Hasta La Gadget!

This article was written on January 13, 2010 by CyberNet.

The demand for parental controls on computers is rapidly growing as kids continue to get their own personal machines. That’s why Microsoft started to include some of that functionality in Vista and Windows 7, but it is generally pretty basic when it comes down to limiting the amount of time a user can spend on the machine.

Romaco Timeout is a free application that is a little different than other parental controls in that it doesn’t focus on filtering out web content or controlling what games a user can play. All it does is enforce usage time limits in a variety of different ways:

• Daily quota: Specify how much time the user is allowed to spend on the computer on any given day.
• Session time limit: Specify how much time the user is allowed to spend on the computer each time they login.
• Online usage restrictions: Specify how much time the user can spend online before their browser is locked. It considers you “online” when you have a web browser running. If you close the browser the quota will be paused.

If you’re going to use Romaco Timeout I highly recommend grabbing the Beta version because it has some extra features and bug fixes that previous versions don’t have. I don’t expect everyone to go out and grab an app like this, but there quite a few scenarios where I could see this being useful. The obvious use is if you have kids, but it may also be helpful for shared computers and/or kiosks that are in public places (which is where the “per-session” limits would really apply).

Romaco Timeout Homepage (Windows only; Freeware)
Thanks Tomas

Copyright © 2014 CyberNetNews.com

This article was written on May 04, 2012 by CyberNet.

In XBMC one of the things that is probably the most important is to get the software hooked up to your personal media. This includes media from all of your various collections like videos, pictures, and music. If you’re new to XBMC you’ll probably be better off adding your first source or two through the XBMC interface, but after that you can make the changes a little more quickly by directly updating the appropriate configuration file. So we will show you both ways.

We will even take things a step further and explain how you can have all your XBMC instances share the same configuration file. With that in place anytime you add a new source to the configuration file that same source will be added to any XBMC instance using that file.

Note that our tutorials below are going to focus on videos, but a similar process can also be applied to music and pictures.

Adding Sources in XBMC

Here are the steps you need to follow if you want to add your media to XBMC through the built-in interface.

1. Go to Videos -> Files -> Add Videos
2. XBMC will let you add sources in one of two ways:
   1. Click the Browse button and browse for your media based on the type of source:
      
   2. If you know the path to your media source you can just enter it in manually:
      Highlight the None option and press Enter:
      
      Enter in the path and select Done:
      
3. Enter a name for your media source at the bottom of the window and press Enter:
   
4. Select the type of media the folder contains so that it can scrape information from the Internet for each of the files contained within the folder:
   

Adding Sources in the Config File

If you have a ton of folders that you want added to XBMC then using the interface above may not be the most efficient and practical method. You can speed things up a bit by editing the configuration file directly. For starters go ahead and close out of XBMC, and then navigate to your profile folder:

• Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/XBMC/userdata/
• Windows: %appdata%\XBMC\userdata\

Once in your profile directory find and open up the sources.xml file. If the file doesn’t already exist I recommend adding a source in the XBMC interface first so that you can see what the structure of the file looks like. When it comes to videos you’ll be adding nodes in the <video> section of the file that look like this:

<source>
<name>Movies</name>
<path pathversion="1">smb://192.168.1.10/XBMC/Movies/</path>
</source>

In my particular case this will create a source pointing to a shared SMB/Samba/CIFS folder for movies that I had set up. You can also use paths to local folders or any of the supported source types.

There is one caveat that I should mention about adding media directly through the sources XML file. While any changes you make to the file should be reflected in XBMC once you restart the app you’ll still need to go in and update the type of videos contained in the source. Here’s what you need to do:

1. In XBMC go the Videos -> Files
   
2. Highlight the source you just added, and then open the context menu by pressing “C” on the keyboard. Then select the Change Content option:
   
3. Now you can choose the type of media contained in the source (TV shows, movies, music videos):
   

Sharing One Config File

How about we take a look at sharing the XML file now that you have already familiarized yourself with the file itself. The process is pretty simple, and for a more detailed explanation I will refer you to our guide on sharing configuration files in XBMC.

For more experienced users I will point out that all you need to do is add the following lines to your advancedsettings.xml file:

<substitute>
<from>special://masterprofile/sources.xml</from>
<to>smb://192.168.1.10/XBMC/Settings/sources.xml</to>
</substitute>

Just update the path with the shared location of the sources.xml file. Repeat this process for every instance of XBMC you have running in your house and they should all pick up any sources that you add or remove.

After doing all of this may need to run through the steps mentioned above for setting the content type on each of the sources since that’s not configurable through the sources.xml file, but that’s just a minor step.

CyberNet’s XBMC Guides:

• XBMC: Introduction to Our Upcoming Guides
  Our introduction provides some of the deciding factors for switching from Windows Media Center to XBMC.
• XBMC: Build Your Own HTPC
  Our extensive guide on the hardware we chose for our home theater PCs (HTPCs), the cost, and some tips on choosing the hardware for your own HTPC.
• XBMC: Prepare and Optimize Windows 7
  A helpful list of tips to optimize the performance of Windows 7 so that the system is able to offer as many resources to XBMC as it can.
• XBMC: IR Receiver and Remote (Harmony, Xbox 360, and More)
  If you want your HTPC to operate like a set-top box you’ll definitely want to get a remote control configured, and for me this was a critical step so that I wouldn’t have to be concerned about less tech-savvy users trying to use my TV.
• XBMC: Share and Sync Media/Settings Between Multiple XBMC Installs
  Configuring XBMC to share settings between multiple instances means you’ll be able to stop a show in one room, and seamlessly pick up where you left off in another room.
• XBMC: Fit the Picture to Your TV with Overscan
  If XBMC doesn’t fit your TV screen perfectly there are a couple of steps you can take to get it just right.
• XBMC: Installing Skins
  How to tweak the appearance of XBMC so that it looks the way you want it to.
• XBMC: Custom Home Screen Menu Backgrounds
  Make the backgrounds of your chosen skin/theme a little more interesting by having it flip through artwork from your favorite TV shows and movies.
• XBMC: Dynamic Weather Backgrounds
  If you’re using the Aeon MQ 3 theme you can have it use dynamic wallpapers that change based on the time of day and current weather conditions.
• XBMC: SMB on Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion)
  I use a Mac to serve up files to my XBMC instances running on Windows, and so my preferred protocol for sharing files is SMB. This guide explains how you can get a XBMC-compatible version of SMB running on Mac OS X 10.7 Lion.
• XBMC: Adding Media Sources
  Learn how to add your media to XBMC and turn on the appropriate content scrapers.
• XBMC: Troubleshoot Buffering Issues
  Trying to troubleshoot buffer issues in XBMC can be quite a pain, and so I lay out some of the most common culprits.
• XBMC: Test Your HTPC with High Bitrate Sample Videos
  Want to see how well your HTPC performs? Throw some of these high bitrate 1080p sample videos at it.
• XBMC: More Advanced Settings
  Configure some of the settings that you won’t find anywhere in the GUI.
• XBMC: Stream Hulu, Food Network, and More
  Thanks to add-ons you can stream videos from some of your favorite sources including Hulu, Food Network, HGTV, TWiT, and more.
• XBMC: AirPlay on Windows
  Send videos from your iOS device to any XBMC instance with very little configuration.
• XBMC: Web Interface and Chrome Extension
  As long as you are on the same network as your XBMC box you can control it from any browser using the built-in web interface, or you can install a Chrome extension to make it even easier.
• XBMC: iPhone and iPad Remote
  If you own an iPhone or iPad you can enjoy one of the best XBMC remote control experiences I’ve seen, and it will only cost you a few bucks.
• XBMC: A List of Our Guides, Plus Helpful Wiki and Forum Posts
  A recap of all the guides we’ve written as well as useful wiki and forum post from the official XBMC.org site.
• XBMC: Free and Official iOS Remote for XBMC Released
  This is the free and official XBMC remote control iOS app (optimized for both the iPhone and iPad). It will let you easily control all of the XBMC instances in your house as long as they are all on the same network.
• XBMC: Running XBMC on Startup in Windows 8
  Learn how you can make XBMC start automatically when Windows 8 boots.
• XBMC: Send YouTube Videos From Chrome to XBMC
  Send YouTube videos from your PC to any XBMC instance in a single click.
• XBMC: Aeon MQ 4 Skin
  If you’re looking for one of the best and most popular XBMC skins the Aeon MQ 4 is a great choice.
• XBMC: Android Widget Remote Control
  Control multiple instances of XBMC without ever having to open an app on your Android device!

Copyright © 2014 CyberNetNews.com

This article was written on August 27, 2009 by CyberNet.

UPDATE: As some commenters have pointed out certain antivirus applications are flagging this application as containing a trojan. My antivirus, NOD32, did not find any virus though. So it’s up to you whether you want to proceed.

We’ve seen all kinds of Aero glass emulators for XP cross our path. The problem is that the moment they start to show any potential the developers fall off the map and updates are pretty much non-existent. A few weeks ago when I saw one called Border Skin over at Lifehacker I put off trying it because, frankly, I was sick of being disappointed.

Man, I have to say that I’m sorry I didn’t try this sooner. First off, it’s portable so there’s no installation involved. Just download, extract, and run. The settings are self-contained in the directory you run it from so there’s not a bunch of random files you need to worry about finding should you decide to delete it.

Second, it looks remarkable. You can turn the blur effect on or off, there are about 15 different colored themes you can choose from (the one pictured above is the Windows 7 style), and overall it just feels like it’s part of the operating system. Over the last few days I’ve been using this full-time on one of my XP machines, and there have been very few times that it even crossed my mind that this wasn’t an integrated part of the operating system. It’s that fluid.

Lastly, performance. This thing performed so well on my XP laptop that it got me wondering what it would be like on a low-end piece of hardware. I don’t have any old computers lying around, but then I realized that throwing it in a virtual machine would be a really good test considering that Aero glass on Vista or Windows 7 isn’t available in any virtual environment due to graphics restrictions. So I put it on an XP virtual machine with 512MB of RAM, enabled all the effects including blurring, and then took the screenshot you see above. It all worked amazingly well even on a virtual machine with limited resources. The only issues I saw was some slight jumping if I’d drag the windows around really fast, and when closing a window the border would remain visible for about a half a second after the app closed. Definitely not a deal breaker, and these results were much less noticeable on my dedicated machine.

It also got me wondering what it does with “borderless” windows such as Google Chrome. Good news… it does nothing! I was worried that it may add a border around those applications regardless of whether they need one or not, but it doesn’t. This is because it has an “exclude list” file that can be used to specify windows that shouldn’t be skinned. Common apps like Chrome and Windows Live Messenger are already in this list for you.

So a big thanks to the developer for coming up with an awesome solution, and I can’t wait to see what else will be added in future versions! This is already the most complete Aero glass emulator for Windows XP that I’ve used, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Border Skin Homepage (Windows only; 32-bit only; freeware)

Copyright © 2014 CyberNetNews.com

This article was written on August 26, 2007 by CyberNet.

I’m a huge fan of coming up with cheap hacks that replace otherwise expensive solutions. I thought I would use this article to discuss creating a low-cost laptop sleeve from various items, as well as picking up a nice laptop stand at the store for under $5. Hopefully these instructions will save you some time and money…

–Laptop Sleeve–

I originally saw this trick on Lifehacker, and I thought it was really clever. Someone had made a sleeve for their laptop using 3 or 4 FedEx envelopes! Directions on how to make your own are available on Instructables, and here is what the final result looks like:

Instructables also has two other alternatives for laptop sleeves: one made with a hoodie, and another made with a simple piece of fabric. Before you get going on any of these tricks you’ll want to have some sewing skills!

I, however, forked out about $25 to purchase a well-padded laptop sleeve that fits my computer very snuggly. If I’m going to be using this to transport my computer I want to have something that does a little more than just prevent scratches.

–Laptop Stand–

I had given a tutorial back in June regarding how to change your primary monitor. Since then I’ve had several people ask me what I used to get my laptop lifted off of the desk, and make it more at level with my standalone monitor:

In the photo the stand is the four white legs holding up the laptop, and it’s just a wire shelf often used in the kitchen. Here is someone selling a similar shelf on Amazon for $5, but I picked up a three-pack of these at our local Walmart for under $6 (they varied slightly in size). I recommend going to a department store and looking in the kitchen section for these if you want one yourself. It surely beats paying $32 for something that serves the same purpose.

And besides for just putting the laptop at an equal level to this monitor, it also serves a few other purposes. Since it is a wire rack it provides plenty of ventilation for the various vents on the computer, and therefore it runs cooler than normal. Not only that, but the way the rack is designed makes it possible for me to easily utilize the space underneath the computer for something else.

Tip: Some stores will have these stands in aluminum or stainless steel for a few dollars more, and that style looks a lot nicer. I decided to just go with the cheapest thing I could find though.

–Have Any Laptop-Related Tips?–

If you’ve got some sort of cheap hack that you’ve come up with for your laptop feel free to share them! I hate paying more than I have to for items that serve the similar purposes, and I’m sure plenty of you have come up with some clever setups. Hit us up in the comments below.

Copyright © 2014 CyberNetNews.com

This article was written on October 29, 2007 by CyberNet.

Last week Gmail launched free IMAP support, which was one of the most user-requested features. We were fortunate and got the IMAP access to show up in our account simply by logging out and logging back in, but some of my friends are still sitting around waiting for it to show up in their accounts. Google has said that it will take about a week to roll it out to everyone, which means all accounts should have access to IMAP by the end of the month (on Wednesday).

Since the launch of IMAP support I’ve received several questions from friends and readers wondering how it all works, and why they should use it. Lifehacker has a killer article that walks you through using Thunderbird with Gmail’s IMAP, and so I thought I would just give a quick rundown on the important points such as setting it up.

–IMAP vs. POP–

IMAP, unlike POP3, supports two-way communication between the email client and Gmail. If you read/delete a message in, lets say Outlook, the same action will be taken on the message in your Gmail account. If you put an email in a folder, for example “Personal”, in Outlook it will also be labeled as “Personal” on Gmail. I think you get the gist.

For a lot of people IMAP is just better because you don’t have to manage your email in two different places. Although some people still prefer to use POP because they know that their messages are still accessible in the event that they permanently delete it from their email client.

–How to Enable Gmail IMAP–

As of right now Gmail is still rolling out IMAP access to their users, but they plan on it being done around Wednesday, October 31st. They require that you set your interface language to “English (US)” in order to use the IMAP access, and when it becomes available this is how you can enable it:

1. Log in to your Gmail account.
2. Click Settings at the top of any Gmail page.
3. Click Forwarding and POP/IMAP.
4. Select Enable IMAP.
5. Click Save Changes.

–Setup your Email Client–

Setting up the IMAP access is not all that different from setting up a POP account, but there are some address and port changes you need to be aware of. Here are the general settings that you’ll need:

Google has more detailed setup instructions available for the most popular email clients:

• Apple Mail
• Blackberry
• iPhone
• Outlook 2003
• Outlook 2007
• Outlook Express
• Symbian S60
• Thunderbird 2.0
• Windows Mail
• Windows Mobile 6

–How Gmail IMAP Works–

*IMAP translates labels with a forward slash (/) into a folder hierarchy like you see in your computer’s file system. If you have a label such as ‘Family/Friends,’ you may want to reconsider your naming schemes because your IMAP client will display it as a folder named ‘Family’ with a subfolder named ‘Friends.’

**If you delete a message from your inbox or one of your custom folders in your IMAP client, it will still appear in [Gmail]/All Mail. Why’s that? In most folders, deleting a message simply removes that folder’s label from the message, including the label identifying the message as being in your inbox. [Gmail]/All Mail shows all of your messages, whether or not they have labels attached to them. If you want to delete a message from all folders, move it to the [Gmail]/Trash folder. If you delete a message from [Gmail]/Spam or [Gmail]/Trash, it will be deleted permanently.

–Applying Multiple Labels–

Managing your email can be a bit tricky since Gmail uses labels and almost all email clients use folders. Naturally if you move an email to a folder in your email client, it will have the same label applied on Gmail. But how can you add more than one label to an email?

It’s actually fairly simple. Copy a message, instead of moving it, to each folder corresponding to the labels you want to have applied. Gmail will recognize this action and apply multiple labels to the same message.

–What Doesn’t Gmail IMAP Support–

From first glance it may seem like Gmail’s IMAP service supports everything that you’ll need, but there are still a few things that have not been implemented:

• \Answered and \Recent flags on messages.
• Folder subscriptions. All folders are always in the ‘Subscribed’ list.
• Substring search. All searches are assumed to be words.
• Searching arbitrary headers. Only some headers are available for searches: From/CC/BCC/To/Subject.
• There is no SIEVE interface to Gmail filters.
• Only plain-text LOGIN over SSL tunneled connections are supported.

Copyright © 2014 CyberNetNews.com