How to block ads or annoying services like Tynt in any browser, on any computer -- without additional software

Filed under: Internet, Security, Text, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, How-Tos, Unix

Now, we've previously covered extensions for both Chrome and Safari 5 that stop Tynt from ruining your copy/paste party, but if you've got administrative rights to whatever computer you're currently using, you can put a stop to more than that. You can block services like Tynt -- or even entire ad networks -- once and for all with nothing more than a text editor and admin rights.

All you have to do to block ads, Tynt, or even Facebook from ever bothering you again is to add their hostnames to your computer's hosts file. The best thing about this is that you can do it whether you're using a Windows PC, Mac, or Linux. They've all got hosts files, and power-users have been using them for years to speed up browsing or block ad networks. As an example of using the hosts file as a system-wide ad-blocker, check out this list of ad network hostnames that's ready to be pasted in.

For the purposes of this short guide, we're going to use Tynt as our target service to block. Remember, you can use this method to block anything. Simply apply the steps used here to put the kibosh on whatever other services or sites you choose.

If you're unfamiliar with Tynt, it basically appends an "attribution" link to any text copied off of a page that uses it. The usual user-response when this happens is an audible cursing of the site using it and a quick deletion of the added link.

While the site owners who use Tynt tend to claim they're doing it to ensure proper attribution, it's actually more about getting exposure and linkbacks. Anybody who's come across this annoyance can attest to the fact that it's not making anything proper or easy for the person doing the copying -- and contrary to the beliefs of the ultra-paranoid, a user shouldn't be branded a thief and plagiarist just for copying and pasting text.

Continue reading How to block ads or annoying services like Tynt in any browser, on any computer -- without additional software

How to block ads or annoying services like Tynt in any browser, on any computer -- without additional software originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How To: Read PDFs in Apple's iBooks with a little help from Dropbox

Filed under: Text, Utilities, How-Tos, iPhone

I jumped for joy when I saw a post at Lifehacker explaining how to read PDFs on your iPhone or iPad using Apple's new iBooks app. I figured someone would come up with a way to do it, and I should have known it would rely on the ultra-useful Dropbox. Dropbox is an amazing cloud storage app that works on several platforms, and one of them happens to be iOS, making it possible to transfer PDF files to your mobile device.

Once you've got the files uploaded to Dropbox, though, how do you get them into iBooks? Just find the PDF in Dropbox on your phone, hit "Open With" and choose iBooks. It's easy as pie, and your PDF files will automatically sync through Dropbox, too. You don't even have to bother plugging in your device or using iTunes. Brilliant!

How To: Read PDFs in Apple's iBooks with a little help from Dropbox originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google hits Chinese license deadline, reports "partially blocked" search results

Filed under: News, Google, Search

Wednesday was a big day for Google in China. It's the deadline for a renewal of the search giant's Internet Content Provider license, the license that allows Google to keep operating in China. On Monday, Google explained in a blog post that it would stop redirecting traffic from Google.cn to its Hong Kong site, Google.hk, because China was displeased with the redirect and unlikely to approve Google's license if it stayed in place.

On Wednesday, Google reported that its search results were "partially blocked" in China. Google's search recommendations, showing related searches, were inaccessible to Chinese surfers, but regular Google results seemed to be unaffected. There's no official news on the status of Google's license yet, but some serious drama will undoubtedly ensue if it's not renewed.

[via Marketwatch]

Google hits Chinese license deadline, reports "partially blocked" search results originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google gets license renewed to stay in China, unfiltered (sort of)

Filed under: News, Web services, Google, Search

At the beginning of the month, we told you how Google's license to operate in China was up for renewal. Well, that renewal has finally come through, and Google will be allowed to stay in the country. The search giant had temporarily redirected its Chinese site to Google.hk in Hong Kong, to avoid censorship, but ended the redirect to make sure the renewal went through.

It's not surprising that Google got its license approved again, especially after making that concession, but it is surprising that the company says it will still provide unfiltered results. " Users can conduct web search or continue to use Google.cn services like music and text translate, which we can provide locally without filtering." Not all of Google's services are available through Google.cn, though, so even though there's no longer an automatic redirect, there's still a link to Google.hk on Google's Chinese homepage.

Google gets license renewed to stay in China, unfiltered (sort of) originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 09 Jul 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are Yahoo and Microsoft trying to game comScore for a better market share?

Filed under: Business, Search

Business Insider just published June's comScore Search Numbers. The picture is actually quite predictable; Google seriously dominates the market, and Microsoft and Yahoo trail behind. There's no big news there.

What is interesting is that comScore apparently thinks that Yahoo and Microsoft are trying to game its system. For example, both Bing and Yahoo show relevant search suggestions at the top of the results page. Clicking a suggestion generates another search query, which serves to boost that search engine's market share in comScore's reports.

This is but one tactic that Microsoft and Yahoo use. Business Insider claims that the companies have been "putting a ton of links on their popular homepages that are search queries disguised as content, and have been stitching together image slideshows as search queries, too."

Personally, I think this is utter hype. If you look at Google's sidebar, you will see that clicking the sidebar (or any type of search refinement) will also cause more search queries to be sent to Google's servers.

The only difference here is that, unlike Google, both Microsoft and Yahoo have major portals and content sites. So, these two companies are simply tying their search engines tightly into their content sites; after all, for many people "Internet" and "search" are almost synonymous. Is that really so bad?

The bottom line is that comScore is going to adjust the numbers to "compensate" for this; in fact, June's numbers are already posted along with the adjustments. I think that this is mainly because Microsoft and Yahoo are not Google; they work differently - does that mean they're "gaming the system?"

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Are Yahoo and Microsoft trying to game comScore for a better market share? originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Image Search gets a new look, becomes even more useful

Filed under: Web services, Google, Search

Google Image Search has just gotten a much-needed refresh that looks great, works better than ever, and keeps Google competitive with Bing's image search. At the risk of sounding like a Google advertisement, this update is awesome. As a regular image search user, I have to say that every change the Google Image Search team just made is an improvement.

First, the new results page: it's denser with images than ever before, and you can view 1,000 images in one scrolling page before you have to jump to another one. The thumbnails in the results are larger than before, too, which gives you much better idea of what's worth clicking on. There are also new keyboard shortcuts (page up/page down) to make browsing faster.

When you do click on an image, you're no longer presented with an annoying frame at the top of your browser window. That frame was the worst thing about Google Image Search, and I am quite glad they removed it. Instead, the image appears, full size, in a lightbox above a greyed-out version of the page where it appears. If you want to view the whole page, just click outside the image.

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Google Image Search gets a new look, becomes even more useful originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Swype, the high-speed on-screen keyboard for Android opens up for public beta testing (and a video review)

Filed under: Utilities, Android

Swype, if you've not heard of it before, is a new on-screen keyboard input method. It does away with the abhorrent, RSI-inducing finger-tip tapping method of input on today's smartphones. In fact, judging by the 'Swype vs. iPhone' video that TechCrunch pushed out last year, Swype might even be as fast as those little BlackBerry keyboards.

But enough talk of iPhones and BlackBerrys -- Swype's main purpose is replacing the tap-tap-tap on-screen keyboard that ships with Android smartphones. I hope Swype eventually appears on other smartphone platforms, but for now it's Android-only -- and as of this morning, you can join the public beta and get your hands on a free copy of Swype. They say it'll only be open for a few days, so you'll want to get in there quickly.

Anyway, rather than listing the features, I suggest you watch the video review above. I must warn you, I do say 'ass' and 'shit' a few times, so it may not be safe for work (depending on where you work).

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Swype, the high-speed on-screen keyboard for Android opens up for public beta testing (and a video review) originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Screenshot tour: JustPictures is an awesome photo app with powerful web integration

Filed under: Photo, Android

Android's built-in image browser, 'Gallery', isn't fantastic. By default it displays a load of tiny, unwieldy and laggy thumbnails. While you can strongarm it into behaving better, why bother when excellent alternatives like JustPictures are available?

From the outset, JustPictures replicates the built-in Android app -- but it's faster, prettier, and less fiddly. You are presented with a simple view of the folders on your phone's memory card -- click through to each one, flip through the images within, zoom -- but it doesn't stop there. JustPictures lets you connect to social networks and photo sharing sites.

It's utterly sensible, if you think about it. There might have been a time when we kept a lot of photos on our phone, but today we keep an insane amount of photos on Facebook and Flickr. It's the ability to grab photos from the Internet that makes JustPictures a killer app -- but read on to find out about its plethora of other neat features!

Continue reading Screenshot tour: JustPictures is an awesome photo app with powerful web integration

Screenshot tour: JustPictures is an awesome photo app with powerful web integration originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flash 10.1 officially hits Android, other mobile platforms to follow

Filed under: Utilities, Adobe, Mobile, Android

The much-anticipated test of Flash on a major mobile platform is about to begin! Flash 10.1 is finally ready for download on Android devices running Android 2.2 Froyo. Flash has also been sent to Adobe's other mobile partners, meaning it should be available for BlackBerry, Palm's WebOS, and WIndows Phone 7 in the near future. In fact, Adobe says Flash will even come pre-installed on some phones.

Mobile-optimized Flash sites are starting to pop up in preparation for widespread Flash adoption, but there are still questions about performance and battery life when it comes to Flash-heavy interactive sites. Fortunately, many Flash games are being redesigned to allow touchscreen controls, so Flash will be good for more than just mobile video. And really, won't it be nice not to see blue legos everywhere you go on your phone's browser?

There are still questions remaining, though: Will mobile device batteries stand up to Flash? Will Android users love it? WIll Steve Jobs have to eat his words about Flash not being ready for mobile hardware? We'll find out soon!

If you have an Android 2.2 device, including the Dell Streak, Google Nexus One, HTC Evo, HTC Desire, HTC Incredible, DROID, Milestone or Samsung Galaxy S, you can get Flash 10.1 in the Android Market.

Flash 10.1 officially hits Android, other mobile platforms to follow originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Maps for Android adds transit schedules and Latitude features

Filed under: Web services, Google, Android

Google Maps on Android was already leaps and bounds ahead of the experience on other mobile devices, but Google just unleashed some new features that make it even better. The latest update adds train and bus schedules, support for adding Google Latitude contacts, and Google Place Pages integration.

Android users can now grab transit schedules -- where they're available, anyway -- just by clicking a station or stop on the map. On my iPhone, I'm using Maps to find a route, and a separate app to view the schedules. Now Android users have got me beat. Jealous!

Google Place Pages, which launched not that long ago on the Web, are now available within maps. Place Pages give you at-a-glance info about businesses, including reviews. For the mobile version, they've organized the reviews using quick links to the terms that come up most often (food, service, atmosphere ... you get the idea). You may want to use Yelp or Urbanspoon for more detail, but Place Pages are very quick if you just need to find the closest place to eat.

As far as Latitude goes, Google has added a "suggested friends" list at the bottom of your Latitude contacts. Obviously, this is a big push to get more users sharing their locations on Latitude, which hasn't exactly taken off like a rocket since it was first released. At the very least, adding a few more contacts will make Latitude a more useful experience, so it's worth a shot.

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Google Maps for Android adds transit schedules and Latitude features originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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