RealDVD, the DRM-laden, DVD-copying commercial software from the folks who brought you RealPlayer, has been taken out of commission by Hollywood studios. Luckily you already know how to rip full DVDs to your hard drive for free without the nasty DRM, so you should be just fine. [via]
OpenOffice.org’s third release candidate of version 3.0 is now available for testers; the official release is due out next week. Here’s our first look at OpenOffice.org 3.0. [via]
The Web Worker Daily weblog rounds up a handful of useful tweaks for using an instant messaging application at work without letting it ruin your productivity. For example: Many IM programs allow you to be “invisible” to different contacts or contact groups when you come online. You can also be invisible to clients who rarely IM you anyway, and leave yourself visible for a few clients whose projects are more urgent. Taking advantage of your visibility settings can also come in handy if you use the same IM accounts for both personal and business contacts.
Instant messaging gets a bad rap in the workplace, but studies have suggested that instant messaging increases workplace productivity when compared to email, and IM can even reduce workplace interruptions. The catch: You need to know how to use IM effectively or the constant ding can ruin your productivity, and Web Worker Daily’s list offers a nice take.
If you’re on the hunt for a strong IM app, check out the five best instant messengers. How to Use IM Without Ruining Your Productivity [Web Worker Daily]
The developer-only iPhone 2.2 software sounds promising so far, boasting hidden features like Google Street View, auto-correction toggle, and emoji icons. It better be good, considering Apple is already breaking promises, having missed the September deadline for push notification.
Windows only: Free computer cleaning application AtomicCleaner has the standard roster of cleaning tools like temp file deletion and cookie removal, but goes a step further and includes a cleanup option for gamers. The Gamer Cleanup clears out the sometimes monster-sized temporary gaming cache files. AtomicCleaner is a free download for Windows only.
Atomic Cleaner [via gHacks]Google Spreadsheets has rolled out a new and improved spreadsheets editor complete with a full file menu similar to the Google Docs refresh. According to Webware, the update also speeds up Spreadsheets and opens the door for more advanced functionality.
Mac OS X only: Free preference pane application Fruux syncs Address Book, iCal, and tasks between different Macs. To use it, just install the preference pane and create a new account with Fruux. Once you’ve verified your account, go ahead and run your first synchronisation. Fruux uploads your contact and calendar information to the cloud so it’s ready to sync to any of your other Macs. Just wash, rinse, and repeat with as many computers as you want to sync with. Fruux is smart, too, supporting sync conflict resolution when a record has been changed on both computers. You can already roll your own contact syncing with Address Book and Google Contacts or push contacts, and Google Calendar syncs with iCal without too much effort, but if you’d prefer a more streamlined alternative, Fruux provides a dead simple install-it-and-forget-it syncing setup.
Even better, the Fruux roadmap reveals more ambitious goals, including Safari bookmark syncing and—more importantly—preferences syncing. Essentially, then, Fruux is aiming toward building a homegrown MobileMe. If this app remains free, it’s got crazy potential written all over it. Fruux is a free download, Mac OS X only.
FruuxFirefox only (Windows/Mac/Linux): Popular Firefox extension Tab Mix Plus has finally released an update supporting Firefox 3, meaning that the tabbed browsing enhancements you’d come to know and love with TMP in Firefox 2 are now ready for your updated Firefox install. This update is the extension’s first in over a year and comes packed with bug fixes, new tab-switching options, multiple session backups, and the option to rename a tab permanently based on its address (among many others). So not only does the latest TMP release finally bring support to Firefox 3, but it’s also full of improvements well worth the upgrade. If you notice any other nice feature updates, let’s hear about them in the comments. Thanks Alex!
Tab Mix Plus [Firefox Add-ons]Former financial planner Nora Dunn knows that lots of folks are itching to do something after seeing their latest investment statements—maybe to the point of axing their advisor. Not a great idea, she writes, unless he or she is unresponsive, pushy, or, even worse, trying to sell you a fortune-telling service: If they call you wanting to make drastic changes based on what they think the market is going to do, run. What they should really be focused on is you, your goals, and a plan (and portfolio) that will weather the good times and the bad. Sure – small adjustments here and there may be prudent, but moving everything in and out of different asset classes is a losing game. They may get it right a few times, but all it takes is one bad calculation to lose everything you have gained.
Dunn’s got eight other no-nos to watch for with any advisor. Any of them ring call up a familiar story? Warn your fellow readers (or praise the good advisors) in the comments. 9 Signs You Need to Fire Your Financial Planner [Wise Bread]
Web site VCD Quality tracks videos distributed online and provides a wealth of information about each release—including a screenshot or two demonstrating the quality of the video and separate video and audio ratings. The site also links to the movie’s IMDb page, lets you know what group released it, and informs you of the source media (e.g., DVD rip). If you download a fair share of movies online, you’ve probably been burned by a grainy, low quality download before. VCD Quality is there to help you avoid wasting those hours downloading a bum film. You can’t actually download anything directly from VCD Quality, but if you’ve followed our beginner and intermediate guides to BitTorrent, you already know what you’re doing. VCD Quality [via MakeUseOf]
