Windows only: Take your Windows calculations to the next level with freeware Windows app Powertoy Power Calculator. With advanced features like a built-in graphing tool, mathematical functions, tons of unit conversions, and (my favorite) a built-in history (like a running tape), this freeware, Windows only utility has surprisingly missed a featured mention on Lifehacker until now. There are tonnes of free calculators available for Windows, but the Windows Powertoy Calculator is a perennial favorite. While you’re at it, check out these other power replacements for built-in Windows utilities.
Microsoft Powertoys for Windows XP [Microsoft]We’ve shown you how to buy and sell on Craigslist, and now Wired’s covering how to spot a fake listing on Craigslist so you don’t get burned.
Web site Planner Hack details how to turn your pocket-sized Moleskine into a custom weekly planner with an at-a-glance look at your upcoming week. With no shortage of pre-made weekly planners in the world, why would you want to put together a DIY version? There’s really just one (albeit very good) reason: You’ve decided it’s time to get your schedule in order, but guess what: It’s neither the start of a new year nor the start of a new school year, and since most planners run on these calendars, you’re either stuck buying a planner that’s only half usable or you just don’t buy a planner because it seems like a waste of money at this point. So while this Moleskine planner hack is far from mind-blowing, it’s the perfect, cheap interim planner.
Planner Hack [via DIY Life]After taking a close look at everything you carry in your go bags, it’s time to pare things down and see exactly what the pockets-only crowd deem worthy of their coveted lint-space. From the entirely minimal to the surprisingly bulky to (*gulp*) handguns, hit the jump to take a closer look at what Lifehacker readers are carrying in their pockets.
Skype 3.6 Beta now offers high quality video calls at resolutions up to 640 x 480, though with a little hacking we’ve been rocking hi-res Skype since February.
You can now play YouTube Videos in Google Earth: go to the “Featured Content” folder to activate YouTube icons all over the globe—as long as the videos are geotagged.
The Lifehacker book Google Group is going strong, with readers sharing suggestions and swapping tips on what hacks they use to get things done. Along those lines, reader Smokey shared money-saving strategies that help him stow away maximum dough. Smokey writes: The amount of money I’ve been saving is incredible. Here are some of the cost-cutters I use.
Real Simple magazine outlines ways to extend the life of your iPod, cell phone, flat-screen TV, DVD player and printer. For example: Because parts can fail (read: melt) if a (flat-screen) TV overheats, keep the vents clear so they can “pull in air to cool the unit,” says Dan Wiersma, senior vice president of service for Sony Electronics. Dust with a soft, dry cloth, and skip the cleaning spray, which can cloud the screen.
While some of this advice should seem familiar, a few tips sound like good ideas to work into a weekend chore list. Have any of your own battery-extending, gadget-saving tips? Let’s hear ‘em in the comments. Photo by sillygwailo.
Extend the life of electronic gadgets [Real Simple]Wired’s How To WIki offers a few tips on how to avoid getting scammed on Craigslist from founder Craig Newmark himself. Key piece of advice: try to deal only with people you can have a face-to-face with. If this is not possible, try and get a physical address from them. If the seller sends you a name and address to send payment to, look it up on a White Pages service, such as Yahoo! People Search. If the name and address matches a listing in the White Pages, that’s a pretty good start.
The wiki page also includes excerpts from Wired’s How To Use eBay page with similar advice.
Spot a Fake Listing on Craigslist [Wired How To Wiki]
