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I used to think the whole point of putting together a jigsaw puzzle was the satisfaction of seeing the image at the end. You know, they always sell those huge puzzles that take up half a wall once you’re done making them – it’s like creating a poster, one step at a time.

White Jigsaw proves that it’s not all about the picture. It’s as bare-bones as can be: just a bunch of puzzle pieces, and a frame they all have to fit into. No sound effects, no images, nothing but the zen-like essence of the jigsaw.

The game starts you off with a basic 4×3 puzzle, and gradually increases in complexity as you progress (the next level is 5×3). The pieces snap into position as you drag them, and they all seem to be aligned correctly, so no rotation is needed. This really helps – I think if they could be rotated it would get a lot more confusing, especially since they’re blank so you can’t match pieces of the image to figure out the orientation.

While the game doesn’t save your progress on a single level, it does let you carry on from the last level you reached before you stopped playing. All in all, it’s a great way to rekindle your love for jigsaw puzzles.

White Jigsaw is a very minimalistic puzzle — Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/14/white-jigsaw-is-a-very-minimalistic-puzzle-time-wasters/

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Back in September, I was given the opportunity to review the ElementCase Vapor case for the iPhone 4, and I just couldn’t give it my recommendation, due primarily to the fact that it was uncomfortable to hold.  I’ve now been given the chance to review another CNC-machined aluminum case for the iPhone 4, the Fusionwerkz [...]

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In this decade the Internet replaced television as our primary mode of disseminating culture. Many people are more familiar with Antoine Dodson’s “Hide your kids/Hide your wife” than any catchphrase currently on television (Remember the days of being able to say stuff you heard on TV like “No soup for you” or “Don’t have a cow, man” and have other people actually get what you mean?). But there’s only so many times you can write posts around the theme “Hey, the Internet is now important” without inciting commenter revolt or a punch in the face.The sheer amount of meme round-ups found online today is testament to the fact that the web has won. So instead of making a list of my favorites, I’ll post some of the best lists of memes out there. Because I can and because it’s the only way to win. And because, like any connoisseur of memes knows, you can’t have viral culture without recursion.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/5_BIAJEab8c/

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If you’d like a case with a little retro style for your modern electronics, check out the Cassette E-reader and iPad Cases at UncommonGoods.  These cases are made of felt and cotton and are styled to look like “old-fashioned” cassette tapes.  Both are sleeve cases and close with a zipper.  The iPad case is 11.6″ [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2010/12/30/retro-cases-for-ipad-and-ebook-readers/

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On December 17, a partial database of addons.mozilla.org (AMO) user accounts was found on a public Mozilla server. Mozilla was quickly notified by a security researcher via the Bug Bounty program, and the database was quickly removed. Don’t panic, though: you should be OK.

The file only contained inactive user accounts that were encrypted using older, no-longer-secure MD5 password hashes. All current AMO accounts are encrypted much more securely, and those accounts remain uncompromised. Mozilla is also fairly certain that they can account for every download of the database file, so there is likely little or no risk to the users involved — but just in case, if you use your AMO password on other sites, you may want to change it. Incidentally, if you were one of the 44,000 people on the list, Mozilla should have sent you an email detailing the breach.

As always, it’s vital that you use different passwords for every service you use; that way, if one database is breached, you are still relatively safe. KeePass is excellent, as is LastPass.

There’s a little more information on the Sophos Naked Security blog, but really, there isn’t much else to it. We’re now left to wonder how a database of names and passwords was left on a public server…

Mozilla slips up and posts old user database online, but you should be OK originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/28/mozilla-slips-up-and-posts-old-user-database-online-but-you-sho/

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Android: If you’re tired of manually adding new bookmarks to both your PC and your phone, ChromeMarks will sync all your bookmarks between Android and Chrome with minimal setup. More »

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Olivia Wilde was good ‘n all, but how much better would Tron: Legacy have been with this Catron? I think 698 per cent, on average. [Buzzfeed via Make] More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ic_tOPYtI_0/what-tron-needed-was-more-pussy

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Thanks to an eager (and extremely active) developer community, early access to upcoming Android bits has become somewhat of a regular occurrence. Recently we’ve seen the Gingerbread launcher and updated Market app, and now a user at xda-developers has released an early version of what will become the next Music app for Android.

It’s still a bit rough around the edges, but it looks like it’s going to be a very nice upgrade to the built-in player. Check out the gallery, or the video after the break, or grab the .APK installer over at the xda-developers forums. As always, caveat emptor!

Continue reading Updated Android Music app leaks out

Updated Android Music app leaks out originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/28/updated-android-music-app-leaks-out/

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A few days ago, we reported on a new line of Android-based Asus Eee tablets expected to be released in 2011. Asus may be getting a little too impatient for CES to arrive because more information has now been revealed about these tablets, coming straight from the horses mouth. The Asus Eee EP102 and EP101 appear to be those exact tablets, sporting a 10-inch screen (hopefully) running the much more tablet-friendly Honeycomb.

As some of you predicted in the comments, at least one of these tablets, purportedly the EP101, will have a detachable keyboard as shown in that chalkboard demo. The EP102 on the other hand appears to be some sort of slider tablet. As if my anticipation for CES couldn’t get any higher, Asus swoops in and teases us just a little bit more. Hit the break for two more pictures! [eeepc.it via CrunchGear]

More details on the Android Asus Eee Pad revealed posted originally by Android Central

Sponsored by Android Cases and Accessories

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/37U03z62cmQ/more-details-android-asus-eee-pad-revealed

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When Steve Jobs introduced the Macbook air in 2008, he pulled the air from a manilla envelope to emphasize just how small it was.  I remember there were some manilla-envelope style leather cases introduced for the air back then.  Grantwood Technology has two envelope-style cases to fit the two newest iterations of the Macbook air. [...]

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So, you found a brand-new Android device under the tree a few days ago. Congratulations! Now what? In this post I’m going to recommend the very best apps to get off on the right foot with Android. If you’ve been using Android for a while, chances are you know most of these. Still, you might find a hidden gem or two. These are all based on my own use, so while the list is subjective in nature, these are not just shiny apps we’ve noticed in the market — they have all been tested in real life for quite some time. Here goes:

Continue reading The 12 best apps for your new Android device

The 12 best apps for your new Android device originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/30/the-12-best-apps-for-your-new-android-device/

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The iPhone is already the spiritual successor to the Polaroid, able to deliver great results, instantly. So instead of wishing that whichever company currently owns the Polaroid brand-name would just make a great new camera already, why not just make your iPhone look like the iconic Land Camera?
Buy this skin, designed by Canada-based Ryan [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/12/skin-turns-iphone-into-polaroid-land-camera/

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Have a great idea, but don’t have the time or money to actually bring it to market? A new startup called OpenInvo wants to help you turn it into a nice chunk of change by selling it to existing businesses that are looking for an extra dose of innovation. Now, there are other platforms for sharing business ideas ? you may be familiar with Kickstarter, which has gotten attention for projects like the iPod Wristwatch. But Kickstarter is for people who want to bring their ideas to fruition and just need funding ? OpenInvo is for people who have an idea and are willing to put the time in to flesh it out on paper, but don’t want to have to deal with actually starting a company.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/lHisIS4_uFE/

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Out with the old, in with the new. It’s new years eve and time to say good bye to 2010. As we all look forward to 2011, we just want to wish everyone a safe and happy new years. If you’re not one for parties well, kick back and join some others in the forums while we wait for the ball to drop.

• Motorola Droid X Forums – Droid X DLNA with PS3 not working
• Samsung Nexus S Forums – Protected apps in the Android Market
• T-Mobile Vibrant ROM Forums – Can’t boot device after going back to stock
• Archos Device Forums – anyone have any experience using Archos 70?
• General Help and How To Forums  – Can you change the call screen?

If you’re not already a member of the Android Central forums, you can register your account today.

DLNA issues, unbootable devices and Nexus S Android Market apps [from the forums] posted originally by Android Central

Sponsored by Android Cases and Accessories

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So… you’re a rabbit, and you seem to have some anger management issues. And you have a fairly large supply of explosive toilet paper. Oh, and you really don’t like neanderthals.

Tracking so far? If so, you’re going to enjoy Rabbids Travel in Time. What you see in the screenshot is an adorable rabbit taking aim at the last remaining caveman for this particular level (it started off with three). Once you aim, you need to decide how hard you’re going to pelt the caveman with your roll of explosive toilet paper. You do this by moving the mouse cursor along the arrow (as you can see, it’s about at the two-thirds mark for this screenshot).

Once you aim and decide on the velocity, physics takes over. The toilet paper will bounce away, or come to rest somewhere, and then explode. I didn’t see a way to make the fuse any shorter or longer – the explosion always seems to come at the same interval, which is about two seconds after you throw the roll.

Sometimes there’s more than one rabbit (or “rabbid”) per level, as you can see in the screenshot. This is nice because they can play “catch” – i.e, you throw the toilet paper from one rabbit to the next, and the other rabbit takes aim and reaches the eventual goal. Fun!

Rabbids Travel in Time is an explosive Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/20/rabbids-travel-in-time-is-an-explosive-time-waster/

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About.me is a direct competitor of Flavors.me; both services try to help you create a personal landing page, hooked up to your “social media presence” on other sites (Facebook, Flickr, et al).

About.me left public beta a few days ago, and I decided to give it the video treatment today. I’ve put together an extensive review covering most of its features from a first-time user perspective. It’s meant to be simple to use, and in the video you can see how friendly it is to non-techies. It basically allows you to create a beautiful page for yourself without writing a single line of code, and get a whole bunch of analytics while you’re at it. Check out the video review after the jump!

At the end of the video you can see that Flickr integration did not work for me; that’s not About.me’s fault – it’s because of my Flickr sharing configuration.

[Full Disclosure: About.me was purchased by Download Squad's parent company, AOL, shortly after Erez recorded his review. -- ed.]

Continue reading Video Review: About.me lets you easily create a personal landing page

Video Review: About.me lets you easily create a personal landing page originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/20/video-review-about-me-landing-page/

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I’ve recently began keeping a journal after a long hiatus. Writing again has prompted me to become a little bit obsessed with notebooks, pens, drawing pencils and other accessories. I recently reviewed the Quiver Moleskine Pen holder and today I want to show you a really nice leather Moleskine cover from Saddleback Leather Company. Available [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2010/12/27/saddleback-leather-moleskine-cover-review/

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Twelve South is well known for their exclusive and stylish accessory designs for Apple products and most recently they have introduced the all new Compass stand for the iPad. You may recall back in April Twelve South was one of the first companies to release a quality iPad stand, also known as the Bookarc Stand. [...]

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There are easily a dozen or more rumors swirling around the next-generation iPad, but among them, which are most important to consumers? Improved weight and performance are probably at the top of many consumers’ wishlists, according to Rob Enderle, president and principal analyst of the Enderle Group in San Jose, Calif. “Weight is a big thing with this product,” he told MacNewsWorld.

Source: http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/71555.html

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Even if you don’t give two f-stops about analog photography, it’s always good to respect our elders. So today, we pour one out for Kodak’s legendarily beautiful Kodachrome film, which after today, in Parsons, Kansas, will never be processed again. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/0kbV3NUywa4/the-last-roll-of-kodachrome-film-ever-will-be-developed-today

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Our podcast feed Download Directly Subscribe via iTunes Rene, Chad, Georgia, and The Keith Newman talk the top ten iPhone and iPad stories of 2010, top apps, top accessories, and top things we want from Apple in 2011. This is a double dose of iPhone AND [...]

iPhone Live 132 + iPad Live 36: Year in Review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb – The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/Dy6yLEwLqDQ/

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You’ve gone and waited until the last minute to buy the gang at the office their annual holiday gifts. Trouble is, it’s too late to order something online — and who wants to fight with holiday crowds at the mall?

Wouldn’t you rather just do some nice, relaxing shopping from the comfort of your cubicle? There’s plenty of great stuff you can give digitally via email, Facebook, or even printed off on the fancy color printer at the office you’ve got at home.

We’ve tried to cover all the basics, from downloadable games, music, and video on demand — to truly utilitarian gifts like backup services and Web hosting. Take the jump to see our list of “pay for it now, get it now” gifts — and share your suggestions in the comments!

Continue reading 10 last-minute gift ideas for geeks

10 last-minute gift ideas for geeks originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 19 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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According to a recent comScore report, Canada has beaten out the US, the UK, France, and everyone else in the world in various metrics relating to broadband and internet use. While the conspicuous absence of the likes of Sweden, a perennial leader in these categories, fills me with suspicion, the numbers are still fun, and slightly surprising. One statistic calculated to both please and terrify is that, by comScore’s measurements, just over half the population of Canada is on Facebook. That amounts to about 16 million people — a drop in the bucket with Facebook’s user base — but it’s the proportion that matters. US usage is around 40% by some estimates, which is of course significant, but it’s fun that Canada has passed us up in this race. I’m guessing it has something to do with the weather up there.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/t_SG0sOtlB4/

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Video: Super-Fast Industrial Robot Genkotsu Review: Trident Cyclops iPhone Case Your Pad Would Be So Much Cooler With These DIY Star Trek Sliding Doors Kinect Hacked To Support 3D Occlusions The Aepel: For Those Who Use Their Voices A Lot

Source: http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/12/08/daily-crunch-occlusion-edition/

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A DSLR / MP3 player / speaker for a mere $83? Well, two out of three ain’t bad.

The Canon DSLR / MP3 player / speaker is both more and less than it seems (but mostly less) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 23:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/29/the-caoon-dslr-mp3-player-speaker-is-both-more-and-less-than/

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