Wednesday 23 September 2009

Web Apps

Web applications (or web apps for short) have been around for a decade now. These apps are accessed using the web browser. One of the most widely known web app is Google Docs, which has a web-based spreadsheet, word processor, presentation and form application offered by Google. This app is particularly useful for those who don't have the Microsoft Office Suite of applications. There are plenty of other apps as well, however, they haven't become as popular as one had hoped them to be.

Coming to the question, why this post?

Whilst in office, I was looking to extract a file with a rar (Roshal Archive) extension. Usually in a standard office environment, it is not possible to extract files except those with a zip extension. To get around the problem I used a webapp named WobZIP, which is quite simple to use. You upload the file you want to extract and once it is uploaded it is extracted on the fly on the server and is available for download. You inturn download the file and later delete the file from the server.

A few web apps that come to mind that take the hassle out of downloading and installing locally on one's PC or Mac are PDF converter, Audio rip of Youtube videos, Broadband speed test, Online Virus Check, Photoshop .....

Wednesday 2 September 2009

How to use iPhone as a storage medium with easy access to files?

iPhone 3GS is a great gadget and I have only just started to explore its features fully. I realised pretty early on that there is no direct way to use iPhone as a storage medium with easy access to files. Files Lite is a great free app which allows you to use your iPhone as a storage medium. It works like this on a wireless network with a PC loaded with Windows 7.

1. Download the app Files Lite from the App Store and start it. It will give a server address. Note it down.

2. Go to your PC or Mac and set up a network drive. In case of a PC with Windows 7 RC go to Libraries and right click on Network and go to Map Network Drive.

3. Choose a drive (for example X:) and enter folder name as the server address given by Files Lite, which might look like this http://192.168.0.x:8080.

4. You will see the folder Public under DavWWWRoot (\\192.168.0.X:8080) X: on your PC when you go into Libraries. Transfer the files you would like to store on your iPhone to the folder Public. You may create sub-folders as well.

Files Lite has a limitation of 200 MB storage capacity. For unlimited storage capacity (only limited by the iPhone storage capaciy) one may get a paid app named Files for £2.99.

I usually like to transfer e-books in pdf format onto my iPhone for leisurely reading.

How to remove "Untitled" name for Windows drive in Mac OSX?

Following the installation of Windows 7 RC on the MacBook using Boot Camp, I ended up with the Windows drive on Mac OSX named as "Untitled". If the Windows drive is formatted to NTFS, there is no way to rename the drive in Mac OSX. The only alternative is to boot into Windows and physically name the drive. It is done as follows:

1. Open My Computer in Windows XP or Computer in Windows 7 and right click on the Windows drive C:

2. Go to Properties and enter the volume name under the General tab. In my case I entered Windows 7.

3. Reboot into Mac OSX and there you see the Windows drive as named.