Hasta La Gadget!

This article was written on January 25, 2011 by CyberNet.

One of my favorite features in Google Calendar is the “quick add” capability which lets you create new events using a more natural language rather than filling out a form. The number of formats it can handle are pretty extensive, and after you start using them you’ll probably find creating events any other way to be tedious.

What some people may not have realized is that you can add events to Google Calendar through SMS thanks to the quick add feature. If you have a Google Voice account you can do this for free by configuring the mobile section in your Google Calendar settings to use your Voice phone number. After you add your phone number a verification code will be sent as an SMS to your Voice account, which you’ll then enter in the required field:

So now you can add events to Google Calendar using the free SMS through your Google Voice, but you can also take it one step further. About a month ago we covered a free online service called GVMax that will let you respond to an SMS message through Google Talk as if it was an IM conversation. You can also use this kind of configuration to add events to Google Calendar through an IM, which you can see in this example event I created on my calendar:

If you decide to go this route I recommend setting up GVMax (if you haven’t done so already), and then hooking up your Google Calendar account to your Google Voice phone number. That way you’ll get the verification code as an instant message, and a Google Calendar contact will be added to your Google Talk contact list at that time. Otherwise you can always add your first event through the Google Voice interface, and it will automatically respond saying the event was created which accomplishes the same thing. Why do you need to receive a message from Google Calendar to get started? By doing that a special GVMax contact will be created in your contact list that you can use to add events on-demand in the future.

This isn’t the most elegant solution to adding events to your Google Calendar, but I must say that it’s proven to be incredibly useful for me since I keep Google Talk open most of the day.

Copyright © 2011 CyberNet | CyberNet Forum | Learn Firefox

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This article was written on September 21, 2009 by CyberNet.

Welcome to the WrapUp by CyberNet. This is a collection of news stories, downloads, and tips that we have collected over the last few days, but never got around to writing about. Don’t forget to send in your own tips, or just leave a comment on this page if you think you’ve got something we should include.

–News–

Firefox Users are Upgrading Adobe Flash
When Firefox users upgrade their browser they are shown a page that informs them of whether they’re running the latest version of the Flash plugin. Mozilla has released some stats, and apparently over 10 million users clicked the “upgrade” link in a one-week period. That’s about 30% of the people who upgraded to the latest Firefox 3.5 release, which I’d say is a pretty successful number. Nice job Mozilla!

Microsoft Offers Windows 7 for $30 to Students
College and university students can grab a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium for a mere $30. This isn’t a surprising offer since Microsoft also runs “the Ultimate Steal” which provides a copy of Office 2007 at 90% off the retail price. Windows 7 Home Premium retails for $120, which isn’t exactly 90% off, but a good deal nonetheless.

Opera Mini 5 Beta Gets Speed Dial, Tabs, and More
The Beta release of Opera Mini 5 has some incredible new features including a password manager, Speed Dial for your favorite sites, and even tabs. What’s even better, however, is the fact that it’s also optimized for touchscreen devices, and browsing with it looks pretty darn nice. Videos are available for those of you who want to check it out, but don’t have a device you can install it on.

Zune 4.0 Optimized for Windows 7
The new Zune 4.0 software comes with a lot of nice enhancements, but Windows 7 users will also be able to enjoy a few little extras. That includes jump list support and media controls (play, forward, etc…) when viewing the Taskbar preview. Aside from these Windows 7 specific features there’s also a new Quickplay interface, a Smart DJ that will mix your songs, and a Mini Player Mode.  

–News in Brief–

Google Chrome 3.0 Leaves Beta
A new stable release of Google Chrome is available, and brings a refreshed new tab page, theme support, and more.

Windows Live Writer Getting a Ribbon Interface?
Looks like there are some clues pointing to a ribbon-style interface in Windows Live Writer.

Hulu Working on a Subscription-Based Model
Some sources are saying that Hulu is working on a subscription-based version of their online television viewer, but no details are available. Does this mean we could pay to get commercial-free viewing, or maybe they’d even allow users from outside the U.S.?

Digsby Cleans Up Installer, a Little
Digsby is trying to make amends with some of their users by making it a bit more obvious what you’re getting into when installing their messenger software.

YouTube Adds Resume Support on Longer Videos
If you’re watching a YouTube video longer than 20 minutes, close the page, and then reopen it you should see that the video will pick up where you left off.

Initial Snow Leopard Sales Double that of Leopard
According to a research firm Apple has sold more than double the number of Snow Leopard copies as they did Leopard in 2007.

Google Wants Chrome at 10% Market Share in 2-years
In one year Google wants to have 5% of the browser market share, and in two years they want to have 10% market share.

Google Acquires reCAPTCHA
The acquisition of reCAPTCHA by Google was a smart one, because they can now use the technology to help with Optimal Character Recognition (OCR) for their books.

Bing Grabs Over 10% of the Search Market
Bing’s market share rose another 22% from July to August, which gives them 10% of the overall search market.

Google Fast Flip: A New Way to Read News  
Last week Google showed off a new visual approach to keeping up on the lastest news.

Wii Price Cut Coming: $199
Several advertisements for retailers are showing a $50 price cut on the Wii that will be coming soon, and will bring it down to $199.

Intuit Acquires Mint for $170 Million
Intuit, the creators of Quicken, can now add Mint to their repertoire of online financial management tools.

Bing’s New Way to Search: Visually
Bing now lets users search for items, such as cars, visually. You must have Silverlight installed if you want to try it out.

–Tips, Tutorials, and Reviews–

Using Dropbox for more than File Syncing
I’ve got into using Dropbox for a lot more than just syncing files, and this guide covers some of the things I’m using it for. One of my favorites is being able to remotely kick off a torrent download so that it’s completed by the time I get home. The list also covers syncing your passwords, your Pidgin profile, and portable applications.

How to Rip Your Music
Gizmodo has put together a great guide for anyone looking to rip some CD’s on both Windows and Mac. Many audio players, such as iTunes, include this kind of functionality. Music fanatics, however, might not like the lack of control they have over how their music is ripped. This guide puts the control back in your hands.

Hide Your Tweeting While at Work
This article covers two different apps that will mask your tweeting habits while your at work: one that simulates the command prompt, and another that looks like a spreadsheet. My favorite is the spreadsheet app, called Spreadtweet, that can resemble iWork, Office 2003, or Office 2007. It will certainly make you do a double-take the first time you see it.

Backup Your Wireless Settings in Windows 7
Windows 7 includes a nice new feature that lets you save your wireless settings to an executable. These settings can then be restored simply by running the executable. How is this useful? Well, if you have a complicated security key this could make it easy for guests to connect to your network without walking them through a long set of instructions.

–Tips in Brief–

Automatically Adjust Screen Resolutions for Each PC User
This free app will let you set screen resolutions based upon which user is currently logged in to the machine.

Restore Zune 4.0′s “Missing” Features (users outside the U.S.)
Are you missing some of the cool new features in the Zune 4.0 software simply because you live outside the U.S.? This is your solution.

Windows 7 Jump List Support for Winamp
Winamp may not natively include Jump List support in Windows 7, but a plugin is available that can add the jumpy goodness to your Taskbar.

Hide Outlook to the System Tray
Trying to conserve some of your precious Taskbar space? Throw Outlook into your System Tray with this app.

Launch Apps from Your System Tray
This application launcher lets you store shortcuts to all of your favorite apps in one easy-access System Tray icon.

Add the Recycle Bin to the Windows 7 Taskbar
Want faster access to the Recycle Bin in Windows 7? This trick will let you have it right on the Taskbar.

Alternative Sites to CliffsNotes
Not the kind of person that likes reading books? Bookmark these 7 sites… they’ll come in handy.

–Downloads–

• AIM 7.0.10.18 ^{Beta 6} [Mirror]
• Avant Browser 11.7.38 [Mirror]   
• ChromePlus 1.2.4 [Mirror]
• Digsby Build 65 ^Beta [Mirror]
• FeedDemon 3.0.0.38 ^Pre-Release [Mirror]
• Google Chrome 4.0.211.2 ^Beta [Mirror]
• KeePass 2.0.9 [Mirror]
• KMPlayer 2.9.4.1435 [Mirror]
• MediaMonkey 3.1.2.1266 [Mirror]
• Miranda 0.8.6 [Mirror]
• PeaZip 2.7.0 [Mirror]
• Sandboxie 3.39.17 ^Beta [Mirror]
• SeaMonkey 2.0 ^{Beta 2} [Mirror]
• Ubuntu 9.10 ^{Alpha 6} [Mirror]
• uTorrent 1.8.4.16442 [Mirror]
• uTorrent 2.0.0.16546 ^Beta [Mirror]
• Windows Live Messenger 2009.14.0.8089 [Mirror]
• Zune 4.0 [Mirror]

Copyright © 2011 CyberNet | CyberNet Forum | Learn Firefox

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You’ve seen Windows Phone 7 and Android both ported to the stately HTC HD2, now how about having them on the same device at the same time? Well, not literally at the same time, that’d be all sorts of confusing, but the restless souls over at xda-developers have figured out multiple ways to install both WP7 and Android on the HD2 while using the same SD card. We’ve looked at them and none of the methods seem particularly trivial or, you know, easy, but then what would be the point of a dual-boot solution if everyone could just up and do it? Detailed instructions await at the source link.

[Thanks, engadgeteer]

Continue reading HTC HD2 can now dual-boot Windows Phone 7 and Android, promises to love them equally

HTC HD2 can now dual-boot Windows Phone 7 and Android, promises to love them equally originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 04:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Pocketnow  |  xda-developers, vgeorom (YouTube)  | Email this | Comments

This article was written on February 12, 2008 by CyberNet.

Time Saving Tuesday

I remember when online stores first started popping up everyone was wondering how in the world such a marketplace would continue to exist. At the time online prices were about the same as they were in the retail stores, but shipping costs killed any savings that you would have received. Now things are not only cheaper online, but a lot of stores offer free shipping on purchases.

Now the problem that I encounter the most is keeping track of all the packages that are supposed to be coming to me. Just a few weeks ago I had a package who’s status said that it was delivered, but I never actually received it. Luckily the company that I ordered it from quickly refunded my money, but if I was not tracking the package a lot of time could have passed before I realized that there was an issue.

You can always track packages through the carrier’s website, but there are alternate methods available that make staying on top of multiple orders extremely simple. Here are my four favorite ways to track packages…

–TrackThePack (Homepage)–

This is one of my favorite package tracking services because it sports a clean interface, and is powered by AJAX. To get started you enter in a tracking number, hit the submit button, and you’ll instantly see the results. If you decide against creating an account the tracking numbers will still be stored in their database using your IP address.

–TrackMyShipments (Homepage)–

Works with UPS, FedEx, DHL, and USPS.

TrackMyShipments is a unique service that makes package tracking a piece of cake. All you have to do is signup for the free service with the email address that you use when ordering your items. Then just forward any emails containing tracking numbers to track@trackmyshipments.com, and the tracking information will magically start appearing in your account.

One of the reasons that I like this service is that all of your information is available from any computer, thereby making it easy to track your packages even when you’re on-the-go. You’ll also get quick access to the email that you forwarded to the service in case you need to grab additional order information.

[via Lifehacker]

–iSnoop (Homepage)–

Works with UPS, FedEx, DHL, and USPS.

When you track packages with iSnoop you’re provided with an easily bookmarkable URL so that you can jump back to see your tracking status at anytime. You’ll also see how your package has moved from one point to another via Google Maps.

The most notable feature, in my opinion, is the RSS tracking option. Each item that you track on iSnoop will have an RSS feed available so that you can receive tracking updates right in your feed reader. If you’re always buried in your feed reader I think this is a great way to keep up-to-date on your packages’ progress.

Tip: If you’re running Vista there’s also a sidebar gadget available using the data from iSnoop.

–Track Package Extension (Homepage)–

Firefox users get the pleasure of having this extension available at their fingertips. You can use it to recognize tracking numbers on a website or in an email, and then have it take you to the carrier’s official site to see the progress. The extension will also keep a list of the packages you’ve tracked in the past to provide an efficient way of tracking your existing packages:

–Overview–

There are likely dozens if not hundreds of different ways to track your packages, and now we would like to hear what your favorite tools are! Hit us up in the comments below with the different ways you stay on top of your online orders.

Copyright © 2011 CyberNet | CyberNet Forum | Learn Firefox

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This article was written on May 23, 2008 by CyberNet.

I’ve read about how a lot of people have chosen to disable User Account Control (UAC) in Vista because of the headaches that can result from it. That’s mostly because of applications that have not yet been programmed to run in a general user mode, and they are still accustomed to running as a privileged user just as they did in XP.

If you’ve chosen to leave UAC enabled then there are a few different ways you can selectively bypass the UAC prompt without disabling it all together. One way is to take ownership of files, but there is also another rather clever method that takes advantage of the Task Scheduler. Here’s some background as to how it works:

Few days ago I tried to run some scheduled task that required admin privileges. After some investigation I found out that you can specify that scheduled task can run using highest privileges.

These scheduled tasks don’t prompt you with UAC. First idea that came to my mind was – OK, so if scheduled task runs on demand, then it should in fact disable UAC for specific program? I tried it and it worked… So for some time I was using on demand scheduled tasks – for example instead of running MMC I run Schtasks /Run /TN “Elevated\MMC”.

The end result is a context menu entry that shows up whenever you right-click on a file or shortcut (as pictured above). It’s labeled “Elevate me,” and works exactly as advertised. When you select that option from the menu the program runs as an administrator without a single UAC prompt.

To confirm this I ran the command line and tried to release my IP address. When running the command line normally it wouldn’t let me make the change, but using the “Elevate me” option made it possible to release my IP. And I never had a UAC prompt asking if I wanted to confirm the action.

You can also turn this into a shortcut so that you won’t even have to right-click on a file to elevate it, but you really only have to do that if a particular program always needs to run as an administrator.

Download Elevator [via Lifehacker]

Copyright © 2011 CyberNet | CyberNet Forum | Learn Firefox

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