Google Search Results Are Now Cleaner & Simpler To Read

Google is bringing a cleaner look to search on desktops, with a new design for its main results page. If you’ve been using Google on your mobile or tablet, you’ll recognize the new design immediately: the familiar left-hand menu has now disappeared, and replaced with a new top menu, exactly like the one from Google’s mobile interface. The new interface is currently available only on Google.com, and will roll out to other domains at a later time.
The new menu lets you browse between Web results, images, maps, shopping and news, with other options found under the “More” menu. If you’re looking for search tools such as time filtering and other filters, these are now found under the “Search tools” button.

The purpose of the new design is to provide “more breathing room, and more focus on the answers you’re looking for”. As you can see, this is indeed the case, with the whole list of results moved slightly to the left, making the whole page look much less cluttered.
The new design was first launched on tablets last year, and on mobile phones a few weeks ago. With its launch on desktops, Google is working on creating a more consistent look and feel to their search page, no matter which device and which screen size you’re using.
What do you think of the new Google Search design?

How To Manage Your Website From Your Mobile Or Tablet

Around ten years ago I got hold of my first mobile device, a HP Pocket PC that enabled me – wireless networks provided – to get online and browse the web in a very basic version of Internet Explorer.
It wasn’t long before I was more interested in accessing the backend of websites rather than the front, using the mobile browser to access the admin page of any sites I was involved with the management of. This is a pattern that has repeated and developed over the intervening years, something that has progressed beyond sending blog posts by email into having a requirement to manage a full website from my mobile phone or tablet.
The need for this was finally underlined during a recent holiday, during which time I was required to edit and publish posts for my own website. It was then that I realised that a standard dedicated mobile app for a particular blogging platform simply wasn’t enough…

WordPress

As the most popular blogging platform, WordPress must surely get a mention. Providing apps for six different platforms, the developers are clearly intent that anyone with a WordPress blog should be able to publish to it.
This is made possible by supporting not only WordPress.com accounts but also self-hosted blogs using the software downloaded from WordPress.org. Features in these mobile versions include the checking of stats, writing, editing and publishing posts, checking comments and handling multiple blogs.
You can find all versions of the WordPress mobile app via http://wordpress.org/extend/mobile/

Google Analytics

There are plenty of statistical analytics applications that can be installed on a website, but the most popular by far is Google Analytics. If you have setup an account with this service and added the code to your site(s), you will need a tool to be able to access the results.

Attention to analytics takes on a different priority for different users, usually dictated by the volume of visitors to your website. While it is never a good idea to become addicted to checking your page views, Google Analytics offers a lot more, much of which can be displayed via these mobile apps.
You can install the free Google Analytics app for your Android, while Analytics for iPad is also free. Other paid apps are available on iOS.

FTP Tools

Most website management interfaces will offer file management tools, certainly to the extent of uploading and deleting images, documents and other media.

However, when such things aren’t available, you might wish to opt for an FTP utility to ease the transfer of files to and from your webserver and your mobile device.
FTP Manager Free is available for iTunes, while AndFTP is a popular free option for Android.  At present, the $1.29 MyFTP app is the cheapest available for Windows Phone, although this only allows transfer of data from a SkyDrive account. There are several FTP tools for BlackBerry devices, including the free BEIKS BeFTP.

HTML/Text Editors

More suited for tablets that smartphones, HTML and text editors are very important to website management. While your chosen web application might permit some browser-based editing, this is likely difficult.

Instead, you should consider a plain text editor that can be used to edit HTML, CSS and other code. One option for iOS devices is Blog Docs, while Visual HTML Editor EYE is just $1.99.
For Android, Touchqode is a great option.

WhoIs and Server Management

Although checking the owner of domain names and IP addresses often turns out to be one of the dullest experiences for a website admin (thanks to the reasons behind checking) there are mobile apps that make this a quick and relatively painless task.

For Android, you should make your way to the Play store and find WhoIs by Magma Mobile, available for free. For iOS users, Free Whois remains a popular option.
Checking the status of your web server, meanwhile, can enable you explain the reasons behind (or even prepare for) slow performance. Android users should install the free Server Status while Pingdom for iOS devices is particularly useful (although it requires a Pingdom account).

Use the Browser!

Although in many cases this might be a last-gasp solution, using the mobile browser can enable you to do things that aren’t available via apps. For instance, the various versions of the WordPress mobile app don’t enable you to select an image to accompany the web page you’re publishing. The only recourse in this situation is to access the option through your browser.
If your browser supports the relevant code, you might be able to get analytics and other visitor based data, and of course a preview of any pages you’re planning to publish will prove very useful.
So don’t rule out your mobile browser; even if it isn’t up to performing all of the tasks that the desktop version is capable of when it comes to website management, it remains useful.

6 Emulators For Test-Driving Mobile Phones

It’s been about one year since I purchased my first smartphone (yes, I’m late to the party). I remember having such a difficult time deciding which phone I wanted. An iPhone? An Android? What about a Windows Phone? Back then, I had no idea that mobile phone emulators existed. And boy, that sure would’ve made my life easier.
Compare it to shopping for a new car. On the one hand, you can browse a car company’s website and read the various specifications of a particular model; on the other, you can go to an actual dealership and give each model a test drive. Well, for smartphones, you can now test drive right from your own home.
So whether you’re looking to purchase your very first smartphone or considering switching from one type to another, these mobile phone emulators will definitely come in handy.

When To Use a Mobile Phone Emulator

But before we take a look at the actual emulators, let’s talk about their advantages and disadvantages. What are they good for? When should you use them? And more importantly, when shouldn’t you use them? You should have a proper set of expectations before you take the time to install one.
Mobile phone emulators are not meant to be full-blown smartphone replacements. Think of them as closer to a demo phone model. These emulators will give you a good sense of what the phone will be like in practice, but the emulators won’t have access to every feature of the operating system.

Similarly, a mobile phone emulator will not give you a proper gauge of a particular phone’s speed, performance, or responsiveness. Emulators run on your computer and your computer has a different set of hardware from a phone, so it makes sense. If you want to see how fast or smooth a particular phone would be, an emulator won’t do you any good.
However, an emulator will help you get acquainted with a particular operating system’s interface. There are subtle differences between iOS and Android and Windows Phone–an emulator will let you explore those differences. This is probably the best reason for using a mobile phone emulator.

MobiOne Studio [iPhone, Android]

MobiOne Studio is an easy-to-use program that acts as a development aid for iOS and Android phones. In other words, MobiOne can emulate an iOS or Android environment, allowing you to test them and see how particular apps perform in those environments.
Unfortunately, MobiOne Studio will put a noticeable dent in your wallet. At $99.95, it’s not exactly an easy or impulse purchase. However, they do offer a 15-day free trial where you can test all of their features. At least you can experience both iOS and Android in one program, even if it’s temporary.

Android SDK

Google provides an Android software development kit (SDK) free of charge. While most users won’t be interested in the actual software development aspects of the SDK, the SDK does come equipped with an Android emulator. This emulator is meant to be an environment in which to test apps in development, but you can use it to get a feel for the operating system.
Unfortunately, installing the SDK is not exactly one-step-ready-to-go. There are a few hoops that you may need to jump through, but it’s up to you if you think it’s worth it. Here are some setup instructions that may provide helpful.

YouWave [Android]

YouWave is an Android emulator that lets you fully experience the operating system. It doesn’t start out with a large number of apps, but you can install some using the built-in app stores. In this way, you can explore the various Android apps and see what they’re like before having to shell out some cash on an Android phone.
The program isn’t free, though. There’s a 7-day free trial that lets you play around with it without any restrictions. Afterwards, you’ll have to fork over $14.99 for an activation license. But for most people, seven days should be more than enough time to test an operating system.

BlueStacks [Android]

BlueStacks isn’t exactly an Android emulator since it doesn’t replicate the operating system environment on your computer. However, it does provide tools that let you run Android apps right on your computer. If you just need to test individual apps, then BlueStacks may be what you’re looking for.
And for those who already have Android devices, you can use the BlueStacks Cloud Connect app to synchronize apps between your device and your computer.

Windows Phone Emulator

As you might guess, Windows Phone Emulator is an emulator for….the Windows Phone! I don’t know about you, but a lot of my friends and family have completely forgotten about Microsoft’s entry in the smartphone market. However, with Windows Phone 8 coming out soon, it may be worth your while to give the emulator a run.

Windows Phone Interactive Demo

For those of you who can’t be bothered to install a standalone emulator, you can give Windows Phone a try by using the interactive demo provided by Microsoft. Surprisingly, the demo is actually quite helpful. I’ve never used a Windows Phone before – never even seen one, actually – but the demo really gave me an idea of what to expect.
Again, all of the emulators mentioned in this article will only give you a taste of the different operating systems. Speed, performance, stability, and reliability are all determined on a per-phone basis – you won’t be able to get a feel of those here.
However, if you’ve never used a particular operating system before, then download one of these emulators and get to it! After all, it’s always a great idea to try it before you buy it.

Turn Your Android Into An iPhone, Blackberry, Windows Phone & Others

Sometimes I feel as though the world is divided. Some people like iOS, some people like Android. Some prefer Windows Phone, and some use Blackberry. For some reason, the mobile OS we choose sort of became what defines us. If you think about it, I’m sure you have some sort of opinion of iOS users that’s pretty different than what you think of Android users. And if you have a favorite OS, you simply can’t understand why anyone would choose otherwise.
I hereby declare war on this fragmentation! Why can’t we all just get along? Luckily, Android is one mobile OS which can help us do this, with its infinite number of launchers and themes. Today I’m going to help you be politically correct: you’re going to disguise your Android device and turn it into an iOS device, a Windows Phone device, a Blackberry, and some other cool operating systems. It’s really easy, it can look pretty good, and most of all, it’ll be fun to see your friends’ reactions. Just be careful, I know some people who may take such games to heart!

iOS 1: Espier Launcher [Android 2.1+]

If you fancy the iOS look, at least when it comes to icons, folders, the App Switcher tray and search, Espier Launcher is your best bet. Everything but the home screen remains completely Android, naturally, but you can definitely confuse your friends with the iOS look you get with this Launcher. You can create folders exactly as you would on iOS, and Espier even comes with its own App Switcher tray, which looks exactly like iOS. It changes every icon possible to something more iOS-ish, and automatically places the iOS Setting icon on your home screen, which actually leads to your phone’s settings.

If you’re using Android 2.1, download Espier Launcher 2.1. For Android 2.2 and up, download the regular version. Read the full review of Espier Launcher for more details.
Bottom line: Best of both worlds.

iOS 2: Fake iPhone 5 [Android 2.1+]

Fake iPhone 5 and its older sibling Fake iPhone 4S (Android 2.0+) are not as feature-rich as Espier, but when it comes to looks, you won’t get much closer to iOS than this. As opposed to Espier, this launcher automatically changes your wallpaper (you can change it back if you wish), and places every possible icon from iOS 6 on your homescreen. Fortunately, Maps still leads to Google Maps, but beware of icons like “Passbook”, which are nothing but a prompt to download another app. You can’t create folders with Fake iPhone 5, nor is there an App Switcher tray.
Bottom line: Lacks Espier’s features, but makes up for it in looks. Great if you’re main goal is to confuse your friends.

Windows Phone 7: Launcher 7 [Android 2.1]

Don’t care for iOS? Why not turn your Android into a Windows Phone 7? Yes, I know Windows Phone 8 is freshly out, but let’s face it, this isn’t Windows Phone anyway, so 7 will do. Jokes aside, Launcher 7 is a slick and versatile launcher that will make your phone look exactly like a Windows Phone. At least at first glance. When you first launch the app, you’ll get a chance to choose your main tiles. You can always add or remove tiles later on, and even change their size and color. The navigation is entirely Windows Phone 7 as well, although the ads do give away the game. If you want to get rid of them, $1.99 will do the trick.
Bottom line: A lovely option for Windows Phone lovers who just happen to own an Android.

Blackberry: BlackBerry Theme Go LauncherEx [Android 2.0+]

I must admit, I never really used a Blackberry before. This Blackberry theme might be the closest I’ll ever get, but I must say, it’s not half bad. As you’ve probably gathered from the name, this is not a standalone launcher, but a Go Launcher EX theme. In order to use it, you’ll have to first install Go Launcher, then download the Blackberry theme, and last, choose the theme from Go Launcher’s settings.
The Blackberry theme does an all-around icon change, turning them Blackberry style, and replaces the wallpaper with something more Blackberry-appropriate. Normally, I use Go Launcher’s default theme, and the Google Play Store icon sits smack in the middle of my bottom icon row. The theme had a solution for every other icon, but left the Play Store one intact, which created an amusing effect. You can easily change this icon to one of the native ones, though.
Bottom line: If you like the style, you don’t have to like Blackberry.

Windows 7: Windows 7 GO Launcher EX Theme [Android 1.6+]

Yes, you read right. Windows 7, without the Phone. Granted, you have slim chances of fooling anyone into believing your device is actually running Windows 7, but it’s still a cute theme for Windows lovers, and could make a funny prank which will last about 2 seconds. As with the Blackberry theme above, this too is a Go Launcher theme, and you will have to install it first before applying this theme. Once you do, the main changes you’ll see will be to some of the icons and wallpaper (the theme comes with quite a few Windows 7 wallpapers). Here, too, my middle Play Store icon was ignored, and I had to change it manually to the Windows one.
Bottom line: Not the prettiest, but definitely amusing.

Bonus! Jellybean: Holo Launcher [Android 2.2+]

If, like me, you actually like your Android device as it is, but fervently wish you could upgrade to Jellybean or even Ice Cream Sandwich, you’re going to enjoy Holo Launcher. Holo Launcher is pretty much a replica of the ICS/Jellybean homescreen, complete with all the icons and some of the widgets. I was hoping to get the colorful ICS wallpaper as well, but the launcher just used whatever I had set at the moment, and the default ICS wallpaper wasn’t available anywhere. Having said that, Holo Launcher is highly customizable, and can give your older device a brand new look, without sacrificing the Android appearance. If you want to take it even further than the homescreen, read about getting more Jellybean features on your phone.

Facebook Launches Version 5.1 Of iOS App With Camera, Messenger And Gift Goodies

Facebook has just rolled out a big update to its iOS app that brings some slick new features. The first new feature comes in the form of Facebook Messenger, which essentially integrates features from the standalone app into the main app. Users can swipe left at any time to see a complete list of all their friends online. The update also lets users add certain friends to the favorite bar for quick chatting access.
The camera has also received a nice little overhaul that should make using it a little more enjoyable. Facebook borrows the upload flow from its own Camera app to make uploading multiple photos quicker and easier for users of the main app. A feature not mentioned on the apps iTunes page is filters for photos. For some reason, Facebook has left this off the new feature list, but never the less, it is there and available for you to use if you have the app.
The biggest new thing in this update is the inclusion of gifts. Facebook first rolled out this feature in September to the website, and now they are bringing the monetization effort to mobile users. Users can go into the app and purchase gifts quickly and easily, just as they would from the feature on Facebook’s website.

This seems like a smart move for Facebook. Borrowing popular features from its other mobile apps creates a more cohesive experience for its users. Of course, Facebook has not rolled these features to Android, so users of that mobile OS are still left in the dark.