Category: Software

[Windows Only] ÀxCrypt is a free and open source (FOSS) application that lets you quickly encrypt multiple files with a password. There are many free encryption utilities out there and some of them may be as good or better. However, AxCrypt is sure to be handy even if you don’t use encryption very often, since it comes with a portable version named AxCrypt2Go. You can always use the portable version on any PC without the need to install it.

For those who need to encrypt files often, AxCrypt integrates it’s actions into the Windows right click menus. It also allows you to create self-decrypting executable files (encrypt copy to EXE). The self-decrypting files allow anyone to open them up, as long as they have the correct password. It’s safe to send AxCrypt files using email, since AES-128 encryption is used, and it’s not likely that anyone will be able to crack your files open.

Here are some snapshots and descriptions of AxCrypt:

1. When you start installing AxCrypt, you will first have to agree to the GPL license.

2. You can disable any features you don’t want, using the custom setup screen.

3. One drawback at this point is that I didn’t see any way to tell the app where I wanted it to install at on my hard drive.

4. Once it’s installed, the first thing it shows is a prompt asking for an email address. Don’t worry, you don’t have to if you don’t want to. So far, AxCrypt has over 1,805,250 registered users.

5. Now it nags you if you didn’t supply an email address. Did they learn this trick from Microsoft? I wonder how many software engineers think that this really adds any value to the application.

6. Nothing seems to happen after that, but now whenever you right click on a file or folder, you’ll see that you have more options under the "AxCrypt" menu item. Everything needed to use AxCrypt is in there. As you can see, it has some very nice features and functions.

7. If you select "Encrypt", you’ll be prompted for a password.

8. If you select either of the two check-boxes, AxCrypt will remember your password when it’s encrypting or decrypting files.

9. Here you can see me getting ready to encrypt two music files.

10. Once they are encrypted, the files will have an "AXX" file extension.

11. If you right click on them again and choose "Rename" in the AxCrypt menu, it will rename them so that nobody can figure out what was in those files. When you decrypt those files using AxCrypt, it remembers what the file names were and puts them back the way they were before.

12. To get the portable version of AxCrypt, I opened up the Program folder and copied the AxCrypt2Go.exe file onto my flash drive. In order to test it, I un-installed AxCrypt from my PC and tried to use AxCrypt2Go to decrypt some files. It worked fine, and now I don’t need to keep AxCrypt installed on my computer. I will simply keep AxCrypt2Go stored away until I need it. It’s only 486k in size.

AxCrypt will work on most PCs running Windows 2000/XP/Vista or later. AxCrypt has built in translations for English, Danish, Swedish, German, Dutch, Hungarian, Spanish, French, Italian and Norwegian.

Download AxCrypt

Techie Buzz Verdict:

I discovered that AxCrypt is very easy to use when it’s installed on your PC. However, the portable version definitely needs work. You can only navigate from the left folder view. If you click on any file or folder in the main (right hand) view, it opens the file or folder in it’s associated program. To encrypt or decrypt, you have to right click on the files. Once you’ve figured that out, I think you’ll find that it’s worth keeping.

Techie Buzz Rating: 3/5 (Good)

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Android’s app trajectory is insane: December saw 4,000 new apps. Last month saw 8,000. This month? On track for more. In a year, the App Market will approach infinity, and our universe will collapse into a sizeless point. More »

It seems that a lot of folks interested in the HTC Droid Incredible want to be able to turn Sense (HTC’s custom user interface) on and off at will.  Previous HTC handsets (as recent as the HTC Desire) had the ability to do this pretty easily by erasing Sense as the default and throwing up a choice between Sense or the stock Android home screen after you hit the home button.

Not any more.

We tore into the system files of our Droid Incredible to see what we could find.  After hours of hard work, caffiene and Excedrin, we found some interesting information — the resources
and artwork for vanilla Android seem to be absent, or at least aren’t where we expect them to be.  While we can’t be 100 percent  sure just yet, it certainly appears that the Droid Incredible was meant to only run the Sense UI.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  HTC clearly has upped the game with the new Sense UI,
as our video walkthrough shows.  At this point, if you’re on the fence, the best advice I can
think of is to head down to your local Verizon Wireless store on the April 29 and give the device a spin.  After a few minutes with it, if you think (like we do) that Sense enhances this
particular handset, use your 30 days to find out.

Update: Yep, you can use Helix Launcher 2 on it. So you’re running a launcher on top of Sense. Have fun with that.

Making data entry screens finger friendly is not easy. Windows Phone 7 includes a new Spinner control which makes it easy to enter bounded items such as date and time.

The control is not at present part of the SDK released by Microsoft, but has been found hiding in the emulator, and will hopefully be made available directly to developers in an updated release.

Via Youtube.com

In case you hadn’t realize just how disgusting Apple’s Photo Booth filters could be, Mark Pernice and team converted a Photo Booth self-portrait to a real life, 3D mask. Here was the before shot: More »

SkyFire brings the full-featured PC versions of your favourite websites onto your windows mobile device. This modern browser supports a lot of format that other mobile browsers cannot handle. Check out the full review to see if its time to change your browser.

Read more at BestWindowsMobileApps here.

Andre Vrignaud, Director Games Platform Strategy at Microsoft, has made it clear on his blog that only some titles will receive the honour of XBox Live Integration on Windows phone 7. Ostensible a move to maintain quality and provide a differentiator that will prevent the “race to zero” that has seen many quality titles prices at only $1.99 on the iPhone, he said:

To answer, it’s important to understand that we have a managed portfolio for Xbox LIVE titles on Windows Phone 7. As we looked at how the mobile gaming industry was evolving, it was obvious that there’s a significant problem with the “race to zero” – or having too many, mixed quality titles available on a marketplace. Too many offerings makes it very hard for any specific title to stand out (no matter how high-quality), and negatively impacts the overall business ecosystem by making it almost impossible for developers to earn a fair return on their work. Our goal with the Windows Phone 7 games that utilize Xbox LIVE services is to cultivate a portfolio of high-quality titles that are regularly released – this is very similar to the portfolio management we do for Xbox LIVE Arcade titles.

Of course developers are still free to create games without achievements and other Xbox Live paraphernalia, but if you think your idea is Live Worthy you can try your luck by applying at [email protected].

Do our readers think this strategy, which will likely see only tens of games versus thousands featuring the integration, will be successful in the face of Apple’s most likely more democratic and open service? Let us know your thoughts below.

MobilityDigest have uploaded this latest video from WindowsPhone7.com showing the latest builds of Windows Phone 7 running in the emulator and it is clearly much more attractive and “alive” feeling that previous demonstrations, showing that the OS is still currently in active development and gaining polish along the way.

Always a sucker for eye candy, I am certainly slowly feeling more excited about the coming release of the new mobile OS. Do any of our readers feel the same way? Let us know below.

If you’re a current user of CyberLink PowerDirector v6 or v7, you’ll appreciate that this is a fine video editor. The latest CyberLink PowerDirector v8 adds a host of new features such as upscaling video quality. The TrueTheater technology will take your amateur video and drastically improve the quality. You’ll be amazed with the results. Fix colour, lighting and even add surround sound to your video. Create customisable slideshows, add professional effects to your video and do all of this with optimise CPU and GPU rendering – faster workspace and results. It’s no wonder CyberLink PowerDirector 8 is our best-selling CyberLink product.

You can now upgrade from PowerDirector v6/7 to PowerDirector 8 Deluxe or 8 Ultra through the V3.co.uk Software Store. Better still, order through April and you get a free Romance Pack worth $19.95.

If you’re seeking more than just a video editor, take a look at CyberLink Media Suite 8 Ultra. This package combines 10 of the very best CyberLink tools, including PowerDirector 8. We’ve got the upgrade option in the V3.co.uk Software Store, so you can now upgrade from CyberLink DVD Suite v6 or v7 to MediaSuite 8 Ultra. Again, you get a free Romance Pack worth $19.95 through April.

V3.co.uk Software Store.

Since we’re talking Security, I thought I’d let you in on another giveaway. This one is from SMobile Systems, the leading mobile security provider. SMobile has been a mobile security company for quite a while and were the first for BlackBerry to have a security application that included Anti-Virus. Their application is reliable and stealth. For our Birthday Celebration they have given us copies for a contest and great offers…

In case you’re wondering what SMobile is, or the SMobile Security Shield is, you can read more at this link here. Here’s the description from their website about the product that is the focus of the month:

Spyware exists today that is capable of logging every key typed on a mobile device, intercepting e-mail, text and voice communications and stealing personal data from your cell phone. More than ever before, users are downloading applications and music files, sharing memory cards and utilizing mobile devices for online banking and purchasing. Without adequate security protection, these practices create a ripe environment for Identity Theft.

SMobile is the world leader at providing AntiSpyware and AntiVirus protection to mobile devices. The SMobile AntiTheft and Identity Protection software runs in the background to immediately detect and remove malicious files and programs as they attempt to enter a device. On a routine basis, the solution will automatically receive updates from SMobile security servers and scan the entire device and memory cards to ensure the highest possible level of protection.

Advanced Protection for Lost or Stolen Devices

Without question, the number of lost and stolen mobile devices is staggering. The ultra-portable nature of smartphones enables users to essentially carry their Personal Computer in their pocket to sporting events, grocery stores, airports, restaurants, etc., significantly increasing the chance of loss and theft.

The unique Anti-Theft capabilities of the SMobile solution enables a user to quickly and easily pinpoint the exact location of a lost or stolen device and have that location displayed in an online map. SMobile customers also have the option to remotely wipe their personal data to ensure that if it falls into the wrong hands, their personal data will not be accessed. As an added bonus, the personal data on BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Symbian devices can be remotely backed-up and easily imported into a new device and these devices can be remotely locked to prevent access. SMobile’s SIM card change feature can also protect these devices against unauthorized SIM card changes. BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Symbian devices can also utilize the SMobile Alarm feature, which allows the user to audibly locate a misplaced device within hearing distance, even if the speakers and ringer are muted.

NOTE: SMobile Systems cannot guarantee GPS functionality on Verizon BlackBerry Curve and the Storm 1 devices. If you receive GPS Longitude and Latitude coordinates of 0.0 on the SMobile Security Console or Parental Dashboard, this functionality has been blocked by the service provider. For more information or questions please contact Customer Service at 1-866-323-0480

Grab your copy of Anti-Theft and Identity Protection from SMobile at the BOGO offer here

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MobilityDigest have been given a more recent build of the Windows Phone 7 Emulator, and was able to record the above video of the Office Hub in action, and as they note it provides a seamless and extremely attractive access to all your documents, both online and off-line.

Having seen this, are business users reassured? Let us know below.

Read more at MobilityDigest here.

Bloomberg reports that HTC is looking into developing their own mobile operating system. According to HTC CFO, Cheng Hui-ming:

“We continue to assess, but that requires a few conditions to justify"

An HTC device that combines their typically excellent hardware with HTC developed software seems like the logical endgame for HTC. Heck, they’ve already put their own Sense UI on top of many Android phones and have even tinkered Sense to fit Windows Mobile. On those devices, the HTC Sense experience shines as much as the original operating system. Building a true smartphone operating system (we’re not counting that dumbphone) could be taken as another step in a direction they were already heading.

However, given HTC’s strong relationship with both Google and Microsoft and the increasingly competitive smartphone market, this is far from a sure thing. HTC has proven itself successful with its current business model and the company has become the talk of the town. Unless they’re really unhappy with the state of Android and Windows Mobile, we just can’t see it happening. Or they can just buy Palm. Or not, apparently, as Reuters says today that the deal is off.

And though it’s an exciting proposition if HTC does decide to go head-on in software, we don’t want them to ever leave Android. Don’t do it HTC.

Rachel Tompa wrote:

Zoran Popovic, a computer scientist at the University of Washington, is constructing 3-D virtual recreations of real life. First step, the UW campus; next, the whole world.

Building on a previous program called Photo Tourism that pieces together photos culled from Flickr into virtual 3-D models, PhotoCity is a “capture the flag”-esque game that recreates sections of campuses or city blocks, or, eventually, entire cities from user-generated photos (see reconstructed image, above right).

Photo Tourism was created by Popovic, UW professor Steve Seitz, and former UW graduate student Noah Snavely (now an assistant professor at Cornell University), and in 2006 was licensed to Microsoft. But that program was limited, Popovic said: While they could easily build a 3-D version of the Coliseum based on tourist photos deposited in Flickr, they were never going to get a usable model of the building next to the Coliseum, for example.

Popovic is interested in what he calls “serious games,” computer games that rely on volunteer user input to solve problems too difficult for computational power alone. Usually, players are motivated to help solve a problem by the lure of some kind of online competition. But recreating 3-D versions of city blocks or whole cities adds another layer of challenge—the game has to be compelling enough not only to get people to sit down and play it on their computers, but to take extra digital pictures for the sole purpose of expanding the 3-D world. “It occurred to me that one big problem is that you have to step away from the computer,” Popovic said. “So we wanted to know, is it possible to form a game framework where people go out and do stuff in the real world, instead of just sitting in front of their computers?”

To motivate people to take more pictures for the models, the group created the PhotoCity game, which can be played on a computer or iPhone. A Google Maps image shows the playing field (so far, game locations include the UW and Cornell campuses, and neighborhoods in Seattle, New York, Boston, Chicago, Santa Barbara, Portland, Washington DC, and Moscow), and “flags” pop up at various points on the rough facade. Players then win these flags by taking enough pictures of that site—say, the northwest corner of UW’s Odegaard library—and then uploading them to the PhotoCity site. Win enough flags and you’ll eventually be the “owner” of the whole building. Other players can steal flags away by taking even more pictures.

The researchers launched the game at the end of March by announcing a competition between UW and Cornell, to see which school’s team could get the most photos of their campus by April 20, but soon other locations were added. Any user can “seed” a new playing field. The cross-country competition is now over, but results are still being analyzed, Popovic said, and the teams are planning a second round to start up April 30.

Popovic (left) is happy with how the game has progressed, but his group’s eventual goal is loftier: to recreate entire cities and, eventually, the world in 3-D from digital pictures. “If you can build a 3-D replica of your world, you can all of a sudden have all different kinds of games in that world,” Popovic said. “The idea is to make a game where the actual world itself is built, and people can actually become avatars and walk around and do …Next Page »

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UNDERWRITERS AND PARTNERS

If you’re a frequent visitor of our site, you know that Fixmo Tools is one of our fave apps for the BlackBerry. It’s like the tool box that RIM forgot to add. It has so many features within it that you’ll wonder what you did without it.

From the first time I tried Fixmo Tools, I was in total bliss. Fixmo Tools is available in the BlackBerry Sync Store for $19.99.

It contains the following features:

I posted the review of Fixmo Tools while it was in beta version here. Since then a lot has changed, but the features that made it great have only gotten better. So now comes the great part. I have a few copies to give away. Here’s the deal. I want you to leave us an embarrassing story that happened with your BlackBerry that Fixmo Tools could have saved you from. It could be like your phone rebooting at a bad time, having emailed  someone out of anger, any kind of sad story that would have ended sweet with Fixmo. Let us know how that’s not going to happen again if you have Fixmo Tools. The best couple of embarrassing stories wins.

And for those who don’t want to leave a message, or can’t wait, there’s still a sweet deal for you yet. I have to thank Rick for this, for the first 100 readers who go to purchase Fixmo, you can get 50% off! That’s right, 50%! That’s Fixmo Tools for only 9.99 for our readers, but only the first 100. Use the following code when purchasing: BBSYNCBDAY

So hurry and share your stories with us, or go get your Fixmo Tools and find out why we are so excited about it. And please leave some love or thanks for Rick for the specials.

You can grab your copy of Fixmo Tools from the BlackBerry Sync Store here

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[Windows Only] Souptoys is a collection of toys that you can play with on your PC desktop. Rather than tell you about it, I’ll show you in a video …

Link to video

As you can see, each type of toy has it’s own physical properties and you can place them on your screen so that they form a Rube Goldberg device. If you’re a kid playing with this, you may not care if you make anything interesting. These toys are simply fun to play with.

Here’s what the home site says:

Designed with players aged 5 to 12 in mind, but enjoyed globally by everyone, this physics sandbox game replicates a child’s wooden toy box full of toys, including basketballs, robots, wooden blocks, snowmen, cannons, flying bees and a pirate ship. With its open-ended design, the possibilities are endless and players are limited only by their imagination.

As you continue to build your own playground, you can save the toy placements as “playset” files. You can also download playsets from the home site or use any of the dozens of playsets that come with the program.

Download Souptoys

Techie Buzz Verdict:

I had fun playing with Souptoys and I can’t wait to show it to my nieces and nephews. The only thing I’d wish for, is that Souptoys was an open source project that everyone could contribute to. I’d bet there’d be an explosion of new toys to play with every day.

Techie Buzz Rating: 4/5 (Excellent)

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Gregory T. Huang wrote:

Seattle-area tech giants Amazon.com and Microsoft reported their earnings for the first three months of 2010 today, and each touted significant increases in profits compared with the same period a year ago. Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) reported a quarterly profit of $4.01 billion, an increase of 35 percent over the first three months of 2009, thanks in part to sales of its Windows 7 operating system. Meanwhile, Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) posted a quarterly profit of $299 million, a 68 percent increase over its first quarter of 2009, and said the Kindle e-book reader was its top-selling product. Both companies’ shares fell by a few percentage points after their earnings reports.

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UNDERWRITERS AND PARTNERS

Hoy se a liberado la Release Candidate de Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx y podemos afirmar que no tendrá mas cambios significativos hasta dentro de unos días cuando se libera la versión final. Razón por la cual a muchos ya se nos presenta como una oportunidad para actualizar nuestro ubuntu 9.10 antes que todo el mundo y tener problemas de velocidad (ya que el día de la liberación todos lo van a bajar y actualizar).

Para actualizar ahora o cuando salga la versión final lo que debemos hacer es introducir el siguiente comando en el terminal:

sudo update-manager -d

Luego nos ejecutara el gestor de actualizaciones con una leyenda en la parte superior como la de la siguiente imagen:

Hacemos clic en actualizar, después nos saldra la nota de versión de Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx, nuevamente pulsamos en actualizar y el gestor comenzara a realizar las tareas necesarias para la actualización.

Mientras que se descargan los paquetes de la nueva versión podremos seguir usando nuestro ubuntu sin ningún problema.