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17 Hidden Windows XP Applications
2007-05-04 04:24:00
Here are some of the Window s apps that exist on your computer even as we speak, yet you may have never used or even heard of many of them. To run any of these, simply go to Start->Run (or type -R) and type in the name of the executable (i.e. “dxdiag”). 1. clipbrd.exe - Clipbook Viewer – View the contents of the Windows clipboard 2. drwtsn32.exe - Dr Watson - Troubleshooting tool 3. dxdiag.exe - DirectX Diagnostic Tool -Diagnose and test DirectX, video cards and sound cards 4. eudcedit.exe - Private Character Editor - Creation or modification of characters 5. iexpress.exe - IExpress Wizard - Create self-extracting / self-installing packages 6. mobsync.exe - Synchronization Manager - Allows synchronization of files on the network for when working offline 7. mplay32.exe - Windows Media Player 5.1 - Retro version of Media Player with very basic capabilities 8. msconfig.exe - System Configuration Editor - Tweak startup items in system files and registry 9. odbcad32.exe - O...
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Why It’s Tough To Be a Blogger These Days
2007-05-04 03:32:00
When blogging first gained popularity, I thought to myself, “that’s stupid. What’s the big deal, anyway?” Oh, how I wish I hadn’t been so stubborn. I really should have jumped on the bandwagon then. Then I could have had one of the *original* blogs that now has millions of visitors every day. The competition nowadays has gotten very tough. This graph of Technorati blog growth says it all: Reported in April 2007, this chart shows the current number of blogs being indexed by Technorati at over 72 million, with 120 thousand blogs being created every day. With so many blogs, it’s a wonder that any of them get read at all. So, while the big dogs who’ve been around from the start wallow in their pile of cash, the new blogs have the impossible task of trying to create something new and unique enough to divert some attention to them. Good luck. (more…)
More About: Blogger , Days , Tough , Logger , Blogg

Arcade Mania: Deal or No Deal
2007-05-03 05:43:00
Okay, the game’s official title is actually “Banker’s Deal ”, obviously for trademark reasons. However, it is practically the same as the game show. What’s missing, you ask? Annoying fluff Endless commercials Howie Mandel Beautiful women Real money It’s got its pluses and minuses, but cool for a while of brainless entertainment. Just like the show. Play Banker’s Deal Tags: online games, Deal or No Deal, arcade
More About: Arcade , Cade , Mania , Arca

Get Your Joost Invites Here!
2007-05-03 04:30:00
Okay everyone, I’m giving out the invites so you can enjoy this stuff, too. All you have to do to get an invite is drop me an email at the address below. Tags: Joost , Joost invite, online TV
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Joost Goes Live, Now Offers Unlimited Invites
2007-05-02 03:34:00
I have been keeping my eye on Joost for some time now. Unfortunately, until now there has only been a limited beta version that required an invite from a friend, and the invites each user had were very few. I searched for invites for some time, then soon lost interest and figured I’d wait. Well, now the time has come that an invite is easy to obtain! Joost has opened up its beta and now any user can invite any number of people. If you are not aware of what Joost is, here is a description from their site: Joost is a new way of watching TV on the internet. With Joost, you get all the things you love about TV, including a high-quality full-screen picture, hundreds of full-length shows and easy channel-flipping. Joost uses peer-to-peer technology to allow you to watch TV online, on demand, in high quality, and legally. Since it is based on advertising, all programming is free. It seems to be the most promising online TV replacement so far and has caused quite a stir. Keep y...
More About: Live , Offers , Unlimited , Invite

Various Sorting Algorithms Shown Visually
2007-04-30 23:18:00
There are lots of sorting algorithms out there and sometimes it gets confusing as to which is which. Analyzing pseudo code sometimes can get monotonous, especially if it’s Monday. That’s why I find this little applet useful. It shows six different algorithms visually as they sort the same data. You can also randomize the input data or sort a pre-sorted list to view how each algorithm behaves in each case. It’s a very handy tool for those who are starting to learn the ropes. Sort ing Algorithms Demo Tags: computer science, sorting algorithms, algorithms
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Stream Your Music Over The Internet
2007-04-30 22:47:00
The folks at Lifehacker have a nice article on different options for streaming your massive music library to any PC via the Internet . With the popularity of broadband, this is becoming more popular and new solutions are popping up everywhere. To be able to access your media, you will need to choose between one of two options: stream your music directly from your PC, which requires you to keep it on 24/7, or upload it to a streaming music site, where the music is streamed on their servers but usually in a lower-than-optimal bandwidth. Here are some of the best software options for streaming from your own PC: Orb SlimServer myTunesRSS JinZora (for advanced computer geeks only) If none of these work, you could always use the Hamachi and iTunes combo. Or, if you’d rather take the online streaming route, here are the options: MediaMaster MediaMax MP3tunes These services aren’t all free, so take them or leave them. I, for one, always go for the free stuff. :) [via Lifeh...
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The Creepiest Computer Mouse EVER
2007-04-28 20:24:00
Someone has taken the term “mouse” a little too literally! This mouse is actually a real mouse with a mobile computer mouse surgically implanted into its furry little body. Creepy, isn’t it? In case you’re an Addams, here is a brief overview to get you started with the project: “Obtain a small travel-size (hardware) mouse. This one is a wired mouse that is way to small to use comfortably every day, but perfect for going inside of a mouse. Obtain a similarly-sized (wetware) mouse. These are commonly available fresh or frozen from pet stores, or any other place that sells reptile food. It’s easier to fit a small object into a large mouse than a large object into a small mouse, so err on the side of caution. You can always fill extra space with cotton balls. If you’ve got an optical (hardware) mouse, make sure to choose a pale-furred (wetware) mouse for lightest skin pigment - this will be important later.” [via HackedGadgets] Tags: mouse, hybrid, ...
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Flygun: The Next Generation Fly Swatter
2007-04-28 20:12:00
Now this looks like it could be fun! Forget trying to slap those flies with a fly swatter; shoot one at them instead. This makes me want to invite flies into my house so I can declare war against them. Product Page [via Gizmodo] Tags: extermination, flies, bugs, insects
More About: Genera , Gene , Generation , Swat , The Next Generation

Mini R/C Helicopter Fits In Your Palm
2007-04-27 19:43:00
The title says it all. This little chopper could entertain me for hours, or at least until I’m fed up with recharging it every 5 minutes. Or replacing the 6 AA batteries that are required for operation. Price: $29.99 at ThinkGeek For more R/C goodness, check out these posts: Full-Sized Remote Controlled Cars & Incredibly Fast Radio-controlled Turbine Jets Tags: toys, rc, helicopters
More About: Mini , Palm , Helicopter

Don’t Want a Real Dog? Try a Virtual One
2007-04-27 19:09:00
I’m not a dog person for several reasons. They’re expensive, they’re dirty, and they mess up your things. But I must say that there is the occasional puppy that melts my heart. So, for my own house, I’d go for this virtual dog that doesn’t need to take walks or do its thing all over your carpet when you’re away. This dog, created by Obscura Digital, looks 100% like a ghost real pooch. Its projection actually roams around on your furniture. How? I have no idea, actually. But it’s pretty cool to watch. [via TechEBlog] Tags: virtual, dogs
More About: Virtual , Real , Want , Virt

Do Mispeled Tittles and, Bad Gramer, Atract More Atenshion?
2007-04-27 04:57:00
Lateley I have been somehwat fed up with mispeled wrods and terible gramer in blog posts. If you pay any atention to Digg, than yoo too may have realised that mispelings ocur in a very hi persentage of post tittles that make it to the fornt page. Taht is why I am cunducting this litle exspearmint! (more…)
More About: More , Trac , Gram , Pele

Create a Free Temporary Phone Number With Craigsnumber
2007-04-27 04:29:00
To piggyback on my Contactify and Rejection Hotline posts, Craig snumber is another great way to keep your information private. This service allows you to create a temporary phone number, which lasts anywhere from one hour to one month, that forwards all incoming calls to your phone. It is intended primarily for people who use classifieds sites such as Craigslist (hence the name), but can be useful for many other needs as well. One nice thing about the service is that it forwards the real caller ID information to your phone so you will be able to see who is actually calling you and hold on to that number if you wish. Unfortunately, the Craigsnumber service doesn’t act quite like a direct phone call. Callers must dial a long-distance number and enter an extension. When prompted, they also have to state their name, their quest, and their favorite color…or maybe just their name. The call is then forwarded to you, at which point you have to accept or decline the call. ...
More About: Phone , Free , Numb , Tempo

How To Resize Embedded YouTube Videos
2007-04-25 20:25:00
It’s actually a lot easier than you might think. When you paste an embedded video link (taken from the embed text field located next to any video) you’ll notice that there are TWO width and height fields. Here is an example (with angle brackets converted to square brackets so you see the code instead of the video): [object width=”425″ height=”350″] [param name=”movie” value=”http://www.youtube.com/v/H46 GX2MvPQw”][/param] [param name=”wmode” value=”transparent”][/param] [embed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/H46GX 2MvPQw” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash ” wmode=”transparent” width=”425″ height=”350″][/embed][/object ] The videos can be sized either smaller or bigger than the default. All you have to do is change both of the height and width fields to the value of your choice. For example, I resize videos for this site to 325 x 267 in orde...
More About: Videos , Youtube , Size , Embedded , Resize

Trailer Alert: Harry Potter and the Order Of The Phoenix
2007-04-24 19:57:00
For all you Harry Potter fans (myself included), the full-length theatrical trailer of Order of The Phoenix is now online! You can watch it via the embedded YouTube video below, or in beautiful high def via Yahoo: 480p, 720p or 1080p. Enjoy! [via The Leaky Cauldron] Tags: Harry Potter, movie trailers
More About: Trailer , Order of the Phoenix

Audio Shaker Makes Sound Seem Tangible
2007-04-23 17:28:00
Apparently, this has been around for a few years, but this is the first time I’ve seen it and I thought it deserved some attention. The Audio Shaker is an experimental technology that explores our perception of sound. The official description says it all: The audio shaker explores our perceptual understanding of sound. Anything sung, spoken, clapped, whistled or played near it is trapped inside, where it takes on an imagined yet tangible physicality. Sound s caught in this void are transformed, given weight and permanence, reacting directly to the shaker’s movements, subtle or violent. Shaken sounds have to settle down before becoming still and silent, behaving more like fluid than transient energy. The linear timescale of sound is broken, a conversation is split into words and mixed up in the shaker, and can be poured out separately, tipped out in a simultaneous splash or added to and shaken up further. Put simply, it is a tactile container to capture, shake up and pou...
More About: Make , Seem , Tang

Life Tip: Opt-Out of Unsolicited Credit Card Offers
2007-04-21 20:21:00
Lately, I have been completely fed up with the sheer number of credit card offers and other “pre-approved” junk mail filling up my mailbox. Credit card companies are getting increasingly pushy and are coming up with creative ways to make us think that their mail is important and official. Capital One, for instance, mails me probably 5 credit card offers every week, with each envelope being a different size and color. Most often, nothing is written on the envelope itself except a P.O. box and a message such as “Urgent: Please Read” or “Please reply within 15 days”. Just for the chance that it’s actually important mail, I open it up only to grumble at the fact that it’s another credit card offer. Not only are credit card offers annoying if you’re not interested, but they are also an easy way for someone to steal your identity. What’s preventing someone from signing up for a credit card in your name? Not much, really. I...
More About: Life , Card , Edit , Offers

Rejection Hotline
2007-04-21 03:53:00
Next time you’re in a situation where a salesman or an unattractive stalker wants your digits, there is an easy solution: give them the Rejection Hotline phone number instead of your own. This will allow you to keep your number private while still satisfying the other party…that is, until they call the number. They will hear a pre-recorded message going over all the possible reasons why they might have been rejected, from bad breath to just plain stupidity. All in all, you can be sure they won’t try to get your actual phone number anymore. Here is a list of phone numbers that will connect you: 641-985-7888 617-861-3962 413-351-2684 508-556-3549 781-654-2925 212-660-2245 There are even more numbers available in over 80 U.S. cities, so it’s likely that you’ll find a local number to give out (which is much more believable and practical than long distance). However, the additional numbers can only be received by email. RejectionHotline.com
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Use Contactify To Keep Your Email Private
2007-04-20 19:51:00
If you’re a webmaster or blogger, you’re probably well aware that it’s a bad idea to create ‘mailto’ links or include a text representation of your email address. That is, unless you really want to receive huge amounts of spam. Spammers use spam-bots that parse email addresses from your web page’s source code. However, there are several options to counter them. You’ll see that on many sites and forums people mask their email by changing the “@” symbol to say “[AT]” or something similar. This could help at first, but I’m sure the spammers will eventually add every possible combination of replacements, if they haven’t already, to their parsing algorithms. You’ll see on my contact page that I use an image to display my email address, which I feel does the trick. Perhaps the best way is to create a contact form on your site that will shield your email address entirely. However, many people either ...
More About: Email , Your , Keep , Private , Riva

Java Interview Question Cheat Sheet
2007-04-20 06:16:00
If you are looking for a quick way to brush up on your Java terminology for an interview or wanting to find a good list of questions to ask potential employees, look no further: I have come across a master list of 115 Java interview questions. These are very helpful for both employers and employees. View the list [via TechInterview s] While you’re at it, check out their online quizzes and resources for other languages as well. Tags: Java, programming, software, interviews
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Life Tip: Easily Clean Your Stove’s Removable Parts
2007-04-20 05:58:00
Stoves are easily one of the most annoying appliances to clean. Not only does the food you cook fall on it often, but the heat burns it into place as well. Plus, the grease and grime get so far down that we don’t often think to give it a good scrubbing when we’re cleaning the rest of the house. Luckily, most stoves nowadays have removable pans that can be replaced. If you’re renting, you may be required to replace them when you move. If you’re a cheapskate frugal spender like myself, however, you may want to save some money and make them spic and span on your own. Here are some tips: Place any stove part that can be removed (burner pans, oven racks, etc.), into a sturdy trash bag. Fill with a hot solution of ammonia and water, mixed in equal parts. Let soak for at least an hour and tie the bag shut so you don’t gag. After soaking, heat a water and fragrance mixture in the oven to get rid of the smell. Place burner pans in a large pot and cover ...
More About: Life , Your , Clean , Part , Parts

Xbox 360 Laptop Hack
2007-04-19 05:29:00
The folks at benheck.com have been hard at work yanking out the innards of an Xbox 360. That part’s easy. However, replacing them into a standard-sized laptop chassis and putting them back together so everything works flawlessly, that’s what takes the talent. Check out a video of it in action after the jump. (more…)
More About: Laptop , Xbox 360 , Hack

Arcade Mania: Fly Like An Eagle Over Your Own Neighborhood
2007-04-18 06:59:00
…and drop some bird poo on your loud neighbor’s house while you’re at it. This flash game, called Wings, is less of a game and more of an interesting way to get a bird’s eye view of your city. That’s right, your city. It is powered by Google Maps, allowing you to view real satellite images with actual houses and buildings on which to drop your white bombs. Not all cities are supported yet, however, since it is currently in beta. Play Wings Keep your eyes peeled for more online gaming picks in upcoming posts! Look for “Arcade Mani a” in the title. Tags: gaming, online games, flash games
More About: Your , Hood , Over

Save Internet Radio!
2007-04-18 01:30:00
This is a grim time for lovers of streaming radio stations. Sites like Pandora, Slacker, and others may be on their last breath. The Copyright Royalty Board made an official ruling in late March that will hike royalty rates by 300 to 1200 percent, retroactive to January 1, 2006. An appeal to the board immediately went into action afterwards, headed by National Public Radio . Unfortunately, it was rejected, so the original ruling is still in the grim future. The only chance for survival at this point is if the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit agrees to hear an appeal. If that falls through, we can say goodbye to our favorite Intern et radio stations, as they most likely will not be able to meet the new demands. “Is there some way I can help?” Yes! (more…)
More About: Save , Internet radio

Light-Transmitting Concrete (LiTraCon)
2007-04-17 06:16:00
This new type of concrete is lined with a matrix of thousands of optical fibers that allow light to pass through. Any objects or people that are on the side with the light source can be seen as silhouettes. What a great way to brighten up an office! [via TFOT] Tags: construction, fiber optics
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OLED Display Technology Knocks The Pants Off LCD, Plasma
2007-04-16 18:49:00
Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology could soon replace LCD and plasma technology as king of HD. It is based on organic compounds that emit light when stimulated by electricity. Unlike LCD and plasma, OLED needs no backlight to function, which greatly reduces power consumption and the thickness of the display. Not only that, but the contrast ratio can get up to 1,000,000:1 (yes, that’s one million to one). The displays can also be seen from every angle with no distortion or loss. The technology is currently only deployed in some mobile devices. However, we may see it in full-sized HD TVs very soon. Sony has announced that 3 mm thick 1080p TVs, with 1920 x 1080 native resolution, are in the works to hit shelves this year. One of the challenges facing OLED technology is the life of the organic compounds. When research first began, the compounds would die after just a few seconds of emitting light. The technology has made strides, and the goal is now to produce ...
More About: Technology , Plasma , Techno , Pants , Tech

Google Joke: Driving Directions from New York to Paris
2007-04-15 00:14:00
The folks at Google either have way too much fun or just have way too much time on their hands. Check out step 23 of the driving directions from New York to Paris. I think this also applies in several other driving direction searches from the U.S. to Europe. What joke could they be planning next? [via ComputerForums] Tags: Google, google maps, jokes, easter eggs
More About: Joke , Driving , Direct

First-rate Freeware: MediaCoder Converts All Your Media
2007-04-14 17:23:00
One of the most frustrating types of free software to search for on the web is media conversion software. A Google search for “convert AVI to MPG”, for instance, returns a boat load of shareware software created only for that specific conversion. The same applies to practically any other type of media you would like to transcode. I have found myself frustrated on several occasions because I could not find what I was looking for. Since freeware is my big thing and the files I wanted to transcode were very few, a fully paid program did not interest me. Then I found Media Coder, which fulfills all of my media conversion needs. Almost every type of format that I have needed is included in the package. MediaCoder is an open source project that utilizes several other open source transcoders to make one big, awesome program. Just add all the files to the queue that you need to convert, select a format, tweak the output settings, and let MediaCoder batch process all of the...
More About: Free , War , Freeware , Ware

Amazing iPod Image Using Only MS Paint
2007-04-14 16:57:00
As we all know, MS Pain t is one of the most bare, useless image editing programs available. Doing anything useful seems absolutely impossible. However, an amazing artist has accomplished the creation of a sleek black iPod , including reflections and shadows, using only this prehistoric simple software. In this video, you’ll see just how tedious a process it actually was. [via TechEBlog] Tags: iPod, MS Paint, computer graphics
More About: Ipod , Amazing , Image

85-piece Swiss Army Knife: Everything But The Kitchen Sink
2007-04-13 16:34:00
This my friends, is 100% real (unlike the Swiss Army Sunglasses hoax). Wenger, the company who manufactures the original Swiss Army Knife , provides this collector’s edition for a whopping $1,200. It features every tool that has ever been included on any of their models. Here are some of the more unexpected tools: Bike chain rivet setter Golf club face cleaner Golf shoe spike wrench Compass, straight edge, ruler Flashlight Laser pointer with 300 ft. range Fine fork for watch spring bars Inflatable girlfriend Okay, I lied about that last one. The main drawback: this thing is so incredibly enormous and heavy that you won’t be able to use any of the tools in the first place. I guess that’s why it only belongs on rich peoples’ shelves. Product page Tags: Swiss Army, knives, utilities, tools
More About: Kitchen , Everything , Ever