Windows Live Essentials 2011 Is…Well…Live
Last Updated on Thursday, 30 September 2010 08:44 Written by Alan Thursday, 30 September 2010 08:16
Today Microsoft released the finished version of Windows Live Essentials 2011. We have known this was coming – the beta was released a couple of months ago, but I had not heard a date for final release. It just seems to have sneaked out without any real fanfare.
It’s actually a great product that deserves some attention. If you haven’t used it before, then you’ve probably at least used previous iterations of some of it’s components. Essentially it’s a collection of Microsoft programs that used to come embedded in Windows, but have been unbundled and offered as a separate, free download. The old Outlook Express has been replaced with Windows Live Mail, Windows Movie Maker has been updated and become a very good tool, Windows Live Messenger is latest version of Messenger, etc. There are also a few new tools that you may not be familiar with – Windows Live Mesh, Windows Family Safety, and Windows Live Writer. Here’s a complete list of the programs included in Essentials.
Messenger
When you install Essentials you will be prompted to add social networks for Messenger.
Photo Gallery
Movie Maker
Mail
Writer
Family Safety
Windows Live Mesh
Messenger Companion
Bing Bar
Outlook Connector Pack
Silverlight
If you are currently using the Beta version then it may be possible to upgrade, but I did not test that scenario. With any beta I recommend uninstalling the beta first and then installing the new version.
During the installation you will have the option to set up a mobile version. You can set this up as public or private or an option somewhere in between.
The one strange thing I found was that Essentials splits itself in your Start menu, putting some of the programs in the main menu and some in the Windows Live Essentials folder.
That covers the installation and some of the most basic items. A serious look at Essentials would require a separate in-depth post for each individual program. In the future I may do that with a few of the most interesting items.
Gmail (Finally) Allows You To Turn Off Threaded Messages
Last Updated on Saturday, 4 December 2010 07:35 Written by Alan Wednesday, 29 September 2010 08:15
There are two types of Gmail users in the world – those who love threaded messages (termed “conversations”) and those who not only hate them, but are actually out for their blood. There are days when I fall into the latter, but never days when I fall into the former.
Well, today Google announced some good news for people like me. They have released the long-awaited fix for turning Gmail conversations off (or on, if you so choose). This was announced several months ago and I was surprised it was this slow in coming out. It doesn’t seem like such a difficult problem to solve.
It’s a simple fix too. Here’s how you do it.
1. Sign into your Gmail account and click Setting at the top right of the screen
2. Go to the General tab.
3. A little ways down the page you will see the new option – “Conversation View:”
4. That’s it – just click the on or off radio buttons.
Well, as I said before, it took long enough, but at least Google delivered on this. And I and my fellow conversation-haters are rejoicing. Why do I just know that I’ll stumble onto a reason to turn it back on one day soon….?
Add Subtitles To Your Movies With Subtitles 1.1
Last Updated on Monday, 27 September 2010 08:24 Written by Alan Tuesday, 28 September 2010 08:00
Subtitles 1.1 is a cool, free new program that allows you to add subtitles to your ripped movies. And not just English either, but many different languages are available. This is especially handy for foreign films that are not sub-titled in your language and also for hearing impaired viewers. There are other ways to find sub-titles, but Subtitles 1.1 makes it easier than any I have seen.
It’s very simple to use. Here’s a quick walk through.
Once downloaded (don’t blink or you’ll miss it – it’s 813KB) and installed you can browse to the folder where your movie is stored and right-click the movie file. That’s the ONLY way to access the program. You won’t find it in your Start menu or on your desktop.
Once you have selected your language by right-clicking the movie file and then clicking on your language the program will search the web to find the appropriate file.
It’s that simple. With the tiny file size and the ease of use, combined with the very good fit into the Windows right-click context menu, it’s a good addition to any PC, and especially Windows Media Center, which is where many users will have their movie files stored. There are other ways of doing this, but this is the simplest one I have found.
