shares

Get a beta invitation to Cubby file-syncing service

Happy Friday the 13th. Let's celebrate this no-different-than-any-other-day-on-the-calendar day with a great freebie!

Cubby, the new file-syncing and -sharing service from LogMeIn, has been running a closed, invitation-only beta for the past few months. It's still closed, still invitation-only -- but I've got invites just for you, Cheapskate readers.

In other words, you can now get a free 5GB Cubby account. Just type in your e-mail address and presto, you've got access. (Watch your inbox for an activation e-mail. Mine arrived almost instantly.)

Quick caveat: This is capped at 5,000 users. If the limit is … Read more

Google+ gets update for iPhone and a new iPad version

Built as a Universal update, Google+ version 3.0 adds new features to the iPhone app and is the first version that is made for the iPad with its own unique interface features.

On both iOS devices, you'll now be able to create and manage Google Events. You can create an event, manage comments, add photos, and see who is coming to the event. All the info from past events is saved as well, so you can go back and revisit them later.

Google Hangouts are now supported on both iOS devices as well, which means you'll be … Read more

Is Verizon 'shaking down' customers with family plan?

Verizon Wireless' new family share plan has gotten lots of knickers in knots. But is the new plan really as bad as some people fear it is for consumers?

Last week, Verizon's new family share plans went into effect for the carrier's new customers. The plans give subscribers unlimited voice and text messaging and allow people to share buckets of data between different people on the same share plan and among multiple devices on the same plan. But the plans have also caused a lot of confusion -- and outraged many existing Verizon customers.

In this edition of … Read more

Windows 7 on majority of PCs for the first time

Windows 7 has taken the majority of the global operating system market for the first time, according to figures from web analytics company StatCounter.

Microsoft's latest operating system till the impending arrival of Windows 8, Windows 7 had 50.2 percent of the OS market for the month of June, while Windows XP -- the second most popular OS -- trailed behind at 29.9 percent of the world's PCs, the figures show.

Windows 7 was launched close to three years ago in October 2009 but, despite receiving a warmer reception than its predecessor Vista, it's been … Read more

Comparing the best ways to store your photos online

If you're like many others (including me), you habitually turn to Facebook when you want to share photos online. Arguably, that's perfectly fine -- after all, your photos are not only stored in a place you access often, but are quickly shared with friends and family who use the social network (so, basically, everyone).

The downside? Facebook doesn't offer much beyond tagging, likes, and comments. What if you want to order prints? Or search for photos by date, name, or tag? Most importantly: what happens when you get sick of Facebook and cancel your account?

The benefits … Read more

Instagram adds likes, comments in Web page expansion

Instagram has increased its Web presence with a site overhaul that includes the addition of more interactive features.

The update adds the options to like and comment on photos and the ability to log in to edit profile options from a desktop Web browser. The update also sports a new blue-and-white color scheme reminiscent of the app. However, as The Verge points out, the update still lacks feature parity between the app, and Web and photo browsing is limited.

Instagram user interface designer Maykel Loomans announced the overhaul in a tweet this afternoon:

On Day 100 in San Francisco, we … Read more

Options for file sharing via SSH in OS X

Remote access to a computer system is a convenient option to have, as it can allow you to change settings, get to your files and folders, or otherwise use the system without needing to be immediately in front of it. Being a Unix-like system, Apple has included the popular SSH remote log-in service for administering the system via the command line. However, this service can be used for more than a text-based interface to running commands, and you can use it to create secured FTP connections and similarly mount remote folders on a local system using the SSH filesystem (SSHFS) … Read more

Photo sharing to tell your life story

Instagram is a free and fairly simple photo enhancement app that requires only a couple of touches to produce great-looking images. But what's really special about Instagram are the sharing capabilities that let you tell the story of your life through photos.

Start by signing up with Instagram with an e-mail address, username, and password. From there you can configure Instagram to autopost to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, Foursquare, and Posterous, or just choose to share images from within the app or via e-mail. You can also turn any of these options on or off if you don't … Read more

Share and access Android files from any location with Shynk

It's dead-simple to transfer files from your Android device to your computer using a USB cable or a Wi-Fi network, but sometimes you want to share files with people more remotely. Shynk is great for this, letting you set up an account to access and share files with anyone you like. Here's how it works: 

Create a free Shynk account here.  Download and install the Shynk app from here. Run Shynk and log in with the account info you just created. Head back to the Shynk Web site and click "Phone" near … Read more