Daily Bits

Bugs in Your Open Source Code

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Code much? I have to admit that all I know about coding has long been forgotten. While I am not that old, my university days are now part of the hazy past. Those were some good times, but as life often goes, I have branched out to other things quite unrelated to coding.

I am pretty sure we have some readers who are engaged in this activity on a regular basis, and if you are one of them, you might be interested in this infographic created by Source Ninja. ((Source Ninja Blog)) Titled Bugs in Your Open Source Code: The Financial Time and Cost of Defective Software, the infographic provides details on the impact of software defects. [Read more…] about Bugs in Your Open Source Code

Truly Outrageous Novelty USB Hubs

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Nowadays there are novelty versions of every product you can think of. You know, stuff like clocks that tell the wrong time, a gaudy bedazzled kitchen knife set,  that stupid singing fish wall-plaque or bacon flavored, well, everything. And why not have some of that crap lying around? These items are always either of cute, dumb, funny or all of the above. Here you can find Truly Outrageous Novelty USB Hubs that are sure to make you say “LOLWUT?! Who would buy that?!”

[Read more…] about Truly Outrageous Novelty USB Hubs

Fylus Stick-On Stylus Tips for Sweaty Fingers

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Stylus capacitive screen
Fylus

I don’t know about you, but I have sweaty fingers sometimes. Recently, it has gotten so bad that I would be so irritated all day while working. Not only does it not feel good, it also hinders the smooth use of my trackpad, which they say is the best there is!

Now imagine me taking a break to play Fruit Ninja or Sushi Chop on the iPad. After a few seconds of swiping the screen with my fingers like a lunatic, I would just give up because of the sweaty finger issue! I had been thinking of all sorts of solutions to this problem when I stumbled upon a brilliant idea: stick-on stylus that can be used on capacitive screens. [Read more…] about Fylus Stick-On Stylus Tips for Sweaty Fingers

vlock: Clock With Videos and Social Networking

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iPhone clock
vlock

The iPhone has a pretty good clock, and it suits me just fine for most things. One thing I can say about it, though, is that it simply does what a clock is supposed to do. Now if you want a clock app that gives you a little eye candy and some, you might want to check out a new app on the App Store: vlock.

With the tag line that “it might just be the most beautiful clock on a phone”, one can’t help but get interested, yes? It works with the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. vlock is all about background videos that are totally mesmerizing. For some reason, I am reminded of the visual effects that are used for music players. Yes, I have found myself simply staring at them for longer than is necessary. [Read more…] about vlock: Clock With Videos and Social Networking

Blog Search Engine Relaunches

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Blog Search Engine ContestHaving a blog is hard work. That is, if you want to ensure that you meet a certain degree of success. And when it comes to success, it means that you want to get all the traffic that you can possibly get for your blog. A million articles have been written about how to get traffic to your blog, how to get exposure to your blog. At the end of the day, you simply have to do certain things to gain maximum exposure.

One way to do this is to sign up for blog directories, which can showcase your blog to the rest of the world. There are several advantages to signing up for blog directories.

People who may otherwise never know that your blog exists can discover you.

People visit blog directories for a reason: to find blogs that are pertinent to their interests. Whether you have a tech blog, a food blog, or a personal journal, a blog directory can help you in reaching out to your target audience. [Read more…] about Blog Search Engine Relaunches

Need a Therapist? There’s an App for That!

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Be Well
Be Well

The fast lane seems to be where most people live in these days. For professionals, this seems to be even more applicable. While it can be enjoyable and fulfilling to live a busy and productive life, there is the issue of stress. The levels of stress and how you manage stress can be damaging in the long run, and if not addressed properly at an early enough stage, people’s lives may simply break down.

That’s where therapists and coaches come into the picture, except that not everyone has the time, money, or proclivity to actually consult a stranger to pick their brains and hearts. But what if there is an app that can “replace” a real, live therapist?

It may sound strange, but there is something in the works that can at least help monitor your mental state. The therapist app takes advantage of the microphone and the accelerometer that are standard in advanced smartphones today. It is the brain child of Tanzeem Choudhury of Cornell University, in tandem with Andrew Campbell of Dartmouth. Choudhury’s system tracks behavioral traits with the help of medical professionals. The idea is to observe things like how people speak – the speed and intonation, for example.

The team is still doing a lot of tests to make sure that the app can track the right behavioral traits that have a direct connection to mental health. At the end of the day, however, the therapist app can’t really replace a licensed therapist. What it can do is to help people improve their overall wellness condition by being able to monitor the amount of stress that a person is dealing with and how he is able to handle it.

If, for example, the app shows a person that he is consistently being stressed for days, it is an indication that he needs to make certain changes in his life. It can even mean that it may be time to see an actual therapist before things get even worse. The app will soon be available for specific age groups. The team hopes to be able to develop an app that will be applicable to all demographics in the future as well.

Via Fastcoexist