Vista On Video

One of the easiest to use features of Windows Vista is the gadgets side bar. Gadgets are little little pieces of code packaged to integrate into the Vista operating system. There are a wide variety of gadgets that do many different tasks including displaying media, monitoring your operating system, organizing your personal information, handling email, and even performing internet search functions. With the virtual land rush of Web 2.0, Microsoft created it’s gadget platform to be a simple interface for developers to hook into and connect it’s users with other medium from within the operating system. Not all gadgets are created equal, and some are even borderline spammy/spyware laced. [Read the rest of this entry...]

With all of the negative publicity surrounding Windows vista and talk about Windows Seven in the years to come, I decided to point out ten things I like about Windows Vista. I am not a Microsoft advocate and never have worked for Microsoft either, I just like many others had limited choices when It came to using Windows. In a pinch I needed a new computer to replace an unexpected melt down. With it came Windows Vista, admittedly I had a hard time even opening the box knowing what lay inside. The OS that so many loathed was pre-installed on my new machine. I was worried about how it would perform with my applications. I wondered if i was going to reformat the drive and install Linux or XP after pounding my fists in frustration.

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Unless your hunting for a Trojan which is unlikely, stay away from those video codec download prompts! With the ever increasing use of streaming media, fake video codecs are being downloaded to unsuspecting internet users. Of the most common codec viruses, Zlob, usually found as a codec download prompt before viewing an adult video, will mutilate your operating system. Yes clever and tricky, playing on the horny mans quest for free porn videos. Lets be fair, not all “codec viruses” are from porn video sites but a majority of them are. So if you got caught with your virtual pants down and contracted that cyber STD you may want to think twice about all of those obscure porn download sites. [Read the rest of this entry...]

Converting MP4 or iTunes format to MP3 is something that is not all that easy to do. First off, the MP4 format is only compatible with ipod/apple devices and iTunes software. Nice, you pay money for a song that is useless on anything but iPod or apple products. Sounds a bit like the Microsoft Internet Explorer issue years back. There are a few ways to get around this but they all have their drawbacks and can be cumbersome. Some recommend CD drive emulation software or other expensive products to do the trick. Others say that burning a CD and then ripping it is the way to do it. The CD burning method is a good alternative but what if you just want to convert a few songs on the fly without all of the hassle? There is a way to convert MP4’s and you may already have what you need to do it. There will be some quality loss with this method but who cares, Your sticking it to the man.

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Yet another You Tube Windows Vista side bar gadget, You Tube It. Simple, easy, and worth downloading. Developed by David Foye at The Vista Media. There is not a whole lot to say about this gadget other than it works well and is one of the best You Tube gadgets for Windows Vista. Search for videos in the gadget search bar and click on the videos you want to play. You Tube It opens up a player along side the gadget. See the screen shots below.

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If you are bored of your Windows Vista or Windows XP theme and have never heard of Window Blinds (not for your windows at home) then you just may want to read this post. You will see just how easy it is to modify the look and feel of your Windows operating system with very little effort. Window Blinds by Stardock allows the entire Windows look and feel to be changed and customized to virtually any theme imaginable. With Window Blinds installed on your PC you can install free and commercial themes available from the Stardock community or Store. You can also modify and/or create themes with Stardock Skin Studio. Many of the elements in Window Blinds themes are customizable such as colors, fonts, tranparency, wallpaper, widgets, menus, and sidebar.

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When it comes to Windows Vista Gadgets there are more useless and poorly developed gadgets then there are good ones. A well developed gadget that I like and find useful is the YTV Windows Vista You Tube videos gadget. This little gadget resembles an old TV which plays You Tube videos from play lists that you can create and edit. This bug free gadget allows you to physically “change the channel” with your mouse. You can also view the current video information with all of the You Tube statistics. The best thing about this gadget is the ability to detach from the side bar and drag the TV out into your main screen for a larger viewing area. Clicking the TV screen will open up your browser and take you to the You Tube video page that is playing in the gadget. Options included in the configuration are management of play lists, playing in order or random, and sorting by relevance or play count. Created by Dan Hall, this gadget is a must have and will be enjoyed by everyone who tries it. For more information on how to install it watch the video below. See Read More for screen shots. YTV gadget can be downloaded here.

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A Really Great feature of Windows Vista is the Gadgets side bar. It can be a pain finding gadgets that do what you want without installing and deleting a lot of of them. Sometimes you have no idea what your going to get. If you would like an itunes gadget in your side bar then watch this little video I put together. Featuring the iTunes Now Playing Gadget…

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Lets face it computers can rule our lives, ruin our moods, or make our day. Learning new tricks or tips for your operating system just got a little easier. Today I have added some more Windows an Mac help videos. They may not solve some of your problems but they sure could help make your computing life a little easier.

Read more to see what I mean!

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Welcome to my latest project; Vista On Video.

I decided this week that it would be a good idea to put together a site that displayed Windows Vista video tutorials. Along the way while I was hammering things out it occurred to me that I am leaving out other operating systems. So with that said, the last thing I wanted to do was start some more websites. I just don’t have time for another site. I figured that I would add categories to the site for Mac, XP, Linux, etc….

I am pulling videos from You Tube so if you find one that should be listed here please drop me a comment with the video link and I will add it. Of course other suggestions are welcome!

Thanks for visiting.