Month: July 2010

Microsoft is currently working on a new way to present street views when browsing a certain area in Bing Maps. The so-called Street Slide View allows users to move along the street in a long, linear image composed by hundreds of static pictures, just as if you were looking at the street from a far away perspective.

According to Microsoft, the problem with street-level map browsing is that you jump from panorama to panorama – or, as they say, from bubble to bubble – which is perfect for panning and zooming on certain areas, but not so comfortable to walk along the street. Slide Street solves this problem, enabling you to zoom out your location, move along the whole street from end to end, and zoom in again into a specific panorama. You’ll probably get the idea better if you watch the video.

Microsoft Street Slide View is not available yet, but it would certainly be great to see it implemented soon in Bing Maps.

Installing BlackBerry apps from your PC to your phone can be a bind. BlackBerry apps normally come in two flavors – JAR files or COD files. However, in order to install them via the BlackBerry Desktop Manager, they need to be accompanied by a separate loader file. For JAR files, this should be a JAD file, and for COD files, you’ll need an ALX file.

If you’re downloading a BlackBerry app and only the JAR or the COD is provided then you’ll need to perform a quick hack to obtain the appropriate loader file to install the app with Desktop Manager.

How to make a JAD file to install a JAR

To create a JAD file from a JAR, you should download JADMaker. This free tool, which requires no installation, converts JAR to JAD in seconds. All you do is double-click on the program icon and drag the JAR file into the JADMaker window. The file will be converted and saved into the same directory as the JAR. It’s then ready to be transferred to your phone using BlackBerry Desktop Manager.

How to make an ALX file to install a COD

An ALX file is simply a text file that provides information about the COD to your phone. You can create these files very easily.

Open Notepad and create a new text file then copy the following lines of code into it. The only text you actually need to change is the name of the COD file, which you enter in between the <files></files> tags. The other data can be edited if you wish, but you don’t need to for the creation of the ALX file.

<loader version="2010.29.07.0120">
<application id="My program name" _blackberryVersion="[4.2.1,)">
<name>My program name</name>
<description></description>
<version>2010.29.07.0120</version>
<vendor>ACME software</vendor>
<copyright>Copyright (c) 2001-2010 ACME Software. All Rights Reserved.</copyright>
<fileset Java="1.0">
<files>
my_program_name.cod
</files>
</fileset>
</application>
</loader>

If you’ve tried any of my suggestions for Mac alternatives to Microsoft OneNote but still aren’t impressed, then I should add that Curio should definitely have made the list.

Curio is an incredibly detailed and rich brainstorming and note taking application that helps map-out your ideas in stunning detail. Curio’s features a free form interface and tool kit that allow you to place items anywhere you want including notes, pictures, audio and even video. The only limits are your imagination as you can place elements in any position which gives it a distinct advantage over similar programs that restrict you to text boxes or certain areas. You can even give your brainstorm plans or notes their own unique look thanks to a variety of backgrounds and styles such as note paper, graph paper style and linen paper texture for example.

Even better, we’ve got 2 free licenses worth $149 for Curio Professional version to give away.

All you have to do is tell us in a few sentences why you need Curio to help you and how it would help you in your daily life. Take a look at our Decloner giveaway competition for an idea of what we’re looking for. Don’t forget to leave your e-mail address in the comment e-mail address field so that we can contact you.

Good luck!

64-bit systems started to be slowly rolled out in personal computers back in 2003, but it’s only recently that they’ve become a serious alternative for the average user. A 64-bit architecture implies more processing power and faster rendering times, but also requires a bit of adaptation – which includes updating your software with new versions adapted to the new system. But how do you know if your computer is a 32 or a 64-bit system? There’s an easy way to find out:

If you’re using Windows XP

Right click the My Computer icon on your desktop and select Properties. If your system is 32-bit, you’ll see something in the lines of “Windows XP Professional Version [year]” under System. If your system is 64-bit, you’ll see something like this image:

Continue reading “Is my system 32 or 64 bit?”

Asterisk is a really relaxing puzzle game, where you have to expand shapes so they collect all the stars on screen. Expand the wrong shapes and you won’t reach all the stars, and will have to try again, although once you’ve got a feel for it, finding Asterisk’s solutions are not too hard.

With smart, simple graphics and a chilled out soundtrack, Asterisk it a great way to zone out and collect your thoughts for a few minutes. There are 20 level, which is just about right for a game like this. Check it out at Kongregate, and remember you’ll need the Flash plug-in