CrashPlan – a cross-platform, affordable, powerful backup solution
My Clippings October 22nd, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
Time Machine is good, but sometimes glitchy, with remote disks connected to AirPort Extreme behaving erratically, and other limitations to what you can do – not least that you can’t back your data up online. And that’s where new cross platform backup solution, CrashPlan steps in.
Developers, Code 42 Software offer the solution, making it available free to consumer and small business users, with the more powerful and robust CrashPlan+ service introduced yesterday for enterprise users (which costs $59 US for real-time backup and web restores). In other words, this easy-to-use solution scales for every user, from individual to enterprise users.
The software will automatically back your data up to other computers, external hard drives or even the company’s eminently affordable online back-up service. (And it’s all protected by hardcore security protocols – CrashPlan+ offers 448-bit encryption).
Online service, CrashPlan Central, offers unlimited online backup/storage and costs from as little as $3.50 US per month for individuals and under $5.00 for a family plan (there’s a free 30-day trial, also). You're not required to sign up to CrashPlan Central though, because CrashPlan can back up to friends’ computers for free.
The software is widely compatible – Windows, OS X, Linux or even Solaris platforms are all covered. Users can backup in multiple ways: locally, remotely and online. CrashPlan also offers automatic backup, which the company claims to be so efficient users won’t even be able to tell it’s going on.
The solution reduces file size by using advanced compression technology. It identifies duplicate files and parts of files and stores them only once. When files change, only the new information is backed up.
Once your files are backed up, CrashPlan continuously checks your files are 100% healthy and ready to restore when you need them. If it finds any problems, it fixes them.
CrahPlan+ offers version retention – the ability to specify rules for removing versions and files from your backup after you no longer care about them. It’s also pretty easy to set the frequency of backups and the number of versions to keep, using slider controls to specify versions to retain over specific periods.
The user can set the frequency of backup, for example: hourly for the first week, while a file is being worked on, then retaining fewer versions as the file gets older.
Tags: Airport, backup, Google, Information, IO, Linux, ma, Mac, security, way, wind
CeeVee Makes Web-Based Resume Building Quick, Easy, and Free
My Clippings October 22nd, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
You don’t have to have a fancy Microsoft Word template or a gorgeously tweaked document layout to build a clean looking and complete resume. Sure, you can choose a pretty template for your favorite desktop publishing or word processing app, but if you’re like me, you wind up spending more time tweaking the look and feel of the document than editing the actual text.
Thankfully, there’s CeeVee: a free Web-based resume builder that not only helps you put your resume together and fill in the important details about your skills and your work history, but it also helps you share it on popular social networks that may help you get a job.
CeeVee is free to use. You’re immediately launched into the process of creating your own resume on the Web once you’ve signed up. You can upload a photo if you’d like to include one with your resume. You can also add or remove sections that are applicable to the types of jobs you’re applying for, and tweak all of them in-line. The service offers a number of clean-looking themes and typefaces to choose from, all of which read well on the Web and lend themselves to easy sharing and printing.
Once you’re logged in, the majority of the page is taken up by your resume. Controls for adding and removing sections are on the right side of the page. For example, there’s a huge debate over whether or not “summary” or “objective” sections in resumes are worthwhile, so depending on how you feel about them you can add or remove a summary section from your resume with a single click. You can edit the contents of each section in-line with the rest of your resume, so you don’t have to leave the resume view to see how your changes will affect the overall document.
CeeVee’s resume builder makes it easy to copy/paste information from a resume you may already have, or to add information about your work experience, studies, and special skills from scratch. The entire resume interface is interactive, but when someone else views it they only see the static page with all of your information on it that they can easily print. Also, since many of us work for companies that don’t take kindly to their employees updating their resumes, you have the option to make your resume private at any time so no one can see it.
Tags: Build, cli, Google, Information, IO, ma, man, Microsoft, Photo, php, Printing, quick, Remove, video, wind, XP
Five Best Software Update Tools [Hive Five]
My Clippings October 18th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
Rather than wait around for your software to notify you of updates (let’s face it, a lot of applications never will), these five handy tools keep an eye on your apps, alert you when an update’s available, and streamline the updating process.
Photo by Wesley Fryer.
Earlier this week we asked you to share your favorite software update tools, and now we’re back with the five most popular nominees. Read on for an overview of each, then cast your vote for the one you like best in the poll below.
Note: Clicking on the screenshots below will enlarge the screenshots to their original size.
FileHippo Update Checker (Windows, Free)
FileHippo.com is a software download site that hosts tons of both freeware and shareware, so the FileHippo Update Checker is a natural extension of their web site—only better. The lightweight application (the download is 155kb) scans your computer for installed apps in seconds, compares your installed version with the FileHippo.com database to check for new releases, then lists all detected updates in a list in your browser along with links to download your updates. FileHippo Update Checker is a free download for Windows only. (Original post)
Synaptic/APT (Linux, Free)
The Advanced Packaging Tool, a.k.a. APT, is a free tool built into most Linux distributions and many variants that handles the installation, removal, and updating of software packages. APT is a tool that went a long way toward making Linux a bit friendlier to the masses who aren't comfortable installing or compiling software packages on Linux, but it runs from the command line, so it's still not all that friendly to folks joining Linux from the Windows or Mac worlds. That's where Synaptic comes in. Synaptic is a graphical front end to APT that makes the tool wildly more user-friendly, and—yes—it handles checking for and updating software with aplomb. (Folks using Ubuntu, the most popular Linux distribution among Lifehacker readers, take note: Synaptic will be replaced by the Ubuntu Software Center—another APT-powered update tool—in April of 2010.)
Tags: Apple, Build, cli, command line, email, Google, Information, IO, Linux, ma, Mac, man, OSX, Photo, quick, script, security, Ubuntu, way, wind
Setting Up Photoshop For Web, App and iPhone Development
My Clippings October 17th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
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Most people who have designed websites or apps in Photoshop will, at one point or another, have had issues trying to match colors in images to colors generated by HTML, CSS or code. This article aims to solve those problems once and for all.
Color Management to Match Colors Across Multiple Devices
In the print world, color management typically involves calibrating your entire workflow, from scanner or digital camera to computer display to hard proofs to the final press output. This can be quite a tall order, especially when the devices use different color spaces — matching RGB and CMYK devices is notoriously hard.
When designing or editing for TV, calibrating the main editing display and using a broadcast monitor are common; these show real-time proof of how the image will look on a typical TV in a viewer’s home. In such a scenario, color management offers many benefits and is highly recommended.
When building Web and application interfaces, the situation is a little different. The final output is the same device that you’re using to create the artwork: a computer display (putting aside for now differences in gamma between Windows, Mac OS X prior to 10.6 and the iPhone, which we’ll cover later.)
There is a catch, though. Even though you’re creating the Web or app interface on the same device that the final product will be shown on, the colors will have various sources: images (typically PNG, GIF and JPEG), style markup (CSS) and code (JavaScript, HTML, Objective-C, etc). Getting them all to match can be tricky.
The Goal
When designing websites or app interfaces, we want to perfectly match the colors that are displayed on screen in Photoshop and that are saved in files with what’s displayed in other applications, including Firefox, Safari and the iPhone Simulator. Not only do we want the colors to look the same, but we want the actual values saved in the files to perfectly match the colors we have defined in Photoshop. Colors should not shift or appear to shift in any way, under any circumstance.
Why Is This So Difficult?
Photoshop applies its color management to images displayed within its windows and to the files it saves. This is a bad thing if you’re working exclusively with RGB images for Web or on-screen user interfaces. With the default Photoshop settings, #FF0000 will actually display as #FB0018, and #BB95FF will display as #BA98FD. The differences are subtle but definitely there.
Tags: Build, css, flash, Google, Information, IO, Javascript, Leopard, ma, Mac, man, Photo, php, script, Snow Leopard, video, Vista, way, wind, XP
How to Clean Your Debit and Credit Cards [Cleaning]
My Clippings October 13th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
There's a certain list of things we routinely clean, but your debit and credit cards probably aren't on that list—although they should be! It's easy and can greatly extend the life of your card.
You might be wondering why you should bother, but if you’ve gone cardless for a few days while waiting on a replacement, the extra step of cleaning your cards can go a long way toward preventing such a hiccup. (As someone who once worked in a bank, I can vouch that this method works like a charm.)
All you need is an eraser and a damp towel. Wipe the card clean with the towel to remove any grimey build up deposited onto your card from your wallets or card reader machines. It’s not something that gets extra dirty, but the small particles when compacted with continuous swiping/use can rub off the magnetic strip holding your card’s information.
Next take the eraser (we prefer Pink Pearl erasers, but the one on the end of a pencil will do just fine) and gently erase/rub the magnetic strip on the back. It will remove any gunk that’s built up over time. This trick also works with old school cartridge based gaming systems, just in case you really have the urge to play some NES Duck Hunt.
Got your own methods for successfully cleaning off your grimy credit card and getting more mileage out of it—at least while you're waiting for a replacement? Sound off in the comments.
Tags: amazon, Build, cli, Google, Information, IO, ma, Mac, Photo, Remove, way
Floodgates opened for iPhone development
My Clippings October 12th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
For as active as iPhone application development community is, achieving success in iTunes has been an elusive affair for those who participate in this vertical. The two main obstacles presented to anyone who wants to create an iPhone applications are: one, finding resources/developers with the right skill set; and two, marketing the application after the application has been submitted. The bad news is Apple keeps iTunes a black box. Unless your application has been reviewed or mentioned on review sites or blogs, no one will be able to find your application outside of iTunes. This makes marketing your application relatively difficult. Here’s the good news: the cost to build an iPhone application should come down substantially as it no longer requires a developer with an exclusive knowledge to a specific technology to build an application for iPhone.
When Apple first announced to openly accept applications from developers, the prerequisite for the developer is a somewhat extensive knowledge in a language called “Objective-C.” For a short while, it would seem as though the developers who could produce Objective-C codes were superstars that also came with a superstar price tag. Such stardom, however, did not last. When PhoneGap was introduced as an open source development tool for iPhone via JavaScript, the web development community devoured it like salmon to a hungry bear. Shortly after PhoneGap’s success, Mono framework was released in the commercial sector that provided the necessary development tools to the vast number of C# developers across multiple platforms. And to unhinge the final bar from the floodgates, Adobe has just announced that the next release of Flash is capable of compiling a flash project directly into native iPhone application. Simply put, a project can go from design to finish without even being touched by a developer.
The implication for this phenomenon is a curious one: how will Apple respond to the rush of new applications when the floodgates are finally open? Will Apple still be able to keep its manual review process intact? When the market is saturated with developers and applications, will Apple be able to to maintain iTunes exclusive distribution channel and continue to motivate merchants to participate?
How all of this will affect Apple or iPhone developers is yet to be seen. However, one thing that seems to be true is that when given enough demands, people will find ways to liberate a technology regardless of how businesses are structured around it.
Tags: Apple, Build, flash, Google, Information, IO, Javascript, ma, man, script, way
HotPrints Prints Free, Ad-Supported Photo Books [Free]
My Clippings October 7th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
Need physical copies of some great shots, but you’re a bit too lazy to order and pay for them? HotPrints mails you free 16-page photo books, with shots pulled from Facebook, if you don’t mind some non-intrusive paper ads.
In this case, non-intrusive means the advertisements aren’t watermarked or otherwise touching your actual photos. They’re inserted between the pages, and can be pulled out, kind of like magazine subscription cards. You’d also have to be comfortable with HotPrints using “contextual” data from Facebook to target some ads at you. That means the album style you choose, the content of your profile, and region information from your Facebook account are used to target the ads, but the company claims that no identifying information is given out to its sponsoring partners. You can read more about HotPrints’ do’s and don’ts at their privacy policy.
If you’re cool with that at the cost of free, even free shipping, HotPrints’ Facebook app makes it fairly easy to pull in tagged photos of yourself or any Facebook contacts for a quickie album, with a limit of one per month. It’s a free service, requires a Facebook account (and app authorization) to use.
Tags: cli, Google, Information, IO, ma, Photo, php, Printing, quick, script
Install Picasa 3.5 in Linux [Picasa]
Linux September 30th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
Want the same kind of facial recognition, name tagging, and easy geo-location of Picasa 3.5 for Windows and Mac on your Linux desktop? There’s no official release, but you can fairly easily plug Picasa into your system.
The OMG! Ubuntu! blog tried it out first, and found that by having Picasa 3.0 installed, then installing Picasa with a standard WINE configuration (here’s how to set one up) and moving its files into Google’s own Picasa-optimized WINE folder on your system, you can basically upgrade to 3.5 with just a little more fuss than would normally be required.
Why no official upgrade? Information Week gets a statement from Google noting low installation numbers for Picasa in Linux. That said, Picasa is definitely one of the most developed photo managers available for any system, so let’s hope Google changes its tune for future releases.
Tags: cli, Google, Information, IO, Linux, ma, Mac, man, Photo, Ubuntu, wind
Memoriser Helps You Get Your Facts Straight [Download]
My Clippings, Windows September 30th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
Windows only: Learning through repetition is a proven method for learning new information. Freeware application Memoriser brings that repetition to the screen you stare at all day with a digital approach to flash cards.
Memoriser pops up questions at predetermined intervals while you use your computer to quiz you on whatever you’re trying to memorize. Similar to previously mentioned Mac-only flash card application Genius, Memoriser tracks the questions you get wrong and quizzes you more often on the ones you have the most trouble with.
Questions can be grouped into categories and each question can be individually toggled on or off. The one-at-a-time method of entering questions can be a bit slow, but you can hand-edit the questions.ini file in the Memoriser install folder if you feel comfortable with plain text. Memoriser is freeware, Windows only.
Let us know your best tricks for getting the stuff you need to know into your brain in the comments.
Appsync for OS 3.1
My Clippings September 27th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
Appsync (installd) is now available for iPhone OS 3.1 (& iPod Touch).
Appsync is a mobileinstallation patch for OS 3.x. As one knows in order to install cracked iPA files via iTunes, we need to install appsync (3.x) or mobilesintallationpatch (2.x)
How to install Appsync for OS 3.1
- Open Cyida
- Add the hackulo.us repo (http://cydia.hackulo.us)
- Search about Appsync in Cyida
- Install “Appsync for OS 3.1?
- Enjoy!
For more information about how to use Appsync please read the following articles:
- Installing ipa on the iPhone, Step by Step Guide
- AppSync & installd
- Installous & iPhone OS 3.0
- Mobileinstallation Patch for iPhone OS 3.0
Related posts
- AppSync & installd
- Installous & OS 3.1
- Installous & iPhone OS 3.0
- iPhone OS 3.1 Released
- Mobileinstallation Patch for iPhone OS 3.0
- Installing ipa on the iPhone, Step by Step Guide
- Jailbreaking iPhone OS 3.1
- How To – Upload Photos and Videos from iPhone 2G and 3G!
- Stacks v3 (alpha) for OS 3.0
- Get unlimited App on your iPhone
