Carol’s Vault
Best Freeware, Open Source Software
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Happy new year
Dec 31st
I would like to wish to all my visitors, and everyone else of course, a wonderful old year’s eve and an amazing and beautiful new year.
Thank you all for your support, for your e-mails and comments.
My best wishes and happy 2009!
Carol
Geeky Christmas presents ideas
Dec 15th
The Christmas is almost here and you didn’t buy any present yet for your loved ones.
If it is because you didn’t have time, then go now and pick one.
But if it is because you have a “present idea blackout” then here are a few gifts you could buy and even though the links provided are to Belgian shops, feel free to inspire yourself:
The Mp3 player Sandisk Sansa Fuze 16 gb = 8GB + 8GB free memory card – 99,90€
Sansa Fuze can be purchased at Het Computer Winkeltje and this is a promotion which won’t last much longer.
If your friend /girlfriend already owns an mp3 player, then maybe a digital camera would be an ideal present.
You can choose from a wide range of cameras at the Forcom Shop, or you can head over to Fnac or HCW and pick another one.
A 60 GB Xbox 360 Pro – also sold at HCW and it is a part of the promotion Cashback Actie – 239,90€
If your friend /girlfriend already owns a 360, then you might want to have a quick peek into their games and see if they own any of the following games, but make sure that they are playing the genre you are about to choose. Some gamers are very picky.
Tip: Most gamers prefer games with a multiplayer option.
| Gears of War 2 | Fable 2 | Lips |
| COD: World at War | Monopoly | Saints Row 2 |
| Fallout 3 | Prince of Persia | Need for Speed: Undercover |
If they do not own a 360, but they are PC gamers, then try any of the above and have a look at Spore as well.
Now to hardware….
Western Digital MyBook2 Essential Edition 2.0 1TB – 142,75€ – can be bought at Forcom shop. Geeks would love it!
While we are at Hardware, take a look at this category at HCW . You will find a lot of things being sold at a very good price.
If none of the above pleases you, then you might want to try the book store or the gadget store – you can find some more inspiration here: Find Gift.
xBox 360 number 5 will be gone soon
Oct 6th
OK, I know that there are over 10 million faulty 360’s out there, but why 5 of them have to be mine?
Here are 2 links to my past experiences with my other 360’s:
xBox 360 number 4 will be gone soon
To play this game put it into a xBox 360 console
Yesterday evening i started up my 360 – which a few hours before that worked just fine – only to get the 4 rings of death.
If all quadrants are flashing red, then there is a problem with one of the cables, either the power brick one or the AV cable.
And so last night i went through the whole troubleshooting steps: powered down my 360, unplugged the cables, cleaned the metal head on the AV cable….tried again….and some more.
Today, my boyfriend got me a friend’s cables and tried them too but i got the same error.
Hold on now! This ain’t right! I looked again to it, but the up right quadrant didn’t flash. It appeared to be red though. Crap! Read the rest of this entry »
We7 – music with ads is in fact great
Nov 4th
Bloggers have been writing about it since the first time the service came online and some musicians have been a part of it since about the same time….and I just discovered it through a post from my company’s blog.
We7 – the service that offers music with ads is actually pretty impressive.
Yesterday evening I just couldn’t get enough of listening to some of the nicest tunes in there, and downloaded them with no fear.
You can also share them at will with your friends. All you need is to create a user account, which is free, and you’re set.
It isn’t bothering at all having a couple of seconds advertising in the song, considering that the voices they’re using are soft….and having them removed after 4 weeks.
The artists, the Americans at least, are getting tired of all the DRM fight between agencies such as RIAA and the customers, and so services such as We7 are born.
I can only say thank you for having some bright marketers/advertisers pacifying things this way – the We7 way:
Using the latest ‘pat.pending’ MediaGraft Web 2.0 technologies, We7 will:
- Deliver free, legal and safe music, video and other digital entertainment to everyone who wants to download it
- Provide a direct route for bands and fans to form even closer relationships
- Be ‘artist friendly’ at all times, make sure rights owners get paid and artists are respected for their work and maintain control over their Intellectual Property
- Deliver targeted, localized and intimate advertising opportunities for brands and companies of all sizes, whilst letting our users choose which messages are relevant to them
- Help abolish piracy by making it no longer worthwhile to visit illegal and unsafe music and video websites
Although I am late blogging about this service, I would still recommend you to go and have a look and support the artists this way instead of pirating their music.
To close this post, i would like to make one last recommendation for the Ambient/Chill/Lounge music lovers – Tunnel Chill Zone 1 and Tunnel Chill Zone 2.
Sign up, download, lay back and relax!
Technorati Tags: free mp3 downloads , advertising , marketing , music , entertainement , lounge , chill , ambient
1O ways to kill your moods
Oct 21st
I just finished reading an article on Dumb Little Man’s blog and was wondering how many of us are actually putting an effort in killing the bad moods.
To be honest, I am not a moody person, but I did get through some hard situations and I have done nothing but kill them and it works. Is a fight with yourself and it can take time to see some good results in your behavior and your feelings.
Changes are good; good changes are very good and welcome.
Some of us are born happy, patient, indulgent, very understanding to situations and people, but some others are not.
Moods and negative emotions can ruin your entire day, even little ones and you don’t even realize when you’ve just allowed yourself to become one cranky person.
Once you’ve taken that path, is really easy to lose control.
Everything you feel will reflect into your behavior and affect people around you. Next thing you know, people start “crossing eyes” to you and even avoid you.
The Dumb Little man points out three things that i really enjoy doing day and night: smile, laugh and make people happy.
2. Smile. Smile at everyone you meet today. It’s OK to fake it at first if you need to, but pretty soon it will be real and it will make you feel good. As you feel yourself becoming happy, remember not to fight it!
3. Laugh. Tell some jokes. Seek out jokes, funny people, and funny videos. Be silly. Crack yourself up. Just start laughing. That alone can make you laugh. And when you laugh you release your body’s own natural opiates: endorphins which make you feel good. Here is a link to more info on Laughing Yoga where all you do is laugh!
6. Make Someone Else Happy. Who could you cheer up today? Who could you thank or compliment? Who could you send a quick handwritten note to? You can really have fun with this, so go ahead and do it!
I can laugh of my own pains, my own embarrassing situations…you name it, i will poke fun on it and even have instant headaches from so much laughing.
How many of us are throwing away with intention a genuine smile or a joke to brighten someone’s day?
I do!
His number 5 – “Count your blessings” – is really something that we should all do.
And no, is not cheesy to be grateful about the good things in your life, or even the bad ones that if they didn’t happen you wouldn’t be where you are today…supposing you’re on a good path at the moment.
Can you count your blessings without having to think about them too long?
Anyway…The article is pretty simple and to the point ( kudos for the little man) and you should go and have a read – 10 Surefire ways to kill your crabby mood.
Image by kakashisgirl101.