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• This Week in Geek History: Zelda Turns 25, Birth of the Printing Press, and the Unveiling of ENIAC

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  Every week we bring you interesting highlights from the history of geekdom. This week we take a look at The Legend of Zelda’s 25th anniversary, the Gutenberg press, and the unveiling of primitive super computer ENIAC. Latest Features How-To Geek ETC Should You Delete Windows 7 Service Pack Backup Files to Save Space? What Can Super Mario Teach Us About Graphics Technology? Windows 7 Service Pack 1 is Released: But Should You Install It? How To Make Hundreds of Complex Photo Edits in Seconds With Photoshop Actions How to Enable User-Specific Wireless Networks in Windows 7 How to Use Google Chrome as Your Default PDF Reader (the Easy Way) Reclaim Vertical UI Space by Moving Your Tabs to the Side in Firefox Wind and Water: Puzzle Battles – An Awesome Game for Linux and Windows How Star Wars Changed the World [Infographic] Tabs Visual Manager Adds Thumbnailed Tab Switching to Chrome Daisies and Rye Swaying in the Summer Wind Wallpaper Read On Phone Pushes Data from Your Desktop to the Appropriate Android App

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• Methods to Manage/Document "one-off" Reports

  - by Jason Holland

  I'm a programmer that also does database stuff and I get a lot of so-called one-time report requests and recurring report requests. I work at a company that has a SQL Server database that we integrate third-party data with and we also have some third-party vendors that we have to use their proprietary reporting system to extract data in flat file format from that we don't integrate into SQL Server for security reasons. To generate many of these reports I have to query data from various systems, write small scripts to combine data from the separate systems, cry, pull my hair, curse the last guy's name that made the report before me, etc. My question is, what are some good methods for documenting the steps taken to generate these reports so the next poor soul that has to do them won't curse my name? As of now I just have a folder with subfolders per project with the selects and scripts that generated the last report but that seems like a "poor man's" solution. :)

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• Electronic Door Lock Uses QR Codes As Keys

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  We’ve seen magnetic cards and RFID cards used as keys before, but QR codes? Check out the video to see how a group of Cornell University students developed a visual key card. Rather than use magnetic stripes or RFID proximity antennas, their build relies on decoding a passkey stored in a QR code–check out the above video to see it in action and hit up the link below for more information. QR Code Door Lock [via Hack A Day] How To Create a Customized Windows 7 Installation Disc With Integrated Updates How to Get Pro Features in Windows Home Versions with Third Party Tools HTG Explains: Is ReadyBoost Worth Using?

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• DIY Internet Radio Maintains Controls and Interface of Vintage Case

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  Updating an old radio for modern inputs/streaming audio isn’t a new trick but this DIY mod stands out by maintaining the original controls and interface style. Rather than replace the needle-style selector window with a modern text-readout or cover-flow style interface, modder Florian Amrhein opted to replace the old rectangular station selector with an LCD screen that emulates the same red-needle layout. Using the same knob that previously moved the needle on the analog interface, you can slide the digital selector back and forth to select Internet radio stations. Watch the video above to see it in action and hit up the link below for the build guide. 1930s Internet Radio [via Hack A Day] HTG Explains: Does Your Android Phone Need an Antivirus? How To Use USB Drives With the Nexus 7 and Other Android Devices Why Does 64-Bit Windows Need a Separate “Program Files (x86)” Folder?

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• This Week in Geek History: HAL Goes Live, First Alien Moon Landing, First Fighter Jet Ejection Seat

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  Every week we bring you interesting facts from the annuals of Geekdom. This week in Geek History saw the birth of HAL, the first landing on an alien moon, and the first real-world test of a fighter jet ejection seat. Latest Features How-To Geek ETC HTG Projects: How to Create Your Own Custom Papercraft Toy How to Combine Rescue Disks to Create the Ultimate Windows Repair Disk What is Camera Raw, and Why Would a Professional Prefer it to JPG? The How-To Geek Guide to Audio Editing: The Basics How To Boot 10 Different Live CDs From 1 USB Flash Drive The 20 Best How-To Geek Linux Articles of 2010 Calvin and Hobbes Mix It Up in this Fight Club Parody [Video] Choose from 124 Awesome HTML5 Games to Play at Mozilla Labs Game On Gallery Google Translate for Android Updates to Include Conversation Mode and More Move Your Photoshop Scratch Disk for Improved Performance Winter Storm Clouds on the Horizon Wallpaper Existential Angry Birds [Video]

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• Improvements to Joshua Bloch's Builder Design Pattern?

  - by Jason Fotinatos

  Back in 2007, I read an article about Joshua Blochs take on the "builder pattern" and how it could be modified to improve the overuse of constructors and setters, especially when an object has a large number of properties, most of which are optional. A brief summary of this design pattern is articled here [http://rwhansen.blogspot.com/2007/07/theres-builder-pattern-that-joshua.html]. I liked the idea, and have been using it since. The problem with it, while it is very clean and nice to use from the client perspective, implementing it can be a pain in the bum! There are so many different places in the object where a single property is reference, and thus creating the object, and adding a new property takes a lot of time. So...I had an idea. First, an example object in Joshua Bloch's style: Josh Bloch Style: public class OptionsJoshBlochStyle { private final String option1; private final int option2; // ...other options here <<<< public String getOption1() { return option1; } public int getOption2() { return option2; } public static class Builder { private String option1; private int option2; // other options here <<<<< public Builder option1(String option1) { this.option1 = option1; return this; } public Builder option2(int option2) { this.option2 = option2; return this; } public OptionsJoshBlochStyle build() { return new OptionsJoshBlochStyle(this); } } private OptionsJoshBlochStyle(Builder builder) { this.option1 = builder.option1; this.option2 = builder.option2; // other options here <<<<<< } public static void main(String[] args) { OptionsJoshBlochStyle optionsVariation1 = new OptionsJoshBlochStyle.Builder().option1("firefox").option2(1).build(); OptionsJoshBlochStyle optionsVariation2 = new OptionsJoshBlochStyle.Builder().option1("chrome").option2(2).build(); } } Now my "improved" version: public class Options { // note that these are not final private String option1; private int option2; // ...other options here public String getOption1() { return option1; } public int getOption2() { return option2; } public static class Builder { private final Options options = new Options(); public Builder option1(String option1) { this.options.option1 = option1; return this; } public Builder option2(int option2) { this.options.option2 = option2; return this; } public Options build() { return options; } } private Options() { } public static void main(String[] args) { Options optionsVariation1 = new Options.Builder().option1("firefox").option2(1).build(); Options optionsVariation2 = new Options.Builder().option1("chrome").option2(2).build(); } } As you can see in my "improved version", there are 2 less places in which we need to add code about any addition properties (or options, in this case)! The only negative that I can see is that the instance variables of the outer class are not able to be final. But, the class is still immutable without this. Is there really any downside to this improvement in maintainability? There has to be a reason which he repeated the properties within the nested class that I'm not seeing?

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• Cool a Computer with Toilet Water

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  When most people opt to use water cooling they put together tidy coolant reservoirs complete with ambient lighting and the like. This build involves a hole in the wall and the tank of a functioning toilet. The design, courtesy of Jeff Gagnon, is unconventional, but effective. Opposite of his wall-mounted PC is a bathroom. In that bathroom he has a coolant pump in the tank of the toilet. Using the toilet tank as a thermal sink he keeps the CPU at a nice chilly 66F. Hit up the link below for more pictures, including a peek inside his hacked together toilet-tank cooling rig. How to Cool a PC with Toilet Water [Extreme Tech] How to Sync Your Media Across Your Entire House with XBMC How to Own Your Own Website (Even If You Can’t Build One) Pt 2 How to Own Your Own Website (Even If You Can’t Build One) Pt 1

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• Red Dot Scope Makes Sighting In Long Lenses a Snap

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  If you’ve ever used a high power lens, you know how tricky it can be to sight a distant subject as the field of view through the lens is so tiny. This hack takes care of that problem by using a zero-magnification red dot rifle scope. Chris Malcolm enjoys photographing birds and other wildlife with high power lenses. The problem, when shooting with huge 500mm lens and other high power lenses, is that they’re practically telescopes and acquiring a fast moving target like a bird using a through-the-lens technique is very tricky. Malcolm’s solution hinges on mounting a zero-magnification red dot rifle scope in parallel with the lens. His mock up is a bit unpolished (although we can understand not wanting to run out and buy a brand new black scope just for the experiment) but works great to get him on target. Hit up the link below to read more about his build, how be created the rail mount for the scope, and why he opted to mount it to the barrel of the lens and not the hot shoe mount on the camera. 500mm Reflex Lens with Red Dot Sight [via DIY Photography] Make Your Own Windows 8 Start Button with Zero Memory Usage Reader Request: How To Repair Blurry Photos HTG Explains: What Can You Find in an Email Header?

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• Ask the Readers: Favorite Web Clipping Tool?

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  Bookmarking is great if you want a link to visit later, but what if you want to save the page itself for later perusal? This week we want to hear all about your favorite web clipping tool and how you use it to read what you want, when you want it. Web clipping tools are simple tools (browser extensions, bookmarklets, etc.) that make it easy to clip text and multimedia elements from web pages in order to archive them and/or read them at a later date. Whether you clip to a bursting at the seams web-notebook or you clip to send to your Kindle, we want to hear about your favorite tools and how they fit into your reading workflow. Sound off in the comments and then make sure to check back on Friday for the What You Said roundup where we highlight popular picks and clever tips. HTG Explains: How Hackers Take Over Web Sites with SQL Injection / DDoS Use Your Android Phone to Comparison Shop: 4 Scanner Apps Reviewed How to Run Android Apps on Your Desktop the Easy Way

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• Quoting people for website dev. work

  - by Jason

  Hi All, I have recently given some quotes to a few people. And I need some advice about how things should be done... Q1: I've seen, heard of and read about a lot of developers using free resource sites online to obtain free Privacy Policy, Disclaimers etc for their/customers websites. A customer I quoted the other day expected me to write/get a disclaimer for their site. Who in their right mind would expect a document like that from a Web Developer? I just told them that they need to sort that stuff out themselves with a Lawyer or something, and then to send it to me so I can paste it on a webpage for them. Q2: If you're charging per hour, and you estimate that the project would take 1week to finish (including testing/releasing), but you soon realise that you'll require more time, do you RE-quote them? Or do you just finish off the site at the original quote price? Q3: How do you figure out how much you will charge your customers? Do you charge per-feature, or per hour, or per day, or all of the above? Thanks :)

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• How Microwave Ovens Work [Video]

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  In this informative how-it-works video, we’re treated to a peek inside the common microwave and the science behind the magnetron that powers it. Bill details how a microwave oven heats food. He describes how the microwave vacuum tube, called a magnetron, generates radio frequencies that cause the water in food to rotate back and forth. He shows the standing wave inside the oven, and notes how you can measure the wavelength with melted cheese. He concludes by describing how a magnetron generates radio waves. [via Make] How to Banish Duplicate Photos with VisiPic How to Make Your Laptop Choose a Wired Connection Instead of Wireless HTG Explains: What Is Two-Factor Authentication and Should I Be Using It?

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• The Evolution of 8-Bit [Video]

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  In this nostalgia filled short video, PBS takes a retrospective look at the history and the evolution of early 8-bit video games. Beginning with early Atari and Nintendo video games, the 8-bit aesthetic has been a part of our culture for over 30 years. As it moved through the generations, 8-bit earned its independence from its video game roots. The idea of 8-bit now stands for a refreshing level of simplicity and minimalism, is capable of sonic and visual beauty, and points to the layer of technology that suffuses our modern lives. No longer just nostalgia art, contemporary 8-bit artists and chiptunes musicians have elevated the form to new levels of creativity and cultural reflection. [via Neatorama] HTG Explains: What Is Windows RT and What Does It Mean To Me? HTG Explains: How Windows 8′s Secure Boot Feature Works & What It Means for Linux Hack Your Kindle for Easy Font Customization

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• Root and Install ADB on Your Kindle Fire with SuperOneClick

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  The Kindle Fire, fresh into the hands of consumers across the country, has already been rooted and accessed with ADB. Right now the hack is awesome but of limited utility–it highlights how easily the Kindle Fire can be rooted and prepared for a custom ROM but for the moment you’ll find there aren’t many custom ROMs floating around. Still, we’re excited by the news and looking forward to where, beyond the stock configuration, people take the Kindle Fire. Hit up the link below for the discussion thread on AndroidForums outlining how to root your Kindle Fire. How-To Get ADB Running AND Root with SuperOneClick [AndroidForum via PhanDroid] HTG Explains: How Hackers Take Over Web Sites with SQL Injection / DDoS Use Your Android Phone to Comparison Shop: 4 Scanner Apps Reviewed How to Run Android Apps on Your Desktop the Easy Way

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• Bitdefender Safebox Offers 2GB Free Storage for Android Users

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  Android: If you’re always on the lookout for new–and free!–cloud storage solutions, security company BitDefender has a new cloud service for Android uers. Safebox accounts come with a free 2GB storage to get you started. For those of you in the “You can never have enough backups!” camp, Bitdefender’s Safebox is a new offering (currently only available for PC/Android setups) on the remote-storage market. Free personal accounts come with 2GB of storage which is on par with other cloud storage providers. If you’re looking for cloud storage with the maximum number of features and heavy third-party support you’ll want to stick with a well established player like Dropbox. If you’re just looking for some extra storage for overflow media or some redundancy for your current backup solution, Safebox is a viable storage solution. Bitdefender Safebox [via Addicted Tips] Make Your Own Windows 8 Start Button with Zero Memory Usage Reader Request: How To Repair Blurry Photos HTG Explains: What Can You Find in an Email Header?

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• The HTG Guide to Hiding Your Data in a TrueCrypt Hidden Volume

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  Last week we showed you how to set up a simple, but strongly encrypted, TrueCrypt volume to help you protect your sensitive data. This week we’re digging in deeper and showing you how to hide your encrypted data within your encrypted data. The HTG Guide to Hiding Your Data in a TrueCrypt Hidden Volume Make Your Own Windows 8 Start Button with Zero Memory Usage Reader Request: How To Repair Blurry Photos

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• DIY Camera Carrier Turns any Bag into a Camera Bag

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  The biggest problem with camera bags is that they look like camera bags and thus become a perfect target for thieves. This DIY camera carrier lets you slip a lens and camera holder into any bag to help conceal and protect your gear. The project comes to us courtesy of Joy, a designer and crafter, and her adventures in making a DIY camera carrier to help protect her camera while carrying it discretely in her purse. You’ll need some basic sewing skills and access to a sewing machine; to follow along check out the link below and adjust the dimensions of her design to fit your bag. Camera Carrier Insert Tutorial [via Apartment Therapy] HTG Explains: Is ReadyBoost Worth Using? HTG Explains: What The Windows Event Viewer Is and How You Can Use It HTG Explains: How Windows Uses The Task Scheduler for System Tasks

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• A Tribute to Curiosity [Video]

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  This beautifully put together video tribute to the Mars Curiosity Rover includes touching interviews with many of the men and women who dedicated themselves to building and deploying it. [via Geeks Are Sexy] HTG Explains: Does Your Android Phone Need an Antivirus? How To Use USB Drives With the Nexus 7 and Other Android Devices Why Does 64-Bit Windows Need a Separate “Program Files (x86)” Folder?

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• The Raspberry Pi Now Has Its Own App Store

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  Raspberry Pi, the credit-card sized computer with an ARM processor, now has its own appstore where Raspberry Pi hobbyists and developers can share their creations in a one-stop location accessible to all Raspberry Pi users. In today’s press release about the store, the Raspberry Pi Foundation writes: We’ve been amazed by the variety of software that people have written for, or ported to, the Raspberry Pi. Today, together with our friends at IndieCity and Velocix, we’re launching the Pi Store to make it easier for developers of all ages to share their games, applications, tools and tutorials with the rest of the community. The Pi Store will, we hope, become a one-stop shop for all your Raspberry Pi needs; it’s also an easier way into the Raspberry Pi experience for total beginners, who will find everything they need to get going in one place, for free. The store runs as an X application under Raspbian, and allows users to download content, and to upload their own content for moderation and release. At launch, we have 23 free titles in the store, ranging from utilities like LibreOffice and Asterisk to classic games like Freeciv and OpenTTD and Raspberry Pi exclusive Iridium Rising. We also have one piece of commercial content: the excellent Storm in a Teacup from Cobra Mobile. For more information about the store, including how to install the app store on your Pi, check out the full press release here. To get started browsing the store, hit up the link below. Secure Yourself by Using Two-Step Verification on These 16 Web Services How to Fix a Stuck Pixel on an LCD Monitor How to Factory Reset Your Android Phone or Tablet When It Won’t Boot

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• Why learn Flash Builder 4 (Flex) when I can just use Flash Professional?

  - by Jason McKenna

  I want to learn Flash Builder 4 (Flex) because I see sooo many jobs requesting experience with it. i also just like knowing stuff. I am also very interested in focusing on RIA development now. BUT... can anyone tell me CLEARLY why the heck I would ever use FLEX over Flash Pro?? it is a time investment, so is it worth it? All I read are misguided posts about how Flash Pro is for games and banner ads, and Flex is for programmers and RIAs blah blah... this simply isn't so from my 9 years of contracting experience. I'm 99.9% certain that I can build anything a flex developer can build, but using Flash Pro. I can build powerful AS3-driven apps for the desktop, mobile device, or browser, and I can link to databases with XML and I can import text files and communicate with ColdFusion and everything. The advantage with Flash Pro is that I can also easily and clearly animate transitions and build custom elements that look the way I want/need them to look for my specific client. Why would I want to use a bunch of pre-built components that drive my file sizes to the moon?? Who is happy with a drag-n-drop button?? Is Flex just a thing made for programmer people with no artistic inclination? What is the advantage of using it?? It takes me back to Visual Basic class. Seems like a pain to have to use multiple tools to import crap from Flash Pro into Flex and yada yada... why when I can do it all nicely in Flash Pro to begin with. Am I clueless, or missing some major piece of the puzzle? Thanks for any clarity. PS, I couldn't care less about the code editors. It aint that bad people. They make it out like the thing doesn't even respond to keyboard input or something. Does everthing I need it do anyways. Please help out here. If I just dont need to learn it, I dont want to waste the time. Jase

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• How Mars Lost Its Atmosphere [Video]

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  Scientists have long theorized that Mars once had an atmosphere and surface water–but where did it go? This video showcases one of their theories about Mars’ vanished water reserves. Courtesy of NASA and the NASAexplorer channel: When you take a look at Mars, you probably wouldn’t think that it looks like a nice place to live. It’s dry, it’s dusty, and there’s practically no atmosphere. But some scientists think that Mars may have once looked like a much nicer place to live, with a thicker atmosphere, cloudy skies, and possibly even liquid water flowing over the surface. So how do you go from something like this–to something like this? NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft will give us a clearer idea of how Mars lost its atmosphere, and scientists think that several processes have had an impact. For more information about MAVEN, check out the mission page here. NASA – MAVEN: Mars Atmospheric Loss How to Get Pro Features in Windows Home Versions with Third Party Tools HTG Explains: Is ReadyBoost Worth Using? HTG Explains: What The Windows Event Viewer Is and How You Can Use It

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• DeskLights Turns Desk Surface Into Giant Multi-Purpose Notifier

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  We’ve seen desks with LEDs under frosted glass before, but this is the first desk we’ve seen where the LEDs serve as a sophisticated notification system. Check out the video above to see desk, designed by Michael LaGrasta, in action. The secret sauce is an array of LED modules, linked to an Arduino board, which is in turn running a tiny web server. Hit up the link below for the full build guide. DeskLights 2.0 [via IKEAHackers] Hack Your Kindle for Easy Font Customization HTG Explains: What Is RSS and How Can I Benefit From Using It? HTG Explains: Why You Only Have to Wipe a Disk Once to Erase It

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• How to Create Steel Wool Light Paintings [Video]

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  Steel Wool Light Paintings are like regular long-exposure light paintings but they replace LEDs with flaming balls of steel; watch this video to see how to safely and successfully light paint with steal wool. In this video Benjamin Von Wong explains how to set up a steel wool light painting photoshoot, how to create your steel wool light source, and how to do it all safely without burning down your neighborhood or lighting nearby pedestrians on fire. [via DIYPhotography] What’s the Difference Between Sleep and Hibernate in Windows? Screenshot Tour: XBMC 11 Eden Rocks Improved iOS Support, AirPlay, and Even a Custom XBMC OS How To Be Your Own Personal Clone Army (With a Little Photoshop)

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• Expensive HDMI Cables Make No Difference

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  While we’re no strangers to spreading the news that expensive HDMI cables are a ripoff, we’re happy to share yet another study that shows there’s zero difference between a $5 cable and a $95 one. Over at the British hardware review site Expert Reviews, they subjected a wide selection of HDMI cables to extensive tests in a bid to produce the end-all examination of whether or not a premium HDMI cable could actually produce a better signal. They used capture cards, pixel-by-pixel comparison of output, and other techniques to pick over individual frames until they ultimately reached the same conclusion everyone outside of the Monster sales staff had already reached: you’re getting absolutely no benefit to spending $100 on cable that can be had for under five bucks. Hit up the link below to read over their methodology. Expensive Cables Make Absolutely No Difference [via Geek News Central] HTG Explains: What Is RSS and How Can I Benefit From Using It? HTG Explains: Why You Only Have to Wipe a Disk Once to Erase It HTG Explains: Learn How Websites Are Tracking You Online

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• PC On/Off Time Charts Windows Uptime; No Logging Necessary

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  Windows: PC On/Off Time is a graphical tool that displays your PC’s uptime, downtime, errors, and more all in a clear and portable package. One of the hassles of using logging tools is that you usually have to enable the logging and then wait for results to pile up before seeing anything useful (such as when you turn on the logging on your router). PC On/Off Time taps right into the event logs your Windows PC is already keeping so you get immediate access to your uptime history. If you look at the screenshot above you can see an accurate picture of the last few weeks of uptime on my computer. October 23-24 I didn’t boot down my PC, the rest of the time I hibernated it overnight when I wasn’t using it, November 1st I installed an SSD (you can see the burst of reboots and short uptimes) and then November 9th there was a brief power outage that caused an unexpected stop (the red arrows on the timeline for the 9th). The free version offers a three-week peek back into your uptime history (upgrade to the Pro version for $12.75 or for free using Trial Pay to unlock your completely uptime history).PC On/Off Time is Windows only. PC On/Off Time [via Addictive Tips] Use Amazon’s Barcode Scanner to Easily Buy Anything from Your Phone How To Migrate Windows 7 to a Solid State Drive Follow How-To Geek on Google+

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• Slow Motion Egg Destruction [Video]

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: everything is better in slow motion. In this instance it’s twenty two eggs made interesting by meeting their demise in a variety of ways. Of all the egg smashes in the video, we’re particularly fond of the tennis racket segment. Have a cool slow-mo video to share? Throw a link in the comments! Slo-As-A-Mofo-Sho – Egg Destruction [via Boing Boing] How To Delete, Move, or Rename Locked Files in Windows HTG Explains: Why Screen Savers Are No Longer Necessary 6 Ways Windows 8 Is More Secure Than Windows 7

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