Suzanne Tindal at ZDNet reports that the Australian Communications and Media Authority has approved the use of specific mobile phone jammers on planes, which makes it possible for airlines to offer onboard mobile phone call, SMS and data services. The prohibition on using phones on flights is because a phone that fails to detect a nearby tower keeps boosting its output as it attempts to connect, which is where potential interference occurs. Using a jammer stops that while making it possible to connect to a paid on-board service. Are you looking forward to on-plane connectivity — or dreading it?
ACMA ok’s in-flight mobile plans [ZDNet]The Official Gmail Blog serves up a useful tip for laconic folks who like to send subject-only messages: add (EOM) to the end of your subject line to skip Gmail’s prompt confirming if you want to send the message without any text in the body. Update: <EOM> works as well, and it doesn’t appear to be case-sensitive. EOM, of course, stands for “End of Message” and it tells both Gmail and your recipient that’s all she (or he) wrote. Here’s more on how EOM makes your email more efficient.
Tip: Sending empty messages [Official Gmail Blog]Firefox with Greasemonkey (All platforms): The Google Maps & Geode Greasemonkey user script adds a small Current Position link next to the Google Maps search box that instantly locates you on a map using Firefox’s new geolocation technology. To use this script right now, you’ll need to install the previously mentioned Geode Firefox extension—but as soon as Greasemonkey supports Firefox 3.1, which itself supports geolocation natively, you won’t need any extra extensions. Since so many Google Maps searches start at your current location, whether you’re getting directions or looking for nearby businesses, this quick link cuts out the work of entering in your address each time. Handy! Google Maps & Geode – Together At Last (gmap) [Userscripts.org]
Windows only: Give the new Firefox 3.1 beta a test drive without compromising your stable 3.0 installation with the portable version. The speedy folks at PortableApps.com are now offering Firefox 3.1 Beta 1 as a standalone application you can run from a self-contained folder on your desktop or your USB drive. Check out what’s new in Firefox 3.1 here; the portable version is a free download for Windows only . Mozilla Firefox, Portable Edition 3.1 Beta 1 [PortableApps.com]
Windows only: Free application Virtual CloneDrive mounts any common disk image file type as a virtual drive that you can browse as though it’s a normal hard drive without burning a disc. The app supports popular disk image types like ISO, BIN, and CCD, and mounting an image once you’ve installed CloneDrive is as simple as double-clicking the file. We’ve covered similar tools in the past, but CloneDrive is the simplest implementation we’ve seen, and it’s made by SlySoft, the folks who develop the popular DVD decryptor, AnyDVD. Virtual CloneDrive is a free download, Windows only. Virtual CloneDrive [via gHacks]
Wired’s How-To Wiki runs down how to optimise your web connection using tools like OpenDNS, a regular old router, and add-ons that block bandwidth-hogging content you don’t care about.
Windows only: Microsoft recently released a “Filter Pack” that adds in-document searching to the Windows indexing service. That means you can find Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Office 2007 documents based on their text contents from the Windows Vista search bar, or Windows Search 4.0 on XP. Adding the filters also adds the search capabilities to any program that relies on Windows baked-in indexing service. The Filter Pack is a free download for Windows systems only; instructions for adding content search to Exchange, SharePoint, and other Microsoft products are provided at the link below. Microsoft Filter Pack [Microsoft Download Centre via gHacks]
Firefox only (Windows/Mac/Linux): Popular bookmark-syncing Firefox extension Foxmarks has expanded to support password syncing between your browsers. Many of you have been looking for a good way to sync your passwords since Google discontinued Browser Sync, and now Foxmarks is filling that very need. We told you Foxmarks had been testing password sync a few weeks ago, and now the latest version of the extension bears the fruits of that labour. Once you’ve updated, syncing your passwords is as simple as ticking the checkbox next to Passwords in the Sync tab of the Foxmarks preferences. You’ll need to set a pin to secure your passwords (Foxmarks uses AES 256-bit encryption), but Foxmarks takes care of the rest. It’s not as comprehensive as syncing your passwords with Dropbox and KeePass or 1Password since Foxmarks only syncs browser passwords, but if that’s all you need, this one’s a winner. Thanks Dennis! Foxmarks [via Foxmarks Blog]
Mac OS X only: Speed read through text on your Mac with iReadFast, a simple app that you paste text into so it can play it back at a speed you set. iReadFast simply flashes the text, one word at a time, in a single screen. Sound seizure-inducing? Maybe, but it also saves your eyes work. Unlike normal reading this simple system frees our brain from the work of positioning the eyes word by word and keeping track of the point reached, mechanical operations which normally limit our reading speed. With iReadFast our brain can focus on the text comprehension because scanning the words is now work of the program (no more need to move the eyes) and it is no longer necessary to keep track of the reached point.
Using iReadFast you can adjust the WPM (Words Per Minute) speed that the app displays the text back to you. Though the flashing can feel distracting, it is easier on the eyes to read in place, so to speak. See more about Rapid Serial Visual Presentation at Wikipedia, and get the same functionality in Firefox using the Reasy extension. iReadFast is a free download for Mac only. Thanks, John! iReadFast
Windows/Mac/Linux (All platforms): Flock, the social-focused browser built on the Firefox codebase (and now powered by Firefox 3), has released its final 2.0 version. The newest edition includes all the improvements from the 2.0 betas, but adds much-requested integration with MySpace networking, support for the Media RSS protocol on sites that Flock doesn’t already hook into, and custom themes that work much like Firefox 3. New to Flock? Check out Jason’s screenshot tour for a look at the basic features included in the 2.0 release. Flock is a free download for Windows, Mac, and Linux systems.
Flock [via TechCrunch]
