PGM Nexus is an application which makes you forget of the power button.

PGM Nexus is a great kernel module (or an app, if you prefer it in simple terms), designed for rooted Galaxy Nexus phones which allows you to turn your screen on or off using just swipe gestures. For example, on my Nexus I just swipe from left to right across the screen, and it powers on. If I do the same thing but on the other direction at the bottom of the screen (where the navigation buttons are located), screen just turns of. It takes a bit of time to get used to it, but after you start enjoying it, it'll be the exclusive mode you turn the screen on and off.

If your power button fails and you are afraid of that, this is exactly what you need. I still can't figure out how it actually works (the screen is off, it doesn't use any power but it still recognizes the swipes), but it's a great idea which is well implemented. It's really great, but because of the kernel thing, it will automatically turn off (if set to start on boot) when a kernel is flashed, but selecting that option again seems to stick through reboots afterwards.

Only drawback: it's $3. There's a free version available, but people complain that it completely stops working after a week. So you decide on which way to go. 

Using social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, Myspace or LinkedIn? Then, try HootSuite.

HootSuite is a professional social client, featuring various platforms: Twitter, Facebook, Facebook Page, LinkedIn, Ping.fm, WordPress, MySpace and  Foursquare. I presented you some time ago Seesmic's web service (here), and the main difference between them is that HootSuite is much more complex and supports other platforms, not just Twitter.

There are many things you can do with HootSuite: track results of your websites (only for WordPress), add contributors to your account (who can post from your account), schedule posting at certain time/date, monitor mentions or assign tasks to your contributors. All those in a well organized screen, with a theme of your choice (you have 3 themes to choose from).

Posting is done easily with a large number of options, and with the option of selecting the network on which to post. If you are confused about changing settings, viewing your stats or managing plugins, just hit that owl on the upper left corner of the window.

Go now on http://hootsuite.com/, create an account, and start using all of your social networks from one single place.

Convert (almost) anything on your Android device with Unit Converter - Convertpad.

If you're searching for a complex conversion program for Android, what I recommend you to try is "Unit Converter". It is a fully featured Unit Converter and Calculator. As I've told you in the title, this can convert (and also calculate) almost anything. Starting from Length, Weight, Volume, Time, continuing with Surface Tension, Permeability, Fuel Efficiency - Mass, and finishing with Typography, Cooking and Lumber (and tens of others).

This application is very popular on the Market, having over 250 000 downloads currently. It is very useful especially at Physics (at school), but also when you want to convert something fast and you don't want to stay and think how it is the best to convert that. It has even a currency converter (but unfortunately it has a limited number of currencies and needs a data connection to update). But, what matters, it is free.

Download it now from the Market : "Unit Converter - Convertpad " (type full name, the application is by Sunny Moon).

Protect your Android device with Lookout Mobile Security.

Todays mobile devices (such as phones) run more and more advanced and complex operating systems, so a protection suite is something needed now. When I got my Android phone (Nexus One), I've started looking for a mobile antivirus. I got one which offered only antivirus protection, but I wasn't satisfied with it, so I tried Lookout, and it really impressed me.

This is not just an antivirus. It has a very useful backup mechanism, and for extra protection, it also has a device locating system (named "Missing Device"). Additionally, in the last system, a method for making your device scream is also included, to help you in case that you lost your device and you think it's somewhere near you.

When you install the application, you have to create an account. Later, this account is going to be used in order to manage various tasks, such as: details about scanned and infected files, viewing, managing and sending back to your phone data which has been saved (via backup), locating and making your device scream, and some other tasks.

The entire system works perfectly. It happened for me several times to download infected apps from the Market, and Lookout blocked them. I also tried to locate my device, and it located (not instantly) my phone impressive exactly (it indicated an area of about 50 meters, as when I tried to locate it I was inside a hotel room).

After you create an account, you can enter on https://www.mylookout.com/user/login, from where you can see real-time details about your phone. From here, you can do anything I told you. You can even set how frequent should your device be scanned and backup procedures done.

It works with Android 2.1 and Android 2.2 (tested by me). Search it on the Android Market: "Lookout".

Nexus One, after three weeks.

I now have about three weeks since I got my Nexus One, so I'll tell you my experience with it. First of all, it's the best phone I've ever touched. It looks, feels, and moves excellent. So, here are its specifications: 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, 512 MB RAM and 4GB storage card included. So, very powerful hardware.

It has a beautiful 3,7" capacitive AMOLED touchscreen, and it is a pleasure to view anything on it. Also, it has a 5-megapixel camera, with (single) LED and video recording capability. The battery has 1400 mAH, but because of the hardware, if you use it intensively it will keep you about 2 days. I am really satisfied with battery's life

Android, its operating system, is made and developed by Google, and is one which promises a lot. It's the best OS for mobile devices, in my opinion. It is the direct competitor for Apple's iPhone OS, since it comes strongly behind. Apple's AppStore has now about 180 000 applications, but the Android Market grows fast, having until now about 50 000 apps available.

Here are some problems, with the Android Market. Anybody is allowed to post any app he wants, so Google is probably not testing the applications that are in the Market. There are some ones even infected, so this is a risk for users. But it's better than how it is in the AppStore, where Apple approves and denies what he wants without any reason. One thing is clear. The Android Market grows. And the best of all, there are only free applications inside.

So, let's return to the phone. I have two words to describe what it can. Total customization. I hope you understood what I wanted to say. You have 5 screens, you can customize them how you want, you can add folders, plenty of widgets, shortcuts, you can open what application you want, let it open, open other, return to the first one without closing the other. The phone does a very efficient multi-tasking, the applications work like they are connected to each other, you have lots of options inside the apps, and on that screen.....everything is amazing.

However, I've experiencing some things that are not really ok with the phone:

• The phone started peeling off at the bottom. I think that it's from that sleeve case I got in the pack. Now I'm not using it anymore, so the phone is ok (no more peeling observed)
• When I wanted to wake up the phone, the screen didn't turn on at all. Nothing worked; I've even tried to keep the power button pressed for a few seconds, but the phone didn't wake up. The solution was to remove the battery and then turn the phone on (this happened two times).
• After keeping the phone charging for longer time, it heats quite much, but not excessively so this is not a problem.
• The power led indicator sometimes turn green, even if the phone has not been charged completely yet (it should be orange).
• The screen has also some problems, sometimes. It happened about 3 times (I think) for the touchscreen to be inaccurate when I was writing something with the keyboard(this is not a big problem). Pinch-to-Zoom works excellent in Maps, Browser and Pictures. However, via a painting application, it is obvious that if the multi-touch is used and the fingers are moved in aleatory directions, the screen is highly inaccurate. It is not known if this is a hardware or software failure, or just this is the way screen behaves, but I'm sure that somehow it will be fixed.

These were the only problems I experienced. The phone has also a trackball, which is very useful in different tasks. It also lights if there is something that you need to be notified about. What else I must tell you is that the soft buttons (back, menu, home and search) must be pressed above in order to be used. They work perfectly (don't believe the others who say they are not working as they should).

The sound when you receive a call is not high enough to hear it. I mainly hear its vibration, not its ringtone. What seems strange is that there was not implemented any file browser on the device by default. However, third party applications of this type are found on the Market.

And the biggest problem. If you search something in the Market, you can't delete that! Very unpleasant. If you search for example "gifts for my girlfriend", you won't be able to delete that so she might see that. I think that this is the biggest problem of this phone. There is a possibility to delete this history, but the phone needs a modified rom and this will void your warranty. Browser's history can be entirely deleted without any problem.

But mainly, the phone is amazing. It is everything I wanted. I've been using an iPhone for 1 year and a half, but the Nexus One is like a fresh breath. It's something new, something faster, something better. I've been using it in U.S. with a Vodafone Romania SIM, and I didn't experience any problem with the signal (you probably heard about this), using the phone on T-mobile, AT&T and Verizon. It costs about $565 in the U.S., with all tax included.

Compiz effects for Ubuntu.

Ubuntu is capable of impressionable desktop effects, which are usually activated automatically from the first boot. If not, you can activate them by going on System -> Preferences -> Appearance -> Visual Effect and selecting "Extra".

This will work if your computer started with 3D Accelerated drivers, and if not, when you select the "Extra" effects, you will be asked if you want to activate the drivers. This is done very simple, you don't need to know anything about Linux, don't worry.

If you want advanced desktop effects, I will recommend you to install two applications. I'm using them on my computers with Linux, and I am recommending them to you because I know that they are simple to be configured and won't create conflicts.

Go to Synaptic Package Manager (System -> Preferences) and there search for the following two applications, and mark them both for installation (the search will return two applications, mark them both):

• compizconfig-settings-manager

After they have been installed, go again to System-> Preferences -> Appearance-> Visual Effects, and select "Custom". Now go to the applications you have just installed (found on System -> Preferences and one of them is called "CompizConfig Settings Manager", and the other one is called "Simple CompizConfig Settings Manager") and start customizing the way your computer moves and behaves.

Please note that this will work on 3D Accelerated drivers, which are either automatically activated, or are manually activated by you). If you can't find the driver for your graphic card, try to search on manufacturer's website (you will need advanced knowledge for configuration).

Enjoy you 3D Ubuntu desktop effects !