Mobile

Be Kind, Buffer!

I like to tweet. Not like a bird (well, not usually), but tweeting on Twitter. I like to post silly pictures and say silly things. Unfortunately, a few things usually happen: I take a bunch of photos within minutes of each other. I want to post to Twitter and Facebook.

Android Candy: Facebook Everything?!?!

When Facebook decided its messenger app would be an entirely separate program from its regular app, I was ticked off. I didn't want to have a second application in order to send private messages. It seemed like a needless extra step. And, I stuck by that opinion until I realized I could integrate regular SMS and MMS messages into Facebook Messenger.

Android Candy: That App Is for the Birds!

Usually bird-related apps involve pigs and anger, but if you're a bird watcher like myself, there's another bird app you must download. Cornell Labs has released a free app called Merlin Bird ID that helps identify birds you see in the wild.

Hodge Podge

For every article, I try to write something that is interesting, entertaining, educational and fun. Sometimes I even succeed. Many other times I have some things I'd like to talk about, but there's not enough of it to fill the space. This time, I decided a disjointed hodge podge would be the theme. So let's just have a virtual nerdy talk about stuff, shall we?

Simplenote, Simply Awesome!

I'm a big Evernote user. It's a powerful commercial program that allows you to sync text, photos and documents across multiple devices. Sadly, there's no native Linux client. Also, it's a proprietary software package, and that bums me out.

Applied Expert Systems, Inc.'s CleverView for TCP/IP on Linux

One of the most important characteristics of the contemporary data center, notes Applied Expert Systems, Inc. (AES), is that an ever-increasing amount of the traffic is between servers. Realizing the resulting need to facilitate improved server-to-server communications, AES developed CleverView for TCP/IP on Linux v2.5 with KVM Monitoring.

Sometimes My Office Goes with Me

A year or so ago, I wrote a short article titled "Network Go Bag". During the past year, I've gotten lots of email about that bag and actually quite a few questions about working while traveling in general.

USMobile, Inc.'s Scrambl3

The special sauce in USMobile, Inc.'s Scrambl3, the mobile app that facilitates "the world's most private calls and messages", is a set of open-source components that create a top-secret-grade VPN, encryption algorithms and internet protocols.

Android Candy: Teach an Android to Take Notes

A few months ago I tried out the recently open-sourced Simplenote application from the folks at Automattic. One of the other fairly new additions to their cross-platform note-syncing platform is that an Android app is available for free in the Google Play Store.

Message for You, Sir!

In my Open-Source Classroom column in the May 2016 issue, I discussed how to set up Gmail as your SMTP provider for outgoing email. The problem with email is that sometimes the sheer quantity of it makes important messages slip past my radar. So for really important error messages, I like to get SMS messages.

Android Candy: Waze Redux

Back in 2014, I highlighted Waze, which is a turn-by-turn GPS navigation program created by a startup in Israel. That company was bought by Google, but it still remains independent, at least for now. (It does share some data behind the scenes, but it functions differently when it comes to routing.)

Android Candy: More Life Gamification

You might remember a couple months ago my mention of Habitica, which is a gamification of your daily to-do list. One of my friends on Twitter mentioned an app he uses on Android called Wokamon, which ties in with your FitBit (or any of several other "step-counter" devices).

Android Browser Security--What You Haven't Been Told

This article focuses on flaws in Android's stock web libraries, while acknowledging related exploits. Some modern Android browsers have critically weak encryption and other dangerous flaws that cannot be patched or otherwise corrected. This weakness extends to multiple browsers and applications and is determined by the linkage to the system webcore on older OS versions.

Naztech's Roadstar 5 Car Charger

The "5" in Naztech's new Roadstar 5 Car Charger refers to the abundant five ports offered by the device, intended to end in-vehicle debates on who gets to charge their device next. Naztech says that its new charger delivers superior charging power and speed while protecting tablet and smartphone batteries and motherboards.

Glass Padding

When it comes to covering my cell phone, I tend toward minimalism. I like to buy the smallest (although still powerful) phone possible, so the thought of adding a bulky case seems wrong. I also don't like screen protectors, because they generally get cloudy, and they don't feel as nice when using the screen.

CodeLathe FileCloud Google Chrome Extension

Nearly everyone in today's enterprises is connected throughout the day to a web browser, of which anywhere from 44–71% are Google Chrome. Seeking to make this vast number of users' work more productive is developer CodeLathe, whose new "amazingly easy-to-use" FileCloud extension for Google Chrome enables users to save documents, images and scre

NordVPN for Android

The prospect of privacy protection and occulting your smartphone's IP address with a VPN are sufficient selling points, but the ability to watch your Spanish-dubbed Turkish telenovellas while on the beach in Tahiti should seal the deal for real.

Juniper Systems' Geode

Juniper Systems' new Geode rugged sub-meter GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver collects real-time professional-grade data but is intuitive enough for novices. Designed foremost for versatility, the Geode features one-button simplicity and can be paired with any of Juniper Systems' rugged handhelds as well as a wide range of Android devices.