We already know that Apple's mobile and desktop devices are steadily moving closer together, but what's the next step for iOS?

(Credit: Apple)

The Apple event to allegedly announce the iPad 3 is tomorrow and this is as good a time as any to talk about what's in store for the OS that will eventually run on it. iOS 5 brought us notifications, Twitter integration, and more cloud support, among other things, but what's next for Apple's mobile OS?

There are many rumors to what will be available in iOS 6, but I have a few on my wish list that hopefully will make it into the next major update.

The current multitasking is useful, definitely, but simultaneously running apps would be better.

(Credit: Screenshot by Antuan Goodwin/CNET)

True multitasking Earlier versions of iOS didn't have any kind of multitasking, and, judging by the television commercials at the time, it was a huge selling point for Android phones (I remember the phrase "Multitasking all over the place!"). Apple added in a sort of multitasking in iOS 4 back in 2010 that technically suspends apps, rather than lets them run simultaneously in the background.

Though the current brand of multitasking is useable, it would be great if iOS 6 included real multita... [Read more]

If you've dived deeply into Chrome extensions, you know how powerful they can be, and also how much they can eat up memory. Extension Automation reins them in by enabling them only for particular sites. Here's how to use it: 

1. Install Extension Automation here. 
2. On any page, click the gear-shaped Extension Automation icon to enable particular extensions for that site. Note that the first time you do this for any extension, you automatically disable it for other sites, so you may want to take care of your favorite sites all at once. 

   Step 2: Choose extensions to enable.

   (Credit: Rob Lightner/CNET)
3. You can also click Settings in the icon pop-up to add or delete filters; this can be a simpler way to reactivate an extension that you find universally handy. 

That's it! Extension Automation is simple, but powerful, and should keep power Chrome users happy.

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Andmade Share takes one simple idea and does it well. You ought to be able to share or send items to multiple Android apps at the same time. Here's how to use it: 

1. Install Andmade Share here. 
2. Open your gallery, Web browser, or pretty much any other app that lets you share items, then press the menu button, then select Share.
3. You should either see a long list of share options or a shorter list comprising Andmade Share and Android System. In either case, select Andmade Share to bring up a checklist of share options; in the second case, you can also make it the default if you like. 

   Step 3: Select share options.

   (Credit: Screenshot by Rob Lightner/CNET)
4. Tap the box next to every share option you want to use, then press the name of an option to get started. You should be taken through each app in order; once you've shared with the first you're taken directly to the second, and so on. 
5. If you want to reorder the apps before launching them, it's easy. Just long-press any app and drag it higher or lower in the list. 

That's it! Andmade Share makes sharing much, much easier, and is a great addition for most Android users. I have heard some complaints about interaction with the ICS Gallery app, but haven't been able to test that yet.

[Read more]

With two new desktop operating systems on the horizon from the big hitters, you might be wondering how best to check them out. Microsoft's Windows 8 was just made available as a public preview, and Apple has released its own developer preview of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion to a select group of testers.

Unfortunately, as with any prerelease software, these previews are likely to be fraught with bugs and other details that must be tested and ironed out, so even if you have the option of installing these operating systems, you might not want to do so on your main working computer, as bugs can result in crashes and even data loss.

With Parallels 7 you can interact with the virtual machine using an iPad.

(Credit: Parallels)

While you can create a separate partition on your hard drive to install these operating systems in, or with OS X install it on an external drive, even this setup can be cumbersome since it requires you reboot to the second OS installation in order to use it.

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(Credit: Screenshot by Jaymar Cabebe/CNET)

To celebrate the launch of its new Google Play Store, the search-giant-turned-media-middleman is putting some of its top downloads on sale. The former Android Market's top 25 paid apps are now available for 49 cents each, while the rental prices of selected movies have dropped to 99 cents each. Some of the discounted apps include popular hits like Shadowgun, NFL Flick Quarterback, and SwiftKey X Keyboard. And while the discounted movies may not be quite as attractive ("Good Luck Chuck"?) as the app offerings, there are a certainly a few gems worth a look ("3:10 to Yuma," "Paper Heart").

But, of course, there's more. Today also marks the kickoff of the Store's Play of the Day campaign, which offers up specially featured content at an even deeper discount. A different app, movie rental, album, and book will be available for only a quarter, every day for seven days. Get 'em while they're hot, people.

To learn more about Google's new online storefront, be sure to check out Sharon Vaknin's post on five things to know about Google Play.

[Read more]

Pin It (Credit: Microsoft)

Since the days of Windows 95, users have had to deal with the inevitability of having to reinstall Windows to regain system stability and performance. This often entailed spending hours in front of the PC--reinstalling Windows, applying patches, reinstalling programs, and setting personal preferences.

In Windows 8, Microsoft added two new features called Refresh and Reset, that simplifies the entire reinstall process and reduces the amount of time required sitting in front of the PC.

Refresh

The Refresh option reinstalls Windows, but keeps personalized settings and files. It does, however, reset PC settings to their defaults, but keeps apps downloaded from the Microsoft App Store and places a list of removed apps onto your desktop. A refresh does not require the Windows product key to be re-entered. Refresh is a good way to recover system performance, while keeping your data intact.

Step 1: Open the Run box with the shortcut, Win+R, then type, %systemroot%\system32\c... [Read more]

A chart from AV-Test's report showing the top 17 Android apps for malware detection. Red boxes mean the family of malware went undetected; orange through green indicates partial detection through full detection of the samples in a given malware family. App names are organized alphabetically.

(Credit: Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)

If you're worried about Android malware, choose wisely. There's a good chance that your trusted security app does little to protect you, says a new report from independent testing organization AV-Test.

In a preview of the study e-mailed yesterday, AV-Test's CEO Andreas Marx revealed that desktop antivirus vendors that have migrated to Android performed the best. Avast, Lookout, Dr. Web, Zoner, F-Secure, Ikarus, and Kaspersky detected 90 percent or more of the 618 types of malicious Android APK files that they were tested against. Lookout and Zoner are notable standouts because they are only available as mobile apps, and have no PC-based counterpart.

"Using these products you don't have to worry about your malware protection," wrote Marx. He also emphasized that the security apps that tested between 65 percent and 90 percent were very good and could easily improve their detection because several apps in this category missed one or two malware families. These malwar... [Read more]

Lightroom 4 lets people edit video with presets such as this an old-style sepia tone look.

(Credit: screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET)

Adobe released the fourth version of its Lightroom software today, adding video abilities and editing finesse while cutting its price in half.

Lightroom 4 costs $149 new and $79 as an upgrade, a big step down from the earlier prices of $299 new and $99 upgrade. That's going the same direction Apple has with its competing Aperture, though not as dramatically: an introductory $499 price, then a drop to $199, and in the App Store version now, $80. You can download Lightroom 4 for Windows and Mac.

Lightroom is geared for photography professionals and enthusiasts, especially those who want to ease the difficulties of shooting with higher-end cameras' raw photo formats but benefit from their higher quality. It lets people manage their photo catalogs, publish photos online or now in books, too.

At the heart of Lightroom 4 are new editing controls designed to let people get more out of their images, for example boosting shadowed areas without blowing out highlights. Several more adjustments can be mad... [Read more]