StayFocusd fights the battle: Facebook versus work...and wins
Time-budgeting throughout the work day is difficult when the Internet's distractions are at your fingertips. StayFocusd is a Google Chrome extension that limits these addicting Web binges to a time span of your choosing so you can be more productive. Whether you want to block a specific Web site, a subsection of the site, or the Internet as a whole, StayFocusd does every of these things in configurations of your choice. Though it is intuitive and easy to use, this extension is very unforgiving; users must be sure about the sites they want to block because they will not have access until the next day.
(Credit:
Screenshot by Polina Polishchuk/CNET)
The download adds a round blue icon to the right-hand side of your address bar. This icon acts as the extension's headquarters; click on the icon when you want to block/allow sites, change settings, and set time limits. Though customizing StayFocusd is easy by clicking the "settings" link, once the time limit is up for a particular site, there is no going back. If this does not scare you, there is a "nuclear" option that blocks everything. If you still need the Internet except for a handful of sites, it is possible to block everything except for your "allowed" sites. Be sure to check out a list of FAQs in the "help" link once the add-on is installed, just so you know what you are getting yourself into. When you try to go back to a blocked Web site, a guilt-inducing message appears: "Shouldn't you be working?" The publishers are probably just trying to make you feel ashamed enough to donate; there is a link that asks for cash below the message.
More witty messages from StayFocusd
(Credit: Screenshot by Polina Polishchuk/CNET)If you do not want Facebook, YouTube, or that one blog with the awkward family pictures to distract you from work, use StayFocusd as a handy tool toward more fruitful work. However, make sure you are serious about your temporary Web diet, or else you will find yourself in regret, possibly browsing on your smartphone.
How to use App Tabs in Firefox (video)
It's a major time-killer to sift through your three dozen open tabs, looking for a needle in a tab-stack. So it's a good thing that Mozilla has given tabs some long-overdue adore in the second Firefox 4 beta with App Tabs.
Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, App Tabs are perfect for Web apps. The feature makes your must-use tabs easy to find and makes it harder to close them. Check out this tutorial to look how to use them and how they compare with the similar feature from Google Chrome, Pin Tab.
360 Panorama does instant, awesome panoramas
Shooting panoramic photos with a mobile phone can be difficult. Often times it requires doing every the work in a software app when you receive back from wherever you are, as well as trying to make sure that the phone's camera does not change its white balance or exposure between shots.
Occipital, the creators of the popular RedLaser scanning app (which wassold to eBay last month) have a new iPhone app debuting on Friday called 360 Panorama, which is attempting to change that. For $2.99, users can simply move their phone from left to right to capture a photo panorama. The end result is a single, panoramic photo that requires zero post-processing.
To use the app, users just hold their iPhone and move from side to side, capturing the area around them.
(Credit: Screenshots by Josh Lowensohn/CNET)Behind the scenes the app is actually using the iPhone's video camera, which means that users will need a 3GS or the newer iPhone 4 to use it. The app also takes advantage of the iPhone 4's gyroscope hardware to help judge how quickly you're rotating, so it can figure out what needs to be captured and where you've already been. As it records imagery, it stitches together an image based on your movement, which you can look and track to make any angle corrections. Some modern day point and shoot cameras like Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-W370 are able to do the same thing, though with a larger end result.
Size and distortions are ultimately the two things that limit this app from being as useful as proper photo stitching software. The images it spits out are quite tiny when compared with the still shots your camera takes. You can look this in the two sample photos I've embedded below (click on each to look it in full size):
A demo shot taken in downtown San Francisco. Normally this would take several shots, but 360 Panorama is able to capture it every at once.
(Credit: Screenshot by Josh Lowensohn/CNET)And a full 360 of an interior:
A 360 degree shot taken from inside CNET. (click to look in its original size)
(Credit: Screenshot by Josh Lowensohn/CNET)These issues aside, 360 Panorama is an incredibly neat, and genuinely useful app. It may have no business taking over the job of a good crisp, and low distortion still image, but if you want to quickly capture an incredible amount of detail of the world around you, it's tough to beat.
If you want to look how it works while using it, you can look it in the company's demo video below:
iPhone users can also check out OutmanTech's Video Panorama app ($1.99) and Boinx's You Gotta look This ($1.99), both of which work with the same basic principle.
Originally posted at Web Crawler
Get a free DVD-to-iPhone converter
Normally $29, iSkysoft DVD to iPhone converter (which also supports other formats) is free until Aug. 9.
(Credit: Screenshot by Rick Broida)Have you heard the news? A recent court ruling says it's not illegal to rip your possess DVDs, as long as you're not violating copyright law (i.e. sharing or selling the DRM-freed content).
So let the ripping start! every you need is the right software. From now until Aug. 9, you can receive iSkysoft DVD to iPhone Converter for free. Available for both Windows and Mac, it's regularly $29.
Don't let the name fool you: although the utility includes presets for every iPhone models (from the original on up to the iPhone 4), it also supports generic MOV, MP4, and other output formats--meaning you can just as easily rip videos for your iPad, iPod, Zune, Sony PSP, or whatever.
DVD to iPhone Converter looks and operates like most other rippers I've tried. It's easy to configure, and the episode of "Burn Notice" I test-converted came through with flying colors. (adore that show.)
To receive this fab freebie, head to iSkysoft's Facebook page, click Like, then enter your name and e-mail address in the appropriate box (Windows or Mac). Click receive keycode and you should receive a registration e-mail almost immediately. Mine arrived in below a minute.
Not a bad deal, eh? If you've been wanting to watch your DVDs on your iPhone but had concerns about the legality, now you can relax easy--and receive the job done for free.
Bonus deal: Speaking of Zunes, Best Buy outlet store Cowboom has the refurbished 16GB Zune HD for $99.99 shipped--the lowest price I've ever seen for a Zune HD. Better rush, though--the deal is available today only.
Originally posted at iPhone Atlas
BlackBerry App World 2.0 beta arrives for some
BlackBerry-maker RIM has certainly been scrambling to generate excitement over the next stages of its smartphone development and operating system release. First there were the video sneak peeks, a couple of new services (here and here), and the invitation to a press event to show off a mystery device, plus a preview of the 6.0 home screen.
(Credit:
RIM/BlackBerry)
Now, RIM has started giving out beta versions of BlackBerry App World 2.0, the next generation of its application storefront, to a waiting list.
Among other feature enhancements, App World 2.0 will introduce an option to bill your phone operator or your credit card instead of just the capability to purchase apps through PayPal. This is a personal favorite of ours, though we're also looking forward to scanning QR codes. While BlackBerry already does this in its BlackBerry Messenger app--a free BlackBerry-to-BlackBerry instant messenger--to swap user details, the new implementations will broaden its QR code-scanning to incorporate apps and URLs, similar to Google's compatibility with its barcode scanner.
Also notable will be the BlackBerry ID that will connect your app downloads and purchases to a larger user account that will overarch your entire BlackBerry experience--though we wish not in a Big Brother way.
Make sure you also check out our rundown of these upcoming features and more for BlackBerry App World 2.0. You can also receive a glimpse in the gallery below.
Firefox Home for iPhone, Firefox Sync see fixes
Updates to the Firefox Home app for iPhone and to the Firefox Sync add-on for Firefox (Windows|Mac) fix the top three problems users reported for each program, says Mozilla.
The new version of Firefox Home (1.0.1), a companion app for the Firefox browser on iPhone, now supports usernames with upper-case letters for logging in to the URL viewer.
It also inserts a help button on the log-in page that will link you to common troubleshooting tips. The final addition is a set of mistake notifications that Mozilla hopes will explain application errors with more clarity when they do occur.
The update hadn't appeared in the App Store on our iPhone at the time of writing.
Since Firefox Home is essentially an iPhone-flavored offshoot of the Firefox Sync service, Mozilla made some changes to that program a well. Firefox Sync 1.4.3 is now able to complete a first-time sync even if you're browsing in Private mode, a significant addition.
The update also corrects a problem with multibyte characters in passwords. Lastly, it adds a sync indicator on the interface to let you know your status, and how much time you have left to sync your history, bookmarks, and open tabs.
You can update Firefox Sync through the add-ons submenu in Firefox.
Firefox Sync stores data about your browsing history, bookmarks, and open browser tabs online. Firefox Home is the iPhone arm of the service that lets you access those URLs from your iPhone, as a way to keep time searching over again for links to your favorite sites. Using Firefox Home on the iPhone requires you to first run Firefox Sync for the Firefox browser.
Keep in mind that Firefox Home isn't itself a browser, though it does use the Apple-approved WebKit viewer to display your stored URLs. You can also open those sites in the iPhone's default Safari browser.
Originally posted at iPhone Atlas
Talk to text with two free iPhone dictation apps
In the battle between iPhone and Android, one of several things Android users can hang over the heads of their iPhone-toting brethren is the built-in talk-to-text capability. Luckily, owners of the Apple device can easily retort, "Well, there's an app for that!" In fact, there are several dictation programs available. Better yet, the two I've outlined below are free (for the most part).
Dragon Dictation: This completely free app--which is compatible with any iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch running OS 3.1 or later--is simpler in function than the other offering here. However, a new version was released just last week, adding several features that make it a compelling option. Namely, you can now glue your recently recorded text directly into the iPhone SMS client, and there's also an option to submit text to social networking sites Facebook and Twitter.
Taking down a text is as simple as opening the app, hitting a record button, verifying the text, and pulling up a menu to submit it to the client of your choosing, be it SMS, e-mail, or one of the aforementioned social sites. If the text isn't quite right, there's a keyboard that you can tug up for editing, though I was impressed by the performance of the dictation detector during testing. It had about 85 percent accuracy--not bad for a free program. My only real complaint is that you can't use it within an existing text conversation.
Vlingo: Vlingo is a bit more handy--and advanced--than Dragon Dictation. However, in order to take advantage of two of the most useful features, you'll have to pay for it. The app includes free talk to text for Web search, social sites, maps, and voice dialing. But if you want to activate the features for SMS or e-mail, a fee is required: $6.99 each for either texting or e-mail, or $9.99 for both. Still, it may be worth it for some users.
Vlingo is neat in that it recognizes certain voice commands, so that instead of dictating and then pulling up a menu to designate where your text is going, you simply command "Twitter update" or "text," followed by the communication you want. This completely removes the need to fuss with your phone from the equation, which should really be the ultimate goal for any dictation app. Vlingo also offered good accuracy during testing.
Originally posted at iPhone Atlas
Hands-on: Let's Golf 2 for iPhone
One of the first games I downloaded when I got my iPhone 3G was Let's Golf and I couldn't believe how good it looked on the tiny iPhone screen. I was a big fan of Hot Shots golf on PlayStation 2, the console game that Let's Golf seems to be largely based upon, so seeing the familiar graphics and gameplay on the iPhone screen was truly a delight.
About a week ago Gameloft released Let's Golf 2 ($4.99), and it is even more beautiful graphically (optimized for the iPhone 4's Retina display) and adds to the already solid gameplay of the original. The cartoon-like graphics are more detailed in the sequel and you receive more of everything that was good about the original--more golfers to unlock, new courses to play on, and extra features to keep the game interesting.
You receive an aerial view of each hole before you take your first shot so plan accordingly.
(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)Let's Golf 2 comes with 108 holes to play across six uniquely designed courses, every in dramatic settings. The courses every have their possess specific feel, with features like Aztec temples, forest landscapes, snow-covered vistas, and even a Safari-themed course that lets you play rounds in Kenya. But the scenery isn't the only reason you should plunk down $4.99 for this golf game.
In Let's Golf 2, you now have six golfers to pick from (once they are unlocked in career mode), each with a unique ability that becomes available once you make several successful shots in a row. The default character, Vincent, lets you add extra power to a shot once you've filled up the skill meter, for example. Depending on the setting and what hole you're playing, this means you might be able to reach the green in less shots than you would otherwise. The skill for the character named Chris lets you reduce wind speed to zero, which might make an otherwise very difficult shot in strong winds a much easier undertaking.
Customize your character with different outfits, hairstyles, and golf balls to adjust skill points.
(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)The game mechanics are mostly the same as the original: aim your shot by tapping the left or right side of the touch screen; tap once to start your shot; tap again when you reach your desired power; then tap again to hit the ball cleanly (it's much easier than it sounds). But in Let's Golf 2, the designers have reworked the stroke interface to make it a bit easier to receive a good shot off and the character-based special skill will help to make your shots even better.
In addition to the character-specific skill upgrades, there are now several more outfits to unlock, each giving you tiny bonus skills like shot power, accuracy, recovery (better shots from traps), and putting. This means that with the right outfit, hairstyle, sunglasses, and special ball, you can customize a character that's perfect for the challenges of a specific course.
Once the meter is full, hitting the character icon in the upper left activates his special skill (which is followed by an animation).
(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)To round out the feature set, Let's Golf 2 gives you options to play against your friends over shared Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or an online mode through Gameloft Live. The first two modes worked fine in my testing, but I was never able to find a game in Gameloft Live so perhaps the company is still working out a few kinks. Aside from that issue, in every other way, Let's Golf 2 is a very polished arcade golf game, with plenty of replay value across the many courses and character choices. For more variation, you also can play the Challenge mode that lets you compete in situational minigames--such as longest putt competitions or "Birdie or bust" holes--for better equipment.
Beautiful courses (like Her Majesty's Course in England) offer unique challenges to tackle.
(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)Overall, if you liked the original Let's Golf, Let's Golf 2 adds optimized graphics, more courses, more characters with unique skills, and enough features to make it worth the $4.99 price tag. Even if you never played the original, this game will be fun for any golf fan. If the company gets the online component working, maybe I'll look you on the course!
Start My Day lets you be lazy, but needs to stop slacking
(Credit:
Screenshot by Polina Polishchuk/CNET)
If you are like me, you have trouble pouring a cup of water in the morning, let alone hastily navigating through what seems like an endless stream of computer programs and sites. Start My Day is a desktop application that is supposed to clear your computer's morning fog by opening your selected favorite programs, Web sites, and music simultaneously. Though its main function is useful, the program has multiple bugs that make it less than satisfactory.
Once SMD is open, two messages will pop up before the application is visible. The first states that the "publisher cannot be verified," which you can pick not to look again, and the other message reads, "unhandled exception has occurred in your application." You can disregard this curious message by clicking "continue." To add programs, Web sites, and music for SMD to run simultaneously, simply click on the respective tab and select "add." When you want to run the programs, click "run every." Before they start, a message will appear saying "cannot start processes," even though they start moments after.
The program is extremely intuitive, but it has problems with some of its attributes. A function that would have been useful is the option to set an alarm for SMD to start running. This does not work. However, there is an option to run SMD upon computer start-up.
If or when the publishers decide to fix the over glitches, Start My Day will be extremely useful. For now, the option to run multiple programs at the same time is handy, but the random messages are frustrating.
Safari still crashing after update?
A number of people have complained about Safari often crashing on their systems. While Apple's latest Safari update (5.0.1) is supposed to address some stability issues with the program, a number of people are complaining of crashes. Here are some things you can try to hopefully clear these problems.
General maintenance
There are some general maintenance routines you can run both on Safari and on the system to help clear problems. In Safari, try clearing cookies and caches, among other items in the "Reset Safari" option in the Safari menu. You can also run general maintenance on your system to clear user account and system caches that could be contributing to the problem.
Adobe Flash
Since installing Safari 5, I have had numerous crashes that were Flash-related. You can look this when Flash and Adobe are referenced among the functions being run in the crashed thread in the accident report.
Try removing Flash from the /Macintosh HD/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/ folder to look if that helps. After that, if you need Flash, you can install the latest version from Adobe's Web site.
You may also benefit from using a Flash-blocking utility such as Click2Flash that will disable Flash components on Web pages unless you specifically enable them.
In addition to flash, if you have other plug-ins that you've installed, you might try uninstalling or updating them. Be sure they have been tested with your version of Safari before ruling them out as a cause for the crashes, and also be sure to manually troubleshoot them (remove them one-by-one and relaunch and test Safari each time you do this).
Input managers
Third-party input managers--Saft, Inquisitor, PithHelmet, SafariStand, and so on--can also cause crashes in Safari. Try either updating them or removing them from the system. They should be located in one of the following folders, but you should use an uninstaller if one is available.
/username/Library/Input Managers
/Macintosh HD/Library/Input Managers
/Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support
A commonly used input manager is SIMBL, which may load numerous plug-ins that may also be contributing to the crashes, so be sure to test them as well. We recently wrote an article on managing SIMBL with Safari 5.0.
Clear preferences
In addition to using Safari's "Reset" feature, you may be having problems a corrupt Safari's preferences file. Locate the file "com.apple.Safari.plist" in the /username/Library/Preferences/ folder and remove it. When you relaunch Safari, it will recreate the file. (Keep in mind custom settings in Safari's preferences will be reverted to default after doing this).
Questions? Comments? Have a fix? Post them below or e-mail us!
Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.
Originally posted at MacFixIt
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