The Download Blog

Mozilla pushes for stronger 'maker' philosophy on Web

Mozilla whisked the covers off Webmaker today, a new development initiative intended to encourage Web-based development across the globe.

The company stated that Webmaker's goal is to, "move people from using the Web to making the Web," in a blog post. Mozilla is encouraging people to participate in a series of coding events it's calling the Summer Code Party, and has partnered with some notable organizations and individuals to further its agenda, including author Cory Doctorow, OKGO musician Damian Kulash, Tumblr, Creative Commons, the London Zoo, and the San Francisco Public Library.

Firefox flirts with Blekko for 'instant' search

Mozilla may not have a dedicated in-house search engine division the way that Google and Microsoft do, but it does have a new partnership with alterna-search Blekko.

The Blekko add-on (download), developed by Mozilla Labs' Prospector team, aims to cut down on the repetitive search behaviors of many Firefox users. Mozilla says that its research indicates that people often search for the same term, not because they're looking to find it again but because they're attempting to navigate elsewhere. This add-on, like Google's Instant search feature, cuts down on the extra steps by pre-caching sites, showing preview more

Top weather apps for iOS

Whether you live in rainy Seattle or are expecting thunderstorms in Albany, N.Y., it's always a good idea to carry solid weather apps on your iPhone for quick forecasts.

The Weather Channel released version 5.0 of its app late last week with an upgraded interface and a few more features that will be useful to amateur meteorologists everywhere, but it doesn't have everything. One of the more useful parts of any local weather forecast is when you get to see the live Doppler radar for your location. The Weather Channel will show you a radar overlay, but you can't see it move. That's where the second app in this one-two punch comes in, NOAA Hi-Def Radar.

With this pair of apps, you might find that one or the other is the best weather app for you, but hopefully this comparison will help you find what best fits your needs.

Apple releases digital raw compatibility update 3.13

For photographers who use the raw sensor data format for image manipulation, Apple has issued an update that supports new camera models from Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, and Sony.

The raw format is a device-specific collection of raw sensor data (hence the name) that, like the film of a contemporary camera, can be manipulated in similar ways that a developer could use to produce unique adjustments to the image that cannot be done with the final positive bitmap image. Since the sensors and other features in each camera are different, each device will have its own raw format and needs more

Get fast directions to your favorite destinations with QuickMaps

Install QuickMaps (Android | iOS).
You should see a screen preloaded with sample destinations.
Press "Edit" at the top right and tap any of the eight circles on the periphery to edit the location name and address. Continue until you've got as many destinations as you'd like (well, up to eight).
To get directions, just select a mode of transportation from the top and then swipe from one circle to another. Google Maps comes up immediately and shows you the best route.

That's it! This is a simple, intuitive app that makes mobile navigation even easier.

Clueful scans your iOS apps for privacy behavior

A new iOS app aims to make app privacy more transparent and easier to stay on top of, especially when it comes to information-tracking you might not have even realized what was going on behind the scenes.

Security firm Bitdefender today rolled out Clueful (iTunes), an app that lets you see what information other applications installed on your phone might have access to.

Once installed, the $3.99 app scans your device to see what's installed and puts it in an ordered list that can be filtered based on the various kinds of behavior. This includes things like:

Apps

Use Hashtag App to monitor Twitter, Instagram hash tags

Hash tags on Instagram and Twitter both offer a great way to follow what's going on with a particular topic or event. One providing the conversation, while the other provides an illustration.

Tracking a hash tag in most Twitter apps on the iPhone is a simple process. Tracking a hash tag in the Instagram app takes a bit more work, however. If you have an event coming up and want to quickly and easily follow it on Twitter and Instagram, give Hashtag App (free) on your iPhone a try.

You can either enter a custom hash tag in the more

How to protect your smartphone from malicious QR codes

QR codes are a fun way to share information and they're starting to appear in all sorts of places. QR codes often contain Web links, that when scanned, automatically take you to the Web site.

As QR codes become more prevalent, however, it might be a good idea to start checking the QR codes, before allowing your browser to load unknown links.

To address potentially malicious QR codes, Symantec has released a QR code scanner that will check links more

Amazon brings Appstore Test Drive to the handset

If you're not sure if you want to buy an application, you can now try it out before you drop your cash.

Amazon announced yesterday that Android device owners will now be able to test drive applications, in its Appstore before they buy. The new Test Drive feature is currently available in beta, and only supports apps that use the touch screen and accelerometer features. Apps that require using the keyboard, multitouch, or the camera, among other components, are not currently supported.

According to Amazon, Test Drive is available on more than 5,000 applications offered through its Appstore, more

Microsoft: 350 million Windows 7 devices to be shipped in 2012

Although Windows 8 is expected to hit store shelves later this year, Microsoft believes its current operating system, Windows 7, will have an awfully good year.

Speaking at a forum in Seoul this week, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said that his company expects 350 million Windows 7-based devices to be shipped this year. Bloomberg, which was in attendance at the event, was first to report on the news. Ballmer said that the operating system's success "makes Windows the most popular single system."

If that many Windows 7 devices are actually shipped this year, it would indicate accelerated demand for more