Skype - page 4

The Tiki Is A Compact USB Mic That Looks Good But Sounds Bad [Review]

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She's a pretty thing: the Tiki from Blue Mics
She's a pretty thing: the Tiki from Blue Mics

The Tiki, from Blue Mic ($59), is a compact USB microphone designed to give you great audio for Skype calls and voice notes in rooms with even moderate ambient noise. And while Blue is known for creating mics that sound as good as they look, the Tiki’s beauty is only skin deep.

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Skype Acknowledges “Rare” Bug Causing Some Messages To Be Sent To Unintended Contacts

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You might want to hold off on the sexting via Skype for a bit, as Skype has acknowledge a “rare” bug, which according to complaints on Skype support, appears to send messages to unintended contacts. The Skype team has already responded and plans on pushing out a fix soon.

“We are aware that in rare circumstances IM’s between two contacts could be sent to an unintended third contact. We are rolling out a fix for this issue in the next few days and will notify our users to download an updated version of Skype.”

O2’s Upcoming ‘TU Go’ App Will Let You Make & Receive iPhone Calls On Your iPad

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With TU Go, you won't need to find your iPhone in the bottom of your bag to make & receive calls.
With TU Go, you won't need to find your iPhone in the bottom of your bag to make & receive calls.

There’s no denying that the iPad is far to big to be a telephone, but there are times when it would be nice to make calls on the device. For example, I’ve previously used Skype to make a call on mine while my iPhone was being updated. But a new smartphone app called ‘TU Go’, on its way from U.K. carrier O2, will allow you to use a device connected to your iPhone — such as an iPad — to make and receive calls from your existing phone number.

Carat For iOS Improves Battery Life By Identifying Buggy Apps

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If you’re an iPhone user who plays Angry Birds and watches YouTube videos all day long, you probably think your handset’s battery life is terrible. In reality, the iPhone often provides you with a lot more energy than many rival smartphones, and as for the iPad, well, no other tablet beats it when it comes to staying awake.

But there are some things you can do to make your battery life even better. In addition to obvious fixes — like turning down your brightness when you don’t need it to melt your retinas, or killing apps like Skype that constantly run in the background — identifying buggy apps that might be using battery unnecessarily could make a huge difference. And Carat for iOS helps you do that.

Skype 5.8 For Mac Delivers Better Mobile Video Calls, Group Screen Sharing, Mountain Lion Support

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Skye for Mac is much-improved in version 5.8.
Skype for Mac is much-improved in version 5.8.

Skype has just pushed out its latest update for Mac OS X, which includes a number of enhancements to existing features, as well as support for OS X Mountain Lion. The company promises that contacts lists, video calls to mobile devices, and screen sharing are all much-improved in version 5.8.

7 Awesome Features Apple Left Out Of iOS 6

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iOS 6 has some awesome new features, but here's 7 things it's still missing.
iOS 6 has some awesome new features, but here's 7 things it's still missing.

We’re super excited for iOS 6. Although it isn’t the complete iOS overhaul many users were hoping for, it does deliver a whole host of new features — like a new Maps app, user interface enhancements, improvements to stock apps, and Siri support on iPad — that we’re certainly looking forward to.

However, it’s hard to ignore the fact that iOS 6 still has some things missing. Things we’ve been waiting for for some time. Here are seven of them.

In iOS 6, The Status Bar Changes Color To Match The App You’re Running

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Status bars are all kinds of colors in iOS 6.
Status bars are all kinds of colors in iOS 6.

We’ve already shown you a whole host of new iOS 6 features that Apple didn’t get time to mention during its WWDC keynote yesterday, and here’s another one. In fact, this is probably one of the coolest in the bunch. Notice how the status bar above certain stock apps — like Settings or Mail — is now blue? Well, that actually changes color to match the theme of the app you’re running.

Boom 1.4 Update Promises To Deliver All The Features You’ve Been Requesting

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A sneak peek at Boom 1.4 for Mac OS X.
A sneak peek at Boom 1.4 for Mac OS X.

Boom, a terrific utility for Mac OS X that boosts system volume well above Apple’s default limit, is set to receive a new update that promises to deliver all of the features and improvements that Boom users have been asking for. That includes scroll gestures for those running Snow Leopard and Lion, the ability to access functions from the status bar icon, and more.

FreedomPop Plans A Better Free 4G Service Than NetZero For Your iPhone

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FreedomPop's plans include a 4G iPhone case hotspot
FreedomPop's plans include a 4G iPhone case hotspot

Earlier this week, NetZero launched a new freemium mobile broadband service using Clearwire’s WiMax 4G network. Although NetZero is the first U.S. company to launch a “free” 4G service, it isn’t going to be the last. Skype founder Niklas Zennstrom has begun work on a similar service called FreedomPop that will launch this summer.

FreedomPop plans to offer more monthly data for free than NetZero’s paltry 200MB. It will also target iPhone owners as a major part of its user base.

Best Buy Predicts 42-Inch “Apple HDTV” In Customer Survey

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A rumored Apple television set has received just as much — if not more — attention than the company’s upcoming iPhone 5 in recent months, but the questions we’ve all been asking about its specifications have been answered… by Best Buy.

The retailer has been issuing surveys to its customers to obtain feedback on potential new products and services, but many were surprised to find details on a 42-inch “Apple HDTV,” which will apparently be available for $1,499.

Rode Podcaster USB Microphone: You’re Going To Like The Way You Sound, I Guarantee It [Review]

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The Rode Podcaster next to an iPhone for scale.

If you’ve spent much time podcasting, Skyping, recording any kind of audio on your Mac, you’ve no doubt found its built-in microphone woefully inadequate. Well if you’re ready to toss down some Benjamins for an upgrade, the Rode Podcaster Microphone ($230) is a rich-sounding, easy-to-use option you should consider.

Facebook Messenger App Lets You Chat With Your Friends, Video Chat May Be Coming Soon

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Someone must use Facebook’s chat system, because the social networking giant just released Facebook Messenger, a dedicated iOS app that allows you to send and receive messages or chat with friends on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. It even comes with push notifications so you won’t miss any messages.

More interestingly, though, Facebook’s Messenger app contains files that hint at future video calling functionality to come.