Tag: upload

Must have Feature for GMail Users: Image Uploader

Do you use Google’s fantastic GMail service? If you do you have probably in the past tried to insert pictures into your e-mails only to discover that you needed to upload them on to the internet and provide HTML links to them and all sorts of other complicated silliness that can be a little overwhelming for the average user.


Do you use Google’s  fantastic GMail service? If you do you have probably in the past tried to insert pictures into your e-mails only to discover that you needed to upload them on to the internet and provide HTML links to them and all sorts of other complicated silliness that can be a little overwhelming for the average user.

Fortunately Google realised this and released a ‘Lab’ plugin for the web interface in G-Mail that allows you to upload and insert images straight from your computer into your e-mail. Continue reading “Must have Feature for GMail Users: Image Uploader”


Starcraft 2: How to increase digital download speed

Throttle your upload speed on the Starcraft 2 downloader to increase download speed.

 

Running NetLimiter on the Starcraft 2 downloader to increase download speed.

As I write this I have just begun downloading Starcraft 2 after purchasing the digital download copy off of battle.net. I don’t know about anyone else but when I buy a game, especially one as long-awaited as Starcraft, I am itching to load it up and start playing it straight away!

Anyway, I started the 6.99gb download about half an hour ago. To begin with, the SC2 downloader gave me an estimated time of about 4 hours, which is ok I guess. But a few minutes later I watched in horror as the estimated time increased, 6 hours, 8 hours and so on. I looked at the connection details and realised that the downloader uses peer-to-peer sharing and that my upload speed was now higher than my download speed!

Fortunately within the downloader there is an option to switch off peer-to-peer sharing and just use direct downloading. I tried that but the speed barely increased. A quick scan of a few forums put me on to a little piece of software called NetLimiter. After installing NetLimiter I was able to re-enable the peer-to-peer method of downloading and limit the upload speed (within NetLimiter) to around 30kbps which saw my download speed eventually increase to around 900kbps.

A few points to be aware of:

  • Limiting your upload speed too drastically seems to also drag your download speed down as well, so don’t go cutting it back too much.
  • Inside the preferences for the Starcraft 2 downloader there is an option to disable background download throttling which I would also suggest you set.
  • NetLimiter runs as a 28-day trial. Should you need to use it past the trial period then it only costs $30USD for a single user license.

I’ll let you know how Starcraft goes!

Also if anyone has their own experiences, suggestions or comments please leave me a comment.

For a detailed and comprehensive guide to the art of Starcraft II be sure to check out the Shokz Starcraft II Strategy guide as well.

Thanks for reading.