In my never-ending search for frivolous Firefox add-ons, I've discovered Broadcasts Monitor, a unique twist on the idea of watching live video streams. Hang on to your hat here, because this add-on lets you slap up to 25 live video streams onto a single browser tab.

Why you'd ever want to go all the way to 25 is beyond me, but sticking with the default of four proved to be quite useful in my go with it. It supports a handful of services like Justin.tv, uStream, Livestream, and BlogTV. Advanced users can also plug in motion JPEG video streams and Microsoft media server channels. The key thing here, is that it will take them all--you just need to plug in the URL. There are also no size toggles to mess about with, as it scales all the videos to the size of your screen.

Now, coming back to the usefulness of something like this: if you're a fan of live broadcasts, this is one of the easiest ways to get your fill on one page. You can simply add all your favorite shows and have them within reach each time you feel like watching something. It also solves the problem of watching multiple programs within one browser window if you're on a machine that's short on screen real estate. As for watching them all at once though--I'm not sold.

There are a few things that might bring your experience down, but that can be expected from most local browser add-ons. The first is that you cannot take your selection of programs from one computer to another, so if you're trying to ferry over your list of shows from a work machine to a home machine, you're out of luck. Second, because it's simply embedding the players of the live streams, you're likely missing out on the user chat you'd be getting if you were watching these on the streaming site itself. That said, it can offer a leaner and cleaner experience since there's nothing else on the page but the video you want to watch.

I'm keeping this one installed for now. The main reason being that it's properly non-intrusive; you can toggle it open in a new tab whenever you please with a little shortcut that sits in the bottom right hand corner of your browser. That, and I think it might do me some good to start watching astronauts and owl hutches alongside whatever tech conferences are being streamed.

Originally posted at Web Crawler

Perhaps the most recognized name in all of archivedom, WinZip 14.5 debuts a new look cribbed from Microsoft Office and several new features, including advanced Windows 7 compatibility and archive management tools.

The interface is the most radical change to the program. For years, WinZip flirted with variations on its big-buttoned skin, but adapting the ribbon concept to its tools makes sense for two reasons. First, controversy for the ribbon toolbar aside, it makes the program instantly recognizable to anybody working with Microsoft Office. Secondly, the old WinZip was inadequate for the breadth of tools that the program offered. Most of the advanced features could only be accessed from the menubar so the ribbon should be a bit of a time saver, assuming that you find the ribbon easy to navigate. You can restore the classic interface under Options.

WinZip 14.5's Windows 7 features are another indication that the program, now owned by Corel, won't be trading just on its big name. In addition to jump lists and libraries, WinZip's internal viewer supports multi-touch gestures on touch screens. There's also a "one-click unzip" option, which will unzip an archive and open the file location in Windows Explorer, a ZIP file previewer for checking out the contents of an archive without having to open it in WinZip, a button for encrypting an already-created, unencrypted archive, and the new "Unzip and try" feature. This lets users open an archive, use its files, save changes to them, and then close the archive without leaving a trace in your temp folders.

WinZip 14.5 isn't noticeably faster than WinZip 14, but version 14 was significantly faster than the versions prior to it. Like other high-profile, big-name programs, the makers of WinZip finally seem to take an interest in not just hulking out new features, but improving performance as well. For die-hard WinZip fans, this upgrade is an easy choice to make. Note that the program is now only available as a trial, and that the nag screen to upgrade or use with hamstrung features has been disabled. For many users, though, the price tag of $29.95 is likely to be too high to justify the new features.

If you ask me, the iPad's prowess as an e-book reader lies not in pulp fiction, but in kids' books. Think about it: the latest Grisham novel is just raw text, which any old Kindle can deliver. But children's books are all about big, splashy pictures and wild colors--elements perfectly suited to iPad screens.

And needless to say, the iPad can do a lot more than just display static pages. It can read stories aloud; it can enrich a classic tale with touch-powered extras; and it can even render pages in 3D. Let's take a look at five dazzling e-books for kids, starting with an eye-popping rendition of "Alice in Wonderland."

1."Alice for the iPad"  This lavishly illustrated 52-page abridgment of the classic tale incorporates animation like no other e-book to date. Readers can tilt the iPad to make Alice grow and shrink; shake it to watch the Mad Hatter's bobblehead bobble; and so on. The frantically paced demo video (above) is a little over-the-top, but there's no question this is a showpiece iPad app. Thankfully, there's a free Lite version you can try before splurging on the $8.99 full version.

2. Dr. Seuss books  Already among my favorites (uh, I mean, my kids' favorites) on the iPhone, Oceanhouse Media's three Seuss titles--"Dr. Seuss' ABC," "The Cat in the Hat," and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"--are just that much bigger and better on the iPad. Each interactive story sells for $2.99--quite a bit less than their respective hardcovers (as it should be). Oh, and stay tuned: one of my all-time favorite Seuss titles, "The Lorax," will make its iPad/iPhone debut in about a week.

3. "Jack and the Beanstalk Children's Interactive Storybook"  I think the title says it all, no? The "interactive" part comes in the form of games, activities, hidden Easter eggs, and the like. Gorgeous artwork, read-along text, and a reasonable price tag of $3.99. What's not to like?

4. "Toy Story Read-Along"  The model for how children's e-books should be done, Disney's highly interactive app leverages the iPad's potential like few others. Not only does it read the story out loud, it also allows your child to record his or her voice and become the narrator. Each animated page features tap-to-play sound effects and character voices, and some can morph into coloring pages, complete with simple onscreen coloring tools. Songs, movie clips, and mini games round out the experience. Amazingly, the app is free (meaning it's a must-have), though "Toy Story 2 Read-Along" (and, presumably, future Disney titles) will run you $8.99.

5. "The Wrong Side of the Bed in 3D"  This is interesting. Children's book author-illustrator Wallace E. Keller founded See Here Studios, turned his own out-of-print title into an e-book, and gave it a 3D makeover. (Narration and musical accompaniment, too.) Any traditional red/cyan 3D glasses will do (you can order a pair from the publisher for $1), though don't expect "Avatar"-level imagery: the effect is fairly minimal. Do expect a cute little story (which can also be viewed in 2D) accompanied by lovely illustrations. The HD version of the app costs $2.99; iPhone and iPod owners can snag it for 99 cents.

What do you think of the iPad as a children's e-book reader? Have you found any other titles worth mentioning? Share your thoughts in the comments. (And don't miss the incredible Marvel Comics app, which proves that comics are equally well-suited to the iPad's generous display.)

Originally posted at iPad Atlas