Open Blogger Picture Gadget Links in New Tabs

When you upload a picture to Blogger's picture gadget, you have the option to include a link to that picture. By default, the link loads on the same tab where the gadget is located - thus shifting your reader away from your domain. The tweak in this page will show you how you can make the link open on a new tab. Let's cut to the chase shall we?

Enlarging Blogger Slideshow Gadget

I've published a tutorial on how you can link your Flickr photo stream to Blogger's slideshow gadget. But the default frame size for Blogger's slideshow gadget is rather small. You can easily make this frame bigger. You won't get the prettiest pictures as you're stretching your original image, but personally I think it's a fair trade-off for this simple CSS trick. By the way, as we're stretching out original picture stream, it will be best if your images are not from a mixed orientation group. In other words, it works best if your images are all of portrait orientation, or landscape orientation.

Blog Update

Just came back from California a few days ago after attending Google Top Contributor Summit. And now my internet is back (yeahh). I spent one whole day just to reply Blogger related emails - imagine.

So, some blog updates:

1) I don't take questions directly any longer. But fear not, I am still attending to you guys - only the platform has changed. Previously, you could send a question directly to me via email, and I'd reply to you. Now, you need to post your question in Blogger Help Forum, and if you want my personal attention, head over to the 'Ask a Question' page in this forum, and send me the link to your question thread. I will reply to your question. Nothing has changed, except for how your question reaches me. I have strong reasons to change to this system.

• First of all, many of you mis-type your email addresses. I spend lots of time creating a solution for your problem, only to find out that I'd never reach you ever again - since your email address that you leave in the contact form is wrong.
• Some of your questions are so unique. With private emails, it was such a shame that I couldn't share the answer with anyone else.
• Next - some of the questions that you ask are so simple. Not that I don't answer simple questions, just that it is unfair for your to wait for my looong reply for simple questions - you could get answers within minutes if you post the same question in the Help Forum.
• Yes, other users will be able to help you as well. So there's no guarantee that I'll be attending to your question. If you want me to specifically answer your question in the Help Forum, just leave a foot-note at the end of your question requesting me to attend to you. In any case, as long as you summit your question link to me, I will come and have a look. If you're already attended by someone else and if the discussion is on the right track, I might not interfere.

2) Right now I still have few things in my hands to take care of. But I'm seeing good days ahead, so new Blogger tutorial posts will be up in a couple of days - or sooner. Just publishing this post to let you guys know that I am still alive.

Keep blogging, and as always, if you have any problem, feel free to seek for my assistance. I'll be happy to help. Here's a picture of Android 2.3 figurine - Gingerbread, from Googleplex. Cheers and God bless.

Google Top Contributor Summit 2011 Day 1

Finally, internet connection!! Some pictures from the Google TC Summit 2011, California.

From left: TC MOP TC Katney, Blogger Community Manager Lisa Ding, TC AiresofWar

From left: TC Enviroman, TC Nitecruzr, TC MOP, TC Katney

From left: TC Chavez (Checkout Forum), TC Gill (Docs Forum), TC Martins, TC Enviroman

TC Yoboy

Hide Certain Labels from Labels Gadget

Two weeks ago I published one of my best Blogger tweaks yet, how to hide certain posts from Blogger homepage. You get to hide certain posts simply by labeling the post 'hide'. One of the ways to view the hidden posts is by clicking on the 'hide' label, or any other name that you've chosen to trigger the hide sequence. Blog reader 'Gardens Jewish Experience' wants this particular label to be taken off from the Labels gadget as well.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to remove a particular label from the Labels gadget. It is completely independent from last week's tutorial. Therefore, you can always use this tweak to hide certain labels from appearing on your Labels gadget.