New Technology Reviews!.: Special

RIM: Buy two BlackBerry Playbooks get one free

RIM: Buy two BlackBerry Playbooks get one free

RIM is offering business customers a completely free BlackBerry PlayBook... when they buy two. The 'Back to Business' promotion,...

3 Ways To Open Applications & Windows Maximized With VB Script [Windows]

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<img alt="script to maximize a window" class="aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://www.new-technology-news.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/dba967a32cindows.png.png" src="http://www.new-technology-news.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/dba967a32cindows.png.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />If there is one thing I love to do, it’s write VB scripts. Whether it’s a Windows Script file or a VBA script inside an application, scripting provides the ability to add functionality to applications where most other people would find limitations and roadblocks. 
One of the most common functions that I’ve found I use in many of my scripts is maximizing a window. This may be the launching of an application from a Windows script, or maybe launching an Excel or Word document in full-screen mode for display in a conference room, or as an application of sorts. 
The beauty of scripting is that you don’t have to be a programmer to do this, and you don’t have to have any special software installed. If you’re using a Windows computer, or any application that has a VBA back-end, you can make use of these functions. In this article I’m going to provide three examples of how you can maximize windows using VB scripts, but you can take what I’m going to show you here and use it throughout any other script that you might be building. 
<h2 style="font-size: 1.5em;">
Launch Applications In Maximized Mode</h2>
Before we get started, I’m going to quickly show you how you can launch any application in maximized mode by writing a quick script that launches that program using the Windows Shell. 
There is a parameter in the Shell “Run” command where you can tell the application what mode to run in, and it will run it maximized. This is what the script looks like. <code></code> 
<code> <code></code></code> 
<code>Option Explicit</code><code>On Error Resume Next</code> 
<code>Dim WshShell</code><code>Dim retVal</code><code>Dim myPath</code> 
<code>set WshShell=CreateObject("WScript.Shell") retVal = WshShell.Run("C:tempfirefox", 3)</code> 
<code>WScript.Quit</code> 
<code></code> <code></code> 
You can substitute any program in the string where I currently have Firefox, and if the app allows for it. It’ll launch maximized. Some apps don’t. For example, this technique works for Firefox, but Chrome seems to have a mind of its own. Regardless, this script will work with most applications. 
<h2 style="font-size: 1.5em;">
Open Documents Maximized in Word</h2>
To maximize any Word document, using nothing more than a command button in Word, you’ll need to enable Developer mode. To do this, click the Windows button and select Word Options at the bottom of the dropdown. In the Options menu, select “Show Developer tab in the Ribbon“. 
<img alt="script to maximize a window" data-mce-src="http://www.new-technology-news.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/575778e226rdmax1.png.png" height="388" src="http://www.new-technology-news.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/575778e226rdmax1.png.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="541" /> 
Now you can select the Developer menu item and make use of “design mode” where you can code awesome functionality into your Word documents. To create a button that can maximize the document to full-screen, just enable Design Mode, click on the Forms dropdown button and click on the button object. 
<img alt="script maximize window" data-mce-src="http://www.new-technology-news.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/07e86ae552rdmax2.png.png" height="370" src="http://www.new-technology-news.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/07e86ae552rdmax2.png.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="477" /> 
Place the button anywhere at all that you want in your document.  Right-click on the button, selectCommandButton Object and then click View Code. Now, there are two things you can do to maximize the window. You can either force the Windows application itself to maximize like this. 
<code>Application.WindowState = wdWindowStateMaximize</code> 
Or, you can make the entire document go full-screen and remove the header toolbars completely. 
<code>ActiveWindow.View.FullScreen = True</code> 
This puts the entire document in full-screen with only a ruler enabled (if you click on the ruler button in the upper left). To get out of full-screen mode, just tap the Escape key. 
<img alt="script maximize window" data-mce-src="http://www.new-technology-news.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/286b2f2b7frdmax3.png.png" height="344" src="http://www.new-technology-news.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/286b2f2b7frdmax3.png.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="574" /> 
What can this be used for? Well if you don’t have Microsoft Powerpoint, you can basically use this feature to  make use of Word as a similar display tool. To flip to the next page, you just scroll down the document. 
If you don’t want to use a command button and would rather have the document automatically open in this mode, just use the code above in the Document_Open() function. You can get to that function in the code editor by selecting “Document” in the left dropdown at the top of the code window, and “Open” on the right dropdown. 
<h2 style="font-size: 1.5em;">
Open Spreadsheets Maximized In Excel</h2>
What you can do with VBA in Word, you can usually also do in Excel, except things are going to be just a little bit different. You can enable the Developer toolbar the same way you did in Word above, but when you add a button you’ll see that Excel wants you to apply a Macro. All you have to do is name a new Macro and click on the “New” button. That will put you into the code editor. 
<img alt="script maximize window" data-mce-src="http://www.new-technology-news.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/19f3fe82bcelmax4.png.png" height="435" src="http://www.new-technology-news.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/19f3fe82bcelmax4.png.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="516" /> 
This is where you’ll type the code to maximize the spreadsheet and remove the scrollbars. 
<img alt="script maximize" data-mce-src="http://www.new-technology-news.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/e2d300cf08elmax5.png.png" height="407" src="http://www.new-technology-news.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/e2d300cf08elmax5.png.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="562" /> 
If you’re not accustomed to coding in VBA, you’ll notice that many of the objects you can reference in your code are listed to the left. You can perform a number of actions on specific sheets and workbooks, and lots of the objects inside those sheets as well. In this case you’re referencing the entire Excel application itself. 
<code>Application.DisplayFullScreen = True</code> <code>Application.CommandBars("Worksheet Menu Bar").Enabled = False</code> 
You can perform a number of actions on specific sheets and workbooks, and lots of the objects inside those sheets as well. In this case you’re referencing the entire Excel application itself. This code will convert the Excel window to full screen mode and then entirely remove the menu bar at the top of the screen. 
<img alt="script to maximize a window" data-mce-src="http://www.new-technology-news.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/21c11cd396elmax6.png.png" height="394" src="http://www.new-technology-news.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/21c11cd396elmax6.png.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="482" /> 
Just like in Word, you can get out of this mode with the Escape key, and you can also use the same code in the  screen. You can also use this code in the Workbook_Open() or Worksheet_Activate() functions to enable full-screen mode without the need for a button. However you want to perform your script magic is up to you! 
So start up Notepad or MS Office and give these scripts a try. Did you think of some creative use for launching maximized applications? Share your experiences in the comments section below. 
Image Credit: Shutterstock 
<img alt="" data-mce-src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Makeuseof/~4/s5cTR4FFSF0" height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Makeuseof/~4/s5cTR4FFSF0" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="1" /> 
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3 Ways To Open Applications & Windows Maximized With VB Script [Windows]

If there is one thing I love to do, it’s write VB scripts. Whether it’s a Windows Script file or a VBA script inside an application, scrip...

Silicon Valley Special Sauce - Key Ingredients For a Tech Hub

It started out with a bang. The great tech boom swept into San Francisco and Silicon Valley with a massive wave of investment and talented engineers. If a company could throw together a sock puppet and an HTML website they were sure to get millions. Unfortunately, the art of due diligence was tossed out the window like a soggy fast food carton as investment firms began to resemble forty-niners flocking to the gold rush more than prudent businessmen. Inevitably the bubble popped and the tech industry deflated. Fortunately, the foundation that was laid during the early days of the PC and throughout the tech boom left Silicon Valley uniquely capable of fostering innovation and supporting technology companies. Given the high growth associated with technology, other regions have begun to produce and foster high tech sectors. From New York media startups to Chicago's recent tech revival, what are the critical elements to supporting a vibrant technology industry? Here is an examination of some key characteristics that make Silicon Valley such a powerhouse. Legal Foundation One of the primary reasons that the Valley is such a tech magnet has to do with its legal environment. During the early sputtering days of innovation before the web 2.0 bubble, certain engineers in the valley decided to take chances. The area was known for research into early computing technology and certain employees developed innovative ideas that the larger companies were not completely willing to back. Shockley Semi Conductor laboratory offer a solid example. Initially founded to research the possibility of replacing germanium with silicon as the best material to build semiconductors, the company eventually gave up research due to assumed difficulties with manufacturing. As the company scaled back their efforts, several key engineers decided to take a risk and form their own company, Fairchild Semiconductor. That day Silicon Valley became Silicon Valley. The brazen risk taking approach has permeated the business culture of the area ever since. Given the increasing level of spin-offs and new ventures, legal firms in the area gained a wealth of expertise in forming, fostering and protecting new ventures. This legal expertise represents a key component to fostering the formation of new technology companies in the area to this day. Venture Investment The end of 1980 marked the beginning of the venture investment boom in Silicon Valley. As the local semiconductor industry took off, many players in the Sand Hill road area of Menlo Park began to look for opportunities to invest their new wealth. A couple of upstart entrepreneurs including Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak had a little idea about selling kits for personal household computers. Despite the inherent risk of trying to sell computers for individual use, some investors took a chance on the nascent company called Apple. In 1980, Apple issued an initial public offering of 1.8 billion dollars. In the aftermath of this unprecedented success story both individuals and investment firms began to flock to the investment opportunities in the area. Over the years, these investment firms worked to develop a unique understanding of the needs and risks associated with financially fostering technology companies. A dynamic venture capital environment is a critical element for any would be technology hub. Without investment, tech sectors are almost guaranteed to fall behind other regions with more active investment firms. Human Capital As the chapter of the Great War closed, a ground swell of troops returned home with dreams of peace, families and success. Education was a primary focus. The GI bill provided an educational stimulus the likes of which had never existed before. Certain universities placed greater emphasis on their specialties to help provide a more useful education to the great numbers of applicants. Stanford, a school with a long history of computer science and engineering, began to buckle down and look for ways to enhance their stature in these fields. The Stanford Industrial park was an early attempt to bolster the technology prowess of the school. In a move to make use of available university owed land, Stanford decided to lease the land to local companies. One of the requirements set forth in the leasing decision was that each company must be in the technology industry. Companies from Hewlett-Packard to General Electric moved into the newly available space and began offering subsidies for their employees to attend graduate school at Stanford while they were working. This combination of educational and employment opportunities began to draw engineers to the region from all over the world. The web 2.0 bubble of the 1990's accelerated the pilgrimage of technology expertise to San Francisco and the greater Bay Area. Any ambitious engineer with an idea and a will could try their hand. Even after the boom, the sheer number of computer engineers in the greater Silicon Valley area is unrivaled. This wealth of available engineers represents the full spectrum of talent from 3rd rate hacks to world leading geniuses. For technology hubs, being able to effectively access your talent pool is almost as important as the availability of the talent itself. Given the supply of engineers, Silicon Valley and San Francisco technical recruiting firms have sprung up to help match startups with the technical expertise required to realize their big ideas. Needless to say, human capital is probably the most critical factor for any region to become a center for technology companies. Clout The most intangible attribute, and probably the most universally acknowledged one, is the clout of Silicon Valley. Companies with roots in the area are actively competing with organizations on the cutting edge of technology. A corporate address in the Valley is almost like a stamp of approval. Between the venture firms priding themselves on due diligence and the top notch engineers, Silicon Valley has curb appeal. Clout is possibly the most difficult characteristic to achieve. For any aspiring technology hub, establishing legal protections, developing a venture friendly environment and courting engineering talent are the first major steps. With perseverance and a continued commitment to supporting the local technology industry a region can only hope to develop a level of clout capable of inspiring tech entrepreneurs for years to come. After all, inspiration is what puts the twinkle in the eyes of the next Steve Jobs or Bill Gates to grace us with their grand ideas. Regardless of where the next big ideas spring up the characteristics the define Silicon Valley are sure to resonate in the next great technology Mecca. I am an aspiring writer who enjoys sharing helpful information with people. My three favorite topics are business, technology and travel. I hope my readers enjoy the articles.

Silicon Valley Special Sauce - Key Ingredients For a Tech Hub

It started out with a bang. The great tech boom swept into San Francisco and Silicon Valley with a massive wave of investment and talented e...

Review: Oppo BDP8SE NuForce Special Edition

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/Hi-Fi%20Choice/HFC%20340/HFC340.bg.oppo_front-200-200.jpg"> Oppo is not a name that we've had a lot of exposure to, but there's been a buzz in cyberspace about the BDP8SE. It's rumoured to be one of the most capable multi-format players around. The story goes that Oppo used to make a standard BD83, then upgraded it to Special Edition status, then discontinued the non-SE due to problems sourcing parts. It was then worked on by NuForce to create the model we have here. Its building blocks and operating software show some similarities with the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/blu-ray-players/cambridge-audio-azur-650bd-blu-ray-player-684714/review">Cambridge Audio Azur 650BD</A>, but there's an important difference in the audio board, which uses DACs from ESS, the specialist also featured in the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/cd-players-and-recorders/audiolab-8200cd-906738/review">Audiolab 8200CD</A>. DACs plural, that is, as there are separate chips for multi channel and stereo. In offering a wholly separate stereo output path, Oppo has side-stepped a criticism sometimes made of multichannel equipment, that there's too much clever stuff in the signal path and it's true that dedicated stereo hardware, at least, gives peace of mind that one hasn't accidentally left some processing in circuit. The whole audio board shows signs of careful design, with good-quality parts and op-amps, some of which are cunningly disguised by painting them gold. The logic and video board is a compact affair with the usual video processing options, including HDMI output at practically all frame rates and resolutions. <img alt="oppo rear" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Hi-Fi%20Choice/HFC%20340/HFC340.bg.oppo_rear-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> And since this is a Blu-ray player, the transport is a fully universal type that can read most flavours of DVD, as well as BD, SACD and CD. Sound quality This player is quite light and delicate in its presentation, with good detail and well-judged balance. A situation that seemed to suit Brahms's music in SACD, the slightly heavy texture of the music responding well to light-handed reproduction. Something similar applied to the Mavericks track, a deceptively complex mix, featuring more instruments than are at first apparent. The NuForce Oppo proved adept at presenting these instruments as individual sounds, without losing the sense of an integrated whole. There was also a lovely sense of space in this track and excellent energy; one listener commented that it sounded more like a live gig than a studio recording and we can see what he meant by that. Smaller-scale music was also well served, with lively dynamics and an energetic, snappy presentation. It does seem now and then that this player's deep bass is a touch shy and that can slightly lessen the impact of some music, for instance a church organ which relies more than most on the lowest frequencies. But the sheer vigour and bounce of the sound more than compensates for that with most styles of music. Treble is also well extended and quite sweet. This combination of attributes is not all that common but the energy, slightly lean sound and good detail add up to performance that some listeners will fi nd very attractive.Related Links <UL> <LI><a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/techradar-s-reviews-guarantee-622749">TechRadar Reviews Guarantee</A></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/blu-ray-players">Read more Blu-ray player reviews</A></LI></UL>

Review: Oppo BDP8SE NuForce Special Edition

Oppo is not a name that we've had a lot of exposure to, but there's been a buzz in cyberspace about the BDP8SE. It's rumoured to...