Sunday, March 3, 2013

How To Browse the Web Faster on a Slow Internet Connection

If your current Internet speed is very slow and you are living in an area where broadband connections are still not available, here are some ideas to help you download web pages faster on your computer. You may use the same tips to  improve your web browsing experience on a sluggish USB modem.

Surf the Web Faster on Slow Internet


1. Turn off web images, the Adobe Flash plug-in, Java Applets and JavaScript from your browser settings as these files are often the bulkiest elements of any web page.

2. Increase the size of your browser cache. If the static parts of a site (like background graphics, CSS, etc) are stored in the local cache, your browser can safely skip downloading these files when you re-visit the site in future thus improving speed.

3. Sometimes the slow DNS server of your ISP can be a bottleneck so switch to OpenDNS as it can resolve website URLs into IP addresses more quickly. If you aren’t too happy about OpenDNS redirecting your Google queries, follow this simple hack.

4. Finch can serve a light-weight version of any website in real-time that is free of all bells and whistles. For instance, the New York Times homepage with all external resources can weigh more than a MB but Finch trims down the size by 90% so the site loads more quickly on a slow web connection.

5. Flinch (mentioned at #4) is good for reading regular websites but if you just need to check the latest articles published on your favorite blogs, use BareSite. This service will automatically detect the associated feed of a website and render content quickly inside a minimalist interface.

6. The Google Transcoder service at google.com/gwt/n can split large web pages into smaller chunks that will download more quickly on your computer (or mobile phone).

7. Monitor your Internet speed to determine hours when you get the maximum download speed from the ISP. Maybe you can then change your surfing schedule a bit and browse more during these "off peak" hours.

8. You can use a text browser like Lynx or Elinks for even faster browsing. It downloads only the HTML version of web pages thus reducing the overall bandwidth required to render websites.

9. When searching for web pages on Google, you can click the "Cache" link to view the text version of a web page stored in the Google Cache. Alternatively, install this GM script as it adds a "cached text only" link near every "Cached" link on Google Search pages.

10. Move your web activities offline as far as possible. You can send & receive emails, write blogs and even read feeds in an offline environment. Also see: Save Web Pages for offline reading.

11.  You can interact with websites like Flickr, Google Docs, Slideshare, etc. using simple email messages. Uploading a new document to Google Docs via email would require less bandwidth than doing it in the browser because you are avoiding a trip to the Google Docs website.

12. Applying the same logic, you may also consider using tools like Web In Mail or Email The Web as they help you browse websites via email. Just put the URL of a page (e.g., cnn.com) in the subject field of your email message and these services will send you the actual page in the reply.

13. Bookmarklets are like shortcuts to your favorite web services. You neither have to open the Gmail Inbox for composing a new email message nor do you have to visit Google Translate for translating a paragraph of text. Add relevant bookmarklets to your browser bar and reduce the number of steps required to accomplish a task.

14. Use the netstat command to determine processes, other than web browsers, that may be secretly connecting to Internet in the background. Some of these processes could be consuming precious bandwidth but you can block them using the Firewall.

15. Use URL Snooper to determine non-essential host names that a website is trying to connect while downloading a web page. You may block them in future via the hosts file or use Adblock Plus to filter out advertising banners on web pages.

16. If you don’t want to spoil your web surfing experience by stripping images and other graphic elements from  a web page, get Opera Turbo. It will first fetch the requested web page on to its own server and then send it to your machine in a compressed format. Opera Turbo won’t change the layout of a web site but can lower the image resolution so that they load faster on slow Internet.

17. Change the user agent of your desktop browser to that of a mobile phone like Apple’s iPhone or Windows Mobile. This will help you browse certain web sites like Google News, WSJ, etc. much faster because they’ll serve you a light-weight and less cluttered mobile version of their sites thinking you’re on a mobile phone.

Get an Email Alert [ with Picture ] When Someone Tries to Log into your Computer

You have a feeling that someone else used your computer (or at least made an attempt to login) while you were out for a quick coffee break. Maybe that colleague with whom you share the cubicle knows your password or he made a few guesses before finally giving up.

How do you get notified when such an attempt is made to intrude into your computer?

computer-webcam-alert
Email alert with a webcam picture of the intruder.

A new website (made in Turkey) called MouseLock.co may have a simple solution here. They will send you an email alert as well as a picture of the intruder as soon as someone tries to use your computer.

Here’s how Mouse Lock works.

You sign-in with your Google Account (they’ll send the alert to your Gmail address) and then select a secret pin on the screen. Next, put your mouse cursor in a designated area on the Mouse Lock website and leave the machine.

Now when someone moves the mouse, they will also have to enter the original pin. If they fail to do that in the first few seconds, Mouse Lock will send you an email and, if the computer has a webcam, it will use that to also snap a picture of the intruder.

Mouse Lock won’t prevent the intrusion but will at least notify you the minute it happens. And best of all, this a web app and thus requires no installation.

Internally, the site uses jQuery (mouseLeaveEvent) to detect mouse movements while the webcam photographs are captured using the getUserMedia() API currently supported in Chrome and Firefox. The alerts, possibly due to a bug, are triggered even when any of the keys are pressed and that makes it a little less useful since there’s no way to lock the computer after setting up the monitor.

Friday, March 1, 2013

Transparent 3D computer debut

Transparent 3D computer unveiled


18729835.cms
A transparent computer that allows users to reach inside and touch digital content has been unveiled at the Technology, Education and Design (TED) conference in Los Angeles.


TED fellow Jinha Lee has been working on the SpaceTop 3D desktop in collaboration with Microsoft.


Allowing people to interact with machines in the same way they do with solid objects could make computing much more intuitive, he told the BBC.


He can see the system coming into general use within a decade.


The system consists of a transparent LED display with built-in cameras, which track the user's gestures and eye movements.


The design was inspired by what he sees as a human need to interact with things.


"Spatial memory, where the body intuitively remembers where things are, is a very human skill," he said.


Translating this to the digital world will enable people to use computers more easily as well as complete more complex tasks.


"If you are working on a document you can pick it up and flip through it like a book," he said.


For more precise tasks, where hand gestures are not accurate, there is a touchpad. It will allow, for example architects to manipulate 3D models.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Top Must Have Free iPhone Apps Series [16-20]

16. Around Me


Around Me figures out where you are and lists local stuff - banks, bars, petrol stations and, er, Apple Retail Stores. The app's reliance on Google Maps info means there are gaps, but it's nonetheless handy to have installed when in unfamiliar surroundings, and the 'augmented reality' landscape mode is amusing, if flaky.

Around Me

17. Dictionary.com - Dictionary & Thesaurus


Over two million definitions, synonyms and antonyms are available in the palm of your hand with this free, offline dictionary and thesaurus. The app is fast and efficient, includes phonetic and audio pronunciation of words, and its interface seems perfectly suited to the iPhone.

Dictionary

18. Air Video Free


Air Video Free can stream (and convert as necessary) video from any computer running the free Air Video Server. You only get access to a small number of items per folder or playlist, but some careful planning can get around that limitation.

Air Video Free

19. Adobe Photoshop Express


If you're looking for Photoshop-style power, Photoshop Express won't impress. However, if you're after a quick, free, highly usable tool for making edits to your iPhone photos, Adobe's app is ideal. Use it for cropping, straightening, exposure adjustments, colour effects, sharpening and more.

Photoshop

20. iHandy Level Free


One of the tools from the excellent iHandy Carpenter toolkit app, iHandy Level Free turns your iPhone into a spirit level. By default, it'll show just how wonky your device's accelerometer is, but tap the calibrate button and you get an accurate and great-looking level.

iHandy level free

 

 

Top Must Have Free iPhone Apps Series [11-15]

11. Twitter


The official Twitter app might lack some of the features found in the likes of Tweetbot, but it does provide a sleek and simple means of using the service. It also directly mirrors the latest navigational scheme on the Twitter website.

Twitter

12. Comics


In all honesty, Comics is a little awkward compared to using it on an iPad, but you won't find a better comics experience on an iPhone. The app is free, as are dozens of downloadable comics - and once you run out of those, many more are available to buy. Reading works on a frame-by-frame automated 'zoom' basis, and is surprisingly usable.

Comics

13. Wikipanion


The Wikipedia website works fine on iPhones, but a dedicated app is a better bet. Wikipanion is a freebie which gives you quick access to article sections, in-article search, viewing options, bookmarking, and the ability to tweet about whatever odd fact you've just unearthed. Also, wonderfully, there are no ads.

Wikipanion

14. Evernote


Clients to access the popular Evernote service for storing notes and ideas online are available for so many platforms that we half expect a ZX Spectrum app to be announced tomorrow. On the iPhone, Evernote is efficient and usable, enabling you to rapidly scan your notes and also create new ones.

Evernote

15. Kindle


With iBooks on the iPhone, you might wonder why you should bother with Amazon's Kindle. After all, the app's not as pretty as iBooks, nor is there an integrated store (you buy in Safari and sync purchases to the app). However, Kindle offers a massive selection of books compared to Apple's app and the reading experience is great.

Kindle

Top Must Have Free iPhone Apps Series [6-10]

6. National Rail Enquiries


For anyone commuting by train, National Rail Enquiries is a handy app to have installed. There's journey planning, timetables and a location-aware 'next train home' option, along with progress tracking, so you can see when a train's likely to show up. It's not as usable nor as pretty as UK Train Times, but it is broadly similar - and five quid cheaper.

National Rail Enquiries

7. Skype


FaceTime is a great alternative to standard voice calls, but it's no good if you're trying to contact someone without a Mac or compatible iOS device. Therefore, Skype remains an essential download. The interface is simple and usable, enabling anyone with a Skype account to make free calls to other Skype users and cheap calls to anywhere in the world. If you're on Pay and Go, this is particularly handy, but the app also enables iPod touch users to utilise their devices for calls.

Skype

8. Movies by Flixter


Although some aspects of cinema listings app Movies by Flixter are disappointingly US-centric (notably regarding details on upcoming movies and DVDs), it succeeds where it matters. Select a film and the app figures out where you're located, lists nearby cinemas, and displays times your chosen film is showing. Efficiency can be further increased by pinning favourite cinemas to the top of the list.

Movies

9. TonePad


Virtual pianos and guitars are all very well, but purely digital musical toys are more suited to Apple handhelds. TonePad is the best of them, using a grid-based interface that enables you to turn notes on and off and compose pleasing and harmonious loops; your creations can be edited, saved and uploaded to share with other users.

Tonepad

10. Thomson Reuters News Pro


There are many free news apps, but Reuters News Pro offers a breadth of coverage that makes it a winner. Preferences enable you to tailor the app's output to the UK, and the toolbar provides swift access to news, pictures, videos and stock markets coverage.

Reuters

Top Must Have Free iPhone Apps Series [1-5]

There are now hundreds of thousands of apps available for your iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPod touch and iPad, and, surprisingly, many of the best are free.

The following list showcases our pick of the 70 best free iPhone apps, and includes iPhone applications for social networking, travel, news, photography, productivity and more.

Most of these apps are also suitable for the iPod touch.

If your top free iPhone apps aren't covered, tell us all about them in the comments.

You can also take a look through the top 10 free iPhone apps with our nifty video.

1. Facebook


The world's biggest social network brings a tightly honed experience to the iPhone and iPod touch, but nonetheless still enables you to access your contacts, feeds and other important information. This sense of focus makes it in many ways superior to using Facebook in a desktop browser.

Facebook

2. PhotoSynth


We did a bit of a double-take on seeing Microsoft's name attached to this, not least given the lack of a price-tag. But PhotoSynth is a really great panorama app; it's user-friendly and fun to use, especially when watching your panoramas take shape while you capture them.

Photosynth

3. RunKeeper


The prospect of Nike+ but better and for free might sound unlikely, but that's what RunKeeper provides. Previously split into 'pro' and 'free' versions, the developer now generously includes all the features in one free app.

That means you can spend no money, yet use your iPhone's GPS capabilities to track your jogging and cycling routes, and examine mapping and details of your pace and calories burned. Activities can be shared online, and treadmill runs and other exercise details can be entered manually.

Runkeeper

 

4. Pulse


RSS has a reputation for being a rather dry technology, feeding you dull lists of headlines. Pulse flips RSS on its head, providing streams of feeds that grab your eye with photographs. It's perhaps not for the hardcore RSS crowd, but if you follow a small number of feeds, it's a great choice.

Pulse

5. Dropbox


Plenty of apps exist for transferring content between your computer and your device, but Dropbox is free and easier to use than most of its contemporaries. Dump files you want to sync in a folder on your computer and Dropbox for your device will enable you to access them, download them for offline viewing, and, in many cases, view them.

Dropbox

 

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Share Direction And Bookmark Location with Pin Drop

Have you ever been to a place where you think you will visit the place again? Or you’re looking for a simple solution to share a direction/location with friends without directing them via phone call?

Pin Drop

We know that we can bookmark a webpage so we can re-visit the page again. As for a location, we can try Pin Drop iPhone/iPad app to drop a pin on current location as a bookmark in a map.

In short, Pin Drop allows you to bookmark a place with a pin on a map so you can refer it back when you want to re-visit the place. Furthermore, it also allows location sharing in between friends or anyone. It is definitely your second brain for places.

Pin Drop can be used via:

Use Pin Drop as iPhone/iPad App


Using Pin Drop as an app is straight and simple. First of all you have to install Pin Drop app from iTunes. After that, create a free account with Pin Drop so you can backup all your pins to cloud.

Pin Drop iPhone/iPad App

You’re allowed to add categories for your pins, such as restaurant, bar, coffee house and etc for easy search.

To drop a pin, tap on "Drop Pin" button on bottom. Your current location will be displayed and you may tap on "Set Pin Location" to bookmark it. After that, insert details for the bookmarked location with name, category and description.

Pin Drop iPhone/iPad App

To refer back bookmarked pins, tap on "Pins" or "Categories".

The best part of Pin Drop is it supports driving and walking directions from current location to a particular bookmarked pin. You may use it as GPS device.

Use Pin Drop as Web Application


Web app version of Pin Drop supports more features than iOS app. If you think the screen on iPhone is too small, you can always use the web version and sync them afterwards.

Pin Drop Website

Here, you can drop pins on the map, or search for a place or address. You’re allowed to create unlimited numbers of colour coded categories to keep your pins organised. Filter by category, distance and time since the pin was dropped.

Pin Drop Website

You can also create a curated list and share pins with friends by email, text, Facebook or Twitter.

Create Photo Collage/Grid-View Of Your Facebook Friends

You can create Photo collage of your facebook friends. Click here to visit the site that lets you to do so. then Click on Friends tab. Proceed to More tab. From “Choose an option” dropdown, choose any of the dashes “” . Your Facebook friends collage is right on your computer screen.

fb-photo-collage

How to Schedule Facebook Messages

Sendible lets you schedule Facebook messages ahead of time so you can send messages to your friends, customers or colleagues in the future.

Here is a screenshot describing it in detail.

sendible

 

How To Host webpages on Google Drive

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

20 Facebook Tips/Tricks You Might Not Know



  1. How to Update Facebook without Using Facebook


    hellotxt and Ping.fm both introduced features that let Facebook administrators update Facebook Pages.

    hellotxt


  2. How to Schedule Facebook Messages


    Sendible lets you schedule Facebook messages ahead of time so you can send messages to your friends, customers or colleagues in the future.

    sendible


  3. How to "Friend" Someone on Facebook & Hide It From Your Status Updates


    A short tutorial on Makeuseof to guide you how to hide Facebook status updates and keep that fact confined to your closer friends.



  4. How to Create a Photo Collage Using Pictures of Your Facebook Friends


    Click on Friends tab. Proceed to More tab. From "Choose an option" dropdown, choose any of the dashes "" . Your Facebook friends collage is right on your computer screen.

    photo_collage


  5. How to Know When Facebook Friends Secretly Delete or Block You


    This service has been discontinued. X-Friends is a unique tool for tracking friends that disappear from Facebook.

    X-friends


  6. How to Display Selected Pictures Only on your Facebook Profile Page


    A little-known feature in Facebook that lets you decide who shows up in that Friends box. Click that "edit" pencil in your Friends box and type the names of your best friends in the box that says "Always show these friends"

    friend_photos


  7. How to Remove Facebook Advertisements


    This Greasemonkey script – Facebook: Cleaner removes many of the annoying ads and updates that unavoidably appear on your Facebook pages.

    ads


  8. How to Syncs Photos of Facebook Friends with Contacts in Microsoft Outlook


    OutSync is a free Windows application that syncs photos of your Facebook friends with matching contacts in Microsoft Outlook. It allows you to select which contacts are updated. So you can update all contacts at once or just a few at a time.

    outsync


  9. How to Display Facebook Statuses on WordPress Blog


    The following method make use of Facebook status feed and WordPress RSS widget to display Facebook Statuses on WordPress blog.. It will also work for self-host WordPress blogs.

    statuses


  10. How to Post Your Blog Posts to Your Facebook Wall Automatically


    Wordbook allows you to cross-post your blog posts to your Facebook Wall. Your Facebook “Boxes” tab will show your most recent blog posts.

    wordbook


  11. How to Access Facebook Chat on Desktop


    Gabtastik and digsby let you keep Facebook chat sessions open on your Windows desktop outside of your regular web browser, using minimal screen real estate and system memory.



  12. How to Create Quiz on Facebook Easily


    LOLapps provides quiz creator that can be employed to conjure up these popular personality quizzes that are so widespread in Facebook.

    lolapps


  13. How to Hide Your Online Status on Facebook Chat from Select Contacts


    Facebook has integrated friends list with Chat and you can also choose which of these list members get to see you online.

    hide


  14. How to Get Facebook Updates on Email


    NutshellMail consolidates your Facebook accounts through the inbox you use the most.

    nutshellmail


  15. How to Update Facebook Status from Firefox


    FireStatus is a status update utility for multiple social networks, including FaceBook.

    firestatus


  16. How to Get Facebook on Your Desktop


    Seesmic Desktop, Facebooker, Xobni, Facebook Sidebar Gadget, Scrapboy and Facebook AIR application are desktop applications that allows you interact with your stream just as you would on Facebook, but without the browser.



  17. How to Delete, Cancel and Terminate Facebook Account and Profile


    A simple guide to terminate, delete or cancel Facebook account, together with the Facebook profile easily.

    terminate










Kay is a tech-savvy and regular writer at Hongkiat.com. He also maintains K-Director, a technology blog. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.