Hands-On First Impressions of Pushbullet for iOS, Mac, and Safari [iOS Blog]
Following the release of Pushbullet for iOS, Mac, and Safari, we have been testing out the new software to see how well it keeps notifications, links, photos and other files in sync between devices. Pushbullet is the marriage of AirDrop, Notifyr and other OS X Yosemite features in one package, but is it a worthwhile alternative? Find out our first impressions in our hands-on video ahead.
The process of setting up Pushbullet takes just a few minutes. Depending on which platforms or web browsers you want to send and receive links and files between, download the Pushbullet apps or extensions that you need and make sure that iOS to Mac notifications and universal copy and paste are enabled in each app’s preferences. iOS and Mac apps are available alongside Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Opera extensions.
You can optimize your experience further by going into the Mac app’s preferences and checking off specific apps that you would like to receive iOS notifications from. For instance, if you already receive mail notifications on your desktop, then you probably don’t need Pushbullet pushing the same mail notifications from your iPhone. Notification settings can be configured for both stock and third-party apps.
Pushbullet for iPhone has four tabs: Pushbullet, Contacts, Channels and Settings. The main launch screen allows you to compose a message, add links, attachments or maps, and send it to another device you have set up Pushbullet on. Contacts displays a list of your paired devices, contacts and subscriptions. Channels provides push notification feeds that you can subscribe to. Last, the Settings tab gives you a few options such as your choice of Safari or Chrome for opening links and Apple Maps or Google Maps for opening addresses.
While much of its core functionality is already possible through other apps and services, Pushbullet for the most part has proved to be a faster and more reliable solution for quickly sending notes, links, files and more between a smartphone and computer or vice versa. Channels also provide a great way for receiving notifications from a particular source so that you can stay informed at all times.
Overall, Pushbullet is a worthwhile recommendation for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Safari users that are looking to move lots of content between devices. Pushbullet for iOS [Direct Link], Pushbullet for Mac [Direct Link] and the Safari extension are all free to download, making the software an even more valuable option for multi-device users.
YouTube Begins Using HTML5 Instead of Flash for Default Video Playback [iOS Blog]
YouTube yesterday announced it has begun using HTML5 video by default for all playback on its website, marking a substantial step in its gradual move away from Flash. The company states the new default will work in most popular web browsers including Safari.
Richard Leider, Engineering Manager for YouTube, reiterated on the adaptability of HTML5 over Flash and the use of the former’s capabilities beyond a simple web browser. With YouTube’s extension to devices like gaming consoles, and even the Apple TV, the benefits of dropping Flash became far more apparent over the years.
Over the last four years, we’ve worked with browser vendors and the broader community to close those gaps, and now, YouTube uses HTML5 by default in Chrome, IE 11, Safari 8 and in beta versions of Firefox.
The benefits of HTML5 extend beyond web browsers, and it’s now also used in smart TVs and other streaming devices.
The new shift to HTML5 will allow better video streaming in adjustment to shifting network conditions, quicker video playback, easier access to 60 FPS HD and 4K content, with updates to encrypted media extensions that will allow the service to overall be “faster and smoother.”
Despite having long dominated web video and other interactive content, Flash has been under fire for years over performance and security issues. Back in 2010, Steve Jobs famously wrote an open letter, his “Thoughts on Flash,” to address the ongoing controversy over Apple’s refusal to support Flash on its iOS devices. After summing up a series of shortcoming of Flash, Jobs end his letter by suggesting “Adobe should focus more on creating great HTML5 tools for the future, and less on criticizing Apple for leaving the past behind.” 
Your Facebook feed is going to be unbearable during the Super Bowl
The Super Bowl, the enormous advertising event that has some American Football between the commercial breaks, takes place this Sunday. If you’re not a fan, then you may have wanted to find some respite inside your Facebook feed but, unfortunately, that avenue has been closed off this year. According to Reuters, the social network is hoping to muscle in on Twitter’s real-time advertising turf by letting businesses target users depending on what messages they post.
For example, if you post a status mentioning New England, Patriotism or the inflation levels of a football, then a flashy clip sponsored by Toyota might pop up. In many ways, the move is an attempt to capture the instant-reaction adverts that brands like Oreo post to Twitter whenever an event happens in-game. Also, considering that the price of a regular TV spot during the event is around $4.5 million per 30-seconds, targeted advertising gives companies a cheaper, more effective way to reach prospective customers. It’s just a shame that no-one asked us if we wanted to be distracted in this way.
Filed under: Internet, Facebook
Source: Reuters
Video chat and screen sharing are coming to Slack following recent acquisition
Slack, the popular team communication service, has just acquired Screenhero, a service that specializes in voice, video and screen sharing. Screenhero began around the same time as Slack, and now they’re joining forces. In the coming months, we’ll start to see video chat, voice chat, screen sharing and a number of new features roll out to Slack. From now until Screenhero is completely integrated with Slack, users on the Standard or Plus Plans will be able to try Screenhero for free. Unfortunately, new paid users won’t be able to sign up for Screenhero for the time being.
Once the integration is complete, Screenhero as a standalone service will shut down. The Slack team assures us that a “generous notice period and transition plan” will be provided prior to the shutdown.
We use Slack here at Android Authority, and we couldn’t be happier about this acquisition. It already provides a speedy central hub for all internal communications (as well as a smooth Android app), so we’re really excited to see what Screenhero brings to the table.
The Slack team didn’t provide any information as to when the integration will be complete, so we’ll likely just have to wait for updates in the coming months. If your Slack team is on a Standard or Plus Plan, head to this link to get more information about trying Screenhero out for free.
Verizon increasing upgrade and activation fees to $40 in February
Bad news, Verizon folks. The carrier is upping their activation and upgrade fees to $40 starting February 5th. The current activation fee is $35, while the upgrade fee is $30. If you’ve been considering upgrading your device and want to save a few bucks, you may want to go ahead and knock that out in the next week.
Verizon isn’t the only carrier that charges upgrade fees, and AT&T’s have been sitting at $40 for a few months. You can avoid these activation fees if you go onto an installment plan like Verizon Edge or AT&T Next, anyway, so if you’re on one of those programs, this news may not affect you at all.
source: Phone Scoop
Come comment on this article: Verizon increasing upgrade and activation fees to $40 in February
Spotify partners with Sony and will replace Music Unlimited globally with Playstation Music
Spotify has partnered up with Sony to bring a new service to consumers under the branding of Playstation Music. This new content service will be replacing the current Sony Music Unlimited service and will be launching in February in 41 markets including the US, Canada, Mexico and Brazil. The new service will launch for Sony’s […]
The post Spotify partners with Sony and will replace Music Unlimited globally with Playstation Music appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
How to easily back up and restore your Mac with Time Machine
Time Machine is OS X Yosemite’s “OS X 10.10 Yosemite reviews, features, apps, help, and how-to”)’s built-in backup software. It was introduced with OS X 10.5 Leopard and has been there ever since. If you’ve never used it, please start. Time Machine is absolutely the easiest way to back up your Mac, and is great for recovering individual files you’ve deleted or restoring your entire hard drive in the event of a catastrophe.
In this how to, I’m going to cover two aspects of using Time Machine — how to set it up initially and how to restore individual files. You can also use Time Machine to restore the entire contents of your hard drive with your OS X Recovery Partition.
To set up a Time Machine backup
Time Machine works with any hard disk connected to your computer using USB, FireWire or Thunderbolt.
- Select the Time Machine icon from the Menu.
- Select Open Time Machine Preferences…
- If Time Machine is off, set the slider to on.
- Select the disk you want to use as a Time Machine backup.
- Time Machine will set the hard drive up for backups and will automatically start the first backup within two minutes.
Time Machine backs up the entire contents of your hard disk, hourly, daily and weekly.
You don’t need to use just a hard drive connected to your Mac, either. Time Machine also works on backup disks connected over a network, provided the disks support Apple File Protocol (AFP) file sharing. As long as the disk is available to your Mac, you can use it for a Time Machine backup.
Time Machine also works with Apple’s Time Capsule. Time Capsule is a device connected to your local Wi-Fi network that provides network routing capabilities as well up to three terabytes of storage for local Time Machine backups. All the Macs on your local network can back up to a Time Capsule.
To restore individual files from a Time Machine backup
- Select the Time Machine icon from the Menu.
- Select Enter Time Machine.
- You’ll be taken to the Time Machine window. Here you can navigate to the file or folder you need to retrieve.
- Locate the file or folder and click the Restore button.
- Time Machine will copy that file back to its original location on your hard disk.
To restore the complete contents of your hard drive from a Time Machine backup
- Power up your Mac and hold down the command and R keys to enter the Recovery Partition. Your Mac should boot to a screen that says OS X Utilities.
- Select Restore from Time Machine Backup and click Continue.
- Read the info on the Restore Your System page and click Continue.
- Select your Time Machine backup and click Continue.
- Select the most recent backup of your hard disk and click Continue. Your Mac will then restore the Time Machine backup; once it’s done it will restart.
If you’ve had to replace your Mac’s hard drive with a raw drive fresh out of the box, there’s no recovery partition to restore from. But fear not, you can get the recovery rolling from the Time Machine backup disk itself. Just hold down the Option key when you start your Mac; you’ll be able to select the Time Machine backup disk as your startup, instead.
I hope this helps you get rolling with Time Machine. If you’re not using it, I strongly recommend you give Time Machine a try. You never know when you’ll have to recover a file or a disk, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Do you use Time Machine? If not, why? Let me know in the comments, I want to hear from you!
Note: Updated for OS X Yosemite.
Chrome figurine unveiled by Dead Zebra
Another day, another Android figurine unveiled by Dead Zebra. And this member of the Android Mini Collectible Series 05 was designed by Google itself. The fourth series featured gold and chrome green figurines and here we have a true chrome variant. Apparently, there was a substantial demand for a true chrome. The Chrome figurine is shiny and reflective all around.
Here is a recap of the previous Android Mini Collectibles Series 05 figurines:
Hit the break to see another picture of the Chrome figurine.
Each figurine is expected to retail for around $10.
Source: Dead Zebra
Come comment on this article: Chrome figurine unveiled by Dead Zebra
FTC Levies $40M Fine Against TracFone for Throttling Unlimited Data Customers
In recent months, the Federal Trade Commission has taken a significant interest in carrier throttling practices and today handed down a ruling that could have future ramifications for carriers who throttle their unlimited customers.
As reported by Re/code, the FTC has ordered prepaid wireless carrier TracFone to pay $40 million to consumers who paid for unlimited service and were then throttled after reaching certain data limits.
TracFone advertised “unlimited text, talk, and data” for $45 a month under the brands Straight Talk, Net10, Simple Mobile, and Telcel America, and until September 2013, did not clearly disclose its throttling policies that saw customers experiencing data speeds that were cut by up to 90 percent, thereby violating the FTC Act.
While this ruling only affects TracFone at the current time, there are several other carriers that have similar practices for their unlimited customers. AT&T and Verizon no longer offer unlimited data plans, but continue to provide unlimited data for many people who remain on grandfathered plans. AT&T has engaged in throttling practices for years, often cutting off customers who exceed 5GB of LTE data usage.
“The issue here is simple: when you promise consumers ‘unlimited,’ that means unlimited,” said Jessica Rich, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “This settlement means that Straight Talk, Net10, Simple Mobile, and Telcel America customers will be able to get money back from the company for services the company promised but didn’t deliver.”
Last year, Verizon planned to throttle its high-usage unlimited data LTE customers, sparking interest from FCC chairman Tom Wheeler, who said he was “deeply troubled” by the decision. Verizon ultimately reversed course and opted not to throttle its unlimited customers, but the FCC’s attention was already roused, and the agency began questioning all carriers on their unlimited throttling practices.
The government’s interest in carrier throttling practices led the FTC to file a federal complaint against AT&T in October of 2014, accusing the carrier of misleading its smartphone customers by charging them for unlimited data and then going on to reduce data speeds. Based on today’s TracFone decision, AT&T may also be facing hefty fines in the future, and the FTC’s ongoing interest in carrier throttling of unlimited customers could finally put an end to the practice.
OneDrive improves its photo albums for its web, iPhone and iPad users
Microsoft has just announced some improvements to its storage service that will offer users a better look at their photos, along with new search features. Those changes and additions are currently available on the web and in the newly updated app for the iPhone and iPad.
Microsoft described the new photo viewing user interface for OneDrive, which it is calling Albums. It stated:
Unlike traditional folders, Albums let your photos stand front and center. Thumbnails are larger, photos are edge-to-edge, and everything is arranged together into a beautiful collage. When you open a photo, it now fills up the whole screen. Information details are still available, but from a pop-up menu, so now your photos stand out like they were always meant to! Albums also let you bring photos and videos together from anywhere in your OneDrive. You don’t need to copy files from other folders. That means you can easily create an album using photos from your phone in your camera roll folder, your camera in your “European Vacation 2012″ folder, or from your email, with the photos you saved to your attachments folder. And even more, you can also add to your albums after they’ve been created and shared.
OneDrive will start using Bing search technology in a new way for both photos and documents. Microsoft stated:
You can now search for Office documents and PDFs by text inside of them and photos based on time, location, or text that is extracted from images themselves. You can also search for photos based on tags – both ones you manually created and ones that we’ve automatically identified.
In addition, the new OneDrive iOS update adds support for 1Password users.
- Free – Download now
Source: Microsoft
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