GTG

This 50-foot Ethernet cable snaking all the way through my apartment from the router in the bedroom to my Xbox 360 in the living room? That’s how I used to play videogames online. The Xbox doesn’t come with wireless capability built in, and I didn’t want to shell out the extra $100 — a third the price of the console itself — for Microsoft’s wireless adapter. Third-party wireless bridges cost a bit less but are still pricey. Finally, though, I found a way to ditch the giant wire with a solution that cost me only 40 bucks. If you already have a wireless network set up in your home, you can make a second, cheap router function as an Xbox adapter by replacing its firmware with free software called DD-WRT. As long as you download the right version, almost any brand of router will work. I bought an older model on Amazon, but you can get a used one on eBay for $15 or less — well worth it for the pleasure of blasting annoying teenagers in Denmark in Halo 3.

DIY Wireless for Your Xbox

Time: 30 minutes
Cost: $15-$50

dd-wrt: courtesy dd-wrt.com

Before buying a router for this project, check dd-wrt.com to make sure the specific model is supported. If so, download the right version of the software to your computer.
Follow the installation instructions on dd-wrt.com for your specific router model. This may require you to change your computer’s network settings. Connect the router to your modem and your computer with Ethernet cables. Update the router’s firmware with the DD-WRT software.
Enter the router’s IP address in your computer’s Web browser, which should now bring up the DD-WRT interface. Change the router’s settings to "client mode." This enables it to receive an Internet signal from your original router.
Disconnect the cables, and restore the original network settings on your computer. Place the router near the Xbox 360 console, and connect it with a short Ethernet cable. Turn on the console, and connect to Xbox Live.

Soulja Boy diss Chris Hamilton With NXE XBOX 360 Dashboard Music Videos

alijahg34 — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:31:30 +0000

Funny and Genius

Seadragon Ajax

alijahg34 — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:08:25 +0000

Seadragon Ajax brings Deep Zoom technology right to your own web page or blog, even if you’re not a software developer. You may already be familiar with Deep Zoom technology–it’s used in Photosynth and in Silverlight. It enables you to smoothly zoom into extreme close-ups of your images, regardless of the size of the screen or bandwidth of the network you’re on.

Seadragon Ajax makes it easy for you to embed Deep Zoom Images right on your site or blog. Or, you can download the free Deep Zoom Composer to create a Deep Zoom Image that you can store on your own site. See how easy it is………………….Continue At Source

New Premium Themes for NXE

alijahg34 — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:42:41 +0000

A few weeks ago I posted a Developer Diary about the new Premium Themes coming to Xbox LIVE with the New Xbox Experience. Well, now that NXE is here, I wanted to share some of the Premium Themes available for download. There are a ton of great ones up, from the Fable II Albion Theme to Castle Crashers and more. Check out the list below for many of the Premium Themes that you can download today, and go browse Xbox LIVE Marketplace to see all of the great content we are offering and quickly add them to your download queue.

Gears of War 2 – Bare Your Teeth (went live 11/7)
Gears of War 2 – Hope Runs Deep (went live 11/7)
Gears of War 2 – Last Day (went live 11/7)
Halo 3
Halo Wars
Fable II Albion
Castle Crashers
The Last Remnant
Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise
Forza 2
Call of Duty: World at War
Sonic Unleashed
Guitar Hero World Tour
Rock Band 2
Tomb Raider: Underworld

Also, NXE Ships with a couple of new (free) themes. You can get details from the Top 10 list I posted earlier this week. Don’t forget, all of the Themes you’ve already downloaded will work in the New Xbox Experience, so you don’t need to worry that your Kameo Themes from 2005 disappearing.

NXE – What You Want to Know: Xbox LIVE Marketplace

alijahg34 — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:47:34 +0000

Does this sound familiar? You are sitting at your computer, most likely at work or school and you check out Xbox.com (I won’t tell, or will I? MUAHAHA), to see what new content is up on Marketplace. Maybe you see a new Theme you want to download, or notice that the map pack you’ve been waiting for has finally arrived.

So, you sit there and let the profanity fly (hopefully in your head) because there’s nothing you can do, but wait until you get home. Those sexy Gamerpics, movies and additional levels just sit there and mock you saying, ‘I know you want me, but you’ll have to wait to queue me up for the download.’

Guess what? Not anymore.

Once the New Xbox Experience launches you will be able to browse Xbox LIVE Marketplace on your PC (even using text search) – and if you see something you like, you can add it to your queue and even purchase it right there and then. As soon as you get back home to your Xbox 360 and turn it on, the content will begin to download. Think about it – by the time you finish getting out of your shirt and tie, or skirt, or pajamas, or pink fuzzy bunny outfit, you will have a new Xbox LIVE Arcade game to play or a new TV show to watch.

Check out the screens of Xbox LIVE Marketplace on the Web, coming November 19when the New Xbox Experience launches.

As always, click on any of the photos for a larger version or visit our flickr set.

Search Results for "Halo":

Game Detail Page:

Purchase Confirmation:

Download Queue:

How to use Custom Windows Visual Styles

alijahg34 — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:35:31 +0000

Customizing the appearance of your Windows installation can be frustrating, because both Windows XP and Vista are limited to the Microsoft’s default themes out of the box. However, with a bit of tweaking under the hood, your Windows setup can try on a wider range of looks than come pre-installed. Let’s take a look at how to patch your Windows installation to allow customized styles, and a few places to find new and interesting styles online.

Vocabulary and Methods

When talking about the physical appearance of Windows there are two terms that are distinct but often used incorrectly in place of each other. Visual styles, which have the .msstyles file extension, are the files which supp;y all the information about how the interfaces within Windows should look. The toolbar skin, start button skin, borders, buttons, etc. are all stored in the visual style. Themes contain a visual style along with additional settings such as icons, wallpaper, etc. Later, when browsing for goodies, keep in mind that a theme pack will have further customization than a visual style pack.

Throughout the tutorial you’ll need to be able to access the menu within Windows where you can chane your themes and visual styles. The following screenshots are from Windows XP but the essential menus are nearly identical in function in Vista, too. For reference, here is how to access both:

XP: Right-click Desktop -> Properties -> Themes Tab (or Appearance Tab for Styles)

Vista: Right-click Desktop – > Personalize -> Themes

First, Back Up Your Current Theme For Safe Keeping

Although you’ll most likely find a new style that you really enjoy, on the off chance that you don’t, make a backup of your current theme for you to restore later if necessary. Backing up only takes a moment and will allow you put things back exactly as they were before you started customizing, right down to the wallpaper. From within the Themes tab click Save As and name your theme whatever you’d like. Save it in a safe place.

Second, Patch Your Windows Install

Patching your system for themes allows you to use non-Microsoft approved visual styles. At the very root you’re simply replacing the Uxtheme.dll with a modified version that doesn’t verify if the style has been signed by Microsoft. It used to be that patching your Windows installation was a hassle, a small one, but a hassle nonetheless. Now both Windows XP and Vista have patching programs available that make it no more hassle than clicking a button and rebooting. There are various programs that can do what the free patches do with some additional functionality thrown in, but they are hardly worth the $20 and up fees they command.

For Windows XP, download the Uxtheme Multi-Patcher. Run the file, click through the prompts and reboot.

For Windows Vista, download VistaGlazz. Run the file, click through the prompts and reboot.

Both patching programs will allow you to reverse the process should anything go wrong by simply running the program again. (However, I’ve been patching Windows installs for years without a hitch.)

Finally, Download and Install Custom, Third Party Styles

The best way to verify if your patch job has been successful is to browse some of the great repositories of visual styles and select a few to try out. Below are some samples of the most popular styles at DeviantArt.com. Before you begin downloading through, a quick overview of where the files go is in order.

If a style pack is zipped up properly then installing it is as simple as unzipping the files into the C:WindowsResourcesThemes directory. Check when you open the zip file if the files have nested directories. If you install a visual style or theme and something is amiss, check the following list to ensure the files ended up in the right place:

.Theme files must be in the /Themes/ folder, not within any subfolders.
.MSStyles files must be in their own sub-folders. If the style name is NewStyle.msstyles, then sub folder in /Themes/ must be /Themes/NewStyle/
If your style pack came with a shellstyle.dll, that also goes within it’s own subfolder, i.e. /Themes/NewStyle/shell/
If you have any problem with loading a style or theme, go back and double check for spelling and capitalization. The names are case sensitive. If a file has a combination of upper and lower case letters, the folder name you place it in must be spelled exactly the same.

Now let’s take a look at some popular third-party visual styles in action.

Luna Element 5.0.5 by tornado5

Pristine OS 1.2 by MohsinNaqi

Sentinel Beta – 1 by chaninja

For more visual styles, check out the following resources:

Deviant Art – Windows Vista Styles / Windows XP Styles
ThemeXP – Most Popular XP Styles

If you have a little bit more time and would like to grab a theme hot off the press, check out the active forums where style designers throw up their newest work:

JoeJoe.org – Vista Visual Styles / XP Visual Styles
NeoWin – Vista Visual Styles / XP Visual Styles

What’s your favorite Windows theme? Tell us about it in the comments—or show off your customized Windows in the Lifehacker Desktop Show and Tell Flickr group.

Fable 2 Achievements

alijahg34 — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 14:53:16 +0000

The Pooch Pamperer
Play fetch with your dog, or see another Hero’s dog play.
5

The Archaeologist
Dig up something the dog has discovered, or see another Hero do so.
5

The Dog Trainer
Teach your dog a trick, or see another Hero’s dog learn one.
5

The Persuader
Convince a villager to give you a present, or see another Hero do so.
5

The Show-off
Impress a villager with a perfect expression, or see another Hero do so.
10

The Romantic
Take a villager on a perfect date, or tag along to one. Location and expressions are all-important.
10

The Spouse
Marry a villager, or attend the wedding of another Hero.
10

The Parent
Have a child, or be there for the birth of another Hero’s child.
10

The Hunter
Kill a sweet, innocent, fluffy bunny rabbit (remember, safety’s off!)
5

The Gargoyle
Find the gargoyles’ legendary treasure.
25

The Chicken Kicker
Kick a chicken a good distance, or see one getting kicked.
5

The Cliff Diver
Cliff dive 500 feet, or see another Hero do so.
10

The Workhorse
A Hero must achieve a high-enough chain while performing a job.
10

The Hero of Many Names
Change your Hero’s title, or see another Hero change theirs.
5

The Teaser
Make bandits respond to expressions with fear, anger, mirth, and confusion… during combat!
5

The Property Magnate
A property must be sold for twice the price it was bought for.
10

The Rogue
Steal something undetected from a building while there are people nearby, or see another Hero do so.
5

The Illustrated Hero
Tattoo every part of your Hero’s body, or see another Hero do so.
5

The Executioner
Sacrifice ten people in the Temple of Shadows, or see another Hero do so.
10

The Gambler
A Hero must win 500 gold at a pub game in one sitting, having tried each game type at least once.
10

The Bigamist
Get married a second time, whilst already married, or attend the second wedding of another Hero.
10

The Swinger
Take part in a debauched bedroom party with several participants.
5

The Pied Piper
Start a party where at least five villagers are dancing, or see another Hero do so.
10

The Party Animal
Get five villagers drunk in under three minutes, or see another Hero do so.
10

The Menace To Society
Commit an act of public indecency, or see another Hero commit one.
5

The Black Knight
Shoot the weapons from a hollow man’s hands, blow off his head and then kill him for good!
10

The Duellist
String together a full-speed chain attack, or see another Hero do so.
10

The Sharpshooter
Hit three enemies with one shot, or see another Hero do so.
10

The Archmage
A Hero must kill five human enemies with one spell.
10

The Ruler of Albion
Amass a 2.5 million gold real estate empire, or be there when another Hero does.
100

The Hoarder
Collect every silver key, or see another Hero do so.
25

The Goth
A Hero must dye their hair black, and wear a black outfit and black makeup.
5

The Completionist
Get all expressions, pet tricks and abilities, or see another Hero do so.
50

The Paragon
Reach 100% good or evil, or see another Hero do so.
15

The Extremist
Reach 100% purity or corruption, or see another Hero do so.
15

The Celebrity
Reach 50,000 renown, or see another Hero do so.
50

The Artisan/td>
Succeed at one job to Level 5, or see another Hero do so.
10

The Dollcatcher
Collect all the Hero dolls, or see another Hero collect them.
10

Inspire the Bard to compose songs celebrating your great deeds.
5

The Companions
Perform a perfect co-op expression.
10

The Double Threat
Get a co-op combat bonus.
10

The Philanthropist
Send a gift to an Xbox LIVE friend, or watch another Hero send one.
10

The Whippersnapper
A child Hero must collect five gold pieces.
25

The New Hero
The terror of Bower Lake must be defeated.
50

The Hero of Strength
Complete The Hero of Strength.
100

The Hero of Will
Complete The Hero of Will.
100

The Hero of Skill
Complete The Hero of Skill.
100

The Sacrifice
A Hero must choose ‘The Needs of the Many’.
25

The Family
A Hero must choose ‘The Needs of The Few’.
25

The Egomaniac
A Hero must choose ‘The Needs of the One’.
100