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Portrait Professional

Portrait Professional Studio 9 is nothing short of amazing!

When reviewing or testing software, I rarely find an application lacking or nearly lacking any flaws. This is one of those rare finds. Portrait Professional’s website is loaded with before/after pictures and long lists of features, and honestly, I was skeptical that a program would be able to make such significant changes with little human interaction. Read the rest of this entry »

Pamela for Skype

Pamela for Skype is a piece of software that, as you would imagine integrates with Skype.

Note: At the time of writing, I was using Pamela Professional, version 4.6.

The application is loaded with various features that include call recording (audio and video), Local Voicemail, auto chat reply, auto Mood and Status changes, chat logging, podcasting, and more. However, the app comes in various versions: Basic, Standard, Professional, and Business. A purchased license comes with free updates for life.

The Basic version is their freeware version, and thus also very limited. You are limited to 15 minutes of audio-only recording per call. You have the mood changer, local answering machine, and auto chat reply from above.

The status and mood changer is very useful if you’re using Skype with many contacts throughout the day. A scenario where it would come in play is for those using Skype as a support line. When you are on a call, your Skype mood/status changes to busy (configurable) and you can put a message saying something along the lines of “I’m on a call right now, please call me when I’m available.” Auto chat reply can come in too. If they send you a chat message, Pamela will automatically respond with a message that you can customize. Here you can write something like, “Thanks for contacting support. I am currently on a call, but I’ve received your message. I will get back to you shortly.”
Read the rest of this entry »

WebcamMax

Have you guys checked out WebcamMax?

This handy piece of software allows you to add THOUSANDS of effects to your webcam video.

I’m always on Facebook and I always see all those pictures with crazy effects taken by Mac users. I used to think that Windows users were left in the dark with the lack of fun tools like Photo Booth (for Mac). Then I stumbled on WebcamMax. I’ve been using it for weeks now and have compared it to other similar products on the market.

WebcamMax blows them all out of the water. It’s head-tracking feature is amazing and surprisingly flawless. The software actually acts as a webcam/video source. So all you need to do is select WebcamMax as your webcam in Skype, MSN, AIM, etc… There’s no lengthy setup or integration process. Read the rest of this entry »

VirusTotal

I’ve been using this free service left and right and it has saved me quite a few times.

www.virustotal.com lets you upload your files and get a virus report. The system automatically tests your file against 40 different virus/malware programs that are constantly updated. Depending on the file size, it could take 10 seconds to a couple of minutes. Many times, you’ll see that someone already scanned that file, and you are able to get instant results.

Don’t open a file you don’t fully trust, send it to VirusTotal first. I’ve had some false negatives with my active anti-virus that were caught by VirusTotal.

Microsoft Xbox Sensor

Word is out that Microsoft is building a “sensor bar” for the Xbox 360.  This is of course a move to compete with the shockingly successful Wii. Instead of detecting the waggles of controllers like in the Wii, the bar supposedly detects full body movement and sound without the use of controllers. There are two sensors on the bar, along with a mic and a camera that take of the body movement. Technical details are not yet available. The sensor bar is claimed to have all these features:

• Hand gesture and full body control of characters and games.
• You can kick, punch, duck, dive, jump and so forth with your body while playing a fighting game.
• Small movements like grabbing, scrolling and pinching are detected.
• The camera will allow for video conferencing.
• Trivia games through live will show the other player. Buzzing in is done by clapping.
• Very importantly, the sensor will pick up what you are doing, not what your friends sitting in the back are doing.

Kindle DX

We just got a quick first in-person look at Amazon’s new Kindle DX. It looks bigger! Some quick thoughts on the device:

• It’s not that different than the Kindle 2. Way too similar. It rocks auto-rotation and a big screen that makes it easier to read. But, otherwise, it’s pretty much the same machine.
• The screen looks great. The black seems stronger than the black on the Kindle 2. However, this could just be for the demo units.
• The screen refresh complainers won’t be pleased… The black flashes on page turns still exist.
• The keyboard is improved, though still uncomfortable. The keys are raised and offer a slightly more natural feel.
• The DX is a much larger device than the Kindle 2. It’s not very portable in the sense of throw in your bag and go. Portability-wise, the Kindle 2 isn’t much of a contender either. The size upgrade seems worth it in this case.

Web Hosting

You may or may not have noticed…there is now a Web Hosting page at the top.

Web hosting is now being offered to the public at low costs that were previously available only to a select number of individuals. The servers are located in a high speed, state of the art center in the United States. This site is hosted on the same or identical server that is being sold. If you are impressed with the loading times and reliability of this site, you will be pleased with the hosting that is offered.

Android 1.5

Android 1.5 was announced today!

Android is the open source operating system for mobile phones and devices. It was developed by Google and is now developed by the Open Handset Alliance (OHA), which is an alliance of 47 firms, including the leading mobile device manufacturers, like, HTC, Samsung, Motorola, and LG. Google, is of course a member, and actually the leader of the alliance.

Most of the Android code is licensed under Apache, making it free software and open source.
Android 1.5 will add a home screen framework for developing widgets and working with live folders.

OHA will be releasing more information about the new Android version in the coming weeks.

Gmail Labs

Have you used Gmail Labs?

Gmail Labs allows you to use experimental features. These add-ons are created by Google employees on their creative time. 20% of every employees’ time is supposed to be spent trying to think of something new and innovative. The Gmail engineers have an outlet for their 20% in the Gmail Labs.

There are many useful features in labs. I use Offline, Youtube Previews, Forgotten Attachment Detector, Mark as Read button, Undo Send, Title Tweaks, and Google Calendar gadget.

As you can see, Ihave faith in Labs, and it’s very easy to turn off if a script is making your Gmail hang.

Use it.

Mashups

I was thinking about mashups earlier today…

A mashup is a song that is actually all samples of many other, usually famous, songs. The point of a mashup is to constantly change the song but to make it sound smooth and natural. It’s really music A.D.D., you hear a clip of a song, and before you can get sick of it, theres a new song. The most notable artist of mashups is Girl Talk.

Now, the question is how legal, or rather, how ethical do you think mashups are?
Should they be allowed? If so, should each sold song give a tiny cut to every sampled artist?

Think about it…