Optimize Your Computer!

I have an old laptop. Not only that, it's not exactly a high end model. I mean, it's from HP, and so far it's never failed me. It just lags... bad. And it has 40GB hard drive memory xD. Fortunately, I came across some programs that gave my laptop a performance boost. And they can work for yours as well. These are all free by the way, and use very little resources!

1. Advanced WindowsCare V2 Personal - A great utility for getting rid of spyware and freeing up some memory. The entire process takes maybe 10 minutes at the most. (ooh! Firefox 3.0.2 just released! Sorry, I blog in real time xD) You can use this with your antivirus software and there shouldn't be any problems.


























2. JkDefrag - More effective than your default Windows Defrag, this defragger is not as flashy, but it gets the job done. Cool thing about this program is that it starts defragging upon start-up! Just double click the icon and let it do it's thing! It takes maybe a couple hours if you don't defrag regularly, so the more you use it, the less time it takes to defrag. I've gotten it down to like 10 minutes!




3. RamBooster v.2.0 - What else to say about this one? You download it and it helps free up some RAM.





















Those three really helped my computer with the lag problem; now it doesn't take like a minute for the start window to load xD. Plus my applications boot up a lot faster than before. If you want Windows to start-up faster, though, you may want to disable some start-up applications. You might already know this, but you can go to Run... and type "Msconfig" to disable some of those processes you don't need. Like if you run across a print spooler, and you don't have a printer (like me), you can disable it, no problem. If you don't know what a process does, you can always Google it.

While I'm at it, I'll show you some media software I use to watch movies and listen to music. I mainly use just two, but the both of them combined still use up less resources than, say, WinAmp (I have that too, but it's very slow for me - sometimes it just freezes even before it loads!). Check these out!

1. Foobar2000 - You might already know about this one. It only plays music files, but the application is really small, so it doesn't take long for it to load - maybe 5 seconds at the very most, and uses only about 5k memory to run.




2. Media Player Classic - Plays media files, and also doubles as a dvd player. I found this while looking for a program that can play dvd's, since I'm running into problems with Windows Media Player (says I have to validate it -.-). But this player is very good, and uses little memory to run. Best of all, it's already set to play dvd's; no need to download a codec or whatever. I wanted to show you the picture quality of this player (it plays a lot smoother and the picture is a lot clearer than my other player, which won't play my dvd's at the moment -.-), but it won't show. Very easy to use - can't go wrong with this one!





















Granted, these programs don't look as flashy as other programs, but you use software for it's functionality, not it's cool looking interface, right?

Keep It Hush Hush With Hushmail

Feel paranoid about your webmail's lack of security?

Enter Hushmail, one of the safest webmail services on the internet! With Hushmail, you don't have to worry about those pesky hackers peeping into your personal emails!

Haha, advertising is fun. I don't know if I have any dedicated readers out there yet, but if I do, I gotta apologize for not updating the blog as frequent as I use to. Still doing alot of runnin around, so I'm tired as hell when I get home. If I could blog in my dreams, there would be a new post every night!

Done with the excuse, on to the subject at hand. I found this webmail service.... hmm... I don't remember how I found it xD! But when I did, I did a little research and learned a little bit about encryption software and whatnot. Offering more than just spam protection, Hushmail uses a 256 bit encryption software - double the security found on most bank's websites - to ensure there are no peeping toms when you check your mail. Very convenient if you bank online.

Maybe you knew about it before I did, maybe you didn't. But if you did, why not spread the word? Everyone knows most webmail services like Yahoo and Google don't fully protect your emails from potential hackers, so a service like Hushmail is pretty much needed in this day and age. Now, no webmail service can be protected %100 (nothing done on a computer can be protected %100, I don't think), but Hushmail does do a good job at making sure your emails won't be intercepted by some guy looking to get your bank account number or your affiliate account number, or whatever. And spam is not an issue with Hushmail, of course.

So if you get emails that contain sensitive information, you really should check out Hushmail's webmail service - you won't regret it.

Movin On Up!

Google has updated their PageRank (as if you didn't know already... it's like a broadcast echoing throughout the web). And my Endless Possibilities blog finally has a rank! I got a 1 xD. Feels like I accomplished something!

There's no PR (PageRank) for this site or the Muscle Armor blog, just yet. But I have some plans I'm going to put in effect pretty soon, or when I have time. But check this out: type "Muscle Armor" into Google's search engine and you'll find me on the second page! A couple weeks ago you couldn't find my blog no matter how hard you looked! Or try searching up "Thaiger" on Google - Thaiger's Tidbits is also on the second page! Before I was on the 6th page! And you already know about Thaigerblog. Search that up on Google and just about all the entries you'll see are mine! Yes!!

Feel proud at the moment - had to let my readers know. Man, just imagine where my blog will be in the next 6 months? I'm gonna friggin dominate the search engines!

Maybe not... but still! I'm movin up!

Opera 9.5 vs. Firefox 3 (pt. 2) Plus Extra Tips for FF3

After about a month using Opera 9.5, I have to say it works ok. Not as great as I hoped. And here's why: Opera is not compatible with some websites! You might know this already - but I had no idea! Mapquest, for one, isn't compatible for Opera. When I'm on Mapquest, it will show the map for only 10 seconds before it closes and says that it's not compatible with my browser. That sucks.

Also, I've found more problems with using Opera 9.5 for blogging (with Blogger). There's this problem with adding a new Page Element. I have Opera set to where instead of opening a link to a new window, it will just open a new tab. For Opera, after I open the tab and make additions, it has a problem closing. Or it will have problems saving, at which point I'll close the tab and refresh on the Layouts screen. The changes are saved, it just lies to me and says it's not (o_O). Very inconvenient for blogging.

So in the first "Opera 9.5 vs. Firefox 3" post (I should have named it "Battle of the Browsers", would've been cooler), I gave a good review on Opera 9.5. But after finding these problems, I would have to say that it's still good, but there are alot of things they need to improve, far as compatibility is concerned. I still use it for casual browsing, since it works for popular websites, such as Youtube, Google, and whatnot.

A Firefox update was just released about a week ago. They supposedly fixed a couple bugs that were giving people some problems, I guess. Personally, I haven't run into a single problem as of late. Currently, I use Firefox as my default browser. Yes, it may be slow, but it works without problems. Plus it's so customizable I feel like a geek whenever I add stuff to it xD. For now, FF3 is the best browser out there. In my opinion, of course.

One thing that is very cool about Opera 9.5 is the "Speed Dial" feature. If you see a website you think you're going to check out often, just add it there, and when you open a new tab, you can select it from the "Speed Dial". Pretty cool. But I've found a way to add that feature to FF3! You have to download a couple add-ons though, but it's not intrusive, and it doesn't slow your browser. Here's how I did it:

1. Download Tab Mix Plus (Dev Build). Here's the link if you don't have it already (the link will take you directly to the download page). You can check it out on the FF add-ons page for more information. After you download it and restart FF, go to your Tools section at the top of the toolbar and go to Tab Mix Plus options, and go to the Links tab. Enable single window mode.

2. Download the Taboo add-on. This has a feature similar to the "Speed Dial" for Opera 9.5. The problem is you can't change the settings. After you download it and restart FF, you can start adding your favorite websites by going to them and clicking the new "+" button that should appear to the left side of the address bar.

3. Click the new "T" button to open your Taboos in a new tab. After that, copy the URL in the address bar.

4. Go to the Tools section and click Options. Go to Main (if you're not there already), and paste the URL you copied into the homepage section. Click OK. That's it!

Now, instead of having to click the "T" button to see your Taboos (your sites), you can just make a new tab my pressing ctrl+t and it will automatically display on the new tab! One thing about Taboos is if you click the "+" button twice, you can also add a description for the Tabooed site. You can also edit it on the Taboo page. Also, you can add as many sites to Taboo as you like!

Hope you find this tip useful! This makes browsing with FF3 all the more convenient and easy! Like to "ping" your blog? Add the site to Taboo, and you won't have to re-type the URL evertime you update your blog! If you're having trouble getting it to work (I might not explain things too good xD), just leave a comment and I'll help you out. Or if you have tips of your own, let me know about them!

Entrecard: One Widget to Rule Them All

Entrecard. If you don't like recognition for your work, people to interact with, or attention in general, I suggest you stay away from it. Because joining the Entrecard network will ensure you get all that - and more!

Check out my Muscle Armor blog. Before I joined Entrecard, I had 14 views in two weeks, some from me xD. After I joined, maybe 2-3 weeks ago, that number has climbed to 174! Very effective! I even have a few return visitors! I have to thank Entrecard for all they've done for me, and you should really consider it if you're lookin to pick up traffic for your blog.

Why Entrecard? Why not! Look, you can join a million different blog directories and ping your blog every post, but it's not going to bring you nearly as much traffic as Entrecard will do in just a couple of days! My blog is a true testimony to this claim! All you do is sign up and add your blog (which is all free). After you activate your account, get the code for the widget and place it on your blog - that's it! Oh, and drop your card to other Entrecard bloggers and they will surely return the favor!

That's why it works so well. It's based on a credit system - the more you drop, the more people will return the favor. And if your blog is interesting, something may catch their eye! That's how it works. Oh, and here's another huge thing about Entrecard. They've recently just partnered up with SezWho, a blog commenting service, to ensure visitors actually read your blog and make comments! That's an extra credit per comment, which is a reason why more people do it, but to comment, people will have to read your blog's content, and again, if it's interesting, they may return and hopefully comment some more, giving you more credits!

Like the title says: one widget to rule them all. This simple looking widget has a function that completely dominates all other blog trafficking services!

Firefox 3 vs. Internet Explorer 7 vs. Opera 9.51

Here are the notes I made while browsing with Opera:

"First impression of Opera... this is fast! It looks different! It's like a tricked out version of IE7, but faster! Not to mention the added features! Very impressed and looking forward to learning more about it! Also, there's this thing to the right of the address bar that's sort of like a progress meter. No other browser has this!

Hmm, let's see how it works with Blogger... ran into problems with both Firefox 3 and IE7. Uh oh, problem found. Went to check my email and there was a problem with the shockwave plug-in. Opera just crashed. Firefox never crashed like this... also takes a LONG time to sign into Twitter. What's up with that? May be the server, cuz it lags pretty bad while I'm Twitting (that right?) on FF3. Hey! I noticed the scrolling action on Opera is way smoother than FF3, same as IE7. Lags a little bit with video's also. Checked out my Muscle Armor blog. FF3 for some reason won't display my video widget on the sidebar, IE7 takes too long to load, but Opera loads the site quicker and also displays my sidebar vid. I've just found out this shortkey to check my security. By hittin the alt+Enter, I can see if a website is safe or not. Should be useful. Ok, scratch what I said about the vids. I'm watching the vid on my site, and I notice the video doesn't lag when I scroll, unlike IE7. Not significant, but kewl. 

Alright, done with the review. Opera would really benefit anyone that has a computer (with internet).Also, I'm typing this note on Opera! Very useful for bloggers. A little laggy though. One last test..."

To sum all that mess xD, here's Thaiger's review:

• Opera is faster than FF and is safer than IE7
• Smooth scrolling and quicker video uploads
• Crashed earlier from a Shockwave plug-in... maybe this can be fixed? 
• The look and feel of Opera is more organized and looks more visually appealing than FF (although you can download skins for FF, you can also download for Opera)

Blogging with Opera, I haven't ran into problems like I usually do with IE7 and FF. For Firefox, the problem is sort of the same with IE7 (bulletin problems, uploading vids, and the bold/italic buttons get messed up sometimes), but I haven't run into any problems with Opera as of yet. But this is only my first post using Opera. 

With IE7 out of the picture, which is best? FF or Opera? Hmm... tough call. Haven't downloaded anything with Opera yet, but with FF the downloads are quick, and the files are scanned before hand. So I would say keep FF for downloading apps and for casual browsing, and use Opera for watching vids and blogging, because the notes feature is invaluable for bloggers like me who don't plan on topics to write about xD!

Thaiger the Twitter!

Just made a Twitter account today. I have no idea why, probably because everyone online has one, so I'm just jumpin on the bandwagon.

If you notice that little Twitter Updates thing below my profile on the sidebar, that's it (for those who don't know what Twitter is). It's this website you sign up to where you just type in little tidbits of information, like what you're doing or what your plans are or whatnot. Basically it's a stalker friendly micro-blogging service o_O.

Follow me!

Some Ideas to Gain Traffic

Everyone I know in the real world right now don't know about blogging. They go on the internet to check out Youtube vids and update their Myspace, or they might shop online occasionally. I like to surf around the internet, because it gives me something to do, and because there's a ton of info out there for me.

I also like to play online games, mostly because I don't have the available funds to buy a PS3 or an Xbox 360 (just yet). Two of the games I play online are Endless Online and Luminary: Rise of the Goonzu. Luminary is pretty fun, but the file is big (about 500+MB to download. You can check out Ijji.com for more info). Endless Online is a smaller download, and it has less lag.

I've been playing Endless Online (EO for short) for about seven months before I started blogging about it. I saw a couple other EO blogs out there, and I just said, "Hey, I wanna make my own!", so I did, without any prior knowledge on blogging. Well, not much you need to know about it. But the more you know, the better your blog will turn out.

Now, I get about 50 hits a day from my EO blog, which to me is good for a blog that's about three months old. At the end of the month, I might end up with about 1,000 hits. This is because I became known in the game a little bit before I started blogging (I think o_O).

So this is my idea for gaining traffic: if people know about you before you make a blog, then people would be more interested in what you blog about. If you have like thousands of friends on Myspace, and you make your blog, chances are alot of your friends will check it out. Like I said earlier, I played Endless Online for about seven months before I made my blog, and now I have alot of hits and unique visitors. On the other hand, this blog doesn't have many hits, because people don't know me, so they might not care what kind of content is found here. But it'll grow, eventually (I hope!)

If you have friends like mine, who don't really pay attention to blogs and online stuff, you might wanna find online friends. There are alot of ways to do this. Myspace, Youtube, and online games are a great place to start. And when it comes to online gaming, there are alot of them to choose from! Anything you want, from that popular card game you see on t.v (that I'm not allowed to mention), to multiplayer strategy war games. There's even an online game where you just create an avatar and you socialize with other people's avatars. A great way to gain traffic to your blog if you depend on traffic to earn you some extra gas money.

Of course, if you use this strategy to gain traffic, you have to be friendly!

Finding A New Web Browser: It's Easier Said Then Done

Now, I'm not an expert in this subject. But I do use a computer (obviously xD), and right now I'm looking for a browser that's faster than my current one. I'm currently using IE7 (Internet Explorer 7). It's alot nicer than the previous version, with it's tabbed browsing and newer icons, but it still has some problems. Plus I hear IE7 has alot of security issues, which is probably why it's updated with like a bunch of programs at once!

I was checkin out Firefox, and alot of people say it's better than IE7. Some say IE7 is better than Firefox. I asked, "What's the difference?"

Well, they pretty much have the same features. Both have tabbed browsing, the RSS feeds button thang, and some add-ons if you feel you need it. Only with Firefox, people are saying its alot safer when browsing the internet.

I was just about to download Firefox when I thought I'd do more research. People say you can use both browsers without problems. I was a little skeptical. So I Googled up the question, "Can I use Firefox and IE7 both?", and got some answers. Unfortunately, it wasn't a good answer.

It was an old post, but it's about security issues that can be found when using both browsers. Because it was published about a year ago, I'm not sure if the problem has been fixed or not. It says basically that they both work fine as stand-alone products, but not together. I want to use Firefox, but I might need IE7 or the Windows Updates. Eh, I dunno... I might just go to Safari...

Here is the site you can go to for the news post: http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9741435-7.html