Photoshop is probably the most popular advanced image editor today. Although I myself don't use it often not because I don't like it but primarily due to unfamiliarity with the software. For people like me who wants to learn the basic and advance techniques in Photoshop, MakeUseOf.com published another e-book guide and this time its about An Idiot's Guide to Photoshop. This release is already a part 2 after their first publication last year (2009). This guide aims to bring Photoshop novices one step closer to image editing mastery. In Part II MakeUseOf worked with Azamat "Bohed" E. from TrueKolor.net.




The Guide will teach you to:
Opening a Digital Image/Photo in Photoshop
Changing/removing the Background
Using the Magnetic Lasso tool
How to Whiten Teeth?
Using the Clone Tool
Using the Gradient Tool
Adding effects like Outer Glow, Inner Glow and Color Overlay
Creating simple cloud effects on a background
Using Hue/Saturation
Adding a tattoo to your photo
Using Custom Shapes
How to make an image Black and White?
How to make a Reflection?
How to align an object to the ideal center?
Using the Liquify tool

Ofcourse this manual is free for download so what are you waiting for? Start training to become a Photoshop Geek!

Download An Idiot's Guide to Photoshop - Part II.


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Labels: Blogger Tips, Tutorials

To a busy person like myself, it is normal and common to forget the file name of the document your looking for but more or less you have idea about its contents. DocFetcher is a free application that can help you search documents for words to find exactly what you are searching for. Before you can search for contents, the app will require you to build an index of files you want to be searchable. To create an index, just click the file types that you want to be included in the index, then right-click inside the search scope and select "Create Index" then choose the folder you want to index.




After the indexing process, you can now search for text inside your files. To start searching, type the term in the search box and hit Enter. The results section display the relevance percentage, file size and filename of each result. Clicking on a result item opens up a preview of the file with the search terms highlighted and Double clicking the result instead will launch the document for you.

If you change something on a indexed document, you don't have to reindex again because DocFetcher keeps track of additions and modifications to the folders you have configured it to monitor. For Advanced search, you can use a variety of parameters like including or excluding search terms using the +/- signs, search metadata, use wild cards, and specify file extensions.

DocFetcher works with Windows and Linux. For Windows users, you can choose between installer and portable versions of the software.

Download DocFetcher via [sourceforge.net]


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Labels: Cool Softwares, Portable App, Windows Tips

Saving a web page directly from your browser will automatically download the html and images on it. The local copy could contain several files instead of one. If you need to save a website and do not want the hassle of managing several files then you can save it as PDF file. Just Visit PDFMyURL website and enter the URL address of the website you want to save as PDF file. PDFMyURL can not only do a simple conversion but you can also modify the PDF with a wide variety of flags (click the Advanced Options link below the main textbox)


Here is a PDF version of one my sites which was generated from PDFMyURL. The only flaw that I can see so far is the imperfect rendering of my site's CSS styles.



Visit PDFMyURL

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Labels: Internet, Web App

During the deployment period of a project, more often we encounter problem where the software to deploy is working on one computer but not on the other. Troubleshooting situations like this can be very time consuming because there are lots of factors to consider such as Operations System, patches, service packs and etc. This is where ENVy can give you a hand. ENVy is a free app that compares the environment of two computers and provides a color-annotated display of the results.


This kind of app is essential for IT professional specially for deployment team. ENVy can compare Environment Variables, Internet Explorer settings, Network Configuration, Installed Software, Operating System, Processor, Startup Commands, Process List and more.



The app will automatically scan the current computer and display its settings. These results can be exported and imported for comparison purposes. When two environment settings are loaded, it will display two columns which is next to each other with colors highlighting the similarities and differences. Settings are displayed in four tabs which are environment variables, processes, network configuration and installed software. You also have an option to modify each environment variable by right-clicking an item.

ENVy runs on Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7. It requires Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 redistributable package (x86 version, x64 version).

Download ENVy via [zorinsoft.com]

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Labels: Common Problem Fixed, Cool Softwares, Windows Tips

Pidgin is my favorite multi-protocol instant messenger because it is simple to setup and easier to use than other chat programs that I had used. Ofcourse like other software, pidgin has flaws but nevertheless it still my first choice when it comes to multiple chatting. If you like pidgin then you would love to know that you can bring it along with you. Pidgin Portable is the versatile Pidgin instant messaging client packaged as a portable app, so you can take your IM settings and buddy lists with you. It has all the same great features as the regular Pidgin software but there's no installation needed on the local PC.




A great thing about the portable version is that it protects your privacy by self-containing all your IM settings and buddy lists so there are no personal information left behind on the machine you run it on. Now you can run your Pidgin app on any computer just by clicking the exe file on your USB drive and without worrying about your privacy.

Download Pidgin Portable via [portableapps.com]

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Labels: Cool Softwares, Internet, Portable App

After completion of a website project, web tester or quality assurance is task to test the website by browsing through each link and module to check for dead links and missing functions. If a bug is found, it will be fixed by the web developer then forwarded to tester to re-test again. These tedious tasks may contain repetitive actions on a web site and a software that can automate all these actions would help a lot. DéjàClick is a Firefox Add-On that can record and bookmark your browser activities then replay the entire actions all over again.




After recording your browser actions and store that recording as a script. Every time you visit the same site or interface again you can execute that script and save yourself the hassle.

DéjàClick is developed by AlertSite as a recorder used in AlertSite Business Transaction Monitor. AlertSite monitoring provides performance metrics and diagnostics for business transactions from multiple worldwide locations 24 hours a day.

Download DéjàClick via [Developer's website]

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Labels: Browser, Cool Softwares, Firefox, Internet

Previously, I posted an article about controlling your PC remotely from your Twitter account. You can send several commands such as shutdown your computer, retrieve files and etc. That was cool but here is a lot cooler, shutdown your computer via SMS. To setup your PC, You need Outlook Express + Email Account, kwiry account and a cellphone that is SMS capable. Here is a video tutorial to guide you on preparing your computer to be SMS shutdown capable.




1. Create a "shutdown.bat" script file and save it to your hard drive.
2. Setup a Kwiry account and sync it with your Email account which you have set up in Outlook Express.
3. Create a rule in Outlook Express which will read any incoming emails that contains particular keyword and then execute the shutdown command in the text file.
4. Send a sms text with the keyword to your Kwiry account, a copy is sent to your own email account which shut down your PC.


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Labels: Cool Softwares, Video, Windows Tips

Do you need to capture screenshots of several websites? I myself frequently perform a similar task for this site's Useful Websites section. Fortunately there is web service for such. ShrinkTheWeb is a handy web service for bloggers and webmasters alike that can automate the process of creating website thumbnail for convenient posting to their own website. To create screenshots that will be posted on your site, sign up for an account and go to the "customize my link!" section. Input the URL, set the size of the screenshot and paste the generated code to your website.




But if you just need a screen shot of a website immediately then just go to ShrinkTheWeb site (no need to create an account), from the home page type the URL in the textbox located at the bottom of the page. Hit the play icon and the service will forward you to the screenshot page. ShrinkTheWeb basic site thumbnail service is 100% free to use. They also offer paid service that has additional PRO features such as: "Inside Pages", "Full-Length", "Custom Size", & more.

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Labels: Blogger Tips, Internet

No matter how big your monitor is, you always gonna need more space. That's why there are people tend to buy an extra monitor to extend their machine's desktop. If you think you can't shed an extra bucks for another monitor then you can try to stretch your current monitor screen by using a free software called GiMeSpace Desktop Extender. It is a virtual desktop manager for Windows that will allow you to expand your desktop without any limits. When the free app is installed, moving your mouse to the edge of your screen will extend beyond the borders of your normal desktop.




GiveMeSpace comes in two edition, the paid version and the free one. In the paid version, you can also choose to move in both direction plus bunch of additional features. While the free version of the app allows users to navigate horizontally. The software supports Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 (Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions).

Download GiMeSpace Desktop Extender via [developer's website]

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Labels: Cool Softwares, Windows Tips

Sometimes there are blogs that are written in foreign language. For example, I subscribe to MSDN blogs and almost 20% of its contents are in non-English language. If your using Google Reader then there is an option to automatically translate your feeds into a language that you can read or understand. If you prefer using desktop RSS client over the web-based reader (such as Google Reader), then FeedDemon 3.1 can help you on the translation.


FeedDemon is now integrated with Google Translate so you may translate foreign-language articles into your native language with a simple click on the "translate" icon which now appears beneath each item.




Other than language translation, FeedDemon 3.1 also added a useful "content filter" feature that will automatically remove stories from your reading list that contains particular keywords.

Download FeedDemon

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Labels: Cool Softwares, Internet, Technology News