Author Archives: Jason Fitzpatrick

Run Your Own Free Proxy Through the Google App Engine [Proxy]

Finding a good proxy is difficult. You either have to run it yourself from your home computer or web server, or you’re left scavenging about for free proxies online. Instead, you can run one for free through the Google App Engine.

If you want total control over your proxy experience, you can always run a home proxy. We showed you how to set one up last month with our guide to bypassing heavy-handed firewalls. While you’re tinkering away with your home network it’s also worth setting up a SSH SOCKS proxy to encrypt and secure all your remote traffic too.

If you don’t want to leave your computer on all the time or be limited by the speed of your home internet connection however, you can use a Google account to set up a proxy server that runs off the Google Apps Engine and allows you to browse via proxy independent of your home network and without having to trust a sketchy third-party proxy. You’ll be running your own proxy server through the Apps Engine, free for you to tweak. They’ve put together a detailed guide at Digital Inspiration, check out the video below:

For step by step instructions, including lots of screen shots, visit the link below. Have your own way for circumventing firewalls and browsing on your own terms? Let’s hear about it in the comments.


Posted in Browsing, Google Apps, Privacy, Proxy, Security, Top, Web Browsing | Tagged | Comments closed

Wallpaper Roundup: The Intimate Life of Circuits [Wallpaper Roundup]

Deep inside the electronic devices we take for granted is a veritable metropolis of circuits, switches, and electro-mechanical marvels. Pay homage to your electronic companions with some macro photographs of their inner workings.

Note: The “Full Size” link directly under the picture only shows you the full size of the sample image we uploaded for this gallery. You need to click on the name of the particular wallpaper in the right hand column to access the full range of sizes at the source site or click on “Direct Link to Largest Available Image” to jump right to the biggest size available.

Not keen on the gallery layout? See all the larger images on one page here.

Bluechip by Brian Shaler

Direct Link to Largest Available Image

Penryn with Original Pentium Die by Intel Photos

Direct Link to Largest Available Image

Tukwila Glamour 1 by Intel Photos

Direct Link to Largest Available Image

Needle by Intel Photos

Direct Link to Largest Available Image


Silverthorne Die on Tukwila (Itanium) Wafer by Intel Photos

Direct Link to Largest Available Image

Chip_wallpaper_1440x900 by Chiron Bramberger

Direct Link to Largest Available Image

Blue_chip_with_leads by Chiron Bramberger

Direct Link to Largest Available Image

Broken Remote by ScribeSevenThree

Direct Link to Largest Available Image

Golden Forest by Enviro Photography

Direct Link to Largest Available Image

Nodes by Finstr

Direct Link to Largest Available Image

DRAM-Chip by Research@Intel

Direct Link to Largest Available Image

Error Correction Chip by Research@Intel

Direct Link to Largest Available Image


Posted in Computer, Computers, CPU, Electronics, Wallpaper, Wallpaper Roundup, Wallpapers | Tagged | Comments closed

Wallpaper Roundup: Ocean Views and Abstract Blues [Wallpaper]

The temperature is rising across the country, and while you may not be able to get yourself to a cool and breezy locale, you can at least plaster your monitor with soothing reminders of one.

Our roundup today is a selection of backgrounds themed in cool blue: oceans, waves, and abstract creations. Each image can be previewed here in the gallery and then downloaded via the source link to the right of the image. Every wallpaper here is available in a full compliment of standard and widescreen monitor resolutions and many of them are available for dual monitors too.

Note: The “Full Size” link directly under the picture only shows you the full size of the sample image we uploaded for this gallery. You need to click on the name of the particular wallpaper in the right hand column to access the full range of sizes at the source site.

Not keen on the gallery layout? See all the larger images on one page here.

Driftin’ by David Stys

Dream Beach by Amecke

Of Me and You by Psychopulse


Hexillus by miniman


Island Boat by dimage

Motion Stripes by rmx

OS X Wave by soggyb


Blue Tiles by salvis


The Lookout by Chris Gin


Paradise Lost by arohlen


Sea & Stone by Tain0s


Splash by Ratow


Flow by pat_s


Broken Waves by mpohanka

Portlock by kipkeston

Posted in Desktop, Desktops, Friday Fun, Gallery, Screen, Wallpaper, Wallpapers | Tagged | Comments closed

Turn a Shoe Organizer into a Vertical Herb Garden [Clever Uses]

Don’t have enough space in your place to grow some herbs? Turn a shoe organizer into a vertical garden and as long as you have even a balcony railing with sun exposure, you’ll have more than enough room.

Whether you’re living in an apartment and dreaming of a garden’s worth of fresh herbs for use in your kitchen, or you already have a garden and you want to put the bare side of your potting shed to work, this simple hack will turn your vertical space into an herb growing high rise.

The design is simple. Hang a canvas shoe organizer, fill with potting soil, and plant your favorite herbs in the pouches. With some strong sun and adequate water you’ll have a thriving spread of herbs to flavor your favorite dishes. For more details on the design and implementation, check out the full tutorial at the link below.

Posted in Clever Uses, DIY, DIY Creations, Garden, Gardening, Household, Outdoors | Tagged | Comments closed