Tive's Tech

America?s Place In The World

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 06:28:10 GMT

The Spectator Lecture, Royal Geographical Society, presented in London 30th April 2009 Here we are. Gathered together in the very lecture theatre where Henry Morton Stanley once told an enraptured world of his momentous meeting with Dr. Livingstone. Charles Darwin was a member and gave talks in this same hall. Sir Richard Burton lectured here [...]

RSS Management

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:28:24 GMT

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Celebrate the Fourth of July with a New Desktop Wallpaper [Friday Fun]

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:00:00 GMT

If ever there were a holiday that yields colorful and flashy desktop wallpaper, it's definitely the Fourth of July. Celebrate the Fourth on your desktop with these swanky fireworks wallpapers.

If you're not going to be shooting your own stunning Fourth of July pictures this weekend, you might as well take advantage of the great photos other people have taken to properly decorate your computer screen for the holiday.

The following gallery is a collection of Fourth of July-themed wallpaper we plucked from collections across the web. Each photo has an attribution link that'll take you back to the source of the image for your full-size desktop needs. If you know of a stash of Fourth-themed wallpapers online, share the wealth in the comments below!

Photo by esens.

Photo by Joe Penniston.

Photo by twentyeight.

Photo by Tony M..

Photo by Stuck in Customs.

Photo by charness.

Photo by wmliu.

Photo by Jaako.

Photo by Barry Yanowitz.

Photo by brewskizzlr.

Get Ready For Summer With Homemade Sunblock [Summer]

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:00:00 GMT

Choosing the right sunblock is important, but let's say you're more of a DIY type, or maybe your skin is sensitive to many of the common ingredients. The solution is simple: make your own sunblock.

Instructables user scoochmaroo's detailed guide to making your own sunscreen demonstrates the process either completely from scratch or using a store-bought lotion as a base. She goes as far as to include a chart that gives you measurements for the ingredients based on the SPF you're aiming for.

Follow the link for the "recipe," and make your high school science teacher proud by heeding the warnings about wearing gloves and a mask while blending the ingredients (zinc oxide should be on your nose, not in it).

Have you ever tried a homemade sunblock? What do you use to protect yourself from the sun? Let's hear it in the comments.

State of the Airline Industry Chart Compares Airline Service Fees [Saving Money]

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:30:00 GMT

If you've ever had to change your flight, check additional luggage, or use in-flight Wi-Fi, you know that these services often come with a price. Consumer site BillShrink has created a handy fee comparison chart for eleven carriers.

Though you should always confirm directly with the airline since prices can and do change, the pictured chart is useful if you want to know how much more you'll have to spend on your next trip, and whether—depending on the fee involved—it might be better to book with another carrier.

Check out the full link below for all the details. If you'd prefer to avoid paying fees entirely, browse our previous post on how to master one-bag traveling, then take a look at some other avoidable fees you may still be paying for.

June 2009's Most Popular Posts [[this Is Good]]

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:15:00 GMT

You may already be celebrating the Fourth, but before you leave June behind for good, here's a quick look back at last month's posts you liked best, including essential Windows and Mac downloads, our Windows vs. Leopard showdown, and more.

Lifehacker Pack 2009: Our List of Essential Free Windows Downloads
We feature downloads of all kinds every day at Lifehacker. Today, however, we're bundling all the best free downloads for new computer owners, re-installers, would-be geeks, or anyone who wants to save time installing the best stuff out there.
Dress Up Your Ties with the "Merovingian Knot"
The realm of dress tie knots is dominated by a handful of traditional tie knots. Check out this rather unique tie knot and be the first on your block to sport it.
Top 10 Firefox 3.5 Features
Firefox 3.5 is a pretty substantial update to the popular open-source browser, and it's just around the corner. See what features, fixes, and clever new tools are worth getting excited about in the next big release.
Windows 7 Versus Mac OS X Leopard: The Feature-by-Feature Showdown
Now that we know Windows 7 will go on sale October 22nd and the feature-complete release candidate is available as a free download, it's time to put it through its paces.
Lifehacker Pack 2009: Our List of Essential Free Mac Downloads
We've featured countless apps of all sorts over the years, but if you just want a quick look at the best free downloads for your Mac, this post's for you.
Upcoming Tech That Will Rock Your World
Major announcements from Google, Microsoft, and Apple in the last few weeks have techies flipping out about the awesomeness coming to our browsers, pockets, and desktops in the very near future.
Five Best Netbooks
If you're thinking about picking up an ultra-portable laptop, this week's Hive Five is a great spot to start your comparison shopping. These are the netbooks most loved by Lifehacker readers.
Top 10 Wallpaper Tools & Tweaks
A good wallpaper provides a pleasant backdrop to productivity. A great wallpaper changes your whole computer experience. See some of the best image sources, software, and usability tweaks we've come across and rolled up for your downloading pleasure.
Best and Worst Fast Food: McDonald's Edition
No matter how well you plan, every day can't be an ultra-healthy, bring-your-own-lunch-to-work day. But just because you're eating at a fast food place doesn't mean all bets are off.
The Starlight Desktop
Reader rykennedyan's desktop combines a beautiful wallpaper with a full set of launchers and tools integrated into a taskbar at the bottom of the screen.
Debunking Traffic Ticket Myths
Virginia traffic attorney Andrew Flusche can't explain everything you need to do to get out of any traffic ticket, but he does want to shoot down some myths your lead-footed friends might try and convince you of.

Take Better Photos: Fourth of July Edition [Photography Tip]

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:00:00 GMT

Fireworks displays across the U.S. are set to go off all weekend in celebration of the Fourth of July. Take better photos of both the fireworks and the friends and family you've gathered with.

Photo by mandj98.

We've covered quite a variety of photography tips, tricks, and tools here at Lifehacker. We've even written our own tutorials to help you turn your snapshots into conversation starting photographs. In preparation for the Fourth of July celebrations taking place across the nation, we've rounded up some gems to help you take great pictures this holiday weekend.

First, we can't neglect the fireworks. You might get together with Uncle Benny a couple times a year, but the fireworks displays are a once-a-year, seat-shaking, experience. Check out the guides below to make this Fourth of July the one where you snag the fireworks photos people want to frame. If you only have time to read one, definitely start at the top of the list with our guide to taking awesome fireworks photos. Photo by Julie Berlin.

Get Better Fireworks Photos This Fourth of July [Lifehacker]
Shooting Fireworks with a Digital Camera [New York Institute of Photography]
How to Photograph Fireworks [New York Institute of Photography]
Photographing Fireworks in Your Backyard [New York Institute of Photography]
How-To Photograph Fireworks [Wired]
Photographing fireworks can be tricky business, and though the tutorials and tips above will have you well prepared for the event, you may want to focus instead on pictures of the family and friends you're celebrating with. Read over the following guides to improving your photographs and you'll have more than a few tricks up your sleeve, whether you're a shutterbug or a reluctant subject. Photo by spatulated.
- Family Pictures that Don't Suck [Exposure]
- 10 Ways to Take Stunning Portraits [Digital Photography School]
- 10 Top Photography Composition Rules [Amateur Snapper]
- 13 Tips for Improving Outdoor Portraits [Digital Photography School]
- How to Be a Better Photographer When on Vacation [New York Times]
- Take Better Pictures by Treating Your Still Camera Like It's Video [Lifehacker]
- Ten Ways To Look Fabulous in Pictures [Photojojo]
Giving even a handful of the above links a quick read will hopefully provide you all sorts of new tricks to try out this holiday weekend, whether you're shooting fireworks, your energetic nieces and nephews, or taking some artful family portraits while everyone is gathered together. If you have your own resources to share, throw a link into the comments below and share the wealth.

From the Tips Box: Vanity Phone Numbers, iGoogle, and Tortilla Chips [From The Tips Box]

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:30:00 GMT

Google Voice caters to your vanity, t-shirts are spared, birthdays remembered, and we keep those restaurant tortilla chips nice and crispy.

Oren, Mark, Jan-David, and Ben wrote in to tell us that the very cool Google Voice now allows you to change your phone number for a one-time fee of $10. Google provides a simple search for those of us who want our own name as part of the number, and they'll keep your old number active for three months so that you can announce the change properly.
Mick wrote a handy tutorial on how to add that missing fourth column in iGoogle.
Bart made a simple yet useful site that helps you remember birthdays by sending you RSS notifications. (Mine's on the 27th of June, mark it down for next year.)
Colin's fiancee told him that his old shirts had to go! But acknowledging how much they mean to him, she wound up framing them and turning them into some neat wall decor. Remember this trick the next time your significant other tries to toss out your old concert t-shirts.
Matt saves web developers headaches by pointing us towards Support Details, a site that makes life simpler "when you ask the client what browser they're using and they say 'Vista.'"
Commenter neely615 says:

Maybe everyone knows this trick, but I inadvertently learned it while staying in a hotel room that had a refrigerator that froze everything I put into it. Turns out if you put that bag of chips you got for take-out from the Mexican restaurant in the freezer, they will still be crispy when you take them out the next day.

About the Tips Box: Every day we receive boatloads of great reader tips in our inbox (tips at lifehacker.com), but for various reasons—maybe they're a bit too niche, maybe we couldn't find a good way to present it, or maybe we just couldn't fit it in—the tip didn't make the front page. From the Tips Box is where we round up some of our favorites for your buffet-style consumption.

The WoodTones Desktop [Featured Desktop]

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:00:00 GMT

Reader karmat's desktop adds wood paneling to almost everything on the desktop, including a very nice Firefox configuration that combines a slick, dark skin with a wood panel persona.

The desktop is a combination of:

Wallpaper - Abandon Otis by OtisBee

WindowBlind - GarageBanded by ^mrrste

ObjectDock Icons - Parquet Iconset by speg84

Cursor - Stargate SG1 by Aroche

Yahoo Widget - widescapeWeather by Robert Wunsch

Firefox 3.5 Skin - Ruler Dark

Firefox Persona - MWoods by roloz78

Personas Extension for Firefox

SJOGRO Rocks Rainmeter skin by sjogro

NoxxNotes Rainmeter skin by ~albinozz

Great job, karmat!

This desktop not your style? Why waste time complaining? Instead, get started creating your own killer desktop with the easy-install Enigma 2.0 package and show the world what you can do. If you get stuck and need some help, join up with the Lifehacker Desktop Customization Google Group to collaborate on new ideas for desktop configurations.

Once you've created your own beautifully tweaked (and hopefully productive) desktop, post it over in the Lifehacker Desktop Show and Tell Flickr Group complete with a description of the programs and tweaks you used (and preferably links as well!), and we just might feature it here.

Get Patriotic in This Week's Open Thread [Open Thread]

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:15:00 GMT

Grab your favorite red-, white-, or blue-colored beverage and step inside for a little gabbing in this week's open thread.

Photo by thirtyninepercent.

That's right, it's your weekly opportunity to do some serious conversing with your fellow Lifehacker readers, and any topic under the sun is fair game. All you need is a comment account to join in the fun, and if you don't already have one, getting one is easy. Happy Fourth, and happy Friday!

Watch Fewer Food Ads for Less Couch Snacking [Diet Hacks]

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:30:00 GMT

You're smart enough to know that take-out pizza doesn't look as good as on TV. Same with the chips, the candy bars, and ice cream. But your stomach might disagree, and lead you to eat more when you're channel surfing.

As anyone who's watched television for 10 minutes knows, junk food is everywhere. Children and adults alike, according to a recent Yale University study, eat when they're not hungry when gloriously bad-for-you foods are displayed:

One test found that children aged 7 to 11 who watched a half-hour cartoon that included food commercials ate 45 percent more snack food while watching the show than children who watched the same cartoon with non-food commercials.

... In another experiment, adults who saw TV ads for unhealthy foods ate much more than those who saw ads that featured messages about good nutrition or healthy food.

How does one fight "automatic eating?" Being sure to skip the commercials—TiVo forwarding or walking away for a minute should do the trick. If snacking is something you're doing because you actually get hungry at TV time, try eating one substantial snack instead of lots of little bits, or switching to nuts, yogurt, or other high protein/low calorie snacks.

Not convinced skipping the commercials can fight the snacking urge? Got a better way to keep away from cravings? Tell us your trick in the comments.

iPhone, therefore I am - Stephen reviews Apple?s iPhone 3GS

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:30:32 GMT

Article also published on Friday 19th June 2009 in The Guardian A little under a year ago in this very newspaper?I reviewed the Apple iPhone 3G and its new firmware release: ?Now that the Applications store is up and running,? I wrote, ?you will soon find it a very common sight indeed to see people crowded [...]

Spotify Brand Applications: The Obvious and the Innovative

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:11:05 GMT

Spotify is about to release an API. That means Spotify is about to explode through the web, gaming, and PCs. But is it more than just “a?magical version of iTunes in which you’ve already bought every song in the world“? And if so, is it brand friendly? Yes. And yes. Spotify has exploded onto more than a [...]

How Important Is Facebook?s Governance?

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:47:17 GMT

Facebook now has more than 200m users making it the 5th biggest nation in the world - if it were a nation. But the fact that it is not a nation shouldn’t mean that Mark zuckerberg shouldn’t be seen as a leader. Afterall, his site houses the messages, photos, events, friendships, relationships and habits of [...]

Retweet

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:38:33 GMT

Hello there. You have either asked me to retweet a post or to draw the attention of my followers to a particular site. It is quite probable that you want to alert as many people as possible to a worthy cause, an extraordinary person or perhaps a landmark day or event that should be celebrated and [...]

Questions Questions Questions

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:28:44 GMT

QQQ Questions, questions, questions. I have sent you here because you have been asking questions. No sin in that. We grow wise by asking questions. The right questions. Twitter is defined by the tweet, a word used to describe the up to 140 character postings of its users. Tweets answer the famous questions that Kipling maintained [...]

#followmestephen

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:17:50 GMT

You have asked me to follow you. I am touched and will do my best to do so when I get round to it. But the chances are I have missed your request. A request that is rendered no more attractive by capital letters, pretty-pleases or frantic begging. It will be easier for me to [...]

The Next Big Disruptive Ideas as seen by Chris Anderson

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:24:54 GMT

Earlier today I attended a WIRED seminar moderated by David Rowan, Editor of Wired UK, with Chris Anderson (Editor in Chief of Wired and author of The Long Tail). The seminar?s title was pretty promising. Anderson covers an astonishing array of new technologies and idea in each issue of Wired. But which out of them [...]

Twitter addiction. Are brands missing out? I think not.

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:18:13 GMT

Last week News Biscuit wrote a spoof article about a man who almost killed himself because of his Twitter addiction. Despite the spoof, at its core lies the incontrovertible addictive nature of Twitter. Last year countless businesses banned Facebook access due to interminable employee distraction. Why are social networks so addictive? And why aren’t brands benefiting? ? Social [...]

#L Competition

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 09:14:55 GMT

Hell?s Bells what did I let you and myself in for? Don?t be angry with me, I set the competition without really thinking. It shan?t happen again. Don?t be angry if you disagree with my prize-giving either. These things are personal and in the end it was a kind of lottery, so many entries were [...]

Insights into iPhone apps

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:30:01 GMT

How do we interact with our iPhone apps? Are we engaged? And what does this mean for advertising on the platform? Check out the presentation here.?

T(witter)-shirts

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 15:22:17 GMT

Nicole Stewart, the wonderful talent responsible for the graphic design of my website, has come up with some (IMHO) magnificent T-shirts which we hope will appeal. We are selling them through mysoti.com and if you have any issues regarding pricing, ordering and delivery you can be in touch with them direct via ask@mysoti.com or [...]

#oscarwildeday in the twitterscape

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 02:51:06 GMT

Well my goodness me what an extraordinary response there was to #oscarwildeday For those who didn’t participate or might have been away or not yet following me, December 1st was designated #oscarwildeday. I promised prizes for those who tweeted the best original or made up Wildean remarks or posted pictures of themselves or others in Wildean [...]

Gee, One Bold Storm coming up?.

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:00:04 GMT

.article_container p { margin-bottom: 15px; } So here I am. In a hotel room in New York. The writing desk and its view of xth Avenue are all but obscured by:- 7 x Mini USB cables: 2 of them are the new Micro type that Blackberry has switched to for the Storm only, the rest are standard. 1 [...]

Starred Items

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 14:17:14 GMT

- Jonathan Macdonald points us to the Kodak’s new brand utility site Ski Guide? - iPhone Gloves over at Mashable - Jerimiah posts about the Air Force’s approach to responding to blog posts - Guys over at Hyper Happen talk about the BBC’s rebood project - Another one from Mashable about the future of Augmented Reality Enjoy!

Recession proof your marketing

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:53:29 GMT

The economist have released this presentation about managing a client’s temptation to slash their marketing and advertising budgets in times of recession. This sort of response is not unusual for these unsettling times and as an argument it makes a lot of sense. But I’ve been thinking, not necessaily how we can persuade clients to [...]

Is crowd creationism really an intelligent design?

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:23:59 GMT

Plenty of brands have been experimenting with Crowdsourcing?over the last 2 years…Best Buy asked people’s views on how they could improve Toshiba and HP laptops, enacting the changes through their Blue Label brand; while Dell and Starbucks?both set up community platforms to source consumer’s thoughts on how to improve their services. But 2009 looks set [...]

iPhone vs Android vs Symbian: What mobile geeks really care about, and whether it matters.

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:36:00 GMT

We hosted the most recent mashup* Event a short while ago where we discussed the joys of the new open source mobile platforms - Apple’s iPhone, Google’s Android, and Symbian (pushed by Nokia). 100 industry developers, investors, entrepeneurs and ad men attended and contributed to the event but there was one recurring theme - privacy [...]

Twitter

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:15:17 GMT

The original gently rising path that marked the growth of my Twitter followers has recently taken a sharp upward path, due in part no doubt to my (cut short) discussion of Twitter on the Jonathan Ross?show on BBC television, broadcast in the UK in the third week of January. Thank you 80,000 Followers ? Samfry Ltd [...]

The Luden Blogger

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:20:50 GMT

Came across this wonderful quote from Eric Hoffer the other day while investigating the origins of play for a client brief: “the pattern of unfinishedness should be the most pronounced in the authomous individual…the retention of youthful characteristics in adult life endows man with a perpetual playfulness so fruitful of insights and illuminations.” (Hoffer, 1952, p. [...]