Tag Archive | "Save"

How To Extract Images From PDF Files & Save Them For Other Uses [Windows]


extract images from pdfThe Portable Document Format (PDF) is often the preferred medium for exchanging documents across the web. But sometimes, it creates more “problems” than it solves.

For instance, I am a voracious user of Slideshare, and sometimes I like to save a neat illustration or graphic for my personal use. Then there are some professional reports which come packaged as a PDF and you might come across the need to use a graphic from there in a presentation.

We had taken an earlier look at 6 Ways To Convert A PDF To A JPG Image. But over here, I am looking for something specific – extracting images only from PDF files. The solutions offered in the previous article are full-fledged converters. Here, the focus is more pinpointed.

Let’s check out a few ways to extract images from PDF files.

The Manual Way

Extracting images from PDF files is not a problem if you have the commercial Adobe Acrobat. It allows you to extract all the images (in multiple image formats) in a PDF file with a single click. Some free PDF readers like the earlier reviewed Nitro PDF Reader also have this feature. If you have the free Adobe Reader installed, then you have to slog it out by either using the Print Screen button on an individual image or using the Take a snapshot feature from the Edit menu. In both cases, you have to paste the copied image from the clipboard into a graphic editor.

The Photoshop Way

Okay, Adobe Photoshop isn’t a free product, but some of us do have it installed because it is the Big Daddy when it comes to image editors. Photoshop allows you to open a PDF document and start importing the text or the images in it. The Import PDF dialog appears as below:

extract images from pdf

 

You can select the images you want to extract. Click on OK and then save (or edit) the image as you would normally do. CorelDRAW also offers a similar functionality.

The Freeware Way

Well, you don’t need to get thumbprints on the Print Screen button or plonk down serious case on Photoshop if you regularly extract images from PDF files. Let’s bring up Some PDF Image Extract for the job at hand.

The 885 KB free software runs on Windows and is very handy for extracting image files from PDF documents. Plus, it comes with a few bells and whistles that give some control over what you are going to pull out from the PDF file. Installation is a breeze; just be careful to deselect the option which asks you to install the Blekko search engine as an option (i.e. if you want).

The interface of Some PDF Image Extract looks like this and using the image extractor doesn’t need you to consult any help file (though there is one).

extract pdf images

 

Some PDF Image Extract allows you to extract images from PDF files by using any or all of the following features…

1. The free software can batch process PDF files and extract their images in individual folders in one go. If you have more than one PDF file to work on, this is a time saver.

2. Some PDF Image Extract comes with image format options (JPG, BMP, PNG, GIF, TIF, TGA, and PCX). In case of the JPG output option, you can also control the quality of the extracted image.

3. You can choose the page range as well as an individual page if you want to extract only specific images from the file.

extract images from pdf

4. Some PDF Images Extract can work with password protected PDF-files too. The conversion tool has a field where you can key in the password during conversion.

Some PDF Image Extract does its conversion bit quite rapidly and smoothly. It works with Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista, and probably Windows 7 too though I haven’t tested it out on that.

PDF image extraction has quite a few uses. What are yours? How do you extract images from PDF files? Tell us your choice of method.



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The 3 Best Coupon Apps To Help You Save Money [Android]


class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/androidcouponthumb.jpg" alt="" />Every time I watch an episode of Extreme Couponing, I have to wonder if the results are worth the effort. Buying hundreds of dollars worth of stuff for a fraction of the price sounds great, but most people don’t want to dedicate an entire day planning a trip to the store.

For saner shoppers, smartphones are an excellent way to save money without going berserk. There are numerous apps that catalog and list coupon codes – so many, in fact, that slogging through them can be a chore. Fortunately, I’ve already done that for you, and I’ve come away with three apps that stand out from the crowd.

Coupon Cloud

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/androidcoupons1.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="500" />

Just look at the name of this app. Catchy, right? It’s also not really true, because there’s nothing that would fit the definition of class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/cloud-computing/">cloud computing here. You should forgive it for its misleading name however, because it’s a great coupon app.

When I first started this app I noticed immediately how smooth it felt and how quickly it loaded. This is not something that can be taken for granted. It seems that everyone has their own take on the coupon app, but many of the entries are slow and clunky.

In addition to this, it’s just simple. This does mean that it lacks the features of the other two apps, but it also means deals are easy to find if you want to search by category rather than store or class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/geotag-flickr-photos-explore-location/">location. Also, I noticed that Coupon Cloud seems to focus on online offers rather than local ones, which is a niche the other apps I came to like don’t fill.

GeoQpon

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/androidcoupons2.jpg" alt="" width="320" height="480" />

Want to find deals near you? GeoQpon is the app for you. As the name implies, it’s focused on presenting users with deals based on location. That’s handy for many users, but it will be of particular use to people who travel frequently.

There’s a lot of selection presented by this app, but despite that, the menus remain easy to use. The entire experience feels nearly as quick as Coupon Cloud, which is considerably more limited in scope. Filtering is here in spades as well, as users can list coupons by category and view them based on either location or brand.

Once you’ve decided a deal is appealing you can open it via class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/google-maps/">Google Maps using the app interface or you can call the store for directions and hours. This is another trait that makes this app stand out, as not all coupon apps make it so easy to find the deals that they list.

Grocery Smarts

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/androidcoupons3.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="320" />

At first glance, Grocery Smarts is a rather ugly little app. While fairly smooth, it’s mostly done in black and white, which gives off an amateur impression compared to the other apps listed here.

As I dug deeper however, I found that I liked what Grocery Smarts offers. Calling this a coupon app isn’t entirely accurate. Instead, this app sorts through grocery store advertisements and lists all of their current deals, including those that do not require a coupon. Often these deals can save you even more than coupons do.

Better yet, Grocery Smarts lets you add items to a list, and will then tell you the expected total of your purchases. You can save the list and retrieve it when you do your shopping. These features are enough for me to forgive the unpleasant appearance – although hopefully the developers will address it.

Conclusion

These three apps are my personal favorites, excluding some of the more obvious contenders such as class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-ways-makeuseof-groupon">Groupon. However, there are a lot of coupon apps on the market, and while I tried many of them I didn’t try them all. If you use a coupon app that you believe others should try, let us know about it in the comments.



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Two Apps To Disable Auto-Rotation & Save You Neck Pain [Android]


class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image-186.jpg" alt="disable auto rotation" />Here’s an all-too familiar scenario. You’re lying in bed, trying to sleep or having just woken up. Android device in hand, you decide to try to check some emails or maybe read a blog post or two. You run the Gmail app, but since you’re lying on your side in bed, it decides to switch over to landscape mode. Now you can’t read anything, so you need to hold the device at an angle that would make it switch back to portrait. But now you can’t read anything either!

Maybe you shouldn’t be messing with your Android device while in bed, or maybe you should try class="vt-p" href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.andreabaccega.togglerotation">Shake ‘n Rotate or class="vt-p" href="https://market.android.com/details?id=net.xdevelop.rotator_t&feature=search_result">Smart Rotator.

Smart Rotator

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image-187.jpg" alt="disable auto rotation" />

Smart Rotator (for Android 1.6 and above) really couldn’t be simpler to use. When you run the app, you get a list of all other apps on your system. Scroll down to an app for which you’d like to disable auto-rotation, and tap its name. You’ll get a prompt looking like this:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image-188.jpg" alt="" />

Just tap “Turn off”, and you’ve just turned off neck pain, at least for that application. One issue though, is that Smart Rotator won’t let you see which apps are on and which are off. Here’s that same list again, after I disabled auto-rotation for Gmail:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image-189.jpg" alt="disable auto rotation android" />

Can you tell the difference? Me neither. It did work very well, though. Immediately after switching auto-rotation off for Gmail, I switched to Gmail and couldn’t make it go to landscape mode, no matter how I held the device. Smart Rotator doesn’t request root privileges and doesn’t clutter your notification bar with any messages. As simple as could be, really.

One caveat though, is that Smart Rotator may work a bit too well: Gmail wouldn’t auto-rotate even after I uninstalled Smart Rotator. So you might like to test Smart Rotator first with one or two apps before you decide if you want to stick with it.

Shake ‘n Rotate

Requiring Android 2.0 and up, class="vt-p" href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.andreabaccega.togglerotation">Shake ‘n Rotate is a bit more of a vigorous option, since it requires you to physically shake the device. It’s also a bit more rich, graphically:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image-190.jpg" alt="disable auto rotation android" />

Almost looks like a game, doesn’t it? Let’s tap the large CONFIGURATION button and see what we get.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image-192.jpg" alt="disable auto rotation android" />

This is a more standard Android look, with a bit of Engrish thrown in for good measure. My sensor is rather sensible, thanks for asking. I just left all options at default (it’s the sensible thing to do) and went back to the main screen to switch the app on.

I then started the Gmail app and shook the device to toggle auto-rotation. It took quite a vigorous shake, the kind that might wake up your significant other if they’re lying on the other side of the bed. But I then got this nice overlay:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image-194.jpg" alt="disable auto rotation" />

Auto-rotation has now been enabled. Very clear, and quite satisfying. You will probably want to dial the sensitivity up a notch, though. This isn’t a per-app setting, either – it impacts all apps on your system.

In Closing

It should be noted that if you happen to have class="vt-p" href="https://market.android.com/details?id=net.dinglisch.android.taskerm">Tasker installed, you could easily replicate both apps’ functionality without installing anything else on your device. But we won’t delve too deeply into that, as we will shortly be looking at Tasker in an upcoming article.

Another note is that some apps (such as class="vt-p" href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mobitobi.android.gentlealarm">Gentle Alarm and previously-reviewed class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/miren-fantastic-free-browser-android-phone/">Miren browser) have built-in settings to prevent auto-rotation. If you’re having trouble with just one or two apps that auto-rotate at inopportune times, you might want to dig into their settings and find out if auto-rotation can be toggled just for them.

Image Credit: class="vt-p" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?lang=en&search_source=search_form&version=llv1&anyorall=all&safesearch=1&searchterm=neck+pain&search_group=&orient=&search_cat=&searchtermx=&photographer_name=&people_gender=&people_age=&people_ethnicity=&people_number=&commercial_ok=&color=&show_color_wheel=1#id=73099507&src=fc6a146841ae3539edecefb91e631f1b-1-2">Shutterstock />
/>Need Assistance? Ask questions to MakeUseOf staff and thousands of other readers on href="http://www.makeuseof.dev/answers/" target="_blank" >MakeUseOf Answers!

/>

 

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    Two Apps To Disable Auto-Rotation & Save You Neck Pain [Android]


    class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image-186.jpg" alt="disable auto rotation" />Here’s an all-too familiar scenario. You’re lying in bed, trying to sleep or having just woken up. Android device in hand, you decide to try to check some emails or maybe read a blog post or two. You run the Gmail app, but since you’re lying on your side in bed, it decides to switch over to landscape mode. Now you can’t read anything, so you need to hold the device at an angle that would make it switch back to portrait. But now you can’t read anything either!

    Maybe you shouldn’t be messing with your Android device while in bed, or maybe you should try class="vt-p" href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.andreabaccega.togglerotation">Shake ‘n Rotate or class="vt-p" href="https://market.android.com/details?id=net.xdevelop.rotator_t&feature=search_result">Smart Rotator.

    Smart Rotator

    class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image-187.jpg" alt="disable auto rotation" />

    Smart Rotator (for Android 1.6 and above) really couldn’t be simpler to use. When you run the app, you get a list of all other apps on your system. Scroll down to an app for which you’d like to disable auto-rotation, and tap its name. You’ll get a prompt looking like this:

    class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image-188.jpg" alt="" />

    Just tap “Turn off”, and you’ve just turned off neck pain, at least for that application. One issue though, is that Smart Rotator won’t let you see which apps are on and which are off. Here’s that same list again, after I disabled auto-rotation for Gmail:

    class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image-189.jpg" alt="disable auto rotation android" />

    Can you tell the difference? Me neither. It did work very well, though. Immediately after switching auto-rotation off for Gmail, I switched to Gmail and couldn’t make it go to landscape mode, no matter how I held the device. Smart Rotator doesn’t request root privileges and doesn’t clutter your notification bar with any messages. As simple as could be, really.

    One caveat though, is that Smart Rotator may work a bit too well: Gmail wouldn’t auto-rotate even after I uninstalled Smart Rotator. So you might like to test Smart Rotator first with one or two apps before you decide if you want to stick with it.

    Shake ‘n Rotate

    Requiring Android 2.0 and up, class="vt-p" href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.andreabaccega.togglerotation">Shake ‘n Rotate is a bit more of a vigorous option, since it requires you to physically shake the device. It’s also a bit more rich, graphically:

    class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image-190.jpg" alt="disable auto rotation android" />

    Almost looks like a game, doesn’t it? Let’s tap the large CONFIGURATION button and see what we get.

    class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image-192.jpg" alt="disable auto rotation android" />

    This is a more standard Android look, with a bit of Engrish thrown in for good measure. My sensor is rather sensible, thanks for asking. I just left all options at default (it’s the sensible thing to do) and went back to the main screen to switch the app on.

    I then started the Gmail app and shook the device to toggle auto-rotation. It took quite a vigorous shake, the kind that might wake up your significant other if they’re lying on the other side of the bed. But I then got this nice overlay:

    class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image-194.jpg" alt="disable auto rotation" />

    Auto-rotation has now been enabled. Very clear, and quite satisfying. You will probably want to dial the sensitivity up a notch, though. This isn’t a per-app setting, either – it impacts all apps on your system.

    In Closing

    It should be noted that if you happen to have class="vt-p" href="https://market.android.com/details?id=net.dinglisch.android.taskerm">Tasker installed, you could easily replicate both apps’ functionality without installing anything else on your device. But we won’t delve too deeply into that, as we will shortly be looking at Tasker in an upcoming article.

    Another note is that some apps (such as class="vt-p" href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mobitobi.android.gentlealarm">Gentle Alarm and previously-reviewed class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/miren-fantastic-free-browser-android-phone/">Miren browser) have built-in settings to prevent auto-rotation. If you’re having trouble with just one or two apps that auto-rotate at inopportune times, you might want to dig into their settings and find out if auto-rotation can be toggled just for them.

    Image Credit: class="vt-p" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?lang=en&search_source=search_form&version=llv1&anyorall=all&safesearch=1&searchterm=neck+pain&search_group=&orient=&search_cat=&searchtermx=&photographer_name=&people_gender=&people_age=&people_ethnicity=&people_number=&commercial_ok=&color=&show_color_wheel=1#id=73099507&src=fc6a146841ae3539edecefb91e631f1b-1-2">Shutterstock />
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    Cloud Save: Save Files Directly To The Cloud [Chrome]


    class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/cloudsave-icon.png" alt="save files to the cloud" />Why download files to your computer, only to upload them somewhere else? Save yourself some unnecessary clicks by “downloading” files directly to the cloud, skipping your hard drive altogether.

    Cloud Save sends would-be downloads directly to web-based services, including Dropbox, Google Docs, Facebook, Flickr, Picasa and more. Simply right-click a file, then decide where you’d like to send your file. It’s a feature so mind-bogglingly useful you’ll wonder why it’s not built into Chrome to begin with, particularly as Google prepares to sell laptops sporting class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/chrome-os/">Chrome OS.

    The extension is the work of class="vt-p" href="https://twitter.com/#!/antimatter15">antimatter15, who is still actively improving it. It’s working wonderfully for me so far.

    Using Cloud Save

    So you stumble upon a file you want to send to a web service. Assuming you’ve already class="vt-p" href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/omiekjeapoonbhiemenfoccbdpeagdah">installed Cloud Share, all you need to do is right-click the link to the file:

    class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/cloudsave-menu.png" alt="save files to the cloud" width="580" height="326" />

    As you can see, you’ll find the “Cloud Save” option in the menu. Pick the service you want to send your file to; this will of course depend on the type of file it is. If this is the first time you’ve used a given service with Cloud Save, you’ll be asked to authorize the app. Authorizing Dropbox looks like this:

    class="aligncenter" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/cloudsave-enable.png" alt="cloud file storage" width="580" height="224" />

    Be careful to actually authorize the app: not doing so could cause a service to not work. I had to re-install Cloud Save to get Dropbox working, after accidentally clicking no.

    Once everything is authorized, the transfer will begin. You’ll see a Chrome-style alert with the progress:

    class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/cloudsave-progress.png" alt="cloud file storage" width="566" height="262" />

    How long this will take obviously depends on the size of the file, so be patient.

    You can also use the settings page to upload a file from your computer:

    class="aligncenter" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/cloudsave-settings.png" alt="save files to the cloud" width="579" height="194" />

    This isn’t in line with the purpose of the app, but I could see some using it from time to time.

    Supported Services

    There are quite a few services supported by Cloud Save, many of which are MakeUseOf favourites. The current list includes:

    • class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/google-picasa/">Picasa
    • class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/adding-pictures-to-your-twitter-stream-with-twitpic-flickr/">TwitPic
    • class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/flickr/">Flickr
    • class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/fill-the-space-between-your-blogs-with-posterous/">Posterous
    • Twitrpix
    • Twitgoo
    • class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/facebook/">Facebook
    • Imgly
    • class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/upload-files-awesome-boxnet-windows-explorer">Box.net
    • class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/sugarsync/">SugarSync
    • class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/dropbox/">Dropbox
    • class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/google-docs/">Google Docs
    • Min.us
    • class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/share-files-style-cloudapp-mac/">Cloud App
    • class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/put-amazons-cloud-drive-desktop">Amazon Cloud
    • DropIr
    • WebDAV
    • Dropdo

    This is a nice variety of applications. There are the storage apps, such as Dropbox or Sugarsync, and the more socially inclined apps such as Facebook or Flickr. Those looking to send photos elsewhere should be particularly pleased, because there is no shortage of photo-related apps in the above list. Support for more web apps may well be in the future, so stay tuned.

    Having the ability to save files to a particular folder in Dropbox and other services would be nice. I wonder if that’s coming eventually?

    Conclusion

    I like seeing stuff like this, because I like software that simplifies life. By allowing users to send files directly to web apps, instead of requiring them to download and re-upload a file, Cloud Save is certainly a program that can save you some time.

    What do you think? Is Cloud Save a good idea, or do you prefer doing things the old fashioned way? Or do you consider this entire “cloud” thing to be some sort of fad? As always, share your thoughts in the comments below. />
    /> href="http://www.supertintin.com/">SuperTinTin – Skype Video Call Recorder /> Record and save your audio and video conversations on Skype or MSN. Easy to use.

    />

     

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    Reduce Your Mobile Internet Data Usage & Save Money Using Onavo [iOS]


    class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/00_monthly_usage.jpg" alt="mobile data" />Thanks to the enormous growth of smartphones and tablets, mobile Internet access is also growing by leaps and bounds. More and more people are accessing the web from their mobile devices using wireless connections.

    There are two main methods to accessing the net wirelessly – using WiFi and using a data connection provided by phone carriers. The problem is, fast and reliable WiFi connections are not everywhere. Most of the time, especially in developing countries, people have to rely on slower and more expensive carriers’ data connections. Knowing that customers have no other options, some carriers try to reap even more profit by setting an impossibly high price for data connections.

    What can customers do to save money? They can try to minimize their mobile data plan usage, or they can use href="http://www.onavo.com/">Onavo.

    To Reroute & To Compress

    Onavo is a new service that will help phone users reduce their mobile Internet data usage by rerouting the data streams via Onavo’s servers and compressing the data there. The result is that users will send and receive smaller data sizes, websites will load faster, and the connection costs will be smaller. Onavo claims that the service can shrink data size up to 80%.

    The concept of rerouting and compressing data streams itself is not new. The method was popular several years ago as an alternative way to “speed up” very slow Internet connections (does anybody still remember what it was like to use a 56.6Kbps modem over a landline?). One of those services was href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/faster-internet-anonymous-net-surfing-through-toonel/">Toonel.

    At the moment, Onavo is only available for iOS devices ( href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/iphone/">iPhones and 3G versions of href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/ipad/">iPads). You can download the free app in the href="http://onavo.com/i/download1">App Store. As for Android users, you don’t have to worry because several websites have confirmed that the Android version is on the way.

    After installing the app, you can start setting up the service. Open the app and install a personal Onavo profile on your iOS device: fill in your email address and choose a password, then click “Next“.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/01_installed.jpg" border="0" alt="mobile data" width="580" height="416" />

    Onavo will get the data from the web and ask for your confirmation before installing the profile.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/02-Installed-Profile.jpg" border="0" alt="mobile data plans" width="580" height="277" />

    After the set up, you will get the explanation screen. It will tell you that the service is currently not supporting VoIP and video apps. Tap “Go To App” to continue.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/02b_done_setting.jpg" border="0" alt="mobile data plans" width="320" height="460" />

    Let’s Start Saving

    Using the service is very easy. All that you have to do is to tap on “Turn Savings On” button and do your normal Internet activities on your iOS device while leaving the app open. The rerouting and compressing process will be done automatically in the background.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/03_turn_on_savings.jpg" border="0" alt="mobile data plans" width="580" height="416" />

    Anytime you need to stop using the service, you can tap the “Turn Savings Off” button.

    Some of you might ask, why would anyone turn off a service that will speed up the webload while reducing connection costs? The answer is simple – the size compression process compromises on file quality, and the effect is most noticeable on images. So if you need to view web images in their best shape, you will want to turn off the compression.

    After a few minutes of using the app, you can go back to the app to view the savings report. Onavo will tell you how many kilobytes (or megabytes) that you’ve saved. It will also tell you the saving’s percentage. Tap “Reports” to see the details. You can share your savings via Facebook, Twitter, or email to your colleagues using the “Share” tab on the right.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/04_savings_detail.jpg" border="0" alt="reduce mobile data" width="580" height="416" />

    Since I tried the app only for a little while, I didn’t have the monthly savings data to show. But the app has a sample of monthly savings data, with a colorful chart showing where your savings went.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/05_sample_month_usage.jpg" border="0" alt="reduce mobile data" width="580" height="416" />

    Settings & Removing

    The “Settings” is the place to change your email and/or password, and to do several other adjustments. You can access Settings by tapping the gear icon on the top right corner of the screen.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/06_settings.jpg" border="0" alt="reduce mobile data" width="580" height="416" />

    By going a little bit deeper into the Settings, you can find the instructions on how to remove Onavo’s profile: go to Settings – Profile and remove Onavo.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/07_remove_profile.jpg" border="0" alt="mobile data" width="580" height="416" />

    But if you are a mobile Internet user with a carrier’s mobile data plan, you wouldn’t want to remove Onavo. How else can you get a cheaper and faster mobile Internet connection?  If you know of another easy and free method to do so, please share it in the comments below. />
    /> href="http://flashvideodownloader.org/fvd-suite/track/s/makeuseof">Download videos from the sites like YouTube, Break.com etc. Convert videos to almost any format. /> href="http://flashvideodownloader.org/fvd-suite/track/s/makeuseof"> src="http://flashvideodownloader.org/fvd-suite/banners/aban3.gif">

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    Save Paper By Formatting & Printing Your Files With Govert’s Imposition Tool [Windows]


    class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/trash.png" alt="print to pdf" />Paper costs money. Save both by printing your PDFs on half-pages. Whether you want a booklet or side-by-side copies, a free tool for Windows not only makes this possible but also simple. Stop messing around with printer settings and get the document exactly how you want it. Many printers allow you to print to PDF as a booklet, or to print side-by-side copies. The interface for doing so however, varies depending on the type of printer you’re using and a number of other factors.

    Whether you routinely print our href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/">free PDF manuals or find yourself with a steady stream of documents you need to print and read, this is a tool you should probably know about.

    Getting Started

    To get started, simply href="http://www.noliturbare.com/pdf-tools/simple-imposition">download Govert’s imposition tool. It comes as a single executable file, but you’ll need to href="http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?familyid=0856EACB-4362-4B0D-8EDD-AAB15C5E04F5&displaylang=en">download .NET 2.0 to run this program. Once everything’s working, you’ll have a window that looks like this:

    class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/govert-main.png" alt="print to pdf" width="580" height="421" />

    Add a PDF, pick the print mode you want and you’ll quickly make a new PDF file formatting the way you want it.

    What do these different modes mean? Great question. Keep reading to find out, and to see pages from a yet-to-be-released manual.

    Booklet Printing

    Want a booklet you can fold and staple down the middle? This is the mode you’re looking for. Govert’s tool will automatically arrange your document for convenient book making, so try this out if you want something that feels and reads like a book.

    class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/govert-booklet.png" alt="best way to print pdf file" width="529" height="372" />

    You can optionally include folding marks, which makes the process a little bit simpler. There will also be a few blank “pages”, depending on your total number of pages, but this is normal in the world of publishing.

    2-Up Printing

    Want two “pages” per page, but aren’t very keen about the folded booklet? 2-up printing will put two consecutive pages on each sheet of paper, making for easy reading without a lot of extra work.

    class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/govert-2up.png" alt="best way to print pdf file" width="530" height="374" />

    Optional lines can seperate the two pages printed on a single sheet, which isn’t necessary but sometimes nice.

    Duplicate, Side By Side

    Want two copies of your document? This is the tool you need. Every sheet will have two versions of the same page.  Perfect if you are printing out leaflets and flyers.

    class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/govert-duplicate.png" alt="best way to print pdf file" width="530" height="373" />

    Cut every sheet down the middle and you’ve got two half-page documents. You can optionally have a cutmark on the top page, which is great if you’re going to use a paper-cutter to slice through an entire document.

    2 by 2 1/2 Inches

    This is like the duplicate setting, but you only get one copy. Basically: if you cut the sheets in half down the middle you have two stacks. The left side of the page is the first half of the document; the right, the second.

    class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/2x1.5.jpg" alt="print to pdf" width="531" height="242" />

    Great if you want the document to be a stack of half-page sheets.

    Conclusion

    I like this tool quite a bit; thanks go to href="http://www.freewaregenius.com/2011/04/19/gimposition-print-your-pdf-documents-or-ebooks-2-pages-per-sheet-of-paper-or-in-booklet-or-book-format-etc/">Freeware Genius for pointing it out.

    Soon after becoming the eBook editor I was surprised to learn that many of our readers print our guides. I’m not sure why this surprised me; perhaps it’s because I rarely read anything on paper anymore and print documents even less often. While I do understand the appeal of printing such manuals, using full pages to do so is pretty wasteful. Tools like this make printing our manuals less wasteful, so I recommend all of our readers do so.

    Prefer reading PDFs on your e-reader? So do I, but the formatting can be problematic. If this is familar to you, you’ll find href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/pdf-files-ereaderfriendly-briss/">Briss makes PDF files e-reader friendly. Even if you don’t use e-readers, combining Briss with Govert’s tool could have some awesome results. If you try this, share your thoughts in the comments below.

    Do you have any other PDF printing tips or tools you use to print to PDF? Share them below, along with your questions about Govert’s imposition tool. />
    />Need Assistance? Ask questions to MakeUseOf staff and thousands of other readers on href="http://www.makeuseof.dev/answers/" target="_blank" >MakeUseOf Answers!

    />

     

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    The Best Travel Deals Sites To Save Cash On Your Next Vacation


    class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/shutterstock_3272519a1.png" border="0" alt="best sites for travel deals" width="150" height="208" />Airline tickets and other associated travel expenses constantly change within hours or days. Booking a flight just two or three days before or after your planned departure date could cost or save you up to a few hundred dollars. But with some online searching, and some flexibility in your schedule, you can possibly find great travel deals that will make your trip less costly and possibly more enjoyable.

    We recently posted about a travel site called  class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/virtualtourist-planning-trip/">Virtual Tourist that contains lots of traveler recommendations for planning your next trip. But there are several websites geared to helping you find some of the best travel deals around. These sites are easy to navigate and they provide tools for alerting you when long and short-term deals arise.

    id="more-63315">

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/">Airfarewatchdog

    Airfarewatchdog seems to be the most straightforward site when it comes to locating the best airfare deals. Airfarewatchdog prides itself on being a team of real people who personally seek out low airfare rates by scouring the net and posting listings as they find them.

    Airfarewatchdog post deals for domestic and international flights. They list promo codes, specify if flights are non-stop, and provide comparative rates from “every conceivable airport”.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/TodaysLowest.png" border="0" alt="best sites for travel deals" width="463" height="359" />

    If you have a really flexible schedule, you can take advantage of their “Today’s Lowest Fares” listing.  You can be alerted about travel fares for less than $100, depending of course on your location. All you have to do is provide Airfarewatchdog with an email address to get alerts. You can also follow Airfarewatchdog on class="vt-p" href="http://twitter.com/#!/airfarewatchdog">Twitter and class="vt-p" href="http://www.facebook.com/Airfarewatchdog">Facebook.

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.triporama.com/">Triporama

    If you’re planning some group travel, check out Triporama. This site lists package deals for not only airline fares but also deals for hotels, tourist spots, dining and shopping.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/muoscreenshot216.jpg" border="0" alt="best travel deals" width="580" height="310" />

    Packages can be explored by various themes, including Weekend and Girlfriend Getaways, Skiing, Golf, and Family Travel, as well as Beach Vacations, and Sporting Events.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/gruoptrip.png" border="0" alt="best travel deals" width="498" height="453" />

    When you sign up for a free account, you can add and tag all your research in your Group Trip Planner. From there you and your group can research and collaborate on the best deals.

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/">TravelAdvisor

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/">TravelAdvisor also provides best deals on flights, restaurant meals, cruises and vacation rentals. Simply input your travel dates and TravelAdvisor will deliver you comparative rates from related sources.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/muoscreenshot217.png" border="0" alt="best travel deals" width="580" height="284" />

    The site also has free mobile apps for researching travel deals and locations.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/muoscreenshot218.png" border="0" alt="best last minute travel deals" width="580" height="257" />

    It also features reviews from travelers from around the world who provide tips and critiques of travel hotspots. The idea behind TravelAdvisors is to provide lots of reviews and advice on hotels, resorts, flights, vacation rentals and vacation packages, so you can get the most out of your travel.

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.igougo.com/">IgoUgo

    IgoUgo saves you the trouble of having to search various websites to compare prices. After providing your travel dates and destinations, you can select other travel websites, including Travelocity, Priceline, and Expedia, which you want IgoUgo to search.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/muoscreenshot219.png" border="0" alt="best last minute travel deals" width="492" height="369" />

    IgoUgo also includes traveler photos and onsite blog tips about various tourist destinations.

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.travelzoo.com/supersearch/?catid=99">TravelZoo

    TravelZoo is an easy-to-use deal search site that evaluates and tests thousands of deals among more than 2,000 travel companies, including Travelocity, Orbitz, JetBlue, United, Priceline, Delta, and American Airlines.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/muoscreenshot220.png" border="0" alt="best last minute travel deals" width="458" height="473" />

    TravelZoo, which claims over 2 million subscribers, also finds deals for airfares, hotels, cruises, car rentals, and vacations. You can sign up to get their Top 20 alerts, that recently included such deals as a 4-Night Bahamas Getaway for $299, a Spring 5-Night Royal Caribbean Cruise for $399 ($250 savings), and 4 Cocktails with Tapas at New W Lounge in NYC for $35 (Reg. $108).

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.cruisecompete.com/">Cruise Compete

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.cruisecompete.com/">If a cruise getaway is what you’re looking for, check out Cruise Compete. Agents working for this site can provide you free Cruise Quotes for the best deals.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/cruisecompete.png" border="0" alt="cruisecompete.png" width="580" height="207" />

    You simply submit a ship name and sail dates, with a few pieces of relevant information, to get feedback about available prices and savings.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/muoscreenshot222.png" border="0" alt="best sites for travel deals" width="580" height="206" />

    Cruise Compete has information about deals and packages for cruises throughout the world, and it can also provide you with information about group rates.

    As you search for travel prices, you will find there’s hardly any standard fees for airfares, car rentals, hotels, or cruises. Prices seem to go up and down constantly, so taking advantage of these deal sites is the best way to possibly save some money for your trip.

    There are many other travel deal sites online, so let us know which ones you have found useful. />
    /> Got Questions? Ask Them Now FREE on href="http://www.makeuseof.com/answers/">MakeUseOf Answers!

    />

     

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    The Best Travel Deals Sites To Save Money On Your Next Vacation


    class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/shutterstock_3272519a1.png" border="0" alt="best sites for travel deals" width="150" height="208" />Airline tickets and other associated travel expenses constantly change within hours or days. Booking a flight just two or three days before or after your planned departure date could cost or save you up to a few hundred dollars. But with some online searching, and some flexibility in your schedule, you can possibly find great travel deals that will make your trip less costly and possibly more enjoyable.

    We recently posted about a travel site called  class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/virtualtourist-planning-trip/">Virtual Tourist that contains lots of traveler recommendations for planning your next trip. But there are several websites geared to helping you find some of the best travel deals around. These sites are easy to navigate and they provide tools for alerting you when long and short-term deals arise.

    id="more-63315">

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/">Airfarewatchdog

    Airfarewatchdog seems to be the most straightforward site when it comes to locating the best airfare deals. Airfarewatchdog prides itself on being a team of real people who personally seek out low airfare rates by scouring the net and posting listings as they find them.

    Airfarewatchdog post deals for domestic and international flights. They list promo codes, specify if flights are non-stop, and provide comparative rates from “every conceivable airport”.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/TodaysLowest.png" border="0" alt="best sites for travel deals" width="463" height="359" />

    If you have a really flexible schedule, you can take advantage of their “Today’s Lowest Fares” listing.  You can be alerted about travel fares for less than $100, depending of course on your location. All you have to do is provide Airfarewatchdog with an email address to get alerts. You can also follow Airfarewatchdog on class="vt-p" href="http://twitter.com/#!/airfarewatchdog">Twitter and class="vt-p" href="http://www.facebook.com/Airfarewatchdog">Facebook.

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.triporama.com/">Triporama

    If you’re planning some group travel, check out Triporama. This site lists package deals for not only airline fares but also deals for hotels, tourist spots, dining and shopping.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/muoscreenshot216.jpg" border="0" alt="best travel deals" width="580" height="310" />

    Packages can be explored by various themes, including Weekend and Girlfriend Getaways, Skiing, Golf, and Family Travel, as well as Beach Vacations, and Sporting Events.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/gruoptrip.png" border="0" alt="best travel deals" width="498" height="453" />

    When you sign up for a free account, you can add and tag all your research in your Group Trip Planner. From there you and your group can research and collaborate on the best deals.

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/">TravelAdvisor

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/">TravelAdvisor also provides best deals on flights, restaurant meals, cruises and vacation rentals. Simply input your travel dates and TravelAdvisor will deliver you comparative rates from related sources.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/muoscreenshot217.png" border="0" alt="best travel deals" width="580" height="284" />

    The site also has free mobile apps for researching travel deals and locations.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/muoscreenshot218.png" border="0" alt="best last minute travel deals" width="580" height="257" />

    It also features reviews from travelers from around the world who provide tips and critiques of travel hotspots. The idea behind TravelAdvisors is to provide lots of reviews and advice on hotels, resorts, flights, vacation rentals and vacation packages, so you can get the most out of your travel.

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.igougo.com/">IgoUgo

    IgoUgo saves you the trouble of having to search various websites to compare prices. After providing your travel dates and destinations, you can select other travel websites, including Travelocity, Priceline, and Expedia, which you want IgoUgo to search.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/muoscreenshot219.png" border="0" alt="best last minute travel deals" width="492" height="369" />

    IgoUgo also includes traveler photos and onsite blog tips about various tourist destinations.

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.travelzoo.com/supersearch/?catid=99">TravelZoo

    TravelZoo is an easy-to-use deal search site that evaluates and tests thousands of deals among more than 2,000 travel companies, including Travelocity, Orbitz, JetBlue, United, Priceline, Delta, and American Airlines.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/muoscreenshot220.png" border="0" alt="best last minute travel deals" width="458" height="473" />

    TravelZoo, which claims over 2 million subscribers, also finds deals for airfares, hotels, cruises, car rentals, and vacations. You can sign up to get their Top 20 alerts, that recently included such deals as a 4-Night Bahamas Getaway for $299, a Spring 5-Night Royal Caribbean Cruise for $399 ($250 savings), and 4 Cocktails with Tapas at New W Lounge in NYC for $35 (Reg. $108).

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.cruisecompete.com/">Cruise Compete

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.cruisecompete.com/">If a cruise getaway is what you’re looking for, check out Cruise Compete. Agents working for this site can provide you free Cruise Quotes for the best deals.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/cruisecompete.png" border="0" alt="cruisecompete.png" width="580" height="207" />

    You simply submit a ship name and sail dates, with a few pieces of relevant information, to get feedback about available prices and savings.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/muoscreenshot222.png" border="0" alt="best sites for travel deals" width="580" height="206" />

    Cruise Compete has information about deals and packages for cruises throughout the world, and it can also provide you with information about group rates.

    As you search for travel prices, you will find there’s hardly any standard fees for airfares, car rentals, hotels, or cruises. Prices seem to go up and down constantly, so taking advantage of these deal sites is the best way to possibly save some money for your trip.

    There are many other travel deal sites online, so let us know which ones you have found useful.

     

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    6 Thrifty Websites To Help You Make, Repair & Do-It-Yourself To Save Some Cash


    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/intro1.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="145" />So the global recession has hit hard. At a time like this you may be tempted to turn to class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/save-money/">money-saving tips, techniques and resources to help yourself out if you’re feeling the squeeze.

    What better way to save yourself money and stamp your own personal mark on a job by doing it yourself? There’s plenty of money to be saved by getting your hands dirty, regardless of sex and age – just exercise care and caution if you’re wielding sharp and potentially dangerous things.

    Here’s a selection of websites to help inspire new projects and close the lid on those unfinished ones too.

    id="more-61199">

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeitandmendit.com/">Make It & Mend It

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/makeandmend.jpg" alt="" width="580" height="398" />

    With the aim of inspiring more of us to re-use and class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/ecycler-recyclable-stuff/">recycle instead of simply throwing it away, Make it and Mend it is the brainchild of four passionate women who have seen the website’s popularity grow and grow.

    Since launching in early 2009 the website has seen the growth of a community, a major redesign (which looks awesome) and the introduction of the email newsletter.

    Navigation is easy via the simplistic and sleek design of the homepage, with instructions separated into six separate categories. There are also a few other sections to the site including People which focuses on guest bloggers and human interest, as well as Downloads and Videos.

    Make it and Mend it provides some creative ideas for class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-helpful-online-resources-beginner-cook/">cookery, home design and class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/fashion/">fashion amongst others, with a focus on projects that benefit from that personal touch.

    class="vt-p" href="http://makeprojects.com/">Make: Projects

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/makeprojects.jpg" alt="" width="580" height="396" />

    Make: Projects puts more of an emphasis on technical projects than the previous website, but contains a good range of DIY tips, hacks, tweaks and uses for your old bits of tat.

    Ever wanted to mod a snowboard into a class="vt-p" href="http://makeprojects.com/Project/Backcountry-Splitboard/70/1">splitboard? What about building your own class="vt-p" href="http://makeprojects.com/Project/Balloon-Imaging-Satellite-/307/1">aerial satellite? There’s no shortage of adventurous projects here, and you don’t need an engineering degree to play along.

    The website is the “submit your own” section of Make Magazine, and many of the projects listed may have been featured on the shelf of your local newsagents in the past.

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.instructables.com/">Instructables

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/instructables.jpg" alt="" width="580" height="390" />

    We’ve class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/instructables-webs-biggest-show/">mentioned it before, in fact I’ve even mentioned it myself but I can’t help but drop it into another article. Instructables is probably the web’s most definitive collection of DIY projects for absolutely any occasion.

    The website changes with the seasons, so if you’re after the class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-websites-inspire-halloween-costumes/">best halloween costume or want to build your own summer barbecue then you’re bound to find detailed, informative instructions for just about anything.

    The website also runs regular competitions to reward the community’s spirit and determination, so if you’re brave then why not enter your own creation for the chance to win some very apt prizes.

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.diyfixit.co.uk/">diyfixit

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/diyfixit.jpg" alt="" width="580" height="395" />

    British-based diyfixit embraces the nation’s obsession with hammers, drills and other tools with guides to fixing general household issues.

    There’s a plethora of information available from wallpapering to installing a kitchen sink – you’ll find it on diyfixit. There’s a couple of different sections to explore, though the How To section warrants a visit on its own.

    If you’re the handy type who feels confident enough in undertaking the largest of hands-on projects then diyfixit is the perfect resource for your busy hands.

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.doityourself.com/">DoItYourself.com

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/doityourself.jpg" alt="" width="580" height="401" />

    Another excellent resource for all your household needs, DoItYourself.com features an excellent How To section as well as videos to help you install, fix and choose the best bits of your house.

    There’s also sections dedicated to design, class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/vihiclefixer-collection-car-repair-videos-beginners/">car repair and general home improvement which add to the varied articles and videos that populate the website. The website also functions as a store for DIY products, and there’s a Find A Contractor area in case you’ve bitten off more than you can chew.

    Another very capable archive of knowledge for those who like getting hands-on.

    class="vt-p" href="http://www.ehow.com/">eHow

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/ehow.jpg" alt="" width="580" height="380" />

    Before joining the team here at MakeUseOf, I used to write small guides for eHow on how to do just about anything. Whilst my time at MakeUseOf has been a lot more fulfilling and enjoyable, eHow taught me a lot about writing how-to guides for the web.

    With no specific categories targeted, eHow simply tries to be the ultimate “how do I do that?” resource. Their article titles are drawn from search engine results, and span every conceivable topic.

    For a quick guide that’s backed up with references and resources, eHow fits the bill.

    Have you used any great DIY websites recently? Any successful projects you’ve finished thanks to the web? Let us know in the comments.

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    Save Loads of Time & View Only the Best YouTube Videos with Devour


    style="border: 0px none;margin-left:20px;float:right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/0-devour-intro.jpg" alt="best youtube videos"/>Have you ever found it difficult to find a quality video on href="http://youtube.com">YouTube? There’s a lot to sift through, especially when you consider the fact that around 25 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube every minute. In case you’re counting, it would take you approximately 1,700 years to watch those several million videos.

    The lovely people from href="http://www.uncrate.com/">Uncrate–one of my favorite sites on the Internet–have developed a simple solution in an attempt to curb this problem. They’ve created a website called href="http://devour.com/">Devour, which features only the best YouTube videos.

    id="more-56252"> /> In this article, I’ll expand on why you should check out Devour, highlighting some of the key features behind the site. So the next time you find yourself on YouTube looking for good href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-10-standup-comedy-videos-youtube/">comedy vids, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-cool-science-experiments-check-youtube/">science experiments, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/educational-youtube-channels/">educational talks or other high-quality videos to href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-free-ways-download-youtube-movies-iphone-mobile-phones/">download on your iPhone, you won’t have to wade through a bunch of videos that href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/youtube-videos-suck/">suck.

    What’s the Idea Behind Devour?

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/1-devour-homepage.jpg" alt="best youtube videos"/>

    The idea behind Devour is simple, to create a relaxed environment where you can enjoy the highest quality YouTube videos. On their homepage, you will find an array of different videos each day with brief titles giving you an idea of what they are.

    In case you were wondering what the criteria was for video selection, here’s a quote from the website describing how they pick their videos:

    Using a scientifically technologically artificially intelligently awesomely robotically humanly system (we hand-pick every video on the site), Devour sifts out the best videos and posts the well-curated collection every weekday. Fewer cute kittens, fewer skateboarding nutshots, fewer tween heart throbs, and lots more awesome.

    As I’ll point out below, Devour’s core features are meant to keep the user in mind.

    What Features Does Devour Offer?

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/2-devour-videopg.jpg" alt="the best rated youtube videos"/>

    The first thing I should tell you is that the majority of the videos on Devour are in HD. When you click on a video to watch it, you are taken to a page where the video takes up almost the entire screen. Already this is a great way to view YouTube videos, don’t you think?

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/3-devour-descr.jpg" alt="the best rated youtube videos"/>

    Below the video you’ll find a very short description, accompanied by buttons to share the video on href="http://makeuseof.com/tags/twitter">Twitter and href="http://makeuseof.com/tags/facebook">Facebook. Also, every video on the site plays on the href="http://makeuseof.com/tags/iphone">iPhone and href="http://makeuseof.com/tags/ipad">iPad, so if you want to catch awesome videos on the go, you can do that as well.

    There are no video comments on the site. This is done on purpose so you can “enjoy the peace and quiet of not having to wade through all the brilliant critiques from this great nation’s junior high masterminds.

    Next to the sharing buttons on each video’s page, there is a Comment on this video button, which directs you back to YouTube.

    style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/4-devour-custom.jpg" alt="best youtube videos"/>

    At the top of the page you’ll find a few options, one of which is a Customize link. This simply lets you change the background of the site to suit your viewing needs. You can keep the site background white, black or put up a brick wall or paneling. The ability to change the grid layout of the page to display videos differently is “coming soon”.

    Devour also has channels you can pick from if you have specific types of videos you’re more interested in viewing. Channels include comedy, tech, travel, games, food, music, movies, commercials and more.

    Conclusion

    In conclusion, Devour is an easy to use, minimalistic site that I think is a great place to find high quality video content.

    If you don’t feel like checking the site every day to catch all the latest video additions, you can subscribe to get them delivered to your inbox every morning.

    What do you think of Devour? Will you be checking it out or are you going to stick to YouTube’s search?

    Image Credit: rel="nofollow" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-62496508/stock-photo-several-images-from-the-current-blue-background.html">Sergej Khakimullin />
    />Do you like MakeUseOf articles? Don’t forget to target="_blank" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/share-share-share-spread-word/">share our articles with others! It’s really important to us. />
    />

     

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    How To Speed Up A Computer


    Are you sick and tired with your slow pc? Well, there are so many things you can do if you want to speed up a computer, but, there’s another method which won’t require you to have any special skills or require you to fix your System manually. Continue reading the next short review and quickly find out how to dramatically speed up your windows.

    If your pc keeps freezing or maybe you get unknown error messages, runtime errors, and other irritating operating system error messages – in most cases it is almost certainly about your System’s registry system. By time, when you download and install countless programs onto your operating system, it happens that few applications aren’t installed/uninstalled properly, while damaging your registry settings.

    It is important to understand that the registry is a Windows db – it keeps information about your different installations. Your windows system uses this information as you run each of your hardware or software. Now you can imagine how sensitive your operating system is.

    If you want to speed up a computer you should keep your windows reg. optimized – problematic windows reg. can cause your Computer various errors that in many cases slow or even freeze applications and even your entire pc.

    Your registry is quite vulnerable, it is highly recommended not to try and fix it manually unless you know how to handle it properly – it may get you into more trouble. The most recommended way to speed up a computer is to work with a professional registry cleaning software and simply let it scan, identify, and fix any registry problem for you. This fixing process can easily repair your System’s performance issues and preserve your Desktop’s / laptop’s productivity on the best side. Most of these software solutions provide time based auto-repair tasks and automatic program updates, so it easily enables you to keep your pc optimized day-by-day.

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    Document Scanning Solutions – Easily Save & Export Scanned Data!


    If you are in the process of searching for document scanning solutions but you feel a bit overloaded with all the options out there, you first need to think about what you want to use it for, which will guarantee that you buy an appropriate scanner for your requirements. A portable scanner can be lifesaver in the way you handle digital data, primarily when the storing of valuable documentation is of the utmost importance. Prior to committing to a particular scanner, we encourage you to browse the information that follows.

    The same as any current and sophisticated hardware device, mobile scanners have been made a lot more accessible and user-friendly. They can answer many purposes, which include items such as business cards and receipts that have accumulated, documents, and even checks. You won’t believe the speed, and these small scanners deliver high resolution images in a variety of output. In most cases nowadays, the cost of document scanning solutions is a very manageable expense for the business person as well as the hobbyist.

    One of the most unique advantages of transportable scanners such as these is that they are so easy to work with wherever and whenever you need them. Included with the scanners is tailored scanning software that enables you to capture both printed images and text and easily save them as images or text or in a database. As an example, an id card scanner has the ability to pull out the full card image, face image, signature image and full text data of the identification and then categorize it in various files, which can then be exported to a clipboard or another software program.

    Before purchasing document scanning solutions here are several factors you need to keep in mind: (1) what will your scanner’s main purpose be? (2) search the web for relevant scanners; (3) compare the scanners’ technical pros and cons; (4) check the company behind the product and read reviews by customers of the scanner; (5) establish freight charges and procedures for returns.

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    Buy A Scanning Business Cards Into Outlook Solution – Save Time!


    Looking for a portable scanner? if you are considering to find a way to buy a scanning business cards into outlook solution but you don’t know which type would best fit your needs, join the club! fortunately, there is a way of determining what you need which will make the process of researching and buying a scanner a lot easier. Using a portable scanner can significantly improve the way you handle digital data, most of all when saving critical material is a factor. So before you decide to purchase a portable scanner, we encourage you to browse the information that follows.

    The same as any current and sophisticated hardware device, handheld scanners have been designed to be much less complicated for the end-user. They can be used for a multitude of scanning tasks, for instance, business cards and receipts that have accumulated, various records and licenses… With very little time and effort, these scanners generate exceptional pixel resolution in your choice of format. At the present time, the best way to buy a scanning business cards into outlook solution is going online and finding a solution that is certainly worth the expense no matter what you’ll be using it for.

    Among the many benefits you’ll find with mobile scanners like these is the simplicity of using them no matter where you are. Every scanner comes furnished with the latest software which makes it easy to obtain impressive results from pictures and text and then save the files to use in various ways. If you want to scan id cards, the device will take the full card image, face image, signature image and full text data of the id card arranged in appropriate data and image fields that can be saved to your choice of software.

    Before you decide which is your best solution to buy a scanning business cards into outlook solution we advise you to go through the following list of tips: (1) what will your scanner’s main purpose be? (2) do some computer research on various scanners; (3) compare the scanners’ technical pros and cons; (4) verify that the company has a good reputation and see what past customers have to say about it; (5) find out about freight charges and returns.

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    Descarga Gratis Anti Virus Removal Instructions – Remove Descarga Gratis Anti Virus Immediately To Save Your Computer!


    What is Descarga Gratis Anti Virus?

     

    Descarga Gratis Anti Virus is a misleading anti-virus program that reports fake or exaggerated system threats and infections to scare you that your computer is infected with viruses, spyware or malware. Once Descarga Gratis Anti Virus is installed, you computer may appear to be much slower, and programs or files in your computer can not run normally or even totally destroyed.

     

    Usually, Descarga Gratis Anti Virus simulates system scans and show a list of infections, and require you to buy its full version in order to remove the threats, but it won’t do as it claims after your purchase. You will be totally at sea without any help from it. This is nothing more but a scam. So, if you find that you have Descarga Gratis Anti Virus on your computer, you are highly recommended to remove Descarga Gratis Anti Virus from your computer as soon as possible.

     

    How to Remove Descarga Gratis Anti Virus Immediately and completely?

     

    The best solution to remove Descarga Gratis Anti Virus is to use a real Antivirus/Antispyware software that is powerful and reliable to secure your computer security.

     

    Step1: Before you run the Antispyware software to remove Descarga Gratis Anti Virus, you can go to the Task Manager to check and end the Descarga Gratis Anti Virus process first. By pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete you can reach the Task Manager.

     

    Step2: Remember to update your Descarga Gratis Anti Virusus/Antispyware software to its latest spyware signature database. This is essential as the most up to date Antivirus/Antispyware software always provides a most thorough and improved spyware detection and removal utility.

     

    Step3: Then, please run the Antispyware software to start a full scan over your system. This will help detect Descarga Gratis Anti Virus and any other potential viruses immediately. Simply click Remove to get rid of all the malicious threats found on your computer.

     

    Best Solution to Secure Your PC Here – Running Spyware Cease!

     

    Descarga Gratis Anti Virus, just like many other stubborn spyware, may be difficult to remove completely in some cases. So, I would like to recommend Spyware Cease here, and more importantly it has been proved to be very effective in removing Descarga Gratis Anti Virus and almost all the other computer threats. Moreover, the Online Scan of Spyware Cease can be the best safeguard for your compute. This can guarantee Descarga Gratis Anti Virus and any other malicious threats are detected and removed effectively and completely. You can also get prompt technical support from Spyware Cease support team whenever contacting them. So, you are sure to have a safe computer with high performance back easily.

     

    We sincerely suggest you free download Spyware Cease and run a scan on your computer right now, as all of us need a good security tool to safeguard our computers against existing or future spyware threats in this unpredictable Internet Age.

     

    Download the Best Virus Removal Tool Here: http://www.bestspywarescanner.net/

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    De Anti Virus Removal Instructions – Remove De Anti Virus Immediately To Save Your Computer!


    What is De Anti Virus?

     

    De Anti Virus is a misleading anti-virus program that reports fake or exaggerated system threats and infections to scare you that your computer is infected with viruses, spyware or malware. Once De Anti Virus is installed, you computer may appear to be much slower, and programs or files in your computer can not run normally or even totally destroyed.

     

    Usually, De Anti Virus simulates system scans and show a list of infections, and require you to buy its full version in order to remove the threats, but it won’t do as it claims after your purchase. You will be totally at sea without any help from it. This is nothing more but a scam. So, if you find that you have De Anti Virus on your computer, you are highly recommended to remove De Anti Virus from your computer as soon as possible.

     

    How to Remove De Anti Virus Immediately and completely?

     

    The best solution to remove De Anti Virus is to use real Antivirus/Antispyware software that is powerful and reliable to secure your computer security.

     

    Step1: Before you run the Antispyware software to remove De Anti Virus, you can go to the Task Manager to check and end the De Anti Virus process first. By pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete you can reach the Task Manager.

     

    Step2: Remember to update your De Anti Virusus/Antispyware software to its latest spyware signature database. This is essential as the most up to date Antivirus/Antispyware software always provides a most thorough and improved spyware detection and removal utility.

     

    Step3: Then, please run the Antispyware software to start a full scan over your system. This will help detect De Anti Virus and any other potential viruses immediately. Simply click Remove to get rid of all the malicious threats found on your computer.

     

    Best Solution to Secure Your PC Here – Running Spyware Cease!

     

    De Anti Virus, just like many other stubborn spyware, may be difficult to remove completely in some cases. So, I would like to recommend Spyware Cease here, and more importantly it has been proved to be very effective in removing De Anti Virus and almost all the other computer threats. Moreover, the Online Scan of Spyware Cease can be the best safeguard for your compute. This can guarantee De Anti Virus and any other malicious threats are detected and removed effectively and completely. You can also get prompt technical support from Spyware Cease support team whenever contacting them. So, you are sure to have a safe computer with high performance back easily.

     

    We sincerely suggest you free download Spyware Cease and run a scan on your computer right now, as all of us need a good security tool to safeguard our computers against existing or future spyware threats in this unpredictable Internet Age.

     

    Download the Best Virus Removal Tool Here: http://www.bestspywarescanner.net/

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