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Reading time: 6 – 9 minutes
A year go on this very day, Software Critics was registered at NameCheap and was self-hosted via a free host using the WordPress platform. This blog that was then a software download site which has turned into a full blown software review site and eventually evolved into more than just a regular technology site that also features the latest software and technology news, applications and constantly provides assistance and support to startups, and the open source community.
Software Critics turned one year today and it is of great gladness that this weblog have come this far. As we commence another fruitful year into tech blogging, allow me to take you into our journey of a year that was.
March 2009 marks one of the busiest months after the transition from blogger (then Freestuffzfanatico.blogspot.com) into WordPress and one of the most consistent traffic gainer on this blog was written on this month, Yahoo! Mail “Undisclosed Recipients” Made Easy, a post about setting your Yahoo Mail to sending email to bulk recipients without exposing each of your recipients’ email addresses to each other in order to avoid spam.
A tutorial about optimizing your PC speed, downloading free music from social music networks, and the release of our very own toolbar all happened on this month.
It was in April 2009 when the H1N1 scare blew the web with the presence of Swine Flu domains sprouting every second. In fact, yours truly even received an email from a scammer accusing me of maligning his online business.
The succeeding month inspired me to write about the effect of the Conficker virus on removable drives and how I was able to counter it productively using the right set of tools to recover damaged files.
The month of June was a sad moment because of the King of Pop’s untimely passing so I’ve put up a post to commemorate Michael Jackson through embed flash players. As part of my support to webmasters especially bloggers from blog hacking, an info about PHP script vulnerabilities was written along side some tips on when not to trust your webhost. This month marks my first attempt to join an online contest with my slideshare entry, To Be A Better Man.
July 2009 is when ZipRunner acquires Entrecard which left me in doubt if it would ever be the same again after the transition of ownership.
I embraced the Thesis Theme the following month while at the same time discovering Yahoo error 81003016 and Google Chrome personalization took center stage.
The first “Ber Month” is a time of ups and downs. I’ve switched web hosting the fourth time within a year to settle with Bluehost.com. A public service announcement was posted on this site to help typhoon Ondoy victims.
I’ve first used Yahoo Meme to check if it could be a good Twitter rival. Among the many firsts that happened on this month are attending WordCamp Philippines and switching this blog to do follow.
Bouncing back after some downturns is definitely one of the things that I’ve learned out of blogging more than anything else. The value of fortitude reminds me of this so I’ve moved on after web hosting nightmares and started implementing a comment policy after a series of keywordluv abuse.
The month after the Yuletide season is when I started implementing the mobile version of this blog plus my revelation of the some of the most horrible web hosting services today that any new webmaster should avoid.
November is also the month when Google started informing the public that site speed will be a ranking factor come 2010 but not to mention personalized search while on the other hand Microsoft released Office 2010 Beta.
The last month of 2009 is when I gained some thoughts if a blogging mafia really exist and have shared some tips on how to recognize phishing emails, why image hosting on your server is not necessary and a series of giveaways here including my $US1500 giveaway.
December 2009 is when I’ve set up my Spokn ID which is 3463452 and Google dropping a notch off this blog’s pagerank.
Starting off the year right was announcing my giveaway winners and giving my thank you’s. The latter part was sharing another Yahoo hack if you can’t open your mails and a helpful trick to fix Tiny MCE or Visual Editor problem for self-hosted WordPress blogs.
This month showcases another giveaway so timely for the celebration of Software Critics’ first anniversary as PowerPivot Excelerators Quiz by Microsoft chose this blog to promote them and in return giving one lucky reader the chance to win a Dell ST2310 monitor.
More surprises await the readers of Software Critics and as this blog progresses, I’ll always try my best to provide valuable content that everyone could benefit. I personally would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each and every reader of this blog for keeping me inspired to continue what I’ve started and love doing.
Once again, thank you. I’m just getting started so watch out for more great content and more giveaways to come. Your suggestions and comments are always welcome!
Reading time: 2 – 2 minutes
Quitting your job and starting your own business is definitely a big decision to make and a Herculean task to undertake given all the challenges that you’ll face as reality starts to pour in however, you don’t have to be alone to wrestle the burden of managing your business because there are services like Mavenlink that helps clients run their businesses from networking to legal, accounting, IT and a whole lot more with their “Work Smarter Not Harder” philosophy.
Businesses, consultants, service firms and even non-profits can effectively manage their projects through Mavenlink’s enhanced collaboration features through effective communication mediums, project timeline and management capabilities, improved visibility offering for service providers and talent showcase including efficient tracking.
Having the right people and the right set of tools to back you up at all times is necessary in today’s ever changing economy. Working hard isn’t always enough because working smarter is the best way to manage your business.
Watch the entertaining video below and be informed of the benefits of having the good guys behind your back.
Tell me what you think of the video and how it best describes the nature of Mavelink’s business. We may have different opinions so I’d be glad to know yours.
Reading time: 5 – 8 minutes
With only a few days before this software review blog’s first anniversary which will be on the 8th of February, a representative of PowerPivot for Excel, the new add-on for Microsoft Excel 2010, approached me to host PowerPivot’s Excelerator Quiz giveaway on this site as part of their promotional campaign since they’ve launched this fun quiz called “Are you an Excelerator?” in conjunction with the recent release of PowerPivot and Excel 2010 beta.
This comes in great timing with this site’s upcoming anniversary so I accepted their proposal without any form of compensation since it’s a win-win opportunity as well so as a result, one lucky reader of this blog will be rewarded a Dell ST2310 23-inch flat monitor and a wireless keyboard and mouse valued over US$250 courtesy of PowerPivot for Excel.
Here’s how to join:
For Twitter Users
1. Take the Powerpivot for Excel’s Excelerator Quiz at www.exceleratorsquiz.com. Share your results on Twitter and copy the status URL and paste it here as a comment.
How to copy status URL on Twitter:
Mouse over on time the tweet was sent and click it. See screenshot below:
Copy what’s on the address bar on your browser similar to the one below:
http://twitter.com/SoftwareCritics/status/8446612519 and include it with your comment. See below example.
2. Retweet this post using the retweet button below and make sure that you’re following @SoftwareCritics and @powerpivot on Twitter.
For Facebook users
You must have taken the quiz at www.exceleratorsquiz.com. Share your results on your Facebook profile from the results screen and Share this post on Facebook using the share button below and make sure that you’re a fan of SoftwareCritics and Powerpivot as this will validate your entry.
Participating via Twitter and Facebook count as two separate entry which means if you did both, you get two valid entries automatically.
Bonus:
If you have a personal website or blog and is a US resident and have mentioned this giveaway on a separate post, you’ll get an automatic two entry points. Bloggers not in the US however, will get a “do follow” link if you mention this post.
So, if you will do all of the above, you’ll earn a maximum total of four (4) entries and a bigger chance of winning. See sample entry below.
Simple contest rules:
1. Only valid entries (completed and received on or by the closing date, 13th February 2010 at 11:59pm PST) are eligible for drawing. Incomplete entries will be disqualified. Only US residents are qualified to win the prize due to sponsor’s shipping requirements.
2. The prize is not redeemable in cash and must be accepted as awarded.
3. By claiming the prize, the winner authorizes the use, without additional compensation of his or her name and/or likeness and/or voice/photograph for promotion and/or advertising purposes in any manner and in any medium (including without limitation, publication on this site and distribution over the internet and picture data storage) which the sponsor PowerPivot for Excel team and Software Critics, may deem appropriate.
4. In accepting the prize, the winner, acknowledges that Software Critics may not be held liable for any loss, damages or injury associated with accepting or using this prize. The principal sponsor will be the one to ship the prize.
5. Software Critics reserves the right to change the contest rules at anytime during its duration without prior notice. Software Critics decision is final and irrevocable after its announcement of the winner on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2010 on this site.
On the sideline, take the Alpha Geek Challenge!
The PowerPivot Team invites you to put yourself to the test and prove if you’re the Excel Geek extraordinaire they were looking for as Donald Farmer issues Business Intelligence challenges for you to solve using the new add-on PowerPivot for Excel.
Three finalists will receive a $250 Microsoft Store shopping spree, and one lucky Grand Prize winner will receive an all-expense paid trip to the 2010 Microsoft BI Conference in New Orleans, LA from June 7-10th 2010. Click here for more details.
Questions about the PowerPivot Excelerators Quiz by Microsoft giveaway are encouraged in the comments section.
Reading time: 4 – 7 minutes
Converting image files into different formats have never been easier these days with the advent of so many robust tools coming from various software developers. However, having a lot of options can sometimes become confusing thus valuable recommendation from reputable sources leads users to have the right set of tools.
Images come in various formats and among the popular ones are JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP and TIFF although there are more than 100 graphic formats available in different applications.
The Concept of Image Formats
We use images for different purposes however, the effectiveness of each images may vary depending on its format and the way it was used. This means that certain types of image files may look better compared to another image file but could be more effective when used for same purpose.
For example, PNG or Portable Network Graphic files are aesthetically better compared to JPG/JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) or GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) images however the downside is they are more resource consuming when used on websites because their file sizes are normally larger.
Although JPEG image files’ quality is not as good as PNGs, they are more resource friendly because of their smaller size and are much suitable for use as banner with an image as a background. GIF, on the other hand, have the least quality and size, appears grainy and are much suitable for text-based banners.
Understanding the concept of image formats does a great deal in making us appreciate the reason why an image converter is necessary.
The Hunt for an Image Converter
Image format conversion can be accomplished using different mediums. Web-based conversion although efficient because of its universal accessibility through the internet could make the task impossible to complete due to dependency on the browser component unlike using an installed application, PC-based tools make it easier to accomplish the task with less the requirement in a fraction of the time.
There are many software out there that does image conversion however if we are after simplicity and specificity, we generally could go in to a whole lot of searching just to find the right program that would fit our needs.
I was scouring the web a couple of days ago and I came across this nifty software for image conversion known as Image Converter Plus by fCoder Group.
The concept is pretty simple. Convert an image file format into another type of image file e.g. a PNG image into a JPEG image.
Why use Image Converter Plus?
Image Converter Plus makes it easier to convert image files into another format in less time with image correction, application of various filters and effects, image editing operations like resizing and cropping, image effects rendering like embossing, sharpening, and image noise reduction among others can all be done as well in large batches.
Having used Image Converter Plus on web design projects allowed me to experience its high quality imaging capability since it doesn’t spoil your files’ quality instead it makes them even better while at the same time allotting you more time to focus on other things without sacrificing the value you put into your money and in your work.
Its intuitive user interface makes it easier to navigate and switch between features plus its handy right-click menu integration is easy to fall in love with like it’s almost close to perfection.
What can Image Converter Plus do that other software cannot?
Image Converter Plus can convert huge files even several GBs larger and faster while supporting multiple image formats and dialects, HDRI for HDR photography, RAW formats for photos taken from known camera brands like Kodak, Nikon, Canon, etc., multi-core processors, 64-bit systems, 16 bit/channels, and works with EXIF and IPTC information.
Image Converter Plus also allows you to send your converted images by email or upload them via FTP without the need for a third-party FTP client/software.
How do I use Image Converter Plus?
It’s very simple to use so I’m sure that you wouldn’t have a hard time with it. You don’t need to be a pro in order to appreciate its usefulness. Watch this video here for a quick tutorial.
What is the system requirements needed for use with this software?
This software should work on computers with the following specifications:
CPU: Pentium 2.
RAM: 128 RAM.
HDD free space: 50 Mb.
OS: Windows NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista
Systems that exceed these requirements are highly favored for optimal performance. You may visit this page for installation instructions.
The Verdict
Image Converter Plus definitely out smarts any type of software of its kind. A masterpiece created for flawless and seamless image conversion solutions.
It’s not that bad for US$49 on a single license, a really good investment if you were to ask me. Conversion scripts are already available upon installation so everything is touch and go. Using conversion via command-line option can be a challenge for beginners as they are intended for more advanced users.
The software at the moment doesn’t have a zipped version which means portability is not yet supported but hopefully in time it will.
Over all, it’s worth the try. I’ve used it myself so if I were happy with it, and so can you.
You can download Image Converter Plus from here. If you haven’t tried this software, here’s your chance to do so and feel the difference. Let me know how it works on your end. Feel free to share your experience, give comments or ask questions in the comments section.
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