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Very few people have unlimited data for their iPhone, so a tool like Data Usage is very useful, showing you quickly how much you've used and how close you are to your limit.

Data Usage provides only what it promises to show you. There are two readouts on the screen--one shows how much data you have used and the other shows your limit. You can change either number with the tap of a button and the graphic at the top will show you visually how close you are to your limit. In tests, the meter proved to be fairly … Read more

Apple has released a firmware update for the Thunderbolt controllers in its Mac systems, which should address problems with using Target Disk Mode to mount a Mac's internal drive on another system as an external drive. Target Disk Mode is commonly used for troubleshooting hard-drive function, or when migrating data to a new Mac.

The update is a 1.22MB download that can be obtained by running the Software Update service in OS X (in the Apple menu), or by downloading it from Apple's Support Downloads Web site and applying it manually.

Though small, the update contains firmware … Read more

Your Android phone or tablet can be a great educational tool for your kids, with the right software. Softdiv's Animals Spelling Game For Kids is a super-easy game designed to help kids just learning how to spell with simple, familiar words. And what better source than animal names, which tend to be short and easy to spell but exotic enough to both challenge young learners and keep them interested.

Animals Spelling Game's main page has three buttons: Play Game, Top Score, and Exit. We started a game. Our first puzzle presented three letters; D, G, and O, above … Read more

The iPad is a very useful tool for aspiring musicians. It provides a large screen, small form factor, and dozens of apps that allow you to easily play along, record, tune instruments, or learn new songs. inTone is one such app, providing a bevy of tools that are at times very useful and at other times frustrating and cluttered. For some, this may be a very useful app, but how can you know if it's a good fit for you?

When you first open inTone, a simulation will play on the screen. It's hard to determine how to … Read more

Users may want to change preferences in their Quicktime player without having to do it every time the program opens. Quicktime X Preferences for Mac's options window allows changes to a number of default settings, which is a welcome feature for some users.

After startup, this freeware application installs easily as an additional preference pane in the system preferences menu. There did not appear to be any technical support available, but there was a basic readme file that explained the various options present and how changing each impacted the Quicktime program. Some of the options include automatically playing movies, … Read more

The computer's cooling fan typically operates on default presets, but for those who want to customize, Fan Control for Mac is an easy-to-use application that adds the ability to control fan operation from the user's preferences menu.

The free application has no restrictions. Download completed quickly, but the program's installed location was difficult to find. The program, itself, is easy to use and installs an extra option on the computer's overall preferences menu. Once this is selected, an easy-to-read but dated menu appears. There are no user instructions, but they aren't really needed either. It … Read more

When important dates are around the corner, some users need a way to track their approach. Countdown X for Mac performs this function well, but has few other features.

Download completed quickly and the program directly installed as a widget in the dashboard. The only user interaction required is to add the program to the active dashboard for viewing, which was easy. The application, itself, is just a small widget window where the name of the upcoming event is visible, along with a countdown timer with the days, hours, minutes, and seconds remaining until it takes place. Countdown X for … Read more

Having a really cool screensaver can be fun, but if you can't make up your mind, or just want a total change, you can try a screen with absolutely nothing on it. Blank Screen Saver for Mac comes with no surprises. It is a basic, easy-to- install screensaver intended to increase the life of your computer screen.

At only around 42KB, Blank Screen Saver for Mac downloads in the blink of an eye and is just as easy to install. It is basically just a bare bones screensaver that displays a black screen. All the user has to do … Read more

The notification panel in the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is a convenient feature that allows you to quickly toggle key settings, like Bluetooth, GPS, Airplane mode, and so on. If your Galaxy Note 2 has been updated to 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, you can now customize the notification panel, except on the AT&T variant. If you have an AT&T Galaxy Note 2, we have third party app suggestions for you at the end of this post.

To customize the notification panel, go to Settings > Display > Notification panel. You'll see one check box … Read more