Here’s an unconventional yet creative way to use Google Docs to play Chess game. You and one of your friend can enjoy playing this classic board game online without having to download anything.

Note that we are using a Google Docs template, which I first found on Reddit. You have to make a copy of this chess template (given below), create a link and then share the link with your friend. This is a perfect way to pass your time if you are sitting idle in your office, school or college.

How to Play Chess Through Google Documents

Step 1: Go to this Google Docs page.

Step 2: Click File > Make a Copy… This should create a copy of the template into your Google Docs account. If a Copy Document window pops up, click OK.

Step 3: Click File > Share. A link appears, which you can send it to your friend.

You can create any number of copies of the above template. Even editing the template is possible, only after you have copied the template to your Google Docs account.

You are also free to invite any number of people, but as you probably know that chess is a game played by two players, you’d be better off playing with only one friend at a time.

Playing Chess for the first time? Learn the rules.

Related: Use Google Docs for Syncing Notes.

You can read the original blog post here Create and Play a Chess Game on Google Docs.

Almost every commercial Mac application installed on your computer has a serial key. This unique serial key (also called as license key) brings life to your paid app.

Let’s say you are going to reinstall Mac OS on your computer. Although you can backup the entire Mac HD using Time Machine, to be on the safer side, it is always recommended to note down the registration key of the purchased app.

For those who have purchased third-party apps legally, you will receive an email with the license key. Rather than trying to find the license key from every corner of your email inbox, you can use this nifty little Mac app called Mac Product Key Finder.

Use Mac Product Key Finder to Find Lost Keys

This free app makes it a lot easier to get all the serial numbers of the apps installed on your Mac system. There are three simple steps to follow for recovering lost serial keys:

• Download Mac Product Key Finder app.
• Setup and launch the app.
• Save the generated serial keys.

It’s that simple! You don’t have to do anything — the app will scan your Mac for licensed apps and then puts the list of apps along with the serial keys in one window as shown above. You have to hit the “Save to…” button to save the file in either .XML, .CSV, .PDF, .TXT or .HTML format.

If you have lost the CD, don’t have the product key number of the app written down on a piece of paper or stored in your email, this is the app you need.

Tip: After saving the file, you can send an email to yourself with this file added as an attachment. This way the file will be completely secure and easily accessible from anywhere, anytime.

Download Mac Product Key Finder
App Tested on: iMac.
Requirements: Mac OS X Leopard, Lion or higher.

You can read the original blog post here Recover Lost Serial Keys of Installed Mac Applications.

Mac users can download the latest version of Autodesk Inventor Fusion for free.

As mentioned on the official Autodesk website, Autodesk Inventor Fusion for Mac OS X includes intuitive direct manipulation tools, and provides direct modeling for easy design changes without any limitations.

The app unites direct and parametric workflows within a single digital model created in Autodesk Inventor. The free technology preview has tools that makes it easier to create stunning designs. The Autodesk Inventor Fusion software is fully interoperable with AutoCAD and a variety of other Autodesk and third party CAD tools.

This Fusion app has parametric editing which makes it easier to edit components when you are halfway through the design process. You can not only open but also edit 3D models.

Free Download: Autodesk Inventor Fusion 2012 Version

Autodesk has launched a technical preview of AIF, which means the program will be free till the end of the year. The technology preview expires on January 1, 2013, and from the next year onwards, the product will retail for $995.

Download Autodesk Inventor Fusion on Mac — Autodesk Inventor Fusion works on any Mac OS. There were no issues found while testing this program on my iMac running OS X Lion

Here’s an exhaustive 251 pages guide on how to use Autodesk Inventor Fusion: Download Autodesk Inventor Fusion Manual.

You can read the original blog post here Autodesk Inventor Fusion Available For Download.

Have a document that you want to convert from Adobe PDF to Word format?

There are benefits of converting files online. For instance, if you pick a file that needs to be converted, convert it using online tools as there is no need to download any software.

The online file conversion can take place on any kind of browser and on any type of OS — Windows, Mac or Linux — as everything happens on the server. Plus, you don’t have to pay anything, as online document converting services are free to use.

Before Using These PDF Converter Tools

After having used most of these web tools regularly, I know some of them can be shady. Although you don’t have to register an account for converting .PDF to .DOC file format, you may receive unexpected email message from them — these are usually promotional messages, but they are occasionally sent.

This usually happens when you ask these sites to send you an email after the file has been converted. Note that all the submitted and converted files will remain on the servers for a short time, which means you have to download them quickly — none of your files will be visible on the Internet.

One More Things…

Most of us convert files because editing .doc documents is easier than editing PDFs. Teachers, usually in college, demand students to send assignments and homeworks in Microsoft Word format.

Now, if you are going to use the sites mentioned below, and you don’t want to receive promotional messages, use disposable email addresses instead of going with your primary email address.

That said, here are my top 7 picks of the best online tools available on the web that makes it easier to convert PDF to Microsoft’s Word documents.

Convert PDF to Word Online

1. Google Docs – After uploading PDF documents to Google Docs, you can edit the file, format it the way you want and then export it to Word (.DOC  or .DOCX) format. This free online tool is probably the best out there, not because it’s free but also because the quality of the generated PDF file is much clearer.

2. Zamzar: The site that needs no introduction, Zamzar can convert files of any extension to another extension in less than 5 minutes. You have to upload the file, wait for the conversion (or enter your email to get the converted file emailed to you) and download the file.

3. Comet Docs: A popular file converting tool, similar to Zamzar, offers PDF to Word conversion. There are four simple steps to follow for converting file into Word format.

4. PDF Online: All the complex PDFs, with tables and images included in the document, are properly converted to Word format without scarifying the layout and format of the original file.

5. PDF to Word:  You can convert variety of files to PDF format with this free tool. Upload the file, enter your email to receive the newly converted PDF in your inbox in less than 20 minutes. Upload limit: 10 MB per file.

6. New OCR: If your PDF documents have images with text on them, you can convert these images into editable text format using New OCR. The converted text can be copied and pasted on your desktop Word Processor, which can be later exported into the desired format.

7. DocsPal: DocsPal lets you upload file from your computer or enter the URL of the document. The site doesn’t identify the file format, so you have to select the original format along with the converted format you want.

Do you have any other site that needs to be added to the list? Which services do you think are the best of ‘em all? Let me know through your comments below!

You can read the original blog post here Guide: Best Tools to Convert PDF to Word Documents Online.

There are many indispensable tools available for opening XPS files on your Mac, although none of them I know are free to download. You should know that the commercial Mac apps promising to read Microsoft’s XPS files are actually expensive.

Consider NiXPS, a paid app that can create, read and edit XPS files on Mac, is available for $299. There’s another XPS reader called XPSShow priced at $34.99.

I haven’t personally used any of these apps, as I usually prefer free apps over paid ones.

So what are the free apps available?

None. Mac doesn’t have any XPS reader app available on the App Store, unfortunately. There are no third-party freeware tools available on the web. But the good news is that reading .XPS extension files on your computer is still possible without having to dig deeper into your pockets.

How?

Convert XPS To PDF Files

Converting documents to PDF format can help you view the content of your XPS file. After you have converted XPS to PDF, you can open either a single or multiple files using Mac’s Preview. The conversion process will cost you nothing but some free time.

For viewing XPS files on your browser, download addons and plugins on your Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome browser. Read this article to learn more.

Forward XPS Documents to Gmail – Google Docs

Go to your Google Mail account and compose an email to yourself. Make sure to add the XPS file as an attachment.

Go back to your inbox and open the email. You will have the option to “View” or “Download” the file. Hitting View will open the XPS document through Google Docs.

Want more? You can upload any number of XPS documents and read them through Google docs — it’s free and probably one of the best way for reading XPS files on Mac OS X.

You can read the original blog post here Opening and Reading XPS Files on Mac.

Apart from the price, durability is yet another important factor to consider before buying a gadget. A durable product lasts longer and works in any environment. Now talking specifically about digital cameras, how can we test the durability?

Determining the durable nature of a product can be done in several ways. There are hardcore durability tests out there that may leave you stunned, such as:

• Running the car over your camera.
• Dropping the camera down the stairs.
• Freezing the camera overnight.
• Soaking the camera in a distilled water.
• Keeping the camera in a Microwave oven.
• Burning the camera.

Over to our main question: Which is the most durable and reliable camera to buy?
Answer: Canon EOS 7D.

The Canon 7D is designed to stay strong even in the worse conditions. The video below, which is 16 minute long, reveals how Canon 7D goes under a hardcore durability test and emerges as a winner. If you are a photographer looking for one more reason to buy Canon 7D, this is it.

Buy at Amazon: Purchase Canon EOS 7D. You can get the Canon EOS 7D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera at a discounted price only on Amazon.

Related: World’s Smallest Digital Cameras.

You can read the original blog post here The Most Durable Camera Ever [Video].

Searching for the serial number of your iMac, MacBook Pro or Air?

Every Mac machine comes with a unique product key. When you purchase a brand new Mac, the original package will have the product key (also called serial number) printed on it. You have to note down this number for future reference.

Didn’t do that? Not to worry, as finding Mac’s serial number these days is really easy. You can use your current Mac Operating System to obtain this number.

Finding Mac’s Serial Number

Step 1: Go to the Apple Menu and select About This Mac.

Step 2: A window appears displaying information about the currently running Mac OS X. Below Software Update, you will find More Info… Click on it.

Step 3: A new window reveals your Mac model, hardware-related information along with the serial number.

Note: There’s no need for admin access to get the serial key.

Benefits of a serial number: When you enter your Mac’s hardware serial number on Apple’s website, you will know the Apple’s support coverage and free services available for your Mac model.

Despite finding the Mac’s warranty status, a serial number is asked by the Genius folks working at Apple Store for repairing your machine, which is usually done free of cost if your Mac is under the stated warranty period.

Even though you may have lost the Mac’s original package, you now know how easy it is to find the serial number through the Mac OS.

You can read the original blog post here How to Find Lost Serial Number of Your Mac.

Along with Audio, Photos, Apps, Books, there is Other space available on your iPhone.

Let’s say that you have an iPhone, 16GB model. To know how much space is occupied by Other, launch the iTunes Player. Make sure that you have connected your iPhone to your computer. From the iTunes Player, go to your device, and at the bottom of the iTunes window you will notice the iPhone’s disk space.

In my case, my iPhone 4S has 4.5 GB of data stored in Other. You can always reclaim this space by removing the temporary files and games that automatically saves data.

The Other storage space shown on your iTunes window is usually cache and app-related files. For instance, when you save a game on an iPhone, the data will be stored in Other. When you upgrade your iPhone to a newer iOS, Other will have system cache files stored

Problem?

Some of the jailbroken iPhone users have said that iTunes only shows Other space. This means the storage graph doesn’t show the space occupied by audio, photos or books.

The solution to this problem is simple. You have to unplug your iPhone, respring it, and plug it back in the computer. You can also hit the Sync button on your iTunes to bring everything back to normal. Resyncing can also remove partially downloaded apps, ultimately freeing up your iPhone’s space.

If you are looking for recovering your iPhone’s storage space, check out iCleaner, a useful Cydia app that removes junk and useless files from an iPhone.

You can read the original blog post here More About iPhone’s Other Space Shown on iTunes.

Searching for a free file cleaner for your iPhone?

Storing music videos, audios and your favorite movies is enough to use up the allocated storage space on your iPhone. For the most part, the available iPhone disk space is not enough to store everything.

Given that iPhone doesn’t come with an expanded memory slot, the only way to add up extra space is to free up the allocated space. In other words, removing data from an iOS device is probably the quickest way to earn additional storage space.

After you have deleted big files and media content, you can utilize the freed up space again. You can now install apps and heavy games on your iPhone.

Better Way to Recover Storage Space on iPhone

A better way to free up space is to use Cydia app like iCleaner. Apple iPhone jailbroken users can use iCleaner app to remove junk files from their iOS device.

All the redundant, cache files and temporary files that become a part of your iPhone’s storage space will be completely removed. Be careful while using this app though, as it will also remove Safari browser’s cookies and deletes the browsing history.

Apart from deleting cache files and database information, iCleaner will also delete apps log files and crash reports that are stored on your iPhone. These files may not be of huge size, but there may be hundreds of such files, and permanently removing these files and other data from an iOS device can only help you reclaim space.

Even the partially downloaded apps, tweaks and plugins will be deleted automatically. iCleaner provides in-depth cleaning facility by removing older browsing history of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Messenger.

Using iCleaner…

After you have downloaded a copy of iCleaner from the Big Boss Repo,  tap on the icon that appears on your iPhone’s homescreen. Tapping on Analyze will analyze the number of useless files and the disk space it has utilized, which is very useful for those who actually care about older data.

Once you tap on the Clean button, the app will delete the hidden data stored on your iPhone.

After hitting the Clean button, I was able to recover 49MB of space — not bad, especially considering the fact that these files were removed from Safari browser.

Download iCleaner: Head over to Cydia app, tap on Search. Now type in the keyword iCleaner to download the app.
Requirements: iOS 4.2.1, iOS 5 or higher firmware.
Tested on: iPhone 4S.
Works on: iPhone 4/4S, iPhone 3GS/3G, iPod Touch 4G/3G and iPad 1 and 2.

You can read the original blog post here Easily Free Up Storage Space on Jailbroken iPhone Now.

Get a free 3D photo tour through Google Maps now.

At some point of life, some of us may want to pack our bags and head to far-off places that we may have heard from our friends or through the web. Before touring a place, you must research.

Now, imagine discovering interesting sites and places in a 360 degree view right from your home? This can help you in several ways — you know what you want to see, what not to miss, and you will find interesting places that are around the site.

A few years ago touring the world virtually wouldn’t be possible, but now you can, all thanks to Google.

Start a 3D Photo Tour

Google Maps now brings an interactive 3D touring experience that lets you choose a tour from over 15000 popular destination. All this is of course free.

The way Google brings this photo tour is interesting. Google collects public images submitted by Panoramio and Picasa Web users and then similar images are grouped together.

If there are tonnes of overlapping public photos, Google uses advanced computer vision technique to create a 3D shape of each place. While you may not experience a complete 3D virtual tour sometimes, this is still an improvement.

If you are using Safari, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox browser, head over to the this 3D Photo Tour link. Every time you want to start a virtual tour, you have to enable Maps GPL on your browser — don’t worry, you have to click Enable MapsGL to access 3D destinations.

Related: Find 3D Models on Google Maps.

You can read the original blog post here Start a Virtual 3D Tour To Popular Places Through Google Maps.