15 New Articles on MakeUseOf |  |
- Cool Websites and Tools [April 30th 2013]
- How To Use Twitter To Help You Find A Job
- What Are Your Favorite Photography Tips? [You Told Us]
- Microsoft Brings Skype Into Outlook.com’s Email Interface [Updates]
- Top 6 Visual Search Engines For Finding The Image You Want
- Top 10 Video Games Banned Somewhere In The World
- Not Just Recipes: 4 iPad Apps That Teach You To Cook [iOS]
- What Can I Buy With Bitcoin? [MakeUseOf Explains]
- Twitter & Comedy Central Invite You To A 5-Day Comedy Fest Just For Laughs [Updates]
- Missing Google Instant Preview: 3 Chrome Extensions That Show Previews Of Google Search Results
- Keep A Beautiful, Orderly, and Private Journal Of Your Thoughts and Days With Diaro For Android
- The Most Rare & Valuable Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Games [MUO Gaming]
- Speed Up Your Imgur Uploads With These Apps & Browser Add-Ons
- How To Upgrade A Laptop’s RAM, Step By Step
- Doom Vs. Call Of Duty Modern Warfare – Just How Far Has The FPS Come?
| Cool Websites and Tools [April 30th 2013] Posted: 30 Apr 2013 09:31 PM PDT
These are just half of the websites that we discovered in the last couple of days. If you want us to send you daily round-ups of all cool websites we come across, leave your email here. Or follow us via RSS feed. The post Cool Websites and Tools [April 30th 2013] appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| How To Use Twitter To Help You Find A Job Posted: 30 Apr 2013 08:30 PM PDT
So what do you need to do to make sure that you don’t miss out on the many jobs that are being advertised on Twitter? We’ve put together a list of five key tips to bear in mind when looking for job listings on Twitter. Whether it’s how you use Twitter to search for a job or how you use it to present yourself, there’s a lot that you can do using the social networking site to land your dream job. Keep an eye on key hashtagsThe first tip when it comes to any basic Twitter use is keeping track of popular hashtags, no matter what topic you’re interested in. Hashtags make it easy to discover and label content, and when it comes to job search, it isn’t any different. There are quite a few active job search hashtags that are worth watching. Keep an eye on hashtags related to conversations, tips, how-tos and job listings. These are just a few examples of the kinds of hashtags being used to post job listings or even links to tips for how to land a job, but you can get creative with your search and think about the kinds of keywords that would be used to advertise a job:
Also keep an eye on industry event hashtags. For example if you can’t make it to a conference that’s related to your field, like #sxsw2013 for example, you can always find out what’s going on there by watching the relevant hashtag. Follow companies and people in your industry
It goes without saying that following other users is also a key part of how you use Twitter, and again, this is another principle that should be applied to using Twitter in your job search. Not only should you follow the leading companies and people in your industry, you should also find out if these companies have HR-specific Twitter accounts. Here are a few companies that have official Twitter accounts dedicated to posting their latest job listings: Present yourself onlineYour online reputation can be key in actually landing the job. Your public Twitter profile can be a great way for potential employers to get to know more about you, so make sure your putting your best foot forward, so to speak. Think about not only what you tweet, but also about how you set up your profile. Make sure your photo, username and bio are all how you would want to be presented to prospective employers. Your Twitter profile is also a great way to make sure that your work or portfolio is easily viewable. You can share your work, link to your website or LinkedIn profile in your bio, and more. Follow recruiting companies
NetworkAgain, networking is a key way to use Twitter. If you’re not interacting with other users, you’re not getting the most out of Twitter that you can. Networking in a job search in the real world is essential, and the same can be said of Twitter. You never know who might notice you if you use Twitter as a means of reaching out to key people in your industry. Of course, you have to use the same common sense and caution that you would in the real world. Don’t be pushy or aggressive, otherwise you’re likely to alienate your potential employers. Twitter isn’t the only social network you can use in your job search. Thanks to sites like Jibe, you can get more out of Facebook and LinkedIn when it comes to finding a job. There are also quite a few third party services that put Twitter to use for your job search. Do you have any tips for how you can use Twitter to find a job? Share them with us in the comments and don’t forget to download our Twitter guide for free. The post How To Use Twitter To Help You Find A Job appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What Are Your Favorite Photography Tips? [You Told Us] Posted: 30 Apr 2013 07:31 PM PDT
You also need to utilize the knowledge of those already well-versed in photography. As with everything in life, taking the advice of those who have already been there and done that can help you shortcut the usual learning curve. With that in mind we sought to mine the collective experience of the MakeUseOf readership when it comes to photography. The ResultsWe asked you, What Are Your Favorite Photography Tips? Unfortunately, few people took part in the discussion, with only a handful of comments having been submitted at the time of writing. Thankfully, those who did submit their favorite photography tips provided some really useful advice that should help anyone reading this article in the future to become better photographers.
With so few comments to draw conclusions from the best we can do is choose a few of the tips mentioned to discuss in more detail… Find a unique or interesting perspective: At this point in time every subject matter in the world has probably been covered by someone, somewhere. Which means you’ll have to work harder to make your photos stand out from the crowd. One reader suggests always taking a moment or two to think about the photo, and try to engineer a unique or interesting perspective. Put yourself in the right place at the right time: The emergence of smartphone photography and citizen journalism has highlighted the importance of being in the right place at the right time. But you can, to a certain degree, help yourself on this score. One reader suggests heading out early — between 7:30am and 9.00am — to capture the essence of local life. Practice makes perfect: This tip extends to most creative pursuits, and photography is no exception. It’s only by liberally using your camera that you’ll figure out what works for you. You can even do this when you don’t have a camera to hand; one reader suggests practising your composition as you walk around, thinking about the photos you would be taking at such times. Comment Of The WeekWe had great input from the likes of Scott M, ralphvelasco, and annonymousjon, to name just a few. Comment Of The Week goes to Eugene, who, as well as the respect of myself and hopefully everybody reading this, receives 150 points to use for MakeUseOf Rewards.
We particularly liked this comment because it includes five brilliant tips, all spelled out in very simple and easy-to-understand terms. Tip 2 is especially important for turning average photos into ones that look and feel professional. Tip 5 is an absolute tentpole for those who want to take their photography to the next level. We will be asking a new question tomorrow, so please join us then. We Ask You is a weekly column dedicated to finding out the opinions of MakeUseOf readers. We ask you a question and you tell us what you think. The question is open-ended and is usually open to debate. Some questions will be purely opinion-based, while others will see you sharing tips and advice, or advocating tools and apps for your fellow MakeUseOf readers. This column is nothing without your input, all of which is valued. Image Credit: Mark Probst The post What Are Your Favorite Photography Tips? [You Told Us] appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Microsoft Brings Skype Into Outlook.com’s Email Interface [Updates] Posted: 30 Apr 2013 07:00 PM PDT
Skype for Outlook.com brings video and audio calls to Outlook.com’s interface, making it possible to initiate Skype calls right from your inbox. So next time you’re writing an email and suddenly realize text is just not enough, you should be able to start a voice or video chat with just a click or two. In case you’re not familiar with it, Outlook.com is Microsoft’s newest version of Web email service, and was launched last year as a replacement for the seasoned Hotmail. In order to try out the preview of Skype for Outlook.com, you will have to install a browser plugin which is currently available for Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome. You will also have to link your Skype account to your Outlook.com account, thus merging your Microsoft and Skype accounts. If you’ve already done this — as preparation for Window Live Messenger’s demise, for example — you should be all set. Linking your Skype account will add your Skype contacts to your Outlook.com contacts. Do you like the idea of Skype and email integration? If you’re in the UK, let us know what you think of Skype for Outlook.com! Source: Skype Blog The post Microsoft Brings Skype Into Outlook.com’s Email Interface [Updates] appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top 6 Visual Search Engines For Finding The Image You Want Posted: 30 Apr 2013 06:31 PM PDT
Some of us actually go out with a camera and take a few snapshots. Others create images using Illustrator or Photoshop. However, most of the time we have to search for them. With that said, a visual search engine really comes in handy when you’re in our line of work. Below are a few visual search engines that you may be able to make use of on your own. TinEye
TinEye has been around since, like, ever. Most of you may know it by its most popular use: reverse image search. It’s still a visual search engine, but yes, it’s a little unorthodox. Searching by the image to find copies of image yields a rather narrow selection. However, one feature you may not know about is its MulticolorEngine. That is, you pick a color, and then TinEye will do a search for Creative Commons images that match this designated color. This is perfect for those of you working with design. CC Search
CC Search is a search engine that only searches for material backed by the Creative Commons. This means you can easily search for images from a variety of resources that are free for you to use. As a note, the website specifically states that it does not promote itself as a visual search engine – except it is. Also, even though it claims to only search for creative commons material, make sure you verify that you can actually use the content. Furthermore, you don’t have to search only for images using CC Search. You can even find videos, music, clip art, and more. Compfight
Like Flickr? Try Compfight. The visual search engine provides a clean experience while looking for whatever image you need. It pulls all of its images from Flickr, but as you may know, Flickr occasionally has the hiccups. This would be a good backup whenever you’re needing to find things right away. However, one of Compfight’s more practical uses is its WordPress plug-in. Those of you who are bloggers know how much of a hassle it can be open a new tab, browse for images, download them, resize them, etc. With the Compfight plugin, you can find images while using WordPress and all of your search results are from the Creative Commons. Flickr Storm
Sometimes, we think in the box, and we have this idea of how our desired image should look – the features, the colors, the subjects. After painstakingly coming up with this idea, we end up just limiting ourselves! With Flickr Storm, you can search Flickr for the image that you want using your chosen keywords, but unlike the other search engines, this site adds a little extra “magic” to the mix. In addition to your search results, it provides a secondary set of search results based on your keyword along with related ones that it comes up with. This could help you find what you are looking for when you aren’t really sure what you are looking for. WeSEE
WeSEE offers a much cleaner version of typical image search, and it’s somewhat designed for those who are fashionable and paying attention to the latest trends. By pulling images from various sources (including Pinterest!) the app offers a nice selection of images using a very minimalistic interface. Offering both reverse image and keyword search functions, WeSEE is a good asset to have in the world of visual search engines. Bear in mind that it’s still in beta form. However, the site is growing each and every day. Google Image SearchYou know it already, but Google probably has the best image search engine out there. It allows you to conduct reverse image searches, find images by color, and even look through those that belong to the creative common. This wouldn’t be a top six list without it. While the other tools help you narrow down your search to a more specific criteria, Google lets you pull broad features from each one and use them together for highly effective results. In short, Google Image search is a true jack-of-all-trades. ConclusionWe’ve written about visual search engines before, but it was about time that we gave you a refresher. For instance, TinEye didn’t have the MulticolorEngine last time around, and WeSEE is just getting started. Below are a few of our past articles for more information: You may have seen a few of these before (like Google, of course), but we’d like for you to update us on what we haven’t seen. Now it’s your turn to talk. What other visual search engines do you like to use? How have these helped you? Image Credit: laihu The post Top 6 Visual Search Engines For Finding The Image You Want appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top 10 Video Games Banned Somewhere In The World Posted: 30 Apr 2013 05:31 PM PDT
Although video gaming is a relatively young hobby the industry has already seen its fair share of censorship. Over the last 25 years there have been scores of video games banned around the world, some in individual countries, some in multiple territories, some for common sense reasons, some for nonsensical political points-scoring. What follows is a list of 10 of the best video games banned somewhere in the world for one reason or another. It’s an eclectic mix of games that covers more genres than you’d imagine, though violent video games are, unsurprisingly, the main culprit/victim. The videos embedded within the list don’t necessarily show the scenes which led to the video games in question being banned. Instead they are there merely to give you a taste of the game and what it was about. Some were clearly developed with controversy in mind, while others were merely caught up in the tangled web that is censorship. Wolfenstein 3D
Released In: 1992 Wolfenstein 3D is a legendary game, mainly because it (alongside Doom) popularized the first-person shooter genre that now dominates mainstream gaming. Many of the basic tenets of the FPS genre can be seen in Wolfenstein 3D, so Call Of Duty probably wouldn’t exist without it. The gameplay was simple, with you playing an allied spy trying to escape Castle Wolfenstein during World War II. The game was banned in Germany thanks to the Nazi references, as the Fuhrer discovers in the Hitler reaction video embedded above. Mortal Kombat
Released In: 1992 The original Mortal Kombat was a decent game that exceeded the levels of success it should have achieved thanks to the ramped-up levels of gore. Finishing moves, which saw your character killing his or her opponent off in a grisly manner, shocked politicians, owing to a ban in various countries. Doom
Released In: 1993 Doom is, like Wolfenstein 3D, another legendary first-person shooter that set the template for all of the future titles in the genre. The gameplay was simple and to-the-point, with a gun bobbing about on screen taking demons from Hell down left, right, and center. It was only banned in Brazil, probably because other countries realized the poor graphics and non-human combatants meant the chances of influencing young people was slight. Carmageddon
Released In: 1997 Carmageddon is a game that had violence at its very heart. You took part in a race with other drivers, but the ultimate goal is to kill as many pedestrians as possible, with extra points awarded for style. The big issue with Carmageddon was the portrayal of humans as the victims, so an edited version of the game was released in some countries. This saw the humans turned into zombies, with the blood and gore able to be switched on or off in the options. Football Manager 2005
Released In: 2004 This has to count as the oddity on the list, because Football Manager 2005 isn’t violent or controversial in any possible way. Except in China, which took exception to Tibet being recognized as an independent country. The rest of the world just wanted to watch little stick figures play soccer. Mercenaries: Playground Of Destruction
Released In: 2005 Mercenaries: Playground Of Destruction is a third-person, open-world shooter which favors mayhem over precision. You play a mercenary entering North Korea to carry out contracts in order to make money. And it’s this fictional plot in a real-world setting that led to South Korea banning the game. Bully
Released In: 2006 Rockstar has always used controversy as a way of ramping up interest in its games. Which is why three of their games make this list (the others being Red Dead Redemption and L.A. Noire). Grand Theft Auto didn’t make the cut even though several of the GTA titles have been banned for various reasons. Bully details the activities of a troubled kid in a new school. Although there are lessons to be sat through, the main order of the day is to bully your way through the game, and that didn’t go down too well. In the U.K. it was renamed Canis Canem Edit to avoid negative connotations. Heavy Rain
Released In: 2010 Heavy Rain isn’t a particularly controversial game, though it is a rather unique one that sees you essentially playing through an interactive movie rather than controlling every element of the gameplay. There is some nudity and a suggested sex scene though, which led to its ban in at least two countries. Red Dead Redemption
Released In: 2010 In Red Dead Redemption you play a cowboy living out the Wild West experience as he hunts for the former members of his gang. As with most open-world games, and particularly those made by Rockstar, the range of activities you can get up to is mind-boggling. Some of these activities aren’t exactly wholesome or family-friendly. You can duel with other cowboys, kill wanted men, gamble, and engage in bawdy bedroom behavior. None of which went down particularly well in a couple of countries. L.A. Noire
Released In: 2011 L.A. Noire is a fascinating game that ramps up the acting and visual side of things using a new technique to capture the facial expressions on the cast of actors. This means the whole thing looks and feels more real than most games, which didn’t help its appeal in some countries when there is some nudity involved (at least on corpses). ConclusionsThese games were (at the time of release) all worth playing, some because of the controversy attached to them, and some because they were actually good games. Several nailed the perfect combination of being a decent game and possessing a subject matter or gameplay element that attracted (valuable) press attention. Have you played any of the games on this list? If so were you aware it was banned somewhere in the world? Are there any other games you think should have made the list? What is your opinion on the reasons given for some of these bans? As always we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section. Image Credit: RadishTM The post Top 10 Video Games Banned Somewhere In The World appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Not Just Recipes: 4 iPad Apps That Teach You To Cook [iOS] Posted: 30 Apr 2013 04:30 PM PDT
Owning an iPad has changed the way I cook and bake in my kitchen. If before I used to copy recipes down or run back and forth from the kitchen to my computer, I can now load everything on my iPad, place it in the closest spot where it still wouldn’t get dirty, and cook to my heart’s content. In order to cook with your iPad, you need some good recipe sources, that’s for sure, but not every recipe is equal to the other, and not every cooking app is the same as the next one. While some cooking apps are nothing but recipe managers or collections of general recipes that are never quite clear enough, good results will come from cooking apps that actually teach you how to cook. Ready to impress your family/friends/significant other with your amazing home-made food? Read on and get cooking! Epicurious Recipes (Free, $1.99)
Epicurious is a well-known cooking website, and its iPad app doesn’t fall far from the tree. Yes, Epicurious is definitely a treasure trove for recipes, but for the beginner cook it’s so much more than that. Unlike many recipe apps that provide an ingredient list and some half-hearted instructions, every recipe you’ll find on Epicurious’s iPad app comes with very detailed instructions, and a very specific ingredient list. So where a different recipe might say “brown the lamb in a skillet”, Epicurious will include a whole paragraph.
When looking for recipes, you can search by category, keyword, and even by adding ingredients you have at home to see what you can make using them. Another great feature is the ability to add a recipe you want to prepare to your shopping list, and automatically get a list of everything you have to buy, divided into categories. If you tend to get overwhelmed just by looking at recipes, this feature can be a huge help. If you already use Epicurious.com and want to sync your recipe box from the website, you will have to purchase an upgrade for $1.99. Cooking (Free)
The title of this post starts with “not just recipes”, so I felt it would be appropriate to include a cooking app that comes with absolutely none. Cooking is all about helping you reach good results with recipes you already have, teaching you about good replacements for missing ingredients, cooking terms you may not be familiar with, and changes you should make in high altitudes. If your recipe calls for half a cup of diced celery, and you’re not sure how much to dice, Cooking will help you there too, with its Yields & Tips section. It also provides a thorough converter for every measurement you can think of, including ice-cream scoops, beer barrels, smidgens, and more.
All in all, Cooking is not your conventional cooking app, but it’s going to be very helpful for preparing any recipe, no matter where you’ve found it. Look & Cook (Free or $1.99)
Look & Cook is hands down the most beautiful cooking app I’ve ever seen for the iPad. This is not your usual recipe collection, where you can search by keyword or ingredient. Rather, the app includes only 44 recipes (two in the free version, but you can get an overview of all of them before buying the full version), divided into seven categories: everyday, breakfast, with the guys, barbecue, picnic, romantic, and dinner party. The recipes themselves come with a visual overview of all the ingredients and the final product (the “Look” part), and a cook-book like step-by-step recipe (the “Cook” part). If you’re worried about having to flip through the recipe’s pages with dirty cooking hands, simply turn on voice activation to turn pages by saying “next” and “back”.
The Look & Cook recipes are not necessarily for beginners, and are definitely not for the lazy. Even the so-called everyday recipes have long prep times. If you already have some experience cooking and want to bring yourself to the next level, Look & Cook is a beautiful and detailed way to do this, impressing all your friends along the way. How To Cook Everything ($9.99)
If you’re truly serious about learning to cook, and feel that a $10 app is a reasonable investment, How to Cook Everything is probably the most celebrated cooking app available for the iPad. The app does have a free version you can try, but as its only available for the iPhone, you’ll have to make do with a smaller screen if you intend to use it on your iPad. How to Cook Everything is based on a cookbook of the same name written by Mark Bittman, and includes 2,000 recipes and hundreds of how-to illustrations like the one you can see in the screenshot above. Like Epicurious, How to Cook Everything helps you shop for the right ingredients, and also includes an in-app timer, so your food doesn’t burn in the oven.
There’s lots to explore in this app, but the price tag is still a little steep. If you’ve tried all other apps and still can’t find the right one for you, or if you absolutely love the original cookbook and want it all on your iPad, this would be $10 well spent. Bonus: Food Wishes Video Recipes
There is no app for Food Wishes unfortunately, but Chef John’s video recipes are still a great way to learn how to cook on your iPad (or computer, or phone). The best way to do this, and this has worked for me in the past, is to point your YouTube app to the Food Wishes YouTube channel, and start browsing or searching for something you want to prepare. Food Wishes is a food blog and video blog that’s been active for almost 6 years, so chances are you’re going to find what you’re looking for. The next step is to play the video, place the iPad next to you in the kitchen, and start cooking. Be warned: it’s addictive. Android?Yes, yes, I know, the iPad is just one of the tablets available out there. Own an Android tablet? Here are 5 great culinary tools for making delicious meals with help from your Android device. More?You tell me! Do you know or use exceptional cooking apps for the iPad that I didn’t mention? I’d love to hear about them in the comments! The post Not Just Recipes: 4 iPad Apps That Teach You To Cook [iOS] appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What Can I Buy With Bitcoin? [MakeUseOf Explains] Posted: 30 Apr 2013 02:31 PM PDT
Over the month of March, the value of a single Bitcoin nearly quadrupled when it shot up from ~$40 USD to ~$140 USD. Combine that with the fact that there are nearly 11 million Bitcoins in circulation and you can see that Bitcoin isn't something to scoff at. The concept of it is foreign, yes, and many distrust the integrity of the Bitcoin, but it's turning into something that may very well be commonplace in a decade or so. But as with all currencies, the main purpose of a currency is to allow the holder to purchase something using that currency. Who cares what the worth of a Bitcoin is if you can't buy anything with it? So what can you buy with Bitcoins?
Before we delve into the uses of the Bitcoin, we need to understand what it is and why it exists. Learning this will give us insight into the kinds of people who have adopted the currency, the kinds of people who haven't adopted the currency, and what sorts of goods and services fit the Bitcoin philosophy. Simply put, Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency. This decentralization – which means that there is no central person, group, or organization that produces or regulates the Bitcoin – is one of Bitcoin's main draws. For example, the American Dollar is controlled by the US. Bitcoin has no such owner, thus offering a level of anonymity that other currencies don't provide. (Note: Bitcoin's anonymity can be cracked, but that's a topic for another time.) The other draw of Bitcoin is its digital nature. The first world has been moving towards online shopping in sweeping movements over the last decade or so, and digital transactions are all the rage due to their convenience factor. At the click of a button or the swipe of a card, you can quickly and painlessly purchase goods at your leisure, even while wearing your pajamas. Combine the decentralized, anonymous nature of Bitcoin with the convenience of digital currency and you can see why people would love it, at least in theory. If you want to learn more about Bitcoin before you continue, check out our very own MakeUseOf Bitcoin manual.
Now in order to hop into the Bitcoin economy and start buying things, you first need to get your hands on some Bitcoins. At this point, you have two options: you can either mine Bitcoins yourself, or you can just buy Bitcoins off of someone who has them in exchange for real world currency. The term "mining" tends to be somewhat confusing for new Bitcoin users and there's no guarantee that you'll earn any Bitcoins for a while, so you should leave off mining until you're better acquainted with the Bitcoin system. Until then, you're better off just buying them off of trustworthy Bitcoin sources. Once you have Bitcoins in your possession, how do you actually spend them? You need a Bitcoin wallet. This wallet is what tracks your Bitcoin status and it allows you to make Bitcoin transactions with other people or companies. Wallets can come in the form of software (computer programs), mobile (phone apps), or web (online sites). Be careful where you store your Bitcoins!
So by now, you've bought some Bitcoins to use and you have a properly functioning wallet. Where can you spend them and what sorts of items can you buy with them? SpendBitCoins has a list of places that directly accept Bitcoins. The list is absolutely massive and the kinds of things you can buy are numerous. Their featured products include a Bitcoin-to-real-currency exchange, dedicated server hosting, and an online mining game. The diversity of available purchases using Bitcoins is astounding. Don't believe me?
I'm not going to go through and list everywhere you can spend Bitcoins, but it should be apparent that Bitcoin popularity is on the rise and you'll eventually be able to buy whatever you want with it. All you have to do is look in the right places and search well. Check out Bitcoin's own trade page to find categorized vendors. And if you're making person-to-person transactions, then you can literally buy anything as long as you can find the right people who are selling the right goods or services. Remember how Bitcoin is decentralized and therefore anonymous to a degree? Well, there is a subset of Bitcoin users who use the currency for illicit purposes. Let's leave it at that. MakeUseOf does not condone illegal behavior of any kind. What can you buy with Bitcoins? As it turns out, you can buy a lot. We aren't at the point where you can waltz down to your nearest grocery store and buy a few apples yet, but we're getting there. I'll be honest: I never expected Bitcoin to gain this much traction, but I'm glad it has. Hopefully they can keep the momentum going and revolutionize world currency. The post What Can I Buy With Bitcoin? [MakeUseOf Explains] appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Twitter & Comedy Central Invite You To A 5-Day Comedy Fest Just For Laughs [Updates] Posted: 30 Apr 2013 02:00 PM PDT
Twitter is now uniquely positioned to showcase events of this stature. Vine captures the live multimedia side along with in-tweet livestreaming, and backed up by the quick viral spread of hashtags and the popularity of Comedy Central as a humor brand, it’s not difficult to gauge the positive reaction of the Twitterverse to such a special event. Comedy Central has the full schedule for you.
A glance through the schedule tells us that it’s not all about jokes and puns — some of the live panel discussions should take us behind the scenes and show how some of the wittiest brains alive today work. Twitter has stolen a march on YouTube, but as fans of the pun stuff, we shouldn’t be complaining. More the jokes, merrier will the world be. Will you be following along? Have a titter with Twitter and give us your one-liners in the comments. Source: Twitter Blog The post Twitter & Comedy Central Invite You To A 5-Day Comedy Fest Just For Laughs [Updates] appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Missing Google Instant Preview: 3 Chrome Extensions That Show Previews Of Google Search Results Posted: 30 Apr 2013 01:00 PM PDT
The reason probably has to do with Google's continuing efforts to streamline the search experience with its search tools. According to reports, Google Instant Preview had low usage and so it was a prime candidate for the Guillotine. For me personally, the double exit of Instant Previews and Quick View from search results is bit of a downer. Why Google Instant Preview Was Useful?Instant Preview or any visual preview has its benefits as a search enhancer.
Most of these points hold up well if you go for an alternative to Google Instant Preview and use a Chrome extension for the same job. The Alternatives To Google Instant PreviewBrowser extensions have always cushioned the loss when features are missing. We use extensions and add-ons to enhance our search experience, so there's bound to be something that can stand-in for the departed Google feature. SearchPreview
SearchPreview has considerable number of users; enough to suggest that Instant Preview had its takers. In fact, the extension was previously known as GooglePreview. SearchPreview adds a small thumbnail before every Google search result. The Chrome extension is unobtrusive; there is also no icon to crowd the toolbar. The thumbnails are uniform in their alignment, and while some may argue that it clutters up the page…I personally feel that for the trade-off with usability, the neatness is preserved. You can also refresh the thumbnail by right-clicking on it and selecting the option of Request Update of Preview Image. The developers say that SearchPreview could display ads to offset server costs (which are used to cache the thumbnail images). The good thing – you can turn them off from the extension's Options. ezLinkPreview
ezLinkPreview is a comprehensive solution if you are looking for a wider field of view on your search results page. Mouse over any link to bring up the 'ez' icon. Click the little icon to show the linked page in a separate preview overlay or split screen. You can interact with the overlay window in many ways. The ezLink Preview window can be pinned in place. You can send the previewed webpage to Google Bookmarks, share it on Google+, and even search from the preview window. For all practical purposes, the preview window acts like a separate tab. The Chrome extension also allows you to split the browser window and view a preview of the site in the right frame. ezLink has a full range of options for you to customize.
You can set up a flotilla of customized search engines from the extension's Options. ezLink also allows you to set up exclusion lists which will disable URL's from loading in the preview window. CoolPreviews
CoolPreviews gives you a larger snapshot of a webpage instead of a thumbnail. After installing the Chrome extension, you will see a magnifying glass icon next to each search result. CoolPreviews is customizable with support for features like a hotkey (which I would recommend using). You can cycle between the different modes as the icon shows you the mode you currently are in. As you can see in the screen below, you can tweak the display to your comfort level and also set the time the window will be open for.
For privacy concerns, you can choose to turn off the Allow sending anonymous statistics option. Though, the extension says it is for product development purposes and is strictly anonymous. My experience with CoolPreviews wasn't completely satisfactory as I found it to be slightly slow to load in the preview window. Every browser has a third party add-on in place that allows you to preview search results. Firefox has the similarly named but different CoolPreviews; and Opera has SearchenginePreview which is similar to Chrome's SearchPreview in function. So, Instant Preview may have been mothballed, but you can call in the stand-ins and expect them to do a good job. Did you use Google's Instant Preview? Tell us if it was useful for you or just wasted space. The post Missing Google Instant Preview: 3 Chrome Extensions That Show Previews Of Google Search Results appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Keep A Beautiful, Orderly, and Private Journal Of Your Thoughts and Days With Diaro For Android Posted: 30 Apr 2013 12:00 PM PDT
Writing is a powerful way to put your thoughts together, and keeping a personal journal can often help us make sense of the difficult times in our lives, or better remember the good times we’ve had. We’ve previously looked at 7 ways to keep a personal journal, but all of them were PC or Web-based (except for pen and paper). But if you’re carrying around a smartphone, you already have a powerful and compact device at your disposal, just waiting for your thoughts. While an app like Evernote is a great catch-all for notes, sticking your innermost feelings next to grocery lists might make for a weird juxtaposition. If, like me, you’d rather have a dedicated app for your journal, you should check out Diaro. This polished app/website personal journal combo is not perfect, but has a lot going for it. I will be reviewing the Pro version below, which costs $2 via in-app purchase (and is well worth it). Getting StartedIf you want to use your smartphone or tablet for any sort of serious writing, there’s something you need to do even before installing Diaro: Use a decent, comfortable keyboard. It can either be an on-screen keyboard (I’ve tested three of the best Android keyboards) or a physical USB keyboard you connect to your device. No matter what you pick, make sure you’re comfortable with your keyboard before you start writing. Armed with a keyboard you love, it’s time to install Diaro for Android. As you first launch the app, you’ll be greeted with this screen:
The layout is stylish, and simple enough to require no explanation. Tap the note to read a brief introduction to Diaro:
This is just a regular Diaro entry, so it offers a good example of what reading mode looks like. Note the relative “sameness” of all text: There is no way to make text bold or include links. Writing Your First EntryBefore you commit your innermost thoughts to Diaro, you’re probably wondering about the issue of privacy. This is one of the nice things about Diaro: By default, your notes are not stored in a cloud service, but just in your device’s memory. You can also set a four-digit passcode to thwart casual nosy users who get ahold of your device:
Diaro can synchronize with Dropbox, but that is optional (more on this later on). So now that we’ve established privacy, let’s look at the writing screen:
This is what writing an entry in Diaro looks like. It’s simple — perhaps too simple. Ironically, this is one of the parts I liked least about the Diaro experience:
If you manage to get used to Diaro’s cramped writing screen, there are many other things to like about the app. It’s just too bad this screen is so poorly executed and cluttered, since writing is really the heart of any journal app. Tagging, Categorizing, and Browsing PostsOnce you’re done committing your thoughts to screen, it’s time to make your entry easy to find in the future. Diaro offers powerful and fun tagging and categorizing features. First, let’s look at tags:
Simply tap the tag icon in the top toolbar (second on the left), and you can pick one or more tags to tack onto your entry. It is also easy to make new tags. Next are categories:
Unlike tags, categories are color-coded, and each note can have just a single category. Combined, tags and categories offer a fine-grained way to classify your thoughts. For example, you could use tags to denote emotions in your entries, and categories for subject matter. It then becomes very easy to track down all notes in which you were “happy” about your “diet” (for example). To do this ort of filtering, you’d use Diaro’s excellent sidebar:
This is one of the best parts of the app. You can easily see categories and tags, and drag categories around to reorder them. Tap a category or tag, and the list on the right instantly changes to filter out relevant entries. There is also a calendar view that lets you easily see when you’ve made entries. Dropbox Sync And Online AccessTo take your notes beyond your device, Diaro’s Pro version offers Dropbox sync. It only requests access to a specific app folder (Apps/Diaro). Once you grant it access, it synchronizes your notes and attached images with Dropbox. Your notes file looks like this:
In other words, it is not human readable. This is a big disadvantage: It means that if Diaro ever goes under, you have no way to get at your notes and information. I understand the binary format may be essential for technical reasons, but it would be easy for Diaro to also export a plain-text dump every time it synchronized to your Dropbox (or switch to a completely plain-text format). Of course, you’re not expected to use this format. Instead, it is used by Diaro’s web-based companion:
A lot of of work obviously went into the website, and it closely resembles the app itself. You get a tag/category sidebar, a calendar, and an easy way to view and edit your notes. I also like that it stores the files on Dropbox rather than its own servers. Where Diaro Excels, and Where It Falls ShortPros:
Cons:
Bottom line: Diaro is polished enough to find a home in our Best Android Apps page. If you can just get past the distracting writing experience, Diaro for Android can be a great home for your innermost thoughts. I only wish it made writing notes as pleasant as finding and reading them. What do you think? Will you be using Diaro to log your thoughts, or do you have another excellent journal app? The post Keep A Beautiful, Orderly, and Private Journal Of Your Thoughts and Days With Diaro For Android appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Most Rare & Valuable Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Games [MUO Gaming] Posted: 30 Apr 2013 11:01 AM PDT
While NES games are much more sought after by collectors, and the most valuable ones tower over the most valuable Genesis games by comparison, there are still some gems out there for the Genesis that are worth some serious money if you have one hanging around. While you won’t be getting tens of thousands like you would for an NES World Championships, that doesn’t mean some rare Genesis games won’t make a great centerpiece for any collection. If you have one of these hanging around, consider yourself lucky, and if you see one in the wild, make sure to pick it up, because these are the games you want to own. (All values quoted from videogames.pricecharting.com and are current as of this writing). Japanese Tetris
The estimated value of the Japanese Mega Drive Tetris is anywhere between $3,000-$16,000 (I would not expect to get on the high side, but anything is possible). Why such a wide range? Because copies of the game almost never surface, and the game never actually released. Nintendo put the legal smackdown on this game, but a few copies have reportedly found their way to the wild. If you own one of these, you are officially the king of Sega collecting. If you see one in the wild, buy it immediately without hesitation. Blockbuster World Championships II
Like the NES World Championships, this game was meant to let gamers sample some the Genesis’ top offerings in a competition setting. Unlike the Nintendo carts, these were never meant to be distributed to gamers. Rumor has it that only two or three copies exist, so it’s incredibly rare. That being said, Genesis games just are not as sought after as NES games, so the current value is about $3,600, with copies selling on eBay for close to $8,000 at its peak. MUSHA
MUSHA is a classic shoot-em-up that should be in the collection of every fan of the genre. It was extremely popular in Japan, but in the US, it was a flop. Bad sales figures on a good game usually make for a valuable collector’s item in the future. There simply are not enough copies of the game in the wild to support the demand from gamers, so the value constantly rises. On top of that, the game was never even released in Europe, so it’s even more popular there. Crusader of Centy
There really is not a good reason that this game consistently fetches around $100 on eBay, other than the fact that it is from Atlus, who is is notorious for printing its games in limited numbers. Only recently has the value of this game really spiked, so word of mouth is clearly spreading around about the quality of this action RPG. Chances are, this game is going to continue to rise in price as more gamers get wind of the quality it offers. Remember, Atlus is the team responsible for the Persona series, which is, in my opinion, one of the best RPG franchises ever. This is a game that is not only valuable, but one that is well worth playing just for the sake of fun and enjoyment. Box Sets
There were a series of box sets released on Genesis, and some of them are incredibly rare and valuable. The most valuable among them are Ecco The Dolphin, Phantom 2049, and Maximum Carnage. These are so valuable because they are limited, and like so many box sets and collectors editions, pieces always get lost over the years. Anyone with one of these hanging around in a complete state is looking at an item worth anywhere between $140-$1,600. While not exactly a holy grail, this is still a rare and valuable part of the history of the Sega Genesis. ConclusionIf you have any of these games consider yourself among the lucky few. These are the kinds of games any collector would love to have displayed proudly as the centerpiece of their collection. Whether you choose to hold onto them or sell them to another collector, you are sitting on a gold mine. Do you own any of these rare Sega Genesis games? Are you currently seeking them for your collection? Hit the comments section below and let us know! The post The Most Rare & Valuable Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Games [MUO Gaming] appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Speed Up Your Imgur Uploads With These Apps & Browser Add-Ons Posted: 30 Apr 2013 10:31 AM PDT
Not necessarily – it’d be much nicer to be able to upload them from any folder or place on your computer, or even from any website without needing to ever have to visit Imgur. A Quick Note: Do You Realize How Fast Imgur Is Already?
You might not realize this, but uploading to Imgur is pretty quick – impressively quick. If you copy an image, or a series of images, you can simply click in Imgur and press Ctrl+V (paste) and your photo will be uploaded quicker than you can figure out how to say “Imgur” (which by the way is pronounced Image-er). In addition, you can just drag and drop as well.
Imgur Uploader [Firefox]
If you’re a Firefox user, this is an extension you will want to add to your collection. Just right click on the image that you want to add to Imgur, hover over Imgur in the context menu, and select your choice of upload.
Imgur Uploader [Chrome]
The Chrome version of Imgur Uploader (they don’t share the same developer) isn’t nearly as full featured, but it still gets the job done quickly. Simply right click on an image and click Upload to Imgur in the context menu. Another Chrome extension just called Imgur, which Dave reviewed, is also a good option. Imgur Uploader [Adobe AIR – Windows, OS X, Linux]
If you’re looking for a good desktop solution, consider this Adobe AIR app. There really isn’t a lot to it, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t do a great job. It’s simple, and sometimes that’s all you need. As the big, blue box says, all you have to do is drag and drop your photos onto the window. However, you can only drag and drop one photo at a time. Below the blue box, is a list of all the photos you’ve uploaded. The are four controls to the right: “View in Browser”, “Copy URL to Clipboard” (handy), “Delete from History Only (local)”, and “Delete Image from Imgur.com“. MyImgur [Windows]
MyImgur is probably the most feature-packed Imgur desktop client available. The interface isn’t bad – it’s slightly customizable and fairly easy to navigate. Besides the obvious of being a robust Imgur desktop app, it also excels in the little things such as a button right on the main window to check for a new version. Of course, its settings are packed full of things to tweak.
One thing I would recommend is connect your Imgur account to MyImgur – this will definitely speed up the process and allow you to save the images directly to your account (obviously). Of course, a robust Imgur app, wouldn’t be robust without a context menu entry. By right clicking on a photo, you’re able to send it directly to Imgur
Context Menu Imgur Uploader – Send To Imgur [Windows]
If MyImgur and the Imgur Uploader AIR app are a bit overkill for your needs, then perhaps you would like the simplicity of this tool. It simply adds the option to send a photo (even selections of photos) to Imgur with two clicks. Note that this can be done anywhere on your computer. Rightload [Windows]
Rightload is a combination between the three previously mentioned desktop apps. You can simply drag and drop photos into the window like the Imgur Uploader AIR app, but it also has several settings (and actually more features in some aspects) like MyImgur, while also including context menu entries.
Rightload doesn’t actually only post to Imgur like the others in this article. When installed, the Imgur plugin (along with several others) are installed along with it by default, although it does notify you before that process is complete, should you not want the plugins installed (I don’t see why you wouldn’t).
It also includes quite a few settings to tinker around with, although the defaults are likely sufficient.
Don’t Forget About Your Screenshot AppDo you use a screenshot application? If you’re wanting to use Imgur to host those online, you might consider seeing if your screenshot program already has the capability to send to Imgur. Lots of programs do it, and more and more are building in Imgur integration. Examples of applications that do this are Greenshot (my current favorite), Gyazo, ShareX and Hyperdesktop. But like I said, there are a lot of tools that do this, so look around and find the right one for you. Tip: Use A Password Manager To Sign In QuicklyAlthough this doesn’t only apply to Imgur, one thing that really speeds up the process of using services and connecting them to other services or applications is the ability to automatically sign in upon visiting the login page. I personally use LastPass and really don’t think about how much time it actually saves me. So if you aren’t already using LastPass or a password manager that is comparable to it (like Dashlane or Roboform), that is something to consider. This isn’t the primary reason to have a password manager, by any means, but it sure is a nice perk. ConclusionYou may have noticed that, aside from the browser extensions and Imgur Uploader Adobe AIR app, this article lacked applications in the areas of Mac and Linux. That isn’t because they’re not available, although they are fewer in number – it’s simply because I don’t have the means to test and review them. I recommend looking at the Imgur Apps page for tools like the Imguru (an OS X command line uploader), OS X Dashboard Widget and ImgurBar (for Mac), and the Imgur Bash Screenshot Utility (for Linux). You’re now ready to upload all the photos your heart desires to Imgur. Do you have any other tools that you use for Imgur? What do you think about using Imgur as a place to host images? Do you prefer an alternative? Or are you an Imgur fanatic? We’d love for you to share your thoughts and any other tips you might have concerning Imgur. Image Credits: Upload folder with photos via Shutterstock, Imgur logo via Wikimedia Commons The post Speed Up Your Imgur Uploads With These Apps & Browser Add-Ons appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| How To Upgrade A Laptop’s RAM, Step By Step Posted: 30 Apr 2013 10:00 AM PDT
Not sure whether you can upgrade hardware all by yourself? Don’t worry, it’s probably not as complicated as it may seem. While not every part of a laptop is easily accessible, the laptop RAM is often super-easy to exchange. Check whether your laptop has an access hatch for the RAM on its back or whether the back cover or keyboard is easy to remove to expose the RAM. If it’s not instantly visible, consult the manual or the manufacturer website. Once you know how to physically access the RAM, the hard part is to figure out how much RAM you need, and which type of RAM is compatible with your laptop. So let’s go over the basics and see what you really need, before we dive into the actual handicraft. What is Laptop RAM and Do I Need More?RAM stands for Random Access Memory. It is also known as physical memory; virtual memory is explained in the next paragraph. RAM is used to temporarily store information of running processes and tasks. The more RAM is available, the more processes can run simultaneously. Performance issues occur when the available RAM is exhausted. To free up memory for active processes and tasks, the system starts to write excess data, i.e. information of idle processes or tasks, to the hard drive (virtual memory). When the user returns to an idle process or task, the system must first free up RAM, then fetch the data of the requested item from the hard drive and load it into the RAM. Since hard drive read/write speeds are significantly slower than RAM read/write speeds, the user experiences lag. If you frequently experience lag when you want to switch from one program to another, adding laptop RAM will probably give your system a significant boost.
How Much RAM Do I Need?This depends on what you do with your computer and the amount you can add is limited by the type of operating system you have. All 32-bit Windows operating systems support a maximum of 4GB RAM. Windows 7 Home Basic 64-bit is limited to 8GB RAM, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit can use a maximum of 16GB RAM. All other 64-bit versions of Windows 7 support up to 192GB RAM. The regular edition of Windows 8 64-bit is limited to 128GB RAM, while the Professional and Enterprise editions both support up to 512GB RAM. A full overview can be found on this Memory Limits for Windows Releases page. Now that you know the maximum RAM your operating system supports, let’s find out what you currently have. In Windows, click the keyboard shortcut [CTRL] + [SHIFT] + [ESC] to open the Task Manager. Switch to the Performance tab and check what it says under Physical Memory (MB). Total indicates the amount of RAM currently installed on your system.
If your total RAM is less than what your system supports, you have room to upgrade. And if your RAM is maxed out, you have reason to upgrade. Keep the Task Manager open and see how your RAM performs over time as you continue using your computer. You can assess how much information is written to virtual memory using the Performance Monitor. In Windows 7, go to START, type perform into the search field, and open Performance Monitor. Under Monitoring Tools, click Performance Monitor, then click the green + symbol to add another variable. Pick Paging file from the list and click the Add >> button at the bottom. Click OK and watch. This will give you an idea how much RAM you really need.
Generally, 2-4GB should suffice for normal web browsing and text editing. 8GB if you run multiple programs simultaneously and/or keep a lot of browser tabs open. More only if you run memory-intensive programs. What Type Of RAM Do I Need?Before you can upgrade your memory, you need to figure out which type of RAM is compatible with your laptop. The most convenient way to look into your laptop and determine what will fit, is to use Crucial’s Memory Advisory or System Scanner Tool. For the first you need to enter laptop manufacturer and model, while the former is an executable that scans your system and automatically determines matching hardware. Both tools are available from the Crucial homepage.
Kingston offers a similar service for searching the right type of memory. You can search by system/device, memory part number, or memory type. Unlike Crucial, Kingston actually had my laptop model listed and recommended a compatible module.
If you are unsure about your laptop model, I recommend running Crucial’s system scanner. It will show you what type of memory stick you are using right now and recommend a new module based on that. My laptop, for example, has one 4GB memory stick, thus one of the two slots is available.
Crucial’s system scan detected a DDR3 PC3-10600 RAM stick and offered a respective module. The result came with several notes about things to keep in mind. Kingston on the other hand determined that a DDR3 1333 MHz RAM stick is compatible with my model’s memory slots, but didn’t provide further details or recommendations. The key pieces of information here are DDR3 PC3-10600 and 1333 MHz. A wrong type of RAM (e.g. DDR2 instead of DDR3) won’t fit into your laptop. And to get optimal results, be sure to buy a RAM with a matching clock rate (identical MHz count to the one you already have). Also keep in mind that laptop RAM modules are significantly smaller than those for desktop computer, hence they are called SO-DIMM for small outline dual in-line memory module. Don’t accidentally buy the wrong type of DIMM. Here is a summary of what you need to know:
Obviously, both Crucial and Kingston offer these free tools because they want to sell you their respective RAM modules. And both manufacturers offer good deals and high-quality hardware. However, with the information gathered from their tools, you can safely shop at eBay or Amazon or your local electronics store. I purchased my Kingston 8GB RAM kit from Amazon.
Theoretically, I could have upgraded to 8GB RAM by adding on additional 4GB module. However, this can cause performance issues due to RAM incompatibilities. In the worst case, your system won’t boot or one of the modules won’t be recognized. If you want to keep the original RAM module and if you are not comfortable with adjusting settings in the BIOS, you need to find a second module of the exact same make, i.e. same frequency, latency, and voltage. Because it’s too easy to mess this up and because changing BIOS settings to fix incompatibilities can be complicated, you will often hear the recommendation to buy a completely new memory kit and remove the old memory stick. It’s the easiest and safest choice. How Can I Fix BIOS Settings In Case I Have a RAM Mismatch?If you have two laptop RAM modules with mismatched frequency, latency, or voltage, your BIOS will harmonize the settings and default to the lower value. That’s if it recognizes both modules or boots at all. To prevent a loss in performance, you can overclock your RAM. Do this at your own risk! Before you add the new RAM, boot into your BIOS and check whether you can adjust RAM latency, frequency, or voltage. If that is not possible, find out whether you can upgrade your BIOS. If RAM settings can be changed, set the higher values of the two modules. Again, you are overclocking the RAM at your own risk! Particularly increasing the voltage can damage the hardware. Save and exit the BIOS and proceed as described below. How Do I Add New RAM Modules?Once you hold the new RAM modules in your hands, there is no escape. Now you must lay hands on your laptop and add the new hardware. The exact procedure will depend on your individual laptop model. I previously demonstrated how to salvage hardware from an old HP Compaq nw8440 and showed you where the RAM modules sit and how to release them. Today, I will briefly show you how to do the same with a Sony Vaio VPCCB laptop. If you have a different laptop model, I recommend visiting the manufacturer’s website to find a manual or instructions for your device. Before you take apart your laptop, make sure it is turned off, unplug the power cable, take out the battery (if it’s removable), and ground yourself. Locate the removable plastic cover that covers the RAM compartment. There are typically two compartments; the larger one holds the hard drive. Release the screw of the smaller cover and remove it. This should expose one or two RAM slots of which one or both can be filled. To release the module, pull back both sides of the frame on its left and right.
To insert a new RAM module, slide it into the slot in a ~45° angle, be sure it really sits in the slot, then push it down. In my case, the upper slot would resist the RAM module until I had found the right angle first. With the lower one, however, the module just slid in as I pushed it in and down simultaneously.
You know that you inserted the modules right when the little notches on the sides of the RAM module align with the small protrusions of the frame.
And that’s it! Put the cover back on, tighten the screw, and boot your computer. You can enter the BIOS before you boot into Windows to check whether the RAM was recognized and whether there are any additional options you can enable. My new RAM was recognized fine and there were no extra options to choose from.
ConclusionThe procedure of upgrading the laptop RAM is straight forward, technically easy, and can give your system a huge performance boost. Since most users max out the RAM before the CPU reaches capacity, a memory upgrade is usually smarter and equally effective as getting a new computer. And besides, it’s a lot cheaper and you don’t have to worry about migrating your data. Have you ever upgraded computer hardware yourself and what was your experience? Image credits: Snail on Keyboard via Shutterstock The post How To Upgrade A Laptop’s RAM, Step By Step appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Doom Vs. Call Of Duty Modern Warfare – Just How Far Has The FPS Come? Posted: 30 Apr 2013 09:31 AM PDT
Yet the core remains the same. You shoot a thing, until its dead – then repeat. Has the genre's innovation had any effect on gameplay, or have developers spent the last two decades slapping new paint on the same old concept? Narratively Speaking
Early shooters like Wolfenstein 3D and Doom weren't much for story. Most used a brief cut-scene to explain why the enemy must die and then let the player loose. There were exceptions, such as Marathon and Star Wars: Dark Forces, but even these games are primitive by today's standards. The turning point, in my opinion, was Half-Life; it was single-player, story driven, heavily scripted and sold like hotcakes. This game's success seems obvious in retrospect, but at the time a single-player game was risky. Multiplayer was the new fad and some critics thought any shooter without a focus on deathmatch would fail. Valve proved that solo, story-driven experiences would never lose importance. Today, narrative is a cornerstone of the shooter genre only regularly ignored by free-to-play shooters and nostalgic throw-backs like Serious Sam. Some might argue that latest Call Of Duty games lack a good story, and I won't argue; but the campaign most certainly is lavish, detailed, and important to the experience. Other games, like the recently released Bioshock: Infinite, push the boundaries of what's possible in story-driven games regardless of genre. Only single-player RPGs place greater emphasis on narrative. You'll Feel Better In A Moment
Halo: Combat Evolved was released as a launch title for the Xbox in November of 2001. Although far from the first game to feature regeneration health (or shields, in this case), there's no doubt that Halo popularized the concept. Many games now use this mechanic, though some ditch the parallel shield/health system of Halo in favor of a single regenerating health pool. Regenerative health has become controversial. The feature was introduced as a way to prevent players from fighting themselves into a corner by passing through a checkpoint with only a sliver. Checkpoints saved automatically, so a player might accidentally ruin their entire campaign. Besides, you were a super-soldier in the far future; a shield didn’t seem a stretch. Then the idea appeared in supposedly realistic first-person shooters, both in campaign and multiplayer. This includes franchises like Call of Duty and the latest Battlefield games. Mechanically, regenerative health serves the same purpose as before, but it no longer thematically fits. Worse, this mechanic can encourage camping in multiplayer games. Though convenient, regenerative health is not universally used, and some games are choosing to ignore it for a more traditional system. I'm interested to see if the idea goes away, but even if it does, it'll be remembered as a defining difference between shooters released in the 90s and those released after the turn of the century. Gun Porn
Quake 2, released in 1997, had ten guns. That seemed like enough. You had your chain gun, rail gun, blaster, grenade launcher, and of course BFG – what more could you want? A lot more, apparently. Rising popularity of military shooters forced developers to look more closely at real-world weapons, and when they did, they realized there are a lot of guns in the world. Developers re-made these weapons virtually, and gamers loved it, making gun porn a part of modern shooters. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has over fifty guns, plus attachments and accessories. Halo 4 has twenty-nine. Gun porn has pros and cons. On the positive side, players have the opportunity to customize their experience more than ever before. Gameplay can be altered by swapping from one gun for another or swapping attachments on the same gun. And since players can specialize, there's more incentive to work together, encouraging team play. Yet the wide variety of weapons can cause balance issues. Getting into Call Of Duty: Black Ops II now, months after release, can be difficult; everyone has earned their favorite weapons and stockpiled the attachments they're best with. FPSRPG? OMG!
Most role-playing games leverage progression as a way to invest players in the game. Shooters have decided that's a good idea, and gun porn is just one way of expressing it. Though a huge catalog of weapons can be had, they're often not all available at the start. Many shooters give players just a few guns. The rest are unlocked by leveling up. Depending on the game, this can be expressed in other ways. Halo 3 (and subsequent titles in the franchise) let players customize the look of their Spartan with parts unlocked through leveling. Bioshock lets players upgrade weapons and find or choose plasmids. And Team Fortress 2 is a part of the action with weapon unlocks and, of course, hats. Still other games, like Far Cry 3 and Battlefield Play4Free, throughskill trees into the mix as well. These RPG elements have added variety and longevity to shooters because long play sessions result in visible rewards and, at times, ways to enhance a player's ability. Multiplayer is no longer a series of meaningless encounters; each skirmish is part of your progression and places you ever-closed to the next big upgrade. Yet balance is once again an issue. Jumping into any of these titles six months after release is difficult because, even if the unlocked items are perfectly balanced (and they never are), players have had time to practice with unlocks newbies can't use. This widens the experience gap between veterans and newcomers. ConclusionThese are not the only changes to visit shooters over the last two decades, but they are the most significant. There are two strong trends throughout. First, the shooter has transformed from a genre centered on the act of shooting itself into the gaming equivalent of a blockbuster movie. A great shooter has it all; action, intrigue, even romance. Today's best shooters are carefully tailored experiences from beginning to end. Second, shooters have embraced progression mechanics while down-playing raw skill. There are few shooting games, either first or third person, which don't let players gain new weapons and cosmetics over time. Those games that have refused this trend, such as Counter-Strike: GO, no longer lead the genre. Have these changes led to better games? That's hard to say, of course, because enjoyment is subjective. Personally, I can't imagine going back to campaigns like those found in Doom or Quake 2. But at the same time, I miss shooters that treated each match as an island and focused on player skill, and I can’t be bothered to play for tens of hours before I can access the weapon or item I want. Do you think I'm crazy, or overly nostalgic? The post Doom Vs. Call Of Duty Modern Warfare – Just How Far Has The FPS Come? appeared first on MakeUseOf. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Microsoft’s Skype integration continues with the latest addition of Skype to the company’s Outlook.com email service. This new Skype integration is just a preview for now, and will only be available in the UK at this time. In the next few weeks, users in the US and Germany will be able to enjoy the preview as well, with the rest of the world joining them “in the coming months”.
One of the biggest tasks we have at MakeUseOf is finding images for our articles. You see, we don’t have a separate staff of five hundred photojournalists who travel all over the world for us and take photographs to complement our articles. There isn’t a VR studio at the MakeUseOf online office where photogs can set up lengthy holo-sessions with professional models. No, dear readers. We have to find these images for ourselves.
Video games have the capacity to fire off all kinds of emotion in the minds of those who play them. Gamers are very used to having their buttons pressed in order to elicit some kind of emotional response. Unfortunately some games also elicit an emotional response in those who haven’t ever played them.
I love cooking. Well, let’s be honest, I love eating, but in order to eat good food you sometimes have to cook. I also like baking. Truly, I do, and not just because I love chocolate deserts more than anything else in the world. It’s just fun. Recipes and tutorials can be found anywhere, and there are many 
If you've never heard of Bitcoin before, then don't worry because you're in the majority. Let's just say that it's a virtual currency (meaning you'll never be able to hold an actual Bitcoin in your hands) and leave it at that. For some people, that might sound silly. For others, Bitcoin is slowly but surely becoming the currency of the future.
Google is shuttering products with the same speed it is launching them. The latest Google feature that is missing in action is Instant Previews. Instant Previews was a search enhancement launched three years back that gave you a sneak peek into Google search results with tiny thumbnails. The visual page snapshot helped you get a glimpse of what the page was about before you decided to click on the address and go to the page. Let’s now deal with fact that 
I’ve come to realize that I tend to write about 
Imgur is an awesome website for hosting your photos – we all know that. Its clean interface, awesome community, and integration with social networks make it one of the best places on the Internet to look for and post your images. But you still have to go to the website to upload your photos. Just another tab to have open right?
Is your laptop old, slow, and has the hardware never been upgraded? Working on a slow computer can be a real drag. Before you buy a completely new one, however, you should consider 
First person shooters have been at the forefront of game development since their first incarnation over two decades ago. They combine adrenaline-soaked action with a perspective that provides a great stage for technology; first-person games feature excellent graphics, carefully crafted story events and amazing sound.
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