Alfred is a task launcher for Mac OSX – hit a shortcut, start typing the name of a file, folder, contact, application or search term, and bam – there it is. Since version 2, the concept of workflows was introduced – essentially, user-created plugins that can extend the functionality. My mind was blown – this in an incredibly powerful app, possibly the most useful I’ve come across yet. To use workflows, you must have the PowerPack purchased for $25.

I love projectors; I have fond memories of nights spent in front of the projector with all my housemates, as we snuggled under the kotatsu (a Japanese heated table thing) and settled in to watch the latest episode of Heroes. Anything done on a big screen is better – movies and gaming become a surreal experience – even compared to a 50-inch TV screen. Today, I’m taking an in-depth look at a mid-range projector, the Optoma GT750, designed especially for gaming; and we’ll be giving this one away to one lucky reader.

Haptics is the technology of touch. In the context of a virtual environment, it would mean being able to touch and feel something that literally isn’t there, but that’s certainly not its only use. From gaming and virtual reality to 3D modelling and making computers more accessible – virtual surgery, driving simulators, swinging a virtual sword, the texture of paper or moleskin on a touchscreen display – this is haptic technology at its most amazing, and the implications are far reaching.

For most people, SEO consists of making sure your page content is compelling and the metadata accurately describes the page without keyword stuffing. But there’s another side to SEO – the world of blackhats. The dark enclave of the blackhat SEO is a fascinating place, and I took some time to talk to a friend who was involved in the business for some time – here’s what we discussed. I know you can’t exactly MakeUseOf this, but I hope it’s interesting nonetheless.

The future is here – the Oculus Rift has finally begun shipping. It’s early days yet, but if you’re one of the lucky few who backed or pre-ordered the dev kit, here’s a collection of resources, videos, and information on everything we know about the Oculus so far. The excitement is unbearable though, so apologies in advance if you just can’t wait after reading this.

To many people, Google IS the internet. It’s the default homepage and the first port of call before accessing any site. It’s arguably the most important invention since the Internet itself. Without search engines, content would all be hand picked – just like newspapers and magazines. And while search engines have changed a lot since those first humble beginnings, the underlying principles are the same as they always were.

Japanese is an incredibly difficult language to learn, and I should know having lived in Kyoto for 8 years. While nothing beats learning a language by being thrown straight in at the deep end, there’s certainly some great tips and tools I can pass on that should benefit anyone just getting started with Japanese. If you’re not particularly into Japanese, then check out all our other language learning articles too.

We’ve come a long way since those first baby steps were taken in computing, and sometimes it really helps to just put things in perspective and look at the amazing technology that surrounds us today. Yet the technological reality we face doesn’t always match what we thought it was going to be all those years ago.

The Cloud is the answer to all the worlds problems, it would seem – a buzzword technology that sends computing full circle right back to where it started – with a thin client model and all the power in a remote server. Economic downturn? No problem – just put it in the cloud! World peace? There’s a cloud app for that. I joke, of course – but there are actually some legitimate uses for this “new” technology.

A while ago, I showed you how to setup an internet control system for your Arduino – but it had to stay connected to a computer through USB in order to maintain the internet connection. If you have an Ethernet shield though, that’s not necessary Today we’re going to look at setting up an Arduino as a basic webserver so we can host our own device control website.

It’s rare for technology to have such a developed presence in what are otherwise considered quite holistic practices, but lucid dreaming is one of those subjects where technology has indeed come a long way. Today I’m going to take a look at lots of different hardware and software that’s been developed to help lucid dreamers the world over.

As we enter our month of gaming giveaways, it seems only appropriate that we look at the delicate art of live streaming PC and console games. Although it’s difficult to understand why anyone would want to watch strangers playing games, I have to be completely honest and say I found BanadanRob’s SimCity sessions quite compelling (at least until I bought the game myself). The first thing you’ll need to start streaming is an account over at Twitch.tv.

Sharing your game playing sessions is all the rage nowadays, as the rise of Twitch.TV has shown. Every moment of the day, there are literally millions of people just watching other people play – it’s really quite astonishing. So to kick off Gaming Month, we’re giving away 5 Roxio Game Capture HD Pro units to record and livestream our fun to a breathlessly awaiting audience, valued at $750! But first let’s find out what they can do.

As the lead developer and head of everything tech here at MakeUseOf, most of my time is spent coding things and emailing people. My requirements aren’t hugely complicated, and I don’t use any “getting things done” systems, nor am I am productivity hound. I find simple works best and don’t enjoy life in the fast lane. Read on to find out the tools and apps I consider essential – on both OSX, and iOS.

I love my Arduinos. At any point, I have quite a few projects on the go – prototyping is just so easy with them. But sometimes, I want to keep the project functional without buying another Arduino. Spending $30 each time for a fairly simple microcontroller than I only need some of the functionality for is just silly. It’s at that point that building an Arduino clone becomes a viable option.