/b/

Users who link their computers to their televisions lack familiar control features. Couch Slouch for Mac attempts to allow a TV remote to control your Mac, but ultimately does not function as intended.

Download and setup completed as expected over a high-speed connection. There did not appear to be any technical support available, however. While no instructions came with the application, they were not necessary due to the easy-to-use menu and simple configuration guide. This walks the user through entering information about how their computer is connected to their television. This requires entering the HDMI port to which the TV … Read more

Businesses often need to render 3D images for use in promotional materials, presentations, and more. For those looking for a well-designed, professional-looking program to create them with, Boxshot for Mac performs its functions well and has a number of useful templates.

Boxshot for Mac offers a free trial version, which leaves a watermark on all output images. The full version requires $49 to unlock. Download and installation completed quickly. During setup, the program gives the user the option to purchase the full version, but outside of this, the process completes without user interaction. The program, itself, does not have any … Read more

File compression and archiving software remains among the most popular downloads, even though Windows integrates a basic but capable compression utility. Aftermarket archive tools tend to be faster, more powerful, and more capable than the Windows utility, and you've got plenty of them to choose from, too -- many of them freeware. We've tried all the big names, including WinZip, 7-Zip, and WinRAR. One tool we haven't tried before is B1 Free Archiver, and we wish we had. This free file compression and archiving solution has a lot going for it, such as wide compatibility with popular … Read more

Immigration is a hot topic in Congress at the moment, and the tech industry is determined to have its say.

According to Reuters, a number of tech firms are lobbying to raise the official cap on H-1B visas, which allows citizens of other countries to stay in the United States for up to six years.

In order to secure such a visa, you need to have a "specialty occupation," advanced skills or a degree in a field which is lacking local talent. Demand has soared for the visa, which has an annual cap of 85,000. Because of … Read more

U.S. consumers unable to grab a $25 slice of Raspberry Pi yesterday are now out of luck.

The so-dubbed Linux PC on a stick hit the U.S. market yesterday morning. Both the $25 Model A and the $35 Model B versions are listed by U.S. retailer Allied Electronics. But the $25 flavor of Raspberry Pi has already flown off the virtual shelves.

Trying to purchase Model A today triggers a message that says that "this item is out of stock and may not be backordered. Please remove to continue."

Model B is still up for … Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Check out our interview with B.O.B. and Big Boi for their new game, "Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel."

- Mico headphones let your brainwaves choose the music.

- Google Images adds filters for animated GIFs.

- Detroit doctors link garbled texting as first sign of a stroke.… Read more

Silicon Valley firms are presenting a rare united front in an effort to end a political logjam that has blocked high-tech immigration reform.

In an unusual show of support that underscores how important the topic has become, executives from Facebook, Google, eBay and other major tech companies sent a letter today to President Obama and congressional leaders asking them to fix immigration law by the end of 2013. The current system is broken, they say, blaming visa shortages, long waits for green cards, and difficulties bringing spouses and children to the United States.

"Because our current immigration system is … Read more

Silicon Valley firms aren't going to get the immigration changes they want, at least not right away.

Straightforward fixes to a legal framework that just about everyone agrees is broken -- the fixes would let foreign engineers and scientists remain in the United States post-graduation -- have run aground on the usual shoals of special interest politicking and partisan bickering.

Technology companies were hoping for prompt action on a pair of bills introduced this year that would ease a shortage of skilled workers, in part by expanding the H-1B visa program. It's a bipartisan idea backed by Microsoft, … Read more

Many recording programs come with a messy interface and a lack of support. This isn't the case with n-Track for Mac. This software makes an effort to offer a user-friendly interface and support for simultaneous recording from multiple 16-bit and 24-bit sound cards.

Available for free for the first 40 days, the program costs $49.00 to buy. The installation is easy and quick, and the program doesn't take more than 174MB once installed. Once you open the program, you'll notice a clean and easy-to-comprehend interface divided into different segments. In the preferences you can choose the … Read more