Know.More-No.Less

Windows 7 Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Smart Techie) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:17:00 +0000

There are many beta reviews coming on net about the upcoming Windows 7 OS which is being said to be Vista Killer.Going by those I really hope that Microsoft comes out with a real good OS to use as I still prefer XP.

Today just came across one review that I would really like to mention. Head on to Callum Jones - First look at Windows 7.

Burn To The Brim - Maximize CD/DVD Burning

noreply@blogger.com (Smart Techie) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:16:00 +0000

I regularly take backup of my important data. Though I have my USB HDD for this purpose, I also keep some data on CD/DVD which is not meant to change over a period of time.

One thing that I always have problem with is deciding the right files (sizes) so that the blank media gets utilized to its fullest capacity and for this I use the software Burn to The Brim.

The software is very easy to use. You keep on dragging files in the interface. When the media is full or has exceeded is capacity , this software will automatically suggest the best combinations in which the files can be written to CD/DVD so that maximum blank space can be utilized. Just give it a try and let me know how you find it.

OpenOffice 3 Installation on Ubuntu 8.10

noreply@blogger.com (Smart Techie) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:50:00 +0000

I have read on net that Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex (8.10) is coming with OpenOffice 2.x version, can't comment on it as the final release date (31st Oct'08) is still to come.
Anyway, whether it ships with the latest version or not but we can surely check out Softpedia's article on installing OpenOffice 3 on Ubuntu 8.10

OpenOffice 3 Download

noreply@blogger.com (Smart Techie) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:08:00 +0000

I am not aware that is it just me or others are also facing the same problem.
I tried visiting OpenOffice site to download a copy but could not make it.
Seems just after the release , the site has been swamped with many download requests.
By the way, if you wish to read the (early) reviews of this great open source product kindly head on to this post.

Online Paint Program - Sumo

noreply@blogger.com (Smart Techie) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:34:00 +0000

We have seen and used applications such as Google Docs, Web OS and even Sticky Notes. But here's something different.
Sumo Paint is a online paint editor with many basic and certainly extra features that can be used when one wants to create/edit a image quickly but doesn't have access to a paint program. I gave the program a little try and was really impressed by its functionality.

Vista Performance Tuning

noreply@blogger.com (Smart Techie) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:45:00 +0000

There are no. of guides available on internet describing how to optimize Vista's performance.
Well, before venturing out and trying those tweaks why not hear from the maker itself as what does it has to say about optimization.

Head over to this link for downloading the performance and tuning guide for Vista from MS : Windows Vista Performance and Tuning (PDF).

The guide also has good tips for laptop users on how to conserve battery power.

Buy from US Online retailers - Anywhere in the world

noreply@blogger.com (Smart Techie) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 18:16:00 +0000

During online shopping we many times
come across US sites that has the item of interest. There are some cases here when shopping from an online retailer located in US:

The item that you want to buy is not available in your country
The item is available for less price from the US retailer.
You don't have a US credit card to use for purchasing.

In many cases the seller don't have international shipment option so even if you want an item there was no way to it.

But not until now.Welcome MyUs.
The site will provide you with a US address which you can use online for shopping and they will ship the package to your actual address. They claim to ship the package anywhere in the world.
You need not worry about the credit card problem as this site also takes care of that.

I really liked this idea, haven't tried it myself so please checkout the review before proceeding.

Top Wallpapers sources

noreply@blogger.com (Smart Techie) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 14:18:00 +0000

Most of like to change and have good wallpapers for our laptops/ desktops. Coupled with proper themes the look and feel can be totally changed and it feels a whole new world on our computer. Listed below are some (top) suggestions to download wallpapers/themes:

InterfaceLift – This site has wallpapers ranging from those created by use of graphics software to natural landscapes/images captured by professional photographers.
Deviantart : Do I need to so say anything more..Just go & check it out.
Vlad studio : Collection of wallpapers created by digital artist Vlad Gerasimov.
HD wallpapers : I recommend this after interface lift. Very rich collection of wallpapers.
Social Wallpapering : A community effort to distribute high resolution images for use as computer wallpaper.
Minty White Wallpapers : A good set of wallpapers. The collection is limited but vast enough to satisfy the wallpaper needs.
Flickr : How can the great image sharing site be forgotten for finding new wallpapers.
Gnome-look (Linux) – Not only just for wallpapers but has all the eye catching stuff that will surely change the look of our desktop.
Random Walls – Collection of premium wallpapers fetched from other sites as well.
Customize.org : For your windows need.
National Geographic : Realistic images.
Desktopography : Enhance your desktop with a wallpaper creation from desktopography and feel the essence of nature and the outdoor existence on your computer.

All in one zip files extractor

noreply@blogger.com (Smart Techie) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:58:00 +0000

If you are among those who work with compressed files in various common formats (rar ,zip,7zip) and need a simple solution to view or create (subject to the archival programs capability) them then I guess 7zip would serve the purpose. But what when you want to just view the contents of .cab file, what all is contained in an .msi (Windows Installer package) file, or .mht or even .chm!!!

Yes, you can see what these type of files actually contain.If the contents of such file types are to be viewed then head on to Universal Extractor.

But keep in mind that this is just an extractor so though many types of files can be extracted by it , it is not intended to replace your favorite archival creation program.

Gmail File Upload Trick

noreply@blogger.com (Smart Techie) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:08:00 +0000

Came across with this neat little trick when I was sending an email to my friend. Given below is the screen shot of file Upload option in Gmail :

When you want to attach a file, instead of clicking on 'Browse' button just single/double click in the text area, the file browser window opens up for selecting the file from your PC.

This works in both, HTML and Standard view, mode.

My Top 10 Firefox 3 Add-ons

noreply@blogger.com (Smart Techie) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 21:30:00 +0000

Firefox is a fantastic browser. Since it has an ability for installing add-ons , it really helps me a lot to extend its functionality rather than using it only for browsing. Here is my top 10 Firefox add-on extension list:

StumbleUpon : discovers web sites based on your interests, learns what you like , find sites that interest you, build a network and do more.
Cooliris (formerly PicLens) : Full-Screen, 3D transforms your
browser into a visually stunning experience for searching, viewing, and
sharing online photos and videos. It will really change the way you look at media files over the net. Though as of now available only for Windows, I hope they come out with a Linux version soon.
Smart Bookmarks Bar : I usually bookmark lot of sites to access them regularly. I would place some sites on my bookmarks bar to be just clicked and opened. Because of this, earlier I ran out of space so was having only a limited no. of bookmarks, but this extension is awesome. Just try it to praise it.
ScribeFire Blog Editor : While w.bloggar is a hit desktop blogging tool on Windows, my search for a good blog editor for Ubuntu Linux ended with ScribeFire.
DownloadThemAll : Who needs a separate download manager when you have such a great and feature rich download manager integrated right in your favourite browser.
ScrapBook : Take snapshot of the web pages for viewing them later or keeping them for reference. You can also specify how deeply should the links on a page be followed to take a complete picture. (Default is 0 - just the current page).
Stealther : Surf the net without leaving a trace on your computer.
User Agent Switcher : A site not displaying in Firefox correctly? Works with only IE? Want to change the browser type without leaving Firefox, then this extension is the one.
AdBlock Plus : Block annoyed ads on websites with this great add-on. Will also decrease the page loading time plus saving you the bandwidth.
GreaseMonkey : Last but not the least. This extension allows you to customize the way a webpage displays using small bits of JavaScript. There a no. of scripts available for various purposes which can be found at UserScripts.

Append Date-Time in Notepad File Automatically

noreply@blogger.com (Smart Techie) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 19:30:00 +0000

Windows Notepad is a neat little application that is very useful for jotting down quick text notes.
Now, what if Notepad automatically appends the date-time in the file for you during editing.
Yes. Just create a new text file and add the following line at the very beginning of the file:

.LOG

Now open the file and you see date/time already added in the file.
Each time you open the file, date-time will already be added based upon your system date/time.

This a great way if you use one text file for taking multiple notes but need to know which entry was added on what date.

Blogger template changed

noreply@blogger.com (Smart Techie) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 19:19:00 +0000

Though this site has not yet started receiving much traffic, few people who have visited this have suggested that either I make changes to the current template or use a new one since they were facing some display problems. Hence I have updated my blogger template as I too found it a little problematic/limited in some areas. Hope you like the new design.
Please leave suggestions in comments.

Google Chrome - Few Pointers

noreply@blogger.com (Smart Techie) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 17:52:00 +0000

After much of hoopla and hype regarding release of Google's Chrome browser, there have been many opponents and proponents for it. From people praising the simplicity of the browser to government's recommending it not to use due to security flaws. No. of sites have come up with many tweaks to make browsing experience richer with Chrome. From the past few days I have been keeping a quite tab on the 'say' for Chrome. Here are the resources which you may find useful :

Log into Two Accounts at Once with Chrome's Incognito Mode

Power User's Guide to Google Chrome

Block Ads in Google Chrome

Portable Google Chrome

Google Chrome vs Mozilla Firefox 3

10 Things that make Chrome better Browser

German Government suggest Citizens not to use Chrome

Google Chrome as Hacking Tool

Google Chrome: Browser Or Cloud Operating System?

Running Chrome In Ubuntu using Wine

Ubuntu Command Wallapaper

noreply@blogger.com (Smart Techie) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:51:00 +0000

I have Windows Vista and Ubuntu (Hardy Heron) setup with dual boot and spend most my time with Ubuntu. If your are a newbie, you should really give this distro a try.

Gnome-Look has a great wallpaper listing out some of the most frequently use commands in Ubuntu. It will be a great assistant to Linux users (especially newcomers) as an immediate command reference.

Download files in Office

noreply@blogger.com (Smart Techie) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:53:00 +0000

How many times has it happened that you wanted to download a file from the internet but the great firewall/proxy rules of your organization blocked it? I bet you might have faced this problem at some point of your time.

Worry not. Download at Work has come with the solution.It just does what it name says and looks really great.
Assuming that you are at least able to reach on the site, you will be able to download the files in:zip,doc,xls,pfd,aaa.

Just mention the URL of the file, select an extension that you want and its done!!
A download link will be generated for the file having the extension that you chose.

The Knowledge Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Smart Techie) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:06:00 +0000

This blog is about knowledge sharing. Here you will find various interesting ways to solve problems , get the latest in tech world. Hence this blog will just give more and not less :)