Skype lands on PlayStation Vita

You can download Skype for PlayStation Vita from the PlayStation Store for free.

(Credit: Sony Computer Entertainment)

Skype for PlayStation Vita essentially works just like any other smartphone version of the software, providing a comprehensive set of features, free Skype-to-Skype voice, and high-quality video calls. Also, gabbers can choose between the rear and front-facing Vita cameras during video communication. The aesthetics of the Skype client seem tailored to blend in with the overall tone of the Vita user interface, which I consider a nice touch.

Using Skype on the Vita will not interrupt any record-breaking gaming sessions, as the app runs in background mode.

"You have the capability to pause a game, conduct a call, and then return to a previous activity," Manrique Brenes, a senior director at Skype, said in a blog post. "Plus, with a little Skype credit you can make low-cost calls to landlines and mobile directly from your PS Vita."

Does that make the Vita the Zack Morris cell phone of this decade, or did we already cross that threshold a long time ago?

Unified Remote turns your Android into a PC controller

If you've mirrored your computer on your television for Internet video streaming, music playback, or even general computer usage, you know the setup can be cumbersome.

The biggest challenge here is finding a reliable solution for typing and navigating from the seat of your couch.

Unified Remote solves this dilemma and turns your phone into a keyboard and mouse, and also offers "quick launch" functions for doing things like prompting the Start menu, managing files, controlling playback, stopping tasks, and even shutting down the computer.

Previously we shared a simple keyboard and mouse solution for Android, and a similar one foriPhone, but Unified Remote's advanced feature offerings undoubtedly beat them both. Check it out:

Step 1: Download and install the Unified Remote Server on your computer (Windows only). Once installed, launch it.

Step 2: Connect your Android phone to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer. Alternatively, if your computer is Bluetooth-ready, pair it with your phone.

Step 3: Download and install Unified Remote from the Play Store. At launch, confirm that you've installed the server. Then add a new server, select "Automatic," and the app will find your computer. Tap your computer's name to connect.

Now you're ready to start controlling your computer with your phone. Tap Remotes in the app. The "Basic input" remote will prompt the mouse, which you can use as a trackpad. Instructions for using the mouse will appear on-screen. To prompt the keyboard, tap your phone's menu button.

Back in the list of Remotes, you'll see the many other ways you can control your computer with the app. Here are a few useful ones:

• File Manager: Browse and open files from within the app.
• Media: Pause, play, and skip any local media.
• Power: Shutdown, restart, hibernate, and other power options.
• Start: Access the Start menu to easily launch programs.
• YouTube: Control the playback of streaming YouTube videos.

How to unlock seven new Clear themes

When Clear was first released, it quickly became the No. 1 paid app in the App Store, helping iOS users everywhere become more organized. Immediately after release, it was discovered there was three hidden themes in the app. We covered how to unlock the themes shortly after, and then began to wait patiently for an update with new themes.

With today's update, our wish has been granted, and thanks to Touch Arcade, we already know the hidden themes and how to unlock them. In total, there are seven new themes you can potentially unlock.

Path
Similar to the theme rewarded to users for having Tweetbot installed, there is now a theme for having Path installed. You don't have to be an active Path member, it just has to be installed on your device. To complete the unlock if you have just installed Path, navigate to the Theme option in Settings and open it. You'll then be alerted of the new theme. 

Gifted
There is also a new Gifted theme, which is awarded after you tap on the Gift Me option from the Settings list. You don't actually have to gift the app, just wait until you are redirected to the App Store and then go back to Clear. You should then be alerted that the new theme was unlocked.

Ultraviolet and Night Owl
The Ultraviolet theme requires you to use Clear every day for a week (seven days in a row). A smart move by the developers to entice users to keep using the app. The Night Owl theme is unlocked by marking some tasks as complete between midnight and 3 a.m.

Game-related themes
On top of the four themes above, the groundwork for three more, game-based themes, has already been placed in Clear. According to Touch Arcade, users who have The Heist, Temple Run, and Bumpy Road installed will also be treated to a theme once those respective apps are updated.

If you find a theme not listed here or in the original hidden theme post, please mention it along with unlock instructions in the comments below.

How to create a perfect group photo in iOS

Group photos are always difficult to take. You end up taking multiple photos of the group, hoping that one comes out with the majority of people looking at the camera and smiling.

Unless you or a family member have some good Photoshop skills, combining the photos into one to get the best shot isn't an option. Well, if you have an iOS device and the group-photo blues are getting you down, GroupShot is going to make your day.

GroupShot allows you to import your group photos and then, by only using your finger to indicate the area you want to change, it creates the perfect group photo. Watch the video below for a glimpse of the "magic" in action.

Pretty neat, right? Obviously, if the background or lighting has changed between photos, there will be some issues. But, as long as the photos are fairly similar, you should see great results when using GroupShot.

You can get GroupShot from the App Store for 99 cents.

Feeling inspired? For more photography ideas, check out our five creative projects for the avid photographer.

How to get the most free online storage

Google Drive. Dropbox. Box. SkyDrive. Cubby. iCloud.

All cloud storage services. All offer a free plan, with varying levels of storage and features. All offer paid upgrades for more storage and yet more features. With pricing becoming such a hot topic, especially with the launch of Google Drive, let's take a look at the free upgrades some of these services are offering, and how you can take advantage of them today.

With so many different cloud storage options out there, some of the service providers are offering free storage in exchange for promoting the respective service or recruiting friends and family.

First, let's get the services out of the way that aren't currently offering free upgrades.SkyDrive, Google Drive, Cubby, and iCloud all start with a free plan, then if you need more storage you'll have to pay.

SkyDrive recently lowered the starting amount of space awarded to users from 25GB to 7GB, but if you're an existing user, you can still log in and claim your free 25GB of space.

That leaves us with Dropbox and Box.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET)

Box
Box is offering a free 50GB plan if you log into your Box from one of the following devices:

• Any LG Android phone or tablet
• A Sony Tablet S and Tablet P
• HP TouchPad
• RIM PlayBook
• Sony Xperia phones

The offer is good, according to a FAQ document on the Box support site, until December 31, 2012. If you don't own any of the devices listed above, but happen to have a friend or family who does, download and install the Box app on their device and simply log in. Once you have logged in to your Box account from a qualifying device, your account is automatically upgraded. You can then log out and delete the app, or allow the device owner to log back into their Box account.

You will then, for the life of your account, have a free 50GB plan.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET)

Dropbox
Now this is where things get interesting. Dropbox offers a healthy list of different ways to earn free storage.

For starters, you can earn 250MB for free just by completing the Getting Started guide. You can then earn another 640MB of storage by connecting your Twitter and Facebook account to Dropbox.

You can also earn up to 16GB of free space just by inviting your friends to sign up for Dropbox. For each person who uses your personal link and completes the sign up process, you are awarded 500MB of storage (maxing out at 16GB).

Want some more space? Help Dropbox testout its new Camera Upload feature. Install the latest version of the Android app, or download and install the latest beta of either the Mac or Windows app and enable automatic camera upload. Upon the initial upload you will receive 500MB for free. For each 500MB of photos and videos you upload after that, you will receive another 500MB of storage, for free. This tops out at 3GB, not including the 500MB awarded for the initial upload. (All in all, another 3.5GB of free storage.)

I'm sure you can do the math and see the potential amount of free storage Dropbox is dangling out in front of you.

If we missed a service or hidden unlock feature for free storage with one of the providers mentioned (or not mentioned), let us know!

How to use Google Drive with keyboard shortcuts

Google is one of the biggest proponents of using keyboard shortcuts with Web services. Gmail keyboard shortcuts are very popular, and you can even control Google Music with keyboard shortcuts too. It's no surprise then, that Google Drive also supports keyboard shortcuts.

As you learn how to get started with Google Drive, try some of these keyboard shortcuts to help you navigate Google Drive a little faster:

Selection
j : navigate to and highlight next item
k : navigate to and highlight previous item
x : toggle selection of highlighted item
Shift + a : select all
Shift + n : select none

Jumping
g then n : go to navigation panel
g then l : go to document list
g then c : go to collections
g then d : go to details pane

Actions
o or Enter : open item
s : toggle star
. : share
z : organize

Create new
Shift + t : create a new text document
Shift + s : create a new spreadsheet
Shift + p : create a new presentation
Shift + d : create a new drawing
Shift + c : create a new collection

Menus
c : display create new menu
u : display upload menu
a : display actions menu
r : display sort menu
v : display view menu

Applications
/ : go to search box
d : toggle details pane
? : display keyboard shortcuts

That's it. If you spend a lot of time in your Google Drive account, these keyboard shortcuts should help you navigate it a lot faster. For a full list of Google Drive keyboard shortcuts, press "?", to launch the shortcut display.