I’ve discovered a software that can come in handy in helping you give your old pictures a new look. It is called Fun thumbs.

With Fun Thumbs you can create small copies [thumbnails] of your image. And you can either do this individually, or with one button click you can create thumbnails for all the images in a directory as well as an interactive HTML Album (webpage) of your images. You can view your album on your browser, or even get it uploaded to the Internet! One thing I love about this is that The HTML album is fully configurable and even allows you to add in your own custom headers and footers.

One really cool thing about Fun Thumbs is that it allows you to apply various special effects to your thumbnail or original image. These include over 35 frames, which you can dress up your thumbnails with. You can also apply a patterned edge faded into the image, solid colored borders, buttonizer effects, sepia tone effects and more! With features like the ability to easily add the name of the image right onto the thumbnail (or original image) you can easily manage your photos and images.

Do you want to see what it does?

• CLICK HERE for samples
• CLICK HERE for more info and download.

Every once in a while i come across a unique program that promises to teach a useful skill,through the magic of some well thought out yet simple technique. This is one such program.

Speed reading is simply the ability to read very fast by learning to scan the words rather than thinking about them or pronouncing them in your head. I’m not sure how well this works if you have something important to read as scanning things doesn’t really focus your attention on them, but anyway!

Acereader uses two techniques, Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (R.S.V.P.) and Tachistoscopic Scroll Presentation (try saying or even reading that 3 times!!!). It’s pretty easy to use, you can open any text file inside it or copy and paste. It has different grades from beginner to advanced and you’ll be amazed at how naturally you read fast using the method of having the words appear and scroll in front of you. It’s won a bunch of awards as you can see here for being “best educational software”, so it’s not as crazy as it sounds!

Go check out the demo and a lot more detailed info here.

If you are a video enthusiast and you have been searching for a shareware that is fun and easy to use, you may want to check this out.

Departing from the storyboard concept that most video editors use to a more familiar method of select, cut/copy, and paste editing, Video Edit Magic Express makes video editing as simple as possible for the average user. With Video Edit Magic Express, you can easily decorate your videos by dragging and dropping effects, adding background scores and changing the volume of individual tracks for audio mixing. The built-in capture tool enables you to quickly capture video from a camcorder, capture-card, or USB video camera and move it to your hard disk. You can also add captured footage directly to the timeline for further editing. You can combine video, audio and image files on the same timeline for editing operations, making it simple to compose your video masterpiece.

The fact that you don’t need to be a professional to use this software should make it a darling among all video enthusiasts. With little or no experience in video editing you can quickly learn the basics and start making your own video productions. A wizard based help quickly takes you through all necessary steps from importing to editing.

Believe me, this software delivers what it promises, so you might want to try it out. And if you are not satisfied with it; No problem, you don’t have to buy it until you have checked out the trial download which lasts for as long as 30 days, so what’s to lose. Check out the free trial download.

One thing is worthy of note though, you need nothing less than 256 MB RAM and 100MB of hard disk space to be able to download his software and use it effectively. It works on all Windows OS.

Learn More about Video Edit Magic Express.

First we had the podsafe music network, Podshow now we have this. Music which is from unsigned bands which is licensed especially for podcasting. But the trend is growing. Most music producers are happy with the idea that in order to sell music you have to give lots away. It seems that the days of bloated greedy record companies are numbered. And not very big numbers either…

File sharing and MP3 network MP34U is trying hard to be an alternative to the traditional music business and succeeding to a certain extent. You’ve got signed and unsigned bands side by side, ratings and chart positions, well known and less well known artists. The “sources” look for and find the best free and legal MP3s out there on the Net. These countless billions (well lots anyway) are then voted on, and you get the results. So you know that the stuff which rises to the top is popular. It might even be good, the odds are with you on that one.

Visit the asylum here.

I found a really cool resource on the web, which if you are a fan of old blues masters is actually something of a gold mine. Lots of the recordings of the old blues musicians have fallen into the public domain, being really old and all that. The problem with media that has fallen into the public domain is that it is pretty hard to find.

Luckily there is a new kind of movement on the Net where clever and resourceful people find out stuff which is public domain now and collect it together. This is one such resource.

Here you can find such brilliant old stuff as Leadbelly’s “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?”, Blind Willie Johnson singing “Praise God I’m Satisfied”, and Lottie Kimbough with “Wayward Girl Blues”. Oh yeah and I really love Memphis Minnie’s “Where is My Good Man At?”. Very cool.

Join the fun at PublicDomain4U.

Every now and then we all need to slow down and take a step back from the hustle and bustle of daily living to appreciate the world we live in. That is why this screensaver with breathtaking views of the earth is really something!

EarthView is a dynamic desktop wallpaper and screen saver, which displays beautiful views of the earth with daylight and night shadows. It produces high quality images for every screen resolution – even beyond 1600×1200. The program supports map and globe views, urban areas, city lights, geo-political boundaries and much more. Many options allow total customization of all view parameters.

EarthView supports four different beautiful maps of the earth, starting at 10 km resolution, which means that at 100% zoom level, 1 pixel on your screen equals 10 kilometers on earth. If you purchase the full version, you’ll get the possibility to download even more detailed versions of some maps, which have higher resolution. This means, they have much more detail, so you can zoom in even further! The demo version comes with just 1 map but you can download others online.

An updated version has just been released with these latest changes:

• New: date and time display in local format
• Fix: updated city database

One downside is the fact that it is overpriced. The full version costs like $25 and you may be wondering why you should cough up that much when there are other screensavers with similar features that are free. Well, you can go for the trial version just to check out the breathtaking pictures. If you feel it’s worth it to you, you can buy it, if not just enjoy the demo version.

MORE INFO AND FREE DOWNLOAD OF DEMO VERSION

I recently came across a freeware on the Internet that allows one to have a great gaming experience. It’s called Xpadder.

Xpadder simulates keypresses and mouse movements using a gamepad. This allows you to use your controller to play PC games with poor or no joystick support (including DOS games in a Windows DOS box and Shockwave/Java internet games).

Some of its features include

• Full keyboard and mouse emulation
• Supports up to 16 controllers at the same time for multiplayer gaming
• Rumble (force feedback) and advanced fine-tuning options
• Extensive database of over 170 controllers, adapters and drivers
• Multiple profile management
• Designed for all controllers (gamepads, joysticks, steering wheels, etc.

The new version is set to be released at the end of the month with even greater features…

One really great thing about Xpadder is that unlike others that you just download their programs and you are left on your own to deal with issues arising from its use, the Xpadder website has a forum where you can get all your questions answered and receive news on updates.

CLICK HERE for more info and free download!

If you loved the movie Jurassic Park or you are just into dinosaurs, you may want to download this screensaver. Though Dinos are extinct they have returned through this screensaver!

Dino Glade is a 3D animated screensaver from the stables of Gamefalls.com. Let’s face it! Dinosaurs are unique creatures; in spite of the fact that they are extinct, they are a really popular and evocative group of animals, familiar to children and adults around the world.

The older version, Dino Glade 1.2 represents five different types of dinosaurs, four  (Ceratops, Diplodocus, Iguanodon and Raptor are walking) that are grazing and walking on the picturesque glade in the wood and the Fifth, Pteranodon is soaring.  The newer version Dino Glade Advanced 1.3 released not too long ago represents 6 types of dinosaurs, the addition being T-Rex. In both you have a picture of a “perfect world” with herbivores and carnivores co-existing peacefully and in a nice and serene environment.

Dino Glade 1.2 is a freeware while Dino Glade Advanced 1.3 is shareware; though the trial version of I.3 is available for download you’ll need to register it to get all the advantages (3 various scenes, 6 types of dinosaurs and unlimited amusement).

Whichever one you choose to download, the screensaver is attractive with its 3D animated models, picturesque landscape, clouds and lens flares effects. If you are not into dinosaurs or you have hard time believing they ever existed you may not like the screensaver. Whether you believe they existed or not, Dino glade still makes a nice screensaver with it’s cool 3D graphics and nice landscape.

 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

• OS: All Windows
• 64MB RAM
• DirectX 8.0
• 3D Accelerator

Want to check it out?

• CLICK HERE for more info on and download of Dino Glade advanced [1.3]
• CLICK HERE for info on and download of Dino Glade [1.2]

Except you have been living in a cave for the past couple of months, you would have heard that ZUNE, Microsoft’s addition to the growing portable MP3 player market, is hitting the shelves today. According to analysts, Zune is set to rock the world and give Apple’s iPod a run for its money.

In case you don’t have it yet, there is a theme released not too long ago as part of efforts to promote this new media player. A new theme for Windows XP, the Zune theme.

This is a special Windows XP Theme from Microsoft designed to look like its new Zune portable media player. This is an official skin for Windows XP that has a dark grey/black style and orange Start menu.

Usually I’m not one for themes as I usually disable it and switch to classic view but this new addition has really got me hooked. It’s really coooooool! Look for yourself!

CLICK HERE for more info on Zune and the Zune theme.

NOTE: You need to have Windows XP Service Pack 2 or greater to be able to download it. If you can’t find a download link, click this link for direct download.

You need a handy tool to make some simple moves with your photos, but you don’t want to install any software (even if it’s totally free)? Well, as I always say there’s a choice! Try for example Pixer.

It’s an online ajax-powered photo editors, with really simple controls. But once again there’s a catch. The worst thing (maybe that’s just for me, eh?) is that you can’t preview changes you make on your own picture (you upload it, but as soon as you make any change you’ll see the standard picture of that service with two pretty ladies on it). Don’t worry as soon as you done with editing just save the result on your hard drive and you see that this service really works. (more…)