Twitter fake page: http://ltwltter.com/timed_out/ Beware it will steal your password (phishing)

If you get a Direct message that looks like this:
”
ROFLMAO i can't stop laughing at this pic of you ppfr.it/434
Direct message sent by YourFriend (@yourFriend) to you (@YourName)
”

The first reaction is to click on the short link ppfr.it/434 which will take you to http://t.co/tIdsrtv which will resolve to http://ltwltter.com/timed_out/ (notice the ‘l’ before the ‘t’ of twitter) which will present a FAKE Twitter login page that looks exactly like the Twitter web site with username and password screen:




Please beware – since this is a FAKE login screen – So do NOT enter your login details!

If you do enter your username and password – then the fake page will steal your username and password and then redirect you to another fake page:
http://ltwltter.com/status/error/  (notice the ‘l’ before the ‘t’ of twitter)

Once the phishers have harvested your login details then they will send DMs to all of your followers and send them the same “ROFLMAO” message and hope that they fall into the same trap and log in to the fake Twitter page.

Be careful out there and remember to ALWAYS check the URL of the page that you are logging in to.

Walkie Talkie on your phone: Push To Talk (PTT) using data channel on any network in South Africa

Use your BlackBerry or Android phone or PC to instantly talk to a group of users – just like using walkie talkie radios!  All of this for free (just pay for the bandwidth)!  I suppose you could call it a VOIP app, since the voice does get converted to IP packets – but what’s different with this app is that the voice gets transmitted to a group of people and it comes over their phones’ speakers – like an intercom system!

This app is available for download from here: http://loudtalks.com/download and best of all it’s FREE.  This allows public groups of up to 100 people – if you want to create private groups, then there’s the “Loudtalks Mesh or “Loudtalks Cloud” products. 

The Cloud product is free to try out for up to 10 users, then there’s payment options to go larger groups up to 1,000 people. 
In short, if you have your own server, then go for the Loudtalks Mesh option – else Loudtalks Cloud – which doesn’t require a server and is very quick to set up.
See here for a comparison:  http://loudtalks.com/compare_products

 

Some of the features of the app are:
Loudtalks conversations are nearly as fast as face-to-face and possibly the fastest way to communicate online.
With Loudtalks you can voice message two, three or even a hundred people simultaneously.
Re-play your conversations when you want from the voice history.
Unlike traditional VoIP applications you don't have to use a headset with Loudtalks.
Loudtalks works over WiFi and 3G, and can be used on GPRS and EDGE.
Touchscreen-friendly
Real-time, low latency
Public channels
Voice-activated transmission (VOX) support

Currently, the app is available for BlackBerry and Android phones as well as PC (Windows and Linux using Wine):
BlackBerry - point your phone to: http://loudtalks.com/bb Note: that it does not use BIS – so if you are not using WiFi, then you will pay for the bandwidth used.  Depending on your wireless provider and service plan using the app may cause data charges even if you have "unlimited email and browsing" BIS data plan.  The app uses 110kB per minute talking, and 20kB per hour when idle.  Regardless of your service plan you can always use the app on WiFi for free.
Android: http://market.android.com/details?id=com.loudtalks 
PC: http://loudtalks.com/download
iPhone: iOS version will be released later this year (2011)

How to get going?:
Install the app then create an account and username,
then add contacts – once approved,
then you can try talking by pressing the PTT button (for BlackBerry it’s the convenience button on the LHS of the phone; for Windows it is F7) – keep that button down to talk, and release it to listen.  

You can also create your own public channels that other people can search for and join.

I’ve tested the application with Vodacom in South Africa and has worked with WiFi and the Vodacom network on BlackBerry 9700 Bold and 8520 Curve.  
Users with 3G handsets should enable the WAP2SR in the Options->Connection menu – this will reduce the high battery consumption.

If you get stuck, here’s a FAQ for BlackBerry users: http://loudtalks.com/bb_faq

Let me know if you have managed to successfully use the app – and for what purpose.  I am going to suggest this for the local neighbourhood watch in my area.

Follow LoudTalks on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/loudtalks

Other similar apps that I’ve found are:
http://hipvoice.com/pricing Blackberry and other “rugged devices”, and not free
http://blabbelon.com Windows and iPhone
http://heytell.com Android and iPhone
http://voxer.com iPhone (soon Android)
http://www.itikl.com Android and iPhone (free)

More hidden Skype emoticons in Skype 5.5 release: summarised list (updated)

Following the release of Skype version 5.5 in July 2011, I thought that I should update my blog article on “Secret Skype emoticons”.  I have found some other interesting blog articles listing the new emoticons or smileys and collated the info and added more info too – so anyone that’s looking for the Easter Eggs, then continue reading…:
http://www.skypehelp.com/skype-emoticons
http://www.emoticonsskype.com
http://www.emoticonsskype.com/all-hidden-skype-emoticons

New Skype emoticons available only in Skype 5.5:
(download Skype offline installer here [22MB]: http://download.skype.com/SkypeSetup.msi)
(Thanks to http://www.emoticonsskype.com for listing them)
  (Facepalm)  (fail)  Face palm
  (wfh)  Working From Home
  (fingers)   (fingerscrossed)   (yn) Fingers Crossed
(tumbleweed) Tumbleweed
(lalala) (lala) (notlistening) Lalala
(waiting)   (forever)   (impatience) Waiting
(highfive)   (hifive)   (h5) Hi-five

There are also 2 more hidden ones (Easter eggs).

Of course Skype users can click on the Emoticon button and use the standard emoticons
Skype 5.5:    Compared to the older version:

or type in the following:
{paste them into your Skype chat to see the emoticons}

{note: the duplicate smileys show that there's more than 1 way to type the smiley}
(emoticons with text in red are the secret ones)

 angel (angel)
angry :@ :-@ :=@ x( x-( X( X-( x=( X=( (angry)
bear hug (bear) (hug)

 beer (beer) (bricklayers)

:D  :=D :-D  :d  :=d  :-d
blush (blush) :$ :-$ :=$

brokenheart (u) (U) (brokenheart)

 Masked bandit (bandit)
bow (bow)

bug (bug)

 bum (mooning)

 bye (hi)

bye (bye)
cake (^) (cake)
call (call)

callme (mp) (ph) (phone)
pizza (pi) (pizza)
cash (cash) (mo) ($)
clap (clap)

clock (time) (o) (O)
coffee (coffee)
cool 8-) 8=) B-) B=) (cool)
cry ;( ;-( ;=( (cry)
dance (dance) \o/ \:D/ \:d/
devil (devil)
doh (doh)
drink (d) (D) (drink)
 drunk (drunk)
dull -( ( =( (dull)

email
emo (emo)
envy (envy)

evil grin (grin)
 finger (finger)
flower (F) (f) (flower)
 fubar (fubar)
giggle (chuckle) (giggle)
handshake (handshake)
happy (happy)
 headbang (headbang) (banghead)
heart (h) (H) (l) (L) (heart)
brokenheart (u) (U) (brokenheart)

Heidy squirrel (heidy)

happy (happy)
hi (wave) (hi) (bye)
hug (hug) (bear)
inlove (inlove) (love)
kiss :* :-* :=* (kiss)
laugh :D :-D :=D :d :-d :=d (laugh)
lips sealed :x  :-x :X  :-X  :#  :-#  :=x  :=X  :=#
lunch (pi) (pizza)

 mail (e) (m) (mail)
makeup (makeup) (kate)
mmm (mm) (mmm) (mmmm)

money (cash) (mo) ($)
 mooning (mooning)
movie (~) (film) (movie)
muscle (flex) (muscle)
music (music)
 myspace (myspace)
nerdy 8- B- 8 B 8= B= (nerd)
ninja (ninja)
no (n) (N) (no)
nod (nod)
party (party)

OK (y) (ok)
phone (mp) (ph) (phone)
pizza (pi) (pizza)
 poolparty (poolparty) (hrv) {in version 5.5 the duck drops}
puke (puke) :& :-& :=&
punch (punch)
rain (rain) (london)
 rock (rock)
Rolling on the floor laughing (rofl)
sad :( :-( :=( (sad)
shake (shake)
skype (skype) (ss)
sleepy -) I-) I=) (snooze)
smile :) :-) :=) (smile)
smirk (smirk)
 smoke (smoking) (smoke) (ci)

 squirrel (heidy)
star (*) (star)
sun (sun)
surprised :O :-O :=O :o :-o :=o (surprised)
 swear (swear)
sweat (sweat) (:
speechless : :- := (speechless)
talk (talk)
think (think) :-? :? :=?
time (o) (O) (time) (clock)
 Too much information (tmi)
 A guy and his dog toivo (toivo)
tongueout :P :-P :=P :p :-p :=p (tongueout)
wait (wait)
wasntme (wasntme)

 well done (clap)

 WTF (wtf)
whew (whew)
wink ;) ;-) ;=) (wink)
wondering :^) (wonder)
worry :S :s :-s :-S :=s :=S (worry)
yawn (yawn)
yes (y) (Y) (ok) (yes)


Here are the more hidden (secret) keyboard keystrokes in one place:
{paste them into your Skype chat to see the emoticons}

        
bandit (bandit)
bug (bug)
call (call)
finger (finger)
fubar (fubar)
headbang (headbang) (banghead)
heidy (heidy)
mooning (mooning)
myspace (myspace)
poolparty (poolparty) (hrv)
rock (rock)
smoke (smoking) (smoke) (ci)
swear (swear)
tmi (tmi)
toivo (toivo)

WTF (wtf) 
Face palm (fail)
Working From Home (wfh)
Fingers Crossed (fingers)   (fingerscrossed) (yn)
Tumbleweed (tumbleweed)
Lalala (lalala) (lala) (notlistening)
Waiting  (waiting)   (forever)   (impatience)
Hi-five (highfive)   (hifive)   (h5)
Bye (bye)

Updated on 5Sept2011:
For you avid readers that got this far, here’s another hidden Easter Egg: The disappearing cat: In an active chat session: hold down (ie: press and don’t release any keys) the keys c then a then t – in other words, type cattttttttttttttttttt then release all keys.
A gray cat appears holding out its paw and eventually disappears.
 
For more details go here: http://bluescreensolutions.blogspot.com/2011/02/skypes-disappearing-cat-and-other.html

From http://habrahabr.ru/blogs/skype/54999/

Display flags of the world in your chats:



(flag:AF) Afghanistan
(flag:AL) Albania, People’s Socialist Republic of
(flag:DZ) Algeria, People’s Democratic Republic of
(flag:AS) American Samoa
(flag:AD) Andorra, Principality of
(flag:AO) Angola, Republic of
(flag:AI) Anguilla
(flag:AQ) Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S)
(flag:AG) Antigua and Barbuda
(flag:AR) Argentina, Argentine Republic
(flag:AM) Armenia
(flag:AW) Aruba
(flag:AU) Australia, Commonwealth of
(flag:AT) Austria, Republic of
(flag:AZ) Azerbaijan, Republic of
(flag:BS) Bahamas, Commonwealth of the
(flag:BH) Bahrain, Kingdom of
(flag:BD) Bangladesh, People’s Republic of
(flag:BB) Barbados
(flag:BY) Belarus
(flag:BE) Belgium, Kingdom of
(flag:BZ) Belize
(flag:BJ) Benin (was Dahomey), People’s Republic of
(flag:BM) Bermuda
(flag:BT) Bhutan, Kingdom of
(flag:BO) Bolivia, Republic of
(flag:BA) Bosnia and Herzegovina
(flag:BW) Botswana, Republic of
(flag:BR) Brazil, Federative Republic of
(flag:IO) British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago)
(flag:VG) British Virgin Islands
(flag:BN) Brunei Darussalam
(flag:BG) Bulgaria, People’s Republic of
(flag:BF) Burkina Faso (was Upper Volta)
(flag:BI) Burundi, Republic of
(flag:KH) Cambodia, Kingdom of (was Khmer Republic/Kampuchea, Democratic)
(flag:CM) Cameroon, United Republic of
(flag:CA) Canada
(flag:CV) Cape Verde, Republic of
(flag:KY) Cayman Islands
(flag:CF) Central African Republic
(flag:TD) Chad, Republic of
(flag:CL) Chile, Republic of
(flag:CN) China, People’s Republic of
(flag:CX) Christmas Island
(flag:CC) Cocos (Keeling) Islands
(flag:CO) Colombia, Republic of
(flag:KM) Comoros, Union of the
(flag:CD) Congo, Democratic Republic of (was Zaire)
(flag:CG) Congo, People’s Republic of
(flag:CK) Cook Islands
(flag:CR) Costa Rica, Republic of
(flag:CI) Cote D’Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the
(flag:CU) Cuba, Republic of
(flag:CY) Cyprus, Republic of
(flag:CZ) Czech Republic
(flag:DK) Denmark, Kingdom of
(flag:DJ) Djibouti, Republic of (was French Afars and Issas)
(flag:DM) Dominica, Commonwealth of
(flag:DO) Dominican Republic
(flag:EC) Ecuador, Republic of
(flag:EG) Egypt, Arab Republic of
(flag:SV) El Salvador, Republic of
(flag:GQ) Equatorial Guinea, Republic of
(flag:ER) Eritrea
(flag:EE) Estonia
(flag:ET) Ethiopia
(flag:FO) Faeroe Islands
(flag:FK) Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
(flag:FJ) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands
(flag:FI) Finland, Republic of
(flag:FR) France, French Republic
(flag:GF) French Guiana
(flag:PF) French Polynesia
(flag:TF) French Southern Territories
(flag:GA) Gabon, Gabonese Republic
(flag:GM) Gambia, Republic of the
(flag:GE) Georgia
(flag:DE) Germany
(flag:GH) Ghana, Republic of
(flag:GI) Gibraltar
(flag:GR) Greece, Hellenic Republic
(flag:GL) Greenland
(flag:GD) Grenada
(flag:GP) Guadaloupe
(flag:GU) Guam
(flag:GT) Guatemala, Republic of
(flag:GN) Guinea, Revolutionary People’s Rep’c of
(flag:GW) Guinea-Bissau, Republic of (was Portuguese Guinea)
(flag:GY) Guyana, Republic of
(flag:HT) Haiti, Republic of
(flag:HM) Heard and McDonald Islands
(flag:VA) Holy See (Vatican City State)
(flag:HN) Honduras, Republic of
(flag:HK) Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China
(flag:HR) Hrvatska (Croatia)
(flag:HU) Hungary, Hungarian People’s Republic
(flag:IS) Iceland, Republic of
(flag:IN) India, Republic of
(flag:ID) Indonesia, Republic of
(flag:IR) Iran, Islamic Republic of
(flag:IQ) Iraq, Republic of
(flag:IE) Ireland
(flag:IL) Israel, State of
(flag:IT) Italy, Italian Republic
(flag:JM) Jamaica
(flag:JP) apan
(flag:JO) Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of
(flag:KZ) Kazakhstan, Republic of
(flag:KE) Kenya, Republic of
(flag:KI) Kiribati, Republic of (was Gilbert Islands)
(flag:KP) Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of
(flag:KR) Korea, Republic of
(flag:KW) uwait, State of
(flag:KG) Kyrgyz Republic
(flag:LA) Lao People’s Democratic Republic
(flag:LV) Latvia
(flag:LB) Lebanon, Lebanese Republic
(flag:LS) Lesotho, Kingdom of
(flag:LR) Liberia, Republic of
(flag:LY) Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
(flag:LI) Liechtenstein, Principality of
(flag:LT) Lithuania
(flag:LU) Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of
(flag:MO) Macao, Special Administrative Region of China
(flag:MK) Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of
(flag:MG) Madagascar, Republic of
(flag:MW) Malawi, Republic of
(flag:MY) Malaysia
(flag:MV) Maldives, Republic of
(flag:ML) Mali, Republic of
(flag:MT) Malta, Republic of
(flag:MH) Marshall Islands
(flag:MQ) Martinique
(flag:MR) Mauritania, Islamic Republic of
(flag:MU) Mauritius
(flag:YT) Mayotte
(flag:MX) Mexico, United Mexican States
(flag:FM) Micronesia, Federated States of
(flag:MD) Moldova, Republic of
(flag:MC) Monaco, Principality of
(flag:MN) Mongolia, Mongolian People’s Republic
(flag:MS) Montserrat
(flag:MA) Morocco, Kingdom of
(flag:MZ) Mozambique, People’s Republic of
(flag:MM) Myanmar (was Burma)
(flag:NA) Namibia
(flag:NR) Nauru, Republic of
(flag:NP) Nepal, Kingdom of
(flag:AN) Netherlands Antilles
(flag:NL) Netherlands, Kingdom of the
(flag:NC) New Caledonia
(flag:NZ) New Zealand
(flag:NI) Nicaragua, Republic of
(flag:NE) Niger, Republic of the
(flag:NG) Nigeria, Federal Republic of
(flag:NU) Niue, Republic of
(flag:NF) Norfolk Island
(flag:MP) Northern Mariana Islands
(flag:NO) Norway, Kingdom of
(flag:OM) Oman, Sultanate of (was Muscat and Oman)
(flag:PK) Pakistan, Islamic Republic of
(flag:PW) Palau
(flag:PS) Palestinian Territory, Occupied
(flag:PA) Panama, Republic of
(flag:PG) Papua New Guinea
(flag:PY) Paraguay, Republic of
(flag:PE) Peru, Republic of
(flag:PH) Philippines, Republic of the
(flag:PN) Pitcairn Island
(flag:PL) Poland, Polish People’s Republic
(flag:PT) Portugal, Portuguese Republic
(flag:PR) Puerto Rico
(flag:QA) Qatar, State of
(flag:RE) Reunion
(flag:RO) Romania, Socialist Republic of
(flag:RU) Russian Federation
(flag:RW) Rwanda, Rwandese Republic
(flag:SH) St. Helena
(flag:KN) St. Kitts and Nevis
(flag:LC) St. Lucia
(flag:PM) St. Pierre and Miquelon
(flag:VC) St. Vincent and the Grenadines
(flag:WS) Samoa, Independent State of (was Western Samoa)
(flag:SM) San Marino, Republic of
(flag:ST) Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of
(flag:SA) Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of
(flag:SN) Senegal, Republic of
(flag:CS) Serbia and Montenegro
(flag:SC) Seychelles, Republic of
(flag:SL) Sierra Leone, Republic of
(flag:SG) Singapore, Republic of
(flag:SK) Slovakia (Slovak Republic)
(flag:SI) Slovenia
(flag:SB) Solomon Islands (was British Solomon Islands)
(flag:SO) Somalia, Somali Republic
(flag:ZA) South Africa, Republic of
(flag:GS) South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
(flag:ES) Spain, Spanish State
(flag:LK) Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of (was Ceylon)
(flag:SD) Sudan, Democratic Republic of the
(flag:SR) Suriname, Republic of
(flag:SZ) Swaziland, Kingdom of
(flag:SE) Sweden, Kingdom of
(flag:CH) Switzerland, Swiss Confederation
(flag:SY) Syrian Arab Republic
(flag:TW) Taiwan, Province of China
(flag:TJ) Tajikistan
(flag:TZ) Tanzania, United Republic of
(flag:TH) Thailand, Kingdom of
(flag:TL) Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of
(flag:TG) Togo, Togolese Republic
(flag:TK) Tokelau (Tokelau Islands)
(flag:TO) Tonga, Kingdom of
(flag:TT) Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of
(flag:TN) Tunisia, Republic of
(flag:TR) Turkey, Republic of
(flag:TM) Turkmenistan
(flag:TC) Turks and Caicos Islands
(flag:TV) Tuvalu (was part of Gilbert & Ellice Islands)
(flag:VI) US Virgin Islands
(flag:UG) Uganda, Republic of
(flag:UA) Ukraine
(flag:AE) United Arab Emirates (was Trucial States)
(flag:GB) United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland
(flag:UM) United States Minor Outlying Islands
(flag:US) United States of America
(flag:UY) Uruguay, Eastern Republic of
(flag:UZ) Uzbekistan
(flag:VU) Vanuatu (was New Hebrides)
(flag:VE) Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
(flag:VN) Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of (was Democratic Republic of & Republic of)
(flag:WF) Wallis and Futuna Islands
(flag:EH) Western Sahara (was Spanish Sahara)
(flag:YE) Yemen
(flag:ZM) Zambia, Republic of
(flag:ZW) Zimbabwe (was Southern Rhodesia)
From here:  http://www.emoticonsskype.com/flags.html

See here for more posts on Skype:
http://handytechtips.blogspot.com/search?q=skype
Beware when editing Skype messages to Linux users…
Skype chat: taking control of the group chat session

Original postings:
Secret Skype emoticons: summarised list
http://handytechtips.blogspot.com/2008/08/skype-more-emoticons-that-you-can-type.html