Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com Download Squad http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.downloadsquad.com/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[How to make a clean Vista install from an upgrade DVD]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/02/01/how-to-make-a-clean-vista-install-from-an-upgrade-dvd/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/02/01/how-to-make-a-clean-vista-install-from-an-upgrade-dvd/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/02/01/how-to-make-a-clean-vista-install-from-an-upgrade-dvd/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Windows VistaOoh. Here's a bit of an "oops" for Microsoft: It turns out it's possible, with no hacking or advanced skills required, to make a full-blown clean install of Windows Vista from a Vista upgrade DVD. Seeing as the upgrade disc costs about two thirds what the full version does, that seems like a pretty big oversight. DailyTech has the scoop. The process is very easy, but takes a bit of legwork. Here's the basics:
  1. Boot from your Vista upgrade DVD.
  2. Don't enter your product key when prompted; click "Next" instead, which will install a 30-day trial version of Vista.
  3. Once your new trial boots up, launch setup from the DVD again, from within Vista.
  4. Enter your product key when prompted, and then choose Custom (advanced) to do a clean install (yes, you're installing Vista a second time).
  5. Congratulations, you've got Vista!
According to Paul Thurrott, all of this info is actually contained within internal Microsoft docs, so it's kind of amazing to me that Microsoft shipped Vista update discs with this capability. Regardless, doing this is almost certainly in violation of your license agreement, so don't try it at home (but if you do, let us know if it works).

How to make a clean Vista install from an upgrade DVD originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 01 Feb 2007 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>clean installCleanInstallinstallmicrosoftsetupupgradevistawindowswindows visitaWindowsVisitaThu, 01 Feb 2007 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Paths 2 - Today's Time Waster]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/31/paths-2-todays-time-waster/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/31/paths-2-todays-time-waster/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/31/paths-2-todays-time-waster/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Paths 2I'm just a sucker for these drawing games. Paths 2, a sequel (as you might have guessed) to Paths, is a fun Flash action-puzzler in which you must guide a ball through a maze by drawing its path with a pencil. Once you've drawn a path, you press the space bar to set the ball in motion. Of course, it's not that simple: There are obstacles which you must move out of the way with your mouse, which as the levels progress quickly becomes a juggling routine. Paths 2 also adds another challenge on to the original paradigm: keys. Rather than just getting your ball to the goal, in most levels you have to pick up a key first to unlock it. Paths 2 can be a little frustrating at times, but overall it's a fun and addictive time-waster.

[Via Jay is Games]

Paths 2 - Today's Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flashfungamepathspaths 2Paths2puzzleTyler GlaielTylerGlaielWed, 31 Jan 2007 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[How to get rid of Snap's obnoxious link previews]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/31/how-to-get-rid-of-snaps-obnoxious-link-previews/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/31/how-to-get-rid-of-snaps-obnoxious-link-previews/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/31/how-to-get-rid-of-snaps-obnoxious-link-previews/#commentsFiled under:

Snap Preview Anyway Be Gone!If you've seen them, you've probably been annoyed by them. I'm talking about Snap's "Preview Anywhere," a little gizmo people can stick on their web site or blog that, when the visitor rolls the mouse over any link, will pop up a big bubble with a thumbnail image in it, giving them a preview of the destination site. Sounds kinda cool, right? Yeah, in theory. In practice, however, Snap Preview Anywhere is bloody obnoxious. It disrupts the browsing experience without actually adding any value--in the words of Performancing's Nick Wilson, "It's bling, a silly little shiney thing designed specifically to increase awareness of Snap.com." Just say no to bubbles.

So how does an interruption-averse web surfer get rid of it? Conveniently, Snap's SPA FAQ has the answer. Just click on the link provided in the FAQ and your browser will be imbued with a cookie that will banish those bubbles from your view. As long as the cookie lasts, at least. An additional step you can take on behalf of your fellow web surfers is to email the folks who put these things on their sites and register your displeasure.

[Via kottke.org]

How to get rid of Snap's obnoxious link previews originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 31 Jan 2007 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>snapsnap preview anywheresnap.comSnapPreviewAnywherespaWed, 31 Jan 2007 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bill Gates on The Daily Show With Jon Stewart - VIDEO]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/30/bill-gates-on-the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-video/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/30/bill-gates-on-the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-video/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/30/bill-gates-on-the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-video/#commentsFiled under: ,

Bill Gates on The Daily ShowAs promised, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates was on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart last night, pimping his little heart out for Windows Vista. I didn't get to watch it then, but thankfully Comedy Central has put the whole interview online. It's not a laugh riot, and I'm sad to report that John Hodgman (the PC from Apple's "I'm a Mac" ads and a regular Daily Show contributor) didn't make an appearance, but there's plenty of cute banter between Gates and Stewart. Here's Part 1:

Gates seems a little ill at ease, but I guess I would too if I were a guy not known for his sense of humor trying to sell a product on a show run by a guy known for skewering public figures. But everything goes down without any trouble until the very end, when Gates, apparently unaware that the usual talk show protocol is to sit and chat (or pretend to chat) with the host while the credits run, BOLTS OFF STAGE! But, when you're worth $50 billion, I guess you can get away with that.

Check out the second part of the interview, and Gates' sudden departure, after the jump.

Continue reading Bill Gates on The Daily Show With Jon Stewart - VIDEO

Bill Gates on The Daily Show With Jon Stewart - VIDEO originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 30 Jan 2007 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bill gatesBillGatesdaily showDailyShowfunnyjon stewartJonStewarttdsvideowindows vistaWindowsVistaTue, 30 Jan 2007 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[I'm a Mac, guv: Apple's UK Mac ads - VIDEO]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/29/im-a-mac-guv-apples-uk-mac-ads-video/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/29/im-a-mac-guv-apples-uk-mac-ads-video/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/29/im-a-mac-guv-apples-uk-mac-ads-video/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You might recall awhile back we posted some ads from Japan featuring Apple's "I'm a Mac" guy and his PC foil just like the U.S. ads but, er, Japanese. Today we have some more foreign "I'm a Mac" ads, but this time you won't need subtitles. Apple has brought its popular ad campaign across the Atlantic this time, to the U.K. Here's the first, called "Office at Home" and you can find the other five after the jump. (Or, if you're a purist, you can watch them in glorious hi-res QuickTime at the Apple web site.)

I'm more fond of the UK Mac than the smarmy US version, but as I said before there's no replacing John Hodgman as the PC. And I have a soft spot for that Eurobeat-grooving Japanese PC. The actors, in case you're curious, are Britons David Mitchell and Robert Webb as the PC and Mac respectively, stars of Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show.

Continue reading I'm a Mac, guv: Apple's UK Mac ads - VIDEO

I'm a Mac, guv: Apple's UK Mac ads - VIDEO originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 29 Jan 2007 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adadvertadvertisementadvertisingapplebritaincommercialenglandI'm a MacI'mAMacmacukvideoMon, 29 Jan 2007 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vista Countdown: 1 Day!]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/29/vista-countdown-1-day/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/29/vista-countdown-1-day/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/29/vista-countdown-1-day/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Windows VistaOMG, the hour is nearly upon us! At midnight Windows Vista will go on sale all around the world. Can you hear the excitement? Hmm, maybe if you took out your white earbuds. How about now?

In case you found the other day's 10 reasons to upgrade (and 10 not to) less than convincing, PC World took a stab at it too, upping the ante by 50% with its 15 Reasons to Switch. Here's the first five:
  1. It's the Interface, Stupid (Aero is pretty)
  2. Flip Over Windows Flip 3D (Alt-Tab is pretty)
  3. Live Thumbnails (taskbar hover previews)
  4. Boost Performance With ReadyBoost (not just an energy drink anymore)
  5. Cool Performance Tools (Reliability and Performance Monitor)
If you're the kind of person who likes to go shopping at midnight, USA Today has the scoop on Microsoft's launch events. CompUSA stores will be open from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.; 14 Best Buy locations will be open until 12:30 a.m., and the Detroit, Cleveland and San Diego stores will have NFL players on hand signing autographs (synergy!!); Steve Ballmer will be making a morning appearance at the midtown Manhattan Best Buy; and 10 Circuit City stores will be open until 1 a.m., with NFL players in Miami and Nashville. Oh, and CompUSA is offering to install Vista on your machine for $50, and will take it off for free if you experience a bit of the old buyer's remorse. [Via Consumerist]

Thrilling! Just. Thrilling. I, personally, will be asleep, because none of those stores are within 150 miles of me. No, really.
So, on the eve of The Big Release, it's time to take stock one last time. Cast your votes in our very last pre-launch poll:

Vista Countdown: 1 Day! originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 29 Jan 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftreleasevistavistacountdownwindowswindows vistaWindowsVistaMon, 29 Jan 2007 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Don't make me wait: Web 2.0 sin #8]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/29/dont-make-me-wait-web-2-0-sin-8/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/29/dont-make-me-wait-web-2-0-sin-8/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/29/dont-make-me-wait-web-2-0-sin-8/#commentsFiled under:

Snail MailHere's a complain that would go along nicely with our Seven rules for Web 2.0 start-ups: Keeping me waiting for an account activation email, or anything else for that matter. Say you have a potential customer who wants to run a cool Ajaxy poll on his blog. He googles and finds that there are at least a dozen companies offering a free Ajaxy poll service. Your site looks good to him, so he jumps through your registration hoops (clearly you didnt' follow rule #2), slicks on the Submit button, and then... he has to wait.

I'm no Guy Kawasaki, but here's a free bit of business advice: If you're trying to compete in a field with a half-dozen nearly identical products, don't make a potential customer wait. If it takes five minutes for that account activation email to show up, he'll have already wandered along and found a different service that does what he needs without the wait. Thirty seconds is too long. The vagaries of the world's email relays aside, if your service's SMTP server isn't lightning fast, get another one, or you've just a pile of impatient customers--and on the internet, they're all impatient.

Don't make me wait: Web 2.0 sin #8 originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 29 Jan 2007 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emailrantweb 2.0Web2.0Mon, 29 Jan 2007 15:05:00 EST<![CDATA[How to pwn PDF password protection]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/29/how-to-pwn-pdf-password-protection/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/29/how-to-pwn-pdf-password-protection/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/29/how-to-pwn-pdf-password-protection/#commentsFiled under: ,

Crack PDF passwordEver had a PDF document that you needed to read, but was protected by a pesky password? Digital Inspiration has you covered. Now none of us endorse breaking passwords in ways that violate copyrights and so on, DI posits a plausible scenario: "Say one of your former colleague created some critical sales reports in PDF format but he is not working with the company anymore. In his absence, you have no option but to crack the PDF password in order to open, read or print these PDF files." Ah, yes, the good old departed, paranoid colleague. The guide covers how to copy or print PDFs that restrict such activities and how to use password recovery tools to ferret out that password--just hope your colleague used a simple password or it's bound to take awhile.

How to pwn PDF password protection originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 29 Jan 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crackpasswordpdfMon, 29 Jan 2007 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vista Countdown: 3 Days - The Ten Reasons]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/27/vista-countdown-3-days-the-ten-reasons/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/27/vista-countdown-3-days-the-ten-reasons/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/27/vista-countdown-3-days-the-ten-reasons/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Windows VistaStill pondering whether or not to get Windows Vista on Tuesday? I'll give you 10 reasons why you shouldn't from APC Magazine. Expensive! Lousy drivers! UAC! DRM! Case closed! Er, not quite. Here's 10 reasons why you should... also from APC Magazine. Multimedia! Better drivers! Search! Undelete! DirectX 10! Case closed! Uhhh... I'm not making this any easier for you, am I?

While you ponder that imponderable, I'm going to move on. It seems that government officials in South Korea--one of the most wired nations on Earth--are recommending that the citizenry not upgrade to Vista. Why? Because, apparently, South Korea is mad for ActiveX, the proprietary browser plug-in technology that powers much of the country's web services, from online banking to stock trading, shopping, and gaming, and apparently many of those services cease to work in Windows Vista (presumably because of UAC). More than a reason not to upgrade to Vista, this seems like a fantastic demonstration of how stupid it is to build web services on proprietary technologies. The irony, of course, is that ActiveX is Microsoft's own proprietary invention.

In gaming news, FPS luminary John Carmack--you know, the Doom and Quake guy--says he's not exactly chomping at the bit after Vista or DirectX 10 just yet. "Personally, I wouldn't jump at something like DX10 right now," he says. "I would let things settle out a little bit and wait until there's a really strong need for it." For now he's quite satisfied with Windows XP and accuses Microsoft of "artificially" forcing gamers to upgrade with DX10. "Nothing is going to help a new game by going to a new operating system. There were some clear wins going from Windows 95 to Windows XP for games, but there really aren't any for Vista. They're artificially doing that by tying DX10 so close it, which is really nothing about the OS ... They're really grasping at straws for reasons to upgrade the operating system. I suspect I could run XP for a great many more years without having a problem with it." He calls DirectX 9 "quite good" and also praises the Xbox 360's graphics API.

Phew. To catch up on the previous four days of our Vista Countdown, hit the archive.

Vista Countdown: 3 Days - The Ten Reasons originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 27 Jan 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activexdirectx 10Directx10dx10gamingjohn carmackJohnCarmackmicrosoftsouth koreaSouthKoreavistavistacountdownwindowswindows vistaWindowsVistaSat, 27 Jan 2007 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vista Countdown: 4 Days - Your Moment of Zen]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/26/vista-countdown-4-days-your-moment-of-zen/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/26/vista-countdown-4-days-your-moment-of-zen/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/26/vista-countdown-4-days-your-moment-of-zen/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Bill GatesToday seemed like it was gonna be a low-buzz day for Vista's impending retail release, until I came across this tidbit: Microsoft chairman Bill Gates is scheduled to appear on The Daily Show With Jon Stewart on Monday, just an hour before Vista's midnight launch. As Candace Lombardi over at CNet points out, John Hodgman, who plays the PC on Apple's "I'm a Mac" ads, is a regular Daily Show contributor. I really hope Stewart & Co. can get the two together for some hijinks. We'll be sure to post some video as soon as we can get our little paws on it.

In other news, remember that huffing and puffing over Vista's copious DRM cruft and the response on Microsoft's Vista blog? Well, of course there's now a response-to-the-response. Peter Gutmann, who wrote the original "Cost Analysis of Windows Vista Content Protection" to which the Vista blog post was in reply, has added an addendum to the original article in, er, reply. Gutmann calls Microsoft's response "PR spin" and makes a pretty strong case, but I'll leave it to you to judge for yourselves.

Lastly, a Vista tips from the fine folks over at Lifehacker: How to disable annoying "Need your permission to continue" prompts. To quote our own David Chartier: "What happens when you try to save your users from your own security and usability mistakes over the last 15 years or so? Apparently, they revolt and hurl your solutions right back in your face."

In case you're not all caught up, you can check out the previous three days of our Vista Countdown over here.

Vista Countdown: 4 Days - Your Moment of Zen originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 26 Jan 2007 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dailyshowdrmmicrosofttipvistavistacountdownwindowswindows vistaWindowsVistaFri, 26 Jan 2007 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[isotope2: Spirograph on crack - Today's Time Waster]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/26/isotope2-spirograph-on-crack-todays-time-waster/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/26/isotope2-spirograph-on-crack-todays-time-waster/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/26/isotope2-spirograph-on-crack-todays-time-waster/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

isotope2Sometimes the best time-wasters aren't games at all. Case in point: isotope2. It's an engrossing Flash toy by Martin Jonasson that draws fun mathemagical patterns. You start out with a blank canvas and a mechanical arm. You can add segments to the arm (by clicking on the plus and minus buttons) and then adjust the speed and direction at which each joint rotates (by clicking on the joint and dragging up or down). With the right combinations, you can generate some very cool and very pretty patterns. You can zoom in and out and control the speed (higher speeds make for more angular lines), and you can also copy the "formula" for your pattern to share with your friends. Simple, but totally addictive.

isotope2: Spirograph on crack - Today's Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 26 Jan 2007 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flashfunisotopemartin jonassonMartinJonassontimewasterFri, 26 Jan 2007 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Vista Countdown: 5 Days]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/25/vista-countdown-5-days/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/25/vista-countdown-5-days/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/25/vista-countdown-5-days/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Vista CountdownFive days until Windows Vista is unleashed on the general populace. Back when we did our Vista upgrade poll, about 15% of you said you wouldn't be upgrading to Vista until after they release the first service pack. Well, good news for you: Microsoft is already laying the groundwork for Vista SP1's release. CNet says Microsoft has outlined an update with minor enhancements along the same lines as Windows XP's SP1, rather than a large overhaul like XP's SP2. "We expect Windows Vista SP1 to be a standard service pack that will include security updates and hot fixes, as well as limited other changes focused on improving overall quality," a Microsoft rep told them. Sorry, folks, that means no WinFS for you. Again. Redmond says expects Vista SP2 to be ready "in a timeframe similar to that of service packs for previous versions of Windows." Windows XP's first service pack came out 11 months after the OS' initial release.

Vista's release is no cake walk for Microsoft, owing in part to the fact that the internet is a very different animal than it was the last time Microsoft released a new OS. We now have the marvel that is BitTorrent, and as you might imagine it's as much a thorn in Microsoft's side as it is the movie industry's. Computerworld has an interesting article on the piracy challenges Microsoft is facing even before Microsoft hits retail shelves. "The pirates that cracked early copies of Vista all sidestepped Microsoft's latest antipiracy technology, the Software Protection Platform," the article goes. "SPP is supposed to shut down any copy of Vista not registered to Microsoft over the Internet with a legitimate, paid-up license key within the first 30 days." Microsoft is trying to scare consumers off pirated copies of Vista with boogey-man stories of viruses and malware, which I'd say probably isn't too effective on the sorts of people who are in the habbit of trolling BitTorrent for pirated operating systems.

And speaking of malware, Webroot Software, makers of Spy Sweeper, have issued a press release warning of "potentially ineffective blocking capabilities in Windows Defender, slow definition updates, and weak anti-virus capabilities in the default anti-spyware and anti-virus components of Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system and Live OneCare suite." Are there really scary vulnerabilities in Vista and gaping holes in its anti-malware software? Well, probably, but what Webroot is doing here ain't public service. Webroot's CTO Gerhard Eschelbeck says the company wants to help cunsumers "make informed decisions about their computing security needs," which, if he has his way, means loads of them buying Spy Sweeper for their new Vista setups.

Vista Countdown: 5 Days originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 25 Jan 2007 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bittorrentmalwaremicrosoftpiracysecurityservice packServicePacksp1vistavistacountdownwindowswindows vistaWindowsVistaThu, 25 Jan 2007 17:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft extends support period for Windows XP]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/25/microsoft-extends-support-period-for-windows-xp/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/25/microsoft-extends-support-period-for-windows-xp/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/25/microsoft-extends-support-period-for-windows-xp/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Windows XPPC Pro is reporting that Microsoft will be extending support for Windows XP beyond 2010. It had originally intended to discontinue support for the operating system at the end of January 2009, two years after the launch of Windows Vista, but has pushed back the date in response to customer appeals. Now it says that "mainstream" support for XP will cease in April 2009 but "extended" support will continue for an additional five years, but only for Windows XP Home and Media Center editions. Extended support includes fixes for security holes but excludes warranty claims and "non-security hot-fixes or design changes." You can read more about Microsoft's lifecycle policy in the official FAQ.

Microsoft extends support period for Windows XP originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 25 Jan 2007 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>extendedmicrosoftsupportwindowswindows xpWindowsXpxpThu, 25 Jan 2007 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[URL Fixer: Don't let typos slow down your browsing]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/25/url-fixer-dont-let-typos-slow-down-your-browsing/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/25/url-fixer-dont-let-typos-slow-down-your-browsing/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/25/url-fixer-dont-let-typos-slow-down-your-browsing/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

URL FixerI think it was around 1997 when I first thought, "gee, it would be great if when I made an obvious typo in a URL, the browser would cleverly fix it for me." I'm glad to see that progress marches apace: URL Fixer is an add-on for Firefox by Netscape developer Chris Finke that, a decade later, solves this problem, or at least takes a good stab at it. When you make an obvious typo--like using a comma in place of a dot, or typing ".cmo" instead of ".com"--when entering a URL in the address bar, URL Fixer will automatically correct it (or, optionally, prompt you first). OpenDNS has similar functionality, but in case you don't want to futz with your DNS settings, URL fixer is a solid alternative.

URL Fixer: Don't let typos slow down your browsing originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 25 Jan 2007 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addonextensionfirefoxmozillaspellingtypourl fixerUrlFixerThu, 25 Jan 2007 09:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Vista Countdown: 6 Days - Tips and 20 Qs]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/24/vista-countdown-6-days-tips-and-20-qs/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/24/vista-countdown-6-days-tips-and-20-qs/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/24/vista-countdown-6-days-tips-and-20-qs/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Windows VistaI wasn't planning on doing a countdown to Windows Vista until yesterday, and though there are piles of articles out there I could link to about Vista's failings, it seems unfair to focus on that for the week leading up to its release. Maybe I'll alternate days. Today I bring some tips and info for those who are all jazzed for Redmond's new baby.

First a tip from the How-To Geek on the Built-in Quick Launch Hotkeys in Windows Vista. Here's how it works: When you have some programs in your Quick Launch menu, each one will automatically be assigned a number--1, 2, 3, etc. from the leftmost icon to the right--and pressing the Windows key and that number will launch that program. Head over to the How-To geek for a more thorough explanation. Handy!

Another handy feature is Vista's built-in Snipping Tool, about which Lifehacker gives us the low-down. It's a huge improvement on Windows 95 and XP's nearly nonexistent screenshot functionality, though not, as Lifehacker's Gina Trapani points out, as robust as some third-party tools like the venerable SnagIt or my lightweight and free favorite FastStone Capture. Still, for basic screen-capping needs, the Snipping Tool is an invaluable and obvious bundled app.

Finally, you may have heard some of the huffing and puffing over Vista's thoroughly integrated DRM technologies. I won't get deep into it now, but if you want an overview Wikipedia is, as ever, a great resource. If you're concerned about Vista's DRM, you may want to check out Windows Vista Content Protection - Twenty Questions (and Answers) at the official Windows Vista Blog. In it, Dave Marsh, Vista's Lead Program Manager in charge of video technologies, says "It's important to emphasize that while Windows Vista has the necessary infrastructure to support commercial content scenarios, this infrastructure is designed to minimize impact on other types of content and other activities on the same PC." It's a pretty one-sided article, as you might imagine, but I suggest you read it and judge for yourself.

Vista Countdown: 6 Days - Tips and 20 Qs originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 24 Jan 2007 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>drmhotkeysmicrosoftquick launchQuickLaunchscreen captureScreenCapturesnipping toolSnippingTooltipsvistavistacountdownwindowsWed, 24 Jan 2007 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Download Squad Search: Now with 200% more Useful(TM)]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/24/download-squad-search-now-with-200-more-useful-tm/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/24/download-squad-search-now-with-200-more-useful-tm/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/24/download-squad-search-now-with-200-more-useful-tm/#commentsFiled under:

Download Squad's new search resultsIf you've ever tried searching for a particular post on Download Squad you might have found it a tad frustrating. Our built-in search engine was never very, er... good. But I'm thrilled to report that those days are over. Our talented developers have swapped out the old 'n' crufty search engine for some brand new hotness. The main enhancements are:
  • It now does an AND search rather than an OR search, meaning a search for "windows vista" will only turn up posts that have both "windows" and "vista" in them, not everything with "windows" OR "vista."
  • Search results now show the number of comments on each post, as well as the post's date.
  • The default ranking is by relevance, but at the top there's a "Sort by Date" option.
I doubt your mind is blown by all this, but a little extra ease of use here and there is always a good thing. Happy searching!

Download Squad Search: Now with 200% more Useful(TM) originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 24 Jan 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dlsdownload squadDownloadSquadsearchWed, 24 Jan 2007 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Google dumbs down Images results]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/24/google-dumbs-down-images-results/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/24/google-dumbs-down-images-results/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/24/google-dumbs-down-images-results/#commentsFiled under: ,

Google Images update
My friend Ty pointed out to me today that Google has changed the interface of Google Images, and not necessarily for the better. While the old results display for Google Images searches showed a thumbnail of each image along with the host's domain name, the image's dimensions, and a short description (taken from the image's context on the site). Now Google Images only shows the short description unless you move your mouse over one of the thumbnails. For me, this makes the service significantly less intuitive. If I'm looking for, say, a logo that's a certain size, I want to be able to see each image's dimensions at a glance, but with the new interface I have to roll my mouse over each and every one until I find one that's the right size. Similarly, being able to see the hosts of all of the images was handy, especially if you noticed that many of them are served by the same host. But now it's like a puzzle, moving your mouse around until you find what you're looking for.

I'm not sure if this new interface is showing up for all users, as Google is in the habit of testing new interfaces on a small cross section of users, but either way I hope this is an interface change they reconsider. What do you think of the update?

Google dumbs down Images results originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>googlegoogle imagesGoogleImagesimage searchimagesImageSearchinterfaceupdateWed, 24 Jan 2007 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A peek at the new Netscape 9.0 - EXCLUSIVE]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/24/a-peek-at-the-new-netscape-9-0-exclusive/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/24/a-peek-at-the-new-netscape-9-0-exclusive/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/24/a-peek-at-the-new-netscape-9-0-exclusive/#commentsFiled under:

Netscape 9.0 teaserOkay, let's work through some naming confusion for a second: These days Netscape is a pretty multi-faceted brand, but for the purposes of this post we're talking about just two of those facets: Netscape.com, the web site recently reborn as a social news site, and Netscape Browser, the web browser that you download, install on your computer, and use to browse web sites... like Netscape.com. Got it? Okay, hold on tight.

Over at the official Netscape(.com) blog, developer Chris Finke has posted a teeny tiny teaser screenshot (above) of the upcoming Netscape (Browser) 9.0. Who cares about a new version of Netscape Browser anymore? Well, I do, but I may be a teensy bit (read: a lot) biased since I'm on Netscape.com's payroll as a Navigator. But, just as the Netscape.com team has pumped some pretty novel features into the social news site, they seem to be taking a similar approach to Netscape 9.0. Here's what Finke says about the new version: "Unlike Netscape 8, Netscape 9 will contain more standardized support for newsfeeds (a.k.a. Live Bookmarks); it will also have tight integration with the Netscape.com service, as evidenced by the icons for the two available Netscape.com extensions (Friends' Activity Sidebar and the Sitemail Notifier). Several Netscape.com-based extensions will be built into the browser; only these two have been previously announced."

If you already use Firefox and have installed the existing Netscape.com extensions, the above might not put you at the edge of your seat in anticipation, but Finke has promised new screenshots and progress reports every Tuesday until the browser's release.

A peek at the new Netscape 9.0 - EXCLUSIVE originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 24 Jan 2007 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aolbrowserfirefoxmozillanetscapenetscape 9netscape.comNetscape9Wed, 24 Jan 2007 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Pirate Bay, mininova, and Torrentspy among top Alexa sites]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/23/pirate-bay-mininova-and-torrentspy-among-top-alexa-sites/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/23/pirate-bay-mininova-and-torrentspy-among-top-alexa-sites/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/23/pirate-bay-mininova-and-torrentspy-among-top-alexa-sites/#commentsFiled under:

mininova, Torrentspy, and The Pirate Bay on Alexa
TorrentFreak is reporting that three top BitTorrent tracker sites--The Pirate Bay, mininova, and Torrentspy--have accomplished the inevitable and entered the Alexa 200, the top 200 most-trafficked sites on the web acccording to Alexa. Torrentspy has the highest rank at 153, followed by mininova at 165, and The Pirate Bay barely squeezing in at 198. While nobody argues that Alexa's rankings are the picture of accuracy, it does give a pretty good indication of web trends, and this seems like a pretty big trend. TorrentFreak speculates that it was IsoHunt's recent (temporary) shutdown that bumped these sites into the top 200 (with its spillover traffic going to them), and the Alexa chart would seem to confirm that. Now that IsoHunt is back up, I wonder if it will gain back that traffic, knocking the other sites down a notch.

Pirate Bay, mininova, and Torrentspy among top Alexa sites originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 23 Jan 2007 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alexaalexa 200Alexa200bittorrentmininovapiracythe pirate bayThePirateBaytorrenttorrentfreaktorrentspytpbtrackertrafficTue, 23 Jan 2007 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vista Countdown: 7 Days - What's wrong with it?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/23/vista-countdown-7-days-whats-wrong-with-it/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/23/vista-countdown-7-days-whats-wrong-with-it/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/01/23/vista-countdown-7-days-whats-wrong-with-it/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Windows VistaWindows Vista lands in one week, everybody. Personally, I can't wait--not because I'm going to go straight to the store and buy a copy, but because I can stop writing stories about everybody and their mom's predictions about the impact Vista will have, and start writing stories about the impact it actually has. Eventually.

Actually, those articles are already starting to trickle in, like this one: The 5 Sins of Vista, from IntelliAdmin.com. In it, Steve Wiseman outlines five things in Vista that are, well, kinda broken. Here's the executive summary:
  • The new file browsing interface is broken - Ew!
  • The new start menu sucks (Kind of) - Kinda ew.
  • Windows Networking is a mess - Clear as mud.
  • Windows Search Is Broken - Double ew!
  • Windows copying has not improved - Sigh.
I think we're sure to see some really great stuff in Windows, but when stuff as fundamental is search and file copying still haven't gotten any attention from Microsoft, I start to wonder just what they are working on over in Redmond.

In related news, Microsoft has disclosed that one out of every five Windows installations in use today is "non-genuine," i.e. possibly pirated, says BetaNews. [Via Digg]

Vista Countdown: 7 Days - What's wrong with it? originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 23 Jan 2007 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftpiracyvistavistacountdownwindowsTue, 23 Jan 2007 13:05:00 EST