Top Stories from the last 24 hours

Apple Announces $8B Paid To Developers Apple CEO Tim Cook today announced that Apple had paid out $8B to developers, a number that displays an increase of $1B since the last time numbers were announced on... Keep reading → Share the news on Twitter » More headlines: Meet Winston, the iOS app That Reads you the News Coda Payments Brings Transactions to all Mobile Phones Comcast Takes Complete Control of NBCUniversal From GE For $16.7B Vooza's Keys to Pitching: Storytelling, Passion, Mongolian Monks Zeebox Launches SpotSynch, Matching Clickable Ads To TV Content Nokia Sells its Oulu Campus to Finnish Firm Technopolis For $40.8m More top stories on The Next Web » That's all for now. Best, TNW Team Gamificaton principles, practices and all your questions answered in this TNW Academy class.  Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Forward to a friend | Read this email on your browser Unsubscribe | Update subscription preferences Copyright © 2013 The Next Web

February 12th, 2013Top Story How to Do a Clean Install of Windows Without Losing Your Files, Settings, and Tweaks By Whitson Gordon There's nothing like a fresh install of Windows to clear your mind, but it comes at a cost: you have to set everything up again, just the way you like it. Here's how to reinstall Windows, migrate your important settings, and leave the clutter behind. You don't have to regularly reinstall Windows just to keep things clean, but that doesn't mean you'll never have to do it again. Maybe you just bought or built a new computer, or maybe you didn't take care of your computer as well as you thought and you have to do a clean install. Maybe you just want to wipe the slate clean for that new, fresh feeling. A clean slate is nice, but it also means you're going to spend the rest of the weekend setting up all your old programs, settings, and system tweaks, half of which you've probably forgotten because you set them up so long ago. Here, we'll go through some tips on how to back up your most important settings and tweaks, and restore them on your new system. Part One: The Preparation Before you reinstall Windows, you're going to want to go through all your stuff and back up the programs, settings, and tweaks you want to take with you. Here's what we recommend. Step One: Export a List of Your Programs Before you do anything else, it's handy to have a list of all your currently installed programs so you know what settings to back up, and which programs you want to reinstall later on. The easiest way to do this is with CCleaner (a program everyone should have installed). Just open it up and export a list of your programs: Open up CCleaner (you can do this quickly by right-clicking the Recycle Bin and choosing "Open CCleaner" from the menu). Head to the "Tools" section in the left sidebar. Click the "Save to text file" button in the bottom right-hand corner, and choose where you want to save it. Save the file in your Dropbox or on a USB stick so you have it after you do your clean install. Step Two: Back Up Your Windows Settings Next, you should back up any Windows settings you can so you don't have to do too much tweaking after you reinstall. The best way to do this is with Windows Easy Transfer, Windows' built-in migration program for just such occasions. It can back up app settings too, but it's not very good at it, so we aren't going to use it for that today. To start it up, just open the Start menu (or screen) and type Windows Easy Transfer. When it pops up, you'll get a description of what it can do. Click Next and choose an external hard disk or USB flash drive for your files. Tell it that tihs is your "old" PC, and it will scan your users for items to back up. Click Customize to tweak the selection. In this case, we recommend unchecking everything and just backing up "Windows Settings," though you can use this to back up your documents and files too (see below). Step Three: Back Up Your Documents and Files Before you reinstall Windows, you'll obviously want to back up your documents, music, movies, and other files just like you always would. I usually just copy these to an external drive or move them with Windows Easy Transfer as described above, though if you back up your computer regularly (which you should), you can always just restore them from your backup later on as well. Step Four: Back Up Your Program Settings Next, you'll want to back up all the settings you've worked so hard crafting on each of those programs (at least the ones you plan to keep). Different programs store their settings in different places, but here are the main places you should look: Your AppData Folder: This folder, located at C:\Users\yourusername\AppData, is where the majority of your programs store their settings (usually under the Roaming subfolder). Usually you'll see a folder with the name of the program or its developer, with a number of files inside. You'll want to back up the program's entire folder. Your "My Documents" Folder: You know where this is already. If you open it up, you should see a few folders for other programs on your system, which often contain user settings or tweaks that you'll want to save. Back those folders up individually, just like the AppData folders. Your Program Files Folder: Most programs won't store settings in the Program Files folder, but it might store other important stuff, like plugins or themes you installed after the fact. If that's the case for the program in question, it's a good idea to back up its folder in C:\Program Files (or C:\Program Files (x86)) for good measure. Your Registry: Some programs, like Fences, store all of their settings in your Registry. This is pretty easy to back up: just press the Windows key, type regedit, and press Enter. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software and scroll down to the program in question—in Fences' case, under Stardock\Fences. Right-click on the program's folder in the registry and choose Export to back it up. Games: If you play any games, the above tricks should work, but we recommend using a program like GameSave Manager to make the process infinitely more simple. It'll search for games on your system, find where their save files are stored, and back up everything for you. Again, different programs will store settings in different places, so if you're unsure, do a bit of research before you start. If a program has the ability to "export" or "back up" its settings to a file, that can be handy as well. Once you find the folder(s) in which a program stores its files, copy that folder to your Dropbox or a USB stick. I also like to put a text file with that folder indicating the path to where it was stored. For example, if I were to back up Pidgin's settings, I'd back up the .libpurple folder in my AppData and the Plugins folder in Pidgin's Program Files. I'd then create a text folder that noted where each of these two folders came from, so i know where to put them when I restore them later on. Repeat this process for each of your important programs, and you should have everything you need to reinstall them later on without losing your settings. This sounds like it'll take awhile, but it shouldn't—it only took me a few minutes to back up all the important settings from my favorite programs. Step Five: Create .Reg Files For Your System Tweaks If you're an intense tweaker, you've probably edited the Windows Registry to enable some awesome under-the-hood power-ups, like hiding items in Windows Explorer or speeding up the Windows taskbar. The easiest way to back these up, says Justin Garrison, is to save a .reg file for each tweak in your Drobpox or USB stick. That way, whenever you reinstall Windows, you can just double-click on your .reg files to install those tweaks instantly. Most of your tweaks probably already have .reg scripts floating around the net, so do some Googling to see if someone's already created one. If not, you can always do a little research and create the file yourself too. Part Two: The Restoration Once you've got everything backed up, it's time to reinstall Windows. Insert the Windows installation disc and boot up from it, or use Windows 8's Reset option in the settings to start from scratch. Once you've got a fresh installation of Windows, it's time to restore all your stuff. Step Six: Restore Your Windows Settings Before you do anything else, it's a good idea to restore those Windows settings we backed up earlier. Reopen Windows Easy Transfer on your fresh install, plug in your USB drive with your saved transfer files, and this time choose "This Is My New Computer." It'll restore your Windows settings and your user account that you backed up, along with your Windows settings so you don't have to find them all again. Step Seven: Reinstall Your Programs Next, it's time to reinstall all your programs. This can take awhile, but you can speed up the process with a few tools: Ninite: Ninite is still one of our favorite tools for installing programs quickly. It doesn't have every program out there, but it's a great start. Just check off all the programs you want, and Ninite will create an all-in-one package to install them in one fell swoop. Be sure to check out the Lifehacker Pack for Windows, too, which has its own custom Ninite installer for our most recommended programs. Chocolatey: If you're more of a command line geek, Chocolatey is a handy utility that brings Linux-style package management to Windows. With a few well-placed commands, you can install a ton of programs at once, bypassing the need for all those separate installers. Again, it doesn't have every program imaginable, but it does have quite a few to get you started. Portable Apps: If you're tired of downloading installers all the time, you might want to try using portable apps instead. Portable apps essentially let you carry all your programs and settings over to another computer with no installation required. You'll still have to search out each app yourself, but after you do it once, you'll never have to do it again—every clean install from here on out will be much quicker because you'll already have half your apps ready to go. Check out our guide to portable apps for more information. Once you've installed the bulk of your favorite programs, you may need to open up that text file we got from CCleaner earlier to pick up any stragglers that aren't in Ninite. Install whatever you want, and when you're done, move onto the next step. Step Eight: Restore Your Documents and Program Settings Once you've reinstalled your favorite programs, you should restore your documents, music, movies, and other files (in case any of your programs depend on them—like iTunes, for example). This should be pretty easy: just restore them to the same place they were before (e.g., put your music back in C:\Users\yourusername\Music\iTunes\, or wherever you had it located). Do the same thing with the app settings you backed up earlier. Open that folder and restore the folders to their original locations in AppData or Program Files (in the case of AppData, you should overwrite any files that are already there). When you start that program, it should inherit all your old settings and it will be like you never left! Step Nine: Restore Your Registry Tweaks Lastly, restore any registry tweaks you had. That means double-clicking on your .reg files that had app settings or Windows tweaks stored inside, and redoing any registry tweaks that you couldn't put into a .reg file. Remember, you may need to restart the program in question (or restart your computer altogether) for the registry tweaks to take effect. It seems like a long and drawn-out process, but you'd be surprised. I had all my settings copied over in a few minutes, and was up and running with most of my favorite programs not too long after reinstalling—it's much, much faster than setting everything up from scratch. Of course, if you like setting everything up from scratch, feel free to do that too. This is just a great compromise between doing a fresh install and keeping all your settings that you don't want to set up again.

How We Work: Adam Dachis' Favorite Gear and Productivity Tricks How the Heck Do I Use GitHub? How to Do a Clean Install of Windows Without Losing Your Files, Settings, and Tweaks Don't Forget to Live How to Actually Act Like a Local When Traveling Sell Your Used Stuff for Cash on Facebook for Hassle-Free, No-Fee Decluttering Laptop Cables, Spam Inboxes, and Shoe Trees More Stories on Lifehacker »

dwyld.kwu.11muchado2011@blogger.com: Change your e-mail address | Unsubscribe

Gawker Media, 210 Elizabeth Street, Floor 4, New York, NY 10012
Terms of use | Mailing List Policy

February 12th, 2013Top Story How To Build A Great Gaming PC For Under $700 By by GB Burford "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" It's a question I've heard with increasing frequency the past few years, uttered by friends who've finally dipped their toes into PC gaming, discovering what it has to offer them. Before taking the plunge, they had been wary, citing the prohibitive cost and overly complex nature of PC gaming. So what changed? PC gaming did. It matured. Now, you can build a PC for $500-$700 that will play anything you want from the comfort of your own couch. Not only that, but building and maintaining a computer is cheaper and easier than ever. Anyone can get into it without having to invest a significant portion of their time and money to do so. There's no reason to worry about frequent upgrades or crazy driver hassles, now that the pace has softened. While building a computer may seem intimidating, don't worry: it's actually a lot like Legos! The instructions are clear (and tutorials on building a PC can be found all over the internet) and almost always in picture form, parts are deliberately made to prevent people from, say, jamming their RAM into their PCIe slot, and the hardware itself is generally well made. Plus, there's nothing quite like the satisfaction that comes with building your own computer. What follows is my recommended build, and it comes in well below the $700 limit. Of course, you're more than welcome to adjust things as you see fit-this should be able to run your games at a butter-smooth 60 frames per second at 1080p resolution on moderate settings, but don't expect to try anything crazy, like ubersampling. Just bear in mind that your parts need to work together. If you're having difficulty selecting parts, PC Part Picker is a great tool that should help you on your way. Case: If a computer is like a brain, the case is the head that houses it all. Because we're trying to build a small, TV-friendly PC, you might consider Fractal Design's minimalistic Node 304 Mini ITX case ($90). There are plenty of cheaper Mini ITX cases out there, but Fractal Design's build quality, noise minimization, and cooling qualities are excellent. CPU: You know the part of your brain that does the whole 'conscious thought' process? That's a CPU, which comes in two main brands, AMD or Intel. AMD processors tend to be less expensive, so we're picking the AMD A8-3870K, a solid 3 GHZ processor that, at $90, won't break the bank. Motherboard: Functioning like your nervous system, the motherboard is the bit all the other bits plug into so they can communicate. Since the processor's an AMD that uses an F1 socket, and the case is designed for the Mini ITX form factor, you'll need a compatible motherboard. ASRock's A75M-ITX is a highly-rated mobo, it's fairly inexpensive, too ($90). Graphics Card: Taking on the visual processing duties is the graphics card, which interprets the data it's given to create coherent images. Sapphire's take on AMD's Radeon HD 7770 ($100) won't be running games at 4K resolution, but it won't have a hard time running most games at pleasing settings in 1080p either. Hard Drive: Without long-term memory, we'd be like Drew Barrymore in that movie where she forgot stuff all the time. A hard drive is the device that stores a computer's data. For our purposes, a 7200 RPM drive is fine. For this build, we're running with a simple 500 GB Seagate drive ($60). Memory: If a hard-drive is long-term memory, then RAM, or memory, is a computer's short-term memory. Data is taken from the slower long-term memory and streamed to the short term memory, which is where the CPU processes the data it's been given. Many people have been recommending picking up Samsung's new 30nm RAM, and it's not hard to see why. It's fast, inexpensive ($25 for 4GB), and draws less power than standard memory. Power Supply: Without a power supply, your computer won't run, so it should go without saying that you'll want to pick a good one. In my experience, power supply issues have accounted for nearly all computer-related mishaps, so it's a good idea to pick a supply from a trusted brand. My personal favorite is Corsair, and at $70, you can't really go wrong with their CX 600 series. That's a $525 machine right there—cheaper than the PS3 was at launch. For a limited gaming experience, you can transfer Ubuntu to a USB drive, install it, set up Steam, and be on your way... but like most people, you'll probably want Windows. If that's the case, you'd do well to pick up the 64-bit OEM version of Windows 7 ($90). Steer clear of Windows 8, which has compatibility issues with some games. If you don't feel comfortable ripping a disc of Windows on an ISO, or you just want an optical drive in your machine, try either this ASUS DVD Burner ($20) or this LG Blu-Ray disc drive ($50). UPDATE: Even with the addition of Windows, we're looking at a $615 machine! Because you can't fit a disc drive in the case, you'll have to install Windows via a USB drive, which is super easy. Microsoft even has a tool to assist you. If you don't feel comfortable with that, you can use an external USB DVD drive. There are no Xbox Live or Playstation Plus fees to worry about, free games and mods open up a world of opportunities, and, of course, massive sales from retailers like Amazon, GreenManGaming, GoG.com, and Steam. At the time of writing, the Tomb Raider reboot is selling on GreenManGaming for $45, with a further $15 in credit. That's already $15 less than console prices, with a further $15 to spend on other games. Bioshock Infinite also has a $15 credit! Why spend $60 when you could spend so much less? I often buy games on release, but regularly save about $25 a game over console prices. That means that after just a handful of release date purchases, I'll have saved more money by choosing to play on the PC rather than consoles. Should you want to build an absolute beast of a machine, you're more than welcome to: check out NeoGAF's 2013 "I Need A New PC!" thread if you really want to get into the nitty-gritty. If you do feel like you want a lot beefier computer, pick up an Intel processor, like the i5-3570k and a compatible motherboard. Consider switching video card manufacturers too-Nvidia's got generally faster cards, better driver support, and the addition of Physx enhancements. When it comes to cases, you can't go wrong with Fractal Design-I'm personally using an XL, but my plan is to pick up a Node 605 at some point in the future, stick my current PC's parts in it, and use my XL to house a new Intel/Nvidia machine for gaming. The Software and Accessories After building your PC, you're going to want to install all the basic software on it-the initial drivers, programs like Steam, and so on and so forth. If you're interested in being able to use it like a media center as well as a game's machine, you'll want to install XBMC. Additionally, you might want to use a controller, a remote, or use some other accessory. If that's the case, let's cover some basics. Whenever I do a system rebuild (because it's fun!), the first place I go after installing my OS is FileHippo. It's a fantastic repository for the latest releases of various bits of important software, from things like Adobe Reader to K-Lite's video codec pack. For software, I'd recommend picking up: Google Chrome: Yeah, your mileage may vary. Pick whatever browser you feel comfortable with-even if that means Netscape. LibreOffice: Sure, you can spend money on Office, or you can pick up the excellent open source alternative. I own Office, but I barely use it anymore-LibreOffice is great! Avast!: Debates about antivirus software are often as heated as debates about choice of browsers. It's worth noting that Avast won't deal with spyware; for that, you'll want something like SuperAntiSpyware. You should have spyware and malware defense on any computer you own. If you don't, please do so now. CCleaner: Want to get rid of the random clutter your computer accumulates? Few programs do it better than CCleaner. It also has other tools dealing with things like registry cleaning and software uninstallation. CCleaner's developer, Piriform, also has a defragmentation tool, Defraggler, which I enjoy using. Peazip: A relatively recent discovery of mine, Peazip is a great alternative to compression software like WinRAR or 7zip. If you plan on opening zip and rar files, it's worth checking out. K-Lite Mega Codec Pack: Do you want to watch movie files on your computer? Most operating systems, whether they're Windows or Mac, come with the drivers to play their kind of video files, but not everyone uses those formats, which is where codec packs come in. If you want to make sure you don't run into video compatibility issues, you're going to want some good codecs and a nice video player. K-Lite Mega Codec Pack includes both. Just make sure you install everything + Media Player Classic when you're setting it up. XBMC: It's the best media center software out there, and, like everything else here, it's free. Even if you aren't planning to use your computer as a media center, Lifehacker's article on XBMC is well worth checking out. Steam: If you are going to play video games on the PC, you will want Steam. It is the platform that sets the golden standard for PC gaming, and it offers the kind of infrastructure people have come to expect from services like Xbox Live, but with no cost, enhanced social features, a screenshot function, cloud saving, and a myriad of other benefits. For our purposes, Steam is particularly useful because of Big Picture Mode, which allows gamers to navigate their game libraries with a controller, rather than a mouse and keyboard. When it comes to hardware, you've got a myriad of options-far more than I could even begin to explain. Let's look at a few that will help you have an enjoyable gaming experience. Microsoft's near-flawless entry into the controller field has become the de facto standard for people who want to play with a controller, which comes in both wireless and wired flavors. If you pick up the wireless controller, don't forget good batteries! I've recently been informed that rechargeable AA batteries are superior to Microsoft's battery packs. If your heart is set on another kind of controller, there are ways, through software like MotionInJoy, to use a DualShock 3 on the PC as well. There are far more PC remote options out there than you can shake a stick at, so it's great that Lifehacker has provided an excellent writeup on the subject. If you still find yourself wanting to, say, surf the internet on your computer, or play a real-time strategy game, there are numerous mouse and keyboard combinations for you to select from. Personally, I'm eyeing Logitech's K400, a thin, light, wireless keyboard which includes a laptop-like touch pad, allowing users to forgo the need for a mouse. *** So, what now? PC gaming comes in practically innumerable shapes in forms. It has something for everyone. If you want it to be convenient, it can be. If you want it to be inexpensive, it can be. You will never find a more versatile, flexible, capable way to game. It's precisely because of that flexibility that PC gaming is the hobby I'm most passionate about. I've had so many great experiences with it. I've learned a great deal about myself. You don't have to jump into the deep end. If you give PC gaming a go, though, I know you'll be rewarded. Over the past few years, everyone I know who has picked up PC gaming has had an absolute blast with it, discovering new games and new experiences. Their horizons have been broadened, their enjoyment of gaming has increased, and their wallets aren't quite so empty these days. So go ahead, give it a try. You might discover a new passion, and what's cooler than that? GB Burford's childhood discovery that he could modify Microsoft Flight Simulator to allow behaviors the programmers hadn't intended spawned a life-long fascination with video games and their development. Now, he writes about video games and occasionally dabbles with making his own. His Twitter handle is @ForgetAmnesia. Click to viewClick to viewClick to viewClick to view

The Secret Ingredient Needed to Make Anything a 'Real Game' How To Build A Great Gaming PC For Under $700 Aliens: Colonial Marines: The Kotaku Review How a PS3 Game Launched Japan's Newest Sex Symbol The Next Xbox Has Mandatory Kinect, Game-Swapping and New Controllers, According To Leaked Info Nintendo Fan Is Happy With Nintendo's $620 Answer to His $570 Wii U Problem The Arrest of Japan's Most Wanted Troll Leads to Cute Cat Pic More Stories on Kotaku »

dwyld.kwu.11muchado2011@blogger.com: Change your e-mail address | Unsubscribe

Gawker Media, 210 Elizabeth Street, Floor 4, New York, NY 10012
Terms of use | Mailing List Policy

February 12th, 2013Top Story Christopher Dorner Currently Engaged in Gun Battle with Police in Big Bear By Cord Jefferson Suspected killer cop Christopher Dorner is currently in the middle of a shootout with authorities in Big Bear, California. According to the LA Times, Dorner earlier burglarized a home, tied up the two homeowners, and stole the couple's truck before attempting to flee down Highway 38. Fish and Game wardens attempted to stop the truck, at which point Dorner fired on them before running away on foot. Police tailed Dorner and are now engaged in a shootout with him in the woods. KCAL 9 is reporting that two officers are down. Updates: 4:52 PM EST: This episode of the gun battle, recorded by a local CBS affiliate, just happened a few minutes ago. The officer is telling the reporter to "get the fuck outta here." Click to view 4:56 PM EST: CBS has confirmed that two deputies are down. Their condition is unknown, but paramedics are on the scene.

Christopher Dorner Currently Engaged in Gun Battle with Police in Big Bear New York Fashion Weavz: Watching People Watching People at a Runway Show Esquire Editors: If You Complain About Our Botched Bin Laden Shooter Story, You Hate the Troops ABC to Air Disturbing New Footage of Fort Hood Massacre, Interviews with 'Betrayed' Survivors Vatileaks to the Knights Templar: the Speculation, Gossip and Conspiracy About Pope Benedict's Abdication North Korea Successfully Tests Its Third Nuclear Bomb North Korea Reportedly Just Tested a Nuclear Bomb (UPDATE: North and South Korea Confirm) More Stories on Gawker »

dwyld.kwu.11muchado2011@blogger.com: Change your e-mail address | Unsubscribe

Gawker Media, 210 Elizabeth Street, Floor 4, New York, NY 10012
Terms of use | Mailing List Policy