Insider Secrets: Customize Google with Firefox extensions

In this Insider's Secret, Molly Wood CNET's Executive Editor shows you three Firefox extensions that lead to faster, safer, and smarter Google searches using Firefox browser.

The three Firefox extensions are:

CustomizeGoogle
CustomizeGoogle is a Firefox extension that enhances Google search results by adding extra information (like links to Yahoo, Ask.com, MSN etc) and removing unwanted information (like ads and spam).

GooglePreview
Inserts preview images (thumbnails) of web sites into the Google and Yahoo search results pages.

McAfee SiteAdvisor
When you search with Google, Yahoo!, or Live Search, SiteAdvisor's safety ratings appear next to search results.

Watch the CNET video below for more information and demonstration

Google Chrome (BETA) for Windows

A new open source browser from Google

Like the classic Google homepage, Google Chrome is clean and fast. It gets out of your way and gets you where you want to go. Under the hood, they were able to build the foundation of a browser that runs today's complex web applications much better. By keeping each tab in an isolated "sandbox", they were able to prevent one tab from crashing another and provide improved protection from rogue sites. They improved speed and responsiveness across the board. They also built V8, a more powerful JavaScript engine, to power the next generation of web applications that aren't even possible in today's browsers.

This is just the beginning - Google Chrome is far from done. They've released this beta for Windows to start the broader discussion and hear from you as quickly as possible. They're hard at work building versions for Mac and Linux too, and they’ll continue to make it even faster and more robust. They owe a great debt to many open source projects, and they’re committed to continuing on their path. They've used components from Apple's WebKit and Mozilla's Firefox, among others - and in that spirit, they are making their entire code open source as well. They hope to collaborate with the entire community to help drive the web forward.

The web gets better with more options and innovation. Google Chrome is another option, and they hope it contributes to making the web even better.

Features

Google Chrome is a browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer, and easier

• One box for everything
• New Tab page
• Application shortcuts
• Dynamic tabs
• Crash control
• Incognito mode
• Safe browsing
• Instant bookmarks
• Importing settings
• Simpler downloads

You can also watch short video clips by following the link below to learn more about the new Google Chrome features.

http://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/features.html

I did work...

www.ididwork.com is a great site to keep track of individual or team work. It is a online work log and can be useful for free lance workers.

Things looking bad for Vista

Interesting Contest

CPU(Central Processing Unit) vs. GPU(Graphics Processing Unit)

Fall Semester Hours

Open Computer Center Fall Semester Hours

Mon 8:00AM - 10:00PM
Tue 8:00AM - 10:00PM
Wed 8:00AM - 10:00PM
Thu 8:00AM - 10:00PM
Fri 8:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun Closed

New Look

Currently changing the look of the blog. Check back later...

New Apple iPhone

The iPhone 3G is the next version of the popular iPhone. It comes with features like 3G wireless technology, GPS mapping and support for enterprise software like Microsoft Exchange along with all the other features available to the first iPhone. It comes out July 11th. Read more at www.apple.com/iphone/features

New Poll

New Poll is up on the side bar. I am looking for ideas on what to tutorials to write on this blog or topics of interest to the readers. Based on the results I will start a summer tutorial series starting with basics and entering into advanced topics or cover more news on the selected topic.

The Poll topic choices are:

• Programming
• Blogging
• Web Design and Coding
• Games

Touch enabled Windows coming soon...

Microsoft is working a new Windows that uses its mutli touch technology. Windows 7 was previewed at the D conference in Carlsbad, CA. It is set to debut in 2009.

Check out the story at: http://www.insidetech.com/news/2195-microsoft-shows-off-touch-enabled-windows-7?referral=IT_nlet

Summer Hours

There is a small change this summer with our saturday hours. Saturday we will be closing at 1:00 PM instead of 5:00PM.

Updated hours.

Open Computer Center Summer Hours
Mon 8:00AM - 10:00PM
Tue 8:00AM - 10:00PM
Wed 8:00AM - 10:00PM
Thu 8:00AM - 10:00PM
Fri 8:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 9:00AM - 1:00PM
Sun Closed

Free Stock Ticker

Free Stock Ticker is an intuitive simple program that tracks your stocks in almost real time by scrolling their quotes across an attractive bar. You can configure everything about the stock ticker in easy to access menus with drag and drop interfaces. The stock ticker has customizable skins and uses an automatic updater so that the version is always updated. The best part is that this is freeware and never requires registration.

Free Stock Ticker

Semester Break

The OCC will be closed for maintenance and cleaning during the semester break.

Welcome to OCC

Welcome to NOVA new students and welcome back returning students. OCC blog is another source of information on the Alexandria Campus Open Computer Center. Check back here throughout the semester for news, tutorials and other information about the OCC.

OCC - Global Trading Center - Finshed Room

All the Computer Screens and Computers are up. Furniture and wiring is complete. The Ticker and Watches have been set up. The Classroom of tomorrow is ready for launch. Good work everyone.

Wondering where your favorite Office 2003 commands are located in the new Office 2007 interface?

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Or just want to explore the rich, new design with a little guidance?

Microsoft has setup some interactive guides that will display a Microsoft Office 2003 tool bar and when you point to it, it will automatically show you how to find the same function in the new Office 2007.

You can use the guides directly from the site, or download them to your own computer for use any time you like.

Guides to the 2007 Office System user interface

OCC - Global Trading Center - Furniture

The furniture came in last Friday and was assembled. So the remaining chairs, mounts for the dual screen monitors and computers are left. Once those are in and the watches with different world time are set up, the center should be fully functional and ready for opening.

Microsoft Surface

There is a new and exciting technology that the people at Microsoft have been working on called Surface. It uses a multi-point touch screen technology similar to what is used in the military for maps and can be seen in action on the new apple iphone.

Surface is the first commercially available surface computing platform from Microsoft Corporation. It turns an ordinary tabletop into a vibrant, interactive surface. The product provides effortless interaction with digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects. In essence, it’s a surface that comes to life for exploring, learning, sharing, creating, buying and much more. Soon to be available in restaurants, hotels, retail and public entertainment venues, this experience will transform the way people shop, dine, entertain and live.

Surface is a 30-inch display in a table-like form factor that’s easy for individuals or small groups to interact with in a way that feels familiar, just like in the real world. Surface can simultaneously recognize dozens and dozens of movements such as touch, gestures and will be able to recognize actual unique objects that have identification tags similar to bar codes.

If this technology gets ported to schools, it would make an interesting and new highly advanced class room. Imagine seeing what the teacher is presenting on the desk in front of you and being able to do other things like take notes and zoom into diagrams or slides.

(Information from the www.microsoft.com/surface)

Web 2.0 - You Tube - Video Blogging

You Tube is an online video sharing website. It uses a Adobe Flash video technology to make it easier to upload and view videos online.

You Tube started around February of 2005 and has grown into a popular community video sharing site since then. A popular use amongst its users is video blogging. People upload videos of themselves talking about various issues and sharing personal stories etc. It has also been used to upload amateur videos from movie makers looking to get exposure.

Its very easy for anyone to set up and account and upload videos. The best par is that you can embed You Tube videos to a site just like below.

How to upload a video on You Tube

Web 2.0 - Wikis

A Wiki is a website that allows multiple users to edit the content of the site. It allows for groups of people to work together on a site, similar to the way we have it here on the OCC Blog.

The most popular and widely used Wiki available out there is www.wikipedia.org

It has a large number of users editing and adding content to make one of the largest multi user online encyclopedia.

If you want to make your own wiki you can try a free wiki service called pbwiki at www.pbwiki.com

You can use wiki's like pbwiki for group projects, class discussions or for online communities with similar interests. As the primary owner of the wiki, you can choose the authors and approve or disapprove posts. You can even set it to public or private where people may need passwords to access the information on the wiki.