artiss.blog

Category: Life

Random thoughts on life

  • Emulating Sticky Notes on Windows XP & Vista

    Windows 7 comes with a very nice looking Sticky Notes application, although it is rather lacking in features. Personally, I prefer Stickies, although it looks a little outdated (and I can’t find a “skin” for it that is any better).

    Instead, I created my own variation simply by changing default options and style.

    First of all, you’ll need the Segoe Print font – this comes (as far as I can tell) with Office 2007, Office 2010, Windows Vista and Windows 7.

    Now, go into the Stickies options and change the following options…

    • In “General”, select “Drop Shadow” amd change the text width to 181 which is,  from what I can tell, the same default size of Sticky Notes. Personally, I prefer 255.
    • In “Appearance” click on Font Style and select “Segoe Print”, “Regular” style and a font size of 11pt. Sticky Notes don’t go opaque, but I prefer to have Stickies with an opacity of 90%.

    And that’s it – you can see the result in the image on the right (both types compared).

    The developer of Stickies tells me that if I get into creating my own theme I can drop the top toolbar and create something that’s even more similar to Sticky Notes. I’m not sure when (or if) I’ll get the chance to try it, but if someone else does in the meantime, please let me know.

  • SPEEDLINK Cue Mouse

    For over a year Apple owners have had the Magic Mouse – a traditional mouse, but with a touch sensistive top for multitouch use, similiar to a laptop’s touchpad. It’s not without its disadvantages, and running it on a PC can be problematic.

    Thankfully, SPEEDLINK are soon to release their own PC equivalent – the CUE.

    It’s available in 4 colours – red, white, black and silver – and uses a tiny USB dongle for communication. It can be used like a tradional mouse (but without any of the buttons physically moving), or with gestures to control your applications. Included software lets you customise it’s use.

    Whether the CUE will suffer some of the same downsides as the Magic Mouse is yet to be seen, and the included software may “make or break” this as a worthy adversary. However, it doesn’t appear to be as flat as the Magic Mouse, which should make use easier.

    The Magic Mouse will cost you about £50 from Amazon, whereas the CUE costs around £35. It’s due for release on the 1st December.

    Gallery

  • Internet Explorer 9 Test Drive

    Microsoft, always ready to introduce their own program naming, have introduced the concept of the “Platform Preview” for Internet Explorer 7, which you can download and try.

    Basically, it’s IE but without the ability to change the URL or move backwards through pages – they want you to try it out, but without thinking this is anything like the end product. It can installed alongside your current IE version, however.

    What it does do, though, is allow you to test “under the hood” changes – particularly around HTML 5, JavaScript enhancements and (snigger) standards improvements.

    A Beta version of the full browser was available a while ago, though, but it was soon replaced with further Platform Previews.

    They’re very pleased with their Acid3 score of 95% (compared to 100% for Webkit based browsers, although a lot better than IE’s current 20% rating) and their quick (but extremely dodgy) JavaScript benchmark. Time will tell how it pans out…

    One thing that IE9 does add is the ability for sites to create their own jump lists in Windows 7. Here’s an excellent article on how to achieve this. Google Chrome already supports jump lists, and it looks like Firefox will have it after 3.7 is released.

  • Owl Aboard – HootSuite's Ow.ly API Launched

    This news hasn’t been publicly announced but will be later today at TWTRCON by HootSuite‘s CEO Ryan Holmes.

    The HootSuite App Exchange will launch December 15 and they’re inviting developers with an idea and resources to request access to the API to begin coding their ideas. To apply, simply fill out the form at: http://ow.ly/3btrl and the program coordinator will follow-up.

    If you have any questions or comments about the App Exchange program, then you can contact Hootsuite via their email at app.review@hootsuite.com and/or follow them on Twitter @HootSuite_Apps.

    Here are the details from Hootsuite…

    HootSuite currently has close to 1 million SME users, 1.9 million social networks, and has recently climbed into the Alexa 200. As such, the HootSuite App Exchange will provide a significant way to build visibility for the brands and developers we partner with – including the potential for revenue sharing.

    This new API creates an opportunity for unique mash-ups and extensions which users can add-in to customize their HootSuite dashboard experience. We designed the API to be easy to work with – if you have a working knowledge of Javascript and HTML, you should be good to go. In fact, some compelling apps have been created in under 4 hours.

    Last Saturday, HootSuite hosted a hackathon at which we opened up the API to a few developers to a great reaction and great coding session. Additionally, noteworthy partners have already built out applications with several more currently in development.

    We look forward to seeing the ideas and apps you submit.

  • 8 Things I Really Disliked about Tesco, Beeston

    The big new Tesco in Beeston is now open. Lots of people were against it (including knocking down a popular pub and the “Beeston Lads Club” building) but they’ve done their best with a wood-clad building, with a rear car park to keep people off the main road. It’s apparently environmentally friendly too (although I haven’t found out how). Never-the-less, it’s large, imposing and right in the middle of the town centre.

    Now, I don’t live in Beeston and have lived with the Long Eaton Tesco for many years, with few complaints. However, I visited the Beeston store today and was not impressed. Here’s my initial impressions…

    • On entering the car park there’s a mini roundabout with just just exits. Most people would have put a simple bend in, but Tesco have turned it into a roundabout. Why?
    • The car parking spaces are tiny. Do they thin cars in Beeston?
    • There’s next to no signage in the car park. Where do you put your trolley? Where’s the exit? No idea to any of these.
    • There’s no pedestrian walkway through the car park so you have to dodge your way around the traffic to get to and from the entrance
    • I can only assume that there are few babies in Beeston. Certainly their pitiful attempt at a baby section would suggest so.
    • A lot of basic products were missing. A simple bath sponge? Sorry, none in stock.
    • Their in-store signage is rubbish – the aisle with butters and margarines has a sign over it that doesn’t mention either of these. Aren’t these pretty basic and popular product ranges?
    • The customers and staff were rude. I was barged, blocked and boxed in, in a store that wasn’t very busy. And the member of staff at the till didn’t acknowledge me other than to ask basic questions.

    I’m sure the excuses of poor signage and stock will be down to the newness of the store, but this is something that should be sorted from day one. Sorry, Tesco – you were always going to be up against it in Beeston so I thought you would have tried harder.