Follow @techaccino for tech updates, and get rid of all your dozens of tabs, for Chrome’s sake.
It’s a poorly kept secret that we can cut through hundreds of online paywalls by simply browsing the interwebs through the myriad of wi-fi networks around. (And for the nth time, if Brown-Secure isn’t working but it was up one second ago, just restart your AirPort and/or your computer.) But a hidden advantage of being on a college campus with a sick CS department is that we get free access to all kinds of online services — all you need to do is find them. Or we can find them for you!
STUDY BREAK: Google Images >"angry computer"
The first hidden gem is the trove of free software that is available to download. Although Photoshop and InDesign are no longer accessible, some household names such as Matlab and Sibelius effectively upgrade your computer to a programming/music writing beast. If you’re able to steal find a faculty login, then the newest versions of Adobe’s Creative Suite and Microsoft Office are all yours. And because no one wants to leave your iPhones/iPads hanging, there’s also a couple of apps that configure your iDevice to always stay connected to Brown-Secure, no matter where you go. [Read more →]
If you hear “Chrome extensions” and you don’t think about hair modifications, then you know what we’re talking about. With power users — people like ourselves who know how to use computers more than the average person — flocking to Google Chrome (soon to be the world’s most popular Internet browser), people have been looking for ways to tweak their online experience beyond just a new background. And thus, extensions were born (find them in the Window menu). Whether you already have 200 or you’ve just found out they existed, we reviewed the best ones for Brunonians below — pick and choose your faves, then check out the Web Store for some more.
FB Photo Zoom / Hover Zoom
Ever wish you didn’t have to click on a picture in your News Feed to see what it was? (Yes, this is the power of being a lazy college student). With FB Photo Zoom, you can rectify that and more. By passing your mouse over any picture on Facebook (be it a tiny profile thumbnail or a photo in a link), the image appears over the page next to your mouse in its original size. Hover Zoom adds the same functionality to other sites, including Twitter, Reddit and eBay. [Read more →]
By now, you’ve already either received/purchased an iPad or heard about it from your friends enough to know that there are a million and a half things to do with it. (If not, check this out!) (By the way, I’m talking here about Apple’s tablet, unlike the AP…) From note taking to airplane crashing to star gazing, there really isn’t a lot more out there we could ask it to do. But let’s think outside the box…What about that 30-pin connector at the bottom or the Bluetooth capability? Sure you can connect it to your computer, a wireless keyboard, or (if you’re lazy and have money to waste) your digital camera, but imagine all the possibilities…So stop shopping at censoring Apple Stores, and let’s take a gander inside the intertubes to find how you should actually be using your iPad. [Read more →]
In a relatively surprising move, Mark Zuckerberg announced yesterday that Facebook plans to buy photo-sharing site Instagram for $1 billion. (Did you really think they would go public just to make some cash?) Since it went live in October 2010, Instagram has garnered over 30 million users (most of whom are already on Facebook) and multiple “App of the Year” awards thanks to its ease of use and hamster stylized photos. By joining forces with the largest social networking (and photo sharing!) website, it hopes to expand its user base and bask in share Facebook’s revenue.
Follow @techaccino for semi-instant updates, and, for all of you still mentally on Spring Break, a list of necessary apps to spend even more time procrastinating.
In case you haven’t already gone through all your news sites and blogs since you got back, don’t worry: you really didn’t miss anything. One thing you may remember from before break is that SPRING WEEK(END) is upon us is only 2 weeks away, and the lineup is about as good as it could have been. So before you set your alarm for 7:55 a.m. tomorrow morning and start posting angry comments all over Facebook about how the system is down, consider listening to the lineups. To aid you, here’s a comprehensive review of all the online options you have to stream the (now 7) artists for free — pick one and stick to it! [Read more →]
Follow @techaccino for semi-instant updates, and advice on whether to buy a “new” iPad.
In case you haven’t noticed, it’s over 70 degrees outside, which means most college students are either already on Spring Break or have mentally checked out in preparation for break (or both?). The point is, when the time comes to pack for your week off, you should make sure you have as few things on your plate as possible because (1) your flight/train/car ride will likely be very early in the morning and (2) you will likely be hungover from partying the night before. So, before you forget, just scroll down to your Spring Break destination below and follow the instructions to download the most important app you will need for your trip.
Aaah, the sandy, fratty beaches, and the loud, pumping house music. If only there were something other than Natty Light to drink around here… Enter Mixology! It’s the best, cheapest, most complete drink recipe app out there; with the ‘Liquor Cabinet’ option, you can enter the liquor and mixer types you have, and it spits out all the possible cocktails you can make.
Follow @techaccino for instant updates, and find all previous columns by clicking on Techaccino Tuesdays on the right sidebar.
As you may or may not know, Apple previewed “The new iPad” last Wednesday in San Francisco, roughly one year after releasing the iPad 2. Starting at $499 and available in stores Friday (or, realistically, Monday, if you’d rather not pitch a tent), it’ll compete not only with some strongAndroidtablets (RIP Touchpad), but also with the now-defunct “iPad 2″ which will be reduced to $399 (minimum). Regardless of the potentially endless debate on the name choice, most of the realistic rumors out there came true! Therefore, we believe it is our duty to tell you whether you should consider buying one or not. All you need to do is go through the flowchart above to find which group you belong to, then check out the corresponding section after the jump. [Read more →]
In case you missed last week’s introduction, here at Techaccino we’re talking apps, gadgets and gizmos so that you’ll never have to call your nerdiest friend at 2 am when your printer “isn’t working” (seriously, don’t). Follow @techaccino for instant updates and special coverage of this week’s Apple announcement (Wednesday, 2pm — don’t worry, folks in AmCiv 101, Gorn won’t notice you checking Twitter periodically).
You know the feeling: You’re stuck in class taking notes when all of a sudden your professor starts drawing an elaborate diagram of the auditory system. If only you could type AND draw on your computer, whatever the class… Well Brown, I am pleased to announce that day has finally come. No, you don’t have to buy an iPad just because Steve Jobs (RIP) says he re-invented the textbook. No, you don’t have to start doing all your reading on your “too bright” computer screen. Yes, you can still use up those Bear Bucks on printing all your notes before your finals.
For most students taking notes on computers, the benefits of neatness, easy access and speed of writing easily outweigh the pain of carefully trudging that 1.5lb mass around campus. The hidden bonus is that you can also bring your book/textbook with you — with the Kindle and Nook apps on Mac and PC, you can even catch up on that reading during class. Although some books aren’t available in e-book versions, most are somewhere or another, and you can always rely on those 10-page Google Books snippets if all else fails. [Read more →]
Yes, dear reader: this new column is for you. Whether you are iPhone-slinging, MacBook-toting, Android-rocking, or BBM-rolling, Techaccino is your weekly morning dose of new and upcoming gadgets, apps and websites to turn your fingers into multimedia WMDs. Follow @techaccinoblog on Twitter for instant updates!
When last semester’s Herald poll came out, it came as no surprise that nearly two thirds of Brown students own either an iPhone, Android or Blackberry device. Touchscreen phones nowadays are as ubiquitous as boomboxes in the ’80s, CD Walkmans in the ’90s, or iPods in the ’00s: everyone either already has one or wants one.
What’s slightly more surprising, though, is the proportion of each of these brands on campus — out of those two thirds with smartphones, over half have iPhones, while Android and Blackberry users are split even. In the US, according to data from comScore, almost half of smartphone users have Android devices, while iPhone users have about 30 percent of the market, and Blackberry 16 percent.
So, what’s the deal here? Are iPhones simply better for life on campus? Are Android users ahead of the curve? Are Blackberrys on their way out? In honor of awards season, let’s meet the nominees in the our first ever BEST PHONE FOR COLLEGE HILL competition. [Read more →]
The latest and greatest news, commentary, culture, entertainment, sports and miscellany from College Hill and beyond, brought to you by The Brown Daily Herald. If you have questions, comments, tips, ideas or want to write for us, shoot us an e-mail at blog@browndailyherald.com.
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