Tech Tips for Catholics

Every Friday I post the top 5 favorite blogposts that I’ve come across throughout the week.  You have all weekend now to check them out : )

1. Women Arrested for Virtual Murder!
2. Microsoft Windows 7: Some great features which are expected
3. Wikipedia and the Meaning of Truth
4. The Lazy Blogger’s Guide to Finding Great Post Images
5. Do you have a list?

If you have a blogpost that you would like to share with me feel free to contact Catholic Tech Tips and I will get it.

Have a great weekend!

Joshua

I was fortunate enough to attend World Youth Day 2008 this past summer in Sydney, Australia. Unfortunately, I lost my Apple IPod while I was there!

Once I arrived back in the States, I hopped on to my favorite website to buy gadgets…Ebay…and started looking for an IPod Touch.

Eventually, I won a brand new 32GB version complete with a software upgrade for about $410 with shipping included. (This model retails for $499 on Apple.com.)

I have had my IPod for about four months now and can say positively that I love it. It’s sleek and stylish and has a multitude of new features the other IPod models could only dream of.

Pros:

1. It’s pretty (like all Apple products.)

2.  The program features are similar to that of an Apple computer: Safari, Stocks, Mail, Photos, Calendar, Contacts, Weather, Youtube, etc. You can also add additional applications free of charge from ITunes.  I have added a Facebook application as well as various movie applications such as for show times and trailers.

3.  There are more ways to get to what you want faster. Instead of always pressing the back button like on an IPod Classic, the IPod Touch has a bottom menu in the music application to easily select playlists, artists, songs, albums, and “more” options which leads to another menu for genres, podcasts, etc.

4.  The IPod Touch has two design options. If kept upright as in the photo above the text reads vertically.  However, if turned to the side the entire face of the screen flips horizontally. This is especially useful if reading a website on the Safari application or watching a video stored on the device or through the YouTube application. If you’re listening to music it also feels way more “gadgety” to flip through the albums like so:

Cons:

1. The IPod must be completely still to switch in between vertical and horizontal faces. If you’re on the treadmill at the gym, this can be difficult.

2. The headphones plug in at the bottom of the IPod. This isn’t really a bad thing, it was just strange to get used to as all of the other IPod models are the opposite way.

3. And then there’s the Wi-Fi connection… In order to use Safari or an application that needs the internet like Facebook or Google maps, you must be near a wireless internet connection.  Being that I live in a major city (Los Angeles) I find that it’s not difficult at all to find a wireless connection, even if I’m driving through a neighborhood. I’ve even pulled over in my car when lost to use the maps application. However, if you live in a rural area, this scheme might not work for you.

All in all, I love my IPod Touch and would totally save it if my dorm caught on fire. It’s pretty expensive, but in the end it’s like a small computer, which can be handy in a number of situations. I am still a committed Apple Macintosh fan and hope you are too.

Pax Christi, Rebecca.

Do not be led astray: “Bad company corrupts good character.” - 1 Corinthians 15:33

Many of you were too young to have owned the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), but if you do remember the original Nintendo, then you may remember the Game Genie. This little device would attach to most NES game cartridges and came with a book of various cheat codes.

Back then, most games didn’t have cheat codes scripted into the games themselves (with the exception of Life Force, Contra and a few others).  Anywho, my friends and I would stay up all night mixing the codes to see what would happen.  We would take the first letters of one code and the last letters of another code, put a code in opposite order, or whatever else we thought might work.  Sometimes it would work and sometimes it would not, but when it did work it was pretty awesome!  We actually turned all the bad dudes on Super Mario Bros. into King Koopas!

I wish I still had all of our codes written down.  We didn’t have blogs back then. You had to write into gaming magazines if you wanted to share gaming tips.  Here is a compendium of official Game Genie codes for the Nintendo.

If you have an old Nintendo (NES) and can find a Game Genie on eBay, you can try it for yourself.  Be sure to share your results with us.

Below are some related links to this topic:

• Super Mario Bros. Game Genie Codes (YouTube Video)
• Super Mario Bros. 8-bit Graphic Decals for Your Interior Decor

Every Friday I post the top 5 favorite blogposts that I’ve come across throughout the week.  You have all weekend now to check them out : )

1. Top #20 Holiday Games of 2008
2. Google 2001: Blast from the Past! (this is pretty cool)
3. Preaching To The Choir
4. Mmmmmmmm…Cold Pizza…
5. What to do about spiritual sloth?

If you have a blogpost that you would like to share with me feel free to contact Catholic Tech Tips and I will get it.

Have a great weekend!

Joshua

Even though I rarely log onto Facebook anymore, here is a nice application I noticed on a friend’s page.  It is the Blog Networks App.  If you have a blog of your own, this may be a good way to widen your reader base.

After you have activated this app you can…

• Search for your favorite blogs on the Blog Networks. (someone may have already added them)
• Add Catholic Tech Tips to your list of fave’s. Thanks! : )
• Add any of your favorite blogs not already in the Blog Networks and help them gain exposure.

This is what it will look like if you add your list to your profile page.

Below are some related links to this topic:

• How Do you Establish a Reader Base for your Blog or Website?
• 10 Effective Ways to Get More Blog Subscribers

Upload, Share, Connect, and Explore, all in HD!

I found out about Vimeo a few weeks ago from a techy, Orthodox Christian.  He recently posted some videos of a Fr. Daniel’s ordination into the Orthodox priesthood.  This was the first time I’ve seen an Orthodox ordination so it is kind of neat to see.  And if you have not been to a Catholic ordination, I would encourage you to attend one.  They are quite beautiful, and it is good to support & pray for our newly ordained priests.

Catholic Christians have a lot in common with our Orthodox brothers and sisters in Christ.  Keep praying for further unity among the East and the West!

Okay, back to Vimeo!  : )  Vimeo has been a family-safe alternative to YouTube since 2004.  The name “Vimeo” is a mix between the words “video” and “movie.” (I knew you were wondering : )  Vimeo has a simple interface, an easy uploader, and the option to let viewers download your original file (up to 500MB).  With Vimeo, there is a 500MB weekly, upload limit, but you can spread that out between videos.  They do offer Vimeo Plus+ for those who need 2GB per week.

Just last month Vimeo reached 100,000 HD video uploads, making Vimeo the largest repository of high definition video anywhere in the world!

Below are some related links to online video sharing:

• Vimeo 101: The Basics
• YouTube “Alternatives”
• How to add a YouTube Video in StBlogs

Also, check out Vimeo Toys in your free time!

Before I share with you some of the most fun games for the Nintendo GameCube, I want to tell you about a great website to help parents and young gamers alike determine which games are appropriate and fun.  The website is called Jorim’s List and I was just informed this week that he added a forum for gamers or parents of gamers to ask questions concerning games, discuss games, make comments or suggestions about his site, write your own reviews, etc. If you’re at all interested, then please join : )

Now onto the fun list of party games for the Nintendo GameCube!
These are the games that our friends and we really enjoy playing together:

Mario Party (series)
When I first met Shanon, the girl who would later become my wife, and her family would invite me over for some intense games of Mario Party (now this was for the Nintendo 64, but the games have since continued on into other platforms).  Mario Party is really a virtual, board game style game with a  ton of mini-games within it.  We still love playing the older Mario Parties as much as we do the newer ones!

Super Monkey Ball (series)
A friend of mine introduced me to the first Monkey Ball a few years back and it was so different, and not to mention cute, that I had to get it!  The Monkey Ball concept is quite simple.  You are a monkey inside of a ball : )  Monkey Ball offers great competitive challenges from racing - to - flying and landing on targets below - to - miniature golf - to - monkey bowling - to - billiards - to - obstacle courses (similar to the old Marble Madness games).  Monkey Ball is great!

Worms 3D
This game is not your average war game.  Never has war been so funny?  Now, before you start to get mad and call me a “warmonger” - hear me out!  [PeTA people stop reading] In the game of Worms,  you control cartoon worms armed with personality and some pretty heavy artillery: uzis, grenades, air-strikes, homing pigeons, flying sheep, and old ladies.  Oh my!  For those who have played the 2D versions of Worms and are wondering if the transition to 3D was a wise choice.  I can tell you that Worms 3D is even more fantastic than the 2D versions of Worms.

Monopoly Party
My sister’s friend, who is a boy, gave this to me, because he had no one to play it with.  It’s not much of a party if you’re the only one playing : )  Monopoly Party has your traditional boards:  United States, U.K., France, Italy, and other parts of the world.  They have a couple themed 3D environments to choose from as well:  Medieval, Space, the Roman empire, and Jurassic.  The cool thing about party mode is that everyone rolls & moves at the same time.  This makes the game go much faster, but can be a bit chaotic at times.  If you don’t like the party mode they have the classic mode too.  And for those of you who like to make up your own rules when it comes to Monopoly (you know who you are) there are endless amounts of custom options.

Wario Ware, Inc.
Probably the weirdest game I’ve every played.  It features a bunch of silly mini-games.  Many games will leave you scratching your head wondering who comes up with this stuff? I got this game for dirt cheap the day after Thanksgiving (you know when everyone goes out and beat each other up for sales and whatnot).  I usually go out more as a spectator, but I couldn’t pass this deal up.  I think I payed $2 for this game and it is worth about that.

If you have a favorite party game, either for the GameCube or some other system, feel free to post a comment either here or on Jorim’s Forums!

Every Friday I post the top 5 favorite blogposts that I’ve come across throughout the week.  You have all weekend now to check them out : )

1. Windows code name 7 will officially be called “Windows 7″
2. Why Not Your Best?
3. Top Ten Ways You Know You’re on a Catholic Blog
4. Attack on Pope John Paul II kept secret
5. Brotherly Love?

If you have a blogpost that you would like to share with me feel free to contact Catholic Tech Tips and I will get it.

Have a great weekend!

Joshua

Is your desktop cluttered with icons, folders, and files?  This is a simple way that I use to keep my Windows desktop organized.

Creating a New Desktop Toolbar

Step 1: Right-click the main toolbar (taskbar) and go to Toolbars > New Toolbar…

Step 2: In the New Toolbar dialog box that will appear, single-click on the “My Documents” folder.  Next, click the “Make New Folder” button and name the new folder “My Shortcuts.”  Then click OK.

Step 3: You should see the created toolbar somewhere on the main toolbar.  Click & drag it to either the top, right, or left of the desktop (depending upon your preference).

Step 4: Start dropping your shortcuts to all your programs into your new toolbar.

Tip: If you need to create a shortcut to a program you can hold the Alt key while dragging & dropping the icon of the program you want into the new toolbar.

Step 5: Right-click on your new toolbar and you will see different options to customize the look of your new toolbar (nothing too fancy folks).  You can choose small icons or large icons, show/hide the Title, show/hide the Text, set the toolbar to always be above all windows, and you can turn on the auto-hide feature.  Play around with these settings until you find what you like.

Any leftover files and folders, found on your desktop, you can sort into folders.  Now would be a great time to delete any old files on your desktop that you don’t need anymore.  With a clean desktop you should feel very refreshed.

If you have any comments or questions about this tutorial, Click Here