iPod ~ Download YouTube videos as MP4

// March 2nd, 2009 // No Comments » // Applications, Browsers, For Geeks, Geeks, Ipod, Mobile, Movies, Tutorial, Useful, Videos, google, web tools

An interesting side-effect of YouTube’s recent push for higher quality videos is that most videos can be downloaded as MP4 files directly from YouTube. Until now, you could only get FLV files from your browser’s cache or using one of the many websites that let you download YouTube videos. In fact, to download the MP4 files, you need to use the same URL like for FLV files and append “&fmt=18″:

http://www.youtube.com/get_video?video_id=ID&t=SIGNATURE&fmt=18

ID is the video’s identification value, SIGNATURE is a value that prevents you from downloading the file just by knowing the ID. You could create this URL by looking at the source code of a YouTube page, but it’s much easier to automatically generate it.

Add the bookmarklet, this post has more detailed instructions

When you want to download a YouTube video, just click on the bookmarklet.

After clicking on the download link, YouTube will try to save the video as “video.mp4″. You should enter a more appropriate name if you want to find the video later.

Having to click on the bookmarklet is annoying, so this Greasemonkey script is a better alternative because it adds the download link automatically. It requires the Greasemonkey extension for Firefox or a similar plug-in for userscripts. Opera has built-in support for userscripts, so you only need to go to Tools > Preferences > Advanced > Content > JavaScript options, select the directory where you will put your script and copy the script to that directory.

YouTube’s MP4 files have a higher resolution, stereo sound and can be played with applications like VLC, MPlayer, iTunes, QuickTime. Not all YouTube videos can be downloaded as MP4 files and the fallback format is FLV.

Note that YouTube’s terms of use require you “not to access User Submissions or YouTube Content through any technology or means other than the video playback pages of the Website itself, the YouTube Embeddable Player, or other explicitly authorized means YouTube may designate,” so these scripts could break YouTube’s policies. The scripts only download files that are used by YouTube’s player, so you may also find the videos in your browser’s cache.

Update: You no longer have to right-click and select “save link as” because YouTube sends the right MIME type. Just click on the download link.

Update 2: If the video is available in HD, the bookmarklet and the script download the HD version. Thanks, pepemosca!

Useful Google Tips

How to Install Themes on your Ipod!

// December 26th, 2008 // No Comments » // Apple, Cool Links, Design, For Geeks, Freeware, Geeks, Graphics, I recommend, Icons, Ipod, Ipod Wallpapers, Mobile, Tutorial, Useful, Video Tutorials, Videos, Wallpapers, Wordpress, iPod Themes

I found this really useful video tutorial on how to install themes on your iPod. If you can’t follow along you can always check out the written tutorial at installipodtheme.blogspot.com and if that one doesn’t work for ya try this one.

Did you know that it’s also possible to alter the look of your iPod’s boring default graphical user interface? Thanks to Rockbox, an open source firmware for mp3 players, you don’t have to be a hacker to customize the appearance of your iPod’s GUI.

Visit ipodwizard.com for Rockbox Themes!

Junauza.com has written a tutorial on installing Rockbox on a 5th generation iPod, but you can also visit Rockbox’s website for a more up-to-date and detailed installation instructions for your specific iPod model.

Need Themes?

I just so happen to have posted a bunch of them already on Divageekdesigns.com click the links below and don’t forget to check out the iPod wallpaper gallery! 2,274 walls for your Iphone & Ipod Touch!

10 New Hot Ipod Themes!

// December 26th, 2008 // 1 Comment » // Apple, Cool Links, Design, Design Resources, For Geeks, Geeks, Graphics, I recommend, Icons, Ipod, Ipod Wallpapers, Mobile, The Best of.., Useful, Wordpress, iPod Themes

More Ipod Themes for the masses..all free and all kick ass!

Bluebird Theme

Click Here to View the Rest of the Post- 8 more themes!

(more…)

Google phone G1 coming out to play with Tmobile

// September 26th, 2008 // No Comments » // Apple, Applications, Browsers, For Geeks, Geeks, Ipod, Mobile, News, Software, Update, Useful, Videos, web tools

With the introduction Tuesday of the Google phone — dubbed G1 by wireless carrier T-Mobile — we’re starting to see the potential disruption that Google and Android will bring in the coming year or two. It’s even greater than what Apple and the iPhone have already accomplished.

Under the hood with the G1

of course the main difference with the iPhone is that the G1 sports a QWERTY slide-up keyboard, not a touchscreen keyboard
the G1 will be a little heavier and thicker than the iPhone
the “swipe” gesture is used on both the iPhone and G1; however, the G1 does not utilize the “pinch” gesture to zoom in/out on the touchscreen
a 1 GB MicroSD card is preinstalled; the G1 supports an 8 GB MicroSD card
the HVGA display is also a 3.17-inch, 65k color touchscreen
for radio frequency buffs: GSM (800Mhz), GPRS (900), EDGE (1700). Wi-Fi and UMTS (1900) and HSDPA (2100) are supported (only 16 cities currently have T-Mobile’s 3G network)
G1 allows dragging and dropping of pictures and text, which the iPhone lacks

Google offers a video explaining its Gmail, contacts, Calendar, and GTalk applications.

The on board apps…

Like the iPhone, the G1 ships with a few pre-installed applications (or Google Goodies) beyond the usual (contacts, browser, mail, chat), including:

YouTube (duh)
Maps (double duh)
Search (duh x 3)
Android Market
Amazon MP3
ShopSavvy (help people do comparative shopping)
Ecorio (tracking your daily travel and carbon footprint)
BreadCrumbz (step-by-step visual mapping and social network)
Maps will utilize “compass mode” or “Street View,” giving you a live 3D map of where you need to walk (don’t bump into any streets signs as you walk and look at your G1)
Push Gmail, which eliminates the need for a faux-Exchange server for push email. Remember: Google is already running mail servers for Gmail, while Apple operates MobileMe mail (formerly .Mac) on a much smaller scale and larger price tag (it’s $99 a year)

Looks interesting…so far…

Apps and Tools – I can’t live without…

// August 12th, 2008 // 5 Comments » // Admin Tools, Apple, Applications, For Geeks, Freeware, Geeks, I recommend, Ipod, Live Journal, Microsoft, Mobile, Social Network, Twitter, Update, Useful, Wordpress, web tools, webdesign

There are a few app’s, clients and website’s online that I can not live without This is a list of things that make my life at home and work easier..I’ve done this type of post before but a few have changed.

Infranview – image editor, viewer, manager and several other things. This is an amazing program that everyone who uses it loves it. It takes a minute to get used to it but once you do you can’t imagine life with out it. I’ve been using it for 5-6 years..daily. Download Client – Infranview Tutorial
Fotki.com – image hosting provider
FileZila – FTP client
Color Cop – HEX color dropper desktop app (can’t live without)
Clipomatic – Clipboard manager (absolutely can’t live without)
Shareaholic – Social Networking Firefox plugin Shareaholic makes it possible to share, bookmark and e-mail web pages quickly without leaving your browser. (cool and useful)
Semagic Live Journal blogging client – also use as an HTML editor in a hurry.
Windows Live Writer – Blogging client – Posts to multiple blogging platforms
ABC 3GP Converter (converts .AVI movies to .MP4 file format so I can upload movies to my IPod)
Digsby – multiple network chat client I can also post to my Twitter – Checks my Facebook and Myspace updates.
Notepad – write HTML and general blank page for notes and such
Photoshop - We all know what Photoshop does – (can’t live without)
Google Desktop (search for my files, documents, emails and basically anything on my computer)
Gmail – My primary email client. Yep I do not use Outlook at home. I use Gmail.
Wordpress - I use Wordpress to manage and write my Blog – Love it!!
LiveJournal.com – been writing in my journal for 7 years so I guess you can say it is a staple in my online life. Love it. Can’t live without it. Must write in my journal.

Mycoolbutton.com – Web 2.0 and grudge free buttons generator!

Make a link button in a snap. It’s Free, easy and the end result looks really nice. I use this when customers call in and need a custom button made instead of doing it in Photoshop which I could do but this is so much faster. Very cool.

Guy Actually Bought “I Am Rich” App for $999.99 – Oops!

// August 7th, 2008 // 16 Comments » // Admin Tools, Apple, Applications, Errors, For Geeks, Funny, Geeks, Ipod, Mobile, News, Pictures, WTF

This is a funny little story about a funny little man…who thought he was just pretend shopping online at the very real Apple Ipod App store…

What it actually does?

Once downloaded, it doesn’t do much — a red icon sits on the iPhone home screen like any other application, with the subtext “I Am Rich.” Once activated, it treats the user to a large, glowing gem (pictured below). That’s about it. For a thousand dollars.

Armin Heinrich—the German author of the application—has confirmed that not only one moron, but eight dumbasses actually bought the application. According to him, there are more waiting to get it:

Apple apparently had some problems with I Am Rich. After initially approving it for distribution, the company has since removed it from the store. Heinrich, a German software developer, has yet to hear back from Apple concerning the removal. “I have no idea why they did it and am not aware of any violation of the rules to sell software on the App Store,” Heinrich said in an e-mail with The Times today.

I Am Rich But Apple couldn’t pull it down before curious aristocrats — eight of them — had purchased it. Six people from the United States, one from Germany and one from France dropped a grand for the gem in the first 24 hours it was available, Heinrich said. That’s $5,600 in revenue for Heinrich and $2,400 for Apple, which collects 30% of each sale for “store upkeep.”

The fact is that he’s right. If there are people wanting to buy a piece of useless software for $999, why not let them do it? After all, people buy even more expensive crap that is completely useless, from paintings to collectibles to other commercial software. The market decides if a product is worth its price tag or not. And at least eight people got this, even if one is claiming that it was an accident. Accident or not, the fact is that Heinrich has pocketed $5,600 and Apple received $2,400 in 24 hours.

Not bad for a bad graphic and a silly phrase. [LA Times]

Did Heinrich get Paid?

Heinrich told LA Times that he had not yet received his $5,600 check from Apple, which has a policy of paying developers at the end of each calendar month. He’s unsure how the app’s removal will affect the payment process.

“I’ve got e-mails from customers telling me that they really love the app,” adding that they had “no trouble spending the money,” he said.

Did Dumbass #1 get Refunded?

Heinrich confirms the validity of the review pictured in the screenshot, and Apple has refunded his and another buyer’s money. “I don’t want to collect money from people who did this by accident and I am glad that Apple returned the money for two orders,” Heinrich said.

The 6 other people who bought this app…were obviously filthy rich anyway so this app is perfect for them.

I think Heinrich is awesome. Anyone who thinks of a random way to make money and then actually succeeds at it gets my vote.

Ipod movie source

// June 27th, 2008 // No Comments » // For Geeks, Ipod, Mobile, Movies, Music, Pictures

Need movies, music, TV shows for your Ipod?

Check out: podtropolis.com

30+ Free Mobile Internet Applications

// May 11th, 2008 // 1 Comment » // Admin Tools, Blogging, Email, For Geeks, Freeware, Geeks, Mobile, Useful, Videos, Windows, web tools

I was looking for applications to add to my phone and I found a list of them I thought I’d share with my faithful readers..helloo *echo* ah well..here they are anyway..

Search and Browse

Opera Mini – Whether you want to access your mail, RSS feeds or bank information, Opera Mini is a quick and secure way to get your data on the go. Great interface for scanning pages and zooming in and out. OS: Java

Mobispin – Your favorite news, blogs and feeds on the go

Mozilla Minimo – Multiple tabs, Social bookmarking, RSS Support, Widget and Extension support . OS: Windows Mobile

Microsoft IE for Mobile – Standard browser features, Sync the Favorites you’ve saved on your PC. OS: Windows Mobile

Mowser.com – A search and start page for mobile browsing.

Tappity.com – Discover, submit, and rate mobile sites to share with others.

WamPad.com – A mobile search engine for all sorts of information including MySpace.