My place for tech tips and commentary on current events. All tips are provided as is, with no warranty or guarantee as to the effectiveness or legality of any recommended software or system modifications. I host no software. I will provide any and all information for any who wish it. Ideas and concepts are not illegal[yet], they are protected by our 1st ammendment; though the implementation of them may be, so you make your choice freely.
Translate this page
Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by My Cranium Drain's author and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website. Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of My Cranium Drain's author. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Test your Internet connection speed
For all your high quality printing needs see my friends at StepRepeat.comThey are the best in the business!
If you are buying a new PC or laptop and you’ve been holding off because of the new Metro interface you might be in luck.
It looks like Microsoft is pulling a 'New Coke' here and admitting that the 'Metro' desktop and lack of 'Start' button was a VERY BAD MOVE. Especially for those in the business community.
I got this deal earlier this year and it's still a great one. For those looking for a powerful Windows PC laptop that could easily replace an older high end workstation this is a pretty good choice. I wrote an article about my original selection, purchasing and finally, my adventures in 'downgrading' it to Widows 7 Pro/Enterprise here. Many of the things I do with my system cannot be done efficiently, or at all, from the silly ‘Metro’ interface. And other applications simply wouldn’t run properly.
With Windows 8.1 (which it will release mid to late summer, it is said that Microsoft is going to bring back the traditional 'Boot to Desktop' feature along with the much missed 'Start Button'. It looks like the start button will most likely look like the 'Windows Charm' in Windows 8.1 but it hopefully will be there. You can read about that here and here.
IF you are stuck with Window 8, don’t want to go through the hassle of downgrading it, and can't wait for Microsoft to ‘fix it’, there is a fantastic solution to bring back the old Window 7 interface. It's called Start 8 by Stardock Software It's a great app and only costs $4.99 USD. It's the first thing I install on clients Windows 8 machines when they tell me they can't handle the Windows 8 Metro interface.
So after setting up new PC I've been going through some things that might help some others.
I needed to transfer my Outlook profile to my new machine. AND I didn't want to have to create all my connection settings over again. Yes I know I could just copy over my .pst file over to the new machine and then re-create all my accounts and point them to that .pst file. But I have a lot of accounts with unusual configurations (on the advanced connections tab) and I didn't want to hassle with that for each and everyone of my accounts. [ I have 5 POP3 Gmail accounts I keep separated for various reasons and another 6 personal domain accounts] So to move my Outlook file and settings I did the 'usual'.
First, obviously, I installed MS Office (2010) on the new PC. [BUT do not launch the program yet!] I then copied over my Current Outlook folder Located here:
Win 7 and Win Vista (drive):\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook
Windows XP (drive):\Documents and Settings\user\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
to a ‘temporary’ folder on the new PC.
I will then copy that folder to the new proper location after I import the Profile settings, as described below. First I exported the old settings and them copied them over to the new machine and imported them.
To export the profile settings (registry) from my original machine: In Microsoft Outlook you can easily export some types of information to a file. However, there is no option to export your profile e.g. when you want to have the same settings on another computer and you do not want to manually put all of them together with the account details again. In order to do so, you can use the Windows Registry Editor that gives access to all the information.
Click Start
In the search field type Regedit and hit Enter
Expand the following registry entry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows Messaging Subsystem\Profiles.
You will see a list of your profiles.
Right click on the profile that you want to copy and click Export
Then, you can specify the name of the registry file and the location to save it e.g. Desktop.
Now, you need to copy the file to another computer and double click it there and choose to ‘add the information to registry’
Confirm that you want to make changes to the registry.
Now launch Outlook on the new machine and you will most likely get an error saying the .pst file was not found. NO big deal yet. OK/Close your way through the next few windows to EXIT the application. Here we’re only trying to create the default folder/location.
Now copy the contents of the old Outlook folder from where every you had it temporarily to the new Outlook location. (path should be close to the same as above.)
Now run your Outlook, the new profile will be opened (if you have only one) or you will be prompted to choose one of profiles (if you have more than one). And it ‘should’ work. At the minimum you should see all of your old mail, folders, contacts and calendars.
However I had some errors. Specifically:
Receiving reported error (0x8004010F) : 'Outlook data file cannot be accessed.' Sending reported error (0x8004010F) : 'Outlook data file cannot be accessed.'
Arghh. So here is the fix that worked for me. Seems that the ‘Folder Location’ for the deliver of email was not properly ‘pathed’. Here is how to fix that.
Changing the folder to specify inbox fixed the issue. Apparently the inbox did not get set and the higher level file name was selected.
1. From Outlook 2010 click File>Account Settings>Account Settings (if you have more that one account you will have to do this for each one – just highlight/select them)
2. Click Change Folder (Down on the lower left corner)
3. Click the + to the left of the folder name to expand the subfolders. Click on ‘New Folder’ and create a new ‘temp’ folder; call it 01 or what ever, and select it. Click OK then you should now see a Folder location in the 'Change Folder button on the lower left.
4. Now let’s go back Click on Change Folder and now Select the 'Inbox' instead of that ‘01’ folder and click OK. The change should now 'stick' for you. Click Inbox. Click OK.
5. Close Account Settings and click send/receive. And you should be good to go.
It’s an obvious bug that the settings won’t ‘stick’. But this works!
Hope that helps some. I’m sure I’ll be referring back to it.
For OSX users: Apple just released Java for OS X 2012-003, an update to the Java implementation in OS X. The update removes "the most common variants of the Flashback malware." Check that out here. You should definitely update your Java NOW!
For Windows users. It's even scarier again. Trend Micro has found some scary ass Ransomware.
From TrendMicro’s blog, here is some of the details.
"We have encountered a ransomware unlike other variants that we have seen previously. A typical ransomware encrypts files or restricts user access to the infected system. However, we found that this particular variant infects the Master Boot Record (MBR), preventing the operating system from loading. Based on our analysis, this malware copies the original MBR and overwrites it with its own malicious code. Right after performing this routine, it automatically restarts the system for the infection take effect. When the system restarts, the ransomware displays the following message:
This message prompt informs affected users that the PC is now blocked and that they should pay 920 hryvnia (UAH) via QIWI to a purse number (12 digits) – 380682699268. Once paid,they will receive a code that will unlock the system. This code will supposedly resume operating system to load and remove the infection. This particular variant has the “unlock code” in its body. When the unlock code is used, the MBR routine is removed.
Bottom line PLEASE keep your security software, Operating Systems and Browsers (including and especially browser plug-ins like Java, Flash etc.) up to date and patched.
Many people who purchased a computer with Windows 7 installed have found that nearly every manufacturer no longer provides you with the Operating System Media (DVDs). You will only be provided with a ‘restore to factory settings option’. Which will only work if the system ‘restore’ partition has not also been corrupted. And if like a recent case I had (you can read that here)you have ‘dual booted' or otherwise changed your partitions configurations you may not be able to get to the ‘Factory Restore’ option. And if, when you purchased your system you didn't immediately create the 'restore media/DVD's disc(s) you may be hosed if you have to re-install your your Windows 7 Operating system because it died, became corrupted or was otherwise compromised. Well fear not! As long as you have your installation Key - contained on your COA (Certificate of Authenticity) you can download and re-install your system! COA is that sicker put on by the manufacturer somewhere on your system.
If you cant read it or it has been rubbed off, you can also use one of these tools to find out your installation Keys. [You must use your legally obtained key on the same hardware by the way, or you are breaking the law!]
LicenseCrawler (Excellent tool by Martin Klinzmann!) Download here
[note - these applications will be flagged by 90+% of all virus scanners as a 'key finder/logger' IT IS A KEY FINDER OBVIOUSLY. So often you must disable you AV protection for the brief moment you download and use this. Get your key information. then Copy the information to paper and TURN YOUR AV SOFTWARE BACK ON!]
Windows 7 comes in various editions like Ultimate, Professional, Home Premium, Home Basic and Starter. Now there might be many cases when you would like to choose the edition during setup. But in reality they are pretty much the same except for one configuration file!
Here are the individual downloads:
Windows 7 Home Premium x86 SP1 (bootable) download
Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1 (bootable) download
Windows 7 Professional x86 SP1 (bootable) download
Windows 7 Professional x64 SP1 (bootable) download
BUT I recommend downloading the 'Ultimate version’ (either 64bit or x86) and then deleting the configuration file that 'tells' the installation program which version it is. This way you will have ALL options available and then should be able to use YOUR LEGITIMATE installation Key. I also recommend that you make a bootable USB installation. It will make things much quicker and easier in the long run. If you have multiple Windows 7 Systems (netbooks especially, as most don’t have DVD drives etc.) you can use the single USB with your valid installation keys on every one. [Again you must have valid/legal keys for each installation.]
Simplest way to make you installation 'version free' is to delete the file ‘ei.cfg’ from the sources directory of the installation media. Doing this step is what makes the USB memory stick allow you to install any version of Windows 7 as it no longer has a default version configured.
You can now either boot from the USB memory stick or just run setup.exe from the drive to start the install process. Either way you will now prompted for the version of Windows 7 you want to install!
If you are going to burn the ISO directly to DVD then you can can also use a free tool "ei.cfg Removal Utility" to delete "ei.cfg" file so that you can choose the desired version at the time of installation.
OR you can use another free tool "Windows 7 ISO Image Edition Switcher" to modify "ei.cfg" file so that you can convert a specific Windows 7 edition setup ISO file (e.g. Windows 7 Ultimate) to another one (e.g. Windows 7 Professional).
People very often ask me about the differences between Apple products and Microsoft’s. My usual answer is this simple - one sells hardware (Apple) the other software (Microsoft). Both provide Operating systems that run PC’s (Personal Computers where the abbreviation PC really comes from!); Apple’s Operating system is OS X, Microsoft’s is Windows 7 (both latest). Both are fantastic. But there are many other distinct differences in the philosophies that drive each company. I just spend another good bit of time trying to explain this to a few folks so I thought I'd pass on some of my points.
Microsoft does software primarily (yes there are some good hardware products by Microsoft like the Xbox and K’nect) - operating systems and applications and let's just about anybody 'build' the hardware 'around' that software. In fact Microsoft was the premier software provider that helped Apple really get started in the 80's. Heck after Apple ousted Steve Job's and nearly imploded, it was Microsoft that, along with the 're-hiring' of Jobs literally saved the company with loads of cash and promises to continue software development for Apple!! Without Bill Gates, today’s Apple probably wouldn’t exist! Lets go back to Aug 6th, 1997 …Read here and Read here.
Apple is primarily a hardware seller. They tightly, and I mean very tightly, control the hardware that they allow their software (OS) to run on. In fact it is against the licensing agreement for OS X to run it on anything but Apple hardware! This helps Apple deliver hardware (with the associated software OS) that is usually of fairly good quality. But of course at a premium price.
Apple is great at 'user interfaces'. The iPod and iPhone are simple and very easy to use, very intuitive. With such a large following the iPhone(and iPad now) also now have many great applications. The iPod took a technology that had existed for while and made it unbelievably user friendly Same with the iPad. Again simplicity of software interface to pretty hardware. Something that is sometimes missed is that ‘prettiness’ and the price people are willing to pay for it. Apple has an awesome marketing department. Apple 'Fan-boys' far out number any others.
My primary systems are MS Windows machines and servers of course. But I also run some Linux servers and a few Apple desktops. And I have been intimately working with all of them for decades (Linux being a 'build/port' of Unix that has been around for over 30 years). And my knowledge is simply not just web surfing or printing pictures. I have and do continue to use all of these in business production environments - digital pre-press, medical fields, financial fields, government and many other industries. [I also won't even go into the 'more stable' argument I often here from some fan-boys because I'm sure they have never RIP'd a 300+MB file on a Mac vs a PC or had to crunch massive digital files. Suffice it to say all systems crash but in my personal experience it has been Mac's that do so more than any other under heavy processing]
Before you jump on me; I have had apples since my first Apple IIe. I still have lots of Apple hardware. So don't call me a hater. I just don't like being 'locked' into items or forced to spend loads of cash for hardware upgrades just to keep my software up to date. As an illustration of that point. "If you took your car in for service and they welded your hood shut, you wouldn't be very happy,"- Apple shutting owners out of their iPhones. http://goo.gl/HDmNY
Another VERY important thing for many to consider is the cost of hardware of each system. Apple systems do and will cost you a HIGH premium over similar Windows based systems. AND Apple is very good at making sure you will have to replace your system every few years! I am not kidding. If you have an Apple machine that is over 3 or 4 years old there is most likely no way you could run the latest version of their OS (OS X Snow Leopard). If you have a ten year old Windows PC sitting around you could still put Windows 7 on it and also upgrade most of the hardware too!!
However please remember the 'best' product is one that will do what you want it to (or minimum you will accept) and provides the user experience you desire. That's it!
Technology is only a tool, a means to an end. Not the end in and of itself.
If you have been using a Mac or Windows PC and it works for you stick with it unless you have some other overriding need to switch. The learning curve for Windows 7 and OS X is very short now days compared to the differences of even a decade ago.
If you are primarily just going to be browsing the web, looking at photos and some simple office type application work you will do OK with either one.
Basically it is a site that lets the techies (usually the younger generation) send some 'canned support' to their parents and elders. But these are also especially useful to those that are either new to computers and technology or just a little less tech savvy.
The short videos are actually very well thought out and clearly and quickly presented so that just about anyone can learn from them.
I believe that many folks who 'think they know it all' should just take a look anyways. In my line of work I am amazed that people who literally work for 8+ hours on a computer do not know how to do many of these simple tasks. The reasons, I think, are that many people are afraid to ask for help, they think they can just 'figure it out', or truly don't care to learn how to more efficiently or properly use technology. Some people refuse to learn out of some warped sense of ego or pride too. Don't be one of those. No one’s head has every exploded from learning how to do something new or more efficiently.
I am going to link to all the videos directly so you can peruse them at your leisure. This is very large post with LOADS of great information. I really hope many of you will take the time and view these very short helpful videos. If you wish to watch them full screen you can click on the ‘arrow’ below the YouTube icon on the lower right hand corner and choose ‘full screen modes’.
So let’s start with the first category - THE BASICS:
Many new credit cards carry an RFID chip for 'fast pay/swipe pay'.
RFID stands for Radio-frequency identification. RFID is a technology that uses communication via electromagnetic waves to exchange data between a terminal and an electronic tag attached to an object, for the purpose of identification and tracking.
Here is a video showing a technique of stealing your information with out you even knowing it. Sadly this has been known for quite a while and not publicized much. I have seen many security related articles on this but I guess the public is just now being made more aware of it. And I think that is good. Be careful out there folks.
Ok iPhoners and iPaders if you have a new device and/or the latest iOS installed (4.1.x) you can now 'jailbreak' them easily with the latest 'GreenPois0n' Jailbreak tool.
Greenpois0n jailbreaks the iPhone 4/3GS, iPod touch 4G/3G, and the iPad. Their blog is here.
Currently the crack is Windows only so (Mac and Linux users will have to borrow a Windows computer or run Windows in virtualization. They should be porting to all other OS's soon.
I don’t have have an iDevice anymore but couldn’t imagine being locked into Apples restrictive use policies – and now the courts agree too. Article here and here.
You can Google the benefits yourself but here is a good quick article.
Once again Microsoft is offering a super deal on their desktop Operating System Windows 7. It’s called the Windows 7 Family Pack. It will be available on October 3rd in the U.S. and soon afterward in the rest of the world.
Windows 7 Family Pack gives you three (3) upgrade licenses of Windows 7 Home Premium for the low price of only $149.99. Here is some more information.
Now if you have or have access to a ‘.edu’ address, those associated with institutions of high learning, you can get some deals that are even more incredible.
Right now you can get an electronic software download of Windows 7 Professional for only$29.99 with a .edu address!! Windows 7 Pro Student Upgrade.
AND you can get Office Ultimate (with a valid .edu email address) for only $79.99!! Office Ultimate Steal.
Also take note if you purchased, installed, and activated a qualifying Microsoft Office 2007 product between March 5, 2010, and September 30, 2010, you are eligible to download Office 2010 at no additional cost.Office Tech Upgrade guarantee.
Some of my previous Windows 7 tips which may be helpful.
As I've previously written more than a few times I use Firefox as my primary Internet Browser because of extensive amount of add-ons and scripts available. This helps to make the browser a 'super tool' for me. With Firefox I can block unwanted adds and scripts, stop annoying 'auto play' music and videos, download just about any video, picture or file, FTP from within my browser, download/convert to PDF nearly any web page and many other cool and productive things.
Now I can add virus scanning files BEFORE I download files to that list. The VTzilla Firefox extension adds a Scan with VirusTotal option to Firefox's right-click context menu and file download dialog that allows you to scan any file for a virus before you commit to downloading it to your computer.
VirusTotal is a service that analyzes suspicious files and URLs enabling the identification of viruses, worms, trojans and other kinds of malicious content detected by antivirus engines and web analysis toolbars. It's a brilliant web service that scans any file you send it against 42 of the best malware scanners available.
They now have an add-on for Firefox that let’s you scan via a simply 'right-click’ on a file you intend to download.
Get Started
The first thing you must do is to install the add-on itself, you can do this by RIGHT-clicking on the following this link while visiting this site with Firefox and choosing ‘Save Link As, then save it to your desktop or where ever.
Then simply drag the file (.xpi) into an open Firefox browser window and it should start the install process. Make sure to choose to ‘Allow’ and install.
Note: By default, VTzilla turns on a new toolbar in Firefox. To disable it, navigate to View -> Toolbars, then uncheck VirusTotal Toolbar.
After installing the component you will have to restart Firefox to start making use of it, below you can find some examples of use.
Scan suspicious links with VTzilla
Imagine you have logged into your Gmail account and you have received a suspicious email from your bank. The email is informing you about an unauthorized access to your account and is asking you to follow a link and provide your credentials to view the account access log.
Since you are a smart guy, you know that this mail is probably a phishing case. Even though you know that this is a scam, you are committed to help others, hence, you right click on the suspicious link and select the Scan with VirusTotal option from the context menu:
This will open a new tab in the same browser window, such tab will show the report for the requested URL scan. Note that the scanning process will also download the file/site of the target link, so do not forget to click on the View downloaded file analysis link.
Scan downloads before storing them
Let us suppose your good friend John Doe has sent you an email with a slide presentation. You know that very often these slides contain exploit code that will compromise your computer. When you click on the slide presentation in your webmail a download dialog appears, you are a cautious user, you therefore decide to scan the file first with VirusTotal:
Once you have checked the file, you will decide whether or not to download it to your PC.
Simple.
Warning!!: VirusTotal is not a substitute for any antivirus software installed in a PC, since it only scans individual files on demand. It does not offer permanent protection for users' systems either.
I've been asked a whole lot recently since the courts ruled that jailbreaking is now legal about how to do this. So here are the links I HIGHLY recommend: Hope this helps. Latest exciting news:
Jailbreaking you iPhone/iPad just got even easier!
The Jailbreak Matrix is a massive chart of all the iOS devices and lists the various versions as well as the different firmware, baseband, and boot loaders that run on each. You check what you've got against the chart and it will tell you if the device/firmware combination is jailbreakable, what tools you need, what version of iTunes the said jailbreak technique has been tested with, and a step-by-step guide on how to apply the jailbreak.
Here is another really cool and fairly secure way to share files and or content with people you choose. Or even just access your own files whilst away. It is called Opera Unite. It is actually built into the Opera Web Browser!
I am still a huge fan of LiveSync/Skydrive as I have previously written about here and here. And I use them as my primary means of ‘cloud storage’.
But to just share some files with co-workers, family or friends Opera Unite looks really cool. And some might find it simpler.
With Opera Unite, your friends view the content that is sitting on your computer. You can stream music or video or share actual files. Since this is a ‘live’ connection to your system you will be using internet bandwidth; this may be a consideration if your ISP has very low limits. Also since it is a live connection to your system you should consider all the security implications.
To run Opera Unite applications (File Sharing, Photo Sharing, Media Player etc.), you need an Opera browser version 10.10 or later from http://www.opera.com and an Opera account.
To view or access most of your applications, your friends can use any browser.
Operating systems: You can use those supported by the Opera browser; Windows, Mac, or UNIX/Linux.
To get started with Opera Unite, you just need to install an Opera browser version 10.10 or later, start an application, and then you can begin sharing and collaborating.
Opera Unite applications make it quick and easy to share content. There is no need to upload anything; you share the content sitting on your computer. And, you do not need to configure anything else, such as DNS services or complex access controls. For example, you can install the Media Player application on your home computer for your favorite songs. When you get to work, you can visit your Media Player application and listen to the songs directly from your home computer. No download, no fuss.
How Opera Unite is different to traditional data sharing
With more traditional content sharing, you have to upload the content you want to share, and this is then stored on a central, third-party server, out of your control. Your friends access this stored content from the third-party server.
Enable Opera Unite
To enable Opera Unite for the first time:
From the menu, select "Enable Opera Unite". A welcome dialog displays.
Select "Next".
To use Opera Unite, you need to have an Opera account. This is an account that you use for My Opera, Dev Opera (Opera's developer-community resource site), or Opera Link. Your existing username cannot contain any symbols or spaces to work with Opera Unite.
If you already have an Opera account that does not contain symbols or spaces, select "I already have an account", if necessary, and type your existing username and password. Go to step 4.
If you do not have an account, or have one that contains symbols or spaces, select "I do not have an account", if necessary, and complete your details to create one.
Choose a unique and easy-to-remember username without any symbols or spaces. The username will become part of the link (Web address) for your Opera Unite applications, which your friends will use to access your content or communicate with you.
Select "Show" to read the terms and conditions, and check the box to indicate that you agree with them.
Choose a computer name from the drop-down menu. This name identifies the computer you are using, to distinguish it from other computers you may use. It also becomes part of the link for your Opera Unite applications. Choose an option that best describes how you use your computer, or write your own.
Select "Finish".
In the panel at the left, highlight an application that you want to use, and select the Start button at the top of the panel. The application start
I was recently asked by a person new to the internet. [Yes there are still some.] “What do the ‘little thingy’s after some of my comments mean?” So I thought I’d put up list of emoticons. This is by no means definitive but it has most of what I know of. Enjoy
Originals: :) smile [colon :and close parentheses ) ] :( frown [colon : and open parentheses ( ] ;) wink [semi-colon ; close parentheses ) ] :P or :Þ tongue sticking out: joke, sarcasm or disgusting [colon : and letter P] 8) has sunglasses: looking cool [number 8 and close parentheses ) ] :O surprised [colon and letter O] :S confused :'( shedding a tear XD laughing, eyes shut (LOL) XP Tongue out, eyes shut ^_^ smiley ^.^ see above, but rather than a wide, closed mouth, a small mouth is present ^_~ wink >_< angry, frustrated =_= bored -_- annoyed -_-' or ^_^' or ^_^;; nervousness, sweatdrop or embarrassed. ¬_¬ or <_< "yeah, right...", looking around suspiciously ;_; crying o_O Confused O_O Shocked O_< Flinch, wink, twiching ._. intimidated, sad, ashamed $_$ Money Eyes; Thinking about Money x_x Dead or Knocked Out 9_9 Eye Rolling *_* Star-Struck t(-_-t) or ,|,,(-_-),,|, Flipping off =^_^= blushing, or a cat face u.u duh, sarcastic "what do you think?" face \m/>_<\m/ Rockin' out
------------------ Assicons: (_!_) a regular ass
(__!__) a fat ass
(!) a tight ass
(_._) a flat ass
(_*_) a sore ass loser
(_o_) an ass that's been around
(_O_) an ass that's been around even more
(_?_) a dumb ass
(_o^^o_) a wise ass
(_E=mc2_) a smart ass
(_13_) an unlucky ass
( Y ) a butt
(_$_) money coming out of his/her ass
(_#_) taking an ass pounding
(_x_) kiss my ass
--------------- Boobiecons: .Y. flat boobies
(.Y.) curvy boobies
( . Y . ) fat boobies
( o Y o ) boobiecons
(.)(.) little boobies
(o)(o) regular boobies
( O )( O ) big boobies
( ' ) ( ' ) perky boobies
( , ) ( , ) droopy boobies
{.} {.} cold boobies
( @ ) ( @ ) hairy boobies
[ _ ] [ _ ] android boobies
( $ )( $ ) silicon boobies
------------------- More advance Emoticons:
* @>--;-- A rose * 0*-) Angel wink - female * :-Z Angry face * >:-( Annoyed * ~~8-O Bad-Hair Day * :-) Basic * :~-( Bawling * (:-{~ Beard - long * %-| Been up All Night * (:-) Big Face * (((H))) Big Hug * =|:o} Bill Clinton smiley * ?-( Black Eye * #-) Blinking * I:( Botox smiley * %-6 Brain Dead * :-E Bucktoothed Vampire * :-#| Bushy Mustache * })i({ Butterfly - an even prettier one * q:-) Catcher * ;-( Chin up * :-.) Cindy Crawford * :-8( Condescending Stare * H-) Cross-Eyed * :*( Crying softly * :-@! Cursing * %-} Dizzy * :*) Drinking every night * :#) Drunk * :-6 Eating Something Spicy * 5:-) Elvis * 0|-) Enjoying the Sun * >-) Evil Grin * l:-O FlatTop Loudmouth * =:-H Football player * :^{= Frank Zappa * /:-) Frenchman with a beret * *:* Fuzzy * ~~:-( Getting Rained On * :oÞ Grinning and sticking tongue out (type ALT+0222 on righthand number keypad) * :-}) Handlebar Mustache * :%)% Has Acne * :-`| Have a Cold * l^o Hepcat * (_8^(|) Homer Simpson * *^_^* Huge Dazzling Grin - it's a straight-on smiley * :0 Hungry * %*} Inebriated * (8 { John Lennon * :-* Kiss on the cheek * >* Kitty doesn't like taking its pill * :p Kitty with tongue hanging out * @(*0*)@ Koala - it's a straight-on smiley * (-: Left Hand * >;-> Lewd Remark * ;-, Like, Duh * %+{ Lost a Fight * X-( Mad * :-(*) Makes Me Sick * @@@@:-) Marge Simpson * #:-) Messy Hair * :) Midget * :-3 Mustache (Handlebar Type) * :-# My Lips Are Sealed * ):-( Nordic * 8-O Omigod! * 8> Penguin * 3:] Pet Dog * :---) Pinnochio * 3:[ Pitbull * +<:-) Pope * +:-) Priest * ?-) Proud of black eye * =:-( Punk Not Smiling * :-r Rasberry * :-C Real Unhappy * :-)) Really Happy * [:] Robot * 3:*> Rudolph the red nose reindeer * :( Sad Turtle * :-y Said with a Smile variation * *<|:-) Santa Claus * :-@ Screaming * $__$ Sees Money * 8-0 Shocked * :-V Shouting * ~:-P Single Hair * ':-/ Skeptical again * O-) Smiley After Smoking a Banana * :-, Smirk * :- i Smoking a cig * :-Q Smoking while talking * :-( <| Standing Firm * %-) Staring at a Screen for 15 hours * /8^{~ Sunglasses, Mustache, Goatee * `:-) Sweating * :-0 Talkative * -(:)(0)=8 Teletubby * :- ? Tongue Sticking Out * :-a Tongue Touching Nose * }(:-( Toupee Blowing in Wind * x:-/ Uncertain * :-| Unfazed * |:-| Unyielding * :-))) Very Happy * (:-( Very Unhappy * @:-) Wavy Hair * [:-) Wearing a Walkman * B-) Wearing Glasses * ]-I Wearing Sunglasses * :-1 Whatever * ;^? Wigged Out * ,-) Winking Happy * 8<:-) Wizard * :~) Wondering * l-O Yawning * :-(0) Yelling * $-) Yuppie
* O:-) Angel * 0;-) Angel wink - male * :-{{ Angry Very * ~:o Baby * d:-) Baseball * :-{0 Basic Mustache * :-){ Beard * : = Beaver * :-)^< Big Boy * :-)8< Big Girl * :-X Big Wet Kiss * (:-D Blabber Mouth * (:- Blank Expression * :-] Blockhead * :-}X Bow Tie-Wearing * :-(=) Bucktoothed * :-F Bucktoothed Vampire with One Tooth Missing * }|{ Butterfly * }:-X Cat * C=:-) Chef * *<<<<+ Christmas Tree * *<):o) Clown * %) Confused * :`-( Crying * &:-) Curly Hair * >:-> Devilish * :3-] Dog * :-B Drooling out of Both Sides of Mouth * <:-l Dunce * (:-| Egghead * :-} Embarrassed Smile * >:) Evil * G(-'.'G) Fighting Kid - it's a straight-on smiley * :-! Foot in Mouth * :-W Forked Tongue * %*@:-) Freaking Out * 8) Frog * *:*} Fuzzy With a Mustache * 8*) Glasses and a Half Mustache * }:-) Hair Parted in the Middle Sticking up on Sides * :-' Has a Dimple * :(#) Has Braces variation * /;-) Heavy Eyebrows - Slanted * (_8(|) Homer Simpson * (^~^~^) Hot Ass Walking Away * %*@:-( Hungover with headache * o[-<]: I am a skater or I like to skate * (|):-)=II= Jewish Blonde * @:-} Just Back From Hairdresser * >^,,^< Kitty Cat - it's a straight-on smiley * ~*= Kitty running away from you * >:-l Klingon * %OD Laughing like crazy * ?-: Left Handed Tongue Touching Nose * :-9 Licking Lips * 8:-) Little Girl * |-( Lost Contact Lenses * &-l Makes Me Cry * :-S Makes No Sense * @|-) Meditating Smiley * 8(:-) Mickey Mouse * :-{ Mustache * {:-{)} Mustache and Beard * (-) Needs Haircut * :/) Not Amused * :=) Orangutan * :^) Personality * :8) Pig * P-( Pirate * }:^#) Pointy Nosed * :-t Pouting * X:-) Propeller Head * =:-) Punk * <(-'.'-)> Puppy dog - it's a straight-on smiley * (((((:-{= Rave Dude * ~:-( Really Bummed Out * ([( Robocop * @};--- Rose * :-( Sad * :-d Said with a smile * M:-) Saluting * :-> Sarcastic * )8-) Scuba Diver with Hair * :-i Semi-Smile * +-( Shot Between the Eyes * :O Singing * :-/ Skeptical * :-7 Skeptical variation * ):-) Smiley with Hair * ;^) Smirking * :-? Smoking a pipe * ~~~~8} Snake * =%-O Stared at Computer Way Too Long * (8-{)} Sunglasses, Mustache, Beard * :0 Surprised * ,:-) Sweating on the Other Side * &-| Tearful * :-)--- Thin as a Pin * :-& Tongue Tied * *!#*!^*&:- Total Head Case * <:>== Turkey * =):-) Uncle Sam * |:-) Unibrow * :-[ Vampire * %') Very Tired * :-< Walrus * {(:-) Wearing a Toupee * 8-) Wearing Contacts * :-{} Wearing Lipstick * {:-) Wears a Toupee * :-" Whistling * '-) Winking * ;-) Winking variation * :-)8 : Woman * ,-} Wry and Winking * |^o Yawning or Snoring variation * =8-0 Yikes!
I am a huge fan of Google voice. I use it for both my personal, and professional life. I am able to set up rules for contact groups that define many different scenarios. I like that I can give my Google voice number to my family and close friends and know that I can be reached no matter where I am - I can and do ring multiple phones. For business I can ring my office AND my cell ONLY during business hours and then after business hours only my office line is rung or people are sent right to voice mail. The list of really cool things that can be done is just limited to your imagination.
I am constantly asked for tips on how I do all this so I put together as many good and simple tips as I could find in this post. There are sure to be many many more if you just search for ‘Google Voice Tips’.
To get a Google voice number you will of course need a Gmail/Google account. You can get that here
Find and choose a number locally (or actually in any area code you prefer). I recommend doing a search for something that has a mnemonic - like 'coffee1' (263-3331) or some other easy to remember number.
And before you 'set up' your Google voice number check out these articles and walk through’s.
I have written previously about cloud storage and backup solutions and how to use those to synchronize data between your many systems at different locations on differing platforms. Most cloud storage and synchronization services can synchronize between differing operating systems too! You can share and access files from Windows, OS X, Linux and even Smartphones. With this post I’d like to just add update some information on how you can use Windows Live services (OfficeLive, and Skydrive) and Dropbox.
1st. OfficeLive.
There have been some exciting recent announcements regarding Microsoft’s cloud storage and synchronization services that have made their offering even more compelling than ever. If you’ve read my previous post (link above) you already know I am a fan of SkyDrive. You can use SkyDrive to upload, store and share photos, documents and data both privately and publicly - it offers a whopping 25GB of free cloud storage and it integrates nicely with Office 2010. You can use this free service on both a Windows PC and a Mac computer.
Microsoft’s Office Web Application is now live on SkyDrive! It’s called Office Live. You can access Microsoft’s Office web version on your browser.
Office Live now provides for access to Microsoft’s Office suite of applications even if you don’t have MS Office installed on the system you are on! If you just use the Office Live portion you get a default 5GB of storage, but by using your SkyDrive account you get the full 25GB of storage.
While Goolge Docs has allowed for the sharing and publishing of individual documents to the web for a long time, Office Live(and SkyDrive) and Dropbox provide for true sharing of folders with individual, groups or the public. With Office Live you can create a truly amazing collaborative workspaces.Check out this video!
Instead of going through a long and detailed walk through I’ve put together a bunch of links and videos that YOU can go through. Suffice it to say I believe you should use at least one of these services to backup or synchronize your data across the ‘cloud’.
Here are some very good Office Live and SkyDrive Links. I would highly recommend spending a few hours and going over these. The future of data storage and retrieval is tightly integrated to web services and the ‘cloud’. Here are some links:
01, 02, 03, 04, 05, If you do a search for Office Live or SkyDrive you should find many more.
2nd. Dropbox.
I have also found this service highly useful for sharing files with other people with whom I am working. What is Dropbox? Dropbox is a “cloud computing” Web2.0 file hosting service offering both free and paid services. The free version offers 2GB of “shared storage”. The difference between SkyDrive/OfficeLive and Dropbox is that Dropbox requires software to be installed onto your system. Something I am not always fond of but this does work well.
Dropbox is file hosting service which enable users to synchronize files and folders between computers across the internet. This is done by installing a software and then picking a “shared folder” on your computer. From that moment on, that folder will be synced with any computer you choose to install the software on (for example, your home/work computer, your laptop – and so on).
DropBox also enables users to share some of their folders with other DropBox users. This seamless integration of the service with your OS file system (Windows, Mac or Linux) is what’s making this service so comfortable, by allowing me to work with co-workers and have the same “project tree” of folders, all of which are always synced. You could also share a file “online”, by getting a link to it which you could share with others.
While I will always believe in ‘hard storage’ especially for highly sensitive and personal information you should also look into ‘cloud storage’. You should always have a rocks solid local backup solution but collaboration and the ability to have your information available nearly everywhere is invaluable. If not to store and backup your data, at least for it’s huge collaborative possibilities. That is what I primarily use it for.
I really hope some of you will use this information to make your life, and possibly jobs easier and more productive. As we head into the second decade of the 21st century it’s exciting to see how we can have our information available nearly everywhere and be able to usefully share that information with anyone in the world.
