Essentially Yours

Windows Live Essentials, which ia pretty cool suite of free web apps like Movie Maker and Messenger, has just come out of beta a few minutes ago and is now allowing you to download the full software. You can find it here.

Driving Miss Daisy

SlimDrivers is a feature-packed driver-management tool for Windows that downloads and installs new drivers, schedules future scans, and archives your old drivers for easy rollback in case problems crop up.SlimDrivers scans your system for out-of-date drivers and provides an easy checklist to select the updates you want to apply. You can back up your old drivers into sets, restore your drivers from past sets, and schedule automatic checks and updates.

SlimDrivers is currently in Beta but quite stable.

Phone It In

Wondering what to download for your smartphone? Trying to find high-quality apps among the many thousands available can be a challenge, no matter what phone you own. Start with this collection of the best productivity tools, utilities, reference apps, media helpers, timesavers, and games.

Searching for Clues

Have you noticed something different about Google recently? Yesterday, Google started rolling out a major overhaul to its familiar homepage. Now, you'll see instant search results that are generated with each key that you type. These results will be shown in addition to the search suggestions that were previously available.

The new feature is known as Google Instant. It's based on the idea that people type more slowly than they read. Because you'll be able to scan for results while you type, Google hopes you'll find the right content more quickly than before because you won't have to finish typing a search term or even press search to find the result you want.

By predicting your search and presenting results before you're finished typing, Google believes it can save 2-5 seconds per search. Although that may not sound like much, Google estimates that if everyone uses Google Instant globally, the feature will save more than 3.5 billion seconds a day, or 11 hours every second.

Playing the Game

As far as video players go, I'm a big fan of VLC. It seems as though VLC's simplicity is the gold standard for players, and its sensible keyboard shortcuts are embedded deep within my muscle memory.

That's why I initially regarded SPlayer with as a poor pretender. I mean, I don't know this player. I've never heard of it before, and still, it claims to be "Neat! Safe! High Performance!" and boasts "1+ million users."

Small parts of the program's UI are actually in Chinese. But most of the interface is in English, and the player is surprisingly powerful. You can rotate and skew the video while it is playing, and it just keeps on playing with no noticeable stutter. Granted, that's a bit of a party trick, but it goes to show how powerful this thing is.

The key bindings are customizable, and there are a ton of functions available via keyboard shortcuts. There's a strip of controls both at the bottom and at the top of the window, and they're quite fetching.

Movin' on Up

If your primary hard drive just isn't large enough to hold all the software you need on a day-to-day basis, then Steam Mover is the perfect tool for the job—assuming you have another storage drive handy.

Steam Mover was originally designed to help hardcore gamers move their downloaded games to other drives, in order to free up space on their primary hard drive. Cheap, huge drives came along and made this less necessary. With the more recent emerging popularity of Solid State Drives (SSDs), this need becomes commonplace again.

Steam Mover works amazingly well on games downloaded through the Steam client (which it was designed for), but as it turns out, it works well with other applications, too. The program's target directory defaults to the applications folder for Steam, but simply change this to the folder containing the applications you wish to move. Once the folder is selected, all of the associated programs will be listed. Steam Mover works by moving all the data in the associated folder to your secondary drive; it then simply makes a link to the new folder you designate for the alternative folder. This means it should work on most applications.

Share and Share Alike

You want to transfer a file to a friend but IM transfer has failed, it's too big for email, or somebody is behind a firewall. Head over to Dushare where you can transfer peer-to-peer via browser, as fast as you can upload.

Dushare makes it dead simple to take a file on your computer and share it with a friend. Visit the site, pick your file, decide if you want to password protect the download, and then share the short URL with your friend. If they can visit a website and download a file they can grab the file you're sharing. Dushare also includes a chat function so you can talk to the person you're transferring the file to while the transfer is in progress.

Dushare is a free service and requires no registration.

TV for Me

In a previous post, I talked about the new set-top box from Google, Google TV. While it won't be shipping for a few months, the early beta testers now have their units and are starting to post their results. Here's one of the first reviews; looks promising!

Drop in the Bucket

Many of you know that I'm a huge fan of Dropbox for sharing files among my many computers. There are many apps that work with Dropbox, and my favorite is AirDropper. It solves one of the biggest problems with Dropbox: getting files from friends or clients who don't want to sign up for Dropbox. AirDropper lets you send the stubborn, Dropboxless target a link that they can use to upload files directly into your Dropbox. There's no separate account signup, and nothing to download.

If you'd prefer not to email the person, but would rather IM or Twitter them the link, you can check a convenient "I don't want to send them an email" box, and the link will be sent to only you. AirDropper also recently added support for sending multiple files at once, which makes it about a million times more useful.

Best of the Best

While I'm a Blackberry user with no plans to switch, many of you use iPhones in your daily life. As we all know, the keys to the iPhone are the apps. Which are the best ones? Depends who you ask. Here's one list of The Best iPhone Apps.

PC 101

Computers can be a lot of fun...or give you a lot of grief. There are a number of common problems that crop up more often than others. Here's The Basic Guide To Troubleshooting Common Windows PC Problems.

Not So Fast

"I need a new computer!" is a cry often heard by dentists from their staff. But often, the problem isn't in the hardware – more often than not the problem is a crudded-up Windows installation.

Proving to your staff that the hardware isn't the problem is often easier said than done. What they see is just a slow computer, but PassMark's PerformanceTest may be able to help you prove that the hardware isn't all that wimpy.

First of all, you should know this is a Shareware product. You get it for a 30-day free eval period, after which you should buy it.

PerformanceTest runs a fairly comprehensive battery of tests, including CPU, graphics (2D and 3D), memory, hard-drive and CD performance. It then lets you upload the results onto its online database, and you can also pull information from the database to compare your system to right within the program.

Even if you don't want to benchmark your own system, the database provides some very illuminating statistics. If you're on the market for a new system, you should definitely take a stroll through some of the charts.

Tricks of the Trade

While external hard drives are still an option for data backup, they can do so much more. Here are the Top 10 External Hard Drive Tricks.

Tweak Tweak Twitter

Twitter's big announcement turns out to be a reboot of their most popular client: the Twitter.com Web interface. Not everybody has access to the new Twitter.com tonight, but here's what you can expect when it rolls out to you:

The site's layout is now split-screen (much like in Twitter's official iPad app) with a smorgasbord of site features available in the right pane and your stream on the left. Basic navigation has mostly moved from the right side of the screen to the top, and keyboard shortcuts and unlimited scrolling have been added for your tweet-reading convenience. The biggest news is inline image and video support, with all major Twitter pic sites (plus heavy-hitting video sites like YouTube and UStream) supported.

This is all in keeping with Twitter's new "we're not a social network" philosophy, putting the focus on reading and viewing the site as real-time news, and aiming to be as viewer-friendly as possible for people who don't have Twitter accounts.

Nine Inch Nails

Are you a fan of Internet Explorer? (I'm not, but many of you are). If so, you can now download the Internet Explorer 9 beta software. Read about it here.

Sweet 16

The newest version of Eaglesoft is now shipping:


ST. PAUL, Minn. – (August 26, 2010) – Patterson Dental Supply, Inc. announces the latest version of its integrated dental software—Eaglesoft 16. Users will discover a new look, new functionality and enhanced adaptability in the software, with the same technological advances that have made Eaglesoft the leading clinical and practice management software.

The new Eaglesoft 16 streamlines everyday tasks for every member of the dental team, helping the whole office run like clockwork. New features and capabilities in this version include line-item accounting, greater customizability, date-based reporting, family walkout processing, and much more. Focusing on updates to patient scheduling and accounting , Eaglesoft 16 offers helpful tools for every staff member.
Eaglesoft 16 is designed to be intuitive and easy to use, making it simple to learn. Once users are comfortable with the basic functions, advanced tools and features are available to take the practice to the next level. . Additionally, Eaglesoft offers timesaving electronic capabilities to help capture and store original patient signatures and documents, transmit claims and statements and verify patient benefit information.

The system is backed by Patterson Dental’s renowned support and customer service. Customers can choose from a multitude of support options, including Live Help, Remote Support, e-mail support and an FAQ online knowledge base. With 125 years of experience in the dental industry, Patterson has the resources and expertise to help customers use Eaglesoft to its greatest potential.
For more information about Patterson Eaglesoft 16, call the Patterson Technology Center at 1.800.294.8504, contact a local Patterson Technology Representative or visit www.eaglesoft16.net.

Plugging Along

The Pogoplug multimedia sharing device gives you the power to broadcast and share your digital life with ease from wherever life takes you. Pogoplug connects your external hard drives to the Internet so you have full access to your content wherever you go.

Easily share content, including video and full resolution photos, with friends and family with no uploading. Sharing is as simple as sending an invitation through an automated email link. Pogoplug works across multiple operating platforms and even allows you to stream videos, music and photos directly to your iPhone®, Blackberry, Droid or other mobile device. Installation takes less than 60 seconds and there are no monthly fees.

Waste Not Want Not

As computer and laptop screens get smaller and smaller, it's critical that when it comes to web browsing, we get the most out of our limited real estate. Here's Browser Comparison: The Most Pixel-Friendly Browser.

Pass The Salt

It's really easy to remember your Facebook password when it's the same as the password on the email address you use to sign into Facebook. Unfortunately, it's incredibly insecure. If someone gets one of your passwords, they've got both. Despite the seemingly obvious problems with using the same password for social networks and email, a new study from BitDefender says 75% of Web users do it. Doh!

The usernames, email addresses and passwords in the study, over 250,000 of them, were "easily found online," from sources like BitTorrent and blogs. Of course, that makes me wonder about the 75% number. If the sample is from passwords that have already been compromised, it makes sense that they wouldn't be the most secure passwords around. Either way, these numbers should serve as a warning about making sure you use strong passwords, and make them different for every account.

New Kid in Town

Many of you may not know this, but you can now create drawings in Google. Just head over to docs.google.com > Create New > Drawing and give it a go. Don't forget to Insert > Image -- a whole wealth of Google Images await your artistic meddling! Poke around with the tools; they're very easy to use.

OK, drawn something fun? Hit Ctrl-Z to undo your last action -- Ctrl-Y to redo works as well. Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V are available for copying and pasting. Because it's vector-based, you can click anything you've scribbled and grab a corner to stretch or scale it.

There's more! The Drawing tool has a complete set of flow chart symbols (and other shapes) that you can drag and drop into place -- and because this is Google Docs, you can collaboratively work on the same chart or diagram!

Finally, there's a ton of ways in which you can export your Google Drawings. There's a new 'Web Clipboard', which lets you select your image and then paste into another Google Doc. This clipboard is associated with your Google account, so you can store something there and retrieve it from any Web-attached computer if you desire. You can also download your finished image as a JPEG, PNG, SVG or PDF file.

Back in Black

Unlike iPhone and iPod touch users I know, BlackBerry owners tend to be plenty happy with the built-in array of apps RIM ships on their smartphones. That's probably a good thing, because BlackBerry App World had some fairly big shortcomings when compared to the App Store.

RIM hopes the release of App World 2.0 brings the experience more in line with competitors. For starters, App World is now fully searchable and categorized for easy browsing. Top 25 groupings have been added, as have options to filter free and paid apps.

Developers are also able to sell cheaper apps now, with sub-$2 price points available. One more big-time change is that users can now pay for those apps with a major credit card instead of PayPal, and some will even be able to post app purchases directly to their monthly cellular bill (depending on their carrier, of course).

With lower prices and better discovery options, App World 2.0 should encourage BlackBerry users to take the plunge and install some of the thousands of add-on apps available for their smartphones.

The Old Switcheroo

VistaSwitcher is a beautiful Alt-Tab replacement. It's aimed mainly at Windows Vista and 7, but it also works under Windows XP.

You get a huge thumbnail of the destination window; it's far larger than the one that comes with the "stock" Alt-Tab. Another neat feature lets you Alt-Tab between the windows of just one application. It's kind of like pressing Win+[number] in Windows 7, but you don't have to look at the taskbar and count the icons in order to see what the number is for the application that you want to switch to. That's done using Alt+` (backtick) by default, but it's configurable.

VistaSwitcher also introduces one feature that I've never seen before: Alt-Tabbing between the windows on the current monitor only.

Foxy Lady

Many of you have purchased netbooks, either for use in the office, or when you travel. if you're like me, when it comes to web browsing, Firefox will be your browser of choice. However, Firefox has become less than zippy lately, so you may need a few tweaks. Here is The Ultimate Guide To Speeding Up Firefox on a Netbook.

Back in Black

While I know that the iPhone is all the rage, as someone who uses his phone for business, I'm a staunch supporter of the Blackberry. There are tons of models to choose from. Here are The Best Blackberry's for Business.

Free for All

There are so many software programs available out there that can make your windows PC performs better, and getting free ones is not that easy. That is why I am sharing 5 great freeware tools to make your lives easier than ever. Read each entry in the list and see which tool suits your needs best.

Click It

ClikTech, Inc. announces a new line of biodegradable dental sensor barrier bags.



ClikRay™ Green Line Eco-Friendly Sensor Covers are designed by a dentist and present a completely new approach to the dental practice. Each bag features soft rounded edges, an exposed lip for easy access, size imprint for each individual bag and a tear resistant biodegradable polyethylene plastic.

“A growing trend in the dental office is the move to a “green” practice. The elimination of paper and plastic products has become an important new reality.” states Harold K. Schmulenson, DDS, CEO of ClikTech, Inc. “ClikRay™ Green Line sensor covers represent a new stage in environmentally friendly dental products.”

The barrier bags come in one universal size to fit any size 0 through size 3 sensor.
ClikRay™ sensor covers are sold in dispenser boxes of 500 each and are available through most dental dealers.

ClikTech, Inc. is an ISO 9001:2008 certified designer of digital sensor holders, x-ray film holders and related products since 2004. ClikTech, Inc. may be reached toll free at 877-251-0594 or visit their website at www.clikray.com

Eek a Mouse!

Like to spend as little time as possible mousing around your desktop? Windows has a built-in feature called Mouse Keys which lets you move your pointer by using the numeric keypad, but not every keyboard has one.

If you're using a netbook or laptop without a number pad and you like the sound of Mouse Keys, check out MouseFIGHTER. It's a free program which lets you use the arrow keys to navigate.

Even still, MouseFIGHTER lets you customize keys for directional control and button emulation -- so it can work on ANY keyboard. Acceleration, brake, and jump distance (as a percentage of your screen resolution) can also be tweaked to your preference.

MouseFIGHTER uses the caps lock key to activate keyboard control - either by pressing and holding it or using it as a toggle (again, your choice). When activated, the app changes your pointer's appearance to let you know it's working.

Perfect 10

Apple has just released their version 10 of iTunes. You can check it out here and download it here.

Music to My Ears

Many dental practices like to play music for patients. While there are many complex ways to do this, streaming music over the Internet seems to be one of the easiest. How do you choose the right service for you? Here is the Battle of the Streaming Music Services.

Keys to My Heart

Most of us spend so much time choosing our computers and mounts, that we often forget about the item that we spend the most time interacting with the: the keyboard. Check out The 10 Most Advanced Keyboards, especially the medical keyboard at #10.