auto

Automate typing tasks with Auto Text Typer

If you find yourself typing the same text over and over again, it makes sense to find a way to automate this task to save time and effort. Auto Text Typer is a simple program with which you can save multiple sets of text and easily insert them almost anywhere with the use of a simple hot key. We think the program is a great way to speed up redundant typing tasks.

Auto Text Typer has a simple, straightforward interface with a handful of clearly labeled buttons. We clicked New in order to create a new block of text and … Read more

Networks are hopping mad over Dish's commercial skipping

In today's show, we're putting filters on Facebook, paying with our phones and watching the networks get hoppin' mad:

A battle is brewing in court between the major television networks and Dish Network's commercial-skipping Hopper DVR. The fight centers around a feature in the Hopper DVR called Auto Hop, which lets users instantly skip commercials for a show recorded the day prior from a major network during prime time. (No need for a fast-forward button!) Fox, NBC and CBS are suing Dish, arguing that commercial skipping violates copyright. And Fox added another layer to it, saying that … Read more

How to render 3D images on your iPad for free

AutoDesk isn't exactly a household name, but I'm continually impressed by the quality of free apps it offers.

One of the latest free apps, which came out earlier this month, renders everyday objects in 3D on your iPad, a fairly nifty feature. These aren't the wonky 3D images that seem to fly off the screen; I'm talking about rendered images that can be moved around on screen.

The app 123D Catch works like this: You use the app to snap 40 or so photos of an object at different angles. The photos are then uploaded to … Read more

Turn photos into sketches on iOS

Everyone who uses Instagram, EyeEm, or other photo-sharing apps knows how easy it can be to add effects to photos and make them look even better than the original. But there's another group of apps at the iTunes App Store that add something more to your images, taking a mostly mundane photo and turning it into a work of art.

This week's collection of iOS apps turns your photos into hand-drawn works of art. The first offers one-of-a-kind effects to make your photos look like sketches. The second is an old favorite of mine for the incredibly realistic line drawings you can create. The third takes a different tack, turning your photos into super-realistic paintings in the style of some of the greatest painters ever.… Read more

How to reverse scroll in Windows like OS X Lion

Apple reversed scrolling in OS X Lion and called the feature "natural scrolling." Not everyone liked the change, but it could be turned off. There are some people that do like the new scrolling direction and even Google has added reverse scrolling to Chrome OS. If you're a Windows user and would like to try out reverse scrolling, here's how:

Step 1: Install AutoHotkey on your Windows PC.

Step 2: Launch AutoHotkey, and when prompted to create a sample script, click the Yes button.

Step 3: When the sample script appears in Notepad, paste the following … Read more

Enhance YouTube with YouTube Auto Replay

If you've ever found yourself going back to a certain point in a YouTube video over and over again -- because you're trying to master a dance step, because you really like that part of the song, or because you're trying to figure out exactly how that cat did a back flip -- YouTube Auto Replay is for you. This incredibly useful Google Chrome extension lets you replay YouTube videos either in their entirety or in specified segments. We think that virtually anyone who uses YouTube will find it good to have around.

YouTube Auto Replay installs … Read more

Bing pings Facebook

In today's show, we're Binging our friends, casting spells in Kindle's library, and bracing ourselves for the return of the browser wars:

Microsoft's Bing search engine now includes Facebook integration. When you search for something on Bing, a side panel will pop up and show which of your friends might help you with your search. So for example, if you search for hotels in Chicago, Bing will point out which of your friends live in Chicago.

Microsoft is also in the news today for stirring up the browser wars again. According to Mozilla, Microsoft is preventing … Read more

Dish touts new 'Auto Hop' commercial-skip feature

What feature have viewers been waiting for since the "beginning of television?"

According to Dish, it's commercial-free TV, and it's added a new "Auto Hop" feature to its Hopper HD DVR system that allows you to jump over all commercials in recorded prime-time programs from ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC when viewed a day after airing. … Read more

Automate your clicking with GS Auto Clicker

If you ever encounter situations in your work or leisure that require repeated mouse clicking, GS Auto Clicker can save you a lot of time and tired fingers. This simple utility is highly customizable and can take the task of clicking off your hands -- literally.

GS Auto Clicker has a simple interface, with a large button labeled Press F8 to Click. F8 is the default hotkey to enable GS Auto Clicker, but clicking the button on the interface allows users to select any hotkey they like. Users can select which mouse button to use and also select single or … Read more

Google Chrome Auto-Reload

If you find yourself constantly needing to refresh a Web page you're working on or viewing, this tool could be a time saver for you. JeanLou Dupont has released Auto-Reload, a Google Chrome extension built to automate the reloading of a Web page.

This free tool, once installed, adds a single button to your Chrome address bar. You won't find any unnecessary bells or whistles, just a few options that you can set and forget. It's easy to choose the refresh intervals, and the button changes color depending on whether it's active or not, a simple … Read more