Contacts

Review: Relayin Contact manages contacts in the cloud for convenience

Relayin Contact makes contact management faster, easier, and more intuitive thanks to cloud storage and automatic updates. While it is not perfect by any means and the overall performance and navigation of the interface leave some things to be desired, Relayin Contact works fairly well and can greatly reduce the need for business cards and other contact management apps.

Relayin Contact relies on a cloud-based contact database where names and contact information are uploaded by other users. In some ways this creates a very useful tool that can streamline finding and adding contacts to your Rolodex. In other ways, it … Read more

Deter phishing attacks by consolidating your contacts

Once or twice a week a phishing scam eludes my mail services' filters and lands in one of my inboxes. Usually a familiar name appears in the From field and something like "Take a look" or "What do you think of this?" is in the Subject line. In the body of the message is a strange link. (Don't click it!)

In one of the phishing messages I received recently, my sister's name is listed in the From and "Reply to" fields, but when I hover over the name, two unknown addresses appear.… Read more

Review: Hi Contacts lets you manage your friends in an iPhone-style environment

Did you switch to Android and end up missing the iPhone's contacts app? Hi Contacts aims to give you the best of both worlds. It's nowhere near as smooth as the default app on Androids or iPhones, though. That lack of convenience will ruin it for most users.

The app is designed to look exactly like the contacts viewer on iPhones. It is a good double and even mimics the iPhone's contact cards seamlessly. It does add banner ads that get in the way big time, though. You can get rid of them for a fairly steep $… Read more

How to set your Trusted Contacts on Facebook

Last week Facebook rolled out a new Trusted Contacts feature to help make your account more secure. Should you lose access to your account, either by forgetting your password or having your account "hacked," you can enlist the help of three to five friends to regain access.

Once you're locked out of your account, you'll need to reach out to those people you have added as Trusted Contacts and ask them to help you out. Here's what you'll need to do on your end to get it set up.

Log in to your Facebook … Read more

The complete guide to using Android with a Mac

For some reason it's a common belief that Android devices and Macs just don't get along. This misconception may have been true back in Android's infancy, but nowadays there's a long list of methods, apps, and services that let you use your Android device with your Mac. It's impossible to cover every app and service available, but I'm going to share the best of the bunch.

Most of the services listed below rely on the cloud to make the process of moving data between devices painless, while other methods require the tried and true … Read more

Glasses and Glass: How Google Glass changed my face

I had two transformative yet very minor optical experiences last week, both kicking off in the space of 2 hours: I got contact lenses, and I began experimenting with Google Glass.

The two are interlinked, because I couldn't use Google's bleeding-edge wearable tech with my comfy Ray-Ban eyeglasses.

If I was going to use Glass, I'd need contacts.… Read more

Who gets the keys to your Facebook account?

CNET Update gives you access:

In this edition of Update:

- Learn a new trick to getting access to your Facebook account when locked out.

- Know what it means when someone with Glass winks at you.

- Get tag-happy with your Instagram photos.

- Take control of someone else's computer with a Google+ Hangout.

- Save money on e-books by walking into a brick-and-mortar Barnes & Noble store.

- Compare your slingshot skills on the new Angry Birds Friends app.

CNET Update delivers the tech news you need in under three minutes. Watch Bridget Carey every afternoon for … Read more

LinkedIn Contacts looks to boost relationships

CNET Update has much to say:

It's hard to remember everything. Apps can help. And LinkedIn's Contacts app wants to help make sure you remember more about your professional contacts.

If you're trying to make it in the business world but don't have time for networking and schmoozing, just pay a ton of money for the chance to become BFFs with Apple's CEO Tim Cook. Coffee is included.

Talking to people can be hard, but Facebook doesn't want you to be shy. It's encouraging more messaging by throwing green dots all over the place. … Read more

Making the change from iPhone to Android as easy as possible

Is iOS starting to feel a bit stale for your taste? It's something I'm hearing more and more as I talk to iOS users, or former iOS users. With some amazing Android phones hitting the market, it's tough not to get caught checking out the competition -- or even feeling a bit compelled to make the jump to Android.

But before you make the change, there are some kinks that need to be worked out to make the process go as smoothly as possible. You likely have contacts, a calendar, photos, and music that you'll want … Read more

WhatsApp Messenger is one of the best chat apps

WhatsApp Messenger (iPhone|Android) lets you chat for free with anyone else who owns the app and offers a few extra useful features to make text messaging more fun. With this chat app installed on your smartphone, you'll save a little money on text charges through your carrier and across platforms. The only catch is that you'll have to persuade your most frequent texting buddies to download the app, too, but once they see WhatsApp's advantages, they'll probably give it a try.

Like iMessage for iOS, WhatsApp Messenger shows your chats in little text bubbles, gives … Read more