Switched http://www.switched.com Switched http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Switched http://www.switched.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Google Voice Finally Comes to the iPhone as a Web App]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/01/26/google-voice-finally-comes-to-the-iphone-as-a-web-app/http://www.switched.com/2010/01/26/google-voice-finally-comes-to-the-iphone-as-a-web-app/http://www.switched.com/2010/01/26/google-voice-finally-comes-to-the-iphone-as-a-web-app/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Google Voice Finally Comes to the iPhone as a Web App
Just as it did with Latitude, Google has circumvented Apple's arbitrary and frustratingly restrictive app approval process by releasing Google Voice as a Web app, tailored specifically to mobile devices like the iPhone and WebOS handsets. Everything you'd expect is present: a dial pad, a text message and voicemail inbox, contact search, and even transcripts of your voice messages.

Most importantly, though, when you dial a contact, the phone connects you directly, rather than calling your phone first and then connecting the call, as was the case with the previous mobile version of Google Voice. (Still, this works by dialing strange numbers similar to Google's 406 text-messaging work around.) We can also happily confirm that the receiving phone correctly displays your Google Voice number on caller ID.

Continue reading Google Voice Finally Comes to the iPhone as a Web App

SwitchedGoogle Voice Finally Comes to the iPhone as a Web App originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applegoogle voiceGoogleVoiceiphonetopweb appWebAppTue, 26 Jan 2010 14:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Switched's Essential Firefox Add-Ons Enhance Your Browsing]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/01/11/switcheds-essential-firefox-add-ons-enhance-your-browsing/http://www.switched.com/2010/01/11/switcheds-essential-firefox-add-ons-enhance-your-browsing/http://www.switched.com/2010/01/11/switcheds-essential-firefox-add-ons-enhance-your-browsing/#commentsFiled under:

Enhance Your Browsing With Switched's Essential Firefox Add-Ons

We make no secret about our love of Firefox. Sure it's not the newest, fastest, or prettiest browser, but its intuitive functionality and extensive array of add-ons make it far and away our favorite. One issue we've encountered when exposing our less geeky friends and family to Firefox, is that they rarely take advantage of those extensions -- really what makes the browser worth using, anyway.

There are countless add-ons out there, so we've filtered out the junk and assembled a list of the ones essential to every Switched reader. To make things even easier, we've put together a Switched collection, to which you can subscribe. That way, you'll know if we add another extension six months down the road.

Continue reading Switched's Essential Firefox Add-Ons Enhance Your Browsing

SwitchedSwitched's Essential Firefox Add-Ons Enhance Your Browsing originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>add-onsbrowsersfeaturedvideofeaturesfirefoxtopMon, 11 Jan 2010 12:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Access Files From Anywhere -- Even Your iPhone -- With Dropbox]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/10/27/access-files-from-anywhere-even-your-iphone-with-dropbox/http://www.switched.com/2009/10/27/access-files-from-anywhere-even-your-iphone-with-dropbox/http://www.switched.com/2009/10/27/access-files-from-anywhere-even-your-iphone-with-dropbox/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

What it is: Dropbox is an online storage service that holds your files (up to 2 gigabytes) for free, and automatically syncs them between several PCs. It also allows you to access your files from any Web-connected computer. Dropbox offers 2 free gigabytes of storage to all users, but you can upgrade that to 50GB for $9.99 a month, or 100GB for $19.99 a month. If you want a slight boost in storage, but don't want to cough up for it, you can gain an extra 250 megabytes of free storage for each new user you refer -- up to a 3GB limit.

What we like: Dropbox is dead simple to use. Simply download the application from GetDropbox.com and then install it. The installer automatically creates a Dropbox folder where you can save any files you want to sync and share. Whether you run Windows or have a Mac, or even if you're a Linux, you'll find a version of Dropbox that will work. There is also a newly released iPhone app that will let you access files from your phone, and a Web interface that lets you pull them up from any device (computer or smartphone) with Internet access.

Continue reading Access Files From Anywhere -- Even Your iPhone -- With Dropbox

SwitchedAccess Files From Anywhere -- Even Your iPhone -- With Dropbox originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cloud computingCloudComputingdropboxfeaturesswitcheddownloadtopTue, 27 Oct 2009 12:35:00 EST<![CDATA['Pixel' Flash Game Is 'Asteroids' With a Twist]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/08/05/pixel-flash-game-is-asteroids-with-a-twist/http://www.switched.com/2009/08/05/pixel-flash-game-is-asteroids-with-a-twist/http://www.switched.com/2009/08/05/pixel-flash-game-is-asteroids-with-a-twist/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The best Flash games are brain-dead simple, visually stunning, and simple enough to draw you in but not so hard that you end up ripping your computer from the desk and throwing it against a wall.

Retro-styled 'Pixel' succeeds at all of these things. The premise is simple: You control a 2-D ship and shoot bad guys. Killing the baddies causes them to explode in a burst of pixels, and here's the rub: Collecting the pixels adds to your health and fires off bonus shots that create spectacular chain reactions of exploding enemies. Also, it's important to remember that every shot fired reduces your health.

Continue reading 'Pixel' Flash Game Is 'Asteroids' With a Twist

Switched'Pixel' Flash Game Is 'Asteroids' With a Twist originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flashflash gamesFlashGamestime wasterTimeWastertopWed, 05 Aug 2009 17:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Can't Organize? Love to Organize? Either Way, Evernote Can Help.]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/07/27/cant-organize-love-to-organize-either-way-evernote-can-help/http://www.switched.com/2009/07/27/cant-organize-love-to-organize-either-way-evernote-can-help/http://www.switched.com/2009/07/27/cant-organize-love-to-organize-either-way-evernote-can-help/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Switched Download: Evernote

Evernote

What it is: Evernote is a note-taking tool that lets you store information online and quickly reference it from any Web-connected computer or mobile phone. You can clip parts of Web pages, save text, images, or even hand-written notes. It's a place "in the cloud" to store anything you might need to recall at a later date -- be it a to-do list, meeting notes, Web research, a picture of that wine label you took while on vacation in Napa Valley, or even more sensitive data like difficult-to-remember network keys.

What we like about it: We love that you can use it from pretty much any computer or cell phone. While the Windows and Mac versions let you access and save notes offline to be uploaded the next time you are online, there are also dedicated Evernote apps for iPhone, BlackBerry, Palm's WebOS, and Windows Mobile, not to mention a separate mobile site for cell phones. The regular Web site has a slick interface that easily lets you create and save notes, tag them, and divide them up into separate notebooks. There's also a plug-in that lets you "clip" content from the Web with just one click and then automatically upload it to Evernote. As if all that weren't enough, you can also e-mail or tweet notes to Evernote, where they will automatically be added to your collection.

Continue reading Can't Organize? Love to Organize? Either Way, Evernote Can Help.

SwitchedCan't Organize? Love to Organize? Either Way, Evernote Can Help. originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cloudclutterevernotefeaturesfreenote takingNoteTakingorganizeproductivityswitcheddownloadtopMon, 27 Jul 2009 12:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Meeting Ticker Puts a Price on Wasted Time]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/07/19/meeting-ticker-puts-a-price-on-wasted-time/http://www.switched.com/2009/07/19/meeting-ticker-puts-a-price-on-wasted-time/http://www.switched.com/2009/07/19/meeting-ticker-puts-a-price-on-wasted-time/#commentsFiled under: ,

Meeting Ticker Calculates Money Wasted on Meetings
Have you ever wondered how much money is being wasted at those lengthy company meetings that never stay on topic? You get ten people in a room to discuss some new project, but spend half the time discussing last night's game or the latest celebrity sex tape.

One way to keep everyone on track is to visualize how much money the company is paying for its employees to sit around chatting. The Meeting Ticker, a program written by Toby Tripp, Lydia Tripp, and Roy Kolak, is a simple Web app that keeps tabs on the cost of meeting time. Enter the number of attendees, the average hourly salary, and the start time of the meeting, and it starts counting up the dollars and cents wasted on what was likely an unnecessary gathering. Just fire it up on your laptop, turn it around for all to see, and watch your manager start to sweat. [From: Meeting Ticker]

SwitchedMeeting Ticker Puts a Price on Wasted Time originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>meetingproductivityweb appsWebAppsSun, 19 Jul 2009 08:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Recent Twitter Hack Reveals Humans Are Still Security's Weakest Link]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/07/17/twitter-employee-accounts-hacked-business-documents-leaked/http://www.switched.com/2009/07/17/twitter-employee-accounts-hacked-business-documents-leaked/http://www.switched.com/2009/07/17/twitter-employee-accounts-hacked-business-documents-leaked/#commentsFiled under: , ,

According to a post on Twitter's official company blog on Wednesday, the data of several of the microblogging site's employees was hacked back in May. Although the site itself was not compromised (user accounts are fine), the e-mail and other personal accounts of employee Jason Goldman were exploited. According to TechCrunch, a hacker, who goes by the handle Hacker Croll, gained access to Goldman's personal Yahoo! e-mail account, and from there broke into his Google Apps account at Twitter. Croll also managed to gain access to the company accounts of other employees, including Twitter co-founder Evan Williams. The cyber criminal pillaged these Google Apps accounts, collecting sensitive e-mails, calendar details, documents, and meeting notes.

Some of the documents found their way to TechCrunch, which posted those the site deemed newsworthy (without Twitter's consent, but with its approval). Twitter is, of course, not happy about this -- the documents contained financial forecasts, plans on monetizing the popular service, and even pitches for Twitter-themed reality shows.

Continue reading Recent Twitter Hack Reveals Humans Are Still Security's Weakest Link

SwitchedRecent Twitter Hack Reveals Humans Are Still Security's Weakest Link originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 07:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hackmicrobloggingpasswordssecuritytoptwitterFri, 17 Jul 2009 07:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft Debuts Office 2010 and Free Web Apps]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/07/14/microsoft-debuts-office-2010-and-free-web-apps/http://www.switched.com/2009/07/14/microsoft-debuts-office-2010-and-free-web-apps/http://www.switched.com/2009/07/14/microsoft-debuts-office-2010-and-free-web-apps/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

With all the chatter surrounding Windows 7, Chrome OS, and the recent release of Firefox 3.5, it's easy to forget that there is another major software release approaching: Office 2010. Sure, Office may not be loaded with the flash of Windows 7 and it lacks the mystery of Chrome OS, but it is still one of the world's most popular suites of publishing, spreadsheet, and presentation software.

Yesterday, Microsoft showed off the latest version of the standard bearer of cubicle software at its Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans. Powerpoint gets nifty new image and video editing features for crafting multimedia, and Outlook will include conversation style views (similar to Gmail). The e-mail app joins the rest of the Office family by getting a "ribbon" interface of its own (ribbon being the new menu system introduced with Office 2007 that changed based on the task you were performing). Office will also come in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions, a first that will lead to speed improvements on 64-bit operating systems, like MacBook Pro or PS3.

Continue reading Microsoft Debuts Office 2010 and Free Web Apps

SwitchedMicrosoft Debuts Office 2010 and Free Web Apps originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Send Faxes for Free Online

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With the advent of e-mail and file attachments, faxes have slowly disappeared. But, every so often, you'll come across a government agency, or employer, that requires you to actually fax a document. Sure, you could buy a fax machine for those rare occasions, or head to your local Kinko's or Staples, but those are expensive propositions.

Fortunately, there are several services online that allow you to fax documents and PDFs for cheap, or for free. Both faxZERO and eFax offer straight-up faxing services without bells and whistles. faxZERO will even send faxes for free, just as long as they're under three pages, and just as long as you don't mind an ad on the coversheet, and just as long as you don't want to send more than two in a day (You really do get what you pay for, don't you?).

Continue reading How to Send Faxes for Free Online

SwitchedHow to Send Faxes for Free Online originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 10 May 2009 17:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>faxfax machineFaxMachineofficeoffice suppliesOfficeSuppliestopSun, 10 May 2009 17:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Control the Weather in New Web Game]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/05/02/control-the-weather-in-new-web-game/http://www.switched.com/2009/05/02/control-the-weather-in-new-web-game/http://www.switched.com/2009/05/02/control-the-weather-in-new-web-game/#commentsFiled under: ,

In case you haven't blown your weekend yet by diving into the ADD-wonderland that is the Internet, we recommend you check out 'Effing Hail,' a free online flash game.

The concept is simple enough: Move a cursor with the mouse, and click down to control the wind. A continuous stream of hail falls from the sky, and these lumps of ice will grow larger (and harder to control) as you balance them underneath a cushion of wind in the sky. Release the mouse and the hail will fall to the ground.

The object? Gain points by guiding your (hopefully) enormous piece of hail towards the unsuspecting buildings below. Keep your headphones on because the sleazy electro-Europop beats in the background feel as though they're essential to gameplay, or so we've discovered after wasting an hour pummeling edifices great and small.

Plus, you don't want anyone in the office knowing what you're really doing.
[Effing Hail via Kottke.org]

SwitchedControl the Weather in New Web Game originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 02 May 2009 14:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>funhailtimewasterstopweatherSat, 02 May 2009 14:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Open IT Lets You Open Files Right Into Web-Based Programs]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/04/28/open-it-lets-you-open-files-right-into-web-based-programs/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/28/open-it-lets-you-open-files-right-into-web-based-programs/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/28/open-it-lets-you-open-files-right-into-web-based-programs/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Open IT Lets You Open Files Right Into Web-Based Programs


Open IT


What it does: Open IT is an add-on for Web browsers that lets you open up documents, images, videos, and other files that are sent to you via e-mail or IM directly into the Web-based app (Google Docs, Zoho Office, and the like) of your choice.

What we like about it: Previously, users of Web-based programs would have to first download, say, a spreadsheet sent via e-mail onto their desktop and then upload it to the online spreadsheet program in, say, Google Docs. Now, all you do is click on the download link in your e-mail and Open IT automatically starts up and opens the document in Google Docs into a new browser tab (or in the current tab if you change the preferences). It works with all sorts of files and Web- based apps -- we've really saved a lot of time using it to open images directly into free online editing programs such as Picnik and Snipshot, for example.


Continue reading Open IT Lets You Open Files Right Into Web-Based Programs

SwitchedOpen IT Lets You Open Files Right Into Web-Based Programs originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>extensionfirefoxopen ITOpenItswitcheddownloadtopwebTue, 28 Apr 2009 09:20:00 EST<![CDATA[How to View TIFF and PowerPoint Files in Your Browser ]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/04/27/how-to-view-tiff-and-powerpoint-files-in-your-browser/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/27/how-to-view-tiff-and-powerpoint-files-in-your-browser/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/27/how-to-view-tiff-and-powerpoint-files-in-your-browser/#commentsFiled under: ,



Slowly whittling down the number of things it can't do to make your life easier, Google has just added a new feature to its Gmail powerhouse -- namely, the ability to view TIFF and Microsoft PowerPoint documents in your browser, without having to save the files on your computer and reopen them in another application. The addition comes just a few months after the company added support for viewing PDF files in-browser.

The viewer includes a set of handy features, such as letting you zoom in and out, copy and paste text, and convert these files to PDFs. You don't need Flash installed, and you don't even need to restart your browser to get things going. It just works.

Hopefully before the end of 2009, Google will figure out a way to floss our teeth, because goodness knows they're not flossing themselves. [From: Gmail Blog]

SwitchedHow to View TIFF and PowerPoint Files in Your Browser originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>googlegoogle docsGoogleDocsnewnew productsNewProductspowerpointtopMon, 27 Apr 2009 14:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Bedpost Lets You Track Your Sex Life Online]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/04/26/bedpost-lets-you-track-your-sex-life-online/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/26/bedpost-lets-you-track-your-sex-life-online/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/26/bedpost-lets-you-track-your-sex-life-online/#commentsFiled under: ,

your Sex Life Online
You can track just about anything online today, from the plunging values of your 401(k) to the whereabouts of your stolen car. You can even track your friends' locations, although that's a little intrusive for our tastes. If you think that friend-tracking is borderline, though, wait until you get a load of the latest online tracker: a page that lets you monitor and chart your sex life.

The site is called 'Bedpost,' and it lets you quickly enter information about sex. You can indicate when you started, how long it lasted, who it was with, and even give it a rating from one to five stars. The site pledges it will never share your information with anyone and there are no social networking aspects here, meaning you won't be able share this information directly with friends. But, with a suite of charts and reports at your disposal, there's nothing stopping you from taking a few screen shots and posting them to the world. We'll just wait for the inevitable Facebook integration. [From: Bedpost, Via: Geek Sugar]

Continue reading Bedpost Lets You Track Your Sex Life Online

SwitchedBedpost Lets You Track Your Sex Life Online originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bedpostnoveltysexsex lifeSexLifeweirdSun, 26 Apr 2009 15:18:00 EST<![CDATA[Taser Sues 'Second Life' for Trademark Infringement]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/04/24/taser-sues-second-life-for-trademark-infringement/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/24/taser-sues-second-life-for-trademark-infringement/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/24/taser-sues-second-life-for-trademark-infringement/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


'Second Life' has reached another virtual milestone -- it's being sued by Taser, the world's largest manufacturer of stun guns, for trademark infringement. 'Second Life,' run by Linden Research Inc., is a virtual online community of users that use avatars to 'live' and 'work' within a user-generated world. According to Bloomberg, Taser is claiming trademark infringement, since users can buy 'Tasers' from virtual vendors within 'Second Life' and use them on other avatars (or on their own, if they're so inclined).

Since 'Taser' is a brand name, and the virtual product is being bought and sold with real currency in virtual shops that also sell pornographic material, the company contends that its brand is being tarnished and diminished. Lodged in Phoenix, Arizona, the complaint states, "All of the defendants that sell virtual weaponry like plaintiff's real ones, under the mark Taser for use in the Second Life programs and grids, also sell adult-only explicit images and scenes."

According to the Second Life first quarter economic report, its online economy is booming with user-to-user monetary transactions projected to be $450 million this year (a $100 million increase from last year). Seems like Taser wants its cut, since the 'Don't tase me bro' fiasco probably hurt sales. [From: Bloomberg]

SwitchedTaser Sues 'Second Life' for Trademark Infringement originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>expire-images:2010-4-24lawsuitssecond lifeSecondLifesuetaservirtual worldsVirtualWorldsFri, 24 Apr 2009 09:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Save Captain Phillips From Pirates in New Web Game]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/04/23/save-captain-phillips-in-web-game/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/23/save-captain-phillips-in-web-game/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/23/save-captain-phillips-in-web-game/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Save Captain Phillips in Web Game

You have to wonder. Is there any heroic act taking place in the world that won't soon be turned into a tasteless, online, Flash-based game? We saw it most recently with the Hudson River landing, the real-life pilot's challenge-of-a-lifetime turned into a game so simple a monkey could play. Now, it's the story of Captain Phillips, the US hero who stood up to Somalian pirates recently, that's getting the Flash treatment in Saving Captain Phillips, a game that's slightly more difficult, but no more entertaining.

In the game, you get an overhead view of Captain Phillips's lifeboat, which, for some reason, is motoring around in circles between the beach and the Navy vessel. You're allowed as many shots as needed to take out the pirates, and, once your mission is accomplished, you hear some climactic music as you behold pixelated graphics of the captain and one of his rescuers. Fail to shoot the snipers and all you see is "Mission Incomplete."

Fitting tribute? Hardly. Fun? No, not really. Last of its kind? Not a chance. [From: Games2Win, Via: Joystiq]

SwitchedSave Captain Phillips From Pirates in New Web Game originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flashflash gameflash gamesFlashGameFlashGamesonline gamesOnlineGamessaving captain phillipsSavingCaptainPhillipssnipertimewasterstopvideo gameVideoGamewebThu, 23 Apr 2009 10:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Verizon Guy Drills Hole Into Wedding Dress During FiOS Installation]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/04/18/verizon-guy-drills-hole-into-wedding-dress-during-fios-installat/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/18/verizon-guy-drills-hole-into-wedding-dress-during-fios-installat/http://www.switched.com/2009/04/18/verizon-guy-drills-hole-into-wedding-dress-during-fios-installat/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Verizon touts its high-speed fiber-optic FiOS service as "the top-rated broadband service in America," providing faster Internet access than cable to go along with its "first-class installation." Though plenty of folks would agree that the FiOS service provides fast downloads, one recent customer (and his wife) would vehemently take odds with the company's "first-class installation" claim.

Sam, the displeased Verizon customer, told The Consumerist that the Verizon installation expert drilled a hole into his bedroom closet, instead of the laundry room four feet away. The errant drill bit then penetrated the pricey wedding dress belonging to Sam's wife.

The dress driller apologized to Sam, and told him a Verizon representative would contact him about the damaged gown. Apparently, Sam is still waiting. There are so many possibilities here that we're not sure which direction to take -- how about, "Verizon, can you hear Sam, now?" Or, maybe, "That's the closest a Verizon installation guy will ever get to touching a wedding dress." Hey, we kid, we kid. You Verizon guys are alright. [From: The Consumerist]

Related Stories:

SwitchedVerizon Guy Drills Hole Into Wedding Dress During FiOS Installation originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 18 Apr 2009 17:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>customer serviceCustomerServicefunnyhdtvtopverizonverizon communicationsverizon fiosVerizonCommunicationsVerizonFiosweirdSat, 18 Apr 2009 17:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands-On: Internet Explorer 8]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/03/23/hands-on-internet-explorer-8/http://www.switched.com/2009/03/23/hands-on-internet-explorer-8/http://www.switched.com/2009/03/23/hands-on-internet-explorer-8/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

IE8 -- Better than IE7, But Not Much Else
Last week, Microsoft officially unleashed Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) upon the world, and most of us gave a mild shrug. Despite our indifference, we decided to put the new browser through its paces. Truth be told, IE8 has a lot going for it -- in theory. New features like WebSlices (which drops down regularly updated parts of a site from the bookmarks toolbar) and Accelerators (which let you quickly lookup information without opening a new page) have piqued interest, and Web developers and designers are excited about the browser's new standards-compliant rendering engine that should, in theory, make pages look the same whether you're using Firefox, Opera, Chrome or IE8. Unfortunately, in our testing, we found IE8 a little undercooked -- click through for our examination of some of the features, many of which simply refused to work (you can check it out for yourself by downloading IE8 here).

SwitchedHands-On: Internet Explorer 8 originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>downloadshands-onieie8internet explorerInternetExplorernewswitcheddownloadMon, 23 Mar 2009 13:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Gmail Now Letting You Un-Send Regrettable E-Mails]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/03/20/gmail-now-letting-you-un-send-regrettable-e-mails/http://www.switched.com/2009/03/20/gmail-now-letting-you-un-send-regrettable-e-mails/http://www.switched.com/2009/03/20/gmail-now-letting-you-un-send-regrettable-e-mails/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Gmail Lets You Un-Send Regrettable E-Mails

Back in October 2008, Google brought Mail Goggles to its Gmail labs, a feature that required you to finish a series of math problems in an allotted amount of time before it let you send an e-mail. This way, if you got a little too happy at happy hour, you'd find a barrier between you and that lengthy e-mail to your ex. Call it EWI-prevention (E-Mailing While Intoxicated).

The problem with Mail Goggles is that it wasn't going to stop you from sending regrettable e-mails while you were sober -- and what happens if being drunk turns you into a math whiz? The ideal solution would be to give us less tactful users the chance to undo that sent message before anyone else reads it. If Microsoft Outlook had such a feature, it would have helped us last a bit longer at that last IT job we had.

Leave it to Google, though, to bring to life the greatest e-mail feature nobody ever knew they wanted. If you go into Gmail Labs (the beaker icon up top, or the Labs tab under settings), you can enable "undo send," which will hold any e-mail you send in a queue for five seconds before actually sending it on to the intended recipient. This brilliant little service gives you a chance to hit the "undo" link at the top any time during that five seconds and stop that message from going through.

This is quite the breakthrough for those of us prone to sending ill-advised, angry, swear-laden e-mails (of which you can see some of the most unfortunate examples in the gallery below). Thanks, Google. [From: Download Squad and CNET]


Continue reading Gmail Now Letting You Un-Send Regrettable E-Mails

SwitchedGmail Now Letting You Un-Send Regrettable E-Mails originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewse-mailface lossFaceLossgmailtopundoFri, 20 Mar 2009 15:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Thief Uses Google Earth to Spot and Plunder Lead Tile Roofs]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/03/17/thief-uses-google-earth-to-spot-and-plunder-lead-tile-roofs/http://www.switched.com/2009/03/17/thief-uses-google-earth-to-spot-and-plunder-lead-tile-roofs/http://www.switched.com/2009/03/17/thief-uses-google-earth-to-spot-and-plunder-lead-tile-roofs/#commentsFiled under: ,



Tom Berge, a builder from Sutton, England, has been using Google Earth as a treasure-seeking tool, of sorts. While other Google hunters before have claimed to find lost ships or even Atlantis, Berge pursued a more tangible type of booty.

Using the popular map application, Berge would canvass nearby areas and identify buildings whose roofs consisted of valuable lead tiles. An unidentified friend of Berge told The Telegraph, "he could tell the lead roofs apart on Google Earth as they were slightly darker than normal." After locating the lead roofs, Berge would climb the building, remove the tiles, rappel down and then sell the material to scrap metal salvagers.

Police arrested Berge in February after he allegedly accumulated approximately $200,000 from his plundering, which included a church, a museum and a girls' school. Berge received an 8-month suspended sentence for his 6-month spree, after which lead investigator Detective Sergeant Chris Grant said, "he was a prolific offender up until the time he was arrested. Since then our crime figures for theft of lead have reduced significantly." [From: The Telegraph]

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SwitchedThief Uses Google Earth to Spot and Plunder Lead Tile Roofs originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crimegoogle earthgoogle mapsgoogle oceanGoogleEarthGoogleMapsGoogleOceanrobberytopwebweb appsWebAppsTue, 17 Mar 2009 14:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Voice Launches Today]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/03/12/google-voice-launches-today/http://www.switched.com/2009/03/12/google-voice-launches-today/http://www.switched.com/2009/03/12/google-voice-launches-today/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Google has a vast catalog of wonderful, or at least potentially wonderful, applications. Unfortunately, for every top-notch, constantly-updating product like Gmail or Google Docs, there are plenty of others languishing in desperate need of attention, like Google Talk. But if there was one product that we thought most desperately needed attention, it was GrandCentral.

GrandCentral was an online phone service Google purchased a couple of years ago. Users signed up and received a free phone number. Calls to this number could be set to ring any of your pre-existing phones, like a home or cell phone, and new numbers could be added as needed. This meant that, in theory, your GrandCentral number would be the last phone number you'd ever need to give out. But, the service went largely untouched after Google bought it. Today, Google is finally trying to make good on the promise of the service by launching Google Voice.

Google Voice is essentially GrandCentral by another name, but with some new, very welcome features. It seems that Google Voice is designed to work with your Google Contacts (though we're still waiting for access to the service to confirm this), so there should be no need to create a separate address book. Using groups created in Contacts, you will be able to set your Google Voice number to send different callers to different phones (for example, when a coworker calls, your office line and cell phone will ring, but not your home phone).

Continue reading Google Voice Launches Today

SwitchedGoogle Voice Launches Today originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>freegoogle voiceGoogleVoicegrandcentralnew productsNewProductsphoneThu, 12 Mar 2009 16:40:00 EST