Measuring Cup, keeping cooking recipes in your Mac

Some time ago I tried this application called Measuring Cup, from Shallow Patch. I liked it a lot, just the inconvenience (at that time) of being only versions in english and german. Although the very good impression I got, that reason (I prefer to keep my recipes in spanish) made me forget it for some time.

Later, I had some free time, so I offered to help with the traslation to spanish (just the trans, i'm no way a developer). I emailed Miffy at Shallow Patch and she sent the file I should have translated. But I never got the time, because in less than a week, she emailes me saying someone just made his own traslation and sent it to her.

The next image is from the first window, the recipes database (sorry, it's in spanish - but english version it's just as great).

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When you open a recipe, new or saved, you can see the next window. And you have the possibility of having sub-recipes (recipes inside a principal one), as the image shows.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

Now that I've tried the spanish version, I can say I like the application even more. And there's also an italian version. Must be said that the software is freeware, but Miffy will thanks you all for your donations.

Now I only have to find a way to import my recipes to Measuring Cup.

Team Viewer, for remote assitance or presentations

I was so excited that I couldn't wait to tell you how it went with Team Viewer, that I wrote before in a previous post.
Yesterday my mom (who uses a PC with Windows XP) told she was having problems with the Windows Internet Explorer and to help her, I decided to test the application.
Here you have the Downloads page. If you're helping someone, you must download Team Viewer (complete version for Mac and Win) And for the person you're about to help, you have to send a link to the Team Viewer QuickSupport (client module for Mac and Win).
The window you'll see after intalling and opening the application:

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

When the client runs the module, they see an ID and a password, that you're about to write in the field to the right. Then, when you're connected, you'll see this:

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

So you can see the whole Desktop of your client or relative, the one we aregoing to help. We can "Request full remote control access" and this way, we can manage our client's mouse pointer.
I didn't have the chance to test all its tools (Actions, Views, Extras) but in comparison to Windows Live Messenger Remote Assistance, I must say this Team Viewer is a lot faster and with the great advantage of not having to reboot the iMac in Win XP and of functioning in any way: Mac to Mac, Mac to Win, Win to Mac, Win to Win.
Hope this is as useful to you as it is for me.

Introducing Snap Shots from Snap.com

I just installed a nice little tool on this site called Snap Shots that enhances links with visual previews of the destination site, interactive excerpts of Wikipedia articles, IMDb profiles and Amazon products, display inline videos, RSS, MP3s, photos, stock charts and more.

Sometimes Snap Shots bring you the information you need, without your having to leave the site, while other times it lets you "look ahead," before deciding if you want to follow a link or not.

Should you decide this is not for you, just click the Options icon in the upper right corner of the Snap Shot and opt-out.

Quinn & Otis, for those who like simple games

If you like to fool around with simple games, I can recommend Quinn by Simon Härtel. I have a lot fun with it, although I haven't played much lately, too much keyboard use is hurting my wrist. But besides being a very classic game, it's visually great and if you have internet conection you can see and be in the online scores.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

Another game I like a lot is Otis. Basically, you have to make dissapear groups of squares of the same colour. The more squares in a group dissapearing, the more points you'll get.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

Both are freeware. Hope you like them. Have fun.

Task Management in Mac OS X

Usually known as GTD apps (Getting Things Done, from the book and concept by David Allen), these apps are useful once you get used to them.

Using the concept developed by Allen, most of these digital managers is based on Tasks Lists. Having these list, it's unnecessary to remember them, allowing you to focus on the finishing of those tasks.

There are a lot of apps with diverse functions, for all tastes. Some are multi-platform, others are platform specific. Some are focused on a single and specific user, others are focused in group collaboration.

From what I've seen (and tried some of them) I leave you here 3 lists. One with the apps that are only for Mac, the other with the multi-platform apps, and another one with all the online apps. Hope they're useful to you.

Tasks Managers for Mac OS X

• Things based on tags, pretty simple, seems easy to learn. Beta. Release price $49 (€31)
• iGTD integration with Mail, iCal, .Mac and good use of tags. Integrated calendar. Donationware.
• Midnight Inbox interesting, but at least for me, it wasn't easy to get used to the system. Trial Version 14 days. License $35 (€22).
• OmniFocus very inspired in GTD by David Allen. License $79.95 (€50.61)
• TaskPaper $18.95 release price.
• TimeOut Free, still in Beta.
• Life Shaker Trial version 14 days, license price $29,99.
• Actiontastic
  
• Ready-Set-Do!
  
• What ToDo Trial version. License price $29.
• Easy Project Manager
  
• meinKOPP
  
• iSTK portable app, fits in any USB drive.
• Recherche GTD applied to investigation and research.
• Dejumble
  
• ToDo X
  
• GhostAction
  
• Anxiety
  
• Frictionless
  
• Backboard interface for Backpack
  
• Check Off
  
• Etretask
  

Tasks Managers and Personal Information Managers for Multi-platform

• Chandler collaborative task and personal information manager, with calendar and integration with email, allows to share the information via web (easiest using the Chandler Hub service, provided by the project) or via internal server (Chandler Server). Chandler ins't as intuitive as other programs but appears to be very useful for small workgroups.
• Cooper for what I read in the website, it's similar to Chandler. Buying a licencse allows to download the software to the computer, but you can also pay monthly for a hosted account in their server.
• ThinkingRock
  
• Easy Task Manager Mac and Windows.

Online applications

• Vitalist
  
• Chandler Hub
• Basecamp and Backpack
  
• Joyent Connector
  
• GDTgmail extension for Firefox.
• Remember The Milk
  
• Todoist

More VoIP for less money 2

Just an update about VoIP providers nonoh and lowratevoip both from Betamax. This company, Betamax, seems to be an octopuss of VoIP communications, as it has different web sites to provide the same service with small differences on prices and destinations.

Now you can charge your nonoh account using credit cards (Visa, Visa Electron with security code, Mastercard) apart from the other options like moneybookers or clickandpay, and vouchers. In Portugal, you also have the MBNet payment option.

nonoh configuration in appropiate software (like ExpressTalk, Xmeeting, etc.) is as follows:

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

In lowratevoip, now you can pay with bank transfer directly (apart from vouchers). And configuration is as follows:

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

I've seen also that Gizmo Project has launched Gizmo5 Mobile. In case you're interested.

Till next post.

ADIUM on a Windows or Linux PC? You have PIDGIN

If you're a Windows or Linux user and you're looking into something like ADIUM, some kind of instant messenger that can include all your accounts in one, you can try PIDGIN, which is also open-source with a GNU GPL license.

They support these protocols: AIM,Bonjour,Gadu-Gadu,Google Talk, Groupwise, ICQ, IRC, MSN, MySpaceIM, QQ, SILC, SIMPLE, Sametime, XMPP, Yahoo!, and Zephyr.

Let me know if this works for you.