Technology & Business
My 6 best Android apps
[caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“2500”] Image by JD Hancock used under Creative Commons License [/caption] The Google Play Android App store has over 1M apps but there are a handful of apps I found really useful in 2014 and they tend to be the first apps on a new phone and the apps I use most often. 1 - Drippler <img src="https://ekiledjian2.micro.blog/uploads/2025/17ce8a811d.jpg" alt=""> Drippler is a neat little app that provides reviews, tech tips, updates and app recommendations in a well designed easy to use Android app.
My 7 Favourite Travel Gadgets of 2014
1 - Une Bobine Une Bobine is an iPhone or Android charging cable on steroids. It has a strong and flexible cable that allows you to position your device in any position you want. It can be a base, coil around another item and even be used as a smartphone stand in your car. Even when not being used to charge, you can use it to hold your smartphone for a video conference or as an impromptu tripod for taking that perfect picture.
$220 worth of Android app free on the Amazon app store
Just in time for the holidays, Amazon is offering a staggering $220US (link) worth of Android apps for free. Some are great, some are bad, but all are free. Some of the more notable apps (being given away are): Plex client for Android Splashtop remote desktop Sonic the hedgehog Fleksy keyboard (awesome by the way) DJay 2 (DJ app even amateurs can use) Andry Birds Space (ad free) much more Go check it out while the getting is good (link).
How BestBuy is preventing the sale of Google's Chromebooks
[caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“2500”] Image by John Karakatsanis used under Creative Commons License. [/caption] What is a Chromebook? Google's Chromebook is a specially designed internet connected computing device that run the search giant's ChromeOS operating system. Gartner, an industry think tank, believes Chromebook sales will triple to 14.2M units by 2017 (link). Chromebook were initially seen as the reincarnation of the dreadfully crappy netbooks so sales were slow but today many mainstream consumers see it as a viable alternative to expensive and difficult to maintain traditional desktops and laptops (running Windows or MacOS).
Canada's Anti Spam Law (CASL) and what it means and CASL 2.0
Over the last month, I received several emails asking me about CASL (the Canadian Anti Spam Law) which went into effect July 1 2014. The purpose of CASL is to protect consumers from unsolicited email messages. “Nothing in this article should be construed as legal advice. Always check with a qualified legal professional.” What is CASL There are well written white papers by lawyers that provide the legal perspective on CASL and how it impacts business'. If that applies to you, you should go find and read some of those.
LinkedIn Tip #4 - OpenLink allows you to message non connected members
[caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“1000”] Image by Esther Vargas used under Creative Commons License [/caption] The LinkedIn system only allows you to message other members you are directly connected with (first degree connections) There is a group of premium members that have configured their profiles as "Open Profiles" which allows anyone on LinkedIn to message them, even if they are not first degree connections. Open Profile Video Here is how you can message an Open Profile LinkedIn member without having InMail or any other premium membership (Link).
Google Play Music gives you YouTube MusicKey for free
We've been hearing rumours about a Youtube music subscription and 2 weeks ago, we found out it would be called Youtube MusicKey. Ee knew that Google Play Music subscribers would be given access to the MusicKey service but we didn't know when. Now we see this tweet: Set your music in motion! Google Play Music now comes w/ videos & access to YouTube Music Key http://t.co/tB5xs8UxFZ pic.twitter.com/7vU5nL3Bn1 — Google Play (@GooglePlay) November 20, 2014 Just one more shot at competitors.
You won't believe how Moleskine betrays Evernote
Sorry for the sensational title but it grabbed your attention didn't it? I have tried handwriting capture apps on tablet for years now. I have tried over 100 different stylus' with dozens of different capture apps on Apple, Microsoft and Google powered tablets. Nothing matched the efficiency of writing with pen on paper. In 2012, Evernote partnered with Moleskine to create the new Smart Notebook. This was an attempt to move the traditional world of the handwritten note into the digital age.
re-Enable Facebook chat in the Facebook app for Android
[caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“2500”] Image by Kārlis Dambrāns used under Creative Commons License [/caption] Facebook forced its users to install the Facebook Messenger app (IOS and Android) to continue receiving Messages on Facebook. IOS users are stuck but a crafty Android user has found a work around. It seems Facebook has left the chat functionality in its original app and a little app called Facebook Chat Re-Enabler will bring it back to life. The process is very simple. You sideload the APK, tun it and voila.
Court stops Bitcasa from deleting your cloud storage files
[caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“2500”] Image by Emil Indricău used under Creative Commons License [/caption] Bitcasa was a digital fairy tale story. when most cloud providers were charging $10 a month for 100 GB of storage, Bitcasa shook up the model by offering unlimited online cloud storage for on $99 a year (early subscribers were offered a $79 deal). They explained that this "magic" was possible because of their deep-deduplication technology which worked even though they claim all data is encrypted before being uploaded.