Lifehacker

Set Up and Get to Know Your New Windows, Mac, or Linux Computer [Merry Christmahanukwanzaakkah]

Adam Pash — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 08:00:00 -0800

Good news! You woke up to find a shiny new computer waiting for you under the tree this year. Whether it's a Windows PC, Mac, or Linux box, here's a quick starter guide to getting it running on all cylinders.

Photo remixed with help from Shandi-lee.

We've separated this little get-up-and-running guide into sections depending on whether the machine you got is Windows-, Mac-, or Linux-based, so just find the section that makes sense for you and get going.

So You Just Got a New Windows Machine

Get to know Windows 7: Chances are pretty good that this is the first time a lot of people will be using Windows 7—and even if it's not, take this opportunity to get to know Microsoft's solid new offering with our Complete Guide to Windows 7. While you're schooling yourself on Win7, you'll at the very least want to check out:

The Master List of New Windows 7 Shortcuts:
Windows 7 adds loads of great shortcuts for switching between apps, moving windows around your screen, moving them to another monitor altogether, and much more. Here's a quick-reference master list of the best new Windows 7 shortcuts.
Windows 7's Best Underhyped Features:
It's these less sexy, but very useful features, that make me think the more I use Windows 7, the less chance I'll ever use Vista or XP again.
Set Up and Use XP Mode in Windows 7:
Windows 7's new XP Mode lets you seamlessly run virtualized applications alongside your regular Windows 7 applications-so your outdated software will continue to work.
Turn Your Windows 7 PC Into a Wireless Hotspot:
Everybody's got a wireless network at home, but if you've ever wanted to get your iPod touch, iPhone, or other wireless device connected, but all you've got is a wired network at work, school, or elsewhere, Windows 7 makes this process trivial.
Master Windows 7 Jump Lists to Boost Your Win7 Productivity:
For those of you that haven't yet tried out Windows 7, when you right-click on a taskbar button in Windows 7, a menu slides out with recent documents and application tasks. You can even access it with the left mouse button if you choose. Here's a rundown of our favorite Jump List boosters.
Dual-Boot Windows 7 and Ubuntu in Perfect Harmony:
Windows 7 and Ubuntu, despite their opposing missions, can get along like best pals on a single computer. Here's how to set up a dual boot system that lets you enjoy the best of both worlds in perfect harmony.

Get rid of the bloat: There's nothing like a fresh machine. It's free from an overloaded system tray, bloated application installs, and disorganized file structures, right?

Unfortunately that's not always the case. A lot of machines ship with a whole lot of pre-installed software that you didn't ask for and surely don't want. Our suggestion: Before you go nuts installing the software you really want, download Revo Uninstaller (a tool for getting rid of apps that's superior to Windows' default Add or Remove Programs tool) and get rid of all of the software that shipped with your machine that you don't want or need.

Install your favorite apps in a snap: Now that you've cleared out the crap, it's time to install the applications you really want. We're huge fans of previously mentioned Ninite, a simple utility that lets you tick off checkboxes of your favorite apps, then downloads them and installs them in the background. That means no more hunting all over the internet to find and download the apps, and no more mindless Next -> Next -> Finish clicking. If you'd like a little help finding the best apps around to fill up your Programs folder, check out the following:

Lifehacker Pack 2009: Our List of Essential Free Windows Downloads:
We feature downloads of all kinds every day at Lifehacker. Here, we've bundled all the best free downloads for new computer owners, re-installers, would-be geeks, or anyone who wants to save time installing the best stuff out there. This is our 2009 Lifehacker Pack for Windows computers.
Top 10 Tiny & Awesome Windows Utilities:
It's the little things that make a Windows system great—like utilities that use less than 10MB of memory to make your life easier. Here are 10 apps that pack a lot of greatness into very little space.
61 Free Apps We're Most Thankful For:
As we prepared to stuff our faces with a bountiful Thanksgiving feast, we turned our Thanksgiving spirit to the gobs of free software we love to say thank you to the developers, and to give our computers a feast of their own.
Top 10 Windows 7 Booster Apps
Windows 7 is a big improvement over Vista, and a pretty convenient OS in general—but it's by no means perfect. These 10 downloads improve Windows 7's looks, functions, and make it easier, safer, and more convenient to upgrade to.

So It's a Mac, Is It?

Dive into your Mac: Whether this is your first Mac or your first time in Snow Leopard, we've got you covered:

Hack Attack: A guide for switching to a Mac:
If you're new to the Mac platform—fresh off the Windows world—this guide to switching explains how to make sense out of all the differences between Windows and OS X, highlighting how to accomplish the same things in OS X you're already completely familiar with doing in Windows.
Snow Leopard's Four Best Improvements (for Civilians):
Most of Mac OS 10.6's changes are deep in its underpinnings for developers to put to good use. But what do the rest of us get out of Snow Leopard? Modest, but nice, improvements to the everyday Mac workflow.

Install some killer apps, make a few useful tweaks: Once you've got a better understanding of what's going on with your new computer, you're ready to go on an application installation binge and do a little tweaking.

Lifehacker Pack 2009: Our List of Essential Free Mac Downloads
We've featured countless apps of all sorts over the years, but if you just want a quick look at the best free downloads for your Mac, this post's for you. This is the 2009 Lifehacker Pack for Mac OS X.
Secrets Updates for Snow Leopard, Still Tweaks Every Dark Corner of OS X:
If you're not a big fan of using the Terminal but love hidden features in OS X, Secrets is the preference pane for you. Secrets provides a list of hidden features (and descriptions of each) that can be easily toggled on and off with a simple click of a checkbox.
Get More Precise Font Smoothing in Snow Leopard
Among the many changes in OS X 10.6 was a simplification of the font smoothing options to a yes or no toggle. If your monitor text isn't quite right, here's a quick Terminal tip to get nitty-gritty control.
SnowChecker Determines If Your Applications Are Snow-Leopard Compatible
Free application SnowChecker runs a scan of your installed applications and tells you which may have problems running in Snow Leopard.

Linux-Lovers, This One's for You

An overview and a few handy Linux tweaks:

First Look at Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala Beta
Take a look at the new features in the latest major point release or Ubuntu.
Make Compiz Run More Smoothly on Linux Desktops
If you're running the Compiz window manager on your Linux system—known as "Desktop Effects" in Ubuntu—you might notice it doesn't slide windows around smoothly, and causes occasional video tearing. Here's the fix.
Dual-Boot Windows 7 and Ubuntu in Perfect Harmony
Windows 7 and Ubuntu, despite their opposing missions, can get along like best pals on a single computer. Here's how to set up a dual boot system that lets you enjoy the best of both worlds in perfect harmony.

Now let's get downloading: If you're a Linux person, you can rest assured that your system is likely running lean and mean right out of the box. (That is, without the bloat of pre-installed crapware some Windows systems start off with.) So let's get right to the downloading!

Top 10 Ubuntu Downloads
From Ubuntu tweaking to desktop customization and productivity boosting launchers, these apps promise to seriously enhance your machine.
Allmyapps Bulk-Installs Your Favorite Apps, Makes System Rebuilding Less Painful
One of the most irritating things about reinstalling your operating system is installing all the non-OS applications you love. Allmyapps lets you select all your favorite apps and roll them into a bulk installer to make rebuilding easy.
Top 10 Cross-Platform Apps that Run on Windows, OS X, Linux, and More
Whether your important data lives in the cloud, on your laptop, or on a different operating system, you shouldn't have to use sub-par tools to get at it. These cross-platform apps run on your Linux machine, but will also work when you've got to move to a Windows machine for work or wherever you may end up.

Happy holidays to everybody, whatever it is you may or may not be celebrating. Enjoy that new gear, and let us know what else has helped you get up and running in the comments.

Best Wallpaper Site? [Hive Five Call For Contenders]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 14:00:00 -0800

Nobody ever died from a lack of funky-fresh desktop wallpaper, but if you're going to stare at a box all day, it might as well be a personalized box.

Photo by Mauren Veras.

This week we want to hear all about your favorite site for finding great desktop wallpaper, including what makes it your go-to-site for freshening up your virtual workspace. Whether it's the wide range of sizes they provide, the easy to use interface, or the constant updates, we want to hear about the features that keep you coming back.

Hive Five nominations take place in the comments, where you post your favorite tool for the job. We get hundreds of comments, so to make your nomination clear, please include it at the top of your comment like so: VOTE: Favorite Wallpaper Site. Please don't include your vote in a reply to another commenter. Instead, make your vote and reply separate comments. If you don't follow this format, we may not count your vote. To prevent tampering with the results, votes from first-time commenters may not be counted. After you've made your nomination, let us know what makes it stand out from the competition.

About the Hive Five: The Hive Five feature series asks readers to answer the most frequently asked question we get: "Which tool is the best?" Once a week we'll put out a call for contenders looking for the best solution to a certain problem, then YOU tell us your favorite tools to get the job done. Every weekend, we'll report back with the top five recommendations and give you a chance to vote on which is best. For an example, check out last week's Five Best Collaboration Tools.

Make a Swanky Bookcase from Old Drawers [DIY]

Lisa Hoover — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:30:00 -0800

Then next time you're getting ready to kick a beat-up clothes dresser to the curb, take a minute to remove the drawers. With a little paint and decorative paper, you'll have yourself a brand-new modular bookcase.

Home crafting blog Crafty Nest came up with a smart way to repurpose a group of drawers, especially ones that are oddly-sized or mismatched. All it took was a few coats of paint to prettify the outsides and some nice-looking paper to lay down on the bottoms of the drawers (which will become the back of the bookcase once it's assembled).

Take a few minutes to sand down any rough edges, take off the drawer pulls, fill the in holes with wood putty, and slap on a couple layers of paint. Measuring and fitting the paper into the bottom of the each drawer is the trickiest part, and even that's no big deal.

Paint a layer of glue onto the wood, then place the paper on top. I found it easier if I poured a thin line of glue onto the surface, then spread it with my paintbrush. Flatten the paper with a brayer or your hands. Smooth out the air bubbles before the glue sets. Let dry.

This bookcase would make a great addition to a home office or children's playroom, but surely it's not the only way to repurpose an old drawer. What kinds of ideas can you come up with? Brainstorm in the comments.

A Bit Better RTM Enhances Remember The Milk for Google Chrome [Downloads]

The How-To Geek — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:00:00 -0800

Google Chrome extension A Bit Better RTM is one of our favorite ways to tweak the popular Remember the Milk online to-do list web app, and now it's been ported as a native Google Chrome extension.

We've mentioned the A Bit Better RTM Greasemonkey script twice before as one of our favorite user scripts for Greasemonkey in Firefox, and the the native Chrome version works much the same way—the most noticeable feature moves the tabs over to the left, saving precious vertical space for widescreen laptop users, and making them more readable in general.

In addition, you can rearrange the lists, hide the lists you don't use, use keyboard shortcuts to switch between them, and even move an item to a folder from the keyboard. It's an extremely helpful extension, and this author, at least, is thrilled to finally have it on Chrome. A Bit Better RTM is a free download, works wherever Chrome does. Thanks, CookingCat!

Hang a Two-Hook Picture with Wax Paper [Weekend Project]

Lisa Hoover — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Trying to hang a heavy picture with two anchors and make sure it's level is enough to drive a person mad. Instead of peppering your walls with 3,000 holes trying to get it right, whip out the wax paper.

Photo by justinbaeder.

How-to-do-everything web site eHow has a pretty slick trick for getting pictures hung just so without a lot of trial and error. Once you've marked the wall where you want to hang your frame, put your picture face down on a table and tear off a strip of wax paper a few inches longer than the frame itself.

Tape the paper to the top of the frame, right over the mounting brackets, then mark the location of the bracket by piercing a hole in the paper. Pull the wax paper off the frame, line up the two holes, and fold the wax paper in half. Now you've got a perfect template of your frame and its mounting brackets.

Tape the wax paper on the wall exactly where you want to hang the picture, drive nails through the holes you pierced in the paper, and there you have it. Slap your frame on the wall and you're done. Check out the post for details on how to hang a picture with wax paper, then hit up our info on hanging perfectly centered artwork for more tips.

What's your secret to hanging pictures without tearing out half your wall in the process? Let us know in the comments.

Evernote for iPhone Update Adds Offline Notebooks, Better Search Functions [Downloads]

Lisa Hoover — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 11:00:00 -0800

iPhone/iPod touch only: Evernote's iPhone App just got a beefed up with some new features that will make Evernote lovers swoon, including features like offline access to notebooks and the ability to search notes during a sync.

A new feature available to everyone is the ability to create notes on your iPhone and cache them for later access. New local search capabilities mean you can access your cached notes when you're offline, which is awesome if you're in a bad coverage area or can't get a Wi-Fi signal.

Now users can also search during a sync instead of getting an error message telling you to wait. In fact, sync has been given its own button now, so you've got more control over just when the deed gets done. Are you a fan of Audio Notes? Then you'll be thrilled to know you can yap twice as long now—up to 20 minutes.

Premium users get the option to download all your notebooks onto your device so you can access, edit, and search them, no matter where you are and whether you have coverage or not. Evernote also added an option to upgrade to the Premium version from right within the app (hello, impulse purchasing for the impatient).

Check out what Evernote's developers have to say about all the changes in this version in their blog post—including speed boosts and more languages. Then, let us know what dream feature you're waiting for in the comments.

Access Password-Protected Feeds with Google Reader [Google Reader]

Whitson Gordon — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 10:30:00 -0800

Google Reader is easily the most popular web-based RSS reader, but if you've ever tried subscribing to an RSS feed that required password authentication, you're out of luck in Reader. Weblog Digital Inspiration demonstrates a clever trick to circumvent this problem.

Even though Google Reader doesn't support password protected feeds, Google's FeedBurner does—and what's more, it can turn it into a private(ish) feed that you can then subscribe to in Reader. Check out the video and the link for more details.

The only caveat is that the necessary username and password will be in the feed's url—which, with FeedBurner's NoIndex option, shouldn't be indexed in search engines, but many still may not feel comfortable having, say, their Gmail or Twitter password in a public feed URL (and rightfully so). This workaround is still pretty useful for, say, private blogs and other such things.

Lifehacker Labs: Wine Bottle Ambience [Lifehacker Labs]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 10:00:00 -0800

Have some Christmas lights you just didn't get around to hanging? Turn them into a some ambient lighting with a wine bottle and some tinkering.

Lifehacker Labs is a chance for us to show you how we've used tips and tricks from Lifehacker, revisited old ones, and even improved upon them in the process. We promise we wore safety glasses the whole time and everyone signed a waiver.

Last month we shared a clever DIY project: filling a bottle with Christmas lights to create a novel source of ambient light.

It seemed like a simple enough project so we donned our safety glasses and gave it a shot. We tested out two different bottle colors and two different types of lights. Our first test bottle was a dark brown bottle that we filled with LED Christmas lights. Our second bottle was a cobalt blue bottle that we filled with white incandescent lights.

After the experiment, we have several observations to share. The first one is that drilling holes in glass isn't as big a pain as you'd think. The drill bit was $19 and the process only took about 30 seconds per bottle. Second, we were surprised at how cool the bottles remained once they were strung with lights—the heat issue had been a concern in the comments of the original post.

We ran both bottles, the LED and the incandescent, for 6 hours with the opening of the bottles blocked by a meat thermometer dangling down inside. The LED bottle didn't get hotter inside than 80F and the incandescent bottle didn't get hotter than 120F. The latter temperature isn't what anyone would call cool but it's far from dangerous.

Our final observation is that LED lights, while a good choice for energy efficiency and cool operating temperature, didn't look that great. They were too bright, so bright in fact that we ended up frosting the bottles using the spray we had leftover from our DIY Sun Jar project. We frosted both bottles which was a nice touch—the light and the wires inside made interesting patterns on the glass. Check out the photo below to see the blue bottle after the frosting.

One thing to consider if you opt to use LED lights. Most LED Christmas lights have a transformer on the line itself, which is too big to fit through the 1/2" hole you'll be drilling in the bottle. We ended up having to cut the line and feed it through the mouth of the bottle and rewire the socket. You can avoid that hassle by using incandescent lights.

That's it for this week's Lifehacker Lab, but don't let us have all the fun. We have a Lifehacker Tips Tester pool on Flickr for you to show off your your favorite Lifehacker tips, tricks, and hacks in action. If you've used a tip from Lifehacker, we'd love to see photos of your results in the tester pool!

XBMC Updates to 9.11 Camelot, Brings Awesome New Look, Improved Features [Downloads]

Adam Pash — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 09:30:00 -0800

Windows/Mac/Linux/and more: XBMC is a killer open-source, cross-platform media center, and today they've released XBMC 9.11, introducing a whole new default look and feel, and it's very friendly on the eyes.

Called Confluence, the new look blends some of the best features of XBMC's previous default skin (PM3.HD) with several other popular skins for pretty impressive results. It's definitely a different look from what we've seen in the Boxee beta, but the two media centers continue to deliver really impressive (and most importantly free) offerings.

(See all the images on one page here.)

You can read the condensed changelog on their blog, but some highlights include:

Better support for multi-monitor setups
High Definition, Surround Sound, and Subtitle Flagging and Filtering in Video Library
Speed up RAW image loading and handle more file extensions
Performance improvements to SQLite (database) queries (help is always wanted here)
Ability to scrape and scan TV Shows into the video library by air-date via TheTVDB.com

If you're an XBMC user, it's an update well worth grabbing. XBMC is a free download for Windows, Mac, Linux, Apple TV, and pretty much anywhere else you want to put it. Also, good news for people who followed our guide to building a silent, standalone XBMC media center on the cheap: The latest release of the Live version looks like it supports our machines out-of-the-box without custom third-party builds.

The Clever Cube Office [Featured Workspace]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 09:00:00 -0800

Today's featured workspace has several clever DIY solutions to a variety of office ailments like USB hub placement, cord management, and easy access to frequently used ports.

Lifehacker reader Jason Devilla tweaked and tinkered with his workspace until, with a healthy dose of DIY action, he found a setup that worked for him. He made his own monitor stand with a cable-management chamber built into the base. He turned a metal holder designed for cutting boards into a laptop stand with the addition of a swatch of fabric.

To help with the cables he has to use on a daily basis he positioned them where they were accessible but unobtrusive. Check out the photos below to see how he hid his USB hub inside his pencil cup and made a little stand for his audio jack out of a binder clip so he could easily plug his headphones in.

If you have a workspace of your own to show off, throw the pictures on your Flickr account and add it to the Lifehacker Workspace Show and Tell Pool. Include some details about your setup and why it works for you, and you just might see it featured on the front page of Lifehacker.

Take Your Break a Bit Early in This Week's Open Thread [Open Thread]

Adam Pash — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 08:30:00 -0800

Before you get all caught up in the whirlwind of the holidays (assuming you haven't already), take a moment to decompress a little bit in this week's open thread.

Photo by sunsets_for_you.

Sure it's a day early, but considering that most of you have the day off tomorrow, we figure a lot of folks won't be around to chat anyway. So, the day is different, the drill is the same: The open thread is your weekly place have a good talk with your fellow Lifehacker readers. (You can continue the conversation any day of the week at #openthread.) Share egg nog recipes, offer tips for fixing the family computer, and just unwind a bit. You'll need a commenter account to join, so if you haven't already, you'll need to audition to get one. Happy Thursday!

SkyDrive Explorer Mounts Your SkyDrive in Windows Explorer [Downloads]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 08:00:00 -0800

Windows: If you're looking for tighter integration between SkyDrive and your regular file storage, SkyDrive Explorer, as its name would imply, integrates Microsoft SkyDrive into Windows.

Once installed you won't find much flash to SkyDrive Explorer, it simply does what it promises. Provide your login credentials for your SkyDrive account and the drive that appears in My Computer—seen above—is linked to your online storage. You can interact with it like any other drive.

If you need to access a wider variety of online storage you'll want to check out previously reviewed Gladinet which can connect to SkyDrive along with other storage sites like Amazon S3.

Have a favorite tool for integrating your online applications and storage with your computer? Let's hear about it in the comments.

Cygwin 1.7 Adds Windows 7 Support and Many Improvements [Updates]

Kevin Purdy — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 07:00:00 -0800

Windows: Cygwin, the utility that opens Windows up to Linux/Unix/Mac-style command line powers, has updated to support Windows 7, accept more filenames with special characters, and do a whole lot more nitty-gritty terminal stuff a whole lot better.

Photo by WikiMedia Commons.

There's a whole lot of detail to the What's New section of Cygwin's 1.7 release, but the big bullet points for users wondering if they should upgrade are support for multiple installations, new and better authentication methods, IPv6 configuration, and the aforementioned support for Windows 7 (and Windows Server 2008 R2).

Need a primer on getting started with Cygwin, or grasping what it can do? Gina got all kinds of geeky with it in three detailed walkthroughs, along with detailing how to set up a personal SSH server for powerful remote access to a home PC.

Cygwin is a free download for Windows systems only.

Learn Online Retail Psychology Tricks to Avoid Them [Psychology]

Kevin Purdy — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 06:00:00 -0800

One day after explaining the psychology of restaurant menus, the New York Times opens our minds' eyes to online retailers' manipulation of colors, price points, and time distortion to get us buying—and how we can avoid such trickery.

Online shopping may seem like the uncluttered, no-distraction way to single in on a deal and grab it, but shopping sites have long since adapted to consumer behavior, and the subconscious thinking behind it. Ludicrously over-priced Items are put up on inventory pages that the company has little to no expectation of selling, just to make the mid-range options seem more appealing than the bargain choices. And when it comes to product shots, your mind's color associations can betray you:

Looking at a couch on a furniture retailer's Web site, you probably take no conscious notice of the green-patterned wallpaper behind the couch. Yet, Deborah Mitchell, a senior lecturer in marketing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said one study showed that green is associated with money, and got subjects' neurons firing in a way that made them sensitive to the cost of the item.

In the same study, a blue-patterned wallpaper behind the couch was associated with comfort, and got subjects' neurons firing in a way that made them sensitive to the comfort of the item.

So your mind plays tricks on you, even when there's no salesperson around to distract you. Now what? The Times breaks down the best, if somewhat basic, advice:

Determine what you are going to buy online, and stick to it.

Determine the amount of time you are going to shop online, and stick to it.

Determine your online shopping budget, and stick to it.

These resistance maneuvers, and the psychology angle, are all detailed more vividly at the link. If you have your own experiences and war stories about online retailers' mind games, we'd love to hear about them in the comments—mostly because our shopping is finally, thankfully over.

Get Your Camera Returned with a Great Photo Message [Clever Uses]

Kevin Purdy — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 05:00:00 -0800

Want a better shot at getting a lost digital camera back? If your finder has any heart at all, a multi-frame photo message will give both motivation and instructions. Check out Andrew McDonald's smirk-inducing series as an example.

Children's author and blogger Andrew McDonald never deletes 25 photos on his camera's memory card—presumably kept in a separate folder from the standard image outputs. Flipped through on a camera viewfinder, they offer a pretty amazing personal story about the importance of that camera, the unique humanness of the owner, and, most importantly, an email address for coordinating a camera return.

Andrew's posted all the pics at his blog, but you can get the viewfinder-flip effect by checking out the animated GIF version, courtesy of Your Daily GIF Blog. Oh, and while you're adding permanent camera card fixtures, tossing in a helpful TXT file couldn't hurt, either.

Thanks to Zombie Ms. Skittles for leaving us that #tip, which anyone can do.

Help Mozilla Design Firefox 4's Home Tab [Design]

Kevin Purdy — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:00:00 -0800

When you close your eyes, do you see great new browser design concepts? Mozilla would like to borrow your talent for a few moments and ask for your help in designing the look, and purpose, of Firefox 4's "Home" tab.

Mozilla is looking to pull the home button out of the main toolbar and give it its own tab, and make it something more than just a single page to head to. It can't be just a slick-looking page full of iGoogle-like gadgets, or a grid of your most recently visited sites, though—that's specifically what Mozilla doesn't want. In their words:

This is not because we don't think this use case is valuable, but we're much more interested in what a browser start page can do with full access to the browser. An interesting example is something like the about:me extension (Ed. note: check it out here), which shows you trends in your browsing habits. Unlike mainstream portals like Yahoo and MSN, the locally hosted Firefox home tab can potentially offer users an experience that is innately personal, and tailored to each user's incredibly unique personalities and interests.

While we heartily encourage you to register your thoughts at the design challenge site, we're also open to hearing from our armchair conceptual artists about their home tab ideas in the comments.

Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Themes of 2009 [Best Of 2009]

Kevin Purdy — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:00:00 -0800

This year's release of Firefox 3.5 gave us a lot of reasons to like it, but its extensibility remains everyone's favorite feature. These add-ons and theme tools were the most popular in the year gone by.

This list is culled from a straight listing of the most popular posts that offered a Firefox extension for download in 2009. We're not including posts about configuring Firefox, or even our own hand-rolled Firefox add-on packs—even if they were pretty popular, too. Let's get to the good stuff.

Firefox 3.7 Theme Makes Your Browser Look Awesome

One of the greatest things about Firefox is that its development happens way out wide in the open. When the design workers start coming up with preliminary sketches of a new release, anyone can peek at them and even compile them into a theme, which does just what the headline suggests.

All-Glass Firefox Enables Slick Transparency Effects

Windows Vista and 7 feature some fairly nice looking transparency effects, but if your primary browser doesn't use them, it can feel a bit disconnected. All-Glass Firefox v2 tweaks your browser to look just, well, proper in its fancy-pants surroundings.

"Vacuum Places Improved" Speeds Up Firefox with a Click of Your Mouse

You can speed up Firefox by cleaning up its fragmented database, and the Vacuum Places Improved 0.3 extension automates that admittedly pain-in-the-butt process.

Gmail Redesigned 3.0 Focuses on Speed and Message Space

Google Redesigned, a multi-site suite that trades Google's blue/white/minimal look for a darker, sleeker feel, kept improving its transformative powers this year, adding a host of improvements in its 3.0 release, and later releasing a new version with GReader Redesigned for the RSS hounds.

Dislike 0.2 Adds a Disapproving Dislike Button to Facebook

"I'm having SUCH a bad day—the cleaning lady TOTALLY left her Pine Sol smell all over my bed linens!" That, my friends, is why clever JavaScript tweakers created the Dislike extension.

TinEye Adds Reverse Image Lookup to Firefox

Many of the pictures and illustrations you find across the web aren't in their original form—and many can be had at better, perhaps more wallpaper-worthy sizes. The TinEye extension makes it a simple right-click maneuver to search out similar copies of any image you come across.

SkipScreen Lets You Pass Go and Collect Your Download

Sometimes, great stuff has to be hosted on public download services, because the file—or the attention it's getting—is just too much for our meek little personal sites. And the download sites often make it as painful as possible to grab those files. SkipScreen acts as an automated intermediary, jumping through the necessary hoops and entering the key presses required.

FireFound Tracks Your Stolen Computer, Nukes Your Personal Data

This neat little extension, winner of the Extend Firefox 3.5 contest, utilizes lots of Firefox's built-in features, like geo-location and the extension framework, to offer wary laptop users a way to nuke their personal data, passwords, and history if necessary, track where their machine is logging on after a theft, and cull all kinds of data from the thief. FireFound is, in other words, a smart thing to install if your laptop ever leaves the home.

Gui:config Gives Easy Access to Hidden Firefox Settings

A lot of helpful stuff is tucked away in Firefox's about:config menus. Gui:config brings them into focus and offers a graphical way to manage them. As the How-To Geek puts it, it's amazing that this isn't something being considered for mainstream distribution in the browser.

Memory Fox Manages Firefox's Memory Use, Aims to Keep It Low

(Windows only): Firefox is decently light with memory on startup, but extensions and plug-ins drag it down as you actually use it. Memory Fox monitors Firefox's memory use and, once it reaches your pre-set limit, whips it back into shape.

Daum Blue Firefox Theme is Clean, Simple, and Elegant

(Windows only): Well, the headline and picture kind of say it all about Daum Blue, but it's worth noting that beyond looks, it's also fairly customizable, and looks even better on Vista and Windows 7 systems.

Decreased Productivity Helps You Browse at Work Without Getting Busted

Sure, kind of anathema for this site's stated mission, but giving your mind a break at work has real mental benefits, even if your boss doesn't think so.

UrlbarExt Adds Super Powers to the Awesome Bar

If you're likely to do more at a web site than just simply bookmark it, UrlbarExt is like a Leatherman for your AwesomeBar. Head to a site's root, search the site on Google, and do much more from a small array of address bar buttons.

Foxmarks Becomes Xmarks, Adds Search and Suggestion Features

Another headline that pretty much says it all. We weren't a big fan of Xmarks' new "discovery" features, but its growing reach into Chrome and other browsers make the former Foxmarks' expansion a good thing.

Magnetiser Downloads Torrents When No Torrent File Is Available

Given the recent legal crackdown on BitTorrent-centered sites, magnet links (explained here) are increasingly popular. Magnetiser makes it easy to track down a working torrent link to grab the file you're looking for.

Integrated Gmail Updates with Improved Looks and Handy Features

It must be mentioned that, beyond smooshing together Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Reader into one neatly-arranged Gmail page, Integrated Gmail also customizes every niggling detail of those combined apps, making it worth the try-out, even if you think you like your Google spaces separated into different tabs.

Omnibar Extension Collapses Firefox's Address and Search Boxes into One

Omnibar is one of the clever ways Firefox can make itself into a Google Chrome clone, and we love that kind of openness 'round here.

Invisible Hand Subtly Shows Best Web Prices

If you're always looking at online purchases and wondering if you could save more before pulling the trigger, Invisible Hand affirms your hunches for you, dropping down and showing lower prices wherever it can find them.

Ubiquity Sees Major Update, New Look, Better Performance

Mozilla's future-facing automation and shortcut engine, Ubiquity, continued to get awesome-r in 2009.

App Tabs Creates Permanent, Icon-Only Tabs, Firefox 4.0-Style

We dug the idea of permanent, favicon-only tabs when a helpful reader explained it to us, but the App Tabs extension took a multi-step process and made it far more simple.

Not seeing your favorite add-on released in 2009 here, or covered anywhere at Lifehacker? Can't believe your favorite app doesn't get more attention? Let's hear all about it in the comments.

From the Tips Box: Hidden Hard Drives, Free Magnets, and Google Music [From The Tips Box]

Whitson Gordon — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:00:00 -0800

Readers offer their best tips for hiding external hard drives, salvaging magnets from shower curtains, and working around Google Music's 30 second previews.

Don't like the gallery layout? Click here to view everything on one page.

About the Tips Box: Every day we receive boatloads of great reader tips in our inbox, but for various reasons—maybe they're a bit too niche, maybe we couldn't find a good way to present it, or maybe we just couldn't fit it in—the tip didn't make the front page. From the Tips Box is where we round up some of our favorites for your buffet-style consumption. Got a tip of your own to share? Add it in the comments, share it here, or email it to tips at lifehacker.com.

Hide External Drives Behind Monitors for a Clean Workspace

Joshua shows us how he keeps his desk nice and neat:

How to hide a hardrive on an iMac easily with a wire tie: Just tie the drive to the arm that connects the base, simply and easy trick.

While this may be easier on an iMac than other monitors, the idea of sticking your drive on the back of your monitor can be used on any computer. When in doubt, use duct tape.

Keep Magnets When Throwing Out Shower Curtains

Photo by rick.

Jonathan Fournier makes the most out of his old shower curtain liners:

When I change out my shower curtain liner every few months, I cut the three or four magnets out of the bottom and use them on the fridge. Free(ish) magnets!

Save Your Ties from Messes With a Bobby Pin

mindtrix shows us how to save ties from taking a swim:

'Tis the season, and with it comes the eggnog, carols and the outrageous Xmas ties.

I am not a tie man myself, but one thing I know you don't want this season is your tie dipping in your glass of eggnog!

So keep that noose out of your nog with a bobby pin! It may not be overly fashionable, but its small enough to do the job and barely be noticeable.

If your holiday ties are really bad, though, and you'd rather they die a horrible, eggnoggy death, we won't blame you.

Bypass Google's One-Play Limit With Private Browsing

MooseStuff sticks it to the man with this Google Music workaround:

If you use Google to listen to some tunes, you know how annoying it can be to go back to a good song only to find you only get a 30 second sample. well if you open a new incognito window (or private mode of choice) it will play the full song, however you need a new window each time you want to play it.

iLike (which plays from MySpace) is the only service I found that seems to make you listen to 30-second samples after the first try, and Google Music seems to change what service it automatically plays from at will. If it keeps sticking you with iLike, though, this is a nice little workaround.

Comcast Settles Class Action Lawsuit, Will Compensate Throttled BitTorrent Users [BitTorrent]

Adam Pash — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:30:00 -0800

A couple of years back Comcast gained some bad press for throttling BitTorrent traffic on their network while pretending they were doing no such thing. After several reports confirming the throttling and a leaked memo, the FCC ordered them to stop. A few class action lawsuits later, and Comcast has put $16 million dollars into a fund to pay back users they swindled with their BitTorrent throttling. [TorrentFreak]

NORAD Santa Tracker Tells You Where the Big Guy Is on the Big Night [Holidays]

Lisa Hoover — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Somebody needs to keep track of Santa Claus as he makes his way around the globe Christmas Eve, and, once again, NORAD has stepped up to the plate. This year they're providing radar coverage and up-to-the-minute info on his every move.

Volunteer military personnel work into the wee hours of the night tracking St. Nick on special equipment that pinpoints his location on Google Maps and Google Earth. "Santa Cams" catch him in action as he criss-crosses the Earth in his sleigh and, if you watch closely, you'll even get to see Santa do a flyby of the International Space Station.

Santa trackers issue regular reports on the web site as the Big Guy stops at various countries on his way to the United States; the trackers also remind kids about the importance of going to bed so he doesn't have to skip the homes of boys and girls that are still wide awake. (How convenient!) The trackers also keep busy answering live phone calls and emails from kids around the country who call or write in with questions. You can also track Santa in Google Earth, visit m.noradsanta.org on your mobile device, or just search for "Santa" on Google Maps on your phone.

NORAD's holiday web site is already up and running with games and activities, but the real fun begins at 12:00 a.m. MST on December 24th. That's when the Santa Cams flip on and viewers can watch Santa and his elves get the sleigh and reindeer ready to go out for the night.

Be sure to check out the video compilation of scenes from last year's cams to see some of the places NORAD caught Santa last year. If you've never visited the NORAD Santa Tracker on Christmas, you really must do so. It's so cool that you'll want to make it a holiday tradition.

Stretch Too-Tight Shoes to Fit with a Hair Dryer [MacGyver Tip]

Lisa Hoover — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:00:00 -0800

If you drag out your party shoes only to discover they're a tad too small, don't suffer in silence all night. Stretch them out a smidge with a few pairs of socks and a hair dryer.

While the end result of larger shoes is worth it, you'll need to put up with a few minutes of pinched toes to get the results you want. The Observer's Sian Berry suggests you don a few pair of socks, stuff your feet in the shoes, and aim a hairdryer at the tight areas. For maximum benefit, flex and stretch your feet as you blast them with hot air.

Keep the shoes on while they cool, then try walking in them without socks to check the fit. If they're comfy, you're done; if they're still snug, whip out the socks and hair dryer again until the shoes are stretched enough to get you through the evening.

To keep your shoes from shrinking in the first place, avoid getting them wet. Berry says:

Also, remember that water will make leather brittle so wet shoes should be dried gently, not placed in front of the fire or on top of a radiator. You can speed up the drying and help wet shoes and boots keep their shape by stuffing them with newspaper.

How do you keep your shoes ship-shape? Let us know in the comments.

Make Your Last-Minute Gifts Printable [Gift Giving]

Adam Pash — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:30:00 -0800

Just realized you've still got one person left to buy for, don't have time to hit the stores, but don't want to show up empty handed? Lifehacker alum Rick Broida highlights five printable gifts that'll give you something to hand over.

Broida's options cover the printable gift certificate territory pretty well (including Amazon, Gifts.com, iTunes, Netflix, and Restaurant.com, so if you want to take the quick online gift card route but would still prefer to hand your loved one something more concrete than an email, those are good options. We've also got a whole tag category full of printables that could help you find some fun, inexpensive, and last-minute gift ideas (we especially like The Small Calendar business-card-sized calendar). You'd probably need a fairly nice printer and paper if you wanted avoid looking extremely cheap, though.

Got any last-minute gift ideas of your own? Let's hear your best bets in the comments.

Microsoft Security Essentials Ranks as Best-Performing Free Antivirus [Antivirus]

The How-To Geek — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:00:00 -0800

Anti-malware testing group AV-Comparatives.org not only gave Microsoft Security Essentials a top rating for malware removal, but now they've given it their best ranking in their performance test as well.

AV-Comparatives.org ran a series of real-world tests running through common scenarios like downloading, extracting, copying, and encoding files, installing and launching applications, and they also ran through an automated testing suite as well. Once the dust had settled, it became clear that not only is MSE one of only three products that both blocks and removes malware well, but it's also very light on system resources.

Out of all the products tested, Microsoft Security Essentials was the best-performing free antivirus solution, and one of only two that received "very fast" on each of the real-world tests, earning it their top award: an "advanced+" ranking. We've been telling you for a while that you don't need to pay for Windows security, and now with MSE ranked alongside the top paid apps in both malware removal and performance, you might want to consider making the switch.

Hit the AV-Comparatives link for the full report in PDF form, or check out the PC Mag story for the overview—if you can deal with some irritating in-text ads.

Save Cash, Stick to Cheap Olive Oil When Cooking [Cooking Hacks]

Adam Pash — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:30:00 -0800

High quality extra-virgin olive oils are perfect for salads or drizzling over cooked food, but they're also expensive. When you're cooking with oil, food author Molly Stevens suggests saving your fancy olive oil—the cheap stuff will do just as well.

Photo by avlxyz.

In her excellent book All About Braising: The Art of Uncomplicated Cooking, Stevens explains:

[T]he best-quality, highest-priced, estate-bottled extra-virgin olive oils, especially any nonfiltered oils, should indeed not be used for cooking. First, the flavor and character will fade as you heat the oil, and if you've paid a hefty sum, it's a waste to pour it into a sauté pan. Second, any particles left in an unfiltered oil (as many of the best are) will burn and deteriorate when heated, and thus add bitterness to your recipes. Save these for drizzling over a plate of sliced summer tomatoes... or a hunk of rustic bread.

In short: Go with the inexpensive EVOO for cooking. Lifehacker HQ Los Angeles is using Stevens' book to braise a tasty holiday meal, but the book is full of other useful tips along these lines in the An Opinionated Pantry chapter—definitely worth checking out if you're into food.

Pingdom Brings Web Site Monitoring to the Desktop [Downloads]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Windows: If you're a fan of the web site monitoring service Pingdom, they've released a handy desktop alert app to put site updates in your system tray.

After going public earlier this year, Pingdom offered free single-site monitoring including SMS alerts, email alerts, and an iPhone app. Now you can grab a free account and the Pingdom Desktop Notifier for instant system-tray confirmation that your monitored site is online and functioning.

Check out the site for additional details and if you have another favorite site monitoring application, system tray-based or not, let's year about it in the comments.

How Can I Protect My Home's Plumbing While I Travel? [Ask Lifehacker]

Lisa Hoover — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:30:00 -0800

Dear Lifehacker,
With all my holiday travel, I'm worried about coming home to a burst pipe following all the frigid weather we're having. What can I do to protect my plumbing while I'm out of town?

Signed,
Winter Worrier

Photo by Jimmy_Joe.

Dear Winter,

With all the terrible weather across the nation, it's a smart move to be concerned about something like this. While you can't control the frigid temps, you can take a few steps to make sure your plumbing stays in tip-top shape while you're enjoying the holidays.

Home improvement blog The Money Pit recommends you pour a small amount of non-toxic antifreeze (the kind made for marine use) into toilet bowls and down sink drains to prevent pipes from freezing and breaking. If you're going to be gone more than a few days, InDepthInfo suggests you also turn the water off to all your toilet tanks and then flush to empty as much water as possible out of the system.

Finally, DIY web site DoItYourself says it's also a good idea to turn off the valve connecting your house to the city water system, ahead of a long trip. Don't forget to drain your pressure tank and water softener, too.

If you're only going away overnight, or are lucky enough to live in warmer climes then you don't have to worry about securing your pipes. If, though, you live in a section the country that's in the deep-freeze, taking a few minutes to prep your home before you leave home can save you a huge headache when you get back.

Love,
Lifehacker

Torrent Magnifier Brings Multi-Site Torrent Searching to Your Desktop [Downloads]

Whitson Gordon — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:00:00 -0800

Windows only: We've featured a desktop torrent searcher before, but it only searched one site. If you want multiple tracker searching with seed and peer information, Torrent Magnifier runs on your desktop as a standalone program or a Windows gadget.

Torrent Magnifier provides basic search functionality over multiple popular sites, such as BTjunkie, Mininova, and Fenopy. It orders the results by highest number of seeders, as well as providing leecher information—but not much else, like number of validations or the size of the torrent. You can, however, go straight to the torrent's page by clicking the link next to the torrent name. It's nice to have around if you're not too picky about the size of your torrent, or pretty confident in your torrent-choosing skills—otherwise, if you're going to have to go to the site anyway, you might as well use an online aggregator like Torrentz.

Torrent Magnifier is also available as a Windows gadget that works in the same way, as well as a Firefox/Internet Explorer search provider and an Internet Explorer accelerator. All iterations are free downloads—the desktop program is Windows only, the gadget is Windows Vista/7 only, the search provider requires Firefox or Internet Explorer 8, and the Accelerator requires Internet Explorer 8.

Use Pam to Make Snow Shoveling Easier [Clever Uses]

Whitson Gordon — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:30:00 -0800

Wet snow may be great for snowballs, but it certainly makes shoveling the driveway all the more difficult—the snow just sticks to the shovel. A few sprays of non-stick cooking spray, though, should fix that in a pinch.

Photo by Sharon Mollerus.

Reader mccartcz writes in to share that spraying some Pam onto your snow shovel will make the snow slide right off when you shovel. And he isn't alone, either—it looks like this tip comes recommended in more than one place around the internet. I haven't tried this myself, since the snow has been unusually pathetic here in Michigan thus far this year—but perhaps those in the East that are still buried can let us know how this works in the comments.

TunesBag Stores Your Music in the Cloud [Music]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:00:00 -0800

If you want to store your music in the cloud, access it from anywhere, and be able to share and rank tunes with your friends, tunesBag can help.

Click on the image above for a closer look.

TunesBag is a music collection service. You upload your music and can then access it from anywhere. TunesBag has multiple ways for you to upload and access your music: through your web browser, through an Adobe Air-powered desktop app, a Facebook app, and an iPhone app.

Not only can you listen to your own music but you can share music with your friends—in countries that allow limited-use sharing the music will be shared directly, in countries that don't allow sharing tunesBag will attempt to find a publicly available copy of the song to share—and have your friends rank your tunes and playlists.

You can upload up to 1GB of music with the free and ad-supported basic account. You can upgrade to 10GB of storage for $4 a month and up to 200GB of storage for $15 a month. Have your own favorite tool for sharing music without having to lug your MP3 player with you? Let's hear about it in the comments.

'Tis the Season to Take Stock [Goals]

Gina Trapani — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:00:00 -0800

The final week of 2009 starts tomorrow, and amidst all the travel and gift-giving and family drama, be sure to make time for the ultimate life hack: an honest, year-end self-assessment.

Photo by StarMama.

Don't get me wrong: you can stop and take stock any time you want. But, the 52nd week of the year is ideal for a few reasons. Things at the office are slow, phones are quiet, calendars are clear, everyone's on vacation, you're getting zero email, and you can get away with ducking out at 4pm without anybody noticing. Maybe the family's in town or you're traveling to see them, and at some point you get to sit around, relax, make merry, and catch up on what everyone's been up to all year. Don't let yourself get carried away by last-minute gift purchases and holiday party stress, though. Before you take the 2010 wall calendar out of its shrink wrap, take this week to step back and reflect on where you've been, where you're at, and where you're going to go in 2010.

Looking Back at 2009

First, Rockstar McSassy, you get to put on your bragging hat. What did you pull off in 2009 that makes you most proud? What did the "Atta boy"/"Atta girl"'s you got look like? How did you show up and represent the best of yourself to your friends and family and co-workers? Even though you were unsure you could pull it off, what did you walk in and do anyway? The last 12 months held stuff to be proud of, stuff to be grateful for, stuff that will blow up your head so big you won't be able to fit it out the door if you think about it enough. Indulge yourself, and take time to pat yourself on the back for killin' it this year. Feel good? Good. You deserve it.

Now, come back down to earth. What happened this year that you're not so proud of? What could have gone better? What would you like to say you did, but can't because you didn't see it through? What bad decisions did you make? If you're taking honest stock of where you're at, the pat on the back has to come with a reality check as well. There are more than a few ways I let myself down this year—a diet abandoned in the face of chocolate cake, an article I should have improved with better research and more focus—and no doubt it's the same for you. Don't beat yourself up, but do acknowledge your personal letdowns of 2009. Think over this year's mistakes, especially the reasons why you think you made them.

Of course, a binary list of "2009 successes" and "2009 failures" oversimplifies things. There's a little failure in every success, and a little success in every failure. I finished my first triathlon this year, but I walked part of the run; I lost a contract but learned a whole lot about negotiation. Mull over your 2009 highlight reel as well as the stuff that makes you cringe—and reflect on what made those things memorable and what you learned. If writing helps you think things over, jot it down. The point is to process 2009's biggest hits and duds so that they can inform next year.

Looking Forward at 2010

Now that 2009's in the bag, it's time to plan for next year. One thing the toothy-grinned self-help experts are right about: most dissatisfaction and unhappiness stems from the disparity between the life you think you should have and the life you actually have. Given all your accomplishments and letdowns in 2009, what will you make of 2010?

A good way to answer this question is to go into the future and look back. Imagine December 31st, 2010. What will your list of accomplishments look like? Write those down. Then, make a list of steps you need to take to make 'em happen. This is the week for serious goal-setting. I'm not saying you should plot out every day of the rest of your life—but even planning to not have a plan, and pursue the stuff that makes you happy is indeed a plan. You want to run a marathon? Write a book? Go freelance? Become a coder? Save up for a down payment on a house? Decide on your goals, break down the path to them into tiny steps, and get walking.

This is the ultimate life hack: knowing who you are, deciding who you want to be, and spending your time and attention the best ways you can to get there.

So, what were you thinking about on New Year's Day, 2009? How will that be different on January 1st, 2010? 'Fess up in the comments.

Gina Trapani, Lifehacker's founding editor, will be doing a whole lot of thinking this week. Find her at Smarterware and on Twitter.

Songbird 1.4.2 Released, Brings New Look, CD Ripping, and Device Support [Downloads]

Whitson Gordon — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:30:00 -0800

Windows/Mac/Linux: Previously mentioned Songbird, the open source, Mozilla-powered, supposedly iTunes-killing media player has updated to 1.4.2, bringing a host of new features, including AAC metadata support, a new feather (skin), CD ripping, and support for many mass storage devices.

Apart from the snazzy new purple feather, the biggest features in this release are definitely CD ripping and mass storage syncing (both available as add-ons for 1.4.2 by the Songbird team). The CD ripping tool can look up metadata information on Gracenote (or other services if you prefer, via other add-ons) and can rip songs as FLAC, OGG, or, if you're using Windows, as WMA as well. In addition, Songbird can now sync to more than just iPods—you can now sync any MSC (Mass Storage Class) device, as well as manage firmware on certain devices. Both CD ripping and MSC support, though, are currently only available for Windows users—Linux and Mac users will have to wait until at least the next release to test them out.

While Windows users will be very happy to see this feature-filled update, Mac and Linux users will still find Songbird more pleasant to use, especially if migrating from iTunes—1.4.2 finally allows you to write metadata to WMA and AAC files, meaning all those songs bought or imported in iTunes can have their information edited. However, a bug that still exists in 1.4.2 is that this information will not be transferred back to iTunes for some reason—but don't worry, it's still there in the file.

There are still a host of other bugs in the software (see the release notes for more information), not to mention missing features—but it's definitely one step closer to being the iTunes killer that everyone wants it to be, and despite these bugs, I've found that for the first time, it's usable enough to make a full switch from iTunes—so don't let the bugs scare you away from giving it a test run.

Note that the release notes linked above are labeled as 1.4.1; Songbird was updated again yesterday to 1.4.2 to fix a minor bug with the new feather. In addition, some features are in the 1.3 release notes, even though 1.3 was never released, so be sure to check those too for the full list of new features.

Songbird is free and open source, and is available for Windows XP/Vista, Mac, and Linux. Currently, Windows 7 is not officially supported, though some users have reported no problems running it on their system—just be aware that it's at your own risk if you decide to try it on Windows 7.

RunPee Adds Offline Alerts for Timed Movie Bathroom Breaks [Updates]

Kevin Purdy — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:05:00 -0800

iPhone/iPod touch: We thought RunPee was a clever site and iPhone app that picks dull movie moments for bathroom breaks. The iPhone app can now store your chosen movies for offline use, and quietly vibrate an alert at break times.

Those two updates were coded in response to user requests for actually using RunPee's break moments during, you know, the actual movie. Pick a movie, set an alert and time buffer (1-5 minutes before the break), and RunPee will buzz you with a notification that, say, the scientist is explaining, so now's your chance for relief. With the offline storage, RunPee also becomes a much more useful iPod touch app. Of course, there's a joke in there somewhere about an app that vibrates when you really need a bathroom break, but we're far too mature to make it.

The RunPee.com web site has also added support for more languages, and a non-Flash mobile site for scoping out key non-action points right before a flick. Finally, there's a $1 Android app in the market, and other mobile apps are expected to come along soon. RunPee's iPhone app costs 99 cents, requires an iPhone or iPod touch.

VLC Team Working on a Cross-Platform Video Editor [Video Editing]

Kevin Purdy — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 07:00:00 -0800

A decent video editing tool that's not exclusive to Macs—it's something a lot of us have been asking and hoping for. The team behind Lifehacker favorite VLC Media Player is working on one, and it's a promising prospect.

At the moment, the software exists only as a working github repository, but the official announcement page describes VideoLAN Movie Creator (VLMC) as "a free video editing software, offering features to realize semi-professional quality movies, but with the aim to [stay] simple and user-friendly." The page also notes that VLMC is being developed "with the support of the VideoLAN organization," so whether it's a direct product of the VLC team remains to be seen.

A helpful Reddit user compiled the Linux version and provided the early screenshot seen above, while the site promises a pre-release alpha for Windows, Mac, and Linux "very soon." We are, to put it mildly, intrigued and excited to see what comes out of this open source project. Thanks chappell101!

Score Free Wi-Fi During Your Holiday Travels by Knowing Where to Look [Wi-Fi]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:30:00 -0800

If you're traveling for the holidays you don't need to forgo internet access or pay high fees for it. Know the lay of the land and score some free wi-fi.

Over at the computer magazine PC World they've put together a list of nationwide franchises and stores that offer Wi-Fi access. They also detail whether the access is free (like Panera Bread) or has some requirement (like Starbucks, where you have to get a Starbucks card). It's still not city-wide, blanketed Wi-Fi, but in a pinch, it's nice to know what nearby haunts will get you connected.

You'll definitely want to check out how to protect your Wi-Fi connection at airport hotspots—the tips apply to any public hotspot—and also codes for grabbing free Wi-Fi this holiday season or our definitive guide to finding free Wi-Fi anywhere. Have your own tips for free or low-cost internet access while on the road? Let's hear about it in the comments.

Enable Check Box Selection in Windows 7 [Windows 7 Tip]

Kevin Purdy — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:00:00 -0800

The control and shift keys have long been the imprecise means of selecting multiple items on a Windows system. The How-To Geek's blog away from Lifehacker reminds us that, as with Vista, Windows 7 users can use check boxes instead.

As always, the How-To Geek's site has an extensive, step-by-step screenshot guide to flicking on the check box selection tools in Windows 7. For those who know their way around, however, the process is simple: Enter "folder options" in the Start menu's search bar and hit Enter, click the "View" tab on the resulting window, and then check to enable the "Use check boxes to select items" option. Hit Apply and OK, and you'll see check boxes pop up next to the items you're hovering next to with your cursor.

Microsoft Office 2007 Will Stop Supporting Custom XML Features Jan. 11 [News]

Kevin Purdy — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:30:00 -0800

A U.S. Court of Appeals has upheld a patent infringement suit brought by a Canadian software company against Microsoft, and Microsoft now has until Jan. 11 to either issue new versions or stop settling infringing copies of Office 2007, and Word 2007 specifically. The case, which we've previously posted, involves i4i and Microsoft's use of "Custom XML" in most of its Office 2003 and 2007-era products. Microsoft states it is "working hard to comply with the injunction" and notes that the infringing material is nowhere in Office 2010. Meanwhile, some bloggers and software thinkers are glad to see Custom XML shuffle off. Update: Microsoft already has a solution ready to roll out, ZDNet reports. [Reuters, ongoing via Slashdot]

Work Around Menu Psychology at Restaurants [Restaurants]

Kevin Purdy — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 04:30:00 -0800

The New York Times has a great read on menu psychology and how the fonts, ordering, and descriptions of food is engineered to get diners spending more at restaurants. Taken a different way, it's a handy guide to culinary counter-intelligence.

Liking that item in the top-right corner of the menu, with the dotted border line around it? That's fine, but be aware it's probably one of the most profitable items for the owner to serve. In tough economic times, many restaurants have turned to menu redesign as a means of bringing in more cash. If you're interested in getting a full read on the food, and not just letting your lizard brain give in to the highest-margin item on the menu, heed these examples:

Some restaurants use what researchers call decoys. For example, they may place a really expensive item at the top of the menu, so that other dishes look more reasonably priced; research shows that diners tend to order neither the most nor least expensive items, drifting toward the middle. Or restaurants might play up a profitable dish by using more appetizing adjectives and placing it next to a less profitable dish with less description so the contrast entices the diner to order the profitable dish.

Not that there's anything wrong with ordering a profitable item off the menu, but you want to make sure your eatery isn't sub-consciously hiding something truly appealing from your decision process.

If you've done any menu design yourself, or know the tricks of your own local eatery, let's hear about them in the comments.

Most Popular Free iPhone Apps (and Posts) of 2009 [Best Of 2009]

Adam Pash — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:00:00 -0800

The iPhone is the most popular cellphone in the country, and with good reason. Despite occasionally awful choices by Apple, it still has the most—and best—applications around. Here are the most popular free iPhone apps (and posts) of 2009.

As with our most popular Windows downloads and Mac downloads of 2009, this collection of applications is based solely on the popularity of the associated post here on Lifehacker. We always prefer free applications that offer a little productivity boosting, so this is by no means a complete look at the most popular apps of the 80 billion in the App Store.

First, the downloads...

GV Mobile Makes Google Voice the Default for Your iPhone

In April, an industrious iPhone developer released GV Mobile to the iTunes App Store. It was followed by other Google Voice apps, and then Apple went brain dead and removed every Google Voice application from the App Store (along with rejecting Google's official Voice app). Annoying, to be sure, but users still willing to jailbreak can still get GV Mobile for free on Cydia.

Stanza Turns Your iPhone into a Kindle, Kindle App Counters

At the beginning of the year, the beautiful Stanza (iTunes link) iPhone app came along and wowed us with how good ebook reading on the iPhone could be. Then, when Kindle for iPhone (iTunes link) was released a few months later, it gave iPhone users a pretty good reason not to buy a Kindle. In the end, Amazon liked Stanza so much they ended up buying it, so that's probably the app we'd choose.

RunKeeper is Like Nike+ for Your iPhone—Only Better

RunKeeper (available in free and pro versions) uses your iPhone's GPS to do some seriously cool tracking for your running, walking, or biking routine. Apple was extremely slow in bringing Nike+ to the iPhone (once they did, it only supported 3GS), and even then it doesn't take advantage of the fact that the iPhone has a built in GPS and excellent mapping capabilities. RunKeeper is an excellent alternative to people who don't want to pay for the Nike+ dongle, want advanced GPS and mapping capabilities, or don't have an iPhone 3GS. Still, if we could marry these two apps, we happily would.

Email 'n Walk Lets You Multitask Without Getting Hit By a Car

We get it. You are seriously busy, and you don't have time to make sure you don't walk into traffic while you're composing that email. Email n' Walk overlays an email composition window on top of the view from your iPhone's camera, so you can type out an email and watch where you're going. It was free when we first covered it; now it'll set you back a buck.

Dropbox Comes to the iPhone and iPod touch

Dropbox is far and away our favorite file syncing tool, so we were thrilled this September when Dropbox for iPhone (iTunes link) finally made its way to the iPhone. Users can access any of their synced files, view files supported by the iPhone (including documents, photos, music, and video), upload photos and video to Dropbox, and save files for offline viewing. Handy.

CardStar Creates Scanner-Friendly Bonus Cards on iPhones

Lifehacker readers hate a bulging wallet, which is presumably why CardStar (iTunes link) resonated. The free app replaces keychain tags and wallet-cluttering bonus/discount/rewards/"shopper's club" cards with scanner-friendly barcodes that live on your iPhone. Users report mixed results in the App Store, but if it does the trick in place of your rewards card, it could be worth the download.

Skype for iPhone Brings Reliable VoIP to Your Pocket

Skype is far and away the most popular VoIP service, so it's understandable that people were pretty excited when it finally made its official plunge onto the iPhone with Skype for iPhone (iTunes link).

Dragon Dictation Does Voice-to-Text Transcription on Your iPhone

You spend plenty of time typing at the computer all day, so we forgive you if you're not eager to continue pecking away at the software keyboard on your iPhone. Dragon Dictation (iTunes link) does voice-to-text transcription you can copy to your clipboard and use anywhere.

Epicurious App Puts an Entire Cookbook in the Palm of Your Hand

Epicurious for iPhone (iTunes link) puts access to over 25,000 recipes from the likes of Gourmet and Bon Appetit at your fingertips. When you find something you like (I seriously love this app and would strongly recommend the simple-yet-delicious Mario Batali Basic Tomato Sauce), you can add it to your favorites, generate a shopping list, and get cooking. The entirety of The Gourmet Cookbook is inside this killer kitchen supplement.

Put Google Calendar and Notes on Your iPhone Wallpaper

By default, the iPhone lock screen shows you the time, date, and possibly a pretty picture. With gCalWall Lite, your home screen also displays your upcoming Google calendar appointments. Handy.

And now, the popular iPhone-specific posts/how-tos:

Set Up "Push" Alerts for Anything from Your Computer to Your Phone

When push notifications finally rolled out to iPhone 3.0 this year, lots of applications started using them—but not everything we wanted. In this guide, we demonstrate how to use Growl (for Mac and Windows) in conjunction with Prowl (iTunes link), a $3 iPhone app, to set up push notifications for virtually anything. Our guide focused on Gmail push (which wasn't available at the time, and still isn't available with message previews), but anything that sends an alert with Growl can also work with Prowl, so your options are only limited by your creativity.

Enable Tethering on Your iPhone 3G or 3GS Running 3.1.2

It's been a feature of the iPhone forever now, but AT&T is still dragging its feet on iPhone tethering—that is, allowing users to enjoy their iPhone's data connection on their laptops. We've shown you how to enable tethering on your iPhone 3G or 3GS running 3.1.2 (the latest iPhone OS), and before that we helped you pull it off with the 3.0 OS. You may not want to tempt the AT&T billing gods with flagrant use of this one (wild fees may apply if AT&T decides they do), but it's a godsend in a pinch.

Got a favorite iPhone app we covered (or didn't) in 2009 that you love? Let's hear more about it in the comments.

Remains of the Day: When It's Best to Pretend You Don't Know Anything Edition [For What It's Worth]

Kevin Purdy — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:00:00 -0800

Nielsen statistics show the most popular cellphones and mobile sites around, the Kindle gets cracked once again, Netflix starts streaming Criterion classics, and sometimes knowing a little bit about computers is a curse.

The meaning of open
Google's Senior VP for Product Management opens up a dialog on what open software, and open information, mean for the firm, its products, and its future. A long read, but well worth the scroll. [Official Google Blog]
iPhone, Meet Razr: The Ten Most Popular Phones in the Country
The iPhone (3G) tops the list, two BlackBerry models make the cut, and LG and Motorola own the declining "dumbphone" market. Nielsen's stats also reveal that the top 10 mobile sites look an awful lot like the top 10 desktop sites. [Gizmodo]
Criterion Adds Thirty-Five Films to Stream via Netflix
A big chunk of the film aficionado firm's remasters—most of them foreign, and including a huge chunk of Akira Kurosawa's work—make their way onto Netflix's tubes. Somewhere on your calendar, an empty weekend just got filled (with samurai). [Slashfilm]
Israeli programmer hacks Kindle, breaks DRM protection
It's actually a re-hack of Amazon's copyright protections on sold books, but it goes to prove that for all the effort put into restricting digital rights, there's somebody out there with a free weekend to crack it. [Boy Genius Report]
Make Way for youtu.be Links
The new youtu.be links aren't all that short, especially once more people start covering more videos, but they do let the link recipient know exactly where they're going. And, presumably, Rick Astley can only own a few of them. [YouTube Blog]
Why It's Better To Pretend You Don't Know Anything About Computers
The Oatmeal continues its one-man crusade to make you nod your head and go, "Oh, God, yeah, I know how it is." This time 'round, it's about that uncle who discovers your inherent abilities to both fix computers and agree to the most asinine request. Oh, and happy holidays! [The Oatmeal]

Cinch Brings Windows 7's Aero Snap to the Mac [Downloads]

Whitson Gordon — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:30:00 -0800

Mac only: Accurately named menu bar app Cinch lets you set windows up side by side, à la Windows 7's Aero Snap feature, just by dragging them to the side of your screen.

After installing Cinch, you are given the option of having it launch at login, and whether you want to see it in the menu bar. The app itself is very simple—to snap a window to half-screen size, just drag it until your cursor hits the side of the screen, and a dotted line will show you where the window will go. Releasing the mouse button will snap it into place, allowing you to have two windows side by side to work with. In addition, you can drag a window to the top of your screen to maximize it. After you're done working, drag the window away from its screen edge and its original size will be restored.

Cinch is free as nagware, costs $7 for the nag-free version, and is Mac only. Thanks, Jasmeet!