buddies

The most efficient way to track packages on Android

Tracking packages, monitoring their every movement from the vendor to your front door, can feel a bit like an addiction at times. Once you have the tracking number, you're either refreshing the respective carrier's tracking page, or you're mercilessly opening and closing your favorite package-tracking app hoping you can will the item to inch closer to its final destination.

As someone who has used iOS as my primary device for the last three years, I have often relied on the Delivery Status app to do the dirty work for me. There's a free OS X widget … Read more

Review: iPhoto Buddy for Mac enables switching between multiple iPhoto libraries

iPhoto Buddy for Mac does a good job of integrating with iPhoto and providing the ability to work with multiple image libraries, something many Mac users will appreciate. While it solicits donations for long-term use, the program is available for free without any usage restrictions.

After a quick download, iPhoto Buddy for Mac installed into the Applications folder without any issues, although there was a donation request that needed to be dismissed. After starting the program for the first time, the user is shown a short tutorial page. Despite the application's basic purpose, the tutorial was very helpful and … Read more

The 404 1,265: Where we build weapons of mass distraction (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Today I learned Dave Chappelle was in a "Home Improvement" spinoff that was actually made.

- Twelve things that will get you banned on Xbox.

- You won't remember anything, including this article, unless you print it out.

- Senate passes Internet sales tax bill by 2-to-1 margin.… Read more

Picture Buddy 1.0.1 Review

The iPad is a kid's dream toy. It plays games and movies, and is a finger-painting easel waiting to be tapped. So there are dozens of apps that allow children to tap, dab, and paint the screen to their heart's content. Picture Buddy is yet another of these apps, and while it doesn't bring anything new to the table, its cute presentation and simple interface are perfect for a young child.

The app is very simple, and you just start it and tap to get going. There will be a palette of colors and a slider to … Read more

Ondesoft ClipBuddy for Mac Review

Those who often cut and paste text or other information may have the need to go back and track these items. Ondesoft ClipBuddy for Mac archives and manages clipboard usage well for those who need it.

Ondesoft ClipBuddy for Mac is available to try for free for 15 days with no additional restrictions. The full version requires payment of $29.95 to unlock. Installation takes place without issues and prompts the user to enter a full version product key when it first starts. This can be dismissed if the user wants to use the trial version. The program itself did … Read more

Match and spell in Buddy's Read and Spell Lite

The App Store is filled with games and learning tools for children at varying levels of quality. Some are effective but bogged down by messy menus or too many ads. Others are pretty but offer ineffective learning tools that children will only find confusing. Buddy's Read and Spell Lite manages to steer clear of both of these traps to offer an intuitive, fun-to-play game for children that is heavy on learning and whimsy, but light on the distractions and ads that so often bother parents.

After starting the app, children have only one option: to play the game. The … Read more

eBuddy Messenger places your chat accounts under one roof.

It seems as though everyone is using a different social platform to keep in touch. Each platform has its own chat feature, which makes it a pain to sign into and out of each account. Thankfully, there's eBuddy Messenger, which brings all of your chat accounts under one roof.

To start, eBuddy Messenger asks that you log in using your network account information. It supports MSN Messenger, Facebook, Yahoo, and Google Talk, as well as AIM, Myspace, Hyves, and ICQ. We started by entering our Google Talk username and password, and all of our Google Talk "buddies" … Read more

Top games to play with friends on smartphones

There are several games on both of my iOS devices at any given time from just about every genre. But there are only a few games I go back to on an almost daily basis and that's because they are fun, addictive, and a great way to keep in touch with friends and family.

These "casual" games are turn-based and require you to connect with a friend to start playing -- there is no single-player option with this collection. They have also been around for a while, but that's kind of the point: these are the games I continue to play because it only requires a couple of minutes to take my turn and send it to a friend. While it is sometimes a pain to go in and complete my turns (especially when life gets busy), the overall experience of competing with your friends and family is a good one and acts as a way to stay connected, even in our busy everyday lives.… Read more

Salesforce.com closes deal for Buddy Media

Salesforce.com has completed its $689 million acquisition of social media marketing platform Buddy Media, the company said today.

The acquisition, which was announced in June, was rooted in the social synergy between the two companies. The companies have said that the addition of Buddy Media's service will vastly improve Radian 6, a "social media listening platform."

"Salesforce.com now has the No. 1 players in social listening and marketing -- Radian6 and Buddy Media," Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff said in a statement. "With the rapid growth in technology spending by [chief marketing … Read more

Twitter adds age verification for following 'adult' brands

To give worried marketers peace of mind, Buddy Media has rolled out an age verification process for Twitter in partnership with the microblogging service.The idea is to reduce the liability of booze marketers and their ilk, though the process itself appears to be fairly porous.

Buddy started offering the free service to adult brands such as liquor companies, but said it could be used for other industries with age requirements.

The new service probably won't make parents feel any better, since it merely asks Twitter users to enter their birthdates -- which, of course, means users can take … Read more