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insideTonic
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Today’s downloads for Windows, Mac and Mobile
2008-05-16 10:33:00
Windows: Security is probably one of our main concerns as computer users. This is why we all should take it seriously and use the necessary security apps to protect our system and personal data. AVG 8 is an excellent choice to avoid virus infections and stay safe while browsing the web. This last version features a totally revamped interface and a new anti-spyware tool. Mac: Do you find you’re having a hard time remembering login info for all your domains? DomainBrain is a smart little app that lets you store all your precious information and easily protect it with a password. You can organize entries in nested folders and view all your information in one go. DomainBrain should ensure you never forget login info again. Pocket PC: If you can’t afford to hire a personal assistant to take care of your daily schedule then simply install Pocket Informant on your PPC to do the job for you. The application offers a more powerful alternative to the built-in Calendar/Contacts/Tas...
More About: Windows , Mobile , Downloads , Today

Give Office 2007 a fresh new look
2008-05-16 08:23:00
If you haven’t upgraded to Office 2008 yet, then you’ll still be stuck with the templates offered by Office 2007 for your letterheads, envelopes and business cards. However, Microsoft have just released 6 free new professional looking templates for Office 2007 that can spruce up your presentations and business materials. If you haven’t even got Office 2007 yet, the template download page offers a free sample. Once you’ve downloaded the templates there’s a slightly different installtion procedure depending on which Office application you want to use them in. In Powerpoint, simply click on the “Design” menu and in the Themes group, click the “More” button. From there, you’ve got an option to add custom templates. In Word or Excel you’ll need to use the Page Layout tab and in the Themes group, click Themes and browse to the themes you’ve just downloaded. Note that you may receive the error message “The templ...
More About: Give , Fresh

Chameleo mixes widgets with video
2008-05-15 16:07:00
Widgets are all the rage now enabling users to drag and drop their favourite applications and functions onto their desktop for easy access. However, until now, the widget phenomenon hadn’t caught up with video players (except arguably Joost) but new open source player Chameleo enables users to watch and create visually-rich video applications with interactive widgets. Chameleo is based on GStreamer and supports just about every codec out there so there are virtually no playback problems. What makes it interesting however is that it offers a variety of widgets which enable you to perform a variety of tasks from taking instant screenshots to blogging about what you are watching. Even more exciting, you can create your own widgets because it takes it’s plug-in architecture from Eclipse to make it easy to extend with a minimum of programming experience. One warming however - it is extremely resource hogging so make sure you’ve got plenty of RAM! You can see Chameleo in...
More About: Video , Mixes , Widgets

How to use any MP3 file as a free iPhone ringtone
2008-05-15 16:01:00
A few weeks ago I showed you how to create your own customized ringtones for the iPhone using a handy software tool called ToneShop. But I recently discovered a very simple trick that enables you to convert your favorite MP3 into an iPhone ringtone right from the iTunes interface, without any third-party apps. Launch iTunes and choose any MP3 you like. As the maximum ringtone length supported by the iPhone is 30 seconds, you’ll have to trim it a bit (don’t worry, this trimming doesn’t change your original song and can be reverted at any time). Right click on the file, select Get info and click on the Options tab. Insert the file’s start and stop time and click on OK. Now go back to your Library, right click on your chosen MP3 and select Convert selection to AAC. You’ll get an AAC file with exactly the same name under the highlighted file. Open a File Explorer window and browse to your iTunes music folder (usually C:Documents and SettingsusernameMy d...
More About: Iphone , Free , Ringtone

All you need to know about Adobe AIR
2008-05-15 15:38:00
Adobe AIR (which used to be know as Apollo, remember?) is slowly becoming a solid software platform for developers, especially those who work on their own and don’t belong to any big company. But what is this AIR thing about? AIR is a runtime coding environment that enables developers to create web software tools, working ...
More About: Software , Windows , Utilities , Internet , Mac

How to know everything about a web site
2008-05-15 15:08:00
Do you want to know what people say about a web site in terms of security, reliability and privacy? It?s not just a matter of curiosity: having user ratings on websites can save you lots of time and trouble. There are many services you could try to know more about the number of visitors ...
More About: Software , Internet , Tips , Review , Free

How to: Fix iTunes Library file error (-48)
2008-05-15 12:14:00
If you’re anything like me, you’ll find iTunes to be an essential part of your working day. Whether I’m listening to my favourite podcasts or concentrating with the help of some soothing music, iTunes stays running all through the day. Which is why I started to become pretty worried when a recurring error started to ...
More About: Windows , Audio , Itunes , Library , Tips

Add an instant restart option to Firefox
2008-05-15 10:56:00
It can be very annoying when you install extensions in Firefox , change themes or alter a configuration file and are then informed that you must restart it for the extension to take effect but are offered no option for doing so. The answer to this problem is - yes that’s right - another extension called ...
More About: Windows , Internet , Mac , Tips

Protect your network with Google Enterprise
2008-05-15 09:29:00
It was only a matter of time before Google announced the launch their own security product and Google Web Security for Enterprise is their rather long winded but comprehensive security solution aimed at large networks and businesses. The suite, which scans in real-time, stops web-borne spyware and viruses before they infiltrate networks and compromise or ...
More About: Software , Windows , Internet

Today?s downloads for Windows, Mac and Mobile
2008-05-14 19:17:00
Windows: If you’re tired of listening to music and would like to have a more active role, try mixing it! With Zulu DJ you can take your first steps into the world of music mixers thanks to its ease of use, variety of tools and special effects. The program supports many audio formats and lets ...
More About: Software , Windows , Mobile , Downloads , Mac

Microsoft Office 2008 SP1 for Mac released
2008-05-14 16:59:00
The first big revision of Office 2008 for Mac , Service Pack 1 was released by Microsoft this Tuesday. This release carries with it major revisions and improvements, notably regarding security, stability and performance. Microsoft also fixed a weakness in Office 2008 that allowed somebody to overwrite the content of your Mac’s memory with malicious ...
More About: Microsoft Office , Opinion

Customize Google Maps with new tools
2008-05-14 16:24:00
I’m a big fan of Google products in general. I use Gmail and Google Reader on a daily basis, not to mention my constant queries to the search engine. But due to a natural tendency to lose my bearings anywhere, I have a special predilection for Google Maps. This awesome world atlas can show you images ...
More About: Software , Windows , Utilities , Internet

5 steps to upgrade your RAM
2008-05-14 15:33:00
Upgrading your RAM is one of the best ways to speed up an old laptop. As applications get bigger and the number of programs you install increase, the demands on your RAM also increase. Add to that graphics-heavy online applications such as Google Earth and those exciting Web 2.0 apps and you can see why ...
More About: Software , Windows , Steps

Send 2GB emails for free with Filemail
2008-05-14 11:35:00
Adding large attachments to e-mails is still something that most of us steer clear of if we don’t want to wait half an hour for them to upload or crash your mail server. Most web based services such as Hotmail or Gmail won’t even let you upload large files although I don’t advise even trying ...
More About: Internet , Tips , Free , Productivity , Emails

Today?s downloads for Windows, Mac and Mobile
2008-05-14 00:08:00
Windows: If the standard Windows Explorer is too limited for you, you need an advanced file manager like Q-Dir. Thanks to its multi-pane interface with customizable layouts and file color codes, you can move and copy files or folders in a much easier and faster way. Plus, it doesn’t require installation and can be conveniently ...
More About: Software , Windows , Utilities , Mobile , Downloads

Turn your mobile phone into a first aid kit
2008-05-13 18:31:00
I was nearly stung by a bee yesterday, and the experience has called into question my survival skills. I’ve since realised that I wouldn’t have had a clue what to do had the critter’s attack been a success. As a result, before I venture outside into the nice weather again I’m going to make sure ...
More About: Software , Mobile , Phone , Windows Mobile , Mobile Phone

Yahoo! buys Inquisitor search tool
2008-05-13 18:10:00
Despite all the turmoil surrounding two rejected bids from Microsoft, Yahoo ! keeps expanding and acquiring new services. In February they bought the excellent FoxyTunes Firefox extension, which gives you complete control over your music library straight from your browser. This time they went for the very good Inquisitor search tool for Safari on Mac . No information ...
More About: Internet , Opinion , Free

Top Dock customizers for Mac
2008-05-13 17:06:00
The new Dock featured in Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) became a point of debate among Mac fans. Not everybody liked the new bright active-application signal, the depth given to icons and stacks. Frequently using both Panther and Leopard, I can tell I definitely prefer the new Dock. It looks much cleaner and offers more ...
More About: Utilities , Free , Trial

Is your ISP capping your bandwidth?
2008-05-13 16:23:00
Recently, I’ve noticed a massive slowdown in the speed of the torrents I’ve been downloading with uTorrent. Despite double checking that my IP address is static and that the router ports are open, my download speeds are back to what they were when I first installed the program on a dynamic IP address with no ...
More About: Software , Internet , Opinion , Bandwidth

A quick note on Google Reader Notes
2008-05-13 12:21:00
As something of a Google Reader addict I was interested to try out the new ‘Notes’ feature within the RSS reader, which sees the service take a Twitter-style twist. The tool is designed to let you quickly add information and web site content into a new ‘Notes’ section within Reader. You can manually enter notes ...
More About: Software , Internet , Opinion

Adium to offer Facebook support
2008-05-13 12:21:00
Good news from the Adium blog, the free multi-protocol messaging client will soon let you use the Facebook Chat feature, which was only implemented on April 6. The new feature will display your contacts with their little thumbnail image, status update and an availability icon. You’ll obviously need to have a Facebook account, but the ...
More About: Internet , Mac , Opinion , Free , Support

Add some transparency to Windows XP
2008-05-13 09:07:00
One of the big innovations in Windows Vista was the addition of transparency to the operating system. Transparency can help in a number of ways. Not least, it allows you to see what’s behind certain Windows or folders without having to minimise everything. It’s also highly useful if you need to hide a program window ...
More About: Utilities , Design , Tips , Free

Top password generators to improve your security
2008-05-13 09:06:00
Face it: coming up with a new password every time you sign up for something is not that easy anymore. You’ve run out of new ideas and have developed a dangerous tendency to use the same password everywhere. But before you compromise your online security, follow our advice and install one of these password generators. ...
More About: Software , Security , Windows , Utilities , Free

Softonic launches new user profiles and features
2008-05-09 12:51:00
If you thought it had been a little quiet around here of late, that’s for a very good reason. We’ve all been hard at work implementing and testing a new codebase for Softonic English which makes the site smarter and easier to use, as well as adding some great new features for users. The homepage, while ...
More About: Software , Windows , Mac , Windows Mobile , Phones

Why do wireless router signals fluctuate?
2008-05-09 10:23:00
There’s nothing more annoying than a router signal that’s constantly fluctuating and cutting off your internet connection. It’s always at that crucial moment when you’re saving something or sending an e-mail that the darned signal goes and you’re left in limbo until it reconnects again. So why do router signals fluctuate so much? The main factor ...
More About: Internet , Wireless , Tips , Router

Mac Tip - Google Docs features from Safari
2008-05-08 18:51:00
So you have your Google account and have gotten accustomed to using Google Docs for writing and saving documents online? Although it’s obviously much more limited then any proper office desktop application like Microsoft Office or iWork, Google Docs provides a great way of accessing and editing documents online. Personally I like using it in ...
More About: Internet , Safari , Mac , Tips

Open Office Beta 3 released
2008-05-08 18:49:00
The next major release of Open Office is now publicly available for testing and features some interesting new enhancements and improved compatibility with Microsoft Office. Of particular note is the fact that it is now able to run on Mac OS without the need for X11 therefore meaning it now behaves like any other Aqua ...
More About: Software , Windows , Tips

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