Monday, December 29, 2014

How to recover some portion of your vacation costs?


“Carry is an online peer to peer marketplace that connects people who need to ship things with travelers who can carry packages for them.”



There are multiple reasons why people prefer to ship valuable items with people instead of using most convenient transportation means of mail, FedEx, else. Sometimes, that may be a matter of urgency and safety. In others, that may be attempt to beat unreasonably high taxation on shipped items, or overall dysfunctional mail transportation systems in particular countries.

Carry solves all of those pain points by connecting folks who are traveling with people who need things shipped. The two-sided marketplace allows travelers to post their trips and offer to be carriers or for people to post what they want brought to them. It is a win-win situation: people living overseas get their goods and folks traveling can make a little extra cash.

Carriers also get to set the price of each transaction, which the shippers agree to before the trip. They can also refuse to carry any item they are uncomfortable carrying and the site clearly stipulates what is and is not legal, according to both the TSA and USPS. Finally, all packages must be inspected by the carrier before they embark, in order to ensure that everything is there – and that there is not anything that should not be.

Items, being shipped via air, must comply with TSA Rules and Regulations found at http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/prohibited-items.

Items, being transported via rail, roadway, sea or any other means of transportation, other than air, should comply with the standards set forth by the US Postal Service at http://about.usps.com/publications/pub141/standard-prohibited-and-restricted-items.htm

Note that users must register via Facebook and submit requested information for a background check at Carry’s request.




Thursday, December 4, 2014

Print What you Like and How you Like

This service is simple, free, easy to learn and use, and nevertheless, extremely useful. In numerous occasions, we are printing tons of garbage from the web because we cannot remove unneeded clutter fast and easy.

PrintWhatYouLike lets you print the good parts of any web page while skipping ads and other junk.

Everything is done in three steps:
1. Enter URL.
2. Edit the page as you like.
3. Print it!



Extra features (optional):

* Install bookmarklet for any browser or Chrome extension and access the service with one click.

* Sign up for additional features: a) Save the changes you make to a page and automatically format other pages from the same site; b) Save snippets of pages and compile them together in one document for printing.

Website: http://www.printwhatyoulike.com/


Thursday, November 20, 2014

MeetingBurner - Fast, Free, and Convenient Video Conferences


Most businesses use video-conferencing to cut the costs of the employees travel and enhance the multi-locational teams’ cooperation. But, what if you can use the similar technology for personal needs? Like, discussing with all participants details of the coming party, or arranging the travel to the satisfaction of all gang members. Sounds good, and may sound even better, if you know that this service is FREE!


MeetingBurner is not just a great place to hold video conferences and online meetings (right in the browser – no downloads required), it is also good for hosting webinars, and sharing your screen. It includes Skype integration, conference lines, and one click recording and sharing (commercial account only). You will also get analytics for your meetings so that you can see how your guests interact with your content. It should not come as surprise that due to the fast loading time, set of features, easy-to-use interface, and good pricing (FOC) it is one of the most popular services for online meetings.

Free service limitation:
·         Number of participants 2 to 10.
·         Meeting recording is not available.
·         Recorded Meeting Sharing is not available.

Opening your account takes couple of minutes, and in couple of more minutes, you are ready to your first video conference.







Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Making Gmail a Better Place – Rapportive


Gmail is great, but there are numerous ways to make this experience even better. A free service, offered by Rapportive (acquired by LinkedIn in 2012) helps you to deal with the contacts the most efficient ways. Definitely, people who use their email addresses for a bit more than just conversations with close friends, will enjoy the most.

Rapportive allows you to see important information about your contacts right inside your inbox, not leaving the Gmail. As soon as you get email from seemingly unknown person, you get the additional information about the sender, helping you to decide the course of actions, is urgent response needed, and helping to create the most adequate response with minimum time and efforts.


Let’s say: You have got mail. Immediately, you can see:
* Who is this? See their happy smiling face.
* Where are they? See if they are nearby, and arrange to meet.
* What do they do? See their job, company, and LinkedIn profile.
* What do my apps say? See their activity in MailChimp and more.

Better information means better action:
* Establish rapport. Mention shared interests and recent tweets.
* Grow your network. Follow them on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and more.
* Store thoughts for later. Leave notes on their profile.



You can use your favorite apps inside Rapportive as well: MailChimp, Bantam Live, BatchBook, BookingBug, Brightpearl and CrunchBase.

Developers’ website: http://rapportive.com/


Thursday, October 16, 2014

Reverso - Check grammar and spelling for English texts


Check Spelling and Grammar


Free online tool Reverso allows you to correct the most cumbersome mistakes, with a high degree of accuracy and speed, and to improve your written English.

When several corrections are possible, you are prompted to choose one of them. There are cases when mistakes are skipped in order to limit the display of warnings or when the suggested corrections are not perfectly adapted to the context. Therefore, we advise you not to rely exclusively on the results delivered by our tool and to review the text yourself after the correction. To improve your English spelling, you can also consult the online grammar module and conjugator.


Additional Resources

Developers offer you several tools that will help you better understand and complete the corrections made to your texts. To use them, simply select a word or group of words from your text and launch the search in the dictionary, the conjugator, or our interactive grammar.


Additional Services

Reverso offers several additional service, related to other languages:




Wednesday, October 8, 2014

7 Online Places to Get Free Goods


You have something you do not need, but you want something, somebody else haves? You do not care if the stuff is used? Just short on money?

Why not try the free goods exchange sites before going to the discount or Goodwill store? Actually, these sites cannot be considered as exchange, because you have no obligations to give any goods in exchange of what you are getting.

We will present several Websites which will help you to get what you need.

1.       FreeCycle

The Freecycle Network is made up of 5,157 groups with 8,099,328 members around the world (at the moment of writing the post). It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by local volunteers. Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by entering it into the search box above or by clicking on 'Browse Groups' above the search box.



2.       ReUseIt Network

The ReUseIt Network is an on-line forum that serves as a tool to make connections between community members who want to help each other, themselves, and their environment. In a disposable society where many items are discarded long before they have actually outlived their use, The ReUseIt Network helps get things from people who have them but don't want them to people who want them but don't have them.

The primary goal is to find new uses for unwanted items that would otherwise be thrown into the trash. The primary benefit is that it reduces the amount of reusable items that end up in the trash with a secondary benefit of reducing the overall amount of items thrown into landfills. Reusing items not only cuts down on goods in landfills, but also helps reduce the strain on our natural resources by keeping useable items in circulation, reducing the need to manufacture additional goods.

The ReUseIt Network also provides an opportunity for those looking for an item to ask for it. Requests for items may jog the memory of someone who has an unused item stashed in the garage or basement waiting to be used. It is a great way to help get rid of those things which we may have forgotten, giving every member the chance to ReUseIt! All transactions must be free, legal, and family-friendly.


3.       TrashNothing

TrashNothing provides simplistic and user-friendly interface to all the Yahoo Groups, devoted to the free stuff exchange. There are actually thousands of locally run, grassroots freecycling mailing groups around the world, so in most cases it is fairly easy to find a local group in your neighborhood.

You can give and get almost anything on your local freecycling group. Some of the most common posts are for items such as old electronics, building materials, clothes and books.

Even things you might not consider reusable like cloth scraps, scratched CDs and broken appliances sometimes find homes with artists looking for materials or tinkerers looking for an interesting project or spare parts. Items you offer aren't expected to be in perfect condition as long as you accurately describe their condition when you offer them.

So next time you're cleaning out the garage, moving to a new place or about to throw something away, don't forget that someone on your local freecycling group might be able to use your unwanted stuff.



4.       EcoFreek

EcoFreek search engine aggregates and searches more than 50 websites for free items being given away. You can find free computers, household appliances, tools, and much more through the site.

Just post what you are looking for and your location.


5.       AnyGoodtoYou

Too many things that still have plenty on life left in them end up in landfill these days. This cost us all both environmentally and financially via local authority financial burden for landfill use.

You may personally impact positively the environment by reducing landfill, since every item re-homed potentially saves it from landfill. Reduce carbon emissions by reusing not recreating. Reduce needless consumerism (Why buy when you can reuse?) By finding new homes for things too good to throw away AGTY hopes to its bit to ensure a sustainable future, helping other to do the same along the way.


6.       SnaffleUp

SnaffleUp is a British recycling web site, making it easy for you to do your bit for the environment by putting items you no longer need back on the market.

You’ll be amazed at how many useful things you can pick up in your area for free at SnaffleUp – plus get alerts when something you’re on the lookout for becomes available.


7.       Freegle

Freegle is a British network of local groups where you can give stuff away when you want to get rid of it – but don’t want to throw it away because it still has some useful life left in it. Or if there’s something you’d like, perhaps someone has just what you need that they don’t want anymore.

Unwanted items are getting reused in their communities via our locally based volunteer run groups.  It’s free to sign up, then post a message with an OFFER of something you want to get rid of, or a WANTED message for something you need.

Monday, September 29, 2014

ProtonMail – Privacy over All


If you are really concerned over privacy and security of your personal data, you may find the encryption methods of all the most popular email providers as insufficient. Looking for secure email with absolutely no compromises, brought to you by MIT and CERN scientists? You found it!



Why ProtonMail?

* ProtonMail is incorporated in Switzerland and our servers are located in Switzerland. The service is outside of US and EU jurisdiction and user data is protected by strict Swiss data protection laws.

* Because of the end-to-end encryption, your data is already encrypted by the time it reaches the ProtonMail servers. Service provider cannot decrypt your encrypted messages and as result, they cannot share them with third parties. Messages are stored on ProtonMail servers in encrypted format. They are also transmitted in encrypted format between our server and users’ browsers. Messages between ProtonMail users are transmitted in encrypted form within our protected server network. Because data is encrypted at all steps, the risk of message interception is largely eliminated.

* ProtonMail works out of any modern web browser, there is nothing to install. The service definitely is also backwards compatible with other email providers so you can continue sending and receiving emails from friends who are not using ProtonMail.

* ProtonMail developers believe privacy is a fundamental human right and should be available for everyone. That's why they offer multi-tiered pricing including a free version that anyone can use.

* ProtonMail services do not keep permanent logs or require any personal information to sign up. They do not save any metadata such as the IPs used to connect to accounts, and also accept anonymous payment methods (such as Bitcoin) so even paid users have their privacy rights protected.

* Web-based service ProtonMail works on all devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. It's as simple as visiting our site and logging in. There are no plugins or apps to install - simply use your favorite web browser.

* You can set an optional expiration time on ProtonMail’s encrypted emails, so they will be automatically deleted from the recipient's inbox once they have expired. This works for both emails sent to other ProtonMail users, and encrypted emails sent to outside email addresses.

* ProtonMail was developed with a strong emphasis on usability. As a result, ProtonMail is extremely easy to use and does not require any learning curves for any level of the end-user computer literacy.

Service is in open beta, so you need to sign in and request invite. Supply your other working email address so you will get the email notification promptly as soon as you will be invited.


Saturday, September 20, 2014

PDFescape: free online PDF reader, editor, form filler and form designer

PDFescape can be useful to everyone who needs to deal with the PDF files and forms, working from any computer without special software needs and requirements.

Major Features

* Free Online PDF Reader
Open PDF documents natively in your web browser
Rotate & zoom PDF pages to preferred viewing style
Select text and copy PDF content to your clipboard
Search PDF text for terms & keywords with ease
Save, download, & print PDF documents
PDF thumbnail, bookmark, & link support

* Free Online PDF Editor
Add text, shapes, whiteout & more to PDF files
Crop, deskew, move, delete, & insert PDF pages
Create links to other PDF pages or web content
Change PDF information tags
Encrypt PDF contents using a password
Add images to PDF files
Sign PDF documents using your scanned signature

* Free PDF Form Filler
Fill out PDF forms using existing form fields or use text tool
PDF text, checkbox, radio, list, and drop down fields supported
Essential PDF field calculation and formatting supported
Basic PDF field styling properties supported
Quickly tab from field to field

* Free PDF Form Designer
Add new PDF form fields to any PDF file
Style PDF form fields (font, size, color, etc)
Modify existing PDF form fields

* Free PDF Annotator
Comment & markup PDF documents
Add & edit PDF annotations (sticky notes)
Highlight PDF contents

* Webmaster Tools
Free PDF linking to PDFescape
Direct ASP.NET integration*

* No Downloads or Installers
No software to download & install
No Adobe Flash or Microsoft Active X
No Adobe Reader required

* No strings or fine print
Not a trial — use PDFescape as often and as long as you like
No watermarks
No registration required
No fees for most features




Wednesday, September 17, 2014

3 Websites for Making Free Fake Calls - Caller ID Spoofing


Caller ID spoofing is the process of faking your identity, while making phone calls. There are many online services available, which offer no cost opportunities to make fake calls. With these websites, you can make calls to any phone number from any chosen phone number. In this post, we will present several services for your review.  

Warning: Use these websites only for educational purpose. These websites collect logs. If you use it for any illegal work, you will be responsible for any criminal charge you face.

Be aware that FCC Rules prohibit any person or entity from transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value and subject violators to a penalty of up to $10,000 for each violation of the rules.


1. CrazyCall.net

CrazyCall is the most popular website used for call spoofing. You can change your CallerID, so when you call someone he sees on his Caller ID display the number you selected. You can also change the pitch of your voice for deep and creepy or high and funny.

How is it done:
* Select the country you are calling from, choose the CallerID you want to display and enter the number you want to call.
* Press "Get me a code" and we will provide you with number to call and a code.
* Call the number
* Enter the code and we will connect your call to your friend with the CallerID and voice you have selected.


2. PrankOwl

PrankOwl service can bring a lot of fun to you and your friends, giving you an easy and free opportunity to send hilarious, automated sound prank calls to your friends and family all over the world. The call can be recorded allowing you to listen to the results! Note, however, that not all States are supported for the call recording (CA, CT, FL, IL, MA, MD, MI, MT, NH, NV, PA, or WA) due to the legal restrictions.

You also have a unique option to force two friends to unknowingly call each other and listen to the results with our Operator Prank feature!

And finally you can fake your caller ID and make the call appear as if it's coming from any number you want.


3. MyPhoneRobot

The frère service allows you to change your phone number and display any fake caller id for free (spoof call) at your friend’s caller ID.

The service limitations:
* Only in USA and Canada.
* Calls duration is limited to 60 seconds.
* Calls can be sent once on every 15 minutes.






Saturday, September 13, 2014

How to add subtitles to Public Videos?

Yesterday, I got request from one of my online pals to dub the YouTube clip with English subtitles, translating the Russian language comments during the clip. Looking for the easiest solution, I found free Overstream services, which I would like to share with you.

Overstream allows you to "overstream" videos from popular video sites, simply adding supplementary subtitles, commentary, and captions to them.

Using the online Overstream Editor, you can easily create subtitles for any online video, store them on the Overstream server, and send the link of your subtitled video overstream to your friends.

Currently, Overstream supports the following video providers: YouTube, Google Video, MySpace Video, Veoh, Blip.tv, Archive.org, and Vimeo.com.

Overstream supports all languages. However, in order to work, the language must be installed on the viewer's computer. If you write your overstream in Japanese, only those viewers who have Japanese installed will be able to see it properly. Most languages come already installed with your operating system, but some need to be installed explicitly.



Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Agomo - Optimize your computer from the cloud


Piriform is well known software developer, presented the famous CCleaner, Defraggler, Recuva, and Speccy to the general public.

The new free service, Agomo, brings CCleaner, Defraggler, and more to the cloud. So now you can clean up, optimize and monitor your computers wherever you are, using your browser. With Agomo, you can manage just 1 PC or a whole fleet.

While the Agomo service still in beta, you can submit your email and get invitation to try the service.



Main Features

* Optimize your computer from anywhere: clean locally or remotely, defrag your drives, and fix problems in the Windows Registry.
* Monitor your system View stats, components, memory, disk space and more.
* Get email warnings from Agomo on the performance alerts, like low disk space.
* Run or schedule your optimization with Agomo.
* Add and remove programs, and control your startup applications.
* View CPU load, memory usage, full disks and over a 100 more essential stats!



Friday, August 29, 2014

7 Easy Smartphone Photo Tips & Tricks


Lorenz Holder – young talented photographer from Munich – shares several easy-to-do but extremely impressive tricks, allowing converting your smartphone camera to much more – almost professional photography equipment.



Short Auto-Biography


I grew up in Munich, close to the Bavarian mountains, and it is those mountains that have always played a major role in my life. I was a semi-professional snowboarder back in the day, until I injured myself badly and I pretty much had to quit snowboarding for a whole season in 2003. In that time I discovered the pleasure of photography for myself.

I was fascinated by photos that could describe a whole scene, a whole story or even a whole day, in just one small moment caught on film. This fascination was one of the biggest motivations for me to start my career as a professional photographer.

Right now I work as senior photographer for Pleasure Snowboard Magazine and as a staff photographer for Nitro Snowboards. I travel pretty much the whole winter, always on the search for the best snow conditions and creative locations. I love shooting snowboarding in fresh, uncommon locations.

In my photos I like to show the viewers a different angle, something they normally wouldn’t notice, even if they were there at the scene. I might use colorful flashes, different camera angles or tilt and shift lenses – always trying to capture something a bit different. On the other hand, I also love the documentary style; simple black and white documentary is something very real.

Sources and Additional Information:

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Store and Share your Stream at Cloudup for Free!


Cloudup lets you instantly and securely stream videos, photos, music, links, and files to anyone. By simply dragging and dropping files or links to your account, you can share streams without waiting for uploads or downloads, and at no cost. Rock out to your favorite YouTube and Soundcloud links; share beautiful picture and video galleries; or send over top secret docs to your boss. It’s safe, secure, and flexible to suit your needs for work or play.

Every Cloudup user can add 1000 items, up to 200MB each, for free. Yep, that means up to about 200GB of free storage space depending on what you're streaming.

The Cloudup team is serious about security, which is why we use the finest Secure Socket Layer (SSL) and encryption protection methods out there. Cloudup stream URLs are not crawlable by search engines and will only be indexed in obscured results if they are shared in a public space (e.g. social media channels, your blog, etc.), and no one can view your password-protected streams without your permission.

By their own words:

Cloudup works on any browser and any operating system to make consumption truly universal. Here’s a nowhere-near exhaustive list of frustrating scenarios we’ve all experienced:

* Typically having a lot of clients is good thing, but it also means that you end up sharing files and links with people who use different operating systems, browsers, and applications. If you haven’t gotten an email or call from a client saying, “We can’t see the file” or “The attachment won’t open,” you are one in a million. Cloudup enables your clients to view everything – all the documents, spreadsheets, pictures, videos, and links you send them – right in their web browser.

* Getting software to work cross-platform is a headache. Let’s say you need to send your colleague a presentation and the 16-tab Excel model just as she hops on the train to go meet a partner with only her smartphone in hand. Without native software support, she sends an email response, “Sorry, can’t view these without my work computer.” Next time, be sure to stream all the presentation assets with a Cloudup link so she can actually view the files from anywhere, including her phone. With support for over 20 Microsoft Office and Open Office formats, Cloudup is the perfect way to share and view documents on-the-go.

* Ever have to wade through nested email threads to find attachments and links? Cloudup makes it easy to group all the docs, text, and links you need into editable streams. Make revisions, add new versions, and remove old archives, all in one place.

* So, your grandpa bought a shiny new tablet but doesn’t know how to sign up for apps. Since recipients don’t need a Cloudup account, he can still view your family picture stream right from his tablet – no signup necessary!

* For all of you who share video snippets, you’re in luck. We have solved the web’s biggest video struggle – transcoding. Cloudup lets you share and watch videos across browsers. Say goodbye to video downloading, extra steps and random video software. * Waiting for attachments to upload is the worst. Share Cloudup streams even before your files and links are uploaded, and add to them anytime.

* Basically, Cloudup is the most flexible, powerful way to stream and view anything, anywhere, for anyone – from web developers to architects to your parents.

Basic account for free, no setup, no credit card, instant access from the Web, phone, or Desktop.

Cloudup is still in closed Beta. Visit the site and reserve your account, entering your email address.

You should get your invite shortly.




Monday, August 18, 2014

How to Browse Internet not leaving a Trace?


Sometimes you need it…
Sometimes you realize you had to use it only after the case…
And it is not all about watching porn or checking the live erotic cameras…

Yes, I am referring to the so-called private browsing, or incognito mode.

To perform efficiently, web browsers learn your surfing habits, storing information on your hard drive, such as browsing history, images, videos, and text within cache. In contrast, the browser switched to the privacy mode, does not store such information for the selected browsing sessions. Privacy mode will also disable the storage of data in cookies and Flash cookies.

The simplest and fastest way to launch a window in private browsing mode, use these keyboard shortcuts for different browsers:
  • Chrome and Opera: Ctrl+Shift+N
  • Firefox, Internet Explorer: Ctrl+Shift+P
Here are the alternative ways to enable private browsing:

In Chrome, click on Chrome's main menu button, represented by three horizontal lines and circled in the example above. When the drop-down menu appears, select the choice labeled New incognito window.


* In Internet Explorer 10 click on the Gear icon, also known as the Action or Tools menu, located in the upper right hand corner of your browser window. When the drop-down menu appears, hover your cursor over the Safety option. A sub-menu should now appear, as shown in the example above. Click on the option labeled InPrivate Browsing.


* In Firefox, click on Tools in your Firefox menu, located at the top of your browser window. When the drop-down menu appears, scroll down and click on the Start Private Browsing choice.


* In Opera, click on Menu, located in the upper left hand corner of your browser window. When the drop-down menu appears, click on the option labeled Tabs and Windows.


* In Safari, click on the Gear icon, also known as the Action Menu, located in the upper right hand corner of your browser window. When the drop-down menu appears, select the option labeled Private Browsing...


Sources and Additional Information:

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

What to do if USB Flash Drive does not let you transfer files larger than 4GB?


If your brand new USB drive does not allow you to copy big files, the problem might not be in faulty unit, but in the preset formatting. Your flash drive might have the FAT-32 format, which is known by imposed file size limitations, not permitting you to transfer files larger than 4GB.

In order to remove such limitation, you will have to format your flash drive into the NTFS format.

Note that formatting will essentially erase all the existing files, located on your drive, so it is recommended to copy all the useful information before approaching the following procedure.

In order to format your USB thumb drive to NTFS, please follow the simple steps:
* Right click on “My Computer” and select “Manage”.
* Open the “Device Manager” and find the “USB drive” under the tab “Disk Drives”
* Right click the drive and select Properties.
* Choose “Policies” tab and select “Optimize for performance" option. Click OK.
* Open “My Computer”, Select “Format” on the flash drive.
* Choose “NTFS” in the “File System” dropdown menu.
* Wait for the format completion.


Note, that in some cases, you may need to perform the same operation - format the USB drive - for compatibility issues. All 64GB flash drive/removable drives use an exFAT file system, successor to FAT32 in the FAT family of file systems. However, some cameras and other electronic devices may NOT be compatible with the exFAT file system. Also, devices formatted using exFAT can NOT be read by any version of Windows prior to Windows XP.




Monday, July 21, 2014

How to find new music online?


If you ask Professor Google a question on how to find new music online, you will definitely get tons of suggestions. While all of them are quite legitimate, here is one great way to find new music from the blogosphere. The free service Noon Pacific creates a “mixtape” of up-and-coming songs, all picked by some of the most prominent music blogs on the Web, and delivers it every Monday at noon Pacific time. The interface is very simple and user friendly, representing a list of all the mixtapes, with this week’s addition at the top.

It’s the easiest way to hear the best 10 songs of the week, without having to dig through various blogs, reviews, and new tabs. Best of all, the mix is delivered to your inbox by email at Noon every Monday, so all you have to do is press play. Note that you will have to subscribe via email to receive notification when new material is available. That is optional however, since you can enjoy the service without need to register or sign in.



Creator: Clark Dinnison, Hermosa Beach, California

Monday, July 14, 2014

6 Free services allowing sending anonymous emails without registration

Sometimes you just need to send emails fast, easy, and without spending time and efforts on registration and login. In some cases, you may not even need to receive any feedback from recipient. That might be for the cases when you register your account, but do not plan to receive any communication from the particular service.

Here are 6 services that is essentially a form where you put in details of the email you want to send. Or you want to remain anonymous and do not want to get tracked by the mail recipient. Note that depending on the service below, you might not be able to get back the response from recipient, so look carefully and find a suitable offer, covering your particular needs…

1. AnonymousEmail

Here you will find only a simple form to fill in the receiver’s address, subject and the email content (you can also attach a file to the email if necessary). You may also get a reply with this service, if you provide a reply-to email address, otherwise this is a one-way ticket to sending an anonymous email. If you leave the From (email) field empty, service will replace it with a random address @anonymousemail.us that will forward for you all replies, and protect your real identity.


2. 5ymail 

Send and receive beautifully formatted messages using its rich-text editor without revealing your true self. You will have to give up a real email to receive your 5ymail inbox credentials. You may use the file attachment feature.


3. W3 Anonymous Remailer

The free anonymous email project is a part of the broader efforts of the George Mason Society and the Global Internet Liberty Campaign. You may send anonymous emails to anyone. You only need to enter the receiver’s email address, subject and the message for the email. There is no option to enter your own address (real or fake) or attach any files to the message.


4. Send Anonymous Email

SendAnonymousEmail is one more site, with a plain and simple interface to enter the sender and receiver’s address, subject and message. No other details are required to send emails with this, and no attachments are available. Note that the IP addresses are logged in the site records to prevent customers to get involved in the illegal activities.


5. Emkei’s Mailer

Emkei’s Mailer is a free online instant mailer with attachments, encryption, HTML editor and advanced settings…


6. Anonymail

Anonymail is one more service allowing to send anonymous email with basic features, as CC and BCC, attachment, and choosing the priority, as in full-features email agents.


Tuesday, July 8, 2014

3 Best Free Online Timers to Improve your Efficiency


Some of my blog posts are initiated by my personal needs. The post is related the essential need to find a free online timer which will inform me on the particular time intervals with visual alarm. Here is Toggle Blog post, presenting several good services offering you different sets of features online. Time Tab is the service I have selected, but your need might require a different solution.

Toggl

Toggl Online Timer is recommended if:

* Your main goal is finishing the job at hand and moving on to another pre-defined task.
* You want to analyze your overall efficiency over a longer period of time.

Toggl is not just great for tracking your billable hours or creating time-sheets. When you start the timer and specify the task, it will keep you focused and determined to finish it. The added bonus with Toggl is that you will have all this tracked time saved on your account and you can always log back in and see charts, reports or create time-sheets with it.



Tomato Timer

Tomato Timer is recommended if:

* Your work is routine and you don’t have many different tasks to work on.
* You tend to procrastinate too much and the productive time is too low.

Tomato Timer is based on the Pomodoro technique that requires you to break up the workday into 25-minute chunks of productive time. After the 25-minutes is up, you get a short break and then the cycle starts again. This online timer will alert you when the 25-minutes or the break time is up.



Timer Tab

Timer Tab is recommended if:

* You need to discipline yourself to finish your tasks in less time than usual.
* You are able to estimate your tasks’ ideal duration.

This simple countdown timer let’s you decide how much time you are willing to spend on a task. You set the countdown duration and when the time is up, it will alert you. By this time, you should be finished with the task at hand and estimate the next countdown duration for the next task.






Thursday, July 3, 2014

International phone-to-phone calls, which are really FREE


Make holiday calls to family and friends overseas at no charge with Freephone2phone.com. The service gives you 10 minutes of free talk time to more than 60 countries. The process is simple: just find your local access number on the website and dial it. After listening to a short ad, your call will be connected. A beep lets you know when your time is up. Calls can be placed from a landline or cell phone. 



How to use the service?

* Verify the country you are going to call is on the list.
* Find your local phone number on the list.
* Dial any telephone number (landline) in the allowed destinations, using the standard USA dialing sequence. You will pay for a local call as you would normally do with your phone carrier.
* Listen to short (10-12 seconds) ad.
* Talk to the recipient. The call recipient receives a normal call from you (no ad on their side).
* Listen for short beeps 30 seconds before your call is disconnected.

Limitations

* You can make an unlimited number of calls to any number during a day using Freephone2phone. However, our intention is not for you to make a full 10-minute call, hang up, then call back the same number and speak for another full 10 minutes over and over. For this reason, if you make, say, an 8-minute call (or more than 5 minutes) to a number, you can then make two more 6-minute calls to that number for the rest of that day. You can still call make 10-minute calls to other numbers during that day.
* No sign up is required. However, if you don't live in the US, you cannot use Freephone2phone.
* In some countries, 10-minute calls were limited to 5 minutes each due to routing capacity (consult to the list).
* Cell phone users: DO NOT PRESS "SEND" when you enter a destination number or your cell provider will charge you! Just dial the number on the system and you will be connected.
* All calls using Freephone2phone must originate in the US. If you travel outside the US, you should not use your US-based cellular phone to reach Freephone2phone. Your US mobile provider will charge you a roaming fee if you use Freephone2phone outside your standard coverage area.




Wednesday, July 2, 2014

How you can create entirely new identity for yourself?


The free online service - Fake Name Generator - creates entire fake identities including name, address, email, phone number, birthday, mother's maiden name, credit card, and SSN. If you need to shape your new identity to the particular character you are keeping in mind, you can customize your character's sex and name origin (nationality). The Fake Name Generator can be useful in light of situations described in the FNG FAQ.

  • Quality test data can be hard to come by, especially with laws (such as HIPAA) preventing use of real data. We can quickly and affordably generate test data to help you develop your application.
  • Many websites, such message boards, are poorly designed, making it difficult for visitors from foreign countries to sign up for accounts. Using fake information, you can easily fill out the sign up forms and log in to the site.
  • Use fake information when filling out forms to avoid giving out personal information.
  • Generate a false identity to use as your pseudonym on the internet. This allows you to keep your real life and your internet life separate.

According to FNG, all the data set you get is absolutely fake and any matches to your personal, or anyone else, personal information are purely coincidental.

Here is the sample of the generated profile, the service offered me:



Note that the email, given to you, is a working one, redirecting you to the Fake Mail Generator - free disposable email system. Enter your email address into any form on a website that requires email verification, and when the email is received it will pop up instantly on the Fake Mail Generator page. It offers several generic domain names—and even country-specific domains!—to make it easier to get past pesky domain blocks.




Monday, June 16, 2014

How to use PayPal to send money to somebody, who does not have PayPal account?

With PayPal, you can send money to anyone with an email address by simply signing up for a PayPal account. When you are logged into your account, click the Send Money tab. Then enter your recipient's email address or phone number, and the amount you would like to send.



With PayPal you can send payments in one of these currencies:
* Canadian Dollars
* Euros
* British Pounds
* U.S. Dollars
* Japanese Yen
* Australian Dollars
* New Zealand Dollars
* Swiss Francs
* Hong Kong Dollars
* Singapore Dollars
* Swedish Kronor
* Danish Kroner
* Polish Zlotys
* Norwegian Kroner
* Hungarian Forints
* Czech Koruny
* Israeli Shekels
* Mexican Pesos
* Brazilian Real (only for Brazilian members)
* Malaysian Ringgits (only for Malaysian members)
* Philippine Pesos
* New Taiwan Dollars
* Thai Baht
* TRY for Turkish Liras (only for Turkish members)
* Russian Ruble



As soon as the money is sent, recipient will receive email or text message about the funds delivery. If the recipient is not yet registered with PayPal this email or text message will explain in details on how to open an account and receive the transaction.

If you send money to someone without a PayPal account, it's possible that the recipient won't sign up and claim the money. This can happen, for instance, if the recipient confuses PayPal's "You've got cash" email with unsolicited spam. Also, many people feel uneasy about signing up for a service like PayPal, thinking that they might be charged a bunch of fees or that they'll be victimized if they share their financial information over the Internet. For this reason, you might need to reassure skittish payees before sending them money with PayPal.

If, for whatever reason, the recipient doesn't sign up and claim the payment within 30 days, PayPal will return the funds to your account (or refund your credit card, if that's how you funded the payment). PayPal will also reverse the payment if you try to send a credit card-funded payment to a Personal account and the recipient doesn't upgrade to a Business or Premier account within 30 days to accept the payment. Either way, you can try to resend the money, but your best bet is to contact the recipient separately via email to ensure you have the right email address and that they understand what they need to do to get the money.




Thursday, June 12, 2014

Picozu - Comprehensive Online Photo Editor with Twist


Picozu is an online drawing and photo retouching application based on HTML5 and CSS3. The application provides you with an easy yet complex way to edit your photos, draw using various brushes, filters, layers and explore a number of editing tools such as color fill, magic eraser or freehand selection.

Picozu helps you to create charts, collages, demotivators or memes, even generate fractals in just a few easy steps. You can use Picozu with your favorite social media website and edit your profile and album photos. Picozu is the perfect application for everyone that wants to enhance their photos or draw from scratch, as it offers you all the editing options that you need, making the editing process easy and fun. And FREE!

Picozu invites all internet users to join its community for free. There are no subscription requirements and the user can edit as many or as few images as they want. Visitors can explore images without an account, however an account is needed to access all available features. The user is not required to make any purchases and can use Picozu as often as they like.



Main Features

* Built entirely on HTML5, no more pesky Flash
* Rich drawing capabilities, multiple tools and brushes
* Image retouching functions
* Import Adobe Photoshop PSD files and edit them, layers included
* Import and apply Adobe Photoshop curves and color swatches
* Save your work as PNG, JPEG, TIFF or Bitmap images, Adobe PS or PDF as well as Picozu image or workspace
* Multiple images opened in the workspace
* New and streamlined UI
* Dynamic color swatches
* Social media integration
* Import / export images from / to Facebook, Dropbox, Skydrive, Google Drive, Flickr and many more.






Monday, June 9, 2014

Mosaically – Surprise your friends with professional Mosaic, made with their pictures


Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other material (Wikipedia).

In general terms, mosaic creation is a very fine, elaborate, and complicated process, requiring professional knowledge and taking the significant amount of time. However, with digital imaging fast development, it is very easy to create mosaic from your picture, imposing the related filter, which is usually available in most freeware and commercial pictures’ editors.

However, what if you want to put mosaic creation on the next level, when the small pieces of mosaic, creating a big picture, are not some kind of patterns, but actually multiple small pictures, combined together in highly professional artistic way.

If you do not have software for that on your computer, you have Internet, where you can find the related available service.

Thus, today, I am presenting high-quality online services from Mosaically. This is a free service which will help you to create your piece of art with no professional knowledge and in matter of minutes.
               


How it works

Pick up the big picture that you will use as the main background outline. Then add multiple small pictures, that will actually create you mosaic patterns. Then click "Create Photo Mosaic".  That’s all!

Technical Recommendations

* For best result, pick not very complicated big picture and crop it to select the winning area. Then, add as many small pictures as possible, whoever it is better if they have more or less similar color patterns as your big picture has, and crop them too if the default center crop does not look good to you.

To crop your pictures click on the picture you want crop, then, select your crop area, and click on crop. You may also perform other operations like rotating the picture, or removing it from your mosaic.

* You can customize your mosaic, like choosing the size of your small pictures, and what level of colorization and superimposition to apply to your mosaic.

* Interesting feature allows other people to add their own their own pictures to your mosaic, or let them remix their own mosaic based on your mosaic. However, you have the power of decision making since photos, added by others, can be activated only after you approve them.

* If you are reluctant to share your pictures to the open world, you can make your mosaic private so that no one but you can view it.

Sharing

* As the mosaic is ready, you can share your high resolution, zoomable photo montage online with your friends and family for free.

* You can also embed your high resolution, zoomable photo mosaic on your own website or blog for free.

Downloading and printing

* You can download high resolution JPG image file of your photo mosaic just for $29. It's about 18,000 x 18,000 pixels resolution, and about 50MB in size.

* You can print it as large as 5 by 5 foot, and still see your small pictures in sharp detail. When printing at a local print shop, ask that they print it at full resolution and not downsample it.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Free, Fast, and Painless Photos Sharing


Sometimes, you need to share photos fast, on the go, without using permanent accounts, and with no intentions to keep them after sharing. Free service Share.Pho.To will work for you like a charm.

Main Features:

* No registration needed
Share photos the quickest way possible, without going through the registration process.

* Upload multiple photos at once
Save your time by uploading and sharing several photos at one time!

* Edit photo on the go
Edit this photo set (add, remove or rearrange images, add captions).

* Short and intuitive URLs
Get short image links starting with an intuitive URL address http://pho.to.
Get code to embed your images to the web pages and blogs.
Easily share to the major social networks: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Google plus.

* Share everywhere
Instantly share entire photo set or any single image in it and copy embed codes you need.

* Mobile applications
For cross-platforms sharing, use Android and iOS mobile applications.

* Multi-language interface
Choose among multiple languages on the web page for convenience: English, Russian, Spanish, German, French, or Italian.



Tuesday, May 6, 2014

How to prevent your computer from being infected by ransomware Crypto Virus?


This warning came through our Corporate Security. It is real, and this Trojan malware is on the raise. Beware!


What is CryptoLocker? 

CryptoLocker or Crypto virus is a ransom-ware Trojan that targets Microsoft Windows systems. This Trojan encrypts the victim’s hard-drive and holds it for ransom. There is no guarantee that the contents of the hard drive will be recoverable if the ransom gets paid. The first recorded instance of this kind of virus attack was in September 2013 with several known variants existing today.

How it propagates?

Typically, the CryptoLocker attack comes from a legitimate looking email attachment or a link enticing the recipient to double-click it. If the user opens the attachment or link, this malware encrypts selected files stored on local or mounted network drives, with the private key stored only on the malware's control servers. The malware then displays a pop-up message offering to decrypt the data only if a ransom is paid by a deadline either through a pre-paid voucher or Bitcoin. This is invariably accompanied by a threat to delete the private key if the deadline passes and no payment is received. If the deadline is not met, the malware offers to decrypt data via an online service provided by the malware's operators, for a significantly higher price in Bitcoin.

What happening?

CryptoLocker is a ransomware program that was released around the beginning of September 2013 that targets all versions of Windows including Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8. This ransomware will encrypt certain files using a mixture of RSA & AES encryption. When it has finished encrypting your files, it will display a CryptoLocker payment program that prompts you to send a ransom of either $100 or $300 in order to decrypt the files. This screen will also display a timer stating that you have 72 hours, or 4 days, to pay the ransom or it will delete your encryption key and you will not have any way to decrypt your files. This ransom must be paid using MoneyPak vouchers or Bitcoins. Once you send the payment and it is verified, the program will decrypt the files that it encrypted.

When you first become infected with CryptoLocker, it will save itself as a random named filename to the root of the %AppData% or %LocalAppData% path. It will then create one of the following autostart entries in the registry to start CryptoLocker when you login:

KEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "CryptoLocker"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce "*CryptoLocker"
KEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "CryptoLocker_<version_number>"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce "*CryptoLocker_<version_number"

The infection will also hijack your .EXE extensions so that when you launch an executable it will attempt to delete the Shadow Volume Copies that are on the affected computer. It does this because you can use shadow volume copies to restore your encrypted files. The command that is run when you click on an executable is:

"C:\Windows\SYsWOW64\cmd.exe" /C "C:\Windows\Sysnative\vssadmin.exe" Delete Shadows /All /Quiet

The .EXE hijack in the Registry will look similar to the following. Please note that registry key names will be random.

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe]
@="Myjiaabodehhltdr"
"Content Type"="application/x-msdownload"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe\PersistentHandler]
@="{098f2470-bae0-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Myjiaabodehhltdr]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Myjiaabodehhltdr\DefaultIcon]
@="%1"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Myjiaabodehhltdr\shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Myjiaabodehhltdr\shell\open]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Myjiaabodehhltdr\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Users\\User\\AppData\\Local\\Rlatviomorjzlefba.exe\" - \"%1\" %*"

Once the infection has successfully deleted your shadow volume copies, it will restore your exe extensions back to the Windows defaults.

The infection will then attempt to find a live Command & Control server by connecting to domains generated by a Domain Generation Algorithm. Some examples of domain names that the DGA will generate are lcxgidtthdjje.org, kdavymybmdrew.biz, dhlfdoukwrhjc.co.uk, and xodeaxjmnxvpv.ru. Once a live C&C server is discovered it will communicate with it and receive a public encryption key that will be used to encrypt your data files. It will then store this key along with other information in values under the registry key under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\CryptoLocker_0388. Unfortunately, the private key that is used to decrypt the infected files is not saved on the computer but rather the Command & Control server.

CryptoLocker will then begin to scan all physical or mapped network drives on your computer for files with the following extensions: *.odt, *.ods, *.odp, *.odm, *.odc, *.odb, *.doc, *.docx, *.docm, *.wps, *.xls, *.xlsx, *.xlsm, *.xlsb, *.xlk, *.ppt, *.pptx, *.pptm, *.mdb, *.accdb, *.pst, *.dwg, *.dxf, *.dxg, *.wpd, *.rtf, *.wb2, *.mdf, *.dbf, *.psd, *.pdd, *.pdf, *.eps, *.ai, *.indd, *.cdr, *.jpg, *.jpe, *.jpg, *.dng, *.3fr, *.arw, *.srf, *.sr2, *.bay, *.crw, *.cr2, *.dcr, *.kdc, *.erf, *.mef, *.mrw, *.nef, *.nrw, *.orf, *.raf, *.raw, *.rwl, *.rw2, *.r3d, *.ptx, *.pef, *.srw, *.x3f, *.der, *.cer, *.crt, *.pem, *.pfx, *.p12, *.p7b, *.p7c. When it finds files that match one of these types, it will encrypt the file using the public encryption key and add the full path to the file and the filename as a value under the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\CryptoLocker_0388\Files Registry key.

When it has finished encrypting your data files it will then show the CryptoLocker screen as shown above and demand a ransom of either $100 or $300 dollars in order to decrypt your files. This ransom must be paid using Bitcoin or MoneyPak vouchers. It also states that you must pay this ransom within 96 hours or the private encryption key will be destroyed on the developer's servers.

How to avoid the attack?

* Back up your data. The single biggest thing that will defeat ransomware is having a regularly updated backup. If you are attacked with ransomware you may lose that document you started earlier this morning, but if you can restore your system to an earlier snapshot or clean up your machine and restore your other lost documents from backup, you can rest easy. Remember that Cryptolocker will also encrypt files on drives that are mapped. This includes any external drives such as a USB thumb drive, as well as any network or cloud file stores that you have assigned a drive letter. So, what you need is a regular backup regimen, to an external drive or backup service, one that is not assigned a drive letter or is disconnected when it is not doing backup.
* Whether using your email, do not double-click on attachments/links from unknown sources.
* If you receive an email from a trusted source, scrutinize the email and be cautious about clicking on any attachments or links.
* Be careful with email that has been classified as junk.
* Be on the look-out for any attachments that have a double-extension, such as attachment.pdf.exe. Enable the option “Show hidden file-extensions” to see the full file-extension, as it can be easier to spot suspicious files.
* Be cautious when visiting all external websites.  Malware originates from websites that appear legitimate.
* Disable files running from AppData/LocalAppData folders. You can create rules within Windows or with Intrusion Prevention Software, to disallow a particular, notable behavior used by Cryptolocker, which is to run its executable from the App Data or Local App Data folders. If (for some reason) you have legitimate software that you know is set to run not from the usual Program Files area but the App Data area, you will need to exclude it from this rule.
* Disable RDP. The Cryptolocker/Filecoder malware often accesses target machines using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), a Windows utility that allows others to access your desktop remotely. If you do not require the use of RDP, you can disable RDP to protect your machine from Filecoder and other RDP exploits.

What to do if your computer is infected?

* Despite the virus’s warning not to “disconnect from the Internet or turn off the computer,” this is exactly what you should do immediately. Unplugging your computer may save some of your files, if the virus is still in the process of infecting them.
* Use System Restore to get back to a known-clean state. If you have System Restore enabled on your Windows machine, you might be able to take your system back to a known-clean state. But, again, you have to out-smart the malware. Newer versions of Cryptolocker can have the ability to delete “Shadow” files from System Restore, which means those files will not be there when you try to to replace your malware-damaged versions. Cryptolocker will start the deletion process whenever an executable file is run, so you will need to move very quickly as executables may be started as part of an automated process. That is to say, executable files may be run without you knowing, as a normal part of your Windows system’s operation.
* If you do have a backup, it’s time to wipe your computer of the virus, and restore from the drive image.
* Paying or not paying the ransom is up to you, but there were some reports that even paying the ransom did not help to unlock the files.
* Set the BIOS clock back. Cryptolocker has a payment timer that is generally set to 72 hours, after which time the price for your decryption key goes up significantly. (The price may vary as Bitcoin has a fairly volatile value. At the time of writing the initial price was .5 Bitcoin or $300, which then goes up to 4 Bitcoin). You can “beat the clock” somewhat, by setting the BIOS clock back to a time before the 72 hour window is up. Note that it might only delay the “execution”, but you may need to have more time to decide how to deal with situation.
* It is not advised that you remove the infection from the %AppData% folder until you decide if you want to pay the ransom. If you do not need to pay the ransom, simply delete the Registry values and files and the program will not load anymore. You can then restore your data via other methods.
* It is important to note that the CryptoLocker infection spawns two processes of itself. If you only terminate one process, the other process will automatically launch the second one again. Instead use a program like Process Explorer and right click on the first process and select Kill Tree. This will terminate both at the same time.

Is it possible to decrypt files encrypted by CryptoLocker?

Unfortunately at this time there is no way to retrieve the private key that can be used to decrypt your files without paying the ransom. Brute forcing the decryption key is not realistic due to the length of time required to break the key. Also any decryption tools that have been released by various companies will not work with this infection. The only method you have of restoring your files is from a backup or Shadow Volume Copies if you have System Restore enabled.

Will paying the ransom actually decrypt your files?

Paying the ransom will start the decryption process of the CryptoLocker infection. When you pay the ransom you will be shown a screen stating that your payment is being verified. Reports from people who have paid this ransom state that this verification process can take 3-4 hours to complete. Once the payment has been verified, the infection will start decrypting your files. Once again, it has been reported that the decryption process can take quite a bit of time.

Be warned, that there have been some reports that the decryption process may give an error stating that it can't decrypt a particular file. At this point we have no information as how to resolve this. Visitors have reported that the infection will continue to decrypt the rest of the files even if it has a problem with certain files.

What to do if your anti-virus software deleted the infection files and you want to pay the ransom!

As many anti-virus programs would delete the CryptoLocker executables after the encryption started, you would be left with encrypted files and no way to decrypt them. Recent versions of CryptoLocker will now set your Windows wallpaper to a message that contains a link to a decryption tool that you can download in case this happens. There are numerous reports that this download will not double-encrypt your files and will allow you to decrypt encrypted files.

How to prevent?

CryptoPrevent

CryptoPrevent is a tiny utility to lock down any Windows OS (XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 8.1) to prevent infection by the Cryptolocker malware. Incidentally, due to the way that CryptoPrevent works, it actually protects against a wide variety of malware, not just Cryptolocker! CryptoPrevent is completely FREE for personal and commercial usage.



Cryptolocker Prevention Kit

The SMBKitchen Crew and Third Tier staff have put together a group materials that were published as part of our SMBKitchen Project and only available to subscribers. However because this virus is spreading so rapidly and is so serious they have decided to make these materials available to everyone.

The kit includes an article on cleaning up after infection but more importantly provides materials and instruction for deploying preventative block using software restriction policies. The articles provide instruction for installing them via GPO on domain computers and terminal servers, and non-domain joined machines too.

The kit can be downloaded as a single packaged ZIP from the link: http://www.thirdtier.net/downloads/CryptolockerPreventionKit.zip

CryptoLocker Prevention Kit by Pearl Computer

A kit compiled by Pearl Computer is also a tool for preventing the CryptoLocker virus from infecting your servers and workstations.




Sources and Additional Information:
http://www.wintips.org/how-to-remove-cryptolocker-ransomware-and-restore-your-files/



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