Adobe AIR Updates to Version 1.5 [Adobe]
Firefox 3.1 Adds Tab Tearing [Firefox]
Mozilla Links reports that the latest development release of Firefox 3.1 includes a new feature called tab tearing. As you can see from the video above, tab tearing allows you to pull any tab out of your Firefox window into a completely new window or pull any tab into another window. This functionality will look familiar to any Google Chrome users, but when Firefox 3.1 drops, Firefox users will be enjoying the same handy feature.
HideLinks Password-Protects, Shortens Your Bookmarks [Bookmarks]
Google SketchUp 7 Released [3D]
Darik's Boot and Nuke is the Nuclear Option of Secure Data Shredding [Featured Download]
PiccDrop is a Format Friendly Quick Photo Host [Photo Sharing]
Flash Coming Soon to WinMobile, Android [Flash]
Why Google's Voice-Search iPhone App Didn't Launch [Google]
"Are You Sure" Bookmarklet Fights Web Wandering [Bookmarklet]
javascript:if(confirm('Are You Sure?')){document.location='http://www.google.com/reader';}
Replace whateversite.com with your chosen irresistable site, of course, and ignore any line breaks you're seeing due to our page formatting.
As one commenter on Bausch's site notes, one could train themselves to click the "OK" as a matter of pure muscle memory and routine, defeating the basic benefit of a wait-stop measure. But a little JavaScript tweaking—random triggers, multiple buttons, different window placement each time—could put a bit more power behind it. Any of our code-savvy readers up for a mini-challenge? Post your suggestions, or the code itself, in the comments.
Track Down Startup Programs and Processes with a Comprehensive Guide [Windows]
DimDim Hosts Your Webinars for Free [Screenshot Tour]
If you work in a corporate culture that's fond of meetings, or an industry that involves lots of long-distance collaboration, you've no doubt heard an increasing amount about "webinars" lately. The web-based meetings, usually involving collaborative editing, whiteboard brainstorming, slideshow presentations, and/or live desktop sharing, are helpful when teaching a computer concept or technique, providing a one-way presentation a la PowerPoint, or presenting ideas and getting feedback from clients. Lots of providers compete for the largely corporate market, but at least one site, DimDim, provides free web conference hosting for groups of 20 or less. We gave one of them a try and took a few screenshots, so read on to see what you can get for free in the webinar world.
DimDim not only offers free sign-ups for those wanting to host seminars for up to 20 participants, but offers up its hosting platform for free as an open source package, for those with the server space to do something with it. DimDim doesn't ask much more than a username, email, and password, and only from the host—those you invite to join only need to hit a connection link in the email that gets sent out when your webinars are scheduled and then starting.
Each sign-up also gets a unique access key for conference calling—the old style of tele-conferencing. I tried calling in while hosting a meeting, but ended up being alone in a conference call, waiting for others to join. So either DimDim is offering this functionality as a separate enticement for lower-tech users, or I'm not quite doing it right (equally likely).
I tested DimDim out with my (very patient) wife sitting in the same room and a friend connecting from across the city. Two were on residential cable connections and the third on DSL. The whiteboard, chat, and audio functions were surprisingly snappy and responsive, though I found out that using my laptop's built-in microphone and speakers was a bad idea on many levels—everybody could hear the pounding of my typing, and there were a number of looping echos. The desktop view sharing from my system was a bit laggy, however, and occasionally required my asking the guests to manually hit "refresh" in the main window. That's using residential upload speeds, though, and dependent on what else was uploading at the time.
Here's a full shot of DimDim in action, scaled just a bit to fit on this page. (Note: I lack a decent webcam, so we used another participant's camera to try out video conferencing, not shown in this shot):
In all, I found DimDim to give its free users a surprising amount of flexibility and functionality for the price, and would be interested to find out what options set apart the other webinar-hosting companies in the field.
Got any tips or experiences to share in hosting web conferences? Wish you weren't invited to so many? Tell us your take on webinars in the comments. (Thanks to mostlybob</> for the inspiration!)
BareSite Strips Web Sites to the Basics [Web Utilities]
Baresite is a simple web-based application which strips images and formatting from a web site to display just the bare bones. The above image shows how Baresite displays Google News on the right, and how the site looks during normal browsing on the left. If there is a news feed available on the site Baresite defaults to that, otherwise it strips down the HTML to a simpler form. While not every site I tested worked like a charm with Baresite, it's worth using on a mobile device for faster and cleaner loading pages or when you'd like a distraction free interface. For another site stripper, check out Finch.
Install the Windows Vista Sidebar in XP [Featured Windows Download]
Windows only: If you're in no hurry to adopt Windows Vista but you've taken a shine to the Vista Sidebar, Joshoon over at Deviant Art has uploaded a port of the actual application to Windows XP. Using a combination of resources such as Alky for Applications, a Windows Vista to XP compatibility client, and the sidebar extracted from Vista the port allows XP users to run Vista Sidebar. Users can grab additional sidebar gadgets directly from Microsoft and experience the same functionality as they would with the sidebar on a Vista system. If you're running Windows XP and looking for something to round out real estate on your widescreen monitor this might just be it. For other sidebar candidates and general Vista goodness, check out how to get the best features of Vista in XP. The Windows Vista Sidebar pack is free, Windows XP only.
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