Zaphu

How to Get the Most from StumbleUpon [Tips]

Franklin — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:52:14 +0000

StumbleUpon is a great way to discover new content on the internet. You tell StumbleUpon about your interests and it will show you pages from the internet that you might enjoy (you can try a quick demo if you are wary). The easiest way to use StumbleUpon is via the Firefox add-on (there is an IE version as well - argh). If you aren’t using Firefox you certainly should be since Firefox 3 has raised the bar far above what IE, Safari, or any other broswer is capable of. To get started, download Firefox and the StumbleUpon add-on, then continue reading to discover how to get the most from StumbleUpon. (more…)

How to Enable Apache HTTP Server with PHP in OS X [Mac Guide]

Sam — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:55:55 +0000

Mac OS X (currently Leopard 10.5.3) includes an implementation of the Apache HTTP server. However, it isn’t running by default nor does it have the PHP engine enabled. This guide shows you how to activate Apache with PHP support in a few easy steps. (more…)

Anxiety - A Simple and Elegant To-do List Manager [Mac Freeware, Review]

Franklin — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:08:56 +0000

Anxiety is a lightweight to-do list application for Mac OS X Leopard from designer and developer Tom Stoelwinder. Anxiety is a very simple and elegant application that allows users to quickly create to-dos. One of its main strengths is the ability to integrate with OS X task management applications such as Mail and iCal. The fact that Anxiety is always available makes it a great option for displaying and managing tasks. Read more to see a more complete review of the application.
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Hulu, Let Me Count the Ways I Love/Hate You [Review, Opinion]

Franklin — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:32:24 +0000

I was more than a little skeptical when NBC jumped ship on iTunes and announced it would create its own video portal. Usually such endeavors crash and burn in dramatic fashion, e.g., ABC.com, AOL Video, and Google’s Video Marketplace. However, as soon as I got my beta invite I was pleasantly surprised with just how good Hulu was. While the content was initially very limited, the interface was well thought out and implemented. As time passed I fell in love with Hulu but I also became frustrated with some of Hulu’s oddities, read more to find out what 5 things I enjoy about Hulu and what 5 things drive me nuts. (more…)

Ripping and Burning DVDs in Linux with K9Copy and Brasero [Ubuntu Guide]

Sam — Sat, 31 May 2008 12:31:30 +0000

If you have installed software and codecs for watching DVDs on Ubuntu as per this post, then this guide will get you started ripping and burning DVDs using Brasero (the CD/DVD burning application included with Ubuntu) and an application called K9Copy, which is similar to the popular program DVD Shrink for Windows. (more…)

How to Install Media Codecs for Flash, DVD, QuickTime (MOV), MP3, WMV, WMA, and ACC (MP4, M4A) Playback in Linux [Ubuntu Guide]

Sam — Sat, 31 May 2008 00:08:03 +0000

Due to copyrights, Ubuntu (currently Hardy Heron 8.04) is distributed without codecs to play many of the most prevalent media formats including DVD video (unencrypted and encrypted), Flash (.swf and .flv extensions), QuickTime movies (.mov ), MP3s (.mp3), Windows Media Audio and Video (.wma and .wmv), and unencrypted ACC files (.acc, .mp4, and .m4a). Luckily, these codecs are easy to install. This guide shows you how. (more…)

How to Mount and Share a USB Hard Drive with Macs Using Netatalk [Ubuntu Guide]

Sam — Thu, 29 May 2008 18:30:58 +0000

At home, I’ve installed a Netatalk Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) file server on a machine running Ubuntu Hardy Heron (8.04) so that I can easily share files between my Macs (mostly running OS X 10.5.3) and the Ubuntu machine (see this post for details). Using an open source network service discovery protocol similar to Apple’s Bonjour called Avahi (see this post for a setup guide), this file server is advertised to Macs on my local area network (LAN). The Netatalk file server works great, but I wanted to configure Netatalk to share an external USB hard drive connected to my Ubuntu file server. I wanted to use the USB hard drive to backup the data on my Macs so that in the event of an emergency (like a fire) I could easily grab my data and run. Here is the steps I took to do this. (more…)

How to Enable Mac Address Book to Sync with Google’s Gmail Contacts without an iPhone or .Mac [Mac Guide]

Franklin — Thu, 29 May 2008 16:14:26 +0000

This is just a quick tip to explain how to sync your Mac Address Book (Leopard 10.5.3 only) with Google’s Gmail without needing an iPhone or a .Mac account. If you have an iPhone then you don’t need this tip and can follow these instructions. If you don’t have a Gmail account you’ll need to go here and sign up for one. After you have your Gmail account ready, proceed to step 1. (more…)

Redesign Makes Reddit Much Much Better

Franklin — Tue, 27 May 2008 23:15:18 +0000

If you are a digg.com fan you have probably heard of its competitor reddit.com. If not, reddit is a social news site where users submit and vote on news stories with the idea that the good stuff will float (or uptick) to the top. I have been disappointed in the content that digg has to offer, and recently I’ve found myself using reddit instead. At first I found the old reddit page design too cramped and not at all pleasing to the eye. However, the new reddit features not only a nice page redesign but also contains other new features such as custom subreddits (think categories on digg) and better implementation of friend management. Here is a screenshot of the new page design.
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If You Like Technology You Should Watch These Great Video Podcasts

Franklin — Tue, 27 May 2008 14:57:03 +0000

Here are the video podcasts that I enjoy watching on a regular basis. Most of these are available in HD or high quality formats. Be sure to go to the podcast site to find the HD feed and then open iTunes and use the Advanced > Subscribe to Podcast … trick to get the best quality video.

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