iConvert: web-based icon converter
Filed under: Utilities, Troubleshooting, Web
Ever see an icon you like, but when you go to download it, you find out it's in the wrong format? You could copy and paste it into an image editor, and save it in the correct format, but some editors don't save .icns, .ico, or other popular icon types. iConvert does, though, and it's web-based. It works with WJust upload a file in any one of the numerous formats iConvert accepts, from .png to .tga. It will spit out download links for other formats, and you can just take the ones you need. I tried uploading a .ico file, and got links for .hqx, .icns, and 6 different sizes of png. So, don't despair the next time you find some great icons you don't think you can use: iConvert might be able to make them compatible with your system.
iConvert: web-based icon converter originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsAsk DLS: What's your favorite Diary app?
Filed under: Utilities, Ask DLS
The problem with most free diary applications I've tried is that they don't do a great job of exporting your data in a standard format that you can know with confidence you'll be able to access 10 years from now.
For a while I used Journal Pro for Windows Mobile to keep track of my thoughts. But the company discontinued work on the project. And while that means the Windows Mobile and desktop versions of Journal Pro are now available as free downloads, it also means that if you want to convert your journal to a text document you need to do it with the Windows Mobile client. The desktop version doesn't have a text export feature. So if you replace your Windows Mobile device with a Palm, Symbian, Android, or Apple device you may never be able to read your journal entries again.
The other day I ran across LifeSaver, which attempts to get around this problem by allowing you to export your journal as an XML file. But the project is still in its early phases. I also tried Advanced Diary, which has an attractive interface and allows users to export entries as text files - but at least in the last freeware version of the application, Advanced Diary exports each journal entry as a separate text, HTML, or RTF file which can create a ton of individual files.
So I'm turning to the wisdom of the crowds here. Do you keep a diary? What apps or techniques do you use to keep your entries straight and to make sure your journal is future proof? Let us know in the ocmments.
Ask DLS: What's your favorite Diary app? originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsIndecent Haiku: inappropriate poetry
We're no strangers to potentially inappropriate versions of Internet memes, but why not apply that same inappropriateness to haiku? Indecent Haiku offers plenty of 3-line gems covering topics like sex, alcohol, love, and nature.Like any good haiku site, they allow you to submit your own. Their submissions page even offers a reminder of haiku structure (5-7-5) and their take on good content.
If these types of haiku aren't your thing, learn how to write your own or check out some famous examples.
Indecent Haiku: inappropriate poetry originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsCompare any two files with Comparer
Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware
The user interface is simple if not entirely intuitive. There's no File -> Open dialog. Instead, you just drag and drop any file you want to analyze from Windows Explorer into the Comparer interface. It took me a few minutes to figure out how to compare two files: You just select two files at a time and drag and drop them. If you select 3 or more files it won't do any good. Only two will show up in the utility.
Comparer can also use Total Commander's WDX plugins, which provide additional information like ID3 tag info for music files.
Compare any two files with Comparer originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsRun PalmOS apps on Symbian with StyleTap
Filed under: Symbian, Palm, Commercial, Mobile
While we're still waiting to find out whether StyleTap will bring its PalmOS emulation software to the new Palm Pre, the company has officially launched a utility for Symbian S60 series phones that allows users to run thousands of Palm applications.The Symbian version of StyleTap has been in closed beta for a few months. The company says the program supports more than 30,000 apps designed to run on PalmOS devices. There's also a version of the program for Windows Mobile phones and PDAs.
StyleTap is available as a 14 day free trial so you can find out whether your favorite Palm apps work. A full license will set you back $49.95, which may seem like a lot of money, but it's much cheaper than purchasing a spare Palm III to carry around in your pocket in addition to your phone.
[via Palm InfoCenter and Symbian Guru]
Run PalmOS apps on Symbian with StyleTap originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsLivedrive web storage service adds Facebook, video playback support
Filed under: Internet, Windows, Beta, Web
- Use a Java based tool for drag and drop uploading using the web interface
- Watch videos from the web portal after they've been re-encoded
- Drag and drop images from Livedrive to Facebook and vice-versa through a Facebook app
The service is free while in beta.
Livedrive web storage service adds Facebook, video playback support originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsLoadScout grabs only what you need from remote archives
Filed under: Internet, Utilities, Windows, Freeware, Windows x64
One thing that bothers me about some manufacturers is the way they provide drivers on their website. Why should I have to suffer through a sluggish 70mb download when all I want is the 300k in the drivers\winxp folder?
LoadScout is one possible solution to that problem. Paste the link to your file, and LoadScout will connect and display its contents. Highlight what you need, click the extract button, and choose a local destination directory. If I'd found LoadScout before fighting with Acer's server for an hour and a half yesterday, I could have saved myself a lot of grief.
Zip and rar archives are supported, and you can also download and play segments of remote .avi and .mp3 files.
[ via gHacks ]
LoadScout is one possible solution to that problem. Paste the link to your file, and LoadScout will connect and display its contents. Highlight what you need, click the extract button, and choose a local destination directory. If I'd found LoadScout before fighting with Acer's server for an hour and a half yesterday, I could have saved myself a lot of grief.
Zip and rar archives are supported, and you can also download and play segments of remote .avi and .mp3 files.
[ via gHacks ]
LoadScout grabs only what you need from remote archives originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFirst look at Boxee Alpha media center for Windows
Filed under: Internet, Video, Windows, Macintosh, Linux
They also launched a private alpha of a Windows version of Boxee.
Boxee for Windows looks and feels a lot like the Ubuntu version I tried a while back. The software provides a full screen interface for browsing photos, video, and music stored on your PC or for accessing online media from sites like Last.fm, Hulu, YouTube, and Shoutcast. The developers also recently added support for Joost and the BBC iPlayer, but this feature only works for users in the UK due to the BBC's IP limitations (it's worth noting that Hulu and other US-based services may not work for users outside of the US unless you use a proxy server).
One of the best things about the way Boxee handles online video is that every movie opens in full screen mode. You can tell that the developers have designed this application to use a full screen interface that will look as good on your HDTV as your laptop. The font size is a bit small for standard definition television sets, but Boxee menus and dialogs are a bit easier to read than the text areas in Zviewer, which is clearly not designed for standard definition TVs.
Continue reading First look at Boxee Alpha media center for Windows
First look at Boxee Alpha media center for Windows originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsThree classic shooters, C64 style - Time Waster
Filed under: Fun, Games, Time-Wasters, Web
I loved my Commodore 64 - I even talked my parents into letting me get one of the "mod" cases for it so would look like the newer (and more bad-ass) C128. There were three big Time Wasters for me back then: Zaxxon, 1943, and Gyruss.
Zaxxon's crazy pseudo-3d (also referred to as axonometric projection) blew me away. Like Icarus and his wax wings, flying too high or too low caused many untimely ends to my ship.
Gyruss, with its frantic pace and awesome electronic version of Toccata and Fugue in D minor kept me coming back for more. If you don't know the game, it's a tube-style shooter: move your ship in a circular pattern around the bad guys and blast them to space dust. 2 warps to Neptune, baby.
For days when I wasn't feling quite so futuristic, there was 1943. It's addictive, low-fi air-to-air combat at it's best.
Want to rekindle some old memories? Head over to C64s.com, where you can play all three (and tons of others). We've mentioned the site before on DLS, but its vintage goodness is hard to overstate.
Zaxxon's crazy pseudo-3d (also referred to as axonometric projection) blew me away. Like Icarus and his wax wings, flying too high or too low caused many untimely ends to my ship.
Gyruss, with its frantic pace and awesome electronic version of Toccata and Fugue in D minor kept me coming back for more. If you don't know the game, it's a tube-style shooter: move your ship in a circular pattern around the bad guys and blast them to space dust. 2 warps to Neptune, baby.
For days when I wasn't feling quite so futuristic, there was 1943. It's addictive, low-fi air-to-air combat at it's best.
Want to rekindle some old memories? Head over to C64s.com, where you can play all three (and tons of others). We've mentioned the site before on DLS, but its vintage goodness is hard to overstate.
Three classic shooters, C64 style - Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments7 addons and two tweaks for annoyance-free browsing with Firefox
Filed under: Internet, Mozilla, Freeware, Open Source, Browsers, Lists
AdBlock Plus - One of the most popular addons, and with good reason. AdBlock Plus is a great way to keep annoying ads out of your browser. Text ads can be a little tricky, so the developer has also created Element Hiding Helper to help you keep them in check.
DownThemAll - Downloading a gigantic file only to have it fail at 75% is a huge pain. Yes, Firefox's built-in downlad manager has the ability to resume transfers, but I've had much better luck with DTA.
Flashblock - Flash is great, but some sites just take it a little too far. I don't always want to hear the fan on my netbook whine when I'm surfing, and Flashblock gives me an easy way to smack down power-hungry Flash content.
Greasemonkey - I didn't bother with Greasemonkey for the longest time, but now it's one of the first addons I install. Userscripts.org has so many scripts that fix bothersome little things on so many websites. You'll likely find enhancements and tweaks for many of your favorite sites there, and you'll need Greasemonkey to run them.
Continue reading 7 addons and two tweaks for annoyance-free browsing with Firefox
7 addons and two tweaks for annoyance-free browsing with Firefox originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsMicrosoft Office 14 screenshots leaked
Filed under: Office, Productivity, Microsoft, Beta
Several screenshots of Microsoft Office 14 - which is currently in alpha testing- have been leaked by Russian site Wzor. Beta versions are scheduled to appear sometime in May with the full release slated for the end of 2009.
The screenshots show a bevy of applications, including Access, Excel, Groove, InfoPath, InterConnect, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, Project, Publisher, SharePoint Designer, Vizio, and Word. Server components were also released to some customers for alpha testing last week.
It looks as though the UI will remain similar to Office 2007's. As for the changes under the hood, the rest of us will have to wait. At least for a little while.
Microsoft Office 14 screenshots leaked originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFried Babelfish takes Google Translate out of your browser
Filed under: Internet, Utilities, Windows, Freeware
You need an internet connection to use Fried Babelfish, but you do not need a web browser. This makes it easy to translate text in one window while typing in another without having to flip back and forth beween browser tabs or windows. It can come in handy if you're instant messaging someone who speaks a different language or if you just need to translate a few words on a web page you're reading.
Fried Babelfish was created as one of 35 freeware applications as part of the Donation Coder New Apps for the New Year challenge.
Fried Babelfish takes Google Translate out of your browser originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsStyleTap could bring PalmOS apps to Palm's WebOS
Filed under: OS Updates, Palm, Commercial, Mobile
If you haven't been hiding under a rock (where there's usually pretty poor mobile reception), you probably know that Palm announced a new phone and a brand spanking new operating system at CES last week. The company's new WebOS shocked a lot of folks by actually looking pretty awesome. The new OS is based on Linux, has an entirely new UI, and includes some nifty zoom, transition, and fade effects. And unlike OS X on the iPhone, WebOS allows you to do basic things like copy and paste or cycle between running tasks without closing one.
But there's one thing that WebOS won't do: run older PalmOS applications. Since WebOS was built from the ground up as a new operating system, it's not backward compatible with earlier Palm operating system. And that means that instead of having thousands of applications ready to go on day one, Palm will have a few dozen.
But there may be a solution for folks who are addicted to older Palm apps. StyleTap is a company that makes a $50 PalmOS compatibility utility for Windows Mobile devices. The company has also expressed interest in developing a version for the iPhone and for Symbian phones.
Now Brighthand reports that StyleTape could be headed to WebOS as well. According to one of the company's founders, building a WebOS version of StyleTap is certainly doable, but he says that Palm will first need to rlease a set of C/C++ APIs as part of its SDK. That hasn't happened yet, but if those APis become available, StyleTap could provide access to thousands of older Palm apps on newer Palm devices.
StyleTap could bring PalmOS apps to Palm's WebOS originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSnow Leopard builds leaking onto torrent trackers
Filed under: OS Updates, Apple, Beta
Currently, there are at least two builds. 10a190 was first to be appear (on The Pirate Bay, Mininova, and Demonoid), and now 10a222 has surfaced on Demonoid as well. No, you won't find the links to the files here, especially after Apple's full frontal legal assault on Wired the other day.
If you're brave enough to download it, keep in mind that these are still alpha builds, and may be extremely buggy. Some downloaders have stated as much, and caution others to be patient and wait for a later build.
But hey, where would the fun of playing with a leaked OS be if it was totally stable?
Continue reading Snow Leopard builds leaking onto torrent trackers
Snow Leopard builds leaking onto torrent trackers originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSearch Twitter with Windows 7's federated search
Filed under: Internet, OS Updates, Windows, Beta, Search, Windows x64
It wasn't that long ago that you had a chance to look at a gallery of seven different Windows 7 federated search connectors at work. At the time, I'd found .osdx files for sites like Flickr, YouTube, and DeviantArt.
As more people play with the beta, we're bound to see more. For example, a Twitter connector.
Getting the connector installed is a snap. Leave the username blank if you want to search all tweets, or target a single user if you like. You can install multiple instances - they'll appear under your favorite as (username) Tweets. Specify the maximum number of results you want delivered, click download, and install the .osdx.
Twitter search is now available right from the favorites section of your Explorer window!
As with the other connectors, the preview pane loads the full Twitter web page and is a bit cramped on smaller screens. If you've got a nice high-resolution widescreen though, it works well.
As more people play with the beta, we're bound to see more. For example, a Twitter connector.
Getting the connector installed is a snap. Leave the username blank if you want to search all tweets, or target a single user if you like. You can install multiple instances - they'll appear under your favorite as (username) Tweets. Specify the maximum number of results you want delivered, click download, and install the .osdx.
Twitter search is now available right from the favorites section of your Explorer window!
As with the other connectors, the preview pane loads the full Twitter web page and is a bit cramped on smaller screens. If you've got a nice high-resolution widescreen though, it works well.
Search Twitter with Windows 7's federated search originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSplit 'em up is an old school shooter with twists - Time Waster
Filed under: Fun, Games, Time-Wasters, Web
Get ready to pound on your spacebar! Split 'em up is a fun, casual shooter that might prove addictive if you love arcade classics like Space Invaders or Galaga. You're manning a pair of guns that you you can slide around the four walls of the arena using the left and right arrow keys. Left and right? What about up and down?
Pressing up or down will activate split mode, where your turrets separate and move around the walls in opposite directions. It's an excellent strategy to use on some of the nastier enemies that appear, allowing you to focus all your fire on one target.
Keep an eye on your shields, use all four walls, and watch out for baddies with heavier attacks. They'll cause the wall to crumble and eventually break, and you can easily wind up trapped in an untenable position.
Split 'em up is an old school shooter with twists - Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsIt's the end of Google Video, Notebook, and Jaiku as we know it
Filed under: News, Google, Web
Some of the services will still be around for a while, but active development has stopped which means there won't be any new features for Google Notebook or Google Video. And in a few months Google will stop accepting new uploads for Google Video which means the site will function as a video search engine and a repository of old videos.
Google Catalog Search is going away altogether, as is Dodgeball and Google Mashup Editor. Micro-blogging service Jaiku will live on as an open source project that will be maintained by volunteers from Google and outside.
Yesterday Google also wrote on its official blog that the company is eliminating about 100 recruiting jobs and may lose some of its engineering staff as the company tries to relocate some job positions.
[via Search Engine Land]
It's the end of Google Video, Notebook, and Jaiku as we know it originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsMy two favorite free, post-install tech tools
Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Commercial, Freeware, Ask DLS
If you play with a lot of operating systems, keeping a good set of images (or a stockpile of extra hard drives) around is a must. Reflect is incredibly fast and the free version should provide all the functionality most home or enthusiast users need. If not, the full version is only $40 anyway, and well worth it.
Reflect also works right in Windows, which makes imaging drives a task that users of any skill level can easily handle. People I tell to grab the free version sometimes have trouble finding the download page: it's right here.
Continue reading My two favorite free, post-install tech tools
My two favorite free, post-install tech tools originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsIs Blockbuster video on demand coming to the Wii?
Filed under: Internet, Video, Hardware
There are 48.5 million Wii's out there, and Blockbuster may be positioning itself to deliver video on demand to them thanks to a newly-announced partnership with Sonic Solutions. Sonic is the force behind the CinemaNow service, which is available on LG networked blu-ray players and other devices - like Nintendo's wildly popular gaming console.
With the "Everybody's Theatre" streaming anime service set to go live on WiiWare in Japan January 25th, the stage is certainly set for the Wii to gain some additional functionality.
As WiiBrew users already know, the two USB ports at the back work just fine for attaching external hard drives. The Wii has plenty of room for expansion, and it would certainly make sense for Nintendo to offer a service to compete with Netflix on the Xbox 360.
Personally, I'd love to be able to watch video on demand with my Wii. Since I'm in Canada, though, I won't hold my breath.
[ via BetaNews ]
Is Blockbuster video on demand coming to the Wii? originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsScreenToaster web based screen recorder adds audio capture
Filed under: Internet, Web services, Beta, web 2.0, Web
ScreenToaster is a web-based screencasting utility that works via a Java applet. That means that as long as you've got Java installed you can use ScreenToaster to record screencasts on any computer running OS X, Windows, or Linux without installing any additional software.
Last time we looked at ScreenToaster it had a few limitations. You couldn't record live audio and you couldn't save screencasts to your computer, and you needed an beta invitation to use the service. This week ScreenToaster released a major update that features support for live audio recordings, variable speed recordings, and the ability to embed your webcam in the screen capture.
Users can also now download screencasts as AVI files in addition to saving them to the ScreenToaster web site. And best of all, while still need to register to use the site, it takes just a few seconds to verify your registration. No more two day waiting period.
The video quality of recordings is quite good, and far better than recordings made with Screencast-o-matic, another web-based screencast recorder.
[via Go2Web20]
ScreenToaster web based screen recorder adds audio capture originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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