Latest Gear Live Videos
How to delete your Google Web History before tomorrow’s privacy policy change
Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Features, Google, Internet
On March 1st (that's tomorrow!), Google will be changing its privacy settings. The changes will unify all Google services under one umbrella, as far as privacy is concerned. In other words, what you search for on YouTube will be accessible by Google Search, and all other Google services. As of today, all your site and search history stayed sandboxed within the specific services that you used. Tomorrow, that'll be a different story.
Your search and activity history can obviously reveal a lot of personal data that you may not want Google to know. Things like medical conditions, location, personal habits, and more. That said, there are a few easy steps you can take to keep your search history private and outta Google’s reach. Taking these steps does not prevent Google from gathering and storing this information internally, and doesn't change the fact that this information can be requested and possibly turned over to law enforcement for legal matters. However, what it does do is make it so that Google anonymizes the information after 18 months, and that Google doesn't use your web history to offer you customized search results. With Web History enabled, Google will keep your records indefinitely. Keep on reading for a walkthrough!
Advertisement
ChicBuds Chicboom keychain speaker review
Posted by Taylor Peterson Categories: Accessories, Features, Portable Audio / Video, Product Reviews
I usually listen to music on my MacBook Air rather than on my iPhone or iPad, so initially I wasn't sure how much use I'd get out of the ChicBuds Chicboom. The Chicboom is a small, portable 2W amplified speaker that is attached to a key ring that lets you have a speaker wherever you are. It's super small, so it's not inconvenient by any means to have with you. You connect it to any device using the included 3.5mm stereo jack connection.
Click to continue reading ChicBuds Chicboom keychain speaker review
Top 5 Hottest Hatchback Cars in the U.S.
Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Editorial, Features, Transportation
Europe always seems to get the best of breed when it comes to cars. Regardless of the make or model, Europe takes delivery of vehicles we can only dream of over here in America. Here in the States we’re often left with slightly bland, dumbed down, and unappealing vehicle selection. Even Ford, an American company, offers vehicles in Europe that we can’t get here at home like the Ford Falcon and Focus RS, which we’ll zone in more later in the article.
Europeans have a knack for the ultimate driving experience, and one thing we noticed during a visit over the Atlantic during the summer was their love of hatchbacks. No, we're not talking about some hokey-puck cheap car that you'd find a teenager racing around town in. These vehicles are actually pretty awesome. We've put together our list of five hot hatches to look out for and consider if and when you’re in the market. Read on!
Click to continue reading Top 5 Hottest Hatchback Cars in the U.S.
Enter to win 1 of 20 $25 iTunes gift cards in our Vonage Mobile giveaway!
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Announcements, Cell Phones, Features, Software
Vonage Mobile has launched, and we're giving away 20 iTunes gift cards to our readers to celebrate! In case you're unaware, Vonage Mobile allows you to make free phone calls to other users of the app (which is currently available for iOS and Android,) anywhere in the world. In addition, you can also send free text messages as well to other users of the app, cross platform, anywhere in the world. Even better, you can call any phone number, and if that other person doesn't have Vonage Mobile, then the rate is much lower than what your mobile carrier would charge, and is even 30% less than what Skype would charge you as well.
The app works over both Wi-Fi and cell service (3G and 4G) and it uses your existing contacts and address book, rather than requiring you to set up a new username, get a new phone number, etc. Even cooler, you don't need a Vonage account to pay for your calls - instead, you just add your minutes right from the App Store or Android Market!
So, how do you enter to win one of the $25 iTunes credits? We've got a few different ways for you to enter. You only need to enter once, but for each method of entry, you gain an additional entry in the contest. Here's how you enter:
- Download the Vonage Mobile app (it's free!)
- TWITTER ENTRY: Follow the Gear Live Twitter account and take a picture of the app on your phone. Include that image in a post with this tweet exactly as written: “Hey @GearLive I got @Vonage Mobile! Hook me up with that prize! http://gear.lv/vonagecontest” (Click here to tweet this now)
- FACEBOOK ENTRY: Like the Gear Live Facebook page, and take a picture of the Vonage Mobile app on your phone. Leave a post on our wall and include that photo.
- YOUTUBE ENTRY: Subscribe to Gear Live on YouTube and leave us a video response on this video showing us that you downloaded the Vonage Mobile app.
That's it! Again, there is no requirement for you to perform all three methods of entry, but you do get a point for each entry that you do. At the end of the week, we'll choose twenty winners at random who followed the rules!
Click to continue reading Enter to win 1 of 20 $25 iTunes gift cards in our Vonage Mobile giveaway!
3 ways to avoid speeding tickets that won’t cost you a thing
Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Features, Transportation
Each day I commute about 60 miles and I see a lot of things on the road. Some things are just gorgeous, like the snowcapped Olympic Mountains, while the other stuff I see is sheer stupidity, like the lady who decided to go against the flow of traffic today. These a pretty much non-issues in the world of driving, while we think that the real threat are the boys in blue. Now don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against our task force, but getting dinged for going 5 mph over the speed limit is a bit too ridiculous in my book. Over the years, I’ve noticed ways of how to avoid tickets at little or no cost to you. Continue reading for some tips!
Click to continue reading 3 ways to avoid speeding tickets that won’t cost you a thing
Ask Andru: Should I get Kinect if I use my Xbox 360 primarily for watching Netflix?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Microsoft, Video Games, Videos
We're back with another edition of Ask Andru - this time we're focusing on the wildly popular Kinect add-on, and how useful it might be for Xbox 360 owners who primarily use their consoles for watching streaming video. On to the question:
My family has an Xbox 360 but we end up using it primarily for Netflix, not games. I've read that the recent Xbox Live update added more ways to navigate menus and content using voice and gestures with Kinect. Is it worth buying a Kinect just for those controls, if we don't use it to play games? Is talking and waving at the TV better than using the controller?
It's true--Microsoft recently released an update for the Xbox 360, known as the Fall 2011 Dashboard Update, that has fully optimized the console's interface for use alongside the Kinect add-on. Many early adopters of Kinect complained about how clunky and tacked on the experience felt when trying to navigate menus while using the Xbox 360 outside of gaming, and the update pretty much solved all of those problems. Now, it's easy to "grab" something on screen, swipe through menus, and make selections using hand gestures. Even cooler, though, is that the dashboard is now pretty much fully navigable using just your voice. Simply say "Xbox" and all your options for where you can go are displayed on the screen. If you can see it, you can pretty much say it. Here's a video I made that looks at the features you'll find in the latest update:
How to create free iPhone ringtones with iTunes
Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Apple, Cell Phones, Features, Handhelds, Software
With recent updates to iTunes, Apple removed the native funtion that allowed you to create ringtones from the songs you've purchased. You can still purchase ringtones directly from iTunes for about a buck, but seriously, who would wanna pay a $1 for a 30 second clip of music that will get old in three weeks? That's where we step in and bring you our tutorial on how to use iTunes to create iPhone ringtones using any track you've got in your library, completely for free. Yep - you aren't limited just to tracks purchased from iTunes, and you don't have to give up any money that would be better spent on something at the dollar menu at the nearest drive-thru. Read on for our full walkthrough!
Click to continue reading How to create free iPhone ringtones with iTunes
5 reasons you should buy the Escort Passport 8500 X50
Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Accessories, Features, Transportation
Yesterday we hit you with our Escort Passport 8500 X50 review, and today we're back to give you our top five reasons why you should purchose this radar and laser detector. This list will cover things like price and sensitivity of the device, but also gives a nod to the smart features that make owning it a joy, like Escort Live social integration and the functionality of the smart cord. Click on through for our full list, and if your convinced, you can pick one up on Amazon.
Click to continue reading 5 reasons you should buy the Escort Passport 8500 X50
How Radar and Laser Technology Works: Avoiding Speeding Tickets
Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Features, Transportation, Videos
We hit you with our Escort Passport 8500 X50 review earlier today, and it's a great investment for any driver looking to avoid speeding tickets, but it’s not enough. What more can you do to keep the cops off your back? Having your vehicle also equipped with a laser jammer will cover the flaws of most detectors. Laser jammers emit a light brighter than the laser an officer would shoot at a vehicle, but they're illegal in some states, so you may want to check into that first before pulling the trigger. Don’t believe that works? Check out the video above and see for yourself.
Top 10 Gear Live Videos of 2011
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Apple, Cell Phones, Features, Handhelds, Home Entertainment, Microsoft, Video Games, Videos
2011 will come to an end in just a few short hours, and we are just in time with our annual top 10 list of the most-watched Gear Live video episodes. Over the past year, as expected, there was a bunch of Apple gear that made the list, but the HTC Thunderbolt gets two of the top spots, as does the Motorola Xoom.
Oh, and if you wanna be sure to get our new video episodes as they come out in 2010, be sure to subscribe to us in iTunes, on YouTube, or in your RSS reader!
Also, you can check out the top ten videos from 2010, 2009, 2008, and 2007 - and when you're done, be sure to check out the top 10 most popular Gear Live stories of 2011 as well!
Click to continue reading Top 10 Gear Live Videos of 2011
Follow Gear Live!
Recent Galleries
Facebook Fans
Advertisement
© Gear Live Inc. – User-posted content, unless source is quoted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain License. Gear Live graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, videos, articles, blogs, forums, scripts and other service names are the trademarks of Gear Live Inc.
