WhosOnline was an application that would scour the offline buddies of an AIM screename and attempt to discover those which were invisible. This software is long since non-working.

WhosOnline used a simple bug in AIM that would allow the presence information of someone invisible to be available through their profile.  Simply requesting the profile and examining the response would allow one to determine whether someone was invisible or offline.

AOL has long since patched this bug, and WhosOnline is no more.  There is no available download–but it wouldn’t discover invisible buddies anyway.  This website is linked to, and I receive many requests for this application, but it simply doesn’t exist anymore.

Trace, in System.Diagnostics is useful for determining where an application failed. .NET has build-in support for writing to the console or a file on disk, but it’s a little bit more complicated to direct this output to a TextBox on a windows form.

Here’s the class you need to get the trace information.

    class FormTracer : TraceListener
    {
        public delegate void OnTextHandler(string msg, bool newLine);
        public event OnTextHandler OnText;
 
        public override void Write(string message)
        {
            if (OnText != null)
                OnText.Invoke(message, false);
        }
 
        public override void WriteLine(string message)
        {
            if (OnText != null)
                OnText.Invoke(message, true);
        }
 
        public FormTracer()
        {
            Trace.Listeners.Add(this);
        }
 
         ~FormTracer()
        {
            Trace.Listeners.Remove(this);
        }
    }

When created, FormTracer will add itself to the tracers collection and start receiving messages. To add these messages to your form, create a FormTracer object like so:

        public Form1()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
 
            FormTracer ft = new FormTracer();
            ft.OnText += new FormTracer.OnTextHandler(ft_OnText);
        }

The event handler may be called on threads outside the UI, so you’ll want to make the OnText handler look something like this

        void ft_OnText(string msg, bool newLine)
        {
            if (this.IsHandleCreated)
            {
                this.Invoke((MethodInvoker)delegate()
                {
                    textBox1.Text += msg;
                    if (newLine) textBox1.Text += "\r\n";
                });
            }
        }

Add a button and handle the Click event for a test Trace message.

          private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            Trace.WriteLine("Button Pressed!");
        }

Small release today, including a few bugfixes.

- Duplicate protection – this option only needs to be used if constant duplicate messages are seen.

- Show accepted calls – added an option for this feed.

- various other updates.

Google made a change today that caused an issue that blocked Phone numbers from loading correctly in GVNotifier.  Restart twice(!) for the auto-update system to download the update.

You can install GVNotifier if you don’t already have it.

This update includes two changes only:

- Fix for Google’s change.

- Auto-Update change:  Updates will be discovered BEFORE launch each time.

Screenshots for GVNotifier 1.1:

New Features:

- Small Font Option

- Hide ‘406′ area code numbers (Google Voice SMS numbers)

- Enter to send Message.

- Google Contacts integration

- Recent contacts are at the top of the contact list, other contacts are sorted alphabetically at the bottom.

- Callback number may be selected from the Message window.

- Performance improvements

Let me know what you think in the comments, or join the beta team!

GVNotifier.net requires the .NET Framework 3.5 and Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7.  Aero recommended.

If you’re already using GVNotifier, just restart for the update. (Try restarting twice if it doesn’t pop up)

GVNotifier.net 1.1 [ClickOnce Install]

This build introduces an updated GV API that includes support for Google Contacts.  The Recent list in this build will include all Google Contacts that have an assigned phone number.  Please report any new issues, as eventually this will be pushed to everyone.

Update:  This version has been released, get it here.

Future Betas will not be distrobuted on the blog.  Please Join the Google Group.

Some points -

- A contact is created for each phone number in Google Contacts.

- Contacts are downloaded first and sorted as more feeds load (Calls, Voicemail, SMS).

- Contacts are awarded points for participation in feeds.  A contact you converse with often should have a higher number of points, and come up at the top of the Contact List

- No Search, No Sorting.  I’m working on both, but taking my time so it’s as usable as possible.

- BugFix: Deleting/Arching messages in GV should NOT prompt old messages to show up again.

- Don’t like animations?  Start the app with –no-animation.

- Don’t want to register?  Start the app with –no-reg

- Don’t want logging?  Start the app with –no-logging

Update (11/29/09 3:20PM EST Build 5)

- Message Window now has a character count, and the ability to change the Callback number.  No longer is it needed to enter the Callback number manually.  Zip Updated.

Update (11/29/09 4:40PM EST Build 6)

- Added Search box to Contact List, removed ‘Send Or Call’ dialog.  Zip Updated.

Update (11/30/09 Build 11)
- Performance Improvements
Update (11/30/09 Build 12)
- Bug/feature reporter

LockLight is now one of the top reasons I jailbreak.  This awesome tweak will allow you to open the iPhone Flashlight with full screen brightness right from the lock screen–without even looking!

The tweak is called LockLight, and is in the ModMyI repository in Cydia.  Searching for LockLight should bring up the application.

LockLight uses the Cydget platform, which allows for multiple lock screen views. Cydget is configurable in Settings.

Configure Cydget such that AwayView is first, and LockLight is lower down in the list.  Unfortunately this tweak works best with just LockLight and AwayView, but there are other cool Cydget views that are worth looking at, such as CyCalc.

Once you’ve configured Cydget, Respring your device and enjoy using LockLight!

LockLight Activation:

To start using LockLight, press the power or home button to view the lock screen.  Tap the home button to cycle through your enabled Cydgets.  If just LockLight and AwayView are enabled, tapping the home button will alternate between the two.

Just something I thought may be good enough to share.

Click for full sized image.

How To: Set logon background in Windows 7:

- Save the image as backgroundDefault.jpg.

- Place the image in c:\Windows\System32\oobe\info\backgrounds\

Note that you’ll need to create the info and backgrounds folders.

- Open gpedit.msc, the Group Policy editor and Navigate to:

Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System -> Logon

- Set the Always use custom logon background policy to Enabled.

Windows will now load the custom background each time the logon screen is invoked.

Screenshot of Windows 7 Logon UI:

Welcome Lifehacker!  Follow @davux on twitter!

if you’re having trouble making calls or sending SMS messages, please try using –mobile as a command line argument to GVNotifier.net.exe.  You Must start the program with the command line –mobile to attempt the fix.  If this does work for you but the release version doesn’t, please let me know in a comment!

This project is superseding the DigsbyGV project.  GVNotifier brings Google Voice services to the desktop in the form of a notification app.

GVNotifier.net supports one-click calling right from the SMS window.

Click the tray icon to display your personalized favorite list.  Contacts are placed on this list if they appear in the inbox.

Send messages to users not in the recent list.

Download:

GVNotifier requires the .NET Framework 3.5 and Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7.  Aero recommended.

GVNotifier.net 1.0 [ClickOnce Install]

Update: 11/19/09 (Build 20)

- A bug that prevented the ‘call’ button from working has been fixed.

Update 11/20/09 (Build 50)

- Fixed a bug loading contacts without names.

- Fixed a UI animation bug.

- Included dialog to send a message to any number.

- Fixed ‘Check for updates’ in About dialog.

- Added option to check for new SMS messages by middle-clicking the tray icon, or selecting the menu option.

- Smooth loading of contact list.

Update 11/21/09 (Build 52)

- ClickOnce installer now manages updates.

- Possible fix for sending SMS on certain GV accounts.

Update 11/22/09

- If you’re having trouble sending SMS and would be willing to let me log into your account so I can figure out why, please let me know!  Several users have reported being unable to send SMS.  I’m unable to reproduce the problem with any of my accounts.

Update 11/25/09 (Build 70)

- Fixed an issue that was causing HTTP 500 errors for some users.  Try using –mobile if it still isn’t working.

Update 11/26/09 (Build 80)

- Fixed some possible issues with logging in.  If you were unable to login (RNR_SE is missing, Invalid User/Pass), get the update and try again.  Restart twice to get the updater to launch.

This product has been deprecated, Use GVNotifier.net instead.

Start by downloading DigsbyGV 1.1, and unpacking the ZIP archive.

Unpack the DigsbyGV files to a directory with read/write permissions. A good place is the My Documents folder.

Double-click DigsbyGV.exe to start DigsbyGV for the first time. DigsbyGV will register itself the first time it is run.

After DigsbyGV has obtained it’s registration file, it won’t attempt to register again.

The configuration file is validated, and a message is shown if errors are present.

These errors will be corrected after selecting OK.

Enter your Google Voice account details.

• Username:  Your Google Voice username (you@gmail.com, etc).
• Password: Your Google Account password
• Callback Number:  The number which Google Voice will call when selecting to call a contact.  This number must exist in Google Voice as a phone on your account.

Click Test Account to check if the settings are correct.

Select XMPP Server to configure the Connection from Digsby.  The password must be configured manually, no default password is present.  This is the password which will be used when connecting from Digsby.

Save by clicking OK or Apply.  Upon doing so, Google Voice will begin connecting, and XMPP connections will be allowed.

DigsbyGV will remain in the notification area, the icon may be hidden by selecting Hide Icon from the right-click menu.

Add the DigsbyGV XMPP account in Digsby

Create a new account in Digsby, press Ctrl + P to access the Preferences menu.

Create a new IM account with the type Jabber.

The Jabber ID is always voice@localhost.  The password is configured in the XMPP Server tab of DigsbyGV.  Advanced settings do not need to be changed.

Once the Jabber connection connects to DigsbyGV, contacts will be placed in the Google Voice group.  Note: it may take a minute or more to authenticate with Google Voice for the first time.

If a friendly name is configured within Google Voice, it will be shown on the contact list.  Selecting the Website link will connect a call between the selected user, and your callback number.

SMS Messages, and Voicemail transcripts will be sent as detected.  Note:  Messages will only be shown if detected while DigsbyGV is running.  SMS Messages and Voicemail messages received while DigsbyGV is not running will not be shown.