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WinFlog powers up your Windows context menus

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware

WinFlog Extreme is a tiny Windows utility that lets you add a handful of useful items to your right-click context menus. That includes the ability to turn Aero desktop effects on or off in Windows Vista, eject a CD or DVD, or turn on the Flip 3D Windows switcher in Windows Vista. You can also add an option to turn off your display from the context menu. Don't worry, it will come back on as soon as you move your mouse.

The utility lets you pull up these features when you right click your My Computer icon, when you right click on your desktop or a Windows Explorer Window, or when you click your middle mouse button or scroll wheel.

The only feature that actually seems to work for Windows XP users is the option to turn off the monitor by right-clicking on the My Computer icon. So if you're running Windows XP, I'd recommend downloading the lite version of WinFlog, which offers just a few features, rather than the full WinFlog Extreme. Of course, both versions take up less than half a megabyte, so unless you're on a dialup connection where every KB counts, you might want to just go ahead and splurge and get the full version.

[via Download.com]

WinFlog powers up your Windows context menus originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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context-menuwinflogBrad LinderMon, 01 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST

Pownce gets pwned: Six Apart acquires and plans to shutter service

Filed under: News, Blogging, Web services, web 2.0

Do you still use your Pownce account? I stopped using mine months ago. I don't even know if I remember the password. If you do still use Pownce, the Twitter-like microblogging service that just never seemed to capitalize on its early hype, start preparing to migrate to something new. Today, Six Apart, the company behind Movable Type, TypePad and Vox, announced that it has acquired Pownce and will be shuttering the service in two weeks. Lead Pownce developers Leah Culver and Mike Malone will continue on at Six Apart, where presumably some of Pownce's features will be rolled into Vox.

Hey, at least there is Twitter! Seriously though, Pownce's failure is proof that hype alone will not make a product or company a success. As our own Nik Fletcher pointed out, Pownce is the perfect example of how NOT having a useful API at launch or soon thereafter is a huge mistake. Especially if you are trying to do the whole microblogging thing.

Not to get all Valleywag, but didn't Six Apart just lay off 8% of its staff, like three weeks ago? I don't know the particulars of either situation -- but simply on the surface, that's cold. Did something miraculously change or was this part of the plan the whole time?

If you are worried about losing your messages once Pownce powers down its service, the Pownce team has created an export tool which will generate a file (I'm guess its XML. I haven't had a chance to look at it) that can then be imported into Vox, WordPress or TypePad.

Fittingly, the discussion of Pownce's demise is much more active on Twitter and Friendfeed than on Pownce itself.

Pownce gets pwned: Six Apart acquires and plans to shutter service originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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pownceshut downShutDownsix apartSixAparttwittervoxChristina WarrenMon, 01 Dec 2008 17:20:00 EST

Mount remote storage, use web apps as local apps with Gladinet

Filed under: Windows, Web services, Beta, web 2.0

Gladinet is a new Windows utility that aims to help bridge the divide between desktop and web-based applications and storage. Here's how it works. You install the free (at least while in Beta) Gladinet utility and select the web based services and applications that you want to access locally. For example, you can mount your Windows Live SkyDrive or Amazon S3 Storage as a local drive that you can access using Windows Explorer.

You can also mount your Google Picasa Web Albums and Google Docs folders as if they were local folders, allowing you to upload, download, and access documents and images stored on Google's servers as if they were on your desktop.

But the ability to mount remote storage as a local folder is just the tip of the iceberg. You can also use Gladinet to launch web based applications like Google Docs, Google Calendar, or ThinkFree Doc, XLS, or PPT viewers in a standalone window as if they were desktop apps.

Last, but certainly not least, you can use Gladinet to mount folders on remote computers as local folders.

[via ReadWriteWeb]

Mount remote storage, use web apps as local apps with Gladinet originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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gladinetgoogle-docspicasaremote-storagewindows-live-skydriveBrad LinderMon, 01 Dec 2008 16:05:00 EST

gOS Cloud - From zero to web browser in just a few seconds

Filed under: OS Updates, Linux, Web services, web 2.0

gOS is a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu that's designed to make it easy to interface with web-based applications like Gmail, YouTube, and Meebo. It uses the slightly OS X-like Enlightenment desktop environment, and the developers have been pushing it as a good operating system for low powered netbooks, thanks to its integration with web applications.

The latest version of gOS goes a few steps further, by emphasizing the web browser above all else. gOS Cloud is a stripped down Linux distro that can load in just a few seconds. And instead of loading a typical desktop, the first window it opens is a web browser (which looks suspiciously like Google Chrome in the press shots).

You also get a dock-style program launcher for starting desktop applications. And the operating system is designed for dual boot systems that also run Windows XP. Good OS, the company behind the Linux distro are working with netbook makers Gigabyte to build an ultraportable laptop that will come preloaded with gOS Cloud and Windows XP in early 2009.

gOS Cloud - From zero to web browser in just a few seconds originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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cloud-computinggood-osgosgos-cloudBrad LinderMon, 01 Dec 2008 15:00:00 EST

Three apps for the Windows sysadmin - Holiday Gift Guide

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Commercial

If you have a Windows systems admin (the kind of person responsible for managing a computer network and/or server farm) on your holiday gift-giving list, check out these three commercial apps that they are sure to love:

Hyena ($199) - This Windows application is an Active Directory admin's sidekick. In addition to acting as a an AD Users/Computers snap-in on steroids, it also lets you easily change local account usernames and passwords on multiple computers, create helpful lists of group members, and manage services. Hyena also makes it easy to quickly view the currently logged in users of a machine and shutdown or reboot a group of computers.

Continue reading Three apps for the Windows sysadmin - Holiday Gift Guide

Three apps for the Windows sysadmin - Holiday Gift Guide originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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hgghgg2008HyenaSecureCRTsysadminTodd RitterMon, 01 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST

FluidTunes: when iTunes meets Minority Report

Filed under: Audio, Fun, Macintosh, Freeware

FluidTunes is an app that lets you control iTunes from a webcam, using your hands, head or feet. The main screen looks like CoverFlow, with the image from your camera image lightly visible behind it. You can swipe across the album covers to navigate, or swipe the large forward and back buttons for finer control. Play is at the bottom of the screen, and stop is at the top. It reminds me a lot of the display from Minority Report.

FluidTunes can be a little bit difficult to control. It's quite responsive, but it's easy to hit a few buttons at once, or accidentally scroll past the song you wanted. Also, don't rock out too wildly in front of your camera, or you're liable to change songs with your head. For right now, Fluidtunes is an impressive showpiece, but it's not entirely practical for everyday music browsing.

FluidTunes: when iTunes meets Minority Report originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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coverflowfluidtunesisightiTunesminority-reportmusicwebcamJay HathawayMon, 01 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST

Get VMware Fusion for as little as $9.99 today only

Filed under: Utilities, Macintosh, Commercial

Twitter does have legitimate uses after all! One is finding sweet deals on some of our favorite software. If you happen to follow @vmwarefusion, you know what I'm talking about.

Team Fusion announced in their updates that today only, December 1, 2008, a copy of VMWare Fusion 2.0 for OSX is available for just $39.99! That's 50% off the regular price! The site has just updated to reflect the special price, though earlier, the promo code CyberMondayDeal needed to be entered to take advantage of the offer.

VMWare has a competitive upgrade offer in effect. If you're an existing Parallels or Virtual PC user, you're eligible for an additional $30 rebate.

The 30-day trial is still available for download as well, but how can you go wrong for $10?

[via TUAW]

Get VMware Fusion for as little as $9.99 today only originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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cyber mondayCyberMondaydealsvirtualizationvmwarevmware-fusionLee MathewsMon, 01 Dec 2008 12:40:00 EST

URL Alias adds superpowers to the Firefox address bar

Filed under: Internet, Productivity, Mozilla, Search, Browsers

Good things really do come in small packages, as is the case with the URL Alias Firefox addon.
I originally installed it looking to make the address bar more launcher-like. For example, I wanted http://mail.google.com/mail/#inbox to open when I type mail or http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=SPORTS05 when I enter wings.

I prefer using words or abbreviations I can remember easily instead of hotkey combinations, and this experimental addon is the perfect tool for the job.

Since URL Alias also supports a variable (yep, just one), you can do a whole lot more with your aliases than just save keystrokes.

To manage aliases, type the following in your address bar: chrome://urlalias/content/urlalias.xul [enter]

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