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That’s right. All the content of this site can now be found at www.appaholic.co.uk

This wordpress.com hosted blog will no longer be updated, while the new www.appaholic.co.uk website will continue to be updated!

No need to change your RSS feed subscriptions! Now that is rather handy!

(Link was broken, now is fixed!)

Hey everyone. A lot of work recently has been spent sorting all the first major update for this site! You can check out the current progress right now on www.appaholic.co.uk

That’s the first thing, the domain name. all set up and ready, wordpress installed, all plugins fully functional. Just waiting for the exchange over, which will mean downtime of a few days starting Christmas week.

This also means that there probably won’t be any updates on here until after the change over is complete for the new year. The best way to stay tuned and make sure the moving process is as easy as possible for you is to SUBSCRIBE TO THE RSS FEED. The feed URL will not be changing which makes everyone’s life a little bit easier.

Continue reading for information on the new features the site will include

The new website will include quite a few awesome features!

Google search box, Translations into 10 other languages, Random posts of the moment, Recent comments, User sign up (Which means you can be entered into prize draws), Share This (Social bookmarking aid), and a small number of advertisements.

The advertisements are just to give me a little help, as I’m currently saving for University! Rather than donating your own money, donate other peoples, by simply clicking on a few “Sponsors”, which will pay for your posts.

There has also been rumours of a second AppAholic blog around. This is confirmed, however the details are still to officially confirmed. There will be merchandize to buy about 2 months after the site goes live, or possibly even sooner.

And finally, we need your opinion, as it is YOU we blog for!

Any comments or suggestions about improving AppAholic?

Version Tested : 2.0
Compatibility : Browser - Windows, Mac & Linux compatible

Description : Create fake damaged files of any size for free. Just in case you need to get that little bit of extra time to hand in some work or for work or anything at all. Quite a few file extensions to choose from, and a damaged file guaranteed. Blame it on the system rather than your time management.

Not having any use for such a tool, I can be quite sure many others will. Generally I keep mostly up to date with work and coursework, however, many do not. Many systems have upload space for teachers or professors to collect work. What better way to buy that bit of extra time than to upload a fake damaged file, that completely looks genuine, but is completely useless?

It currently boasts 23 file extensions, and always boats any size file you need! File types including .doc, .zip, .ppt, .xls, .psd, and even .mp3. Although this really won’t help you if you use it regularly, if you usually get everything done on time and feel you must squeeze a little more time, then this is the only safe way to do it.

Unlucky for some, the policy of the establishment is to take the last submitted piece of work as the final. Check this before making matters a lot worse for yourself if your doing project work which has required several stages of feedback.

Oh yeah, this one IS mac compatible too!

Conclusion : easy way out of admitting you need some more time on that all important work! Only down side is there is no Office 2007 file types. Guessing this will be updated soon though!

Website : www.xnet.se/fd/
Download : N/A
Size : Any size you want!

Version Tested : 1.0.37.0 (Public Beta 3)
Compatibility : Windows XP, Vista

Description : The ideal minimize replacement for you desktop widget freaks among us. Minimizes windows to a desktop thumbnail rather than to the taskbar. Handy, neat, stylish, and not too resource heavy.

If your into looking through loads of blogs all the time, you may have noticed recently a similar app called ThumbWin which effectively does the same thing as this app. There are a few differences, which I shall explain at the end of this post. Personally, this one wins for me. For starters, its not a translation, its all in English as standard.

miniMize has quite a bit of flexibility, more so than its rival. You can select from which corner of the screen you wish for your thumbnails to appear with the auto place feature. Naturally, you can still move them around by dragging. It will remember where it was placed for next time just for convenience. The auto place simply makes sure that when you minimize a window, the thumbnail is where you want it.

If your looking for hot key options, then your not left out either. Hot keys can be chosen for cycling thumbnail levels, minimizing all windows and show / hide thumbnails. If you want to keep to keyboard sometimes, you need not fear.

What if you don’t want this window or that window to be minimized to a thumbnail?

Well it couldn’t be easier to sort that out for you. Simply drag and drop target onto the apps window, and you’re sorted. Even has some advanced matching feature, which appears to look at not only the window name, but also the application and class of the window. Helpful, I think so. Neat addition.

Another smart feature in this app is the smart size mode, which works out what the size of the thumbnail should be, and tries to make them all roughly the same size. You can also pin them to 3 different levels, Desktop, Normal and Top. Let’s not forget the App’s icon on the thumbnail, as shown in the screen shot. Personal preference also demands transparency to wind up the style options.

One really great thing about this app is that you can request that it takes minimized windows off the taskbar. Personally, I really like this option, but if you don’t then its not a problem. Only slightly worrying thing was if I minimize a window by double clicking on it in the taskbar with that option enabled, it simply vanishes! oops! I guess that’s why its still beta.

For those of you who already use widgets, you can offset the default starting locations by your chosen variable. However, this works diagonally from the corner. Shame, but I’m thinking it will be improved in the next release.

There are a few other options you can have a play with, but don’t make any real impact on the general working of the app.

Conclusion : Little piece of genius in the making. Really neat, tidy, almost working. Acceptable for beta stage, well worth using already. Add that bit of style to your desktop with ease and make better use of your desktop at the same time. For those who love widgets, this is your perfect addition.

Website : http://aquaria.za.net
Download : Page - Direct
Size : 849.40Kb

It may or may not have come to you attention that recently there has been a lack of posts on AppAholic. Not to worry though, AppAholic is still very much alive. Thank you very much for sticking with us during this period of transition! You will be rewarded with the even better service of AppAholic 2.0

Most of my time has been taken up with work on AppAholic 2.0 (and a hefty bit of college work to do with databases). Also because of work work on weekends, I have limited time, and often end up very busy.

In the mean time, I will still be writing the usual posts. However, to help pass this period of lesser activity, I advise you look at some of the older posts! They are all really good Apps if I’m entirely honest. Well worth checking out!

Here is a few to get you started…

CCleaner (CrapCleaner) - Clean CRAP off your Computer that you don’t need.
Tidy Start Menu - Sort out your Start Menu into a much more manageable size.
Launchy - Run any App or open any website or file simply by typing it’s name.
StartUp Delayer - Make you PC boot faster by delaying non essential Apps.
Smart Shutdown LX - One click fast shut down, because we all know windows doesn’t work!

Of course, they are all completely FREE!
(Special note to subscribers, please continue reading this article!)

AppAholic is coming back strong though. Hopefully AppAholic 2.0 should be ready soon after Christmas!! Its actually taken a heck of a lot more work than I expected. In the up coming week, I’ll be playing around with the domain name, so don’t be alarmed if AppAholic.co.uk does anything funny. Redirection will be set up ASAP

Good news though, the transition to AppAholic 2.0 should be rather painless. The RSS feed will be automatically moved over (but only if you subscribed using the given link in the sidebar). If you for some reason still have your subscription from the WordPress website, I suggest you switch that over soon!

I’m currently working on a number of posts, so there will be some new posts in the following week, and if your lucky, one for the weekend too!

Once again, I would like to offer YOU, the readers of APPAHOLIC a GIANT word of thanks! Without you, I simply wouldn’t have the enthusiasm and will to continue writing AppAholic. Here, we look at the other tech/download blogs, but we try to go one step better, searching for a solution which surpasses that of the ones currently in the blogging buzz. That’s what makes AppAholic, a little different.

Big thanks for you support!

Enjoy AppAholic

Version Tested : 3.51
Compatibility : 98, 2000, 2003, XP, Vista

Description : Designed as THE replacement to windows notepad with more functionally that notepad, but not as much as Notepad++, as to keep it fast and ever so simple. A true replacement rather than addition.

Metapad is different to the likes of Notepad++ because it was designed with the idea of fully replacing notepad rather than as an addition. Granted, there has been no development on it since 2002, but it is by no means a dead project, it’s just because there is no need to update it. The website is still looked after, as there was an addition of “How to replace notepad with Metapad in VISTA” in the FAQ

The features of Metapad improve on windows notepad in quite a number of ways. The addition of the tool bar is really useful. Along with the standards, it has buttons for a user defined external viewer, find, replace (yes, separately for ease), word wrap, user defined primary and secondary front, always ontop toggle and settings.

A further feature is it’s inbuilt ability to recognize web links, and to be able to click on them from within Metapad itself.

Primary and secondary viewers buttons are rather handy, giving you a real easy way to put your notes you typed out into another viewer, like Microsoft word, windows notepad (not that you need that anymore) and even the likes of Notepad++. If you have Meta pad as the notepad replacment, its highly probable that you will open html in Metapad, and can then easily move it into being viewed in Notepad++ with one click.

Simple word wrap toggle button is a nice additin, clearly showing if you have word wrap disabled or enabled, and allowing for that to be changed with yet another single click.

Primary and secondary fonts add another dimension to the likes of text files. Easily changing between the default text file font and a slightly more snazzy font gives a better feel and makes making notes more easy on the eye.

The ability to so quickly toggle the window ontop is a real bonus. No need for any additional app, as its already fully part of the app. Another feature, as shown in the screen shot, transparancy, again easy to set up. Although I would like this in the tool bar too.

With two tabs of general options, you can’t really go wrong. This includes the optional one click external viewer settings, where the exe’s must be located. They are all rather self explanatory, and easy to sort through. A further tab for the change between primary and secondary fonts, and the fourth is for shortcuts.

Just an additional note, if you do decided to use this as a replacement for notepad, but keep seeing notepad open all over the place, then check the website. It has instructions on how to implement a replacement strategy.

Conclusion : Simple, fast? not a problem says Metapad, and I’m also free and portable. A really nifty text editor with a number of additions that Micorosft are sure to have as standard in notepad a number of years down the line.

Website : www.liquidninja.com/metapad
Download : Page - Direct
Size : 48KB

Version Tested : 1.9
Compatibility : Win All

Description : Like drop shadow on Mac OS, this app creates drop shadow for all windows and menus. Customizable with regards to colour, and the ability to make menus transparent too. Exclusion of windows also very easy to configure with simple drag and drop feature.

My friends, again, I bring you another stylish app, this time from the world of mac rather than that of XP or Linux. If you have ever used a mac, have you noticed the drop shadow? Well I can’t say I have, but once I found this and took a look at a mac, I could sure see the drop shadow.

Now, Windows users can steal effects and styles from the mac, bringing them ever closer to the style of a mac, but running on windows. Not only do we have a mac skin using StyleXP (which you can still get a free key for!), but we now have the drop shadow, and the dock too! Its like a happy family reunion, except in the wrong house.

It has a very customizable shadow, and even gives you a live preview of what the effect looks like, which is rather handy. Also you can change the colour, bright pink, green, orange, it really doesn’t mind, or you could go for, say black?

Another really neat effect it allows is to drop shadow menu items. And if your not completely satisfied, add a bit of transparency too them as well. Oh yeh, and it adds drop shadow to your start menu.

Finally (well almost anyway), a nice little touch I really do like. If you run any of the mac dock emulations on your windows PC, the chances are you might have your taskbar at the top of the screen. Yes? That’s you? Well then, there’s something a little extra. Drop shadow for you taskbar too! Even though my taskbar stays firmly at the bottom, I can see how this really does add the icing on the proverbial mac-emulation-on-windows cake.

Lastly, if you have apps you really don’t want to have drop shadow, for whatever reason, then there is one really easy way to exclude them. Simply drag and drop a magnifying glass for the Y’z Shadow’s settings window onto the window that you wish to be excluded. Although the number of these is limited to 32 (for some really odd reason), I can’t see that this kind of limitation would matter.

Conclusion : It takes up about 8Meg ram, so at the end of the day it comes down to if you can spare it, and you want to bring your windows PC every closer to a mac without buying one, then hurry up and download this app now! Free as usual, for mac style emulation fans, this adds the decorations to your all ready tasty looking style changes.

Website : NA
Download : Page 
Size : 244KB

Version Tested : 2.02.02
Compatibility : 98, 2000, XP, Vista

Description : 3D desktop enable you machine with Madotate, making almost every window the ability to be flipped, zoomed, moved, swiveled in almost anyway you want. Light weight on your resources too, unlike most apps of its kind. Adding the third dimension to your screen!

If the screen shot hasn’t already got your attention, then I don’t know what will. There are many 3D desktop apps out there, all doing this and that and some other flashy thing, but really, in all honesty, Madotate manages to beat them all.

Originally it was in Japanese, but several people translated it at various stages into English. Madotate adds an extra button just to the left of the minimize button on the active window. Clicking this will make it zoom into 3D mode.

Once in 3D mode, a window can be moved around with the left mouse. if you push a window towards an edge of a screen, then it will act like its hit a wall, and create a new hinge to that side, as you can see in the screen shot. the angle of this can be changed in the settings. If you hold right mouse down on the window in 3D mode

you can change the way the window is being angled. moving it up makes the top the hinge, bottom then the bottom is the hinge, as with left and right too. You can go as far as to flip completely round so it’s back to front, although the only reason you will do this is because your so amazed its actually working so well!

The final additional feature for each window is the mouse scroll button. This moves the window closer to you, or pushes it further away. Let me try and explain. If you look at the screen shot, you can see how the windows on the edge are subject to perspective. Like when you create a gradient for an object in most MS office apps, you can select “from corners to center” or visa versa. Scrolling with the mouse when a 3D window is selected moves the app along this perspective, truly adding the third dimension to your screen. Near and far. (If you have no mouse wheel, then page up and page down work just as well)

Transparency is also an option, one of which I do admit to loving, adding that further pinch of style, as if you didn’t already have enough with StyleXP and now Madotate too. As standard, each window has a tag which contains its bar title, however I prefer this option to be disabled. There are other options that are down to your personal preference, go explore!

The only other items I will note is the ability to create custom hot keys. There are only 3 functions, which are “swap effect”, “all to 3D” and “show menu settings”, but even so, if your a hot keys kinda person, these are ideal for you. Finally, the option if you so wish to have a sound played every time the 3D effect is implemented, and a different one for when a window is restored to its original 2D self.

Conclusion : 3D desktop from Japan with sleekness and style at heart, this app really does do an amazing job for such a small cost on resources (only 5MB max). Single exe, no installation, also runs portable for those real show offs. Simply genius without a question, one app not to miss out on. Don’t minimize it. Madotate it!

Website : NA
Download : Direct
Size : 390 K

This morning, I was woken up to the door bell rung by a person from City Link with a nice hard disk sized package. Now comes the task of installing it, shouldn’t take too long.

The question that then arose to me is if I should format a partition for Linux or not bother at all? This worry comes to me after I had an emergency call yesterday with regards to a GRUB error. All sound too familiar? I thought so too, except there was a bit of a twist as the story developed. Master Boot Record problems yet again.

As he was explaining to me he deleted the Linux partition, I linked him back to a post I had previously made about the exact same problem. After reading, he decided to give the recovery of the Master Boot Record a try to reset it. For some reason though, it wouldn’t recognize his windows installation.

He was left with two options; play around trying with various cd tools to rewrite the MBR, or reformat and re install windows. After playing for about 2-3 hours, he was getting rather annoyed, ( just as any of us would). Luckily the installation was only a few months old. Using the Lin live CD he recovered his essential files onto disks and USB sticks (lacking an external hard disk, poor chap) making the disk ready for formatting, reluctantly the only option left.

Luckily, he knew exactly the essential apps he wanted, and so had no problem with the installation. Oh yeh, and it was Windows Vista! Not being an OS genius, I’m guessing that restoring the MBR shouldn’t be any more difficult than on XP. Yet it seems you still have to know the command for the Command Line Interface.

Maybe Microsoft should have a downloadable ISO of a bootable CD which can restore the MBR to windows standards, especially with the recent growth of Linux. This would solve a fair number of problems for those who want to venture into the slightly more adventurous area of Linux but find themselves turning back due to hardware incompatibility.

This leads me onto my question… Should I really bother with Linux when I STILL don’t have a compatible WIFI stick to connect to the internet with? When I tried out Linux before, it was rather crippled (for me anyway) without internet access.

Any thoughts, opinions, suggestions?

Rel