NASA debuts two new educational games for iOS, Facebook

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/02/nasa-debuts-two-new-educational-games-for-ios-facebook/

NASA is no stranger to apps, but the space agency is branching out further into some new territory with its two latest offerings: a pair of educational games. The first is Sector 33, an air traffic control simulator for iOS devices that certainly won't be confused with Flight Control, but which NASA hopes will help teach math and possibly get folks interested in aviation. Those who prefer their games a bit more casual can also now try out NASA's very first multiplayer Facebook game, Space Race Blast Off, which tests folks' knowledge of various space-related topics (and is considerably more challenging than it first appears). Additional details and the games themselves can be found at the source links below.

[Thanks, Mo]

NASA debuts two new educational games for iOS, Facebook originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Mashable, PhoneRPT  |  NASA, iTunes, Space Race Blast Off (Facebook)  | Email this | Comments

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How-To: Set up a home file server using FreeNAS

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/01/how-to-set-up-a-home-file-server-using-freenas/

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In today's digital world we've all got data, and lots of it. Our libraries are also growing rapidly: where you used to get by setting aside a few bookshelves for your books, CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes, we now require untold server space to preserve our beloved media in digitized form. We also want our data to be itinerant, or at least seem that way. That is, if you want to take a book or disc to another room of your abode, you pull it from the bookshelf and take it with you. Similarly, if you're working on a document upstairs on your desktop and you want to move to the den with your laptop, you'll need the proper infrastructure working in the background to enable that kind of wizardry. So, how can we create this "digital bookshelf?" Can you go out and buy it now? Can you build it in your garage? As it turns out, the answer is "yes" on all counts. You could go out and buy a Drobo device but in this case, we're going to assemble our own. And we're going to do that with the help of an open source storage platform called FreeNAS. So how involved a process is that? Meet us after the break to find out.

Continue reading How-To: Set up a home file server using FreeNAS

How-To: Set up a home file server using FreeNAS originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Docs for Android updates: adds offline support, better tablet experience

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/01/google-docs-for-android-updates-adds-offline-support/

Google clearly didn't want to blow everyone's mind right away with its Google Docs app for Android. That's why it's been slowly rolling out the updates, incrementally adding features and turning what began life (more or less) as a glorified web browser into a useful app. The latest upgrades deliver possibly the most requested feature -- offline access. Now there's an option to pin individual files for local storage and the app will automatically sync the latest version anytime you're on WiFi. If that's not often enough, you can manually update whenever you have a data connection. There's also a new layout for viewing docs on tablets that allows you to swipe left and right to flip between pages and a scrubber at the bottom for quickly jumping from one part of the doc to another. Hit up the Android Market now to score the update for yourself.

Gallery: Google Docs for Android offline access

Google Docs for Android updates: adds offline support, better tablet experience originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Search Google Images by Drawing What You're Looking For with This Clever Web App [Web Apps]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5881047/search-google-images-by-drawing-what-youre-looking-for-with-this-clever-web-app

Finding the image you're looking for can be a little difficult at times, but Google's similar image search is often a big help. If you don't have a similar image, however, the mouthful-of-a-web-app titled "Unofficial Google Image Search by Drawing" will let you quickly sketch up what you're looking for and use it as a search query.

The quality of the results you achieve will vary based on the detail and accuracy you're able to achieve with this tool. It can be tough to draw with a mouse or trackpad, and the drawing tools aren't particularly comprehensive, so if you're looking for something complex you might find it frustrating. Nonetheless, if you're trying to find an icon, a simple shape, a logo, or anything you can easily draw with a simple resizable brush and a few colors you'll get some decent results. While it would be nice to be able to draw a stick figure and get a picture of an actual person, Google's search is pretty accurate and it'll pull the most similar images it can. So long as you understand these limitations, you can use the Unofficial Google Image Search by Drawing to find what you're looking for in a fun and unique way.

Unofficial Google Image Search by Drawing | via Addictive Tips

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Add Hyperlinks to Gmail Messages with a Keyboard Shortcut [Gmail]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5881208/add-hyperlinks-to-gmail-messages-with-a-keyboard-shortcut

Most word processors use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+K (or Cmd+K on Mac) to insert a hyperlink into a text, but even though the shortcut exists in Google Docs, it never worked in Gmail. Now it does.

It's the exact same keyboard shortcut you use in Word, Outlook, Apple Mail, Google Docs, and nearly every other word processing and email platform. To make the best use of it, select the text you want to turn into a link, hit Ctrl+K, and then paste the URL you want to link to. Now you have a handy hyperlink in your email without scaring off your recipient with a garbled URL. If you're looking for a breakdown of a few more handy Gmail shortcuts and tricks, check out our guide to mastering Gmail.

Gmail's Shortcut for Inserting Hyperlinks | Google Operating System

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