Google Spreadsheets adds conditional formatting rules and row and column hiding. It’s still not Excel-quality, but it’s good to see GSpreadsheets continually improving.
Seamlessly download BitTorrent files using previously mentioned browser-based BitTorrent client BitLet with the new BitLet Bookmarklet. After dragging the bookmarklet to your browser toolbar, just head to your favourite BitTorrent site (most popular trackers are supported), search for a torrent, and then click the BitLet Bookmarklet. Direct BitLet download links will appear next to each download link, and clicking them will open the BitLet applet and automatically start your download. Granted, BitLet isn’t really for regular BitTorrent use, as desktop clients like uTorrent are lightweight and much more feature-rich, but it’s a very handy tool for those times you can’t use or install your favourite client.
BitLet Bookmarklet [BitLet via TorrentFreak]Apple is planning to release an iPhone/iPod touch SDK in February ’08, meaning users won’t have to hack their iPhones for much longer if they want to enjoy third party apps.
Most desktop software and web sites are built to grab your attention in one way or another, and the constant temptations are tough to resist. While modern computing offers amazing and infinite opportunities, there are times when we need to do heads-down, focused work like programming, writing or number-crunching. If the 28 overlapping windows, 38 open tabs and stacks of button-studded toolbars are keeping you from zeroing in on your important work, it’s time to arm yourself with some attention protective devices. After the jump, get our top 10 desktop distraction blockers. Hilarious image by Asher Sarlin.
Firefox user Jimmy R. demonstrates how to set up and use three of his favourite video quick searches for quickly downloading YouTube and Stage6 videos and looking up video information on IMDB.
[via MakeUseOf.com]Google launches Docs Mobile, a slimmed-down view of Google Docs and Spreadsheets for your handheld. At the top of the narrow page is a search box, followed by a list of recent documents with links to view (but not edit) spreadsheets and documents (presentations are not viewable.) You can also navigate folders, and move between rows and columns or to a particular cell in spreadsheet view.
Google Docs Mobile [via Google Blogoscoped via twitter/steverubel]Wired’s How To wiki takes on Usenet, the old school network of newsgroups rich with download gold but steep in the learning curve department, which most of us internet Johnny-come-lately’s never use. The main advantage of Usenet is speed. P2P networks like BitTorrent and Kazaa depend on peers for download speed and reliability. Usenet, on the other hand, depends largely on the speed of your connection. There’s no slow peer connection to choke your downloads. Combine those advantages with the fact that Usenet files are generally posted by trusted members, and thus less likely to contain malicious code and you begin to see why its popularity is growing.
While Wired covers several Usenet desktop clients, web-based Usenet interfaces like Giganews are available as well (for a monthly subscription fee.) How do you get your Usenet on? Let us know in the comments.
Share Files on Usenet [Wired How To's]Music streaming web site Ezmo might not be the first kid on the online music vault block, but a web-accessible interface and Last.FM integration could make it a workplace-friendly alternative to webapps like Anywhere.FM. The site offers programs for desktop uploading, but I wanted to go the “manual” route—and saw Firefox crash once or twice because of it. Ezmo accepted MP3 and M4A files, but ignored an Ogg Vorbis audio file I tried to put up, even though it supposedly accepts that and Windows Media files as well. The site’s interface might not have that iTunes-friendly look that Anywhere.FM boasts, but it is dead simple. For now, the site offers supposedly unlimited storage space, sharing with up to 10 friends and audio at the standard MP3 fidelity rate. To put yourself in control of your streaming music, check out our guide to streaming music to any PC with Orb. Thanks, Lhdaland!
Ezmo.com [via TechCrunch]
