Archive
January, 2010
Browsing all articles from January, 2010
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Posted January 31, 2010 in Free Productivity Tools by Rajendra

Skype Voice Call Recorder in MP3 format

If you are working with clients abroad, then chances are that you use Skype call features to communicate with them. While text based chat has an advantage of logging everything, which you can even search and refer later, as and when required. Skype voice calls does not have this ability, this is the main reason, when someone asks me to make a call I try to avoid it, if possible.

But sometimes, it is very useful and necessity to make a call. Then either you have to make quick notes during the call to remember important points OR try to memorize the things. Here comes the need for a call recorder, so when you talk on Skype you can concentrate on the talk and not on making notes.

While there are many recorder applications available as Skype extras, all of them are either paid or limited by call time. While looking for a free solution for this, I landed on  “MP3 Skype Recorder”, which is a free windows application. Just download and install it. It will record all voice calls on Skype automatically without your interference and after the call ends, you can save the file with proper file name.

It sits in the system tray where you can start or stop the call recording. When call recording is on then all call are recorded automatically and saved. While you still can not search inside the call content (I do not  know if that is possible as of now). You can refer to the call and listen to it in your favorite mp3 player. I found it quite useful and hope the same for you.

You can visit the MP3 Skype Recorder website for more information and application download.

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Posted January 29, 2010 in Education by Rajendra

Great presentation style of Steve Jobs

If you have watched Apple CEO Steve Jobs presenting Apple’s new products. Then chances are you have noted the enthusiasm and energy he brings on the stage. He talks about every small feature like it is the greatest thing in this world. The crisp, well compiled and well presented key notes of the Apple product launch are itself a great excitement for me.

Even if you are not keen follower of technology products and even though you never have to deal or buy any apple product – Then also I request everyone to watch the keynote presentations of Steve, and I am sure you will learn something about – how to project a product and describe its features, and even more how to make a successful presentation.

The keynote made available on the Apple website on the product page.

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Posted January 27, 2010 in Technology News by Rajendra

The hype around Apple Tablet

In few hours, Apple is going to release there much awaited touch screen tablet PC in few hours from now, if the hype to be believed. I am regular follower of techcrunch.com and zdnet.com and since last many days everyone is talking and discussing about this event. They are so excited that everyone is sharing their thought about the features they can expect from Apple products – even remedy from Cancer, can you believe this.

Apple is famous for keeping secrets and sue  anyone who broke it out,  this itself creates lots of hype about their products. Everyone keeps guessing and it is a fact that they just leave us amazed with their products. The presentation style of Steve Jobs is already acclaimed lots of praise for crisp and concise points.

I am keeping my fingers crossed…

Update: The tablet is launched and the most shocking factor was not the tablet (obviously named iPad) itself but the price. Yes Apple announced that the new iPad base model will be sold at just USD499 and top model will be USD829.  That is quite cheep looking at the high pricing of other apple products. But the iPad does not have any other great features. It is just and iPod touch with big screen of 9.7 inches, that’s it.

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Posted January 25, 2010 in Web Applications by Rajendra

The (not so) Great Google Wave

The day I first heard about Google Wave I was very excited like most of you and tried to experience the service. Then I came to know that it is not still open for public and I need to be invited from some one who already has a Google wave account. And I was surprised yesterday when one of my friend invited me from out of the blue to join Google Wave.

I did not took a second and ride on the wave. It is great as told by Google in their loooooooooooooonnnng developer preview video. It has all new features which we have not even thought of. I do not know how the folks at Google think out of the box and do something new every time. But this is for what Google pays to them huge checks every month.

Anyway I am just getting hold of the things and thinking how I can use it to communicate with others.

We can also develop customized tools called Gadgets to add new services using Google Wave API. It is another new platform after iPhone and Android where all developers will flock to get the early advantage. This will be another money laundering cow for all developers. Something new to work with and earn money for providing services to enhance the web experience for everyone.

But I am worried that existing Google services like gmail, calendar and Google talk among others are not integrated with it. May be they are giving some time to stabilize the system then add new features and old services. I will be waiting for this to happen. After all if it becomes the default communication tool in future then I would not like to go to gmail to access my thousands of email that i have collected in last 5 years. They must make that accessible from wave, if they want the existing Google users to switch to wave.

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Posted January 25, 2010 in Free Productivity Tools by Rajendra

New All in one Instant Messenger Client Digsby

Few weeks back when I was busy playing Mafia wars on facebook, one day while searching for free reward points, I landed to this fantastic application - Digsby. They were giving one reward point for just downloading the application for free. I downloaded without thinking over a single second, I thought I may not use it but I needed that reward point.

After downloading it, I thought to give it a try, so I installed it and voila…. rest is history. It has a cool interface, great features with ability to integrate social sites like Facebook, Twitter etc. It has all the features and configuration options you will ever need to customize it. Audio and Video chat is integrated using FREE online service named “tokbox”. What more you can even write email messages from within the chat client and reply to your messages. In short you can check your emails on Yahoo, Google, MSN in the chat client and reply or send a new one to your contacts right there.

And to make it available to chat with everyone, Digsby also supports a widget box, which you can place on any website, blog, social sites and let others chat with you without even registering for any service. The box shown in the right column of this page is from Digsby, if you need to discuss anything with me just click on it.

Earlier I were using pidgin, it has great features but the interface is rather outdated and it lacked audio/video chat. I have also faced issues sharing files with yahoo contacts. But after using Digsby, I forgot others. It is a great tool to be in contact with your friends, client and get updates from your social profiles right on your desktop.

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Posted January 25, 2010 in Free Productivity Tools by Rajendra

Track your time by TimeEdition

As a freelancer, I felt need of a time tracking application to track the actual hours spend on different projects. I googled for a free application and it took time to get to the right application made for exactly my requirement. Yes I got one and that also for FREE at – http://www.timeedition.com/

It allows me to manage multiple customer, each having multiple projects. And under each project I can mark different tasks for tracking purpose. It sits in the windows task bar in minimized form. I can start the timer when I start working on a project/task and end it when done. It is not very advanced tool but good enough to be usable. It also provides reports filtered by Customer, project and dates.

Even if I are working on fixed cost projects, I like to track the actual time involved in completing a task. Suppose I got a task to develop wordpress blog. I may estimate that it will take 2 weeks i.e. 80 hours, if worked full time. While actually it may take more or less. Now if I track the time correctly, at the end I come to know how much time it took. Using this data I can better estimate on the similar requirements next time.

It is beneficial for me and buyers both. As if I came to know that it takes less time then I will bid less on the next job, thus winning more projects and earning more clients and hence money. And if it took more time then I will be able to increase my bid and thus avoid bidding abruptly low and then provide quick and dirty code to my clients, who are never going to come back to me after that.

So if you are a freelancer then start tracking your time and win more clients and $$$$.

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Posted January 25, 2010 in Web Development by Rajendra

CakePHP and jQuery

When I recently started working on some of my ideas of a web application, then CakePHP is the framework of my choice. I am working with it since last 3-4 years and have a good understanding of the features and architecture. Now, I planned to use as much AJAX as possible in this application, I need to find a good Javascript framework/library. JQuery is the best available JS framework at present, with everyone trying to use this in any possible way. JQuery is lightweight, fast, supports multiple browsers and quick to code.

But as of now CakePHP’s built-in AJAX features does not use JQuery, they are based on “prototype”. In the new version CakePHP, which is under development, they are planning to provide support for multiple JS libraries. But that is very less documented and not available for production ready sites.

So, I must put off using AJAX and Javascript helpers and have to custom code various JS functionality. Earlier I thought that it would take lot of time and I might need to manipulate few core files to integrate the JQuery and CakePHP. But when I started using JQuery and learned more about it – I found that they already have great features and plug-ins which would make them independent of the server side language or framework.

To submit a form using AJAX in CakePHP, I just needed to write 3 lines of JS code and include two plug-ins of JQuery – “livequery” and “form”. That is it!

I would have written more code, If i have used that default AJAX Helper which uses prototype. I have just started with JQuery and I am very impressed with it like most of you. I do not know when CakePHP will have support for it, but I am going to use it from today for all AJAX and Javascript requirements in CakePHP.

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Posted January 25, 2010 in Freelancing by Rajendra

Some Indian developers are spoiling the freelance market

Just now I was going through the jobs posted on oDesk website and was very much surprised to see that many of the buyers have specifically mentioned that they do not want to work with Indian developers. It came as a surprise to me, as I was thinking that we are among the best minds in the world.

Some of us are deteriorating our own image with the quality of work and service. And this is hurting all of us in equal proportion.

This is very sad and should be avoided. The main reason for what i understand that freelancing is not a profession here in India. People does freelance work when they do not have full time job. It is not their chosen mode of work but forced. It is like passing time for few extra bucks.

They charge very less for getting the work awarded and then fail to deliver with quality and on time. This affects the image of whole community.

Some of the persons working as freelancer even does not work themselves they just work as a mediator and pass on the work to some one else. This creates un-necessary communication gaps, delays and again affects the deadlines and quality of work.

I would request the freelancer community to be serious in their jobs, stop cheating clients, charge the amount which is fair and deliver the job on time with interest and dedication. Otherwise we all have to face this restriction and that will not be good for all of us.

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