keys

The 404 1,294: Where we give you the evil eye (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Miracle Berry tablets make sour food taste sweet.

- Man implants magnets in his ears to use as invisible headphones.

- Crazy Ants that will destroy your electronics.

- Inside Atlantis, the new Amazon for illegal things.… Read more

The 404 1,293: Where it's in that place where I put that thing that time (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- So weird: Bruins fans watched tons of porn after they lost on Monday night.

- A collection of songs ruined by film, TV, and humanity.

- New kiosks at 7-Eleven stores will store your keys.… Read more

Review: Practice proper typing skills with KeyBlaze Free Mac Typing Tutor

KeyBlaze Free Mac Typing Tutor for Mac aims to help users increase their typing speed and precision through available lessons, tests, and a couple of games. While functional, the free version of this typing tutor could benefit from more engaging content. However, it will be enough to get you started.

During installation, the program attempts to automatically install an Internet toolbar, but those paying attention can disable this by unchecking a box. After this, the user is prompted to choose their level: Adult Beginner, Improving, or Professional. There are also options for teens and kids. After the user type selection … Read more

Review: Snapkeys launches a creative take on the mobile keyboard

Snapkeys provides an innovative replacement for the QWERTY keyboard as a primary method of typing. Primarily aimed at touchscreen devices, Snapkeys aims to reinvent the way users type out words and sentences with an interface that strives to provide the same level of support for the entire alphabet. Combined with some intelligent algorithms to predict what you're going type, the interface, itself, is designed to drastically reduce the amount of space a keyboard occupies on a screen, allowing users to focus less on what to write and more on the content at hand.

The arrangement is unconventional, yet effective … Read more

Why buy music when you can stream it?

I guess it's safe to assume Adele and Coldplay are making decent livings in the music business, but I wanted to talk with an average band to see how they were doing. What sort of income did they see from Spotify, Pandora, and YouTube, vs. selling CDs or downloads? So I chatted with Phil Metzler, from Just Off Turner, and he was willing to share some income numbers. The band has been featured on soundtracks on shows from ABC, MTV, E!, and Oxygen; they've toured the U.S., Europe, Brazil, Australia, and the U.K.

They made three … Read more

Kwikset Kevo unlocks your front door in a tap

How many times have you stood outside your front door, fumbling with your key until you found the right one, or with arms so full of groceries you wish your door would magically open itself? For those people (admit it, that's you,) key-and-lock-maker Kwikset is introducing Kevo, a not-quite-keyless one-touch entry lock for your front door.

With the smart device within about 4 feet of the door, you simply lock or unlock it by tapping your finger (or elbow or nose) on the lock face. An LED ring lights up green when the door unlocks, yellow when it locks, … Read more

UniKey Bluetooth door lock emerges as Kevo

Joining Apigy's Lockitron, the Kevo represents another attempt to link door-entry management to your smartphone.

The core technology behind Kevo comes from a company called UniKey, which was featured last year on ABC's startup competition show "Shark Tank." The idea is that a UniKey-powered door lock allows you to open the lock simply by touching it when you're carrying a UniKey-enabled smartphone or an included key fob. The technology also lets you assign access to others who have a UniKey-compatible smartphone.

The Kevo lock bearing the UniKey technology will come to market through a partnership … Read more

Android 4.3 pops up ahead of Google I/O

Rumored to be something between a Jelly Bean and a slice of Key Lime Pie, Android 4.3 is currently appearing in search results on the Android developers' site.

Numerous excerpts in the results reference "Security Enhancements in Android 4.3"

Click through any of those results and you'll find a page with no apparent mentions of the new Android update, although it is hidden in the HTML. Click through the link in that tag and you get a 404. Dead end. Scavenger hunt over.

Guess we have to wait for the expected unveil of the update … Read more

Quickly add items to the OS X Finder sidebar and Dock

The OS X Finder sidebar and Dock are convenient locations for favorite folders, documents, applications, and locations, and in addition the Dock offers a convenient place for minimized windows, as well as the Trash. For new user accounts Apple puts a default set of items in the Dock and Finder sidebar, but these can be customized.

The standard and perhaps intuitive method of adding items to these locations is to drag them there; however, it's not foolproof. If you inadvertently release your mouse before the cursor has reached the Dock or sidebar, then you chance copying or moving the … Read more

Review: KeyRemap4MacBook allows keyboard settings alteration

Mac users may want the ability to alter their keyboard settings to change keys, as well as other options. KeyRamp4MacBook for Mac permits a number of settings and key changes that could be useful for a small number of users.

KeyRemap4MacBook for Mac downloaded quickly, but to install it the system needed a complete restart, which was an inconvenience. Technical support was not available, but the program did not reveal any bugs during testing. The lack of tutorials would be problematic for early Mac users since the interface was very cluttered and difficult to decipher. After the computer restarted, the … Read more