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There are tons of photo-editing tools out there that allow you to edit and add effects to your smartphone pics on the fly. Pimp My Shadow is another contender that, as its name suggests, lets you add shadow effects to your pictures. While the idea sounds like fun, the reality falls a bit flat.

First things first: You have to either take a new picture or select one from your Camera Roll. From there, Pimp My Shadow takes you to a screen where you have to erase the background of your picture by swiping your finger around the figure you … Read more

The new MySpace has launched to the public, and Justin Timberlake, the site's co-owner, is helping build some interest in it.

When folks head over to MySpace today, they'll find that they can now register to join the site. Upon doing so, users will be able to freely stream Justin Timberlake's new single featuring Jay Z, "Suit & Tie."

Until now, the new MySpace had been available only to those invited to try it out.

MySpace has gone through a series of reinventions over the years as it watched its star rise in the social-networking … Read more

DETROIT--Chevrolet has pulled the covers back on what is easily the most hotly anticipated (and worst-kept secret) of the 2013 Detroit auto show: the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.

Only three Corvette models have ever borne the name Stingray: the mid-'60s second-generation model, the third-generation car produced through the '70s and into the '80s (arguably the most iconic), and now the seventh-generation (C7) 2014 model. Chevrolet states that it's reviving the name for the 2014 model year because it is the best 'Vette ever. Well, it's not like Chevy would claim anything less of its newest halo car, … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Cabin tech interfaces receive a lot of criticism for being clunky, ugly, and slow, but Chevrolet may have cracked the code by copying the smartphone. The newest generation of the MyLink infotainment system runs smoothly and employs icons that look, and can be rearranged, like those on a smartphone.

Similar to an iPhone, drivers of the new Impala will be able to put the interface into edit mode, and move icons around on the touch screen. The icons cover everything from navigation to phone to apps such as Pandora. To make the system better suited to cars, there are … Read more

CleanMyMac is designed to remove old and unnecessary files from your hard drive, as well as optimize system performance. A trial version of the program is available for download, and the full version is available with either a six-month license for $7.47 or a lifetime license for $14.97.

CleanMyMac performs two different tasks that help your Mac computer run better. The first task it tackles is getting rid of orphan and unnecessary files, including cache files. CleanMyMac searches your hard drive and makes recommendations of files that can be deleted, including files for multiple Mac architectures and localization … Read more

As smartphones become tiny laptops, people store more and more important files on them. However, smartphone memory can still fail, so it's vital that you back up your gadget to save those files. MyPhoneExplorer Client is full of features to help you do that, but there are too many strings attached.

Before you can even start using MyPhoneExplorer Client, you have to download a desktop companion. When you do, the program will try to install some very nasty spam software with it. When you finally go through a painful setup process, you will be greeted by an app that … Read more

One feature in Apple's iCloud service for OS X is its lock option, which allows you to remotely set a PIN for your Mac through iCloud's Find My iPhone service, and require that it be entered to boot the system.

This lock is similar to a firmware password for securing Mac systems. Not only does it prevent booting to alternative boot modes such as Safe Mode or Single User Mode, but it prevents loading in special hardware modes like Target Disk and Internet Recovery so the hard disk cannot be wiped or otherwise accessed.

Unlike the firmware password, … Read more

Apple today made a slight new addition to its Find My iPhone software (iTunes), with a tweak that gives owners driving directions right to a lost device.

Under the previous system, users saw only the precise location on a map with the option to refresh. The new update shows your device's location just like a point of interest within Apple's maps software, with the option to fire up driving directions by tapping a car icon.

In practice this means you can now hunt down a device's location without having to guesstimate a location and switch over to … Read more

Every day this week, a different CNET writer or editor will recall a tech or geek-centric present that left a mark. Read past stories by Eric Mack, Jeff Sparkman, and Jay Greene, and look for another installment tomorrow at midnight PT.

Maybe it's because I'm surrounded by this stuff every day, but traditional technology gifts tend to leave me cold. Even the memories of unwrapping game consoles or that first yellow Sports model Sony Walkman don't stand out in a best-gift-ever sort of way.

Instead, I turn to a more recent holiday gift, one that combines technology … Read more