Gigatalia Digital

HTPC Video Cards and the upcoming HD 5450 from ATI

2010-02-09T09:19:00.000+08:00

AMD's Cedar / 5450 Series cards. These come in at lower than $100. Radeon HD 5400 series was announced on February 4, 2010. The Radeon HD 5450 has 80 stream cores, a core clock of 650 MHz, and 800 MHz DDR2 or DDR3 memory. The 5400 series is designed to assume a low-profile card size.
Compared to the higher performing 5xxx series cards, the 5450 has the DirectX 11 support but not enough firepower to make the most out of the technology. It has been observed that the Radeon 4550 and Nvidia's GT 220 still outperform the new Evergreen GPU.

So for a low profile 'budget' GPU, would you or wouldn't you grab 1 of these new cards?

more detailed information from Anandtech

Windows 7: Getting Vista's DreamScene

2010-02-05T11:45:00.000+08:00

Having a cool wallpaper background on your Windows system is one thing, but having a video clip or a video over the regular wallpaper is another. We were able to catch that on Windows Vista and wouldn't it be nice to have it on Windows 7? Here's an easy way to make it happen.

Gromas, one of AskVG's readers, came up with an easy solution. He created a tool to automatically install the Dreamscene feature on your Windows 7 computer. Now you can make your desktop look more alive.

After installation, you can just 'right-click anywhere on your desktop' and choose 'Play dreamscene' or go to your video clip/video gallery, 'right-click on a video' and choose 'set as desktop background' and there you have it.

You can try the tool by downloading here.

More from AskVG.com

And here's a sample of Dreamscene running on Windows 7.

Windows 7: Release Candidate (RC) Expiration

2010-02-03T09:30:00.000+08:00

News for those who are still running the Beta or Release Candidate (RC) version of Windows 7. February 15, users with the RC version will receive a notification regarding the bi-hourly shutdown of their windows 7 systems beginning March 1st.
These shutdowns will be experienced until June 1, 2010.

A non-genuine experience is triggered where your wallpaper is removed and "This copy of Windows is not genuine" will be displayed in the lower right corner above the taskbar. This means your PC will no longer be able to obtain optional updates or downloads that require genuine Windows validation.

To avoid any data loss, you are advised to move to a released version of Windows 7 before the automatic shutdowns start. During these shutdowns, your work will not be saved.

more info from AskVG

iPhone OS Update ver. 3.1.3

2010-02-03T08:53:00.000+08:00

Here comes version OS 3.1.3 for the iPhone and iPod touch. It is not version 3.2 but one of the changes comes in the form of better battery level reporting and fixes for the Japanese Kana Keyboard. This also solves some issues regarding 3rd party apps failing to launch.

Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams

2010-02-01T16:26:00.000+08:00

Here comes the next installment of the 2K Games' Bioshock: Bioshock 2. This February, play once again as the game's protagonist 'Big Daddy'.

You can preorder your copy from any of the following retailers:

Gamestop
Take2 Interactive
Walmart
BestBuy
Amazon
Target

Preview

A Look At What the iPad Does

2010-02-01T10:00:00.000+08:00

Now that the iPad is officially out, what can the Apple consumer community expect from the new device? Is it like an enlarged iPhone/iPod Touch as others say? As one would ask, is this new addition to the Apple line of "i-Gadgets" monetarily feasible to consumers who have been Apple followers for some time now? We list down the features as presented by Apple.
Given that the iPhone and iPod Touch perform very well, we can definitely expect the same from the iPad. Here is a list of features that consumers might want to look at and compare before their much anticipated consumer release:

* Surf the net with Safari
* MobileMe, Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, Hotmail, and AOL. Work with your mail right on the iPad
* Use the iPad as a photoframe and take pictures with the optional Camera Connection Kit.
* Watch Videos, full screen or not with a double tap on it.
* Watch Youtube as well.
* Use it like a regular iPod and listen to music with iTunes with its built-in speakers
* Games to business apps. 140,000 apps from the Apps store.
* Reading e-books for free or purchased. Check them with iBooks
* Check out places with Google maps
* Jotting notes will never be the same with its large screen and on-screen keyboard
* Calendars and Contacts keeps you mobile and organized
* the Home Screen lets you customize the layout the way you want it to be
* Search functions take you one step further. Search everything from mail to contacts to websites and even your apps.

And with the features listed, is purchasing the new iPad going to be a YES or a NO?

iPad on your iPhone/iPod Touch: You Know You Want To

2010-01-31T10:22:00.000+08:00

iPad sure looks like an enlarged iPhone/iPod touch and until we all get our hands on 1 of our very own Apple delivered iPads, we still rely on online reviews by people who are able to grab one. What if you can have the interface and look and feel of the iPad, port it to your own iPhone/iPod touch? We bet you'd try it one way or another.

Here's how to do it.

Of course the basics: your iPhone/iPod touch..... jailbroken. And access to the Cydia store.

DELL Mini 5: Slate / Phone / Smart Phone

2010-01-29T10:34:00.001+08:00

The DELL Mini 5 was one of the hot items during the recent CES 2010 event. Of course people were wondering as to what kind of device/gadget it presented itself to be. Touchscreen bigger than an iPod touch yet smaller than what you could call a slate.

Below are videos of the device: first with Michael Dell himself and another by a Chinese with a tear down video of the gadget for specifications.

So far, specifications for this device have been the following:
5 inch screen (800x480 pixel resolution)
2 MiniSD card slots
a 5.6wh battery
1Ghz Snapdragon processor
a sim card slot
WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G radio
5 megapixel camera with flash
runs on Android 1.6
touchscreen (of course)

Current pricing is about $1,000 hoping that's not final since the device is not due until a few more months (they say a possible March-May release).

If DELL reduces the cost of this device, we'll grab 2.

Steve Jobs and the new Apple iPad

2010-01-28T10:45:00.001+08:00

Steve Jobs unveils the iPad. The Apple iPad, formerly referred to as the Apple Tablet, is a touch-pad tablet computer announced in January 2010, to be shipped in April or May of 2010. It has internet capabilities running on either WiFi or 3G, and offers and optional dock with a full size mechanical keyboard.

Of course this has been 1 of the many "gadgets" that people have been waiting and eyeing for. With the accelerometer and the full touch screen capability. Be able to play games, watch full flash videos and browse the web with literally 'your fingertips'.

Here are the specifications provided by crunchbase:

    * 1GHz Apple A4 processor (custom)
    * 0.5″ thick
    * 1.5 pounds

Display

    * 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology
    * 1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi)
    * Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
    * Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously

Sensors

    * Accelerometer
    * Ambient light sensor
    * Compass

Input and Output

    * Dock connector
    * 3.5-mm stereo headphone jack
    * Built-in speakers
    * Microphone
    * SIM card tray (Wi-Fi + 3G model only)

Audio Playback

    * Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz
    * Audio formats supported: AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV
    * User-configurable maximum volume limit

Battery and Power

    * Built-in 25Whr rechargeable lithium-polymer battery
    * Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music
    * Charging via power adapter or USB to computer system

Other Specs

    * 802.11n and Bluetooth 2.1
    * Runs iPhone apps in window or pixel doubling
    * Hardware-accelerated OpenGL graphics
    * SDK released 1/27/10
    * Syncs over USB through iTunes, just like iPhone or iPod touch, syncing photos, music, movies, tv shows, contacts, apps, etc.
    * Offers touch-ready iWork version which includes versions of the Pages, Numbers and Keynote applications at $9.99

Before announcement, the iPad was also rumored to be named the iSlate and the iTablet.

Pricing as of date are:
WiFi Model

    * 16 GB - $499
    * 32 GB - $599
    * 64 GB - $699

3G Model

    * 16 GB - $629
    * 32 GB - $729
    * 64 GB - $829

Google Chrome 4: Now Available for Download

2010-01-27T13:09:00.001+08:00

Google Chrome 4.0 is now available for download. Here is the official statement brought to us by the Official Google Blog:

    Today we're excited to introduce a new stable release of Google Chrome for Windows, which includes two of the browser's most frequently requested features: extensions and bookmark sync.

    Extensions let you add new features and functions to your browser. Now you can browse over 1,500 in our extensions gallery and install them on the stable version of Google Chrome.

    Bookmark sync is a handy feature for those of you who use several computers — say, a laptop at work and a desktop at home. You can enable bookmark sync to synchronize your bookmarks on all of your computers so that when you create a bookmark on one computer, it's automatically added across all your computers. This means that you won't need to manually recreate the bookmark each time you switch computers.

    To those using Google Chrome on Linux, extensions are enabled on the beta channel. And for those using Google Chrome for Mac, hang tight — we're working on bringing extensions, bookmark sync and more to the beta soon. Those currently using the stable version for Windows will be automatically updated within the next week (or you can check for updates manually).

Get your Chrome 4.0!
Online direct download and installation

or

through the Google offline installer

more extensions in the future hopefully

New Processors: The AMD-Intel Match Up

2010-01-26T10:12:00.000+08:00

AMD is launching a new pair of processors as well as Intel with their G6950 Clarkdales. AMD provides the computer/processor market with the Phenom II x2 555 and the Athlon II x4 635. Both companies are targeting the $100 market.
As for the performance and benchmarks, you get better price-to-performance results with the AMD platform. Given the fact that the new Intel chip does not have Turbo like the Core i3, the Phenom II and Athlon II are in the lead.

The AMD chips are great in terms of stock speeds and the threaded application use and the Intel provides more room for overclocking. The only downside for AMD: not much headroom for overclocking, for Intel the stock speed. AMD also provides the ease of overclocking with a set of options: BIOS frequency and the AMD Overdrive Utility.

full reviews provided by the following:
Anandtech
Tom's Hardware
Overclocker's Club

Intel Processors: Out Comes the Core i3

2010-01-24T14:59:00.000+08:00

The Core i3 is clocked at 2.93GHz. No Turbo modes and has 4MB of L3 Cache shared between 2 cores. The Core i3 530 would run as low as 1.33GHz but no more than 2.93GHz.
For the overclocking and gaming community, the Intel Core i3 can be overclocked up to 4GHz on a stock cooler.

The release of the Core i3 (an update on the chip if we're correct) provides the PC builder/user another option on what multiprocessor chip to use. Based on benchmarks, the Core i3 is able to perform better than AMD's Phenom II X2 550BE but the lack of any Turbo mode and the AES-NI technology found on the i5 and i7, users are said to be better off with an Athlon II X4 when it comes to pricing.

Overall, a faster dual-core processor solution: Core i3. For cheaper threaded performance: Athlon II X4.

Check out Anandtech for the full Core i3 processor review

MSI X-Slim X620: Adding the DVD Drive

2010-01-24T12:19:00.000+08:00

MSI comes forward with another Intel ULV powered laptop adding an optical drive to the 15.6 inch system. The redesigned X620 model still has the same number of ports which includes: an HDMI port, 2 USB's and an e-SATA port.

The X620 also offers 3D boost and ECO-power saving technologies aside for having a discrete graphics card (an ATi Mobility Radeon 5430 - 1GB DDR3).

No pricing options have been disclosed yet but from the looks of things, this modified/updated version of the X-series laptop from MSI will definitely be a neat pick for those eyeing for a laptop with performance and energy saving features.

Additional specifications:

    * Intel Core 2 Duo processor
    * ATi Mobility Radeon HD 5430 (1GB DDR3 VRAM)
    * 15.6" HD widescreen display (1366x768)
    * up to 4GB RAM
    * max 500GB hard drive
    * DVD Super-Multi drive
    * 1.3MP webcam
    * Wireless, Bluetooth
    * HDMI, 2x USB 2.0, e-SATA
    * Windows 7 Home Premium

information c/o PCLaunches

KB978207: Microsoft's Internet Explorer "Emergency Patch"

2010-01-23T08:52:00.000+08:00

Microsoft has released an update for Internet Explorer to fix a vulnerability stated in MS10-002. Users running Internet Explorer 5 and up are advised to install or run the patch as early as they can.

General Information

This security update resolves seven privately reported vulnerabilities and one publicly disclosed vulnerability in Internet Explorer. The more severe vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user views a specially crafted Web page using Internet Explorer. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.

Click here for a more detailed account available from Microsoft

You can also check ASKVG for a summarized list of links to download the update

Firefox Addons: Fasterfox, Little Fox and Chrome IE Tab

2010-01-21T13:00:00.000+08:00

Mozilla Firefox. The alternative browser option next to Microsoft's Internet Explorer. Competition is even greater now that Google was able to launch Google Chrome. So far, among these browsers, we think that Firefox offers 'more'..... but that's just us...
And with 'more', we can say that Firefox has a lot more extensions, addons, themes and probably tweaks. Here are a few extensions brought to us by Mozilla. These might be the extensions/plugins that you're looking for.

Check addons.mozilla.org for the full library.

Fasterfox. is a network and performance tweak for firefox which speeds up your web browsing. It works by caching and 'pre' -loading pages on websites.

Little Fox. is an interface tweak for firefox specifically designed to free up more space on the browser window. This addon is best suited for users running firefox on the small and light netbooks. If you want more 'web' viewable space on your firefox browser, then this tweak is for you.

IE Tab/Coral IE Tab. is a firefox / Internet explorer rendering engine switcher for those who want to open pages best viewed in Internet Explorer but don't want to use/open the Internet explorer browser.

These are just a few of the useful tweaks available on Mozilla's add ons page.

Accessing 99 of the Most Common Tools in Windows 7

2010-01-20T11:57:00.000+08:00

Now that you got a hold of your Windows 7 Operating System, you try to grasp how the new interface works. After hitting the Start menu button, you are presented with the 'start menu + start search box' which of course started with Vista.

With all these things, you want to find the common tools needed to customize, optimize and enjoy your new Windows 7 experience. For those who are not familiar with the menus and tools and window navigation of Vista and Windows 7, wouldn't it be of great help to have 1, 2 or more shortcuts to get things going?

7Tutorials has created a package of 99 Windows 7 shortcuts to help you get started...... pointing to the 'right' mouse pointer direction.

Once installed/extracted, the package lists several folders, all with their own set of shortcuts. From Ease of Access to windows Networking to System Administration, get everything that you need with the help of the shortcuts.

check out 7tutorials for the full coverage

Darker Days are Coming: The Secret World PC Game

2010-01-19T16:53:00.002+08:00

Darker Days are Coming

Says the game being developed by FunCom. Ragnar Tornquist is one of the men behind the scenes to this upcoming 'alternate reality' MMORPG. A game that neither has levels nor character classes, the guys at FunCom incorporates social networking into the game.

Elements of myth, magic and horrors await all those who will be able to play the game in the future.

Players will be given the capability to customize their characters up to each one's skills as this game does not provide clans to choose from. Players join 'secret societies': The Dragon, Illuminati and the Templars. Customize the look of their characters particularly the clothing and weapons (ranging from swords to shotguns).

The game's story is set in the modern world but with a closet full of monsters of myth, ancient beliefs, urban legends and pop culture. For this battle of good versus evil, players are given the choice to choose which faction he/she would like to join. Players can build their own guild and organize adventure parties with other players.

The game can also be played in single player mode if players prefer going on a 'solo flight'.

Here is a teaser trailer.

Windows 7 God Mode: Pinning in 3 Places

2010-01-17T03:20:00.001+08:00

In a recent post, we found out about Windows 7's 'God Mode' feature which basically was just all Control Panel 'quick access' options put into 1 main place. Now to put the God Mode options in 3 accessible places.

The Taskbar. To put the said option onto the Taskbar, just follow these steps:

1. Create a new desktop shortcut. Right click on the desktop and click New>Shortcut.
2. It should open the 'Create Shortcut' wizard and then type or copy the following string inside the box: explorer shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
3. Just follow the wizard and depending to your liking, give it a 'God Mode' name for the new shortcut.
4. You can definitely change the icon by using the properties window. Choose change icon and follow the prompts. Other than that you're good to go.
5. Last is pinning the shortcut to the Taskbar. Simply drag and drop the shortcut to the taskbar or right clicking on the icon and choosing the 'Pin to Taskbar' option and that should be it.

Alternatively you can use this download LINK if you don't want to do it manually.

My Computer Context Menu. Now to give you the steps on how to put the extra menu into the My Computer right click menu:

1. Open regedit by typing it on the Windows start search box.
2. Now navigate to:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}
3. Now to create a new key under the Shell key. Right click on shell and select NEW>KEY. You can give it a name, probably God Mode so as not to confuse ourselves.
4. On the right side pane, change the value of [Default] to the desired name you want displayed when you open the context menu.
5. Create a new key under the God Mode key done earlier (step 3) and name it command.
6. On the right side pane, change the value of (Default) to:

explorer shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

7. To set an icon, simply click on the God Mode key which was created on step 3 and on the right side pane, create a new String value 'icon'. You can set your own value onto the string. For the control panel icon, control.exe should be enough.

To make things easier, you can download this file, extract the content and run the REG file.

The Desktop Context Menu. Last place on the list is the desktop right click menu.

1. Open regedit using the start search box to open the Registry Editor.

2. Navigate to: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell

3. Almost the same process as the My Computer location except for the registry location of the options. We create a new key under the Shell key. Name it God Mode if you like.

4. On the right side pane, change the value of (Default) to the desired name you want to show when you open the Desktop Context menu.

5. Under the Shell Key, we should have the GodMode/God Mode (whichever name you assigned it) key and then we create a new key which we will name as command.

6. On the right side pane, change the value of (Default) to:
explorer shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

7. To change the icon and position, add Icon and Position as string values under the Key made on step 3 (God Mode). Icon was set to control.exe and for the position, use either 'Top' or 'Bottom'.

And of course to make the complicated easy with a few mouse clicks, just download the registry file here. extract and run the REG file.

here is an image of how the new keys are set up inside the registry:

more information from ASKVG.

Myspace/Imeem Music Playlists are Back

2010-01-16T12:57:00.000+08:00

Last year, Imeem closed a deal with Myspace to help save the online startup music company. This and users all around the world ranting about their playlists getting 'lost' and trashing the Myspace/Myspace music website. And the good news is in: Imeem users can now resurrect their old playlists and play them on the Myspace Music website.
Myspace has sent out emails telling all of its users that they can now transfer or somewhat restore their previous playlists and have them enabled on the new website.

The playlist import is done in a few very easy steps. 1. Users log on to their account. 2. hit the 'Import Playlists' link and users should see their playlists under the 'My Music' section. With these 2 steps, users can playback their original music playlists.

Drawbacks will definitely be encountered such as some songs on your playlist are not working. These may be due to licensing issues or basically a difference with the song database.

Overall, the playlists are back just that users will have to prepare and 'accept' if some songs on their playlists do not work.

more from TechCrunch

12 Hours of Battery Life. 2 Graphics Cards

2010-01-15T17:36:00.000+08:00

A high end laptop capable of keeping a 12-hour battery charge. ASUS introduced the UL80JT laptop at CES 2010. ASUS describes the upcoming laptop model to not only run on Intel's Core i7 processor but also run 2 Graphics processors (GPU).
For the high end GPU, the systems has an NVIDIA GeForce 310 and an Intel GMA for regular laptop usage.

The 12-hour battery life is attainable due to the system's hardware-based management. The ASUS UL80JT switches between the 2 GPUs (based on performance requirements we suppose), without user interaction and clocks the 1.73 GHz processor as well. Both features can be tracked via an on-screen widget.

Quick system specifications:
* Intel Core i7 Processor
* Windows 7 OS
* Mobile Intel Chipset

* DDR3 memory (up to 4GB)

* 14" slim-type LCD

* NVidia Geforce 310 Graphics with up 1GB DDR3 of memory

* an Intel GMA graphics swap

* SATA HDD
* DVD Super Multi Drive
* a built in VGA camera
* 8-cell battery (capable of running up to 12-hours of battery juice)

The unit is said to be made available later this year and initial price tag: $1000

check PCWorld for more info

VIA's 'MINI' Server: The M'SERVE / M'SERV

2010-01-14T15:58:00.001+08:00

Made available for the Small Business and Home users, VIA introduces their little computer M'SERV. This unit runs on a VIA 64-bit processor and supports DDR2 memory and SATA HDD's.
The M'SERV S2100 also dual gigabit LAN ports letting users hook up to the internet and the local network at the same time.

The M'SERV also provides a few more features such as Virtualization Technology, allowing network access to multiple virtual environments. It allows OS installation on a CF (Compact Flash) Memory Card and booting from it. The unit has been tested to support the following Operating Systems: Windows XP, Windows 7 (32 & 64-bit versions), Windows Server 2008 R2, Linux and FreeBSD.

Here are the M'SERV's specifications:
CPU           VIA Nano processor (1.3+GHz @ 1.6GHz, 64-bit, 1MB, 800MHz FSB)
Chipset          VIA VX800 Unified Digital Media IGP chipset
Memory Support          2 x DDR2 SO-DIMM Sockets
Hard Disk Support          2 x 3.5” SATA-II
Bootable SSD          1 x CompactFlash socket (supports DMA mode)

Operating System Support
Windows® XP, Windows® 7(x86 & x64), Windows® Server 2008 R2, Linux, FreeBSD®

USB Ports          3 x USB 2.0 ports (1 on the front panel)
LAN Port          2 x Gigabit RJ-45 LAN port with LED
Display Port          1 x DB-15 VGA port
Front LED          LAN active, LAN speed, power, HDD active, WLAN active
System Cooler          8 cm low-noise ball-bearing fan
Security Features          Hardware AES engine, EEPROM, TPM (Optional)
Dimensions          10.2” x 5.3” x 4.5” / 259 x 135 x 115 mm (L x W x H)
Power          100~240 V input, 75W AC/DC adapter

VIA has not yet announced how much this 'low-noise' and 'low power consumption' small form factor server costs but with the specifications provided, this should be a budget alternative for consumers.

more info from crunchgear

USB 3.0: Officially Out

2010-01-13T16:10:00.001+08:00

SuperSpeed USB 3.0 is finally here, although some companies have been using the technology already. If you're tired of 'waiting' for a file transfer to complete, then the new USB 3.0 will speed things up.

Compared to USB 2.0, 3.0 offers data rates up to 5.0 Gb/sec ---- that's 10x the USB 2.0's speed. USB 2.0 = Hi-speed, USB 3.0 is being dubbed as 'Super Speed' USB.

USB 3.0 is configured with a different cable but will use the same type of connector. It is backwards compatible so for those still with the USB 2.0 slots on their systems, you can definitely use the new technology without problems.

ASUS and Gigabyte were among the first to offer USB 3.0 capable ports.

more information from PCWorld

Multiple Account Login: 2 (or multiple) Messengers are Better Than 1

2010-01-12T10:59:00.001+08:00

Do you by any chance have more than 1 email (yahoo) account? Different credentials for different groups of people? Also tired of just 1 messenger program? If you have more than 1 account and want your other accounts available on the same computer, then follow these steps to enable 'multiple account' logins.

Steps:

1. Open registry editor. Type in the run box for windows xp users or in the Start search box for Vista and Win7 users. Then go to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\yahoo\pager\Test

2. On the right side panel, create a new DWORD value Plural and set the value to 1.

3. After that......................... actually that's it. Close the registry editor and run yahoo messenger... and run another if you like... and another..

In case you prefer not to (or afraid to) tamper with the registry editor, then just download this file, extract the registry file, double click and allow it to save information onto the registry and that should take care of things for you.

tweak provided by askvg

Windows 7: A few Keyboard Shortcuts for the Power User

2010-01-12T09:56:00.000+08:00

Windows 7 offers a couple more ways to enjoy the desktop "eye candy". We now have the 'windows snapping' feature where you drag the current program or explorer window to the left or right side, and it snaps in place, not to mention the window maximizing when you drop it to the top.

We also have the 'Aero shake' feature where you hold a window by holding down the mouse button and shake it a bit and the rest of the open windows/programs minimize to the taskbar.

For the power users, Windows 7 offers a few additional ways to navigate and/or move around the desktop. Here are a few additional 'keyboard tricks' for our everyday keyboard trudging....

Windows key + up will maximize a window to fill the screen
Windows key + down arrow on a maximized window will restore it to the original size.
Windows key + down will minimize any regular window to the task bar.
Windows key + M will minimize any window to the task bar.
Windows key + right or left arrow will snap a window to half of the screen. This is the same as dragging a window to far left or right side of the screen.
Windows key + home will minimize all open windows in the background except the top most active window. This is the same as shaking the window or performing Aero Shake
Windows key + T will iterate through your task bar thumbnails of open applications.
Windows key + D will minimize all windows.
Windows key + Space bar will let you peek at the desktop.
If you have multiple monitors, Windows key + shift + right arrow will move the active window to your next monitor. Windows key + shift + left arrow will revert it back.
Good old Flip 3D is still there. Use Windows key + Tab to bring it up. While holding the Windows key hit tab to iterate through the windows. Hold down Windows key + shift and then hit tab to reverse the direction.

Why not give them a try? Probably one or more of these shortcuts will make your desktop navigation experience much faster.

info c/o TweakWin7

Getting Back Windows Media Player Toolbar on Windows 7

2010-01-11T14:57:00.000+08:00

Windows Media Player 12 is the new and default Media Player version on Windows 7. Not included however, is the taskbar toolbar option which was available on the previous versions of Media Player particularly WMP 11, the last version with the taskbar capability. For those who like the taskbar integration, here are the steps that we can take to make it possible.

Basically, you will have to downgrade Windows Media Player 12 to 11. To begin, follow these steps:

1. Right click on computer and click manage. Then follow through Services and Applications > Services. Alternatively you can use the Windows Start Search function found on the Start Button Menu and type services.msc.

Once there, right click on "Windows Media Player Network Sharing" and choose "stop".

2. Now you will need to "take ownership" of the following files/folders:

"Windows Media Player" folder in the "Program Files" folder
All files starting with wmp in the "Windows\System32" folder
wmploc.dll.mui file in "Windows\System32\en-US" folder

To take ownership of the said files, you can download this registry file. Just double click on the "Add Take Ownership Option" file and add to the registry.

3. Download this WMP 11 installation file and run the executable and choose the restart later option.

4. Now to delete the installed versions in the registry. If you prefer not to do it manually, download this registry file to make things easy.

5. And that's it!!! Enjoy Media Player 11 with the taskbar toolbar option.

Here is an image of the toolbar WMP 11 in action.

image courtesy of ASKVG

full tutorial/tip from askvg