Friday, January 2, 2009
Fix
VLoud Boosts Your Audio Volume
11:30PM Jason Fitzpatrick | If you need to increase the volume of an MP3 or WAV file and you’re either away from your regular suite of audio-tweaking software or don’t have one to begin with, webapp Vloud can help. The web site is incredibly simple, with a single page and a very straightforward function. Upload an MP3 or WAV file, up to 10MB in size, and then select how much you’d like to increase the volume. There is no numerical scale, which might strike some users as entirely unscientific but the “light, loud, louder and loudest” designations get the job done. Selecting loudest will return an MP3 with a significant increase in the base sound level. VLoud [via MakeUseOf] More »
Design
Free Mac Screensavers
11:02PM Gina Trapani | Macworld’s Dan Frakes shows off his favourite screensavers for Mac OS X in this video clip and many (but not all) are free, including AlphaBabySaver, Big Time Screen Saver, Econ, and Euphoria. Hit the Macworld site to get the full list of recommended ’savers. Personally I’m a huge fan of the built-in Word of the Day ’saver on my Mac. Do you use screensavers any more? Which is your favourite? Let us know in the comments. Screen savers live! [Macworld] More »
Fix
Yellowsn0w Unlocks The iPhone 3G (For Some)
10:40PM Gina Trapani | iPhone 3G only: The iPhone Dev Team responsible for jailbreaking tools like QuickPwn and PwnageTool release the unappetizingly-titled Yellowsn0w, unlocking software that makes using a different carrier on your iPhone possible. In theory. Gizmodo reports that the unlock didn’t work on their handset, as well as a significant percentage of other users (though it did for many, too). To try it out, take a deep breath, jailbreak the phone, and install yellowsn0w via the Cydia or Installer app. Did you give the unlocker a try? How did it go for you? Post up your experience in the comments. Don’t eat yellowsn0w! [Dev-Team Blog via TheNextWeb.com] More »
Organise
4:30PM Angus Kidman | OK, it might be holiday season, but there’s still plenty of new stuff kicking around Lifehacker. Here’s five ideas from the last week to consider pursuing when you’re not otherwise having fun:
Start shedding that Christmas poundage with Weightbot
Photograph your keys for use in case of an emergency
Check out the best beta releases from last year
Get a free logo for that new business idea
Fill out the Australian Broadband Survey
More »
Five Things To Do This Weekend
4:30PM Angus Kidman | OK, it might be holiday season, but there’s still plenty of new stuff kicking around Lifehacker. Here’s five ideas from the last week to consider pursuing when you’re not otherwise having fun:
Start shedding that Christmas poundage with Weightbot
Photograph your keys for use in case of an emergency
Check out the best beta releases from last year
Get a free logo for that new business idea
Fill out the Australian Broadband Survey
More »
Travel
1:30PM Angus Kidman | Guest blogger Ilaria at TwiTip writes about how she used her network of Twitter contacts for a real-world benefit: inviting people to stay with her in New York and (in return) making new friends from around the world (and lining up possible holiday visits for the future). The post also runs over some of the trust issues involved in this kind of arrangement, with a useful reminder that electronic communication shouldn’t automatically equate to massive paranoia:
The truth is that at some point we just have to decide to trust people. And this goes for people we know in the flesh and people we meet online.
How Twitter Can Get You a Home in Every Port
More »
Get Accommodation From Twitter Users Around The World
1:30PM Angus Kidman | Guest blogger Ilaria at TwiTip writes about how she used her network of Twitter contacts for a real-world benefit: inviting people to stay with her in New York and (in return) making new friends from around the world (and lining up possible holiday visits for the future). The post also runs over some of the trust issues involved in this kind of arrangement, with a useful reminder that electronic communication shouldn’t automatically equate to massive paranoia:
The truth is that at some point we just have to decide to trust people. And this goes for people we know in the flesh and people we meet online.
How Twitter Can Get You a Home in Every Port
More »
Communicate
12:00PM Angus Kidman | It’s January 2, 2009, which means that Australia’s three commercial TV networks are allowed to launch their own standard-definition digital TV channels to run alongside their existing main channels and HD offshoots. While this strategy has been very successful in driving uptake of digital TV in European markets, it seems our local networks can’t be bothered. As Nick Tabakoff
reports at The Australian, the first such service (a sports channel from 10) won’t roll until April, even though the January 2009 start date has been known since late 2006. While TV networks legitimately complain about the effect piracy has on their business models, it’s hard to feel sympathetic when they deliberately ignore an opportunity to offer a better service, especially given how hard they fight against any attempts to let other people access TV spectrum.
Networks ‘not serious’ about multi-channelling [The Australian]
More »
TV Networks Still Stalling On Digital Channels
12:00PM Angus Kidman | It’s January 2, 2009, which means that Australia’s three commercial TV networks are allowed to launch their own standard-definition digital TV channels to run alongside their existing main channels and HD offshoots. While this strategy has been very successful in driving uptake of digital TV in European markets, it seems our local networks can’t be bothered. As Nick Tabakoff
reports at The Australian, the first such service (a sports channel from 10) won’t roll until April, even though the January 2009 start date has been known since late 2006. While TV networks legitimately complain about the effect piracy has on their business models, it’s hard to feel sympathetic when they deliberately ignore an opportunity to offer a better service, especially given how hard they fight against any attempts to let other people access TV spectrum.
Networks ‘not serious’ about multi-channelling [The Australian]
More »
Communicate
11:00AM Angus Kidman | Broadband discussion and news site Whirlpool has just commenced its annual Australian Broadband Survey, looking at the performance of Australian Internet providers and the issues that concern net users. With Internet filtering proposals still pushing ahead, the survey’s more important than ever this year as a wide-scale measure of the thoughts of the Aussie Internet community, so take 10 minutes to fill it out between now and the end of January.
Whirlpool Australian Broadband Survey
More »
Whirlpool Broadband Survey Now Running
11:00AM Angus Kidman | Broadband discussion and news site Whirlpool has just commenced its annual Australian Broadband Survey, looking at the performance of Australian Internet providers and the issues that concern net users. With Internet filtering proposals still pushing ahead, the survey’s more important than ever this year as a wide-scale measure of the thoughts of the Aussie Internet community, so take 10 minutes to fill it out between now and the end of January.
Whirlpool Australian Broadband Survey
More »
Communicate
10:04AM Angus Kidman | Electronic program guide Ice TV has published a listing of the most popular programs recorded by users of its service in 2008. What’s interesting about the list is how little resemblance it bears to overall TV ratings: for instance, Australia’s top-rated new local drama Packed To The Rafters is nowhere in sight. On the other hand, niche programs like Top Gear (UK and local) and Mythbusters are very much in evidence. The obvious conclusion? Despite their immense usefulness, EPG-based services are still very far from mainstream – perhaps because they’re still too fiddly to use.
More »
Ice TV’s Most Recorded Shows Of 2008
10:04AM Angus Kidman | Electronic program guide Ice TV has published a listing of the most popular programs recorded by users of its service in 2008. What’s interesting about the list is how little resemblance it bears to overall TV ratings: for instance, Australia’s top-rated new local drama Packed To The Rafters is nowhere in sight. On the other hand, niche programs like Top Gear (UK and local) and Mythbusters are very much in evidence. The obvious conclusion? Despite their immense usefulness, EPG-based services are still very far from mainstream – perhaps because they’re still too fiddly to use.
More » 