Navigating Singapore Made Easier: The Singapore Bus Arrival Companion

For anyone living in or visiting Singapore, mastering the public transport system is a rite of passage. While the MRT is efficient, the extensive bus network is the true lifeblood of the city, reaching into every corner of the heartlands.

However, we have all been there: standing at a bus stop, humidity at 90%, wondering if my bus is two minutes away or twenty. I am excited to share the Singapore Bus Arrival Web App, the perfect companion to the Singapore Bus Arrival app on Google Play.

If you find the web app useful, you will love the convenience of having it natively on your Android device. The Singapore Bus Arrival app on Google Play includes location-based features that automatically show you the stops closest to you, making your daily commute even smoother.

Check out the tools today:

• On the Web: Singapore Bus Arrival Web
• On Google Play: Download the Android App

Introducing the Singapore NRIC / FIN Utility (Generator and Validator)

For developers, data analysts, and QA engineers working within the Singaporean digital ecosystem, handling NRIC (National Registration Identity Card) and FIN (Foreign Identification Number) data is a common task. Ensuring that input data follows the correct checksum logic is vital for maintaining data integrity and providing a smooth user experience.

This web-based tool is designed to simplify the validation and generation of identification numbers through a clean, functional interface.

Key Capabilities:

• Bulk Generation for Testing: Need dummy data for a database migration or a software stress test? The utility can generate valid identification numbers across various series (S, T, F, G, and M) instantly.
• Instant Validation: Quickly verify if a specific NRIC or FIN is syntactically correct. The tool applies the weighted checksum algorithm used by Singaporean authorities to ensure the prefix and suffix match the numeric sequence.
• Smart Suggestions: The tool predicts the remaining digits and the final checksum letter based on the series (S, T, F, G, or M).

Try it out here: Singapore NRIC/FIN Utility

Betternet - Free, Unlimited VPN With No Registration

I have used VPNs and many aren't really free and if they are free, it usually comes with some restrictions like data cap. Betternet is a VPN I just know of recently that is 100% no frills free of charge with NO usage limits and NO requirement of registration.

According to Betternet, the service does not track any user information for privacy sake. 100% of its revenue comes from ads within some of the Betternet apps to stay sustainable.

Betternet is available on several platforms including Windows, iOS, Android, Chrome and Firefox. Have tried Betternet on Android and it is seamless.

How to Make GIMP Work More Like Photoshop

Interesting tips on LifeHacker on how to make free GIMP to work more like Photoshop.

Tips to convert all ebook format and make them readable across all devices

An article published on the LifeHacker - How to Buy Ebooks From Anywhere and Still Read Them All in One Place detailed just how to make sure eBooks purchased or downloaded across multiple sources can be made readable on any other eBook reader/devices. One key point to note is the step required to strip away DRM.

Hope it helps.

MergeFil.es - Merge multiple files (PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Images) into one consolidated PDF, Word, Excel or PowerPoint

MergeFil.es is a 100% FREE online tool that can combine/merge multiple files of varying formats (PDF, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Excel, images, html, and/or .txt files) into one consolidated PDF, MS Word, MS Excel, or MS PowerPoint document. The tool also allows reordering of the selected files before finalising for merging.

Convert your Android phones into inter-connected Baby Monitors

Dormi is a new Android app that can convert your old or existing Android devices into smart baby monitors or remote speakers. Watch the video below for a quick introduction to Dormi or you may just simply head to Dormi website.

Share Your Android Screen to PC or Laptop

I came across this BBQScreen app few months back and I thought it worth a mention to blog it. With BBQScreen, it is possible to share your Android screen right onto your PC or laptop. What you need to do is to install the app on your Android and also on your PC or laptop. BBQScreen support Windows, Linux and Mac OS. What's most important is that it is absolutely free of charge!

Convert Any Files to PDF

One common question many asked is "How can I actually convert a document or even image to a PDF file?". In some of my earlier articles, I wrote about converting a webpage into a PDF without installing any tool [option 1, option 2] and also manipulating existing PDF file(s) like merging, splitting, etc with an absolutely free tool.

Today, I just chanced upon toPDF. toPDF provides the capability to convert text documents, presentations, spreadsheets and images to PDF format. Some of its attractiveness include free service and needless to install any tool onto your PC since it is web-based. This free service supports up to 5 files (25Mb max).

Time Saver Generation Tool to Create Java Classes From JSON Data

An easy time-saver to create Java classes from JSON data, this JSON generation tool is certain to save you loads of time. All it needs is to feed in a JSON url and DONE!

» An easy timesaver to create Java classes from JSON data | IT World

5 photo mobile apps to help you look more beautiful

The Next Web made a review on 5 photo mobile apps capable of making enhancements on your photo, making you look more beautiful.

The 5 photo mobile apps are:

1. Beauty Camera (Android)
2. Beauty Booth (Android | iOS)
3. Photo Wonder (Android | iOS)
4. Beauty Plus (Android | iOS)
5. Meitu Xiu Xiu 美图秀秀 (Android | iOS)

Let us know how the above help you.

20 Best Wireframing Tools for Web Designers and Developers

Just for reference - a list of the 20 Best Wireframing Tools for Web Designers and Developers.

10 Must-Have Chrome Extensions for Developers

The Mashable published 10 Chrome extensions for web developers and I bet web developers like you yourself must be using some of them. Do you have your own favourite extensions? Do share with us.

1. Firebug Lite
2. Web Developer
3. Session Manager
4. Clear Cache
5. Chrome Sniffer
6. JSONView
7. Resolution Test
8. Edit This Cookie
9. Page Speed Insights
10. Postman - REST Client

Related Readings:

• 10 Firefox Add-Ons for Developers
• 10 Firefox Add-Ons for Designers

10 Firefox Add-Ons for Designers

The Mashable published 10 Firefox Add-Ons for Designers and I bet web designers and web developers like you yourself must be using some of them. Do you have your own favourite add-ons? Do share with us.

1. ColorZilla
2. Pencil
3. MeasureIt
4. Stylish
5. View Source Chart
6. Firesizer
7. HTML Validator
8. Font Finder
9. CSS Usage
10. Tab Mix Plus

Related Readings:

• 10 Firefox Add-Ons for Developers
• 10 Must-Have Chrome Extensions for Developers

10 Firefox Add-Ons for Developers

The Mashable published 10 Firefox Add-Ons for Developers and I bet web developers like you yourself must be using some of them. Do you have your own favourite add-ons? Do share with us.

1. Firebug
2. Web Developer
3. FireFTP
4. YSlow
5. Greasemonkey
6. JSONView
7. RESTClient
8. Empty Cache
9. JS Deminifier
10. Fireshot

In my own opinion, HttpFox should be the other worthy mention add-on.

Related Readings:

• 10 Firefox Add-Ons for Designers
• 10 Must-Have Chrome Extensions for Developers

List of known domain names blocked by Kaspersky products

I am putting across a serious note on Kaspersky products blocking domains including Google, Facebook and Twitter. From my experiment, it seems this is true when I am using Google Chrome browser. Have tried to contact Kaspersky via Twitter but am ignored completely. A quick web search on the world wide web reaffirmed that this is not affecting just me, but possibly thousands others as well.

The Kaspersky product I am using is Kaspersky Endpoint Security 8 with the latest database definitions installed as of today. I am not too sure if other Kaspersky variant products are having similar restrictions too.

Some of the confirmed legitimate domains blocked are the following:

Last Updated: 25 March 2013, 3:00 PM (GMT+8)

Victim	Domain	Remark	Added on
Facebook	*.akamaihd.net/*	Facebook photos	15 Mar 2013
Facebook	*.facebook.com/*	General website	15 Mar 2013
Get Satisfaction	*.cloudfront.net/*	Resources	19 Mar 2013
Google	*.ggpht.com/*	Resources	15 Mar 2013
Google	*.google.com/*	Several Google services	15 Mar 2013
Google	*.googleapis.com/*	Resources e.g. Analytics	15 Mar 2013
Google	*.googleusercontent.com/*	Resources	15 Mar 2013
Google	*.gstatic.com/*	Resources	15 Mar 2013
Google	*.googlegroups.com/*	Files hosted may have problems	23 Mar 2013
Microsoft	*.ms/*	Resources	25 Mar 2013
Microsoft	*.wlxrs.com/*	Resources	25 Mar 2013
Pinterest	*.pinimg.com/*	Resources	19 Mar 2013
Twitter	*.twimg.com/*	Twitter photos	15 Mar 2013
UserVoice	*.uservoice.com/*	General website	17 Mar 2013
YouTube	*.youtube.com/*	General website	15 Mar 2013
YouTube	*.ytimg.com/*	YouTube photos	15 Mar 2013

Right now, I have to add the above domain names (will be growing) as trusted urls to be able to consume content normally.

Please let me know any other domains blocked by Kaspersky so I can add them here too to benefit everyone.

Access blocked websites, stream US / UK stuff

For people who like to stream US/UK stuff but don't want to pay VPN, try Hola. They have support for Windows, Android, Chrome, Firefox and Apple.

Alternatively, try TunnelBear VPN. It's free for first 500MB of data each month. They have support for Windows, iOS devices, Mac and Android.

Turn your browser into a text editor

When we need to jot down something quick that doesn't need to be saved later, we often open up Notepad. There is actually a simple quick handy way to do it right in your browser. All you need to do is type the following code into the browser's URL bar:

data:text/html, <html contenteditable>

The above trick uses the Data URI's format and telling the browser to render an html.

» One line browser notepad | coderwall

XYplorer, powerful Windows file explorer, for FREE today

XYplorer, the awesome powerful alternative file explorer for Windows, is now available absolutely FREE today. The version to be given away for free is 11.90 hinting version 12.0 should be coming very soon.

I have downloaded mine. What about you?

Microsoft to Shut Down Messenger; Guide to Skype Icons

Microsoft has announced to terminate and shutdown Messenger on Mar 15 and moving all users to the Skype messenger service, of which they acquired in October 2011. Microsoft has begun sending emails to all its users in phases.

Some guide on Skype before you even dive in from Messenger.

1. What is a Microsoft Account?
2. How do I create a Skype account?
3. How do I unlink my Skype and Microsoft or Facebook accounts?
4. Skype Status Icons