Internet, Simplified

Google Plus

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:20:00 +0000

Google unleashes a new social network - Google+.

Google has revealed what they call 'The Plus project', an ambitious venture aimed at reducing the popularity of Facebook. Access to the social network is by invite only, and Internet Simplified suggests you leave your email address in the comments below so we can invite you to give Plus a try, as soon as Google opens up invitations.

The idea behind Plus revolves around three major zones - Circles, Sparks and Hangouts. While circles are simply various kinds of categorizations of people you add or follow on Google Plus, Sparks involves obtaining and sharing links of topics that interest you and are doing the rounds of the web. Hangouts is, simply put, video conferencing.

[More on Google Blog]

Google Voice Search

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 05:24:00 +0000

Google Voice Search, an option already available on mobile apps, is now being rolled out for computers. You just need a microphone to speak what you are searching.

Click the microphone symbol in the search bar to speak your search words.

GMail Introduces People Widget

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 04:53:00 +0000

Get more information about contacts, with the GMail People Widget.

Google is introducing a new widget in your GMail account, called the People Widget. You will now see relevant information about the contacts that have emailed you.

When the email is opened, a widget on the right-hand side of the email will offer information like recent email conversations, Google Buzz updates and even the option to start a conversation in GMail Chat (even group conversations, involving all the people in that particular email).

[Via GMail Blog]

Do read Internet Simplified's extensive guide on GMail

3 Alternative Search Engines

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 09:01:00 +0000

Three search engines, that aren't Google.

The word 'Google' has become completely synonymous with searching on the web. Here are three alternative search engines worth giving a try.

Duck Duck Go

Duck Duck Go is one of the finest alternatives to Google search. It has several features different from Google. It offers specific information much faster, is completely spam and ad-free and does not track users. [More features]

Blekko

Blekko is a search engine that claims to reduce spam, by pioneering a slashtag search. The intention of slashtag search is to offer better results by searching the websites that the user is interested in. The idea is to eliminate what isn't needed and search specifically through slashtags. [More details]

Yebol

Yebol is a unique search engine that offers several forms of search results (actual web results, images, videos, social search, news on your search item) in a single search. It basically branches out your search in these categories.

[If these alternatives don't interest you, do check out our extensive guide to Google Search]

Discover RSS Feeds With ctrlQ

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 15:09:00 +0000

A search engine for popular RSS feeds.

ctrlQ is a unique search engine. The service finds you the best RSS feeds covering an area of your interest.

Simply type in a topic of your interest, and ctrlQ will show the best RSS feeds along with the website link in the search results.

You can even use advanced Google Search operators.

[Via Digital Inspiration]

(Related: No idea what RSS is? Read the Internet Simplified post on Google Reader)

View Full-Size Images In Google Search

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 14:55:00 +0000

A Google Chrome extension, that helps you skip the Preview page.

Straight To Full Size For Google Images is a Chrome extension that skips the page that previews images, in Google search.

After installing this extension, you will directly be linked to the image itself. This helps avoid the image preview, as well as the background loading of the webpage on which it was found.

Install Straight To Full Size For Google Images [Only for Google Chrome]

Find Free Wi-Fi Hotspots for iPad

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 14:32:00 +0000

The service can be used online, and offline.

Free Wi-Fi is an app for the iPhone, the iPod Touch and the iPad that finds you all the free Wi-Fi hotspots for you to access internet on the go.

The app is available for a free download from the App Store. You can search for Wi-Fi hotspots when connected to the web, or can download a list of all Wi-Fi hotspots in your city or anywhere else.

[More on Apple]

Twitter Shortens URLs

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 14:23:00 +0000

The social networking service converts long URLs into t.co forms.

Popular web service Twitter will now automatically shorten any long web addresses you post to a t.co URL.

Twitter used to do this earlier with bit.ly, but they no longer support the service.

[More on Twitter]

Play Angry Birds On The Web

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Fri, 13 May 2011 21:30:00 +0000

Popular game Angry Birds is now available to play in your web browser. Simply head over to Angry Birds and start playing.

The game can be played in two versions, depending on the performance of your computer – Standard and HD.

The game also appears on the Chrome Web Store as an app. Install the app from this link.

The Apple iPad 2

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Tue, 10 May 2011 01:08:00 +0000

A personal review of Apple’s latest iPad.

Apple’s new iPad 2 is a great tablet computer for both creators and consumers of content. It is a device essentially built for consumption of all forms of media (music, videos, reads and much more).

The iPad comes in two versions – the first is a Wi-Fi only version that connects to the internet through a wireless network and the second is a Wi-Fi + 3G version that connects to the internet through wireless networks or via a 3G network (that enables you to access the internet wherever you go).

Both these versions come in three capacities – 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB. The iPad starts at $499 on the official Apple online store, this basic price being for the 16 GB Wi-Fi only model.

The latest version of the iPad has two cameras for the FaceTime application and for creating HD video content. The device comes with many in-built applications like Mail and the mobile Safari web browser. One of the finest in-built applications is the Photo Booth, where pictures can be taken in fun ways. [Read more on Apple’s website]

Apart from these default apps, you can always explore Apple’s exhaustive App Store for new apps. Here are the best iPad apps, based on personal experience.

The Best iPad Apps

Flipboard

This app is a free download from the App Store. It is easily one of the best iPad apps around. It combines personal feeds like Facebook, Twitter and Google Reader with several other choicest feeds from around the web and makes them viewable in a magazine format. You can even share what you read, instantly. [Similar: Pulse News Reader, Zite]

Twitter for iPad

Twitter for iPad is the official app of the popular social networking website, Twitter. The app is available for a free download. It was originally available on the iPhone and other devices as Tweetie. While there are other Twitter apps like Twitterific, Twitter for iPad remains the simplest app around.

Friendly for Facebook

The iPad doesn’t have an official app for Facebook yet. While users await the release of an official app, Friendly for Facebook is a useful app. The app is available for free and covers most of the features available on Facebook. Alternatively, you can create a Home Screen bookmark for Facebook web.

Reeder for iPad

This is a reading app that synchronizes with your Google Reader feeds. It is one of the best RSS feed reading apps in the App Store and is priced at $4.99. You can check the screenshots of Reeder by clicking the title link, above.

Dropbox

Dropbox for iPad is a free app that allows you to access your Dropbox files. You can access your documents, PDFs, photos and videos from your Dropbox account and share with your friends and family.

AppShopper

AppShopper is a free app for the iPad, that offers you the latest offers, price reductions and information on apps from the App Store. Basically, AppShopper is a portal for apps. It will even inform you of highly-rated apps and updates on old apps.

Garage Band for iPad

Garage Band is a wonderful collection of tools that allow you to compose your own music. Create and record music through Garage Band’s collection of instruments. A full-fledged recording studio is created for you in Garage Band. The app is available from the App Store for $4.99.

Instapaper

Instapaper is a great way to save reading for later. This app is also a $4.99 download. It is very useful for avid readers. It downloads pages to the app, and they can even be shared via social media. [Similar: Read It Later]

What to do with the iPad?

The iPad, as has been stated earlier in this post, is primarily a device for consuming content. Games, videos, music, photos and apps that allow you to keep up with news and information clearly indicate that the iPad is primarily for reading, personal media consumption and entertainment.

On a personal note, the iPad is generally used for reading news, Twitter and other social media, emails, movies and videos, web browsing and blogging.

Verdict

The iPad is a wonderful device to own. With an advanced microprocessor, the iPad 2 has improved upon the performance of the first generation iPad and is even thinner than the first one. It has several competitors in the market, ranging from the Samsung Galaxy Tab to the Blackberry Playbook. But none of them compare to the iPad because they do not boast an extensive App Store, the brilliant LED display or a microprocessor like that of the Apple gadget.

[More on Apple at Internet Simplified]

Upload Folders To Google Docs

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Mon, 09 May 2011 23:29:00 +0000

This feature essentially enables a batch-upload of files.

You can instantly upload a batch of files, that are stored in a folder on your computer, to Google Docs.

On your Google Docs homepage, simply click the Upload button and you will find an option ‘Folder’. Click the button and select the folder you want to upload from your computer.

[More Google Docs Tips]

Ubuntu 11.04 – A Review

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Mon, 02 May 2011 22:29:00 +0000

The open source OS just got a whole lot better.

Ubuntu has just released ‘Natty Narwhal’, the latest Linux operating system that is available for a free download from it’s website. The OS, featuring the Unity desktop, is sleek, fast and very easy on the eye.

Interface

With a simplistic interface that is very easy to navigate through, Ubuntu 11.04 is a fun experience. It boasts a launcher on the left of the screen, that plays host to your quick-access icons. This is, of course, customizable.

A dash is also a new feature in Ubuntu 11.04. On the top left of the screen, there is a Ubuntu logo which when clicked opens up shortcuts to your favourite programs. Additionally, you can work in four workspaces.

Applications, Web and Ubuntu Software Centre

Ubuntu offers many in-built applications like the Mozilla Firefox 4 web browser, Adobe Flash, Liferea feed reader for your RSS feeds (integrates seamlessly with Google Reader), the LibreOffice package that is a useful substitute for users of Microsoft Office, instant messengers like Pidgin, the Banshee audio player and many more. The popular Google Chrome web browser can be downloaded too.

If you feel the need to download new applications, the Ubuntu Software Centre has them all. Simply head over to the Software Centre, discover thousands of new applications and download them instantly.

The advantage, as is with all Linux-based operating systems, is that Ubuntu is completely virus-free. Updates are released every six months and can be downloaded for free from the Ubuntu website.

Ubuntu has also introduced Ubuntu One. Create an account in Ubuntu One and sync all your files across your operating systems. They would be present on the cloud, and can be accessed from anywhere.

How To Download Ubuntu

Ubuntu can be downloaded from the website directly, or via torrents. It can be directly downloaded on to a USB drive or a CD-ROM and can be installed from there.

To make installation easier, try the Wubi Ubuntu installer for Windows. Ubuntu can be installed directly from your Windows OS using Wubi.

Verdict

The new Ubuntu is much better than previous editions of the Linux-based operating system. Unity makes navigation a great experience, and the presence of applications completes the operating system, just like Windows or the Mac OS. You can always switch to the GNOME desktop, if Unity doesn’t work for you. Overall, Ubuntu 11.04 is quick, simple, free and fun to use.

[For more information, visit the Ubuntu website.]

Access Your Music Everywhere With mSpot

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 18:34:00 +0000

mSpot – Music on the cloud.

mSpot is a free music service that stores all your favorite music on its servers, and allows you to access the music from anywhere.

Download the music uploading software from mSpot and select all the music you want to upload to mSpot.

Log in to mSpot from anywhere, and access your music collection. To access music on your phones, download the mSpot apps available on Android and Apple’s App Store.

The service offers upto 5 GB of storage free.

Related Reading: More Music Tips

Short Simplified Links #3

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 14:48:00 +0000

Useful links, to help get work done.

Create temporary email addresses with Guerrilla Mail. The service offers a temporary email address that lasts for 60 minutes, and can be used to avoid giving away your genuine email address to a potential spam website or otherwise. [Also see: 10 Minute Mail]

iTools is a simple website that contains the best possible tools that one can use, on the internet. Ranging from real-time search engines to dictionaries to tools that provide information on websites, iTools offers a wide variety in a plain theme.

Shorten URLs with Google’s goo.gl and track the number of clicks on them with the analysis given below. The improved URL shortener offers detailed analysis of web addresses.

[More Simplified Links]

Trace Twitter unfollowers with Qwitter

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 21:10:00 +0000

Qwitter – Get informed of unfollowers on Twitter

Qwitter is a service that sends you updates of people who unfollow you on social networking platform, Twitter.

Sign up with the website by providing your Twitter handle and email address, and a summary email will be sent everyday. The service also helps one identify bots and spammers.

Related Reading: More Twitter Tips

Short Simplified Tips #2

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 10:57:00 +0000

More Useful Links

Boomerang for GMail – Boomerang is an add-on to the Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox web browsers that allows you to schedule the sending of your emails. You can select from the options given, or can provide your own specified time. [More Add-Ons]

Read It Later – Creates a reading list for you to read web pages later. You can also save web pages and read offline. It is available for most web browsers, and mobile operating systems.

TBUZZ – Is a bookmarklet that allows you to instantly share web pages on Twitter, and also check if the web page you are sharing is already being talked about on the microblogging platform. [More Bookmarklets]

[More Short Simplified Tips]

VLC Media Player For iPhone

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 11:49:00 +0000

Download VLC for iPhone and iPod Touch.

Popular open-source media player, VLC, is available for free download in the iTunes App Store. It can play almost any media format.

Transfer videos and music from the Apps tab, when you connect your iPhone or iPod Touch to your PC or Mac.

Download VLC Media Player

Short Simplified Tips #1

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 18:00:00 +0000

Useful Links

YouConvertIt – A free service to convert any format of media (documents, audio, video) into other formats. Simply upload the file you wish to convert, select the type you want to convert it to and enter your email address to have the file delivered to your inbox.

LinkBunch – Convert a set of related or unrelated links that you wish to share on the web, via email or on social networks into a single link. LinkBunch combines all these links into a single link.

CL1P – cl1p is an internet clipboard. Share information between computers over the internet for free. Create a clip with a cl1p.net custom URL and add the information you would like to share. The clips last for 8 days.

[More Tips]

Tall Tweets

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:15:00 +0000

Compose long tweets, send them as short ones.

Tall tweets is a web-based Twitter application that gathers a long tweet from you and slices it into short tweets of 140 characters or less.

Head to Tall Tweets, sign in with your Twitter handle or email address and compose a long tweet. The tweet will be split into parts and appear in a reverse order on the Twitter timeline. The service also shortens hyperlinks with bit.ly.

Related Reading: More on Twitter

Google Scribe – Get AutoComplete Suggestions

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 17:53:00 +0000

The experimental Scribe offers word suggestions as you type.

Google Scribe is a text completion service from Google Labs. It offers suggestions for words and phrases which could be correct or alternative to what you type.

The service works for the English language and can be used with GMail, Blogger, Wordpress or other websites where text editing may be needed.

The best way to use the service is to add the Scribe bookmarklet in your browser bookmarks When needed, hit Ctrl+Shift+J to enable/disable the service.

Related Reading: More Bookmarklets

Download Internet Explorer 9 Beta

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 17:08:00 +0000

Internet Explorer’s newest Beta version is available for download.

Microsoft has released the Beta edition of Internet Explorer 9. It can be downloaded from the Internet Explorer 9 website.

The browser has introduced a speed dial, adds suggested sites, has a brand new design and is more secure. You can read more about the new features on the website itself.

The Beta version is available for Windows Vista and Windows 7 only.

vChatter – Facebook Video Chat

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 18:27:00 +0000

Chat with your Facebook friends via video.

vChatter is a Facebook application that enables video chatting in Facebook’s instant messenger.

Head to vChatter and connect the application with Facebook. Once in Facebook, enable chat and you can then ping any of your friends who are online at that instant. Allow access to your computer’s web camera and start chat.

Related Reading: More on Instant Messaging

Google Instant

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 16:59:00 +0000

Search, as you type.

Google’s search engine now brings up results as you type your search terms, called Google Instant. Head to Google Instant and click ‘Try It Now’ to get search results as you are typing any search term.

Next to the search bar, you will find a link to switch on Instant or switch to default search. You can alternatively head to Google’s NCR website to try the service.

[Via Google Blog]

Twitter Suggests Followers

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 09:14:00 +0000

New Twitter feature suggests people to follow.

Twitter has introduced a new feature on the main page, that offers suggestions of people to follow.

If you are on the profile page of a particular person, then you will get suggestions of similar users you can follow. The suggestions will appear on the lower-right corner.

Related Reading: Twitter Tips

Track If Your Email Has Been Read

noreply@blogger.com (Jay) — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 14:26:00 +0000

WhoReadMe – a free service to keep a check on whether your emails are being read.

Do you often send emails and want to know whether they are being read by your recipient(s)? Give WhoReadMe a try.

WhoReadMe is a free (they also offer premium services) website that informs you of important information regarding the receipt of your emails.

It will return you a report of the time and location of the opening of that email.

Just connect your email account with WhoReadMe and send a mail from the website itself. Alternatively you can add ‘whoreadme.com’ as a suffix on your recipient’s email address.

Once your email is opened, WhoReadMe will send you an instant email report of the activity. For the free version, it offers ten notifications.