Issue 392 - April 19, 2006
ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2006
==== 1645 Subscribers in 52 Countries ====
Welcome to the 392nd 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
One of my sisters has a birthday today. The family pooled our money and bought
a Creative
Zen MicroPhoto for her. She's in love :-)
Lisa's been working hard on our kitchen cupboards. She has primed them and
painted them. Supposedly the colour is "Desert
Bone" but it sure looks like white to me on the cupboards. Whatever
colour it is, it still looks good.
The good weather we've been having is driving me crazy. On the one hand I
love being outside without a coat on, but I'm so anxious to get out in the
yard and start planting our vegetables and some of our flowers. Unfortunately
in this part of the country the rule of thumb is to wait until the holiday
weekend in May. I'll try to be patient...
Graham editor@pcin.net and
Chris chris@pcin.net
The NEWS
Security Alert: When Bots Attack
It happens in minutes. Hackers with bot code break into vulnerable computers,
turn them into zombies and launch an assault against your computer systems.
And while you scramble to secure your network - and the vital data on it
- botmasters sell access to your hacked machines for pennies apiece.
Here's the inside story of how bots work - and what you can do to protect
your company.
Read the Baseline Magazine article...
Leave a comment...
Is The Internet Out Of Room?
The Internet is supposed to be limitless--a boundary-free exchange of digital
information and profit. So how can it be running out of real estate?
The answer, according to information technology experts, lies in cyberspace's
ever-growing popularity. In theory, each new user who wants to log on needs
a new address, as does each new Internet-enabled gadget, like smartphones
that can access the Web. Routers, which allow multiple users and devices
to use a single address, are helping stave off the problem for now, but it's
only a stopgap measure.
Currently, the Internet has room for 4.3 billion addresses. About one-third
of those are already in use, and more than another one-third are spoken for.
By 2012, there will be some 17 billion devices connected to the network,
estimates research firm IDC.
But an update to the rules that govern how data moves along the Internet
could solve the real estate crunch before it starts.
Read the Forbes article...
Leave a comment...
iPod Vending Machines Land at Airports, Hotels
A San Francisco company specializing in automated retail has plans for 10,000
consumer electronics vending machines installed in high-traffic places like
airports and hotels in just a few years.
Zoom Systems already has 100 units installed, and Zoom chief executive officer
Gower Smith hopes the company's strategy will increase sales of high-end
Apple Computer gadgets and other electronics through kiosks.
Read the TechWeb article...
Leave a comment...
Webby Awards hit ripe old age of 10
Nominees for the 10th annual Webby Awards were announced Tuesday, and the
list of potential honorees reads like a who's who of well-known Web properties.
The awards--which have seen the Internet rise, fall and rise again with the
birth of Web 2.0--will be presented June 12 at a ceremony in New York City
hosted by comedian Rob Corddry of "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." Winners
will be officially revealed May 9.
Awards will be granted in 65 categories, including activism, banking and
bill paying, celebrity/fan, humor, personal Web site, science and more.
Read the TechRepublic article...
Leave a comment...
PCIN.net UPDATE
Check out these new or updated pages on the PCIN.net site:
Update PCIN.net home page with "Top 10 Most Popular..." features
http://PCIN.net/
Microsoft Digital Image Suite Plus Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/msdimagesuiteplus.php
Omega One Software Battery Pack Pro 2.1 Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/bpp2.php
Makayama Interactive DVD to Pocket PC 3.0 Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/dvd2ppc3.php
Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/elements40.php
Digital Photography
Tip of the Week
Scan the edges of your viewfinder
Many otherwise excellent photographs have been ruined by distracting elements
in the photo.
One easy way around this is to scan all four side of your viewfinder for things
that have no business in your photo. The top of someone's head, a light standard
or maybe sign. If you find something that does not belong or add to the image,
then recompose your shot. Either move in a little closer (or zoom in with your
camera) or possibly switch positions and change your angle relative to the
subject. And when you are finished looking at the sides of your frame, look
at the background of your image as well to be sure something back there won't
detract from your main subject either.
Compare the two photos below. Notice the elements in the three corners circled
in red and how then take away from the image, then look at the same photo on
the right, cropped a little bit tighter to eliminate the extra's. A little
makes a big difference.
Leave
a comment about this week's Digital Photography Tip of the Week..
The digital photography tip of the week is written by the PCIN Assistant
Editor, Chris Empey. Chris is a long time photographer and is currently
the vice-president of the Niagara Falls Camera Club. You can see more of
his photography at his Photo
of the Day website.
If you have a tip to send Chris, or a question about digital photography
he can address in the newsletter, send it to chris@pcin.net.
THE TIPS and OTHER
STUFF
Google Calendar
The oft-rumoured Google Calendar finally
made its appearance this week and it looks impressive.
The only thing I'm not sure of, is who actually needs a web-based calendar?
If you are a business user, you are most likely using Outlook or something
else similar. If you are a home user, then you've probably found something
else to use. Why a web-based calendar? I guess we'll see how it progresses.
If you are interested in this, you may also want to check out the Interesting
Google Calendars posting at Google Blogoscoped for some interesting
publicly available calendars.
Leave a comment...
Find Freebies
From Google Blogoscoped:
If you want to have companies send you free samples of, well, just about
anything (coffee, magazines, shrimp recipe brochures), the Freebie Finder
may be for you.
Leave a comment...
Kidscom.com
Kids games, chat rooms for kids, plant babies, safe site for kids - KidsCom,
fun site for kids.
Kidscom.com seems to have a
wide variety of activities and games for kids to try. Check
it out!
Leave a comment...
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:
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 1998-2006, Graham Wing. All rights reserved.
This publication may be reproduced in whole, or in part, as long as the author
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