Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com Download Squad. http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/downloadsquad.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com prods@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Producers) support@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Web Support) en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. View our terms of service here: http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/ Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ <![CDATA[Ubuntu 8.10 alpha 1 packs a new theme (finally)]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/30/ubuntu-8-10-alpha-1-packs-a-new-theme-finally/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/30/ubuntu-8-10-alpha-1-packs-a-new-theme-finally/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/30/ubuntu-8-10-alpha-1-packs-a-new-theme-finally/#comments Never one to rest on their laurels, the Ubuntu team is hard at work on the next cutting edge version of their popular distro, Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex (who the heck names these releases?).

As with most other Ubuntu alphas, there isn't much to write home about yet. However, much to our surprise, it has a new interface theme, for the first time since Dapper Drake. "That ugly brown theme", as many people on the internet referred to it, has been the standard on Ubuntu for over a year now, and you either love it or hate it.

"NewHuman" takes the art of Ubuntu in a new direction, and only time will tell if it makes it into the final release, scheduled for October of this year. Those who are interested in participating in the testing process may download an ISO image from the official site. As always, the Alpha versions are not recommended for production machines, so distro shufflers need not apply.

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Ubuntu 8.10 alpha 1 packs a new theme (finally) originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> AlphasHuman ThemeHumanThemeLinuxopensourceosupdatesUbuntu Ian Dumych Mon, 30 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Linux Mint Elyssa: Ubuntu Hardy with a fresh aftertaste]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/27/linux-mint-elyssa-ubuntu-hardy-with-a-fresh-aftertaste/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/27/linux-mint-elyssa-ubuntu-hardy-with-a-fresh-aftertaste/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/27/linux-mint-elyssa-ubuntu-hardy-with-a-fresh-aftertaste/#comments If you haven't heard of Linux Mint by now, you probably aren't listening very well. Mint is a distro that is heavily based on Ubuntu, but has gradually evolved on its own, with unique management tools and a stunning set of artwork (no dirt brown here!). This latest iteration brings clarity and convenience to the newest Ubuntu base, 8.04.

The most obvious improvement on its parent distro is the fact that it actually contains codecs and Flash support out of the box. The desktop layout is more similar to Windows, making this a good migration path for Microsoft refugees.

For those already familiar with Mint, this new version may not seem very different at first glance, but one big difference between this release and pretty much every other Linux distro is the inclusion of Flash 10 beta. Flash on Linux has been a rather sluggish experience for a while now, but on our humble Pentium 4 testing machine, sites like Youtube and Hulu seemed to work just as well as they do on Windows. The rest of the changes are generally little tweaks and usability improvements.

Mint can be downloaded from any one of many mirrors provided on the site, but we found the Torrent they provide to be very active and well seeded, so that is probably the best choice for now.

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Linux Mint Elyssa: Ubuntu Hardy with a fresh aftertaste originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Desktop LinuxDesktopLinuxDistro HoppingDistroHoppingfreewareLinux MintLinuxMintopensourceosupdates Ian Dumych Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Tiny XP Rev 09: Windows XP with cuise control]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/24/tiny-xp-rev-09-windows-xp-with-cuise-control/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/24/tiny-xp-rev-09-windows-xp-with-cuise-control/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/24/tiny-xp-rev-09-windows-xp-with-cuise-control/#comments Installing or reinstalling Windows can be a real hassle. Although Windows XP comes with a basic set of drivers, there's a good chance you'll have to dig out the driver disc for some of your hardware, or scour the Internet for the appropriate files. And many power users apply hundreds of tweaks to Windows for increased performance and stability. Indeed, a simple reinstall can become a full fledged weekend project.

With Tiny XP, cumbersome installs are a thing of the past. This powerful custom install disk contains hundreds of the drivers, both new and obscure, meaning no more hunting. The supercharged version of the Windows installer properly configured devices on our test machine, a Latitude 640, that even Dell didn't mention, such as an infrared port. In addition, Tiny XP installs thousands of registry hacks, that improve the system so much you'll never want to go back to the standard version. As if that's not enough, it even includes a bunch of cool options at boot time for trouble shooting, and even a fully functional copy of the Damn Small Linux live CD!

Downloading TinyXP is very illegal since it's basically pirated version of Windows. The argument between fair use and IP law isn't going to end any time soon, so use at your own risk. Don't worry though, although it might not be as easy, there are legal ways to get similar results.

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Tiny XP Rev 09: Windows XP with cuise control originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Custom XPCustomXpDamn Small LinuxDamnSmallLinuxDSLfreewareosupdatesRegistry HacksRegistryHacksSlipstream Ian Dumych Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Go-OO: Stick a fork in it]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/30/go-oo-stick-a-fork-in-it/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/30/go-oo-stick-a-fork-in-it/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/30/go-oo-stick-a-fork-in-it/#comments screenie

Since before the dawn of time, open source projects have forked more often than Lindsay Lohan cheked into rehab. The Mozilla browser is a great example of a successful fork, it was once based on Netscape, but evolved on its own and eventually rendered classic Netscape obsolete. Many -- if not most -- forks disappear into obscurity. We aren't so sure this one will go so quietly.

Go-OO is a fork of OpenOffice that has quite a few impressive features which really ought to be in official OO, but for some reason or another aren't, such as support for OpenXML, better Microsoft Binary support, and Word Perfect Graphics support. It also boasts significantly better start times -- at least on our poorly equipped test machine.

Long story short, this is a fast, lean beast of an office suite with great compatibilty with Microsoft Office. The price is right at $0.00, but as with any community project you are both welcome and encouraged to donate to the developers for their efforts.

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Go-OO: Stick a fork in it originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 30 May 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> OfficeopensourceOpenXMLproductivityproductivity toolsproductivityappsproductivityproductsProductivityTools Ian Dumych Fri, 30 May 2008 10:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Preview: Clean up your music with tuneUP]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/13/preview-clean-up-your-music-with-tuneup/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/13/preview-clean-up-your-music-with-tuneup/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/13/preview-clean-up-your-music-with-tuneup/#comments TuneUP

TuneUP is an an application designed to help keep your iTunes library more organized. While a library of only iTunes Store music will be tidy indeed, if you have acquired music from many different sources, the ID3 tags might be a bit confusing.

TuneUP works by comparing the unique sound print of each song to a database, and if new information is available, TuneUP will fix the metadata and rename your songs. It's sort of like having a genius put your books on your shelf for you. Not only does it help with naming, but the software also is able to download album art automatically with a few clicks.

While the design of this software is superb and visually appealing, it doesn't quite deliver in the area of organization. It does indeed make more coherent ID3 tags for songs, but we had hoped that it would properly shelve everything into one album each, rather than the usual album fragments, (with track 1 and 4 in one album, 2 and 8 in another, etc). Hopefully this will be refined in the final release.

TuneUP is in private beta, but we've got 100 invites to give away. Just click the link after the jump.

Continue reading Preview: Clean up your music with tuneUP

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Preview: Clean up your music with tuneUP originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 13 May 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> commercialitunesmusicutilitieswindows Ian Dumych Tue, 13 May 2008 10:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Electrasoft 32bit Web Browser]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/06/electrasoft-32bit-web-browser/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/06/electrasoft-32bit-web-browser/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/06/electrasoft-32bit-web-browser/#comments It has been a defacto standard for Web Browsers to be a free download for many years now. After all, who would want to pay for something that they can get for free so easily? Well, this is a question that Electrasoft must answer on a daily basis. A company that specializes in Web browsers, network utilities, and 90's era web design, they are among a dying breed for sure. We couldn't resist taking their shareware web browser for a spin, if nothing else for the sake of nostalgia.

The install program is a humble 300 kilobyte download, and installs in mere seconds. With another nod to old school internet culture, the installer is powered by the classic Winzip self extractor. Once installed, 32bit web browser delivers on its promises: it is indeed quite fast, and loads quickly. It seemed to render everything just as you would expect, and even supported flash out of the box. It's hard to say it it uses its own custom rendering engine or not, but it reports as Mozilla 1.6 to browser agent finding scripts.

While we can't see any use for this program in the mainstream, it might be a welcome addition to the many Pentium based Windows 98 machines that still hum away in some homes. It is fast, small code done right. It is available for $20 from the company's ordering page.

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Electrasoft 32bit Web Browser originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 06 May 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> oldsharewareweb browserWebBrowserWindows Ian Dumych Tue, 06 May 2008 16:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[openSUSE 11.0 Beta 1 released]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/21/opensuse-11-0-beta-1-released/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/21/opensuse-11-0-beta-1-released/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/21/opensuse-11-0-beta-1-released/#comments The openSUSE team has released the first beta of their popular but controversial Linux distribution, and it has some spiffy features that make it worth checking out.

The most exciting improvements are in the area of speed, as this is one OS that is often ridiculed by reviewers, mainly for its historically sluggish boot times and sloth-like package system. In contrast, openSUSE now uses an improved version of "zipper", which, long story short, makes incredibly quick package installation possible, much faster than Ubuntu or PCLinuxOS. Not only that, the system installation has been trimmed to 60%, meaning that it only takes about 24 minutes on typical hardware, which is damn fast for Suse.

There are still way too many bugs for you distro-shufflers to start revving your DVD burners, but if you would like to help with testing, check out the download page.

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openSUSE 11.0 Beta 1 released originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> BetaDistroKDE3NovellopensourceRPMSuse Ian Dumych Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[PCLinuxOS Gnome edition: An excellent alternative to Ubuntu]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/16/pclinuxos-gnome-edition-an-excelent-alternative-to-ubuntu/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/16/pclinuxos-gnome-edition-an-excelent-alternative-to-ubuntu/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/16/pclinuxos-gnome-edition-an-excelent-alternative-to-ubuntu/#comments We're generally big fans of Ubuntu, but it's not the only Linux distribution on the block. After spending a little too much time trying to complete a simple operation in Ubuntu the other day, we decided to take another popular Linux distro for a spin.

PCLinuxOS has been called "The distro hopper stopper", and we can see why. System configuration tasks are handled by a rebranded version of the venerable HardDrake suite. All of our hardware was detected without user intervention, and we were on the local wifi in no time. Codecs are included out of the box as well, saving a lot of potential headaches. libdvdcss is included in the default repository, and we installed it with a click.

Something else that is worth mentioning is the package manager. PCLinuxOS is based on the RPM standard due to its Mandriva pedigree, but it uses the Synaptic Package Manager that Ubuntu and Debian users have come to enjoy. We found all package operations to be prompt and efficient, just as good as a DEB based system.

No review should be based on the first few hours, so expect a full report in a few days. Until then, feel free to try it out for yourself if you are impatient.

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PCLinuxOS Gnome edition: An excellent alternative to Ubuntu originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> distrolinuxopensourcepclinuxosubuntu Ian Dumych Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[A quick look at Kubuntu 8.04 Beta]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/11/a-quick-look-at-kubuntu-8-04-beta/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/11/a-quick-look-at-kubuntu-8-04-beta/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/11/a-quick-look-at-kubuntu-8-04-beta/#comments Recently, we reviewed Ubuntu 8.04 beta. We received several complaints for cranky people in the comments, and so we decided to take a look at some newer code. Always in search of variety, however, we decided to spice things up a little bit by trying Kubuntu instead of Ubuntu. We downloaded the nightly build of the alternate installer, and took it for a spin.

As you can see in the gallery below, there is a lot to like. The latest Ubuntu family of distros now has support for partition encryption, provided that you use the alternate install CD rather than the graphical one. Users that chose this feature are prompted for the encryption password at boot time, making the system nice and secure.

We also found the KDE system management tools to be visually appealing and useful, but the Kubuntu APT frontend was sluggish and confusing compared to Synaptic on Ubuntu. We also had X crash for no apparent reason and without warning on several occasions, but since this is a nightly build of beta software, we won't complain too much, lest a thousand nerds shoot cheetos through their braces onto their monitors in indignation.

All in all, this is a distro that is shaping up well. It's not perfect, but there is plenty of time to polish up the edges. If you want to help the community with bug testing, check out the nightly build service.

Gallery: Kubuntu 8.04 Nightly

PartitioningInstallingPasswordBooting 2KDM

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A quick look at Kubuntu 8.04 Beta originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> opensourceosupdates Ian Dumych Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[How to check if your ISP is messing with your packets]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/11/how-to-check-if-your-isp-is-messing-with-your-packets/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/11/how-to-check-if-your-isp-is-messing-with-your-packets/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/11/how-to-check-if-your-isp-is-messing-with-your-packets/#comments Big Red ButtonA while back, the EFF caught cable provider Comcast using basic hacking techniques to restrict the use of Bittorrent on their connection. This irritated a lot of people, not only illegal file sharers, but also the growing number of consumers who use the bittorrent technology for legitimate purposes, such as downloading Open Source software or getting quality, legal media from one of Bittorrent's many partners.

The EFF, ever vigilant, has created an excellent guide to "packet shaping", the technique that ISPs use to futz with your data. In a nutshell:

  • You the consumer have the ability to monitor your connection for suspicious packets using a tool called Wireshark.
  • People who catch their ISPs in the act can send evidence to the EFF, which will in turn help their case to take legal action against sneaky ISPs.

Check out the white paper at their site, complete with cute illustrations and explanations that just about anyone ought to be able to understand.

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How to check if your ISP is messing with your packets originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> BittorrentConsumer RightsConsumerRightsOnline LifeOnlineLifeP2P Ian Dumych Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Wine Doors 0.1.2: Install Windows apps on Linux, or at least try]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/10/wine-doors-0-1-2-install-windows-apps-on-linux-or-at-least-try/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/10/wine-doors-0-1-2-install-windows-apps-on-linux-or-at-least-try/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/10/wine-doors-0-1-2-install-windows-apps-on-linux-or-at-least-try/#comments DunceWine Doors is a project that aims to make the installation of Windows software on Linux as easy as regular apps are via a package manager. Like any respectable Linux package manager, Wine Doors has a software database and resolves dependencies automatically (at least in theory).

After playing around with the latest version of Wine Doors, we have mixed feelings about this program. While it looks stunning, and seems to have some pretty powerful macro based installation technology, it doesn't actually work. Obviously, this realization was the biggest disappointment for us. We used the app to install 3D Mark 2000 and Internet Explorer 6, but neither program would actually run. Some poking around in the console revealed that Wine Doors had failed to resolve a DLL dependency.

Although the program might not be ready for mainstream use yet, we see real promise, and look forward to a 1.0 release.

Gallery: Wine Doors

First ScreennextWealth of software3D markIE

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Wine Doors 0.1.2: Install Windows apps on Linux, or at least try originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> opensource Ian Dumych Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Yahoo! "Unlimited" email has a limit after all]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/08/yahoo-unlimited-email-has-a-limit-after-all/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/08/yahoo-unlimited-email-has-a-limit-after-all/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/08/yahoo-unlimited-email-has-a-limit-after-all/#comments Yahoo! Mail has been one of the most popular free web-based email services ever since its humble beginnings. Not too long ago, Yahoo! started to feel the pressure from the brazen upstart Gmail, which offers a gradually increasing mailbox limit. Not to be outdone, Yahoo! introduced an unlimited mailbox size, promising that users would "never need to delete a message again."

As many of us expected, there is a limit, and it has been found. The Wall Street Journal has found a bug in the system that renders a account inoperable if it has too many messages in one folder. According to their findings, 55,000 or so is the maximum that the system can handle. Yahoo! is working on fixing the issue (of course), but be sure to point and laugh in the mean time.

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Yahoo! "Unlimited" email has a limit after all originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> commercialEmailGlitchesSnarkWebmailYahoo Ian Dumych Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Ubuntu Hardy: The latest and greatest or a total mess?]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/01/ubuntu-hardy-the-latest-and-greatest-or-a-total-mess/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/01/ubuntu-hardy-the-latest-and-greatest-or-a-total-mess/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/01/ubuntu-hardy-the-latest-and-greatest-or-a-total-mess/#comments Ubuntu has become so popular, so quickly, that it is almost synonymous with the word "Linux". Common wisdom holds that it is the easiest to use, simplest, and most stable Linux based OS out there, and that it is the best hope for "Linux on the Desktop". This reputation is a well earned one, but after trying out the latest beta of Ubuntu Hardy, due out this April, I can't help but wonder if they are getting a little careless. More on this after the jump.

Continue reading Ubuntu Hardy: The latest and greatest or a total mess?

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Ubuntu Hardy: The latest and greatest or a total mess? originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> analysishardy-heronlinuxopensourceosupdatestweet-thisubuntu Ian Dumych Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[NeroLinux 3: A visit from an old friend]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/27/nerolinux-3-a-visit-from-an-old-friend/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/27/nerolinux-3-a-visit-from-an-old-friend/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/27/nerolinux-3-a-visit-from-an-old-friend/#comments For many recent Windows refugees, one of the hardest parts of a switch to Linux is the search for applications. Don't get us wrong, there is a HUGE selection of quality freeware for the Linux platform, but when someone has been using a specific software solution for years, it takes time to find workable replacements for the programs they are accustomed to. For former users of the venerable Nero Burning Rom, there is K3b, an application that is similar to point of suspicion, but sometimes it's nice to stick with the program you trust, rather than switch to something similar.

Nero has actually been available for Linux for several years, but previous versions were underwhelming. We decided to to take the newest version, NeroLinux 3, for a spin, and were impressed with what we found.

screenieNeroLinux is distributed in both DEB and RPM form, which means that it installs easily on most popular Linux based operating systems. We installed it on the latest beta of Ubuntu Hardy, and it worked just fine. The program installed without any issues, and we were pleased to find it to be GTK based, which means it blends in perfectly with the GNOME desktop, the default desktop system in Ubuntu and Fedora. We burned several CDs and DVDs, and it worked just the way we expected. Anyone who has used Nero on Windows is guarenteed to feel right at home here, as it has feature parity with Nero Burning Rom 7.

NeroLinux 3 is available for € 19.99 on Nero's web store, or as a free trial download.

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NeroLinux 3: A visit from an old friend originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> commercial Ian Dumych Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Wine 1.0: Coming soon to a computer near you]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/22/wine-1-0-coming-soon-to-a-computer-near-you/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/22/wine-1-0-coming-soon-to-a-computer-near-you/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/22/wine-1-0-coming-soon-to-a-computer-near-you/#comments After nearly 15 years of development, the WINE project is scheduled for the landmark 1.0 release. As with most open source programs, it is hard to sit back and say "ok it's done". The work will always continue, but at some point the program at least accomplishes the original, or in this case, realistic goal. The WINE website now has posted a list of programs that are planned to work properly, constituting the 1.0 release.

This sudden optimism in the WINE developer community probably has something to do with the huge boost that Google gave them recently. WINE will probably never boast full compatibility with every Windows application there is, unless Microsoft decides to help (hey, stranger things have happened).

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Wine 1.0: Coming soon to a computer near you originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 22 Mar 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> opensource Ian Dumych Sat, 22 Mar 2008 10:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Safari 3.1 elbows its way onto the Windows desktop]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/21/safari-3-1-elbows-its-way-onto-the-windows-desktop/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/21/safari-3-1-elbows-its-way-onto-the-windows-desktop/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/21/safari-3-1-elbows-its-way-onto-the-windows-desktop/#comments For some time now, Apple has been widening its presence on the Windows desktop. While it has always offered QuickTime on both Windows and Mac as a web standard, Apple's port of iTunes made big waves and has propelled Apple to the number two spot of music sellers. Some fans of the program end up buying Macs as a result, seeing the computers as a big iPod of sorts.

Now, Apple is slowly gaining more territory in the world of Windows software. Some users have noticed that the Apple Software Updater, a program that is optionally installed with iTunes, is offering to install the Safari web browser, even to people who have never used it before. Some critics say this is invasive on Apple's part, we don't really see how. It doesn't install Safari without asking, and there are plenty of companies like Yahoo that are much more pushy. Give it a shot, you whiners, it's a pretty good browser!

[via OSNews]

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Safari 3.1 elbows its way onto the Windows desktop originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 21 Mar 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> commercialopensource Ian Dumych Fri, 21 Mar 2008 21:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Enable support for 6th Gen iPods in Ubuntu]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/18/enable-support-for-7th-gen-ipods-in-ubuntu/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/18/enable-support-for-7th-gen-ipods-in-ubuntu/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/18/enable-support-for-7th-gen-ipods-in-ubuntu/#comments When Apple released the latest generation of iPods, the company also caused a great deal of pain for Linux users. While Linux developers had an easy time getting every other iPod in the past to work with Linux distributions like Ubuntu and SUSE, the latest iPods are different. In their infinite wisdom, Apple redesigned the iPod music database in such a way that it is encrypted with a hash key. Not only does this make it difficult to develop third party software that can access that database, but if you try to sync your 6th gen iPod with Ubuntu 7.10, it will destroy the database, making your music unplayable on the iPod (but still accessible in disk mode).

Of course, the Linux community being what it was, it took just a few days before a highly technical solution started making the rounds. But how does Joe Six-pack use this to sync his shiny new iPod? Download Squad delivers. Read on for step by step instructions!

Continue reading Enable support for 6th Gen iPods in Ubuntu

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Enable support for 6th Gen iPods in Ubuntu originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> applehowtosipodituneslibgpodlinuxopensourcetweet-this Ian Dumych Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Lightweight alternatives to the Ubuntu defaults]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/17/lightweight-alternatives-to-the-ubuntu-defaults/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/17/lightweight-alternatives-to-the-ubuntu-defaults/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/17/lightweight-alternatives-to-the-ubuntu-defaults/#comments For many, desktop Linux has been like a magic elixir that brings old hardware to life. Indeed, this very article is being written on a Dell Latitude c640, a computer that is generally considered outdated an obsolete, and yet it runs Ubuntu 7.10 like a dream.

However, there are many people who aim to run Ubuntu on even older hardware, or specialized tiny hardware such as the Asus Eee PC. With cramped ram requirements and less robust processors to run on, Ubuntu starts to lag just like anything else. Thankfully, there are ways to minimize this. Linux.com has published a great feature on lightweight web browsers, file manages, music players, and more, all that can be installed with a single click in the Synaptic Package Manager.

The author of the article embarked on a hours-long journey across the Internet in search of low-fat software when his girlfriend brought over her Mini-PC running Ubuntu. While there are plenty of Distributions targeted to this kind of hardware, he wanted to stick with Ubuntu. We think that there are plenty of people who like the author, would rather stick with the distro they already have. Plus, it's just plain fun to try new software, and that's what Linux is all about.

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Lightweight alternatives to the Ubuntu defaults originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> opensource Ian Dumych Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:15:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Asus to ship 2 million Linux PCs in 2008]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/17/asus-to-ship-2-million-linux-pcs-in-2008/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/17/asus-to-ship-2-million-linux-pcs-in-2008/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/17/asus-to-ship-2-million-linux-pcs-in-2008/#comments Supporters of Linux on the desktop have a lot to be excited about this year. As Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols has astutely pointed out, Asus recently announced their plans to ship five million Eee PCs this year, with 60% of them running Windows XP.

While the mass media is spinning this story to make it sound like Microsoft is eroding Linux's market share, the opposite is so. Asus sold 300,000 units last year running Xandros Linux, a far cry from the 5 million they expect to sell this year. According to Vaughan-Nichols, Asus will ship more Linux PCs this year than "all other Linux PC vendors combined up until 2008"!

Pat yourselves on the back, Linux users, for you fight the good fight, and we are making real headway.

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Asus to ship 2 million Linux PCs in 2008 originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 17 Mar 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> opensource Ian Dumych Mon, 17 Mar 2008 10:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Libra: A free Delicious Library clone]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/06/libra-a-free-delicious-library-clone/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/06/libra-a-free-delicious-library-clone/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/06/libra-a-free-delicious-library-clone/#comments Yesterday we introduced you to MediaMan, and although we found it to be feature rich, we struggled with the webcam barcode scanner. One of our readers pointed out the existence of Libra, and we couldn't help but take it for a spin.

Frankly, if you've tried MediaMan or Delicious Library, there is nothing here you haven't seen before. The only compelling feature in this product is the price; $0. Although it seems a little uglier that its siblings, Libra does webcam scanning right. We were impressed to find that it is able to scan bacodes at any angle very quickly, making this feature practical and faster than entering it by hand (gasp!)

We recommend this program for anyone looking for a free tool to organize their books, movies, and games, but watch out for the bugs. It crashed on us four times in a half hour, but that might be Windows XP SP3's fault.

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Libra: A free Delicious Library clone originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 06 Mar 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> commercialfreeware Ian Dumych Thu, 06 Mar 2008 10:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Mod your PSP the easy way]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/05/mod-your-psp-the-easy-way/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/05/mod-your-psp-the-easy-way/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/05/mod-your-psp-the-easy-way/#comments
In our last column, we covered the history behind the PSP homebrew scene. We hope that this has whetted your appetite, because today we will show you how you can enjoy the homebrew phenomenon on your own PSP!

As with any community created technology, PSP homebrew can be overwhelming, especially when you are new to it. Many people become confused and frustrated when searching for information on how to do things such as modding their PSP. We at Download Squad don't think you should have to spend a whole weekend getting to know Google better, so we did the hard work for you. We searched, cussed, and scratched out heads for weeks to deliver you this, the simplest and most painless guide possible, a full solution that will work on ANY PSP and ANY firmware, and even on "bricked" PSPs!

Continue reading Mod your PSP the easy way

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Mod your PSP the easy way originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> freewarehomebrewhowtosmoddingPandora BatteryPandoraBatteryPSPtweet-this Ian Dumych Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Keep track of your stuff with MediaMan]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/05/keep-track-of-your-stuff-with-mediaman/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/05/keep-track-of-your-stuff-with-mediaman/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/03/05/keep-track-of-your-stuff-with-mediaman/#comments MediaMan is a program that is pretty much impossible not to compare to Delicious Library. Like DL, MediaMan does a great job of cataloging your Books, Movies, Games, and Software. It retrieves cover art and summaries from Amazon.com's servers, meaning that it takes minimal effort on the user's part to add new items to the library. Also like DL, it allows one to use a webcam as a barcode scanner, but in our testing, it was finicky at best. Some books just plain wouldn't scan, and even those that did took a lot of fudging. It ended up feeling like an uncomfortable elementary school yearbook shoot.

Despite the gimmicky barcode scanning, MediaMan is a solid solution for keeping track of your media, and we enjoyed playing with it. Since Delicious Monster has sworn never to port Delicious Library to any platform but the Mac, it's the best you'll get.

Keep track of your stuff with MediaMan originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Ian Dumych Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Apt package manager for the iPhone]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/29/apt-package-manager-for-the-iphone/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/29/apt-package-manager-for-the-iphone/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/29/apt-package-manager-for-the-iphone/#comments The iPhone has become one of best loved geek toys of the decade, and it's not hard to see why: the slim phone that Steve built packs a powerful processor, 3d graphics, and the power of Mac OS X. In the past, we have seen various 3rd party apps available for the device, but nothing quite so nerdy of as this:

Apparently, there is some demand for APT on the iPhone, and somebody went ahead and ported it. UNIX enthusiasts, when they're not cleaning their pocket protector or watching Monty Python, can now replace the BSD UNIX subsystem in the iPhone with up to date software from FreeBSD, all delivered by good old apt-get. Why anyone would want to do this, we have no idea, but sometimes "because I can" is a valid reason.

[via OSNews]

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Apt package manager for the iPhone originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 29 Feb 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> GeekHacksopensourceUNIX Ian Dumych Fri, 29 Feb 2008 09:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Howto: Remove censorship from Manhunt 2 PSP]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/28/howto-remove-censorship-from-manhunt-2-psp/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/28/howto-remove-censorship-from-manhunt-2-psp/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/28/howto-remove-censorship-from-manhunt-2-psp/#comments Before we go any further, we need to establish the following: the uncensored version of this game is rated AO in the United States, meaning that you should only follow this guide if you are 18 or older!

Now that we got that out of the way, Man Hunt 2 is a highly immersive game by Rockstar, the creators of of Grand Theft Auto. It was met with a great deal of controversy, and as a result, the ESRB forced the developers to censor the violence in order to receive an M rating. As a result, the murder scenes in Manhunt 2 are very stylized and blurry, making it hard to see what is happening. Some reviewers felt this detracted from the game, even if the brutal sound effects were still intact.

Thankfully, hackers saved the day, and there is now a patch for the North American version of the game. All you need is a modded PSP, some software utilities, and an ISO of the game. If you have a recent version of the M33 custom firmware, simply insert the game disk, press select in the XMB, and switch the USB function to UMD. Plug the PSP in, and copy the iso, it's a simple drag-and-drop.
'
Now that you have the ISO, download the patch. Extract the program somewhere, such as your desktop. On Windows, you can simply drag the ISO on top of the program icon, and the patching will happen automatically. On Linux or OSX, you will need to use wine or darwine, respectively. On Ubuntu, just run sudo apt-get install wine. On OSX, well, ask Google. Once you have WINE, just open a terminal, and type something to this effect: "wine /home/ian/Desktop/Manhunt\ article/MH2Hack.exe /home/ian/Desktop/Manhunt\ article/manhunt\ 2.iso". You will need to change the path to where you have the files saved, obviously. This process takes a few minutes, and will prompt you when it finishes. Press enter as instructed, and it's done!

Congratulations, you now have an uncensored copy of Manhunt 2, as the developers intended.

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Howto: Remove censorship from Manhunt 2 PSP originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> askdlscommercialManhunt 2Manhunt2PSPviolence Ian Dumych Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Live coverage of SEGA prototype launch! [Breaking: Torrent is ready!]]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/23/live-coverage-of-sega-prototype-launch/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/23/live-coverage-of-sega-prototype-launch/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/23/live-coverage-of-sega-prototype-launch/#comments

IT's HERE http://www.hidden-palace.org/?

http://tracker.hidden-palace.org/torrents/Hidden%20Palace%20Prototype%20Release%20-%20Feb%2023rd,%202008.torrent

The skypecast is starting now, and it's getting exciting! We will be doing LIVE coverage, so stay around for this live blogging event! We will have all the developments as they happen. Here's the info to be kind to Sonic Retro's servers:

"Sonic Community Radio Broadcast: Prototype Special
Starts Saturday 10pm GMT, 5pm EST

To celebrate drx releasing the SEGA of America Game Tester Archives to the internet, I'm hosting a live radio show streamed over Shoutcast with guests from around the world linked up through Skype (and yes this IS live). To listen, all you need is to either visit this URL:

http://www.randomsonicnet.org/skypecast/

or open Winamp, and listen to the streams:

Primary Gerbilsoft Stream
http://gs_server.gerbilsoft.ddns.info:8080/ 128kbps

Random Sonic Net
http://64.85.160.108:8080 128kbps
http://64.85.160.108:8090 24kbps (Dialup)"

Check out live coverage after the jump!

Continue reading Live coverage of SEGA prototype launch! [Breaking: Torrent is ready!]

Live coverage of SEGA prototype launch! [Breaking: Torrent is ready!] originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 23 Feb 2008 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Ian Dumych Sat, 23 Feb 2008 17:01:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Gearing up for DRX's SEGA proto party]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/23/gearing-up-for-drxs-sega-proto-party/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/23/gearing-up-for-drxs-sega-proto-party/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/23/gearing-up-for-drxs-sega-proto-party/#comments


As we covered earlier this week, game researcher DRX is set to release his collection of rare SEGA prototypes this afternoon. Our last article got a lot of people's attention, and it caused some big problems for the Sonic Retro servers, so rather than linking you to relavent forum topic, we've posted a mirror of the proto FAQ after the jump, as prepared by forum member Skaarg.

For good measure, you can also watch this video DRX just released of "Sonic 3 C" Also, don't forget to come back this evening. We'll be live-blogging the release event!

Continue reading Gearing up for DRX's SEGA proto party

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Gearing up for DRX's SEGA proto party originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> commercialGamingPrototypesSEGASonic the HedgehogSonicTheHedgehog Ian Dumych Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:05:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Play classic SEGA games on Ubuntu with Gens]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/22/play-classic-sega-games-on-ubuntu-with-gens/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/22/play-classic-sega-games-on-ubuntu-with-gens/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/22/play-classic-sega-games-on-ubuntu-with-gens/#comments GensWith the release of DRX's SEGA prototypes just a couple of days away, a lot of people are looking forward to trying some of this classic gaming goodness on their own. Ubuntu users need look no further: Gens is an awesome Sega Genesis emulator. And thanks to Ubuntu Forums user megamaced, anyone can get the stable and CVS builds of Gens in convenient deb packages.

With full support for Genesis, SEGA CD, and the 32X, it's all you'll ever need. It comes loaded with a nice selection of render filters for smoothing out the pixels, and a powerful OpenGL render option for great performance. Naturally, we tested it with a series of Sonic the Hedgehog games, and they all run perfectly. We put the CVS version through its paces, and found it to be fast and stable. We recommend that you try that version first, as it has a lot of improvements over the stable version.

Gens is also available for a large variety of platforms including Windows, OSX, and BeOS.

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Play classic SEGA games on Ubuntu with Gens originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 22 Feb 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> genesisgensopensourcesega-genesisubuntu Ian Dumych Fri, 22 Feb 2008 10:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Get Mac style menus on Ubuntu with Global Menu]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/21/get-mac-style-menus-on-ubuntu-with-global-menu/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/21/get-mac-style-menus-on-ubuntu-with-global-menu/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/21/get-mac-style-menus-on-ubuntu-with-global-menu/#comments ScreenshotTheming one's OS to look like a Mac is all the rage these days, but for the most part such modifications are superficial. However, Global Menu actually changes the user experience quite a bit. For those who haven't seen a Mac before, [do such people exist?] on Mac OS, the menu for applications is located in a bar at the top of the screen, rather than the top of the window, like in Windows and Gnome.

With Global Menu, and a simple GTK hack, one can get the same interface on GNOME. It lets you use their computer differently, and yes, it makes your OSX themes more authentic. We've been using it for about three weeks now, and it is pretty nice. It all comes down to the individual's preferences, and that's what Linux is about, after all.

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Get Mac style menus on Ubuntu with Global Menu originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> global-menugnomelinuxopensourceos-xubuntu Ian Dumych Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Bernd Korz at it again: meet Zebuntu]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/21/bernd-korz-at-it-again-meet-zebuntu/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/21/bernd-korz-at-it-again-meet-zebuntu/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/21/bernd-korz-at-it-again-meet-zebuntu/#comments Bernd Korz, founder of the now defunct Yellow Tab, has kept a low public profile since the failure of his BeOS based Zeta Operating System. In his personal blog, he has expressed interest in Linux, and specifically, Ubuntu, for a few months now.

Although it seemed he'd given up on his dream to bring a BeOS based OS to the masses, he has jumped back into the spotlight. Or, at least, he's been dragged back in by overzealous bloggers. He is now leading a project called "Zebuntu", which is planned as a hybrid of Ubuntu and Zeta.

In its current state, Zebuntu is little more than a Zeta themed Xubuntu derivative. However, the developer team is making tangible progress in making the system more speedy and useful. We hope that their plans to incorporate B.E.OS code for BeOS compatibility pan out, for the sheer novelty if nothing else.

We can't help but wonder what he's thinking with this new OS. We'd love to ask him, but he recently turned down an interview, saying that he's sick of internet users picking on him and threatening his family. The developer blog is pretty active so far however, so we can look forward to plenty of news from them in the future.

[via OSNews]

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Bernd Korz at it again: meet Zebuntu originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> BeOSopensourceosupdatesUbuntuYellowTab Ian Dumych Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Mindblowing: Gaming enthusiast to release hundreds of SEGA prototypes]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/17/mindblowing-gaming-enthusiast-to-release-hundreds-of-sega-proto/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/17/mindblowing-gaming-enthusiast-to-release-hundreds-of-sega-proto/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/17/mindblowing-gaming-enthusiast-to-release-hundreds-of-sega-proto/#comments
DRX, a member of the Sonic Retro Forums, has done something unprecedented in the gaming community. After years of research and detective work, he has gotten his hands on a treasure trove of materials from the golden age of SEGA, including hundreds of prototypes, documentation, and possibly other things as well.

It's not currently known how much of the material he plans to make public, but he has confirmed that he is going to release the Sonic the Hedgehog prototypes this coming Saturday, the 23rd. A large community of Sonic fans have been searching for prototypes and lost levels in the games for many years now, and to document their accomplishments so far would be beyond the scope of this article. Suffice it to say that there are a lot of people looking forward to this release.

Continue reading Mindblowing: Gaming enthusiast to release hundreds of SEGA prototypes

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Mindblowing: Gaming enthusiast to release hundreds of SEGA prototypes originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 17 Feb 2008 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> commercialGamingLost GamesLostGamesnewsSEGASonic the HedgehogSonicTheHedgehog Ian Dumych Sun, 17 Feb 2008 23:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Introducing Dark Alex's Time Machine for PSP]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/16/introducing-dark-alexs-time-machine-for-psp/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/16/introducing-dark-alexs-time-machine-for-psp/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/16/introducing-dark-alexs-time-machine-for-psp/#comments PSPPSP developer extraordinaire Dark Alex is at it again, pushing the boundaries of firmware hacking to whole new places. His latest creation, Time Machine, is perhaps his greatest feat yet. This gem of a hack allows one to run previous firmwares on the PSP by use of the Pandora Battery.

Why is this cool? The biggest reason we can see is this: the 1.50 firmware, which is generally the most popular base for homebrew code, does not run on the Slim PSP. However, DaX has managed to create a hybrid 1.50 firmware with modules from 3.40 that runs just fine with Time Machine! This means that PSP slim owners no longer need to worry about compatibility issues.

Check out Dark Alex's personal website for downloads as always, and let us know how it goes in the comments!

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Introducing Dark Alex's Time Machine for PSP originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 16 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Dark AlexDarkAlexfreewareHackingPSP Ian Dumych Sat, 16 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Sun acquires another open source company]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/13/sun-acquires-another-open-source-company/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/13/sun-acquires-another-open-source-company/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/13/sun-acquires-another-open-source-company/#comments In an unexpected move, Sun recently snatched up yet another provider of Open Source software: Innotech, the creator of the popular VirtualBox program. As we previously covered, VirtualBox is a high quality virtual machine solution available under the GNU GPL. It is similar to competitors VMware and Parallels in both speed and features.

With this latest feather in its cap, Sun has an increasingly compelling stable of Open Source solutions, including a powerful operating system (OpenSolaris), a portable programming language (Java), a fully featured office suite (OpenOffice) and an already widely used database system (MySQL).

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Sun acquires another open source company originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> innotechopensourcesunvirtualbox Ian Dumych Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Spice up your Linux desktop with AWN]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/12/spice-up-your-linux-desktop-with-awn/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/12/spice-up-your-linux-desktop-with-awn/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/12/spice-up-your-linux-desktop-with-awn/#comments AWNOver the past year or so, there has been an explosion of eye-candy type apps for Linux. With show stoppers such as Compiz Fusion, nerds have plenty to grin about these days.

With Avant Window Navigator, you can have a beautiful dock on your system, similar to the one in Mac OS X. AWN is very themeable and customizable, with many animations and applets available. And hey, it's pretty! Unlike other dock clones, AWN is very simple and intuitive. Users can simply drag-and-drop any application short cut to the dock, just like in OSX.

AWN is a free download, and installs very easily on Ubuntu thanks to this DEB package. AWN is only available for Ubuntu, so users of other distros will need to compile it themselves.

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Spice up your Linux desktop with AWN originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> avant-window-navigatorawnEye-candyopensourceUbuntu Ian Dumych Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[I-doser quick hits: Downloadable drugs for the impatient]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/04/i-doser-quick-hits-downloadable-drugs-for-the-impatient/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/04/i-doser-quick-hits-downloadable-drugs-for-the-impatient/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/04/i-doser-quick-hits-downloadable-drugs-for-the-impatient/#comments PillsFor those who missed our previous coverage of I-Doser, it is a powerful binaural beat generator that is used to achieve a variety of effects in the human brain, mimicking caffeine, various illegal drugs, and more.

One problem some people have with the doses is that until recently, they were all 30 minutes or longer in duration. After over a year of research, the company has released ten new doses, each ten minutes in length, called Quick Hits. Now, people with short attention spans can enjoy the loud scratching sounds of i-doser.

We tested the "Trip Quick Hit" dose, and found ourselves confused and dazed, which we suppose could be considered "tripping". For those wishing to try the new quickhits line, each dose can be purchased for $3.95 at the I-Doser store.

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I-doser quick hits: Downloadable drugs for the impatient originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> commercial Ian Dumych Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Introduction to PSP Homebrew]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/03/introduction-to-psp-homebrew/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/03/introduction-to-psp-homebrew/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/03/introduction-to-psp-homebrew/#comments PSP
The Playstation Portable is a jack of all trades. It plays music, videos, browses the Internet, and plays games. However, for an increasing number of people, this still isn't enough. With its powerful dual-processor configuration and Memory Stick Pro Duo slot, the PSP is a pocket powerhouse, capable of much more than just gaming and multimedia.

This is where the homebrew community comes in. With some modifications to its system software, the PSP can run 3rd party software, just like an ordinary computer. A massive community has sprung up online that is dedicated to these modifications. Read on to find out more.

Continue reading Introduction to PSP Homebrew

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Introduction to PSP Homebrew originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 03 Feb 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> askdlscommercialEmulationfreewareGamingHomebrewmodsPlaystationPSPSonytweet-this Ian Dumych Sun, 03 Feb 2008 19:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Readyboost technology for Windows XP]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/03/readyboost-technology-for-windows-xp/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/03/readyboost-technology-for-windows-xp/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/02/03/readyboost-technology-for-windows-xp/#comments BoostSince the release of Windows Vista, scores of consumers have downgraded to Windows XP, due to performance issues, instability, and the confusion that Vista's new dialogs and interface cause.

Despite all this, there are some new features that are worthwhile in Vista, such as Readyboost. Windows Readyboost helps make the operating system and applications start faster by using flash memory for cache.

Now, Vista refugees on Windows XP can enjoy this same functionality, thanks to Eboostr. With this third party application, one can set up caches on up to four devices, and it's compatible with all Readyboost compliant devices!

A free trial can be downloaded that works for four hours after each boot, or you can get the full version for just $29.

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Readyboost technology for Windows XP originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 03 Feb 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> commercialreadyboostvistawindows-xp Ian Dumych Sun, 03 Feb 2008 12:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Gobe Productive: A lightweight alternative to MS Office]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/01/24/gobe-productive-a-lightweight-alternative-to-ms-office/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/01/24/gobe-productive-a-lightweight-alternative-to-ms-office/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/01/24/gobe-productive-a-lightweight-alternative-to-ms-office/#comments ScreenshotWhen it comes to office software, these days it seems like the only choice one has is to either buy Microsoft Office or Star Office, or download OpenOffice. While MS Office and Star/Open Office have many features that distinguish them from each other, they also have one thing in common: bloat.

Look out for the underdog. At a svelte sixteen megabytes, Gobe Productive can do most anything that the big two can do, but with less of the loading time and lag. As opposed to the common office "suite", Gobe is a single, well integrated application that is capable of dealing with documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and drawings. Of course, what good is all that without file compatibility? Worry not, it speaks fluent Microsoft.

Gobe Productive is available for download as a 30 day trial for Windows, and a new version with support for Linux and Mac OS X is in the works.

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Gobe Productive: A lightweight alternative to MS Office originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> commercialoffice suitesOfficeSuites Ian Dumych Thu, 24 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Get messed up with I-Doser]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/01/18/get-messed-up-with-i-doser/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/01/18/get-messed-up-with-i-doser/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/01/18/get-messed-up-with-i-doser/#comments ScreenshotAnyone who has been on the Internet for any amount of time has undoubtedly stumbled across something that sounds like a scam. Nigerian bankers, p-p-p-powerbooks, get rich quick schemes, there seems to be no end to suspicious products and services online.

When we first heard about I-Doser, we were understandably skeptical. The makers of this program sell "doses" for it, which are basically scripts that help the program generate a series of binaural beats to simulate various effects in the user. Some of the doses include Alcohol, Cocaine, Heroin, and "designer doses" such as Hand of God.

The free download of I-Doser includes the alcohol dose as a free demo, so we fired it up, almost expecting it to be a screamer or RickRoll. Instead, our ears were assaulted with the ordered chaos that is binaural beats. We patiently listened to the entire dose, stood up, and proceeded to sit back down rather sloppily. Amazingly enough, the dose did what it claimed!

Whether or not this program is powered by the placebo effect or real science is certainly debatable, but with a free trial and no known risks, this is a download worth trying. If nothing else, it's sure to make alcohol and drug deprived teens happy. I-Doser is only available for Windows, but it runs just fine in WINE (it even rhymes!).

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Get messed up with I-Doser originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> commercialNoveltyWindowsWINE Ian Dumych Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Mozilla launches live chat support]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2007/12/31/mozilla-launches-live-chat-support/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2007/12/31/mozilla-launches-live-chat-support/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2007/12/31/mozilla-launches-live-chat-support/#comments Live ChatMozilla, the company responsible for the Firefox web browser, recently unveiled a live chat feature on their support page. The service is staffed by a handful of volunteers, and is currently only open for a few hours a day.

We spoke with one of the volunteers, who informed us that the service is still "very much in beta." If the service is a success, Mozilla is sure to expand it in the future.

The chat is only open part of the day, so check the cute fox mascot on the right hand side of the page for hours of operation. Please bear in mind that the service is currently only for Firefox related issues.

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Mozilla launches live chat support originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 31 Dec 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> FirefoxLive ChatLiveChatMozillaSupport Ian Dumych Mon, 31 Dec 2007 10:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[ReactOS keeps getting better]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2007/12/30/reactos-keeps-getting-better/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2007/12/30/reactos-keeps-getting-better/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2007/12/30/reactos-keeps-getting-better/#comments ScreenshotThe ReactOS project has one simple goal: to create an Open Source implementation of Windows. It borrows heavily from the WINE project for obvious reasons, but despite this, it is a stand alone OS. Since the last time we covered it, development of ReactOS has progressed very nicely. It now supports several components of OpenOffice, Firefox, and even Remote Desktop sessions.

The OS is still in Alpha state, making it more of a developer's plaything than anything else for the time being. However, anyone can try out premade images from the official site for giggles and grins. If you're not brave enough to try it out yourself, the site has plenty of screenshots as well.

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ReactOS keeps getting better originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 30 Dec 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Open SourceOpenSourceosupdatesReactOSWin32WINE Ian Dumych Sun, 30 Dec 2007 12:00:00 EST Download Squad