Month: February 2008

My grandma believed until the day she died that the moon landing was completely faked saying it was absolute “codswallop”. Whether you believe Armstrong really did make one giant leap for mankind in 1969, the moon did and still does retain a fascination and mystique that fascinates cultures far and wide.

One of the most important aspects of the moon, and its effect on the Earth is of course, is its gravitational pull. The moon controls the rise and fall of the ocean’s tides, plus according to who you believe, can also affect your own moods and emotions. The film Teenwolf even suggested it could turn you into a wolf on full-moon. If you want to follow the moon’s orbit daily (or are a teenager worried that you may be turning into a wolf), then MoonMenu does all the hard work for you based on your current timezone and location on the Earth – excellent for those that are on the move. It also includes a whole host of other information such as when the next full moon is, the next quarter moon and when it will rise. If you need more in depth information about the moon’s solar path and patterns, then Dr.Regener Sun-Moon-Calendar goes into more detail with some nice graphics to boot.

If you believe that, in combination with other planets, the moon has a bearing on your destiny, then you’ll need something that takes into account the orbits of all the other planets. In which case, AstroMart generates your own personal astrological chart depending on where the moon, and other planets are in their orbits. If on the other hand you lean more towards the Chinese Lunar Calendar, which is totally different, then Chinese Calendrics will calculate the right astrological charts for you.

Of course maybe you don’t you’re not interested if the moon is full, quarter or even a lump of cheese but you do like the look of it. If so, Actual Moon 3D allows you to appreciate it in all it’s splendour when your PC goes into screensaver mode with real-time stats on it’s orbit based on your location.

After spending so many hours sitting in front of your computer day after day, you’ve probably grown tired of its standard Windows XP appearance and feel like changing it in some way. Lucky you, there are plenty of software tools that can help you change the way XP looks and even make it resemble a completely different operating system.

To begin with, you may apply some easy, subtle changes such as using a different theme color. Both the Royale Noir XP and the Royale Remixed themes are an excellent choice for a dark, sleek Windows XP look. Another good way to start modding your XP is by replacing standard icons with new ones, using an application like IconTweaker or an icon pack like Vista Ultimate Icons. Finally, you can also change your desktop wallpaper and get a fresher look almost immediately. Vistamizer Windows Vista Wallpaper Pack and Windows Vista Desktop Wallpaper Pack are two great wallpaper collections you can use for this purpose.

But if you’re looking for a full revamp, then you should turn to complete visual themes that can make your Windows XP look like another totally different OS – without giving up on XP. So if you want to have Windows Vista, you may use Vistamizer; if you prefer the Apple style, you can install FlyakiteOSX; and if you’d like a more open-source appearance, get Ubuntu XP.

There are other software tools that can help you customize Windows XP look&feel, but they do more than just updating the wallpaper, changing icons or coloring the toolbar. Apps like Windowblinds or Aston replace the Windows shell completely and let you enjoy a brand-new computer – at least in appearance – without having to upgrade hardware.

[Via: OnSoftware Spain]

Internet Explorer still dominates the world. Well, not as much as before, in fact much less than before. According to recent stats, 54.7% of Internet users use IE, compared to around 70% back in 2005. The real reason for this decline, which everyone is aware of, is the growing popularity of excellent alternatives like Firefox and Opera.

The latest version, IE 7, was released more than a year ago, on October 18 2006, about the same time as Firefox 2.0. And while there is a lot of hype and talk of all the new features that we’ll get to see in Firefox 3.0, Microsoft is much more quiet on IE8. The only real thing we do know about the new version is that it will fully pass the Acid2 test.

Much more about IE8 should hopefully be unveiled on March 5 at the MIX08 web conference in Las Vegas, where Microsoft Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie, Vice President of the .NET Developer Platform Scott Guthrie and Internet Explorer General Manager Dean Hachamovitch will hold a keynote on “Microsoft’s continued investment across the platform to deliver world class Web technologies and tools”. We also know that a Beta version of IE8 will be available for testing in the first half of this year, even though no precise date has yet been mentioned. According to ZDNet though, a private Beta is already being secretly distributed, and anybody curious enough can read the email invitation from Microsoft.

We’ll keep you posted on any new announcements about IE8 and get hold of the Beta as soon as possible to give it a test run.

Personally I can’t stand answer machines. I just get all nervous at talking to myself and in the end, I usually hang-up. On more than one occasion I’ve been mistaken for a heavy breather and a crank caller. However, I have absolutely no problem with having an answer machine myself and have had far more fun creating greetings for them than talking to them.

If you use any kind of VoIP app such as Skype or GTalk then there are various apps that can help you get going. If you don’t, then your options are far more limited although ISDN Answering Machine acts as a telephone exchange/answer machine for a network of landline phones. Alternatively, you can use Call Centre which does pretty much the same thing although allows you send faxes too.

One of the most unlikely applications to include a VoIP answering machine is, believe it or not, burning app Nero. Nero includes Nero Sipps which encompasses an entire VoIP package including an answering machine. Meanwhile KishKashSAM is an excellent add-on for Skype which allows you to record your own voice message. Also worth checking out is Skype Forwarder which not only has a fully customisable answer machine but allows you to forward calls to another phone too.

If you’re not a Skype fan, then try EzVoice which allows you to record a message, screen calls and reveals caller ID’s. The same goes for Call Clerk which apart from allowing you to design a voice message, also records conversations and even allows you to upload them to the internet immediately.

And if you’re stuck for inspiration about how your answer machine message should sound, try taking some tips from George Costanza:

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You may not know it – I didn’t myself – but Microsoft features a free online storage service that’s been up and running since August 2007. When it first launched as a beta version, Microsoft Live SkyDrive offered 500MB of online storage, a tiny amount according to today’s standards. But just a few days ago, SkyDrive users saw their online drive upgraded to a far more generous 5GB of free storage that you can use with you Live ID account.

So, what’s the point of subscribing to an online storage service? There may be several reasons: it’s definitely a handy way to share large-sized files with your friends over the Internet; it also comes in very handy for collaborative tasks such as school papers and work team projects; what’s more, you can also use your online drive to store files that you need to access from different computers in different locations; and finally, they’re also useful for backup copies, though I’d advise you to keep those copies on offline support too – just in case.

Besides Microsoft Live SkyDrive, there are other software tools that, working together with online services, offer you free online storage for your files. Check them out:

• Gspace – a Firefox extension that lets you use your Gmail account mailbox as a free online storage drive.
• Gmail Drive – this Windows Explorer plug-in creates a virtual folder structure in your Gmail account to use it as an storage service.
• IDrive – Get 2GB of free online storage with an intuitive interface, very similar to that of Windows Explorer.
• Omemo – have a universal virtual online drive shared with users from all over the world.
• VMN Storage – a 1GB free online drive for all your files and backup copies.
• Mozy Remote Backup – 2GB of free storage space, protected with encryption and with scheduled backups.
• Wuala – P2P online storage system where you get as much online space as you share from your hard drive.

There’s not much we can say about TuneUp Utilities that we haven’t already said. This excellent suite is probably the best option among maintenance tools to optimize system performance, erase unwanted items, customize Windows and keep your PC in perfect shape at all times. Its latest version, TuneUp 2008, features new exciting tools and a revamped interface that makes it even easier to use.

Looking to quickly make great looking slideshows? PulpMotion for Mac is the program you should turn to. This application lets you add any video, image or sound, choose a visual themes and then export and share your animation. The friendly interface, similar to that of iMovie, lets anybody with little technical knowledge easily create slideshows. It’s really fun too!

On the hunt for an interesting game to fix your boredom? Then get hold of XFlib, a very interesting puzzler for Pocket PC devices. The object of the game is to create squares by matching coloured blocks. It’s a highly original twist on the block matching game formula andone that will keep you amused for a very long time!

There’s no avoiding the fact that the more programs you install on your PC, the slower Windows is to start. It’s really annoying when you take a spanking new PC, install a few programs, and already the startup sequence is taking twice as long. This adds-up over time until eventually, your PC starts at a snail’s pace, taking longer to get going on a morning than you do.

Defragging your drive can help but it only goes so far. The usual culprits for startup delays, crashes and errors are programs which have installed themselves either overtly or covertly in your startup sequence. The best thing to do therefore, is simply remove them. My favourite tool for this is the elegantly simple but hugely effective CCleaner. If you click on the “Tools” tab and then click “Startup” you can see at a glance how many programs have wormed their way into your startup sequence. Simply select the ones which aren’t needed on startup and click “Delete Entry”. Be very careful however that you know what your are deleting – some startup entries may be important for other things to work (such as external devices), so unless you know what you are removing, best leave it there.

CCleaner is however dedicated mainly to cleaning and there are many other apps out there that focus on all aspects of startups. Startup Inspector for Windows tells you in much greater detail, which programs are necessary in your startup sequence and which aren’t – useful if you don’t know what some of the startup files refer to. StartUpLite does a similar job although in a slightly simpler fashion but be warned that there’s no “undo” function if you remove something by mistake.

Maybe you’re in a situation where you need certain applications to execute on startup but not in the order that they are currently doing so. In which case, try using Arrange Startup which allows you to select the order in which your programs execute when you switch on your computer. In this way, you can make sure that those that take the most time are relegated to the bottom of the list so that you can get on with using your PC in the meantime. Or, maybe you share your PC with another user who needs a different startup sequence to yourself. The solution in this case is Shock Startup which allows you to configure different startup sequences for different users as well as optimise the startup speed.

Almost gone are the days when you had to limit yourself to text chat to communicate with your friends. Now all the latest Mac computers include an in-built iSight camera, with which you can enjoy high quality live video chats with your friends and family. That means you can forget about wires and cables, finding where to attach your webcam or worrying about having the right drivers.

Why limit yourself to simple video chats though? There’s a plethora of applications with which you can become creative with your iSight camera, from monitoring and preventing the theft of your computer to adding cool effects to your video chats. Here is a selection of 10 different programs that make smart use of your iSight. Maybe you’ll find some use for your webcam that you hadn’t thought of previously.

• iAlertU – Uses the built-in motion sensor and iSight to trigger a noisy alarm, which hopefully will frighten away burglars.
• Iris – Add some fun filters to iSight and create slideshows with webcam snaps.
• iGlasses – Control settings in iSight like manual focus, mirror image or night vision.
• Dream Recorder – Can record you while you sleep, to analyze your slumber.
• iTwist n’ Go – Set keyboard shortcuts to better control iSight.
• Periscope – Capture all activity going on in front of your Mac.
• FunBooth – Add props like funny sunglasses or goofy noses to your video chats.
• iChat Borderless – A streamlined iTunes look to replace the traditional iChat interface.
• Wirecast – Create webcasts with titles, transitions and overlays.
• Undercover – If your Mac ever gets stolen, this app will use iSight to record the thief discreetly and send his network information to you.

If, like me, you still have an older Mac at home which doesn’t include an iSight camera, and have decided to buy an external webcam I suggest installing macam, which gives support to almost all models of USB cameras on the market.