PCIN, The PC Improvement News logo

Issue 310 - September 22, 2004

ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2004
==== 1983 Subscribers in 58 Countries ====

Welcome to the 310th issue of the PC Improvement News. PCIN consists mainly of news and tips. There is something for everyone, and if this is your first issue, I'm sure there will be something for you. If you give me two or three issues, I know that you will come back for more!

You can reach me at editor@pcin.net with any suggestions or comments.

Recommend PCIN at http://PCIN.net/recommend.php

Support PCIN at http://PCIN.net/donate.php

CONTENTS

Opening Thoughts

Since I worked extra when Chris was away, I got some extra time off this past weekend. I finally got around to posting some updated galleries on the family web site. There is a gallery with a month's worth of pictures of Andrew, a gallery with a month's worth of pictures of Matthew, and a gallery with some pictures taken on Matthew's Blessing day (you might look at this as the Mormon equivalent to a christening).

Also, when I was finishing up the review last week for Email Saver Xe 2.0, I noticed that the rating script for the reviews wasn't working right. If you have tried to rate a review recently and got an error, try again and it should work. In particular, the reviews for Newsgator 2.0 by Newsgator Technologies, CDBF for Windows by WhiteTown Software, and Photoshop Elements 2.0 plus Photoshop Album 2.0 by Adobe haven't been rated by anyone.

Speaking of reviews, Chris finished a review for Flash File Recovery by PanteraSoft. This is software that will recover files from digital media. If you've ever lost some pictures (I lost pictures of a trip to Buckhorn. I felt awful!) then you definitely need software like this. Check out the Tips and Other Stuff section for more details.

Graham editor@pcin.net and Chris chris@pcin.net

The NEWS

More seniors taking plunge into Internet

"Jerry Seinfeld once joked about how his technophobe parents refused to use the new TV he bought them for fear the remote would set the drapes on fire.
Check with them again, Jerry. If you can catch them away from the computer.
A new Ipsos-Reid Corp. survey made public Monday reveals the use of Internet by people age 55 and older has increased 12 per cent from the period last year. According to the poll, six out of every 10 people in Canada in that age group have Internet access, up from 48 per cent in 2003."

For more info:
http://www.canada.com/technology/story.html?id=1190f7b5-c1eb-49ab-8782-1819dd60f8df

Papers Defend Classified Turf

"Last year, more than $24 billion in goods were sold on eBay. While that signifies that more people have an easy way to sell all manner of goods, newspapers are watching their classifieds business get slowly eaten away.
Now, newspapers all across North America are finding they have a way to kill several birds with one stone, thanks to a service from CityXpress, of Vancouver. Many papers now conduct online auctions of their own, helping local retailers sell products from auto parts to furniture and even land, while also building new advertising relationships with those retailers and rebuilding some of the business lost to the eBays and craigslists of the world. Beginning next month, CityXpress will begin allowing its newspaper clients to open eBay-style auctions on their sites in which any individual can sell nearly anything."

For more info:
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,65006,00.html

Ask Jeeves Gets Personal

"Ask Jeeves Inc. is getting personal with Web search and trying to leapfrog its bigger competitors in the process.
The Emeryville, Calif., company on Tuesday launched a series of personalization features for its search engine that let users store individual search results, organize them and share them through a new MyJeeves service.
Ask Jeeves' personal push follows the launch last week of Amazon.com Inc.'s A9.com search engine that focuses on customization. Search-engine analysts expect other major search engines, such as Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc., to soon follow suit with their own personalized search services."

For more info:
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1648985,00.asp

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POLL of the WEEK

Last Week's Poll

Have tech 'gadgets' simplified your life?

Yes, in all aspects of my life 13 % (11)
Yes, in some aspects of my life 65 % (55)
No, they have added more confusion 17 % (14)
No, I don't use tech gadgets 5 % (4)
Total votes: 84

This Week's Poll

Do you have a PDA?

Yes, I use it regularly
Yes, but I rarely use it
No, but I'd like one
No, I have no need for one
What is a PDA?

You can also vote online at http://PCIN.net/polls/

Return to the top Recommend PCIN Poll of the Week

PCIN.net UPDATE

Check out these new or updated pages on the PCIN.net site:

Flash File Recover by PanteraSoft Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/flashfilerecovery.php

Email Saver Xe 2.0 by WinGuides Software Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/emailsaverxe2.php

Newsgator 2.0 by Newsgator Technologies Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/newsgator2.php

CDBF for Windows by WhiteTown Software Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/cdbf.php

Photoshop Elements 2.0 plus Photoshop Album 2.0 by Adobe Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/elementsplusalbum.php

Return to the top Recommend PCIN.net Update

THE TIPS and OTHER STUFF

Windows XP SP2 Experiences

Recently a subscriber, Dean, emailed me asking me to get subscribers"to write about problems caused by the SP2 download experience." I don't think we have a large enough subscribe base to have some good meaningful discussion about this. So if you are interested in these sorts of details, I suggest that you visit the following web sites/newsletters:
Windows Secrets September 9 newsletter - http://windowssecrets.com/040909/
LangaList September 9 newsletter - http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2004/2004-09-09.htm
Fred Langa's InformationWeek column - http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=46200911
Scot Finnie's newsletter - http://www.scotsnewsletter.com/62.htm (see the SP2 in the Real World section)

View Protected Storage in Windows

Protected Storage is a way that Internet Explorer and other programs can save usernames and passwords entered on web sites. These are usually stored on a per user basis on your computer. I use it regularly for all sorts of things. But if you go to a different computer and need to login to a web site, you may not remember a password that was being automatically entered for you. You need a way to read this information.
"Protected Storage PassView is a small utility that reveals the passwords stored on your computer by Internet Explorer, Outlook Express and MSN Explorer. The passwords are revealed by reading the information from the Protected Storage.
Starting from version 1.60, this utility reveals all AutoComplete strings stored in Internet Explorer, not only the AutoComplete password, as in the previous versions."
The software is free and can be downloaded at http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/pspv.html

PanteraSoft Flash File Recovery Software Review

"Digital camera memory cards are nearly indestructible, though that does not mean that the images you store on them cannot be lost. All to often pictures are accidentally erased or memory cards are formatted. Thanks to Flash File Recovery by PanteraSoft, your valuable images may not be lost.
Flash File Recovery allows for the recovery of erased images from many different types of media including Compact Flash, Smart Media, Secure Digital, Memory Stick, Micro Drives and many more. It can also recover files from corrupt and damaged media as well."
Read the full review at http://pcin.net/help/software/flashfilerecovery.php

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PCIN.net AFFILIATED SITES

Both of us have other sites other than PCIN.net. These are all sites that we are actively involved in (they aren't client sites). Don't forget to check them out from time to time for updates:

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DISCLAIMER and OTHER STUFF

PCIN is brought to you by Graham Wing. The opinions expressed are those of the Editor, Graham Wing and the Assistant Editor, Chris Empey. Graham Wing and Chris Empey accept no responsibility for the results obtained from trying the tips in this newsletter.

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Graham Wing can be reached at editor@pcin.net
Chris Empey can be reached at chris@pcin.net

Copyright 1998-2004, Graham Wing. All rights reserved.

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