Hoga-Boga

Geek to Live: Supercharge your Firefox downloads with DownThemAll

2007-03-03T08:10:00.000+03:00

by Gina Trapani

When it comes to heavy duty download jobs, Firefox's default Downloads manager just doesn't cut the mustard. If you often need closer control of multiple, large downloads, you need the DownThemAll! Firefox add-on. This extra-strength download manager can speed up, queue for later, and batch download sets of files from the web based on patterns you define in one click.

Today we'll use DownThemAll to grab all the MP3's from a web page as well as an entire set of Flickr photos in one click. Sound fun? Let's get this downloading party started.

Using filters: Download all the MP3's on a page

When you right click and choose DownThemAll from the context menu on a web page, dTa presents a list of possible downloads from that page - every single link that exists there, whether it's to another web page or a piece of media, like an image, video or MP3. The power in dTa is the Filters area, where you define a pattern that selects the files you want to download from the often long and crowded list.

So if you were at Lifehacker's sibling site, Idolator, which features MP3 downloads regularly, you might just want to suck down all the music from the front page in one click. Here's how to do so:

Define your filter. In DownThemAll's Preferences area, go to the Filters tab. There you'll see several pre-defined file filters (like Archives (zip, rar) and Videos (mpeg, avi, wmv.)) In the Extensions column, there's a regular expression which defines the file filter. Add one for MP3 files. The Caption can be "*.mp3" and the Filtered Extensions should be /\/[^\/\?]+\.mp3$/, as shown:

Hit OK to save your new filter.
Select all the MP3's with your filter. Then, on the front page of Idolator or your favorite MP3 blog, right click and choose DownThemAll. Click on the MP3 filter checkbox to select only the music files linked on the page for download- just 12 out of 97, in this case - as shown:

Be sure to select the destination directory on your hard drive as well in the Save files in: area.
Custom rename files. Another cool feature of dTa is the ability to set the downloaded filenames using different variables, like date and time and order number. In the Renaming mask dropdown, choose the pattern the downloaded file names should use. Hit the little paper clip note button to see the Renaming tags reference table, as shown:
Queue or start your download. From there, hit up the Start button to begin sucking down the tracks from the web. Alternately, if you don't want to use the bandwidth now, hit the Queue button (a kind of light download bookmarking tool) to set up the files in dTa for kicking off later on.

Advanced filtering: Download the original images from an entire Flickr set

Another interesting use of DownThemAll is to save all the images on a web page to your hard drive. This comes in especially handy if you want to grab a whole album or gallery of photos, like a Flickr set. The only problem is that when you're viewing a Flickr set page, you can only see the image thumbnails; but with a little help from our friend Greasemonkey, you can download the original, large images from Flickr in one click. Here's how.

Install the Link Original Image user script. Since DownThemAll only detects the links present on the current web page, you have to expose the links to the original Flickr images on a set page to download them. That's exactly what the Flickr - Link Original Image Greasmonkey user script does. Install that critter (provided you're running Greasemonkey) and voila! When you look at pages of Flickr photos, links to the original images will be present, as shown:
Filter original image links. Now, invoke the DownThemAll file selection box, and check off the Images filter, which will select all of the set original images (which are also, coincidentally, all named something_o.xx, and could be filtered that way.) Then start or queue your download. [via Vikingo's pub]

One-click access to dTa settings

Once you've got a set of dTa preferences set up that you want to reuse over and over again - say, if you want to download several Flickr sets on different pages - you want to use dTaOneClick!, also available on your right-click context menu. From the help:

dTaOneClick! will start downloading all the links/pictures of the current webpage that will match the filters used in the last dTa! session. Downloads will be saved in the last setted destination path and will be renamed using the last setted [sic] renaming mask.

The one thing you can't do with dTa that you can with my beloved command line wget is schedule regular, recurring downloads (like all the MP3's from Idolator every day at noon). However, DownThemAll's graphical interface and Firefox integration is a lot easier to deal with than command line parameters.

How do you use DownThemAll, or another download manager? Let us know in the comments.

Gina Trapani, the editor of Lifehacker, loves a good list of completed downloads. Her semi-weekly feature, Geek to Live, appears every Wednesday and Friday on Lifehacker. Subscribe to the Geek to Live feed to get new installments in your newsreader.

(Via Lifehacker.)

Coming Monday: The Merlin Show

2007-02-26T10:18:00.000+03:00

The Merlin Show arrives Monday, February 26th, at thirty theoretically productive frames per second.

Subscribe for free via the iTunes

elsewhere, merlin mann, podcasts, productivity, the merlin show, video podcasts

Top 10 designer keyboards

2007-02-26T10:04:00.000+03:00

A year or so ago, I put together a list of the ‘Top 10 weirdest keyboards‘. Today we will forget about all of those crazy keyboards and concentrate on those that has an extra edge regarding looks. I’ve probably looked at several thousand keyboards before I came up with these final 10, so if you know of any additional keyboard with a truly unique and nice design, please add them in the comment below!

Ok then, so let’s kick off with the number 10 position:

10. The Surta-7

The Surta-7 is a vandalism-proof industrial keyboard meant to be used in public places and various kiosk stations. It’s a robust and clean design made out of stainless steel. I guess this one is a pain to type on (as there’s usually only small micro switches beneath each key), but at least it looks good. Or I would put it this way - it’s so ugly that it’s beautiful!

The Surta-7 industrial keyboard [industrialkeyboard.com]

9. Speedlink flat metal keyboard

The wireless Speedlink flat metal keyboard is a elegant and classy input device. The front face is made out of brushed material and the keyboard features 18 hotkeys that gives you quick access to anything you would like. The working range is about 10 metres.

Speedlink metal keyboard [speedlink.de]

8. Wireless entertainment desktop 8000

I realize that this photo doesn’t give the Microsoft’s Wireless entertainment desktop 8000 the credibility it deserves. It’s in fact a really good looking keyboard. The coolest thing with the keyboard is the fact that it’s completely backlit and the comfort curve makes it feel very relaxing and easy to use.

Wireless entertainment desktop 8000

7. Logitech diNovo Cordless Desktop

The diNovo Cordless Desktop is another sleek keyboard from Logitech. The numeric keypad doubles as a calculator and can even display the temperature and date/time. Everything is wireless and the set also includes a wireless mouse and a mini-receiver desktop stand.

Logitech diNovo Cordless Desktop [logitech.com]

6. SteelKeys 6G

The SteelKeys 6G is a pro gaming keyboard from SteelSeries. Thanks to a built-in buffer system up to 8 keys can be used simultaneously. It’s a cool looking keyboard!

SteelKeys 6G [steelseries.com]

5. Luxiium Luxeed keyboard

The Luxiium Luxeed is a keyboard that features built-in LED lights in every single key. The key can be programmed to display any of the available 512 colors which makes it possible to do program some really cool night effects. The keyboard is also available in a white model with transparent keys. Interesting concept!

Luxiium Luxeed keyboard [Engadget]

4. Das Keyboard II

Das Keyboard may look just like any other keyboard at the first glance, but take a closer look at it - it’s totally clean. Just glossy black plastic with absolutely no text on the keys (except the logo of course). The home keys F and J have been specially shaped so the user’s index fingers find their home position easily. Yeah, this is the ultimate hacker keyboard - and the completely black design make it a cool contender on this list.

DasKeyboard.com

3. Optimus keyboard

The Optimus keyboard is probably the most talked-about keyboard so far. It’s one of the most digged stories ever (currently one of the Optimus stories has 12 888 diggs), and the release date has been pushed forward a couple of times. The keyboard isn’t out yet, and the last thing I heard was that the keys wasn’t going to be in color - black and white only. We’ll see about that, but the original idea made it onto this list.

The Optimus keyboard [artlebedev.com]

2. Apple Wireless keyboard

Apple’s wireless keyboard that got introduced in 2003 is a true beauty. It utilizes bluetooth to transfer the data and the keyboard features 16 function keys, full numeric keypad, inverted-T, audio control and the ability to eject optical media.

Apple.com/keyboard

Here’s a better view of it taken by lluniau [flickr.com]

1. Logitech diNovo Edge

Picking the winner was quite easy - and a few of my gadget friends picked the same winner - the Logitech diNovo Edge. The combination of glossy black plexi, brushed aluminium and the cool lighting effects make it a stunning keyboard. Check out the side view and start drooling. Congratulations Logitech!

Logitech diNovo Edge [logitech.com]

Honorable mentions

Fujitsu’s UMPC concept

The Fujitsu’s UMPC concept is just a concept, but it features a beautiful keyboard that also has a clever foldable design.

Fujitsu’s UMPC [reghardware.co.uk]

ZX Spectrum

You got to give it up to the classic rubber keyboard from Sinclair on the ZX Spectrum. The rubber keyboard (chiclet keyboard) of the ZX Spectrum is something truly unique. I still have one at home…love.

ZX Spectrum [Wikipedia]

Diatec’s Majestouch

The Diatec’s Majestouch is a huge and heavy piece that features a brushed aluminim face and blue LED lights. Gizmodo gave this one the title ‘Pimp keyboard‘, and that’s a pretty good summary of the Diatec’s Majestouch.

Majestouch: Pimp Keyboard [gizmodo.com]

Digg this! [digg.com]

(Via Fosfor Gadgets.)

Nokia 6280 overheats, erupts in smoke on video

2007-02-18T10:47:00.000+03:00

Filed under: Handsets, Nokia

We've seen dozens and dozens of aftermath photos from laptops and other random batteries suddenly possessing violently explosive tendencies, but we all know full motion video is more satisfying than simple stills. In this particular case, we're thrilled that the smoking, fizzing Nokia 6280 was filmed while in a location where humans couldn't be harmed, and initial reports are (unsurprisingly) tagging the battery or charger as the culprit. The 3 customer reported that his new handset "began fizzing white smoke" just hours after switching it on for the first time, and Nokia is reportedly investigating the issue. Of course, this isn't the first time a Nokia battery has been blamed for a fire, but unlike the previous case, we kind of doubt the firm will get off as easy here. So if you've actually hung around to read this far, we'll let you get to the fun stuff now, so go on and hit the read link for the final moments of the mobile's smoky death.

[Via TheInquirer]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

(Via Engadget Mobile.)

i-mate's 7150 QWERTY behemoth live and in person

2007-02-18T10:46:00.000+03:00

Filed under: Handsets, Windows Mobile, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS

You already knew the basics: Windows Mobile 6, VGA screen, tri-band 3G (3.6Mbps HSPDA on this one), but we've got a bit more to go on now with i-mate's flip-n-fold Ultimate 7150, not the least of which are pics from all angles. We can't say it looks quite as good in real life as it did in those PR renders the other day, but what ever does? Still, we're willing to forgive plenty with this little guy, with frills like a secondary embedded OLED display on the 7150's shell, a 520MHz Intel processor, and 0.7-inch thick form factor. The 3.8-inch screen of course never did anyone wrong, and it appears i-mate managed to squeeze in WiFi as well. Check after the break for that sexy integrated display, or hit the read link for the full collection.

[Thanks, ZSX]

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(Via Engadget Mobile.)

ACCESS ALP hits 1.0, new specs released

2007-02-18T10:45:00.000+03:00

Filed under: Software, ALP

We only caught a brief early glimpse of ALP at 3GSM this year before they quickly snuck away all the gear, but PDAStreet claims that ALP has hit 1.0 in its dev cycle, and has screencaps and a lot of info we've been waiting for to make the case. First up, hardware: it should run on current generation devices, requiring at least a 200MHz ARM9 CPU (400MHz+ recommended), 64MB RAM and 64MB flash memory, and has support for input via QWERTY, 12-key with 5-way d-pad, and touchscreen (obviously) or digitizer (interesting!)with four or five hard keys. Interestingly, supported resolutions include QVGA (240 x 320), HVGA (320 x 480), and WVGA (800 x 480) -- where's the 320 x 320 Palm OS Treos have had since the 650? We dunno. ACCESS still hasn't announced any licensees, but unless ALP switches up and adds a square aspect ratio, it doesn't look like we'll see this running on any Treos as we know them today. Oh, app list after the break.

[Via Download Squad]

ALP apps, many of which are like totes obvs:

Phone
Contacts
Calendar
Memos
Tasks
HotSync
NetFront browser
HandMail
SMS+
iMessenger
Music
Video
Photos & Studio
Camera
Documents
Utilities (Clock, Calculator, Recorder, Home Screen, Flight Mode)

Of course, as we learn what these strange new programs do (and don't), we'll undoubtedly be posting to Engadget Mobile.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

(Via Engadget Mobile.)

Nokia N95 - first impressions

2007-01-26T13:25:00.000+03:00

AAS - all about Symbian has got a Nokia N95 to play with and they have already post an article featuring their first impressions and some sample images. The main advantage with the Nokia N95 compared to other phones is the built-in GPS and the 5 megapixel camera. Oh, and don’t miss out on the last part of the article - the holy unboxing ceremony.
Nokia N95 First Impressionse’ [allaboutsymbian.com]

(Via Fosfor Gadgets.)

Boot Linux from a flash drive

2007-01-05T13:25:00.000+03:00

Run Linux from a CD? How 20th-century. Now you can boot the Linux distro Knoppix right from your USB flash drive. A simple new tutorial shows you how.
All you need is a 1GB-or-larger flash drive, an HP drive-formatting utility, and the USB version of Knoppix. Links to the latter two downloads are included in the tutorial. The entire installation process requires just six steps; it's so easy even a Lifehacker editor can do it.
Alas, I had trouble getting the distro to run on my Dell Latitude. It seemed to load okay, but then I was faced with a blank screen. Still, this should work, and I'll definitely try it on some other machines. In the meantime, check out our other post on installing Linux on a flash drive, this one based on Damn Small Linux rather than Knoppix. — Rick Broida
All in One USB Knoppix 5.1.0 zip [Pendrivelinux.com]

(Via Lifehacker.)

Chill a Coke in 2 minutes

2007-01-02T12:54:00.000+03:00

Mythbusters TV show host Adam Savage drops science on how to make a warm can of Coke cold in under 2 minutes over on Ask MetaFilter.

That would be about 20-25 minutes in a freezer. If you put [the can] in a bucket of ice, that would halve that time. If you put water in that ice, it'd be cold (+- 5c) enough to drink in about 4-6 minutes, if you put salt in that water, you'd reduce the chill time to just over 2 minutes. Agitating the can in the water, rolling it around, reduces the chill time even more.

The fastest possible way is to grab a CO2 fire extinguisher and unload that sucker on the can.

While our lawyers tell us not to recommend the fire extinguisher route, salt in an ice water bucket is doable. (And if you haven't seen Mythbusters, you're missing out. That show is a MacGyvering lifehacker's dream come true.) — Gina Trapani
How long in the freezer to chill a Coke from 89F to 35F? [Ask MeFi via A Whole Lotta Nothing]

(Via Lifehacker.)

HTC's Athena (X7500): a WinMo PPC, not UMPC

2006-12-22T14:21:00.000+03:00

Oh sweet mother of WinMo computing, HTC looks to have a new one up their sleeves with this, the HTC Athena (X7500). It's apparently not their rumored UMPC, rather, this pup is said to run Windows Mobile Pocket PC "Pro edition" (whatever that is) so that's a 3.5-inch QVGA touch-screen with stylus and detachable QWERTY -- yes, detachable when you need to keep things light. The unofficial specs being passed around indicate that this handheld is destined for Europe: UMTS 2100 with tri-band GSM/GPRS radio (what, no EDGE or HSDPA?), 802.11b/g WiFi, 256MB ROM / 64MB RAM, 2 megapixel camera, SD expansion, and USB 1.1 interface. All running on a 400MHz Samsung processor. Still, doesn't this seem a bit light for all the device's bulk? Read on for more pics and clues from this mystery device.

[Thanks, Yoda M.]

Read (Polish)

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(Via Engadget Mobile.)

HTC Vox (S710) smartphone revealed

2006-12-22T14:15:00.000+03:00

Deets were slim when we first got wind of this HTC Vox phone, a purported GSM counterpart to the HTC Libra, but now The Boy Genius Report has managed to track down some more juicy details, including the first "live" pic of the phone. As rumored, the Vox -- officially titled the S710 -- goes with a messaging-friendly setup, running Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone instead of the Pocket PC featured by some of its QWERTY-sliding companions in the HTC lineup. Contrary to initial reports, the phone is supposed to feature 128MB of ROM and 64MB of RAM, and with a 2.4-inch QVGA screen, Bluetooth, 802.11b/g WiFi, a 2 megapixel camera and a microSD slot, the phone is by no means a total slacker on specs. Of course, the most interesting part of the device is that numeric keypad on the face of the phone, with a semi-automatic sliding QWERTY keyboard tucked behind, but at 0.7-inches thick, it looks like HTC managed to keep things relatively slim, despite the extra keys. What's still up in the air is whether or not the phone will sport 3G data -- the spec sheets list quad-band EDGE as the tops, but that tacked-on smartphone screen up above reads "UMTS operator," so at least there's hope.
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(Via Engadget Mobile.)

How to recover lost network passwords

2006-12-22T13:03:00.000+03:00

The Daily Cup of Tech help site describes how to recover lost network passwords - like email, FTP, or HTTP - by using the free network sniffer and decryption program, Cain and Abel.
As the article author says, this tool could be used for good or evil. Stick with good, eh? Like when you're setting up Mom's new computer and she has no idea what her POP email password is. Check out the article for detailed instructions with screenshots. — Gina Trapani
Recovering Your Lost Passwords [Daily Cup of Tech]
(Via Lifehacker.)

Download of the Day: PortableApps Suite 1.0 (Windows)

2006-12-22T13:02:00.001+03:00

Windows only: PortableApps Suite 1.0 stocks your USB drive, portable hard drive, or any other drive with a full complement of software, ready to run wherever you plug in.
This new version of the suite (which we've loved on in the past) includes the latest portable versions of Firefox, GAIM, OpenOffice, and other open-source gems. The suite also comes with PortableApps Backup for--you guessed it--making backups.
The Standard Edition of the suite requires about 260MB; there's also a 105MB Lite version that substitutes AbiWord for OpenOffice. Whichever version of this app-tacular bundle you download, you're going to love it. PortableApps Suite 1.0 is free; it requires Windows. — Rick Broida
PortableApps Suite 1.0

(Via Lifehacker.)

Download of the Day: Any Video Converter (Windows)

2006-12-22T13:02:00.000+03:00

Windows only: Convert nearly any video format to nearly any other video format with the aptly named Any Video Converter.
The program supports just about every video format known to man, including AVI, DivX, FLV, RM, and VOB. It also comes with output profiles for devices like the iPod and PSP, though you can easily create a custom profile with the audio and video specs of your choosing.
AVC couldn't be much easier to use, and it supports batch conversions--always a nice perk. You'll definitely want to add this utility to your video arsenal (though don't overlook Videora Converter, arguably a better choice for converting videos for mobile devices). Any Video Converter is free for Windows. — Rick Broida
Any Video Converter [Any-DVD-Converter.com]
(Via Lifehacker.)

Why your new camera's megapixels don't matter

2006-12-08T14:29:00.000+03:00

Tech writer David Pogue took photos with 5, 8 and 13 megapixel digital cameras, had them printed and blown up to 16 x 24 inches poster size, and asked passersby to pick out which ones came from the higher res camera:

Dozens of people stopped to take the test; a little crowd gathered. About 95 percent of the volunteers gave up, announcing that there was no possible way to tell the difference, even when mashing their faces right up against the prints. A handful of them attempted guesses--but were wrong. Only one person correctly ranked the prints in megapixel order, although (a) she was a photography professor, and (b) I believe she just got lucky.

Kinda crazy, but good to know when you're picking up a new camera for the holidays. — Gina Trapani
The Truth About Digital Cameras [Pogue's Posts]

(Via Lifehacker.)

Watch Google TechTalks, improve your brain power

2006-12-08T14:24:00.000+03:00

We all know that there's a lot of smarties in the Google factory, and I do believe that the Google TechTalks have something to do with that.
According to Anders Bylund of Ars Technica, Google TechTalks are "regularly scheduled presentations offered by Googlers or our guests on a wide variety of subjects." And when they say wide variety, they're not kidding: I found presentations ranging from the video above titled "Human Computation" to "Zero Configuration networking with Bonjour." Go ahead, give 'em a go and get edumacated. — Wendy Boswell
Google TechTalks [Google Video via Ars Technica]

(Via Lifehacker.)

5 rules for an empty inbox

2006-12-08T14:20:00.000+03:00

The Download Squad weblog posts 5 rules for keeping an empty inbox. A couple highlights:

If you don't need to read it now, it shouldn't be in your inbox.
If you've already responded to it, it shouldn't be in your inbox.

It's a great list, and one that should be at least somewhat familiar for any hardcore GTDer. The post has a focus on Gmail, but the ideas are applicable to any inbox. Empty inbox zen is a goal we're constantly striving for around these parts, but it's always helpful to get a new perspective/reminder of where you might want to tighten up the screws a bit. Got your own inbox zero rules? Let's hear 'em in the comments. — Adam Pash
Five simple rules for keeping an empty inbox [Download Sqad]
(Via Lifehacker.)

How to free up space in Gmail

2006-12-08T14:18:00.000+03:00

by Stewart Rutledge
You'd think almost 3 gigabytes would be more than enough space to store your email, but for the last two weeks my Gmail account has hovered ominously above 95% of the allowed storage quota. When it finally peaked at 98% (2725 MB of 2780 MB), I had to do something.
However, forwarding all those messages by hand or downloading 2.7 gigabytes of mail were out of the question. I simply had to start hitting that delete button. Using a few effective filters that helped determine what I could safely delete, I took my Gmail account from 98% of quota down to 67% of quota without losing one important message. Here's how I did it.

1. Start big and narrow down.

The trick that worked best was to first delete stuff that I absolutely knew I would never miss and then narrow down my deletions to stuff more on the borderline. It's both safer and faster.

2. Add labels to certain senders to avoid losing important emails.

I've got about ten people whose emails I know that I want to keep about 99% of the time. It's mostly family and business contacts, but you know your "in group."

Create a filter that only shows messages that are from that certain group of people. You can use Gmail's advanced search operators to do so using the "or" (|) operator. For example, From: john | paul | ringo | george returns all emails from either John, Paul, Ringo or George. Set your filter to label those messages with a good, safe name. I used "nodelete."
Now you can exclude all messages in this label from your upcoming search and destroy missions.

3. Eliminate heinous offenders.

Although the has:attachment search operator yields a good list of space-hogging messages, it does not give you the option to sort by file size. So, with 2.7GB of email to sort through, it's pretty worthless.
But, you can search by file type and narrow down file sizes a bit that way. I used the following search phrases:
filename:wmv -label:nodelete
filename:mov -label:nodelete
filename:mp3 -label:nodelete (this one was pretty weak since MP3 is common in text)
filename:doc -label:nodelete
filename:pdf -label:nodelete

For each of those phrases, I just had to go through and actually use my brain to decide what to delete. This is the most time-consuming step, but it's not that hard. And, it's cathartic. Remember that if you press shift while selecting two messages, Gmail will select all messages in between. That's useful for big chunks of messages to go.
I lowered my Gmail usage by about 20% by using these first three steps, and that might be good enough for you. But, after this, if you want more, you can fine tune your deletions using the next few steps.

4. Delete stupid forwards.

I already have a filter to label all Fw:, Fwd:, Forward:, etc. emails with a Forwards label, and, in most cases, I have it set to automatically archive them. But, if you don't have one, create such a filter by simply specifying the common forward subject lines listed above. Then, use this search string:
label:forward -label:nodelete
...and start deleting manually.
If you've already looked for filename:_____ offenders, you probably won't achieve much with this step, but it's good to get rid of some crap anyway.

5. Delete emails from people that send you nothing but junk.

There is this one guy that literally sends every forward he gets to everyone in his address book. It's an amazing thing to watch day in and day out, and I have a Gmail filter set to automatically archive anything that ever comes from his email address with a forward subject line and label it with his cursed name.
In my cleanup, I just deleted all of his forwards without thinking twice. If you have such a friend(s), do the same to him or her or them. This applies to commercial emails as well.

6. Carefully delete emails from those people in your nodelete label.

You might even want to skip this step if you're satisfied, but, if you're really a clean freak, repeat steps 1-4 and leave out the -label:nodelete protection. Usually, people in your nodelete label won't send you a lot of junk (that's why you're friends), so this step can be really fast to clean up.

7. Empty trash and delete spam.

Gmail does not do this automatically, so don't forget to throw out the trash when you're done and go ahead and empty your spam while you're at it (even though spam doesn't affect your quota). This also gives you one last chance to give your deletions a glance to see if you deleted anything you didn't mean to delete.
A lot of you might say that I'm a promiscuous emailer/storer, and that's a fair charge. But, using these methods, we can all continue in our promiscuity without offending the god of Gmail (quotas).

In the future I might set up some storage Gmail accounts as readers previously suggested, but I'm hoping that following these steps about once a year will keep me behind Gmail's consistent storage increases.
Got any great search strings or filters for cleaning out your email archive? Let's hear 'em in the comments.
Stewart Rutledge is in his final year of law school at the University of Mississippi.

(Via Lifehacker.)

Download of the Day: FaviconizeTab (Firefox)

2006-12-08T14:11:00.000+03:00

Windows/Mac/Unix (Firefox): The FaviconizeTab extension reduces the width of specified tabs to only its favicon to save space in the tab bar.
Set those tabs you always have open to just their icon - like Gmail, Lifehacker, or Google Reader - to make room for other tabs's titles that you actually need to read. Once the extension is installed, right-click to Faviconize it. FaviconizeTab will also remember which tabs you've iconized next time you launch the 'fox if you have Firefox set up to restore your previous session. FaviconizeTab is a free download, works wherever Firefox does. — Gina Trapani
FaviconizeTab [Mozilla Add-ons via LifeDev]

(Via Lifehacker.)

Triple-boot XP, Vista, and Ubuntu

2006-12-08T14:06:00.000+03:00

Blogger Ilya Hevnikov has posted a really nice tutorial for triple-booting Windows XP, Windows Vista, and the Linux distro du jour, Ubuntu, on one hard drive.
A couple of months ago, I wrote a similar article for triple-booting the same three operating systems, but this tutorial is more current and, frankly, better than my original tutorial. Among other things, when all's said and done, you can boot any of the 3 OSes from a single boot screen (something I was unable to do with Vista's new bootloader). This undertaking is not for the faint of heart, but it is a great way to try out a different OS or two without abandoning what you're comfortable with. — Adam Pash
How To Triple Boot (XP, Vista, Ubuntu) With Single Boot Screen [Hevkinov.com]

(Via Lifehacker.)

HTC Vox, the GSM version of Libra?

2006-12-08T14:02:00.000+03:00

Many fans of the form factor proposed by HTC's upcoming Libra (pictured) -- numeric keypad when closed, QWERTY when open -- probably felt a little snubbed when it seemed like CDMA customers would be the only folks lucky enough to put one in their pockets; we know we did. The latest intelligence coming off the wires suggests that we can all finally rest easy, though, with a device being called "Vox" taking the torch for the GSM side. Details are slim, but it sounds like Vox won't have the 3G capability of its EV-DO rev. A equipped Libra cousin, merely topping out with EDGE instead. HTC will apparently be positioning the Vox as a messaging-friendly phone (a laLG VX9900) rather than a full fledged PDA -- and with a meager 96MB of internal storage to its name, it shows. Look for it to drop shortly after the Libra in the first half of 2007.
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(Via Engadget Mobile.)

LEGO Mindstorms NXT

2006-12-08T13:45:00.000+03:00

If you’ve got $356 burning in your pocket, you can always spend them on this ultra advanced LEGO toy called Mindstorms NXT. It’s pretty far from ordinary LEGO, just to give you an idea I’m going to give you some highlights from the specification: 3xservo motors, sound sensor, visual sensor, touch sensor, light sensor, bluetooth wireless communication, USB full speed port (12 Mbit/s), 100 x 64 pixel LCD graphical display, loudspeaker - 8 kHz sound quality and a sound channel with 8-bit resolution and 2-16 KHz sample rate. Pretty cool (and expensive) toy, ey?

LEGO Mindstorms NXT [firebox.com]

(Via Fosfor Gadgets.)

How to pick a lock

2006-11-11T20:55:00.000+03:00

Web site Locksport has put together a simple, step-by-step beginner's guide to lockpicking.
Available online or via PDF, the comic book-style guide looks like a nice way to learn the art of lockpicking. Naturally, when learning to pick locks, keep in mind the lock pickers credo: "You may only pick locks that you own, or those to which you've been given explicit permission to pick by the rightful owner." Sounds about right.
If you've always wanted the badass cred of knowing you could break into your own home (and who doesn't want that kind of cred?), this guide's for you. And if you're feeling too lazy to work the lock pick around, you could always try putting together the vibrating lockpick.
Announcing the LSI Guide to Lockpicking! [Locksport]

(Via Lifehacker.)

Charge AA batteries via USB

2006-11-11T20:17:00.000+03:00

Hey, this is a quite a cool idea. Flip one of thse AA batteries open and stick it into a USB plug and the battery is completely charged in 5 hours. Two AA batteries that can be charged via USB will cost you $25.

USB Cell batteries [firebox.com]

(Via Fosfor Gadgets.)

Firefox Extension Roundup

2006-11-08T13:52:00.000+03:00

Here's a list of some of our favorite recently-posted Firefox extensions:

Del.icio.us Complete
A better Del.icio.us bookmarking tool.
ErrorZilla
Provides a more helpful "Server not found" page.
Zotero
A personal reference library inside your browser.
Tiny Menu
Compress all of your menu items to one small entry.
Download Statusbar
Moves your downloads to the 'fox's statusbar.
About This Site
Find all the info you could ever want about the site you're visiting.
Fasterfox
Speeds up your browsing performance.
Aging Tabs
Keep an eye on which tabs are getting a bit stale.

(Via Lifehacker.)

Download of the Day: Tab Mix Plus (Firefox)

2006-11-08T13:43:00.000+03:00

Windows/Mac/Unix (Firefox): Tab Mix Plus is a must-have tab management extension for the power Firefox'er.
As you may be aware, Firefox 2.0 integrated many of the features that Tab Mix Plus used to provide. However, the tab duplication, focus control, and undo options included in Tab Mix Plus far out-do the somewhat stripped down version provided by the new Firefox. If you were quick to update Firefox, you may have noticed that Tab Mix Plus wasn't ready for 2.0 prime time; that's no longer to case, so go get it ASAP.
Tab Mix Plus [Mozilla]

(Via Lifehacker.)

Boost your SIM card with 1GB!

2006-11-08T13:03:00.000+03:00

Boost your SIM card with 1GB!:

This is real interesting news that should please every mobile phone owner! Samsung announced a SIM card with 1GB of memory! That should potentially give every phone 1GB of disk space to store pictures or MP3 files.
Samsung 1GB Multimedia SIM Card Supports Mobile Multimedia Environment

News Source : Samsung Electronics

Paris, France, Nov 08 2006 (Korea Newswire)-- Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a leader in advanced semiconductor technology solutions, today announced the introduction of a 1 Gigabyte (GB) subscriber identity module card solution, S-SIMTM that expands customer experience in multimedia intensive services.
The 1 Gigabyte S-SIM card will be demonstrated at booth 3C 029 at Cartes 2006.
The subscriber identity module (SIM) card is a smart card IC-based card used to identify users in GSM mobile environments. As multimedia features increase on hand-phones, high data capacity and high-speed transmission has been added to the encrypted SIM solution.
Instead of carrying a separate memory card, Samsung’s 1GB S-SIM incorporates a system-in-package (SiP) technology to carry high gigabit-density NAND flash memory without growing the area size of the conventional SIM card. The small form factor supports the compact size of multimedia phones.
The new SIM solution provides added convenience to the user. High data storage capacity with tighter security features ensures safer transmission of personal information and data.
The added memory on the security tight SIM solution improves the user experience. Data intensive files such as multimedia messaging, email, digital photos and video, music files and online gaming are among the features now capable with this SIM solution.
Samsung’s new S-SIM is based on SIM interface to ensure compatibility with conventional systems and supports high-speed MultiMediaCard and USB interface for faster transmission of larger data volumes.
“This new high-performance S-SIM demonstrates Samsung’s technology leadership and vision to provide ultimate technology and solutions for the fast evolving mobile and IT environment. The added data storage feature coupled with security measures of the SIM card is a powerful token in the hands of the end-user,” said Dr. Chil Hee Chung, senior vice president of chip card and microcontroller development team at Samsung Electronics.
After developing 128 Megabyte (MB) S-SIM in 2004, Samsung achieved the industry first giga-level density card, 1GB S-SIM last June. Working with leading Smart Card companies, Samsung displays the 1GB S-SIM solution at Cartes 2006.
Samsung expects the new S-SIM to support the explosive growth of next-generation mobile network services and multimedia content.
S-SIMTM is the registered trademark of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Reader Comments

(Via Akihabaranews.)

Make your lost USB drive call for help

2006-10-23T17:34:00.000+03:00

Make your lost USB drive call for help:

Web site Daily Cup of Tech offers a custom autoplay program for your USB thumb drive that tells the user what to do if it is lost and found.

Much more effective than a boring old IfFoundPleaseReturnTo.txt text file, this customizable .exe offers a "Help! I'm lost!" Autoplay option when someone plugs in your thumb drive. I especially like the bribery tactic: "You will receive a shiny USB drive twice as big as this one for your trouble." Nice. — Gina Trapani

(Via Lifehacker.)

Download of the Day: Free "You've got mail" sounds

2006-10-23T17:30:00.000+03:00

Download of the Day: Free "You've got mail" sounds:

Wow your friends and annoy your co-workers with a custom new email sound: web site I Love Wavs offers 38 email .wav files, from the X-Files' Agent Scully ("Have you checked your email this morning, Mulder?") to Austin Powers ("You've got mail, baby, yeah!")

Mac user Tim Gaden offers instructions on changing Mail.app's default sounds here. Thunderbird users should check the General tab in the Preferences pane - hit the Advanced button near "Play a sound" to set it up. (Man, those Lifehacker editors will use ANY excuse to get Gillian Anderson on the front page...) — Gina Trapani

(Via Lifehacker.)

Remove any ink stain

2006-10-23T17:26:00.000+03:00

Remove any ink stain:

Pop quiz, hotshot: your favorite shirt has got a ginormous Sharpie stain on the collar. What do you do? Why, you check out housekeeping guru Sarah Aguirre's guide to ink stain removal, that's what.

First, you'll need to determine what kind of ink stain you're dealing with: water-based, permanent, ballpoint pen, etc. After that, you've got a plethora of various stain removal remedies available to try out; and if the piece of clothing you're working on is sentimental to you, it's worth the effort. What are your best tried and true stain removal methods? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. — Wendy Boswell

(Via Lifehacker.)

Ms. Dewey - search slow

2006-10-23T17:08:00.000+03:00

Ms. Dewey - search slow:

Why make a search engine that loads in just a second or two like Google, when you can make a really annoying search engine in flash and lots of video animations. Check out this unusual search engine called Ms. Dewey.

Ms. Dewey[msdewey.com]

via [Gizmodo]

(Via Fosfor Gadgets.)

Convert a photo to a sketch

2006-10-23T17:07:00.000+03:00

Convert a photo to a sketch:

Web site Graphic-Design.com has a nice tutorial for turning a photograph into a fairly realistic pencil sketch using Photoshop.

The process is a bit complicated, but the instructions are detailed, so even a Photoshop novice should really have no problem following along. For a quicker photo-to-sketch conversion, you might want to try out previously-mentioned software Photo to Sketch. Keep in mind, though, that the results you will get from the Graphic-Design tutorial will be a lot higher quality than the one-click software solution of Photo to Sketch. (Though you might want to check out the comments of the Photo to Sketch post for other good recommendations.) — Adam Pash

(Via Lifehacker.)

New noise canceling from Sony

2006-10-23T17:03:00.000+03:00

New noise canceling from Sony:

Sony announced a new product today that is supposed to cut ambient noise up to 75 percent. The premiere product to come with the new technology is their new Walkman media player Sony NW-S700F. More pictures and information inside.

Full press release from Sony

Sony’s Noise Canceling Technology Injects High-Quality Sound Into Walkman-Headphone Combo

System Cuts Ambient Noise up to 75 Percent

NEW YORK, Oct. 12 — For a world filled with noise, Sony today announced its first digital music player with built-in noise-canceling technology. The NW-S700F Walkman(R) player ensures high-quality sound, to help you find your quiet place.

“While Sony has offered noise canceling headphones, this is the first time that we’ve integrated the technology into the player itself,” said Koba Kobayashi, general manager for personal audio at Sony Electronics. “We’ve created an entirely new category and are confident that even audiophiles will be pleased with this Walkman digital music player.”

By embedding the noise-canceling technology in the player and headphones, Sony offers a high-quality listening experience. The player’s clear stereo technology creates sound clarity that maintains the same quality as the original source. The clear bass technology enhances the deep sound with no distortion. Because the system diminishes intrusive noise; listeners can avoid pumping up the volume.

The player comes with a long, reliable battery life of up to 50 hours at full battery capacity. The quick-charge feature, which offers up to three-hours of playback with just a three-minute charge, works wonders for fast-paced lifestyles. A built-in FM tuner lets you listen to your favorite radio stations and includes pre-sets for the most visited stations.

To simplify the music management process, these new devices support ATRAC(R), ATRAC(R) Advance Lossless, MP3, AAC (non-DRM), WMA (non-DRM) and Linear PCM music files. They are compatible with the Sony CONNECT(TM) online music service and include SonicStage(R) CP software to import, manage and transfer music collections.

The player’s compact design includes a three-line color organic electroluminescence display with cover art. The artist, track and album information appears on the screen beside a picture of the album cover.

The NW-S700F Walkman player comes with 13.5 mm diameter headphones with a built-in microphone that reduces most ambient noise. Newly developed drivers produce wide dynamic-range playback and bass. To enhance the sound, you can set the equalizer to match the type of music you are listening to, such as jazz, pop, heavy or custom, or simply turn it off.

Virtual Phone Technology reproduces the acoustic effect of the studio, live in-house, club or arena venue where the music was recorded. Direct encoding allows you to record an analogue audio signal directly from an audio player without using a PC. A cradle or cable accessory is needed to use direct encoding.

Pricing and Availability

The latest Walkman music player can store up to 1,350 songs on the 2GB model and 685 songs on the 1GB model at 48kbps. The NW-S703F player has a total capacity of approximately 1GB, comes in violet and pink and will cost about $169; and the NW-S705F player has a total capacity of approximately 2GB, comes in black and will cost about $199.

The noise-canceling Walkman players will be available in November.

(Via Fosfor Gadgets.)

How to Clean an LCD monitor

2006-10-23T16:39:00.000+03:00

How to Clean an LCD monitor:

Apple offers a simple three-step guide for cleaning your LCD monitor:

1. Turn off the computer or display. You may need to turn off the computer in order to turn off some Apple displays.
2. Dampen a clean, soft, lint-free cloth or paper with water only.
3. Wipe the screen. Do not spray liquid directly on the screen.

This may have been common sense to many of you, but I'd been putting off a much-needed clean for a while because I didn't want to destroy the beautiful, mysterious screen. Since my instinct was to use some rubbing alcohol or glass cleaner (boy was I off!) to get the job done, I'm very glad I checked beforehand. Alcohol on your monitor can cause damage to the coating and dry out and crack the plastic. You can use mild, non-alcoholic detergents (and Apple does endorse one), but I'll probably stick with water for now.

How do you keep your LCDs clean? Let us know in the comments or at tips at lifehacker.com. — Adam Pash

(Via Lifehacker.)

Ten Must-Have S60 3rd Freeware Applications

2006-10-23T16:28:00.000+03:00

Ten Must-Have S60 3rd Freeware Applications:

Long time ago, I have compiled a list of Ten Must-Have S60 Freeware Applications. It was mainly dedicated for S60 2nd Edition phones. Now, I have compiled the new list for S60 3rd Edition. I will be updating this list from time to time.

Before going to the list, freeware here means an application that can be used without paying money to the developers. It includes donationware and open source, but it does not include crippleware and trialware.

Here is the list of Ten Must-Have S60 3rd Freeware Applications (in alphabetical order):

DivX Player - On of the best video players for S60 phones.

Google Maps for Mobile - You have maps of the whole world in your pocket. You can even query places, such as restaurant, shops, etc.

Mig33 - Free instant messaging that supports Yahoo! Messenger and MSN Messenger. It even supports cheap SMS too.

OggPlay - Nice music player that supports MP3, AAC and MP4, it’s better than the built-in S60 music player in some areas.

Podcasting - If you are subscribers of audio blogging, this application is definitely must-have for you.

Screenshot - This one is the application that I develop myself to capture screenshots. All screenshots in this blog are captured using this application.

Shozu - Upload your photos and videos quickly to the online blog services, such as Flickr.

STris-2 - A clone of the popular Tetris game.

SysExplorer and Y-Browser - File explorer is a must-have application for advanced users. I put two file explorers here because both of them are good. You can download them and try which one you like.

Widsets - A collection of mini applications, called widgets, that allows us to subscribe feed (RSS/Atom) from many different topics.

Compatible devices: S60 3rd Edition, Nokia N-Series, Nokia E-Series.

Update (05-Oct-06): Added Y-Browser as file explorer together with SysExplorer.

Update (06-Oct-06): Added screenshots.

(Via S60Tips.com.)

Part 2 in creating your own universal iPod dock

2006-04-26T16:14:00.000+03:00

Part 2 in creating your own universal iPod dock:

Filed under: Accessories, iPod Family, Hacks, How-tos

If you are interested in getting the most out of your iPod and you enjoy the DIY culture, Will O'Brien has posted How-To: Design your own iPod super dock (Part 2). In this part of his ongoing series, he takes you step by step through designing a schematic for the "Super Dock" in EAGLE. You can grab EAGLE Light Edition for OS X here (note: requires command line installation). I also posted about Part 1 of the series on TUAW.

The upside of this series by Will is that you can freely expand upon what he has started. Use your imagination! Do you need to have an iPod dock that is integrated into your home brewed robotic kitchen? Will your car benefit from custom iPod controls on the steering wheel? Can your pet have its own playlist control functions at home with interactive carpeting? Will lays the groundwork for you and lets you be your own Griffin or Belkin engineer.

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(Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog.)

HDTV Guide: The short and sweet version

2006-04-20T19:56:00.000+03:00

HDTV Guide: The short and sweet version:

by Joel Johnson

When we started writing this HDTV primer for Lifehacker, we fell face first into a big pile of nerd—lots of terminology and explanations of the minutiae of modern television technology.

Then we realized: There are a million HDTV guides out there, but very few that make the purchasing process any easier. You probably don't care about every last detail of HDTV technology—you just want to know what to buy.

So here you go. The HDTV Primer that's anything but comprehensive, but short enough you can stick it in your pocket on your next trip to the showroom.

Resolution

You want 720p native resolution. (That means 1,280 by 720 pixels). Most HDTVs 'support' 720p, but they may have a lower number of actual pixels. If the numbers are lower than 1,280 by 720, it's not native—skip it.

(There's another standard called 1080p coming up, which is 1,920 by 1080 pixels, but it's sort of expensive at the moment. If you can swing it, though, go for it.)

What about 1080i? Some say it's as good as 720p. I disagree. As long as you have 720p native resolution—even if the set also 'supports' 1080i—you'll be golden.

Size and Price

There's one old chestnut that says, "Sit twice as far away as your screen size." That's fine, on the whole, but we say the bigger the better, until you start trading resolution for size.

Your best bet? Pick a price point and see what's available in that range. These days, capability tends to increase sharply about every thousand dollars up until four thousand, then increases wildly for little return.

Want us to pick a number for you? Okay, plan on spending $2k, plus another $500 for speakers, cabling, and content that will make your HD set shine—we're talking an Xbox 360, HD cable or satellite service, or an upscaling DVD player. (I'd recommend the $200 Oppo OPDV971H.)

Hooking it all up

HDMI is the best connection, because it's all digital. DVI is fine, too—it's the same quality as HDMI, just without audio traveling on the same cable. Component is okay—it's a three-plug analog system that can still handle HDTV signals.

You'll want a digital system with HDCP, too. That's the latest crappy copy protection scheme foisted on us by a nail-biting media industry. Almost everything uses it these days, so you'll probably get it without trying.

Just like any system, try to keep everything digital if you can—you won't have any signal degradation if you do that. But if you have to use component, that's fine. Just don't go any lower—hooking up your Xbox 360 to your new HDTV via S-Video will end in tears. Those tears will be yours, rendered in stunning low-definition.

Summary

• 720p native (or 1080p if you can afford it) • At least one HDMI or DVI input with HDCP. The more plugs, the better. • The price: $2k - $3k

The un-Summary: What we didn't answer, but will try to cram in here at the end.

• What type of screen to get (plasma, LCD, rear-projection, etc.)? You probably won't care about the subtle differences. Buy 720p and the size you want and you'll probably do fine.

• Where to buy? We prefer online retailers like Amazon and B&H, even with shipping costs. But if you go to Best Buy or the like, remember: they tweak the screens to look really bright and colorful, which isn't the best way to judge the quality. If you want to buy in the store, plan on making two trips: one to scope out prices and model numbers; another to purchase after you've gone home and done some research online. (Check out AVSforum.com if you want to read lots of debate about specific models by home theater nerds.)

• Do I really need one? Of course not. But if you're wanting to buy a new TV anyway, I'd say get an HDTV. Otherwise, just watch TV on your PC or laptop.

Have any more questions? I'll be happy to answer them in the comments.

Joel Johnson, gadgeteer extraordinaire, is the first person we ask about anything hardware-related. While he's not orchestrating his army of electronic minions, Joel helps keep things running smoothly at Gawker's geekier destinations: Gizmodo, Lifehacker, Kotaku and Consumerist.

Comment on this post<

(Via Lifehacker.)

Samsung YP-U2X on sale in the US

2006-04-17T19:40:00.000+03:00

Samsung YP-U2X on sale in the US:

Filed under: Portable Audio

Samsung YP-U2, here. Get yer Samsung YP-U2, here. It's a little less classy than its predecessor with the fold-out USB port, but Samsung's 512MB YP-U2X -- previously seen at CES -- is now available online for $70, four line LCD display, FM tuner, voice recorder, PlaysForSure support (sorry though, this one's sans OGG), 13 hour battery and all.

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(Via Engadget.)

Geek to Live: Take great notes

2006-04-15T19:58:00.000+03:00

Geek to Live: Take great notes:

by Gina Trapani

Like it or not, our work lives involve meetings - status meetings, planning conference calls, brainstorming sessions, meetings for the sake of meetings. But a meeting is only as valuable as the action taken after everyone's left the conference room.

Whether you're headed off to a business meeting, a university lecture, or a conference session, taking effective notes is a necessary skill to move your projects, your career and your education forward. Today I'll go over a couple of my favorite note-taking methods, as well as how to make your own custom notepaper to fit your needs.

The first two methods are especially useful for business meetings and professional conferences, where it's most important to separate different types of information.

Method 1: Symbolize the next action

Using notepaper or a simple text file on your laptop or tablet, indent the pages of your notes in from the left margin. Then, use a simple system of symbols to mark off 4 different information types in the column space left in the margin.

[ ] A square checkbox denotes a to do item
( ) A circle indicates a task to be assigned to someone else
* An asterisk is an important fact
? A question mark goes next to items to research or ask about

After the meeting, a quick vertical scan of the margin area makes it easy to add tasks to your to do list and calendar, send out requests to others, and further research questions. (This method is the brainchild of Michael Hyatt, someone who clearly has mastered the art of attending meetings.)

Method 2: Split your page into quadrants

Another way to visually separate information types is to split your note-taking page into quadrants and record different kinds of information - like questions, reference and todo's - into the separate areas on the page. Rumor has it this is how Bill Gates - someone known for taking amazingly detailed meeting notes - gets it done.

Method 3: Record and summarize - The Cornell Note-taking Method

A system more targeted towards students digesting large amounts of information on a daily basis, the Cornell note-taking method also separates the page into different areas, as pictured:

Note taking area: Record lecture as fully and meaningfully as possible.
Cue column: As you're taking notes, leave the cue column empty. Soon after the lecture, reduce your notes to concise jottings as clues for Reciting, Reviewing and Reflecting.
Summaries: Sum up each page of your notes in a sentence or two.

DIY notepaper

There are a few neat little webapps out there that produce custom PDF's of formatted, lined notepaper with various options for printing out before your meeting and possibly stowing in a binder.

Notepaper Generator [Simson.net]

Create a PDF of a lined page with a small monthly calendar in the header and an optional summary box in the upper right hand corner. Choose your font face and optionally include punch holes as well.

Cornell Method PDF Generator [Study Smarter]

Prints pages split up into the Cornell notepaper style with unlined, ruled or graphed sections. Optionally include your name, the date, and the name of your class, and up to 4 punch holes for use in a binder. Also, choose the line darkness on a scale from gray to black.

Notepad Generator [Michael Botsko]

This PDF notes template includes your name, number, the date, project name and splits the page into two sections: one for notes (with lines) and the other for action items with due dates, with optional punchholes.

What do you use to take notes in meetings? How do you keep your jottings organized and useful after the fact? Let us know in the comments or to tips at lifehacker.com.

Gina Trapani, the editor of Lifehacker, is getting better at taking worthwhile notes. Her semi-weekly feature, Geek to Live, appears every Wednesday and Friday on Lifehacker. Subscribe to the Geek to Live feed to get new installments in your newsreader.

Comment on this post
Related: Notetaking and GTD with Campfire
Related: Download of The Day: NoteBook 2.0
Related: Make your own PDF notepaper

(Via Lifehacker.)

Using iCalShare calendars with Google Calendar

2006-04-15T19:44:00.000+03:00

Using iCalShare calendars with Google Calendar:

Filed under: How-tos, Internet Tools

Yesterday, Scott showed us how to use iCal to subscribe to calendars created with Google Calendar (let's just say "gCal" to keep it short). Today we go in the other direction: How to use gCal to subscribe to iCal calendars. For the sake of this post, I'm using iCalShare to find a calendar I want to add to gCal. Specifically, the Boston Red Sox 2006 season schedule (Go Sox!). You can read more after the jump.

First, go to iCalShare and locate the calendar you want added to your gCal. There are legions of calendars available, so finding one (or more) should be pretty easy. Once you've found one you like, right-click (or control-click) on the "Subscribe" link and copy the link's address to your clipboard (simply left-clicking on the link will launch iCal). Now that you've got it, we're on to step two.

Set yourself up with a gCal calendar. Using a browser other than Safari, go to http://calendar.google.com and get yourself set up. Next, click "Manage Calendars" on the left hand side (see image at right). A new window appears. On the right hand side, click "Add Calendar."

At this point, a new window appears entitled "Add Other Calendar." Click "Public Calendar Address." Now you're presented with a field labeled "Public Calendar Address," and the rest is as simple as pasting the address you grabbed earlier into that field and clicking "Add." Done!

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(Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog.)

Hack Attack: Build your own DVR

2006-04-12T23:04:00.000+03:00

Hack Attack: Build your own DVR:

by Adam Pash

Ever since TiVo came around, I was eager to jump on the time shifting bandwagon. After all, nothing makes a productivity junkie happier than turning an hour-long show into forty minutes. But for all its loyal fan base, TiVo never seemed like the right fit for me.

For my money, time, and, let's be honest, the gratification of a solid DIY project, I'm a big proponent of building your own digital video recorder (DVR). TiVo is pretty good at what TiVo does, but imagine a world where you can also tweak your TiVo to do anything you can do with any other computer.

With all the potential controversy and uncertainty surrounding TiVo firmware upgrades, the time to build your own DVR has never been better. With your own DVR, you can get all the benefits of a TiVo and more without the recurring cost for subscription. This week, I'm going to show you how simple it is to turn your computer into a DVR. After that, I'll show you a few ways that I use my DVR to take it beyond TiVo.

Whether you're using your current PC, repurposing an old one, or going all out on a dedicated DVR to put under your TV, you can get so much more out of your own DVR than you could ever get out of a TiVo.

NOTE: Keep in mind that the setup I used here is far from the only way to go. After struggling for a while with how to put together an article that would work for everyone, I decided that I would just go ahead and describe how I do things. The main purpose of this article is to provide an introduction to the world of DIY DVRs, hopefully planting the seed for the possibility of a world beyond TiVo. On the other hand, if you do choose to take a route similar to the route I've chosen, this should provide you with a good starting point.

What you need

In order to put together your own DVR, you really only need to add two things to any given computer:

A TV capture card
DVR software

Add the preceding two components to any PC and you've got yourself a solid, fully-functional DVR; it doesn't get much more simple than that.

Choosing a capture card

First things first. If you're going turn your TV into a DVR, you need a capture card. A capture card is a USB or PCI device that you install on your computer that allows you to plug your TV cable into your computer the same way you would your TV.

There are plenty of cards available, but I've had great experience with the Hauppauge PVR-150, the entry card in the Hauppauge line of cards. To ease the load on your CPU, the Hauppauge PCI cards do the video encoding on the card, meaning TV recording will take up very few CPU cycles (perfect for an older PC). After you've bought it, you are of course going to have to install your PCI card (the Hauppauge PVR-150 is the card I installed in this feature), which is easy enough to do.

Finding the right software

There are a lot of great software options for homebrew PVRs, like SageTV (Windows and Linux, $80), MythTV (Linux, free), GB-PVR (Windows, free), BeyondTV (Windows, $70), and Freevo (Linux, free), to name a few of the most popular.

Although MythTV is probably the most powerful of these programs (and it's free), when all was said and done I chose SageTV for its feature set, stability, and Windows/Linux support. Aside from its very active support forums, you can also get support directly from a real company, which is always a nice option. Out of the box, SageTV installs as easily as any Windows program, and configuring your capture card with SageTV is a breeze.

Basically, if you're looking for a quick and easy, no hassle PVR software, SageTV fits the bill. In short, your PVR will be up and running in no time. [1] However, keep in mind that one of the great parts about building a homebrew PVR is that you do have the option to tweak and fiddle to your heart's content. If that's the case, there's a lot more you can do with SageTV.

Extending SageTV

The following are all tweaks I've made to my DVR. Some are specific to SageTV, while others (Remote control tweaking and Commercial skipping) can be used with nearly any DVR software.

Customize your SageTV: If you're not happy with the default UI of SageTV, there are some beautiful user-designed packages that are easy to install. The best one I've found is called SageMC16x9.
Commercial skipping: Automatic commercial detection and skipping is another great feature that's pretty easy to get up and running, but there are a few different routes you can take. The easiest option is to use the ComSkip program, but you may also want to try Show Analyzer.
Remote control tweaking: SageTV gives you a lot of flexibility for tweaking how your remote control works with SageTV, but there's a lot you can do to tweak your IR remote to work with any program on your computer by editing the irrremote.ini file. After all, it wouldn't be much of a DVR if you had to head for your mouse and keyboard every time you want to use a different program. Since virtually every Windows program has keyboard shortcuts that allow for mouseless navigation, you can easily setup your remote to control them. For example, the Hauppauge remote can handle pretty much any keyboard combination.
Launch external programs: With SageMC16x9, you've got an added menu option to launch external programs (check post #99). This feature can come in particularly handy if you want to launch your favorite emulator, video game, DVD player, or batch script, again, without heading for your keyboard/mouse.

The cool part about putting together your own DVR is that you're only limited by your imagination, so with a little tweaking you can put together a DVR that perfectly fits your needs. If you've already built your own DVR, let us in on your setup. TiVo users, fight back! What can your TiVo do that my DVR can't? Add your thoughts to the comments or send an email to tips at lifehacker.com.

Adam Pash is an associate editor of Lifehacker. His special feature Hack Attack appears every Tuesday on Lifehacker. Subscribe to the Hack Attack RSS feed to get new installments in your newsreader.

Footnotes:

[1] If you're looking to take the same route I did, SageTV offers some excellent packages at their online store, bundling, for example, the PVR-150 capture card and the SageTV software at a discount. [back up]

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(Via Lifehacker.)

Troubleshoot Mac application crashes

2006-04-11T18:18:00.000+03:00

Troubleshoot Mac application crashes:

It's true: ocassionally Mac applications crash. Happily Macworld's got the rundown for what to do when it happens, including the age old cureall - rebooting. But my favorite tip is to check out the console logs, really helpful text documents that constantly update with the state of your Mac.

Launch OS X's Console utility (/Applications/Utilities). Click on the Logs button in the toolbar. From the list on the left, locate the CrashReporter folders (in your user folder/ Library/Logs and in /Library/Logs). In these folders are logs for every application on your Mac that has ever crashed.

Find the log file with the name of your problem program and select it. The output you'll see here is too technical for most people. But occasionally you'll find a clue to the cause of the crash -- for example, a reference to a problematic plug-in.

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Related: Setting up Windows XP on a Mac with Bootcamp
Related: Dual boot OS X and Windows with Apple's Bootcamp>

(Via Lifehacker.)

Learn to solder

2006-04-11T17:02:00.000+03:00

Learn to solder:

Every now and then, we'll feature a DIY project that requires a little more know-how than we all possess - for example, a project that requires a little soldering. For those of you who have found soldering to be a major DIY roadblock, you may want to check out this introduction to soldering.

Once you've got your soldering down, it's probably time to get going on your Easy button hack.

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Related: Build your own rotating digital photo frame

(Via Lifehacker.)

FT, the Robot Woman

2006-04-11T16:19:00.000+03:00

FT, the Robot Woman:
Here's another robot from the Kyoto University... so after Neon, Chroino, T-28 and Vision from TeamOSAKA, here's the FT or Female Type. It weighs 800g, it's 35cm tall and has 23 degrees of freedom.

(Via Akihabaranews.)

Hack Attack: Firefox extension packs

2006-04-04T20:19:00.000+03:00

Hack Attack: Firefox extension packs:

If you've ever had to re-install Firefox, or you're installing Firefox for the first time on a new computer, you know it can be a pain to hunt down and install your favorite extensions. This week, I'm going to try to relieve some of that pain using previously-mentioned Firefox extension Mass Installer.

The Mass Installer extension reads a list of extension URLs from a text file and automatically installs them all in one fell swoop. Obviously that's pretty handy, but you still have to hunt down the URLs of your favorite extensions and paste them all into a text file, and who has time for that?

To be honest... I do. So, to make things really easy on you, I've packaged several of the best Firefox extensions for basic use (the must-haves for any user), blogging, web development, and performance enhancement in four separate packages that you can quickly and easily install with the Mass Installer extension.

First, install the Mass Installer extension. After that it's really easy to install the extension packs. Just go to the Mass Installer options (go to Tools -> Extensions, select Mass Installer and click Options) and enter the URL of the pack you'd like to install (see URLs below). Click OK and Mass Installer takes care of the rest. Once you restart your browser, every extension in the pack should be installed to Firefox. Mass Installer will check for updated versions of the extensions on restart, so even if the extensions get old, Mass Installer has got you covered. Simple, right?

Now lets get to the extension packs. As I said, I've put together four separate packages: Basic, Performance, Blogger, and Web Developer.

Basic extensions pack (the must-haves):

SessionSaver
THE must-have extension for anyone, SessionSaver saves your browsing session so that you can easily return to where you left off when browsing (even if you accidentally close your browser or it crashes). This is the absolute first extension I install.
BugMeNot
No matter who you are, you've probably run into a registration roadblock. The BugMeNot extension integrates with BugMeNot.com so that the registration hurdle seems more like an imperceptible bump.
LastTab
Makes Ctrl-Tab (Cmd-Tab for Macs) cycle to the most recently viewed tabs, mimicing the behavior or Alt-Tab.
FoxMarks
Quickly restore your bookmarks to exactly how you like them.

If you read Lifehacker at all, you're well aware that there are loads of Firefox extensions out there to extend Firefox to terrific new heights; however, they're certainly not all necessary. Regardless of what I'm using Firefox for, the basic pack contains the extensions that I want to have running no matter what.

Basic user extensions text file for Mass Installer

Performance extensions pack:

Flashblock
Flashblock knocks out all Flash content on a web page, allowing you to choose what flash content is loaded.
AdBlock
Filters ads from webpages.
Image-Show-Hide
Clicking a button in the toolbar or pressing Shift-Z toggles all images on a web page on and off.
FasterFox
Performance and network tweaks designed to make browsing faster.

The performance pack should come in handy for those of you who don't like all that messy multimedia screwing with the speed of your browsing. The extensions included in this pack are intended to make browsing with Firefox as snappy as possible, minimizing bandwidth use.

If you're working with a dial-up connection, check out Gina's excellent guide for surviving a slow internet connection for more tweaks after you've installed the performance package.

Performance extensions text file for Mass Installer

Blogger extensions pack:

Signature
If you're sick of typing the same HTML mark-up or the same signature at the end of every post, the right-click Signature extension is a life saver.
Auto Copy
Every time you select the text you're heading straight to Ctrl+C anyway; Auto Copy lets you skip that step.
How'd I Get Here
As a considerate blogger, I'm sure you include your via links. However, if you've forgotten from whence you came, How'd I Get Here will remind you.

This one's for all you bloggers and web writers out there. Most of these extensions came from Gina's excellent Turn Firefox into a web writer feature, with a couple added extensions that make my life writing on the web a lot easier. (Unfortunately a few of the extensions from Gina's web writer post, namely Scribe, Spellbound, and Resizeable TextArea, aren't compatible with Firefox 1.5.)

Blogger extensions text file for Mass Installer

Web Developer extensions pack:

Web Developer
Adds a toolbar and menu with an incredible slew of useful web dev tools.
IE Tab
Lets you load a page in Internet Explorer embedded in Firefox - very useful for testing pages across browsers.
ColorZilla
Eyedropper tool extraordinaire ColorZilla lets you grab a color from any page and more.
MeasureIt
Handy ruler tool that lets you easily size up you page.
Greasemonkey
Though useful in several other contexts as well, Greasemonkey can be a great way to try out scripts when you're developing.

There are several excellent extensions available for the web developer, but I've included just a few essentials that I like to have in my web dev toolbox.

Web Developer extensions text file for Mass Installer

In the end, these packs should help cut down on the time it takes you to get started with a new Firefox installation without having to hunt down all the necessary extensions every time. Since I use most of these extensions, I'd probably install all four packs, then remove any excess extensions. It's a lot easier to remove a couple of unwanted extensions from a list than it is to get every extension one-by-one. If you'd rather do the same, here's an extension pack containing every extension listed above:

Combined extension pack

Let us know what you'd add or remove from the extension packs, as well as what other packs you might put together. Obviously these packs will may be incomplete for many of you (I tried to avoid making the packs too bloated, keeping them as universal as possible), so they're probably missing out on a couple of extensions you rely on every day to operate.

If you want to add your own extension pack to the comments, please send your text file to tips at lifehacker.com. We'll host it, send you the link, and you can let us know what you chose and why in the comments. If you haven't got a comment invite, we'll send one your way.

Comment on this post
Related: Download of the Day: ListZilla
Related: Firefox extensions for your security
Related: Download of the Day: Selenium IDE Firefox extension

(Via Lifehacker.)

Create a torrent to keep up with your shows

2006-04-04T14:58:00.000+03:00

Create a torrent to keep up with your shows:

TorrentFreak has a how-to that'll show you how to use BitTorrent to keep up with your shows.

tvRSS just released some extra features that makes it easier to find the latest episodes of your favorite TV-show. They optimized their search options, and support “search based rss feeds”. This makes it easy for anyone to create a personalized TV-torrent feed. This means you can have all your favorite TV-torrents in one feed.

Thanks to Lennart for the tip!

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Related: Subscribe to your favorite TV shows with the Democracy player
Related: Download of the Day: Democracy internet video player

(Via Lifehacker.)

Put off Firefox 1.5's "Unresponsive script" dialogue

2006-04-04T14:56:00.000+03:00

Put off Firefox 1.5's "Unresponsive script" dialogue:

One of the "features" of Firefox 1.5 is a pop-up dialog that appears whenever a page takes too long to load that reads, "Warning: Unresponsive script. A script on this page may be busy, or it may have stopped responding. You can stop the script now, or you can continue to see if the script will complete."

To which I ask, "Why, Mozilla? Why?" I run into this error a lot since I upgraded to Firefox 1.5, especially with the slow-as-snails installation of MovableType we wrestle with each day to publish Lifehacker. Happily it's not hard to delay this annoying dialog. To do so:

Type about:config in Firefox's address bar.
Filter down to the value for dom.max_script_run_time.
Change the value to something higher than the default (which is 5.) I set mine to 20.
Bask in interruptionless browsing!

Thanks to John for asking, and Itchy Hands and the MozillaZine forums for answering.

Comment on this post
Related: Firefox 2.0 alpha preview video
Related: Firefox extensions for your security
Related: Download of the Day: Selenium IDE Firefox extension

(Via Lifehacker.)

Hack Attack: Become a Gmail master

2006-04-04T14:49:00.000+03:00

Hack Attack: Become a Gmail master:

by Adam Pash

Gmail is hands-down the best web-based email service on the 'net. Conversation threads, search, tagging, and keyboard shortcuts have completely revolutionized the way I look at my inbox. I manage all of my email from my personal Gmail inbox, including the daily flood of Lifehacker messages. At this point, I can't imagine a program I could use to manage my email any more efficiently.

Despite my undying love for Gmail, there are still a lot of people who aren't won over by sheer enthusiasm alone, and still others who just aren't taking full advantage of the features and functions they've got at their fingertips in Gmail. Either way, the only thing a Gmail naysayer needs is a better understanding of everything you can do with Gmail.

Today I've got a rundown of the methods and add-ons I use to make Gmail more powerful. By the time you're done with this article you'll be a bona fide Gmail power user, too.

Quick look at what to expect

When you're done setting up your Gmail account, you should be able to do everything you see in this short video without once leaving your keyboard (which means beaucoup productivity for you):

Let's get started down your path to Gmail mastery.

Set up labels

The first thing you'll want to do to flex Gmail's muscle a bit is set up a few labels. If you're new to labels, think of them as folders, or better yet, tags. [1] Your email doesn't have to specifically reside in any folders to be just as accessible. In fact, labels are great specifically because you can apply multiple labels to one email, making your email that much easier to find. Setting up labels is super-easy:

Go to Settings, and then select the Labels tab.
In the textbox labeled, "Create a new label:" simply type your label and click Create.

Yep, that's it. I'd suggest going through your email and figuring out how you might want to categorize and label your emails. I generally create labels for any mailing lists I'm on, along with labels for different work-related emails and an ever-important Follow-up label for the emails I want to make sure I remember to reply to (e.g., those emails I'm not going to reply to immediately but I don't want to fall through the cracks).

Of course, your labels will revolve around your needs (as they should), and if you don't already have an email system, I'd encourage you to examine your email and develop one.

Set up filters

While labels are great on their own - and I label a lot of messages after they land in my Inbox - there are a lot of instances where you can assign labels automatically based on the characteristics of the message, thus saving yourself the work. That's where filters come in.

Gmail can filter an email based on six criteria: From, To, Subject, Has the words, Doesn't have, and Has attachment. Obviously this setup offers a lot of power for filtering your incoming mail. After you choose your criteria, you can choose any combination of the following options: Skip the Inbox (Archive), Star it, Apply the label..., Forward it to, and Delete it.

When I set up a new filter, I commonly choose to Skip the Inbox and Apply a label. For a detailed description of how to do this, check out my feature on bookmarking with Gmail [2].

Managing multiple email accounts with Gmail

It's not at all uncommon to have more than one email address these days (actually, for many of you it's been pretty common for years now). Though you may never be able to consolidate all of your email to one address, you can at least deal with all of your email from one account.

If your non-Gmail account allows for email forwarding, set it up to forward your mail to your main Gmail address (this process will vary based on your email account, but it's generally really easy to do somewhere in the settings). For example, all of the Lifehacker tips email (which comes to Gina, Keith, and me) comes straight to my personal Gmail address, at which point it's filtered out of my inbox and labeled "Lifehacker Tips."

With Gmail's recent addition of smart replying, you shouldn't have to worry about sending email from the wrong address. When someone sends you an email, Gmail will automatically use the appropriate email address when replying (whether it's a Gmail address or not).

Using keyboard shortcuts

This is where Gmail really starts to shine. Despite the fact the Gmail does a lot of things very well, a lot of these features were just sort of ho-hum for me. It wasn't until I started using keyboard shortcuts, and then the Gmail Macros script, that I completely fell in love with Gmail.

The first thing you'll want to do is enable keyboard shortcuts in Gmail. This is as simple as navigating to the General tab in the Settings and selecting "Keyboard shortcuts on." The keyboard shortcuts let you navigate through your messages, within your conversations, archive a conversation, and jump to your inbox without ever having to go for the mouse. Here's a list of the default Gmail keyboard shortcuts.

Gmail's keyboard shortcuts by themselves are great, but if you really want to take control of your Gmail inbox, I very highly recommend installing the Gmail Macros script for Greasemonkey. Though it does a lot, the most powerful thing you'll use the Gmail Macros script for is navigating through your labels (including your inbox, trash, drafts, etc. - after all, they're all just labels) and labeling your conversations with a really slick Quicksilver-like interface.

First you'll need to install the Greasemonkey Firefox extension if you don't already have it installed. Next, install the Gmail Macros script. There are a couple of different scripts available on the linked blog post, but I prefer a patched version of the script that stays more true to Gmail's original keyboard shortcuts.

Here's a quick look at the key commands that the Gmail macros script provides (click for a larger version):

It may take a little time to get the shortcuts embedded in your memory, but you can easily bring up the list of shortcuts at any time in Gmail by typing a question mark (?).

Knock out repetitive email

If you do a lot of repetitive typing in your emails (if I type the same thing three times a day I consider it repetitive), you can really knock down your repetitive emails quickly with AutoHotKey HotStrings. I'd never get through my inbox without them, and they're very easy to set up and edit.

Searching your Gmail inbox

Of course, a solid Gmail tutorial wouldn't be complete without a quick rundown of searching your Gmail (it's Google, after all!).

Search operators in Gmail work much the same as they do with Google. Type the operator followed by a colon, and then your search term (e.g., to:tips@lifehacker.com). Likewise, you can exclude terms from your search with the hyphen (-).

The search operators allow you to limit the scope of your search to the to (to:), from (from:), and subject (subject:) fields. Easy enough, right? You can also search based on labels (label:), emails with attachments (has:attachment), and even dates (after:/before:yyyy/mm/dd).

Search operators will come in especially handy if you need more flexibility when setting up filters (you can add any search term to the "Has the words" field). Here's a comprehensive list of Gmail search operators.

Take your Gmail toolbox on the road

Finally, to make my Gmail add-ons (Greasemonkey, Gmail Macros script, and AutoHotKey assignments) as portable as possible, I email them to myself as attachments so that whenever I'm away from my computer I can work just as efficiently as if I were at home.

With all of my systems in place, I'm more pleased with Gmail than I have been with any other email client, desktop or web based. Of course, I'm sure I haven't exhausted the matter. Gmail users: what tips and tricks do you use to enhance your Gmail experience? Non-Gmail users: What methods do you use that blow Gmail out of the water? Give us your thoughts in the comments or at tips at lifehacker.com.

Footnotes:

[1] There are a lot of advantages of Labels or tags over folders. One huge benefit of labels is that if you choose to delete a label because you no longer find it useful (perhaps your system has evolved and you want to clean house), the associated email will not be deleted. Instead, the label is simply removed. Remember that with Gmail, the whole point is that you don't have to delete any of your email - ever. A second benefit of labels is that you can mark one email with as many labels as you like. [back up]

[2] If you want to use Gmail as a bookmarking tool, drag and drop this modified GmailThis! bookmarklet onto your browser's bookmarks toolbar and edit email address and the text labeled "bookmark here" to the labels you've setup for your bookmarks. [back up]

Comment on this post
Related: Download of the Day: A to G
Related: Get RSS feeds from your Gmail labels
Related: Make Outlook thread conversations like Gmail

(Via Lifehacker.)

Antec Minuet 300 Case

2006-04-04T14:31:00.000+03:00

Antec Minuet 300 Case:

Antec has released their latest case, the Minuet 300, to cater to those micro-computer lovers. This case supports both AMD and Intel CPUs in a micro ATX form factor motherboard. It is able to stand vertically or lay horizontally and even includes 300W ATX power supply. There is also an upgraded cooling system to accommodate for the common heating problems related to small-form-factor PCs. This case is available for $89.95.

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Related: We Heart Apple, Bose, and Dell
Related: The Apple Mystery

(Via Gizmodo.)

Why is Windows so slow?

2006-04-04T14:29:00.000+03:00

Why is Windows so slow?:

Filed under: OS, Software

That is the question that Steve Lohr and John Markoff are asking in today's New York Times. They aren't referring to the speed of the actual OS, but rather the speed of the OS development. In the time since Microsoft released Windows XP, Apple has released 4 major OS upgrades, whilst Microsoft is still struggling with their next generation OS called 'Vista.'

Why is Apple able to do what the much larger Microsoft is having trouble with? It all pretty much boils down to compatibility. Apple, with OS X, basically replaced their OS completely. If you wanted to run old applications you had to' (and still have to ) run Classic. Microsoft refuses to break compatibility of any program that may run on the codebase of Windows, and so they need to make sure that' odd little DOS programs will run on their latest and greatest OS.'

An interesting read.

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(Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog.)

LG's SD910 Duo Slide for twice the fun

2006-03-21T21:29:00.000+03:00

LG's SD910 Duo Slide for twice the fun:

Filed under: Handsets, LG

We just love us a new form factor now and then, and LG is really giving it their best with this new LG-SD910 Duo Slide phone. As the picture suggests, you just shift the screen to see playback controls, and slide the whole unit to reveal a keypad. Otherwise it seems to be a rather basic handset despite its bulk-inducing slider magic, with a mere 1.3 megapixel camera and MP3 player to keep it entertained. The phone also includes that MBank service that is making its way into more and more Korean handsets. No word on price or availability. But look! It slides two ways!

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(Via Engadget Mobile.)

Nokia releases S60 compatibility logo for developers

2006-03-20T16:50:00.000+03:00

Nokia releases S60 compatibility logo for developers:

Filed under: Software, Nokia, Symbian

Even with its healthy market share, the Nokia-led, Symbian-based Series 60 mobile operating system continues to lag far behind both Palm and Microsoft in terms of third-party application popularity, with many users unaware that they are even running Symbian, much less of the aftermarket software that is available for their devices. Well Nokia is looking to change that perception with a recent branding change for the OS -- "S60: Open to new features" -- and a just-announced logo for developers to attach to their products -- "Developed for S60 devices" -- certifying Series 60 compatibility. In order to sport the new tag, developers must prove that their apps are Symbian Signed or Java Verified, as well as list the individual models that each program is compatible with. Please note that our use of this new logo is merely for illustrative purposes, and does not constitute a guarantee that Engadget Mobile will render properly on your S60 handset.

[Via All About Symbian]

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(Via Engadget Mobile.)

Asus P525 smartphone with 2 megapixel cam

2006-03-20T16:48:00.000+03:00

Asus P525 smartphone with 2 megapixel cam:

Filed under: Handsets, ASUS, Windows Mobile

Asus was showing off a business-oriented Windows Mobile 5.0 PocketPC Phone Edition-powered candybar-style handset at CeBIT last week, featuring WiFi, Bluetooth, and hopefully like its P305 sibling, UMTS. The P525 sports a 416MHz Intel XScale PXA270 processor, 64MB RAM, 128MB ROM, and 2.8-inch QVGA screen, along with a miniSD slot and hearty two megapixel camera. No word yet on which countries and carriers will see this model, or what the price is going to look like.

[Via PocketPC Thoughts and PPCSG]

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(Via Engadget Mobile.)

Hack Media: Podcasts

2006-03-18T16:51:00.000+03:00

Hack Media: Podcasts:

This is coming in a day later than usual; I got my new dual-core Mac mini on Monday and built a new iTunes Library on my NFS server. I then crashed it twice which turned into literal fscking nightmare. So I finally got it back up last night and started listening to my backlog of podcasts (which has grown enormously now that I can subscribe to them so easily). Highlights from the shows after the jump.

A big Thank you to everyone who has stopped by
my Facebook profile to wish me a Happy Birthday
today. I’m 25, my NFS server is running rock-solid, so is my new mini, and I got an official job offer in the mail, so
today has been treating me really well. Happy birthday to my twin sister Adele, even though the
international date line means I already missed it.

Security Now! 29 Ethernet Insecurity 52:14 covers how ARP works and
why it is so insecure. This is something that everyone should know, but it may be easier to understand if you read
Steve Gibson’s accompanying article. He mentions in the podcast an old story
about a security researcher’s comments that a lot of hotels still use hubs instead of switches; I found the
story on Schneier. I think
Irongeek’s article was my first introduction to the
subject of ARP spoofing.

BellCoreRadio 24 45:35 Not much here, but the running joke is pretty
funny: Phoneswarm posts an interesting payphone number each week. Last week’s was
310-394-9052, a payphone on the Santa Monica pier that just happens to be
visible on this webcam. The first time PonyBoy got someone on the phone
it was a group of geocachers that needed their photo take by the cam.

PaulDotCom Security Weekly 17
59:56 My favorite quote: ”... to show the guys how they can use CORE IMPACT to test an IDS” “Aww, sweet!” They mention
the “startkeylogger” IRC DOS attack. They’ve got a
post rounding up security podcasts as
well.

CyberSpeak Mar 4 51:46 This week they talk to
Dave Merkel from MANDIANT about their First Response tool that
is currently a free download.

Live Ammo Digital Forensics
and Hacking Investigations, Part 4 36:15 More hardware/software tools and ARP.

Blue Box #18 35:57 Covering SPIT, SPam over
Internet Telephony.

TWAT 74 BitViper WRT Hacking 36:39 I listened to all of the podcasts that came
from TWAT radio this week, but this was by far my favorite. If you’ve got a Linksys WRT54G and don’t know where to
start, BitViper and PowerStick do a kick ass job covering all of the ins and outs of the device and the multiple
firmwares available. Even if you are well informed about the WRT, you will probably enjoy their personal story about
doing a long run with multiple WRTs and some clever hardware hacking: start at 27:00. Great job guys!

In the Trenches 1:00:48 I think the idea of the test crashing during an
MCSE exam is hilarious. They’ve also got a funny story about
using a $600 Cisco router in the home. It ended up giving them 8Mbps instead of the regular 2Mbps from the Linksys
WRT.

If you are interested in Weblogs, Inc. or just where this company came from you should check out the
interview with my boss... or at least follow the
link to see whose t-shirt he’s wearing.

...and if you’re following Catty Girls Discuss you’d hear
Brigitte’s plans
to buy an inflatable boat.

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© 2006 Weblogs, Inc.

Ads by Google

(Via hack a day.)

Geek to Live: Top Windows tweaks

2006-03-13T14:30:00.000+03:00

Geek to Live: Top Windows tweaks:

by Gina Trapani

After I wiped my hard drive clean and reinstalled Windows XP last week, I booted up into an pristine, default operating system - that felt a lot like a hotel room just before I rolled my luggage in, tossed my jacket on the couch, unmade the bed and set my toothbrush next to the sink. I had no idea how many changes I'd made to Windows to fit my preferences over the years until they were all undone.

Today I've got a list of the most important Windows customizations that make my PC feel like a place I can get work done in more smoothly and easily. Hop in for a quick ride around Windows dialogs, tabs, menus and toolbars to get your XP fitting like a glove.

Re-locate the the taskbar
I've got a wide screen and I like to see as much information vertically as possible, so I drag and drop the Windows taskbar to the left hand side of my screen (not right, because it interferes with scrolling) to maximize vertical space. The pleasant side effect is that open windows stack on top of one another, freeing up more real estate for viewing and working with them in the taskbar. See also: Ask Lifehacker: Moving your Windows taskbar.
Enable Quick Launch with large buttons
It's probably because my love affair with Mac OS X has gotten me fond of large buttons on a dock, but I can't live without the Quick Launch toolbar on Windows taskbar. I'm a no-icons-on-the-desktop girl, so my top dozen or so programs and documents go in Quick Launch: including the "Show Desktop" button and a shortcut to the "My Documents" folder. To enable Quick Launch, right click on your task bar and from the Toolbars menu choose "Quick Launch." Drag shortcuts to programs, files and folders onto Quick Launch to add 'em and use the right-click context menu to delete items.

To enable the large button setting, unlock the toolbars (right click on the taskbar, and uncheck "Lock the taskbar"). Then right-click within the Quick Launch bar and from the View menu choose "Large Icons." Since my taskbar is vertical, I like to create two columns of big fat Quick Launch icons so I can read open windows' title bars, too.
Remove MSN Messenger, MSN Explorer and Outlook Express

Ever since Windows Update had its way with me, the little green MSN Messenger guys moved into my system tray, showing up every boot-up without ever asking. I don't use MSN Messenger (currently Trillian and GAIM are battling it out for my IM client of choice), yet right-clicking on the MSN guys in my systray offered no "Quit and don't automatically start up again" option. (Shame on you, Windows, that's just so TACKY.) To evict 'em (and the other two MS-specific programs I don't use, Outlook Express and MSN Explorer), from Control Panel's Add and Remove Programs, go to "Add/Remove Windows Components" and uninstall those suckas.
Install Windows PowerToys: ClearType Tuner and Alt-Tab replacement

Also as a result of my Mac affair, somewhere down the road I became a complete font diva. Windows default font settings are atrocious and pixelly; I had no idea how bad we had it until I saw the other side. Now I can't live without ClearType. The ClearType Tuner Windows Power Toy - a free download from Microsoft - smoothes out your fonts all pretty-like and lets you tune the settings for maxim font gorgeousness. Once the Tuner's installed, hit up the Control Panel and select the ClearType Tuner applet to turn on Clear Type and get it working perfectly for your monitor configuration.

While they're all good, the other essential Windows PowerToy is the Alt-Tab replacement. I'm a big program switcher using the Alt-Tab key combination, so I really appreciate this PowerToy, which displays a preview of the program window you're tabbing to and over, instead of just the program icon. Very useful for tabbing to exactly where you want to go.
Download the ClearType Tuner and Alt-Tab Replacement at Microsoft's web site.
Set Start menu to classic view
I don't like my Start menu all big and fat and different every time I look at it, because I'm cranky like that. Right-click on the Start menu and choose Properties to switcherback to the Classic view (my preference), or, if you're of a more tolerant persuasion, wade around the the XP Start menu's Customize dialogs to get your menu just how you like it.
Disable Error reporting when programs crash
Windows developers who deal with what I imagine are millions of program crash reports every day reported from Windows? I truly appreciate what you do to improve the computing world's experience every day. However, I never send error reports to Microsoft after a program has crashed - at that moment of utter frustration I'm feeling less than helpful, you see - so I disable the dialog which says "This program just ended unexpectedly. Send an error report to Microsoft?"

To do so, from the Advanced tab of the System dialog box in Control Panel, check off the "Disable Error Reporting" radio button.
Show the underlying file system, no matter what

I love that Windows tries to save me from breaking any of the delicate china by hiding file extensions, special system files and the operating system's internal folders. Actually, that's a lie. I despise it. It's my computer, and I want to know what's happening under the hood, even if it means a file ends in "ini."

To set Windows to display exactly what's going on in every nook and cranny of your hard drive, from Explorer's Tools menu, choose Folder Options. From the View tab, uncheck "Hide extensions for known file types," check "Show hidden files and folders," check "Display the contents of system folders," and uncheck "Hide protected operating system files" (XP will ask AGAIN about this, but just tell it you're indeed sure).

Last, since I'm the type of girl who really likes to sink her teeth into the dark troublesome world of (gasp!) file systems - with such complex and confusing concepts as file paths and extensions - I also check "Display the full path in the title bar" so when I'm Explorering around my hard drive I know where I am at all times.

This list is not exhaustive, and obviously these are all a matter of personal preference. I'd love to hear what unique Windows settings work for you and why, so let us know how you customize your Windows desktop in the comments or in an email to tips at lifehacker.com.

Gina Trapani, the editor of Lifehacker, is concerned she just offended all her friends who work at Microsoft. Her semi-weekly feature, Geek to Live, appears every Wednesday and Friday on Lifehacker. Subscribe to the Geek to Live feed to get new installments in your newsreader.

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Related: Ask Lifehacker: Free up space on a hand me down computer?
Related: Windows Tip: Disable the Send To menu
Related: Download of the Day: freeSSHd<

(Via Lifehacker.)

Penny Arcade switches to Macs

2006-03-07T21:00:00.000+03:00

Penny Arcade switches to Macs:

Filed under: Humor, Cult of Mac, Odds and ends, Macbook Pro

Roughly 14 thousand people sent us a link to today's Penny Arcade (a web comic that the gamers seem to enjoy) which details one of the main characters switch to the 'light side,' as some people have put it.

This is a case of art imitating life since Tycho, one of the dudes behind this cult hit, has recently gotten himself a MacBook Pro which seems to have him questioning his entire PC life.

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(Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog.)

Hack Media: Security podcasts

2006-03-02T18:38:00.000+03:00

Hack Media: Security podcasts:

Here are some security podcasts from the last week. Feel free to suggest additional ones. There is never a shortage of podcasts on the internet, about the internet.

Security Catalyst 19 The Secrets of Risk Management (With Ron
Woerner) 25:33 SC was suggested last week by sometimes co-host [matt yoder].
It’s a nice interview with Woerner about his experience implementing a risk management program at a large company. I
was happy to hear about several upcoming security conventions in Omaha (i.e. ones I don’t have to fly to). Michael
Santarcangelo does a great job hosting too.

Security Now! #28 Listener Feedback Q&A #4 40:24 [sentinel]
corrected me last week; the ARP spoofing show is next week. This episode does maintain some interest because it is
structured by listener questions. Leo mentions that he might make his OPML file public since he tracks about 50 sites.
I was thinking about doing this. I’ve currently got about 160 sites in Bloglines (I
trim the fat from time to time). It’s certainly no comparison to the 500+ monster that the Engadget writers
maintain.

PaulDotCom Security Weekly -
Episode 16 51:18 was suggested by co-host [Larry Pesce]. This is a pretty fun group podcast. They mentioned a
favorite quote by Geer at ShmooCon, “We need security because at any moment the bad guys are only 150ms away; just ping
China”. They also pointed out that there is a GPL version of the Spinning
Cube of Potential Doom.

CyberSpeak Feb 25 72:08 Lots of
interesting stuff coming from the feds. It starts with Mike Younger discussing some of the problems in validating email
since Outlook and Lotus Notes both let you edit messages you’ve already received and ones you’ve already sent. They
point out a nice deny hosts script
to prevent brute force dictionary attacks. Check the entry’s comments for other solutions. They also mentioned that
you should check for firmware updates for your firewire write-blocking devices if you want to read the HPA of a drive.
The LiveAmmo podcast from last week specifically stated that you should avoid USB and Firewire write-block devices
because they might not be able to access HPA.

LiveAmmo: Digital
Forensics and Hacking Investigations, Part 3 46:12 is not nearly as dry as it was the previous weeks. It covers the
data collection process and what sort of slip-ups might happen. They suggest reading NIST Special Publication 800-61:
Computer Security Incident Handling Guide.

SploitCast #007 44:01 As promised last week, this
is an interview with Lance James. This is my favorite podcast of the bunch this week. Lance covers many of the
techniques that phishers are using. They’ve been going so far as do distributed hosting of their phishing websites on
0wned computers. Lance also talks about the server-side tools he has been developing to fight malware. The burden is
being placed on the server since you can’t expect the users to keep themselves safe.

Blue Box #17 41:00 Another week, another
excellent VoIP security podcast.

I promised my friends Cara and Brigitte that I would promote their podcast
“Catty Girls Discuss” hosted by the local paper. I hadn’t heard
it at that point, but the title kinda gives it away. Here are the highlights from the first show: 10:00 they realize
they’ve run out of topics, 15:00 they realize they’ve run out of topics, 20:00 they realize they’ve run out of topics.
No, it’s not really that bad and can be pretty funny. Direct links to episode
one and
two.

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© 2006 Weblogs, Inc.

(Via hack a day.)

Cyber Snipa USB Keypad

2006-03-01T20:51:00.000+03:00

Cyber Snipa USB Keypad:

Those companies sure do know how to appeal to us gamer types. We thrive on purposeful misspellings! The Cyber Snipa is a USB keypad that was designed with the first-person-shooter in mind. It is essentially replicating the left side of your already existent keyboard to accommodate to gamers. Anybody out there actually use keypads for gaming and notice a preferred difference? Why not just use the keyboard? You have more buttons, save a USB port and save upwards of $32 that these devices generally cost.

Cyber Snipa Keypad [Red Ferret]

'
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Related: Pinnacle PVR USB Key
Related: Matrox Extio F1400 Takes Remote Workstations to the Extreme
Related: What Are You Doing, Dave?

(Via Gizmodo.)

Fujitsu Siemens Lifebook Q2010 hands-on: desirable?

2006-03-01T20:39:00.000+03:00

Fujitsu Siemens Lifebook Q2010 hands-on: desirable?:

Filed under: Laptops

And now, the question you've been dying to have answered after yesterday's big announcement: Is the Fujitsu Siemens Lifebook Q2010 really the world's "most desirable laptop," as the company would have us believe? (What, did you think we were talking about that other announcement?) Well, mmeier got to try out the svelte, sleek notebook at the Fujitsu Siemens press conference (and snapped some great pics, as well), and came away impressed with its "crazy and awesome design and build quality," which includes a magnesium case painted with jet-black piano lacquer. Connectivity was smooth, thanks to the unit's HSDPA support, and the Q2010 proved to be incredibly thin and lightweight. Big downside? Well, in addition to the price (about $5,000), there's the matter of battery life. While Fujitsu is reporting it as eight hours, the included battery will only give you two. For the full eight, you'll need a larger battery that sort of defeats the purpose of an ultralight fashion laptop like this. Of course, if you can afford this, you can probably just buy a couple of extra two-hour batteries and have your minions carry them around for you.

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(Via Engadget.)

Apple iPod Hi-Fi hands on

2006-03-01T20:38:00.000+03:00

Apple iPod Hi-Fi hands on:

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio

We'll admit, there's not a huge amount to say about the Apple iPod Hi-Fi. We'd heard this was coming, and it's caught our attention namely because it's Apple's first true foray into the iPod accessories market, along with their new leather iPod cases. We did get a good listen in some of the rooms Apple set up on campus to demo the sound in a "real world" environment (our fav was the teenager's space, replete with dirty laundry strewn about), and yup, it sounds pretty good. You know how we wish it was, well, a little less iPod-centric for being a regular old piece of consumer electronics and all, but hey, you know how they play the game. So how's the thing feel? Well, let's be straight up, the Hi-Fi is heavy. Like, way too heavy to want to carry with you to the cabana or the beach, as they described you might despite its alternate six D-cell power source. Click on to see some more shots!

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(Via Engadget.)

Enigma code cracked by M4 project

2006-03-01T20:34:00.000+03:00

Enigma code cracked by M4 project:

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

What Alan Turing and the cryptographers of Bletchley Park started, distributed computing has finished. The M4 Project, which started its work less than two months ago, has cracked the first of three encrypted Nazi messages from 1942, which were never decoded during World War II. Using open source software, the team cracked a message that was apparently sent by a German sub, which said it was "forced to submerge" during a battle. Next up: two more messages leftover from the war, after which we assume the project will tackle the Vernam cipher.

[Via News.com]

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(Via Engadget.)

Hands-on with the Sony Ericsson M600

2006-03-01T20:18:00.001+03:00

Hands-on with the Sony Ericsson M600:

Filed under: Handsets, Sony Ericsson, GSM, UMTS

Sony Ericsson had a press event here in New York this morning where we were lucky enough to get our hands on the M600, their new flagship GSM/UMTS smartphone which sports a 2.6-inch, QVGA (320 x 240 pixel) display, 80MB of internal memory, Bluetooth, a Memory Stick Micro card slot, and one of those QWERTY keypads where they've put two letters on each key. We only got to play with it for a few fleeting moments, so we didn't get to test out the keyboard or anything, but the M600 definitely felt very nice and solid. Click on for a bunch of pics.

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(Via Engadget Mobile.)

Hands-on with the Sony Ericsson W950

2006-03-01T20:18:00.000+03:00

Hands-on with the Sony Ericsson W950:

Filed under: Handsets, Multimedia, Sony Ericsson, Symbian, GSM, GPRS, UMTS

These shots definitely do NOT do this handset justice, but this morning we also got play with the W950, Sony Ericsson's new high-end Walkman phone that'll come with up to 4GB of internal memory (and is way sleeker than it's fellow 4GB musicphone, the Nokia N91). Not sure how much this bad boy is going to cost, but it can't be cheap to squeeze 4GB of memory into a phone, right? Either way, the perfectly flat keypad was more tactile than we'd expected (though it might not be so hot using it every day), and the 2.6-inch, QVGA touch screen was nice and crisp.

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(Via Engadget Mobile.)

Maxthon: the browser that rocks

2006-02-28T22:39:00.000+03:00

Maxthon: the browser that rocks:

Maxthon is in my view the best alternative to Internet Explorer. Firefox and Opera are doing a great job (both in product and buzz) but they just don’t catch up with Maxthon.

Founded by the very young and brilliant Jeff Chen in 2003 in China (under MyIE name), Maxthon became very quickly popular in Asia (awarded last year in Red Herring Asia ) and all over the world. The big difference with other browsers is that Maxthon is based on IE code which makes the software very familiar from the beginning but with a few twists. Unlike IE, it is very fast, safe and very stable and brings a unique browsing experience as it enables you to customize nearly any part of the software. Like Firefox, Maxthon brings tab browsing, embedded RSS and podcast reader (a very cool one), search bar… but without necessity to add any extension.

The key strength of Maxthon is that it enables you to customize totally your browsing experience with extreme simplicity. A few examples: URL shortcuts. Instead of typing a URL or clicking a bookmark (ok it takes less than 2 sec but still) you can set up a URL alias (”2″ for instance) and type directly in the URL bar which will lead you to the URL of your choice (eg: your flickr page). You can change easily skins, a wide choice is offered. Mouse gesture is also great just like super drag and drop features to save an image or initiate a search on a given word within web page.

There are too many features to cover them all here. I believe you should play with it first (tip: use your right click nearly anywhere). All those I know who tried it loved it. It sounds maybe too much like FireFox in some way but again it is not. To better understand the pros of Maxthon read this article from Internet Week.

Maxthon 2.0 exclusive screenshots

We could get exclusive intial screenshots and news on next 2.0 version to come up soon. I believe Maxthon will become even better. They are building right now a better interface with greater possibilities of customization, data sharing, multi window browsing, cool blogging features and many other things kept secret for now.

Great quality leads to great popularity and Maxthon just passed 50 million downloads (announced on their blog but also on Daily OM)

Beyond a good product and critical size, Maxthon has great assets for success: first a great team including Netanel Jacobsson as SVP Bus. Development (ex AOL/ICQ guy). Second, strong shareholders including Morten Lund (a Skype early stage investor) and WI Harper.

Maxthon is not yet very popular in the US, but i bet it’ll change soon.

Now let’s see if this post can generate a debate just as hot as the one from the original post in TechCrunch France

Maxthon

Tags: Maxthon, Internet_Explorer, IE, Firefox, Opera, Mozilla, Web2.0, Web_2.0

(Via TechCrunch.)

iPod Hi-Fi brings music to the masses

2006-02-28T22:22:00.000+03:00

iPod Hi-Fi brings music to the masses:

Filed under: Home Entertainment

With the number of rumors circulating about today's Apple product launches, at least some of them had to be right. And one was. No, we're not talking about the video shuffle. Apple has decided to go after the boombox crowd, as well as home listeners, with the iPod Hi-Fi, a $349 speaker system with built-in iPod dock, that runs on D batteries, as well as AC power. A rear-mounted Aux input works with the iPod shuffle (and third-party audio players, though you won't hear Apple mention that). That sound you just heard, by the way, wasn't the iPod Hi-Fi. It was the sound of a hundred iPod accessory makers moaning in agony.

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(Via Engadget.)

Apple's Intel Mac minis: Core Duo at 1.67 GHz, Core Solo at 1.5 GHz

2006-02-28T22:15:00.000+03:00

Apple's Intel Mac minis: Core Duo at 1.67 GHz, Core Solo at 1.5 GHz:

Filed under: Desktops

It should come as no surprise that the first thing Apple announced at today's event was a revamped Mac mini. And while the updated diminutive computer may not be the Mac media center many had hoped for, it does have Apple's Front Row media management software, and comes in both Core Solo and Core Duo versions, which Apple says makes the machine anywhere from 2.5 to 3 times faster than the G4 version. Although the machine has the familiar mini form factor, new additions include an IR port for Apple's remote control, two more USB ports (for a total of four), SPDIF, Gigabit Ethernet, standard Bluetooth and WiFi. The new mini also comes with an updated version of Apple's Bonjour networking technology, which allows sharing and streaming of media, including audio, video and photos, among all Macs on a local network. The Core Solo version, at 1.5 GHz, and including a CD burner, 512MB RAM and a 60GB drive, is $599; the Core Duo at 1.67 GHz includes an 80GB drive and a dual-layer DVD burner, and sells for $799. Both models are available immediately.

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(Via Engadget.)

Ten Strangest iPod Accessories

2006-02-28T21:15:00.000+03:00

Ten Strangest iPod Accessories:

Filed under: Accessories, Humor, iPod Family

Over at TechEBlog they have posted a list of their picks for the top ten strangest iPod accessories, seven of which we have covered here at TUAW in the past. Their list is as follows:

iBuzz
iPod Toilet Paper Dispenser by ATech
Play iPod Boxers
Pause: iPod compatible bed
iPod nano Wallet
iPod nano Thong
KNG's animated DJ Docking Station (pictured here)

iPod Chair Man
The Tunebuckle (which I find lovely and not strange)
iPod Jukebox by Wurlitzer

[via Gizmodo]

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(Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog.)

Riyadh Bloggers Meetup Update

2006-02-28T16:48:00.000+03:00

Riyadh Bloggers Meetup Update:

I have to say that I'm kinda disappointed with the response I received regarding the Riyadh bloggers meetup that I called for. I don't know if this is because they don't want to come, or simply because they did not hear about it. So, I'm asking you that even if you are not coming, but you still like the idea, to spread the word by posting about it on your blog. The meetup will be on Thursday March 2, 2006, starting at 20:00, and the place is Dr. Cafe, King Abdullah Rd. Thanks.

(Via Saudi Jeans.)

Hack Media: Security podcasts

2006-02-23T17:47:00.000+03:00

Hack Media: Security podcasts:

Do you want to listen to four and a half hours of security podcasts? Well, you don’t have to because I did. Here are the highlights from podcasts released this last week:

Security Now! #27 How Local Area Networks Work, Part 1 37:09 If you
don’t know the difference between DHCP and static IP, then this is the podcast for you! Next week promises to be a
little more interesting when they get into the problems with ARP.

CyberSpeak Feb 18 76:36 has some pretty good news
coverage, but the real highlight is the interview with Bruce Potter from The Shmoo
Group that starts after 20:00. If you don’t know about the group and the work they’ve done, this is a good
intro.

LiveAmmo: Digital
Forensics and Hacking Investigations, Part 2 46:54 Woof. If you are persuing digital forensics as a career then
this would be a great start. Otherwise, avoid, unless you want to know what particular subsection of a law you are
violating.

SploitCast #006 36:26 probably has the best
atmosphere of these podcasts (and it’s the shortest). The team covers the recent news of a
phishing site using a valid SSL cert.
You could probably wait till next week when they talk to Lance
James to get all of the details. I will say that the Web 2.0 discussion is about as inane as arguing which year the
millennium starts. They do earn some extra points since my mom doesn’t read
Schneier.

Blue Box #16 69:00 is all about VoIP and
naturally the best produced. I don’t follow VoIP very closely, so the news roundup for the first 20 minutes was really
interesting. If you aren’t doing enterprise VoIP then this podcast isn’t for you.

Each of these had some high points (even LiveAmmo). They could all do better if they were shorter. I would say that
CyberSpeak was my favorite this week, but I don’t want to encourage another 76 minute podcast. What podcasts do you
recommend?

(Via hack a day.)

Shuttle slims down with XPC X100 form factor

2006-02-22T23:07:00.000+03:00

Shuttle slims down with XPC X100 form factor:

Filed under: Desktops, Home Entertainment, Media PCs

It might not be quite as tiny tiny as that Viiv uDMS P60 machine we saw recently, but Shuttle's new XPC X100 is looking like quite the contender for the mini PC crown. The 2.13-inch tall WMCE unit holds a 1.83GHz Core Duo processor, 512MB of RAM, ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics which are upgradeable via MXM, 250GB SATA II HDD, digital audio, 802.11a/b/g WiFi, a memory card reader, DVI, and TV out. Shuttle hasn't quite pinned everything down, so we don't know the price yet, and those specs could change, but we'll know more soon since they're displaying the X100 at CeBIT next month.

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(Via Engadget.)

Give your keyboard a thorough cleaning

2006-02-22T22:25:00.000+03:00

Give your keyboard a thorough cleaning:

The Tech Zone has published a step-by-step photo tutorial for giving your keyboard a very thorough cleaning.

This method, unlike the usual canned-air method, involves removing every key and really cleaning every nook and cranny of your keyboard with common household items. While this may not be the best method for everyone, it's definitely worth considering if your keyboard goes "crunch" every time you press a key.

Comment on this post
Related: Speed clean your kitchen
Related: MysticMaid cleaning cloth
Related: Geek to Live: Evacuate PC dust bunnies

(Via Lifehacker.)

First volley of MacBook Pros: received

2006-02-22T12:05:00.000+03:00

First volley of MacBook Pros: received:

Filed under: Laptops

Well, maybe it's not fair to say this is the first round of MacBook Pro unboxing pics after the series we got over the weekend (supposedly shot from within Apple headquarters), but the point here is that people who pre-ordered are starting to receive their MacBooks. We're all very excited for them, in a grinding-teeth-considering-grand-theft kinda way, but can we put that on hold for a second here and look closely at the freaking size of that power adapter? It looks roughly twice the size of the PowerBook's, even larger than an Airport Express. We're not sure what this thing's got inside that needs the kind of juice a brick like that can output, but we're really hoping it's not the Core Duo -- and we really hope the speculation about poor battery life isn't about to come true. Guess we'll find out in a few hours as the first people start charging (and discharging) theirs for the first time to find out. Anyone who's received theirs care to comment?

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(Via Engadget.)

Create your own Firefox extension

2006-02-22T11:56:00.000+03:00

Create your own Firefox extension:

The people at Rietta Solutions have posted a tutorial for beginners who want to create their own Firefox extension.

The tutorial has been constructed as a step-by-step guide providing many examples, explanations, and external references to help the reader have a full understanding of extension development.

If you've ever wanted to develop your own Firefox extension but didn't know where to get started, this tutorial looks to be a good first stop. Anyone know any other useful resources for beginning extension developers? Send 'em our way in the comments or at tips at lifehacker.com.

Comment on this post
Related: Download of the Day: Gmail Skins
Related: Hack Attack: Mouse-lovin' Firefox
Related: Early Adopter Download of the Day: Mozilla Calendar Firefox/Thunderbird extension

(Via Lifehacker.)

Foldera: Never organize your inbox again

2006-02-21T14:28:00.000+03:00

Foldera: Never organize your inbox again:

Huntington Beach, California based Foldera’s goal is to organize all of the chaos surrounding work based documents (email, calendar, office documents, instant messaging, etc). It is a very big idea.

The company is in private beta right now, with a full launch on the way.

Foldera’s approach to productivity is in direct conflict with the way we use applications like Outlook today (just think about how much time we all spend organizing our inbox, filing emails, etc.). Foldera has a better approach (one that seems rather obvious now that I’ve seen it) and they have a chance to seriously disrupt upcoming product launches like Office Live from Microsoft.

Most of us are used to working with email folders today, where an email message can simply be pulled into a folder for easier discovery later. The idea around Foldera starts there. They’ve created an Ajax rich web application that includes email, calendaring, instant messaging, document storage and versioning, tasks and other features into a single web application. Everything is folder-centric:

How does this work?

You create a dedicated Activity Folder for each distinct project or activity. Email, instant messaging, and all your other applications are now accessed from within this folder instead of their original disconnected and unstructured state. This organizational structure also keeps everything in context; for example, all your email conversations and instant message dialogs stay right inside that specific Activity Folder, so everything related to that project stays grouped together. Doesn’t that make more sense?

Do you work with other people?

To truly appreciate what Foldera can do, try using it with a team. Everything you create with Foldera can be shared or kept private, delegated, owned, or distributed among one, several, or all members of a team. Unlike some collaborative applications, Foldera is easy to use and requires virtually no learning curve. If you can send email, you can use Foldera.

Richard Lusk, Foldera’s CEO, met with me late last year to show me an early demo of the product. The idea is that you create a folder around any new project. Share that folder with others or keep it private. Documents can be uploaded to the service and associated with a folder. Emails started from within the folder are automatically associated with the project. Same with Calendar entries. Foldera also includes an instant messaging application (it works with MSN Messenger, Google Talk, AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), iChat, and Yahoo Messenger).

The notion of taking emails, IM transcripts, office documents, calendar items and more and automatically organizing each document into shared or private folders is a big deal. Having one place to see every related document will save time. And as deadlines approach, users can simply focus on the project folder and ignore distracting emails and IMs that deal with other projects.

Pricing has not yet been disclosed, but there will be a generous free option.

Foldera has raised $13 million since its launch. Last week it completed a reverse merger into an existing (shell) public company, raising an additional $8.5 million. It is now a publicly traded (OTC) company with a market capitalization of $70 million. Yeah, its crazy - they haven’t even launched yet.

Screen Shots

Foldera

Tags: foldera, ajax, techcrunch, web2.0, web_2.0, officelive, email, productivity

(Via TechCrunch.)

Rig of the Day: Multiple monitors

2006-02-20T12:59:00.000+03:00

Rig of the Day: Multiple monitors:

Filed under: Hardware

Flickr user and TUAW reader End User's desk, while cluttered, looks like a set from Fox's drama 24. Four displays form a semi-circle while broadcasting the video signals from a dual 2.7GHz Power Mac G5 with 4.5GB RAM...and a couple of PC's. But we'll let that go. Also featured in this shot are a 7300 with a G3 upgrade (even if it is being used as a monitor stand) and a 60GB iPod. That's nice desk, End User. Now tidy up a bit.

"Desk" posted by End User.

If you'd like to see your own rig featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool. We'll select an image every day to highlight.

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(Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog.)

How NOT to talk

2006-02-19T13:19:00.000+03:00

How NOT to talk:

Conversationalists Dean and Laura VanDruff post an exhaustive list of ways people can cheat in conversations, like:

OVER YOUR HEAD:

"I'd like to respond to that, but taking into account your background, education, and intelligence, I am quite sure that you would not be able to understand."

EVEN YOU:

"My next point will be so cogent that even you will be able to understand it."

"Even you should be able to grasp the next point."

YOU'LL GET OVER IT:

"I used to think that way when I was your age."

"As you mature emotionally (or mentally, or spiritually), you will grow out of your present way of thinking, and you will eventually come around to my point of view."

"You're new here, aren't you?"

The purpose of the list is to recognize when others - or you! - use these types of conversational scare tactics. This is a handy link to add in online forum or email thread that degrades into a flamewar. Reference the article, and call out the particular technique used by the offender. Harsh? Maybe. But I would've thought the same thing at your age.

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(Via Lifehacker.)

Space Tourism from UAE

2006-02-19T13:18:00.000+03:00

Space Tourism from UAE: RAK writes "The only company to have sent tourists into space, Space Adventures, has announced plans to develop a commercial spaceport in the UAE, from where it will operate suborbital flights. The project will cost $265 million. The Russian-built suborbital vehicle called Explorer will have the capacity to transport up to five people to an altitude of nearly 100km in space, but the project's schedule is yet to be announced."

(Via Slashdot.)

First MacBook Pro unpacking pics

2006-02-19T12:33:00.000+03:00

First MacBook Pro unpacking pics:

Filed under: Macbook Pro

Here is a Flickr set of some pictures of a Macbook Pro being unpacked making the rounds today.' The MacBook Pro has a label on it that says 'Apple Development Team,' so the theory is that the pics were snapped somewhere on Apple's campus.' I have no idea if that is true, but look at that slim box!

Thanks to all who sent this in.

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(Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog.)

Media center from the ground up

2006-02-18T18:18:00.000+03:00

Media center from the ground up:

PC Magazine has a tutorial up that will teach you how to build a media center PC from scratch.

The first step in a DIY project is choosing what to make. There are a million reasons to own a PC, but you're not going to meet every need with one machine, so you have to decide on the tasks you want to accomplish. We wanted a system that could be the hub of a home entertainment system. That meant whatever we designed would need to be easy enough for the whole family to use, so the solution was a Windows Media Center PC.

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Related: Reader Poll: Watch video on your computer?

(Via Lifehacker.)

Hardware keylogger

2006-02-18T18:03:00.000+03:00

Hardware keylogger: align="texttop" border="0" height="325" hspace="4" vspace="4" width="400" />

Keelog.com has a really concise description of how to build a PS/2 based
keylogger. The main components are an AT89C2051 microcontroller and a 24C512 serial EEPROM. Once it is plugged in,
the device begins recording all of the codes generated by the keyboard. The data can then be dumped using their keygrab
software.

[thanks Boss]

(Via hack a day.)

The Big Release is Dead—Continual Development is King

2006-02-18T17:28:00.000+03:00

The Big Release is Dead—Continual Development is King: In the age of the ubiquitous internet connection, it's not enough to push a major release out the door every year or two. We demand constantly evolving software that is shaped by our needs.

(Via Extremetech.)

LG Xnote S1 Laptop: Looks Cool

2006-02-15T17:34:00.000+03:00

LG Xnote S1 Laptop: Looks Cool:

LG gets funky on us with this very stylish Xnote S1 laptop, announced in Korea. Dressed in black and white, it looks to have an Intel Dual Core CPU, 15.4-inch screen and 5.1 surround sound—though we're not absolutely sure of the specs. Also expect an ATI Mobility Radeon GPU for your 3D graphics. And again, it sure does look cool.

Stylish LG Xnote S1 Notebook [i4u]

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(Via Gizmodo.)

HiGrade DMS P60 Viiv PC

2006-02-15T13:52:00.000+03:00

HiGrade DMS P60 Viiv PC:

The first of the Intel Viiv machines are starting hit the streets, and here’s probably the best-looking one yet—the Hi-Grade DMS P60 Viiv PC. This small box runs Windows Media Center and will fit in perfectly in a home theater because it's quiet, yet its Intel Core Duo 1.6GHz processor is fast enough to handle HDTV. This one has a smallish 80-GB hard disk and lots of other accoutrements such as WiFi, Bluetooth, DVI port and gigabit Ethernet. It can either stand on end with the help of its included plastic stand, or lie down flat on its integrated rubber feet. There’s something important missing, though, and that’s a couple of PCI Express slots. Someday. Included are a remote control and an infrared keyboard, and it should be shipping sometime in March for $1391.

The Hi-Grade DMS P60 Viiv PC [Trusted Reviews]

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(Via Gizmodo.)

Creative letter-folding with Letterfu

2006-02-15T12:36:00.000+03:00

Creative letter-folding with Letterfu:

Website Letterfu offers designs and instructions for letter-writing and sending without envelopes, cutting, or glue.

All you need to send one is a printer, an A4 or Letter-sized sheet of paper and a stamp.

The letter is the envelope! It holds itself closed, secured by the stamp - so it doesn't even need any glue. You use the entire sheet of paper, so there's nothing to cut either!

Basically you write the letter on standard printing paper, print a Letterfu design on the back of the letter you've just written, fold it up, stamp it, and send it. This is a pretty cool idea - save some trees and use your letter as your envelope.

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Related: Create and customize your own planner with D*I*Y Planner
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(Via Lifehacker.)

Download of the Day: TTCS OSSWIN CD

2006-02-15T12:32:00.000+03:00

Download of the Day: TTCS OSSWIN CD:

Windows only: The TTCS OSSWIN CD is a huge collection of valuable open source software for your home and office.

The CD is available to download as an ISO via BitTorrent. However, even cooler, they've put together a web-based interface, allowing you to browse the offerings and download programs from the source without downloading the entire CD.

Granted, you could always do this, but you can't always browse such a nicely organized list of excellent open source software. Many of the programs on the TTCS OSSWIN CD have been mentioned here before, and what hasn't certainly has some potential.

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Related: Which Linux distro is right for you?
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(Via Lifehacker.)

Create and customize your own planner with DIY Planner

2006-02-15T12:30:00.000+03:00

Create and customize your own planner with D*I*Y Planner:

D*I*Y Planner 3.0 is a downloadable, fully customizable set of templates for creating your own planner system.

Some highlights of version 3.0:
Inspired by David Allen's Getting Things Done, but flexible enough to be used for almost any productivity method, including almost any of your own devising. Reference charts are included for GTD, including one specially designed for the D*I*Y Planner.
A core package which includes nearly 100 pages of forms, formatted for both odd and even pages, covering everything from action lists to project management to contact information to finances.

The templates cover the spectrum from productivity and health to creativity and web design. D*I*Y Planner is a volunteer-driven project and carries a Creative Commons license. According to the designer, Douglas Johnston, a Hipster PDA version of the planner is slated for the end of March.

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(Via Lifehacker.)

Apple Touchscreen Patent Documentation

2006-02-14T15:29:00.000+03:00

Apple Touchscreen Patent Documentation:

On Thursday we reported on the new iPod that might have a 3.5-inch touchscreen. Some documentation that claims to be from Apple's patent applications has popped up around the web. One of the interesting illustrations shows a larger format screen using two-handed touchscreen action, check it out after the jump. Apple iTablet and touch-screen iPod? Hooray!

Is the touch sensitive iPod going to be a reality? [Hrmpf!]

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(Via Gizmodo.)

5 handy Quicksilver triggers

2006-02-14T15:17:00.000+03:00

5 handy Quicksilver triggers:

Quicksilver triggers might seem like one more enigma inside of a riddle from the mind of our mysterious benefactor, Alc0r. Although writing documentation appears to be Alc0r’s only kryptonite, triggers are actually pretty well described on the Blacktree wiki. Still, it feels like relatively few people I encounter are using them (most of my friends don’t seem to even realize they exist). Since triggers have already been nicely introduced in some detail by Dan, I won’t duplicate his efforts.

So, what’s a trigger and why do I care?

Simply put, triggers let you associate a custom key combination or mouse gesture with any command you’d otherwise access via conventional methods in Quicksilver’s paned interface. Once recorded, these triggers can be invoked any time manually or even programmatically (like, by a QS timer or a logical “when THIS happens”-type event).

This, as I’ve said before, is just huge. QS already gives you instant access to virtually any corner of your Mac with a couple keystrokes; but attaching that power to an intuitive keyboard command just takes things to another (yes! yet! another!) level.

I’ll talk about mouse triggers a bit more in a future post, but for now, in the interest of spreading the word on this under-utilized piece of genius, here are a few ways I’m using keyboard triggers to control my Quicksilver world.

(A small favor: please thoroughly read the trigger documentation and Dan’s post before asking for help with Trigger setup)

1. Append to commonly-used lists

As mentioned before, it’s very easy to make a trigger for the Classic Quicksilver Trick: appending to a given text file. The key to making this one work, is to not enter anything in the third (text entry) pane when you’re creating the trigger. Otherwise, whatever is in there is hard-wired into the trigger. Which is bad.

The uses for this are as broad as your imagination, but, if you’re like me, it’s a great way to make it very easy to quickly capture from anywhere. Grocery lists, ideas for articles here, or weird jingles from my youth (”…Ma-zo-oh-la! Corn goo-ood-ness…”). To paraphrase Mick Jagger, it’s just a click away.

2. View contents of your favorite folder

I’d guess 80% of my folder-based movement in Quicksilver involves navigating to and opening an item within either my Desktop or my downloads folder. So I’ve taken out the first two steps of the process by making triggers that reveal the contents of each folder as a surfable Quicksilver list. Then — and this is the beauty part — I can just start typing away to winnow options down to just the sub-folder or document I want. Disco.

3. Paste from the shelf and the clipboard

The shelf in Quicksilver is kind of a mystery meat location to lots of people. I like to think of it as a persistent, indestructible clipboard. You can put stuff there — code chunks, images, favorite hex colors, email addresses, you name it — and then access them anytime. Likewise, I think some folks still don’t know that you can have Quicksilver remember old clipboards for you. I have my clipboard history set to 250 items right now, so it’s really easy to find and reuse anything I’ve cmd-c‘d in the last 2-3 days.

Once you get in the habit of using your shelf and the clipboard history (and you really should), you’ll wonder how you lived without them, and, as with the folder listings mentioned above, it’s fantastically useful to have a key that jumps straight to a list of the contents of either.

I’ve attached “ctrl-option-command-spacebar” to reveal my shelf, and “command-option-shift-spacebar” for my clipboard history. Knowing all that stuff is safely held for you, always a click away, makes your workflow much more confident. And believe me — you won’t miss having to flip back and forth to copy three separate strings of text from one place to another. Just copy copy copy. Then paste paste paste.

4. Paste usernames and trivial passwords

This is definitely not a best practice, so don’t do it, okay?

But you can theoretically create triggers for pasting email addresses, usernames, and trivial passwords into web forms. Some apps (*cough*) don’t like remembering login info across sessions, but if you’re visiting them 50 times a day, it can be time-consuming to keep going through the process over and over. If you have a securely located, non-shared machine (and don’t mind a little risk in your life), believe me, it’s a huge time-saver. Yes, you can also require that you enter your password to paste in a password from Quicksilver, but, well. That kind of defeats the purpose.

5. Configure new triggers faster

What fun is it if we don’t get a little meta?

Once you start using triggers — and start realizing how many places you can use them to speed things up, you’ll be making new ones left and right.

To make this easy, make a trigger that pulls up the “Triggers” section in Quicksilver’s preference. I use “ctrl-option-command-t” and believe me, I hit it a lot.

Happy triggering, and leave a comment if you want to share your favorite use of QS triggers. How ’bout it Dan? Alc0r? Other nerds?

Edit 2006-02-13 16:48:20: Fixed a typo on #5. With regrets: if you’ve been hitting “ctrl-option-space-t”, you’re probably frustrated and nearly homicidal by now. So don’t do it any more, because it was a dumb typo on my part. Lo siento.

(Via 43 Folders.)

Tool Updates: DIY Planner; GTD Tiddly Wiki Plus

2006-02-13T20:52:00.000+03:00

Tool Updates: D*I*Y Planner; GTD Tiddly Wiki Plus:

There’s been some interesting activity lately on two of the productivity tools that a lot of our readers like to follow.

DIY Planner 3.0

D*I*Y Planner 3.0 (Classic/A5 Edition) | D*I*Y Planner

Douglas Johnston has recently released v 3.0 of his Classic/A5 D*I*Y Planner. If you haven’t seen this before, Douglas has put together a Creative Commons-licensed version of the plain-paper templates usually associated with Costly Paper Planners. But he’s added some lovely design touches as well as some creative templates that are meant to support GTD and other popular productivity systems. Douglas says, of this version:

Way more professional and extensive, covering not only time/project
management but also lifestyle, health, creativity and more (e.g., life
balance, storyboards, diet tracker, finances, exercise log, story
submissions, etc.). Nearly 200 pages of templates are included.

While, in my opinion, the recent ‘net obsession with “things you can print at home” has gotten out of hand — y’know they have graph paper in stores now? — Douglas has added a lot more than blue quadrille lines here. This is thoughtful stuff, and if you love the immediacy of paper but don’t want to spend a fortune on a big folio from Staples, this may be right up your alley.

N.B. Fans of a tricked-out Hipster PDA can look forward to an index card edition late next month. Until then, the 2.0 HPDA edition is still available on his site.

GTD Tiddly Wiki Plus

GTDTiddlyWiki Plus - your simple client side wiki

Although I’m a little confused over exactly who’s doing what to which version (why does my brain freeze up whenever I see words like “wiki” and “plus”?), it appears that GTD Tiddly Wiki Plus is a project to revive the popular (but stalled?) GTD Tiddly Wiki. According to Ted Pavlic, on the 43F wiki:

GTD TiddlyWiki Plus is much better than GTD TiddlyWiki because it is not a derivative of TiddlyWiki; it actually is TiddlyWiki. This means that plugins and macros can be added and the system can be upgraded as new versions of TiddlyWiki come out.

I haven’t spent much time with this new release, but I’m intrigued by the idea of “plug-ins” as well as the idea that Ted plans to afford a “kGTD-like usage” for the GTDTWP.

I played with the last release of GTD Tiddly Wiki last summer, and I think it’s a fascinating chunk of functionality. It’s not really my particular cup of tea for everyday usage, but I really recommend you have a look for yourself. I get so much mail about the best way to “live” on two or more computers, and — at least from a “GTD system” standpoint — this seems like one novel solution.

(Via 43 Folders.)

MyDeskCity desktop wallpapers

2006-02-12T12:53:00.000+03:00

MyDeskCity desktop wallpapers:

Web site MyDeskCity.com is almost all in ~~Japanese~~ Chinese (we're not too swift here, tx wayne) so I can't tell you much about it except there are tons of fantastic free desktop wallpaper images there available for download, at 1600 by 1200 pixels.

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(Via Lifehacker.)

GM Files Patent for Car Multimedia Network

2006-02-11T17:35:00.000+03:00

GM Files Patent for Car Multimedia Network:

Lumbering carmaker GM has decided to bring itself into the 21st century by filing a patent for a multimedia infrastructure for cars. In its Rube Goldbergian patent application drawing above, the car company places a microprocessor and hard drive at the heart of this multimedia system, and has even taken into account digital rights management (DRM), figuring out a way to tie content to your vehicle identification number. There's also a video back-up camera plugged into the system, as well as an output to other vehicle systems.

Now we can all watch movies, edit video, plug in PCs and have them all talk to each other over a network in the car, all while traveling at 75 mph. On second thought, maybe we'll take the bus.

GM’s Car-based Multimedia Infrastructure [ZatsNotFunny]

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(Via Gizmodo.)

2006-02-11T16:51:00.000+03:00

So this is the video iPod, eh?:

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Ok everyone, what do you think the odds are that Apple so nonchalantly let loose some images of the full-screen iPod video the very day after ThinkSecret's supposed confirmation on the video iPod hit the wires? Did we mention the Photoshop metadata in the images' EXIF tags? No, we're not at all prepared to call this a "leak," but we'll definitely attest to this being a very nice rendering of what we hope could be the 6G iPod.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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(Via Engadget.)

2006-02-11T16:25:00.000+03:00

Flow: How action and awareness get things done:

A few good links and snippets on Flow — a topic that’s come a couple times before here and on the group, but which seems more germane than ever given a lot of what [the royal] we have been talking about lately. More deets on buying the book at the end, although there seem to be plenty of chewy resources on the web if you just want an introduction.

From c2:

“Flow” is a mental state of deep concentration. It typically takes about 15 minutes of uninterrupted study to get into a state of “flow”, and the constant interruptions and distractions of a typical office environment will force you out of “flow” and make productivity impossible to achieve.

From wikipedia:

As Csikszentmihalyi sees it, there are components of an experience of flow that can be specifically enumerated; he presents eight:

Clear goals (expectations and rules are discernable).

Concentrating and focusing, a high degree of concentration on a limited field of attention (a person engaged in the activity will have the opportunity to focus and to delve deeply into it).

A loss of the feeling of self-consciousness, the merging of action and awareness.

Distorted sense of time - our subjective experience of time is altered.

Direct and immediate feedback (successes and failures in the course of the activity are apparent, so that behavior can be adjusted as needed).

Balance between ability level and challenge (the activity is not too easy or too difficult).

A sense of personal control over the situation or activity.

The activity is intrinsically rewarding, so there is an effortlessness of action.

Not all of these components are needed for flow to be experienced.

From The Man Who Found the Flow:

Of the eight elements, one in particular emerged as the most telling aspect of optimal experience: the merging of action and awareness. In Seven Pillars of Wisdom, T.E. Lawrence sounded a similar theme, when he wrote that “happiness is absorption.” As the thirteen-century Zen master Dogen pointed out, in those moments when the world is experienced with the whole of one’s body and mind, the senses are joined, the self is opened, and life discloses an intrinsic richness and joy in being. For Csikszentmihalyi, this complex harmony of a unified consciousness is the mode of being toward which our own deepest inclination always points us.

From Interfaces for Staying in the Flow:

In summary, interfaces that are targeted at improving user’s ability to stay in the flow shouldn’t underestimate the importance of speed in supporting creativity, quality, and enjoyment. Every time there is an interruption, literal or conceptual that gets in the way of users concentrating on their tasks, flow is lost. Slow interfaces, which I define as any that get in the way of users acting on their work as quickly as they can think about it, are problematic.

Online places to pick up a copy of Csikszentmihalyi’s book, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience:

43f store

Amazon.com

isbn.nu

AddAll

PriceSCAN

(Via 43 Folders.)

2006-02-11T16:19:00.000+03:00

Web Development 2.0: By marc

I gave a rushed and somewhat incoherent talk at the Y Combinator Winter Founder's Program last night (and let me say again -- holy cow, they have such great taste in people -- the companies they're funding are filled with people I'd love to work with). In it, I reprised a part of the talk I gave in Israel, cataloging some of the software development practices I keep running into at Web 2.0 startups. The interesting thing to me is that so many startups and companies seem to be developing a new set of software development practices independently, and only after the fact sharing them with each other. Software isn't written for Web 2.0 companies the way it was during the bubble, nor is it written the way traditional, shipped software was. New ideas about Web applications seem to necessitate new ways of making those applications. Below is my current catalog of observations (less rushed than last night, and hopefully more coherent); I'd love to have more such practices suggested in the comments. How do you make a Web 2.0 app, and what kind of person is great at it?

(Via O'Reilly Radar.)

2006-02-11T16:18:00.000+03:00

How To Roundup:

How to:

(Via Lifehacker.)

2006-02-08T23:31:00.000+03:00

Huge list of BitTorrent sites:

The Web of Knowledge blog has posted a huge list of well over a hundred torrent sites organized by type.

The list is organized in categories from music (general, bootleg music, mixes and unsigned, specific bands) to television (general, specialized, sports) - you get the point. If you've been having trouble finding all you've been looking for on the BitTorrent front, there's sure to be a site in here that you haven't tried yet. If you still aren't sure how to get going with BitTorrent, we recommend setting up Azureus, or if your system doesn't have the energy for Azureus, try µTorrent.

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(Via Lifehacker.)

2006-02-08T22:04:00.000+03:00

Power User - The Best of Lifehacker:

This week at Lifehacker: Watch a video demo of an iPod running Linux. Still required to use IE at work? Have some strategies for surviving IT lockdown at the office. Build an Lego iPod dock. Turn your PSP into a universal remote capable of controlling over 1,800 devices. Automatically defrag your hard drive, reboot your PC or start up Firefox with all your favorites opened in tabs with Windows Scheduled Tasks. Finally, massage your LCD's stuck pixels right out.

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Related: Power User - The Best of Lifehacker
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(Via Gizmodo.)

2006-02-08T17:31:00.000+03:00

I-O Data's DVR-UW8DP dual DVD burner copies discs without a PC:

Filed under: Peripherals

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We thought we got away from the old disc-swapping shuffle when we graduated from floppy drives decades ago. But duping CDs and DVDs often involves a painful back-and-forth, or at the very least, dumping tons of files on your hard drive as an interim step. Fortunately, I-O Data seems to have a good solution: the DVR-UW8DP, a dual DVD burner that works with our without a PC, which will be available in Japan next month for ¥53,000 ($448). Without a PC, using it is as simple as putting a CD or DVD with data on it into one slot and a blank into another, and pressing one button. When connected to a PC via USB, it's a double drive that can be used to both play and burn discs. And, just in case you were wondering, no, it can't dupe protected commercial DVDs ... at least not without a little help.
/>[Via Akihabara
News]

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(Via Engadget.)

2006-02-08T13:55:00.000+03:00

Recap: Becoming an Email Ninja:

I’ll tell you a secret. There are a few topics here at 43 Folders that always seem to attract a curious crowd. Getting Things Done, Quicksilver, and anything having to do with procrastination always seem to resonate with people. Those are all evergreen.

But one of the issues that consistently draws the most folks here is anything that helps them deal with email. Ah, yes, email. The remarkable tool that was meant to simplify our lives and liberate vast deposits of time and attention now has every person I know on the run. There’s too freaking much of it and most of us lack the training and skills to do much but react emotionally and basically let it push us around like that mean kid in the middle school cafeteria.

Here are a few of my favorite (and the site’s most popular) posts on that heated topic of email — how to better deal with email as a recipient, and how to improve the lives of others as a better sender. Email is a subject that invigorates (and occasionally infuriates) me, so get ready for plenty more in the future. But if you’re one of the seemingly innumerable people who’s snowed under by email or unsure how to deal with it at a responsible level, flip through a few of these oldies, and see if any ideas jump out at you.

Five fast email productivity tips “There’s been a lot of great discussions about email productivity going around on sites I enjoy, so I thought I’d throw in five no-brainers that I’ve seen help a lot of folks.”

Quick tips on processing your email inbox - “The basic idea is to firewall processing as a discrete phase you go through no more than every hour or two at the most. For God’s sake, don’t live in your Inbox if there’s any way you can avoid it.”

Writing sensible email messages - “As we’ve seen before, getting your inbound email under control will give you a huge productivity boost, but what about all the emails you send? If you want to be a good email citizen and ensure the kind of results you’re looking for, you’ll need to craft messages that are concise and easy to deal with. “

Five email tics I’d love for you to lose - “For the love of God, people; can we get the word out on these?”

My email diet - “Gmail’s made me see the value of having very few actual folders for storing new and archived mail. It makes it much easier to track and organize your mail on the fly, plus Google’s search and labeling tools let you confidently shunt items out of your inbox constantly without fear of having stuff disappear. So I decided to try a little experiment.”

Fresh Start: The Email DMZ - “Think about it: how much stuff in your life has gotten unmanageable simply because you decided at some point that you were too behind to ever make a difference? More than anything you need a way to recover these projects from the brink — to find the handle that lets you stop making it worse and start seeing a way back toward daylight.”

4-1/2 tiny ways to master Mail.app - “Seriously, though, suck it up and just check for new mail as seldom as your job and your patience will possibly permit. Really push the envelope on this, even just for half a day, and see if you don’t notice a difference. The world actually can spin without you for a while (but just a little while).”

Open Thread: The value and quality of email at work - “If I ran a company and learned that most of my employees were spending that much time touching internal email, I’d ask my managers: ‘For how many and which employees is six hours of email each day adding value to the company?’ Maybe that’s just me.”

(Via 43 Folders.)

2006-02-08T13:54:00.000+03:00

Download Roundup:

The self-sustaining iPod
Get the programs that free your iPod from iTunes
SmallWindows
Expose-like window tiling for Windows
Internet Explorer 7 Beta 2 Preview
See what's in store in IE7.
Watson
A research assistant for your desktop.
Grocery List Generator for Firefox
This Firefox extension makes sure you don't forget to bring home the bacon.
High Priority
Slick, integrated to-do lists for your Mac
Senuti
Move songs from your iPod to your Mac - iTunes backwards, get it?
Handbrake DVD ripper
The popular DVD-to-iPod ripper comes to Windows
Colibri (not quite yet) Quicksilver for Windows
A quick launch Windows program looking to match up to Quicksilver.
SeaMonkey 1.0 internet suite
Kind of like Firefox, Thunderbird, and more wrapped into a little ball.

(Via Lifehacker.)