numbers

ICANN approves non-Latin domain names

The organization responsible for managing the assignment of domain names and IP addresses has approved a new plan to allow non-Latin characters in Web extensions.

Known as Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs), the system is designed to globalize the Net so regions around the world can use their own local alphabet characters to surf in cyberspace, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN, said Friday.

Calling IDNs the "biggest technical change" to the Internet since its birth 40 years ago, ICANN unanimously approved the plan on the final day of its six-day conference in Seoul.

IDNs … Read more

Astrological dictionary

MB Astrology-Numerology Glossary is a simple dictionary of words related to numbers and the stars. Its basic format and plainspoken language ensure that all users will be able to follow along.

The program's interface didn't win any awards for beauty with us; however, it was highly functional. Its mostly blank screen featured a minimum of diversions, which was a positive. Fortunately, we didn't need its online Help file, which didn't provide much insight in any case, because we instantly understood all the commands and functions. The program has an alphabetical list of astrological and numerological terms … Read more

Virtual karma

MB Karmic Debt Number is a tool for discovering how the supposed indiscretions of previous lives may be playing into your life now. It's definitely describing a "new-age" alternative philosophy, and its simple layout and terminology make this more of a fun diversion than a serious tool.

The program's interface surprised us. We'd tested other software by this designer and were unimpressed by the Help files in those titles. In this case, however, the layout clearly defined Karmic Debt and its numbers, so it didn't really matter that the Help file provided no instruction. … Read more

Lottery number helper

Lotto Buster 2010 provides an incredible range of tools to help you make lotto guesses. The program not only gives predictions, but also provides the statistics to help choose your own numbers.

The program's interface was an instant hit with us, since it laid out all the options clearly and was easily navigated. Some of the charts and graphs required a visit to the Help file's glossary but were intuitive more often than not. The first impressive aspect was its Lotto Buster's wide swath of lottery choices, which range from every American state's drawings to countries … Read more

Numerological definition finder

MB Numerology Dictionary provides a better understanding of practically any term related to the astrological study of numbers. This bare-bones program excels at giving information anyone can understand.

This program's stark, black and white interface wasn't much to look at, but was functional. While its online Help file gave us the briefest of definitions for its layout, we got the hang of this program in about two seconds. We were impressed by the sheer number of terms provided, probably a few hundred, ranging from Birthday Numbers, to Inner Dreams Numbers, to Soul Numbers. We simply scrolled through this … Read more

Line2 adds a second number to your iPhone

One iPhone, two phone numbers. That's the idea behind Line2, a new telephony app that effectively adds a second line to your handset.

Despite Apple's curious claims that iPhones aren't for business, Line2 should come as good news indeed to business users. It provides a new local number, a ported existing number, or an 800 number.

Whichever option you choose, the number comes with voicemail, call history, and an independent contacts directory. (The Line2 app provides one-tap switching between your iPhone and Toktumi phone books, a nice touch.)

Using Line2 requires signing up for Toktumi's "… Read more

Capture data from text files

As its name suggests, this program counts and ranks word frequencies in text files. The interface would have benefited from a splash of color and more eye-catching design, but the program performed as promised.

Hermetic Word Frequency Counter opens with an extremely plain interface. The main window was fairly straightforward. We loaded our text file using the program's browsing capability. Clicking the Set Parameters button opened a separate window that, at first glance, was pretty cluttered. But once our eyes adjusted, we were able to find our way around the interface. Here, you can select what words and characters … Read more

File renaming utility

Bulk Rename Utility takes the pain out of renaming and managing files and folders, assuming you can get past the frightening user interface. This free application can handle everything from simple search-and-replace to Perl 5 regular expressions, but it suffers from a cluttered user interface that fails to offer tool tips and, somewhat incredibly, abbreviates labels and button names.

The application window offers 13 primary functions, including inserting and appending text, auto-numbering, cropping characters, and moving/copying files. Additional menu bar drop-downs let you set global options, such as time stamp formats, color-coding, and activity logging. Bulk Rename Utility tries … Read more

Fist bump your info

Bump is a free and fairly ingenious app that makes exchanging contact information (and now photos, too) as easy as sharing a fist-bump with a fellow iPhone or iPod Touch user. Bump's streamlined interface is simple: you just open Bump and indicate whether you'd like to share a photo (any image on your device) or your contact information (whether your entire contact card, or any combination of your phone number, e-mail, photo, and address). You then "bump" hands together with another Bump user, and the app uses your device's location information and accelerometer to match … Read more

Versatile variable calculator

Farsight Calculator is a versatile application that can be used for algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and other computations. Users have the option to program functions into the calculator and customize settings for personalized usage.

Though Farsight Calculator is designed primarily for algebraic calculations, under the Tools menu, users can access the Finance Box for computing financial information and date calculations. It also offers a Unit Converter that converts distance, volume, temperature, area, time, and more. These features make Farsight Calculator a useful tool for users in a variety of professions. The interface is small enough to stay out of your way … Read more