software

Featured Windows Download: CrazyLittleFingers Rewards Your Toddler’s Curiosity

6 January 2009 By azxure Leave a Comment

CrazyLittleFingers

CrazyLittleFingers is a keyboard locking application. Unlike some of the previous keyboard lockers we’ve covered, CrazyLittleFingers corresponds the keystroke to a picture and sound related to the key.

Press L and you see a picture of a lion. Press R and you see a movie of a rooster. Keys that have no symbolic link for children like the page up and page down keys produce rising and falling guitar sounds. Numbers show the number on the screen. The only caveat is that it doesn’t lock the mouse. This is fine on a single monitor setup, because you can’t click through the images or access the start menu so clicking wouldn’t accomplish anything. On a multiple monitor setup however it only locks the primary screen, the mouse is still effective on the other screens. It would be nice if the program did a simple poll to see if other monitors were active and darkened/disabled them. Still if your toddler isn’t a proficient mouse user it should work fine. CrazyLittleFingers is freeware, Windows Only. Photo by John A. Ward.

Filed Under: MediaWhore Tagged With: 2009, bank of america, free, ice, January, menu, photo, software, Windows only

YummySoup!

9 August 2008 By azxure Leave a Comment

How on earth did I forget to mention this gem of a program? YummySoup! is only the best recipe program ever that I have seen, and I have the joy of it being a Mac only program at that! (Joy only because how often is a program PC only? Only almost every time!)

http://hungryseacow.com/From their site (my comments in red):

Organize, Share, Cook & Shop.

Try YummySoup! free for 15 days. If you decide to keep it, use PayPal, e-check, or any major credit card to purchase.

Here are just some of the features that make YummySoup! the best recipe app for your Mac.

Not only does YummySoup! support fully automatic web imports, but also boasts the most intuitive interface for importing recipes from any website! (<- my fav feature, btw) There are fully automatic web imports from a growing list of sites and the new AnySite Web Importer for everything else including any web site, text based PDF, and text files. Both these features are simple and intuitive. Check out the new video tutorial on these features!

Browse your recipes with the adjustable full screen view, that gently fades into view. Use your Apple remote to flip through your recipes, or have your directions read to you! Cook with ease, assured that you won’t have to touch your keyboard or mouse since sleep timers are deactivated when using this view.

Send rich formatted emails with pictures. These emails look exactly like prints. If your recipient also has a copy of YummySoup!, then they can add your creation to their library with the included export file, sent with every email. (this feature is awesome too!)

A seamlessly integrated user contributed Online Library. (with some fantastic recipes, I might add)

Keep track of your favorite Wines, Beer & Liquor with the built in Wine & Spirits manager.

The navigational structure of YummySoup! is fantastic. Groups of recipes can have subgroups which makes finding the right meal easy. Browsing any one group, will show you not only the recipes belonging to that group, but all the recipes belonging to all subgroups.

Smart groups are powerful. Whether you want to find all the recipes you can make with a handful of ingredients, or just want to find a Spanish style Main Dish that is not only easy to make, but has a five star rating. (love this too – I found catagorizing them to be a bit of a pain (as far as is this an appetizer or a snack?), but this way I can just search for ingredient A and find what I am looking for)

.Mac backup and restore.

YummySoup! uses a family-pack style license. You are free to use your license file on any computers in your home that belong to you or your family members residing in your household. YummySoup! is also a constantly evolving application. Many users have suggested great ideas which I have either added, or am in the process of adding to YummySoup! Have a great idea? Let me know!

I normally hate paying for programs, esp. when they are so many reasonable free ones out there, but this one is worth every penny of the 20$ and then some. It is one of the best, easy to use, nice interface, multi-functional recipe programs I’ve seen. I just might start entering frequently used recipes from my books and see about packing them away or donating them… at least the ones I know I only use one or two recipes out of Seriously? If you have a Mac, and you cook, and you have a bazillion recipes (I have a bazillion loose recipes I am in the process of entering) you need this, yesterday. I needed it a few years ago.

Filed Under: Food Tagged With: 2008, August, bank of america, books, Erin, expo, family, free, Geekery, mac, Matt, PDF, shop, software, Tutorial, yum

The Image Space lightroom resource

7 August 2008 By azxure Leave a Comment

I don’t think I ever mentioned it. In June I tried to download a PDF of Adobe Lightroom tips from The Image Space, and the PDF wouldn’t open right. Long story short, I sent an email off to the site, not really expecting to hear back, but I did! Not only that, but I was sent a new copy of the PDF and was asked what OS and browser I was using so the problem could be tracked down.

I did find the PDF useful (they tips are listed individually on the site, but it was nice to have them in one collection and easily referenced on my own hard drive) and you can find that download here: http://image-space.com/Downloads/Downloads.html

Filed Under: Photography Tagged With: 2008, adobe lightroom, August, camera, Geekery, lightroom, Links, PDF, software, tips

Comfy Easy PC Learning System

20 July 2007 By azxure Leave a Comment

I love this product. My toddler loves this product. My older kids love this product. Oh, got your attention, hm? It’s the Comfy Easy PC Learning system. It’s a keyboard system for your PC that your child (ages 1 – 5) can use all by him or herself. Talk about great! Who doesn’t have a headstrong toddler who is all about “me do it!”? You don’t need extra special knowledge to set it up – just plug ‘n’ play!The keyboard comes with one software title; others are available and at approximately 20$ per title, they aren’t too expensive. They come in various themes and levels. Each title has multiple levels and multiple languages too! My kids learn in English, Spanish, Hebrew, German, French, and more. Wow!

Comfy Easy PC Learning System The keyboard itself is very durable. It got dropped a few times, of course my toddler was leaning on it, banging on it and otherwise abusing it. Not a single problem with it! Nothing was broken, busted, cracked, unattached or lost! If you know my kids, you know that’s nothing short of miraculous.

My two year old took right to it. No coaching, or having to show her what to do. It freed up my time to make dinner, clean, do laundry, whatever. The Comfy characters kept her totally entertained for at least twenty minutes, but usually much longer, to the point I had to tell her it was time to stop and turn it off!

We sampled quite a few software titles, and they were all a hit. I can’t even suggest one over another. Each title has it’s own merits, and own reasons to be touted. I think our favorite was the music title, we were loving “playing” the drums and piano and other instruments.

Comfy Easy PC Characters I honestly want to sing it’s praises. The characters didn’t get annoying the way some do and neither did the songs or other sound effects. My daughter keeps asking for “sleeping moon” over and over and over again. I love that it teaches beginning computer skills without the worry of breaking a typical keyboard. I didn’t have to tell the kids to get off or be careful. I could leave them be and go do what needed doing or I could actively engage the game with them. Every button brings a reaction, and every reaction brings a smile. I couldn’t ask for a better learning system to compliment the computer we already have.