iTunes has made purchasing, organizing, and listening to music easier than ever before and is still considered the largest music provider. But it has been receiving more and more competition. Here is a rundown of popular online music providers that you may or may not have heard of.

Grooveshark

Grooveshark requires a login but it’s free to use. Grooveshark is great because there are no interruptions in the music for commercials, unlike a majority of online music services.

There are some downsides to Grooveshark, however. One of the biggest downsides is that the music isn’t very organized. For example, when you want to listen to a particular album, you type it in the search but the problem is multiple entries of the same album appear leaving you overwhelmed sometimes.

Spotify

Similar to Grooveshark, Spotify has been gaining some ground as a leading online music provider. As a free service, it’s basically Grooveshark, but can be slightly more beneficial if you like having specific applications for everything. Like iTunes, you can download a Spotify program on your computer, which makes the interface a little more appealing than Grooveshark. Other than that, it’s essentially Grooveshark with radio-like commercials.

Pandora

If you listen to music, you already know what Pandora is. Pandora is the frontrunner in online music software because it is so easy to use and provides you with music you may not already have. With Pandora, you can create a custom station with particular interests. On top of that, if a song starts playing that you don’t like, you can thumbs down it and Pandora will no longer play that song. On the other hand, if you love a song that’s playing, thumbs up it and Pandora will play that song more.

There are only a couple of downsides to Pandora. One is that, other than the “thumbs up/thumbs down” features, the user really doesn’t have much control over what they listen to. Also, Pandora’s free service utilizes radio-like advertising, which can be annoying to some.

8Tracks

Launched in 2008, 8Tracks is a relatively new and unknown online music provider. 8Tracks is unique because it allows users to create a playlist and then share it with anybody. The reason for the name is that a playlist has to have at least 8Tracs. If you are one that likes to discover new music and hear what other people like, 8Tracks might be worth trying out.

iHeartRadio

iHeartRadio is similar to Pandora but provides additional features. IHeartRadio allows you to create stations like Pandora does as well as “like” or “dislike” specific songs. It differs from Pandora because it streams live radio as well. So if you just want to listen to a local station or one in another area, iHeartRadio can probably help you out.

Google Music

Launched in May 2011, Google Music has had a relatively slow start. It was designed to be a cloud alternative to iTunes. In other words, Google decided it could outdo iTunes by providing an online music software that was accessible anywhere. Before the iTunes cloud, users weren’t able to listen to their music unless they were on their own computer or listening to their own iPod.

Google Music is still useful for any android user that likes to put music on their phone. You can upload and/or purchase songs on Google Music and listen to them anywhere you go, even if it’s not your device.

“Since joining Google in 2010, we have been creating editing magic in Google products while continuing to keep Picnik awesome. But now we get to focus on even awesomer things. Picnik will be closing on April 19, 2012.”

The Bad News

If you are a user of Picnik, you will have to make the change to another online photo editing service or fork over the cash and buy a program like Photoshop. Besides that, there really is no bad news.

The Good News

Despite the heavy hearts many former users will have from not being able to use their favorite online photo editing software, there are still some upsides to Google’s announcement.

Free Premium for All
If you have been a premium user, you will now be able to enjoy the extra features at no charge. If you have been freeloading off the no cost version of Picnik, you can now continue to freeload but get all the bonus features. Obviously this deal will only last until Picnik is shut down, but it’s a nice gesture by Google to make the premium service free to everyone.

You Can Keep Your Photos
If you are worried about losing all the past work you have done using Picnik, you can stop biting those nails. Google is allowing you to save all your creations on a zip file to safe on your computer or you can simply transfer the photos to Picasa, Google’s photo storage service. Picasa also links to Google+, which brings us to the next point.

More Focus on Other Services
Google+ has been gaining some momentum as a popular social media site. By closing down services like Picnik, the Google team can focus their efforts on other services like Google+. So in the end, this decision may benefit all Google users as a whole.

Useful Alternatives to Picnik

One o f the reasons Google decided to close down Picnik is because they were competing with sites that essentially did the same thing. Here are just a couple of alternative photo editing sites you can try out.

Aviary
Aviary has become one of the more popular online application sites. Aviary’s programs allow you to edit audio as well as images. You can create logos through their vector editor, Raven, or simply edit images using Pheonix. Either way, your options are much more vast than those you had with Picnik’s basic service.

Pixlr
Like Aviary’s Pheonix, Pixlr is designed for image editing. Its layout looks like Photoshop and it is fairly easy to function. Pixlr lets you use basic functions like cropping and painting to more complex photo editing options.

Conclusion

In the end, Picnik going away isn’t all that bad of news. It means that Google will have more resources to focus on improving their numerous other programs and since there are a few alternatives to online photo editing, it’s really not a huge change for consumers.

Facebook’s Timeline is designed to give you a completely different experience when it comes to viewing your personal profile and the profiles of friends and family.

Standing Out from the Crowd

Facebook began as a way to interact with friends though the internet. It was unique and it paved the path to what we now know as social networking. The site was originally designed to allow users to give quick updates and share experiences, stories and other news with those they knew. With the addition of newer and more efficient social sites like Google Plus and Twitter, Facebook needed a way to stand out from the crowd; make a unique site that is unlike anything else out there today. One may argue that Facebook’s new Timeline compares to your typical blog, but there are some differences to the new feature.

What Makes Facebook Timeline so Special?

From the minimal testing out that we have done with the new Timeline, we have discovered a couple of things that are worth mentioning. While some people may complain about “another change,” to us this is more than just that. Facebook’s Timeline is a complete overhaul of what Facebook used to be. While it appears you will still be able to follow friends on the original news feed, when you click to view your profile the Timeline fun begins.

The biggest benefit we saw from the timeline was being able to retroactively add pictures, experiences and stories. For example, you can add photos of you as a child and give them a date. So instead of viewing numerous photo albums in random orders, you are able to figuratively go back in time and re-live your childhood.

One other benefit we encountered was how easy it was to locate past events and posts. Before, if you wanted to find an event you had posted a year earlier, you would have to scroll down for what seemed like forever to find the message. Now, with one simple click of the mouse, you can go back for years.

Test it Out

Don’t like the way your Timeline looks? Facebook is giving you a seven-day “trial period” to play around with it. If you have embarrassing photos or posts that you don’t want to re-live or others to notice, then you have the option smoothing out those rough edges.

While Facebook understands people don’t like change, especially when it comes to their personal things (experiences, photos, etc.), they seemed to have hit the ball right out of the park with their new Timeline. Try it out for yourself.

Apple Products

If you are into Macs then make sure you wait until Black Friday to purchase anything. Apple retailers are preparing for Black Friday. Best Buy is advertising $45 off their iPad 2 and up to $150 off their MacBook Pros. Apple’s official website hasn’t advertised any Black Friday sales yet, but they had discounts last year including up to $101 off their MacBook Pros.

Amazon.com

Amazon has already started their Black Friday sales. You can save anywhere from 10-70 percent off on certain products. LG 32 inch TVs are $307 while Toshiba 15-15 inch LED laptops are $499. Before you camp out the morning of Black Friday, make sure you check Amazon.com first.

Wal-Mart

Shopping Wal-Mart may seem so cliche’ but they may be the best one-stop shop for Black Friday bargainers. Items will be on sale like the xbox 360 for around $199. Make sure Wal-Mart is one of the first places you visit on Black Friday.

That Was Easy

Staples is another store you should make time for on Black Friday. Here is their ad. One item worth noting is the Kindle Fire Tablet which you can get for $199 plus a $20 gift card after mail in rebate.

Do Your Research

Whatever you do, make sure you plan ahead. Nothing is worse than over paying, especially on Black Friday where you can save hundreds of dollars. Search ads, shop online and clips as many coupons as possible. Remember, most stores have a price match policy so even if you don’t plan on entering a store, clip their coupons anyway. Good luck!

You probably have your own current system to take notes. I used to have numerous sticky notes on my desk and around the edge of my computer. On top of that I used to use the stickies on the dashtop of my MacBook. I got my ideas and notes down but there was no organization.

Evernote allows you to organize your notes. There are so many ways to use Evernote, it’s no wonder it’s such a popular web app. Evernote also works with Android, iTouch/iPhone, and even has it’s own desktop app for mac and PC users. If you use Google Chrome, there’s an Evernote app in the Chrome Web Store.

If you are a student, try using Evernote to take class notes. At work, use Evernote to manage tasks and record ideas. Even on the go, Evernote’s mobile apps can help you remember to do something. When you get home and sit at your computer, the note is there waiting for you.

Stumbleupon

Do you ever find yourself out of things to do on the computer? StumbleUpon lets you surf the web with literally just one push of the button.

The first thing you do is create an account and choose areas of interest. If you like technology, choose technology as an area of interest. The next time you click on the StumbleUpon button, you’ll see technology-based sites. If you see a site you like, click on the thumbs up button and StumbleUpon will automatically bookmark it for you.

I use StumbleUpon almost daily. In fact, I found many of these websites through StumbleUpon. Check it out!

Mint

Mint.com is a secure and easy way to keep track of your money. I’ve been using it for over two years now and haven’t had any major issues.

Mint allows you to keep a budget and keep track of all of your finances. It records your transactions automatically. A newer feature with Mint is the “Goals” tab that allows you to create a goal such as planning for a trip, saving for retirement, or paying off debt.

Whether you have all the money in the world or are flat broke, Mint.com can help you balance a budget and will make you feel better about your money.

Grooveshark

Grooveshark has been around for a while. If you are into music, Grooveshark may be something good for you to try out.

Grooveshark allows you to find music and add it to your own playlists for free. The only downside is the advertisements which can be removed if you decide to upgrade your subscription.

If you enjoy using iTunes, Pandora, Spotify or Google Music, you may want to try out Grooveshark.

Dropbox

If you’ve ever used a thumb drive, you may want to consider Dropbox.

Dropbox is a cloud service that allows you to save any file to your own online cloud. You can even create a folder and share it with any number of people. If you work in an office and are constantly sharing files with each other. Instead of creating numerous emails to send files, just put it in the Dropbox.

If you have a presentation to do in school, you don’t have to hassle with a thumb drive, just put it in the Dropbox and pull it up once you get to class.

Angry Birds

I know most of you have heard about the ever popular and addictive game of Angry Birds. Now you can play it online.

The best part about this online app is that it’s free. The iPhone version costs money and the screen is tiny. Now you can play on a large computer screen without paying anything. Also, if you are a Google Chrome user, you can download the app in the Web Store and play offline.

Pixlr

Pixlr is a free online image editing app. Crop, add effects, include wording all in one web app. It’s hard to explain all Pixlr doesso you just have to try it out for yourself.

Zootool

Zootool is a newer web app that we haven’t had much time to use, but the possibilities are endless. The purpose of Zootool is to capture anything and everything on the web.

Similiar to the bookmarks feature for your browser, you can save a page on Zootool. But it’s much more than that. You can create a pack or a category in which to place your saved pages, images, videos and documents. So you’re not just bookmarking a page, you’re creating a personal database of anything you want to store from the internet.

My favorite part of Zootool is that it’s social. You can share your pack with the public and view packs that others have put out there. Try it out, you’ll find yourself getting lost in the amount of internet content you actually enjoy.

In the past, the yellowish tint now showing up on the iPhone 4S was due to uncured adhesive. However, problems generally cleared up on their own within just a few weeks, requiring no real fix. It may still be the case with some new iPhone 4S’. However, it may also be slightly more complicated.

The older models had yellow spots which went away in a few weeks. The 4S on the other hand has an all-encompassing appearance, making the whole screen yellow, leading some to conclude that the whole screen must be bad. It has been dubbed “Yellowgate” so far, and some even report losing their signals because of this.

Apple initially cleared that problem in the iPhone 4 with a free bumper, which granted, can be slightly inconvenient. Apple has not officially released any information on what may be causing this Yellowgate problem in cases where it doesn’t just go away on its own. However, most have noticed that it tends to happen on the black model and not necessarily the white model in most cases.

If you have this particular problem, please feel free to go to your local Apple store, where representatives are generally reported to be extremely helpful, finding every way possible to get you the fixes you need under warranty. This easily qualifies.

An ingenious product called: InVentClips

Introducing: InVentClips

Now, this product is still relatively new but is currently being manufactured and distributed world-wide by a few guys who simply wanted to find a solution to the “device-in-lap” problem.

But here’s where it gets good…There are several other products on the current smart phone/tablet/mp3 market that function with a similar purpose–to anchor/mount your device– but none display the device as high up as InVentClips do and NONE that we’ve seen thus far have been as affordable and user-friendly as the InVentClip.

How Does it Work

So now that we’ve sparked your curiosity, let us explain how this thing works. The InVentClip, as it’s clever name suggests, attaches to your tablet, phone, or music player and then clips into your car vents, much like an air freshener would. The clips are light-weight, they provide adequate support for your device, and they keep the device in place so you don’t have to worry about it falling out or shifting during sudden stops or accelerations.

Currently, the device uses velcro to attach to your device, but rumor has it (thanks to a rather reliable source) that the makers are moving toward a “clip-in” case that will provide an even more secure and flush design–and they’ll still keep the product at a lower price than competitors using the same technology.

Why We Love InVentClips

Although not quite as “sophisticated” as other car mounts we’ve come across, we have yet to come across one that displays your device at “air-vent” level. Most others attach to your dash by using the cigarette lighter but this still forces you to look down (and away from traffic and your safety) to mess around with your device. InVentClips allows you to keep your eyes on the road but with a slight head shift, be able to follow your GPS, change your music, answer a call, etc.

Where Can I Find InVentClips?

Today is your lucky day because we’re going to tell you where you can get your own InVentClips or ipad car mount (or WHATEVER you want to mount) right now. InVentClips are currently being sold on their site: inventclips.com and can be found for the low price of $19.99 for an ipad/tablet mount, $11.99 for a smart phone mount, and only $29.99 for a bundled set.

This is a steal, considering other most car mounts are sold between $70-$200 dollars. At silverlight-data we’re all about supporting the entrepeneur, so quit running red lights, missing turns, and barely missing pedestrians and get your InVentClips today!

Pre-orders for the original iPhone 4 reached only 600,000 in the first 24 hours. These high numbers fly in the face of reports and complaints from some iPhone fans. Customers are not happy that Apple didn’t introduce an iPhone 5, and many were hoping for a complete redesign of the iPhone with new software, a faster chip, and the same basic look.

Currently, the United States has 3 carriers who sell the latest iPhone. It can be jail broken to be used on the T-Mobile network, but so far, AT&T, Verizon, and now Sprint are able to sell the iPhone 4S. AT&T stated just Friday that the the iPhone 4S has been the most successful iPhone introduced yet.

AT&T had exclusive rights to sell the iPhone for more than 3 years, and it took in more than 200,000 preorders for the 4S in the first 12 hours! AT&T has of course suffered a drop in their sales due to the introduction of the iPhone to the Verizon network, which is thought to be more dependable. However, everybody is using the iPhone 4S.

By Friday, the iPhone 4S will be sold in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and the UK. By the end of October, the iPhone 4S will be available in 22 different countries according to Apple. Apple shares are currently up 3.2%, now at $381.77

If you want the more specialized setups or something more personalized, you still have to hack even a droid. However, it is becoming increasingly simple, even for the technically unsavvy.

New Apps

The makers of Android are coming out with multiple aps that allow users to watch movies and even read books from the comfort of their phone. There is no more waiting for downloads, you can upload more efficiently according to recent reviews and reports, and there is no syncing or even worrying about storage space.

All you have to do is sign into the Android market and Google account already on your phone, and you can start watching instantly. You can rent movies from anywhere you may be, and some are speculating that they might set it up so that you can stream it straight to an Android ready device for your TV, just like Netflix.

Of course, the screen is considerably smaller than that of an iPad, meaning that if you read on your phone, the print will not be nearly as large and you may have to slide a little more. For some though, the value is well worth it. The books are linked to your Google account, meaning that they are instantly available across your computer, phone, or tablet, without any wires or downloads.

The new Android is jumping forward by leaps and bounds, leaving many competitors in the dust and providing more options in a phone than most would have previously thought possible. This is the new Android market.

So why did this cause publicity? Because, it was suspected that Apple personnel had disguised themselves as official police officers. However, this was unfounded, and the SFPD later disclosed that they had actually participated in this search for the missing iPhone prototype. Apple security officers were involved in the search, but they did not lead the charge.

There are still some officials who are looking into the circumstances surrounding the search, specifically searching for any improprieties. The resident of the house claims that personnel from either office threatened him, questioning his immigration status and threatening “trouble” as he put it. However, this has not been substantiated or backed by police, and all of the members in the house are currently legal.

The missing iPhone 5 prototype has not turned up yet, and based on the current search, there is a good chance that it won’t turn up any time soon.