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Top 10 Pervasive Tech Myths That Are Only Wasting Your Time While Mac and Linux users may be the most vocal (ahem), the overwhelming majority of Lifehacker readers get here using some version of Windows. Let’s review the most popular Windows tutorials we’ve ever published.
Whether or not you’re into New Year’s resolutions, the last week of the year is a natural time to look back at the past 12 months and think about what went well (and not so well). If you’re here we know you’re already a productivity maven, so tell us: what did you get done this year that you’re most proud of? Was it a DIY project, a personal goal, a professional accomplishment? Tell us all about it in the comments.
If you’re feeling guilty for all the holiday goodies you scarfed last week, take heart: Oxford researchers find that chocolate, wine and tea actually improve brain performance.
Linux only: The latest release of Google Gadgets for Linux offers speed and memory performance enhancements and a number of bug fixes, but, most importantly, support for newer gadgets like Gmail and Google Docs. Those last two gadgets on Linux run almost exactly the same as the Google Desktop versions we previously mentioned, which could be all kinds of convenient for Linux users looking for the convenience of on-desktop email and writing without the heft of a full Google Desktop package. Hit the link below to grab a binary package or repository link for your distribution. Google Gadgets for Linux [via The Linux Tutorial]
If you’ve ever had a Windows program crash because of a missing .DLL file, you know a tedious reinstall usually follows. Free file site DLL-Files, however, might just save the day. If you trust the site, which has a good deal of advertising and persistent pitches to try related software, you can grab any one of thousands of DLL files to replace and fix whatever your failing app wants to find, from deep-down system utilities to program-specific requirements. No registration or payment required, and the search and list-by-letter functions work as promised. For quick fixes of your suddenly malfunctioning apps—and getting older software to run on newer Windows versions—it seems worth a bookmark. DLL-files.com [via MakeUseOf.com]
A user at DIYPhotography.net was faced with a dilemma. He wanted to outfit his camera with an L-bracket to increase stability while doing portrait photography but he couldn’t find a mount for his camera he liked. The only mount he could find specifically for his camera was $US130 and obscured the camera’s battery compartment door which irked him. Faced with the prospect of paying over a hundred for a hunk of metal with a design he didn’t even like he looked into making one himself. He found a metal supply shop that would accept small orders, in this case speedymetal.com, and ordered a small piece of pre-bent aluminium. After receiving it he used some inexpensive tools like a power drill and a hole tapper to set up the mount holes. His total expenditure for a the project including the raw materials, a new drill bit, and a hole tapper was $US30, a substantial savings over $US130. For more simple DIY camera equipment, check out the DIY camera stabiliser. DIY L-Bracket [via Make]
Adobe Air: Sure you can export your RSS feeds from Google Reader and import the feed file into desktop RSS reader for offline browsing. Scoop takes offline browsing a step further by allowing you to not only read your feeds but have them remain synced to your Google Reader account. Removing and tagging items in Scoop modifies the feeds in your Reader account as well. The interface is easy to use and includes most of the commonly used keyboard shortcuts from Google Reader. On the downside images are not currently downloaded for offline browsing, so if you’ve synced and now no longer have internet access you’re out of luck until you’re jacked back in. Scoop can be used independently of Google Reader, with manually added feeds, but it’s Google integration is where it shines. Scoop is freeware, cross platform, and requires Adobe Air to run.
Scoop [via Digital Inspiration]Whether you’d like to increase your mental health or just relax after a stressful holiday visit, there aren’t many games more classic than chess. Over at tips and tricks blog MakeUseOf, they have rounded up a variety of ways you can both play and sharpen your chess game. The screenshot above is from FlashChessIII, a beautifully rendered flash-based and free for download chess game. If you’re concerned that all the playing in the world won’t make you any better, they have a variety of resources listed for helping you not just play but increase your grasp of the game. My favourite was Chess Problems, a site which generates “puzzles” based on chess board setups ranging from simple to extremely complicated. After some practice at Chess Problems you won’t find yourself often staring down a chess board without a clue what your next move will be.
The Best Online Sources to Learn and Play Chess [MakeUseOf]Bath bombs, for the unfamiliar, are chalky feeling balls about the size of a small orange that you throw into a bath tub. They don’t explode but they do react with the water fizzing and spinning, filling the water with fragrance and moisturizers. Bath bombs are a project ripe for DIYing, as they often run $6 or higher at stores. SoapyHollow, a contributor at the DIYer blog Instructables has a top rated guide on how to create your own bath bombs. The ingredients are all cheap and readily available in most locales: corn starch, essential oil, vegetable oil, and so on. If you’re looking for a side project to go with your bath bombs, make a matching scented candle or set up a bathroom spa on the cheap. How To: Make Bath Bombs [Instructables]
Windows only: If you’re not particularly fond of the official Windows Update system provided through Internet Explorer, whether your reason being a distaste for the Windows Genuine Advantage software or the insistence that the next upgrade of Internet Explorer really is a mission critical system update, there is an alternative way to update your system. WindizUpdater is a Firefox plugin which mimics the official Windows Update application. The key advantage of using WindizUpdater is that you have complete control over what gets installed and what doesn’t. The system never forces you to install an update you don’t want and will skip updates that aren’t necessary for your system.
