Calling the Video Walas

Tracking the best video freeware.

By definition, video is the fine tech of capturing, recording, processing, transmitting, and reconstructing moving pictures, usually deploying celluloid film, electronic signals, or digital media. It’s a swampy realm swarming with buzzwords like frames per second, interlacing, resolution, aspect ratios, color space, bits per pixel, compression methodologies, stereoscopics, bit rates, and a blather of blah-blah… But we’re not here to bother with that. In the last few months I have received a slew of mail asking for video freebie utes. Here’s a pick of the best:

VirtualDub
The tape has rolled. The shot is canned. And its edit table-wards ho… OK, for this try a freeware called VirtualDub. It is a wonderful little video capture/processing tool available under Open Source. The GNU General Public License (GPL) program may not bristle with the raw power of a Adobe Premiere, but it does a great job with fast linear ops. And handling AVI files is its forte. It offers batch-processing capabilities, cohabits with third-party video filters, reads MPEG-1, leverages BMP file sets, but doesn’t do DVD or MPEG-4. And as with all video editing work, you need a fast PC--nothing to compensate that Mr. Wannabe Editor!

Acha sunno, for filters go to the Milafat site mentioned below. Hit the “Telecharger ICI” button here to download a complete set. Install these filters and then kill the “PCVideo Image Processor” filter.
OS: Windows XP, 2000, NT, Me, 98, 95
www.virtualdub.org
http://milafat.free.fr/vdfilters.htm

SUPER
SUPER, an acronym for Simplified Universal Player Encoder & Renderer is a splendid “one-click” video--or rather multimedia--conversion proggie. It can play and convert full length movies to any other format--with no time limitations. Its promise of doing “for free what other encoders can't do for money” is no idle boast actually.

This pretty easy-to-use 18 meg freeware can encode to and from 3gp/3g2 (Nokia, Siemens, Sony, Ericsson), asf, avi (DivX, H263, H263+, H264, Xvid, MPEG-4, MSMPEG4 etc.), swf, dat, fli, flc, flv (Flash), mkv, mpg (MPEG-1, MPEG-2), mov (H263, H263+, H264, MPEG-4 etc.), MP4 (H263, H263+, H264, MPEG-4), ogg, qt, rm, ram, rmvb, str (Play Station), ts (HDTV), viv, vob, and wmv video formats. Audio file format conversions include ac3, amr, mp2, mp3, mp4, ogg, ra, wav, and wma. iPod, DVD, MOV… you can throw virtually anything at it. If that’s not enough, SUPER can also play and save streaming media off the Internet (Multimedia Messaging Service (mms://), Real-Time Streaming Protocol (rtsp://) as well as http://. But hello, dheemi gati kae PC vahan vaalon, saavdhan!
OS: Windows XP, Me, 98
www.erightsoft.net

StreamBox VCR and SDP
Talking of capturing streaming video, frankly there is no truly superlative streaming media recording free software around. The best options I could unearth are StreamBox VCR and SDP.

StreamBox is software for recording and playing back "time-shifting" RealAudio streams. This underground 4.07 MB software is in danger of going extinct cos Real objects to its interoperation with its closed content delivery system. StreamBox can cope with Windows media, QuickTime and some newer formats as well. Max simultaneous streams: Five. It runs on Windows XP, 2000, NT, Me, 98, and 95.

The 2.77 MB SDP lets you to save most Microsoft video streaming protocols (except RTSP, which should be operational with the next update). It works on all versions of Windows 98 and beyond. Apart from MMS, SDP can also catch http v1.0, http progressive (simple http download), mmst and mmsu over both TCP and UDP transport protocols.
http://p082.ezboard.com/fstreemeboxvcrfrm7.showMessage?topicID=27.topic
http://sdp.ppona.com

VLC Media Player
VLC (dubbed VideoLAN Client once upon a time) is an awesome must-have multimedia player for a multitude of audio and video formats. From MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, mp3, ogg, DVDs, VCD codecs to various streaming protocols it plays just about anything you dump on it. You can also use it on a high-bandwidth network as a server for unicast or multicast streams in IPv4 or IPv6. This 7.9 MB one-stop playback solution also does a range of video filters ranging from image wall to magnify-gradient-bluescreen. Audio codecs supported encompass MPEG Layer 1 and 2, mp3, AC3, DTS, LPCM, AAC, Vorbis, WMA, ADPCM, DV Audio, FLAC, QDM2/QDMC (QuickTime), MACE, AMR (3GPP), Real Audio and Speex.
OS: Windows XP, 2000, NT, Me, 98, 95
www.videolan.org

August Beginnings

Of inventive thinking and imaginative products.

He led no armies into battle, he conquered no countries, and he enslaved no peoples... Yet, he altered the history and boundaries of mankind forever. Known as "The Wizard of Menlo Park", in his lifetime he patented 1,093 inventions. Among these, the more famous ones are the electric light bulb, the gramophone, the motion picture camera, and the carbon telephone transmitter. His name: Thomas Alva Edison, unarguably the greatest inventor ever born.

He once said, to invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk. So since invention is the natural outcome of creative thinking, this week let me try to sniff out some recently launched creative inventions for you.


Nokia Digital Pen SU-1B
Parker, Cello and co., beware. Nokia has taken to manufacturing pens! Haan, but this is no aisa-waisa pen, ok. You use it like a regular ink pen, but this digital instrument records as it writes. Scribbles, sentences, slogans, sketches, or signatures—Nokia’s Digital Pen remembers everything you scrawl on digital paper. When you get back to your desk, stick the pen into its stand, and transfer your scribbles wirelessly to your PC via Bluetooth. You can change the colour and thickness of the pen’s nib output, write text, or doodle pictures, or mix ‘em up; no sweat. If you still can’t get over Nokia getting into pen making, mull this: Once upon a time Sony's used to make rice cookers…
Price: $232.77
www.nokia-asia.com/nokia/0,,48869,00.html


The Onyx Phone
Dreaming of owning a N73 or N93? Maybe you should check out Onyx, a next generation concept phone from Synaptics and Pilotfish that responds to the touch of your cheek. The phone uses an optically clear, capacitive touch screen technology to create a new user interface paradigm. Obviously the input system eliminates the use of mechanical keys. But apart from points and taps, it recognises shapes, complex gestures, and proximity to your finger or face. Thus two-finger taps, closing tasks by making an “X” over them, sending messages by swiping them off the screen, or answering a phone by merely holding it against your cheek add amazing functionalities. Total gadar eh? Except this cheeky business won’t work for me yaar; I have a bhaloo-style (unpruned Sunny Deol) beard…
www.synaptics.com/onyx


USB Air-Conditioned Shirt
The bijli has gone. So you’re sitting soaked in sweat, sweltering and simmering in the sizzling sticky heat, swearing away at the sad state of saadi Sarkar. Smile now Sambha, for some salvation maybe in sight. Slip into this Kouzi Ichigaya invented USB-powered air-conditioned shirt, plug it into your PC’s USB port and just cool off! The two 10cm fans sewn into both sides of the shirt suck fresh air in, vapourise the sweat and heat and bring down your body’s temperature. That’s not all. The fans come with switches and speed regulators. UPS and inverter has packed up? Never mind. Switch to the shirt’s four AA batteries, or your car's lighter socket for power. Kya cool hain hum…


Atech iCarta iPod Dock
This is one “cutting-edge” device from Atech Flash Technology lends a whole new dimension to the expression “rock ‘n roll”. iCarta actually merges an iPod docking station with—you ain’t going to believe this--a loo roll dispenser! So if you regularly spend extended hours in the throne room, you can comfortably listen to your portable music player --sans messy headphone wires--by sticking it into this integrated tissue holder cum stereo dock. The 8.25 x 3.68 x 7.12 inch device has four integrated “high performance” moisture-resistant speakers, requires AC power, and charges your iPod as it plays. How utterly loony!
www.atechflash.com/products-icarta.html

Productivity Cheat Sheet 20 - MS Access 2

Not many people are aware of the fact that Microsoft Access was originally the name of a communications program in Bill Gates’ product stable in the bygone era of Windows 3.1. During that time, it was primarily pitted against a successful serial communications software called ProComm. But lack of market response forced Microsoft to kill that Access. Year later, for whatever reason the company chose to label its relational database by the same name. And this Access has met with formidable success.

There are lots of excellent help sites on Access. Beginners can start with www.drewslair.com/desk/access_series/Intro.htm, followed by the FAQs at www.mvps.org/access. And then top it up with www.databasedev.co.uk and www.functionx.com/access/index.htm.

EDITING/NAVIGATING OBJECT LIST
F2: Renames selected object
End: Moves to last object
Home: Moves to first object

NAVIGATING/OPENING OBJECTS
Ctrl+Tab: Cycles through Objects bar top to bottom
Shift+Ctrl+Tab: Cycles through Objects bar bottom to top
Enter or Alt+O: Opens selected table or query in Datasheet view, or form in Form view
Enter: Opens selected report in Print Preview; opens selected data access page in Page view; runs selected macro
Ctrl+Enter or Alt+D: Opens selected table, query, form, report, data access page, macro, or module in Design view
Alt+N: Creates new table, query, form, report, data access page, macro, or module
F5: Refreshes Database window
Ctrl+G: Displays Immediate window in Visual Basic Editor

WORKING WITH MENUS
Shift+F10: Shows shortcut menu
F10: Makes menu bar active
Alt+Spacebar: Shows program icon menu (on program title bar)
Alt: Closes visible menu and submenu at same time
Esc: Closes visible menu or submenu

WORKING WITH TOOLBARS
Ctrl+Tab or Ctrl+Shift+Tab: Selects next or previous toolbar
Tab or Shift+Tab: When toolbar is active, selects next or previous button or menu on toolbar
Enter: When toolbar menu selected, opens menu; when button selected, performs assigned action

WORKING DATABASES AND DIALOG BOXES
Alt+1: Goes to previous folder
Alt+2: Opens folder up one level from open folder
Alt+3: Closes dialog box, and opens WWW search page
Alt+4: Deletes selected folder or file
Alt+5: Creates new subfolder in open folder
Alt+6: Switchs between List, Details, Properties, and Preview views
Alt+7: Shows Tools menu

USING PROGRAM WINDOWS
Alt+Tab: Switches to next program
Alt+Shift+Tab: Switches to previous program
Ctrl+Esc: Shows Windows Start menu
Ctrl+W: Closes active database window
Ctrl+F6: Switches to next database window
Ctrl+Shift+F6: Switches to previous database window

USING DIALOG BOXES
Ctrl+Tab or Ctrl+PgDn: Switches to next tab in dialog box
Ctrl+Shift+Tab or Ctrl+PgUp: Switch to previous tab in dialog box
Tab/Shift+Tab: Moves to next/previous option or option group
Spacebar: Performs action assigned to selected button; selects or clears check box
Alt+letter key: Select option, or selects/clears check box by letter underlined in option name
Alt+Down Arrow: Opens selected drop-down list box
Esc: Closes selected drop-down list box; cancels command and closes dialog box
Alt+F4: Close dialog box

WORKING WITH TASK PANES
F6: Moves to task pane from another pane in program window
Ctrl+Tab: When a menu or toolbar is active, moves to task pane
Tab or Shift+Tab: When task pane is active, selects next or previous option in the task pane
Ctrl+Down Arrow: Display the full set of commands on the task pane menu
Spacebar or Enter: Opens selected menu, or performs action assigned to selected button
Shift+F10: Opens shortcut menu; opens drop-down menu for selected gallery item
PgUp or PgDn: Scrolls up/down in selected gallery list
Ctrl+Home or Ctrl+End: Moves to top or bottom of selected gallery list

Browse On Baby…

Life in the times of Internet Explorer 7.

As the Internet gets more and more pervasive in our everyday lives, we end up spending an increasing amount of time riding around the world on our browsers. Forget mail. Forget chatting. Forget Googling around for anything and everything work-related... From looking up train/flight times, to checking our bank accounts, to window shopping for gadgets, to checking ODI scores live at Cricinfo, to downloading music, we are increasingly turn to the Web for a lot of routine, day-to-day things. So it makes sense therefore to be a little picky in choosing a web browser.

For the last few years, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer has dominated the web browser space like a smug and smiling Goliath. But leadership is action, not position. Falling prey to its own absolute monopoly, this Goliath till quite recently had virtually forgotten that it had to keep innovating itself to hold its place. Instead of working on further developments and improving IE 6, Microsoft complacently let things drift along.

The world has a habit of making room for those who know where they are going. So a rash of far superior and more feature-rich browsers like Firefox and Opera have begun to nibble steadily away at IE’s marketshare. Though IE is still way ahead in the game, Microsoft can no long ignore this sharp nipping at it heels. Hence, it is in the final throes of giving birth to Internet Explorer 7.

Currently available in Beta 3, Internet Explorer 7 is slated for final launch around November this year. Microsoft has worked double-time to overcome IE 6’s shortcomings in its forthcoming avatar. And IE 7 hopes to reclaim its lost desktop ground with improved navigation, tabbed browsing, in-built web search, advanced printing, RSS feed subscriptions, enhanced interface, better security, and lots more. We’ll dig deeper into it some other time.

Meanwhile, if haven’t already sampled IE 7, you can sample it right now from www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.mspx. Mind it: IE 7 required to have Service Pack 2 (SP2) installed on Windows XP. It would be a good idea to verify all the requirements at www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/ie7/about/sysreqs/default.mspx

O guru, remember: Seek always, for by looking for one thing you will surely find another. And until you spread your wings, you'll have no idea how far you can fly. Sound like Siddhu, do I? Nevermind. You try Opera. And also check Flock. Each has its virtues. Of course, my heart is still aflutter with Firefox.

Productivity Cheat Sheet 19 - MS Access 1

Microsoft Access is a very popular Windows programme for creating and maintaining databases. Available as part of Microsoft Office, and even separately, Access is programmable using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). It reads Paradox, dBase and Btrieve files and uses ODBC, Microsoft SQL Server, Sybase SQL Server and Oracle data. The Access database driver for online databases is often supported by web hosts using the NT hosting platform.

There is loads of information available on Access on the Web. A great starting point is a motherlode of links at http://allenbrowne.com/links.html. Those of you seeking dope on interesting Access-based solutions should point your to http://blog.datamanagementsolutions.biz/dms.html. And all of you can tip-toe in here for some general keyboard shortcuts.

OPENING, PRINTING AND SAVING
Ctrl + N: Opens new database
Ctrl + O: Opens existing database
Ctrl + P: Open prints dialog box
Ctrl + S or Shift + F12 or Alt + Shift + F2: Save database object
F12 or Alt + F2: Opens Save As dialog box

USING A COMBO BOX OR LIST BOX
F4 or Alt+Down Arrow: Opens combo box
F9: Refreshes contents of Lookup field, list or combo box
Down Arrow: Moves down one line
Pg Dn: Moves down one page
Up Arrow: Moves up one line
Pg Up: Moves up one page
Tab: Exits combo or list box

FINDING/REPLACING TEXT OR DATA
Ctrl + F: Opens Find tab in Find and Replace dialog box (Datasheet view and Form views)
Ctrl + H: Opens Replace tab in Find and Replace dialog box (Datasheet and Form views)
Shift + F4: Finds next occurrence of text specified in Find and Replace dialog box when dialog box is closed (Datasheet and Form views)

WORKING IN DESIGN VIEW
F2: Switches between Edit mode (with insertion point displayed) and Navigation mode
F4: Switches to property sheet (Design view in forms and reports in databases and Access projects)
F5: Switches to Form view from form Design view
F6: Switches between upper and lower portions of window (Design view of tables, macros, and queries and Advanced Filter/Sort window)
F7: Switches to Code Builder from form or report Design view (Design view window or property sheet)
Shift + F7: Switches from Visual Basic Editor to form or report Design view
Alt + V + P: Opens property sheet for selected object

WINDOW OPS
F11: Brings Database window to front
Ctrl + F6: Cycles between open windows
Enter: Restores selected minimised window when all windows are minimised
Ctrl + F8: Turns on Resize mode for active window when it’s not maximised; arrow keys resize window
Alt + Spacebar: Displays control menu
Shift + F10: Displays shortcut menu
Ctrl + W or Ctrl + F4: Closes active window
Alt + F11: Switches between Visual Basic Editor and previous active window
Alt + Shift + F11: Switches to Script Editor from previous active window

WORKING WITH WIZARDS
Tab: Moves to Help image button in wizard
Alt + N: Moves to next window in wizard
Alt + B: Moves to previous window in wizard
Alt + F: Closes wizard window

MISCELLANEOUS
F2: Displays complete hyperlink address for selected hyperlink
F7: Checks spelling
Shift + F2: Opens Zoom box to enter expressions/text in small input areas
Alt + Enter: Displays property sheet in Design view
Alt + F4: Quits Access, closes dialog box, or closes property sheet
Ctrl + F2: Invokes Builder
Ctrl + F11: Toggles between custom menu bar and built-in menu bar
Ctrl + Right Arrow or Crtl + , (Comma): Toggles forward between views when in table, query, form, report, page, view, PivotTable list, PivotChart report, stored procedure, or Access project function
Ctrl + Left Arrow or Crtl + . (Period): Toggles back between views as in above

Monsoon Merchandise

Of ingenious inventions and cunning contraptions.

India's benefaction to human civilisation through the ages has ranged from bangle to bungalow, cashmere to cummerbund, juggernaut to jungle, pajamas to pariah, shampoo to shawl, sari to seersucker, and zaffran to zero... Be it ingenious invention or cunning contraption, this country has always made its presence felt somewhere.

Obscured by the hurly burly of time lies another little gem that emerged largely on our shores. In 1856, Sir William Herschell, a British magistrate in India, was made responsible for distributing pensions and grants. Soon he realised that a number of our illiterate yet wily countrymen were making a total mickey out of him by fraudulently (and repeatedly) collecting dole under false names on the pretext that they couldn’t sign acceptance acknowledgments. To check this duping, Herschell conceived fingerprinting. And this is how public fingerprinting came about in this world.

Keeping our fingers crossed for the Next Big Thing to be contrived in India, let’s give a thumb’s up to some gadgets the world bestowed upon us last month.

LG Chocolate
The Chocolate KG800 from LG is a slim, snazzy slider phone. Minimalistically designed, it has a 256,000 colour, 176x220 TFT screen. The triband GSM features feather touch buttons that are actually a hidden heat sensitive touchpad. It offers 128MB of memory and incorporates a 1.3 megapixel, 4X digital zoom camera and a flash that can snap up 1280x960 pictures and shoot video.
This 83-gramme, Bluetooth-enabled lifestyle phone has dedicated MP3/camera buttons for the music player mode. The music player supports MP3, AAC, AAC+, AAC++ and WMA file formats. The KG800 has 64 polyphonic ringtones and can also deploy MP3 files as tones. A USB cable for PC connectivity and stereo headphones are also bundled.
Price: Rs.16,000
www.chocolate.lgmobile.com

Altec Lansing iM9 Speakers
A high-decibel boombox acoustic enhancement that “carries” your iPod. The lunchbox-sized iM9 portable speaker set fits, syncs and charges all dockable iPods. It even links iPod video/photo players to a TV.
The AC or battery powered, 11 x 3 x 7.8 inch black device weighs four pounds and comprises dual 2¾-inch drivers, 1-inch tweeters and MaxxBass technology. You can also connect any other portable music player to it via the unit's auxiliary input. It has a durable shock-resistant design, a retractable dock, and comes with a backpack for easy transportation.
Price: Rs.10,900
www.alteclansing.com/product_details.asp?pID=IM9#

Intex MP3/FM Player
Finding the iPod too pricey? Go desi with this is an inexpensive portable mini MP3 and FM player with 512MB of memory. And it also doubles up a pen drive to carry your data. It features an inbuilt microphone and keys for the volume, play, forward, reverse, contrast, search, replay, repeat, and equalisation. Apart from your headphones, you can hook it up to a DVD drive. The USB port whisks your music and data to and fro. The black pocket-sized device has a green, yellow, orange and red screen display.
Rs. 2,999

Samsung 18X DVD writer
A high-speed SH-S182D 18X DVD writer from gizmo giant Samsung, it writes to DVD±R at 18X, DVD-RAM at 12X, DVD±R double layer at 8X, DVD+RW at 8X and DVD-RW at 6X speeds. This translates to notching up 4 minutes and 48 seconds for backing up 4.7GB data on a DVD±R disc—knocking about one minute off the speed of most 16x DVD writers. Burning a 4.7GB disc in DVD-RAM format takes about 17 minutes.
This LightScribe drive is available in internal/external form factors and comes with both ivory and black bezels. Free software for music, video, photo and data disc creation software is bundled.
Price: Rs. 4,700

Productivity Cheat Sheet 18 - IE 2

In the last few of years, browser badshah Internet Explorer has slowly been losing its once all-embracing supremacy to rivals like Firefox, Opera and even Flock. So Microsoft has been working hard to overcome IE’s shortcomings with its forthcoming avatar of the web browser, Internet Explorer 7. And IE7 hopes to reclaim its lost desktop ground with improved navigation, tabbed browsing, in-built web search, advanced printing, RSS feed subscriptions, enhanced interface, better security, and lots more.

If you're an ardent IE disciple but haven't upgraded to the new and enriched Internet Explorer 7 as yet, please go and get it from www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.mspx. It's still a beta version so you can expect some hiccups. But it’s still worth it nonetheless. And once you've got your paws on IE7, here's your crash course on additional keyboard shortcuts for this genus.

TABS
Ctrl + Click: Opens link in new tab in background
Ctrl + Shift + Click: Open link in new tab in foreground
Ctrl + T: Opens new tab in foreground
Ctrl + Tab or Ctrl + Shift + Tab: Switches between tabs
Ctrl + W: Closes current tab (when no tabs open, closes current window)
Alt + Enter: Opens new tab in foreground from address bar
Ctrl + n (n can be 1-8): Switches to specific tab
Ctrl+9: Switches to last tab
Ctrl + Alt + F4: Closes other tabs
Ctrl + Q: Opens quick tabs

ZOOM VIEWS
Ctrl + + (Plus sign): Increases zoom in 10% increments
Ctrl + - (Minus sign): Decreases zoom in 10% decrements
Ctrl + 0: Restores to original size (100% zoom)

SEARCH
Ctrl + E: Goes to Toolbar Search Box
Alt + Enter: Opens your search query in a new tab
Ctrl + Down Arrow: Bring down the search provider menu

FAVORITES CENTER
Ctrl + I: Opens Favorites Center to your favourites
Ctrl + H: Opens Favorites Center to your history
Ctrl + J: Opens Favorites Center to your feeds
Alt: Hides/unhides Menu Bar

MOUSE SHORTCUTS
Click middle mouse button: Opens link in background tab
Click middle mouse button on tab: Closes tab
Double-click on empty tab band space: Opens new tab
Ctrl + Mouse wheel up/down: Zooms page in or out in 10% increments/decrements

Productivity Cheat Sheet 17 - IE 1

This ubiquitous Microsoft program has recently been rated the eighth worst tech product of all time! Yet it is quite like oxygen for the global browsing community. Yes, for most of us Internet Explorer is synonymous with the Web and the Internet. No IE means no surfing. Period.

And surfing for most of us, most of time is a clickety-click affair. Other than typing out a web address, we seldom think of using the keyboard for anything while using IE. However, keyboard and mouse shortcuts even in this app can help you use the browser much more efficiently. Fire up your IE and follow us…

VIEWING AND EXPLORING WEB PAGES
F1: Displays Internet Explorer Help or to display context Help about an item in a dialog box
F11: Toggles between full-screen and other views in the browser
Tab: Moves forward through the items on a web page, the Address bar, or the Links bar
Shift + Tab: Moves through the items on web page, Address bar, or Links bar
Alt + Home: Goes to your Home page
Alt + Right arrow: Goes to next page
Alt + Left arrow or Backspace: Goes to previous page
Shift + F10: Displays shortcut menu for link
Ctrl + Tab or F6: Moves forward between frames
Shift + Ctrl + Tab: Moves backward between frames
Up arrow: Line scrolls towards top of web page
Down arrow: Line scrolls towards bottom of web page
Pg Up: Scrolls towards top of web page in screen increments
Pg Dn: Scrolls towards bottom of web page in screen increments
Home: Moves to top of page
End: Moves to end page
Ctrl + F: Finds on current page
F5 or Ctrl + R: Refreshes current web page
Ctrl + F5: Refreshes current web page, even if time stamp for web version and your locally stored version are same
Esc: Stops downloading page
Ctrl + O or Ctrl + L: Opens to new Location dialog
Ctrl + N: Opens another instance of browser window with current web address
Ctrl + W: Closes current window
Ctrl + S: Saves current page
Ctrl + P: Opens Print dialog box for current page or active frame
Enter: Activates selected link
Ctrl + E: Opens Search dialog
Ctrl + I: Opens Favorites
Ctrl + H: Opens History
Ctrl + click: In History or Favorites boxes, opens multiple folders

PRINT PREVIEW
Alt + P: Sets printing options and prints page
Alt + U: Changes paper, headers and footers, orientation, and margins for current page
Alt + Home: Displays first page to be printed
Alt + Left arrow: Displays previous page to be printed
Alt + A: Allows you to display specific page
Alt + Right arrow: Displays next page to be printed
Alt + End: Display the last page to be printed
Alt + + (Plus sign): Zoom in
Alt + - (Minus sign): Zoom out
Alt + Z: Displays list of zoom percentages
Alt + C: Closes Print Preview

USING THE ADDRESS BAR
Alt + D: Selects text in Address bar
F4: Displays list of typed web addresses
Ctrl + Left arrow: When in Address bar, moves cursor left to next logical break in address (period or slash)
Ctrl + Right arrow: When in Address bar, moves cursor right to next logical break in address (period or slash)
Ctrl + Enter: Adds "http://www." to beginning and ".com" to end of text typed into Address bar
Up arrow: Moves forward through list of AutoComplete matches
Down arrow: Move back through list of AutoComplete matches

WORKING WITH FAVORITES
Ctrl + D: Adds current page to favorites
Ctrl + B: Opens Organize Favorites dialog box
Alt + Up arrow: Moves selected item up in Favorites list in Organize Favorites dialog box
Alt + Down arrow: Moves selected item down in Favorites list in Organize Favorites dialog box

EDITING
Ctrl + X: Removes selected items and copies them to Clipboard
Ctrl + C: Copies selected items to Clipboard
Ctrl + V: Insert the contents of the Clipboard at the selected location
Ctrl + A: Select all items on the current Web page