This week we learned how to convert DVDs, ISOs, & AVI videos to play on an iOS device, use Photoshop Channels to elegantly remove backgrounds from images, customize Windows 7 taskbar icons the easy way, get started with the new Windows Live Mesh 2011, use Rainmeter to display system stats on the desktop, and more.

Photo by alacoolb.

Weekly Feature

We have something a little different for you with this week’s feature:

Severed Fifth, a music group founded by Ubuntu community manager Jono Bacon, has announced the release of a new album called Nightmares By Design. It is distributed under a Creative Commons license and is available for download from the group’s website. [via Ars Technica]

Photo by Severed Fifth.

Download Severed Fifth’s “Nightmares By Design” Album

Note: Album can be downloaded as a whole or as individual songs. There is also a PDF lyrics file available.

Random Geek Links

Photo by Mozilla.

• Mozilla gets a new boss: SAP mobile exec Gary Kovacs
  Mozilla has announced that its next CEO will be Gary Kovacs, who is currently chief of mobile products at SAP. Kovacs will replace outgoing Mozilla CEO John Lilly.
• Windows 7 vs. XP SP3 vs. Vista SP2– Botnet Infections
  Microsoft has been constantly boosting the security capabilities of its Windows clients, and the company has the numbers to prove it.
• Trojan forces Firefox to secretly store passwords
  A trojan recently analysed  by Webroot is said to rely on retrieving web page passwords from a browser’s password storage, rather than logging a user’s keyboard inputs.
• Pre-Activated Pirated Windows 7 Tailored to Computers from 28 OEMs
  It is the case of one pirated version of Windows 7 (Ultimate), for which hackers claim to have gone the extra mile and tested the cracked operating system on a wide number of computers from different original equipment manufacturers.
• Manipulated card terminals at US ALDI branches
  In the US, criminals have caused considerable damage via manipulated credit and debit card terminals at numerous branches of the ALDI supermarket chain.
• Microsoft investigating Zune client 4.7 memory issues
  Microsoft is looking into user reports of memory problems connected to its new Zune PC client 4.7 software update.
• Canon copiers to tell tales
  Canon has announced version 5 of its uniFLOW central document management system, which can reportedly prevent the copying, faxing or printing of a document that contains certain keywords.
• Vulnerabilities in Xpdf affect several open source products
  According to a report from Red Hat, two vulnerabilities in the free PDF reader Xpdf can be exploited via manipulated PDF documents to compromise a victim’s system.
• Java wars: IBM joins OpenJDK as Oracle shuns Apache Harmony
  IBM has announced its intention to join the OpenJDK project, the official open source Java runtime effort that is led by Oracle.
• The Android opportunity is an open source challenge
  Because open source software can be downloaded free, marketing costs are driven out, and thus there are few effective sales channels for open source software.

Geek Video of the Week

Have fun watching Batman’s continuing adventures with Superman and the Justice League. In this installment the Justice League and a completely ordinary human save the city.

Photo by CollegeHumor.

The Dark Knight Meets Superman Part 2

Productive Geek Tips

Photo by Matt Hamm.

• Preventing Repetitive Strain Injury the Geeky Way
  Most of us spend our days working in front of a workstation and the wrong workstation settings can cause a serious problem called “Repetitive Strain Injury” or RSI for short. Do not ignore the pain in your hand and thinking that it will go away or get better by itself.

Sysadmin Geek Tips

• How to Setup a “Split Tunnel” VPN (PPTP) Client on Ubuntu 10.04
  Sometimes you need to use a VPN connection to grant access to remote network resources and for that you use a VPN, but if you don’t want all of your client traffic to go through the VPN link, you’ll need to setup your VPN to connect in a “split tunnel” mode. Here’s how to do it on Ubuntu.
• How to Setup a VPN (PPTP) Server on Debian Linux
  VPN-ing into your server will allow you to connect to every possible service running on it, as if you were sitting next to it on the same network, without individually forwarding every port combination for every service you would like to access remotely.

Random TinyHacker Links

• Lock SafeSearch in Google
  A guide to locking safe search in Google so that your kids do not come across inappropriate content accidently while searching.
• Laytr Can Schedule Emails For Later
  Get reminders for following up on emails and also schedule outgoing emails for later.
• Brotherhood! Unity! Peace!
  Play the classic Command & Conquer game Tiberian Sun for free.
• Create Desktop Wallpaper Slideshow in Windows 7
  Learn how to create a desktop wallpaper slideshow in Windows 7.
• Windows 7 Phone is Coming
  Microsoft launched the Windows 7 phone.

Super User Questions

More great questions with great answers from Super User.

• Is there a Linux equivalent of Programmer’s Notepad or Notepad++
• Cobbling together a programmable digital picture frame
• How to scroll one page at a time in Linux at the command line?
• Are USB headphones/headsets inferior to regular ones?
• Is it legal to use the trial version of a software over and over?

Latest Reviews at How-To Geek

Here are our latest software reviews.

• GoToMyPC 7.0
  GoToMyPC from Citrix is an easy to use Remote PC solution that let’s you access your Mac or PC from anywhere. The connection between machines is secure which uses 128-bit AES encryption, and is protected by two passwords for end-to-end user authentication.
• Connectify 2.1
  If you travel a lot, sometimes you arrive at a hotel with no Wi-Fi and you need to connect your portable devices to the Internet. If you have a Wi-Fi enabled Windows 7 Laptop or Netbook along with an Ethernet connection, you can turn it into an instant Wi-Fi Hotspot.
• Virtual CD Version 10
  Virtual CD 10 is a unique app that will virtualize all off your optical media. You can virtualize CDs, DVDs, HD DVDs, and Blu-ray Discs. This is different than a just a virtual CD drive, as it creates images of your optical media, and allows you to manage it.

How-To Geek Weekly Article Recap

Catch up on our hottest articles from this past week.

• The 10 Cleverest Ways to Use Linux to Fix Your Windows PC
• What is Cloud Computing and What Does This Stupid Buzzword Mean?
• Ubuntu 10.10 Improves Your Linux Desktop Experience [Screenshot Tour]
• Ubuntu 10.10 Gives Netbooks an Innovative New Look [Screenshot Tour]
• Ask the Readers: Will You Make IE9 Your Default Browser Once the Final Version is Released?

One Year Ago on How-To Geek

Enjoy looking through our latest group of articles from one year ago.

• Create a System Repair Disc in Windows 7
• Make System Restore Use Less Drive Space in Windows 7
• Add Classic Polaroid Look to Your Digital pictures
• Ninite Makes Installing Software Incredibly Simple
• VistaSwitcher is a Ridiculously Awesome Alt-Tab Replacement

The Geek Note

That is it for this week. We hope that you enjoy the rest of your weekend before heading back to work! Remember to keep those great tips coming in to us at tips@howtogeek.com.

Photo by Bemep.