Think You're Computer Smart? Play this to prove it

What makes this logic game different from others? This logic game has something to do with computer and will test you if you're computer smart enough to figure out both the question and answers just by looking at what is presented in front of you. Some of the test include viewing HTML source code, searching Google, picture editing, sound editing and etc... If you don't know how to view HTML source code, edit picture and audio, then you need to improve your computing skills before you play this logic game. On the first day when this game was open to public, it already hit 3000 unique players! They are targeting 10000 players now...

When I started playing, it "looked" kind of easy. But when after getting the answers wrong again and again, I started to pay more attention what's on the screen. I think it'll be a challenge to all computer geeks who thinks he knows it all but then couldn't even get far on this game.

OddPawn is a game of logic. You need to see what is presented in front of you and then figure out how you can use that in order to answer the question on hand. Sometimes you need to look really hard to find both the question and the answer.
Test your IQ

It's easy to play this game. No complicated registration required. Just click on the image that says "START THE GAME". The page thing you need to do is provide your name for OddPawn to identify you.
Play logic IQ game

Please take note that OddPawn recognizes you by your IP address. If you play on the same network, everything stays as you left it. There is no need to save anything as you're automatically remembered by the system. So if you play OddPawn on another network with a different IP address, you'll have to start all over again.

Currently there are official hints up to level 7. Here's a good hint for you to go far in this game... "Google is your best friend".

Before starting this game, a simple rule for all of you to remember. Do NOT be a spoiler and reveal answers that you already know. If you post out the answers, it wouldn't be fun anymore for honest players. So keep them to yourself okay?

Last but not least, I hope you'll leave a comment on up to which level you've reached. For me, I am still at Level 4 (feeling shy). I will continue when I have more time.

Play OddPawn

Rapidshare Premium Account Alternative

Need to download some files that is around 1GB from RapidShare very urgently and can't afford the wait time? 1GB equals to 10 parts because RapidShare only supports 100MB per upload. Definitely a lot of time will be wasted in waiting. Thinking of signing up RapidShare Premium account but none the packages are worth it because you very seldom download files from RapidShare.

Here's a cheaper alternative which you can use to download from RapidShare, Megaupload, Megarotic, and more to come without paying for full RapidShare Premium account packages.

FileDownloader is a small and simple application which allows you to download any file from famous file sharing websites such as RapidShare and Megaupload in fast and easy way. All you need is to paste the links to FileDownloader and the download will start automatically. No flat-rates on fixed monthly fee. The benefits of using FileDownloader is that you pay for downloaded traffic. Just 0.5$ for 1GB.
FileDownloader - Download from RapidShare Megaupload no limits

Although just $0.5 for 1GB may seems cheap, but let's calculate to understand in what situation will FileDownloader be worth using.

FileDownloader charges $0.50 for 1GB.

RapidShare Premium account packages. RapidShare allows 5GB download per day.
48 hours(10GB) = $6
30 days(150GB) = $9.39

Let's calculate and compare FileDownloader with RapidShare Premium for 2 days/48 hours.
RapidShare Premium 48 hours(10GB) = $6
FileDownloader 10GB = $0.50 x 10 = $5 (CHEAPER)

Compare FileDownloader with RapidShare Premium for 1 month.
RapidShare Premium 1 month(150GB) = $9.39 (MUCH CHEAPER)
FileDownloader 150GB = $0.50 x 150 = $75

As you can see, FileDownloader will be useful IF you're downloading less than 10GB. That includes if you won't be downloading anything from RapidShare for the whole month. Otherwise, it will be more worth it to get the 1 month RapidShare Premium account.

The author of FileDownloader, Alexander Vetrin, is kind enough to provide me with free 5GB for me to test out FileDownloader. I've tested it and it is able to download files from RapidShare and Megaupload without limitations until your credit or balance runs out. One thing I noticed is that you won't be able to select which servers to download from for RapidShare. Some of the Rapidshare servers are very slow to me and if I use that server to download, the download speed will only reach about 30KBps when my connection can go up to 100KBps.

And one more thing, FileDownloader acts like a download manager that supports download resuming. If you'd like to stop downloading and continue the next day, it is able to start from where you previously stopped downloading.

The author of FileDownloader explains to me that he did not use any proxy or hacking method to bypass the RapidShare and Megaupload download restrictions. He buys premium accounts for various filesharing websites in bulk and then use it on FileDownloader.

A great solution to those people who needs to download short-term from RapidShare without waiting.

Download FileDownloader

Orkut ScrapMania

Orkut tips and messages made grouped in ScrapMania.com

These are some of the services provided by them

Messages
A huge collection of animated and static messages to send to your friends adding fun to their scrapbooks.

Generators
Create your own messages and send them to your friends. You can use our generators to instantly create cool scraps.

MSN and Orkut Profile Images
Select from an array of cool personalized pictures to represent you that others will see on your profile. You may change it at any time.

Emoticons and Smiles
Feel free to save as many emoticons and smiles as you want. You can use them in your MSN. Just save and use.

ASCII Art
Do you want to "color" your friend's scrapbooks? Check out a world of ASCII in full color that will make you look at the symbols on your keyboard differently.

Online Games
Over 3500 free online games for you to play.

Working Proxies for Orkut

Working Proxies for Orkut

* http://images.orkut.com
* http://images3.orkut.com
* http://backfox.com
* http://atunnel.com
* http://calculatepie.com
* http://bravebadger.com
* http://kproxy.com
* http://www.stupidcensorship.com
* http://www.vmathpie.com
* http://www.ipfaker.com

In many places like office, college, browsing centers....
Some of the websites have been blocked
Simply by using this websites you can able to browse them without any problem
This list will be updated if you came to known more websites
if you known some other websites like this please leave it on comments

Giving away Commercial Game and Licensed Software for free

Shocked to read the title of this article? It's something very new to me and I think this is a very good concept where both visitors and author of game/software will benefit. We, the visitors will get commercial game and licensed software everyday for free and the author of the game/software will gain more exposures.

Basically, one software title will be nominated everyday. The software will be available for download for 24 hours (or more, if agreed by software publisher) and that software will be absolutely free. That means - not a trial, not a limited version - but a registered and legal version of the software will be free for the visitors. The software product will be presented in its full functionality, without any limitations save for those mentioned in Terms and Conditions.

Giveaway of the day
Giveaway of the Day will provide the download link on their web-site for the agreed period of time, together with the review of the software product and the information about other products from the software publisher presenting the giveaway title. Once the software or game has passed the 24 hours giveaway time, you won't be able to active it for free anymore. This method really makes people to visit the Giveaway website everyday.

To license the game or software, you have to download from the Giveaway website. Inside the archive file, there should be a file Activate.exe. You need to run activate.exe first and only install the software or game.
Activate Shareware and Commercial Game
I noticed that each activate.exe that comes together with the software or game is different because of the file size.

One very good feature that's included in the Giveaway website is the "Rating" system. It helps new visitors to have an idea if the game or software is worth downloading or not. The more thumbs up, the better the software/game is.
Rate Software and Game

Please note that the software you download and install during the Giveaway period comes with the following important limitations. You won't be getting any free technical support from the author of the software, no free upgrades to future versions and you can't use it for commercial purposes.

Thanks to Matthew Votsikas for suggesting this website to me.

Software Giveaway | Game Giveaway

How to clear Google Search history

One of the main reason why some people would like to clear their Google search history from web browser and Google Toolbar is to maintain their privacy. If you own your own desktop or laptop which is used only by you, then it's fine. But if your computer is shared with a few people, sometimes it's just not nice to let them "accidentally" find out what you were looking for. An example below would be embarrassing.
Clear Google Search History

Here's how you can clear Google's search history from Firefox, Internet Explorer and Google Toolbar for Firefox and Internet Explorer.

The below instruction A and B is for deleting search history from the Google home page search box. This is if you use either Firefox or Internet Explorer and manually type in Google.com address to perform the search.

A. Internet Explorer 7
1. Go to Tools menu
2. Select Options
3. On General tab, click on the "Delete..." button from the Browsing History area.
4. Click "Delete forms..." button from the Form data area.
Remove search history
5. Click Yes to confirm.

B. In Mozilla Firefox
1. Go to Tools menu
2. Select Options
3. Select the "Privacy" tab
4. On the Private Data area, click on the "Clear Now..." button.
5. Make sure the "Saved Form and Search History" is checked and click on the Clear Private Data Now.
Clear Visited Link

The below instruction C and D is if you have Google Toolbar installed on your Firefox or Internet Explorer browser.

C. Internet Explorer with Google Toolbar
1. Click on the Google logo on the Toolbar to access the drop-down menu.
2. Select the "Clear History" option.
Clear Internet Explorer Google Toolbar Search History

C. Firefox with Google Toolbar
1. Click on the Google logo on the Toolbar.
2. Select "Clear Search History" option.
Clear Firefox Google Toolbar Search History

As you can see, clearing search history from Google Toolbar on Internet Explorer and Firefox is slightly a bit different. Not sure why they made it that way... Although it seems easy to clear Google search history, I did not immediately knew where to clear Google search history in Firefox Google Toolbar. I was searching through the options and the drop-down but I missed clicking the Google logo where the "Clear Search History" option is.

WebTop - Your Personalized Desktop anywhere

You've heard of Laptop and Desktop but have you heard of "WebTop"? I don't think it's something very new but it's certainly new to me! A webtop or web desktop is a virtual desktop on the web, running in a web browser as software. Web desktops often are characterized by an environment similar to that of Windows, Mac, or Linux, but are now considered to have much more functionality being dependent on the internet. Typical benefits include the ability to save work and settings over the internet rather than to the local desktop.

Here's a scenario. You are going overseas for a month. You don't have a laptop and you only have a desktop. Of course you can use remote access to access your home desktop from another computer but to leave your desktop turned on 24 hours a day for the whole month is rather risky. What if there's a power failure and it shuts off your computer? Moreover, leaving your desktop turned on 24 hours for the whole month gives hacker plenty of time to hack in.

Here's how WebTop can be useful. You can upload your important files to a free WebTop service, and you can easily access your web desktop from any computer. You can also edit your documents from your webtop!

I got to know about WebTop when I heard about AjaxWindows.
AjaxWindows - Web Desktop
Then, while searching for more information on web desktop, I found 30 more web desktop. Some are free and some are commercial web desktop which requires you to pay. You can check the list at Wikipedia.

There are Pros and Cons in using WebTop.
Pros:
- Don't require installation of software. Can run directly from web browser.
- You can access your own personalized desktop from anywhere
- Works on any operating system as long as there is internet connection and web browser
- Ability to share application among users located at different locations

Cons:
- A high speed internet is a must. I think it'd be impossible to use if you're using a 56kbps connection.
- If someone manage to obtain your username and password, he is able to access your web desktop.
- If the webtop doesn't use secure connection (https), it is possible for a hacker to sniff your data while you're transferring documents from your desktop to your webtop.

WebTop is certainly a very good concept if you don't want to use remote access. Other than using WebTop to retrieve your own files, you can also use to write quick notes in case you might forget when you get home. For example, sometimes when I am on a servicing job, I learn a new tip or got to know a new website. Instead of logging in to my webmail, and sending it to my own email address, I can log in to my WebTop and write a sticky note. When I get home, I can note down the website or tip.

See how useful can a web desktop (webtop) be? I love computer so much because there's always something new to learn EVERYDAY.

About Windows Hosts File

There's a Hosts file on every operating system. Yes, Windows, Mac OS, Linux and Unix, all of them has it. For Windows XP, the hosts file is located at WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc and it's called HOSTS without any extension. You can open the HOSTS file with notepad and you should see something like this.
Windows HOSTS file
The hosts file is a computer file used to store information on where to find a node on a computer network. This file maps hostnames to IP addresses. The hosts file is used as a supplement to (or instead of) the domain name system on networks of varying sizes. This file is (unlike DNS) under the control of the user who is using the computer.

Your HOSTS file may now be empty and useless. I'll show you how you can put it to work and protect your computer from danger.

You can use HostsMan, the free hosts file manager and editor to manage your HOSTS file.
Repair HOSTS file
It has the ability to enable or disable your HOSTS file, edit your HOSTS file and update your host from 4 websites that maintain it. By updating your hosts file, you're able to filter out advertisements. This can save network bandwidth, as well, by eliminating a request to the DNS server normally used for obtaining address information, as well as by not downloading the advertisements.

Before doing anything to your HOSTS file using HostsMan, it is advisable to make a backup first in case you want to restore your original HOSTS file. To make your backup, press CTRL+B simultaneously or go to Hosts menu and select "Manage Backups...". Click on the Create Backup button to backup your current HOSTS file.

To update your HOSTS file, click on the middle button that says "Update Hosts" when you run HostsMan.
Edit HOSTS file
Check MVPS Hosts, hpHosts, Mike's Ad Blocking Hosts, Peter Lowe's AdServers List and click the Update button. It will then check for updates and prompt you if you want to continue to update hosts file. Click Yes to continue. Next, it will download all 4 hosts files, delete duplicates and update your HOSTS file. The next thing you'll notice on HostsMan is the number of Hosts Names that has been increased to tens of thousands.
Update HOSTS list

Please take note that your hosts file can be "hijacked", or used for malicious purposes. For example, adware, computer viruses, trojan horses, or other malware can edit the hosts file (particularly on Windows-based systems) to redirect traffic from a "safe" site (such as Google) to sites hosting content that may be offensive or intrusive to the user or the user’s computer system.

If you're afraid of your hosts file being hijacked, you can use limited accounts for normal everyday use. Not only it can protect your HOSTS file, but all system and program files as well.

Download HostsMan v3.0.42

Bypass Website Registration

You're browsing the web and you click a link to an article on a site (let's say nytimes.com) but instead of getting the article you get a screen asking you to login or register. Most of the time I don't really use my real information to register. I can easily use a temporary disposable email address to sign up and then verify my membership in order to be a member of the website. I think the biggest reason why most of us don't like registering to view full contents is we don't want to give people our real information away. Imagine if every site in the world required registration to access content! That'd really be annoying and the whole world has your info!

Here's a very useful website which "shares" logins so you don't need to waste your time in registering an account to access a website that requires compulsory registration.

Avoid website registration
BugMeNot.com was created as a mechanism to quickly bypass the login of web sites that require compulsory registration and/or the collection of personal/demographic information (such as the New York Times). All of the username and password listed on BugMeNot are added by users. So if the first login don't work, you can try the second one. If you can't find a working login for a site then you can register with that site using fake details and then do BugMeNot a favor by adding to the list for other users to use.

To find login for a website, just visit BugMeNot.com, type the website address and click on the "Get Logins" button. It will then show you the list of logins found with username, password and also the success rate. If you see a low percentage of success rate, chances are it won't work. So don't bother wasting your time in trying to use that login.
Search BugMeNot login

Some websites such as pay-per-view which require users to pay money to access the site, banking and e-commerce websites can be blocked from BugMeNot system by easily submitting a request form. At least we know that BugMeNot is not a website that shares all sorts of hacked passwords. It's for our own convenience.

Currently BugMeNot has logins for 162679 sites. Unfortunately, there is no way to view the list of websites that has logins on BugMeNot. You can only do a search from BugMeNot website.

To make Firefox users life easier, there's a great plugin that works with BugMeNot. Simply install the plugin, then visit any website such as New York Times website and click on the login. You'll then see a form which ask you to input the Member ID or E-Mail Address and Password. RIGHT CLICK in a username or password text field to see the option "Login with BugMeNot". Click on it and it'll automatically search for logins from BugMeNot and automatically input into the text field.
Login with BugMeNot

You can access some of the options in BugMeNot extension by going to Tools -> Add-ons and click on the Options button when you highlight BugMeNot. By default, all four options are unchecked and in my opinion, it's the best setting already.
Bypass Website Registration

Please note that BugMeNot's Firefox extension is NOT created by BugMeNot. It is created by Eric from RoachFiend.

Download BugMeNot Firefox Extension

Create your Google Logo

This tutorial will teach you how to make the Google logo.

1. Create a new document; 300px x 120px.

2. Use the text tool and type Google onto your document. This tutorial uses the font catull, but if you don’t have it on your computer, you can use Times New Roman which also works fine, and looks very similar.

3. Now we need to add colours to Google. Highlight each letter, and change its colour as state below.

G #1645AE
o #D62408
o #EFBA00
g #1645AE
l #007D08
e #D62408

4. Now click on the layer styles button and choose Drop Shadow. Change the settings as shown below.

Drop Shadow
Blend Mode: Multiply (Black as colour)
Opacity: 75%
Angle: 116
Distance: 5px
Spread 0%
Size: 5px

Bevel and Emboss
Style: Inner Bevel
Technique: Smooth
Depth: 91%
Direction: Up
Size: 5px
Soften: 1px
Angle: 116

Press OK to apply the effects.

Draw Online

Now, you can make your own art online at Crayola, and even print it out! Sounds interesting? :) Yup, it is. Now, you can draw some really cool stuff at this site and best of all, you can even print that out :)

Draw something and do leave a comment with a link to you drawing. I would love to see what you people can make...


Just kidding .... Click here and enjoy....

Click Here

Apple Safari Browser

I was excited when I got to know that Apple Safari browser is available for Windows.
It's in Public Beta, meaning anyone can download and test it but it's not 100% stable. Apple claims that Safari is the fastest web browser on any platform. Safari loads pages up to 2 times faster than Internet Explorer 7 and up to 1.6 times faster than Firefox 2. On the comparison chart, Safari 3 is the fastest in terms of HTML Performance, Javascript Performance and Application Launch compared to Firefox 2, Internet Explorer 7 and Opera 9. I've tested it and I liked the way Safari loads the website while it's still downloading the site. It makes you feel that it's already loaded and it's fast.

We all know Apple develops very stable and easy to maintain products. However, it won't be easy to beat Firefox 2 because of the vast amount of add-ons/plugins currently available. Nowadays you can do almost anything on Firefox 2 browser. I did find plug-ins for Safari 3 but there's only Adobe Flash Player, Java, Adobe Reader, Real Player, QuickTime and Windows Media Player. Mostly used for a richer browsing experience and not extra functionality.

Safari 3 for Windows only runs on Windows XP or Vista with at least 256MB of RAM and 500Mhz Pentium-class processor or better. Windows 98 user would have to miss this great release. One thing I noticed about Safari 3 is it doesn't use as much Memory as Firefox 2 does.

Some of the shortcut keys available in Safari 3 is standard. Here's some of basic shortcut keys that we normally use:
CTRL + T: Opens a new tab
CTRL + N: Opens new Safari Window
CTRL + W: Close current tab
CTRL + Q: Quit Safari
CTRL + [: Back
CTRL + ]: Forward
CTRL + .: Stop
CTRL + D: Add to Safari Bookmark
CTRL + R: Reload page
CTRL + M: Minimize Safari
CTRL + P: Print page
CTRL + ALT + L: Open Downloads Window

Download Safari 3 for Windows below and try it yourself. You'll love it!

Download

Block a website in your computer

Need to block a website over your computer? Well, you dont need to download a website blocker for your PC.

You can do it by an inbuilt function in your Windows. Lets see how to block a website in few steps.

1. Browse to C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc
2. Now, open hosts in Notepad.
3. After 127.0.0.1, press enter and write this:

127.0.0.2 www.xyz.com localhost

4. Now, save the file.
5. Reboot your PC.
Now try opening the blocked website. It will not open.

Submit Bookmarks to multiple sites at once

Tired of submitting your social bookmarks one at a time?

Social Poster is a free web service that allows you to submit to all your favorite social bookmarking sites with one fell swoop. It's got 34 sites, to be exact. What a time saver!


Social Poster

Mind Mapping Online

Are you a mind-map aficionado? Do you think in terms of bubbles? Then Bubble-Mind is for you. Seriously, many very smart people have increased their productivity by using mind-mapping tools, which are just visual ways of organizing ideas.

A mind map is a diagram used to represent words, ideas, tasks or other items linked to and arranged radially around a central key word or idea. It is used to generate, visualize, structure and classify ideas, and as an aid in study, organization, problem solving, and decision making.

It is an image-centered diagram that represents semantic or other connections between portions of information. By presenting these connections in a radial, non-linear graphical manner, it encourages a brainstorming approach to any given organizational task, eliminating the hurdle of initially establishing an intrinsically appropriate or relevant conceptual framework to work within.

A mind map is similar to a semantic network or cognitive map but there are no formal restrictions on the kinds of links used.

The elements are arranged intuitively according to the importance of the concepts and they are organized into groupings, branches, or areas. The uniform graphic formulation of the semantic structure of information on the method of gathering knowledge, may aid recall of existing memories.

I've just discovered an excellent Web 2.0 mind-mapping tool that you will appreciate whether you're already a mind-mapper or just someone who'd like to see how it works. It's called Bubble-Mind and it can be gotten to here.

There are many costly downloads available that do what this site does for free. Check it out today.

Create Fabulous Online Resumes with Resolio

I've just discovered a Web 2.0 site that I can't wait to use. Once you sign up (free version or premium), you enter your data, choose a design, and publish your new resume. You can publish to Resolio or your own web site.

I plan to design a resume for myself as a freelance writer/editor and link to it on all my web sites. If you've got the gist of it, I'll leave you to it while I start working on my new Resolio resume. You can find it here.

Web 2.0 Button Generator

I'm one of those webmasters who's not a master at designing graphics. Or buttons. That's why I appreciate this site: MyCoolButton. In fact, I've wanted, needed, something like this for a long time. The fat, juicy, shiny, bulging Web 2.0-style buttons are awesome.
Click here to visit the site!

Manage upto Sixteen Email Accounts Simultaneously

Here's a very useful little program that will monitor as many as 16 different email accounts at the same time.

ePrompter automatically and simultaneously checks and retrieves your email messages from up to sixteen password protected email accounts and then gives you notification whenever you have new messages. ePrompter also lets you know how many new messages you have in each account, once new messages have been retrieved.

ePrompter also lets you read, delete and respond to any of your messages with a simple click on the account of your choice - without ever having to launch your email program or go to your webmail's site. Importantly, when ePrompter retrieves messages, it leaves the original messages on your various email accounts' servers and/or webmail sites.

ePrompter supports AIM, AOL, Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, Yahoo Beta, POP3, Earthlink, Excite, Juno, Lycos, Mail.com, Mindspring, MSN, MyWay, Netscape, Rediffmail, SBC Yahoo, USA.net, Windows Live Mail, and hundreds of other email domains.

Definitely worth a download. Get it here.

Just One Search. That's All It Took, on Sputtr

What a stupid title. But this search site is very smart. All your favorite search engines and social bookmarking sites gathered in one spot.

Welcome to Sputtr. A refreshingly clean way to search the things that matter the most.
Now you can save valuable time by having all the right searches on just one page!

It's simple - reeeaal simple.
It's fast - faster than most others out there.
It's a collection of all your favorite search engines - all on just one page!
It's pretty - at least we think so.

It is pretty cool. Check it out here.

Web Pages to PDF

HP has made available a free download add-on for Internet Explorer that lets you create PDF documents from the content you find on the web. Rather than install a virtual print driver, it works more like a scrapbook browser extension, allowing you to select the content you want to create your PDF pages.

HP Smart Web Printing lets you select, store and organize text and graphics from multiple web pages and then edit and print exactly what you see onscreen. It gives you the control you need to print meaningful information while minimizing waste.

Selecting content on a web page can be challenging. Now you can easily select text and graphics from multiple websites and combine them in your custom document. Create a personal digital scrapbook for each planning and research project.

Once you transfer content to your custom document, you can edit the text and graphics and even resize and delete them. Then print exactly what you see on screen. HP Smart Web Printing will also save your custom document as an Adobe PDF file.


This is a really great idea. I haven't seen anything else like it anywhere else.

Get it here