StumblePod.com | Technology, Design, How To, Gaming and Apps.

Find Sony Playstation Sales, Discounts and Price drops (PSP, PS3 and PSN)

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 17:41:00 +0000

Sony PSN, PS3, PS classic and PSP sales and discount are difficult to track, especially for a person like me who doesn't sign in to the playstation store that often. Blogs like kotaku, polygon, gamespot and ign and hard to keep up with since the have tons of post on a daily basis.

Fortunately, there is a simple solution to this that is often overseen, the playstation blog. Yup, playstation has a blog and video shows on PSN that reviews games and inform sales and discounts. I found the blog to be extremely helpful since it lacks fluff like console and game rumors that plague most gaming sites.

Do keep in mind there are dedicated playstation blog for different regions like Europe, USA, India etc. It will come in hand to add this to your new/rss reader. I highly recommend it if you want to get the most out of your playstation plus exclusivity and track price drops.

Cycloramic : Take 360 videos and panoramas handsfree

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:14:00 +0000

Imagine a scenario where you can take 360° photos and videos hands free ? While now with this clever little app called cycloramic you actually can ! You got to see it to believe it :

Price at $0.99 The Cycloramic app uses the vibration function on your iPhone to rotate it 360° while capturing videos and panoramic photos (coming soon). The only caveat is the phone needs to be placed on a smooth / polished surface. From my time with it, I found that a polished marble or glass surface provides the best results. The app works best with iPhone 5, but not as well on the older iPhones. Get it from the iTunes store here. Do note that the app doesn't work on the iPod Touch as it lacks the vibration function.

If you want to take 360° videos and photos instantly in real time then look into this accessory called Kogeto which is priced at fair $40-50. Get the add on here.

Fix: PS3 Random Button Press

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 18:06:00 +0000

So my PS3 controller / joystick automatically started scrolling and pressing random buttons. I tried resetting and re-syncing it to no help. After a little research on the internet, I found that the reason this happens is because a foam that shrivels up and stops the circuit ribbon from responding properly.

Fortunately the problem is easy to resolve and after a little tinkering I got it to work. Now the button and scroll pads function how they are supposed to. All you need is a screwdriver and some tape (scotch & electric both work).

Check out the video tutorial fix below :

In case you have trouble reassembling your controller (those L and R buttons are a pain) watch this tutorial here.

Optimize And Reduce Png File Size

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 13:46:00 +0000

PNG or Portable Network Graphics is a popular image format and is my go to format for text, illustrations and vector to bitmap based images. It does a good job of maintaining low file sizes for images that don't have too many colors ie. Most web comics. Surprisingly there are optimization tools out there that make this image format even lighter so it makes your website load much faster.

TinyPNG reduced this png screenshot from 94KB to 27KB. That's a 70% file size reduction.

TinyPNG

TingPng.org is an online tool that reduces file sizes of PNG's while maintaining transparency if there is any. The service is free and support files up to 2MB. Its the best PNG optimization and compression service out there and generally reduces the files size of my images by 15 to 75 %. The service supports up to 20 image conversions at a time.

PunnyPNG

PunnyPNG is another service out there that is popular and used by companies such as Wikipedia, Dictionary.com, Ask.com etc. Unfortunately, its free service offers png image compression that are limited to 100kb. That expands to 500kb when you sign up for its $2 premium web service. The png file size reduction are on par with that of TinyPng. However. PunnyPNG does offer advanced image compression that extends to JPEG format with its premium service.

There are also desktop tools like ImageAlpha that offer advanced png file optimization and reduction. As of now I recommend TinyPng for all your png file compression needs. It reduces file formats that are as big as 2MB, its an easy drag and drop service and best of all, its free !

Open Extract .7z Extension On Mac OSX

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 18:27:00 +0000

The official 7zip doesn't support Mac to open .7z extension. The are number of tutorials out there that are outdated and don't support Mountain Lion. Anyways, here is a tutorial on how open and extract the 7z archive for free using a utility :

1) UnArchiver a light weight extractor, get it on the Mac App store from here. (It's free.)

2) That's it. You can now open .7z extension on your Mac.

Unarchiver will also open extensions like Zip, RAR, 7-zip, Tar, Gzip and Bzip2. Many older formats, such as StuffIt, DiskDoubler, LZH, ARJ and ARC if need be.

Cut Micro Sim To Nano Sim Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 18:40:00 +0000

Here is a useful video I found on how to cut your service provides micro sim to a iPhone 5 compatible nano sim.

You will need a sharp pair of scissors and some strong sand paper.

How To Buy iPhone 5 In India

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 17:10:00 +0000

New iPhone 5

The iPhone 5 will launch on the 21st of September in USA and will launch in a few months in India. Here are some methods on how to get an iPhone 5 in India as soon as possible:

1) Pre-order and ship. Pre-order the iPhone 5 without contract (starts at $649) from Apple.com and ship it to India via shipping sites like vpost, Shipitto, borderlinx, bongo etc. It should cost around 20% to 30% more for the price of the original. Currently there is a 2 week waiting for pre-order shipment processing.

2) Buy it on ebay.in or sites like shopyourworld. There are many sites like ebay india or ShopYourWorld that buy iPhones and sell them at a huge markup. The advantage here is the price is fixed so you don't have to worry too much about customs or other taxes to be paid.

3) Buy it from the grey market. Apple provides international warranty for up to a year (3 years with apple care). So don't worry too much and get your hands on an iPhone 5 by buying it from your local grey market. Places like Lamington Road, Palika Bazaar, Ritchie Street and Burma Baazar will sell them to you starting 22nd of September. Be ready to pay a huge markup on these phones.

4) Buy it via your cellular provider. Last but not the least, wait for your iPhone 5. Airtel and Aircel are said to bring the iPhone 5 sometime around diwali (November). So if you are in no hurries wait for the iPhone 5 (like me). This way you can wait for a proper nano sim to be released and also enjoy limited complimentary 4g services from Airtel and Aircel.

Do remember you need a nano sim to use the iPhone 5. Also don't forget to collect your EarPods with your new iPhone.

Note: An acquaintance of mine got his hands on an iPhone 5 from Honk Kong for $1500. You can cut your sim to a nano sim with steady hands and a bit of sand papering (they did it for him). Things work well out of the box, although some services like 3d maps, 4G LTE , High quality voice calls are currently not available in India.

Fieldrunners 2 Tips, Tricks and Hints

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 19:34:00 +0000

Fieldrunners 2 is a easily the best tower defense strategy game out there and lives up as a worthy sequel to its predecessor on iOS, PC, PSP, Blackberry and Android. Here are some tips, tricks and hints to guide you along:

Round 1250 On Fieldrunners 2

1) Be Economical:

Buy towers only when you need to, be economical. The more cash you have in hand the better you defense will be. Its best to have a complex tower placement design that slows the enemy down and provides a proper defense at the same time.

2) Upgrade instead of buying:

Its almost always better to upgrade instead of buying a new tower.

3) Pause the game and set your towers:

You can pause the game and place your towers. This gives you time to re-evaluate your plan and spend only when you need to. Also while pausing you can sell the towers you just placed at no loss, as in towers which are placed are only permanent once you unpause the game.

4) Play endless mode to get more coins:

Endless mode will give you a boat load of coins. Its not too difficult to pass 1000+ rounds even in heroic mode with a nice design. This will give you enough coins to buy new towers. I strongly recommend getting the power tower early on. Getting enough money this way to buy new towers and items will make the proceeding levels easier.

5) Use your weapons wisely:

Each level requires different set of weapons. The glue tower, power tower, gatling tower, nuke tower and rail gun tower are usually my staple. Use your combination to fit the purpose and level environment.

6) Some items are better than others:

I personally find the spanish flu to be the best item out there. Use items appropriately ie. if you wan't to destroy a single enemy use a smart mine instead of spanish flu. If you are using deep freeze remember to use it early on and not at the end. I don't like the rewind item, used it only during the earlier stages. You are allowed 15 items of 3 choices, use them well.

7) Designs change, don't fixate with one:

Designs evolve especially if you are playing the endless mode. Don't fixate with a particular design and let it evolve and take its natural course. You will usually end up with glue towers and high end towers like the rail gun tower and nuke tower at the end.

8) Use your Airstrike at the very end:

Use your airstrike only at the very end when the enemy / enemies are about to get away. You will be surprised how often your weapons can take them down.

9) Youtube to the rescue:

When in doubt or if you are stuck in a particular map use youtube to guide you. There are hundreds of videos out there with step by step tutorials to get you through. Use this as a last resort though. The fun is in the challenge.

Create Multiple Email Alias On Outlook.com

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Create Multiple Email Alias IDs On Outlook.com

Microsoft has made a stellar come back by launching their revamped email service Outlook.com. I personally find it much better than gmail. Its so much lighter, clutter-free and with much better social interrogation. It even gives you the option to create multiple alias email ids in seconds. Here is how :

1) Just go here.

2) Choose your new alias @outlook.com or @hotmail.com domain.

3) Next check where you want the new mails coming from the email alias to go. I prefer a new folder, you may also choose the inbox. That's it. You are allowed 5 email alias (which is quite fair).

Note: To manage, edit or delete your current alias go here.

The new outlook has unlimited storage with a much the best email interface there is. I strongly suggest you give it a go. And yes I am surprised I am saying that about a microsoft product !

Increase Battery Life On A Canon T4i 650D

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 14:32:00 +0000

I just got my Canon Rebel T4i 650D and the camera packs a powerful punch for its price. However the battery life is less than satisfactory. Here are some tips and tricks on how to help you dramatically increase the battery life of your camera.

Taken With Canon T4i Rebel 650D Using Canon EF f/1.8 II lens

1) Turn Off The LCD Touch Control :

Click on menu, scroll to the 3rd last option (the 2nd last wrench from the star). And choose Touch control disable. This increased my battery life by more than 15-20%

2) Turn Off Auto Focus:

If you can do with manual focus then why waste battery on Autofocus ? The lens motors use up a lot of battery during auto focus so manually disable it from the lens you are using ie. switch the dial from AF to MF on the lens. Same goes for Image stabilization if you can avoid it.

3) Use Optical View Finder Instead Of LCD View:

No brainer here. This tip is for those point and shoot upgraders out there who use the LCD instead of the view finder.

4) Use A Prime Lens Instead Of Flash:

Flash consumes a lot of battery so using a prime lens even a cheap Canon EF f/1.8 II lens should increase your battery life.

5) Set Your System For Economy Use:

Reduce the LCD brightness, update to the latest firmware, quicker auto power off, disable sensor cleaning etc.

6) Buy A Spare Battery:

If you really need more power, buy a spare canon camera battery. Some of us do need the power sucking options after all.

You have any further tips, please so share them in the comments below.

Angry Birds Seasons Free For iPad And iPhone !

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 17:08:00 +0000

Apple really seems to be giving quality free apps away with its app of the week promo. And for this week only Angry Birds Seasons for the iPhone and iPod Touch, And Angry Birds Seasons HD for the iPad is completely free ! I'm talking about the full version with no strings attached.

This game is one of four versions available on the App Store - The Original Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons, Angry Birds Rio and Angry Birds Space. Rovio the maker of Angry Birds is known for its regular updates. Angry Birds Seasons promises 290+ festive levels with quality slingshot entertainment with a fresh season themed graphics and addictive gameplay. I recommend you download it immediately and take advantage of this limited time offer. Get it on the Angry Birds Seasons and Angry Birds Seasons HD now.

Angry Birds Seasons 2012

Do note, if you don't have an iOS device and wish to download this app for free so you can play it on your iOS device in the future, simple create and iTunes ID and download it on your computer via the iTunes App Store.

Blower : Blow out candles with your iPhone

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 17:11:00 +0000

I love quirky apps. The joy of getting something silly that actually works is quite possibly the best thing about the iOS App store. There are apps like sleep recorder, iFart, weighting scale etc. But the best among all these apps has to be Blower app by Qneo.

The app literally makes your iPhone or iPad blow out air that can extinguish candles or blow away paper or tiny bits of things. Turn your volume all the way up and their app produces sound waves that spit out air and blows away things. Check out the video demonstration below:

I have tested this out on my iPad 2 and works. Some people claim it doesn't work on their iPad 1. This does not work on the iPod touch. At $0.99 this app makes an excellent conversation piece and is worthy of its novelty. Check it out on the appstore.

Normalize Audio For Movies And Tv Shows

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 10:59:00 +0000

One of the most annoying things about Movies and Tv shows is poor sound mixing. Sometimes they are too loud at other times they are barely audible. Fortunately there is an easy fix to normalize the audio / sound track for movies and tv shows.

VLC the popular free video player has built in options to solve this problem. Here is a quick video from lifehacker explaining how:

ProTip: Set the attack to around 50 ms and the release to around 300 ms. Much more fluid work on the dynamic range compression. (via Reddit.)

Measure Heart Rate With iPhone, iPod, iPad and Android devices.

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 10:47:00 +0000

Ever wanted to know how fast your heart was beating ? Believe it or not, you can actually use your iPod Touch, iPad or Phone (Android and iPhone) to measure your Heart Rate With an accuracy as good as a pulse check. With Cardiography you can accurately measure your beats per minute (BPM). Cardiograph by MacroPinch is an impressively accurate personal heart rate meter app with a bunch of features built in.

This app is currently free on the Google Play and iOS app store so I gave it a go. All I had to do was place my finger on my iPad's front camera and with decent amount of light (Sunlight in my case) it measured my resting heart rate as 68 BPM. A normal resting heart rate is around 60-80 BPM. To test this app further I did some light exercise and remeasured my heart rate, the app showed a significant increase to 108 BPM.

68 BPM Measure with Cardiography for the Apple iPad.

Cardiograph features multiple user profiles and boasts features such tracking the location of your measurements, iCloud sync and as well as providing you with an option to add notes to each of your heart rate measurements.

Note: Do note however even though the app is accurate, it is not actually a medical equipment.

Temple Run: Brave Cheats, Tips and Tricks.

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 17:19:00 +0000

Temple Run: Brave is a film adaptation of the Disney Pixar movie Brave with temple run gameplay. The game features Merida running away from a monster bear as a 3D endless runner, in the aesthetically pleasing world of Scotland. The game is re-skinned version of the original Temple Run apart from adding a bonus target practice archery as a mini game section. Here are Cheats, Tips and Tricks for the following game :

1) Slow Down Running Speed:

You can purposely trip yourself on the small tree roots to slow down yourself down. You can do this once every ~30 seconds. Don't trip yourself more than once at a time, the monster bear will catch up to you and end your game.

2) Never Miss Targets:

Catch your device with both your hands and place both your thumbs elevated above the sides of the screen. When targets appear on the left or right you can now quickly use the corresponding thumb to hit the target and receive bonuses.

Temple Run Cheats, Tips and Tricks

3) Smart Upgrades::

This tip depends on where you skill level lies. If you can last long choose the "Double value coins after 1500m" upgrade. With my never miss a target tip the "Increase coin reward" should be a huge bonus. If you are poor at maneuvering to collect coins upgrade the "Coin magnet powerup" as soon as you can. In short have a strategy to get the most amount of coins while playing a run.

4) Follow Objectives:

It shocks me how often people fail to realize their is an objective for both Temple Run and Temple Run: Brave. The objective flashes on the screen each time you start a run. Alternatively you may pause the game to read the objective. Objective unlocks bonuses, multipliers and are essential for a good score.

5) Smart Resurrection:

When you proceed to further parts of the stage where it gets challenging use the resurrection power up to continue to run after you die. Once you are familiar enough to run 6digit distances, this power up will come in handy and will pay for itself in each run.

Lane Splitter Cheats Tips And Tricks

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 17:50:00 +0000

Lane splitter is an addictive game for the iOS and Android platform. The game allows you to control a bike that has to speed its way through traffic and collect coins for bonuses while doing so. Lane splitter like temple run has a store for upgrades and bonuses. Here are some cheats, tips, hints and tricks that will help you score higher in Lane Splitter:

1) Its not about the speed, its how long you last :

The rider in Lane splitter does a wheelie and speeds up when you touch the screen, which makes the accelerometer steering a lot harder to control. Focus on surviving as long as you can before speeding up on the traffic. This is a rookie mistake every beginner makes.

2) Use Power Ups Wisely:

Magnets and helmets should help you get almost double what points you score and what coins you collect. Once you have a good hold of controlling your vehicle, these power ups should pay for themselves to the point where you don't need to think twice before using these upgrades.

3) Don't buy donuts, Instead level-up upgrades :

Its quite easy to lose the cops. Just speed up carefully and you should lose him soon, which is why the donut power up is nearly useless. Leveling up magnets and and any other future power ups that will be released in the future will come in handy though.

4) Open your eyes, read the signs:

Don't miss those money bags that hang on the side of the car. And be careful when the screen flashes "traffic ahead". Speeding up with doing a wheelie makes you lose sight of these quick sign flashes. So look out for these to survive longer and achieve a better score.

Last but not the least have fun. Lane splitter like doodle jump, temple run and tiny wings is all about practice. You will get better at it eventually. I went from few thousands to nearly 40,000+ in a couple of weeks.

5 Best iPad Accessories

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 17:34:00 +0000

Best Apple iPad Accessories

The iPad has come a long way from just being an overgrown iPod Touch. There are tons of accessories out there ranging from stylized fashion accessories to productivity ones. Here is a list of the 5 Best Must Have Apple iPad Accessories :

1) iPad Skin / Sleeve / Cover :

The iPad is expensive and not built like a trusty indestructible Nokia phone. So a skin / sleeve / cover is an essentialy accessory to own. There are hundreds of skins and covers out there with no clear winner to choose from. Here are a broad range of categories you should pick from :

a) The Stylish / Minimal Skins, Sleeves and Covers: These range from cheap silicon skins which you can pick up from ebay to Apples smart cover or those stylized covers and sleeves you get on etsy. This type of covers are best for casual users who need basic protection from dust, scratches and minor falls. They make excellent fashion statements too.

b) The Productive Cases : These cases, covers or sleeves come with productive functions like solar panels, built in keyboards, Macbook air like clone cases, built in battery cases etc. This category of cases provide excellent productive tools but at the cost of adding weight. If you really need an iPad keyboard or extra battery power or other specialized cases go in for this option.

c) The Extreme Case: Need a gold plated jewel covered case ? Or a nearly indestructible G-form case ($60 only) ? What about an underwater iPad seal which will help you use your iPad with spongebob ? These extreme cases usually come at a price and are quite a niche. If you need to hardcore cover or want to make a big statement look out for these niche iPad cases.

2) Apple Camera Connection Kit (CCK):

Apple camera connection kit is an excellent accesory that lets you copy pictures from your SD card or Camera (via USB) to your iPad so you can view them on your Retina display, edit them via iPhoto or simply choose the photos you want to keep and delete the rest. This is an useful option for travelers and photographers who want to travel light, back up photos on their iPad and save / edit their pictures with it, instead of carrying a bulky laptop. I bought a cheap Chinese version of CCK for $10 which works great with my SD cards and cameras. Some of them even support low powered pendrives and USB periphrals (like usb keyboards). I highly recommend you buy this accessory. You can buy the official one from Apple right here.

3) Stylus :

Do you paint, draw, take notes or want to use your iPad while wearing gloves ? Then a stylus is an excellent addtion to your iPad. There is a wide range of styluses out there ranging from ones specifically for painting, note taking, pressure sensitive styluses, 2 in 1 styluses etc. I recommend getting the AluPen for casual use. They come in handy during the winter, while taking handwritten notes, while playing games like Draw something or simply to navigate the iPad without getting your screen all messy. Regardless of what Steve Jobs had to say, there have been times where styluses do things better than what my finger can. The Verge wrote an excellent article to help you choose the best Apple iPad stylus for your needs.

4) Apple TV Or A Wired HDMI Connector :

With the impending launch of OSX Mountain Lion, the Apple TV is going to get a lot more useful for gaming and running Apps on a big screen. As many of you know apps like Buzz player, Good player and Azul help you play any video format on the iPad without video conversions. With these apps you can stream movies, music and display or mirror app /game outputs to your TV or Projector with your iPad. There are tons of Video / Tv apps, games, productivy apps out there that can utilize this feature and display in full high definition. You can opt for a wired hdmi connector if you wish to use it on your external display without additional external power for your Apple TV. An Apple Tv / HDMI port will come in handy in case you want to use them to make a presentation on your hdmi supported projectors or displays and where Wifi isn't available (Since Apple Tv cannot connect via Ad-hoc).

5) AirPlay speakers:

With apps like TuneIn, Pandora, Garage band, Music studio and the html5 version of Grooveshark, the iPad is an excellent music hub for listening and creating music. And with Airplay speakers and docks like Sonos, Bose, Senheisser etc you can stream music to these speakers on your iPad in the background, while running other games, browsing or simply using other apps. This accessory though pricey is a must buy for music lovers.

ProTip: You can also connect you Apple tv to your non-Airplay supported speakers if you want to stream your music without buying dedicated Airplay speaker systems.

iOS 6 Features And Release Date

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 19:45:00 +0000

Apple's iOS 6 which featured today is all set to launch this Fall (August - September) meaning its launch will likely collide with the launch of the iPhone 5. Here is a quick look at its features :

iOS 6Features :

iOS 6 Features Summary

1) Siri:

- Coming to the iPad.
- Can launch apps.
- Can tweet.
- Siri Integrated with Rotten tomatoes, Yelp and Open table for reservations.
- Eye free car (button) integration on Honda, Toyota, BMW, Audi etc.
- Displays smart data for Sports.

2) 3D Open Maps :

Out with Google maps apple now offers a 3d view with open maps with amazing turn by turn navigation and flyover view.

3) Deep integration with facebook. Shared iCloud photostreams.

4) Facetime over 3G / 4G Network

5) Passbook : A virtual wallet for tickets, cards and coupons.

6) Safari now with a unibar and better sync, app banner and offline features.

7) Do not disturb notification mode and VIP mail labeling.

OS Support from iPhone 3GS (and newer), Second gen iPads (and newer) and iPod Touch 4.

Use Xbox 360 Controller On Ps3

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 18:01:00 +0000

Have you always preferred bigger gripper Xbox 360 controller over the PS3 ? Or have you ever wanted to play Xbox 360 games with a PS3 controller ? Irrespective of the console, you can now switch and use a Xbox 360 controller on a PS3 and vice versa.

Enter Cronus. A $69.95 USB adapter that allows you to play with Xbox 360, PS3 and Nintendo Wii Mote controllers on console platform of your choice. Cross platform supported ie. it will work on the PS3, XBbox 360 and Wii console via the USB port. This device which premiered in the 2012 version of E3 uses the complex software installed in the USB to enable your controller of choice to perform in the console of your choosing, all this out of the box without any complicated configuration. Check out the trailer demo below :

You can purchase the Cronus USB adapter for $69.95 from here.

Read Adobe DRM Protected ePub, Pdf, eBooks On iPad

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 17:33:00 +0000

iPad is a excellent tool for reading ebooks. In the guide I will show you how to download and read Adobe DRM protected ePub, Pdf and ebooks on the Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch for free. Follow the four easy steps below :

1) Get The DRM Protected book :

Step one is to get the DRM protected ebook (be it ePub or PDF) from the online retailer of your choice. Once you finish buying the ebook, download Adobe Digital Editions from here on your MAC or PC. This software requires you to have a Adobe ID which you can create for free here.

2) Authorize And Download The ePub PDF ebook :

The next step is to authorize your Adobe digital editions account on your computer and download the ePub, Pdf for any other ebook you purchased. Generally you have to open a .acsm file (usually associated automatically) with Adobe digital editions which will download the ebook.

Note: Your Adobe ID can only authorize only 6 Computers / Devices.

3) Download And Install Bluefire Reader On Your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch :

Bluefire is a free drm reader for your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch. You may download the app from here. This is a universally designed app so it supports iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. Currently this is the best free app out there that can open DRM encrypted ePub, PDF and eBooks. Alternatively you can try Book Shelf, eReader, ebrary, Subtext etc.

4) Copy the eBook And Authorize Bluefire Reader For Reading:

Once bluefire has installed on your iOS device, simply connect the device to iTunes and copy the DRM protected file via File sharing. By that I mean on your connected iDevice, choose the Apps option, scroll down and choose BlueFire Reader under File Sharing and drag and drop the DRM protected file of your choice to read it. See Picture below :

Click on the picture to expand.

Next just authorize Bluefire Reader with your Adobe ID and enjoy reading.

Canon T4i 650D Release Date, Specifications, Price And Review

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 13:40:00 +0000

Canon has just launched its popular feature rich T4i 650D today (8th June 2012) line up starting at $849.99 and available from the end of June. Here is a small overview of the Release date, specifications Price And Review.

Specifications :

Canon T4i 650D Model: 6558B001

Canon T4i 650D Release Date, Specifications, Price And Review

18 MP APS-C 14-bit A/D conversion, ISO 100-12800; expandable to 25600 (H).
DIGIC 5+ Image Processor. With noise reduction.
SDHC slot, USH-1 complaint.
Current xxD’s AF system (9 cross-type points).
T3i metering system (63 zones like 7D and 5DIII).
High Speed 5 fps.
Pentamirror Viewfinder.
Articulated touchscreen LCD (approximately 1,040,000 dots) with smudge-resistant coating features.
Hybrid AF during video shooting. Enhanced EOS Full HD Movie mode with Movie Servo AF for continuous focus tracking of moving subjects, manual exposure control and multiple frame rates (1080: 30p (29.97) / 24p (23.976) / 25p, 720: 60p (59.94) / 50p, 480: 30p (29.97) / 25p)

Release Date :

The Canon T4i 650D is announced to start shipping at the end of June. At the time of writing most pre-order sites such as Amazon, are completely out of stock.

Price:

Canon T4i 650D body only : $849.99

Canon T4i 650D with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II lens: $949.99

Canon T4i 650D with EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens (Movie Kit) : $1199

Review :

Official Trailer :

iCloud Alternatives For iPhone iPad

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 12:51:00 +0000

iCloud Alternatives For iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch is a cross platform friendly guide. You may also use these alternatives on Android, Blackberry and Windows phones.

iCloud by apple is revolutionary. But it offers only 5GB of space for free. This would be fine if it was 5GB per device, but it offers 5GB per iTunes account which is quite a limiting factor. Fortunately there are some iCloud alternatives out the for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad that compliment the limited iCloud storage space very well. They are :

Box :

Box

First in line is box originally called box.net ; Box offers iOS users 50GB of space for free. No catches, no strings attached, no manipulation here. But you must signup for box only via the iOS app. Once you sign up for box on your iOS device you get 50GB of space per email id and not per iTunes account. So if you family members have multiple email ids for each device and the same iTunes account (or if you have multiple email ids and a single iTunes account) you can get quite a lot of storage for free. Box offers 50GB of space permanently, although it's not clear if its 50GB iOS offer is available only for a limited time. Either way get Box from here for you iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad since it's a universal app. Box can then be installed on your Windows or Mac so you can sync files wirelessly to all your devices and computers. This option is available for Android and Blackberry too.

Dropbox :

Dropbox

Number two in line is one of my favorite internet services, that I use quite frequently. Dropbox is available as an app for the iOS, Android and Blackberry. You can easily expand you 2GB dropbox space to 18+GB for free with this guide I wrote a while back. Where dropbox excels when compared to Box (iCloud in some cases) is that it that many apps on the iOS Appstore sync with dropbox and allow you to make copies, back up or save work progress with it.

Many note taking apps like Bamboo and Notability, Media apps like azul allow you to back up files and stream media from dropbox seamlessly. Most of these apps exclusively support Dropbox instead of iCloud which is a key advantage for choosing this cloud service. 18+GB free space is an excellent reason to try dropbox for you iOS, Android and Blackberry platforms today. You can download this universally supported, free iOS Appstore app from here. With the rise of cloud services from Microsoft and Google, it's very likely that dropbox will reduce it's prices in the long run.

Evernote :

Evernote

Evernote is a cloud service that clips, organises and arranges notes, media and other data with a well integrated and easily searchable features. Many apps support evernote to store notes, pictures and other media files. Features like OCR make text in pictures you take, easily and quickly searchable. Evernote does what it does very well. Its quick search, tagging and excellent OCR makes it an instant download. Unfortunately its free space is limited to 500MB and its $45 premium service expands that to just 1GB a month. However Evernote does have a slew of apps to try like Webclipper, Skitch, Everynote Peek etc. This app supports Windows phones while many others don't. Download Everynote for your iOS device here.

Google And Microsoft:

Skydrive

Google drive and Skydrive have eventually made its way to the App store. Both provide good services at a very competitive price. Even if it weren't for Google drive, users can use google docs, google plus, gmail, youtube and other services to store data in the cloud. Personally I would opt in for Skydrive if you are looking for an iCloud alternative (as long as you aren't using linux). Google drive is in its early stages and google isn't known for making high quality reliable iOS apps. How ever in the long run I feel these services might be a wise choice since they are backed by reputed companies. Try them out for free, you have nothing to lose.

Create Disposable Web Pages

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 14:55:00 +0000

Disposable sites are convenient as they help you share rich text, images and media without the hassle of signing up or registering for a service. Here are two disposable webpage services that I use on a regular basis :

1) Dinkypage:

Dinkypage helps you create feature rich webpages with a simple word-document like wysiwyg editor. It even has a custom html editor and gives you the option to embed social bookmarks and reader comments. This is by far the best disposable page creator out there, it offers its service for free with no advertising. Dinkypages is excellent for sharing information and getting quick feedback. It gives you a unique deletion url that removes the page once you are done.

2) DisposableWebPage

DisposableWebPage helps you create a wikipedia like webpage that self destructs in 90 days or a custom time frame set by you. DisposableWebPage is good when you want people to collaborate and edit information similar to the options provided by Wikipedia. You may also use it as a platform for sharing your information sans reader edit functions. They also provide a unique url that will delete your page if you want to destroy it before the self destructing time frame.

Emulate Xbox 360 Controller On Pc

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 10:42:00 +0000

Most PC games these days support the Xbox 360 gamepad as a standard input. With the Xbox 360 controller emulator you can use nearly any cheap usb gamepad controller or even a spare PS3 controller to play your PC games with full gamepad support. The gamepad emulator supports games like Dead Space, GTA, Burnout Paradise, Limbo, Supermeat boy, Saints Row, Crysis, Nitronic Rush etc.

Follow the guide below for a quick tutorial.

How To Emulate A Xbox 360 Controller On A Pc :

1) Step one, you need a usb controller (few wireless controllers work as well). If you are on a budget I recommend buying the Saitek gamepad for ~$15. I have the Saitek PS1000 which supports PS3, PS2 and PC got it for $14. Connect the controller to your PC and install the required drivers that usually come with the CD or digital download links.

2) Download the Xbox 360CE from here. It's the software that allows you to emulate a xbox 360 controller on your PC with a cheap gamepad controller. Currently its windows only x64 and x86.

3) Extract the file and click on the x360ce.exe executable. If you are connected to the internet, the computer should automatically map your device to emulate a xbox 360 controller. If it doesn't then read the wiki for more information. You will need to map them manually.

Emulate Xbox 360 Controller On Pc with X360CE

4) Hit save. The program should save two files x360ce.ini and xinput1_3.dll (or something similar). Copy these two files and paste them in the game directory of choice ie. Browse to C:/ -> Program Files -> The Binding Of Isaac / Limbo (or any other game name) and paste both the files there. If you are running games on Steam go to C:/ -> Program Files -> Steam and search for your game directory (Limbo, Braid, Crysis etc.). Use windows search to get there faster.

Game directory of Limbo

5) That's it. Just make sure your controller is connected and run the game of your choice. If you are having trouble using x64 (64 bit) try using the x86 (32 bit) emulator software on your computer. Good luck and happy gaming.

How Long To Complete A Video Game

noreply@blogger.com (Stumblepod) — Thu, 31 May 2012 16:46:00 +0000

Have you wondered how long does it take to complete skyrim, mass effect 3, Grand theft auto or even Angry Birds ? Are you confused if you can complete a game in one long sitting or would need to spend an eternity on it ? Worry no more there is a site that does just that.

HowLongToBeat.com is a site that aggregates gameplay time required to complete the video game of you choosing. Just so you know you can complete it over the weekend, or allot appropriate time to finish it. There is nothing more annoying then getting into a game and realizing you can't finish it in the days to come.

The site is nice enough to break down time to console type, completion type (as in speed run, completionist, main story only) and other sections based on you game. So before you sit down to play a game check with HowLongToBeat just so you know you can complete your game in your due free time.