Google Docs makes your documents e-reader-friendly

A small update for Google Docs will be particularly useful for you e-reader-toting users. The app now lets you turn your files into .epub files, meaning your docs can be read without having to worry about it fitting properly into an e-book reader. .epub is one of the most popular open formats for ebooks and it’s supported in almost all e-readers, except for the Kindle. One of the big advantages of the format over PDF is that it automatically adjusts texts for different screen sizes or you can set that to a fixed layout as well. But if you want to give your readers more leeway, they can adjust font and text size themselves. The format also allows for GIF, JPEG, PNG, and SVG images.

So, if you’ve been dying to get your manuscript read and critiqued by friends, you can now do so easily with Google Docs. The update should roll out to all users in the next three days.

Source: Google Apps Updates | Via: The Next Web

Google hires 4chan founder, speculated to jumpstart their social media bid

Photo by John Dill

Google hasn’t really been able to get into the social media game. Google+ remains an afterthought for users. But with its recent hire it’s speculated that they’re looking to change that. Christopher Poole, the founder of the controversial image-board site 4chan, joins the tech giant. Poole made the announcement on Tumblr saying he planned to “contribute my own experience from a dozen years of building online communities.” This could mean that he is trying to work on the social aspect of the site.

Source: The Guardian

Apply virtual makeup in real time with FaceCake’s new augmented reality tool

Trying on clothes using augmented reality isn’t new but what about makeup? FaceCake has introduced a new AR platform to let you try on makeup shades using your browser. The other good thing is it happens in real time. Online cosmetics store Cargo partners with FaceCake to put the technology to use. They started off with products like lipstick and eyeshadow. The AR tool works with HTML5 and JavaScript so as long as you have a browser running that and a webcam ready, you can try on as many shades as you want.

Source: SlashGear

OS X hit by first ransomware via Transmission BitTorrent client

Apple’s Mac operating system has been hit by the “first fully functional” ransomware threat via the Transmission BitTorrent client. According to Claud Xiao and Jin Chen of Palo Alto Networks, “attackers infected two installers of Transmission version 2.90 with KeRanger on the morning of March 4.” Once installed, the malware connected to a remote server via the Tor anonymizing service and it “begins encrypting certain types of document and data files on the system.” It then “demands that victims pay one bitcoin (about $400) to a specific address to retrieve their files.” If you downloaded the app on Friday or Saturday, it’s recommended you download the 2.92 update to avoid being targeted by the ransomware. And here are steps to identify and remove the malware if it was installed.

Apple on the same day the threat was discovered revoked the signing certificate involved to prevent new installations of the infected version via the iOS-like GateKeeper signed-app security system. They also automatically distributed an OS X XProtect antivirus signature to flag or quarantine existing compromised downloads. With these measures up, those who try to open a known-infected version of the app will get a warning dialog box that notes “Transmission.app will damage your computer. You should move it to the Trash,” or “Transmission can’t be opened. You should eject the disk image.”

Source: Apple Insider