MakeUseOf.com: “Cool Websites and Tools [July 7th]” plus 6 more |  |
- Cool Websites and Tools [July 7th]
- How to Maintain a Universally-Accessible Clipboard
- 3 Extensions To Recover Forms & Text Area Data In Firefox
- How To Get Your Very Own Free SSL Certificate
- 6 Best Profiles For Listing Your Social Networks
- Why Google Won’t Show You What You Want & How To Fix That
- Free Media Players that Support GPU Acceleration in Windows
| Cool Websites and Tools [July 7th] Posted: 07 Jul 2010 08:31 PM PDT
These are just half of the websites that we discovered in the last couple of days. If you want us to send you daily round-ups of all cool websites we come across, leave your email here. Or follow us via RSS feed. Hey Facebookers, make sure to check out MakeUseOf page on Facebook. Over 24,000 fans already!
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| How to Maintain a Universally-Accessible Clipboard Posted: 07 Jul 2010 04:30 PM PDT
You may have already used the “signature” feature of your favorite email client to keep these types of responses a click away, but what about when you’re on the road – limited to just one email signature on your iPad or iPhone, specifically?
Save it as a draft and copy/move it to your “Clipboard” folder.
Now your predefined messages will be easy to get to, should sit at the top of an alphabetical folder hiercarchy, and… it’s a free solution. Now when you’re accessing it from your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad; it’s simple to open up a message, Select All, and Copy its contents to the system’s clipboard to be pasted in a response.
Why not use a separate Notes app for something like this? Because… well, if you’re replying to email on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, you won’t have to switch apps to get to the information – it’ll just be in a separate folder. After you do this for each one of your common responses, you’ll have a customized collection to help you cut down on the amount of time spent typing (or waiting for when you’re no longer mobile). It’s a great hack to send quick replies when you’re on the go. This was guest post by Chris Pirillo. Chris is a geek. He’s on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook – not to mention the first result for “Chris” when you search on Google. Hey Facebookers, make sure to check out MakeUseOf page on Facebook. Over 24,000 fans already!
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| 3 Extensions To Recover Forms & Text Area Data In Firefox Posted: 07 Jul 2010 02:31 PM PDT
Have you ever felt desperate because of the need to type the text all over again? If “yes” is your answer (and if you use Firefox), read further and try these tools (they won’t save your life in any situation that may occur but they will recover the form data in most cases!).
LazarusLazarus (already reviewed by Saikat here) is the most popular text-saving tool out here. It works really smoothly, saves text automatically and is there only if you need it. According to their own words:
It Has Two Options:
The options menus allows to:
Does the tool remember text after the Firefox restart? Yes. Note: The tool saves data after you click “submit” – it is unlikely to save your life if you pushed “cancel” instead of “submit” Textarea CacheTextarea Cache is a similar tool, but it does provide a bit different functionality that makes me a fan. The tool is rather simplistic, it can’t remember the whole form but it is nice to use for saving the text area contents. What I like about the tool is that it isn’t tied to a form. Instead, you can access the tool (via the status bar icon) any time to see the whole history of what you have typed and where:
The options allow you to:
Does the tool remember text after the Firefox restart? Yes. Text SaverText Saver (not reviewed by Mozilla and still in experimental mode) – while being the least usable of all, this one also seems useful in some cases. What makes it stand out is that it doesn’t saves text automatically – it only saves something if you ask it to. To save the text, you will need to follow these steps:
Next time you need it, open the tool sidebar (via the icon in the status bar) and notice it there:
Note: The addon works not only with text areas. You can add pretty much any text there. You can also use the drag-and-drop functionality to drag any parts of text directly to the tool sidebar. From the sidebar, you can:
Does the tool remember text after the Firefox restart? Yes. Do you use any text-recovery tools in FireFox? Please share them in the comments! NEW: Download MakeUseOf iPhone App. FREE! Similar MakeUseOf Articles
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| How To Get Your Very Own Free SSL Certificate Posted: 07 Jul 2010 11:31 AM PDT
Transmission of your login information over an unsecured connection can be intercepted and hacked. Internet security is a topic of interest for MUO authors and our readers alike. SSL certificates encrypt the login data before transmitting them to your ISP/server making it harder for eavesdroppers to break in. That's exactly why banks, financial institutions, ecommerce sites etc. use SSL for securing login information, user identity information and credit card data.
Obtaining The Free SSL CertificateA simple signup form kickstarts the process of getting the free SSL certificate. All the details, including home/company address to phone number are mandatory requirements. Once the signup is done, an email with the verification code is sent to the email address you specified.
After entering the verification code, the application is sent to the second stage of verification by the StartSSL team and we are advised to wait for about six hours before being contacted by their team. However, I got a confirmation mail in less than 5 minutes with a link to the account. Remember, this email is good for only 24 hours from the time it has been received, so act fast. Installing The SSL CertificateStartSSL offers free certificates with no holds barred and with absolutely no hidden charges. You can choose either a 128 bit or 256 bit key for encryption.
We have the option to choose between a high grade or medium grade private key. Once the type of key is selected, it is generated and we are taken to the installation page.
Once the install button is clicked, the certificate is installed. There is also an option to download and store the certificate to an external disk and I strongly advise you to do it.
Now that the certificate is installed in the browser, we can just click on the Authenticate option to enter the control panel. No need for an username and password. We are identified by way of the unique private key and hence it is very important to back it up securely.
Validating The Domain NameAfter authentication, we can start the process of validating the domain name & the email address with the help of the Validations Wizard. From the dropdown, you can choose the appropriate option. Let us go ahead and validate a domain name. Once we enter the domain name, an email address has to be associated with it to confirm domain ownership.
Once the email address is verified, the domain is validated. However, this being a free SSL certificate, StartSSL requires the renewal of this validation every 30 days, which involves the same process.
Certificate WizardI chose the Webserver certificate since I am planning to use it for my Wordpress installation. We need to enter a password to create a private key and then we have to enter the subdomain where the certificate will be used. Subdomain is a mandatory requirement.
The certificate created will support the domain and the sub domain. As the final step, we now have the text box displaying the encoded certificate information. Copy the content, paste it in a notepad file and rename the file as ssl.crt
The same page also has links to download the intermediate and root certificates. Download them to the same folder. Uploading Files To ServerNavigate to the How to Install section in the FAQ section. Choose your server setup, for example Apache and you will have the code to modify the http.conf or ssl.conf file. Copy it and update the file in the root folder of the domain in your webserver. From the same page download the ca.pem & sub.class1.server.ca.pem files. Upload all the files to the root folder and now we have the SSL enabled connection at the website.
Final ThoughtsPlease exercise caution with the last step and ensure that all the directories (marked by arrows in the image above) follow the same naming convention of your ISP or location in your webserver. And do remember to validate the domain every 30 days to enjoy the security provided by the free SSL certificate. Are there any other services offering free SSL certificates? If you know of any, do share them with us. NEW: Download MakeUseOf iPhone App. FREE! Similar MakeUseOf Articles
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| 6 Best Profiles For Listing Your Social Networks Posted: 07 Jul 2010 10:31 AM PDT
But there are so many questions to answer. Which profile page do you choose? What if you use niche social networks? Should you use more than one profile page? Should you set the profile up for professional use or for friends? Where should you direct people? All of these are important questions, and they’re all best answered by looking at what’s available.
Google ProfilesGoogle profiles are becoming increasingly popular. They’re easy to set up, because Google will suggest links it already thinks are associated with you. Besides being a little creepy, this feature does help to make things quick to set up. Google profiles are also linked to Google Buzz, so make sure you check all your privacy settings there if you set this up. Hint: For professional profiles, ensure you set up a Flickr set just for professional-friendly photos and link to that from your professional profile. Much as your kid’s birthday party pictures are cute, it’s probably worth keeping them separate from your business networking. If need be, read more on maintaining a professional profile.
Claim.IDThis is a great way to keep track of everything. Load in all your important profiles, blogs and other related links, then categorise and explain them for your visitors. ClaimID lets you declare whether the link points to something “About you” or “By you” amongst other things. This way, you can showcase your own websites, plus any glowing reviews you’ve had from other people. It’s an easy way to create an online resume of sorts. ClaimID also lets you use widgets in the sidebar, so you can link to other networks there and add a little colour. DandyID
There’s a lot of networks on the list, so most social networks will be found there. It falls down when it comes to niche networks though, because there’s no way of adding something not on the list. There’s also no way of adding multiple IDs for any network, so if you have more than one Tumblr or Twitter profile, you have to choose just one to display. Card.lyCardly is fantastic for many reasons. Firstly, it allows you to choose from a good number of social networks. Secondly, it limits you to choosing just eight of them for your profile, preventing you from going overboard. Don’t worry, there’s another slot for a website, so you can point them somewhere else for more information. Thirdly, it has many great skins to choose from. The overall effect of this combination is to build a stylish landing page which won’t overwhelm the reader.
RetaggrRetaggr let you plug in your networks and create a nice-looking business card widget for you. It’s basically designed for you to have a virtual business card for social networks. The free version of Retaggr is limited, but not so much that a normal user will have any problems. A person with many blogs might run out of free website slots, but that’s about it. Besides which, Retaggr are offering free upgrades at the moment and they promise the paid version is pretty cheap anyway. GravatarIf you write or comment on wordpress.com blogs, a Gravatar account is almost essential. Gravatar’s main purpose is to make life easy for you by linking a profile photo with an email address. This way, when you comment on blogs, your picture shows up automatically. But then Gravatar went a step further and allowed you to list verified social network profiles. These are really simple to set up – all you do is click on the service and it takes you to the authentication page on that social network.
Other PossibilitiesAn honourable mention needs to go to Friendfeed. It’s really a lifestream, rather than a profile page, but it does allow you to create a neat badge which does everything a profile page should do – it points your friends on to your other profiles. Another site with potential, which didn’t quite make the list is isalso.at. This is a great concept, but sadly at this stage it’s limited to just a small handful of networks. I’m not convinced anyone will be happy with such a small choice. Other social network profile pages previously covered at MakeUseOf include: My RecommendationsBecause it’s so easy to set up a Google profile and a Gravatar, these would be the first I would recommend you create. I’d also suggest using different profiles for personal and professional use (with sensible email addresses linked), using your real name for the professional profile. Yes really do this – if someone Googles your real name, which profile would you prefer they find? Card.ly or Retaggr would be my next suggestion, since they’re both such simple, uncluttered landing pages. If you still have a bit of time up your sleeve, get to work on a holistic profile at DandyID or ClaimID. With this much information on how easy it is to set up a great profile to link your social networks, you may as well get one set up right now. Which one will you set up first? Why? Do you like MakeUseOf articles? Don’t forget to share our articles with others! It’s really important to us. Similar MakeUseOf Articles
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| Why Google Won’t Show You What You Want & How To Fix That Posted: 07 Jul 2010 09:31 AM PDT
The set of features developed by Google aiming at making it easier to search and find should be helpful for most people. But according to Google’s official guide, “sometimes Google helps out a little too much” and you need to know how to fix that. Let me first clarify in which cases you may have trouble getting Google to search for what you exactly want:
What To Fix:1. Google’s Spell-Checking FeatureGoogle treats spell-checking errors in two ways:
2. Google’s Phrase Versus “Oneword” SearchIt is somehow related to the above one (as Google should be considering it an error) and I fight with it almost on a daily basis. Whenever you type the phrase as one word (when, for example, you are searching for a service name), Google would search for the phrase instead. For example, I was recently trying to search for the articles related to OneLook (which is a direct and reverse definition search). Yes, I got a few results related to the service but most were dedicated to the phrase:
3. Google Synonym SearchSome time ago Google started quietly showing and bolding synonyms in its search results:
They do confirm that their synonym search algorithm isn’t perfect and there are “bad” synonyms returned. The reason is easy to understand: it is too hard to teach the machine to understand the natural language. While Google does its best to refine the system and the underlying algorithm, some irritating cases still happen. The example is [google ads] search that exclusively focuses on “Google Adwords” in search results (which are similar but still different concepts: Adsense is the system while ads are the actual advertisements served):
So How Do I Fix That?There are two common fixes to the three aforementioned issues. Here’s how: 1. + (used before the keyword) operator forces Google to stick to the exact match in search results: no error fixing or synonyms:
2. “” (used for “phrase search”) works like the above one but should be used when you want Google to search for the exact phrase (stick to each word in the phrase and their exact sequence):
(note: in this case, the + operator would also help: [dr +robon] Do you ever have trouble finding something in Google? Please let us know in the comments and we will try to find the fix together! Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Includes cool extras. Similar MakeUseOf Articles
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| Free Media Players that Support GPU Acceleration in Windows Posted: 07 Jul 2010 08:30 AM PDT
By taking most of the load of rendering video, GPU acceleration makes it possible to play video on computers that would other be incapable of doing so. However, GPU acceleration doesn’t work automatically. You have to be watching video with a player media player that supports GPU acceleration, such as the media players listed below.
Windows Media Player 12
It probably goes without saying that Windows Media Player isn’t every enthusiast’s dream player, if for no other reason than the fact that it is made by Microsoft. Windows Media Player was one of the first media players out of the gate with video acceleration, however – and this is really no surprise, considering that Microsoft’s DXVA (DirectX Video Acceleration) API is the only reason that GPU acceleration of video is possible at all. Windows Media Player 12 also squeezes in support for GPU accleration of WMV video files along with H.264, VC-1 and MPEG-2 video files. Windows Media Player 12 is also, to be honest, the only media player here that is really deserving of the name “media player.” Media player – as opposed to video player – implies that a program is centered around playing all media. While all of the programs listed here are capable of playing various video and audio files, Windows Media Player 12 is the only one that offers anything resembling an enjoyable interface for playing audio files. If you want an all-in-one solution for video and audio, Windows Media Player 12 is the way to go. VLC Media Player
Long a favorite of those who just want to play video files with a simple, easy interface, VLC Media Player was just recently updated to include support for GPU acceleration of video. VLC Media Player’s support for GPU acceleration includes the ability to accelerate the H.264, VC-1 and MPEG-2 formats. Notably, VLC Media Player also offers the same GPU acceleration in Linux. The downside to VLC Media Player is that this support is relatively new, and according to the VLC website it is only fully functional on Nvidia video cards at this time. They are still working on support for ATI and Intel graphics. Support for GPU acceleration of video aside, VLC Media Player remains a very straight-forward and versatile program capable of playing just about any video file that you throw at it. The interface is simple, but also has all of the features you’d expect from a media player. Once VLC Media Player is updated to support ATI and Intel graphics it will become an easy recommendation for best free video player. Media Player Classic HomeCinema
The philosophy of Media Player Classic has always been simplicity. The interface is a replica of the old-fashioned Windows Media Player and includes only the most basic controls. Like VLC Media Player, it can open audio files, but the interface is really geared towards playing video. Despite being basic, Media Player Classic HomeCinema quickly implemented GPU acceleration of video when DVXA became available. However, as with VLC Media Player, that support is limited. If you have an Nvidia video card only the H.264 is support. If you have an ATI video card the H.264 and VC-1 formats are supported. You also will have to make sure that you use certain render settings in the player – more details can be found at player’s website. ConclusionOverall, Windows Media Player is probably the easiest to use and has the best support of GPU accelerated video by far. However, it is still Windows Media Player, and it can be a bit annoying to use for some people. Both VLC Media Player and Media Player Classic HomeCinema are competent entries with refreshingly simple interfaces, but their support for GPU acceleration of video is limited. This is a situation where you’ll probably only be able to find out your favorite player by giving them all a whirl. Did you know about GPU accelerated video players? Are you using one at the moment? Got Questions? Ask Them Now FREE on MakeUseOf Answers! Similar MakeUseOf Articles
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I’m willing to bet you spend entirely too much time composing email replies. You may have the need to write the same response to different people throughout the day. This takes up more time than it should – especially if you’re mobile. There’s no need to keep banging out identical answers (even if you’re responding to someone’s identical twin).
Have you ever spent 10 minutes writing something and then pushed the “Submit” button only to find out that you have lost your Internet connection and your information has all been lost? Or that you have lost your form due to a Firefox crash or your own stupid mistake (such as clicking the “cancel” instead of “submit” button? I sometimes do that!)
A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate helps us to encrypt the data being transmitted via the Internet. It will come in handy if you are running a blog or a personal webpage and logging into them from an unsecured public access WiFi Hotspot (such as coffee shops, airports etc).
If you’re reading this post it’s probably because you’re a pretty heavy internet user and you’ve realised that you’ve got a few social networking profiles up your sleeve. You might be starting to realise that having a nice-looking profile page which points your friends to your other profiles is a good idea.
This service is really easy to use, because it shows you the profile URLs and lets you fill in your username, ID number or whatever. It then really quickly checks to see if that profile URL worked or if you’ve made a typo.
Google has been working hard to fit various people’s searching needs and find what they need even they 
GPU acceleration is a big deal when it comes to playing video. The GPU, or graphics processing unit, is much better equipped to render video than a CPU. Older, single core processors, and even (in rare cases) some dual core processors, 
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