Pushbullet: Move information among your devices

Pushbullet Logo

https://www.pushbullet.com/


I use Pushbullet a lot to move things between my phone and my desktop.

  1. If I want to send a text with a lot of fiddly information, I will often type it on my PC and send it to my phone using Pushbullet.
  2. Sometimes I’ll decide I want to stop viewing a web page on my phone and switch to my desktop. I can just push the page from my phone to a tab in my browser. I do this a lot for online shopping. (It’s easier to checkout using a keyboard.)

Pushbullet on devices

Teaching programming to kids

Screenshot from Hopscotch IOS app


I sent this to a friend of mine whose young son is interesting in learning about programming.

Hopscotch (https://www.gethopscotch.com/) is a coding app for the iPhone or iPad. It looks pretty cool.

Scratch Jr. (http://www.scratchjr.org/) is an app to help introduce kids ages 5-7 to programming. It runs on tablets.

The full version of Scratch (https://scratch.mit.edu/) is a bit more powerful, but requires a PC. It’s for kids ages 8-16.

Code.org (https://code.org/) is a good resource, but there’s a lot of stuff there.

You can build real games with Stencyl (http://www.stencyl.com/). It’s kind of advanced but it might be a good option if he outgrows some of the simpler teaching tools. I would have gone nuts on this if it had existed when I was a kid, but I was a weird kid.

Google Mobile-Friendly Test

Google logo

http://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/

From the Google Official Webmaster Blog:

Starting April 21, we will be expanding our use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. This change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and will have a significant impact in our search results. Consequently, users will find it easier to get relevant, high quality search results that are optimized for their devices.

Shake: IOS app to help create legal agreements

Shake logo

Shake allows you to Create, sign and send legally binding agreements using your IOS device.

From the website:

  • When would I use Shake? – We designed Shake to let you quickly record
    agreements for everyday transactions that you otherwise might do with a
    verbal “handshake” agreement. For example, you’re lending someone you know
    $300 – given the stakes, you might not need a long, intimidating loan
    agreement, but wouldn’t it be nice to get something in writing? When does the
    money need to be repaid? Is there a penalty if it’s late? Use Shake to agree
    upfront on simple questions like this and you can avoid hassles later (not to
    mention awkwardness and hard feelings).

  • When should I not use Shake? – Shake isn’t for complex or high-stakes
    transactions. Are you selling your company? Shake is not for that. You should
    talk with a lawyer. Are you selling your used computer on Craigslist or hiring
    a freelance designer for a basic job? Shake is perfect for either of those.

Shake phone image

Spell Quest: Grimm’s Journey – A wonderful little mobile game

Spell Quest Logo

Spell Quest: Grimm’s Journey (via) is a fantastic little mobile game that has began to suck up all of my “in-between” time when I’m sitting around waiting for something. The game is a lot of fun, has great animation, and best of all, it’s free!

Spell Quest screenshot