What does it entail, one might ask?  Well, its a filter.  Not a new spam filter (Gmail already has one of those), but a new new filter that tells you, the user, what emails are important or not.  Yes, you hear me right: Google will soon tell you what emails are a priority or not.  Consider it a Priority Inbox – a new tier of mail sorting.  A bold step forward in email efficiency.

Still not convinced?  See for yourself in this nifty YouTube video.

According to Google, this filter is for sorting out the “bologna” or “bacn” emails (Are there any other email terms that use meat references?), or rather the mail that we don’t want immediately but would still like to read later.  Using what I can only assume is magic, the new filter also will note the frequency of emails from contacts as well as how often you reply to them and add them to the priority list.

If you do not like what Gmail is deeming important, buttons will be available to confirm or deny the priority of the emails coming in.  As the cute animated video mentioned, the system should adaptively get better and better the more you use it, eventually knowing what you personally like to see first when you check your mail.  Just like Skynet.

This cool new feature is currently in beta, but expect it to be coming to a Gmail inbox near you very soon (if it already hasn’t).  If more reading is necessary, the details of the Priority Inbox can be read on the official Gmail blog.

Thanks to Google, we can finally get some real work done (Like checking Facebook, surfing the web, and updating on Twitter).  Ah, the joys of efficiency.

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Simplenote is a simple text editing service that allows you create, save, and view text notes.  The service can be accessed in a variety of different ways. The easiest way is to simply set up an account online and use the browser text editor. There is also a desktop application that you can download. This application saves your notes to your computer with the option to sync to your online account, which can be useful if you are in an area without WiFi.

The Simplenote app for iPhone and iPod Touch allows you to write and read notes on the go while syncing to your online account. (I’m actually writing this review with my iPod touch.)

Simplenote for iPhone and iPod Touch make it easy to add notes on the go.

A new feature to Simplenote is the addition of tags – these allow you to set one or more tags to each note. These tags can aid in searching for specific notes. Also, it’s now possible to look through older versions of notes you’ve created.

Tags can be useful when searching through lots of notes.

I have been looking to a program/app like Simplenote for quite some time. The whole interface is simple and fast, but it comes with a compromise: you won’t find auto formatting or spell check here. Simplenote probably wouldn’t be the best thing to write your next big novel on, but it works great for quickly jotting down information for use at a later time.

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What you need is a framework that will accelerate your app development by offering an easy way to employ common components to a site and the flexibility to quickly add custom logic.  This is where CakePHP enters the stage.

CakePHP is a PHP framework that simplifies the way you do programming. What do I mean by “framework”? This concept is best explained by making a comparison with traditional application scripts: a typical PHP script starts at the top and proceeds to the bottom while utilizing included classes to create objects and processes the intended logic. An error in your syntax ruins everything, and you need to manually code database connections and other activities not native to the language.

However, in a framework, you simply extend existing (and rigorously tested) libraries. For instance, CakePHP has the ability to “scaffold” a database table, where you simply provide a line code describing the table, and poof—the framework will display a basic interface for inserting, updating, and deleting records. No, really, it’s that easy… and that just skims the surface of CakePHP features.

So, the question really boils down to this: Why should you waste your time learning to use CakePHP? I’ll give you three solid reasons.

Faster development

You may or may not have any appreciation for online dating sites, but I think we can all agree that it would be a complex project if we had to build one from scratch. Ever heard of Mingle2? Yeah, me neither, but it’s a dating site that boasts 100,000+ users and was made with CakePHP in 66 hours. 66 hours. Let’s put this in perspective—this man started and finished production of a large scale social network in less time than it took me to beat Final Fantasy 7 the first time through. Impressive? You decide.

CakePHP shaves a lot of time off your typical coding assignments by letting you create a few lines of code that utilize the backbone libraries built into the framework. Do you need your application to send email? No problem. Do you want to verify a form to make sure the user is entering a credit card number? CakePHP has you covered. Need to interact easily with a mySQL database (or others)? Easy shmeasy.

On a lesser note, the package is a piece of cake to install. (See what I did there?)

Structure, security, and scalability

These are all pretty broad topics, but I’ll keep the description concise—CakePHP’s Model-View-Controller system (MVC for short) changes the way you program by establishing conventions that will simplify the creation of your app. In essence, the Model dictates how your app will interact with the database and the Controller will process this information in a way you dictate, finally delivering it to the View for display to the user. Consequent to this structure, the application has better access to data objects, files are shorter and better organized, and since we rely on CakePHP convention and library files, the app tends to be properly positioned for scalability.

For a much more detailed look at the way CakePHP processes an app, glance below on the left.  Next to that is how most app processing paradigms look. Sad, right? I know, I’m embarrassed, too.

Let’s not forget that security in app development is often sorely neglected. Fortunately, CakePHP protects forgetful programmers by offering protection from database injections and AJAX vulnerabilities. Did I mention the built-in regular expressions? If you’re like me, those will save your butt more than once.

It’s PHP

This may seem like a minor point, but think about it—PHP is supported on nearly every hosted server on Earth (20 million domains utilized PHP in 2007). PHP is also a freely distributed packaged that integrates perfectly with free server software such as Apache. Can you think of a better environment for developing an application with a limited budget? Don’t say McDonald’s Playland. Don’t you dare say it.

CakePHP also allows you to inexpensively and easily switch your current PHP practice to a rapid deployment framework. Not many things are more depressing (or expensive) than telling your team of PHP developers that they need to abandon their expertise to shift focus to a different language. With CakePHP, it probably won’t be necessary.

Conclusion

CakePHP will improve your app development experience in a lot of ways, but guess what—it isn’t the only PHP framework in town. Other frameworks such as Zend and Symphony have had great success and, like CakePHP, are robust options with large support communities. You may consider adopting Symphony if you prefer XML for designing databases, and you may hold a preference for Zend (which is more like a collection of libraries than a true framework) if you require tight integration with other platforms such as Facebook or Google APIs. Of course, there are even more than just these options from which you can choose.

Hopefully this brief summary of CakePHP was enough to convince you of the benefits of developing within a framework. Sure, ground-up development has its uses, but when developing a large, scalable app why reinvent the wheel? Hasten the process with a framework while improving organization and security. To whet your appetite with more details concerning CakePHP, visit their forums and have a look at their online book to better weigh your options.

Click here to see some sites developed in CakePHP. AskMen.com, Mozilla Firefox Add-ons, and Yale Daily News are among them!

Join the growing community of CakePHP developers and see what all the fuss is about. Sorry, I mean, “see about what all the fuss is”. That doesn’t seem right, but you get the picture. Happy programming!

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Liferaft: Zero is a devious blend of the setting from Portal, the acrobatics of N, and the frustrating difficulty of Jumper. You play the role of a series of clones, hopping through obstacle courses under the watchful eye of mysterious scientists. At your disposal are a standard jump, a wall jump to reach higher areas, and a grappling hook that can connect to specific points on the map, allowing you to swing across long distances.

If you impale yourself on one of the many spikes sprinkled liberally throughout the levels, you’ll respawn back at the beginning as one of your numerous clones with your previous body remaining on the map as a gruesome warning to your future selves.

The goal of each of the 30 levels is to ring a bell located somewhere in the level. Sounds easy, but ringing it is the simple part; getting there is where the fun is! On most of the levels you’ll also find a piece of candy, usually in a pretty difficult area to reach. Getting several pieces of candy unlocks bonus levels.

Make no mistake, this game is hard. The first fifteen or so levels are relatively easy, but the difficulty skyrockets quickly. Don’t even think about attempting to grab the pieces of candy in the later levels on your first time through. Not only do you have to climb into whatever nook or cranny the candy is in, you then need to make it to the exit without dying. If you’ve played the freeware game Jumper, you might start getting flashbacks.

Oh god, why

Thankfully, Liferaft: Zero has a charm about it that diffuses some of your frustration. The humor in the game is similar to that found in Portal. Scientists peer at you through windows in the background. A line of future clones is visible, waiting patiently to be sent to their deaths. When the scientists talk to you, they address you by what number clone you are. At the beginning you are #001, but by the end you’ll likely be addressed by a number in the hundreds.

Manage to beat the game yet? I haven’t. Tell us about your experience below!

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“This seems far too simple…something’s not right.”

Wrong.  The website is entirely safe to use, for your personal benefit only.  The creator, Mark Wales, assures you won’t be in any trouble in using the site – and he confirms your safety with the same light humor that the base page gives off.

It’s not hard to find anything you might be concerned about, it’s all below the text box when the field is empty.  The source code is also provided as a little bonus, so feel free to check it out! (Also notice how similar his favicon is to Techerator’s. Great minds think alike?)

Click here to read his rather funny FAQ.  And please, use his link below (or here) for Choosing A Secure Password if you’re given this notice:

"asdf" FOR LIFE!

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My favorite way to use Aero Snap is with the keyboard – simply press the Windows Key + the left or right arrow on your keyboard and the current application will snap to the side of your screen.

Check out the video below to see how it works:

When I use earlier versions of Windows like Windows XP and Vista, I often find myself missing this feature.  But good news: it can easily be added with AeroSnap BETA.

AeroSnap BETA

AeroSnap BETA is a free download for Windows XP and Vista, and instantly gives you the same Aero Snap functionality seen in Windows 7.  After downloading and installing AeroSnap BETA, a small icon will be present in your system tray.  Right clicking this icon gives you more options.

In the General tab, you can set AeroSnap BETA to start with your system so snapping is always available.  You can also enable hotkeys, which is the best way to use Aero Snap in my opinion.  Pressing WIN + Left Arrow and WIN + Right Arrow will shift the current window to different sections of the screen, going from Right Snapped to Center to Left Snapped.

In the Snapping tab, you can adjust the different types of window snapping and also the width of the regions that the snap is sensitive to.

Adding Aero Snap to your older version of Windows is a great way to add some new functionality to your aging system without buying an entirely new operating system.

Enjoy this tip?  Make sure to check out our other articles about Windows!

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What, no bean dip?

So its time to plan a party.  The chips and dip are out, the chilled beverages are chilling, the mood lighting is set to “groovy,” and the music is…wait. You forgot to consider the music, didn’t you?  That is a big mistake.

Music can make or break a party; everyone knows that.  So what do you do?  It’s too late to call a DJ, and being the great host that you are, you certainly don’t want to be stuck in front of a laptop picking songs for the whole evening.  If only there was some sort of device that could be used like a remote because of its WiFi capabilities. Something like…

An Android phone!  Now if only that device could somehow connect to your computer and allow you to pick the right songs to play on your computer…

Oh, hello.  That could do.  GMote is a free Android application that creates a media server on one’s computer and allows an Android phone to access the media files and play them remotely via a local wireless internet connection.  Play, pause, skip, and volume control; the program allows it all.  To start remoting (That’s a word, right?), follow these easy steps:

Step One: Install the GMote app on the Android phone and connect it to the same internet connection as the computer.

Step Two: Install the GMote server application on the computer containing the media files

Step Three: Set a password for the GMote server to ensure privacy.

Step Four: Select the paths of the media files on the machine.

Step Five: Select the server on the phone and enter the server’s password.  If the server is not found, you can manually add the computer’s IP address to access the server.

Step Six: Pick a song from the server directories and start enjoying.

Along with music files, GMote allows the option for controlling video files as well, giving your Android phone the power to control any movie on your personal computing machine (just in case you need to quickly pause the program to grab some popcorn).

But wait, there’s more:  GMote also has a beta portion that allows you to stream media files directly to your phone.  It must be noted, though, that this phone streaming option only currently supports mp3, mp4, and jpeg formats.

Thanks to GMote, the music at a party shall never die ever again…and that is something to take comfort in.

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As a relief to me, Gmail released an “Undo Send” feature quite awhile ago that gives you a small window of opportunity to un-send an email if you notice something wrong with it.  This feature is available in Gmail Labs, which you can access by clicking the small green beaker in the top right corner of Gmail.

You can then locate the “Undo Send” feature, click Enable, and scroll to the bottom of the page to click Save Changes.

Undo Send… Improved!

When Undo Send was first released, you had about 5-10 seconds to click the Undo button before the message was sent.  Now the good folks at Gmail have given us much more time (up to 30 seconds), and the ability to choose how much time we would like to have available.

After activating Undo Send in Gmail Labs, head over to the General tab of your Gmail Settings page.  Scroll down to the “Undo Send” options, where you can now use the dropdown menu to select the amount of time you would like to be able to un-send an email.

In my opinion, the more time, the better!

The next time you realize you just sent a steamy letter to your grandmother instead of your girlfriend, you can rest easy knowing that the email can be un-sent.

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out the rest of our great articles about Gmail.

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I swear, the rain and traffic simultaneously cleared up just when I was going to take this picture.

As I write this article, rain falls from the sky, the earth rotates around the sun, and I’m sitting in the passenger seat of a Jeep making its way out of city traffic.  Using my Android phone and the free-with-limitations EasyTether application, I can browse the internet on my netbook anywhere that I have a data connection with my phone.

Sure, Android 2.2 has built-in tethering, but you’ll often have to pay your carrier for this service and some phones simply will never support it.  If you’re like me and are using a phone that still hasn’t received the newest Android update, EasyTether is a great way to give yourself internet access on the go.

The “lite” version of EasyTether is completely free but only allows you to access non-https (secured) websites, so if you’re looking to do this on the cheap you won’t be visiting your secure webmail or doing any online banking (probably for the best, anyway).  If you need to do some more serious usage, you can pay a fairly reasonable $9.99 to unlock full functionality.

Using EasyTether

EasyTether can be found in the Android Market by searching for its name.  Install and open the app to get started.

Step 1) After opening the EasyTether app, select your computer’s operating system.

Step 2) You will then be prompted to download the client application that must be installed on your computer.  Since you most likely don’t have internet access on your computer at this point, you can download the client through your phone, mount your phone as a USB drive on your computer, then run the installer.

If you do have internet access on your computer, you can visit this site to install the client software.

Step 3) Install the desktop software and accept the default settings.  You may receive some driver security warnings during installation, which you need to accept.  Make sure to run EasyTether on your computer after installation.

Step 4) After you’ve installed the desktop client, head back to your phone and check the box that says you’ve installed the desktop software.  With your phone connected to your computer with a USB cable, you can now right click the EasyTether icon in your computer’s system tray and select Connect via Android.

That’s it!  You can now use your phone’s data connection on your computer.  Please note that all of your carrier’s data usage policies still apply, so make sure to figure out what those are before sharing the connection.  Also note that even if your carrier offers “Unlimited” data use, there is probably a limit of about 2GB – exceeding this will give you some huge fees.

If you enjoyed this article, check out our ever-growing list of articles about Android.

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One problem with large photo collections is that it can become extremely difficult to find pictures of specific people.  If I wanted to dig up a picture of one of my college buddies, I’d have to spend quite a bit of time skimming through photos, hoping the correct one pops up.  But with Picasa, you can use the fantastic Face Detection feature to tag your friends.

Face Detection works similar to Facebook’s photo tagging feature, except Picasa will automatically show you a list of unnamed faces for you to tag.  Once you’ve given them a name, you can easily find that person again in the future.

Picasa will automatically scan your photo library for your friends’ faces.  To start tagging pictures, click the Unnamed entry under the People section (this will say Scanning if it’s still identifying faces).

The Unnamed People album will contain a huge list of faces.  If you know the person, simply type their name into the Add a name box and press enter.  You will then be able to create a contact for that person (which can be reused whenever tagging photos).  If you don’t know the person, simply click the X to ignore them.

After you’ve tagged a few pictures, Picasa will begin suggesting photo tags for you.  Look for the orange question mark (?) next to a person’s name, then you can click the green checkbox if the tag is correct or the red X if it is incorrect.  I must have an easily-guessable face, because Picasa guessed me correctly in every picture.

The more photos you tag, the better Picasa gets at guessing faces.

After your pictures are tagged, you can use the buttons under the tagged person’s name to create slideshows and movies from their pictures.  The recently-released Picasa 3.8 includes a new feature called “Face Movies” which makes a slideshow that revolves around a single person’s face.  If you’re making a video for a wedding or birthday, this would be a killer feature to utilize.

Now if only there was only a way to integrate tagged photos in Picasa with people on Facebook!  Picasa is a free download for Windows, Mac, and Linux.  [Download Picasa]

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