When I first tried this one out, I was really confused. Where are the menus and options? In a novel (or maybe old school) approach, they put all of the menus and settings in the program's sidebar. Once I noticed that, I started playing with it.
There are hundreds of radio stations to chose from and you can really record them if you want to. NexusRadio comes with it's own MP3 editor so you can trim the files up when they don't record just right. That happens often on internet radio stations. I wouldn't complain, after all you're getting the songs for free.
When you install NR, you get a prompt to install a toolbar with it. I don't recommend it, but I didn't try it either. I don't like many toolbars, and after all, how many do we need?
There are many nice features in NR, but it ain't going to replace your multimedia player. It's just not designed to play your already existing music collection, it's basically a radio player.
I enjoyed the 5 included visualizations. They are very pretty and even play nicely at full screen. Just don't try to run much else while the visualizations are up and running. They are a big resource hog.
If you enjoy listening to interenet radio, you may find that NR is a real gem. The only failure in it that irked me was the lack of an easy method to add radio stations that aren't already listed.
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Quote from the website
Nexus Radio is a free full featured internet radio player for listeners who want to record their favorite radio content for playback on their PC, or any portable device that supports MP3s. With over 6000+ radio stations and support for thousands more, Nexus Radio delivers the content radio listeners yearn for.
Version 2.2 has added the ability to drag and drop media files directly into Nexus Radio, plus new downloadable visual effects.
CC wrote to tell me that he was trying out ReminderCube. He showed me the website and a few screenshots. It looked great so I tried it too.
ReminderCube may be listed as a Calendar and Reminder program, but the author has added a few more features to it that make it pretty special. RC includes a Calendar, Notes, Tasklist, RSS Feedreader, Gmail Checker, Image viewer and Program Launcher. It even minimizes to the system tray when it's not in use.
It's a cool way to stay organized, but I spend so much time in my web browser that I didn't find it useful. There are lots of folks who might find it handy though. If you like how it looks, give it a try.
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Quote from the website
ReminderCube is a desktop calendar with many functions.
You can set day's events, tasks with optional alarm and write your notes in the all day panel.
There is a RSS reader,a launcher of applications and document and a gmail checker.
You can change everything of the application look and feel.
The Windows clipboard is a Windows feature you use almost every day. Every time you cut, copy or paste anything, you used the clipboard. So what happens if you copy several items one after the other? Only the newest one stays in the clipboard memory. That's too bad if it's something you really did want to keep. This is where a clipboard manager or extension come in. They save all the clippings for you.
No doubt about it. ClipMagic is a great little clipboard manager. You can copy stuff all day long and you don't have to worry about losing any of the info you copied. You can always review your clipping history and get it back. You can keep clippings permanently and edit them to make changes. The interface takes a little work to figure out but once you get the hang of it, you may find that the old way of cutting and pasting is too limited for you now.
I liked ClipMagic but I'm sticking with my current clip-manager which is the open source clipper called Ditto. Don't let that stop you from trying out ClipMagic. Many people find it much easier to use and customize than Ditto.
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Quote from the website
ClipMagic is a powerful Clipboard Extender and Information Manager for storing Images and Text, either automatically or manually in a categorised format, with details of the URL if the text is from an Internet site.
To save something simply copy it to the Windows Clipboard by pressing CTRL-C or right click on the mouse and select Copy. ClipMagic then automatically stores it and if you have set up Rules & Filters the clip will be moved into a particular category.
Clips can easily be retrieved either by copying from ClipMagic and pasting into your application or by using HotKeys or using the new PastePicker.
So what is Mozilla Prism and what good is it? I happened to run across it earlier this month and I wondered the same thing.
From what I understand, Prism is basically a trimmed down version of a Firefox web browser that is devoted to running a single web application in a single window. It's designed to allow web application developers to write software packages that will run on your desktop. I can see how it might be handy for a programmer to only have to write a single set of code for your website and for the tools that people use on their desktop.
What I tried was setting up some my favorite websites to run in Prism. It does look just like a Firefox browser window without all of the navigation tools and no tabs. Some of the normal browser functions are available in the window but many are missing. It works great but I can't find any value in it for myself. There's no reason I shouldn't just use my regular Firefox browser instead of Prism.
Here's the info that really interested me. You may see Prism soon and not even know it. Read this quote from the Mozilla site: "We’re also thinking about how to better integrate Prism with Firefox, enabling one-click “make this a desktop app” functionality that preserves a user’s preferences, saved passwords, cookies, add-ons, and customizations. Ideally you shouldn’t even have to download Prism, it should just be built into your browser."
I guess we'll have to wait until some newer version of Firefox to find out just how useful it will be.
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Quote from the website
Prism is an application that lets users split web applications out of their browser and run them directly on their desktop.
Unlike Adobe AIR and Microsoft Silverlight, we’re not building a proprietary platform to replace the web. We think the web is a powerful and open platform for this sort of innovation, so our goal is to identify and facilitate the development of enhancements that bring the advantages of desktop apps to the web platform.
Wiki software for workgroups is what they call this. After trying the package and seeing how it works, I call it genius. These guys have figured out how to make setting up a wiki and web server on your PC so painless that you don't even get more than two or three breaths in before it's installed.
This is what I'd call LiteWare since it's a limited version of their paid software. However, if I was in charge of a small group of people on a local network, this would be one of the tools I'd be willing to pay for. Even this free version would be fine for educational use. A class full of kids would have a blast using it.
Natually, it's not a replacement for a true wiki website where anyone in the world can log in and edit pages like at PBwiki.com (where you are now). It has it's place in a small business or school though.
This version is very similar to the CourseForum package I tried last year. I loved that one too.
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Quote from the website
In ProjectForum, your group decides what to post, what to share, what to discuss, and how to organize it all. Create whatever new pages you need for new topics. Each page is fully editable by everyone, right from the browser. No special tools are needed, nor knowledge of complicated markup languages like HTML. Its easy enough for everyone to contribute, adding their own material, commenting on existing material, or helping to organize it all.
The free version supports all the features you'll need for effective collaboration in your workgroup. There are no time limits, limits on amount of content you can create, etc. Its perfectly reasonable to use the free version for real, extended use with your group, and many people do just that.
There are many free options you can use for screen capture and screen video captures. However, the TechSmith company thinks that they can offer older versions of their payware apps to entice you to buy up.
I don't know if it will work, but if you do want SnagIt or Camtasia, read Sarah's article at her blog.
Quote from Sarah:
TechSmith, the company that makes the SnagIt screen capture software and Camtasia screen recording software has just launched a genius marketing plan: they are offering the older versions of the these popular software programs for free! By offering the older versions as free downloads, the company hopes to introduce new users to their products as well as convert some of the freeloaders into paying customers, by convincing them upgrade to the latest versions of these programs. If you want to get your free downloads of SnagIt and Camtasia, follow these instructions ...
Once again, MS Mole surfaces and speaks to our friend Bill. What evil lurks in the dark underground passages of Redmond? Only the Mole knows.
An MS Mole report From Bill Allin:
Continuing its reign of silence enforced by threat, Microsoft labours on as if nothing is wrong within the empire.
No one at MS is prepared to admit that the next operating system after Vista has the working name Windows 7 (no doubt based on the fact it's the seventh incarnation of the NT kernel) or that the new OS will be named publicly in January or February, 2008. Nor is anyone prepared to admit that the failure of the scrupulous research that produced the name Vista resulted in so much backlash that the next MS operating system may well be dubbed with some snappy name like Windows 2009.
Microsoft is also reluctant to admit that the supported lifespan of Vista will end in a little over four years (five years total lifespan). Only two versions of the dozens in circulation (business related ones) will be supported beyond 2011.
Talk around the shop says that future MS operating systems will be supported for no more than three years. That's three years including the first year, when the new systems are still working out their bugs. Vista will be more reliable when its first Service Pack emerges in January, a full year after it went public.
Unbeknownst to most Vista users, Service Pack 1 is being doled out, bit by bit, with each successive Update Tuesday. Mole says that by the time Vista SP1 rolls out officially in January, Vista users will already have about 90 percent of its content.
No one at MS has anything to say about Automatic Updates being turned on with each successive manual update from Microsoft Updates. AU is turned on by default with each MS update with certain files, but not all. Unless you want to risk the possibility of installing defective updates you should turn off Automatic Updates after each MS update. HINT: MS usually has its monthly updates problems solved about two or three days after each Update Tuesday.
By the time Vista Service Pack two hits the streets, it will be unwise to turn off Automatic Updates. Doing so might shut down the system. AU by that time will be an integral part of the self-healing process of Vista and the system will not allow consistent running without its self-healing feature in place. (There is almost no support among MS earthlings--who must fix MS problems--for this level of control by Microsoft.)
Though Microsoft has reluctantly admitted in the past that Defender catches a meager 35 percent of malware in the field (that has not improved in recent months), it continues to push its resellers to sell Defender and the many add-ons to Internet Explorer 7. That's "push" as in threaten.
Many of Microsoft's key resellers are so unhappy about their association with the empire that one of two things may happen: a revolution (uprising) or they will simply jump ship and abandon Microsoft completely. (MS will not allow "partial" association.) The latter is more likely and has happened in several notable cases. This could mean that it will become progressively harder to find someone to fix your computer if it breaks down.
Asking Microsoft to repair a MS product beyond its warranty period is inviting the corporation to charge you $300 or more per hour for online service.
Have you wondered why so many computer manufacturers are putting out cheap versions of their boxes? Now you know, it's a market ready to explode. Computers are about to be as throw-away as cell phones and digital cameras. Instead of one desktop PC, many of us will soon have several smaller computer devices that will run fewer applications each and will be trashed when something goes wrong.
Creators of other operating systems (including those not yet public) are hyperventilating at the prospect.
Cheers
Bill Allin
Turning It Around: Causes and Cures for Today’s Epidemic Social Problems, a book about real and inexpensive solutions to personal and community problems most people think are inevitable evils of modern society. They aren't. We just have to look in the right place.
Recently I received an email from Microsoft telling me that they have Windows Live Calendars Beta available for me. I already use Google Calendar, but I thought I'd give it a try.
(this will take you to Hotmail and the MSN calendar if you don't have the beta available)
I was impressed with the look and feel. If you have a Windows Live ID, you may want to try this out.
Quote from the website
Organize
See your schedule online—by day, week, or month. Add an event in seconds. Need to reschedule? It’s as easy as drag and drop.
Remind
Get reminders via e-mail, Windows Live Messenger, or text messages sent to your phone.* See your schedule in Microsoft Office Outlook or get it in an RSS feed.
Share
Share your calendar with friends, and plan group events. Share just the info you want, and keep the rest private. See your personal, family, and group calendars all in one place.
Many of us are still waiting to upgrade to Vista with good reasons. I haven't heard much good said about it other than it looks really sweet. If looks are important to you, you may want to try out some of these tips on your Windows XP machines.
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Quote from the website
Do you like Windows Vista only because of its newly revamped Graphical User Interface? It surely does have an attractive interface but many are still hesitant to upgrade. You still can get a Vista like look even on your Win XP system. Below are some of the better free tools that can help you to make your Windows XP look like Vista.
I've tried desktop widgets before. They just don't do me much good since my web browser is full screen 99% of the time. If your desktop is important to you, you may find the new Yahoo! Widgets a lot of fun to play with and actually useful. I found the review below at DownloadSquad.
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Quote from the website
First, Yahoo! has retooled its online widget gallery to give you more information about what each widget does. Users now also have a quick view of the most downloaded, highest rated and newest widgets, and can share Widgets directly with friends on IM, email, a Yahoo! Widget badge, del.icio.us, Digg and Reddit.
Second, there's now support for Flash and HTML based widget design.
Gary at Internet Fixes continues to amaze me with hundreds and thousands of tips for your PC. Whatever your operating system, or how you use it, a visit to Gary's site will soon have you saying "So that's how you do this!".
I saw this article at Digg and checked it out. They have some great recommendations for FOSS (free open source software).
Quote from the website
They're free, but that doesn't mean these apps aren't powerful. Created by folks who welcome help and improvements to their work, many of these programs are superior to packaged software.
How do they do it? When most software makers have to charge money to stay alive, this company seems to care little about money. The software is free and from the two that I've tried, it's good stuff.
Quote from the website
DVDVideoSoft team presents 14 absolutely free software titles:
COOLSITES is a list of safe, fun, useful, informative and just plain cool websites and programs that are FREE, FREE and FREE. All of the programs and websites I list are free. If I list anything that is so good but isn't free I will list the price with it.
You need a free 2.8 GB Gmail account to access many of the cool features at Google. After more than two years in beta testing Gmail is open to the public. Just go to http://gmail.com and sign up for an account.
I think Gmail works best in the awesome Firefox browser. It's free, easy to use, and it's way more secure than Internet Explorer. My favorite thing to do is to customize Firefox so that it does much more than IE ever could. You can select new button controls for your toolbars, install extensions to add new features, or change the look of your browser with themes - the way Firefox looks and works is under your control.
Wow! Over 800 people and still growing! I invite all of you to record your locations on this map. You can include as little or as much information as you wish. I think you'll enjoy seeing yourself there.
Here's a small look at my frapper map.
Write your own review
I get many of the reviews in the newsletter from the readers. You don't have to be a genius or computer guru. Just answer a few questions and send me a review. I'll probably put you in the newsletter.
What do you have to say?
Just tell me what article you are talking about and leave me your comment.
Wiki software for workgroups is what they call this. After trying the package and seeing how it works, I call it genius. These guys have figured out how to make setting up a wiki and web server on your PC so painless that you don't even get more than two or three breaths in before it's installed.
Quote from Sarah:
Continuing its reign of silence enforced by threat, Microsoft labours on as if nothing is wrong within the empire.
Cheers
Quote from the website
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