The 12 best apps for your new Android device

Best Android apps for your new device
So, you found a brand-new Android device under the tree a few days ago. Congratulations! Now what? In this post I'm going to recommend the very best apps to get off on the right foot with Android. If you've been using Android for a while, chances are you know most of these. Still, you might find a hidden gem or two. These are all based on my own use, so while the list is subjective in nature, these are not just shiny apps we've noticed in the market -- they have all been tested in real life for quite some time. Here goes:


Continue reading The 12 best apps for your new Android device

The 12 best apps for your new Android device originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/30/the-12-best-apps-for-your-new-android-device/

HON HAI PRECISION IND HYNIX SEMICONDUCTOR INFOSYS TECHNOLOGIES

A Concept Screwdriver Case Smartly Transforms Into the Screwdriver Itself [Tools]

This concept, Soft Screwdriver by Arthur Xin, cleverly houses screwdrivers of different varieties in a sweet looking pouch. Like bullets, almost. What's clever about the design is that when you roll the pouch together, you create the handle for your screwdriver. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/eM3KiEA434E/a-concept-screwdriver-case-transforms-into-the-screwdriver-itself

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How to check how readable your Microsoft Word document is

Readability
This week's series of tips will be focusing on handy little features for Microsoft Excel and Word. To see the previous tips, check our Tips index.

If you use difficult words, your documents will be difficult to read and understand. That's a fairly basic statement; fortunately, there have been several smart people who took this statement and created formulas that help you quickly see how readable your document is.

It turns out Microsoft Word can be made to show "readability statistics" using these formulas. This could help you write simpler, clearer text, and hit the level of comprehension you're trying to reach. Here's how to enable readability statistics in Word 2010:

  • Click the File tab, and then click Options
  • Click Proofing
  • Under When correcting spelling and grammar in Word, make sure Check grammar with spelling is selected.
  • Select Show readability statistics
(These instructions come from Microsoft's documentation, where you can find similar instructions for Outlook, too.)

Once readability statistics are enabled, run a spell check on your document. At the end of the spell check you'll get a new dialog with all sorts of interesting numbers, such as average sentences per paragraph, words per sentence, and characters per word. You will also get three different readability grades, which you can use to easily judge your document's level.

How to check how readable your Microsoft Word document is originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/13/how-to-check-how-readable-your-word-document-is/

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Kongregate Arcade for Android is a pocket gamer's dream come true

If you're a fan of casual games, chances are good you've visited Kongregate once or twice before. The site is packed with addictive little Flash games, many of which have been featured before as Time Wasters here on Download Squad. Now, there's a Kongregate Arcade app for Android which lets you take the games with you on your mobile device.

Fire up Kongregate Arcade, browse or search for a game, download it to your Android device, and you're ready to play. The games are all mobile-optimized, and those we tested worked quite nicely with touchscreen input. There are plenty of great games available via Kongregate Arcade, like Monster Slayers, Ink Ball, and Assembler. If you've been saying to yourself "I wish there was a way I could game, chew up my battery, and devour all the free space on my microSD card all at the same time!" your prayers have finally been answered!

Android 2.2 or better is required, as is Adobe Flash (obviously). Kongregate is a free download from the Android Market -- hit the link below to install, or take the jump for the QR Code!

Download Kongregate Arcade for Android [AppBrain]

Continue reading Kongregate Arcade for Android is a pocket gamer's dream come true

Kongregate Arcade for Android is a pocket gamer's dream come true originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/18/kongregate-arcade-for-android-is-a-pocket-gamers-dream-come-tru/

LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS LAWSON SOFTWARE

Move Outlook notes to Evernote easily with a free script

Microsoft Outlook lets you export your notes, but your file type choices are pretty limited. The same can be said for Evernote's import feature, which only handles its own export files or Microsoft OneNote 2007 or newer. Thankfully, a gent named Richard was kind enough to point us toward a script he created to make moving notes from Outlook to Evernote as easy as possible.

Download his outlook2evernote ZIP file and run the included VBS. A command prompt window will open, and you'll be prompted to allow access to Outlook -- which you'll want to grant, of course. When the script has completed, an Evernote-ready .enex file will be waiting for you in your Documents folder. All that's left is to hit File > Import in Evernote and you've migrated your Outlook notes.

Richard's script also preserves timestamps and trims the first line of any note which matches the subject. It's a handy little script, and it just works.

Download outlook2evernote

Move Outlook notes to Evernote easily with a free script originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/17/move-outlook-notes-to-evernote-easily-with-a-free-script/

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Tasty Static is a fun SkyRoads re-make -- Time Waster

tastystatic
First off, let me preface this time waster by saying it requires a download. That's right - this is not a Flash game, and you have to run it from your own computer. But it is free and available for Windows, OS X and Linux, and this is Download Squad after all.

Last week I wrote about a time waster called Flyde, saying it really reminded me of an old game I used to play as a kid, but couldn't remember its name. Commenter TnS was the first to point out I'm talking about SkyRoads. Of course, I immediately went to Wikipedia to read all about this old favorite of mine, and that's where I found a modern re-make: Tasty Static.

Tasty Static is fast. Just like SkyRoads, you drive a race car along a track that hangs in space, and you must constantly jump and move left and right to keep the track under your vehicle. Press UP to accelerate, LEFT and RIGHT to turn, and SPACE to jump. If you're chicken, you can also press DOWN to slow down. You know you shouldn't, though.

By default, the resolution is just 640x480, but it's not like you're missing out on a lot of detail. The graphics can be described as rudimentary at best - there are just enough pixels on the screen for you to see the road and the obstacles. But hey, that's what retro is all about, right?

Tasty Static is a fun SkyRoads re-make -- Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/12/tasty-static-is-a-fun-skyroads-re-make-time-waster/

INVENTEC

Kindle lands in Mac App Store, iOS app updated

Kindle on the Mac App StoreSignaling what is hopefully the beginning of major adoption of app stores by big-name developers, the Kindle e-book reader is now available from the Mac App Store. It's free to download, and seemingly the same version that you could previously download direct from Amazon.

In other news, the Kindle for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch app has also been updated. It now supports the background downloading of books, on devices with iOS4; and you can finally access public domain books from Project Gutenberg and other similar resources.

With Amazon now on board, a huge question mark still lingers over developers like Adobe and Microsoft. Will we see Office for Mac or Adobe Photoshop in the Mac App Store? Will the 30% revenue cut scare them off? Real-world publishing, with disc pressing, boxing, distribution, advertising and obtaining shelf space costs more than 30%!

Let's not forget Steam, either. Developers and publishers weren't overly comfortable with Valve's digital distribution service, either; but look how it's turned out!

Kindle lands in Mac App Store, iOS app updated originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/11/kindle-lands-in-mac-app-store-ios-app-updated/

SES

Cocoon hands on: the one-shot solution to private and secure Firefox browsing

Cocoon
A lot has been said about safe, secure surfing in recent months. Firesheep brought the necessity for HTTPS (and WPA-encrypted WLAN) into the limelight, and the Gawker Media breach reminded all of us that no one is safe.

The truth is, if you want to stay secure on the Web, you have to take a proactive stance. You need to install LastPass or KeePass, and using HTTPSEverywhere is a very good idea too. A good anti-virus suite like Microsoft Security Essentials is a necessity, and get into the habit of regularly scanning with Malwarebytes.

Alternatively, you can scrap everything and just use Cocoon, a service that proposes to solve all of your privacy and security problems in one fell swoop. There is a 45-day free trial, and it requires Firefox 3.6.13. I suggest you install it, and then read on!

Continue reading Cocoon hands on: the one-shot solution to private and secure Firefox browsing

Cocoon hands on: the one-shot solution to private and secure Firefox browsing originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/13/cocoon-hands-on-the-one-shot-solution-to-private-and-secure-fir/

KEY

Google's H.264 Move: The 'Right Thing' or the 'Worst Thing' for Web Standards?

As one of the titans of not just the computing world in general but the open source world as well, Google tends to make waves every time it makes a move. It's not often, though, that its moves cause a virtual typhoon of controversy. That, however, is pretty much what followed the search giant's announcement last week that it would soon drop support for the H.264 codec in its Chrome browser.

Source: http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/71686.html

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