High Technologies News

A 1080p streaming upgrade is on its way for Netflix users later this year, Adobe is promising faster Flash for Macs, and boredom can kill you.

• ANI 'Boredom can kill you'
  According to a study at University College London, extremely bored people are 37% more likely to have died a year after their boredom was measured for the study. So, um, find something exciting to do! [Yahoo News]
• Netflix Streaming Getting a 1080p Upgrade
  1080p HD coming to Netflix instant streaming—we just don't know much about what devices it's going to support, but Gizmodo guesses it's coming to the Xbox 360 and PS3. [Gizmodo]
• Google Listen
  Google-built podcast manager for Android devices. [Google Labs via Download Squad]
• 2010 Super Bowl: Some search touchdowns
  Google shares most searched-for terms during yesterday's Super Bowl, including team, player, coach, party-planning term, and so on. Pretty interesting. [Official Google Blog]
• Google Translate Integrated In Google Chrome 5
  Pretty snazzy if you're on the bleeding edge. [gHacks]
• Moto Droid's 2.1 Update Coming Soon
  Droid users should soon get an update introducing many of the features introduced in the recent Nexus One update, including lots of multi-touch.
• Adobe promises faster Flash on Macs
  Who doesn't like faster everything? [CNET]
  
• Universal sues Grooveshark music service
  It must be Monday! [Download Squad]
• Is it possible to opt out of social networking?
  Mozilla employee Jono DiCarlo explains his efforts to avoid social networking, and the long arm of Facebook. [Not The User's Fault]

Once you get beyond the basics of a comfortable computer chair and a computer that runs the apps you need, a significant part of office design revolves around style. Today's featured workspace is a small office with plent of style.

Lifehacker reader Kokonut Justin took what could have been boring office with plain white walls and regular old desk and added a ton of visual interest to the space with some cleverly positioned shelves and lighting. A lower shelf provides arm-reach accesible storage for desktop odds and ends and the higher shelf provides storage for books. Between the two is a large black and white print which is downlit by three LED puck lights, another set provides down lighitng for his work space. Check out the effect in the image above and the gallery below:

If you have a workspace of your own to show off, throw the pictures on your Flickr account and add it to the Lifehacker Workspace Show and Tell Pool. Include some details about your setup and why it works for you, and you just might see it featured on the front page of Lifehacker.

Photographing things that happen in a split secon—like a drop of water hitting a puddle—is difficult enough, but when the subject of the photo is in motion, like a flitting honey bee, it requires laser-triggered precision.

The photo above was captured by a Belgian photographer that has fused his enthusiasm for photography and electronica wizardy into one hobby. His photography rig is a technological sight to behold, the camera is flanked by flashes and two arms that have infrared lasers which act as a trigger for the shutter. Check out the picture below to see him at work in the field with the rig:

For those of you who are unfamiliar with macro photography, especially that of insects, a bit of explanation on just how awesome his franken-camera is. In my personal collection (I am a professional photographer) I have at most a dozen photos that come even remotely close to the awesomeness of his insect macros.

When you're trying to photograph a bee in flight using a powerful macro lens, you're entirely at the mercy of the bee. You have to set up your camera, get it incredibly steady, and hope that a bee will come into the tiny field of focus you have. If you get a perfectly crisp shot of a bee in flight about to alight on a flower, that means you managed to luck out and have a bee fly into the tiny business-card thin depth of field window your macro lens provides and you snapped the picture at the exact 1/100th of a second that was occuring.

The beauty of his rig is that the lasers which trigger the shutter of the camera are aligned perfectly in the exact sweet spot of the lens. Using the rig you can't miss a shot because the shot only occurs when the action is occuring in the frame and in focus. (I am so envious of this amazing setup!)

You can visit the link below to see his technical schematics and diagrams, along with photos of him constructing the rig. If you have no intention of building such an elaborate rig, we'd still suggest taking a peek at his galleries. His work is amazing and the type of ten-thousandth-of-a-second exposures he captures like a mosquito—a mosquito!—in flight are incredible. You can view his insect gallery here and his water droplets gallery here.

This week we compared our favorite media centers to help you choose which fits you best, demystified browser cookies, and passed on our favorite Gmail ninjitsu.

• Which Media Center Is Right for You: Boxee, XBMC, and Windows Media Center Compared
  Want all your downloads, streaming video, and other techie media stuff on your TV? Wondering which media center works best for you? Here's a look at the biggies in chart and Venn diagram form, followed by some lengthy breakdowns of each.
• Five Best Public BitTorrent Trackers
  A great BitTorrent client is all well and good, but you need a great tracker to get the actual torrent files and stoke the bandwidth burning fire in your client of choice. Here's a rundown of five of the most popular options.
• Skip the Raise, Ask Your Boss for These Perks Instead
  If your company is already tightening its belt, it might not do much good asking for a raise during your next performance review. Instead, consider asking for other perks that might be almost as good as cash in your pocket.
• Fact and Fiction: The Truth About Browser Cookies
  Browser cookies are one of those technical bits of web browsing that almost everyone has some awareness of. They're also probably one of the most misunderstood aspects of browsing.
• Become a Gmail Master Redux
  Gmail is easily the most popular email application among power users, and with good reason: It's an excellent app. But if you haven't gotten to know its best shortcuts, tricks, Labs features, and add-ons, it's time you made Gmail sing.
• Remove a Stripped Screw with a Rubber Band
  The head of the screw you stripped while you were hanging that shelf may not have seemed like a big deal at the time-until you needed to unscrew it, that is. Next time you're having trouble, try a rubber band.
• Top 10 Tips and Tools for Freelancers
  Freelancing isn't something you should just jump into, but it makes sense for a good number of workers. If you're looking into, or getting started with, working on your own, here are 10 resources we think every freelancer can learn from.
• Current Crop of E-Readers Compared: iPad vs. the Rest
  Developer and blogger Darren Beckett rounds up a crop of five e-readers and gives them a short price and feature comparison with the newly released iPad—and rolled the results into an eye-friendly infographic.
• From the Tips Box: Cable Organization, Salad Dressing, and Odor Killing
  Readers offer their best tips for storing cables, bringing salad dressing with lunch, and masking odors with simple household objects.
• Take a Second Shot at Understanding Math
  Mathematics tends to bisect people into either fascination or annoyance. If you're in the latter camp, or actually like math but can't quite get a hold of it, a Cornell professor is blogging a kind of re-introduction to math for adults.

Google Store Views could take you beyond the storefront Street-View style, Dropbox may be coming to Android and BlackBerry devices, and a former Microsoft VP explains the creative destruction behind the gates at Redmond.

• Microsoft's Creative Destruction
  Microsoft VP Dick Brass explains how Microsoft's corporate culture stifles creativity and innovation—hindering the production of devices like, say, a tablet that could compete with the iPad. [NYT]
• Google Maps To Add "Google Store Views"
  Sure Google Street View lets you see storefronts, but rumor has it they may soon start letting you take a look inside stores as well. [Search Engine Land]
• Boxee responds to NBC's Jeff Zucker
  Nobody likes Jeff Zucker after the whole Conan thing anyway, but he also continues to spread misinformation about Boxee. [Boxee Blog]
• Protect Yourself from the Latest Internet Explorer Security Hole
  The How-To Geek explains how to plug the latest IE security hole over at his home away from 'hacker. [The How-To Geek]
• Dropbox Hints At Forthcoming Android And Blackberry Apps
  iPhone users have their own Dropbox app, but now the beloved syncing tool may soon find its way to Android and BlackBerry devices. [TechCrunch]
• JooJoo Tablet Strikes Back: A Web App Store and Full Production Is GoGoGo
  A lot of people are looking for other devices to step up to the tablet challenge thrown down by Apple's iPad, and one such device, the JooJoo tablet, releases a few new details. [Gizmodo]
• Symbian Operating System, Now Open Source and Free
  Symbian was one of the first really great mobile operating systems on the market, and now it's free and open-source. That's got some promise. [Wired]
• Linux Chrome 5 Beta is a Go
  The Windows and Mac versions of Chrome had already hit version 5 (!) in their beta releases, and now Linux catches up. [The Chrome Source]

Mozilla gets its first (full-size) Firefox browser running on an Android platform, Amazon inches toward a touch-controlled Kindle, HTML5 and free video get dissected, and Steve Jobs gets sharp-tongued in the grunge era.

• Android Progress: More Pixels Edition
  A Mozilla developer shows off his progress on a Firefox Mobile port to Android by loading a full Firefox browser inside Google's mobile OS. The key part is an assurance that progress is happening "at a good clip." [Vladimir Vukićević]
• Amazon Is Said to Buy Touch-Screen Company
  So the question now is what the Kindle will become in the future, now that you can actually interact with its screen and your e-books. [NYTimes.com]
• Giz Explains: Why HTML5 Isn't Going to Save the Internet
  Actually, this Gizmodo Explains piece is more balanced and nuanced than the headline suggests, and makes for a good companion read to our more optimistic take. [Gizmodo]
• H.264 to Remain Fee-Less for Free Internet Video Through 2016
  Speaking of HTML5, the patent holder on H.264—one of two video container formats supported in HTML5—has announced it won't be seeking money from videos "free to the end user." Doubtful that Firefox will read that as "Open," but it's a baby step forward for compatibility. [Daring Fireball]
• Music Organization Meets Automation
  We liked Mac app Pollux, among many, many iTunes cleaners, because it's "simple to use and it works very well." It's no longer free, but $10 isn't too much, we think, for a quality library cleaner. [Pollux]
• With momentum in Europe, Spotify has Apple's iTunes in its sights
  Good overview of Spotify, the best desktop music player we've ever used. Key points: It's coming on an invitation-only basis to the U.S. "mid-year," and it's bringing the same mostly-free model here. [Pop & Hiss | Los Angeles Times]
• An update on Skype for iPhone and calling over 3G
  Why hasn't Skype's iPhone app allowed 3G calling yet, while other apps have? Skype says it's optimizing and fine-tuning its app to bring "the very best audio quality we can" and allow audio calls in wideband audio. [Skype Blogs]
• A Must-Read Classic Steve Jobs Interview: Hardware vs. Software
  Back when Apple wasn't on quite so high a perch, the Turtlenecked One offered some notably far-reaching thoughts on software innovation, along with some sharp comments on his competitors. [Gizmodo]
• New tab and tab tearing animations for Firefox 4
  Browser lovers are digging how Firefox 4 will handle the shuffling and extracting of tabs. [Mozilla Links]

iPhone/iPod touch: TouchMouse is a free application for the iPhone/iPod touch that, when paired with its accompanying control software on your Mac or Windows computer, turns your touchscreen into a mouse and keyboard.

Once you download the software to your iPhone or iPod touch and pair it with the server software—Logitech has versions of the TouchMouse Server software available for Windows XP, Vista, and 7 as well as Mac OS X—you'll be able to use your device as a mouse for controlling your computer. The interface allows you to click the mouse buttons, move the cursor via the touch screen, and pull up a small keyboard to enter text on the computer.

While such an arrangement isn't a practical replacement for a full-out wireless keyboard, it is a great tool for presentations or for pairing with one of the awesome media centers we've highlighted. If you have another app for turning your iPod touch or iPhone into a remote or clever things to do with them once you have them set up as remotes, let's hear about it in the comments.

Readers offer their best tips for tagging songs for storing earbuds without getting them tangled, uses for old box TV armoires, and more cheap, household laptop stands..

Don't like the gallery layout? Click here to view everything on one page.

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

Keep Headphones Untangled with a Slipknot

Video by LifeButBetter.

lifebutbetter shares a quick tip for keeping headphones untangled:

You can stop earphones from tangling by folding them in two to bring the ear-buds and jack together and putting a slip-knot in the cable near to that end.

We've shared some other ways to wrap your headphones, but if you're in a rush, this is probably the quickest method you'll find.

Repurpose Old TV Armoires for the Kitchen

Photo by Alan Levine.

Vulcan Has No Moon shows us that you don't need to throw out that armoire with your old CRT:

When we got rid of our big box TV, we took our TV armoire and pushed it into the kitchen. No modding required since it came with adjustable shelves. We keep our microwave, coffee pot, and other gadgets in the space where the TV went and cook books on the VCR shelf above (yeah, it's really old). Down below where the VHS tapes were stored is room for place mats and tablecloths.

Use a Shoe Rack as a Laptop Stand

Jorge lets us know what he uses as his cheap laptop stand:

I just read the post on the makeshift laptop stand, I had a similar idea some time ago. I use this stackable shoereacks I bought from Walmart some three years ago for something like $5 a pair. Same concept, but not only it keeps my Dell laptop cooler, it also raises it to eye level so it's much more comfortable. Laptop stands are usually around $30... why spend that!

Keep a Folder of Spam to Unsubscribe From

David tells us how he keeps his spam organized:

Any time I get an email from a list to which I either don't want to be subscribed, I label them with !unsubscribe (in gmail). Every once in a while I go through all those emails and go through their sometimes lengthy unsubscribe / alter subscription process, rather than gettinh distracted by doing it on the spot.

This may seem simple, but you may be surprised how much you have still not unsubscribed from because you couldn't be bothered to at the time you receive the emails. This way, you can do it when you aren't so occupied with other things.

This month we showed you the best times to buy anything, all year round, highlighted a better way to tie your shoes, discussed some problems with the Apple iPad, and a whole lot more. Here's a quick look back.

• The Best Times to Buy Anything, All Year Round
  You're always hearing about off-season, post-peak times to save money on purchases and food, but it always arrives too late. We've compiled a timeline and lots of best-time-to-buy suggestions into one post to help you plan a more frugal 2010.
• The Problem with the Apple iPad
  Yesterday, Steve Jobs worked his charm, attempting to wow the world with the Apple iPad, a new, super-slim computer he touted as the missing link between iPhones and laptops. It's an undeniably beautiful device, but it also represents some serious problems.
• Five Best DVD-Ripping Tools
  You pay good money for your DVDs, but they're hardly the only format you need these days. These five ripping tools ensure you can back them up, keep them on your media server, and load them on your favorite portable player.
• Ditch the Granny Knot to Tie Your Shoes More Efficiently
  The difference between shoes tied with a balanced, neat, and self-tightening knot versus those tied with an unbalanced, sloppy, and loose knot, is all in how you make your first loop.
• Pack a Gun to Protect Valuables from Airline Theft or Loss
  If you don't like your bags being out of your sight and it makes you uncomfortable to think that airline workers are rifling through your stuff, you can take advantage of the TSA's own security rules by-eek-packing a gun.
• How to Put Your PC to Good Use While You're Sleeping
  The great part about your computer is that—unlike you—it doesn't require any sleep. Take advantage of your PC's insomnia by automating time- and processor-intensive tasks while you're counting sheep.
• Your Passwords Aren't As Secure As You Think; Here's How to Fix That
  If you allow applications to save your passwords, anyone with physical access to your PC can decode them unless you're properly encrypting them—and chances are pretty good you're not.
• Five Best Email Clients
  Email as a technology has been around for decades, and thanks to wide spread adoption and popularity, it isn't in danger of disappearing. Check out the five most popular email clients to help you wrangle your email.
• Browser Speed Tests: Firefox 3.6, Chrome 4, Opera 10.5, and Extensions
  Firefox 3.6 is out, Chrome's stable version got a big upgrade, and Opera 10.5 is inching toward release. It's a great time for us to break out the timer, process manager, and code tracker for some up-to-date browser speed tests.

If you've got a spare wall somewhere in your home that you're not sure how to decorate, grab a bucket of glow-in-the-dark paint and slap some on. Lower the lights, grab some UV-LED flashlights and start drawing.

PaulBo over at Fangletronics came up with the idea as a way to entertain his kids but we're pretty sure this is cool enough to amuse just about anyone. As long as you have white or very light-colored walls, your paint job won't be particularly noticeable so you might even able to get away with this little project if you're renting your abode.

The painting process is pretty simple:

We isolated a good amount of wall with painters tape, we just wanted it to be slightly taller than the kids. Then we put on 2 coats of white primer, 3 coats of the glow-in-the-dark paint and a couple of layers of varnish (so the kids didn't immediately scrape off the latex based glow paint). After removing the painters tape, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the wall didn't look much different.

Once the phosphorescent paint dries, there's a couple of different things you can do with the wall. PaulBo walks you through how to hack together some small UV-LED light pens cobbled together from some small LED keychain flashlights, coin cell batteries, and a soldering iron. If you don't want to hassle building them, then the LED flashlights will work fine but the glow just won't last as long.

Another cool trick to make use of your fun new wall is to position people in front of the wall, then snap a picture with a flash camera. When they step away from the wall, their silhouettes will remain like giant shadow puppets. Spooky-cool.

If you've done a similar project of your own, or have other fun ways to make use of a glow-in-the-dark wall, we'd love to hear about it in the comments.

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