All platforms running Firefox: The Multiple Tab Handler extension adds a truckload of tab-related features to your right-click menu in Firefox. Select multiple tabs and refresh them, copy the URLs as HTML links or just a list, or move them into a new window with the Multiple Tab Handler. On a single tab, you can close all the tabs to the left or right, or close similar tabs (though it’s not clear what makes a tab “similar”—perhaps pages on the same web site.) While Firefox’s built-in tab group management is already pretty good, this extension really blows things out when you’re working with a bunch of tabs often. The Multiple Tab Handler extension is a free download and runs wherever Firefox does. Multiple Tab Handler [Firefox Add-ons via Mozilla Links]
We’ve covered how to quickly shutdown Windows from the command line or using shortcuts to shutdown.exe as a command line tool, but the Confessions of a freeware junkie weblog points out that shutdown.exe can also be used to great effect through it’s lesser-known graphical interface. In fact, the graphical utility provides a simple interface to remotely shutdown one or several computers on your network, making it a particularly useful tool if you need to perform some network maintenance. It may not be something you use all the time, but this built-in tool is handy to have on hand. Did you know? Windows Shutdown.exe has a built-in GUI [Confessions of a freeware junkie]
Ever since they launched it without a Delete button, the folks at Google have been trying to convince Gmail users to archive their mail instead of trash it. On the Official Google Blog, a Googler lists nine reasons why you should archive instead of delete. (You’d think they were personally invested in you keeping your email! Oh, wait.) It’s true that with all that storage space, there’s really no reason to delete anything in Gmail. I lean on the Y key a lot more than the Delete button, but what about you?
Mac OS X only: Free FTP application Cyberduck’s 3.0 beta release adds gobs of impressive new functionality to the already excellent client, including Leopard-only features like Quick Look. Other new features include Amazon S3 and WebDAV support, Web URL support (which opens files in your browser from a corresponding URL), and the handful of already impressive features like integration with external text editors. Cyberduck continues to add innovative features that make it a viable contender to even the most popular shareware FTP clients, like Transmit. Cyberduck is free, Mac OS X only; Windows users, check out previously mentioned Filezilla. Cyberduck [via MacApper]
Mac OS X only: Send your office documents to the cloud in one click and swipe with Gdocsuploader. Place this bare bones application on your Dock, Finder sidebar, or desktop, then drag and drop word processing documents, spreadsheets, or PowerPoint presentation files onto it to add them to your Google Docs account. You’ll need to provide your Google account username and password, of course, and when the upload’s complete you get the option to open the doc in your web browser. Gdocsuploader is still new and a bit unpolished; expect a few Keychain prompts to get your files transferred. Gdocsuploader is a free download for Mac OS X only (works on Leopard for sure, Tiger usage not yet confirmed.) gdocsuploader [Google Code via VinodLive]
The New York Times takes on email overload once again, likening it to the thousands of unsolicited paper letters Thomas Edison and H. L. Mencken used to receive, and covering how they managed to respond to every one.
Popular VoIP application Skype has introduced a new unlimited international calling plan for a measly $9.95/month [AU - that seems to translate to $12.95 in Aussie dollars, if I read the Skype site correctly] ] . That means unlimited calls to any land-line phone in 34 supported countries, including the majority of Europe, Canada, China, and Japan. Additionally, Skype’s $3/month unlimited calling plan for the US and Canada is still in play, along with a $5/month Unlimited Mexico plan. The Unlimited World plan does not cover cell phones in all areas, so you may want to verify that your international calling location of choice is covered. As always, Skype-to-Skype calls remain free. Skype Subscriptions [via AP]
Microsoft Outlook is the company-issued email client at your place of employment, so like it or not, it’s up to you to figure out how to manage your inbox, calendar, and task list every day using it. To make things worse, if you’re in IT lockdown without administrator rights to your PC, you can’t install special add-ons or software to help your cause. Luckily there are install-free ways to customise Outlook, add keyboard shortcuts, and get your inbox down to zero messages painlessly with a few tweaks to your setup.
Windows only: Keyboard shortcut application Fingertips is a cross between Launchy and Texter—with some (but not all) features of each. Invoke Fingertips with a keystroke to add tasks to your Outlook to-do list, navigate to web site URLs, open folders and launch applications. Additionally, you can set up short text snippets in Fingerprints, which will automatically expand them to fuller versions (like email form letters.) Fingertips looks especially useful to folks who use Outlook: for example, it has shortcuts for adding to your Outlook task list (without starting Outlook!) built in, for quick, behind-the-scenes capture, plus you can add your own custom commands and actions. Screenshots after the jump.
Blogger and remote-control enthusiast Tim Matheson, who previously showed us how to shut down Windows using a text message, posts a script and easy-to-follow guide for doing the same on a Mac. Everything needed for the hack comes included with OS X Leopard, except the cell phone, of course. Matheson suggests setting up a “super-secret” email address that you only use for shutdown messages, but there are other ways of remote-controlling a Mac using keywords. Hit the link to download a safe shutdown script, and post your own remote-control computing tricks in the comments. HowTo: Shutdown your Mac with a text message [Tim Matheson Blog]
