In the News: Palm Apps to Run on Nokia’s Internet Tablets November 16, 2007
Posted by Mike in Business, Hardware, News, Software, Technology.add a comment
It looks like thousands of applications designed for the Palm OS platform will get new life on Nokia’s 700, N800 and N810 Internet Tablets.
I found this article today while browsing eweek.com.
Just for Fun: Create an Old West “Wanted Poster” Online November 14, 2007
Posted by Mike in Freebies, Fun, Online Service, Reviews, Technology.4 comments
Create a free Wanted Poster online at GlassGiant.com.
You can customize the name, reward $$ and crime that they’re wanted for. Oh, and upload your own photo of course.
Lots of fun and easy to do! You can create one in minutes and save it as a photo file.
Enjoy!
Recover Data with File Scavenger Software November 13, 2007
Posted by Mike in Software, Technology, Worth the Money.add a comment
“The world isn’t run by weapons anymore. Or energy. Or money.
It’s run by little ones and zeroes. Little bits of data. It’s all just electrons.”
- Sneakers (movie), 1992
And when you accidentally delete some of those little bits of data from your PC, what can you do to recover it?
If you empty your recycle bin, your data files are typically still recoverable….with a little software help.
File Scavenger 3.0 is a data recovery software tool that can help you recover files that have been accidentally deleted or that are no longer accessible due to hard drive damage, corruption or reformatting. Their web site claims that it can recover data from floppy disks, zip disks, usb memory drives and RAIDs.
If you’ve lost some data that is important to you, then the $49.00 for a personal version of this software is a small price to pay to recover it.
At the very least, bookmark their site for a rainy day. You’ll thank yourself later.
Kids and Computers: Worried about Online Safety? Consider ‘KidSafe’ November 11, 2007
Posted by Mike in Hardware, Online Service, Technology, Worth the Money.2 comments
Are you worried about your kid’s unsupervised access on a computer in your home?
I know that I will be one day. At the moment, my two year olds are only savvy enough to open the CD-Rom tray and power off my PC (with a grin, of course).
In many homes, kids are the “tech” experts which makes controlling their PC access all the more difficult.
Here’s an easy question: How do you stop your teenager from driving your car?
Answer: Take away the keys.
While window shopping on ThinkGeek today, I saw an ad for a USB computer “key.”
No key, no computer. It’s literally that simple.
You have a key for your car, why not your computer?
If the USB key is in your pocket, you’ll know that your kids aren’t on your computer.
Here’s the web site for more information on the product: KidSafe.
Additional info:
Watch a quick video, get some quick facts
Here’s some links to the product in the news:
BlogDesk Software Helps Bloggers Post November 3, 2007
Posted by Mike in Blogging, Freebies, Reviews, Software, Technology.14 comments
I’ve recently started using BlogDesk software to write and upload articles to my blog. I like the fact that I can write my post in a software program offline and either save it or upload it to my WordPress.com blog when I’m done.
The software feels more like Microsoft Word and I think its more user-friendly for writing and editing than the free online word processing tools offered by WordPress.
BlogDesk is totally free of charge and optimized for the blog systems WordPress, MovableType, Drupal, Serendipity and ExpressionEngine as well as the bloghosters Blogg.de and Twoday.net.
COOL FEATURES:
- FREE (is always cool)
- Work offline on your blog writing.
- Edit existing blogs offline
- Easier to insert images and edit text.
- Good, user-friendly image editing tools.
- ‘Manage Blogs’ feature allows you to import your existing blog posts and categories for editing.
NOTE: I did have a few problems getting the import feature to work for my WordPress blog, but its worth the trouble. You’ll need to get it working to be able to upload your finished work to your blog.
Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips for the Holidays November 2, 2007
Posted by Mike in Fun, Learning, News.2 comments
“Americans throw away 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s!”
Quote from article,”Green Your Holiday”, by Jaclyn Hope and Amy Gotliffe
The “Green Your Holiday” article was written by Jaclyn and Amy for ROAR Magazine; a quarterly publication for members of the Oakland Zoo. I found the article interesting and informative, so I wanted to create a post to share some of their suggestions.
This post will essentially paraphrase their article published in ROAR for Winter 2007, Issue 30.
Tips to Keep the Holiday Green:
-
Keep cut trees out of the landfill! Visit Earth 911 for ideas and info.
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Buy LED Lights – they are 80% more efficient than regular lights.
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Put holiday lights on a timer.
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Consider gifts that won’t end up in a landfill, like tickets or a gift certificate for a massage.
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Re-use greeting cards as colorful gift tags.
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Travel Light by carpooling with friends or family.
Web Sites for Green Gift Ideas:
Think local, fair trade, organic, sustainable, handmade and creative!
Read Qiyas II’s Blog on Top 100 Software Tools for Learning October 23, 2007
Posted by Mike in Blogging, Learning, Software, Technology.add a comment
I’m finding some good blog posts today. I’d recommend reading Qiyas II’s entry about the Top 100 software tools for learning and productivity. It’s always interesting to see what tools and services are being created to help us learn in new ways.
I’m planning on testing out some of these tools. Who knows, I may find the topic for a future post myself!
Top 50 computing tips « Family Resource for You October 23, 2007
Posted by Mike in Blogging, Software, Technology.1 comment so far
I was blog surfing and came across a good post by Family Resource for you. It has to do with computer tips for the everday user. They link to a PC Magazine article that covers a lot of topics, including, upgrading hardware, software, passwords, undiscovered web sites, etc.
I’m sure you’ll learn something new by browsing the article.
What if Google & Yahoo Didn’t Exist? Fun Alternative Search Engines to Try October 19, 2007
Posted by Mike in Freebies, Fun, Learning, Technology, music.5 comments
Have you ever imagined, for just a moment, that Google and Yahoo didn’t exist? Blasphemy? Hardly, but it is an interesting thought.
I decided to step outside of my comfortable search engine routine to see what existed outside the Yahooniverse and the Land of Google.
My quest quickly led me to Charles Knight’s archived article from February 2007 on the Top 100 Alternative Search Engines.
Naturally, with a title like that, Charles has done most of the work for me. I simply cherry picked from his list a few of the alternative search engines that sounded interesting and tested them out for myself.
Here’s a list of 7 alternative search engines that I enjoyed:
LivePlasma.com – niche search engine for entertainment information on bands, movies, actors and directors Displays the info on a visually appealing map.
The goal is to help you find info on an artist and also show you other bands, artists, movies or actors with similar qualities that you may enjoy.
You can email your info maps to friends.
Pipl.com – a dedicated People search!
Google-esque in its simple look, Pipl asks you to type in a person’s name and location to find info about them. I searched for my friend’s name and it showed the address of each of his last two residences, his LinkedIn profile and a court case record from 1999 from the Superior Court of California for a speeding ticket! D’oh.
This engine may be a little too good.
Askvox.com – Would you like a talking avatar to read you answers?
Then this is the site for you! In addition to displaying search results, it will also try to locate an exact answer to your question. If it can find an answer, the avatar will read it to you.It’s more for fun than anything else, but it’s a fresh take on searching.
For Example:
I typed in a quote from the Tim Burton Batman movie, in which the Joker asks, “Have you ever danced with the Devil in the pale moonlight?”Well, Askvox.com had an answer for me which I found amusing. It doesn’t always have an answer though….but it doesn’t hurt to ask the question.
MsDewey.com -Would you like an attractive woman (not an avatar) with attitude to talk to you while you search?
This is quite possibly the most original search engine going right now.
Just try it.
You’ll be in for a treat.
IceRocket.com - a search engine dedicated to blogs!
Searchbot.net - create your own robot to help you search for answers!
It’s fun to build a robot, but I’m not sure if I’ll continue to use it once that novelty wears off.
With my quest complete, I’ll now return to reality and tell you about a nifty new search from Yahoo. This search engine of theirs allows you use a horizontal slider bar to re-prioritize search results based on either commercial (i.e. shopping) or research (i.e. info). I thought it was an innovative and effective enhancement to the search results page.
Try it for yourself! It’s called Mindset.
All in all, I had fun using these alternative search engines and will likely use several again in the future.
Do you have a favorite search engine?
Quick Tip: Drag n’ drop to change your driving directions on Google Maps October 13, 2007
Posted by Mike in Blogging, Freebies, Online Service, Technology.add a comment
I just noticed this feature in Google Maps. You can call up driving directions and then re-do your travel route right on the map.
I’m not sure how new it is, but Google is promoting it as such. Maybe it’s a few days new or a few weeks. Heck, maybe its old news. At any rate, it’s news to me so I thought I’d share it with you.
It’s quite simple…….just drag the blue line on the google map along the new route and drop it. The map will update and the turn by turn directions will too.
I found this feature quite helpful one day when Google’s directions chose to take me on a scenic route instead of taking the freeway.
Click here for a sample screenshot.
Which mapping site do you use most often?
Record and Share Your Screen Activity with Jing October 2, 2007
Posted by Mike in Blogging, Business, Freebies, Learning, Online Service, Reviews, Software, Technology, Training, Worth the Money.add a comment
You need to try Jing software by Techsmith. I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and am very pleased with its ease of use.
What does it do, you ask?
Here’s a quick definition, courtesy of the JingProject.com web site:
The concept of Jing is the always-ready program that instantly captures and shares images and video from your computer to anywhere.
Why do I like it?
- Easy to use.
- Great for sharing.
- Great for troubleshooting computer problems.
- Great for demonstrations and training.
- Great for blogs.
- Easy to share recordings with others.
- Free (for now). Hopefully, inexpensive when out of beta.
# 6 deserves additional explanation. Techsmith has integrated JING with its Screencast.com file hosting service. When you complete a recording, you can click a SHARE button and the recording is immediately uploaded to your account on the screencast.com web site. From there, you can share the recording as a URL.
I believe the Screencast.com web site is fee-based, but Techsmith offers a free account for those using JING in beta. I am not expecting the free Screencast.com account to last forever, but it is impressive to be able to quickly upload my recordings to their site and share them.
What don’t I like?
The one down side for me is the 5 minute time limit on your recording. Users cannot record longer than 5 minutes.
The program does a good job of tracking your time left with a clock during the recording process, so you shouldn’t be surprised when the recording stops. It would still be helpful to have the option to record a bit longer though.
Please keep in mind that this software is simplified screen recording. It also can capture screenshots in better quality than your “Print Screen” button. It is designed for the masses to capture and share these recordings. It doesn’t allow you to edit your recording after the fact. That said, if you don’t like your recording, then your only option is to delete it and re-record.
How to Use Jing
How many times have you written up instructions about a computer process for a family member, a friend or a colleague? If you’re like me, the answer is a lot.
With JING, you can now show someone how to do it.
Best of all, you can record the steps quickly and send the person a link to view them. It may not be a polished, presentation ready demonstration, but it is intended for an individual not a group. Jing gets the job done quickly and that’s what counts.
Competing Products
Adobe Captivate 3 and Camtasia Studio 4. In basic terms, both of these products offer screen recording/capture. However, these two programs have much better editing tools and options for formatting and presenting these recordings. They also have a much higher price tag.
Final Thoughts
Try it. You’ll like it (sort of like green eggs and ham). Ideally, I think this type of technology should be included in future operating systems. The ability to quickly record my PC activity and share it with others is a great way to educate and train users on new products and features via email, blog or instant message. It is also a great way for a person to show tech support exactly what steps they took to get an error.
The 5 minute time limit is a little short. However, realistically, most people have short attention spans and a 5 minute video may be enough to get your point across.
As an example, I used JING in an earlier blog post to demonstrate how to mail merge.
For details, FAQs and to download the software, please visit JING Project.
Grab the Popcorn and Watch My 5 Minute Video: How to Mail Merge in Microsoft Word September 18, 2007
Posted by Mike in Freebies, Learning, Software, Technology, Training, Videos.3 comments
I’ve created an online video demonstration (with audio) to walk you through the steps of doing a mail merge to create mailing labels. I used MS Word 2003.
My video demo assumes that you have your data in an MS Excel spreadsheet.
No worries. The video is only 5 minutes long. You can sit through that, right?
In my opinion, mail merge has way too many steps. I can’t improve the process but hopefully this video will help you learn it because it is a useful function!
I’d appreciate your feedback on this demo. I’m using a new software program called Jing by Techsmith. I think it’s great for training (I’ll right a review on it soon) but would like your opinion too!
How a Radio Show Host Made Me Blog Off Topic September 11, 2007
Posted by Mike in Blogging, News.add a comment
This topic has nothing to do with technology, but given the significance of today’s date and the events of 6 years ago I thought it best to talk about it.
Listening to Ronn Owen’s on KGO NewsTalk 810 this morning, he began his show with an hour’s discussion about 9/11. In particular, he was concerned that networks were choosing not to show video footage of the terrorist attacks because they were worried it would upset viewers.
Callers to the show provided varying opinions on whether or not this footage should be shown. One woman was concerned that her son’s school wasn’t discussing the terrorist attacks with the students and another caller said that his son (age 14) couldn’t recall seeing the actual video of airplanes crashing into buildings and killing hundreds of people.
I agree with Ronn. We need to see the footage on the anniversary of the attack. It is the Pearl Harbor of our time and we must not forget the shock, the grief or the savagery of these attacks. There are people in the world who hate Americans with such fervor and vitriol that they killed civilians on our own soil.
9/11 happened.
Remember the day. Remember the victims. Remember the grief. Remember the courage. Remember the compassion. Remember so our children and future generations do not forget.
Watch this tribute and remember:
My Top 5 List of Free Software Programs for Your Consideration September 7, 2007
Posted by Mike in Freebies, Photos, Reviews, Software, Technology.5 comments
Computers are expensive. If you can find a free software program that works as well as one that costs you money, why not at least give it a try?
I’ve put together a Top 5 list of my favorite free software programs that I use right now.
1. Openoffice.org
The OpenOffice suite of programs will serve as a useful alternative to Microsoft Word, Excel, Publisher, Access and PowerPoint. You can even open existing Microsoft Office files in OpenOffice. The only software equivalent it lacks is one comparable to Outlook. There’s always Outlook Express which is free but doesn’t have as many features as Outlook.
| Microsoft Office Program | OpenOffice Equivalent |
| Word (word processing) | Writer |
| Excel (spreadsheets) | Calc |
| PowerPoint (slideshows) | Impress |
| Access (databases) | Base |
| Publisher (newsletters, flyers) | Draw |
2. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition by Grisoft
This little gem is a good, free Anti-Virus program. Keep in mind, it is only an Anti-Virus program. These days companies like McAfee and Symantec are selling all-in-one security suites. They pack their suites with anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewalls, spam blockers, email scanning, anti-phishing and identity protection.
That’s overkill for me and the amount of computer resources (memory, CPU) these programs demand of a computer is ridiculous. It slows down the performance on many a PC.
I just want anti-Virus protection. Grisoft’s Anti-Virus scans for viruses and downloads periodic updates to keep my PC protected from the latest viruses.
NOTE: Those of you with children who use your computer would be wise to invest in a more comprehensive all-in-one security suite.
3. Picasa from Google
This is a great free software program to help you manage, edit and share your digital photographs. It is packed with features and is quite user friendly. It works well for basic photo editing, like reducing red eye, but won’t satisfy those of you looking for more sophisticated editing tools.
4. Lavasoft’s Ad-Aware SE Personal & SpyBot Search & Destroy
These are two separate programs for detecting and removing spyware. I chose to list them both because I think it’s a good idea to use two programs to detect and remove spyware. They’re free to use and regular updates are available. In my opinion, Ad-Aware is more user-friendly for the average PC user. If you only want one, go with Ad-Aware.
5. Google’s Web Accelerator
This software helps improve your web browsing experience by helping web pages load more quickly. In my B.C. years (Before Children), my wife and I could afford the luxury of cable internet service. However, diapers are expensive (especially when you’ve got twins) so we switched to the slower DSL service and saved some money.
I tried out the web accelerator and it helped. It won’t boost your DSL service to cable internet speeds, but it does seem to help. Maybe it is just psychological. It also keeps track of how much time it has saved you while web surfing, which is fun to see.
I‘d like to know what you think. Are there any free software programs that you find useful?
I look forward to your comments.
BoardFirst.com’s Service Will Get You an “A” Boarding Pass on Southwest Airlines September 5, 2007
Posted by Mike in Online Service, Worth the Money.add a comment
Got $5?
If you do, then you can use it to pay BoardFirst.com to secure an “A” boarding pass on Southwest Airlines. If they cannot secure an “A” boarding pass for you, there is no charge.
That’s right. For the price of 1 venti-double-raspberry mocha at Starbucks, you’ll eliminate the need to arrive extra early to secure that “A” boarding pass at the airport. Waiting is for people with too much time on their hands.
With the holiday season coming up, travellers flying Southwest Airlines should take advantage of this inexpensive service. After all, passengers holding boarding pass “A” are highly unlikely to end up sitting in the middle seat on a 4 hour flight to Denver.
Here’s some additional info:
- BoardFirst.com is not owned or operated by Southwest Airlines.
- Boarding passes secured by BoardFirst.com can be printed from your computer or from an airport kiosk.
- BoardFirst.com only works with Southwest Airlines flights.
- The deadline for placing your order is 5pm Pacific Time two days before your departure date.
You can find FAQ answers on their site.
When it comes to air travel, $5 is a small price to pay for a little piece of mind and the knowledge that you won’t be wedged in a middle seat for hours on end.
Constant Contact: An Email Marketing Campaign Service for Your Business August 28, 2007
Posted by Mike in Business, Online Service, Technology, Worth the Money.1 comment so far
Customer relationships are the life blood of any business. Businesses need to keep in touch with clients (existing or potential) to help develop and sustain these relationships.
If you’re looking for a way to set up a marketing campaign with your clients via email, I’d suggest that you take a look at ConstantContact.com. Better yet, you can try them for free for 60 days without providing any credit card information.
Here are some of the benefits that I see in their service:
- Free 60 day trial…..try before you buy!
- Professional HTML email newsletter templates save you time.
- Reporting feature allows you to track who looked at your email and when.
- Email Campaign Wizard will help you get started.
- Import Data from a Text (txt), CSV or Excel (XLS) file.
- Live Product Demos, Online Tutorials, Free Technical Support.
If you have additional questions, you can look at their FAQ page or their detailed description of email marketing features.
With a 60 day free trial and monthly plans starting at $15, it certainly looks like an affordable option for small business owners.
Do Your Part to Reduce E-waste: Resources for Computer and Electronics Recycling August 25, 2007
Posted by Mike in Business, Hardware, PC ABCs, Technology.add a comment
Governments and businesses are beginning to offer good options for consumers to wisely dispose of their old computer and electronics equipment.
The goal is to keep these items out of landfills because the components inside of these devices are often harmful or toxic if not disposed of properly.
The state of California seems to have taken the lead in promoting e-Waste recycling. As a result, Californians have a growing number of options available to them when it comes time to part with a computer, TV, VCR, etc.
I’ve compiled a brief list of recycling options to help folks understand the options available to them.
Recycling Programs sponsored by Businesses
ComputerTakeBack.com compiled a list titled, Which computer company will take back your old computer?
Computerworld.com has posted an article titled Sony to offer e-waste Recycling in the USA.
Earth911.org announced that Staple’s first major retailer to accept e-waste
General Recycling Info
eRecycle.org offers Californians the option to find an eWaste Recycling Center in California.
Recycleforbreastcancer.org is a local recycling option for San Francisco Bay Area as is RapidRecycle.net.
GreenPeace offers a Guide to Greener Electronics and reports on which companies are leading the way in improving their manufacturing processes.
EPA.gov offers basic information on recycling or donating computer equipment.
Google vs. Yahoo! – Battle of the Email Titans: One Reason Why Gmail is Better August 23, 2007
Posted by Mike in Freebies, Online Service, PC ABCs, Reviews, Software, Technology.5 comments
One reason why Google’s Gmail is better can be summed up in three words:
Free POP Settings.
Yahoo requires users to upgrade to the Yahoo! Mail plus service for an annual $19.99 in order to get to use POP Settings.
For many, POP settings are important. It is a fundamental feature that isn’t sexy or flashy, but it is useful.
For the average computer user, the phrase POP Settings may not mean much. It is an abbreviation for “Post Office Protocol.” These are email server settings that need to be configured into software programs like Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird and IncrediMail. Once configured, a person can download their email into one of those programs to manage their email.
To be fair, POP settings have been considered a “premium” feature for free online email services for quite a while. Google is just re-writing the rules and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Yahoo! and others follow suit in the future to keep their users happy.
If you’re looking for a new email service and want to be able to manage your email in a software program like Outlook, then I’d suggest looking at Gmail.
After all, it’s hard to beat free.
Which email service do you prefer?
Allway Sync: Free Software for Data Backup or Synchronization August 21, 2007
Posted by Mike in Data Backup, Freebies, Software, Technology.2 comments
Synchronizing, transferring or backing up data can be a tricky process for the average computer user. It is a topic that comes up often when I talk to clients because data loss is a person’s biggest nightmare.
Some of my previous blog entries have talked about various products and services to help backup data. (See Mozy – online data backup, Western Digital Passport External Hard Drive and Supercopy.) Well, I’m about to add another product to the list.
Allway Sync is a good, user-friendly software product for synchronizing or backing up data. It is free for personal use while business users should purchase a license and upgrade to the pro version.
Using the software, data can be synchronized between a PC and an external hard drive or between two networked computers. The software allows for two-way synchronization (both data locations receive the most current copy of each data file) or one-way synchronization, which is essentially copying your data from one location to another and creating a backup.
After the backup job is configured, Allway’s software will analyze the files to be backed up and report on any modifications or deletions. The user can then review the report prior to synchronizing.
Allway’s web site offers a more comprehensive list of software features.
I think Allway Sync software will work well for:
- Users who need to synchronize files between networked PCs.
- Users who have an external hard drive but no software to help automate a regular backup process.
Allway Sync is a well designed piece of software that also manages to be easy to use. Other people think so too. Take a look at quotes from other software users who like to use Allway Sync.
Regardless of how you do it, just be sure you backup your data. Computer hard drives will crash sooner or later and an ounce of prevention is much less expensive than a pound of cure.
Pingme and Jott: Two Great Services Mashed Up Together! August 20, 2007
Posted by Mike in Business, Freebies, Online Service, Organize, Technology.1 comment so far
In my earlier post about PingMe, I casually suggested that combining the services of PingMe and Jott would be an excellent enhancement to both; kind of like combining chocolate and peanut butter. Both products benefit. Mmmm. Peanut butter.
Lo and behold, Stephen Lombardo of Zetetic LLC was reading. He and his software development consultancy created PingMe and they’ve now created a PingMe/Jott mashup that turned my suggestion into reality! The mash up allows someone to create a PingMe reminder by calling it in via Jott’s phone to email service!
Stephen will give you all the mash-up details on the Zetetic site. Read all about it!
Thanks, Stephen!
Western Digital Passport: An Excellent Option for Backing Up Your Data to an External Hard Drive August 17, 2007
Posted by Mike in Data Backup, Hardware, Reviews, Technology, Worth the Money.212 comments
I currently use a 120GB Western Digital Passport external drive to backup my data. It’s sleek, small and looks like a James Bond gadget.
I’ve used a Seagate FreeAgent external drive as well and I like the WD Passport device better.
Best Features of the WD Passport:
User-friendly software bundled on the drive, WD Sync by Dmailer, is great (much better than Seagate’s software, in my opinion).
- It allows me to setup multiple computer profiles so I can sync data from different PCs onto one device.
- I can password protect each profile.
- I can use a Windows Explorer-esque interface to select the files and folders I want to back up.
- I can review the files that I’ve backed up.
- The software can backup IE or FireFox Favorites.
- Emails and Contacts in Outlook or Outlook Express with a few clicks.
- Email SETTINGS can also be backed up with a click or two.
- Functions like “synchronize” and “copy to PC” are easily found on the main screen.
Worst Features
Based on the comments posted to this blog entry, I’d have to say the worst feature is a lack of user guides or online “how to” tutorials for customers.
Additional Limitations of the WD Sync software:
- The software only SYNCS data. If you backup a folder from your hard drive to the Passport device, this doesn’t mean that you can then delete that folder from your hard drive. Why? The next time you sync the WD Sync software will remove that folder from the Passport device. It considers your hard drive the “master copy” of the data. Any changes that are made to the master copy will be applied to the data on the Passport device when the next time you sync. If you want to avoid this situation, don’t use the WD Sync software that comes with the device. Instead, use the Passport device as a very large flash drive. You can manually copy/paste files to the external drive without using the WD Sync software.
- Given the issue in #1, I would suggest not using the “automatic synchronization” option in the WD Sync software. This features starts the sync process the moment after you enter in your profile password. Why not? Let’s say that you have a hard drive failure. Luckily, your data is synced to your Passport drive, right? Well, I’m concerned that if you get a new hard drive and connect the Passport device, the WD Sync software will notice that the new hard drive doesn’t have any of the files and folders from the last sync. When it runs automatic synchronization, you may then lose the backup copy of your data! I haven’t tested this theory out (don’t want to risk it), but it seems plausible. Instead, I’d uncheck the automatic synchronization option found on the OPTIONS menu.
- I wish the WD Sync software was smart enough to automatically include any new sub-folders in the sync process. For example, I have a folder called “My Digital Photos”. Inside that folder, I have many sub-folders. Each time I transfer photos from my digital camera, a new sub-folder is created. Despite having the parent folder (My Digital Photos) checked as a folder to sync, the WD Sync software will not sync the new folders because those folders did not exist during the last synchronization. Instead, I must use the WD Sync software to locate those new folders and place a checkmark next to them. This will include them in the sync process.
The WD Passport comes in a variety of storage sizes, like 60GB, 80GB, 120GB, 250GB etc. I would recommend it to anyone looking to use an external USB hard drive because the user-friendly software really makes a big difference to me.
Do You Need a Reminder? Pingme’s Free Online Service will Keep You on Task August 17, 2007
Posted by Mike in Business, Freebies, Online Service, Organize, Technology.5 comments
Pingme has designed an easy to use reminder service to help us remember what’s important to us. If you’re like me, you have too much to remember in your daily life. To keep track of it all, I resort to post-it notes stuck to computer monitors, messages scribbled on the back of scraps of paper or emails sent to myself with a “to-do” list.
Whether its a grocery list, an anniversary date or a reminder to pick someone up at the airport, Pingme can help.
With a free Pingme account, you can setup the service to send a reminder to your email address or your mobile phone as a text message. These reminders can be recurring (i.e. once a year to remember your anniversary) or a one time reminder to pickup your friends at the airport.
Pingme also has a “pester” option that allows me to send my reminder more frequently, say every hour, 30 minutes or 10 minutes. I’d get irritated (at myself) quickly if I received a reminder every 10 minutes. However, to each his/her own and that may be a valuable feature to you.
When I setup my account, I was asked to verify my email address and mobile phone number (via text message). After doing so, I logged in to create a new reminder for myself. You can add multipe emails and phone numbers too. You’ll be able to choose where to send the reminder (email, phone or both).
I think the folks at Jott and the folks at Pingme should join forces to create a stellar service.
Jott’s voice to email technology could be modified by PingMe to quickly create reminders when I’m driving in my car and not in front of my computer.
Take a look at Pingme and keep it in mind the next time you’re staring at your post-it covered computer monitor trying to remember what you forgot.
The Future of Mobile Computing? Palm’s Folēo, a mobile companion for Treo Smartphones. August 14, 2007
Posted by Mike in Business, Hardware, Technology.add a comment
The answer is NO. It’s not the future of mobile computing. Palm has scrapped plans for the Foleo. Read all about it on Palm’s official blog.
As Palm sees it, smartphones like the Treo are the wave of the future. Small devices packed with information and capabilities. However, these über-smart devices have two key limitations: small screens and small keyboards.
The solution? A mobile companion device called Folēo that turns on in an instant and offers users a 10″ screen and a full QWERTY keyboard.
Is it a laptop? No.
It uses Bluetooth to wirelessly sync your emails from your Treo to the Folēo so you can view them and respond to them on a big screen with a full keyboard.
It also allows you to edit MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents as well as display PowerPoint presentations.
I have yet to see the device in person and I do not believe they are for sale yet. However, Palm claims the device turns on in an instant (no need to boot up like Windows). It also has 5 hours of battery life.
You can read all about it on Palm’s web site.
After viewing an online demonstration and reading some of the fine print, here is what I’ve learned about Folēo:
PROS
- Big Screen
- Big Keyboard
- Long Battery Life
- WiFi capability
- Attachment support includes viewing and editing Microsoft® Word, Excel® and PowerPoint® files with DataViz® Documents To Go®. You can also view PDF documents as well as JPG, GIF, and PNG images.
CONS
- Attachment support only includes viewing and editing Microsoft® Word, Excel® and PowerPoint® files with DataViz® Documents To Go®. You can also view PDF documents as well as JPG, GIF, and PNG images.
- Requires compatible phone with Bluetooth® wireless technology.
- Email requires data services on the phone from a mobile service provider at an additional cost.
- Does not support local or streaming video.
UNKNOWN (to me, at least)
- Any USB ports?
- Any video adapters for connecting to a projector?
- How much does it weigh?
Even with these cons and unknowns, I’m still intrigued by the concept. For web browsing, email answering, photo viewing and PowerPointing, I think the device will be satisfactory for business, educational or recreational purposes. I can see it being used at airports, cafes, classrooms, small meetings and presentations.
The introductory price is $499 after a $100 mail in rebate. Of course, you have to own a compatible phone too.
Has Palm created the next great device? Time will tell.
It won’t be as innovative as the iPhone, but it definitely has the potential to improve the mobile computing experience.
The folks at engadget have used one. Click here to see what they think.
For a detailed description of its capabilities, read this article from PalmInfoCenter.
Time for some Fun: Create a Simpson’s Character from a Photo August 10, 2007
Posted by Mike in Blogging, Creative, Freebies, Fun, Humor, Simpsons, Technology.2 comments
It is Friday, so it’s time for a little fun!
What can be more fun that turning photos of yourself, your friends or family members into Simpson-style characters?
I simpsonized myself (see above) so now I know what I’d look like in Homer’s world.
I highly encourage you to try it yourself. The web site is Simpsonizeme.com. Yes, it is sponsored by Burger King. No, you don’t have to enjoy fast food to use it.
It’s just good old-fashioned, high tech fun. And free, of course.
You can even save or email your creations to friends and family.
It’s a blast!
MusicRescue – Transfer Music from Your iPod to a new PC August 9, 2007
Posted by Mike in Freebies, Software, Technology, Worth the Money, iPod, music.add a comment
If your computer dies and takes your music with it, you still have your iPod, right? However, iTunes only lets you transfer tracks bought from the iTunes Store back to your new/fixed computer. What about those tracks ripped from CD, or lovingly recorded from your vinyl collection? Enter Music Rescue – the answer to your nightmare.
Quote from the MusicRescue web site
Col. Jessep: You want answers?
Kaffee: I think I’m entitled.
Col. Jessep: You want answers?
Kaffee: I want the truth.
Col. Jessep: You can’t handle the truth.
Here’s the truth:
If you’re assuming that your iPod doubles as a backup device for your music, you’ll be in for an unhappy surprise if your PC does crash. As stated above, music that you’ve put on your iPod that does not originate from the iTunes store cannot be transferred back to a PC with the standard iTunes/iPod software.
For example, you take your favorite Dave Matthews Band CD, Busted Stuff, and copy those songs from the CD to your iTunes software and then to your iPod. These songs didn’t come from the iTunes store so they won’t transfer from your iPod back to your iTunes software in the event of a hard drive meltdown or laptop theft.
Don’t believe me? There are folks on Yahoo Answers looking for a solution to this very problem.
I assume Apple designed it this way to limit the possibility of music piracy (Arrgh, matey!) and ease the concerns of the music industry. I think it’s a bit late for that, but it is what it is.
MusicRescue is a nicely designed piece of software to help you solve this problem. You install onto your iPod and it then allows you to transfer all of your music from your iPod to any PC. MusicRescue calls this their iPod License.
There is also a different type of registration (called the Computer License) that allows you to install MusicRescue onto a PC and then transfer it to as many different iPods as you like. This may be a solution for a family of iPodders who share one PC or one music collection.
The MusicRescue software has both a free and a paid version. The features in both versions are the same. However, the free version “politely” reminds you that you should pay for the software while you’re copying music.
I haven’t tried the free version, so I don’t know if the “polite” reminder pauses the copying process and requires your presence to click OK. I suspect that it does, which means that you may find yourself glued to your PC clicking an OK button for however long it takes to transfer the music.
Keep this product in mind in case you find yourself in this type of situation. It works well on a Windows PC or a Mac.
You may download the software from MusicRescue web site by clicking here..
How to Backup your Data Online for Free: Shall we Mozy? August 7, 2007
Posted by Mike in Data Backup, Learning, Online Service, PC ABCs, Software, Technology, Training, Worth the Money.2 comments
Backing up your data is critical and using an online service to securely backup your information accomplishes two important objectives:
- First and foremost, you have a backup copy of your data!
- Second of all, your backup data is stored “off site” or away from your computer.
Point # 2 is often overlooked. Folks backup their data to CDs, DVDs or external hard drives and then store those backup files in the same place as their computer. Even worse, some store it in the same bag as their laptop!
What happens when your bag is stolen? Bye-bye laptop and bye-bye data backup!
What happens when your home is damaged by fire, flood or ________ (insert your natural disaster here)? Bye bye computer and bye bye data backup!
Ok, so disasters aren’t an every day occurrence. What if you spill some soda on your external hard drive? Or drop it? Or misplace it? Or your toddler wants to see if it will float in the bath tub?
Have you ever scratched a CD? Yep, me too.
In order to avoid this type of headache, online backup services are ideal. I just tested out Mozy.com and found it very user-friendly. They offer 2GB of free (and secure) storage, which will be either:
- Woefully inadequate for users with large quantities of data OR
- Just right for backing up a few important files, pictures, etc.
Here’s what I like about mozy.com’s service:
- Free 2 GB of storage (no trials or tricks, just good ole’ free!)
- User friendly software identifies and categorizes files to backup and lists the size of the files (very helpful for novice users who often wonder what to backup)
- Advanced features for those more comfortable with PCs and configuring backups.
- Option to schedule backups to run on a regular basis. (In other words, set it and forget it)
- Larger storage options available for a monthly (not annual) fee.
- “Slider” setting in the software allows you to control how much bandwidth is used during the backup process.
Here’s what I don’t like:
- Slow upload speeds.
However, this isn’t Mozy’s fault. It’s a reality for most home users on DSL or cable Internet, except for that lucky 75 year old woman in Sweden. Upload speeds are always slower than download speeds. Regardless of the culprit, transferring large amounts of your data securely onto Mozy’s servers takes longer than transferring them onto an external hard drive or burning them to CD.
That’s just a limitation of any kind of online backup service.
I’d suggest you consider giving Mozy a try. If you like it, you can decide whether to upgrade to a larger account (if you need it).
If Mozy isn’t to your liking, there are other online backup services to explore:
Whatever you do, you need to backup your important data. It will save you a lot of stress and worry when your hard drive crashes or your laptop wanders off. Backing up your important files limits a catastrophe to a mere inconvenience.
Trust me.
This is experience talking here. : )
How to Blog: Resources to Help a Person or a Business Start a Blog August 3, 2007
Posted by Mike in Blogging, Business, Creative, Learning, PC ABCs, Real Estate, Technology.4 comments
There are many resources on the web to help a person or a business start a blog
and my goal with this post is to list many of them to educate and inform new bloggers.
First of all, why blog? That’s a personal question, but a blog can be your own voice on the Internet to discuss a topic you are passionate about. Passion is a key ingredient, because you have to enjoy a subject in order to write about it on a regular basis.
I’m assuming that you’ve already decided to blog if you’re reading this. Here’s what you need to do:
GETTING STARTED:
- Learn how to blog by seeing how others are doing it. Use Google’s
Blogsearch to locate other people blogging on topics similar to yours. For example, You’ll get lots of ideas on
different writing styles and templates that exist for blog sites. - Sign up for a free account with a blogging web site. (Yes a blog
is a web site just like a square is a rectangle.) Here are some popular
ones: WordPress, Google’s Blogger, Typepad. - Educate yourself on blog vocabulary. How? By visiting the blogossaryor wikipediaof course!
READ THESE BLOGS!
The folks who wrote these blogs have provided all of us with a wealth
of information on blogging. You’d be wise to read every last word.
- RSS Pieces Besides the catchy name that makes me hungry, this site is a great place to learn how to blog effectively. It’s target audience is the real estate community, but the advice is good for any blogger.
- Lorelle on WordPress. Straight talk on blogging plus a collection of additional links to articles related to blogging.
Blogging for Business
A blog can be a great way for a small business owner to improve the web presence of their local business. People go to Google to search for florists, pizza places, restaurants, doctors, bookstores, etc. When we search, we type in a city or zip code along with keywords like “bookstore”. Wouldn’t it make sense for the local bookstore to be on
the first search results page? A blog can help a business get recognized more prominently on search results pages, but it takes time and effort and won’t happen overnight.
Business Owners Read These Blogs:
1. 20 Ways to Increase Your Blog Traffic
2.Blogging for Business Owners
A company called Blogging Systems offers to create a web site for small businesses, non-profit organizations, churches and other groups that may want to establish a blogging site for their community. Again, I’ll recommend a blog post written at RSS Pieces titled “Ultimate Guide to a Real Estate Blog Site” because the advice given can really apply to any blog site. Blogging is still a new and ever-evolving form of communication.
I am by no means an expert, but I wanted to share what I’ve learned (and found) so far to help others get started. If you have another resource or a suggestion, please let me know.
Now that you’ve learned your blogging ABC’s, you can start blogging today!
VFlyer.com: Create and Distribute Flyers Online for Free August 1, 2007
Posted by Mike in Business, Free Kittens, Freebies, Online Service, Technology, Worth the Money.2 comments
A colleague of mine at work sent around an email the other day. She found 6 adorable kittens under her house and wanted to find homes for them. Her husband is very allergic, so keeping any of them wasn’t an option. Her last resort is to turn them into an animal shelter, but she doesn’t want to do so for fear they’ll be euthanized.
I offered to help her by creating an online flyer using vflyer.com. Their service is great and the flyers are easy to use. You begin by selecting the purpose of your flyer. In other words, are you selling your house or your car? Advertising a job opening? Offering your computer services for hire? Classes? Tryouts for a sports team?
They didn’t quite have a flyer for “Free Cats”, but I just took their template for Pet for Sale and set the price to $0.00. That seemed to do the trick.
With the flyer created, you can choose to:
- Print the flyer
- Email the flyer
- Publish the flyer to the online marketplace of edgeio, Oodle, Vast, Trulia, Google Base, Craigslist, etc.
- Send the flyer to mobile devices, like phones.
- Embed the flyer into a widget and post it to a blog.
Vflyer offers various pricing plans as well as a free account. Not all of the features are available to free account users.
All in all, it is a very user-friendly and effective service. I’d suggest you give it a try the next time you’re trying to sell your car, your computer or searching for homes for a few cuddly kittens.
AnyPassword.com – A Free, Easy Software to Store Passwords for Your Accounts July 28, 2007
Posted by Mike in Freebies, Passwords, Software, Technology.add a comment
Passwords are out of control, multiplying like rabbits.
Something must be done before we have more passwords than brain cells. The ideal solution would be a universal username/password that would grant you access to all of your Internet accounts from Yahoo to Google’s Gmail to YouTube to Amazon. Of course, if the ideal solution existed you’d need to keep your universal username/password as an uber-secret or you’ll be universally munsoned.
So, what happens? We end up with too many usernames/passwords for our memory to retain and we create a list of them. We then live in fear that this covert, coveted list will fall in the hands of evil-doers so we stash it as a file on our PC in an obscure folder or under a pseudonym, save it to a USB drive or print it out and store it in flour jars, old college textbooks or shoeboxes under a bed.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a solution for the growing password problem. However, I have found a free software program that will help you securely manage your ever-growing list of usernames/passwords and give your memory a break. Instead of remembering dozens of passwords, your over-taxed memory must only remember one.
Anypassword.com is a free and easy software program. Using their product, you can store your plethora of usernames/passwords and web sites into a software program. The information resides on your PC as an encrypted file with a master password. Don’t forget this password or you’ll be munsoned (again). Since it is a file, it is vulnerable to hard drive crashes, so be sure to backup your PC data regularly. If you need a backup service, take a look at MyTechOpinion’s blog about an online backup service called Carbonite.
The program is easy to use and easy to install. In fact, it has won multiple awards which the company proudly lists on its site.
If you’re looking for a better solution to manage your username/passwords, you owe it to yourself (and your memory) to give Anypassword.com a try.
YouSendIt.com – How To Send Large File Attachments July 25, 2007
Posted by Mike in Freebies, Humor, International Lawyer, Online Service, Technology, Worth the Money.add a comment
It is bound to happen to you sooner or later. You’ve got an attachment that is too large to email. Your email service may limit the size of an attachment you can send or perhaps the recipient of your email has a service that limits their attachment size. Or, you’ve got no size limit but the sheer size of the attachment brings your email service to a grinding halt as it tries to send the attachment.
Sooner or later, you’ve got to ask yourself if there’s an easier way.
It happened to my friend James. James is a globe trotting lawyer with a zest for life and a sense of humor. This latter character trait led him to an open mic night at a comedy club in Asia. Now, he thinks he’s funny. He says he has proof. He has a video.
He wanted to post it to YouTube but the video is 70 MB in size and he isn’t sure how to compress it. Emailing it was not an option. Burning it to a CD and sending it via the postal service is so 2001. We’re in Web 2.0 nowadays, so James found yousendit.com.
YouSendit.com allows you to securely upload large files and then email a link to a person to download the file. They have a FREE version (gotta love it) and they also have subscription accounts with more oomph, should you need it.
YouSendit.com has been selected as one of the Top 100 private companies for 2007 by AlwaysOn. They were also recently awarded a place on the Webware 100 list, so they’re a highly regarded company.
Their service is easy to sign up for and use. The free account is great for personal use. Small business owners looking for an inexpensive file sharing solution may want to subscribe to one of their business accounts. By doing so, you can securely share files and not have to worry about purchasing computer hardware and hiring a technician to maintain the hardware.
As always, visit the company’s blog for the latest news.
As for my friend James….is he funny? I’ll let you know as soon as I download his video.
Who’s Your PollDaddy? Create a Poll for Free and post it online! July 22, 2007
Posted by Mike in Freebies, Fun, Online Service, Technology.add a comment
PollDaddy.com makes it fast, easy and free to make a poll and publish it to a page on MySpace, FaceBook or a blog.
It’s a 3 step process. You begin by creating a question and the multiple choice answers. Step 2 is to select a style for the poll or create your own. Step 3 is to get the code you need (javascript, Flash, or a simple hyperlink) and then copy/paste it to your blog, etc.
Here’s a poll that I created on their site. It took me 5 minutes. Please take a moment to answer. I’m curious to see the results.
Poll Question: How do you backup your data?
How to use RSS to Make your Life Easier July 19, 2007
Posted by Mike in Fun, Learning, Online Service, PC ABCs, RSS, Technology, Training.add a comment
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary.
Why do I need RSS? This is an excellent question.
Someone else has provided an excellent answer. Best of all, it’s in a fun little video clip.
I can’t explain it any better.
I’m just going to give you the link to watch this short, yet very entertaining video clip about RSS and how it makes your life easier. Enjoy.
Terabitz.com – Real Estate Information made Real Simple July 18, 2007
Posted by Mike in Freebies, Online Service, Real Estate, Technology.1 comment so far
Everybody needs different information when it comes to real estate. Imagine being able to pick and choose the information you want on a piece of property. Do you want an estimated price? A list of nearby schools? Restaurants in the area? Grocery stores? Health care services? Places of worship? Weather? A graph showing housing market trends? Crime stats? Nearby sex offenders?
Terabitz.com makes it possible. For free.
You begin by searching a residential property address in the United States. Using their innovative Dashboard, you can drag and drop up to 9 different modules of information (they call them ”bitz”) from a menu of available options. The 9 modules (or bitz) then form a customized snapshot of information on that property and its surrounding community.
When you’ve got the modules you want, you can click a button to take a snapshot of the page and either email it to someone or create a URL to share. If you sign up for a free account, you can store your snapshot for the long term.
Click here for a sample of a snapshot that I created.
The web site is very user friendly and, dare I say, fun to use. The drag n’ drop functionality is intuitive which will help the average user customize the dashboard to suit their own needs.
Give their site a try. I think you’ll like what you see. You can also read the Terabitz blog for a bit more FYI about the site.
Blinksale – Easy Online Invoicing for any Business July 17, 2007
Posted by Mike in Business, Freebies, Online Service, Technology, Worth the Money.2 comments
Do you need a professional looking invoice for your business? Look no further than Blinksale. I logged into the site today and took advantage of their free account to create a Sample Invoice. It took me about 15 minutes.
If you only need to issue the occassional invoice, the free account allows you to create and send up to 3 invoices per month. If you’re doing more business than that, you should consider upgrading to a pay account. The prices are reasonable, ranging from $12 per month to send up to 50 invoices to $49 a month to send up to 1500 invoices. Click here to read more about pricing.
A nice feature is the ability to view open, closed and past due invoices via your Blinksale account. You can email or print invoices. With a pay account, you can also generate the invoice as a PDF.
All in all, it seems like a good service for the small business person who is looking for an inexpensive yet professional invoicing service.
Checkout the Blinksale blog for more information too.
Need How to advice? Take a look at ExpertVillage.com July 16, 2007
Posted by Mike in Freebies, Fun, Learning, Online Service, Technology, Training, Videos.add a comment
As I mentioned in my “About me” section on this blog, I like to find useful sites, services and software to help make my life easier.
I recently purchased a gas grill and needed some grilling advice. I needed an expert since my grill skill is still developing. I needed ExpertVillage.
ExpertVillage.com provides FREE how to videos on a variety of topics including cooking, fitness, music, beauty, automotive, parenting, sports and bartending. Their videos are also found on YouTube, so you can find them easily on either web site.
Some of the videos have brief commercials at the beginning, but it’s a small price to pay for quality advice.
Need to know How to Clean a Gas Grill ? Expertvillage has the answer.
Need advice on ceiling fans? Then, you need George A. Finn III : How To Install A Ceiling Fan.
Throwing a party? Need to learn how to mix drinks? Check this out: Hurricane: Bartending Guide for Rum Drinks.
Need to know How to Deliver a Baby in the Backseat of a Taxi Cab? Yup, Expertvillage comes through again!
The point is that the web has plenty of resources to help you with lots of projects and problems. Many times, a quick Google search will do the trick. However, it’s good to know where to find a village full of experts when you need to learn the right way to do it.
Get Organized with “Tidy Start Menu” Software July 9, 2007
Posted by Mike in Freebies, Organize, Software, Technology, Worth the Money.add a comment
Do you get tired of looking through the long list of installed programs on your start menu?
I know I do. So did Dennis Nazarenko and he decided to do something about it. He created a software program called “Tidy Start Menu.” The program allows a user to quickly and easily arrange the list of installed software programs on a computer into categories.
He offers two versions. One is free and the other is an “extended” version that currently costs $19.99. Either version can be downloaded from his web site, www.tidystartmenu.com.
Click here to download the free version.
Click here to register and download the pay version.
I downloaded the free version to test it out. The version I installed is v3.3 and I used it on a Windows XP Professional Operating System.
I found it very intuitive and easy to use, especially if you choose to operate the software in “Simple Mode”. It is not a misnomer.
In the free version, you are not able to create your own category names. You must use the ones that come in the program.
These categories are:
Office, Utilities, Games, Entertainment, Internet, Programming, Graphics, Security and Other.
If you aren’t satisfied with these options, then the pay version is a better choice for you.
I do suggest taking a moment to use the Backup feature in the software. You can store a backup of your original start menu and revert back to it in case you don’t like the results when you use Tidy Start Menu.
The program organized my programs menu with ease. However, a word of caution: It also organizes the programs menu for ALL other profiles on my computer. I happen to use both a work and personal profile on my computer, so the changes I applied using Tidy Start Menu on my work profile carried over to my personal one.
For me, this is not a problem. However, it may be if you share a computer with a family member, colleague or roommate who logs in with their own profile and doesn’t appreciate your attempts at organizing the cluttered programs menu.
I also found it interesting that the Tidy Start Menu program only appears on the Program Files Menu of the profile that you used to install it. I installed it using my work profile. The program doesn’t display on the programs menu for my home profile, so I couldn’t use it easily from my home profile.
Often, software programs offer the installer a choice to make the program available to ‘everyone’ or to ‘just me’. This program didn’t. I uninstalled and re-installed it just to make sure I didn’t miss the option. It isn’t there.
All in all, those are small issues and the program works well as advertised. I recommend it as an option to someone looking to get their computer organized.
SuperCopy – An easy way to copy files in Windows July 6, 2007
Posted by Mike in Freebies, PC ABCs, Software, Technology.2 comments
It’s always nice to find a piece of software that takes a task and makes it easier. SuperCopy, created by Nathanael Jones, takes the file copying process (good ole’ copy/paste) and improves it for the average user.
Oh, and did I mention it’s free? Nathanael’s program is also Open Source, which means he welcomes other people to take his work and improve upon it. If you’d like to read about why he created the program, please do so here.
DOS commands are fairly simple in theory and quite useful in general. However, they’re seldom used by the average computer user, who is scared of the DOS prompt. SuperCopy helps the average user take advantage of one of these commands in particular, XCOPY.
According to Nathanael Jones:
“Super Copy provides a very robust way to copy files in Windows. Super Copy does not prompt you for more information once the copy has started; all options are specified beforehand. This is simply a lightweight interface for XCOPY, and will not negatively affect your system’s performance.”
SuperCopy allows a user to select the files and folders to be copied on their hard drive and then create and save a batch file. When the batch file is run by the user, it automatically copies and pastes the selected files. Click here for(more info on batch files.)
Here’s how I use it:
1. Using SuperCopy, I select the files and folders I want to copy on my computer and specify the location to copy them to (in this case a USB hard drive).
2. I create a batch file using SuperCopy and save it to my computer.
3. I connect an external USB hard drive to my computer.
4. I click on the batch file to run the commands to backup my files.
5. I remove the USB hard drive and I’ve completed my backup.
To make the 5-step process even easier, I can go to into the Control Panel in Windows and setup a schedule to run the batch file on a weekly or daily basis using “Scheduled Tasks.”
With that done, my 5-step process to backup my data files is now a 1 step process.
What’s my 1 step?
I just need to be sure my USB hard drive is attached to my computer when it’s time to backup my files!
Kijiji – The Next Craigslist? July 4, 2007
Posted by Mike in Freebies, Online Service, Technology.add a comment
It looks like Craigslist is getting some competition from Kijiji.com, a free classified service backed by eBay.
Greg Sandoval of Webware.com gives us the details on his blog. Read about it here.
I took a quick peek at the Bay Area page on Kijiji today. Since it just launched on a large scale in the United States (it’s been available in Canada and other countries for a while), there aren’t a lot of ads yet but I’m sure that will change in the near future. For the same reason, Craigslist.org has more categories at the moment.
Posting an ad on Kijiji essentially follows the same process too. A person fills out an ad and then must post it by clicking on a link in an email address.
Kijiji does offer an RSS feed to alert people to new ads on their site, which is a nice idea. Although, I’m not sure how many folks want to keep track of every type of new ad that comes onto Kijiji. It’d be a better idea to narrow down the RSS feed to a certain type of ad (homes for sale, car for sale, etc).
I do think the name, while catchy, is tricky to spell. I keep finding myself counting the number of “i’s” that I’ve typed in Kijiji. I’ll definitely bookmark it so I don’t have to worry about misspelling it every time.
Moo.com – Creative Cards for Business or Fun July 3, 2007
Posted by Mike in Business, Creative, Fun, Online Service, Technology, Worth the Money.1 comment so far
Looking for a way to jazz up your business cards? Want to make a memorable “save the date” card for your wedding? Look no further than moo.com.
Their web service allows you to make cards by uploading your own photos or choosing from a large selection of stock photos like nature scenes, puppy dogs, flowers, buildings, city scenes, etc. The cards are quite unique, especially if you’re using your own photos.
The MiniCard size is distinctive too….it’s only half the size of a standard business card. I’d equate it to the size of a stick of gum. Sadly, I don’t have a stick of gum to conduct an official measurement, but it’s in the ballpark. The site lists the miniCard size as 20mm x 70mm. Living in the last non-metric measuring country on our blue marble of a planet, those numbers don’t mean much to me.
One side of the card is the photo……..the other side is your contact info or message. You can order a pack of 100 cards (cost $19.99 + shipping) and select multiple photos for your cards. That’s what I did when I bought some. Variety is more fun anyway, right?
If the MiniCard is too Mini for you, then you may want to look at their NoteCard size instead.
Some people are getting very creative with the cards. Click here for a fun example listed on Moo’s site.
If you’re starting a business and want to be remembered, planning an event or just want to get a bit creative, try Moo.com. I think they’d be great for musicians, actors and artists too. Oh, and read their blog for more Moo.
Freecycle.org – Giving (and receiving) products for free July 3, 2007
Posted by Mike in Freebies, Online Service, Technology.add a comment
“Clean out your garage, give someone a “freebie”, and help save the environment all at the same time!”
This quote neatly sums up the purpose of Freecycle.org. It’s a network of people who are looking to give away their unneeded items.
If you’re out to make a buck, then sell your items on eBay, Craigslist or at a local garage sale (no Internet needed for that option). If you need to get rid of something, rather than throw it away, why not post a message and see if someone in your community would like to pick up the item? That’s how it works.
Members are organized into local groups using Yahoo Groups. I recently joined one for my town and there are over 800 members in it so far. I’m number 804.
Why not give it a try? Visit the web site and find a group in your area! If there isn’t a group, you can create one for your community. Who knows….you might be able to get a free lawnmower, picture frame or a lamp from someone in your own town, keeping those items out of the landfill for a few more years.
Click here for a little background on how Freecycle began.
