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New API Liberates Google Sites

Pulkit Chandna — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:33:52 -0500

Google on Thursday announced the release of a new API for its Sites tool, an online drag-and-drop solution for building internal websites. The new application programming interface (API) enhances the overall ease of moving data to and from Google Sites.

The API follows days after Google announced a romantically named initiative, called Data Liberation Front, aimed at offering greater data portability to those that use its services (Che Guevara could not head the initiative due to his premature demise). With the new Sites API, businesses can update Google Sites from third-party applications, easily move data to and from Sites, and edit their Sites pages offline.

If your business does not possess the right men to build apps based on the API, or if they are too indolent to engage in anything other than social networking, you can always use apps built by other companies.

Images Credit: Google Sites

Samsung Launches Mobile Apps Store in the UK

Pulkit Chandna — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:45:14 -0500

Samsung today launched a mobile apps store in the UK. The prosaically named Samsung Application Store currently only features around 300 applications for the company’s Omnia and Omnia HD phones, however, the company expects that count to rise to around 2,000 by the end of this year. The apps store will soon feature apps for other Omina phones, namely the Omnia II, OmniaLITE and Omnia Pro. To access the apps store, users will have to download a software update. Though paid apps can only be bought using a credit card at this time, Samsung plans to also support carrier billing in the future.

Take a Sneak Peek at the New Android Market

Paul Lilly — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:40:07 -0500

T-Mobile G1 owners and anyone else who frequently accesses the Android Market will soon see changes made to the user interface, and if early leaked pictures turn out to be legit, the semi-face lift appears to be for the better, though not extensive.

According to the photos, which a tipster sent in to Cnet, the redesigned Market will sport buttons to sort by Top Paid, Top Free, and Just In. A search button sits in the upper right corner, and that's really all that's evident from the sneak peek. But that's enough to make navigation easier than it currently is.

As work is still being done, more features and GUI changes might still be added. Look for the update sometime before the end of the year.

Image Credit: Cnet

Freeware Files: Monitor, Fix, and Steal with this Week's Freeware Roundup!

David Murphy — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:00:34 -0500

Having just gotten off a plane, I'm now facing the difficulties that a West-to-East coast trip does to one's sleeping schedule. Thus, this week's freeware roundup has as much of a concrete theme as I have a coherent thought at the moment. But that's ok. Examples of killer freeware or open-source software don't always fall within a singe bucket.

So what's on-deck for right now? I won't give away too many details. Suffice, if you've ever lost data as a result of a scratched or scuffed CD, you'll want to click on the jump below. While the page loads, go dig though the trash to recover the media that you just tossed--it's not dead. It might be on life support, and you might stand a very good chance of losing parts of your data, but you might also be able to save a portion of the files located on said disc.

That's a great bit of lifesaving... and it's just one of the programs in this week's roundup!

CD Recovery Toolbox

As mentioned, this useful little applicationscans CDs and DVDs that have been otherwise mistreated by your hands, pets, or angry roommates. It's not a perfect application, however. Don't expect that the optical disc you dropped in the garbage disposal will suddenly pull up in Windows as if it was a fresh piece of media. The program scans discs and recovers as much data as it can, depending on the extent and location of the scratches, nicks, or gouges on your media of choice. From there, you can pick exactly what files or folders you want to restore--perfect if you're just trying to pull that one file from the CD your dog brought in from the backyard.

Download it here!

Networx

I've blogged about bandwidth-reporting tools before. However, Networx should be considered the Optimus Prime of them all. This program is simple to use--just install it and, poof, up it pops as a taskbar button. From there, the program records all the Internet traffic flowing in and out of your computer. You can get real-time statistics of exactly how much you've downloaded or uploaded. But that's just the tip of the ol' iceberg. The program's extensive reporting functionality allows you to draw up detailed measurements of your Internet use based over set periods of time. There's a quota system that alarms you when you're nearing a set bandwidth limit, as well as a pretty familiar array of common networking utilities built right into the program's interface.

Download it here!

Hotspot Shield

Speaking of networks, this handy program gives you a VPN-based connection to the Internet, perfect for secure browsing and downloading when you're on an otherwise open network. Anonymous Web access is built into the program, just in case you want to keep your coffee-shop doings out of the hands of referral logs or what-have-you. This is one of the first things I would install were I to do any kind of online shopping, and especially secure logins, in a place where I don't exactly trust the network doings of those around me. I daresay this program is more important to your machine than any other networking app, even the Windows Firewall!

Download it here!

JDownloader

Are you sick of dealing with the multi-click, multi-captcha, single-download-at-once formats of popular Web-based file hosts? You know, the complex procedures and limitations put forth by sites like Rapidshare, Yousendit, or Megaupload? Work around their tricky (and annoying) habits with JDownloader, a one-stop shop piece of software that manages all aspects of accessing these sites. That includes running automatic downloads, unlocking parallel downloads, and automatically extracting files from downloaded archives, amongst other features. If you're a big free-file-host downloader, this program just saved you a day's worth of work, at least.

Download it here!

outSSIDer

I've saved one of the best for last in this week's roundup. This program is simple in function, but absurdly helpful in functionality. Here's the deal. Load up outSSIDer on your laptop and it'll run, unobtrusively, in the background of your operating system. Now start walking around. When the program locates an open WiFi signal, it'll automatically try to connect to the network and alert you with a ringing bell noise. While this program might not be the best for a security-minded individual, it's extremely useful for one who just needs access to the Internet any way it comes through the airwaves.

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!

Freeware Files: Five Windows Package Managers Reviewed!

David Murphy — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:00:00 -0500

There was a ton of great feedback to my column last week, where I dreamed up (blabbed out loud) the idea of a Windows-based application store for open-source downloads. For the Linux layman, this would be something like a wicked hybrid of iTunes and apt-get. A package manager featuring pretty icons, one-click downloads, descriptions, and community interaction that could help bring the open source world just one step closer to the hearts and minds of average computer users.

As it turns out, a number of package managers already exist for the Windows operating system. In theory, they provide you the convenience of being able to hunt down a number of open-source projects, categorized by operation, which you can install without having to pore over the Web for the right file. Beyond that, they also give you a way to learn about newer open source projects that you might not have heard about or seen by your casual browsing on SourceForge. But are these applications as glorious as my dream from last week? Are these applications even worth your time at all?

Unlike typical open-source roundups, where I recommend five awesome programs that you. must. have. I'm actually going to give you the pros and cons of a series of five different package managers so you can decide for yourself as to which one would best fit your PC habits. So without further ado, I present: Windows Package Managers.

WinLibre

What it does: It's not DOA, but WinLibre is definitely a package manager that's on its dying legs. But you wouldn't think that by the activity on the Web site. Heck, WinLibre has even become a mentoring organization for this year's big Google "Summer of Code" programming binge. Don't let that fool you, however. WinLibre itself draws from a small list of outdated software (we're talking Firefox 1.0 here), more than half of which return 404 File Not Found errors. Average execution, horrible management -- were there only a way to flag incorrect entries and/or contribute new links to the database without WinLibre calling the shots. Epic fail.

(Don't) Download it here!

QWinApt

What it does: This program doesn't work in Windows XP. I'll just get that out of the way first so you don't spend an hour trying to troubleshoot the continual program crashes, as I did. Fire this sucker up in Vista, however, and you'll be treated to a pretty comprehensive list of applications across more than ten categories of use. That's a great start for this (admittedly) beta application. What's not-so-great is the follow-through. For starters, the application still links to older versions of programs--like Gimp version 2.2.17 instead of the more recent 2.6.6 release. Firefox? Still on version 2.0.0.7. That's quite a gap. Secondly, the package manager doesn't even install any programs for you. It creates a huge list of categorical folders in the download directory you select, then dumps the installation executables for whatever programs you choose to download into these folders. That's it. Eh.

(Think about) Downloading it here!

AppSnap

What it does: I was so excited for AppSnap. Catchy name? Check. Comprehensive list of applications, more than any other package installer application reviewed thus far? Check. Updated link to main download page for all applications? Check. The program seemed to work. The program seemed to deliver updated links to popular programs. The program... utterly failed to download anything I selected. A total letdown, but AppSnap should be thought of more as a "guide" to new programs you can download rather than an actual downloading utility. While the giant list and official homepage links helped me eventually navigate to the files I wanted, there's no way this program will actually download or install the applications for you.

(Get a list of programs when you) Download it here!

GetIt

What it does: It's a little kludgy (and was slow as heck for me), but GetIt fulfills the two main criteria for a successful package manager. One: It contains a comprehensive list of open-source and freeware applications for the taking. Two: Selecting a program and clicking "download" actually pulls down a recent version of the application. While I'd love to see more (or any) descriptions about the programs featured in this helpful package manager, at least the darn program works... for the most part. Expect to see 404 "File Not Found" errors littered throughout this application. But hey--at least it gets the right version of Firefox, eh?

(Get Firefox when you) Download it here!

Win-Get

What it does: It works. This command-line based package manager is like combining the thrill of application installation with the insanity of shooting at a set of targets in the dark. To download and install applications, you append the name of the application in question to the end of a command-line prompt. Is there a comprehensive list you can refer to in regards to the programs that Win-Get can acquire? No. Can you update the program with a catalog of your own, listing the exact URLs for a specific group of applications you want to install? Yes. Do I know how to do that? No. Win-Get is home to powerful functionality, but no ease-of-use whatsoever.

(Go back to your DOS days and) Download it here!

The Last Word

As the roundup might suggest, there just aren't any foolproof package managers for the Windows operating system nowadays. At least, there aren't any that I could find. If I've completely missed the best package manager out there -- or if you've uncovered the tiniest of rocks and found one that actually works -- please let me know. I'll profile the application next week and you'll get major shout-outs / street-cred / hugs.

As always, you can follow me on Twitter for the latest in computer geekery and/or app-chat! Recommend free programs of any variety or suggest awesome ideas for future roundups you want me to run. I only say no to truly horrible ideas. See you next week!

Redownloads No Longer Free on iPhone App Store

Paul Lilly — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 09:23:54 -0500

iPhone users beware. According to TheiPhoneBlog.com, some users running the 3.0 Beta firmware are finding out they're unable to redownload already purchased apps without paying for them all over again.

"You've already purchased this. You can redownload it for free on your computer, or tap Buy to buy it again," a message reads when attempting to redownload.

Coming to the iPhone (and available in the 3.0 Beta firmware) is the ability to manage and switch between iTunes accounts. Charging for redownloads might be the company's way of ensuring purchased content doesn't get shared between accounts. For example, logging into your account on a co-workers iPhone and 'redownloading' an app that was never purchased for it.

We'd like to know how you feel about this potential new policy. Post your comments below!

Image Credit: TheiPhoneBlog

Nokia's Ovi Joins Its App Store Brethren

Paul Lilly — Tue, 26 May 2009 15:37:24 -0500

Some 50 million Nokia owners have reason to rejoice, as the company has now gone live with its Ovi app store, however U.S. residents will have to wait a little longer. So far, Australia, Singapore, Spain, Italy, Germany, Russia, Ireland, the UK are the first countries to gain access, with U.S. availability expected later this year.

Nokia's Ovi Store puts the company in position to compete with Apple's App Store, BackBerry App World, Windows Mobile Marketplace, and the Android Marketplace, plus any others we may have missed. At launch, the Ovi Store boasts some 20,000 items, representing a mix of both free and paid apps, podcasts, wallpapers, and ringtones.

The company's upcoming Nokia N97 is expected to work with the Ovi Store, and AT&T has promised to make the Ovi Store available to its customers later this year.

Image Credit: dancewithshadows.com

The Freeware Files: Make the Most of your Spare Storage with Five Freeware Servers!

David Murphy — Tue, 26 May 2009 12:30:00 -0500

So here's the deal. You have a ton of extra storage sitting around your house/apartment/basement. That's great. So what's the problem? It's just sitting there, doing you absolutely no good. You've maxed out the SATA ports on your desktop rig, but would love for a way to make use of your hard drives in some manner that's geekier than a doorstop, a height extension for your coffee table, or a crude weapon.

Have you thought about building your own server?

Woah, woah. Don't skip over this article just yet. It sounds complicated, but crafting up your own personal server for your files (and multimedia) isn't that complicated. In fact, for some of the free solutions I'm about to show you, all you need is a working PC that accepts USB keys. That's it. Plug it in, fire up the software, and you'll have a brand-new storage array that's ready to receive your file backups and music files in equal measure. And why is that important? Because you're probably not running a RAID array on your main PC--if your primary drive goes, that's it. Game over. End of story. And if you're the most backup-conscious person around, wouldn't it be nice to have a low-powered PC that serves up multimedia for any networked computer in your abode? I thought so.

unRAID Server

What it does: Boot this free server from a flash drive and you'll be ready to tap into the power of RAID-based redundancy for your files in no time. Unlike a traditional RAID-based NAS, the proprietary technology found in unRAID allows for multiple drive failures without a catastrophic loss of data. Sure, you'll lose whatever files happened to be on said dead drives, but you won't lose an entire array's worth of material as if you just watched two drives in your RAID 5 array disintegrate. Although unRAID is Linux-based, you can access its configuration screens via a standard Web browser. Take that, complexity.

Download it here!

FreeNAS

What it does: The ever-tiny FreeNAS requires few resources to operate: 128MB of RAM and at least 32MB of free storage space on any number of potential candidates, including USB keys, CDs, and other forms of portable storage (CF cards, anyone?) But that's not to say that FreeNAS is light on its features to match. RAID functionality, Web-based file management, iTunes server support, and an integrated BitTorrent client are among some of the unique applications you'll find on this lightweight server software. Heck, you can even encrypt your drives as well--an ideal solution if you'll be making heavy use of FreeNAS' torrent features, to say the least...

Download it here!

ClarkConnect

What it does: This kitchen sink of server software blends a large number of services and software applications into its meaty 513MB package. Where to begin? Firewall functionality is included, as is bandwidth management technology and VPN connectivity. You can use ClarkConnect to share contacts, calendars, and tasks--amongst other Outlook and Thunderbird-based features--with all the PCs connected to your network. LAN-based backup is included in the installation, as well as integrated FTP server functionality and user-based file shares. If you're looking for a total-package home server, you'd be wise to consider ClarkConnect. If media-sharing is your only interest, you would be better-served by a simpler server solution.

Download it here!

Amahi Home Server

What it does: This no-fuss home server software is free to operate and only requires that you have a working Fedora 10 operating system prior to installation. The Web site walks you through the brief install process, which then opens up your home network to server-based file hosting, backups, media sharing, and integrated search via your Web browser of choice. On top of that, Amahi's rich community has generated a number of add-ons that extend the power and functionality of this robust server software. Because of these, you can blend BitTorrent downloading, media catalogues, Web-based media streaming, and a sharable recipe book, as well as other features, into your default installation.

Download it here!

Tonido

What it does: Do you want the functionality of a full-fledged home server for your desktop machine, but still want to retain your standard, working operating system for normal use? Check out Tonido. Install this application and you can access a variety of server-themed services from any Web browser on the planet. Share the photographs on your home PC using an easy-to-access Web interface--files too. You can pull up and play your music collection as if you were sitting right in front of your desktop PC, as Tonido eliminates the need to install and configure fancy network tunneling software or VNC connectivity just to access an iTunes share. For the worker bee, Tonido's built-in workspace for note-taking, calendaring, and contact-sharing is ideal for maintaining a central repository of your thoughts. Oh, and the software integrates with Twitter too, just in case you needed to share those 140-character witticisms as well.

Download it here!