Windows only: Clean up and organise your Windows Start menu with free, open source application SMOz (Start Menu Organizer). With SMOz you can arrange your Start menu content by category through a simple, Windows Explorer-like interface. If you're not sure where to get started, try using one of the automated templates, which will move recognised applications (like iTunes) into pre-defined categories (like Multimedia). Granted, fewer and fewer of us still rely on the Start menu since the proliferation of application launchers like Launchy, but if you still prefer the old point and click of the Start menu, SMOz is an excellent tool to clean up the mess. SMOz is a free application, Windows only.

Wanna limit the time you spend goofing off online? Ask MetaFilter user myrrh created a timer that counts down a certain number of minutes in your browser title bar (or background tab) and pops up a browser alert dialog when it's done. Run a timed work dash or limit your Facebook break without installing any extra software—the magic all happens in this page's Javascript. Hit the link to give the timer a try. Thanks, Iron!

Microsoft readies Office Live Workspace, an online storage space for office documents. The catch? You can only edit the spreadsheet, Word doc or slideshow if you have MS Office installed on your computer. Uh, ok.

You can head down to your local stereo store and get fleeced for about $150 (or more) to buy a good pair of noise reduction headphones; or you can watch this video demonstration from Metacafe on how to hack your very own noise reducing headphone set for around $20. You can find the headphones that the video talks about at any home improvement store—all together, this simple DIY project takes about five minutes (not counting your visit to the store). Definitely worth a try, especially since these things are so dang expensive.

Sometimes, even though we deserve it, it can be hard to take a compliment. Productivity site Lifehack.org has this suggestion:

It wasn't luck or the goodwill of others or any other reason that you managed to do something praiseworthy, it was your own effort and commitment. Even if you truly were just in the right place at the right time, you deserve credit for recognising an opportunity and acting on it. If you wouldn't dream of not taking responsibility for your failures, then step up and take responsibility for your achievements.

Schedule free wake-up calls and reminders online with web site Wakerupper. Just enter the time and date you want your call, your timezone, phone number, email address, and an optional bit of reminder text that will be played text-to-speech style when you get the call. The site requires no registration, though registration is possible if you want to use the service for more than the occasional one-off wake-up call. Most of us have learned to use our cell phones as anywhere alarms, but if you're paranoid about waking up when you're travelling or before an important meeting, Wakerupper is a useful tool for creating anywhere, anytime wake-up calls (a little redundancy is always calming).

Get a better understanding of version control at weblog BetterExplained. Got it? Now set up your own Subversion server and learn to use it with TortoiseSVN.

You already know that you can auto-complete web site addresses in Firefox's location bar using keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl+Enter and Ctrl+Shift+Enter. (Oh, you didn't? Here's how to never type http://, www, .com or .org again.) The How-To Geek explains how to tweak Firefox's about:config settings to alter the behaviour of those keystrokes to your liking. So if you visit more .co.uk's more than .com's, Ctrl+Enter can fill in .co.uk instead. Just change the browser.fixup.alternate.suffix value to your desired suffix.

None of this will be new to power Gmailers, but Wired offers a nice howto on getting the most out of Gmail.

Our pals at Gizmodo pointed out that Gawker - publishers of Lifehacker US - have published a book. The self-deprecatingly titled Gawker Guide to Conquering all Media boasts a hilarious YouTube ad. Check it out: