This week we learned how to record screen activity in Ubuntu, sync any folder to Dropbox with SyncToy, jailbreak an iPhone or iPod Touch with iOS 4, find the 3G or Wi-Fi speeds on Android phones, get rid of the annoying YouTube bottom bar, and more. Now you can get comfortable and relax while looking through our latest batch of geeky goodness.
Photo by bucklava.
Weekly Feature
Are looking for a pleasant dark grey theme with a touch of color for your GNOME desktop? Then the Azenis Theme may be just what you are looking for. There are two packages required to set up the entire theme: one for the main theme itself & the second for the icons and other items that go with it.
Note: Wallpaper can be downloaded here.
Photo by Asian Angel.
Azenis Green Modified Theme Azenis Icons Green Modified
Random Geek Links
Photo by Kelly Sims.
- UK government: Upgrading away from IE6 costs too much
The UK government says the costs of upgrading from Internet Explorer 6 outweigh the benefits. - Fake Flash Firefox Update
Virus and malware authors are targeting Firefox users with a new fake Flash update scam. - Adobe to fix Reader hole unveiled at Black Hat
Adobe will release an emergency fix for a critical hole in Reader that was publicly disclosed at the Black Hat conference last week. - Contest finds workers at big firms handing data to hackers
Hackers competing in a social engineering contest at the Defcon conference were able to trick random employees at 10 major U.S. tech, oil, and retail companies into giving them sensitive information over the phone. - Web attack knows where you live
The attack exploits shortcomings in many routers to find out a key identification number. It then uses the number and net tools to find where a router is located. - Out-of-Band Patch Fixes Windows Critical .LNK Vulnerability
A security update designed to resolve a the critical .LNK vulnerability has been released and is now available to customers worldwide.
Note: If you have already applied the MS FixIt workaround, article provides link to automatically disable/undo it. - AppArmor set for inclusion in Linux kernel
James Morris has integrated the kernel code for the AppArmor security extension into his development branch, which forms part of Linux-Next. - Android rootkit demonstrated
At the DEFCON hacking conference IT security researchers demonstrated what they claim is the first rootkit for Android. - iPhone patch coming soon
Apple has a fix for the ‘JailbreakMe’ security issue and plans to distribute it as part of a upcoming update. - How to Migrate Your Entire Google Account to a New One
See how to migrate your data from your current account to a new account while incurring the least amount of data loss.
Geek Video of the Week
Tom and Harry really needed a roommate, but got a lot more than they bargained for. Watch what happens when Google moves in with them!
Photo by thebighonkin.
Note: Third video contains some inappropriate language.
Episode #1 Episode #2 Episode #3
Productive Geek Tips
- Use Firefox to Create Simple Mockups
Pencil is a Firefox integrated wireframing tool that can be used to sketch a mock up of an application’s interface. - The Simple Envelope System for Keeping Financial Records
The envelope system for keeping financial records is low-maintenance, cost-effective, and easy to implement in little time. - Paint a Minimalist Productivity Desktop in Under Five Minutes
Spend no more than five minutes in Paint to create a minimalist productivity desktop to jump start your work flow and help you sustain focus.
Sysadmin Geek Tips
- Build an Installer for Installer-less Programs
Learn how to use NirSoft’s ZipInstaller to install and build installers for installer-less programs. - Find the php.ini File Location from the Command Line
Ever needed to make a quick adjustment to the php.ini file but you weren’t sure where it was? Here’s a quick command you can use. - Re-run the Last Command as Root (with Sudo)
Ever forgotten to run the last command with sudo at the beginning? Here’s how to re-run the command with sudo at the beginning, without re-typing the whole thing. - How to Change to the Previous Working Directory
If you’ve switched into another folder with the cd command, and then want to get back to the previous one, you don’t have to remember the whole path. Just use the following command. - Batch Script to Backup All Your SQL Server Databases
See how to create a batch script that will adapt to your SQL Server as new databases are added and removed.
The Geek on Lifehacker
Firefox 4 Beta is out with a revamped UI, Google Chrome continues to gain popularity, and Opera has a slick new version. Let’s take a look at which browser uses your screen the best without wasting space.
Browser Comparison: What’s the Most Pixel-Friendly Browser?
Random TinyHacker Links
- Understanding Rootkits & How They Work
A guide to rookits and how they could infect your computer. - Run Windows Programs Inside Ubuntu
Want to run a few Windows programs on your Ubuntu install? You can use a program called Wine to install certain Windows applications on Ubuntu. - Editing VHD images with Windows 7’s Disk Management tool
Did you know you can mount and edit ‘.vhd’ (virtual hard disk) images with Windows 7’s Disk Management tool? If you are working with lots of virtual images, then this tip might come in handy. - Find the Differences between Two Text Files using Diff Checker
Instead of downloading software to your computer, you can visit a website for free to compare and find the differences between two text files. - Move the Close, Maximize and Minimize buttons
By default, the close, maximize and minimize buttons for any window are on the right hand side. But what if you are one of the few that would prefer to have those buttons on the left hand side?
Super User Questions
Here are the latest terrific questions from Super User this week.
- What to do when Linux gui freezes
- Why do I need restart computer after installing new software?
- New system with old harddisks?
- How to check the health of a hard drive
- Playing Windows games on Linux
Latest Reviews at How-To Geek
We have another great review for you to look through this week.
- Hulu Plus
Hulu Plus gives you more of your favorite shows in more places, and provides HD content. It also allows you to get content on mobile devices like the iPhone, iPad Touch, iPad, some Internet-enabled TVs, Xbox, and PS3 with more devices to be added soon.
One Year Ago on How-To Geek
More geeky goodness from last year for you to enjoy.
- How Does Spyware, Malware or Crapware Get on My Computer?
- Remove Gadgets and Screen Resolution on Windows 7 Desktop Context Menu
- Disable Sidebar / Desktop Gadgets on Windows 7
- Access Hidden Regional Themes in Windows 7
- Avant Window Navigator for Ubuntu Linux
The Geek Note
That finishes up another week here. Enjoy the rest of your weekend and if you have a great tip, send it to us at [email protected]!
Wallpaper photo by pisumic81 (DesktopNexus).