Download Squadhttp://www.downloadsquad.comDownload Squadhttp://www.downloadsquad.com/media/feedlogo.gifDownload Squadhttp://www.downloadsquad.comen-usCopyright 2008 Blogsmith, LLC. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/EyeDefender Helps You Avoid Computer Use Injurieshttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/08/11/eyedefender-helps-you-avoid-computer-use-injuries/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/08/11/eyedefender-helps-you-avoid-computer-use-injuries/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/08/11/eyedefender-helps-you-avoid-computer-use-injuries/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


While computer work tends to not be physically risky, that doesn't mean you should assume it's not impacting your health. Carpal tunnel and Computer Vision Syndrome are no laughing matter, and it's important to take steps to avoid them.

EyeDefender helps by starting breaks at intervals of your choosing (you choose the length of the break as well). To rest your eyes you can choose either your default screensaver, an image, or the visual training mode. The training mode is a bit reminiscent of the relaxation portion of Flash Focus for the Nintendo DS.

If you stick to the schedule you set up, EyeDefender breaks will also help prevent repetetive strain injuries. Like anything designed to help your quest for improved health, you've got to stick with it to see benefits.

For web workers that have a hard time tearing themselves away from their screen, EyeDefender is a handy application with tremendous potential benefits. It's free for non-commercial private use and runs on Windows only.
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]]>carpal tunnelCarpalTunneleye strainEyeStrainhealthrepetetive strainRepetetiveStrainLee Mathews2008-08-11T17:00:00+00:00Invotrak adds new features for invoicinghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/08/06/invotrak-adds-new-features-for-invoicing/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/08/06/invotrak-adds-new-features-for-invoicing/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/08/06/invotrak-adds-new-features-for-invoicing/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

invotrak
Invotrak is a simple to use, online invoicing tool for small businesses or freelancers produced by Draconis Software. While we have covered it before some new additions make it worth another mention.

Basically this is a simple invoice app that you can use to create and track invoices and time sheets for yourself or your small business. You can use limited services for free or pay for three levels of account depending on how many invoices you plan to send.

Updates features include: the ability to upload invoices you have created yourself, add line items from time sheets to the invoice and adding reports to your invoices. You can also save your invoices as PDF or TXT files.

You can also read the Invotrak blog to get tips on using the new features and general small business tips - like how to get paid on time.
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]]>invoiceinvotraksmall businessSmallBusinessChristina Clark2008-08-06T08:00:00+00:00Google Docs introduces template galleryhttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/18/google-docs-introduces-template-gallery/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/18/google-docs-introduces-template-gallery/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/18/google-docs-introduces-template-gallery/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

A lot of desktop word processing and text editing apps feature templates you can use to jazz up your documents -- or make them look terrible, depending on your opinion. Now Google Docs gives you the same option, with a new template gallery. There are over 300 templates, featuring everything from resumés to cards to calendars.

The selection of different templates is impressively versatile. Expense reports, presentations, invitations -- it's all there. Styles range from minimal (basic blue bars) to ostentatious (robots!). Something that immediately struck us as clever is the selection the Avery Dennison-sponsored themes, so you can print to those Avery labels and business cards that every office seems to be up to its ears in. If you use templates in your desktop writing app of choice, you'll probably also find a use for them in Google docs. Although the designs are hit or miss, there are enough of them that you should be able to find what you're looking for.

[via Lifehacker]
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]]>designdocumentsGoogle DocsGoogleDocstemplatesJay Hathaway2008-07-18T10:00:00+00:00Microsoft Equipt (subscription based Office) to go on sale this weekhttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/14/microsoft-equipt-subscription-based-office-to-go-on-sale-this/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/14/microsoft-equipt-subscription-based-office-to-go-on-sale-this/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/14/microsoft-equipt-subscription-based-office-to-go-on-sale-this/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

EquiptCan't justify spending hundreds of dollars for Microsoft Office? Starting this week, Microsoft will be offering Equipt for $69.99... per year. Equipt is an office suite which features the applications from Microsoft Office Home and Student, Microsoft OneCare, and comes bundled with several (already free) Windows Live services.

When you consider the fact that Microsoft puts out a new version of Office every few years for $300 or more, Equipt might seem like a bargain. But when you factor in the fact that you can pick up a copy of Microsoft Office Home and Student for just over $100, things might start to look a bit different.

Still, your $70 gets you working versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and other programs. You also get free upgrades. And as much as we love free alternatives like OpenOffice.org, we have yet to find one that's 100% compatible with Microsoft Office. Nothing screams unprofessional like opening a document a boss or colleague sends you and completely messing up the formatting.

At launch Equipt will be available only at Circuit City stores. Microsoft is expected to announce more distributors soon.
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]]>equiptmicrosoftmicrosoft-equiptmicrosoft-officeofficesubscriptionBrad Linder2008-07-14T14:00:00+00:00KOffice comes to Windows: A brief loook at KOffice 2.0 Alpha 8http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/04/koffice-comes-to-windows-a-brief-loook-at-koffice-2-0-alpha-8/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/04/koffice-comes-to-windows-a-brief-loook-at-koffice-2-0-alpha-8/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/04/koffice-comes-to-windows-a-brief-loook-at-koffice-2-0-alpha-8/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

KOffice windows
The K Desktop Environment, or KDE, is best known as a user interface and software suite for Linux. But for the past few months a team of developers has been hard at work porting KDE applications to Windows. When we looked at the KDE on Windows project earlier this year, it was still in the early stages and there honestly weren't many applications worth running. Now that's all changed. The problem today isn't that there isn't any software you want to run, the problem is that the applications are still pretty buggy.

A few weeks ago, the developers of KOffice, an open source suit of office applications released KOffice 2.0 Alpha for Windows, Mac, and Linux. In order to install the Windows version, you need to download and run the KDE on Windows installer utility and then select the KDE applications you want to install. To install KOffice, select the package labeled KOffice-msvc. Once it's installed you should be able to access KOffice applications like KWord and KSpread from your Windows Start Menu.

While we were able to get KWord up and running, it did crash periodically. KSpread and several other applications were non-starters. We kept getting error messages telling us that files or components were not found, which is a shame because the whole point of using the KDE on Windows installer utility is to automatically download and install any dependencies necessary to run the software you select.

The Kate and KWrite text editors seem to work pretty smoothly. But applications take a long time to start and are prone to closing unexpectedly. We wouldn't recommend replacing Microsoft Office or OpenOffice.org with KOffice on Windows just yet. But KOffice 2.0 is still in Alpha, and the KDE on Windows project is still in the early stages. Perhaps one day this little office suite could konquer the world.

[via Slashdot]
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]]>kdekofficeofficeBrad Linder2008-07-04T15:00:00+00:00Zoho Show now supports PPT export, Picasa importhttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/26/zoho-show-now-supports-ppt-export-picasa-import/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/26/zoho-show-now-supports-ppt-export-picasa-import/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/26/zoho-show-now-supports-ppt-export-picasa-import/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Zoho Show
Those folks at Zoho just don't quit, do they? Last year the company rolled out a major redesign of its powerful, web-based PowerPoint clone. And now Zoho Show 2.0 has 8 new features, some more exciting than others.
  1. Export to PPT, PPS, PDF, and ODP. You've been able to export files as HTML for a while, but the addition of PowerPoint and PDF export brings Zoho Show a bit closer to being a true PowerPoint replacement
  2. You can now import images from Picasa (Zoho Show already supported Flickr importing)
  3. Support for up to 50 undo/redo actions
  4. Support for 9 new languages: Chinese, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Japanese, Portguese, Spanish, and Swedish.
  5. Create contact groups for sharing your presentations with
  6. Copy and paste slides from one presentation to another
  7. Enhanced remote presentation user inteface
  8. Advanced options for embedding presentations on a web site
You can see a demo presentation highlighting the new features after the jump.

[via Mashable]

Continue reading Zoho Show now supports PPT export, Picasa import

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]]>powerpointpresentationszohozoho-showBrad Linder2008-06-26T13:30:00+00:00HELP! Windows cannot open this filehttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/20/help-windows-cannot-open-this-file/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/20/help-windows-cannot-open-this-file/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/20/help-windows-cannot-open-this-file/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Can not open dialog

You've just downloaded that must have program only to realize that Windows has no idea what to do with it. After an hour of Google searching, forum posting, and being called n00b, you finally figure it out.

If only there was a guide that showed you how to get all those needed programs. We at Download Squad feel your pain and have put together a list of 10 free programs that will take care of those pesky "Windows cannot open this file" messages once and for all.

Note: See a blatant omission or oversight? Please add it to the comments. With your help, we hope to re-post a more complete list the future.

  1. K-Lite codec pack

    File Types: DivX, XviD, AVI, Mpeg 1-4, AC3, AAC, FLAC, WAV, FLV, OGG, VOB, and tons you've never heard of.

    Description: Why there are 85,000,000 different audio and video types we have no idea. What we do know is trying to install codecs one at a time generally ends in a reformat.

    Thankfully, the good people from K-Lite (Koors Lite?) have bundled all the software and codecs you need into one executable. Cheers!


  2. Real Alternative and QuickTime Alternative

    File Types: RM, RA, RAM, RPM, RMVB, RPX, SMI, SMIL, RT, RP, MOV, QT, 3GP

    Description: Before the days of Youtube, the Real Player and QuickTime were kings of Internet multimedia. Sure you had to deal with popups, reminders, updates, and bloatware, but that 1" video was so worth it.

    Fortunately, the Real and Quicktime Alternatives removed the real in Real Player and restored the quick to QuickTime. Enjoy your 1" video!

Continue reading HELP! Windows cannot open this file

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]]>codecsextensionfreewaresharewaretoolstweet-thisutilitieswindowsAlan Silcott2008-06-20T19:00:00+00:00IBM updates free office suite, launches Lotus Symphony 1http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/15/ibm-updates-free-office-suite-launches-lotus-symphony-1/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/15/ibm-updates-free-office-suite-launches-lotus-symphony-1/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/15/ibm-updates-free-office-suite-launches-lotus-symphony-1/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Lotus Symphony 1
IBM has put the finishing touches on Lotus Symphony, a free Microsoft Office competitor based on OpenOffice.org. The company pushed out version 1.0 of the office suite which has been available as a public beta since last year.

Unlike OpenOffice.org, Lotus Symphony is not open source software. While IBM is providing it for free, Lotus Symphony is based on OpenOffice.org 1.1.4, which is the last version of OpenOffice.org that had a license allowing developers to modify the code and keep the changes private.

According to Linux.com, IBM hopes to target the enterprise market with this software. The goal is to provide Lotus Symphony as a free alternative to Microsoft Office, while charging $25,000 per year for support. Of course, if you know how to use word processors, spreadsheets, and presentation applications, you probably won't need to spend the money. But you also might not find much in Lotus Symphony that isn't already available in its open source cousin, OpenOffice.org.

So what's new in Lotus Symphony 1? Here are a few highlights:
  • Critical crash and freezing issues have been fixed
  • Improved performance when creating new documents, spell checking presentations of spreadsheets, redrawing a presentation page, saving PPT files, and performing other actions
  • Improved interoperability with Microsoft Office, OpenOffice.org, and SmartSuite documents
  • Added support for 4 more languages, bringing the total to 28
Lotus Symphony is available for Windows and Linux. While the only supported Linux platforms are SUSE Enterprise Desktop 10 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5, you can install Lotus Symphony on other distributions. You just might run into a few errors here and there.

thanks Hessel Olijve!
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]]>lotus-symphonylotus-symphony-1officeopenoffice.orgBrad Linder2008-06-15T16:00:00+00:00Show your work with Project Calculatorhttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/10/show-your-work-with-project-calculator/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/10/show-your-work-with-project-calculator/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/10/show-your-work-with-project-calculator/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Are you a freelancer, a student, or someone who just really likes to bill people by the hour? You might get some use out of Project Calculator, an OS X app that helps you keep track of how much time you put into each of your projects. It lets you run a timer or enter your hours manually, and then does all the calculation you need to send someone a bill. You can output your Project Calculator in a number of formats, including PDF, HTML and plain text, so your clients will never give you the old "I couldn't open the file" excuse.

We almost balked at the $20 pricetag for Project Calculator, but after trying it out, we realized that this app can save you a lot of time for the money. Keeping a spreadsheet from scratch is ok, but having everything set up for you and organized by customer and by client is a lot easier and less fiddly. Appropriately, Project Calculator frees up some time for you to actually work on projects.
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]]>billingbusinessfinancefinancesfreelanceProject CalculatorProjectCalculatorJay Hathaway2008-06-10T11:00:00+00:00280Slides: great new web-based presentation softwarehttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/05/280slides-great-new-web-based-presentation-software/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/05/280slides-great-new-web-based-presentation-software/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/05/280slides-great-new-web-based-presentation-software/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

280slides
The first thing you'll probably notice about the new web-based presentation creator, 280Slides, is that it looks an awful lot like Apple's Keynote. As great as Keynote is, 280Slides has a few advantages: it's free and it's web-based. It's got all the features you would expect from good presentation software: you can present in full-screen mode straight from the web, download your slides, or share your presentation to SlideShare. Vimeo and Youtube integration let you add video to the mix, too.

We can already see 280slides saving numerous butts at conferences. Equipment failure? No big deal, just borrow a computer (any platform will do!) and pull your stuff from the web. Presentations were a good candidate for the next desktop function to hop aboard the "cloud computing" bandwagon and go web-based, and the folks at 280 North have pulled it off with style and functionality. Frankly, we're a little relieved that we'll never again have to ask, "Hey, does this machine have PowerPoint?"

[via Daring Fireball]
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]]>280slideskeynotepowerpointpresentationweb 2.0web2.0Jay Hathaway2008-06-05T11:00:00+00:00OpenOffice.org keeps getting slower with each new releasehttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/29/openoffice-org-keeps-getting-slower-with-each-new-release/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/29/openoffice-org-keeps-getting-slower-with-each-new-release/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/29/openoffice-org-keeps-getting-slower-with-each-new-release/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

OpenOffice.org speed test
Open source software advocates like to point to OpenOffice.org as a viable alternative to Microsoft Office. It can open, create, edit, and save Office-compatible documents including text, spreadsheet, and database files. It might not have every last bell and whistle of Office, but it gets the job done. But OpenOffice.org also has a dirty little secret: It's kind of slow. And apparently, it's getting slower all the time.

OpenOffice.org Ninja ran a battery of tests and found that with each major release, OpenOffice.org has gotten a little slower when performing common tasks like opening, closing, and exporting documents. OpenOffice.org 1.1.5, for example, launches about 40% faster than OpenOffice.org 2.4. That figure holds true whether you're doing a cold start (loading the program for the first time since rebooting your computer) or a warm start (starting the program a second, third, or 15th time).

The developers have certainly been tweaking the open source office suite to improve performance. But they also keep adding new features, which is a good thing. Unfortunately, sometimes those new features slow down program performance. Of course, if you can't wait 20-25 seconds to load your office suite, you could always just buy more RAM, a faster CPU, and umm... Microsoft Office. Or try an online office suite like Google Docs or Zoho, which load faster than OpenOffice.org if you already have a browser window open.

[via Digg]
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]]>openoffice.orgperformancespeedBrad Linder2008-05-29T15:00:00+00:00Bean for OS X - Great features baked right inhttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/27/bean-for-os-x-great-features-baked-right-in/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/27/bean-for-os-x-great-features-baked-right-in/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/27/bean-for-os-x-great-features-baked-right-in/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Bean - Free Mac OS X Word ProcessorSo you love Mac OS X. We love Mac OS X. But you don't have the money to pony up for Office 200whatever, or maybe you don't even like it. Microsoft Office is overkill for most people who just need a simple word processor. We've used Open Office, but it's probably too much to play around with if all you want to do is write a document.

Enter the Bean.

We've mentioned Bean before, along with other Mac "toolkit software", but a new version came out late in April (version 1.2.0)l, so we felt it deserved another look.

Continue reading Bean for OS X - Great features baked right in

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]]>applebeanmacwordWordProcessorDrew Olanoff2008-05-27T10:00:00+00:00Backpack adds Journal functionality for teamshttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/22/backpack-adds-journal-functionality-for-teams/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/22/backpack-adds-journal-functionality-for-teams/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/22/backpack-adds-journal-functionality-for-teams/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Backpack JournalFans of 37signal's online task management and information gathering tool Backpack will be excited to hear about the tool's latest addition, a Journal page.

Backpack recently underwent a major update that moved the tool from a single-user focus to a tool intended to allow teams that are working together to keep information organized. The new Journal function continues the tool's move to more of a team focus, which is both exciting and a little frustrating. While none of the functionality that makes Backpack a good tool for individuals has been lost, it's disappointing to see 37signals lose their focus with respect to Backpack. Considering they already have three team-focused products (Basecamp, Highrise, and Campfire) it would have been nice for Backpack to have remained focused on individual productivity.

Opinion aside, the new Journal functionality allows teams to keep tabs on what each other are up to. There are two main elements. The first is the current status field, which can be thought of much like a private Twitter or Facebook status update. You use this field to tell everyone what you are currently doing. The second field allows you to enter what you have just completed, and these items are logged. This allows you to see what your team members are currently busy with, and what they have recently accomplished.

It seems to us that this might seem a little too much like big brother looking over your shoulder, but on the other hand almost all jobs require some sort of accounting for your time. Is this a feature you could see yourself using? Why or why not?

If you're still not quite sure what to make of this, a video demonstration of the new Journal page is available.

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]]>37signalsBackpackJournalJason Clarke2008-05-22T18:30:00+00:00Microsoft Office 2007 SP2 will add support for Open Document Formathttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/21/microsoft-office-2007-sp2-will-add-support-for-open-document-for/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/21/microsoft-office-2007-sp2-will-add-support-for-open-document-for/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/21/microsoft-office-2007-sp2-will-add-support-for-open-document-for/#commentsFiled under: , ,

OpenOffice.org documents

Microsoft has announced plans to add support for a several new document formats to Office 2007. The company plans to release Office 2007 SP2 during the first half of 2009, and it will add support for XPS, PDF 1.5, and ODF 1.1 files, among others.

Users will be able to create, open, and edit ODF documents, and save documents as XPS, PDF, or ODF files. The Open Document Format, or ODF is an open source challenger to Microsoft's Office formats. A few years ago the company released an add-on for Microsoft Word that would allow users to open ODF documents. But with the launch of Office 2007 SP2, support for ODF and PDF files will be built right into the applications. No add-ons necessary.

Or you could just use OpenOffice.org today. No waiting until 2009 necessary.

[via OStatic and CNet]

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]]>formatsodfofficeoffice-2007office-2007-sp2pdfBrad Linder2008-05-21T17:30:00+00:00OpenOffice.org 3.0 beta now availablehttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/07/openoffice-org-3-0-beta-now-available/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/07/openoffice-org-3-0-beta-now-available/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/07/openoffice-org-3-0-beta-now-available/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

OpenOffice.org 3.0 beta

OpenOffice.org 3.0 is due out in September. But if you just can't wait that long, today the developers released a beta of the open source office suite. Back in March we took a look at a pre-beta version of OpenOffice.org, but the latest build is a bit more stable. And while we wouldn't recommend replacing the software you use to balance your companies books with a public beta, you can just check it out if you're an office suite geek looking for a rush. We won't judge.

So what's new under the hood? Here are some of the highlights:

  • OpenOffice.org 3.0 is the first version to run on Mac OS X (there are also Linux and Windows versions)
  • OpenOffice.org Start Center gives you a one stop shop for creating documents, spreadsheets, presentations, drawings, databases, or templates
  • Support for collaborative spreadsheet editing
  • Improved Writer notes features
  • View multiple Writer pages while editing a document
  • Improved crop features in Draw and Impress
  • Support for ODF and MS Office 2007 formats

Keep in mind, this is beta software. So while it will probably work properly 99% of the time, don't blame us if it crashes your system or goes crazy and starts messing up the formatting of that manuscript you've been working on for the last 10 years. In other words, remember to backup your documents, and think twice about using OpenOffice.org 3.0 beta to create or edit really important files.

[via Slashdot]

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]]>officeopenoffice.orgopenoffice.org-3.0-betaBrad Linder2008-05-07T15:00:00+00:00Ulteo releases Linux desktop; bent on world dominationhttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/04/22/ulteo-releases-linux-desktop-bent-on-world-domination/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/04/22/ulteo-releases-linux-desktop-bent-on-world-domination/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/04/22/ulteo-releases-linux-desktop-bent-on-world-domination/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Ulteo Desktop ScreenshotWhen we last left our favorite evil geniuses at Ulteo, they were diligently plugging away at making OpenOffice.org applications accessible through a browser. Now, they've taken their plans for global domination one step further with Ulteo Application System Beta 1 (codename "Sirius"). For those of you wondering what exactly an "Application System" is: Think operating system.

Yes, Ulteo's Sirius is a Linux distro designed to integrate nicely with the online applications they provide. For instance, saving a document to a specific folder "auto-syncs" with the Ulteo servers online. It's then accessible from other computers through your Ulteo web account.

Of course, that isn't all of Ulteo's new tricks. Allegedly all upgrades, patches and bugfixes for installed applications will be automatically downloaded and installed on your system. You know, without any human intervention. We'll be the first to admit that it's our all-too-human intervention that mucks up a lot of our software, but not always. Somehow, we're just a little uneasy not knowing exactly what our machine is plotting against us with each new update.

Still, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially for people who use their computers for dedicated office work fewer than twenty-seven hours a day and don't want to bother learning Linux (or Windows, or Mac, for that matter). It'll be nice to see this project unfold and emerge from beta.

Continue reading Ulteo releases Linux desktop; bent on world domination

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]]>betaLinuxlivecdOpenOffice.orgSiriusUlteoKristin Shoemaker2008-04-22T13:00:00+00:00Microsoft Works Sponsored Edition launcheshttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/04/22/microsoft-works-sponsored-edition-launches/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/04/22/microsoft-works-sponsored-edition-launches/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/04/22/microsoft-works-sponsored-edition-launches/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

MS WorksAs predicted almost a year ago, Microsoft has begun offering a free, advertising supported version of Microsoft Works, its office application suite for people too cheap to spring for Office. But it doesn't appear that there's any way to download and install Microsoft Works SE (Sponsored Edition) yourself just yet. Rather, computer makers are starting to install the software on new PCs.

Basically the program works just as well (read that statement however you'd like) as the full version of MS Works, but users will see a small advertisement in the program window, whether they're editing a spreadsheet or text document.

The new version of Works is available to computer makers for free. Of course, OpenOffice.org is also available for free, but you don't see PC makers including that on computers that ship with Windows yet. Works SE isn't available everywhere yet. It's apparently showing up on selected computers in the US, Canada, and a handful of European countries.
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]]>advertisingmicrosoft-works-seofficesponsored-editionworksBrad Linder2008-04-22T09:00:00+00:00DarkCopy: web-based, distraction-free text editinghttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/04/10/darkcopy-web-based-distraction-free-text-editing/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/04/10/darkcopy-web-based-distraction-free-text-editing/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/04/10/darkcopy-web-based-distraction-free-text-editing/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Dark CopyDarkCopy is a web-based alternative to programs like WriteRoom and DarkRoom that lets you compose text files in full (or almost full) screen to eliminate distractions like instant messages, Flash games, LOLcats, etc.

You can type in a regular browser window, or go full screen to make most of your screen (except for the browser's toolbar) black with greenish text. When you're done writing, you can save the file to your computer as a plain ole' .txt file.

This is handy if you want to work on a blog post, business idea, school paper, or love note without your attention being lost to something less significant.

[Via del.icio.us]
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]]>texttext editorTextEditorwritingTodd Ritter2008-04-10T08:00:00+00:00Google adds PowerPoint export option for presentationshttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/04/09/google-adds-powerpoint-export-option-for-presentations/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/04/09/google-adds-powerpoint-export-option-for-presentations/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/04/09/google-adds-powerpoint-export-option-for-presentations/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Google Presentations PPT exportIt's Microsoft's world and we're all just living in it. As much as you may try to pretend this is true, it becomes readily apparent any time somebody launches a Microsoft Office competitor. Because the first question isn't "does it have all of the features I'd expect from Word, Excel, and PowerPoint?" No, the first question is "can it open MS Office documents and save documents in Office formats?"

Up until recently the answer for Google's online office suite, Google Docs was "kind of." While you could import Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files with no problem, there was no way to export Google Presentation documents as PowerPoint presentations. Now Google has finally rolled out a "save as PPT" feature for presentations. You've always been able to save Word and Excel files.

Google has also added a new saved searches feature which lets you access searches for keywords, document types, or other features from your sidebar.

[via Lifehacker]
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]]>exportgoogle-docspowerpointpptBrad Linder2008-04-09T16:00:00+00:00ThinkFree Office: Powerful, familiar office suite for Windows, Mac, and Linuxhttp://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/04/08/thinkfree-office-powerful-familiar-office-suite-for-windows-m/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/04/08/thinkfree-office-powerful-familiar-office-suite-for-windows-m/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/04/08/thinkfree-office-powerful-familiar-office-suite-for-windows-m/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

ThinkFree Write
Office suites like Google Docs and Zoho Office have been busy adding offline access to let you access and edit spreadsheets, text, and presentation documents in a web browser whether you're connected to the internet or not. But paying ThinkFree customers have had this ability since last year.

That's because ThinkFree offers two products: an online, web-based office suite and a Microsoft Office-compatible suite for the desktop. Users can synchronize data between the web service and their desktops. But up until this week, users had to pay $50 for access to the desktop software. Now, as expected, ThinkFree has launched a free version of its desktop software.

Now, here's the interesting thing. You don't even need to sign up for an account to download the desktop software. So if you have no need for an online office suit, synchronization, or 1GB of free online storage space for your office documents, you can just treat ThinkFree Office as a free alternative to Microsoft Office, OpenOffice.org, or whatever you've been using. But you will need to sign up for an account since ThinkFree will only save files if you have an account. Files will also automatically be saved to a ThinkFree folder for synchronizing with the web service. If you don't want to synchronize your files with the server, just never login again.

The applications can open and save documents in a variety of formats including Office 97 - 2007, PDF, RTF, and CSV. ThinkFree Write, Calc, and Show also do a great job of opening documents we've created using other applications, recognizing features like notes in our spreadsheets that other free tools like Gnumeric miss.
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]]>officesynchronizationthinkfreetweet-thisBrad Linder2008-04-08T20:00:00+00:00