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Five Free Alternatives to Kick Windows Sidebar to the Curb

Florence Ion — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:00 -0600

Windows Desktop Gadgets was a feature first introduced in Windows Vista. They are widget engine gadgets calmly docked on either side of the screen for easy access and can performs tasks like displaying the time, updating you on the current weather conditions and showing you CPU usage. Windows already comes equipped with default gadgets and includes an online widget library for additional downloads.

However, the standard Windows sidebar can seem limiting at times. And even though Windows 7 hides the Sidebar in the background, it's still a resource hog and not very customizable. Why not free yourself from Microsoft’s shackles and venture forth to discover other sidebar alternatives that work just as well and enable you to do some really awesome customization.

Vista Rainbar V4

Vista Rainbar looks exactly like it’s been plucked from Vista’s original Aero interface, but packed with twenty gadgets and applications to decorate your desktop with. After you’ve downloaded it, simply Right click on the icon in your tray, or a gadget on the desktop, to configure the sidebar to your liking.

Rainbar comes equipped with add-ons like CNN and BBC RSS feeds, several analog clock skins, and monitors for various system functions, even arbitrary ones like your optical drive. It also contains some of the original default Vista gadgets, like a Windows Media Player controller and desktop wallpaper view, as well as 14 different skins to bring a little more flare to your desktop environment. To edit your preferences, however, you will need to edit a text file for each gadget, which can be tricky for the computer shy.

We would like to add that Rainbar is bilingual and seems to have been transplanted from France, so don’t be intimidated if you get a little confused with some of the menu items; the preferences and options are all easily understandable for the native English speaker.

Google Desktop

While it may seem cliché to include one of the biggest internet companies on such a niche list about sidebars, Google Desktop is a candid choice because it integrates iGoogle’s user-friendliness and utilitarian functionality onto your desktop. This downloadable client allows you to tack on gadgets to your sidebar, which can display computer statistics, tempt you to play a game, and keep you connected to the web without an open browser window. The desktop application also comes loaded with a photo slideshow for easy distraction from your work, a weather monitor, and a to-do task list, which can be saved to your desktop as an individual file for later archiving.

Google Desktop also indexes files from your hard drive and enables you to bring up a quick Google search dialog box with two hits of the CTRL key. Preferences are simple and easy to set up; the real customization happens with what types of gadgets you choose to display in the sidebar. If the width is too thin for you, each individual gadget pops out into a resizable window. For users with more than one Gmail account, Google Desktop also allows you to sign in with one account and remotely send and receive emails, allowing you to log into a second account with your browser.

It all comes down to whether or not you want one more app in your life swaying you towards Google’s way. Frankly, we think that Google Desktop is a worthy replacement for the Windows Sidebar and it’s the only one out of the five we played around with that we can confidently say is 100% stable.

Thoosje Sevenbar

Want all of the beauty and grace of Windows 7 implemented into your outdated machine running Windows XP? Thoosje’s Windows 7 sidebar brings you the goodies without having to pay the price of a new OS. Each gadget works just as well as it does with the original Windows 7 sidebar and includes standard ones like the Windows Media Player remote, Google & Yahoo search, real-time weather, a Wi-Fi monitor, and a notepad. You can also set up a POP3 email account from the preferences menu for instant email notifications, and change the color scheme of the widgets, though they do look a bit distorted when that option is engaged.

We would like to warn you that in the installer, it will query you on whether or not you’d like the Google and Amazon toolbar installed on your system—be sure to select that you don’t want the added bloatware freely roaming on your system.

LongBar 2.0

We were a bit confounded when we noticed that our LongBar download was only 1.3MB, but then we realized it was because it only came packaged with a drive monitor and a built in notes widget. LongBar may seem like it’s really very minimal and simple, but that’s because it comes with the ability for any user to develop their own .NET based widgets. This application was designer to be an alternative “tile-based” sidebar for the three latest Windows operating systems based on the Longhorn Sidebar, but it leaves all the customization entirely up to you.

LongBar comes with a few themes of its own and pairs nicely with the Windows Aero UI. Since this application was developed for the open source community, it’s perfect for the code junkie who wants an ultra personalized desktop.

Samurize

What haven’t we said about Samurize before? Well, it’s a great way to customize your computer to the point of no return, that’s for sure. There are numerous ways to use Samurize to equip you with the ultimate desktop with the ability to create and run custom desktop widgets. Though Samurize gives you the most options for desktop customization, you do have to take some time either creating your own gadgets or downloading new ones to get the desired desktop environment. Read our how-to for a comprehensive look at how you can use Samurize to achieve the same effects as the Windows sidebar.

Web App of the Week: Feedweaver

Florence Ion — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:00:00 -0600

Start pages aren’t always everyone’s forte when it comes to reading their favorite daily sites all on one page. Thankfully, there’s a web app for that. Feedweaver allows you to simply choose the most relevant RSS feed links, mash it in with 19 others you’re passionate about, and view them all on one glorious page as if they’re all one entity.

Each feed list can be accessed through a unique URL with its own special access key, which can be changed and adjusted from the feed’s settings. You don’t actually need to be logged in to read your favorite Gawker blogs, or Maximum PC’s how-to feed list, so you can share your feed with your friends with one simple link.

Sound good? Start using Feedweaver today!

The Game Boy: One Step Forward, Modern Warfare Two Steps Back

Nathan Grayson — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:30:00 -0600

You’ve probably seen the headlines. They’re pretty hard to miss. After all, when two of mainstream media’s favorite buzzwords – “violent videogames” and “terrorism” – cross streams, things get messy. If you’ve somehow managed to position yourself smack in the eye of the media storm, however, here’s the story: Last week, someone leaked a scene from Modern Warfare 2 in which you, the player, take up arms and gun down some people. As a terrorist. And those people? Innocent civilians who just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

And I’m perfectly ok with that. Why? We’ll get to that in a bit.

What I do take issue with, though, is Infinity Ward’s treatment of the whole fiasco. Moments after every videogame blog on the planet’s normal programming was interrupted to bring you this special report, Infinity Ward issued a statement. “Players have the option of skipping over the scene,” it read. “At the beginning of the game, there are two ‘checkpoints’ where the player is advised that some people may find an upcoming segment disturbing. These checkpoints can’t be disabled.”

Which is PR-speak for: “We’re afraid that the mainstream media’s going to tear us to shreds for this one, but we’ve handily built in this failsafe. You’ll never take us alive! Mwahahahaha! *Rockets into the sky using a concealed jetpack*.”

See, while stirring terrorists, innocent slaughter, and videogames into the same stew may initially leave a bad taste in people’s mouths, I think Infinity Ward’s taking a big step in the right direction. It’s a shame, then, that they’re so quickly scrambling to cover their tracks.

Here's why I'm ok with the scene. Quite contrary to what many vocal critics are saying, the scene in question isn’t intended to glorify terrorism. Not even a bit. As your character sprays gunfire into the airport’s mortified masses, people scream and cry. There’s no swelling soundtrack, slow-mo, or utterances of “Boom, baby! Headshot!” from your comrades in arms. Just the terrified, regretful, grief-stricken emotions of a bunch of normal people spilling over and quickly drowning amongst a sea of blood and tears.

If causing this kind of massacre puts a smile on your face, it sure as hell isn’t because Modern Warfare 2 told you that terrorism is totally rad. It’s because you’re one seriously f***ed up individual.

Clearly, Modern Warfare 2’s killing spree is meant to make you feel like the scummiest sack of crap ever to stink up the earth. After it’s all said and done, you’ll probably be sick to your stomach. And that’s great! See, while games like Grand Theft Auto allow players to literally terrorize innocent civilians, it’s all just meaningless violence. After just one tiny cognitive leap, your brain’s performed the necessary mental gymnastics to avoid feeling guilty about any of it. In fact, many players even consider these “rampages” to be the most enjoyable aspect of the series.

Modern Warfare 2, meanwhile, contextualizes its slaughter. Terrorism is one thing, but set against the backdrop of an airport, it creates an incredibly provocative image. So, in Grand Theft Auto, you killed some poor, unassuming sap at a place. Big whoop. But in Modern Warfare 2, you know exactly where you are, who you’re slaughtering, and why you’re doing it. Here, you’re forced – as a result of the societal connotations this scene evokes – to question your own heinous actions. Other games put a gun in your virtual mitts and tell you to run wild. And as you skip through eerily realistic worlds, splattering brains and racking up near-genocidal body counts, you probably don’t even bat an eyelash. In games, ending lives is like breathing. You just do it.

By turning that traditional good guy vs. bad guy shooter scenario on its head, Modern Warfare 2 forces us to reconsider our stance on virtual violence. As a result, shooting people in a videogame actually means something again. It’s not just violence for violence’s sake. Instead, it’s a powerful new spin on our main method of interacting with videogame worlds. I, for one, think that’s pretty cool.

And that leads to why I’m not too keen on Infinity Ward’s decision to sweep the airport scene under the rug as soon as media outlets came a-knockin’. See, for storytelling in games, this is a big, big deal. It’s using one gaming’s biggest strengths (highly immersive shooting) to ignite all manner of powerful emotions within players. And it’s doing it in a way only videogames can – through interactivity. Honestly, when people start hooting and hollering about the “Citizen Kane of videogames,” this is the kind of thing I think of.

To me, this is proof positive that videogames can make unique statements with real world implications. A landmark moment like this, then, should be encouraged and promoted. But instead, Infinity Ward’s tossed this integral scene behind a giant blurred out veil, effectively roping it off from the rest of the game. It’s as though they’re saying, “Ok, we’re going to make an actual statement about war, terrorism, and your actions as a gamer now. But let’s just keep this on the down-low, all right?” Would an R-rated movie skip over its most pivotal moment just because it might make viewers feel uncomfortable? Of course not! Yet for some reason, this M-rated game can’t even look players in the eye when it’s making a statement.

Among other things, this is why modern war games see you clomping into Unspecifiedistan and bringing America-flavored justice to Osama Bin De-Clawed. Because the second videogames set foot into realistic, meaningful situations, developers and publishers start getting self-conscious. Remember Six Days in Fallujah, that non-fictional shooter that raised a stir a few months back? Publishers won’t touch it. Can you guess why? Say it with me now: “Controversy!” Until a major developer or publisher takes a stand against this play-it-safe mentality, mainstream media, other developers and publishers, and even gamers will treat videogames like gutter garbage when it comes to handling real world situations.

And that – sad to say – is lose-lose situation for all involved.

Download of the Week: Paragon Backup and Recovery

Florence Ion — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:15:25 -0600

It can be challenging to find a free hard disk backup utility that actually works well and doesn’t plague your computer with irritating nagware. Fortunately, the Paragon Software Group has released a consumer version of their popular Backup & Recovery software previously only available to IT technicians and professionals.

Backup & Recovery has an easy to use interface for even the more inexperienced of users.

Backup & Recovery 10 Free Edition is a hard drive management application that will create and restore bits and pieces of your hard drives and partitions, ensuring that all of your data comes out as squarely as it went into the vault. You can schedule when to back up your files and create differential jobs, which allows you to back up only files that have changed since the last back up (this is perfect for libraries like Documents and Music). Additionally, if you really want the security of being able to restore your files in case of a system crash, you can use the Recovery Media Builder to boot your computer in case your operating system is out of function.

Use differential jobs to selectively decide what you want backed up.

Before you download the application, you will need to register with a valid email address. It takes about fifteen minutes for Paragon to send you an active serial number. Once you’ve received your information, plug it in and begin using your new back up toolkit. It’s free for non-commercial use and there are versions available for both 32 and 64-bit Windows operating system.

Download Paragon Backup & Recovery here.

Every Wednesday, we pick a new free or shareware download as our favorite of the week. Have a nifty application that you can't live without? Send suggestions to fion [AT] futureus.com with "Download of the Week" in the subject line.

Murphy's Law: What is Skype Up To?

David Murphy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0600

The recent announcement of Skype turning quote-unquote open source has me twirling a finger with delicious glee. It's not that I dislike Skype. And it's not that I'm about to get into one of my 1,500-word debates on the differences between the definition of "free" and "open-source," I promise. This is nevertheless an important premise of Skype's entire move, as some Internet commenters are crying foul that Skype is only half-opening its popular application to the crowd. The GUI code will be yours to play with as you please. The underlying Skype protocol... nope!

To them I say: Duh.

I don't want to put words where they don't exist, but I'm willing to bet that Skype's sudden shift toward open-source waters has more to do with applying a giant, universal band-aid to staggered Linux development. It's not quite an altruistic gift to the community so much as it is a package and a bow with the phrase, "you fix it" written on the label. And that's fine. Let the community create the functional GUIs for Skype. It would be suicide for the company to release its heavily encrypted voice protocols for common use.

So what, then, is Skype up to?

Stronger Integration

Linux isn't just for geeks in the basement anymore. The open-source operating system powers an innumerable amount of devices, including super-small netbook PCs, equally small tablet PCs, mobile phones, et cetera. While opening up the Linux GUI still requires the underlying architecture of the Skype client in order to have any semblance of functionality, this is at least a first step toward smoothing the integration of Skype into Linux-based devices of all shapes and sizes. Developers could freely embed the Skype client and skin it to match the look and feel of a particular device--surely a boon versus, say, waiting for Skype to come into the app center of-sorts for each and every permutation of product.

Third-Party Takeover

And we now venture into the realm of the hypothetical. Imagine, if you will, that Skype's opening of the Linux GUI is but the first step in a gradual elimination of the Skype Client as a whole. Sure, this downloadable application would still exist for those that care to use it, but what if Skype was looking to offload the client's functionality into any software platform that wants to take it? Skype would still control the underlying protocol (depending on how the legal battle sorts out), yet this "naked GUI" approach, as it's been dubbed, would allow one to perform the same call functions using an application like Pidgin, for example.

For consumers, this approach would be a marvelous way to integrate Skype into existing "favorite applications." But there's also a fairly large flaw surrounding this plan. Skype would need to come up with some ingenious way to keep its services relevant, because you can bet that I'd want to add more VoIP services than just Skype to my communications app of choice. I'd love to be able to receive calls on Skype and call other people for free on Skype... but if there was a way to use a cheaper provider for outbound calls, I'd cast off the Skype experience like a boot on the end of a fishing line. Integration with third-party apps is truly a double-edged sword.

Skype as a Service?

Suppose Skype opts for option two and extends its service into third-party applications. What if this is not a measure of altruism, but rather, an investment? With countless developers around the world working on their own programming variants that somehow tie back into the underlying Skype protocol, what's to stop this mass intelligence from coming up with The Next Best Thing for Skype integration?

Both TechCrunch and I envision a future where even the desktop client has been rendered useless by the Skype service. No more installations; no more new applications to load up. Skype would be as permanent and unobtrusive a fixture in your operating system as Windows Contacts. Or, better still, you'd be able to dial up Skype directly through a Web application. As soon as you were to click on a phone number, the call would launch right in your browser of choice.

These are all far-off ideas. Some could even be ideas that only exist in a dreamy haze. Skype is promising a "larger offering" to come centered on its open-source Linux GUI announcement. When that big thing happens, do give me a ring.

David Murphy (@ Acererak) is a technology journalist and former Maximum PC editor. He writes weekly columns about the wide world of open-source as well as weekly roundups of awesome, freebie software. Befriend him on Twitter, especially if you have an awesome app or game you're dying to recommend!

Firefox Add-on of the Week: FEBE

Florence Ion — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:30:00 -0600

As your library of Firefox Add-ons continues to grow, so does the worry that a system crash will wipe out your carefully assembled collection of extensions. To quell this fear, all you have to do is download just one additional add-on that will ensure your extensions say safely backed up in a folder on your computer or portable storage device. FEBE (Firefox Environment Backup Extension) is a worry-free backup system that will preserve your highly-customized Firefox settings in the case of a crash.

FEBE's includes a myriad of customizable options.

FEBE backs up your Firefox extensions, themes, bookmarks, preferences, passwords, cookies and individual user profiles. From the preferences toolbar, you can select only the items that need backing up or restoring, schedule automatic backups, and save them to a specified folder on your hard drive. After backup, you can verify to make sure that FEBE correctly executed itself; it also does a quick back up and trashes any extra junk that may bundle itself with your saved files.

Restore a number of features to your precious browser.

FEBE comes with an information button attached to almost every function to help even the most computer illiterate backup their favorite Firefox add-ons and is also available in beta for Thunderbird.

Download FEBE here

Every Tuesday, we pick a new Firefox Add-on as our favorite of the week. Have an Add-on that you can't live without? Send suggestions to fion [AT] futureus.com with "Firefox Add-On" in the subject line.

Hands-On: Spring Design's Dual-Screen Android Alex eBook Reader

Gordon Mah Ung — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:30:00 -0600

There’s good news and bad news for eBook fans. First up: new eBook readers using Marvell’s ARMADA 166E chip could see triple the frame rate of first generation devices. The bad news: the faster frame rate of 3 fps won’t exactly have you playing Doom just yet but low frame rate animation will possible.

An eInk screen playing a 3 fps animation, using Marvell's new Armada chip

Marvell doesn’t mind though. The company’s new chip isn’t meant to just increase performance, it’ll also offer a cost reduction and power reduction by shrinking what is now a multi-chip board controller board down to a single chip. Marvell showed off several OEM designs including Spring Design’s upcoming dual-screen Alex.

Based on Android, Alex features a color lower touch screen with a 6-inch electronic paper display. Using its built-in 3G modem or Wi-Fi, the Alex will let you visit a web site, select a story, and the device will reflow it to the EPD screen. The color screen can then be switched off to save power. This makes browsing blogs and news sites much more feasible, since you don't have to wait for the ebook to render individual pages before you get to your target content.

The capacitive LCD touchscreen runs the full Android OS, including support for UI customization, photo galleries, and full-color video playback. When you read an ebook, the interface lets you quickly skip around to any page, using an on-screen slide bar. An on-screen keyboard also makes text entry practical.

One downside is that the Alex is noticably thicker than the Kindle -- the added heft needed for the second screen and bigger battery.

Alex is expected to be available by the end of this year.

Marvell also showed off an even smaller Star Trek PADD-sized eBook. The device was just a mockup, but Marvell officials say the size is quite possible given the smaller foot print of its new ARMADA 166E chip. The company said it expects eBook readers in the next year to dip to near the $100 level as volumes ramp up and OEMs realize the savings from using the ARMADA 166E.

Freeware Files: ASCII Zombie Games, Nethack Doom, and Huge Space Adventures!

David Murphy — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:00:00 -0600

There's one thing I think of when Daylight Savings Time hits: zombies. Seriously. All that extra time in the dark just fuels the undead flames for an eventual takeover by our semi-bulletproof, plant-hating masters. It only makes sense, then, that I use this weekly freeware roundup column to provide you with some kind of effective training for fending off the gruesome hordes. And beyond that, you'll also find a few more fun freeware games to busy yourself with as the angry, moaning masses slowly overwhelm your pitiful human defenses.

Now that we've established the plot, let's check out the titles!

DoomRL

It's no secret that Nethack is one of the greatest roguelike games of all time. Roguelike, for those not in the know, is a word that's used to describe this particular gaming genre of ASCII-based dungeon crawls. The "rogue" part of the description is actually a game--a 1980s graphical adventure title that's widely regarded as being one of the first of its kind. In this interesting little mashup, we have a combination of Nethack-style gameplay with plot elements from the popular Doom game, which is itself widely regarded as being one of the biggest catalysts for the first-person genre style of gameplay.

Like Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant, these two titans are meeting in an epic battle of text-based dungeon stomping. And yes, this game even comes with achievements of-sorts.

Download it here!

Darkwind

Fans of the MMO genre will surely remember that one failed attempt at a vehicle-based shooter that pretty much went from launch to death in short order. I believe the name of the game was Auto Assault, a far more alliterative title than "Darkwind." Still, this turn-based title is what you'll have to work with if you want to relive the glory days of driving around and killing stuff. And if that's not your bag, be sure to check out the game's economic functions as well. Hey, someone has to drive the truck.

Download it here!

Bombie Zombie

I know, I know--this is the game you were waiting for this whole time. Well don't let me take any more lengthy paragraphs to explain the subtle nuances of this zombie-killing game. In Bombie Zombie, there are a ton of zombies running around. Your job is to kill them, only... you have but one weapon to use: land mines. If only classic Atari games were this cool.

Download it here!

Strange Adventures in Infinite Space

This space exploration game is a bit of a misnomer, because it's not quite as infinite as the title might have you believe. Actually--for better or worse--the game is designed to take only 15 minutes or so to make it through each playthrough. Like a Diablo dungeon, every new adventure you take starts with randomized variables, making no two space explorations entirely alike. More than 21 ship types and 70+ weapons, gadgets, and other ship add-ons await you!

Download it here!

Magnello

Lead a ball into a hole. It's the classic theme behind any number of puzzles you can find in the real world today. But here's a twist I bet you don't come across as often. In Magnello, the ball is magnetic and the hole is electric. And did I mention that the levels are far more challenging than you might except from such a simple concept? Yeah. Grab your nearest stress-busting device and give Magnello a whirl.

Download it here!