I Love Free Software

Optimize and Tweak Windows with Advanced System Tweaker
Browser Extension to Customize Reddit: Reddit Enhancement Suite (RES)
Password Vault to Store Passwords and Secret Information: Yagodu
5 Best Free Android Pattern Lock Apps

Optimize and Tweak Windows with Advanced System Tweaker

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 09:00 PM PDT

So, recently we talked about Windows Repair, a very useful little utility that you can use in order to clean system errors and all the problems that are left after a virus infection has spread through your Windows OS. Today, we’re gonna talk about yet another software coming from the same developer, which would be Tweaking.com, and this one can be used in order to tweak various aspects of the system, hence the name, Advanced System Tweaker.

Advanced System Tweaker offers hundreds of different tweaks that you can do to your Windows system, like you can see from the image above, which is the default window of this tweaking application. Before you get to this window though, there will be another pop up window where you can create backups of both your system via a Restore point and your registry by creating a Registry backup. This is necessary in case you activate something which you don’t like, so that you can restore the system the way it was, definitely create backups if you plan on playing around with this utility.

Tweaking Window system with Advanced System Tweaker

Window 7 and Window XP are not exactly the same and they have different ways of doing things, that’s why Advanced System Tweaker has 2 different sections where different tweaks are contained for each of these two systems. Listing all the little tweaks that this tweaking app can do would take a long time, since there are literally hundreds of them, but we’ll list some of the major categories, for Window 7 these would be:

Context Menu Adds
Disable Services or Functions
Enable Functions or Services
Miscellaneous Tweaks
Speedup Tweaks

Windows XP has a lot more options offered for tweaking, perhaps because it’s older, or maybe it’s easier to tweak Windows XP, who knows, but here are some of the more interesting categories:

Add Functions
Hide Functions
Outlook and Outlook Express Functions
Restore Functions

These are just some, look at the image below to see them all:

As you can see each one of these has several different sub-options which can be expanded, that’s where actual tweaks are hidden. Each one of the tweaks is basically a command prompt order which will be executed once that you click on the Apply/Run Selected Item button:

The specific tweak that we’re applying on the screenshot above is an option to add a website link to your Start menu, which is a useful tweak that some have probably wondered how to do. You can even speed up your PC with some of these tweaks, there’s actually a section of options for Speedup tweaks:

There’s fewer options than there are in other categories, but what’s offered is more than enough to speed up your PC at least a little bit. For example you can use the Memory Tweaks feature in order to switch where Windows loads programs so that more of them are loaded into RAM instead of page file which is slower. If you are a tweak freak then this is the tool for you, just make sure that you read what a certain tweak does, so that you don’t harm your system. Download Advanced System Tweaker free.

Optimize and Tweak Windows with Advanced System Tweaker was originally published at I Love Free Software

Browser Extension to Customize Reddit: Reddit Enhancement Suite (RES)

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 08:30 PM PDT

Reddit Enhancement Suite (RES) is a free browser extension meant to help you have a better Reddit experience. The application brings together various tweaks and features to help you perform various tasks on reddit much more easier. With (RES) you can easily keep tabs on your messages, spam, filters and even customize your own interface.

Features of Reddit Enhancement Suite (RES)

Easily switch between different accounts
Fully customized interface
Direct link to other users links and comments appear just by gaining focus using the mouse
Hide your real username on Reddit
View a preview of comments as they are added and save them
easily filter NSFW content, links or domains
New dashboard that displays content from subreddits and message box
Infinite scrolling on pages
Keyboard navigation on reddit page

How to use it

Reddit Enhancement Suite is installed on your computer via extensions available on Mozilla, Opera, Safari and Chrome web browsers. The Firefox version requires multiple authorisations to install and you need to restart your browser for changes to take effect. Once installed, the add on can be viewed on the right corner of the reddit page.

The dashboard lists your current activity. To access the dashboard, click My Dashboard on the RES menu. Click on mail widget on the dashboard to view your currently unread messages, inbox messages and all messages. You can also view all replies you have posted on comments and also post replies on comments by clicking post replies. You can enable or disable the account switcher by clicking Settings control. To switch between accounts, you have to have added multiple accounts which you can do by clicking add account on the Settings console. You can opt to display your username or set to be logged in every time you open the page by turning on the keepLoggedIn and showCurrentUsername options.

Filters help you avoid specific content. To set filters, navigate to the filters tab on the settings console. Set the filterReddit option on and enable the NSFW filter. To add filters for keywords, subreddits and domains click add filter on the respective sections. You can toggle between night and day modes by clicking Night mode from the RES menu. Night mode changes the interface theme to black while the day mode revert back to the default white theme. To enable and configure keyboard navigation, navigate to the UI tab on the settings console. All configuration settings need to be saved by clicking save options.

Pros

Carry out various tasks at a centralised location
Simple and easy to use
Available on all major browsers

Cons

None that I could find.

Conclusion

Reddit Enhancement Suite is a simple and convenient way to create an entirely new experience by use of its superb features and customization options.

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Browser Extension to Customize Reddit: Reddit Enhancement Suite (RES) was originally published at I Love Free Software

Password Vault to Store Passwords and Secret Information: Yagodu

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 08:00 PM PDT

yagodu is a personal information manager and encryptor that you can use in order to add protection to your passwords, but also to various texts that you would like to keep from being accessed by others. In a sense yagodu would be a password vault, but the features which yagodu offers do not only cover passwords, you can use it to protect and keep safe pretty much any text that you might have which needs protecting.

It might take you a little bit longer to fully understand how exactly yagodu works, but it’s not something overly complicated. Hopefully the short explanation that I’ll write here will help you understand things more quickly and protect your data more effectively. Program interface is very intuitive and the important options are all laid out for you, there’s no menu digging or anything else like that. The first step that you should do would be to save and password protect your file, let’s have a look how you might do that.

Using yagodu to protect important information

After you open up the program for the first time, click on File >> Save and you will be shown the basic save dialog, but with one exception that you’ll have to enter in a password:

It’s best that you use the Windows On Screen Keyboard to enter in the password here, so that you bypass software which is tracking keyboard strokes, that you might have on your computer unknowingly, from picking up your password. The same thing goes for passwords that you’re entering inside yagodu.

After the file is saved, click on the Writable option in order to make it writable, this is just another layer of protection that yagodu has from automated file tampering. After the file has been made writable you will need to click on Entry >> Add top level entry which should create a new item inside the left box called Entry:

Next step after creating a top level entry would be clicking Add on the right side of the program, under Fields area, to add a new Field in which information can we written.

Add a name for this field, if you’re gonna use it to store information about Facebook for example, call it Facebook. The blackened area on the right side is where you can enter the info which needs protection. Don’t forget the advice which was given about using the On Screen Keyboard to avoid keystroke tracking. Also don’t have anyone around when typing in info inside the field, because it will be visible and someone might see your password, if password is the thing which you are protecting.

Conclusion

That’s basically it, data is protected by adding it to this hidden field, and every time that you add new info, simply save the password file. Those who want to open this file in yagodu will have to know the password. Even though the program is pretty basic, it does the job and data kept in it will be protected for sure, and you can sleep more easily knowing that your info protected.

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Password Vault to Store Passwords and Secret Information: Yagodu was originally published at I Love Free Software

5 Best Free Android Pattern Lock Apps

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 08:00 AM PDT

Here, are 5 free best Android pattern lock apps. Lock pattern is one of the most safest lock type to set on Android. It is easier to use, as compared to typing password.

In this article, we will discuss about some of the best free Android lock pattern apps that enable lock pattern to lock apps and some media files. Also, we will discuss about Dot Locker Lite app to customize pattern lock pad and give total new look to your old Android patter lock. Install one of the app below to lock your media and apps installed from being accessed by anyone.

If you don't know to enable pattern lock on Android then click here for a short tutorial for enabling pattern lock on Android.

Now, lets move to our main topic of Android lock pattern apps.

App Lock Pattern App for Android:

App Lock is a free Android app to lock apps on Android. This app provides a pattern lock and a password lock to lock the installed apps on Android. To set the pattern lock, just launch "App Lock" app. Now, you will see the list of all installed apps. Select the app which you want to lock and enable the lock button on the selected app. You will see the pattern lock or password lock activated on the selected apps. Before accessing locked apps, you need to draw the pattern or enter the password to unlock it.

Remember to select the pattern lock tab in the app and set the pattern to activate pattern lock on the selected apps. This is because "App Lock" has password lock set by default The pattern lock can be set as visible or invisible from the app. You can also set the lock pattern for multiple other programs like installing/uninstalling apps, lock Google Play Store, lock incoming calls, and lock application manager.

You can check out App Lock app for Android reviewed by us.

Gallery Lock Free (media lock):

Gallery Lock is a free Android app to lock media files on Android. This Android gallery lock app has a nice feature to lock media with both password and pattern lock. You can select any one of them and set as your lock type on your Android phone. To set the pattern lock, launch the app and then go to the setting menu of the app. Now scroll down and select the lock type and then draw a unique pattern to secure your media files with the pattern set. In short Gallery Lock app→Settings→Lock type→Password/Pattern→Draw pattern lock. After setting up the pattern lock, you can add media files of your choice from SD card and hide and secure them with Gallery lock app.

Important Note: Gallery Lock app has an option to hide app launch icon from app home launcher menu of your Android phone. In case you have hidden the app launch icon and is unable to find icon to launch the app on your Android phone, then you can run the app by dialling it. You can dial Gallery Lock app by calling to dial; #789.

Remember: The app locks only the media files which includes pictures and videos. Also, remember that before uninstalling Gallery Lock app, unhide all the locked media files, as you will lose all the locked media files if you uninstall Gallery Lock app directly without unlocking them.

Check Gallery Lock Lite app for Android reviewed by us.

Smart App Protector (app lock):

Smart App Protector is a free Android app to lock apps on Android with a pattern lock or password. The app is specially to lock apps installed on Android. Smart app protector doesn't locks the apps which are already protected. You just need to launch the app, and select the lock type as "Pattern lock" to protect the installed apps with a unique pattern. The app also includes additional locks on USB connection, outgoing calls, 3G Data. You can also hide pattern lock at the time of unlocking any app which is locked with this Smart App Protector. The good part of this Android locker app is its time setting option. You can set the time in the app. After setting up the time to lock, Smart App Protector automatically enables the pattern lock or password lock on the apps selected between the time interval set. This is a good option if you want the pattern lock to be enabled only in office timings.

Fast App Lock:

Fast App Lock is a free Android app to lock apps by securing them through a unique pattern or password. You can easily set a pattern lock on apps installed on your Android phone. The app is simple and easy to use on Android. Initially, at the time of launching the app for the first time, you need to set a new password. After launching the app, go to the settings menu from the home page of Fast App Lock. Now, select the option of change lock style and then draw a pattern lock to secure installed apps on your Android phone. Select the apps installed and the selected apps will be locked through a pattern lock. Whenever you access the locked apps, each locked app will be unlocked when you draw pattern lock. The interface of the apps truly looks nice and is easy to add apps in its locked apps list.

Dot Locker Lite:

Dot Locker Lite is a free Android app to customize pattern lock on Android. This Android Dot Locker Lite app provides a new pattern locker on your Android screen. You can select from number of Dot themes available in the app. Also, you can select the size of the pattern lock pad according to your Android screen size. Apart from all this, you can even set a background on your pattern lock pad to make your pattern lock look fully customized and original. The app is easy to use. Just enable dot locker on your Android phone, select the dot pattern type, select the background(if required) and then lock your Android phone. On unlocking the phone, you will find the dot locker pad activated on your Android phone.

So, these were some of the best pattern lock apps for Android that we came across. I am sure there are many other worthy pattern lock apps out there. So, if you find something interesting, do mention in comments.

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5 Best Free Android Pattern Lock Apps was originally published at I Love Free Software