Subscribe RSSFor those of you looking for a quick way to create icons, Bradicon! is an online application that can help you do just that. You don't have to download any additional software or sign up or anything.
It's quite easy to use as well. Simply create the image with your graphics software or browse for the image you want to convert then upload it to Bradicon! Wait for the progress bar to complete then download your .ico file.
Bradicon! accepts JPG, BMP, PNG or GIF files which sets it apart from other icon converting sites.
Wow! I would imagine that the future of internet will be full of apps that you would normally install on your pc. Personal PC's would be just a tool to connect to the net. Even your personal files will eventually be stored on an online hard disk. Crazy.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Convert images to icons online
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Journey's Performance on Ellen
The freshly revived band Journey with our very own Arnel Pineda as its lead singer finally performed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Last month, Ellen was amazed at the story of how Arnel became the vocalist for Journey after being spotted in YouTube by Neil Schon (Journey's guitarist). She decided to invite the band to perform on her show on May 2008.
Finally, Journey made their debut TV appearance on Ellen last May 28. Here's the clip in case you missed it.
Pretty awesome! We're proud of you AP!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Read free magazines from Zinio with Firefox
Zinio is a site that offers popular magazines in digital format. They also offer a handful of these high-quality magazines for iPhone users for FREE via Zinio Labs.
Magazines included are Men's Health, PC Magazine, Popular Mechanics, Popular Photography, Elle and a whole lot more including Penthouse and Playboy.
These magazines can only be viewed using an iPhone browser though. Go ahead and try visiting The Zinio Mobile Newstand now. Nothing huh? But there's a way though.
We need to have our Firefox to simulate as an iPhone browser. Here's how it's done.
First, download a Firefox add-on called User Agent Switcher. This allows your Firefox to quickly switch to different browser environments (Opera, IE7, etc.). Since it doesn't have the iPhone browser included by default, we need to add it.
Go to Tools > User Agent Switcher > Options > Options
In the User Agent Switcher window, click Add.
In the Edit User Agent, enter these info:
Description: iPhone (or whatever name you want to call it)
User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419 (United States)
Then click Ok.
Try accessing Zinio Labs now. You will be greeted with the full current edition of magazines in digital format. Click on the one you like and enjoy reading! Don't forget to switch your browser back to Default when you're done.
Credits goes to iSmashPhone.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Free Ajax Scripts For Your Site
If you're a web developer and want to enhance your site with nifty Web 2.0 apps but don't have the time to create complicated Ajax codes, you might be interested with Ajax Daddy.
For those of you who don't know what Ajax is... well basically it replaces the old javascript in the olden times. It's still Java but it's much sleeker, niftier and gives users a more pleasant surfing experience. Just see how helpful it is to verify forms without leaving the page. Or uploading and arranging photos with Shutterfly or Flickr. These sites uses Ajax. They look and feel like Flash but they are not Flash.
Ajax Daddy offers a collection of Ajax scripts that are free to use. Now you can have that Mac dock effect for your navigation menu. Or the auto-complete enhancement for your forms or have your own slideshow app for your site. Amaze your friends with these Web 2.0 codes that you can use on your site.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Charice received a standing ovation in David Foster and Friends live concert
If you still don't know, Charice was invited to perform in David Foster's live concert in Las Vegas last May 23rd. The concert was a tribute to David Foster's brilliant career as a songwriter and producer. He performed with some of the music industry's big names that he collaborated with such as Andrea Bocelli, Kenny G., Brian McKnight, Babyface and many others.
On this concert, Charice was invited to perform right after Michael Buble and before Josh Groban where she earned a standing ovation from the audience and praises from David Foster himself.
Check out this feature from TV Patrol.
Wow. She's really going places and continues to make the Filipinos proud. Now, it's rumored that David Foster will write for our very own Charice. What an honor if that happens. She'll be joining the ranks of Josh Groban, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, etc. Way to go Charice!!
Friday, May 23, 2008
Do a garage sale in eBay without an eBay account
Do you find yourself wanting to get rid tons of items from your home but don't have the time to setup a garage sale? Or maybe you don't have a garage to hold one?
You would consider selling it off craigslist but don't have the time to monitor your wares. Or it's quite a hassle to arrange a meeting time and place with your buyer. Not to mention the danger that might arise meeting up with a stranger.
Or you want to sell if via eBay but you don't want or you don't know how to set up an account. It might also take some time to build up a good reputation so that buyers would be comfortable doing business with you.
Fortunately, there's a service that can do the selling for you. It's called iSold It!
Here's how it works...
For example, I want to sell this TV rack since it won't fit the new TV that I'm planning to get. I would drop it off in iSold It outlets scattered around the U.S. (there are stores also in Australia and Canada). A representative will then do a research for me to determine its cost. Then they will help me create a description of my item. Once we're done with it, they'll take care of taking photos and posting it in eBay.
Once listed, iSold It will e-mail you the link to your item and you can just watch the e-bay auction take off. They will handle the payment collection and the shipment of your item. Once the transaction is complete, they'll send you a check.
If your item didn't sell, you can pick it up from the store or you can them donate it to charity. So it's a win-win situation. If an iSold It store is near your place, why not try it out?
Thursday, May 22, 2008
David Cook's Guitar Hero commercial
Congratulations by the way to David Cook for winning Season 7's American Idol. He bested David Archuleta with a whopping 12 million edge in voting.
For the American Idol and Guitar Hero fans out there, here's David Cook's commercial:
Of course David Archuleta has his own Guitar Hero commercial too.
Didn't work well with Archie huh? Looks just like some random kid imitating Tom Cruise in Risky Business.
Mimique Concept Phone
Check out the Mimique concept phone designed by RKS. A touch-screen mobile phone that uses open-source software so that users can just download new features and upgrades which I think all phones should be in the future.
The Mimique is a response to feature-heavy cell phones that look more like PDAs than phones. Playful and engaging, the Mimique's design marries the heritage of old-school cell phones with next-generation style and touch-screen technology. The Mimique will use the new open-source cell phone software which will allow users to download features and "skins." With downloadable upgrades, users won't need to buy a new phone to get new features.And the "skins" will allow users to change the graphic interface to match their mood or preferences. Designed for users who don't take themselves or their phones too seriously, the eye-catching Mimique concept phone is poised to play a whole new game.
I think it's a bit toy-ish looking but "chic" at the same time. It can work for students or the fashion-conscious ones. It would be nice if its faceplate is also controlled by its software ala "screensaver". Think this one would sell?
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Earn extra money from your blog with SocialSpark
Hey guys, here's a nice pay-per-post site for you to earn some extra cash with your blog. It's called SocialSpark. I've signed up in other sites such as this but SocialSpark has the most number and variety of opportunities and a healthy community as well.
They offer a wide range of opportunities for you to tackle from clothes, movies, and a whole lot of other interesting stuff. You won't be stucked with gambling, credit card, tax and other boring opportunities. Although most opportunities pay a little amount, there are tons of them to choose from which is good.
One of the nice things about SocialSpark is that your blog rank is based on their own ranking system which is provided by Izea. You don't have to rely on Google's dubious page ranking algorithm to qualify for high-paying opportunities.
Sample opportunity from Dockers
The sponsored links they provide automatically has the "no follow" attribute which is a good thing. Google hates paid links and posts. But with the "no follow" attribute, your blog's search engine ranking is protected from being penalized by Google.
They also have a healthy community and the site offers an easy way to socialize with fellow SocialSparkers. You can also view the opportunities that they've taken so you will have an idea on how to write a certain opportunity. This is a good way to gain new readers and extra hits to your site.
So to all bloggers and advertisers out there, SocialSpark is:
Here's a couple of things you should know before signing up:
If you decided to join, you can add me as a friend and I can give you some props. My SocialSpark ID is calv.
Thanks for reading!
Monday, May 19, 2008
Transform new photos into old ones
Remember when your parents or grandparents asked you to Photoshop their old photos to remove the scratches and smudges?
Well, this isn't a service that will help you do that. Instead, it exactly does the opposite. This is a free web service that can transform your new photos into old ones. Old like 100 years old, Spanish-era old. The effect is so cool that it makes your photos look haunting.
Ok enough of the intro, just head to Wanokoto to see what I mean. Or check out what I did with this photo I took during our trip to Cagsaua Ruins in Bicol.
At the foot of Mayon Volcano, 2008After I let Wanokoto do its thing,
At the foot of Mayon Volcano, circa 1890Creepy huh? Now, go look for those retro-themed parties that you attended and make the photos look genuinely old. Hehehe.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Download YouTube videos using only your browser
Hey guys, I just want to share a tip on how to download videos from Youtube, Google Video, Myspace, etc. without using any special software 'cept for your browser. This one really works and you won't be stucked with .flv files.
So how should we go about it? It's quite simple! Remember my post on Zamzar? Yup, the free file conversion online service can also convert online videos for you to download.
Just head over to Zamzar, and click Download Videos. Enter the URL of the video you wish to download and choose the file type that you want it to be. There's a variety of video formats for you to choose from (mp4, mpg, ipod, iphone, avi, wmv, etc.) but I would go for .mp4 so it won't be a big download.
Wait for about 30 minutes for their e-mail with the link and you're all set. Just queue up your download list so you won't have to wait that long for the next e-mail.
They can convert videos from the following sites:
Neat huh?
Friday, May 16, 2008
Making your Blog List work
Ok so you installed Blogger's Blog List gadget on your sidebar. You added some of your friends' blog on the list but somehow, not all recent posts are showing. The reason behind this is that maybe your friend's blog is not hosted by Blogger. Or even if it is, it's using a different feed service like Feedburner instead of Blogger's default.
Fortunately, there's still a way to make this work. Enter Google Reader.
Google Reader is an RSS reader service from Google. When you have a Blogger account, you can also use it to log in to Google Reader. Just subscribe to a site's feed by entering its URL in the Add subscription field.
After you've added all the sites that you want, head over to your site and edit your Blog List settings.
Click the Add to List button and select Import subscriptions from Google Reader.
You will see the list of feeds you're subscribed to that is not yet included in your Blog List. Select those that you want then click Add.
Save your changes to see the sites on your list with their recent post.
There you go! Hope you find this tip useful.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Charice on Oprah's World's Most Talented Kids
For those of you who still don't know, Charice performed for Oprah on her special episode called "World's Most Talented Kids" just recently (May 12). She sang one of her favorite songs, Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing" and she did really, really great! She sounded really nervous though during the interview, rambling about diaphragms and vocal techniques.
Here's the video of her segment.
She's really making waves in the music scene. I hope her recently released self-titled album will do well both locally and internationally.
We Pinoys are proud of you Charice!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Bazillions of Free RSS Icons
I posted a link to some great RSS button compilations a couple months back. Looks like I hit the mother lode this time. This one is from a russian blogger, Malevi4, who has tons of free-to-use RSS icons compiled.
Neat huh? Who wouldn't want to subscribe on a feed if it's coming from a poor looking kid. Hehehe.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Customizing your Google Search Bar using CSS
Are you tired of the boring look of the Google Search Bar on your blog? Is it consuming too much space from your sidebar or maybe it doesn't fit the theme of your blog? Here's a quick way on how to modify your search bar to make it sleeker.
Go ahead and open the Page Element with the code for your search bar and I'll guide you on how to edit it.
1. First, copy the code and paste it into notepad in case we mess things up. Hehehe.
2. Create your own search button image or get one from the web. Or you could use mine here. Take note of its dimensions. Mine is 18 x 18.
3. Then we have to make sure that the search button is right beside the input text field.
This is how the code for the input text field usually looks like:
It should be followed by the search button code that usually looks like this:
4. Enclose them in a div with the following styles:
So the code now looks like this:
<input type="text" size="31" maxlength="255" name="q" />
<input type="submit" name="sa" value="Search" /></div>
5. Time to edit the input text field with the following styles.
Here's how it looks like now:
<input style="border:0; float:left; width:171px; margin-left:3px;" type="text" maxlength="255" name="q" />
<input type="submit" name="sa" value="Search" /></div>
6. Edit the search button to use your own image instead. Provide the URL to your image. Then include its width and height and set its style to float right.
So here it is now using my own image:
<input style="border:0; float:left; width:171px; margin-left:3px;" type="text" maxlength="255" name="q" />
<input style="float:right" type="image" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/pinoywebsurfer /SCkFkb8bXKI/AAAAAAAAANo/h-bjqIjk-P8/go2.gif" width="18" height="18" name="sa" value="Search" /></div>
7. That's it. If you want to have a pre-defined value (e.g. Search) in your text box like mine, just add value="Search" in your input text code.
Hope this guide helped you. Of course, with adequate knowledge of CSS you can create different styles for your search bar.
Thanks to d'bug's guide for showing me how to do it in the first place. Let me know if you're having trouble implementing this.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Download the best songs from American Idol Season 7
Here's a compilation of what I think are the best songs from American Idol: Season 7. I added the links where you can download the studio version of the song as well.
Not all songs have studio recordings so I can't do anything about that. Sometimes, the performance version is better than the studio recorded one so don't be surprised.
In no particular order:
Here are the best songs that unfortunately, has no studio recording:
Miscellaneous:
- Dream Big - Emily Shackelton | 5.54MB
- Apologize (Live) - David Archuleta with One Republic | 4.29MB
- Apologize - Timbaland feat. One Republic | 4.22MB
- I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2 | 4.21MB
Friday, May 9, 2008
Cinematographer for Iron Man is a Pinoy
Cinematographers direct the operation of motion picture or video cameras, thinking of lighting and the photographic techniques needed in the film. He works closely with the director determining how to frame a shot or how to set up the lights and a lot of other things.
So if you were amazed how beautifully the scenes from Iron Man were captured, you have to thank its cinematographer, Matthew Libatique for that. 
He is half American and half Pinoy who was also the cinematographer for Requiem for A Dream, Phone Booth, Number 23, Inside Man and a handful of other films and music videos.
Iron Man is his first big visual-effects-laden feature film so it was a real learning curve for him. Pretty impressive for a first timer huh? I hope he gets more big-budgeted projects.
We Pinoys are proud of you Matty!
Thanks to FilAmPride for this info.
Additional read: Shooting Shell Head
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Send your mom an e-Card this coming Mother's Day
Hold on!!! Before you ignore this post, I just want you to know that this is no ordinary e-Card service like Hallmark or Blue Mountain. Remember buying those big greeting cards where your friends can write plenty of stuff on that piece of card? Well now you can do it online.
SquidNote.com offers free big e-Cards where the whole family can write on. They call it Group Greeting Cards. You get to choose a cover design then invite other people to sign the card also. It will then send the card to the recipient on a specified date so you don't have to worry about missing the date.
Mother's Day is on May 11It's really quite easy to use and you can add multiple pages to the card. Just choose a spot to write on the page, upload a photo or use their own clip-arts then you're set. You can write on multiple spots as well if you really want to be noticed.
Perfect for those colleagues who will be leaving the company.
Thanks to Angela for sharing this link.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
e-Cards that you might actually want to use
Tired of the old, boring, mushy type of eCards? Check out wrongcards.com. They have the most hilarious cards that I've seen. I admit that it's not for everybody but you have to at least send one to a friend or your boyfriend/girlfriend.
Send this to a friend (or enemy) in HRThey're not your conventional Hallmark greeting card text and that's what makes them cool. I commend the people who came up with this. Hehehe. They even have cards in the event of zombies.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Play a bit of Guitar Hero III online
Can't wait to get home for your daily fix of Guitar Hero? Then try this mini-game of Guitar Hero III with your keyboards right here. If you're able to reach a high score then you could be eligible to win prizes from developer Rocket XL and Activision.
You don't need your guitar. You just need your fast fingers and your keyboard with the Enter key to strum. This widget contains three songs, "Cult of Personality" by Living Colour (Easy), "School's Out" by Alice Cooper (Medium), and "Metal Heavy Lady" by Lions (Hard).
The timing is a bit tricky and I only managed 14,950 points on the Easy song. Hehehe. Still, it's a very clever marketing strategy. Hmmm, I'm already thinking of buying the game.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Free online file conversion service
Ever find yourself with the problem of receiving a file but your system cannot open it? Maybe somebody sent you a .docx file but you don't have MS Word 2007 installed. Or maybe you want to convert a Word file into a PDF one.
Instead of downloading multiple softwares to do the job, try Zamzar's free online file conversion service. It's quite simple to use and you don't have to download any software. Just browse for the file(s) that you want to convert and the type of conversion you want to achieve. Then simply wait for the e-mail with the link where you could download the converted file(s).
The site offers a great number of conversion from documents, images, audio, video and compression formats. They also allow you to do batch converts and will zip the files for you for easy downloading.
The conversion is not instant though so don't use it if you need it in a flash. I tried using it to convert some .pdf into .doc and I got the e-mail about 30 minutes later. I didn't get any confirmation after I clicked the Convert button. It just showed a blank page so don't be alarmed if you experience the same thing. Just wait for the mail.
The free service allows converted files to be stored in their server for only 24 hours before they are deleted. It also has a maximum of 100MB file limitation which is enough. You can also sign up for their paid service if you wish to convert a bigger file and have a file account with them where you can manage your files.
Only problem with this service is you can't choose conversion settings if there's any. For example I want to convert a .rm file into .avi, I can't choose the type of video compression to use.
Anyhow, it's free and quite easy to use so I would definitely use this service multiple times. Go try it out.
