Based on what I’ve seen, Stickies (the desktop version – not the dashboard) is a built-in Mac app that doesn’t seem to get a whole lot of love. However, in all truth, it’s actually an extremely useful tool whether you want to use it for a long-term project or something simply short term. As a virtual form of the standard office sticky note, it definitely packs a punch.

In order to better your experience with Stickies, I’ve put together some shortcuts that you may have not actually tried out. Granted, if you use Stickies extensively anyway, you may actually know of them already.

Nab Some Text

First off, you may be wondering how exactly Stickies can go beyond the basic function that it has. Rather than proselytize about how great it is to be writing text on electronic Post-It notes, I’ll inform you of this function that’s incredibly practical. Let’s say you’re in a hypothetical situation where you need to remember three long-form URLs. How can you make this a little easier?

In order to remember a URL, simply highlight it in your browser, and then press Command + Shift + Y. After that, a sticky with all of the URL will automatically pop up on your screen. Do this a few more times, and you’re golden. In fact, this function works for any bit of highlighted text across all apps, and that’s pretty great.

Multi-Task

So how many of you actually slap physical sticky notes on your screen while working on your Mac? It seems like it can get kind of cluttered. In Stickies, you can mimic this real-world tool by simply pressing Command + Option + F. After this, Stickies will always appear over whatever application you happen to be using. However, you may be thinking that even this would clutter your desktop a little. Never fear, for you can simply press Command + Option + T, and the entire note will become translucent, allowing you to see what lies beneath.

This is ideal for working with major projects where you need to quickly jot down notes and refer to them. Perhaps you are working with code and want to copy and paste simple bits of it. Maybe you need to keep a checklist of a workflow. This is great for keeping that information in view while still working on your projects.

Incorporate Some Media

Albeit not being a keyboard shortcut, Stickies offers a drag-and-drop function that will allow you to pull all forms of media into any of your open notes. This means videos, pictures, music… anything. My suggestion for this ability is that you use it when working on projects that require you to look over video or pictures.

Granted, this applies mainly to an educational setting, but I’m sure those of you out of school could make use of it as well. Say that you are having to provide an analysis over a news clip or any other video. Simply pop it into Stickies, use the floating function, and you can write while you watch – simple as that.

Other Shortcuts

• Option + Tab: Create a list on your sticky
• Command + M: Collapse the sticky
• Command + W: Closes the sticky, but first allows you to save it in text form
• Command + ~: Simple, but useful. Allows you to rotate between stickies

Conclusion

Stickies is a relatively simple but powerful tool, and even if you don’t use the shortcuts provided, you should at least take a look at it. Besides, you never know when you’ll be bringing your Mac to the grocery store and need a list, right? (That’s a bit of a stretch.)

What other shortcuts do you know of on Stickies? Do you have any other tips or tricks that you could share with us?

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Are you browsing this article in Firefox? If not, go ahead and fire up the browser and take a look at all the options you can change. It’s pretty easy to customize Firefox, right? Especially with the abundance of extensions and add-ons that are available throughout the web. But did you know about about:config? Did you know that you can further customize your browser by manually editing individual settings? If you didn’t, then you might find this article to be helpful.

A while ago, Mozilla implemented a feature called about:config into its applications. This feature allows you to edit every single one of Firefox’s internal settings manually, yes, even settings that can’t be accessed through the normal Options panel. Gaining access to these program settings is actually quite simple. All you have to do is go to the URL bar in Firefox and type….you guessed it, about:config! Then just start typing which setting you want to tweak and it will appear on the screen.

Keep in mind that it is possible to break Firefox if you grow too adventurous and fiddle around with parameters that you shouldn’t be fiddling with. MakeUseOf is not responsible for any damage you may cause to your browser or computer by exploring the following tweaks.

browser.ctrlTab.previews

Normally, when you use Ctrl + Tab to navigate through your current tabs, Firefox will just switch from tab to tab, rendering the page with each tap. If you set this setting to true, you’ll instead be shown a row of thumbnails that you can tap through. By default, this setting is set to false.

browser.taskbar.previews.max

In Windows 7, when you hover over the Firefox taskbar icon, you’re presented with a popup that shows a thumbnail preview of all the tabs you have open. If you like to have a lot of open tabs, this list can get pretty big and wieldy. Set it to 1 to minimize its intrusion, or whatever value you prefer. By default, this setting is set to 20.

browser.tabs.closeButtons

Do you hate having an X (the close tab button) on every single open tab in Firefox? Then tweak this setting to your pleasure. Setting it to 0 will only show the X on the currently active tab. Setting it to 2 will not display the X on any tabs at all. Setting it to 3 will remove the X from all of the tabs and create a singular X at the end of the tabs list.

By default, this setting is set to 1.

browser.tabs.closeWindowWithLastTab

In a fresh-out-of-the-box Firefox browser, closing the last remaining tab will result in the entire browser closing. Some of you may not like this. Luckily, all you have to do is change this setting to false and you’ll be able to have an open browser without having any open tabs. By default, this setting is set to true.

browser.urlbar.trimURLs

This tweak is a small one, but some of you may desperately be wanting it. Have you noticed that sometimes the URL bar will truncate the http:// portion? If you want Firefox to stop doing that, then simply change this setting to false. By default, this setting is set to true.

browser.allTabs.previews

At the end of the tabs list, there’s a small button you can click to show a list of all the currently open tabs. With this setting, you can flip it to true and transform the tab list into a tab grid. You’ll see a grid of thumbnails that show all of the tabs you have open. This is very useful for quickly exiting out of multiple tabs.

This is probably one of the more unknown tweaks out there, but it’s a most useful one. By default, this setting is set to false.

Do you know of any other awesome Firefox about:config tweaks that people would find useful? Share them with us in the comments!

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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With the introduction of the Windows Phone platform in 2010, Microsoft unveiled the Metro user interface, designed to make accessing information quick and easy. Rather than litter their new mobile platform with endless rows of icons, Microsoft’s tile-based interface proved that there was another way to make mobile phones functional.

Such has been the critical acclaim for this user interface that Microsoft has since opted to roll out Metro across its other consumer products. First was its introduction on the Xbox 360 and later this year it will play a big part in Microsoft’s story as a key element of the Windows 8 operating system. But is this the best use for the UI? Surely a mobile phone user interface should stay on such a device? After all, don’t computer users want to be able use their mouse and keyboard and quickly launch their chosen apps rather than scroll through tiles?

What Is Metro? Microsoft’s Signature UI Explained

From a personal point of view, I’m a big fan of Metro on the Windows Phone. It is fast, slick, functional and logical and it has been instrumental in turning Microsoft’s mobile fortunes around. Additionally it has provided the mobile industry as a whole, a much-needed kick in the rear to pull it out of the mire of iOS cloning into which it was readily sinking.

A design language established initially for use with Windows Phone, Metro features the uniform use of the Segoe WP typeface, tiles and a general grouping of similar functions and features under a single tile. For instance, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are grouped with contacts under the People Hub on Windows Phone devices. The tile-based Start screen interface on a Windows Phone can be adjusted to suit your preferences, with users typically placing their most-used apps and hubs at the top.

Additionally the fresh approach to presenting information, available by scrolling left and right, enables app designers plenty of space with which to present menus and options and discards the need for a dedicated menu button. All in all, Metro works well on Windows Phone and you can see why Microsoft is so enthralled by it. But is it suitable as a “signature user interface”?

Success On One Platform Does Not Guarantee Success On Another

The beta release of Windows 8 demonstrated how the Metro UI had been redeveloped for use on larger devices, specifically tablets. While Microsoft’s focus in this area is admirable – after all, they started the tablet computer market, yet thanks to Apple’s iPad find themselves several years behind – it can be argued that most Windows 8 users don’t want or need a finger-friendly user interface.

After all, Metro is intended for use by fingers rather than a mouse and keyboard. While it might be an ideal UI for the rumoured ARM-based Windows 8 tablets, the presence of Metro as a key element of Windows 8 for desktops and high-end tablets is puzzling.

While it is possible to navigate around the tile-based Start menu in Windows 8 with a mouse and keyboard, it is a little unwieldy, much like playing a piano while wearing gloves. There is also the matter of just how important using a touch-focused user interface is to the standard user.

As things stand, Windows 7 is a perfectly good operating system that is enjoying strong user take-up and has a good reputation, particularly among corporate users. Conversely Windows 8 is being designed specifically for business users and yet there seems to be a gap between what users want from a UI and what Microsoft is planning to offer in 2012.

Although there is the ability to switch to a version of the traditional desktop view in Windows 8 – ideal for legacy and office applications – office-based users are likely to discard Metro entirely, reducing it to little more than an overlay UI. Overlays were great for Microsoft 3-4 years ago when they needed to extend the life of Windows Mobile, but we really should have moved away from that era.

Too Much Metro Too Soon?

Why does Microsoft want to replace Windows 7 so soon? More importantly, why is it pushing Metro as a user interface so heavily?

Some might argue that Microsoft’s reputation has improved in recent years and that Metro is an embodiment of this change. While their great rival Apple has grown into a monolithic retirement fund for lawyers, Microsoft has been embracing user communities, for instance helping them to set up ways of legally unlocking its new phones.

This positive pull is mirrored in the clear typography and ease of use found in Metro, but to spread the UI across all of Microsoft’s consumer platforms is potentially dangerous. Windows 8 could founder based on its very presence; so soon after the Vista debacle this is something that Microsoft could well do without.

Image Credit: Wikimedia

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With Napster, WinMX, LimeWire, and Kazaa mostly in their graves (SoulSeek is still around, I guess), the world of filesharing has made a swift transition to torrents. Just like the good old Napster days though, public torrent sites and trackers are riddled with trojans and other garbage. The best way to enjoy your filesharing experience is getting an invite to one of the many (but few illustrious) private trackers.

While invite-only web is becoming a slight trend, I’m here to share three niche-specific and very reliable private sites that I use to get my complete media fix. Let’s get started.

PassThePopcorn

PTP has been around for quite a while, and through a legacy of staff drama and domain name changes, it still stands today as the best private torrent site for movies.

High-quality rips are added to PTP faster than almost anywhere else on the net, and speeds are generally top notch. PTP is at around 23,000 (of 25,000) users with a daily activity rate that hangs around 40%. Monthly, it’s at more than 90%. PTP is hanging right under the 100,000 total torrents mark. They’ve got over 53,000 individual movies, more than 80,000 subtitles, 533,000+ user ratings, 3.5 million total snatches, and a seeder/leecher ratio of 85.49. That’s impressive. The site is very smooth and easy to navigate, also.

As a little added bonus, PTP has some of the most active forums I’ve seen across private trackers. The community is very involved. This is where I go when I want movies. If you’re fortunate enough to be an active, invited member than you can tag along with me. My username there is Craig.

What.CD

What.CD is the premiere private tracker for music. Even their splash page is mysterious and makes you want to join up. Like PTP, What.CD has been going strong forever. The site has not changed much over the years, and that’s a good thing. It’s here to stay.

Here are the current stats that What.CD boasts:

• Maximum Users: 200,000
• Enabled Users: 147,441
• Users active today: 31,864 (21.61%)
• Users active this week: 75,651 (51.31%)
• Users active this month: 120,045 (81.42%)
• Torrents: 1,274,496
• Releases: 588,517
• Artists: 442,475
• “Perfect” FLACs: 298,750
• Requests: 158,012 (70.30% filled)
• Snatches: 66,631,197
• Peers: 8,836,049
• Seeders: 8,687,317
• Leechers: 148,732
• Seeder/Leecher Ratio: 58.40

Those numbers are completely insane! If you’re an audiophile and love your FLACs, this is the place to be. I’ve never gone to What.CD and left without finding what I wanted. I’m CSS over at that tracker.

TvTorrents.COM

TvT is the up-and-comer of this list. It’s much different from PTP and What.CD. It doesn’t run on Project Gazelle like those two, the tracker software that What.CD made famous. The invitation and credits system is completely different also.

Again, just like the others, this is absolutely at the top of its class. Sometimes shows are uploaded as briefly as 15 minutes after their live airing. They’ve even got sections of the website that shows recently aired episodes of the most popular TV series’, complete with the matching user-contributed torrents (if there).

These guys are really doing it right, and their approach is definitely changing the way a lot of people watch “TV”. No more sitting and waiting, you don’t even have to set the TiVo. TvTorrents.com has everything you want, from Dexter to the most obscure foreign sitcoms. I’m over there too, self-named.

Now how do you get an invite to these awesome trackers? That’s on you. Just know that they are out there and hold all of your cravings and desires! In the event that you do get invited, you’ll want one of these clients to speed up your downloads. Might also want to check this article out too, it could save you some worry.

Don’t Forget: The Free A-Z Torent Guide

If you know any other quality sites, get at me in the comments. No begging for invites, either!

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/webbrowser.jpg?323f2c" alt="" />Your browser is the centerpiece to your internet experience and keeping it nice and portable is an awesome luxury. While href="http://portableapps.com/">PortableApps.com does a great job of bundling our most popular software together into portable, auto-launching applications, I tend to avoid the packages because I often install my portable applications within href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/dropbox/">Dropbox. A lot of portable applications, typically designed for USB drives, don’t mesh well with Dropbox. I’ve found some that do, though.

You may not have heard of a couple of these browsers, but each and every one brings a unique benefit to your portable arsenal. Don’t let the fact that you may not have heard of them stand in the way of finding your new favorite browser.

href="http://www.avantbrowser.com/">Avant Browser

We’ve already covered a href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/avant-browser-free-internet-explorer-alternative/">nice and in-depth review of the Avant browser, but it’s time to rehash the software now that an official portable version is readily available on their official website.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/avant.png?323f2c" alt="" width="580" height="455" />

Avant is like a souped-up version of Internet Explorer. One of the main differences is how well Avant handles Flash, in comparison. Avant is only a little slower than the current Firefox build, which puts it plenty ahead of IE’s speed. It’s also got a ton of features built in, like ways to disable on-page sound, scripting, and animations right out of the box.

You can download the official portable version href="http://dl.filekicker.com/send/file/184227-Z37W/avant.exe">here.

href="http://www.palemoon.org/">Pale Moon

What Avant is to Internet Explorer, Pale Moon strives to be alongside Firefox. Pale Moon is an alternative, slim-downed version of the Firefox browser that is built on Firefox’s official source code. The browser has been around for years and has been proven to use less memory than the original Firefox without the user being able to notice much difference alongside the powerhouse browser that Mozilla has on their hands.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/palemoon.png?323f2c" alt="" width="580" height="438" />

You can download Pale Moon’s official portable release from href="http://www.palemoon.org/palemoon-portable.shtml">this page.

href="http://www.browzar.com/">Browzar

Browzar has a distinct advantage over the rest on this list in respect that the official build of the original browser itself is portable. Browzar leaves an incredibly small fingerprint and is one of the most secure and easy-to-use browsers that I’ve used right from a flash drive.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/browzar.jpg?323f2c" alt="" width="580" height="387" />

While it does lack somethings in the features category, Browzar can’t be beaten when you’re looking for something to jump on and jump right off with. Browzar will even clear every single bit of sensitive, session-specific data after closing.

You can download it href="http://www.browzar.com/download/">here.

href="http://www.opera-usb.com/">Opera@USB

I decided to save the best for last. While Opera may already be my favorite official browser in the first place, it is not the Opera team who developed this third-party portable port. Nonetheless, it’s flawless. It’ll even update alongside released Opera versions and still maintain it’s portable status.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/operausb.jpg?323f2c" alt="" width="564" height="419" />

Other than that, there’s really not too much more to explain about Opera@USB. It is simply Opera in a portable package. Give Opera a shot just for a few days and I promise you’ll start to fall in love a little. You can click href="http://www.opera-usb.com/operausben.htm">here to download Opera@USB.

Though unheard of and maybe even a little obscure, these portable gems will help put your flash drive on the right track. If you enjoyed this list, check out href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/portable-software-usb/">100 other portable applications that you may enjoy. Shoot me a line about any of these in the comments.

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/pacman-thumb.jpg?323f2c" alt="retro games" /> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/igoogle">iGoogle is a personal, customizable homepage which every Google account owner can make use of. iGoogle lets you add multiple different gadgets, such as Gmail updates, news, weather and games, and access them easily every time you visit your iGoogle page.

Finding cool flash games online is not necessarily hard, but having all your favorite games waiting for you in iGoogle is pretty convenient. Personally, I love retro games, and find it extremely enjoyable to have some good retro games on my iGoogle page, and have a quick play wherever I am without having to look for that specific game I like again. If you love retro games too, here are 5 awesome retro games you should add to your iGoogle page.

How To Add Games To iGoogle

If you’ve never added games to iGoogle before, don’t worry. It’s very easy. Simply head over to your href="http://www.google.com/ig">iGoogle page (you will have to sign into your Google account), and click on “Add gadgets”.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/igoogle-add-gadgets.jpg?323f2c" alt="retro games" width="275" height="313" border="0" />

You can now browse what iGoogle has to offer you, or head over to the right side and use the search box. Type in the name of the game you’re looking for, choose a game from the list and click on “Add it now”. The game will now be added to your personal iGoogle page.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/igoogle-add-gadget.jpg?323f2c" alt="classic retro games" width="385" height="221" border="0" />

When playing a game, click the cog icon to control the gadget. You can choose “Maximize this gadget” for a better playing experience.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/maximaize-gadget.jpg?323f2c" alt="classic retro games" width="357" height="269" border="0" />

That’s it! You can now head over to your iGoogle page and play your favorite games. Here are some great suggestions.

Pacman

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/pacman.jpg?323f2c" alt="classic retro games" width="457" height="444" border="0" />

When looking for “Pacman” in iGoogle, several options pop up. I recommend adding “Pacman Clasic” (yes, this is how it’s actually spelled) or “PacMan (Maximizable)”, which is the same game, only bigger.

This is the classic Pacman game we all know and love, complete with those tasty white dots, the occasional fruit and the villainous ghosts. Very addictive.

Frogger

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/frogger.jpg?323f2c" alt="frogger" width="447" height="380" border="0" />

Frogger is another of those awesome retro games which is so simple yet so addictive. The goal of the game is to help the poor frog cross the road and river, without getting run over by weird cars and trucks and without drowning.

When searching for “Frogger” in iGoogle, the best option to add is the first one which says “Original game by Sega”. This version has the least ads on it and provides the best playing experience I could find.

If you’re using Google Chrome, you may encounter a weird issue with this gadget’s menu. The problem doesn’t exist on Firefox, and is not always present on Chrome either. If you really need to access the gadget’s menu from Chrome, try disabling flash for a few minutes and enabling it again when you’re done.

Space Invaders

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/space-invaders.jpg?323f2c" alt="retro video games" width="499" height="418" border="0" />

Who wasn’t addicted to Space Invaders at some point in their life? There’s something simply irresistible about those slow-moving aliens and that elusive red spaceship. I even own two entire Space Invaders themed t-shirts.

When searching for “space invaders” in iGoogle, the best option is the one called Invaders (Maximizable). This one lets you play the game on a relatively big screen with a minimal amount of ads.

Super Mario

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/mario.jpg?323f2c" alt="retro video games" width="551" height="562" border="0" />

There is not a game in the world I love more than Super Mario. I used to be so addicted to it, I could play for hours on end. Many times I have felt like installing a NES emulator, or finding a flash game that somehow sort of mimics the experience. Although it’s not the same, having it right on my iGoogle page is lots of fun.

When you search for “Mario”, lots of options pop up. I have tried many of them, and the one I’ve found to be the best is the one called Super Mario World Game. The screen, even at maximize, is a bit small, but you can click on “play fullscreen” to play a bigger version. This will take you to a different page, though.

The controls are a bit hard to master at first (A to jump, S to run), but this only adds to the challenge!

Asteroids

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/asteroids.jpg?323f2c" alt="retro video games" width="486" height="299" border="0" />

I must admit, I never played Asteroids as a kid. But when I got to know the game as an adult, I found it strangely addictive.

When you search for “Asteroids”, only one option will pop up. This version is playable, but as you can see, has some ads on it. For a quick play on iGoogle, it’s really not a problem. If you want a bigger screen and less ads, you can click on the full screen link at the top.

Deleting Gadgets

Are you tired of a certain game? No sweat. Simply access the gadget menu by clicking on the cog icon, and choose “Delete this gadget”. The gadget will immediately disappear from your homepage.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/delete-gadget.jpg?323f2c" alt="retro games" width="478" height="267" border="0" />

Your Turn

Any recommendations for cool retro games for iGoogle? Any suggestions for iGoogle games in general? If so, share them in the comments!

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/restricted-icon.png?323f2c" alt="things to install on ubuntu" />Install Java, Flash, every href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/codec/">codec you’ll ever need and much more, all at once. It’s heavily proprietary, but Ubuntu Restricted Extras is probably the first package you should install in Ubuntu.

Are you a new Ubuntu user? You might soon notice that a lot of things don’t work out of the box. You cannot listen to MP3 files or watch most movies; even DVDs. Browsing the web means doing so without Flash and Java, and certain websites don’t look right because the fonts are different. That’s where Ubuntu Restricted Extras comes in. A collection of software Ubuntu can’t legally bundle with Ubuntu, this package is easy to install and makes your computer capable of a staggering number of things. You’ll get Java, Flash, a staggering number of codecs, all the familiar default fonts from Windows and the ability to open href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/rar/">RAR files.

Windows users need special tools, such as href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/ninite-easily-install-all-your-favorite-free-apps-as-one-installation/">Ninite, to install this amount of software at once. Ubuntu users need only install one package from their repositories: Ubuntu Restricted Extras. This is probably the first thing you should do with any new installation of Ubuntu, so keep reading if you’re not familiar with it.

Installation

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ubuntu-restricted-extras-install.png?323f2c" alt="things to install on ubuntu" width="579" height="238" />

Installing software in Ubuntu couldn’t be easier. Just head to the Ubuntu Software Center, then search for the package you want to install.

The Software Center is a collection of programs you can install in Ubuntu. There are thousands of programs here for free, and an ever-growing collection of games and programs you can purchase. Like the App Store on mobile devices, this is the one-stop-shop for all Ubuntu software. It’s also where you find Ubuntu Restricted Extras. And you won’t need to look long: it’s one click away from the main page:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/restricted-frontpage.png?323f2c" alt="ubuntu suggestions" width="580" height="210" />

You’ll find it under “Top rated software.” Open it, then click the “Install” button. You’ll have to type your password and then you’ll be done.

Are you too lazy to open the program and find Restricted Extras? Fine; href="apt:ubuntu-restricted-extras">click here to install Ubuntu Restricted Extras. Done. Are you using Kubuntu or Xubuntu? Search for “Kubuntu Restricted Extras” or “Xubuntu Restricted Extras” instead.

Included Packages

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ubuntu-restricted-extras-packages.png?323f2c" alt="things to install on ubuntu" width="580" height="343" />

There’s nothing magic about Ubuntu Restricted Extras: it’s just a “meta-package”, which is a fancy way of saying it installs a number of other packages you could find separately in the Software Center if you wanted to. These packages, by name, are:

• flashplugin-installer
• gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg
• gstreamer0.10-fluendo-mp3
• gstreamer0.10-pitfdll
• gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad
• gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly
• gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse
• gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse
• icedtea6-plugin
• libavcodec-extra-52
• libmp4v2-0
• ttf-mscorefonts-installer
• unrar

Not sure what these mean? The top one, “flashplugin-installer”, gets Adobe’s Flash installed on your system. The various “gstreamer” packages add codecs to Gstreamer, which the Ubuntu video and music player both use to open files. “IcedTea” is a browser plugin for Java, and is followed in the list by a couple more codecs. The mscorefonts package gives you Times New Roman, Arial and other Windows-standard fonts. Unrar does what it says: open RAR files.

On Playing DVDs

None of these packages, however, give you the ability to play DVDs. To do that, you’re going to need to do some extra work. You can href="https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats/PlayingDVDs">find the instructions here.

Prefer not to do all that work? Head to the Ubuntu Software Center and install Fluendo DVD Player. It will set you back $25, but it works.

Why is either process necessary? Well, like it or not, DVDs are protected. When you buy Windows or a Mac, the people who created the DVD standard get paid. Ubuntu is free, meaning they aren’t paying anyone for the right to play DVDs. Hence the need to jump through hoops or buy a compatible player.

Why Not By Default?

All of these other programs aren’t included for similar reasons. Simply put, Ubuntu doesn’t have the right to distribute codecs, Flash, Java and other technology on the Ubuntu disk. Doing so would make Ubuntu illegal to distribute in some countries, including the United States of America. This means that Ubuntu could become illegal in America should they decide to include these packages.

Why can they offer Ubuntu Restricted Extras at all, then? Well, basically because it’s up to individuals to either install these packages or not. The theory is it’s up to you to determine whether or not these packages are legal in your country and to act accordingly.

I’d like to hear from you guys. Do you install Ubuntu Restricted Extras, or not? Why? I’ll be around in the comments below, so let’s chat.

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/beer-icon.jpg?323f2c" alt="beer apps for android" />I love beer. I love drinking it, I love discovering new kinds of it and I love learning about it. Are you a beer lover too? Well, it’s your lucky day! I’ve recently decided to move my beer passion to the next level, and take it with me wherever I go.

As a result, I am presenting to you the ultimate list of free, informative, helpful and fun beer apps for your Android device. Whether you want to learn about new beers, record your drinking habits or even brew some beers yourself, you’re going to find something you can use in this list.

href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.transmutex.bjcpdroid&hl=en">BJCPDroid [1.6+]

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/BJCPdroid.jpg?323f2c" alt="beer apps for android" width="547" height="443" border="0" />

BJCP stands for Beer Judge Certification Program. The BJCP’s goal is to train beer experts, and their Android app is a very informative beer index which includes everything you ever wanted to know about beer styles, flavors, aromas, ingredients, etc.

If you’ve always wanted to know the difference between a brown porter and a robust porter, or to get to know some classic examples for amber hybrid beer, you’re going to love BJCP’s app. There are no frills here, just information, and lots of it.

The app includes ads, but if you happen to be a BJCP member, you can remove them by entering your BJCP number.

href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.dangiulvezan.hoptopia&feature=also_installed_confirmation">Hoptopia [1.6+]

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/hoptopia.jpg?323f2c" alt="android beer app" width="552" height="444" border="0" />

Hoptopia is a great source for craft beer reviews, which you can browse by name, beer style and brewery. The beers are reviewed by real people, and each is given an overall score (out of 100). You can also read an in-depth review about each beer, and see what price you should expect it to go for.

After reading about a beer, you can add it to your favorites, which you can access from the “More” tab. This way, you can get to know lots of new beers by browsing, and create your own collections of interesting beers you want to try. The beer database is not huge, but definitely comprehensive, and will provide an interesting read for any beer lover.

href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.beerdiary&feature=also_installed">BeerDiary [1.6+]

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/beerdiary.jpg?323f2c" alt="android beer app" width="552" height="442" border="0" />

BeerDiary is a very simple app, which I nonetheless find extremely useful and fun to use. If you often feel the urge to record your drinking habits or to list the different beers you drink so as to never forget them again, you’re going to love BeerDiary.

With BeerDiary, you can add all your favorite beers, including the brewer’s name and location, a description and tag. You can then view your beer list at any time, and tap the beer-glass icon to signify that you’ve now drunk that beer. What you get is a list with all the beers you’ve drunk, and the exact times and days you’ve done so. You can browse your beers by name, brewer or tag.

The app doesn’t do any more than this at the moment, but a simple app is sometimes all you need for a simple task.

href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.metosphere.beerfree&feature=search_result">Beer [1.6+]

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/beer3.jpg?323f2c" alt="android beer app" width="554" height="442" border="0" />

With a name like that, where can an app go wrong? Beer, or by its full name, Beer – List, Ratings & Reviews, is for those who are looking for a beer diary with more capabilities than BeerDiary, and are also interested in reading other people’s opinions.

For each beer you add to your list, you can input a name, style, barcode, photo, ratings, and much, much more. You can also share each beer you add via Twitter, Facebook or email. For your own records, you can view stats, export to CSV, backup and restore, and more. You can search through all your beers, and also search through beers other people reviewed, read their opinions and comment.

href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.brewzor.calculator&feature=related_apps">Brewzor Calculator FREE [1.5+]

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/brewzor.jpg?323f2c" alt="best beer app android" width="560" height="441" border="0" />

If you’ve ever brewed beer by yourself, you’ve probably done some calculations. Depending on the process you’re using and on your level, there are all kinds of parameters you need to take into considerations when brewing beer.

Brewzor calculator is a free app aimed at both home brewers and professional brewers, and provides an impressive number of brewing calculators, some of which I’ve never even heard of before. You can set up the app to use your exact measurements, and also configure what kind of equipment you’re using. If you’re not sure what a calculator does, visit the href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.brewzor.calculator&feature=related_apps">app’s page for some explanations.

You can also try href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.brewzor.pro.beta&feature=search_result">Brewzor Pro Beta, a beer recipe manager, which includes all these calculators and an elaborate recipe manager for any brewer.

href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.weekendcoders.brewr&feature=related_apps">BrewR [2.1+]

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/brewr.jpg?323f2c" alt="best beer app android" width="552" height="443" border="0" />

BrewR is another app aimed at brewers, and will especially appeal to home brewers. You can add your own recipes, complete with ingredients (which you can choose from the vast ingredient database), recipe notes and specific batch notes. It also includes several timers to use while brewing, such as a boil time countdown and hopping time alerts.

The ingredients in the database are editable, so you can pretty much add any ingredient you can dream of. You can also add your own notes to each ingredient. When you have a list of recipes, you can filter them and sort them in various ways, and even share them with friends through all the regular social channels.

href="https://market.android.com/details?id=org.icount.beer&feature=search_result">Beer Counter [2.2+]

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/beer-counter.jpg?323f2c" alt="beer apps for android" width="553" height="442" border="0" />

Beer Counter is yet another of those simple apps that do one thing well. If you want to keep track of how much you had to drink or of how much money you need to pay for your drinks when you hang out with friends, Beer Counter is the perfect solution. All you have to do is set your currency and the beer price, and then just tap the huge number every time you have another drink.

The app will save your stats for you, complete with time and place, and will tally up the costs for the night, until you start it over. You can view your activities on a map and automatically share your drinking ventures on Twitter and Facebook.

Bottom Line

Do you love beer but don’t own an Andoird device? Don’t despair! Check out href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-10-free-beer-related-applications-iphone/">this list of awesome beer-related iPhone apps or href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-6-websites-visit-love-drink/">this list of great drink-related websites you should visit.

Do you know of some  more great beer-related apps? Let us know in the comments.

Image credit: href="http://image.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/301324/301324,1315317713,1/stock-vector-beer-app-icon-for-mobile-devices-84120178.jpg" rel="nofollow">Shutterstock

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/keyboard.png?323f2c" alt="things you shouldn't joke about" />No longer must we use title="The 4 Stages Of Social Networking With Old Friends [Opinion]" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-stages-social-networking-friends-opinion/">smoke signals to communicate. Long gone are the days in which we used cave walls to document events. It’s an title="Make Your Dumb Phone Smart With ifttt" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/dumb-phone-smart-ifttt/">age of technology, a time in which we are supposed to be advanced. However, even in such an advanced age, it seems as though Internet society has become incredibly lenient about a variety of very important social issues.

I’m not a fan of making light of stuff that actually hurts people, and it’s not even a matter of being offended – I’m not. However, I do worry about how desensitized we have become to these issues.

Pedophilia

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/pedophilia.png?323f2c" alt="things you shouldn't joke about" width="580" height="185" />

I really don’t know when pedophilia became funny. Why is it okay to casually reference participation in sexual acts with children? Sure, I get it. You know that pedophilia is wrong, and for some odd reason, this is why you joke about it – a possible way of coping. However, I believe that the more we joke about it, the more laid-back we will become around it. We don’t take it as title="Why Reddit Isn’t As Bad As Some People Would Make You Believe [Opinion]" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/reddit-bad-people-opinion/">seriously anymore.

Do I think this joking will lead to common acceptance of pedophilia? Nah. I’m not a conspiracist like that. However, I wish that just for once we can let the fact that there are people out there who want to have their way with children break our hearts a little bit. These folks want to rob the innocence of young boys and girls, and we make light of it by posting a picture of Chris Hansen or Pedobear. That’s kind of ridiculous.

Rape

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Rape isn’t cool, and joking about it isn’t either. I’ve never been a rape victim, and I can’t say I plan on it. However, the word “rape” is thrown around too casually on the Internet these days. (Just to clarify, I don’t believe usages of the phrase such as “raped my childhood” or “raped my memories” would fall under this category, but that’s really up to your discretion.)

Once again, this isn’t an issue of me being offended, because being offended does nothing in this world. However, I do worry that seeing rape jokes on the Internet may bring up some harsh memories or feelings for actual rape victims. If you’re heartless, you may believe that these folks need to get over it and stop living in the past. However, until you’ve actually had such an experience, I don’t want to hear that kind of opinion.

Killing

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Ladies and gentlemen, why must you insist on saying you wish someone would die? I don’t care if you wouldn’t actually do it, but have we gotten to a point where such hateful thoughts are acceptable? Behind the wall of the Faceless Username, cowardly individuals will come out saying that they wish that other individuals should die or, even worse, that they would kill them if they could. We’re talking about the removal of a life, here.

I’m not referring to the casual, all-in-fun, “I will kill you if you do that one more time!” Of course not, for people tend to rag on each other all the time and say this. However, what I am referring to are words that are obviously fueled by title="6 Things The Internet Has Taught Me About Etiquette [Opinion]" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/6-internet-taught-etiquette-opinion/">hate and anger. If the intention of this (non-fruitful) death threat is to emotionally hurt the person on the other side of the computer screen, then something needs to change.

Suicide

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Right up there with death threats, we have issues concerning suicide. I’ve seen a few instances where someone posts online about their thoughts of committing suicide, and then people will swoop in saying things such as “do it” or “if killing yourself will make you happy, then go for it”. It’s akin to a person standing on top of a skyscraper with a crowd of people below, screaming for him to jump.

How disgusting is this? I understand that many folks have varying views on euthanasia, but here’s what I believe when it comes to the Internet. You are not a professional, you don’t know the context of the person’s situation, and you have no clue what their life is like. If anything, I would say report the post and provide them with words of encouragement. However, if you know that your words will seem condescending in any form or fashion… shut up. Please. You’re dealing with a life that has so much potential, and the slightest thing could ruin it.

Many of you may comment on here that folks that post these things are only title="4 Things That Really Annoy Me In Tech Today [Opinion]" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-annoy-tech-today-opinion/">seeking attention and won’t actually do anything. To that I say that you should treat every hint of suicide as if the person will actually do it. If you decide to make the call that they won’t, and then they do, there’s a high chance that you will live with blood on your hands forever.

Conclusion

These are just four things that I believe the Internet makes too much light of. Is it a perfect post? Of course not. However, I hope it made you think a little bit.

What other things should people stop joking about on the Internet? Do you disagree with any of the items mentioned here?

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/keyboard.png" alt="blogging tips" />The href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/80-tools-for-bloggers/">world of blogging is an odd place, but at the same time, it’s a beautiful paradise full of href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-occupy-movement-websites-check/">free speech and a variety of href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-easy-methods-live-blog-events/">personal views. Granted, it could also be considered the graffiti of the Internet, but that’s just someone else’s opinion.

It seems like every blog has a theme or a running topic. However, there are a few topics that you might want to reconsider blogging about before setting your heart on them. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t write about them, but hear me out for just a few minutes.

Relationships

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/relationships1.png" alt="blogging tips" width="580" height="190" />

I’m not against relationships (my girlfriend is pretty fresh), but I am typically against writing about relationships. Past, present, future… anything. Why? Well, the Internet is relatively permanent, and things might come back to haunt you.

For instance, say that you write about how amazing Dreamboat McSexy is in 2009. McSexy dumps you in 2010, and then you proceed to write every detail of the break-up including title="8 Ways To Exact Your Revenge On An Ex-Partner Online" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/8-ways-exact-revenge-expartner-online/">how you sliced his tires and burned down the front porch of his house. One, you’ve potentially ended all possibilities for a future relationship. Two, you’ve confessed to destruction of personal property and arson. Good job, kid.

Making Money

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Online writers typically don’t make much money, so my question is why do some folks think that their blogs on title="PayPal Launches Facebook App For Sending Money [News]" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/paypal-launches-facebook-app-sending-money-news/">how to make money are going to fly on the Internet? Granted, I believe that there are writers out there who give fantastic financial advice. However, I do believe that the pickin’s are slim.

It seems as though there are a lot of start-up blogs out there that are chock full of title="2 More Places To Design & Sell Your Own T-Shirts" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/2-places-design-sell-tshirts/">get-rich-quick schemes. The irony is that when you look at the writer’s past experience… well… there’s not much to say for their financial history. My suggestion? Get out there and make some money before you try to gain ad revenue from your blog about making money.

Writing

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/writing.png" alt="what not to blog about" width="580" height="190" />

My philosophy on writing is this – there isn’t a set way to do it. However, a lot of blogs spend quite a bit of time telling you how to write. Now, I’m not against blogs that cover basic writing structure and the typical do’s and don’t’s. What I am against is the Nazi-fied this-is-how-it-must-be-done way of writing critique.

So when it comes to title="4 Sites For The Aspiring Author & The First Book He Wants To Publish Or Sell" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-sites-aspiring-author-book-publish-sell/">writing blogs, here is what I suggest. Don’t be a stickler about everything, and let the creativity flow. Much how everyone has a different voice than you, not everyone writes like you.

Your Life (Revised)

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/life.png" alt="what not to blog about" width="580" height="190" />

We all love to embellish our lives a little bit, and for some reason, this often comes out through blogging. I don’t know how many Facebook posts I’ve seen that say, “Make sure to check out my blog tomorrow… and you’ll see what kind of adventures I can get into at title="[Still] Get Coffee With These 2 Replacements For Jonathan’s Card" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/coffee-2-replacements-jonathans-card/">Starbucks!“

Truth is, around the time this Starbucks post rolls around, the only interesting part of it is the fact that the barista misspelled the writer’s name on his cup and there was no toilet paper in the bathroom – stop the presses. But really, if you’re going to blog about your life, keep it real and don’t resort to making it sound cooler than it is.

Blogging

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/blogging.png" alt="blogging tips" width="580" height="190" />

I know what you’re thinking – “He’s blogging about what not to blog about, and he says not to blog about blogging. How do we trust this guy?” For the record, I wouldn’t trust me, but right now, that’s not my problem. The ball is in your court.

What I actually mean is that it’s not always a good idea to write a blog about blogs – blogging tips, blogging exercises, blogging everything. This isn’t to say a blog shouldn’t include tips about the trade. However, devoting an entire blog to href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/blogging/">blogging might be a little monotonous. If you can spice it up, then more power to you.

Conclusion

So now that all is said and done, hopefully you can see my reasoning for a lot of this blogging nonsense. Maybe you’ll change your topics, or maybe you’ll keep them the same. Who really cares?

What other topics should people reconsider blogging about? What should people not blog about at all?

Image Credit: href="http://morguefile.com/archive/display/175106" rel="nofollow">mantasmagorical

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/facebook_logo_300x3001.jpg" alt="what should i post on facebook"/>On one of my last articles, title="5 Things You Need To Stop Posting On Facebook" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-stop-posting-facebook/"> 5 Things You Need To Stop Posting On Facebook, I received a comment from a certain Smumdax that basically begged the question, “Well. What should we post on href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/facebook">Facebook?”

Very good question, in my opinion.

So dear MakeUseOf readers, I don’t want to only focus on what you need to stop posting on Facebook. As a matter of fact, I believe that there are more things that should be shared than shouldn’t be!

Life Achievements

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This one is kind of a given, my friends. Did you get that job? Did you just meet Bill Murray? Please do us all a favor and let us know! These are the types of things that are perfectly okay to share on Facebook. Now, can these types of title="Five More Annoying Things People Do On Twitter [Opinion]" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/annoying-people-twitter-opinion/">things be annoying? Yes.

LOL JUST GOT PROMOTED… AGAIN!!!1!

If you are posting about all the awesome stuff that happens to you with a cocky attitude, well… everyone’s going to notice. Do yourself a favor, and limit it to only the big stuff – like meeting Bill Murray. This is one of the key elements of title="Facebook Timeline Starts Rolling Out To User Profiles Today [News]" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/facebook-timeline-starts-rolling-user-profiles-today-news/">Facebook’s Timeline.

Your (Safe) Vacation Pictures

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There seemed to be a bit of confusion in my last post concerning what I meant about posting your beach vacation pictures. Basically, it might not be a good idea to post your more revealing photos because some people like to use them for relatively questionable intentions (this goes for children, too). However, if that’s your thing… then so be it (except for children).

On the other hand, I think it’s okay to share some of the more “tame” stuff. Landmarks, cool shots of stuff, cheesy family photos… all that. Basically, it’s okay to let people live out their vacation through you. I think.

Past Locations

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In my recent article, I stated that you shouldn’t post exactly where you are at the moment that you are there. The reason I suggested this was simply because there are some people out there that take great joy in robbing homes (which is actually a relaxing past time, I have heard). However, it might be better to post that you were somewhere rather than stating that you are somewhere.

I understand that title="How Did Facebook Originate? [In Case You Were Wondering]" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/facebook-originate-case-wondering/">Zuckerberg is trying to make the world a more open place, and I respect that. However, you can’t help that there are folks out there who have malicious intentions for your information.

Who You Were With

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I guess this is the running word right now – “were”. Instead of href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-cool-ways-tag-friends-facebook/">tagging who you are currently with, it would be best to keep everything in past tense. This way, if one of your buddy’s friend’s account was compromised, then the perpetrator wouldn’t know that he was away from home.

It’s not so much that it is annoying to know who you are with or what you are doing – definitely not! It’s just a matter of your safety. The irony is that we tend to worry more about the information that Facebook itself stores about us rather than how others can malevolently use that information. At the core, people are all talk and no action.

Encouraging Words

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Guys, stop it with the cynicism! The Internet seems to be full of it, right? Facebook is the perfect place to lift people up.

Is someone having a bad day? Try to make it better with a quick message on their wall. Did they lose their pet iguana in a tragic rubberband accident? Send them a picture of a cat. The world needs more happiness. You can use Facebook to make it happen.

Memorable Photos

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Hey, did you know that Facebook has something called title="Automatically Transfer Your Instagram Photos To Your Facebook Account Using InstaFB" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-tools-download-facebook-photo-albums/">Photo Albums?! Yep. You can put photos online for people to see. Revolutionary, right?

Silliness aside, it’s perfectly okay to share your memories with everyone, in my opinion. However, a few pointers might be these:

• Again, be careful with the revealing photos. People are still naïve, though.
• Don’t post your failed picture attempts. No one wants to see your hand in the lens 37 times.
• Make sure your friends are okay with having their picture posted on the Internet.
• Don’t label the caption, “OMG I LOOK TERRIBLE LOL.” You actually might.

Loose Event Invitations

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This is one of those items where you may respond to the article, “Josh, why would you put events on this list? Facebook has already included events in their installed features.” Well, yes. Yes they have.

However, you may want to think about how you advertise your events. Is there any way to build up its privacy?

For instance, you could leave out addresses and only give directions to those who RSVP to your invitation via email or cell phone. Facebook is a great way to simply say whether or not you’ll be attending Uncle Charlie’s Spleen Removal Surgery Party, but that’s probably the only thing it should be good for – just a yes or a no.

Conclusion

Facebook is pretty cool for sharing everything, but the key thing to remember is that you need to be responsible with what you share. Remember Uncle Ben’s advice – “With great power comes great responsibility.”

What other things do you think are okay to share on Facebook? Do you agree or disagree with any of the items mentioned above?

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-posting-facebook/">7 Things You Should Be Posting On Facebook is a post from: href="http://www.makeuseof.com">MakeUseOf

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/5145997604_757ded8dde.png" alt="kindle web sites" />Seeing how Amazon is probably launching their new reader/tablet device in the next couple of months and recently produced their ingenious href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/amazon-cloud-reader-web-app-kindle-books/">Cloud Reader, the Kindle is a href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/kindle-sony-reader-headtohead-comparison/">hot topic for a lot of people. Even after a multitude of other tablets have surfaced after its birth, the Kindle remains a great e-book reader gadget and of course, still packs a lot of potential for reading enthusiasts. Don’t believe me? Just take a look at the number of blogs, services and tools dedicated to squeezing the most out of your Kindle, a bunch of which we will list up next.

First, for those that have recently acquired their new Kindle, a good starting point would be href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-download-completely-free-amazon-kindle-ebooks-to-your-pc/">this article on how to download e-books from Amazon to your PC (or href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/reading-ebooks-ipad-ibooks-amazon-kindle-mac/">this href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-use-the-amazon-kindle-reader-for-the-iphone-ipod-touch/">one if you own a Mac).

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Next, you can browse href="http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=2245146011">Amazon’s Free eBook collection, href="http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page">Project Gutenberg ( href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/the-best-6-sites-to-get-free-ebooks/">one of the ultimate public domain e-book libraries), href="http://www.archive.org/details.php?identifier=texts">the Internet Archive, and href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-5-websites-amazon-find-great-kindle-books/">the other sites where you can find great Kindle books in the Classics category, though you may occasionally find contemporary free works as well.

Public domain books are well and dandy but if you fancy some other types of books, including modern literature and works, the following are a few noteworthy websites that are serve up daily doses of free or very cheap e-books.

Sites With Free Or Heavily Discounted e-Books

I find that the following sites may offer you the same free e-books and offers occasionally, but sometimes they find different books available for free so it’d probably be wise to check all of them regularly.

href="http://amzn.to/FreeKindleBooks1">Amazon

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The link above leads to the results of a specific Amazon keyword search; it skips samplers, paid books, public domain or classic works, etc. This link is a goodie gathered by the good people at Pixel of Ink, which we discuss up next.

href="http://www.pixelofink.com/">Pixel Of Ink

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Pixel of Ink is an extremely popular website that’s updated several times a day with free or cheap e-books. It’s probably one of the blogs you definitely want to keep an eye on since it’s a rich source of Kindle (and Nook!) steals and bargains. The website is easy to navigate on your computer as it allows you to browse books by genre and tag.

You can also href="http://www.pixelofink.com/subscribe/">subscribe to their daily email newsletter that lists the most recent free and bargain e-books, or check out their sister site, href="http://www.inspiredreads.com/">Inspired Reads that lists affordable Christian reads for the Kindle.

href="http://www.ereaderiq.com/">eReaderIQ

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This site does a few more things than other e-book bargain hunting sites. It actually provides price drop email alerts, has a href="http://m.ereaderiq.com/">Kindle-optimized web site, lets you know when your favorite books will be available on the Kindle AND it offers international support, which should make a lot of our readers happy. Their Kindle book search function can take a lot of parameters so users that have specific search criteria will likely find the advanced book search very helpful.

href="http://blog.booksontheknob.org/">Books On The Knob

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This site has provided free/discounted e-book finds, occasional special offers, and deals for games and music on the Kindle (and to a lesser degree, Nook, Kobo and other readers ) on a daily basis since 2008.

There are many other blogs that update frequently with free e-books or great e-book deals -  href="http://thefrugalereader.com/">the Frugal eReader, href="http://freecheapreads.tumblr.com/">Free (& Cheap) Reads, href="http://randomizeme.wordpress.com/">RandomizeME,  href="http://www.kindleworld.blogspot.com/">Kindle World, href="http://kindlenationdaily.com/">Kindle Nation Daily, href="http://ilmk.wordpress.com/">I Love My Kindle, href="http://www.freeebookdeal.com/ebook">Free Ebook Deal, and  href="http://dailycheapreads.com/">Daily Cheap Reads. And since we’re on the topic of saving money on e-books, don’t forget you can compare e-book prices in the Kindle, Nook and iBook book stores with href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/leatherbound-ebook-price-comparisons-kindle-nook-ibookstore/">Leatherbound.me.

Ways To Send Long Articles To Your Kindle

If you’d like to see how you can read long-form articles from your favorite blogs on your Kindle, there are several options. You can use the feed aggregator service href="http://www.kindlefeeder.com/">KindleFeeder, which delivers 12 of your selected blogs in Kindle-friendly views straight to your device if you have the free, non-premium service.

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You can also wirelessly get a selection of weekly articles hand-picked by href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/read-great-longform-articles-kindle-delivereads/">DeliveReads.

To send articles to read later from your computer to your Kindle, you can use the href="http://kindlebility.com/">Kindlebility bookmarklet to prepare and send yourself a href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/kindlebility-websites-kindle-friendly/">Kindle-friendly view of an article, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/sendtoreader-web-pages-to-kindle/">SendToReader if you own at least a Wi-Fi Kindle 3 model, or the popular href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/calibre-read-instapaper-ebook-reader/">Instapaper and href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/read-web-content-read-free-android-21/">Read It Later.

Lending Clubs

You can enable lending on your Kindle with the tips detailed in href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/loan-kindle-ebooks-amazon-members/">this post, but you’ll possibly encounter more book choices if you join a lending club, such as the href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/borrow-kindle-ebooks-kindle-lending-club/">Kindle Lending Club or href="http://lendle.me/">Lendle.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/2011-08-30_125815.png" alt="free kindle sites" width="577" height="333" border="0" />

href="http://www.thekindlechronicles.com/">Podcast: The Kindle Chronicles

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/2011-08-30_104916.png" alt="2011-08-30_104916" width="580" height="407" border="0" />

This weekly podcast discusses all things Kindle: news, interviews (with, for instance, href="http://www.thekindlechronicles.com/2011/08/05/tkc-159-dave-limp/">the Kindle VP) tech tips, Amazon announcements, e-book deals, etc. A few interesting topics include how to publish your own e-books, and upcoming Amazon changes, like href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000702481#">the Kindle Textbook Rental program.

Tools

To-Do List: href="http://kindletodo.com/">KindleToDo

The Kindle was never meant to replace your smartphone or agenda, but if you need to quickly scribble down some notes or a few to-do’s, there’s a website that makes this simple.

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href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/kindletodo-to-do-list-for-kindle/">KindleToDo is a minimalistic website aimed at Kindle users that want to either create a simple to-do list, note or glance at a monthly calendar. The site will automatically save and load your to-do list or note on your next visit.

Customizable Startpage: href="http://www.bookmonk.com/home/">BookMonk & href="http://kinstant.com/">Kinstant

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As you can see in the screenshot, BookMonk allows you to create a simple startpage for your Kindle web browser from either your computer or on the Kindle itself. If you’re comfortable with the default links, you can navigate to the site from your Kindle and click on a Start Page link, which will prompt you to save the resulting text file with the links in a Start Page folder in your Kindle. Otherwise, use your computer to modify the links.

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Kinstant is another start page website that you don’t actually have to save to your Kindle. You simply navigate to it on your Kindle’s browser and click on the links to a dozen or so Kindle-formatted blogs. You can also add the URLs of your favorite blogs, which will be automatically loaded next time you visit the site.

Want To Be Alerted When Your Favorite Title Becomes Digitized? Check Out href="http://oscurapress.com/mysteria/cgi-bin/mysteria.cgi">Mysteria

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Instead of constantly checking to see if your favorite book, movie or music item is available in digital form, give Mysteria a try. All you have to do is go through a simple signup, create a public wishlist on Amazon and that’s it!

If you know of additional noteworthy Kindle web sites, please let us know in the comments!

Photo credit: href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kodomut/5145997604/in/photostream/" rel="nofollow">kodomut

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/REDDIT300300.jpg" alt="subreddit list" />I have href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/kill-productivity-reddit-app-alien-blue-iphone-ipad/">made it known that, other than MakeUseOf, Reddit is my absolute favorite website on the Internet. I have lost track of the amount of hours I have spent hanging around the darkest corners of the Reddit universe. Reddit is nice and neatly divided into Sub-Reddits, but for the uninitiated user who doesn’t know what Sub-Reddits they should be checking, this can be very intimidating. There are so many of them out there, that it can be hard to know which are the right ones to check out, and which ones are shady and not worth the time.

Fear not, because I am going to lay some Sub-Reddit knowledge on you and show the places on Reddit where the best entertainment lies. With these Reddits in my mind you will never go astray in your glorious Reddit travels. Of course, I want you to use these Sub-Reddits as a guide, and when you are ready, venture into the scary world of Reddit without me.

href="http://www.reddit.com/r/funny">Reddit.com/r/funny

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This the first Sub-Reddit where I start my day. There is no better way to get in a good mood then to see what kind of funny stuff the Reddit community has dug up on the Internet. You will see everything from funny jokes, to funny pictures and even some funny videos now and again. If you are looking to make your co-workers think you are crazy by laughing like a madman in your cubicle, then this is the Sub-Reddit for you.

href="http://www.reddit.com/r/fffffffuuuuuuuuuuuu/">Reddit.com/r/fffffffuuuuuuuuuuuu

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F7U12 is where the Reddit community comes to get their rage on. The only thing members are allowed to post here are rage comics. These are poorly drawn comics that tell a story about something that was particularly rage inducing. These tend to be hilarious, and often times can be just as funny as the stuff you will meet on r/funny. Not a day goes by that I don’t spend getting my rage on r/fffffffuuuuuuuuuuuu.

href="http://www.reddit.com/r/technology/">Reddit.com/r/technology

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/tech.png" alt="sub reddit directory" width="309" height="446" />

I think it safe to assume that if you are here reading MakeUseOf that you are probably a tech junkie like us. If that is the case, then you need to be checking in on r/technology. It is chock full of tech news and opinions from the Reddit community. While you are looking around r/technology make sure to look at the sidebar of the Reddit for a whole bunch of more specific tech-related Sub-Reddits for your reading and learning enjoyment.

href="http://www.reddit.com/r/history/">Reddit.com/r/history

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For all the history buffs this is your one stop shop for knowledge. This Sub-Reddit is absolutely filled to the brim with content. Users post all kinds of fascinating articles and opinions on all things history. Just like with r/technology, make sure to check out the sidebar, because it is filled with all kinds of interesting time and place specific history Sub-Reddits like href="http://www.reddit.com/r/WorldHistory/">r/worldhistory, href="http://www.reddit.com/r/USHistory/">r/ushistory and href="http://www.reddit.com/r/ArtHistory/">r/arthistory, just to name a few of the gems.

href="http://www.reddit.com/r/gamernews">Reddit.com/r/gamernews

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/rgamernews.jpg" alt="subreddits" />

Don’t be fooled into href="http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming">r/gaming‘s shenanigans, r/gamernews is where you come to get real relevant happenings in the gaming world. Sadly, r/gaming has degenerated into mostly just gamers posting nostalgic pictures and things of that nature, so r/gamernews stepped up and brought a hard moderated Sub-Reddit filled with only the most pertinent news from the video game world.

href="http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/">Reddit.com/IAmA

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/riama.jpg" alt="subreddit list" />

Here is where people come to tell their stories. A user would come and post that they are something, and ask other users to ask them anything. This usually leads to some pretty interesting questions and answers and is a great way to kill a few hours learning about something you never even knew you wanted to learn about.

Occasionally, you will even see celebrities come to Reddit and do an IAmA if the demand is high enough. Check out href="http://www.reddit.com/r/IAMAFamousArchive/">r/IAMAFamouseArchive to see all the celebrities who have participated in an IAmA session.

Conclusion

These Sub-Reddits should help get you pointed in the right direction, and hopefully make Reddit a less scary place for you. Remember, when you find a Sub-Reddit you enjoy, always check the sidebar, because there is usually links to some related Reddits that you may find amusing and enjoyable.

Check out these other great Reddit articles from MakeUseOf :

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-cool-reddit/">Five  Cool Things You Should Know About Reddit /> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/reddit-boss-combo-package/">Use Reddit Like A Boss With This Combo Package /> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-ways-reddit/">3 Ways Reddit Can Help Those In Need

What are your favorite Sub-Reddits? Have you ever stumbled into some Sub-Reddit and wished you had never been there? Let us know in the comments!

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/gaming.jpg" alt="pokemon games" />Welcome to another installment of MakeUseOf Gaming, where we take a look at an interesting topic in the video game world for you to make use of. This week I will be talking about Pokemon, and why the Pokemon games are not just child’s play.

People tend to think of Pokemon as being just for kids, but as I have mentioned in a href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/master-pokemon-trainer-3-websites/">previous article about Pokemon websites, I respectfully disagree. I started playing Pokemon when the first handheld games came out for the original GameBoy. I remember it being one of the very first video games that I sunk hundreds of hours into, and I remember loving every second of it.

Flash forward to today, and I am 24 years old. Pokemon Black and White have come to market recently, and while the changes to the games have been incremental, I still find myself with over 100 hours in play time in the new ones. There is not a single other video game franchise that I have come back to as much as Pokemon.

The Difficulty Of The Game

style="margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Pokemon-Black-Version-DS-_.jpg" alt="pokemon games" width="256" height="192" align="left" />Pokemon has always been able to strike the perfect balance to be easy enough for a child to play, and yet deep and challenging enough for an adult such as myself to enjoy. Right from the introduction of the game, it is geared to teach you how to play, while actually letting you play at the same time.

The very early stages of the games consist of easy battles designed to get you used to the way the game plays, but as the game progresses the battles start to get more and more challenging. Kids can have fun running around the world and collecting Pokemon and even if the very end of the game is too challenging for them it does not matter, because they will be having so much fun playing either way.

The Hidden Depth

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There is a dirty secret underground world to Pokemon that most players will never even bother to explore. This is the competitive Pokemon scene. In this world the game is not as simple as collecting Pokemon and fighting your way to the elite four. They are worried about what kind of battles their Pokemon participate in so they can properly level them up a certain way through EVs. When I was a little kid I had no idea that any of this existed, and that is the beauty of the system; you do not need to explore any of this to have fun, but if you are looking for a deeper experience, then the option is there.

Value

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Pokemon games are long. It is easy to invest well over 100 hours in a Pokemon game, and considering they cost half as much as a new game for Xbox 360 or PS3, this is a great value proposition. This is of course if you buy the newest Pokemon game. If you play the older ones you can easily href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/desmume-a-free-nintendo-ds-emulator-to-play-nds-games-on-your-pc-nb/">emulate them for free, or buy a used copy for next to nothing. Any game that you can get many hours of enjoyment out of for extremely cheap is right up my alley, and Pokemon fits the bill perfectly.

Portability

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Who doesn’t love being able to take something they enjoy with them everywhere they go? Well since every major Pokemon release has been on a portable Nintendo platform, that is not an issue. Pokemon is perfectly made for a portable system because it is the kind of game you can pick up and play for short bursts, or sit and play for hours on end. Either way, you will feel satisfied with your experience.

Just Downright Fun

All of these others reasons are great, but the most important reason is that Pokemon is just a fun game. I don’t care if you are 12 or 60, Pokemon has something fun in it for you. You like exploring? Check. You like interesting stories? Has that too. How about collecting? No worries. Oh you like fighting? Well that’s in there too. Pretty much every important thing that makes a game fun is in Pokemon.

Conclusion

If you haven’t played a Pokemon game since you were a child, I recommend swallowing your pride and going back and playing one again. I can promise you that you will enjoy it. Even if you just put a couple of hours into one of the games for nostalgia’s sake, you will not regret it.

Do you still play Pokemon games? Are you a Pokemon hater who thinks it is just for kids? Let us know in the comments.

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/utorrent_logo.jpg" alt="" /> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/torrent/">Torrents have become quite an interesting invention over the last few years, even though the technology has now existed for quite a while. Back in the day, using torrents was still a little tricky, as Internet connections weren’t as fast as they are today, and torrent clients weren’t as advanced or as easy to use. Specifically, and I remember this problem very well, you’d have a tough time getting some decent download rates if you didn’t have a port specified in the settings that was actually open or forwarded to your computer, if you were behind a router. However, the clients have now matured in a way where you just need to open the .torrent file, accept the torrent into the program, and wait.

The most popular torrent client, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/utorrent/">uTorrent, has been getting a lot of extra effort put into it to simplify its use while expanding its feature set. I must say that the uTorrent developers have done an excellent job to do all of this while still keeping the program lightweight. One of the newer features that you’ll find is called add-ons.

µMap

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µMap is one of my favorite addons. To me it’s always been quite interesting to see where certain peers are located. There are a couple of different ways to view these maps, and you can organize them by client type, country of origin, or swarm. This way you can easily identify any trends that may be interesting to you.

This app can also show you how closely it can identify your location as well. If µMap can find you within a smaller area than you’d like, you can try to use a free VPN service to mask your actual location.

uChat

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uChat lets you chat with other people who are currently downloading the same torrent as you are. This could be a great way to kill some time while your torrent is downloading. You could also find a new online friend who shares similar interests with you, or you could learn about other torrents that you might be interested in. You’re not automatically signed into uChat when you download torrents, so you won’t be disturbed when you don’t want to be.

class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">Skins

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If you can already customize your uTorrent client with apps, why not change some visuals as well? With Skins you can easily do that! You can choose from a number of skins by simple browsing or searching via keywords. If you’re a little artsy you can even create a skin yourself.

4. Tetronimoes

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So you’ve just added a new torrent to your client (such as a nice DVD collection of your favorite Linux distribution), and have nothing better to do other than to simply sit there and wait. Socializing with strangers might not be something you’d like to do either. After all, you can’t browse the web or you’ll use up bandwidth that could go to the torrent. Instead, you can go ahead and play some Tetris thanks to the Tetronimoes app. Now you can play a classic, lightweight game, and in no time at all you’ll see your torrent completely downloaded.

5. Khan Academy

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As a student, I find this app to be very valuable. Khan Academy offers various different college courses whose class videos can be downloaded via torrent. This can be a great advantage to anyone who wants to catch up, get ahead, and simply learn something new that could be beneficial to their work or other activity. Don’t forget to allow some space on your hard drive for this. Khan Academy offers plenty of classes, and you should expect one class worth of videos to take around 2.5GB.

These are the top 5 apps that I personally recommend. Of course, you are never obligated to completely agree with this list, so it’s always best to browse through all the available apps in your uTorrent client. You could also check out href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/put-utorrent-steroids-installing-extensions-windows/">this list of other apps. Personalization is always the best feature you can get out of a well-designed program. Also, don’t forget that uTorrent is available for href="http://www.makeuseof.com/service/windows">Windows, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/service/mac">Mac, and href="http://www.makeuseof.com/service/linux">Linux, so everyone can enjoy them.

Is there an app that you believe should’ve been on the top 5 list? Which app would it be and why do you think so? Let us know in the comments!

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/bestandroidtabthumb.jpg" alt="android tablets" />While the iPad was able to jump on the tablet market before anyone else, Android tablets from competitors are starting to flow like water. There’s now a wide variety of options available and many of them are quite mature.

There are some Android tablets that stand out from the crowd. Let’s have a look at three of them that any potential buyer should be sure to check out.

class="vt-p" href="http://www.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_Pad_Transformer_TF101/">ASUS Eee Pad Transformer TF101

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When the Eee Pad Transformer debuted, it made a surprisingly big splash. According to some reports this tablet is the second most popular currently available behind the iPad 2, which is surprising. It’s not as if ASUS has put much effort into marketing.

The reason for its sudden popularity is the optional keyboard dock. While many tablets have docks, the Eee Pad Transformer was designed from the ground up to work with one. Once inserted into the keyboard dock this tablet operates much like a netbook. A battery is hidden in the dock, as well, extending life to between 14 and 16 hours in most situations.

One downside of this Eee Pad is a lack of support for mobile data plans, although a class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/gs-ltes-understanding-mobile-broadband-technology-explained/">3G version is expected sometime this month.

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Don’t let yourself be hung up on the dock, however – you don’t need it to make this a great device. The base tablet is excellent and it’s just $399 (the dock is an additional $150). It offers solid build quality combined with an elegant Espresso finish. While the pricing might lead one to think this is a budget option, the Eee Pad is actually on par with the competition, right down to the Tegra 2 processor.

class="vt-p" href="http://shop.lenovo.com/us/products/tablets/ideapad/">Lenovo IdeaPad K1

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Just released in July, the Lenovo IdeaPad K1 is the company’s first consumer Android tablet. Sex appeal is one of the K1’s greatest strengths. It’s offered with several different color options for the back panel and features a smooth design that, in my opinion, is even more attractive than the iPad 2.

Another impressive feature is the user interface. Stock Honeycomb is common on Android tablets, and any changes are usually not for the best. The K1, however, adds a convenient class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/great-3d-launchers-revamp-android-phone-homescreen/">launcher widget in the middle of the home screen that lets users sort apps into specific categories like Watch (movies) or Listen (music/podcasts). This organization reminds me a lot of class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/windows-7-libraries-%E2%80%93-and-why-you-want-them/">libraries in Windows 7. There are a few other extras as well, such as an App Wheel that can be used as a quick-launcher for your favorite apps.

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The rest of the K1’s features are standard for Android tablets. It has a Tegra 2 processor and battery life of over 8 hours, which is a bit better than average. The only potential deal-breaker is the tablet’s relatively hefty weight of 1.6 pounds. Still, the base price of $499 is attractive.

class="vt-p" href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxytab/10.1/index.html">Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

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Apple’s iPad had no serious competition until Samsung released the Galaxy Tab in the latter half of 2010. The original was quite robust, but in response to the iPad 2 it has been redesigned significantly.

The new version, called the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, is a formidable opponent. It’s slightly lighter than Cupertino’s tablet (1.24 pounds vs. 1.35) and is approximately as thin. The design doesn’t have the punch of the K1 or the elegance of the Eee Pad, but it’s attractive in its own right and it’s lighter than either of those entries. Users can expect over eight hours of endurance from the battery. Like the other entries here, this tablet has a Tegra 2 processor.

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At $499, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 doesn’t try to win on price alone. The Eee Pad Transformer is clearly better value, but its subdued aesthetics won’t be to everyone’s taste and it’s heavier. The K1 carries extra bulk as well. As a result, this tablet is likely the best choice for frequent fliers, road warriors, and other users who will often be using the tablet without a stand or solid piece of furniture to sit it upon.

Conclusion

In my opinion, these three tablets are the clear winners in the current Android market. The Xoom was great when it came out, but the styling is now unimpressive and the display was never great. The Acer Iconia Tab feels cheap but remains more expensive than the Eee Pad Transformer. Toshiba’s Thrive is bulky yet offers less battery life than the options above.

The market is changing rapidly, so buyers should keep a look out for the latest-and-greatest. But for now, these are truly the best Android tablets.  Do you have one of these three?  If so, how do you like it?

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