Cool Notepad Trick

This neat trick came across on an internal alias. I hadn't seen this before, but I'm guessing it isn't new. It is pretty handy for notetaking (if you're a plain text sort of guy/gal).



1. Open a blank Notepad file
2. Write .LOG (in uppercase) in the first line of the file, followed by Enter. Save the file and close it.
3. Double-click the file to open it and notice that Notepad appends the current date and time to the end of the file and places the cursor on the line after.
4. Type your notes and then save and close the file.
5. Each time you open the file, Notepad repeats the process, appending the time and date to the end of the file and placing the cursor below it.
Simply pressing F5 in Notepad will also insert the date and time. So no matter how you do it, it's easy to create your own to-the-minute journal in Notepad.

Nokia launches music-centric versions of N91, N73 and N70

Nokia has introduced updates of Nokia N70, Nokia N73 and Nokia N91 smartphone – Nokia N70 Music Edition, Nokia N73 Music Edition and Nokia N91 8GB. This edition features black shell color, Nokia PC Suite software and a new application for easier synchronization with Windows Media Player and music control. In addition Nokia N91 8GB is equipped with an 8 GB HDD instead of 4 GB in the previous version.

Nokia N70 Music Edition and Nokia N73 Music Edition are expected to appear in shops in October and Nokia N91 8GB – by the end of the year. The recommended price makes up €350, 450 and 550 respectively.

How to increase Alexa ranking

What is your websites Alexa Rank? If you do not know, then maybe you should check it out. I know many people who give lot of importance to their Alexa Ranking.

But as I looked around the web to search how Alexa ranking is calculated, I found that it is not determined by complex algorithms or backlinks as in the case of Google Pagerank. In fact it is compiled by website traffic analysis of browsing information by website surfers / visitors using the Alexa Toolbar.

How are Alexa’s traffic rankings determined?

‘’Alexa’s traffic rankings are based on the usage patterns of Alexa Toolbar users over a rolling 3 month period. A site’s ranking is based on a combined measure of reach and pageviews. Reach is determined by the number of unique Alexa users who visit a site on a given day. Pageviews are the total number of Alexa user URL requests for a site. However, multiple requests for the same URL on the same day by the same user are counted as a single pageview. The site with the highest combination of users and pageviews is ranked #1.’’

So that means, the more visitors with Alexa Toolbar you have, the more visits will be logged by Alexa and you will get a higher Alexa ranking. So offer a Download Alexa Toolbar on your website (with a quick tour if necessary), and get a higher number of your readers using it, you might see an increase Alexa rank for your website soon.

If that does not motivate you enough, there is the Alexa Amazon Associate Toolbar, which lets you create a customized Alexa Toolbar for your web site. Your logo is built into the toolbar and when your toolbar is used to make purchases on Amazon.com you get paid a commission from the Amazon associate program.

On a related note: You can add the Alexa Site Stats button to your site that automatically updates with your site stats every day. For lesser info, The Alexa traffic rank button on your site automatically updates with your traffic rank every day.

sourtce: quickonlinetips.com

Intel Set to Introduce 80 Core Processors in Five Years Time

Intel displayed prototype of a processor with 80 cores that can perform a trillion floating point operations per second and can exchange data at a terabyte a second.

This development looks very interesting and promising but I am yet to imagine how these chips are expected to be successful when there are not many applications to advantage of so many cores. Many applications as of today still do not take the advantage of the present mainstream dual core processors let us hope at the end of five years we applications that take advantage of these chips immense processing potential.

Surf without a trace with Torpark

Hacktivismo, an international group of computer security experts and human rights workers, just released Torpark, an anonymous, fully portable Web browser based on Mozilla Firefox.
Torpark comes pre-configured, requires no installation, can run off a USB memory stick, and leaves no tracks behind in the browser or computer. Torpark is a highly modified variant of Portable Firefox, that uses the TOR (The Onion Router) network to anonymize the connection between the user and the website that is being visited.

Every few minutes, the Torpark browser causes a computer's IP address to appear to change. IP addresses are numeric identifier given to computers on the Internet. The number can be used along with other data to potentially track down a user, as many Web sites keep track of IP addresses.

The browser is free to download from here.

One minor downside is that surfing with Torpark is slower than with a typical browser over the same connection.
Torpark cautions that data sent from the last Tor server to the Web site is encrypted. Since only the user's connection is anonymous, Torpark advises that sensitive data such as username and passwords should only be used when the browser displays a golden padlock, a sign that a Web site is using encryption.

Torpark's user interface appears similar to Firefox with a few changes. It shows the current IP address that would be seen by Web sites in the lower right hand corner, and features a special "Flush Tor" button to reset a new, random server connection.

Source: news.yahoo.com

written by Cristian I.

Nobu intros N8 touchscreen in-wall PC

Nobu just released a new inwall touchscreen computer that will be shipping by mid-December. The unit features a 1.0GHz fanless Intel processor, a revolutionary 4GB solid state disk drive and will retail for $3,625.

Here is an excerp from Nobu:

The new 8" panel is a fully functional inwall touchscreen PC with all necessary input/output ports to control any subsystem or automation hardware in your home or office. Our goal with the new design is to satisfy a large demand for a smaller inwall touchpanel as well as to create the most robust, powerful, and visually appealing touchscreen on the planet. We designed the N8 without a fan to eliminate noise and also to eliminate possible points of failure. In addition we will offer the high performance industrial Compact Flash and FiD hard drive as an alternative to a standard 5400RMP hard drive. The N8 is available in a few different configurations. It will be available with both a 600MHz fanless Intel Celeron M or 1.1GHz fanless LV Intel Pentium M processor. The N8 will be available with Windows XP Professional or without an operating system for special applications.

Specs:
- LV Intel Celeron M 1.0GHz Fanless Processor
- Intel 852GM + ICH4 Chipset
- 256 - 1GB DDR Memory
- HD: 4Gig Industrial iEDC (Embedded Disk Card)
- Wi-Fi 54 g/b (optional)
- Fast Ethernet port
- 2xCOM (2xRS232, 1xRS232/422/485)
- 1 PS/2 K/B +M
- Front panel 2W speakers and mic
- External Audio Line Out / Mic
- 3 x USB 2.0
- VGA out, Dualscreen CRT (15pin D-sub, max. resolution 2548x1536)
- Polyester laminate finger touchscreen
- LCD Display

Conclusions:
The point of this touchscreen in-wall Pc is simple: home automation.
You can control your house with it view security cameras, stream music basically anything you want.

written by Florin C.

Nokia 8800 Sirocco Edition

The Nokia 8800 Sirocco Edition draws its name from the powerful desert-born wind that originates in the Sahara when a warm, dry air mass collides with the cooler, maritime air of the Mediterrean. The organic shape of the Nokia 8800 Sirocco Edition references the strength of the human form, a concept further implied by stainless steel polished surfaces and a scratch-resistant glass display window. Like its namesake, the Nokia 8800 Sirocco Edition consists of two variants - light and dark, the light inspired by the hot, dry air mass, the dark by the cooler, humid one.


Nokia 8800 (Sirocco Edition) Features:

• Sensuous curves inspired by nature translate to an ergonomic masterpiece that fits the hand perfectly
• Signature thumb rest promotes ease of use
• Gleaming stainless steel body frames a host of exclusive features and functions
• Sophisticated slide mechanism uses premium ball bearings crafted by the makers of bearings used in high performance cars
• Premium user interface exclusive to the Nokia 8800 Sirocco Edition
• 262,144 color TFT display protected by scratch-resistant sapphire coated glass
• Integrated 2-megapixel camera 128 MB internal memory
• Crystalline designer ring tones composed by renowned composer and ambient music innovator, Brian Eno

You can find full specifications here.

A serious flaw that may have put off a lot of the potential customers of the regular Nokia 8800 was the short battery life. Most of the users had to recharge their batteries every day or so. Nokia has put an effort in fixing that problem too and now the Nokia 8800 Sirocco Edition would be equipped with new larger capacity battery instead of the 600 mAh the old one had.
You can see a demo of the phone here.

Conclusions:
It seams that Nokia dominates the high-end market and is the only brand to offer such luxurious phones.
Obviously this phone's main attraction is its looks. Features are sub-par comparing with phones in the same price range; but for those who can afford, why not?

written by Florin C.

Sony introduces chic notebooks for your home

Designed to complement any home's motif, Sony unveiled the VAIO N Series notebook computer line featuring cool colors, smooth lines and a simple sense of style for people who want to balance form with function.

Available in three colors: Wenge brown -a creamy, coffee-color made to resemble wood furniture; black for an elegant contemporary look; and white for a light, airy feeling, the VAIO N Series is designed to reflect different lifestyles and home decors.

Mike Abary the vice president of VAIO product marketing for Sony Electronics said:
"From the furniture you sit on to the artwork you hang on your walls, you coordinate every aspect of your home's style so why hide your PC?"

"These new notebooks are designed to accent your interior design, as well as your life."

Some N series notebooks are based on Intel Core Duo processors. They are equipped with 15.4” widescreen LCD, up to 2 GB DDR2 RAM, capacious HDD, multi-format DVD, card readers for Memory Stick PRO and Memory Stick PRO Duo. There is the support of Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g) wireless networks. Dimensions are 365.7x266.7x30.5-40.6 mm and weight – 3 kg.

The series is expected in shops early in October for about $1000 depending on the configuration.

Source: Helpero

MacBook scroll tip

I bought a MacBook Pro a few months back and found I can scroll using the trackpad just by touching two fingers side by side and moving up and down. Hopping onto older laptops is a drag. iScroll brings two finger scroll on all pre-2002 G4 PowerBooks and iBooks, running OS X 10.3 or higher.

Beta testing now, so it’s free!

Download iScroll2 from VersionTracker.

High-tech paint locks out unwanted cellphone signals on demand

Playing to the backlash against ubiquitous communication, a company called Natural Nano is developing a special high-tech paint that locks out unwanted cell phone signals on demand. Newsday reports.

"NaturalNano has found a way to use nanotechnology to blend particles of copper into paint that can be brushed onto walls and effectively deflect radio signals.

NaturalNano will combine this signal-blocking paint scheme with a radio-filtering device that collects phone signals from outside a shielded space, allowing certain transmissions to proceed while blocking others.

It appears to be legal - jamming devices that emit radio signals to prevent cell phones are not - The radio filter would allow all emergency radio communications to pass through the shield With all other signals, like cell phones, the filter would act like a spigot to block or allow them to pass through—say, only during intermission."

Levi's RedWire DLX Jeans reviewed

CNET Asia has a review of this fall's geekiest fashion item/iPod accessory, Levi's new RedWire DLX Jeans.
You know, the ones with a sidepocket for carrying your iPod and a big white control pad on the pocket that lets the world know you've got some precious cargo on-board (in addition to pausing, skipping tracks, and raising or lowering the volume on your iPod).

Anyway, CNET Asia isn't super-enthusiastic in its review of the jeans, but they do dig the control pad, calling it "intuitive" and praising its hardiness.
What they weren't so impressed with were the Levi's-branded headphones that are included, but anyone expecting decent sound knows to upgrade those anyway, right?



Source: engadget

iPod Shuffle: twice as smaller

Apple has introduced an update of iPod shuffle. According to apple, iPod shuffle is the smallest digital audio player. It is almost twice as smaller against the previous version.

It features aluminum shell with the clip, so you can easily attach it to the clothes. Measuring 41x27.2x10.4 mm (with the clip) it weighs 16 g.

The new iPod shuffle will be available with 1GB only. It can play music for 12 hours on a single charge. The recommended price is $79, the release will take place in October.

Source: Helpero.

Watch video on your desktop

Some time ago I’ve found a useful feature in VLC media player: to play a video on your desktop’s wallpaper. This allows you to watch a movie behind your desktop’s icons and, if you use them, widgets.

The last time I saw a moving wallpaper, being generated from a media player, was the Milkdrop visualisations for Winamp. This was pretty amazing, but nowhere near as amazing as watching a movie on the desktop!

This may not be very productive, but is pretty interesting and fun to see.

You can download VLC media player from here.

In order to watch a video, in VLC, on the desktop;

1. Open a movie with VLC.

2. Right click on the video (while playing)

3. Press Wallpaper.

That’s it.

How to Burn a Three Terabyte CD

A new nano-optical device can focus laser light tighter than traditional optics, which could lead to higher-density data storage.

As gigabytes of movies, pictures, audio, and text fill up more and more CDs and DVDs, there's clearly a need for better ways to save more data. A research team at Harvard University has developed a technique that could help to significantly boost the capacity of conventional optical discs. They've fabricated a nano antenna--built directly onto an inexpensive, off-the-shelf laser--that focuses light to a much smaller spot size than is possible with even the best traditional lenses, potentially enabling more bits to be written onto an optical disc.

With this you'd be able to pack more than three terabytes [3,000 gigabytes] worth of data onto something the size of a CD.

Full review here.

The best PDA

At the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, the mobile industry has gathered to showcase new products and services, as well as to further the development of the GSM platform.
Among them is HP, which has silently released the iPaq hw6940 Mobile Messenger and according to our sources this was a launch with Cingular. Sources tell us that Cingular/HP relationship could be a complete break apart.
The follow-up to the HP iPaq hw6915, the hw6940 adds some new features.

Features:
• iTALK: Quad-band GSM technology delivers high quality mobile voice4 and data services5 with roaming capabilities across the world.

• iCONNECT: A variety of integrated wireless technologies, including GPRS/EDGE, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth let you connect and communicate in and away from the office.1,2

• iFIND: Transform your HP iPAQ into a personal guide to get you where you need to go with the built-in GPS receiver.3

• iWORK: Read and respond to e-mail using powerful solutions that help maintain your businesses' security. A Mini-SD slot is available to add memory as you need it or to exchange files between your HP iPAQ and another device.

• iCREATE: The built-in HP Photosmart Camera allows you to take a quick photo and share it wirelessly from your handheld.1

• iPLAY: Your HP iPAQ keeps life fun with Microsoft Windows Media Player® 10 Mobile to play your music and videos, HP Photosmart Mobile Software to show off your photos, and Windows Mobile games to challenge your mind.

• Internet Explorer Mobile, Windows Media® Player Mobile and Microsoft® Office programs for Windows Mobile™ are included.

• Warranty: 1 year hardware, 90 day software.

For full specifications click here.


Pros:

WM5 (play movies and music)
PDA
GPS (a fantastic advantage)
Phone quality above average
Wi-Fi

Cons:

I have had some problems with headsets (blue tooth mainly) and this might be due to the person whose phone I was talking to.

You can see a demo of the HP iPaq hw6940 here.

Conclusions:
The pros of this PPC phone far outweigh the cons and it draws lustful stares.
Hp iPaq hw6940 is a gsm guad-band phone that packs a punch with essential features for business users and thanks to built-in GPS receiver, you can use it easier for navigation.
But it's not always about work, the fun part comes with the Photosmart camera integrated into the device.

written by Florin C.

source : Helpero

How to Break Windows Notepad?

This actually works. It will not crash your computer, it just breaks Notepad in that it causes it to display very oddly. No perm damage comes of the following steps.

Here's how to do it:
1. Open up Notepad (not Wordpad, not Word or any other word processor)
2. Type in this sentence exactly (without quotes): "this app can break"
3. Save the file to your hard drive.
4. Close Notepad
5. Open the saved file by double clicking it.

Instead of seeing your sentence, you should see a series of squares. For whatever reason, Notepad can't figure out what to do with that series of characters and breaks.
Source: Helpero

Gmail vs. Windows Live Mail vs. Yahoo Mail betas

Which Web-based e-mail service should you use? It depends on your personal taste, of course, but a clean page layout, speed, and security are paramount. We tested: Gmail vs. Windows Live Mail vs. Yahoo Mail betas.

Gmail beta by Google
Every once in a while, a product breaks the mold set by others in the category and forces those established products to improve in order to compete. Google did it with its Internet search engine, and is set to do it yet again—we hope—with its free Web e-mail service, Gmail by Google.

What i like:
*Speed. We found Gmail to be the fastest online e-mail service; our messages seemed to appear the instant we clicked on a header.
*The gigantic 2.5GB of storage per user—that's roughly 1,000,000 pages of text—blows away Windows Live mail(2GB) and Yahoo! Mail (1GB).
*The interface is very simple, quick and easy to use.
*E-mail thread view.
*Keyboard shortcuts.

What I did not like:
*Gmail scans your messages and serves up targeted text-based ads based on their content. That has a lot or privacy advocates up in arms, and may be too Orwellian for some users.
*There is no virus filter (though you can automatically block certain file extensions, such as EXE) . *There is no way to white-list addresses in the spam filter.
*The contacts management in Gmail is also primitive at this stage compared with Yahoo! Mail's more advanced address book.

Summary:
As it did with Internet searching, Google is looking to raise the bar in the Web e-mail category with its Gmail service. A very quick, responsive service with a simple interface, bellying a more complex, useful online email client.
Helpero rating 9/10

Yahoo! Mail beta
The original Yahoo Mail web-based client is now looking somewhat dated compared to offer newer offerings.The new beta is the most impressive out of the three products being examined here. The interface is very clear, easy to use, very quick to respond and is more reminiscent of a fully fledged desktop client than a browser-based utility.

What i like:
*Yahoo! Mail scans for spam and viruses effectively.
*A WYSIWYG HTML editor lets you compose rich emails easily in Yahoo! Mail.
*Yahoo! Mail offers 1 GB of storage for free.
*The multi-tab viewing window that allows, for example, your inbox coupled with a preview panel or a newly invoked tab displaying an individual email, is easily one of the best interfaces for web-mail I’ve used to date.

What I did not like:
*Big banner ads.
*Limited antispam controls.
*Yahoo! Mail does not thread messages, lacks virtual folders and clever searching

Summary:
Excellent functionality, competently able to replace your desktop mail client on Firefox or Internet Explorer.
Helpero rating 8/10

Windows Live Mail beta
Much like the ongoing renovation of Yahoo! Mail, MSN Hotmail is getting a face-lift that makes it resemble a desktop e-mail client. The code name for this work in progress is Kahuna, and it promises big changes for its tens of millions of users.

What i like:
*The look and feel of Kahuna is radically different from that of the current Hotmail, with an interface divided into three columns similar to the three-pane work space of Microsoft Outlook and Yahoo Mail Beta.
*Security. So far we prefer Windows Live Mail's approach to spam and other threats
*Keyboard shortcuts. Let you send and manage messages without relying on the mouse.
*Organizing content. By allowing you to drag and drop messages into folders, Yahoo and Windows Live spare you the manual labor of using a tiny check box to move content around.

What I did not like:
*The Ajax-based requests seem to be slower than either of the other two sites.
*Getting used to the new layout may be hard for die-hard fans of Hotmail.

Summary:
If you're using Web-based email and are looking for the best experience, keep your eye on Windows Live Mail. This is one fish that you just might want to land.
Helpero rating 5/10

Conclusions:
If you're a longtime user of Yahoo or Hotmail, these upgrades may seem heaven-sent and intuitive. This is especially true if you're already accustomed to Outlook or Eudora's multipane layouts, which let you organize messages by dragging and dropping them into folders. But all this dragging and dropping seems primitive next to Gmail's automated labeling options. I give the Web 2.0 edge to Gmail for thinking outside the box. Gmail's integration with Google Calendar, Chat, and Maps feels logical and not forced, and if there have to be ads on the page, I prefer Google's text messages off to the side over banner ads any day. Furthermore, true to the Web 2.0 spirit of sharing, Gmail's open code enables devotees to hack new features.

written by Florin C.
Source: Helpero

UBUNTU vs. SUSE vs. FEDORA

According to the Linux watching web site, DistroWatch, there are more than 400 Linux and BSD distributions currently available and active. Many of these exist with many versions, giving thousands of possible options to choose from.
The question often arises "Which one is the best?". As with many simple questions, it does not have a simple answer. Typically, if you ask five random Linux users, you will get five different and conflicting answers.

Top three distributions are:
1. UBUNTU / 2. SUSE / 3. FEDORA

1. UBUNTU

The actual installation was smooth, easy and provided an excellent desktop for a user who is new to Linux. Someone who wanted only basic options.
What I liked:
Simplicity: Give the user what they need, no more unless they want to add that themselves. Good idea!
Easy Install: Ok a distribution has to be easy for the user to install and one CD is about as easy as it gets. The steps of installation are quick effective and to the point. The network setup worked fine in the install!

I loaded the distro on a AMD desktop and a Fujitsu Siemens Amilo laptop and they both loaded with no problems. Detection of the laptop screen was flawless. Power Saving features worked with no problems.
USB Detection: My conclusion is that some of the cheap, USB1 drives will not work without some configuration changes, but the better USB2 drives will autodetect.
Network Tools: Gnome now offers a handy tool to use for networks. It is actually 8 tools in one interface. The tools are Devices,Ping, Netstat,Traceroute, Port Scan, Lookup, Finger and Whois. These are certainly handy tools and they are easy to use in the graphical interface.
What I did not Like:
My biggest complaint by far... no functional firewall exists on the system. I went to the website and found that the concept of the designers is that since you are not using a daemon by default so you do not need a firewall. PLEEEASE...don't let our Linux future put at risk security and force us all to return the constant hacks and fixes we all hated in Windows. Security is important and the system does need a simple to install firewall.

Here is a quick way to setup a firewall with apt-get.

Multimedia Limitations: By default you will find limited resources for multimedia. Most users will find themselves searching for new options in this area.

Summary:
If you are looking for a simple distribution, you are a new user with modest requirements and you will make sure you load a simple firewall...take a look at Ubuntu. For a home user that needs basics it is a good choice.

2. SUSE

I have used Suse exclusively on my laptops, I always have at least two.
Each new distribution brings new features and more stability.

What I liked:
YAST: is a great tool for the administrator to configure the system. I would suggest that it is probably the easiest tool to configure a system that is available. It is intuitive, powerful and effective.

The Desktop: My personal option is that first impressions on the Desktop is one of the most important aspects of how new users feel about Linux. SUSE has the best initial feel of any distributions that I have seen.

USB Recognition: Now when you insert a flash drive it automatically recognizes the drive and functions on it's own, just like Windows.

What I did not Like:
I need ssh to work flawlessly. Once the configuration was setup and the firewall was setup like it was supposed to...no ssh. The firewall configuration did not allow any connections. YAST seemingly failed me. All that said, beware of little problems with the firewall.
Summary:
The best way I would describe SUSE professional is options. I guess that is why I like SUSE for a desktop is that it provides so much real functionality. If you are into multimedia you should try SUSE because there are so many multimeda options.

3. FEDORA

I have used every Fedora distribution as a desktop and put them through the paces, Fedora is the first one that I have felt that was stable, full featured and a candidate to keep on my desktop.
What I liked:
Nautilus seemed stable and has the same basic features as before. I really appreciate the fact that the images within Nautilus can be set up to be thumbnails of the actual image.
Gnome is stable and adds new features to removable devices and network servers.
Up2date was fast and worked beyond my expectations.
Network Tools is a wonderful addition to Fedora. It brings eight tools together in one interface for easy use for any network administrator.
What I did not Like:
Multimedia: Fedora will not provide support for non-open source components like Real Player. I can understand keeping things open source, but this fact is a major drawback for many multimedia consumers. Anyway, the Helix Player is easy to use and works well.

Summary:
Fedora is actually a solid well thought out desktop operating system with good security, applications and overall feel. If you can deal with the limited multimedia options or if you load your own, this is a great system.

Conclusions: I strongly feel, that the best Linux distribution is the one that you like the most. I personally like Ubuntu best: I find it easiest to use. My first distro was Fedora (Red Hat) and I found it hard going on my own.
Ubuntu is a desktop distribution based on Debian. At a technical level they are very similar, but Ubuntu has a simplified installer and a strong desktop focus.
Remember that unlike proprietary operating systems, it is usually very easy to switch from one distribution to another one, if you feel like a change.

written by Florin C.

Source: Helpero

Protect your intimacy with Browzar

If you want to surf the Internet without leaving a trace of your surf history, Browzar is the new solution.

Based on Internet Explorer engine, Browzar offers no browsing history, stored files, or cookies no embarrassing search auto-complete, no installation - Just click ‘run’ and go and no registration required.
You can download Browzar as many times you want, whenever and wherever you need it to protect your privacy.

The minimum system requirements are: Windows 98 Second Edition (SE) with Internet Explorer (IE) 5.5.
Still in it's beta phase Browzar offers support only for Windows Operating System but it is expected that a Linux and a Mac OS X version will be available in the near future.

You can download Browzar for free here.

written by Andrei I.

Source : Helpero