Weblog TUAW posts a detailed step-by-step tutorial for using Photoshop’s Lens Blur tool to clip objects from one photograph to another. In the example, the author moves an open book from a plain white background to a wood floor, and though the lighting is a little conspicuous, the results are still impressive. The guide is also packed with helpful screenshots, which makes any good Photoshop tutorial stand out. Check out how to blend layers in Photoshop with displacement for a similarly cool effect, or try TUAW’s other guide to simulating a tilt-shift lens with the Lens Blur tool. How to use Photoshop’s Lens Blur tool with masking (Part 2 of 2) [TUAW]
Windows/Mac/Linux: Free, open-source application Synkron is a powerful file-syncing utility that syncs files across platforms. The apps’s marquee features include support for syncing multiple folders, automatic scheduled syncs, and restore capabilities for files that may have been accidentally overwritten during a sync. Apps like previously mentioned Dropbox boasting instantaneous sync between your PCs and the web are all the rage right now, but Synkron has its own appeal—namely that it’s a local sync tool, so your files never pass through any third-party server. It also supports filtering by extension and file and folder blacklists. So while Synkron may not be up to the instant syncing standards you can expect from the likes of Dropbox, it does support complex backup schemes and is a great alternative. Synkron is free, works on all platforms.
Synkron [SourceForge via Download Squad]Developer Alex Payne likes his software simple and his computing experience streamlined, and he offers up a list of rules “for computing happiness” right along those lines. Many of Alex’s rules ring true to the Lifehacker philosophy—like know and use a good text editor, remove any traces of software you don’t use from your computer, and use a password manager. Others are potential holy war-starters, like his rule about using only a Mac at home, or only having a desktop computer unless you edit video or audio on a daily basis. (See more explanation about Payne’s rules using the Unclutterer link below.) Obviously these rules are Payne’s personal computing choices, but they beg the question: if you had a list of rules for computing happiness, what would they be? Post up yours in the comments. Photo by givepeasachance. al3x’s Rules for Computing Happiness [Alex Payne via Unclutterer]
Firefox with Greasemonkey: The Remember The Milk Cow in Google Reader Greasemonkey script integrates web-based to-do list application Remember the Milk with popular newsreader Google Reader. After installing the user script and reload Google Reader, you’ll notice RTM’s cow-head icon next to items in Google Reader. Clicking the link opens a RTM mobile window with the item’s title, the URL for the post, and a default tag (‘website’) already filled in. This handy little addition to Google Reader makes it easy to create a to-do or reminder from something you just read, and if you’re already using the previously mentioned RTM in Gmail extension, you’re Google account just integrated that much more with your to-do list. Thanks wavetheory!
Remember the Milk Cow in Google Reader [Forgot the Milk]Many web pages would load up a heck of a lot faster on the iPhone’s Mobile Safari browser if you weren’t stuck waiting for “LOWER YOUR INTEREST RATES NOW” and the like to push through on Mobile Safari. If you’ve jailbroken your iPhone or iPod touch, however, there’s a none-too-hard hack you can make to block a good number of ads from slowing down your page loads. Here’s the step-by-step instructions for doing so:
Windows/Mac/Linux: Popular web browser Opera just pushed out a new stable release featuring overall speed improvements, several cool feature updates, and a laundry list of bug fixes. Opera still has all the excellent features that made us declare that Opera is still in the browser race with its previous release, but this latest release is faster, and it continues to add innovative features that most browsers only support through third-party extensions. Keep reading for a closer look.
Instructables author JFDuval had an old cell phone and a cheap headset laying around, so he decided to fuse them together to make better-quality calls on free VOIP service Skype. As you might imagine, you don’t get wireless calling, and this method requires a small bit of soldering and case-opening, but the author says the call quality—and, in the case of a really cheap headset, the comfort on his ears—improved noticeably. It was also a crafty way to use some spare time and two items destined for the trash. Hit the link below for the step-by-step. Cheap headset + broken mobile phone = “SkypeCell” [Instructables]
Google added “click to buy” links to select videos on YouTube this morning, offering links for purchasing Amazon MP3s or iTunes tracks from music videos, or video games from their trailer clips. It’s not the first, but it’s one of the service’s more direct attempts to justify YouTube’s $1.65 billion purchase price and monetise the service. Which begs the question: What’s the tipping point for users of the easy-to-watch, easy-to-embed service? Would you be willing to watch pre-play, post-play, or mid-clip advertisements, a la Hulu? Or would anything more than a few display ads along the side move you somewhere else? Let’s hear your take on the boundaries of an appealing video service in the comments. Click-to-buy links for songs, games added to YouTube [CNET News]
YouTube Adds Audio Preview To Comments
In what’s presumably an attempt to curb the comment cesspool at YouTube, the popular video sharing site has added an Audio Preview button to the comment section. Inspired by web comic xkcd, the positive effect of the audio preview seems questionable. Until audio previews prove their efficacy, we’ll stick with the previously mentioned YouTube Comment Snob extension, thankyouverymuch. [via]