On Computers

Many people pay for ad-free TV, but will they pay for an ad-free web? Google is testing that idea with a service called “Contributor.”

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We thought we’d never stop using the Google Chrome web browser after switching to it ten years ago. But recently we switched to Firefox because Chrome was feeling buggy. Then Firefox started feeling buggy. So Joy has switched again, this time to Opera. It’s fun, fast and less buggy. You can call it up on a search and simply download it.

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When we wrote about Roku and Amazon Fire Stick for bringing in extra movie channels, games, and apps on your TV, we neglected to talk about Google’s Chromecast, which is cheaper: $35 online or $30 at Walmart. The $49 Roku stick easily won our test against the $39 Amazon Fire Stick. But we didn‘t have a “Chromecast.” So last week we went out and bought one and tested it thoroughly. The results were disappointing. Chromecast sounds great in theory: just about anything you see on your phone can theoretically be mirrored on your big TV. They call it “casting.” In our tests, however, it didn’t always work and was highly frustrating to handle. Now we’re sorry we gave two Chromecasts […]

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SheWrites.com is a site with lots of advice for writers. One suggests giving your writing as a gift. Instead of buying a toaster oven as a birthday present, create a short story or write a note of gratitude, put it on a scroll or frame it.

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FoodPairing.com Who would have ever thought the spice tarragon goes with strawberry? We found some interesting suggestions here. (Tarragon, by the way, comes from the Spanish city Tarragona, which was the capital of Roman Spain.)

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Twitter.com/AwkwardGoogle has some remarkable photos. We liked the monkey who adopted an abandoned kitten, a bridge made of trampolines, and sea otters who hold hands in their sleep so they don’t drift away from each another. (So cute.) And there’s a picture of a  barge carrying a dozen large ships. (Cheaper than sailing them in one by one.)

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 “37 Hacks to Make Your Ikea Stuff Look Expensive” has clever decorating ideas. Sometimes it’s as simple as replacing the legs on a couch or adding leather drawer pulls to a dresser. Other hacks will bring out your inner crafter.

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Photofy adds personal touches to photos. The new version has stock backgrounds: if you want to make it look like you’re lounging in Tahiti, lounge ahead.

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Instagram’s Hyperlapse creates time-lapse videos. It will work with the iPhone’s front-facing camera, so you can take time-lapse videos of yourself. (Be still my selfie heart.)

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Google Keep makes it easy to take notes on your computer, phone or tablet. Write a note on one device and its synced on another.

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