class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/0_printedit.jpg" alt="web printing" />How often do you href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/tag/print/">print out webpages? Whether it’s an interesting article for future reference, or something you want to present to someone else, we do print these things from time to time.

One of the more annoying things about web printing is the stuff that comes with them – the ads, sidebars, banners, and even blank pages. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather cut all of that stuff out to conserve printer ink. After all, all I really need is the text. Have you ever copied all of the article text to a new Word doc just so you could print it? Guilty as charged.

In this article, I’m going to show you a handy little Firefox add-on that helps with all of this. Imagine being able to delete unnecessary items in Print Preview mode before printing your webpage. Now you can.

What is Print Edit?

href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/print-edit/">Print Edit ( href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/printedit-make-web-pages-printer-friendly/">directory app) is an add-on for Firefox that allows the editing of webpage content while in Print Preview mode. This allows you to remove unwanted content such as advertisements, sidebars, and blank areas that would print unnecessary pages.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/1_printedit.png" alt="web printing" width="187" height="161" />When you edit pages they will look similar to the print pages displayed in regular Print Preview mode (thanks to CSS print stylesheets). You do, however, have the option to make the page look as it did in normal browsing mode by pressing the Web Style button.

There’s a Format command that allows up to sixteen format properties to be applied. These format properties primarily affect the layout of the content and are intended to reduce the space that the content occupies on the printed page.

Print Edit also comes with an Undo command, which is pretty self explanatory.

Using Print Edit

When you href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/print-edit/">install the Print Edit add-on, you will see a little icon (once your restart Firefox) up on the left next to the back/forward navigation buttons. You can enter Print Edit mode from Print Preview by clicking on the Edit button next to the Close button on the toolbar.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/2_printedit.jpg" alt="web page printing" width="580" height="435" />

Alternatively, Print Edit/Print Preview mode can be entered from the Print Edit button menu on the main toolbar, or from the File menu on the main menu bar, or from the Print… submenu on the app menu as well. You can add the Print Edit button to the main toolbar by right-clicking the toolbar and selecting Customize.

Once you are in Print Edit mode, any of the displayed content elements can be formatted, hidden or deleted, prior to printing in Print Preview mode. You can also click the Preview button to return to Print Preview mode, as well as the Close button to return to normal browsing mode. It is possible to switch repeatedly between Print Edit mode and Print Preview mode as you see fit.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/3_printedit.jpg" alt="web printing" width="580" height="434" />

You can select/deselect individual elements using a highlight box. Just position the mouse so that the highlight box (solid border) is over the element, then click. The highlight box then changes to a selection box (dashed border), and you can apply an edit command.

All selected elements can be deselected by clicking the Deselect button. You can also change the border color and width of the highlight box, if you like.

Conclusion

I’m a big fan of conserving space and printing clean, easy to read pages, as well as saving my printer ink. Print Edit allows me to do all of that and it is incredibly simple to use. No longer do I have to print a web page that has useless information like sidebars and ads. If you can relate I suggest you give Print Edit a try.

Are you a fan of web printing with Print Edit?

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/remove-unnecessary-page-elements-printing-print-edit-firefox/">Remove Unnecessary Page Elements Before Printing With Print Edit [Firefox] is a post from: href="http://www.makeuseof.com">MakeUseOf

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/facebook_logo_300x300.jpg" alt="" />Yesterday href="http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=10150289612087131">Facebook announced a host of new features in what was described by industry observers as the href="http://news.cnet.com/what-facebook-announced-at-f8-today/8301-1023_3-20110181-93.html">biggest shakeup in Facebook’s history.  Most of these changes are obviously due to the emerging and growing threat from href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/google-plus/">Google Plus, and one of the features that Mark Zuckerberg introduced was the radical redesign of the profile page.  It’s called the “ href="https://www.facebook.com/about/timeline">timeline” and it could prove to be the most controversial change of them all.

Not everyone has the timeline design yet and you may have to wait up to several weeks for it.  However, if you’re curious about how it looks on your profile and you want to try it out now, then here is how to do it.

Please note however that your new timeline page will only be viewable to those who also have the timeline design page.  Those who still have the old page design will continue to see your old page design until the timeline feature goes mainstream for everyone.

Step One – Authorise Facebook Developer To Access Your Account

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/permission.jpg" alt="" width="571" height="360" />

The first step is to sign up as a Facebook developer. This involves enabling and authorising Facebook Developer to access your Facebook account.  Just go href="https://developers.facebook.com/apps">here and click “allow“.

Create A New App

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/fb2.jpg" alt="" width="459" height="239" />

The next step is to create a new app.  Don’t panic, you’re not actually going to create one.  On this page, in the top right hand corner are two buttons – “edit app” and “create new app“.  Click “create new app“.

href="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/fb3.jpg"> class="size-full wp-image-87725 aligncenter" title="fb3" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/fb3.jpg" alt="" width="587" height="202" />

This is the box that will come up next.  Simply put whatever you want into both boxes.  It doesn’t matter, as long as someone else hasn’t reserved the name.  It should also be at least 7 characters long.  As you can see, I put “coolmuoapp“which was the first thing that popped into my head.  Now click “continue“.

Clear The Captcha

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/fb4.jpg" alt="" width="586" height="232" />

Now you have to prove you’re human and not an automated bot.  Enter the captcha and hit “submit“.

Define An Action

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/fb5.jpg" alt="" width="579" height="308" />

OK, you’re almost finished.  In this final screen, the only thing you need to concern yourself with is the “Open Graph” link in the top left hand corner of the page.  Click on that and you will get this :

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/fb6.jpg" alt="" width="579" height="375" />

All you have to do is choose an action in the first text field and choose an object in the second text field.  So I chose “watch” in the first text field and “movie” in the second.  Now press “get started“.

After processing that, Facebook will flip back to the Open Graph page (you may even get an error message) but you can now ignore all of that and head towards your Facebook profile.  Within a minute or two, you should receive an invitation to try out the timeline profile.  Click on that and you are in.  Here’s mine :

class="align-center aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/fb7.jpg" alt="" width="580" height="404" />

At the top, where I have chosen to upload a Highland cow (one of my favourite animals) is the area known as the “cover”.  This is where you can upload your own photo and really personalise your page.  You can let your imagination go completely riot and choose something that reflects your personality and who you are.

On the whole, the timeline profile is an interesting development but it is a radical departure from what the profile used to be like, so I am sure there will be lots of people who will vehemently hate the design.  But I would say give it a chance. 

As the name “timeline” implies, you can move the slider back over every year you have had the Facebook profile and see all your old status messages.  I found it fascinating seeing what I posted years ago and laughing at some of the bad jokes that I posted (and some of the good ones too).

Let us know in the comments if you have any problems getting the timeline page, and also let us know if you either like or hate the new design.

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/touchpadthumb.jpg" alt="" />If you walk into a retail store and ask a sales rep to explain a laptop to you, chances are you’ll receive a long list of hardware information focusing on what’s inside. You’ll be told what the processor is, you’ll be told the size of the hard drive, and you’ll be told the RAM installed.

This is information you’ll want to know, but in today’s world of speedy processors and cheap RAM, many users will rarely ask about all their laptop has to give. As a result, the difference between a good laptop and a great one comes down to the little things, like the touchpad. Yet the touchpad itself is a mysterious item. It’s there, it works, and it has for years. Not all touchpads are built the same however.

The Basics Of Touchpad Technology

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/touchpad.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" />

The first class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-disable-the-touchpad-while-you-are-typing/">touchpads made their debut in the early 1990s, and were one of several responses to the problem of providing an portable input solution with a portable computer (trackpointers and trackballs were also common). The first laptop to have a touchpad –or trackpad, as it was officially called at the time – was the Apple PowerBook 500.

Modern touchpads use a technology called capacitive touch. This is the same tech used by most modern class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/touch-test-touch-screen-test-app/">touchscreens, and it works by detecting the electrical current of a human finger as it comes into contact with the touchpad surface. This allows for smooth, easy navigation that doesn’t rely on physical pressure.

However, capacitive touch does have one minor disadvantage, and that’s the inability to detect inanimate objects or gloved human hands. Special touchpads, like the tablets from class="vt-p" href="http://www.wacom.com/">Wacom, are required for use with a class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/answers/tag/stylus/">stylus. Fortunately, only artists and Eskimos routinely bump into this problem.

The Differences Between Touchpads

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/touchpad4.jpg" alt="" width="412" height="530" />

While virtually all touchpads use the same basic technology to detect input, there are a wide variety of ways to use this technology, and a wide variety of touchpad sizes and textures.

The most important feature to look for in a touchpad is multitouch gesture support. Although this has become a common extra, it’s not ubiquitous. For example, I recently tested a MSI GT680R gaming laptop, priced at about $1,500, which did not have multitouch. Determining if a laptop supports this feature is easy if you can use it hands-on. Just try scrolling down a webpage with your middle and index fingers.

If a laptop doesn’t have multi-touch, it should at least have scroll space available. This is a small vertical area, usually on the right side of the touchpad, that’s exclusively designed to translate finger movement into an up/down scrolling motion.

Material quality, although low-tech, is critical. Most inexpensive laptops will simply construct the touchpad out of the same plastic as the surrounding laptop, and that works alright, but it doesn’t result in the smoothest feel. More expensive laptops, like the MacBooks, use a glass surface because it provides less resistance to finger movement. You’ll occasionally find other materials used, as well. The class="vt-p" href="http://event.asus.com/notebook/bamboo/index2.html">ASUS Bamboo series, for example, crafts the touchpad out of the same bamboo you’ll find on the rest of the laptop.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/touchpad6.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="411" />

Finally, the touchpad buttons are important. The best option is a touchpad that offers two separate physical mouse buttons, but many touchpads use what is called a rocker-style button. This means there is one individual with a rocker in the middle, which means the button operates like a seesaw. Rocker-style buttons look sexy, but they can be annoying to use because pressing the button near the rocker requires more force than pressing the button at the edge.

The perfect touchpad should offer multitouch support, a smooth surface, and two individual buttons with great tactile response. Finding all of these features together is difficult, particularly in inexpensive laptops, but it’s not impossible.

The Importance Of Software Support

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/touchpad7.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="394" />

Although your touchpad’s hardware is important, the software being used also has an impact on how your touchpad performs.

For example, Windows did not even support multitouch until Windows 7 ( class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/easily-activate-finger-scroll-windows-laptops/">although there are ways to hack it), even if the hardware was capable of it. Although much has been made about the inclusion of multitouch as it relates to tablets, its impact on laptops has been more immediate and obvious. Navigating Windows with a touchpad is much easier than before.

With that said however, there are still clear differences between Windows 7 and Mac OS X, which offers incredible multitouch support. Much of the difference between navigating Windows and Mac OS X on a laptop comes down not to the hardware (although the MacBook’s glass touchpad is nice) but to the software support. Ubuntu also offers full multitouch support as of version 10.10.

Conclusion

It’s easy to forget about the touchpad when a sales rep is gushing to you about the great hardware packed inside the new laptop you have your eye on. Don’t let that distract you. The touchpad is something you’ll be using a lot, and it cannot be replaced or upgraded, so you need to be sure to buy a laptop with a touchpad you like. />
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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-75.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" />Mozilla has recently been trying to up its game in the browser war, and step up the innovation. They realized they needed to get new features to end users more quickly, so to do this, they set up several new “channels”. If names like Firefox Nightly, Aurora and Beta seem confusing, hopefully this post will help set things right.

In brief, these are the channels:

• Stable: For users who just need a stable browser that works.
• Beta: This channel is “close to stable”, but not really stable yet. By using the Beta channel, you’re helping Mozilla test new features.
• Aurora: The “less than stable” channel; you’re approaching cutting-edge territory here, and taking an active part in the development effort.
• Nightly: Fresh from the oven, may unexpectedly break at any time. This is as bleeding-edge as it gets.

Now let’s see how you can get each version, and learn a bit about switching channels.

Stable Builds

This is the build you can get right off href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/new/?from=getfirefox">Get Firefox. Simply press the big green button, and the safest version of Firefox will be downloaded to your computer. At the time of this writing, this is version 4.0.1:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-76.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" width="580" height="350" />

Beta & Aurora

To start using the Beta and Aurora builds, go to the href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/channel/">Firefox Channels homepage and take your pick:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-81.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="580" height="229" />

Note where it says “Coming Soon!” under the Beta version — we’ll be revisiting this point. At this time, the only “testing” build you can get from this page is the Aurora build. But it turns out that from within Aurora, you can switch between the Stable, Beta and Aurora channels. Just click the menu button, go to Help > About Aurora, and click the Change link shown in the screenshot:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-78.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="375" height="191" />

You will then be taken to a channel selection screen with a dropdown and an explanation for each of the channels:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-79.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="374" height="262" />

I was able to join the Beta channel from this screen. I switched to “Beta” and clicked Apply and Update. Firefox then fetched a 17.2MB download and smoothly switched to the Beta channel:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-80.jpg" alt="firefox nightly update" width="384" height="184" />

This goes to show that even Mozilla might be slightly confused by its own release cycle. How come you can switch to Beta from within Aurora, but can’t download the Beta from the channels page, where it tells you it is “coming soon”?

Nightly Builds

If using Aurora feels a bit tame, you can kick things up a notch and start using the Nightly builds. To download the installer, go href="http://nightly.mozilla.org/">here and grab the installer for your platform. Note the decidedly less flashy interface here:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-82.jpg" alt="firefox nightly update" width="385" height="327" />

Once installed, the Firefox nightly build sets up a shortcut in your Start menu simply called “Nightly“. At the time of this writing, the nightly build was version 6.0a1:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-83.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" width="341" height="183" />

Note that even though this is a more advanced build than Aurora, it does not have a built-in channel switcher. It installs itself alongside Aurora/Beta and the stable version. This means you can be testing or using three different versions of Firefox at the same time, on the same computer.

Unlike Chrome, where you can href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained">have Canary and “regular” Chrome running at the same time, you can only have a single Firefox build running at any one time on your computer. So if you’ve got an open browsing session in Nightly and click the Aurora shortcut on your Start menu, you’ll simply get a new Firefox Nightly window. Confusing, I know.

A Word of Warning

For some strange reason, both the Nightly and Beta assume you want them to act as the default browser for your computer. That means that during the installation process, you’re going to have to consciously look for the “set as default” step and opt out of making an experimental, unstable browser your default browser. An interesting design choice by Mozilla, no doubt.

In Closing

Trying out new and experimental software builds isn’t always comfortable, and it sure can get confusing. But Mozilla is a true community effort, and if you believe in its core mission, this can be a nice way to participate and contribute towards making Firefox a faster, more stable browser.  Let us know in the comments if you use one of the test versions and how it works out for you. />
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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-75.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" />Mozilla has recently been trying to up its game in the browser war, and step up the innovation. They realized they needed to get new features to end users more quickly, so to do this, they set up several new “channels”. If names like Firefox Nightly, Aurora and Beta seem confusing, hopefully this post will help set things right.

In brief, these are the channels:

• Stable: For users who just need a stable browser that works.
• Beta: This channel is “close to stable”, but not really stable yet. By using the Beta channel, you’re helping Mozilla test new features.
• Aurora: The “less than stable” channel; you’re approaching cutting-edge territory here, and taking an active part in the development effort.
• Nightly: Fresh from the oven, may unexpectedly break at any time. This is as bleeding-edge as it gets.

Now let’s see how you can get each version, and learn a bit about switching channels.

Stable Builds

This is the build you can get right off href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/new/?from=getfirefox">Get Firefox. Simply press the big green button, and the safest version of Firefox will be downloaded to your computer. At the time of this writing, this is version 4.0.1:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-76.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" width="580" height="350" />

Beta & Aurora

To start using the Beta and Aurora builds, go to the href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/channel/">Firefox Channels homepage and take your pick:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-81.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="580" height="229" />

Note where it says “Coming Soon!” under the Beta version — we’ll be revisiting this point. At this time, the only “testing” build you can get from this page is the Aurora build. But it turns out that from within Aurora, you can switch between the Stable, Beta and Aurora channels. Just click the menu button, go to Help > About Aurora, and click the Change link shown in the screenshot:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-78.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="375" height="191" />

You will then be taken to a channel selection screen with a dropdown and an explanation for each of the channels:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-79.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="374" height="262" />

I was able to join the Beta channel from this screen. I switched to “Beta” and clicked Apply and Update. Firefox then fetched a 17.2MB download and smoothly switched to the Beta channel:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-80.jpg" alt="firefox nightly update" width="384" height="184" />

This goes to show that even Mozilla might be slightly confused by its own release cycle. How come you can switch to Beta from within Aurora, but can’t download the Beta from the channels page, where it tells you it is “coming soon”?

Nightly Builds

If using Aurora feels a bit tame, you can kick things up a notch and start using the Nightly builds. To download the installer, go href="http://nightly.mozilla.org/">here and grab the installer for your platform. Note the decidedly less flashy interface here:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-82.jpg" alt="firefox nightly update" width="385" height="327" />

Once installed, the Firefox nightly build sets up a shortcut in your Start menu simply called “Nightly“. At the time of this writing, the nightly build was version 6.0a1:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-83.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" width="341" height="183" />

Note that even though this is a more advanced build than Aurora, it does not have a built-in channel switcher. It installs itself alongside Aurora/Beta and the stable version. This means you can be testing or using three different versions of Firefox at the same time, on the same computer.

Unlike Chrome, where you can href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained">have Canary and “regular” Chrome running at the same time, you can only have a single Firefox build running at any one time on your computer. So if you’ve got an open browsing session in Nightly and click the Aurora shortcut on your Start menu, you’ll simply get a new Firefox Nightly window. Confusing, I know.

A Word of Warning

For some strange reason, both the Nightly and Beta assume you want them to act as the default browser for your computer. That means that during the installation process, you’re going to have to consciously look for the “set as default” step and opt out of making an experimental, unstable browser your default browser. An interesting design choice by Mozilla, no doubt.

In Closing

Trying out new and experimental software builds isn’t always comfortable, and it sure can get confusing. But Mozilla is a true community effort, and if you believe in its core mission, this can be a nice way to participate and contribute towards making Firefox a faster, more stable browser.  Let us know in the comments if you use one of the test versions and how it works out for you. />
/> Follow href="http://twitter.com/MakeUseOf" target="_blank" >MakeUseOf on Twitter. Includes cool extras.

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-75.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" />Mozilla has recently been trying to up its game in the browser war, and step up the innovation. They realized they needed to get new features to end users more quickly, so to do this, they set up several new “channels”. If names like Firefox Nightly, Aurora and Beta seem confusing, hopefully this post will help set things right.

In brief, these are the channels:

• Stable: For users who just need a stable browser that works.
• Beta: This channel is “close to stable”, but not really stable yet. By using the Beta channel, you’re helping Mozilla test new features.
• Aurora: The “less than stable” channel; you’re approaching cutting-edge territory here, and taking an active part in the development effort.
• Nightly: Fresh from the oven, may unexpectedly break at any time. This is as bleeding-edge as it gets.

Now let’s see how you can get each version, and learn a bit about switching channels.

Stable Builds

This is the build you can get right off href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/new/?from=getfirefox">Get Firefox. Simply press the big green button, and the safest version of Firefox will be downloaded to your computer. At the time of this writing, this is version 4.0.1:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-76.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" width="580" height="350" />

Beta & Aurora

To start using the Beta and Aurora builds, go to the href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/channel/">Firefox Channels homepage and take your pick:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-81.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="580" height="229" />

Note where it says “Coming Soon!” under the Beta version — we’ll be revisiting this point. At this time, the only “testing” build you can get from this page is the Aurora build. But it turns out that from within Aurora, you can switch between the Stable, Beta and Aurora channels. Just click the menu button, go to Help > About Aurora, and click the Change link shown in the screenshot:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-78.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="375" height="191" />

You will then be taken to a channel selection screen with a dropdown and an explanation for each of the channels:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-79.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="374" height="262" />

I was able to join the Beta channel from this screen. I switched to “Beta” and clicked Apply and Update. Firefox then fetched a 17.2MB download and smoothly switched to the Beta channel:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-80.jpg" alt="firefox nightly update" width="384" height="184" />

This goes to show that even Mozilla might be slightly confused by its own release cycle. How come you can switch to Beta from within Aurora, but can’t download the Beta from the channels page, where it tells you it is “coming soon”?

Nightly Builds

If using Aurora feels a bit tame, you can kick things up a notch and start using the Nightly builds. To download the installer, go href="http://nightly.mozilla.org/">here and grab the installer for your platform. Note the decidedly less flashy interface here:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-82.jpg" alt="firefox nightly update" width="385" height="327" />

Once installed, the Firefox nightly build sets up a shortcut in your Start menu simply called “Nightly“. At the time of this writing, the nightly build was version 6.0a1:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-83.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" width="341" height="183" />

Note that even though this is a more advanced build than Aurora, it does not have a built-in channel switcher. It installs itself alongside Aurora/Beta and the stable version. This means you can be testing or using three different versions of Firefox at the same time, on the same computer.

Unlike Chrome, where you can href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained">have Canary and “regular” Chrome running at the same time, you can only have a single Firefox build running at any one time on your computer. So if you’ve got an open browsing session in Nightly and click the Aurora shortcut on your Start menu, you’ll simply get a new Firefox Nightly window. Confusing, I know.

A Word of Warning

For some strange reason, both the Nightly and Beta assume you want them to act as the default browser for your computer. That means that during the installation process, you’re going to have to consciously look for the “set as default” step and opt out of making an experimental, unstable browser your default browser. An interesting design choice by Mozilla, no doubt.

In Closing

Trying out new and experimental software builds isn’t always comfortable, and it sure can get confusing. But Mozilla is a true community effort, and if you believe in its core mission, this can be a nice way to participate and contribute towards making Firefox a faster, more stable browser.  Let us know in the comments if you use one of the test versions and how it works out for you. />
/> Follow href="http://twitter.com/MakeUseOf" target="_blank" >MakeUseOf on Twitter. Includes cool extras.

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Read comments: href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/firefox-features-firefox-nightly-channels/#disqus_thread">Loved it? Hated it? Join discussion here …

 

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-75.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" />Mozilla has recently been trying to up its game in the browser war, and step up the innovation. They realized they needed to get new features to end users more quickly, so to do this, they set up several new “channels”. If names like Firefox Nightly, Aurora and Beta seem confusing, hopefully this post will help set things right.

In brief, these are the channels:

• Stable: For users who just need a stable browser that works.
• Beta: This channel is “close to stable”, but not really stable yet. By using the Beta channel, you’re helping Mozilla test new features.
• Aurora: The “less than stable” channel; you’re approaching cutting-edge territory here, and taking an active part in the development effort.
• Nightly: Fresh from the oven, may unexpectedly break at any time. This is as bleeding-edge as it gets.

Now let’s see how you can get each version, and learn a bit about switching channels.

Stable Builds

This is the build you can get right off href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/new/?from=getfirefox">Get Firefox. Simply press the big green button, and the safest version of Firefox will be downloaded to your computer. At the time of this writing, this is version 4.0.1:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-76.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" width="580" height="350" />

Beta & Aurora

To start using the Beta and Aurora builds, go to the href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/channel/">Firefox Channels homepage and take your pick:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-81.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="580" height="229" />

Note where it says “Coming Soon!” under the Beta version — we’ll be revisiting this point. At this time, the only “testing” build you can get from this page is the Aurora build. But it turns out that from within Aurora, you can switch between the Stable, Beta and Aurora channels. Just click the menu button, go to Help > About Aurora, and click the Change link shown in the screenshot:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-78.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="375" height="191" />

You will then be taken to a channel selection screen with a dropdown and an explanation for each of the channels:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-79.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="374" height="262" />

I was able to join the Beta channel from this screen. I switched to “Beta” and clicked Apply and Update. Firefox then fetched a 17.2MB download and smoothly switched to the Beta channel:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-80.jpg" alt="firefox nightly update" width="384" height="184" />

This goes to show that even Mozilla might be slightly confused by its own release cycle. How come you can switch to Beta from within Aurora, but can’t download the Beta from the channels page, where it tells you it is “coming soon”?

Nightly Builds

If using Aurora feels a bit tame, you can kick things up a notch and start using the Nightly builds. To download the installer, go href="http://nightly.mozilla.org/">here and grab the installer for your platform. Note the decidedly less flashy interface here:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-82.jpg" alt="firefox nightly update" width="385" height="327" />

Once installed, the Firefox nightly build sets up a shortcut in your Start menu simply called “Nightly“. At the time of this writing, the nightly build was version 6.0a1:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-83.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" width="341" height="183" />

Note that even though this is a more advanced build than Aurora, it does not have a built-in channel switcher. It installs itself alongside Aurora/Beta and the stable version. This means you can be testing or using three different versions of Firefox at the same time, on the same computer.

Unlike Chrome, where you can href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained">have Canary and “regular” Chrome running at the same time, you can only have a single Firefox build running at any one time on your computer. So if you’ve got an open browsing session in Nightly and click the Aurora shortcut on your Start menu, you’ll simply get a new Firefox Nightly window. Confusing, I know.

A Word of Warning

For some strange reason, both the Nightly and Beta assume you want them to act as the default browser for your computer. That means that during the installation process, you’re going to have to consciously look for the “set as default” step and opt out of making an experimental, unstable browser your default browser. An interesting design choice by Mozilla, no doubt.

In Closing

Trying out new and experimental software builds isn’t always comfortable, and it sure can get confusing. But Mozilla is a true community effort, and if you believe in its core mission, this can be a nice way to participate and contribute towards making Firefox a faster, more stable browser.  Let us know in the comments if you use one of the test versions and how it works out for you. />
/> Follow href="http://twitter.com/MakeUseOf" target="_blank" >MakeUseOf on Twitter. Includes cool extras.

/>

 

Read comments: href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/firefox-features-firefox-nightly-channels/#disqus_thread">Loved it? Hated it? Join discussion here …

 

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-75.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" />Mozilla has recently been trying to up its game in the browser war, and step up the innovation. They realized they needed to get new features to end users more quickly, so to do this, they set up several new “channels”. If names like Firefox Nightly, Aurora and Beta seem confusing, hopefully this post will help set things right.

In brief, these are the channels:

• Stable: For users who just need a stable browser that works.
• Beta: This channel is “close to stable”, but not really stable yet. By using the Beta channel, you’re helping Mozilla test new features.
• Aurora: The “less than stable” channel; you’re approaching cutting-edge territory here, and taking an active part in the development effort.
• Nightly: Fresh from the oven, may unexpectedly break at any time. This is as bleeding-edge as it gets.

Now let’s see how you can get each version, and learn a bit about switching channels.

Stable Builds

This is the build you can get right off href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/new/?from=getfirefox">Get Firefox. Simply press the big green button, and the safest version of Firefox will be downloaded to your computer. At the time of this writing, this is version 4.0.1:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-76.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" width="580" height="350" />

Beta & Aurora

To start using the Beta and Aurora builds, go to the href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/channel/">Firefox Channels homepage and take your pick:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-81.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="580" height="229" />

Note where it says “Coming Soon!” under the Beta version — we’ll be revisiting this point. At this time, the only “testing” build you can get from this page is the Aurora build. But it turns out that from within Aurora, you can switch between the Stable, Beta and Aurora channels. Just click the menu button, go to Help > About Aurora, and click the Change link shown in the screenshot:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-78.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="375" height="191" />

You will then be taken to a channel selection screen with a dropdown and an explanation for each of the channels:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-79.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="374" height="262" />

I was able to join the Beta channel from this screen. I switched to “Beta” and clicked Apply and Update. Firefox then fetched a 17.2MB download and smoothly switched to the Beta channel:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-80.jpg" alt="firefox nightly update" width="384" height="184" />

This goes to show that even Mozilla might be slightly confused by its own release cycle. How come you can switch to Beta from within Aurora, but can’t download the Beta from the channels page, where it tells you it is “coming soon”?

Nightly Builds

If using Aurora feels a bit tame, you can kick things up a notch and start using the Nightly builds. To download the installer, go href="http://nightly.mozilla.org/">here and grab the installer for your platform. Note the decidedly less flashy interface here:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-82.jpg" alt="firefox nightly update" width="385" height="327" />

Once installed, the Firefox nightly build sets up a shortcut in your Start menu simply called “Nightly“. At the time of this writing, the nightly build was version 6.0a1:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-83.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" width="341" height="183" />

Note that even though this is a more advanced build than Aurora, it does not have a built-in channel switcher. It installs itself alongside Aurora/Beta and the stable version. This means you can be testing or using three different versions of Firefox at the same time, on the same computer.

Unlike Chrome, where you can href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained">have Canary and “regular” Chrome running at the same time, you can only have a single Firefox build running at any one time on your computer. So if you’ve got an open browsing session in Nightly and click the Aurora shortcut on your Start menu, you’ll simply get a new Firefox Nightly window. Confusing, I know.

A Word of Warning

For some strange reason, both the Nightly and Beta assume you want them to act as the default browser for your computer. That means that during the installation process, you’re going to have to consciously look for the “set as default” step and opt out of making an experimental, unstable browser your default browser. An interesting design choice by Mozilla, no doubt.

In Closing

Trying out new and experimental software builds isn’t always comfortable, and it sure can get confusing. But Mozilla is a true community effort, and if you believe in its core mission, this can be a nice way to participate and contribute towards making Firefox a faster, more stable browser.  Let us know in the comments if you use one of the test versions and how it works out for you. />
/> Follow href="http://twitter.com/MakeUseOf" target="_blank" >MakeUseOf on Twitter. Includes cool extras.

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-75.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" />Mozilla has recently been trying to up its game in the browser war, and step up the innovation. They realized they needed to get new features to end users more quickly, so to do this, they set up several new “channels”. If names like Firefox Nightly, Aurora and Beta seem confusing, hopefully this post will help set things right.

In brief, these are the channels:

• Stable: For users who just need a stable browser that works.
• Beta: This channel is “close to stable”, but not really stable yet. By using the Beta channel, you’re helping Mozilla test new features.
• Aurora: The “less than stable” channel; you’re approaching cutting-edge territory here, and taking an active part in the development effort.
• Nightly: Fresh from the oven, may unexpectedly break at any time. This is as bleeding-edge as it gets.

Now let’s see how you can get each version, and learn a bit about switching channels.

Stable Builds

This is the build you can get right off href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/new/?from=getfirefox">Get Firefox. Simply press the big green button, and the safest version of Firefox will be downloaded to your computer. At the time of this writing, this is version 4.0.1:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-76.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" width="580" height="350" />

Beta & Aurora

To start using the Beta and Aurora builds, go to the href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/channel/">Firefox Channels homepage and take your pick:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-81.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="580" height="229" />

Note where it says “Coming Soon!” under the Beta version — we’ll be revisiting this point. At this time, the only “testing” build you can get from this page is the Aurora build. But it turns out that from within Aurora, you can switch between the Stable, Beta and Aurora channels. Just click the menu button, go to Help > About Aurora, and click the Change link shown in the screenshot:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-78.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="375" height="191" />

You will then be taken to a channel selection screen with a dropdown and an explanation for each of the channels:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-79.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="374" height="262" />

I was able to join the Beta channel from this screen. I switched to “Beta” and clicked Apply and Update. Firefox then fetched a 17.2MB download and smoothly switched to the Beta channel:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-80.jpg" alt="firefox nightly update" width="384" height="184" />

This goes to show that even Mozilla might be slightly confused by its own release cycle. How come you can switch to Beta from within Aurora, but can’t download the Beta from the channels page, where it tells you it is “coming soon”?

Nightly Builds

If using Aurora feels a bit tame, you can kick things up a notch and start using the Nightly builds. To download the installer, go href="http://nightly.mozilla.org/">here and grab the installer for your platform. Note the decidedly less flashy interface here:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-82.jpg" alt="firefox nightly update" width="385" height="327" />

Once installed, the Firefox nightly build sets up a shortcut in your Start menu simply called “Nightly“. At the time of this writing, the nightly build was version 6.0a1:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-83.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" width="341" height="183" />

Note that even though this is a more advanced build than Aurora, it does not have a built-in channel switcher. It installs itself alongside Aurora/Beta and the stable version. This means you can be testing or using three different versions of Firefox at the same time, on the same computer.

Unlike Chrome, where you can href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained">have Canary and “regular” Chrome running at the same time, you can only have a single Firefox build running at any one time on your computer. So if you’ve got an open browsing session in Nightly and click the Aurora shortcut on your Start menu, you’ll simply get a new Firefox Nightly window. Confusing, I know.

A Word of Warning

For some strange reason, both the Nightly and Beta assume you want them to act as the default browser for your computer. That means that during the installation process, you’re going to have to consciously look for the “set as default” step and opt out of making an experimental, unstable browser your default browser. An interesting design choice by Mozilla, no doubt.

In Closing

Trying out new and experimental software builds isn’t always comfortable, and it sure can get confusing. But Mozilla is a true community effort, and if you believe in its core mission, this can be a nice way to participate and contribute towards making Firefox a faster, more stable browser.  Let us know in the comments if you use one of the test versions and how it works out for you. />
/> Follow href="http://twitter.com/MakeUseOf" target="_blank" >MakeUseOf on Twitter. Includes cool extras.

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-75.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" />Mozilla has recently been trying to up its game in the browser war, and step up the innovation. They realized they needed to get new features to end users more quickly, so to do this, they set up several new “channels”. If names like Firefox Nightly, Aurora and Beta seem confusing, hopefully this post will help set things right.

In brief, these are the channels:

• Stable: For users who just need a stable browser that works.
• Beta: This channel is “close to stable”, but not really stable yet. By using the Beta channel, you’re helping Mozilla test new features.
• Aurora: The “less than stable” channel; you’re approaching cutting-edge territory here, and taking an active part in the development effort.
• Nightly: Fresh from the oven, may unexpectedly break at any time. This is as bleeding-edge as it gets.

Now let’s see how you can get each version, and learn a bit about switching channels.

Stable Builds

This is the build you can get right off href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/new/?from=getfirefox">Get Firefox. Simply press the big green button, and the safest version of Firefox will be downloaded to your computer. At the time of this writing, this is version 4.0.1:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-76.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" width="580" height="350" />

Beta & Aurora

To start using the Beta and Aurora builds, go to the href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/channel/">Firefox Channels homepage and take your pick:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-81.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="580" height="229" />

Note where it says “Coming Soon!” under the Beta version — we’ll be revisiting this point. At this time, the only “testing” build you can get from this page is the Aurora build. But it turns out that from within Aurora, you can switch between the Stable, Beta and Aurora channels. Just click the menu button, go to Help > About Aurora, and click the Change link shown in the screenshot:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-78.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="375" height="191" />

You will then be taken to a channel selection screen with a dropdown and an explanation for each of the channels:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-79.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="374" height="262" />

I was able to join the Beta channel from this screen. I switched to “Beta” and clicked Apply and Update. Firefox then fetched a 17.2MB download and smoothly switched to the Beta channel:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-80.jpg" alt="firefox nightly update" width="384" height="184" />

This goes to show that even Mozilla might be slightly confused by its own release cycle. How come you can switch to Beta from within Aurora, but can’t download the Beta from the channels page, where it tells you it is “coming soon”?

Nightly Builds

If using Aurora feels a bit tame, you can kick things up a notch and start using the Nightly builds. To download the installer, go href="http://nightly.mozilla.org/">here and grab the installer for your platform. Note the decidedly less flashy interface here:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-82.jpg" alt="firefox nightly update" width="385" height="327" />

Once installed, the Firefox nightly build sets up a shortcut in your Start menu simply called “Nightly“. At the time of this writing, the nightly build was version 6.0a1:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-83.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" width="341" height="183" />

Note that even though this is a more advanced build than Aurora, it does not have a built-in channel switcher. It installs itself alongside Aurora/Beta and the stable version. This means you can be testing or using three different versions of Firefox at the same time, on the same computer.

Unlike Chrome, where you can href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained">have Canary and “regular” Chrome running at the same time, you can only have a single Firefox build running at any one time on your computer. So if you’ve got an open browsing session in Nightly and click the Aurora shortcut on your Start menu, you’ll simply get a new Firefox Nightly window. Confusing, I know.

A Word of Warning

For some strange reason, both the Nightly and Beta assume you want them to act as the default browser for your computer. That means that during the installation process, you’re going to have to consciously look for the “set as default” step and opt out of making an experimental, unstable browser your default browser. An interesting design choice by Mozilla, no doubt.

In Closing

Trying out new and experimental software builds isn’t always comfortable, and it sure can get confusing. But Mozilla is a true community effort, and if you believe in its core mission, this can be a nice way to participate and contribute towards making Firefox a faster, more stable browser.  Let us know in the comments if you use one of the test versions and how it works out for you. />
/> Follow href="http://twitter.com/MakeUseOf" target="_blank" >MakeUseOf on Twitter. Includes cool extras.

/>

 

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-75.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" />Mozilla has recently been trying to up its game in the browser war, and step up the innovation. They realized they needed to get new features to end users more quickly, so to do this, they set up several new “channels”. If names like Firefox Nightly, Aurora and Beta seem confusing, hopefully this post will help set things right.

In brief, these are the channels:

• Stable: For users who just need a stable browser that works.
• Beta: This channel is “close to stable”, but not really stable yet. By using the Beta channel, you’re helping Mozilla test new features.
• Aurora: The “less than stable” channel; you’re approaching cutting-edge territory here, and taking an active part in the development effort.
• Nightly: Fresh from the oven, may unexpectedly break at any time. This is as bleeding-edge as it gets.

Now let’s see how you can get each version, and learn a bit about switching channels.

Stable Builds

This is the build you can get right off href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/new/?from=getfirefox">Get Firefox. Simply press the big green button, and the safest version of Firefox will be downloaded to your computer. At the time of this writing, this is version 4.0.1:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-76.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" width="580" height="350" />

Beta & Aurora

To start using the Beta and Aurora builds, go to the href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/channel/">Firefox Channels homepage and take your pick:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-81.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="580" height="229" />

Note where it says “Coming Soon!” under the Beta version — we’ll be revisiting this point. At this time, the only “testing” build you can get from this page is the Aurora build. But it turns out that from within Aurora, you can switch between the Stable, Beta and Aurora channels. Just click the menu button, go to Help > About Aurora, and click the Change link shown in the screenshot:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-78.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="375" height="191" />

You will then be taken to a channel selection screen with a dropdown and an explanation for each of the channels:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-79.jpg" alt="firefox nightly tester tools" width="374" height="262" />

I was able to join the Beta channel from this screen. I switched to “Beta” and clicked Apply and Update. Firefox then fetched a 17.2MB download and smoothly switched to the Beta channel:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-80.jpg" alt="firefox nightly update" width="384" height="184" />

This goes to show that even Mozilla might be slightly confused by its own release cycle. How come you can switch to Beta from within Aurora, but can’t download the Beta from the channels page, where it tells you it is “coming soon”?

Nightly Builds

If using Aurora feels a bit tame, you can kick things up a notch and start using the Nightly builds. To download the installer, go href="http://nightly.mozilla.org/">here and grab the installer for your platform. Note the decidedly less flashy interface here:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-82.jpg" alt="firefox nightly update" width="385" height="327" />

Once installed, the Firefox nightly build sets up a shortcut in your Start menu simply called “Nightly“. At the time of this writing, the nightly build was version 6.0a1:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/image-83.jpg" alt="firefox nightly" width="341" height="183" />

Note that even though this is a more advanced build than Aurora, it does not have a built-in channel switcher. It installs itself alongside Aurora/Beta and the stable version. This means you can be testing or using three different versions of Firefox at the same time, on the same computer.

Unlike Chrome, where you can href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained">have Canary and “regular” Chrome running at the same time, you can only have a single Firefox build running at any one time on your computer. So if you’ve got an open browsing session in Nightly and click the Aurora shortcut on your Start menu, you’ll simply get a new Firefox Nightly window. Confusing, I know.

A Word of Warning

For some strange reason, both the Nightly and Beta assume you want them to act as the default browser for your computer. That means that during the installation process, you’re going to have to consciously look for the “set as default” step and opt out of making an experimental, unstable browser your default browser. An interesting design choice by Mozilla, no doubt.

In Closing

Trying out new and experimental software builds isn’t always comfortable, and it sure can get confusing. But Mozilla is a true community effort, and if you believe in its core mission, this can be a nice way to participate and contribute towards making Firefox a faster, more stable browser.  Let us know in the comments if you use one of the test versions and how it works out for you. />
/>Need Assistance? Ask questions to MakeUseOf staff and thousands of other readers on href="http://www.makeuseof.dev/answers/" target="_blank" >MakeUseOf Answers!

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class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/intro1.jpg" alt="tablet pc consideration" width="200" height="108" />Back in January I wrote href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-buying-netbook/">an article about 5 things you might want to consider before href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/netbooks-buy-today-gadget-corner/">buying a netbook. The option of buying a shiny new tablet PC made it onto my list, although these devices come with their own list of advantages, compromises and considerations.

So in order to restore a bit of balance, here’s a brief shortlist of tablet PC considerations to consider before you take the plunge and break the bank. I’ve found myself pondering these five points for a good few months now…

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Which One?

You may or may not already have a model in mind. Maybe you’ve been to the Apple store and fallen in love with iOS. Maybe you’re firmly set up in camp Google and have your heart set on an Android whim?

Then again there’s Windows, probably the least favourable href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/operating-system/">operating system for use with touch controls. But don’t forget Bill’s OS will give you unparalleled software compatibility and Flash support out of the box. But if you’re leaning towards Windows wouldn’t a href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-killer-apps-to-maximize-your-netbooks-potential/">netbook be better?

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/galaxytab1.jpg" alt="tablet pc consideration" width="500" height="244" />

Android and Windows devices can vary greatly, so do your research and read as many reviews as possible before reaching for your wallet. I can’t speak for every Android or Windows tablet, but I know that Apple’s href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/tag/ipad/">iPad doesn’t support a user-replaceable battery and Apple charges $99 to replace the lithium polymer cell once it dies.

The only way to really tell if you and a new piece of kit are made for each other is by trying it out. Go to a shop and play with everything they have for a good half hour. If it suits, go home, go on the Internet and buy it cheaper (if you’re that way inclined).

Are They Too Touchy?

Generally speaking, tablet devices require a touch input to function. Granted, you might get one or two buttons on the front, maybe a volume rocker on the side but that’s about it.

“Gorilla arm” is the rather humorous name for the act of obscuring the screen you’re using with your arm, primarily due to the layout and touch nature of the device. This is always going to be an issue with touch input, so you’re going to have to live with it.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/brokenipad.jpg" alt="buying a tablet pc" width="500" height="265" />

On another note; if you’re particularly heavy handed or have a habit of breaking things then you’ll either want to reconsider or take out accidental damage cover when you buy. Once that lovely capacitive touch screen dies it’s pretty much game over.

Are You A Consumer?

By consumer in this instance I mean do you waste enough time on the Internet or is your online time usually put to better use?

As this latest generation of tablet devices has slowly matured, it has become fairly evident that tablet PCs are devices aimed more at consumption than production. The lack of a physical keyboard is fairly indicative of this.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/ipadgame.jpg" alt="buying a tablet pc" width="500" height="375" />

Instead you’re more likely to find this generation’s average tablet user href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/streaming-video/">streaming video, playing games, reading RSS feeds or eBooks – that sort of thing. Sure, Twitter and email won’t cause a sweat but I’d rather not have to produce a lengthy document using an onscreen keyboard – would you?

Do You Really Need One?

So you’ve got your iPhone to keep your thumbs in shape, your netbook for computing-on-the-go and your home PC answers to the call of duty when you finally get home at night. Where would a tablet fit into your digital lifestyle?

If you don’t already own one then maybe a netbook would be a wiser purchase. You’ll get more bang for your buck, a proper operating system and the reassuring touch of a physical keyboard. You can also easily href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/basic-parts-computer-upgrade-technology-explained/">upgrade RAM and replace a dud battery in a netbook, and you won’t need an external keyboard or iPad keyboard dock to get some work done.

Then again maybe you’ve recently been pining for the perfect couch-potato device and find yourself demanding a big touch screen to do some serious browsing….

Should I Wait?

Often a burning question when it comes to any serious hardware purchase – what will the next generation hold? Dual-core Android devices are  href="http://www.theandroidphone.com/dual-core-android-phones-in-2011-95851/">just landing resulting in faster, more capable (and pricier) tablets being produced.

style="text-align: center;"> class="alignnone size-full wp-image-65313" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/ASUS_EeePadSlider_2.jpg" alt="tablet pc consideration" width="500" height="345" />

One of those dual-core devices is the Asus Eee Pad Slider (above) which runs Android, has a hidden keyboard, promises 1080px video and proper Flash support.

It’s also not in Apple’s style to let the competition run away with the show, and timely releases are vital in order to keep up with competitors. At the moment of writing, rumours are circulating the Internet of the iPad 2 having already gone into production – time to decide whether you want a shiny new Apple product or the shiniest new Apple product when it finally surfaces.

Conclusion

Tablet PCs didn’t really work first time round. Very few consumers found a need for laptop-cum-tablet hybrids with big swivelling resistive touch screens. This time round tablets are back with vastly improved innards, capacitive touch technology and a distinct lack of keyboard.

This time round there’s still an unclear target market, partly due to the fact that you’re probably not going to get a whole lot of work done on a tablet. Instead they’re aimed at reading, watching, playing and browsing; making the tablet PC a very passive device indeed.

Would you buy a tablet? Do you own one? Is a netbook a better purchase? Have your say in the comments below.

Image Credits:  rel="nofollow" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/3bilder/5113921668/">Samsung Galaxy Tab, rel="nofollow" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/visualities/4645426651/in/photostream/">Broken iPad, rel="nofollow" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gorekun/4624210662/in/photostream/">iPad Game, rel="nofollow" href="http://ces2011.asus.com/photos/eee/eee-pad-slider/">Asus Eee Pad Slider, rel="nofollow" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/frostwire/5034231193/in/photostream/">Android Phone />
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class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/nabaztag-300x300.jpg" alt="cool devices" width="240" height="240" />Wireless devices have really made a mark on our daily lives, whether it be in the form of unresponsive keyboards that drop words every 2 seconds or AA-battery guzzling mice – but there is so much more fun to be had with WiFi than any of us realize.  Here I present the 2010 MUO Awards for the top cool wireless devices that you’ve probably never heard of.

Before we begin, you might want to check class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/is-your-wireless-network-safe/">if your wireless network is safe, and class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/people-hacking-wireless-networks-protect/">learn about how hackers might get into your wireless network, and class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-troubleshoot-weak-wireless-connections/">strengthen your weak wireless signals.

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Hilarious – Wifi Bathroom Scales ($150):

For those looking to track their weight – class="vt-p" href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/db64/">these awesome WiThings scales cut out the tedious and possibly error-prone step of having to manually enter your weight into your app – because they do it automatically over WiFi for you.

The scales record your weight, body mass and BMI, and integrate with the free (and password protected) website or iPhone app, as well as class="vt-p" href="http://www.google.com/health/">Google Health (so presumably you can now get targeted “lose weight now” ads delivered to your personal browsing experience!), or even Facebook if you are brave enough.

The cool device handles up to 8 family members, and cleverly (scarily) knows who you are without clumsy menu systems. This is the kind of simple tech we like, and it just works. Available from class="vt-p" href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/db64/">ThinkGeek.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/db64_wifi_enabled_bathroom_scale_inuse.jpg" alt="cool devices" width="400" height="300" />

Incredibly Geeky Beyond Belief – Dr Robot X80-H (~$3,500)

class="vt-p" href="http://www.drrobot.com/products_item.asp?itemNumber=X80-H">The Dr Robot X80-H is not just your garden variety robot, it’s an entire “wifi mobile development platform” – with a head, no less. Rather than settling for a lame pan-and-tilt camera, the latest revision of the X80-H has “five servo animatronic head with integrated IR sensor”.

Capable of an astounding 1 meter per second, it can also carry 10kg of weight – like, a baby from a burning building, or an axe, or something. The unit is of course fully programmable via all your favorite programming languages, and totally compatible with class="vt-p" href="http://www.microsoft.com/robotics/">Microsoft Robotics Studio, whatever that is.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/X80-H.jpg" alt="cool electronics" width="250" height="250" />

Creepy: The WifiRobin Autohacking Router ($120)

Creepy perhaps, but admittedly very clever. The class="vt-p" href="http://wifirobin.com">WifiRobin device is an innocent looking compact router, with a small LCD screen menu. Having chosen your target Wifi network, this sneaky little Chinese device sets to works “sniffering” packets, until it has enough to crack the password, at which it re-broadcasts the signal for you to use. Not only does it change the name of the network so that the original owners have no idea they are being leeched from, it also adds a higher level of security so that it itself cannot be hacked!

The device is currently limited to WEP only networks, as cracking WPA secured networks takes significantly more effort. If your Wifi is still secured by WEP, then take this as a big hint that you ought change your security to something more secure.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/WIFIROBIN_SM.jpg" alt="cool electronics" width="299" height="292" />

Genuinely Useful: FOSCAM Wifi Security Camera

As a British citizen, I’m quite used to being recorded by CCTV literally everywhere I go – heck, the newest generation of CCTV cameras even add the ability class="vt-p" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6524495.stm">to talk back to the public to tell them to pick up litter or stop loitering. So it is with no hesitation that I heartily recommend the same level of security for your home with this almost too-easy to install class="vt-p" href="http://foscam.com/Products_List.asp?id=128">Wifi security camera FOSCAM. Just bolt it on the front of your house and give it some power, and your security feed will be viewable anywhere in the world on the Internet, or class="vt-p" href="http://www.senstic.com/iphone/aircam/aircam.aspx">on your iPhone, so you can see your house being burgled live.

In fact, I’m thinking that one of these combined with an X80-H mounted water pistol would make an incredible autonomous home security system, or at least some rather funny YouTube videos.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/20103129412755547.jpg" alt="cool electronics" width="350" height="350" />

Quirky – Nobaztag (~$80)

class="vt-p" href="http://www.nabaztag.com/en/index.html">The Nobaztag is a curious little device, but one that might actually prove useful in a variety of niche situations – none of which I can imagine at this precise moment. This Wifi rabbit-thing has a host of features that nobody really needs, the most significant of which is reading out your emails and RSS feeds, and changing color or moving its ears according to the mood. Your friends can also send messages directly to you – a unique feature that no other device has yet been able to achieve *.

* excluding answerphones, computers, cell phones, and pagers.

Like all great things, class="vt-p" href="http://nabaztools.sourceforge.net/">it’s been hacked too. I can’t wait for someone to publish a directory of these things so some teenager can spam rude words to them!

As for the name – it’s Armenian for “rabbit”. Yes, sorry, I was expecting a rather more colorful story there, too.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/nabaztag1.jpg" alt="cool devices" width="406" height="307" />

Well, I certainly learned a lot over the course of this article, how about you? Hands up who knew Microsoft had an entire Robotics Development Environment, or that Google was secretly collecting health information about us all?

Do you have a favorite awesome wireless device you absolutely must tell the world about? Then tell us about them in the comments! />
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The basic POS systems you may see on a typical retail establishment consists of a cash register (with or without a built in cash drawer), monitor, receipt printers, and an input device. It can also be a touch screen monitors, programmable keyboards, or scanners and handheld devices for inputting data into the POS system.

Touch Screens: With its flexible user interfaces and programming, many restaurants prefer to use touch screens. With this type of POS hardware, an employee can easily set orders and cancel an order within a second. It can also reduce mistypes and accelerate ordering. Aside from that, touch screens are easier to position in any counter and even uses less electricity, although, they can be more prone to breakdowns.

Handheld devices: Restaurant PDAs are handheld devices, commonly wireless, that transmits data back to its base station. You can use the newer version, which is the write-on handhelds that allows you to write information such as the orders and directly sends the order to the kitchen! This type of device perfectly fit when up-selling customers of desserts or drinks. Your employee can either roam their tables or take orders from customers waiting in line.

POS keyboards: Most grocery and convenient stores prefer to use this type of POS hardware because it allows them to program individual keys for specific item codes and prices. A standard keyboard consists of 101-key, which can be seen with any computer. Other have built-in magnetic stripe readers for processing credit cards, others are small and flat, like what we usually see in fast food outlets.

Scanners: This useful piece of electronic device that reads bar codes, converts and inputs its details to a POS system computer. This device fastens transactions and provide accurate data on products or services being purchased by a customer. POS scanners connects through Y-connectors called wedges that make them function as an extension of the keyboard.

Volume of customers: For different volume of customers, using different types of scanners can be very helpful. If the line has several customers, your staff can easily use a CCD scanner or entry-level laser scanner. If the line is loaded with customers, then an  autosensing laser scanners would be better. This type of scanner  turns on when an item is placed in front of it, scans its code, and then turn off again. But if the counter line is overflowing with customers, then you’re staff could really use the help of an omnidirectional scanner, where it can scan a bar code from any angle with its 15 or 20 lasers simultaneously!

Other Restaurant Hardware To Consider

Cash drawers: Used to store cash, checks, gift certificates and other important papers. When buying a cash drawer, look for a sturdy construction of at least 18-gauge steel, don’t just buy one because your local supplier tells you that it’s the best or simply because it looks fancy. Go for the most reliable cash drawer since the usable life of cash drawers are measured, you also have to make surer that you can replace rollers, bearings, and other parts. A typical cash drawer opens only when it is signaled by the POS printer.

POS printers: Every retail business owner has them, every POS system needs one of course! A POS printer is needed for printing a receipt and create credit card slips. There are two types of POS printers, the dot matrix printer and the thermal printer. The dot matrix printer uses ribbons and regular paper to print. On the other hand, Thermal printers are slightly expensive than the dot matrix printers because they are more reliable, they have less moving parts, faster and quieter when printing.

Customer displays: A customer display or pole display lets your customers view the price of the item they’re about to purchase, and can sometimes be used to support advertising. Just make sure that your customer display has the right height and width to perfectly fit in to your counter table, as well as it’s compatibility with your POS software.

Check readers: If you don’t have one, I suggest getting one now. This device helps you be preventing check fraud by verifying essential account information, saving you tons of profit.

Magnetic stripe readers: A simple piece of POS hardware that is used to read credit cards. For added convenience, look for POS keyboards and touch screens that has a built-in magnetic strip reader, so you don’t have to buy a separate one.

Fingerprint readers: This type of POS equipment can be used to limit which staff can access a POS terminal. It is typically used by employees to log on to their designated stations.

Keep in mind when purchasing a restaurant POS system, hardawre or software, you have to make sure that you review their details first. It doesn’t matter how expensive or cheap a POS equipment is, consider the environment where you’re going to use it. Regular cleaning keeps your keyboards and touch screens in top shape, vacuuming dust and lubing your receipt printer can extend its life and maintaining an over all clean workstation can help protect your POS terminal from dust and spills. You can always request for a FREE POS system quote online where local vendors will provide you competitive price lists on any type of POS terminal your business needs.

Basic POS systems you can see on any restaurant and fast food chains are touch screen monitors, programmable keyboards, or scanners and handheld devices. Cash registers (with or without a built-in cash drawer), printers can be dot matrix or thermal, programmable keyboards can have covers for spill protection and scanners can be a CCD scanner or an autosending laser scanner.

Touch Screens: With its flexible user interfaces and programming, many restaruant owners prefer to use touch screens. With this type of POS hardware, an employee can easily input orders and cancel an order within a second. It can also reduce mistypes and fasten ordering. Aside from that, touch screens are easier to position in any counter and even uses less electricity, although, they can be more prone to breakdowns.

Handheld devices: These are restaurant handheld devices like PDAs, commonly wireless, that transmits data back to its base station. You can use the newer version, which is the write-on handhelds that allows you to write detail such as the orders and sends them directly to the kitchen! This type of device perfectly fit when up-selling customers of desserts or drinks. Your employee can either roam their tables or take orders from customers waiting in line.

POS keyboards: Most grocery stores prefer to use this type of POS systems, since they can program individual keys for specific item codes and prices. The standard POS keyboard is a  101-key, which you will find with any computer. Other have built-in magnetic stripe readers for processing credit cards, others are small and flat, like what we usually see in fast food outlets.

Scanners: A useful piece of electronic device that reads bar codes, convert it and inputs its details to a POS system computer. It speeds up sales transactions and accurately inputs a customer’s product or service details that is being purchased. It typically connects through Y-connectors called wedges that make them function as an extension of the keyboard.

Volume of customers: For different volume of customers, using different types of scanners can be very helpful. If your counter line holds several customers, your staff can easily use a CCD scanner or entry-level laser scanner. If the line is loaded with customers, then an  autosensing laser scanners would be better. This type of scanner  turns on when an item is placed in front of it, scans its code, and then turn off again. But if the counter line is overflowing with customers, then you’re staff could really use the help of an omnidirectional scanner, using its 15 or 20 lasers simultaneously, it can scan a bar code from any angle!

Additional Restaurant hardware to consider

Cash drawers: Where you store cash, credit card slips, gift certificates, and other imporatant things. When looking to buy for a POS cash register, look for sturdy construction of at least 18-gauge steel. And since the usable life of a cash drawer is measured, make sure you can replace rollers, bearings, and other parts, because most cash drawers opens when a signal is released from the receipt printer.

POS printers: Every retail store owner has them, every POS system needs one of course! POS printers are used to print receipts of customers and create credit card slips. The dot matrix printers, also known as impact printers, are inexpensive and uses ink ribbon to print on regular paper. While thermal printers use heat and special heat-sensitive paper to generate receipts. It is slightly expensive than a dot matrix printer because it prints receipts faster and more quieter. They are also more reliable because they have less moving parts.

Customer displays: A customer display or pole display lets your customers know the price of the item they’re purchasing and some support advertising. You also have to make sure that your customer display is of the right height and shape to fit in to your counter table, as well as it’s compatibility with your POS software.

Check readers: If you’re still thinking if you’re going to buy one, now would be the best time to say yes! This little device can help prevent fraud by verifying essential account information on cheks that are presented by your customers. It can save you money and eliminate flushing money down the drain because of fraud.

Magnetic stripe readers: A simple piece of restaurant hardware that is used to read credit cards. For added convenience, look for POS keyboards and touch screens that has a built-in magnetic strip reader, so you don’t have to buy a separate one.

Fingerprint readers: Mostly this type of hardware is used for employee login. But it is very helpful to limit which staff can access a POS terminal and prevent other staff from logging in inplace of somebody.

Always rememeber when purchasing a restaurant POS system, hardawre or software, you have to make sure that you review their details first. No matter how expensive or cheap a POS equipment is, consider the environment where you’re going to use it. Regular cleaning keeps your keyboards and touch screens in top shape, vacuuming dust and lubing your receipt printer can extend its life and maintaining an over all clean workstation can help protect your POS terminal from dust and spills. You can always request for a FREE POS system quote online where local suppliers will provide you competitive price lists on any type of POS terminal your business needs.

Any basic POS systems you may see on a typical retail establishment consists of a cash register with or without a built in cash drawer, monitor, receipt printers, and an input device. It can also be a touch screen monitors, programmable keyboards, or scanners and handheld devices for inputting data into the POS system.

Touch Screens: Many restaurants find touch screen monitors as more intuitive to use than keyboards, as it can reduce mistypes and can easily cancel inputted orders within a second, and because it provides flexible user interfaces and programming. Aside from that, touch screens are easier to position in any counter and even uses less electricity, although, they can be more prone to breakdowns.

Handheld devices: Restaurant harware devices like PDAs, which are commonly wireless devices that transmits data back to its base station and into the POS system. You can also use the newer version, which is the write-on handhelds that allows you to write information such as the orders and sends them directly to the kitchen! These types of handheld devices are perfect for your staff who interacts with your customers, when up-selling desserts and drinks roaming around table per table.

Keyboards: You’ll find that most grocery and convenient stores prefer to use this type of POS hardware because it allows them to program individual keys for specific item codes and prices. A standard keyboard consists of 101-key, which can be seen with any computer. Others are small and flat, which are common in fast food outlets. POS keyboards often has a built-in magnetic stripe readers for processing credit cards.

Scanners: This restaurant hardware reads bar codes and converts it before inputting it’s details to a POS system computer. This device speeds up transactions and provide accurate data on products or services being purchased by a customer. Scanners connects through Y-connectors called wedges that make them function as an extension of the keyboard.

Volume of customers: For different volume of customers, using different types of scanners can be very helpful. If the line has several customers, your staff can easily use a CCD scanner or entry-level laser scanner. If the line is loaded with customers, then an  autosensing laser scanners would be better. This type of scanner  turns on when an item is placed in front of it, scans its code, and then turn off again. But if the counter line is overflowing with customers, you could sure use the help of an omnidirectional scanner, where it can scan a bar code from any angle with its 15 or 20 lasers simultaneously!

Additional Restaurant POS

Cash drawers: Used to store cash, credit card slips, gift certificates and other important papers. When looking to buy a cash drawer, look for a sturdy construction of at least 18-gauge steel, don’t just buy one because your local vendor tells you that it’s the latest or simply because it looks fancy. Go for the most reliable cash drawer since the usable life of cash drawers are measured, you also have to make surer that you can replace rollers, bearings, and other parts. A typical cash drawer opens only when it is signaled by the POS printer.

POS printers: An addition to your restaurant POS system is a printer, every retail business needs one to complete a sales transaction. A POS printer is needed for printing a receipt and creating credit card slips. There are two types of POS printers, the dot matrix printer and the thermal printer. The dot matrix printer uses ribbons and regular paper to print. On the other hand, Thermal printers are slighly expensive than the dot matrix printers because they are more realiable, they have less moving parts, faster and quieter when printing.

Customer displays: A customer display or pole display lets your customers view the price of the item they’re about to purchase, and can sometimes be used to support advertising. Just make sure that your customer display has the right height and width to perfectly fit in to your counter table, as well as it’s compatibility with your POS software.

Check readers: If you’re still thinking if you’re going to buy one, now would be the best time to say yes! This little device can help prevent fraud by verifying essential account information on cheks that are presented by your customers. It can save you money and eliminate flushing money down the drain because of fraud.

Magnetic stripe readers: This piece of restaurant hardware is used to read credit cards. You can also purchase keyboards and touch screens has a built-in magnetic strip readers for convenience.

Fingerprint ID readers: If you want to limit which POS terminal can a staff use, then this type of restaurant hardware can be handy. You can also use this for employee logins thus preventing any of your employees from logging in inplace of somebody.

Always rememeber when purchasing a restaurant POS system, hardawre or software, you have to make sure that you review their details first. No matter how expensive or cheap a POS equipment is, consider the environment where you’re going to use it. Regular cleaning keeps your keyboards and touch screens in top shape, vacuuming dust and lubing your receipt printer can extend its life and maintaining an over all clean workstation can help protect your POS terminal from dust and spills. You can always request for a FREE POS system quote online where local suppliers will offer you competitive price lists of any restaurant hardware and software you need based on the the information you provide them. So you would never have to waste money buying the wrong POS systems.