Curious about Ubuntu, but not sure where to start? Start here – “Ubuntu: An Absolute Beginner’s Guide“, by author Courtney Loo, is the latest free guide from MakeUseOf and will teach you everything you need to know about Ubuntu in easy-to-understand language.

Ubuntu is a free/libre, open-source computer operating system with 20 million users worldwide. But it’s also so much more than that: it is an ethos, a collaborative project and, first and foremost, Ubuntu is a community of people.

If you’re reading this guide, you’re probably interested in moving away from proprietary operating systems such as Windows and Mac OS X; perhaps you’ve already installed Ubuntu on your computer but are not sure where to start.

Migrating to a new operating system can be daunting, especially when faced with unfamiliar words like ‘FLOSS’, ‘command line interface’ and ‘kernel’. Many people are intimidated by the technical jargon of a non-commercial operating system and believe it’s too advanced for them. Well, that is simply not true. Ubuntu is easy to install and simple to use. Best of all: it’s completely FREE!

DOWNLOAD Ubuntu: An Absolute Beginner’s Guide

The guide is free but password-protected. Gain access to the password by:

1- subscribing to our newsletter (you may do this on the download page itself, link above). Existing subscribers will receive the guide via email in the next couple of hours.

OR

2 – Simply join our Facebook page. Quick and easy.

This complete, free guide will teach you:

• What Ubuntu is, in every sense of the word
• What makes Ubuntu free, as in freedom
• How Ubuntu and Linux are related
• How to install Ubuntu for absolute beginners
• Where to find free support for Ubuntu questions
• How to use the Unity interface
• How to find software in Ubuntu, and which software to use

DOWNLOAD Ubuntu: An Absolute Beginner’s Guide

The guide is free but password-protected. Gain access to the password by:

1- subscribing to our newsletter (you may do this on the download page itself, link above). Existing subscribers will receive the guide via email in the next couple of hours.

OR

2 – Simply join our Facebook page. Quick and easy.

View full post on MakeUseOf

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/google-redirect-virus-intro.jpg?323f2c" alt="" />Are all of your Google search results redirecting to weird, obnoxious, or otherwise shady websites? If so, your computer may be infected by a form of the Google Redirect Virus (GRV). While the virus can be problematic, it is possible to remove it completely off your system.

Unlike most cases of malware, this virus embeds itself deeper into your system and requires more than a simple malware scan. However, even though the removal process is more involved, someone who is computer illiterate will still be able to perform it, so if you’re not very tech-savvy, fear not!

What Is The Google Redirect Virus?

The main symptom of the GRV is that clicking on a Google search result link will take you to another unrelated website. It doesn’t matter which search link you click and it doesn’t matter which browser you use for searching. How can you get it? Unfortunately, it’s not very difficult. If you accidentally (or even purposely) visit a malicious or infected website, and if you don’t have the necessary anti-virus protection on your computer, you can get it.

Technically, the GRV is not really a virus at all – it’s a trojan – and despite the name, Google has nothing to do with the problem. It’s not a problem with Google’s website, search engine, or anything else. The problem is local to your computer and it will affect all of the main browsers that you have installed, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, and Chrome.

Why Is The Google Redirect Virus So Frustrating?

For many people, the GRV is one of the most annoying and infuriating computer infections to deal with. Not only does it interrupt your normal search sessions, it makes it incredibly difficult to find a solution – because you can’t search for one. At best, you’ll spend inordinate amounts of time pressing the “Back” button to negate the website redirects. At worst, your productivity will plummet and you’ll stop wanting to even use your computer at all.

To add to the frustration, the GRV is difficult to remove. It is a variation of the TDSS rootkit, which piggybacks on top of a system driver. Since the system driver is innocent in the eyes of malware detection programs, the GRV is not flagged as malevolent and, therefore, not removed.

The GRV is an objectively small inconvenience, but it can wear you down and ruin your mood rather quickly. Luckily, there are tools and programs to aid in the process of removing the Google redirect virus.

Remove Google Redirect Virus – Using TDSSKiller

Follow these steps to get rid of the Google Redirect Virus once and for all.

Download href="http://support.kaspersky.com/downloads/utils/tdsskiller.zip">TDSSKiller. Download the TDSSKiller.zip file to your Desktop and extract the files using an extraction program. href="http://www.win-rar.com/download.html">WinRAR is popular, as is href="http://www.7-zip.org/">7-Zip. After extracting, you should see a TDSSKiller.exe file.

• If you are unable to download the file, then the TDSS rootkit on your system may be blocking the connection. In this case, you’ll need to download the file using another computer and transfer it to your own computer.

Run the TDSSKiller.exe. Double click on the TDSSKiller.exe file to run it. The program will initialize and then present you with the ability to scan your computer for problems.

• If nothing happens when you double click the file, you’ll need to rename it. Right click on the file and select Rename, then rename the file to 12345.com. Take note that the .com extension is very important – it is how you can bypass the TDSS block.
• If TDSSKiller still won’t run, you may need to scroll down and use FixTDSS instead.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tdsskiller-screenshot-1.jpg?323f2c" alt="" width="490" height="450" />

Scan your system. Click on Start Scan to start the scan. TDSSKiller will search your system for related problems and report back to you if it finds anything. If TDSSKiller happens to not find anything, you may need to scroll down and use FixTDSS instead.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tdsskiller-screenshot-2.jpg?323f2c" alt="" width="490" height="450" />

Cure the problems. If TDSSKiller does find any problems, choose to Cure as many of them as you can – all of them would be best. If you can’t cure some of them, leave it on the default Skip option.

• Only use the Cure or Skip options. Avoid the Delete and Quarantine options because using them on critical system files may cripple your computer and render it inoperable.

Reboot your computer. To complete the removal of the TDSS rootkit, you will be required to reboot. Do so when prompted.

Remove Google Redirect Virus — Using FixTDSS

These steps are only necessary if TDSSKiller failed to clean up your system.

Download href="http://www.symantec.com/content/en/us/global/removal_tool/threat_writeups/FixTDSS.exe">FixTDSS. Download the FixTDSS.exe file to your Desktop.

Run the FixTDSS.exe. Double click the FixTDSS.exe file to run it. After the program initializes, click on the Proceed button to start the scan. The program will look for potential problems and fix them if necessary.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/fixtdss-screenshot-1.jpg?323f2c" alt="" width="471" height="126" />

Reboot your computer. To complete the removal of the TDSS rootkit, you will be required to reboot. Do so when prompted. After your computer boots back up, you will see the results of FixTDSS’s findings.

Conclusion

At this point, the TDSS rootkit should be successfully eliminated from your system. You can check if the infection is gone by searching on Google and clicking on any search result link. If you aren’t redirected to another website, the infection is gone.

In the future, you can help prevent infections on your system by utilizing href="../tag/ten-best-antivirus-programs/">free anti-virus software. Compound that with href="../tag/protect-pc-antivirus-software/">safe computer habits and you will drastically reduce your likelihood of catching another virus.

If you are the victim of the Google Redirect Virus, try these tools out and let us know in the comments if they helped or not.

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href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/fake-speeding-tickets-harass-yorkers-email-news/" rel="bookmark"> width="125" height="125" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/speedticketthumb1-150x150.jpg?323f2c" class="with-border wp-post-image" alt="speedticketthumb1" title="speedticketthumb1" style="width:125px;height:125px;" /> class="title">Fake Speeding Tickets Harass New Yorkers Via Email [News]

View full post on MakeUseOf

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/featured-podcasting.png" alt="make your own podcast" />I recently had the opportunity to become part of a href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/podcast">podcast which I’m sure you’ll hear about soon enough – and it’s all fairly new ground for me. As the only one with enough bandwidth to host, and clearly the most experienced of the group in WordPress ninja-ship, I also took it upon myself to setup the necessary protocols that make an actual podcast, as opposed to being just audio files posted on a blog.

Thankfully, there’s a fantastic, free plugin for WordPress that handles the difficult bits, and I was able to get the show on the road within an hour of buying a domain.

What Is A Podcast, Technically Speaking?

A podcast is a special extended form of RSS, or href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/rss-feeds-work-simple-terms-technology-explained/">really simple syndication. Regular RSS just provides HTML content, as well as some additional meta-data such as preview image, a title, a date etc. A podcast feed on the other hand also includes links to the audio/video files in a way that special podcast clients – such as href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/itunes/">iTunes – can understand.

When a podcast feed is updated, the client will prompt you or automatically download the associated media. iTunes also specifies some additional meta-data fields such as description, which it uses to populate the information in the iTunes podcast directory.

Hosting

First off, you need to think separately about the title="The Various Forms Of Website Hosting Explained [Technology Explained]" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/website-hosting-technology-explained/">hosting of the actual podcast media files – typically anywhere from 5MB (10 minutes of audio) to 500MB (video) – to the hosting of the podcast feed.

Today I’ll only be discussing self-hosting both the files themselves and the website used to make the podcast feed, but if you have a particular bandwidth-limited webhost then you may need to consider placing your files on a low-cost host such as title="4 Great Uses For Amazon’s S3 Web Services" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-great-amazons-s3-web-services/">Amazon s3. Either will function the same, but you will need to consider this beforehand. While the bandwidth required to access the feed will be no more than a regular blog, the bandwidth needed for 1,000 people downloading your 100MB podcast every week can rapidly escalate.

An alternative solution is to use a low-cost feed/file host combination, such as href="http://www.libsyn.com">libsyn. The problem with using a hosted service is the same as using a hosted blogging service – if you become popular and need to migrate to your own domain, things can become difficult and you may end up losing listeners in the process.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/libsyn.png" alt="make your own podcast" width="580" height="384" />

On the other hand, many all-in-one hosted solutions offer access to their automated advertising insertion systems. I can’t testify as to the profitability of these, but I assume it’s much the same rules as Adsense – the more downloads you get, the more money you can make. In my opinion, monetization should never be your primary goal on any web project – start off making great content, and only consider monetization once you’ve gained traction.

To clarify a common misconception – the iTunes store will not host your podcast for you, nor will they set up any of the necessary meta-data needed in your feed. This is entirely your responsibility to set up. For podcasts, the iTunes store functions in a similar fashion to a link directory. With the feed correctly set up, you submit the address, and wait for approval. That’s it. You need to provide the file hosting, and the podcast feed hosting.

Using WordPress & Podpress

So assuming you’re going to host your own files on either your own web server or Amazon s3, the next step is to set up a website or front-end to manage the podcast feed, again on your own server, for which we’ll be using the world’s best CMS – href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/wordpress">WordPress. I strongly suggest you get your own specific domain for the podcast too – we got ours for $6 with a coupon at GoDaddy – and that’ll save a world of hassle later on.

A standard WordPress installation won’t do podcasting out of the box, and for this we’ll install a plugin called href="http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/podpress/">podPress - search for it from the Add Plugin menu option within WordPress.

Basic iTunes meta-data is automatically added to your site feed now. Go to the podPress->Feed/iTunes Settings to customise this with your own:

• summary
• preview image (this is what people will see in the store)
• owner
• subtitle
• keywords
• explicit tag

You’re also able to set up additional feeds, but I won’t go into detail with them here as the setup is significantly more complicated. These can be used if you plan on releasing different formats – for example, keeping the main feed as a plain MP3, or also providing a video feed.

Adding Your First Podcast

Releasing a new episode is basically as simple as creating a new post and associating the relevant media file. You can’t actually upload the podcast on most hosts, due to the upload file size limit which is usually about 2MB. You’ll need to open an FTP connection, create a folder for your podcasts, and enter the URL manually on the post screen in the new podPress section.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/podpress-media-new-post.png" alt="how to create your own podcast" width="580" height="313" />

Anything else you write in the post content area will become the “show notes” and description for iTunes.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/description.png" alt="how to create your own podcast" width="580" height="69" />

Submitting To The iTunes Store

Before you submit, make sure you’ve changed all the defaults from the podPress settings screen, and be sure to have a feed image set, as well as accurately marking if the feed is explicit or not.

You’ll need an iTunes account to submit the podcast. Just navigate to the iTunes Store -> Podcasts section from iTunes, and click Submit a Podcast in the top right. Paste in the feed address of your blog, and step through the wizard. There’s a 2-3 day wait time to be approved, and after that the feed will update daily (so you may not see your new episode immediately in the iTunes directory).

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/submit.png" alt="make your own podcast" width="272" height="253" />

I understand Dave is in the process of writing a full guide on the topic of podcasting, so if you’re unsure of the process or you don’t to host it yourself, wait for that in a few months. Comments welcome, or questions if you’re having problems as I’ll try to help as best as I can. If you need more help on blogging in general with WordPress, may I suggest href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/set-up-your-blog-with-wordpress-the-ultimate-guide">my own fantastic free guide.

View full post on MakeUseOf

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/iOS5-300.jpg" alt="ios operating system" />Learn all about iOS 5, the latest operating system for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. If you’ve upgraded but aren’t sure what’s new, or are considering upgrading but want to know what you’re getting into, this manual from Lachlan Roy is what you looking for: “Using iOS: Your Guide to the Latest and Greatest Mobile Operating System.”

When Apple released the iPhone back in 2007, it was different to anything else on the market. It wasn’t the first touchscreen phone, but it was the first one to be so pretty. But as gorgeous as the hardware was, that wasn’t what made the iPhone so great, or what shook the cellphone industry. It was the software which made the iPhone what it was.

Now iOS 5 has been released, providing updates, tweaks and brand new features to make the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad even better and easier to use than before. Want to know what it brings to the table? Download this manual to find out.

style="text-align: center;"> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/using-ios-your-guide-to-the-latest-and-greatest-mobile-operating-system">DOWNLOAD Using iOS: Your Guide to the Latest and Greatest Mobile Operating System

style="text-align: center;">The guide is free but password-protected. Gain access to the guide by:

style="text-align: center;">1- subscribing to our newsletter (you may do this on the download page itself, link above). Existing subscribers will receive the password via email in the next couple of hours.

style="text-align: center;">OR

style="text-align: center;">2. Simply share the guide on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ on the download page. Quick and easy.

 

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/iOS5-3page.jpg" alt="ios operating system" width="580" height="270" />

Download this free MakeUseOf guide to learn:

• What iOS 5 is, and which devices you can use it on.
• New features in iOS 5, from reminders to Twitter integration.
• Mastering the new, Android-style dashboard.
• Using the new messaging to send texts for free over WiFi, even from an iPod touch.
• Device-specific features, such as Siri.
• iCloud: what it is and what it does.

style="text-align: center;"> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/using-ios-your-guide-to-the-latest-and-greatest-mobile-operating-system">DOWNLOAD Using iOS: Your Guide to the Latest and Greatest Mobile Operating System

style="text-align: center;">The guide is free but password-protected. Gain access to the guide by:

style="text-align: center;">1- subscribing to our newsletter (you may do this on the download page itself, link above). Existing subscribers will receive the password via email in the next couple of hours.

style="text-align: center;">OR

style="text-align: center;">2. Simply share the guide on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ on the download page. Quick and easy.

View full post on MakeUseOf

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Android-300.jpg" alt="" />Learn everything you need to learn about Android, for free! “These Are The Droids You’re Looking For: An Android Guide” by Matt Smith, is the latest free manual from MakeUseOf.com. Outlining the ins and outs of Android, this guide covers everything from basic usage to rooting your phone, and is a must-have if you use Google’s smartphone OS.

Android is among the most influential operating systems crafted this century. Along with iOS, it has paved the way for mobile devices that offer an unprecedented level of functionality. Currently Android is the most common mobile operating system — and there’s no sign that its popularity will wane anytime soon.

Already own an Android device? This guide will help you become acquainted with it, and teach you tricks that can make it even better than it already is. Thinking of buying an Android device? This guide can help you with your decision, by showing you what Android can do.

style="text-align: center;"> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/download-these-are-the-droids-youre-looking-for-an-android-guide">DOWNLOAD These Are The Droids You’re Looking For: An Android Guide

style="text-align: center;">The guide is free but password-protected. Gain access to the password by:

style="text-align: center;">1- subscribing to our newsletter (you may do this on the download page itself, link above). Existing subscribers will receive the guide via email in the next couple of hours.

style="text-align: center;">OR

style="text-align: center;">2 – Simply href="http://www.facebook.com/makeuseof?sk=app_112097515539177">join our Facebook page. Quick and easy.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/android-3page.png" alt="" width="580" height="270" />

This amazing manual will teach you:

• Android’s history, from 2003 to now.
• Find out what Android version you’re running.
• Customizing the Android launcher.
• Enjoying music and videos on your phone.
• Exploring the Android Marketplace.
• How and why you should root your phone.
• Securing your Android phone.

style="text-align: center;"> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/download-these-are-the-droids-youre-looking-for-an-android-guide">DOWNLOAD These Are The Droids You’re Looking For: An Android Guide

style="text-align: center;">The guide is free but password-protected. Gain access to the password by:

style="text-align: center;">1- subscribing to our newsletter (you may do this on the download page itself, link above). Existing subscribers will receive the guide via email in the next couple of hours.

style="text-align: center;">OR

style="text-align: center;">2 – Simply href="http://www.facebook.com/makeuseof?sk=app_112097515539177">join our Facebook page. Quick and easy.

View full post on MakeUseOf

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Android-300.jpg" alt="" />Learn everything you need to learn about Android, for free! “These Are The Droids You’re Looking For: An Android Guide” by Matt Smith, is the latest free manual from MakeUseOf.com. Outlining the ins and outs of Android, this guide covers everything from basic usage to rooting your phone, and is a must-have if you use Google’s smartphone OS.

Android is among the most influential operating systems crafted this century. Along with iOS, it has paved the way for mobile devices that offer an unprecedented level of functionality. Currently Android is the most common mobile operating system — and there’s no sign that its popularity will wane anytime soon.

Already own an Android device? This guide will help you become acquainted with it, and teach you tricks that can make it even better than it already is. Thinking of buying an Android device? This guide can help you with your decision, by showing you what Android can do.

style="text-align: center;"> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/download-these-are-the-droids-youre-looking-for-an-android-guide">DOWNLOAD These Are The Droids You’re Looking For: An Android Guide

style="text-align: center;">The guide is free but password-protected. Gain access to the password by:

style="text-align: center;">1- subscribing to our newsletter (you may do this on the download page itself, link above). Existing subscribers will receive the guide via email in the next couple of hours.

style="text-align: center;">OR

style="text-align: center;">2 – Simply href="http://www.facebook.com/makeuseof?sk=app_112097515539177">join our Facebook page. Quick and easy.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/android-3page.png" alt="" width="580" height="270" />

This amazing manual will teach you:

• Android’s history, from 2003 to now.
• Find out what Android version you’re running.
• Customizing the Android launcher.
• Enjoying music and videos on your phone.
• Exploring the Android Marketplace.
• How and why you should root your phone.
• Securing your Android phone.

style="text-align: center;"> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/download-these-are-the-droids-youre-looking-for-an-android-guide">DOWNLOAD These Are The Droids You’re Looking For: An Android Guide

style="text-align: center;">The guide is free but password-protected. Gain access to the password by:

style="text-align: center;">1- subscribing to our newsletter (you may do this on the download page itself, link above). Existing subscribers will receive the guide via email in the next couple of hours.

style="text-align: center;">OR

style="text-align: center;">2 – Simply href="http://www.facebook.com/makeuseof?sk=app_112097515539177">join our Facebook page. Quick and easy.

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/intro10.jpg" alt="hp touchpad overclock" />Last time I showed you href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/hp-touchpad-setup-guide-part-1-speed-tablet-preware-homebrew-patches-webos/">how to speed up your newly acquired firesale HP TouchPad with a number of patches and tweaks. There’s no denying that the performance increase is noticeable (especially compared to stock 3.0 firmware) but the device still seems to lag and stutter at points.

If you’re still disappointed with performance and are looking to turbo-charge your TouchPad, then a 1.5GHz speed bump might just do the trick. Be warned that this might just void your warranty should things go wrong, but with software like WebOS Doctor on your side the process is fairly safe and above all easy. It is also possible to remove your modified kernel and restore to Palm defaults with just a few taps.

Warranty, Preware & Patches

Before we begin, make sure you have installed Preware, enabled Developer Mode and installed the patches I mentioned in href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/hp-touchpad-setup-guide-part-1-speed-tablet-preware-homebrew-patches-webos">my last article. You’ll be needing Preware in order to download and install the new kernel and governor application, Developer Mode, to alter the TouchPad’s existing kernel and the patches go a long way in the pursuit of a speedy tablet.

It must be said that HP is unlikely to bat an eyelid should you return a TouchPad that has been “bricked” due to an unclean reboot caused by messing with the kernel. Similarly, they won’t repair a unit damaged directly as a result of an overclock.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/touchpad.jpg" alt="hp touchpad overclock" width="580" height="435" />

That said, the 1.5GHz bump is a fairly safe procedure which does not increase the processor’s voltage demands nor does it have a massive impact on battery life. It’s early days at the moment, and many are reporting around a 10% decrease in battery life, with the highest I’ve seen quoted at 20%. Similarly, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-laptop-computer-temperature-monitor-apps-save-hard-drive/">operating temperatures aren’t that much higher either.

UberKernel & Experimental Alternatives

At present the only stable kernel that currently supports overclocking is called the UberKernel. There are plenty of others available, but these still reside in Preware’s testing feeds, unlike UberKernel which has been deemed fit for public consumption.

It is for this reason that we’re using UberKernel here. If you are interested in trying out some of the more experimental overclocks, with speeds of up to 1.9GHz available (though stability goes out of the window) then check out href="http://www.webos-internals.org/wiki/Application:PsychoKernel">PsychoKernel at WebOS-Internals. As stability increases with each alpha version, features are implemented into the public UberKernel release – so it’s probably worth sticking to the public release unless you’re ready to href="http://www.webos-internals.org/wiki/Testing_Feeds">play by the testing rules.

Install UberKernel & Govnah

Open up Preware and choose Available Packages followed by Kernels then All. At the time of writing only two are available – Palm Kernel (the default “recovery” kernel) and UberKernel.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/uberkerneldocs.jpg" alt="hp touchpad setup" width="580" height="435" />

Choose UberKernel, read the disclaimer then hit Install. The process should take around 10 minutes maximum, and once installed you will be prompted to restart your device (which you should do).

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/restartdevice.jpg" alt="hp touchpad setup" width="580" height="435" />

If all went well, your TouchPad started up as you’d normally expect it to (with an initial splash of information on boot from UberKernel). At present, your TouchPad is not overclocked – UberKernel simply allows for this. To increase href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/cpu-technology-explained/">your CPU frequency you’ll need a governor application, like Govnah.

Back to Preware and hit the magnifying glass (search) icon in the top right. Type “Govnah” (without quotes) and tap on the only result. Once you’ve read the app description, hit Install.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/installgovnah.jpg" alt="hp touchpad setup" width="580" height="435" />

Exit Preware and open your app launcher. Navigate to Downloads and choose Govnah. Read and heed the text before tapping through to the main interface. Govnah should currently look like this:

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/preoverclock.jpg" alt="" width="580" height="435" />

To overclock, simply tap Profile then choose OnDemandTcl 1512. You will be returned to the Govnah home screen, where you can watch your CPU clock itself up to 1.5GHz. Congratulations, you’re overclocked – exit Govnah and try out your faster tablet.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/overclocked.jpg" alt="hp touchpad overclock" width="580" height="435" />

You can of course create your own profiles where you specify the clock speed, though beware it is possible that you’ll encounter issues. To uninstall, simply select UberKernel in Preware from your Installed Packages list and uninstall then reboot. Easy!

The Doctor Will See You Now

If something went wrong, then all might not be lost. WebOS Doctor is program designed to restore your WebOS device back to an original firmware image. There is a lengthy guide on WebOS-Internals about restoring a device and solutions to a number of problems you might encounter.

Download: href="http://ws.hpwebos.com/webosdoctor/sorry.htm">WebOS Doctor (Windows XP, Vista, 7 & Mac OS X 10.5+) /> Documentation: href="http://www.webos-internals.org/wiki/How_To_Recover">Restoring A Device (WebOS Internals), href="http://kb.hpwebos.com/wps/portal/kb2/common/article/44768_en.html">Palm WebOS Doctor FAQ (HP/Palm)

Conclusion

After spending a day or two overclocked, I can say the difference is noticeable. Loading times for apps such as email and photos are much improved, as is scrolling through emails or sliding panes around in Facebook. The browsing experience is perkier too – and I haven’t really noticed href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-ways-improve-battery-life-tablet/">an impact on battery life.

Let us know if you’ve noticed much of a speed boost from your TouchPad. Did you patch it up or go the whole hog and overclock? Do you like WebOS? Do you think HP will continue to provide updates or sell the OS? This is a hot topic right now, so leave your comment below.

View full post on MakeUseOf

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/malware-300.png" alt="" />Think your Windows computer might be infected? Clean it up yourself with a variety of free tools, using “Operation Cleanup: Complete Malware Removal Guide”, the latest free PDF manual from MakeUseOf.com. Written by Brian Meyer of href="http://yourrealsecurity.com">YourRealSecurity, this guide outlines not only how to remove a virus from your computer but also how to clean up the mess they leave behind.

This guide will help you clean your computer of malware. If you think your computer is infected with a virus or some other malicious software, you may want to use this guide. It contains instructions that, if done correctly and in order, will remove most malware infections on a Windows operating system. It highlights the tools and resources that are necessary to clean your system. Malware is a general term for any malicious software, including viruses, trojans, rootkits, spyware and adware.

Don’t panic; clean up your system today with this free guide.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/malware-3page.png" alt="" width="580" height="270" />

style="text-align: center;"> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/download-operation-cleanup-complete-malware-removal-guide">DOWNLOAD Operation Cleanup: Complete Malware Removal Guide />(the download password: makeuseof)

Don’t forget to share the guide with friends!

This free download will teach you:

• How to get back online after a nasty infection.
• Removing malware using a variety of free tools.
• Which free, portable virus scanners will work when Windows won’t start.
• Cleaning up your system after you remove viruses.
• Fixing a hijacked browser.
• Un-hiding your files, quick launch and menu.
• Where to find help online when all else fails.

style="text-align: center;"> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/download-operation-cleanup-complete-malware-removal-guide">DOWNLOAD Operation Cleanup: Complete Malware Removal Guide />(the download password: makeuseof)

Help us spread the word by sharing this guide with friends!

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/download-operation-cleanup-complete-malware-removal-guide/">DOWNLOAD Operation Cleanup: Complete Malware Removal Guide is a post from: href="http://www.makeuseof.com">MakeUseOf

View full post on MakeUseOf

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/malware-300.png" alt="" />Think your Windows computer might be infected? Clean it up yourself with a variety of free tools, using “Operation Cleanup: Complete Malware Removal Guide”, the latest free PDF manual from MakeUseOf.com. Written by Brian Meyer of href="http://yourrealsecurity.com">YourRealSecurity, this guide outlines not only how to remove a virus from your computer but also how to clean up the mess they leave behind.

This guide will help you clean your computer of malware. If you think your computer is infected with a virus or some other malicious software, you may want to use this guide. It contains instructions that, if done correctly and in order, will remove most malware infections on a Windows operating system. It highlights the tools and resources that are necessary to clean your system. Malware is a general term for any malicious software, including viruses, trojans, rootkits, spyware and adware.

Don’t panic; clean up your system today with this free guide.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/malware-3page.png" alt="" width="580" height="270" />

style="text-align: center;"> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/download-operation-cleanup-complete-malware-removal-guide">DOWNLOAD Operation Cleanup: Complete Malware Removal Guide />(the download password: makeuseof)

Don’t forget to share the guide with friends!

This free download will teach you:

• How to get back online after a nasty infection.
• Removing malware using a variety of free tools.
• Which free, portable virus scanners will work when Windows won’t start.
• Cleaning up your system after you remove viruses.
• Fixing a hijacked browser.
• Un-hiding your files, quick launch and menu.
• Where to find help online when all else fails.

style="text-align: center;"> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/download-operation-cleanup-complete-malware-removal-guide">DOWNLOAD Operation Cleanup: Complete Malware Removal Guide />(the download password: makeuseof)

Help us spread the word by sharing this guide with friends!

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/download-operation-cleanup-complete-malware-removal-guide/">DOWNLOAD Operation Cleanup: Complete Malware Removal Guide is a post from: href="http://www.makeuseof.com">MakeUseOf

View full post on MakeUseOf

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/androidversionthumb.jpg?54167" alt="" />If someone tells you they’re running Android, they’re not saying as much as you’d think. Unlike the major computer operating systems, Android is a broad OS that covers numerous versions and platforms.

Understanding the constellation of options can be a bit overwhelming, but that doesn’t have to be the case. If you’d like a quick-and-easy way to make sense of Android’s many builds, as well as how to update to the latest, read on.

Fragmentation Station

Although Google’s mobile operating system has been successful, it has been plagued by a singular but severe problem. That’s fragmentation – the tendency of Android to fragment into numerous different versions.

This is why retailers and carriers often market devices based on the version of Android they carry. The latest build for smartphones has been out for months, but isn’t available on many phones sold in stores. Then you have tablets, which are a different situation entirely.

Let’s quickly run through the Android builds sold on the market today.

Android 1.x

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/androidversion1.jpg?54167" alt="" width="570" height="401" />

Android 1.0 was release on September 23rd, 2008 on the HTC Dream (known as the G1 in the US). It’s long gone, but there are still some devices sold that use Android 1.6. These are generally budget tablets or inexpensive smartphones like the class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.com/LG-GT540-Optimus-Unlocked-Warranty/dp/B004XIE68W/ref=sr_1_16?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1310594340&sr=1-16">LG GT540 Optimus. This build is significantly out of date. While it includes Androids basics, like the Marketplace and and Widgets, it lacks support for many camera features, lacks Adobe Flash or class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/tag/html5/">HTML5 support, and lacks support for newer versions of class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/oldersibling-bluetooth-location-tracking/">Bluetooth.

Avoiding Android 1.6 devices is wise. It can be tempting to save money on a smartphone or tablet by going for a product running this older version of Android, but in the long run it’s not worth the savings.

Android 2.x

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/androidversion2.jpg?54167" alt="" width="356" height="292" />

This is the latest line of updates for Android smartphones, with the newest build being Android 2.3. Most smartphones sold today run Android 2.2 or 2.3.

Although 2.0/2.1 is an improvement over the 1.x builds, you’ll definitely want to buy something with 2.2 or higher. Why? Because that’s when support for Adobe Flash was added, and it’s also when WiFi hotspot functionality was added. In addition, the latest class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/android-market-marketplace-for-android-apps/">Android Marketplace revision requires Android 2.2 or better.

Android 2.3 is the latest edition, and it includes some nifty extras like native class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/tag/voip/">VoIP support and a new download manager. Although not an essential feature, buying a smartphone with the latest build certainly won’t hurt.

Android 3.x

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/androidversion3.jpg?54167" alt="" width="570" height="410" />

Also widely known by the code-name Honeycomb, this version of Android is available only for tablets and will likely never be released on smartphones. If you are purchasing a tablet, this is the version of Android you want. Accept no substitutes!

The interface of Honeycomb is much different from other versions of Android, and major elements like the keyboard, notifications system and web browser have been redesigned to take advantage of the larger displays found on tablets.

Android 3.1 is the latest build, but it’s not a major update. It adds support for peripherals like external keyboards and gamepads and makes some minor changes to the UI.

Updating Your Android Device

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/androidversion4.jpg?54167" alt="" width="254" height="361" />

With the information above you’ll be better equipped to buy a new Android device, but what if you already have one and want to update it to the latest version?

Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as downloading a file and installing a patch. New versions of Android are distributed to smartphones on a device-by-device basis. In other words, the release of Android 2.3 is not something a user downloads directly from Google. Instead the update, if it is available for your Android, would be delivered when you run Software Update through the Settings menu.

With that said, you may be able to update to a newer version of Android without official support by class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/root-android-phone-superoneclick-2/">rooting your phone and installing a ROM based off a newer version. The process of doing this can be laborious and is generally different for each device, so it’s wise to check out the class="vt-p" href="http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?s=1df342b1293f813f7947cd25bcd02041&f=565">XDA Developers forum and look for information about your device.

Conclusion

Personally, I think that Google should do a better job of reducing fragmentation in the future. The wide variety of Android builds running wild is out of control. At the very least, it could provide an official guide for users who need to know information about the version of Android their device is running and what that means. I’m not holding my breath – but a geek can always hope.  What do you think?

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/quick-guide-android-versions-updates-android/">A Quick Guide To Android Versions & Updates [Android] is a post from: href="http://www.makeuseof.com">MakeUseOf

More articles about: href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/google-android/" title="google android" rel="tag">google android, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/mobile-os/" title="mobile os" rel="tag">mobile os, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/update/" title="update" rel="tag">update />

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style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/dsi.jpg" alt="nintendo ds games homebrew" />On Monday, I showed you href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/guide-nintendo-ds-homebrew-emulation-part-1/">what you needed to have in order to play Nintendo DS backup games. Before we can proceed to discuss homebrewed apps and emulation, you’ll need to have a compatible flash card and storage device. Got that handy? Okay.

Let’s move on.

id="more-65080">Homebrew

Just to recap, homebrew software is the catch-all term given to fan-made games and tools for platforms that are not usually open to development. The Nintendo DS is no exception and has its own fair share of tools and software that vastly enhance the handheld’s capabilities.

Whilst a lot of homebrew projects appear to have fallen by the wayside, there’s still plenty of killer applications that will keep you busy for hours.

If you want to href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/turn-nintendo-ds-ipod/">use your DS as a media device then href="http://www.ds-xtra.com/MoonShell2">MoonShell is the app you want. There’s a good possibility your firmware will come preloaded with MoonShell (mine did) or a derivative – if not, download and enjoy.

MoonShell supports video in DPG format (which you can convert with the bundled converter or href="http://www.erightsoft.com/SUPER.html">SUPER), a host of audio formats including href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/mp3/">MP3, OGG, WMA and low bitrate AAC and non-progressive JPEG, GIF, BMP and PNG images as well as plain text files. It is the last word in media playback on the DS.

There are simply too many homebrew applications to mention ( href="http://www.ds-xtra.com/DSLinux">DSLinux anyone?), with plenty of games and apps for all kinds of users. If you’re interested in trying out some hobbyist creations then you’ll find an exhastive list of NDS homebrew over at the href="http://hive.ndshb.com/">Nintendo DS Homebrew Hive and href="http://www.ds-xtra.com/">DS-Xtra.

Emulation

Recently I’ve been testing every href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/emulation/">emulator I can get my hands on. Here are my top 6:

href="http://www.workingdesign.de/projects/jenesisds.php">jEnesisDS [ href="http://dl.qj.net/nintendo-ds/emulators/jenesisds-v074.html">Download]

A fairly well-behaved Sega Mega Drive (or Genesis, as it was known in the US) emulator that has now been discontinued (amidst claims the author href="http://info.sonicretro.org/Sonic_Classic_Collection">helped Sega port a certain hedgehog to the DS). Despite no updates for a while, game support is generally good with a great number of titles working 100%.

style="text-align: center;"> class="alignnone size-full wp-image-65043" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/streetsofrage.jpg" alt="nintendo ds games homebrew" width="500" height="351" />

There’s a couple of extra features and options including two save state slots (which do work, but work best if you pause the game first) and the option for a 6-button joypad.

Working titles include the first three Sonic games and Streets of Rage 1 & 2 – now that’s an afternoon.

href="http://www.ds-xtra.com/NesDS">nesDS

Emulating the 8bit charm of the original Nintendo Entertainment System, nesDS is a cracking little emulator that’s handled pretty much everything I’ve thrown at it.

style="text-align: center;"> class="alignnone size-full wp-image-65041" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/mariobros.jpg" alt="nintendo ds homebrew" width="565" height="376" />

In fact I’ve been playing with nesDS for a week or so now and am pleased to say it’s probably the single finest emulator on the DS platform. Each ROM is given its own save state slot, there’s the ability to reverse or advance the ROM and the controls really couldn’t be much closer to the original rectangular beast that was the NES joypad.

nesDS shoves the fluffy Nintendo 8bit sounds and sprites of years gone by into the palms of your hands.

href="http://lameboy.nutki.com/">Lameboy DS

A fully-featured Gameboy and Gameboy Color emulator with support for a huge number of games at full speed. This emulator also supports larger ROMs in excess of 2MB and provides save state support that works.

style="text-align: center;"> class="alignnone size-full wp-image-65044" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/tetris.jpg" alt="nintendo ds homebrew" width="400" height="359" />

There’s also a nifty original Gameboy colour palette which attempts to emulate the pale green of Nintendo’s old LCD display. Emulate handhelds on your handheld with Lameboy DS.

href="http://www.snemul.com/ds/">SnemulDS

A DS port of the popular Snemul SNES emulator, SnemulDS has limited support for a number of games and a fair few options for getting everything looking the way you want it.

style="text-align: center;"> class="alignnone size-full wp-image-65040" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/marioallstars.jpg" alt="nintendo ds homebrew" width="520" height="384" />

Despite not having great compatibility (and save state just crashes the DS) this emulator will run the odd classic ( href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/super-mario-crossover-play-smb-link-megaman-samus/">Super Mario All-Stars being one) with all but a few problems. Worth a go if you’re a die-hard SNES fanatic, easily the best Super Nintendo emulator for the DS.

href="http://www.ds-xtra.com/MarcaDS">MarcaDS [ href="http://www.portabledev.com/pages/ds/jeuxdev.-perso/marcads.php">Download & Compatibility]

Every platform needs an href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/play-arcade-games-pc/">arcade emulator, and MarcaDS is the MAME equivalent on the Nintendo DS. Due to the somewhat limited processing power and available RAM for the DS, the emulator manages simple arcade games best, with a compatibility list on the download page (above).

style="text-align: center;"> class="alignnone size-full wp-image-65039" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/frogger.jpg" alt="list of nintendo ds homebrew" width="350" height="400" />

Compatible games include Pac-Man, Frogger and Galaga making this one for the retro gamers.

href="http://scummvm.drunkencoders.com/">SCUMMVM DS

An official port of the href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/scummvm-crossplatform-pointandclick-adventure-game-emulator/">SCUMMVM point-and-click adventure game emulator, SCUMMVM DS provides an impressive compatibility list and brings touch controls to the classics. Working (100%) titles include: The Secret of Monkey Island, Simon the Sorcerer and Flight of the Amazon Queen.

style="text-align: center;"> class="alignnone size-full wp-image-65042" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/scummvm.jpg" alt="nintendo ds games homebrew" width="536" height="335" />

You also get full save/load support and two innovative and refreshing ways to make use of the DS touchscreen. A must have!

Conclusion

If you’ve got a DS and still don’t have a flash card then I’d urge you to consider one soon. The way things are going it won’t be long till these devices will be banned altogether (if they aren’t already) due to their ability to play Nintendo DS ROMs.

Just remember that downloading and playing games you don’t legally own is against the law, mmkay?

Any killer emulators I’ve not mentioned here? Got any favourite homebrew? Let us know in the comments. />
/>NEW: href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/makeuseof/id366921965?mt=8" target="_blank">Download MakeUseOf iPhone App. FREE!

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style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/dsi.jpg" alt="nintendo ds games homebrew" />On Monday, I showed you href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/guide-nintendo-ds-homebrew-emulation-part-1/">what you needed to have in order to play Nintendo DS backup games. Before we can proceed to discuss homebrewed apps and emulation, you’ll need to have a compatible flash card and storage device. Got that handy? Okay.

Let’s move on.

id="more-65080">Homebrew

Just to recap, homebrew software is the catch-all term given to fan-made games and tools for platforms that are not usually open to development. The Nintendo DS is no exception and has its own fair share of tools and software that vastly enhance the handheld’s capabilities.

Whilst a lot of homebrew projects appear to have fallen by the wayside, there’s still plenty of killer applications that will keep you busy for hours.

If you want to href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/turn-nintendo-ds-ipod/">use your DS as a media device then href="http://www.ds-xtra.com/MoonShell2">MoonShell is the app you want. There’s a good possibility your firmware will come preloaded with MoonShell (mine did) or a derivative – if not, download and enjoy.

MoonShell supports video in DPG format (which you can convert with the bundled converter or href="http://www.erightsoft.com/SUPER.html">SUPER), a host of audio formats including href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/mp3/">MP3, OGG, WMA and low bitrate AAC and non-progressive JPEG, GIF, BMP and PNG images as well as plain text files. It is the last word in media playback on the DS.

There are simply too many homebrew applications to mention ( href="http://www.ds-xtra.com/DSLinux">DSLinux anyone?), with plenty of games and apps for all kinds of users. If you’re interested in trying out some hobbyist creations then you’ll find an exhastive list of NDS homebrew over at the href="http://hive.ndshb.com/">Nintendo DS Homebrew Hive and href="http://www.ds-xtra.com/">DS-Xtra.

Emulation

Recently I’ve been testing every href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/emulation/">emulator I can get my hands on. Here are my top 6:

href="http://www.workingdesign.de/projects/jenesisds.php">jEnesisDS [ href="http://dl.qj.net/nintendo-ds/emulators/jenesisds-v074.html">Download]

A fairly well-behaved Sega Mega Drive (or Genesis, as it was known in the US) emulator that has now been discontinued (amidst claims the author href="http://info.sonicretro.org/Sonic_Classic_Collection">helped Sega port a certain hedgehog to the DS). Despite no updates for a while, game support is generally good with a great number of titles working 100%.

style="text-align: center;"> class="alignnone size-full wp-image-65043" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/streetsofrage.jpg" alt="nintendo ds games homebrew" width="500" height="351" />

There’s a couple of extra features and options including two save state slots (which do work, but work best if you pause the game first) and the option for a 6-button joypad.

Working titles include the first three Sonic games and Streets of Rage 1 & 2 – now that’s an afternoon.

href="http://www.ds-xtra.com/NesDS">nesDS

Emulating the 8bit charm of the original Nintendo Entertainment System, nesDS is a cracking little emulator that’s handled pretty much everything I’ve thrown at it.

style="text-align: center;"> class="alignnone size-full wp-image-65041" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/mariobros.jpg" alt="nintendo ds homebrew" width="565" height="376" />

In fact I’ve been playing with nesDS for a week or so now and am pleased to say it’s probably the single finest emulator on the DS platform. Each ROM is given its own save state slot, there’s the ability to reverse or advance the ROM and the controls really couldn’t be much closer to the original rectangular beast that was the NES joypad.

nesDS shoves the fluffy Nintendo 8bit sounds and sprites of years gone by into the palms of your hands.

href="http://lameboy.nutki.com/">Lameboy DS

A fully-featured Gameboy and Gameboy Color emulator with support for a huge number of games at full speed. This emulator also supports larger ROMs in excess of 2MB and provides save state support that works.

style="text-align: center;"> class="alignnone size-full wp-image-65044" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/tetris.jpg" alt="nintendo ds homebrew" width="400" height="359" />

There’s also a nifty original Gameboy colour palette which attempts to emulate the pale green of Nintendo’s old LCD display. Emulate handhelds on your handheld with Lameboy DS.

href="http://www.snemul.com/ds/">SnemulDS

A DS port of the popular Snemul SNES emulator, SnemulDS has limited support for a number of games and a fair few options for getting everything looking the way you want it.

style="text-align: center;"> class="alignnone size-full wp-image-65040" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/marioallstars.jpg" alt="nintendo ds homebrew" width="520" height="384" />

Despite not having great compatibility (and save state just crashes the DS) this emulator will run the odd classic ( href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/super-mario-crossover-play-smb-link-megaman-samus/">Super Mario All-Stars being one) with all but a few problems. Worth a go if you’re a die-hard SNES fanatic, easily the best Super Nintendo emulator for the DS.

href="http://www.ds-xtra.com/MarcaDS">MarcaDS [ href="http://www.portabledev.com/pages/ds/jeuxdev.-perso/marcads.php">Download & Compatibility]

Every platform needs an href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/play-arcade-games-pc/">arcade emulator, and MarcaDS is the MAME equivalent on the Nintendo DS. Due to the somewhat limited processing power and available RAM for the DS, the emulator manages simple arcade games best, with a compatibility list on the download page (above).

style="text-align: center;"> class="alignnone size-full wp-image-65039" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/frogger.jpg" alt="list of nintendo ds homebrew" width="350" height="400" />

Compatible games include Pac-Man, Frogger and Galaga making this one for the retro gamers.

href="http://scummvm.drunkencoders.com/">SCUMMVM DS

An official port of the href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/scummvm-crossplatform-pointandclick-adventure-game-emulator/">SCUMMVM point-and-click adventure game emulator, SCUMMVM DS provides an impressive compatibility list and brings touch controls to the classics. Working (100%) titles include: The Secret of Monkey Island, Simon the Sorcerer and Flight of the Amazon Queen.

style="text-align: center;"> class="alignnone size-full wp-image-65042" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/scummvm.jpg" alt="nintendo ds games homebrew" width="536" height="335" />

You also get full save/load support and two innovative and refreshing ways to make use of the DS touchscreen. A must have!

Conclusion

If you’ve got a DS and still don’t have a flash card then I’d urge you to consider one soon. The way things are going it won’t be long till these devices will be banned altogether (if they aren’t already) due to their ability to play Nintendo DS ROMs.

Just remember that downloading and playing games you don’t legally own is against the law, mmkay?

Any killer emulators I’ve not mentioned here? Got any favourite homebrew? Let us know in the comments. />
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style="border: 0px none;margin-left:20px;float:right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/dsi.jpg" alt="nintendo ds homebrew"/>If you’ve got a Nintendo DS, DSi or the latest DSi XL then you may or may not be aware of the homebrew scene that the handheld has spawned.

Homebrew software is the catch-all term given to fan-made games and tools for platforms that are not usually open to development. The Nintendo DS is no exception and has its own fair share of tools and software that vastly enhance the handheld’s capabilities.

If you’re interested in emulation, media playback and the ability to play games from a memory stick then read on.

id="more-65011">

What You’ll Need

In order to put your DS on steroids, you’re going to need to make a small purchase. Nintendo DS homebrew applications must be launched using a custom game card (often called a flash card) that fits into SLOT-1 (your normal NDS cartridge slot) or SLOT-2 (the original DS GameBoy Advance slot, though these are now outdated and should be avoided).

I’m not going to go into detail about which card you should buy – there are hundreds on the market already, each claiming to work a treat. As they’re cheap to produce and fairly easy to sell there are a vast number of clones available, which often take the name of more original products.

style="text-align: center;"> class="alignnone size-full wp-image-65038" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/flashcard.jpg" alt="nintendo ds homebrew" width="580" height="347" />

Wikipedia has href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_DS_storage_devices#Second_generation">an article listing a great number of these devices, with a few warnings about known clone cards. If you’re seriously thinking of using your DS for href="http://makeuseof.com/tags/homebrew">homebrew and backups then I’d recommend doing your research before committing to purchase.

At the time of writing, there are a good number of cards that support the very latest Nintendo DS and DSi firmware, and this is important to check. When I bought a flash card, I emailed the retailer first just to make sure, though the seller should have just stated this on the product page.

The more popular devices usually use flash memory (MicroSD is a popular choice, with SDHC compatibility boosting storage capacity greatly) in the form of a memory card that slots into the game card.

Your game card should come with full setup instructions, and these will most likely involve downloading and transferring the latest available firmware onto the device’s memory via your PC.

Playing Backups

Your brand new DS flash card can do a few wonderful things that href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/nintendo/">Nintendo really aren’t pleased about (provided you bought a good one, and no cheap knock-offs). The first is the ability to run “backup games”.

Backup games (often just referred to as ROMs) are “dumped” DS cartridges in file format (usually .NDS) which you can transfer to your flash card and play straight from file. Whilst this is horrendously illegal if you don’t own the original cartridge (don’t say I didn’t warn you), it’s a very convenient and almost futuristic way of accessing your game library.

style="text-align: center;"> class="alignnone size-full wp-image-65049" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/backups.jpg" alt="nintendo ds homebrew" width="580" height="400" />

Who wants to carry round 15 cartridges and the console when you can stick everything on a flash card and leave it in the console?

It’s worth pointing out that not every Nintendo DS ROM you load will work, but flash card firmware updates often resolve these issues. Oh, and no – I’m not going to tell you where to get your ROMs from. Don’t even ask.

So go out and get your MicroSD card. I’ll tell you more about Nintendo DS homebrew apps and emulation on Wednesday.

Do you have a flash card? What brand? Are you pleased? Tell us your suggestions in the comments! />
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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/androidrobot.png" alt="developing android apps" width="232" height="270" />Ever since I first received my Droid, I’ve been very curious about how people produce some of those amazing applications on and off the Android market. I’m a programmer, but not a gifted hacker by any stretch of the imagination. I’ve mastered Visual Basic and Coldfusion, but when it comes to writing an application from scratch that would work on a mobile device, I was certain that was well beyond the scope of my abilities.

When it comes to writing mobile apps, the closest we’ve come at MUO is Beth’s article on class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/develop-simple-iphone-app-submit-itunes/">how to develop an iPhone app. Even with the iPhone approach, you need to learn Objective-C. In other words – you’ve got to learn how to become a coder. Well, for those of you that appreciate visual-based programming like me, then you will be very happy to learn that Android has made it possible for anyone with even the most basic programming experience to create their very own high-quality and highly functional Android applications. The secret weapon to developing Android apps? It’s called the class="vt-p" href="http://appinventor.googlelabs.com/about/">Google App Inventor and it’s offered at Google Labs.

id="more-62165">

Setting Up Google App Inventor

The App Inventor consists of three parts. There’s the design tool, the blocks editor, and finally configuring your phone.

The first thing you have to do is set up your phone. Go into Settings -> Applications and make sure that “Unknown sources” is selected. This allows the Blocks Editor to install itself and communicate with your phone for testing purposes.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/designerA.jpg" alt="developing android apps" width="281" height="500" />

Then, click on “Development” and make sure that you’ve enabled both “USB debugging” and “Stay awake.”

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/designerB.jpg" alt="how to build android apps" width="281" height="500" />

Guess what – that’s all you have to do to configure your phone to work with the programming tools.

When you first sign up to use the App Inventor, you’re going to need to install the Block Editor as one of the steps. This is a Java application that installs onto your computer, and it gives you the ability to modify the behavior of the “blocks” that you’ve created in design mode, and it communicates directly with your phone.

Once you’ve signed up and you’re in the design tool, just select “New” and name your first project. In this example, I’m going to get started on a matching game for my kids where they need to match images of cats on a 3 x 4 grid.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62195" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/designer1.jpg" alt="how to build android apps" width="424" height="338" />

The design tool is set up a lot like Visual Basic and Visual C++, where the objects that you can use are on the left, and the design area, or “form” is in the center. In this case the form is the individual screen, and you can have multiple screens per app (just remember to include navigation).

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62196" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/designer2.jpg" alt="how to build android apps" width="575" height="427" />

Once you click and drag a component onto the screen, it shows up on the right side of the design app under Components. Under “Properties” you can view and modify the initial display properties of that component.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62197" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/designer3.jpg" alt="how to make android apps" width="442" height="439" />

Now below I’ve basically created a screen with a 3×4 table (you can find this under “Screen Arrangement“) and then I added 12 buttons with individual cat images for each “image” property of the buttons.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/designer4.jpg" alt="how to make android apps" width="571" height="440" />

Once you start using the Blocks editor, all of these design properties can be modified. As you can see below, I defined the image of button 1 as a blank image (which I loaded in design mode as a grey image called “Image1″).

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/designer5.jpg" alt="how to make android apps" width="520" height="375" />

As you can see, everything is visual – there’s no coding here. Under “My Blocks” I chose the “Screen1″ component and dragged the “Initialize” event to the center program area. You need to tell an event what to do when it takes place, so I dragged the Button1.Image property into the box, and then told it to make that property use “Image1″.

After about an hour of playing around – I finished programming the initialization of all of the buttons when my app first loads, as well as what to do when the user clicks on the first button.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/designer6.jpg" alt="" width="529" height="476" />

As you can see, even an application like a matching game can require that you carefully consider every possibility. You can program for all possibilities by defining and programming component events. The example above can get complicated, so if you’re just getting started, stick with something simple like the example Google provides when you first sign up. You can graduate from there when you’re comfortable with the programming and testing process.

As you can see in the left navbar in the design tool, you have access to just about everything your Android can do – sensors, contact list, video players and much more.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62201" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/designer7.jpg" alt="" width="478" height="438" />

So – here’s my work of art, programmed, tested and then finally installed onto my phone in about an hour. I still need to program the rest of the buttons as well.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/designer10.jpg" alt="developing android apps" width="478" height="566" />

Needless to say, the fact that I could even get anything to run on my phone with about an hour’s worth of effort is impressive. I thought it would be nearly impossible.

So, sign up to become a developer and try out the Google App Developer yourself. You may be surprised, you may find yourself creating some of the coolest applications imaginable. All it takes is a little bit of patience and some time to play around with the development tools.

Let us know if you were able to succeed in developing your own Android apps and what you think of the design and block editor tools in the comments section below!

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style="border: 0px none;margin-left:20px;float:right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/youtube-shortcuts.jpg" alt="youtube keyboard shortcuts"/>If you love online video, you should be often on href="http://makeuseof.com/tags/youtube">YouTube browsing through recently popular video clips, embedding and sharing some of them on your website, commenting, etc. I have shared some fun YouTube tips and resources in the past including href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-youtube-tools-create-easy-leanback-tv-experience/">tools to enjoy a YouTube lean-back experience as well as href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-websites-enjoy-youtube-instant-experience/">YouTube “Instant” search engines.

This post is about making your Youtube video watching more productive: it shares the complete (I hope) guide to Youtube player keyboard shortcuts.

Have you been aware that you can take the full control over the YouTube player with only the keyboard? If not, you may find the following collection of tips useful. If you are familiar with some YouTube keyboard shortcuts, chances are you’ll discover new ones. Let’s see!

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Tab key to select the needed section

The Tab key allows the user to jump from section to section in the following order:

1. Play / pause button;
2. Seek bar
3. Volume;
4. Resolution;
5. Pop-up video;
6. Expand

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/youtube-shortcuts-01.jpg" alt="youtube keyboard shortcuts" width="550" height="537" />

Note: the Tab key will loop on the video player part, so if you normally use the key to switch between the page links, be prepared that once the video is focused, the key will only control the player. With embedded videos, you will need to focus the video to make the Tab key work as on the screenshot.

Once any of the player sections is highlighted, you can use other keys to control it. More often than not, that will be Enter or Escape to activate / disable the feature, for example:

• Tab to “Expand” section, click Enter to toggle expanded view (not to be confused with full-screen mode) and Esc to shrink the player;
• Tab to “play” a section and use Enter to play or pause the video, etc.

Exceptions:

• “Volume” section is controlled with up / down arrow keys;
• “Resolution” section uses the up / down arrow keys to navigate to the selected resolution;
• “Seek bar” section uses the variety of keys, all of which are described in the below section:

Youtube Player Seekbar Keyboard Shortcuts

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Keyboard shortcut Action (the seekbar should be selected) Left / Right arrow Jump back / ahead 5 seconds in the current video Home / End Seek to the beginning / last seconds of the video Spacebar Play / Pause Numbers 1 to 9 Seek to the 10% to 90% of the video Number 0 Seek to the beginning of the video

 

Notes:

1. To make the above shortcuts work, make sure that the seek bar is highlighted. Or at least the seek bar should have focus: the video has to be the most recent thing you’ve clicked on.
2. Only the number keys on the top row of your keyboard function (the numeric pad won’t work);
3. Numbered shortcuts won’t work in full-screen mode (the rest of the shortcuts seem to work there just fine).

Some shortcuts didn’t work for me. However, I’ve seen a lot of recent comments that they are working for many people. So I am listing them here in case they will work for you:

• F key to switch to full-screen view;
• CTRL + left arrow and CTRL + right arrow to seek backward / forward 10 seconds

Disable Keyboard Shortcuts for Embedded Videos

In case you don’t want your visitors to use the shortcuts when viewing the video you embed, you can disable the following ones:

• Spacebar: Play / Pause
• Arrow Left / Right: Jump back / ahead 10% in the current video
• Arrow Up / Down: Volume up / down

by adding href="http://code.google.com/apis/youtube/player_parameters.html#disablekb">&disablekb=1 to your embed code:

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/youtube-shortcuts-02.jpg" alt="youtube keyboard shortcuts" width="550" height="121" />

Note: this will still let them use the Tab key to click through the player sections.

Have I missed any Youtube keyboard shortcuts? Please share your tips in the comments! />
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style="border: 0px none;margin-left:20px;float:right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/macautomation.png" />Work smart, not hard. That’s the idea behind Mac Automation, a technology built into Apple’s OS X but frequently underutilized.

Whether its sorting your email, searching your documents or building a playlist, you’d be amazed how many tasks can be done automatic instead of manually–if only you knew how to get started.

Lucky for you, MakeUseOf is offering a free ebook covering just that: The Awesome Automation Guide for Macs. This guide explains everything you need to stop clicking your mouse so often and start letting your computer do the boring stuff for you, no programming skills required. Take full advantage of the most powerful operating system on the planet and save yourself from time.

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Every Mac user should read this guide, which is made up of easy-to-understand demonstrations and screenshots. Among other things you’ll learn how to:

• Use smart folders to manage your files and folders
• Using iTunes’ smart playlists to organize your music
• Find the photo your looking for with iPhoto
• Sort your email without any effort, using Mail.app’s smart filters and folders
• Using Automator to script without any programming knowledge

Like all our manuals, this one is free. Please share this with all of your friends!

style="text-align: center;"> href="http://manuals.makeuseof.com.s3.amazonaws.com/Mac_Automation.pdf">DOWNLOAD The Awesome Automation Guide for Macs

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