New Technology : The Powerful Benefits of Web Annotations for Research & Recall

annotate-web

In grade school, most of us were told not to write in our books; you may even remember getting in trouble for scribbling in the margins. But writing on the pages of books has long been considered one of the best ways to engage with the text — and new apps and extensions are making it possible to do the same with the web. Why Annotate the Web? Taking notes has long been a widely embraced way of improving your retention of information — it’s one of the reasons why we take notes during class and meetings. Not only does the...

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New Technology : Microsoft’s New Arrow Launcher Makes Android More Productive

arrow-launcher

One of the best reasons to choose Android over iPhone is how you can customize every bit, especially the default launcher itself. It’s an easy way to give a whole new look and feel to your smartphone, and even extend its functionality. Now, the latest and greatest launcher comes from an unexpected source: Microsoft! While Nokia launched its Z Launcher last year, this is Microsoft’s first attempt at making a launcher for Android. Surprisingly, Arrow Launcher is pretty awesome. In fact, there are plenty of reasons to make this your default launcher on Android. Three Home Screens: Apps, People, To-Do Most...

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New Technology : Exciting Home Technology That’ll Make Raising Kids Much Easier

raising-kids

Having kids is simultaneously the best and worst thing to happen in many people’s lives. While nothing can replicate the joy and pride of your child’s first word, first step, or first day at school, there will always be that nagging in the back of your mind that your true freedom has gone forever. For the next 18 years you’re going to be lumbered with an increasingly ungrateful dependent. Joking aside, having children brings about lots of practical concerns for parents. Sadly, the world is no longer a sepia-toned 1930s utopia – evil, danger, and worry lie in wait around...

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New Technology : Amiibo, Skylanders, Disney Infinity – What’s The Difference?

amiibo-skylanders-disney

Nintendo has a habit of producing different kinds of hardware to experiment and see what people really like. That can make for some great devices (I’m pretty fond of my Wii U), and some more questionable ones (oh, hello, Virtual Boy). Nowadays, we have access to tons of peripherals for Nintendo’s newest consoles, the Wii U (our review) and the New Nintendo 3DS (our review). Some of these are Nintendo-made, and they’re called amiibo, but you could also buy Activation’s Skylanders or Disney’s Infinity figurines. All three of these options allow you to essentially buy a toy that comes to life within the game,...

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New Technology : Limited Time Only: 97% Off Huge Project Management Course Bundle

project-management

Are you looking for a way to improve your skills and launch into a new career? Generally, deep career training is a huge investment, both in terms of time and money. But it doesn’t have to be, because at MakeUseOf Deals we have access to a massive project management course that will give you the skills you need to ace the globally recognized Project Management Professional Exam. Best of all, you’ll be able to get 2-years of access to this course for a staggering 97% off the full price. That’s right, for a limited time, you can get access to this...

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New Technology : Are Selfies the Future of Mobile Payments?

selfie-payments

Payment security has been a big topic these past few years. Not only do we have to deal with the constant threat of digital identity theft, we have to worry about data being stolen from hacked companies. Is there any relief in sight? Maybe. Maybe not. One major issue is that consumers are always demanding greater convenience. That’s why mobile payment methods have recently soared in popularity. Unfortunately, the risk of new technology is that it doesn’t yet have the years of experience necessarily to build robust systems. This year, mobile payments are set to take another big leap forward....

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New Technology : Facebook Owns the Internet, Project Loon Powers Sri Lanka… [Tech News Digest]

facebook-knife

Facebook has all the users, Sri Lanka connects to Google, Angry Birds 2 released, Amazon pushes the button, Microsoft adds ads to Solitaire, and The Last of McGyver. Facebook Is Still Growing Facebook is continuing to grow at an astonishing rate, with 1.49 billion people now using the site on a monthly basis. This figure, correct up to June 30th, represents a 13 percent year-on-year increase in the number of users during the second quarter of 2015. As BBC News points out, with around 3 billion people estimated to be online, Facebook is used by half of the whole population...

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New Technology : How is the Internet Changing Your Brain?

InternetChangesBrainFeat

If you’re here at MakeUseof.com reading this article, then I can safely assume that you are an Internet user. You probably love the Internet, just like us. After all, the Internet is filled with an incredible wealth of knowledge and entertainment. It’s a fantastic tool that has enriched our lives in so many ways since it became popular. But have you ever wondered about how the Internet changes your brain over time? It’s still early in the Internet’s life in the grand scheme of things, but there are some interesting studies about how the Internet has changed us. Check out...

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New Technology : E-Sports on ESPN: How the Web Turned Gaming Pro

espn-esports

In a scant few months, someone is going to win six million dollars in a single game of DOTA 2, Valve’s popular online game. In total, more than seventeen million dollars will be doled out to the contestants. The competition is The International, Valve’s worldwide DOTA 2 championship, which was the subject of their 2014 documentary “Free To Play.” This is the largest prize pool ever offered for an e-sports competition, more than ten times larger than the prize pool for the first The International, just a few years ago. This would be shocking if it weren’t part of a much larger trend. E-sports,...

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New Technology : 4 Ways to Improve Your Opera Browser with Essential Productivity Extensions

opera-speed-dial

The Opera browser may not be as popular as Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, or Chrome. But, Opera does have its advantages, with simplicity being one. It also has extensions like the other browsers that can be added to make your experience even better. One great tool Opera provides is Speed Dial. This is the page that displays when you open a new tab and contains useful shortcuts to your favorite sites or other items so that you can, for example, see your emails at a glance. These extensions are specific to that Speed Dial area and are therefore very useful...

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