Sunday, November 27, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Docs Add Support for Offline Mode
Chrome: Google's adding offline support to Gmail, Calendar, and Docs. The offline support comes via the Offline Google Mail extension, available now in the Chrome Web Store.
Offline Gmail
To get started with Offline Gmail, install the Offline Google Mail extension. Once installed, Chrome should open a new tab; click the newly installed Gmail Offline button, select Allow offline mail, and click Continue. Once everything's up and running, you'll be able to read, respond to, and search your email when you don't have an internet connection. When an internet connection is available again, the extension will sync your messages and other "queued actions" with Gmail.
The other thing you'll notice off the bat is that the offline version of Gmail uses the attractive, two-paned tablet version of Gmail (similar to the one you can enable in your inbox using Gmail Labs). Some of your muscle-memory will still work there—for example, the j and k shortcuts still navigate between messages—but beyond that it's mostly a point-and-click affair. (Hopefully they'll add more shortcuts in time.)
Offline Calendar
To enable Offline Calendar, visit Google Calendar, click the settings cog in the upper right corner, and click Offline. You'll be prompted to install the Google Calendar extension for Chrome. Currently, when you're offline in Gcal, you can view events and RSVP to appointments. Not bad, but that doesn't appear to include creating events, which seems like an important option. Look for that improvement in time.
Offline Docs
To enable Offline Docs, visit Docs and, likewise, enable Offline from inside the settings cog. You'll be asked if you want to enable offline mode, then you'll be prompted to install the Google Docs extension for Chrome. Like Gcal, the offline options are limited. You can only view docs and spreadsheets when you don't have a connection. But Google says they know editing is an important feature, and they're working on adding it.
This Is New?
If you previously used the now-defunct Google Gears to get offline access for Google Apps, this may seem like we took one step back, then another forward. The difference, as far as I can tell, is that the new offline support uses local storage features added in the HTML5 spec. So it's in many ways the same as a feature we had and then lost, but it's a little more future proof.
It's unclear whether or not other browsers (like Firefox) will get these features via extensions, but if I had to make a guess, I'd say probably not. At least not from an official Google extension.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
7 Tips to Negotiating the Raise You Deserve
If you're upset about your pay or the promotion you've been wanting for a while that never came, it's time to ask for it! Make sure your manager knows that you're gunning for a raise this year and bring it up at your annual performance review, which should be coming up for many of you. Jim Hopkinson, author of Salary Tutor: Learn the Salary Negotiation Secrets No One Ever Taught You, shared a couple of tips for savvy professionals to use when negotiating for a pay bump. Here they are:
- List your achievements. "From your first day of employment, you should maintain a simple document that lists your accomplishments. Keeping this updated will give you ammunition to use during a performance review – or bullet points for your resume if you decide to move on."
- Be seen. "Get noticed by volunteering for new and high profile projects and becoming more involved in the company as a whole."
- Find the money position. "When negotiating salary in a bad economy put yourself in a position to work on revenue-generating projects with incentives for bonuses."
- Emphasize your work performance. "When asking for a raise, don’t complain about your bills being high or what someone else in the company makes. This is about your on-the-job performance. You earn a raise by making the company money, saving the company money, or doing a task that no one else can do."
- Consider the schedule. "You must know the process by which your company gives reviews. Is it once at the end of the fiscal year for everyone? On a rolling basis based on individual hire date? Knowing when operating budgets are created and approved is important so you can make your pitch for more money before funds are allocated."
- Figure out your style. "Also, adapt to your boss’ style. If they’re the buttoned-up, no-nonsense, bottom-line type, you better make sure to back up any proposal with facts and figures to support your argument. If their style is laid-back and big-picture, present your case in terms of how you fit in with the company as a whole, how you interact with fellow employees on the team, and what your vision is moving forward."
- Make yourself heard. "Make sure to increase communication in the weeks and months leading up to your review. Did you sign a new client? Hit your deadline? Bring a project in under budget? Go head and CC: your boss — and in some cases, their boss — so that they’re aware of your recent accomplishments."
Saturday, August 20, 2011
'YOU'VE GOT ASTRONAUT' PICTURE MAIL
'YOU'VE GOT ASTRONAUT' PICTURE MAIL
NASA astronaut Douglas Wheelock who is currently aboard the International Space Station shares pictures of the Earth he snaps with the world through Twitter.
Known to his nearly 68,000 Twitter followers as Astro Wheels, Wheelock has been posting impressive photos of the Earth and some of his thoughts ever since he moved into the space station in June, five months after it got Internet access.
Greek islands on a clear night during our flight over Europe. Athens shine brightly along the Mediterranean Sea.
'Mystery Island' ...located in the Indian Ocean close to Madagascar. Interesting features on the island and the unusual shape should be enough to help you discover this beautiful place.
Northern lights in the distance in one of the finest nights over Europe. The photo clearly shows the Strait of Dover. Paris is dazzling with the city lights. A little fog over the western part of England, particularly over London.
The moon is breathtaking.
Of all the places of our beautiful planet few can rival the beauty and richness of colors in the Bahamas. In this photo, our ship is seen against the backdrop of the Bahamas.
At a speed of 28,163 kilometers per hour (8 kilometers per second), we rotate the Earth's orbit, making one revolution every 90 minutes, and watch sunsets and sunrises every 45 minutes. So half of our journey is in darkness. For the work we use lights on our helmets.
Every time I look out the window and see our beautiful planet, my soul sings! I see blue skies, white clouds and bright blessed day.
Another spectacular sunset. We see 16 such sunsets each day, and each of them is really valuable.
Beautiful atoll in the Pacific Ocean, photographed using 400mm lens. Approximately 1930 km south of Honolulu.
Perfect reflection of sunlight in the eastern Mediterranean.
Above the center of the Atlantic Ocean, before another stunning sunset. Downstairs in the setting sun visible spiral Hurricane Earl.
A little farther east, we saw a sacred monolith Uluru, better known as Ayers Rock. I have never had the opportunity to visit Australia, but someday I hope that I will stand by this miracle of nature.
Morning over the Andes in South America. I do not know for sure the title of this peak, but was simply amazed by her magic, stretching to the sun and wind tops.
Over the Sahara desert, approaching the ancient lands and thousand-year history. River Nile flows through Egypt by the Pyramids of Giza in Cairo. Further, the Red Sea, Sinai Peninsula, Dead Sea, Jordan River, as well as the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea and Greece on the horizon.
Night view of the River Nile, stretching like a snake through Egypt to the Mediterranean, and Cairo, located in the Delta. Far away in this picture, one can see the Mediterranean Sea.
Our unmanned 'Progress 39P' approaches the ISS for refuelling. It is full of food, fuel, spare parts and all necessities for our station. Inside was a real gift - fresh fruit and vegetables. What a miracle after three months of food from a tube!
I wanted to share with you this view from the Dome. We said goodbye to the members of our group Sasha, Misha and Tracy this weekend, and they returned safely back to Earth. In this photo, Tracy quietly dreams of returning home.
Module Union 23C Olympus docked with the ISS . When our work ends here, we go back home to Earth. We fly over the snow-capped peaks of the Caucasus. The rising sun is reflected from the Caspian Sea.
The flash of color, movement and life on the canvas of our amazing world. This is part of the Great Barrier Reef off the east coast of Australia, photographed through the lens of 1200 mm.
All the beauty of Italy, a clear summer night. You can see many beautiful islands that adorn the coast - Capri, Sicily and Malta. Naples and Mount Vesuvius are allocated along the coast.
At the southern end of South America lies the pearl of Patagonia. The amazing beauty of rugged mountains, massive glaciers, fjords and seas combined in perfect harmony.
"Dome" on the side of nadir station gives a panoramic view of our beautiful planet. Fedor made the picture from the window of the Russian docking compartment. In this photo I'm sitting in the dome, preparing the camera for our evening flight over Hurricane Earl.
Florida and southeastern U.S. in the evening. A clear autumn evening, the moonlight over the water and sky, dotted with millions of stars.
Clear starry night over the eastern Mediterranean. The ancient land with a thousand years of history stretching from Athens to Cairo. Historical land of fabulous and alluring island ... Athens - Crete - Rhodes - Izmir - Ankara - Cyprus - Damascus - Beirut - Haifa - Amman - Tel Aviv - Jerusalem - Cairo - all of them turned into tiny lights in this cool November night.
In this time of year you can enjoy the beauty of the polar mesospheric clouds. With our high-angle illumination, we were able to capture a thin layer of noctilucent clouds at sunset.
Astronaut Douglas Wheelock
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Saturday, August 6, 2011
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