Download Squad http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digg Download Squad http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.downloadsquad.com/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digg en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/This is an XML content feed. It is intended to be viewed in a newsreader or syndicated to another site, subject to copyright and fair use.<![CDATA[WinFlog powers up your Windows context menus]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/12/01/winflog-powers-up-your-windows-context-menus/#commentsFiled under: , ,

WinFlog
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.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>context-menuwinflogMon, 01 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Pownce gets pwned: Six Apart acquires and plans to shutter service]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/12/01/pownce-gets-pwned-six-apart-acquires-and-plans-to-shutter-servi/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



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.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pownceshut downShutDownsix apartSixAparttwittervoxMon, 01 Dec 2008 17:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Mount remote storage, use web apps as local apps with Gladinet]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/12/01/mount-remote-storage-use-web-apps-as-local-apps-with-gladinet/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Gladinet
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.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gladinetgoogle-docspicasaremote-storagewindows-live-skydriveMon, 01 Dec 2008 16:05:00 EST<![CDATA[gOS Cloud - From zero to web browser in just a few seconds]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/12/01/gos-cloud-from-zero-to-web-browser-in-just-a-few-seconds/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

gOS
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.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cloud-computinggood-osgosgos-cloudMon, 01 Dec 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Three apps for the Windows sysadmin - Holiday Gift Guide]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/12/01/three-apps-for-the-windows-sysadmin-holiday-gift-guide/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Hyena
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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hgghgg2008HyenaSecureCRTsysadminMon, 01 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[FluidTunes: when iTunes meets Minority Report]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/12/01/fluidtunes-when-itunes-meets-minority-report/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


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.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>coverflowfluidtunesisightiTunesminority-reportmusicwebcamMon, 01 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Get VMware Fusion for as little as $9.99 today only]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/12/01/get-vmware-fusion-for-as-little-as-9-99-today-only/#commentsFiled under: , ,


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.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cyber mondayCyberMondaydealsvirtualizationvmwarevmware-fusionMon, 01 Dec 2008 12:40:00 EST<![CDATA[URL Alias adds superpowers to the Firefox address bar]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/12/01/url-alias-adds-superpowers-to-the-firefox-address-bar/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


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]

Suppose you want to set up a Google search alias for results from downloadsquad.com.

dls http://www.google.com/search?q=%s%20site:downloadsquad.com

The %s is replaced by whatever text you enter after the keyword: dls firefox addons will return results for all matching DS posts. Change the alias text and url, and set up as many site-specific searches as you like.

Continue reading URL Alias adds superpowers to the Firefox address bar

URL Alias adds superpowers to the Firefox address bar originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addonaddonsaliasfirefoxkeyboardMon, 01 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Textflow parallel word processing app now in public beta]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/12/01/textflow-parallel-word-processing-app-now-in-public-beta/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Textflow is an Adobe AIR-based collaboration app that allows you to incorporate changes from several different people into one Word document. Sending your draft to everyone you're working with, and then manually combining all of their versions is a pain. With Textflow, you can just drop in each person's document and see a side-by-side view of the changes, and then put everything in order with a little bit of dragging. The app is now in public beta.

If you've used track changes in Word, Textflow's "choose or refuse" interface will be familiar to you. But textflow is like track changes on steroids, if you'll pardon a cliché. Besides the ability to handle several sets of changes from several separate Word files at once, it's also a lot easier to tell at a glance who's changed what, and decide which version to use. There's even a scrapboard to store ideas you're not sure about yet. The best part is that your collaborators don't even have to know what Textflow is for you to use it effectively.


[via Go2Web20 Blog]

Textflow parallel word processing app now in public beta originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>collaborationdocumentstext-editingtextflowwordMon, 01 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BuzzBox Fast Forward adds smarter "Stumbling" to Firefox]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/12/01/buzzbox-fast-forward-adds-smarter-stumbling-to-firefox/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

First off, let me clarify: I'm not saying that StumbleUpon isn't a very complex, smartly built addon. It's just that I don't go stumbling off to a (somewhat) randomly selected site all the time. Sometimes I'd like walk a path that has been trodden by others searching for the same things I am.

Fast Forward by BuzzBox is an excellent alternative, suggesting possible destinations based on where other surfers clicked through. The addon installs as both a drop-down menu in the main toolbar and as a simple button in the status bar.

The dropdown presents the top destinations for you to choose from, while the status bar icon zips you off to the most popular one with a single click. Two other nice features of Fast Forward are its small size (the .xpi is only 69kb) and the fact that no registration is required.

There is a privacy policy that you may want to read - this is, after all, a recommendation engine and it needs to gather information about your browsing. According to the policy, "BuzzBox does not attempt to determine the identity of any BuzzBox user by analyzing Web usage paths. "

With only 245 total downloads from Mozilla's site, it's going to take a little while before you start seeing suggestions on every site you visit, but Fast Forward has tons of potential and is well worth a download.

[ via TechCrunch ]

BuzzBox Fast Forward adds smarter "Stumbling" to Firefox originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addonsbrowsingfirefoxsite-recommendationsuggestionsMon, 01 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Akinator, the web genius - Time Waster]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/12/01/akinator-the-web-genius-time-waster/#commentsFiled under: ,

There's something of a minor craze about this thing called Akinator lately. It's been popping up on Delicious and it's all over my RSS feeds. But what the heck is it? Akinator is a guessing game. You think of a famous person, and it asks you questions and makes a guess about who you're thinking of.

There are plusses and minuses to Akinator's popularity. On the plus side, all the data it has collected makes it surprisingly good at guessing some pretty obscure celebrities. Akinator has successfully guessed everyone from Britney Spears to 80's prog-rocker John Petrucci to various literary characters and ... Pokémon? It's that good. The downside to Akinator's high traffic is that it's sometimes excruciatingly slow. To remedy this, Akinator currently only allows 1500 players at once, and it's almost always full.

Akinator, the web genius - Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AkinatorgameguessingMon, 01 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Notify me when it's up!]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/30/notify-me-when-its-up/#comments
Download Squad has written before about the humorous-but-sometimes-useful site Down For Everyone or Just Me. It comes in handy if you need to figure out whether the problem is with a site, or if it's on your end. But if the site really is down, it's out of your control, and that's kind of frustrating. Instead of futilely hitting refresh, try Notify Me When It's Up. True to its name, it will send you an email when the site you specify comes back up.

I love these simple one-purpose sites. There's no clutter, no learning curve, and they just do what they say. You might argue that Notify Me When It's Up should be combined with Down For Everyone, but where will it all end? A comprehensive desktop app with stats displays, accounts and iPhone support? Ok, probably not. But in a complicated world, it's nice to find someone who just wants to notify you when it's up.

Notify me when it's up! originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>downforeveryoneorjustmeminisitenotificationnotify-me-when-its-upSun, 30 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Soovle offers search suggestions for 7 search engines]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/30/soovle-offers-search-suggestions-for-7-search-engines/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Soovle
Soovle is a search engine for people who might not know exactly what they're looking for. As soon as you start typing a search term, Soovle will begin to offer suggestions for related terms that may help you refine your search. And it doesn't just offer suggestions for one service, but for 7: Google, Yahoo!, Wikipedia, Answers.com, Ask.com, YouTube, and Amazon.

If you want to take Soovle up on one of its suggestions, just click on the text and Soovle will change the contents of the search box. If you want to change the default search engine, just click the icon below the search bar and when you click Soovle, you'll get your search results from Google, Yahoo!, Wikipedia, or whichever service you selected.

You can also save Soovle suggestions in a browser cookie or as a text file.

[via TechnoSpot]

Soovle offers search suggestions for 7 search engines originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 30 Nov 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>searchsoovlesuggestionsSun, 30 Nov 2008 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PhraseExpress is so much more than an autotext app]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/30/phraseexpress-is-so-much-more-than-an-autotext-app/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

A good snippet manager or autotext tool can save just about anyone a little time and effort. For those who do a lot of typing, it can even help prevent repetitive stress injuries. If you're looking for an application like this, take a look at PhraseExpress.

Apart from point and click insertion of pre-defined text and auto-completion of recognized words and phrases, Phrase Express packs a clipboard monitor, macro support, and system-wide spell check.

Though the settings window presents only two buttons - new folder and new phrase - you're able to do a whole lot more than add commonly used text. PhraseExpress' included macros provide a wide array of powerful functions, including:
  • launching external applications
  • changing window focus
  • opening files, folders, and web pages
  • trimming, formatting, and replacing text
  • embedding autotext suggestions
  • time and date stamping
  • inserting Windows environment variables
Since hotkeys are also supported, you PhraseExpress makes a very capable launcher application as well. Unlike some other launcher/hotkey apps, you're able to utilize the Windows key. Despite its numerous features, resource usage is very light - about 10mb of memory on my Vista install.

PhraseExpress can be installed, or you can download the portable version and extract it to your USB flash drive. It's free for personal use and $49.95 to register for commercial use. There's also a network edition that allows groups to access a shared library that runs $44.95 (or less, based on volume) per seat.

If you're already using PhraseExpress, share your experience. If you don't, what apps do you use (if anything) to handle these tasks?

PhraseExpress is so much more than an autotext app originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 30 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autotextclipboardlaunchermacroportablesnippetSun, 30 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Select multiple checkboxes with CheckBoxMate for Firefox]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/29/select-multiple-checkboxes-with-checkboxmate-for-firefox/#commentsFiled under:

CheckBoxMateCheckBoxMate is a Firefox add-on that can save you a ton of time if you frequently need to select multiple check boxes when doing things like cleaning your email inbox or responding to surveys. The utility is considered an experimental Firefox plugin, but all that means is that you need to sign up for a free Mozilla account and login before downloading CheckBoxMate from the Firefox add-ons directory. You can also install it without an account by visiting the developer's homepage.

Once CheckBoxMate is installed, all you need to do to select multiple checkboxes is move your mouse over the first box and click to make a checkmark, and before you lift your finger from the mouse button, drag the mouse over all the other boxes you want to check. That's it.

I found that the plugin worked great with Gmail. But when I tried it with Google Docs and Zoho Docs, it was unable to identify the checkboxes. So it may not work on every web site you visit.

[via Firefox Facts]

Select multiple checkboxes with CheckBoxMate for Firefox originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>add-onscheckboxmatefirefox-add-onSat, 29 Nov 2008 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[3 photo sharing sites for your new shutterbug - Holiday Gift Guide]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/29/3-photo-sharing-sites-for-your-new-shutterbug-holiday-gift-gui/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



If you know someone on your gift list is getting a camera or is a new shutterbug, you might want to consider getting them a "pro" photo sharing account where they can upload all their new photos. This is a nice gift for several reasons: 1. A pro account is a must have since most free accounts have a storage limit that the average photographer will easily exceed. 2. Pro accounts are ad free. 3. Pro accounts have more features and allow the upload of larger file sizes. 4. As the giver of the account, it stands to reason you might be given access to your shutterbug's photostream, although, it's equally possible you might not.

Here are my top picks for investing in a pro account. (Many thanks to our readers for enthusiastically recommending Smugmug).

Continue reading 3 photo sharing sites for your new shutterbug - Holiday Gift Guide

3 photo sharing sites for your new shutterbug - Holiday Gift Guide originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flickrhggphoto sharingphotobucketPhotoSharingpro account features flickrpro account features photobucketpro account features smugbugProAccountFeaturesFlickrProAccountFeaturesPhotobucketProAccountFeaturesSmugbugsmugbugsmugmugSat, 29 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Safari updates messing with your ad blocker? Try GlimmerBlocker.]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/29/safari-updates-messing-with-your-ad-blocker-try-glimmerblocker/#commentsFiled under: , ,


If you use some popular ad blocking add-ons for Safari (like the excellent PithHelmet), you may have run into problems when a new version of Safari was released. Updating can break your ad-blocker or cause Safari to crash until a new version of the plugin is released. This isn't a big deal to me, because Safari 3.2-compatible version of PithHelmet has already been released. If you're crazy about stability, though, GlimmerBlocker is offering an alternative.

GlimmerBlocker is downright derisive of other ad blocking options, explaining on their website that "The problem with other ad-blockers for Safari is that they are implemented as awful hacks ...This compromises the stability of Safari ..." Instead of using InputManagers, GlimmerBlocker works by http proxy. This is handy if you're using nightly builds of WebKit that other methods of adblocking can't keep up with. You do unfortunately have to make some small sacrifices for the stability: GlimmerBlocker won't stop pop-unders or filter cookies from 3rd-party sites.

Safari updates messing with your ad blocker? Try GlimmerBlocker. originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ad-blockerad-blockingglimmerblockerSafariwebkitSat, 29 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ZunaVision lets you place images and videos inside your videos]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/29/zunavision-lets-you-place-images-and-videos-inside-your-videos/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

ZunaVision is a video technology that movie studios have had for years, brought to the average user by the computer science department at Stanford University. It lets you place images and videos within existing videos. Want to put a poster or an advertisement on a building in the background of your footage? ZunaVision's got you covered. How about changing the painting in a picture frame? It can do that, too.

ZunaVision isn't very hard to use. You can just select a surface, and it does a capable job of making your image look like it could plausibly be hanging there. It's not just pasted haphazardly on top of your video. It's cool enough that I'm already worried it won't stay free for long. The last Stanford web toy I fell in love with, Vector Magic, turned into a pay service after a while. Zunavision looks like it could be worth selling, too, but maybe the creators can just turn a profit by sneaking ads into other videos.

UPDATED: The URL for Zunavision changed, so the links in this post were broken. They should be working now. Thanks to all the readers who pointed that out!

ZunaVision lets you place images and videos inside your videos originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Stanfordvideovideo-editingZunaVisionSat, 29 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Great Summary provides halfway decent summaries of long articles]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/28/great-summary-provides-halfway-decent-summaries-of-long-articles/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Great Summary
Sure, you always mean to keep up on the news by reading dozens of interesting articles every day about politics, the economy, and you know, tech news. But who has the time? Great Summary is here to help. Just copy the URL of an article that's so long you get exhausted by looking at it, decide how many lines of text you're actually willing to put up with (from 1 to 100), and push the summarize button. Great Summary will find the most important points of the article, saving you valuable minutes, or even seconds of time.

At least that's the idea. In practice, the web service could use some more work. I tried it on several news articles from a number of different web sites, and more often than not, Great Summary decided that the tags or site navigation menus were worth dedicating a line to.

That said, the service did usually pick out some of the most fact-filled lines in an article, so it looks like the developers are onto something. If you don't care about story structure or narrative flow, Great Summary might be worth checking out. But I wouldn't exactly rely on it as a primary means of skimming the daily news just yet.

You can also use the service to summarize chunks of text that you copy and paste. Want to know how it handles this article? Read the summary after the break.

[via Lifehacker]

Continue reading Great Summary provides halfway decent summaries of long articles

Great Summary provides halfway decent summaries of long articles originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 28 Nov 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>great-summaryskimmingFri, 28 Nov 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cubic Explorer is a highly customizable portable file manager]]>http://www.fonosip.com/english/news/digghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/28/cubic-explorer-is-a-highly-customizable-portable-file-manager/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


There are plenty of Windows Explorer replacements out there, and most of you probably have a favorite. While I'm normally content to use what Windows gives me, I'm always looking for a good portable replacement to help ease file management tasks on customer computers.

Cubic Explorer has a number of options that have earned it the job. While it's packed with functionality and can be customized any number of ways, the interface remains mostly uncomplicated. It's a given that when you add tabs, breadcrumbs, bookmarks, previewing, folder trees, and everything else normally found in an Explorer replacement that the interface will become cluttered, but Cubic keeps things under control.

I've added all the folders I normally need to access during a repair to the favorites, like c:\windows, control panel, network connections, and my network app shares. After launching Cubic, hitting the bookmarks menu and open all in tabs quickly displays everything. It's much quicker than using start -> run every time I need to open a folder.

Cubic also supports sessions, allowing you to have several customized sets of tabs, bookmarks, and layouts. It's a handy feature for moving between customer systems, our office machines, and my home computers. Several themes are included, and your choice is saved with the session.

Cubic Explorer is freeware for Windows only, and both an installer and portable version are available.

Cubic Explorer is a highly customizable portable file manager originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 28 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>explorerfile-managementfile-managerportableFri, 28 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST