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Stream media to your iPhone or iPad with Skifta

Perhaps Skifta works better on Android. A universal iOS version of the app was released earlier this month, and I found it to be buggy and prone to crashing. It's worth keeping an eye on, however, because if done right, it could be a useful app for the iPhone and particularly the iPad. Skifta is a free app that lets you stream video, music, and photos from your PC or another networked device in your home. There are also a number of Internet services you can connect to in order to stream media on your iOS device.

If you'… Read more

With which service can you watch that movie?

So many streaming services, so little time. It's no fun starting off an evening by spending more time searching for a movie to watch than actually watching a movie. If you often find yourself paralyzed by choice with the many options available today, Can I Stream.it? can help. Whether using the Can I Stream.it? Web site, iPhone app, or Android app, the service lets you search across multiple platforms to find the movie or TV show you want.

The service tracks subscription streaming services, digital rentals, digital purchases, DVD and Blu-ray purchases and rentals, and online fare … Read more

Receive reminders, watch trailers with Movie Cron

Ah, I remember going to the movies. I recall those years fondly, before I had kids and an HDTV and a Whirley Pop.

If, unlike me, you go to a theater to consume movies and popcorn, you might want to check out Movie Cron. At this site, you can watch trailers and should you provide an e-mail and create an account, you can have the site e-mail or text you reminders for movie premieres. The site needs a little work, but the important tool of transmitting reminders does work.

The site lets you browse by Top Movies (for the week, … Read more

How to use Office on any PC with Office on Demand

Many of the new features of Microsoft Office 2013 are cloud-based. One of the more intriguing of those features is Office on Demand. Office on Demand allows subscribers of Office 365 to stream Office to any Internet-connected Windows 7 or Windows 8 PC.

If you're traveling without your own PC with Office on it, but can get to a guest machine, Office on Demand is a convenient way to access Office. You can even use it to edit your files stored on SkyDrive. And once you log out of the PC, the programs and documents are no longer accessible … Read more

How to turn a Vine into an animated GIF

An ambitious developer, Esten Hurtle, has developed a way to quickly turn any Vine video into an animated GIF using a very simple Mac app. The app, VineGifR, is free and available to download by following the download link in the ReadMe section on Esten's Github page. It's a good idea to follow this page for further app updates as development continues. As you'll see below, the current version of the app is very basic.

Originally covered by Mashable, Esten posted the app on Hacker News asking for feedback.

The first time you launch the app on … Read more

How to enable two-factor authentication on popular sites

One of the safest and simplest computer-security measures available is also one of the least used. Two-factor authentication adds a layer of protection to the standard password method of online identification. The technique is easy, relatively quick, and free. So, what's the problem?

Critics are quick to point out the shortcomings of two-factor authentication: it usually requires a USB token, phone, or other device that's easy to lose; you sacrifice some privacy by having to disclose your telephone number to a third party; and it is subject to man-in-the-middle and other browser- and app-based attacks.

Still, for online … Read more

Get phone alerts for suspicious activity on your Google account

The end-user is at the mercy of the service creator when it comes to how secure their data will be online. Google, fortunately, offers extra opt-in features to help ensure than no one other than you will be able to log-in and access your information. One of these security measures is the two-step authentication process.

With two-step, the user decides if they want to enter a randomly generated code each time they log in from a specific place, or if they want to enter it only every 30 days. The benefit is that if you try to log in … Read more

A six-pack of useful Greasemonkey scripts

My Web habits differ from yours. Therefore, the Greasemonkey scripts that I find useful may differ from your idea of a useful Greasemonkey script. I use many of the same sites you likely visit, however, so perhaps you'll find these useful as well. If not, let me know which scripts you use in the comments below. Share and share alike, I say.

Before we get to my favorite six scripts, let's back up a bit. If you don't know a Greasemonkey script from Shinola, start with my post on how to get started with such things. If … Read more

WishPlz tracks price drops so you don't have to

You've got your eye on a solid-state hard drive. Or a MacBook Air. Or one of those cool Star Wars Force FX Lightsabers. Just one problem: you haven't saved up quite enough cash.

Sure, you can keep checking to see if the price has dropped, but that's a time-consuming hassle. What you need is a tool that will notify you when an item goes on sale.

Wishful thinking? Not if you sign up for WishPlz, a free service that tracks your favorite items and tells you when their prices drop.

WishPlz works a bit differently than other … Read more

Add expiration dates for shared Google Drive folders

It's easy to forget you've shared a folder from Google Drive with someone. There are visual indicators that show a folder is shared, but if you're busy working, or don't spend a lot of time logged into Google Drive, you may not notice them.

When you come across a situation where you want to limit the amount of time that your folder remains shared, there's a script that can help you add an expiration date to the sharing status. The way it works is by creating a duplicate of what you originally shared (minus the … Read more