Customize Windows 7 With Jumplist-Launcher

One of Windows 7's niftier features is Jumplists, which offer a variety of pre-determined actions that can be taken when you right-click an icon in the new, redesigned Taskbar. Freebie Jumplist-Launcher attempts to power up that feature, but succeeds only partway.

Jumplist-Launcher lets you create a custom Jumplist in Windows 7, but it's not particularly easy to use.>

First the good news: With Jumplist-Launcher, you will be able to create a custom Jumplist on the Taskbar. You'll be able to launch any application from it and open folders and files that you specify. You can also organize the Jumplist any way you want, and create a Jumplist of up to 60 items, which normally isn't possible under Windows 7.

Now the bad news: This isn't a particularly intuitive program to use, so be prepared to be confused until you manage to get the hang of it. In addition, I was only able to create a single, customized Jumplist on the Taskbar.

If you're willing to spend some time with it, you'll be able to create a Jumplist that you normally can't create in Windows 7. But if you're not a dedicated tweaker, you may want to give it a wide berth.

This program is compressed using the .rar format, so in order to install it, you will need software that can uncompress .rar files, such as the for-pay WinRAR, or the free 7-Zip.

Create your own mobile Ubuntu repository with APTonCD

 

How many times have you installed Linux, tweaked it to perfection with various applications, only to have something happen and you have to re-install. Or you get that machine up and running with all the goods and then want to re-create the system on another machine. In either of these situations, the last thing you would want to do is to have to remember all of the applications and then spend the time to download them all again.

Well, there’s a handy tool that will take care of all of that for you. The tool is called APTonCD. What this tool does is create a CD with all of the applications you have installed – basically a portable repository. And, with the same tool, you can restore all of the packages on the CD – all from one convenient GUI.

Features

Choose specific packages on your local machine (or choose all).

Download entire repositories.

Burn CD/DVD from within APTonCD.

Create and restore from same GUI.

Auto-selection of dependencies option.

Easy to use.

Installation

The installation is simple:

1. Open up your Add/Remove Software Application
2. Enter “aptoncd” in the search bar (no quotes).
3. Mark APTonCD for installation.
4. Click Apply.

Once the installation is complete you can close out the installation tool and get ready to use APTonCD.

Starting and using APTonCD

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 1

Once installed APTonCD is found in the Administration sub-menu of the System menu (GNOME desktop). Figure 1 shows the main window for the application. From this window you can either create a new CD or restore from an already existing CD.

To create a new CD click the Create button which will open up another window. In this new window (see Figure 2) the packages will be collected and, eventually, listed out for you. From this listing you can select the packages you want to include on your CD. By default all of the packages are selected.This window will also includ the total size of the completed installation. As you can see (in Figure 2) the total size of my restore CD will be 596 MB (some of the packages are not selected).

Figure 2

If you want to add packages not already on your system you can click the Add drop down and select either Packages or Folder and then navigate to those files/folders. You can also open up Nautilus and drag and drop packages into the APTonCD window.

Once you have selected all of your packages you might want to go to the Edit menu and select “Auto-select Dependencies” to ensure all dependencies are met on your CD. Now it’s time to burn. When you’re ready click the Burn button which will open up a Disc Properties window (see Figure 3). In this new window you select your medium, the destination for the image file, a file name, and whether or not you want to create a meta-package. The meta-package is one package that

Figure 3

includes all packages on the CD as dependencies. This makes restoration very simple in that all APTonCD has to do is select one package to install.

When you click Apply APTonCD will begin to create the .iso image that you will then burn onto disk using your favorite CD burning software.

When the iso has been created a new window will open asking if you want to burn the CD/DVD. This window will allow you to select that application you want to burn with. If you chose you can click No and burn the CD/DVD later. I have found the burn portion of the APTonCD to be a bit flaky, so I just always burn by open up K3B and burning the image.

Restoring

I would like to say that APTonCD can easily handle the installation of your packages with a simple click of a button. It can not. What APTon CD does is create portable repositories. So you can use the APTonCD restore option to basically add your CD repository for installation.  I have found, however, the best way to install the entirety of the packages is with the tried and true command line. This allows you to quickly get all of your packages installed with a couple of easy commands. What you will want to do is this:

1. Insert your CD/DVD created by APTonCD.
2. Open up a command line.
3. Change to the directory where you CD is located with the command cd /media/cdrom (Note: Your CD might be located in a different directory).
4. Change into the packages directory with the command cd packages.
5. Issue the command sudo dpkg -i *deb which will install all packages on the CD.
6. After the installation is complete you MIGHT have to use Syanptic in the event their are broken packages.

Close out the command prompt and check your Applications menu, you should be good to go.

Final thoughts

I hope that the developers of APTonCD will some day make it much easier to restore from the GUI. But even with the inconvenience of having to use the command line for quick restoration, APTonCD is a very handy tool.

Apple Releases Snow Leopard Update

The update, less than two weeks after Snow Leopard shipped, fixes hardware incompatibilities, problems with the Mail app, and other issues.

 

Less than two weeks after releasing Snow Leopard, Apple on Thursday released an update to its new operating system, patching problems in a version of Mac OS that's had a variety of bugs.

The upgrade, officially called Mac OS X v10.6.1, includes "general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac," Apple said in a summary of the update.

Among the fixes is improved compatibility with some Sierra Wireless 3G modems. In addition, the update corrects a glitch that led to some printer drivers not appearing properly in the Add Printer browser.

Other fixed bugs include one that caused the DVD playback to stop unexpectedly and another that made it difficult to remove an item from the application Dock. The update also resolves a problem in which the Command-Option-T keyboard shortcut would sometimes bring up the special characters menu in software such as Mail and TextEdit.

Other fixes include the automatic account set up in Mail sometimes not working, difficulty in sending mail with certain SMTP servers, and unresponsiveness by Motion 4, Apple's video editing tool. Finally, the new version of the OS includes an update toAdobe (NSDQ: ADBE) Flash Player plug-in version 10.0.32.18.

Following the release of Snow Leopard Aug. 28, Mac owners reported more 100 Mac applications, games and software utilities were not fully compatible with the OS.

In addition, users reported a system freeze known as "the spinning wheel of death" when they tried to upgrade to the new OS. The term referred to an endless display of a rotating icon. Apple acknowledged the problem and offered a fix.

Life without boundaries with Xperia X2

 

MANILA, Philippines - The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 is a new Windows phone that offers a best-in-class e-mail and multimedia experience.

In the modern world where 24/7 communication is key, users can instantly synchronize their mail and calendar and open and edit Microsoft Office Mobile documents quickly and efficiently to stay connected with colleagues wherever they are.

The XPERIA X2 also includes the unique SlideView feature, which provides quick access to frequently used phone activities.

Providing quick interaction with contacts, messages, media and more, SlideView provides an overview of missed incoming activity, notifying the user of any missed calls, e-mails and text messages so he doesn’t overlook an important contact.

With 14 specially designed preloaded XPERIA panels and 16 more to download, users can work with no boundaries with the XPERIA X2.

From Skype, Mytopia and Google to games, CNN and Windows Live, the panels ensure users are up-to-date with what matters most to them. 

With an improved touch interface and new 3D signature panel, users also benefit from flexible desktop panels designed to categorize business, fun and communication features. Just set favorites to appear during certain times of the day and get the latest news in the morning, YouTube at lunchtime and games for the journey home.

Powered by QWERTY messaging, Windows Mobile users can even show their presentations on the big screen with the TV out cable — the XPERIA X2 makes a day at the office a walk in the park.

“In the fast-moving world we live in, the need to stay connected has never been so important,” said Peter Ang, Sony Ericsson vice president for marketing in the Asia-Pacific.

“We constantly rely on our mobile phones as an extension to the office and the XPERIA X2 debuting with Windows Mobile 6.5, allows users to work quickly and efficiently while on the move. The XPERIA X2 also features a new range of interactive panels as well as SlideView, which provides quick access to frequently used phone activities — perfect for those who need to see any missed incoming activity at a glance,” Ang added.

Entertainment is not compromised on the XPERIA X2. Enjoy amazing multimedia with the 3.2-inch, high-resolution touch screen and DVD quality and take advantage of the 8.1-megapixel camera to capture and instantly share experiences with friends and family.

Personalize the panels and users can access Facebook to upload their party or holiday images and they can chat with friends across the world via Skype. Whether it is music, photography, e-mail, video or gaming the XPERIA X2 has it all.

“Windows phones allow people to manage their whole world — from work to home to play — on a single handset,” said Stephanie Ferguson, general manager for product management of Microsoft Corp.

“The XPERIA X2 taps the powerful messaging and multimedia capabilities in Windows Mobile so customers can be in touch, productive and entertained wherever they are,” she said.

With the need to stay connected 24/7 Sony Ericsson has designed XPERIA Services, a bespoke and unique after-sales package designed to help XPERIA X2 users get the most out of their mobile phone.

With a specialized technical team standing by to support busy users and talk through the outstanding features the XPERIA X2 offers, users can get help from troubleshooting to how to access their favorite websites.

And if their XPERIA X2 stops working while they are abroad, XPERIA Services can replace the mobile phone via a simple phone call.

XPERIA Services really has been devised with the consumer in mind and to help consumers discover more about their XPERIA X2.

Having a big business meeting? Arrive charged with the car charger AN300, which is ultra fast, ultra-safe and ultra-reliable.

A perfect accessory for the XPERIA X2, it charges 40 percent faster than most car chargers — just plug into the cigarette lighter and go.

XPERIA X2 supports GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 and UMTS/HSPA 850/900/2100. It will be available in the fourth quarter in two colors: elegant black and modern silver.