http://softsaurus.org Clearing the skies on software Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:39:23 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en iPhone or iPod touch only: The already-good Pandora music recommendation engine app for the iPhone has gotten better with version 2.0, which adds Cover Flow view, artist and song info, and bookmark previews. Take a look at some screenshots. You'll need to sign into your free Pandora account to ... http://softsaurus.org/2009/01/07/pandora-20-adds-cover-flow-and-more/ The latest Windows 7 beta offers an even speedier startup than its predecessor: for me the beta boots to a fully functional desktop in under 30 seconds, faster than the preview. On the same exact computer, where I'm triple-booting Vista, XP, and now the Windows 7 beta (build 7000), ... http://softsaurus.org/2009/01/07/windows-7-beta-boasts-sub-30-second-boot-time/ Update: Gizmodo confirms the announcement. The good news: CNET has sources saying the three largest music labels will allow Apple to offer music downloads free of copy-protection. And the bad news might not be that bad. In exchange for the DRM-free tracks, Apple will reportedly allow labels to push three ... http://softsaurus.org/2009/01/06/itunes-drops-most-copy-protection-varies-prices/ Reader Kaelri—famous for the beautiful and functional Enigma desktop—has packaged and released version 1.1 of the customization files. What's changed? Kaelri explains: I've added: RSS reader. Gmail notifier. Calendar by ~limpet. System/battery graphics using ecqlipse 2 icons. Tray clock replacement. Quick-edit button for Notes. Application launcher. Useless to ... http://softsaurus.org/2009/01/06/enigma-desktop-customization-update-now-available/ Windows only: Free app Install-It puts a small auto-starting application on any removable drive that makes installing applications a double-click affair. After downloading the Install-It package, you'll want to extract its files to somewhere you can reach, like your desktop, and open up the Install.ini file in your favorite text ... http://softsaurus.org/2009/01/06/install-it-creates-auto-starting-installer-cds-for-any-applications/ The New York Times takes a revealing look at self-handicapping excuses—like "I barely slept the night before the test"—and why we create them, as well as the extremely unlikely chance that anyone else buys them. The short version of the research and studies cited is that we all do it, ... http://softsaurus.org/2009/01/06/why-your-self-handicapping-excuses-dont-work-and-how-to-fix-them/ Windows/Mac/Linux (Firefox): Mr. Uptime, friend to anyone who's ever waited for the Digg/Slashdot/Lifehacker Effect to abate before reaching a cool new web site, has recently updated to be Firefox 3 compatible. Not much seems entirely new with Mr. Uptime, available both at its Mozilla home and official page, but that's ... http://softsaurus.org/2009/01/06/mr-uptime-finally-updates-for-firefox-3/ CrazyLittleFingers is a keyboard locking application. Unlike some of the previous keyboard lockers we've covered, CrazyLittleFingers corresponds the keystroke to a picture and sound related to the key. Press L and you see a picture of a lion. Press R and you see a movie of a rooster. Keys ... http://softsaurus.org/2009/01/06/crazylittlefingers-rewards-your-toddlers-curiosity/ Tech evangelist and Microsoft consultant Blake Handler hosts an impressively completist list of free Windows programs offered by Microsoft, dug from the trenches of Del.icio.us tags. It's a handy bookmark for Control+F hunting. [via] Source: Lifehacker http://softsaurus.org/2009/01/06/exhaustive-list-of-free-microsoft-downloads/ The good news: CNET has sources saying the three largest music labels will allow Apple to offer music downloads free of copy-protection. And the bad news might not be that bad. In exchange for the DRM-free tracks, Apple will reportedly allow labels to push three tiers of pricing. Older songs ... http://softsaurus.org/2009/01/06/itunes-may-drop-most-copy-protection-vary-prices/