CyberNirvana

Follow me on Twitter

2011-05-19T19:32:00.001Z

I no longer update this blog. You can follow my rants on Twitter @ziarezvi.

My top 5 iPad apps

2010-08-15T11:08:00.002Z

I have over 50 apps on the device which I use to a varying degree. The 5 apps below are almost used daily. I consider them as a must have and treat them as the essence of using an iPad over the use of laptop/netbook, that is: convenience, speed and usefulness.

1. Air Video

An amazing piece of program which allows you to access and view all your videos (all major formats supported including DivX) stored on your PC (even USB hard drives) from the iPad. The streaming quality is excellent depending on the Wi-fi access. I decided to purchase the full version (a few bucks) As soon as I realised I was able to watch The Dark Knight in HD in the living room on the iPad.

2. CineXplayer

An apps which is only 2 weeks old and which is shocked a lot of people: how did Apple allow an app to bypass its own self-imposed restriction of video format playable on the device? This apps allows you to load all any DivX or Mpg movies (via iTunes) into the iPad for offline viewing. Once again, the quality is unaffected and conversion is seamless.

3. Instapaper

The pleasure of reading text in the right format on iPad is a great experience: this apps allows me to read all the articles captured from the net in a neat and easily readable format.

4. Flipboard

This apps is the talk of the net right now: this apps was created especially for the iPad. People are surprised how good it is and wonder how long it will last as a free product. This one pulls news and content (not RSS feeds) from the web, including Twitter and Facebook, in a beautiful and slick format.

5. Early Edition

A simple RSS aggregator which compiles all my feeds in a newspaper format with option to send stories to my Instapaper account.

Screenjelly - What's on your screen?

2009-10-28T15:29:00.000Z

(I know, it has been a while...!!)

Hey, I love this. No software to install (though you will need a short java applet installation on your browser), a straight forward screen recording solution. You can save clips online and keep them private or share publicly.

Windows 7 upgrade survival guide

2009-09-18T10:56:00.003Z

Well, Windows 7 is nearly upon us. I am quiet excited about it because of all the positives vibes I have been getting. I am also about to get a new PC anytime now which include a free upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium. ZDNet has a brilliant repository of articles and reviews on the new OS including the following topics:

Free WinX DVD Ripper Platinum

2009-09-17T20:30:00.001Z

Our friend Nirmal found us a superb deal: The original price of WinX DVD Ripper Platinum is $24.95. Now it is totally free available from Sep. 15 to Sep. 30 (give away for half month).

Features of WinX DVD Ripper Platinum;

Multiply DVD Resource
WinX DVD Ripper Platinum supports multiple DVD resources including normal DVD, CSS protected DVD, commercial DVD, Sony ArccOS DVDs, and all region 1-6 DVDs, totally region free.
Popular Video Files Supported
WinX DVD Ripper Platinum could rip and convert different DVD video into most popular video formats such as AVI, FLV, MPEG, MP4, WMV, etc.
Support Most Popular Portable Devices
With this DVD ripping software, DVD movies could be played by most of portable devices including Apple iPhone, iPod, iTouch, Sony PSP, PDA, Zune and Mobile phone.
Separate audio from video
Extract audio from video and convert to MP3 music file.
Fast, Stable and Best Quality
Offers super fast ripping speed, up to 300%-500% real time, 100% stable ripping process and best video/video quality.
Easy-to-use
With simple and user-friendly interface, WinX DVD Ripper Platinum is suitable for both pros and novices.
Individual Video Effect
WinX DVD Ripper Platinum makes all video/audio parameters adjustable for users to set aspect ratio, video resolution, video frame rate or output video size at their will.

The Dark Knight: In Retrospect...

2009-08-19T18:45:00.001Z

I had the chance to watch last year's The Dark Knight again.

Well, I need to re-assess what I said a year ago on a previous post: I cannot call this movie average but a serious piece of cinematic experience. Christopher Nolan crafted something unique unseen in previous comic book adaptations and Hollywood flicks.

I am no Batman comic book fan as I hardly read any of them but this movie does complement the capped crusader pictorial version. Although I did criticised it originally as being too long and complex, Nolan has handled each character very well. True, a very dark film indeed (try reading Arkham Asylum if you care!) but the burst of action sequences relieve the tensions at the appropriate time.

Ultimately, the star of the show is indeed the Joker: Heath Ledger performance cannot be undermined. It is the Joker who runs the show and it is his machiavellian designs which makes the story so compelling.

Finally, the prologue is one of the best movie intros I have seen for years: the editing, the sequence, the music, the story line and the Joker's introduction (I believe whatever doesn't kill you, simply makes you...Stranger!), whoah...What a spectacle! The only Hollywood flick which comes to mind is the Beverly Hills Cop 2 scenes at the horse race course.

Video Games | The Dark Knight - Prologue (6 min.)

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Think! Before you do it

2009-08-16T23:18:00.001Z

Whatever it takes to teach youngsters about the dangers of tech...Brace yourself: shockingly real.

A healthy diet and a change of lifestyle

2009-08-16T22:32:00.003Z

Well, I did not see this coming: with the exception of fish, I have now switched to a vegetarian diet...Perish the thought my friends would say: how can a bon viveur like Zia can change a diet so drastically! Well, it has happened and the best thing about it, I am loving every moment (so far!).

There were a few triggers of course which led me to this course of action: 10 days ago, I went to an Indian restaurant and they were serving a pretty bad chicken curry. The same evening, I looked at the supper on my plate and what do I see: 3 different meat dishes!

The final stroke came when a cousin of mine sent me this article which did have a big impact:

At the age of 30, Chinese doctor Tom Wu was diagnosed with advanced stages of lung cancer, and was told he had only a few months to live

Not only has he survived, but the doctor has maintained a healthy life. The cancer is all gone, and he said he's never caught a cold or other illness for 40 years. He has stopped going for blood tests.

"My body and feelings tell me I'm well, that I'm truly in good health," says Dr Wu.

His secret lies with the power of natural healing. Dr Wu always says that no wonder drug can cure diseases. But our own internal healing power, our immune system, can. And what can strengthen our immune system are simple foods from Mother Nature, and a healthy lifestyle. In his view, diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease can be overcome by changing their diet...

You can read the rest of the article here.

How to Burn Calories - wikiHow

2009-07-29T17:34:00.002Z

I am in weight loss mode these days...Here are some good tips to speed up calory burn!

This article will take a closer look at some easy ways to burn calories that you can incorporate into your daily life.

A Brief History of Personal Computers in 2 parts

2009-07-17T14:00:00.000Z

3 weeks without an update on my Blog! If you are still subscribed, thanks for your patience!

I have been so busy lately. Even my list of 'bookmarks/sites to check out later' has been growing a frightening pace.

PC's are everywhere nowdays...Can you imagine a time when nobody heard of Personal Computers?

Briard takes us back to memory lane...

Part 2 can be found here.

Sacrifices...A Star Wars fan-made animation

2009-06-26T14:14:00.003Z

Somehow, I felt like posting this clip about a very touching Star Wars fan-made animation called 'Sacrifices' which I spotted ages ago.

Sacrifices is a short animated video that tells the powerful story of a Rebel Pilot returning to Hoth to pay respects to his slain co-pilot. Among fallen AT-AT's, crashed Star Destroyers, and remains of the Rebel Base, the starfighter pilot makes his way to a memorial for those killed in battle there.

LiberKey - Automatic online update of Portable Apps

2009-06-18T10:00:00.001Z

Hey, as a Portable Apps fan, my dear friends, all I can say this is an amazing piece of kit!

There are loads of good thumbdrive-friendly software compilations on the net such as good old Portableapps.com. But this stands out for a simple reason: automatic updates and installations.

One of the drawbacks of standalone programs is that you need often to check them individually (About>Check for update) to see if an update is available. And if it is, you need to download the new version and replace the old one on your flash drive.

But with the Liberkey portable apps suite, things are much better: the launcher programs scans update for ALL the installed apps. Furthermore, it will download AND install them automatically for you: what a time saver!

Finally, Liberkey also has a “associate file extensions” feature which allows users to launch any file whether from a directory or drive without compatibility problems.

The Crisis of Credit Visualized

2009-06-11T11:21:00.000Z

A great animation I found a while back describing in very simple terms how the world ended up in the economic mess it is in now.

The goal of giving form to a complex situation like the credit crisis is to quickly supply the essence of the situation to those unfamiliar and uninitiated.

Blind Search: Test the best Searh engines

2009-06-11T09:46:00.001Z

I am impressed...This is a cool service. With the flurry of activity in the search engine market, this is a neat way to assess with objectivity which is currently the engine which gives you the most relevant information for your needs.

When you search for something on BlindSearch it shows search results from 3 search engines, each in its own column, with their logos hidden. Then you can analyze search results and vote on the best set by clicking on the “vote for this search engine” button. Clicking the button also reveals the logos exposing the engines behind each column.

I tested it using my name and the result was surprising, i.e. Google was beaten!

Web Links 8th June 2009

2009-06-08T16:47:00.002Z

Lectures on Ancient and Early Medieval History - Main

2009-06-05T15:22:00.002Z

I love History...and you know what is so addictive about it? The deeper you study one aspect, the more you get hooked by another in no time: one topic leads to another and the fun keeps on going. My latest craving is Islamic Civilizations. I am keeping off Ancient Rome as I need a break (!).

Whereas one could crawl through Wikipedia on any given historical subjects, it is better to have some structure and a nice foundation to start with.

Experienced lecturer Steven Kreis has come up with the kind of web resources I enjoy: a nicely laid out series of short articles on Ancient and Early Medieval History covering a good range of topics to give anyone a good overview.

Download Portable Freeware

2009-06-02T14:03:00.001Z

I love portable apps...As a matter of fact, I think twice before downloading or installing a program which requires an installation step.

This looks like a neat and easy to navigate directory of of great portable apps. There is even a download basket facility to compile your selection and download them in one batch.

My Five Most Critical Firefox Extensions - 2009 update

2009-05-21T23:19:00.001Z

It has been a while since I posted my opinion on the 3 most critical Firefox extensions I use. Well, folks time for an update!

Sure, I have loads of extensions on my various instances of the browser, but which ones matter the most? Which add-ons are a MUST have as a minimum for me to enjoy a fast and reliable web surfing experience?

Well, the current list stands at 5 and include 2 from my original post.

1. Xmarks (formally Foxmarks) - forget the rest, if I have this one only, I will be still a happy bunny! The bookmarks sync 'par excellence', Xmarks never lest me down, especially for a net addict like me who likes to carry his set of preferred bookmarks accross cyberspace. The extensions seameslly synch my toolbar bookmarks accross my Ffox versions (on my laptop, Flash drive, desktop and netbook)

2. AdBlock Plus - The second add-on which is has constantly proven itself to be a must. I had ads: I have limited time to surf the net these days and I can't staff obstrutive banners getting in the way of web reading.

3. Web of Trust - With the constant paraonoia about net security, there is some kind of warm and fuzzy feeeling knowing that WOT can warn you before you click on a dangerous web page with hidden and malicious intent.

4. LassPass: a recent discovery but an essential piece of kit who consumate web surfer like me. The knowledge that I can access all my secured web pages without typing the relevant security details makes me feel good (somehow!).

5. Multirow Bookmarks Toolbar: OK, I admit, the last one to crop on the list. I thought about this one long and hard: well, I must say maybe not for my netbook (where the tiny screen makes this tool redundant) but definetely for larger sreeen PC's. Basically, I love my Firefox toolbar bookmarks and since it does get crowded I like access them on a regular basis, this add-ons allows me to spread the bookmark links and folders accross several rows for easy access. Watch-out: only up to version 3.3 of the extension appears to work, at least in my current version of Firefox (3.10) and even Beta 3.5. You can obtain the original 3.3 xpi in my blog resource page.

Web Links 13th May 2009

2009-05-13T17:06:00.004Z

Freebyte's Guide to Free anti-virus software

2009-05-11T17:18:00.001Z

Hey I like this...I found this via Google: a friend of mine was looking at best free security products currently available.

This regularly update web page lists free anti-virus software, free firewalls, free email protection software, free virus prevention software, tests of anti-virus programs, links to specialized anti-virus sites, information about virus prevention, useful evaluation versions of anti-virus software, etc.

Can't shake this tune out of my head!

2009-05-07T09:14:00.001Z

In the last couple of days, my head keeps on humming this beautiful composition from the second Star Trek XI teaser trailer...I simply love it. The music reminds me of Holst's 'Mars' movement with a hint of Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country.

Friday Funny Pix Time

2009-05-01T11:22:00.004Z

On Time Management...A pick of the best in my opinion...

Twitter: OK, I admit, it is Cool...And I have already found my favorite tools!

2009-04-28T08:30:00.000Z

Well, it did not take me long to become a convert since I wrote my rant about Twitter! O well, I could not escape the flow of the hype! I guess, initially, it was more of why should I be excluded from a tool that so many people are using and exploiting from a sharing perspective.

My current objective is sure enough to promote links (rather than musings about my breakfast!) and of course to follow other 'geeky' tweets so I can be notified of any exciting news.

Here are a selection of the best Twitter tools (all browser-based):

Two are simple bookmarklets: WWWitter (a tool that lets you take part in Twitter discussions about any webpage) which I have already covered before and TweetThisText, a tool that makes it super easy to tweet text found on webpages as quotes.

Two nice Firefox add-ons are TwitterFox (Firefox extension that notifies you of your friends' tweets on Twitter) and the elegant and brilliant TwitterBar, post to Twitter from your address bar.

You can follow me on Twitter to find out what gems I find on the net...

Web Links 24th April 2009

2009-04-24T12:29:00.000Z

2009: I am now an official Linux Fan!

2009-04-19T11:00:00.001Z

This is it. After years of hearing about the cute penguin and gloating at the slick interface, the geek in me finally gave in. All I can say, I adore this OS.

Several factors led me to embrace Linux: old PC hardware with sluggish Windows performance, my acquisition of the EEE PC netbook, the rise of portable apps, my hunger for web apps making me OS-independent and it goes without saying, my addiction to Firefox.

Linux for a beginner is easy to get into. There are loads of so-called distros (versions of Linux os packages) in cyberspace. With tools like the brilant UNetbootin, it becomes a child's play to create bootable CD or USB flash disks.

Confused / concerned about Dual-booting? Rest assure, help is at hand: check out The definitive dual-booting guide: Windows 7, Linux, Vista and XP step-by-step.

Of course, some distros stand out like Ubuntu and Fedora. There are even a
netbook-centric versions which I have successfully installed and I am currently using.

If you are still confused on how to choose the best distro for you, check out this article on how to choose the best version of Linux.

Xandro's Presto is an even better worry-free Linux experience. Presto is designed to sit alongside Windows rather than replace it entirely, with it giving you the option of selecting Windows or Presto each time you boot your computer. If you select the latter, you should be up and running in just "seconds".

I have tried the beta version of the distro was free but I love it so much that I am about to fork out the $19.99 asking price for the final product. I think this is a very small price to pay for such a powerful and secure OS.

I found a cool video which gives a good overview:

200 Free Online Classes to Learn Anything

2009-04-14T07:00:00.002Z

Wonderful, Online Education Database has compiled 200 online classes from Yale, MIT, Tufts (a private research university in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts) and other respected institutions where you can learn a great deal without ever submitting an application or paying a cent in tuition.

The categories include:

Natural Science
Maths
Engineering & Computer Science
Language, Arts & Design
Health
Agriculture & Veterinary Medicine
Law & Politics
Social Science
History
Theology
Business & Finance
Family & Education

Last Pass: Secured Password Repository

2009-04-13T08:46:00.006Z

I must admit, it took me a while before I made the jump to this apps. I am paranoia about cyber security and the thought of all my valuable passwords stored online initially gave me the shivers.

However, after some research online and advice from a relative is an 'Ethical Hacker' (God, I would love his job!), I gave it a try...And I love it!

I won't go into the details of the service, which is neatly reviewed by Makeuseof.com.

However, the reasons I like Last Pass are:

I no longer have to remember password for over 40 sites I am registered with.
I can store secure and private notes
The process of auto-logging is seamless
As I do not trust Firefox internal privacy settings, my passwords are encrypted by a 3rd party
Last Pass is so powerful that you can use it without the browser add-on via a bookmarklet
I can access all my secured sites from any browser
It has a slick form auto-filling system too

TED Lecture: Now that's a cool prototype gadget!

2009-04-05T17:52:00.002Z

Pattie Maes & Pranav Mistry unveil a superb game-changing wearable tech in their quest to find the "Sixth Sense". Pattie mentions 10 years before consumers get hold of it: Nope, I can't wait that long!

Web Links 5th April 2009

2009-04-05T17:46:00.002Z

Getting Things Done: Time to choose my best tools!

2009-04-01T14:00:00.000Z

After confirming my web notes app of choice (Evernote), I have been trying to sort out the best GTD apps for my needs. I have confirmed TODOIST as my choice for business/work task application. After careful consideration, I decided to dump good ol' Remember The Milk for my domestic needs.

After testing more than 30 GTD apps one tool stood out, Jjot.

A nice combination between a note-taking app and list making tool, Jjot has wiki-interface making it very fast to input and store data. Certainly not as powerful as Remember The Milk but fast and flexible enough for my domestic requirements.

Ancient Civilizations

2009-03-29T17:10:00.001Z

A nice offering from the British Museum. A very basic but yet good site on learning about ancient civilizations. You can explore facts about cities, religions, technologies, writing and trade from the ancient world. Each piece of information can be accessed via a combined Map and Timeline tool...very clever.

Top 10 funniest news reporter bloopers

2009-03-26T23:07:00.002Z

A nice gift from Webware, I love news reporter bloopers...Some of these made me collapse from my seat I was laughing so much!

Dial2Do: My life simplified via a phone call

2009-03-25T23:08:00.000Z

With Dial2Do you do common tasks by just calling a number and speaking. Use it to send EMAIL or TEXT messages, record REMINDERS to help you remember things, post updates to your TWITTER or JAIKU stream and LISTEN to your favourite internet content.

The service is similar to Sandy (unfortunately expired a while back ago). I have used Sandy in the past though I didn't use it as much as I wanted to whereas I've been using Dial2Do a lot more. The best thing about it is that I've been using it for Evernote , Google Calendar and blogging and it's quite powerful.

What I like about this service is I can just pick up the phone dial the number (a local number by the way) and just record a voice message which can send a note to my EverNote or set an appointment to my Google Calendar which is very very handy.

Dial2Do supports a large number of web services too.

26 reasons this guy likes Opera more than any other browser...

2009-03-22T22:06:00.002Z

I don't think there has been a more exciting time than now as far as browsing tools are concerned. Competition is so stiff...Firefox, Opera, Chrome, Safari, IE...This can only be good for us web consumers!

I was pleased to read Ashish's first post on his blog about why he reckons Opera rocks. I have tried Opera and I must say I do like it a lot. However, I am waiting for good old Foxmarks to implement a sync between Firefox and Opera bookmarks before I spend a lot more time on Opera and sample its delights...

Web Links 22nd March 2009

2009-03-22T19:57:00.001Z

What is all this fuss about Twitter? By the way, here is a nice tool for you Tweet addict!

2009-03-21T23:45:00.002Z

With 15 years web surfing behind me, I consider myself a veteran net addict. I am still perplexed about the hype surrounding Twitter. I do not have an account and I am still waiting for the magic trigger to motivate me to dive into this social tool.

With over 50 news feeds I check daily, my task would be even harder if I had to follow a number of tweets.

Sure, I can see some potential in the tool. One exploitation would be among a small project team requiring real-time status update. Ultimately, I could not foresee using the tool for social reasons but more from business perspective the same way I give preference to LinkeIn over Facebook for maximising my networking capabilties.

Anyhow, anyway, I came accross this nice bookmarklet which I am sure has a great potential for Twitter fans, particularly those who like to share their web experience.

The tool from WWWitter allows you to open a sidebar and post to Twitter. What is neat about this tool is that it highlights whether the page you are currently in has been tweet before.

Moreover, it automatically generates an Tweet post with a short url of the current site. A remarkable feat for a solution which does not involve any add-on or 3d party installation.

In my opinion, the best sharing site for personal videos

2009-03-15T10:30:00.004Z

Fliggo has answered my prayers: a secure, slick and simple site to store and share my personal and family video clips.

The service allows you yo create separate video blogs which can be password-protected. The quality of the flash videos creted is very good although you can get HD quality for premium subscription.

Each channel or blog you create can be customised (although limited range of themes currently available).

Sign-up is fast and seamless. As the site has been recently launched, I am expecting a number of new features in the coming months.

The service does offer community-based channels but my sole interest was to share my videos among my family members in a password-protected environment.

I have recently tested a series of video-sharing sitesv (YouTube, Jumpcut, Ovi, MotionBox, DivShare and Photobucket) but Fliggo rose about the rest. Jumpcut did impress me in terms of video quality was but private sharing was not as good.

Hey, my kind of restaurant!

2009-03-13T14:09:00.002Z

Food+Tech= delicious combination

7 Tips for Efficient Meetings

2009-03-12T20:33:00.000Z

After nearly 20 years as a working professional, I am still frustrated to see badly held meetings. Simon Mackie at Web Worker Daily has come up with some great suggestions to make meetings effective:

Decide if the meeting is required

My No. 1 meeting rule is not to waste anyone’s time. Companies hold too many meetings. Don’t hold the meeting if you don’t need to or just because you’ve held meetings for this purpose before. Can you achieve the same outcome via more efficient means instead; maybe through a phone call or email?

Decide what type of meeting you are holding

Seth Godin wrote this week that there are three types of meeting:

1. Information. This is a meeting where attendees are informed about what is happening (with or without their blessing). While there may be a facade of conversation, it’s primarily designed to inform.
2. Discussion. This is a meeting where the leader actually wants feedback or direction or connections. You can use this meeting to come up with an action plan, or develop a new idea, for example.
3. Permission. This is a meeting where the other side is supposed to say yes but has the power to say no.

There is a danger of meetings suddenly changing from one type to another, during the meeting, without everyone being aware of it. You need to decide what type of meeting you are holding and make sure everyone knows what it is beforehand.

Have an agenda and stick to it

Nothing is more frustrating than a meeting that has no clear purpose and meanders from topic to topic. All meetings should have an agenda distributed to all attendees beforehand so that you know what you’re going to be discussing and deciding upon. Everyone needs to be aware of what they should bring to the meeting so that they don’t feel ambushed on the day. Finally, an agenda is not clearly defined if it has “Any Other Business” on it.

Only invite people to the meeting who need to be there

People should only be invited to the meeting if they are required — if they will have important input or be involved in decision-making. Be rigorous when pruning the list of invitations: attendees who don’t feel like they are contributing or required will be bored, resentful and inattentive. It’s OK to have people only attend for the part of the meeting that they’re needed for.

Have someone chair the meeting

This may feel stuffy and formal, but with no chairperson, you’ll have a hard time making sure that the meeting sticks to to the agenda. The chairperson should also ensure that everyone contributes.

Start on time and do not overrun

People are giving up valuable time out of their working day for the meeting. Therefore it is vital that meetings start on time and do not overrun: this is the chairperson’s responsibility. If you cannot finish your meeting on time, you should schedule another.

Follow up afterwards

It’s important to follow up afterwards. Thank everyone for their time, distribute outcomes and action points as appropriate.

I am glad to note he makes reference to another great post on teleconferencing tips which I happen to do a lot in my job.

Web Links 10th March 2009

2009-03-10T14:06:00.006Z

Readability: a great web tool

2009-03-09T22:00:00.000Z

Everybody has heard of these tools to strip web pages of ads or other elements to make it to easier to print them. But what what about making it easier to read? My list of web clippings and articles still to read is growing and I do not want to waste unnecessary printing cost.

Enter Readability, a fantastic find from Lifehacker.org: you create the style, size and margin required to enjoy reading a web page on your screen. The web tool generates a bookmarklet that you can use to apply these settings to ANY web page...Beautiful!

Create Video Playlists and Embed Them Anywhere | Embedr

2009-03-04T14:41:00.004Z

Say, I like this site, Embedr is a free service that lets anyone create a custom playlist of videos from the top video sites on the web.

Here is one of my creation:

Get off Facebook and get a life

2009-03-04T14:25:00.001Z

Everybody knows I am not a big fan of Facebook...Technology is wonderful but should be used sensibly without us losing our humanity.

A psychologist is urging people to get off Facebook and other social networking sites, and get a life instead.

I would love to hear comment/feedback from readers of this blog on the subject.

My hunt to replace Google Notebook

2009-03-03T15:36:00.003Z

Ever since the much hyped announcement of zero development in Google Notebook arose a while back, I decided to assess some good notetaking alternatives.

With so many similar products available in cyberspace, I decided to narrow it to 4 candidates. Furthermore, I came up with a policy to back the service with the most ambitious offerings without going over the top but maintaining a seamless and simple interface. The candidates were Zoho Notes, Ubernote, Web notes and Evernote. All of these offer the expected standard features : image/text/web clipping, mobile version, browser bookmarklet, rich interface and email to storage solution.

Although superb web tools in their own rights, Zoho Notes and Web notes were quickly discarded in the race. Evernote was the winner but closely followed by Ubernote.

The reasons Evernote won were:

1. A clear ambition from the company to integrate the tool in your daily life
2. A fabulous array of channels (mobile, browser, desktop) to access the tool.
3. The ability to take a snap on my Blackberry phone and send it to Evernote for filling
4. The ability to carry my notes 'offline' on my fully secured U3 USB drive
5. The dial to text features via a 3rd party service.
6. Find printed and handwritten text within images stored(yes, really!)

It's fair to mention that a couple of articles on Makeuseof.com (here and here) made me also a convert.

Of course, the Evernote guys are in for the money: they attract you with these features to tempt you in their premium offerings (bigger upload size, no ads, file attachments, better transcribing of photos into text) but hey, I am not complaining: if the value for money is right, I am prepared to throw my hard-earned cash into it.

Nonetheless I will keep Ubernote in my radar: it offers collaboration features that Evernote lacks. Not a deal breaker but something nice to have.

Web Links 1st March 2009

2009-03-01T12:51:00.003Z

E.gg Timer: Count down timer

2009-02-28T22:55:00.001Z

Wonderful stuff...Simple online count down timer. To start a timer, all you have to do is type the URL and then in plain English append to it the time you need counted down (i.e. http://e.ggtimer.com/5minutes).

XBox 360 vs Playstation 3

2009-02-28T20:16:00.002Z

Well, I did have high hope for PS3...

MappedUp.com: News portal for the news junkies

2009-02-23T16:30:00.000Z

MappedUp.com is a cool web service pulling news headlines on a simple world map. I have used the screen saver facility. It is actually a simple RSS reader: the feeds are represented by a red-to-yellow dot on the worldmap: red means the feed has just been updated; yellow means the feed hasn't been updated in a while.

By rolling your mouse over the dots, you can read the titles of all new articles. By clicking a title, you jump to the author's website to read the entire article.

There is a screen saver tool which I have installed on my PC and which works great.

Medpedia - Medical Wikipedia

2009-02-21T19:48:00.002Z

Fabulous...A gem for all things medical...

The Medpedia Project is a long term, worldwide project to evolve a new model for sharing and advancing knowledge about health, medicine and the body among medical professionals and the general public. The Project provides a free online technology platform to any individual or organization that can benefit from its use, available at www.medpedia.com. Users of the platform include medical and scientific journals, medical schools, research institutes, medical associations, physicians, hospitals, for-profit and non-profit organizations, companies, expert patients, policy makers, students, non-professionals taking care of loved ones, individual medical professionals, scientists, etc.

PrintWhatYouLike.com - Printing only what you like.

2009-02-21T19:46:00.000Z

Hey this is handy, PrintWhatLike.com is web service which allows you to strip a web page of unwanted items for easier printing.

Features:

Format any web page for printing in seconds - no more pasting into Word!
Save money and the environment by reducing your paper and ink usage
Make printed web pages more readable by removing ads, widgets and other distractions
Fix broken pages that don't print correctly
There is nothing to download - everything runs in your browser
Change font size & type, remove the background, & remove images
Edit any part of the page by clicking a page element or selecting text

And the best thing: they even have a bookmarklet to do all the above!

My Latest gadget: Archos 605 4Gb Wifi

2009-02-21T16:33:00.006Z

For me, purchasing a piece of electronics is all about momentum: when the right conditions are there, I go for the product after careful research.

Although I was well aware of the range of PMP's that Archos offered, It never occurred to me that I may one day owning one myself. The reasons I went for this kind of PMP were:

1. I was getting tired of my 2 year old 3.5 inch screen Pocket PC, the Acer n311
2. I realised that I was using my PDA less and less for PIM functionality where Google Calendar filled the gap
3. I was heavily involved in video podcasts and some of these clips did not play well on the Acer
4. The PSP, although a superb gaming device, did not play all these clips and was restricted to playing MP4 format
5. In addition to video podcasts, I have been recently hooked to watch YouTube clips
6. I also had a bunch of DivX movies / TV series I wanted to catch up while commuting to work
7. Finally, with a big family event coming up, I wanted a decent device to show off digital pix

Archos 605 Wi-Fi Portable Media Player (4 GB) is a versatile PMP device with the following features (quote from Archos official site):

Play all your digital entertainment: movies, TV shows, photos and music
Record1 your favorite TV shows
Stream and watch videos from your PC
Download movies and music directly on your PMP using the ARCHOS Content Portal
Enjoy the new high resolution 4.3" touch screen (800x480 pixels)
Internet enabled to surf the Web, share content, and access Web video sites (eg DailyMotion)
View, zoom photos and make slide shows with music and transition effects, for viewing on the PMP or TV
Listen to all your favorite music in more formats than any other player
4GB* to store up to 5 movies3, 40,000 photos or 2,000 songs3
Expandable Memory with the built-in SD card slot for SD, mini SD and micro SD cards

First impression? Well, the screen: the quality is simply amazing, even my friends are smitten by it. Wireless access and touchscreen facilities are the icing on the cake.

Now, what's not so good? Well, for a start, in order to enjoy more of the movie and internet browsing features, you need to purchase the so-called plug-ins which can cost you up to $60. Fortunately, good old eBay comes to the rescue with nearly half the cost!

Also, the navigation though decent for this kind of device can be a bit slow compared to the likes of the PSP or iPhone/iTouch.#

25 interesting things that you learn about computers in the movies...

2009-02-16T15:17:00.001Z

1. High tech equipment is often driven by a computer with a DOS prompt. (re: RoboCop)

2. High tech companies don't do offsite backups of the data (re: Terminator 2)

3. All media devices are readily available - ie If someone hands you a DAT tape with important data on it your PC will have a DAT drive.

4. No matter what you ask a computer to do it will respond with a percentage complete bargraph - especially when searching for data it can accurately give you the time remaining until it finds that data.

5. Data searching will always involve displaying all the searched data on the screen until a match is found - this is true of text and graphics such as fingerprints.

...Continued...

Web Links 11th February 2009

2009-02-11T11:14:00.000Z

Printable Checklist

2009-02-11T10:24:00.001Z

Love this...No fuss, no brainer, printable, fully customisable and clean checklist maker. No registration required...I am in heaven!

Molecular Movies - A Portal to Cell & Molecular Animation

2009-02-10T11:59:00.005Z

3D Animation technology is very powerful if exploited as a learning tool. This repository of molecular animations is a prime example.

Molecularmovies.com presents an organized directory of cell and molecular animations, as well as a collection of original tutorials for life science professionals learning 3D visualization. The goal is to provide an efficient way for scientists and educators to browse and access existing animations for teaching and communication purposes.

Nice to see Bacteriophage T4 in colour after all these years!

Num Sum - web spreadsheet

2009-02-07T19:25:00.002Z

This is excellent. I searched Google for a no fuss and simple online spreadsheet and I came up with that little gem. Sure, there is Google Docs but I wanted a quick solution for storing non-essential data in tabular format. The registration was super fast and I was ready to go without much sweat.

Academic Earth - Video lectures from the world's top scholars

2009-02-04T15:48:00.002Z

Superb...A nicely crafted web site which is a repository of video lectures from the academic world. There is a wide range of subjects to wet your appetite. You can also download the clips into MP4 format. I was excited to find my favourite pet subject, Molecular Biology.

TinyURL Generator :: Firefox Add-ons

2009-02-03T23:06:00.001Z

These days I am into shortening URL services, collecting bookmarklets which help to create short web addresses. This is a lovely add-on actually: An extension to silently generate a TinyURL for your current page at the click of a button. I tested and it works beautifully!

20 Great Windows downloads for Data Privacy Day 2009! - Download Squad

2009-01-29T12:18:00.001Z

I have an obsession these days: security and privacy. In my quest to find the ultimate portable apps, I am always faced with the dilemma of ensuring my data is safe from prying eyes and malicious software. Download Squad has a good round-up of the top tools to mark 'Data Privacy Day'.

Check-out also Jash's top tips:

1. Use a password prompt after screen saver wake.

2. Use a firewall - Comodo for Windows & Stock Firewall for Mac.

3. Don’t store vital data like passwords in text or word documents. Use secure password managers. KeePass for Windows and KeePassX or 1Password for Mac.

4. Most Important is Safe surfing. Use McAfee Site Advisor plug-in for Firefox or Internet Explorer.

5. Encrypt important directories or volumes with encryption utilities like TrueCrypt for Windows and Mac.

6. Use VPN while surfing from Public WiFi hotspots.

7. Don’t download files from the internet if you do not know the source. If you are un-sure of the legitimacy of an e-mail, just reply back to verify.

8. Use a light-weight AntiVirus software like ClamWin for Windows or ClamXav for Mac, to scan all files you download from the internet.

9. If you have a Wireless Router at home, enable security (I recommend WPA2-Personal).

10. Don’t allow ActiveX controls to install or modify your system, if you are not sure of the provider. This is becoming a major way of spreading malicious code.

Web links 27th January 2009

2009-01-27T18:51:00.000Z

Play Doom in your browser

2009-01-24T08:50:00.001Z

This should take me back to memory lane...Download Squad reports that the flash version is a very decent copy of the original (but no music). All the old cheat codes work as well: IDDQD activates "degreelessness" and IDKFA will enable all weapons, keys, and ammo, and boost your armor to 200%.

You will need the latest Flash plug-in also to enjoy the game...

100 Most Often Misspelled Words in English

2009-01-24T08:42:00.000Z

Suffering from spelling ills? I believe a big majority does.

Here are the 100 words most often misspelled ('misspell' is one of them). I like this!

Simple Mail: A cool Email add-on for my Firefox!

2009-01-19T12:00:00.000Z

A while back, I finally made a crack at Thunderbird as I overcame my restriction to use Hotmail. But now, I can do without Tbird as Simple Mail is an email program which integrates nicely in Firefox. Moreover, as Microsoft recently announced free POP3 access, I don't have to pay for Izymail anymore: 2 birds with a stone!

Simple Mail features:

* Accounts
o Multiple email accounts
o POP3/IMAP/SMTP protocols
o Automatic checking on specified timeout
* Address Book
o Autocomplete box suggests recipient names/addresses as you start typing them
o Groups of contacts
o Display Address book in main Simple Mail window
* Folders
o Create custom folders
o Drag-n-drop folders and messages into folders
o Use filters to automatically sort incoming messages into folders
* New message composition
o WYSIWYG editor. Customize font/color of your message
o Smiles. Use predefined smiles or easily add your own
o URLs are automatically converted to hyperlinks as you type them
* Appearance
o Right-click on toolbar to choose "icons/text/icons and text" mode
o Additional columns for folders can be turned on (unread/total/size)
o Switch window layout by clicking on an icon in the top-right corner
* Other
o Store your mailbox on a Flash drive
o Sort messages by clicking on column headers

TurboScout

2009-01-18T21:47:00.003Z

Hey, that's a cool search engine! William Chee, its founder, contacted me over 3 years ago his unique web search tool located at www.turboscout.com.

TurboScout.com Makes Web Searching 20 Times Faster

A 21 year-old undergraduate from Singapore launched TurboScout.com, a new search tool that helps Internet users to access and compare original results from over 90 search engines across 7 categories on a single web page, removing the hassle of retyping keywords into different search engines.

Comparing results from different search engines like Google, Yahoo, MSN Search, and Ask Jeeves is a common practice for many users. This is because different engines use different ranking methods and thus no single engine can give users exactly what they're looking for.

"That's where TurboScout.com comes in handy." Says William Chee, founder of TurboScout.com. "Grown out of the frustration of typing and retyping keywords into different search engines, I decided to create an online search tool to get rid of these hassles and make such searching 20 times faster."

"Users who visit http://www.turboscout.com only need to enter keywords once, and getting original results from different search engines is a simple as clicking the engine's name. No more retyping keywords int different search engines."

Search engine marketing firms also find TurboScout.com an invaluable tool for search engine optimization and finding out the rankings of their clients' web sites in different engines.

Users who set their browser home page to their favorite site can even customize TurboScout.com to load together with their favorite web site.

This way, users can have all the benefits of TurboScout.com and access to their favorite site at the same time.

In addition to web page search, TurboScout.com also helps users to find images, search encyclopedias, check out latest news, look for interesting blogs, find songs and videos, and even compare prices from major online retailers and auction sites.

With a growing number of users who search online, TurboScout.com is slated to become the preferred time-saving search tool for many across the globe.

For More Information:
William Chee
Email: info@turboscout.com

Coffee and Caffeine FAQ

2009-01-18T21:35:00.002Z

I could not help mentioning this web page on my blog...An insightful and comprehensive Q&A on caffeine. As it affects a big proportion of the whole wide world, this is a must read.

The FAQ is dedicated to all beverages and products that contain caffeine; including tea, coffee, chocolate, mate, caffeinated soft drinks, caffeinated pills, coffee beans, etc.

Forests Forever

2009-01-18T21:14:00.001Z

A beautifully rendered Flash Showcase of a site...This site is a photographic repository of the most stunning forests in the world. The main navigation is via a slick world map. Each forest has a set of professional photographs in addition to valuable information and narrative.

Science Current Events | Science News | Brightsurf.com

2009-01-13T10:31:00.001Z

This is a superb news feed site for any science addict. BrightSurf.com latest science news stories, science current events, scientific research and discoveries in earth science, life science, space science, health, medicine, environmental issues, nanotechnology, climate change, weather and technology from research facilities, universities, government agencies and medical centers.

Web links 12th January 2009

2009-01-12T12:30:00.002Z

WOT :: Firefox Add-ons

2009-01-12T09:54:00.000Z

I have become obsessive with web security recently. I had installed McAfee Site Advisor on my Firefox and was happy using it until recently when it came up with some nagging screens. I came across this tool which performs a similar function: it warns you about risky websites that try to scam visitors, deliver malware or send spam.

First impression that is that I am beginning to like it...

A cool tip for generating a robust password

2009-01-08T14:40:00.001Z

While searching for resources on securing my portable version of Firefox against unauthorised access, I came across this cool tip on a bulletin board:

The best way to come with a password which appears to be random to others and is easy to remember is think of an event in your life and write it down as sentence. Take the first letter of each word, keeping capitalization, and using numbers, not words.

For example:

The Yankees beat the Mets in 4 games in the World Series!

Gives a password of:

TYbtMi4gitWS!

Doesn’t make sense to anyone else but you won’t forget.

9 Strong Reasons To Eat Slowly

2009-01-05T10:52:00.001Z

I knew this all along...But have I done anything about this? Of course not! I am still the first one to finish my meal before anyone else...Will I ever learn?

1 First of all - It can't hurt you!

Slow eating rate doesn't have any negative effects on your health, but can bring you a number of benefits without extra cost.

2 Appetite reduction

Eating slowly gradually reduces the appetite from the time you begin to eat. It takes the brain about 15-20 minutes to start signaling feelings of fullness. And if you have no appetite, you end up eating less.

3 Portion control

It is the direct sequence of the point #2. Slowly eating can make it much easier to eat less without feeling deprived. It takes some time to feel the fullness, so give this time to your body. Eating fast lets you eat too much before you are fully aware of it. Slowing the rate of eating can allow the satiety signals to develop before your plate is empty. (Guide to Behavior Change National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI))

4 Weight control

Points #2 and #3 turn into staving off extra pounds. Portion size and eating speed seem to be the part of the reason of famous “French paradox” -- the relatively low incidence of heart disease and overweight in France as compared to the United States, despite the generally high intake of calorie-rich foods and saturated fat. It is well documented that the French take longer to eat than Americans despite French eat smaller portions. Recently Japanese researches found strong positive correlation between rate of eating and body mass index (BMI) and obesity

5 Digestion

It is well known that digestion begins in the mouth, where the saliva is mixed with the food and starts to break it down into smaller chemicals that can be absorbed and nourish the body. Chewing food thoroughly promotes smooth, complete digestion. Basically the slower you eat the faster and more efficiently you metabolize the food. When food is swallowed whole it makes it more difficult for the body to absorb all the important nutrients (e.g vitamins, minerals, and amino acids).

6 Taste and enjoy your food!

When you eat slowly, you end up tasting your food more. Eating slowly lets you experience more of the flavors, textures and smells of the food you eat. Your food will become more interesting. And again, French experience. They focus more on the impression and less on the health effects of eating.

7 Quality versus Quantity

Slow eating may become a small step to a more healthy diet. If you won't like what you eat when you eat it slowly, probably the next time you will choose something of a better quality and enjoy the pleasures of good food. Fast eaters are more prone to consume "junk" and "fast" foods.

8 Insulin resistance

Japanese researches found that eating fast is associated with insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a silent condition that increases the chances of developing diabetes and heart disease. Also, fast eating seems to be a risk factor for the metabolic syndrome (combination of the symptoms such as high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance).

9 Heartburn & Gastroesophageal reflux

Rapid eating may cause acid reflux. It may be especially true for people suffering from GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease).

ShareTabs - The easy way to share your links as tabs

2009-01-04T22:46:00.001Z

This is an excellent service that I found on Lifehacker...Web site ShareTabs is sort of like TinyURL when you want to share several links, allowing you to send one link that will open a number of links in separate tabs with one click.

All links entered on the main ShareTabs input page will generate a single URL. This URL leads to a thumbnail preview of all the links in addition to all associated tabs.

Pocket Video Cameras - Buying Guide from Amrit

2009-01-04T22:39:00.001Z

Oh Great, thanks Amrit...Just what I needed as I am about to dive into a new video camcorder.

Amit Agarwal of Digital Inspiration reviews five different pocket-sized digital video cameras (all available for under $250) . The cameras covered are:

Web Links 31st December 2008

2008-12-31T12:00:00.000Z

Windows Live Sync vs. Live Mesh vs. SkyDrive

2008-12-29T06:12:00.001Z

It looks like Microsoft is finally getting its act together...Having been impressed by both its recent offerings (Windows Live Mail and Live Photo Gallery), I think the company has ambitious and consumer-focused plans for Cloud computing. Amrit has a superb review of the 3 key MS web tools to enable file sharing.

In addition to a standard web storage solution (Windows Live SkyDrive), it has revamped my beloved Foldershare, now called Windows Live Sync.

The third and most striking one is perhaps Live Mesh which includes Live Remote Desktop - ' Live Mesh lets you completely control the remote desktop just like other screen sharing application. You can even copy files and folders from the remote desktop to your local desktop through simple copy paste '

Remember LogmeIn anyone??

SoTube - Latest Football Video Highlights | Videos Skills Compilation soccer

2008-12-26T09:01:00.001Z

Lovely...SoTube is a blog that aggregates online videos of key matches according to timeline so the most recent matches appear on the front page. This makes things really easy to find.

Two super tools for USB Flash drive...

2008-12-22T17:46:00.004Z

Recently, 2 exciting USB flash drive applications have come to my attention.

First up is which is EjectUSB a convenient little tool to 'safely' remove USB storage from your PC. The program has to be run once only. There is no other step required. 'The program will mercilessly kill every program, process, or anything else touching your drive, letting you safely remove it without any fear of data loss'.

Next, if you tend to forget your flash drive on any given PC, Flash Drive Reminder is a handy piece of software which will automatically send out a warning message if your thumbdrive is still connected at the time of logging off. I think this is a very elegant and powerful solution. It does require you to start a program which runs in the background but this is a small pain compared to the actual loss of your precious flash drive.

Aggreget: a nice and simple news aggregator

2008-12-20T16:22:00.001Z

Hey I like this...As I am a fan of news portal or anything vaguely similar which brings the most essential newsfeed to my screen, Aggreget could not be simpler: it accumulates the most popular items from a range of sources including Digg, del.icio.us, Stumble Buzz, Fark (beta), TwitBuzz and Reddit.

Web Links 18th December 2008

2008-12-18T12:30:00.000Z

10 Ways Personal Branding Can Save You From Getting Fired

2008-12-15T17:30:00.000Z

A short while ago, I posted an article on 10 Essential Steps to Take BEFORE You’re Laid Off. Mashable's Dan Schawbel has another take on a similar topic and more preventive measures to avoid that dreaded Pink Slip or P45 as we call it in the UK!

1. Become an invaluable asset to your colleagues, professional network & clients

The first people who get laid off are the ones that are not needed for business to be conducted. If the business depends on your services and expertise, then you will, more than likely, remain in your current position, despite the economic climate.

As a social networker, you need to keep in touch with your friends, family and business contacts and provide them with any resources or help possible. As a business owner, it’s your job to convince your clients that they are benefiting from your services and are getting good ROI. The best way to keep in touch with your network is to import your contacts into LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, so you can provide them with valuable information over time.

2. Position yourself as the go-to-person for a specific skill

When it comes to branding, you want to own a word or phrase in the minds of others. It’s also beneficial to be someone that gets called upon when a specific need arises. A lot of young adults are branded as technically proficient, partially due to being raised in a sea of computer wires. Have you ever been asked to help someone in the office with a computer program?

Start letting people know what you’re good at and you will increase your value, which will increase the chance you survive the recession. Use a blog to position yourself as an expert in your field and people will be magnetically attracted to the information that is flowing out of each post you write.

3. Gain self-confidence and rise to the occasion

The worst thing you can do during a recession is lose faith, be uncertain and show it emotionally on the outside. An individual’s success or failure lies in their mental state. Those who are confident in their own abilities, skills, internal network and the future, will survive and thrive during a period of economic struggle. If you see an opportunity, go and grab it.

You need to be branded as a go-getter so people trust you with more work and are assured of the outcome. It’s in your best interests not to post negative status messages on your social networks. The web is public, and many people are connected to management, so attracting the wrong attention won’t work in your favor.

4. Focus on social equity, not just monetary equity

During a recession, many people choose to focus on every penny they have. They save money, instead of spending it (of course). The issue is that you come off as “cheap,” which will hurt your brand image. Also, people divest or don’t put much energy into building social equity (relationships/strong network), but rather monetary equity. This is a problem because money can’t really get you another job if you’re laid off, but your network can.

On the web, social equity is viewable through the amount of content you produce on your blog, or the amount of engagement you have on social networks. Over time, this equity begins to become a valuable asset to your career.

5. Build contact lists before you need them

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “build a network before you need it.” Well, today I’m offering you a social media strategy if you ever need to recover from being laid off. If you create a blog, join social networks, create a database of your network and possibly start an email newsletter; you are in effect establishing lists.

I speak with a lot of people who get jobs by notifying these “lists” that they just got laid off and are interested in a specific position. The key here is to build these lists out (RSS subscribers, Twitter followers, Facebook friends) before you need them. Then, you have a whole pool of people that can help you out. All it takes is one person from that list to get you back in the game!

6. Go on a branding spree by advertising it everywhere

Your brand needs to be where people are searching, especially where your unique audience is searching. I don’t think it’s revolutionary that you brand yourself on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, but I would like to offer you a few other sites that may connect you with other passionate and ambitious brands, such as VisualCV.com and Jobfox.com.

I think it’s imperative that you advertise your brand on the “old skool” job boards as well, including Monster, Careerbuilder and Yahoo! Hotjobs.

7. Make your brand so visible that people can’t avoid seeing you

When you admire some of the most successful personal branders on the Internet, like a Robert Scoble and a Pete Cashmore, one thing remains consistent: they are everywhere! This works in their favor because people remember them. If they were everywhere, but didn’t have credibility, a reputation or strong backing, then it might not have a great impact on you.

You need to not only advertise your brand on social networks, but comment on blogs, join forums and Facebook pages, as well as write articles for other blogs. If you aren’t already famous, then use the same avatar on all your social networking sites and keep your bio consistent, to the point and with links to your other sites. Make your name and face travel and see some great results.
8. Become so remarkable that complete strangers talk about you

When you were growing up, and maybe even right now, people talked about you behind your back. These were typically people who you knew and maybe didn’t like. Well, in the age of web 2.0, you can visualize and track these conversations, from blog to blog and profile to profile. If you have a loud enough voice and take a stand on a topic, you can be a brand that is spoken about by people you may not even know. These individuals might actually be able to pull you into a new opportunity at some point.

9. Be a content producer, not just a consumer

It’s really easy to brand yourself an innocent observer. The problem is that consumers aren’t sharing any value with the world, while producers are building value in themselves and getting their ideas noticed. Try and start a podcast series or write a blog about what you love. Something you’re really passionate about, whether it be work or play. People will begin to notice and be drawn to your brand. Being a producer is much more rewarding, and it causes your network to flourish, thus positioning your brand for career success.

10. Have an “endorsement mindset”

Last but not least, and possibly one of the most important things to keep in mind, is the power of positive endorsements. Collect endorsements throughout your life like you would collect baseball cards. You are the chief marketing officer for the brand called you, but what others say about your brand is more impactful than what you say about yourself.

On LinkedIn, give other people endorsements and you will notice that many will return the favor. If you’ve had blog commenters or people write about you, ask them to use their comments on your blog. Endorsements will prove your worth, allow you to market yourself into a new job or rise in the ranks in your current job.

How to Avoid Looking Like an American Tourist

2008-12-15T11:45:00.001Z

I think I will put this the humour category...An hilarious set of tips to remain low key when abroad! From the obvious one (Don't wear your camera around your neck!) to the not so obvious (Don't request decaf!).

Fast Workouts That Really Work

2008-12-12T21:11:00.000Z

A superb article Lucy Danziger. Can you squeeze 30 minutes of physical exercise in your daily schedule? Then check out her tips to get into shape with just a few but powerful routines...

Web Links 9th December 2008

2008-12-09T12:30:00.000Z

Top 10 Things You Forgot Gmail Can Do

2008-12-08T11:59:00.001Z

Although I have a Gmail account, few people will believe me that I am not an actual Gmail power user! Perhaps it is sheer lazyness which drives me to postpone that faithful day when i will become a die-hard Google email fan like I have become for non-Microsoft products like Firefox.

Anyway, enough my rambling, I thought I would share this great round-up of cool Gmail features.

Reinstall Windows and outfit your system with all freeware programs

2008-12-06T23:03:00.003Z

Samer has an excellent step by step guide to re-installing Windows with an optimum set of free tools...

I recently clean installed Windows XP on my laptop, and this meant that I had to re-install all the essential software that I use. It also presented an opportunity to write a posting about how you can outfit your computer with all the essential (and non-essential) software you need using strictly 100% freeware and/or open source titles.This posting could have been titled any of the following:

* How to never use a paid program again (aside from Windows).
* 53 essential freeware programs that can take care of the majority of your computing needs.

10 Essential Steps to Take BEFORE You’re Laid Off

2008-12-05T12:06:00.001Z

Kevin Merritt, founder and CEO of blist, a web-based list-sharing and database application, offers some sound advice in these uncertain economic times to ensure you are prepared for the worst:

Update your skills. It’s easy to become distracted by everything that’s going on today at home and at work. We neglect investing in ourselves. We can get away with that during boom times, but during tough times we need up to date, relevant skills. Start immediately. If you need training, get it — but don’t mistake training for application. Make sure you are practicing your skills professionally on a day-to-day basis.
Reduce your household burn rate. Many people earn more than the market will bear for their services. Stock prices have fallen 50%. Home prices are falling. Salaries adjust due to market conditions, too. When finding a job is tough, don’t restrict the size of the relevant job pool because you can’t afford to work for less than you’re currently earning. We live in different times than our parents did. I personally think everyone should prepare financially for being unemployed once every five years for a period of 3 to 6 months.
Start a blog that contains at least 50% professional material. If you don’t already have a blog, stop reading this one and go start one right this minute. It’s essential. Your blog is your living resume. It shows how you think. It shows how you write. It shows what’s important to you. While it is fine to blog about personal topics, devote half of your posts to professional content. What is that you do by trade? Mentor us through your blog. We employers love hiring mentors — they raise everybody’s performance.
Expand your physical network. Depending on how you’re wired, networking is either a lot of fun or a lot of work. If it’s work for you, have the discipline to start now. Building a network takes time, effort and sincerity. Start attending breakfast and/or cocktail networking events. Set goals for yourself. For example: “I want to have a good conversation and exchange business cards with at least 3 people during this breakfast.”
Update your LinkedIn profile. You are on LinkedIn, right? If not, do that right now. Your LinkedIn profile is a marketing tool. Be honest, genuine and show some humility, but also make yourself stand out in a crowd. Optimize your profile for the five-line preview that comes up when someone conducts a search.
Expand your virtual network via LinkedIn. Future employers aren’t dumb. They’ll detect that you only decided to invest in updating your profile and expanding your network and references after you lost your job. Do it now. Like physical networking, developing your virtual network takes time too. Set goals. For example: “I want to have 100 contacts by the end of the year and 250 contacts by this time next year.”
Start exercising. We all know that discrimination is illegal for most reasons and unethical for other reasons. But if you’ve watched 60 Minutes, you know that’s not how humans behave. With comparably qualified candidates, the attractive, fit people are usually offered the job. What are employers looking for in prospective employees? Someone who will get the job done. If you look like you are full of energy, the perception is that you will get the job done.
Learn to use social media effectively. Learn to use Twitter and Facebook. In addition to starting your own blog, participate in some discussions online by commenting on blogs in your industry. Always link your comments back to your blog. Potential employers will Google you. Show them that you’re thoughtful and have something to say. Conversely, be careful about thinking “it’s just Twitter” before tweeting something that could embarrass you later.
Do extracurricular work that showcases your abilities. What’s better than telling a prospective employer how good you are? Show them! If you’re a software engineer, contribute on an open source project, develop an iPhone application or develop a robust website. If you’re an online marketer, prove your good by showing me that you have a site that gets a lot of traffic. I met a man earlier this year who’s a program manager at Microsoft. He wanted to move into a new role as a marketer, but didn’t have any day-to-day responsibilities at Microsoft that showed he could do the job. So he bought a domain and set up a website dedicated to Caribbean travel. Soon it was attracting lots of traffic and ranked high in organic search. It was a great way to show doubters that he was qualified.
Avoid being laid off in the first place. Last but not least, don’t relinquish the pole position. An incumbent has an edge. It’s easier to keep a job than find one. We’re hearing about companies cutting 25% or 33% of their headcount. That means you need to be in the top 67% or 75% to avoid a pink slip. Other than an entire plant, division or office closure, the decisions about whom to keep and whom to let go are based on performance, salary and redundancy of position. Boost your performance by getting meaningful things done. Come in earlier. Stay later. Be more visible. Start sending your boss weekly status reports showing your accomplishments. Exhibit leadership.

The 77 Best Business Books (The Personal MBA)

2008-12-03T11:37:00.000Z

Josh Kaufman claims that you can teach yourself everything you need to know about business by reading this selection. The Personal MBA Recommended Reading List features only the very best business books available, based on thousands of hours of research.

Why not? I love it when someone does the research for me!

Free Software We're Most Thankful For

2008-11-30T17:00:00.000Z

Dear Lord, I thank Thee for making these bounties available to my feeble existence. I can only express my sincere gratitude to the kind programmers whom You have bestow Thy Blessing and Patience.

You want more? Check out TechVivo's list.

4 Reasons to Eat (or Drink) Pomegranates

2008-11-28T11:37:00.001Z

Renowned herbalist James Duke, a former ecologist with the USDA, has published (in the April, 2008 issue of Alternative & Complementary Therapies) an exhaustive review of the scientific literature on the pomegranate. His conclusion: it is “one of the most promising of health foods” with “a dozen known anti-inflammatory phytochemicals and some 3 dozen antioxidants.” Duke found studies that suggest pomegranate fruit and/or juice may help prevent or alleviate:

* Atherosclerosis
* Heart disease
* High cholesterol
* Prostate cancer
* Alzheimer's disease

Flash Showcase: 32 Nearby Stars

2008-11-26T15:00:00.000Z

A spatial representation of every star within 14 light-years of the Solar System in orthographic projection. There are 32 stars in this region, including the Sun. The stars are colored according to the spectral type, which may not reflect the actual color. Please see this Wikipedia article for the listing of stars. The stars on this map may not all be visible to the naked eye, as many are dwarf stars. Some of this information may be preliminary and not entirely accurate as a result. Each grid square represents 1 square light year. The grid is aligned to the ecliptic. Planets are not shown on this map because they orbit stars at a relatively small distance. They would be indistinguishable at this scale.

Move the mouse while holding the button to rotate the map. Use the scroll wheel to zoom in and out. Move the cursor over a star to display information. Click on a star to visit its Wikipedia entry. If the application doesn't work, you might need to install the newest Adobe Flash Player plugin (at least Version 9 is required).

Top 100 films of all time, according to Les Cahiers du Cinema - Telegraph

2008-11-23T11:00:00.002Z

Here are the top 100 flicks accoring to the well respected and veteran movie critic source. At least one of my top 3 (2001) made it!

The list include...

Citizen Kane - Orson Welles
The Night of the Hunter - Charles Laughton
The Rules of the Game (La Règle du jeu) - Jean Renoir
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (L'Aurore) - Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau
L'Atalante - Jean Vigo

Here is a great opportunity to discover or re-discover some gems of Cinema.

The Telegraph doees point out not one British-made film has made it which I think is a pity...

Web Links 22nd November 2008

2008-11-22T16:00:00.001Z

The Genome: Update from NYT

2008-11-22T15:41:00.000Z

As a science graduate, I always felt that my interest for Molecular Biology never left me but was buried deep in mind, ready to be re-activated whenever the right moment came. Well, this excellent article from New York Times is just the excuse to re-kindle the fire!

Carl Zimmer describes the current perception of the gene, how it has evolved in the last 100 years and some stunning facts which requires us to re-think some traditional beliefs:

The 21,000 protein-coding genes in the human genome make up just 1.2 percent of that genome
Scientists estimate that a staggering 93 percent of the genome produces RNA transcripts.
We can no longer think of genes as being single stretches of DNA at one physical location
And many more...

Bookmark Current Tab Set :: Firefox Add-ons

2008-11-17T18:20:00.000Z

This is a useful add-on (at least for me!)...I am often face with the situation when I have opened many browser tabs which I need to re-visit later, this happens typically after RSS feed review session. Now, I could use the 'Bookmark all tabs' feature in Firefox but this means a two step process: click the function and then press OK (or more if I have to rename the folder of bookmarks).

Enter 'Bookmark Current Tab Set': a one click 'Bookmark all tabs' including time-stamp of the new folder!

Landscape photos

2008-11-16T20:49:00.002Z

Now, that's my kind of photo repository site...Hundreds and hundreds of beautiful landscape photographs in one place. All tagged and rated.

Web Links 14th November 2008

2008-11-14T21:50:00.000Z

Open Culture: Free learning Resources

2008-11-12T11:31:00.002Z

Now that is a cool site for anybody who craves for learning and increase his or her knowledge using current tech.

Quote from the site:

Open Culture explores cultural and educational media (podcasts, videos, online courses, etc.) that’s freely available on the web, and that makes learning dynamic, productive, and fun. We sift through all the media, highlight the good and jettison the bad, and centralize it in one place. Trust us, you’ll find engaging content here that will keep you learning and sharp. And you will find it much more efficiently than if you spend your time searching with Google, Yahoo or iTunes.

For all you knowledge freaks, you will find the following mouth-watering sections:

How To Create Strong Passwords That You Can Remember Easily

2008-11-12T10:55:00.001Z

I like this...Damien Oh has a great blog post on Makeuseof.com sharing his tips on maintaining a good discipline in password setting. In the light of continuing security breaches on the net, these are words of wisdom to increase your vigilance...

9 Tips & Tools to Make Your Computer Run Faster

2008-11-11T10:54:00.001Z

Some wise tips from Ruchir Chawdhry . He claims that if you follow the nine tips , he guarantees that your PC will run 2x or even 3x faster!

1. Upgrade Your RAM

Yeah, the most obvious tip but people hardly upgrade it. RAM these days is very cheap, especially if you buy it through Amazon or eBay. When I checked Amazon, the price of 1 GB RAM was around $20-$30.

2. Get Rid of Unneeded Software

Most PCs come shipped with unneeded software. Uninstall all of them. I’m sure there are better alternatives to those software. For example, my PC came shipped from hp with lots of bloatware such as HP Image Zone, Norton AntiVirus 2004, Record Now! CD & DVD Burning software etc. I uninstalled all of them and replaced them with better software like Picasa and Nero.

3. Keep Only One Browser

This is part of the getting rid of unneeded applications but I decided to separate it because so many people have 3, or even 4 browsers installed on their computer. I used to do this; I used to have Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, and Safari. Now I only have Mozilla Firefox. Yes, I even removed Internet Explorer!

Now you might be wondering how do I update Windows without Internet Explorer, right? Here’s how I do it, and you can too: To update Windows from within Firefox, just download the IE Tab add-on. Using that plugin, you can access IE only sites like Windows Update with ease.

4. Get an All-in-One Solution for Your IM Needs

I’m guessing that most of you have at least 2 IM clients installed. Uninstall all of them. Instead, get Digsby. Digsby is an All-in-One solution for your social media and IM needs.

5. Limit the Programs that Start Automatically

The programs that load automatically after your Windows starts can severely cripple the load time. To reduce the number of programs that start auto-load, download Revo Uninstaller. Disable the autoloading of applications carefully though. The rule of thumb is that if you don’t know what the app does, don’t disable it.

6. Delay the Startup of Your Remaining Autoloading Programs

Even after you’ve disabled the autoloading of most programs, there still is room to improve. The thing is that when your PC starts up, all your startup apps are fighting to run at the same time, which creates a bottleneck. To mitigate this effect, you can delay the launch of each of your startup program by a few seconds or minutes. Startup Delayer is an awesome app that does this.

7. Tweak Windows’s Display & Animation Settings

Right-click on “My Computer” > Go to the “Advanced” tab and click on “Settings” under “Performance”. Now uncheck the checkbox next to “Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing”. Disabling them won’t make your PC behave quicker per se but it will fasten the minimizing and maximizing of windows.

8. Disable Desktop Shortcuts

Shortcuts on your desktop are a waste. Not only do they increase your computer startup time, they also are an inefficient way to open stuff. There are more efficient ways to access applications, such through the Start Menu, the Quick Launch menu, or through software such as Launchy. To hide desktop shortcuts, right-click on your desktop, go to “Arrange Icons by” and uncheck “Show Desktop Icons” by clicking on it.

9. Check for Malware, Spyware, Viruses Regularly

The most important tip I can give you is to 1) have a firewall, 2) have an anti-spyware app, 3) have an anti-virus app, and 4) Regularly scan for viruses, spyware etc. If there’s a virus or some spyware slowing down your computer then none of the above tips can help you. You’ll first have to disinfect your PC. I use Ad-Aware 2008 as my anti-spyware app and Norton Internet Security 2009 as my firewall and anti-virus app.

Also check out this link from Activehow.