MakeUseOf.com: “Google To Disable All Private Google Plus Profiles After July 31st [News]” plus 15 more |  |
- Google To Disable All Private Google Plus Profiles After July 31st [News]
- Latest Hilarious Picks [MakeUseOf Geeky Fun]
- Cool Websites and Tools [July 7th]
- Video Game Vaporware: 5 Ambitious Gaming Projects That Never Made It To Retail
- How To Easily Transfer Photos Between Your Facebook Albums
- How To Block Websites On Your PC Without Using Software [Windows]
- Form Healthy Habits & Get Rid of Bad Ones With Success Log & Fail Log [Android 2.1+]
- How To Get Photos From Facebook Into Google Plus [Mac & Windows]
- Hot Tech Deals – Thermaltake TR2 430W ATX Power Supply for $26.99 + more
- Boot Multiple Live CDs From One USB Disk With YUMI [Windows]
- Play Fast-Paced Paintball Online With Digital Paint
- Sparkleshare – A Great Open Source Alternative To Dropbox [Linux & Mac]
- Skype Releases Group Video Client For Mac [News]
- TEncoder: Open Source Multi-threaded Video Encoder [Windows]
- Share Files & Folders With Computers & Mobile Devices Using Pogoplug [Windows & Mac]
- Google Maps 5.7 Hits Android Marketplace, Offers Transit Navigation [News]
| Google To Disable All Private Google Plus Profiles After July 31st [News] Posted: 08 Jul 2011 07:31 AM PDT
The company has spelled this out via the Google Plus help topics surrounding public profiles. The entry states:
This change makes a huge difference from the private profile options seen on Facebook, which allows users to abscond from search results, messages, friend requests and more. Google’s approach only requires the name and gender fields to be public, but forces everyone into the same boat.
If you’d like to change any aspects of your profile you can log into Google Plus and click Edit Profile. You’ll find your name easily editable from any screen, and your gender information under the About tab. What do you think about Google’s stance? Would you prefer a private profile? Have you switched from Facebook yet? Is it all hot air? Comments ahoy, below. Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Includes cool extras. Google To Disable All Private Google Plus Profiles After July 31st [News] is a post from: MakeUseOf More articles about: google plus, news, privacySimilar articles:
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| Latest Hilarious Picks [MakeUseOf Geeky Fun] Posted: 07 Jul 2011 11:11 PM PDT
If you would like to keep up with all latest Geeky Fun additions, please subscribe to the Geeky Fun feed here. You can also subscribe and get the latest additions via email. Need Assistance? Ask questions to MakeUseOf staff and thousands of other readers on MakeUseOf Answers! Latest Hilarious Picks [MakeUseOf Geeky Fun] is a post from: MakeUseOf More articles about: geeky funSimilar articles:
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| Cool Websites and Tools [July 7th] Posted: 07 Jul 2011 08:31 PM PDT
These are just half of the websites that we discovered in the last couple of days. If you want us to send you daily round-ups of all cool websites we come across, leave your email here. Or follow us via RSS feed. Cool Websites and Tools [July 7th] is a post from: MakeUseOf More articles about: cool web appsSimilar articles:
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| Video Game Vaporware: 5 Ambitious Gaming Projects That Never Made It To Retail Posted: 07 Jul 2011 06:31 PM PDT
Some of these projects were simply too ambitious, promising technology that even the developers hadn’t embraced yet. Others simply run out of money, experienced repeated set-backs (Duke Nukem Forever, anyone?) or simply didn’t exist in the first place. If you’re thinking of a career programming games or developing hardware then maybe you could learn a thing or two from some of these entries. ConsolesPhantom (Phantom Entertainment)
In 2002 the Phantom was announced as a games console capable of playing PC games, which at the time meant head-to-head competition with Windows as a gaming platform. Whilst this sounds far-fetched (especially for 2002) the team behind Phantom actually had some pretty good ideas, including content delivery. The Phantom was never meant to have an optical drive – instead games were to be delivered via a revolutionary new on-demand download service. Had it worked and been released then the Phantom would have enjoyed a huge library of existing games. A working prototype was seen at E3 in 2004, with a release date tipped for November. As the team had yet to develop the online content delivery system, this date slipped as did others and in 2006 the Phantom was removed from the company’s website. Phantom Entertainment now make the Phantom Lapboard, an all-in-one keyboard and mouse, as their sole product. Action GameMaster (Active Enterprises)
Not as famous as the Phantom but in many ways equally as ambitious, the Action GameMaster was announced at CES 1994 as a device with a truckload of compatibility. At the time Active Enterprises were a small company that solely manufactured unlicensed video games, though they had some pretty big plans for the GameMaster. The console was to be a handheld portable device, capable of playing NES, SEGA Genesis and Super Nintendo cartridges via additional adapters to be sold seperately. Also planned was CD-ROM support and a TV tuner for peering into its 3.2″ colour LCD screen for hours on end. With a projected retail price of $500 (at the time!) the GameMaster disappeared along with Active’s other video gaming ventures later in ’94. GamesShenmue III (SEGA/AM2)
The perfect example of epic storytelling and thoroughly engrossing gameplay suffering at the hands of poor sales – Shenmue III is still in limbo. The original two games received critical acclaim, with the first selling 1.3 million copies, and Shenmue II a disappointing 400,000. Japanese games gurus Famitsu have tipped Shenmue III as the second most-wanted sequel to a video game franchise, and there is an army of dedicated fans online rallying Yu Suzuki (the legendary designer) to finally bring his finished story to the interactive screen. The truth is that despite SEGA’s willingness to work on Shenmue III, funding is still an issue. Speaking at the Games Developers Conference in 2011 Yu Suzuki said "I think SEGA will let me make it…it’s a matter of budget…we have to make it in an affordable way." Fans still hoping for the sequel might want to hit up fan site Shenmue Dojo which features an active forum community that’s continually pining for Shenmue III. Elite 4 (Frontier Developments)
The original Elite was written by David Braben and Ian Bell for the BBC Micro and released in 1984. The first game to use wire-frame 3D graphics and featuring an open-ended game model, Elite shot to success on each subsequent system it was released on. Two sequels exist, Frontier: Elite II and Frontier: First Encounters, with the latter released in 1995. Since then fans of the series have waited patiently for the release of Elite 4, with David Braben claiming in 2006 that the game will be made once his team had finished another game, The Outsider. Since then development on The Outsider has also ceased, though the game hasn’t been cancelled (uh-oh, sounds like more vaporware to me). As recently as 2011 Braben said that "it would be a tragedy" for Elite 4 not to be on the drawing board, though I suspect that drawing board has gathered quite a lot of dust. You can play the original Elite in your browser using an Java emulator, and find out how to reach the fabled “Elite” ranking in this guide. Project Milo (Lionhead Studios)
Here’s an interesting one – there are conflicting reports over whether Project Milo was ever a game at all, despite being shown at E3 2009 to demonstrate the (then unreleased) Kinect. Milo was said to have an AI system that learns and responds to human actions, such as waving or speaking, and this was demonstrated at the show. A year later, and Project Milo was nowhere to be seen at E3 2010. A month later and a Microsoft employee claimed that the game wasn’t a game at all, and was never planned for release. After further conflicting reports from Lionhead’s Peter Molyneux, the game’s existence was heavily disputed in November 2010 by both a Eurogamer report and another Microsoft representative. Apparently Molyneux is using much of the technology developed for Project Milo in his upcoming Fable: The Journey Xbox 360 title, which features Kinect support. ConclusionSo what have we learned? Well, if you’re going to go into the interactive entertainment business the first thing to remember is not to make promises you can’t keep – both the Phantom and Gamesmaster are proof of this. Better marketing (especially outside of Japan) might have saved Shenmue II and spurred the development of the third game, whereas Microsoft and Lionhead Studios probably should have confirmed Milo’s existence as a mere tech demo from the get-go. Do you remember any of these titles? Do you still believe in Shenmue III? Do you have any favourite instances of vaporware? Let us know in the comments! Images: Shutterstock, Phantom Video Game Vaporware: 5 Ambitious Gaming Projects That Never Made It To Retail is a post from: MakeUseOf More articles about: console, game reviews, InterestingSimilar articles:
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| How To Easily Transfer Photos Between Your Facebook Albums Posted: 07 Jul 2011 05:31 PM PDT
Facebook offers a relatively easy way to transfer photos between albums, so you can get your albums organized and coherent again. All you have to do is follow a few simple steps. Accessing “Edit Photos”As to be expected from Facebook, there’s more than one way to access the “Edit Photos” section. Both are very easy, and you can choose whichever fits your personality better (for me it’s the second one). The Homepage MethodIf you’d like to access it from your homepage, look for “Photos” on the left side of your screen. If you don’t see it, you might need to click “More“. It will be where your requests and apps are. This will show you everybody’s photos in one place, which is also handy sometimes. In order to access only your photos, click “My Uploads“.
Using this method, you’ll see an “Edit Album” link below each album – click it to access the editing section of your chosen album.
The Profile Page MethodIf you’d like to access it from your profile page, simply look for “Photos” under your profile picture. Clicking it will take you immediately to all your albums.
If you’re using this method, you’ll have to first choose the album you wish to edit, click on it in order to enter it, and from there find the “Edit Album” link at the top. Click on it to enter the editing section of the album.
A small window will open, within which you’ll find an “Edit Photos” link at the bottom left side.
I sometimes wonder if Facebook’s developers really enjoy creating multiple ways to do the same thing. It might at first seem more accessible this way, but I actually find it more confusing! They could at least make the methods more similar. But anyway, both these methods will take you to the exact same place, and I can find pros and cons in each, so just go for it and choose one. Moving The PhotosNow that you’re inside the guts of your album, you can choose which photos you’d like to move to different albums. The cool thing about this is you can move each photo into a different album in one fell swoop. It is surprisingly effective. For each photo you want to move, simply choose the right album from the “Move to:” dropdown menu which is located under each photo.
Once you’re done, click “Save Changes” at the bottom of the page, and that’s it! All your photos should now be located within their new albums. You can see that I managed to do it, and the visitor from my room is now in a different album!
Do you have some more cool Facebook tips? Do you know of other good ways to organize your Facebook albums? If so, share them in the comments! How To Easily Transfer Photos Between Your Facebook Albums is a post from: MakeUseOf More articles about: Facebook, organization, photo albums, photos, social networksSimilar articles:
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| How To Block Websites On Your PC Without Using Software [Windows] Posted: 07 Jul 2011 04:31 PM PDT
In this article I will show you how you can block unsafe websites by adding blocking lists to the Windows Hosts file. The Hosts file allows you to re-direct domain names to an IP address of your choice. Subsequently, you can use this knowledge to block any domains, such as those distributing advertisements, banners, cookies, and more. What Is The Windows Hosts File?The Windows Hosts file is a plain text file Windows refers to for mapping hostnames to IP addresses. The file is loaded into the cache at startup and every time Windows queries a DNS server, it first checks the Hosts file for redirection information. Simply put, the Hosts file can be used to re-direct a domain name to a different IP address and hence to a completely different website or simply back to the local computer.
What Are The Benefits Of Blocking Sites Using The Hosts File?First of all you can block malicious websites using excluding lists that contain known offenders. Secondly, if those lists contain ad servers or trackers, you will experience faster website loading times, as all ad and tracking related apps are blocked from loading. Moreover, this protects your privacy and enhances security since your browsing habits are shielded from many known trackers. Finally, you can play a prank on people by re-directing any website you like, for example Bing to Google. How Can I Edit The Windows Hosts File?Mark wrote an article explaining how to block websites via the Hosts file, which covers almost everything you need to know: Create your own Internet Filter with the Windows Hosts file. I will briefly describe how to edit the file in Windows 7.
Where Can I Find Blocking Lists?A great resource for a customized Hosts files to block ads, banners, and other parasites, can be found on WinHelp2002. The Hosts file on offer has been updated regularly, most recently in June 2011. You can download the file in plain text or as a ZIP file. The Zip file contains a batch file (mvps.bat) to automatically rename and replace your current Hosts file. However, you can also manually add the list via copy and paste from the text file to your Hosts file, following the instructions above. You can also find Hosts files on hpHosts. You can either follow the installation instructions on the website, or manually copy and paste the list from their Hosts text file into your existing Hosts file. There are other resources that share blocklists. However, you need to make sure you get a list that has the format ‘IP address domain name’ (without quotes), for example ’127.0.0.1 google.com’ (without quotes), which would redirect the domain name google.com to the IP address 127.0.0.1 (localhost). Of course you can manually add the IP address in case you get a list that is lacking it. What Tools Can I Use to Manage My Hosts Files?I recommend HostsMan. Apart from providing a simple interface to add entries to your Hosts files, it also allows you to import blocking lists from hpHosts via the > Update Hosts button.
You can either merge this data with your current Hosts file or overwrite it. I recommend merging, since this allows you to simply delete the added information later and not lose anything you have in there already.
You can also edit the Hosts file using a convenient user interface.
Unfortunately, HostsMan does not currently allow you to import your own text files and merge them with your Hosts files. This is something you need to do manually. If you liked this article, also check out the following posts on MakeUseOf:
Did you know about the Hosts file before and what are you going to use it for now? Image credits: John David Bigl III How To Block Websites On Your PC Without Using Software [Windows] is a post from: MakeUseOf More articles about: content filter, firewall, safer browsing, security, security tipsSimilar articles:
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| Form Healthy Habits & Get Rid of Bad Ones With Success Log & Fail Log [Android 2.1+] Posted: 07 Jul 2011 03:31 PM PDT
Today we’ll be looking at two applications, one for each approach. Fail Log tries to help you break bad habits, while Success Log aims at developing new, healthy ones. Both apps have a virtually identical interface, except for the color and the labels. I decided to keep this review positive and focus on Success Log for most of my screenshots. Here’s what it looks like:
When you first start the app, a fairly lengthy introduction shows up. Take a moment and read it. With apps like this, half of the work is understanding the system and using the app correctly. Next, the app invites (or rather, orders) you to make a habit you could log:
Note the stress is on positive accomplishments. One of my own bad habits is biting my fingernails; this is not something I can work to solve with Success Log. So let’s go for something positive:
Sounds good! Everybody agrees it’s important to stay hydrated. Note how I worded the habit in past tense – I will be logging it once I’ve done it. After adding this new habit, my list now looks like this:
Lots of room for other habits I could track, too. A short tap on the habit immediately exits the app and pops up a Toaster message:
The idea is to make it easy for you to track your successes by popping into the app, single-tapping an entry, and moving on with life. An elegant workflow, and as you can see on my homescreen, there’s also a widget showing your “Success Count” at a glance. To log a new success, simply tap the widget and the app will launch. Tap whatever task you just succeeded in, and you find yourself back in the homescreen, with another success marked on the counter. Okay, so you can count your successes. Actually, that alone may lead to developing some good habits. But Success Log goes further by letting you plot your habits on a “heat map”. I just started using the app, so my heat map is nearly empty. You can still read the explanation text to understand how it works, though:
Here’s what a fuller heatmap looks like, from Fail Log’s screenshots on the Market:
The heatmap may be interesting, but it’s not very easy to read. That’s why you can scroll down and read a more detailed analysis of your behavior, broken down by days:
And by time of day:
So (taking the Fail Log example), I may find out I tend to bite my nails quite a bit on Tuesday and Wednesday, around the afternoon. I can then take a moment and think about my routine to figure out what I normally do on those times. Maybe I shouldn’t be doing that particular activity, or maybe I should change something in the way I do it so that it’s less stressful for me. Another view is the Log:
This is simply a list of all logged events, in chronological order. If you’re tracking more than one habit it can come in handy for recognizing patterns – does one habit routinely follow another? You can also use the log for removing incorrect entries, in case you erroneously tapped a habit on the list and it was entered into the log. Simply long-tap the entry and use the pop-up menu that comes up to delete it. Most smartphone owners have their device with them nearly all the time, so it’s a very handy way to log your successes and failures. But If Success Log or Fail Log don’t sound quite right for you, Amimetic has a number of other self-improvement apps on the market, all presenting different methods and ways to track your success or failure rates in the goals you set for yourself. What are your tips for forming good habits or breaking bad ones? Form Healthy Habits & Get Rid of Bad Ones With Success Log & Fail Log [Android 2.1+] is a post from: MakeUseOf More articles about: google android, lifestyle, logs, Mobile Apps, resolutions, tracking toolsSimilar articles:
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| How To Get Photos From Facebook Into Google Plus [Mac & Windows] Posted: 07 Jul 2011 02:31 PM PDT
So, how do we get pictures into Google Plus easily? Well, one developer has made it simple to get photos from Facebook into Google Plus. It’s a neat program for Mac OS X or Windows which works by downloading all your Facebook photos so that it’s easy to re-upload them to a new social network, be that Google Plus or something else which comes along. This will be very handy, since many of us have at least a few decent photos in Facebook. It’s quite straightforward to use – we’ll show you just how easy it is now using the Mac OS X version. Get PhotograbberIt does what it says and says what it does: Photograbber will get your photos from Facebook and put them on your hard drive. Download, unzip and install as per normal for your operating system. Using PhotograbberWhen you open Photograbber you’ll be faced with a simple window which says “Login“. When you click this, you’ll be taken to a Facebook authentication page in your browser so that you can allow Photograbber the access it needs to get your photos.
Once authenticated, you’ll be given an authentication code which you’ll manually have to copy and paste back into the Photograbber program.
The Photograbber program actually allows you to download any photos you have access to on Facebook. So, you need to ensure you choose “Myself” from the list of people. There’s a few other options you can choose from here too, such as whether to download all of your albums or just any photo you’re tagged in, whether to download all of the album if you’re tagged in one photo (eg. to get all the photos from a party you were at). You can also choose to get all the comments and tagging information if you like.
When choosing a location to put them, ensure you create a folder to put them in, since this process will create many folders and their “date modified” will be according to the last photo added, not when they were downloaded. It takes a while to collect information on which photos to download and then to get them downloaded. This is definitely a good time to turn on Caffeine and run off for a cup of tea yourself.
When it’s done, you’ll find all of your photos in easily identifiable folders where you chose to download them. You can then upload albums into Google Plus via Picasa as you wish.
More Photo Downloading ToolsIf you’d prefer to look around at other photo downloading services, here’s a few you might be interested in:
Have you uploaded photos to Picasa because of Google Plus? Did you use Photograbber? Do you find you’re choosing a different set of photos to display or are you using the same ones? Why? Image Credit: ShutterStock Hey Facebookers, make sure to join MakeUseOf on Facebook and get access to some exclusve stuff. Over 105,000 fans already! How To Get Photos From Facebook Into Google Plus [Mac & Windows] is a post from: MakeUseOf More articles about: Facebook, Google, photo, photo albums, social networksSimilar articles:
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| Hot Tech Deals – Thermaltake TR2 430W ATX Power Supply for $26.99 + more Posted: 07 Jul 2011 01:30 PM PDT
For more fresh hot deals, visit our Hot Tech Deals page, which is constantly updated.
Hot Tech Deals – Thermaltake TR2 430W ATX Power Supply for $26.99 + more is a post from: MakeUseOf More articles about: dealsSimilar articles:
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| Boot Multiple Live CDs From One USB Disk With YUMI [Windows] Posted: 07 Jul 2011 12:31 PM PDT
We’ve written about more than one live CD here at MakeUseOf. I myself recently wrote a manual called 50 Uses for Live CDs. These amazing tools can accomplish a lot, from giving you access to a computer that’s otherwise completely busted to more advanced features like scanning a computer for viruses. Many bootable tools fill only one purpose, however, leaving many a techie’s desk littered with recently burned tools. Don’t be like that; use YUMI to combine all of your tools onto one USB disk. We’ve written about tools that allow you to boot live environments from USB. UNetBootIn and LinuxLive are just two examples. These tools however cannot install multiple environments to one disk. For that, you’re going to need YUMI. Using This ToolTo get started, you’ll first need to download YUMI. The program comes as a portable Windows program (I’ll write about a similar Linux tool soon). If you’ve used UNetBootIn before, the interface will feel familiar when you start YUMI up:
Scroll through the list to pick a live environment. If you have the ISO already, you can browse for it. Note that the file name will have to match exactly what YUMI states the file name should be in order for you to find it. Not every ISO file will show up in the browser.
If you don’t have the file, you can quickly find the download by clicking the “Download The ISO” link. This will open your browser to start the download and you’ll have to point YUMI to the downloaded file, once it’s done. At this point you can simply click install and the process of installing your live environment to USB will begin.
Once this process is done you’ll be asked if your want to repeat the process. You can keep adding more and more environments until you run out of space on your disk. When you boot from this CD you’ll be presented with a menu:
Just browse to the environment you want, hit enter and you’ll be on your way. Many Supported ToolsThere are many supported distributions and environments for this disk. Some highlights include:
There’s a heck of a lot more. Check the YUMI download page for a complete list. One thing to keep in mind though. Having Windows and Ubuntu on the same USB drive with this tool causes problems. Be sure to read the download page’s documentation carefully if you want to do this. There’s a tip on the page. ConclusionIn many ways this is the Holy Grail of bootable tool creators. A collection of ISOs can become a single USB disk ready to boot just about everything. Combine this with a good sized thumb drive, or even an external hard drive, and you can make yourself a really powerful tools. Thanks to Josh Peterson for pointing YUMI out to me! What tools did you add to your disk? Share in the comments below. Boot Multiple Live CDs From One USB Disk With YUMI [Windows] is a post from: MakeUseOf More articles about: boot, live CD, pc maintenance, recover, tech support, USB, usb drivesSimilar articles:
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| Play Fast-Paced Paintball Online With Digital Paint Posted: 07 Jul 2011 11:31 AM PDT
However, this also means that most of these games are rated too high for younger kids that may want to play games in the first person shooter genre. Enter Digital Paint, with the free open source FPS offering called Paintball 2. This is a paintball simulation game that is appropriate for all ages – as the only thing that will get hurt in this game is your pride. Paintball Social GamingIt’s a simple enough concept – paintball is intrinsically a very social activity. That is why there are so many clubs and groups in communities across the world that gear up and head out into fields to get completely covered in paint. Just like the real game of Paintball, this game requires wit, strategy, and cunning reflexes. If you aren’t quick, you’ll end up flat on your back with a big splotch of paint on your chest every single round. It really takes some getting used to if you’re used to other first person shooters out there, because this isn’t a creep and peek environment. You aren’t going to surprise anyone by edging around a corner hoping to pop off a carefully placed sniper shot. The game play is much too fast for that.
When you first install the game, you’ll need to create an online profile so that you can connect to the network game servers. Just click on “Create Profile” and the game will open up your default browser to the sign-up page. You’ll need an email address, so younger kids will need their parent’s permission to sign up. The next time you launch the game, you’ll still see the “Create Profile” screen, but if you’ve successfully activated your profile already, just hit the Esc key and you’ll get back to the main menu. You still need to connect your online profile to this local install of the game. Go to the Setup menu and choose “Global Login Profile.”
Just go through the steps to insert your chosen online name into the profile settings and save the settings. Once you’ve established the connection with your profile, you’re ready for game play. Go back to the main menu and go to the “Play” menu. The real action takes place when you click “Join Game“, but first I want to give you a preview of what you can expect.
When you “Start New Game“, you’re basically launching a new networked game that other people can join. Type in the maximum number of players you want to allow (obviously more than 1), how long each round will last, and choose the location theme from the list on the right.
That’s all there is to it. Now you’re in the game and ready to start collecting “kills”. As you go through each round, you’ll see all of your stats off to the right side, as well as the remaining time in the current round. All player communication takes place along the top. If you want to join the conversation, just press “t” and type what you want to say.
When you’re ready to go head-to-head against other players, go back to the Play menu and choose “Join Game“. You’ll see a list of active game servers where games are going on right now. On the right, under “Players“, you’ll see how many people are playing and whether the game server is maxed out or not. Most of the time you’ll find that there’s plenty of room for you to join in on the action.
I joined up and immediately jumped into the action. If you’re used to typical FPS controls, you’ll be fine – but be prepared to stay on the move and do a lot of jumping. That appears to be the preferred tactic of most of the players. You get a nifty little laser sight to help with placing your paintball shots. Oh and by the way, if you’re a really bad shot, check out Tim’s review of FPS Training, which might increase your chances of getting a hit!
Some of the games are point based, and you can see team scores at the lower right of the screen. You can also pick up larger guns and ammo throughout each level as well. Other games might be “capture the flag”, which are also a lot of fun and usually involve some creative team strategy to distract the other team with decoys. The best part of this paintball simulation game, in my opinion, is that young kids can play it. The biggest danger is that the chat system might have some occasional profanity, but that isn’t really a central part of the game anyway. If your kids are begging to play those graphic and violent first person shooters on the market, just install this game and they’ll get hooked instantly. You won’t have to worry about giving them nightmares. So give Paintball a shot and let us know what you think. Was it easy enough to learn? Is the pace too quick or difficult? Did you do well? Share your experiences with the game in the comments section below. Play Fast-Paced Paintball Online With Digital Paint is a post from: MakeUseOf More articles about: community, fps, online games, social mediaSimilar articles:
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| Sparkleshare – A Great Open Source Alternative To Dropbox [Linux & Mac] Posted: 07 Jul 2011 10:31 AM PDT
However, you don’t need to look any further because a solution has finally appeared, called Sparkleshare. About SparkleshareSparkleshare is an open source file synchronization Dropbox alternative. It is not a website server in itself, but rather a service that you can deploy yourself to create your own synchronization setup. Since you can choose where it actually stores the data you wish to sync between systems, you can have complete control over your own data at all times and never have to rely on a third-party service. Sparkleshare uses the GIT system as its backbone. For those who don’t know, GIT is a great file repository and version tracking service. Many different projects (especially open source ones) use GIT to control the progress of new code within more recently modified files. Best of all, Sparkleshare will eventually be completely cross-platform. Currently, builds are available for Linux and Mac, with eventual plans for Windows, Android, and iOS. InstallationWindows users will eventually get an easy-to-use installer, and Mac users should already know how to install their package. Linux users have a slightly (and I mean this in a relative way) complicated way to install Sparkleshare, but it shouldn’t be much of a problem. UbuntuUbuntu users need to add a PPA that contains the Sparkleshare packages. You’re in luck, as this PPA was erected not too long ago. Add the PPA with FedoraFedora users need to follow a similar path. First you need to add a repository containing the Sparkleshare packages by going to the folder containing the repo files ( Users of any other distribution are on their own (as there are plenty of other distros!). However, do not assume that a Sparkleshare package does not exist for your distro, so do some Googling and see what comes up. Getting Set UpSince Sparkleshare uses GIT, you have a large variety of choices as to where to store your files. When you first start Sparkleshare, the setup gives you a choice between the top three GIT-running websites that people can get free accounts on, as well as the possibility of defining your own server. Actually creating your own GIT repository to run Sparkleshare on is outside the realm of this article, but if you Google around a little you’ll be able to find some instructions. You can also be sure that there are instructions for creating a web interface for your own GIT repository. For the example in this article, I will be quickly setting up and using my own server.
After installing, go ahead and launch the program from your menu. When it opens, fill out your name and email address, then continue.
Next you can choose your source, and fill out the information as requested. Make sure you look at the site first, as they may require you to do an extra step, such as using an SSH key for secure, password-less access. For example, if you’re connecting to your own server, you’ll need to create an SSH key with Other than that, you should be finished! You can now start synchronizing in the folder you chose.
ConclusionThat’s it! Now you can use it like you used Dropbox, but with added peace of mind. If you’re extra paranoid, you can apply the same encryption techniques as outlined here as well. What you do now is up to you. Does this Dropbox alternative work for you? Are you wanting to switch to something else or stay with Dropbox? Do you think projects like Sparkleshare are valuable? Let us know in the comments! Sparkleshare – A Great Open Source Alternative To Dropbox [Linux & Mac] is a post from: MakeUseOf More articles about: collaboration, cross platform, dropbox, file sharing, open source, synchronize, ubuntuSimilar articles:
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| Skype Releases Group Video Client For Mac [News] Posted: 07 Jul 2011 10:01 AM PDT
While group video calls are the primary highlight for most Skype users, business users may be especially interested in the group screen sharing. This feature will help to make office collaboration, customer support and quick conferencing even easier and much more convenient by allowing several people to view a user’s screen at once.
The new Skype 5.2 client for Mac is free (as is the latest Windows 5.5 Skype beta client), however to make group calls one member in the conversation must have paid for a premium Skype subscription (currently retailing at € 5,99 per month). It’s also possible to get a 7-day free trial of the premium subscription or to buy a day pass (currently retailing at € 3,49). All users of a group video chat need to be using the Skype 5.0+ client.
Advanced users can also make use of some new usability features, such as marking messages as unread with shortcuts and switching conversations using the trackpad.
The call control bar is the most anticipated of all the new features, as it allows users to continue working while maintaining video contact and quick access to basic call functions.
This announcement closely follows recent news of a Skype client for Android 2.1+ which now allows users to make video calls. Source: TechCrunch Hey Facebookers, make sure to join MakeUseOf on Facebook and get access to some exclusve stuff. Over 105,000 fans already! Skype Releases Group Video Client For Mac [News] is a post from: MakeUseOf More articles about: mac, news, Skype, video chatSimilar articles:
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| TEncoder: Open Source Multi-threaded Video Encoder [Windows] Posted: 07 Jul 2011 09:30 AM PDT
If you are still looking for a good video converter, you might want to try TEncoder. This is an open source multi-threaded video encoders that would also help you hard code subtitles into the converted movies. Multi-What?Similar to other video converters like Handbrake and FormatFactory, TEncoder can help users convert videos from one format to another. Currently, TEncoder supports 9 major video formats, such as: Xvid, FLV, H264, WMV, MP4, MPEG 2. It uses FFMpeg and Mencoder codecs in the conversion so it won’t conflict with most formats. So, what makes TEncoder different from other more established names in the video converter world? It’s the support to multi-thread technology. It means that TEncoder will allow users to do multiple conversions at one time, making use of modern computer’s multi processor power. Users can run up to 8 separate encoders at once. This feature will make the whole converting process faster than the traditional way where the movies are queued and converted one by one. However, the speed will depend on the computer power and the quality of the video result that you choose. This ability will also be useless if the computer itself is not equipped with proper hardware, or if you only want to convert one video file. Let’s ConvertIf you want to try to convert multiple videos using TEncoder, prepare the files and open TEncoder. Here’s what the main window looks like: the function buttons above, a big file list pane at the center, and the conversion options below. Start by adding the video file(s) to the list. You can do it one file at a time using “Add File” button. The conversion process will start after clicking the “Encode” button. You’ll see the whole and individual progress in the Encoding window, along with the time indicator. Have you tried TEncoder? What do you think about it? Do you have your own favorite video encoder? Share using the comment below. Image Credit: ToastyKen TEncoder: Open Source Multi-threaded Video Encoder [Windows] is a post from: MakeUseOf More articles about: converter, media encoder, open source, subtitles, video converter, videosSimilar articles:
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| Share Files & Folders With Computers & Mobile Devices Using Pogoplug [Windows & Mac] Posted: 07 Jul 2011 08:31 AM PDT
This is not the only way to send files between devices, however. Streaming software such as Pogoplug has advantages, such as a lack of storage caps and a simpler user experience, since you don't have to hassle with local and cloud copies. Streaming vs. Cloud: What's The Difference?
Before I go into detail about Pogoplug, let's talk about how it's different from popular and well-established services like Dropbox. Pogoplug does not offer a cloud. At no point do you upload files to a server so they can be downloaded again later. Instead, you create an account when you install the software and then share folders on your PC. Those folders then can be accessed on other devices and computers, and you can share information on those as well, creating a network of computers that share files across the Internet. As there's no cloud to upload data to, there's no monthly storage charge once you go over a certain limit. The storage is all on devices you personally own. You also no longer need to worry about the service possibly being hacked or inaccessible. Streaming Made Easy
Once installed, the Pogoplug software is easy to use. The included remote access controls are used to determine what is being shared on your computer. On my MacBook, for example, my Desktop, Documents, Music, Movies, and Pictures folders were selected by default. Any folder can be de-selected by removing a check from the appropriate box, and new folders can be added as well. All remote access can be cut off using a big remote access switch on the interface. Once shared, the files can be accessed using Pogoplug software on any other computer as long as you log into your account. Remember however, that this software depends on access to the various devices sharing information. Unlike a cloud service, this software won't let you access data from a shared folder if the computer hosting it is turned off. Pogoplug Mobile AccessOne of the greatest advantages of a cloud service is the ability to access information while on the go. Pogoplug replicates this both via a web interface and on your mobile device.
The web interface is impressive, as it provides access to a wide variety of content and is quite snappy. All of your folders that are shared via your Pogoplug software will be accessible, and the Gallery tab lets you view photos as a slideshow. Those who pay for the premium account (a $29 one-time fee) will also be able to stream music and video content via this in-browser interface. Android and iOS users will have access to the same features via the Pogoplug app available for free on each operating system's respective marketplace. This app provides mobile access to all of your content with the exception of audio and video, which again is restricted to those who have a premium account. Backup and PrintingAlthough the ability to stream and share files and content between devices is the focus of Pogoplug, it does have two other notable features. One is Active Copy, a simple but useful backup feature. It effectively links two folders together so that their content mirrors one another, making it easy to keep an up-to-date backup of important information on a multiple computers. Another great extra is online printing, which can be used to send documents to a remote printer connected to a computer running Pogoplug. It's even possible for friends to share a printer with you, which means you can use their printer while logged into your own account. It's even possible to print from the Android and iPhone apps. ConclusionPogoplug isn't a perfect service, but it has definite advantages compared to cloud services. My situation is a great example. I have multiple computers that I need to keep synced, but Dropbox won't work (for free) because the amount of data I need to sync is in excess of 10GB. With this alternative, I'm not able to sync when one of my PCs is turned off, but that's a trade-off I'm willing to make in exchange for the ability to freely transfer a very large volume of data. The Active Copy feature is an excellent way to keep my data backed up, as well. Give it a try and let us know what you think of it in the comments. Any missing features you would like to see included? Share Files & Folders With Computers & Mobile Devices Using Pogoplug [Windows & Mac] is a post from: MakeUseOf More articles about: backup, cross platform, file sharing, mobile phones, printing, streamingSimilar articles:
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| Google Maps 5.7 Hits Android Marketplace, Offers Transit Navigation [News] Posted: 07 Jul 2011 07:55 AM PDT
A transit route feature was already a part of the Google Maps app, but only provided route information. The new Transit Navigation feature uses your Android phone's GPS to track your location. With that information the app is able to tell you when it's time to get off or transfer. The service will continue even when other apps are active and when you turn off your phone's display and place it in your pocket. If you do this, your Android will alert you to route changes by vibrating. Transit Navigation, like so many Google products, is considered a beta feature. Currently over 400 cities are supported, the majority of which are located in North America or Europe. More cities are will be added over time, although no specific timetable or list of targeted cities has been released. Since it relies on GPS, this feature will not work well in areas where a GPS signal is not readily available, such as most subways. In addition to the new transit functionality, Google Maps 5.7 includes improved search suggestions and new support for viewing photos on Place pages. Source: Official Google Blog Google Maps 5.7 Hits Android Marketplace, Offers Transit Navigation [News] is a post from: MakeUseOf More articles about: google android, google maps, GPS, navigation, newsSimilar articles:
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