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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.

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.

How to Build Your Own Custom Linux Distro

Will Kraft — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0600

Although most Linux users rely on pre-built Linux distros and customize their software configuration after installation, there is nothing quite like having a Linux distro that was custom-designed to your specifications. This allows you to get whatever you want out of the box, but in the past it was difficult to create such a distro since it involved compiling the entire operating system from source. (something firmly in the realm of advanced-to-expert-level users)

In more recent years, it has become possible to create your own Linux distro through various easy-to-use online interfaces. The most well-known distro customization tool is Slax (which we recently discussed) but Novell has a tool called SuSE Studio in closed beta which allows you to assemble your own custom SuSE-based distro from pre-compiled packages. Right now, SuSE Studio is still invite-only since Novell gives you storage space on their servers and bandwidth to both store and download your creations.

Read on to learn how we built our own Maximum PC-themed Linux distro!

Planning the System

Before you can create a distro, you must first plan what you are going to use it for. Our intention was to create a customized yet well-rounded desktop distro based on openSuSE 11. However, you also have the option of creating a desktop or server variant of OpenSuSE or SuSE Enterprise Linux for 32 or 64-bit x86 architecture. If you plan to redistribute your creation, you will need to use OpenSuSE as a base since SuSE Enterprise Linux is not free for download whereas OpenSuSE is. Redistribution also requires the removal of all SuSE-related artwork and branding as per the Novell requirements.

Many distros are meant to be one-size-fits-all and can be a little bit bloated since they must appeal to a wide audience. Since you know what you need better than anyone else, building your own distro gives you unparalleled opportunities to maximize efficiency. Ideally, Linux distros should be as small and compact as possible while still being feature-complete, so try to plan ahead and come up with an inventory of the exact software you are going to need. It often helps to get out some paper or a spreadsheet to make a list: break down the required software ecosystem for your distro into categories like development, Internet, multimedia, graphics, office, etc. and then populate each category with the programs you think you will need.

When you go hiking, it pays to travel light since it is seldom worth it to carry a bunch of equipment you don't need over long distances. The same rule applies to distro planning. You should avoid including software that introduces redundant functionality; you don't need more than one desktop environment, raster editor, or office suite on your system. For instance, don't install both Openoffice.org and Koffice or both GNOME and KDE in the same distro.

The only exception to the rule is with GUI vs. CLI utilities; you should make sure you have a CLI alternative for important utilities if applicable. For instance, you might choose a robust tool like Kate or Gedit as your primary text editor, but you should also include a CLI-friendly tool like Vim or Nano to fall back on during the times you may not have GUI functionality. Alternatively, you could also get away with just using Vim as your all-purpose text editor in both a GUI and CLI setting if you are so inclined. While it is possible to mix and match programs from both GNOME and KDE in SuSe Studio, this will inevitably create bloat because of the extra dependencies that will also have to be installed to make everything work.

Building the Distro

Now that planning is out of the way, we can get to the really fun part. The first step to building a custom distro with SuSE Studio is creating the base configuration. This includes choosing the core operating system, (various OpenSuSE or SuSE Enterprise Linux templates are available in preset desktop, server, and minimalistic configurations) the primary desktop environment, the primary system architecture, (x86 or x86-64) and the name of the distro. The core operating system doesn't include very much, just a kernel, desktop environment, and a few basic utilities. For our demonstration, we chose to create a 64-bit variant of OpenSuSE 11 that utilizes the GNOME desktop environment. We chose to call our creation “Maximum PC Linux.”

Once the distro's base configuration has been created, you will be taken to the start page, which is the gateway to the rest of the tools you will need to create your distro. The next step is to configure your distro's software ecosystem. Although choosing a base configuration will already have added a bunch of software to your distro, you are still able to add any other individual programs you may want to use. This is where the list you should have made before starting this part of the process will come in handy.

SuSE Studio automatically ties in the default repositories for your distro, so you will have full access to the same packages you would normally be able to work with through the package manager in conventional SuSe Enterprise Linux or OpenSuSE. You can also add additional repositories if the default ones do not have what you are looking for; SuSE studio will integrate them and make their packages available to you if the repository is valid. You also have the option of loading individual RPM files, useful for those rare times when you have no choice but to spoon-feed packages into the operating system.

The package list in SuSE Studio is divided into several categories that will probably correspond to the categories on your preparation list: multimedia, graphics, office, etc. By browsing each category, you will be able to add additional programs to the project. Remember that while most software dependencies are handled automatically, this is not the case for system services; if you want sound to work you will need to add a sound engine like ALSA or PulseAudio. Likewise, you will also need to add any necessary codec packages for the various media frameworks (like Gstreamer or Xine) that most media players rely on.

Of course, you (or your other users) could always install these packages after installation, but a primary incentive of using a custom distro is to have most services work out of the box. Unfortunately, US patent law and the DMCA prohibited us from including MP3 codecs or a DVD decrypter with Maximum PC Linux, even though we really wanted to. To get these types of media working, you will need to add the necessary plugins yourself. (you will need the Fluendo MP3 decoder for Gstreamer and the libdvdcss2 plugin; Fluendo can be acquired as an RPM here.

Depending on the size of the installation media you are planning to use, be sure to keep an eye on the package count to prevent the distro footprint from getting too big. SuSE Studio estimates the current size of the distro for your convenience but keep in mind that the final image is slightly larger than the value provided during the software selection process because dependencies are not factored into the estimate. Therefore, if you want your distro to fit on a 700 MB CD, you should generally not exceed more than 610 MB of additional software packages although the actual safety margin will vary depending on what you install.

After all the additional software you wanted has been added to the mix, you can customize the appearance and behavior of your distro by switching to the Configuration tab:

General Settings

General Settings allow you to set the default configuration of your location, time zone, firewall, and network settings. For Maximum PC Linux, we chose to have NetworkManager handle the network configuration since it allows far greater flexibility (such as the ability to choose between wired and wireless connections) than standard DHCP. If you go this route, be sure to include the NetworkManager package and the appropriate frontend for NetworkManager that would allow it to interface with your desktop environment. We also configured the firewall to allow inbound SSH through port 22. If you do not need or want remote access functionality, be sure to disable it when you build your custom distro.

Personalization

The Personalize tab allows you to choose a logo and wallpaper for your distro. The wallpaper image is especially prominent, since it is also shown during the boot process and is a great way to brand your custom distro to make it truly yours. The default settings are rather limited and are identical to what can be found in generic OpenSuSE. We took this opportunity to customize Maximum PC Linux with one of the official Maximum PC wallpaper images. The logo functionality allows you to use the SuSE iguana symbol, a generic Tux image, a custom image, or no logo at all.

Startup

The Startup tab allows you to choose the default runlevel of your distro. The default level is set to graphical login; you should leave this alone unless you know what you are doing and don't want the GUI to start automatically at boot. You should know that the runlevel settings in this section correspond with the general Linux runlevels, some of which do not feature a GUI and/or disallow networking. The Startup section also allows you to define a EULA for your distro. Since the LiveCD installation utility built into the distro will complain (but will still work) if there is no EULA, it is advisable to use something generic if you do not have your own special licensing terms.

Server

The Server tab allows you to configure specific services (like MySQL) that would normally run in a server-type environment. If you choose to build a desktop distro, you will typically not need to enable any services.

Desktop

The Desktop tab allows you to further configure runtime options like automated login and automated startup programs. Since a typical SuSe Studio desktop distro is automatically set up to be a LiveCD, it helps to enable automated login since security is not as important in that situation. If you choose to install the distro, you will be able to set up a more secure environment at that time.

Storage and Memory

The Storage and Memory tab allows you to declare virtual memory allocation if your distro is going to be a VMware or Xen image. If you plan to create a conventional ISO image, you do not need to make any changes in this section.

Scripts

The scripts section allows you to create and run a shell script at the end of the SuSE Studio build process or at the distro's boot time. Most SuSE Studio projects will work properly without additional scripting, so you should generally leave this feature alone unless you know what you are doing.

Putting Everything Together

Once you have configured your distro to be the way you want it, SuSE studio must assemble everything before it will work. This is not a compile process (like Gentoo and similar distros would be) but is instead a very elegant assembly and configuration process where all individual packages you have chosen are brought together and configured to work with each other. You have the option of creating an ISO image for an installation CD, Vmware/Virtualbox hard disk image, (which you can then plug into a new virtual machine) Xen image, or a generic disk image you can clone onto a USB stick or hard drive.

To start this process, switch to the build tab, choose the format you want your distro to be created in, set the version, and then click the Build button. After that, all you have to do is relax and wait as SuSE Studio does all the hard work behind the scenes and creates your custom distro for you based on your specifications. Depending on the size and complexity of your distro, the build process can take awhile; creating a 700 MB build of Maximum PC Linux took about 24 minutes on average.

The versioning feature is very important since it can take several adjustments (each requiring a separate build) to get everything working properly. To facilitate easy debugging, SuSE Studio has an incredibly useful tool called TestDrive, which is essentially an Adobe Flash-based virtualization tool. Using TestDrive, you can run your distro in an hour-long test session without having to download it. However, truly comprehensive testing and debugging often requires you to download and run the distro on a virtual machine or a real test system.

Once the build is finished, you can download your distro. SuSE Studio will save your builds for about a week, after which they may be deleted to free up space for other users. (however, you can always re-build them later if you have to)

SuSE Studio generally worked well for us, (all programs we chose worked properly) but there were some minor problems. On the first build, we did not expect to have to manually add packages like ALSA to get sound support, so it took more debugging than we initally anticipated to get everything working. Although using SuSE Studio is far easier than manually configuring a distro from scratch, it is still not something you are able to breeze through in five minutes without careful planning and a fairly good knowledge of Linux systems.

Also, the builds that SuSE Studio produces have problems with auto-mounting media; after plugging in a USB flash drive, nothing would happen so we had to mount those devices manually through the console. (after which they worked perfectly) We tried installing udev and any other package we could find that dealt with USB devices, but no solution presented itself. Since we concluded that this problem is caused by the HAL (hardware abstraction layer) not properly recognizing new media, we feel that this (and other essential stuff like sound support) is something that should be automatically set up in the base configuration instead of being something that users should be expected to figure out for themselves.

7 Surprising Kick-Ass Things You Can Do with Google Sketchup

Alex Castle — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:00 -0600

As a part of Google's quest to be the undisputed overlords of the Internet, they've made a lot of quality services available for free. Gmail, Google maps and Google Docs are all famous examples, but one of the search giant's coolest free offerings, Sketchup, flies under a lot of peoples' radars.

Sketchup is a free 3D modelling tool developed based on the philosophy that by giving people a small set of powerful, intuitive tools, you can lower the barrier of entry to 3D modelling, so that almost anyone can make quality 3D models with just a couple of sessions of practice.

Still not conviced to give Sketchup a try? We've compiled a list of 7 awesome things you can do with Sketchup that you probably didn't know were possible. Did you know, for instance, that you can create a Left 4 Dead map in Sketchup? How about that you can design your own papercraft models? Read on to find out more!

Build a Model of Your House from a Floorplan

There’s something oddly rewarding about seeing a tiny version of your house. And beyond just the “Oh, neat!” value of seeing your living quarters in miniature, there’s real utility in being able to rearrange your furniture and try out different wall- and floor-coverings without actually having to do any heavy lifting. Fortunately, with Sketchup it’s surprisingly easy to make a model of a building interior. To do so is essentially a three step process:

1) Obtain a floorplan of the building. If you live in a rented property, you might be able to ask your landlord for a floorplan, or you can simply take measurements of your rooms and draw your own floorplan in your preferred graphics program.

2) Make a 2D replica of the floorplan in Sketchup. This step is easier than you might imagine. Simply click File > Import to import the image of your floorplan into Sketchup, and place it flat. Then, using the Rectangle, Line, and Offset tool, trace over the walls, drawing directly onto the floorplan. When you’re done, make sure to delete any extraneous lines.

3) Finally, use the “Push/Pull” tool to extrude the walls you’ve drawn up. Click the surface, and type “10’” and press enter to manually select a height of 10 feet for the walls. Next, to make doors, simply draw a rectangle on the wall where the door should be, and use the “Push/Pull” tool to push the door through the wall, making a hole. You can copy/paste the door-shaped rectangle around the house, so you don’t have to individually draw each door. Repeat the same process for windows.

And that’s it! Now you’ve got a model of your house, ready to be furnished.

If you’d like more in-depth instructions about how to do this, Google has an excellent video tutorial here.

Design Your own Papercraft Schematics

You know about papercraft, right? It’s the art of making models out of paper and glue, generally from plans downloaded from the internet (and also one of our 50 things every geek should know). With Sketchup, and a program called “Pepakura Designer,” you can create your own papercraft plans.

Here’s how it works:

First, you create a model in Sketchup. Simpler is better, particularly if you’re new to papercraft. Models with lots of rounded surfaces will produce difficult-to-follow plans, and won’t look as good when complete.

Next, you export your model as a Google Earth 4 kmz file. Unfortunately: Sketchup 7 is not able to export in the Google Earth 4 kmz format. Fortunately, it’s still easy to find older versions of Sketchup with a Google search, so you’ll need to install one of those to make your Papercraft model, and export it as a Google Earth 4 kmz.

Finally, open the kmz file with Pepakura Designer, which is shareware. The full version costs 40 bucks, but with the trial version you can still create papercraft plans and print them, you just can’t save your projects for later.

Now you’re ready to cut, fold and glue your papercraft model.

Design custom furniture

Alongside architects and designers, woodworkers have been one of the groups of professionals to embrace Sketchup in a big way. And why not? It’s quick, allows you to work in real-world measurements, and there are plugins to add all sorts of woodworking-specific functionality. For instance, here’s a free plugin that takes a Sketchup model, and creates a cutlist and layout. That means it shows you exactly how much of each type of wood you need to buy, and shows you how to cut it so that you get all the pieces you need, while wasting as little wood as possible.

If you’re interested in woodworking, or would like to try your hand at making furniture in Sketchup, check out Design Click Build, a site with tons of helpful guides about woodworking in Sketchup.

Image Credit: Tim Killen

Make a Left 4 Dead Level!

For a lot of computer users, their first experience with 3D modeling was in building levels for one of the classic 3D shooters, like Quake. In terms of sheer fun value and sense of accomplishment, it’s hard to do better than getting to run around and gun down your friends in your newly created model. While Sketchup was not originally meant for making game levels, Google’s been making efforts to move in the direction, starting with a plugin that allows you to use Sketchup to make levels for Hammer—the level editor that powers Source engine games like Left 4 Dead and Team Fortress.

Making a Left 4 Dead level in Sketchup is a pretty simple affair with the Hammer Sketchup plugin. First, install the plugin by downloading the Left 4 Dead Authoring tools in Steam (requires a purchased copy of Left 4 Dead) and finding the plugin in \Steam\steamapps\common\left 4 dead\sdk_tools\plugins. Extract all files in the plugins folder to Sketchup’s plugin directory. Once you’ve done that, two new items will be in the “Plugins” menu next time you start: Export SMD and Export VMF.

By allowing you to export as VMF, the Hammer plugin lets you to save your Sketchup models in a format that the Left 4 Dead version of the Hammer level editor understands. This means you can use Sketchup to quickly model props for Left 4 Dead models, or even entire level geometries, then use the Hammer editor to add the finishing touches, like scripting and AI pathing.

A word of warning: the Hammer editor is finicky, and this affects how you have to model in Sketchup. The primary concern is that Hammer requires that all brushes(objects to be placed in the level) have a convex topography, which is means no straight line can intersect a brush at more than two points. This means that any components you wish to use must be composed of simple, convex blocks, which themselves have to be made into components (by selecting them and pressing G in Sketchup). This can be a tricky process, so if you want to learn more, check out this link and keep your eyes on MaximumPC.com—we plan to offer a more detailed guide to Sketchup and Hammer in the future.

Use a Raytracing Renderer to Make Photorealistic Images

Once you’ve modeled something in Sketchup, it’s hard to resist the temptation to show it off to anyone who’ll look. But even with a wealth of style and lighting options, it’s hard to really make an object in Sketchup look great, or anywhere near photorealistic. Fortunately, there are 3rd party renderers that make up for this deficit.

For a free option, you can try Kerkythea. It's a freeware renderer with a Sketchup plugin available and can put together some pretty decent renders. For more information about how to setup and use Kerkythea with Sketchup, check out this blog post.

Image By: Alex

If you’re ready to move onto something a little bit more powerful, there are some relatively affordable renderers available, such as SU Podium, which has a free evaluation, and sells for $180. Unlike the previous renderer, SU Podium works directly within Sketchup, so you don’t have to start up a separate program, then export and import a sketchup model to make a quality render.

Image By: Evil Elvis

Of course there are also more advanced, general purpose renderers such as V-Ray that can be used to make photo-realistic images of your models, but these carry an industrial-strength price tag, sometimes running into the thousands of dollars.

Image By: tranganhhp

Make Custom Logos and Icons

Although Sketchup’s primary purpose is as a 3D editor, it can also be useful for making 2D images. For instance, for a quick 3D effect on a logo, import an image of the logo into Sketchup, then trace over it and extrude. Then paint the logo with the right colors using the texture tool, select a style, and export it as an image (File > Export > Image).

Step One: Import

Step Two: Trace

Step Three: Extrude and Color

Step Four: Style

If you want a transparent background, you’ll have to do a little post-processing using your photo editor of choice. Just pick a style that uses a flat white background before you export, then use a color-select tool (such as the “magic wand” in Photoshop) to select and delete the background.

This technique is also great for creating large custom icons for use on a website or in Windows Vista or 7. Just model an object in SketchUp (or download one from the 3D Warehouse), export an image, and then use a photo editor to remove the background and scale it down to icon size. Here’s a set of Moleskine icons made in Sketchup by Max Brown:

Turn Your Building Model into a Blueprint

An architectural or design model is great for visualizing an object or space, but sometimes you want a more old-fashioned, formal view of an object. Here’s how to turn your model into a printable plan, like this:

First you’ll need to annotate your model with dimension lines. To do this, select the Dimension tool from the Tools dropdown menu. If you’d like quicker access to the all the tools in Sketchup, and not just the essentials, enable the larger toolset by checking View > Toolbars > Large Toolset and unchecking View > Toolbars > Getting Started. To draw a dimension with the dimension tool, simply click on two points of your model, then move the mouse to one side or the other to “pull” a dimension line out. Depending on which direction you “drag” the line, it’ll measure different distances. For instance, if you pull to the right, it’ll measure the vertical distance between the two points, and if you pull up it’ll measure the horizontal distance.

Next, we’ll change the view to a straight-on side view. For this, first click on the Camera dropdown menu and uncheck Perspective. This will make your model look weird if you look at it from any sort of angle, but is the only way to get a perfect side-on view. Next, open the Camera menu again, then select Standard Views and select the side you want to view your model from.

Now you should have a nice, straight-on side view with labeled dimensions. If you want to take it a step further, you can give it a simulated blueprint style by opening the Styles window and then choosing Assorted Styles > Blueprint.

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!

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!

White Paper: OLED Screens

Nathan Edwards — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:02:23 -0600

Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens offer better picture quality and draw less power than traditional LCDs. But what are OLEDs?

Organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs, are often touted as the next big thing in display technology, offering brighter colors, true black, lower power consumption, and better off-axis viewing than traditional LCD screens. They’ve popped up in gadgets from high-concept to mundane: The infamous Optimus Maximus keyboard, for example, utilizes many tiny OLED screens in its programmable and customizable keycaps, and both Sony’s new X-series Walkman and Microsoft’s new Zune HD have OLED screens. OLED technology has made great strides in the past 10 years, and cheaper and better manufacturing processes mean they’ve started appearing in everything from media players to phones to high-definition televisions—even keyboards. But what are OLEDs?

What’s Inside

In the simplest terms, LEDs (light-emitting diodes) emit light by running an electrical current through a diode. Diodes create unidirectional electric flow, moving electrons from the negatively charged cathode to the positively charged anode, creating electron holes, or spaces where electrons could be. Electrons flowing in drop into these holes and emit light. An organic light-emitting diode uses the same principle, but between the cathode and anode are two layers of organic semiconductor compounds: the emissive layer, near the cathode, and the conductive layer, near the anode (organic compounds are chemical compounds that contain carbon). The cathode sends (negatively charged) electrons into the emissive layer, while the anode draws electrons from the conductive layer, leaving positively charged “electron holes.” This creates a negatively charged emissive layer and a positively charged conductive layer, which attract each other, drawing electron holes to the emissive layer. The positive-charged holes and negative-charged electrons recombine, lowering the energy levels of the electrons, emitting light as a by-product. Simple, right?

From a development standpoint, OLEDs have a lot of potential. Organic chemistry is a fairly well-understood science—reds, blues, and greens were developed in a much shorter time frame in OLEDs than in regular LEDs. And new molecules that can be used in the layers, which have longer lifetimes and produce brighter colors, are being discovered frequently.

In an OLED, an electrical current causes electrons (-) to move from the cathode to the emissive layer, creating a negative charge in the emissive layer. The positively charged anode attracts electrons from the conductive layer, creating a positive charge in the conductive layer, which recombine with holes (+) in the conductive layer attract electrons from the emissive layer, which recombine with the electron holes, lowering the energy level of the electrons and emitting light as a by-product.

It turns out that OLEDs are great for use in displays, because the organic molecules that comprise the emissive and conductive layers can be deposited in very thin, large sheets onto a variety of substrates—from glass to metal to fiber—so that millions of individual OLEDs can be crammed together, row by row and column by column, into a very small space. Each of these OLEDs becomes one pixel of the display. The organic compounds can be deposited using several methods, depending on the type of organic molecule used in the display.

There are two types of OLEDs currently in production and development, differentiated by the size of the molecules in their organic compounds. Small-molecule OLEDs are usually manufactured via organic vapor phase deposition (OVPD)—the organic molecules are evaporated and carried via inert gas, then deposited on a substrate through a series of very small nozzles held near the substrate’s surface. Large-molecule, or polymer OLEDs, can be created via a process similar to inkjet printing—the polymers are dissolved into a solution and “printed” onto the substrate.

Advantages & Disadvantages

The advantages of OLEDs over traditional LCDs are many. First, unlike liquid-crystal displays, OLED pixels actually emit light, so they don’t require backlighting. Traditional LCD screens often utilize traditional LEDs or CCFLs for backlighting, which—in addition to increasing the thickness of the display to accommodate a light source—prevents the display from rendering true black, as even “black” LCD pixels are backlit. Since OLED pixels produce light when on and don’t produce light (or draw power) when off, a darker, richer black can be created. Having light-emitting pixels also enables richer colors, a broader color gamut, higher contrast, and a greater viewing angle than an LCD screen. Because “off” pixels don’t draw power, and because there’s no need for a separate light source, OLED displays require less energy to run. And because the organic molecules can be printed onto a variety of substrates, flexible displays are possible.

OLEDs, however, are not without their disadvantages. The manufacturing process is still expensive, so large OLED displays are rare—most OLEDs are used in small-screen applications, such as media players and smartphones, though HD displays up to 40-inches have been demonstrated. And the materials used in OLEDs don’t necessarily last as long as regular LCD displays—another reason they’re more frequently found on phones and media players, rather than computer monitors and televisions. Monitors are typically turned on for much longer stretches of time. And finally, the organic materials in OLEDs are extremely susceptible to water damage, so displays must be well-sealed.

OLED to the Future

What’s next for OLED technology? The European Union, among others, is investigating the use of OLEDs as cheap solid-state lighting to replace incandescent bulbs. Their stated goal is to create a 100x100cm square of OLED material that creates 100 lumens per watt of power, has a working lifespan of at least 100,000 hours, and costs less than 100 euros per square meter to produce.

OLEDs have found their way into concept cars, lighting fixtures, PMPs, and laptop prototypes, with the latter expected to enter production by Q3 2010. As manufacturing processes become less expensive, OLED displays could start to replace LCDs, not just in media players and phones, but also in notebook computers, monitors, and televisions, on a much larger scale.

$1000 Budget PC Buyer's Guide - October 2009

Florence Ion — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

It’s been a while since we’ve posted a Parts and Price Guide on the site—okay, it’s been a long time. Now we’re back and better than ever, and so are the system specs we’re pairing you up with this month. We’re starting you off with a $1000 PC, which is a happy mid-way price point between the $700 recession special and $1500 budget surplus found in this year's Dream Machine roundup. $1000 may not seem like a steal for the truly frugal, but in a world of fluctuating economies and ever-changing technologies, getting the most “bang for your buck” is more important than getting rock bottom prices at the expense of performance. And in the time since we last posted a buyer's guide, new awesome technologies like Intel's Core i5 and ATI's Evergreen series of GPUs (which powers the Radeon 5870) have redefined our expectations of budget PC performance. With these computing advances in mind, we've carefully pieced together a sub-$1000 spec that doesn't break the bank or compromise performance.

Follow along for the secret to a hearty, healthy computer, for only a grand!

*All prices are as of October 29th and do not include rebates, sales, clearance, or whatever else makes computer parts really cheap these days.

Motherboard

Asus P7P55D LE

$129, www.asus.com

Sometimes a cost-effective motherboard is a better long-term investment than a ridiculously pricey one. In this case, the Asus P7P55D, with Quad-GPU CrossfireX and DDR3 200 support, is like banking on Google's IPO. The board supports both Core i7 and i5 processors, though it’s Socket 1156 board, which means it's only compatible with the latest Lynnfield-based CPUs. Still, you have numerous upgrade options, since Intel is committed to the Socket 1156 platform for the next few years. A more expensive Socket 1366 board only makes sense if you want the jump on Intel's future hexa-core and octa-core processors, but X58 boards are still prohibitively expensive for budget builders.

The P7P55D doesn't skimp on features, though. It sports seven PCI slots (two PCI Express x1, two PCIe 2.0 x16 and three regular PCI slot) and four memory slots that max out at 16GB of memory. Memory can only be run in dual channel configuration using the appropriate slots. The I/O ports on the rear of the motherboard include 2 PS/2, 8 USB 2.0, 6 audio ports, one eSATA, and an S/PDIF incase, y’know, you ever want to start mixing some tunes and pursuing your dream of becoming a DJ someday.

CPU

Core i5-750

$200, www.intel.com

Intel’s latest series of CPUs are sure to please budget users everywhere -- they effectively bring Nehalem to the masses. The new socket and infrastructure are nothing to be afraid of, and we certainly weren’t disappointed in our benchmarks. Our recommendation, the Core i6-750, is the cheapest in the Lynnfield family, but we were able to take the processor from 2.66GHz to a very stable 3.5GHZ without any strain (though the motherboard we paired you with may not be able to overclock as high). But even at stock speed, the 750 is far superior to any Core 2 chip and even a higher-clocked Phenom II X4. The lack of hyperthreading (a limitation of Lynnfield) doesn't affect the majority of applications, including games.

Memory

Corsair XMS3 4GB DDR3/1600

$81, www.corsair.com

No surprise here. Simply drop in this pair of affordable, lightening fast sticks of memory to your motherboard. And remember that since DDR3 memory is so cheap these days, you can always grab an extra pair of 2GB DIMMs later to double your RAM. Corsair's XMS sticks are rock solid, but any name brand manufacturer (Crucial, OCZ, Patriot) will be just are reliable.

Videocard

Sapphire Radeon HD 5770

$160, www.sapphire.com

Here's where the story gets interesting. This entry-level card will get you amazing performance for under $200. Its specs are on par with the last generation's flagship HD 4870, but the new architecture is much more power efficient. Following the golden path of the Everygreen lineup, the HD 5770 is DirectX11 compatible, sports 1GB of DDR5 video memory (which clocks in at 1.2 GHz) and has a core clock speed of 850MHz running on a TeraScale 2 Unified Processing Architecture. The HD 5770 is also equipped with an HDMI port and two DVI ports, and supports a maximum resolution of 2560 x 1600. Case in point, this GPU is the right stuff for the right price.

Optical Drive

Samsung SH-S223

$31, www.samsung.com

Amazingly, the Samsung SH-S223 has held the throne of top DVD drive for over half a year. This is due to the fact that no burner we've tested since the SH-S223 has come close to its burn speeds. In our DVD burner challenge, this Usain Bolt of burners bested the competition in rip times by several seconds, including Samsung's previous top model (with a firmware update). The drive comes well equipped with 22x DVD+R write speed, as well as rapid speeds for writing to other DVD disc formats. Don't worry if the drive doesn't show up in a search on Samsung's website -- it's still very much in production!

Hard Drive

Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB

$110, www.westerndigital.com

Hard drives are also some of the more affordable components when putting together a system, but just as essential as their more expensive case mates. The Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB is as affordable as it is functional. As a WD Black drive (as opposed to Western Digital's Green lineup), its emphasis is on performance over power conservation. And that promise is delivered -- it's one of the faster 3-platter terabyte drives we've tested, delivering truly impressive random access speeds. Sure, you can buy a two-platter terabyte drives these days, but the price premium makes that jump difficult to stomach. With modest specifications and an abundance of storage room for the average computer user, the WD Digital Caviar Black 1TB is totally worth a Benjiman and we’re confident you’ll be greatly pleased with your purchase.

Power Supply

Corsair 650TX

$100, www.corsair.com

Yeah, it’s a power supply, and its main purpose is to power up all of your components to make your system run. This one is 650 watts and is a little more than enough and it won’t run your energy bill too high since it is proven 80% efficient, meaning less waste heat emitting from the supply. The Corsair 650TX can also auto-sense you input voltage from 90Vac to 264Vac, 50/60Hz, which means you don’t have to initiate any sort of voltage selector switches. This power supply comes equipped with 2 extra long PCI-E cables for big cases, as well as 8 SATA connectors, 2 PCI-E and 8 peripheral, and a variable 120 mm fan for whisper-quiet performance. Since our HD 5770 videocard only requires one PCI-E power connection, you'll be able to run the system in Crossfire as well with this PSU.

Case

Antec 300

$51, www.antec.com

This mid tower case is barebones, with no special lighting effects, no side panel window and no screwless mounting for hard drives and 5.25-inch devices. Regardless of its lack of special effects, its smooth steel chasis comes primed with 120mm and 140mm fans for the motherboard area (with switches!) and a ton of 3.5-inch hard drive bays -- 6, to be exact. Sure, it's not as feature-ladden as the Antec 900 or NZXT Tempest cases, but it's also half the price of those comparable LAN staples.

Operating System

Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition

$107, www.microsoft.com

You know our position on Windows 7: it kicks ass. So much so that we've recommended as a primary OS since Microsoft released the public Release Candidate. But since we can't get away with recommending the RC version anymore, the OEM version is the way to go for your new PC, since it's the cheapest way to get a full copy. If you're truly a penny pincher, you can also just buy an upgrade copy of Windows 7 and run it as a fresh install (Check out how with this guide). We're also recommending the 64-bit edition, so you can utilize all 4GB of memory.

Price Breakdown

Now that's what we call a balanced machine! Even though we spent more money on the processor than the videocard, they each took up roughly 1/5 of the overall budget. The rest of the major components fell around the $100 price point, which seems to be where you get the most bang for buck. Having to use a tenth of the budget on the operating system doesn't sound like much, but it's a considerable chunk when we're talking about a $1000 PC (and makes us wish for the RC days). Of course, there's room for maneuverability if you want to spend less on one component to bolster another part. For example, you could opt for a cheaper PSU if you want the cash for more hard drive space or memory.

Part:	Model:	Price:	(Price after rebate)	Newegg Link
Motherboard	Asus P7P55D LE	$130		Link
CPU	Intel Core i5-750	$200		Link
Memory	Corsair XMS3 4GB DDR3/1600	$87		Link
Video Card	Sapphire Radeon HD 5770	$160		Link
Optical Drive	Samsung SH-S223	$31		Link
Power Supply	Corsair 650TX	$110	$100	Link
Case	Antec 300	$52		Link
Hard Drive	WD Caviar Black 1TB	$110		Link
OS	Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit	$107		Link

Total: $987 ($977 after rebates)

Agree with our choices? Have a better configuration for a sub-$1000 PC? Post your thoughts in the comments below!

20 Essential Tricks Every Outlook User Needs to Know

Paul Lilly — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0500

Are you stuck using Outlook at work? We feel your pain. Compared to the alternatives, like Mozilla's light-weight and customizable Thunderbird client, Outlook is slow, bloaty, and downright unwieldy. Add to the fact that it isn't free and Outlook doesn't appear to have much going for it.

But whether you use Outlook because you have to or have grown accustomed to its interface and are reluctant to switch (or maybe you just want to justify the cost of Microsoft Office), we have some tricks to help you manage your email and contacts like a pro. After all, if you're going to use Outlook, no matter what the reason, you might as well get the most out of it, and we're here to help you do just that.

Live on the Edge: Access Blocked Attachments

When it comes to security, we don't condone throwing caution to the wind, and so we're content to let Outlook block file types it deems potentially harmful. But maybe you have a legitimate reason for wanting to receive .txt and .exe file attachments, or maybe you'd rather rely on your own good sense rather than let Outlook make that judgment call for you. No matter what the reason, you can configure Outlook to let through any file types you specify, just be warned that by doing so, you're also making it a little easier for malware writers to gain access to your machine. if you're okay with that, then keep reading.

You'll need to dip inside your system's registry, so if you're running Vista or Windows 7, bring up the Start menu and type Regedit. XP users can get there by going to Start>Run and typing in Regedit.

Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Outlook\Security if you're using Outlook 2007. Outlook 2003 and 2002 users will navigate to the same general location, but instead of 12.0, change the folder to 11.0 and 10.0, respectively.

In the right-hand pane, right-click and select New>String value and name it Level1Remove. Finally, double-click the new string and in the Value data field, enter the file extensions you wish to allow, separating the entries by a semicolon.

For the change(s) to take effect, you'll need to close and re-launch Outlook. Once you do, you'll be able to receive whatever types of file attachments you indicated above. Just be warned that you're now more susceptible to malware, so be absolutely certain the file you're downloading is legit. It also doesn't hurt to scan any downloads with your antivirus program.

Integrate Your Twitter Account

One of the great things about Twitter from a usability standpoint is its ability to be updated from a multitude of sources, and Outlook is no exception. The integration comes courtesy of TwInbox (formerly known as OutTwit), which allows you keep your followers in the loop, 140 characters at a time.

To use it, download the free plug-in here and install it. The next time you fire up Outlook, you'll see the TwInbox toolbar added to your client. Click on the TwInbox pulldown menu and select options, then enter in your Twitter account credentials.

Before hitting the OK button, be sure to configure the other tabs as well. Under the Receiving tab, for example, you can setup TwInbox to place incoming Twitter messages in whatever folder you want, as well as assign color categories to new messages. If you're a heavy Twitter user, you may want to have TwInbox fetch new messages every minute -- the shortest interval available -- or once every hour if you're a casual user. You can also have TwInbox automatically shorten URLs with TinyURL, though we'd prefer if the service used bit.ly instead.

When you're ready to post a new update, just punch the New button and type in your message (you can add pics this way too). In the upper-right corner, you'll see how many characters you have remaining. Pretty slick, eh?

Archive Old Mail on Your Own Terms

Every once in awhile, Outlook will offer to auto-archive your old email items, but if you take the time to do this yourself, you can keep those old files infinitely more organized than Outlook is able to do on its own.

But why even archive email in the first place? If you don't, Outlook's Personal Folders (PST) file will continue to expand, kind of like Jabba the Hutt left unattended at an all-you-can-eat buffet. As the PST file grows in size, Outlook may start to feel sluggish. The rate at which this happens depends on your emailing habits, but whether your a light or heavy email user, at some point, Outlook will lose its initial pep.

Your best course of action is to setup an annual or bi-annual archive. Or if you're a regular chatty Cathy, a monthly archive may better suit you. No matter what the interval, the basic steps will be the same. To get started, click on File and select Data File Management. Next, click on the Add button and choose the desired format (stick with the default if using Outlook 2007). Click OK and give your archive a name, like '2008' or 'Jan-June _2008.' For that warm fuzzy feeling, go ahead and password protect your new archive when prompted.

You should now see two entries in the Data File Management window. Go ahead and close the window because we're now ready to start archiving items to our newly created PST file. One way to do this is by dragging and dropping individual mail items to the newly created entry under Mail Folders. Depending on much email you need to move, this can take a long time.

A better way to move old files is by navigating to File>Archive. Check the 'Archive this folder and all subfolders' radio button if it isn't already. Next, highlight the folder you want to archive (or your entire Inbox), specify the appropriate date in the 'Archive items older than' pulldown menu, and click the browse button to select your newly created archive file and punch OK.

Houston, we have a problem! You followed the above steps, but your original PST file (which you can find by navigating to C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook) is just as large now as it was before you archived all your email. What the flip?

This isn't cause for concern, it just means Outlook's automatic background compaction hasn't kicked in yet. Part of what this does is reclaim the empty space in your PST file and give it back to your hard drive. But if you don't feel like waiting, or if you have waited and there's still no change, you can tell Outlook to get to work. Just go back in the Data File Management window, double-click the PST file, and select Compact Now. Once again, be patient, because depending on the initial file size, this could take awhile.

Securely Sign Your Emails with a Digital ID

It's not at all difficult for hackers to impersonate you by spoofing your email address and sending out emails that appear to come from you. Luckily, there's something you can do about it to give your recipients some peace of mind that, hey, this email is the real deal. To do that, you need a Digital ID.

You can think of a Digital ID as sort of an electronic driver's license. The digital certificate, which is verified by a trusted third party, tells the recipient that you are who you claim to be. Anyone can get one, and to get yours, navigate to Tools>Trust Center. Highlight Email Security in the left-hand column and then click the 'Get a Digital ID' button.

This brings up the Digital ID page on Microsoft's Office Marketplace website, which can be a little overwhelming. You can research the available options on your own, or follow our lead and head straight over to InstantSSL by Comodo. It's free, while most of the alternatives are not.

After filling out the online form, you'll receive a verification email (ours showed up almost instantly) alerting you that your digital signature is ready for collection. Click the included hyperlink to download and install the certificate.

Now we need to import the certificate into Outlook, but the steps will be slightly different depending on which browser you used to retrieve it. Firefox users will navigate to Tools>Options>Advanced and bring up the Encryption tab. Click on the View Certificates button, highlight your certificate, and click the Backup button to save it to your hard drive. If you're an IE user, click on Tools>Internet Options and bring up the Content tab. Click on the Certificates button, then press Export and follow the prompts.

To import your certificate into Outlook, fire up your email client and navigate back to Tools>Trust Center>Email Security. Click the Import/Export button, then punch the Browse button to locate the certificate on your hard drive. Fill in the appropriate fields and you'll all finished!

If you want Outlook to use your digital ID every time you send out an email, navigate once again to Tools>Trust Center>Email Security and click the 'Add digital signature to outgoing messages' check box. This can slow things down, so you may opt to only digitally sign emails when the need arises, such as firing off an important email to your boss or co-conspirator for world domination. To manually add a digital ID on an as-needed basis, click on Options in the email you're composing. Expand the More Options section on the right-hand side, mash the Security Settings button, then check the 'Add digital signature to this message.' When you fire off the email, the recipient can check the digital ID and verify that it really came from you!

Configure Sent Messages to Automatically 'Reply to All'

Maybe you're coaching junior's basketball team and you're trying to organize a fundraiser with all the parents. Or perhaps you're attempting to carry on a group conversation with your co-workers on an important project. These are just a couple of scenarios in which it's helpful if the recipients remember to hit 'Reply to All' when responding to emails, but there's always one knucklehead who doesn't follow protocol. It's not that he's trying to be difficult, he just hit the wrong button.

You can prevent this from happening by forcing all replies to reach every recipient. Here's what you need to do. Compose a new email message, but before sending it on its way, click the Options button. In the toolbar, you'll see a button that says 'Direct Replies To' (Outlook 2007). Click on it.

Check the 'Have replies sent to' check box and then mash the Select Names button. Select the names from your Address book, or enter them in manually in the Reply To field at the bottom.

As a point of good etiquette, you should let the recipients know that you've configured email replies be sent to the entire group, even though this should be obvious when they click the Reply button. This will prevent Bob from revealing potentially embarrassing tidbits about his date with Sally to the entire group when he thinks he's only communicating with you!

Create a Custom View

You'll spend hours tweaking your system's settings in the BIOS, even if you spend most of your time surfing the web. And the same holds true when it comes to finding the best overclocking settings for your GPU, even if the end result only nets you a few extra frames per second in your favorite shooter. So why not spend a little time customizing Outlook? After all, assuming you keep the client running all day, you'll log a considerable amount of time staring at its unwieldy interface during any given work week.

To begin molding Outlook's UI to better suit your style, click on View>Current View>Define Views. In the pop-up that appears, press New to create a new view and give it a name. This is also where you'll choose your template (Table, Timeline, Card, Business Card, Day/Week/Month, Icon) depending on what you're trying to customize. You can use any template you want, but if you're customizing your mail window, you'll probably want to stick with the Table template unless you're shooting for a funky layout.

The next order of business is to arrange the layout by different categories. These are pretty self-explanatory. In the Fields section, for example, you'll see a list of available fields you can add to your view (as well as remove them) with the click of a button. You can also arrange in what order these fields are shown.

One particularly interesting section is the Filter field. This can come in especially handy if, say, you're on vacation and want to avoid the temptation to check work emails and be reminded of everything that awaits you after you return from the Bahamas. You can setup filters so that only email sent to your personal address shows up in the inbox, while email to your work addy stays hidden.

Another field you may want to pay attention to is Automatic Formatting. It's in here where you can customize the appearance of certain messages where you're listed as a recipient, but in the CC or BCC fields. If you tend to be copied on a lot of emal that's usually of low interest to you, use this field to divert your attention to emails that are more likely in need of your attention.

You won't find the option by default, so press the Add button, which brings up an untitled check box. Give it a name, such as 'To Me' or 'Not Copied.' To make these emails stand out from the rest, click the Font button and change the color.

Next, click the Condition button, which brings up another pop-up window. Check the 'Where I am' check box and choose 'the only person on the To line' in the accompanying pull-down menu.

Backup, Transfer, and Manage Your AutoComplete List

Over time, Outlook becomes pretty adept at predicting who it is you're trying to email and can usually accurately guess the recipient based on a single keystroke. This saves a ton of time, particularly if one of your frequent contacts has a long and convoluted email addy and you'd rather not poke around your address book. But there's a problem. As power users, we frequently find ourselves upgrading hardware and reinstalling Windows, which means the entire learning process starts anew. Or does it?

Whether dealing with a fresh Windows install or transferring your Outlook DNA to another machine, you can bring your auto-complete info along for the ride, but you won't find it in your PST file. Instead, this info lays hidden in a separate NK2 file.

To find it, you first need to close Outlook. Once you do that, navigate to C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Outlook. If you're having trouble locating the directory, check to see that you've allowed Windows to show hidden files and folders (Control Panel>Appearance and Personalization and click on 'Show hidden files and folders' under Folder Options). Alternately, bring up the Start menu and type %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Outlook (Start>Run if you're using XP).

Once you've located the NK2 file, simply copy it over to a USB key and then transfer it to the same directory on the destination PC or when you reinstall Windows!

Of course, Outlook doesn't always correctly guess who you're trying to email, and that can be frustrating when you're in a hurry. Not only that, but should one of your contacts switch email addresses or drop off the face of the earth, you'll want to delete their AutoComplete info. Unfortunately, the only way to do that is to begin typing their name and when it appears, press the down arrow to highlight the entry and the DEL key to nuke it. This can be time consuming if you have a lot of contacts to update, and Outlook doesn't allow you to edit the NK2 file. Luckily, there's someone who does

Nir Sofer's lightweight N2KView executable, which you can download here, displays the email records stored in Outlooks AutoComplete file. Just fire up the app, then proceed to delete any AutoComplete entries that are outdated. You can also use this handy utility to add items from your Address Book, and as an alternative way to backup and restore Outlook's AutoComplete file. You'll find all these options in the File menu.

Intercept Sent Emails!

Image Credit: masternewmedia.org

After composing that long winded email to your boss letting him know exactly where he can stick that Jelly-of-the-Month Club membership you received instead of a Christmas bonus, you probably felt better, right up until you accidentally hit the Send button out of habit. Or maybe you sent sensitive information to the wrong contact and realized it a second too late. There are several scenarios in which you might wish Outlook had an Unsend button -- such as noticing a typo after the fact -- but that's just not how the Internet works.

That doesn't mean you're completely out of luck, however. You've probably heard the saying, 'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,' and in this case, we're going to show you how to prevent scenarios like the above using Outlook's Defer rule.

Outlook's Defer rule places a temporary hold on all outgoing messages, so while you still can't unsend email that's already been thrust into the Internet, this will give you a short window to backtrack when you're not having one of your better days. To get started, click on Tools>Rules and Alerts.

Next, click on New Rule... to bring up the Rules Wizard window and highlight 'check messages after sending,' and then click on Next. This will bring up the Conditions window, which is where you'll indicate when you want this rule to take effect. Ignore all the check boxes and just click on Next if you want to defer all sent messages, otherwise go ahead and specify under what conditions you want your sent mail to have a temporary hold.

You should now be at the 'Select action' window, which is pretty self explanatory. Mark the very last check box that reads 'defer delivery by a number of minutes.' At the bottom under Step 2, click the hyperlink to bring up the Deferred Delivery window, and then change the number of deferred minutes to however long you want (we recommend anywhere from 3-5 minutes).

Click Next to setup any exceptions, such as when emails are marked as "importance" or several other options. Hit Next one more time, give your rule a name, and press the Finish button. Now the next time you goof up when sending an email, you can nuke the message from your Outbox and pretend the whole thing never happened!

Bug the Crap Out of Co-Workers With Polls

We'll assume you have a legitimate reason for wanting to send your fellow workers a poll, and just so we're clear, spamming the office with asinine questions is not a good reason. But let's say you've been put in charge of narrowing down a group gift for Harold's upcoming retirement, or are trying to decide which watering hole you and your co-workers are going to meet up at after work. So long as all the recipients are using Outlook, you can do this.

At this point, you might be thinking 'Wouldn't it make more sense to just ask everyone to respond rather than bother with a poll?' It would be if you're dealing with a small group of people, but the more people you're trying to ping, the harder it becomes to keep track of everyone's response. In this case, a poll can save you a ton of time.

To include a poll in your email, compose your message, click the Options tab, and mark the 'Use voting buttons' check box. In the pulldown menu directly to the right of the check box, you can change the answers from Approve/Reject, Yes/No, or Yes/No/Maybe. If none of these float your boat, type in your own responses separated by a semicolon.

Fire off your email and wait for the responses to start rolling in. Those who were included in the mailing list will be instructed to "Vote by clicking Vote in the Respond group above."

When they do, they'll have the option of sending in their response now or editing before sending. Once you start receiving replies, you can check the status either by opening up your original sent message and clicking on the Tracking button, or click on the blue bar in any of the emails you received and select 'View voting responses.'

Level Up Your LinkedIn Connections

We're typically not huge on toolbars, but if you're active on LinkedIn -- or just getting started and want to expand your network -- the LinkedIn toobar can come in pretty handy. During setup, this plug-in will spend a few moments combing through your entire collection of email. It does this in order to make suggestions on who to invite to your network based on how frequently you exchange emails with a particular contact.

But making suggestions isn't all it's good for. You can also receive updates when contacts change their LinkedIn profiles, update your Outlook contacts to match their LinkedIn profile, and use the included Dashboard as a front-end to more easily manage your network. Groovy!

Never Forget an Attachment Again!

If you end up using this plug-in only once, it will have been worth the download. What's it do? Not much - it just slaps you across the face (gently) when it thinks you may have forgotten to include an attachment so you can avoid having to resend a follow-up email.

There's no voodoo magic going on here, the plug-in simply sifts through your email looking for words that are most often used when an attachment is supposed to be included. If no attachment exists, a pop-up dialog asks if you meant to add one after you've already mashed the Send button. If you did, just hit 'Yes' and get an instant do-over. And if it ends up being a false positive, click 'No' and move one with your day.

On the downside, the developer doesn't say which words are flagged, nor can you can add words of your own. Nevertheless, it works well out of the box and could potentially save you from a boneheaded moment.

Stay Connected to Facebook

Like TwInbox, FBLook integrates social networking into Outlook, only this one works with Facebook, not Twitter. This one's especially handy for those times when you want to quickly update your Facebook status without loading up your profile and getting distracted with what everyone else is up to. You may have meant to hop in and out, but before you know it, you're surfing profiles, deciding who to invite, and getting sucked into another round of Mafia Wars.

Or you can install FBLook. Just jot down your status in the toolbar, hit return, and get back to work. Or kill a little bit of extra time sifting through new friend requests, messages, birthday reminders, and other notifications.

Supercharge Your Contacts List with Xobni

Xobni is one of those plug-ins where, once you use it, you'll wonder how you ever got along without it. Once installed, you'll be able to search through your contacts faster than was otherwise possible, but that's only the beginning. Xobni maintains a complete profile of everyone you know, including contact info, profile pictures, recent conversations (threaded!), files exchanged, and so much more.

There's also a strong social networking element to Xobni. Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn all come integrated so you can see which sites your contacts participate in. Does Bob use Twitter? Click his name and find out, then check out his latest tweets, all from within Outlook!

We also appreciate the seamless integration into Outlook's interface. There's a lot going on, and Xobni organizes it all in a convenient sidebar that wedges right into the email client. Should you decide you don't want to look at it, just click the arrow to tuck the sidebar away. How considerate!

Send Attachments the Polite Way

Nobody likes receiving mega-sized attachments in their inbox. The messages take a long time to be delivered, and if you included important information in the body of the email, you put the recipient in the unenviable position of having to save the bloated email -- attachment and all -- even after they'd downloaded the file.

There's a better way, and you've probably already heard of youSendIt. But did you know it also comes as an Outlook plug-in? It does, and your contacts will thank you for using it. You can configure YouSendIt to intercept all file attachments and route them through their servers, or just files exceeding a pre-set size limit. You can even use the service with a proxy.

By routing your attachments through YouSend it, the recipient receives a link to download everything you sent, so suddenly that would-be 10MB email message is now a much more manageable 25KB. And your co-workers will stop dreading the thought of you sending another email.

5 More Quick and Easy Tips

There are several things you can do to improve Outlook, and many of them are just a few mouse clicks away. Here's a collection of some of our favorite, easy to apply tips.

Save Multiple Attachments

Don't bother saving multiple attachments one file at a time, and instead round them all up in one fell swoop. Outlook doesn't make this functionality obvious, but it's still pretty easy - just click on Other Actions in the Actions menu and choose Save Attachments.

Supercharge Outlook by Disabling Unused Add-ins

You shouldn't have too much trouble running Outlook on modern hardware, but if you're still stuck several generations behind, you may find yourself spending too much time waiting on Outlook to do its thing. While we can't turn the email client into a lean, mean, sending and receiving machine, we can give Outlook a little boost by disabling add-ins that we'll never use.

To do this, click on Tools>Trust Center>Add-ins. At the bottom of the window you'll see a Go button next to COM Add-ins. Press it and then uncheck any add-ins you're not using. If you're not sure what one of them does, hit up Google or Bing. If Outlook just recently started slowing to a crawl, you can disable add-ins one at a time to see if performance improves, and if it does, you've found the culprit!

Minimize Outlook to the System Tray

If you keep Outlook running all day -- and if it's you're main email client, then you probably do -- it's just taking up space in the Taskbar. To fix this in older versions of Outlook, you'd need to poke around the registry and add a DWORD value, but that's not the case anymore. In Outlook 2007, simply right-click the Outlook icon in the System Tray and check 'Hide when Minimized.' How easy was that!?

Create a Custom Distribution List

Setting up a mailing list in Outlook is a piece of cake once you know where to look. To set one up, select File>New>Distribution List, or hold CTRL+Shift+L. Give your list a name, and then start adding contacts by clicking on Select Members or Add New.

Filter Mail from Specific Senders to Their Own Folder

Work and play rarely mix, but the problem with Outlook is that it meshes everything into one, whether you want it to or not. You may have separate email accounts setup, but all incoming email still gets clumped into the same inbox. If you don't want your significant other's emails mingling with your work mail, you can setup a special folder for that special someone.

To do this, right-click an email from whoever it is you want to have their own folder and select 'Create Rule.' Check the check box next to the sender's name as well as the 'Move the item to folder' check box, and then click on Select Folder. Pick or create a folder, and if you want, you can even assign a WAV file, just to be sure to check 'Play a selected sound' if you do.