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A quick settings menu, only available on the new Android 4.2 operating system, allows immediate access to all of the important settings that one may wish to change with a quick swipe of the thumb. AntTek Quick Settings brings this intuitive feature to all Android devices regardless of the operating system. It's a great app that functions perfectly.

AntTek Quick Settings installs very quickly. At only 2.5MB, it's very light on the resources, too. The look and feel of Jelly Bean is preserved in the remake of its menu. A black background is highlighted with intuitive, … Read more

Most phones sold these days have a speakerphone mode. This setting is usually good enough for an impromptu hands-free call in a quiet office. However, when you get on the road in a noisy car, the phone's flaws are made apparent. For example, the built-in microphone can be less than ideal for canceling the levels of road and wind noise present in a car at highway speed, which leads to poor quality on the receiving end of your calls. I'm sure that you dislike repeating yourself to callers as much as I do, so let's look at how to improve call quality.

Visor-mounted Bluetooth speakerphones feature more sophisticated microphones with noise and echo-cancellation technology located closer to your head, which can dramatically improve sound quality. How much of an improvement should you expect? I've recorded outbound calls from five speakerphones (and my test phone's internal microphone) to demonstrate. … Read more

Impressed by a bearded dragon playing Ant Crusher? Check out how intense an African Bullfrog gets during the game.

As the ants climb down the touch screen, it becomes quickly obvious that the tired phrase "there's an app for that" is now becoming relevant to keeping exotic amphibian pets entertained. After successfully lunging and darting its tongue at the Android smartphone, the frog easily passes to the next level. … Read more

We already know that cats have a penchant for iPads, but the gadget of choice for lizards? A smartphone loaded with games.

We can thank YouTube user ThatSpecialGuy for this revelation. You see, he posted a video of his pet bearded dragon playing a game of Ant Crusher on his Android device (looks to be an HTC phone), and the scaly yet adorable creature absolutely kills it.

As you'll see in the video below, she zaps those ants with her tongue like a pro and often looks up at her owner--perhaps looking for a little praise for her mad skills. Or maybe she's wondering why she isn't being fed real food. … Read more

If you like adding tech to your outdoor workout, 4iiii Innovations has a nifty gadget that can turn virtually any pair of sunglasses into a heads-up display, or HUD.

Recently shown off at Interbike 2011 expo in Las Vegas, Sportiiiis ("sport eyes" and, yes, it's four i's as in four eyes) is a body rhythm monitor that adds LEDs in seven colors to your shades.

The device clips to the arm of a pair of sunglasses and communicates performance info via a small boom that extends to the eyepiece. … Read more

The BlueAnt Embrace on-ear headphones ($200) look luxurious and, if you don't mind, adult. I sometimes think a lot of today's headphones are designed to look cool to 15-year-olds, with boosted bass and highs designed to dazzle young ears. The Embrace's demeanor is more, shall we say, reserved?

Maybe it's the all-black color scheme and lack of flash that first appealed to me, but then I fell in love with the thickly padded headband and pillowlike ear cushions. My ears and head appreciate being coddled like this. The sound mimics the Embrace's look and feel: … Read more

Ant Smasher is an addictive, fast-paced game that tests your screen-tapping reflexes with onslaughts of elusive insects. As the different insects make their way across your screen, your only job is to tap and smash them all as fast as possible. Let too many escape your screen, or accidentally tap a bee, and the game is over. It's super simple.

Because Ant Smasher requires only quick reflexes and almost no thinking, we think it's a great pick-up-and-play type of download. We also think it would be perfect for very young children who may not be able to grasp … Read more

BlueAnt branches out from its Bluetooth wireless roots with a wired stereo "headset" it calls Embrace. The stylish over-ear headphones include an integrated mic and controls for iOS devices that allow you to make hands-free calls and play, pause, and track-forward audio selections. Although their $200 retail price tag sways toward the higher end of the consumer market, we recommend these over-ear headphones for their robust, well-defined sound and padded comfort.

As far as their design, the Embrace headphones seem to have drawn inspiration from Bowers and Wilkins' P5 headphones. They have rectangular earcups that are aptly padded … Read more

Some have exceptional sound quality. Others have intuitive voice command. Still others pack useful features, such as FM transmission. But at the end of the day, most Bluetooth speakerphones do pretty much the same thing: allow you to make a phone call while safely keeping your hands on the steering wheel.

In an attempt to stand out from the herd and further enhance driver safety, Bluetooth speakerphone manufacturers have begun to bundle smartphone apps and services with their hardware. These apps do everything from read incoming text messages aloud to update your Twitter and Facebook statuses with little more than … Read more