4.0

RapidTyping is a popular typing tutor program. RapidTyping Portable is a fully portable version of the educational freeware, one that runs directly from a portable device such as a USB drive on any Windows machine, but without having to be installed or leaving files, folders, or registry entries behind when you close it. This makes it a great choice for students, who can use the same program at school and at home.

We downloaded and extracted the program's zipped executable and associated files, which we saved to a Portable Apps folder on the desktop that we use specifically to … Read more

New rumors and anonymous details have surfaced this week that point to a third "Pure Google" phone arriving in October with the latest build of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich.

According to information out of Korea's Electronic Times, the handset is expected to come from Samsung, run Android 4.0 and feature a dual-core 1.5GHz processor and 720p Super AMOLED HD display. These details confirm reports initially leaked by Boy Genius Report nearly two months ago.

Samsung has long been rumored to be the handset maker of choice for the Nexus Prime and this recent news appears to substantiate the claims. Just this week, a pair of sources separately confirmed with OLED-Info that Samsung is readying mobile displays with a 720p resolution.

Samsung is expected to unveil new devices with these HD screens in September, presumably at IFA. What's more, an unannounced Samsung Celox recently arrived on the scene, carrying nearly identical specifications in a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, 16GB storage, an 8-megapixel camera, and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. … Read more

Google is reportedly in a hurry to unfreeze Ice Cream Sandwich.

The company is hoping to take away a little heat from Apple by trying to roll out its next of version Android before the iPhone 5 debuts, says AppleInsider.

Dubbed Ice Cream Sandwich, the next flavor of Android was initially slated to appear toward the end of the year. But Google has apparently been working hard to push up the launch date, with the first devices aiming to reach consumers as early as October, according to Boy Genius Report.

Citing information from a "source with knowledge of Google'… Read more

Pixel Ruler is a free application that claims to allow you to use your mouse to dynamically measure pixels. With it, you can accurately measure selected onscreen views in pixels, which can help when configuring image formats, creating graphics, and scaling images. It shows measurements in pixels up to 2,500 pixels in width or 1,500 pixels in height.

After a painless download and a surprisingly detailed installation process, a horizontal ruler appeared on our screen. There's also a ruler for vertical measurement. The interface consists only of these rulers; there are no navigation buttons or other controls. … Read more

With Checkers Draughts Game, you no longer have to go searching for a checkers partner; simply challenge your computer instead. Following a painless installation, you are presented with the familiar-looking setup of this classic board game. The graphics are nothing fancy, but then again, neither is the traditional game.

The straightforward interface makes it easy to get started. Navigation buttons at the top allow you to choose the level of game, whether you'd like to start or prefer the computer to make the first move, and the type of game (i.e. competition or training). The game is set … Read more

Samsung has already begun revving up U.S. consumers eager for more details about its popular Galaxy S II smartphone.

With the GS II set to launch in the U.S. in August, Samsung has set up a sign-up page where potential buyers can fill out a form to receive more info on the phone and learn about special offers. Consumers are invited to submit their name, e-mail address, mobile phone number, and carrier of choice.

The Galaxy S II made its debut in its home base of South Korea on April 29 before reaching Japan and several European countries … Read more

Boy Genius Report says it's received "exclusive" word from a source on just what we'll find in the next version of Google's Nexus smartphone.

With the third iteration of the Nexus possibly to be named the Nexus 4G, BGR is calling it an "absolute beast."

The new Nexus will be powered by a dual-core 1.2GHz or 1.5GHz CPU, either a Texas Instruments OMAP 4460 or a low-power 28nm Krait-based Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, says BGR. If true, those specs run counter to earlier reports that the new Nexus would be outfitted with … Read more

A few big-box suites like Microsoft Office define the competition in productivity software, which generally means an e-mail client, a word processor, and a spreadsheet tool at a minimum. And the competition is actually fiercest at the freeware level, where developers compete to offer Office-like bundles for no cost and with enough unique features to stand out from the crowd. SSuite Personal Office is a free suite with the must-have word processor, spreadsheet, and e-mail client as well as a lightweight Web browser, a PDF creator, a sorting utility, an envelope printer, and even some games.

The first tool we … Read more

Alt-Tab Thingy is a free tool that replaces the venerable Alt-Tab function, also known as the Task Switcher, in Windows. Alt-Tab Thingy is a much more capable and flexible tool. It still lets you switch rapidly between programs and windows, but it's highly customizable, with numerous settings and options, and it adds some useful extras. It breathes new life into an old Windows feature.

Alt-Tab Thingy's system tray icon accesses its two main interfaces; one is an extensively tabbed Settings dialog, the other an enhanced version of the Windows Task Switcher box with an optional Preview Pane. The … Read more