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How to set up your iPad Mini

Setting up your iPad Mini doesn't take a lot of time or effort, but for those first-time iOS owners who aren't too sure about the process, it can be a bit intimidating. Don't let it be. Below you'll find a slideshow of the entire setup process, from start to finish, explaining what each screen is and means to your end experience.

Before you begin, it's a good idea to have access to a Wi-Fi connection or a computer connected to the Internet with iTunes installed. You'll need one or the other to complete the … Read more

Track and lock lost devices. It works.

Find My iPhone is one of those apps you don't need until you need it. When you need it, it's priceless (even though it is free). Find My iPhone works on iOS devices and requires an iCloud account and a valid Apple ID. When turned on, Find My iPhone sends the geolocation data of your device to the servers at regular intervals, allowing you to find your phone from any other device you can log into (including Web browsers). Find My iPhone is installed by default with iOS 5 and 6, but must be turned on to be … Read more

How to lock down and find Android and Windows phones

Thieves love smartphones. They're easy to snatch, easy to conceal, and most importantly, easy to resell.

If you're the victim of a smartphone robbery, you have more to lose than the phone itself. The thief may attempt to use or sell the personal data stored on the device to make fraudulent purchases or otherwise steal your identity -- and maybe empty your bank account.

There are two things every smartphone user should do to minimize the damage resulting from loss of the device: lock the screen and activate a remote-location and remote-wipe service.

In a post from earlier this month … Read more

iPhone, iPad thefts jump 40 percent in NYC

The Big Apple is seeing a surge in stolen Apple devices.

The latest data from the New York City Police Department shows that iPhone and iPad thefts have soared 40 percent this year so far, compared with the same period last year.

Between January 1 and September 23 of this year, a total of 11,447 cases of stolen iDevices were reported to the New York City police, a rise of 3,280 over 2011, NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said in a report sent to CNET.

"As if to mirror the market place, thefts of Apple products increased this … Read more

ACDSee 15 offers a top photo editing and managing suite with integrated online storage

ACDSee 15 is a full-featured photo editor and manager optimized for home and business users. It shares many features and capabilities with ACD's pro photography applications, including powerful image editing tools that can handle the tasks you need as well as gigabytes of online storage space that you can use to organize and safely store tons of images. You can access your account anywhere, and from any computer or related ACD tool, by simply logging in. But ACDSee 15 is also specifically geared to make it easy to post and share your photos online, create slideshows and CDs, add … Read more

How to set up Find My Friends notifications

Find My Friends, an iOS app aimed at helping friends and family members keep tabs on one another, was updated with the release of iOS 6. Other than some simple user interface changes, there wasn't a whole lot added to the app, with one exception -- notifications.

You can now set notifications to get alerted when a contact in your Find My Friends app arrives at or leaves a location you set.

To set up a notification for a friend, view their current location. In the upper-left corner of your screen, you'll see a button titled "Notify … Read more

Oppo reportedly readying world's first 1080p smartphone

Oppo, a company better known for its high-end Blu-ray players, is quietly preparing to lay claim to another smartphone title.

Earlier this year, the Chinese company released the Oppo Finder, which at just 6.65mm thick edged out the competition to claim the title of the world's thinnest smartphone. Now the company appears ready to take the screen-resolution crown as well.

The Oppo Find 5 will sport a 5-inch 1080p screen that features a whopping 441 pixels per inch (ppi), Oppo Mobile CEO Chen Mingyong said in a blog detailed by Chinese tech site CNMO.com -- handily beating … Read more

Apple refreshes iCloud beta with new Web apps

Apple has apparently cooked up Web-based versions of its Notes and Reminders apps, as seen in the latest iCloud beta.

Accessible via iCloud from a PC or Mac, the new apps seem similar to their mobile iOS and Mountain Lion counterparts, according to a review by 9to5Mac.

The Web-based Notes app lets you enter and organize notes and then e-mail them using the iCloud e-mail. The Reminders app allows you to add reminders, attach notes to them, and schedule the date and time for you to be alerted.

Other online surprises are in store for iCloud users.

The latest beta … Read more

Facebook removes controversial feature

Break off a piece of that BlackBerry and friend some strangers on Facebook:

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion has long been struggling to turn the company around. With thousands of layoffs ongoing, it could be time for the company to try something drastic. One report says RIM is considering spliting itself into two companies by diving the messaging network from the hardware side, and possibly selling the hardware division. RIM didn't comment on specifics of this report by The Sunday Times. But RIM did say it is examining a wide-range of strategies. Perhaps new BlackBerry 10 devices can shake … Read more

Facebook quietly removes 'test' friend-finding feature

Facebook has quietly removed a controversial feature that would let users on mobile devices find other Facebook users nearby, even if they weren't friends with them on the popular social network.

That feature, which Facebook said it was "testing" with users in a roll-out yesterday, became the topic of controversy earlier today when a company called Friendthem accused Facebook of stealing the idea. In a release provided to CNET and other outlets, Friendthem's CEO said the company was mulling a lawsuit.

A Facebook spokesperson declined to comment on the removal of the feature. In an earlier … Read more