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Google is making it easier to download all your Chrome passwords
Chrome users will soon be able to export their saved passwords in a text file in just a couple of easy steps. It's never been an impossible task to do this, but it's been a more convoluted exercise than the long-awaited solution Google is planning. The news, revealed by Chrome evangelist Francois Beaufort on Google+, doesn't stipulate a timeframe for the feature, which is currently being tested by developers. But if you want to try it out now, switch to dev mode, search for "passwords" in Chrome settings, look for the three dot menu named "saved passwords" and click "export passwords". Everything saved in Chrome will be exported into a text (.csv) file which can then be imported easily into other password managers.
Google Play will suggest neglected apps for you to uninstall
When you add an app from Google Play and space on your phone is tight, you're often stuck wondering which of your darlings programs you should kill delete. According to Android Police, Google Play is going to help your decision-making process by offering up suggestions as to what you no longer need. When you've run out of on-board storage, you'll be given a list of your least-used apps, ranked in order of weight. So, in the example, the store suggests that you wipe Google Translate or Facebook Messenger and free up some much-needed space. It's not clear if the feature is rolling out to users worldwide or if this is a limited trial, but we've asked Google to let us know.
Google needs your help improving its search engine rankings
Despite the fact that Google itself created the algorithms that drive its search rankings, it would appear that the Mountain View-based company could use a bit of assistance in the SEO department. According to a recent job listing posted to its Careers portal, Google's in the market for a new SEO manager at its California headquarters. The "Program Manager, Search Engine Optimization" position is marketing-centric requiring any qualified candidate to "work with cross-functional teams across Marketing, Sales, Product Development, Engineering and more to help drive organic traffic and business growth." You'll need a BA/BS in Computer Science or Engineering, four years of website development experience, another two years of direct SEO experience and a healthy sense of irony if you want to apply.
Fight manager sim Title Bout Championship Boxing 2013 out on iPad, Android
Boxing management sim Title Bout Championship Boxing 2013 is now available on iPad and Android via the Google Play store. Title Bout 2013 launched on PC, Mac and Linux in June 2013, one month after Out of the Park Developments sold the series to PISD, an independent company that provides OOTP with development libraries used for Out of the Park Baseball. Title Bout 2013 has players simulating boxing matches, setting up tournaments, training sessions and more in a management simulation/text-adventure-style interface. Much like OOTP Baseball and Sports Interactive's Football Manager series, Title Bout 2013 features a huge database of real-life athletes, sporting over 8,000 fighter records. The management sim is said to be nearly the same on iOS and Android as it is on PC, though it's priced at a moderate $1.99 compared to the current $9.99 price for two PC licenses on the game's site. Title Bout Championship Boxing has a lengthy history, as it began as a tabletop game created by brothers Jim and Tom Trunzo in the late 1970's, later seeing DOS-based text simulation TKO Boxing in 1990. Comp-U-Sport created Title Fight 2001, a brand later sold to OOTP Developments, which launched Title Bout Championship Boxing 2 and version 2.5 in 2005 and 2008, respectively.
Beta access now available for Football Manager 2014 pre-orders
Those that pre-ordered soccer management sim Football Manager 2014 can now access the game's beta version on Steam. Participating in the beta program gives players a head start on developing athletes in their franchises, as all progress made in players' management careers is saved, carrying over to the full version of the game. Football Manager 2014 includes cross-save support for those that own a copy of the PlayStation Vita version. Additionally, the simulation game will launch for the first time on Linux and come with Steam Workshop support for players to create and share custom roster databases, graphics and skins. Football Manager 2014 will launch on October 31.
Apple seeking engineers for 'next generation' Apple TV development
A new job posting on Apple's website shows that the company is seeking a software engineering manager to "help deliver the next-generation features for Apple TV." Alright, sure, they probably didn't need that article in there. But still -- Apple is clearly trying to put together a team to build up the software on the Apple TV, and it even asks applicants for the job to have experience managing several "high-priority projects." "High-priority" isn't how Apple has described its TV unit in the past, but if they're assembling a new team for a new era, we can probably expect to see some changes in the future around Apple's living room device. A job listing is of course just a job listing -- this just means it's a position that Apple wants to fill at some point in the future, not that Apple's halfway done with all of the R&D it wants to do. But I think it is fair to say that the Apple TV has a long future in Cupertino, and that we'll definitely see it move up on the priority scale over there very soon. [via 9to5Mac]
Apple still working on 'next version of Logic Pro'
There have been rumors bouncing around recently that Apple's digital audio division has been losing employees over the past few years, to the point where it's just a couple of guys still around to maintain the audio apps that are still out there (mostly just Logic Pro, which last saw a new full version back in 2009). A MacRumors reader named Nicholas decided to check in with Apple on the matter, and his request for information reached all the way up to the music product marketing chief in Cupertino, named Xander Soren. Soren replied to Nicholas via email, and assured him that "the team is still in place and hard at work on the next version of Logic Pro." You'll note that he didn't say just how big the team was, or even deny the rumors that the department's numbers had been lowered recently (Logic Pro itself was cut back last year, from a full retail version to a Mac App Store-only version, at half the price). But Soren did say that there is another version of Logic Pro planned, at least, so anyone still using Logic can be assured that there's at least one more update on the way. It'd be a shame to lose Apple's formerly popular audio editing suite, but given the company's focus on mobile devices and other areas, it's not too surprising to see something like this may be falling by the wayside.
Apple delivers Black Hat talk to mediocre reception
CNET's posted a strange writeup for Apple's first talk at the Black Hat security conference, and though the piece is short on details, the theme is clear: There wasn't a lot of groundbreaking news shown off to attendees. Manager of Platform Security Dallas De Atley basically gave a quick rundown of the security measures built in to the architecture of iOS, and didn't give much more. Any hackers looking for Apple to speak in person about vulnerabilities or work being done for the future of the Mac or iOS platforms were apparently turned away disappointed. But I would argue that Apple just showing up at the Black Hat conference is the beginning of a good public dialogue with the company on security. Apple has been quiet to say the least in the past, preferring instead to just close its doors and windows where security is concerned, and release hotfixes and updates on its own schedule. Just an appearance at the Black Hat conference, then, is a gesture by Apple that it recognizes the values of hackers and their culture. As CNET's writer says, maybe next year Apple will have a more satisfying presentation.
Former Apple employee admits he sold confidential info, cost the company in excess of $2 million
Paul Devine, the man who last August collected a pretty lengthy list of charges against his name from the FBI and IRS -- which collectively amounted to an accusation of "screwing Apple" -- has now admitted his guilt. Specifically, Devine has fessed up to wire fraud, conspiracy and money laundering, in which he engaged while exchanging confidential information about upcoming Apple products for cold hard cash from interested parts suppliers. He's now having to forfeit $2.28 million in money and property that resulted from his nefarious exploits, with sentencing scheduled for June 6th. Devine's lawyer is quoted as saying he's a "good man who made a mistake, and now he's trying to make amends." Indeed, the mistake of getting caught and the amends of trying not to go to prison. Jump past the break for a full statement on the matter from the US Department of Justice.
Fourth season begins for 2 Out Rally baseball MMO
Despite the scorn that sports MMOs receive in some quarters, there are a few of them out there. One of those rare beasts is 2 Out Rally, a free-to-play baseball sim that gives players the opportunity to micro-manage a team of major leaguers as both a top-ranked talent scout and a team owner. Gameplay involves creating, training, and developing ballplayers, as well as negotiating with other 2 Out Rally gamers to fill out your roster. 2 Out Rally's fourth season begins Friday, February 18th, and brings with it an increase in team ownership opportunities as well as higher levels of challenge. Season four will continue with a tradition established in season three by allowing players to write for The Scoop, the league's fictional newspaper that adds a layer of immersion and atmosphere to the game. You can learn more about the game, and start planning your pursuit of the pennant, at the 2 Out Rally website.
Speed Download 5.2.15, and a deal to get it $10 off
The good folks over at YazSoft have released version 5.2.15 of Speed Download, a nice download manager/FTP client that helps me out a lot when I'm browsing for files. This new update brings better YouTube compatibility, a fix to make sure the listed file size is correct on certain FTP servers plus tweaks to performance and compatibility. But perhaps more importantly, they're running a promotion that drops the price by ten bucks. When you put the "iwantfast" coupon code in at checkout, you can pick up the software for $15 rather than the usual $25. That's a petty good deal on a piece of software that has come in even handier than I expected when I first picked it up.
Eyonix leaving Blizzard
It's sad news for the World of Warcraft community today as longtime Blizzard community manager Eyonix has announced that he's leaving the company. He announced his departure in a simple and direct post on the official forums: "For nearly six years, we've shared our thoughts with one and other, we've laughed, we've argued, and we've cried -- the crying part was just me wasn't it? Those times, I'm afraid must come to an end as I've made the decision to explore opportunities outside of Blizzard. It has very honestly been a huge pleasure, and I thank you all for allowing 'Eyonix' to always remain a very fond memory as I move on." My perspective might be a little different than some readers' due to my employment history, but I've always felt for the plight of the community manager, especially at Blizzard. Become emotionally detached, they say you're not passionate. Become emotionally invested, they say you take it too personally. Eyonix has generally managed to strike that particular balance -- no mean feat for a community manager, especially one for a community so inherently unmanageable. He was one of the good guys. We'll likely never know what caused his departure, especially given that there was definitely no horrible public meltdown accompanying this particular exit, but I hope that the move is a positive and fortuitous one for him. Even when I might've disagreed with the Community team at large, I always supported Eyonix. Godspeed, little whelp.
Patch notes incorrect: Equipment Manager will not be part of patch 3.1
The official 3.1 patch notes for the live realms states that the equipment manager is now active. The patch preview website that went live says it isn't, and a blue post from a couple weeks ago was the first announcement that it won't be going live in patch 3.1 yet.So then why is the equipment manager in the patch notes?The patch notes are wrong in this instance.Zarhym/Floating-Red-Skull confirmed as much last night, and it's important to note that there might be a few other posts like this one throughout the day. In some cases patch notes can be incorrect in the finer points of the patch. This is one of those cases. Patch 3.1 is live and it takes us into Ulduar, delivers us dual specs, and brings significant changes to all the classes! We've got you covered from top to bottom with our Guide to Patch 3.1 and the official patch notes!
iNeedFlix
If you are looking for an application that allows you to manage your Netflix queue with Mac style, then iNeedFlix might be for you. iNeedFlix allows you to (as long as you are signed into Netflix through Safari) manage your queue. You can both move and delete items in the list. iNeedFlix interfaces directly with the Netflix server, so changes will be made almost instantly. This is a very simple application for a very simple problem, however, it would be better if you could be signed into Netflix through any browser, not just Safari -- or have this step eliminated completely. If you are looking for a Netflix application for the Mac that is a little more full featured, then look no further than Netflix Freak.You can download iNeedFlix for free from the developer's website or from VersionTracker.
Gamestop manager busts retail myths
Over at the Consumerist, a Gamestop shift manager going by the mysterious moniker of G has posted an interesting look at the store's lesser-known policies and procedures. Among the tips for savvy shoppers: Cashiers will sometimes give a 10% "shopworn discount" for gutted games if you complain about it. Also, unopened gutted games can be returned just as new games. Used games you don't like can be exchanged for others within seven days (just don't abuse the policy or it'll be taken away) Pre-orders are fully refundable at any time (don't let a fearful employee tell you otherwise) First-party accessories have more resale value (and are much more reliable than off-brand) To get a Wii, ask when a store gets weekday shipments, call daily around that time, then hightail it over there before they're sold out again. The post also includes some pleas to be patient with the pre-order pushers who are forced by their corporate overlords to sell those reservations and discount cards. They're just trying to keep their jobs, after all. Why can't we all just get along?
iPlace: Image download helper for Safari
Considering the graphical nature of the web, I'm surprised more features and plug-ins haven't appeared to solve the problem of downloading images from sites as well as iPlace does. Operating as a SIMBL plug-in for Safari (including the 3.0 beta), iPlace allows you to specify multiple locations on your Mac for downloading images, but that's not all. It then gives you a contextual menu item when right-clicking an image or a web page that will allow you to instantly download any image to one of your specified locations, or - and here's the kicker - bring up an image downloading window that shows you each image on the page, along with your download locations provided as drag and drop wells in a sidebar on the left. Opening this window on I CAN HAS CHEEZBURGER, for example, brings up the long list of images you see above, all ripe for efficiently dragging and dropping wherever I want.In a word: iPlace is awesome. There are of course enhancements I would like to see, such as the ability to scale these images up and down to make it easier to view more from the page at once, but for a spankin' new product straight out the gate, this is a really handy plug-in. iPlace is provided as donationware from Tekuris.
NetworkLocation 2.0 goes official
We first mentioned NetworkLocation back in November '06, and since then this automated location manager and setting switcher has been upgraded to v2.0 with some killer new features. In addition to automatically changing settings like system volume, opening a webpage, playing an iTunes playlist or switching Mail servers all based on the wired or wireless network you connect to, this new version adds a great new feature that users have been dying for: the ability to auto-detect which network you're connecting to and begin changing any settings you prefer with no effort on the user's part. Also on the new actions list are things like disabling bluetooth and locking the keychain, with another great enhancement making it easy to duplicate locations and stets of actions: the ability to drag and drop said actions between locations. NetworkLocation has also received plug-in support, with the first plug-in available for rooSwitch, another utility we love that allows you to switch between multiple profiles and sets of data for an application (i.e. - multiple Yojimbo libraries or different Firefox profiles with their own bookmarks and add-ons). I have to say, after the development crew was kind enough to allow me to test the beta, NetworkLocation 2.0 has become one of my can't-live-without Mac OS X utilities. I move between home networks, multiple coffee shops, wireless on campus and friends' houses, and allowing NetworkLocation to adjust all my settings automatically in the background is easily worth the $25 price tag (though upgrade licenses are free for 1.x owners). Heck, I'd go so far as to say NetworkLocation should be the next Cover Flow, deserving to get bought by Apple as a feature Mac OS X should have had a long time ago.
Web-based application manager for iPhone
The gents at ModMyiphone are up to shenanigans again with the release of a web-based application manager for your iPhone. The concept is simple -- and the UI is pretty slick to boot -- hit the site, login, browse and add applications to your profile, and then enjoy the convenience of one-stop web application management. Of course, you could simply use bookmarks to achieve the same effect, but why put in all the effort of finding new and cool things when somebody is willing to do all the leg work for ya? No signs of exploits here folks, so hit the read link to have at it.[Thanks, Kyle]
iPhoto Keyword Assistant and Manager plugins updated
The two major keyword plugins for iPhoto have both been updated recently. First up is everyone's favorite free alternative, Ken Ferry's Keyword Assistant which we've covered in the past. This new 1.9.4 version adds a panel with tag keyword auto-completion, and it can also alphabetize the keyword list.Next is Keyword Manager, a shareware plugin for iPhoto that brings some more robust features to the table for seriously serious iPhoto keyword junkies. New in version 1.2 is: Copy and paste keywords between photos Jump directly to next untagged photo Fixed crash bug in Dutch version Minor stability bugs fixed Japanse localization German localization Chinese localization A demo is of course available, while a single license to Keyword Manager is $19 from Bullstorm Software.
OmniPlan 1.0 goes official, retires 'beta' tag
You've seen the screenshots, and you've even seen it in beta. Now, and for the first time ever, OmniPlan - the project management app from the makers of OmniOutliner and OmniAnythingElse - has gone officially official. The ultra-hip 'beta' moniker has been put to rest in the back yard in favor of a final 1.0 app, complete a non-expiring demo (though limited to 20 items in a doc), a $149.95 price tag and a $60 'Competitive Upgrade Rebate' for anyone switching from a valid copy of PMX, FastTrack Scheduler, Merlin, and ConceptDraw. Now there's a way to make a splash.
