MakeUseOf.com: “Cool Websites and Tools [October 18th]” plus 8 more |  |
- Cool Websites and Tools [October 18th]
- 3 Modified Google Search Versions To Set As Your Browser’s Default
- Hamster Is A Free, Highly User-Friendly Video Converter [Windows]
- How to Remove Windows Desktop Search from Your PC
- Hot Tech Deals [Oct 18th]
- Amazon’s Top 10 Customer Reviewers Help You Make Buying Decisions
- Top 10 YouTube Dance Lessons To Learn Cool Dance Moves
- Share Your Life in Photos With The Free Instagram App [iPhone]
- WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe: All-In-One Tool for Video Conversion [Giveaway]
| Cool Websites and Tools [October 18th] Posted: 18 Oct 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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| 3 Modified Google Search Versions To Set As Your Browser’s Default Posted: 18 Oct 2010 06:30 PM PDT
This post is about modifying your browser’s default engine slightly – these modifications are likely to improve your searching experience a lot. But first, let’s very briefly look at how we can create a new search and set it as default in our favorite browser. How to Create a New Search EngineFireFox (address/URL field)
Placeholder for your search term: blank
FireFox search box
Placeholder for your search term: {searchTerms}
Google Chrome
Placeholder for your search term: %s
Opera
Placeholder for your search term: %s
Internet Explorer
Placeholder for your search term: TEST
Now that we know how to create a new search engine, let’s see which options we actually have. Google “Browse by Name” SearchGoogle “Browse by Name” search functionality is something in between “I am feeling lucky” and regular Google search. With “I am feeling lucky” button you will always land on the actual page ranked top for your search term (by-passing Google results page). With regular search, you always land on Google results page. With “Browse by Name”
Compare:
Note: This search will also bypass the search results page for all terms where a Wikipedia article is ranked #1. Try:
Google search query to create this search engine:
Note: The search can be a huge time-saver but surely not for everyone. People who specialize in search (like myself) can’t use it because for them, the search results page is the most important destination. Google Vanilla SearchGoogle vanilla is our old good Google we all miss so much: no “universal search” results (images, videos, etc within general Google search results page), no sidebar search options, no ads on top of organic search results, etc. Everything is crystal clean and clear:
Google search query to add this search engine in your browser:
Google De-Personalized SearchLike I have already mentioned, Google personalizes search results to try to show you the results that you are likely to appreciate. You are free to disable this behavior and you have various ways to de-personalize your Google search results – one of which is by creating a new default search engine in your browser. Google search query to create this search engine:
Are there any cool Google modifications you are aware of? Let’s have some Google fun!
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| Hamster Is A Free, Highly User-Friendly Video Converter [Windows] Posted: 18 Oct 2010 04:30 PM PDT
Online video converters are incredibly convenient (Zamzar is one of my favorites as it converts in high-quality), but having an application on the desktop seems to make more sense if I needed to consistently convert videos.
You can get the installer (14.2MB) from the Download.com page. Once you complete the installation, you can get started converting videos for your desktop and portable electronics in a jiffy. Beautiful & Numbered InterfaceOne of the most striking things you notice when you first launch the installed program is the beautiful interface. Contrary to a lot of other video converters which offer overwhelming interfaces with way too many confusing buttons and options, this program sports a cleaner look which you can definitely tell it was carefully- and well-designed. It features 3 tabs, each indicating the steps needed to convert your videos: adding files, choosing settings, and converting.
The first tab is where you drag and drop your files. You can also add files by clicking on the button to browse.
The application also supports batch conversion to a specific format or container so you can drag and drop several videos at a time. You also have a video player on the right of the first tab so you can confirm that you have the correct files. One drawback is that the player doesn’t seem to produce any audio, but you can still look and verify at the audio codec information, as well as other file details right underneath in the Info box. Choosing Conversion SettingsAfter you’ve added your desired files to convert, proceed to click on the second tab titled Edit, which lists all the possible output formats and device presets. It includes very recent devices such as the iPad and iPhone 4, as well as Android, Blackberry, PSP, Xbox, Zune, etc.
For AVI, WMV and FLV outputs, you can additionally select to deinterlace and resize the video, and change the frame rate and bit rate.
When you’re converting to AVI, you can also pick codecs, such as DivX or Xvid (which were explained more in Best Settings & Formats For Youtube Videos), which depends on the ones you have installed on your system.
If you regularly find yourself converting videos, you can save your settings to use them next time by clicking on Add To Favorites.
When you’re all set choosing your settings, go on to the third tab to click Convert and just wait for the videos to be converted. Supported Languages & ThemesThe program has been translated to a good deal of languages including Spanish (which I tested and determined, has great translations), French, Japanese, etc. which you can switch to by clicking on Settings at the title bar, selecting Language and checking one of the numerous languages. According to the official developer blog, the list of supported languages nears 40 which includes a lot of other languages that you don’t usually see support for.
The original color of the interface is actually yellow but if you dive into its Settings, you can also click on Themes, which brings up a rainbow palette for you to customize the color.
Have you got a favorite free video converter in mind you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments! Do you like MakeUseOf articles? Don’t forget to share our articles with others! It’s really important to us.
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| How to Remove Windows Desktop Search from Your PC Posted: 18 Oct 2010 02:30 PM PDT
The update creates a full-text index of all the files on your local drive, but unfortunately does not extend to any network drives you have access to. In Windows 7 and Vista have this technology built in, on XP you'll have had to install it as an add-on. You can disable Windows Desktop Search but if you'd rather get rid of it altogether, you're in the right place. Removal InstructionsThe first (and probably most obvious) removal procedure is via the Add/Remove Programs interface in Control Panel. For quick access, hit Start then Run and type appwiz.cpl before hitting Enter.
Once Windows has populated the list, make sure the Show Updates checkbox is ticked and keep an eye out for Windows Desktop Search and your version number. Click Remove and follow the prompts to get rid of the offending article. That wasn't so hard was it? However, a quick internet search will reveal that many users were unable to use Add/Remove Programs to uninstall Windows Desktop Search. The entry simply doesn't appear, and this makes it that little bit harder to uninstall. If you happened to install the MSN Toolbar (which installs WDS on your system) then removing this may work, but you'll have to sacrifice the toolbar in the process. Sometimes the uninstaller will run, yet this simply removes the entry from your installed programs list, meaning the service is still present. All is not lost however, and there are a few other things you can try if you're still determined to ditch the update. Further ReadingThe first thing you're going to need to do is take note of your Windows Desktop Search version. You can do this by opening Windows Update (which usually resides at the top of your Start menu) and perusing your Update History.
Once you've found out your version, you'll need to run the hidden uninstaller that lives in your Windows folder. Click Start then Run and type in cmd before hitting Enter.
You'll then need to paste the command for your particular version into the command prompt: Version 4 (known as Windows Search)
Version 3.01
Version 2.6.5 Beta
Version 2.6.0.2083
Version 2.6.0.2057
Once you've pasted the corresponding command into that window and hit Enter the hidden uninstaller should run, removing WDS from your system. There is of course, the chance that you’ll see this screen:
The Final StrawIf you're still having trouble and have tried all of the above then help may come from blogger David Arno, who has packaged the uninstaller into a handy little ZIP file. This will only work for version 4.0, aka Windows Search. Download [direct link] the file and unzip the $NtUninstallKB940157$ folder it to your Windows directory (probably C:\Windows) and open another command prompt.
Copy and paste the following into the window you just opened:
This should initialize the uninstaller and Windows (Desktop) Search should now have been removed from your PC. ConclusionIf you're determined to claw back some performance, or are just taking a hardline approach to unwanted software then getting rid of WDS is a start. You might also want to read about removing Windows Genuine Advantage from Windows XP, another optional-turned-mandatory update that can now be overlooked. Lastly, there’s a myriad of lightweight Linux installs to consider if you’re that way inclined. Check out Ubuntu’s full range as well as Linux Mint and don’t miss our excellent 2010 Linux pack. Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Includes cool extras.
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| Posted: 18 Oct 2010 01:15 PM PDT
For more fresh hot deals, visit our Hot Tech Deals page, which is constantly updated. Keep reading to find out today’s Hot Tech Deals.
Image credit: Modified from Svengraph’s icon set Got Questions? Ask Them Now FREE on MakeUseOf Answers!
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| Amazon’s Top 10 Customer Reviewers Help You Make Buying Decisions Posted: 18 Oct 2010 11:30 AM PDT
And to help customers make informed buying decisions, Amazon has hundreds of customers who are extremely prolific reviewers and are recognized for helping millions of their fellow customers make informed purchase decisions on . There's even a page dedicated to the top customer reviewers for Amazon.
Each reviewer has an RSS feed so that you can follow their posts. A. Chandler
The number one viewer is A.Chandler who has written to date 414 reviews, and has received 97% of the helpful votes. She reviews varied items including kitchen appliances, electronic gadgets, beauty products, and exercise DVDs. Her interest tags include technology, cooking, art, decorating, fitness, painting, photography, and pet related items. Joanna Daneman
Joanna Deneman has written 2,201 reviews also on varied subjects as art, Photoshop, digital photography, health and knitting books. She has also developed fourteen Listmania lists on subjects like Sleeping Without Drugs, Teaching Kids to Knit, and Wild for Watercolor. She has received 40,553 helpful votes. A. Dent
A. Dent has written 1, 038 product reviews and has received 13,327 helpful votes for reviews of mainly computer accessories (e.g. gaming mouse) and home items (e.g. iron teapot.) He has reviewed several Blackberry devices, as well as numerous books. Beth Cholette
Not only has Beth Cholette written 1,563 product reviews, she's also put together 32 Listmania Lists on subjects such as Helpful Yoga DVDs, Quirky Books, Great 80s Pop Music, and Top 25 Simpsons Episodes. She writes reviews on a wide variety of fiction genres, mainstream thrillers (e.g. Stephen King and Dean Koontz), exercise books and products, and movies. She as received 18,848 helpful votes. Timothy B. Riley
Timothy Riley has written 329 reviews. In his own words he calls himself the "gadget-guy," and his product reviews focus mainly cooking and kitchen items. He's also put together Listmania Lists on Toys and Tools for the Beginning Geocacher, Recommending Items for the Frequent Traveler, and Great Gifts for Fathers. He has received 4,497 helpful votes. J Scott Morrison
A retired physician and student of classical music, J Scott Morrison has written 2,202 reviews on classical music related items, including of course albums, DVDs, and books. Among the top reviewers his reviews are the most focused on a particular topic. He has received 20,551 helpful votes, and has created 13 Listmania Lists. calvinnme
Calling himself, "calvinnme," this reviewer has written 1,767 reviews and has received 26,363 helpful votes. You might want to follow calvinnme if you're interested in classical and early cinema DVDs, such as the Elia Kazan Collection, movies starring Humphrey Bogart, the 1946 film noir classic, The Verdict. He also writes reviews on software development books. Mark
Mark has written 593 customer reviews at Amazon on varied items such as electronic gadgets, games, fiction and non-fiction books, music, and movies. He's also developed 22 Listmania Lists, including Best Low Cost Value Headphones, Nintendo DS Lite Unites and Bundles, and MP3 Players for Around $150 or Less. He has received 16,831 helpful votes. NLee the Engineer
By comparison to other reviewers, NLee the Engineer's reviews are very modest, but for his 201 reviews he has received 12,894 helpful votes. He writes mainly about gadgets like rechargeable batteries, flash drives, and memory cards. z hayes
A self-proclaimed book addict and graduate student, z hayes has written 1,976 reviews on children's DVDs, literary fiction thrillers, history books, biographers, and memoirs, and assorted DVDs. All these reviewers are also Amazon Vine Reviewers which entitles them to receive free products in exchange for customer reviews. Let us know if you're a big user of Amazon.com and how use it to make buying decisions. Image credit: Shutterstock.com Hey Facebookers, make sure to check out MakeUseOf page on Facebook. Over 24,000 fans already!
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| Top 10 YouTube Dance Lessons To Learn Cool Dance Moves Posted: 18 Oct 2010 10:30 AM PDT
The good news is that closet dancers now can hold on to their dreams of becoming the next Astaire. Me, I would love to move like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. YouTube is the dance class we can 'enroll' in. We have seen how YouTube videos can be tapped as a great source for learning skills like card tricks, speak English, play games, and throw a knockout punch.
In the meantime, cut the rug with these ten YouTube videos and learn some cool dance moves. Moonwalk Like Michael Jackson
If this one of a kind dance move has been in your wish list, learn how to moonwalk from this 2 minute long clip. Also, check out the video suggestions on the side for more cool Michael Jackson signature dance moves. Breakdance
If someone remembers the early years when Thriller hit us, this is what we have been trying and more often failing to do. Now, it has got back its original term of 'B-Boying' but the basics remain the same. To check what they are, go and click on any of the 107 uploads in this dance channel on YouTube. You can start off by learning how to do the robot dance but it's more difficult than it looks. Most of the videos are taken from the channel author's official DVD. Addicted to Salsa
The YouTube channel teaches you the basic of salsa with the help of nearly 100 videos. You can start with the lessons for beginners and then graduate upwards. Though salsa has a few solo moves, it is mostly a dance form which requires a partner. So, motivate someone to join you and fall into the rhythm of this electric dance style. Step Up with Hip Hop
I borrowed the title from a movie that showcased the hip-hop style superbly. The videos that teach you how to hip-hop are showcased by Expert Village (now, eHow). The playlist strip at the bottom of the screen will take you to other videos too that teach you at least 13 moves of this freestyle street dancing form. Even if you don't get all the moves right, it's a fun way to lose the flab. Do the Tango
Tango is one of the most passionate dance forms out there. Argentine Tango is its most original form. Get some of the basics from the 21 videos hosted on this channel. The videos haven't been updated for quite some time, but the video guides that are available serve as an introduction to this dance form. Club Dance Moves
Clubs are the ultimate frontier for guys or gals who are petrified of dancing. You can either park yourself on the barstools or jump under the strobe lights with some of the lessons here. Most of the lessons follow the hip-hop style. Pick Up Dance
If the above videos seem too challenging, check out a few simpler ones here. This channel seems to have stuttered and stopped, but the videos on sidesteps and how to turn a girl should stand in you in good stead. Cheerleading Jumps and KicksThere are some who may scoff at cheerleading as a serious dance form and take it more as a sport. But you need a dancer's grace to do it just right. The basic cheerleading video from Expert Village introduces you to some of the simpler toe touching stuff. Then you can move on to handsprings, tumbles, and more advanced stunts. Ballroom Dancing for Beginners
Ballroom dancing skills will come real handy when you have to do a jig at your wedding. The 30 odd videos in the playlist from Expert Village cover the basics well. The dance steps are demonstrated by professional dance coaches. Dancing
The 378 videos should keep you occupied for at least a year. This is one of the more comprehensive dancing channels on YouTube. You get to work on hip-hop, salsa, waltz, ballet, belly dancing, pole dancing, and even dirty 'n sexy dancing among others. There are some videos that teach kids simple dance steps. And I learnt about a dance form called the Bachata dance, I didn't know anything about earlier. Check out the videos, add your own favorite ones in the comments, and don't forget to dance like no one's watching. Image: Shutterstock NEW: Download MakeUseOf iPhone App. FREE!
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| Share Your Life in Photos With The Free Instagram App [iPhone] Posted: 18 Oct 2010 09:30 AM PDT
Instagram describes itself as a “fast, beautiful and fun way to share photos with friends.” After a quick download and signup, I’ve found it to be everything it had promised and more.
Similar to Hipstamatic, after taking a photo you can apply a number of filters to the photo. These filters turn the photo into an ‘analog’ photo of yore with old-school style effects. Some examples of names on the filters are “1977″, “Gotham” and “Earlybird”. Each filter has a unique effect which will complement, or detract from, a photo.
Once you have decided on a filter, or no filter at all, you then move on to add a description and/or location of your photo. The locations pull from Foursquare so there are plenty of places to choose from.
The options you have to share photos is limited to the big players – Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr and if you have a location set, FourSquare. They could expand upon these further – certainly there aren’t as many sharing options as in the photo sharing mega-app Pixelpipe. This being said, keeping the options simple does have an upside: the interface is clean and easy to use. The social aspect of the app works very nicely. It is only available to Instagram app users, which sadly limits it to iPhone owners. This is a smaller pool of talent to draw from so I do not see this network growing beyond a ‘niche’ of photo sharing iPhone users. The interface is done very nicely and the transitions between pictures is very user friendly. It is hard to describe in words but I wish that other user interfaces were designed as beautifully as Instagram’s.
Much as on Facebook, Tumblr and any other number of photo sharing sites, you can ‘Like’ or comment on a photo if you please. You can ‘Follow’ other members to bring their photos into your timeline. The effect is something like a ‘Twitter for Photos’ – but the only way to send an update is with a photo. Another neat feature is ‘Popular photos’. These list the most recent photos which are liked by a number of users and there are some good shots there.
If you are looking for a free program that allows you to apply a number of filters to your photos, Instagram [App Store link] is a great app to keep in your repertoire. The social network it provides, along with the tight integration with Twitter, Facebook and other services, help you to easily share photos with your friends and beyond. Do you like MakeUseOf articles? Don’t forget to share our articles with others! It’s really important to us.
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| WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe: All-In-One Tool for Video Conversion [Giveaway] Posted: 18 Oct 2010 08:30 AM PDT
This is where WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe comes in with its all round solution for converting all High Definition and HD-Camcorder videos, to both portable and console players. Plus, it puts a DVD Burner and Website Video Downloader in your hands. This week, we will be giving away 10 licenses for WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe worth almost $300. Read on to find out how you can get one.
The array of formats supported is mind-boggling, so check out the complete listing given on the software page. The Main Window and the Easy Three Step Start Process
A user-friendly interface and a three step process – Select manually or drag 'n drop your file. You have 15 output options on view. Each format tab has a few more format options under it. When done with the selection, click on Start. WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe goes to work with a real time video converting speed of 15x. Choose and Tweak Output Format
If you want a simple conversion, a dropdown gives you list of few presets. But for those who want to fine-tune the video further, the slew of options under Audio Settings and Video Settings is the place. For instance, check out the variety at hand when it comes to converting a video to any of the popular cell phone formats. A checkmark sets up the powerful CPU Core Use, Advanced De-interlace Accelerator for progressive scanning, High Quality Engine for better image quality, and audio-video synchronization too. Choose a Track When It's a Multi-Track Video
Quite often, videos come with multiple audio tracks. When you don't need all of them, WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe lets you pick the one you want. Burn to DVD
WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe is a quick and easy DVD burning tool too. With a couple of clicks, any video can be burned straight to DVD. Online Video Downloader
Paste the video URL from YouTube video, Myspace, Metacafe etc and click OK to download the video. It's that simple. Little features like clipping a section for conversion or extracting just the audio from a video file are convenient to have around. The final word says that WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe is a one stop solution for your video conversion jobs. How do I win a copy?It’s simple, just follow the instructions.
Giveaway eligibility You must be a fan of our Facebook page to enter; Individuals who are over the age of 18. If you are under 18, get your parents to participate on your behalf; Individuals who reside in a country embargoed by the United States; Belgium, Norway, Sweden, or India are not permitted to enter. This giveaway begins now and ends Friday, October 22nd at 2100hrs PST. The winners will be selected at random and announced via email. Spread the word to your friends and have fun! MakeUseOf would like to thank Digiarty Software for their generosity while participating in this giveaway. Interesting in sponsoring? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with us via email. Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Includes cool extras.
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In order to improve my earlier tutorial 
What is it with Microsoft and "optional" mandatory updates? Windows Desktop Search (though Microsoft have dropped the "desktop" making version 4.0 Windows Search) probably made its way onto your 
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 post is written by a guy with two left feet. With a yearning to learn some cool dance moves, but too shy to go for a dance class. Sound familiar? I bet there are many of my kind with a similar social phobia when it comes to a bit of hop, shimmy, and jig.
Ever since I’ve seen friends sharing photos with the neat filters from 
Thanks to a range of devices from a few inches across to many, watching videos is a cinch. But it is these sundry devices that present a stumbling block when we have to transfer a video from one device to the other. For the average user, talk of file format conversions and codecs only serves to mar the enjoyment of watching a video.
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