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Use Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome/Safari all in one browser with Lunascape

I recently came across one of the best web browsers I have ever seen, Lunascape. What sets this browser apart from the rest is that it can use any of the three browser engines available, Trident (Internet Explorer), Gecko (Firefox), and WebKit (Chrome/Safari).

Have you ever come across a web page that requires a function of a different web browser? With Lunascape, you can switch browser engines on the fly.

Lunascape is the world's first and only triple engine browser

With one click of the mouse, you can reload the web page in a different engine. Here's a list of current features from Lunascape's web site:

Unique All-in-One Approach

The comprehensive site coverage of the most broadly used engine, IE's Trident. The incredibly fast JavaScript performance speed boasted by Firefox's engine, Gecko. The equally or even faster engine of Chrome/Safari, WebKit. Lunascape is a hybrid triple engine browser equipped with all three. While other existing browsers struggle to combine any two of these engines, Lunascape is unmatched in that it is the only browser that combines the best features and speeds from these highly acclaimed browsers, seamlessly.

Triple Engine goes Triple Add-on

Lunascape is now compatible with the expanding array of Firefox add-ons in addition to the already supported Internet Explorer add-ons and Lunascape plug-ins, achieving the greatest degree of extensibility and flexibility among Web browsers. Transferring your add-ons from Firefox is very easy.

Extensible AND Fast

Lunascape6 achieves the maximum extensibility without compromising one of the fastest speeds in the market. You can browse lightning fast while enjoying great add-ons. We've also made a special effort in ensuring quick launch even with many add-ons.

Simply Refined Interface

A new interface mode, ORION, is added to version 6 as a default. This sleek minimalist interface has all the basic functions and will get you going in no time. You can still customize many aspects of the interface to your liking.

Triple Engine Side-by-Side Display

Our unique Triple Engine keeps evolving. To better support web designers and developers, we have implemented a "split tab display". You can view a web page in 3 rendering engines side-by-side to quickly check the browser compatibility.

I encourage you to take a closer look at Lunascape at their web site.

Useful USB devices for your computer

In this article, I show some of my favorite and useful USB devices.

Netbook connected to 42" plasma TV

Some of my favorite devices run through USB ports. Here are just a few:

Flash Drives:
Probably the most popular of all USB devices. They are great for storage, boot disks, etc., but have an average life of around 10,000 reads/writes.

Wired / Wireless Keyboards and Mice:
The second most popular USB device has to be the wired and wireless keyboard and mouse. Everybody needs a keyboard and mouse.

Hard Drives & DVD/CD Drives:
I use a multi-functional converter. It's a great way to mount a hard drive from a computer that has failed. Or use it with a hard drive for storage, boot drive, etc. The best one is to connect it to a standard 5.25" DVD burner and use it to create Recovery Disks on laptops/netbooks.

COM & LPT Ports:
Yes, there are still devices that require COM ports and printers that use LPT ports. And you can get USB converters to support them.

There are a ton of USB devices out there. These are but a few of my favorites.

Using a second monitor on a Netbook

In this article, I show a couple of uses for a second monitor connected to a netbook.

A few of my favorite and useful USB devices

Connecting a second monitor to a Netbook is relatively easy. Getting the right aspect ratio, well, it depends on what type of monitor you use. Believe it or not, but I found using a 42" plasma TV the best.

Using Remote Desktop Connection on a Netbook

In this article, I would like to show you how to use Remote Desktop Connection. With Remote Desktop Connection, you can have access to a Windows session that is running on your computer when you are on another computer. For example, this means that you can connect to your work computer from home and have access to all of your programs, files, and network resources as though you were sitting at your computer at work. You can leave programs running at work, and when you get home, you can see your work desktop displayed on your home computer, with the same programs running.

When you connect to your computer at work, Remote Desktop automatically locks that computer so that no one else can access your programs and files while you are gone. When you come back to work, you can unlock your computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL.

You can keep your programs running and preserve the state of your Windows session while another user is logged on. When that user logs off, you can reconnect to your session in progress.

And you can even connect two computers running different operating systems. In the following video, I use a Netbook running Windows XP Professional to connect to a workstation running Windows 7.

Note: This video was captured at 1366x768 (using a netbook)

With Fast User Switching, you can easily switch from one user to another on the same computer. For example, suppose you are working at home and have logged on to the computer at your office to update an expense report. While you are working, a family member needs to use your home computer to check for an important e-mail message. You can disconnect Remote Desktop, allow the other user to log on and check e-mail, and then reconnect to the computer at your office, where you will see the expense report exactly as you left it. Fast User Switching works on standalone computers and computers that are members of workgroups.

Remote Desktop can be used in many situations, including:

  • Working at home. Access work in progress on your office computer from home, and have full access to all local and remote devices.
  • Collaborating. Access your desktop from a colleague's office to work together on projects such as updating a slide presentation or proofreading a document.
  • Sharing a console. Allow multiple users to maintain separate program and configuration sessions on a single computer, such as a teller station or a sales desk.

To use Remote Desktop Connection

  • A computer ("host" computer) running Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2, Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 ("remote" computer) with a connection to a local area network (LAN) or the Internet.
  • A second computer ("client" computer) with access to the LAN via a network connection, modem, or virtual private network (VPN) connection. This computer must have Remote Desktop Connection installed.
  • Appropriate user accounts and permissions.

Note: If you have Windows XP Service Pack 3 installed, the CredSSP protocol is turned off by default. You will need to enable it to use Network Level Authentication (NLA), which is recommended.

Migrating from Windows XP to Windows 7 (Part 6 - Epilogue)

In writing this series of articles about migrating from Windows XP to Windows 7, I have been slowly moving my production time from my old system to the new one (I use a KVM (keyboard, video, and mouse switch)). My old system had some issues and needed to be retired. But as fate would have it, my old system's time had started to run out.

In the middle of last week, I found the old system had lost its ability to recognize USB keyboards and mice. I had to take it off-line and set it up with a PS2 keyboard and mouse. The only item I had left to migrate was my PIM (Personal Information Manager). I use Microsoft Outlook as my PIM and have a Palm TX handheld and an LG Chocolate cell phone to synchronize to Outlook.

But this did allow using Windows Easy Transfer differently. I need to get some of my settings back in-place fast. I had read about pulling the settings from the old system to the new system when they are both on the same network, so I decided to give it a try. I started Windows Easy Transfer on my old computer from the DVD just like I had done before, but this time I choose A Network, and then followed the instructions (basically, starting Windows Easy Transfer on my new computer and entering a key). The Windows Easy Transfer key acts like a password to help protect files and settings when you transfer them over the network. I selected the settings I needed and started the process.

It worked beautifully! It did a great job of bringing in my application settings, especially Microsoft Outlook, as the custom toolbars came right back. But it did not bring it my e-mail addresses or data files. But I did expect at least that, so I had to put the databases in the right locations and set up my e-mail accounts manually.

Also, moving to the 64-bit platform, I knew I would run into driver issues, and sure enough, it did. This problem did not affect me but might be an issue to others who own a Palm handheld or smartphone and use HotSync. I have been using a Bluetooth connection to sync my Palm TX for years, but when I installed the Palm Desktop and HotSync to get the Microsoft Outlook conduits, it wanted a driver for the cable connection. Come to find out that there is no 64-bit USB driver for Palm handhelds and smartphones. Palm recommends using a Bluetooth connection to sync when running 64-bit versions of Windows.

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