Monday, July 28, 2008

gOS Space Adds Mac-Like Looks to a Free Linux Desktop

10:34PM Kevin Purdy | You may have last seen gOS, the free, Ubuntu-based Linux distribution, touted here as a way to revive an old PC with a webapp focus. Now there’s three flavors of gOS available, including a “Space” release that was designed with a Mac-like slickness to its interface, and a lot of MySpace functionality thrown in, on top of all the other Google, Facebook, and other link-ups. “Space” ups the hardware demands from the standard gOS (to about the modern Ubuntu requirements); if you’re running older stock or just like the original interface, it’s still offered as “gOS Rocket E,” or the GNOME-based “gOS Rocket G” for Ubuntu fans. Live CDs/DVDs are offered for each flavour, so it’s free to take a look. Photo by thinbegin. gOS Downloads [via Office Tweaks] More »

EncryptOnClick Makes Securing Files Really Simple

10:05PM Kevin Purdy | Windows only: Have you ever wanted to lock down a few files behind passwords, but don’t want to jump into a full-featured encryption system with multiple keys, virtual drives and whatnot? Free encryption utility EncryptOnClick is a dead-simple utility that gets the job done. Open the program, choose a file or folder to secure, and type in your password. The files or folder will get an encrypted icon, and you’ll be asked for the password to open them—and that’s it, at least with the freeware version. The app uses 256-bit AES encryption, so for hiding stuff from the average snooper, it’s a tight and light solution. EncryptOnClick is a free download for Windows systems only. EncryptOnClick [via Mysticgeek | The How-To Geek] More »

Cuil Search Engine Out to Challenge Google

4:58PM Gina Trapani | Ex-Google employees unveil a new search engine today out to challenge their former employer: Cuil, pronounced “cool,” launches with 120 billion web pages in its index. My initial tests show that Cuil’s results aren’t quite as impressive as the size of the index, but they’re pretty good. From Cuil’s scant black homepage, enter your query (and it will offer suggestions as you type) and go. A search for Lifehacker yields decent results (though with bizarre images) and an “Explore by category” module on the upper right, which offers related searches. This category list is perhaps the biggest indicator of Cuil’s smarts; for Lifehacker it offers searches for Gawker Media (our publisher), Blogs, Google Services, American bloggers—all spot-on—and one miss, Video Game magazine. (On the other hand, searching for Lifehacker Australia produced precisely zip — no regional smarts here, it seems.) Give Cuil a whirl with terms you already know something about. How are the results? Think Google’s got something to worry about? Let us know in the comments. Cuil [via Wired News] More »

Vodafone launches simplified roaming rates for travellers

1:03PM Angus Kidman | The ludicrous rates charged for using mobiles overseas have long been a subject of complaint amongst Aussie travellers: the best budget approach is to only use text messages and to minimise those, lest you cop a ridiculous bill at the end of your trip. Vodafone today launched new roaming plans under the Vodafone Traveller brand for post-paid users which (depending on your usage patterns) could make life a little cheaper.If you sign up for the service (a no-charge option you can switch on and off at will), then you get charged a connection charge for making calls (between $1 and $4 depending on location). The call is then charged at the standard call rate for your plan, and can be included in standard call credits if you’re on a cap plan. Call receipt incurs a $1 each time charge.Calling this way still isn’t super-cheap — even at $1 a pop, the costs will mount up — and at 75 cents, texting is cheaper on some existing overseas deals. And to be honest, we’d find it easier to recommend these plans if Vodafone wasn’t being so evasive, mendacious and confused about its current iPhone data plans: it’s hard to take a company seriously when it can’t sort out what its own policy is. But if you’re already a Vodafone post-paid customer and looking to travel, this is probably worth a look. (Vodafone is also jumping on the Olympic discount bandwagon by cutting roaming rates for visitors to China during August.) More »

IKEA forum offers access to furniture assembly manuals

12:59PM Angus Kidman | Assembling furniture from IKEA can be a challenge in itself, but doubly so if you’ve disassembled it for storage and then try and rebuild it later, having long ago thrown the manual in the recycling bin. The IKEAFANS Forum comes to the rescue, offering PDF versions of manuals for furniture from the ubiquitous Swedish megastore. You need to register to access the library, but this is a pain-free process. Like previously mentioned SafeManuals and ReplacementDocs, this is one to bookmark for when the vital paperwork goes missing. (Thanks Sean!) [IKEAFANS] More »

GoSwitch helps you choose cheap electricity plans

12:34PM Angus Kidman | Competition is supposed to have made electricity cheaper for the average consumer, but comparing services can be painful. Web site GoSwitch lets you look at available options and can switch your account automatically if you live in Victoria (site founder Ben Freund explains in an interview with The Australian why the process is fiddlier in other states). The service is free; it works on the same basis as mortgage comparison services, with the company receiving a standard finders’ fee from whichever provider you choose if you change. If you’ve tried out GoSwitch, let us know your experience in the comments. [GoSwitch via The Australian] More »

Build Your Own Speakers

11:00AM Adam Pash | Popular Mechanics illustrates step-by-step how to build your own home speakers from start to finish. The author starts with a speaker kit that costs $369 for a pair, which sounds expensive until the author suggests that the results sound better than $500 speaker sets. (Okay, even after hearing that it still sounds expensive.) Overall it’s a pretty ambitious DIYproject. Luckily Popular Science details the entire thing with tons of helpful start-to-finish photos. If you’ve ever tackled a similar speaker project, let’s hear about it (including whether it was worth it) in the comments. How to Build Your Own Speakers: Step-by-Step DIY Tech [Popular Mechanics] More »

Replace the Battery in Your Nike+ Receiver On the Cheap

9:00AM Adam Pash | DIY web site Instructables demonstrates how to replace a dead battery in a Nike+ iPod receiver in just a few minutes for under $5. When I highlighted the best tech tools to get in shape, I sang the praises of the Nike+ iPod sport kit. But Apple says a whole new sensor is required when the battery dies in the $30 device, so the 10 minutes and $4 battery required for this little DIY seems worth the effort if and when your battery takes the long sleep. Replace battery in Nike+ receiver for under $5 [Instructables via Podophile] More »

Amazon Watcher Auto-Orders Items When They’re In-Stock

1:00AM Kevin Purdy | Windows/Mac OS X: Amazon Watcher isn’t the first gadget that can monitor Amazon items for price drops and availability, but it is the rare tool that can automatically buy your rare gear for you. Once you add your account information (and assuming you have payment methods stored on that account), you’re set to have Amazon Watcher buy x units of whatever you’re hunting, but it can also pop up the order page or email you, if you’re less jumpy. Having all your must-grab items constantly ready for purchase can probably break strong wills, however, so, luckily, this app can reduce to the system tray. Amazon Watcher is a free download for Windows or Mac OS X systems. Amazon Watcher [via gHacks] More »