Save Web Sites Offline

Saving just a page, even with images, is easy. (I'll get to saving a whole site in a moment.) In Firefox, for example, you select File**Save Page As. In the ‘Save as type' field, select Web Page, complete, then save the file. Firefox will save the page as an HTML file, but will also save all the supporting files in a local folder.

Even this doesn't work perfectly, however. Complex formatting may not get properly reproduced.

I recommend HTTrack for saving an entire site. This free program will save all the pages within a domain, including images, while maintaining the link structure. It does not save the pages from external links like those in advertising.

The user interface is a bit ugly, and it throws up some techy terminology that not everyone will be comfortable with. But if you just stick with the default settings, everything should be fine.

Downloading a whole site can take some time, of course (I gave up on downloading pcworld.com while testing HTTrack). Luckily, once you've downloaded a site, HTTrack can also update it with new pages.

Should You Use Standby or Hibernate?

It's an age-old question: When you're done using your laptop, or just taking a break from work, should you put it to sleep, let it hibernate, or turn it all the way off?

Allow me to answer by way of a mnemonic: hibernate is great. You see, sleep mode (a.k.a. standby) puts your system into an off-like state, allowing you to pick up where you left off after just a few seconds (unlike rebooting, which can take minutes). But a PC in standby mode continues to consume battery power, so it's not uncommon to return to a "sleeping" PC to find that it's just plain dead.

Hibernate, on the other hand, writes your machine's current state to a temporary hard-drive file, then shuts down completely (much like "off"). When you start it up again, it loads that file and returns you to where you left off--no booting required.

Both ends of the hibernate process take a little longer than standby (usually 10-20 seconds, in my experience), but you avoid any of the issues that can arise when Windows suddenly loses power. What's more, standby is a notoriously flaky mode. I've encountered plenty of systems that refuse to wake up properly, so you end up losing whatever work you were trying to preserve.

Consequently, unless you're running your laptop on AC power, I recommend using hibernate most of the time.

Windows 7 Themes for XP

SevenVG Black Theme

This theme is a Black version of "SevenVG" theme for Windows XP which is the first Windows 7 look-a-like theme for Windows XP and almost all other themes available on net are based on it.




Download SevenVG Black Theme for Windows XP

Apple Kills Hackintosh Netbooks with Snow Leopard Update

Apple is reportedly breaking Hackintoshes -- meaning netbooks illegimately installed with Mac Oapple osx hackintoshS X -- with its latest update to Leopard.

The current developer build of OS X -- 10.6.2 -- will not run on the Intel Atom processor commonly used in netbooks that ship with Windows or Linux, according to an account in Wired, attributing the report to a hacker named Stellarola.

"Apple appears to have changed around a lot of CPU-related information" in the build, says Stellarola. "One of the effects of this is Apple killing off Intel's Atom chip."

Stellarola suggests that while most Hackintosh users should stick with 10.6 for now, they might try upgrading to 10.6.2 if they're running an older or modified kernel, according to OS X Daily.

The software in question is only a developer build, and it still might change before Apple releases a real update.

But Apple has already drawn fire lately for actions such as blocking Palm Pre users from iTunes aapplend banning Google Voice users from its App Store.

With Apple refusing to release an affordable low-end mobile PC of its own, hacked netbooks from Dell and other manufacturers have been turning into an increasing popular alternative in the Macintosh community.

10 Essential Windows 7 Downloads

Nov 1, 2009 1:36 am

Windows 7 may be brand new, but that doesn't mean you can't find free or cheap tools to tweak its settings, supplement its features, or smooth an upgrade from XP or Vista. We've compiled a list of ten valuable software tools--many of them free--that can make your Win 7 experience a lot more rewarding. (Click on any of the images for a closer look at that tool.)
Microsoft Security Essentials

Like its predecessors, Windows 7 doesn't provide built-in protection against malware such as viruses and spyware. (It does have a firewall, however.) You could pay McAfee or Symantec for this service, but why bother with their protection racket when Redmond's service does the same thing for free? Microsoft Security Essentials provides solid protection for home PCs, and it's gratis. If you prefer third-party security, check out AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition instead.
Ninite

Brave souls upgrading to Windows 7 from XP must do a clean install, a tedious process that includes, among other things, reinstalling all apps. Instead, why not load most of your free and open-source programs all at once? Ninite does just that. First, go to the Ninite site and pick the programs you want (for instance, Firefox, iTunes, and Skype). Next, download Ninite, which installs the apps on your PC without introducing additional crapware. Ninite is free for personal use.
Windows Live Photo Gallery

To keep Windows 7 slim and trim--and to avoid the code bloat that slowed Vista--Microsoft left a few utilities out of its new operating system.

One such app, Photo Gallery, is a free, easy-to-use photo manager/editor that's worth a download, particularly if you aren't already using Google Picasa to organize your pics and videos.
Windows Easy Transfer

If you are moving to Windows 7 from XP or Vista, you should check out this free download, which helps you copy files and settings from one PC to another. (Windows 7 comes with Easy Transfer.)

The new version of Easy Transfer adds a file explorer, which simplifies the task of selecting the specific files you want to copy. Easy Transfer won't hang if it comes across a file or setting it can't move. Rather, it will complete the transfer and then provide a report detailing everything it couldn't copy. The bad news: Easy Transfer won't copy your programs. For a PC-to-PC connection, you'll need an Easy Transfer Cable (about $20). Other transfer options include a USB flash drive, an external hard disk, or a network connection.
Ultimate Windows Tweaker v2

This free customization tool detects whether you're running Windows 7 or Vista, and offers only the tweaks relevant to your OS. "Ultimate" is a fitting description for this mega-tweaker, which provides dozens of configuration options for UI, network, security, and system settings. If you're all about personalizing Windows 7, this app is for you.
WinZip 14 Standard

If Windows 7 has zip compression built in, you're undoubtedly wondering, why do I need the latest version of WinZip? Well, if you seldom use zip archives, you probably don't. But zip fans will appreciate the improvements in WinZip 14 Standard, which has simplified the process of zipping and mailing archives in Win 7.

The latest version offers better compression ratios too. WinZip 14 Standard costs $30.
EnhanceMySe7en Free

Windows 7 may be easier to use than Vista or XP, but diagnostic and maintenance chores remain tricky. EnhanceMySe7en is a handy utility for anyone interested in doing a little system housekeeping.

This free app conveniently helps you select which programs to permit to load at startup; lets monitor your hard drive's performance, health, and temperature; and enables you to fiddle with the Registry--if you dare.
Image Resizer Powertoy Clone

Need to resize pictures in Windows 7? This free utility makes it easy. Simply right-click one or more image files in Windows Explorer. You can select one of four sizes: small (640 by 480); medium (800 by 600); large (1024 by 768); or handheld PC (240 by 320). You can create your own custom sizes, too.
Systerac Tools for Windows 7

This bundle of 16 tools from Systerac has everything you'll need to keep Windows 7 running smoothly. You can tweak Windows' performance and appearance, optimize memory, clean up the hard drive, cover your tracks by shredding files, and so on. The Systerac interface is aesthetically appealing, nicely organized, and a snap to learn. The $20 Windows 7 version runs on Vista as well.
Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

Don't upgrade to Windows 7 before running this free utility from Microsoft. Upgrade Advisor scans your PC to see if it's ready for Windows 7. If it detects any potential problems--from insufficient memory to incompatible hardware to outdated software--it'll let you know in a summary report.

Yahoo's 'It's You' Ad Campaign to Skip China

Yahoo celebrated 10 years in Taiwan by launching the "It's You" advertising blitz on Tuesday, but executives said the US$100 million global branding campaign will skip China.

"This ad campaign won't run in China," said Rose Tsou, head of Yahoo's Asia operations, at a news conference in Taipei. "Alibaba runs everything at Yahoo China. We only have an investment in the operation."

Failing to include Yahoo China in the global "It's You" branding campaign is yet another example of how the China operation is left out of global deals. Yahoo's agreement to work more closely with Microsoft in Internet search earlier this year also left Yahoo China out. Executives at Yahoo in Asia have said the unique qualities of the China market, including government regulations and local tastes, make it best to let local partner Alibaba take the Yahoo brand forward there.

Yahoo obtained a 40 percent stake in Alibaba Group in 2005 in return for control over Yahoo China.

Yahoo China currently ranks as the sixth most popular Internet portal in China, according to CR-Nielsen, a joint venture Internet research company. The top portal is QQ.com, which is owned by Internet company Tencent.

Yahoo has done far better in other parts of Asia. The site ranks first in a slew of categories in Taiwan, which shares similar language and cultural ties with China, including top portal and auction site, according to Nielsen/Netratings. Yahoo Japan also ranks at the top.

China has proven tough for many U.S. companies. Baidu.com, for example, leads Internet search in China, not Google, while eBay is not the top auction site, and Yahoo China is the only U.S. brand to show up in China's top ten portals. And it's not run by the U.S. company.

Tsou originally ran Yahoo Taiwan as general manager in 2000. The site faced an uphill battle in Taiwan until it bought front runner Kimo.com. Yahoo continues to use Kimo's Chinese name on its Taiwan brand.