NBSoftess

The Ultimate Keychain

2011-09-17T05:58:00.001-07:00

Men and women, young and old, all have keys of some sort. We have numerous keys, gadgets, and other trinkets on our keychain that just ball up in an ugly mess that jingles with each step. Many people have entirely too many things on their keychains and this can actually cause damage to the ignition switch in a car. So is there a solution? Of course there is!

Keyport is a small device that holds all of your keys, usb drives, has a flashlight, and can be purchased in a multitude of colors for those of you who prefer something other than black. The thing about the keyport is that you need to have your keys cut, but that is barely anything and will save you a lot of jingling and annoyance that your old keychain used to cause.

This is a perfect gift for anyone who needs to consolidate their keys. It is small, lightweight (only weights about 2 ounces), a reasonable price, and can hold up to six keys in each keyport.

If you’d like to learn more check it out at www.mykeyport.com

Sony’s next wonder comes in as a world’s lightest touchscreen e-reader

2011-09-17T05:55:00.001-07:00

Sony has once again come in highlights as it has become the proud maker of world’s lightest ever 6” touchscreen e-reader, the Reader WI-FI. The public became aware of this Sony’s next wonder gadget when the device was announced in a Sony’s press conference.

Exceptional Features

There’s also good news for Harry Potter fans as they’ll get a special version of e-reader together with Pottermore website. This will enable them to download first Harry Potter e-book for free from Pottermore. It is the also the very first e-reader that offers wireless access to public library for the users you want to issue e-books from their public library.

Specifications

The reader is similar to previous 6” e-reader except for the size (8.9mm thin) which is smaller and light weight (168 gm). Reader Wi-Fi will provide wireless connectivity to public library system in US and Canada through dedicated icons on device making borrowing of e-books easy and convenient said Sony. In addition to this, users will also have access and permit to download 250,000+ titles over Wi-Fi from Reader store and websites.

E-reader was launched for German market in the presence of the maker of the device, Kobo. It will available for €149 from October 1, 2011. The Sony reader Wi-Fi and reader Wi-Fi alongwith Pottermore promotion will be released in Oct this year at $149.

Cardboard USB Sticks

2011-09-17T05:54:00.000-07:00

Tear off a stick of memory with these functional, eco-friendly cardboard USB sticks. They are capable of storing up to 16 GB a piece and are completely disposable. You can even label them with a pen, since they are just cardboard. It’s a pretty cool creation, although I’m not sure how long they would last if you really wanted to keep them around. It might actually get annoying if the cardboard gets bent out of shape.

If you’re interested in buying it, however, you’re going to have to wait a bit. They haven’t revealed pricing or availability. You can monitor their website at http://www.artlebedev.ru/everything/flashkus/ for any new information.

Android 4.0 for all models of Sony Ericsson Xperia from 2011

2011-09-17T05:52:00.000-07:00

Sony Ericsson promises to update the entire range of Xperia handsets launched in 2011 in Android 4.0 platform (Ice Cream Sandwich).

Sony Ericsson phones list included in the program contains models like Xperia Arc, Xperia Arc S, Xperia Ray, Xperia Play, Xperia Neo, Xperia Neo V, Xperia Pro, Xperia Mini and Xperia Mini Pro.

Update packages will arrive soon perhaps, the exact date varies depending on the model, but not earlier than November.

Sony Ericsson has issued similar news and shortly after the announcement of the Xperia phone line for 2011, but then it was updated to version 2.3.4 of Android Gingerbread platform.

Ice Cream Sandwich promises to be the first truly universal version of the Google Android operating system, scalable to a wide range of devices, from compact smartphone models and up to the big screen tablets.

Among the features discovered so far in Android 4.0 includes a face recognition and support for selective focus camera, activated by voice recognition function. Improvements list is of course much higher but remain a well guarded secret until the big launch.

On the long list of phones in the new program, we can only appreciate the effort of Sony Ericsson to maintain range of smartphone to date with the latest releases in software. The gesture was sure to be appreciated both for current customers and those who preferred to wait until 2012 for the newest smartphone offer.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Duo – the first photo and specifications

2011-09-17T05:50:00.000-07:00

A few days ago we were talking about Sony Ericsson Xperia™ Ray and Xperia™ Active, now here we are again with another Sony Ericsson Smartphone. Sony Ericsson Xperia Duo, the company’s new flagship Smartphone range, was caught in a first official image.

Unfortunately details about the specifications of this phone at least for now remain mere rumors. Xperia Duo could be built around a NovaThor A9500 chipset composed of two or more processor cores ARM Cortex A9 and a graphic core from Mali-400 series. The chipset is similar to that present in the Samsung Galaxy S II, but with increased frequencies for cores.

An alternative configuration has the possibility of using a Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8260 chipset, whose performance you already know from the HTC Sensation.

On the surface waters are less turbulent, equipment list continues with a 12 MP camera and 4.5 inch screen on the surface which we can admire the Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system, played on 960 x 540 pixels resolution.

The energy demand is supplied by a rechargeable Li-Ion 2500 mAh capacity, which is almost unbelievable for a mobile phone. Sony Ericsson Xperia Duo could be officially announced in the coming weeks, during which we will know the complete list of specifications and the purchase price.

Rumor of a phone with 3D screen from Sony Ericsson

2011-09-15T22:28:00.001-07:00

The marketing team from Sony Ericsson has decided that there is a market for mobile phones with 3D screens and they want a slice of it. No matter that the first two devices with such equipment received slightly negative reviews.

In addition to a HTC EVO 3D, and an LG Optimus 3D, can also be found the Sony Ericsson with screen of 4.7″. This is the size of which is circulated, but it is decent compared to the resolution of the Xperia Arc manufacturer.

In short, Sony Ericsson would launch a Smartphone to whose screen to display 1280×720 pixels. From this we may understand that someone was marked by the presentation of Steve Jobs of the Retina Display screen. If Apple has put 640×960 pixels on 3.5″, why would not they put 720×1280 on 4.7″?

The guys from Gizmodo suggest that such a device could be the successor of Sony Ericsson Xperia Play. Otherwise, a phone screen of 4.7″ is certainly difficult to handle and wear. We expect the official announcement of the Sony Ericsson, but I think this will not come too soon. Stay tuned for more information about this, we will keep you updated with the latest news.

Sony Ericsson Text Pro – Latest Addition in Ericsson’s Arsenal

2011-09-15T22:25:00.000-07:00

Sony Ericsson has recently unveiled another smartphone gadget to its already lined up series of Xperia Mini phones that is Sony Ericsson Txt Pro. Now the question running inside your minds would be; what makes this smartphone so different from its counterparts.

Pros and Cons

The Txt Pro has a screen resolution of 240×400 pixels. The keypad is well-designed. Like everything in this world has its own share of pros and cons, likewise Sony Ericsson Txt Pro has some flaws. The slider is very sticky and when it is being opened or shut, it sounds like it is scraping the under portion. One may find difficulty in operating the keys and also, it’s not as slick as the X10 Mini Pro.

Multiple desktops for reading unread messages/notifications

In a crux, the neat design looks appealing; the biggest turn-off could be the sticky keyboard that slides out. What makes it unique is the availability of multiple desktops for reading the unread messages or the notifications. Apart from that, the lock screen of Sony Ericsson Txt Pro has a see through display that evidently reflects the number of missed calls and messages.

Sony releases NEX-7 camera, 24MP in total

2011-09-15T22:24:00.001-07:00

24 megapixels is a lot regardless for any type of consumer-grade camera but Sony decided to put that much capability to its new NEX-7 camera which sports a 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor. The NEX-7 is an upgrade to Sony’s mirrorless NEX-5 and NEX-3 which also has interchangeable lenses. In fact, NEX-7 is a bit bigger as compared with the NEX-5 and NEX-3.

The NEX-7 is marketed to those wanting SLR quality photos but without the big, bulky size of an SLR camera as well as to enthusiasts. In fact, one of its key features includes a 1080p60 video recording capability which allows its users to take full HD video at a whopping 60 frames per seconds (imagine the size of these videos!).

ISO sensitivity can be pushed as far as 16000 and as low as 100 much like any digital camera. In addition to that, it also has an electronic first-curtain shutter which reduces the response time from 0.1s to 0.02s thus reduces shutter lags significantly.

Those already have Sony Alpha lenses need not fret as they can be used with the NEX-7 with the purchase of LA-EA2 mount. This allows them to use any of the lenses that they have with autofocus capability as well.

Wacom Launches Cintiq 24inch Pen Display

2011-09-15T22:21:00.000-07:00

Wacom has released the Cintiq 24HD interactive pen display, which is designed especially for designers, illustrators, animators, video editors and other creative pros.It joins the Cintiq 21UX and Cintiq 12WX as part of Wacom's complete lineup of interactive pen displays. The new 24-inch HD (1920 x 1200) widescreen display provides realistic color for color-critical work.

The ergonomically designed counter-weighted stand allows users to adjust the incline and height of the Cintiq for multiple working postures, even allowing the What's more, the frame around the screen is designed to be a resting place for the hands and arms, providing access to the Touch Ring and shortcut and modifier Express Keys located on both sides of the Cintiq. The Cintiq 24HD incorporates Wacom's most realistic pen experience, featuring 2048 levels of pressure sensitivityand 40 degrees of tilt control, says Don Varga, Director of Professional Products for Wacom Technology Services Corp.

The Cintiq 24HD pen features Wacom's proprietary Tip Sensor technology, offering users near-zero (one gram) starting pressure and virtually the same natural feel and feedback one would experience when working with traditional brushes or pens, he adds. The pen's 2048 levels of pressure enable pressure-sensitive effects, such as controlling line weights or opacity.

When combined with pressure-sensitive software applications from such developers as such as Adobe, Autodesk, Corel or Pixologic, the Cintiq is capable of producing life-like artistic results, according to Varga. The pen also features a pressure-sensitive eraser and two side switches that can be customized for common commands such as double-click and right-click.

Wacom's family of accessories provide additional input options to the Cintiq 24HD. The Art Pen supports the pen rotation feature within Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, as well as Corel Painter 12, delivering natural brush effects, such as those that a calligraphy pen would produce. Cintiq 24HD accessories are available for purchase at Wacom's online store.

Wacom delivers in the Cintiq 24HD a host of new features to enhance workflow and user comfort. The new 24-inch HD (1920 x 1200) widescreen display provides realistic color for color-critical work. The ergonomically designed counter-weighted stand allows users to adjust the incline and height of the Cintiq for multiple working postures, even allowing the display to extend over the edge of the desk and float just above a user's lap. Furthermore, the frame around the screen is designed to be a resting place for the hands and arms, providing easy access to the Touch Ring and shortcut and modifier Express Keys? located on both sides of the Cintiq. The Cintiq 24HD incorporates Wacom's most realistic pen experience, featuring 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity and 40 degrees of tilt control.

"The Cintiq 24HD is a wonderful example of what can be done when expert design experience and quality engineering are intelligently combined with user feedback from the professional community," says Don Varga, Director of Professional Products for Wacom Technology Services Corp. "All the right elements have been incorporated into our new flagship to help expand its capabilities and to improve its appeal in such markets as animation, photography and video production where a wide format, color-accurate, high-definition display is a crucial requirement.

Logitech Launches no-strings-attached Wireless Headset and Boombox

2011-09-15T22:16:00.000-07:00

Logitech has just added two new products to its range of accessories aimed at tablet users the Wireless Headset and the Wireless Boombox.

The Wireless Headset is compatible with iThings and other Bluetooth-enabled devices. Its laser-tuned drivers (we don't know quite how that works, either) deliver sound to your ears, powered for up to six hours by a rechargeable battery. Meanwhile, you can chat away on calls or Facetime with the included noise-cancelling microphone.

The Boombox is also compatible with iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch and will play stereo audio from up to 10 meters away, again with a six hour play time with its rechargeable battery. A set of eight drivers deliver separate sound frequencies, promising to make sure you get all your music's highs and lows.

Samsung Announces the Galaxy Note – The Largest Smartphone in the World!

2011-09-11T20:38:00.001-07:00

Rumored to release alongside the Galaxy Tab 7.7 and the Wave 3, the Samsung Galaxy Note flew surprisingly below the radar of gadget aficionados. The details on the device were thin, until Samsung recently announced it officially at the IFA.

Coming in at hefty 5.3-inches of length, the Galaxy Note attempts to blur the line between phones and tablets. A relatively surprising addition is the now out-of-fashion stowaway stylus, which can be used for several tasks such as taking notes, drawing and so on. The phone comes pre-loaded with Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The UI is layered with Samsung’s TouchWiz UI on top, which offers an all new ‘S-Pen’ interface, designed specifically by Samsung to put that good ‘olstylus to best use.

Beneath the pretty interface, a dual-core 1.4 GHz processor beats at the heart of the phone. Developed in-house by Samsung itself, this is the same processor that will power its Galaxy Tab 7.7 tablet. The huge screen boasts of a WVGA Super AMOLED display, while two cameras – 8 megapixels at the back and 2 megapixels at the front – carry out your snapping, recording and video chatting duties admirably.

Despite its colossal length, the device is surprisingly easy to handle, thanks mainly to its 9.65mm width and a surprisingly low 178 grams of weight.

Processor – Dual-core, 1.4Gzh

RAM – 1024 MB

Screen – 5.3” Super AMOLED, 800 x 1280 display

Camera – 8 MP rear, 2 MP front

Storage – 32GB on-board, expandable up to 64GB

Dimensions – 146.85mm (height) x 82.95mm (width) x 9.65mm (depth)

Samsung Wave 3 – The First Phone with Bada OS 2.0

2011-09-11T20:36:00.000-07:00

Samsung has just announced its latest Bada phone – the S8600, more popularly known as the Samsung Wave 3. The third iteration of the Wave family maintains the form factor of its predecessors, combining the good old slim shell and brushed metal look with its favorite Super AMOLED screen. Speaking of which, this is a 4-inch 16M-colour display with WVGA resolution. The glass itself is scratch resistant.

The phone features a power packed CPU, clocking in at 1.4 GHz, which is able to handle all tasks thrown at it with aplomb. The 5-megapixel camera at the back featuring a LED flash makes snapping pictures and recording HD video an easy task, while the VGA camera at the front handles the video calling chores.

The phone runs on a brand new version of Samsung’s proprietary Bada OS. This almost feels like a complete revamp of the platform. Everything from the home screen to contextual menus to the web browser has undergone a facelift.

The Samsung Wave 3 is a great package, and is a deserving upgrade to its previous iterations in every way imaginable.

Processor – 1.4 Gzh

Screen – 4.0″ 16M-colour Super AMOLED with 480 x 800 pixels resolution

Camera – 5MP rear with LED flash, VGA front

Storage – 2GB on-board, expandable up to 64GB via microSD card slot

Dimensions – 125.9mm (height) x 64.2mm (width) x 9.9mm (depth)

Smart-i Wireless Spy Camera

2011-09-11T20:33:00.000-07:00

With the advancement and miniaturization in electronics these days, you can never quite tell just which device is a spy camera, or at least, comes with some sort of surveillance mechanism within to watch your every move in an unsuspecting manner. I would suppose jealous spouses who wonder what’s going on with their other half who started to dress up sharper than ever before, splashing a dash of cologne or perfume before going out, will find such spy devices to be helpful in behavorial monitoring. Well, you can add the £79.99 Smart-i Wireless Spy Camera to the arsenal now – as this is touted to be the smallest Wi-Fi camera in the world.

Just how small is it? Well, it won’t be bigger than your average walnut, and yet crams in enough technological wizardry to shoot video at 640 x 480 (VGA) resolution, while ensuring all of that data will be streamed directly to a PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad or Android-powered device. All you need to prepare beforehand is get the free Smart-i app and you’re good to go. All footage can be saved on the device itself, so you need not stash an additional SD memory card with you.

Each full charge of the Smart-i Wireless Spy Camera will enable it to shoot up to 2 hour straight, and it has a decent visual of up to a 100 meters outdoors with fair lighting conditions. Just make sure the place where you’re staying at won’t dip below -10°C or go beyond 50°C in its temperature reading, otherwise the Smart-i Wireless Spy Camera will start to act up. Hmmm, maybe that extreme temperature is why your “target” is acting all wonky in the first place?

Smart Phones(part-II)

2011-06-26T22:15:00.000-07:00

6. T-mobile myTouch 3G

T mobile is a sleek ,smart phone having 3G which has the display size of 3.2 inch touch screen. It is provided with 3.2 mega pixel camera with video recording also display resolution of the mobile is 480*320 pixel. It has three different colors like glossy white, metallic black etc.

Photo by ubergizmo

7. BlackBerry Bold Series

This BlackBerry Bold is very thin, sleek and also it has QWERTY key pad having a fast processor which runs under black berry OS .It has optical track pad which is very useful for the users, 3.5mm head jack to hear the music clearly. Size of the display is 2.44 inch having a of resolution 480*360pixel provided with 3.2 mega pixel camera which is used to take snaps also this mobile is capable of providing the 3G facility.

Photo by flickr

8. HTC Hero

This mobile is having3.2 inch TFT LCD touch screen which gives super clarity having 320*480 HVGA resolutions. This smart mobile is provided with 5 mega pixel camera with auto focus which runs under android operating system. HTC mobile improved a lot in this version comparing other version of the mobile. HERO series mobiles are known for its 3G and WIFI features providing fastest internet access to the users.

Photo by louisvolant

9. Nokia N97 Mini

Nokia N97 is the most famous smart phone in the world. But its hardware is outdated having slow processor i.e. 434ARM 11 .Its display size is 360*640 pixels having 3.2 inch screen display. It has a good camera having 5 mega pixels with auto focus feature. Symbian OS 9.4 operating system is used in the mobile. Expandable memory is there with 8 GB which is quite large for the inbuilt memory. Nokia supports both 2G AND 3G network.GPS is provided to find the place where we are located.

Photo by stylo.digital

10. T Mobile

This mobile provides 3 megapixel camera with auto focus
Internal memory of this mobile is 256 MB
Google maps is installed
Talk time of the mobile is 315 minutes over 3G and 4oo min over 2G.

T mobile is having good scope among the people but it lacks some features like lack of Android OS and also it is not having clear sound, lack of base reflection head phone, internal memory of this mobile is very low these are the things that should be taken in our mind while buying T mobiles. While purchasing smart mobile some basic features should be taken in account.

Photo by JoeyPeter

Most of the smart phones in the market allows browsing and also helps to load WebPages quickly. In addition to this it provides quicker access to the browsing with the help of 2G and 3G.while selecting high profile smart phones we have to consider camera clarity, display clarity, talk time of the battery have to be taken in account because that is very important while considering the status of smart phones.

Smart phones should have windows operating system or else android operating system that’s very important. Multimedia features should be good that is very important here while purchasing smart phones without that it cannot be consider as a smart phone also we have to take its display clarity it should have resolution of 16 million colors or else more that is very important.

Smart Phones(part-I)

2011-06-26T22:14:00.000-07:00

Smart phones are nothing but an ordinary mobile which makes our life smarter and also makes smoother. In this fast growing world we have to keep contact with our clients, colleagues, friend’s etc this can be provided by smart phones which give instant access to the internet and also it serves as multimedia devices. Let us see some of the best smart phones of the year 2010.

1. Apple iPhone 3GS

Apple is one of the most famous companies around the world. Apple has launched it’s iPhone series which is very popular through out the world. It has 3.5 inch touch screen which is bigger and smarter and its memory is quite high 32GB which is inbuilt memory. Camera provides 3.2 megapixel having autofocus option which is great and also its battery back up life is very good .So it is considered as best iPhone 3GS of the year 2010.Its 3G is very fast in accessing the internet.

Photo by Tom Baker

2. Motorola Droid

Motorola is also an American company known for its best mobiles. Let us see the most fascinating mobile that is droid phone. The display size of the mobile is 3.7 inch, having powerful digital camera which is 5 megapixels with autofocus .Default phone memory is 256mb and it can be extendable to 16GB.It has some of the best features of Google that is navigation application maps which is very useful for the users. Droid mobile uses android OS which is a new generation operating system having many features.

Photo by mintyfreshflavor

3. HTC Nexus One

Nexus One is one of the best mobiles that come under Google android family having very good processor, stylish in look. Main features of this mobile are we can lock all the versions of this mobile. It has display screen which is of 3.7 inch in size and with AMOLED touch screen. It is provided with camera which is 5 megapixels with autofocus. Resolution of the display is 480*800 pixels also it has stereo Bluetooth with 10 hours of talk time.

Photo by CDernbach

4. BlackBerry Storm 2

BlackBerry has a display size of 3.25 inch which is touch screen having 3.25 mp of camera with video recording. The color of the display is 480*360pixels with high resolution having 65000 colors. BlackBerry is quad band mobile provided with QWERTY key pad which is smarter and it is mainly used for internet purpose.

Photo by StrebKR

5. Palm Pre

A palm pre mobile is having wide touch screen which runs in palm pre OS platform. It has 3.2 inch display which has the resolution of 320*480. Camera is provided with 3 megapixels which is not enough to take a good snap. Palm web OS is one of the unique operating system of palm mobiles. Talk time is 5 hours.

Photo by Drew MacKenzie .com

Samsung Caliber

2011-06-26T22:11:00.000-07:00

Samsung takes the cake with the advanced touchscreen which it has developed using the TouchWiz interface which is unique to Samsung. The touchscreen has several advanced features which includes certain Widgets which are specially designed so as to let users personalize them and adapt them according to their phone.

All the social networking websites like Facebook are accessible due to the phone’ s browser which is a full HTML enabled browser. There is mobile IM along with email facilities. The camera is a 3 mega pixel one and comes with a camcorder.

The Bluetooth comes with a stereo facility along with a speakerphone. The Caliber has the MetroPCS applications too. Other than these features the phone has a video and music player which is built in to the phone. The memory is expandable up to 16 GB using an external microSD.

Free web development information manager

2010-06-27T00:34:00.000-07:00

Whether you're a pro, a hobbyist, or somewhere in between, if you manage the care and feeding of a couple of websites and a few blogs, then you know that life can get complicated. You've got servers to keep track of, domain names to manage, files to up- and download and all that. Each of these has a user name and a password to have to keep straight. After a while it becomes a question of who is running whom.

Serverskine is an app that can give you a hand in keeping track of these little—but important—pieces of information. It's got a simple interface that lets you easily enter all that information, and it's got a built-in search facility that lets you find things when you need to retrieve them. While you can save your information in a proprietary binary format, there are also options to save in SQLite and even XML, so that if for some reason the app goes south, you can still get your information back.

A free Mac application, Serverskine runs under OS X 10.4 (Tiger) or later. It's a Universal Binary, so it's equally at home on both PowerPC and Intel machines.

Download Serverskine

Free web development information manager

2010-06-20T07:22:00.000-07:00

Free hex editor

2010-06-20T07:20:00.000-07:00

There are geeks, and then there are GEEKS. Being knowledgeable about the software and hardware you use every day buys you some street cred in the geek world, but if you really want to let your Geek Flag fly, you're going to need to do more than that. We used to know a guy who balanced his checkbook in hexadecimal. Now that's hard core!

HexEdit is a tool that lets you get in and get intimate with your files. Not just some text editor, this tool lets you get in and look at the individual bytes in your files. You may find some interesting stuff in there, or if you decide to make an edit or two while you're in the neighborhood, you may totally trash the file. This brings up two important rules for using hex editors: (1) always work with a copy, not the original file, and (2) have a clue about what you're doing. When you're working with files on this level, there are no safeguards to keep you from breaking those files and more. Be safe.

HexEdit is a free download. It's a Windows application. Thick glasses and propeller beanie not included.

Download HexEdit

Free Flash Effect Generator

2010-06-19T07:20:00.001-07:00

Everywhere you go on the web today you run across sites that feature—or are built around—Flash movies. Have you ever built one? If you're curious to find out how to do that, well, the cost of entry just got a lot lower.

Effect Generator is a free online service that lets you build animated movies. While it doesn't exactly mimic the official tools used to create these guys, it's close enough to get the job done. Experienced users can build new movies from scratch, but if you prefer training wheels, they've got a bunch of examples you can remix and adapt to your purposes. All the goodies are drag and drop, so it shouldn't take too long to put your masterpiece—or at least you first attempt—together.

You'll need the Flash plugin installed your web browser to access this tool. And of course, a bit of artistic talent wouldn't hurt either.

Download Effect Generator

Drag and drop file format conversion

2010-06-19T07:19:00.000-07:00

Did you ever get a file—probably an important one—in a format you couldn't open because you didn't have the right application? That FLAC audio file or RAR archive isn't going to do you any good if you can't open it. You need to be able to convert files from what you can't use into files you can use.

Dragoman is a Mac-based batch file conversion tool. It does the standard stuff—convert your images to PDFs or turn Word DOCs into text files—but also maybe some things you didn't expect, like converting between various archive formats. It's easy to use—the "drag" part of its name suggests the type of interface, although the Help file explains that the word is actually of Middle Eastern origin and means "translator".

Just drag your document or media file onto the app. It recognizes the type of file you've got and displays an appropriate list of file formats that you can choose from to do your conversion. It supports a pretty good sized list of archive, audio, image, and text file formats, and even though there are some popular formats it can't translate into, even some of those can serve as the source for translation into formats it can work with.

Dragoman is a free Mac application. It runs under OS X version 10.4 (Tiger) and later.

Download Dragoman

Clean your hard drive big-time

2010-06-18T04:37:00.001-07:00

There comes a time in the life of every computer when it's time to be removed from service. Maybe it's because you just scored a hot new system and you're donating Old Reliable to a school or nonprofit, or maybe you're going to sell it on eBay to help pay for that fancy new machine. Either way, you need to get your stuff—programs and more importantly personal data—off the hard drive. A simple delete won't get the job done, so it's time to find a more industrial-strength tool to take care of business.

Darik's Boot And Nuke may be the answer you're looking for. Download this tool and install it on a floppy disk or CD, and you're all set for a high-powered hard disk-wiping machine. This guy takes out programs, data, even partition tables. While the best way to be absolutely sure that your data has been removed is to physically destroy your hard drive, you're going to have a hard time getting much for your system with no disk drive and all those metal shavings in there. Short of that, you can probably sleep pretty well at night after using this guy to clean out your machine.

There's no guarantee that this app will render all of your data unrecoverable forever, but for the price—did we mention it's free?—you probably can't do much better.

Download Darik's Boot And Nuke

Build your own fonts for free

2010-06-18T04:34:00.000-07:00

How many different fonts do you suppose there are out there? Your system comes with a bunch. Many of your applications add more to the mix. You can find third-party after-market fonts all over the place, some even for free. But what if, even with all these choices, you still don't find the font you're really looking for? Maybe it's time to make your own.

FontStruct is a website with a purpose: they let you design and build your own fonts. It's not really as complicated as you might think. Their online tool is easy to use, and they've got a demo to show you how it's done. Once you're finished you can download your handiwork, or share it with the world if you like. You can also browse the creations of others.

You need to create an account and log in to use this free service. And of course, you'll need a web browser to access the site.

Download FontStruct

Batch image resize tool

2010-06-17T03:49:00.001-07:00

Nothing's ever quite the way you want it. Just ask Goldilocks: chairs, breakfast, beds, nothing really worked for her. If you've got a pile of image files, you may be familiar with that concept. This picture is too big; this one is too small. Fire up Photoshop to fix them, and you're committing to a long, hard slog—as well as several bills—to get the job done. Faster and cheaper might be nice.

Pixer is a Mac tool that lets you tweak your graphics files. Choose an individual file or a whole folder full, drag them onto the app, and let go. Choose how you want them resized—you can specify a pixel number, percentage, or choose from presets for specific sizes, as well as being able to rotate and flip images, or crop and pad them. It supports most popular image formats, so you can probably use it for whatever you're working with.

Pixer is a free download for Mac users. You'll need to be running at least version 10.4 of OS X (10.5 for some advanced features) to use it.

Download Pixer

A different application launcher

2010-06-17T03:48:00.000-07:00

Shortcuts can be quite useful. If the road from here to there takes a bunch of twists and turns before you arrive at your destination, it's going to take you longer to get there from here. But if you know the secret shortcut, you can potentially cut out a lot of hours and miles from your trip. Those smart people who work with software know all about this.

Whether you're looking at aliases, accelerator keys, or symbolic links, what you really have is a bunch of shortcuts. Rather than having to dig through the My Programs directory to find your app, you can click on a shortcut to start the program. Organize your shortcuts cleverly, maybe on your desktop, or in a menu, and you're going to get there even quicker. That's kind of the idea behind Windows' Start Menu and Quick Launch. That's also the idea behind Radian.

Radian is an application launcher that aims to help you get things done quicker. Now instead of having to dig through folders, or even click on menus, all you need to do is to right click on your screen. No matter where your mouse is on your screen, you've now got access to your Radian menu. Set it up with your most important or most used applications, and see whether your efficiency improves. It's designed in such a way that it shouldn't interfere with your other right-click commands, so you're not really sacrificing functionality that you're familiar with for this new tool.

A free download, Radian is a Windows application.

Download Radian