twitter does not automatically suspend the suspected spam account. Though it prevents the user from following you or replying to you. You can also file a more direct violation report. Twitter has a support page which tells you all about how to report violations and any other suspicious activity. Benefits of Protected Twitter Accounts
A Twitter timeline is public by default. You can exercise the option to set your tweets as 'protected'. Protected Tweets are visible to your approved Twitter followers. A protected Twitter account gives you more hands-on control over who follows you. Each follow request will need your express approval. Your tweets will only be visible to your followers. Your protected tweets will also not show up on Google results. Protecting your Twitter account is a more secure strategy, but it may come at the cost of open interaction. The Twitter support page goes into the nitty-gritty of protecting and unprotecting your tweets. Do Not Share Your Location
Though sharing your location information may not lead to your account being hacked, no one can promise that it won't happen to your home…which is even worse. PleaseRobMe is an interesting website that tries to highlight this danger of over-sharing information on social media. For instance, sharing your location information could lead a burglar to your house when you are somewhere else. The Settings page on Twitter takes you to the option of turning off your location information and also deleting all past references to it with a single click. You can also go into the location settings of your smartphone and disable the sharing. Do Not Blindly Allow Third Party Apps
Third-party apps connected via your Twitter account have two levels of authorizations - read-only, or read-and-write. In effect, an app can access all the information in your Twitter account. An app with read and write permission can also post updates on your behalf. Also, your tweets may be protected, but images accessible through services like Instagram may not be. This represents a potential risk if an app in question is not legitimate. This brings us back to the moot point of carefully vetting each third-party app we grant access to, and periodically revoking access to apps we no longer need. Be Cautious With ‘Out of The Blue’ Direct MessagesI just have to reiterate this again. There have been spates of direct message and email malware attacks. Direct Messages (DM) are supposed to be one-to-one interactions between two parties and is supposed to be private. In reality, DMs may be tapped by third-party apps which have access to your Twitter account. Phishing scams and backdoor Trojans also rely on links within messages sent to an unsuspecting account. Twitter advices against following 'hundreds or thousands of accounts without having a look first.'
It is actually easy to detect phishing attacks with a bit of care. For instance: check the text and substance of the message. Also, be extra careful on mobile devices because smaller screens may make it that much more difficult to decipher a fraudulent screen. So, wait to check it out on a larger screen before you click it. Here's an excellent read on phishing at Fraud.org. Sign Out Of Public ComputersThis precaution sounds so obvious, but you would be surprised how many forget to do it. If you are on a shared computer, remember to sign-out of Twitter to prevent someone from getting access to your open account. In a similar vein, always use a passcode to lock your smartphone and prevent snooping eyes. Disable JavaJava is unsafe say security experts. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has actually issued a public advisory on disabling Java if not needed in your browser. It is always a good idea to continually update Java, though disabling it could be a cautionary tale in closing the backdoor before someone sneaks their way in. A final note: If your Twitter account has been breached, you can reset your password. Follow this Twitter support page to secure your account and stop further unusual behaviors The ease of tweeting sometimes lulls us into a false sense of security. We forget that Twitter is arguably the most open of all social sharing sites. That's the fruit as well as the peel we can slip on. If you spend a better part of the day on social media, you will appreciate that Twitter's security settings are far easier to understand and set than those of Facebook. Now, we just have to give it some thought and a few minutes so that we don't fall prey to hackers. What other Twitter security tips would you like to suggest? Did you learn it from bitter experience or are you among the wise 'n cautious folks who play safe rather than be sorry? Image Credit: Shutterstock The post Don’t Get Hacked On Twitter – What To Do To Stay Safe appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Your Last Minute Guide To Exporting Your Posterous Blog Before It Shuts Down Forever Posted: 29 Apr 2013 10:30 AM PDT
Now Posterous did provide some instructions for backing up your blog, and point you into the direction for migrating it over to WordPress or SquareSpace, which was nice of them. I found it interesting, however, that they made no mention of Tumblr, their biggest rival, or even Blogger, which is still very much in the game. In this article I’ll walk you through the backup and migration process for six solid options that you have including Posthaven, Tumblr, Blogger, WordPress.com and WordPress.org (self-hosted). Plus, I’ll include some tips/reminders at the end as well. Easy: Posterous To Posthaven ($5/month)
Posthaven, as you probably noticed, isn’t free. Gasp! But, Posterous was… and you saw what happened to them. I’m not going to try to convince you to try them, instead I’ll point you to their pledge, which was what intrigued me about their service. They also wrote a non-biased post featuring some of your options for migrating your Posterous blog.
Step 1: Signup
This is pretty straightforward, really. Fill out your email, password and the name of your Posthaven site (this won’t be relevant if all you’re wanting to do is migrate your Posterous blog over). Then fill out the payment options (pictured below) and you’re all set.
Step 2: Import Your Posterous Blog(s)
Once you login, you’ll be taken to the Dashboard. On the left side, there are three menu options. Click the bottom one, Import your Posterous blog, enter your Posterous login credentials and click the blue button titled Add Posterous Account.
Next you’ll choose which blogs you want to import (pictured above) and the migration process will immediately start. After the importing is completed, you’ll receive an email saying your site is ready.
Posthaven likens itself to Posterous in many ways, but they aim to keep it simple. This is reflected in their features, but shouldn’t that be what blogging is all about – writing, instead of tinkering around with the settings and trying to figure things out?
All in all, Posthaven was by far the easiest and quickest in comparison to all the other methods. There was one issue where a picture wasn’t properly imported, this was due to an issue in the Posterous API.
I emailed them telling them about my problem, and they fixed it immediately – there’s something to be said about awesome customer service, especially when a site is just run by two guys.
Posthaven Features:
Easy: Posterous To Tumblr Via JustMigrate (free for 100 posts)
JustMigrate is a tool built specifically for migrating Posterous to Tumblr. On the homepage (pictured above), start by typing in your Posterous blog URL and the email you want JustMigrate to have for you (this doesn’t have to necessarily be the same email you use for Posterous). JustMigrate will then take you to Tumblr, where you’ll need to sign in and allow JustMigrate to connect to Tumblr.
Then you will get to choose which Tumblr blog you want to import Posterous into.
IMPORTANT: If you want to import Posterous into a new Tumblr blog, you will need to create that prior to connecting JustMigrate to Tumblr. Note that JustMigrate is only free for the first 100 posts. Below is the pricing structure, which is fairly reasonable.
JustMigrate does have some limitations, partly due to Tumblr’s own restrictions.
Below is the newly migrated blog.
JustMigrated Features:
Easy: Posterous To Tumblr Via Import2 (free until April 30th)
Import2 is typically a service that you have to pay to use when you want to import any blog (not just Posterous) into Tumblr. However, right now they are offering that service free (for Posterous) until April 30th.
To get started, click the blue Free Sample Import button and fill out the forms on the next page.
Next, you’ll need to connect Import2 to Dropbox since Tumblr doesn’t allow automated import of media files (how JustMigrate got around this, I don’t know).
Once you’ve completed the steps, your posts will begin to migrate over. Should you have any problems during this time, contact Import2 and they will help you.
Import2 Features:
Moderate: Posterous To WordPress.com (free)Importing from Posterous into WordPress.com is fairly simple. WordPress actually provides a thorough tutorial on how to do this, so other than walking you through the steps here, take a look at their instructions. I will say that this process was one of the quickest and most detailed, next to Posthaven. I was quite pleased at how everything moved over and ended up looking.
Advanced: Posterous To Self-Hosted WordPress.org (“Free”)If you have an existing self-hosted blog already, or perhaps want to create one, you might want to consider moving your Posterous blog to it. To do this, you’ll need a plugin called Posterous Importer Advanced. If you search this from within the plugins section of your WordPress Dashboard, you’ll be able to install it directly into WordPress without the hassle of downloading and uploading. Once it’s installed, simply click Activate Plugin.
On the sidebar to your left, click Tools and then Import. From the list of blog platforms, click Posterous XML.
Click the Choose File button and navigate to where you saved the Posterous file.
How do you get the Posterous file? The instructions from WordPress.com show you how. The file will download as a ZIP file and will need to be unzipped. This is where you will find the files you need.
Follow the rest of the prompts to finish the importing, including entering you Posterous login credentials, and you’ll quickly have your old Posterous blog on your new self-hosted WordPress blog.
NOTE: ”Free” is in quotes since technically the domain name and hosting aren’t free. Moderate To Advanced: Posterous To Blogger (Free)Probably the best way to migrate to Blogger, is to first migrate to WordPress… unfortunately. So if you already have a WordPress.com account, you’re one step ahead. For those of you who don’t, you’ll need to create one if you want to move your Posterous blog to Blogger. Now, like I said, that is the best way that I personally found and had success with. Some places on the Internet suggested uploading the header.xml file from the Posterous download to Blogger.
I tried this multiple times and it didn’t work. However, using the WordPress to Blogger method did. So first follow the WordPress.com instructions, then come back here for the bit on how to export WordPress.com to Blogger. Alright, so you should now have your blog on WordPress.com. On the WordPress Dashboard, go to Tools on the left sidebar and click Export.
The next page will give you two options – pick the first, which is called Export and simply create an XML file of everything on your blog. You’ll then be able to choose whether you want to export all your content, or just your posts, or pages, or feedbacks. Choose All content and click the blue Download Export File button. Now you’ll need to convert the WordPress file to a Blogger file format. There is a great tool to do this at http://wordpress2blogger.appspot.com.
Note that the file must be under 1MB. If you have a file greater than that, you can use a splitter. Once you convert and save the new Blogger file to your computer, you’ll need to upload it to Blogger. In Blogger, there will be a sidebar to your left. Scroll down and click Settings, then scroll down and click Options.
At the top of the Options page, under Blog tools, click Import blog.
Use the Windows Explorer Open window to navigate to where you saved the Blogger XML file(s) and upload them (again, you will only need to upload multiple files if your WordPress file was over 1MB).
Once you fill out the CAPTCHA and click the orange Import blog button, you’ll be all set and the posts will appear fairly quickly. Tip 1: Use Multiple Migration MethodsI personally recommend using multiple techniques so that you’re whole Posterous blog isn’t relying on a single service. Plus, some options aren’t as full-featured as others. For instance, if you want to migrate to Tumblr, I found that my pages from the Posterous blog weren’t imported. NOTE: In this process Posthaven was the only blog that imported everything correctly. All other methods had something “off” with them. Blogger had gigantic pictures, my self-hosted WordPress didn’t bring in all the text for some article, and WordPress.com didn’t import pages. So, perhaps the title should be changed to use Posthaven in addition to anything else you want to do. Even if you only want to use it as a one time solution to capture everything on your Posterous blog and then cancel your subscription, I say the $5 would be worth it. Tip 2: Don’t Forget About Your LinksIf you linked to any other Posterous sites, including your own, they obviously will be broken. WordPress has plugins that you can use to detect broken links. You also could just manually sift through them and change them (if they can be changed). Tip 3: Don’t Forget To Turn Off AutopostingAutoposting is an awesome feature for blogs, but in a time like this, it can be a social network nightmare – trust me, I’ve done it. It’s not pretty and usually consists of an apology to all your followers for bogging their news feed. Sounds fun right? Not! So don’t forget to turn this off. Reminder: The Posterous API May Be Very Slow TodayAs payback for saving this for the last day, you’ll probably run into some issues… likely resulting in the Posterous API being bombarded with hits. Although, I wouldn’t contact Posterous for support. Instead, contact the service you’re using, such as JustMigrate, Import2, Posthaven, etc. – they’ll be able to help you better or advise you as to how long it might take for the process to be completed. ConclusionAgain, out of all of these methods I was most pleased with WordPress.com and Posthaven in how they handled the importing. Posterous, it was nice knowing you – you were a good friend, but now it’s time to move on. Do you have any last-minute recommendations for migrating Posterous to another platform? If so, please feel free to share. Image Credit: Gravestone With Grass On White Background via Shutterstock The post Your Last Minute Guide To Exporting Your Posterous Blog Before It Shuts Down Forever appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 Best Free Flight Simulators To Pretend You Know How To Fly Posted: 29 Apr 2013 10:01 AM PDT
So which flight simulators are both free and good enough to use? While free flight simulators are rare to find, especially good ones, here are your best options. FlightGearFlightGear is the absolute number one free flight simulation software. Usually whenever people compare both free and paid simulators, they include one of Microsoft's flight simulators, X-Plane, and FlightGear. FlightGear is fantastic because it's not just free but also open source, meaning anyone can submit their own code to make the software even better. Others can even fork the code and continue development on their own terms. The very open nature of the simulator also allows people to create and test their own plane models. The simulation engine places a strong amount of emphasis on a plane's design and how well it flies because of that. Add-ons can also be easily created. Although FlightGear isn't quite as good as Microsoft's offerings or X-Plane, it still packs an impressive punch with worldwide scenery textures, a large amount of included planes (with the ability to add more), and realistic graphics. As such, you'll also need a decent computer to run the software if you want good performance and acceptable graphics. The free flight simulator recently got new 3D cloud and water effects included, and improvements will continue to roll in with each release. Long story short, this is by far the best-looking, most accurate flight simulator you can get for free. It's even cross platform, allowing you to enjoy it on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. Google Earth
If you're looking for something that is less taxing on your system, you may also want to take a look at the included flight simulator found in Google Earth. While it isn’t nearly as accurate or extensible as FlightGear, it offers a fun way to fly around the earth. The cockpit controls include the basics such as speed and altitude, and they are presented in a way which reminds you of a fighter jet. Plus, the amount of scenery included in Google Earth isn’t an issue because Google has satellite images of the entire planet anyway. At least with Google Earth, when you want to fly over your house, you'll actually be able to see and identify it, rather than seeing a more traditional flight simulator's random house generator. As Google Earth is also available on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux, you should be able to get the software and use it. When you launch the program, go to Tools –> Flight Simulator. If you want to do more cool things with Google Earth, check out this article. Vega Strike
Finally, if you're looking for a free flight simulator that's more geared towards fun, fast-paced gaming rather than simulation, take a look at Vega Strike. This game is completely open source and available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux (click here to check out more great Linux games), and uses 3D OpenGL for its graphics. Another thing that sets Vega Strike apart from the other two is that it is based in space, where you start out life in a cargo ship and then work your way up. You can also do things like trade and bounty hunt, so this game really focuses less on the simulation and more on gameplay. ConclusionOverall, these are three good choices which should satisfy different tastes when it comes to such simulators. Of course, these solutions won't be the best simulators out there as I still believe Microsoft's offerings and X-Plane are the top choices. However, if you like being frugal – and there's nothing wrong with that – then these are good too. Otherwise, the only other suggestion I can offer is to try X-Plane's demo mode as it includes one and Microsoft's offerings do not. However, be ready to deal with X-Plane’s methods of tampering with your gameplay in order to get you to buy the game. Do you enjoy playing flight simulators? What could be improved in FlightGear? As I'm sure there are others out there, what other free flight simulators can you recommend that I didn't include? Let us know in the comments! Image Credits: f2g2, Mollenborg, Vega Strike developers The post 3 Best Free Flight Simulators To Pretend You Know How To Fly appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Gaming sure isn’t what it used to be. I haven’t touched a console since the PlayStation 2 days, and I don’t think you’ll ever be able to convince me to purchase a new one ever again. Console gaming in the year 2013 strikes me as consisting of nothing more than overhyped first-person shooters and overly-cinematic “movie” games. That’s not my style. I’ve always been into quality gameplay.
I’m not 
Hulu Plus. iTunes. Netflix. Amazon Instant Video.
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TED talks often focus on creativity, so it’s no surprise to find quite a few fascinating, inspiring and breathtaking videos that focus on the art of photography. Many of the TED talks on photography focus on a specific element – the element of story telling. We’ve put together a list of 7 talks by photographers from around the world. Their photography subjects are varied, and their interests diverse – but the one thread that ties them all together is the fact that the photographs they display serve one purpose above all – and that is the purpose of narrative.
YouTube’s comments section is one of the worst places on the web. On an Internet already full of nonsense no sane, intelligent person would want to spend their time reading, YouTube’s comment section stands out. Whenever you’re using YouTube, you might accidentally scroll down and see the stream of useless, nonsensical, and obnoxious comments. The people who left comments on bathroom stall walls in the days before the web seem to have migrated to YouTube.
Have you ever needed to do computer artwork that involved more than simple crops and resizes? For a long time, your only real options were Paintshop Pro and Adobe Photoshop, although the rise of GIMP has provided users with a powerful free alternative. But in some cases, those tools are too powerful. What if you want something in the middle?
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The main reason most people take up pirating is, in my opinion, not out of spite. Nor is it because they refuse to reward the content creators. In the end it all comes down to usability. Pirating is often more user-friendly than paying for your content.
Things are not the way they used to be in the music-recognition department. Several years ago, identifying an anonymous song you heard on the radio required some serious work. The easiest way was to catch some of the lyrics and Google them, hoping you’ll find the right song. If you had no lyrics, you were pretty much doomed with that song in your head, until someone could recognize it from your own singing (musical talent permitting).
If you’re wanting to use your iPhone as a remote webcam, Apple’s FaceTime is probably the best option, but there are a few other free and inexpensive apps that are useful and offer a few features missing in FaceTime. I downloaded and tried out a handful, and while I found none of them to be perfect, I did discover a few that will work well in a pinch. They are also less expensive than purchasing a dedicated remote wireless camera.
If news reports are to be believed, hackers are a demographic all in their own. Well, they could be because security breaches of our personal accounts are a real and present danger. Just this February, 250,000 
For a while now, Posterous has been them home for thousands of blogs – including a few of mine. They started out marketing themselves as a way to easily blog, thus likely acquiring many less-tech savvy bloggers looking for a solution to get their blog started fast. And because of that, I feel there definitely needs to be instructions as to what you do now that 
For me, there are only two kinds of simulator games which actually get me interested – city management games and free flight simulators. However, anyone who's looked at getting a simulation game will have quickly discovered that they are not cheap. In fact, SimCity currently goes for $60, or $80 if you consider the Deluxe Edition. Good flight simulation software isn’t much different.
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