Lifehacker
Get flash to fully experience Pearltrees
Summer is getting a little long in the tooth, but this week's featured desktop celebrates the waning summer sun in all of its beauty. Created by Flickr user Kin-Ho Ma, this desktop is beautiful, informative, and easy-to-use without being overwhelming or distracting from the gorgeous wallpaper. If you like the look and want it on your desktop, here's what you'll need:
The Fields of Gold Desktop
If you need to have an encrypted, private chat but don't have the tools handy to do so, you can just use Cryptocat. While anyone will be able to enter the chatroom if they know its name, nobody without your secret key will be able to see what you're saying. To get started, you choose a chatroom name on the Cryptocat site and then share that name with anyone you want to talk to.
Cryptocat Creates an Encrypted, Disposable Chatroom on Any Computer with a Web Browser
nSpaces - Multiple desktops are always at your hand. Fewer applications run on one desktop. More productivity you get. Sometimes you may have many applications such as mail client, editor and Web browser running on one desktop, and you don't want to mess them up.
nSpaces: Virtual Desktops are always at your hand!
Pack for Linux: Our List of the Best Linux Downloads
Linux may not be the most popular OS around, but that doesn't mean it we're going to sit here and ignore it. Here are our favorite downloads for everyone's favorite open source operating system. Just like our Windows pack , the awesome team at Ninite has graciously put all these apps into a one-click installer for you. Just check off the apps you want, and it'll spit out a unified, one-click installer package for all of them. Download the 2011 Lifehacker Pack Here Note that, unlike Windows and Mac OS X, Linux comes in many flavors and with a number of different desktop environments .DeviantART user mxmlmn took a simple wallpaper resembling circuitry and used Rainmeter to create nodes that display little bits of information. A few other customizations keep this desktop minimal and useful without ever getting too distracting. Want this look? Here's what you'll need: If you're an OS X or Linux user, you should be able to use GeekTool or Conky (respectively) to recreate the desktop customizations in this look for your operating system of choice.
The Information Node Desktop
Yes, the times are changing. Yes, we’ve cut back on purchasing CDs, DVDs and BDs lately. Yes, we still have plenty of discs lying around in jewel cases on dusty shelves or in enormous three-ring binders. And yes — most definitely yes — we want to be able to access all these movies and songs from our PC, television and our shiny new smartphone.
Rip, Watch And Organise Everything: The Ultimate Media Guide
How to Migrate Your Facebook Account and Data to Google+
You may not be ready to ditch Facebook for good, but now that you've had a chance to kick the tires on Google+, you might be ready to make it your go-to social network. The problem: You've built up a lot of friends, photos, videos, and other data on Facebook over the years, and you don't want to simply lose all that data. Here's how to migrate it all from Facebook to Google+.
How To Turn Your Computer Into The Ultimate Remote Access Media Server
If you’re out of the house a lot but still want access to files on your home computer, one of the best ways to solve that problem involves setting up your computer as a remotely accessible home media server. Here’s a look at how to not only access your files (and control your computer) remotely, but also share files with others, stream music and video, access your photo library, and a whole lot more. Note: Several readers have pointed out that following this approach can result in security issues. Don’t pursue this approach if you aren’t confident in how to secure these networks.
If there’s one thing everyone dreads, it’s rebooting their computer. It may only take a minute or two, but it can seem like forever. Here are our top 10 tweaks that will make your computer boot a little faster. Photo by Alex Schwenke . This is a pretty controversial topic, as there’s a lot of snake oil out there.
Top 10 Ways To Speed Up Windows’ Boot Time
Make A 3D Scanner Out Of A Webcam And Laser Pointer
When you need to scan an image, you use a regular scanner, but what do you do when you need to scan a 3D object? Apparently you use a webcam, a laser pointer and some free software. The above video comes from great DIYer Tinkernut , who has put together a simple 3D scanner with the aforementioned materials and two important (and free) software titles: David-laserscanner , used for the scanning part, and Blender , used for the 3D-rendering part. While this project isn’t as simple as just shining a laser on an object and pressing “scan”, the extra work you have to do isn’t all that challenging. Essentially you just print out a dot grid, tape it to some foam core, and fold it at a 90-degree angle. Then you calibrate the board with your laser pointer using David-laserscanner and scan the object.Show Your Windows, Linux And Android Pride With These Apple-Free Wallpapers
With the release of Mac OS X Lion, it’s a big day for Apple and that’s probably all you’re hearing about. To even things out a bit, here are 10 great wallpapers glorifying Windows, Linux and Android. Windows Farm Focus Download this wallpaper [HD Wallpapers 1600x1200] Tux Eating Apple Download this wallpaper [Photobucket 1024x768]Want your headphones to be always-accessible in your favorite hoodie? It's easy to install them if you just know where to snip. Instructables user cobalt420 can show you how to embed a pair of earbuds into a hooded sweatshirt.