Today we announced 2 new Microsoft LifeCams that will be entering the LifeCam Family - the LifeCam Show and LifeCam VX-5500. We also have something to go along with the new LifeCams that extend the LifeCam experience...

People leave friends and family personalized voice mails or send them emails all the time. What about sending them a customized video message with all the benefits of voice mail and email but with video instead? Today, we're launching Video Messages to do just that!   Video Messages lets users enjoy the combination of what they get with voice mail and email with video to send personalized video messages to friends and family (or whoever they want).

You can visit Windows Live Video Messages at videomessages.live.com.

How about we check out what Windows Live Video Messages is all about?

When users sign into the Windows Live Video Messages website, they will notice it is set up quite a bit like a mailbox is for email. And that's how users should treat their Video Messages - like voicemail but better.

Note: Silverlight is required for Windows Live Video Messages.

On the top left hand corner, users will see 3 categories for Video Messages next to their display icon: Received, Sent, and Unviewed. A listing of how many Unviewed Video Messages is also displayed along with total Video Messages you have in your account.

On the left hand side users will have a sidebar that also displays new Video Messages (the black number circle in the above screenshot) as well as a list of their top 6 contacts.

When I first signed in to Windows Live Video Messages, I had 1 Unviewed Video Message. This was Video Message by Microsoft welcoming me to Windows Live Video Messages. A tile with a link to a list of available Microsoft LifeCams and where to buy them was also included.

On the top right hand side of Windows Live Video Messages is another set of buttons and options.

Users can select how they wish to view their Video Messages. There are 2 options: "Scattered" View or Grid View. By default, when users sign in it will be on Scattered View as that's what it was one for me when I signed in. Users can also check how much space they have left in Windows Live Video Messages by moving their mouse over the little harddrive icon. Users will get 2GB of storage for their Video Messages. Because Video Messages aren't usually very long - 2GB of storage will go a long way. And of course the Recycle Bin icon lets you manage deleted Video Messages and can be emptied at any time.

Recording a Video Message is really easy. To do so, all users need to do is press the "+" at the bottom right hand corner. A recording window will pop up.

NOTE: Windows Live Video Messages is designed to work with all of Microsoft's LifeCams. Non-Microsoft webcams are also supported by the website.

Windows Live Video Messages will detect your LifeCam and display your LifeCam in the Recording window.

After users record their Video Message, they can play it back before sending to make sure it's what they want to send. If it is what they want to send, they can click the "+" buttons on the empty display icons at the bottom to add contacts they want to send the Video Message to. You will be able to add multiple contacts as well. Users will also be able to lock certain Video Messages from being forwarded or saved by recipients.

After the user sends their Video Message, the person you sent it to will be notified via email a new Video Message is available for them to view.

That person can then reply to it just as they would reply to an email you send.

Sending and receiving Video Messages is really easy. But wait - there's more!

For users on Windows Vista, there is also a LifeCam video messages gadget available that lets users create, send, and receive Video Messages right from their Windows Vista desktop (with Windows Sidebar of course!). Users can choose 6 of their top contacts to be always shown in the gadget for quick access to sending Video Messages to specific people - like your mom. The LifeCam video messages gadget supports the all of the Microsoft LifeCams.

The Gadget will run on 64-bit systems when running Windows Sidebar in 32-bit mode.

Give Windows Live Video Messages a try today and start sending Video Messages to your friends and family! I also currently own the Microsoft LifeCam VX-7000 - which I blogged about here. I also got my hands on the Microsoft LifeCam VX-5000 which is also proving to be an excellent webcam. I'll be blogging more about the VX-5000 shortly. And certainly check out the new Microsoft LifeCams announced today as well.

Whilst some may have unlocked the secret to the M.C. Escher Zune logo, most people are still left pondering “what the hell is that thing”. Besides the announcements today of the new models and features in the updated firmware, the Zune brand is also sporting at least 2 new logo animations which are worthwhile pointing out. There’s one at the beginning and end of these official “guide” videos.

Whilst I’m not sure if the animation is suppose to make it any easier to understand, but it’s sure pretty to look at. As an added bonus there’s also a cute chime in the background.

As some other people have suggested it would be pretty cool if this animation was used as the startup animation on the Zune at boot (not resume at standby though), sort of like the XBOX360 startup sequence, giving it a bit of extra flair.

Leveraging work done on UNIX and GNU projects helped to get Linux up and running quickly. The culture of sharing in the open source community and adoption of a wide array of tools for communicating on the Internet have helped Linux move quickly through infancy and adolescence to become a mature operating system.

The simple commitment to share code is probably the single most powerful contributor to the growth of the open source software movement in general, and Linux in particular. That commitment has also encouraged involvement from the kind of people who are willing to contribute back to that community in all kinds of ways. The willingness of Linus to incorporate code from others in the Linux kernel has also been critical to the success of Linux. The following sections characterize Linux and the communities that support it.

Features in Linux
If you have not used Linux before, you should expect a few things to be different from using other operating systems. Here is a brief list of some Linux features that you might find cool:

• No constant rebooting—Uptime is valued as a matter of pride (remember, Linux and other UNIX systems are most often used as servers, which are expected to, and do, stay up 24/7/365). After the original installation, you can install or remove most software without having to reboot your computer.

• Start/stop services without interrupting others—You can start and stop individual services (such as Web, file, and e-mail services) without rebooting or even interrupting the work of any other users or features of the computer. In other words, you should not have to reboot your computer every time someone sneezes. (Installing a new kernel is just about the only reason you need to reboot.)

• Portable software—You can usually change to another Linux, UNIX, or BSD system and still use the exact same software! Most open source software projects were created to run on any UNIX-like system and many also run on Windows systems, if you need them to. If it won’t run where you want it to, chances are that you, or someone you hire, can port it to the computer you want. (Porting refers to modifying an application or driver so it works in a different computer architecture or operating system.)

• Downloadable applications—If the applications you want are not delivered with your version of Linux, you can often download and install them with a single command, using tools such as apt, urpmi, and yum.

• No settings hidden in code or registries—Once you learn your way around Linux, you’ll find that (given the right permissions on your computer) most configuration is done in plain text files that are easy to find and change. Because Linux is based on openness, nothing is hidden from you. Even the source code, for GPL-covered software, is available for your review.

• Mature desktop—The X Window System (providing the framework for your Linux desktop) has been around longer than Microsoft Windows. The KDE and GNOME desktop environments provide graphical interfaces (windows, menus, icons, and so forth) that rival those on Microsoft systems. Ease-of-use problems with Linux systems are rapidly evaporating.

• Freedom—Linux, in its most basic form, has no corporate agenda or bottom line to meet. You are free to choose the Linux distribution that suits you, look at the code that runs the system, add and remove any software you like, and make your computer do what you want it to do. Linux runs on everything from supercomputers to cell phones and everything in between. Many countries are rediscovering their freedom of choice and making the switch at government and educational levels. France, Germany, Korea, and India are just a few that have taken notice of Linux. The list continues to grow.

There are some aspects of Linux that make it hard for some new users to get started. One is that Linux is typically set up to be secure by default, so you need to adjust to using an administrative login (root) to make most changes that affect the whole computer system. Although this can be a bit inconvenient, trust me, it makes your computer safer than just letting anyone do anything. This model was built around a true multiuser system. You can set up logins for everyone who uses your Linux computer, and you (and others) can customize your environment however you see fit without affecting anyone else’s settings.

For the same reason, many services are off by default, so you need to turn them on and do at least minimal configuration to get them going. For someone who is used to Windows, Linux can be difficult just because it is different from Windows.

Source of Information : Linux Bible 2008 Edition

Note: It is required that you must read the previous article to find out where the files are located and to learn how did I find out that it’s an SQLite V3 Database.

How can we open or view the Google Chrome’s Internet History files Database and find where Chrome Favorites (Bookmarks) is located?

1. Download SQLite Browser Program at SourceForge.Net.

2. If There’s an error while opening the files in Windows Vista. e.g. "This application has failed to start because MSVCR71.dll was not found…".

Search and Download the DLL file and put it on the same directory of the Database Browser Program.

NEXT Reading and Unlocking the Files

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There has been so much fuss about providing alternative packaging for laptops these days. Among them included the news that HP has changed its usual cardboard packaging into trendy and classy bags that may pass for good storage when they are mobile. While the overall packaging for shipping them in numbers may still require the use of cardboard, consumer selling will no longer need the issue of using cardboard boxes whenever a potential customer buys them.

HP and Walmart are trying to tackle the problem by shipping several laptops in the same (small) box. The laptops come in their protective bags and not a cardboard box. Not only this pollutes less, but it probably saves a lot of storage room and probably money too.

Source

So while the global warming issue on laptops may have been solved, what about the bulkier desktop and monitor cases wherein a lot of cardboard resources are used whenever a buyer gets one of them from the computer shop? Surely a clothing bag may not be enough to accommodate such peripherals and based on what type of ideal packaging may be resorted to, this area has not been resolved or even seems to be in the process of being resolved.

Indeed, it may take some time and among the alternatives being done today is shrinking the size of new desktops to miniature ones that are supposedly to save on space. While buying one may be a one time deal only, some have turned to using recycled cardboards. But what happens to them after unpacking the computer merchandise?

Maybe a rebate program or reward for turning in the old boxes? There are a lot of possibilities. We just have to see them put into play.