For those of you that use apps like Skype and other chat clients, which used to dock in the system tray, you probably noticed that Windows 7 keeps them in the taskbar when they are open. This can be annoying especially if you are working on a bunch things at once and already have a lot of icons down there.
Here's the solution
If they app docked in the tray on Windows Vista or XP, you can set the app to run in compatibility mode. To do this, right-click on the shortcut for the program and choose "Properties". Then, you will see a "Compatibility" tab. Click that tab and choose the "Run this program in compatibility mode for:" option. Then, select the version of Windows you want. I choose Vista and that works for me.
Youtube has created a third option of sharing videos. Before, you were able to make the video Public (anyone can search for and see it) or Private (only YouTube users you specify can view it). Now, there is an option that falls between the two. This option is called "Unlisted". This option will not allow the video to show up in search results. So, only people who know the link to the video will be able to see it. And, they will not need to have a YouTube account. Below, you will find video from Tekzilla on Revision3.
I stumbled upon Fuzzwich while catching up on Twitter. Fuzzwich allows the user to create a mini video. There are characters you will recognized, but you can replace their heads with yours. It looks like it would be a useful tool for storytelling. BUT...
I am still on the fence (leaning toward the no side) when it comes to using it in the classroom. Here's why.
1. I think the students would get the hang of the site quickly. But, the actions are very limited and include fighting moves. On a positive note, you can change the facial expressions.
2. Some of the characters have weapons and there is a dog you can make pee on things.
Don't get me wrong. I had a lot of fun playing with the site and I could see myself playing with it for hours. I just wouldn't use it in a classroom setting.
Tagxedo is a site that allows the user to turn words into tag clouds. The thing that sold me on this tool was that I was able to upload a picture of myself and make a tag cloud shaped like my head (see below). You can change the color scheme of your tag cloud and there are pre-loaded shapes you can use.
Then, you can save the cloud as an image or embed it.
As of right now, the site is in beta so all the features are free. Eventually, there will be a pro version and you will have to upgrade to get some of the advanced features.
