New Technology : Sonos PLAY:1 Review and Giveaway

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
sonos play 1 featured

This is a review I didn’t want to write. I’ve been putting it off for the past month. Why? Because the Sonos PLAY:1 is awesome, and once this post goes live, a lucky MakeUseOf reader will win the two I was sent to play with. The PLAY:1 is the entry level model in Sonos’s line of smart speakers. While a single Sonos is good, you’re meant to invest in a whole network of them to kit out your house. Each speaker can be controlled separately — or linked together — from your smartphone or computer. This is what I made...

Read the full article: Sonos PLAY:1 Review and Giveaway



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

New Technology : Which Smartphone Has the Best Autofocus; How Does It Work?

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
smartphone-focus

The best camera is the one you have with you, they say. It’s no surprise then that smartphone manufacturers are pushing the envelope with camera technology. In the bid for a better shot, the new focus is on… focus. Let’s find out how technology is changing autofocus in smartphone cameras. Why Focus On Focus? If you’re wondering why they are concentrating on focus, it’s mainly because megapixels don’t matter, as much as advertisers would like you to believe otherwise. In the end, the user is only concerned with the final image, and improving on the focus technology draws the eye...

Read the full article: Which Smartphone Has the Best Autofocus; How Does It Work?



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

New Technology : Google Finally Fixes Chrome, Testing Firefox for iOS… [Tech News Digest]

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
google-chrome-pin

Google fixes Chrome, Mozilla launches Firefox for iOS, Google gets healthier, Cat Street View, Bieber breaks Spotify, and Sphero’s BB-8 droid arrives on Force Friday. Chrome 45 Sucks Less Power & RAM Google is finally working on making Chrome suck a little less. Many users have complained over the years that Chrome sucks up too much power and too much RAM, especially when one has multiple tabs open. But these issues should be less obvious with the release of Chrome 45. Rather than restoring all tabs when Chrome is relaunched, the browser will now take a smarter approach, restoring tabs...

Read the full article: Google Finally Fixes Chrome, Testing Firefox for iOS… [Tech News Digest]



from MakeUseOf http://ift.tt/1NRd9FX
Read More

New Technology : Quick Guide to the Star Wars Timeline

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

Unless you are an incredibly hardcore Star Wars fan, keeping track of the timeline can be an arduous task. Sure, it takes place “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away,” but keeping track of how the movies, books, and videos games all intertwine is hard. But there’s never been a better time make sense of it all, with Star Wars: Battlefront coming very soon, and the movies set to release before you know it. The question is: how are you to figure it out? We’ll make it really simple for you! Just check out the cool infographic...

Read the full article: Quick Guide to the Star Wars Timeline



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

New Technology : Make Your PDF Files More Accessible & Reader Friendly with these Tips

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
polish-pdf-files

Creating a PDF is a great way to ensure that your document is read just as you wrote it. No matter what device is being used, your file will be presented exactly as you expect. If you want your document to be read, it’s important to make sure that it’s reader-friendly. Unless you take the time to polish up your work, there’s no guarantee that your audience will give it the proper respect when it’s in their hands. For effective, clear communication, you need to create a crisp, concise document. Follow these tips, and you’ll be well on your way...

Read the full article: Make Your PDF Files More Accessible & Reader Friendly with these Tips



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

New Technology : Why Companies Keeping Breaches a Secret Could be a Good Thing

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
companies-security-breach

With the wealth of information online, we all worry about potential security breaches. But potentially, these breaches could be kept a secret in the USA. It’s rare a month goes by without rumblings of data breaches. Just look at the Ashley Madison leak, which saw account details of cheating spouses dumped online. It’s a big deal, and has serious consequences. Users of AdultFriend Finder had similar headaches in May. Even eBay was compromised last year. Keeping any sort of leak a secret sounds mad. But is it? It would be in the interests of the companies involved, of course, but...

Read the full article: Why Companies Keeping Breaches a Secret Could be a Good Thing



from MakeUseOf http://ift.tt/1ikCPy2
Read More

New Technology : 13 Ridiculous and Hilarious Apps for Facebook Messenger

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
messenger-apps

Facebook is constantly releasing updates that many may not even be aware of. Recently, Facebook Messenger added a feature that allows users to download and use ‘Apps for Messenger’ — a collection of apps that let users send messages in creative and/or ridiculous ways. Are these apps worth downloading? The truth is that it really depends on what you look for in a messaging app. Many of the Apps for Messenger that have been introduced so far are obviously intended to help Facebook Messenger expand into territory typically held by popular new messaging apps that focus on a single type of message...

Read the full article: 13 Ridiculous and Hilarious Apps for Facebook Messenger



from MakeUseOf http://ift.tt/1JBMx5L
Read More

New Technology : 8 Excellent Websites for an Improved Cup of Coffee

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
improved-coffee

Coffee is loved all over the world and our heavy reliance on the magical bean is the key reason behind some astonishing statistics, such as the fact that the average U.S. worker spends over $1,000 on coffee every year. Furthermore, did you know the coffee industry is worth over $100 billion worldwide, making it the second most valuable commodity behind oil? That coffee farms employ over 25 million people? Or, most amazingly, that over 500 billion cups of coffee are drank across the world every year? Of those 500 billion cups, some will taste better than others. The insta-coffee from the mud machine in your office break...

Read the full article: 8 Excellent Websites for an Improved Cup of Coffee



from MakeUseOf http://ift.tt/1L7FsKg
Read More

New Technology : 7 Things My Kids Do Online That I Just Don’t Get

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
kids-online

I admit, I was a child of the 80’s – the era of Rubik’s Cube, Atari (Pac Man!) and DOS-based adventure games. Back in the day, I was about as much of a nerd as you could get, so watching the behaviors of kids today – now that we’re in a world where digital’s gone mainstream – is a bit surreal. I have two teenage daughters, so I get a front-row seat to how kids behave both on and offline using technology. I also count myself lucky that my girls don’t partake in some of the more obscene or obnoxious behaviors...

Read the full article: 7 Things My Kids Do Online That I Just Don’t Get



from MakeUseOf http://ift.tt/1O0iqdx
Read More

New Technology : 7 Linux Distros You Can Run on the Raspberry Pi 2

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,
linux-distros-raspberry-pi-2

While the original Raspberry Pi was initially restricted to the custom-built Raspbian build of Debian, several operating systems are already available for the Raspberry Pi 2, among them versions of Linux that could not be run on the original. Forget running Windows 10 on the Raspberry Pi 2 – the real news is that more Linux distros are available for the second iteration of this fantastic little computer! Desktop Linux Distros In addition to Raspbian, three desktop-based Linux distros are available for the Raspberry Pi 2, which offer varying degrees of support for the many Raspberry Pi-based projects you might...

Read the full article: 7 Linux Distros You Can Run on the Raspberry Pi 2



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