Google Bookmarks is sporting a new look and feel, boasting a quicker interface and an “infinite scrolling” feature that dynamically retrieves more bookmarks when you reach the end of your list (kind of like Google Reader). The new interface has moved Bookmarks to the confines of Google Notebook and is being called “a better way to organize your bookmarks” on the old Google Bookmarks home page. Google Operating System notes that old Google Bookmarks features—like full-text search and web-history bookmarking—are missing from the new version, but the more responsive, more Gmail-like AJAX interface of Google Bookmarks inside Google Notebook looks promising. If you’re a big Google Bookmarks fan, let’s hear what you think of the changes in the comments.
Google Bookmarks in Google Notebook [via Google Operating System]Windows only: Small utility KallOut integrates into popular desktop programs such as Outlook, Adobe Acrobat, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Internet Explorer and Firefox and lets you search the web for text found there. Simply highlight text inside the application (like PowerPoint) and right click to choose your search engine. Here’s a video demonstration of the integration:
Photoshop funny-man Donnie Hoyle tackles displacement in the most recent tutorial of his “You Suck at Photoshop” series, explaining how to insert new layers on top of photos without making them look out of place. The video demonstrates the method by inserting a new name on top of a jersey and blending it in with both the shadows and texture of the cloth behind it. The method is simple enough and the results are impressive. Like all of Hoyle’s guides, this one’s borderline NSFW depending on whether or not you’re wearing headphones. You Suck At Photoshop #13: Displacement [My Damn Channel]
When moving, copying, pasting, browsing, and getting information about your files feels like tedious work—and it can in the feature-sparse Windows Explorer—you need some power add-ons that can help. Instead of completely replacing Windows Explorer with an alternative file manager, you can pick and choose the extra features you want and add them piecemeal. Let’s take a look at some free power add-ons for Windows Explorer that make dealing with your growing file collection faster and easier.
Google Calendar has added support for the CalDAV standard, opening up a realm of syncing possibilities for business users and webapps. Right now it’s somewhat limited, with a few known issues, but the big news is that it’s now possible to sync your iCal and Google Calendars without any third-party software. As the Google Operating System notes, however, it’s not an entirely simple process to hook the two up, so a free option like recently-made-free CalGoo might still be the best option for anyone who doesn’t enjoy fiddling. Hit the link below for details on GCal’s CalDAV options. Google Calendar CalDAV support [Google Calendar support via Google Operating System]
While Bill Gates used to schedule a twice-yearly “Think Week” at a retreat so he could chew on technical papers from Microsoft employees, chief software architect Ray Ozzie prefers to get away with no reading material to come up with ideas on his own. CNET News reports: Once or twice a year, Ozzie tries to find time for what he calls “white space.” Rather than be surrounded by the ideas of others, Ozzie prefers to lock himself away with the proverbial blank sheet of paper. His most recent such exercise was during a brief trip to Hawaii in April following a work trip to Asia. It’s a practice that dates back to Ozzie’s time at Groove Networks and even before that. Inevitably, Ozzie returns to the office with a ton of new ideas, sending a variety of “go do” tasks for his team.
Windows/Linux: Application launcher Launchy quietly added a new “feature” with its 2.1.1 update—Linux compatibility, for both GNOME and KDE-based desktops. From what I’ve tested so far, the interface, operation, and options are remarkably similar to what you’ve seen in Windows, with the obvious tweaks for Linux file types and commands. The built-in plugins work, it’s super-easy to change Launchy’s appearance and hotkey activation, and the majority of functions that make it our readers’ favourite application launcher are there. In other words, looks like GNOME Do has some serious competition. Launchy is a free download for Linux (in Ubuntu-friendly, self-installing package and source forms) and Windows. Thanks, prattmic!
Launchy [SourceForge.Net]
