Record iOS, Android app downloads tallied in last week of 2012

The last week of 2012 saw a significant surge in the number of apps downloaded by iOS and Android users, according to new data from research firm Flurry Analytics.

From December 25 through December 31, 1.76 billion applications were downloaded by iOS and Android users, up 65 percent compared with the weekly average of 1.07 billion between December 4 and December 17. On Christmas Day alone, 328 million applications were downloaded across iOS and Android.

Flurry's data was taken from analysis it performed on more than 260,000 applications available on iOS and Android. The company claims … Read more

iPhone 5S in pink? Watch for new colors in spring, analyst says

A new year brings with it new iPhone 5S rumors. And this time around the latest from Apple could even come in pink.

Analyst Brian White of Topeka Capital Markets is all bullish on Apple this morning claiming his sources tell him that the next iPhone will arrive in May or June with more choices for customers including "more color patterns and screen sizes." Apparently White's bulls aren't seeing just red Apples, though. Rather, he believes the iPhone 5S could have as many color choices as the most recent generation of the iPod Touch:… Read more

Amazon Instant Video deal: 22 popular movies for $5 each

Want to rent a movie from Amazon Instant Video? Usually it'll cost you $4-5, depending on whether you choose the SD or HD version.

Today only, Amazon is letting you buy 22 popular movies for under $5 each.

And by "popular" I don't mean "Weekend at Bernies 2" and other Z-grade flicks you usually see at this price point. This sale includes Academy Award winners, personal favorites, and titles you'll find on AFI top-100 lists.

For example, you can get "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight" for $4.98 … Read more

Are expensive speakers worth it?

I worked as a high-end audio salesman for 16 years and spent another 16 reviewing audio products. Here's what I learned: The very best gear is always expensive. Sure, there are occasional examples of affordable products that are remarkable, but they never get remotely close to what true high-end gear can offer. Beyond price the main thing that separates high-end companies from mass-market brands is high-end designers are all about maximizing performance. Mainstream audio companies rarely try to make the best possible sounding gear. They know that features, wireless connectivity, styling, compact size, cheap pricing, marketing, distribution, etc. -- … Read more

Google Maps parks inside 2014 Kia Sorento

Google Maps is coming to the Kia Sorento in the next few months.

The automaker announced today that the 2014 Kia Sorento, which is slated to hit the road in the first quarter of this year, will come with Google Maps integration, offering full mapping and driving directions from the search giant. In addition, points of interest will be made available from both Google Maps and Google Places.

Google Maps integration is possible via Kia's second-generation UVO telematics system built into Sorento, a midsize crossover SUV. In addition to incorporating Google Maps and Places information, UVO allows people to … Read more

Cut videos and apply filters with easy-to-use Avidemux for Mac

Avidemux for Mac is a video editing and encoding app. It is not available from the App Store but is on many download sites. Avidemux for Mac installs easily.

At its core, Avidemux for Mac is designed to allow you to cut a larger video into a smaller one, although this is not a full-featured video editor. Avidemux for Mac also provides encoding capabilities, converting videos from one codec to another. Avidemux for Mac can also act as a filter, applying specific filter effects to a video clip (although the filter effects are somewhat limited compared to much more expansive … Read more

Clash of Clans is good, medieval fun

Fight goblin hordes with this fun combat strategy game. Clash of Clans offers fun graphics and interesting gameplay to make it worth your while.

At the game's start, a maiden takes the place of a help feature and greets you to explain the situation and offer guidance for purchases and battle. Right off the bat, you're given 750 coins and 500 gems. We were only able to buy a cannon -- the rest of the defenses were locked. We placed the cannon where we wanted it and were instructed to use our gems to "green up" … Read more

Remove unwanted files and speed up your system with CleanMyMac

CleanMyMac is designed to remove old and unnecessary files from your hard drive, as well as optimize system performance. A trial version of the program is available for download, and the full version is available with either a six-month license for $7.47 or a lifetime license for $14.97.

CleanMyMac performs two different tasks that help your Mac computer run better. The first task it tackles is getting rid of orphan and unnecessary files, including cache files. CleanMyMac searches your hard drive and makes recommendations of files that can be deleted, including files for multiple Mac architectures and localization … Read more

Fumble is fun for the whole family

Every now and then, we come across an iPad app that will appeal to the whole family. Fumble is just such a game. Its simple gameplay will appeal to very young kids, as well as their parents and grandparents.

The point of Fumble is to quickly tap and hold blocks that contain symbols that match the ones displayed at the top of the screen. A bomb tile moves around on the board replacing tiles, so you have to be careful not to touch it as you hold down the tiles. The tile symbols are bright, colorful, and eye-catching. From the … Read more

Remove apps and files from your system easily with App Cleaner for Mac

App Cleaner for Mac is a simple application that uninstalls applications and all associated files. It is available from many download sites, although not from the App Store, and it installs easily. App Cleaner for Mac is a free download.

While most apps will uninstall from a Mac without a problem, there are a few apps that will not, and that leave orphan files or folders hanging around chewing up disk space. App Cleaner for Mac is a simple way to get rid of these applications and files. To use App Cleaner for Mac, you simply drag an app icon … Read more