[Download Squad] 4 New Entries: Working Browser - Compare your job

Working Browser - Compare your job

Filed under: Audio, web 2.0, Web

The folks behind the Working series of radio stories that have been running on public radio program Marketplace, have put together a nifty Flash-based Working Browser. The radio stories explore some of the more unusual occupations of people around the world. But the Working Browser allows anybody to create a profile and rate their job satisfaction, describe their compensation, and answer a few other questions.

Right now there are only a handful or profiles, but the web site only launched yesterday. As more people enter their information, the site will provide an interesting way to see what people do for a living and how they feel about it. In addition to browsing profiles, you can sort the browser by categories like gender, education, compensation, length of commute, and other variables to see how many people fall within each category.

Working Browser - Compare your job originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Use Secunia PSI to find your PC's Achilles heel

Filed under: Internet, Security, Utilities, Windows, Freeware

I'm sure our loyal DS readers are intelligent enough that their Windows install is likely riddled with security risks. Even if you've got Windows fully patched, any one of the applications on your system could be a potential

Secunia PSI scans your system for vulnerabilities and . The overview provides an overall score (given as a percentage) as well as basic information about your programs, displaying the total number that are patched, insecure, and no longer supported (EOL). There's also a simple pie chart for visual reference.

The scan did an excellent job of locating flaws on my test system, finding 19 programs that required patching. It's also smart enough to detect programs that have been installed or changed since the last scan. To no one's surprise, several Adobe apps, Java, and Office 2003 topped my list of risks.

Apart from providing an exhaustive listing of potential threats, Secunia does an excellent job of linking to the downloads needed to correct them. You'll have to download and install each file individually, but at least they're all accessible from a single page.

Secunia PSI is a free download for Windows only.

Use Secunia PSI to find your PC's Achilles heel originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Barack Obama plans to post weekly YouTube address

Filed under: Internet, Video, Social Software

For years, the president of the United States has delivered a weekly radio address to the nation. President-elect Barack Obama plans to be the first to videotape that weekly address and post it on YouTube.

The move shouldn't come as a huge surprise. The Obama campaign used new media tools like Twitter, YouTube, and text messaging as a key part of its effort over the past two years. But it's a bit silly to point out that Obama silly to pi out that Obama will be the first president to use YouTube in this way, as Obama's transition team is trying to do. The video sharing site didn't exist when President George W. Bush was running for office. So all it really means is that President Bush didn't use YouTube.

While Obama won't be sworn in as president until January, he has started to deliver the weekly Democratic Party radio address, which will also be videotaped and uploaded to YouTube and to Change.gov.

[via Mashable]

Barack Obama plans to post weekly YouTube address originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Microsoft launches online store, sells downloadable software

Filed under: Internet, Microsoft

Microsoft has launched a new online store, cleverly titled the Microsoft Store. I know, who woulda thunk? The fact that Microsoft is selling software like Windows Vista and Office 2007 as well as hardware like the Xbox 360 isn't particularly surprising. But what is new is the fact that Microsoft is offering customers the option of purchasing physical media like CDs and DVDs or downloadable software. And that covers all Microsoft software that's available on the site, including Windows upgrades, full versions of Windows, and Office.

Microsoft charges the same price for downloads as it does for softwar that comes on a disc and stuffed in a box. I would have expected Microsoft to charge a few bucks less for the downloadable version since there are no shipping or packaging costs. But the company apparently decided to go another way.

The other surprising thing? The fact that it's 2008 and this is the first time Microsoft has sold these products as digital downloads.

[via Profy]

Microsoft launches online store, sells downloadable software originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

You received this email because you are subscribed to the real_time feed for http://www.downloadsquad.com/rss.xml. To change your subscription settings, please log into RSSFWD.

[Lifehacker] 10 New Entries: FragExt Defrags Individual Files [Featured Windows Download]

FragExt Defrags Individual Files [Featured Windows Download]

Windows only: Free application FragExt adds an entry to your right-click context menu so you can defragment individual files on demand. To use it, just right-click the file you want to defrag, then select FragExt -> Defragment. You can also run reports on the fragmentation of individual files and copy it to your clipboard, a file, or just view it in a newly minted tab in the file properties. If defragmentation is a major issue for you, your best bet is to find a good defrag app and set up automated runs. If you just need to defrag a large file every now and then, FragExt or the previously mentioned Defraggler will do the job nicely.

FragExt [via gHacks]

Tiny Prints Turns Flickr Photos Into Stationery [Photos]

If you're looking to turn a favorite Flickr photo into a holiday greeting, then check out Tiny Prints. Recently added to Flickr's catalog of "Do More" partners, the custom stationery printer will allow you to use photos from your account to create greetings, invitations, announcements and thank you notes. As a bonus, orders of $99 or more placed by Flickr users qualify for $20 off using the code FLICKRTP20. Tiny Prints will also accept photos from Picasa, SmugMug or uploaded directly to the site. Looking for help organizing your holiday bulk mail? Try our tips for using Google Spreadsheets to organize your address book. If you're more the e-mail type, you can create e-greetings from Flickr photos, too.

Tiny Prints & Flickr Special Offer [via News.com]

Comprehensive Firefox 3 Add-on Compatibility Report [Firefox 3]

The next time you upgrade Firefox—which will be to version 3.1—you don't want to find out that your favorite extension isn't yet compatible with the new version, and Mozilla's going out of their way to make sure that doesn't happen. They've published an eye-popping list of Firefox add-ons which make up 95% of known add-on usage, and show what level of compatibility each extension offers. This report will update as Firefox 3.1 nears release; in the meantime, it's very interesting to browse the list, which is ordered by usage frequency to compare it to your favorite extensions.

Add-on Compatibility Report [Firefox Add-ons]

SoftMaker Office Is a Fast and Lightweight Office Suite [Featured Windows Download]

Windows only: SoftMaker Office is a free, lightweight office suite consisting of two fast, simple applications. The fist, TextMaker, is a Microsoft Word-compatible word processor that runs lean (using around 12MB of RAM on my system) and is surprisingly feature rich. The second, called PlanMaker, is an Excel-compatible spreadsheet app that likewise offers impressive functionality, speed, and an equally light footprint. As if all that wasn't good enough, SoftMaker Office can run off your thumb drive, so it's a no-brainer when you need to open a Word or Excel document on someone else's computer. If you need an occasional word processor or spreadsheet app but don't need all the extra bloat of Microsoft Office, OpenOffice.org, or even previously mentioned Go-oo, this one's worth a try. SoftMaker Office is a free download, Windows only. Thanks johnsmith1234!

SoftMaker Office 2006

Spoonflower Prints Custom Fabric to From Your Images [DIY]

Whether you're a Project Runway hopeful or a home crafter, you can have your own graphics and designs printed onto mercerized cotton fabric thanks to Spoonflower. After registering with the site and confirming via email, simply upload a JPG or TIF image set to 150 DPI and up to 25 megabytes. Designs can be centered or repeated across the fabric. You can start with a swatch for five dollars or order up to three yards for $54. Spendy if you want a full-sized flat sheet with a repeating pattern depicting the prime cuts from a hog (which will run you $90 for five yards plus shipping), but falling asleep in your meat sheets dreaming of barbecue somehow seems worth it. While the company eventually wants to print and ship orders within a day (and expand the range of available fabrics), you'll currently have to wait up to three weeks.

Spoonflower [via MAKE]

XBMC 8.10 Atlantis Leaves Beta [Featured Download]

Ladies and gentlemen, start your downloads. XBMC 8.10 Atlantis—the release that's bringing the popular media center to all platforms and integrating XBMC with Mac apps like iTunes and iPhoto—is officially available. For a closer look at what you can expect, check out our screenshot tour of XBMC Atlantis.

Soocial Syncs Gmail, Outlook, Your Cellphone, and More [Contact Management]

Web application Soocial promises hassle-free contact management, seamlessly syncing contacts between a handful of potential buckets including Gmail, Outlook, the OS X Address Book, Highrise, and over 400 phones (including your BlackBerry). To get started, just sign up with Soocial and start adding accounts and apps using their simple setup wizards. Some syncing will require you to download a utility (Outlook and Address Book, for example), while others simple require that you enter in a password (e.g., Gmail). The site is currently in beta, and though it's gotten a lot of positive feedback from users, keep in mind that you could run into a bug or two. If you're concerned with the privacy implications, Soocial makes it clear that if you decide to cancel your account, all of your data will be permanently deleted from their servers. Keep reading to get a clearer picture of how Soocial makes contact syncing a "hassle-free" process from their demo video.

Soocial is free to use and is currently in public beta. If you've been using it since the private beta period, let's hear how it's worked for you in the comments.

Soocial [via TechCrunch]

Sponsor Shout-out [Thanks Sponsors]

Thanks to this week's sponsors: Chevy Fuel Solutions, Cingular, Energizer, Gyration Air Mouse, HP MediaSmart Server, HTC Diamond, IGN, The Last Remnant, Livescribe, The New Museum, The New York Times Magazine, Nokia E71, Pernod, Rovio, Samsung, Toshiba, Zune. Click here to advertise on Lifehacker.

The Complete Guide to Speeding Up Your PC's Startup [Step By Step]

You just hit the power button your PC, and now you've got enough time to brew a fresh pot of coffee for the entire office—because that's how long it takes for your computer to go from "on" to "ready to work." If your PC's bogged down by a bunch of programs that automatically start up when it does, it can take forever to get started every morning. Without a major hardware upgrade, there's not much you can do to cut the time it takes for Windows to actually boot—but you can trim and tweak the amount of time it takes for your desktop to get to a working state. Let's take a look at a few ways you can cut your Windows' desktop's loading times using built-in utilities and third-party tools.

When you install a new piece of software on your computer these days, more often than not it will set a little bit of itself to start up automatically when your PC does, either to check for updates, make it seem faster, or just remind you that it's there at all with a little icon in your system tray. Problem is, when you install lots of software but don't use it all, these little startup entries can suck away CPU cycles, memory, and time. Reclaim them by removing the ones you don't need.

Remove Startup Items Without Downloading a Thing

While many programs promise to clean up your startup for you, you can make quite a few adjustments in Windows itself, without using any kind of extra tools.

The best, safest, and most basic place to start is in your Windows Start menu's Startup program group. Navigate to it and see what programs appear there. Right-click on any one and choose Delete if you don't need it starting up on its own.

Once you've done that, it's time to bring out the big guns. Windows can also start up items planted in your registry automatically. To see what those are, from the Windows Start menu, choose Run..., and type msconfig then hit Enter to start the Windows System Configuration Utility. Switch to the Startup tab to see a more comprehensive list of what's starting up automatically. Here's what it looks like.

Now, this list can seem opaque and confusing. What is ctfmon or RTHDCPL? The command column, which sometimes lists a full path to the item's location, can sometimes give you a clue as to what the heck an item actually is. As always, Google is also your friend in these situations. From here you can uncheck items to stop them from starting up. Don't uncheck stuff just because you don't know what it is; uncheck stuff you know you don't need. For instance, if you're not a big iTunes or Quicktime user but you've got the installed for occasional use, uncheck QTTask and iTunesHelper.Once you've unchecked items in this utility, when you restart your computer, Windows will prompt you, saying that it's using "selective startup." That's ok—you can always renable items by typing the msconfig command in the Run box again.

Messing with msconfig takes somewhat of a brave and savvy Windows user, but a few third-party Windows tweaking and cleaning tools offer startup managers that are more user-friendly.

Download and Run a Startup Cleaner Utility

There are literally a gazillion Windows tweaking utilities that include startup management capabilities, but lets take a look at two good ones.

CCleaner (which stands for "Crap Cleaner", see our original review) can scan your system for all sorts of extras and get rid of them, but you're interested in the Startup manager. Hit the Tools button, then the Startup button to get there. Here's what your list will look like. As you can see, it offers a little more information than msconfig above (in the Program and File column), and that may help you decipher what's program is what. You can disable and delete items from your Startup using those respective buttons.

If you don't want to install more software in order to clean up your system (which makes sense), System Explorer (see our original review) offers a portable version, and its startup manager is beefy, with hooks into the registry, an online virus checker, and even Google searches for file names. In the System tab, hit the Startup tab to take a look at what's auto-starting on your PC. Here's what it looks like.

As you can see, using the right-click context menu you can go straight to the registry editor, or do a search on ProcessLibrary.com or Google for the item. Also, the program's publisher and file path are included, which offer more information about what's what and what you can afford to disable.

Besides CCleaner and SystemExplorer, Lifehacker readers also like MZ Ultimate Tweaker and RegToy.

Delay Item Start to Get to Work Faster

Of course, it's not that one program that's starting up automatically and slowing down your whole PC—it's all of them in aggregate. You may audit your startup list and realize that yes, you do want all these programs to start. But maybe you don't need them to start up at the exact moment you're dying to get into Outlook and read your email, or work on that urgent report. The Startup Delayer utility (our review) does just that—it delays items from starting up from anywhere from 20 seconds to several minutes to hours so you can start working sooner. For instance, if your printer driver pre-loads but you're not printing the moment you log on, you can delay it for a minute or two. Similarly, I really don't need the Java Updater process starting its work before I do, so it is a good candidate for delaying. Here's what Startup Delayer looks like.

Don't Fall for the Myths

There are a lot of myths and misconceptions and misguided "secrets" to speeding up your PC published out there. Don't fall for them. If you delve deep enough into Windows optimization tips online you'll find tips about deleting page files, cleaning out your registry, setting your PC to use multiple cores manually, and lots of other authoritative-sounding tweaks. Before you do any of that, check out the How-To Geek's awesome guide to debunking Windows performance-tweaking myths.

Have you had any startup editing revelations? What's your favorite PC startup speed-up utility? Post it in the comments.

How to Wrap Large Cords and Hoses [Cord Management]

DIY home web site FineHomebuilding has a nice guide demonstrating how to wrap large cords and hoses for clutter-free storage while avoiding twists and kinks. With a medium-gauge cord, for example:

I drape the line back and forth over my hand until I have a few feet left. Then I tie off the bundle with the remaining cord and create a loop to hang it with.

The post itself has more detailed instructions for medium- and heavy-gauge cords, along with air hoses. If you've got a preferred method you stick to when wrapping your large extension cords or hoses, let's hear it in the comments. On the other hand, if you're more concerned with smaller cords, try one of our many different headphone wrapping techniques.

Wrapping cords and hoses [FineHomebuilding via Apartment Therapy]

You received this email because you are subscribed to the real_time feed for http://feeds.gawker.com/lifehacker/full. To change your subscription settings, please log into RSSFWD.