better

Split Pic 2.0 Review

Split Pic 2.0 - Clone Yourself, Better is a neat little app that lets you snap three different pictures to create a fun effect. The problem, however, is that the app is so full of ads that it ruins the user experience.

As soon as you run Split Pic 2.0, you're bombarded with ad after ad, and we very nearly tapped each one by accident. Once you can bypass them, you're greeted with the main menu, which has yet another banner ad slapped on the lower half of the screen. From there, you can select between … Read more

Change trackpad gestures with BetterTouchTool for Mac

For average Mac users, the trackpad's default functioning can sometimes be frustrating. BetterTouchTool for Mac allows users to customize the trackpad operation for their whole system or individual applications.

Available as freeware, the program downloaded and installed quickly. After initial startup, BetterTouchTool for Mac attempted to access all of the computers on the test network, which is a strange function for the type of features offered. Lacking instructions, the program was difficult to interpret outside of the main menus, which were featured at the top of the window. The overall appearance of the program is very good, albeit a … Read more

B&N prepping new tablet with 'revolutionary screen technology'

After Google recently shook up the 7-inch tablet space with its well-received Nexus 7, much of the speculation has focused on rumors that Amazon and Apple would soon introduce new "mini" tablets.

Now we're getting word from a credible source that Barnes & Noble, a 7-inch pioneer with its Nook Color and Nook Tablet, is set to bring out out a new 7-inch model that features "revolutionary screen technology."

The source, who's proven reliable in the past, wouldn't elaborate on the specifics of that technology but said that it was developed in-house by … Read more

Better Facebook Fixer

Here is another utility aimed at improving experience while using Facebook. Better Facebook Fixer from Omiod is a free Google Chrome extension that lets you customize the use of the famous social media site.

Better Facebook Fixer is installed as an add-on. Once activated, you just need to log in to your Facebook account to see what the application has to offer. The app allows you to change the layout, color, images, and styles using the Themes functionality. It also permits categorization of news feeds, filtering, and, generally, more control on what you share with your Facebook friends. Another cool … Read more

Jane McGonigal's Super Better: A game for your health (video)

Game designer Jane McGonigal's new Super Better online social game made its public debut today, promising to help people build their personal resilience against health ailments like social anxiety, weight issues, and chronic pain. It was created with guidance from doctors, psychologists, scientists, and medical researchers.

SmartPlanet's Sumi Das sat down with McGonigal to talk about the game.

This video originally appeared on SmartPlanet with the headline "A first look at Jane McGonigal's new online game, Super Better."

Better Place launches free electric car charging in Hawaii

Better Place is sweetening the deal for electric vehicle drivers and potential drivers by offering them free charging at its charging stations in Hawaii for the remainder of the year.

Through 2012, electric vehicle owners can sign up for a free membership with Better Place to gain access to the company's 130 charge spots on the state's chain of islands. Better Place operates 130 charge spots on four islands, including the Big Island, Oahu, Kauai, and Maui. Each Charge Spot has two charge points, enabling two cars to charge at the same time. But the best part is … Read more

Better Place signs on GE for e-car network

Better Place has secured another $200 million to put its electric-car charging network and battery-swapping stations into operation.

The Palo Alto, Calif.-based company said on Friday that General Electric and UBS joined existing investors in the series C funding, which gave Better Place a valuation of $2.25 billion.

The money will be used to launch commercial service of its electric-car network services in Israel and Denmark early next year, followed by Australia. It also intends to expand into Western Europe.

Better Place's business model is to sell electric-car drivers monthly plans to charge cars at its network … Read more

Battlefield 3 vs. Modern Warfare 3

Two of the year's biggest games are going head to head this holiday season, both seeking the crown as best military first-person shooter. Unless you've cut yourself off from all forms of media consumption, I'm of course talking about Modern Warfare 3 and Battlefield 3.… Read more

How to get better audio quality on Android

Certain genres of music sound better when the bass, treble, and other frequencies can be adjusted higher or lower. If you're on the Gingerbread flavor of Android, you're in luck.

Note: This how to blog post is for users on Android Gingerbread. If you're still on Froyo or older, you'll have to grab a music player with an equalizer built-in, since you can't adjust the settings across the entire device. PowerAMP is a great app to start with for Froyo users.

Grab Equalizer from the Android Market, and open the app. You will see several … Read more

What audio products need to be invented?

What audio product needs to be invented? I'll start with an easy one: truly wireless speakers. That would be great; all they need to do is figure out how to beam enough power to speakers to drive their internal amplifiers. I doubt that's going to happen anytime soon.

Maybe an app that converts crappy-sounding iTunes to true 24-bit/96kHz files, or Bluetooth audio that sounds decent. How about surround-sound headphones to listen to all of the great music recorded in surround? Oh right, first we'd need great-sounding music surround recordings.

How about a great-sounding subwoofer that doesn'… Read more