The Decoder blog points out that 3 is now offering an app store for 3 customers, presumably to compete with Apple’s highly successful and similarly labelled offering. 3 isn’t actually hosting the applications itself, so effectively it’s just an index page of useful tools for its X Series mobiles. I haven’t got a 3-equipped mobile at hand to check it out; if you have, let us know if you loved or loathed it in the comments. 3 launches own mobile App Store – Apps on 3
In most countries where TV has switched to digital, the government has subsidised the cost of buying new set-top boxes for the elderly and other less affluent sections of the community. (One of the main problems with the US switchover has been a shortage of vouchers to help poorer households upgrade.) Australia has now taken a similar approach, with the government announcing yesterday that it will trial an “assistance package” in the Mildura/Sunraysia area, which in 2010 will be the first region to have its analog TV transmissions switched off. As well as the expected information campaigns and labelling schemes, there’s an “in-home assistance” scheme for recipients of several classes of pensions (see the link for the details). There’s no word yet on the exact details, and no suggestion of whether the installation assistance will also include subsidised set-top boxes, but if you’re expecting to spend the year helping family members go digital, it’s something to bear in mind. Package to drive digital television transition [DBCDE]
Windows only: Startup timer utility BootRacer checks your startup speed between reboots, eliminating the need to hold a stop watch while tweaking your machine for faster boot speeds. Once installed, testing your boot speed is as simple as launching BootRacer and clicking the Race It button, which will prompt you for a few settings and then reboot your machine. By default the application is set to run at every boot and display your results with a tray icon balloon, but that can be easily changed in the settings. Once you’ve got your baseline timing, you should use Gina’s complete guide to speeding up your PC’s startup to increase your rating—and more importantly, your boot speed. BootRacer is a free download, Windows only. The utility only worked on Windows XP in my testing, but Windows Vista is supposed to be supported—so if you get it working, let us know in the comments.
BootRacer [via Shell Extension City]Windows only: Whoever you’re hiding your goofing off from—we’re not here to judge!—Dad’s Around is a lightweight boss-key application that sports some handy features for keeping your activities private. In addition to quickly minimising every window on your desktop—one of the most standard boss-key functions around—Dad’s Around has an extremely useful option to kill the foreground process. By unchecking the more tell-tale Minimize all windows feature and ticking the Kill foreground process box, you can turn Dad’s Around into a hot key activated application-terminator. That instance of Firefox you’re playing Line Rider in is but a keystroke away from execution when the boss comes calling. If you work for a company that doesn’t understand that a few minutes goofing off here and there boosts your focus, using a boss-key can keep the man off your back. Dad’s Around is completely portable and requires no additional files beyond the main executable. Dad’s Around is freeware, Windows only. Dad’s Around [via Elite Freeware]
Web application Deferred Sender sends post-dated email from any email client, including Gmail or Yahoo webmail accounts, helping you replace the frenzied middle-of-the-night email with a responsible first-thing-in-the-morning message. Once you’ve created an account, you can schedule emails by sending an email to Deferred Sender with the intended email address and future date on the first two lines of the email, followed by the email as you would normally send it. The service understands many date formats, so you can write “in 8 hours” or “tomorrow at 8pm” and the email will be sent on that date—though you can login to their panel and reschedule or delete the email if necessary. Built-in rules in Outlook offer the same functionality, but this service will work regardless of your mail client. Deferred Sender is a free service, works with any email account. Thanks, EveDarnified!
Deferred SenderWindows/Linux/Mac: SpeedCrunch is an extremely fast and lightweight calculator that supports extended expressions. Instead of pecking away entering your equations line by line, you can enter the whole thing in at once. SpeedCrunch calculates in the background while you’re entering equations, which helps in locating obvious errors as you work. It also supports syntax highlighting, so you can see immediately if you left a parentheses out. It has support for unlimited variables with multi-character names so you can create values for everything from X to SpeedOfAnAfricanSwallow; additionally, a handy ans variable is a quick way to reference the result of the last calculation. SpeedCrunch has a built-in library of mathematical constants, variables, and equations for common calculations of volume and area of 3D and 2D objects respectively. Fortunately with the number of variables available, there’s a snappy search function that is keyboard accessible. SpeedCrunch is freeware with cross-platform support for Windows (available as a portable application), Linux, and Mac. Thanks DevourerKwi!
SpeedCrunchFirefox only (Windows/Mac/Linux): Firefox extension Ghostery alerts you when you visit a web page that uses scripts to track your information and browsing habits. The extension embeds itself into your status bar and shows you a list of all tracking scripts in a small notification rectangle in the upper right-hand corner of each page you visit. The idea is very useful in principle, but since the vast majority of web sites (including this one) are advertising supported, you’ll see the notification on every page load if you keep it enabled, which can quickly get tiring—preferably, you could toggle the visibility of said window. Still, if you’re worried about your privacy online, this extension is definitely for you. Ghostery is a free download, works anywhere Firefox runs. For more on keeping your data private, see our top 10 tips to lock down your data.
Ghostery [Mozilla Add-ons via Download Squad]When you grow weary of the pedestrian sound from “ear bud” headphones, the in-ear models might be your next step up. Here’s a few tips on making your music sound great inside your ear canals. Audiophile Steve Guttenberg, who had no role whatsoever in Police Academy, suggests creating a very specific, personalised fit for the pointy headphones. One ear canal may be bigger or differently shaped than its companion, so try all the fitting pieces in each ear. You generally want to gently push the tips until you hear external noise soften. If that doesn’t work, try the “lobe tug”:
Before you push the headphone in, gently tug your earlobe down and/or out, then push the headphone in, then release the lobe. I use this technique with my Monster Turbine headphones. Again, experiment with the tugging direction, as it might take a few tries before you get it right.
There’s an alternate “ear pull” technique, and many more fitting specifics, in Guttenberg’s guide linked below. How have you gotten the best in-ear headphone fit? What brand are you rocking, or which do you dream of getting? Air your audiophile aspirations in the comments. How to get the best sound from in-ear headphones [The Audiophiliac/CNET]
