4.0

As far as mobile mapping goes, Google Maps for Android offers one of the best experiences you can get. The feature-fest, which Google has been building on for years, doesn't just tell you where you are using nothing but GPS or cell tower triangulation. It also tells you how to get where you want to go by car, public transport, or by good old-fashioned shoe leather.

A variety of add-ons layers information on top of the base map, so you can view things like traffic, transit lines, and your favorite places on the map. Version 4.0 also adds … Read more

Take two new add-ons, judiciously use some pre-existing extensions, and creatively apply built-in tweaks, and you can make Firefox 3.6 look like Firefox 3.7 or even Firefox 4.0. In this How-To video from CNET TV, I'll take you through the steps explained in this blog post from last week. The process isn't hard, and can be good for getting more familiar with the deep level of customization available in Firefox.

If you're the experimental sort of computer user who feels comfortable trying out beta software and development versions, you may have been playing around with extensions to Google's Chrome browser for a while now. However, if you're not an early adopter--and no shame if you're not--the latest stable version, Chrome 4.0, is now available. That means those browser add-ons are yours to explore, without the warning notifications of assumed risk that came with earlier releases. Don't forget, it's the add-ons like AdBlock Plus and FoxyTunes that gave Firefox the fuel to challenge Internet … Read more

Augmented reality is fast becoming a reality for mobile search apps of all stripes. Layars, which calls itself a "reality browser," was one of the first of interest to pop up on our iPhone radar. Not long ago, Yelp oh-so-quietly added its own way to slap its content over the world you see through your camera lens. The "monocle" feature originally surfaced as a hidden gem within Yelp 3.0. Now, in Yelp 4.0, Monocle has earned its place as a permanent feature on video-enabled 3GS iPhones.

Expect to see many more augmented reality apps … Read more

Yelp for iPhone contains all the ingredients you'd expect from the well-known business-rating and reviews site, and each new version layers on more muscle.

Yelp on iPhone cleanly displays user-reviewed listings for restaurants, bars, banks, and so on, utilizing the iPhone's GPS know-how to target your current neighborhood. Each listing squeezes in the address, user ratings, distance, and price range. Mapping capabilities show you how to get there, and a call button can help you make the reservation. Feeds featuring your activities, your friends' ratings and tips, and all rating and tips for businesses nearby bring the app … Read more

iPhone OS 4 is imminent. That's the conclusion I drew from an e-mail I received from a prominent app developer Friday, at least, before hearing from the developer that it was a typo.

The message included the following snippet: "Just wanted to give you a heads up that we've submitted an updated app for the new iPhone OS 4.0 software." (The developer later acknowledged that it meant to refer to a fourth version of the app itself, not OS 4.)

An operating-system update for the iPhone wouldn't be surprising, given the all-but-certain announcement later … Read more

Thanks to a teenage Firefox aficionado from Tasmania, Australia, you can make your Firefox 3.5 or 3.6 look like mock-ups we've seen for Firefox 3.7 and Firefox 4.0.

To get a peek at one potential future for Firefox, install the Strata40 theme and the experimental StrataBuddy add-on. Like one of those classic Superman comics that had Supermen from across time teaming up to defeat a dastardly villain, the add-on provides the interface tweaks while the theme gives Firefox the look you're looking for. Several other add-ons are also recommended to complete the experience: AppTabs, … Read more

Wondershare iPhone Converter Suite provides all the necessary tools to watch a DVD or video file on an iPhone. This program offers excellent results, but it stumbles in conversion time.

We immediately felt comfortable operating this program, thanks to its professional-looking layout. The program offers onscreen instructions and never felt confusing. Wondershare provides two similar tools for converting either a DVD or a video file. Each also edits video, so you can shorten the running time. Wondershare is a great option for downloading DVDs since it converts them only slightly faster than real time, meaning a two-hour movie would take … Read more

Chat-Security Screen Report is a potentially useful application that allows people to take screenshots of chat activity, ostensibly to record inappropriate or illegal activity. Although we like this idea in theory, its execution leaves something to be desired.

For starters, the program's interface makes little sense, and even getting the main screen open can be a bit of a chore. Sometimes the program appears as an annoying flashing camera hovering over the system tray. But sometimes it doesn't. A normal icon in the system tray also gives people access to the program's main screen, which contains several … Read more