October Revisited - Headers

These are all the headers  for the month of October.

My first header (30 Sept / 1st Oct)

 Header in commemoration of the Mid-Autumn Festival (3rd Oct)

  

 Header in commemoration of the first motion picture shown by Thomas Edison (6th Oct)

  

 Header in commemoration of the invention of the bar code (7th Oct)

 Header for Week of Portables (9th to 15th of Oct)

Header for Week of Portables (13th of Oct)

Header for the launching of Windows 7 (22nd of October)

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Installing the Chinese IME in Windows Vista and in Windows XP

Installing the Chinese IME in Windows Vista

How do I install the Chinese IME in Windows Vista?


To install the Chinese IME in Windows Vista, start by opening the Control Panel.

Click the Start Button:
 

   
and chose Control Panel:



Then click the "Clock, Language and Regional" option.



You should then see the Regional and Language Options option as shown below. Under the Regional and Language Options item select Change keyboards or other input methods.



That will bring up the Keyboard and Languages tab in the Regional and Language Options dialogue. Click the Change keyboards... button:



In "Text Services and Input Languages" dialog box we need to add the Chinese IME and the Chinese Keyboard components.

Click the "Add..." button.



You should now see the "Add Input Language" dialog box.

Scroll down to the Chinese (PRC) entry, expand it and select the Chinese keyboard that you would like to use (I would recommend the Microsoft Pinyin IME is you are using Simplified Chinese) as shown below:



Finally click the "OK" button.

You should end up with a "Chinese" entry under "Installed Services".



Finally click the "OK" button.

You may be asked to put your Windows Vista CD-ROM in the CD drive so that the relevant files can be copied across to your hard drive. NOTE: You can not install the IME without the CD (please do not email me to ask..!).

That's it. You should now see the IME icon in your task bar that has a Chinese option when it is clicked... like this:





Installing the Chinese Fonts in Windows XP

How do I install Chinese fonts in Windows XP?

This is the minimum required step to run Declan's Chinese Language Learning Software in Windows XP.

Users of Windows XP do not need to download the IME - it comes on the XP installation CD and just need to be manually installed.

Open the Control Panel (Click the "Start Menu" and chose the "Control Panel").
Then click the "Date, Time, Language and Regional Options" icon.



The select the "Add Other languages" task.



You should then see the "Regional and Language Options" dialog box as shown below.
Two things need to be done here:

1. Click on the "Install files for East Asian Languages" check box
(This ensures that the correct fonts are installed).

2. Then click the "Details" button.
You should then see the "Text Services and Input Languages" dialog box.



This is all you need to do to run Declan's Chinese Language Learning Software (ReadWrite Chinese, Chinese FlashCards and our Chinese-English Dictionary) - just click the OK button. You may be asked to reboot your machine.


How do I install the Chinese IME (Simplified)?

While installing the Chinese fonts is sufficient if you only want to view Chinese characters in emails or when browsing the web, if you need to type in Chinese characters then you need to complete a couple of additional steps.

First return to the "Regional and Language Options" dialog box as we showed above. But this time click the "Details..." button in the "Text services and input languages" frame as shown below:


That will bring up the "Text services and input languages" dialogue box. Now we need to add the Chinese IME. Click the "Add..." button in the "Installed services" frame:


You should now see the "Add Input Language" dialog box as shown here:


Now click the "Input language" drop down box and select "Chinese (PRC)".

While there are a number of other Chinese choices for Simplified Mandarin Chinese we recommend this one for its functionality and ease of use.
BTW - PRC stands for Peoples' Republic of China.


Once you have select "Chinese PRC" click the "OK" button.


Now you should see "Chinese (PRC)" as one of the listed Installed Services. Click the "OK" or "Apply" button to finish.



You may be asked to put your Windows XP CD-ROM in the CD drive so that the relevant files can be copied across to your hard drive. PLEASE NOTE: You can not install the IME without the CD (please do not email me to ask..!).
Now we are ready to take the Chinese IME for a spin.

All installed IMEs are accessed through the the Windows Icon Tray. Here we see the EN signifying that the English Input Method is active.


  To view the other installed IMEs simply click in the EN icon. You should then see a popup listing all the other languages installed.

If you go ahead a click the Chinese (PRC) item in the IME popup menu you will see a new active IME icon will display - namely the Chinese (PRC) IME signified by the CH icon.



NOTE: The Chinese IME will only become active if there is software running in the foreground and active that will accept Chinese input.

Now we are ready to use the IME....

From Declan Software 

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Not enough of Dropbox and Drop.io??

Get A Drive! 50 GB of free storage space awaiting you!

ADrive’s Basic plan offers individual users 50GB of online storage and backup for all file types including access to our basic service features, all for FREE. With our Basic plan you will have the essentials to store, backup, share, and edit your documents online.

The Basic plan is intended for individual or personal use. Business users can view our Signature and Premium plans for more security, storage, and access.

Basic Plan Features:
Universal Access
50GB Storage Capacity (per account)
File Sharing
Folder/Directory Upload
File Download
Easy Search Tool
Remote File Transfer
International Character Support
Zoho® Editor

Sign up for the free ADrive Basic plan.

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Still not enough of web storage space??

Try Windows Live's SkyDrive.

 

Existing Windows Live users can use the 25 GB free storage space given by Microsoft.

Sign in using your Hotmail account and click on SkyDrive here.

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Create your own free website

Create your own free website with Webs.

Below are from Webs:

Get The Most From Your Free Website

At Webs, we provide all the tools you need to create a professional-looking website in just minutes. Add a blog, forum, calendar, photo gallery, video gallery and much more. Want to turn your site into a social network? No problem! You also have the ability to add members and create personal profiles so you can turn your site into a community where friends, colleagues and family can connect and collaborate.
Grow Your Own Site - No HTML Required.


Choose from More than 300 Templates.

We have the right template for your site. Choose from many categories and styles including professional, education, recreation, sports, gaming and more. You also can easily customize your template with our Site Designer: upload and insert your logo, change the background color ...

So Very Easy-to-Use Page Editor.

Can you use MS Word? Then you can use our easy Page Editor to add new pages and enter text, images, videos, widgets and more with our oh so easy-to-use page editor. Drag-n-drop interface makes it a breeze. Create columns, change font size and colors, undo edits and more. Do all the things you're used to doing in a word processor, plus a lot more.

Organize and Share Photos.

Upload your photos into photo albums. Want to pull in photos from PhotoBucket or link to photos on another site? No problem. And friends can upload as well - with your permission, of course. You can crop, recolor, resize and rotate your pics right from your site. Include commenting so your friends and family can share their thoughts!

Show and Share Video.

Upload your videos to make your own video channel. You can also pull in videos from YouTube or anywhere on the Web. And our new feature: You have the power to allow your site members to add their videos to your galleries as well!

Communicate through Blogs and Forums.

Create conversations with a blog or forum. You and your members can post your thoughts, plus you can designate members to moderate, monitor and guide the conversation.

Set a Date on the Calendar.
Add a calendar to your site to let your visitors know what, when and where events will happen. Easy to use interface makes it simple to add events - and you can allow commenting on those events as well.

Access and Add Widgets from Around the Web.
Tons of widgets to choose from to help keep your site fresh, informative and fun. News feeds, maps, polls, counters, games, and more – access the wide world of widgets from one central location.

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PDF Editor & Save Documents in PDF

Cannot edit your PDF files?

Try PDFill PDF Editor 7.0 which is free (but end product will have PDF Fill watermarks on every page) or the FREE PDFill PDF and Image Writer Free 7.0. The latter (PDFill PDF and Image Writer Free 7.0) is installed as a virtual printer driver and allows you to convert any printable document from any application which supports printing into a standard PNG, JPG, BMP, TIF, or GIF image.

I've tried it and it works well but there's the PDFill watermark in the background so your document may not look nice though. Download PDFill PDF and Image Writer Free 7.0 here.

The following is another PDF editor from Nitro PDF Software.

 

The following review was by CNET:

Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on October 08, 2009

PrimoPDF converts just about any file type to a PDF, using the print command from the source program the file was created in. In the latest version, the program comes with desktop icon that you can drag and drop files onto for quick conversion, as well as performance improvements and minor changes throughout the program.

Users can now always save PDFs to the same folder, or opt to choose a new folder for each PDF creation. You can also Append or Overwrite an already existing PDF, and more easily create and edit document properties and PDF security from the main PrimoPDF interface. Publisher NitroPDF also claims that the program starts faster, and we did notice that it launched quicker than before--note that this was an empirical judgment, though. Primo's size has been reduced slightly to 7.38MB, and the new drag-and-drop icon also serves as a program launch icon, making it easier to manage the app.

The four conversion quality settings have been exposed upfront, too, so you can easily toggle quality settings from Screen to eBook to Print to Prepress. There's a Custom setting, as well.

The conversion process from whatever document is on your screen to PDF is quick and efficient. Other features include a password-protection feature that can be used for restricting reading, editing, or printing the PDF. However, trying to create a PDF while the interface was already open resulted in neither a new PDF nor a warning that there had been a failure. The interface also sports an ad for other PDF-related software made by Nitro that takes up half the interface. Those hitches aside, PrimoPDF is an effective tool for quick and casual PDF creation.

Sounds fun? Download it from CNET. Click here.

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Portable Apps #7 - Recuva

Recuva  (pronounced "recover")  is a program which allows you to recover your accidental deleted files. This includes files emptied from the Recycle bin as well as images and other files that have been deleted by user error from digital camera memory cards or MP3 players. It will even bring back files that have been deleted by bugs, crashes and viruses.

The program opens with a very sleek, professional user interface. It is extremely easy to navigate right off the bat, but it does employ a wizard to walk you through the file recovery process. All you had to do was select either the C or D drive, or both, from a drop-down menu. If you have a general idea of where the file may be, you can pick from a list of file paths, including Pictures, Music, Documents, Video, and Compressed files. As soon as you clicked the Scan button, the program immediately will start, and within seconds, it will pull up a very long list of deleted files and their respective paths. The program's Advanced view gives a more detailed information of each file, including the file's size and creation time. Recovering selected files was also extremely easy and involved simply checking off the file or files and clicking the Recover button.

I have tried it and it worked really fast.

What are you waiting for? Download Recuva.

To use Recuva ,
1. Download it.
2. After downloading the file, double click the file and install it to your thumbdrive or external hard drive.
3. TADA! You are ready to use it now. Enjoy!

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Portable Apps #6 - KeePass

 Too many usernames and passwords to remember?

 

With KeePass, you can store all those under a master password. Then, you will just remember your master password! ^^ How convenient.

There, just set a master password to enter your password database.

With just a double click, you can copy the password from your database. Then, you can paste the password in your login form within 10 seconds.

You can also use KeePass to generate passwords for you. You can set a wide range of requirements for your passwords so that they are strong enough to safeguard your online accounts.

What are you waiting for? Download KeePass .

To use KeePass,
1. Download it.
2. After downloading the file, double click the file and install it to your thumbdrive or external hard drive.
3. TADA! You are ready to use it now. Enjoy!

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Portable Apps #5 - GIMP

GIMP is another portable app which allows you to edit your picture wherever you go. It is easy to use and takes up only a little disk space.



To use GIMP,
1. Download it.
2. After downloading the file, double click the file and install it to your thumbdrive or external hard drive.
3. TADA! You are ready to use it now. Enjoy!

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Portable Apps #4 - Firefox Portable

With Firefox Portable, you can now surf the internet anywhere as if you are using your computer. You can now bring your bookmarks along with the web browser. Browse seemlessly with Firefox Portable!



Add-ons - Download Portable Java  plugin for your Firefox Portable from TechKNEW here.

 Add-ons - Download Portable Flash plugin for your Firefox Portable here. 

To use Firefox Portable,
1. Download it.
2. After downloading the file, double click the file and install it to your thumbdrive or external hard drive.
3. TADA! You are ready to use it now. Enjoy!

It looks and functions the same as the original Firefox!

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YouTube views over one billion a day: co-founder

(AFP) – 1 day ago

"WASHINGTON — The number of video views a day on YouTube has surpassed one billion, the co-founder of the wildly popular video-sharing site said Friday on the third anniversary of its acquisition by Google.

"I'm proud to say that we have been serving well over a billion views a day on YouTube," YouTube chief executive Chad Hurley said in a blog post. "This is great moment in our short history."

Hurley noted that YouTube, which Google bought for 1.65 billion dollars, has evolved from a site dominated by user-generated content to a platform for more professional material..."

Continue reading at Google News.

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The Future Handphone -Dazzling..

"Concept devices go where most product designers fear to tread. They are dream gadgets that hint at possibilities beyond what current technology can support — or what current fashion can accept.

And that’s just why we like them. They may be fantasies, but concept designs point at a future that today’s designers aspire towards....."

Continue reading at Wired.com .

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Portable Apps #3 - Thumbdrive Reminder

Always forget to remove your thumbdrive after use?

Reminder is here to remind you!

 



To use Reminder,
1. Download from here.
2. After downloading the file, double click the file and extract it to your thumbdrive or external hard drive.
3. TADA! You are ready to use it now. Just activate the application every time you use your external drives! Enjoy!

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