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Just as you have one heart, and one brain, your Windows installation comes with but one
desktop. Sure, you can change the look of this digital meeting space by applying new wallpapers,
or adding sidebars and widgets, or letting Windows 7 do all that automatic stuff that it does every
ten minutes or so. But that's not really changing the —
 per se--at the end of the day, you're
still blessed (or cursed) with the same ol' functionality that's been a staple of the Windows
platform since its inception.

That's about to change.

There are quite a number of tools out there for stretching the core functionality of your desktop
in new directions. Some of these third-party replacements keep your standard setup and add a
unique extension--like a 360-degree wallpaper that you can scroll through with mouse gestures.
Fun stuff, huh? Other tools are a bit more comprehensive in their objectives, allowing for a total
retrofit of very core of your desktop's operation. In these cases, gone are the typical
organizational structures, options, and extensions you can pack into a Windows desktop--it's all
brand-new and editable in ways you might have never previously thought were possible.

The best way to really get a feel for what's out there is to see it in action. So we're going to take a
look at three unique desktop enhancement tools--one 3D, one shell replacement, and one
widget-based service--and see just how they stack up versus the usability of the trusty Windows
setup we've all come to know and love (or hate.)



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We'll start our trip down desktop-replacement name with one of the bigger transformations you
can make. The desktop is, after all, a two-dimensional experience. Whatever you do is confined
to a flat surface on your screen--one single plane for creating shortcuts, moving files, or what-
have-you. BumpTop breaks the fourth wall of the desktop and invites you into a new experience
that's completely three-dimensional.

Don't break out the goofy glasses just yet. The effect is obviously a three-dimensional cube
rendered on your two-dimensional monitor. Still, it's a unique replacement to the traditional
Windows desktop that interfaces perfectly with its predecessor: any file commands you make in
one will be reflected on the other, and quitting out of BumpTop (if the extra dimension is just too
much to handle) returns you to your normal Windows environment without issue.
 



   Like a team of hockey players, your icons will go sailing around the desktop at the
slightest touch or toss from your mouse. They'll slam into other icons and jostle them around,
and bounce up against the sides of BumpTop's cubic desktop as if they missed a body check. It's
a simple tweak, but it does much to liven up your desktop compared to Windows' default setup.



 Provided your input device supports it (a standard mouse does not), BumpTop reacts
to gesture-based controls like a tweaked-out version of Apple's iPhone (or similar touch-friendly
device). Pinch and pull your BumpTop elements to control their size, shove icons out of the way
with the side of your finger, and flick through stacked icons as if you were flipping pages on a
moleskin notebook, amongst other activities.


   Not only do you have access to Windows' default right-click menus with a
simple ctrl+click in Bumptop, but you can also use the program's enhanced organizational tools--
like lasso-selection, icon piles, and folderizing features--to bring even more control and clarity to
your desktop use.

    Built-in canvases not only give you a rotating display for your system's pictures
(or online picture feeds), but you can also integrate Facebook, Twitter, and email updates
directly into the walls of your 3D display. Who needs RSS when you have dynamic picture
frames?


 !
 It's not that BumpTop doesn't support third-party widgets. Rather, there's no direct
online community--accessible through Bumptop itself--for building more functionality into your
3D display. You can always hunt around on the Internet to find more widgets and themes... but
why should you?

" 

  I get how to select files and icons on the main display. However, to use the
integrated Lasso tool to select elements on your desktop's vertical walls, you... well. You can't do
anything--lasso only works with elements on your flat, traditional desktop within BumpTop.

 
 # I get it. BumpTop creates 3D walls for you to pin various desktop elements on.
But it's not as if the program is making Doom-style sprites to simulate the illusion of depth. No
matter how much you shift the camera around, the icons on the "desktop" portion of your
Bumptop Cube will always appear as flat as Stanley--not a very convincing 3D experience.


$
 BumpTop does its best to switch over to Windows Explorer for elements it
just can't handle--like dealing with a large number of files in a List view-type format. That said,
not only do typical Windows shortcuts (Windows key+e) not work in Bumptop, but it just feels a
little silly to be constantly switching between Windows Explorer for some uses and BumpTop
for others. That's not much of a desktop Ô 
, as it were--why can't BumpTop just slap
some three-dimensional effects on a giant list view?

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Firefox has recently released a campus edition of its popular

open source software that school and lab administrators can
install on their computers. While this new version has increased
functionality there¶s no reason students can¶t create their own
version of Firefox that¶s loaded with tons of tools to make it
easier to do everything from finding research materials to
checking the score of the latest college basketball game.

Here are numerous extensions from Firefox that can help make
it an indispensable tool for any college student, young or old.



 
Much of students¶ library research nowadays takes place online, so make sure you¶re making it
as easy on yourself as possible with these extensions.

1.Ê  
 This research tool will help you collect, organize and appropriately cite any
sources you find over the Web. You¶ll no longer have to switch between windows ² you
can do your work right in your browser window.
2.Ê 


 Enhance your search engine experience with this extension. It adds
previews as well as options to open search results in a new tab or window to almost all
major search engines including Google, Yahoo, Ask.com and more, making it easier to
find what you¶re looking for.
3.Ê
c * Don¶t search harder for more information, search smarter. This toolbar
will allow you to cluster search results from several sites, get dictionary and encyclopedia
definitions, and many other useful features.
4.Ê " Sometimes during a search, more than one site will come up that looks
promising. With this tool you can open these sites all at once in different tabs. Simply
click and drag over all the sites you want to open and it will take care of the rest.
5.Ê  If you¶re collecting research for a project or just doing some online
comparison shopping, this can be a valuable tool. It allows you to save and organize
websites and parts of websites, and also take notes on them while keeping everything in
one easily accessible place.
6.Ê 
!$"
One way to keep on task or to accelerate research is to not read every
interesting page you come across. This tool for Firefox allows you to save these tidbits
for later when you have more time and to store them in an easy-to-find-and-manage menu
in your browser.
7.Ê  

! Get both Google search results and Wikipedia entries with this extension.
It splits the search in half and gives you (hopefully) more interesting and useful
information.
8.Ê
  
 
This extension allows you to easily move from your Google search
results to Yahoo, Ask.com, Technorati, Wikipedia and more. It makes switching through
search engines much quicker and easier.
 ].Ê   !

 Vuickly find a book or download a video with this great search plug-
in. WorldCat will find resources at the libraries nearest you so you can quickly find
research materials.
10.Ê  Enhance your browsing with the features of Yoono. It will automatically suggest
other sites it thinks you¶ll like and allow you to save and share your articles and websites.
11.Ê This extension allows you to add sites to a file to read later. It¶s easy to use
and can be a great way to keep track of information you want to read but just don¶t have
the time to.
12.Ê

!
This extension makes it easy to read ebooks right in your Firefox browser,
helping you to take advantage of free online materials from Google and sites like Project
Gutenberg.

 
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Keep yourself organized and jot down any important thoughts with these helpful Firefox tools.

13.Êr
While hitting ctrl+c isn¶t exactly hard work, you can make copying
information from the Web even easier with this extension. Simply highlight the text and
it¶s automatically put on the clipboard so you can paste it in your word processor, email
or anything else.
14.Ê
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If you¶re doing research on the Web, you can save the addresses of
relevant sites and a little information about them so it¶s easy to know where to return to
later if you need to go back over the material.
15.ÊX 
Treat the Web like your own personal notebook with this sticky note
application. You¶ll be able to post notes to yourself on any site and keep them organized
with this extension.
16.Ê
Take virtual scissors to web pages with this useful extension. It allows users
to easily capture content they find interesting or important, clip it and share it with others
or save it for later use.
17.Ê

Sketcher will allow you to make comments on webpages in graphic form
through doodles you create, save and link. It can be a great note taking tool for those who
are more visual learners.
18.Ê 
'  Clip interesting information from webpages, take notes on it and email it to
yourself with this versatile Firefox extension.
1].Ê 
!X
Highlight your Web research just like you would your own textbooks
with this extension. It allows you to use multiple colors to highlight text and will save
your highlights each time you revisit the page.


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Need a quick answer to a question? These tools can help solve your reference needs right from
Firefox.

20.Êr
Ever wanted to know what a word in something you were reading meant or
more information about it but didn¶t want to have to open up a new tab to search through
 the dictionary or encyclopedia? Now you don¶t have to, simply select the word you want
and this extension will bring up a floating window with more information on the topic
from Answers.com.
21.Êc 
Sometimes during the course of research, sources will come up that would
be incredibly useful ² if only they weren¶t in a foreign language. You can help solve this
problem with this simple add-on tool which allows you to highlight text and get
translations through Google¶s translator.
22.Ê  
 Take the mystery out of those big words with this extension that
allows you to simply highlight a word and get a definition instantly without even leaving
the page you¶re browsing.
23.Ê·
 !This extension will allow you to turn virtually any word you come across
into a hyperlink. Simply highlight a word and you¶ll be able to look it up in the dictionary
or thesaurus, or find the item to buy through an online retailer.
24.Ê


Since the United States uses a different system of measurement from
virtually every country in the world, it can often be confusing to use resources that use
metric measurements. This extension will allow you to easily convert them as well as
adjust for different time zones.




Improve your overall browsing experience with these awesome extensions.

25.Êr!*  Speed up and streamline your browsing with this extension. It blocks
annoying ads, banners and other webpage junk that can often take forever to download,
reducing potential distractions and speeding up your work.
26.ÊX$+Make finding any place easier with a little help from your browser. Simply
highlight any address, and this extension will give you a map or directions through
gMaps.
27.Ê
r ) 
!Who hasn¶t been annoyed by ads and banners that show up
when you¶re trying to print something and waste both paper and ink ² not to mention
your time. Nix these items with this extension, which allows you to hide virtually any
part of a webpage you¶re not interested in.
28.Ê%"' (
Who hasn¶t typed in a .com wrong now and then? This extension fixes the
most common URL typing blunders, helping you bring up the right site without seeing an
error message.
2].Ê$)c*Firefox is a great browser, but unfortunately not every website will work with it.
This extension allows you to open an instance of Internet Explorer within Firefox so you
can use both without having to switch between windows.
30.Ê 
 X
With many students switching between their own
computers and those in computer labs, keeping up with their bookmarks can be tricky.
This program makes it easy, with online access to all your Firefox bookmarks from any
computer you use, no synchronization required.
31.Ê
*X   &
Get notifications from your webmail right in your browser with this
handy extension. It works with a variety of online mail programs to make it easy to know
when you have new mail.
 32.Ê" 
!$While you might not be a professional yet, it doesn¶t hurt to start early with
networking so you can get a job once you graduate. This plug-in will make it easier to
build connections right from your browser using the popular online tool LinkedIn.
33.Ê  Book Burro senses when you are looking at a book online and will give
you the option via a small panel in the corner of finding bargains on this book online. It
can be a big help when it comes time to buy new books for classes in finding the best
deals out there.
34.Ê
This open source tool allows users to bring their bookmarks with them on
multiple computers. It is a Firefox extension, but allows users to access their bookmarks
from IE as well, and to easily share and email links to others.
35.Ê
"
If your major requires that you work with numbers, this extension might be of
interest to you. It captures information over time and uses these figure to generate helpful
and informative charts.

 !  
Managing time is a big deal when you¶re a college student with a million things to do, so take
advantage of these time saving and productivity boosting extensions.

36.Êc !
! Students using the to-do list program Toodledo to keep track of their
assignments, projects, work schedules and personal lives will be able to add tasks and
manage their items more easily with this extension, which adds a drop down menu right
to the browser.
37.Ê
 !
' (With so much going on it can be easy to forget important things like
birthdays, upcoming tests and appointments. ReminderFox will help keep you on task
with pop up reminders in your browser of things you want to remember.
38.Ê"

  Having trouble staying away from those LOLcats? This extension allows
you to block access to certain time-wasting sites that can distract you when you¶re
supposed to be working.
3].ÊX

 
Help yourself avoid your tendency to procrastinate with this productivity tool.
It logs where you spend your browsing time each day, helping you see just how much
time you¶re wasting and helping you to stay more focused and on task.
40.Ê$  * 
Block out all the sites that help you waste time when you should be
studying with this extension. Simply enter in your most commonly visited time wasters
and they¶ll be blocked from you until you¶re done with your work.
41.Ê 
 
BlueOrganizer makes Web browsing a smart and efficient experience. It
will look up addresses, save items to your Amazon wish list, add movies to your Netflix
queue and much more, making everything faster and easier on you.
42.Ê$' )
Stop wasting time filling out forms, and install this extension instead.
Instead of you filling out each line, a small box will pop up allowing you to choose what
will go in.
43.Ê
 X
If you¶re prone to opening the same sites every morning when you
turn your computer on, you can save time by using the Session Manager extension. You
can save a particular session and have it open at startup or enjoy other features that enable
you to reopen accidentally closed tabs or save research sessions.
 44.Êc 
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Keep track of your browsing time with this helpful extension. It will tell
you how long you¶ve been on Firefox each day and on which sites you tend to spend the
most time.

'
College isn¶t just about work, you should have fun too. These extensions make it easy to keep in
touch with friends and manage entertainment media.

45.Ê*
% StumbleUpon is a useful tool that lets you mark websites you like, save
information for later and find webpages that other users have marked as interesting. It can
be a fun way to find new sites or to find related research topics and information.
46.Ê' (c
With this extension, you¶ll be able to control your music without ever
having to leave your browser. The extension embeds controls right into the browser bar
so you won¶t be too distracted when you have to skip a song you don¶t want to hear or
change CDs.
47.Êc 
' (If you¶re into playing around with Twitter to keep your friends up to date on
what you¶re doing, you can now Twitter directly from Firefox with the TwitterFox plug-
in. With just a click, you can type in a new message, talk with friends and more.
48.Ê%c, c *Get instant updates on your college team with this useful
extension. A ticker bar will let you know the play-by-play, when games are on TV, and
the final score so you can study while keeping up with your favorite team at the same
time.
4].Ê "
Whether you¶re looking at photos of last weekend¶s drunken debauchery or for
your next art history assignment, the PicLens extension can make it a much more
enjoyable experience. It transforms your browser into a 3-D photo wall allowing you to
zoom, click and drag photos easily in a slick format.
50.Ê'
* c *Integrate your Facebook page into your browser with this helpful
extension. You¶ll be able to search, get notifications, share content and keep in touch
with friends right from Firefox.
51.Ê 
c ShareThis makes it easy to share Web content with your friends. You can
even create MySpace or Facebook postings through it or keep your address book
organized.

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EasyBCD is well-known for its ability to add, remove, and edit boot entries. Most of Windows
users don¶t know that fact that this free tool even lets you create a bootable USB drive with a few
clicks.

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 ! -% )


.. Start off by installing the EasyBCD utility on your machine. If you haven¶t already
downloaded it, get it here.

/. Next, connect the USB flash drive to your PC, remove all data from the drive, and then format
the drive in FAT 32 file system (to format, right-click on the USB drive and select Format option
and then select file system as FAT32).

#. Run EasyBCD and click   !

 button present in the left side.
â. Here, under


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 X
!  box, select the USB drive that you want to
make as a bootable drive.
. Next, click $ 
 button and wait for while to see the following dialog-box.

Simply click 
 button. Close EasyBCD tool, and insert your Windows 7 DVD into the drive.

0. Copy all files from your Windows 7 installation DVD to the USB flash drive. If you have an
ISO file, you can use 7-Zip tool to extract the ISO contents to the USB drive.

-. Your bootable Windows 7 USB flash drive is ready. You can now use the USB drive to install
Windows 7 from USB.