Tag Archives: Tools

Tools

How to: Remotely Shutdown a PC from anywhere [Tools]

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Sometimes it’s useful to leave a PC running while your not at it. It is sometimes also equally useful to be able to turn it off while not at it. Luckily their are several ways of doing this.

Lifehacker recently reviewed a program called Switch Off. Its a small application that allows you to shut down (or restart, log off, lock, start VPN connections, run custom scripts) your computer based on a variety of factors. Such as on a schedule, on CPU load, or even remotely though a web interface. Which is designed for mobile devices. If you setup the correct port forwarding you can shut down your computer from anywhere in the world. For more information check out the lifehacker page

For a simple or quick one off solution you can do a time based shutdown using a built in command on any Windows XP, vista, 7, Server 2003, Server 2008 with the shutdown command.

Just open a Run window (Start – Run or Windows Key + R) Type in:

shutdown -s -t [number of seconds] -f

(The -s is for shutdown, to restart use -r. The -f is to force all programs to shut down, works 99.9% of the time)

So to turn off your PC in 30 minutes you would use the following command:

shutdown -s -t 1800 -f

Some common Seconds to Minutes conversions are:

15 minutes – 900 seconds
30 minutes – 1800 seconds
45 minutes – 2700 seconds
60 minutes – 3600 seconds
120 minutes – 5400 seconds.

This shutdown command also works if you want to shutdown a computer after using Remote Desktop Connection (RDC). When you go to shutdown after using RDC you’ll notice disconnect rather than shutdown. By using this you can shutdown the remote server (or restart) without having to go the the physical machine.

More information on Switch Off or on LifeHacker

Tools, Tutorials

How to clean your Blackberry’s track ball

A user on Lifehacker has recently posted a video on how to clean the little track ball on a blackberry. (I would say it works for any mobile device with a track ball).

I tested it out on my Blackberry which was having issues scrolling to the right and it fixed it up.

All that required is a blank piece of white paper and you just need to rub the trackball on the paper to clean it. Check out the video

[YouTube via Lifehacker]

Another method that I used just after Christmas involved pulling out the track ball assembly and cleaning the rollers.

News, Tools

Painful Exercises for better health.

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Embody Herman Miller
Embody Herman Miller Chair

Unfortunately for many of us life has left us sitting…rather quite literally in a chair at work each day. but this leads to poor posture which creates all sorts of physical back and neck problems. Which I’m told in turn effects all sorts of strange and wonderful parts of the body. So the bottom line is: Improve your posture.

It’s one of those things that hurts to do before you see any results, but it worth it in the long run. Today I received an email in my inbox about this short ~10 minute video that provides some basic exercises that you can do practically anywhere.

The Video is titled “Strength and Structure with Pete Egoscue, Back Into Alignment: Taking Charge of Your Core Muscles” and can be found on Tony Robbins site here: Strength and Structure with Pete Egoscue

Be warned that doing something healthy may actually hurt.

Another useful tool that I find helpful when sitting at a computer all day is called WorkRave. It’s a cross platform software that forces you to take breaks…small micro breaks for 30 seconds, and longer extended rest breaks for 10 minutes. The software allows you to customise the timings to suit you. Grab a copy at WorkRave

How do you stay healthy at your chair? Let us know in the comments below.

Quick Links:
Video on Improving your posture
WorkRave – Software that makes you slow down and stop

Photo: HermanMiller  Embody – Reviewed as one of the most comfortable office chairs. Check it out at http://embody.hermanmiller.com/

iPad, News

A chilly Friday, no line, no waiting, no breakfast, one iPad.

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Yep today is the day…Apple have launched their new iPad range in Australia. I decided this morning to give JB HiFi in a town a ring to see how sales were going. It turned out that the new iPads where only walking, not running out the door like I had expected. So instead I ran out the door, jumped in the car and drove down to pick up a new iPad. It was around 9:30 by the time I got there, I was able to walk upto the counter, enquire, make a decision, pay and walk out, all within under 20 minutes. (Anyone who has ever brought anything from JB Hifi that they kept out the back knows that it takes a while for the paper work to be done so that the device can be signed out of the store).

Upon arriving home, I ate some breakfast while the latest version of iTunes downloaded. After updating iTunes, going though all the sign up and registration processes, Next, Next, Next, I agree, Next, Finished, the iPad was ready.

By this time, good friend Phillip Day had arrived and we began to explore. Like little kids on Christmas morning, we pushed buttons, pressed things here, there, found out new things, it was all rather exciting.

I’ll post more information about the iPad and what I like and don’t like in future posts.

In the mean time, head over to Tekzilla (http://revision3.com/search/search?q=ipad) and check out their in-depth reviews about the device.

Have you brought an iPad? If so let us know what you think in the comments section.