Posted 08/22/08 at 08:16:37 AM by Mark Edward Soper

Mozilla's Firefox browser's biggest strength has always been customization. When Mozilla created Firefox 3, the huge improvements in its underlying architecture made Firefox 2 plugins obsolete. To help encourage a new generation of add-ons, Mozilla Labs launched the Extend Firefox 3 contest in March to create a new generation of plugins.

Entries wrapped up on July 4th, and after spending the rest of the summer judging over 100 entries, Mozilla Labs has finally announced the winners of Extend Firefox 3.

"The Envelope, Please"

Extend Firefox 3 presented grand prizes in three categories:

• Best New Add-on
• Best Updated Add-on
• Best Music Add-on

And, now, the winners (drum roll, please):

Best New Add-on

• Pencil - a GUI prototyping and diagramming application
• Tagmarks - one-click tagging for bookmarks
• HandyTag - automatic tagging for bookmarks

Best Updated Add-on

• Read it Later - offline page reading
• Tag Sifter - browse bookmarks by tags
• Bookmark Previews - adds album and thumbnail views to the bookmarks manager

Best Music Add-on

• Fire.fm - accesses last.fm music library (last.fm co-sponsored this category

What do you think about the winners? Do you have a favorite that didn't make the cut? Catch us after the jump for your chance to create your own award show.

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add-on, firefox, Mozilla, Firefox 3, web browser, mozilla labs, plug-in, Extend Firefox 3

Posted 08/21/08 at 11:57:17 PM by Mark Edward Soper

Microsoft Live Labs, where Microsoft is helping to create the future of online information, released its Photosynth 3D imaging service yesterday, CNet reports.

Photosynth enables you to create a freely-navigable and zoomable 3D space by combining hundreds of photos with overlapping data, but unlike panorama-stitching programs, you get better results if you shoot your photos from a variety of different angles and zoom settings (or different focal-length prime lenses).Photosynth isn't for photography snobs, either. It works with all types of digital camera images, even from camera phones.

To sign up for Photosynth, you need a Windows Live ID (a free Hotmail account will work). After you sign up for Photosynth, you download free software for viewing synths (Microsoft's term for the 3D images you create with Photosynth) and for creating them. For best "synthiness," you'll need to shoot at least 100 pictures, and many of the examples you can view on the Photosynth website include 200 or more images. If you ever wondered why you need a 4GB or larger flash memory card for your camera, wonder no longer. A thorough Photosynth session can use up every bit of space on your largest memory card.

To learn more about Photosynth, and to give us your comments on this new imaging tool, catch us after the jump.

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microsoft, Software, firefox, digital photography, browser, IE, Photosynth, Windows Live Labs, application, plug-in