Nepali geek's corner

10 Things You Didn't Know Dropbox Could Do

2013-07-25T04:57:00.000-07:00

1. "Favorite" Files for Offline Reading

If you "favorite" images or text documents on your mobile device using the Dropbox app, you can access those files later, even if you're not connected to Wi-Fi or cellular service.
2. Use Dropbox as Your Default Documents Folder

To conserve memory and time, you can save files directly to Dropbox from your computer programs. This requires simple commands in Terminal for Mac OS or a small settings change for Windows.
For Mac OS, open Terminal (in Utilities) and type cd Dropbox. Press enter, and then type ln -s ~/Documents /Documents. Hit enter again to complete the process.
In Windows, right-click on your My Documents folder, hit Properties and click Move. Then select your Dropbox folder.
3. Email Files to Dropbox as Attachments

When you don't have access to Dropbox, it comes in handy to have an alternate way to upload files.
If you create an account at SendToDropbox.com, you can send files to a custom email address as attachments. The files will automatically appear in your Attachments folder in Dropbox.
4. Get More Storage — For Free

If you're a free user of Dropbox, you can immediately access 2GB of space, but you can get more storage without having to pay for an upgrade.
Dropbox offers 500MB for every friend that you refer to the service, 250MB for completing a "Getting Started" checklist, 125MB for connecting social media and several other options to earn more space.
Dropbox Pro users can get up to 32GB of extra space, thanks to referrals.
5. Maintain Firefox Settings Across Multiple Computers

It's difficult to maintain specific preferences or add-ons in Firefox when you use the browser on multiple computers. However, you can download Firefox Portable and store it in Dropbox. Since Firefox Portable can be used anywhere, your settings and add-ons will be synced.
6. Upload Files to Dropbox via URL

URL Droplet allows you to upload links straight to your Dropbox folders. All you need to do is take a link (this especially works well if the link leads to a PDF or similar document) and paste it into the URL Droplet form.
7. Download Torrents Remotely

Note: This Dropbox tip is intended for legal use only.
If you're away from your personal computer and you'd like to download bit torrent files, ready by the time you get home, Dropbox is a perfect tool.
Just adjust the settings in your torrent program (uTorrent, BitTorrent, etc.) to automatically load your torrent in Dropbox.
Image courtesy of Jakub Jankiewicz.
8. Maintain Two Dropbox Accounts (Advanced)

This one can get tricky, so it's intended for advanced users (using Mac OS).
Many people use Dropbox for both business and personal purposes, often maintaining separate accounts for each, since Dropbox doesn't support multiple users at once. This can be inconvenient when you're connected to one account but want to reach files in another.
A solution is to use an alternate home directory in the command line and create another Dropbox icon and folder, saved in a separate area on your computer. You can differentiate between the two by changing the color of one of the icons.
Learn more about this process on the Dropbox Wiki.
9. Back Up Your Website

You can easily back up your website and data on Dropbox, which is useful if you've spent a lot of time and effort building your site or your're concerned about your servers.
With a service like Backup Box or a WordPress.org plugin, rest assured that your website is backed up.
10. Host Web Pages

Want a website, but don't want to pay for a domain? Want an online portfolio, but don't know HTML? Dropbox can help.
By using services like DropPages or Pancake.io, you can create a small and simple website with minimal effort.
With Pancake.io, all you need to do is save plain text files in Dropbox, and you can edit them at any time the same way. DropPages is a little bit more complex, letting you add themes and custom URLs. Both services allow you to use Markdown or HTML.

Windows 8.1 vs OS X Mavericks: Which OS is Best?

2013-07-13T06:10:00.002-07:00

The war between Windows and Mac has reached a new phase with Windows 8.1 and OS X Mavericks. While you could call the new Windows a course correction–with the re-introduction of a Start button and the ability to boot straight to the desktop–Microsoft is still very much on the path of converging laptops and tablets. Meanwhile, Apple largely stays the course with OS X Mavericks, embracing existing Mac owners and would-be switchers with time-saving features like Finder Tabs. At the same time, Mavericks continues to borrow features from iOS, including the new Maps and iBooks app.
Those in the market for a new laptop have two very distinct choices in Windows 8.1 and OS X Mavericks. So we decided to pit the two platforms against one another in 10 rounds of battle to crown a champ.

Editors’ Note: This face-off is based on the developer previews for both Windows 8.1 and OS X Mavericks. We will update this article in the fall of 2013 once both operating systems have shipped to consumers.

Interface

Windows 8.1 still features the same dynamic Live Tile interface as Windows 8, making it easy to see social updates, the latest weather conditions and news headlines at a glance. But now there are more tile size options at your disposal. You can also set the same background for both the Modern interface and desktop UI to provide a more seamless feel.

Still, the Modern UI and desktop remain very distinct computing environments. (Why are there still two IE browsers again?) Fortunately, you can boot directly to the desktop if you wish. A more robust Modern settings menu helps, but tweaking some options requires digging into the Control Panel. OS X Mavericks System Preferences are all in one place.
Microsoft wisely revived the Start button in Windows 8.1. However, this button merely returns you to the Start screen and its Live Tiles. It’s actually kind of tease.
Microsoft could also do a better job of not hiding key information in Modern mode, such as your system’s battery life. And while Windows 8.1 surfaces more data at a glance, such as the search bar in the Mail app, other times you’re forced to swipe up to reveal the app bar before you know what options are at your disposal. Yes, Windows 8 has improved, but it still feels like work at times.

OS X Mavericks offers a very similar interface to Mountain Lion, including an iOS-like Launchpad for the apps you download from the App Store, a Notification Center that shows your alerts and a dock for your favorite apps. It’s not fancy, but it works.

Apple has modernized the look and feel of some of its apps, including Calendar and Notes. Those old-school ripped page visual metaphors have a taken a back seat for a cleaner aesthetic.
Winner: OS X Mavericks. Last time we gave this round to Mountain Lion because it offers a more consistent and unified UI. While we appreciate the improvements in Windows 8.1, its two UIs still don’t mesh well.

Multitasking

Microsoft extends its lead over OS X with 8.1 by allowing users to run up to four apps on the screen at once. You can’t even snap two windows side by side on OS X Mavericks. Just as important, you can now snap two Modern apps side by side and have them both take up half of the screen. Before it head to be a 70/30 percent split. In desktop mode you can still peek at open programs by hovering your cursor over the app icon, something OS X doesn’t do.

Multitasking on OS X Mavericks hasn’t improved much, which is a shame. Mission Control provides only a dashboard as to what’s open. You can’t close any apps from this view. Why not let users swipe up on an app to close it, as you can on the upcoming iOS 7? For the most part, OS X is best for unitasking because of its ability to run many apps at full screen. However, we like the improved multiple display support, which lets you see the dock and menu bar across screens.

Winner: Windows 8.1. An improved Snap function makes Microsoft’s OS the better bet for multitaskers.

Notifications

Windows 8.1 sticks with Toaster notifications that pop up on your screen for incoming alerts, relying mostly on Live Tiles to keep users up to speed. Our issue with Live Tiles is that you don’t land on a specific message or news story that you see flashing in the tile, just the start page for the related app. On the plus side, a new Quiet Hours feature gives users more control over alerts, letting them schedule when notifications should be inactive.

Apple has built on Notification Center in Mountain Lion with enhanced notifications in OS X Mavericks. You can reply to a message or email directly from within the alert, which helps save time and keeps you more focused on the task at hand. You can also accept FaceTime invites on the fly. Mavericks will also support notifications from some of your favorites websites, such as CNN.
Winner: OS X Mavericks. While Live Tiles are more engaging, keeping track of notifications in Windows 8.1 feels more unruly than Apple’s one-stop notification shop.

Search

Microsoft has stepped up its search game in Windows 8.1. Unlike Windows 8, you’re no longer forced to choose between sources like your hard drive, the web and your list of apps. Just fire up the Charms menu, click the search icon and you’ll see apps, documents and more show up in results. However, you can’t preview results here as you can with Mavericks.

A new Search Heroes feature delivers sleek results pages with interactive multimedia content. For example, searching a city returns a map, the current weather conditions and attractions. (It’s a lot like searching Bing). Search Heroes also applies to music artists, offering sample tracks and videos via Xbox Music. When we searched for our name, Windows 8.1 returned relevant webpages with thumbnails in the middle of the screen and files on the left.

OS X Mavericks makes it easier to find your files by introducing a new Tags feature, which lets you apply tag names with their own colors. You can apply multiple tags to the same file, such as Family Budget or Big Project. Within the Finder you’ll see a list of tags along the left sidebar for quick access. Or just use the search field to find files based on tags or their color.

OS X Mavericks supercharges your searching in another way with Finder Tabs. Similar to a web browsing experience, you can open multiple tabs within the Finder to reduce window clutter. You can also easily drag and drop files from one tab to another.

Spotlight Search continues to be a great feature in OS X, returning results almost instantly in multiple categories (Documents, Folders, Events, Web pages, Music, Web, etc.). Plus, you can preview your results by hovering over them. You can even drag and drop items out of the results view into an app, such as a photo into an outgoing email.
Winner: OS X Mavericks. Windows 8.1 offers better looking results and has made its search universal, but Apple’s Spotlight offers previews and Finder has pulled ahead with features power users will appreciate.

Cloud

We found it downright odd that Microsoft highlighted SkyDrive in the Modern-style interface in Windows 8 but didn’t even include it on the desktop. That changes in Windows 8.1, as it’s integrated right into Explorer. It’s clear that Microsoft would prefer that you would use its service, which includes 7GB of free storage.
The beauty of SkyDrive in Windows 8.1 is that your files appear as though they’re stored locally (complete with thumbnails) but take up very little hard drive space. Only when you open a file does SkyDrive retrieve it from the cloud. However, you can right-click files to make them available offline.

Microsoft also updated the Modern-style SkyDrive app to let you access files that are both stored locally and in the cloud. Moving files could be easier, though. After copying a bunch of screenshots and entering a new folder, a message at the bottom of the screen said “3 items ready to paste.” Tapping that message did nothing; instead, we had to swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the app bar, then tap Paste.
Unlike Apple’s iCloud, Microsoft’s SkyDrive Cloud service lets you access your files on Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, iOS and Android devices. With Apple, you’re pretty much stuck with iOS, though you can access files via the web.
Apple hasn’t made many changes to iCloud within OS Mavericks itself, but it does integrate with the new Tags feature, making it easier to find your files when you log into another Mac.
Another welcome new feature is iCloud Keychain, which stores everything from usernames and passwords to credit card info and Wi-Fi credentials stored in the cloud. Everything gets encrypted and pushed to your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. By the same token, the new Books apps in Mavericks syncs your progress and notes in books.

Things will get more interesting once Apple launches iWork in the Cloud (in limited beta now). The service will bring Pages, Numbers and Keynote to both OS X and Windows users via the web, but it doesn’t look as though it will be as robust as Office 365 or Google Drive.
Winner: Windows 8.1 The ability to access your files from more types of devices and improved desktop integration help Microsoft win this round.

Sharing and Social Integration

The What’s New area of the People app continues to make it easy to see what your friends and other contacts are up to on Facebook and Twitter. We also like that you can write directly on someone’s Facebook wall from within a contact in the People app.

The omnipresent Charms menu lets you share everything from web articles to photos with a swipe in from the right, but the social networks are an extra tap away via the People option. And even then only Facebook and Twitter were an option in the drop-down menu, not LinkedIn. Worse, you can only share via the People app if you use the Modern version of IE 11, not the desktop browser.
Apple has added some social mojo to OS X Mavericks, including LinkedIn integration. This applies to sharing articles from Safari, checking out Shared Links from within the browser’s bookmark view and contacts. LinkedIn updates can also show up as notifications. OS X continues to support Facebook and Twitter integration as well.

It’s a minor enhancement, but we like that events that your Facebook friends invite you to automatically appear in the Calendar app. If you want to post directly to Facebook or Twitter, you can do so at any time right from the Notification Center. With Windows 8.1, you have to launch the People app first, then click Me.
Neither Windows 8.1 nor Mavericks support Google+.
Winner: OS X Mavericks. Although Windows 8.1 offers a sleeker People app, Apple’s OS makes it easier to share content.

Built-in Apps

Windows 8.1 includes some enhanced apps and brand-new choices to help users get more out of the touch-friendly OS. We continue to like appreciate the Bing News, Travel, Finance and Sports apps, with their sleek panoramic designs and customizable interfaces. You can also pin favorite items to your Start screen, as we did with the New York Yankees.
Creative types will dig the new Fresh Paint app for Windows 8, which includes oil paints, graphic pencils and watercolors and lets you paint via touch, stylus or dedicated drawing tablet. And foodies will salivate over the new Bing Food & Drink app, which includes tasty recipes, a shopping list and meal planner. The hands-free mode lets you wave your hand through recipe steps (a smart idea) but on our Yoga 11s the gestures were inconsistent.

The Bing Health & Fitness app is even more robust, offering videos (like The Hotel Room Workout), diet, exercise and health trackers, and a symptom checker with a 3D model of the human body. You can literally point to where it hurts.

Although it was not available on our preview build, a new Mail app borrows liberally (in a good way) from Outlook.com. A power pane on the left side lets you filter mail by important contacts, while separate newsletter and social update views minimize clutter. We also like the ability to view image attachments in split-screen mode with the Photo app.
Speaking of the Photos app, you can now auto-fix and fine tune photos with a few taps. However, the iPhoto app in OS X Mavericks has many more options and integrates well with Shared Photo Streams, making it easy to import images from your iOS device.

With OS X Mavericks, Apple has given some its Calendar app a major makeover while adding Maps and iBooks. In addition to a cleaner design, the Calendar app now offers an Event Inspector feature that will autocomplete meeting locations as you type; the app will show the cross-street on a mini map and even the weather forecast for that appointment time. The Windows 8.1 Calendar app is much more barebones.
Maps for OS X Mavericks is similar to the iOS version (except on a bigger canvas), complete with 3D flyovers for cities. We also like that points of interest include Yelp ratings and photos. However, while Apple’s Maps app looks better and is easier to use, only the Bing Maps app includes transit directions.
iBooks isn’t included in the developer preview, but it promises access 1.8 million books right from the iBooks Store, and iCloud keeps your current page in sync across multiple Apple devices. Windows 8.1 users will have to opt for a third-party option like Amazon.
Winner: Windows 8.1. Although we prefer Apple’s Calendar app to Microsoft’s, Windows 8.1′s selection of Bing apps provides a more well-rounded experience, especially if you invest in a touchscreen device.

App Stores

From Microsoft: Microsoft recently passed the 100,000 app milestone for the Windows Store, and the company claims that the majority of top iPad and Android apps will be available for Windows 8.1 by the time Windows 8.1 ships. Those will include Facebook and Flipboard.

The Windows Store in Windows 8.1 sports a redesign that presents personalized recommendations based on previous downloads, as well as staff picks, deals and apps rising in popularity. Microsoft also cut down on the need to scroll by letting you see all categories by right-clicking or swiping in from the top of the screen.
However, the Windows Store continues to stock only Modern-style apps and not desktop apps, which results in a fragmented downloading and shopping experience. For now, the Store is missing some key apps you’ll find on the iPad, such as Pandora, Draw Something and Words with Friends. But this face-off is between Windows 8.1 and OS X Mavericks, and in that regard Windows has a huge lead over Apple in the number of desktop apps you can find outside of the Windows Store.
The Mac App Store stocks thousands of choices, ranging from photo editing apps and social networking tools to games. Apple’s store also presents more information on the screen at once, making it easier to find what you’re looking for. We appreciate the easy access to Top Charts and Categories at the top of the screen. The Mac App Store can now update your apps automatically, similar to Windows 8.1. However, only the Mac App Store stocks apps optimized for Retina Displays (260 at last count).
Winner: OS X Mavericks. Yes, the Windows Store looks better than before, but the Mac App Store is still more intuitive.

Web Browsing

Apple’s Safari browser gets faster and more social with OS X Mavericks. A revamped sidebar (accessed via the Bookmark button near the top-left corner of the screen) includes not just your bookmarks and Reading List, but also a new Shared Links feature that shows what your Twitter and LinkedIn contacts are posting.

The new Top Sites page displays all the sites you visit most in a neat grid, and you can reorder them with a drag and drop. Those who like to add articles to their reading list will be pleased to learn that you can now keep scrolling through the pages when you reach the end of a story.
In Windows 8.1, the Modern-style IE 11 browser gets the most attention. You now have unlimited tabs (before it was 10) and you can now snap two webpages side by side. If a given website supports the feature, you can pin your favorite sites to your Start screen as a Live Tile, which updates with new photos and headlines.

We still find it jarring that IE 11 has separate desktop and Modern (touch friendly) versions with their own interfaces, but at least bookmarks stay in sync. Open tabs do not sync though.
To test Safari’s performance versus IE 11 in Windows 8 .1, we compared it against both the Modern and desktop versions of the browser using a few benchmarks. For these tests we used a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display and a Lenovo ThinkPad Helix.
On Sunspider (a JavaScript benchmark), Safari scored 199 ms, while the desktop version of IE 11 notched a faster 146.7 ms. (Lower numbers are better.) The Modern version of the browser was slower than Safari, registering 206 ms.
We also ran Rightware’s Browsermark 2.0, which measures everything from 2D and 3D performance to resize and page load times. In this test Safari scored 6,090, compared to 2,467 for IE 11. Lastly, OS X Mavericks smoked Windows 8.1 on the V8 Benchmark, which also tests JavaScript performance (13,718 vs. 8,015 Windows 8.1 Modern vs 9,912 Windows 8 desktop).
Winner: OS X Mavericks. As far as native browsers go, we give the edge to Safari for its social integration and faster performance.

Gaming

This round will be very quick because the hottest games simply don’t find their way to Macs fast enough—if at all. “World of Tanks,” “Tomb Raider,” “Far Cry 3,” “Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3.” None of these top-tier Windows titles are available for Macs.

The Mac App Store does stock some decent games, such as “Batman: Arkham City,” “Doom 3” and the earlier “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare,” but hardcore gamers are still better off with Windows.

The good news is that casual gamers will find plenty to like in the Mac App Store, from “Real Racing 2” and “Angry Birds Star Wars” to Bejeweled 3.
Winner: Windows 8.1. We wish Microsoft put its best games in the Windows Store, but overall this round is no contest.

Hardware Options

Just as there has always been, there are still huge differences in hardware variety for OS X and Windows. With Windows 8.1, most of the excitement is around touch-based hybrids that combine laptop and tablet functionality in a single device. Examples include the IdeaPad Yoga ($1,099), Dell XPS 12 ($1,099) and ASUS Transformer Book ($1,499). Cheaper Atom-powered convertibles such as the Samsung ATIV Smart PC 500T cost $579, while touch-enabled notebooks (that don’t flip or convert) start as low as $399.

If you plan on using the Live Tile interface often, we highly recommend a Windows 8 notebook with touch. Just keep in mind that the desktop environment isn’t nearly as touch friendly as the Modern UI and Windows 8-optimized apps.

With a starting price of $999, Apple’s MacBook lineup isn’t ideal for those on a budget, but its machines are very good values compared to similarly configured Windows 8 notebooks. For instance, the $1,099 MacBook Air lasted more than 11 hours on our battery test, which beats the pants off of all Windows-powered Ultrabooks. And while the MacBook Pro with Retina Display starts at a relatively steep $1,499, Apple actually offers apps that are optimized for is higher-resolution screens.
Winner: Windows 8.1 Microsoft wins in terms of sheer variety and for having many compelling options priced lower than Apple.

Verdict

The choice between OS X and Windows has always been fairly simple for those on a tight budget. If you don’t want to spend $999 or more on a new notebook, a Mac isn’t the right choice for you. But when it comes to the overall experience on comparable hardware, the choice becomes more difficult.

Windows 8.1 builds upon the touch-friendly strengths of Windows 8 while better catering to desktop users. This OS is better at multitasking than OS X Mavericks, and SkyDrive is more robust than iCloud. If you don’t like the Live Tile interface, you can mostly ignore it. However, even though you can find Windows 8 touch-based laptops and tablets on the cheap, the desktop environment in Windows 8.1 continues to be much better with a mouse and keyboard.
OS X Mavericks isn’t all that ambitious a release compared to the upcoming iOS 7, but it does beat Windows 8.1 in many key categories. While not as dynamic, Mavericks’ interface is easier to use because there aren’t two competing environments (desktop and tablet). Mavericks also does a better job with notifications and search, as well as social sharing.
Do we wish Apple would offer touch support in its Macs? At times, yes, but overall we prefer OS X Mavericks to Windows 8.1 because it offers plenty of enhancements without trying to do too much.
Source : http://blog.laptopmag.com/windows-8-1-vs-os-x-mavericks

How To Upgrade To Windows 8.1 Preview & What To Expect

2013-07-08T21:55:00.000-07:00

Are you curious to try the refined version of Microsoft’s controversial Windows 8? Anyone using Windows 8 can now upgrade to a preview version of Windows 8.1 for free. This update refines Windows 8, giving keyboard and mouse users important interface improvements and making the Modern interface more powerful. Windows 8.1 is what Windows 8 should have been.
Note that you can’t downgrade back to Windows 8 without completely reinstalling your operating system from Windows 8 installation media or a recovery drive. Windows 8.1 is also not a final, stable version, so you may experience bugs and crashes. You shouldn’t install Windows 8.1 on your primary computer — it’s best confined to computers you can afford to experiment with and virtual machines.

How to Upgrade

You can download and install a Windows 8.1 Preview ISO file to upgrade straight to Windows 8.1 if you’re still on Windows 7. However, we’ll assume you want to upgrade an existing Windows 8 system to Windows 8.1.
First, open this web page on the Windows 8 system you want to upgrade. Click the Get the update button and run the small program. This program will make Windows 8.1 available from the Windows Store.
If you’re using an English language version of Windows 8, your system language must be set to US English. You can find a full list of supported languages on the Windows 8 preview page — be sure to set your system to any of the supported languages. If you’re using another regional variant, like UK English, this program won’t install. Windows 8.1 is also not yet available as an update for Windows 8 Enterprise, only the standard and Professional editions of Windows 8.

After you run the updater, you’ll see an “Installation Complete” message that prompts you to restart your computer. Windows 8.1 isn’t actually installed yet. Just click the Restart Now button to restart your computer.

Log into your computer after it boots back up and you’ll see a “Get Windows 8.1 Preview for free” message on your Start screen. Click the Go to the Store button and you’ll be taken to the Windows Store, where you can download the Windows 8.1 update. When the final version of Windows 8.1 is released, all users will likely see a message like this one.

Click or tap the Download button as if you were downloading any Modern app from the Windows Store. Windows will download and install the Windows 8.1 update. It’s several gigabytes in size, so you’ll have to wait a while. After the download process is complete, Windows will install the Windows 8.1 update and reboot your system. The rest of the setup process will happen automatically.
Sign into Windows after the update process is complete and you’ll see a few screens asking you for settings, including a new screen that asks you whether you want to enable Windows 8.1′s new deep SkyDrive integration. SkyDrive isn’t separate from Windows 8′s sync features anymore — it’s integrated.

What To Expect From Windows 8.1

Whether you’re upgrading now or waiting until the final version of Windows 8.1, there are big changes awaiting you. Microsoft has made many changes, from tweaks to the way the desktop works and a more comprehensive PC Settings app to changes to the Modern interface and a collection of updates to the many included Modern apps. We can’t possibly cover them all, but we’ll hit on some of the big ones.

Desktop Improvements

Windows 8 restores a Start button to the desktop, allows you to boot to the desktop, and allows you to disable the upper hot corners for the app switcher and charms bar. The new Start button just opens the Start screen, but you can set the Start screen to use your desktop background, making it less jarring. You can also set the All Apps view to automatically open at the Start screen and place your desktop apps first in the list, so you never even have to see the live tiles. The right-click power user menu now has Shut Down and Restart options, while universal search of your apps, settings, and files is now restored. If you really want a traditional Start menu, Start8 still works with Windows 8.1.

Modern UI Improvements

The Snap feature is now much more useful, so you can snap two apps in 50/50 view and have them each take up half your screen. You can also Snap up to four apps at once on larger displays. The search interface has been revamped and now offers detailed Bing search results. Many of the included Modern apps have been updated and redesigned.

SkyDrive Integration

SkyDrive is more integrated into Windows 8, both in the PC Settings app where it’s now a Sync option and in the desktop, where it’s available in File Explorer. SkyDrive no longer syncs all your files to your PC, but gives you access to them and allows you to make certain files available offline — perfect for devices with small amounts of local storage assuming you have a lot of files in the SkyDrive cloud.

Internet Explorer 11

Internet Explorer 11 is a big improvement, particularly in the Modern interface, where it can now open more than 10 tabs at once. IE 11 also offers tab sync across Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone. Websites pinned to your Start screen can function as live tiles. Under the hood, Internet Explorer 11 now offers support for WebGL and SPDY, allowing websites to use 3D graphics and faster connections. You can now open multiple copies of a Modern app, which is particularly useful for IE — you can have two web pages side-by-side in Modern IE, for example.

App Updates

The Windows Store and Xbox Music have seen the biggest updates and now have interfaces that are much better thought out than the half-baked ones introduced with Windows 8. Microsoft has also added Alarms, Calculator, Sound Recorder, Health & Fitness, and Food & Drink apps. The Messaging app will be replaced by Skype. There’s also a Help app included to help new users get to grips with Windows 8, although it isn’t working yet.

Windows 8 also includes native support for 3D printers and Intel’s Miracast wireless display streaming — think of it like an open standard to rival Apple’s AirPlay. More feature will likely be rolled out soon, particularly to Microsoft’s Modern apps.
The final version of Windows 8.1 is scheduled for release in late 2013, but Microsoft hasn’t announced a concrete date yet.
Have you upgraded to Windows 8.1 yet? If you didn’t like Windows 8, are these changes enough to make you want to upgrade? Leave a comment and share your thoughts!

How to Download YouTube videos using VLC

2013-05-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

Ok guys...
This tutorial gives 1 of the method on how to download YouTube videos using VLC player...

YouTube does not let you directly access the video data which they are stored. They move a copy of video into their cache ( not the cache memory :D .. I mean a separate server which acts like cache memory ) and share the data with you...

So its NOT possible to download the video directly from YouTube. If we get the "cache link" from YouTube, then you can download the video using any of ur download accerelerator's if u have any :p
There are few add on's for sum browser to get this download ( cache link which i referred earlier ) link...But here we are going to see to download using VLC. i.e to get the download link using VLC..

There are many YouTube downloaders are there in internet. But all are not good, and you cant download the videos in original quality. But the best idea to download youtube videos with original quality you can use VLC player as youtube downloader. Here is the way to do -->

1. Go to the specific video page and copy the desired URL which you are planing to download.

2. Open VLC Player, and goto Media>> Open Network Stream.

3. Now you will get following window, just paste the URL in that window.

4. Now you will get video thumbnail in video player. Now click play on play button. The video will stream now.

Problem -
Video not streaming?
-> Click here to get the latest version of VLC !..

5.Now click goto "Tools>>Codec Information". You get a new window and you will see some information about the video. At the end you will "Location". Click on that link and press "Ctrl+A" OR right click and select all. This is only to ensure you have copied the whole link.

6. a. 1st the lame way ->

Paste the location link in the browser and press "enter".
Just right click on the video and "video save as"...
Give what ever name you want and save it as "name.mp4"

6. b. Smarter way ->

Paste the link in any download accelerator you have. For example - Idm, orbit, Dap etc...

example for idm -> in the pic below

And enjoy the video offline....

How To Install LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) On Ubuntu/Linux Mint

2013-04-29T04:27:00.001-07:00

If you develop web applications and scripts, it will be nice testing them locally in your own computer before launching them online. This will require the installation of a webserver on your computer.

LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) is one of the easiest and perfect environment where you can test all your PHP codes. In this tutorial, we will help you install the LAMP webserver in the following Ubuntu/Linux Mint distributions:

Ubuntu 13.04/12.1012.04/11.10 or older
Linux Mint 14/13/12 or older

LAMP Installation

The LAMP webserver can be installed easily with this command (the caret (^) is required, don’t exclude it):

sudo apt-get install lamp-server^

During the installation, you will be asked to enter a new root password for the MySQL database, submit it and press Enter:

You will be prompted to enter the password again for confirmation. Wait now until the installation is complete. You have now installed the LAMP webserver on Ubuntu 11.04/11.10. Let’s now go to the next step.

Testing Apache

Launch your web browser (Firefox, Google Chrome, etc.) and open one of these addresses (or provide your server IP address if needed):

http://localhost/

http://127.0.0.1/

If you get this page, then Apache is started:

Otherwise try to restart Apache with this command:

sudo /etc/init.d/apache2 restart

Then give it another try.

Testing PHP

Let’s now test PHP. You need to create an empty PHP file in /var/www and insert this snippet of code into it:

You can easily do it with these two commands via the terminal:

echo "" | sudo tee /var/www/test.php 

sudo /etc/init.d/apache2 restart

Then open this address:

http://localhost/test.php

You should see a page like this:

Configuring MySQL

Since you are using the LAMP webserver locally, your MySQL database must uses the same IP address of your localhost which is: 127.0.0.1. Via the Terminal, run this command to verify it:

cat /etc/hosts | grep localhost

Here is the correct output you must get:

~$ cat /etc/hosts | grep localhost
127.0.0.1 localhost
::1     ip6-localhost ip6-loopback

Also verify that the bind address is set correctly by running this command:

cat /etc/mysql/my.cnf | grep bind-address

You should get this output:

~$ cat /etc/mysql/my.cnf | grep bind-address
 bind-address = 127.0.0.1

If you get a different IP address, then edit the my.cnf file with this command:

sudo gedit /etc/mysql/my.cnf

Search for the line containing “bind-address” and correct its address by replacing it with 127.0.0.1.

phpMyAdmin Installation

If you want an easy GUI for managing your MySQL databases, you can install phpMyAdmin with this command:

sudo apt-get install libapache2-mod-auth-mysql phpmyadmin

During the installation you will be asked to select a web server that will be configured automatically to run phpMyAdmin. Select apache2 using your spacebar and press Enter:

You will be asked next to configure a database for phpmyadmin with dbconfig-common, select Yes and press Enter:

In the next screen, enter the MySQL password you have submitted before and press Enter:

Congratulation! phpMyAdmin is now installed in your system. To test it, open simply this address via your web browser:

http://localhost/phpmyadmin/

You have now successfully installed LAMP on your system. All your projects and files must be placed in /var/www so that you can run them.

Removing LAMP & phpMyAdmin

To uninstall the LAMP web server and phpMyAdmin, open the terminal and run this command:

for pkg in `dpkg -l *apache* *mysql* phpmyadmin | grep ^ii | awk '{ print $2 }'`; do sudo apt-get -y purge --auto-remove $pkg; done;

That’s it!

Creating panoramic images in Windows 7

2013-03-20T02:08:00.001-07:00

Category: Windows OS

Sometimes when you are taking a picture you realize that the image that you really want to capture is too wide for your current camera’s capabilities. Usually, you then decide to either split the image up into smaller images or zoom out and back up far enough so that you can take the entire picture. Another available option is that you can break the wide image up into overlapping side-by-side images. Then you can put them all together into a single panoramic image using your computer. This is easy to do with Windows 7 Live Photo Gallery.

Then select the desired images for the panorama and choose ‘Make’ and then ‘Create Panoramic Photo.’ Next, choose a name for your stitched image and then click ‘Save.’

It’s that easy. If you don’t have ‘Windows Live Photo Gallery’ installed on your computer, you can download it for free from the ‘Windows Live Essentials’ web site at explore.live.com.

soundsleeping.com

2013-03-20T02:05:00.001-07:00

Engaging in a relaxing activity such as reading, meditation, yoga, or listening to music, before going to bed, can help you to get a good night sleep. This creative, free website will help you mix your own personal relaxing music.

Soundsleeping.com allows you to choose from several relaxing sounds and music to add to your personal mix. Relaxing sounds include items like rolling thunder, steady rain, chirping crickets, and a multiple selection of wind chimes. If you are used to the city they even have more active sounds.

To create your mix, simply choose the sounds that are soothing to you and add them to the player. You can add up to 5 different sounds into one mix. Once complete to your liking you can set a timer to play on your mix. You can also create a free account to save and share your mixes.

Free shipping.org

2013-03-20T02:02:00.003-07:00

Do you like to shop online, but hate paying for shipping? Try visiting freeshipping.org. freeshipping.org is a site that offers free shipping promo codes for over 4,000 online merchants. From big retailers to small ones there are many stores to choose from.

You can search for retailers by name and by categories like accessories, automotive and electronics. You can even search for codes by the actual product that you are shopping for. When you choose to search by product you can see the current top brands that others are shopping for, view a list of hot deals and other popular products.

The site also includes a section with hundreds of grocery coupons that you can clip and then print out, as well as a one-stop way to track your packages, by entering the tracking numbers for companies like FedEx, UPS and USPS.

Additionally, you can get more information about shopping and home projects with their blog pages and optional weekly newsletters.

Over all this is a great site – with many ways to search and save you money!

Creating drop caps in Microsoft Word 2010

2013-03-20T02:02:00.000-07:00

Ever seen a book or magazine where the first character in a paragraph extends down into the other lines? This is called a drop cap and you can create one easily in Word 2010. Start by typing your paragraph, then go to the “Insert” tab on the ribbon bar and click the “Drop Cap” button. There are four options in the “Drop Cap” drop-down menu: “None”, “Dropped” which is a standard type of drop cap that will extend down through three lines, “In Margin” which applies the drop cap and then moves the character out into the margin, and “Drop Cap Options” which will allow you to set your own specific options for the drop cap. Options that can be set for your drop cap are: what font you would like to apply to the drop cap, how many lines you want the dropped cap to go through and how far away from the text you would like to move the drop cap.

If you decide to remove the drop cap later you simple need to click in the affected paragraph and then go back to the “Drop Cap” button and choose “None.”

Real Football 2012 Stamina Hack – Android Game

2012-10-09T23:49:00.000-07:00

Gameloft is a top developer in developing some of the best games which runs on Android platform and including me there are millions of users who are downloading and playing them. Real Football 2012 is the great sports game which i have ever been played on my Samsung Galaxy S till date. This game is really awesome! I’m impressed with the graphics and the game play. The only thing which i don’t like about the game is asking for stamina after playing every match, and that too we need to purchase. Real football 2012 allows you to play untill your stamina becomes 0 and then it prompts to pay for extra stamina points.

To purchase the stamina after every match is not possible for us, but fortunately everyday this game gives you free 100 points stamina. so basically we can change the date of the phone by one day whenever it asks for stamina . This trick or you can say a hack by which you will be able to play the game continuously on the same day. There is not any cheat code available which will give you unlimited stamina but the changing the phone date is the only hack i know as of now.
This is very common but still to help the beginner users, below are the steps which you need to perform to apply stamina increase hack:

Steps for Real Football 2012 Stamina Hack

1) Open Real Football 2012 and wait till game loads and you see the game menu.
2) Before game play starts it will show you the following Message:

Title: Stamina Cup Drink
Message: Grant stamina for all matches of the XYZ Cup.
Use: When you buy it.

3) Close the message by pressing red cross image.
4) Click on KICKOFF, it will show you following message.

5) Now Minimize the game by pressing the Home button in your phone.
Go to Setting >> Date and time:

6) Change Set Date and set it to “Today’s Date+1″ (Increase one day).

7) Open game and you will notice that your stamina is again increased to 100.
Again Minimize it and change your date to the original date. (i.e. Current date).
9) Open your game and start playing it. when stamina decreases to 0 do the same trick.
Description about RF 2012: Real Football is back for the new season, bringing football on mobile to a new era! Join the community of fans as you create and share content with the Custom Kit Editor. Experience the ultimate football game on smartphone thanks to many major improvements and the addition of the most complete and enjoyable community-oriented features.
Love football. Share football. Join the community. Enjoy…

5 Best Instant Messengers for LAN – Free Download Chat Applications

2012-10-09T23:36:00.001-07:00

Here we have some of the best Free LAN Messengers list to use in your Intranet Network. You can Download LAN messenger for free to use in the internal office chat, we will walk-through some easy instant LAN messaging software for Windows. Each LAN messenger has some advantages over the other.

We will see 5 different free chat applications and you will be able to download all of them for free and use it. These LAN messengers has features like Send and Receive Text Messages on a Local Network, Chat Application for LAN, Private and Secure Instant Messaging, Instant Messenger for LAN.

Download – Instant Messengers for LAN (Chat Application)

DynaTalk – Send and Receive Text Messages on a Local Network

DynaTalk is an easy-to-use application that allows you to send and receive text messages on a local network. DynaTalk doesn’t require special configuration or dedicated servers. Just install DynaTalk on two or more computers and run it – you will be able to exchange messages immediately by sending messages to a computer from the list of DynaTalk-enabled computers.
DynaTalk supports any existing version of Windows, from Windows 95 to XP and Vista.
Download DynaTalk (free evaluation version )
xMessenger – Chat Application for LAN

xMessenger is an easy to use tool designed to offer users a stealth chat that allows you to send messages to another computer who has started the xMessenger server (possibly stealthily in background). The connection is through TCP port 11112. You just need to know the IP address.
Download xMessenger
Simple Network Chat – Local Network Chat Application

Simple Network Chat is a a basic little local network chat tool that communicates via shared folders. Designed for use in homes when there are lots of different computers and possibly not internet on some. Can be run on start up in a minimized system tray state.
Download Simple Network Chat ~ Softpedia Mirror
NetSaro – Private and Secure Instant Messaging

NetSaro allows you to create a private and secure instant messaging network, based on client-server architecture. You can send and receive Message, Voice Message, File or Screenshot or start multi-user Chat Sessions. System access requires a valid User Name and Password. You may want to log messages between your users for auditing purposes. Client user interface integrates smoothly into the desktop.
Download NetSaro Evaluation Version
WinSent Messenger – Instant Messenger for LAN

WinSent Messenger is a instant messaging software for local area networks (LAN). It can be used within home LAN as well office, enterprise or corporate LANs.

Download WinSent Messenger

- Are you using any one from the list given above. ?

How to Install Mac OS X Snow Leopard in VirtualBox on Windows 7

2012-09-12T02:36:00.000-07:00

Previously, we showed you how to install Mac OS X Snow Leopard using VMware in Windows 7. Since VMware license costs a lot, the good news is that you can now install OS X in Windows using one of the most popular free virtualization software called VirtualBox. You’ll need to have a system with an Intel or AMD processor which supports hardware virtualization, OSX86 iso, VirtualBox and Windows 7, Vista or XP installed as host operating system. If you meet all these requirements, you can then install OS X Snow Leopard as a VM under Windows to enjoy the best of both worlds.

Step 1: Download and install the latest version of VirtualBox for Windows.

Step 2: Start VirtualBox and click on “New” button. This will start a wizard that will help you create a new VM in VirtualBox.

Step 3: Name your VM “OSX” and select “Mac OS X” from Operating System dropdown menu, and “Mac OS X Server” from Version dropdown menu.

Step 4: Assign your VM some Ram in megabytes. For this tutorial, I have allotted the max 1500MB of Ram.

Step 5: Now create a new hard disk for your VM, which depending on your needs should be around 20GB in size. If you use Dynamic option, it will expand on use while Static option will be fixed to the size you allotted. Select the option which best fits your needs and click on Next to finish the wizard.

Step 6: Now click on “Settings” and select “System” from the left pane and then uncheck the option for “Enable EFI (special OSes only)” in the right as shown in the screenshot below.

Step 7: Now select “Storage” from the left pane, and then select “Empty” found under the OSX.vdi. Now click on the folder with the green arrow on the right.

On this window, click Add (Plus sign on 3 CD’s) at the top. Then find and add the OSX86 iso you downloaded earlier. Now highlight it and click Select button at the bottom. Then click OK and hit the main Start button to start your VM.

Step 8: Once the VM starts booting, hit F8 and type -v at the boot prompt so that you can see what exactly went wrong if something does go wrong. All the services will run and eventually you should come to the language screen. Choose your language and then click next. If you are unable to move your mouse around then hit Right-Ctrl + I. Click Continue and Agree, and then start Disk Utility found in Utilities menu at the top.

Step 9: At this screen highlight 20GB VBOX HARDDISK. Then click erase at the right and Name it what you want in the name box and then click on “Erase…” button to erase the virtual disk. It shouldn’t take long. Once done, quit the Disk Utility so that you return back to the installer.

Now simply select the highlighted drive as shown below and click continue.

Step 10: Now click on Customize at the bottom left, and check the following:

For AMD Users:
Any Updates included at the top.
Drop down Kernels and choose Legacy kernel.
AMD option below System support.

For Intel Users:
Any Updates included at the top.
Drop down bootloaders and check the newest Chameleon.
Drop down Kernels and choose Legacy kernel.

Now click Done and hit the Install button to start the installation.

Step 11: As soon as it says installation finished and starts counting down to restart, press the Right-Ctrl and then click on Devices at the top and hit CD/DVD Devices and click Unmount CD/DVD Device. Then click Machine and Reset to restart the VM. Next you’ll see the Chameleon loader and then OS X will begin to boot.

This is it!! After it boots up, you should now be running full Mac OS X Snow Leopard in VirtualBox under Windows 7 / Vista or XP.

Google buys Meebo for $100M

2012-06-04T23:25:00.003-07:00

The past months have been filled with acquisitions and rumors about them, from Facebook buying Instagram for $1 Billion Dollars and the rumor that the company is interested in Opera Software, to the just disclosed acquisition of Meebo by Google. Meebo? The web instant messenger that supported major protocols and services such as AIM, Windows Live, Facebook Chat, Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk and ICQ to name a few.
Meebo more recently launched a Meebo Bar that webmasters could display on their sites to increase engagement and revenue.
The announcement has been posted on the official Meebo blog, where no information besides the fact that Google is acquiring Meebo are revealed. Techcrunch has some background information about the deal,suggesting that it is in the $00 Million Dollar range, which is $30 Million more than the funding that Meebo received in four venture rounds in the past.

According to Techcrunch, the core product team will aid the Google+ team in building out publisher tools for Google’s social networking service. It is not really clear how these products will look like, but a likely scenario is the integration of core Google and third party protocols into Google+ to improve the social network site’s appeal to users. It is however likely that the services that Meebo is currently offering will either be shut down completely, or integrated partially or fully into Google+. Techcrunch reports further that layoffs are happening within the sales and marketing teams of the company.
The move once again highlights Google’s dedication to move forward with Google+ to create a counterweight to heavyweight services such as Facebook.

15 tips and tricks for your Android mobile

2012-05-20T07:23:00.002-07:00

1) Run the latest softwareNot all Android handsets will be compatible with the newest versions of the Android operating system such as 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. So it's important to know which one you're using and whether it can be updated. Older OSs may be less secure and will not take advantage of the newest technology or provide the best features. However, different mobile networks and phone manufacturers release these software downloads at different times. Check with your operator for news of when you can get it over the air. You don't need to connect your Android phone to a computer to update it. You can see what makes Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich so special on the official website.

2) Get a Gmail address
With so much of Android's technology built around Google services, having a Gmail email isn't a necessity but it can be useful for a more seamless experience. With Google set to launch back-up storage solution Google Drive very soon - integrating with the rest of its services - it could pay off to sign up.

3) Explore Google Play

This is the replacement for the old Android Market, the place where apps and games were originally downloaded from. You can check out Google Play on the web and see all the latest downloads and the top 10 - the key difference now is it also houses Books and Movies too. It’s a one-stop shop for Android users looking for all kinds of entertainment both free and paid-for.

4) Install Chrome for Android

The Beta version of Google's browser for Ice Cream Sandwich launched in February and has just been updated. Obviously it's still a work in progress, meaning some parts might not work perfectly, but Google welcomes all feedback to improve it. You can find it in Google Play.

HTC Golf offers Ice Cream Sandwich (Copyright: Pocket-lint)

5) Upgrade your Android handset

Unlike Apple's iOS which only works on the iPhone, if you want an Android mobile, then there's plenty to choose from. But that can make it complicated when looking for the right phone for your needs. You can see all the handsets available in the UK - across every Android OS - and check or compare each of their features.

6) Check out Google Currents

This great new app features all sorts of newspapers and magazines putting the latest stories at a swipe of your fingertips. It makes text content easy to read and it even has Google Translate built-in so you can delve into publications from overseas without any language barrier. Again you'll find it on Google Play

7) Speak commands

Voice Search is one of the coolest Android functions and should be preloaded on most devices. If not you'll find it in Google Play. As well as looking for what you want on the web by talking, you can use Voice Actions to control different aspects of your phone such as sending a text message or making calls.

[Related Story: How to make the most of Apple's hottest devices]

8) Search history

This one may be a little Big Brother but if you have Web History enabled on your computer and you're signed in with your email address to Google, then all your searches will show up on your Android handset under the Recent icon in Google Search.

9) Dive into Google Docs

This app allows you to create, edit, upload and share word documents, spreadsheets, presentations and PDFs from your handset. It has recently been updated with new features including letting others collaborate on your documents from their computers, tablets or phones. It also offers offline integration so you don't have to be connected to the internet to see your chosen files.

10) Get Goggle-eyed

If you've not yet tried out Google Goggles then you're missing out. Finding out information is as simple as taking a picture with your camera phone. Snap a landmark and get details of it, grab a photo of a menu abroad and the text can be translated or aim it at a barcode and find out all you need to know about a product. It's great fun and will wow you every time.

11) The key to typing faster

SwiftKey is an award-winning app that brings a better keyboard experience to your Android handset. It will replace the Google keyboard and learn all about you as you type. That way it can predict and suggest words and will know what you're saying, most probably before you do. Best of all, it's British.

SwiftKey on the Motorola Xoom 2 (Copyright: PA)

12) Enhance your photos

If you don't use an iPhone then you may not have quite realised what all the fuss was about when Facebook recently bought Instagram for an obscene amount of cash. Well, now the photo-sharing app is on Android, allowing you to connect with friends as well as apply different filters to your images to make them look stunning.

13) Get Flash

One thing Android can do and the iPhone can't is play Flash-based content on the web. But you might want to tweak your browser settings to prevent Flash from appearing automatically. You'll find it in the Advanced browser settings and can select it to show On Demand. It should speed up your surfing sessions.

14) Look towards the sky

Another amazing app you might not have happened across is Sky Map. Just point your handset towards the skies and it will show you all the constellations and planets. It's fascinating and really brings the world around you alive.

15) Customise your Home screens

If you want to get to applications quick and fast then turn them into widgets on one of your many home screens. You'll be able to drag these onto the display for easy access to the programs you use most.

Download free Angry birds and Angry birds Rio/collection for Windows 7, Vista & XP

2012-04-17T03:47:00.001-07:00

In Angry Birds YOU control a group of birds, that are very mad at some pigs that stole their eggs. Imagine someone stealing your beloved offspring, wouldn’t you get angry?
Your objective is simple – Fire your birds on the pigs to kill them! Sounds easy? read on!
Simple, right? Well not exactly… The pigs are clever, clearly afraid from the angry birds they hide under buildings, structures, behind walls and glass objects and also each level gets harder and harder… While the beginning of the game is pretty straight forward, as you go on you’re gonna have to use various tactics to succeed. Trial and error is a big part of Angry Birds game as well.
Once you eliminate all the pigs, you are through to the next level. The point of the game is to finish all the levels, kill all the pigs and get the golden eggs. In each level, you are given a limited amounts of birds, and you have to use them to send all the pigs to their maker. Every Angry birds has it’s own unique properties – some explode directly on impact, some drops explosive eggs from above while others can fly backwards to split themselves to create a chain of deadly explosions.
One thing is for certain, those pigs are gonna suffer… Who would’ve thought a bird could take down a pig!?
To do that, each level you have a group of angry birds at your disposal, and you target the pigs through a slingshot that you manually set. You decide the firing angle, control the power bar and select the appropriate bird type. But that really sounds like a piece of cake, are you sure Angry Birds is that hard? Yes, I’m sure!
The evil pigs are clever, as they use different buildings to shelter themselves from the bird’s ruthless attack. It is up to you, as the Angry Birds general to gun them down, using a great combination of aiming, accuracy and physics knowledge.
All in all, Angry Birds is a highly addicting brilliant game, that incorporates the use of strategy, real-life physics, dexterity and more! If you have an iPhone you have to give it a try. Heck, it is the number one app for two years in a row, there must be a good reason for it right!? You are guaranteed to enjoy countless of gaming hours, and have a blast!
So what are you waiting for? Just download the game and start shooting those pigs!

Download Links:-

Download Links:-

Angry Birds

Angry Birds Rio

Angry Birds Collection( Angry Birds Seasons 2.3.0, Angry Birds 2.0, Angry Birds Space 1.0 and Angry Birds Rio 1.4.2.)

Best Free Windows Softwares 2012

2012-04-15T23:03:00.002-07:00

These are the best free Windows softwares 2012 you must have. A must-must have list I must tell.

The new year has arrived long back and it has a lot of things in store for us.

2012 – Hope it to be better than the best to you all.

We at Technojourney.com will continue to serve you and give the best that’s possible from our side.

In this article we have come up with a list of many free and useful windows applications that you must be having on your computer/laptop in the year 2012.

Here it goes :

1>> focus booster – a small Adobe Air application which implementspomodoro technique to let you focus on one task or project at a time.

2>> DVDVideoSoft Free Studio – is a comprehensive multimedia converter that has more than 40 tools packed in it do get done any conversion you want.

3>> AllMyApps – an App Store For Windows With Web Support. Pick and install your favorite apps on a new device with just a few clicks. No clunky installers, no wasted time.

4>> CSVed – is a powerful Comma Separated Files (CSV) file editor, you can manipulate any CSV file, separated with any separator.

5>> Sigil – is a multi-platform open source tool designed to edit books in ePub format.

6>> koobits - is an Adobe Air application that can open eBooks of various numerous formats like PDF, EPUB, XML, HTML, KBJ, etc. It can also download and manage them.

7>> Remove Empty Directories (RED) – a freeware tool to find all empty directories and delete them in one go.

8>> ISO Workshop – is a robust tool to extract, backup, convert & burn ISO files.

9>> WebReader – a cool desktop client for Google Reader. The best desktop rss reader.

10>> Code Chameleon – Easily format, optimize and cleanup your scripts, programming code and web pages. Convert HTML to XHTML with the built-in source code beautifier.

11>> Win To Flash – easily put windows installation files from an optical disc to USB drive to make it bootable.

12>> Evalaze – it allows you to run the applications in a virtual environment so that it does not affect the operating system or other programs on your computer.

13>> DiffPDF – can compare two PDF files. It offers three comparison modes: Words, Characters, and Appearance.

14>> UMPlayer – with more than 270 audio/video codecs and YouTube integration, this media player can play any media format for you.

15>> DP Animation Maker – it lets you easily create animations from still images.

16>> MyWebSql – helps you manage your MySQL databases over the web using a secure and intuitive interface with blazing fast performance.

17>> streamWriter – is a free application for windows that downloads music broadcasted by internet-radiostations and various other streaming websites.

18>> Duplicate Commander – is a simple but powerful program that allows you to find and manage duplicate files on your computer.

19>> Mobile Media Converter – is a feature rich media converter which converts videos to various mobile supported formats.

20>> iPrint – helps you organize pages to print them on fewer pages. Thus saves your wallet as well as the planet.

21>> SecrectSync – helps you secure your dropbox account by encrypting all your data.

22>> USB Alert – sounds and shows an alarm if you lock or shutdown your computer while the USB stick is still connected.

23>> Folder Axe – can split large folder by file and size.

24>> OSForensics – extract forensic data from computers. Uncover everything hidden inside a PC.

25>> Duplicati – encrypt and backup large files to the cloud.

26>> Pokki - can pin web apps to Windows 7 taskbar.

27>> Set Sound Device(SSD) – allows you to quickly switch sound device of your computer in Windows 7.

28>> Hamster Free Book Converter – can convert eBook files to any device format of your choice.

29>> TiltShift Generator – can add cool tilt shift effects to your photos.

30>> Metro Clock 2 – adds Windows 8 Metro clock and image slideshow to your Windows 7.

31>> MyCube Vault – helps you to backup data from popular social site Facebook, Picasa and Google Contacts.

32>> MultiMi – brings Facebook, Twitter and Email to your desktop.

33>> TunnelBear – is a comprehensive VPN tool that securely “tunnels” your internet connection to locations around the world. It allows you to experience the Internet as people in that country experience it.

34>> PeaZip - can compress and extract archives from 134 archive types.

35>> Open Freely - Open over 100 different file extensions with just this one application.

36>>Tango - make free voice and video calls right from your desktop.

37>> Boray Power – easily switch Windows power plan based on the system inactivity.

38>> Qustodio – helps you protect your kids online. See how they use the Internet, set healthy access limits, and protect against dangerous or inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and online predators.

39>> GFI Backup – allows you to perform incremental or decremental and complete data backup.

40>> Wondershare Disk Manager – Create, delete, resize, copy and recover partitions.

41>> BlueStacks – now run your favorite android apps and games on Windows.

42>> Patch My PC – searches your computer for required critical software updates & installs them easily.

43>> Spamihilator – works between your E-Mail client and the Internet and examines every incoming E-Mail. It filters out useless spam mails.

44>> Soluto 2.0 – helps you remotely manage and fix PC issues.

45>> Intype - allows you to perform advanced text editing of several programming languages including HTML, CSS, C, C++, Java, Perl, PHP, Python, SQL, XHTML and more.

46>> zeZebra – is P2P file transfer software that comes packed with contact managing and bandwidth control features.

47>> Slow MP3 – it can control the speed, transpose, transcribe and can even play karaoke of songs.

48>> Kaspersky TDSS Killer – a free application for windows to remove some of the deadliest trojans and rootkits from a Windows PC.

49>> VDownloader – it can download and convert videos into any format (including MP3) with just one click from various video hosting sites!

50>> Game Downloader – Links to more than one hundred free games that are available for download on the Internet.

20 Awesome Excel Games

2012-04-15T23:00:00.000-07:00

▶ 20 Awesome Excel Games To Play at Workplace .

▶ All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy .

▶ So to make you to play games at your office or college whenever you feel bored, I have come up with a list of 20 awesome Excel games.

▶ You can play them even at home or wherever you are but its ideal for office-goers as your boss will always feel that you are working and not playing on Excel.

▶ Just download these Excel files and have some wonderful time playing games.

▶ Not just new games, there are some old games that will bring back your old memories. Enjoy!

We all know that Microsoft Excel is used for data gathering, analysis and making few financial decisions.

But did you guys know that we can even play some cool games on it?

This article will be specially helpful to people working in IT companies like me or to any others who want to relax a bit after long hours of work.

Thanks to the Excel spreadsheets, you can now play your favorite games without installing any software on your computer.

To play these games all you need is to have is just Microsoft Office Excel installed on your computer.

Any version of Excel will do as these games are compatible with all of them.

All you need to do is just download and that’s it . You are done!

HOW TO PLAY

Not to forget that you should have flash player installed on your computer.

The files are in .rar format, you will have to extract the file using Winrar and then open the Excel file to play.

The games are embedded flash files so you will need to enable Macros..

If you find difficulty in enabling macros, just check your Microsoft Office version i.e whether it is 2003, 2007 or 2010.

Check at the end of this article to know how to enable macros for all these versions.

Here is the big list of games..

1>> Angry Birds

The worlds most popular game for iOS and Android is now available in Excel, enjoy throwing birds at pigs.

It is an adaptation of the original game developed by Rovio, where some evil pigs have kidnapped the eggs of the nesting birds, a group of birds will go to the rescue.

Now you will not need an iPhone, iPad or Android phone to play this popular game, just enjoy it on Excel.

2>> Super Mario World

We can never forget our old friend Mario.

He races through the Mushroom Kingdom, survives the main antagonist Bowser′s forces and ultimately saves the princess.

For over 20 years, Super Mario Bros. was the best-selling video game of all time and has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. And now we have it on the Excel.

If you were fascinated by this game in your school days, I feel you will have many beautiful memories to recall while you play it again.

3>> Fruit Slasher

This is an alternative of the famous mobile game Fruit Ninja available for both iOS and Android.

With the same theme and gameplay of Fruit Ninja, to win the Fruit Slasher you must show some quick reflexes and skills so as to cut the fruits that it appear on the screen.

You will have to press and hold the left mouse button and then slice the fruit when it appears on the screen.

You are not supposed to miss a fruit as you will lose lives and after 5 misses, the game is over.

4>> Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog, remember him?

Here you will need to make progress through various stages of the game and defeat Dr. Robotnik (villain).

The gameplay centers around Sonic’s ability to run at high-speed through levels that include springs, slopes, high falls and loop-de-loops.

The levels are populated with hazards in the form of animals trapped inside mechanical bodies.

Sonic’s main means of attack is the spin attack, where Sonic curls into a ball to destroy enemies and other obstacles in his way.

I was a great fan of Sonic in my school days. Even if you were, then you should definitely try this game.

5>> Angry Birds Rio

Angry Birds Rio was made after the huge success of Angry Birds.
While utilizing the same basic gameplay as the original game, Angry Birds Rioadded a number of new elements.

The players use a slingshot to launch birds at nearby structures, with the intent of hitting targets located on or within them.

Instead of evil pigs that have stolen eggs, players must now rescue caged exotic birds or defeat evil marmosets, depending on the level being played.

6>> Mortal Kombat

Being one of the classic fighting games of the 90´s, Mortal Kombat had created a revolution in the field of gaming.

Today the Mortal Kombat saga is still alive, after several movies, games and animated series.

All you need to do is select the warrior that you like from 5 different characters that are available and win over the opponent with various moves of your fighter.

Play this is deadly combat tournament to have some fun.

7>> Soccer

If you are you a soccer fan, then this game is just for you.

If you are a working professional, you will hardly find any time to play soccer outdoor.

If you are missing the game, you can play it on Excel at your office.

8>> Doom

It is one of the mid-90′s first-person shooter game by id Software.

Doom is the first game to popularize the first-person shooter genre.

With pioneering immersive 3D graphics, networked multiplayer gaming, and support for customized additions and modifications via packaged files, it was a trend-setter.

The game was a lot controversial because of its graphics and interactive violence, as well as its Satanic imagery.

In Doom, players assume the role of a space marine who must fight demons, zombies and other creatures from hell.

The player must pick up the weapons available in different levels and eliminate the enemies that come his way.

9>> Prince Of Persia

A famous game of 90′s where the prince hailing from Persia has to protect the princess.

In order to rescue the princess, the young prince must cover all levels and finally deal with the evil Jaffar.

This is a nice time-pass when you feel bored at the office.

10>> Monopoly

Most of us would have played this popular board-game.

The Excel version of the games is same as the board-game.

Buy streets, properties, build houses and hotels, so that our contrary fall into some of our properties and he will have to pay us the rent.

Build and become rich.

11>> Sudoku

In sudoku you will have to complete a grid of 9×9 cells, which in turn is divided into 3×3 subgrids.

You must fill all the boxes without repeating any number in the same row, column or subgrid.

Sudoku is a game of patience, memory and logic played by millions of people around the world.

12>> Dragon Ball

Fight with your favorite characters of the Dragon Ball Z series.

Here you can choose from 3 different modes.

The first is the story mode where you face opponents in accordance with the original story of the Dragon Ball Z series.

The second is the combat mode where you fight another friend with the characters of the series.

The last is the Budokai Tenkaishi(tournament mode) mode where you fight your opponents to win the champion belt.

13>> King Of Fighters

Abbreviated as KOF, King of Fighters is a series of fighting games.

Being one of the best historical fighting games, it was a rage with youngsters.

Here you will have to choose a fighter and take on several opponents to become the King of Fighters.

In this Excel game, there are two modes namely story mode or in two player mode.

Before you start playing, train yourself with your fighter in order to know all the special techniques.

14>> Batman

This Excel game of Batman is based on the famous Television series.

Maintaining its originality, this game is pure pleasure if you believe in super-heroes.

Towns of Gotham is in danger, Batman must go through the different stages of the game, fighting the evil and destroying them in-order to save the town.

15>> Bubble Bobble

The game has twin Bubble Dragons Bub and Bob in it.

Here, the players travel through hundred different stages, blowing and bursting bubbles, avoiding enemies and collecting a variety of items.

The main goal of the game is to rescue Bub and Bob’s girlfriends from monsters.

16>> Car Park

Now test your driving skills in this new Excel game.

You must park the cars in the parking space indicated.

You must avoid all the obstacles like stones, pedestrians etc.. while you follow the traffic signs. Are you a good driver?

17>> Ghost’N Goblins

Is a game where the knight Arthur has to eliminate all the zombies , evils , witches and other creatures of the under-world.

He does this to rescue our princess from the hands of the evil demon.

Arthur has frames and weapons like spears, axes and daggers to save the princess.

18>> Snow Bros

Snow Bros is a platform game released in the 90′s.

Help the twin brothers to eliminate all the enemies on each level.

The brothers have the ability to throw snowballs, which transforms enemies into a giant ball of snow.

19>> Tetris Gameboy

It is a tile-matching puzzle game.

A random sequence of Tetris fall down the playing field.

The objective of the game is to manipulate these Tetris, by moving each one sideways and rotating it by 90 degree units, with the aim of creating a horizontal line of ten blocks without gaps.

When such a line is created, it disappears, and any block above the deleted line will fall.

20>> GMEX Copters

GMEX Copters is a typical flying game which you should definitely download if you like flying.

Here you have to guide the helicopter trough a cave, where there are several obstacles.

The mission is to avoid crash against anything and move on while keeping an eye on the fuel.

How to Find My Facebook Admin ID

2012-04-10T09:56:00.002-07:00

Facebook is one of the most popular social media website, which was created to make online community, groups and friends. It also has many features like sharing photos, videos and interests. For some security purpose, it assigns a unique identification number for each member of theFacebook. Earlier, you can get the id from the url of your profile page, but after 2009, it’s not possible. But there is a way to get the Facebook admin id.

Instructions

1 Go to Facebook.com and login in to your account.

2 By default, you will be taken to the home page after you log in. To go to your profile page, Click “ name profile” (facebook name), which is found on the left top of the page.

3 On your profile page, click the profile picture below to yourfacebook display name, which redirects you to your Photo Album.

4 Move the cursor to the browser URL bar, where you will type the web addresses. There you can find series of numbers like,

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.144482552257182.17038.100000863137931&type=1

(Highlighted number is your facebook admin id).

5 In the photo album page, if you couldn’t get the id, then click any one of the picture and do the step 4.

Tips

In some cases, you can find the admin id in the profile page url iself. In profile page, you can find after “id=xxxxxxxxx” which is your admin id. For example:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000863137931

(Highlighted number is your admin id).

Increase the life of ur dvd rom

2012-04-10T09:51:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting one!!!

This is for those who watch movies on their computer's dvd rom drive!!!
There is a software called dvd idle pro which can really increase the life of your dvd drive. By using the Smart Read-ahead Cache,
DVDIdle saves DVD data which will be played soon onto the hard disk cache or RAM cache, and
then feeds it to DVD player.
This allows the DVD drive to rest.

For example:
a 6X-speed DVD drive will only work for 15 minutes when you are watching a 90 minutes DVD
movie.
here is the link: http://www.dvdidle.com/download/DVDIdlePro59.exe

Samsung Galaxy S3 image leaks, unveiling expected May 22

2012-04-10T09:32:00.002-07:00

After not making an appearance at MWC2012 just like Samsung said it wouldn’t, it looks like the Samsung Galaxy S3 may finally have been spotted. Over at GSM Helpdesk, they’ve posted what is reportedly a leaked press image of Samsung’s latest flagship phone.
Also tucked away in the bottom right corner of the Galaxy S3 homescreen is a calendar widget that seems to be telling us when Samsung is going to take the wraps off: May 22nd at 7pm, which lines up with the revised date for Samsung Unpacked.
The shot above actually isn’t the first such image to leak. Just days ago, a slide from a presentation by Weber Shandwick — a global PR firm that counts Samsung among their many high-profile clients — made its way onto the web, too. In that image, there’s also a profile shot of the Galaxy S3, and it certainly looks slim.

According to GSM Helpdesk, it registers just 8mm on the calipers — everywhere except that camera hump, which reportedly hides a 12MP rear shooter. The two-tone color scheme resembles the workaround Samsung applied to the Galaxy 10.1 tablet in Germany to bypass the injunction issued after Apple cried foul.
No concrete specs have been revealed yet, but it’s thought that the Galaxy S3 will arrive with aSamsung Exynos 4412 processor with four cores clocked at 1.5GHz. Earlier leaks suggested a 1.8GHz dual-core chip, but changes to the Linux kernel in November pointed to the quad-core chip. An unnamed Samsung exec recently confirmed as much, and there’s a good chance we’ll know the rest of the SGS3 hardware details in advance of Unpacked at this rate

Download Angry Birds Space 1.0.0 Free

2012-04-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

PC | English | Developer: Rovio Mobile | Publisher: Clickgamer Media Chillingo | 32.7 MB
Genre: Action, Puzzle
After a giant claw kidnaps their eggs, the Angry Birds chase it into a wormhole and find themselves floating in a strange new galaxy – surrounded by space pigs! Luckily the Angry Birds have super powers of their own...
Angry Birds Space features 60 interstellar levels on planets and in zero gravity, resulting in spectacular gameplay ranging from slow-motion puzzles to lightspeed destruction. With regular free updates, new in-app purchases, brand new birds, brand new superpowers, and a whole galaxy to explore, the sky is no longer the limit!

FEATURES
• 60 interstellar levels!
• Regular free updates!
• Brand new birds!
• Brand new superpowers!
• Zero-gravity space adventures!
• Trick shots using planets’ gravity!
• New in-app purchases!
• Hidden bonus levels!
• Beautifully detailed backgrounds!
System requirements:
• Windows XP/Vista/7
• 1 GHz
• 256 MB RAM

DOWNLOAD

Adobe Released Photoshop CS6 Beta Download Now

2012-03-24T10:30:00.001-07:00

Finally the most waited version of Adobe photoshop cs6 have been released.The worlds best image editing and manipulation software Photoshop is now going to get even more better with its brand new CS6 version. CS6 version has brought some performance enhancements, some image editing tools are also updated for some superior fun.

Photoshop CS6 Highlights :

1. Content Aware Patch : Now you can patch images with great control and stability with new Content Aware Patch tool. Just sampling an area and than see the content aware magic.

2. Faster Performance Enhancements : Now CS6 comes equipped with a Mercury Graphics Engine which makes it more stable when using tools like liquify, puppet warp and other major ones.

3. Re-Engineered Tools and Modern UI : Now CS6 tools and design has been re-engineered with some awesome improvements. Now creating marvelous designs with Photoshop CS6 is much fun.

Download Now

“PayPal Here” A New Way to Accept Payments on iPhone

2012-03-18T22:42:00.003-07:00

PayPal revealed there new small accessory for iPhone called “PayPal Here” which can be used to accept Credit Card Payments on an iPhone. Well it’s somewhat similar to what Square revealed but it’s a new innovation in the tech market and also rumored that its going to compete with the Google Wallet.

watch video:

This accessory looks like a small blue triangle and attaches to the headphone jack on your iPhone and also comes equipped with an iOS App, so merchant can input some amount and than have consumer to swipe his credit or debit card to make payments. There app also has a card scanning feature which can record card number and other stuff for tracking purpose.

Firefox 11 Released as an update

2012-03-14T01:51:00.004-07:00

The Released notes highlight the changes that Mozilla has implemented in the new version of the browser. Probably the biggest feature for end-users is support for add-on synchronization as part of Firefox Sync. This feature can be used to synchronize installed browser add-ons between all versions of the browser where sync is enabled on.

Firefox users who are using Google Chrome as well on the system can now migrate their bookmarks, history and cookies from the browser as part of the migration process.

The majority of features are only interesting for web developers and developers in general. Firefox 11 supports the CSS text-size-adjust property, and the outer HTML property. Developers can furthermore make use of the Style Editor for editing CSS, and the new Page Inspector 3D View which is available if the computer is compatible with WebGL.

fig: Its for developer view

Firefox 11 furthermore supports the SPDY protocol for faster page loads, and XMLHttpRequest HTML parsing.

The change log lists unresolved issues, among them some that have been noticed by some users in previous versions of the browser as well. This includes the slow scrolling in the Gmail window, or jerky scrolling and text input under certain conditions.

so in short we can list new feature of Firefox 11 as:

Firefox can now migrate your bookmarks, history, and cookies from Google Chrome
With Sync enabled, add-ons can now be synchronized across your computers
The CSS text-size-adjust property is now supported
The outerHTML property is now supported on HTML elements
View source syntax highlighting now uses the HTML5 parser
The Style Editor for CSS editing is now available to web developers
Web developers can now visualize a web page in 3D using the Page Inspector 3D View
SPDY protocol support for faster page loads is now testable
XMLHttpRequest now supports HTML parsing
Files can now be stored in IndexedDB
Websockets has now been unprefixed
Redesigned media controls for HTML5 video
Firefox notifications may not work properly with Growl 1.3 or later

Tips to recover scratched CD's/DVD'S

2012-03-13T11:23:00.002-07:00

1. Spread a cloth on a flat surface and place the CD on it.
2. Then, hold the disc with one hand, use the other to wipe the polish into the affected area with a soft cloth.
3. Wait for it to dry and buff using short, brisk strokes along the scratch, not across it.
4. A cloth sold to wipe spectacles or camera lenses will work super m8's.
5. When you can no longersee the scratch,, wash the disc with water and let it dry before playing. Intersting isnt it? Try it right now
I have used toothpaste with good effects before Ive also used car paint cutting compound on deeper scratches. It does leave lots of smaller scratches (as it is a cutting compound after all) but it will remove the worst scratches in most cases.