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Welcome
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About
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Welcome to DigitalOutbox
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A podcast all about digital technology - computing, gadgets, gaming
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UK based podcast with a real world take on the digital trends
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Title Music
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Original music by Paul Fernihough - contact via twittter
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News
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Google Search Event
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Google Goggles
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Take a picture of an item, and use that picture as the query. Say you have a bottle of wine to see if it’s any good. Take a picture. Looks it up, shows it has hints of apricots, etc. It’s in labs for two reasons. It’s nascent. Works in certain types of objects in certain categories. We want to be able to do any image. Today you have to frame a photo. In the future, just have to point at an object. We’re a long way from that. But today marks the beginning of that journey.
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How long before face recognition search?
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How do you prevent misuse?
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Great demo
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Currently android only but will come to iPhone
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Google Realtime Search
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Does a query for “Obama” into Google, results page comes up. Latest results for Obama streaming in. There is a widget on the standard results page, with results sliding by. They’re nested in the standard results page. This is the first time any search engine has integrated real time web into the results page. Google’s Matt Cutts just tweeted something, and it immediately showed up in the search results.
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New link under search options. “Latest results”. In addition to old ones, “Past hour, past 24 hours, past week, past year”. Available today. iPhone and Android
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How much real-time data are you crawling?
A: We’re crawling a lot of content ~1 billion pages a day. Many sources. Both new sources, and if a company announces a new product and does a release, we get that. And new blog posts. So we’re casting a very wide net. The key here is comprehensiveness of realtime integration.
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Broadband Tax Details Revealed
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Alistair Darling in pre-budget report. £6 a year for all fixed line phone users so that people in Wales can have Broadband.
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Superfast broadband to 90% of the country by 2017... 2 0 1 7!!! In technology time-scales that's just plain ridiculous.
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"It is estimated that the broadband tax would raise around £170m a year, which is some way short of BT's estimate of £5bn needed to provide super-fast fibre services to every UK home."
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Apparently, the Conservatives have pledged to scrap the tax if they win the election next year... So we should probably just ignore this until it goes away? But is there a need for this tax?
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UK Trails on Super Fast Broadband
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According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the UK is placed 21st out of 30 in terms of speed.
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The report suggests that countries that invest in fibre networks are likely to see the best economic returns in other areas.
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When it comes to broadband penetration, the UK is doing ok - placed 13th out of the 30 OECD members.
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UK's broadband population standing at nearly 18 million, take-up of the technology is good but there are concerns about how quickly the UK is rolling out super-fast services.
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Super-fast is generally regarded as speeds of 50Mbps (megabits per second) or above.
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Web firms speak out against Digital Britain clause 17
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Facebook, Google, Yahoo and eBay
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Want removal of clause 17 that gives any future Secretary of State powers to change copyright law as they see fit.
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Postcode Data to be free in 2010
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Currently organisations that want access to datasets that tie postcodes to physical locations cannot do so without incurring a charge.
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Following a brief consultation, the postcode information is set to be freed in April 2010.
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As part of this push, the government said it would start "consulting on making Ordnance Survey mapping and postcode datasets available for free reuse from April 2010.
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The dataset that is likely to be freed is that which ties postcodes to geographic locations. Many more commercial organisations use the Postcode Address File (PAF) that ties post codes to addresses. Currently access to either data set incurs a charge.
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Post Office states that the PAF won't be released - spend too much money maintaining it to release it
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US Games Company sues British Blogger
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In an internet defamation case that lawyers say could set an "extraordinary precedent", an American games company is suing a British blogger in the Australian courts.
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Evony, an online games company registered in the US state of Delaware, is suing Coventry-based blogger Bruce Everiss for libel over a series of allegations made on his website. In a bizarre twist, however, Evony has decided not to pursue its case in Britain or America, but 10,000 miles away.
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A hearing in Sydney on Monday will determine whether or not the supreme court of New South Wales has jurisdiction – with the potential to set a precedent for the way defamation laws are applied to the online world.
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The blogger himself, who does not intend to make an appearance in Sydney, has responded angrily to the action and accused Evony of libel tourism.
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Facebook improves privacy control - but still doesn't care about it
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Facebook has rolled out its long touted updates to the privacy controls.
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They are fine grained and allow you to control many aspects. They are clear and well implemented.
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But why the heck does it default to fully open!
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As a user, you are presented with a box informing you to update your settings.
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Tweet During Sex
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Best man rigs bed to tweet while couple are having sex - start time, end time, frenzy rating
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Absolute class
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Apple
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Google Chrome beta
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Finally comes to the mac
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No extension support (there is in dev build) - in fact bookmakrs manager, app mode, task manager and gears support missing
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Very fast though, as fast as safari, for me anyway
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Also announced Extensions (previously dev only)
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Rem The Milk, Xmarks, Adblock etc etc - happy days
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UStream Live Recorder
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Live video streaming finally comes to iPhone
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10-20 second delay but quality is fine
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App is free
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record videos right to the web, and allow others to watch them as they’re being recorded. These videos can also be archived so that people can watch them later, if they choose.
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easy to automatically tweet out when you go live, as well as to do things like share the videos on Facebook and YouTube. The live broadcast can also send out your location, if you’re into that sort of thing. The app also allows for chatting with viewers, and yes/no polling.
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Works for 3GS and also 3G
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Tesco iPhone pricing
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For the 3Gs, £20 x 12 months + £407 = £647 or £60 x 24 months + £50 = £1,490
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Highest cost per month on 3GS or 3G but appealing 12 month contract instead of 18 or 2 years
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£60 - unlimited but limited by Fair Usage Policy...which is 1 TB of data!
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£20 - low minutes and texts
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Apple Sues Nokia
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Nokia sued Apple in Nov for 10 patent infringements
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apple now sues Nokia for 13 patent infringements
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"Other companies must compete with us by inventing their own technologies, not just by stealing ours." That was the only official Apple statement we've yet seen on the matter, by Bruce Sewell, Apple's General Counsel and senior vice president.
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Location Frustration
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IMDB app out - not in UK
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Dragon Dictation app out, free for limited time, not in UK
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Hate location lock outs - Hulu, Youtube exclusives etc, makes me stabby
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iPhone update woes
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Application updates on the iphone itself are unreliable for over a week now
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Installs old version instead, not consistent, frustrating
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Only sound way of getting updates is to do via iTunes and install over USB
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Even then, Reeder update won't install
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Gadgets n Games
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Pixeljunk Shooter
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Looks and plays really well
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Played through first few area's and it's great
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Another great PSN from Pixeljunk
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Boxee Beta
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Private beta with a new and improved look
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users are greeted by a dashboard with three columns in the form of a newsfeed, featured content and a program queue
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newsfeed offers starred content and comments from Boxee, Twitter and Facebook friends
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centre column is reserved for featured community content
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In the past users were asked to differentiate between their local and web files. Boxee Beta mixes local and web content in recognition that users simply want to watch their favorite programs regardless of the formats or location of files
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plan to open up the Beta to the public on Jan 7th (at CES) - Over the next 4 weeks we will gradually release invitations to our early access users
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Also announced Boxee box
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Hardware partner is D-Link
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Wi-fi enabled, SD slot, HDMI, SPDIF and RCA Audio connections, plus two USB ports - full specs in Jan, costs $200
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Design is pretty unique - height of a coke can
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But would your money be better spent on a laptop/mini-desktop that you can install the software on and use for other purposes?
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Google Phone
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Android dogfood
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The phone itself is being built by HTC, with a lot of input from Google. It seems to be a tailored version of the HTC Passion or the related HD2 (Unlocker scored some leaked pictures back in October which are of the same phone).
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From tweets: Yeah, it's a hot, sexy mess. And I mean that in a good way. Similar form-factor to the iPhone, but with a smooth-brushed-metal-looking shell instead of a glossy one. And perhaps a smidgen lighter. Super fast, speech-to-text in EVERY app, awesome "live wallpapers" in the background that respond to touch in really beautiful ways. Like water ripples that emanate out from a touch.
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Rumours of January launch, but is it not just a rebrand of another phone?
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Called the Nexus One, It's built by HTC, Google put a lot of effort into tweaking the stock Android interface, they'll sell the phone direct online, and you'll BYO service plan
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Milestone a Sellout in the UK
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Retailer eXpansys is reporting that the just-launched Droid clone for GSM became "the fastest selling gadget in the website's 11 year history, even more successful than the iPhone" when it sold out inside of three hours on its site on top of the roughly 1,000 preorders they had taken prior to the 10th.
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Expansys is a reasonably big seller in the UK, but only the geeks know it exists.
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The general public in the UK haven't a clue what a milestone/droid is.
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It is only with Expansys exclusively for 2 weeks. From 21 December Play.com will also have it and from next year, it should be sold at phone shops from different networks
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Crunchpad is JooJoo
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Is available as pre-order (shipping within 8-10weeks) on thejoojoo.com - $499. Desktop stand $30.
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Boot to the internet in 9 seconds - fastest out there
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Could deliver HD on the go (Although it only mentions HD YouTube, Hulu and other Internet sites... screams - NOT 720p to me.)
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It's a web browser with a touch interface - too dear, people will wait for Apple, damaged goods. (But what if Apple device does cost rumoured $1000)
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After a long background story about how and why he partnered with Arrington on the Crunchpad (”I guess I had him at hello”), Rathakrishnan got down and dirty: “Unfortunately, Michael was unable to deliver. Michael was completely unable to deliver.” Rathakrishnan also criticized Arrington’s Internet-celebrity approach to talking up the Crunchpad before its launch. “Publishing pictures of an unfinished product on a blog … is not a recipe for success,” he said. In Rathakrishnan’s version of the story, Arrington spent his time blowing hot air about what he was going to do, while Fusion Garage did all the work to finish the design and build the product.
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First hands on - good, fast to boot, no app's, no storage, web browser and touch screen - too focussed, too expensive
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Jolicloud is great alternative with support for apps
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Picks
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Shakeel
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Beat It!
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Part beat machine, part rhythm (re)creation, totally addictive
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listen to a track, lay down the beats, match the beat
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super retro 8-bit pixel-art graphics
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Ian
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Tunechecker
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Find the cheapest price of music on the web
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Doesn't compare quality of the music though so mileage may vary
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Also highlights free tracks
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Developed by moneysavingexpert.com
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I Love Stars
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Sits in menu bar and shows you rating, lets you rate iTunes tracks
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Flash or play sound 3/4 way through playback of unrated song
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Supports keyboard shortcuts
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Free
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Chris
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Acrobat Online Suite
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Adobe's online suite. Includes a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation apps.
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Online PDF creation
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Online meetings - whiteboards, webcams, mics, screen sharing and even screen control.
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Online repository for files.
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All run from Flash player.
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Free account limited to 5 PDF creations per day and 3 people limit in meetings. (Premium subscriptions available to raise limits.)
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Tam - Guest Pick
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Free OCR
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Free-OCR.com is a free online OCR (Optical Character Recognition) tool. You can use this to perform OCR on any image you supply.
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This service is free, no registration necessary. We also do not need your email address.
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Just upload your image files. Free-OCR takes either a JPG, GIF, TIFF BMP or PDF (only first page).
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The only restriction is that the images must not be larger than 2MB, no wider or higher than 5000 pixels and there is a limit of 10 image uploads per hour.
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Feedback
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E-Mails
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Twitter
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Follow us on Twitter
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Facebook
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We're on Facebook too
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Skype
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Leave us feedback or questions via Skype
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Close
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Contact the Contributors
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Ian
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Ian's personal blog
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Follow Ian on Twitter
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Facebook
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Shakeel
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Shakeel's personal blog
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Follow Shakeel on Twitter
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Facebook
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Chris
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Chris's personal blog
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Follow Chris on Twitter
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Henry
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Henry's personal blog
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Follow Henry on Twitter
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