Oct 19

How to Repair Your Internet Connection

Posted in: Freeware, Internet Explorer, Software, Today's Chili, Windows

This article was written on February 11, 2011 by CyberNet.

arrow Windows Windows only arrow
internet repair.pngThere are an infinite number of reasons as to why someone’s Internet connection could stop working, but even with that in mind there are still a number of things we techies are “trained” to check first before banging our heads against the wall. I’m talking about things like releasing/renewing the IP address, flushing the DNS, and checking the Windows Firewall settings.

Thanks to a program called Complete Internet Repair all of those “tier 1″ troubleshooting efforts can be taken care of automatically for you. This free portable app tries to repair all of the most troublesome Internet-related issues including Windows Update problems and the mind-numbing lack of network connectivity.

Here’s a list of situations that the developers have said their program fares well in:

  • Internet or network problem after removing adware, spyware, virus, worm, Trojan horse, etc.
  • Loss network connection after installing/uninstalling adware, spyware, antispam, vpn, firewall or other networking programs.
  • Unable to access any webpage or can only access some webpages.
  • Pop-up error window with network related problem description.
  • No network connectivity due to registry errors.
  • DNS lookup problem.
  • Fail to renew the network adapter’s IP address or other DHCP errors.
  • Network connectivity issue with limited or no connections message.
  • Windows update does not work
  • You are having problems connecting to secured websites (ex. Banking).
  • Internet Explorer stopped working or crashes all the time.
  • Other networking problems.

This obviously won’t fix every possible problem you’re likely to encounter, but it’s a great first step… especially if you’re trying to walk someone through how to do this stuff over the phone.

Note: I noticed that clicking the arrow along the right side of each entry immediately executes the particular step, so don’t try and click the arrows when just experimenting. :)

Complete Internet Repair Homepage (Windows XP/2003/Vista/2008/7; Freeware)

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Oct 19

Glubble: Parental Controls for Firefox

Posted in: Firefox Extensions, Freeware, Pre-Release, Software, Today's Chili

This article was written on June 19, 2007 by CyberNet.

GlubbleA new Firefox extension, called Glubble, is available that adds a parental control system to the Firefox browser. It’s nothing overly extravagant since it only enforces a whitelist of URL’s for the children, but it can give peace of mind to parents out there.

There is a default list of sites that ships with Glubble which are classified as kid-safe, and when setting up the accounts it asks whether the child is a boy or a girl. It uses that information to create a more customized homepage for the child based upon their gender. For example, a girl would have a link to Barbie on their site while a boy would not.

Children can request that certain sites be approved, and a parent can immediately approve the request if they are available to do so. If the parent is not available Firefox will prompt the parent to approve the site the next time they login.

Words don’t really do this justice, so I thought I would walk through a common scenario that might occur at a household. This demonstrates all of the various features that Glubble ships with (click any image to enlarge it):

  1. After installing Glubble the parent will be prompted to create an account:
    Glubble
  2. The parent then creates users, and they’ll be shown on a user management page. I named the users so that you can tell who is who, for example, the parent’s username stands for "I’m a Parent":
    Glubble

  3. Firefox is locked until a child or parent logs in (this is what you’ll see when starting Firefox from now on):
    Glubble
  4. A child logs on and is able to search Google, Yahoo, and visit some recommended sites using a customized Firefox skin. Note: When searching it only pulls up results for the approved sites.
    Glubble
  5. A child can also navigate their sites using the drop-down menu from the top which shows thumbnail previews of the sites:
    Glubble
  6. If a child tries to visit an unapproved site they will need to get the permission of a parent first:
    Glubble
  7. If the parent wasn’t around to approve the site, they will be shown the request the next time they login to Firefox:
    Glubble
  8. If the parent comes across a kid-friendly site while browsing around, they can instantly enable it for any of their kids:
    Glubble
  9. Or they can manage the sites that are approved for a child:
    Glubble
  10. And then when the child gets back online they will be notified that their site request had been approved:
    Glubble

As you can see this can be an extremely useful tool for parents who are trying to protect their kids from explicit content on the Internet. There is, however, a problem that arises for those people who have technological kids. It’s actually possible to remove (or temporarily move) the folder which contains the extension in the Firefox profile folder. That means the extension would immediately be deactivated and the user is given full access to the Internet, which can also be done by running Firefox in safe mode.

This doesn’t quite match up to the built-in parental controls that Vista has, which lets parents limit the amount of time that a child can use the computer, monitor their activity, and control which games they can play. In the reports the parents can even see the most recent websites that were visited, which applications a child ran, and what files they downloaded…none of which Glubble can do.

Of course Glubble doesn’t cost a thing, and knowledgeable parents not using Vista will hopefully see this as a way to protect their kids. When the final version of Glubble is released in October we’ll hopefully see some reporting features included, but they have definitely got the ball rolling in the right direction.

Download the Glubble Firefox Extension

Source: Spread Firefox

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Oct 18

Foxit 2.3 PDF Reader Includes Tabs

Posted in: Features, Freeware, Newly Released, Screenshots, Software, Today's Chili

This article was written on April 25, 2008 by CyberNet.

foxit tabs bookmarks-2.png

Last year we took a look at a sweet PDF reader called PDF-XChange Viewer. One of my favorite things that it includes is a tabbed system for managing multiple PDF’s. It seems like everything is getting tabs these days, and there’s no doubt that they fit very well into a PDF reader. It sure beats having ten different windows open and trying to switch between them all, doesn’t it?

Our fan favorite Foxit PDF reader is jumping on the tab bandwagon as well! The newest version that was just released includes the tab system seen in the screenshot above. Not only that, but it also lets you create bookmarks for any spot within the document which is especially handy when you’re dealing with extensive PDF’s.

Still want more? Here’s a look at some of the other new features and improvements:

  • Multimedia Player Support: Supports many media formats including audio and video. Read multimedia ebooks with Foxit Reader 2.3.
  • Callout and Text box Tool: Creates comments in a callout text box or a box. You can also define their appearance as other commenting tools.
  • Commenting Text Tool: Enables users to add most types of text edits by right-clicking on the selected text, including highlight, strikeout, underline, squiggly and replacement. You can also use the Commenting Text Tool to add bookmarks for PDF files.
  • Rulers and Guides: Provides horizontal and vertical ruler guides to help users align and position objects on the page. Right-clicking on the ruler enables you to change the unit of measurement.
  • Magnifier: Magnifies areas of the PDF files easily as you work on Foxit Reader.
  • Automatic Scrolling: Allows users to view documents without using mouse actions or keystrokes.
  • Optimized Rendering: Supports progressive rendering and significantly reduces the response time from the user interface events.
  • Improved Link Tools: Allows users to add actions to links, such as go to a page view, open or execute a file, open a web link, etc.
  • Improved Snapshot: Enables users to print the selected area in Foxit Reader by simply selecting the Print option from the context menu.
  • Search Enhancement: Allows users to float, move and resize the Full Foxit Search box.
  • Better Annotation control: Groups drawing markups to help users operate objects collectively, and allows users to move annotations through pages.
  • Streamlined UI: A completely redesigned UI with a new look and feel makes Foxit Reader more intuitive than ever before.

I would say that this is actually a pretty big upgrade for Foxit, and I definitely recommend grabbing the new version. Remember, you can download the ZIP version if you want to run it without performing an installation.

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Oct 18

Hide the Start Button in Windows XP

Posted in: Freeware, Software, Today's Chili, Windows, Windows XP

This article was written on August 27, 2008 by CyberNet.

arrow Windows Windows only (not Vista) arrow
When you’re working with a small screen space it’s nice to try and squeeze everything you can out of it. That’s especially true when you’ve got a device like the Eee PC who’s 7″ screen has an 800×480 maximum resolution. As you can imagine you’re Taskbar would fill up after opening just a few applications at a resolution like that.

One thing that you can do is hide the oversized Start button that appears in Windows. This is done with a simple and free application called Start Killer. When the program is running the Start button will disappear, but have no fear because it can still be accessed by pressing either the Windows Key on the keyboard, or by pressing Control+Esc.

Start Killer doesn’t work on Windows Vista, but Microsoft already did a decent job of shrinking down the size of the Start button there. On Windows XP, however, it can give you some extra breathing room on your Taskbar:

start killer.jpg

How do you get your Start button back? Simple, just close the program. When the program is running you’ll see an icon in your System Tray similar to the one in the screenshot above. You can use the icon to close the program or adjust a handful of settings (like auto-starting with Windows).

Get Start Killer for Windows XP and earlier

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Oct 18

Digsby Getting Performance Improvements

Posted in: Features, Freeware, Pre-Release, Software, Today's Chili

This article was written on June 17, 2008 by CyberNet.

digsby.pngDigsby is hands-down my favorite instant messenger on Windows not only because it works on all the major networks, but also because it is well designed. When we first covered the messenger some of you were a little hesitant to use it because of the excessive amounts of memory it chewed up (upwards of 70MB), but you’ll be happy to hear that the Digsby team has taken your criticism to heart!

According to a recent blog post the next release, which should be available in about a week, will include memory leak fixes, a “major reduction” in memory usage, and a more responsive interface. There’s no doubt that users will be applauding the developers if the performance improvements really are this significant.

Also by reading through the comments on that article I was able to grab some things that the developer said will be coming in future versions:

  • Group chat support
  • Direct Connect with AIM users
  • Portable version of Digsby
  • Skype support
  • IRC support
  • Mac version (they are already working on it now)
  • An option to disable smilies or download other emoticon sets
  • An API so that users can make their own themes, and then upload them to a website for everyone to download

Exciting, huh? It’s nice to see someone taking the time to develop a cross-network messenger application that has the features users actually find useful. When the new version comes out we’ll be sure to keep you updated, and and will also let you know if the performance improvements are as good as they say they are.

Digsby Homepage [via Webware]

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Oct 18

Google Calendar in Your Firefox Sidebar

Posted in: Freeware, Google, Software, Today's Chili

This article was written on January 13, 2008 by CyberNet.

Google Calendar Sidebar One area that I always keep open in my browser is the sidebar. It’s where I scour through hundreds of bookmarks, but it’s also handy for viewing mobile websites. Mitch over at Firefox Facts brought his “A” game when he snagged some specialized Google Calendar code from his iGoogle gadget. Your browser’s sidebar is a great home for the stripped-down website.

Previously we recommended using the Google Calendar mobile site in your sidebar, but this solution is 10 times better. Once setup you’ll see a full monthly calendar at the top of the sidebar, and immediately below it you’ll see some of your upcoming appointments. If that’s not enough you will also be pleased to know that you can pick and choose which of your calendars are displayed, and even utilize the “Quick Add” feature to add a new event.

To get this thing loaded in the Firefox sidebar here’s what you have to do:

  1. Right-click on this link, and bookmark it: Google Calendar Sidebar
    Firefox Sidebar Instructions
  2. After you have saved the bookmark, go back to the Bookmarks Menu and right-click on the bookmark. Choose the Properties option.
    Firefox Sidebar Instructions
  3. Now check the box that says Load this bookmark in the sidebar:
    Firefox Sidebar Instructions
  4. The next time you open the Google Calendar Sidebar bookmark it will appear in the Firefox sidebar.

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Oct 18

Paint.NET 3 Alpha 2 Now Available

Posted in: Freeware, Software, Today's Chili

This article was written on October 25, 2006 by CyberNet.

Paint.net I have been using Paint.NET for months now and it is one of the free programs that I use the most. I have actually received several emails in the last week regarding their Alpha 1 release and now there is actually a newer Alpha 2 available.

After you download and install the program you will quickly realize how much like Photoshop it actually is. It has many of the same tools but Photoshop power users will find that it lacks some of the more advanced features. Honestly, it is so nice (and simple) that anyone who has a hard time understanding Photoshop should find this to be absolutely perfect!

Here are the newest features in this release:

  • New: Gradient Tool supports linear, radial, diamond, and conical gradient modes
  • New: Merge Layer Down command in Layers menu and Layers window
  • Changed: A version of the Unsaved Changes dialog is now also shown when closing just 1 unsaved image, instead of the old fashioned Yes/No/Cancel MessageBox
  • Changed: Alpha Blending and Anti-aliasing buttons are now split-buttons, with different icon and some descriptive text
  • Changed: Shortcut key to open the MDI overflow list is now Ctrl+Q, instead of Ctrl+Space
  • If an important installation file is missing, Paint.NET will try to repair the installation instead of crashing
  • 256×256 icon format is now compressed, dropping EXE size by 150K
  • Fixed: a bunch of crashes that users were reporting
  • Fixed: “Load from toolbar” in Choose Defaults dialog did not pick up the active tool

There is finally a gradient tool! Thank goodness because that was something I use all of the time to add transparency effects to images. Here is a quick clip of what the gradient can do:

One thing that is definitely easier to do in Paint.NET compared to Photoshop is drawing curved lines. In Photoshop you either have to set paths (which is very hard to get used to) or apply the wave filter to a straight line. With Paint.NET, however, a line is given several points that you can grab and drag to add waves or curves to a line.

The one thing that I do miss from Photoshop though is the long list of filters and the right-click menu that I took for granted. The right-click menu is pretty important to me and it speeds up the process of editing images, but Paint.NET is yet to get this feature…hopefully they are working on it.

Note: Paint.NET 3 Alpha 2 expires on November 23, 2006 because there will be a newer version available before then. I assume that they are doing this to ensure that people upgrade.

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Oct 17

Automatically Maximize/Minimize Windows at Startup

Posted in: Freeware, Software, Today's Chili

This article was written on October 25, 2007 by CyberNet.

I’m sure there have been programs who’s windows just won’t retain the size that you want them to. Or maybe you want a program to automatically be minimized or maximized at startup, but it never seems to listen. Sound familiar? One option that you have is to right-click on the applications shortcut, and choose Properties. There you will see a “Run” drop-down menu where you can designate the startup behavior of the application (normal, maximized, or minimized).

Sometimes that just doesn’t work, and in a case like that you’ll need something a bit more advanced. That’s where AutoSizer comes to the rescue. With it you can specify a window according to the title, or by the class it belongs in.

Tip: Normally you’ll want to have it identify the windows according to class because that will almost always pinpoint the application correctly.

The great thing about AutoSizer is that it can be configured to maximize, minimize, restore, center, or resize windows according to either the title or the class it belongs to. If you use the resize option, which lets you specify a height and width for the window, you can also set the starting position on the screen:

AutoSizer
Click to Enlarge

AutoSizer is a free program that runs in your System Tray, and has an option to startup with Windows. The simple configuration screen shows a list of all your running programs, and you’ll have rules created for your favorite programs in no time at all.

AutoSizer Homepage

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Oct 17

CyberNotes: Encrypt Files with an Image

Posted in: CyberNotes, Freeware, Software, Today's Chili

This article was written on August 23, 2007 by CyberNet.

CyberNotes
Tutorial Thursday

Securely sending files to friends and family is becoming a chore these days. Some people ZIP up a file and add a password, or post it to a password-protected website, but today I’m going to show you a more unique way to encrypt files.

Some people have taken a liking to hiding files in an image. It’s a pretty cool trick, but anyone with some knowledge of computers will notice when an image has a filesize that’s abnormally large. If your just stuffing a small file in the image it might not be so bad, but how about encrypting a file or folder using an image? Yep, that’s completely possible using a free application called PixelCryptor.

With PixelCryptor you give it a file or folder, and an image to use for the encryption process. The result will be a single file that is encrypted using the image you provided, and the only way to decrypt the file is for someone to have the same image that you used (PixelCryptor is also needed for decryption).

–How it works–

  1. Start PixelCryptor after you have installed it:
    PixelCryptor: Encrypt Files with an Image
  2. Select the file(s) and or folder(s) that you want to encrypt:
    PixelCryptor: Encrypt Files with an Image
  3. Select the image you want to use for encryption. This is almost like providing a password, except it will be much harder for a hacker to break.
    PixelCryptor: Encrypt Files with an Image
  4. Pick the destination for the encrypted file, and the encryption process will begin. It took about 30-seconds to encrypt a 14MB file with a 20KB image.
    PixelCryptor: Encrypt Files with an Image
  5. It’s now ready to send off!
    PixelCryptor: Encrypt Files with an Image

–Why it’s Useful–

One of the reasons I love this so much is that it requires little memorization. In my example above, I encrypted the file using our site’s logo. When I decrypted the same file on another computer I re-saved the image from the site, and named it to something different this time. PixelCryptor didn’t care about the picture’s filename, and had no troubles decrypting the file.

This is awesome because you could point someone to a particular image on the Internet: a logo from a website, an image from Flickr, or any image you have on your computer. You could pick your favorite photo to encrypt personal information, and then you never have to worry about forgetting a password. Nor do you have to worry about what they choose to name the image.

–Making it Better–

The only downside to the program is that the person doing the decrypting also has to install PixelCryptor. If there was a portable version that didn’t require installation it wouldn’t be so bad, but a message in their forum says that they are working on a standalone decryption utility which would also be nice.

PixelCryptor Homepage

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Oct 17

Firefox Live Bookmarks in the Sidebar

Posted in: Firefox Extensions, Freeware, Software, Today's Chili

This article was written on February 13, 2008 by CyberNet.

live bookmarks reader

From our 7,000+ feed subscribers I’m surprised to see that over 600 of those readers are still using the rather simple Firefox Live Bookmarks to keep up on the news. I’ve always found the Live Bookmarks system to be overly simple since the only part of the feed that is made available is the title of the article. I guess the simplicity is what draws the users in though.

For all of the Live Bookmark users out there we’ve found an extension that will make your feed reading just a tad bit better. The Feed Sidebar extension will add a new sidebar that will grab all of the Live Bookmarks that you are currently subscribed to. As you sift through the multiple feed items there will be a summary displayed in the lower half of the sidebar. Here are some of the nifty features:

  • You can mark some or all of the entries as read
  • Refresh the feeds on demand
  • Specify the interval that the feeds will be refreshed at
  • Open all unread articles in new tabs
  • Adjust how many days worth of data is shown for each feed
  • Double-click on a feed item to mark it as read and open it in the browser

Hopefully all of the Firefox Live Bookmarks users out there will put this extension to good use!

Feed Sidebar Firefox Extension

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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