text

Free PDF to Word Converter's name describes the program: It takes your PDF files and converts them into Word-compatible DOC or Rich Text files. While it's fairly easy to use and does a fairly good job, some awkward controls and other issues dim its appeal. Better tools aren't in short supply, either.

Free PDF to Word Converter's user interface isn't elaborate, and the program explains each feature and each step, though it does make for a busy look. The main controls are listed under General Options, which is a bit confusing, though clicking Files and … Read more

For Android users who wish to hide any sensitive data from prying eyes, a security application is absolutely necessary. Text and File Hider Plus can hide your text messages, contacts, phone logs, or any other file of your choosing. It is invisible to the naked eye and requires pin access in the event the program is discovered. This app works smoothly and effortlessly.

Text and File Hider Plus is very light on your resources. It operates in the background while needed and is basically just a hidden file structure. After a quick and easy installation the app disguises itself as … Read more

Google Hangouts (iOS|Android) brings the group video chat features you have in Google+ to your home screen with a standalone app, but it might be one too many ways to do the same thing.

Having the app on your home screen gives you immediate access to one-on-one and group video calls formerly found by going through a couple of menus in Google+. With Hangouts, you can have a video call with up to 10 people and you can choose who will be in the hangout through a list of your contacts or by using a search field. During your … Read more

Google Hangouts (iOS|Android) brings the group video chat features you have in Google+ to your home screen with a standalone app, but it might be one too many ways to do the same thing.

Having the app on your home screen gives you immediate access to one-on-one and group video calls formerly found by going through a couple of menus in Google+. With Hangouts, you can have a video call with up to 10 people and you can choose who will be in the hangout through a list of your contacts or by using a search field. During your … Read more

The four major wireless carriers are putting their sway behind a massive ad campaign that aims to lower the amount of people that text while driving in the U.S.

Initiated by AT&T, the multi-million dollar "It Can Wait" campaign now has the support of Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, and more than 200 other organizations. Besides rolling out TV, radio, and Internet ads throughout the summer, the campaign will also travel to thousands of retail stores, create a social media presence, and display messaging on Goodyear blimps.

"Texting while driving is a deadly habit that makes … Read more

There was a time when all that a GPS device needed to do was get you from point A to point B -- preferably alive and in one piece. Over time, we began to expect so much more. We wanted hands-free calling, syncing of contacts, large databases of local destinations, and traffic data. The bar for what counted as a good GPS device had to be raised.

That bar is still rising, faster yet and higher than ever now that GPS navigators must compete with smartphones and tablets. Simply getting from point A to point B isn't enough when … Read more

The default keyboard on the iPhone or iPad leaves much to be desired. Without arrow keys; symbols one, two, and even sometimes three menus deep, and complicated multitouch commands to access copy-and-paste menus, it is not ideal if you plan on doing a lot of composition on the touch screen. There are many solutions, but Arrow Note offers one of the better compilations of keyboard modifications for writing on your phone or tablet.

When you open Arrow Note for the first time you'll be presented with a blank screen and a handful of options. You can search for notes, … Read more

Text messaging in the U.S. is on the decline, according to a survey (PDF) released Thursday by CTIA-The Wireless Association. The numbers of SMS text messages sent and received nationally dropped from 2.3 trillion in 2011 to 2.19 trillion in 2012.

While 2.19 trillion may seem like a colossal number and not much less than 2.3 trillion, it is still nearly a 5 percent drop. According to a report released last week by research firm Informa, one of the reasons that texting may be declining is because several chat applications -- such as Apple's … Read more

Cursing, swearing, profanity, bad words, expletives, four-letter words... Google Glass reportedly doesn't want any part of it.

Apparently, if users say any of this foul language while wearing the Google's augmented reality headset, the device simply won't recognize those words, according to Geekwire. And, there's reportedly no way to turn this filter off at this time.

This isn't Google's first foray into censoring swear words. In fact, according to Geekwire, the no-profanity policy reaches throughout most all of Google's products and software that use the voice-to-text translation engine.