Knowliz

Remotely Control your PC using iPhone from anywhere

Anurag Bansal — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:00:40 +0000

There is always some important file you forget on your home computer before starting for the business trip. And what if you need something you didn’t plan on using earlier. In all these instances you always thought, “It would have been great if I could access my computer somehow.” Well, now you can…”There is an app for that” too.

TeamViewer iPhone app lets you remotely control any PC or Mac from your iPhone. TeamViewer is free for Personal and non-commercial use.

Install TeamViewer Desktop app on your home computer and TeamViewer (Lite) iPhone app (iTunes Link) on your iPhone. Follow on screen prompts and set up your computer for continuous access. Now whenever you want to access your computer, just launch TeamViewer on your iPhone, enter the password you set on your computer for continuous access. After authentication, you are seeing and controlling your home computer, no matter where you are.

How cool is that? Below are some of the features you would love to know about (including some screen shots):

Control your PC or Mac from iPhone as if you are sitting next to it.
Run and close apps on your computer right from your iPhone.
Access files and documents and even email to anyone using your home computer email client.
Provide support to your family and friends if they have TeamViewer installed on their computers.
Control via multi-touch gestures: left click, right click, drag & drop, scroll wheel, zoom etc.
Complete keyboard access including special keys and Windows key.
Reboot remote computer and reconnect automatically provided you have set up TeamViewer on your computer for that.
Highest security standards: 256 Bit AES Session Encoding, 1024 Bit RSA Key Exchange.

This is one of its kind of application and if you frequently needs to access your home computer from remote locations, then you should probably try it out for sure. Other than the remote accessing your files, you may also use this to control you PC in a media center setup while watching movies through your computer. Use your iPhone as a remote. There should be various other uses I am sure…so go check it out.

Remotely Control your PC using iPhone from anywhere
Originally published at Knowliz by Anurag Bansal.

Knowliz in February 2010 : A Recap

Anurag Bansal — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:35:53 +0000

Lets take a quick look back at what we have covered on Knowliz in February. Comparitively this month has been a little busy on the personal front, so I couldn’t devote much time for blogging. There had been a lot going on. This is the lowest number of articles I have ever written in a month on Knowliz. Sorry for that. But things are settling now, so I would be able to spare more time for Knowliz. Anyway, below are the articles we have covered in Feb, 2010:

Don’t ever hesitate to provide your valuable suggestions for Knowliz. I really appreciate what I have been hearing from you all and will soon incorporate all the changes you have requested. I am also planning to start some series of articles with the help of various media – podcast, videocast etc. So stay tuned…

Knowliz in February 2010 : A Recap
Originally published at Knowliz by Anurag Bansal.

5 FREE Must Have iPhone Apps for your Financial well-being

Anurag Bansal — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:16:15 +0000

If you look at the Finance category in Apple Store, there are thousands of apps out there. Some of those apps are just for specific banks and businesses such as Discover, CITI Bank, ING Direct and Chase and so on and so forth. The question is how do you select which one is really good. Well, that’s why geeks like me are there to help you out. We check those apps for you and bring only the best to your attention.

(Image Credit : Wolf Gang)

That’s why today I have hand-picked some of these apps in Finance category which you should definitely have on your iPhone. These apps I have picked because they are going to help you manage your finance very well and overall creates a sense of responsibility in your day to day life related to budget, investment and money and provide answers to your tax related questions.

So here are 5 of my favorite iPhone apps that I think are essential for your financial well-being:

1. & 2. Keep track of your Finances

Previously we have covered various Money management services that help you manage your finance online FREE of cost securely and confidently. What else can you expect in this world if you can manage your finance on the go on your iPhone with Mint.com Personal Finance app (iTunes Link) and MoneyStrands (iTunes Link).

With these two apps you can manage all your bank accounts (checking, saving, investment etc.) anywhere in the world with the exception that Mint only supports banking institutions in United States of America whereas MoneyStrands support most of the popular banks and currencies in the world. So if you happen to have your finances and investment in various countries then MoneyStrands is worth checking out. I strongly recommended it.

Get alerts if anything happens in any of your accounts like Salary credited, High deposit or withdrawal, any kind of finance charges etc etc. You can define the alerts you want to receive. I am sure you will love the ease of having access to your finances all the time. Go check these out.

3. Send and Receive money on the Go

Though all the transactions you are making through Paypal are already getting tracked in the above two apps. But the beauty of the two is that you can’t move money with them. So if you are to pay someone from your paypal account, then you would probably need this Paypal app. With this app you can give and receive money to and from your Paypal account and keep track of the transactions. Without having to go to the ATM, you can give money instantly to anyone with a Paypal account.

4. & 5. Learn and be prepared for the Tax Season:

Everyone seems to get worried as the Tax season arrives and it is time to pay or receive tax refund from Uncle Sam. Not everyone of us is good at numbers and all those complicated jargons and tax definitions. Well that’s why “There is an app for that…!!!”

H&R Block Tax Answers iPhone App (iTunes Link) TurboTax TaxCaster (iTunes Link) help you learn about all those things you don’t understand about in your W2, deduction and other what-if scenarios. Use H&R Block Tax Answers to find answers from real persons and TaxCaster from TurboTax to understand where you stand before you even file your Income Tax return to Uncle Sam.

Well I hope after you have these 4-5 app on your iPhone, you are in full control of your finances all the time. Less chances of getting unnecessary finance charges from your bank, credit card companies. Very rare chances of missing a billing due date. And now since you have all those tax related answers, you feel more comfortable about your tax return. Aren’t you in full control….???

Besides these 5 apps, based on your specific requirement you might wanna check out the apps from your banks, credit card companies like Chase, PNC, Wells Fargo, Discover, ING Direct, Bank of America, Fidelity Investments etc etc…

If you liked this article, please share your love by sharing it with your friends through email, Twitter and Facebook.

(Image Credit : Wolf Gang)

5 FREE Must Have iPhone Apps for your Financial well-being
Originally published at Knowliz by Anurag Bansal.

Google Voice : Everything you wanted to know

Anurag Bansal — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:20:09 +0000

Google Voice, as we have covered numerous times on Knowliz, is one of the most useful service you can get for FREE. You can get one FREE Google Voice number which provides you with FREE SMS, voicemail, voicemail transcripts, conference calling and low priced international calling etc.

However, if you have never used it before, it is indeed a little tough to know your work around using the service. You may try to figure out yourself or if you want you may check out some cool videos the team at Google Voice have created for users like you…

To know more about Google Voice, check out the following video:

Whatever you ever need to know about Google Voice, you can check out at Google Voice Youtube channel. I am sure that channel will keep updated with latest content. For a starter you may check out the following videos:

The videos show why you might want to use each feature and basic instructions for getting started. And each video focuses on just one topic so you can learn about the features that matter to you the most.

I strongly suggest you start using this service as soon as possible. If you don’t have an invite, you can request one today. Just visit http://www.google.com/voice.

[via Google Voice Blog]

Google Voice : Everything you wanted to know
Originally published at Knowliz by Anurag Bansal.

Windows Phone 7 Series – Finally something different

Anurag Bansal — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:54:24 +0000

Many of us have been impatiently waiting for a feature rich intuitive Windows Mobile phone for a very long time. We haven’t recently seen any innovation in Windows Mobile interface, some addition here and there. That’s it. There was nothing which would make you say – WOW!

After Apple iPhone was unveiled in the market, that expectation increased even more. It made us feel that Windows Mobile is almost dead from the market. Most of us die hard WinMo fans either switched to iPhone or Android, some even settled for Blackberries.

But this week at Barcelona, Microsoft introduced a Windows Phone 7 series. Instead of Windows Mobile 7 Series, it is called a Windows Phone 7 Series. Windows Phone 7 shows some really cool UI changes, inclusion of social life and a world in motion concept. The phone will actually be available sometime around Holidays 2010, but you can experience it right here…

As you can see, the phone really looks promising and it might finally prove to be a comeback for Microsoft in Smartphone market. Of course, iPhone and Android OS are becoming more popular with more and more manufacturer moving towards Android. It will be interesting to see what the future beholds in smartphone market, but definitely there will be a big list for consumers to chose from.

Windows Phone 7 makes me say, WOW!

What do you say? What are your views about smartphones? Which one you use now and why? Let us know in comment section.

Windows Phone 7 Series – Finally something different
Originally published at Knowliz by Anurag Bansal.

How to Share High Resolution Photos Online?

Anurag Bansal — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:30:29 +0000

Picasa, Flickr and Photobucket etc. have made us to believe that if you share photos online, they won’t be available with Full Resolution. People will be able to view the full picture but not the minute details those high resolution photos of your Bahama and Jamaica trips contain. And probably we have come to accept it.

Now let me ask, what is the use of those Canon 10MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Stabilized Zoom, Sony 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and Super Steady Shot Image Stabilization cameras and that Nikon D90 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera you bought this Thanksgiving if you can’t share the high resolution high quality photos with your friends.

If you don’t know, when you upload your photos on Picasa, Flickr and Photobucket etc. their file size is reduced to make sure they load faster without affecting their quality. In this conversion, photos loose the pixels your high resolution camera captured.

If you are like me who want to share the best with friends, then you will love Closr.it.

Closr.it is a service which lets your friends see the High resolution photos online. You can show off your photography talent to your friends. No matter how big is the file and which camera took it. Just go and upload your photos to this service and share it with your friends using the simple widget available right on your photo.

Your friends can zoom in to every detail you captured by simply using the small +/- icons and dragging the photo here and there with mouse. Isn’t it cool?

You must create an account on Closr.it to start with (and that makes sense too). Start uploading the photos and share them by sending the URL via email or embedding them into your blog, Facebook and Myspace page etc. Best of all it is FREE. Check out one image I have uploaded: http://www.closr.it/show/OR6aUzPzTMz

So go ahead and give it a try. I am sure you will love it. Don’t forget to share your views about it in the comment section. And if you know of any similar service, then let us know that too.

How to Share High Resolution Photos Online?
Originally published at Knowliz by Anurag Bansal.

Check Internet and Bluetooth Capability on your PC or Laptop

Anurag Bansal — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:36:51 +0000

Generally speaking most of the latest PC and laptops are equipped with Internet and Bluetooth capabilities. However some laptops still don’t have Bluetooth adapter installed by default. And if you are buying a pre-built laptops, then you probably couldn’t add it too. Though most of the laptops shipped in the last couple of years have inbuilt Wifi adapters, yet you may still have one without it.

At the same time if you have a old desktop which you have been upgrading so far, there are very high chances that you may not still have a Bluetooth adapter. Don’t worry, if you don’t have some of the advanced capabilities in your PC or Laptop – you can use a USB device called Dongle.

These Dongles plug into your computer USB port and provide you these mobile capabilities. I have used a Bluetooth Dongle earlier with one of my Dell 505 laptop and still use it with my wife’s HP laptop, I bought it from Circuit City 2 years back.

USB Dongles can add Mobile Internet Broadband, 3G, Bluetooth and other connectivity capabilities to your existing PC or laptop. You don’t need to buy a new PC just yet. Most of the times these dongles are provided by the service providers. For example AT&T provides a 3G Broadband dongle, T-Mobile does the same for its High-Speed internet service for laptops, you get a USB dongle with a D-Link router as well. You can use these devices in a computer that doesn’t already have these capabilities. Otherwise you don’t need it.

So go ahead and check out if you are missing some of these capabilities in your PC or Laptop and order some from Amazon or eBay. And if you want you can check out http://www.broadband-expert.co.uk/dongle if you are in UK.

Check Internet and Bluetooth Capability on your PC or Laptop
Originally published at Knowliz by Anurag Bansal.

Lala : Refined way to Listen to Online Music

Anurag Bansal — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:31:14 +0000

Earlier we have covered 20+ places to listen to music for FREE. If you haven’t read that article, I would recommend you to read it first and then come back here.

Anyway, in this article we are reviewing one of those services into detail. It turns out that Lala is one of the best services when it comes to online music. Lala has millions of high quality songs which you can listen to for FREE at least once. And if you want you can buy them as mp3 to download on your computer.

Other than that you may also add the ‘Web Song’ in your online Lala library if you don’t want to download on your computer and save some money. Though web songs are cheaper than the mp3 songs, yet you can play those songs on Lala only. So if you want to be able to play them on every device you have, consider buying the mp3 version.

Lala – Where Music Plays

Anyone without even an account on Lala can listen to all the available songs. You can share your library with your friends through email, Twitter or Facebook. Lala provides a cool widget that gets embedded on Facebook and on blogs when shared, visitors can listen to the shared songs right there. They don’t even have to visit Lala to listen to the songs you shared.

To start with, you don’t even have to create an account on Lala. Just link your Facebook account with Lala and get started. Fill in your username if required. That’s it. You are registered on Lala. When you again visit Lala, just click Facebook connect button to login again.

After you are logged in, you can just search for any artist, album or song title. As soon as you find the required artist, album etc., Lala will list all the relevant songs and albums. You can either play to all the songs from that artist or just some albums – it’s up to you.

You can also search by Genres. If you want to listen to all Bollywood songs available on Lala – browse to this link: http://www.lala.com/#browse/genre/World_Music/Indian and then filter it further as per your taste. Similarly you can search for any specific genre like Bhangra, Pop, Indian, Indian Classical, World, Soundtracks etc etc..

You can either add your search results to your Lala Queue or click on the little Blue play button to start playing it right there. You may also listen to the complete album at once. Just click on the song name in the top web player to go to the album it belongs to and then click on ‘Play album’ button.

Now if you notice on the right, there are two links (as explained further)

Buy web songs – Buy all web songs in the album view, or specific song. Web songs are generally $0.10 cheaper than the mp3 version. But you can play them only in online Lala library.
Buy MP3 files – They are regular MP3 songs which you have on your computer. When you buy mp3 files, then will be downloaded to your computer which you can play anytime on any device.

So it is up to you what you want to do with the song you are listening to. If you just want to listen to it only once, that’s fine too. You can listen to any album (recently released or old) at least once for its entire length. If you don’t buy web or mp3 songs, you will be able to listen to only 0:30 sec clips of these next time you try to listen to.

But this concept is very useful because now you can listen to any album first before you even buy it and see if you really want to buy it. Really cool.. right. Who gives you a second chance??? Huh…

So go and listen to the latest released albums from Rihanna, Lady GaGa, Taylor Swift, Jay-Z, Usher or anyone else.

You can also listen to the songs your friends and followers are playing. Check out what others are listening to these days.

Lala Music Mover:

Lala Music Mover is a piece of software which searches your existing collection on your computer and tries to match them with the songs available on Lala. Lala doesn’t upload any song from your library.

So your entire collection may become available on Lala online library if they are properly tagged and properly named. If you are missing some of the file information, then they may not become available even though it is available on your computer. But in any case, Lala Music mover will try to match the songs online. Lala could match around 1000 songs with the collection on my computer.

I personally have become a fan of Lala and in fact sometimes prefer it over Pandora and Last.fm. Though they have some other interesting features. (Which will be covered in a future post) Recently Apple has bought Lala and probably we will see some more innovation on Lala soon. Also when you Google for any album, the links you get in the search result are from Lala only.

Go try Lala yourself. I am sure you will love it the same way I do. And below you can listen to the songs I like on Lala. Join my online Lala library here..

Knowliz Liked it…

Lala : Refined way to Listen to Online Music
Originally published at Knowliz by Anurag Bansal.

Yet Another Facebook Redesign – What’s New?

Anurag Bansal — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:29:50 +0000

Recently Facebook has done yet another redesign of its home page. It’s not a drastic change though, yet some things have moved here and there. Like the bottom bookmark bar has been moved to the left sidebar.

The main focus seems to be on Search which is right on the top of your stream. You can see your online friends in the sidebar too. All your bookmarks and all are actually moved to left sidebar instead of the bottom.

The notification and messages are moved from bottom right hand to top left hand right after Facebook logo. Rest other things are almost the same. You can take a quick glance on what all changed below:

Let us know what do you think of this change and what are your views about such frequent changes in Facebook design. What other features you would like to see? Feel free to share your opinion in the comment section…

Yet Another Facebook Redesign – What’s New?
Originally published at Knowliz by Anurag Bansal.

Watch Full Length Bollywood movies legally on Youtube & Hulu

Anurag Bansal — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:47:20 +0000

There are many ways to get access to the latest Bollywood movies – nearest theater, DVDs from the nearest grocery store and torrent sites (ahem…). But you should be happy to know that now you can watch full length Bollywood movies on Youtube, Hulu and other similar sites for free.

Youtube:

On Youtube there is a separate section now to watch high quality (HQ) Bollywood movies. To access such movies, just visit http://www.youtube.com/movies?p=None&s=None&b=18 or follow Youtube.com > Channels > Movies > Bollywood. You would see a bunch of hindi movies which you can watch in High Quality. Below is a screenshot of some of the movies:

Hulu:

Similarly Hulu also provides some recent and some not so old Hindi movies. But there is no direct link to this category. However you can search for ‘Hindi’ or use the link – http://www.hulu.com/search?query=hindi&st=0 You will be able to see some 20-25 Bollywood movies there too. Here is a screenshot of some of them:

Fancast Xfinity:

Fancast Xfinity, we recently covered also has some recent India movies. You can watch full length movies for Free. The link to these movies are available in the sidebar. You should be a comcast subscriber to access the site though. If you have a comcast.net address, then you probably have access to Fancast.

The movies on Fancast are actually available through various portals like Hulu and all. So ultimately you will be watching an embed from these sites only. But anyway, you can at least watch them legally online anytime you want.

The movie list can vary time to time and generally there is an expiration date to the movies available on these sites. So try to watch them when they are still available.

Now, you may also be interested to know about other TV shows and movies as well (Hollywood and Bollywood both) then check out this article we published a while back.

I am sure overtime we can see more movies this way. If you happen to know some other resources where you currently watch Hindi movies, then let us know in comment section so that everyone gets benefited. At least we can try to stop some piracy too.

Hope you enjoy watching some of the Bollywood movies on Youtube and Hulu. If you like this post, then please share it with your friends on Facebook and Twitter etc. Let them also enjoy.

Watch Full Length Bollywood movies legally on Youtube & Hulu
Originally published at Knowliz by Anurag Bansal.

Knowliz

Remotely Control your PC using iPhone from anywhere

Related Posts

Knowliz in February 2010 : A Recap

Related Posts

5 FREE Must Have iPhone Apps for your Financial well-being

1. & 2. Keep track of your Finances

3. Send and Receive money on the Go

4. & 5. Learn and be prepared for the Tax Season:

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Google Voice : Everything you wanted to know

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Windows Phone 7 Series – Finally something different

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How to Share High Resolution Photos Online?

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Check Internet and Bluetooth Capability on your PC or Laptop

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Lala : Refined way to Listen to Online Music

Lala Music Mover:

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Yet Another Facebook Redesign – What’s New?

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Watch Full Length Bollywood movies legally on Youtube & Hulu

Youtube:

Hulu:

Fancast Xfinity:

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