Mac users have been waiting since 2004 for an update to Microsoft’s ubiquitous office suite, and especially eagerly since Apple switched to Intel processors. Now that the 2008 release is quickly approaching, it’s time to take a look at what Office 2008 for Mac has in store. The new Office is chock full of interface enhancements following in the footsteps of Office 2007 for Windows, including a new ribbon-like toolbar, lots of snazzy animations, and a much snappier performance. Hit the jump for a look at the visual refresh of the Office for Mac suite.
Web application Popfly takes a building block approach to mashup creation, allowing regular folks like us to connect services like Flickr, Twitter, and maps to your heart’s content and your creativity’s limit. It’s all available through a drag and drop interface somewhere along the lines of Yahoo Pipes. Popfly is free to use, requires a Windows Live login and the Silverlight browser plugin. It’s currently in beta, and be aware that I saw significant slow-down on my computer when using Popfly. Hot mashups currently on the site include Flickr Mappings and Seattle Traffic via Virtual Earth, but the real question is: Does anyone want to build their own mashups? If you give it a try, let’s hear your thoughts in the comments.
Popfly [via Webware]Google Reader’s built- in search feature has made Reader a million times better, but if you use Gmail as your personal nerve centre, wouldn’t it be convenient if you could search your favorite reader items, text included, from the comfort of your Gmail account? Blogger Ruud Hein details how he uses Reader’s Shared Items in conjunction with FeedBurner to create and deliver an email digest of each day’s Shared Items to his Gmail inbox. At the end of the day, every important story Hein wants to bookmark is imported with full text into his Gmail account, and with a filter set up to separate his bookmark database, he has quick access to all of his daily “bookmarks” inside Gmail. Handy.
From Google Reader automatically into Gmail [Ruud Hein via Micro Persuasion]Windows/Mac/Linux (Firefox): Web-based instant messaging service Meebo connects to any and every IM chat client you can shake an avatar at, and now the popular in-browser chat application integrates tightly with your Firefox sidebar with the new Meebo Firefox extension. The extension supports visual IM notifications and drag and drop link and image sharing directly from web sites in addition to other already existing Meebo features—including file sharing. There really aren’t any robust, fully cross-platform chat applications out there (though there are a few great platform-specific apps), but with this new Firefox extension, Meebo is getting close.
A new version release for Ubuntu can feel like a Linux version of a dysfunctional family reunion for some users—they watch the oldest, most popular sibling get all the attention, wondering when their own unique qualities will get noticed. Sure, it might not be that emotional, but those who prefer the KDE-based Kubuntu, the lightweight Xubuntu or even the classroom-focused Edubuntu might still feel a bit left out. Luckily, Lifehacker is willing to spread the family togetherness with a look at what’s new throughout the Ubuntu family today. All are free downloads, and run on most computers with Intel or AMD processors.
You’ve got your computer tweaked and streamlined so that every program, bookmark, and password you count on is at your disposal whenever you need it, but what happens when your computer crashes and suddenly all this data is gone? Sure, you’ve already automated your data backups, and that’s invaluable for saving your documents, but that perfect system state is another thing. Weblog Freelance Folder describes how to create and save a virtual machine containing all of your must-have software, passwords, and other custom settings so that in the event of an unexpected crash, you’ve got a quick backup “production” system that still contains everything you need. It’s not as good as a complete system backup and restore, but it’s a helluva lot better than nothing—and it’s free.
How To Use VMWare To Survive A Computer Crash [Freelance Folder]US-centric: After just four weeks of their public beta, financial management web site Mint is already boasting over 50,000 members and managing over $2 billion of their money, and early next week Mint is launching several new features intended to improve its already impressive all-in-one money management tool. There’s no question that this snazzy web application deserves of much of its hype, but is it ready for your money?
Finance blogger JD Roth says a budget makes him want to spend more money, so he uses a “spending plan” instead to map out what cash will go where. JD writes:
To me, a budget is a detailed itinerary. A spending plan, on the other hand, is just a list of places I’d like to go. It doesn’t have the same sort of rigidity that I associate with a budget. When I create a spending plan, I tally upcoming income and expenses, and then use these numbers as a guideline for determining my financial direction.
JD includes an actual spending plan he put together three years ago, and although the path he took is different than the one he mapped out, he will still reach the goals laid out in the plan. Any budget-phobes out there manage to plan their finances without feeling tied down? Let us know in the comments.
One year ago, law student Stewart Rutledge described his best tactics for beating a speeding ticket (or bettering your chances).
Google Maps makes custom mapping and user-submitted reviews more friendly, and useful, with the addition of user profiles. Users can click through a review to find out what else that reviewer liked, and customized maps and routes can be shared with other users. Group road trip planning could get a whole lot easier with a feature like this. The user ID and signup appear to be identical to Google’s Shared Stuff social bookmarking project, so it’s not hard to assume those features and other Google services will be integrated soon under common user profiles.
Google Maps Goes Social [Google Operating System]
