Firefox is not dead, an insight into Firefox 5 !!!

The best web browser around(according to me) is trying to revamp and change its release strategy, Firefox will be now available on a Rapid Release Cycle, ie you can expect upto three or four new major releases every year.

Nvidia Optimus GPU on Ubuntu - Via Bumblebee

When the leader of the Autobots is in trouble the underdog Bumblebee is here to help. Now wait, this isn't the plot for the new Transformers movie, go to IMDB for that :) What i am talking about is how to use the GPU switching capabaility aka OPTIMUS bundled with NVDIA Gcards, especially with those superb Dell XPS's.

What little Bumblebee does is it allows you to switch between the on-board Intel graphics solution, ideal for web, docs and stuff, and the multimedia intensive NVDIA powerhouse, in your laptop. It can even allow for simultaneous functioning of both the cards, with each card working on a separate thread(i dont know any scenario i can think of to apply that).

Grab i mean contact Bumblebee at github.com/MrMEEE/bumblebee

Now you can milk more battery life from those monstrously powerful laptops you have :)

Install Google's GTALK Video Chat Plugin in Ubuntu 11.04

All right, so you leaped on to the Linux bandwagon, with Ubuntu, possibly Ubuntu 11.04, I'd give you five minutes before you start missing some of your favorite windows applications and features, for Google and GMAIL fans, video chat is one of them.

Here is how you can get GTALK video chat feature in Ubuntu.

Installing Java Plugin for Firefox 4 in Ubuntu 11.04

Ok so you are having a had time, mass uploading pics on facebook, view a hell of a lot of cool sites, using your favorite Java web apps etc. This simple guide will help you to install Java in Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal through PPA. There is no Canonical Partner Repository available as of now, so lets try this simple PPA alternative This same PPA can be used for future Java updates in Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal too.Fire up a Terminal / Konsole and type :

$sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ferramroberto/java

$sudo apt-get update

$sudo apt-get install sun-java6-jre sun-java6-plugin sun-java6-fonts

Install Google's Picasa Photo Viewer in Ubuntu

In Windows the Picasa (consisting of both photo management, editing and photo viewing) satisfied all our photo management/viewing needs.

PicasaPhotoViewer in a Ubuntu 11.04 with KDE

Install Picasa 3.8 in Ubuntu/Debian

Some of us still can't let go of the beauty and perfection of Picasa. Even with the wide array of photo managers available in Ubuntu and Linux, many still would like their beloved Picasa to handle all their photos, and here i'l show you how!!!.
Now Google does offer a linux version picasa, but in its primitive 3.0 form.
But using a little wine magic , common sense and copy past commands you can get Picasa 3.8 to run smooth and cool on your *nux box.

Picasa in its 3.0 avatar