New Technology : What Are APIs, And How Are Open APIs Changing The Internet

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
whats-api

Have you ever wondered how programs on your computer and the websites you visit “talk” to each other? To understand that, we first have to delve into the weird and wonderful world of APIs, or Application Programing Interfaces. What is An API? The phrase API appears regularly in computer-science fields. But what does it mean? Well, definitively put, it refers to a tool, or library, that assists developers in writing code that interfaces with other software. These can range from the low-level tools that allow Windows and OS X applications to use aspects of the underlying operating system, to those...


Read the full article: What Are APIs, And How Are Open APIs Changing The Internet







from MakeUseOf http://ift.tt/1qIbPJo
Read More

New Technology : How To Use Your Smartphone as a Windows Microphone

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
smartphone-mic-windows

Whether you’re chatting with friends over Skype, talking tactics on a game or laying down some tunes, a microphone can come in very handy for your computer. But what if you don’t have one? While you may not have a microphone for your computer, chances are that you have a smartphone. There’s the solution to your problem: you can use your mobile as a replacement and it’s incredibly easy to set up. Make sure to leave us a comment afterwards to let us know your unique microphone tricks and whether you’ve ever used the method below. The Situation I recently...


Read the full article: How To Use Your Smartphone as a Windows Microphone







from MakeUseOf http://ift.tt/1AGpp76
Read More

New Technology : Rediscover Gmail Labels and Finally Tame Your Inbox

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
How-I-Rediscovered-Gmail-Labels-And-Finally-Tamed-My-Inbox

Sooner or later, everyone’s Gmail inbox becomes an overwhelming mess. There are plenty of tricks to deal with email overload, but there’s one right under your nose that you might not be using: good old Gmail labels. Labels have been around for a long time now, so they have almost become blind spots for many of us. I’ve been a Gmail user since its inception, but I never used labels till recently. It has entirely changed how I approach email, finally helping me tame my inbox. Using labels successfully depends on a few core productivity principles, just like any to-do...


Read the full article: Rediscover Gmail Labels and Finally Tame Your Inbox







from MakeUseOf http://ift.tt/1zOFO2g
Read More

New Technology : Which Internet Radio Sites Have the Best User Experience in the Browser?

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
internet-radio-sites

Nothing is more convenient than Internet radio. While local music libraries and cloud-streamed music are still great, web-based Internet radio requires only one thing: an Internet connection. But there are so many to choose from! Which one’s are the best? We’ve already covered Android Internet radio apps, iPhone Internet radio apps, and Windows Internet radio apps. This time, we’re exploring the web players for various Internet radio services to see which ones offer the best experience in the browser, not necessarily the best features or selections. After all, what good is a great radio selection if the player is frustrating...


Read the full article: Which Internet Radio Sites Have the Best User Experience in the Browser?







from MakeUseOf http://ift.tt/1vX2zWW
Read More

New Technology : Facebook Now Lets You Give Someone Your Account When You Die

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
legacy-featured

Something like 20% of the world’s population has a Facebook account. The social networking site has become so utterly ubiquitous, some people are unable to distinguish between Facebook and the Internet. According to Geopoll and Quartz, 65% of Nigerians, 61% of Indonesians, and 5% of Americans responded with the affirmative when asked whether they thought ‘Facebook is the Internet’. Crazy. But who can blame them? People live on Facebook. It has become a vehicle for people to share their lives, and their thoughts, with their expanded circle of friends, family, and frenemies. For a great many people, Facebook is the...


Read the full article: Facebook Now Lets You Give Someone Your Account When You Die







from MakeUseOf http://ift.tt/1vWwUVK
Read More

New Technology : 5 Habits Farmers Have That Can Boost Your Own Productivity

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
farmer-habits

Farmers are hard workers. Something you might not know is, farming is full of some very monotonous activities. Activities that need to be done regardless of how boring the tasks are, the weather, if they are sick, or any other excuse we who work on a computer for a living can think of to avoid work. Digital workers have a tremendous amount in common with farmers and we can learn a lot from them. Farmers have tried and true methods to get through the days and years doing what they need to do to make a living and support their...


Read the full article: 5 Habits Farmers Have That Can Boost Your Own Productivity







from MakeUseOf http://ift.tt/1vFL9Zc
Read More

New Technology : How to Download an APK from Google Play to Bypass Restrictions

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
apk-files-playstore

Installing an app for Android means using Google Play for the most part, but the restrictions of the interface can lead to problems, such as erroneous claims concerning device compatibility. Don’t let these limitations stop you. Download the APK (the installer file, Android’s equivalent of an EXE file on Windows) directly from Google Play (or elsewhere) to get the app sideloaded to your device in minutes. Sideloading is simple, and means that you copy the APK from your desktop computer to your Android smartphone or tablet before installing it. Before proceeding, make sure you read our guide to sideloading to...


Read the full article: How to Download an APK from Google Play to Bypass Restrictions







from MakeUseOf http://ift.tt/1CIioOb
Read More

New Technology : ClickToPlugin Blocks Flash in Safari, Lets You Watch Videos Anyway

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
safari-block-flash

Stop Flash and other plugins from automatically loading in Safari. ClickToPlugin doesn’t just block Flash: it also lets you play videos without it, or even play them using AirPlay. If you want to get more out of your Macbook’s battery, avoiding Flash can help – for this reason some Mac users refuse to install the plugin at all. If that’s not practical for you, ClickToPlugin can stop Flash and other plugins from loading unless you specifically tell them to. There are similar options out there for Chrome and Firefox, but ClickToPlugin goes even further by letting you play some videos...


Read the full article: ClickToPlugin Blocks Flash in Safari, Lets You Watch Videos Anyway







from MakeUseOf http://ift.tt/1yWpHj2
Read More

New Technology : Sony Launches Ugly SmartEyeglass, Say Hello To A Smarter Barbie [Tech News Digest]

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
sony-smarteyeglass

Sony eyes ugly, Hello Barbie speaks, BlackBerry sues Seacrest, Bing brings the Oscars, Modern Family loves Apple, and the fake selfie marriage proposal. Sony Introduces SmartEyeGlass Sony has introduced its SmartEyeGlass to the world, releasing the official app through the Google Play App Store, and is accepting pre-orders for the developer edition of the hardware. Unfortunately, SmartEyeGlass looks even nerdier than Google Glass, which Google has now taken back to the drawing board. Unlike Google Glass, SmartEyeGlass looks like regular glasses, with a full frame and transparent lenses. A monochrome UI fills your field of vision without obscuring it, meaning...


Read the full article: Sony Launches Ugly SmartEyeglass, Say Hello To A Smarter Barbie [Tech News Digest]







from MakeUseOf http://ift.tt/1CHvKwp
Read More

New Technology : What is Inside of Your Laptop?

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
WhatsInALaptopFeat

You probably use a laptop sometimes. In fact, you might even be reading this from one right now. Have you ever wondered what’s in it? There’s a lot of parts that make it tick, and it’s quite interesting to take a look at what allows it to do its thing. From a technical standpoint, a laptop is complicated, but understanding it on a basic level is quite easy. Just take a look at the infographic below, and you’ll learn all about what makes your laptop function. Via eBuyer Click To Enlarge


Read the full article: What is Inside of Your Laptop?







from MakeUseOf http://ift.tt/1JoCohA
Read More