mission

Ways to hide applications in OS X

Though OS X offers great multitasking features, having multiple windows open in multiple applications can sometimes hinder concentration. If you don't want to put the application you're mainly working with in full-screen mode, there are other options.

For example, you can minimize windows to the OS X Dock, but this has its limitations, including filling the Dock so it expands across your screen. Additionally, it requires you to click and expand the window from the Dock to preview its contents, which results in the documents being reordered in the Dock when you minimize it again.

If you're … Read more

Plan each maneuver in a WWI dogfight

Sid Meier's Ace Patrol is a turn-based airplane dogfighting game that offers an interesting combat system for serious strategy-gaming fans.

As a turn-based strategy game, you'll plan and execute each plane's maneuvers and attacks one at a time, then watch the computer-controlled enemies execute their moves. Though it is fairly slow-paced relative to run-of-the-mill air-combat games, executing a balanced combat plan is definitely satisfying.

Set in World War I, Ace Patrol lets you fly in air combat missions using tactical maneuvers you earn as you level up your pilots. Your starting set of moves includes basic maneuvers, … Read more

Crave Ep. 119: The flexible MorePhone contorts when you get a call

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This week on Crave, we take a look at a concept phone that can change its shape when you get a notification. Plus, Microsoft shows off the IllumiRoom projector that puts gamers inside video games and we play another round of "Into It Not Into It"! … Read more

Athletic gear cools you down with your own sweat

Our sweat plays an important role in regulating body temperature. For athletes who get into really intense workouts or who have to perform in hot climates, it would be a dream come true to be able to amplify the cooling power of their own sweat. In a way, athletic gear company Mission has figured out how to do just that.

There are lots of technical fabrics and cooling solutions on the market, ranging from those kerchiefs you buy at the state fair and soak with water to wear around your neck, to shirts that wick moisture away from your skin. Mission creates towels, arm sleeves, helmet liners, hoodies, and skull caps. That all sounds pretty standard, but what makes it a bit different is the high-tech fabric involved.… Read more

Tips for using the Dashboard in OS X

Apple's Dashboard feature in OS X is a convenient way to access widgets for looking up information on your system. The default behavior for Dashboard is to activate when a hot key is pressed (the default being the F4 key), where the system will present the dashboard as an overlay to your current desktop. This is the setup most users are accustomed to. However, if you would like, you can make some modifications to this and have widgets appear in their own space -- or even have them be embedded on your desktop.

The first option is to have … Read more

Roku 3 streaming box rocks new features

CNET Update is cuckoo for Roku:

The Roku 3 continues prove its the king of the streaming machines. The latest version replaces the XS model with a faster processor and a new remote that includes headphones, so users can listen to shows in private without bothering others in the room. It also has a new interface that makes it easier to scroll through channels. Current Roku owners will also see the new menu in April.

The Roku goes beyond simply streaming videos on demand -- it also can tune into live TV channels with a new app for Time Warner … Read more

NASA launches new space tech and exploration division

NASA has suffered budget cuts and freezes the past several years, but apparently things are looking up for the U.S. space agency. Today, NASA announced that it was creating a new organizational division geared toward investing in space technology, equipment, and exploration.

"A robust technology development program is vital to reaching new heights in space -- and sending American astronauts to new destinations like an asteroid and Mars," NASA administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement. "A top priority of NASA is to invest in cross-cutting, transformational technologies. We focus on collaboration with industry and academia … Read more

Chinese golf resort tees off with world's largest human QR code

A gigantic QR code took form in China a couple of days ago. Mission Hills China trumpets the accomplishment with the headline, "World's Largest Golf Club & Spa Resort Creates the World's Biggest QR Code." Sounds like someone is obsessed with being the world's largest.

That headline is a little misleading, though. A Canadian corn maze turned out a 309,570-square-foot QR code last year. What Mission Hills China created is most likely the world's biggest human QR code. It certainly beat out the 1,300 people Taiwan drafted for a promotion event.

The club rounded up 2,000 employees for the massive publicity stunt. They stood in designated spots and opened red and white umbrellas above their heads. Seen from 270 feet above the ground, the formation created a scannable QR code. The code links back to an eco-tourism campaign that lets entrants sign up for a chance to win a holiday at the resort.… Read more

Use hot corners as a toggle

One way to access or activate some display- and window-related features in OS X is to use screen hot corners, which you can set up to activate the desired feature by moving your mouse to the respective corner. For example, if you wish to manually activate the screensaver, then you can bind this to a hot corner and then move your mouse there to always activate the screensaver.

Hot corner features can be set up in the Desktop & Screen Saver system preferences by clicking the "Hot Corners..." button at the bottom of the Screen Saver tab, and … Read more

Watch: Time-lapse video of Endeavour's final mission

Space shuttle Endeavour's final mission may not have been its most glamorous. Trucking through the streets of Los Angeles certainly counts among the shortest trips for a spacecraft that racked up more than 25 million miles since its first launch in 1986.

But "Mission 26" may be Endeavour's most watched journey. The throngs of people hoping to get one last glimpse of the spacecraft are one of the many elements that make this visually impressive time-lapse video so moving. … Read more