Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com Download Squad http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[16 (or so) apps I'm thankful for]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/27/16-or-so-apps-im-thankful-for/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/27/16-or-so-apps-im-thankful-for/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/27/16-or-so-apps-im-thankful-for/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It's Thanksgiving day for those of you in the United States, time to reflect upon the things for which you're truly thankful. While I'm sure there are many more noble things to list, this is Downloadsquad, after all, and what would be more fitting than a list of programs I appreciate?

16. Cabos. I rarely use a Gnutella client any more. When there is the odd song stuck in my head that necessitates a one-off download, Cabos is what I use. It's got a clean, simple interface, and it works - and that's really all I'm after.

15. Flash Player. Damn you, Adobe. Now that v10 has taken care of some of the CPU and memory issues, it's hard to begrudge Flash. There are just way, way too many addictive little games and excellent web applications that have been built using it.

14. FastCopy. My boss also runs a DJ business, and transferring his multi-hundred gig library from drive to drive was starting to drive me insane. After stupidly giving Windows a crack at the job once, I quickly hunted down a better tool for the job. FastCopy with the buffer cranked up made (relatively) short work of the task.

13. Find and Run Robot. It's not quite a flashy as the more popular Launchy, but it's much lighter on resources and gets the job done just as well. There are also tons of great extensions for it. For those who swear by the power of the keyboard, FARR is a must have.

Continue reading 16 (or so) apps I'm thankful for

16 (or so) apps I'm thankful for originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 27 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsfavoritelistsThu, 27 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[10 genuinely kick-ass features to get excited about in Windows 7]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/10/10-genuinely-kick-ass-features-to-get-excited-about-in-windows-7/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/10/10-genuinely-kick-ass-features-to-get-excited-about-in-windows-7/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/10/10-genuinely-kick-ass-features-to-get-excited-about-in-windows-7/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

After reading yet another rundown of what's so great about Windows 7, I noticed an annoying trend. Things like "no sidebar!" and "wallpaper slideshows!" appear to be among the most noteworthy achievements to some reviewers. I decided our loyal DS readers deserved to read a list of features that really do kick ass.

Enough mucking about: here are ten Windows 7 features that are genuinely worth getting excited about.

10. Easier and better wireless networking. Windows 7 takes a little from XP and a little from Vista, and rolls it all into a neat little package. Connection switching only requires two clicks and it can be done right from the system tray icon. Windows 7 also detects three more access points near my home than XP and Vista, and the connections to my work and home routers resume instantly when my laptop wakes.


9. Device stage. Right now, Windows treats multifunction devices like separate entities.This really doesn't make much sense: is your all-in-one three separate pieces of hardware? No? WIth device stage, you'll see only a single device in the control panel which you can then explore to access its multiple capabilities. To see it in action, check out Engadget's video from WinHEC.

Device Stage will improve integration with cell phones, PDAs, personal media players, cameras, and more - and it's a sign that Microsoft is more concerned about simplicity and ease of use than they were with Vista.

Continue reading 10 genuinely kick-ass features to get excited about in Windows 7

10 genuinely kick-ass features to get excited about in Windows 7 originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>windows-7Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[11 great free portable apps for blogging on the go!]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/08/11-great-free-portable-apps-for-blogging-on-the-go/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/08/11-great-free-portable-apps-for-blogging-on-the-go/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/08/11-great-free-portable-apps-for-blogging-on-the-go/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


I can't always get to my main laptop when I feel like putting together a blog post. If you've read some of my other lists, you probably noticed that I'm a big fan of portable applications for just this reason. As long as I've got my trusty USB flash drive, I'm always equipped with the programs I need to get things done.

Here are ten of my favorites (plus two alternatives). With these programs in my pocket, I'm always able to write when inspiration strikes - regardless of what computer I'm using.

1. Windows Live Writer is the best offline tool for composing blog posts, hands down. While Microsoft doesn't offer a portable version, it's a simple DIY project (Brad first covered it in September 2007). You can download the portable launcher from Scott Kingery's blog: it's over a year old, but it works just fine with the latest beta of Live Writer. With a rich feature set and support for Wordpress, TypePad, LiveJournal, Blogger, and more, it's a necessity.

2. Portable Firefox and SRWare Iron are both great browsers. I keep Firefox handy in case I need access to my favorite extensions, and use Iron when I just need to do some quick surfing. Why Iron instead of Chrome? For the added privacy.

3. GreatNews is a decent, portable RSS reader that's actually portable (no Java runtime needed, like RSSOwl). The download is under 1mb, and it formats feeds into a tidy newspaper-like layout. If I'm using a machine where I'd rather not log in to my Google account, I'll fire up GreatNews to read my feeds instead.

Continue reading 11 great free portable apps for blogging on the go!

11 great free portable apps for blogging on the go! originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 08 Nov 2008 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blogbloggingportableportable-appsusbSat, 08 Nov 2008 16:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Windows 7 hands on - Impressive at every turn]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/01/windows-7-hands-on-impressive-at-every-turn/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/01/windows-7-hands-on-impressive-at-every-turn/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/01/windows-7-hands-on-impressive-at-every-turn/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


With the Microsoft PDC recently wrapping up, excitement has been building for Windows 7. I wonder, will it be able to live up to the hype? There's only one way to find out: install it and see for myself. This is by no means a complete analysis of the OS, rather my observations from the first few days of experimenting with it.

The Aero interface has been refined, and it's leaner and meaner than before. Visual effects look superb and are silky smooth, even on less powerful hardware like a Celeron M520 laptop with Intel integrated graphics. Even with all the Aero Glass effects enabled, battery life didn't take a substantial hit (I noticed anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes less on a 5.5 hour battery).

Need to move a full screen window? Just click the title bar and start dragging - no need to click restore first, it will automatically resize. The reverse works as well: drag a window to the top edge of your screen, and Windows will maximize it.

Keeping with the visual theme, display settings have returned to the desktop right-click context menu. The personalize option remains, but I was relieved to see that I once again had a quick access to the resolution adjustment.

Continue reading Windows 7 hands on - Impressive at every turn

Windows 7 hands on - Impressive at every turn originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betawindowswindows 7Windows7Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[8 can't-miss Adium Xtras]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/29/8-cant-miss-adium-xtras/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/29/8-cant-miss-adium-xtras/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/29/8-cant-miss-adium-xtras/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



I absolutely love the popular Mac multi-chat app Adium. Not only does it support a large number of messaging protocols -- including Facebook Chat in the latest version -- it's insanely customizable. In Adium, you can change the look of everything from your contact list to your message style to your dock icon. There's an extensive library of user-created styles at AdiumXtras.com, but they're not all good.

Recently, I went on a bit of a downloading tear, rummaging through the Adium Xtra trash to discover the Adium Xtra treasure. Here, I present my findings: 8 of the slickest, most beautiful add-ons ever to grace a chat client. To check out the full range of Adium Xtras for yourself, go to adiumxtras.com.



Message Style: Cinematic

Cinematic is a smooth, dark style that fits in really well with OS X. It sports Apple's signature "reflection" effect, and uses buddy icons to show who's talking -- no text necessary. I like an uncluttered feeling when I'm chatting, and Cinematic delivers. Match it up with a darker buddy list style and wallpaper for a really put-together desktop.

Continue reading 8 can't-miss Adium Xtras

8 can't-miss Adium Xtras originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>add-onsadiumadiumxtraschatimskinsstylesWed, 29 Oct 2008 13:17:00 EST<![CDATA[BlackBerry Partners Fund announce first funded companies]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/29/blackberry-partners-fund-announce-first-funded-companies/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/29/blackberry-partners-fund-announce-first-funded-companies/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/29/blackberry-partners-fund-announce-first-funded-companies/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

After several false starts, it finally looks like mobile application development has real momentum. Although the iPhone and Android have received a lot of attention in regards to third-party applications, they aren't the only game in town. Approximately 19 million people have BlackBerry devices and as more and more consumers continue to adopt BlackBerry based smartphones, this is certainly a market with plenty of untapped potential. Back in May, JLA Ventures and RBC Venture Partners announced the creation of the BlackBerry Partners Fund -- a $150 million venture capital fund focussed on applications and services for the BlackBerry platform. Today, the BlackBerry Partners Fund is announcing its first three investments.

The companies receiving funding are buzzd, Digby and WorldMate. I had the opportunity to speak with Kevin Talbot, the Co-Managing Partner of the fund and Nihal Mehta, the CEO of buzzd earlier this week, and both are really excited abut the future of BlackBerry's role in the mobile application space and the opportunities the Fund can help propel.

Continue reading BlackBerry Partners Fund announce first funded companies

BlackBerry Partners Fund announce first funded companies originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blackberryblackberry partners fundBlackberryPartnersFundbuzzddigbymobilemobile developmentMobileDevelopmentRIMworldmateWed, 29 Oct 2008 00:01:00 EST<![CDATA[With two weeks to go, the 5 best places to follow presidential polls]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/21/with-two-weeks-to-go-the-5-best-places-to-follow-presidential-p/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/21/with-two-weeks-to-go-the-5-best-places-to-follow-presidential-p/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/21/with-two-weeks-to-go-the-5-best-places-to-follow-presidential-p/#commentsFiled under: , ,


If you haven't been following the U.S. presidential election, now is a good time to start. With two weeks to go, pundits everywhere are wondering whether Barack Obama's lead over John McCain will hold up. Whether you're a Democrat, a Republican, or none of the above, there are plenty of sites you can bookmark to keep up with the latest polling data. Here are some of my favorites:

1. Electoral-Vote.com

Electoral-Vote.com follows the current state polls and uses them to calculate the overall result of the election. It might not be the prettiest site design out there, but it updates regularly and makes it easy to see the states at a glance. You can also put in your own state-by-state prediction and let it calculate the result for you.

Continue reading With two weeks to go, the 5 best places to follow presidential polls

With two weeks to go, the 5 best places to follow presidential polls originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electionmccainmccainvs.obamaobamapoliticspresident2008Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Twine reaches 1.0, opens to public]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/21/twine-reaches-1-0-opens-to-public/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/21/twine-reaches-1-0-opens-to-public/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/21/twine-reaches-1-0-opens-to-public/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Twine Overview from Twine Official on Vimeo

Almost exactly one year ago, we wrote about Twine, a social network built on the semantic web. After expanding the private beta back in March, the Twine team has spent the last eight months really working on site usability, interface and performance. Today, Twine 1.0 is officially out of beta and open to the public.

I had a chance to talk to Nova Spivack, the CEO and founder of Radar Networks-- the company behind Twine -- last week and he walked me through the service. I have to say, as someone who was intrigued by the idea of Twine before, but frustrated by its interface, the new Twine kicks ass.

Twine describes itself as an "interest network," you could also call it a semantic web portal. I like to think of it like Delicious on crack. Like Delicious, and Stumble Upon and to a lesser extent, Digg, Twine is a way to manage and share links of interest. Unlike those services, Twine will also work to scour the web for information related to your interests and can help organize information into more useful snippets.

Gallery: Twine 1.0

Twine HomeProfileInterest FeedExploreBookmarklet

Continue reading Twine reaches 1.0, opens to public

Twine reaches 1.0, opens to public originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deliciousinterestssemantic-websocial networksSocialNetworksTwineTue, 21 Oct 2008 00:01:00 EST<![CDATA[So... you want to be a web developer?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/20/so-you-want-to-be-a-web-developer/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/20/so-you-want-to-be-a-web-developer/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/20/so-you-want-to-be-a-web-developer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Workstation I had the most interesting conversation with one of my friends the other day.

Adam: "Whew... finally finished with my latest web project!"

Friend (in awe): "Whoa! That's awesome! How did you make that?"

Now, of course, this project of mine was a full-fledged ASP.NET web application; a simple question like "how did you make that" could easily end up with me not only explaining what I did, but how I did it, and which tools and technologies I used. That way, instead of wondering about the magic that makes all those fancy programs out there on the internet work, my friend could understand exactly what goes on to make that happen.

Well, that couldn't hurt, right?

Adam: "Do you really want to know? I'm warning you... this could get messy."

Now, at this point, my friend gives me one of those funny looks like I'm completely crazy. But being a web developer, I'm already used to that.

Friend: "Well, sure..."

And so it begins.

Continue reading So... you want to be a web developer?

So... you want to be a web developer? originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browser toolsBrowserToolscssimage editorsImageEditorstweet-thisweb developerweb developmentWebDeveloperWebDevelopmentxhtmlMon, 20 Oct 2008 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[First look at the T-Mobile G1 Google Android Phone]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/17/first-look-at-the-t-mobile-g1-google-android-phone/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/17/first-look-at-the-t-mobile-g1-google-android-phone/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/17/first-look-at-the-t-mobile-g1-google-android-phone/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


So I don't know if you've heard, but apparently there's this company named Google. And apparently they've developed some sort of a mobile phone operating system that features tight integration with online services like Gmail, YouTube, and Google Talk. And you can't get one just yet, so we decided to talk to someone who did.

Kevin Tofel of jkOnTheRun has been testing a T-Mobile G1 for the last few days. When it hits the shelves next week, the G1 will be the first device on the market based on the Google Android platform. Tofel says there's a lot to like about the G1, but there are still a few things that annoy him.

And most importantly, the platform will only succeed if Google can do a good job of attracting third party developers. The built in applications work very well, but there are still too many things missing. For example, while you can watch YouTube movies using the YouTube player, there's no video play for watching downloaded movies or videos from other web sites. Fortunately there's already a third party movie player available in the Android Marketplace. But that's one of only a handful of third party apps currently available.

You can see the phone in action and hear more of Kevin's thoughts by clicking the video above. If you're too busy to sit through a ten minute video, you can read some of the highlights after the jump.

Continue reading First look at the T-Mobile G1 Google Android Phone

First look at the T-Mobile G1 Google Android Phone originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 17 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidcellphoneg1google-androidhtc-dreamHtcDreammobilet-mobile-g1Fri, 17 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[13 Great Free Backup Programs for Windows, Mac, and Linux]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/12/13-great-free-backup-programs-for-windows-mac-and-linux/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/12/13-great-free-backup-programs-for-windows-mac-and-linux/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/12/13-great-free-backup-programs-for-windows-mac-and-linux/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Making sure you've got a reliable backup solution is a must for any user - and more so for an administrator. Why? Well, mostly because your users probably aren't very good at remembering to back up their own files. And so it falls to you to provide the right software for the job!

Backup software is a difficult category to tackle nowadays as the distinction between backup and synchronization apps has become a little blurred. Prices being what they are, my personal choice is to use external or removable hard drives for my backup chores - my current favorites are Bonkey and Cobian.

To make sure you've got plenty of options to choose from, I've split this list into three different categories so that you can choose from the options that are best suited to your environment.

Continue reading 13 Great Free Backup Programs for Windows, Mac, and Linux

13 Great Free Backup Programs for Windows, Mac, and Linux originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abaktback upbackupbonkeycobianjabackrestorersynctweet-thisSun, 12 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mufin launches new music discovery engine beta, Download Squad readers are invited]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/08/mufin-launches-new-music-discovery-engine-beta-download-squad-r/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/08/mufin-launches-new-music-discovery-engine-beta-download-squad-r/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/08/mufin-launches-new-music-discovery-engine-beta-download-squad-r/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



As a music lover, one of my favorite innovations of the last five years or so has come in the form of music discovery services. Services like Last.fm, Pandora, Rhapsody and iTunes 8 have made it easy to find artists or songs that are similar to your musical tastes and preferences. The only problem with these services, is that they are based on limited databases (like the iTunes Music Store, for iTunes's Genius Mode), reviews or ratings by other users and overall popularity. That means that the music discovered might indeed be similar, but it really limits results to mainsream songs and generic genre distinctions. This is great for an automatic playlist, but not so great for really finding new bands or artists.

This is why Mufin's new music discovery engine is so unique; it analyzes the actual structure of the song, not just the genre meta-data. Mufin's discovery engine just entered private beta, but Download Squad readers can get in on the action by using this invite link: http://beta.mufin.com/start?ic=e75eecf85a4a547ca9379d6f8b6c23bb.

Co-developed at the Fraunhofer Institute (the creators of the MP3 format), Mufin uses audio recognition technology to analyze the actual musical characteristics of a song. Mufin creates a unique "fingerprint" for each song, using 40 characteristics like tempo, instruments, rhythm structure and sound density. Then, when you search for a song in Mufin's database, an alogrithm compares the fingerprint of that song against the database and presents you with results of songs that are similar in structure.

Continue reading Mufin launches new music discovery engine beta, Download Squad readers are invited

Mufin launches new music discovery engine beta, Download Squad readers are invited originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>itunes-8last.fmmufinmusic discoverymusic searchMusicDiscoveryMusicSearchpandoraWed, 08 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[So your web host is retiring: How to back-up and move forward]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/02/so-your-web-host-is-retiring-how-to-back-up-and-move-forward/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/02/so-your-web-host-is-retiring-how-to-back-up-and-move-forward/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/02/so-your-web-host-is-retiring-how-to-back-up-and-move-forward/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

On Monday, AOL (Weblogs Inc.'s parent company) announced that they are shutting down the AOL Hometown and AOL Journals services. AOL Journals members will be able to migrate to a new service, but AOL Hometown users have been instructed to back-up their files and prepare to go somewhere else.

There have also been reports (but Wikipedia is the source, so keep that in mind) that Yahoo! GeoCties has removed or shut-down some of its UK web servers. With Google killing its Page Creator tool and migrating everyone to Google Sites, the free static web host is a dying breed.

So what can you do if you are an AOL Hometown user (or you use another older service that might be on its last legs)? Read on for tips on backing up your content and publishing options for the future.

Continue reading So your web host is retiring: How to back-up and move forward

So your web host is retiring: How to back-up and move forward originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aolaol hometownAolHometownweb buildingweb hostingWebBuildingWebHostingwebsitesThu, 02 Oct 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[24 Great Open Source Apps for Admins & Technicians]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/01/24-great-open-source-apps-for-admins-and-technicians/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/01/24-great-open-source-apps-for-admins-and-technicians/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/01/24-great-open-source-apps-for-admins-and-technicians/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

I'm always on the lookout for apps that can ease my workload or free up some room in my budget, and open source applications are an excellent way for me to accomplish both.

If you're in the same boat as me, hopefully you're already utilizing some open source options. If not, I've put together this list of two dozen great applications that I can depend on to keep things running smoothly on my office LAN and customer systems as well.

Some of these you'll recognize, but I hope that there are some that are new to you as well.
  1. PING - I may be beating a dead horse here with my love of PING, but it's just a great piece of open source. Drive imaging with network and spanning support, password blanking, it's just an excellent app.

  2. NTRegEdit - The Windows Registry editor hasn't seen many changes over the years. NTRegEdit offers some great additional features like recursive export, color coding, improved searching, and quick edit window below the values list.

  3. Safarp - A portable alternative to appwiz.cpl (add/remove programs), it provides a few extra useful features - like silent uninstalls and repairs of Windows Installer-based apps. It also opens in a flash, unlike the clunky appwiz.

  4. WPKG - Maintaining software installs on computers in a small business environment can be a little frustrating sometimes. WPKG gives you push/pull installs and it can run as a service, so silent installs run transparently with no user ineteraction.

Continue reading 24 Great Open Source Apps for Admins & Technicians

24 Great Open Source Apps for Admins & Technicians originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>freewaregplopen sourceopen-sourceopensourceWed, 01 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Use Hulu, Pandora, or the BBC iPlayer from any country]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/09/19/use-hulu-pandora-or-the-bbc-iplayer-from-any-country/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/09/19/use-hulu-pandora-or-the-bbc-iplayer-from-any-country/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/09/19/use-hulu-pandora-or-the-bbc-iplayer-from-any-country/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. While using a proxy server might violate the usage license of your ISP or the site you are using, it is as far as I know, not illegal. Still, if you are cautious or in doubt, check with a real lawyer or just refrain from using this type of tool.

For anyone who lives outside the US (or is a US citizen but goes outside the country for vacation), one of the more frustrating aspects of most of the TV streaming services I wrote about earlier is that they are restricted to users accessing the site from the United States. On the flip-side, the BBC's iPlayer is restricted to UK users only, because the BBC is funded by the British public.

OK, fine, I understand the BBC position. If I paid taxes to sponsor the programming, I might be miffed if the rest of the world had free access too. But what if you are a UK resident who happens to go on holiday to another part of Europe? Should you really have to miss "EastEnders?" I say, "no."

So, how do you access sites restricted by location? The same way savvy Chinese users can break pas the Great Firewall of China: proxy servers.

Continue reading Use Hulu, Pandora, or the BBC iPlayer from any country

Use Hulu, Pandora, or the BBC iPlayer from any country originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbc iplayerBbcIplayerdlapfoxyproxyhow-tohulupandoraproxy serverProxyServervideoFri, 19 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Watch TV like a pirate, a law abiding priate]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/09/19/watch-tv-like-a-pirate-a-law-abiding-priate/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/09/19/watch-tv-like-a-pirate-a-law-abiding-priate/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/09/19/watch-tv-like-a-pirate-a-law-abiding-priate/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

As Internet connections get faster, computer monitors become larger and HTPC integration become more widespread, watching TV shows online has become downright ubiquitous. In the dark ages, like three years ago, the only place you could get truly high-quality copies of TV episodes was to either buy the DVD or to BitTorrent the episode, you know, if one of the big TV groups happens to follow that particular show.

I love tvRSS as much as the next pirate, in the last 18 months, something pretty awesome has happened in regards to commercial television: free web streams. And the quality continues to get better, with each of the major networks offering some kind of HD-experience (iTunes HD tends to be better, but of course, you pay for that privilege).

So here is a list of all the places you can watch current and classic TV shows for free, online. Many of these sites have regional restrictions, based on country. Not to fear, in my next article, I'll discuss how you can access any of these sites (or any region-locked) site, regardless of your physical location.

Continue reading Watch TV like a pirate, a law abiding priate

Watch TV like a pirate, a law abiding priate originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 19 Sep 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abcdlapfancasthulustreamingstreaming videoStreamingVideotvtv showsTvShowsFri, 19 Sep 2008 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Chrome news roundup: Themes, Scripts, and Ad-blocking, oh my!]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/09/10/google-chrome-news-roundup-themes-scripts-and-ad-blocking-oh/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/09/10/google-chrome-news-roundup-themes-scripts-and-ad-blocking-oh/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/09/10/google-chrome-news-roundup-themes-scripts-and-ad-blocking-oh/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Google Chrome LogoIt's been about a week since Google launched the public beta of its open source web browser, Google Chrome. While the browser certainly ain't perfect by a long shot, it does render pages quickly and has a few innovative features like an unconventional placement for tabs and a unified search box/location bar.

Over the past week there's been a flurry of activity surrounding the browser. Not from Google developers, but by third party developers who have done their best to make Google at least as useful as Firefox or Safari. A few folks have taken a different approach and tried to make Firefox look and feel a bit more like Chrome. Here are a few of our favorite Google Chrome updates from week one.

Google Chrome theme

Themes

If you like Google Chrome's layout but can't stand the bland light blue color scheme, you're in luck. It turns out that all you need to do to change the browser's theme is replace a single default.dll. Your first step should be to the ChromeSpot message boards where dozens of users have posted custom themes. You can also find custom themes at Google Chrome Themes. (Link removed due to allegations that the developers were stealing themes without crediting the authors).

One you find a theme you like, you should backup your default theme by making a copy of your default.dll file. It's located in \Documents and Settings\[username\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\[version number]\Themes in Windows XP. Then just download the theme of your choice and unzip the new default.dll location to the same location.

If you're using Windows Vista the path should be \Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\[version number]\Themes\

Unfortunately since Google hasn't yet built a theme manager for Chrome there's no simple way to switch between mulitple themes from within the browser settings. If you're looking for an easier way to switch between themes you can try the Chrome Automatic Theme Switcher, but it won't work with the latest build of Chrome.

[via Lifehacker and Google Blogoscoped]

Continue reading Google Chrome news roundup: Themes, Scripts, and Ad-blocking, oh my!

Google Chrome news roundup: Themes, Scripts, and Ad-blocking, oh my! originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bookmarkletschromiumgoogle-chromegreasemetalgreasemonkeyjavascriptnightly-buildsprivoxythemestweet-thisuser-scriptsuserscriptsweb-browsersWed, 10 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Easy web-based proofing with ProofHQ]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/08/26/easy-web-based-proofing-with-proofhq/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/08/26/easy-web-based-proofing-with-proofhq/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/08/26/easy-web-based-proofing-with-proofhq/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


I rarely get as excited by a Web 2.0 app or service as I am by ProofHQ, which is an innovative and platform-independent way to manage the whole review and approval process for creative documents. At least for me, the most tedious part of the design process is getting feedback and approval. First you have to make sure the file is in a format that a client or collaborator can read (so that you don't accidentally send out a Word 2007 document to someone who is using Office 2003 and doesn't have the Office 2007 viewer software), then if you are sending something by e-mail, that the e-mail size isn't too large for their mail server. That process has to be repeated for every change or for every new element.

ProofHQ was designed to streamline the entire creative review process, making much of the above process unnecessary.This is how it works: You upload your proof, document or design concept to ProofHQ and enter in who you want to send the proof to. ProofHQ then creates a web-optimized, Flash-based proof that your reviewers or collaborators can view. They just click on a link in their e-mail and have access to the proof or document.

From there, they can add notes, draw in markup and immediately reject or approve a design. You can even embed a "Miniproof" in a blog or wiki, and any comments made either at that site or via the ProofHQ dashboard appear alongside one another. This makes it really, really easy to get feedback and collaboration from lots of different people. As the document creator, you can see who has reviewed or commented on a proof and instantly eyeball if something is approved or if you need to bug someone to give you an answer.

Continue reading Easy web-based proofing with ProofHQ

Easy web-based proofing with ProofHQ originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>basecampcollaborationdesignproofingprototypereviewTue, 26 Aug 2008 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flipping the Linux switch: Countdown to the dual boot]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/08/19/flipping-the-linux-switch-countdown-to-the-dual-boot/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/08/19/flipping-the-linux-switch-countdown-to-the-dual-boot/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/08/19/flipping-the-linux-switch-countdown-to-the-dual-boot/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

KDNewton's LAN probably doesn't dual boot but it could!I have been a Linux user for quite some time -- about eight years. My husband and I have known each other since we were twelve, when our school's only computer was an Apple IIe attached to a dot matrix printer. We grew up together, bought our first computer together, and built our first home-grown computers together.

He has never used Linux. Sure, he's played Frozen Bubble a few times. He's shut down my computer during thunderstorms. That's it.

His desktop Windows machine is older, and truth be told, he uses it for games and web surfing. He just bought an MSI Wind for work and school, and plans on keeping most of the "work stuff" on there.

He is a Windows user, but Windows irritates him on regular basis. He has said (for years) he'd be happy to use Linux for internet and document creation, but he can't part with a couple of games.

Now, the time has come. He is ready. He has asked that his computer be set up as a dual boot machine. How did he reach this conclusion, and what needs to be done to get his computer ready for the Linux invasion? And if you find yourself in this same position, what do you need to do?

Continue reading Flipping the Linux switch: Countdown to the dual boot

Flipping the Linux switch: Countdown to the dual boot originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dual bootdual bootingDualBootDualBootinglinuxlinux-switchwindowsTue, 19 Aug 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Five free ways to grow your most important organ]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/08/11/five-free-ways-to-grow-your-most-important-organ/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/08/11/five-free-ways-to-grow-your-most-important-organ/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/08/11/five-free-ways-to-grow-your-most-important-organ/#commentsFiled under: ,

LoC websiteHere's a question for all our elderly readers: Do any of you remember the primitive era affectionately called 1995, and hearing your college professors speak hopefully (or possibly lament) that soon all the information and media ever created would be up on this web thing and easily accessible and available free of charge? Do you remember how many people went out and bought those state of the art 486s and bleeding edge Pentium I computers, and signed on with AOL or Compuserve or Mindspring to fire up Netscape, stumble on to Yahoo! only to discover the truth.

Even back then, there was a lot of stuff online that was technically information or visual/audible media. It was free, much of it, anyway, as well. I spent way too many hours watching an oddity called a webcam update at shockingly fast one minute intervals, as it delivered grainy black and white stlll images of some forgotten webmaster's painted turtle in California to my desktop in Northern Virginia.

As far as exotic, fine art work or rare, priceless tomes of great knowledge went -- it wasn't all accessible online, or necessarly free if it happened to be available. But for a good portion of the '90s, people who hadn't been online much, or were in denial, insisted it was out there.

There dawns the new century, and the myth of "it's all there, free" started to fade away with the old beige Pentium I and II computers. Things went the other way, though. Every day there was more information on the internet from all sorts of sources, and some of it (shock, awe) was free, or at least accessible to some degree. Is it irony or karma? Who knows? Many people are floored, now, to discover how much useful, cool, credible information is available online free of charge.

So just in time to go back to school (or to impress your friends with your innate intelligence), I've found a few sites and tricks for getting really great information online without additional tuition fees.

Continue reading Five free ways to grow your most important organ

Five free ways to grow your most important organ originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>educationinternetlearninglibraryMITonlinephotospodcastStanfordMon, 11 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EST