Posted by admin | Window | Posted on January 10th, 2012
After talking about Vista so much just recently I got thinking about new gadgets that I could download and integrate into the Windows sidebar when I came across the Windows Live Gallery website ( http://gallery.live.com). This particular website which has been set up by Microsoft contains literally hundreds of small pieces of software that can be used alongside a Vista installation, along with software compatible with previous versions of Windows through the Windows Live service.
The Windows Sidebar is one of the new developments built into Windows Vista – it sits on the right hand side of your screen and contains ‘gadgets’ which can be best described as mini applications. Out of the box Vista contains eleven gadgets, Calendar, Clock, Contacts, CPU Meter, Currency conversion, RSS Feed Headlines, Notes, Picture Puzzle, Slide Show, Stocks, and Weather.
Fortunately the community is free to develop further gadgets and this is the main interest of Windows Live Gallery as there are literally hundreds of them.
Below I’ve picked a couple of gadgets that took my fancy and this should give you a rough idea of what is available already for your Vista installation:
eBay Sidebar Tool – This gadget allows you to keep an eye on your eBay auctions so you can view at a glance items you’re bidding on, selling or just watching.
BBC News Feeder – With this gadget installed you will get news updates posted directly to your sidebar. The gadget will check for new stories every five minutes.
Calculator – Does exactly what it says on the tin; this gadget will add a calculator function to the sidebar so it’s always close to hand.
Also check out the ’10 in 1 conversion calculator’ gadget which allows you to convert between different units of measurement.
Media Player – Can be used to play media from the Windows Media Player Database, or directly from an individual file. It can also be used to play TV and Radio Internet stations directly from the Windows sidebar.
Messenger Gadget – This is the gadget to install if you often use MSN Messenger as it allows you to see your contacts status, start chat sessions and change your online status all directly from the sidebar.
Finding a gadget you require is made easier as they are all sorted into different categories and you can also choose to search by rating, downloads and the date added. Of course there is a lot of rubbish out there but considering how young the Operating System is, there are already a lot of good gadgets available for your Vista installation.
An application that isn’t Vista exclusive is the Windows Live Messenger application and this is also supported by the Windows Live Gallery website. Online you’ll find dozens of games, add-ons and also bots, which can be easily integrated into this instant messaging application. Most of the downloads are all pretty standard stuff but one interesting resource is a list of online ‘bots’; these are automated contacts which can allows the user to get information, complete tasks or be entertained. They talk in a natural language format so you can just talk to them as you would a usual online human contact and some of them can be genuinely useful.
Working our way through the website, there are a number of Windows Search items which allow includes tools for searching specific file types – for example you can download a small add-in which allows you to index all the information within a zip archive.
Finally we have toolbar items which can be integrated in to Windows to offer functionality such as Wikipedia, eBay and Amazon searches directly from your Windows toolbar. If you want a laugh check out the ‘urban dictionary’ toolbar which allows you to convert urban phrases such as ‘disco nap’ and ‘epiphanot’ into proper English.
Posted by admin | Window | Posted on December 26th, 2011
Last week I promised that I’d take a look at the new version of Windows that is currently under development, Windows Vista. Not wanting to disappoint, I will today be taking a look at the latest preview build (5231) that was released to beta testers a few days ago. Windows Vista (formally codenamed ‘Longhorn’) was originally envisioned as a minor upgrade to Windows XP designed more as a stopgap although as work progressed on the Operating System it took the shape of an all encompassing major upgrade. Let us take a look at some of the new features this Operating System will offer although please do bear in mind that the finished version is over a year away yet so obviously features are subject to change.
New look – Windows new look and feel is known as “Aero” which on suitably equipped machines will use the PC’s 3D accelerator to create a glass effect that will make the Windows visual experience deeper and more engaging.
A downside to this effect is that it will require some pretty beefy hardware to create although on less powerful machines you will be able to go back to the classic Windows look
Security – This is being touted as the big improvement over previous versions of Windows and Microsoft is confident that they have truly got it right this time around. Windows XP if you will remember was riddled with massive security vulnerabilities when it first released and it took the release of two service packs to get it up to anywhere near a decent standard. Obviously there is plenty happening behind the scenes to protect you from security vulnerabilities but since the majority won’t be aware of any of this background work we should focus on the things that will make a difference in the way you use the computer day to day.
Notable features include a firewall that will protect against unauthorised outbound activity in addition to the current ability to protect against inbound connections, parents will be able to set up parental controls to restrict what their children access and the OS should be able to prevent the installation of malicious software by using restricted access user accounts for day to day activities. The in-built e-mail client will provide anti-spam facilities as standard and Microsoft is planning to offer an anti-virus and anti-spyware subscription service although I would have personally liked to have seen this included as standard in the OS.
Internet Explorer – Windows Vista will include Internet Explorer 7 which is the replacement for the now four year old Internet Explorer 6. Although IE7 will be available for Windows XP eventually will be standard in Vista. As Microsoft is facing heavy competition from third party alternatives such as “Firefox” we should expect IE7 to be vast improvement although I think it is unlikely that they will think up anything original but just rip the best bits out of Firefox. For example, IE7 will support tabbed browsing and a built in RSS reader both of which Firefox has always included from the start. Security is again paramount in the new version of IE as it will include a protected mode to prevents Spyware and Malicious software from easily entering your system as well as a “phishing filter” which will protect you from fraudulent websites.
To summerise the new version of Windows looks as though it could be a worthy upgrade to the current Windows XP although we’ll have to wait until December 2006 to see everything that Microsoft has up their sleeves. Of course, there’s a lot more that I’d love to tell you about but unfortunately it’s difficult to cover an entirely new release of Windows in a 600 word article. For more information straight from the horses mouth visit www.microsoft.com/windowsvista
Posted by admin | Window | Posted on February 19th, 2011
This is especially helpful in the summertime when your car can reach over 200 degrees while sitting in the sun. Before tinting an aperture, you must clean the glass so that the film can adhere properly.
This will result in a professional looking tint job. Remove or tape back any flaps that touch the glass where it extends into your door.
You may have to remove the door panel. Alternatively, you may be able to tape back the flap with some tape.
Clean the window, both inside and outside. Use a solution of warm water and gentle soap.
A few drops of dishwashing soap or baby soap will work fine. Spray the glass and then scrape the water off with a fresh razor blade, taking care not to scratch the glass.
Remove the rest of the water and debris from the glass using a squeegee. Clean the squeegee after each swipe so that you do not transfer debris from one area to another.
The glass must be completely clean to get optimal results. The outside must also be clean if you plan on working or measuring the shade against the outside of the glass.
Spray the exterior of the aperture to be tinted with the detergent water. Allow it to dry completely.
Wet the exterior with your soapy solution. Lay out the film on the glass with liner side facing out.
Level the bottom edge of the liner with the bottom edge of the glass. Wet the liner side of the shade and squeegee gently to hold the film in position.
Line up the bottom edge of the shade with the bottom edge of the window. Make sure the film is covering the whole window.
Squeegee the shade onto the aperture gently to hold the film in place while cutting. Carefully use the utility knife to cut off all excess shade.
Try to cut as close to the edge of the aperture as possible as the exterior will be the same shape as the interior. Peel off the film when done cutting.
Clean the interior of the window with the detergent water. Use the soft scrub pad to ensure all dirt is removed.
Use a squeegee to remove water from the aperture. Wrap the microfiber cloth around a credit card and clean under all gaskets around the window.
Liberally apply the detergent water to the interior of the aperture. Put a piece of tape on each side of the shade near a corner.
Use these tape pieces like handles to make pulling film from the liner easier. As you pull the shade from the liner, spray the film with the detergent water.
Align the top of the shade with the top of the window. Use the squeegee to push the film firm onto the aperture.
As you are pushing the shade with the squeegee you will work the water out from between the film and window. Move down the aperture applying the shade in this manner.
Wrap the microfiber cloth in the credit card and soak up any water that is along the edges. Expect that for the first 3 to 5 days after your tint is installed, depending on weather conditions, your windows may appear to be a bit hazy.
This is not an indication of a problem, but is a normal part of the drying process. Clean the inside of your apertures, which is where the tint is installed, with a special glass cleaner made for tint.
You can purchase this through the dealer who installed your car’s tinting. Mix together a 50/50 solution to clean your car tint that is made up commercially available cleaner and water.
Use a soft cloth to wipe your windows clean to ensure you will not scratch the film. Keep the outside of your aperture clean with any kind of glass cleaner you desire.
Since tint is installed on the inside of the glass, it is the only area that requires special treatment. Do not roll your windows down when your tint is new until you are sure it is completely dry.