If you have any Linux applications that you just can’t live without, like Amarok, but keep a Windows family PC in the house, andLinux might just be what you were looking for.

andLinux is a full virtual installation of Ubuntu Linux and comes with a handy system tray icon for access to several default KDE apps like Konqueror (web browser / file manager) and Synaptic (to install more Linux apps.)

Lifehacker already has a full article on installing and setting up andLinux so I’ll just point you to their fine article.

[Found via: Lifehacker]

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Here at the TechBlog, we love our generous sponsors. They help pay hosting and costs associated with running a blog.

The Simple TechBlog articles are brought to you by:

• RadioAid.com - Streaming radio from some of the best independent and unsigned musicians out there.
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Check them out… and, if you don’t mind, tell them we sent you.

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What Is It?

BitTorrent is a fast, distributed file sharing peer-to-peer system. BitTorrent is not a file sharing program, rather its a protocol used by numerous programs (clients) to download from and share files with other BitTorrent users. BitTorrent works by breaking up files into a large number of very small pieces. These pieces can be shared quickly with other users and allow users who are still in the process of downloading a file, to share the pieces they do have.

How Do I Use It?

BitTorrent files (.torrent) contain the information that links you to other users sharing the same target file… so all you really need is a program (client) to handle BitTorrent files. I recommend the following for each operating system:

• utorrent (Windows)
• Azureas (Linux / Mac / Windows)

Once you install your client, you need to search for some good torrents. I recommend the following:

• isoHunt.com
• The Pirate Bay
• Mininova

Each of these sites will feature a search box. Type some search terms in and scan through the results. Most torrent files names are plain English and give some information about the torrent. What you really need to look for is the number of Seeders and Peers.

Seeders are people who have completed the download and are sharing a full copy of the file. Peers are people, like you, who are in the process of downloading the file and are sharing a partial copy. The more Seeders there are, the faster, generally speaking, your download will be. It is also possible, though rare, to have a large group of Peers who, collectively, have a complete copy of the file.

So now that you’ve searched for a file you want, and found a torrent with a lot of Seeders, download the file. Your browser will probably ask you what to do with a “.torrent” file. Tell it to open the file using the new BitTorrent client you’ve just installed. Your BitTorrent client will start and (possibly) ask you where to save the target file (or files) and… Presto!

Many clients allow you to set default download locations and many other bandwidth specific details in the program’s options. (In utorrent: Options - Preferences )

One of the beautiful aspects of the BitTorrent system is the ability to share complete directories (folders) with a single torrent file. A user may share a folder that contains a large archive of podcasts. Say you were only interested in the last two months worth of podcast episodes… Both the programs I have recommended allow you to choose only the files you want and disregard the rest.

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Searching for a unique baby name? Curious just how popular your name really is?

The Baby Name Wizard site recently launched their Name Voyager, a javascript application that shows the popularity of a name from the 1800s to 2006. My name, Christopher, was on it’s way to #2 when I was born in 1979 (my parent’s were so on the cutting edge).

The Name Voyager and its creator were recently featured on NPR’s On Point with Tom Ashbrook. You can also check out the Social Security’s “Popular Baby Names” section for more on the historical popularity of names or TechBlog reader, Guy Davis’ excellent Google Maps mashup, Baby Name Map, that shows US popular names along with other countries.

How trendy were your parents?

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I just recently mentioned PriceAmbush, a site that helps you find the lowest price while shopping online. But what happens when you buy something online and the price drops two days later? We’ve all been there. Well, new web service PriceProtectr.com is here to help.

From the site:

There are lots of stores out there that offer price protection policies — when the price drops on an item you’ve purchased, they’ll refund you the difference. But there’s a catch… it’s up to you to watch prices. Price Protectr makes it simple to keep track of your purchases and get your money back. It’s free. It’s easy. It’s free and easy money. How often do you get that offer?

The service currently boasts 46 online retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, Circuit City, Costco, Future Shop, Sears and Staples.

By taking the hassle out of searching for price drops, PriceProtectr makes it much easier to focus on what really matters… like that new shiny 16BG iPod Touch.

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