Switching to Ubuntu Linux: Download Squad Switcher Podcast #1

Filed under: OS Updates, Features, Linux, DLS Podcast, Podcasts

It's been an interesting year so far for operating systems. Microsoft released its first major upgrade in 5 years with Windows Vista, and Ubuntu Linux continued on its way toward world domination with the release of Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn. Even Michael Dell's running it on his home computer (and shipping it on yours).

With that in mind, we bring you the first in a limited edition Download Squad Podcast. Collect them all. Trade them with your friends. Today we speak with Download Squad's Grant Robertson and Alex Hung, two guys with a boatload of Windows and Mac experience who have been trying out Ubuntu Linux.

Continue reading Switching to Ubuntu Linux: Download Squad Switcher Podcast #1

Switching to Ubuntu Linux: Download Squad Switcher Podcast #1 originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Jun 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Switching to Mac: Download Squad Switcher Podcast #2

Filed under: Hardware, Macintosh, Apple, DLS Podcast, Podcasts

While Steve Jobs has been busy dropping "computer" from Apple's name and pushing out iPod after iPod, the company is still probably best known by loyal fans as a computer maker.

Unlike Windows PCs, Apple controls the hardware and software that goes onto every Macintosh, meaning they have a reputation for working the instant you plug them in. No struggling to make all the parts play nice together.

But while Macs have a loyal fan base, it's still a PC world, and there's plenty of software out there that just won't run on a Mac.

Today we speak with Download Squad's Jason Clarke and Lisa Hoover about their recent decisions to become full time Mac users. Both are experienced Windows users who have switched to Mac for one reason or another. We wanted to find out why, and to share their wisdom with you.

Continue reading Switching to Mac: Download Squad Switcher Podcast #2

Switching to Mac: Download Squad Switcher Podcast #2 originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 14 Jun 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows Mobile tools for commuters and travelers - Mobile Minute

Filed under: Audio, Games, Internet, Video, Features, Windows Mobile, Mobile Minute, Podcasts

Back when I was a full time commuter (spending almost as much time on the train every day as I did in the office), I spent a lot of time and energy converting my Windows Mobile PDA from a simple productivity tool into a one-stop entertainment shop. While you could buy a fancy phone that will be obsolete in a year and sign up for an expensive data plan so that you can watch the occasional YouTube clip, my weapon of choice was the off-line media viewer.

My commute is now much shorter, but every time I go away for the weekend or take a vacation I'm glad I spent so much time tracking down these tools.

News/eBook readers

During the early years of Windows CE, AvantGo was the undisputed champion of mobile web browsing software. The service allowed you to save mobile versions of selected web pages to your device's memory and catch up on news from The New York Times, CNet, and hundreds of other sources on the go. Every time you sync your device, your subscriptions are updated.

But the software hasn't been updated in years, and for many users it has become obsolete. While offering up hundreds of websites was sufficient a few years ago, today AvantGo's offerings seem terribly limited.

Continue reading Windows Mobile tools for commuters and travelers - Mobile Minute

Windows Mobile tools for commuters and travelers - Mobile Minute originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 23 Jul 2007 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DLS Interview: Free Software Foundation's Peter Brown

Filed under: Video, Features, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Web services, Microsoft, Open Source, DLS Interviews, DLS Podcast, Podcasts

As we mentioned on Monday, the Free Software Foundation's Defective by Design campaign against DRM paid the U.K. a visit yesterday with protests outside the BBC's London and Manchester locations against the use of Microsoft DRM technology in their highly debated iPlayer software.

The BBC iPlayer has been in development for a number of years now, costing the BBC public £130 million (nearly $260 million) to date. The use of Microsoft's DRM technology has been highly contentious, especially with the appointment of Erik Huggers (previously director of Microsoft's Windows Digital Media division whose technology the BBC now employs in their iPlayer software) as controller of the BBC's future media and technology group which is managing the iPlayer project.

The BBC is a publicly funded body, governed by the BBC Trust who protect, amongst other things, open access and independence form corporate influence. The BBC has been told to make the player platform independent, however Mac and Linux users are likely to be out in the cold for some time.

Download Squad decided to visit the protest and spoke to Peter Brown, Executive Director of the Free Software Foundation, about the reasoning behind the protests and what the campaigns hopes for the future. We've made the interview available either as a text transcript after the break, or via the Download Squad podcast feed.

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Podcast Links

• BBC iPlayer homepage
• Defective by Design
• Free the BBC

Gallery: Defective by Design, London: Protest Pictures

Continue reading DLS Interview: Free Software Foundation's Peter Brown

DLS Interview: Free Software Foundation's Peter Brown originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 15 Aug 2007 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Squadcast - Episode #01

Filed under: Video, Features, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Apple, Google, Analysis, Podcasts

In this episode:
The Asus Eee PC : Portable Linux at four-hundred bucks
Gmail + IMAP = love.
Christina's first week with OS X Leopard

• Download the Squadcast
• Subscribe to the Squadcast/Download Squad podcasts
  

Have topics you'd like to see us tackle in future episodes? Corrections? Email the Squadcast team, 'squadcast (at) downloadsquad.com'.

The Squadcast - Episode #01 originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Squadcast 07 - Switching to Linux

Filed under: Video, Features, Linux, Podcasts

This week's Squadcast features an interview with one of our own. Kristin Shoemaker joins Grant and Christina to talk about what it takes to switch to Linux and leave Windows behind, for good.

Also, we take a look at our five favorite Linux applications for people who've recently switched. Direct replacements for a few of those must-have apps on Windows.

More from Download Squad on switching to Linux.
Kristin's series on switching to Linux.
From the archives, Download Squad's "Switcher podcast" with Brad Linder, Alex Hung and Grant Robertson.

Download The Squadcast 07 in SD(480i) Mpeg4(84MB)

Check out previous episodes of The Squadcast

The Squadcast 07 - Switching to Linux originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Squadcast 09 - Making Video for the Web

Filed under: Video, Web services, Podcasts

Web video is hot and getting easier and easier to use. Grant and Christina talk to Vimeo's dalas verdugo about techniques to make web video look its best and garner attention.

The Squadcast's "The Five" takes a look at Download Squad's five favorite applications/web services for editing, exporting and uploading web video.

Download this episode (mp4)
(iPod, iPhone, Nano, AppleTV, Quicktime, VLC)

Subscribe to The Squadcast (RSS)

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

Take the jump for show notes and links to items discussed in this episode.

Continue reading The Squadcast 09 - Making Video for the Web

The Squadcast 09 - Making Video for the Web originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Miro gets refreshed to version 1.1, Bit Torrent dramatically improved

Filed under: Fun, Internet, Utilities, Video, Open Source, Social Software, Podcasts

The open source, cross-platform video platform, Miro, recently released version 1.1. The new update offers two main improvements. First, Miro has significantly improved BitTorrent performance by giving the user more control and settings for BitTorrent downloads. Miro's support of BitTorrent has always set itself apart from other media players with it's BitTorrent support and we're glad to see them enhancing this important feature.

Second, Miro 1.1 has made it easier to find the search results you're looking for by instituting a combined search across all 5 of their search engines. Users who want to only search the engines one at a time can still do so by choosing the engines they're most interested in seeing results from.

If you're not a user of Miro yet, we encourage you to take a look its way. Miro is a media viewing software package that allows you to view almost any video file format, search for and view YouTube videos, and access video podcasts via BitTorrent. Additionally, Miro is an open source video platform that lacks any DRM and allows unrestricted viewing of their materials. Also, they Miro takes pride in it's selection of HD content.

[via Miro's blog]

Miro gets refreshed to version 1.1, Bit Torrent dramatically improved originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Squadcast 10 - Searching for the future

Filed under: Social Software, Podcasts, Search, web 2.0

Can you believe the Squadcast is now on episode 10? Well, we're excited anyway. This week Grant and Christina discuss the future of web search, specifically social search. Christina chats up Jason Calacanis from Mahalo to get the inside scoop on social search and its benefits over traditional methods.

The Squadcast's "The Five" takes a look at five of Download Squad's favorite social search tools and plugins.

Download this episode (mp4)
(iPod, iPhone, Nano, AppleTV, Quicktime, VLC)

Subscribe to The Squadcast (RSS)

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Take the jump for show notes and links to items discussed in this episode.

Continue reading Squadcast 10 - Searching for the future

Squadcast 10 - Searching for the future originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Squadcast 11 - Pimp your WordPress

Filed under: Internet, Video, Blogging, Podcasts

And we're back! After a brief hiatus (sorry about that!), the Squadcast returns, this time with tips on how to trick out your WordPress install to make it as "bloggerrific" as possible. Grant and Christina catch up with uber-WordPresser Alex King to talk about why so many bloggers swear by WordPress.

The Squadcast's The Five takes a look at five of Download Squad's favorite WordPress plugins.

Download this episode (mp4)
(iPod, iPhone, Nano, AppleTV, Quicktime, VLC)

Subscribe to The Squadcast (RSS)

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

Take the jump for show notes and links to items discussed in this episode.

Continue reading Squadcast 11 - Pimp your WordPress

Squadcast 11 - Pimp your WordPress originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 12 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You Look Nice Today - Download Pod

Filed under: Audio, Podcasts

With Twitter being all the rage these days, it was only a matter of time before a podcast would grow out of new Twitter friendships. And the time has apparently come, since You Look Nice Today is a podcast created by three friends that decided they enjoyed each other's senses of humor so much in their tweets that they ought to start recording their interactions for everyone else to hear.

You Look Nice Today describes itself as a "journal of emotional hygiene". Whatever that means.

The subject matter of You Look Nice Today meanders pretty erratically, but fortunately it's pretty consistently entertaining. Topics range from what each host uses to wash themselves in the shower, to the relative merits of each of the types of nuts in a can of mixed nuts.

The show is squarely aimed at adults (and probably primarily male adults), and It should be noted that despite the innocuous title, You Look Nice Today is decidedly not work-safe. It proudly sports an Explicit tag in iTunes, due to both subject matter and the odd forceful expletive.

The topics are certainly entertaining, but this podcast is really about the personalities. If you're familiar with the concept of "ratholes" from MacBreak Weekly (and how they can sometimes be the most entertaining part of the show), just consider You Look Nice Today as one huge rathole, and you'll be on the right track. Your hosts are @hotdogsladies, @lonelysandwich, and @scottsimpson. This is how they describe themselves in the credits of the show, by their Twitter names rather than their given names, ostensibly due to the fact that the show grew out of their Twitter friendships. Their real names, respectively, are Merlin Mann, Adam Lisagor, and (unsurprisingly) Scott Simpson.

You Look Nice Today - Download Pod originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe - Download Pod

Filed under: Audio, Podcasting, Podcasts

We'd never, ever turn down a good ghost story. Aliens, even the abducting kind (especially the abducting kind!) are incredibly cool. Still, we are pretty sure that T. Rex existed and didn't use those huge incisors for gnashing hellaciously into cantaloupes and mangoes. And we have enough acquaintances who act a little too similarly to lower primates to believe Darwin was too terribly far off.

We really dig people who can talk about the Drake Equation. We dig people who can speak articulately about science, sound extra intelligent, and still be accessible enough that we are able to follow along.

Feel the same? Check out The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe. The weekly podcast is produced by the New England Skeptical Society and the James Randi Educational Foundation. Each week the panel takes on news from fringe science and takes a scientific look at controversial issues from a number of scientific fields.

Scientific podcasts are a funny thing. There are many out there that remind us way too much of our college days when we sat for two or three hours in a hot lecture hall listening to a professor full of even hotter air drone on about weather patterns. But there are gems like The Skeptic's Guide, which feel much more like you're sitting a table in a restaurant having a conversation with your smartest friends.

And these guys (and girls!) are smart. The host, Dr. Stephen Novella, is a neurologist teaching at Yale Medical School. Rebecca Watson is the resident Skepchick on the panel, and has the unique claim to fame that there's an asteroid named after her. Jay and Robert Novella are regular contributors and leaders in the New England Skeptical Society. And the weekly guest, James Randi, is the most interesting of the bunch: He's a magician. He's a world famous escape artist. And he's ready to expose, explain, and share with the layman the very scientific explanations for the magical things that go on in the paranormal and pseudoscientific world.

The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe is available from their site, or through iTunes.

The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe - Download Pod originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Escape Pod - Download Pod

Filed under: Audio, Podcasting, Podcasts

Last time we told you about a science podcast that was all about getting to the truth, now let's look at a podcast that covers the other side of science. Escape Pod is a weekly short story podcast hosted by Stephen Eley released every Thursday. The three-year-old podcast will stretch your mind with all types of sci-fi including space, time, technology, hard science, and even weird psychological science fiction. Each episode features some of the best science fiction from the present and the past with some stories from the great digests being read as well as this years Hugo nominees.

All stories come with an introduction that helps guide the listener into the work and gives fair warning to parents about the content of the work. Each episode even carries a rating similar to movies (G to R) to help determine whether you want your kids to listen. This week's PG episode features a 2008 Hugo nominee that was published in Asimov's Science Fiction short story magazine last year. The story took our minds on an Outer Limits type journey that included a main character living out the end of his life and discovering someone who may have been the reincarnation of someone very close to him.

Escape Pod is part of a network of short story podcasts including the horror podcast, Pseudopod, and the fantasy podcast, PodCastle.

Download Pod is an occasional series about our favorite podcasts. If you have suggestions for podcasts you think we should check out, let us know in the comments or via our tips page.

Escape Pod - Download Pod originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 08 May 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Keep up with election coverage via podcast - Download Pod

Filed under: Podcasting, Podcasts

If you're as busy as rest of us, you may not have time to catch all the latest presidential election details on the evening news. Fortunately, you can still keep up by listening to a few really excellent podcasts while you're commuting or working out. [Note: All links open in iTunes.]

Listen to selected speeches from the Democratic National Convention in a podcast series put together by the DNC. It's got all the usual suspects like Barack Obama and Joe Biden, but you can also catch speeches given by Ted Kennedy, Hillary Clinton, and some of the governors in attendance.

The Republican National Convention will also have speeches available as the event gets underway today in Minnesota.

For a general overview of what's happening with the election, have a listen to National Public Radio's "It's All Politics," a weekly podcast covering news and events in the presidential race. If it's political punditry you're after, choose from Bill Maher, Dan Carlin, Bill Moyers, and others.

Download Pod is an occasional series about our favorite podcasts. If you have suggestions for podcasts you think we should check out, let us know in the comments or via our tips page.

Keep up with election coverage via podcast - Download Pod originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 01 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The dangers of taking credit for open-source software

Filed under: Developer, Open Source, Analysis, Podcasts

Open-source software is everywhere, and developers use it to speed up their development on a regular basis. This is as it should be, for the most part, assuming the developers follow the licensing for whatever open-source software (OSS) they use. Along with licensing, the open-source community is, probably rightly so, very focused on attributing credit correctly. Considering that most OSS developers do not make any money for their contributions, credit and reputation are really the only compensation they can expect.

Imagine the horror in the OSS community then, when a mini-TEDTalk was released today that had presenter Chris Hughes showing off augmented-reality software that is built on very powerful open-source toolkits, but fails to attribute any credit to them, or even mention their existence.

Ralph Hauwert certainly took issue, and wrote a scathing blog post describing the offense. To TED's credit, they have updated the page for today's video, acknowledging the furor and offering an explanation. According to the update, Chris hadn't been intending on presenting at TED, but after privately showing his project to a number of people, he was invited to do a short 2 minute presentation. Due to the extremely short format, there was apparently no time for attribution of credit for the software frameworks his software was based on.

This is a cautionary tale. Clearly someone made a mistake, and Hughes' reputation may end up bearing the brunt of the error. It's important to remember that in the software business there are always two currencies at play: the typical financial currency that we usually think of (you know, money), and credit for the work that was done. Although there is a lot of open-source software that is licensed to be free to use, that fact amplifies the focus on correctly attributing credit for the work that went into the software.

My guess is this is a lesson Chris Hughes isn't likely to forget again.

The dangers of taking credit for open-source software originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EventSync - sync Facebook events to your Mac's iCal

Filed under: Utilities, Macintosh, Productivity, Shareware

It frustrates me that so many different services have a calendar function, and yet it's still a pain in the ass to make sure that my personal calendar is up to date. More often than not I find myself manually creating events using copy-and-paste, instead of the event being automatically created for me by whatever service I'm using.

If you happen to be a Facebook Events user, a utility called EventSync can help you keep your iCal calendar application on your Mac up to date with your Facebook events. It's smart enough to allow you to choose to sync all events, or only those that you have accepted (amongst other options). Development is active on the utility too, and Hawk Wings reports that version 2.0 will include the ability to display the flyers and images associated with the Facebook events.

EventSync is donationware for the Mac platform.

EventSync - sync Facebook events to your Mac's iCal originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Charadium brings charades to your iPhone and iPod touch

Filed under: Games, Shareware, iPhone

I'll admit I'm not a particularly avid gamer on my iPhone, however over the Christmas period I've found myself playing Charadium: a stylish take on the classic game Charades. Using the ngmoco Plus+ network, you play against friends (or complete strangers) and your task is to draw the prescribed word for other plays to guess.

You each take it in turns to guess and draw, with players being awarded points for correctly guessing a drawing - and the artistically challenged such as yours truly being penalised points for unguessable drawings.

The best thing about Charadium is that you can play in small tidbits or against your Plus+ friends - as well as longer puzzle games to test your interpretive skills. Charadium is just 99¢, requires a network connection to play and is available on the App Store now.

Charadium brings charades to your iPhone and iPod touch originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Palm Pre Media Sync Showdown

Filed under: Audio, Photo, Utilities, Windows, Macintosh, Palm, Commercial, Shareware, Freeware, Mobile

Ever since Palm and Apple started their dance about the Pre's ability to sync with iTunes, I've been keeping an eye out for alternative ways to move media to my Pre.

Over the last few weeks I've been putting three applications through their paces with my Pre to find a suitable workaround for this glaring omission on Palm's part: MarkSpace's GoGadget for webOS, Salling Software's Media Sync and doubleTwist. All three applications are available for Windows and Mac OS X, however in this review were tested on Mac OS X.

Photo by whatleydude

Continue reading Palm Pre Media Sync Showdown

Palm Pre Media Sync Showdown originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Giveaway: Altaro Oops!Backup is Time Machine for Windows

Filed under: Windows, Shareware, Windows x64

Let's start with a disclaimer: I'm strictly a Windows guy. Have never used a Mac. But I do know what Time Machine is supposed to do, and I was quite envious of my fellow Macheads when it was released. I have a serious backup fetish, and my combined backup strategy (remote + complete local mirroring) was lacking in just that one area -- intuitive versioning which stays out of your way but is there when you need it.

Thinking that there must be something similar for Windows, couple of months ago I set out in search for it. Surprisingly enough, I did not find many such solutions, and found no free ones. Nothing intuitive, anyway. But I did stumble upon Altaro's Oops!Backup. They were still beta-testing it at the time, and I thought I'd drop them a line and offer to help out. They're a very small company, and the reply I got came directly from the head honcho, David Vella. He was kind enough to let me beta-test the software, and was very responsive to my feedback.

I haven't had to rely on Oops!Backup many times, but when I did, it did not fail me. The intuitive interface shows your folder structure along with a bar along the right side of the windows which allow you to go back in time. Restores are snappy and take mere seconds even for large folders.

Oops!Backup auto-detects when you plug out the removable drive it's using, and does not make a fuss about it. When you plug the drive back in, you get a balloon popup telling you that backups are now enabled again.

Oops!Backup is normally $37.00, but we've managed to score 25 copies to hand out to Download Squad readers.

Gallery: Oops!Backup

Simply leave a comment and we'll enter you into the prize draw. You have until 11:59PM EST Sunday 17th January. Full terms and conditions after the break.

Continue reading Giveaway: Altaro Oops!Backup is Time Machine for Windows

Giveaway: Altaro Oops!Backup is Time Machine for Windows originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FeedDemon 3.1 brings serious performance and social improvements

Filed under: Windows, Blogging, Shareware, Freeware, Social Software

Google Reader is really dominating in the world of RSS readers, but if you're looking for a desktop experience that has the best of what Google Reader offers, but a faster and more desktop-like experience on Windows, you definitely need to check out FeedDemon.

The latest version of FeedDemon, newly release 3.1 offers some serious performance improvements from 3.0, which was a feature release that included Google Reader synchronization as its major point of interest. FeedDemon 3.1 also includes a new Shared By People I Follow feature, which brings Google Reader's shared items functionality into FeedDemon.

You can now also filter the posts in the feeds that you are subscribed to based on keywords. You can show posts only if they include certain keywords, or filter out posts if they include certain keywords. This can make subscribing to a very busy feed more manageable because you can completely hide the content you are not interested in seeing.

FeedDemon 3.1 brings serious performance and social improvements originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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qStatus licensing model might be more interesting than the app itself

Filed under: Business, Shareware

qStatus is a reasonable-looking piece of shareware. It lets you update your Twitter and Facebook status from the comfort of your desktop, via an interface which is far too elaborate for my tastes. It's all Aero Glass and slick and smooth, but I guess most people like that sort of thing.

To be fair, I haven't tried it, and for all I know, it may be great or horrible (tell me in the comments?). I'm not reviewing the application here; I'm examining its business model. First of all, it's shareware but that's no big news. It offers two registration paths, though:

• Pay $2.95 per annum. That seems like a bit of a rip-off. I mean, the price tag is cheap (though appropriate for such a simple tool), but what's up with the yearly "subscription?" Do people really go for that? Most likely, there will be far better tools within a year. I feel that this pricing does the product more harm than good, really. Who likes to feel as though they need to pay over and over again for a small desktop application (as opposed to a Web service)? Just sell it as it is. I don't foresee Total Commander switching to a "subscription model" any time soon. (Also, see the "$4.95" next to the button there. qStatus is actually on sale at $2.95 per year!)
  
• Tweet 15 times with #qStatus and get it for free. Now, that is actually intriguing. You can tweet whatever you like, just be sure that you include the #qStatus tag in your tweet, and make sure to do it 15 times. A quick Twitter search shows that some people are actually going for this (and I have heard of the app, which must mean something).

This seems like a great way to generate buzz for your application or service. I know of a service that gives free music for tweets (I will cover it in the coming few days), but this is the first time I have seen it applied to a shareware application. My guess is that if the developer created a simple tool to track these tweets and automatically issue licenses, he could probably make more money off of that tool than off of qStatus itself.

qStatus licensing model might be more interesting than the app itself originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Total Commander 7.55 RC1 is out, now faster than ever

Filed under: Utilities, Productivity, Shareware

Christian Ghisler just published Total Commander 7.55 RC1. This is very exciting news for all Total Commander users, of which there should probably be more.

I've been using Total Commander for years now -- since the time it was still called Windows Commander. But rather than wax nostalgic, let me tell you about the single coolest feature in this new release: It is fast.

I mean fast. Christian relegated many time-consuming operations to the background, so the GUI is super-snappy now. What you see in the screenshot, for example, is what happens when you press SPACE on a folder. Normally that computes how much space that folder takes up on the disk, while you sit there and twiddle your thumbs waiting for it to finish. No more will you have to sit there and wait! In TC 7.55, a question mark appears while the computation is done in the background and the UI remains super-responsive.

That's just one example. There are several other improvements, but the main thing is that this already-nimble program now feels even faster.

Note that this is an RC release, so it's not final. When I installed it on my x64 Windows 7, it installed to the wrong path. Still, this is pretty exciting news, and it's nice to see that Christian is not resting after all of these years.

Total Commander 7.55 RC1 is out, now faster than ever originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 18 May 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are your apps ready for Snow Leopard? SnowChecker can tell you

Filed under: OS Updates, Utilities, Troubleshooting

If you aren't sure whether your favorite Mac apps are compatible with OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, SnowChecker can help. It scans your hard drive for apps, and then checks their compatibility against the info posted at snowleopard.wikidot.com. Not only does SnowChecker show you whether your apps are incompatible, it also gives you details notes about which features are broken.

To quickly see which apps are going to have issues under 10.6 and might need to be updated - either by you or by the app's developer - sort the list by status. Red Xs are apps whose functionality is completely borked in Snow Leopard, while yellow alerts represent apps where one or more inessential functions don't work. SnowChecker will sometimes even offer a workaround for these, like running the app in 32-bit mode or disabling Google Gears. Snow Leopard has been out for a while, but if you're just installing now, you should run SnowChecker first to figure out what your compatibility options are.

Are your apps ready for Snow Leopard? SnowChecker can tell you originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Confused about Google Wave? Now you can read the bleeping manual.

Filed under: Web services, Social Software, Troubleshooting

Google Wave is an innovative new communication tool, but part of innovation is that it's not always intuitive to use. Early adopters have been jumping into Wave with little guidance on how to take advantage of all its features. I guess you could watch the 90-minute Wave video, but that's not exactly a quick-start guide.

Well, there's a saying almost as old as computers themselves, and it goes: RTFM. Read the, um, flippin' manual. Now Google Wave has a flippin' manual that you can read, but it's not from Google: it's from Lifehacker's Gina Trapani and Adam Pash. Sounds a lot better than "watch the frickin' 90-minute video," eh?

Gina and Adam's guide is quickly making the rounds on the web, being promoted by the likes of Mashable. I'd like to add Download Squad's endorsement to the list. The Complete Guide to Google Wave is a straightforward, well-organized volume that goes a long way toward demystifying a new and complex tool. It's available to read online for free, but you'll be able to buy it as a DRM-free PDF soon, and in print in January.

Still don't have Wave? Go throw your name in the hat for Download Squad's Great Google Wave Invite Giveaway.

Confused about Google Wave? Now you can read the bleeping manual. originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fix common Windows XP errors with portable XP Quick Fix Plus

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware, Troubleshooting

Even though it's getting a little long in the tooth, plenty of PC users are still perfectly happy with Windows XP. Of course, that doesn't mean running Windows XP is always a trouble-free experience. It's got its fair share of issues. Thankfully, though, there are loads of great programs out there which make fixing little annoyances as simple as point-and-click.

Programs like XP Quick Fix Plus. The tiny, portable application launches a dashboard with one-click fixes for 40 common Windows XP problems. Quick Fix makes short work of irksome situations like a disabled task manager, missing Device Manager tab, and the infamous CD/DVD missing/not reading bug.

The program is essentially a collection of registry fixes, since that's where most of these problems originate. You might want to create a system restore point prior to running Quick Fix (or backing up your registry) just in case.

XP Quick Fix is a free, portable download and - not surprisingly - runs on Windows XP systems.

Fix common Windows XP errors with portable XP Quick Fix Plus originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SheepDog rounds up stray application windows on multi-monitor setups

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Open Source, Troubleshooting, Windows x64

It doesn't happen often, but every now and then I receive a customer's laptop which just doesn't want to believe it's no longer attached to an external monitor. And it never fails - some important app is going to appear in the display Twilight Zone.

If only there was some kind of digital shepherd to corral those errant windows. Hey, if not a shepherd, why not SheepDog?

It's a tiny, portable application whose sole purpose is to bring apps that have wandered back to the primary display. Fire it up, and the tray icon listens for a hotket combination to be pressed. In the options screen you can customize your key combo and also change the system tray icon.

Hit the hotkey (or right click the system tray icon and select reposition) and any offending application windows are instantly moved.

At only 20Kb, this baby is going straight on my USB flash drive with all the other handy utilities I need once in a blue moon.

SheepDog rounds up stray application windows on multi-monitor setups originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A list of dumb things to check

Filed under: Developer, Blogging, Troubleshooting

We've all been there; we've got a problem with our server, laptop, PC, website, or blog, and have tried to solve it for hours with no success. At some point, we reach that point where we're absolutely certain that it's just some dumb thing that we're overlooking or forgetting to check. If you've ever found yourself in that situation, you'll probably want to bookmark a list of dumb things to check.

It's a list of (now 36) stupid things to check that you may have overlooked, compiled by Tom Limoncelli with input from members of the SAGE-Members mailing list. For anyone that hasn't found themselves in this situation, it will seem like a ridiculous concept. But for those of you out there that have been there, I bet you're thinking "awesome" like I am.

So, what's missing from the list? What's your best troubleshooting tip? Let us know in the comments.

A list of dumb things to check originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Auslogics Disk Defrag buffs up, adds disk optimization in v3

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware, Troubleshooting, Windows x64

Defragmentation (like backing up) is one of those chores I don't think about doing all that often. And I really should, since my desktop at work is a cluttered mess of downloads, screenshots, temp files, and other digital flotsam.

When Auslogics mentioned they've got a new version of their Disk Defrag tool available for download, I figured why not take it for a spin? My drive could use the TLC, after all. The app is available with an installer or as a portable app and is free for home use.

One small feature worth a mention is that Disk Defrag supports Windows 7's superbar progress indicator. You can choose to defragment your entire drive or target specific files or folders. It's also got a number of other smart features, like free space consolidation and intelligent system file placement. Disk Defrag can also be set to run automatically when your system is idle.

The installable version can also clean up your temp files prior to defragging, minimize to the system tray, run scheduled jobs, and integrate into your right-click context menu.

Tidying up my drive's 130Gb+ of disorganization took about 25 minutes. Disk Defrag also includes a new optimization feature which Auslogics recommends running once a week. It takes quite a bit longer, but if it helps keep your drive healthy and running at peak performance it's time well spent.

Auslogics Disk Defrag buffs up, adds disk optimization in v3 originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Teamviewer 5 beta gets faster, adds voice and video conferencing

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Troubleshooting

I've been running TeamViewer as my go-to remote support app for a couple years now, and I don't see myself switching any time soon. It's fast, requires no configuration, and the additions of the Flash-based web viewer and partner list in version 4 were solid upgrades to an already good app.

Version 5 is now ready for beta testing, and it looks like Teamviewer is once again set for some solid new features and yet another boost in speed.

In addition to getting quicker, Teamviewer 5 now includes a major communications improvement. You're no longer limited to text-based chatting - v5 supports voice and video chat. Quality is good - about on par with Skype in my testing. It's still at the mercy of your ISP, of course, so the more bandwidth you have at your disposal, the better it will work.

Besides being a great app for remote support, Teamviewer evolved into an excellent screen-sharing and presentation tool in v4 and has just got even better with v5.

You can download the TeamViewer 5 beta right now and take it for a spin. As with previous releases, you can expect version 5 to be free for personal use, and there will be a portable version available as well.

Teamviewer 5 beta gets faster, adds voice and video conferencing originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LogMeIn Express offers simple screen-sharing solution

Filed under: Security, Utilities, Troubleshooting

LogMeIn has been around for quite awhile now as a very useful free remote access tool for casual users, as well as a commercial remote access tool for corporations. They've now taken the obvious step of putting their technology to use in the form of a screen sharing application called LogMeIn Express.

The idea here is that you can quickly share your Windows computer's screen with up to 100 viewers by sending them a short 12-digit code and directing them to the LogMeIn Express website. Entering the code will then open a Flash-based page containing the contents of your computer's screen. As the presenter, you need to install a small piece of native Windows software, but the installation process is quick and painless, and offers 256-bit SSL encryption.

LogMeIn Express competes with more full-featured commercial screen sharing tools like GoToMeeting and WebEx, and though it's a much more simple implementation, it stacks up well. GoToMeeting is significantly faster than most competitors due to it being based on Citrix's Terminal Services technology, but LogMeIn Express competes well with WebEx. It doesn't currently include conference calling features which both of the commercial options do, but it does include an in-session chat module, and the ability to pass control of the host computer to one of the viewers.

LogMeIn Express is still in beta, but is free for both commercial and non-commercial use.

LogMeIn Express offers simple screen-sharing solution originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Download Driver Magician for free, today only!

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Commercial, Troubleshooting, Windows x64

It's not often that you find a decent commercial utility being given away for free. It's usually a marginally-useful app or a program for which there's a better (and often free!) alternative.

Today, however, you can score Driver Magician at no charge from Giveaway of the Day. It's a very good driver backup, restore, and removal utility - and there aren't a ton of good free programs that offer this level of functionality. You've got less than 18 hours to get in on the deal!

If this post happens to overwhelm the main page of their site, you can try heading directly to the download page or a mirror of the file.

Once it's downloaded, you'll need to run the setup first and then the activation file. Keep an eye on the activator - the last step will offer to bookmark and permatab GOTD in your browsers.

There are three details to be aware of about your free version (and they probably won't surprise any of you):

1) No free technical support

2) No free upgrades to future versions

3) Strictly non-commercial usage

Download Driver Magician for free, today only! originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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