By Gilbert Falso :: 1:19 PM
Yahoo Mail users will soon have integrated access to the cloud storage features of Dropbox, due to a new partnership announced between the two companies today.
The Yahoo-Dropbox integration will allow users to share and store their files more easily from within the Yahoo Mail interface. For users without a Dropbox account, they can create one easily from within Yahoo Mail when prompted. To do this, new Dropbox users can click on any attachment received in Yahoo Mail, select ‘Save all to’, and then ‘Save to Dropbox’, then follow the instructions to set up a new Dropbox account.
Sending files from Dropbox through Yahoo Mail is also integrated into the product. To send a new attachment from Dropbox in Yahoo Mail, users need to only select the dropdown next to the paperclip icon in Yahoo Mail, and then select ‘Share from Dropbox’. The Dropbox Chooser will appear for file selection. Large attachments, those greater than 25 MB, will be routed through Dropbox links rather than actually attached and sent with the email message.
Dropbox is available starting today for Yahoo Mail users in the following languages: English, French, Spanish, German and Italian.
By Paul Thomson :: 11:58 AM
The Raspberry Pi mini computer, a stripped-down simple circuit board contraption that was originally developed to help teach computer science basics, has quickly sold out of its US allotment, according to the only retailer selling the device, Allied Electronics.
“Due to limited supply of the Raspberry Pi Model A, we are not offering preorders or backorders on the product at this time,” the company said. “The Raspberry Pi Model A will only be available for purchase when we have inventory on hand to fill the order.”
Model A, the $25 option which includes less features and memory than the $35 Model B, sold out in just a few hours yesterday. Hobbyists and techies alike have been eager to get their hands on the mini computers since they were announced last year. Allied Electronics still has the Model B in stock.
The beauty of the Rasberry Pi for tinkerers is that, with the right know-how, you can configure one to do just about anything. It has a 700-megahertz processor and 128 megabytes of RAM – this means it has processing speeds and memory capacities that are just a little less than most smartphones. An SD card slot on the device provides easy storage, and it has jacks for video (HDMI) Ethernet (Model B) and a USB port for keyboards or other input devices.
Users have configured their Raspberry Pi devices to do everything from play games to control robots and sensors. Watch the video below for a few samples of what people do with their Raspberry Pi boards:
By Paul Thomson :: 10:47 PM
Amazon’s cloud storage solution for individuals, Cloud Drive
Today, Amazon announced that Cloud Drive would support automatic file syncing from one computer to another. The app, available for both Windows and Mac operating systems, will now allow users to store and access files in Amazon’s cloud from a folder on their computer. Files that are saved into the folder on the PC or Mac are also automatically synced up to the user’s Cloud Drive account.
“The updated app makes it simple for users to put files in Cloud Drive and to access them from any of their computers, ensuring that they always have access to the latest version of their files from home and on the road,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a release.
Now, Cloud Drive is on the same level as DropBox, Google Drive, and Microsoft’s SkyDrive for desktop file syncing. Cloud Drive provides 5GB of space for free, with an option to purchase additional space. As for the other cloud storage providers, Dropbox provides 2GB free, Google Drive provides 5GB free and SkyDrive provides 7GB free.
Amazon’s improvements do not carry over into the mobile space yet – all file syncing is desktop-only for the moment.
By Cynthia Herbert :: 3:47 PM
By now, most people know to take any news release on April 1st with a healthy dose of skepticism, and a lot of fact-checking. This year, JetBlue is pulling a little April Fools’ joke, but with a happy ending. Free travel for anyone on the airline today with the first name of April.
In an announcement made this afternoon on their blog, the discount airline stated that anyone named April who is flying JetBlue today will receive a JetBlue credit equal to the amount of the fare that they paid for their flight. It is important to note that this offer only applies to people named April who are traveling today, not to reservations made today by people named April.
“April 1st isn’t always fun and games for everyone.†remarked April Dinwoodie, JetBlue’s Director of Media Relations. “For many of us, it represents an annual tradition of mockery. We’re thrilled to take a moment and do something for those customers that might not look forward to starting their month with a day of teasing.â€
Most JetBlue travelers who qualify for this promotion will see the credit deposited into their JetBlue Travel Bank if they booked directly with JetBlue on their website or by calling the airline directly. Aprils who booked via other means will need to contact the airline by April 8th to arrange for their flight credit. Flight credits earned as part of this promotion are good for any JetBlue flight for one year.
By Cynthia Herbert :: 1:50 PM
Today, Google changed its logo with a Google Doodle celebrating and honoring the life of Cesar Chavez, an American labor leader and civil rights activist who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association and championed for the rights of migrant workers and farm laborers across the country.
Many across social media, especially Twitter, however, are up in arms over the selection of Chavez on Google’s home page this Easter Sunday. And it’s more out of confusion than anything else.
Cesar Chavez, unfortunately, shares she same last name of Hugo Chavez, the former president of Venezuela who died earlier this year. Hugo Chavez was more of a dictator than a democratic ruler, and had a string of human rights violations associated with him.
Most of the anger directed at Google today comes from those who mistakenly believe that Google has chosen to honor Hugo Chavez, and not Cesar Chavez. If they’d click on the Doodle itself, they would be taken to a Google search results page where they could learn about all the good that Cesar Chavez did for the American farming and farm worker community.
However, instead of actually paying attention and reading the image description or clicking the link, many are jumping to conclusions, and venting across social media.