key

Leak points to Android Key Lime Pie debut this spring

More delicious Android desserts could be just around the corner, according to some allegedly leaked Qualcomm roadmap slides that mention a springtime arrival for the Android "K-release" or "Key Lime Pie" a few times.

Qualcomm officials have apparently been racing around the Internet demanding that a handful of tech blogs take them down due to copyright issues and thereby suggesting that they're actually legit. (As I write, you can still view them here on Phone Arena via Android Police.)

If Android 5.0 does pop up in a delicious sweet and sour flavor between March … Read more

The 404 1,198: Where we captcha your mace face (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- This man will take your picture while macing you.

- Ticketmaster does one thing right, dumps captchas.

- PornHub's rejected SFW Super Bowl ad is brilliant marketing.

- Swedish police raid teenagers playing Call of Duty.… Read more

Oops: BlackBerry's Alicia Keys is an iPhone user, has an iOS app

BlackBerry's newest global creative director, recording artist Alicia Keys, must have been given an offer she couldn't refuse.

Keys, who today said would help "inspire the future" of BlackBerry (formerly Research In Motion), is a longtime Apple user. That includes tweeting from iOS devices, and publishing her photography app Alicia Keys Photo Booth exclusively on the App Store. Keys also uses Facebook-owned Instagram -- which is not yet available on BlackBerry's platform -- where she has more than 1.6 million followers.

In a question and answer session with reporters following today's BlackBerry event, … Read more

BlackBerry goes glam, enlists Alicia Keys

BlackBerry wants to be hip, and it's going to Alicia Keys for help.

The Canadian smartphone maker, which previously called itself Research In Motion, today named Keys as its global creative director. The position is one BlackBerry created to help "inspire the future" of the company.

Keys said she previously was a BlackBerry power user, but she left the platform after noticing sexier phones at the gym. For a while she had two phones, but Keys has now moved back to just a BlackBerry.

It's typical for companies to seek endorsements for their products, and some … Read more

How to customize modifier keys in OS X

Modifier keys for Mac systems are the Shift, Control, Option (Alt), Command, and Caps Lock keys. The commands triggered by combinations of these keys can greatly speed up how you use your computer, but it can slow you down again if you switch to a keyboard with an unfamiliar layout.

While most Mac keyboards have these keys in the same relative locations, so you don't have to change your typing habits, there are situations in which you may end up using something different, such as if you take a laptop to the office and plug in whatever keyboard you … Read more

Windows 8 moves to BIOS-based product keys

Windows 8 PCs now embed their product keys in the BIOS, a move that offers both pros and cons.

In the past, a new Windows PC would display its product key on a sticker, usually on the side of a desktop and on the base or the bottom of the battery compartment on a laptop. But with Windows 8, Microsoft has switched gears and now stores and encrypts the key in the BIOS instead.

A response to a question on Microsoft's Answers Web site confirmed the details earlier this month:

One of the improvements Microsoft is making to Activation … Read more

Microsoft hands Windows 8 Pro to pirates by mistake

You want a copy of Windows 8 Pro? Go ahead and download it -- Microsoft is giving the keys away for free.

According to VentureBeat, an interesting exploit on Microsoft's download page allows users to pick up a free copy of Windows 8 Pro -- directly from the website, and at no cost.

If you attempt to download the free Microsoft Windows Media Center upgrade, which is being offered until January 31, a strange side effect takes hold. Windows 8 Pro will be permanently activated.

For the pirates among us, this would provide a handy workaround for the tech … Read more

How to set up quick-access folders in OS X

Often when saving and managing files you may need to quickly access certain folders. In OS X, in general, user folders are located within your home directory, and the standard way of accessing them is to open a new Finder window and navigate to the desired location. However, there are some perhaps quicker alternatives. Not only does the Finder offer some shortcuts for getting to favorite folders, but there are some additional ways in OS X such as accessing recent items and using hot keys coupled with custom services to quickly open directories.

Finder default location In prior versions of … Read more

Find that missing product key with ease

Product Key Finder has only one purpose, which is to display your Windows Product Key. It sounds like a small thing, but if you've ever had to reinstall Windows on your computer and couldn't find the product key in your pile of paperwork, you'll know this simple, free app can solve a big problem, especially if you're not comfortable digging around in the Registry.

Like many free utilities today, the Product Key Finder installation prompts you to also install additional software, but the actual Product Key Finder installation takes only a few seconds and you're … Read more

Trojan Horse dons thousands of keyboard keys

One artist sees treasure in trashed keyboards of yesteryear.

Inspired by the tale of ancient Greece's infamously sneaky Trojan Horse and humankind's Internet gluttony, German artist Babis Pangiotidis created an elaborate model of a rocking horse known as "Hedonism(y) Trojaner" with skin made of thousands of forgotten keyboard keys. Babis states on his portfolio site that the shades of color found on the recycled keys range from ivory white to nicotine-stained yellow. … Read more