Take a look around your living room to see how many remote controls you have laying around... it's a bit much, isn't it?and#160; Even if you have managed to program everything to a universal remote, how often does it go missing between the cushions or under the couch?and#160; Since you always have your smartphone in your hand, think about how awesome if would be if was your universal remote?and#160; Some of you may already have a device that is equipped with the ability to be just that and you only need the app to make it work.and#160; Some Android devices actually have an infrared transmitter, so simply installing the free Peel remote control app is all you need. iPad and iPhone users can buy a device called the "Pronto" which will pair with the Peel app to convert them into your remote. Pronto is a multi-directional receiver transmitter with a range of about 80 feet and will run you about 50 bucks .and#160; It uses regular AA batteries, which should last a year or so, which allows you to set it up just about anywhere. (Pronto currently only works with iPhones and iPads.) http://peel.com app and#8232;http://GetPronto.com

It's not uncommon for someone to be left out of group shots because they are the ones that have to take the picture, so today's focus is on this common problem. Even if you can get some stranger to snap the shot of the entire group, they'll generally be unfamiliar with your camera which can end up creating blurry or poorly composed images.and#160; If you own one of the many Samsung Galaxy phones, many of them have the ability to capture our pictures using the front and back camera simultaneously so the person taking the picture isn't left out of the memory.and#160; If you smartphone doesn't have this feature, you don't have to be envious anymore because you can get this feature using the Frontback app.and#160; This free app allows you to easily create images using the front and back cameras so you get a different perspective of that moment in time. It's not as easy as having the feature in your primary camera app, but it will allow you to include the photographer in the picture from then on!and#160; http://frontback.me

Flash memory USB drives have become about as ubiquitous as floppy disks were back in the beginning of computing. At this point, most of us have a drawer loaded with drives that are just too small for today's huge file sizes.and#160; For those that do, there's an interesting use for those old USB drives: you can convert them into a dog tag!and#160; Several users on Instructables.com came up with the idea as a high-tech option for recovering a lost dog.and#160; Just create a text file or a document or even a PDF that provides instructions for contacting you should your dog get lost and copy the instructions to the USB drive.and#160; This approach allows you to provide a variety of additional info such as vaccination records, notes on the dog's demeanor, how it gets on with other pets and even if your dog has a microchip. Then add it to your dog's collar and wrap it tight to help protect it from the elements and you're good to go.and#160; Remember, a chipped dog will need to be taken to a vet to be ID'd, but with a USB drive anyone these days can use it to identify the owner.and#160;

The technology that powers voice recognition is improving exponetially as an interface and in the not too distant future, you'll most likely find yourself rarely using your keyboard or mouse. Both Apple and Google are market leaders in the smartphone category, but a startup in California seems to be substantially ahead of both leaders. An app known for its music recognition called Soundhound, posted a demo of their extraordinary voice recognition app they are calling 'Hound'. They are proclaiming their "speech-to-meaning" tech is far superior and based on their demo, it's very impressive. The demo shows the Hound app responding quickly to very complicated queries such as 'when will the sun rise 2 days before Xmas of 2021 in Tokyo Japan". The quickness in the video in which it's able to reply to super complicated questions makes it seem unbelievable, but lots of third parties are claiming the tech and the video are real. If you want to experience the near future of voice recognition, checkout the links I have posted to both the demo and the app download: http://www.soundhound.com/hound https://youtu.be/M1ONXea0mXg

A powerful mobile device that has been around for quite a while may become a bit more viable for many users this year. It's known as the 'Google Chromebook', which works a lot like a regular basic laptop, but it costs a lot less to own. By using Google's 'Chrome Operating System' as well as their suite of online apps, like that that can also be used when you're not online. Chromebooks can't make use of traditional Windows programs, so they aren't that usable for everyone, but anyone that spends most of their time online could find it to be a decent alternative. Young children and seniors will benefit from this platform because of its low-cost, simplicity and best of all, it will bypass all the nasty malware that goes after Windows and Mac users. If you live your life primarily in the cloud, Chromebooks may be worth taking a look at the next time you need to make a change. Android smartphone users will benefit from the integration between the smartphone and Chromebook apps as well. Learn more at http://google.com/chromebooks

The popularity of smartphones and tablets continue to grow primarily for one simple reason: apps!and#160; Anyone thinking about creating apps for their organization generally runs into a budgeting problem, so today's tip is for those facing this common hurdle.and#160; A startup called 'AppMachine' has created a platform that allows anyone to simply create mobile apps in a few minutes even without any coding experience.and#160; This simple Do-It-Yourself builder isn't going to create apps like a professional app builder would, but for those that want to create a truly simple app, it's worth checking out. Their site shows examples for musicians, restaurants, athletes, healthcare, tourism and many others. If you have an app idea, this easy approach may be just what you need. Using the app builder is free but you will have to pay monthly fees if you decide to submit your app to the various app stores.and#160; Start building your first app or learn much more atand#160;http://appmachine.com

The awesome blockbuster summer movie season is in swing and ducking into an air-conditioned theater with a tall cool beverage is ab excellent way to escape the heat.and#160; Today we remind you of one of our classic tips that will help when that massive drink causes you to need the loo in the middle of the movie.and#160; RunPee is a free app that lets you know when the most opportune times are to run to restroom during the movie.and#160; Rather than randomly guessing when to go, the app will vibrate your smartphone during slow portions of the movie so you can avoid missing important scenes during your restroom break.and#160; The app finds 3 to 5 minutes of the movie that are less important to the story so you'll not miss funny, exciting or crucial moments important to the movie's plot.and#160; Parents will love using RunPee to be pre-emptive with your child's bathroom breaks to avoid missing anything important.and#160; Runpee provides you with a brief overview of what you missed while you were away, so no whisper updates are required from your friends.and#160; RunPee works for iPhone and Android users and can be downloaded all at https://RunPee.com

We have come to expect a high level of performance whenever we connect to the Internet so when things don't go the way we've come to expect, frustration is sure to set in.and#160; When you don't know if it's the computer you're using, the connection or any of a number of other confusing possibilities such as a DNS issue or a firewall preventing your access can make solving this common problem complicated.and#160; This issue can be even more problematic when you're on the road, especially when you have a deadline and are forced to use a connection at a hotel or coffee shop with questionable service.and#160; A diagnostic from Google for their Chrome browser can help demystify your connection issues. It's called the 'connectivity diagnostic browser app' and it can be a quick way to diagnose most of the issues that can impact connectivity.and#160; Once installed in your browser, you can click on it and a thorough test is run which checks nine connectivity items and then it lets you know which one may be causing your problem.and#160; Even when you have no idea what the tool is telling you, the info will be useful if you have to call someone for help!and#160; Get it here: http://goo.gl/H6VGqxand#160;and#160;

Apple's iPad has always been a wonderful tool for both education and entertainment, but used improperly, they'll tend to keep youngsters from interacting in the real world. Anyone with kids and an iPad should checkout the Osmo interactive platform which combines the digital world and the physical world using the iPad as a base. It provides educational game play by using physical items that will interact with the app which extends the activities outside of the physical iPad. The basic components of the platform are the stand and a plastic cover with a mirror in it, which sits over the iPad's front-facing camera. This is what allows the app to see items on the surface directly in front of the iPad's display. The startup kit offers various activities ranging from word games to puzzles, but I really like the Masterpiece activity. Think of it as a 'virtual lightbox' allowing young aspiring artists to trace out items displayed on the screen to the paper right in front of the iPad. The Osmo platform is for kids six or older, with all the details at https://PlayOsmo.com

What are the chances that you'll do something really worth remembering today?and#160; That is the question that the '1 Second Every Day' app is designed to make you answer.and#160; It was inspired by a gentleman named Cesar Kuriyama who decided to record a year-long trip by simply recording 1 second of video each day.and#160; When he completed the compilation, it allowed him to easily recall lots of moments of that year that for most of us would just drifted away.and#160; It may sound a little crazy at first, but it can be an awesome way to document a the many events in your life in a way that is a lot easier to digest.and#160; Simply viewing a one second video can easily take you back to an entire day of memories. Anyone going on a summer vacation will find this an easy way to record what you did each and every day in a short but enjoyable video form.and#160; It's essentially a way to make a short documentary video that you will most fully appreciate.and#160; Checkout the original video that inspired the app and download it as well at: 1secondeveryday.com