Google’n Ur Music
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Now that Google Music is out of Beta, should you use it and what is it all about.
For those of you who follow me, you may have guessed that I have been using this since early beta days. What I have been hearing mostly on the air waves is a comparison of G-Music to iTunes. In keeping with the trend here are some of my observations on why I think G-Music has some value and should be given a shot on your to-try list.
- Windows Users: iTunes has never had a good iTunes release for the Windows platform. It has always been somewhat buggy and bloated. G-Music is of course a cloud app and works well on all platforms.
- Musicians: I really like how Google has opened this platform up to content creators, thereby allowing for an alternative to the traditional studio contract. I hope more musicians will take advantage of this and get to keep more of their royalties as well as increased exposure. As a consumer, this may not seem to have a direct impact, but, I can foresee if this takes off having access to more new content in the months to come. Plus, I like supporting the little guy.
- Google Plus: Sharing is a big deal, I really like being able to share a song or album with one of my Google Plus Circles and they each can listen to the complete song not just a 30 second sample. I can't help but think this can only help music sales and may end up help decrease piracy by making music more available.
- Storage: This was one of the original reasons that I gave G-Music a try. Your storage limit is set up by tracks or songs. G-Music allows you to store up to 20,000 songs! Based on a 3 min. song at 192kb bit-rate you being provided around 60 GB of storage. Of course this is an estimate and will vary.
Life Hacker has a really good article on Google Music and how to get the most out of the service.
Categories: All Tags: Google Music, Google Plus Circles, Google Plus Sharing, Life Hacker
8 Common Sense Tips to Keeping Your Smartphone Safe
Twitter It!Here are McAfee’s five security tips:
- Be aware: It may not be out there to get you right now, but know that it exists and that a lapse of judgment could come back to haunt you.
- Research apps and publishers: McAfee says to download broadly used apps that have good user ratings and a lot of reviews. It is akin to making sure you walk home through well-lit areas.
- Use reputable app stores: You never really know what is going to sneak into a third-party app store. The Apple App Store and Android Market are sort of the app repositories of record. The App Store can be trusted to be almost 100% free of malware while the Android Market has done a better job of cleaning itself up after the DroidDream debacle earlier this year.
- Check permissions: When you download an app, it tells you exactly what it is going to do. See an app for Mark Twain quotes that requests access to your calendar, SMS messaging and contacts? Given the nature of the app, it probably shouldn’t be doing those things. If an app’s permissions seem suspicious, do not download the app until you have gone back and done your research.
- Install antivirus: This one is probably a little self-serving coming from a security company (that is owned by Intel), but it also fits in with the above tip. Mobile security apps will look at an app’s permissions and check the app to see if it is actually doing what it says it is going to do. If it is not, a warning will pop up saying that the app is suspicious. Norton from Symantec and Lookout are both good options for Android.
In addition to McAfee’s tips, here are a few of our own:
- Pay attention: Do not go downloading apps in third-party markets willy-nilly. Check the URL of the page you are downloading from and make sure that it makes a semblance of sense. Sometimes it is the little things that you would have seen if you paid attention that end up hurting the most when you do not follow up.
- Trust no one: That includes the security companies. Every half year and or so the security companies come out with new data about the big, bad world of scary malware. Why do they do this? So you will download their offerings to get rid of that malware. Take a step back and ask yourself what the problem really is and find a way to solve it using your own recognizance.
- Common Sense: What do you do when you leave the house? You lock the door. When on a bike, you make sure to have a good lock for when you need to park it. You do not run down railroad tracks that have a high frequency of trains. You do not purposefully endanger yourself in the real world, take that approach to digital.
How do you protect your smartphone or tablet? Let us know in the comments.
via readwriteweb.com
Posted From Tekpedia Reader
Categories: All, Our Stream Tags: Android Market, Common Sense, Mark Twain, Mobile Devices
WIFI Smart Phone – At Last!
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It has finally arrived, someone with the cajones to take on the big 3 wireless carriers. A Smartphone (Android) with No Contracts, Unlimited Everything, for $19 a month.
I remember back when Google was bringing out the Nexus. Many of us were hoping that Google was going to take on the traditional wireless carriers and roll out something innovation. I not sure what, maybe unlocked phones, VOIP, etc. Republic Wireless has taken up the banner in the name of Freedom and has rolled out an android phone that does just that.
Republic Wireless is a subsidiarity of BroadBand.Com and on November 8th they rolled out their new concept of what a smartphone service should be. Currently they are only offering 1 phone (LG Optimum), which is anything but high end. But the premises of the plan is headed in the right direction. So here is how I see that direction.
Republic has developed a technology that when the phone is in an WiFi covered area, it will place all Data/Voice/SMS requests using WiFi. When you are not in a WiFi covered area it will fall back to cellular – All For $19 A Month
On Nov. 8th, they opened their doors and sold out of inventory within 12 hours, with more promised. What this proved to me is that they have definitely hit on a niche. Republic is the first to mention that this type of service is not for everyone, and if you live and work in an area that is covered with WiFi this will work better that if you are in an area without as much WiFi saturation.
Before you discount this idea, take a moment to think about how much of your life is spent within WiFi coverage. Now with the new Ford’s containing an built in MiFi, the space that you are outside of WiFi is getting smaller and smaller.
If any of this sound interesting then you can read more on the company site, and sign up for their next batch of phones. I hope that they succeed in their efforts as we can never have enough innovation or competition in this arena.
Categories: All Tags: Google, Republic Wireless, VOIP
The 10 Best Android Apps that Make Rooting Your Phone Worth the Hassle
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Android phones are spectacular little devices because they’re able to so much that others simply can’t, but one big snag in that greatness is that many of those best features require that the phones be rooted. Whether you plan on installing custom ROMs or not, you may want to root your phone just to use the great apps that require root access. Here are the ten most essential apps available for Android that require root.
Rooting, for those of you that don’t know, means giving yourself root permissions on your phone. It’s similar running programs as administrators in Windows, or running a command with
sudoin Linux. With a rooted phone, you can run more apps or install custom versions of the Android operating system. Note that there’s a big difference between installing a custom ROM on an Android phone and just rooting it. Custom ROMs may offer plenty of features that aren’t available direct from the manufacturer, but most of them can be added to a rooted phone by simply installing the right apps. That’s what we’re after today.If you haven’t rooted your phone yet, but would like to know more about the process, be sure to check out our always up-to-date guide to rooting Android phones.
Superuser Allows Other Apps Root Access
Superuser is the first app a user should install after rooting, if the rooting method didn’t do it already. “Rooting” a phone allows a user to establish total control over the device, but Superuser is the app that provides the button for that control. With Superuser installed, any app that needs root privileges to run will have to ask permission, and an informative pop-up will display with the option to give it those privileges. This app is an absolute must for any of the other apps on the list to even run.
Titanium Backup Automates System Backups
Titanium Backup is an enormously useful app. Not only can it backup apps, but it can backup apps and all their data, and it can delete apps—even system apps or bloatware. Making regular backups of all your apps (and their data) can ensure that if you ever really screw up, say in trying to install a custom ROM, that you can still have everything the way you left it should you need to wipe the entire phone and start from scratch. For more detailed information, see our full guide on using Titanium Backup.
ShootMe Takes Screenshots with a Shake
It’s a sad fact that Android ships with no way to take screenshots. ShootMe is an extremely simple, user-friendly app that rectifies that situation, but it needs the phone to be rooted first. ShootMe’s greatest feature is that it allows you to choose from several options in deciding what the trigger should be for the screenshot to take place—whether it’s shaking the phone, covering the light sensor, or just yelling at it (my favorite).
Metamorph Applies Visual Themes to Anything
Metamorph is a small app that allows you to theme any part of Android by applying simple patch files. Learning how to make your own themes isn’t exactly the easiest thing in the world, but most users don’t bother—there are plenty to choose from, made by other users who are absolutely nuts about theming. Parts of the system that can be themed by Metamorph include the lockscreen, menu screens, individual apps, or just about anything else that’s ever displayed on the screen. It’s all possible.
Adfree Blocks Ads Anywhere on Your Phone
Adfree may actually be the greatest root-essential app available on Android, and it’s one that you never see unless it needs updating. All Adfree does is block ads, but it does it for everything on the phone. Since the app works by blocking ad-serving sites at the IP address level (by modifying the phone’s Hosts file), it doesn’t slow your system down, and it does a remarkably good job. Even if you don’t mind ads in your browser, using Adfree makes “free” apps from the Market much more tolerable, since most of them have pop-up ads that tend to ruin the experience otherwise.
SSH Tunnel Encrypts All Internet Traffic on Your Phone
Recently mentioned SSH Tunnel is an app that allows an Android phone to connect to the internet using an ssh tunnel for a completely secure connection. It’s great for those times when you’ve got no data signal, stuck at work or a coffee shop that only has public Wi-Fi available, and you need to be sure that nobody is snooping your sensitive personal information as you connect to sites like Gmail or Facebook.
Tasker Can Automate Almost Any Task
Tasker by itself doesn’t require root privileges to run, but some of its more impressive features do. Giving Tasker room to do what it does best is definitely a good thing, since it can practically automate your entire phone given the right amount of power. Rooting your phone is the only way to give it that kind of access.
SetCPU Controls the Speed and Behavior of Your Phone’s Processor
SetCPU has been, is still, and will probably be for quite some time the de facto tool for controlling a rooted Android phone’s processor speed. SetCPU allows the user to exert total control over how fast, or slow, the processor runs at any given point in time. As an example, SetCPU can force the processor to sit at its lowest setting whenever the screen is turned off, but to use a range between 240MHz and 806MHz as needed while the phone is awake. For phones that have the ability to drastically overclock, SetCPU can help ensure that they don’t overheat by keeping watch on the temperature, and acting accordingly. Overclocking or not, battery savings and overall performance can be greatly enhanced using this app.
Busybox Adds True Linux Commands to the Android System
Busybox is often called “the Swiss Army Knife of Embedded Linux,” because that’s what it basically is. It’s not an actual app that you run, but instead provides all the Linux/UNIX commands that we know and love. Without the commands installed, the barebones “Linux” that Android runs on top of can’t really do too much, making apps like Terminal Emulator nearly worthless.
Wireless Tether Turns Your Phone into a Wi-Fi Hotspot
Finally, Wireless Tether. For many users, this feature is the single most important thing in the world of mobile devices, so having the ability to use it is a must. Wireless Tether turns an Android phone, regardless of carrier, into a full blown W-Fi hotspot for any nearby devices that need one. It’s as simple as that, but only rooted phones can use it.
There are plenty of other apps out there that only work with rooted phones, and it doesn’t seem likely that the carriers are ever going to allow phones on their networks to sell with root capabilities baked in. If you want the added functionality of these apps, there’s just no way around it. You’ve got to go rooted. So, if you’re convinced, head over to the rooting guide to see what’s required to set your phone free.
Know of any other great apps for rooted Android phones? Have a personal favorite that’s not on the list? Share them in the comments!
via lifehacker.com
Categories: All Tags: Linux, ROM, Terminal Emulator, Wireless Tether
Brick Android – UnBricked!
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I want to pass along my experiences in case others may find it useful. I decided to root my Vortex the other day Ver: 2.2.2. The reason for the root is that I was tired of all of Verizon’s Bloat Apps taking up the little space that there is on this phone. I found an app that did it just find: GingerBreak; Google it. I was really full of myself. I then installed ‘Titanium Backup (root) for Android‘. I backed up the apps I wanted to delete and deleted the apps, which TB allows you to do.
Everything was going fine, but as usual I started getting too brave for my own good. I deleted Bing! Unfortunatley, when you do this, it also deletes some required files and put the phone into the dreaded Verizon Loop.
So, off to Google…. After trying various restore procedures and much searching on the various errors I was just about ready to use it as a paper weight. I came across an article on rolling back the Vortex to Ver: 2.2 which is what it ships with. The procedure has many steps and the instructions need to be followed to the letter. Not an area I have ever been very good at.
The end of the story is that it worked like a charm, I was not back to a clean device with Froyo 2.2. The upside of this is that now the Z4Root app works like a charm to root the phone. I installed Titanium and removed the Verizon Apps, leaving Bing on this time.
The downloads and full instructions on rolling back the LG Vortex to 2.2 can be found at: Rolling Back Your Vortex
Categories: All, Android, Tips & Tricks Tags: TB, Titanium Backup, Verizon Apps, Verizon Bloat Apps
Syncronized Cloud
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I have been thinking about this of late, and what I would really appreciate from some developer is an app that would allow me to sync all of my cloud data in one place.
I have noticed that it seems that every time I turn around there is a new cloud storage system rolling out. Think about all of the choices you have; Microsoft Skydrive, DropBox, Google Docs, Box.net, Amazon, and iCloud to name just a few. These do no include all of the ones that give you a free 2G to join. Of course they all have their individual mobile apps as well.
What would really be nice is a service that didn’t give me anymore free storage but would provide an interface to access the various services already out on the market. I must admit that I havent done a terrible amount of researching on this topic and there may be a solution that I’m unaware of. The type of product that I have been thinking about would be a cloud application that you could log into and register your individual accounts. The app would then scan your stored files and present an interface where you could search and either open or download the file you are looking for.
Anyway, it just seems we have ample cloud storage solutions, but not an easy way to tie them all together. Maybe a cloud backup service that backed up not devices but services.
Happy Computing.
Categories: All, Editorial, Web Tags: Google Docs, Happy Computing, Microsoft Skydrive
Google Plus: Social Network Not
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In a recent remark, Google’s CEO; Eric Schmidt commented:
”G+ was build [sic] primarily as an identity service, so fundamentally, it depends on people using their real names if they’re going to build future products that leverage that information.”
This statement alone gives one pause to the point that I have been re-evaluating my opinion of Google, Inc. First off I must give Google its due, at least they are transparent on their product and what and who it was developed for, unlike other so called Social Networks. Google is a corporation and I think many of its users have overlooked this fact in our trust of a company whose motto is: ‘Do No Evil’. As a company Google will do what’s in Google best interest and come push to shove, its customers (us) will always take a back seat.
Maybe Google’s motto should be: ‘Do No Evil To Google’ or Do No Evil To Google’s Bottom Line’. Personally I find Google Plus a great service and now that I know that it was built as an Identity Service to capture my information and usage statistics to develop and market other services I will use it accordingly. Maybe we have been naive to think all of these services that Google has rolled out are really FREE. Nothing is Free, and everything has a cost to it, in the case of Google the cost is our information, all of our information. All of this information, has caused me to re-evaluate on how dependent I have become on Google’s services. I would be the first to admit I am a Technology Junkie, so one would think that I would have been more aware as I have gone down the Google Rabbit Hole over the past years. I decided to look at all of the services I use and see how I can diversify. I have included a poll below; what Google service could you not do without in your Digital Life? So, will I be much more aware of which Google Services I use in the future? Of course I will, at least until the next cool service comes along 
.
Categories: All Tags: Google, Google Plus, Google Rabbit Hole, Rob Truman Consultant
My Top 5 Google Voice Features
Twitter It!Google Voice is one of the most useful services Google provides. Goggle Voice provides users with a single telephone number that is connected to all of their other phones; Work, Home, Mobile, etc. This alone is a very useful service but it’s the other stuff that comes along with Google Voice that has made me a real fan. When you get Google Voice you get free voicemail transcription, the ability to screen and block callers, personalized greetings for different callers, and free texting.
The following features are what I find really Killer:
1. Send text messages for free or Slam It To Your Carrier.
It’s possible to send and receive texts through your Google Voice number, the Google Voice app on your smartphone, and through Gmail. To send a text through the Google Voice desktop, click Text. Then enter a recipient and your message. However, sending texts through your Gmail account keeps all of your correspondence in one place and saves on texting costs.
To send texts to your Gmail:
- Click Settings > Voice Settings.
- Click Voicemail & Text.
- Check “Forward text messages to my e-mail.”
2. Share voicemails with others by e-mailing them the audio.
It’s easy to share a funny voicemail with a friend.
- Find the message you wish to send from the Google Voice inbox on the desktop.
- Click More below the message.
- Click E-mail, and enter a recipient.
- Add a message.
- Click Send.
Note 2 Self: You can also set GV up so when it receives a call from your cell phone or any phone you specify, it will go to Voice Mail and then when you are done recording your message, email the audio portion and transcribed version to any email address, like your Evernote address or Posterous.com.
3. Create custom voicemail greetings.
Greet your coworkers with one message and your friends with another. You can even specify which phone rings based on who’s calling.
-
Click Settings > Voice Calls from the Google Voice desktop.
-
Click Groups.
-
Click Edit under the group you wish to change.
-
Click Edit next to Ring Default phones to change which phones ring.
-
Under “When people in this group go to voicemail,” you can keep the default Google greeting. To record your own, click Record New.
-
Give your greeting a title when prompted.
-
Tell Google which of your phones to call for you to record the greeting.
-
Answer that phone and follow the prompts to record the greeting.
4. Record phone calls with Google Voice.
You can record calls you receive, but not ones you make. To record a Google Voice call, press 4 during the call. A voice will say, “This call is now being recorded.” When the call is over, you can listen to the recording on either the Google Voice desktop or from the Google Voice app. From the desktop, clicking the More link gives you the option of downloading, e-mailing, or embedding the conversation on a website.
5. Listen to your latest voicemail in Gmail.
Using a Google Lab plug-in, you can play a voicemail directly from the e-mail transcription copy of a Google Voice message.
- Send voicemail notifications to your e-mail address.
- Click Settings > Voice Settings from the Google Voice desktop.
- Click Voicemail & Text.
- Check “E-mail the message to:” box under Voicemail Notifications and add your Gmail account.
- Click Save Changes.
- Enable the Google Voice player in mail feature for your Gmail account by clicking Settings > Labs.
- Click Enable next to the Google Voice player.
- Click Save Changes.
- Now when you receive a voicemail notification in your Gmail account, you’ll be able to simultaneously read the transcription and listen to the message from the e-mail.
These are only my top five favorites; there are many more features available. Take a look and see how GVoice will work for you.
Categories: All Tags: Click Edit, Click Save Changes, Click Voicemail Text, Google Voice
My Top 5 Google Voice Features
Twitter It!Google Voice is one of the most useful services Google provides. Goggle Voice provides users with a single telephone number that is connected to all of their other phones; Work, Home, Mobile, etc. This alone is a very useful service but it’s the other stuff that comes along with Google Voice that has made me a real fan. When you get Google Voice you get free voicemail transcription, the ability to screen and block callers, personalized greetings for different callers, and free texting.
The following features are what I find really Killer:
1. Send text messages for free or Slam It To Your Carrier.
It’s possible to send and receive texts through your Google Voice number, the Google Voice app on your smartphone, and through Gmail. To send a text through the Google Voice desktop, click Text. Then enter a recipient and your message. However, sending texts through your Gmail account keeps all of your correspondence in one place and saves on texting costs.
To send texts to your Gmail:
- Click Settings > Voice Settings.
- Click Voicemail & Text.
- Check “Forward text messages to my e-mail.”
2. Share voicemails with others by e-mailing them the audio.
It’s easy to share a funny voicemail with a friend.
- Find the message you wish to send from the Google Voice inbox on the desktop.
- Click More below the message.
- Click E-mail, and enter a recipient.
- Add a message.
- Click Send.
Note 2 Self: You can also set GV up so when it receives a call from your cell phone or any phone you specify, it will go to Voice Mail and then when you are done recording your message, email the audio portion and transcribed version to any email address, like your Evernote address or Posterous.com.
3. Create custom voicemail greetings.
Greet your coworkers with one message and your friends with another. You can even specify which phone rings based on who’s calling.
· Click Settings > Voice Calls from the Google Voice desktop.
· Click Groups.
· Click Edit under the group you wish to change.
· Click Edit next to Ring Default phones to change which phones ring.
· Under “When people in this group go to voicemail,” you can keep the default Google greeting. To record your own, click Record New.
· Give your greeting a title when prompted.
· Tell Google which of your phones to call for you to record the greeting.
· Answer that phone and follow the prompts to record the greeting.
4. Record phone calls with Google Voice.
You can record calls you receive, but not ones you make. To record a Google Voice call, press 4 during the call. A voice will say, “This call is now being recorded.” When the call is over, you can listen to the recording on either the Google Voice desktop or from the Google Voice app. From the desktop, clicking the More link gives you the option of downloading, e-mailing, or embedding the conversation on a website.
5. Listen to your latest voicemail in Gmail.
Using a Google Lab plug-in, you can play a voicemail directly from the e-mail transcription copy of a Google Voice message.
- Send voicemail notifications to your e-mail address.
- Click Settings > Voice Settings from the Google Voice desktop.
- Click Voicemail & Text.
- Check “E-mail the message to:” box under Voicemail Notifications and add your Gmail account.
- Click Save Changes.
- Enable the Google Voice player in mail feature for your Gmail account by clicking Settings > Labs.
- Click Enable next to the Google Voice player.
- Click Save Changes.
- Now when you receive a voicemail notification in your Gmail account, you’ll be able to simultaneously read the transcription and listen to the message from the e-mail.
These are only my top five favorites; there are many more features available. Take a look and see how GVoice will work for you.
Categories: All Tags: Click Edit, Click Save Changes, Click Voicemail Text, Google Voice
Where It Pays to Deceive
Twitter It!This was forwarded to me from FreePress.net. If you don't visit FreePress, I highly recomend the site and their Newsletter. Good Stuff when it comes to keeping the Internet Free and Open.
US Congress – Where It Pays to Deceive
Timothy Karr – FreePress.Net
Posted: 06/28/11 08:06 AM ET
Why are more than 70 House Democrats helping AT&T lie to you?
They just signed on to an industry letter that was so riddled with misinformation about AT&T's proposed merger with T-Mobile it's shocking that anyone would put their name on it.
All told these representatives raked in more than $1.8 million in campaign contributions from AT&T. That money likely helped convince them to look the other way as they signed a letter in support of AT&T's attempt to form a telecommunications colossus that rivals the Ma Bell monopoly of old.
These members of Congress should be working for us. But sadly, that's not the way Washington works in the new era of corporate politics. After the Citizens United decision, the cost of running for Congress has spiraled upward giving cash-rich corporations even more power to dictate policy to money-hungry candidates.
This letter is no exception.
Fewer Jobs
In it the Democrats write that AT&T's takeover will "require billions of dollars in private investment capital and create thousands of jobs."
That's untrue: AT&T has already told Wall Street that "synergies" from the merger will result in billions of dollars less investment and massive layoffs. Analysts estimate that between 20,000 and 25,000 T-Mobile employees will lose their jobs if regulators approve the deal.
I challenge any one of these signing Democrats to find a large merger in the long history of telecommunications that hasn't led to extensive layoffs.
And AT&T has a frightening track record on firing. Over the past decade, as it grew massively through mergers, AT&T has shed more than 100,000 workers — reducing its employee rolls in eight of the last nine years. AT&T laid off 12,000 workers in 2009; in 2010 its number of employees dropped by more than 15,000. And the company has let go nearly 6,000 employees in the first quarter of 2011.
Universal Access
In the letter the Democrats also state that AT&T's takeover of T-Mobile would "be a significant benefit for the millions of Americans that may not otherwise see those benefits, including our constituents living in rural and underserved communities."
This is also false: Earlier this month, AT&T told the FCC that, even without the merger, it will deploy next generation "4G" services to 97 percent of the population by the end of 2012. And AT&T's rival Verizon has pledged to cover its entire footprint with 4G LTE service — 98 percent of Americans — by 2014.
So it's fair to assume that competitive pressure will force AT&T to serve these areas with its own advanced network, regardless of the merger. If AT&T fails to offer wireless coverage to consumers, there is no doubt that it will cede significant market share to Verizon — something AT&T is loath to do.
The Facts
These members of Congress seem willing to overlook evidence that's obvious to anyone following the debate.
If this deal goes through, just two companies, AT&T and Verizon, would control nearly 80 percent of the mobile market in America. With too few choices, mobile phone users would face higher prices and poorer services. The lack of competitive pressure will stifle the sorts of innovation that the U.S. needs to stay ahead in a world where billions of people are using their mobile phones in increasingly inventive ways.
In any other industry, allowing this much concentration, especially without any meaningful regulatory oversight, would be unthinkable.
By comparison, the top 10 oil producing firms combined control less than 80 percent of the U.S. market, but this merger will give that level of market dominance to just two wireless companies.
AT&T knows that it can't win approval of this merger by telling the truth. That's why it has spent $200 million on lobbyists and campaign contributions over the years — to get people like these Democrats in the House to do whatever AT&T wants.
Our elected officials should be looking out for us, not just big corporations. Opposing this massive merger would be a good start.
Follow Timothy Karr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TimKarr
Categories: All Tags: Citizens United, Twitter, Universal Access, Wall Street
