Quick Online Tips

5 Best Tools for Online Freedom at Work
Microsoft Yahoo! Join Hands to Fight Google
Get Linux-Branded Visa Platinum Credit Card

Posted: 29 Jul 2009 10:53 AM PDT

Guest post by Dav.
How can you get online freedom at work places? Usually work environments are restrictive and keep tab on your online activities. While at work, IT guys try to prevent you from indulging in online activities deemed "un-productive". There are number of web tools that allow easy access to blocked stuff without coming under IT department radar (hopefully).

Get Online Freedom at Work

Access your email, webpage, read ebooks and even Twitter at work using the following:

1. Read ebooks at Work - If you love reading ebooks, then head over to 'Read at Work' website. You can read ebooks without drawing any suspicious attention or getting caught. It allows you to access ebooks in the form and look of Microsoft Powerpoint (Powerpont!). While you enjoy reading ebooks others will think "you are working damn hard on your next presentation". Keep everyone happy and away while you read ebooks of different types like: black comedy, classics, short stories etc.

read ebooks at work

2. Twitter at Work - Can't get off Twitter addiction at work? You can Twitter with ease within Microsoft Excel spreadsheet window without catching anyone's eye. SpreadTweet is an Adobe Air based application that allows you to use Twitter disguised as a spreadsheet. You can try the online version or install the offline version depending on the Microsoft Office version you are using among: Office OSX, Office 2003 and Office 2007 (Windows).

3. Share favorite webpages - Just found an interesting webpage you want to share with a co-worker? Instead of sending webpage link, why not send the whole webpage via email using Email the Web. Enter webpage URL, sign in using Google account, preview the webpage and quickly send it to your friends.

email the webpage

4. Open Gmail at work - Gmail addicts love to try different methods to access email at work while IT guys try hard to block every such method. Among various ways to access Gmail at work, using iGoogle is the easiest. Go to iGoogle homepage, login to see Gmail messages in a small box on the right side.

5. Instant Messenging at Work - There are number of web based ways to access instant messengers like Meebo. However, such websites are most likely blocked by IT guys in the office. You can try newer (and fairly unknown to IT guys) web based messenger access service like webuzz.im. It is JavaScript based online web instant messenger that helps you chat with your friends on Google Talk, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger or AIM.

im at work

This is a guest post by Dav from TechF5 Refreshing Tech which features handy tips, tricks, guides and tutorials on basic computing like how to translate & save Wikipedia articles? You can also write a guest article and share your favorite tools.

Microsoft Yahoo! Join Hands to Fight Google

Posted: 29 Jul 2009 10:16 AM PDT

The battle of Internet Giants is back. As per a new deal, Microsoft will now power Yahoo! search while Yahoo! will become the exclusive worldwide relationship sales force for both companies' premium search advertisers.

Microsoft ’s new search engine Bing was already expanding and getting great reviews, while Yahoo! has an established presence in the online advertising space. Now Bing will expand even faster and get the scale it needs to compete with Google in the search engine space, while Yahoo will get the advertising business foothold it needed to compete with Google Adwords. Basically speaking, instead of buying each other out as before, now they have stopped competing in their common niche, and instead given way to each other where their strength lies.

Some key terms of the agreement are as follows:

The term of the agreement is 10 years

Microsoft will acquire an exclusive 10 year license to Yahoo!'s core search technologies, and Microsoft will have the ability to integrate Yahoo! search technologies into its existing web search platforms;

Microsoft's Bing will be the exclusive algorithmic search and paid search platform for Yahoo! sites. Yahoo! will continue to use its technology and data in other areas of its business such as enhancing display advertising technology.

Yahoo! will become the exclusive worldwide relationship sales force for both companies' premium search advertisers. Self-serve advertising for both companies will be fulfilled by Microsoft's AdCenter platform, and prices for all search ads will continue to be set by AdCenter's automated auction process.

Each company will maintain its own separate display advertising business and sales force.

Yahoo! will innovate and "own" the user experience on Yahoo! properties, including the user experience for search, even though it will be powered by Microsoft technology.

Microsoft will compensate Yahoo! through a revenue sharing agreement on traffic generated on Yahoo!'s network of both owned and operated (O&O) and affiliate sites.

Microsoft will pay traffic acquisition costs (TAC) to Yahoo! at an initial rate of 88% of search revenue generated on Yahoo!'s O&O sites during the first 5 years of the agreement.

Yahoo! will continue to syndicate its existing search affiliate partnerships.

Microsoft will guarantee Yahoo!'s O&O revenue per search (RPS) in each country for the first 18 months following initial implementation in that country.

For more information here are the Techcrunch notes from this morning's Yahoo-Microsoft conference call.

Get Linux-Branded Visa Platinum Credit Card

Posted: 28 Jul 2009 11:34 AM PDT

Now Linux fans can show off their Linux branded Platinum Credit Cards and express their support for the Linux Foundation. The Linux Foundation is partnering with CardPartner, Inc. to offer the affinity Linux credit card through UMB Bank.

linux credit card

So what is special about this credit card? The Linux Foundation will receive $50 for every activated card as well as a percentage of every purchase made with the credit card. All funds from the Visa card program will go directly towards providing community technical events and travel grants for open source community members in order to accelerate Linux innovation.

What are other features of this credit card?

No annual fee and 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first six months
Purchase protection and Zero liability protection for unauthorized purchases
Emergency cash and card replacement, Lost luggage replacement, Lost/stolen card reporting service and 24-hour roadside assistance

Linux fans can apply now and support the The Linux Foundation, the nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating the growth of Linux. Show off Tux and let the world know you support Linux and keep the open source movement going.