Monday, September 15, 2008
Fix
Customise Windows’ Start Menu Folders
11:30PM Gina Trapani | Windows only: By default Windows includes your “My Pictures” and “My Music” folders in the Start Menu’s right column, but you can change those defaults to folders you use more often using two handy VB scripts. The replace My Pictures VB script and the replace My Music VB script each do just that. Right-click each link to save those files to your PC, then double-click to run them. Enter the new path you want to appear in your Start Menu (even a network location, like to a shared music folder), and then you have to log off and back into your PC to see your changes. Behind the scenes, these scripts are editing your registry; if that idea makes you nervous—and it should—then do pass. I tested both successfully on my machine. These scripts are part of a huge library of Windows VB script tweaks; have a look at some more at the Kelly’s Korner web site using the link below. For more fun with useful VB scripts, see the screensaver away message. Registry Edits for Windows XP [Kelly's Korner via gHacks] More »
Organise
Create a Stuff Replacement Fund to Declutter and Make Money
11:00PM Kevin Purdy | So often, the reason clean-out-and-declutter sessions hit a dead end isn’t lack of motivation, but an object you can’t quite say you’ll never need again—an arcane instruction manual, computer games you might just play again, a baking dish you’ll need for a theoretical cake. J.D. at the Get Rich Slowly blog hit upon a great idea for worry-free selling and tossing while reading one of his favourite books, Your Money or Your Life: Rather than keep the stuff you aren’t using, you sell it to somebody who will use it, and then stash the proceeds for future use. It’s sort of like “Stuff insurance”. In other words, you put the money you earn from selling off your quasi-useful stuff in a separate, interest-earning account, and use it only if you need to buy something again. It’s a perfect “sub-account” for those who can create individual funds in their online bank, and a good way to trick yourself into responsible saving. Simplify Your Life with a Stuff Replacement Fund [Get Rich Slowly] More »
Fix
Beat Secure Site Problems in Google Chrome with a Nightly Build
10:30PM Kevin Purdy | Users of Google’s Chrome browser behind web proxies, and in other situations, often find that the browser can have a touchy relationship with secure connections (starting with https://) and SSL certificates in general. The Daily Gyan blog recommends a few potential fixes, including using a more up-to-date nightly build, which can be grabbed at the Chromium build page or using the previously posted Chrome Nightly Updater. Other suggestions include grabbing a portable version of Chrome or, if you’re behind a Microsoft ISA proxy server, grabbing a client app to work through it. Got your own solutions to Chrome proxy woes? Share ‘em in the comments. Google Chrome – HTTPS and SSL Over Proxy Issues [Daily Gyan] More »
Fix
Remove Shot-Ruining Tourists from Your Photos
10:00PM Kevin Purdy | The Wired How-To Wiki provides the know-how for anyone who has taken great shots of landscapes, landmarks or other scenes, only to find that some random dude has stumbled into your frame. The wiki covers the steps needed in Photoshop (or free alternatives like the GIMP) to manually remove and replace a person, while also suggesting you grab multiple shots at the scene if there’s just no escaping a waving arm or insistent gawker. No patience for lassos, layers and the like? Try the free, previously mentioned webapp Tourist Remover. Remove Tourists From Travel Photos [Wired How-To Wiki] More »
Work
How to Kickstart a Low-Productivity Day
9:00PM Lifehacker US Edition | Editor: Welcome guest author Jason Womack who’s got some advice on how to get back to work on a slow day. You just don’t want to do it anymore. No more task folders, no more email labelling, no more index cards in your back pocket. You just don’t have the energy today; the power of your productivity is at a low ebb. What do you do now? How do you flip that switch to get going again? Photo by Stewf. More »
Communicate
12:59PM Angus Kidman | Back in July, Telstra announced that it was increasing the amount of data included in its 3G data bundles (used for Internet access on your mobile phone). At the time, Telstra promised that the plan changes would be rolled over to existing customers, who would “automatically have the additional data allowance added to their plans over the coming months”. However, recently I’ve encountered several people complaining that their plans still haven’t been updated. I asked Telstra what the official timeframe for making the switch was, and got this response:
The changes to the mobile phone data packs have been implemented. If the changes are not on the current bill (as we bill for the month prior) they should be reflected on the next bill.
That still seems a tad slow to us, but it’s more precise than “in the coming months”. Have you got your discount in a prompt fashion? Tell us all in the comments.
More »
Telstra slow in rolling out data bundle discounts
12:59PM Angus Kidman | Back in July, Telstra announced that it was increasing the amount of data included in its 3G data bundles (used for Internet access on your mobile phone). At the time, Telstra promised that the plan changes would be rolled over to existing customers, who would “automatically have the additional data allowance added to their plans over the coming months”. However, recently I’ve encountered several people complaining that their plans still haven’t been updated. I asked Telstra what the official timeframe for making the switch was, and got this response:
The changes to the mobile phone data packs have been implemented. If the changes are not on the current bill (as we bill for the month prior) they should be reflected on the next bill.
That still seems a tad slow to us, but it’s more precise than “in the coming months”. Have you got your discount in a prompt fashion? Tell us all in the comments.
More »
Communicate
12:40PM Angus Kidman | Internode has announced that iPhone users can now access iPhone applications for free whenever in one of its Wi-Fi hotspots (which are, unsurprisingly for a South Australian company, more prevalent in Adelaide than anywhere else). Since the Australian launch iPhone owners have typically been able to get free access from their chosen telco when in hotspots run by that company, and Internode’s Wi-Fi network already allows anyone (including iPhone owners) to browse for free after going through an online confirmation page. However, that doesn’t work well with some iPhone services that choke on the login requirement, so Internode now offers a one-off login process that means you can subsequently access MobileMe, Google Maps and other Apple widgets when in an Internode hotspot without needing to sign in. The switch isn’t a major surprise: Internode founder Simon Hackett is a total Apple fanboi, and I suspect this probably came about when he got frustrated with trying to access an Internode hotspot on his spanking new iPhone.
[Internode]
More »
Internode offers free Wi-Fi access for iPhone apps
12:40PM Angus Kidman | Internode has announced that iPhone users can now access iPhone applications for free whenever in one of its Wi-Fi hotspots (which are, unsurprisingly for a South Australian company, more prevalent in Adelaide than anywhere else). Since the Australian launch iPhone owners have typically been able to get free access from their chosen telco when in hotspots run by that company, and Internode’s Wi-Fi network already allows anyone (including iPhone owners) to browse for free after going through an online confirmation page. However, that doesn’t work well with some iPhone services that choke on the login requirement, so Internode now offers a one-off login process that means you can subsequently access MobileMe, Google Maps and other Apple widgets when in an Internode hotspot without needing to sign in. The switch isn’t a major surprise: Internode founder Simon Hackett is a total Apple fanboi, and I suspect this probably came about when he got frustrated with trying to access an Internode hotspot on his spanking new iPhone.
[Internode]
More »
Communicate
iPhone Modem Tethers Jailbroken iPhones
9:24AM Gina Trapani | Jailbroken iPhones only: New iPhone 2.1 jailbreak app, iPhone Modem, promises to tether your iPhone to your laptop or computer so you can get online anywhere. iPhone Modem is available to install via the Cydia installer on jailbroken iPhones. In the hopes that the 2.1 software update would make it behave, I un-jailbroke my iPhone (re-jailed it?), so I have not tried iPhone Modem myself, but commenters at Gizmodo confirm it does work. If you missed out on Netshare and want to try out tethering with iPhone Modem, here’s how to jailbreak your iPhone 2.0 with PwnageTool or QuickPwn. If you make the leap, let us know how it goes in the comments. (Of course, if you’re already jailbroken you can just tether your phone using OpenSSH.) iPhone Modem App Promises 10 Second iPhone Tethering [Gizmodo] More »
Fix
Firefox 3.1 to Enable Colour Profile Support by Default
9:10AM Gina Trapani | The Mozilla Links blog reports that Firefox’s next release, version 3.1, will ship with colour profile support turned on by default. Colour profile support shows richer colours in certain images in your browser; if you can’t wait for 3.1 to drop, here’s how to enable it in your copy of Firefox 3 now. More »
Organise
