sync

Online storage is becoming a commodity offering. So you'd think that it'd be simple to buy and use, like an external hard disk. Not so much.

Storage companies are jockeying for position in this market by adding features and complexity. The latest: The backup product Mozy (a subsidiary of EMC) is getting a synchronized folder product that works a lot like Dropbox.

Called Stash, it's a shared folder that will draw space from a user's Mozy account. So if you're using 20 gigabytes for backup in a 50GB Mozy account, you'll be able to … Read more

So you've got an original iPhone and you're hanging on to it for sentimentality's sake. I get that. But that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice all the cool, new goodies that accompany the latest versions of iOS.

If you're hanging on to your little piece of Apple history (whether because you have to or just want to) TechCrunch lets us know that you can now use a custom firmware called Whited00r to add some sweet features such as multitasking, app folders, and device syncing.

The best part about Whited00r? No jailbreaking.

Instead, Whited00r is … Read more

LAS VEGAS--If you've ever wanted to tell the Car Talk guys to shut it, now's your chance because a Sync AppLink-enabled version of the NPR app for Android and iPhone will give select Ford drivers voice control over their NPR programming.

By saying "Hourly News," users can call up a 4- to 5-minute audio stream of the latest news of the hour. After saying "Stations," the driver will be able to select a live stream of his or her favorite local NPR affiliate. Likewise, the "Programs" command allows for quick access to … Read more

LAS VEGAS--You'd think that Ford's own Sync Destinations app would be among the select few that offer connectivity with the automaker's voice-controlled Sync AppLink technology, but oddly it wasn't...until now.

Ford has announced an updated version of the Sync Destinations app for iPhone that gives drivers voice control over the app when connected to an AppLink-enabled vehicle. Like the original app, users will be able to save favorite destinations and access driving directions and traffic reports to them utilizing their cloud-based Sync Services account. However, now users can simply speak the commands "Mobile Apps,&… Read more

LAS VEGAS--Available as an iOS app in the iTunes App Store, accessible online at Scout.me, and coming soon to Ford Sync AppLink, TeleNav's new Scout service aims to help users discover and navigate to destinations whether on foot, at home, or in the car.

On the iPhone, Scout presents users with a dashboard that gives an overview of personalized, real-time commute times to work or home and shortcuts to local search and saved favorite locations. Digging deeper, the app also offers a search-and-discovery engine for finding, for example, a local bar or restaurant. User reviews are aggregated from … Read more

Big changes are arriving in the developer's build of Firefox for Android in a bid to make it more appealing, while the significantly more popular desktop version is getting several noteworthy but smaller changes, the company announced at the end of 2011.

Available for download now, the first versions of Firefox 11 Aurora for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android came out just after the stable build of the browser updated to version 9. The Android update is again the more notable release, as the new native Android interface reaches a wider audience. For the first time, the browser also … Read more

If Ford engineers had their way, Santa Claus would be delivering packages to all the good girls and boys on Christmas Eve in a Ford sleigh concept.

The muscle car-inspired, bright-red, concept sleigh is powered by a 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine and boasts 125 horsepower, with 170Nm peak torque (with 200Nm overboost)--giving it the highest power density of any Ford production engine to date.

Ford engineers apparently presented the concept sleigh design to Santa and Mrs. Claus, along with its environmental and cost-saving advantages.

Each Christmas Eve, Jolly Old St. Nick reportedly circumnavigates the globe--124,421,727 miles--in a … Read more

The bottom line: Firefox 9 for Android brings both familiarity and power to the Android browser scene, but it's the killer Sync that will drive attention to Mozilla's mobile browser.

Please note that the First Look video below is still applicable to Firefox 9 mobile, as is the Firefox How To collection, even though they both feature Firefox 4.

Review: Editors' note: Portions of this review are based on CNET's review for Firefox 9 for desktops.

Mozilla's foray into the Android Market ports much of the desktop Firefox experience to your mobile device. The look and … Read more

More than one person can now use Chrome and keep personal data separate from other users on the same computer, thanks to today's update to Google's browser.

Google Chrome 16.0.912.63 stable for Windows (download), Mac (download), Linux (download), and Chrome Frame also adds an option to sync your Omnibox History, and it includes a number of security fixes.

Multiple-user support is similar to Chrome's Sync feature, but it's more of a complementary feature than a must-use. Sync allows you to always have access to the same bookmarks, history, themes, and preferences. Multi-user support … Read more