move

Marble Blast is a unique bubble-based puzzler

Similar to probably a hundred other games in the Android Market, Marble Blast requires you to shoot monochromatic bubbles at other monochromatic bubbles. Create a cluster of three or more, and all of them pop and disappear. The object, of course, is to clear your screen of all of them.

What makes Marble Blast unique, however, is that the bubbles, or marbles, actually travel around your screen in a single-file line. They aren't stationary targets anchored to the top of your screen as they are in other bubble-based games like Bubble Blast 2. Your job in Marble Blast is … Read more

iPhone 4S sensor move forces case makers to scramble

You may not have been happy when Apple released the iPhone 4S instead of an iPhone 5, but a lot of case makers were. That's because at first glance their existing iPhone 4 cases seemed to work just fine with the new model, which meant that they didn't have to scramble to create new designs and had a ready supply of cases available for the 4S.

But that was before someone noticed that Apple had made a small but somewhat crucial design change: it moved the ambient-light sensor a few millimeters to the left. That created a problem … Read more

Sony Playstation Move Navigation drops to $14.99

The Playstation Move Navigation is Sony's companion controller for its Move motion controller (think of as sort of Sony's version of the Wii Nunchuk controller except that it's wireless).

Because you can just use a standard PS3 controller for navigation, it's not exactly a must-have accessory, especially when you consider its list price of $39.99. However, Amazon is now offering the Sony Playstation Move Navigation Controller for $14.99, which we think is a pretty good bargain, especially if you're a Prime member and can pick up the free two-day shipping.

What do you … Read more

Straightforward ScreenShot

Screen-capture utilities are ubiquitous, with an ever-growing number of alternatives to the built-in Windows capabilities. ScreenShot is yet another entry in this wide field of competitors. Although there's nothing about this program that particularly impressed us, it's not a bad choice if you need a basic screen-capture tool. Its unique interface may appeal to those who like their programs to be extremely straightforward.

ScreenShot consists of a resizable window with seven buttons across the top. The window itself is transparent, and you simply move and resize it to select the desired area of your screen. Once it's … Read more

Windows 8 to offer easier file management

Ever find it frustrating trying to copy or move files in Windows? Then some long-overdue improvements in Windows 8 should be welcome news.

Admitting that file management or the "copy jobs" feature now in Windows can be confusing, Alex Simons, a program management director on Microsoft's Windows engineering team, yesterday revealed four enhancements destined to surface in Windows 8.

Contributing to the latest installment of Microsoft's ongoing "Building Windows 8" blog, Simons said that copying, moving, renaming, and deleting files are the most heavily used features in Windows Explorer, accounting for 50 percent of … Read more

Google Maps with GPS Tracker tracks your position

Golenfound's Google Maps with GPS Tracker is a small, free application that uploads your GPS position regularly via GPRS or 3G and then automatically updates your position on a Google Map display. You need a GPS device to use it, but you can download and try the GpsGate simulator software free for 14 days. Once you're familiar with Google Maps with GPS Tracker, you can buy a GPS device that suits your needs and configure the program to accept it.

A small, square, tabbed interface opened on the GPS tab, which showed blank fields. The program's Web-based … Read more

The 404 880: Where we separate the hacks from the cracks (podcast)

If you leave your Facebook logged in on a friend's computer and that person posts an embarrassing photo for all your friends to see, would you say you got hacked?

Today's episode of the podcast takes issue with the misuse of the word "hacked." With news stories about Stuxnet, PlayStation 3, and News of the World throwing around the term with no specific definition, we hope to define exactly what it means to hack...at least according to the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.

First, we'll explore the origins of hacking by breaking the definition down into subcategories like phreaking, cracking, and spoofing. Then we'll tell you why the courts decided that sending out too many e-mails to someone can be considered computer hacking, and we'll introduce the 23-year-old Assistant Commissioner hired by the NYPD to spearhead its new social media unit.

Finally, we close today's show with an exploration into the changing landscape of "Sesame Street," and why some of the LGBT community is pushing Bert and Ernie to finally tie the knot on the air.

The 404 Digest for Episode 880

Stock art meant for news stories about cybercrime. NYPD forms new social media unit to mine Facebook and Twitter for mayhem. Court deems e- mail spam is considered a form of computer hacking. iPad cases made out of Bernie Madoff's auctioned clothing. Slice Harvester shows every pizza spot in NYC on a Google map. Petition asks Bert and Ernie to get married already. Working in an office is bad for your brain.

Episode 880 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

'Move, Eat, Learn' will blow you away

Looking for some motivation? Perhaps the epic short film "Move" will get your feet moving.

It's part of "Move, Eat, Learn," a series of short films that quickly flash between sequences of actor Andrew Lees exploring 11 exotic locations around the world. Directed by Rick Mereki and produced by Tim White, the three short movies show beautiful locations, people teaching, and delicious food in countries including Peru, Spain, Italy, France, and Chile. … Read more

Kobo trying to untangle itelf from Borders mess

When Kobo first partnered with Borders on the e-book front, things were a bit confusing. You had a Borders e-bookstore and e-readers powered by Kobo, while Kobo had its own e-bookstore and e-readers. You also had separate e-reading apps from Borders and Kobo.

Now Canada-based Kobo is doing its best to migrate Borders' e-book customers over to the Kobo platform as Borders goes out of business and closes all its stores. And as evidenced by the recent e-mail above (sent out this morning), Borders is also encouraging its own customers to make the move.

What adds some intrigue to the … Read more