NEWS: Blogger has a new look

Google has just introduced a few new ways to read blog posts on its blogging platform - Blogger. As long as you go to a blogger-powered blog, say http://techknew.blogspot.com , just add "/view" to the end of the URL, which becomes like http://techknew.blogspot.com/view , you'll be able to see the new look and features in there. TRY NOW http://techknew.blogspot.com/view

 It offers the types of views below.
"Snapshot: Snapshot turns blog photos into a Polaroid-esque scrapbook with the number of comments and the title of the blog post clearly visible. Hovering over a Polaroid displays a short snippet from the post.


Sidebar: Similar in some ways to Gawker‘s redesign, Sidebar creates a left-hand menu bar with all of a blog’s articles as well as their comment counts. Clicking on a title opens the article to the right.


Timeslide: This is a three-column layout that displays recent posts. The left column shows photos and short snippets from a blog’s most recent articles, while the middle column displays only summaries of less recent posts. The right-hand column is simply a list of titles of older articles. Timeslide essentially encompasses three different time periods and makes them accessible.


Flipcard: This visual view places square photos side-by-side in neat little rows. Hovering over any photo reveals the name of the post, the date it was published and the number of comments it has. Flipcard has the unique option of reorganizing posts based on recency, date, label or author.

Mosaic: Mosaic takes the photos related to each blog post and turns them into a visual experience — a mosaic of photography. Hovering over any photo with the mouse increases the size of the image and displays the title of the post in question. Clicking it will open the post as part of the mosaic." (From Mashable)

Tags: blogger new look, new blogger

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LMAO: Google translates for animal voices!

Click to Show/Hide message after the video.


Check out my new "Top Posts" section on the right sidebar!

 

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I need a blog makeover from www.blogmakeover.net

I need a blog makeover from www.blogmakeover.net first because my blog needs a fresh new look and a look which is more organised so that my readers can navigate around my blog more easily. Besides, I need the new look so that it looks less cluttered.

That's why we need because it will

Do you want a makeover too? Check out BlogMakeOver.net @Twitter and Facebook.

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TIPS: How to bypass New York Times' Paywall

I just got blocked after 20 articles and the screenshot above appeared on The New York Times online.

As you may have known by now, The New York Times (NYTimes) has already imposed a paywall for its service and only allow you to read 20 free articles for a month. Readers can also view 25 free articles per day through search, and an unlimited number via blogs and social networks. The charges for its access is as below and can be found here:

• $15 for four weeks of access to NYTimes.com and a mobile phone app.
• $20 for four weeks of access to NYTimes.com and its iPad app.
• $35 for four weeks of access to all of the above

However, currently, NYTimes is only charging 99¢ for the first month (four weeks) according to its website.

Mashable has a way to bypass the paywall. Read it here.


Another better one here.


Lifehacker has their own version here.

Podcast #LOLShow Malaysia has their opinions on this paywall here.
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Although I like technology and it makes it easier to get news online, sometimes, there's just too many news to absorb and sometimes, identifying which is true is even more difficult. That's why I still read the 'physical' newspaper everyday, as the news are selected from the pool of news in the internet :D

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NEWS: Think Quarterly, a Google Magazine

GOOGLE came out with their own 68-page online business magazine, which is rich in Flash. Google aims to create a breathing space in our ever busy world and their first issue is dedicated specially to DATA (Think Quarterly, 2011).

Read Think Quarterly at http://thinkquarterly.co.uk/

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LMAO NEWS: OMG! WAGs! Added To Oxford English Dictionary! LOL!

WAG: Surprisingly, this has been added to the dictionary, probably due to the fact that Oxford comes from UK and the press uses them as much as LOL!

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The online abbreviations like LOL, OMG, BFF, TMI and IMHO (and WAGs!!!) are now part of the official English language. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) Online has updated the dictionary in March 2011 and it is interesting to see how the online culture can change how we communicate nowadays. The power of social media?

Perhaps, one day, "ching chong" and "ling long" will be in the dictionary :D What's the two terms? Check out the video. It's a good video response to Alexandra Wallace's vlog (what's the vlog about? Check it out here.).

(Source: Oxford English Dictionary (OED) Online, PC World)

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HOW TO+REVIEW: Firefox 4 and how it should look like Google Chrome and Opera

Firefox 4 was released less than a week ago and the download statistics can be seen in this interactive page made by Mozilla here. While I was writing this, there was already a whooping 28,726,286 downloads around the world, with Kuala Lumpur having 128,366 downloads and Malaysia having a total of 258,604 downloads. This post will have a review section and followed by a how to section on how to tweak some of the annoying settings in the new Firefox 4.

Review:

At first glance, Firefox 4 looks like Opera 11 (I sometimes use this as I can continue downloads even if I close my browser) and little like Google Chrome (my favourite browser!). It has two new cool functions here. Firstly, it's the new Firefox Sync, which allows you sync with different devices (Firefox for Android/N900 - get it here) and multiple computers. This is great, as I tried Google Chrome's sync with my portable Google Chrome as I go around in uni. Firefox already has a page dedicated to how you can sync your devices here.

The next new thing is my favourite in Firefox 4, is the "Tab Groups" or Panorama. It allows you group tabs together in a tab group according to your interests, like separating your work and leisure web surfings. You can do it by clicking  on the top right corner of your page. All you need to do is drag anywhere in the space to create a new tab group or you can simply drag a tab onto another tab and a new tab group will appear.

 

Tab Groups/Panorama: Awesome stuff

The only thing is that Firefox loads webpages a little slower than Google Chrome (I tried loading up http://www.facebook.com/ with both at the same time 3 times).

HOW TO:

As the new Firefox's new look is a little annoying, you can tweak it below. The numbers will indicate the before and after look, and as an indication of what will be tweaked.

1: That is the "Tab Group"/Panorama button. Click that to see the new function.

2: The new "Firefox menu button is at the top, which wastes some space for surfing the net. All you need to do is Download and install the addon "Movable Firefox Button 1.3" here.

 

After restarting the browser, go to Firefox Menu ---> Options ---> Toolbar Layout and you can drag it to the position in the picture.

3: You can move the refresh button by going to the Firefox Menu ---> Options ---> Toolbar Layout, and drag it to the left of the address bar, just like in the picture.

4: Finally, the most annoying one, for Firefox users, is that the tabs that is now above the address bar. Move the tabs to below the address bar, by going to Firefox Menu ---> Options and uncheck (or click) "Tabs on Top". Enjoy! I hope you can share this with your friends and have a better Firefox experience.

5 (not numbered): Drag the Google Search bar away. Go to Firefox Menu ---> Options ---> Toolbar Layout, and drag the Google toolbar into the "Customize Toolbar" window, because you can now search right at the address bar.

Opera 11 Lookalike (before): A lot of space is wasted with the new Firefox button on the top left corner.

A better look (after): After tweaking the settings, this is how it should look like.
Source for How To: Lifehacker

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Although I like the new Firefox 4's sync and the "Tab Groups"/Panorama function, I still prefer Google Chrome :P To Google: I WANT TAB GROUPS IN CHROME!! I (still a Google fanboy)blog in techknew about stuff in the internet after I have tried them and has guides to problems that we normally face as we use our computers everyday. Check out SOLVED: IE9 Crash and SOLVED: Google Chrome - Aw, Snap! He's Dead, Jim!

Additional tags: How to tweak firefox, firefox settings

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TIPS: Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

This post was delayed for so many months and it's only out now as I am clearing pending posts and re-tagging all my other posts. Here you go.
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These are some of the shortcuts in Windows. I've spent quite long just to create the icons. I hope you'll read through this post and try the shortcuts as you go.

The most frequent used Windows shortcuts for me:
  : Maximize the current window

   :  If the current window is maximized, restore it; if the current window is restored, minimize it

  : Dock the current window to the left half of the screen (You get to split your screen into two halves this way)

 : Dock the current window to the right half of the screen  (You get to split your screen into two halves this way)

: Close the active window or Shut Down when there is no active window

 : Switch to previous active window

 : Flip 3D (This is cool. Try this immediately. As in right now :D)

 : Minimize all but the current window

  : Open the projection menu (generally used for laptops connected to projectors)

: Cycle through all open windows

  : Show desktop

Other Windows shortcuts: 

 : Persistent Flip 3D

 : Cycle through applications on taskbar (showing its live preview)

 : Minimize all open windows

 : Undo all window minimization

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