ElfYourself – That’s right (Go ElfYourself)!

Again this year, as they have for the last 5/6 years or so, OfficeMax is offering the charmingly humorous ElfYourself, an online animated Christmas greeting creation tool.

Working with ElfYourself is actually a bit of fun, and while the end product is not “professional”, in any sense, the result is pretty cool – especially when one considers the price; FREE.

Once the project is completed (it takes just a few minutes), you can then share your Christmas greeting by email, or post it to either your Facebook Wall, or to a friend’s Wall. This year you can even share on Twitter.

Go to ElfYourself to get started.

Once on the site, follow the simple instructions. The following screen captures will give you some idea of how uncomplicated the process is.

The cropping tools could be a little more robust, I think. But, free is free – so, who’s complaining.

The interface allows a number of minor adjustments.

Once the face has been adjusted to your liking, the next step is choosing a dance to accompany the animation.

Luckily, there’s a fair number of choices.

New, this year – you can now download the finished video and save the file locally.

Once you’re satisfied with the results – sharing your creation is a breeze.

If you’re tired of the same old, same old, Christmas greetings, then visit ElfYourself and get creative. You’ll have a bit of fun at the same time.

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Burn Your CDs/DVDs With Free CDBurnerXP

If you’re looking for value in a CD/DVD burner (and what can be better than free), then CDBurnerXP (last updated November 24, 2010), is definitely a significant freeware application.

The fairly simple interface makes it a breeze to use for even the most inexperienced user, although it should be said that some users have mentioned that the interface has some confusing aspects.  Hmm, I don’t see it.

I have burned dozens of CDs/DVDs in the last year using this free application, and in every case, CDBurnerXP did the job flawlessly.

If you’re looking for a free CD/DVD burner application to do what it says it will do, with an easy to work with interface, then CDBurnerXP could be the program you’ve been looking for.

The following screen captures illustrate just how “one click simple” it is to burn an ISO for example, using CDBurnerXP.

Now, how hard is that?

Quick facts:

Burn audio-CDs with, and without gaps between tracks

Burn on the fly (you don’t have to image the disc in advance)

Rip Audio-CDs to a Hard Drive

Obtains track-information (ID3-tags) from the Internet

Burn and create ISO-files

Create bootable discs

Drag-and-drop

Multilanguage interface

Customizable with many settings

Data verification after burn,

Simple cover printing

Supports most IDE, USB, FireWire and SCSI drives

Free – (for both personal and corporate use)

No adware, malicious components, or restrictions

System Requirements: Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Win 7 (64 bit compatible)

Additional Requirements: .NET Framework 2.0

Download at: Cdburnerxp

Bonus: A portable version of this application is also available. Click on “more download options”, on the download page.

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Go Elf Yourself! – Christmas Is Coming!

Again this year, as they have for the last five years or so, OfficeMax is offering the charmingly humorous ElfYourself, an online animated Christmas greeting creation tool.

Working with ElfYourself is actually a bit of fun, and while the end product is not “professional”, in any sense, the result is pretty cool – especially when one considers the price; FREE.

Once the project is completed (it takes just a few minutes), you can then share your Holiday greeting by email, or post it to either your Facebook Wall, or to a friend’s Wall.

Go to ElfYourself to get started.

Once on the site, follow the simple instructions. The following screen captures will give you some idea of how uncomplicated the process is.

The cropping tools could be a little more robust, I think. But, free is free – so, who’s complaining.

The interface allows a number of minor adjustments.

Once the face has been adjusted to your liking, the next step is choosing a dance to accompany the animation. Luckily, there’s a fair number of choices.

Once you’re satisfied with the results – sharing your creation is a breeze.

A tip of my Hat, although since it’s winter here in Canada – a tip of my Toque, to my good British friend John B., who was kind enough to put me on his list of ElfYourself Christmas greetings. Check this out.

If you’re tired of the same old, same old, Christmas greetings, then visit ElfYourself and get creative. You’ll have a bit of fun at the same time.

If you found this article useful, why not subscribe to this Blog via RSS, or email? It’s easy; just click on this link and you’ll never miss another Tech Thoughts article.

Windows 7 and Vista Ultimate Windows Tweaker –

Ultimate Windows Tweaker is a freeware utility for tweaking and optimizing Windows Vista, and now Windows 7 –  both 32-bit, and 64-bit versions.

This small (235KB), program has a clean, easy to understand interface that gives you access to over 150 system settings, some of which are hidden, and others that are just hard to find. The interface is organized for easy navigation, and it is complete with detailed descriptions for easy reference.

The major benefit in using this type of tweaking application is the ease with which you can make changes to your system – without the drudgery of having to go through menu after menu, or manually editing the Registry to get the results you want.

However, as with any application that makes changes to your system, use caution and be sure to have a verified backup. Fortunately, Ultimate Windows Tweaker allows you to create a system-restore point before you make any changes.

The following screen captures should give you a good idea of what you can accomplish using Ultimate Windows Tweaker.

Personalization Tweaks. Click on any graphic to expand.

System Performance Tweaks.

Network Tweaks.

Additional Tweaks.

System Requirements: Windows 7, Vista – 32 and 64 Bit.

Bonus: Ultimate Windows Tweaker can easily be copied to a USB flash drive for portability.

Download at: The Windows Club

While this application is designed for advanced users, I see no reason why careful average users should have any problem tweaking their system using Ultimate Windows Tweaker.

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Tweak and Optimize Windows Settings with Free Fresh UI

Freshdevices’ Fresh UI is a powerful tool that allows you to configure and optimize your version of Windows – from Windows 95 (hard to believe this OS is still in use), through to Windows XP.

With Fresh UI’s simple interface you have the means to access literally hundreds of system settings – settings that you might otherwise have a hard time getting at.

Navigating through this application is easy since the interface is organized similar to Windows Explorer, complete with detailed descriptions for easy reference.

I have heard from some users that in their view, it was not always clear what outcome they could expect with some of the selections. On the other hand, most users seem to agree that the help file is fairly extensive, and easy to understand for those who have a reasonable knowledge of their operating system.

The major benefit in using this type of tweaking application is the ease with which you can make changes to your system, without the drudgery of having to go through menu after menu, or manually editing the Registry, to get the results you want.

However, as with any application that makes changes to your system, use caution, and be sure to have a verified backup.

Quick facts:

Customizing Windows User Interface (UI)

Optimizing system settings

Optimizing hardware settings

Customizing Windows application settings

Control user environment

System requirements: Windows XP/2000/NT/ 98/95/

Note: Free registration is required which will extend usage past 11 days. Fresh Devices will email you once or twice monthly with various offers regarding their other freeware. If you consider such activity as Spam, do not download this application.

Last updated: October 10, 2009

Download at: Download.com

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Free CDBurnerXP – Burn Baby, Burn!

If you’re looking for value (and what can be better than free), CDBurnerXP is definitely a significant freeware application.

The fairly simple interface makes it a breeze for even the most inexperienced user, although it should be said that some users have mentioned that the interface has some confusing aspects.

A disadvantage for some potential users may be the necessity to download and install .Net Framework 2.0, which is a 22.4 MB Microsoft application (280 MB on install), that will take at least an hour to download over a dial-up Internet connection. Contrasting with that is the approximately ten minutes, or so, download time on even a slower cable Internet connection.

I have burned, at least, several hundred CDs in the last year using this free application, and in every case CDBurnerXP did the job flawlessly.

If you’re looking for a free burner application to do what it says it will do, with an easy to work with interface, then CDBurnerXP could be the program you’ve been looking for.

Quick facts:

Burn audio-CDs with, and without gaps between tracks

Burn on the fly (you don’t have to image the disc in advance)

Rip Audio-CDs to a Hard Drive

Obtains track-information (ID3-tags) from the Internet

Burn and create ISO-files

Create bootable discs

Drag-and-drop

Multilanguage interface

Customizable with many settings

Data verification after burn,

Simple cover printing

Supports most IDE, USB, FireWire and SCSI drives

Free – (for both personal and corporate use)

No adware, malicious components, or restrictions

System Requirements: Windows 2000/XP/Vista

Additional Requirements: .NET Framework 2.0

Download at: Download.com

Tweak Vista To The Max – Ultimate Windows Tweaker Free

Ultimate Windows Tweaker is a freeware utility for tweaking and optimizing Windows Vista, 32-bit & 64-bit specifically.

This small (235KB), program has a clean, easy to understand interface that gives you access to over 150 system settings, some of which are hidden, and others that are just hard to find. The interface is organized for easy navigation, and it is complete with detailed descriptions for easy reference.

The major benefit in using this type of tweaking application is the ease with which you can make changes to your system, without the drudgery of having to go through menu after menu, or manually editing the Registry to get the results you want.

However, as with any application that makes changes to your system, use caution and be sure to have a verified backup. Fortunately, Ultimate Windows Tweaker allows you to create a system-restore point before you make any changes.

Quick facts:

Personalization

User Accounts & UAC

System & Performance

Security

Internet Explorer (IE7 / IE8)

Network Optimization

Additional Options

System Requirements:

Windows – Vista 32 and 64 Bit.

Minimum system configuration:

Microsoft Windows Vista

800×600 screen resolution with 256 colors

5 MB free disk space

Internet Explorer 7 or higher

Recommended system configuration:

Microsoft Windows Vista

1024×768 screen resolution with 32-bit colors

10 MB free disk space

Internet Explorer 7 or higher

Bonus:

Ultimate Windows Tweaker can easily be copied to a USB flash drive for portability.

Download at: Major Geeks

For those operating on versions of Windows other than Vista checkout, “Tweak Windows to the Max with Fresh UI Free”, on this site.

Tweak Windows to the Max with Fresh UI Free!

Has Fresh UI (User Interface), been around forever, or does it just seem that way? One of the oldest and most well established free Windows tweaking applications, Freshdevices’ Fresh UI is a powerful tool that allows you to configure and optimize your version of Windows.

This small (1.48 MB) program has a clean, easy to understand interface that gives you access to hundreds of system settings, some of which are hidden, and others that are just hard to find. The interface is organized by section for easy navigation, and it is complete with detailed descriptions for easy reference.

I have heard from some users that in their view, it was not always clear what outcome they could expect with some of the selections. On the other hand, most users seem to agree that the help file is fairly extensive, and easy to understand for those who have a reasonable knowledge of their operating system.

The major benefit in using this type of tweaking application is the ease with which you can make changes to your system, without the drudgery of having to go through menu after menu, or manually editing the Registry to get the results you want.

However, as with any application that makes changes to your system, use caution and be sure to have a verified backup.

Quick facts:

Customizing Windows User Interface (UI)

Optimizing system settings

Optimizing hardware settings

Customizing Windows application settings

Control user environment

System requirements: Windows Vista/XP/2000/NT/ 98/95/ – runs great on Windows 7!

Note: Free registration required, which will lead to one or two emails monthly.

Download at: Download.com

PCLoginNow – Free Password Recovery Software

Recover lost passwords easily.

A lost admin password can definitely help one to define the words “frustrated”, and “helpless”. Losing your password can end up with you being locked out of your own machine, and what could be more frustrating than that?

You would think that it would be virtually impossible to forget your Logon password; but it happens more frequently than you might think.

I have several friends who rarely use their computers, and sure enough, I got a call recently from one of those friends who had forgotten her Logon password.

My friend, a writer and author, had just gotten over her writers block, (a common writers affliction), which she had endured for months, and it was now time for her to hit the keys. Being a smart woman she had written down her password, but as so often happens, she had “lost” the piece of paper. Being a smart woman, plan number two was to call me. Ha!

Within a few minutes after arriving at her home; her machine was up and running. So, a potentially disastrous situation was handled quickly, efficiently, no mess, no fuss. To my friend it seemed like magic.

In a sense it was magic, but the magic was all about using the right tool. In this case, the tool of choice was PCLoginNow, a simple, free application, designed specifically to reset Windows logon passwords, change an account to administrator level, lock or disable accounts, and to set passwords to never expire.

PCLoginNow doesn’t recover the forgotten password as many password cracking programs do, instead it erases the password. In handling the problem in this way, you can then Logon to Windows without inputting a password.

If you are a “geeky techie” who has a lot of friends who expect you to solve all of their computer related problems, then PCLoginNow is a must have tool.

First, download the ISO image file which you’ll then burn to a CD. Using the application, is as simply as booting the affected machine from the CD. A great solution to what can often be a nasty problem.

Quick facts:

• Resets any passwords on any Windows computer with a 100% success rate
• PCLoginNow can easily bypass Syskey
• PCLoginNow runs on a Linux Live CD
• Supports NTFS, FAT16, and FAT32 file systems
• Supports Windows Vista, XP, 2003 server, 2000/NT
• Supports IDE, SATA, SCSI, USB drives
• Supports a wide range of PCI PCI-EX cards
• Designed for non-professionals

Download at: Download.com

Lost Your Password? – Recover with the Magic of PCLoginNow

A lost admin password can definitely help one to define the words “frustrated”, and “helpless”. Losing your password can end up with you being locked out of your own machine, and what can be more frustrating than that?

You would think that it would be virtually impossible to forget your Logon password; but it happens more frequently than you might think. I have several friends who rarely use their computers, and sure enough I got a call last week from one of those friends who had forgotten her Logon password.

My friend is a writer and author who had just gotten over her writers block, which she had endured for months, and it was now time for her to hit the keys. Being a smart woman she had written down her password, but as so often happens, she had “lost” the piece of paper. Being a smart woman, plan number two was to call me. LOL!

Within a few minutes after arriving at her home; her machine was up and running. So a potentially disastrous situation was handled quickly, efficiently no mess, no fuss. To my friend it seemed like magic.

In a sense it was magic, but the magic was all about using the right tool. In this case, the tool of choice was PCLoginNow, a simple, free application, designed specifically to reset Windows logon passwords, change an account to administrator level, lock or disable accounts, and to set passwords to never expired.

PCLoginNow doesn’t recover the forgotten password as many password cracking programs do, instead it erases the password. In handling the problem in this way, you can then Logon to Windows without inputting a password.

If you are a “geeky techie” who has a lot of friends who expect you to solve all of their computer related problems, then PCLoginNow is a must have tool.

Visit the PCLoginNow download site and download the ISO image file which you’ll then burn to a CD. Using the application, is as simply as booting the affected machine from the CD. A great solution to what can often be a nasty problem.

Quick facts:

Resets any passwords on any Windows computer with a 100% success rate

PCLoginNow can easily bypass Syskey

PCLoginNow runs on a Linux Live CD

Supports NTFS, FAT16, and FAT32 file systems

Supports Windows Vista, XP, 2003 server, 2000/NT

Supports IDE, SATA, SCSI, USB drives

Supports a wide range of PCI PCI-EX cards

Designed for non-professionals

Download at: PCLoginNow