Cool Construction Tools

Have you ever seen some TSE Pullers and thought to yourself, if I had a mini version of that, I could make like Batman and launch myself up a building. Well, the Warn PulzAll may do something similar.

The PullzAll can lift or pull around 1000 pounds of weight with a variable motor. The PullzAll has a 15 feet cable with an integrated swiveling hook. Of course, you can't really use it as a grappling hook since the device's hook can't be launched out of the device but you can use it as some sort of Rescu Reel and rappel ourself down a building. It's a nifty construction equipment to use in auto shops or farms but of course, it really can't replace those TSE pullers I've mentioned which is designed for heavy construction.

HTC Hero

So HTC has released their 3rd Android device: the HTC Hero. This device is really sexy looking and HTC has sweetened the Android UI with their own HTC Sense.

The HTC Hero will be available in the UK around July from Orange. No word if it will reach US shores.

Specs of the HTC Hero includes: HSDPA, capacitive touchscreen, accelerometer, 3.5mm headset jack, microSD, 5 megapixel camera with autofocus, GPS and WiFi.

How to get Office 2003 Menu on Office 2007

I must admit, although Microsoft Office 2007 is more pleasing to look at than Microsoft Office 2003, I really hate that it doesn't have the old Menu bars. The first time that I used Microsoft Office 2007, I literally took 30 minutes to finish a task that would have been finished in 15 minutes time on the old MS Office 2003. The reason? Because Microsoft decided that instead of making their menu bars visually appealing to complement office 2007, they decided to replace it with the Ribbon.

Anyways, it's because of this that companies that uses Microsoft Office 2007 have to train their employees because there's a very steep learning curve in using MS Office 2007. Of course, shortcut users won't have any problems since shortcuts on Office 2003 and 2007 are basically the same, it's the menu users who will have a problem.

Anyways, if you want to bring the menu bar of the Office 2003 to the Office 2007, you can use Classic Menu for Office 2007 from addintools.com. Now you don't need training and tutorials for Microsoft Office 2007 any more since Classic Menu will bring back the Menu toolbar that everyone who first used MS Office has been used to.

Classic Menu can be used for Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, and PowerPoint 2007 and it still retains all the new features of MS Office 2007 and features easy switching between the Ribbon and the classic menu bar. Nice. Think of all the money your company can save to avoid training on MS Office 2007.

Samsung S8300: Nice screen, poor audio?

I've been eyeing the Samsung S8300 as my phone of choice as it has an 8 megapixel camera and a gorgeous AMOLED screen. From the Samsung Tocco Ultra Touch Reviews on the net, all are unanimous in saying that it has indeed a gorgeous screen and perfect for watching HD videos. The problem is the audio quality.

There are those who say that the speakers are not so loud and a bit tinny while others say it's okay. I'd really love to get one of these though I don't know which carrier will get the Samsung S8300 in the states. I don't want to have to import one just for the video quality and even though it's 3G/HSDPA capable, the European versions won't be compatible here in the states and since it doesn't have a WiFi, spending $500 for a phone that doesn't have fast internet connection is a waste. I might just as well wait for the Sony Ericsson W995 which will hit US shores in July.

FruitfulTime Task Software

I'm a very busy person I run a lot of errands as well as have some write-ups that I need to submit so it's hard to keep track of all of my tasks for the day and juggle which errand/task to do first. Outlook's built-in task/to-do list is not really that effective especially since its functions are limited.

Thankfully, there's a lot of task software available on the Internet. The first one I tried is the first software that offers full trial version: FruitfulTime. The first thing I liked about Fruitful Time is that it has reminders especially when you have a deadline. You can minimise the software on your desktop so that it wouldn't clutter your windows toolbar. You can also clone similar tasks with just one click and if you don't want anyone viewing your tasks, you can easily password protect it.

FruitfultTime offers much more functionality than Outlook's regular TO-Do list. I just hope that the developers would create a Pocket PC version so I can transfer my tasks on my PDA and still be reminded of deadlines even when I'm away from my Desktop PC.

Advantages and disadvantages of a Dedicated Server

Most cheap webhosting are hosted on a shared webhosting service. While shared webhosting service are often times reliable and is an excellent choice if you're just running a small business website or a personal blog but problems will arise once you find your website becoming popular and there is a jump in website traffic. Common indicators that your website needs to have a dedicated server is if it takes a Looonng time to load. Of course, this may be attributed to your shared hosting service in which case, try contacting your webhost provider and see if there's any problem. If it persists, it may be time to migrate to a dedicated server hosting.

Another advantage of a dedicated server hosting is that you will have more control over your server operation. You can upload yoru own programs or add extra features, something which can't be done on shared hosting services.

As for the disadvantages, one of the main disadvantages is the cost. The cheapest dedicated server hosting today is around $199. Another disadvantage or it may be an advantage is that you need to have your own technical team to manage your dedicated server. While some hosts provide technical support, they can only provide basic support and it's a good idea that you should have your own IT team to manage your servers.

If costs and manpower is not an issue, then buying a dedicated server is definitely a right choice for companies who are serious about their online presence.

Toshiba's New Automotive System

I've never pegged Toshiba to be in the automotive business, I've always equated their name with laptops or notebooks but it seems that Toshiba is making an intelligent automotive system that detects inattentive drivers.

With so many in-car gadgets today, most drivers don't always keep their eyes on the road. Toshiba's automotive system can detect the driver's face and eye movements using camera images. The system recognizes 8 areas which the drivers commonly look at like the side mirrors, left, right and center windshield, the dashboard, etc so that if a driver's face or eyes deflect from these 8 areas, the aumotive system will give out a warning. In the future, Toshiba hopes that it would also detect drowsy drivers.

Via: NMCNNIC