Tips, guides, and reviews about software, web apps, technology, mobile phones, and computers.

  • A Quick Look At Author Neal Stephenson’s Latest Project: The Mongoliad

    Any self-respecting geek has heard of the author Neal Stephenson, and many have read at least one of his works. Author of books such as Snow Crash, Cryptonomicon, and most recently Anathem, Stephenson is known for not holding back when it comes to technological descriptions.Cryptonomicon, for example, contains a multi-page explanation on the intricacies of…

  • How to NOT Suck at Foursquare (and other location-based social networks)

    If you’re just joining the rest of us on the internet, there’s something you should know.  There are several websites that allow you to use your physical location in the world (typically via the GPS in your mobile phone) to virtually “check in” to venues like restaurants, sporting events, and movie theaters. Checking your location…

  • HP and Hynix are Creating the Next Generation of Memory

    HP is currently working with Hynix Semiconductor to develop the next generation of computer memory.  This new non-volatile memory, dubbed Resistive Random Access Memory, or ReRAM for short, will be built upon memristor technology.  Memristor technology has been considered only theoretical since 1971, but changed in 2006 when HP Labs was able to develop the…

  • How to Perform Age Verification with jQuery and Cookies (mmm, cookies)

    If you’re a freelance developer, chances are good that you’ll encounter a situation where you’ll have to make some content “off limits” to the kids. In most cases, such as with alcohol-related material, this is required by law. So, how do you do it? Well, if you’re using jQuery, the answer is “easily.” The first…

  • Priority Inbox: Gmail Tells You What Messages are Important, You Profit (?)

    Busy people, rejoice.  Gmail, the primary electronic mail client offered by the giant Google, is getting a simple add-on sometime in the near future (it’s actually rolling out right now, but it will be a week before everybody has it). What does it entail, one might ask?  Well, its a filter.  Not a new spam…

  • Create and Sync Notes on your Desktop, Phone, and the Web with Simplenote

    Ever have an idea that you’re sure is going to make you rich, only to have forgotten it by the time you get home? Or how about the time you spent all week making a list of things you need the next time you go shopping, only to forget where you put it when the…

  • Want to Create a Web Application? Use CakePHP for Rapid, Secure Development

    So you’ve got a sweet idea for a web application—great, let’s get to work! You’ll need a basic GUI, some sort of user registration, a templating system, logic processing, error handlers, form verification, AJAX processing, and… woah, this is adding up in a hurry. At what point do you get to start making the app…

  • Friday Fun! Why Do Homework When You Can Procrastinate With Liferaft: Zero?

    With school starting for many of our readers (myself included), what better way to celebrate than with another edition of Friday Fun? After all, Flash games are the ultimate procrastination tool! Liferaft: Zero is a devious blend of the setting from Portal, the acrobatics of N, and the frustrating difficulty of Jumper. You play the…

  • How Secure is Your Password?

    Never before has a website been so blatantly obvious and honest in it’s function.  HowSecureIsMyPassword.net asks that very simple question;  it’s response is something more or less dramatic, depending on what you type in.  The capital letters are kind of goofy, but it definitely works with the site’s straight-forward approach to telling you how secure…

  • How to Enable Windows 7′s “Aero Snap” Feature in Earlier Versions of Windows

    One of my favorite features in Windows 7 is Aero Snap, which automatically resizes and snaps applications to the sides of your screen when you drag them near.  If you’ve got several windows open on one screen, this is a great way to manage your space (and I’ve learned it’s even more useful when working…