MakeUseOf.com: “Cool Websites and Tools [July 25th]” plus 8 more |  |
- Cool Websites and Tools [July 25th]
- Latest Hilarious Picks [MakeUseOf Geeky Fun]
- Thank You To MakeUseOf Friends!
- Do You Share Passwords With Your Spouse? [MakeUseOf Poll]
- The 5 Coolest Wii Addons To Enhance Your Gaming [Gadget Corner]
- Hot Tech Deals [July 25th]
- 10 Free MP3 Albums To Download [Sound Sunday]
- How To Rotate Video Files on Your Mac and PC
- Sendible Giveaway Winners
| Cool Websites and Tools [July 25th] Posted: 25 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. Do you like MakeUseOf articles? Don’t forget to share our articles with others! It’s really important to us. Similar MakeUseOf Articles
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Latest Hilarious Picks [MakeUseOf Geeky Fun] Posted: 25 Jul 2010 08:01 PM PDT
If you would like to keep up with all latest Geeky Fun additions, please subscribe to the Geeky Fun feed here. You can also subscribe and get the latest additions via email. Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Includes cool extras. Similar MakeUseOf Articles
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thank You To MakeUseOf Friends! Posted: 25 Jul 2010 07:31 PM PDT
Thank you, guys! NEW: Download MakeUseOf iPhone App. FREE! Similar MakeUseOf Articles
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Do You Share Passwords With Your Spouse? [MakeUseOf Poll] Posted: 25 Jul 2010 06:30 PM PDT
The results clearly tell us that if MakeUseOf readers had online freelance work and wi-fi wherever it’s needed, most of you would hit the beach or an island. That’s 35% of MUO responders heading straight for the sun and sand. Sounds lovely, but I’m not sure you’ll get much work done there! Almost with a perfect draw for second place came two very different locations: ‘Mountains’ on 20% and ‘Busy City’ on 19%. This tells us that MUO readers are pretty equally divided when it comes to the sociable and the introverted: Half of you want to live it up and the other half want to get away from it all. ‘Remote Village’ on 10% was slightly more popular than the 6% of votes for ‘Tropical/Forest’ area. However, after reading the comments, this seems like it’s because few people believe they’ll get good internet access in a forest. Love the priorities, MakeUseOf readers! Full results and this week’s poll after the jump.
Now, enough with the dreaming and on to something a tad more serious. This week’s poll question is: Do you share passwords with your spouse/partner? Please note: I’d normally just say “partner”, but I didn’t want anyone getting confused with business partners. By saying spouse/partner I intend to cover all manner of serious romantic relationships where both parties love and trust each other completely. Sharing passwords is a pretty serious security issue. I doubt that any security specialist would ever recommend sharing any passwords for any reason, yet so many couples do it anyway. The consequences of shared passwords (even without considering a potential break-up) are numerous and in some cases quite dire. But somehow, when you’ve come to trust someone so much, it seems far less important to keep these things secret. So, let’s see what the general attitude is among MakeUseOf readers. I’d be very surprised if many of you are as open with passwords as the general public are. Have you shared your most important passwords? Just a few? Which passwords are most important to you? Or, are you of the “I love you, but not THAT much” security-cautious variety? Do tell! When considering your answers to this poll, if you are single or with someone you don’t entirely trust, please consider what your stance would be if you did have a partner you trusted completely. Would you share passwords then? Feel free to elaborate on your answer a little in the comments – we realise a complicated question can never be answered completely by a simple poll choice. Got Questions? Ask Them Now FREE on MakeUseOf Answers! Similar MakeUseOf Articles
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The 5 Coolest Wii Addons To Enhance Your Gaming [Gadget Corner] Posted: 25 Jul 2010 03:31 PM PDT
Ever since the console launched, a whole flurry of these Wii addons have become available. There are so many of them to choose from, how do you know which ones to buy and which ones to skip? Let's take a look at the 5 coolest Wii addons to enhance your gaming.
Wii MotionPlusThe Wii MotionPlus is a simple addon for your Wii Remote controller. Just attach this expansion device to the bottom of the Wii-mote and you're all set.
The addon increases the accuracy of your controller by using additional sensors to respond to any of your motions in a 3-D space. This allows for noticeably enhanced gameplay control on compatible games, including Wii Sports Resort and a variety of other titles. Wii WheelAnother cool addon to have is the Wii Wheel. The peripheral simply turns the Wii Remote into a steering wheel. Just snap in your Wii-mote and you're good to go.
Now, there is a trigger on the back of the wheel to function the Wii-mote's "B" button, but that's it. The addon itself adds no functionality, just the feel of a steering wheel in the player's hands. It doesn’t look like much, but it sure is a blast to play Mario Kart Wii with this thing. Wii Balance BoardThe Wii Balance Board isn't just for exercise games. The accessory acts as a video game controller, just like the Wii Remote. Using Bluetooth technology and multiple pressure sensors, the board is able to sense your weight and balance to interpret the movements of your feet.
A wide variety of titles utilize the Wii Balance Board addon, including the popular Wii Fit. Be sure to check out the Top 5 Wii Fitness Games To Get Into Shape From Home. Wii ZapperIf you are a fan of first-person shooters and basically any shooting style video game, you may want to consider checking out the official Wii Zapper peripheral.
Like the Wii Wheel, the addon is simply a shell for you to attach the Wii Remote up on top and the Nunchuk in the back. Uniting those two together, the result is a more gun-style controller that's easier on the arms and gives you greater control when playing games that test your shooting skills. Nyko Perfect ShotIf you'd prefer a pistol-like design, the Perfect Shot from Nyko is one of the best gun shells on the market.
The addon features a comfortable ergonomic grip and, unlike the Zapper, its design requires only one hand for operation, allowing your other hand to wield the Nunchuk or other accessories at the same time. Best of all, though, is its satisfying spring-loaded trigger. This is a third-party addon done right. What are some of your favorite Wii addons? Do you play with any of these? Let us know in the comments. Image Credit : nicolasnova NEW: Download MakeUseOf iPhone App. FREE! Similar MakeUseOf Articles
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 25 Jul 2010 01:30 PM PDT
For more fresh hot deals, visit our Hot Tech Deals page, which is constantly updated.
Image credit: Modified from Svengraph’s icon set Similar MakeUseOf Articles
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 Free MP3 Albums To Download [Sound Sunday] Posted: 25 Jul 2010 12:30 PM PDT
Be sure to share anything you like with your friends through Twitter and Facebook. It’s an easy way to thank the artists for their hard work. And whenever you get around to it, visit a show and buy a CD.
RTB2 – The Both of ItGenre: folk rock, rock n roll, soul
Whale Belly – …The Smile at the End of the SlopeGenre: folk, blues, rock
Whale Belly MySpace and Homepage. saddet – Groceries RemixesGenre: ambient, electronica, techno, acoustic
Carmen Costa – Stories Of Iron and PrideGenre: alternative, rock, americana, psychedelic
Carmen Costa MySpace and Homepage. Boy in the Bubble – The KingGenre: indie, alternative, acoustic
Boy in the Bubble MySpace and Homepage. Glass Delirium – Thanks To A Monster’s Many HeadsGenre: experimental, progressive, rock, hard rock
Glass Delirium MySpace and Homepage. Sunbeam Rd – Rutles, Magnet, Animals EPGenre: indie, rock, post punk, psychedelic
Sunbeam Rd. MySpace and Facebook. Ben Rector – Say Hey There SamplerGenre: alternative, pop
Ben Rector MySpace and Homepage. Sean Wright – Up The CreekGenre: rock, acoustic, pop
Sean Wright MySpace and Homepage. My Son The Bum – Are We There Yet?Genre: rock
My Son The Bum MySpace and Homepage. Past editions of Sound Sunday are available here. To have your free download mentioned in an upcoming article, shoot me an eMail (tina at makeuseof dot com). Please use the comments to make requests or share your feedback Any input is much appreciated! NEW: Download MakeUseOf iPhone App. FREE! Similar MakeUseOf Articles
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| How To Rotate Video Files on Your Mac and PC Posted: 25 Jul 2010 10:30 AM PDT
Some devices take into account every flick of your wrist, but most don’t, and you end up with a video that’s rotated by 90 degrees. Rotating that video again is not as easy as you’d think. The entire video has to be converted. Below are two ways to convert these videos – on Mac and Windows – using only standard applications that you should be able to find on every computer.
Rotate Video On Windows XPWindows Movie Maker was installed as one of the default applications up until Vista came out. This part of the article details how to use the ‘old’ version of Windows Movie Maker, if you’re still using Windows XP. Start by opening your video in the application via File -> Import To Collections… To be able to use your video, you’ll need to drag it from your collections to your storyboard, the big blue strip pictured at the bottom of the enclosed screenshot.
On the left hand side of the screen, select Edit Movie -> View video effects. On the right side of the screen, you can now see numerous video effects, including various rotations. Drag the correct rotation onto your video in the storyboard to apply. Go to File -> Save Move File… to export the project. Rotate Video On Windows Vista/7Windows Live Movie Maker, the successor to Windows Movie Maker, has been made remarkably easier to use. Rotating a video in it is hardly a bother. If the application has not yet been installed on your PC, you can download it for free from Windows Live Essentials.
Once you’ve opened your original video file in the application – which can be done by either using the File menu, or via drag and drop – the hardest part is already over. Simply click one of the rotation buttons from the ribbon on top of the screen, and select an export profile to the right. Rotate Video On Mac OS XThis tutorial works the same for iMovie ‘08 and iMovie ‘09. If you’re still stuck with iMovie ‘06, you’ll need to use a third-party plug-in. Another point of conflict is the video format. Some of the more obscure ones, like 3GP, aren’t supported. A shame, because these are actually used quite regularly for mobile compression. For these files, you’ll first need to convert them to another file format. This can be done in QuickTime X, via File -> Save for Web. Alternatively, you can use a third-party file converter like ReduxEncoder, or an online convertion tool like Zamzar.
Use File -> Import Movies… to select your converted video. iMovie will analyze the video and generate thumbnails, so this can take a few minutes for larger video files.
Before we’re able to use the video, you’ll need to add it to your Project Library from your Event Library. Just make sure you select the whole clip, and drag it over to the other side of the screen.
Now deselect the clip from your Event Library, and select the copy in the Project Library. To rotate your video, open the Crop menu, make sure it’s set to ‘Fit’, and use the rotate buttons. When you’re sattisfied, press Done.
You’ll notice that you’re video has now been rotated in your Project Library. To export it, go to Share -> Export Movie… or press cmd+E.
As with Windows Live Movie Maker, you can also upload your rotated movie directly to YouTube, or your personal MobileMe Gallery. Do you have any other tips and tricks on rotating those sneaky movies? Let us know what you think in the comments section below! Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Includes cool extras. Similar MakeUseOf Articles
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 25 Jul 2010 10:00 AM PDT
Here are the 5 winners who will each receive a complimentary one-year Sendible Marketeer subscription to completely make use of the advantages of social networking.
Congratulations! An email has been sent to your inbox. If you haven’t received it, please check your spam folder. MakeUseOf would like to thank Gavin Hammar from Sendible for his generosity while participating in this giveaway. Interesting in sponsoring? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with us via email. Got Questions? Ask Them Now FREE on MakeUseOf Answers! Similar MakeUseOf Articles
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Check out some of the latest MakeUseOf discoveries. All listed websites are FREE (or come with a decent free account option). No trials or buy-to-use craplets. For more cool websites and web app reviews subscribe to 
Check out the top picks from MakeUseOf 
Last week’s poll invited the dreamers of you to answer this question: 
If you're lucky enough to have a Nintendo Wii, you may know that one of the funnest things about owning one is the ability to include additional accessories or 
If you’re in the market for a new computer, laptop, mobile phone, games and other accessories; don’t waste your time searching online. We’ve taken the liberty of locating the best tech deals and unifying them into a single post for your convenience.
This week, Sound Sunday is back to its old self with a good mix of artists and musical styles. It’s time to make some space on your hard drive and re-load your MP3 player. Here comes the sound for a busy week!
It’s an error made by many. When filming with your cellphone, or even a real video camera, you’re not always thinking about ‘orientation’ – whether you’re filming in portrait or landscape.
If you’re looking for an easy way to share and manage status updates and blog posts on Facebook and Twitter, Sendible is probably one of the best (and the easiest) way to help you accomplish just that. Take a look at | You are subscribed to email updates from MakeUseOf.com To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment