40Tech

Almost two years ago, I wrote about the positive experience that I’d had with WooThemes when switching over to the current WordPress theme that powers 40Tech. I implemented several custom changes to the theme we use here, and the WooThemes folks were very helpful as I worked things out. Lately, though, the WooThemes team has taken a step that has given me pause. Specifically, WooThemes is integrating tracking into all of their themes – new or old – so that they can get a better idea of how their customers are using their themes.

Last week, we looked at how to get videos from your Android device to your iPad, without cables. That process can be time consuming and tedious if you’re moving more than just a handful of videos. A more efficient method is to use Apple’s Camera Connection Kit, which also lets you move photographs to your iPad. To get that method to work, though, you need a few tricks in your arsenal.

If you’re an Android user who also has an iOS device, iOS’s simplicity can be frustrating. I remember when I first switched to Android, it suddenly made my iOS devices feel like Fisher-Price toys. In hindsight, that was a pretty snooty viewpoint. iOS’s simplicity is both a strength and a weakness. Still, it’s cool when something comes along that lets you feel like you’re customizing your iOS device. Launch Center, an app that lets you perform many tasks with two finger taps, is one such app.

I’ve caved, and bought the new iPad. I’ve found it to be quite capable as a rudimentary photo and video editing tool. Due to the lack of a file system in iOS, though, getting videos from other devices onto it can be a bit problematic. Since I have an Android phone, that was one of the first problems that I wanted to solve. Here’s the method that I use, that could work for you, too.

By many accounts, one of the more entertaining talks at TED in 2012 was Rob Reid’s look at what he calls “copyright math.” Reid is the author of Architects of the Web and he founded Listen.com Inc., which created the Rhapsody digital music service. In a very tongue in cheek demonstration, he points out the bogus nature of the entertainment industry’s math when it comes to supposed losses due to copyright infringement. For example, he discusses how the economic loss due to copyright infringement, as claimed by the entertainment industry, would equal the combined collapse of the entire U.S. corn, fruit, wheat, cotton, tobacco, rice, and . . . sorghum industries. He goes on from there, in a talk that is worth several laughs.

I’ve been a big fan of Toodledo ever since I first reviewed it back in 2010. Recently, though, I’ve been unfaithful. I’ve abandoned Toodledo as my task management app of choice, and moved on to OmniFocus. While there are some reasons not to switch, a few compelling reasons helped me to decide to make the move. Here are some reasons to switch, and some reasons to stay put.

Enter a URL into its search box, and ScanURL pulls data from Google’s API, as well as PhishTank and Web of Trust. It also includes direct links to the Google Safe Browsing Diagnostic Tool for any domain/website, and provides links to other online reporting and scanning services. ScanURL really does a nice job of being a one-stop destination.

Do you ever have to upload a file to share with someone? You could do this with Dropbox, which is one of our favorite apps, but then you need to make sure that your recipient has a Dropbox account. If you want a dead simple way to share a file, take a look at Dockdrop. When properly configured, Dockdrop allows you to drag a file to the Dockdrop icon on your Mac’s dock, which will trigger an upload to your preset destination, and then copy the file’s location to your clipboard. From there, it is simply a matter of pasting your clipboard contents (such as into an email message) to retrieve the file location.

You and I have at least one thing in common. We’re both going to die at some point in the future. Before that happens, remember that digital data can be more important than real world goods. You take steps to arrange for the disposition of your physical possessions in the event of death. How about your email account and other online accounts? If you’re a Gmail user, the Backupify blog recently took a look at what happens to your Gmail account when you die. That article got me thinking beyond just email, to how to best make sure that your digital assets pass to your next of kin when you die.

o you have a ton of carefully crafted playlists in iTunes, and are hopping onto the streaming music bandwagon. You probably don’t want to recreate those playlists by hand. If Rdio is your streaming music service of choice, you can get your playlists into Rdio with a third party web app, Trnsmit.