Tools and Gadgets
Information on tools and gadgets for your computer or for browsing










Subscribe to "Tools and Gadgets" in Radio UserLand.

Click to see the XML version of this web page.

Click here to send an email to the editor of this weblog.

Subscribe with Bloglines

[add to MyYahoo]


Monday, January 12, 2009
 

Are My Sites Up? Tracks Multiple Web Sites' Availability [Troubleshooting] .


Are My Sites Up? is a web-based application for tracking the up time of web sites and sending notifications when they are down.

If you need to know immediately if a site is down completely or just unavailable to you, a service like Down For Everyone Or Just Me? is a great tool. If you'd like to monitor a site more consistently and get notifications when there is an interruption in service you'll need a more advanced tool. Set up a list of up to 50 sites to monitor at the Are My Sites Up? web site. In addition to being able to check the status of the sites on the Are My Sites Up? control panel as seen in the screenshot above, you can also set it to email you and send you an SMS update when one of your monitored sites is down. The service requires no ownership of or modification to the web sites you are monitoring, you can use it on your own site or any site you want to keep an eye on.



[Lifehacker]
10:57:31 AM    

Use Blankets to Save Food During Blackouts [Emergency] .

The wikiHow site points out that when the power goes out and you're wondering about your cold stash of food, having thick blankets handy can save you a lot of grocery bill heartache.

Along with taking other measures of common sense and thermal dynamic control—packing in ice or dry ice, keeping doors closed as much as possible—wikiHow notes that wrapping your refrigeration units will aid in insulating them from gaining in temperature.

Also recommended? Eating any room-temperature, perishable food within two hours, and—among the best phrases we've written lately—having an "instant barbecue" to save any meats that can't be kept safe. Of course, you should always toss anything you think had even a chance of spoiling, but protecting fully-stocked fridges and freezers can carry your good up to 48 hours.

What's the longest blackout you've had to contend with, and how did you manage your food stocks during it? Tell us your tale in the comments. Photo by SMercury98.



[Lifehacker]
10:56:56 AM    


Click here to visit the Radio UserLand website. © Copyright 2009 Jocelyn Shaw.
Last update: 2/2/2009; 12:18:22 PM.
Photo curtesy of Marjorie O'Brien
January 2009
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
        1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Dec   Feb