Mac OS X only: Freeware application RapidoSerial stores and secures your software licenses in an easy-to-access database. When you dig into your pocketbook to pay for a great software package, the last thing you want to do is lose the licence key you purchased. RapidoSerial aims to make sure that you don’t. For a web-based alternative, check out previously mentioned Keyfiler. If you’ve already got a tried-and-true method for storing your software licenses, let’s hear it in the comments. RapidoSerial [via Cool OSX Apps]
Earlier today we mentioned the Quick Launch toolbar in our best ways to make Windows more productive. But Windows comes bundled with several toolbars that offer search, web site launching, and media player controls—and at least one reader can’t live without his toolbar setup. What toolbars do you have on your Windows desktop, and which is the most useful? Vote in the battle of the Windows toolbars after the jump.
A user from DIY web site Instructables details how to cut a watermelon to easily remove most of the seeds so you don’t have to endure the familiar seed-spitting routine. The key is cutting the watermelon along the seed line, allowing you to simply scrape off the majority of seeds. Of course this is a lot more complicated than just cutting your watermelon in half, grabbing a spoon, and digging in, but if you can’t stand the seeds and you don’t want to pay more for lesser quality, more expensive seedless watermelon, this little melon hack may be worth a try. Now you know how to cut a mango, a pineapple, and a watermelon with confidence. How to remove most of the seeds when cutting up a watermelon [Instructables]
The most common complaint we get from Lifehacker readers in Windows IT lockdown is that the majority of our tips require installing third-party applications—which you can’t do if you don’t have the right permissions on your PC. If you don’t have the rights to install software on your company-issued computer, there are still lots of ways you can make Windows a more productive place to work. Let’s take a look at how you can maximise your computer productivity with keyboard shortcuts, desktop tweaks, search tricks and more—without installing a thing.
Today the Associated Press launches an iPhone-friendly mobile news site at apnews.com. [via]
Linux only: We’re big fans of application dock and launcher Avant Window Navigator around here, but free utility Cairo-Dock makes a strong showing as well, not least for its highly-configurable and slick appearance, as well as a good range of plug-ins and third-party applets. Changing Cairo-Dock’s appearance with transparencies, two-bar-splitting, and other tweaks is a bit easier than with AWN, and, while not offered in as many official repositories, it’s easily installed on Ubuntu and Debian-based systems, and not too hard to compile for other distributions as well. Cairo-Dock is a free download for Linux systems only. Hit the via link for help on an Ubuntu installation and configuration. Cairo-Dock [via Tombuntu]
A new study shows that most Facebook applications are “just for fun”, which shouldn’t surprise anyone. But, there are at least a few Facebook apps that help you get stuff done.
Blogger Dennis Best, who previously schooled us about the value of built-in Getting Things Done apps, expands on his all-inside-the-Mac thinking by noting a simple way to organise every email message, document, iCal event, or other file. Add the ° character (Shift-Option-8 on Mac keyboards) directly in front of any word you want to track with, and both Spotlight (and, of course, Quicksilver) can quickly catch and sort your keywords for you. Guest poster Nick Santilli suggested a similar metada system using the “&” character, but Dennis’ idea tags files by adding only a single, non-intrusive step you can do right inside the text. How to tag nearly anything anywhere in Leopard [Dennis Best via Micro Persuasion]
