Wednesday, July 23, 2008
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KuKu Klok Wakes You Up from a Web Browser
11:10PM Kevin Purdy | KuKu Klok is a pretty straightforward webapp—you set a time for an alarm to go off, you choose a sound to wake up to, and you hit “Set Alarm.” Kind of like the Online Alarm Clock, but the neat part is that the Flash-based app goes off even if your internet connection drops altogether. Add in the selection of sounds to rise and shine to—including the “Slayer Guitar”—and it’s a pretty nifty tool for when the cell phone’s out of reach, or you’re napping near your laptop. KuKu Klok [via The Red Ferret Journal] More »
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Mapufacture Creates Small, PocketMod-Compatible Maps
10:00PM Kevin Purdy | If you’re a fan of the foldable, all-in-one PocketMod organiser, or if you’re travelling and don’t want to swing for those pocket-sized walking maps, customised mapping site Mapufacture has a handy PocketMod export function that could come in really handy. After signing in, you choose the area you want to cover, add any data layers you want marked (landmarks, food, etc.), and then click “Create a PocketMap” on the lower-right side. There’s also GPS export, web embedding, and standard printing, but the PocketMod function is truly unique. If a custom-printed, foldable map intrigues you, check out how to use a PocketMod as a travel and workout tracker or a back-seat kid entertainer. Mapufacture [via Hackszine] More »
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What Productivity Studies Really Show
9:00PM Gina Trapani | Every time a new research study around personal productivity and office culture appears, we dutifully post the “proof” that information overload, email distractions, and multitasking are keeping you from getting work done—but are they? Sure, many of these findings seem very feasible, but it’s hard not to think they’re published only as a crutch for a larger commercial or media message—either “the internet is destroying your life!” or “you need to buy this product.” More »
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3:51PM Angus Kidman | It’s been years since we looked at a print edition of the Yellow Pages, but even the online version of the venerable business directory doesn’t often attract our attention. Now the whole project has become more useful for a very simple reason: Sensis (the Telstra division that produces the Yellow Pages) has finally allowed Google’s robots to index Yellow Pages content, meaning that everyone’s favourite search engine now has access to Australian businesses which might otherwise never appear in online results. (The fact that it was ever blocked is frankly one of the weirdest Internet strategies imaginable, but that’s another story.)We’re a tad sceptical that being in a Yellow Pages listing will result in businesses getting more visibility in Google search results, as Sensis claims (based on its existing high traffic). Nonetheless, knowing that non-tech-savvy businesses will now appear in search results is very useful. (Note: Existing Telstra mobile customers might want to stick with the Yellow site when on the road, if only because it’s free to access on many Next G plans.) More »
Yellow Pages content now searchable on Google
3:51PM Angus Kidman | It’s been years since we looked at a print edition of the Yellow Pages, but even the online version of the venerable business directory doesn’t often attract our attention. Now the whole project has become more useful for a very simple reason: Sensis (the Telstra division that produces the Yellow Pages) has finally allowed Google’s robots to index Yellow Pages content, meaning that everyone’s favourite search engine now has access to Australian businesses which might otherwise never appear in online results. (The fact that it was ever blocked is frankly one of the weirdest Internet strategies imaginable, but that’s another story.)We’re a tad sceptical that being in a Yellow Pages listing will result in businesses getting more visibility in Google search results, as Sensis claims (based on its existing high traffic). Nonetheless, knowing that non-tech-savvy businesses will now appear in search results is very useful. (Note: Existing Telstra mobile customers might want to stick with the Yellow site when on the road, if only because it’s free to access on many Next G plans.) More »
Communicate
11:37AM Angus Kidman | Australian data rates for iPhone users have been an ongoing source of controversy, but they look like positive bargains compared to the roaming charges you’ll face if you take your beloved new 3G model overseas. David Flynn at APC has analysed the deals being offered by the three local carriers, and concludes that for overseas travellers, Vodafone is the best value for money — though still far from cheap. Of course, Vodafone’s own inability to work out what its plans cost locally might give you pause for thought. If nothing else, the prices serve as a reminder that using your iPhone as a modem, while possible, is unlikely to be cheaper overseas than hooking into the nearest Wi-Fi hotspot, even if it charges for the privilege.The best global roaming deals for your iPhone [APC]
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Finding the cheapest way to use your iPhone overseas
11:37AM Angus Kidman | Australian data rates for iPhone users have been an ongoing source of controversy, but they look like positive bargains compared to the roaming charges you’ll face if you take your beloved new 3G model overseas. David Flynn at APC has analysed the deals being offered by the three local carriers, and concludes that for overseas travellers, Vodafone is the best value for money — though still far from cheap. Of course, Vodafone’s own inability to work out what its plans cost locally might give you pause for thought. If nothing else, the prices serve as a reminder that using your iPhone as a modem, while possible, is unlikely to be cheaper overseas than hooking into the nearest Wi-Fi hotspot, even if it charges for the privilege.The best global roaming deals for your iPhone [APC]
More »
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Search All Craigslist Sites at Once with Google
8:00AM Adam Pash | Wired’s How-To Wiki details how to flex your Google-fu to get Craigslist results from every Craigslist domain. In essence, the author does a Google site search of Craigslist.org and excludes pages with the word ‘directory’ to eliminate directory listings of names and phone numbers. The resulting query looks like: More »
Communicate
7:28AM Angus Kidman | The p2p-next project, which is trying to develop a system for broadcasting video user peer-to-peer file sharing, has released the first version of its SwarmPlayer and is seeking testers to assess how the software performs as the user base grows. There’s currently only a small amount of content to watch (including a BBC weather report live webcam from Amsterdam), since the purpose is testing rather than creating a broadcast network. SwarmPlayer is currently Windows and Linux, but a Mac version is said to be due shortly. [SwarmPlayer via BBC]
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SwarmPlayer seeks test users for P2P TV
7:28AM Angus Kidman | The p2p-next project, which is trying to develop a system for broadcasting video user peer-to-peer file sharing, has released the first version of its SwarmPlayer and is seeking testers to assess how the software performs as the user base grows. There’s currently only a small amount of content to watch (including a BBC weather report live webcam from Amsterdam), since the purpose is testing rather than creating a broadcast network. SwarmPlayer is currently Windows and Linux, but a Mac version is said to be due shortly. [SwarmPlayer via BBC]
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7:17AM Angus Kidman | It’s long been accepted wisdom that entry-level broadband plans are rarely worth the money: $30 a month sounds cheap, but if you only have 200MB of downloads to play with you’ll be lucky to keep your systems patched, let alone get anything done. But the situation does appear to be improving. Internode has launched a $34.95 a month plan which includes 5GB of downloads. It’s unlikely to appeal to a serious hard-core geek (especially as it’s a slow 256Kbps service), but it could make it feasible to switch your dial-up-diehard relatives into a speedier always-on world. Any other good discount broadband plans you’ve encountered? Share them in the comments.
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Discount broadband plans may finally be affordable
7:17AM Angus Kidman | It’s long been accepted wisdom that entry-level broadband plans are rarely worth the money: $30 a month sounds cheap, but if you only have 200MB of downloads to play with you’ll be lucky to keep your systems patched, let alone get anything done. But the situation does appear to be improving. Internode has launched a $34.95 a month plan which includes 5GB of downloads. It’s unlikely to appeal to a serious hard-core geek (especially as it’s a slow 256Kbps service), but it could make it feasible to switch your dial-up-diehard relatives into a speedier always-on world. Any other good discount broadband plans you’ve encountered? Share them in the comments.
More »
Fix
HFSExplorer Reads Mac-Formatted Hard Drives
6:00AM Adam Pash | Windows only: Free, open source application HFSExplorer reads and extracts files from drives formatted with the HFS+ file system native to Macs. Common uses for HFSExplorer include reading files from your Mac file system from Windows running in Boot Camp or—something I’ve used it for—grabbing music in Windows from a Mac-formatted iPod. HFSExplorer is free, Windows only, requires Java. For help setting it up, check out Simple Help’s guide. HFSExplorer [via Simple Help] More »
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