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When composing documents in OS X, sometimes moving the cursor around with arrow keys is more convenient, and a bit more accurate, than using the mouse.

The arrow keys therefore offer a great advantage both in offering a precise input option (one tap moves over one character, or up one line, etc.), but also in that they are right there on the keyboard. However, if you are unfamiliar with the modifiers you can use with the arrow keys to place your cursor faster, you may resort to pressing and holding them to get the cursor where you want it.

Recently … Read more

It is possible to meet the lover of your dreams on a plane.

Usually, this involves being fortunate enough to have them sit next to you. Idle chatter is exchanged and, before you know it, you're living together.

A serious amount of serendipity is needed for a happy ending in the air. So Virgin America has decided it should broaden your chances.

As ClickOrlando teases it, your in-flight entertainment system will now offer the potential of some off-flight entertainment too.

For, should you see a man, woman or stuffed toy that sparks your amorous aspirations, you will be able … Read more

Like the medium they honor -- social media -- the Shorty Awards are whimsical, fun, and irreverent, with a pinch of seriousness, activism, and social good thrown into the mix.

I've been a judge for the Shorty Awards for several years (with such folks as David Pogue (@Pogue), Esther Dyson (@edyson), Craig Newmark (@CraigNewmark), and Steve Wozniak (@stevewoz).

Along with the judging, I've also played the Shorty version of Joan Rivers. Earlier this month, at the ceremony in New York's Times Center, instead of asking about their clothes or nuggets of gossip, I used interviews to probe … Read more

Gryphn's free Android app brings its robust Secure Text Messaging technology to your smartphone. Gryphn encrypts your text, image, and video messages, in transit and in storage. It can create, send, and receive encrypted and even self-destructing picture messages. It lets you control who can see your messages and for how long, and it can even prevent users from saving your messages. It also protects your stored data: Any malware or virus (or snoop) gaining access to your phone will be unable to open or damage files encrypted by Gryphn's technology. You may have encountered Gryphn's secure … Read more

WhatsApp Messenger (iPhone|Android) lets you chat for free with anyone else who owns the app and offers a few extra useful features to make text messaging more fun. With this chat app installed on your smartphone, you'll save a little money on text charges through your carrier and across platforms. The only catch is that you'll have to persuade your most frequent texting buddies to download the app, too, but once they see WhatsApp's advantages, they'll probably give it a try.

Like iMessage for iOS, WhatsApp Messenger shows your chats in little text bubbles, gives … Read more

WhatsApp Messenger (iPhone|Android) lets you chat for free with anyone else who owns the app and offers a few extra useful features to make text messaging more fun. With this chat app installed on your smartphone, you'll save a little money on text charges through your carrier and across platforms. The only catch is that you'll have to persuade your most frequent texting buddies to download the app, too, but once they see WhatsApp's advantages, they'll probably give it a try.

Like iMessage for iOS, WhatsApp Messenger shows your chats in little text bubbles, gives … Read more

It was the glow that gave him away.

Benjamin Kohler, 26, a jury member at a trial in Oregon, was sitting through testimony.

You might imagine that the testimony was interesting to a 26-year-old man. For the defendant was accused of armed robbery.

Indeed, the lights dimmed to show a surveillance video. That would surely have a mesmerizing element.

It may not have been mesmerizing enough. Or, perhaps, Kohler is a very adept multitasker.

For the dimmed lights revealed his illuminated face. Like a character from the "Blair Witch Project," the rays shone from below.

Benjamin Kohler appeared to be texting. … Read more

Notepad is a survivor. Built into Windows for ages, it's still doing yeoman service as a fast, lightweight, easy-to-use text editor. Notepad2 from Flo's Freeware is a Scintilla-based text editor with syntax highlighting. It's called Notepad2 because it follows the original Notepad's principles. It's compact and lightweight: The entire program folder is about 766KB. This makes it fast: Notepad2 loads quickly. But Notepad2 does a whole lot more than Notepad. Despite their many similarities, there really is no comparison: Notepad2 is a far more capable tool than Notepad for any text document. But for those … Read more

Text to Image is a simple piece of freeware that does one thing, but it does it quicker and easier than just about any other tool. What it does is create image files out of text: You type it, choose the look, and press a button, and Text to Image does the rest. What use are the images? How about a custom title bar for your Web site? Or a restaurant menu? Or an invitation? For any kind of text that needs to be presented as an image file, Text to Image is a great first choice. Danaav's Text … Read more