IBGerm

It is official, Diig is dead to me. I was a big user / reader of digg.com for several years. They updated to v4 digg.com, and well not very smoothly. I’d think that if you were to do a massive and almost complete overhaul of your website, you might want to beta it. I know they did, but not long enough!!! From the moment they made the switch, they’ve been up and down way to much…

So, time to move on!!. I’m moving back to reddit.com. I’m of course not using the standard almost archaic view, but I’m skinning it. The source is from http://userstyles.org/styles/33879. I cant take credit for this, but will be more then happy to share what I’ve found! Just follow the directions on that page, install Stylish and run the script, it makes reddit.com almost like the v3 digg.com. Very Nice!!! Just be careful what feed you look at especially at work!!

Understand that I personally haven’t tried this item yet, but if it looks and works half as good as their site says, I’m sold. http://www.cocooninnovations.com/

This nifty little product is designed to contain all of your stuff from roaming around in your bag. It is said to be made up of a woven grid of elastic bands. This allows for a highly veritable array of infinite configurations, that help keep your stuff in place.

Check out their site, or find them at many online stores. Prices range between 14.99-29.99, most places.

Two Thumbs up…..

I just got update to Firefox 3.6 and find it annoying now, that when I right-click to open a new tab, it puts it up front. Previously, before Firefox version 3.6, all new tabs are added at the far right end of the Tab bar of the popular web browser to surf Internet. The change make Firefox tab behavior to be almost similar to Internet Explorer, versions IE7 and IE8. I cant seem to get used to the new tab opening style, and I want to revert and get back to the old way. I really liked it where all new tabs are inserted and added at the far right end of the Tab bar after all existing tabs, use the following how-to trick to make the change.

How to Open New Tab At the End of Tab Bar After All Existing Tabs in Firefox and Disable Insert Next to Current Tab

1. In Firefox, type about:config into Location bar.

   

2. Click on I’ll be careful, I promise! button.

   

3. In the filter text box, enter the following text string:

   browser.tabs.insertRelatedAfterCurrent

   Alternatively, manually locate the preference name above.

4. The default boolean value for the browser.tabs.insertRelatedAfterCurrent is “true”. Double click on the browser.tabs.insertRelatedAfterCurrent to change its value to false.

   

5. Close the tab, and the change will take effect immediately.

Here are some Windows 7 tips and tricks.

• Windows key + Left: docks current window to the left side of the screen.
• Windows key + Right: docks current window to the right side of the screen.
• Windows key + Up: maximizes and/or restores foreground window. 
• Windows key + Down: minimizes active window.
• If you want a more Vista-esque taskbar rather than the superbar (why anyone would revert is beyond me), right-click the Taskbar, go to Properties, check the ‘Use small icons’ option, then change the “Taskbar Buttons” option to ‘Never combine.’
• Windows 7 now burns ISO files themselves instead of making users grapple with third-party applications.
• For those lucky people with a multi-monitor setup, Windows + SHIFT + Left (or Right) will shift a window from monitor to monitor. 
• Gone is the “Add Font” dialog. It’s been replaced with a much nicer system. Download a font and double-click it (you’ll be greeted with the familar font window, but you should notice it now has a ‘Install’ button).
• Windows 7 now includes Gabriola. This is an elaborate display typeface that takes advantage of OpenType layout to create a variety of stylistic sets.
• If you press Windows + 1, it will create a new instance of the first icon in the task bar. This is handy if you do a lot of coding and need to open several instances of a program.
• If you right-click on a Taskbar icon, it brings up the much talked about Jump List. However, the same can be done by clicking with the left mouse button and dragging the icon “out” (so to speak). This was specifically designed for touch-enabled computers, such as your lovely HP TouchSmart PC.
• To run a program as an Administrator, it’s now as easy as holding CTRL + SHIFT when you open the application.
• With Windows 7, you can now create a ‘System Repair Disc.’ This is a CD bootable version of Windows 7 that includes the command prompt and a suite of system tools. Very handy for those really tough spots (which, with this still in beta, could be just around the corner). To get to this, simply open the Start Menu and type: “system repair disc” in the search field.

Well, gotcha, it’s not really GOD mode, but it’s a folder packed with shortcuts to just about every settings change and administrative function in Windows 7. Everything you’ll find in the Action Center, Backup and Restore, Autorun, Desktop Gadgets, Devices and Printers — it’s all there. All dumped in one central location for easy access.

• Create a new folder anywhere
• Rename the folder and paste in the following text: GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

That’s it! You’ve now got your new, handy folder. But remember all of these can already be accessed simply by typing a few letters into the search box on your start menu. I’ve read that if this is done on a Windows 7 64-bit system, then it’ll crash your system. 

Want some more folder tricks, secrets?

Location Settings
{00C6D95F-329C-409a-81D7-C46C66EA7F33}

Biometric Settings
{0142e4d0-fb7a-11dc-ba4a-000ffe7ab428}

Power Settings
{025A5937-A6BE-4686-A844-36FE4BEC8B6D}

Icons And Notifications
{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}

Credentials and Logins
{1206F5F1-0569-412C-8FEC-3204630DFB70}

Programs and Features
{15eae92e-f17a-4431-9f28-805e482dafd4}

Default Programs
{17cd9488-1228-4b2f-88ce-4298e93e0966}

All NET Frameworks and COM Libraries
{1D2680C9-0E2A-469d-B787-065558BC7D43}

All Networks For Current Connection
{1FA9085F-25A2-489B-85D4-86326EEDCD87}

Network
{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}

My Computer
{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

Printers
{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}

Application Connections
{241D7C96-F8BF-4F85-B01F-E2B043341A4B}

Firewall and Security
{4026492F-2F69-46B8-B9BF-5654FC07E423}

Performance
{78F3955E-3B90-4184-BD14-5397C15F1EFC}

Today, Illinois-based Incredible Technologies announced that its popular Golden Tee Golf game found in more than 10,000 bars worldwide, will soon be integrated with Facebook .

The games already present players with the option to upload 720p screencasts of their "Great Shots" directly to YouTube. When the player makes an unusually difficult shot such as a hole in one, it can be posted to YouTube and be live within five minutes. Incredible Technologies says that more than 70,000 of these videos have been posted in the year the feature has been live.

"Since 80% of Golden Tee players are also Facebook users, IT sees opportunity in developing programs that interface with Facebook," the company said today.

So if you have the type of friends who spend hours slamming the Golden Tee trackball in sports bars on the weekends, look forward to seeing plenty of status updates about it. Oh joy!!!!!

In the world of Apple, being a Netbook is a bad, bad thing. During Apple’s keynote for the newly-announced iPad, the Netbook was called out by Steve Jobs, who said "they’re not better at laptops than anything, they’re just cheaper." The affordable, tiny and yes, often barebones Atom processor-running device we’ve come to know and love, or hate, as the Netbook is often clunky and frequently disappointing, true enough. On the other hand, the Apple iPad was promised to be a better solution for those in the market for a Netbook.

While the iPad might win out on some particular functions–video playback quality, in particular–the truth is there are a great many things Netbooks can do that an iPad just can’t. Right now, at least. And while that may not make a Netbook better than a laptop, in some instances a Netbook certainly seems better than an iPad.

• Video chat. Most Netbooks, even low-end ones, now have webcams enabling basic video chat over Skype or any other program. The iPad, however, does not. We wish the iPad had a camera and iChat, especially since it would make the tablet a unique communications device to rival the iPhone. Perhaps cost was a factor, even though most Netbooks manage the feat in a package under $500.
• Run Flash. While Steve Jobs called the iPad "the best web experience you’ve ever had," there is a big missing piece right now, and that’s the whole web. Browser-based apps and Flash-driven content are a huge element of cloud computing and of many websites, and right now it’s not even clear whether the iPad can even run Hulu or Netflix. Atom Netbooks can be slow and stuttery when playing web video, but at least they can.
• Programming. Most people aren’t programmers, or anything close to it, but most Netbooks do run on a full Windows 7 OS that can be used for programming or modification. For the friendly hackers out there, that’s a dealbreaker on the iPad.
• Upload photos from a camera. No USB ports on the iPad mean no connecting cameras or other peripherals, which can be a drag if the iPad is meant as a portable computing replacement for bloggers. Netbooks have at least 2 USB ports standard.
• Store more than 64GB of data. We expected a little more memory on the iPad. Even the most basic Netbook has a 160GB hard drive. Cloud storage can assist with data, but it’s still no replacement for onboard capacity.
• Play Facebook games. Without the aforementioned Flash, browser games aren’t really possible on the iPad. Those looking to play Farmville will have to wait for the App or just flock to a Netbook.
• Swapping batteries. Sure, the iPad is slim, attractive and very showy. But its battery is fixed, while a Netbook can not only swap its battery, but upgrade from a three to a six-cell or more.
• Install CD media (or any media other than from an App Store) With the addition of a simple USB DVD/CD-ROM drive, disc-based software can be installed on a Netbook even without an optical drive built in. Netbooks can also install files off USB drives, or via any other input method. The iPad wasn’t designed with this flexibility in mind, but it’s still nice to be able to do.
• Type on your lap. Yes, the iPad has a virtual keyboard, and even a cool keyboard dock that turns the tablet into a quasi-desktop device. But the dock can’t be used for lap typing, and the Apple demos didn’t make iPad typing seem as comfortable as pounding away on an old-fashioned hinged Netbook. For long-term writing on the go, a physical Netbook keyboard with an attached angled screen still wins.
• Upgrade. Netbooks can upgrade their RAM–albeit slightly–and with a little effort that hard drive can be swapped too. The iPad is a fixed entity, so there’s no going back once you’ve picked 16, 32 or 64GB.

Windows 7 install discs are edition-specific—if you’ve got a valid license key, you still need the right disc for installation. The ei.cfg Removal Utility, however, lets you create a new, universal installation ISO for Windows 7.

Although your Windows installation disc may say "Home Premium Edition," it still contains the other versions (such as Pro or Ultimate) on the disc—it just has a very small file called ei.cfg that tells the disc what version to install. The ei.cfg Removal Utility creates a new ISO of your install disc that ignores this file, thus letting you choose what edition you want when you start the installer.

While this tool is especially useful for computer technicians who have to install Windows a lot, it’s also nice to have for those of us that tend to lose discs often—especially in this day and age of emailed product keys. Now, if you need to reinstall Windows but can’t find your disc, you can just borrow a friend’s—even if it’s an edition that’s different than yours. You just need let the installer know which edition matches your product key (Note: Your disc still needs to be the same kernel as your key (i.e. 32 or 64-bit).

The ei.cfg Removal Utility is a free download, Windows only, and requires a Windows 7 install disc to use.

Windows 7 ISO Disc Image Utilities [via Technibble]

CanYouSeeMe.org’s open port check tool is a simple but useful web-based utility for figuring out if your ISP or firewall is blocking certain ports you need to get things done on your computer. It’s a handy way to determine if connection issues you’re having—like difficulty sending email or trouble accessing an instant messaging client—are a problem with your internet connection or the computer itself.

CanYouSeeMe.org

The pared down webapp is useful for running a quick check to see if a port you need is open. For a more robust look at your accessible ports, check out  MyPorts to get detailed information on any open port, including its state, remote IP address, and app that’s currently using it.

MyPorts is a free download, Windows only.

MyPorts [via gHacks]

A pub owner in the U.K. has been fined £8,000 (about $13,183) because someone unlawfully downloaded copyrighted material over its open Wi-Fi hotspot, according to the managing director of hotspot provider The Cloud. 

Graham Cove told CNET sister site ZDNet UK on Friday he believes the case to be the first of its kind in the U.K. However, he would not identify the pub concerned, because its owner–a pub that is a client of The Cloud’s–had not yet given their permission for the case to be publicized.

Cove would say only that the fine had been levied in a civil case, brought about by a rights holder, "sometime this summer." The Cloud’s pubco clients include Fullers, Greene King, Marsdens, Scottish & Newcastle, Mitchell & Butlers, and Punch Taverns.

The law surrounding open Wi-Fi networks and the liability of those running them is a grey area…