New Facebook Profiles Now Available [SCREENSHOTS]

Well, that was fast! The new Facebook Profile Pages are now available to try out — Facebook has just heralded their arrival via Twitter, mere hours before Founder Mark Zuckerberg’s appearance on 60 Minutes. We were expecting the new Pages to go live tomorrow, but it seems they’re up and running now. Simply click on Facebook’s announcement to activate yours and check out all the new features, including revamped personal info, more prominent pictures, top interests showcased as images, more descriptive relationships and more. Check out Facebook’s video and our walkthrough below:  The New Profile A New You Your profile now has a little “About Me”-esque section at the top, including where you work, where you went to school, where you...

Read more »

Posted in: Facebook

Facebook Pages Getting New Design and Checkins [SCREENSHOTS]

Facebook appears to be on the verge of launching a new design of its Fan Pages. This change seems to include the site’s location-based Places checkin functionality, enabling “likers” of the page to check in to it. Although Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg is said to be giving a sneak peak at the new Profile Pages design on 60 Minutes tonight, it seems that more change is in store; you can already see the new Pages design in action on select pages, such as Ellen DeGeneres’s Fan Page. On Ellen’s page, you will notice a count for the number of checkins the Page has. According to Facebook Spokesperson Meredith Chin, the Ellen Page is a merged page that includes the functionality for checkins available shortly after the feature launched a few...

Read more »

Posted in: Facebook,Social Media

How To: Remove Language Button From Logon Screen

This removes the (usually) EN button from the top left corner of your logon screen. It also removes the mysterious extra language from your language toolbar especially if using non en-US as your default language. First you need to navigate your way to the Control Panel. If you are using the Category view click on the link Change keyboard or other input methods under Clock, Language, and Region. If however you are using one of the Icon views click on the link Region And Language. On the Region and Language window, click on the Administrative tab. See image below. Then in the Welcome screen and new users accounts box, click on the Copy settings... button (Admin...

Read more »

Posted in: Microsoft,Tip

5 Stylish Computer Mice for the Design Aficionado

As a companion to the list of stylish keyboards we recently brought you, we’ve turned our attention to another vital PC peripheral: the humble computer mouse. Whether you’re a Mac or a PC, you don’t have to put up with a boring, bland input device. A stylish mouse can easily add a touch of design chic to your computing setup, and in some cases even offer improved ergonomics. So take a look at the five seriously stylish options we’ve highlighted and let us know in the comments below just what it is that pushes your buttons as far as mouse design goes. 1. Microsoft Arc MouseThe wireless Arc mouse is designed for portability — it folds down to 60% of its full size — without losing any functionality of a desktop mouse. Aesthetically, it’s...

Read more »

Posted in: Entertainment,Tech

Google Reader Finally Gets an Android App

Google Reader has finally arrived on Android, with an app that allows users to access most of the features of the popular RSS tool from their smartphones. It’s a bit curious that it took so long for Google to develop an app for Android – its own operating system – but it’s well-worth the wait (iOS users have enjoyed an optimized version of Reader for several years). It syncs up with your existing Google Reader account, such that your unread counts, starred items and subscriptions are consistent from desktop to mobile. Each news item can be starred, liked, or shared, and you can even add “Notes,” just as you can in the web app.There’s also integrated search as well as a “send” feature that integrates with the applications on your device. With...

Read more »

Posted in: Android,Google

Track Santa in Real-Time With Google Maps This Holiday

Christmas Eve might not be for another 23 days or so, but Google and NORAD already have the online Santa Tracker ready to go. NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, has been tracking Santa and his sleigh since 1955. Since 2007, Google has partnered with the organization to make sure that Santa and his reindeer can be tracked in real-time using Google Maps. The noradsanta.org website is now up for all to see with a special countdown timer to Christmas Eve. The website will release new holiday games that kids can play each day leading up to the holiday. At 2 a.m. ET on December 24, the real-time tracking will commence and you can follow along Santa’s trek as he delivers toys to boys and girls all over the world. This is one...

Read more »

Posted in: Youtube

YouTube Launches Skippable Ads

YouTube has officially launched its new TrueView ad format, allowing site visitors to avoid watching ads they’re not interested in. Users will now be able to look for a countdown button that will let them skip an ad after it plays for five seconds. In some cases, viewers will be able to select which ad to watch out of three pre-roll options. As we reported back in June, YouTube had been experimenting with the button — allowing users to stop ads from playing — for awhile. The other option, allowing users to select which ad to watch, is similar to the one offered on Hulu, where long-form video content has typically had a stronger presence. It looks like some advertisers are reacting positively to the new ad format. Some have said TrueView is...

Read more »

Posted in: Youtube

Impressive Zoom HD Camcorder Now Available

The Zoom Q3HD Handy Video Recorder is a powerful handheld camcorder that records 1080p HD video and 24-bit/96kHz HD audio. Although 1080p video has become fairly standard among Flip-style video devices, few of them have focused adequate attention on audio quality. Zoom has tackled this issue with a dual microphone design that captures high-quality (24-bit/96kHz) stereo sound. The device also allows users to set audio levels and mic gains for for highly precise HD audio. And a built-in HDMI port enables the device to be easily connected to home theaters for media playback. There are, however, two downsides. Like other cameras in this class, the Zoom Q3HD, somewhat ironically, lacks an optical zoom, so it will only be effective at shooting...

Read more »

Posted in: Tech