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eBuddy Messenger places your chat accounts under one roof.

It seems as though everyone is using a different social platform to keep in touch. Each platform has its own chat feature, which makes it a pain to sign into and out of each account. Thankfully, there's eBuddy Messenger, which brings all of your chat accounts under one roof.

To start, eBuddy Messenger asks that you log in using your network account information. It supports MSN Messenger, Facebook, Yahoo, and Google Talk, as well as AIM, Myspace, Hyves, and ICQ. We started by entering our Google Talk username and password, and all of our Google Talk "buddies" … Read more

Virtual Audio Streaming adds a virtual sound card to your system

ShiningMorning's Virtual Audio Streaming software creates a virtual sound card in your Windows system. It acts as a wrapper on your existing sound card, enhancing its capabilities and making it easy to record and stream whatever audio your system is playing, no matter what the source: microphone, media player, or external device. It also improves sound recording in Windows, even automatically fixing the "no Stereo Mix" problem in Windows 7 and Vista. It's free to try for 30 days, but the trial version places an audio "watermark" on the output.

Virtual Audio Streaming's … Read more

Chat and share photos with WeChat's Android app

For many smartphone users, the "phone" part matters less than the "smart" part; it's more important to be able to text message friends than make phone calls. The good news is, your Android device almost certainly came with a chat app. The better news is, you don't have to use it; you can download and use your favorite chat app, or try them all until you find one that's best for you. We tried WeChat on a new Android smartphone. Like similar apps, WeChat's mobile app enables text and voice messaging, and … Read more

Create photo collages with PicStory

This app offers one of the easiest and most effective ways to combine multiple photos into one work of art. If you want to combine some smartphone pictures but don't have the editing chops, then PicStory is for you. It gives you enough effects to add a nice touch of personality and even has a fun social networking element.

The app offers hundreds of combinations of frames, borders, and animations for you to choose from. You can unlock even more by downloading a few affiliated apps, but you probably won't need any more options. PicStory's photo editor … Read more

Find available Wi-Fi hot spots on the map with WeFI

Sifting through the dozens of hot spots available sucks up valuable time that you could be using to work. WeFi will connect to open hot spots for you. It doesn't add much to the options already on Windows, but it is a very neat program to look at.

From the looks of it, this program seems like it's trying to be a Foursquare for Wi-Fi. It lays out hot spots on a map and gives you the opportunity to review and connect automatically to them. However, it doesn't do the best job of locating your computer on … Read more

View and edit MS Office docs with Polaris Office

The BYOD (bring-your-own-device) trend is a new reality, with employees bringing their own smartphones and tablets into the workplace. The idea is to be more productive, but compatibility issues with applications can hinder that. Case in point is Microsoft Office: the only way you can view and edit MS Office documents on your Apple device (for now) is by installing a third-party app. Polaris Office is such an app; it offers users a way to view and edit MS Office docs, as well as PDFs, with incredible ease. We tested it on our iPad.

Polaris Office opens with sample Word, … Read more

Motorola updates Android Jelly Bean plans

Good news to anyone who's hungry for Jelly Bean: Motorola recently modified a customer support page that outlines the various devices expected to receive Android updates.

The Motorola Droid Razr HD and Droid Razr Maxx HD are the latest to see the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update, both of which are reflected on the support page. Looking ahead, the Atrix HD will be next in line to see the update, slated for later this month.

Moving into the new year, the Electrify M and both versions of the Xoom tablet should see an update prompt in Q1. As … Read more

Citizen's analog watch ticks into the future

As timepieces become more of a fashion accessory than a necessity, established watchmakers such as Citizen find themselves in a bit of an evolutionary pickle: "How do we remain relevant?"

Perhaps the answer to that question falls upon the company's new line of watches called Proximity. The watches offer low-power Bluetooth 4.0 functionality and a partner app (inconspicuously named Citizen Eco-Drive Proximity) that only works with the iPhone 4S or iPhone 5. Sorry about that Android and Windows Phone. … Read more

RadioShack Wireless adds $119 HTC Desire C

RadioShack Wireless today added another Android-based handset to its burgeoning roster of no-contract smartphones. Available just in time for the holiday shopping season, the HTC Desire C can now be yours for a cool $119.99.

While it's certainly not going to replace your existing Android experience, it's plenty for a first-time smartphone adopter. Those who want to dip their toes in the Android waters without breaking the bank will likely appreciate the device.

Powered by Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the Desire C features a 3.5-inch display, a 5-megapixel camera, a 600MHz processor, 512MB RAM, … Read more

Ultrathin Wallet Trackr monitors your billfold without the bulge

Maybe you're less forgetful than I am, but I'm pretty sure that most of people have, at some point or other, realized all too late that they've left their wallet at home or in the car. (If you're like me, this happens at least weekly.) With the help of your smartphone and an app, Phone Halo's new Wallet Trackr can let you know that you've misplaced your billfold, clutch, or purse before you get too far away from it.

If you've read our review of the Cobra Tag (which is also powered by … Read more