Faced with an array of not-so-good-for-you goodies on the train home from his last business trip (pictured), reader Kelly writes in:
US-centric: Editor: When you’re out and about and think of something you want to remember, you can leave yourself a voicemail you have to transcribe later, or you can use the excellent voice transcription service Jott. We’ve covered many ways you get can get things done over the phone with Jott, but today guest writer Brad Isaac has a new one: how to add to note-taking application EverNote with Jott.
Windows only: RegScanner, a free Windows utility, makes it easier to find registry keys and make quick edits to them. We’ve offered up a fair share of registry hacks over the years, and many of them, if you used Windows’ built-in regedit tool, require browsing through a lot of directory trees to get to the right key. RegScanner offers more advanced search features (inside strings, by date modified, and more), but the real value is in a menu function—”Open Clipboard Text in Regedit.” Simply copy the long key name from a how-to site or elsewhere, open RegScanner, and this function will lead you right to the key. That alone is pretty helpful, but the additional tweaks and settings you might find make it a nifty tool. RegScanner is a free download for Windows systems only. RegScanner [via The How-To Geek]
DIY web site Instructables goes step-by-step on how to shave with old-timey style using a straight razor—you know, like Sweeney Todd but without the blood. The tutorial includes lots of photos and several videos (including the one above) demonstrating the straight razor methods. The video makes it seem daunting and a bit expensive, but you may be saving money in the long-run on disposable razors. Then again, my disposable razor turnover has slowed significantly ever since we highlighted how to extend the live of your razor blades. That said, if you’ve ever wanted to learn the art of straight razor shaving, this tutorial should have everything you need. Learn How To Shave With A Straight Razor [Instructables]
The Wired How-To Wiki takes on the age-old art of bar tricks, detailing several impressive and death-defying techniques for impressing and making good when you’re out on the town this weekend. Some tricks are more jaw-dropping than others, but the obvious standout is the “Beer Money” trick, which details how to open a bottle of beer with nothing but a one-dollar bill—handy for those times you find yourself without a bottle opener. Of course if you’re short on cash, you can do the same thing with a piece of paper. Got a similar bar hack of your own? Let’s hear about it in the comments.
Windows/Mac/Linux (All platforms): Do you harbor nostalgia-tinged memories of autoexec.bat files? Does the phrase “Soundblaster-compatible” mean anything to you? Dig out those floppies and try out DOSBox, a free, open-source DOS emulator for all platforms. The app supports at least 3,000 games, and likely many more, as it can recreate most graphics and sound setups, and lets you set your own processor speed to prevent the warp-speed effect games often suffer on modern systems. DOSBox is a free download for Window, Mac, Linux, and other platforms. DOSBox [via Kabatology]
Flavored vodkas have become a popular ingredient in mixed drinks, but most shelves have the same selection of citrus and other stock flavors. Shake things up and save some cash while you’re at it by infusing your own vodka. A decent bottle of the unflavoured stuff, some chosen ingredients, and a strainer are all that’s needed to give it a shot yourself. Hit the link for instructions and advice on making your own high-quality hooch. Photo by miss karen. Infuse Vodka [Wired How-To Wiki]
If your pantry’s overrun with plastic grocery bags and you’re feeling crafty, break out the crochet hooks and turn it into a tote bag like the one pictured. Split your bags into colours (like the red Target bags in one pile, white in another), and cut the bags into strips to make your “yarn,” and hook away. I got to hold one of these in my hand, and what I’d normally write off as a cheesy craft turned out to be sturdy, stretchy, and actually quite a cute conversation starter. After the jump, so photos and links to patterns.
Tech site CNET knows that finding the cause of a hanging or crashing application can be difficult, so they’ve rounded up several tips for hunting down the culprit when an application starts acting up. For example: Often the problem is not the software’s fault. Bad memory modules cause many programs to hang. Chris Brady’s Memtest86 is a free program that diagnoses memory problems, though it requires that you copy its files to a floppy disk or disk partition, and then run the program from there. Microsoft’s Windows Memory Diagnostic loads easier onto a floppy or CD from which you boot to run its tests automatically.
Want a free ebook copy of a Kurt Vonnegut novel? Free ebook site Wowio has five of them, along with lots of other copyrighted fiction, literature, comics, and other works. The site offers the wares through sponsorships, and only limits your downloads to three books per day, 30 per month. The two caveats are a somewhat limited selection (as you might expect) and that the site’s U.S.-only due to licensing restrictions. Otherwise, it’s not a bad place to check for fresh content for your PDA, cell phone or computer screen. For more free page-turners, try the top ten sites for free books and the 100 best free Project Gutenberg books.
