LifePerQs

2007-08-31T06:26:00.000-06:00

Hello this is a test with my missions presentation YouTube video. Also be sure to check out pictures from our trip to Nepal.

Also, here is the satellite view of Kathmandu. You can zoom and see more detail.
View Larger Map

Rob and Grace’s Deputation Schedule

Say Goodbye to Snail Mail

2007-06-16T14:35:00.000-06:00

Say goodbye to the old-fashioned snail mail. New web services make it possible to subsist on electronic mail alone. For most of us, the majority of our correspondence has been done electronically since Juno first offered free email. This does not however, stem the flow to the mailbox that clutters your desk and inbox and fills the garbage can.

Switch to Electronic Statements

Make a list and check it twice:
Nearly all business prefer to have you set up on electronic statements. Notable exceptions are government institutions and those with stock in the paper companies (I think?) Contact those that you do business with. Make a list of all your paper bills and as you change these to electronic statements, notate the date, time, confirmation numbers, etc. File this list for reference later. This does require some initial legwork on your part. Not all bills can be switched over by means of their websites. Some will require telephone calls.

Follow Up, Follow Up:
Next, you need to devise a way to make sure that those statements actually make it to you each month. “I didn’t receive the bill” is not a valid excuse and it is up to you to find out if and why a statement/bill is not making its way to your inbox. To help with the initial setup and make sure that you are receiving all your bills, I recommend that you set up a Google Calendar specifically to remind you to check for your latest statements a few days after the billing dates (find this on your statements or you can call customer service).

Opt out of Junk Mail

Do Your Paperwork:
Direct Mail - The Direct Mail Association offers a form to opt out of mail from members of their association. You can get the from online (www.the-dma.org/consumers/offmailinglist.html), but you still have to submit it through our favorite subsidized postal system. “Mail Preference Service at P.O. Box 643, Carmel, N.Y. 10512”

Credit Card Offers - Opt out of credit card offers through the credit reporting agencies at: www.optoutprescreen.com

Others - The Center for Democracy and Technology has a general form to mail to those that continue to send you mail after completing the above steps. Download the customizeable forms at:
www.opt-out.cdt.org

Or be Devious:
“One way to stop the offers is to sign up for so many cards and run up such high levels of debt that you become a credit untouchable. That is not a good plan.” NY Times Damon Darlin

You could also mail a box of rocks to the Republican/Democratic National Fundraising address with the “Postage Will Be Paid By Addressee” envelope and your return address taped on the front. This should guarantee that you never receive these envelopes again.

Cancel the Magazine Subscriptions

Rivaling TV (I don’t have one) and radio, magazines will probably subject you to more advertising than any other media outlet (if you use adblock plus). This is not only a waste of time, but can end up being a drain on the pocketbook. Print magazines normally have websites with rss feeds to grab their content without the paper version in your mailbox. Another option is to find another website or blog that covers the same information. You will normally have the news faster than the larger print magazines can deliver.

The Rest

Now that we have done what we can to reduce the amount of mail coming in, we all know that there will be some correspondence and junk mail that will always be sent with a stamp in the upper right corner. (Grandma’s birthday card, local mass mailers, your favorite magazines)

Here is where a relatively new web service steps in to help us out. Earth Class Mail (previously Remote Control Mail) offers to e-mail you scans of your postal service mail with options to open and email you a scan, shred, recycle, and forward to a different address. All this does come at a price. The lowest plan (Bronze) starts at $9.95/month when prepaid for 12 months all the way up to the Gold plan for $49.95 (paid monthly). No monthly plan includes the shipping for forwarding mail.

Outbound Postal Mail

That takes care of the inbound postal mail, but what about getting letters to your great uncle who doesn’t believe in computers? (Disregard this paragraph if you already bought a lifetime supply of "forever stamps.") Postful is still in beta, but it is easy to get an invite. This service will print a full color page and mail it from an email for $.99 each. No envelopes or stamps are required, just include the name and address in the subject line. This could take care of the majority your outbound snail mail needs.

Keep in mind that, depending on your correspondence practices and personal habits, the goal of this article may be both impractical and unnecessary, however, I hope someone will find it somewhat useful.

5 Pre-emptive Measures To Keep From Overtaxing Your Memory

2007-06-15T08:47:00.000-06:00

Why waste time re-searching for lost records and information, take advantage of these services to keep your brain from overheating this summer.

Usernames and passwords:
10 free ways to track all your passwords - Lifehack.org

Firefox extensions and bookmarks:
Firefox Extension Backup Extension
No need to rebuild your personalized browser from scratch

Software licenses and serial numbers:
Keyfiler
Where did that CD jewel case go?

Phone Contacts:
Backup your cell phone contacts - Dumblittleman
When your cell phone falls in the drink, how will you rebuild your contact list?

Rebate Follow-up
Google Calendar
...but I'm sure you remember every rebate you have sent out....

The alternative is to rely your memory in which case, you may be able to increase the horsepower with some of the brain games at Lumosity. Hopefully these tips can make your life a little easier.

Morning News

2007-05-11T19:29:00.000-06:00

Blogger Earnings Report - from Paula Neal Mooney

20 Dead in India Bus Crash - Fox News

Who Really Owns That Plane? - New York Times

iPods and pacemakers do not mix - Fox News

Is your shredder good enough? - The Raw Feed

Oxycontin Makers Plead Guilty to Misleading Doctors and Patients - New York Times

Gettin 'er Done

2007-05-11T10:20:00.000-06:00

How-to Roundup:

How-to Design a Logo (from theartisthideout)

How-to "Present Like a Rockstar" (from Lifehack.org)

How-to Download You-Tube Videos (from Mashable)

How-to Bite Back as a Consumer (from Consumerist)

How-to Find Great Sites (from DumbLittleMan)

How-to Make an Instant Hammock (from Make)

New to the Toybox

2007-05-11T09:58:00.000-06:00

Cool, weird, and awe inspiring digital and mechanical marvels:

Wondering how many people are checking you out? Google's EyeBox counts eyes with a beam of IR light. Google's EyeBox Counts Eyes in Public (from Engadget)

A luxury sports catamaran powered by turbines and electric motors. The A0 isn't just cool because of the "green" power system. Check out the pics and you'll see why it made the list. A0: The Hybrid-powered Luxury Sports Catamaran (from Gizmag)

Just plain weird! If you are looking for an outlet for all that negative energy you have toward junk mail, the "SpamTrap" is just for you. Spamtrap (from Make)

High Speed Helicopter from Sikorsky Aircraft uses dual rotors and rear propulsion to move this machine at an estimated 284MPH cruise and 334 MPH top speed. High-Speed Helicopter Revolution (from Popular Mechanics)

Daily Deals

2007-05-11T09:41:00.000-06:00

From Wise Bread -
Secret Discount Codes - Discount codes for 19 different online stores to take off 10-30%
XM Satellite Radio Receiver and Car Kit - $5.99

From Techbargains.com -
8GB Jetflash USB Drive - $69.95

From Dealhack -
22" Samsung Widescreen Monitor - $305 with Shipping
External Drives 200-500GB - $79-$149

Food For Thought

2007-05-11T06:05:00.000-06:00

More complaints over KFC ad that had people talking with mouths full than over Gay Police Association ads portrayal of Christianity as a bloody religion. Ad Complaints Hit Record Number

Atheist entrepreneur offers to deliver post-rapture messages, since he is sure he will be left behind. Apocalyptic Postman - from twoorthree.net

Morning News

2007-05-11T05:32:00.000-06:00

Fight Breaks out at Boston Pops Concert

Greensburg, Kansas Tornado Imagery

Jr. is Done at DEI by End of Year

Americas Cup Down to the Final Four

Nannies Join the Jet Set

Comics:
Wise Advice - Hagar the Horrible
Thorough Tech Support - Dilbert

Improve Your Cell Phone Battery Life

2007-05-05T06:23:00.000-06:00

OneTipADay put together a list of seven tips to make your cell phone battery last longer. Obviously, all these tips won't work for everybody(I rarely have my phone off vibrate), but you ought to be able to find something helpful.

How to improve the battery life of your phone

Electronic Filing System

2007-05-05T06:07:00.000-06:00

Are filing cabinets overrunning your office? Do papers pile up on your desk because you will be filing them "later"? Maybe it is time to move to an electronic filing system. I must admit that I have not done this myself. The main holdup is the cost of a good document scanner. Prices are coming down and I will spring for it soon. I have been moving the majority of my correspondence to e-mail and rarely use my printer. E-mail is extremely easy to archive and search and rather than physically print a confirmation or registration code, I just print to a PDF and archive that file. The Simple Dollar has an interesting article in how they moved to the electronic filing system. Check it out and let me know if you have any improvements, ideas, etc.

How To Start An Electronic Financial Document System

Religion And Philosophy

2007-05-05T04:50:00.000-06:00

These are two subjects not often covered by Lifeperqs, but two articles this week caught my eye. I thought that you readers might enjoy. These articles don't really break any new ground, but it is nice to see other people saying something you agree with.

If You Love America - Question Its Institutions by steve-olson.com

Churches Shouldn't Change by twoorthree.net

My Thunderbird Part 4

2007-05-04T11:51:00.000-06:00

Contact Sidebar Extension

I like to have my contacts list close at hand and Contacts Sidebar gives me that option. Rather than waste all that space under the local folders, we can use it to display our address books.

This is how Contacts Sidebar looks once it is installed.

Now, without opening the a separate window, you have the ability to:

Switch between address books
Search through address books

Just double-click on any name and a New Message window will appear with that contacts e-mail address in the "To:" field.

For more information and keyboard shortcuts, visit the Contacts Sidebar Web Page

Download the latest version of Contacts Sidebar

My Thunderbird Part 3

2007-05-04T11:25:00.000-06:00

Downloading and Installing Extensions in Thunderbird

Downloading and installing extensions in Thunderbird is not as simple as in Firefox.

Once you find an extension that you want, download the file to your hard drive. If you just click on the "Install Now" button on the pages in the Mozilla Add-on/Extension Database, the following window will pop-up and will attempt to install this extension into Firefox. The extension is obviously not for Firefox, so we want to avoid this.Right click on the button and select "Save Link As". Save the file to your hard drive in an easy to find place.
In Thunderbird, select Tools...Add-OnsFrom the Extensions pop-up window, click "Install..." in the lower left-hand corner.
Find the file that you saved to the hard drive earlier and select "Open". A "Software Installation" window will pop-up and after a 5 second countdown...

...you can click the "Install Now" button to add the file.

Click on the "Restart Thunderbird" and when the program is running again, so should your newly installed extension.

My Thunderbird Part 2

2007-05-04T07:31:00.000-06:00

Add Your E-mail Accts

The first thing you will do when you install Thunderbird, is add your e-mail accounts. Here are some screenshots of the process:

First, select File...New...Account

Select what type of account you are adding. I guess Gmail is not merely e-mail. Select the most appropriate option.

This is the information that will be visible to those that receive your e-mails.

Here is where you input your server information. If you are unsure about your info, check out this link.

This is what will show in your sidebar as the label for this account.

You are all done.

Xplorer2 Lite

2007-05-03T21:56:00.000-06:00

Are you tired of Windows Explorer and looking for something with a little more functionality. Check out the Xplorer2 Lite. The best part about this simple file manager is the list of keyboard shortcuts. I have used this program for a while and have forgotten what Windows Explorer looks like.

Keyboard Shortcuts from Lifehacker.com

Download from Download.com

Speed Trap and Ticket AvoidanceTechniques

2007-05-03T21:33:00.000-06:00

Nobody likes a meeting with Smokey the Bear, especially when your wallet ends up a little lighter. Here are some posts that can keep you out of or help you out of trouble when it comes to traffic citations.

Bear Trap Guide via Lifehacker
A guide to speed traps broken down by interstate

How to beat that traffic ticket via Lifehack.org
Tip on getting out of traffic citations

20 Free New Fonts

2007-05-03T10:20:00.001-06:00

Who can't use an extra font every now and then. I'll almost guarantee these aren't already on your system. You should be able to find at least one that you won't be able to live without.

My Favorite Free Fonts from elogodesign.com

USAA Deposit At Home

2007-05-03T06:36:00.000-06:00

USAA has a relatively new service that allows their customers to deposit checks in their accounts without ever physically mailing the check to them. This new service allows you to scan checks at home and they are deposited in your account. Just void the checks after depositing them. The money shows up in your account for use that hour. I tried this service for the first time yesterday and had a little trouble in my Firefox browser. The customer service rep said that some of the extensions I was using were keeping the Java applet from working properly. Rather than disable my extensions and reactivate them one by one to find the culprit, I decided to do the deposit in IE. The whole process went smoothly and I don't plan to use deposit envelopes anymore. Check out the screen shots to follow.

The link for this service is on the right hand side of the page when viewing your account activity:
Here is the intro screen:

Next you select the account that you are depositing to and enter the amount of the check:

After you enter the amount of the deposit and continue, the Java Applet will pull up and allow you to press a button in the browser to scan the check.

Make sure that the check is properly oriented according to the scanning bed of your scanner. Once the check shows up, click on the lower right corner to crop the check. A red outline will appear around the check. Click "Next" and repeat the process to scan the back.

In the end, you should receive a confirmation screen that has an overview of the deposit information. I always print this screen to a PDF and archive it for my personal records.

I know that not everyone has access to a USAA account because of the restriction on membership, but I thought that some would be interested in how this works because USAA is the first to offer this service and more companies might follow. Let me know if you know of any similar services or if you bank with USAA let me know how this works for you.

Strong Passwords Are Important

2007-05-02T22:32:00.000-06:00

I am constantly changing multiple passwords at work that have to include x ammount of letters, x ammount of numbers, and a symbol. It can be a pain to keep track of all these passwords, but considering that I work at a bank. They want their information kept as secure as possible. I know that changing passwords to keep your info secure can be a pain, but it is probably worth it. There are programs or browser addons (keepass, roboform) that can help keep track of your usernames and passwords, or just create a password protected spreadsheet to keep track of them yourself. If any of your passwords are on this list, change them immediately. Also, license plates are not a good password(maybe old ones). Here are some hints on how to create a secure password.

Add To Google Calendar In One Line

2007-05-02T22:22:00.000-06:00

For those GCal users among us, this nice little tech tip popped up from GoogleTutor. This quick little article notes how to include event name, date, time, and place all in one line to add the event without going to the details.

Quick Google Calendar Tip: Say It All In One Line!

Erase Pre-Installed Software

2007-05-02T22:05:00.000-06:00

Have you ever gotten a new PC that included trial programs that continually issue registration prompts until you visit their website and bribe them not to(pay for the program). Most of us prefer to make our own decisions concerning which programs we install on our PCs, especially for $$$. If you can excuse the crude name, this handy little program will allow you to remove these pre-installed programs with minimal direction and oversight. Freeware for Windows.

Pre-installed Software Removal Program

Make Your Savings Acct More Productive

2007-05-02T21:47:00.000-06:00

Put your money in a savings account with a good rate and it can make all the difference. Get excited about seeing your money grow. First, check out this list of online banks with really good savings rates, then pick one and get started. Put your tax return to good use. Let us know about your experiences.

DIY and How-To Videos

2007-05-02T21:39:00.000-06:00

Looking for some do-it-yourself help? I didn't think so, but just in case someone annoying keeps pestering you with questions, you can send them to these sights that have videos that even stupid people can understand.

Solid Sites that Provide DIY and How-To Videos

Jump Drive Tricks

2007-05-02T21:26:00.000-06:00

Looking for some creative ways to put that USB drive to good use? Check out these tips from lifehacker. Some of their ideas include a portable programs that run off your drive, encryption, and using it for backup.

Top 10 USB Thumb Drive Tricks

Yes, I did remove the case on my 2 gig jump-drive. It makes the unit about a quarter of the original volume and can easily fit in the little hip change pocket in your pants. Makes it a lot easier to take anywhere. Grab some Plasti-dip at Home Depot and you can seal it so that it is water and dust proof.

Have any tips or hints of your own? Post them in the comments.

My Thunderbird Part 1

2007-04-27T17:06:00.000-06:00

I love Thunderbird. I don't know if I like the actual program half as much as I enjoy the ability to make the e-mail client do whatever I want through extensions. I figured I would write a series of posts to expound on why I love Thunderbird and let you all know some of my favorite extensions and tips that make my life easier. Feel free to click on the images for higher resolution screen shots.

First, here is what my Thunderbird 2.0 looks like most of the time.

When I am sorting through my inbox, I like to hide the sidebar with "L" and it looks a little cleaner"And yes, I actually do keep my inbox clean despite receiving quite a bit of e-mail every day.

Here is a screen shot of the list of my extensions that I have installed at this point:

In the next post I will go over some of the extensions and their functions.

E-mail Etiquette

2007-04-27T16:31:00.000-06:00

I hope we all know what the "TO:" field in our e-mail is for, but lifehack.org has a short article about the use of the lesser used fields. This article will give you a quick check-up in e-mail etiquette and maybe even teach you something you don't already know.

To BCC or Not To BCC

Food for the Brain

2007-04-27T16:24:00.000-06:00

Want to get smarter without having to work at it? Don't we all. If you don't find eating to be too much work, these brain foods could put you on the fast track to becoming the next Albert Einstein.

The Top 5:

1. Wild Salmon
2. Cacao Beans
3. Matcha (Tencha-grade green tea powder)
4. Acai berries & Blueberries
5. Coffee beans

Top 5 Brain Health Foods

Turn off the TV

2007-04-27T16:20:00.000-06:00

So it's "Turn off your TV Week." Do you know of any nonconformists? If you don't feel right reporting them to Big Brother, take matters into your own hands with long-distance and undercover ways to turn off televisions without a remote. No rifles either.

Turn Off The TV
from Make.com.

Remove Your Own Car Scratches

2007-04-27T16:06:00.000-06:00

The tools used in this article sound like a bomb recipe: Super glue, aluminum foil, toothpaste... I'm sure that none of us ever place our beloved vehicles into compromising situations that cause them to be scratched, but let's say you bought a used car that had some scratches. This articles has a few different ways to get rid of those scratches. If one of them works, it could save you serious money considering body shop rates these days. Videos and pics at the link.

Removing Car Scratches
from WiseBread

Hints for Writing a Great Speech

2007-04-27T15:50:00.000-06:00

Sorry Dad, but I guess we can learn something from Lincoln. I guess you could call these methods of manipulating people. Lifehack.org has a list of hints for writing a speech that are drawn from Abraham Lincoln. Some of these should be helpful.

10 Tips from Lincoln On Writing a Speech

Do Anything With PDF

2007-04-26T06:12:00.000-06:00

Fill out PDF forms online, convert docs to PDF, print to PDF, merge PDF files, and find some great, lightweight readers. Check out this list of programs and services for dealing with PDFs.

Cool PDF Tools from MakeUseOf.com

13 Government Resources For Small Business

2007-04-26T06:03:00.000-06:00

This list has some helpful information that can keep small business owners out of trouble. It also provides some advice on issues such as legal setups, using credit reports, retirement plans. See if you can find anything useful.

13 Government Resources for Small Business

Find Someone To Do Your Chores

2007-04-26T05:51:00.000-06:00

Trying to find someone to take care of those mundane tasks that are eating up your schedule. Enter your personal concierge: DoMyStuff.com. The site is just getting started and the ratio of tasks to assistants is miniscule, but it has spectacular possibilities. This site matches those people looking to have their tasks done and those looking to do the tasks(obviously for pay). The people looking for work, bid on the tasks that you put up. Tune your kid into this site and have him earn his spending money. D0MyStuff takes a cut of all money that passes through the site. See if you can make it useful.

DoMyStuff

Do An Online Price Check Away From Home

2007-04-26T05:42:00.000-06:00

Frucall allready has an 800 number that offers similar features, but still uses airtime minutes. With their new texting service can get the same info by sending an SMS message with a product’s UPC or ISBN number.

While the service is still in beta, text messages must have the prefix: “FRU” and be sent to: "32075". Frucall says they will be offering a dedicated number and dropping the prefix once the service moves out of beta.

Frucall can also bookmark items and save your inquire history. You’ll have to register for a free account.

Frucall

Firefox Windows Media Plugin

2007-04-26T05:33:00.000-06:00

If you are like me, you wouldn't use anything but Firefox, but there are small issues with our favorite browser. The new Windows Media Plugin can cross one off the list. This plugin makes it much easier for Firefox to play windows media videos in your browser. Nothing fancy, just something to make life easier.

Window Media Plugin download page

How to Get Out of Your Cell Contract

2007-04-26T05:25:00.000-06:00

Are you lusting after that new phone, but it is only available through another carrier, and you have another year left in your contract? Are you moving to an area where your provider has awful service, but you are stuck till the end of your contract? Apparently, you are not the only one in said situation. Celltrade.com is a service designed to match up people looking for shorter-term contracts and those looking to get out of their contracts. This provides a unique way to get around those exorbitant Early Termination Fees.

Celltrade

Improve Yourself Through Internet Media

2007-04-25T08:26:00.000-06:00

"You will be the same in five years time as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read." -Charles T. Jones. Don't forget the audio books and online video clips:

Free Audio Books from SimplyAudioBooks
Free How To Video from 5Min Life Videopedia

What To Do With Tax Money

2007-04-25T08:06:00.000-06:00

Haven't figured out what to do with the tax money? Check out this list from The Simple Dollar. Even if you have already decided where your money is headed, maybe you should check it against this list to see where it fits in.

Ten Great Things To Do With That Tax Return - And Five Things Not To Do With It

Wrightspeed X1

2007-04-24T19:11:00.001-06:00

This vehicle is not your everyday electric car! Stats like 0-60 in 3.07 seconds(117 feet) and equivalent 170 mpg are not often mentioned in the same sentence. The Wrightspeed X1 is indeed and unusual car. With a completely reworked drivetrain, the X1 is based on the ultra lightweight Ariel Atom.
Wrightspeed
Ariel Atom

New Technology For Home Security

2007-04-24T17:51:00.000-06:00

Looking for a new and creative way to deal with kleptomaniacs? The FogShield PB-240 from ShatterGard provides the basis for some great new security systems. The FogShield can be wired to external sensors, that when tripped cause it to emit a non-toxic fog. Quite a bit of fog actually. 2,000 square feet worth in 15 seconds! Try running away from that. The fog supposedly has a fresh minty smell and dissipates in 45 minutes. Aside from keeping the thieves stumbling about the house looking for the exit, check out these applications:

Car alarm systems - Can you imagine a car thief sticking around a car that is completely filled with and emitting a dense fog? Do you think he'll wait 45 minutes to drive it away?

Combine with weapons - Can you imagine using the USB BB Gun with an infrared camera in conjunction with the fog system? The thief would never know what hit him.

Combine with containment - Shut and lock the exits and watch (on infrared camera) the thief stumble around until the authorities arrive

Engadget Article
Photo: Business Wire

Save Power With Standby

2007-04-24T16:42:00.000-06:00

Looking to cut down your electric bill? Who isn't? Before you start making your own candles, check out this tutorial on how to use standby to save you a bit on the power bill. The detailed instructions and screenshots will get you through the process like you were an old pro. Afterwards, you can pat yourself on the back for doing your part to save the environment.

S3 Standby Done Right from Tweak Your Life

Edit Video Online

2007-04-24T11:02:00.000-06:00

Makeuseof.com put together a great list of online video editing services. Don't feel like keeping a memory hogging app for video editing on your system? Check out these websites that can handle it all online. You would be surprised at what you can do.

18 Online Tools to Edit, Mix and Enhance your Videos

How To Organize Owners Manuals

2007-04-24T10:41:00.000-06:00

There is no convenient way to store owners manuals. They come in all sizes and shapes and rarely have a cover that is stiff enough to keep them from deforming in to unseemly shapes on a bookshelf. Mine end up in a file and are rarely seen or organized. These tips will slim down this file considerably.

Jeri Dansky's April Newsletter

Personal Finance Software

2007-04-24T09:17:00.000-06:00

I don't know if they can't count, or if I am missing something, but Consumerist put together a list of links to popular personal finance programs(7 free and 4 pay). There are options for different operating systems. Some of these items are templates or web based services, but you should be able to find something helpful.

8 Free Personal Finance Management Programs

(Let me know how many you count)

Retro Gaming Galore

2007-04-24T06:27:00.000-06:00

Do you miss those old games that you used play on your Commodore 64? Do you long for that retro gaming experience? Check out cs64.com for quite a few of them as Java based online games.

c64s.com
from Freeware Genius

I Want a Firefox Extension To...

2007-04-24T06:03:00.000-06:00

Looking for a little known extension that will make Firefox the ultimate browser customized just for you? You would be hard pressed not to find it in this extensive list organized by function.

I want a Firefox extension to...

Insult Generator

2007-04-23T14:11:00.000-06:00

Can't dream up an insult worthy of the object of your wrath? Stick this handy little list in thy mammering weather-bitten fustilarian, and you will never be without a unique insult!

Shakespeare Insult Kit
Web Insult Generator

Montastic Free Website Monitoring Service

2007-04-22T06:12:00.000-06:00

Want to keep an eye on your website, without checking it over and over again? Monastic can check up to 100 websites every 10 minutes and notify you by e-mail, rss, or a yahoo widget if anything is amiss.
Montastic

7 Ways To Wake Up

2007-04-21T12:12:00.000-06:00

Are you looking for a new way to start your day. There are ways to greet the morning than a screeching alarm clock. Here a few creative ideas from Productivity501:

Wake up to a CD - Many stereo's have a build in alarm clock that will start the CD at a certain time. (This can also be the basis of a nice college dorm prank.)

Wake up to the radio - Most clock radios let you wake up to whatever is being broadcast instead of the normal alarm.

Wake up to light - A simple outlet timer, hooked to a bright light can be a great way to wake up because the light will help tell your body that the day is starting. (You might want to set a backup alarm when trying this for the first time.)

Wake up to cool air - In highschool I concocted an elaborate mechanism for waking up that I would tinker with each night. On of the more interesting things I tried was hooking up a fan at the bottom of the bed sheets. It would come on and start blowing cool air under the covers.

Wake up to your cell phone - Many cell phones have alarm clocks and the ringing of your cell phone might be much more pleasant than the buzz of your regular alarm clock. You might even be able to set it to vibrate and then just sleep with it under your pillow.

Wake up to coffee - I hate coffee so waking up every day with the thought "what is that awful smell?" isn't my idea of a good way to wake. However, I'm told other people like to wake up to coffee, so a pot with a timer might be a good option.

Wake up to your iPod - iPods have alarmclock functionality built in. You can set them to play a particular playlist at the appropriate time. I don't recommend sleeping with headphones, but if you have external speakers of some type this can be a nice way to wakeup. One of the advantages of this over a CD player is that the CD player will make a "spin up" noise when it starts, so if you are a light sleeper you may wake up to the spin noise instead of the music. (As a side note the best piece of music to wake up to is the music from the ballet Appalachian Spring. The worst music to wakeup to is anything played on a harpsichord.)

So do you have a creative way to wake up? What do you use presently? What things have you tried in the past?

From Productivity501

Tag Your Way to Organization

2007-04-21T11:28:00.000-06:00

Tags are the hottest new way to organize almost any collection. Music, video, photos, blog posts, and email can all be tagged. Any program or web service worth it's snuff offers a creative way to tag and filter whatever it happens to serve up to the public. If you are like myself, you may not have immediately bought into the whole "tags" concept. Now is the time to catch up and get with the times. The following article by evilmadscientist outlines how he organized the photos of his superball collection. The same basic principles apply to just about anything that needs to be organized and tagged. Deciding on the categories and defining the parameters of each tag are covered in this simple how-to article. The specific examples make it easy to comprehend. Take these isntructions and apply them to the lists and collections in your life to become a part of the tagging revolution.

Organizing a Collection Using Flickr

Sell Your Book On Amazon.com

2007-04-21T11:06:00.001-06:00

For those of you who yearn to be published, yet can't find anyone to foot the bill, here is your course of action:

Get an ISBN (for a book), or a UPC (for a CD or DVD). For one book it costs $125, for one CD, $55, for one DVD, $89.
Get a bar code based on the ISBN or UPC. Costs $10, or may be included in UPC.
Sign up with Amazon, $30 per year.
Duplicate your stuff; include the bar code on the outside.
Ship two copies to Amazon
Send cover scan
Track sales
Register it (optional)

More details
From DumbLittleMan.com

Send Later Thunderbird Extension

2007-04-21T09:42:00.000-06:00

Use this extension to send reminder emails to yourself or others. After you compose the email, instead of the regular Ctrl + Enter to drop it into cyberspace, use Ctrl + Shift + Enter to pull up the send later dialog box and tell Thunderbird when to mail the message down to the minute. Remember to leave Thunderbird open, otherwise the message will not be sent. This extension is compatible with the latest Thunderbird version.

Send Later from Lifehacker

Soundpedia

2007-04-21T08:57:00.000-06:00

SoundPedia is a streaming music jukebox that has quite a bit of music available. The interface is a bit clunky(selecting an artist name one letter at a time from a list of links?). You can select tracks from albums to add to your playlist. Overall, this service does a good job for a free service without the ads making me feel too claustraphobic.

SoundPedia

Use Your Mobile Phone For (almost) Anything

2007-04-21T08:15:00.000-06:00

Looking to get more out of your cell phone? Check out this list of useful mobile sites and services. Record calls, get news, share photos, get maps, search for real estate, get coupons, get traffic, and watch TV. ...Deep breath... You can even download this helpful list as an Excel spreadsheet.

The 85 Piece Mobile Search Tool Kit

How to Generate Valid Credit Card Numbers

2007-04-21T07:47:00.000-06:00

We have all been in the situation sometime. We go to the website for a "free" service or download, and they ask for credit card information before they allow you to continue. Obviously, you don't want to purchase anything, let alone give them your credit card number(email address is bad enough). This article will help you get to those services with random generated valid credit card numbers.

How to Generate Valid Credit Card Numbers from The Tao of Making Money

Joost Beta TV on the Computer

2007-04-20T11:00:00.000-06:00

I enjoy the concept of TV programming on the PC. I have never owned a TV and find that this could open the door to a lot of content. There are still a few issues that need work in the Joost Beta, but you can't beat the price(free). I recommend that you make every effort to get your hands on a beta invite and check it out.

Interface - The interface was not very intuitive. Sure, I could have read instructions, but who wants to do that? I had a hard time figuring out how to move from screen, and even find the button to close the program.

Content - There are a variety of channels in the beta. You should be able to find something that you can watch to test the service without falling asleep.

Speed - Obviously, we are not talking about high resolution, but I was impressed with the speed that the programming started playing after the channel was selected. I have broadband cable internet.

Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think. Email me for an beta invite!

asdf-jkl Firefox Extension

2007-04-20T10:44:00.000-06:00

From Lifehacker

Windows/Mac/Linux (Firefox): The asdf-jkl Firefox extension adds tooltips to the fox's chrome that display keyboard shortcuts associated with the item your mouse pointer is hovering over.

For example, the address bar shortcut is Cmd+L, as pictured. (It's Ctrl+L for Windows peeps, so the tooltips are platform-aware, too.) Also asdf-jkl adds a Keyboard shorcuts item on Firefox's View menu for quick lookups of common shortcuts. This extension is a fanastic reminder/teaching tool for users who want to learn their way around the chrome via the keyboard. The asdf-jkl extension is a free download, works in conjunction with Firefox. — Gina Trapani

Make your offline life easier

2007-04-20T06:31:00.000-06:00

This list from Wisegeek has some great hints as to how to make our normal lives more efficient.

How Can I Make My Offline Life Easier?

How to Handle Snail Mail

2007-04-19T19:54:00.000-06:00

From Zen Habits
By Leo

~ Create one “mail center” in your home for dealing with your mail and incoming paperwork. This should include an inbox for all incoming papers, a waste-basket (the simplifier’s most important tool!), a small filing system (just some manila folders in a drawer or file case is fine), and something to hold envelopes, stamps, your checkbook, pens and other needed tools.

~ Inbox. All incoming mail, school papers, and other paperwork goes straight into your inbox. Don’t toss them on a counter or the kitchen table or a desk. Put them in one place only: the inbox. It’s best if you remove the mail from the envelop right away, toss the envelopes and any junk flyers, and toss junk mail and catalogs right away — but even if you don’t, at least toss everything in the inbox.

~ Process. Once a day (or once a week if you prefer), process all the papers in your inbox. Start with the top one, and deal with it completely, before moving down. Your choices: toss, file, take action immediately (if it takes 2 minutes or less) and then toss or file, or put it in an action folder and note it on your to-do list. Don’t ever postpone a decision on a piece of paper when you’re processing and put it back — make a decision and dispose of it, and then move on to the next item, until your inbox is empty.

~ Pay bills immediately. While you’re processing your mail and paperwork, you can put all bills in a folder to be paid at a certain date (you might have two dates a month when you pay bills, for example, or a weekly bills day). But another alternative is to just pay the bill on the spot, as soon as you’re done processing your inbox. Either write a check and put the bill and check in an envelope to be dropped in the mailbox tomorrow, or go to your computer and pay the bills online. Either way, the bill is taken care of, and off your mind.

~ Enter stuff into your to-do lists or calendar. For papers that contain tasks or appointments or schedules, you’ll want to enter the tasks on your to-do list immediately, and enter any dates into your calendar immediately (I use Gcal). I even enter all my kids’ soccer games, school events, and other activities in Gcal, and then just file the school papers or schedules in a “school papers” folder so I can refer to it later if necessary.

~ File immediately. Once you’ve paid a bill or taken action on a piece of paper, you should file it immediately (unless you can toss it). Don’t let it sit on your counter, or pile up in a “to be filed” pile or folder, or go back into your inbox. File it right away. Set up a simple filing system with manila envelopes, labeled with the name of the billing company or utility, along with folders for other important documents in your life, and use a simple alphabetical filing system so you can find things immediately. Always have a stack of manila folders and labels on hand (some people even recommend a handy Brother label-maker) so you can create a new folder quickly if you need it. The trick to filing is to do it right away and not let it pile up.

~ That’s it. No papers should ever be anywhere except the inbox or in your filing system. It’s simple and efficient. The trick is to make this a habit, and stick to it like a routine. Have set times of the day or week when you process your inbox and pay your bills. Create a simple system like this, and you eliminate the clutter and the worry.

Disorganization Costs You Money

2007-04-19T19:31:00.000-06:00

From Mighty Bargain Hunter

How much has it cost you? Check out this list and see if you can plug any holes:

Missed rebates - Rebate deals can be really good. But if you forget to turn the stupid thing in, it’s a really bad deal.

Emergency purchases - You were sure you had another box of diapers and it’s 2 AM and your two-year-old is really, uh, aromatic? The convenience store is a few miles away and the diapers there are two dollars — each!

Buying things you already have - The one you have is still good, but it’s either buried under something and you can’t find it, or you don’t remember that you have it.

Dining out a lot - Because you ran out of time in the morning and didn’t pack a lunch.

Stuff breaking before its time - Forgetting to change the air filter in your central air system or forgetting to drain the hose in winter time will cause expensive surprises.

Susceptibility to sales pitches - A basic radon test was perfectly sufficient when we had our house inspected prior to purchasing it, but I didn’t know that and paid $100 for a deluxe one that I didn’t really need.

Missed payments - Most of our payments are taken out automatically, but a few aren’t, like our water bill, and the bill can get lost in the shuffle. Late payments cost extra money. Too many late payments result in a dinged credit rating.

Missed opportunities - Some folks make money hand over fist with 0% balance transfer offers. I usually don’t even try these because I’m worried I’ll screw them up. Or coupons expire. Or a big refund from Uncle Sam shows up.

Throwing money out the window - That store credit you received when you returned that unwanted gift? The one that was on the slip of paper that was the only record of the credit? The one that the cashier said not to lose because it’s like losing cash?

Overdraft protection fees - By this I mean the transfer from your savings account to your checking account that happens when you overdraw the checking account but have the savings to cover it. Five bucks a check for a week — when you get the notice in the mail for the first one! — adds up in a hurry.

Extra trips to the store - Another few gallons of gas burned up to take back the item that was the wrong size or to buy something you forgot you needed.

Out of control spending - Some people can get away with not tracking their spending — I could for a while — but small leaks in your wallet can grow if left unchecked.

Spoiled food - Related to the last one.

Missed tax deductions - Mileage as a business expense? Items donated to the Salvation Army? These can be tax-deductible under some circumstances, but only if you have adequate proof. No proof, no deduction. Or if you take the deduction,

Overdue charges - Library books, movies, etc.

Huge amounts of lost productivity - I’ve probably spent several months of my life looking for something that I’ve misplaced. Or I’ve been working at 25% capacity because all of the visual and mental noise of disorganization just wears me down; I don’t know what to do or even where to start on a project sometimes.

Countdown to Productivity

2007-04-19T13:06:00.000-06:00

From Productivity Cafe

Timer Aids Productivity

If all your projects expand to fill the time allotted to it is that a good thing? Most people would like to get their projects wrapped up in the shortest amount of time provided they can still give it suitable attention and produce good work. Sometime, projects seem to could be done in a much shorter amount of time. Does any of this ring true for you?

Many of my clients are motivated by using a timer. Perhaps one of these reasons will motivate you:

Use a timer that counts up to see how long you spend on a task or project. For example, how much time do you devote to email first thing in the morning.

-Race the timer. After monitoring your time use, try to reduce where you can by setting the timer for 10% less time for the same type of task and race the timer to be finished. I have found this to be a good limit for how much time I spend refining a letter (as many times as feasible in the 10 minutes alloted to writing it).

-Motivate yourself to start a daunting task by assigning yourself a 15 minute minute window to get started. Do not be distracted in that 15 minutes. Because you can do almost anything for 15 minutes this is a good time segment. Many times timer users do one 15 minutes session and are 'on a roll' then do another and another. They use their own 'mind game' to beat procrastination.

-You can use the timer for rewards too. Perhaps after finishing a task you get a 15 minute walk in the fresh air.

-Use a timer at home... give kids 15 minutes to clean up or finish up before dinner. Let them be responsible for meeting the deadline set by the timer. Avoid having to repeat yourself by training them to time awareness. Give them the gift of time management skills by starting young.

Features to look for in a digital timer:
-It counts up and down
-It has large numbers
-It has a magnet on the back or a stand to sit on the desk
-It has just one timer (multiple timer timers require 3-4 times the number of steps to set and reset)
-It is <$15

Blinkx Helps With Missed TV Shows

2007-04-19T06:31:00.000-06:00

Blinkx does TV shows with Blinkx Remote

Yesterday 12:49 PMJosh LowensohnWebware.com

(Credit: CNET Networks)

Tired of searching YouTube for clips of TV shows only to find it barren of your favorite show? Well if it's a Viacom program you're out of luck anyway, but for most everything else search tool Blinkx rolled out a new service yesterday called Blinkx Remote--a search engine for full length TV shows. Blinkx sorts through clips and full length programs, putting direct links to off site sources where you can watch the entire episode.

In the case of CBS' Jericho, Blinkx sent me off to CBS' Innertube service where I had to install a Real Player plugin to get the video to work. Alternately, if I knew the episode I wanted, I was able to pull up Flash versions at other video providers like Dailymotion and MySpace Videos. For other popular shows like Heros and The Office, I was simply redirected to NBC's Rewind service.

One big thing missing with Blinkx Remote is an easy way to find older programs. For many of the popular shows, you're lucky enough to simply visit the network's Web site. Where search engines like this come in handy is for shows fall out of syndication like Seinfeld, Friends, and Cheers. For that you're better off excercising patience and using Netflix.

Thunderbird 2.0 Is Now Available

2007-04-19T06:27:00.002-06:00

Download of the Day: Thunderbird 2.0 (All platforms)

Lifehacker

Windows/Mac/Linux: The good folks at Mozilla dropped the latest version 2.0 of the Thunderbird email client today, which supports Gmail-like tagging, Windows Vista and better search capabilities.

Gmail users will love this T-bird build, which makes setting up a Gmail POP account a one-step affair. My initial tests, searching over an archive of thousands of messages, show that T-bird 2's search-as-you-type is quite snappier than past versions; and while I'm not yet used to the tagging interface, it's definitely a step in the right direction. One thing I'd love to see in the future is support for already-assigned tags on downloaded Gmail messages. (They call me a dreamer.) See what Rick had to say about T-bird 2.0's RC1. Thunderbird 2 is a free download for Mac, Windows and Linux. — Gina Trapani

Take the time to Read

2007-04-19T06:27:00.001-06:00

Taking the Time to Read

MarkProductivity501

There are few people who wouldn't benefit from spending a little more time each day reading a good book. If you want to keep yourself at maximum creative capacity, you have to make sure you are taking in new ideas and thoughts. If you aren't continually feeding your mind, you'll eventually find your creative reserves starting to run dry. Continually producing output without taking any input is a good way to burn out.

Here are eight tips that I've found help me in my personal reading habits:

Read books. There is a lot of material available on blogs and other internet sites, but make sure you are taking time to read actual published books. The quality of published materials tends to be much higher and topics are more developed.
If you can set aside a specific time for some reading do it. It doesn't have to be much, but even committing to 15 minutes of reading before you go to bed will make a difference.
Read outside your field. Don't get stuck just reading about things related to your work. Sometimes the most productive leaps of imagination will come from reading stuff that doesn't appear to be related at all to your specialty.
Keep a book list. Write down what you've read and what you want to read.
Buy used. A used book is usually just as useful as a new one. If you can save money, get the used book. Better yet use your local library.
Don't be afraid to give up. If you are reading a book and you just don't like it, don't be afraid to quit and start a different book. There are so many books available, it probably isn't going to be worth your effort to push through a book that you don't like. (There are exceptions to this of course, but the mere fact that you've started a book is rarely enough justification for forcing yourself to finish it.)
Take notes. When you find something interesting jot it down. You can write in a notebook or even in the margin of the book itself. Taking a few moments to pen your thoughts will help you get more out of the reading experience.
Read for the interaction--not speed. You are reading to let your mind interact with the ideas on the page. If you spend too much time worrying about how fast you are reading, you'll lessen the benefits of reading. Settle into a reading pace that is appropriate for you and for the reading material. Somethings you'll read fast and some you'll read slow.

In-Car Computer

2007-04-18T20:29:00.000-06:00

Build a system in your car that will let you navigate, email, surf the internet, and access an immense media library. I love the screen, but they really need to hide the cables.

A DIY Dashtop Computer - Popular Science

12 Tips for an Organized Desk

2007-04-18T08:49:00.000-06:00

From Productivity 501
Here are twelve quick tips for organizing your desk. These are things that have worked well for me. Most of them are probably applicable to others as well. If you have any suggestions of items to add please add them to the comments.

Get rid of pens and pencils you don't need. - I have one type of pen I like to use, but every month or my pencil holder gets filled up with other random writing instruments. If you aren't going to use it, don't feel bad about throwing it out. It is just clutter.
Have a place for pocket stuff. Your keys, phone, PDA, wallet, bluetooth ear piece, etc. should have a home. My ideal setup is to keep them in a drawer with wires already run for charging the various items. Unfortunately my current desk doesn't have drawers, so I have set aside a small amount of space under my monitor that isn't really usable for work anyway. I have all my charging cables right there so I don't have to hunt for them.
Proximity based on frequency of use. If you use it every day, it should be closer than something you use only a few times each week. This is common sense, but it is easy to arrange are desk for aesthetics instead of usefulness.
Move electronics out of sight. Your cable modem, wireless router, firewall, battery backup, etc. shouldn't be on your desk. Even if you have enough room in introduces visual clutter.
Easy to access files. Without moving your chair or getting up, you should be able to grab an unused manila folder, label it and put it in your file cabinet. Easy filing is one cornerstone of good organization. The more effort it requires the more difficult it will be to stay organized.
Scanning documents. This is something I'm experimenting with. I have a scanner and I'll turn important documents into PDFs and keep them on my computer. I use OCR so the documents are searchable. This is wonderful if you travel a lot because it keeps everything right there with you. The problem is trying to figure out what to scan and what can just be filed. If you are good at guessing what you'll want to have electronically this can work very well. I haven't figured out how accurate I am just yet.
Cleaning supplies. If you clean your desk with Windex and a paper towel, make sure you have some nearby. This will help encourage you to wipe down your work surface which will encourage you to clean it off more often. It is all about making things as easy for yourself as possible.
Scratch notepad. During the course of the day you will have telephone numbers, names, addresses, order confirmations, flight numbers, etc. If you can keep these all in one place, you'll be far more productive if you need to look something up later. I have the bad habit of grabbing a nearby envelope and writing a telephone number on it. By keeping a notebook, specifically for these types of items, I don't lose nearly as many things. The Franklin Planner method is to keep all of this info in the diary page of the planner which is probably an even better option.
Organize those wires. It is easy to have half your desk covered with wires for various pieces of electronics. Moving some stuff off your desk can help. Some pieces of velcro wrapped around wires can go a long ways toward cleaning things up. Also make sure that you have wires that are long enough to tuck out of the way. If they are too short you won't be able to arrange them neatly. Sometimes wireless is an option. With more and more devices supporting bluetooth and WiFi, you may be able to get rid of some wires simply by enabling the wireless settings.
If you don't have enough drawers. My current desk is large, but it is a sheet of glass over a metal frame. While it looks really cool, it doesn't allow much in the way of storage. To compensate, I've brought in a dresser for storage. I also use bookshelves with a bunch of boxes with lids to help give me some more drawer like storage. I have a two drawer file cabinet that slides under my desk to help make better use of the space.
Lighting. Make sure you have enough light on your desk. Maybe it is just me, but a bright work area is easier to keep clean than a dark one.
Organize as you go. As we discussed the Iron Chef Fable, it is more efficient to stay organized as you work instead of trying to do it all at the end. You should be constantly working on keeping your desk neat. If it gets disorganized in the middle of a big project, take small steps. Clear a 1 foot by 1 foot area before you leave for the day. Make a small effort toward organization may not seem like much, but if you do it everyday, it will keep things headed in the right direction for you.

YouMail Personalized Voicemail

2007-04-17T16:45:00.001-06:00

YouMail is one of my favorite free services on the internet. I can't believe how little publicity it receives. The personalized voicemail receives more comments/compliments than a cool website or e-mail signature combined. Granted, it does only work with Verizon, T-Mobile, and Cingular GSM, but here are a few reasons that I love this service:

Wow Factor - The impression it leaves when you call that person's name in their voicemail greeting is priceless. People would almost rather get your cool voicemail than actually speak with you.

Simplicity - It is extremely simple to set up with step-by-step instructions from the website. You can record greetings through your phone, with your computer mic, or upload audio files. (see screenshot below)

Accessibility - You can access your voice mail throught the old fashioned audio navigation on your phone or the iPhone style on their website. I also have all the voicemails e-mailed to me as attatched .wav files that I normally listen to at my desktop. This makes it a little easier to take notes.

Archiving - Want to save that e-mail with instructions from your client? Just archive the e-mail with the attatchment and pull it up later for reference.

Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think! Do you have any other creative ideas for how to use this service?

By Rob
YouMail.com

MyxerTones

2007-04-17T16:44:00.001-06:00

Myxertones.com is a free service that allows even the simpleminded to make better use of their gadgetry. Simply upload an audio file (mp3 or wav) and Myxertones will send a midi to your phone free of charge. Make sure you check with your service provider about what the messages will cost, but for me (without a text messaging plan), they were only a few cents each.

Elementary instructions, tailored to individual phones, address how to take the audio files from the messages and set them as ringers. I used Audacity to clip some of my favorite tunes down to ringtone length before uploading and came up with some very creative personalized ringtones. Now you can set multiple distinct ringtones and differentiate your callers in the first seconds of the ring.
Myxertones

RipIt4Me

2007-04-17T16:16:00.000-06:00

From Freeware Genius

Version 1.5.1.0

Ripit4me is a program that works with either DVD Decrypter or DVD Shrink to rip copy protected DVD’s onto the hard drive.

RipIt4Me acts as a front-end for those other ripping programs and will not do the ripping itself; RipIt4Me’s added value is that it enables these programs to handle stronger copy protections that some newer DVD’s come with, such as ARccOS and RipGuard DVD. It will also utilize another program, FixVTS, that’s designed to adjust the ripped DVD files into better DVD compliance. I’m not sure exactly what that means but I know that in some cases this will enable you to fix an issue where burned DVDs would have problems working on a standard DVD player even when they play just fine on the computer.

Its a good idea to use this program even if you’ve been happily using DVD Decrypter to rip your DVDs, as the creator of that software has stopped all development on it. RipIt4Me will help DVD Decrypter keep up to date with newer protection mechanisms.

RipIt4Me is very easy to use; ripping a DVD will not take more than 3-clicks or so, and the interface is very intuitive.

Note: this program does not have an installer; simply unpack and place in the right place. Go to preferences to make sure it knows the correct paths to the programs it needs.

Downloading DVD Decrypter and DVD Shrink: It’s apparently not legal to post download links to these programs on a US based website, but it is very easy to find the download links nontheless: after downloading RipIt4Me go to ‘download’ pull-down menu and select the desired program; you will be directed to working download links. You’ll also find download links for FixVTS in the same place.

Supercharge Your Gmail

2007-04-17T13:07:00.000-06:00

From Lifehacker

by Adam Pash
Yesterday Gina released Better Gmail, a Firefox extension that integrates the best Gmail user scripts under one easy-to-manage Firefox extension. Whether you're using the extension or the Greasemonkey scripts, these add-ons turn Gmail into an entirely new and wildly powerful email tool.

The problem is, you've got to know what you're doing to take advantage of what Better Gmail has to offer. That's why today, I'll show you how to use Better Gmail along with a few other Gmail add-ons to turn Gmail into the best email application you've ever used.

The Essentials

The Greasemonkey community has built several must-have scripts for enhancing Gmail, but that used to mean you had to go hunt down each script every time you wanted to power up your Gmail on a new computer. Additionally, for some reason or another, a lot of people out there aren't terribly keen on Greasemonkey. That's why we're all very lucky that just yesterday, Gina released the Better Gmail Firefox extension, which basically wraps together some of the best Gmail Greasemonkey scripts into one master extension. That includes:

Macros: This is the must-have missing feature from Gmail, and it's what I'll spend the most time explaining and demonstrating in this feature. It lets you perform all kinds of fancy Gmail footwork without ever taking your hands off the keyboard.
Attachment Icons: Adds small icons to emails with attachments to indicate what kind of file is attached.
Filter Assistant: Helps you quicky create new filters based on the message you're currently viewing.
Saved Searches: Lets you create custom, often-used searches that work sort of like smart folders.
Conversation Preview: Lets you preview a message with a right-click of your mouse.
and more...

Starting to see how useful this extension is? Now let's take a look at how you might put it to use.

Check out the video above (if you haven't already) for a look at how Gmail Macros, along with several of the other tools included in Better Gmail, can help you get things done in Gmail.
Best, must-know shortcuts

The ability to perform every email task you need, from navigation your conversations with j/k, navigating inside threads with n/p, or selecting the current email with x (all of which are baked into Gmail from the get-go, as long as you enable keyboard shortcuts) to the excellent on-the-fly labeling and label navigation you get from Gmail Macros.

The other keyboard shortcuts from Gmail Macros I use and love most are:
g + label name: This works for any label, saved search, or default sidebar navigation (like inbox, sent mail, etc.). Just type 'g' and the label selector will pop up. Then begin typing the name of the label you want and as soon as you narrow it down, Gmail Macros will take you there.
l + label name: Select your to-be-labeled conversation(s) with 'x', then hit 'l'. Begin typing the name of the label and again, once it's narrowed down, it'll automatically label your email with the match.
Shift-L + label: Lets you remove a specific label from currently selected email(s). You can also remove labels on a per-email basis if you're viewing it within the label you want to remove by archiving it with y.
Shift-N + label: Allows you to create a new label and apply the label to a message on-the-fly, a simple tweak that takes the extra steps out of applying a new label to a message, meaning you won't blow off creating the label because you can't be bothered to take the time. This is currently not available with Better Gmail (but it may be in the next release), but it is available with this version of the Gmail Macros script (via Gmail Power Users Group).

The label selector command window might seem a little confusing, since it looks the same no matter which command brings it up (i.e., g, l, Shift-l, Shift-N), but don't let that bother you. Once you get used to it, it's indispensable.

Then there are the compose, reply, and forward shortcuts. To Compose a message, hit c, to Reply to the message you're currently viewing, hit r, and to Forward the message you're viewing, hit f. Any of these commands can also be used to compose your email in another window by adding the Shift key to the shortcut (e.g., Shift-c will open a pop-up compose window).

To open an email, you can either hit Enter or O for Open. If you're viewing a long conversation thread with a lot of collapsed emails, you can expand them all in one fell swoop by hitting Shift-o.
As you're learning how to use the Macros, always keep in mind that you can pull up the keyboard command list at any time by hitting h, as in Help. However, if you're more into paper cheatsheets, click the thumbnail to the right for a passably printable image of the keyboard command list. [1]

My final favorite that I'm going to highlight is the Conversation preview shortcut. If you've enabled Conversation Preview, you could preview a message by right-clicking it, or you can do that from the keyboard, too, by hitting v for View. Awesome. (I have an unnatural love for my keyboard.)

Gmail as a web-accessible hard drive
As Gmail's storage quickly approaches 3GB, a lot of people have got a lot of room they're not using. That's why it's been a prime target for really cool third party apps that let you mount and browse your Gmail account like it's a hard drive. Windows users should try the Gmail Drive shell, while Mac users should take a look at gDisk. If you want to keep things in Firefox, try out the Gmail File Space extension.

Encryption
If you've logged into Gmail at http://mail.google.com rather than https://mail.google.com, the messages you're sending could potentially be read by any dirty sniffer on your network. Logging into the https version, however, will encrypt your information as it's sent so no one can stick their nose into your messages. The 's' is for secure, people! To set every Gmail connection to redirect to the more secure https connection, try out CustomizeGoogle or the HTTP-to-HTTPS redirector Greasemonkey script. You can also use CustomizeGoogle to remove the Spam count from your Gmail sidebar, along with lots of other Google tweaks.
Real privacy hounds should check out FireGPG or Gmail Encrypt to add secure encryption to email you've sent with Gmail.

Knock out repetitive email
This is more of a tip for any email application than Gmail specifically, but if you process a lot of email every day, I can't stress enough how much time a text replacement application like Texter for Windows, TextExpander for Macs, or Snippits for Linux can can save you. For a very brief (and somewhat trivial) demonstration of how I use Texter with Gmail to automate personalized responses to email, check out the video below.
To find out how that worked, check out Texter.

Honorable mentions
GmailThis Bookmarklet: This little bookmarklet makes it easy to email any web page with the click of a button. Beyond that, if the mood strikes you, you can learn the advanced usage techniques to customize what your composed email will look like.

Gmail Date Search: Viewing emails sent on a specific date in Gmail requires a somewhat convoluted bit of syntax. The Gmail Date Search Greasemonkey script adds a Search by Date button to Gmail that lets you quickly search for emails by date by entering dates in a simple MM/DD/YY format. I wrote this one, so if you notice any bugs/have any suggestions, let me know.

DragDropUpload: This handy Firefox extension lets you drag files into Gmail (or any other file upload field) so that you don't have to go through the messy process of searching through your file directory just to upload a file you're looking at on your desktop.

GTDGmail: Fans of Getting Things Done should check out GTDGmail, a full-featured Firefox extension that seamlessly integrates the GTD philosophy to your Gmail inbox.
For more of a beginner's look at Gmail, check out my previous Gmail master feature. It covers more of the basics, like label creation (with an explanation, if you're confused), setting up filters, and Gmail search operators. For a look at the huge repository of Gmail-related tips we've posted, check out our Gmail tag.

New WMP Plugin for Firefox

2007-04-17T12:09:00.000-06:00

Microsoft Releases New Windows Media Plug-in For Firefox
From Compiler

Microsoft has released a new Windows Media plug-in for Firefox which allows you to use Windows Media Player inside the Firefox browser. The new plug-in supports Windows XP SP2 and Vista including the 64 bit versions of both OSes.

Port25, a Microsoft website devoted to interoperability with Linux, is hosting the download. If you visit the plug-in site at Mozilla, you will be automatically redirected to Port25 to download and install the plug-in.

Some Firefox users have complained that Microsoft is not using the XPI format for extensions, but in fact the .xpi extensions are for add-ons not plug-ins. As with the Flash plug-in for Firefox, the Windows Media plug-in in a .exe file.

The new plug-in addresses the known issues that plagued the previous version and adds Vista support.

There is however one known issue with the new plugin as noted on the Port25 site:
If you are using Firefox version 2.0.0.3 on Windows Vista with the installer failing with error code -203. To work around this simply restart Firefox (you will get a notification that Windows Vista will be changing the Firefox compatibility settings) and then install again - the second time should succeed.

I did not experience this issue and in fact had no problems at all installing the plug-in on Firefox 2.0.0.3 on Vista, but if you do let us know is the workaround helps.
Also note that the plug-in is compatible with the 64 bit versions of XP and Vista, but not with the 64 bit version of Firefox.

Regrettably there is still no plug-in for Windows Media 11 on Mac or Linux.

Posted by Scott Gilbertson 10:20:18 AM

100 Portable Apps

2007-04-17T10:38:00.000-06:00

From Makeuseof
17 April, 2007 written by Aibek

These stuff can be installed on any portable drive, i.e. USB thumbdrive, PDA or an iPod. You can use them at work, school, or any other place where you can plugin your device. Check them out, you can either scroll-down for relevant category, i.e office software, email tools, messengers, games, etc. or get one of ‘all-in-one’ packages for all essential tools in one package. While there are more apps for windows users, I tried to include mac versions for each essential tool. All free. Enjoy!
What is a portable program ? : A portable program is a piece of software that you can carry around with you on a portable device and use on any other computer. It can be your email program, your browser, system recovery tools or even an operating system. The coolest part about it, is that all of your data and settings are always stored on a thumbdrive so when you unplug the device, none of your personal data is left behind.

Portable Office Software
Abiword [Win (6.3 mb) / Mac (9.5 mb)] - word processor (compatible with Microsoft word)
OpenOffice [Win (65 mb) / Mac (127 mb)] - free alternative to Microsoft Office (fully compatible with Microsoft Office docs)
PDF Viewers: Sumatra [Win (1.1 mb) ], Foxit PDF Reader [Win, (1.8 mb) ]

Portable Email/Calendar/ToDo Programs
Mozilla ThunderBird - [Win (6 mb), Mac (20.5 mb), Cross-Platform (Win, Mac)] - very good email client (built-in address book, import/export, tons of addons)
Calendars: Mozilla Sunbird [Win, 5.6mb], Sunbird [Mac, 9.7mb], Lightning [Win, 1.3mb) - ThunderBird addon
Mail [Mac] - requires locally installed Mail.app
iCal [Mac] - requires locally installed iCal.app
Adress Book [Mac] - requires locally installed Address Book
Quick Mailer [Win, 20kb] - tiny program for sending quick e-mail messages
gDisk [Mac, 1020kb] - handy program that turns your gmail account into a portable hard drive. (More stuff for gmail)

Portable Text and Voice Messengers
All-in-One (Yahoo, MSN, ICQ, etc.): Gaim [Win, 6.9 mb], Miranda IM [Win, 1.2 mb], Adium [Mac, 15.5mb], Trillian [Win]
iChat [Mac] - requires locally installed iChat
Newspeak [Mac, 1mb] - Newspeak Cocoa IRC client
Skype - exlpains how to make skype portable

Portable Media Tools (Audio / Video)
Audacity [Win (2.4 mb), Mac (5mb)] - simple audio editor and recorder
VLC [Win (9.3 mb), Mac (24 mb)] - powerful media player that plays almost all popular audio and video formats
K-Lite Mega Codec Pack with Media Player [Win] - another powerful media player for playing all conceivable formats
iShout [Mac, 7mb] - record and listen to your favorite internet radios.
CocoaJT [Mac, 8.7mb] - stream live TV programs from major broadcast channels.

Portable Graphics Viewers and Image Editors
GIMP [Win (8.6 mb), Mac (87.5 mb)] - free alternative to Photoshop
IrfanView [Win, 1013kb] - fast graphic viewer with basic image editing features
XNView [Win, Mac, Linux] - image viewer and converter (support more then 400 image formats)
Inkscape [Mac, 24.6mb] - scalable vector graphics editor

Portable Browsers and Internet Tools
Firefox [Win (5.8 mb), Mac (21.9mb), Cross-platform (Win, Mac) ]
Other browsers: Camino [Mac, 16.2mb], Opera [Win], Safari [Mac] - requires installed safari
Feedreaders (RSS, Atom …): RSSOwl [Mac, 5mb], Feed [Mac, 564kb], GreatNews [Win], Sage [Win, 0.2 mb]
FTP Clients: Filezilla [Win, 2.3 mb], FireFTP [Win, 0.1mb], CyberDuck [Mac, 9.9mb]
TrayURL [Win] - bookmark manager
uTorrent [Win] - popular torrent downloader

Portable Security Software
Antivirus: ClamWin [Win, 5.9mb], Dr.Web CureIt [Win, 5.5 mb]
Keepass Password [Win, 1mb] - securely store and manage your passwords
Omziff [Win, 0.5mb] - lets you encrypt/decrypt a file, using secure encryption algorithms. Also includes a password generator, file shredder, file splitter and some more tools.
LockNote [Win] - simple text file that lets you store sensitive info with 256bit password encryption.
RoboFor2Go [Win] - secure password manager and form filler
Smart Sniff [Win, 57kb] - lets you inspect network traffic that passes via your network adapter.

Portable Games
Sudoku - popular puzzle game
Bricks2000 - popular tetris clone
Logix - something similar to minesweeper
Gem Drop - fast-paced puzzle game
GeneRally - 2D racing game
Nagaskaki - chess game
NarkoMania - cool minesweeper clone
NeverBall - part puzzle, part action game

Other Portable Utilities
7Zip [Win, 1.1 mb] - file archiver and compressor, supports 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2, TAR, RAR and more
Registry Tweaker [Win, 1.52mb] - registry tweaking tool
Restoration [Win, 229kb] - handy program for recovering deleted (or formatted) files
YamiPod [Win] - powerful iPod manager (copy mp3/AAC files to and from your iPod, import/export playlists, search for songs, remove duplicates,..). More iPod tools
Drive Manager [Win, 1191 kb] - quick summary for each local and removable drive.
PStart - lets you organize and create menu-like list for quicker access to your portable programs.
SyncPAppX - script that syncs preferences between portable and local applications.
RQ Money - handy utlity to manage your credits and debts
SIW - a system analysis tool that tells you almost everything you need to know about a computer, i.e. hardware, configuration settings, etc.
WinAudit - one more analysis tool
Convert [Win, 155 kb] - fast metric unit conversion tool (distance, temperature, volume, time, speed, mass…)
UK Calender [Win, 321kb] - straightforward calendar with ToDo and remainders
CPU-Z [Win] - provides detailed info about your processor and other components
Country Codes [Win, 1358 kb] - a small database of country codes and additional information for more than 250 countries.
TreePad Lite [Win, 866kb] - personal database program, lets you store all your notes, emails, bookmarks, etc. into one searchable file
StartupList [Win, 158 kb] - displays all items that are in any way related to your computer startup and are executed without any user interactions
eTextReader [Win, 279kb] - read plain text files provided by Project Gutenberg in a book-like manner.
Index Your Files [Win, 640kb] - provides an easy way to create index databases (of specified folders and drives) for quick file/term search
RockXP [win, 768kb] - handy utility for retrieving Win XP’s product key
WhoisThisDomain [Win, 42kb] - view owner and registration info for any domain name

Portable Developer Tools (Techies Only)
Nvu [Win (7.3 mb), Mac (12 mb)] - easy-to-use webpage editor. Simpler alternative to Dreamweaver and Microsft Frontpage
Server2Go - apache webserver (no configurations needed)
InstantRails[Win, 60mb] - contains Ruby, Rails, Apache, and MySQL, all preconfigured and ready to run.
Putty [Win, 0.9 mb] - lightweight telnet and SSH client
Follow-Me IP - displays your external IP address
XAMPP [Win, 25/17 mb] - integrated server package of Apache, mySQL, PHP and Perl. Just Unzip and Run
HTTP File Server [Win] - simple and easy-to-use file server for personal file sharing.
CurrPorts [Win, 46kb]- lets you view a list of ports that are currently in use, along with applications that use them
Hamachi
FTP Servers: Quick’n Easy FTP Server [Win, 355kb], PureFTPdManager [Mac, 10.9mb]

All-In-One Packages
PortableApps Suite [Win, 89.5mb] - includes 7 programs for essential needs (office, email, IM client, etc.) + cool Startup manager and backup utility
FSuite [Mac, 668.3mb] - over 30 useful tools in one file (Office, Graphic, Audio, Video, Internet, Developer Tools and Games)

Portable Operating Systems (’HowTo’ Articles)
Mac OS Classic 7
Portable Linux: Knoppix, Ubuntu
Win XP

USB ThumDrive Tips
How to create a bootable USB key
Never Forget your USB Stick
QuickLaunch your USB workspace

That’s mainly it… In case you’re looking for something that wasn’t mentioned above, there are couple of more resources you may want to check out. These are Portablefreeware.com and Tinyapps.org

E-mail to Snail Mail - Postful Beta

2007-04-17T10:12:00.000-06:00

From Lifehack.org

After the Google Paper gag, I bet a lot of people were thinking, “That’s not such a bad idea”.
Well, it would be useful if you could send emails to mailing addresses like normal letters. Or even receive actual letters in your email? Postful does just that.

1. Send emails to mailing addresses through Postful- digital to physical.
2. Receive emails from physical letters via a personal Postful mailbox etc - physical to digital.

This takes care of a lot of instances where email is either insufficient or impractical. First of all, Gmail’s idea of physical backups can actually be done. Just forward what you want backed up to your home address. Postful can save specific emails to specific addresses.

Of course, it all costs:
$.99 for the 1st page

$.25 each additional page

Price includes:
Full-color printing
All production and materials
First-class postage (US only, international coming in June, 2007)
Previews for confirmation and proofing

I’ll have to wait till June to try it out. Meanwhile it is still in Private Beta, so you’ll have to shoot an email off to sign up. Anyone have any experiences with Postful?

Postful

Solve Work-at-home Problems

2007-04-16T05:06:00.000-06:00

From Lifehack.org

We’re all familiar with the advantages (sometimes idealized) of working from home. You can work in your pajamas, you have a 25-foot commute, you have increased flexibility with your personal obligations, and you get some decent tax deductions. However, there are some special considerations that may need to be addressed or accommodated to make your home office the best it can be. Here are a few things we often address with our home office clients in our work as Professional Organizers:

Sorry, we’re closed. Because of the temptation to “always work,” the ideal workspace for better work/life balance is one where you can close the door when your working hours are over (you do have “working hours,” don’t you?). If this is not possible, another solution is to use a folding screen or room divider to create a sense of separation. We strongly discourage using your personal bedroom for your work area, as that makes the lines really blurred, and the Feng Shui people really don’t like that either, if you are into that kind of thing.

What? I can’t hear you! Do you need to spend a lot of time on the phone with prospects or clients? You will need to make sure that unprofessional sounds (such as dogs barking and children crying) do not interfere with your ability to hear or talk on the phone. If you are discussing sensitive issues, you may not want others in your home to hear your conversations. If necessary, these noise and privacy problems can be addressed with soundproofing or white noise machines (click here for some options).

Keep your workspace sacred. Create rules to make sure your family members respect your workspace. If possible, make sure that your family members have their own spaces to study, draw, read, and use a computer. Accidents happen—drinks can get spilled on important paperwork and other people can inadvertently infect your computer with viruses or spyware. Getting young kids an inexpensive, used, or hand-me-down computer for their games and such can be very liberating. Have duplicates of common office supplies and tools like staplers and scissors so that your workspace does not have to be disturbed, and so you won’t be left empty-handed when your family has taken them off somewhere else.

Special delivery. Can you hear your doorbell from your office? You may need to receive visitors and accept packages during your workday. If needed, a wireless doorbell chime extender can be easily installed (available at any hardware/home center). If you need to receive packages often when you are not home, you may wish to install a large package drop mailbox, or consider renting a box at a retail mail center location that can accept packages on your behalf.

Let yourself in. For co-workers who may require entry into your home, you may find it useful to get an outdoor keypad installed for your garage door opener (if you have one). This keypad will eliminate the need for multiple people to have keys to your home (assuming that you are not locking the door on the interior of the garage into the house). If you have an alarm system, also remember that you can usually set up temporary and secondary codes to avoid giving out your master alarm code.

Lorie Marrero is a Professional Organizer and creator of The Clutter Diet, an innovative, affordable online program for home organization. Lorie’s site helps members lose “Clutter-Pounds” from their homes by providing online access to her team of organizers. Lorie writes something insanely practical every few days or so in the Clutter Diet Blog. She lives in Austin, TX, where her company has provided hands-on organizing services to clients since 2000.

101 Resources for Freelancers

2007-04-16T05:04:00.000-06:00

By Cyan

From Freelance Switch

Update: Added 8 Resources suggested by the community… We are putting together a proper resource directory to launch tomorrow since this has proven so darn popular!

The web is such a big and wonderful place, packed with tools and resources which you all too often don’t know about. So to help all you freelancers out there we have compiled a gigantic list of resources, categorized up for your benefit. If you know a resource that we’ve missed, let us know as we’re always looking to grow this list!

Timing
These are tools to help you time and track your work. Some of them plug into invoicing programs and some even come with them built in:

SlimTimer - A Start/Stop little timer that tracks jobs on a main web interface
Tick - Timetracking application focused on keeping track of your budgets
Time Assistant - Professional timesheet software
Harvest - Simple and efficient time tracking
FourteenDayz - Online time tracking for teams
PunchyTime - A simple time tracking tool for creatives

Invoicing
When you don’t invoice, you don’t get paid, so it literally pays to stay on top of your billing. Here are some tools to help:

Billing Orchard - Electronic billing and invoicing software, starting at $14.95 per month
Billable - Service and invoice tracking
SimplyBill - Easy to use invoicing software
Blinksale - More easy to use invoicing software
Quickbooks - Small business financial software
Side Job Track - Free web-based job tracking, invoicing, reporting and project management for the part-time independent contractor
Freshbooks - Tracks time, sends invoices by email or U.S. mail, and generally makes invoicing easier
InvoicePlace - Easy Invoicing and Quotes From Anywhere
LessAccounting - Is your job title Accounting? Probably not. Do less accounting!

Project Management and Organization
These resources will help you stay organised and manage those projects and clients

Proposal Kit - Proposal and contract management tools
Ta-Da Lists - a simple (free!) to-do list application that can be shared with the world
Backpack - Service that integrates to-do lists, notes, files, images, and a calendar with reminders that can be sent to your email or cell
Writeboard - Sharable, web-based text documents that save edits, so you can collaborate, roll back and compare
ConceptShare - Share designs and get feedback with visual annotation tools
Wridea - Free tool for writers focusing on idea generation
GoPlan - Note-taking, calendaring, task management, issue tracking, file management and online real-time chat
Toodledo - Another web based to-do list
ActiveCollab - Open source collaboration and project management tool
MonkeyOn - Your to-do list for things that you want other people to do
Remember The Milk - Another To-Do List manager

Stock Libraries
Templates, Photos, Flash files all to help make you look good

FlashDen - A resource selling stock Flash, audio, video and fonts for as little as 50 cents
Dreamstime - Royalty free stock photography for $1 - $2
Getty Images - When price is no object and quality is essential
Istockphoto - Royalty free stock photography, videos, and illustrations for $1 - $50
Veer - Rights managed and royalty free photography, illutration, type, and motion
Stock.xchng - Completely Free stock photography
Ice Templates - Website templates in Flash and HTML
Template Monster - The biggest website template company on the web!
MyFonts - All the fonts you could ever want and a very handy font identification tool as well.
IconBuffet - Icons, more icons and even more icons

Business Tools
Resources to help with the business of freelancing…

HighRise - Track communication and conversations with leads, employees, clients, colleagues, vendors
Campfire - Real-time group chat and file sharing
Central Desktop - Shared workspaces and web conferencing
Relenta - Manage your email, contacts, documents and activities
Google Apps - Communication and collaboration tools from Google
Zoho - Free office tools
Campaign Monitor - Email newsletter software
Breeze - Email campaign and newsletter software
Business-Paper - Easy business cards
GoToMeeting - Easy online meetings
Wufoo - Make forms to survey your clients
AIGA Spec Letter - Sample letter to communicate with clients who want spec work or free pitching
CPA Directory - Find an accountant (in the US)
SBA - Small Business Administration, help and advice
Paypal - Online payment system
Moneybookers - Online payment system
Escrow - Online payment system that protects the buyer and seller, useful for those bigger jobs with anonymous clients.
Resources for the Design Entrepeneur - Free sample forms and agreements
Work - How-to guides to running a small business
XE - Quick and easy currency converter for all your international transactions…
Trendwatching - Consumer trends and insights resource

Legal
Because you have to protect yourself and your work…

My New Company - Legal and general start-up information
Designers Toolbox - Free legal forms for graphic designers
Copyright - Everything you need to know about US copyright
AIGA Form of Agreement - Standard form of agreement for design services trmplate

Job Boards
A whole bunch of places to find jobs, and don’t forget FreelanceSwitch will be adding its very own job board real soon!

37signals Job Board - Mostly full-time design and programming jobs
Authentic Jobs - Full time and freelance job board for standards aware designers and developers
Coroflot Job Board - Designer job board
WebProJobs - Freelance and full-time jobs for designers, developers, copywriters and marketers
Jobpile - Aggregates the best job boards on the web
Krop - Creative and tech jobs
FWjobs - Web jobs board
SlashDot - Jobs for IT professionals
CSS Beauty Job Board - Job board for web designers
MinistryCamp Job Board - Job board for Christian designers and programmers
Guru - Freelancer listing service with job board
Elance - List yourself for freelance jobs

Web Tools
Tools to get your Web Presence Up and running…

Squarespace - Very nice publishing system for websites and blogs
Rackspace - dedicated hosting and customer service that is second to none
Mosso - Advanced hosting at a reasonable price
MyDomain - Domains for $8.50 per year
Media Temple - Easy to set up and use hosting
Light - Content management for designers and ad agencies
SiteKreator - Instant websites - just add your content
StrongSpace - Back-up and store important files
psd2html - Builds websites in html from Photoshop files
xhtml iT - Website builds from design in 24 hours
ExpressionEngine - A neat little CMS app
Inblogit - A great free blogging tool for web designers

Advertising and Marketing
A few ways to market and advertise yourself online…

Text Link Ads - Text ads to sell your wares and improve your traffic ranking
Review Me - Get your service or Web site reviewed by bloggers
Adbrite - Text and banner ads on over 20,000 sites
AdEngage - Text and Photext ads (image and text ad combined)
Adwords - Text ads on Google searches
Professional On The Web - Get yourself Listed

Miscellaneous
All the many things we couldn’t fit anywhere else!

Creative Public - Useful site for anyone starting a freelance graphic or web design career. A $49.95 fee buys unlimited access to forms, manuals, pricing guides, contracts etc
You Send It - Send files up to 2GB online
Jewelboxing - superior packaging for short run CDs and DVDs
eFax - Send and receive faxes by email
PowerXChange - Extensions for a variety of creative software, including Acrobat, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and Dreamweaver
Coroflot - A great resources for designers to showcase their portfolios, share work and network
Cloudmark - Block spam on your PC
SpamSieve - Block spam on your Mac
Dropsend - Email up to 1GB of files
Media Fire - Send 100MB files online
Box - Store, share and access files online
Icebrrg - Simple web forms
Formsite - Web forms and surveys in minutes
Lorem Ipsum - Lorem Ipsum generator for dummy copy
Textmate - The essential programmers text editor for Macs
ETextEditor - Like Textmate but for Windows
Kuler - Colour scheme picker
Jungle Disk - Online storage for 15 cents a gigabyte

Do you have a resource we missed? Leave a comment and let us know!

The idea for this post came from the always helpful IHelpYouBlog’s 101 Great Posting Ideas that Sizzle …

AVI2DVD

2007-04-16T04:59:00.000-06:00

From One Tip A Day

AVi2DVD is a freeware program that converts AVI video files to ISO files so that they can be burnt to DVD, VCD or SVCD. This means that you can play any video files stored on your PC on a standard DVD player.

Avi2DCD is an All In One tool in order to convert with just few clicks an Avi/Ogm/Mkv/Wmv/Dvd to Dvd/Svcd/Vcd file will be playing in your DVD. It even supports multiple audiostreams and up to three textual external subtitles.

More: Avi2DVD

LeapTag Finds Feeds For You

2007-04-16T04:55:00.000-06:00

From Webware

LeapTag is an RSS reader with a twist: Instead of letting you easily subscribe to feeds and then showing you what's new in those feeds, you subscribe to tags and topics, and it finds items from the blogosphere that it thinks you'll like. As you tell the system how much you like the items, it improves its selections for you.

LeapTag finds items for you based on your votes.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

TechCrunch compares it to StumbleUpon, which is apt. It does help you find items that you'll find interesting on sites you may not know about.

But once you find a new site you like, you have to go elsewhere to subscribe to the site's feed. That is one of LeapTag's greatest faults. It reads feeds, but it's not a feed reader. You cannot add a feed to it manually. Because it's not a feed-reader, using LeapTag adds a step to, rather than simplifies, the daily process of reading blogs -- assuming you still want to scan your main blogs for all their new items, not just the ones that an algorithm thinks you might like.

And this secondary reader is going to take a fair bit of time to learn how to use, set up, and manage.

LeapTag's other fault is its footprint on your system. It operates as a browser plug-in and relies on a Windows (or Mac) executable as well. It puts new items in your main browser toolbar and gives you a new sidebar. It's a pretty heavy installation, as opposed to a fully browser-based reader like Google's, the simple toolbar of StumbleUpon, or just the bookmarklet from Del.icio.us. LeapTag CEO Cuneyt Ozveren told me the company put all its functionality on the desktop to ensure privacy and security of LeapTag's data. But for a tool like this, which users need to be convinced to use, I think a lighter-weight, browser-based solution would make more sense.

All that said, there's something really great about LeapTag. It will help you find more stories and sites to read, and it will get better for you over time. Just be prepared to put the work, and time, into it.

Leaptag will be demo'd at Web 2.0 Expo.

Money Saving Sites

2007-04-16T04:54:00.000-06:00

From The Simple Dollar

Who says web surfing can’t directly save you money? First of all, here are five websites I use on a very frequent basis that have directly saved me significant money.

Remember The Milk
http://www.rememberthemilk.com/

I wrote ecstatically about this site before, but the same still holds true: I use it to manage my grocery list, among other things. I just add items to Remember the Milk whenever I think of it, then when I’m out at the store, I fire up the mobile version of the site and there’s my shopping list right on my cell phone. This makes it incredibly easy to just follow the grocery list and get out of the store without spending extra money.

Coupons.com
http://www.coupons.com/

This is basically the equivalent of printing money. When you have your shopping list ready, just visit this site and scroll through the pile of available coupons. Print the ones that match what’s on your list - most of them won’t, but I usually find one or two that do. I also like to visit the website of the grocery store I’m about to visit to pick up even more coupons. Quite often, five minutes of web surfing in this fashion can save me another $5 on a grocery store visit. No need to worry about clipping coupons at all; just print the ones you actually can use out before you go to the store.

FatWallet
http://www.fatwallet.com/

If you’re about to make a larger purchase, stop by FatWallet before dropping the cash. The site is basically a collection of deals on all kinds of products from various vendors, from computers to housewares. I looked at FatWallet just before buying my laptop and after about three minutes of looking around, I found a Dell code that knocked $300 off of the price. I’ve found other deals there, too, just by looking around a bit before making a planned larger purchase.

PaperBackSwap
http://www.paperbackswap.com/index.php?n=7&r_by=trent%40thesimpledollar.com

PaperBackSwap is another site I’ve waxed ecstatic about in the past, but it still holds true: it’s an incredibly cheap way to get books in the mail at home. Basically, for every book you don’t want any more that you’re willing to ship via media mail to someone else who wants it (you’re matched up at the site), you can request any of the million-plus books there to be shipped to you for free.

What about other online sites?
Many people use such sites as Priceline.com and Shopping.com for online comparison shopping, and I agree that you can sometimes find deals by using them. However, I almost always find that the prices are slightly inflated at these types of sites. For example, I was recently able to find a very nice price for an airline ticket online, and it would have been quite easy to just click and order it. However, I just directly called the airline, told them the price that I could get online, and asked them if they could directly beat it. They did almost immediately by about $20.

In short, don’t believe in online comparison shoppers as the be-all-end-all of saving money. Although the prices are better than what you might find off the shelf, quite often a little more legwork can save you a little bit more than that. If you’re going to book a flight, get a hotel room, or other such things online, take an extra minute to call up the airline or hotel. Tell them the price you can get online and ask if they can directly beat it. Quite often, they will; by cutting out the middleman, you save and the airline or hotel might be making an extra dollar or two as well.

The same is true for comparison shopping. I’ve often found that once I locate the best price on a comparison shopping site, if I go to that specific site and enter directly, I can find the same item for the same price - or often cheaper.

Remember, comparison shopping sites are a tool to help you save money; they are rarely the ultimate answer themselves.

Running A Blog Costs Hundreds Of Dollars

2007-04-16T04:51:00.000-06:00

From lifehack.org

We received this comment from Kate regarding Kyle’s Beginner’s Guide to starting a blog and making $100 in the first month.

I have found this article very misleading. The online quick setup blogs do not allow you to insert ads or google analytics. The wordpress standalone is not easy to set up. MySQL? I don’t have MySQL… I continue to be baffled by this whole process, it seems to me you need several hundred dollars to set up a semi-professional looking blog that allows ads.

This isn’t true.

Firstly, there are free blogging options that allow you to paste advertising code. Wordpress.com doesn’t, but Google’s Blogger.com does. Blogger.com even includes it as standard procedure meaning you don’t even have to paste any code, just sign up to Adsense.

There are other options and I would like to open up the comments section for suggestions similar to Blogger.com.

One thing that you will want to do, however, is register a domain name. Luckily this only costs a few dollars a year. This makes your site, where ever it is hosted, look professional. Kyle explains this in his post.

At this rate, you only need to make around 50c per month to cover your costs. After that it’s all profit.

Hosting & MySQL

Since Kate also mentions having to understand MySQL databases to run a blog, I will clear this up briefly as well.

Hosting, depending on how much drive space, bandwidth and extra features you want, can cost from a few dollars a month to $30-40. However, for your average blog, who’s main bandwidth culprit is images, the few dollars a month to set up a host should be sufficient.

If you want to use a blogging platform such as Wordpress, you are required to upload a bunch of files [using FTP] and set up a MySQL database. This can be daunting, but I’m going to flesh out a three step process to keep the database section simple - because it is!

1. Go to your host’s Database section and Create A New Database.
2. Name it and add a user that has all access privileges.
3. Open Wordpress’s config.php file and enter the database details.

Upload the file back to your server and you’re done. Now you have a powerful blogging platform on a site that will maybe cost you a few dollars per month. Get around 5,000 impressions [not individual visitors] each month and you’re covering your costs with Google Adsense alone.

NOTES: When choosing a host, make sure they offer MySQL databases; some plans don’t. Don’t go crazy with bandwidth requirements, you can always upgrade if you get that popular.

Post decent content daily and you’ll be making money in no time.

Five Things That Seem Expensive, But Don't Have To Be

2007-04-16T04:49:00.000-06:00

From The Simple Dollar
While reading through the plethora of comments on my recent post on giving television the boot, I realized that there are many things that I view as inexpensive that others view as being very expensive. Here’s a list of five of these items, along with ways to make this “expensive” thing not expensive at all (or at least significantly less expensive).

Conducting an exercise program Gym membership fees, a trainer, lots of equipment - you’re going to be shelling out the cash for an exercise program, right? The truth is that all of those are just motivators - if you can find your own motivator, you don’t need any of it. Instead, try:

Doing your own research. Go to the library or use the internet to look up information on exercise and dieting. You can easily find all kinds of information about anything that’s on your mind.

Finding something that works for you that doesn’t require expensive stuff. It was thanks to the internet that I discovered the exercise portion of the so-called geek diet, which is a wonderful self-motivating exercise routine with goals and milestones. I often do this after work but before the rest of the family gets home to get my endorphins going. I turn on some music and just do the exercises and before long I’m in a groove, sweating a bit, and breathing heavy. When I’m done, suddenly I feel great - and it cost about a cent (the electricity for the music).

Starting your own business Location, materials, paperwork - it’s such a huge investment of time and money, how can I possibly get started? The truth is that these are all just obstacles. I started my computer consulting business with a flyer printed on my home computer and hung up on the bulletin board in the post office. I started this blog on a free blog hosting service. Instead of burning money, try:

Looking for inexpensive opportunities. The only person doing regular consulting in my local area moved away, so I took that opportunity to build some business with just a handful of printouts from my local computer. Easy as pie.

Doing something you enjoy already. Can you turn any of your already existing hobbies into something that makes money? My aunt used to love spending afternoons hunting for geodes in the woods, so she just started selling them by putting them on a table in front of her house with a sign made out of an old barn plank and putting a jar out there that accepted payment on the honor system. She’d do what she always did, but about once a day she’d go out there and pull tons of cash out of the jar.

Taking a class / getting a degree This is expensive, but it’s literally an investment in your future. By using your spare time to get educated, you’re improving your job opportunities. Even moving up 20% in salary can pay for the education in a handful of years and then you’re better off for the rest of your life. Instead of sweating it, try:

Investigating the courses (or similar ones) online. Look up the topic on Wikipedia, or better yet, see if there are any appropriate classes on MIT’s Open CourseWare. You can find out a ton of information from these resources and begin to educate yourself for free.

Taking some classes at the local community college. Take some basic classes in your area at the local community college on the cheap to see if it clicks. If it does, then you can move on to finish your degree at a university; if not, you’re not out much money.

Prepare meals Many people my age say that they don’t want to do this because it’s so expensive and that it’s cheaper to get take out than it is to make your own food. This is truly nonsensical - the only way this can be true is if you buy every single ingredient fresh and in larger quantities than you need, then discard the rest. Instead, try:

Making food out of what you have. If you have enough ingredients to make a double batch of something and fresh ingredients will go to waste if you don’t, make the double batch and put the rest in the freezer to re-heat another time. Don’t be afraid of leftovers, ever; the only reason some people see them as “bad” is because they haven’t discovered some of the secrets of leftovers.

Starting from the beginning. Others buy $40 worth of ingredients to make something stunning, then completely mess it up because they’re not familiar with the kitchen. Work up to pheasant under glass; don’t try it right off the bat. Start off by teaching yourself how to cook the right way and make simple dishes before moving onto challenging things that you can really goof up.

Read a great book This one perhaps surprised me the most, but several people seemed to believe that reading was expensive. They could read a book a day, but that means $10 a day and $300 drowns their monthly budget. There are some obvious solutions to this; how about instead of dropping cash like that, try:

Going to the library. Thousands and thousands of books for free. The only possible drawback is that you can’t write on the pages or something if you want to make notes.

Using PaperBackSwap (or a similar service). Get books in the mail for free, basically. You just sign up, list nine books that you own that you’d be willing to send to others (via media mail for about a dollar and a half), and you can request three books out of their million-plus inventory to be sent to you for free. Whenever a book is requested of you, send it out, and when it’s received, you can request a book for yourself.

Skype Tips and Tools

2007-04-14T11:39:00.000-06:00

From Makeuseof.com

One-by-one we are publishing jumbo tips and tools lists for popular services. Today it’s Skype. What follows is, 30 carefully-selected and tested (when possible) Tools and Tips for Skype users, including popular Skype extras, desktop widgets, addons (for browser, email and Office programs), cool tips and more. As always, all free!
(1) SKYPE EXTRAS (Windows, Skype 3.0 or higher)
SAM - Answering Machine - cool voice answering machine for your Skype client. Takes voice message, records conversations, includes inbuilt lie-detector and lets you setup video greetings . [requirements: Win. Media Player]
Media Controller - nice extra that lets you auto-pause/stop/decrease volume of your media player (Winamp, WMP, iTunes) at the time of an incoming call. It’ll change the state back to normal as soon as the call ends. (Note: little heavy on memory usage)
TalkAndWrite - collaborate with your contacts on any document (doc, rtf, pdf, xls, ppt, png, webpage, etc.) side by side. Demo
uSeeToo - lets you share images, maps, play multi-player games and collaborate with your contacts.
KishKish Lie Detector - fun, real-time lie detector that monitors stress level of the person you talk with.
Tumara VC for Skype - search your Skype contacts using voice commands.
Fadeout Fun - free Skype soundeffects, i.e. phone rings, toilet flushes, etc. [Works on any platform]
Last.fm - integrates customized (based on your favorite artists), ad-free radio to your Skype client. Automatically fades out on incoming calls. [requirements: Flash 7 or higher]
(2) DESKTOP WIDGETS (both for Mac and Windows users)
Yahoo Widgets (?): SkypeContacts [Win] / Skyper TM4 [Win , Mac] - displays your Skype contacts and lets you contact them by using provided action buttons.
Google Gadgets (?): Skype Plugin [Google Desktop 4 or above] - displays your skype credit and contacts.
Mac Dashboard: Skype Widget [Mac OS X 10.4 or later] - dashboard widget that lets you make calls, look up country codes and check calling rates.
(3) ADDONS (For Browsers, Email Clients and Microsoft Office)
SkypeWebToolbar [Firefox / IE] - recognizes phone numbers and Skype names on webpages, and lets you initiate a Skype call with a single click.
SkypeEmailToolbar [Outlook, Oulook Exp. 6, Thunderbird(win)] - access Skype contacts from your email client, call Skype names and phone numbers listed in the emails, view status of your contacts, add a Skype Button to your email signature and more.
SkypeOfficeToolbar [Win] - lets you send the file you are currently working on via Skype. Also recognizes phone numbers within your documents (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) and lets you call or SMS them.
Skype Sidebar [Firefox (1.5 – 2.0b1), Win] - handy addon that lets you call, add, find, check status, chat, voice mail and send files to your contacts right from your browser.
Callto: Linkify [Greasemonkey(?) script] - turns text phone numbers in webpages into ‘Skype Dial’ hyperlinks. When clicked it’ll initiate a Skype call to that number.
CustomizeSkypeAccount [Greasemonkey script] - integrates extra info to your ‘Skype Call list’ on your account page (skype.com), i.e total cost per month, total call time per month, etc.
(4) COOL TIPS
How To make a portable Skype phone from an old cordless phone.
Skype hack enables higher resolution video calls. For PC For Mac.
Router secrets that improve the quality of Skype phone calls. ‘HowTo’ video
Adding a ‘Skype Me’ button to your email as a signature
How To get Skype to work from your USB Drive. (aka portable(?) Skype)
(5) MORE STUFF
Anothr - simple and extremely easy to setup service that lets you use your Skype client as a notification tool for getting updates on your favorite blogs and feeds
SMS to Skype - allows GSM mobile phone users to send instant messages to any Skype user. (Note: Regular SMS rates apply)
JiWire Hotspot - helps you locate wireless hotspots anywhere in the world
Plusfax - fax paper documents from your fax Machine directly to any Skype user
KanTalk - free foreign language practice community for Skype users
SkypeMobile - install skype on your mobile for cheaper calling rates
Skype for Mac 2.6 (Beta) - newly released Skype version for Mac users with bunch of cool features, i.e. chat type indicator (i.e John is typing), call transfer (transfer your active call to anyone on your contact list) [requirements: Mac OS X v10.3.9 Panther or later]

What's In A Tech Company Name?

2007-04-11T16:02:00.000-06:00

From Compiler
Here’s some fun facts for your Friday: A list of how companies got their names. The list isn’t exclusively tech companies, but some of the more interesting stories are from web-tech leaders.

Keep in mind that this is Wikipedia, so I wouldn't want bet the farm on the veracity of them all, but it's still some good trivia for the boring work party this evening.

Here’s some highlights:

Apple - for the favourite fruit of co-founder Steve Jobs and/or for the time he worked at an apple orchard. Apple wanted to distance itself from the cold, unapproachable, complicated imagery created by other computer companies at the time.
eBay - Pierre Omidyar, who had created the Auction Web trading website, had formed a web consulting concern called Echo Bay Technology Group. “Echo Bay” didn’t refer to the town in Nevada, “It just sounded cool,” Omidyar reportedly said. Echo Bay Mines Limited, a gold mining company, had already taken EchoBay.com, so Omidyar registered what (at the time) he thought was the second best name: eBay.com.
Google - a deliberate misspelling of the word googol, reflecting the company’s mission to organize the immense amount of information available online.
Hotmail - Founder Jack Smith got the idea of accessing e-mail via the web from a computer anywhere in the world. When Sabeer Bhatia came up with the business plan for the mail service he tried all kinds of names ending in ‘mail’ and finally settled for Hotmail as it included the letters “HTML” — the markup language used to write web pages. It was initially referred to as HoTMaiL with selective upper casing.
Yahoo - a backronym for ‘Y’et Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle. The word Yahoo was invented by Jonathan Swift and used in his book Gulliver’s Travels. It represents a person who is repulsive in appearance and barely human. Yahoo! founders David Filo and Jerry Yang jokingly considered themselves yahoos
And my personal favorite and most fitting: Lycos - from Lycosidae, the family of wolf spiders.

[via Kottke]

Top 10 Firefox Extensions to Avoid

2007-04-11T07:06:00.000-06:00

From Computerworld

April 10, 2007 (Computerworld) -- Welcome back, Firefox fans! We've helped you get started on your journey to browser perfection with our list of 20 must-have Firefox extensions. But the ability to tweak your browser is a double-edged sword. There are extensions best avoided, including some of the most popular.

Popularity shouldn't be the acid test to determine if you should install an extension. The important question is whether it enhances your browsing experience without any nasty side effects. The good news is that the extension community is actually pretty adept at self-policing. Most extensions that are truly "broken" (for instance, they crash your browser or suck up all your CPU power) either get fixed quickly or simply vanish.

But some extensions are "bad" in unapparent ways, or just don't provide enough benefits to be worth running. So, in no particular order, let's look at 10 to avoid.

Fasterfox

This Web accelerator has a "pre-fetching" mechanism that makes you a very bad Web citizen. Here's how it works: You land on a page and start reading it. While your system is idle, Fasterfox silently starts following links and downloading the destination pages. The idea is that if you then decide to click on one of these links, the page is already cached on your local machine and will pop up very quickly.

This is nice for you, but it can be an incredible waste of bandwidth -- just think about how many links are on a typical page. Even if you don't care about bandwidth, there are reports that some systems administrators are now detecting the extension (and others like it) and blocking clients that are using it. While it is possible to use Fasterfox responsibly, it is best avoided unless you know what you are doing.


If you must use Fasterfox, choose the Courteous setting -- it will speed up your browsing a bit without making you a complete bandwidth hog.

NoScript

This extension is hugely popular and works as advertised, giving you control over which JavaScript, Java and other executable content on a page can run, depending on that content's source domain. You whitelist the sites you consider safe and blacklist the sites you don't.


	NoScript has you allow or forbid executable content by originating domain; a single Web page can include such content from multiple domains.

If you really have a need for this kind of control, then you're already using the extension and will continue to do so. But for the average Web surfer, constantly having to whitelist sites so that scripts can execute in order to give you a fully formed Web experience gets tedious very quickly.

Does NoScript make Firefox safer? Sure. Is it worth the hassle? No. For some reason, paranoia seems to be cool among Web geeks, but for the most part, it is totally unwarranted unless you're sending and receiving sensitive data. Most typical Web surfers who install this extension remove it after the novelty wears off.
Adblock and Adblock Plus

Obviously, we have some bias when it comes to ad-blocking extensions, as Computerworld is an ad-supported site. We also understand that these are very popular extensions. But if everyone blocked ads, how would sites such as ours continue to offer content free of charge?

We'll be the first to admit that there are some horribly annoying ads out there. (Buzzing bee, anyone?) But we prefer using Nuke Anything Enhanced to zap the annoying ads while continuing to support the sites we love by allowing most ads to appear.

PDF Download

Here's another extension that works as advertised and is very popular, but it seems like overkill for most users and can cause headaches for others. PDF Download lets you control how Firefox handles PDF files when you click on them -- you can display a pop-up box that lets you choose whether to download, open or view the file as HTML. You can also set it to take one of these actions by default, skipping the pop-up.


PDF Download's pop-up dialog.

Besides the option to view the file as HTML, the real draw for many people is the ability to have PDF files open in the external PDF viewer of their choice rather than the Adobe Reader plug-in for Firefox. Using the external viewer is significantly faster on some systems but not at all on others. Likewise, viewing as HTML sometimes takes longer than opening the PDF with the Adobe Reader plug-in.

So what's the problem? The extension can run into trouble when it tries to handle certain PDFs. Some Web sites send you to a "silent interstitial" page for tracking purposes or some other reason, then redirect you to the PDF. In these cases, the extension won't work. Usually when this happens, PDF Download just gets bypassed, but we've had Firefox freeze up when dealing with redirected PDFs, too. For the little benefit that PDF Download provides, the problems it can cause just aren't worth it.

VideoDownloader

Homegrown video is hot right now, and why not? Sites like YouTube and Google Video make it easy to put content online for Web denizens to enjoy. The VideoDownloader extension promises a way to download video from these sites and many more for your offline viewing pleasure. Sounds great, right?

The problem is that the extension has to connect to a Web site in order to work, and more often than not, you'll find that instead of a download window, what you get is "Service Temporarily Unavailable." When it does finally work, the download is infuriatingly slow.


What you should see when you try to download a video (left) ... and what you'll often see instead.

Perhaps the extension is a victim of its own success, but until the server issues are addressed, save yourself some aggravation and skip this one.
Greasemonkey

Hey, wait just a minute. Wasn't this on our list of best extensions? Well, yes it was. Greasemonkey is a really nifty extension to use, as long as you know what you're doing with it. It can potentially get you in trouble because it allows JavaScripts written by other people to run in Firefox. If one of those scripts is malicious, your system could be at risk.

To stay out of trouble, you should use Greasemonkey only with scripts you know are safe, either because you're familiar enough with JavaScript to satisfy yourself or because the script has enough comments at userscripts.org to indicate that people are using it with no ill effects.

If you're not willing to do your homework, skip this extension altogether.

ScribeFire (formerly Performancing)

This falls into the category of extensions that seem pointless. What we have here is a browser-based tool for writing blog posts. But don't most blogs already have a browser-based editor that works just fine?

Perhaps there's a blogging system out there that needs this kind of helper app, but we're not familiar with it. Until we come upon such a beast, we'd rather skip the overhead of an extension and stick to our blogging software's built-in editor.



WordPress' built-in editor on the top, ScribeFire on the bottom. Do you need both?

Don't get us wrong, ScribeFire is a nice piece of software. We just don't see a need for it at this time. If you do happen to be using blogging software without a decent editor, ScribeFire would be a fine addition to your extension toolbox.

TrackMeNot

This is another of those extensions for the overly paranoid. The developers apparently became concerned with search engine profiling -- the process in which search engines track your queries and build a demographic profile of you based on those queries -- after a list of three months' worth of search queries from 657,000 AOL members was released on the Web.


	A small section of a log file of searches performed by TrackMeNot.

We don't mean to downplay privacy concerns, but the technique used in TrackMeNot is questionable. The extension runs in the background while you surf, and sends random search queries to AOL, Yahoo, Google and MSN search engines. What a waste of system resources for both you and the search engines you rely on!

Tabbrowser Preferences

This extension lets you tweak Firefox's tab settings in various minor ways. For instance, you can add a New Tab button to your tab bar, or control whether the Close Tab icon appears on each tab or at the end of the tab bar. It works fine.

The problem is that if you uninstall the extension, it doesn't reset your tab settings, leaving you with tweaks that you have to undo by going to the about:config page, which many users don't understand or even know about.


If you uninstall this extension, you'll have to delve into the about:config page to undo the changes it made. That's poor extension etiquette.

The changes the extension makes are fairly subtle, but that's not the point. If you uninstall an extension, you do so for a reason, and once it's uninstalled, the browser should be reset to its default state.

Tabbrowser Extensions

This extension is a real heavyweight but seems quite popular in certain Firefox circles -- it almost seems to be a rite of passage for Firefox nerds. It gives you lots of control over how tabbed browsing works and even supports plug-ins to add even more functionality. However, it is buggy and conflicts with many other extensions. In fact, even its developers suggest that you not install it!

When the people writing the code suggest you stay away, you should stay away, no matter what your über-Firefox-geek friend says. In any event, the extension hasn't been -- and probably won't be -- upgraded to support Firefox 2.x.

Bonus: Watch out for the Numbered Links 0.9 imposter

There's nothing wrong with the Numbered Links 0.9 extension per se. By showing numbers next to links, buttons and other interactive elements on Web pages, it lets you navigate without using a mouse. If you chose to install Numbered Links 0.9 previously, there's no reason not to go on using it if you find it helpful (though you might be interested in Conkeror by the same developer).

However, if you see this extension in your add-ons list and don't recall installing it, then tread carefully. There's a version that has been modified into the FormSpy Trojan, which installs itself as a Firefox extension and keeps the title "Numbered Links 0.9." FormSpy can potentially capture information entered into HTML forms and send them on to a malicious Web site. For more information, see McAfee's FormSpy profile.

What do you think?

So there you have it -- our 10 picks for Firefox extensions to avoid, plus an imposter to really be on the alert for.

As always, we welcome your thoughts. Have any extension horror stories you'd care to share? Want to defend an extension that we've listed? Please use the comment form at the bottom of the page.

Peter Smith is a Web developer and freelance writer with a special interest in personal technology and digital entertainment.

To the Anti-Google Sentiment

2007-04-11T06:56:00.000-06:00

From Lifehack.org

Last week I wrote an apparently controversial article on how I do my work completely online and why the operating system I use is no longer relevant: Firefox OS: Why My Hard Drive and Software are Obsolete.

In the many comments that followed, I was accused of being a Google fanboy, because I use so many Google apps: Gmail, Gcal, Google Reader, Picasa, Google Homepage and more. The truth is, I use those apps because in my experience they are the best online apps in each of their respective categories.

But it’s true that it’s never good to be under the thumbs of one company, and so by popular demand, here are the best alternatives to those Google apps. While it’s too late to save myself, perhaps you guys can get free from the Google stranglehold!

Top 10 Alternatives to Google’s apps

1. Thunderbird. As I noted in the previous article, I’m a fan of Firefox … and Mozilla’s open-source Thunderbird is right behind it in terms of usefulness, functionality, speed and extensibility. Thunderbird, although not an online app, is a great alternative to Gmail. If you add Mozilla’s Lightning or Sunbird, you can replace Gcal too.

2. 30 Boxes. Although the simple and fast Gcal meets my needs perfectly, 30 boxes is just as fast and easy, and is loved by many. If Gcal didn’t integrate with Gmail, I would probably be using 30 Boxes.

3. Netvibes. Although I love the speed of Google Reader, Netvibes can not only hold all of your feeds in an organized way, it can replace both Reader and Google Personalized Homepage. A great way to organize all your favorite services in a personalized way, Netvibes was my homepage of choice until I discovered Reader.

4. Zoho Office Suite. Perhaps the best online alternative to the Google Docs & Spreadsheets, Zoho has just about everything you’d ever need: a spreadsheet, word processor, presentation program, project manager, notebook, wiki, web conferencing, mail, chat, database and CRM. This might actually be my choice of the future.

5. Peepel. This new offering takes my online OS model almost literally — it offers a desktop environment from within your browser. This service contains office apps, accessible anywhere online, including a word processor, spreadsheet and more. I haven’t actually given this a spin yet, but I intend to. It’s limited in its current beta release, but it has potential and plans to expand in the future. Replaces Google Docs and Spreadsheets

6. Bloglines. If Netvibes or Google Reader isn’t for you, Bloglines is another popular and excellent choice.

7. Zimbra Collaboration Suite. Yet another online office suite, Zimbra started out with email/calendar functionality and has since launched spreadsheet and word processing apps. I haven’t tried this, but have heard excellent things about it, and I love that it’s open-source with an API that could have many uses. Another alternative to Google Docs and Spreadsheets

8. ThinkFree Online. Billed as the “best online office on earth,” ThinkFree aims to ween people from Microsoft Office to is web office suite. It has spreadsheet, word processing and presentation apps, online storage, document sharing and more. Unfortunately, only some of that functionality is free, but it’s still an interesting suite. Replaces Google Docs and Spreadsheets.

9. OpenOffice.org. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention everybody’s favorite open-source office suite, OpenOffice. It’s not an online app, but it offers everything Microsoft Office can give you, but for free, and without all the bloat. This is definitely worth a try, especially if you’re not only trying to get free from Google but Microsoft as well. Replaces Google Docs and Spreadsheets.

10. Flickr. An obvious choice as a replacement for Google’s Picasa web photo service, Yahoo’s Flickr is actually much more popular. My free Flickr account wasn’t good enough for me, but it’s a great service loved by many.

Can you get free from Google’s grip? Yes, I believe you can. As I said before, I’m more than willing to try out the alternatives, but Google’s apps are the best I’ve found so far. For those of you who aren’t fans of Google, there’s a lot more out there.

Leo Babauta blogs regularly about achieving goals through daily habits on Zen Habits, and covers such topics as productivity, GTD, simplifying, frugality, parenting, happiness, motivation, exercise, eating healthy and more. Read his articles on keeping your inbox empty, clearing your desk, becoming an early riser, and the Top 20 Motivation Hacks.

Top 10 Anti-aging Foods

2007-04-11T06:53:00.000-06:00

From Lifehack.org

What you eat is what you are. Eating foods that are harmful for the body leads to ailments, low energy levels, depression and can even be fatal. Following diets that are lop sided like the Atkins (which recommends only protein consumption) or the South Beach Diet only leads to temporary weight loss and almost permanent damage in terms of health and energy.

What you really need is a balanced diet that includes carbohydrates, proteins, fats as well as fiber to ensure a healthy and long life. Aging is the process that occurs when the body cells fall prey to external elements and wither off. If the body cells remain well oxygenated and healthy aging can be postponed. Certain foods can help in preventing cell degeneration.

Below is a list of the top ten anti aging foods that help regain vigor and vitality.

Avocado – This is one of the most alkalizing foods available. Avocados are very high in vitamin E which is essential for glowing skin and shining hair. It also help keeps those wrinkles off your face. Have a raw avocado salad or a steamed one with some salt to add effect.
Berries - All berries, especially Gooseberries, are very rich in vitamin C and therefore highly useful to the body. Vitamin C helps in proper blood circulation and provides minerals and salts to all the body parts. Needless to say this helps the body to fight against aging and keep fit.
Green vegetables - Broccoli, spinach, lettuce, salad leaves and other such greens are highly beneficial for the body. Not only do they help keep the body weight low but also help fight toxins. Fighting toxins is important because a highly toxic body is like a magnet for all kinds of diseases that can harm the body.
Garlic – This is one of the most important foods provided to us by nature. The benefits of garlic are numerous. It helps prevent cell degeneration, helps keep the blood thin and also prevents heart diseases. It is most beneficial when eaten raw.
Ginger - This root facilitates digestion and is therefore essential for the body. Ginger keeps bowel movement in shape, thereby enabling good gut health.
Nuts – Almonds and cashew nuts are like power houses of energy. Consuming nuts on a daily basis will fight that lethargic feeling and fill the body with immense energy.
Yogurt – Yogurt is rich is important minerals like potassium, calcium, protein and B vitamins. Apart from these, what makes yogurt one of the most powerful foods is the presence of live bacteria in it. This bacteria helps absorption of nutrients in the intestines and stabilizes the immune system.
Whole wheat pasta and brown rice - Carbohydrates are long term energy foods and should never be given up unless you want to invite trouble. Substitute white pasta and rice with whole wheat pasta and brown rice and you will instantly feel the difference in your energy level.
Melons – Water melons and musk melons not only have an alkalizing effect on the body but also provide the body with essential fluids that it needs for performing various tasks.
Water – Nothing compares to water Stay away form those aerated drinks for it takes 32 glasses of water to balance out the ill effects of one glass of soda. Water is essential for our body. It flushes out all the toxins from the body. It also provides fluidity for the flow of blood. At least 8 glasses of clean pure water must be consumed on a daily basis.

There is no need to look your age anymore. Flaunt a younger look and live much longer without having to bother to go under the knife. A good exercise routine and a table that offers anti aging foods are the answers to obesity, illness and wrinkles.

Vishal P. Rao runs the Work at Home forum, an online community of those who work from home.

Top 20 Wordpress Plugins

2007-04-11T06:42:00.000-06:00

From Makeuseof.com

30 March, 2007 | written by Aibek |

Finally something for wordpress folks, my all-time favorite, carefully-selected, top 20 wordpress plugins. Enjoy!

1. Advanced WYSIWYG Editor - adds more editing options to the WYSIWYG post editor. See it below

2. Akismet - default wordpress plugin which does an excellent job at filtering spam comments. To activate it you’ll need WordPress API key, which is freely available to every wordpress.com user. Once activated you can access it through ‘Options ->Discussion’.

3. BDP RSS Aggregator (update: original site seems to be offline, for now you can download this plugin from here) - lets you grab one or several RSS feeds, mix/style them and publish them on your blog. It’s an ideal solution, for any blogger looking for an easy and yet powerful solution to embed RSS feeds on your blog posts or pages. Access it through ‘Manage-> RSS feeds’.

4. Bookmark Me - adds links to popular social bookmarking sites. Once installed, it will add ‘Bookmark Me’ tab under the ‘Options’ menu, from where you can select which sites you want to be shown. Includes almost all popular sites.

5. Category Tagging - powerful plugin that lets you (1) create tag clouds based on your existing categories and (2) display related posts for each of your posts.

6. Comment Count - can be used to count total number of comments or comments for a specific post. You can see it in action on top of every article on makeuseof

7. Optimal Title - lets you move the position of the title ’separator’ to after the blog name rather than before. Even though some folks have been saying that such naming is good from the SEO(Search Engine Optimization) point of view, I think it’s just a better way to title your posts. It will also produce better looking pingbacks when you link to external blog posts.

before: MakeUseOf.com >> Gmail Craze: 30+ Tools and Hacks for Gmail
after: Gmail Craze: 30+ Tools and Hacks for Gmail >> MakeUseOf.com

8. Exec-PHP - lets you execute PHP queries within any of your posts or pages

9. Google Sitemaps - handy generator that will create a Google, Yahoo and MSN compliant, auto-updated sitemap of your blog and place it to the indicated location on your server. Access it through ‘Options -> Sitemap’.

10. WP-Cache - very fast cache module, that can come in handy for sudden traffic spikes, i.e. when featured on digg’s homepage. Once installed and enabled(’Options -> WP-Cache -> enable’) it will considerably reduce the load from your server, helping you survive the digg effect. (Note: Make sure to disable it once traffic level gets back to normal)

11. WSR Contact Form - lets you quickly create ‘contact’ page for your blog. See it in action on our contact page

12. Smart Archives - provides simple and clean way to present your archives. Check it out here

13. WordPress Database Backup - On demand backup of your WordPress database. You can either run backups manually or schedule them (daily, weekly, etc.)

(click to enlarge and open it in a new window)

14. WordPress Reports - gets stats from Google Analytics and Feedburner and adds them to the new ‘Reports’ tab

(click to enlarge and open it in a new window)

15. Custom Query String (CQS) - allows you to choose how many posts to be shown and specify how they should be ordered, for any of the ’search queries’ and blog categories.(’Options->CQS’)

16. Feedburner Feed Replacement - automatically detects all ways to access your blog feed (i.e. http://www.yourdomain.com/feed/ or http://www.yourdomai.com/wp-rss2.php, etc.), and redirects them to your FeedBurner feed so you can track every subscriber

17. Digg This - this one is a popular one, it detects incoming links from Digg.com to your wordpress post and automatically displays animated digg-count button(or text link) showing number of diggs a story got. Cool thing about it, is that as soon as your post is submitted to Digg, an email is sent to the site’s admin.

18. WP-Postviews - allows you to display the number of times a post has been viewed. In addition, you can use it to display your top 10 most popular posts.

19. HowTo: Separate Comments from Trackbacks - this isn’t a plugin but a quick and easy howto explaining how to separate blog comments from Pings/Trackbacks.

20. 1024px-10 - many people expressed interest to the theme used on makeuseof.com, hence I decided to post it here as well. It’s a simple theme which is extremely flexible for further buildup. Note that what you see on makeuseof right now is a slightly modified version. I shifted the sidebar menu to the left, this can be done by modifying style.css file in 2 places.

for the ‘content’ titled box change the float value from right to left
do the opposite for the ’sidebar’ one

Coming Soon To A Scanner Near You

2007-04-11T05:57:00.000-06:00

Google-sponsored Open-Source OCR
From Google Operating System
Google sponsors the development of an open-source OCR software at the IUPR research group. "OCRopus is a state-of-the-art document analysis and OCR system, featuring pluggable layout analysis, pluggable character recognition, statistical natural language modeling, and multi-lingual capabilities."

"The goal of the project is to advance the state of the art in optical character recognition and related technologies, and to deliver a high quality OCR system suitable for document conversions, electronic libraries, vision impaired users, historical document analysis, and general desktop use," explains Thomas Breuel, who leads the project.

The software is partly based on Tesseract, the best open source OCR engine available for now. While the project is expected to be released at the end of next year and will be used for Google's book scanning project, the team has some interesting applications in mind:

* a web service interface
* PDF, camera, and screen OCR
* integration with desktop search tools: Beagle, Spotlight, Google Desktop

The most popular OCR software are ABBYY FineReader, Omnipage, Readiris and Presto OCR, but they're pretty expensive (starting at $100). A decent solution to perform OCR on a document is Microsoft Office Document Imaging, included in Microsoft Office XP/2007. Microsoft Office OneNote 2007 also lets you OCR imported images. A free online alternative is Scanr, a site that lets you digitize documents by sending a mobile phone photo by email.

Top 500 Web Fonts (For Free)

2007-04-11T05:52:00.000-06:00

From Lifehacker

I have kind of a secret fetish for good free fonts, so Fonts 500, a site that has collected the top 500 popular fonts used on the Web, is definitely on my good list.

You can preview each font using your own custom text; each font can be downloaded as a zip file quickly and easily. There are five pages of really good fonts here, I don't think I saw any that I didn't like (which presents a problem in itself, I must say). — Wendy Boswell

Google Voice Local Search Tips (1-800-GOOG-411)

2007-04-11T05:50:00.000-06:00

From Google Operating System

Finally a new service at Google Labs: some people were really worried that Google's innovation went down the stairs.

Google Voice Local Search lets you search for local businesses from any phone and for free. If you're in the US, call 1-800-GOOG-411 and say what you want to find. Here are some of the features:

* You can find a business listing by category. Just say "pizza," for example.
* You can send the listing details to your mobile phone via SMS.
* The service is fully automated, so it doesn't rely on human operators.
* It connects you directly to the business, free of charge.

In the US, 411 is the phone number for local directory assistance, but it's pretty expensive (more than $1). 1-800-FREE-411 is a free service that uses speech recognition to process your request and ads to monetize it.

Google tested several years ago Google Voice Search, a service that let you search Google by voice, but it's not available anymore. There's also Google SMS: send an SMS to 466453 with your query and get business listings.

If you're in the US, which 411 is better: 1-800-FREE-411 or 1-800-GOOG-411?

Update: This service has been around for a while (it was known as 520-Find). A post from October 2006 gives some interesting overview of Google 411:

Call 1 877 466 4411 (1 877 GOOG 411) and try your luck with two voices that I've come to think of as Mr. Google Smooth and Mr. Google Hawking. They won't tell you who they are, but they seem to be the voices of Google Local Search. (...)

If you call, nothing announces that you've reached Google, but a slightly arch and apparently human Mr. Smooth informs you your call might be recorded and then asks for a city and state. Mr. Hawking then cuts in, slow, methodical, and synthetic, to repeat your query. All good? Mr. Smooth then asks for a business type or name. He does all the traffic direction--the prompting for commands, the suggestions of ways you can interact, the questions. Mr. Hawking just gets to read back your queries and read out the searches.

Actual search results described below the fold, but just some general remarks: the voice recognition is pretty good, even with some "foreign" words, but not all English words.

How to check a download for a virus

2007-04-11T05:46:00.000-06:00

From Google Operating System
If you get a file from a site you don't know very well (like a game or a screensaver), the first thing you should do is scan it using an antivirus. The problem is that your antivirus might not be very good or might not include the signature of the trojan included in the file you've just downloaded. So a good idea is to have a second opinion, but you can't install more than one antivirus (unless you disable the real-time protection).

VirusTotal is a site where you can upload a file smaller than 10 MB and it will be scanned by a large number of antivirus software (the current number is 31), including: Kaspersky, BitDefender, F-Secure, Panda. The file will not be scanned instantly, but you'll have to wait a short time (usually around one minute), depending on site's load. You'll get a report like:

If you see conflicting responses, look at the most trustworthy engines (some tests) and at the number of engines that report a virus. In the situation depicted in the screenshot, I can safely assume that the file is clean.

The service is available by email too: send a mail to scan@virustotal.com with the subject SCAN. If you use Gmail, you'll have to rename executable files (for example, from setup.exe to setup.ex1) to be able to send them.

A similar service is Jotti's malware scan, that has a bigger limit for the file size: 15 MB, but uses less antivirus engines.

{ Thank you, Google! }

New 57-mm Mk 110 Naval Gun

2007-04-11T05:37:00.000-06:00

From Gizmag

April 3, 2007 BAE Systems has received its second contract from General Dynamics for US$7.2 million to supply a 57-mm Mk 110 Naval Gun system for the U.S. Navy's fourth Littoral Combat Ship (LCS 4) as its main armament. Linked with a digital fire control system, the Mk 110 accurately fires automatic salvos of the highly lethal 57-mm Mk 295 ammunition at a firing rate of 220 rounds per minute and a range of up to nine miles. The 6-mode programmable 57-mm Mk 295 ammunition allows the system to perform against aerial, surface or ground threats with just a single round. Sailors can switch from warning to live fire to engage a target in seconds, and the servo-controlled electro hydraulic gun laying subsystems provide robust endurance and extreme pointing accuracy, even in high sea-state conditions.The system requires minimal manpower for operation and maintenance, and affords unparalleled availability through high level redundancy, built-in test functions, ready component access, and onboard tools and spares.

For new ship applications calling for reduced-signature characteristics, the 57-mm Mk 110 weather shield design can be tailored to meet specific platform signature requirements.

The USCG received its first Mk 110 in January 2006 for the National Security Cutter and a second gun was delivered in December 2006. For the LCS program, the first gun was delivered to Lockheed Martin in March 2006 for USS Freedom and a second gun will be delivered in September 2007 for installation on the LCS 3 as its main armament. A third gun was delivered to General Dynamics in December 2006 for the Independence-class.

The Mk 110 is based on Bofors Defence 57-mm Mk 3 naval gun, and once in full-rate production, will be assembled at BAE Systems' facility in Louisville, Ky. The contract includes options such as spare parts and training. The gun is scheduled to be delivered in 2008. An actual 57-mm Mk 110 is on display in the BAE Systems' exhibit at the Sea - Air - Space Navy League Exposition in Washington, D.C. April 3 - 5, 2007.

350 HP Electric Motorcycle

2007-04-11T05:30:00.000-06:00

From Gizmag

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April 9, 2007 Electric engines have a very unsexy image; environmentally friendly hybrids and plug-in vehicles couldn't be further from the minds of most high performance motorsport fans. The battery-powered Killacycle, however, is raising eyebrows at the dragstrip after smashing the electric vehicle quarter-mile speed record with a very respectable 8.168 seconds @ 155.78mph earlier this week. Video here.

The bike is fuelled entirely by the world's most powerful Li-Ion battery cells; the M1 from A123 Systems. 990 of the small, rechargeable cells combine to produce a 375 volt, 1575 amp, 7.5 kW/hr battery pack. The bike's peak output is over 350 horsepower, compared to the approximately 240 horsepower of this year's MotoGP missiles.

Top-fuel drag bikes, which make over 1000 horsepower and out-accelerate an F14 jet fighter with their massive power and grip, are currently running times about two seconds quicker than the Killacycle - but each run down the strip for these animal machines burns over 4 gallons of expensive, explosive NitroMethane. The Killacycle, by comparison, uses about 7 cents worth of electricity per run, will make about 7 runs between charges, and takes about 10 minutes on the charger to fully prime.

Check out this YouTube video of the Killacycle setting its recent world record. The sound is amazing, like an enormous electric drill. Most of the sound is actually created by the tyres and chain.

We wish owner/designer Bill Dube, rider Scott Pollacheck and the rest of the Killacycle team all the best as they work on breaking into the "magic 7s" in the coming months.