Shortcut Keys for Google Search Tools

by Martin Brinkmann on June 11, 2013 in Firefox 3

The search tools that Google makes available on search results pages can be quite useful to filter results by time or other factors. While that is great, for instance to limit the results to posts made in the past week or day, it is also not really comfortable to use as you need to click three times before you can make any modifications to those filters.

A click on search tools displays the any time and all results options underneath the main menu bar. You need to click on the selection here, and then again on the filter that you want to make use of.

The Firefox extension Shortcut Keys for Google Search introduces keyboard shortcuts for all time-based options that Google lists under Search Tools. Instead of having to click through, you simply use the shortcut to activate the filter right away.

Here is the list of shortcuts and filters it makes available:

Time Filter

• Alt-A: set the filter to display results from any time.
• Alt-H: only display results published in the last hour.
• Alt-D: display results of the past day.
• Alt-E: display results of the past week.
• Alt-M: only display results of the past month.
• Alt-3 or Alt-6: display results of the past 3 or 6 month period.
• Alt-Y: past year
• Alt-C: set a custom range.

The add-on introduces shortcuts that enable you to navigate on the search results page.

Navigation

• Alt-J or Alt-K: select the next or previous result.
• Alt-N or Alt-P: go to the next or previous page in the results.
• Enter: open the selected result in the current tab.
• Alt-T or Alt-W: open the selected result in a new tab or new window.

There is also a set of "other" shortcuts that you may find useful.

Other

• Alt-U: display results in your language.
• Alt-I: display all results.
• Alt-I: translate foreign pages.
• Alt-S: toggle the Search tools menu.
• Alt-F: toggle the time filtering menu.
• Alt-L: display a help window with all shortcuts.

What I personally like most is the option to quickly set a time filter without having to click through the menu to do so. Just hit one of the available shortcuts and the results page gets reloaded automatically. It can be quite useful if you are using Google Search Tools regularly.

SuperCard Flashcards: flashcard creation and learning app for Android

Flashcards are useful when it comes to learning language vocabulary and other things that you need to memorize more than you need to understand them. It is a very popular technique and works well when you need to memorize something.

Non-electronic flashcards have the advantage that you memorize while you are filling them out, while electronic flashcard systems may not provide you with that advantage.

SuperCard Flashcards is an application for Android that provides you with the means to create flashcards on your device, and to run different types of quizzes to memorize the information.

You do not necessarily have to create the cards by yourself though, as you can also import Flashcard Exchange and Quizlet card sets. Another automated option is the creation of flashcards from an image folder on your SD card, or from text files that are stored on it.

The program ships with three sample sets that you can use to explore the program's functionality.  It displays all available card packs on start, and you can either select one right here with a tap, or swipe to the right to browse them individually one by one.

You can then browse all cards included in a set, for instance to start memorizing the contents displayed on them, or run a quiz to test how well you know the subject at hand.

Two different types of quizzes are supported. You can either use the honor system, which mimics how you learn when you are using physical flashcards. You see the contents of the flashcard and need to decide what the answer is. Once you got it, press the button to have the correct answer shown to you.  You then need to tell the app if this was your answer or not, so that it can keep track of success and failure.

The second is a multiple choice quiz where four answers are displayed to you at all times of which you need to select one.

It is furthermore possible to mix the two quiz forms.

The app supports normal and endless quiz modes. Normal shows all cards of a pack in random order to you once while endless prioritizes cards that you have a hard time getting right to help you memorize their contents better.

Last but not least, you can swap answers and questions in the quiz.

As far as adding flashcards goes, you can add text flashcards manually as well by creating a new set on the main screen. You need to select cards then and click on the plus icon in the interface to add new cards to the set.

Verdict

SuperCards Flashcards offers many features that you expect from electronic flash card apps. You can import card sets, create your own, and memorize the contents in quizzes. If you are looking for a flashcard app, this is one you should definitely try out.

Microsoft Malware Prevention troubleshooter checks your PC’s preparedness

Microsoft Malware Prevention troubleshooter checks your PC’s preparedness

by Martin Brinkmann on June 12, 2013 in Windows 7

Is your PC properly configured to protect your files, data and information from malware and other malicious attacks? Experienced users may be able to answer that question without having to think much about it, while inexperienced users may have the nagging feeling that their PC may not be as well protected as it could or should be.

Microsoft's Malware Prevention troubleshooter serves two purposes. First, it analyzes important security related settings and features letting you know in the end if there is something that you can improve security-wise. Second, it offers to resolve several of the issues that it finds right away.

The program belongs to the Fix-It category of applications that Microsoft creates for a variety of troubleshooting related purposes. These tools can be run right after you have downloaded them to your PC.

Note: The tool requires an Internet connection when you run it as it is downloading components from Microsoft before it performs the scan. Yes, this is done every time you run the application.

You can select to have the application apply fixes for issues that it finds automatically, or not. I strongly suggest you select the "let me select the fixes to apply" option on the selection screen as you do not have any control whatsoever otherwise.

The scan should not take too long and results are displayed to you afterwards. If you have selected the manual option, you are free to check or uncheck identified issues so that you can decide what you want repaired or resolved, and what not.

What the program scans for

• Is antivirus software installed and running on the system.
• Is Windows Update configured to automatically install updates.
• Is the Windows Firewall enabled or a comparable program.
• Is the pop-up blocker enabled (Internet Explorer).
• Is Remote Registry turned on or off.
• Check if the latest Internet Explorer version is installed on the system. Will also modify privacy settings for improved privacy if necessary, and delete Internet cache and browsing history.
• Enable User Account Control (UAC) if disabled.
• Reset proxy settings.

Checking the findings of the program manually is important, as you may end up otherwise with modifications that torpedo changes that you have made to the system. If you require a custom proxy server to connect to the Internet, or Remote Registry, then you'd better make sure you select manual and uncheck the findings before you continue with a click on the next button.

The antivirus software that Microsoft suggests is the company's own Microsoft Security Essentials tool. While that is certainly better than no protection at all, it is not the best tool in this regard as it is not a complete solution to protect your system from malicious software.

The Fix It appears to be compatible with all versions of Windows from Windows XP onwards to Windows 7 but not Windows 8 right now. You can download the latest version of the program from Microsoft.