Hasta La Gadget!

Nov 14

WrapUp: Apple Creating 3D User Interface, Microsoft Thumbtack, and More

This article was written on December 15, 2008 by CyberNet.

Welcome to the WrapUp by CyberNet. This is a collection of news stories, downloads, and tips that we have collected over the last few days, but never got around to writing about. Don’t forget to send in your own tips, or just leave a comment on this page if you think you’ve got something we should include.

–News–

Google Chrome Leaves Beta Phase
Google is notoriously known for how long they keep their products in a Beta phase, but it looks like their web browser isn’t a part of that same group. That’s right, the first non-Beta release is available. They are claiming to have sped up JavaScript even more since the first Beta went out, and have of course increased stability.

Microsoft Introduces Thumbtack
Microsoft has developed a free online service that wants to be the sole source of all your notes. Thumbtack, as they’ve called it, will let you save links, photos, and anything else you find on the web. It will be interesting to see whether they try to turn this into an Evernote competitor, or if this is something they’re just kinda doing on the side.

Gmail Keeps Getting Better
Gmail is on fire when it comes to pushing out new features. In the last week Google has released numerous new features that we’ve all been clamoring to get our hands on. This includes task management, full PDF previewing (thanks to Google Docs), and SMS messaging via the chat interface. I have to hand it to Google for making people actually want to visit Gmail instead of just using a mail client.

Apple Boasts 300 Million App Downloads
Apple’s App Store is growing very rapidly, and they have the numbers to prove it. Over the last 5-months it has dished out over 300 million downloads and currently serves as the home to over 10,000 different apps. Some people doubted whether developers were willing to take on yet another platform, but it looks like they are.

Vista SP2 Beta Download Available
We had previously written about how to get your hands on Vista Service Pack 2 using Windows Update, but now you can get it straight from Microsoft as a single download. Just remember, this is a Beta and so it could have stability problems. [our article]

Flickr Mobile Updated
Flickr has revamped their mobile site, and with it comes video support. iPhone and Android users will notice that they can also watch Flickr videos right from the mobile interface, and support for more devices will be coming soon.

Windows 7 Beta 1 Coming January 13th
Some people are predicting that Windows 7 could be shipping as early as April/May 2009, but before we get to that point Microsoft has to make some Beta releases available. As it stands right now Beta 1 could be coming in less than a month. [Windows 7 review]

Firefox Extension Makes Piracy Easier on Amazon
A new Firefox extension that was temporarily available looked to see what you were viewing on Amazon, and provided a link to the Pirate Bay to download any digital content for free via Torrents. As expected the developer received a take down notice from Amazon.

Top 10 iPhone App Downloads
Apple has posted a top-10 guide to iTunes for 2008, and part of that covers applications in the App Store. They break down the top apps into several different categories, and show both free and paid ones.

Xbox 360 Holiday Sales Soar for Holidays
Microsoft is saying that Xbox 360 sales on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) was one of the best sales day in the console’s history. They sold approximately 25% more than Black Friday last year, and sold three times more than the PS3. Guess the $199 price tag might be the sweet spot for a lot of people.

Google Reader Gets a Refreshed Interface
Google Reader never really looked bad in my opinion, but they somehow found ways to make it look even better. The most noticeable change to the interface would have to be the cutback on the amount of blue used, and also the disappearance of the rounded corners.

WordPress 2.7 Released
I’ve been using pre-release versions of WordPress 2.7 on CyberNet for a few weeks now, and it’s been incredibly stable. The new interface is really sweet, and being able to upgrade WordPress in a few clicks is a huge bonus. I finally feel like the administration section of WordPress is exactly where it should be. [WordPress 2.7 Review]

Apple Working on 3D User Interface?
Some eagle-eyed patent watchers noticed that Apple filed for a patent demonstrating a 3D user interface for their desktop operating system. Several companies have tried to create stuff like this in the past, and it will be interesting to see if Apple can actually pull it off.

Most Popular Google Searches for 2008
It’s that time of the year again! That’s right, Google has released the top searches from throughout the year. At the start of this year who would have thought that Sarah Palin would top the list?

Google Book Search Now Includes Magazines
Now this is cool! Google Book Search now scans through magazines when performing searches on the site. I guess going to the library to find an article in an older magazine isn’t going to be needed anymore either.

Windows 7 to Offer Accelerated Graphics via CPU
Windows 7 is said to have an option for users to get accelerated graphics using only the CPU. I’m not 100% sure, but I think that would mean the Aero interface might finally be possible in virtual machines. Granted you’ll have to give up some performance to get it. [Windows 7 review]

–Tips, Tutorials, and Reviews–

How to Watch Hulu from Abroad
There are several online video sites that restrict viewing to U.S. residents only, but this guide will tell you how to get around some of them.

Best New & Improved Software of 2008
Lifehacker has assembled a guide on what they believe are the best new and improved programs from throughout the year. I definitely have to agree with their choices.

Hide Google SearchWiki from Search Results
Google released the SearchWiki feature a few weeks back so that users could customize the results that are shown, but they forgot one critical feature… a way to opt out! This article outlines some of the options you have to hide SearchWiki from your search results.

Enhance Vista’s Start Menu with Start++
We have written about Start++ before, but it definitely deserves some extra coverage. Start++ is an add-on for the Windows Vista Start Menu that will let you do things like view Wikipedia or Google results right there in the Start Menu. It’s got a crazy amount of customization that you can do, and is definitely a must-have for any keyboard-loving Vista user. [Start++ Review]

Gmail Desktop Gadget Nice for Tracking Email
Google Desktop users will be happy to know that the Gmail desktop gadget has been updated to include many of the features you get from the online interface. Managing your mail just got a little bit easier.

Mount Online Storage Services as Virtual Drives
With Gladinet you can actually mount an online storage service as a virtual drive on your Windows computer. It supports services like SkyDrive, Amazon S3, Picasa, and more. Uploading files becomes drag-and-drop simple.