Customizable Laptop Dell Inspiron 15

Dell is kicking 2009 off right by wrapping smart style, solid performance and value-packed pricing into its latest release, the new Dell Inspiron 15 laptop. Currently available in select configurations at Best Buy, and set to hit Dell online later this month, the Inspiron 15 laptop is replete with customizable features and options aplenty, so the laptop truly is made for you. “Building on the Inspiron platform of mainstream solutions, Inspiron 15 expands laptop personalization through attractive design, an array of optional features and an affordable price,” says Glen Robson, General Manager of consumer notebooks. “By listening to customers we’ve created an ideal multi-purpose system with a range of choices that help them create a custom match for their specific needs and deeds.” The Inspiron 15 laptop features a 15.6-inch LCD display with 16:9 aspect ratio, up to 4GB memory and up to 320GB storage. Options include a choice of Intel Core 2 Duo processors, a built-in webcam, Blu-ray, Bluetooth and facial recognition software. The Inspiron 15 laptop starts from $600. Dell.

Ultra-Mobile Laptop from Exper – Exper Style

The hot new laptop from Exper â€" dubbed the Exper Style laptop â€" was recently launched in Turkey. Measuring in at a compact 8.9 inches and weighing just 1kg, the Exper Style ultra-mobile laptop rolls portability and performance into a sleek little package. Available in a wide range of hot and vibrant hues, the Exper Style laptop is as impressive on the inside as it is on the out, featuring a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB RAM and an 8GB SSD, with Windows XP operating system running the show. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, you catch a glimpse of the price tag. Your eyes aren't playing tricks on you â€" the Exper Style ultra-mobile laptop retails for just $470. Exper via Netbook News

Super-Slim Laptop MSI X-Slim 320

Thin is in when it comes to the hottest laptops of 2009, and MSI is starting the year off right with its latest release of the MSI X-Slim 320 laptop. So here’s the skinny on this slim beauty. The 13.4-inch X-Slim 320 laptop measures an awesome 1.98cm thick, and weighs it at a lean and mean 2.87 pounds â€" there’s a reason it’s been dubbed the “super portable” laptop. Performance doesn’t take a back seat to style, with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530 processor, up to 2GB DDR2 RAM, and connectivity that includes 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth, 3.5G network card, three USB ports, an Ethernet port, VGA output and an all-in-one card reader. Sweetening the pot of performance and portability, the X-Slim 320 laptop looks as good as it sounds, featuring an elegant design available in Champagne gold, pearl white and high-tech stylish black finish. The X-Slim 320 laptop is expected to make its market debut in the second quarter of 2009, at a retail price of approximately $800. MSI.

Work with Windows 7 Efficiently

pWith the looming release of Windows 7, I think that Microsoft is finally getting closer to delivering those requirements./p pBelow I will highlight some of the new and enhanced features that will make using Windows more efficient than ever./p h3pSuper Taskbar/p/h3 p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9826/9826_taskbar-win7.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9826/small_thumb/9826_taskbar-win7.jpg alt= //a/p pThe new task bar in Windows 7 departs from the traditional look of the previous versions of Windows and provides additional features not found in other versions. Among those features is the disappearance of an icon and text box for each open application. They have also expanded the concept of Quick Launch tool bars, improved the use of multiple open windows, and increased the ease of accessing frequently used applications and files via the use of Jump Lists./p h3pQuick Launch is Gone/p/h3 p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9826/9826_quick-launch.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9826/small_thumb/9826_quick-launch.jpg alt= //a/p pOne of the features that you will notice that is missing is the Quick Launch toolbar. Microsoft has replaced this with the ability to Pinup shortcuts to the Task Bar, much like the Quick Launch bar, without the separation./p ##ADSENSE## ph3Icons Are In/h3/p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9826/9826_open-applications.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9826/small_thumb/9826_open-applications.jpg alt= //a/p pYou will also notice that the taskbar now displays icons for the open applications instead of an icon and name. This helps clean up some of the clutter. Multiple windows of the same application will display an icon with overlapping boxes, simply click on the icon and a small window will appear with previews of the open applications for you to access./p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9826/9826_open-applications2.jpgimg src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9826/small_thumb/9826_open-applications2.jpg alt= //a/p ph3Jump Lists/h3/p pA Jump List is a mini version of your favorites and history put together. When you right-click on application icons located on the Task Bar a Jump List will appear. The Jump List allows you to Pinup your favorite websites (as is the case with Internet Explorer) allow users to quickly access applications and files that are frequently accessed. /p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9826/9826_jump-lists.jpgimg src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9826/small_thumb/9826_jump-lists.jpg alt= //a/p pAfter using these features for a while you start to realize the amount of time saved and how Windows is becoming more efficient for you./p

10 Common Mistakes Made by New Linux Administrators

h31. Failing To Use CheckInstall/h3 pLinux uses package managers, which keep everything installed on your system updated and clean. When two or more apps rely on each other, it is imperative that all of them are kept updated, not just a few. Thus, when you install one program via whatever package manager your distro uses but another from source, the package manager will only update the first, which could cause things to stop working properly./p pThe solution to this is to use Checkinstall to build a package for your system that will stay updated along with the other software, which will save you headaches in the future./p h3 2. Refusal to Use the Command Line Interface /h3 pYou just have to learn it. It's that simple. You cannot be a sysadmin in any system while harboring a fear of the command line, but that is doubly true in Linux. While you can manage to do most things with some form of a GUI, it is almost always faster and easier to learn how to do it from the Terminal. Learn some bash already./p h33. Having No or Weak Root Password/h3 pSomeone getting their hands on the root password is like some crony gaining control of Darth Vader's big laser that blew up Alderaan. If you have no root password, then you're either a very ripe sysadmin, or you're an idiot. If you have a weak one, then you're naive. Here is a very big tip: if you don't have a password, set one RIGHT NOW; if it is a simple word, especially a word in the dictionary, change it RIGHT NOW to something at least fourteen characters long with uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols./p ##ADSENSE## h34. Pretending Updates Don't Exist/h3 pFor whatever reason, people don't like updates. That is understandable if you're getting fed them day after day, but really--updates keep things working (most of the time). Sometimes it is laziness--there may be hundreds of updates if you put it off for awhile, and no one likes to pick through those, so they just put it off longer and longer until something stops working. You must update. If you disable auto-updates, then check them every day. Sift through them each time and only install the ones you need. Do this every time. Your install will thank you./p h35. Making Changes Without Backing Up First/h3 pIf you're going to pick through, for example, the resolution config file to try and get your three monitor system running properly, you really should backup the file first. This goes for all changes in tweaks. In fact, just go ahead and create a backup of every major file right now, just so when you forget later, your fore sight will have saved you from FUBAR hell./p h3 6. Not Learning to Trouble Shoot Their System/h3 pEach distro is like a baby--they are similar on the surface, but when you spend time with them, there are noticeable differences. For that reason, it is very important that you spend time with your distro and learn its own peculiarities. Want an example? One user who had messed up his Ubuntu resolution was freaking out because his screen was scrambled, and he was trying to fix it from command line. That seems fine, except that if he'd spent time knowing his system, he'd of simply booted into recovery mode and reset his resolution to default. Knowledge is not only power, but it's a time saver, too./p h37. Ignoring Logs like the Plague/h3 pSee, there's these little things inside /var/logs called LOGS that tell you magical things about your system, like errors and security issues. These things give you valuable information that can be used to correct programs and head off unfortunate issues. Doing so will make your life as admin much, much easier. So then, why do you ignore these? Out of fear? Trepidation? Misplaced respect? Open the system logs once in awhile and see what's up, okay? /ph3 8. Keeping Everything in One Giant Partition/h3 pOf course, this is only valid if you're the one doing the installing. You don't want everything to sit in one partition for many reasons, two of which being performance and convenience. You're probably going to change distros at some point, so to make your life easier, put your home directory in a different partition than the rest. This will make your life easier at some point, trust me. /p h39. Using as Root /h3 p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9852/9852_main_sudo comicA.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9852/large/9852_main_sudo comicA.jpg alt= //a/p a rel=nofollow href=http://xkcd.com/149/Image from xkcd.com/a pFor you Window's users, that means Admin. You're not supposed to run as admin, nothing good ever comes from it. When using the terminal, simply use 'su' or 'sudo' or whatever your system command is for running as root. This is more than powerful enough for the things you must do. /p h3 10. Asking Help From Random People/h3 If Linux has been thrust upon you and you're left trying to pick your way through things that mean nothing to you, then no one will blame you for seeking help when issues arise. With that said, be careful who you seek help from, and be very weary of what you run through the Terminal. There are people who get their kicks from making your life hell. Get the help of a pro when things go bad. p/p pem*Update: A special thank you to all readers who have brought to our attention that the Sudo image was not attributed correctly to a rel=nofollow href=http://xkcd.com/xkcd.com/a. This has now been rectified. In the future we will ensure all images are attributed to the correct source. - strongLaptoplogic.com team/strong/em/p

Top Freeware Every Computer Should Have

h2AVG Anti-Virus Free/h2 This free anti-virus is a small and non-intrusive anti-virus software that works well. It uses a “Resident Shield” that works well and is even better at detecting some viruses and other threats that Norton and other commercial products can not. Some features are anti-virus, anti-spyware, e-mail scanner, ID Protection(this requires activation by user), resident shield, link scanner and update manager. One detail you may find handy is that the settings are already set for business hours to do a scan when your computer has the best chance of being on(unlike Norton). It also places every infected file or folder it finds into a virus vault (his can be emptied when required) that you do not delete. It also notifies you when it detects bugs or any threats much like most others anti-virus programs, although AVG may find more than their commercial counterparts do. Note-A premium paid version is available, but the free version is just as wonderful. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9975/9975_main_AVG.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9975/large/9975_main_AVG.jpg alt= //a/p br/br Where to download- a href=http://free.avg.comhttp://free.avg.com/a br/br br/br ##ADSENSE## h2Gimp/h2 This free and advanced image editor very professional, without having the cost of Adobe Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro. You can also download an animation suite to go along with it for a complete pro package. All without paying a dime. It even allows you to create professional designs for web sites. With GIMP being open sourced, it allows users to help build the GIMP even more and to add more features all the time. Many people use it for all types of purposes and it does have large user base that helps the whole GIMP community out. Highly recommended for anyone who needs or wants to do some virtual artwork or layouts. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9975/9975_GIMP.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9975/large/9975_GIMP.jpg alt= //a/p br/br Where To Download- a href=http://www.gimp.orghttp://www.gimp.org/a h2CutePDF/h2 This small and simple application is great to turn files into pdfs. It is a virtual printer where you send the desired file to be “printed” into a PDF. It's small and may only have one purpose, but it is a good program to have on hand and perfect for someone who needs a small application to do such. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9975/9975_CutePDF.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9975/large/9975_CutePDF.jpg alt= //a/p br/br Where To Download- a href=http://www.cutepdf.comhttp://www.cutepdf.com/a h2Miranda IM/h2 Again this small yet multifunction tool allows you to be on all main instant messengers at the same time, while not taking a lot of resources. It even supports IRC chat rooms. Miranda supports AIM,YIM,MSN,ICQ,IRC, and Gadu-Gadu. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9975/9975_MirandaIM.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9975/large/9975_MirandaIM.jpg alt= //a/p br/br Where To Download- a href=http://www.miranda-im.orghttp://www.miranda-im.org/a h2Media Monkey/h2 Most OS’s already come with media players. However many do not play all types of audio formats nor can they convert files. This is why Media Monkey is a popular freeware, as it supports many audio files and can convert them easily. While they do offer a paid version (Media Monkey Gold), the free one covers the needs of most users . It looks and acts much like iTunes (minus the music store), however it plays and covers much more audio formats than any other music player around. One thing that comes handy is the easy to make play list and file conversions. Most media players lack both of these tools, so it makes Media Monkey a popular option. You can also “sync” iPods and iPhones with Media Monkey. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9975/9975_MediaMonkey.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9975/large/9975_MediaMonkey.jpg alt= //a/p br/br Where To Download- a href=http://www.mediamonkey.comhttp://www.mediamonkey.com/a h2Spybot-Search and Destroy/h2 We all know in the world wide web, we will get infected with spy ware and adware. While Microsoft and many anti-virus companies claim that they cover this-it doesn’t cover it all. So using a third party software that is designed for spy ware and adware alone is the best thing one could use to protect and prevent. Spybot-Search and Destroy is recommended by professional PC repair companies all around the world. This freeware scans your PC for many types of spy ware and adware that your computer may never be scanned for otherwise. It also takes care of tracking cookies and many other types of unwelcomed intruders that attach themselves to your pc. They also allow you to make your computer immune to those known problems and infections, which will allow you not to be re-infected by them again. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9975/9975_SpybotSnD.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9975/large/9975_SpybotSnD.jpg alt= //a/p br/br Where To Download- a href=http://www.safer-networking.orghttp://www.safer-networking.org/a br/br br/br While these are just a few applications you can get for free, the internet is full for many more. Many sites have full list of many types of freeware, rather it is system tools to games! A rule of thumb to live by, if they have a commercial version of it, chances are they have a free version of it. So next time you plan on buying software, do a search online and see if you can find something just like it for the cost of nothing

10 of The Most Notorious Hackers of All Time

pHacker's come in all ages and flavors, and you might be suprised to find that some of the best have gone on to edit magazine's like Wired, or help start multi-billion dollar companies like Apple. If that tidbit just rocked your socks, read on to find out about the ten best hacker of all time (well, until someone else comes along and does better)./p h3 1. Captain Crunch (Proper Name: John Draper)/h3 p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9919/9919_image 1.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9919/large/9919_image 1.jpg alt= //a/p pJohn Draper became known as Captain Crunch after gaining popularity as the phone phreaker who worked the ATT phone system using toy whistles that came in Cap'n Crunch in the late 60's. A blind friend informed him that the whistle produced a perfect 2600Hrz tone, which allowed Draper to control trunk lines on the phone network./p pWhen phone phreaking became more popular, he was eventually arrested and given five months probation. He went on to work at Apple for a brief period of time, and wrote the first word processor for the Apple II while in a prison work furlough./p h3 2. Kevin Mitnick/h3 p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9919/9919_image 2.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9919/large/9919_image 2.jpg alt= //a/p p Often regarded as the most notorious hacker, Mitnick has become a role model for many aspiring hackers. Living a life that started as a hacker who would go down in history and now continuing it as a popular speaker, an author, and a computer consultant; in addition, he inspired two movies: emTakedown/em and emFreedom Downtime/em. If that sounds appealing, just remember that at one point Mitnick was wanted by the US Marshals for hacking many places, including the Defense Department, and ended up spending over half a decade in solitary confinement./p h33. Fred Cohen/h3 p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9919/9919_image 3.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9919/large/9919_image 3.jpg alt= //a/p pThough his paragraph is short, it is in way minor. While a student in engineering school, Cohen wrote on of the first computer viruses, which demonstrated that no anti-virus could detect all possible viruses, and that some viruses are even good./p h3 3. Max Ray Butler/h3 p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9919/9919_main_image 4.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9919/large/9919_main_image 4.jpg alt= //a/p pButler--Internet specialist by day, worm creator by night. He created a worm that hacked into Air Force and NASA systems, Brookhaven Labs, IDSoftware, and the Defense Department. He got off the hook for five years by working as an informant for the FBI, but later was arrested after refusing to use a wire tap to entrap a friend who was suspected of performing cyber crimes./p h35. Jonathan James/h3 p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9919/9919_image 5.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9919/large/9919_image 5.jpg alt= //a/p pJames had the honor (depending on your definition) of being the first minor arrested in the US for cyber crimes. He hacked both NASA and the Department of Defense (are you noticing a trend with these two entities....?) and reportedly stole $1.7 million in software from NASA, and intercepted 3000+ messages from the Department of Defense, including usernames and passwords./p pHad he been a big boy when performing these nefarious hacks, he'd of received a decade in jail. Having been a minor, however, he instead received six months of house arrest. For whatever reason, he violated his parole and ended up serving six months in jail./p h36. Adrian Lamo/h3 p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9919/9919_image 6.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9919/large/9919_image 6.jpg alt= //a/p pAKA, the homeless hacker. Thing is, he wasn't actually homeless; some say he was called the homeless hacker because his parents moved around a lot during his childhood. Others say he earned that nickname by doing his hacking in wifi hotspots such as cafes. Either way, he would spend his juvenile years hacking into places such as Yahoo!, Microsoft, and other high-profile company doing both authorized and unauthorized vulnerability assessments, then letting said companies know about said vulnerabilities./p pHis undoing came when he hacked into the New York Times system and added his name to a list of experts, granting himself access to the Times LexisNexis account where he then checked out data he wasn't privy to. He was sentenced to six months house arrests at his parents home, and is now an award-winning journalist. Not bad, eh?/p h37. Nahshon Even-Chaim/h3 pThe first big-time hacker to be arrested in Australia, Even-Chaim started his hacking career before the Internet gave way to easier targeting. He'd gain access to different agencies, including government, by dialing in and, after the advent of the Internet, using it to aid in his efforts. He was part of an elite hacking group known as the Realm, which recognized Chaim as both arrogant and skillful. He ended up being arrest, sentenced to 500 hours of community service, and a suspended 12-month prison term./p h38. Jeanson James Ancheta/h3 p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9919/9919_image 8.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9919/large/9919_image 8.jpg alt= //a/p pHis hacking spree was furious and short-lived. For fourteen months Ancheta gained control over various comprised computers and used them together as one mass network for sending out spam. He made quite a bit of money in his endeavors, but was later sentenced to five years of federal prison, forced to pay $60k, return a BMW, as well as some computer hardware./p h39. Ehud Tenenbaum/h3 p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9919/9919_image 9.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9919/large/9919_image 9.jpg alt= //a/p pTenenbaum is an Israeli hacker who had the just about every defense US government agency freaking out. He hacked NASA, the Pentagon, and Knesset, effectively convincing the government that the attacks were an Iraqi effort. When he was finally discovered, along with two California juvenile hackers known as Mac and Stimpy, he was given 1 year of probation and a suspended two-year prison sentence. Instead of rejoicing over the minor slap on the wrist, he got arrested in Canada for credit card fraud, was forced to serve his sentence, and fined $18k./p h310. Conficker/h3 pSo, nothing actually came of the Conficker scare. The reality still stands that whoever created the worm managed to scare the crap out of thousands of Windows users, and gave many a tech support agent real headaches. The worm reeked havoc on the French Navy system, and made an annoying debut on important British and German networks. Whether an individual or a group is responsible for the worm isn't known. What is known, however, is that if you're running Windows, you better hope you don't get this worm on your system./p

12 Captivating Drives for Every Computer Geek

p style=clear:left; /p For some people, flash drives are simply a utilitarian tool in the work belt of a geek--small, light, easy to fill with cleaners and backup apps and other software of the trade. For the rest, however, flash drives are almost a fetish. Not only can the tiny bits of circuit and plastic retain essential data (sometimes dozens of gigabytes worth), but they can be disguised in clothing, attached to pocket knives and keychains, molded into resin, and just about anything else your geeky mind can think of. h21. IronKey USB Drive/h2 p style=clear:both;br/brThe USB drive ideal for survivalists, conspiracy theorists, spies, and those with possible multi-million dollar ideas, the IronKey USB drive has a built-in 'self-destruction' and encryption features--the drive is encrypted, and if an incorrect password is entered too many times, the data will be corrupted./p p/p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/10011_image 1.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/small_thumb/10011_image 1.jpg alt= //a/p p/p h22. USB Card/h2 p style=clear:both;br/br This USB drive says ‘sophistication’. It is dark and thin, shaped just like a credit card and able to be slipped into a wallet for easy access and removal. Since most people have their wallet on them at all times, this key is as convenient as the ones that go on a key ring, only without the increased likelihood of being crushed. /p p/p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/10011_image 2.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/small_thumb/10011_image 2.jpg alt= //a/p p/p h23. Memory Usage Meter Lexar/h2 p style=clear:both;br/br This flash drive is unique in that it has a visible meter on the outside of the drive that shows how much space is used up. It is a simple bar that moves up and down, and works quite well. /p p/p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/10011_image 3.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/small_thumb/10011_image 3.jpg alt= //a/p p/p h24. TrekStor USB Drive Bottle Opener/h2 p style=clear:both;br/brMinimalists believe that the best items are the ones that are multipurpose. If you fall into that group, then you can’t help but be excited over the TrekStor CO USB drive that doubles as a bottle opener. If you have a habit of enjoying a cold bottle of beer with your daily data habits, than this bottle open/USB drive is the perfect addition to your arsenal. /p p/p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/10011_main_image 4.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/small_thumb/10011_main_image 4.jpg alt= //a/p p/p h25. Frayed Cord USB Drive/h2 p style=clear:both;br/brThis flash drive will appeal to the same individuals willing to wrap their laptops in duct tape and a bang their camera around on the concrete to make them look less desirable to thieves. This USB drive is places inside the cut-off end of an old USB cable. /p p/p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/10011_image 5.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/small_thumb/10011_image 5.jpg alt= //a/p p/p h26. iDisk Diamond /h2 p style=clear:both;br/br Perhaps most interesting, I always hear people talk about this little USB drive with the specific purpose of using it to store vital medical informationâ€"perhaps because it is so tiny that it can be attached to a bracelet or necklace without burden. No matter the reason, this thin little drive is awesome. The only downside is that with the small price comes small storage; only 256MB to be exact. /p p/p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/10011_image 6.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/small_thumb/10011_image 6.jpg alt= //a/p p/p h27. Imitation Flash Wristband/h2 p style=clear:both;br/br Colorful wrist bands are still trendy, right? These flash drive wristbands are small plastic bracelets available in a wide range of colors that clasp together at the USB end. The flexible plastic can be morphed for easy access to any computer port. /p p/p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/10011_image 7.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/small_thumb/10011_image 7.jpg alt= //a/p p/p h28. Transcend Biometric USB Drive/h2 p style=clear:both;br/br Transcend’s biometric USB drive offers all the security of a password without the inconvenience of actually having to remember said word. This flash drive comes with the security of accessing data with your own fingerprint. Of course, depending on the data you keep stored, you might lose your finger in a high stakes game…. /p p/p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/10011_image 8.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/small_thumb/10011_image 8.jpg alt= //a/p p/p br/br ##ADSENSE## br/br h29. LaCie iamakey USB Drive/h2 p style=clear:both;br/br Ok, so the name could have used a little more creativity and thought. That doesn’t mean that this USB drive isn’t awesome, though. The problem with sticking any flash drive on your car keys is that it is quite obviously a USB drive, making it conspicuous to anyone with eyes. The iamakey, however, looks just like a metal keys, and makes it far less likely to be spotted smashed between the house key and car key. /p p/p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/10011_image 9.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/small_thumb/10011_image 9.jpg alt= //a/p p/p h210. Corsair Survivor USB Drive/h2 p style=clear:both;br/br This drive is perfect for those who are tough on their drives and need one that won’t get smashed in the car door, damaged on the floor, in the rain, or other adverse conditions. The drive is sealed in a little metal canister with a gasket around the lid to keep water out. While it is not waterproof, it is water resistant, and will keep your data safe in the pouring rain (maybe). /p p/p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/10011_image 10.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/small_thumb/10011_image 10.jpg alt= //a/p p/p h211. Imitation Clip USB Drive/h2 p style=clear:both;br/br The biggest fear (at least, my biggest fear) when carrying around a flash drive is those crappy little plastic openings on the end to fish a keychain or rope throughâ€"they’re so small that anyone who does a fair bit of moving around will eventually snap it, and that always seems to happen in the most unfavorable of locations. For that reason, the Clip from Imitation is an excellent device. The USB drive, which is quite slim, fits inside this rubber case, which has a large opening for a metal carabineerâ€"you’re not likely to lose this drive on your morning hike./p p/p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/10011_image 11.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/small_thumb/10011_image 11.jpg alt= //a/p p/p h212. Black Box Personal Pocket Safe/h2 p style=clear:both;br/br Black Box’s Personal Pocket Safe is about as close to steampunk as you can get from Amazon. For those who like to be a little retro, this flash drive has a 8 buttons on the top, allowing you to enter a physical code to lock/unlock it. /p p/p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/10011_image 12.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10011/small_thumb/10011_image 12.jpg alt= //a/p p/p

Intel Extreme Masters Global Challenge Season IV – Dubai

br/br The Intel Extreme Masters Global Challenge made its way to the middle east this October, putting $31,500 up at stake in the country of Dubai. Dell was all too eager to show off the power of its new Alienware M17x as gamers duked it out in Counterstrike and Quake for the prize money, and of course, gamer fame. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10192/10192_44357831.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10192/large/10192_44357831.jpg alt= //a/p br/br In the world of eSports there is nary a superior gaming circuit to the Intel Extreme Masters, which truly does span the globe â€" the previous stop before Dubai was Chengdu, and the location before that was in Cologne â€" and brings the world’s finest together to compete. The tournament is co-sponsored by Intel and Dell, who consider the event (at least in part) a showcasing of the power of their products. Intel certainly was excited to see the Core-i7 CPUs tearing up the framerates, as was Dell to see it do so on their Alienware M17x laptops. br/br br/br The tournament ran from October 17th-21st and consisted of two parts. From October 17th-19th, the first Quake-Live event ever to take place outside of the U.S took place, with a total prize pool of $6,500. Following this from the 19th-21st was the main event â€" an intense Counterstrike 1.6 battle with a total prize pool of $25,000. Also at stake was an auto-berth to the world final, which besides the prize pool helped to draw the world’s best gamers to Dubai. br/br br/br 16 gamers participated in the Quake-Live tournament, and they were broken up into 4 groups as follows: br/br h3 Group A: /h3 Magnus strongfox/strong Olsson (Sweden), Shane strongrapha/strong Hendrixson (USA), Zhibo strongJibo/strong Fan (China), and Pierre-Emeric strongl1nkje/strong Portier (France) h3Group B:/h3 Richard strongnoctis/strong Gansterer (Austria), Alessandro strongstermy/strong Avallone (Italy), Felix strongsmoke/strong Pafel (Germany), and Pelle strongfazz/strong Soderman (Sweden) h3Group C: /h3 Sebastian strongSpartie/strong Siira (Sweden), Tim strongDaHanG/strong Fogarty (USA), Anton strongCooller/strong Singov (Russia), and Anas strongspammah/strong Ilyas (UAE) h3Group D: /h3 Alexey strongcypher/strong Yanushevsky (Belarus), Kevin strongstrenx/strong Baeza (France), Chance strongChance/strong Lacina (USA), and Michael strongmadix/strong Hindersson (Sweden) br/br br/br object width=425 height=344param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/_pL6PLI6DNMrel=0color1=0xb1b1b1color2=0xcfcfcffeature=player_profilepagefs=1/paramparam name=allowFullScreen value=true/paramparam name=allowScriptAccess value=always/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/_pL6PLI6DNMrel=0color1=0xb1b1b1color2=0xcfcfcffeature=player_profilepagefs=1 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowfullscreen=true allowScriptAccess=always width=425 height=344/embed/object br/br br/br When the dust settled, the top two competitors from each Group would make it to the quarterfinals, with each #1 seed facing a #2 seed. After rapha defeated madix, fox beat stermy, noctis ended Cooller’s day and cypher finished off DaHang, it was time for the semis. Here rapha handed it to noctis and cypher beat back fox, setting up an epic showdown for $3000 â€" the bulk of the $6500 prize pool. br/br br/br object width=425 height=344param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/-lyMXcxmTBYrel=0color1=0xb1b1b1color2=0xcfcfcffeature=player_profilepagefs=1/paramparam name=allowFullScreen value=true/paramparam name=allowScriptAccess value=always/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/-lyMXcxmTBYrel=0color1=0xb1b1b1color2=0xcfcfcffeature=player_profilepagefs=1 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowfullscreen=true allowScriptAccess=always width=425 height=344/embed/object br/br br/br In the finals, rapha outdueled cypher to take home the crown. If you’ve got the time, check out the full 62:38 long fully moderated (in English) video a href=http://tv.esl.eu/de/vod/view/21647here/a. Rapha, from the U.S., took home $3000, while cypher in 2nd place still netted $1500. In 3rd place noctis gained $800, and fox got $400 for finishing in 4th. The remaining players in 5-8th places garnered $200 each. br/br br/br object width=425 height=344param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/ZZJywqtnR_4rel=0color1=0xb1b1b1color2=0xcfcfcffeature=player_profilepagefs=1/paramparam name=allowFullScreen value=true/paramparam name=allowScriptAccess value=always/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/ZZJywqtnR_4rel=0color1=0xb1b1b1color2=0xcfcfcffeature=player_profilepagefs=1 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowfullscreen=true allowScriptAccess=always width=425 height=344/embed/object br/br br/br With the Quake-Live tourney in the rear view mirror, it was time to start the Counterstrike 1.6 tourney. This tournament ran from October 20th to the 22nd and, as we’ve said, had a large prize pool at $25,000. 12 players were divided into 2 pools as follows: br/br h3Group A:/h3 strongMeetYourMakers/strong(Sweden), strongTeam ALTERNATE/strong (Germany), strongfnaticMSI/strong(Sweden), strongKerchNET/strong(Ukraine), Assassins List (UAE), and strongWemade Fox/strong (South Korea) h3Group B: /h3 strongSK Gaming/strong (Sweden), strongVirtus.pro/strong (Russia), strongk23/strong (Kazakhstan), strongVitriolic/strong (Poland), strongmousesports/strong (Germany), and strongIMPULSE/strong (UAE) br/br br/br This list of players included some of the world’s best CS gamers, including mousesports, who won the World Championship in 2008, fnaticMSI, who won it in 2009, and SK Gaming, who won the last Global challenge back in Chengdu. One of the interesting things about the way this pool was drawn up was that merely a few days before the tournament was set to start, there were only ten names up there â€" everyone but Assassins List and IMPULSE. Shortly before the tournament began a local qualifier was held and IMPULSE and Assassins made it to the top of the heap. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10192/10192_fnatic and friends.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10192/large/10192_fnatic and friends.jpg alt= //a/p br/br Unfortunately for the local heroes, when tournament play ended they were the only two contestants to be held without a point after playing five matches â€" but considering who they were going up against, you can hardly hold it against them. The top three winners in the tournament went to all three of the Swedish gamers â€" fnaticMSI came in first, followed by MeetYourMakers and SK Gaming. They were awarded prizes of $10,000, $5,000 and $3,000 respectively â€" that’s $18,000 out of the $25,000 prize pool all going to one country! Rounding out the top winners was Vitriol coming in 4th and earning $2,000, and Team ALTERNATE and k23 coming in 5th and 6th respectively, winning $1,000 each. The two local participants as well as all the other players did not go away empty-handed though, as 7th-12th place were each given $500 for their participation. And with that, an exciting week of gaming concluded in Dubai. br/br br/br The Intel Extreme Masters is a computer gaming tournament that is now in its fourth season. Players from around the globe compete for individual prizes and a berth in the world championship, with a total prize pool this season of over half a million dollars at $530,000. There are six events in the season, the first three being the Global Challenges (of which Dubai was the last), and the last three being regional championships, which take place in the Americas, Asia, and Europe. In addition to these six events there is the ultimate battle, the World Championships, where the best of the best fight for the biggest prize pool of all. Although this Global Challenge didn’t offer all of them, players generally compete in three games: Counterstrike, QuakeLive, and World of Warcraft. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10192/10192_fnatic.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10192/large/10192_fnatic.jpg alt= //a/p br/br This year’s season began this past August and continues until March. The Global Challenges have concluded, and the regional championships are set to begin, starting with the American Championship Finals taking place in Edmonton, Canada from December 11-13. Following that, the Asian Championship Finals will take place in Taipei, Taiwan from February 5-9, and the European Championship Final will overlap with the World Championships at the CeBIT expo in Hannover, Germany from March 2-6. br/br br/br h5Related Links:/h5 The official website for the Extreme Masters is a href=http://www.esl-world.net/mastershere/a. A large gallery of pictures from Dubai can be found a href=http://www.esl-world.net/masters/season4/dubai/gallery/?event=502here/a, and a complete list of all videos recorded in 2009 can be found a href=http://tv.esl.eu/de/vod/list/2009here/a. br/br

Is Ubuntu Ready for a Non-tech-savvy Girlfriend?

Technology has always been a tough sell for women. However, throughout the years, things have changed. One reason that you hear more women opening up to Windows is that it can be less intimidating than a Mac or even Linux computer. br/br br/br h2What Makes Ubuntu Different?/h2 Many people are buzzing about Linux’s newest OS, called Ubuntu, which operates under the open source GNU license. This small and stable operating system is making a splash around the world for it usability and high security levels, unlike previous Linux systems. Though it's cited as a user friendly OS like Microsoft Windows, it's still a Linux based system, so there are some differences when compared to Windows. br/br br/br While it's not Windows, it's also not a Mac system, although it can be learned quickly once users dip their virtual feet into the Linux environment. Linux has made some big strides with Ubuntu, so we created a list ranking just how easy it can be for the beginner, male or female, to use Ubuntu. br/br br/br h2Accessibility/h2 One nice thing about Ubuntu is that it's very easy to find. Thanks to the GNU license, many people can modify and distribute it. It's not dominated by a corporation like the Windows or Mac OS. And while it's open source, meaning that you can download it for free, it can also be sold on the market. It would be highly recommended for those who decide to sell if for a profit to add something of value to make this a worthwhile purchase, because people can get the exact same system for free! br/br br/br Some versions of Ubuntu that can be found on their website include the Desktop, Netbook, and Server editions. Of course you can also find other variations if you look hard enough., like Edubuntu and Kubuntu. However those two were not put out by the main creators of the original Ubuntu and might not contain all the core components of the original. br/br br/br h2Production Tools/h2 Most people use a computer to work or become more productive and Ubuntu is on top of that. Like all other mainstream operating systems, Ubuntu comes fully loaded with productive tools that can used for a multitude of things. Evolution is the software that Ubuntu uses for email, contacts, calendar, and other task features. It appears to work almost exactly like Windows Mail, with the layout included. So this should be easy enough to use even for newbie’s of Linux. This was most likely the goal of the software‘s creators to create an easy to use Windows Mail clone. However if you prefer to use a more well known web based email service, you can. Evolution does allow you to check more than one email account at a time, which should be a time saver for many people. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10118/10118_evolution.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10118/large/10118_evolution.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br While it is fully supported and comes along with Ubuntu, you can still use Microsoft Outlook, though third party software (like Wine) is required to run them. br/br br/br As for IM’ing people, Unbuntu comes with a handy and useful tool called Pidgin. Pidgin is a third party (and free) all-in-one instant messenger-that works like most IM services do, but allows you to have access to all accounts. As with most all-in-one messenger protocols, this will allow you to log in all your IM accounts via one piece of software. Not only does it save you time, but also precious hard drive space. Pidgin is very easy to use and can be easily expanded via plug-ins. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10118/10118_pidgin.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10118/large/10118_pidgin.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br h2Internet Web Browsing/h2 Most people who use computers now use it for the internet. This allows us to become so much more productive. Having a good browser is key, and Ubuntu does come well prepared for internet browsing. It comes bundled with Mozilla’s Firefox 3 web browser, which is considered one of the safest web browsers available for use. br/br br/br Firefox 3 now has easier manageable tagging, history and bookmarks for easier access. Firefox 3 still remains one of the best web browsers available today. It has a high level of protection to keep malware, phishing and viruses away from your PC. Firefox 3 will allow your PC to stay safe without much of a need for technical knowledge. However, most viruses do not run or are designed to run on Linux computers. So Ubuntu also has that advantage along with a safer browser. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10118/10118_main_firefox.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10118/large/10118_main_firefox.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br Firefox 3 also makes it easy for users to customize and get the most out of their browser. It allows the users to download third party plug-ins to work in Firefox to make it more productive for users. br/br br/br It also has a built-in ad blocker, so no need to search for a third party application. br/br br/br h2Photo Management/h2 Women love photos as keepsakes, they love to make scrapbooks and frame them. Ubuntu has a female user-friendly answer to that called F-Spot Manager. F-Spot Manager allows you to easily tag, upload and share your memories with family and friends. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10118/10118_800px-F-spot35.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10118/large/10118_800px-F-spot35.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br It features the plug-and-play driver support that so many love about Windows easy interface and usability. Just plug in the camera and click once on import for a full download of your photos to your hard drive. Simple and effective. Once they're uploaded, your photos are ready to be tagged, edited, organized and uploaded. br/br br/br h2Multimedia/h2 Most of today’s computers are also used for entertainment purposes, so no system is complete without music and video players. Ubuntu luckily has both bundled with the system. Rhythmbox (the music player) and Totem (video player) only play free and open source file formats. However you can buy codecs to play other formats legally. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10118/10118_totem.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10118/large/10118_totem.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br Rhythmbox allows you to stream music and download 100% free songs. Thus, you’re not likely to find mainstream radio hits on it, so you’ll have to browse or find something you will like. You can also share your music files on a network for others to hear. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10118/10118_800px-Rhythmbox_0_11_5.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10118/large/10118_800px-Rhythmbox_0_11_5.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br Totem allows you play all types of videos including streaming Youtube, including free and proprietary videos. You can also buy more codecs that will support more file formats as you please. br/br br/br h2Office/Business Tools/h2 Whether you use your PC for work, play or school, you will find yourself needing office and business software. Luckily Ubuntu comes with Open Office which is easy and compatible with Microsoft Office. It has a application for spreadsheet, word processor, online notepad (called Tomboy) and presentations. br/br br/br Open Office is an open source and GNU product, and many people also have created extensions that can extend the abilities of the original. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10118/10118_openoffice.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10118/large/10118_openoffice.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br h2Conclusion/h2 All in all, Ubuntu isn’t too hard to use or learn for anyone who doesn’t have much technical knowledge. While some of it will be a challenge, most of it isn’t more difficult than Mac or Windows. The look and feel might take some time to get used to, but that's the initial buy-in of picking up a new OS. Knowing the names and locations of what you are looking for can be tricky at first, but you learn pretty quickly. br/br br/br

15 Relatively Unknown Linux Apps

Most people go for the big apps when switching to Linux, and for good reason: they are easy to find, usually very polished, often updated, and there's a lot of online documentation for them. What if you're not looking for the most popular, but instead the best app for you? Below are 25 excellent, high-quality Linux apps that go neglected far more often than they should be. Some are popular amongst those who have been at the Linux game for awhile, and others have become a staple of certain distros while remaining relatively unknown by users of different distros. No matter the reason they've sat in the midline of popularity, you can be assured that these apps do what they claim to do, and they do it well. p/p br/br   strong1. XBMC/strong I first tried this program when it was in its baby stages, and it wasn't so great: crashed, was slow, etc. Imagine my surprise when I tried it again and discovered the best media center I'd ever tried on Linux (yes, better than MythTV). XBMC is refined, it's fast, and it's feature loaded. This media center is perfect for anyone who is looking to set up a Linux box on their TV. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/9957_image 1.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/large/9957_image 1.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br strong2. KDenlive/strong So you thought Open Movie Maker was a nice app? KDenlive will blow you away. This program supports more formats, and can do more than OMM ever could dream of doing. This excellent program is the best option for anyone looking to edit their videos, add credits and headers, and more. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/9957_image 2.jpeg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/large/9957_image 2.jpeg alt= //a/p br/br br/br strong3. Songbird/strong I myself am partial to AmaroK, which is an awesome program. Some people find it to be a bit annoying, however; at least, that's the way I've had some people describe it to me. If you feel the same way, then give Songbird a shot. You just might find that program you've always been looking for. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/9957_image 3.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/large/9957_image 3.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br strong4. Opera/strong So, you're not a Firefox fan, God knows you wouldn't touch Explorer even if it does come in WINE, you're not too fond of Epiphany, and the likes Flock and that one KDE browser people always seem to recommend. What should you use? Opera, of course! Opera is the little browser that could; it hardly ever garners the praise it deserves, yet it keeps plugging along. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/9957_image 4.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/large/9957_image 4.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br strong5. Boxee/strong Yep, Boxee comes in a Linux flavor, too. Through this nifty app, you can access the best media sources on the Internet: Flickr for photos, Hulu for TV, Netflix for movies, Pandora for music (and that's just the start). The best part of this app? You can use your remote. ##PAGEBREAK## br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/9957_image 5.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/large/9957_image 5.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br strong6. Conky/strong This little app is easy to configure and quite popular, as well as useful. It is a rectangle of specs you can place on your desktop, which can list just about anything you want: network activity, hard drive capacity, system heat, current weather, CPU and RAM usage, and much, much more. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/9957_image 6.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/large/9957_image 6.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br strong7. Crashplan/strong Crashplan is an online backup system with both free and pay accounts; it is similar to Mozy, and offers full Linux support, which makes it awesome. You can use this to backup that thesis you've been writing, archives code, sacred (or embarrassing) pictures, documents, and more. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/9957_image 7.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/large/9957_image 7.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br strong8. Meld/strong Meld is a cool program that many people will find useless and a sacred few will find as the alpha app they've spent their lives searching for. Meld is used to compare two similar documents and dynamically edit them; when you make updates and changes to one, it automatically updates the other. Very excellent app. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/9957_image 8.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/large/9957_image 8.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br 9. Gnumeric If you find Calc (OOo) to be too limiting, unstable, or some other distasteful thing, you can give Gnumeric a shake. This excellent spreadsheet app can open many other spreadsheet files, including ones from Calc and Excel, and does everything you'd expect from a spreadsheet program. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/9957_image 9.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/large/9957_image 9.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br strong10. Devede/strong Devede is an excellent alternative to Brasero if you're looking for one. This program is free (duh!), and can be used to create and author DVDs. It has very small requirements, and can handle any formats that MPlayer can handle. It's inclined towards the more technically skilled, but does have a very polished GUI for the brave newbie. ##PAGEBREAK## br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/9957_image 10.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/large/9957_image 10.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br strong11. Tellico/strong The perfect app for anyone who collects anything, whether it be coins, books, or hubcaps you find on the side of the street. You can catalog anything in it and keep track of them via very organized and easy to sift through lists. The program is decidedly KDE friendly, but I fudged it to work on Gnome, so you should give it shot even if you don't have KDE. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/9957_main_image 11.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/large/9957_main_image 11.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br strong12. Pandora One Desktop Player/strong If you're haven't heard of Pandora before then let me be the first to introduce you to the Internet; welcome, we hope you enjoy your stay. With that out of the way, Pandora is an excellent music streaming service that creates radio stations based on your specific taste in music. With the desktop player, it's easier than ever to play your radio stations, and you don't need a tab hogging your browser space. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/9957_image 12.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/large/9957_image 12.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br strong13. Frostwire/strong As you can probably guess from the name, this is a Limewire program for Linux. It is easy to use, nice to look at, and does what it says it will do (let you use Limewire). It guarantees no spyware or malware (which if you're using Linux, then yeah....), fast download speeds, chat rooms, fast torrents, and Bittorrent support, and lots o' skins. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/9957_image 13.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/large/9957_image 13.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br strong14. Homebank/strong If you don't like GNUcash, then give Homebank a shake. This program is a personal finance program that runs very well is quite streamlined. As you probably suspected, it supports QIF and OFX files, and offers graphical analysis of your finances, minor currencies toggle if you're from Europe, you can add payees, and much, much more. Best part? It's GTK+. Skin away! br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/9957_image 14.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/large/9957_image 14.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br strong15. Streamtuner/strong It's not the most beautiful program, but looks aren't everything. This program allows you to stream online radio stations, and gives far more options than you'll probably ever use. You can add streams, bookmark, make favorites, rip songs (if you have Streamripper), and much more. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/9957_image 15.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/9957/large/9957_image 15.jpg alt= //a/p br/br br/br

15 Rocking Google Chrome Extensions

br/br h2 1. Dual View/h2 p style=clear:both; For those who feel that even tabs are limiting, for those who cannot wait the two seconds it takes to control+tab to the next window, for those who need to see both pages now, the Dual View extension allows you to open two webpages in one browser. Navigation is a little funky, but for those who need to compare without flipping between tabs, you can’t do better than Dual View. p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/10154_1.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/large/10154_1.jpg alt= //a/p /p a href=http://www.chromeplugins.org/plugins/google-chrome-dual-view/Get Dual View Here!/a br/br br/br h2 2. PageRank Status/h2 p style=clear:both;This extension will appeal to the OCD monster in you (or your crazy blogging habits). Page Rank Status, a bookmark extension, allows you to click and instantly see the Alexa page rank of any website, including your own blog, your friends Facebook page, or some other obscure websites you may be stalking. /p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/10154_2.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/large/10154_2.jpg alt= //a/p a href=http://www.thewwwblog.com/google-chrome-pagerank-status-checker.htmlGet PageRank Status Here!/a br/br br/br h23. Adblock+/h2 p style=clear:both;If we have to explain to you what Adblock+ is, you’re not a well-rounded Firefox addons user and you might be lacking critical comprehension skills. Nonetheless, we’ll tell you anyway, because that’s what we do. Adblock+ is a nifty extension that will take any ad on any website and make it magically disappear as if it had never, ever existed. /p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/10154_adblock.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/large/10154_adblock.jpg alt= //a/p a href=http://www.chromeplugins.org/google/chrome-plugins/adblock-7523.htmlGet Adblock+ Here!/a br/br br/br h24. Click and Clean/h2 p style=clear:both;The Click and Clean extension is based on the excellent CCleaner tool for PCs and it adds a small tab on the bottom of your browser. When you need to purge your browser history, your cache, cookies, and any other temporary data pertaining to your browser, push the Click and Clean for an instant virtual flush./p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/10154_4.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/large/10154_4.jpg alt= //a/p a href=http://www.hotcleaner.com/Get Click and Clean Here!/a br/br br/br h2 5. Bubble Translate/h2 p style=clear:both;Bubble Translate is a Chrome extension that will translate any text from a foreign language to your native language. To use, simply highlight the text you want to translate, and a small popup bubble will appear above it. /p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/10154_5.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/large/10154_5.jpg alt= //a/p a href=http://code.google.com/p/bubble-translate/ Get Bubble Translate Here!/a br/br br/br h26. Smooth Scroll/h2 p style=clear:both;The interesting thing about this extension is that it demonstrates just how anal some people are, and how…er…non-observant others are. Of course, the choppiness of scrolling in Chrome will be affected by your computer to a degree, but overall, you’ll experience a bit of hesitation when using Chrome. This can be remedied with the Smooth extension. Just note that some people claim to see massive improvements, while others see nothing at all. /p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/10154_6c.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/large/10154_6c.jpg alt= //a/p a href=http://www.chromeextensions.org/appearance-functioning/smoothscroll/Get Smooth Scroll Here!/a br/br br/br h27. Cleeki/h2 p style=clear:both;Cleeki is a right-click dropdown menu that allows you to perform an array of actions to any highlighted word or text, including searching it on Google, looking up its definition, browsing for it on eBay and Amazon, emailing it to a friend, and many other things. /p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/10154_7.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/large/10154_7.jpg alt= //a/p a href=Get Cleeki Here!a href=http://cleeki.com/Get Cleeki Here!/a/a br/br br/br h28. AniWeather /h2 p style=clear:both;This extension will display the current weather in one of 70,000 locations via an animation. It shows the current temperature, wind speed, and humidity, and displays the same info for the next four days. The location can easily be edited and the weather for each day is displayed in a flashing animation./p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/10154_8.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/large/10154_8.jpg alt= //a/p a href=http://www.aniweather.com/Get AniWeather Here!/a br/br br/br h29. Search in GMaps/h2 p style=clear:both;As the name indicates, this extension allows users to easily search for directions/locations of any address in Google Maps with a single click. To use, highlight an address and then click the Search in GMaps extensions and Google Maps will instantly be pulled up./p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/10154_9.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/large/10154_9.jpg alt= //a/p a href=http://www.chromeplugins.org/google/chrome-plugins/search-gmaps-7540.htmlGet Search in GMaps Here!/a br/br br/br h2 10. Page Editor/h2 p style=clear:both;Page Editor is similar to Firebug. Run the javascript extension, and from that point on you can edit the content of any website. This is an especially useful tool for Wordpress users, or high school students trying to convince their friends that they’re hackers./p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/10154_10.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/large/10154_10.jpg alt= //a/p a href=http://www.chromeplugins.org/google/chrome-plugins/page-editor-7697.htmlGet Page Editor Here!/a br/br br/br h2 11. oAutoPagerize/h2 p style=clear:both;This auto page script extension for Chrome will automatically load the next webpage in a series on whatever website you’re visiting so that you never have to click the next button. Perfect for streamlined web searches, for those who spend a large amount of time on forums, or scrolling through blog archives. /p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/10154_main_11.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/large/10154_main_11.jpg alt= //a/p a href=http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/33656Get oAutoPagerize Here!/a br/br br/br h2 12. Rocker for Chrome/h2 p style=clear:both;Rocker for Chrome, also known as Chrome Mouse Gestures, is an extension that gives your mouse the ability to ‘rock’ your buttons for forward and backwards browser control. Holding the right button and tapping the left goes backwards, while doing the opposite goes forward. /p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/10154_12.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/large/10154_12.jpg alt= //a/p a href=http://domainrange.blogspot.com/2009/05/chrome-mouse-gestures.htmlGet Rocker for Chrome Here!/a br/br br/br h2 13. Google Image Relinker/h2 p style=clear:both;Instead of fighting to click on the ‘view image’ link when searching Google Images, just use this extension to skip straight to the picture. Better yet, you can also choose to view the webpage hosting said image with or without the frame, effectively ridding yourself of the problematic redirection that happens when clicking the ‘remove frame’ link./p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/10154_13.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/large/10154_13.jpg alt= //a/p a href=http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/5059Get Google Image Relinker Here!/a br/br br/br h2 14. Scrolling Bookmarklets/h2 p style=clear:both;br/brThere are a number of reasons you could need to have hands-free scrolling, none of which are obvious until you actually need them, at which time you don’t have anything to do that because it wasn’t obvious beforehand. Don’t find yourself unpreparedâ€"download Scrolling Bookmarkets. /p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/10154_14.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/large/10154_14.jpg alt= //a/p a href=http://www.chromeplugins.org/google/chrome-plugins/scrolling-bookmarklets-7631.htmlGet Scrolling Bookmarklets Here!/a br/br br/br h2 15. McAfee Site Advisor/h2 p style=clear:both;If you’re the paranoid type, or simply wise enough to be judicious about the websites you visit, the unofficial McAfee Site Advisor extension is probably a welcomed relief. This extension ranks a website based on the security threat and will issue a warning if the site is too dangerous to even visit. /p p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/10154_15.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10154/large/10154_15.jpg alt= //a/p a href=http://www.chromeplugins.org/tips-tricks/mcafee-site-advisor-bookmarklet-for-google-chromeGet McAfee Site Advisor Here!/a br/br

The Perfect PC Setup for the Online Grinder

Great advice to take as well: it's always best to buy something right the first time than have to buy it twice. Building a new PC can be a challenge. Check out this handy guide for crafting a PC that's perfect for scoring big with Online Poker. If you follow this guide you'll be sure to buy right the first time. My father once taught me a very important lesson: Always use the proper tool for the job. br/br br/br If playing online poker is your job, or even your hobby, you’re going to want the right PC. The first thing to know is you don’t have to buy the most expensive computer and accessories to get what you need. You just need to know what you’re looking for. If you do it correctly, getting the optimal grinder’s PC won’t actually cost you all that much. br/br br/br When you’re looking for items to buy you should be paying attention to: br/br br/br 1) Technical quality br/br 2) Price br/br 3) Compatibility br/br 4) Comfort br/br h3The Box/h3 The actual PC is the most important part but also one of the easiest pieces to configure. As long as you know the very basics of what you want, the details are relatively insignificant. br/br br/br If you walk into a computer shop and say you want a Dual DVI 512meg vid card for less than $150, that’s exactly what you’ll get. The exact model and brand doesn’t really matter here. Your computer is made up of the following items: br/br br/br Motherboard br/br Graphics Card br/br Sound Card br/br Network Card br/br CPU (Processor) br/br RAM (Memory) br/br Hard Drive br/br PSU (Power Supply) br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10195/10195_main_case-HAF932.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10195/large/10195_main_case-HAF932.jpg alt= //a/p h3Case/h3 strongThe Motherboard:/strong This is the central nervous system of your computer. It controls everything else in the computer. br/br br/br Although you really shouldn’t buy cheap anything when it comes to your computer, this is the one thing you never want to skimp on. You get a crappy Motherboard, and everything suffers. br/br br/br If you’re piecing together a computer yourself, you need to also make sure your Motherboard is compatible with the rest of the items you’re about to buy. If you’re not a computer geek, just ask someone who is or someone in the store to help you set up your system. br/br br/br These days, almost all Motherboards come with sound, network and graphics cards built in. This saves buying specific cards for these functions, which in turn saves you money. Although, I’d still recommend you get a Motherboard without an onboard graphics card, or just don’t use it. You’re going to want a real graphics card for your machine, so make sure the Motherboard has a PCI Express slot to accept your new graphics card. As for brand names, I will only recommend two brands: ASUS or MSI. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10195/10195_MSI-p55-gd65.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10195/large/10195_MSI-p55-gd65.jpg alt= //a/p br/br Recommended: stronga href=http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=3975897sku=M452-6040srkey=msi%20p45%20platinumMSI P45 Platinum/a/strong br/br br/br strongGraphics Card:/strong If you want to run dual monitors (and I highly, HIGHLY recommend you do), you want to get a graphics card with Dual-DVI video outputs. Get an ATI or NVIDIA graphics card, ideally with a minimum of 512 megabytes DDR3 ram. This card will be far more powerful than anything you’re ever going to need, but considering the price of a card such as this you’d be a fool to buy anything less. This card will be more than enough power to run everything, including high-end games (but not at the maximum texture and graphics quality). br/br br/br If you want to use your PC for high-end gaming as well as poker, grab a vid card with a little more juice. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10195/10195_vid card-9800gt.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10195/large/10195_vid card-9800gt.jpg alt= //a/p br/br Recommended: stronga href=http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/search.asp?keywords=BFG+GeForce+%28Nvidia%29+9800GTsearchbtn.x=28searchbtn.y=10BFG GeForce (Nvidia) 9800GT/a/strong br/br br/br strongSound Card:/strong As mentioned earlier, pretty much every Motherboard sports an onboard 5.1 surround sound card. Unless you’re planning on doing high-end recording or music production, this will be more than enough for what you need. br/br br/br Save your money and stick to the onboard option. br/br br/br Recommended: strongOnboard/strong br/br br/br strongNetwork Card:/strong All Motherboards have built in network cards, but if you want to go wireless you’ll need to buy a wireless card as well. br/br br/br Recommended: strongOnboard /strong br/br br/br strongCPU:/strong The Central Processing Unit is your computer’s brain. Any time your computer has to do a calculation or perform any sort of task requiring “thinking” or logic, it’s using the CPU. br/br br/br Online poker actually requires a decent amount of CPU usage, especially if you’re running multiple tables across multiple screens. You don’t need anything crazy, but don’t get anything less than a Dual core Intel 2.6 gigahertz processor. br/br br/br Why Intel? I personally hate AMD and will only recommend Intel chips. There’s a reason Apple Computers has begun using all Intel chips in their systems. Intel simply makes the best CPUs on the market. br/br br/br All the dual core and better chips are 64-bit also, allowing you to use 64-bit software (such as Windows 7 Ultimate x64). In case you don’t know, 64-bit software can operate much faster with much more efficiency than its 32-bit equivalent. Since you have a 64-bit chip, you might as well use 64-bit software. br/br br/br Soon enough there will be no such thing as 32 bit (also known as x86), as 64-bit is slowly taking over the entire marketplace. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10195/10195_Intel-core2-duo.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10195/large/10195_Intel-core2-duo.jpg alt= //a/p br/br Recommended: stronga href=http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=3574301sku=CP1-DUO-E8200srkey=Intel%20Core%202%20Duo%20E8200,%202.66GHzIntel Core 2 Duo E8200, 2.66GHz/a/strong br/br br/br strongRAM:/strong Random Access Memory is your computer’s muscle. While your CPU is doing all the thinking work, the RAM is doing all the heavy lifting. The more RAM you have, the quicker your computer will run. Simple as that. Make sure you get RAM compatible with your Motherboard and a minimum of two Gigabytes. br/br br/br If you want to have a high-speed machine (especially if you want to do any serious gaming), get 4GB and call it a day. It's also important to note that 32-bit operating systems can only utilize 4GB of RAM (actually a little less), so spring for the 64-bit operating system as mentioned above if you're going 4GB or higher. br/br br/br It’s always better to buy RAM in pairs and buy all of it at once. Having different brands of RAM used in the same computer has been known to cause errors. Plus, all RAM these days is DDR (Dual Data Rate). This means to get the most performance out of your RAM, you need to have two identical chips in the correct RAM slots on the Motherboard. br/br br/br If you want 4GB of RAM it’s better to buy two 2GB chips rather than four 1GB chips. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10195/10195_RAM.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10195/large/10195_RAM.jpg alt= //a/p br/br Recommended: stronga href=http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/search.asp?keywords=OCZ+Dual+Channel+DDR2+2x2048MBsearchbtn.x=24searchbtn.y=6OCZ Dual Channel DDR2 2x2048MB (4GB)/a/strong br/br br/br strongHard Drive:/strong As long as your hard drives are compatible with your Motherboard (almost all current Motherboards are running the SATA2 interface) just get the one with enough storage. br/br br/br Every day the price of drives goes down and the storage gets bigger. Buy whatever’s big and cheap, probably around 500GB in size. br/br br/br Recommended: stronga href=http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/search.asp?keywords=Western+Digital+Caviar+500GBsearchbtn.x=27searchbtn.y=8Western Digital Caviar 500GB/a/strong br/br br/br strongPSU:/strong The Power Supply Unit takes the power from your wall and distributes the correct amount of juice to everything in your computer. You want to make sure you get a PSU with enough power to run your computer without issue. Basically, get a 750-watt PSU and you’re good to go. br/br br/br Recommended: stronga href=http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/search.asp?keywords=Ultra+LSP750searchbtn.x=32searchbtn.y=17Ultra LSP750/a/strong br/br br/br strongCase:/strong All the guts and wires of the computer need to be contained somewhere â€"that’s your case. The case also includes all the fans required to keep your computer cool. If you don’t have fans, your computer will melt or set itself on fire. br/br br/br When looking for a case you need to find something that looks cool, fits your parts and, most importantly, is quiet. With all the fans running in a PC, they can get pretty damn noisy. A good case will keep your computer cool and quiet without forcing you to wear earplugs in your own room. br/br br/br Recommended: stronga href=http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/search.asp?keywords=Cooler+Master+HAF+932searchbtn.x=31searchbtn.y=15Cooler Master HAF 932/a/strong h3All the Rest/h3 Now that you have a PC, it's time to accessorize. This includes: br/br br/br Monitors br/br Mouse br/br Keyboard br/br Speakers br/br Chair br/br br/br strongMonitors:/strong I cannot be any clearer on this one. Monitors should always be plural. Once you start using dual screens, you’ll see why it’s impossible for you to ever come back. Your best bet is a pair of 20” or 22” widescreen LCD monitors, side by each. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10195/10195_dual monitors.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10195/large/10195_dual monitors.jpg alt= //a/p br/br Recommended: stronga href=http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=3594693sku=V18-2218srkey=Viewsonic%20vx2262wmTwo Viewsonic vx2262wm 22” Widescreen LCDs/a/strong br/br br/br strongMouse:/strong What mouse to use is really a matter of personal preference. You need something that functions accurately and consistently on the surface you’re using it on. If you want to avoid carpel tunnel I’d highly recommend you look into a trackball or “thumb” mouse, such as the Logitech TrackMan Wheel. br/br br/br These let you keep your wrist stationary and use just your thumb to control the pointer. It takes a little bit of time to re-learn how to operate your mouse, but once you do you’ll find yourself being more accurate with less effort. br/br br/br Also, these work on any surface without any surface jump errors. When your money is on the line, an accurate mouse is a requirement. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10195/10195_trackman-wheel.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10195/large/10195_trackman-wheel.jpg alt= //a/p br/br Recommended: stronga href=http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/search.asp?keywords=Logitech+TrackMan+Wheelsearchbtn.x=27searchbtn.y=6Logitech TrackMan Wheel/a/strong br/br br/br strongKeyboard:/strong This really doesn’t matter for poker as anything will work. Simply for ergonomics I’d recommend getting a split or wave keyboard. You will have to re-train yourself to type on it, but it’s a small amount of work to keep your wrists happy. br/br br/br Recommended: stronga href=http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/search.asp?keywords=Microsoft+Natural+Ergonomic+Keyboard+4000searchbtn.x=26searchbtn.y=10Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000/a/strong br/br br/br strongSpeakers:/strong You’re going to need to hear your computer somehow. Use your headphones, grab cheap speakers, or buy a full-on surround sound system. Whatever works for you. br/br br/br strongChair:/strong Anytime you’re spending hours at a time at a desk, you need a proper task chair to give you the back support needed to keep yourself healthy and pain free. br/br br/br If you’re uncomfortable, you’re not going to be able to play your best game. br/br br/br High-end office chairs can cost thousands of dollars, but you can find decent task chairs for cheap prices by hitting up Staples or IKEA. Just be sure to get a task chair instead of an executive chair. Task chairs keep your weight forward in the proper position for typing rather than lounged back where you need to strain to reach the keyboard. h3Total Damage/h3 If you buy everything I’ve recommended here, including the monitors, your computer will come to around $1,175. If you already have monitors, you’re looking at $815. Obviously the price will change depending on any different components you would like or if you need speakers and a chair as well. br/br br/br I priced this out using the best mix of price and quality from a href=http://www.tigerdirect.com/TigerDirect.com/a. br/br br/br It’s possible to shave a few hundred dollars off of this system without having to sacrifice all that much performance. But it’s always best to do something correct the first time rather than have to buy it twice. br/br br/br If you have any questions about specifics parts, or compatibility, feel free to drop your question in a comment. I’ll see what I can do to help you out. br/br

13 Rocking GIMP Tutorials

GimpLite Quickies

If you don’t have the desire to make blends or anything advanced, then the quickie tutorial would be a good start. Basically this covers how to edit the most basics of an image, like re-sizing, cropping, finding info about the image or small projects like that. Very simple and basic. This would also be just a good place to start even if you want to become advanced with the GIMP.

/

You can view it here - Quickies

Simple Animations

While this may sound hard and advanced, it really isn’t. This tutorial is for the more advanced GIMP users who are used to navigating GIMP. But new users can reach this point pretty quickly. This tutorial is fairly easy to learn and will show you exactly how to do it. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/10076_main_simpleanimation.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/large/10076_main_simpleanimation.jpg alt= //a/p br/br You can view it here - a href=http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/Simple_Animations/ rel=nofollowSimple Animations/a br/br br/br h2Blog Theme/Template Tutorial/h2 Since almost everybody has a blog nowadays, finding free and unique blog themes are hard to find. So being able to create a good one is key, and with this GIMP tutorial you can learn a valuable skill. While this tutorial shows you how to make the templates, you will need to learn how to code it together. However this is very handy knowledge to have. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/10076_blogtemplate.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/large/10076_blogtemplate.jpg alt= //a/p br/br You can view it here - a href=http://gimp-tutorials.net/blog-theme-design-with-gimp rel=nofollowBlog Theme/a br/br br/br h2Complete Website Tutorial/h2 On the flip side if you don’t use a blogging platform and you want a whole website, then try this out. This tutorial teaches you not only how to create the layout, but also how to code them so they can be used. Again this is for more advanced users and web designers, it is still good for newbie’s so they can get used to working the tools in the GIMP. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/10076_completewebsitetutorial.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/large/10076_completewebsitetutorial.jpg alt= //a/p br/br You can view it here - a href=http://gimp-tutorials.net/node/71 rel=nofollowComplete Website Tutorial/a br/br br/br h2Forum Signatures, Icons, Blends and Banners/h2 Have you been on forums, sites or even blogs and have seen those neat multi-imaged graphics that are all one color and sometimes have a faded design? Well this is one tutorial that shows you one way to make them in GIMP. However you can also find many more tutorials that show you other ways and tricks to make them as well. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/10076_bannersig.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/large/10076_bannersig.jpg alt= //a/p br/br You can view it here - a href=http://fc05.deviantart.com/fs24/f/2007/316/a/7/Gimp_Tutorial__Easy_Sig_by_pikaadvance.png rel=nofollowForum Signatures, Icons, Blends and Banners/a br/br br/br ##PAGEBREAK## h2Custom Brushes/h2 One thing that makes GIMP a great tool is the fact that even if it lacks a certain brush style, you can create the brushes that you want or need. This tutorial will show you the steps you need to create brushes for your own use or for the sharing with the GIMP community. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/10076_brush.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/large/10076_brush.jpg alt= //a/p br/br You can view it here - a href=http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/Custom_Brushes/ rel=nofollowCustom Brushes/a br/br br/br h2Converting Photoshop Into GIMP Brushes/h2 Of course if you don’t feel like making your own brushes, then you can always download Photoshop brushes and convert them into GIMP brush format. While it is rather simple, it does take some time to get used to converting. This is one of the easier tutorials out there that shows you how. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/10076_photoshopconversion.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/large/10076_photoshopconversion.jpg alt= //a/p br/br You can view it here - a href=http://www.gimptalk.com/forum/-tutorial-how-to-convert-photoshop-brushes-to-gimp-t4349.html rel=nofollowConverting Photoshop Into GIMP Brushes/a br/br br/br h2Selective Colors/h2 While this may not be done often, it is still fun and useful for general GIMP use - due to the tricky nature of selective colors, this is better suited for people who feel more comfortable with GIMP. This tutorial teaches you how to pick colors to either edit or not to edit. This will likely require a few attempts at first to get it done right. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/10076_selectivecoloring.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/large/10076_selectivecoloring.jpg alt= //a/p br/br You can view it here - a href=http://www.gimptalk.com/forum/selective-coloring-t131s100.html rel=nofollowSelective Colors/a br/br br/br h2Character Drawing/h2 Drawing or sketching on a computer is hard, as it does not allow precise lines - however this tutorial will show you how you can come up with perfect characters without pre-sketching or scanning. This is a very handy tool for any web designer. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/10076_charaterdrawing.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/large/10076_charaterdrawing.jpg alt= //a/p br/br You can view it here - a href=http://www.gimptalk.com/forum/tutorial-of-character-drawing-t18338s150.html rel=nofollowCharacter Drawing/a br/br br/br h2Blending/h2 Now while I recommended another tutorial for making forum signatures, this one goes more in detail about making images blend and fade in together. It’s also easier for people who are just starting out with GIMP, without working with too many layers at once. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/10076_blends.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/large/10076_blends.jpg alt= //a/p br/br You can view it here - a href=http://www.gimptalk.com/forum/my-first-tutorial-blending-images-in-gimp-t106.html rel=nofollowBlending/a br/br br/br ##PAGEBREAK## h2Colorize Black White Images/h2 You likely know that with almost every image editing software out there, you can turn any color photo into black and white. However with GIMP, you can also do the exact opposite by taking a black and white image, then turn it into a colored one that doesn’t look fake or edited. This tutorial shows you how. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/10076_colorselect.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/large/10076_colorselect.jpg alt= //a/p br/br You can view it here - a href=http://emptyeasel.com/2008/10/24/how-to-digitally-color-a-black-white-photograph-in-gimp/ rel=nofollowColorize Black White Images/a br/br br/br h2Glass Effect/h2 This tutorial is short and simple, yet it stays right to the point. It shows you how to get the glass or glossy effect that many navigation bars online or buttons seem to have. But it can be used for almost any type of image or graphic you want. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/10076_glassyeffect.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/large/10076_glassyeffect.jpg alt= //a/p br/br You can view it here - a href=http://jasonbradleyonline.com/home/view_tutorial/?id=15 rel=nofollowGlass Effect/a br/br br/br h2Air Brushing/h2 Most end users will want to know how to get that perfect celebrity-like photo touching, so no top image editing tutorial list can be complete without naming one. No need to go to Glamor Shots or any other professional photo shoot to get that picture perfect look. You can learn how to do it right at home with the GIMP. This Tutorial will show you how to get smooth skin and whiter teeth whenever you want for whatever photo you want to use. This is one of the better tutorials out there to learn air brushing from. br/br br/br p class=img-middle a href=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/10076_main_GIMP3.jpg img src=http://media.laptoplogic.com/upload-images/10076/large/10076_main_GIMP3.jpg alt= //a/p br/br You can view it here - a href=http://www.gimpguru.org/Tutorials/CosmeticRetouch/ rel=nofollowAir Brushing/a br/br br/br While these are not ranked or put in a particular order, some tutorial programs are better than others. The internet is filled with thousands of the same type of GIMP tutorials, but most do not go into detail as these do. Feel free to look around and find your favorite ones to share with us and be sure to let us know what you think of the ones we listed here. br/br br/br

The Top 14 Geekiest Wedding Proposals

br/br h21. Chrono Trigger Proposal/h2 br/br object width=425 height=344param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/7_HMLvLB7b0hl=enfs=1rel=0/paramparam name=allowFullScreen value=true/paramparam name=allowscriptaccess value=always/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/7_HMLvLB7b0hl=enfs=1rel=0 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowscriptaccess=always allowfullscreen=true width=425 height=344/embed/object br/br br/br No matter how many times you’ve beaten Chrono Trigger on the SNES, you’ve never seen this exact scene play out. In late 2008 this young former CS student, who goes by the handle TheRealPfhreak, hacked into the game itself to recreate his and his girlfriend’s favorite memories and finally propose to her. Even the girlfriend thought it was nerdy, as after nodding yes, she exclaimed, “You are such a huge nerd! I love this!” The clip is long, so you may want to follow the author’s advice and fast forward to 4:38. br/br br/br h2 2. Super Mario Bros Proposal/h2 br/br object width=425 height=344param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/fDRWD-IjsYEhl=enfs=1rel=0/paramparam name=allowFullScreen value=true/paramparam name=allowscriptaccess value=always/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/fDRWD-IjsYEhl=enfs=1rel=0 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowscriptaccess=always allowfullscreen=true width=425 height=344/embed/object br/br br/br Just a few months ago, this man used an editor called Lunar Magic to construct his proposal inside a game of Super Mario Bros, spelling out “Lisa… Will You Marry Me?” in gold coins. Prime nerd love right there. She said yes! br/br br/br h23. Star Wars Proposal/h2 br/br object width=425 height=344param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/qRmb7Spbk3chl=enfs=1rel=0/paramparam name=allowFullScreen value=true/paramparam name=allowscriptaccess value=always/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/qRmb7Spbk3chl=enfs=1rel=0 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowscriptaccess=always allowfullscreen=true width=425 height=344/embed/object br/br br/br Let’s step away from video games please, and get ourselves some footage from where real nerds go â€" to Star Wars conventions. This man proposed at Celebration III in 2005, and you gotta hand it to him on that costume. Quite a nerdy production! br/br br/br h24. Little Big Planet Proposal/h2 br/br object width=425 height=344param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/Mf2iGG9uTZYhl=enfs=1rel=0/paramparam name=allowFullScreen value=true/paramparam name=allowscriptaccess value=always/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/Mf2iGG9uTZYhl=enfs=1rel=0 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowscriptaccess=always allowfullscreen=true width=425 height=344/embed/object br/br br/br Getting back to video games for a moment… this proposal is unique in that it gives the proposed a chance to actually answer yes or no in the game itself. When she marked yes, she was showered in hearts, and the level continued to take her on a ride on a heart shaped and much more. Great creativity here. br/br br/br h25. Cell Phone Proposal/h2 br/br object width=425 height=344param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/yXW9Ro6Diqohl=enfs=1rel=0/paramparam name=allowFullScreen value=true/paramparam name=allowscriptaccess value=always/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/yXW9Ro6Diqohl=enfs=1rel=0 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowscriptaccess=always allowfullscreen=true width=425 height=344/embed/object br/br br/br This geek and his friends have set up a rig of hundreds of cell phones, and when the proposer dials a certain number, the LED screens of the phone light up and deliver a romantic message to his surprised girlfriend. Unfortunately, sources tell us this proposal is fake, and that it’s just a viral video designed to promote IBM’s RSC 2009 Developer Conference. If it was real though, pretty cool stuff. br/br br/br h26. Epic Movie Proposal/h2 br/br object width=425 height=344param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/Adh4hmpBxlwhl=enfs=1rel=0/paramparam name=allowFullScreen value=true/paramparam name=allowscriptaccess value=always/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/Adh4hmpBxlwhl=enfs=1rel=0 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowscriptaccess=always allowfullscreen=true width=425 height=344/embed/object br/br br/br This one is pretty incredible. Apparently, this guy was able to secure two and a half million dollars in financing for free from Panavision and made a movie preview with body doubles of him and his wife, culminating in a shot of himself proposing. He had taken her to a theater secretly filled with friends and family. This may be a tinge more adorable than nerdy, but hey, film nerds are nerds too. br/br br/br h27. iProposal/h2 br/br object width=425 height=344param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/G-QMynSAxJYhl=enfs=1rel=0/paramparam name=allowFullScreen value=true/paramparam name=allowscriptaccess value=always/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/G-QMynSAxJYhl=enfs=1rel=0 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowscriptaccess=always allowfullscreen=true width=425 height=344/embed/object br/br br/br It may not be original, but it takes a nerd to recreate an iPhone commercial and turn it into a wedding proposal. Nice work with the album covers… not so sure about the “please” at the end. br/br br/br h28. The Price Is Right Proposal/h2 br/br object width=425 height=344param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/GirViU1tsDwhl=enfs=1rel=0/paramparam name=allowFullScreen value=true/paramparam name=allowscriptaccess value=always/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/GirViU1tsDwhl=enfs=1rel=0 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowscriptaccess=always allowfullscreen=true width=425 height=344/embed/object br/br br/br This man decided to propose on the game show “The Price Is Right”. Amazingly, as he pops the question, he scores a perfect $1.00 on the big wheel, and later wins the showcase showdown. This is a good choice for a nerdy game show to propose on… although personally, I want to see a proposal on a Final Jeopardy answer one day. br/br br/br h29. My Super Proposal/h2 br/br embed width='448' height='365' src='http://www.spike.com/efp' quality='high' bgcolor='000000' name='efp' align='middle' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer' flashvars='flvbaseclip=2820607' /embed br / br/br br/br Rand Fishkin, of the Search Engine Optimization company blog SEOMoz fame, originally wanted to propose to his girlfriend with a Superbowl ad. He raised some money but it wasn’t enough, so instead he proposed to her on a local ad in her favorite show, Veronica Mars. After positively (and adorably) flipping out, she says yes! The leftover money was donated to charity. br/br br/br h210. The Laser Cut Foam Core Proposal/h2 br/br object width=425 height=344param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/4kPZk0fJu0ghl=enfs=1rel=0/paramparam name=allowFullScreen value=true/paramparam name=allowscriptaccess value=always/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/4kPZk0fJu0ghl=enfs=1rel=0 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowscriptaccess=always allowfullscreen=true width=425 height=344/embed/object br/br br/br This industrial designer wanted to do something interesting for his proposal, so he designed an art piece in a 3D program on his computer, and then constructed it out of laser cut foam core. He named the piece “My Early Muir Owl” (anagram for ‘will you marry me’) and brought in an actor who he called “Serge Gandaora” (anagram for ‘Sara and George’) to display the art piece at a gallery. Anagrams? Laser cut foam core? Need we say more? And check out that polished video. br/br br/br h211. The Final Fantasy Proposal/h2 br/br embed type=application/x-shockwave-flash width=500 height=319 src=http://gamevideos.1up.com/swf/gamevideos12.swf?embedded=1fullscreen=1autoplay=0src=http://gamevideos.1up.com/do/videoListXML%3Fid%3D22627%26adPlay%3Dtrue align=middle/embed br/br br/br 1UP Editor-in-chief James Milkman Mielke had the nerve (and the good fortune) to be able to ask Final Fantasy music designer Nobuo Uematsu to design the background music for his proposal, in which he featured a ring designed by famed Final Fantasy illustrator Yoshitaka Amano. The whole story is a rel nofollow href=http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=8951187publicUserId=4549175here /a. Check out the video above for pre-proposal footage of him asking Uematsu. br/br br/br h212. The Disneyland Musical Proposal/h2 br/br object width=425 height=344param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/itPfJWCdyBIhl=enfs=1rel=0/paramparam name=allowFullScreen value=true/paramparam name=allowscriptaccess value=always/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/itPfJWCdyBIhl=enfs=1rel=0 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowscriptaccess=always allowfullscreen=true width=425 height=344/embed/object br/br br/br This gentleman recently arranged a musical score at Disneyworld to pop his big question. Quite a voice he has, and quite an adorable nerdy catch for his new fiancé. br/br br/br h213. Classic JK Wedding Dancers/h2 br/br object width=425 height=344param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/4-94JhLEiN0hl=enfs=1rel=0/paramparam name=allowFullScreen value=true/paramparam name=allowscriptaccess value=always/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/4-94JhLEiN0hl=enfs=1rel=0 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowscriptaccess=always allowfullscreen=true width=425 height=344/embed/object br/br br/br Ok, so we’re cheating a little on this one as it’s not a proposal, but this famous adaptation on a wedding procession features some “unique” dance moves and is an absurdly popular YouTube sensation. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s time. br/br br/br h214. Proposal Gone Wrong/h2 br/br object width=425 height=344param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/FeXQLte46rQhl=enfs=1rel=0/paramparam name=allowFullScreen value=true/paramparam name=allowscriptaccess value=always/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/FeXQLte46rQhl=enfs=1rel=0 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowscriptaccess=always allowfullscreen=true width=425 height=344/embed/object br/br br/br This mild mannered fellow (we’re guessing an accountant of some sort) attempted to propose on live TV… he didn’t do the best job if it, and the results are somewhat painful to see. Ouch. br/br