Archives

AcetoneISO – Easy ISO Manager for Linux

Other than the command line, have you ever wondered how you can manage your CD/DVD images (ISO) more easily and efficiency in your Linux machine? AcetoneISO may jolly well be the answer to your needs.

AcetoneISO is a feature-rich and complete software application to manage CD/DVD images in your Linux system. It runs the poweful fuseiso in the backend and provides a very user-friendly frontend for its users to handle the image file easily. If you have tried and used fuseiso before, you will know that it supports a large variety of CD/DVD images, including ISO, BIN, NRG, MDF and IMG, which in turn makes AcetoneISO a versatile and powerful tool.
Installation

AcetoneISO is found in the repository of all Linux distro, so it can be easily installed via the respective APT manager. Alternatively, you can also download the installation package for your distro.

When you first run AceToneISO, it will run you through the configuration process and help you to set up the environment for you to work in. There are some options that you are required to configure, including the ISO settings, selecting the default media player application, the file manager to use, and the storage directory.

acetoneiso-options

To mount a CD/DVD image, you just have to select the “Open Image” option in the File menu. It will automatically mount the selected ISO file to the Virtual Drive folder in your Home directory. To unmount, simply highlight the respective file entry in AcetoneISO and click the unmount button.

Here is a warning: while testing the unmount feature in Ubuntu, I have found that I am unable to unmount the image within Nautilus. The only way to unmount the image is to use the unmount button in the AcetoneISO application. Some of you might be annoyed by this, but that is how it works.

Other than the default mounting and unmounting of image files, AcetoneISO also comes with other functionality to allow you to edit and manage your image files. Here are some of them:
Image conversion (with PowerISO)

AcetoneISO makes use of the great functionality found in PowerISO (free for Linux users) to provide some of the useful image conversion features to its users. You can now use it to convert image to ISO, convert Mac OS image (DMG file), extract image content to a folder (without mounting), generate ISO from CD/DVD and even create a ISO from folder(s).

acetoneiso-poweriso

Using the image conversion features require you to install PowerISO in your system. If you have not installed PowerISO, AcetoneISo will prompt you about it and help you to download and install.

Utilities

acetoneiso-utilities

The Utilities menu comes with several functions such as mounting your image in a specified folder, generate the Md5-sum of the image, extract the boot image or even generate Cue for BIN/IMG images.
Archive manager

acetoneiso-archive-manager

The archive manager feature is one powerful function in AcetoneISO. It allows you to split the image into several volumes (best used when the file size is too big), compress images, encrypt the images or even extract a RAR password-protected ISO (you will need to have the password before you can extract).
Working with Video/Audio

acetoneiso-video

AcetoneISO can also be used to download, extract, convert video and audio component of an image. You can use it to rip a DVD (or generic video) to a xVid avi video file and convert a FLV (YouTube format) file to AVI. Better still, you can download YouTube and Metacafe videos right within the AcetoneISO application. Once you have downloaded the video, you can also extract the audio component from the video file (under the Audio menu). On a side note, you may also convert online video to mp3 audio using VidToMP3.

I am not sure how often you would have to deal with ISO or various image files, but when you do (and you are a Linux user), I am sure that AcetoneISO is the only tool you need to get everything done. It may not be the best yet, but it is getting close.

Read More..
Category:   2 Comments
How to Set Up a Dual Boot Windows & Linux System with Wubi

At my school, my class and I are comparing different operating systems. Each of the big three (Windows, Mac, Linux) have their pros and cons, but I’m certainly not here to incite a flame war. About half of my class was just introduced to Linux last week when using some Knoppix disks. Linux is very popular as a server operating system, and most fans of it would tell you that it’s very close to being ready for Joe User’s desktop PC.

Today I’ll show you how to set up a “dual boot” system that includes Linux (specifically Ubuntu Linux) alongside Windows XP or Vista. There will be no hard-drive partitioning (that’s scary!), instead Ubuntu will be installed in this case as if it were any other Windows program. This also makes it easy to uninstall later, in case you don’t like it.

Why would someone want to do this? Maybe you’re just beginning to really learn it, like I am. Maybe you’re a gamer who is just not a fan of the Windows interface and would like an alternative. Maybe you’re the power-user type and just wants to see what the fuss is about. Any reason you may have is valid. I’m just a big fan of free software who wants to help spread the word.

To get started, there’s no need to go to the Ubuntu site and download or order a CD-ROM. In this example, all you will need is to download and run the Wubi installer. Wubi started as an independent project, but is now officially supported by the Ubuntu community as a method of installation.

wubiStartInstall


On the first screen, you’ll provide your desired username and password as well as designate the size of your “virtual disk” file, which your PC will see as a Linux file system.

wubiDownload

Depending on the speed of your Internet connection, this next part may take a while. Wubi will download an image of the Ubuntu installation CD. As long as you’re on a broadband connection, this shouldn’t take more than an hour or two; Feel free to ignore the approximate download time at the onset.

wubiBootManager

After a few more installation screens, you’ll be prompted to reboot your system. Doing so should bring you to a new screen, giving you a choice whether you want to boot into Windows or Ubuntu. Select Ubuntu anytime to finish the installation.

wubiPartitioning

Don’t panic when you see the formatting-partitions screen; Only the virtual disk file on which Ubuntu sits is being formatted.

wubiUbuntuDesktop

After another reboot, enter your username and password and gaze upon a fresh pristine Linux desktop. It takes a little bit of getting-used-to, but the learning curve isn’t that steep.

Feel free to glance over the documentation to get your feet wet, check out our many articles on Linux use, and join the forums if you have any questions. Don’t be afraid of asking something “stupid”. We were all n00bs once. Well, except me. I’m still a Linux n00b. But hey that’s what I’m taking out student loans for.

Read More..
Category:   Leave a Comment
5 Excellent Downloadable eBooks To Teach Yourself Linux

So you have heard of all the advantages and geeky babble about how Linux is better and you have finally decided to try it? Just one thing, you don’t know an awful lot about Linux to get you started. How about some free downloadable ebooks to teach yourself Linux, that you can download today? Would that help?

Free – you ask? Yes, free. Welcome to the world of Linux where things are free both as in free speech and also as in free beer (mostly)!

If you are starting out on your journey towards Linux awesomeness, here are a few free downloadable ebooks to teach yourself Linux that should help you along nicely:

Newbie’s Getting Started Guide to Linux

(Download)

MakeUseOf’s very own Newbie’s Guide to Linux, tells you how to choose a distribution and then teaches you how to perform a basic Linux install. You can then use the guide to familiarize yourself with the Linux desktop and some basic commands.

Stefan did a great job in keeping it simple and to the point, the way beginners want it. Also don’t forget to check out our other MakeUseOf Manuals.
Introduction to Linux – A Hands on Guide

(Download)

Takes you from the absolute basics to basics. This hands on guide tells you everything right from logging in, basic file management, backup techniques up to basics of networking. It is what you need if you are having difficulty figuring out how to get to that resume file you saved just now. The guide explains Linux file structure and introduces to basic commands and text editors as well.

GNU/Linux Command line tools Summary

(Download)

One important aspect of working in Linux is that you have to familiar with the command line. This book shows you how to use the command line in Linux to your advantage. Apart from the ins and outs of the shell, this book also introduces various commands and the situations where you would use them. There are chapters that deal with specific tasks and list various commands you can use to achieve the task. If you can study online, there is another excellent manual you can refer to.
Ubuntu Pocket Guide and Reference

(Download)

Ubuntu is one of the most popular distributions, new users look up to when trying out Linux. If it is Ubuntu specific information that you are after then you should definitely check out Ubuntu Pocket Guide and Reference. The guide takes you from installing and configuring Ubuntu to adding and managing software and securing your system. A must read book if you use Ubuntu.
Rute User’s Tutorial and Exposition

(Download)

This one is not for the faint hearted! There is enough Linux juice in this book to keep even the intermediate to advanced users interested. The book begins humbly by presenting the basic commands and tools, however before you know it, you are learning everything from regular expressions to shell scripting to C programming to networking.

There is plenty of great material out there if you are trying to learn Linux, similar to these downloadable ebooks to teach yourself everything you ever wanted to know about Linux. If you have read a book or a tutorial that you found particularly useful, feel free to tell us about it in the comments below.

Read More..
Category:   2 Comments
15 Great Ubuntu Tips For Linux Power Users

A few days back I wrote about books that beginners can download and read to teach themselves Linux. Today in the Linux section we have something for the power users. Here are a few tips you should try out if you are an avid Ubuntu Linux user:
1. Get lightning fast and clever at the command line

You can use keyboard shortcuts and other command line tricks to make entering commands easier and faster. You might already know about the ‘tab’ key which completes partial commands and even file and directory names.

Here are some other keyboard shortcuts you can use within terminal:

Ctrl-a Move to the start of the line.
Ctrl-e Move to the end of the line.
Alt-] x Moves the cursor forward to the next occurrence of x.
Alt-Ctrl-] x Moves the cursor backwards to the previous occurrence of x.
Ctrl-u Delete from the cursor to the beginning of the line.
Ctrl-k Delete from the cursor to the end of the line.
Ctrl-w Delete from the cursor to the start of the word.
Ctrl-y Pastes text from the clipboard.
Ctrl-l Clear the screen leaving the current line at the top of the screen.
Ctrl-x Ctrl-u Undo the last changes. Ctrl-_
Alt-r Undo all changes to the line.
Alt-Ctrl-e Expand command line.
Ctrl-r Incremental reverse search of history.
Alt-p Non-incremental reverse search of history.
!! Execute last command in history
!abc Execute last command in history beginning with abc
!n Execute nth command in history
^abc^xyz Replace first occurrence of abc with xyz in last command and execute it

Also don’t forget to check out 4 websites where you can learn cool command line tricks
2. Launch Ubuntu Linux Applications with keyboard

There are two ways you can achieve this:

* Use applications like Launchy or Gnome-Do that make it easier to launch applications by typing a few characters of the application’s name.
* Or you can summon gconf editor (Alt+F2 then type gconf-editor and hit enter), and navigate to apps > metacity > global_keybindings, double click on any of the run_command_N and type in the keyboard shortcut you want to assign to an application then make a mental note of the number N. Then go to apps > metacity > keybinding_commands and double click on command_N (N being the number you used above) and type in the command you want to run. As an example if you wanted to run Firefox you would type in firefox.

Also check out these Ubuntu keyboard shortcuts you might not know about.
3. Start from wherever you left off

You can make Ubuntu remember the applications you had open when you last logged out, so that when you log back in again you’ll find all those applications running and you can resume right from where you left off.

To achieve this go to System > Preferences > Startup Applications, then go to the options tab and check "Automatically remember running applications when logging out"
4. Create a Separate Ubuntu Linux Home Partition

New versions of Ubuntu arrive every 6 months. Although you can upgrade to the latest version via the update manager, sometimes the upgrade doesn’t work as expected so some users like to do a fresh clean install.

The disadvantage with that of course is that you lose data you had in your home directory. To overcome this you can create a separate Home partition when you are installing Ubuntu, size it according to your requirements and then when you decide to install Ubuntu the next time, simply specify this partition as the Home partition (by choosing /home as the mount point).

All your files and data on the Home partition will be preserved even after a fresh install.
5. Update and Install Ubuntu Linux Software Without Internet Connection

There are lots of way to do this, the easiest of all is to use APTonCD. APTonCD allows you to create CDs and DVD’s containing all the packages you want, which you can then use to install software on computers without an internet connection.

Note that APTonCD requires you to have an internet connection (or downloaded packages) to create the installed media. However once the media is ready you don’t need an internet connection for any of the machines you want to install the software on. Insert the appropriate CD/DVD and use apt-get as you would normally.
6. Install new fonts, Microsoft fonts and improve font rendering

Ubuntu doesn’t offer many choices when it comes to the fonts. However you can easily install new fonts including those from Microsoft like Arial, Verdana, impact and many more. You can use different sites to find the kind of font you are looking for.

. Use PPAs, Install latest versions of software

There are a lot of steps that a software has to go through before it becomes part of Ubuntu or becomes available through the Ubuntu repositories. While all those steps lend additional stability, it generally means that you don’t get the latest versions of all the software as soon as they are released.

If you like to stay on the cutting edge, you can search for Personal Package Archives for your favorite software on Launchpad and add those to your installation’s software sources. I briefly touched on PPAs and how to use them here. If that seems like too much work, you can also download the latest deb packages and install them by double clicking (you won’t get automatic updates for the software if you install it this way).

Remember you might get into an occasional trouble or two with the latest versions, but mostly it wouldn’t be catastrophic. You can always hop over to the Ubuntu Forums to get quick help.
8. Be the root

The root account is disabled by default on Ubuntu installations, mainly to prevent you from doing something you didn’t intend to do. However if you "promise to be careful" you can enable root account as follows:

1. Type sudo passwd root and provide a root password.
2. Then head on over to System > Administration > Login Window, go to the Security tab and check "Enable local system administrator login"

You should now be able to login as root from the Login prompt. As an alternative you can use "sudo su" to provide your password and get root prompt.
9. Run Windows applications and games

Who wouldn’t like to play Counter Strike on Ubuntu (unless of course you are completely not into it) or perhaps even run Photoshop? Well it is very much possible and here is how to do it.
10. Shorten boot time with profiling

Ubuntu Linux devs have done a great job with the boot time, Jaunty is fast and Karmic is slotted to be even faster. There is however a bit more you can do by profiling your boot. Profiling lets Ubuntu make a list of all the files that are accessed during bootup, it then sorts the files according to how they are stored on your hard disk. So the next time the system is booted, the files would be read faster.

To profile boot you need to follow these steps

* At the grub menu highlight the kernel you boot most often.
* Press e for edit.
* Choose the line starting with kernel and press e again. Now add the word profile to the end of this line. Hit Enter and then press b to boot

Note that while profiling, the system will boot slower this one time, the next time however you should see an improvement. Also keep in mind that all this is machine-dependent and also depends on the arrangement of files on your hard disk, so the difference you see might not be huge, or even nil in some cases.
11. Try out different Ubuntu Linux Desktop Environments and Desktop Managers

If you are looking for something different than the default Gnome interface, you should check out alternative desktop managers that you can use. If it is a complete Desktop Environment you are looking for, KDE4 has come a long way and is now impressively usable and fun. You can do a "sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop" to get KDE.
12. Create a media center or a media server

It would be great if you could easily browse and manage your huge collection of music, videos and pictures. Mesmerized by Windows Media Center’s slick interface? Wait till you see what all cool options you have to turn your Ubuntu system into a media center. You can even access your media collection on your phone, PSP or a different computer if you set up a media server on your Ubuntu machine.
13. Share Firefox profile data with Windows

Many people use Windows and Linux on the same machine. If you are one of them, there would have been times you couldn’t find that bookmark you created or password you stored when you were using Firefox from within Windows. Check out how you can share Firefox profile data across operating systems without syncing it over the web (works best if you have the same version of Firefox in both OS’s). For different computers you can of course use Weave.
14. Customize Nautilus to your liking

Nautilus is the default file manager on Ubuntu. While you may be content with what it does, there is lots more you can make it do. You can use extensions to improve functionality and even add custom functionality to Nautilus
15. Compile your own Kernel

If you can’t find something to keep you busy for the weekend and you have your customization hat on, how about building a kernel to specifically meet your requirements? This is frankly more of a learning experience. Some might say that it enables you to use just the features and drivers you require, but if everything is working fine with the kernel supplied and you don’t have any interest in the Linux kernel, skip ahead this one is not for you.

If however you require some of the experimental features of the kernel, or need it to be compiled in some other special way we say you check out this guide within Ubuntu Documentation.
16. Change Usplash Screen and create a custom splash screen for GRUB

So you didn’t count the last one? Here is another one then. A Usplash screen is Ubuntu text and a logo with a progress bar that you see when you boot up Ubuntu.

If you would like to change that to something more interesting follow these steps. What better way to show your Linux fu than customizing the very first screen that appears? You can create a custom splash screen using one of your photos, GIMP and a little tweaking. Here is the how-to.

Read More..
Category:   Leave a Comment
Hacking Tips: Download Free Games for Your iPod

On the move, however nerdy it might sound, it’s always practical to have a gaming device at hand. You never know when you’re going to end up in line, stuck in traffic, or locked in an elevator for three days in a row.

However, before I switched Windows Mobile, getting some decent games on my pre-historic cellphone was pretty much impossible, and one doesn’t string a PSP around his neck all day and expect to be popular with the ladies. So, imagine my joy when I discovered that there are free games for iPod that I can download!

These games, which were mainly meant to be downloaded from the iTunes store, could help you kill that little time that was still moving, and although gaming sounds highly impractical with a scroll-click-weel and a center button, they’re great fun.

However, paying for these games gets old quick. Especially because you’re paying 5 bucks (or 5 Euros – people really don’t seem to know how to convert prices) for games you’ve played in your browser a few years ago, like Tetris and music quizzes.

The problem with the iPod’s freeware games market is Apple’s overprotectiveness. It’s not easy to put games on your iPod that weren’t bought in iTunes. But today, we’re going to show you how it’s done.

Note that the iPods supported by this tutorial are the iPod Video 5G and 5.5G (pictured above). Trying this with iPod Nano’s, iPod Classics, or any of the newer models will be bound to result in failure (and there is no other alternative but installing Linux on your device).

Either way, everything described in this tutorial, you do on your own risk. MakeUseOf is not responsible for any potential problems, or damage to your iPod.

Let’s get started, shall we?
Prepping your iPod for free games

The process consists of three parts. First, we’re going to make sure iTunes won’t undo all our hard work with the next synchronisation. Then, we’ll need to copy the necessary files and folders to our iPod, and finally, we’re going to patch our firmware.

Configuring iTunes

First of all, let’s fire up iTunes and disable a few options. In Devices – iPod – Options in the Summary tab, make sure that Enable disk use is checked.

ht1478_1

Also, go to the Games tab and disable the Sync games box.

syncgames

Now, close up iTunes and make sure your iPod is mounted. If not, remove it and plug it in again.

Moving the files

Next, configure Windows Explorer to display hidden files and folders. If you’re using XP, go to Tools – Folder Options. On Vista, this option can be found in Organize – Folder and Search Options.

In the View tab, make sure Show hidden files and folders is enabled.

displayhidden

Open your mounted iPod in Windows Explorer and navigate to iPod_ControlGames_RO and extract the hex folder of your downloaded games. Read more about where to get these games at the bottom of the article.

Patching your iPod

For this one, you’ll need to download iPodWizard (v1.3) and the right firmware file – 5G or 5.5G. If you don’t know for certain which you need, the 5.5G iPod is the one with search function.

Fire up iPodWizard and make sure the edit mode is set to Firmware File. Then, browse to the correct firmware. Finally, press Write to iPod and follow the directions on your screen.

ipodwizard

Congratulations, you should now be able to find your games on your iPod under extras. Have fun!
Download Free iPod Games

If you do a quick Google search, a few sites will pop up where you can find free games for your iPod that you can download, one of those sites is Emobilez. This site offers a wide variety of free mobile/portable software, and has a healthy arsenal of games as well.

Although I’ve got my doubts with some of them (e.g. Lost and Zuma), all games are believed to be in the public domain.

How do you find gaming on your iPod? What are your favorite iPod games? Let it all out in the comments!

Read More..
Category:   Leave a Comment
Hack Your Kindle: 100+ Tips, Resources, and Tutorials to Read Better and Learn Faster

Although many users of the Kindle will use it as a book reader and nothing else, the device is so jam-packed with possibilities that you’d be a fool not to take advantage of them. The Kindle can be used for GPS, wireless connectivity, playing music, and so much more. Read on to find out how you can be a better student or person with these Amazon Kindle hacks, tips, and resources.

Tips

Follow these tips to make Kindle a better, more convenient reader, or to push the limits of what the device will do.

1. Subscribe to magazines and newspapers for early delivery: If you sign up to receive subscriptions to print products on your Kindle, you’ll often get access to them before they hit the newsstands.
2. Print screen: Make a screenshot by pressing Alt-Shift-G.
3. Activate Kindle’s picture viewer: Create a "pictures" folder and "book," and you’ll be able to view images on your device.
4. Turn off your wireless when the signal isn’t great: If you’re in an area where you’re not getting a good wireless signal, be sure to turn the function off or you’ll drain your battery quickly.
5. Kindle supports multiple formats: You can read .mobi, .prc, .txt, .jpg, .gif, HTML and Word files on the Kindle.
6. Preserve your book collection: Keep a digital copy of your literature in case of fire, flood, or theft.
7. Skip more than one page: You can fast forward though pages by pressing and holding Alt plus the Next or Previous page keys.
8. When in doubt, reset: If you get an "Unexpected error" or other troubles, try giving your Kindle a quick reset to see if it will solve the trouble.
9. Find the web browser: You can find the Kindle’s web browser under the "Experimental" banner.
10. Check out Wikipedia: If you’ve read about something and would like more information on it, simply hit Kindle’s Wikipedia search for an answer.
11. Send IMs: You can use Yahoo! Messenger on the Kindle.
12. Use it for reference material: Load reference books that you Use Kindle NowNow: With this human-powered search system, you can get information on the go.
13. Turn off your wireless anytime: Although a bad connection will drain your battery, just turning wireless off any time you’re not using it will help your battery charge last much longer.
14. Use the calendar: You can download a calendar for the Kindle at a minimal price.
15. Access your readings on Amazon: Amazon keeps a copy of your subscriptions and books online, so if you accidentally wipe everything out in an upgrade, you can get it back again with relative ease.
16. Select between sizes: The Kindle offers six different font sizes.

16.
17. Avoid hitting the "Next Page" button: Try pressing a key on the keyboard to keep your crip, or slide a rubber band into the slit behind the page turning bar.
18. Take advantage of the search function: Easily find the information you’re looking for by searching electronically on the Kindle.
19. Read RSS feeds using Bloglines: Instead of paying to download subscriptions, set up your RSS feeds on Javascript-free Bloglines for free.
20. GPS: You can use the Kindle’s CDMA mobile coverage to find your location on Google Maps.
21. Use it as an MP3 player: Did you know that the Kindle doubles as an MP3 player? Put this functionality to use with its headphone jack and speakers.
22. Make reading accessible: Try resizing text to make reading easier for the elderly or other visually impaired persons.
23. Minesweeper: By pressing Alt-M, you can access Kindle’s Minesweeper game.
24. Get free conversions: If you send attachments to "name"@free.kindle.com, you can have files converted and emailed to you, and then transfer the document to your Kindle.
25. Use the dictionary: The Kindle comes pre-loaded with the New Oxford American dictionary.

Tutorials & Guides

Follow these documents for step-by-step instructions on Kindle hacking.

26. Getting the Console: This tutorial shows you how to access your Kindle’s console.
27. How to fill your Kindle for FREE: Check out this guide to learn where you can find free content for the Kindle.
28. Ideas for Hacking Kindle WiFi: In this guide, you’ll get a number of ideas and resources for hacking into WiFi on the Kindle.
29. The Kindle Browser-Wireless Information Tool?: SamSpeak considers the use of the Kindle browser.
30. Jump pages in the Kindle: Skip ahead to a new location in your Kindle using the instructions in this tutorial video.
31. Gmail on the Kindle: This resource offers instruction and a few tips for reading Gmail on the Kindle.
32. A Beginner’s Guide to Kindle Content: Read this resource to learn how to find content for your Kindle beyond the Amazon store.
33. Adding your own pictures to the Kindle Screensaver: Check out this tutorial to learn how to put your own photos in the screensaver rotation.
34. How hard is it to return an ebook?: Visit this guide to learn how to handle returns with Amazon.
35. Amazon Kindle-A Value Investing Tool: Fat Pitch Financial considers how you can use the Kindle for investment.
36. Feedbooks Kindle Hack: This tutorial shows you how to use the Feedbooks Kindle Download Guide as an on-demand library.
37. Listening to Audio Books: Find out how to get audio books from Audible in this guide.
38. Bootloader and firmware updates: Here you’ll learn how to get into the interactive shell and perform firmware updates.
39. Amazon Kindle Disassembly and Take-Apart Guide: Check out this tutorial to see how you can get into the guts of the Kindle.
40. Creating Folders on the Kindle’s SD Card: Check out this guide for tips on Kindle folder management.
41. Wanna Read Manga on Your Kindle?: Use the Kindle’s photo function to flip through manga and other image-based books.
42. Play music on a Kindle: Check out this video to see how you can play MP3s on your Kindle.
43. Getting Free Books: Here you’ll learn a few resources for finding books and a number of different ways to get them on your Kindle device.
44. How to transfer and convert lots of documents to the Kindle: This library expert discovered that emailing her Kindle address would result in perfectly converted and available files.
45. The Amazon Kindle: As a RPG Resource: This reviewer explains how you can use the Kindle for role playing games.
46. Root shell and runtime system: Get into the root shell and runtime system with this tutorial.
47. How to view PDF files on the Kindle: Check out this tutorial to learn how to read PDF files using your Kindle.

Shortcuts

Use your Kindle with ultra quickness by learning these handy shortcuts.

48. Keyboard shortcuts: This resource offers, among other gems, a number of keyboard shortcuts for the Kindle.
49. Jump to the Beginning or End of Home Menu or for a Book: This resource explains a few navigational shortcuts.
50. GPS shortcuts: This resource has a bunch of different shortcuts to use with Kindle’s GPS.
51. Search commands: Find some secret and not-so-secret search commands in this resource.
52. Home screen time: If you press Alt-T, you can show time on the home screen.
53. Kindle Keyboard Reference: Check out this reference sheet for keyboard shortcuts and commands.

Tools

Make use of these tools in order to hack and otherwise use your Kindle for extraordinary purposes.

54. MobiPocket: Format PDFs into .mobi files that you can read on your device using MobiPocket.
55. Kindle Coverage Tool: Check out areas of coverage with this tool that graphically indicates wireless availability.
56. eBookSearchr: Use this ebook search engine to find material to put on your kindle.
57. Mighty Bright XtraFlex2 Light: This little light clips on to the back of your Kindle whenever you need a little extra light for reading.
58. Gutenmark: This utility easily formats Gutenberg books to a format that looks nice on the Kindle.
59. Tubby: Using Tubby, you can convert CHM to HTML.
60. AudibleManager: With the AudibleManager, you can transfer Audible audiobooks to your Kindle.
61. PDFCreator: This program installs a printer on your system, and you can use it to create Kindle-readable PDFs from any program with a print function.
62. Mobi scripts: Use these scripts to be able to use mobi files on your Kindle.
63. Book Designer: With this conversion tool, you can output files in a number of compatible formats.
64. Project Gutenberg Conversion Template: Using this macro template, you can convert Project Gutenberg txt files into a more friendly format.
65. Python interpreter: You’ll need to download a Python interpreter to read Mobipocket books.
66. DailyLit: DailyLit will email you portions of books to read on your Kindle.
67. Beam-ebooks Converter: With this web tool, you can copy and paste text into the form field and get a .prc or PDF file.
68. ABC Amber LIT Converter: This free tool can convert the .lit format to a Kindle-readable .prc file.
69. Use your Kindle as a EVDO WiFi Access Point?: This thread discusses one way to use your Kindle for WiFi.
70. Google Book Search: With this Google function, you can read the classics online.
71. ABC Ambe CHM Converter: Convert .chm format files to .prc using this tool.

Book Sources

Students and bookworms can use these sources to find free or cheap ebooks and audiobooks for use on the Kindle.

72. Fictionwise: Fictionwise offers thousands of different ebooks, from romance to science fiction.
73. Online Books Page: UPenn hosts more than 30,000 different books that you can read online.
74. Audible: Check out this site to download audio books. You can use them to listen as you read along in print.
75. Flazx: On this site, you’ll find computer and IT books to read on your Kindle.
76. Diesel eBooks: Diesel has more than 750 free ebooks from authors like Jane Austen and Lewis Carroll.
77. Mobipocket free books: This resource offers a number of different Kindle-compatible ebooks for free.
78. Free Kindle eBook: This blog offers the occasional link to downloads of wonderful Kindle books.
79. ManyBooks: Here you’ll find a large collection of ebooks.
80. FreeTechBooks: This site offers free computer science and programming books.
81. Well Told Tales: Listen to short, free audio books on Well Told Tales.
82. Project Gutenberg: Download books in the public domain from Project Gutenberg.
83. MobileRead E-Book Uploads: This community shares a number of ebooks that you can download.
84. PinkMonkey: Pink Monkey offers free access to study materials and book notes.
85. LibriVox: Visit this publisher to find more than 1,000 full length audio books recorded by volunteers.
86. FreeComputerBooks: Get access to loads of technical information on your Kindle using this resource.
87. Baen Free Library: This publisher puts out a selected collection of no-strings-attached titles for download.
88. Wowio: Wowio is home to a large collection of free ebooks, comics, and graphic novels.
89. WebScriptions: This site’s ebooks are compatible with the Kindle.

Publishing

Don’t just read other works, get your books and other publications available on the Kindle.

90. Digital Text Platform: With this platform, you can publish your books to be read on the Kindle.
91. Scribd: On Scribd, you can upload documents, publish, and more.
92. Use hyperlinks: Share links to interesting resources and further reading in Kindle-published works.

Resources

For even more information on Kindle hacking, be sure to check out these resources.

93. Kindle Hacking: Charlie Tritschler, director of Kindle, discusses the possibility of hacking the Kindle.
94. Tips and Tricks of Kindle: Amazon offers a few different tricks for their device.
95. Amazon Customer Discussions: Learn about tricks and tips from other Kindle owners here.
96. eNews Content Available on Kindle: This list offers a collection of full feeds you can read on the Kindle.
97. Amazon Kindle Hints and Tips: Mobility Today discusses a number of tips and hints for the Kindle.
98. The Kindle Site List: KindleChat maintains a list of Kindle resource sites.
99. Contact Amazon in an emergency: Here you’ll find useful contact information for Kindle owners.
100. Share Kindle Tips: Check out this Amazon forum thread to find a list of useful tips for the Kindle.
101. Yahoo! KindleKorner: Visit this community for ongoing tips and tricks from other Kindle owners.
102. Tips, Tricks, and Hints: Visit this thread to learn about all of the different tricks Kindle users have come up with.
103. A Million or so Kindle books available now: where to get them and how: Check out this resource for loads of information on where you can find titles for download.
104. 30 Benefits of Ebooks: This resource takes a look at a number of different ways you can use ebooks.

Read More..
Category:   Leave a Comment
5 Tips to Winning a Hack-a-thon Competition

On July 31st, a group of Singularity University students and I decided to attend iPhoneDevCamp at Yahoo HQ – for an impromptu field trip. Our goal: to gain first-hand experience of the rapid pace of innovation in Silicon Valley. And maybe build a cool app to enter into the hack-a-thon competition. The result was an app called “Gettaround” (www.gettaround.com).

iPhoneDevCamp

20,000 lines of code, 2 days, and just 4 hrs of sleep later, our app won the “Best Money Making App” category (sponsored by Mobclix) in the hack-a-thon. Here is a short clip of our presentation for the judges:



Here are some members of our very talented development team:

ddd

Charles Du (Me) Elliot KrooAnand GuptaJohn Varghese

Product Manager Developer Developer Developer

Our team also included Jonah Williams (not pictured)

The talent and experience of our development team was a strong factor in our success. But I’d like to share what I believe to be five additional key factors to our success that are independent of the development team. Factors that are more dependent on preparation, passion, and environmental awareness – that any team can repeat with little or no cost at the next hack-a-thon.


1. Prepare to recruit the rockstar developers in the room

Talent makes or breaks any project. Even with the best idea, the lack of talent to implement would kill it. Out of the 500 developers, product managers, and marketers that attended iPhoneDevCamp that weekend, we had to find four rockstar developers who are passionate enough about the “get-around project” and could put it together in one weekend. And to say that recruiting, filtering, and motivating talent is hard would be an incredible understatement. Ask any CEO in Silicon Valley…

How we did it? Two days before iPhoneDevCamp, we created a developer recruitment plan, and assembled a “GO Team” to execute. Two great members of the group – Jessica Scorpio and Bentley Turner – stepped up as recruiters. I coached them through what to look for in a rockstar iPhone developer, and we practiced possible dialogue scenarios including which ‘tough’ questions to ask. In typical last-minute fashion before iPhoneDevCamp, we designed and custom-printed three green American Apparel T’s. (Mine read: “Rockstar Product Manager,” and Jessica and Bentley’s read “Wanted: Rockstar Developers”).

Recruiting Team

The result was a marketing and recruiting team, dressed in “get-around green,” who are fluent in Map Kit, augmented reality, JSON, and Cocoa Touch lingo. At iPhoneDevCamp, we also posted flyers with our contact information in highly trafficked places to broadcast our message – develop with your fellow rockstars. Within minutes, we received dozens of text messages indicating interest for our project.

Through the evening, our team spoke with more than 200 people. In the end, we found four rockstar developers that were definitely some of the best in the world, and also a joy to work with.
2. Be the Vision. Bring the UI.

The idea for the app was hashed a couple of days before iPhoneDevCamp. Once the decision was made to attend iPhoneDevCamp, we worked with Sofya Yampolsky, a very talented SU student on the graphic design. (She also did a fantastic job of polishing up the UI during the hack-a-thon).

UI concept before dev camp

This saved us a LOT of up-front time. Armed with the UIs and a solid vision for the app, with the entire team in pitch mode, it was quicker sell for recruitment.
3. Talk about code ownership before any major design is done

Nearly all of the weekend was going to be spent creating valuable code, so it was extremely important to agree on the ground rules on how to use that code. We ended up deciding that all of us (developers and product manager) would be able to access and reuse the code, but not open it up for other parties. By agreeing on these ground rules, we were able to focus on developing the product without the risk of arguing over who owns what and how at the end of the competition.
4. Have a backup location with Internet access ready

The facilities at iPhoneDevCamp closed at 11pm every night. Of course there was no way we could let this limit our productivity. We entered iPhoneDevCamp with two backup facilities for late night development. After iPhoneDevCamp closed on Saturday night, we moved the dev team to the SU students’ residence and worked until all four developers’ code was successfully merged, and the UI was completely finished (all buttons and graphics PNGed). Final end time on Saturday – 4AM Sunday!
5. Present in video instead of a live demo (if possible)

We started off on Sunday (final day) with a lot of uncertainty. We succeeded in merging the code of four people, but had not finished the views yet – no transition was done. Our team seemed to be looking into the jaws of defeat. (I’m pretty sure we weren’t the only ones, because every team that we talked to was trying to buy more time or present last).

Every team faced the intense pressure of needing to prepare and present on a product that wasn’t fully baked. And, we all had just 3 minutes to present. The lifesaver for us was our presentation style. Most teams decided to do a live demo, but we decided to demonstrate our product in an edited video. Through the video, we could fully share our vision for the app and tell a story that the judges could connect to (especially with the iPhone commercial music in the background). More importantly, the video gave us the control we needed to keep it under 3 minutes.

Because our team was finishing views and transitions in real time, editing our presentation video was one of the coolest experiences I’ve had. As soon as someone from our team finished a view, I recorded a clip and edited it. I shot and edited in real time. But, by 2pm (deadline to enter), we were only 70% done connecting our views to our controller. All we could do was hope that we were picked later so we could finish. As teams went up and presented, we blocked them out and kept working. I was impressed by the focus of the team, given the seemingly insurmountable time pressure. When we were finally called on to present, I was literally exporting the video file with running battery red on my Macbook Pro! It doesn’t get much closer than that for a finish!

I’ll close this post by saying that winning the hack-a-thon with such great people was one of the coolest experiences of my life. Shoutouts and congratulations to our 4 rock star developers: Elliot Kroo, Anand Gupta, Jonah Williams, John Varghese, and to the supporting cast: VJ Anma, Jessica Scorpio, Sam Zaid, Bentley Turner, Sofya Yampolsky, Miguel Elasmar, Gregor Hanuschak, and Sarah Sclarsic.

Looking back, I’m still amazed at what you can accomplish in one weekend. With a vision, a plan, and a great team, anything is possible.

Read More..
Category:   2 Comments
Hacking Skype: 25 Tips to Improve Your Skype Experience

Hacking Skype: 25 Tips to Improve your Skype Experience

How versatile is your Skype? Ours can podcast, translate French, take conference calls from 15 people, and tutor calculus. Want to learn how to turn your Skype telephone into a multipurpose office machine? We're going to tell you how.

For millions of users, Skype is the VoIP solution of choice. If you're just getting into this great telephone alternative, you are going to be surprised how much you can do with it. In this article we cover 25 tips, hacks, and extras to help you utilize Skype to its fullest potential.


Starting Simple: Built-In Skype Features you Didn't Know About

Skype is such a rapidly emerging technology that a lot of brand new users aren't even aware of all the built-in features that Skype offers standard, not to mention the add-ons and hacks that you can improve it with. In this section we cover some often overlooked standard features of Skype that can dramatically improve your experience.
1 Call Forwarding

Whether you've set your Skype account up on your home or work computer, the fact is, you are occasionally going to get important calls when you aren't there. Thankfully, you can simply forward those calls to another Skype account or even a cell phone or land line. That way, even if your computer at work is shut down, as soon as a call comes in to your Skype account, the call will immediately ring on your cell phone, your home computer and your home phone line, meaning that no matter where you are you'll be sure to get it.
To forward a call click on the "Tools" menu and select "Options." From there set the forwarding number in the "Call Forwarding & Voicemail" section.

2 Filtering and Blocking Users

Skype is a great tool for both business and pleasure, but if you don't take preventative steps, it can also cause you some serious security problems. Vishing is a new VoIP targeted scam in which cyber-criminals use a VoIP client such as Skype to call people and attempt to trick them into revealing important financial details such as credit card numbers or online passwords. But you can limit these attacks by simply blocking unwanted callers.
To block unknown or unwanted callers, simply click on "Tools" and select "Options." From there, select "Privacy" and choose the level of security that works best for you. When it comes to individual attacks, you can avoid repeat vishing calls by blocking the spammer by clicking on "Manage Blocked Users" in the "Options" dialog.




3 A DIY Home Security System

Whether you want to keep an eye on your pet goldfish from work or just make sure no one has broken in the house while you are on vacation, Skype can double as an away from home monitoring system.
Checking in is simple with Skype's one and two way video calling. You'll need two separate Skype accounts, a computer at home with a webcam, and access to the Internet. Using one account, setup the home version of Skype to auto-answer calls and automatically fire up the webcam. Then to check in, just use the second Skype account to call the first, and the webcam video will pop up.

4 Providing Customer Support

Got a small business online? Want to offer some customer support without spending a fortune on telephony costs? Skype's graphical click-to-call SkypeMe buttons are ideal for this. Create your SkypeMe button (free account needed) and embed the code in your website, weblog, template, email, or wherever you want it to appear. When someone views your web page (or email message), the button will indicate whether you are online and accepting Skye calls, busy, or offline. If you're on the go and want to receive calls, just leave your Skype client running and set call forwarding (see above).

Plugins, Addons, and Extras

Think of the off-the-shelf version of Skype as a new car without any optional package. Sure, it will still get you to and from work, but it doesn't have any of the bells and whistles that make your new toy exciting. Unlike car options, however, these Skype Plugins and Add-ons won't cost you a fortune, and they're easy to install to boot.
5 Using Skype to Sell your Services

You've got information that other people can use, and with the Bitwine Skype add-on you'll be able to leverage that information into an income stream. Whether you're a lawyer, a mechanic, or a talented collector, there are people willing to pay for the information you have, and using Bitwine makes selling that information easy. Through Bitwine, you set up your hourly rate, then customers approach you about the topic they would like to discuss, you set up a meeting time, and at the end of the meeting Bitwine tallies up the time and will even coordinate payment via PayPal through another add-on, Bitwine extra.

6 Recording Calls

There are a lot of add-on options for recording Skype calls, including the free Audacity audio editor. But Audacity has to be triggered manually, and since you don't always know beforehand when a call should be recorded, the fact that Audacity is manual is a serious limitation. By contrast, there are a number of Skype recorders that start up automatically. HotRecorder is arguably among the best. HotRecorder allows searchable Meta text to be added to each recording, and works with Google Talk and other IM clients. For aspiring Howard Sterns, there's a selection of Emotisounds such as laughs, claps, etc., that can be inserted into the conversation for later podcasting.

7 Enhanced Voicemail

If you use your Skype phone for more than just the occasional long-distance call, you should enhance your voicemail setup beyond the basic Skype standard. Pamela offers (automatic) call recording, an answering machine for voice and video, automated chat reply if you're away, Skype VoiceMail management, and email forwarding of audio files. In addition, Pamela will let you setup a separate greeting or voicemail message for different users, so that your business and personal calls won't hear the same message. And best of all, Pamela allows for remote control, meaning that if you forget to change one of the voicemail settings before you go on vacation, you can make the changes via any computer anywhere.

8 Keep Up With New Music

If you constantly find yourself wondering why everyone else's iPod seems to have better music than yours, maybe its time to start branching out and discovering new music. Last.fm, a Skype add-on provides you with an easy forum to share your own musical preferences and listen to what other people like. With this add-on, you can browse through other Skype and Last.fm user's music collections and listen in. While you're listening, information about the song and artist you're listening to is displayed and you're given the ability to find similar titles.

Setup is really simple, you just need to download the Last.fm extra, sign up for a free account at Last.fm and there download the Last.fm software. For those of you that are Mac users, Last.fm will still work as a Skype add-on, the only difference is that you will need to download the iScrobbler extra to make Last.fm Mac compatible.

9 Universal Chat and Language Translation

It's a global world out there, so whether you're conducting business or pleasure with Skype, you are likely communicating with people around the world and may occasionally encounter language barriers. Thankfully, by using the quick add-on Universal Chat Translator you can communicate with anyone no matter what language they speak. The software only produces text translations, so you may feel like you're watching a foreign film with subtitles, but the fact that the Universal Translator can read text in 11 languages and understand spoken text in 50 means that you'll at least be able to get your point across.

10 A Complete Small Business Collaboration Solution

If you're running a small business or working as part of a team on a single project, real-time collaboration is essential. There's no better way to supplement your Skype conferencing than with a collaborative desktop provided by Skype add-on Unyte. Unyte lets you choose which applications or documents to share with the other people on your conference call. Then everyone can be looking at the same documents at the same time, and when changes are made they appear on everyone's screen so that there is no confusion. Pricing depends on the number of people you want to bring in on the conference, but you can give two-person collaboration a try for free.

11 Combining Real-Time Document and Voice Collaboration

If the setup hassles of Unyte are too much for you, a simpler solution that redefines easy-setup is TalkandWrite. TalkandWrite will give you video and voice conferencing as well as handle real-time collaborative document editing. That means, that not only will the changes you make be reflected on the other person's screen, but you'll also be able to see and talk with the other person about those changes as you make them. This easy Skype add-on can be a real time-saver for anyone who spends time working with a small team preparing for a project.

Mobility

With the advent first of cordless phones and then cell phones, every communication device is going mobile. So it doesn't make sense that your most advanced communication tool, Skype, should keep you tethered to your computer. Here are a few Skype add-ons and extras to give you the freedom to get out from behind your desk.
12 Bluetooth and Skype

The first step to mobility is just cutting the cord that connects you to your computer when you're using Skype. You can think of this step as the advent of the cordless phone for Skype, it will get you mobile, but only within certain limits. Most newer computers are already Bluetooth capable, so purchasing and synching up a Bluetooth wireless earpiece or headset is extremely simple. In fact, you can use a single Bluetooth earpiece to handle calls from both Skype and your cell phone, so you may not need to buy anything if you're already using a Bluetooth earpiece with your mobile. The only downside to going Skype wireless via Bluetooth is that you are limited by Bluetooth as to how far from your computer you can be. But for those that are just looking for a way to cut the wire and have a little more mobility around the office, Bluetooth is the perfect solution.

13 Mobile Phone Skype Calling

Imagine if you could use SkypeIn or SkypeOut from your cell phone: you could make and receive phone calls to people around the world with the convenience of your cell phone but the pricing of Skype. Thankfully, that day is already here, but a surprising number of Skype fans just don't yet know about the capability. Ego has been offering their Skype based cell phone service for almost a year. It lets you see who is online, make and receive calls with your Skype contacts, and use Skype Instant Messaging.

If the idea of carrying both a Skype phone and a regular cell phone doesn't suit you, TalkPlus has hacked the Skype API to create a server that functions as a Skype client, demonstrating that integrating Skype calls and regular mobile calls will soon be a reality. In fact, in November 2006, TalkPlus demonstrated a successful mobile call to Skype test id echo123. Their hack was then made public, and could be installed on mobile phones to talk to the Skype server. Since then, the service has temporarily gone MIA, but expect that very soon full cell phone/ Skype integration will be a reality.

14 Skype on a Cell Phone…Indirectly

While the ultimate goal is complete Skype/ mobile integration, for now you can get a lot of the functionality of a Skype mobile phone by routing your mobile through your home Skype setup. By using a Phone Diverter, which will allow your cell phone to communicate with your computer, you can enable Skype on your mobile phone indirectly.

Essentially, you will be using your mobile phone to call your home computer, which will in turn ask you to enter a password, and then allow you to use your SkypeOut credits to call your Skype friends. While the system isn't yet perfect, in part because you'll be racking up both your cell phone and SkypeOut minutes at once, it is an effective way to be able to make Skype calls from your cell phone now.

15 Bringing Skype to your TV

Imagine, you hear your Skype phone ring, but it's the fourth quarter of the game, and who knows if the call is even important. You don't want to get up, but it seems you have no choice. Thankfully, with mcePhone you won't have to get up to find out who is calling ever again, as your incoming Skype calls will simply pop up on your TV screen.

From your TV you'll be able to see your own Skype-Status (online, offline, etc), the number of SkypeOut credits you have, which of your Skype friends are currently online, and whether you have any new voicemails. And when a new call comes in, a small window automatically pops up letting you know who the caller is, and it will even let you decide whether you want to accept, ignore, or reject the call all by remote control.

16 Having your Skype Announce Who is Calling

Despite its simplicity, AudioID is easily one of the most useful Skype hacks for home users. AudioID will allow you to setup an individualized announcement for each caller that will play over your computer or home speaker system. So instead of hearing a generic computer ring from somewhere way back in the home office, you can hear a clear message from your computer, "Call from Kristy" which will let you decide whether you need to run back to take the call or whether it can wait until later.

Pure Silliness: Skype Hacks Designed to Entertain

Much of Skype's appeal is the connectivity and productivity it brings to its users. But Skype can also just be a great way to have a whole lot of fun. These simple hacks will help you do just that.
17 Voice Analysis Love Detector

Whether you're using a Skype based dating service or are just want to know if that secret crush feels the same way about you, the Love Detector is a fun Skype add-on that uses SENSE voice analysis technology to detect love and other emotions over your Skype calls. But before you rush out and purchase the full version, you can give this add-on a free trial run and start testing how people really feel about you.

18 Making Board Games Fun Again

Need a break from work but need to stay in front of the computer so your boss doesn't get suspicious? There are a whole host of classic board games that you can add-on to Skype for some fun diversion. With Backgammon, Bingo, Chess and Checkers, you can compete against your fellow Skype users using 'old-school' games with 'new-school' interfaces.

19 KishKish Lie Detector

If you're using your Skype phone to conduct business deals and you want to make sure the other party is being truthful, or you just want to prove once and for all that your boyfriend is a cheater, try KishKish the Skype Lie Detector add-on. KishKish detects the stress level of the person you are talking with over Skype, and it uses that information to detect when they are lying.

20 Creating a Lip-Snyc-ing Avatar to Hide Behind

Video calls can be great for connecting with people on a more personal level. But sometimes, whether because we don't know the caller well or it just hasn't been a good morning, we don't want to be seen. Instead of feeling embarrassed in front of the camera, CrazyTalk allows you to create your own Skype video avatar and have him/ her lip-sync anything you say. This fun add-on is surprisingly simple to setup and use, and will allow you create your own custom avatar from any digital photo. Once set up, it takes just a click to have the avatar pop up, cover the Skype video screen and begin lip-sync-ing.

21 Disguising your Voice

There's nothing more entertaining than changing your voice to mess with your friends. Whether you want to impersonate their boss or their girlfriend, DoNaut has got you covered.

This easy to install Skype add-on will allow you to adjust the tone and quality of your voice throughout the call. In addition, you can use DoNaut to pipe in some background music to your Skype calls off your favorite music player such as iTunes, or Windows Media Player.

22 "Can I Have Your Number?" … "Umm, No."


Whether from a bad blind date, or a sales person that just won't take no for an answer, we've all been in a situation where we didn't want to give the person our phone number or Skype information, but it seemed unavoidable.

Thankfully, the folks that compiled the original NotMyNumber Directory have given Skype users the ability to provide people with a fake number as well. This simple Skype add-on will give you access to local numbers in every major city that are guaranteed to be inactive. That way, when someone you don't want to talk to asks you for your Skype number, you can very casually access the Skype NotMyNumber Tool and offer them a completely fake number.

Advanced Hacks

If you're tech savvy and really want to push your Skype setup to the limit, this list of advanced hacks can help you create functionalities that are sure to improve your experience and wow your friends. But be forewarned, even though a lot of these hacks will be simple to advanced tweakers, if you're new to Skype you may find some of these hacks are over your head.
23 Multiple Logins


If Skype has become your family's communication device of choice, then no doubt you have experienced the problem of having multiple members of your family trying to use your home Skype account at the same time. For a quick fix to this problem, just setup setup multiple logins, so that everyone in the family can use their Skype ID whenever they want. So far this hack is only available for Windows XP users, but keep an eye out for a hack compatible with your OS in the near future.

24 Wake-up Call

If you're a regular business traveler, finding yourself without a wake-up call can be a big problem. Thankfully, by following this hack tutorial you can use the "Scheduled Task" feature in Windows XP to set a time and have Skype call the hotel phone to wake you up.

25 Design your own Hack

Don't see a hack here that interests you? Or maybe you need custom functionality and can't wait for someone to create it. Skype has open developer API, so you can write your own plugins which can be created in HTML or Java, or as an EXE or DLL. If you're looking for a community to help you with some of the programming hurdles, the Skype Developer Zone blog will even keep your questions private so that no one steals your new idea before you get it finished. And when your application is complete, the site also offers a Publishing Studio Publication Studio to manage your published component.

Read More..
Category:   3 Comments
Kerala IT poised to ride the next growth wave

IT, home to three state-of-the-art facilities, Infopark, Technopark and Cyberpark, is truly capitalizing on its advantages and transforming itself into a silicon coast through focused initiatives in citizen e-enablement, IT infrastructure development and HR development.

Senior members from Kerala IT, in the city to participate at eIndia, discussed the various initiatives spearheaded by the State Government and various sops offered to attract investments from Indian and International IT, ITES and BPO companies.

Keeping in view that an e-literate citizenry is a key component of a successful e-governance strategy, the first step in taking ICT (Information and communication technology) to the masses has been rolled out in Kerala in the form of Akshaya, a significant effort in this direction. As a part of this initiative, Akshaya has set up 2,000 kiosks in the and with a mission is to have at least one IT-literate person in each of the 65 lakh families in the State. Piloted in one of the backward districts, Malappuram, this has evolved into one of the most dynamic interventions in public-private-partnerships of the State.

Akshaya focuses on the development of the state for addressing major issues like Creation of ICT access points up to village level through public participation Providing the skill sets necessary to the population to refine their skills and to use ICT in their daily life Provide ample content in local language relevant to citizens and to use the centres for the delivery of a variety of Services and Applications including e-governance, e-transaction and e-commerce.

On such initiatives, Dr. Rathan Kelkar, Director - Kerala State IT Mission says, "We are constantly trying to nurture the right talent, and have introduced special programs such as Special Post graduate Education Expansion Drive in IT (SPEED-IT) which offers strategy to attract good students into Masters and PhD programs in IT and IT-related disciplines by providing attractive scholarships by government and industry. MASS HR is another initiative by the Government to ensure consistent quality human resource for industry. The expected gains out of this initiative will be creation of an employable pool of technically qualified people."

Following the Hub and Spoke Model, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode will act as Hubs and districts such as Cherthala, Koratty and Ambalapuzha will act as Spokes. Kerala State IT Infrastructure (KSITI) Ltd, which has been formed for the creation of IT infrastructure in the State, will undertake the setting up location specific IT Parks in all Districts.

Commenting on the growth of the state, Mervin Alexander, CEO, Technopark- Trivandrum, says, "Realizing the economies of operation in the State, Kerala IT witnessed many international IT brands moving to Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi for their excellent infrastructure and 24x7 power / data connectivity."

By having IT parks in smaller cities, regional disparities can be minimized, employee attrition and cost of operation lowered, and local talent nurtured. Special incentives will be given to companies commencing operations outside main IT hubs of Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi, according to a press release.

Read More..
Category:   Leave a Comment
E-mail hacked, complains IIT professor

LUCKNOW, INDIA: A senior professor at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has lodged a complaint in Uttar Pradesh that his personal e-mail account was hacked, police said Wednesday.

M.C Bansal, who teaches in department of paper technology at IIT Roorkee's campus in Saharanpur, met senior police officials Tuesday evening and lodged the complaint.

"The e-mail issued by the hacker, purportedly on behalf of the professor, requests receivers of the mail for financial assistance," district police chief Amit Chandra told IANS over telephone.

"We have constituted teams to probe the case. We are also consulting IT experts to know from where the mail was sent after hacking the professor's e-mail account," he added.

According to police, the hacker claims the sender of the mail had to be hospitalized in Nigeria after he met with an accident. The mail requests receivers for financial assistance.

Bansal came to know about the hacking only after his friends and relatives started calling him up Tuesday after reading the mail.


"I used to change the password of my account frequently. I am surprised and shocked by the incident. I am afraid of the misuse of my mail account," Bansal told reporters in Saharanpur, some 400 km from Lucknow.

The branch of IIT, Roorkee in Saharanpur offers three courses: B.Tech paper technology, M.Tech polymer science and B.Tech process engineering.

Read More..
Category:   Leave a Comment
Fujitsu aims for 10-petaflop supercomputer

Fujitsu aims to deliver by early 2011 a 10-petaflop supercomputer, which would be almost 10 times more powerful than today's fastest system.

Fujitsu is building the supercomputer for Japan's Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, known as RIKEN, said Takumi Maruyama, head of Fujitsu's processor development department, on the sidelines of the Hot Chips conference at Stanford University on Tuesday.

The system will be based on Fujitsu's upcoming Sparc64 VIIIfx processor, which has eight processor cores and will be an update to the four-core Sparc64 VII chip that Fujitsu released two years ago, Maruyama said.

It remains to be seen if Fujitsu can achieve its goal, and it's likely that other system builders are plotting similarly powerful machines. IBM has said it will build a "petascale" supercomputer based on its upcoming Power7 processor for the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. That machine, dubbed Blue Waters, is also due in 2011.

Today's fastest machine is IBM's Roadrunner system at the U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory, which was rated at 1.105 petaflops on June's Top500 list of supercomputers. A petaflop is equal to one thousand trillion calculations per second.

Maruyama gave the first in-depth look at the Sparc64 VIIIfx on Tuesday. Each of its eight cores runs at 2GHz and accesses 5MB of L2 cache memory. The processor can achieve 128 Gflops performance while drawing 58 watts of power, he said.

It's based on the same Sparc9 instruction set as other Sparc processors, but adds a set of supercomputing extensions known as HPC-ACE, Maruyama said.

While Fujitsu is already planning for the RIKEN machine, it isn't saying yet when the new Sparc64 chip will be available for other systems.

Fujitsu's current Sparc64 chip, the four-core Sparc64 VII, is sold in Unix servers from Fujitsu and Sun Microsystems. It would be "technically possible" to put the eight-core chip in those machines, but Fujitsu has no plans yet to do so, Maruyama said.

Several chip vendors are presenting papers at Hot Chips about eight-core server processors. IBM is due to discuss its Power7 processor later Tuesday afternoon. That product is due in systems in the first half of next year.

Read More..
Category:   Leave a Comment
Berners-Lee: Challenge of the Web is 'creative connectivity'

he challenge of the Web is to build a system that enables people to creatively solve problems that they couldn't solve on their own, said Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web and director of the World Wide Web Consortium.

Speaking today at the "Future of the Web Debate," at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Tetherless World Research Constellation, Berners-Lee said one of the Web's key challenges is what he calls "connective creativity."

Creativity is that "eureka moment," when a long-sought-after answer to a problem seems to come out of nowhere, said Berners-Lee, the senior research scientist at the MIT Laboratory for Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence.

"Creativity is what happens in one person's brain, when things start to click together because you have been consciously reading up about the problem and all the things you think would be relevant [to solving that problem], and quite subconsciously your brain has been fitting together a solution," he said.

Then the answer suddenly comes to you when you're in the shower or jogging, Berners-Lee said.

"That's an interesting thing that happens, and it happens in just one brain," he said. "Now just suppose, given that we have those huge problems out there to solve in health care, [such as] looking for a cure for AIDS or cancer, that part of

the answer might be in my brain and another part might be in somebody else's brain. So how can we make the Web a substrate so that all those half-formed ideas out there [are connected]?"

In the future, the Web should be able to connect people's ideas in such a way that one person could store his partly formed ideas and leave a trail of his thinking for other people trying to solve the same problem, Berners-Lee said.

"How can we make the Web be an infrastructure that allows more than one person to think more effectively than one person can? There's no proof yet that for creative thinking we've done that," he said. "The challenge is to build a system that allows the formation of half-formed ideas and allows collective creativity."

His speech was also available via a live webcast.

Read More..
Category:   Leave a Comment
Linux, Microsoft, Mac: Meet your real competitor

There's been a lot of rumblings about Windows 7, the next Microsoft OS which will probably arrive in late 2009 or (more likely) early 2010. A few have said Microsoft is scared of Linux -- especially on netbooks -- and that open source software will finally, eventually trump commercial offerings. There's also a contingent of folks who see the Mac as emerging from market share obscurity -- the long-rumored takeover where average citizens finally, eventually stick their nose up to corporate domination and flock to the well-architected but somewhat elitist platform.

I think none of these platforms will win the OS war.

In 10-15 years, these debates over OS options will quietly slide into obsolescence. Massive 700MB ISO downloads, boxed software with beautiful smiling people on the cover, shiny and sleek laptops designed for one OS: they will fade into oblivion.

The real competitor, the real OS of the future, is not Windows 7, Linux, or the Mac. It's just simply the Web. And, I don't mean "the cloud" in the sense that there's this vague conglomeration of data centers in unknown locations storing all of our data and apps. I mean immediate access to the Web, sans any operating system at all. I'm in favor of being OS agnostic, and seeing the Web as the ultimate platform.

The debate, frankly, reminds me of what's happening with Blu-Ray movies right now. Hollywood studios -- the equivalent of Red Hat, Microsoft, and Apple -- are arguing over the future of this physical medium. Why are the Blu-Ray players not flying off the shelves? Why are people hunkering down with their standard-def DVD collections? Don't they understand the merits of this wonderful format that is so far superior to HD-DVD (now long dead) and other formats? The format war has continued since HD-DVD died at last year's CES (I was standing right next to the booth when it keeled over) even though there is only one format.

Or is there? While commercial entities struggle to breathe life into Blu-Ray, obviously out to make a buck, the real future is in digital distribution. Why buy a Blu-Ray disc for your collection when you can wait a little bit for a more viable digital option? Here's the hard-to-swallow truth: people who download movies with an Apple TV or the new Samsung MediaLive player are having just as much fun watching I Am Legend as those who invested their hard-earned dollars in Blu-Ray media.

The same is true with the OS, except that the writing on the wall is a little less clear and on a wall that's in the distant future. Yet, a few people are already reading the inscription.

So, why the Web? I don't think "the cloud" has enough of a draw. The average user doesn't care where the data is housed or where the apps reside. Let them exist locally on a browser and on your own hard disk, fine. But they do want ubiquitous computing, and an OS will be too restrictive

Here's an example. I am testing touch screen technology right now, and the best devices do not emphasize an OS. You only see the app. There is an OS, partly because no one has figured out how to make a device without one. Many of these devices -- like the Sony PRS-700 -- run on the Linux kernel, but even that is not necessarily going to have a stranglehold over the computing industry. Microsoft has already hinted at a managed code OS (called Midori) that might power the "computers" of the future. I think some oddball company might emerge as the kernel provider of the future. Maybe it will be NVIDIA, or AMD. We won't call them computers then, and we won't have an OS.

Think of it this way. On next-generation touch devices, those that run on a bathroom mirror or in your car window, there is no need for an OS. All you need is a browser and a place to store the data. (That's why, for long-term investments, I'd think seriously about any company that manufactures non-volatile memory.) So many people are adamant about open source software -- but the end-user doesn't care about these discussions. Which OS provides the best experience, which one lets you install software easily, does it crash? No one will care.

Look at the HP TouchSmart, perhaps the best example of where computing is headed. Everything that's cool about it has nothing to do with the OS or open source software. It's the HP-created touch interface, which is admittedly just so-so, but could easily run on a much less expensive device. It has a browser, photo and music apps, a way to play videos, but no operating system. Okay, it runs on top of Windows, but it doesn't have to. Another example of this is when your laptop boots into some weird text-based boot screen so you can watch a movie without ... waiting ... forever ... for the OS. It's not an OS at all; and, it's the future of computing.

The company that is really being left out of this future equation is Apple. The company has been short-sighted (and short-sited) about the Web (have you ever used MobileMe?) and about stand-alone devices. They kind of need to have a massively bloated OS because that encourages commercial software development and sells hardware, which reminds me of another company that is often criticized for making bloatware.

Amazingly, many of the experts are saying Web 2.0 will not survive. There have been a few lay-offs and sometimes I wonder about the sustainability of the business model. Yet, maybe Web 2.0 won't survive but Web 3.0 and Web 4.0 and beyond will do just fine, running on your bathroom mirror in 2020, sans an Apple, or a Microsoft, or a Linux operating system. So, enjoy those Blu-Ray movies and Windows 7, start picturing a day when you don't download an ISO file anymore, and get ready for the day when your MacBook is old hat, because OS dominance will be short lived. Ubiquitous computing will finally, eventually get the big win.

Read More..
Category:   Leave a Comment
Can you trust free antivirus software?

PC World - Free antivirus programs for individuals vary just as much as paid security programs do in the quality of their protection. And frugal Windows users on the hunt for no-cost antivirus software -- already faced with tons of options -- will have even more to choose from when new free offerings from Microsoft and Panda join the programs currently available from Alwil (Avast), AVG, Avira, Comodo, and PC Tools.

To help you figure out which free antivirus app is right for you, PC World put packages from all of those companies through their paces. Our testing partner, AV-Test.org of Germany, employed its vast "zoo" of collected malware to test detection rates and scan speed. We then poked and prodded the apps to see which ones made stopping malware an effortless task, and which ones made it feel more like drudgery.

For a summary of our findings, see our free antivirus software ranked chart. For our in-depth evaluations, see the individual reviews, linked in this story and in the chart.
Something (but not everything) for nothing

While free antivirus programs give you some value, they don't have everything that a paid security application can offer.

For one thing, you won't have anyone to call if things go haywire, or if you need disinfection help in the event something does sneak past your PC's defenses. Most free apps give support only on online forums, though Avast offers e-mail support (and Microsoft plans to when Security Essentials launches); Avast users can submit online support tickets, too. AVG gives paid phone support, but the $50-per-call fee costs more than most paid antivirus apps.

Do-it-yourselfers can often find good advice at helpful sites like Wilders Security Forums, but even there you shouldn't expect to talk to anyone for help with a free antivirus app. (Unless you can bribe a techie friend, that is.)

Generally, free apps have less-frequent malware-signature updates than paid products do, which can leave a window of opportunity for brand-new baddies to evade detection. Most of the free apps we tried update their signature databases only once daily.

Microsoft Security Essentials, however, will also check suspicious samples that don't match a particular installed signature, by running the sample against Microsoft's latest online signatures. And as long as you have an Internet connection, Panda Cloud Antivirus checks everything against Panda's servers, so it will always use the newest signatures. (If you don't have an Internet connection, the Panda program falls back on local caches.)

Some free utilities have fewer scanning options than paid apps from the same company do. For example, Avira's paid antivirus program will scan http traffic to catch Web-borne malware before it hits your hard drive, but the company's free AntiVir Personal version won't. And AVG's paid app ties in to IM programs for additional security, while its AVG 8.5 Free doesn't.

Finally, some free programs give you stuff you don't want. The AVG app and Comodo Internet Security both default to installing unnecessary search or social networking browser toolbars (you can opt out during program installation), and many free apps display ads urging you to buy the paid versions. Avira's daily pop-up ads are the most intrusive, but Avast, AVG, and PC Tools Antivirus Free Edition all display ads in some form as well.

In spite of all that, in choosing a no-cost antivirus utility, you can get decent protection and save yourself at minimum $30 every year, if you're willing to go without a few nonessentials. For many people, that isn't a bad trade-off.

Read More..
Category:   Leave a Comment
Free software group attacks Windows 7 'sins'

Computerworld - The Free Software Foundation today launched a campaign against Microsoft Corp.'s upcoming Windows 7 operating system, calling it "treacherous computing" that stealthily takes away rights from users.

At the Web site Windows7Sins.org, the Boston-based FSF lists the seven "sins" that proprietary software such as Windows 7 commits against computer users.

They include: Poisoning education, locking in users, abusing standards such as OpenDocument Format (ODF), leveraging monopolistic behavior, threatening user security, enforcing Digital Rights Management (DRM) at the request of entertainment companies concerned about movie and music piracy, and invading privacy.

"Windows, for some time now, has really been a DRM platform, restricting you from making copies of digital files," said executive director Peter Brown. And if Microsoft's Trusted Computing technology were fully implemented the way the company would like, the vendor would have "malicious and really complete control over your computer."

The result is that Microsoft could do things like Amazon.com, which last month went into customers' Kindle e-readers and deleted illegally-sold copies of novels such as George Orwell's 1984, he said.

"This is treacherous computing," Brown said.

Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The group, best-known for overseeing the General Public License (GPL) used by most open-source software, including Linux, will hold a rally at noon in Boston Common, where it will unveil a 12-foot-tall art installation depicting Windows 7 "being trashed," Brown said.

The group is also sending a letter (available at the group's Web site) to top executives at Fortune 500 companies that argues their companies would benefit ethically, technically and, in the long-term, financially, from switching away from Windows and Microsoft Office to free alternatives such as Linux and OpenOffice.org.

Founded in the mid-1980s by hacker-activist Richard Stallman, the FSF argues that free software and source code is a moral right. It takes pains to distinguish itself from the open-source movement, which advocates sharing of source code but tolerates charging for software.

Both groups, however, view proprietary software vendors such as Microsoft, Adobe Systems Inc., and Apple Inc. as the enemy, Brown said.

Even with DRM, users running Windows PCs still maintain more freedom and privacy than those who use cloud computing services such as Google Docs and store their data there, Brown said.

"That is the ultimate giving-away of your freedom," he said. "That's not a software freedom issue, it's a stupidity issue."

While Brown acknowledges that many Fortune 500 companies base their businesses around proprietary business models similar to Microsoft, he also points out that most of them, at least regarding software, are more consumer than vendor.

"Large corporations spend an awful lot of money on software. They face numerous software audits and more vendor lock-in than you or me," Brown said. "Do you think they would rather be driving on a freeway, or always be paying on toll roads?"

"I'm not expecting an instant wave of companies switching off XP to Linux," he said. "But we would like get that debate going. Hopefully, some will re-evaluate and say no to Windows 7."

Read More..
Category:   Leave a Comment
Menembus Situs Yang Diblokir Admin

Mengesalkan memang kalau akses kita dibatasi oleh admin kantor atau warnet.Ada jaringan internet kok ga bisa buka situs yang kita mau, seperti sayur tanpa garam jd rasanya kurang enak hehhe....

Ada sedikit trik dalam menembus situs yang terblokir dan tentunya sangat mudah diterapkan teman2 semuanya, step by step :

1. Buka cmd
Start >> All Programs >> Accesories >> Command Prompt

2. ketik ping site yang terblock untuk kita lihat ip addressnya...
disini saya mencontohkan http://www.youtube.com
karena ada beberapa isp yang memblog situs ini...

Code: Select all
ping www.youtube.com

maka kita dapat melihat ip addressnya yaitu :
kita mendapatkan ip addressnya yaitu :

Code: Select all
208.177.236.70
3. masukkan alamat ini ke

Code: Select all
http://www.allredroster.com/iptodec.htm
untuk kita jadikan desimal :

kita lihat hasilnya ...

Code: Select all
Desimal dari alamat ip 208.177.236.70 adalah HTTP://3497389126

4. Setelah ketemu pindahkan HTTP://3497389126 ke browser kesayangan anda!
dan hasilnya

Langsung nikmati akses internet tanpa batas hahahaha.....

Read More..
Category:   8 Comments
Membuat Background Menggunakan Movie

Sedikit tips aja ya....bagi para pengguna komputer yang jenuh dengan tampilan background yang itu-itu saja.Background cuma monoton alias tidak bergerak memamng membuat jenuh.Na... saya akan kasih tutorial singkat, padat, jelas dan mudah di mengerti semua kalangan hehehe....

Apa saja yang dibutuhkan, yaitu dan tak lain adalah sebagai berikut...halah....
- Video yang akan di jadikan sebagai background
- Mengerti dasar-dasar HTML, kalupun ga ngerti juga tidak apa-apa karena saya akan memberikan code HTML nya. tinggal di copas aja :D
-Video Convert (di perlukan karena untuk mengconvert video menjadi .*MP4) dapat di donlot DISINI

Ok semua persiapan sudah lengkap tinggal melakukan prakteknya saja
sebelumnya siapkan movie yang akan di jadikan background dengan format .*MP4
Copas code dibawah ini dan salinlah ke notepad

<html>
<body bgcolor="#000000"
topmargin="0" leftmargin="1">
<p><img dynsrc="naruto.MP4"
width="1024" height="768"
start="fileopen"
loop="infinite"></p>
</body>
</html>

bagian img dynsrc="naruto.MP4" sesuaikan dengan file name movie yang sudah anda buat td, kalau saya menggunakan film movie naruto seperti yang tertera di code HTML.


Simpanlah code HTML yang telah di copas tadi dengan ekstensi .html, buatlah folder terserah apa saja namanya misalnya folder tersebut di beri nama movie background kemudian jadikan satu folder file html dan movie yang telah diedit dengan format .*MP4

Pindah folder movie background tersebut di bagian C:\WINDOWS
Selanjutnya tinggal memasang saja seperti memasang background biasa.Klik kanan dekstop >> properties >> Browse >> carilah file HTML yang telah di edit tadi...Refresh dan tada....backgorund bergerak atau background Movie pun telah selesai kalian buat.....

Read More..
Category:   9 Comments
Baypass Hotspot Mikrotik

Baypass mikrotik login berfungsi untuk membuka akses internet yang diblok oleh sang admin menggunakan MIKROTIK.Pembahasan ini telah saya ujicoba menggunakan mikrotik versi 2.9.27.
1.coba cek akses internet menggunakan ping –t yahoo.com
2.kemudian buka web browsher, biasanya sang admin akan memberikan form login kepada user agar memasukan username dan passwordnya.contoh gb.dbawah



3.cek lg menggunakan cmd ping –t yahoo.com apakah muncul destination net uncrechable seperti ini



4.cek lagi menggunakan cmd ketik ipconfig /all
5.copykan physical address ke notepad contoh : physical address………… : 00-18-F8-10-A9-FC
6.Buka LAN yang berada di network Connections
7.Klik properties dan pilih configure >> advanced pada bagiam tab pilih network address ha!!
8.setelah sampai langka 7 kita pending dulu dan jalankan tool netcut
9.di bagian tab netcut akan terlihat IP dan mac address masing-masing kompi.itulah yang sebenarnya kita perlukan hihihi <<< sotoy
10.klik prin table


11.Pilihlah IP yang sekiranya tidak diblok oleh admin atau yang sudah login, logikanya alamt IP yang ada di netcut itu sudah login
12.Jd ntuk pemilihan IP sih suka-suka saja, kl di tutor ini memilih ip 192.168.16.101 dengan mac address 00:09:68:76:87:07
13.Copas Mac address kedalam value yg terletak di network Connections >> LAN>>configure >> advanced pada bagiam tab pilih network address.Nah…masukan aja mac address nya di kotak value
14.Jangan lupa untuk menghilangkan tanda (:) ketika mengisikan mac address di kotak value, lalu tekan enter
15.setelah menekan tombol enter akan muncul pesan eror (Eror: packet recive packet failed) abaikan saja
16.Selanjutany tinggal mengganti IP address di computer yang kita pakai.INGAT!! IP address yang digunakan harus menggunakan IP yang td mac addresnya telah kita pakai.Yang kita pakai td adalah mac : 00:09:68:76:87:07 dengan IP : 192.168.16.101
17.Langkah terakhir adalh cek koneksi anda, Have fun browsing

Read More..
Category:   4 Comments