It's National Watermelon Day! How to Make Watermelon and Cheese Checkers

This is a great way to serve cheese and fruit, and even the kids will enjoy eating their healthy food! This watermelon and cheese checkerboard is a wonderful idea for a child's party or even for placing out on the buffet table. Here is how to prepare the checkerboard in just a few minutes.

Ingredients

• Watermelon (seedless is preferable but any type can be used)
• Cheese

Steps

1. 
   
   
   

   
   
   Buy hard cheese and watermelon. The cheese can be yellow or orange, whatever is available in your area.
2. 
   
   
   

   
   
   Prepare the watermelon pieces. Cut slices of watermelon 1/2 inch or 1.3 cm thick. Use a ruler if you're not able to gauge this easily.
3. 
   
   
   

   
   
   Turn the slices on their side and cut into strips of equal width.
4. 
   
   
   

   
   
   Cut into equal squares. Do this as evenly as you can. The exact square size is up to you and will be determined by the amount of watermelon and cheese you have, or the plate size.
5. 
   
   
   

   
   
   Set to one side for arranging shortly.
6. 
   
   
   

   
   
   Prepare the cheese. Slice the cheese 1/2 inch or 1.3 cm thick.
7. 
   
   
   

   
   
   Cut the cheese into even squares the same size as the watermelon squares.
8. 
   
   

   
   Still a bit of sorting, tidying up, and size matching to go...
   Arrange the pieces into a checkerboard formation on a suitable serving plate.
   
   • This is a good time to remove pieces that are lopsided or of the wrong size – cut more if needed, or simply reshape existing pieces.
   • Also remove any obvious seeds from the watermelon pieces, if you haven't used seedless watermelon.
9. 
   
   
   

   
   
   Prepare the checkers. Use a very small cookie cutter or a small shooter glass turned upside down to cut out the checkers from the watermelon. Cut slices thinner than for the checkerboard squares.
   
   • 
     
     
     

     
     
     Push all the way through to ensure that the checker piece comes away clean from the watermelon flesh.
     
     
     
     
     

     
10. 
    
    
    

    
    
    Repeat the cookie cutter process with the cheese to make cheese checkers.
    
    • 
      
      
      

      
      
      As with the watermelon checkers, cut the slices thinner than cheese squares for pushing the cutter through.
11. 
    
    
    

    
    
    Arrange the checkers on the checkerboard and firm up the entire checkerboard. Place the watermelon checkers onto cheese pieces, and cheese checkers onto watermelon pieces, as this makes them easier to see and it looks more effective. Your watermelon and cheese checkerboard is ready for serving!
    
    • It's a good idea to provide toothpicks to enable guests to pick up the cheese and watermelon pieces easily.

Video

Tips

• For a kid's party, also provide pretzels and chips and different shaped crackers or cookies.
• Make a large checkerboard for a party, because the pieces will be finished before you have time to serve the drinks!
• You can also make this into an actual game. Each piece that is captured is eaten, the first person to eat their opponent's pieces wins.
• If you're already using watermelon, use the left over watermelon. For example, you could make a carved centerpiece and then use the rest of the watermelon for the checkers board.

Warnings

• Always use caution when cutting with knives.
• It's a good idea to cut the cheese and watermelon on separate boards, otherwise the juice from the watermelon will soak into the block of cheese that isn't being used for the recipe.

Things You'll Need

• Cutting board and knife
• Cheese knife
• Small cookie cutter or a shooter glass
• Large serving plate

How to Jailbreak Your iPhone With Jailbreakme

Recently, the US copyright law has been modified to make it legal to hack (jailbreak) smartphones such as the iPhone to switch telecommunications service providers or to install applications without Apple's approval.^[1] But is it worth it? Many people who have never had their phone jail broken before can now do so. Using jailbreakme.com, a free browser-based jailbreak system, you only have to visit the site and your iPhone is jailbroken. Don't be afraid to try it out now because this is possible. But be aware there are caveats.

Steps

1. Do a back-up from your iPhone. Before you jailbreak your phone, be sure to sync with iTunes to back your phone up. This is just in case anything goes wrong.
2. On your iPhone, open the browser. Type http://jailbreakme.com into the address bar and press "Go".
3. 
   
   
   

   
   
   Slide the "slide to jailbreak" slide. Wait until your device downloads the jailbreak application. How long this will take depends on how fast your connection is; it can take up to five minutes.
   
   • 
     
     
     

     
     
     Once you see that the app "Cydia" is installed on your device, your device has been jail broken. It will appear as a pop-up.
4. Press "OK" and you will return to your springboard. Cydia will now appear there alongside your other apps. You are now free to download unapproved apps and tweaks not officially approved by Apple.
5. If you encounter any problems, try to reboot your device. In the worst-case scenario, you can always restore your device with iTunes and jail break again.

Video

Tips

• If something goes wrong or the installer crashes during installation, it may not be fixed by simply restoring your phone and trying again. Jailbreakme.com will continue to attempt installation but will crash and put you back at your home screen. A proven fix for this (and a lot of other problems) is to restore your phone to factory defaults. Be warned as this will erase everything on the phone.
• It has been advised to first update your device to iOS 4.0.1 before attempting to jailbreak with Jailbreakme. The older versions could give you some trouble.
• This method works for all devices described here:
  
  • iPod 1G on 3.1.3
  • iPod 2G on 3.1.3
  • iPod 2G on 4.0
  • iPod 3G on 3.1.2
  • iPod 3G on 3.1.3
  • iPod 3G on 4.0
  • iPad on 3.2
  • iPad on 3.2.1
  • iPhone 3G on 3.1.2
  • iPhone 3G on 3.1.3
  • iPhone 3G on 4.0
  • iPhone 3G on 4.0.1
  • iPhone 3G[S] on 3.1.2
  • iPhone 3G[S] on 3.1.3
  • iPhone 3G[S] on 4.0
  • iPhone 3G[S] on 4.0.1
  • iPhone 4 on 4.0
  • iPhone 4 on 4.0.1 ^[2]

Warnings

• As always, be careful if you jailbreak your device, Apple can and will void any warranty if your device crashes after it has been jail broken.^[3]
• Service providers purchase the rights to certain features on phones bearing their logos. Not all features of your phone may work on another provider's network. Consider the risks and you may find yourself losing money- and features.
• This method uses an exploit of a security hole in the iPhone's web browser, which will undoubtedly be patched by Apple in the next release.
• As with all "jailbreaks" there is a risk that something may go wrong which could "brick" your phone (make it inoperable). Your warranty will not cover this, leaving you with little more than an expensive "brick", hence the term.
• You should be tech-savvy enough to keep up with the methods of updating your phone and what will and won't cause problems for you- such as attempting updates to iTunes or your iPhone.
• Be aware that jailbreaking your phone will allow you to run apps that have not been "approved"- this also includes malware and virus apps.
• While this method is not malicious, there are malware-spreading campaigns preying on people looking to jailbreak their phones.See this article for example

How to Use Google Multiple Sign In

Google has a new feature that enables you to sign in to multiple accounts at the same time on the same browser. One of the benefits of this is that it allows you to read messages from several Gmail accounts just by opening up new tabs in the same browser.

Steps

1. Go to your Google Accounts page: https://www.google.com/accounts/ManageAccount
2. 
   Look for the option "multiple sign-in". If it isn't there yet, your account will probably be enabled shortly.
3. Click on the "Change" link.
   • There will be a message telling you that this is an advanced feature that works for Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Sites, Google Reader, Google Voice, App Engine and Google Code.
4. Enable the feature. Click the button that says "On - Use multiple Google Accounts in the same web browser."
   
   
   
   • A new drop-down will appear next to your email address in Gmail, and other relevant Google products. This drop-down allows you to click on it, and sign into any new Google account from the drop-down menu without having to close out of your currently open Google account.
   • If you check the URL for each account, you will see that Google now numbers each one differently to identify them distinctly.
5. Note that your default account becomes the first account that you sign in to. This means that when you sign into non-Google products unable to support Multiple Accounts, that your sign-in will be done via your default account.
   
   
   

Tips

• This feature is easier than using Google Chrome's incognito mode or IE8's "new session" feature.
• Signing out of any Google product while in Multiple Sign In will sign you out of all accounts.

Warnings

• This feature does not work for mobile devices, Google's Calendar gadget within Gmail won't work properly, and it doesn't work for offline Gmail/Google Calendar. The "note in Reader" bookmarklet will only work for the default account, not for any of the other accounts.
• As a new feature, there may be more unknown issues with use of Multiple accounts. If you discover any, it's probably a good idea to alert Google so that these can be fixed.

Things You'll Need

• Google Accounts

11 Steps to Extend the Battery Life of Your iPad

Frequent iPad use will result in shorter battery life.

Just as with an iPhone or iPod Touch, the battery life of your iPad will be shorter during heavy use. However, there are some measures you can take to keep your device on and active for hours of enjoyment, and this article explains what you can do to lengthen the battery life.

Steps

1. Turn off Wi-Fi and cellular data (iPad + 3G) settings. Your iPad drains battery power when searching for and attempting to connect to the nearest Wi-Fi or cellular network tower, so if you're not planning on using Safari or apps that require these features, shut them off.
   • Go to "Settings", "WiFi option" or "Cellular", and tap the off switch.
     
     
     
2. Turn off or decrease the timing for data fetching. Data that are updated regularly include email notifications and RSS feed.
   • Go to "Settings". Tap on "Mail, Contacts, Calendars" and go to "Fetch New Data". Tap "Manually".
   • Alternately, tap "Hourly" to increase the fetching interval.
     
     
     
3. Turn off Push notifications. The usefulness of this step depends on how many emails or IM+ you usually receive; if you get a lot, this step is probably worth using as this can deplete battery life.
   • Go to "Settings", "Mail, Contacts, Calendars" and "Fetch New Data". Turn off Push.
4. Tone down the brightness. It goes without saying that the brighter the screen, the more battery power your iPad consumes. Turn down the brightness to a setting that looks right.
   • Go to "Settings", then "Brightness & Wallpaper".
   • Select "Auto Brightness", which will allow the iPad to adjust brightness depending on the brightness of your location; or
   • Drag the slider to the left to lower the default screen brightness. 25 percent to 30 percent brightness should be sufficient for daytime use, and for most people, should also work for nighttime.
     
     
     
5. Turn off the sound effects. Sounds can cause the battery to deplete quickly if they are frequent and as they are activated by default, they will sound whenever you receive notifications or when pressing buttons for the on-screen keyboard.
   • Go to "Settings", "General", and "Sounds". There are five different options on the equalizer to "Increase/Decrease". Or, you can switch to "On/Off" if preferred. Obviously, disabling the lot would decrease the battery usage by sounds.
     
     
     
6. Turn off location services. Active use of maps and other location services will drain battery life. If left on, Maps updates continuously, something that you don't need draining your battery.
   
   
   
7. Avoid frequent use of 3D or graphic heavy apps. Sure, BrickBreaker HD looks great in high-definition, but playing for long periods of time drains battery life like a hose.
8. Switch on Airplane Mode if you have an iPad + 3G. It blocks all of the iPad's wireless signals and will increase battery life. In areas where 3G is patchy or weak, this could drain the battery even more, so it's a very good idea to turn it off in such a situation.^[1]
9. Keep the iPad away from temperature extremes. Extreme high or low temperatures can cause the battery life to decrease. Keep the iPad environment between 32ºF and 95ºF(0ºC and 35ºC).^[2]
   • Be careful of using an iPad case when charging the battery, as this can prevent adequate ventilation, increasing the temperature of the iPad and potentially damaging the battery (charging releases heat).
10. Keep your software up-to-date at all times. Apple recommends updating regularly because engineers look for new ways to optimize battery performance and when they find any ways, they pass these on via software updates.^[3]
11. Switch on the auto-lock feature. This means that your iPad will turn off after a set period of time if left inactive.
    • Go to "Settings", "General", and tap on "Auto Lock". Set the interval to a short space of time, such as one minute.^[4]

Video

Tips

• Contrary to popular belief, shutting off the iPad when not in use and turning it back on when you do will more often then not, especially in short periods of time, waste battery life because of the energy the iPad takes up trying too boot up/shut down.
• Always charge your device before leaving home, especially on long trips. Bring the charger with you if you are going away overnight, or for an extended period of time. While the iPad battery is slated to last up to 10 hours, frequent use will shorten this time dramatically.
• Perform a monthly battery calibration. Drain the battery completely, then charge it 100 percent.^[5]
• Charging batteries in a warm environment reduces the amount of charge accepted by the batteries and lowers the voltage that the batteries are charged to. So charge your iPad in a cool place to get the maximum charge to begin with.
• Understand the difference between battery life and battery lifespan. Battery life refers to the time before a battery requires recharging; battery lifespan refers to the time a battery lasts before it needs to be replaced.^[6]
• Apple states that normal battery life for surfing the internet using WiFi, playing music or watching videos is up to 10 hours, while surfing the internet using a 3G network should be up to about 9 hours.
• Repeatedly draining your battery completely (called a “deep discharge”) can shorten the life span of the battery. So, if you use your iPad until the battery fails, you will get more use of your iPad on this particular charge, but you will reduce the number of times you can recharge your iPad’s battery. (Most lithium batteries can be recharged about 500 times. If you are a heavy iPad user, that could be less than two years.)

Things You'll Need

• iPad
• Apple charger
• 3G on iPad

How to Make an iPod Nano Case from an Orbit Gum Package

1. Gather everything from the Things You'll Need section.
   Ads by Google

   Watch Grade Tapes

   Pressure sensitive tapes Shipping supplies
   www.tapeworldsolutions.com
2. 
   
   Lay the gum package flat on a table.
3. 
   
   Using the template below (see External Links), cut a screen inside the package.
   

   Thumbnail screenshot of the pattern found at http://sneakmove.com/docs/nano/diy_ipod_nano_case.pdf
4. 
   
   Put mailing tape on the left and right sides of the gum package "screen," forming a non-sticky layer of protection for the Nano's actual screen.
5. 
   
   Place the package, still flat, on top of the Nano.
6. 
   
   Wrap the Orbit package around the Nano, and tape the package together in the rear of the Nano, forming the complete case.
   Ads by Google

   Adhesive Tapes

   Hira Industries manufactures a large range of industrial tapes.
   www.diamondtapes.ae

   Durastrip-Self Adhesive

   Waterproofing, Bitumen, Flashing GI, Asbestos, M Steel, PEB, T. Fan
   www.durastrip.in

 Tips

• Use foam for casing. Harder materials will scratch your Nano.
  Ads by Google

  Double Sided Tape For Fabric

  manufacturers ,exporter & suppliers Double Sided Tapes. Contact Us Now!
  TapeIndia.in/Call_09840647096
• If you want, you can Velcro the flap and the case together so you have an easy way to close and open it.
• For a cuter case use a colorful orbit pack.

Warnings

• Make sure that your model of iPod is an iPod Nano. (1st or 2nd generation)
• When using scissors on the case, make sure the iPod is not in the case.
• Be careful not to leave dirt or fingerprints on the sticky sides of the tape when putting together the screen protection; because after you put the sticky sides together, there is no pulling them apart.
• Remember that the metal plate on the back of your iPod is in fact intended to disperse heat. Leave room for your iPod to breathe.

Things You'll Need

• Orbit case
• scissors
• clear mailing tape
• a glue stick
• iPod Nano
• Velcro (optional)