class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/skyrimlogo.jpg?323f2c" alt="" />Skyrim is, without question, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-reasons-gamers-play-elder-scrolls-skyrim-muo-gaming/">one of the best video games ever released. I just finished the main story a few days ago, and I am around seventy hours in. There is so much to do. Between the main quest, all the guild stuff, and the hundreds of side quests, it is easy to lose a large portion of your life playing Skyrim. The bottom line is this; if you call yourself a gamer, you need to play Skyrim. If you want a game that has a ton of content, pick your platform, and get the game.

As you begin to play Skyrim, you might come to realize that the volume of content is hard to manage. It can be hard to remember where you had that epic dragon fight, or where you found that amazing new armor you are wearing with pride. This is where Dragon Shout comes in. It is your Skyrim travel companion, and it is available right on your iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Dragon Shout will help you keep track of all your memories in the world of Skyrim.

Set up

The obvious first step is to head to the href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/dragon-shout/id483488468?mt=8">iTunes App Store and download the free application. You can do this by clicking href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/dragon-shout/id483488468?mt=8">here, or searching for Dragon Shout in the app store.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/dragonshoutinstall-e1324577256922.jpg?323f2c" alt="" width="386" height="580" />

Next, you will need to make a free account. This takes just a few seconds, and only requires you to choose a user name, password and provide an email address. Creating an account allows the application to synchronize your markers so you can access them anytime from any device.

Features

The main feature of Dragon Shout is the ability to place markers on the map for all kinds of occurrences in Skyrim. You can set markers for pretty much anything great that happens while you are playing, so you can find it again later. Maybe you want to remember which town has two blacksmiths so you can create some more dragon armor. Perhaps there is an area you need for a quest. All of these things and more can be logged on the map.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/dragonshout2-e1324577282275.jpg?323f2c" alt="" width="580" height="386" />

To log something on the map, simply tap the location one time, and the new journal screen will pop up. You can type in notes about the marker, and choose what kind of marker it is. You can also choose whether to share the marker publicly. The public sharing feature will be available with the next update. For now, you can select the option for the future.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/dragonshout1-e1324577311142.jpg?323f2c" alt="" width="580" height="386" />

Once you have created a marker it will appear on the map, and you can click it at any time to see what information it contains. The icon on the map is different depending on what type of journal entry you choose. If you choose a quest marker, it will appear as a dotted line with an “X,” if you choose a battle, it will show the hilt of a sword, and so on. This way, you will be able to tell what kind of entry it is quickly and easily.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/dragonshout3-e1324577332648.jpg?323f2c" alt="" width="580" height="386" />

The application has two types of maps. They can be accessed via the settings button on the top right of the screen (it looks like two gears). The first map is emptier, and allows you to put more emphasis on your markers. The second map is pre-populated with much more of the icons from the actual in game map. This way, you can see all the locations at a glance.

Future Updates

The developer actually issued an update that added chat and sharing of markers with friends, but there was an error, so at this point you can only use the app solo. The update will add an in-application purchase that allows you to view other users icons. This will help if you need some tips from the Skyrim community. The application is great, but with this update, it will be spectacular.

Conclusion

This is an incredibly useful application for someone who wants to make the most of their Skyrim experience without resorting to the use of guides and FAQs. You would not go on a real life adventure without a compass and a map, and Dragon Shout is like that, but for the game. It is a free application that is certainly worth checking out.

Have you tried this app? Did it help you make the most of Skyrim? Let us know in the comments.

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href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/vlc-media-player-110-ios-devices-news/" rel="bookmark"> width="125" height="125" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/0-vlc-player-intro-150x150.png?323f2c" class="with-border wp-post-image" alt="0 vlc player intro" title="0 vlc player intro" style="width:125px;height:125px;" /> class="title">VLC Media Player Is Now Available On All iOS Devices

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/glympse-safe-simple-share-location-mobile-device/" rel="bookmark"> width="125" height="125" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/035-150x150.jpg?323f2c" class="with-border wp-post-image" alt="Glympse – A Safe & Simple Way To Share Your Location With Your Mobile Device" title="Glympse – A Safe & Simple Way To Share Your Location With Your Mobile Device" style="width:125px;height:125px;" /> class="title">Glympse – A Safe & Simple Way To Share Your Location With Your Mobile Device

View full post on MakeUseOf

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/wifi.jpg" alt="wifi"/>

Data plans tend to be limited, and connection speeds are sometimes not all that impressive. So when you use an Android phone (or any smartphone for that matter), Wi-Fi becomes an essential way to get online.

Today I’ll be showing you two different apps designed to make your Wi-Fi experience better so you can get better speeds and a more stable connection. These are both for Android, but you can actually use what you learn from them with any Wi-Fi device, including your laptop.

Improving Wi-Fi Connectivity At Home

href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi">Wikipedia says: “Many 2.4 GHz 802.11b and href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11#802.11g">802.11g access-points default to the same channel on initial startup, contributing to congestion on certain channels”. So while there are several available Wi-Fi channels, chances are that you and all of your neighbors are actually using the same single channel for your wireless communication. This causes interference and can slow things down.

You can always tell which Wi-Fi channel you are using using your access point’s configuration interface; but how can you tell what channels you neighbors are using? This is important so you know what’s free and where to switch, and this is where our first app comes in: Free href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer">Wifi Analyzer. With over 5 million downloads and over 61,000 reviews averaging 4.5 stars, Wifi Analyzer kicks some major butt, and provides a plethora of information about your wireless situation. Let’s take it for a spin:

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/wifi7.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="501"/>

This is the first screen shown when you launch the app, and right away, you can see how most of the networks around here are centered on channel 6. Only one network sits around channels 1-3, and channels 9 and up appear to be completely clear. Let’s swipe to the next screen:

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/image92.png" alt="" width="300" height="500"/>

Here, you get to select a network and see its signal strength graphically.  This display constantly updates, and can also beep according to the signal level (more beeping means a stronger signal). This is fun because you can walk around with your phone like a metal detector and see where the signal grows stronger or weaker: Does this or that wall actually block your Wi-Fi signal?

The last feature I want to show you is what I call “the bottom line”. This is the screen where Wi-Fi Analyzer recommends which channel you should switch to:

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/wifi5.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="500"/>

As you can see, my home network sits on the absolute worst part of the spectrum possible. Wifi Analyzer says I should switch to channels 11, 12, or 13, and I tend to agree. Doing this will result in less interference, and thus in a better connection for everyone (even my neighbors will have less interference with their Wi-Fi connections!).

Okay, that’s great for when you are at home and you get to control the access point’s channel. But what should you do to get a better connection when you’re outside, at a coffee shop or an airport?

Improving Wi-Fi Connectivity While On The Go

When you’re in a public location, the biggest problem with the Wi-Fi connection is usually poor signal strength. In other words, the access point is simply too far away. This can be very frustrating, because you usually don’t have any way to know where to go for better connectivity. Which way is closer to the access point? If you start walking around, you may lose the connection or end up making it even worse.

Well, this is where href="https://market.android.com/details?id=girsas.wifiradar">Wi-Fi Radar comes in. This handy little app also enjoys some stellar reviews (over 1,100 reviews averaging 4 stars), and its claim to fame is its ability to show you where access points are physically. So you get a radar-like display with your phone in the middle, surrounded by access points. It comes with simple instructions:

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/wifi9.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="500"/>

So when using it, you will find yourself slowly rotating with your device. People may look at you oddly, but you can just tell yourself they are suffering crappy connections and you’re smarter.  Once the scan starts, it looks like this:

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/wifi11.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="500"/>

This is the trickiest part in using the app. In the screenshot above, I have separated both bars so you can see them clearly. The brighter bark (around the 6% mark) moves on its own; the darker one (around the 20% mark) moves when you rotate the device slowly. Your goal is to keep them together. This means you need to very slowly rotate the device, a little bit at a time, while the progress bar moves. You are going to look pretty stupid while you’re busy doing this, but that is the price to pay for good connectivity.

This process takes a good two minutes, or even more. Once you’re done, you get a display that looks like this:

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/wifi13.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="500"/>

When you move around with your device, the display updates and things shift around. Even after all of this work, the display may not be correct; it is best if you have some point of reference, because then you can rotate the whole display as needed, using the “Result Offset” option.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/wifi15.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="500"/>

This isn’t because the app is bad (it’s actually quite good), but because it is trying to do something that is remarkably difficult. If you’re patient and determined, you may find yourself enjoying the best Wi-Fi signal your airport can offer.

Other Wi-Fi Essentials

I am always on the lookout for awesome Android apps; did I miss an important Wi-Fi related application? Let me know in the comments, and I might review it!

Image Credit: rel="nofollow" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=66078067">ShutterStock

View full post on MakeUseOf

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/wifi.jpg" alt="wifi"/>

Data plans tend to be limited, and connection speeds are sometimes not all that impressive. So when you use an Android phone (or any smartphone for that matter), Wi-Fi becomes an essential way to get online.

Today I’ll be showing you two different apps designed to make your Wi-Fi experience better so you can get better speeds and a more stable connection. These are both for Android, but you can actually use what you learn from them with any Wi-Fi device, including your laptop.

Improving Wi-Fi Connectivity At Home

href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi">Wikipedia says: “Many 2.4 GHz 802.11b and href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11#802.11g">802.11g access-points default to the same channel on initial startup, contributing to congestion on certain channels”. So while there are several available Wi-Fi channels, chances are that you and all of your neighbors are actually using the same single channel for your wireless communication. This causes interference and can slow things down.

You can always tell which Wi-Fi channel you are using using your access point’s configuration interface; but how can you tell what channels you neighbors are using? This is important so you know what’s free and where to switch, and this is where our first app comes in: Free href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer">Wifi Analyzer. With over 5 million downloads and over 61,000 reviews averaging 4.5 stars, Wifi Analyzer kicks some major butt, and provides a plethora of information about your wireless situation. Let’s take it for a spin:

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/wifi7.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="501"/>

This is the first screen shown when you launch the app, and right away, you can see how most of the networks around here are centered on channel 6. Only one network sits around channels 1-3, and channels 9 and up appear to be completely clear. Let’s swipe to the next screen:

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/image92.png" alt="" width="300" height="500"/>

Here, you get to select a network and see its signal strength graphically.  This display constantly updates, and can also beep according to the signal level (more beeping means a stronger signal). This is fun because you can walk around with your phone like a metal detector and see where the signal grows stronger or weaker: Does this or that wall actually block your Wi-Fi signal?

The last feature I want to show you is what I call “the bottom line”. This is the screen where Wi-Fi Analyzer recommends which channel you should switch to:

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/wifi5.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="500"/>

As you can see, my home network sits on the absolute worst part of the spectrum possible. Wifi Analyzer says I should switch to channels 11, 12, or 13, and I tend to agree. Doing this will result in less interference, and thus in a better connection for everyone (even my neighbors will have less interference with their Wi-Fi connections!).

Okay, that’s great for when you are at home and you get to control the access point’s channel. But what should you do to get a better connection when you’re outside, at a coffee shop or an airport?

Improving Wi-Fi Connectivity While On The Go

When you’re in a public location, the biggest problem with the Wi-Fi connection is usually poor signal strength. In other words, the access point is simply too far away. This can be very frustrating, because you usually don’t have any way to know where to go for better connectivity. Which way is closer to the access point? If you start walking around, you may lose the connection or end up making it even worse.

Well, this is where href="https://market.android.com/details?id=girsas.wifiradar">Wi-Fi Radar comes in. This handy little app also enjoys some stellar reviews (over 1,100 reviews averaging 4 stars), and its claim to fame is its ability to show you where access points are physically. So you get a radar-like display with your phone in the middle, surrounded by access points. It comes with simple instructions:

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/wifi9.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="500"/>

So when using it, you will find yourself slowly rotating with your device. People may look at you oddly, but you can just tell yourself they are suffering crappy connections and you’re smarter.  Once the scan starts, it looks like this:

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/wifi11.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="500"/>

This is the trickiest part in using the app. In the screenshot above, I have separated both bars so you can see them clearly. The brighter bark (around the 6% mark) moves on its own; the darker one (around the 20% mark) moves when you rotate the device slowly. Your goal is to keep them together. This means you need to very slowly rotate the device, a little bit at a time, while the progress bar moves. You are going to look pretty stupid while you’re busy doing this, but that is the price to pay for good connectivity.

This process takes a good two minutes, or even more. Once you’re done, you get a display that looks like this:

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/wifi13.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="500"/>

When you move around with your device, the display updates and things shift around. Even after all of this work, the display may not be correct; it is best if you have some point of reference, because then you can rotate the whole display as needed, using the “Result Offset” option.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/wifi15.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="500"/>

This isn’t because the app is bad (it’s actually quite good), but because it is trying to do something that is remarkably difficult. If you’re patient and determined, you may find yourself enjoying the best Wi-Fi signal your airport can offer.

Other Wi-Fi Essentials

I am always on the lookout for awesome Android apps; did I miss an important Wi-Fi related application? Let me know in the comments, and I might review it!

Image Credit: rel="nofollow" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=66078067">ShutterStock

View full post on MakeUseOf

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/google_docs_logo-300x300.jpg" alt="google docs performance improvement" />Google Docs is without a doubt one of the easiest ways to collaborate with multiple people on a single document. Instead of having to share a file in the cloud or keep emailing each other with changes, you can simply work on one document and have the luxury of having it save automatically and be visible to all the other people working on the document. Google Docs offers a slew of features that make it easy to collaborate with others.

However, there are always ways to improve, and thankfully that is where extensions come in. There are extensions that let you know when someone changes your document, and some even help you start a new document faster and easier. There are two particularly useful ones that I am going to take a look at today. These apps really bring the Google Docs experience to a whole new level in terms of efficiency.

Watch Doc

WatchDoc is available for free from the Google Chrome Web store, which you will find href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/okagolgbanbllgndpnacdhohdfacdhfm">here. Once you get to the application page, simply click “Add to Chrome” and the extension will automatically show up in the top right corner of your screen.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/watchdocicon.png" alt="google docs performance improvement" width="212" height="36" />

The first time you log into the extension you will need to grant it permission to get access to your Google account. This will pop up automatically when you log in for the first time, and all you need to is click the grant access button.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/access.png" alt="google docs performance" width="246" height="213" />

Once you have the application installed, it will sit quietly up there and watch any document shared with your Google account. Of course, you need to make sure you are logged into Google in order for the application to work. If you aren’t sure if you are logged in, simply click the button for WatchDoc. If you aren’t logged in, the application will tell you and provide you with a link to log in.

When someone edits one of your documents, an alert will pop at the bottom of the screen, and you will see a number over the icon.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/alert.png" alt="google docs performance" width="399" height="30" />

Click the icon, and the extension will show you the document that has been edited and it will offer you a quick link to go straight to the document. It even tells you how long ago the edit happened, so you never miss a beat.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/editeddoc.png" alt="google docs performance" width="326" height="152" />

Docs Quickly

To install Docs Quickly, click href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/cejihakmbjnefdijhceabdkkjfnmlgog"> here to see it in the Chrome web store. Click “Add to Chrome” and then get ready to have access to Google Docs much more quickly.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/docsquick.png" alt="google docs performance improvement" width="157" height="150" />

Once you install the extension, you will see the little icon for it on the top right of your screen. If you click it, a small drop down menu will appear that allows you to choose what kind of document you wish to create. It saves a few seconds when you are trying to create something, and if you are against a deadline, that can be extremely valuable.

What do you use to improve Google Docs? Let us know in the comments!

View full post on MakeUseOf

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/google_docs_logo-300x300.jpg" alt="google docs performance improvement" />Google Docs is without a doubt one of the easiest ways to collaborate with multiple people on a single document. Instead of having to share a file in the cloud or keep emailing each other with changes, you can simply work on one document and have the luxury of having it save automatically and be visible to all the other people working on the document. Google Docs offers a slew of features that make it easy to collaborate with others.

However, there are always ways to improve, and thankfully that is where extensions come in. There are extensions that let you know when someone changes your document, and some even help you start a new document faster and easier. There are two particularly useful ones that I am going to take a look at today. These apps really bring the Google Docs experience to a whole new level in terms of efficiency.

Watch Doc

WatchDoc is available for free from the Google Chrome Web store, which you will find href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/okagolgbanbllgndpnacdhohdfacdhfm">here. Once you get to the application page, simply click “Add to Chrome” and the extension will automatically show up in the top right corner of your screen.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/watchdocicon.png" alt="google docs performance improvement" width="212" height="36" />

The first time you log into the extension you will need to grant it permission to get access to your Google account. This will pop up automatically when you log in for the first time, and all you need to is click the grant access button.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/access.png" alt="google docs performance" width="246" height="213" />

Once you have the application installed, it will sit quietly up there and watch any document shared with your Google account. Of course, you need to make sure you are logged into Google in order for the application to work. If you aren’t sure if you are logged in, simply click the button for WatchDoc. If you aren’t logged in, the application will tell you and provide you with a link to log in.

When someone edits one of your documents, an alert will pop at the bottom of the screen, and you will see a number over the icon.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/alert.png" alt="google docs performance" width="399" height="30" />

Click the icon, and the extension will show you the document that has been edited and it will offer you a quick link to go straight to the document. It even tells you how long ago the edit happened, so you never miss a beat.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/editeddoc.png" alt="google docs performance" width="326" height="152" />

Docs Quickly

To install Docs Quickly, click href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/cejihakmbjnefdijhceabdkkjfnmlgog"> here to see it in the Chrome web store. Click “Add to Chrome” and then get ready to have access to Google Docs much more quickly.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/docsquick.png" alt="google docs performance improvement" width="157" height="150" />

Once you install the extension, you will see the little icon for it on the top right of your screen. If you click it, a small drop down menu will appear that allows you to choose what kind of document you wish to create. It saves a few seconds when you are trying to create something, and if you are against a deadline, that can be extremely valuable.

What do you use to improve Google Docs? Let us know in the comments!

View full post on MakeUseOf

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/google_docs_logo-300x300.jpg" alt="" />Google Docs is without a doubt one of the easiest ways to collaborate with multiple people on a single document. Instead of having to share a file in the cloud or keep emailing each other with changes, you can simply work on one document and have the luxury of having it save automatically and be visible to all the other people working on the document. Google Docs offers a slew of features that make it easy to collaborate with others.

However, there are always ways to improve, and thankfully that is where extensions come in. There are extensions that let you know when someone changes your document, and some even help you start a new document faster and easier. There are two particularly useful ones that I am going to take a look at today. These apps really bring the Google Docs experience to a whole new level in terms of efficiency.

Watch Doc

WatchDoc is available for free from the Google Chrome Web store, which you will find href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/okagolgbanbllgndpnacdhohdfacdhfm">here. Once you get to the application page, simply click “Add to Chrome” and the extension will automatically show up in the top right corner of your screen.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/watchdocicon.png" alt="" width="212" height="36" />

The first time you log into the extension you will need to grant it permission to get access to your Google account. This will pop up automatically when you log in for the first time, and all you need to is click the grant access button.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/access.png" alt="" width="246" height="213" />

Once you have the application installed, it will sit quietly up there and watch any document shared with your Google account. Of course, you need to make sure you are logged into Google in order for the application to work. If you aren’t sure if you are logged in, simply click the button for WatchDoc. If you aren’t logged in, the application will tell you and provide you with a link to log in.

When someone edits one of your documents, an alert will pop at the bottom of the screen, and you will see a number over the icon.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/alert.png" alt="" width="399" height="30" />

Click the icon, and the extension will show you the document that has been edited and it will offer you a quick link to go straight to the document. It even tells you how long ago the edit happened, so you never miss a beat.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/editeddoc.png" alt="" width="326" height="152" />

Docs Quickly

To install Docs Quickly, click href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/cejihakmbjnefdijhceabdkkjfnmlgog"> here to see it in the Chrome web store. Click “Add to Chrome” and then get ready to have access to Google Docs much more quickly.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/docsquick.png" alt="" width="157" height="150" />

Once you install the extension, you will see the little icon for it on the top right of your screen. If you click it, a small drop down menu will appear that allows you to choose what kind of document you wish to create. It saves a few seconds when you are trying to create something, and if you are against a deadline, that can be extremely valuable.

What do you use to improve Google Docs? Let us know in the comments!

View full post on MakeUseOf

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/YouTubeSquareLogo.png" alt="" />The worlds most popular way to share and watch videos has received a small update that brings a few improvements. href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube has quietly rolled out these new features, and while they won’t necessarily revolutionize the way you watch and create videos on href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube, they are some very nice changes that keep them ahead of the pack in terms of creating and watching videos on the web.

The first change this new update brings is with the screen that comes up when you finish watching a video. The new end of video screen is more like a mosaic, making it easier to find exactly what you want to watch next. It’s a small change, but it is one that makes finding more content similar to what you just watched a little easier, plus it looks a lot nicer than the old one.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/end_of_video-e1319226004459.png" alt="" width="580" height="352" />

The next change comes in the playlist bar. The video images are larger now, making it easier to see what the video looks like, and decide if it is something that is worth your time. They also improve the placement of the next and previous buttons for easier navigation between videos.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/playlist.png" alt="" width="455" height="44" />

href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube also improved their charts feature. Charts is the feature that allows you to see what videos are the most popular, and they streamlined it to make it easier to find exactly what you’re looking for.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/charts1-e1319226088870.png" alt="" width="580" height="539" />

They also added localization for more countries such as Kenya, Singapore and the Philippines, bringing their total to 35 countries.

The last change is a partnership with cloud-based video editing service WeVideo for creators.

Source: href="http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2011/10/youtube-release-notes-updated-video-end.html" rel="nofollow">YouTube Official Blog

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/youtube-improve-user-experience-news/">YouTube Makes Some Changes To Improve User Experience [News] 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/2011/05/squinting.jpg" alt="readability level"/>Reading a webpage is very different (and difficult) than reading a book. In a book, there’s nothing between your eyes and the words on the page. On a webpage, you have to traipse and trip over ads and other assorted clutter.

When it comes to improving readability on the web, the browser hasn’t been of much help. It gives us a full screen view and zoom but nothing else. For that we have to fall back on the little pals we call add-ons or extensions. We have already seen how they come to the aid of people who use Chrome as their browser of choice.

Taking a leaf out of href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-extensions-easier-web-reading/">The Four Google Chrome Extensions For Easier Online Reading let’s see if we can give some help to our eyes on Firefox.

href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/readability/">Readability

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/readability01.jpg" alt="readability level" width="580" height="363" />

We have covered the Readability add-on as recently as a couple of months back when we saw how href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/readability/">the new Readability add-on converts pages to a read-friendly format. But it’s worth mentioning again as this excellent add-on is worthy of leading the rest of the pack. I won’t talk about it much; the screenshot shows the Firefox add-on in action as it converts one of our regular pages into a more reader-friendly one. What I would recommend is that you should get familiar with the keyboard shortcut (CTRL+ALT+R) to toggle Readability and the Auto scroll function (CTRL + SHIFT + A).

href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ireader/">iReader

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/readability02.jpg" alt="readability checklist " width="580" height="340" />

iReader is an experimental add-on that also creates a clutter-free scrollable reading page overlaid on the original one. There is also a version for href="http://www.samabox.com/extensions/iReader/">Chrome. The Firefox add-on recognizes an article and displays its icon in the address bar after the page loads. An iReader page opens up with all clutter removed. The add-on supports multi-page articles and you can set the background opacity in the options panel. You can use the iReader panel to disable images, change zoom, and share the page. We have covered this add-on previously in href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/ireader-decluttered-reading-chrome-firefox/">iReader – Instant Clutter-free Reading on Chrome & Firefox.

href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/readable/">Readable

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/readability03.jpg" alt="what is readability" width="580" height="331" />

Readable is an add-on developed by the same guy who gave us Readability:  Baris Derin. It tackles the problem by giving you options to change the layout of a webpage by altering the fonts and colors. On some sites the implementation is not that great, but customizing things like font size and page color gets this add-on a positive point. We have reviewed this in href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/make-that-web-pages-text-easier-on-the-eyes-with-readable-any-platform/">more detail before.

href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/enjoy-reading/">Enjoy Reading

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/readability04.jpg" alt="what is readability" width="580" height="273" />

This experimental add-on installs itself just next to the address bar. The add-on looks, feels, and is ‘heavily based’ on the old Open Source Readability bookmarklet. This add-on too is Open Source.

href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/easy-read/">Easy Read

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/readability05.jpg" alt="what is readability" width="580" height="199" />

Easy Read is an experimental add-on the deals with excessive links on web pages by automatically hiding them when a page loads. You can toggle the page links by clicking the icon on the Add-on Bar of the browser. Avoiding links is a great aid for trigger happy fingers when a click on a link takes you away from the source page without finishing reading it. As the description page mentions, Wikipedia is a prime example of a link rich page which could with the use of this add-on.

href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/no-color/">No Color

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/readability07.jpg" alt="readability level" width="580" height="331" />

A lot of web pages especially the older ones, have eye-jarring colors and backgrounds. You can choose to remove them and increase the white space with the help of this simple Firefox add-on. It may not improve readability by a large degree but removal of excessive color from web pages is sometimes soothing. Though it doesn’t look that great when it renders our MUO Facebook page, all white!

href="Blank%20Your%20Monitor%20+%20Easy%20Reading">Blank Your Monitor + Easy Reading

The add-on was designed for changing the color combinations on web pages viewed on CRT screens for the purpose of saving energy. I am not sure whether it ‘scientifically’ works out that way but the add-on’s Options allows you to play with colors and customize text and background colors as per your requirements. For instance, reading a web page against a black background sometimes helps me to focus better especially if the room is dark.

Readability is a concern on webpages especially when we have shunned books and newspapers and gone over to the internet. Maybe, these posts will give you a few more pointers:

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-services-declutter-web-readers/">5 Services That De-Clutter The Web For Readers /> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-tools-webpages-easier-read-people-poor-eyesight-firefox/">4 Tools To Make Web Pages Easier To Read For People With Poor Eyesight (Firefox) /> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/2-bookmarklets-web-reading-easier/">2 Useful Bookmarklets To Make Your Web Reading Easier

Do you deliberately use tools like browser extensions and Firefox add-ons to enhance your reading experience? Tell us about your default ones.

Image Credit: rel="nofollow" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=75869482">Shutterstock />
/>Need Assistance? Ask questions to MakeUseOf staff and thousands of other readers on href="http://www.makeuseof.dev/answers/" target="_blank" >MakeUseOf Answers!

/>

 

Read comments: href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-firefox-addons-improve-web-page-readability-level/#disqus_thread">Loved it? Hated it? Join discussion here …

 

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More articles about: href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/browsing/" title="browsing" rel="tag">browsing, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/browsing-tools/" title="browsing tools" rel="tag">browsing tools, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/firefox-addons/" title="firefox addons" rel="tag">firefox addons, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/firefox-tips/" title="firefox tips" rel="tag">firefox tips, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/reading/" title="reading" rel="tag">reading />

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View full post on MakeUseOf

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/squinting.jpg" alt="readability level"/>Reading a webpage is very different (and difficult) than reading a book. In a book, there’s nothing between your eyes and the words on the page. On a webpage, you have to traipse and trip over ads and other assorted clutter.

When it comes to improving readability on the web, the browser hasn’t been of much help. It gives us a full screen view and zoom but nothing else. For that we have to fall back on the little pals we call add-ons or extensions. We have already seen how they come to the aid of people who use Chrome as their browser of choice.

Taking a leaf out of href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-extensions-easier-web-reading/">The Four Google Chrome Extensions For Easier Online Reading let’s see if we can give some help to our eyes on Firefox.

href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/readability/">Readability

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/readability01.jpg" alt="readability level" width="580" height="363" />

We have covered the Readability add-on as recently as a couple of months back when we saw how href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/readability/">the new Readability add-on converts pages to a read-friendly format. But it’s worth mentioning again as this excellent add-on is worthy of leading the rest of the pack. I won’t talk about it much; the screenshot shows the Firefox add-on in action as it converts one of our regular pages into a more reader-friendly one. What I would recommend is that you should get familiar with the keyboard shortcut (CTRL+ALT+R) to toggle Readability and the Auto scroll function (CTRL + SHIFT + A).

href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ireader/">iReader

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/readability02.jpg" alt="readability checklist " width="580" height="340" />

iReader is an experimental add-on that also creates a clutter-free scrollable reading page overlaid on the original one. There is also a version for href="http://www.samabox.com/extensions/iReader/">Chrome. The Firefox add-on recognizes an article and displays its icon in the address bar after the page loads. An iReader page opens up with all clutter removed. The add-on supports multi-page articles and you can set the background opacity in the options panel. You can use the iReader panel to disable images, change zoom, and share the page. We have covered this add-on previously in href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/ireader-decluttered-reading-chrome-firefox/">iReader – Instant Clutter-free Reading on Chrome & Firefox.

href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/readable/">Readable

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/readability03.jpg" alt="what is readability" width="580" height="331" />

Readable is an add-on developed by the same guy who gave us Readability:  Baris Derin. It tackles the problem by giving you options to change the layout of a webpage by altering the fonts and colors. On some sites the implementation is not that great, but customizing things like font size and page color gets this add-on a positive point. We have reviewed this in href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/make-that-web-pages-text-easier-on-the-eyes-with-readable-any-platform/">more detail before.

href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/enjoy-reading/">Enjoy Reading

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/readability04.jpg" alt="what is readability" width="580" height="273" />

This experimental add-on installs itself just next to the address bar. The add-on looks, feels, and is ‘heavily based’ on the old Open Source Readability bookmarklet. This add-on too is Open Source.

href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/easy-read/">Easy Read

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/readability05.jpg" alt="what is readability" width="580" height="199" />

Easy Read is an experimental add-on the deals with excessive links on web pages by automatically hiding them when a page loads. You can toggle the page links by clicking the icon on the Add-on Bar of the browser. Avoiding links is a great aid for trigger happy fingers when a click on a link takes you away from the source page without finishing reading it. As the description page mentions, Wikipedia is a prime example of a link rich page which could with the use of this add-on.

href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/no-color/">No Color

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/readability07.jpg" alt="readability level" width="580" height="331" />

A lot of web pages especially the older ones, have eye-jarring colors and backgrounds. You can choose to remove them and increase the white space with the help of this simple Firefox add-on. It may not improve readability by a large degree but removal of excessive color from web pages is sometimes soothing. Though it doesn’t look that great when it renders our MUO Facebook page, all white!

href="Blank%20Your%20Monitor%20+%20Easy%20Reading">Blank Your Monitor + Easy Reading

The add-on was designed for changing the color combinations on web pages viewed on CRT screens for the purpose of saving energy. I am not sure whether it ‘scientifically’ works out that way but the add-on’s Options allows you to play with colors and customize text and background colors as per your requirements. For instance, reading a web page against a black background sometimes helps me to focus better especially if the room is dark.

Readability is a concern on webpages especially when we have shunned books and newspapers and gone over to the internet. Maybe, these posts will give you a few more pointers:

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-services-declutter-web-readers/">5 Services That De-Clutter The Web For Readers /> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-tools-webpages-easier-read-people-poor-eyesight-firefox/">4 Tools To Make Web Pages Easier To Read For People With Poor Eyesight (Firefox) /> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/2-bookmarklets-web-reading-easier/">2 Useful Bookmarklets To Make Your Web Reading Easier

Do you deliberately use tools like browser extensions and Firefox add-ons to enhance your reading experience? Tell us about your default ones.

Image Credit: rel="nofollow" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=75869482">Shutterstock />
/>Need Assistance? Ask questions to MakeUseOf staff and thousands of other readers on href="http://www.makeuseof.dev/answers/" target="_blank" >MakeUseOf Answers!

/>

 

Read comments: href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-firefox-addons-improve-web-page-readability-level/#disqus_thread">Loved it? Hated it? Join discussion here …

 

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View full post on MakeUseOf

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/search-bar.jpg" alt="firefox search bar addon" width="271" height="227" />Firefox’s  class="vt-p" href="http://support.mozilla.com/en-us/kb/search+bar">search bar is by far my favorite Firefox feature – it is one of the main reasons why I am still sticking with Firefox. There are several reasons to love it: it’s very clutter-free (all it takes is a little field to enter your search terms and an icon to distinguish your current search engine).

While being a really quiet feature, it is still highly flexible and rich in options: you can create and add as many search engines as you feel like using (including those class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-firefox-search-plugins-support-search-suggestions/">requiring search suggestion support). What’s more, the search bar is tied to the right-click context menu allowing you to search for the highlighted term using the currently active search engine.

id="more-62336"> /> All in all, one of the oldest browser features is also one of the best – especially if you get used to it. Plus if you also try using some of the plugins listed here, you are likely to love the feature even more!

1. Enjoy Even More Flexibility With SearchLoad Options

class="vt-p" href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3544">SearchLoad Options is the smart extension that perfectly fills the gap offering some essential but missing search bar options. Its best feature is that it allows you to open search results in a new foreground tab which makes the search experience free of any clutter at all (what’s more, you can set the exceptions and let it open results in a new tab unless your current tab is blank).

Other fun features added include:

• The ability to clear the search bar after a set number of seconds (if you are a long-time search bar user, you might have noticed that your search term will hang there until you delete it and enter a new one – which is not really productive). This addon lets you clear the search box automatically.
• The ability to reset the search to your favorite search engine. By default, there are no “favorite”or “default” search engines in the search bar: the current one will be used until you change it. If you are a heavy user of one particular search engine (think “Google”, for example), you may want your search bar to always switch to it after you use anything else. I for one use the Google toolbar to search Google and the search bar to class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/search-credit-properlylicensed-photos-flickr-firefox/">search Flickr CC-licenced photos – therefore I have Flickr as the default search engine thanks to this addon.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/search-bar-01.jpg" alt="firefox search bar addon" width="445" height="309" />

As you may have noticed from the screenshot, I have the “Clear the searchbar” option unchecked – this is not because I don’t find it essentially handy – that’s because I am using another Firefox addon that uses the search term currently present in the search bar.

2. Easily Find & Switch Between Any Word Occurrences On The Page

It often happens that you need to quickly jump to any word on the current page or highlight them all. Firefox’s default “Find” feature can be used for that but it requires a few actions to be activated: use the CTRL+F shortcut to trigger the search field, enter the term (or copy-paste it) in the Find field and click Enter.

With the  class="vt-p" href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/376/">SearchWP Firefox addon things may be much quicker: it lets you use the search bar terms to navigate the page:

• Highlight each search term with a different color;
• Click any of the words in the search bar to easily find it on the current page;
• Use a word highlighter to highlight all the word occurrences on a current page:

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/search-bar-02.jpg" alt="firefox search addons" width="384" height="402" />

The tool works much like the tools listed in my post on class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-tools-highlight-google-search-terms-target-page/">highlighting Google search terms on the target page but it integrates the feature in the existing functionality without making you get used to any new interfaces.

The addon options let you set the minimum number of characters in a word for it to be highlighted and add the option to group the word tokens in a single menu:

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/search-bar-03.jpg" alt="firefox search addons" width="553" height="281" />

With the latter option checked, you will be able to jump from word to word using a handy menu which is only visible if you click on a circle:

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/search-bar-04.jpg" alt="firefox search bar addon" width="346" height="146" />

Do you love Firefox’s search bar as much as I do? Please share your favorite tips! />
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As you browse the Web, you will find sites that implement just about every type of navigation scheme you can think of and then even some more! However, certain common factors do emerge. The use of menu bars, either horizontally or vertically oriented, are the most common way of allowing users to move through your site.

Sites with a great deal of content often implement dynamic menu bars that change to present the most relevant options on each page. Sites often use some kind of “feedback” or special effect to let users know where certain navigation elements are located, such as graphics that change colors when the users point their mouse at them.

You can use a variety of technologies and design elements to implement Web site navigation. As you consider different navigation techniques, keep the following seven basic comparison factors in mind:

Visual

Does the technique look and like a navigation element that users are accustomed to seeing? In other words, is it a button or a menu that users will recognize as a navigation element?

Feedback

Does the technique offer some form of feedback to indicate that a user has pointed at or clicked a particular navigation element? This type of feedback can be important because users often explore a site by moving their mouse around to see what happens. Navigation techniques that allow individual elements to respond to this activity make the overall navigation more likely to succeed.

Accessibility

How does the technique work when a visually impaired person attempts to use the site with a specially equipped Web browser? If this demographic is important to your company, pay special attention to this capability.

Overhead

Some techniques require the Web browser to server to transfer more data to the Web browser than is required by other techniques. If your customers will be accessing the site over slower connections, then using techniques with a high overhead will result in slow page loads, and possibly bored customers who will give up and move on to the competition.

Scalability

Does the technique offer any particular advantages to make growing the site easier? Some navigation designs may require you to redesign the entire site every time a new feature is added. Others may simply require a few minor modifications to add several new departments to a menu.

Space

Some techniques, combined with your site’s browsing philosophy, require considerable space on the screen. Other techniques allow you to present a wider array of navigation choices while using less screen space. Keep in mind that your navigation elements should never occupy the majority of the screen. It is the content that your customers came for, not the menu bars.

Compatibility

How well wills this technique work within the available range of Web browsers? If one of your objectives is to have your site usable by as many customers as possible, pay attention to the techniques that offer a broad range of compatibility, and steer away those that are limited to a smaller set of browsers.

Navigation Technologies

To implement Web site navigation, you can use one of four primary technologies. The oldest and simplest of these technologies is the basic, static HTML page. A step up from that is the static HTML page, which is dynamically generated on the Web server. Web pages can be given more interactive capabilities with Dynamic HTML (DHTML), whether programmed in VBScript or JavaScript. Java presents the opportunity to program a complete, standalone application to use as a navigation aid.

Static HTML

Static HTML links are the oldest and simplest form of navigation on the Web. They can be less exciting than their dynamic counterparts, but remain one of the most effective navigational techniques on the Web.

Dynamically Generated Static HTML

If your site is constantly growing and changing, static HTML will require a constant effort to keep the navigational elements in line with the site’s growth. A common solution to this problem has been to dynamically generate the navigation elements when the page displays. When using the DHTML, you don’t have to manually update elements as the site grows, because an automated process generates the navigation elements as necessary, based on the information in a database.

VBScript and JavaScript Dynamic HTML

DHTML is a technology that allows you to embed programming code in the Web pages that are sent to user’s computers. DHTML code actually executes within the users Web browser, and can change the appearance and content of the Web page in response to the user’s actions on the page.

In Finality

You can use a variety of technologies and design elements to implement Web site navigation. As you consider different navigation techniques, keep the above seven basic comparison factors in mind. Visitors are becoming rare and rare in this competitive globe of e-commerce. Retain those who visit to your site for longer period in order to convert them as customers. Site navigation techniques help you to do so.

The computer registry is basically like a large store house which stores a lot of data and hence it must be kept in top condition to keep all the information safe and handy. Registry fix software is the only way by which this job can be done efficiently and in a cost effective manner.

Is your PC or laptop giving you more errors in the recent times? If yes, the most likely reason would be the Windows registry which if not cleaned periodically can cause a lot of problems like slow performance, blue screens, freezes and crashes.

Any registry fix software will come with a free scanner which can scan and detect all errors in the Windows registry. It can pinpoint the location of the invalid entries so that the application can make the necessary changes and fix the error. Moreover presence of such an application in the system can also detect any errors automatically and inform the user accordingly. These packages are easily available online and can be purchased directly from the manufacturer’s website.

Since there is a wide variety of registry fix software available today, it is wise to read a product comparison review before making your decision. You can also make a comparison between the costs of various packages before actually investing in one. Make sure you research well before putting in your money as there are a lot of scam products being advertised in the market today. An authentic manufacturer should be able to provide you with a certificate; you could also ask for a demo package to find out if the application is compatible with your system.

The registry fix software must first be downloaded and then installed on the system before you can begin using it. Save and download all files in a secure location so that you can retrieve it whenever necessary. The first thing to do is to scan the entire registry database for all errors and then ask the registry fix software to handle each one of them. This way, the Windows registry can be cleaned periodically and all invalid information and data thrown out which otherwise can harm the PC.

RegCure and Registry Mechanic are two applications that currently rule the charts; these both have excellent and easy to use features and are suitable with the latest Windows 7 version. Purchase registry fix software today itself and save your PC from troublesome errors and peak its performance.

There are many registry Repair Tools available, Every Registry Cleaner has some benefits as well some drawbacks. Check the Registry Cleaners Review- Click Here, Also Don’t Forget to Run a Free Performance Scan using our Top Pick.

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/2010/08/ps-touchup.jpg" alt="enhancing photos with photoshop" />The problem with exceedingly better cameras is that, besides every beautiful detail, they also manage to catch every blemish. The time when you could get away with sunburn, or even something as small as a mole is long past. Those details will be engraved in virtual stone as well.

Nowadays, everyone realizes that movie stars don’t look all that perfect in real life and that Madonna doesn’t look like a twenty year old, but rather thrice that number. It’s the fault, or blessing, of href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/photoshop">Photoshop, a premier photo editing application.

id="more-50655"> /> In this article, I’d like to teach you three rather simple tricks on enhancing photos with Photoshop to fix nearly every blemish. More so, this article is intended for junior editors, like myself. This means that :

• You don’t need extensive experience with Photoshop.
• You don’t need a steady hand (i.e. no airbrush techniques).

In other words, everyone can take this tutorial and expect to follow it through to the end. If you watch where you step, you will get great results from very little effort and experience.

1. Remove Moles & Other Blemishes

In Photoshop CS5, there’s an amazing new feature, called content-aware. Instead of sampling from one particular area, content-aware will try to reconstruct spots with little image-parts grabbed from all over the canvas. You can use it to fix a skyline, delete a tree, or to remove blemishes.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/content-aware.jpg" alt="enhancing photos with photoshop" width="580" height="313" />

Simply select the Spot Healing Brush tool from the left sidebar, and make sure content-aware is turned on. You might also want to change the brush size in the top left corner, until it just covers the blemish. One short click, et voila. At times, content-aware may mess up, though. In those scenarios, either try again or use one of the manual techniques discussed below.

In earlier versions of Photoshop, we have not yet been blessed with content-aware. On the other hand, we do have the spot healing brush tool. Select it from the left sidebar (see above screenshot), check your brush size, and make sure you have selected ‘proximity match’. Again, one click and you’re done.

Instead of reconstructing the spot, Photoshop will sample it with one that approaches it in color (and hopefully misses the mole). If your result seems faded, change the mode from Normal to Replace and try again.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/sampling.jpg" alt="edit photos photoshop" width="529" height="259" />

Alternatively, you can select the Healing Brush Tool from the left sidebar. You can find it by long-pressing the spot healing brush tool. Instead of sampling a random (proximate) match, hold the alt-button on your keyboard and click to select the place from where you want to sample. Then click the blemish. If your result seems faded, change the mode from Normal to Replace and try again.

You can do more than remove moles with this technique, though. Leftovers from suncream, dirty mouths and wrinkles all qualify, although you shouldn’t always bother. ‘Natural’ still has a certain charm, and you want to avoid the Madonna-syndrome.

2. Fix Overshadowed Parts

Sometimes, especially in heavy sun, your image is overshadowed in places. This shadow can even obscure important details, like a smile or the twinkle of an eye. Here’s how to (largely) remove it.

Go to Image -> Adjustments -> Levels. These levels, in a much too concise explanation, mark the distribution of shades and highlights across your image. In other words; using it, you can master the shades.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/levels.jpg" alt="edit photos photoshop" width="413" height="371" />

The far left slider will control the limits of the darkest shades, the far right one that of the brightest highlights. We will need the middle one, which determines to which side (light or dark) your image inclines. To remove our shadows, we want to limit the darker areas and give light some place to roam, so we will pull the middle slider a little (or a lot, depending on your image) to the left.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/contrast.jpg" alt="edit photos photoshop" width="348" height="156" />

Playing with levels can create an overly dark or – in our case – slightly faded image, though. If that’s the case, go to Image -> Adjustments -> Brightness/Contrast. And pull the Contrast slider a bit to the right. This will make you blacks blacker and your overall image less faded.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/removeshadows.jpg" alt="fix photos with photoshop" width="363" height="256" />

Here’s an overview of how we fought off those shadows. From original, to adjusted levels, to adjusted contrast.

3. Fix Discoloring

Whether because of a sunburn, a bad skin-type, or bad lighting, somehow your skin will manage to screw up a perfect picture. In my case it was a sunburn that gave me overly red ears. Here’s how to fix that.

Select the Color Replacement Tool by long-pressing Brush Tool and set its mode to Saturation – the intensity of a color. This brush will change the saturation of your picture to that of the selected color, but leave all the rest intact.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/saturationear1.jpg" alt="fix photos with photoshop" width="580" height="316" />

For our purpose, we want a less saturated color. You can see the kind of color I picked in the screenshot above, but please do play around with it for a bit. In essence, we want the ear to stop being red.

You’ll notice, however, that my ear now looks like it was made of clay. That’s because a less-saturated red skin is not the same as a normal skin. There’s still a difference in color behind the saturation.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/colorear2.jpg" alt="fix photos with photoshop" width="580" height="386" />

Still with the Color Replacement Tool selected, set the mode to color. We want to give our clay ear a more natural color. To do so, hold alt and select the predominant color on your face. Imagine it to be the color of your ear if there were no shadow at all. Now paint over your clay ear to make it come to life.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/burn.jpg" alt="" width="546" height="420" />

Our ear may still look a little fake. This is less of a problem with most other body parts, because an ear has a lot of diverse shadowing going on. While fixing our saturation and color, we also messed with the natural shadows. You can use the burn tool, as can be seen in the screenshot above, to introduce some new shadows. Don’t try to be an artist. Simply swipe it over the ear, and adjust the exposure if necessary. The burn tool will add shadow, but will mostly leave the rest of your colors alone.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/compearing.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="299" />

Above is the process of our ear-recoloration. From original, to ’saturated and colored’, to ‘one swipe with the burn tool’.

Note that you can use this same technique to increase the saturation (and sparkle) of eyes, whiten your teeth, and change the color of your shirt. The possibilities are effectively endless.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/comparison.jpg" alt="enhancing photos with photoshop" width="580" height="357" />

A final comparison in the screenshot above. To the left is the original, with standard color-improvement from iPhoto; the one on the right is touched up manually, with less than a couple minutes of work. With more time and effort, this picture can be further improved, i.e. by toning down some of the reds in the face and increasing the saturation of the background.

What do you think about enhancing photos with Photoshop? Soon to be common practice? Let us know your thoughts and other tips in the comments section below! />
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Ways of processing Mp3 and Wav files can be divided into 2 sorts: distorting and not distorting. And if distorting ways of processing change an original relation and level of amplitudes and frequencies of a sound whereas not distorting ways of processing change level of all amplitudes equally or leave invariable level of all amplitudes and frequencies of a sound.

The most widespread distorting way of processing is а equalizer, and the most widespread not distorting way of processing is а normalizer. We will consider a normalizer in given article.

Gist of a normalization consists that an amplitude of initial beep varies, and a form remains former.

And it feel on hearing as change of force a sound or volume.

Change of volume is accompanied by change of dynamic range that is relations of the loudest value to the most silent value of beep.

Increase of a volume leads to increase a dynamic range. Contraction and reduction of a dynamic range is accompanied by music which sounds exactly, monotonously, all time with approximately identical loudness, it becomes boring, inexpressive, more plane, an expression and dynamism disappears, brightness of perception is lost.

Certainly, it is possible to take advantage of a pen or a button of volume and easier to increase volume level, not resorting to a help of a normalizer but if you have many composition it supplies notable inconvenience. Each composition has its a dynamic range and a volume average level.

If all musical compositions are executed in one style or a genre that, as a rule, it is possible will be limited to peak normalization. Peak normalization for group of compositions fixes for each composition a dynamic range at one level thus that all compositions have a same dynamic range.

If all musical compositions are executed in different style or a genre that, as a rule, resort to normalization on an average level. Normalization on an average level for group of compositions fixes a dynamic range at different level for each composition depending on average value of volume of this composition that creates sensation of identical volume at transition from one composition to another for all group of compositions.

Let’s consider normalization of a sound with reference to program Sound Normalizer .

You need to open a file prior to a beginning of normalization.

The program has 2 modes: single and batch.

You can open a file in a single mode having executed a command “Open”.

You can go in the batch mode having executed a command ”Batch Processor”.

You can open files in the Batch Processor using three ways:

If You execute a command “Add Files” that can select Mp3 or Wav a file or files;

If You execute a command “Add Folder” that can select all Mp3 or Wav the files which are in this folder;

If You execute a command “Add Folders” that can select all Mp3 or Wav the files which are in this folder and all subfolder being in this folder.

The program has for Mp3 files normalization on an average level with definition of clipping. As level of a sound for Mp3 files is near to peak level or exceeds that one peak normalization for Mp3 files it appears not expedient.

Combination of a normalization on an average level with a peak normalization preventing a clipping will be a optimal variant.

Clipping is a distortion of beep expressing in appearance of “hissing” and “cod”.

Program Sound Normalizer has for Wav files while only peak normalization.

Before normalization fulfil test for Mp3 files and define a recommended maximum level of normalization without clipping will be the best order of performance of normalization.

The recommended maximum level of normalization without clipping is a optimum level of normalization eliminating clipping and providing maximum quality of a sound.

In the batch mode the recommended maximum level of batch normalization of the list of processing without clipping is the optimum level of normalization eliminating clipping and providing maximum quality of a sound, calculated for a current list of processing.

There is a command ”Normalize each file on a maximum level without clipping” in the batch mode this command represents implementation of peak normalization on a maximum level for Mp3 files.

Level of normalization for Mp3 files expresses in percentage concerning value in 89 db in the program Sound Normalizer. For example 89 db is 100 %.

89 db is defined by practical consideration for majority Mp3 files volume level, on which else there are no clipping.

Resume

The normalization is not distorting sort of processing.

The normalization is accompanied by change of a volume or of a dynamic range, that is the relation of the loudest value to the most silent value of beep varies.

The normalization allows to improve quality: if it for Wav files expresses by increase of a dynamic range for Mp3 files it expresses by elimination of a clipping.

Starting normalization Mp3 and Wav files it is necessary to mean, that there are 2 sorts of normalization:

Peak normalization;

Normalization on an average level.

It is necessary to know that there are 2 modes of normalization:

The single;

The batch.

The normalization of the batch mode works with a list of processing and allows to align perceived volume for group of compositions. If all songs belong to the same genre or style of music in group of compositions that usually enough and peak normalization.

If there are songs in group of compositions having different genres then it is usually necessary to use normalization on an average level. Usage of peak normalization will be enough in most cases for Wav files because often level their volume is not equal maximum and group played back Wav files on disk of usual capacity, as a rule, belongs to one genre.

Usage of normalization on an average level is necessary for Mp3 files as their level of volume, as a rule, is equal maximum or exceeds it, that calls appearance clipping. Mp3 files have a small size and consequently are allocated on a disk of usual capacity in a considerable quantity and belong not seldom to different genres of music. Usage of normalization on an average level together with peak normalization preventing clipping of beep and allowing to receive maximum quality therefore will be optimal for Mp3 files.

Source: http://www.kanssoftware.com

Your PC is often not a pure PC. Why? Because it gets contaminated by the things that stay in it for long. “What’s the issue?” you may ask. The answer is –these things lead to a poor speed and affect your PC’s security. And these bad things are created –though, unknowingly- by none other than the user himself. Redundant entries in your computer always tend to mar overall performance of the same. And users often can’t take care of every nook and corner of their PC’s store. What if they get automatic maintainers? Bad idea? Not really.

If you get some maintenance tools, PC operation would be more hassle free and securer. Tweaking Tools is one stop shop for such type of tools. Its product lines include PC boosters, privacy tools and monitoring tools.

A family of tools useful for all types of PC users, they save your PC from getting out of shape. Their makers always yearn to make customer -friendly products and have a habit of notching awards in top categories coz they don’t stop at mediocrity and strive for excellence in making the products. Through constant growth spanning a decade, today, Tweaking Tools is a product family of global reach with resellers and affiliates in every continent.

PC Optimizer Pro is the flagship product of Tweaking Tools and is meant to increase PC speed. With this tool you can improve your PC‘s speed for maximum performance. It is a simple tool without many technical jargons. You can install, run and operate this PC booster software with the help of your mouse. With oneclickprivacy, you can experience the ultimate solution in computer privacy. oneclickprivacy permanently erases all internet activity, cached passwords and credit card info, IM logs, media player records, search engine queries, and application usage – all with just one click.

Your PC is often not a pure PC. Why? Because it gets contaminated by the things that stay in it for long. “What’s the issue?” you may ask. The answer is –these things lead to a poor speed and affect your PC’s security. And these bad things are created –though, unknowingly- by none other than the user himself. Redundant entries in your computer always tend to mar overall performance of the same. And users often can’t take care of every nook and corner of their PC’s store. What if they get automatic maintainers? Bad idea? Not really.

If you get some maintenance tools, PC operation would be more hassle free and securer. Tweaking Tools is one stop shop for such type of tools. Its product lines include PC boosters, privacy tools and monitoring tools.

A family of tools useful for all types of PC users, they save your PC from getting out of shape. Their makers always yearn to make customer -friendly products and have a habit of notching awards in top categories coz they don’t stop at mediocrity and strive for excellence in making the products. Through constant growth spanning a decade, today, Tweaking Tools is a product family of global reach with resellers and affiliates in every continent.

PC Optimizer Pro is the flagship product of Tweaking Tools and is meant to increase PC speed. With this tool you can improve your PC‘s speed for maximum performance. It is a simple tool without many technical jargons. You can install, run and operate this PC booster software with the help of your mouse. With oneclickprivacy, you can experience the ultimate solution in computer privacy. oneclickprivacy permanently erases all internet activity, cached passwords and credit card info, IM logs, media player records, search engine queries, and application usage – all with just one click.