Monthly Archive for June, 2006

Computer books based on pictures, not text. Free.

Published
by
Graham
on June 21, 2006
in Recommended Web Sites and Software Tips
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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.

Amazon starts selling groceries

Published
by
Graham
on June 21, 2006
in Computer News
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From Reuters:

Internet retailer Amazon.com (AMZN.O: Quote, Profile, Research) 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).

Passwords still not taken seriously

Published
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Graham
on June 21, 2006
in Computer News
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From Vnunet:

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.

Bill Gates’ Legacy: Microsoft’s Top 10 Flops

Published
by
Graham
on June 21, 2006
in Computer News
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From eWeek:

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.

The iPod’s Incredible Journey

Published
by
Graham
on June 20, 2006
in Computer News
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From MacNewsWorld:

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.

Adobe Lightroom Beta 3 for Mac

Published
by
Chris
on June 14, 2006
in Digital Photography Tips & Info and Software Tips
. 0 Comments

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.

New to the Develop module are Before and After preview tools and History features that allow a photographer to quickly preview and track changes, more control over the size and resolution of exported photos. A new dedicated Web module provides a rich web content editing experience and live previews of HTML and Flash output. Other features include resolution control in the Export module, an additional Straighten tool to correct camera angle issues, Keyword import and export, the ability to save module settings with collections or shoots. Auto Import or Hot Folder support allows photographers to automatically add images to the Lightroom Library from a specified directory.

“We’d like to thank our early beta testers, and encourage more user participation in helping us build a final product that best serves photographers’ unique needs,” said Dave Story, vice president of product development for Digital Imaging at Adobe. “We will build upon the success of the public beta program with the release of a Windows version this summer.”

With its modular and task-based environment, Lightroom beta delivers tools for a complete photography workflow. Leveraging industry-leading Adobe Camera Raw 3.4 technology, Lightroom now supports over 120 native raw file formats. New camera models supported by this beta are Canon EOS 30D, Epson R-D1s, Leaf Aptus 65 and Aptus 75, Olympus EVOLT E-330 and SP-320, Pentax *ist DL2 and Samsung GX-1S. Once images are imported, they can be showcased via slideshows, complete with music, as well as drop shadows, borders, Identity Plates and different colored backgrounds.

During Lightroom’s public beta period modules and features will be added or changed based on the necessity and priority within digital photography workflows.

Pricing and Availability

Lightroom beta 3.0 for Macintosh OSX Tiger (10.4.3), a universal binary application that runs on both Power PC and Intel Macs, is available for free download from the Adobe Labs Web site at http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom. Recommended system requirements are Macintosh OSX 10.4.3, 1 GHz PowerPC G4 processor, 768 MB RAM and 1024×768 resolution screen. The final shipping version will be released in late 2006. A Windows version of Lightroom beta will be available for download this summer. Further details around pricing, system requirements and availability have yet to be determined.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated

Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information – anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.

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© 2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved. Adobe, the Adobe logo, Lightroom beta and Camera Raw are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Backdoors, Bots Biggest Threats To Windows

Published
by
Graham
on June 14, 2006
in Computer News
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From TechWeb:

Backdoor Trojans are a clear and present danger to Windows machines, Microsoft said Monday as it released the first-ever analysis of data collected by the 15-month run of its Malicious Software Removal Tool, a utility that seeks out and destroys over five-dozen malware families.

According to Microsoft’s anti-malware engineering team, Trojans that, once installed, give an attacker access and control of a PC, are a “significant and tangible threat to Windows users.”

Of the 5.7 million unique PCs from which the Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) has deleted malware, 3.5 million of them — 62 percent — had at least one backdoor Trojan.

Time to crack down on tech at work?

Published
by
Graham
on June 14, 2006
in Computer News
. 0 Comments

From TechRepublic:

There is no doubt that new technological means of communicating and entertaining are invading the workplace.

The question thus arises: Should employers take steps to potentially control employee blogging, instant messaging and their use of iPods and camera phones?

RssReader

Published
by
Graham
on June 14, 2006
in Internet Tips and Software Tips
. 0 Comments

I’ve been having problems with Newsgator lately. Once I’ve had it running for a few hours, it seems to stop retrieving posts. There are some posts that I can’t subscribe to as well, even though I know others who can and they use Newsgator. So I decided to look for an alternative. The one and only one I’ve tried so far has been RssReader.

rssreader_screenshot.jpg

As you can see, you can group feeds by folders, and preview them in the pane on the right. You can also easily check for new headlines. The software can sit minimized in your system tray and notify you when new headlines arrive. It’s all quite good.

How We Use the Web Today

Published
by
Graham
on June 14, 2006
in Computer News
. 0 Comments

From BusinessWeek:

Just how do Americans get their news and entertainment over the Web? And how does the Web stack up against TV, newspapers, and other media when it comes to media consumption? Those are questions that advertisers have long wrestled to answer, with mixed results. Sure, you can give people a survey. But that doesn’t always yield truthful responses. Ball State University’s Center for Media Design came up with an approach they’re hoping will provide a more accurate picture. They followed subjects for an entire day to find out for themselves.

The study, they say, gives one of the clearest glimpses of the Internet’s media influence, especially during the working day. More than 60% of participants use the Web during the day, vs. 40% for newspapers, and about 30% for magazines, according to the study, commissioned by the Online Publishers Assn., of which BusinessWeek.com is a member. And at work, the Web dominates media consumption, the researchers say.