Skype update adds floating window capability on Android tablets

Floating apps is one of those Android features that has been around for a while but that most developers have ignored for some reason. While Samsung and Google have toyed around with some floating functionality in certain apps such as Youtube and Pop up browser, it just has not become as commonplace as it could be.

A search for floating apps in the Google Play store will bring up various multimedia and browser apps that let you simultaneously surf the web while you chat or watch videos. It's one of the advantages that Android tablets have over the competition with the closest equivalent being desktop Windows or the "snap" functionality on the Metro portion of Windows RT. It's a desirable and necessary function for multitaskers and saves time due to not having to switch between full screen applications all the time.

Enter Microsoft with Skype 4.5 for Android tablets. While Skype originally developed slowly on Android when it was an independent company, surprisingly it has done a great job of updating for Android since they were acquired by Microsoft. I absolutely hate having to switch between full screen apps when video chatting and honestly I am shocked that Microsoft beat Google to the punch on its own platform in offering this floating window capability that even Hangouts does not provide.

In addition, (as per Microsoft) version 4.5 has several bug fixes and quality improvements, including:

Improved Video Instant Messaging functionality overall, including fixes on latest Samsung phones
Added compatibility for the Hudl tablet
Fixed crashes on the Nexus 5
Drop down filter selections on the people tab are now persistent

Tablet users may also quickly jump from one letter to another in their contact list by pinching the contact list to zoom out to an alphabet and then tapping on the letter (or number / symbol option) to jump to that section. It may be faster than scrolling depending on how many contacts you have.

Source: Skype blog

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Retron 5 hacked to launch RetroArch and play ROMS off your SD card

It appears that a someone going by the screenname of RetroN Labo on Youtube has successfully hacked the Retron 5 console to run the full version of Retroarch. In the video shown, various emulators that are not part of the original firmware are playable including the PC Engine, Playstation One, Nintendo DS, and Wonderswan. As the stock firmware from the Retron 5 is programmed to load games from an original cartridge when it is inserted, this hack appears to run ROM and ISO files, most likely from the SD card slot built into the back of the console. In most of instances shown in the video, emulation appeared to run smooth, and the games previewed looked playable. Currently, Hyperkin (Retron 5 manufacturer) is in hot water with Retroarch's creators due to using their emulator cores without permission. After being discovered, Hyperkin has shared their code, and claims that they have removed any infringing code from their console. The Retroarch group feels diffe

Clean up your Facebook activity log with Absterge

Lifesperience is now Raycommend, which can be found here: Ray Commend Facebook is a platform that tends to elicit many different reactions from people when asked. Whether you love it or hate it, every day millions of people from all over the world and all walks of life log on to the site or one of its various apps to catch up with family and friends. As the years go by, one tends to build up a lot of content and in the case of many, some embarrassing content can be buried deep within your timeline. The fact that Facebook's settings can be confusing, even though they have tried to simplify them does not help. We're now in a day and age where many employers look at Facebook accounts long before they consider hiring you, so how does one clean up without spending hours manually clicking on on timeline icons? Enter the Absterge script. According to the Absterge page: "Absterge works such that a user logs in to the Facebook Timeline, and navigates to the

Your Wii's second life as an emulation and media center powerhouse

Lifesperience is now Raycommend, which can be found here: Ray Commend While the Wii was initially a very popular console for Nintendo, for most people, it has gone unused for years gathering dust. More powerful consoles and devices have taken its place and even Nintendo themselves have practically abandoned it with many of their own channels going offline over the last year. Chances are that by this point, your Wii is long out of its warranty period. If you're willing to take about an hour of your time, you can turn your old Wii into a great emulation station and decent media center for the kids. The things that you will need to get the most out of your old Wii console are: An SD card (up to 32gb) An internet connection The first thing that you will need to do is softmod your console which will allow it to run unsigned software outside of Nintendo's ecosystem. Yes! One of the great things about the Wii (for our purposes) is that you don't need t

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