Firefox only (Windows/Mac/Linux): Firefox extension Panic provides a simple keyboard shortcut to instantly close all of your current tabs while opening a new, more appropriate one. So let’s say you’re at a workplace that supports reading Lifehacker (you are boosting your productivity, after all). You could set Lifehacker as your panic URL, then start looking for your boss’s birthday present on Amazon. (You are so nice!) When your boss turns the corner, just hit the customisable keyboard shortcut to close your active windows and fire up your panic URL. Of course, Panic’s boss key would work just as well for less noble purposes, and it works fast. Panic is free, works wherever Firefox does. For other Panic alternatives, check out previously mentioned apps like the Magic Boss Key, Windows Hidie, and workFriendly. Panic [Firefox Add-ons via Digital Inspiration]
Windows/Mac only: Free, open-source application Cabos is a peer-to-peer file sharing application with an emphasis on minimalism. That means that unlike other popular P2P apps that run on the Gnutella network like LimeWire or previously mentioned FrostWire, Cabos is completely stripped down and bloat free. Granted, you’ve probably moved on to downloading files with BitTorrent for most of your file-sharing needs, but for the occasional one-off download, an old-school peer-to-peer app like Cabos is always nice to have in the toolbox.
Windows only: Donationware application Iconoid reduces screen clutter and gives you more control over your desktop icons’ appearance and arrangement. With Iconoid installed, you can automatically hide your desktop icons and taskbar with a click of a button. Choose a custom background colour for your icons’ titles, or make it transparent with Iconoid. If you’re not using Windows’ built-in icon “Auto Arrange” but you do have your icons placed just so, Iconoid can save your icons’ positions for easy restoration. Iconoid is a free download (donations requested) for Windows only. Iconoid [via Life Rocks]
Writer Kevin Kelly is making a list of technologists who have dropped out of certain kinds of tech completely—like email, mobile phones, or the web. He’s got two so far, and the best quote comes from Donald Knuth, author of The Art of Computer Programming, who hasn’t used email since 1990. Knuth says, “Email is a wonderful thing for people whose role in life is to be on top of things. But not for me; my role is to be on the bottom of things.” He asks readers to send him postal mail instead. [via]
Windows only: Freeware application Pictomio is an advanced photo and video viewer with an emphasis on supplementing your image viewing experience with a strong dose of eye candy. When you first run Pictomio you’ll notice a couple of things: First, it’s a beautiful image viewer, packed with several ways to view, organise, browse, and edit your metadata (it’s not, however, an image editor). The slideshows are attractive and the application focuses on bringing a good deal of 3D goodies to your image viewing experience. Second, because of Pictomio’s impressive graphics, it requires a fairly decent graphics card if you want to get the most from it. As noted in the FreewareGenius post, the video functionality is more of an afterthought, but Pictomio is clearly first and foremost an impressive image viewer. Pictomio is freeware, Windows only.
Pictomio [via FreewareGenius]Firefox only: Our favourite bookmark syncing Firefox extension, Foxmarks, can now sync select sets of bookmarks to certain computers you set up, like at home or at the office. To get started with selective syncing in Foxmarks, log onto My Foxmarks with your usual login, and in the Tools menu, choose “Manage Sync Profiles.” Assign bookmarks to your sync profiles—like family bookmarks to the Home profile and office links to the Work profile. Then, on each computer you use Foxmarks on, make sure you’ve got the latest version 2.1.0.12 installed in Firefox. In the settings dialog, on the Profiles tab, choose which profile that browser instance should sync. While Foxmarks doesn’t sync anything else of your Firefox user profile other than bookmarks—the way Google Sync used to, and Mozilla Weave does—this is still a really useful feature for compartmentalising your bookmarks and making sure sensitive or personal links only show up on the computers you want them on.
Download Foxmarks Set Up Sync Profiles at My Foxmarks [via CyberNet]Millions of homes have an Xbox 360 sitting in the living room, but if you’re only using your 360 to game, you’re missing out. With some free tools and a little elbow grease, that compact, networked PC sitting under your television can offer a whole lot of useful media functionality. The fact is, your 360 is capable of so much more than just gaming. Let’s take a look at a few ways you can get more from your Xbox 360. (We covered some of this territory in our recent guide to what to do with your new cheap Xbox 360, but there’s plenty of extra goodness to be had.
If a timeline is the best way to display the data you have on hand, turn to interactive web application Timetoast. Once you create your timeline, viewers can click on date points to see what is significant about the event. From there they can expand the entry to see pictures and additional information. Timetoast is free to register and use. Here are a few more ways you can make a timeline of events.
Timetoast Timelines [via Download Squad]Linux only: The latest release of Ubuntu Tweak, a custom-configuring app we’ve posted about before, makes it even easier to quickly set up an Ubuntu system with the options, looks, and now software you really want. The app’s 0.3.2 release includes a compendium of third-party software—such as the Avant Window Navigator, Google Gadgets, GNOME Do, and more—you can easily add to your system and keep updated. Ubuntu Tweak uses a custom repository feed to keep all these apps up to date, so it might get a bit messy with a future upgrade. Still, for helping out newcomers to Ubuntu—or OpenSUSE, Fedora, or other GNOME-based distros—it’s seriously helpful. Ubuntu Tweak is a free download for GNOME-based Linux systems only.
UbuntuTweak [via I'm Just an Avatar]Windows only: Portable application NFReader is a no-frills feed reader that fits on your thumb drive. Even though it eschews a wide feature set in favour of a tiny footprint and minimalist interface, NFReader has the basics covered. Import your subscription list via OPML files or manually add feeds in the reader. View individual articles in either basic text or HTML format. If you’re looking for an absolutely spartan feedreader without any clutter or feature bloat, NFReader’s for you. NFReader is a free download for Windows only.
NFReader [via Download Squad]
