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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
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.
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.
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.
 
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.
 
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:
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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.
- If any of the links are too long to fit on one line, you may have to cut
and paste.
- To subscribe another address or unsubscribe, please visit http://PCIN.net/ and
follow the appropriate links.
- The only way to become a subscriber is by asking. You have either filled
out the subscription form or asked me directly.
- 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.
- 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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