How-To Geek
Week in Geek – The Free Swag Geek Contest Edition
We’ve got too much swag sitting around, and decided to let you test your geek skills in an attempt to prove just how much of a geek you really are… and also get some free stuff.
How Do You Win?
This long string of numbers and letters contains a clue that will lead you to the answer. The first person to leave a comment with the correct answer wins a coffee mug and a t-shirt that we will ship to you free of charge. Just make sure to put in your valid email address so we can contact you.
687474703a2f2f7777772e686f77746f6765656b2e636f6d
2f647564652d796f752d746f74616c6c792d776f6e2f
Here’s a little starter clue to help you decode it: “I put a spell on you…”
Update: Looks like reader Preston won the contest with the first answer after only 12 minutes, congrats! Your swag is on its way!
The Geek Contest
This is just a little preview, we’re thinking of making the geek contest a regular thing – and perhaps giving away some interesting prizes worth a little more money. Make sure to stay tuned to our daily articles for more information.
Interesting Random Stuff We Found This Week
Here’s a few things that we found this week while wasting our time browsing the web:
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Windows 7 Release Candidate: Download instructions
Yeah, you probably already know about the new release, but if not here’s the link anyway! -
Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor Beta
If you aren’t sure whether your computer can run Windows 7, this Microsoft utility will help let you know if everything will work. -
Growl for Windows
That’s right, there’s finally a port of the slick OS X notifications package that runs on Windows. -
CrossLoop for Mac is Released
The remote desktop tool that helps you fix mom’s computer just released a Mac version. Check out our guide to how to make money using CrossLoop, and a (slightly outdated) tour of how to remotely control somebody’s desktop the easy way. -
MonoDevelop for Mac
Yeah, it’s a programmer tool. It also means that you can use the Microsoft .NET platform on Windows, Mac and Linux – a good sign for all of us users. -
Find the Date When a Web Page was First Published on the Internet
With a little URL magic, you can use Google to figure out when a document was first published. -
Windows 7 RC gets its first bug, and it’s a doozy
That’s right, already found a bug. At least they are finding them now and before it’s officially released. -
Download Free Chapters From Microsoft Press Books About Windows 7
This blog post lists out a couple of free chapters, including one from Ed Bott’s upcoming book, which is likely to be excellent.
Lifehacker Articles You Should Really Read
For those of you that aren’t aware, I’m one of the writers over at Lifehacker. Here’s a couple of articles that you should really check out written by myself and the other editors.
- Set Up and Use XP Mode in Windows 7
Windows 7 has a new virtualized copy of XP that you can download and install separately. I wrote up a guide on how to install it, in HTG style. - Lifehacker’s Guide to Upgrading to Windows 7 RC
If you aren’t sure what to do or how to upgrade to the latest version, Lifehacker has a quick guide for you. - What’s New in the Windows 7 Release Candidate
Nice fancy screenshot tours of all the latest features, including all of the awesome new wallpapers. - IE8 Logs You Into Multiple Webmail Accounts
The File -> New Session feature in Internet Explorer 8 is actually a cool feature.
Latest Reviews at How-To Geek
Even more reviews posted this week, Mysticgeek has been hard at work!
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The Good: Free, lightweight easy to use interface with One-Click Maintenance. Several maintenance tools all in one suite. Fast scanning with automatic restore points |
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The Good: Easy to use, records high quality audio from any audio source sent into the PC. Offers full audio editing utility. |
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Wondershare Video Converter Platinum The Good: Fast conversion between most standard video formats, side by side video editing, support for HD |
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The Daily Articles
Just in case you missed them, here’s the list of daily articles from the week.
- Fix for VLC Skipping and Lagging Playing High-Def Video Files
- CodySafe is an Alternative to PortableApps
- Transform your XP Computer to a Modern Look
- Use Image Placeholders to Display Documents Faster in Word
- Geek Fun: Play Alien Arena the Free FPS Game
Editor’s Weekly Note
Some people have noticed that we’ve had a lack of great registry hacks lately, and nobody can even remember the last Linux article we posted. In the near future, we’re going to have a lot more how-to goodness coming your way. More writers, more content, and more awesome geekery. Stay tuned.
Got Feedback? Join the discussion at discuss.howtogeek.com
Comments (49)
Programmer by day, geek by night, The Geek, also known as Lowell Heddings, spends all his free time bringing you fresh geekery on a daily basis. You can follow him on Google+ if you'd like.
- Published 05/9/09
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
decodes as Stevehttp://www.howtogeek.com?/dude-you-totally-won/
http://www.howtogeek.com?/dude-you-totally-won/ hex to text
The sequence contains letters as well as numbers. None of the letters past the letter ‘F’ So I figured it must be a HEX (hexadecimal). The past the sequence thru a HEX 2 ASCII converter.
To get “http://www.howtogeek.com/dude-you-totally-won/?”
Now give me my prizes. (lol)
cute btw!
For the Week’s contest: this is the code for the first words & tune of Creedence Clearwaqter’s version of the song with the title: “I Put a Spell on You”
At present I am on the move but I guess it can be the hash output of a hashing algorithm with your clue “I put a spell on you…” as input.
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks! :)
http://www.howtogeek.com/dude-you-totally-won/
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
http://www.howtogeek.com/dude-you-tototally-won! … but I’m totally clueless -___-
Woohoo! I like thinking contests!
Also, I think Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
I haven’t tried the pepsi one, but I bet it does too.
http://www.howtogeek.com/dude-you-totally-won/
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
Hi,
the secret answer is Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
Well I feel a little bit like rain man, so here goes:
http://www.howtogeek.com
/dude-you-totally-won/
http://www.howtogeek.com/dude-you-totally-won/
Lets hope I am not too much of a geek!
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
I may be geeky, but also a little thick.
The answer is : Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
The numbers decode to:
http://www.howtogeek.com
/dude-you-totally-won/
http://www.howtogeek.com/dude-you-totally-won/
And if I had read the page I know I would have got it right first time LOL
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
Hocus Pocus
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
http://www.howtogeek.com/dude-you-totally-won/
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
Hocus-pocus
HocusPocus
the answer is
http://www.howtogeek.com/dude-you-totally-won/
i meant, the answer is at http://www.howtogeek.com/dude-you-totally-won/
and it is “Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!”
i’m just soo sleepy… nothing to drink coffee from :P
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
Hey! I got it…
Here goes the answer:
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
You guys are awesome.
Next time I clearly need to make the contest a little more difficult =)
I guess I have NO clue, so I won’t try to decode anything. Fun to watch the geeks do it, though
Man, am I slow. Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
Could I get a coffee mug anyway? I need one.
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
Good one. Waiting for the next one!!
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
from http://www.howtogeek.com/dude-you-totally-won/
I guess I’m not the forst one LOL! At least I have the pic of the mug :-)
http://www.howtogeek.com?/dude-you-totally-won/
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
http://www.howtogeek.com?/dude-you-totally-won/
http://www.howtogeek.com/dude-you-totally-won/
Sweet! You figured it out! Better leave a comment with the answer:
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
“I put a spell on you…” from Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
or should i say:
4d6f756e7461696e20446577205468726f776261636b205375636b732120 ;)
How the hell do you get Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
from=687474703a2f2f7777772e686f77746f6765656b2e636f6d
2f647564652d796f752d746f74616c6c792d776f6e2f ???
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
is the correct answer
Sweet! You figured it out! Better leave a comment with the answer:
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
Sweet! You figured it out! Better leave a comment with the answer:
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
http://www.howtogeek.com/dude-you-totally-won/
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
http://www.howtogeek.com/dude-you-totally-won/
Shame i am too late i really wanted a T and Mug
Mountain Dew Throwback Sucks!
(But “Voltage” ain’t bad!)
[ MESSAGE DIGEST / CHECK SUM ]
MD2: c37a6cb4f2dccc13ac70e072c9b5a057
MD4: 28a142e442ce83694dc00fcbf204a8e3
MD5: c5b9c4f4dd6631cb7d6f7637d080eebe
CRC 8, ccitt, 16, 32 :
CRYPT (form: $ MD5? $ SALT $ CRYPT):
$1$gQrUoeW9$RkHOS/k2aqeBA/vNSH9ta1
(form: SALT[2] CRYPT[11]):
ps6CqL1fX0jdk
SHA1: f54f3dfd382b2749b041824bd6a588ad67f8e5bd
RIPEMD-160:
df7028117818cea6ad238d4d8c286a21d312e002
Text : http://www.howtogeek.com/dude-you-totally-won/