Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Friday, January 15, 2010

Create Link Formats Link Text for Faster Copying [Downloads]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/Rfju-0w85bA/create-link-formats-link-text-for-faster-copying

Chrome: If you're someone who copies and pastes a good number of URLs and text every day, Create Link extension for Google Chrome is a must-install extension. It's a semi-equivalent to Firefox's mighty CoLT add-on.

The missing element that makes Create Link a "semi-" equivalent to the link-prepping, time-saving powers of CoLT, and even its direct Firefox inspiration, is that Create Link only works from its Chrome toolbar button. That means it grabs the title and URL the page you're currently on, rather than letting you grab the link text and URL from links you right-click on the page. That's more of a Chrome extensions deficiency than Create Link's own fault, but it must be pointed out.

Create Link is, however, open-ended in how you format your links, allowing you to prepare text for blogging, forums and bulletin boards, and anywhere else you need to write in HTML style or paste in URLs or page titles. It's a free download, works wherever Google Chrome extensions do.

Create Link [Google Chrome Extensions]

Foodspotting Catalogs Delicious Dishes [Food]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/SUYRqB8Rjek/foodspotting-catalogs-delicious-dishes

If you like documenting a good meal and enjoy checking out the delicious culinary delights other foodies are finding, Foodspotting offers a platform for cataloging and browsing delicious eats from around the world.

Foodspotting was founded on the idea that it's more about a good dish than it is about the entire restaurant. Rather than review entire establishments, Foodspotting focuses on delicious dishes and where you can find them.

After signing up for a free account at Foodspotting you can browse entries by other amateur food photographers and critics, search for entries by name or geographic location, and flag food "Nom It" if you've eaten it and approve of the food and "Want It" if you're craving it. In addition to name and location-based search you can browse the most popular food by the number of people who have given it their approval or put it on their wanted list.

Foodspotting is currently only accessible via their website, although according to their FAQ file an iPhone app is slated for this quarter. Foodspotting is a free service that requires a basic registration. Have a favorite tool or service for finding great meals? Let's hear about it in the comments.

Foodspotting [via GeekSugar]

Root Coverage Offers Detailed Crowd-Sourced Cellular Coverage Maps [Cell Phones]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/cfVAY0d-Lpc/root-coverage-offers-detailed-crowd+sourced-cellular-coverage-maps

The coverage maps provided by cellphone companies don't really tell you all that much about the quality of the coverage they offer. If you'd like a real-world look at coverage, you can check out Root Coverage.

Root Coverage takes data from actual users and compiles it into hexagonal overlays that provide a variety of information about the map you're looking at. You can check not only signal strength but also the quality of the data connection and transmission rate. You can also switch between map view, aerial view, and topographical view—handy for seeing if that odd deadzone here or there is caused by odd geographic features.

Root Coverage is a free service. You can currently check the coverage in several major US markets like New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Washington D.C., and more. You can also sign up to participate in currently mapped markets or to be alerted when the service is rolled out where you live.

If Root Coverage doesn't cover your locale currently, you might want to check out similar services like previously reviewed GotReception, DeadCellZones, and SignalMap. Have your own trick or tool for making sure you're getting the carrier with the best coverage in your area? Let's hear about it in the comments.

Root Coverage [via JKOnTheRun]

NPD: Wii leads video game industry to 'biggest sales month ever'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/15/npd-wii-leads-video-game-industry-to-biggest-sales-month-ever/

Well, what a difference a couple of months and a holiday season can make. Just after finding that the video game console market shrunk by a fifth in October, NPD is now back with a new report that finds that December was the video game industry's "biggest sales month ever." Specifically, the group found that console sales jumped 4% compared to last December, with the Nintendo Wii unsurprisingly leading the way with 3.81 million units moved (up from 2.15 million the previous year). That's followed by the collective DS offerings at 3.31 million and, somewhat surprisingly, the PlayStation 3, which racked up sales of 1.36 million (its first time cracking the one million mark) compared to the Xbox 360's 1.31 million. Of course, no one's expecting sales to stay at quite that lofty level, but NPD says that the spike in December sales might well indicate that 2010 could be a recovery year.

Filed under: Gaming

NPD: Wii leads video game industry to 'biggest sales month ever' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba Mini NB305 review

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/15/toshiba-mini-nb305-review/

If there's been a Renaissance man in the world of first-gen netbooks it'd be the Toshiba Mini NB205. Its long battery life, comfortable keyboard and attractive and sturdy build distinguished it from the others, even when it made a late entrance to the little laptop market last year. Like most manufacturers, Tosh has gone and refreshed its knockout netbook with Intel's Atom Pine Trail platform and slightly altered the design. But has the competition caught up to the $399 Mini NB305? Or does the Mini NB305 still hold a place in our hearts as the most versatile netbook out there? Find out after the break in our full review.

Gallery: Toshiba Mini NB305 review gallery