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BackToSchool posts

Filed under: Features, Social Software, Education

Back to school with Facebook: 5 apps to make your classes easier


Some of you are headed back to school this week, and I want to let you know that we at Download Squad feel your pain. We've all been there at one time or another, and it's not always easy. While I'm not volunteering to do your homework (don't want to get you in trouble, you know), the least I can do is offer some helpful applications for everyone's favorite (formerly) collegiate website, Facebook. I hope these five apps make your school year a little bit easier. Good luck in the new school year, DLS readers!

Notely

Notely is a comprehensive system for to-do list, homework planning and events. The Facebook app is just one way to keep track of that: there's also a web version of Notely, and an iPhone app. It's all available with a free account at Notely.net.

Courses

Courses is a beefed-up version of a feature you might remember if you're a long-time Facebook user. It lets you list your current course list on your profile and find other people in your classes. What's more, it works as a class discussion board, video chat, place to put your weekly assignment schedule, and place to store files.

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Filed under: Social Software, BlackBerry, iPhone, web 2.0, Lists

Online tools to fight the freshman 20 - Back to School



Off to college and dreading the inevitable 20 pounds or so of fat that comes with drinking binges, lack of exercise, all you can eat dorm food and late night snacks? Hate the thought of not being able to wear your favorite jeans come winter break? Relax, here's a round up of good online weight management tools which might be able to help you stay on track.

1. The Daily Plate - A calorie tracking tool from LIVESTRONG.com, this site helps you track your calories and burn rate via your personal online food diary. Once you register, you can input the foods you eat and the database will automagically provide the calories. Nice interface and there's even an iPhone and iPod touch (Blackberry too) app for $2.99 if you want to track on your mobile.



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Filed under: Business, Fun, Internet, Utilities, Productivity, Web services, Mozilla, Search

Firefox Campus Edition download for students

Firefox Campus Edition download releasedMozilla is jumping on the 'back to school' bandwagon to ensure that students get the most out of their online experience with a new "Firefox Campus Edition" download.

Announced last week, the Campus Edition of Firefox comes bundled with a few extras including:
  • FoxyTunes - allows you to control almost all media players, find videos, CD covers, videos, band bios all within Firefox.
  • StumbleUpon - browse the web and find websites, videos, images all based on your interests.
  • Zotero - collects, manages and cites research sources from within Firefox.
All these tools help students with productivity and mostly allow them to engage more with their favorite web browser. Check out the Firefox Campus Edition download here, and get set to get those computers ready. And hey, if you are already in school, download away and get on with the rest of your semester with Mozilla's help.

Filed under: Fun, Kids, Features, Windows, Macintosh, Productivity, Apple, Commercial, Shareware

Download Squad's Back-to-School Software Picks


As kids the world around get ready for "that time of year" and the sense of dread excitement builds, we find ourselves looking for ways to make this school year a little easier than the one before it. Being nerds, we turn to software. This year, Download Squad has hand-picked some promising shareware/freeware tools for that should come just as handy as the mandatory two boxes of tissues required by the school of each student.

The first is a crossword-puzzle generator for Mac and Windows called Crossword Forge. Now, crossword makers have been around for a while, but this one gets an A+. It does crosswords and word searches (complete with accidental profanity filter--a must) and a spelling checker. It will even spit out a Flash-drive online puzzle so your students or kids can go the paperless route.

Check out the rest of our picks after the jump.

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Filed under: Features, Windows Mobile, Palm, Productivity, Mobile Minute

Mobile Minute goes back to school - using Windows Mobile on Campus

The Dog Ate ItIt's back to school time, and you know what that means. You've got a good excuse to try out some new software for your PDA.

Windows Mobile devices include some great tools for students, including a basic calculator, calendar, and mobile versions of Word and Excel. But if you want to get the most out of your PDA on campus, you'll probably want to check out some more advanced tools for text entry, note taking, and organization.

Let's start by taking a look at some applications designed with students in mind.

The Dog Ate It

Windows Mobile PDAs and phones include a basic calendar for jotting down appointments. But it's not much use if you need to view a week's worth of information at a glance. For day to day use, we're big fans of Pocket Informant. But for students, The Dog Ate It offers a great calendar with a few extra features.

First of all, you can enter a list of classes and times and they'll automatically be added to your calendar. For each class you can specify your instructor's name, contact info, and required textbooks.

The Dog Ate It also lets you keep track of your grades and homework assignments. There's a free trial available, but a full version will cost you $15. There's also a desktop version of the software which can be synchronized with your PDA.

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Filed under: Internet, Web services

Create your own perfect dormroom online

Headed back to campus for fall? Our new little sister DIY Life shows you a way to create your own perfect dorm room; online. Don't find yourself stuck in a drab, uninspiring space -- in which you'll spend far too much time in front of your computer -- kick it up a notch and impress your friends.

Homeslyce The really slick part is, you can collaborate with your new roommate from where ever you are. Oh the internet, is there anything it can't do?

Featured Time Waster

Graveyard Shift - zombie-busting Time Waster

With Halloween fast approaching, it's a great time to get in some practice defending your territory against zombies. In Graveyard Shift, you take aim at zombies and other creepy-crawlies, blasting them into splatters of cartoony green guts. It's a casual first-person shooter, and it's very easy to get the hang of - use the mouse to aim, click to fire. Graveyard Shift has at least 15 levels, and it might even have some secret stages I haven't unlocked yet. They key to getting good at Graveyard Shift is learning to use ...

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