Issue 401 - June 21, 2006
ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2006
==== 1596 Subscribers in 50 Countries ====
Welcome to the 401st 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
Enjoy the Summer Solstice!
Graham editor@pcin.net and
Chris chris@pcin.net
The NEWS
Amazon starts selling groceries
Internet retailer Amazon.com has started selling groceries on its Web site,
a cautious step into a business that was one of the biggest casualties of
the dot-com collapse.
The service is limited to non-perishable goods such as cereal, pasta and
canned soup, but Amazon can ship those items to any customer, unlike online
grocers that only deliver to limited areas.
"Because we only carry products when we can offer great prices and
free shipping, we don't carry everything (yet!)," the company said in
a notice on its Web site (http://www.amazon.com).
Read the Reuters article...
Leave a comment...
Passwords still not taken seriously
The majority of administrative passwords in some of the world's largest
corporations are stored in the heads of one or two IT staff or kept on paper,
according to a survey by Cyber-Ark Software.
Of the 200 IT security professionals questioned at the Infosecurity event
in London, 28 per cent revealed that they keep their administrative passwords
in their heads and 38 per cent resort to writing them down on paper.
Read the Vnunet article...
Leave a comment...
Bill Gates' Legacy: Microsoft's Top 10 Flops
The Chairman isn't always right.
While Microsoft's outgoing Chief Software Architect Bill Gates has been
ahead of the curve in predicting many technology trends, he also has backed
some notorious flops.
Now that Gates officially has announced plans to relinquish his day-to-day
company responsibilities by July 2008, we thought it would be a good time
to look back on some of the less popular products and technologies championed
by Gates during his 31-year Microsoft tenure.
Some of these, like Microsoft BOB, have gone to their graves. But not one
to retreat from what might look like a losing battle, Gates has continued
to beat the drum for more than a few of the items on our "flops" list.
Read the eWeek article...
Leave a comment...
The iPod's Incredible Journey
It has come to define a generation. In just five years, Apple's (Nasdaq:
AAPL) Latest News about Apple iPod has become one of the most popular and
iconic gadgets around. More than two million people in Britain own one, and
last year alone 22.5 million were bought worldwide: a phenomenal 61,644 a
day.
The distinctive digital audio players, which can store thousands of songs,
photos and even full-length films, have turned California-based Apple into
one of the world's most profitable companies, earning founder Steve Jobs
a US$3 billion fortune.
Last year Apple achieved a record billion-dollar profit, boosted by the
launch of its latest nano model, which is the width of a pencil and weighs
just 1.5 oz. A million nanos were sold in just 17 days, including one to
Pope Benedict XVI.
Have you ever wondered where your iPod is made, and what's in it? The Mail
on Sunday has traced the incredible journey an iPod makes from conception
to completion.
Read the MacNewsWorld
article...
Leave a comment...
Digital Photography
Tip of the Week
Bracket Your Exposure
Last week I discussed environmental portraits. We had one reader write asking
us "What do you do to photograph an idle layabout?" You can read
my answer when viewing the comments for
the entry. Remember, if you have any questions or comments about any of the
tips appearing here, please send me an
email.
This week's tip is about bracketing your exposures. Hopefully you are using
either manual mode or one of the priority modes of your camera (aperture of
shutter) for some of your more critical photography. Bracketing is the process
of purposely under exposing and overexposing your subject while also taking
a photo at the metered exposure. The reason is simply to be sure you can get
a good exposure from a hard to meter subject. You may do this manually in manual
mode by adjust either your shutter speed or aperture up and down one value
from it's proper exposure reading. For example, if your camera tells you that
1/60 at f8 is the proper exposure, then you could shoot 3 frames, 1/30 @ f8,
1/60 @ f8 and 1/120 @ f8. You may also have the ability to adjust exposure
by adjust your EV (exposure value). For this, take your first shot, then make
your second shot at an EV of -1, then your third of and EV of +1. Some camera
also have an auto bracket mode that once set, will let you take three consecutive
shots and the camera will automatically adjust the exposure for you.
As you become more aware of exposure, you can begin to bracket by smaller
increments such as 1/2 or 1/3 stops.
In this case, a Large Yellow Lady's Slipper, I have bracketed my exposure
in 1/3 stop increments. As this subject mostly filled the frame, I knew the
lighting conditions were pretty easy to meter, however, the waxy texture of
this particular orchid tends to produce a bright highlight which could throw
the exposure off. The first image is 1/3 stop under exposed, the second is
properly exposed, and the third is 1/3 stop over exposed. This series of three
photos, while very simi liar, are different enough to show that the shot that
was exposed at 1/3 of a stop over my meter reading is the best exposure.
Bracketing isn't necessary for every shot, but for those with tricky lighting
situations such as when a bright object appears in the frame near the middle
where it is likely trick your camera's light meter, or when the shot is important
and you want to maximize your chances of making sure you have all the light
values recorded that you need for a great exposure, bracketing is the way to
go.
Next week I will talk about the quality of light as it relates to the size
of your light source.
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 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.
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
THE TIPS and OTHER
STUFF
Computer books based on pictures, not text. Free.
FREE DOWNLOADS! For a limited time, In Pictures books can be downloaded
for free. We think the best way to promote them is to let people try them.
If you like them, spread the word!
Learn with pictures, not words.
In Pictures computer how-to books are based on pictures, not text.
Most computer books contain over 50,000 words. In Pictures books contain
one-tenth as many.
The books cover a wide range of topics such as Office 2003, OpenOffice,
Windows XP, and more. The books are full of screen shots, so if you are a
visual learner, this may be for you. Visit the In
Pictures web site for more information and to download the PDFs.
Leave a comment...
Adobe Lightroom Beta 3 for Mac
This following press release arrived in my Inbox today:
Lightroom Public Beta 3.0 for Mac Now Available
Adobe Incorporates Early Testers' Feedback and Additional Raw File Support
in Updated Beta
SAN JOSE, Calif. - June 13, 2006 - Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE)
today announced an update to the public beta of Adobe Lightroom, an all-new
digital imaging workflow solution for professional photographers that allows
them to import, select, develop and showcase large volumes of images. The
latest version adds features suggested by beta testers that allow greater
control over export size and resolution, refined metadata selection with
print output and RGB value readouts for greater editing precision.
Read the rest of the
press release and/or 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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