5 Best Tools for Online Freedom at Work

via Quick Online Tips by QuickOnlineTips on 7/29/09

Guest post by Dav.

How can you get online freedom at work places? Usually work environments are restrictive and keep tab on your online activities. While at work, IT guys try to prevent you from indulging in online activities deemed "un-productive". There are number of web tools that allow easy access to blocked stuff without coming under IT department radar (hopefully).

Get Online Freedom at Work

Access your email, webpage, read ebooks and even Twitter at work using the following:

1. Read ebooks at Work - If you love reading ebooks, then head over to 'Read at Work' website. You can read ebooks without drawing any suspicious attention or getting caught. It allows you to access ebooks in the form and look of Microsoft Powerpoint (Powerpont!). While you enjoy reading ebooks others will think "you are working damn hard on your next presentation". Keep everyone happy and away while you read ebooks of different types like: black comedy, classics, short stories etc.

2. Twitter at Work - Can't get off Twitter addiction at work? You can Twitter with ease within Microsoft Excel spreadsheet window without catching anyone's eye. SpreadTweet is an Adobe Air based application that allows you to use Twitter disguised as a spreadsheet. You can try the online version or install the offline version depending on the Microsoft Office version you are using among: Office OSX, Office 2003 and Office 2007 (Windows).

3. Share favorite webpages - Just found an interesting webpage you want to share with a co-worker? Instead of sending webpage link, why not send the whole webpage via email using Email the Web. Enter webpage URL, sign in using Google account, preview the webpage and quickly send it to your friends.

4. Open Gmail at work - Gmail addicts love to try different methods to access email at work while IT guys try hard to block every such method. Among various ways to access Gmail at work, using iGoogle is the easiest. Go to iGoogle homepage, login to see Gmail messages in a small box on the right side.

5. Instant Messenging at Work - There are number of web based ways to access instant messengers like Meebo. However, such websites are most likely blocked by IT guys in the office. You can try newer (and fairly unknown to IT guys) web based messenger access service like webuzz.im. It is JavaScript based online web instant messenger that helps you chat with your friends on Google Talk, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger or AIM.

This is a guest post by Dav from TechF5 Refreshing Tech which features handy tips, tricks, guides and tutorials on basic computing like how to translate & save Wikipedia articles? You can also write a guest article and share your favorite tools.

New Macs Have Been Rolling Off Assembly Line For Weeks: Report

via Apple Forums & iPhone Forums, Mods, Hacks, News, Themes, Downloads, and more! | ModMyi.com - 4,711,751,911 by pauldanielash on 9/24/09

image via Apple

The rumored redesign of the iMac and MacBook is apparently a reality... at least according to a report in AppleInsider. The website's informants assert that the designs were finalized in September and have been coming out of Apple's Taiwan factory for at least two weeks.

The modifications are still shrouded in secrecy, but persistent indications from AppleInsider's informants indicate an industrial design akin to the new 24" LED CInema Display, and the possible inclusion of Blu-Ray technology, something Apple has long avoided for the high licensing costs, as well as unidentified new "semi-professional" audio-video capabilities.

Since the product is apparently ready to ship, the informants indicate that release could be imminent, waiting only for Apple Marketing to kick it off. So, if this report is true, it's probably reasonable to expect an announcement anytime from this afternoon through the middle of next month.

TomTom Releases Offical Price of TomTom Car Kit

via Apple iPhone School by Brooke on 9/24/09

We have been keeping you up-to-date on the TomTom Car Kit since it was first announced (which was only a month ago but wow, does it seem like a lot longer than that!). Today TomTom has released the "real" price of the car kit. It seems that the incorrect pricing information was put on the Application's App Store page so, they have released a press statement with the correct details (see full press statement below). The Car Kit will cost £99.99 (not including the TomTom application).

What I find interesting is that the statement says that the car kit will be compatible with the 2G iPhone. This is interesting because the TomTom applications can only be installed on an iPhone 3G and 3GS. I am also interested to know if they will still have a package deal that will include the Car Kit and the TomTom app at a discounted price… say $150.00 for both.

The statement does say that the Car Kit is still planning to be released in October, a delay from it's original release date of "sometime this summer."

Press Statement:

TomTom unveils the price of the TomTom car kit for the iPhone

London, 24 September 2009 – TomTom announces today that the TomTom car kit for the iPhone will have a recommended retail price of £99.99

The TomTom car kit will be available this October and will be sold separately from the TomTom app. It will be compatible with the iPhone 2G, 3G and 3GS.

All further details on the car kit will be made available soon.

Original article HERE.

PushGmail – Gmail Push Notifications iPhone App

via Top iPhone Resource by shriya on 9/24/09

Google just announced Push for Gmail for iPhone and a few other mobile platforms through Google Sync. This brings your Gmail messages to your iPhone instantly through Apple's Push servers instead of the usual pull method which is a drain on the battery.

We have reviewed a few Gmail Push apps – GPush and PushMail. Boy, it's getting really confusing.

PushGmail Features

PushGmail has a simple interface where you enter your Gmail user name and password. You get to turn on the option to 'Launch Mail App'.

In the iPhone's Settings –> Notifications to set up notifications by Badge, Sound and Alert. The earlier option to 'Launch Mail App' might have gotten you wondering. This is because PushGmail comes with a built-in native Gmail browser.

In my testing in the last 2 days, it works flawlessly! As you can see, I am even trying it as a replacement for the regular Mail app in my iPhone dock.

If you are looking for reliable Push notifications for Gmail messages without having to jump through hoops, PushGmail could be the one you need.

Also, the future versions are slated to have support for multiple Gmail accounts. Also, ability to setup filters for notifications is coming. That will be huge as I don't want to see a notification for every single one but just my important emails.

For $0.99, with no future subscription costs PushGmail offers a very promising app here.

Screenshots

Rating: 4 stars
Availability: App Store [iTunes link]
Price: $0.99

Benefits of Home Networking

via Quick Online Tips by QuickOnlineTips on 7/28/09

Guest post by Amit Bhawani

Why Home Networking? The concept of the Personal Computer has become popular since the Third Generation of Computers proliferated in the consumer market. Since then, computers have become part and parcel of almost every home. In fact, at present, there are many homes housing more than one computer, one for each member of the household. At this point, having these computers connected in a home network or a home area network (HAN) using a home networking solution has numerous advantages.

Photo by Travelin Librarian (under CC)

Home Networking Advantages

A home network is a residence-based local area network and it connects multiple computers within the vicinity of the residential area. The simplest of home networks usually connect two or more computing devices so that files, printers, scanners etc. can be shared between these along with a single Internet connection. For increased functionality a server may also be added.

One of the major advantages of home networking in a house with multiple computers is that Internet access can be provided to all the connected computers with the help of a home networking setup in spite of there being only one computer that is physically connected to the Internet via a modem. This is one of the main benefits for which homes with several computers look towards home networking.

Image by kenchanayao (released under CC)

File sharing is another such advantage provided by home networking, providing an extremely effective storage solution. In most home computers, there is a build-up of old files over long periods of time. When new files must be created and stored, it may so happen that there is not enough space on the hard disk of a certain computer which contains too many of such old files. An effective way of dealing with such a situation is to transfer files from the computer to any of the other computers connected in the home network which have adequate memory space. In fact, one computer can be designated the "file server" which stores all these files and every time the file needs to be accessed, the networked computer just has to connect to the file server and retrieve it. As there is only one storage location, data handling is simpler and disk space is saved. Information exchange also provides a big boost to multiplayer gaming and easier file printing by printer sharing.

Home networking generally needs a manual setup. Connecting cables physically interconnect the computers in the home networking setup while hubs, routers or switches interconnect the connected computers to allow file sharing. These devices are therefore information 'distributors'.

This guest article was written by Amit Bhawani who blogs different How to Guides. You can also write a guest article and share your tips and tools.