snap

The built-in Windows screen capture tool is pretty basic, and for that reason there is a plethora of programs that let users customize the way they take screenshots and what they do with the resulting images. CrossGL SnapDraw is one of the more comprehensive options we've seen. Casual users of screen capture tools will likely find the program to be a little much, but users who need options to annotate and edit their screenshots will appreciate the program's many features.

The first thing that CrossGL SnapDraw wanted us to do was configure the keyboard shortcut that we wanted … Read more

Qualcomm expects the first Snapdragon-powered Windows 8 PC to arrive a year from now, marking the entry into a lucrative new business for the wireless chip company.

Qualcomm is already working with Microsoft to ensure that computers running on the next-generation operating system will be able to run on its chips based on ARM's technology, which sacrifice processing power for more energy efficiency and ability to always remain connected. Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs said he sees a majority of the Windows 8 products coming after the end of fiscal 2012, which comes in September.

"We're going to … Read more

If Qualcomm Atheros President Craig Barratt had his way, the whole world would work like his house in Silicon Valley.

Barratt lives in the ideal vision of the connected home. He has precise control over things like temperature, energy consumption, the TV, stereo, and security system--all accessed remotely through his laptop. There's no remote control at home; he and his family can switch on the lights, open and close the curtain, and make sure the lawn is watered by using a connected iPod Touch.

Of course, it helps that Barratt actually wrote the software that powers everything in the … Read more

Sony's Bloggie cameras have some compelling features, with current models touting offerings such as a touch screen, 3D video and photo capture, and two LCD screens.

A recent FCC filing confirms that a new Bloggie model, the MHS-TS55, is set for a reveal with a feature previously unseen in Sony's portable HD camcorders: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. … Read more

Bubble TapTap Free is one of numerous free, ad-supported apps in which you pop virtual bubble wrap, in a game that tries to simulate the visceral thrill of mashing that time-honored packing material.

The interface is simple: 40 bubbles, arrayed realistically in staggered rows, which you tap to audibly pop. The bubbles regenerate after a few seconds, letting you go back and pop as many as you can while a one-minute timer ticks off the seconds. The game also gives you a bonus for popping bubbles in quick succession, briefly showing you the number of bubbles chained together as you … Read more

Screen-capture utilities come in a lot of different flavors; some are so basic that they're barely useful, while others are jam-packed with complex features. SnapShot is a program that doesn't go to either extreme. It has plenty of useful tools and options, but it's still simple enough to master within a minute or two.

The program's interface is plain, with a viewing area in which you can see your most recent screen capture and a few menus across the top that give you access to the program's settings. SnapShot uses hot keys to let you … Read more

If you like using your iPad with a stylus but hate keeping track of it, how about a magnetic one that will stick to your tablet?

Teenage creator Jack Malone of Wisconsin says his SnapStylus is handier than the many styli, such as the Wacom Bamboo, available on the market. It's longer and heavier than the Targus stylus, but it's got magnets in its aluminum shaft that stick to the iPad shell.

As seen in the vid below, the SnapStylus snaps on to the iPad when it comes near. That way you don't have to hunt for a stylus when you need one. Its rubber tip can be used for gaming or drawing apps, and Malone uses it to sketch product ideas.

He's introducing the SnapStylus on Kickstarter, and will charge only $5 for the first 200 preordered units and $10 after that. Domestic shipping costs are included. … Read more

Links from Monday's episode of Loaded:

YouTube is going to allow certain partners to broadcast live

Google purchases a company called PushLife

Google calls it quits on Street View in Germany

Sony launches a cloud music services on the PSP

An official Steve Jobs biography is finally on the way

An app called Meal Snap helps you count calories by photographing your food

Netflix gets permission to stream every "Star Trek" series ever made

We'll state up front that we are generally not very big fans of Windows desktop enhancements; too often they are clunky and buggy and end up slowing our system down instead of enhancing it. AeroSnap Plus aims to emulate the window dragging and resizing functionality of Windows 7 in other versions of Windows, and though it does work, we're afraid that it, too, falls victim to some of the problems that commonly plague applications of this type.

The program downloaded without issues and launched without installation. A six-tab menu appeared that was part options dialog and part Help … Read more