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Issue 431 - January 17, 2007

ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2006
==== 1508 Subscribers in 48 Countries ====

Welcome to the 431st 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.

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

CONTENTS

  • Opening Thoughts
  • The News
  • PCIN.net Update
  • Digital Photography Tip of the Week
  • Tips and Other Stuff
  • PCIN.net Affiliated Sites
  • Disclaimer and Other Stuff

Opening Thoughts

This past Monday Lisa and I spent almost all day with a Vietnamese friend of ours making spring rolls. They are fantastic! The only drawback is that my hands still smell like onions :-(

Next weekend we are having a party for my grandmother (my father's mother) as she is turning 90 at the end of the month. She suffers from serious arthritis, but otherwise is in good health. She and my grandfather had 2 kids, and they had 14 grandchildren and I think are around that number for great-grandchildren (sorry, I don't know the exact number). Not bad!

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

The NEWS

Imaginary Innovations

More than 2,700 exhibitors descend on Las Vegas Monday, each ready to show off their latest and greatest tricks at the annual Consumer Electronics Show.
But good luck finding many of the gizmos and gadgets on store shelves: Though CES is supposed to give gearheads a peek at the future, it is often better at displaying "vaporware"--would-be innovations that never materialize.
Some of this is par for the course: Much like the auto show that's running concurrently in Detroit, CES is meant to have a fantasy element to it--stuff that ought to be but isn't yet and may never be. The real sin is in showing off what are supposed to be real products to retailers and press, then not delivering.

Read the Forbes article...
Leave a comment...

The End User: Batteries that travel

Moixa Energy's latest innovation is one of those slap- your-forehead, why-didn't- I-think-of-that ideas that simultaneously makes sense and makes us feel good to use: a traditional AA battery that recharges itself while plugged into a personal computer's USB port.
Moixa, a British company, began offering its USBCell in September and, while executives won't disclose how many they have sold, it is clear that the product is a winner, igniting a low-energy hum among the technorati.

Read the International Herald Tribute article...
Leave a comment...

How to get Google to notice you

Yaffa Balsam was mystified.
Why did so many other family therapy websites pop to the top of Google (GOOG) search results listings, while her site was nowhere to be found?
It's a question posed by thousands of small-business owners every day as they seek new customers online rather than through traditional Yellow Pages directories. These days, if a company website can't be found on Google, it basically doesn't exist.
" I've had my website up for a year, and as far as I know, I haven't found one new client from the Internet," says Balsam, 50. "I want that to change."

Read the USA Today article...
Leave a comment...

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Digital Photography Tip of the Week

Shoot at Home - Digital Photography Tip of the Week

Even though I still go out to shoot when winter rolls in (as it finally has in my part of the country), finding subjects to photograph is difficult. Add on to that the extra incentive needed to go out into the cold, sometimes wet and often dark environment, and it becomes all too easy to find excuses not to shoot.

Berries in Ice

It doesn't have to be like this though. Regardless of the season, there are plenty of subjects to shoot in your own backyard. Or front yard. Or even inside your house. All of the photos on this page have been photographed inside my house or in my yard.

Daffodils

Begin to look at your surroundings. Look for shapes, textures and patterns. Look at how colours react with each other. Use window light and create a beautiful still life.

Gerbera Forks

I have written in a previous tip not to let foul weather stop you from shooting, but if you don't want to venture out, there are lot of other possibilities waiting for you in your own home. Use the time to work on creative compositions using ordinary objects. The search for photographs in places where you normally wouldn't look can yield some beautiful images along with helping to hone your creative edge.

Spring Freezies

Read my previous tips on Photographing Snow and shooting in poor weather.

Until next time, Happy Shooting.

Leave a comment on 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.

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PCIN.net UPDATE

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

Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 and Adobe Premier Elements 3.0 Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/photoshopEL5_Premiere3.php

ExpoDisc White Balance Filter Review
http://PCIN.net/help/hardware/expodisc.php

Paragon Software Group Partition Manager 8.0 Professional Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/ppm8.php

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

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THE TIPS and OTHER STUFF

Shortcut to Open a Window Maximized

This PC Magazine tip explains how to open a window maximized...

You can tweak the properties for any shortcut to specify the way you want it to open—Normal, Minimized, or Maximized. Right-click the shortcut and choose Properties from the pop-up menu. The drop-down list labeled Run is the one that controls this setting. Change it to Maximized and click OK.

Leave a comment...

Download and Convert Youtube movies in one step

I recently wanted to download a couple of YouTube videos so I could show them on my Dell Axim. I did a quick search on Google and found this:

Vdownloader is a little freeware program that scans your clipboard for links to youtube, google video, grinvi and dailymotion. Once it detects such a link the movie will be automatically downloaded and converted to the format that you specified in the settings. You may save the video as avi, mpg or psp and change the output size and audio bitrate in the process.

It works great. There is nothing to install. You just download the zip file, extract the program, and run it. Check it out!

Leave a comment...

AskNerd.net

AskNerd.net has a collection of questions that they answer. It

Welcome to AskNerd.net, the place to find all the answers to your technical questions. From the basic to the complex, chances are you'll find a direct, easy to understand answer right here.

Overall I wasn't that impressed with the site, but depending on your level of experience, there still may be useful information there for you.

Leave a comment...

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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:

  • AccessNiagara.com - Links to 800+ sites in the Niagara Region, as well as 100+ pictures of Niagara Falls and area
  • AccessNiagara.com - Niagara Falls Blog - If you want to learn about what goes on in the tourist areas of Niagara Falls, this is the blog to read
  • CountryCraftDreams.com - Country Craft items by Lisa
  • ChrisEmpey.com - Professional Photography by Chris Empey
  • POTD.ChrisEmpey.Com - Chris' Photo of the Day
  • ForcedBeat.com - Chris' personal site with his photography, recipes and some personal ramblings.
  • HughesCornFlower.com - Uniquely Canadian antique glassware
  • PCImprovements.com - Web design and computer services
  • SmockedDreams.com - Beautiful smocked traditional children's clothes
  • WingFamily.ca - All things Wing Family

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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.

  1. If any of the links are too long to fit on one line, you may have to cut and paste.
  2. To subscribe another address or unsubscribe, please visit http://PCIN.net/ and follow the appropriate links.
  3. The only way to become a subscriber is by asking. You have either filled out the subscription form or asked me directly.
  4. If you have a web site or run your own newsletter, please email me at editor@pcin.net and I will add it to the subscriber web pages that I have on my site.
  5. Support PCIN by visiting http://PCIN.net/donate.php or by clicking on the PayPal link below:

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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 is notified and the newsletter is presented as is.

Support PCIN by visiting http://PCIN.net/donate.php

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