Software and Technology in World Market

You can spend a good chunk of time searching the web for an ecard that isn't annoying, cheesy, ad-ridden, or some combination of all three. Or you can grab a picture, choose a song, and send a super-clean, customized ecard through Postcard.fm. Simply upload an image file and MP3 to the free, no-registration-required site, add a message, and mail it out. The recipient gets a link to your e-postcard page, with no ads in sight (at least for now). This means you can be as cute, clever, snarky, or affectionate as you want, rather than letting some oddly-shaped critters express your wishes.

Jewelry cleaner works great for restoring luster to your precious-metal accessories, and it can even take that awful, funky metal-gone-bad smell off of not-quite-precious objects. But paying for the stuff is surrendering to huge markup. Over at RecipeZaar, one helpful user posts a recipe for homemade jewelry cleaner, using salt, baking soda, dish detergent, water, and aluminum foil. It's similar to DIY silver polish, but it's a bit more portable and multi-purpose. Having tried it out on a cheap doorknob that was leaving a bad smell on hands, I can testify it works for that purpose as well.

We've already shown you several ways to streamline your keys with a DIY flair, but reader Oliver writes in with his own inventive method for lightening his pockets by combining his keys with his money clip.

I've recently enjoyed having a money clip rather than a wallet for trips out of the house because it doesn't weigh down the pant pockets as much. The next biggest annoyance was definitely the keys. It occurred to me that I could rivet the keys to a plastic store card (one I don't really want anymore) and include them in the money clip!

It was really quite easy to make, simply drill two 1/8th inch holes in the card and put a 1/8th inch washer on the front and back (with the key contacting the card). Then use two 1/8th inch diameter rivets (1/4 inch long) to hold everything together.

It's a simple idea, but if you're looking to get rid of your bulky keychain, it's worth a try.

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Often we think of desktop icons as the cause of a cluttered, ugly desktop, but as Windows user ryanst24 demonstrates, when laid out properly with the right skin, your icons can really spice up your desktop. Using the free Blossom icon set, he's created a beautiful-yet-streamlined desktop with 14 desktop icons dying to be clicked. If you prefer a clean desktop but still want access to your most recently used folders and programs as desktop shortcuts, this desktop exemplifies how to do so with style.

Windows only (for now): The Open in Google Chrome Firefox extension opens any page in Google Chrome directly from Firefox. Based on the IE View Lite extension, this one also lets you set any page you want to open in Chrome from default so that—for example—if you love Firefox for your default browsing but Google Chrome handles Gmail or other webapps better—you can define which you want opened where. Unfortunately this extension doesn't embed Chrome windows in Firefox like other incarnations of IE View, but under the right circumstances it might be useful.

So are you in a crafty mood? Break out your soldering iron and choke down a tin of Altoids- MAKE Magazine has a nice little project for the audio geeks. In the forums and frequently in our IRC channel we often discuss Headphone amps. These amps typically sit in between your MP3 player and your headphones. The amp will drive more demanding headphones and can also enhances sound quality. Headphone amps can range from $9 to thousands of dollars.

Interestingly, the basic function of a headphone amp, amplifications, requires relatively few components so it’s even a great beginner project. Check out the video below, then head over to MAKE to download the schematics.

If Lifehacker's filling up your feedreader faster than you can empty it, switch to our trimmed-down, no-nonsense top stories feed. Sick of hearing about Google Chrome or the iPhone? Customize our URLs to exclude the topics you don't care about. This week's most popular posts include:

• Beta Browser Speed Tests: Which Is Fastest?
  "We've previously put the major browser releases to the speed test, but today we're measuring Chrome against the second beta of Internet Explorer 8, as well as the beta of Firefox 3's next iteration, 3.1."
• Enable Chrome's Best Features in Firefox
  "Apart from a few specific issues (namely process management), many of Chrome's best features are already available in Firefox 3, proving yet again the power of extensibility."
• Google Chrome First Look
  "New beta web browser Google Chrome officially hit the streets just a few minutes ago, and we've rolled up our sleeves and taken a quick look at everything the newest browser on the block has to offer."
• Google Chrome's Full List of Special about: Pages
  "You already saw Google Chrome's humorous about:internets Easter egg, but Chrome's got several special about: pages that reveal all sorts of interesting information about what's going on behind the scenes."
• Roll Your Own Lightning at Sunset Desktop
  "reader Kaelri's customized Windows XP desktop, pictured above, it drew oohs and ahhs from everyone looking to spruce up their Windows installation."
• How to Set Up a Laptop Security System
  "As students flock back to the library and the rest of us head back to the coffee shop for a warm drink and free Wi-Fi, the safety and security of our laptops—and all of the important and sensitive information they hold—are of the utmost importance."
• Back to School Power Tools for the Savvy Student
  "Before you head back to campus this semester, arm yourself with the most powerful software and webapps to keep you organized and on top of your class (and social) schedule."
• Featured Desktop: Vista Transblack Head Up Display
  "If bright colors tire your eyes and distract you from the task at hand, check out how Windows user j33f darkens Vista and subtly embeds system monitoring details, RSS feeds, and currently playing music information into the desktop."