6 Cool iPhone Themes For Your Android Phone

Maybe you despise the idea of dressing up your Android phone to make it look like an iPhone. Or maybe you wouldn’t mind some new eye candy for your phone. Either way, the fact remains that there are a large number of theme developers out there just waiting for users to download and give their apps a chance.
Well, today we’ll be taking a look at 6 of these meticulously crafted launcher iPhone themes for Android that can give your phone a refreshing dose of iOS rounded icons, docks and wallpapers.
While you can find a number of paid themes that can bring you even more customization options, the ones on this list are free and will get you started in making your phone look like a close brother of the iPhone. They all require you to have at least one third-party launcher/homescreen replacement app though, but most of them are free and very well-rated. One such launcher is ADW Launcher, for which we’ve already shown you where to get an iPhone theme for. For additional themes that you can use with other popular launchers such as Go Launcher Ex and even LauncherPro, read on!

Classic iPhone Themes

iPhone Go Launcher EX Theme [Android 2.0+]

For those of you who use and love Go Launcher EX, this theme brings you the default look from iOS, including classic rounded icons, dock and 3 wallpapers, but I couldn’t find the two other wallpapers that were presented on the Market product page (if you know, let me know in the comments!)

You can also choose a different app drawer background though the default one looks pretty slick.

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If you’re using a different launcher, such as ADW or LauncherPro, worry not. There’s a similar theme for all three launchers that contains the classic icons, and a few more dock and wallpaper options.

iPhone VO Theme Lite [Android 2.1+]

For users with ADW Launcher 1.3.0+, Launcher Pro 0.86 or even Go Launcher 2.35+, this theme will provide a nice-looking launcher with classic icons, backgrounds and sounds as well.

If you like the icons from iOS, but don’t mind a few changes, this theme should be for you. You’ll see that the icons’ backgrounds are more colorful than on the original platform, and even the wallpaper is different.

What’s cool about this theme is that it comes with an actual drawer app shortcut, so you can browse through the theme’s backgrounds, sounds, etc, in contrast to other themes where you have to browse through the launcher’s preferences.
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For more backgrounds, icon sets, and sounds, check out the full version.

iPhone-Inspired Themes

iPhone VD Theme Lite [Android 2.1+]

For the iPhone-inspired themes, we’ll be taking a look at this theme that wraps all icons in black, rounded containers.

This theme is available for LauncherPro, ADW Launcher and Go Launcher EX users, and as a drawer app, so you can browse through the theme’s offerings natively, without going through the launcher’s preferences.

As you can see, the ad only shows up when you open the app drawer. If you want more backgrounds, icon sets, and no ads, check out the full version here.
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iPhone Black Go Launcher Theme [Android 2.0+]

I used to consider black a bit boring, but the previous and the current black themes have certainly proved me wrong. Like the previous theme, this one offers a set of cool and elegant icons, backgrounds, and more.

I know, the multi-color Apple logo on the wallpaper might be a little too much for Android purists, but I can’t help but think it’s absolutely gorgeous. Here’s a glimpse of the logo-free app drawer.

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iPhone 3.0 Go Launcher Theme [Android 2.0+]

This theme brings forth slightly more vector-ish icons and cleaner but familiar overall looks. What’s neat is that the Market product page even has app and widget recommendations for the ultimate iPhone-ish look.

As you’ll see, this theme is iPhone-inspired, with even the wallpaper closely resembling the default raindrop background.

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iPhone Epic Go Launcher Theme [Android 2.0+]

I’ve saved my favorite one for last, the iPhone Epic theme. It’s extremely colorful and has way-rounder icons (reminds me a bit of Puppy Linux’s original icon set).

If you need a refreshing splash of color, I’d definitely recommend this theme.

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Top 10 Tricks for Dealing With Email Overload

It doesn't matter what you do, modern jobs seem to require that everyone barrage you with email at all hours of the day. If you're feeling overwhelmed and like you'll never get back to a clean inbox, here are ten of our favorite tips to help you manage the ever-growing mountain of email.

10. Get to Know Your Email Client

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If you're going to effectively manage your email, you'll need to know your way around your email client like the back of your hand—whatever your client may be.  If you're not a Gmail user, we've written many tips about Outlook and Thunderbird too—but you can't go wrong with reading your client's documentation to learn a bit more.

9. Learn Your Email Values

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Lots of time you spend dealing with email is spent writing email, and clearing up confusion with email you sent earlier. Spend less time on email and more time working by practicing good email habits: like clarity, concision, making it actionable, and relevance. The less time you spend communicating simple ideas, the less time you'll spend sifting through your inbox.

8. Filter Priority Messages

Chances are, not every single email you get requires your attention right away. Filter out the important messages so when you're crunched for time, you can prioritize what email you answer so you don't waste time. Gmail's Priority Inbox is a fantastic, automated way to do this, although you could probably accomplish something similar with a few well-crafted filters in any email client.

7. Don't Check It Too Often

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Whatever you do, don't be a slave to your email notifications. Answering your email every time you see that little popup, hear that little ding, or watch that icon badge climb up another point will kill your productivity. Assign yourself a 15-minute minimum for email checking: Let the emails come in, and then check it periodically throughout your day instead of every time a new one comes in. And don't check it first thing in the morning, either, or you'll never get anything done.

6. Respond In a Timely Manner

Responding to your email quickly keeps you looking professional, but it's a balancing act. Try following the 2-2-2 rule, which says to aim for answering emails within two hours of their arrival. If you don't have time to respond to it right now, a service like Boomerang for Gmail can remind you of it later on so you don't let it float to the bottom of your inbox. Remember, responding in a timely manner is not the same as responding immediately—not only does that mean you're breaking tip number 7, but it means people will then expect you to always reply instantly, which is often an unachievable goal.

5. Keep It Under Control When You're On Vacation

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If you think your email is overloaded, wait until you come back from a week-long vacation—it becomes an unclimbable mountain. Instead of dreading your vacation, take an actual delete-all-email sabbatical. Let everyone know you'll be gone, set up an auto-responder that tells them to email you back later, and delete everything that comes in. That way, you come back to an empty inbox, and anything important enough to wait for your return will be re-sent when you come home.

4. Use Text Expansion to Save Yourself Hours of Typing

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If you find you're typing a lot of the same phrases over and over again in email, it's time to automate that. We've long advocated using a system-wide text expander that replaces tiny snippets of text with oft-used phrases. That way, when you need to type a canned response, an address, or any other tedious amount of text, you can just hit a few keys on your keyboard and be on your way to the next email.

3. Learn to Use the Search Function

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A recent study found that wading through email folders is an inefficient way to search through old messages. This doesn't mean don't use folders—You don't want to become an email piler, where everything piles up in your inbox—but it means learn to use your client's search function. When it comes time to find that old email, don't go clicking through folders, use advanced search operators in conjunction with good filters to find what you're looking for.

2. Get Rid of Unwanted Spam

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It's unlikely work email is the only thing overloading you. The other thing taking up all that space in your inbox is spam, and while it seems impossible to get rid of, there are a lot of techniques you can use to keep it at a minimum. First, make sure you know which messages were sent directly to you and not to a mailing list, by coloring them in Outlook, highlighting them in Thunderbird, or turning on personal level indicators in Gmail. Next, you can avoid incoming spam by filtering the word "unsubscribe", and filter future spam by using a temporary, disposable email address from a service like Trashmail or Mailinator. With a few extra filters and tools, you can keep your inbox (mostly) free of any spam that comes your way.

1. Triage Your Email to an Empty Inbox

In the end, the best way to get to inbox zero is to get your email out of your inbox, act on it, then archive it away. We've always advocated triaging your inbox with the trusted trio of folders: Follow Up, Archive, and Hold. If you can get by without ever leaving a read message in your inbox, you'll be able to achieve that mental peace you've always wished for. Check out our full guide to email triage to learn more.

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Five Best Restaurant Discovery Apps

Looking for a new place to eat in a new town, or want to try a specific cuisine and don't know where to go? Regardless of the mobile OS you prefer, there are plenty of apps that can help you find a new place to eat that you'll actually enjoy. 

OpenTabl (iOS/Android/BlackBerry/WP7/WebOS)

OpenTable started off as an easy way to make table reservations at your favorite restaurants from your smartphone, without having to call and deal with a host or hostess that can barely hear you or may forget to make your reservation. Reservations are still OpenTable's bread and butter, but the team behind the app have also partnered with Yelp to exchange reviews and reservations. The app allows you to see nearby restaurants on a top-down map, earn points and awards for making reservations through the service, and read reviews from OpenTable members.

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Urbanspoon (iOS/Android/BlackBerry)

Urbanspoon started as a BlackBerry app, and its trademark "shake to randomly select a place to have lunch" slot machine feature is still well loved. However, the restaurant slot machine is a bit of a gimmick that sits in front of a large list of smaller local businesses that other apps often miss. The app also allows you to share and compare your reviews with friends, find restaurants near you, and everything else that most restaurant-search apps do. To augment its ratings and reviews, Urbanspoon also integrates reviews from newspapers and food blogs. Doing so adds some real authority and weight to the reviews that other services are lacking.

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Foodspotting (iOS/Android/BlackBerry/WP7)

Foodspotting's claim to fame is that it encourages you to search and share dishes that you enjoy, not just restaurants. So when you use Foodspotting, you'll be encouraged to take pictures of the food and drink that you like, upload it to the service, share some thoughts, and then tell the community where you are. When you use the mobile app, you're shown photos of dishes and foods near you, not just a list of nearby restaurants. The community then chimes in to like or favorite photos, and trade "wants" and "noms" for dishes they want to try and dishes they really love. Foodspotting's visual approach to discovering new food is a refreshing departure from a other food discovery apps.

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Yelp (iOS/Android/BlackBerry/WP7/WebOS)

Ah Yelp, the ubiquitous crowdsourced restaurant review and ratings site. In addition to its mobile site, Yelp has mobile apps for virtually every platform, and all of them use your phone's on-board GPS to find out and show you what restaurants, clubs, bars, and other locations are in your area. You can filter based on what's open, what type of food is served, and how much you can expect to spend, look up a restaurant's hours, and Yelp's massive community means that you can usually find some good ideas for where to go and what to eat. Yelp's massive community is a pro and a con: there are plenty of reviews for almost any restaurant, but not all of them are valuable (although some are!), and great holes in the wall may be obscured by popular places with tons of ratings.

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Google Places (iOS/Android)

Google Places is relatively new when compared to some of the others, but it's already getting real traction. The iPhone and Android apps leverage Google's growing database of restaurant information and user-submitted apps to help you find restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and other destinations (like ATMs, banks, and gas stations) near you at any time. Tap a location to see photos, read more about the restaurant or see how to contact them, leave your own review, or check in using Google Places. In Android, the app is part of Google Maps, and lets you get turn-by-turn driving directions or call the restaurant directly.

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4 Websites For Information On The Hit TV Show Dexter

Let me start by saying Dexter is by far my favorite television TV show. I went and signed up for Showtime years ago just so I could watch Dexter, and have paid the ridiculous amount my local cable company charges for the channel ever since. The show just brings a certain balance between great story, great action and great dialog that most shows just cannot match. Michael C. Hall shows why he is one of the best television actors in every episode.
If you want to get a little deeper into the Dexter world, you can of course read the books, but the Dexter television show and the books have separated themselves in terms of plot. The next best way to dig deeper into the world of Dexter is on the internet. The internet has a wealth of information on anything, and tons of people ready and willing to give their opinion on anything you are looking for. Dexter is no exception. Check out these great sites for all things Dexter.
Please be advised that these sites contain spoilers, so if you are behind on Dexter or are new to the show, be forewarned.

Reddit.com/r/Dexter

When it comes to communities, nothing beats Reddit. They have a massive user base, and with that come many knowledgeable and intelligent people. With the convenient way Reddit splits into SubReddits, it is easy to find a community for whatever niche interests you. Thankfully, Dexter is no exception.

On r/Dexter there are around 10,000 hardcore Dexter fans discussing past episodes and breaking down what happened. They also post theories and opinions on what they think is going to happen in future episodes. There are even some amazing fans that set up their living room like a Dexter “kill room” for the premier of season 6. Of course, they posted pictures for everyone on Reddit to see, and they were awesome!

Dexter Official Page on Showtime

This seems like it might be too obvious, but sometimes the answer is right under your nose. Dexter’s page on the Showtime website features all kinds of information on all things Dexter. They offer all kinds of exclusive behind the scenes footage. Obviously, since they are the official site they get access to things that no fan site or Reddit user can. They have all kinds of information here, but because they are an official site, they lack in opinions and predictions.

In addition to just straight up information, the official site also has all kinds of fun interactive features as well. One that is particularly cool is called “Dexter’s Kill Room.” This interactive web app gives you information on all the evil individuals Dexter has brought down during the show.

If you have not watched Dexter before, the official site allows you to sample a few episodes and see if it something you enjoy. This is free, and does not require a Showtime subscription.

Dexter IMDB Page

The internet movie database is the first place I turn when I want information about anything TV or movie related. There are so many little pieces of facts and trivia on IMDB. Of course, you can also find out about every actor that has appeared in an episode of Dexter.

Outside of just little trivia nuggets, IMDB also offers plot synapses, photos, Quotes and pretty much everything else Dexter related.

The Dexter Wiki

The Dexter Wiki is chock full of information, and it is all delivered by fans with no official slant. They have user written blog posts about anything Dexter affiliated. They also offer information on every kill, character, and scene that is crucial to the Dexter universe.

There is so much information here that reading it all would make you the utmost Dexter expert. Of course, that would also take an obscenely long time, so I do not recommend it. However, if you have some burning questions about something that happened in the last episode, or 3 seasons ago, the Dexter Wiki is a great place to check.

Conclusion

As I stated before, I am not responsible if the information contained on any of these sites spoils anything for you if you are behind on the show.
These sites contain a ton of information about the hit TV show Dexter. If there is something you want to know about Dexter, and you cannot find it on one of these sites, than chances are it is not important.

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How To Increase The Lifetime Of Your Laptop Battery

A laptop with a short battery life is a nuisance, especially when you’re on the road and nowhere close to a power socket. What is even more annoying than a drained battery however, is a dying battery.
Battery lifetime not only depends on the type of battery and its quality, it also depends on how the battery is cared for. In this article I will explain what determines the lifetime of Lithium-Ion batteries, the type of rechargeable battery found in most if not all modern laptops, and what you can do to increase your battery lifetime.

Introduction To Lithium-Ion Batteries (Li-Ion)

Modern laptops are almost exclusively delivered with Li-Ion batteries. They are lighter, offer a higher performance, maintain their charger longer, and are less susceptible to the dreaded memory effect than previous types of rechargeable batteries.
In the US, Li-Ion batteries are classified as non-hazardous for the environment as they do not contain free toxic metals. In the EU however, vendors are required to recycle at least 25% of the batteries they produce. After all, Li-Ion batteries do contain material worth recycling, although the cost of doing so is rather high.

Priming Li-Ion Batteries

The predominant statement you will find is that new Li-Ion batteries do not require priming. Nevertheless, you should fully charge your Li-Ion battery before using it for the first time.

Cycling Li-Ion Batteries

Li-Ion batteries have a lifetime of 300 to 500 full charging cycles or up to 2000 partial cycles. There are reports that cycling a Li-Ion battery after long storage periods, i.e. fully discharging and re-charging it for two or three cycles, leads to to capacity gains. Other sources recommend cycling Li-Ion batteries every couple of weeks. Generally, you should not fully discharge your Li-Ion battery.

Caring For Your Li-Ion Battery

While Li-Ion batteries do not have a memory effect and don’t need to be primed or cycled to maintain full capacity, their lifetime can still be shortened dramatically, if not cared for right. Two things can damage Li-Ion batteries: deep discharges and heat. All of the following battery DOs and DON’Ts are derived from these two major factors.

Li-Ion Battery DOs

• partially discharge and recharge (no memory effect).
• charge at lower voltage.
• take out battery when laptop is running with AC power connected.
• store battery in refrigerator with a 40-50% charge.
• cycle the battery every few weeks or after every 30 partial charges.

Li-Ion Battery DON’Ts

• deep discharge battery.
• trickle charge.
• ultra-fast charge.
• leave fully charged battery in laptop while running on AC power (heat damage).
• freeze battery.
• buy old Li-Ion or spare batteries (Li-Ion batteries age, see below).

Aging Of Li-Ion Batteries

One more thing to keep in mind is that Li-Ion batteries begin aging the moment they are produced and there is little you can do to prevent this. What causes the aging is that the electrolyte slowly breaks down the positive plate, causing the internal resistance to increase to a point where no energy can be delivered. A partial charge and low temperatures slow down this process and hence increase the lifetime of your battery.

Summary

Li-Ion batteries are superior to Nickel-Cadmium or Nickel-Metal Hybrid batteries in that they deliver a higher performance, show a much slower self-discharge, and don’t have a memory effect. However, they do age, withstand only a limited amount of charge and discharge cycles, and are damaged by heat. The best thing you can do to preserve battery lifetime, is to store your laptop battery in a cold place whenever you have reliable AC power available. Alternatively, maintain optimal cooling and airflow to decrease heat buildup. In any case you should perform a full discharge and recharge cycle every few weeks and avoid fully discharing your Li-Ion battery in the meantime.

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5 Ways To Cut The Battery Drain On Your Android Phone

Mobile Defense, a recent GPS tracking app I wrote about, is a perfect example.Confident you have no apps that run in the background? What about your screen backlight, or the sync frequency of all of your social network apps and email clients? Do you control when and how your phone launches Wi-Fi and GPS, or do those connections control you?

Recalibrate Your Battery

One of the most common solutions that you’ll find on many Android blogs and forums is the battery “wipe.” This is related to the batterystats.bin file in your system which is where the battery indicator data comes from.
Apparently, particularly when you flash a custom ROM on your newly rooted Android, the calibration of the display versus actual charge level of the battery can get a little out of whack. The fix is pretty easy. First, charge up your phone to 100%, then reboot into recovery. For my purposes, I use the trusty ClockworkMod Recovery that comes with ROM Manager. In ClockworkMod Recovery, you can find the battery wipe in the Advanced section.

Just select “Wipe Battery Stats” from the sub menu.

Finally, confirm the wipe and then reboot the system again. To do this you’ll have to go back to the main menu and select “Reboot System Now.”

Keep in mind that this won’t “fix” battery drain issues. If you have something running on your phone that’s sucking juice out of your phone battery, all you’ll notice now is that you have a much more accurate view of how fast your battery is draining.  Ready to troubleshoot and put an end to your battery drain? Read on.

What’s Using Your Battery?

The first thing to do is check out what is running on your phone that’s eating up the battery. It’s easy to look for the biggest battery-draining culprits. All you have to do is go to your phone settings -> click About Phone -> click Battery Use.

Battery use will show you a breakdown of what’s consuming your battery. It’s broken down into percentages, so this is a nice place to come back and see how the different changes you make to your phone affect overall battery use.

See how the display is consuming 77 percent? This is fairly standard – the display is energy demanding, especially when you don’t put a lid on the brightness level.

Low Hanging Fruit

There are a couple of things you can do right now that will easily improve your Android battery life.
To reduce that consumption as much as possible right off the bat, go into Settings -> Display -> Brightness. First, remove “Automatic brightness“.

The next screen allows you to move a slider to adjust screen brightness. Try lowering it down to the bottom level and see if that setting is something you can comfortably tolerate. For most people it’s plenty bright. You’ve just reduced your battery consumption dramatically.
The second low-hanging fruit are your connections. Are you constantly leaving Wi-Fi, GPS or your Data Connection running all the time? Nothing consumes battery power faster than these connections. Ideally, disable them whenever you don’t need them. Go to Settings -> Wireless & Networks and poke around to see what you’ve got running. GPS is under Location and Security.

There are also some useful apps on the market to manage your phone connections – just search for “connection manager” and pick your favorite. Use them to disable your connections when you don’t need them.

What Apps Are Running?

Do you remember the old commercial that went, “It’s 10 p.m. Do you know where your children are?” The same could be said for your phone – do you know what your apps are doing?
Many people install apps on their phone, often not realizing that some of them are automatically configured to launch upon boot, and they keep running in the background. In fact, many of them automatically launch connections like Wi-Fi, GPS or your data connection. Check what’s running right now by going to Settings -> Applications and clicking on Running Services.

Take a look at all the apps that are running in the background. Any surprises?

Don’t worry, you don’t have to manually kill these all the time, there are apps that help you manage what programs run automatically. One I really like from the Android Market is called Autorun Manager.

It shows everything that’s configured to autostart, and what’s currently running. What’s cool is that you can just tap these individually and disable them for good. Game over. You’ve just reclaimed your phone.
If you’ve tried all of these tips, did you see a longer Android battery life? Do you know of any other useful tips to stop battery drain? Share your ideas in the comments section below!

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