Put a Label Cloud in Your Blogger Blogs

Label clouds are cool-looking. If you agree, and you have a Blogger blog or two, and you have a regular label list, I can point you in the right direction. Here you will find all the code and very clear instructions that actually work. At least they did for me. Here you go.

Blogger Tag Cloud Setup and Configuration

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Visual Computer Tutorials Free at inpics.net

Text is great, but text and pictures together is better. For learning, that is. This web site offers free tutorials on MS Office applications, web layout applications, and more, all with pictures, and all free.

inpictures

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Score a Free Seal for your Web Site

Check out the Official Seal Generator at Says-It.com, where you can create your own seal, with your choice of colors, shape, graphic and of course, text. Get yours today!

Official Seal Generator

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MapJack: More Fun Than Google Street View

You've probably heard a lot lately about Google Street View, the privacy issues people have complained about, and so on. Now, MapJack beta has even more sharply-focused views and a cooler interface to boot.

The beta only covers San Francisco at this point, but when they spread out the site promises to be ultra cool and useful. Each street has a series of blue dots that represent points of view. By clicking on any one of them, the top half of the screen takes you there. You can even change the direction you're facing, since you can see an avatar-representation of yourself and where you're looking from.

MapJack

Via 3pointD.com

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Zude: A Powerful New 5g Web App

You know me, I have to try whatever looks like a great new thing. I found another one at Read/WriteWeb called Zude.

The Beta testing trail took us to an interesting new private beta site called Zude. This app is deploying cross domain drag-and-drop technology to allow users to create a unique Web presence. This development is like a 2015 version of Netvibes, or Pageflakes on steroids. 5g’s technology has enabled perhaps the most powerful personal expression platform I have tested. Users do not need any technical skill to essentially drag and drop their entire Web experience onto the Zude platform. The platform also incorporates an advanced tool set, nimble enough for experienced coders to fine tune their creations.

Note: R/WW has a link and access code provided by Zude for you to try it at the end of their article.

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Thoof Now Open to Everyone

Thoof is a social news site that launched quietly two weeks ago by private invitation, but it's now in public beta for everyone who wants to try it.

Thoof personalizes your news by looking at the kinds of stories you read and feeding you more of the same types of stories. Users submit stories as a link to the news item and other users will see the stories if Thoof thinks they will like them.

Thoof

Via TechCrunch

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Keep Track of Your Firefox Add-Ons with InfoLister

Scenario: Your Firefox installation becomes corrupted. It happens. You have to delete everything, including your profile, in order to reinstall and get it working again. Now, try to remember which extensions and themes you had so you can reinstall them. That won't happen. Unless you have InfoLister!

InfoLister is a Firefox extension that allows you to create a list of all your add-ons and save the list as a backup. So when you face the situation I described above, no worries. You're all set.

InfoLister

Via Learn Firefox

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Google Revamps Docs and Spreadsheets

I like it when things keep getting better. Google is serious about making their stuff better, and this seriousness is showcased in their improvements to Google Docs & Spreadsheets.

They've spruced up the interface with a slick new look, new icons, and a nice at-a-glance hierarchical view of your documents. But some changes are more than cosmetic. It's out with labels and in with folders, allowing drag-and-drop of documents to several different folders. Also, searching for specific documents has been made more efficient by showing matching results as you type. All in all, a nice set of improvements.

Google Docs & Spreadsheets

Via downloadsquad

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Add Power to IE7 with IE7Pro

This is the way to power-up Internet Explorer, take it to the next level, and several other cliches. Seriously though, there is tons of functionality here and it's a breeze to use.

IE7Pro is a must have add-on for Internet Explorer, which includes a lot of features and tweaks to make your IE friendlier, more useful, secure and customizable. IE7Pro includes Tabbed Browsing Management, Spell Check, Inline Search, Super Drag Drop, Crash Recovery, Proxy Switcher, Mouse Gesture, Tab History Browser, Web Accelerator, User Agent Switcher, Webpage Capturer, AD Blocker, Flash Block, Greasemonkey like User Scripts platform, User Plug-ins and many more power packed features. You can customize not just Internet Explorer, but even your favorite website according to your need and taste using IE7Pro.

Get IE7Pro

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Total Sync with Plaxo 3.0

Back when the earth was young I tried Plaxo, but it didn't seem to offer more than any other online calendar service, so I dropped it. Things have changed! Plaxo 3.0 is newly minted and it has some great features, not the least of which is its ability to sync with other calendar and contact services.

On first registering with Plaxo you can set it up to sync with Google, Yahoo, Hotmail, Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Live Mail, and more. Other members of Plaxo will have their latest contact info sent to your Plaxo contacts so you'll be up to date. Plaxo offers mobile access with its free package, which is nice. The interface has improved a lot, too. Check it out and see if it looks as good as I've said.

Plaxo 3.0

Via Download Squad

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Vista Icons Without Vista

Try this for switching to Vista icons without switching to Vista or using the Vista Customization Pack: IconTweak.

It's a simple and free process to get Vista icons without using the big customization pack. Here's what you do:

1. Get Icon Tweaker.
2. Once Icon Tweaker is installed, dowload the Vista Icon Pack.
3. Extract the icon theme and double click on it to install.
4. Once installed, select the Vista icon theme in Icon Tweaker and click on Load Theme.
5. Click OK and enjoy!

Additionally, try the Ubuntu and OSX icon themes.

Via PC Tips Box

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Enter a Netvibes Universe!

Another great reason to sign up for Netvibes has come along. Netvibes announces the publication and availability of more than 500 universes.

Netvibes universes are specialized pages that provide themed content for brands, media, artists, non-profits, and more.

With Netvibes Universes, you can:

• Keep tabs on your favorite musicians like Beyoncé, Gnarls Barkley and Jamiroquai.
• Read the latest news from leading media outlets like the Wired, PC World, Les Echos and El Pais.
• Check out the cool widgets from top web services like Shopping.com and Zoho on their Universes.
• We've also revamped the Universes section of the Netvibes ecosystem complete with colorful thumbnails and a flashy new slideshow. In addition, you can now find Universes more easily via categories.

Once you have a Netvibes account you can set up a page for your favorite feeds. For example, you could click on the button below to add the feed from this blog.



Try Netvibes universes here.

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Spock: A Search Engine to Watch

As more and more people join social networks and otherwise acquire online identities, search engines like Spoke will grow in effectiveness. Spock searches through sites like MySpace and Friendster and other general sites and tells you the results. Spock is in closed beta but I was able to get an invitation to join without any trouble.

Spock

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Slick Online OS: Glide

Online operating systems, or webOSs, may be still trying to find a raison d’être, but they are getting slicker. Take Glide, for example.

Glide not only looks nice, but has a couple of special features to boot. It has a Sync feature that syncs with your desktop, and a mobile login for access from your mobile phone or PDA. Give it a try.

Glide

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How Do You Find Web Apps? SimpleSpark

As cool and useful web apps multiply like furry rodents, how is a guy or girl to keep up with what's available? It's a truly impossible task and getting impossibler. But now we have some great help. Check out SimpleSpark.

This site aims to be the "the place to find and share a new world of web applications." Sounds promising! Claiming to be up to 3,000 applications in their catalog, they are growing fast. This could well be a major boon to my productivity on the Internet.

SimpleSpark

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Wordpress Motherlode: Weblog Tools Collection

One of the reasons why Wordpress is such a popular blogging platform is the overabundance of customizations and plugins that are available as well as the new ones being added every day. Four of my blogs use the Blogger platform, but two are Wordpress.

For Wordpress users there are many sites where you can find themes and plugins, some better than others. One of the best I've seen is Weblog Tools Collection. I like it particularly well because of the constant additions and updates, with fresh new stuff to try every day. Check it out and see what I'm talking about.

Weblog Tools Collection

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Backup Firefox and Thunderbird: MozBackup

You have spent a lot of time, I mean a lot of time, getting your Firefox and Thunderbird to work the way you want them to. Months, perhaps years, of painstaking effort, adding an account here, a bookmark there. And all those precious emails! Losing all of it would be a disaster, right? That is precisely why you need to create backups, and why MozBackup is the way to do it.

Of course, you could do it manually, but MoxBackup makes the job as simple and easy as it could be.
MozBackup is a simple utility for creating backups of Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Thunderbird, SeaMonkey, Mozilla Suite and Netscape profiles.

It allows you to backup and restore bookmarks, mail, contacts, history, extensions, cache etc. It's an easy way to do Firefox backup, Thunderbird backup ...

Now, if your Firefox or Thunderbird installations crash or become corrupted, no worries!

MozBackup

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News Junkies Can OD Here! POPURLS

For those who want or need to keep up with the very latest news, gossip, buzz, et cetera coming across the bow, this site is what you have been dreaming about. PopURLs brings together in one place the latest buzz from digg, del.icio.us, reddit, newsvine, metafilter, tailrank, news.google, news.yahoo, netscape, wired, slashdot, boingboing, fark, nowpublic, stumbleupon, furl, clipmarks, dzone, and multimedia from youtube, flickr, ifilm and...do I need to go on?

The site is easily customizable and well put together. Be careful though, no one knows the long-term effects of getting this much news this fast.

POPURLS

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Show Who Links to Your Site: WhoLinked

If you've got a great web site or blog and have lots of other sites linking to you, you'll want to show off a little. Now you can add a WhoLinked list in your sidebar.

WhoLinked gives you the code to add to your web site, Blogger, WordPress, TypePad, MoveableType and others.

WhoLinked

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uLinkx: Video Searches Across Multiple Sites

Tired of searching for videos one site at a time? Now you can search across multiple sites like YouTube, MySpace, Google, Yahoo, MetaCafe and more!

Of course you can do more than search at uLinkx. You can save your favorite videos, too. Not only that, you can also socialize. And best of all, you can earn money as people view your playlists. What more could anyone ask for?

uLinks

Via Lifehacker

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Democracy Player: Set to Topple TV?

The Democracy Player is an idea whose time has plainly come.

Democracy Player, set to be called Miro Player with its next release, is an open-source video player that works for almost every type of video file. With an interface similar to iTunes, it also has a channel guide where you can set up automatic downloads of your favorite Web shows, from "Ask a Ninja" to National Geographic Wild.

Here's what CNet says about it:

The concept is brilliant, yet simple: create a video player that can subscribe to and download video podcasts while comprehensively managing your saved videos. On the face of it, this might sound like iTunes, but DP's sharing component is an essential aspect of the program. DP has always been geared toward video and it shows in the program's design. When you launch the app, a left sidebar hosts a folder tree for managing your videos. The central pane does double duty for viewing vids and searching for new ones. The bottom hosts a search box for parsing through Google, YouTube, Yahoo, and others, a video control panel, and a volume control.

Features include full torrent support, so you can download and view torrents in the same app; folder watching to manage only the hard drive folders you specify for new videos; resumable playback; channel surfing, which organizes video feeds by topic; video sharing and hosting; and assistance in creating videos.

Soon to be renamed Mira, the latest update to DP is essentially Release Candidate 1 and it performs and behaves as such, behaving pretty darn close to a fully functional player.

I installed it with no trouble and it does have a sweet look and feel. I then played a video from GeekBrief.TV, a wrap up of Steve Jobs' keynote speech at WWDC. Worked beautifully. This may be a killer app for real.

Democracy Player

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AbiWord: A Free Alternative

If you are a bit leery about shelling out big bucks for MS Word or another commercial word processor, you might be glad you gave AbiWord a try.

Besides the cute name and the powerful features, AbiWord boasts interoperability between OSs.

AbiWord is unique among word processors in its drive to become a fully cross-platform word processor. Our source code is carefully written so that AbiWord will run on virtually any operating system with a minimum of time spent on porting. This combined with our support for internationalization (the ability to run AbiWord in many languages) gives AbiWord a massive potential user-base.

Go ahead. You know you want to.

AbiWord

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Powerful Web OS: AjaxWindows

There are several web-based operating systems out there, none of which has proven its killer-app qualities as yet. A new entrant into the web OS marketplace is AjaxWindows. This one feels more like an actual OS and takes just a bit of time to set up. Check it out and see if it's a fit for your itinerant habits.

AjaxWindows

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Sync iTunes with MP3 Players!

This Windows download will sync and transfer your iTunes music to non-iPod music players. iTunes Sync bridges the gap between iTunes and the non-Apple world of MP3 players.

Do you have iTunes? Do you have an iPod? I guess you don’t have an iPod, otherwise you probably wouldn’t be reading this. I have iTunes, I don’t have an iPod, but I wanted to be able to sync my MP3 player with iTunes, regardless of what brand it was… and so iTunes Sync was born. In just a few easy steps you can synchronize any iTunes playlist with any MP3 player that shows up as a drive letter in Windows (pretty much all of them do). It’s as simple as 3 easy steps:

• Setup a playlist in iTunes that you want to sync to your MP3 player
• Configure your MP3 player in iTunes Sync by giving it a name, selecting an “identification file or folder” and selecting a playlist from iTunes
• Now just click Synchronize and watch the magic happen!

You can configure as many different MP3 players as you need and synchronize each one with the different iTunes’ playlists. Amazing! Magic! Technology!

iTunes Sync

Via Lifehacker

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Scrolling iPhone-Like Contacts for Windows Mobile: iContact

If you happen to be a Windows Mobile user, and like the look of the Apple iPhone, and do not want to plunk down hundreds of dollars (you cheap bastard), you can check out iContact, which gives you a scrolling contact manager. Watch the short video to see how it works.



iContact

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NuonSoft ShellEnhancer Empowers Windows

Add functionality to your Windows desktop with NuonSoft ShellEnhancer.

• ShellEnhancer is an application designed to enhance the default shell of Windows and to make your life easier.
• ShellEnhancer includes two types of taskswitcher (Enhanced TaskSwitcher and Mosaic TaskSwitcher) which you can use to replace the default Windows Alt+Tab taskswitcher. The Enhanced TaskSwitcher supports live previews.
• ShellEnhancer allows you to make your own tasks. Tasks consist of a number of commands which get executed one after the other. Available commands include: insert text, send keystroke, manipulate windows, run program, start screensaver, lock workstation and many others.
• Tasks can be executed with hotkeys, mouse gestures or screen corners. An On Screen Display (OSD) can be shown when a task is run.
• With X-Window style moving and resizing you don't have to move your mouse to a corner of a window to move or resize it.
• Other features include: rolling up windows, making any window transparent, always on top, keep focus, ... This can also be automated with the Auto Managed Windows feature.

ShellEnhancer

Via Lifehacker

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Firefox Memory Usage: See it with StatusbarEx

Firefox can sometimes leak memory like a sieve, using up to 200-plus megs on my machine. I still love Firefox, but when it misbehaves I have to restart it.

Used to be I'd just notice a general slowdown in my computer's operations and have to punch up my task manager to see what was going on. Sure enough, Firefox, and sometimes Flock, was spiraling out of memory control. Restarting would get them back in harness.

So a nice timesaver would let me see what Firefox is doing with my available memory, and what's the haps with my computer's memory generally. StatusbarEx does exactly that. A neat little Firefox extension, it shows me Firefox memory usage, general memory usage, and network speed, all on my Firefox status bar.

StatusbarEx

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Today's Freebie: ConceptDraw Project 3 (normally $199.00!)

Today is a great day, because Giveaway-of-the-Day is giving away a $199.00 application: ConceptDraw Project 3.

Anyone who manages projects will find this application tremendously useful.

ConceptDraw Project 3 is a unique program, designed to help successfully plan and keep track of any number of projects simultaneously. Working in business means there's often a need to work on several projects at the same time, each with a different focus and limited resources. With the help of ConceptDraw Project 3 it's easy to manage the resources being shared by different projects, as well as create linkages between them. Various projects are managed from a single workspace, giving the freedom to plan effectively, no matter how complex or large scale a project’s needs are.

Remember, this program is free only for today, so you should get there pronto.

Check back at this blog (on my sidebar) daily to see what's being given away!

Giveaway of the Day: ConceptDraw Project 3

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Firefox Must-Have Extensions: Add to Search Bar

You might be someone who frequently searches within certain web sites. If so, then by golly you must have this Firefox extension.

This extension adds a "Add to Search Bar" contextual menu option to Firefox, so that you can easily add that search to your search bar (at the top right of your Firefox window. Just right-click on the web site's search area and you'll see the option right there.

As you can see here, I've added a search of my blog, Barry's Best Computer Tips, to my Firefox search bar, so I can search my site without having to open it.



A very useful extension!

Add to Search Bar

Via Lifehacker

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Safari Now Runs on Windows!

Just announced by Steve Jobs, a version of the Mac browser Safari is now available that runs on Windows. Get it here!

Safari 3 Public Beta

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Safari-Like Firefox Address Bar with Fission

Safari on Macs has a progress bar that runs in the address bar, or so I'm told. (I don't own a Mac, so I have to take the word of others.) Now we PC folk can have that too by installing this Firefox extension.

I just tried it and it works as advertised, which is always nice. Pick a color or use a picture.

Fission

Via Lifehacker

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Online Contact Management Made Simple: Keepm

Here's a nice Web 2.0 contact management solution: Keepm

Easily create, manage, and search an unlimited number of contacts, export to vcards, even share contacts with any email address. On the run? Seamlessly download and view your contacts on your phone, laptop, or iPod. Best of all, it's FREE!

Keepm is a free, simple contact management tool. Gone are the days of business cards piling up and sticky notes on your desk, Keepm makes everyone you know searchable, shareable, and always accessible.

Import Business Cards for Free: Until August 2007, you can send us your stack of business cards and we'll input them for free. Log in for more info!

NEW: Keepm Mobile: Try it from your phone: Visit http://mobile.keepm.com

Keepm

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Get Vista Start Menu on XP: ViStart Beta 5!

Get the eye-candy and functionality of the Vista Start Menu without Vista.

ViStart Beta 5 is a fantastic update to a stand-alone application that was already great. It comes as one part of the Vista Transformation Pack, or by itself.

Now everyone can enjoy the benefits of fast program searching straight from their Start Menu, with ViStart, currently my latest project, Developed under the management of Windows X For the latest Vista Transformation Pack. ViStart brings you the Vista Start Menu for your Windows XP, by replacing your existing XP Start Menu. ViStart is Skin able That means you easily can make your own skins for ViStart because you can change everything in ViStart you can make buttons bigger or even smaller, the feature’s of customizing are unlimited . ViStart will give the Vista look to your Start menu but not only the Windows Vista look.

ViStart Beta 5

Via CyberNet Technology News

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Erase Files Permanently: Eraser 5.82

Deleting a file in Windows doesn't really delete it from your hard drive. First it goes to your Recycle bin (unless you hold down the Shift key while clicking on Delete). Then the location where the file resides on your hard drive is freed up for being overwritten. But until your machine lays down something else in that spot, the file is still there. And even when Windows overwrites it, it can still be recovered.

In order to truly get rid of it so that it can't be recovered (except by supersecret spy agencies with black helicopters-for them you need to smash the hard drive to smithereens, and even then, who knows?), you need an application like Eraser 5.82.

This free app will "completely remove sensitive data from your hard drive by overwriting it several times with carefully selected patterns. You can drag and drop files and folders to the on-demand eraser, use the convenient Explorer shell extension or use the integrated scheduler to program overwriting of unused disk space or, for example, browser cache files to happen regularly."

Eraser 5.82

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Fabulous Web 2.0 Buttons

Just found these beautiful and cool-looking buttons (chicklets?) for that Web 2.0 look. There are buttons for RSS, YouTube, Technorati, del.icio.us, and more.

UtomBox

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Preview Firefox Tabs with Tab Scope

A handy Firefox extension is worth two in the bush. Huh?

This thumbnail preview extension for Firefox lets you see what's behind each tab just by hovering your pointer over it. Not only that, you can also navigate using the thumbnail popup (back, forward, reload, stop). You can scroll and click on links in the preview as well. That's tons of functionality that you didn't have before! This one's a must-have.

Tab Scope

Via Technobuzz

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Scope Out Your Running Processes with Process Explorer

Scenario: You're happily working away at your computer when, all of a sudden, you notice a lot more hourglass than arrow. Sluggish has become the most accurate description of your open applications. You are not happy any longer. Curses and threats begin to fill your mind and pour out of your mouth.

Does that sound familiar? Applications can leak memory, and invisible processes can start to run unbeknownst to you. These things happen, and the only way to find the memory thief is to use either Windows Task Manager, a 90-lb weakling, or a free powerhouse snoop like Process Explorer.

The Process Explorer display consists of two sub-windows. The top window always shows a list of the currently active processes, including the names of their owning accounts, whereas the information displayed in the bottom window depends on the mode that Process Explorer is in: if it is in handle mode you'll see the handles that the process selected in the top window has opened; if Process Explorer is in DLL mode you'll see the DLLs and memory-mapped files that the process has loaded. Process Explorer also has a powerful search capability that will quickly show you which processes have particular handles opened or DLLs loaded.

The unique capabilities of Process Explorer make it useful for tracking down DLL-version problems or handle leaks, and provide insight into the way Windows and applications work.

It's an excellent product that does exactly what it's supposed to.

Process Explorer for Windows

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Free Anti-Virus Protection with Avira

With only a few free anti-virus applications left to choose from, Avira turns out to be an excellent product.

Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic offers protection against viruses, worms, Trojans dialers, phishing and rootkits.

Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic

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Best Desktop Wallpapers

I like to change my desktop's wallpaper every so often. What can I say, I like variety. Sadly, if you just do a Google search for "desktop wallpapers," you'll likely as not get results containing malware sites.

I've got a web site that offers not only safe wallpaper downloads, but the coolest and most beautiful you'll find anywhere on the Internet.

Visit Desktop Nexus

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Best Free Trojan Scanner/Remover

Trojans are malware that install themselves on victims' computers, sometimes by means of emails that trick the victim into opening them, or via infected web sites. One of the most common payloads of trojans is one that allows the victims' computers to be accessed remotely and harnessed into a zombie botnet, a network of computers that spammers use to send spam.

Trojans can operate without the victim ever being aware that their machine has been taken over. Needless to say, it makes sense to have adequate protection against this kind of malware.

I recommend AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5, a free, yet excellent, program for the detection and removal of trojans, as well as all other forms of malware.

AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5

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A Better Way to Uninstall - ZSoft Uninstaller

Windows Add/Remove Programs is fine, as far as it goes. Problem is, it doesn't go far enough. It often leaves traces of uninstalled programs in various places on your hard drive, meaning you'll accumulate a lot of junk over time.

This freeware utility does a better job of completely eliminating all traces of the software you want to uninstall. But it does even more:

• Analyze an installation so it can be completely uninstalled (also supports reboots of the computer as the process is split into two: Before and after the installation)
• Find and delete temporary files
• Delete entries from programs that are no longer installed
• Hide Windows Updates
• Hide entries from the list that you are never going to uninstall (drivers etc.) making the list smaller and therefore easier to manage.
• Show more information than available through add/remove
• Automatically find entries from programs that are most likely already uninstalled
• Automatically find entries that are considered "crap-ware"
• (Of course) search the list of installed software

ZSoft Uninstaller 2.3.4

Via Freeware Genius

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Submit Bookmarks to Multiple Sites at Once!

Tired of submitting your social bookmarks one at a time? I know I am.

Social Poster is a free web service that allows you to submit to all your favorite social bookmarking sites with one fell swoop. It's got 34 sites, to be exact. What a time saver!

Social Poster

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Newly Released: SpaceTime 3-D Browser

Jump onboard a fantastic new 3-D web browsing experience with SpaceTime! From Technology Review:

Today, a New York-based company called SpaceTime launched a new browser, free to download and use, that presents Web pages and search results as floating slabs that can be flipped through, organized, and navigated in 3-D. The graphics concepts are similar to those found in "first-person shooter" video games, in which players navigate an immersive virtual environment. But instead of shooting monsters, SpaceTime users can "fly" through search results such as Web pages, pictures, and eBay auction items. When a user turns her view to the left, the right, up, or down, she can see all the Web pages she has previously called up and zoom in on the one she wants. "SpaceTime is interesting because it constantly redraws the scene that you see ... just like a video game where you can assume any position," says Edward Bakhash, CEO of the company.

The application is graphics intensive, so you need some system strength to manage it well, but systems that can handle Vista's graphics should have no difficulty.

Check it out here!

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Web Pages to PDF is Easy with Free HP Download

HP has made available a free download add-on for Internet Explorer that lets you create PDF documents from the content you find on the web. Rather than install a virtual print driver, it works more like a scrapbook browser extension, allowing you to select the content you want to create your PDF pages.

HP Smart Web Printing lets you select, store and organize text and graphics from multiple web pages and then edit and print exactly what you see onscreen. It gives you the control you need to print meaningful information while minimizing waste.

Selecting content on a web page can be challenging. Now you can easily select text and graphics from multiple websites and combine them in your custom document. Create a personal digital scrapbook for each planning and research project.

Once you transfer content to your custom document, you can edit the text and graphics and even resize and delete them. Then print exactly what you see on screen. HP Smart Web Printing will also save your custom document as an Adobe PDF file.

This is a really great idea. I haven't seen anything else like it anywhere else.

Get it here!

Via Digital Inspiration

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Taking Notes: 7 Ways to Do It Online

WebWorkerDaily.com compares 7 ways to take notes online and points out the pros and cons of each. The list:

• Google Notebook - provides a relatively simple interface for storing snippets of text.
• mynoteIT - aimed at students.
• Notefish - lets you maintain a series of note pages, each of which can have many sections, each of which can have many color-coded notes.
• Notezz! - about as simple as you can possibly get in this space.
• Stikkit - perfect for the developer who wants to tie their notes to other applications.
• Yahoo! Notepad - on the simple side.
• Zoho Notebook - the most visually complex and impressive of the bunch.

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Type Into PDF Forms With PDF-XChange Viewer

You've been there. Your employer or someone sends you a pdf form and asks you to print it, fill it out, then fax or mail it back. What a double doggone drag. Talk about last millennium. Here's what you need to do...

First, download and install PDF-XChange Viewer, for free. Next, ignore the antiquated request of the sender of the pdf form. Open the form in PDF-XChange and fill it out digitally. Save it to your hard drive and email it back.

The form-sender will be amazed at your computing acumen and offer you a job making twice what you're making now.

Finally, you can send me my cut.

Download it here.

Via Lifehacker

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How to be a Web Detective

The Interweb (as Gregory House calls it) has made the life of a private detective that much easier, or so I'm told. Just about anything can be discovered by searching online, but you have to know where to look. Radar magazine tells us where.

How can I find someone's unlisted phone number, their current address, and where they've lived previously?
ZabaSearch

How can I see websites that were taken down for nebulous reasons?
Internet Archive's Wayback Machine

How can I surf the Web from anywhere in the world without being blocked or traced?
JAP

How can I create a false identity?
BugMeNot
fakenamegenerator.com

How can I figure out how much someone paid for their house and its current market value?
Zillow

How can I find out what political party someone has donated to?
Fundrace

How can I wipe data off my hard drive?
Darik's Boot and Nuke

How can I save a website before they can take it down and destroy the evidence?
furl.net

Now go out there and detect! (Let me know if you find anything good!)



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