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Showing posts from December, 2011

The Digital Iron Curtain: Is Iran About to Crash the Global AI Boom?

 For decades, the "Middle East crisis" was a headline about crude oil, tankers, and the price at the pump. But as of March 2026, the stakes have shifted from the engine to the motherboard. While the world watches drone strikes over Isfahan and naval skirmishes in the Persian Gulf, a more quiet, more lethal war is being fought over the very building blocks of the 21st century: semiconductors. The "Digital Iron Curtain" is falling, and it isn't just dividing East and West—it’s threatening to starve the global AI revolution of its most basic needs. The Helium Hostage: Why the Strait of Hormuz is the New Silicon Valley We’ve long been told that the South China Sea is the "front line" of the chip war because of Taiwan’s dominance in fabrication. But the ongoing U.S.-Israel war with Iran has revealed a terrifying bottleneck: The Middle East is the lungs of the semiconductor industry. To make the world’s most advanced 3nm chips, you don’t just need engineers;...

CodeTwo Move & Delete Watchdog: Will warm you before you delete or move a file or folder in Outlook

This is Microsoft Outlook App and works within Outlook only. Therefore it cannot be used as a stand alone app. Once you launch Outlook the app is activated and starts to keep a watchful eye whenever you want to delete a file or a folder. It also warns you before you delete a file or folder. This app can be of great help not only to novices who are just starting out with Outlook for for seasoned professionals as well. How does Code Two Move & Delete Watchdog work. Images: CodeTwo Watchdog The way this whole thing is set up is very simple. Each time you drag-and-drop a folder and file you will get s popup asking you to confirm your action. This is helpful because it makes you stop and think about your action and maybe review it. This might be one of those times where you were actually going to drag-and-drop a folder in the wrong place. The same thing happens when you click on delete a file or a folder. The watchdog pops up to tell you that you are about to delete a certain file or a ...

TuneWiki App now available for free on Windows Phone 7

Image: TuneWiki TuneWiki the popular Music and Lyrics streaming site is now available on WP7 for free. The highlight of the service is the ability to play music with synchronized lyrics. In addition to listening and checking out the song lyrics you can even comment and discuss the same with other users. Once you like a song you can also share the same with your friends. If you have the lyrics to a song you can also share it with your network of friends. The lyrics to each song can also be translated into 40+ languages. So no matter where you are in this world you can listen to your favorite songs and get the lyrics in your local language as well.  Another popular feature with TuneWiki is the ability to listen to songs and then comment on and discuss the meaning of the song and what the lyrics actually mean. This is one really cool and fun feature as you know we are always trying to find out what a song really means and sometimes we also look for hidden meanings. The app also has a feat...

Tips for Bloggers: How to check your writing and readability level before publishing

You have probably come here because you have tried your hand at writing and blogging and really wanting a fast method to help you check your writing before you publish your blog posts. Yes, every blogging platform has a spell check and lets you know when your spelled something wrong. This web app however goes a little beyond that and in addition to pointing out spelling mistakes will also give you grammar suggestions and style suggestions. If you are a blogger and cannot wait to get your posts out. You already are aware that there are spelling errors or typos that somehow creep in. In fact among bloggers it is excepted that there will be some typos. This app will help you avoid those typos and even suggest better sentence construction. PolishMyWriting does exactly what it says, it helps you construct better sentences tells you when something is in the wrong 'voice'. Maybe your tense is wrong or you sentence could actually do with a little bit of clarity.  it does one more thing...

Use PDFescape to edit PDF files online in your browser for free

This is a handy little web app that lets you edit any PDF file using only your browser. There is nothing to download and nothing to install, all you need is your browser and you are good to go. You can either edit a PDF file or you could also use this app to fill PDF forms online. If you are wondering what are the requirements for it to work, you will need a web browser with JavaScript turned on or enabled. If you are using any of the modern browsers available like FireFox, Chrome or IE, it is already enabled and there is nothing you need to do. It's people who are using older browsers that need to ensure that JavaScrpit is turned on. You will also need an active internet connection and that's it, you're good to go. How does PDFescape work. Once you access the app click on Start now and you will be asked to either use the service by registering or you could still use it without registering. If you do not register that after you are done with your work. You will need to save...

Facebook Video Processing or Encoding

To start of it is safe to say that the best format of video to upload to Facebook is the MP4 format. This is the easiest format Facebook can handle and it can be played and displayed on a variety of systems. Once you begin to upload a video on Facebook, several things begin to happen. The complete videos gets upload and this can take some time especially if your video is fairly large. Once you video has been uploaded the process of 'encoding' begins. So after your video has been uploaded onto Facebook's servers you will get the message ' Video is Encoding'. When you get the message that your video is being encoded it means that you video has been uploaded and now being converted into various formats. This happens to ensure that your video is available to anyone who wants to view it no matter what system or device they are using. So if someone has a really old PC with an outdated browser, it will still play in low quality. If you friend is checking out your video on...

The best time to post on eBay

This post is based on a recent article in the NYT, which goes on to say that there are certain times during which online retails make a lot of money. In fact these times might be their most profitable time. Even eBay has a certain time during which most of the items get sold. Some of this has to do with people coming back home, kicking back a few drinks and going shopping online. Thanks to the internet that time when people end up making some big purchases is available every day. So much so that eBay has confirmed that it is during this time that most auctions work most profitably. So, if you're wondering what is the best time to start and stop your auction to get best results. It is between 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm in any given time zone. If you thinking that drinking has something to do with it, you've guessed right. So the next time you want to get your goods out and get them sold on eBay or any other shopping site you use this seems to be the best time of day when most retails g...

Chumkee - The New Video Social Sharing App for your iPhone and iPad

Image: Chumkee Chumkee - The video social networking app for your iOS device is fun and definitely something new to experiment with. The way this app works is that after you join you can start sharing your life though photos and videos. Forget text for the moment, you should try sharing your day with your pals through videos and images. This is definitely another way to tell a story. Once you and your pals get the app you can begin to share vie mediums like images and videos. Since this is a social sharing app you can also add random people to follow and add as friends. You can also find interesting conversations and people with similar interests by using the hastag. Using this app you can share your digital life in one of the most creative ways possible. The app already has over 30,000 users and its user base is growing fast. The app also has a category called 'Hot', this is the place to go to find out what is trending among the people using the app. You can also share your Fa...

Google Doodle: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Google Doodle in action. Whether you like to wish people a 'Merry Christmas' or 'Happy Holidays' does not really matter. The spirit of the season is what you need to find. Google has released a Doodle to help you do just that. Clicking on the lights just below the figures that represent Google will help it start to play 'Jingle Bells'. You need to keep clicking on the little lights and it will lead you to playing 'Jingle Bells'. Amazing little Doodle from Google. This interactive Google Doodle is definitely worth the check-out and Google have written a smart write-up about the Doodle which can be found here . These 'Easter Eggs' from Google are becoming really popular and just type 'Christmas' or 'Santa Claus' into Google to find some more goodies in store for you.  An original post by Sociolatte

Santa Tracker 2011: Now on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and the iPhone

Santa Tracker has been a NORAD tradition since 1955. The tradition started in 1995, the year when a  Colorado Springs newspaper ad invited kids to call Santa on a hotline, only problem was that the number had a mistake, and many kids ended up talking to the Continental Aerospace Defense Command, NORAD's predecessor. It is now a deep rooted tradition in NORAD - a joint US and Canada command center that monitors the northern skies and seas.  So if you want to track Santa you can still call in or make use of social media and track him on Facebook , Twitter , Google+ , iPhone ,  Android Phones , Google Maps for Mobile or the web . NORAD has offered a lot of support and kids can call in or follow their favorite updates from Santa. The good folks over at NORAD say that a lot of funny requests come in and also a lot of heart-wrenching ones. Like 'heal my brother of Cancer'. Seems kids really want and expect help from Santa and are appealing to higher powers.   An original post by...

Gube plays YouTube videos that are safe for children on your iPhone and iPad

The benefits of such an app are numerous. Parents who like their kids to watch YouTube videos without the fear that something inappropriate would pop up, would find this app helpful. YouTube has the best videos online and there are fantastic videos for children. Videos that can provide quick diversions to stressful situations. Kids love watching videos and is something that many parents use to their advantage. Gube is an iOS App that can be used on your iPhone and iPad. The makers of the App say that all videos that are played through the app have been pre-screened, moderated and curated by parents. Which brings with it the safety that parents offer. The app promises only videos that have been chosen by parents by hand.  If you find videos that you kids like you can also save them to a playlist which can be watched again. Will cost you $ 3.99 Gube   An original post by Sociolatte

[Christmas Video] Little girl tells Santa she wants daddy home for Iraq... Santa is Daddy

This has got to be one of the cutest Christmas videos on the internet right now. A little girl sends has wish to Santa and ask for a Daddy to be home from Iraq. Santa comes to school and gives all the little children the presents they had asked for except her. She wanted her daddy, this part of the video has made many grown people cry, including the news anchor so be warned. This is Steve Hartman's "On the Road," series. A warm and touching video. Bringing dad home for Christmas.  An original post by Sociolatte

TwitWipe to delete all your Tweets in one go

So maybe you had a bad start on Twitter and would like to stat all over again. This happens to many people who start using Twitter without knowing Twitter etiquette and commit a few mistakes. Some Tweets would have been better kept without being Tweeted. Anyways if you are one of those people who has started on the wrong foot, there is a solution for you, clear all your Tweets and start afresh. TwitWipe will do all this for you without deleting any of your followers. There are two reasons why this web app might be useful, you are either handing over the account to someone else. Maybe even lucky enough to sell your Twitter handle. The other is that you have committed some unpardonable Twitter sins and need to be Twitter born again, again. TwitWipe: How does it work You can delete all your Tweets with a single click but it is going to take some time. The builders of the app say that it is so popular right now it is going to take some time. It does not wipe out your favorites, followers a...

Face Swap is a WP7 app that lets you swap your face with a friend

Image: face Swap Here comes a free app that is more for amusement that anything else. If you want to have a little fun with your photos and images you can use this app to get results that could be fun, hilarious or downright creepy. Using Face Swap is simple quick and easy. All you need to do is to use your phone's camera to take a picture or use one that is already on your phone. Open the app and then simple shake your phone, the app does the rest for you. Once you photo is done and you're had your laughs, you can then share the photo with our friends on Facebook, Twitter or Sino Weibo (Chinese Micro-blogging service). The apps easy to use feature is that once you want to swap faces with a friend, you don't need to do anything. The app will use it's own face recognition feature and swap faces as soon as you shake your phone. So have fun and leave some funny photos in the comments section below. Download Face Swap for Windows Phone 7 An original post by Sociolatte

Memo - for password protected sticky notes on your Mac

Image: Memo Memo is a simple add that is now available at the Mac App Store, with this little app you can write stickers paste it on your desktop and it gets synced with all your devices. With iCloud support once you put up a sticky note on your desktop it will then be synced with all your devices and you can even password protect your notes. This is helpful to help you stay on tasks and keep notes that will ensure you do not forget tasks on hand.  To start creating memos all you need to do is to launch the app and blank memos will appear. Once you are done editing you can then click outside of the memo and the note stays on your desktop. The can edit the font and color of the memo and once you're done you can click on the close button to delete it. Once a memo is up it shows up on all your iOS devices like your iPhone and iPad. If you do give it a whirl and try it out, do let us know what you think in the comments section below.  You can download memo from the Mac App Store here ....

LogMeIn allows you remote access to your PC via your iPhone, iPad [Free for now]

LogMeIn the App available now on your SmartPhone or PC gives you the ability to remotely login and check out your computer. So with this App you can access, manage and support devices anytime, anywhere. Once the App is downloaded you can then control your MAC or Windows PC from wherever you are. The good thing about the App is that it is free and yes, there is an upgrade version which has a few advanced features  that you can get once you see that this app is useful for you. How does LogMeIn work? Once you download the App or the web app, you will then need to sign-up for an account and click on the verification email. Once you are in you get to see the App's home-screen where all connected computers are displayed. You can then gain access to any of the computers and control the mouse and keyboard and even use the logout options. You gain complete access and control of the system. The ability to stream videos however only comes with LogMeIn pro. So with an cool app like this you ca...

Dropbox for Android, 2.0 is here [Ice Cream Sandwich]

Image: DropBox The latest version of DropBox for Android is here and comes with some really cool features. The most notable of these features is the Bulk Upload. You no more need to upload files one at a time. You can now select multiple files for upload. Once uploaded all your files are can be accessed from all your devices. If you are not yet a DropBox user there is a lot you are missing. with DropBox you can upload a file and ensure that it is available on all your devices and on the web at the DropBox website. Star a file to ensure that it is available in offline mode. even if something happens to your Android phone and it is left behind somewhere. DropBox still has all your files and info. DropBox essentially gives you a chance to store all your files in one single place and access it whenever and wherever you want. You can store all kinds of files with this service and the best part of the new Android App is that it has been optimized for Ice Cream Sandwich [ICS]. There are other...

How to manage your Google+ page as a team

Google+ for business has got an upgrade and now if you have a Google+ page you can add managers - up to 50. Especially useful for large pages created and managed by companies. With the growth of Google+, pages also get more and more noticed by people and therefore it is essential that they are looked after and grown properly. Please find a detailed step-by-step guide on how to add more manages to your Google+ page. How to add more page manages to your Google+ page 1. login to Google+ 2. Now select the page you want to add managers to. You cannot do this if you are still on your own profile. Select your page profile to be able to add managers. 3. Click on the COG icon found on the top right-hand corner 4. Click on Google+ settings 5. Click on 'Managers' found on the left-hand side 6. In the box provided 'Add manages by mail' add their email addresses and then click invite 7. You're done You can always change your ownership of any page to someone else by clicking on ...

Use ClickDummy for free Website and App Usability Testing

You know when you're trying to create a website or an App. There comes a time where you need to start testing and check how everything is falling together. If it is falling together, how it looks, is there a proper flow through the entire website. This is important because testing the site's navigation as you are building it, will bring better results when it is finally launched. ClickDummy can help you with this. How does ClickDummy work With this web app yo can start uploading screenshots of each page you are creating and then link them all up together. You can then ask you team or your friends to come help you test it out and see it there is a proper and logical flow to the entire thing. You can turn your Mockups into prototypes to get feedback fast. This will help you in knowing if you are proceeding in the right direction. Once you upload you pages you can also add comments to sections of the page by drawing a box around it. Once your project is ready you can share the lin...

How Facebook Makes Money

If you're wondering how Facebook makes money the answer is pretty simple - Ads. Facebook has been very open about this and has also got a new public blurb on all users profiles, which says 'Ever wonder how Facebook makes money'. When you click on the link provided, you get to see a little bit about how Facebook ads work. Some of the notable things mentioned in their write-up is that each ad created is meant for users that relate to it in some way or the other. Like is there is a local gym opening in your neighborhood. Then the ad will be shown to you and your pals who stay close-by. So when you click on one of these ads, Facebook makes money. If you do not click on these ads then Facebook will not be making so much money.  We think that a little money is also made when you view the ad. Unlike TV ads where you have no control of the ad and are forced to view it or switch channels. Facebook ads come with a (x) mark, click on it and the Ad is gone. Pretty straight and simple, ...

Gardens of Time is Facebook's most popular game of 2011

You would think that one of the games from Zynga would have made it to the top spot, like CityVille. Gardens of Time however is the most popular game of 2011 and this brings to the forefront the new game everyone is talking about - Gardens of Time. So what is this game all about. gardens of Time is an award winning hidden object game. Using your time machine you can travel throughout history and locate hidden objects. You can also unravel the secrets of secret society and protect the world from sinister forces.  With Facebook becoming the gaming destination of the internet. Games are set to grow and statistics saying that about 25 percent of all Facebook games play every other day. Average Facebook gamers also play games for over 50% of the time they visit Facebook. Facebook is fast becoming the gaming destination of the web.  Gardens of time has over 2.6 million fans and on their Facebook page and it is only set to grow. Join and Play Gardens of Time now  or find them on the internet ...

sleepyti.me bedtime calculator - lets you know when to fall asleep or wake up

Now here comes a very simple web app that calculates your sleep in sleep circles that lasts for about 9o minutes. Using this app is pretty simple. All you need to do is to enter either the time you need to wake up and the app will tell you what are the best times to fall asleep or you could tell the app, that you need to fall asleep now. What would be the best time to wake up. The app will then tell you what is the best time to wake up depending on sleep cycles. The creator of the App says that the a good night's sleep consisted of 5 - 6 complete sleep cycles. So if you are going to sleep now and would like to set your alarm for when to wake up. You can try this app. Basically works by calculating your sleep cycles and waking up in the middle of a sleep cycle means you might feel tired and groggy. Waking up after a sleep cycle means you feel refreshed and rejuvenated. Please let us know know your thoughts on this in the comments section below.  Sleepyti.me An original post by Socio...

Limit the audience of past posts on Facebook

With Facebook's new Timeline rolling out to everyone slowly. Adjusting the default privacy settings of all your past posts, images, photos, videos and other updates can be done with a single click. This is necessary as it is sometimes not psychically possible to go around and change each post individually. With this option you can limit the audience of all your past posts on your Timeline to only friends. Which means friends of friends and the public will not be able to see your posts. With this option you can control the privacy of all your past posts on your Timeline. Note: If you use this tool then all your past posts will be limited to Friends only. If at a later time you want to change it back to friends of friends or public. You will need to go to each post and change it one at a time. There is no single click to revert to past settings. How to Limit the audience of past posts on Facebook with a single click 1. Login to Facebook 2. Click on Cog icon 3. Click on Account Settin...

Get Facebook Timeline on your iPhone or iPod now

The Facebook App for your iOS devices has been updated with the new Facebook Timeline. So you can now grab an iPhone or iPad and go tinker and play with it now. The new version of the Facebook App for the iPhone and iPod is know as 4.1 and comes with a few upgrades and features. So what's new with the new Facebook App for the iPhone and iPod 1. If you have enabled Timeline it is now available on your iPhone and iPod 2. An update for the iPad is promised in the near future. Not yet available for your iPad. 3. Access to friend's lists, subscribers and subscriptions. 4. Facebook promises better photo viewing and faster performance. You can get the iPhone App available on iTunes now .  An original post by Sociolatte

Facebook Timeline: How to change the date of a story, post, image, photo or other updates

while editing and making sure your Timeline appears the way you want it to.You find that a post or a particular story might be in the wrong date. You might actually want it to appear in another month or another years all together. Facebook provides a way for you to change the date of a story or post which coulc include anything from photos to images to videos or any other update found on your Timeline. To change the date of a Timeline story you would need to: Hover of the story and then click  Click   to Change the Date Enter in a new date and click Confirm to set a new date Once you change the date on a story your friends will also have the ability to change the date of the story. This is possible if you have tagged them in that photo or video. You can always change back the date whenever you wish. An original post by Sociolatte

Facebook difference between hide from Timeline and delete post

Now that you have started working on your  Timeline you might find many stories on your Timeline that you might want to hide and some you might want to delete. Before you do that you would need to understand the deference between deleting a story on your Timeline and hiding a story on your Timeline.The Facebook difference between hide from Timeline and delete post. This is importance because what you do will also effect the Timelines' of your friends. Difference between hiding a story and deleting a story on your Facebook Timeline 1. When you hide a story on your Timeline. It will no longer appear on your Timeline but will be be found on your friend's Timeline. If your pal has allowed it on his or her Timeline 2. Deleting a story from your Timeline means that it will be completely deleted from your Timeline and your friend's Timeline's wherever it appears. Deleting is permanently erasing the post from Facebook. This is because you and your Facebook pals all share many ...

Facebook Timeline Cover: How does it work

Your Cover is a larger photo of you meant to be on top of your Facebook Timeline. This image is meant to be a representation of you. Therefore images that meant for commercial purposes are not allowed by Facebook. Therefore images that are meant for promotional activities, promotional or copyright-infringing in any way are not allowed. Purpose of Facebook Timeline Cover: This is meant to represent you and according to Facebook the best possible cover would be an image from a life-event of yours. Like a wedding pic, holiday snap or a birthday pic. You images needs to be unique and as individualized as you are. Adds for better viewing and sets the tone of people viewing your Timeline.  What is the minimum image size allowed Since your cover is going to stretch right across your Timeline, the image will have to be a minimum of 720p. What if the image I want to upload is less that 720 pixels You will get an error message and will not be able to upload the same.  Who can view my cover Your ...

Facebook Timeline: How to Allow, Feature or Hide

If you are on Facebook then there is no escaping from the New Facebook Timeline. Whether you like it or not it is here to say. So you might as well make the best use of it. Your Facebook Timeline is what people get to see when they click on your Facebook profile. It is therefore important that you know how to feature, allow or hide stories, post, images and videos on your Timeline. There is something know as the 'Activity Log' and it is here where you get to choose your Facebook Timeline Privacy settings. What you do here determines what is seen on your New Facebook Profile. Facebook Activity Log Privacy settings and how to either Allow, Feature or Hide posts, stories and other Facebook activities that relate to you. Read instructions below to help you make your new profile more impressive to all your pals 1. Login to Facebook 2. Click on your username 3. Once on your Timeline, click on 'Activity Log' 4. Here you get to see all your stories organized by date. Right from...

How to delete past posts on Facebook

With the new Facebook Timeline comes added features such as your friends ability to see all your past activity, the stuff you might have hidden for so long. Another problem with the new Facebook Timeline is that if you have previous chosen to hide all 'Like' activities. That has been removed and all you 'Like' activity on Facebook shows up on your Timeline. This is a boon for websites like ours. Since the more likes we get the more popular we are going to become. Anyways back to the topic. Now if you have something you can see on your Timeline that you do not want to be  seeing there. You can get rid of it immediately and not have to worry about it again.  How to hide or remove any post from your timeline - maybe an embarrassing photo, video or status update 1. Login to Facebook 2. Click on your name which should bring-up your Facebook Timeline.  3. Hover over the right-hand corner of any post, update, image, video and you should ge...