Huntertech

ATTN: WOOT OFF IN PROGRESS

2010-01-26T01:04:00.000-05:00

Woot off! I assume you all know the procedure

Just ordered the Head-Direct Re2's and the Fiio E5 amp

2010-01-23T02:00:00.004-05:00

So, I decided to pull the trigger about buying new earphones. My bullet landed on the Re2's from Head-Direct. The Re2's are a pair of oem in ear headphones that had its price dropped recently by Fang who is the owner of Head-Direct. To sweeten the deal, he added the Fiio E5 amp for only an additional $10. The total was only $39 with $7 shipping within the United States. This price is amazing for a pair of earphones that have been raved about all over the Head-fi forums to have been the best deal under $150. I'll start taking formal unboxing a reviewing from now on, as often as my budget of $0 will allow. If you are a maker of electronic goods or are a reseller that would like me to review your product, just email me. The Re2's review will come as soon as I receive them.

Link to the product page
http://www.head-direct.com/product_detail.php?p=71

Lenovo Introduces the new Lenovo X100e

2010-01-03T21:48:00.001-05:00

Full press release for the X100e

Lenovo Pioneers New Category for Business Computing with Entry Ultraportable ThinkPad Laptop

Introduces VISION Pro Technology from AMD with ThinkPad X100e

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – January 4, 2010: Lenovo today announced the ThinkPad X100e, the company's first professional-grade ultraportable laptop starting below $500. The introduction pioneers a new category of PCs for today's business users that blends professional performance, usability and design with new color options at an extremely affordable price. The X100e also represents the first time Lenovo and AMD have collaborated to offer AMD processors on ThinkPad laptops and to leverage AMD's VisionPro branding.

"By listening to our customers and observing market trends, we identified an opportunity to create a new type of ultraportable laptop for business users," said Sam Dusi, vice president, ThinkPad Product Marketing. "Customers asked us for low cost and extreme portability without sacrificing usability or the manageability needed to run a business. By expanding the ultraportable ThinkPad X Series to reach prices under $500, the X100e delivers on all counts."

The ThinkPad X100e excels in the areas important to business users with professional-grade features, exceptional usability and outstanding mobility.

· Professional-Grade Features – Equipped with choices of AMD Athlon Neo single and dual core processors and Turion dual core processors1, the X100e provides strong performance needed for multitasking and running typical office applications. It also has the performance needed to support corporate operating systems like Microsoft Windows 7 Professional. The X100e comes with Lenovo's ThinkVantage Technologies, hardware-software tools that help customers deploy, manage and maintain their PCs. The laptop features global availability and technical support along with a variety of warranty options.

· Exceptional Usability and Design - Lenovo designed the small and compact X100e to be incredibly comfortable to use. An 11.6 inch high definition display provides ample screen real estate, and an ISO full-size keyboard with a multitouch touchpad and Trackpoint make navigation easy. The new contemporary keyboard design features enlarged keys, removal of rarely used keys like System Request and the embedded number pad. The X100e also brings color to ThinkPad with a new choice of heatwave red in addition to midnight black models.

· Outstanding Mobility - The X100e maximizes mobility with models starting under three pounds. For wireless connectivity on the go, the laptop comes with 802.11n WiFi and optional Bluetooth and 3G.

Based on VISION Pro Technology from AMD, the X100e delivers outstanding value and performance on visual productivity applications vital to today's business.

"The X100e delivers the full promise of VISION Pro Technology from AMD," said Leslie Sobon, vice president, Product Marketing, AMD. "It delivers the visual experience necessary to leverage most of today's collaboration tools, strong battery life and unbeatable value, all in a sleek, durable ultrathin laptop. With out-of-the-box support for dual monitors to enable greater productivity, the ThinkPad X100e defines what a commercial ultrathin laptop should be and sets the bar for future products based on VISION Pro Technology from AMD."

Business-Class Service and Support

Lenovo offers a full portfolio of service and support offerings to protect the ThinkPad X100e and the data on it and also to give IT departments the technical support they need. To keep business productivity high and to protect from unexpected repair costs, ThinkPad Protection cover repairs resulting from accidents, drops and spills. ThinkPlus Priority Support provides 24 x 7 business-class technical support for IT professionals responsible for maintaining these PCs. Lenovo Hard Disk Drive Retention lets customers keep their hard drive in case of damage or failure, ensuring that their data remains safely in their hands.

Pricing and Availability2

The ThinkPad X100e will be available immediately through Lenovo Business Partners and www.lenovo.com with models starting at $449.

For the latest Lenovo news, subscribe to Lenovo RSS feeds or follow Lenovo on Twitter and Facebook. Follow Lenovo's activities at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas online.

About Lenovo

Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is dedicated to building exceptionally engineered personal computers. Lenovo's business model is built on innovation, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction as well as a focus on investment in emerging markets. Formed by Lenovo Group's acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services worldwide. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information see www.lenovo.com.

1AMD dual core processor models available in 1st quarter 2010.

2Prices do not include tax or shipping and are subject to change without notice and is tied to specific terms and conditions. Reseller prices may vary. Price does not include all advertised features. All offers subject to availability. Lenovo reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice.

Read- Engadget

Lenovo's new Edge 13 ThinkPad reviewed

2010-01-03T21:33:00.005-05:00

Laptopmag has reviewed the edge 13 thinkpad, one Lenovo's newest thinkpads in the ultraportable market. So sum up the review, Lenovo has gone with a newer, more modern design and a surprisingly, a chicklet keyboard. This chiclet keyboard is a departure from Lenovo's time honored industry leading solid keyboard, but Laptopmag argues that it is more comfortable than the keyboard on their T400s. The intel ULV SU7300 clocked at 1.3GHz proved to be a decent performer and the GS45 graphics on par with the rest of the ultraportables with integrated graphics.

READ
Laptopmag
Engadget

Happy new year!

2010-01-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Happy NEW YEAR! Welcome home 2010! Lets hope for some new technologies!

Jolicloud pre-beta is now on

2009-12-31T22:14:00.003-05:00

Jolicloud, the popular Ubuntu UltimateNetbookRemix based operating system for netbooks has come out of its invite only alpha form for everyone to use. Differences between this pre-beta and the red robby alpha version include a new startup screen and also an option to install from an existing windows system without harming/overwriting windows.

"Dear Alpha tester,

As you may know, Jolicloud has recently entered into public Pre-Beta.

Anyone can now go on our new website at http://www.jolicloud.com/ to download and install Jolicloud on their netbook.

This was an emotional moment for us but also a very busy time. If you have not upgraded to Pre-Beta yet, you can do it now. We took extra time to make sure the migration goes smoothly. You will be asked to update twice (the first update will be for the updating program and the second will install the Pre-Beta packages). You will know that you are on the Pre-Beta as soon as you reboot and see the new opening screen. Lots of small improvements have been done, and our new theme should react faster. Some of you should enjoy faster boot and the new kernel update should improve things.

We wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your amazing support and feedback. We would never have gotten this far without you. As an Alpha member you have been instrumental to the development of Jolicloud. Therefore we want to tag all our early users and give them a special "founding member" status on their profile. Those who register after the launch of the Pre-Beta won't have that status.

So what's in our Pre-Beta?

Jolicloud can now be installed from your Windows XP or 7 directly with Jolicloud Express, our new easy Windows installer. The key install is still available, but if you have friends with a Windows netbook that want to try Jolicloud while keeping Windows and their data safe they can do it!

Support for 98% of the netbooks available in the market.

With the new Jolicloud, we are supporting GMA500 netbooks (with HD support) and we are working hard to get the new NVIDIA® ION™ supported.

The system and drivers have been updated to work with all netbooks. However if WiFi, sound or video is affected by the upgrade, send us an email at feedback@jolicloud.com making sure that you provide details, including what specific type of netbook you are using.

In any case you should consider following our Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/jolicloud. We use it to announce the latest info and updates about Jolicloud.

Together with your support and feedback let's bring Jolicloud to full Beta mode in early 2010.

We really hope you'll enjoy this Pre-Beta.

Jolicloud is in the short list for the Crunchies Awards! To help Jolicloud win the Best International Startup Award please vote here: http://crunchies2009.techcrunch.com/vote/

From all the Jolicloud Team, we wish you a Happy New Year!"

Netbook sales predicted to slow as ULV computers get cheaper

2009-12-29T17:44:00.007-05:00

According to research firm DisplaySearch:

"Netbook shipments are expected to total 33.3 million units by year's end, for a year-over-year growth of 103 percent, says DisplaySearch. But in 2010, growth will slow to less than 20 percent, thanks to the new breed of notebook computers with ultra-low voltage processors and sub-$500 price points."

For as long as netbooks have been around, the niche of people that only want a tiny laptop that can barely do more than the basics has been largely filled, and a newer group of consumers that are searching for more powerful third generation netbooks find their salvation in cheaper, lower price point ULV based laptops. As Engadget points out however:

"Of course, 20% growth still means that netbook shipments should be in the neighborhood of 40 million for 2010, and DisplaySearch even estimates that growth will hold steady at about 20% for 2011, so we wouldn't be so quick to put them on deathwatch just yet."

Read- Linux for Devices
Read- DisplaySearch

Here is something you probably didn't know

2009-12-29T16:52:00.001-05:00

This story on The Consumerist caught my eye, HP ink costs more than human blood [link]. Take that HP! I knew the ink was expensive when I spent $40 on two ink tanks for my friend who said they only last a couple of weeks.

What did you get?

2009-12-26T16:13:00.003-05:00

So, now that Christmas and the other holidays have mostly passed, what did you get for the holidays? Sound off in the comments, we would really like to hear.

The silence is broken

2009-12-26T16:08:00.004-05:00

And so after more than seven months of inactivity, the silence is broken. I would like to spend this time to welcome everybody back to Huntertech, and to say Happy Holidays.

Google Tasks Standalone!

2009-04-29T17:09:00.006-04:00

Google Tasks is known and loved by many of us, but one problem with it--at least with me, anyway--is that Tasks is only able to be edited through a Gmail window. All you need to do it is enable it in Google Labs.

Unbenownst to many of us, Google has surreptitiously launched a standalone version of Google Tasks: no more wasting RAM to hold a Gmail window just to read your tasks!

It is located at http://mail.google.com/tasks/ig.

There are many ways to make this standalone; the way I am using right now is through Firefox's Prism application.

Because I use Ubuntu, I use the (to me) easier, downloadable Prism app: just do sudo apt-get install prism in the terminal and apt-get will automatically download the prism application. (Remember, this is ONLY for Ubuntu and other systems that support apt-get, not Windows. Windows users should go to the above link for Firefox.)

Of course, if you don't have Firefox or anything, you can use Google Chrome's "create a standalone application" tool or just keep the Tasks open in a tab or window.

Feel free to comment about how YOU organize your tasks, and if you found this useful or interesting.

Update: Someone has found out a slick way for Windows users to integrate these tasks on to their desktop. His post is as follows, and is located at here.

"What I did was right click on my windows taskbar and go to the Toolbars> submenu, click on the 'New Toolbar…' button.
In the field for the location, just past the link:
https://mail.google.com/tasks/ig
And press Enter.
Then you will see a new toolbar on your windows taskbar (it may be collapsed). Now take that toolbar and drag it to your desktop. It will create a window on your desktop.
This window will always load with windows, and if you logged in with internet explorer and saved your passwords and username for your gmail account, then it will log in automatically.
What’s nice is it sits on your computer and loads up to remind you what to do and I believe there’s an option to even make it sit on top of all windows if you like."

[TipsFor.Us]

Ubuntu 9.04!

2009-04-23T17:08:00.000-04:00

Is out.

This is a great thing for any Linux enthusiast.

The thing that the Ubuntu team worked on this release is BOOT TIME. All over the web, there are posts about how fast their ubuntu loads; I myself am still using 8.10 on my desktop (because there is no driver for my graphics card in 9.04) so I can't test this for myself.

Additionally, it seems that the Ubuntu team is hopping on the netbook bandwagon! Ha and I both have a netbook: him, a Dell Mini, and I, an Acer Aspire One. I have my One double-booting Windows XP and Canonical's new Ubuntu Netbook Remix, or UNR for short. This has a special launcher that takes the place of the taskbar, but of course Gnome is still usable under System->Preferences. The main difference is under the cover: UNR has better power management than the desktop or server versions of 9.04.

It's always a good time to try out Ubuntu via either double-booting, jumping straight in, using a virtual desktop, etc... but I especially recommend starting with this release. You won't ever look back at Vista with longing ever again.

The next release will be in October, and will be called Karmic Koala.

Comment freely!

[Ubuntu]

Got My Mini

2009-04-15T20:13:00.003-04:00

Those of you that know me personally will know that I have been considering getting a new computer for a while now, and that I am on a pretty low budget. And just my luck, I was online going through my normal feeds, I found a nice deal for the HP mini 1030NR for only 275$ with 10$ shipping. I pulled the trigger and I don't really have any regrets. Of course, this is a refurb, but you can expect to have a 90day warranty from HP and for another 25$, you can probably also find a new version of the HP mini 1030NR at staples, but there is tax. The Mini is pretty nice, and for you that don’t really know about the HP mini, the mini has a body of the approximate size of the Acer Aspire, but there is the option of getting the 10.1” screen in the same body. The dimensions are 10.3 in (L) x 6.56 in (D) x 0.99 in (H) and with a weight of about 2.4LB. Full review to come

Buy it now!

The New HP dv2 reviewed for your pleasure

2009-04-15T19:58:00.003-04:00

The New Hp dv2 had been released several days ago, and now since we do not have any sponsors yet, we have the pleasure of other blogs to view their opinions.

Here is some background on the HP dv2. Back in early January, AMD (advanced micro devices) announced that they would be making a new line of processors called the “Neo” processors to compete with the ULV devices of Intel. They had also stated that they would not be fighting for the position of top dog in the netbook saga where nearly all current netbooks are built with that special Atom processor.

Most of these reviews generally say the same thing; the dv2 is sleek and very shiny, and partially lagging in terms of processing power. The Yukon platform that it performs on only has the single strong suit of graphics and even then, the computer reaches a steaming hot 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

Of the pack-ins that HP had included, there was the typical fanfare of manuals and then there was the USB powered blu-ray drive. Wanna read more? Click on the reads

Read-slashgear

Read-LaptopMag

Read-Notebook Review

Get the Old Facebook Back! (March 2009 Update) Now Complete!

2009-04-08T16:43:00.005-04:00

In March of 2009, Facebook changed the layout... again. Not as big or major as that in September but still an update. That pretty much wipes out getting the layout before September 2008 major update that used to be possible. However, many have gotten used to the previous update and despise the new layout. Personally, I like the new layout, but many don't, so....

Lets "hack" the new layout and get the old one as much as we can!

Ask me any questions or chat with me live in the Digsby widget below!

First off, only one browser takes customizing to the next level.... Get the latest stable version of Mozilla Firefox! Note: Some Greasemonkey scripts also function in Opera however they often have reduced functionality. Get Firefox to fully take advantage.

Everything in this requires only one add-on and that is the one and only Greasemonkey! Whats Greasemonkey you may ask? It allows you to customize how sites load through pieces of Javascript. Greasemonkey scripts can do millions of useful things on virtually any site, even replace some add-ons, since many add-ons are based on scripts. Anyways, back to the main point here. If you know Javascript, you can write your own codes too.

After you have installed Mozilla Firefox and the add-on Greasemonkey, time to get the old Facebook layout back as much as possible.

To change script configurations, visit a page that the script is enabled on, then right click on the status icon or through Tools --> Greasemonkey, then mouse over User Script Commands and click on the appropriate item. Some scripts do not have configuration though. The configuration will not be available on pages that the script does not work on.

IMPORTANT: Many of these scripts will NOT work on the HTTPS (SSL) encrpyted version of Facebook by default. To enable it, go to the Greasemonkey Scripts manager, then edit one of the sites that might say: "http://www.facebook.com/*" Change it into "http*//www.facebook.com/*" Basically, add a wildcard * after the http. An alternative is simply to add "*facebook.com/*" to the list. That handles everything. Note that chat does not function in SSL mode.

Facebook Fixer
Click the Install button to load into Greasemonkey. Does not require a browser restart, however often requires refreshing Facebook.

This single script pretty much handles most of it. You can remove the filter menu, highlights, connect with friends, people you may know, and/or pokes. Fully customizable through the configuration. Right click on the monkey icon in the statusbar and mouse over Script Commands. The highlights are new to the new layout, so remove it. You can also hide the filter list, which is also new. Right now, your page should look something like this: (Click to enlarge)

In addition, it adds a huge number of nice optional enhancements such as top and bottom toolbar transparency, top banner to move with the page like the bottom bookmarks, show a preview of a photo by mousing over the thumbnail, Zodiac signs next to birthday, links to add to Google Calendar, round profile pictures, and MUCH MORE.

The configuration can also be accessed through the Facebook Settings menu. Click to enlarge.
That pretty much handles everything possible, but the old Facebook had smaller text... so... our next script (which can also be used as a user style with Stylish, a user style manager that also changes pages but it changes how pages look by modifying CSS rather than how they load by modifying Javascript) is...

Facebook March 09 Layout Shrinker
To install this, there are two options: Load into Stylish (if its installed) and load as User Script. If you are using Greasemonkey, load as User Script.

This does not have configuration. It basically makes everything smaller. It says combine with another script, however Facebook Fixer can handle everything that the other script does and more. With this script and the Facebook Fixer, your homepage should look something like this:
Thats pretty much as far as it can go for now. Wall posts are generally the only thing left to remove. Unless everyone sets to not allow them in news feed, its impossible to block them for now. I'm sure there will be ways too. Script developers are working on it. I take NO CREDIT for these third party scripts.

Heres a bonus to remove the what I find annoying posts from applications and quizes in the news feed using Facebook Purity, another script. It automatically hides these posts but there is an option to show them if you want to see them anyway.

After installing the 3 scripts mentioned here, this is what you'll get:
UPDATE 4/15/09: Add Facebook Add Status to bring your status message back to the homepage.
UPDATE 4/15/09: Remove Wall Posts from your news feed. Install this script. Unfortunately, this prevents removing the filter list.

Thanks for reading and I hope this post was useful to you. Click on the banner below to get Firefox in order to install Greasemonkey.

Email me any questions or feedback at: free...@gmail.com
You will received an automated reply confirming that your message has been received. You will be receiving a personalized reply as soon as possible. To protect against automated spam, click on the dots to take the Recaptcha test and reveal the email. Thanks.

Note: Add Greasefire to your Firefox if you want to know when there is a script from UserScripts available for your current page. Greasefire requires Greasemonkey. The Greasemonkey icon has a red background when scripts are available.

Ubuntu 9.04 beta is out and the public release is coming too!

2009-04-01T21:16:00.000-04:00

&amp;lt;a href="http://www.ubuntu.com/"&amp;gt;&amp;lt;img src="http://www.ubuntu.com/files/countdown/904/countdown-9.04-1/00.png" alt="Ubuntu 9.04 - on desktops, netbooks, servers and in the cloud" width="180" height="150" border="0" /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

Digsby: Online Communication Reborn

2009-03-27T23:06:00.017-04:00

Instant messaging is part of our everyday life. Theres so many services to choose from: Google Talk (XMPP), AIM (Oscar), Jabber, Windows Live (MSN), Yahoo!, ICQ, and more. Have an account on all of them in addition to numerous active email accounts? Want to pile all that with Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and/or LinkedIn? Now you can! All in one application! No more multiple programs consuming all of your system resources! First of all, most standalone clients such as AIM, Windows Live, Yahoo!, and ICQ (however not Google Talk =D) display banner ads and/or text ads all over the application. Read my review on AIM to find out more about ads and software installed with AIM (application highly not recommend by the way).

Is ONE SINGLE program will SO many protocols even possible in addition to an AD FREE GUI?

Digsby:
95/100 (Superior)
Instant Messaging, Emails, and Social Networks.... Reborn!

Test out the Live Chat widget (Digsby) here!

First off, lets start off with the installation. Many users complain about the parade of offers for mostly adware. However, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PRESS ACCEPT. Most users fear that not pressing Accept will cause them to get nothing. Feel free to press Decline for the offers. Most users just press Accept without reading (VERY bad habit). They have a good and honest reason behind offering all this. First of all, the program is Completely Free of Charge (No Pro Version!! Pro Versions simply annoy me when there is one). 100% Ad Free!!! :) All companies need money, and if they need revenue, they're doing it right. HONESTY! :D Read more about their installation and revenue methods here. Isn't having a bunch of optional offers all at once MUCH better than a program overfilled with ads like AIM (which also force installs junk)?
On another note on this, there is an offline installer available without any third party software offers. This one does not require the internet during installation and only offers to change homepage to Digsby Google Search and add search engines, again are OPTIONAL. After selecting the operating system (As of March 26, 2009, it is Windows only. Mac and Linux are in the works), click the link that says you have trouble with the installer. Or click this link to download the offline installer now. Details are in this screenshot:
If you use the InstallIQ installation, remember you can click Decline (except for the welcome screen which is not an offer but basically to start the installation) for every offer. Once again, ALL OFFERS ARE COMPLETELY OPTIONAL. If you do use the InstallIQ Main Installer, feel free to delete the ID Registry Key added by the installer (which is NOT created by Digsby or dotSyntax LLC): HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Freeze.com/Installer Learn more about the InstallIQ Installer by clicking here.

Supported Protocols:
Instant Messenging: AIM (Oscar), Windows Live, Yahoo!, Google Talk (XMPP), Facebook Chat, Jabber, and ICQ.
Email: Gmail (Google Mail), Windows Live Hotmail (MSN), Yahoo! Mail, AOL/AIM Mail, in addition to IMAP and POP3 accounts.
Social Networking: Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and LinkedIn
Digsby Widget: Add a Widget to any site and anyone can chat with you. You can even use it for tech support. You will be able to know how many people visit your site.

Part 1: Instant Messaging
Digsby supports a wide range of protocols, including Facebook Chat. Many buddy list grouping options including Group by Service or regular groups like in AIM and Windows Live.
A built in chat log viewer. Chats are automatically stored and can easily be viewed using an easy to use integrated viewer.
Tabbed IM interface (looks A LOT like IE7 tabs). When closing multiple tabs, a dialog appears (can be disabled); looks a lot like Firefox!
Drag and drop tabs into a new window or drag into another window to form another tab! Smooth fading effects here (if your video card supports it). This is a very short 9 second video demonstrating the drag and drop (requires Adobe Flash Player). Note: Quality has been significantly decreased by Blogger.

Unique notifications! The pop up new message notification in the corner is more than just a pop up! You can type a reply and enter it right from the pop-up! But there's more, unlike other IM clients when the initial IM will automatically switch to the window which can be annoying, you can choose to have this not happen in addition to just having the pop-up or nothing at all! Fully customizable including the location and the when pop-up notifications appear! I found this feature to be extremely useful and very unique. Lots and lots and lots of themes and skins to choose from, not only for the conversation windows, but the buddy list too. Even more customizations like sound schemes can be downloaded for free at the Digsby community site. Fully customizable and the developers are planning an API for plugins and other features.

The video and voice chat is powered by Tokbox and Requires Adobe Flash Player. The good side of this is that you can basically video/audio chat with anyone regardless of what they're using. Users on the other end, if they're not using Digsby, will receive a request to chat on http://v.digsby.com/?id=*(random string of characters). Like other multi protocol clients, you will be able to view what resource Google Talk users are using, like Gmail, Google Talk Gadget, Google Talk Client, meebo, Digsby, and others. This applies to all XMPP protocol connections: Jabber and Google Talk. Also, the IM terms: Available, Away, Busy, and Idle differ depending on service. In Google Talk, Available (GREEN) and Busy (RED) are normally used. The term Away (ORANGE) indicates idle. In AIM, Available (GREEN) and Away (RED) are normally used. Idle (ORANGE) also indicates idle time.

For Google Talk, the "Full Name" is basically the name that the user is using for chat and sending emails. When you receive an email from them, thats their name.

You can set different statuses for different accounts. Select Custom Status from the Status menu (status can also be set through regular methods like other clients but this is the way to set different for each account) and in the new window, select "Use Different Statuses for each Account".
With Facebook chat, additional options are available. Additionally, in rare cases, some messages (especially for AIM) may be delayed in both directions occasionally. This is being fixed in future releases. As you may know, Digsby is in beta and alpha updates are available if you add a file into your Digsby directory.

Just like all clients that can connect to Google Talk/Jabber, invisibility and group chat is not supported. In Google Talk in Digsby, you will get a link to open the Google Talk Gadget to join group chats when invited to one, just like in the Google Talk Client.

Part 2: Email
Digsby supports email composing and notifications for Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, AOL/AIM Mail, IMAP, and POP accounts. Sign into any accounts and receive new email notifications. Again, pop-up notifications are fully customizable. If you chose to have a tray/notification area icon (customizable), a number with the number of new mail is shown. Clicking on this icon will show the same menu as if you were to mouse over the label on your buddy list (which does not have to be there either-Customizable again). Double clicking the icon opens the respective email service (i.e.: Clicking a Gmail icon would open Gmail in your default browser)

On the menu, mousing over each mail allows you to Open (in Web Browser), Mark as Read, Archive, Delete, and Report it as Spam. It also has a favicon for each mail depending on the sender. But wait there's more! Tired of having to open a web browser to write mail? Digsby is here to help! If you want to email any of your contacts on your chat list, simply open up the IM window as if you're messaging them, then click on Email and you can write your mail right from there! Choose to send from any of your emails. Clicking the compose in the new email list however will open a web browser. Quick Tip: To send to someone not in your list, Go to the email tab of someone who IS in your list, then under the "To:" click Add and type in the email address you want to send to. Then after sending, feel free to Remove that address by going back to the "To:" Menu. Unfortunately, attachments are not supported here... yet.

Part 3: Social Networking
Disgby supports changing status and receive notifications for Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Just like above, the notifications pop-ups can be customized and the friend news feed topics can be customized. Pop ups work pretty much the same way as the email. Upon using this, you must add the Digsby application to your Facebook account and optionally add the Digsby Widget application and box to your profile. More on the Widget below.

Set your status DIRECTLY from Digsby without opening your browser. Click the edit in the news feed. At first, you will open an IE application window. So sign in, and click REMEMBER ME. Then sign in and close the window. Then repeat and then since its remembered, you will get a window saying Allow Digsby access to status updates and click Allow. Close window and repeat. This time and all the times afterwards, just a text box (NOT powered by IE anymore!) will appear.

Part 4: Digsby Widget
Anyone can chat with you with the handy widget. Fully customizable and you can create as many as you want. See how many people visit your site in real time!

Try it right now! Chat with me in the widget at the beginning of the review!!! Feel free to ask any questions here too or just test it!

The chat is also anonymous for by default, the nickname is "guest" followed by a string of numbers although visitors can change it. The widget uses Adobe Flash Player. In addition, the visitor's IP Address will be listed in the buddy info window for the guest (a new group is created for each widget you create and the group only appears if there is a visitor). For the Facebook widget, it isn't active until a user actaully clicks the widget in your profile and then it loads. Create a widget from the Digsby site. The New Widget button opens the site in a new tab of your default browser (or new window if your browser does not have tab support). Very useful and unique feature.

Part 5: Additional Features of Digsby
Digsby requires registration. This allows all your accounts, settings, preferences, statuses, (but not logs) to travel with you where ever you go. Similar to meebo accounts.

Rather than docking it which consumes RAM (hiding the buddy list when not in use significantly lowers the RAM), Digsby lets you keep the list on top then you can choose for it to smoothly slide away when its not in focus. This counts as hiding the window so the resource consumption would go down. Very nice feature!

Ever have people who have multiple IM accounts? With Digsby, you can merge contacts so they appear as one item! Simply drag and drop contacts into another and give the group a nickname and you're done. However, currently, in order for these to save, you must sign out of Digsby and/or exit properly during the session that you merge contacts or make modifications (i.e.: Clicking Exit Digsby rather than having the application crash). Click on each name in the buddy info window to view the individual info. The default info showing is the one that was selected to be on top). Multi protocol clients have a tendency of using a lot of system resources. However Digsby doesn't use that much. Even with 3 IM protocols, 1 email, and 1 social network, it only uses 39 MB RAM when the buddy list is open and around 10 MB RAM when the buddy list is closed in the background. This is A LOT less than single protocol clients like AIM and Windows Live Messenger alone!

Built in spell checker.A process known as "aspell.exe" runs when you run Digsby. This is NOT a third party program. It is part of Digsby and functions as its spell checker. Like Firefox, Microsoft Office, and other programs, a red line is drawn under misspelled words. Doesn't consume much RAM; in most cases only around 7.5 MB.

In addition to the installer, Digsby is also doing research to help other organizations which will help them gain revenue. The research runs when your computer is idle for 10 or more minutes (not moving keyboard or mouse) and runs as a Low Priority CPU Process so other processes get CPU before it does. This is turned on by default but everything is optional so it can be turned off from Help --> Support Digsby. Then click Disable for "Help Digsby conduct research." Read more about their installation and revenue methods here.

Digsby is 100% Ad Free. It does not force install software at all. The offers are simply ways to make revenue and its perfectly acceptable. I much rather have a parade of OPTIONAL offers (Just press Decline if you dont want them) than to have software force installed (like in AIM) and/or have ads all over the application. Or use the original offline installer mentioned in the beginning of this review. Personally, programs that I install that I have ads annoy me a lot after a while and those with a paid "PRO" are not fun or enjoyable.

Digsby is an awesome multi protocol all in one program for everyone. I highly recommend this application to anyone whether you have just one IM protocol or a huge collection of it. Its MUCH MUCH better than other programs including AIM. The program is honest and doesn't secretly install anything onto your computer. I use this regularly for my online communication needs.

Download Digsby today!
Mac and Linux versions coming soon. Click on these links to sign up for notifications of when they are released.

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It is time for a WOOT OFF!!!

2009-03-26T06:29:00.000-04:00

Woot is an amazing one deal, one day website, but every so often they have an event called a woot off where they sell their inventory as quickly as possible. To read more on woot.com and this event go to their wikipedia article.

FS Quick Tip 2: Want to see outer space for free?

2009-03-23T17:30:00.003-04:00

Ever wanted to see the stars and beyond for free without having to buy an actual telescope? A relatively new program from Microsoft Research Labs, known as Microsoft WorldWide Telescope is here to solve your problems. This CNET Download.com 5 Star program is Microsoft's response to programs like Google Earth's Sky Mode.

Microsoft Research WorldWide Telescope:
97/100: Superior
"To infinity and beyond!"

Travel to the stars and beyond and with a plugin; it can even connect to your actual telescope. If you want to try without installing anything, there is a web based version available that looks very much like the client only with less features. The web version requires Microsoft Silverlight 2.0, the latest version of Microsoft's version of Adobe Flash Player. As like all software of this type, it might not run well on older hardware configurations. The following are screenshots of the Classic Beauty; Whirlpool Galaxy in the web version and the client version.

Web Based Silverlight Version:

WorldWide Telescope Solstice Borealis Beta Windows Client:

Explore the stars and beyond including other planets. Microsoft Virtual Earth technology is built in so you can choose to explore the earth as well. Explore the names of stars and even take Virtual Tours. There are just a few minor bugs to tweak out.

The tabbed GUI like interface is similar to the tabs of Windows Media Player 11 and the options are similar to the Ribbon GUI found in Microsoft Office, Nitro PDF Professional, and other software.

This program is packed full of features with a very pleasing and attractive interface and is definitely worth trying if you meet the minimum system requirements, whether you're a student, astronomer, educator, and just about anyone curious and interested about the universe.

The latest Windows client version is the Solstice Borealis Beta. During the installation, DirectX 9 updates will be automatically installed.

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Firefox Quick Tip

2009-03-22T12:10:00.000-04:00

Want IE8's sweet new features for Firefox? Firefox, as you probably know, has the greatest customization of any browser with over 5000 add-ons to choose from and they're so easy to install. Web slices and accelerators: 2 new features that were exclusive to IE8 are not anymore.

WebChunks:
This adds Web Slice functionality to Firefox. Simply install the add-on then head on over to IE Add-ons site and install web slices as if its in IE.

KallOut:
This adds accelerators to Firefox. The developer is also working on adding full IE Accelerator support.

Click on the links above to view info, screenshots, and install the add-on.

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AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) v6: A Waste of Time

2009-03-20T21:15:00.003-04:00

Aim (AOL Instant Messenger), which runs on the OSCAR protocol, is one of the world's most popular IM protocols, being available everywhere, including integrated with Google Talk in Gmail. The AIM client is a free download at the official AIM Site. You might want to hold off on that download for now. If you want to uninstall or uninstalled, note that it might not have uninstalled cleanly. See end of review for details.

AIM 6.5, 6.8, and 6.9 Beta:

15/100: A Waste of Time. Not worth even trying.
AIM: AOL Instant "Messing-ger"

Why the harsh rating? Being a large company and serving so many flashy ads is one thing, but force installing adware products, and being adware itself, is unacceptable.

Real Time IM:
Version 6.8 and above have a nice unique new feature known as Real Time IM. When enabled, you literally get to see what your buddy is typing in real time. There are several bugs with this including occasionally counting each keystroke as a new message, causing a huge pyramid of messages.

Status Messages:
Version 6 emphasizes status messages....... Not much to say about this. Other clients had status messages forever.

Color Chooser:
Version 6 emphasizes colors. Pick between 10 different colors on black or white. Not much to say about this either. Not very customizable.

Now on to the things that caused me to give this such a low rating:

Force Install Software:
Read more here. This is completely unacceptable. Anyone who has installed AIM normally may notice that something called Viewpoint Media Player has been installed onto their computer. Coincidence? Accident? NO. It was no accident. It is bundled with AIM as well as other AOL Applications. Viewpoint Media Player has a unique tracker ID and will eventually track user activities. Whats even worse? Try uninstalling it. If you're using an account that has admin install rights without User Account Control (Vista and 7), launch your AIM again, Viewpoint Media Player.... may magically reinstall itself! They mention Viewpoint in the license how its required to view the media (which IT IS NOT. I uninstalled and blocked it and everything works FINE). They don't mention anything else about Viewpoint.

Thats not all. Something called WildTangent, also adware and can track user activites, is installed. It is used to play various media and is used by other companies as well. The problem is... Force installed and the auto-updater is on by default. The updater transmits data about the computer that it is installed on, including hardware specifications, installed software, and more. QQ Games and Aim Tunes can be optionally installed during setup. But even if you choose not to install them, ever realized that numerous copies of these two setup files are scattered throughout your hard drive? But wait! Thats not all...

Ads... ads.... oh look new version! EVEN MORE ADS!!!
Ads ads ads. Almost every client has ads (including Windows Live and Yahoo!). Aim, however, has simply too much. First of all, most ads are meant to be helpful and persuade users to buy, try, or use products. The ads on AIM, are a different story. It is known to take advantage of user bandwidth to download large movie trailers randomly then playing them. When users mouse over certain banner ads, it expands like a popup window then starts playing the ad as a movie.

Oh look Version 6.9 Beta is here.... Whats new? New buttons.... and.... guess what? Huge flashy ads on Settings. We can't even change our settings without downloading ads.

Buddy info... celebrity gossip ads on the bottom. Pretty useless and annoying.

The ad server: *.atwola.com is a MAJOR source of tracking cookies. The domain is used for not only AIM ads, but ads on AOL sites, and signature ads on outgoing mail.

I tested AIM 6.5, 6.8, and 6.9 and most of this is completely unacceptable behavior.

AOL has also lost a lot of subscribers and will probably continue to lose even more if they don't clean up their behavior here. This not only applies to AIM, but their AOL Desktop Client as well.

Other AOL Software is known to add their own sites to Internet Explorer's Trusted Zone. What does this do? That would allow anything from their site to download and install without contacting the user at all.

Would you trust such behavior? You decide. Force installing software? Company that adds sites to trusted zone? Is AIM worth it?

There are MUCH better clients out there including Digsby (many offers, but there're all optional and the company needs revenue money to run... plus this keeps it 100% ad free too-they're a small company), Pidgin, and Trillian. If they need revenue money, they give you optional offers where theres a clear DECLINE button. AIM, however, simply forces the junk to be installed without telling the user at all. I highly do not recommend AIM.

I highly recommend Digsby. If you don't want the parade of offers to even show up on Digsby install, simply click the link saying that you had trouble with the above installer. Digsby is kept 100% ad free and supports the most protocols (IM, Email, and Social Network) of all. If you choose to use the original installer, remember that theres a DECLINE button to the offers.

If you really want to use AIM, consider using AIM Ad Hack. It allows you to REMOVE and BLOCK Viewpoint, WildTangent, Ads, and all the other junkware (you can choose what to remove). Theres even an option to install AIM during Ad Hack so you would never have to even face the junk installed. Click here to install from Softpedia. Unlike other programs, this actually modifies the entire AIM source code to remove ads and stuff. I tested this and it works perfectly. I uninstalled AIM and will never go back. I now use Digsby for everything.

AIM Ad Hack!! Screenshots below on AIM 6.9 Beta 3 (Released on March 16, 2009). The first image in each pair is the original and the second is the ad hacked. I chose to remove everything during AIM Ad Hack. As always, click to enlarge

About AIM Versions:

Buddy List:

Buddy Info:

Can we change our settings without download ads?? (Version 6.9 and above)

Hey look its adware installed!

It also does not uninstall cleanly. Even if you choose to remove everything, including data, it will still leave behind some registry keys and folders in hidden user directories such as C:\Users\~USER~\AppData\* on Vista/7 and C:\Documents and Settings\~USER~\Application Data\* on older operating systems. Viewpoint and WildTangent also leave registry behind and must be manually deleted or through using uninstallers like Revo Uninstaller (highly recommended). WildTangent does not leave an uninstaller, however, it leaves numerous folders and files on your disk especially in hidden folders.

Alternatives: Digsby, Integrated with Gmail Google Talk (Logs with Gmail), Pidgin, Trillian, Meebo (EV SSL Here), and more. If any of these have offers, its mainly to keep it ad free. All of these alternatives provide a DECLINE to the offers, and nothing is force installed. I recommend Digsby or Gmail (Google Talk) Integration.

I don't trust this type of behavior. Do you?

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Internet Explorer 8 is here!

2009-03-19T21:01:00.014-04:00

Microsoft's browser, Internet Explorer, just received its major update on Thursday, March 19, 2009. It has been in Beta for quite a while and the RTW (Release to Web) is finally here. It received a full 5 stars on CNET Download.com however its far from perfect. IE is easily the most popular browser obviously because it is bundled with Microsoft Windows. However, new features are not enough to drag users away from alternatives like Firefox. IE's market share will still be chipped away.

Internet Explorer 8:
85/100 (Great)
Worth Trying. Most Secure and Fastest IE Version Yet.

New Features:
Find out all new features and screenshots by clicking here.

Private Browsing (inPrivate):
A feature being added to most browsers. Web history, cookies, cache are deleted when the browser window closes.

Relative Color Coded Tabs:
A feature from IE7, tabs are color coded depending on where they are opened from. Middle click to open links in new tab, just like in any tabbed browser.

Web Slices:
A unique feature of IE8 and no other browser even with add-ons. View active live feeds rather than just the title of a web page. Examples include Suggested Sites, eBay bidding right from Favorites bar, and more.

Accelerators:
A unique feature of IE8 and no other browser. Highlight any term or phrase or easily search the term from a particular search engine. Accelerators, like add-ons can easily be installed.

Add-ons and Extensions:
At the Official IE8 Add-ons site, there is a large collection of add-ons like Firefox. However, unlike Firefox, they require administrative permissions on Vista and Windows 7 to install for they install for all users, which is significantly more difficult than Firefox. In addition, the collection is not as large.

Compatibility Viewing Mode:
A feature that was used in Beta and RC1 for viewing web pages designed for older browsers. However, its a bit strange how its still here for sites like Google and the browser is considered a final release.

SmartScreen Filter:
Basically an improvement of the Phishing Filter. Like Firefox, also protects from malware sites. Test it here. This site is NOT a real phishing site. Try clicking Continue. It doesn't work. Contoso Bank is a MICROSOFT made up company to test their filter. Don't worry, the site does no harm at all. Note that the filter might not be turned on by default.

Smart Location Bar:
More options are available in the location bar.

Smart Search Bar:
Search suggestions including a preview on various searches such as Wikipedia available.

Crash Recovery:
When the browser crashes, the tabs can be restored.

Tab Isolation:
A feature available in Google Chrome: Each tab (but not plugin like Chrome) is ran as its own process so they can't affect each other. However this often causes high resource consumption.

Domain Highlighting:
Main domains are highlighted to identify fake sites. Available in Firefox through the Locationbar² add-on. IE8's and Locationbar²'s version is more powerful than Chrome's. In Chrome, even sub-domains are highlighted which partially defeats the purpose of the domain highlighting.

Delete Browsing History:
Just like older versions, deleting history takes forever. It not only opens 2 progress windows, then closes one after a few seconds, it takes at least 15 seconds, compared to less than 3 seconds on other browsers.

Installation:
Requires a restart which is a bit annoying.

Performance:
Faster than older versions, but still quite slow. Its also slow just like IE7 in opening new tabs.

Web Standards Support:
IE8 is the last of the popular browsers to pass Acid2. However, it still fails miserably at Acid3. When the test first starts, a text box with source code opens with a score of 12 on the back. Then after around 10 seconds, the box goes away increasing the score to 20. It loads the boxes in the correct position this time however, this was not the case in IE7 (which fails miserably at both tests). IE currently scores the lowest of all the major browsers.

After around 10 more seconds:
Acid3 Score Comparison:
Firefox 3 (Gecko): 71/100 (FAIL)
Firefox 3.1 Beta (Gecko): 93/100 (FAIL)

Chrome 1 (Webkit): 79/100 (FAIL)
Chrome 2 Beta (Webkit): 100/100 however does not pass other parts (FAIL)

Safari 3 (Webkit): 75/100 (FAIL)
Safari 4 Beta (Webkit): 100/100 (PASS)

Opera 9 (Presto): 85/100 (FAIL)
Opera 10 Alpha (Presto): 100/100 (PASS)

Internet Explorer 7 (Trident): 14/100 and also destroys the rest of the page (FAILS miserably)
Internet Explorer 8 (Trident): 20/100 (FAIL-See screenshot above)

Even if you never intend on using IE, I recommend updating anyway as it is tightly integrated with your computer and it would make your whole computer safer. However, it still carries IE's reputation of being slow at security patches, one of the lowest on web standards, etc... For a safe and speedy and fully customized web experience, get Mozilla Firefox as your main browser.

Update to Internet Explorer 8 today!

Get Mozilla Firefox, the award winning browser, as your default main browser.

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PortableApps 1.5 Released

2009-03-17T22:43:00.000-04:00

PortableApps.Com
Of course, this came out a long while ago. But I forgot to check my feeds and therefore...

PortableApps, for those that don't know, are a collection of free, open source applications, similar to U3-enabled flash drives. They are bundled with a launcher for on-the-go access, especially via memory card or flash drive.
Some of the more popular applications that have been converted to portable applications include Mozilla Firefox, Thunderbird, Sunbird, Pidgin, Sumatra PDF, and OpenOffice.org, but the PortableApps.com database is huge and includes tens of more applications; at least one hundred.

The PortableApps.com 1.5 in question here is PortableApps' launcher/client. 1.5 includes a bunch of new features, including a new display engine (and new customizable themes, coming in the next release), application renaming and icon hiding, more language support (37 languages at the moment), wallpaper swapping, and more.

See here for more details.

The Baron's Classics the Second

2009-03-17T16:50:00.000-04:00

Tally Ho, old chaps. I present before thee another ingenious invention. It is a classic in the sense that it's quite simple, and yet quite functional and practical.

I clarify that it is not the steam-powered grenade depicted to the right, though it does satisfy both requirements of simple and functional.

AutoClick 2.2

It has acquired the functionality of a variety of automated clicking apparati, yet a few features have deemed it "a notch higher" than the remaining assortment of programs of its kind.

For one, it has a hotkey. It is surprising the quantity of auto-clickers, if you will, that lack a hotkey of sorts. This is multiplied in utility when coupled with Windows Hider

Basic functionality is included. Additionally, the species of click is entirely customizable, encompassing such permutations like a double right click. The hotkey may be decided upon entirely by the user. Click Interval is simply defined as 'awesome'. If one has mind to, one may play something of a practical joke with windows hider and Autoclick. Set the hours as high as you can be bothered to place it. Following that, define the Freeze Pointer value as True. Or click the button. Hide Autoclick. Observe the 'lulz' ensue.

Smart Click is the piece de resistance of this rather simple little package. Personally, I've only made 'practical' usage of this contrivance with a flipbook of sorts, when I cannot be bothered to create one by my own hands. The 'engrish' is questionable, but the digital appliance is a quality tool.

iPhone SDK 3.0 is out for developers

2009-03-17T14:32:00.004-04:00

The new firmware for the iPhone has come out for developers, and is to come to the end users by later this year around summer. The newest features are really interesting and should make you reconsider if you want to get it or not if you have an iPod Touch. In recent weeks, the iPod Touch 2g has finally been jailbroken, and that allows you all to use it for homebrew purposes and now once the official supported jailbreaks come out, I am all for jailbreak. However, once summer rolls around and the 3.0 SDK is released for purchase, the iPhone owners will surely upgrade and then wait for the jailbreak for 3.0 to come out, but it will probably pose a harder change for iPod touch owners.
Among the newest features from apple with the newest firmware, we find copy, cut and paste, landscape mode for notes, and mail, accessory support, and many other features.
[via Apple iPhone 3.0 preview event]
Update: You know that bluetooth chip that we all found in the iPod Touch 2G for the Nike+ when we were taking them apart? It turns out that that chip was really a bluetooth chip, and when firmware 3.0 finally comes out, we the proud iPod Touch 2G users will be able to use bluetooth enabled headphones.

Today the iPhone OS 3.0 is coming

2009-03-17T12:07:00.004-04:00

We all know how popular the iPhone and iPod touch products have been, and now today is the day that the third version of the iPhone operating system is to come. Read about it at the Gizmodo liveblog where the event will begin at 1PM EST.
On a different topic, do you need Microsoft office? Not willing to drop more than a hundred dollars? Do you have enough morals keeping you from pirating it? Are you a student at a school/college that gave you a school email? Then these deals are perfect for you at Microsoft.

[iPhone event via Gizmodo Live Blog]
[Ultimate deals via Microsoft student discounts]

UPDATE: Copy, cut and paste have finally been announced!!!

Assassin's Creed

2009-03-16T21:18:00.003-04:00

Not the most recent games, so far, but also not very old. Assassin's Creed breaks new ground when it comes to the action/adventure genre.

Like the title implies, you're an assassin, named Altaïr and you have to assassinate people. This storyline takes place in the Holy Land in the Third Crusade. Lots of history.

Just so I won't spoil the plot, the game basically revolves about Altaïr trying to regain his honor, which he loses when he "compromises the brotherhood" (quote from Altaïr's master, himself, Al Mualim, leader of the assassins). Then, after every mission you complete, you gain another skill that will help you in your quest. Of course, being an assassin, guards and soldiers will try to kill you on sight, so you can either stay and fight them, or run. Either way, you have to escape and lose them. Leaving dead bodies everywhere in the city isn't exactly the ideal way of completing the game, but it'll earn you a few achievements for the Xbox 360. The combat isn't the best because it's really easy to win and the bad guys just stand there and attack one by one. It's hard in the beginning of the game, until you get the ability to counter attack. Then, they drop dead, one by one. You have a sword, a short blade (which includes a bunch of small knives you can you can use to throw at enemies, but you have to pickpocket thugs to restash your stock), your fists, and a hidden blade. It's awesome, especially when you realize that you can use that short blade in combat. You can't attack people with it, but when they attack you, you can counterattack, and there's this crazy awesome move that's an instant kill.

But the best part of the game is running around and climbing walls, better than monkeys and Spidermen. It's so realistic, you'd probably try to do that if you could. There's almost nothing you can't climb up to. Leaping across rooftops and fooling around is actually really fun. The cities are just as awesome. The people react to what you do, if you bump into them, attack them, or climb up a wall near them. I've heard this one, too many times: "God save him; he's gone mad." The coolest parts of the game are when you climb to the highest points in the game and then, the camera moves around so you can see everything below. It's crazy. And when you jump down to a stack of hay, it's almost thrilling, the first time you experience it.

Unfortunately, this game is very repetitive because of all the side mission you have to complete. You have to do the exact same things 9 times throughout the game, and it gets boring. You can choose to collect all the flags scattered around the areas, kill all the Templars, and save all the citizens, but it's not worth it, unless you want to earn some achievements on the Xbox 360. Either way, you have about 1000 flags to collect, 60 Templars to kill, quite a lot of citizens to save, and you honestly cannot get through all of them without searching online for maps. If you're like me, you've probably already done that. I collected all the flags, killed all the Templars, saved all the citizens, and got all the achievements. It took days. Don't do it, until you've finished the game. Better you have no flags at all, than 87/100 flags that you've found yourself.

I wouldn't recommend buying this game, but I would definitely recommend renting it.

To find more about this game, check out Gametrailers.com and you've GOT to check this trailer out: Veoh.com

Fallout 3

2009-03-16T20:58:00.006-04:00

You've probably seen the commercials, or at least heard of this game, Fallout 3. Well, most of the video game addicts know that it's a shooter, and it looks cool. They're probably right.

The graphics in this game is really well designed. It really fits in well with the plotline (you're a guy who lives in a wasted land, where there's radiation everywhere, and you're looking for your missing dad). Of course, with all the missions (the important ones and the side missions, too), you really have no other option other than exploring everything they have in there. Unfortunately, of all these wonderfully designed areas, you don't have an option of leaving checkpoints on your map.

In Fallout 3, you have the option of changing perspectives, which is why I didn't say it was a first person shooter. You're also able to level up in many different areas and acquire different skills after playing the game for some time.

There's also an interesting targeting system where you can select a body part of your enemy as your target.

If you want to learn more about this game, check out Gametrailers.com for a more detailed review.

FSW Quick Tip 1: Windows Desktop Search not for you?

2009-03-16T11:25:00.004-04:00

Welcome to the first of the weekly issue of FSW (Freedomstar Weekly) Quick Tip. Every Monday, a new quick tip will be provided to you. All software presented will be free of charge, though some may have a paid version with enhancements available. Most software will be multi-platform, although some may be Windows only. These quick tips will include a basic overview of hte product and a rating for it. A video presentation of this may be available in the future.

Is Microsoft Windows's built in desktop search too difficult for you? Are you looking for fast and efficient searching? Here are two useful programs with instant indexed search, and more.

Copernic Desktop Search:
This winner of CNET Editor's Choice Oct. 04 as well as numerous other awards. This software provides a pleasing tabbed interface and searches all your files on your hard drive. Unlike Google Desktop, it does not search the entire internet. It performs a one-time indexing of your whole hard drive upon install and then performs real time indexing as files are added and deleted. The personal non-commercial version is free although there are paid enhanced versions available. Compare them here.

The free version has flashy ads and gives you an alert of buying the pro version.

Pressing the web search button opens a Copernic Search Engine in your default web browser.

The installation took me 10 seconds with the configuration taking around 5. Searches can also be refined directly from the main search panel for each tab.

Unfortunately, the free version does NOT include search as you type a.k.a Instant Search and does not index network drives, both of which are possible with Google Desktop. Instant Search is partially available in Google Desktop. The preview list of results when you search is instant although the main search from the browser is not. It also lacks plugin support.

Copernic Desktop Search rating:
95/100 (Superior)

Google Desktop:
Google Desktop Search allows you to search your computer just like you would search Google. Instant search results are available and full results are viewed in the browser just like Google. A variety of files are supported for indexing including Gmail and Google Talk chats. You can also choose to have a search bar in your taskbar, deskbar floating around, or the full sidebar similar to Windows Sidebar where you can add numerous gadgets. These gadgets can also be detached. Gadgets include viewing YouTube videos, Weather, Gmail, and much much more. For more details, visit the official Google Desktop page.

Upon installing, it will perform a one time full indexing of your computer. Then after that, it will be performing real time indexing as new files come in. Fully customizable with additional plugins to support more file types.

Note: The version available with Google Pack/Updater appears to be higher than the latest version available at the main site. I recommend using Google created and certified gadgets for third party ones often cause Google Desktop startup to freeze a lot. Some computers may have Google Desktop pre-installed.

Google Desktop tends to use a lot of system resources sometimes with 2 processes.

Pressing Ctrl twice automatically launches a search bar to quickly find files or search the web. Very handy.

Note: If using Windows Vista with Aero enabled and no windows are maximized, the gadget button and search box will cause the taskbar to turn solid black as if a window is maximized rather than translucent. The gadget button also is quite buggy.

Google Desktop rating:
95/100 (Superior)

Personally, I use Google Desktop because it integrates smoothly with Google and it gives me an alternative to Windows Sidebar, although I'm considering on switching. However, Copernic Desktop Search is award winning and powerful. You decide. Which one will you use? Weighing the pros and cons of each, both received a rating of 95.

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Firefox 3.1 Beta 3 is here!

2009-03-12T17:05:00.008-04:00

After much delay, Mozilla Firefox 3.1 Beta 3 is finally here! This pre release preview version includes numerous new features and will eventually be incorporated into Firefox 3.5.

New Features:

Improved the new Private Browsing Mode.
Improvements to web worker thread support.
Improved performance and stability with the new TraceMonkey JavaScript engine.
New native JSON support.
Improvements to the Gecko layout engine, including speculative parsing for faster content rendering.
Support for new web technologies such as the and elements, the W3C Geolocation API, JavaScript query selectors, CSS 2.1 and 3 properties, SVG transforms and offline applications.
Features in earlier versions can be found here: Beta 1 and Beta 2

Collection of screenshots of Mozilla Firefox 3.1 Beta 3. As always, click images to enlarge. Note: The following screenshots contains only default features. No add-ons

Opening Screen and About Page. Notice the New Tab button is here w/o add-ons

Higher Acid3 Tests (93/100)

Private Browsing Feature improved in this beta:

Clear the History/Private Data from a selective period of time, like in Chrome:

Standard SSL Sites will now have the domain in blue.

OGG Videos don't require plugins or players to be played:

Other features of Firefox 3.1 include drag and drop tabs into new windows, Ctrl+Tab Tab switching (the Tab Switch Window like Windows Alt+Tab from Beta 1 coming back in future releases).

Download Mozilla Firefox 3.1 Beta 3 today and help test the new versions of Firefox if you're interested. By default, it will install into a different directly than the standard Firefox. Therefore, it will not override your current Firefox installation, meaning you will still have your original Firefox installed. Remember that some of your add-ons might not have been updated to work with Firefox 3.1 Beta yet.

It is planned that the version be bumped up to 3.5 in future versions because this was originally planned to be a minor update however numerous new features triggered this decision.

If you don't want to try the beta but normal Firefox versions, download the stable released Mozilla Firefox 3.0 today!

Email me any questions at: free...@gmail.com
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Google Chrome: The Browser Wars have been re-ignited

2009-03-12T17:03:00.005-04:00

On September 2, 2008, Google Inc. surprised everyone when they released a beta version of a new browser without an advanced notices. Google Chrome came out of beta exactly 100 days later. It currently has less than 2% of the market share and is slowly chipping away from the share of other browsers, especially Internet Explorer, which is also being chipped away slowly from Mozilla Firefox as well as others. It is now a very heavily advertised product around on the internet including being bundled by default with various products in addition to being all over YouTube and other sites.

Google Chrome Overview:
Pros:

Currently the speediest stable released browser (non-beta)
Easily drag and drop tabs into new windows
New Tab page shows most visited pages
Isolated Tabs so that if one tab freezes, only that tab crashes, not the whole browser (Multi-Process: Each tab and plugin is its own process)
Create application shortcuts so a web page runs as its own application
More address bar space with Omnibar, integrating search with the address bar
Incognito Mode (Private Browsing): Web History and cookies won't be stored
No obtrusive download manager

Cons:

Multi-Process architecture often causes excessive overall memory usage
Lack of plugin support: Most plugins don't officially support Chrome
No option to block third-party cookies (links to tracking cookies), only an option to restrict their usage
No extension support (yet)
No printing setup
Windows only (Mac and Linux in the works)
No option to show menu bar if users wish
Many times the entire browser freezes and then after closing, at least 1 process remains and cannot be ended through task manager. In order to end it, users must reopen Chrome and close it although in this situation, it takes at least 1 minute to open.
Unless users press Show all downloads, the downloads stop if the tab accidentally close
No download resuming after browser closes
No RSS Feed support
No autoscrolling support. Added in Chrome 2 (Beta) however it is difficult to use compared to other browsers

Google Chrome Feature Review:
Google Chrome is the newest browser and it has reignited the browser war. Upon its release, browsers like Mozilla Firefox started adding features like drag and drop and Private Browsing.

Isolated Tabs is useful feature also available in Internet Explorer 8. Each tab and plugin is run as a separate process so that the two cannot contact each other or affect each other. If one tab goes down, the whole browser wouldn't go down in flames. However, multi tab architecture often leads to excessive RAM usage. In addition, even when I closed any tabs using plugins like Adobe Flash Player, the process remains. Microsoft Silverlight doesn't support it but when I visit a page using this plugin, although the plugin doesn't work, the process still opens and stays open until manually ended. In addition, tabs that are on the same domain (i.e. two Wikipedia pages) will run as one single process.

Download Statusbar is a feature that allows downloads to show in a statusbar in the tab from which it downloads. Unfortunately, unless the "Show all downloads" button is pressed, the download automatically stops when the tab closes. Also, there is no resuming of downloads.

Drag and Drop allows tabs to be quickly dragged out of hte window into a new window as well as back into other windows.

Extension Support is not available yet although Google says they are working on it. However, my concern is that Chrome might be badly hurt from add-ons. Add-ons naturally slow down browsers although it is worth it. Personally, I am a very big fan of add-ons in Firefox. Unless you have a lot of add-ons like me, the browser won't be slowed down noticeably. With Chrome, add-ons will probably cause an extreme RAM and CPU overload considering that the add-on would have be factored into each tab's process. Popular add-ons such as Adblocker Plus actually speed up page loading because ads (esp. Flashy) often takes longer to load then the page itself.

Application Shortcuts allows web pages to be run in its own window and own application without the URL bar, toolbars, etc...

Other Notes: During testing, I experienced a lot of problems with text field editing in Chrome. For example, while editing an article in Wikipedia, clicking into the text field doesn't have the blinking cursor where I clicked, but at the end of the article. When I started typing, it scrolled to the bottom and started typing there. This happens numerous times already.

Learn more about Google Chrome's features here.

Note: Many of Chrome's features can be enabled on Firefox through add-ons. Read about it here.

Web Standards (Acid2 and Acid3)
The web standards test is the way that browsers can test if the browser meets web standards. Most browsers pass Acid1 and Acid2. At first glance, Google Chrome seems like it passes Acid2. However, if you zoom in, you may realize a very thin and light line to the left of the nose. It must match pixel by pixel to pass. See screenshot below from Google Chrome 1.0.154.48. The line is boxed around in the following screenshot. As always, click to zoom and if you're using Firefox 3+ or another browser supporting image zooming, zoom even more to see the line better.
As of March 11, 2009, no released browser passes the Acid3 test. Google Chrome 1.0 scores 79/100 on the test.

Google Chrome Rating: 90/100 (Excellent)

Personally, I would prefer Mozilla Firefox, which I have been a fan for years.

Verdict:

Google Chrome lacks many features of modern browsers, such as RSS Feed Support and Full Screen Reading, but is one of the fastest browsers available today. If you're in need of a super speedy browser that doesn't "even have a progress bar because its that snappy" [CNET Prizefight]. However, if you want to be able to personalize your browser like never before, try Mozilla Firefox. Google Chrome, like many Google products, are very simple in design. Both browsers are perfect alternatives to Internet Explorer. To find out a comparison between various browsers, click on the CNET Prizefight link to watch a video (you MAY have to disable ad blockers for this video sometimes starts off with an ad). Chrome's engine is Webkit, which is what Apple Safari uses. One of the most unique features is isolated tabs and plugins, available in no other browser currently (IE8 only has tab isolation). if you're looking for a complete all in one browser, get Mozilla Firefox, the award winning open source browser, today. But If you're looking for a simple but speedy browser, Google Chrome is for you.

Email me any questions at: free...@gmail.com
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Where to find the latest games

2009-03-11T19:44:00.007-04:00

Well, if you're ever looking for places to find any new video games for whatever gaming platform you have, you might as well check out whattheyplay.com. It's a parent's website to update them on the latest games for the PS3, DS, 360, and so many more. It doesn't have intel on what the game has, any reviews on it, which is why it's a website specifically designed for parents, but it'll get you somewhere, if you're just looking for some background info on it.

Gametrailers.com, however, is a totally different story. If you'd rather not read through an entire page of text, just to find out more about how a game is, they've got video reviews, trailers, and tons of other stuff for you to check. They've got high quality vids on the coolest games ever, like Resident Evil 5, or F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin. Search up a game, and you'll definitely find it.

We want YOU to work for Tech Hunter!

2009-03-10T23:45:00.000-04:00

If so and you live in New York then send us a head shot of yourself, and a short post in the style of our writers along with some general information about yourself. We, the writers of Tech Hunter meet on a near daily basis so give us some more information like what school you go to and your motivation for writing for Tech Hunter.

[Email us at techhunter.mail@gmail.com]

HOLY SHIZ its HERE!

2009-03-10T22:41:00.004-04:00

The jailbreak for the iPod Touch 2G has finally come out, from NitroKey, only problem is that it has a price of 15$USD. So, the question now is whether it is better to wait for the free redsn0w or get this. It is firmware 2.2.1.

Read-->

Freeware? - Chameleon

2009-03-10T21:47:00.000-04:00

Image from Lifehacker

Yes, Freeware. It's awesome. However you put it, Freeware is oftentimes more useful than any proprietary program out there.

Every week (hopefully on Tuesday) I will put a freeware program on this blog and tell you about it. This week: Chameleon.

Chameleon is a program for those who are not doing work but don't want people to find out...it is able to make windows transparent and less noticeable. Very useful for office workers who are not supposed to be messing around.

This program is Windows only.

[Chameleon via Lifehacker]

The Baron's Classics the First

2009-03-10T10:00:00.004-04:00

Tally Ho, old chaps. I present a simple proposition. On the third of every week, henceforth referred to as Tuesday, I shall scour the Interwebs for an electronic automation that can only be described as a classic. This is the inaugural Classic. I display before you, from the forges of Twilight Utilities

Windows Hider.

A simple, basic tool for the everyman. Just a minute dab of Ctrl-Shift-H, or any other permutation of modifiers and input keys, shall disembody your window, banishing it from the mortal realm into smoke. With a quick wave of the hand, and a jiffilous Ctrl-Shift-M, you may summon your concealed viewing panes at your leisure.

I personally find this contraption to be of great practicality. It couples well with other discreet utilities, of which begin at their leisure but are useful sporadically. Certain specimens of image modifiers, such as the GIMP or the (in)famous photoshop, which enjoy materializing at a steady progress, can simply be run outside the material plane, under the assumption that you have CPU to spare.

If you, perchance, happen to find yourself delaying diligent labor at home or at work, use Windows Hider to thwart your enemies and employers.

This goes very well with other classics, but I confess. I require the material. It shall be revealed in future classics. Have a wonderful night.

The Giveaway of the Day

2009-03-09T21:18:00.007-04:00

If you don't frequently web browse, you may not be aware of the Giveaway of the Day licensed software download site.

Everyday, Giveaway posts a free proprietary program (usually for Windows). One has 24 hours from the posting date to download and install the program.

I actually find these programs very useful; you are getting a great bargain whenever you come here because Giveaway posts programs that people actually use (such as a DVD ripper, a keylogger, etc.), the programs have good functionality, you are getting a (usually) $20.00 value or more for free. Above all, it is all legal - something in demand on the Internet as you and I know.

Enable Google Chrome's Top Features in Firefox

2009-03-09T17:22:00.039-04:00

Google Chrome, the new browser from Google that surprised everyone when it first released, is packed full of new features that weren't available in other browsers. However, Mozilla Firefox, the second most popular browser in the world (after IE), is also one of the most customizable and you know what that means...

If you always wanted to know which add-ons would enable you to enable some of Chrome's best features in Firefox, you've looked in the right place. Through several add-ons, some of Chrome's best features would be able to be included into Firefox.

New Tab Page:
Chrome's new tab page shows you thumbnails (and links) to your nine most visited sites as well as your recent bookmarks and search engines in addition to an option to reopen closed tabs. Google has recently created a version of this for Firefox although it doesn't currently show recent search engines.

Google Toolbar 5 for Firefox includes the new tab page. After installing and agreeing to the license, go to Options by clicking on the Wrench icon: On the Search tab under Web Browsing Tools, check "Enable the Google new tab page." Click Save and Voila! You're done! See screenshot below for details (click to enlarge).
If you would also like to change your Firefox home page to this, simply go to Firefox options and on the Main tab under "Startup" change your home page to: "chrome://google-toolbar/content/new-tab.html" (without the quotes). Note: In order for this to work if you have the add-on Tab Mix Plus (TMP) installed, go to TMP options, in the Events options, under the Tab Opening, choose "User Location" for Load on New Tabs, and then type in (or copy) "chrome://google-toolbar/content/new-tab.html" into Location without quotes. For details on this, see the following screenshot (click to enlarge).

Google Toolbar provides a lot of helpful features that will enhance your search and more. But if you don't use it and think it wastes space, simply right click on the menu bar and uncheck "Google Toolbar." This way, you can keep the tab page, but hide the toolbar. Google Toolbar 6 gives Internet Explorer users this too, but if you minimize the toolbar in IE, the whole thing is disabled. (As always, click to enlarge)

Incognito (Private Browsing) Mode:
Google Chrome as well as IE8 and Safari include Private Browsing. In this mode, cookies and history won't be stored in your computer. Firefox 3.1 (planned to be 3.5) will include this too but if you're desperate right now, there is a solution available. The Stealther add-on enables this. However, the one difference is that for this as well as Private Browsing in Firefox Beta is that in Chrome, the regular mode stays open while a new Incognito window opens, while for Stealther and Firefox 3.1+ Private Browsing, its enabled globally. If you don't want to install this add-on, future releases of Firefox will include this so it won't be long.

Domain Highlighting:
In Google Chrome, the entire domain including subdomains are highlighted. This isn't really as effective as highlighting simply the main domain, like in IE8. The add-on for Firefox known as Locationbar², adds domain highlighting as well as extra features including linkifying the address with many colors available. It is easily customized for strong highlighting. If you want the subdomain highlighted as well, it can be changed to do that as well. By knowing the main domain, fraudulent sites can easily be spotted. Download Statusbar:
No download manager window in Chrome. Enable that with an add-on Download Statusbar. Have all your downloads show in a tidy statusbar with an option to make it a mini notification as well as have speed colors.

Application Shortcuts:
In Chrome, you can make an application shortcut to load a webpage, like Gmail in a separate window without loading Chrome's toolbars so it is running as its own separate application. This can be enabled in Firefox using Prism for Firefox add-on. It has been developed by numerous developers including Mozilla Labs. These applications run as separate processes apart from the regular "firefox.exe" process, just like Chrome.

Omnibar:
Chrome combines the search bar and address bar into one. Enable this on Firefox with the Omnibar extension. It integrates the two just like Chrome and works similarly.
Isolated Tabs:
Unfortunately, there is no replacement available for this at the current moment. Perhaps Mozilla will incorporate it into future releases. This feature allows each tab to be run in its own process, however, it often causes excessive memory usage. However, the closest thing to this would be the application shortcuts mentioned above which DOES run as a separate process.

Top Tabs:
This is available through a theme package known as Chrome Package. It makes Firefox look a lot like Chrome with top tabs and the interface itself however many add-ons are incompatible with this. In addition, it does not look like Chrome on Windows versions with the Aero glass interface. The title bar retains the blue interface like in all other versions of Windows (including Vista Home Basic). Users also report difficulty uninstalling. Use at your own risk as this is an experimental add-on.
Note: Drag and drop tabs have always been available although it isn't as smoothly done as Chrome. Drag and drop into new windows are available in future releases although Detach Tab is available with add-ons such as Tab Mix Plus (TMP) which is mentioned above.

Look and Feel:
An alternative to Top Tabs is the following.
Triton has created three experimental addons that duplicate some functionality and the look of Google Chrome. These are Chromifox Companion, Chromifox Extreme, and Chromifox Extreme Carbon. The latter two do much the same thing, but both duplicate the chrome, so to speak, of the Chromium platform browser. However, these are still experimental addons so until they are released out of alpha/beta, your best bet is to use Chromifox Basic by Falconer. This is a simple theme, which gives you a basic feeling of Chrome. Hopefully, Triton will finish soon, and then we will all be happy. The two developers are working with one another to create the best pseudo-Chrome experience possible. See links for screenshots.

If you're still using Internet Explorer, start surfing the web faster, safer, and more personalized with Firefox. Get Mozilla Firefox today!

Email me any questions at: free...@gmail.com
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Have an iPhone, iPhone 3G or an iPod Touch 1G?

2009-03-07T22:53:00.005-05:00

If you haven't already then I truly recommend you jailbreak your iPhone/iPod touch. Once you jailbreak your iPhone/iPod touch then a whole new world of home-brew software will be open to you.

What are the pros to jail breaking your iPhone/iPod touch? Well you can change the design of your device, hide some of those apple default apps, emulate older games from those old discarded gaming consoles, use your iPhone as a modem, and so much more!
What are the cons of jailbreaking your device? Well there are absolutely none, and the whole process is free.
Below is a link to a gizmodo step by step guide to jail breaking the iPhone 2g, iPhone 3g, and the iPod Touch 1g

Side note: The iPod touch 2g is still incapable of being jailbroken because of its architecture. We will be bringing you the update as soon as possible. If you are tech-savy enough, then you can hack it, but there is only a tethered and semi-tethered option that is public from the dev team.

[Guide@ gizmodo]

There is a new procrastination killer here, and it won't whip you!

2009-03-05T17:05:00.006-05:00

There is a new application that you can get from here. The developer Elie seems to have made a really interesting application here that seems like something that will really come in handy during those days where those reports are due and you just can't focus your mind.

[Procrastination Killer at wordpress]