hints

Apple patent adds clues to streaming music service

A patent application released this morning has provided clues to features Apple might add to iTunes and iOS to make entire music libraries take up less space on mobile devices with limited storage.

U.S. patent application No. 20110118858, which was unearthed by Apple Insider earlier today, details a system where segments of music clips from a user's library are stored locally on a device. When combined with an infrastructure that can fetch the rest of a song once it starts being played, this could provide users with a seamless music listening experience of their entire library, even without … Read more

WikiLeaks app yanked from Apple's App Store

Apple has removed a WikiLeaks app from its App Store just a few short days after its release.

Launched on December 17, the $1.99 WikiLeaks App offered access to the whistleblower site and the @wikileaks Twitter stream and was described as providing "'instant access to the world's most documented leakage of top secret memos and other confidential government documents," according to a Google cached version of the site provided by TechCrunch. The app was created by a third-party development firm called Hint Solutions, which lists Igor Barinov as its general manager.

But as of late last … Read more

Simple card game

DreamQuest's 100% Free 500 Card Game for Windows is an excellent teaching and playing program for this classic Australian game. With helpful tutorials and professional play, you can quickly master "500," a blend of spades and euchre that is Australia's national card game.

The program's interface instantly won us over, even though we had no prior experience with 500. Its colorful, professional design was matched by a fantastic tutorial that taught us the rules and nuances of the game. This single-human, three-computer-player game was quick to pick up and fun to play. We enjoyed choosing … Read more

Helpful chess game

100% Free Chess Board Game for Windows provides users with challenging chess matches and also works as a teacher. This program's helpful tutorials and easy game play will make users of all skill levels happy.

We had an easy time navigating through the program's cartoonish interface, thanks to its well-labeled command buttons and onscreen instruction. The Help file comes to users as an excellent text-based tutorial, which explains rules and strategy. We liked the program's cast of opponents, whose skill level is noted next to their animated image, because each proved to offer different strategies and ability … Read more

Cricket Wireless to get the Hint

Cricket Wireless follows in the footsteps of Alltel and MetroPCS by picking up the Motorola Hint QA30, a sliding messaging phone with a full QWERTY keyboard. The Hint has a 2.5-inch color display, a 2-megapixel camera, an MP3 player, a microSD card slot, stereo Bluetooth, and 3G speeds. It's available right now from Cricket for $249.99.

MetroPCS picks up Moto's Hint

Motorola's texting phone Hint has made the journey from Alltel to regional budget carrier MetroPCS. The square slider offers a full QWERTY keyboard and a midrange feature set that includes stereo Bluetooth, USB connectivity with PC syncing, a music player, a microSD card slot, 140MB of internal memory, personal organizer options, support for 3G, a speakerphone, and a 2-megapixel camera.

Once an exclusive purveyor of basic phones with minimalist designs, MetroPCS has made its handset lineup a bit more interesting in recent months. First it introduced the Samsung Messager, another QWERTY messaging phone. Then last month it offered its … Read more

Alltel takes a Hint

Over the past two months, it has become hip to be square in cell phone land. Three messaging phones introduced during the fall season--the LG Lotus, the Pantech Slate, and the Samsung Propel--all have square designs in varying forms. Now Motorola is getting in on the game with the Motorola Hint for Alltel.

Also called the QA30, the boxy Hint has a slider design that hides a full QWERTY keyboard. Features include support for Alltel's 3G EV-DO network, stereo Bluetooth, a 3.5mm headset jack, a 2.5-inch display, USB connectivity, PC syncing, a music player, a microSD … Read more

Chrome hints and tricks from Ask the Editors

Earlier today, Rafe and I hosted a lively Ask the Editors chat about Google Chrome. As is often the case, we both learned a bit while we were answering your questions. Here's a round-up of some of the more interesting answers.

Once you've imported bookmarks, it turns out there is a way to manage them. It's not readily apparent, though. Hit CTRL+B to show and hide the Bookmarks bar. When the bar is showing, at the right end there's a folder icon that you can use to manage those bookmarks.

One reader pointed out that … Read more

The 404 159: Where Justin burns down the 404 studio

On today's show: In Jeff's absence, Justin takes over the studio and all hell breaks loose. Natali Del Conte rushes in to save the day! Wilson sits back and laughs, and we discuss a few stories about free Olympic condoms, annoying neighbors, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, and lost light sabers.

When Jeff's away, the SPig will play! That's right, Jeff's on vacation in Atlantic City, New Jersey, gambling his salary away, so I decide to take up the reins and jump into the hot seat! And trust me, you don't want … Read more