How to use Gmail Offline with Prism and Ubuntu 9.04 64 Bit

Update:  This solution doesn’t really work. Prism doesn’t start up without a network. So if you are offline, you don’t get to see anything. If you are online (connected to a network) though it works. I will update this post if I find a solution.

Here are the instructions to get Gmail Offline working with Prism on a 64 bit installation of Ubuntu 9.04. I am assuming you have already installed the package prism-google-mail. If not, go to Synaptic Package Manager and install it.

1. Download the 64 bit version of Google Gears found here. (There are 3 links; I used the last one : gears-linux-opt-05210.xpi). Download it with another browser like Opera, so that the install dialog does not pop up.

2. Open the downloaded XPI file with the Archive Manager (File roller). (It’s just a matter of right clicking and extract. )

3. Edit the install.rdf fil. Search for code that looks like :

<em:targetApplication>
<Description>
<em:id>{ec8030f7-c20a-464f-9b0e-13a3a9e97384}</em:id>
<em:minVersion>1.5</em:minVersion>
<em:maxVersion>3.0.*</em:maxVersion>
</Description>
</em:targetApplication>

and replace it with this :

<em:targetApplication>
<Description>
<em:id>prism@developer.mozilla.org</em:id>
<em:minVersion>0.1.*</em:minVersion>
<em:maxVersion>10.0.*</em:maxVersion>
</Description>
</em:targetApplication>

4. Save the file. Archive Manager will asking you whether you want to update the archive. Say Yes.

5. Open Prism – Google Mail and on the bottom right corner click the Settings button and navigate to Tools > Addons.

6. Drag and drop the modified XPI file into the Addons window.

7. That’s it.

I have combined instructions from here and here to  create this post.

How to convert videos for PSP

I have a PSP 2000 with firmware 3.95. Over the last month I have been struggling to create videos for my PSP using Ubuntu Hardy Heron 8.10 . I did manage to create a few videos, using PSPVC,  but the audio seemed out of sync. Finally after a lot of trying I found a solution that seems to work for me and encodes faster too.

Following the guide on this page did the trick for me. AviDemux2.4 allows me to convert videos to H.264 format for the PSP in 720*480 resolution. You dont need to follow the entire guide -  just till the installation is complete. Then the Auto PSP full res option should work properly.

Oh, and in case it still doesn’t work for you, I remember doing this before installing AviDemux. Not sure whether it has any impact on AviDemux.