Calibrate your Monitor- a necessity for adjusting photos for best color

If you manage photos on your computer, then you should make sure your monitor is properly adjusted to give "true" color. 

Windows 7 comes with monitor calibration software.  For instructions, see this web page, or google "monitor calibration Windows 7". 

For other Windows operating systems, see this web page. 

For a Mac:  System Prefs->Displays->Color->Calibrate or google "monitor calibration mac". 

For Ubuntu, one reference is this or google "monitor calibration ubuntu {add version number as appropriate}"

Creating a DVD or CD Using Windows + Alternative

I’ve always had a problem using Windows to create a DVD or CD.  I don’t know exactly why, but the usual sequence is: 
1.  I click on the DVD drive, which opens the DVD player.  I insert a blank disk and close the drive.  Windows {version} might start a dialog about formatting the disk or ask how you want to use the disk
2.  I start dragging files into the folder.  When done, I click “burn to disk” or something like that.
3.  The DVD opens and a message says, load a blank CD/DVD.
And I go round and round.

The solution(s) to these symptoms are many.  First though, here are the “official” Microsoft instructions for using straight Vista:  Vista DVD/CD Burning Video.  Although this is a Vista video, you’ll get the idea.  Google "DVD/CD burning" and add your operating system + “video” to see a video for your situation.

Often the problem is due to software installed on your computer that takes precedence over the basic Microsoft software, such as Roxio.  Other times the problem is that the MS program is faulty- and needs to be updated with a patch.  For an example discussion of options, see Cannot Burn Info to CDs- system says insert disk.   In general, you can usually find a solution to your problem by googling a description of our problem, such as “windows won't burn to disc  Drive opens and says insert blank disk.” 

One important note:  What you want the disk to “be” is key to successfully creating the copy; ie, music vs video vs data.  Plus, under each major type there is a whole decision tree of questions and answers that result in a procedure for making the copy. (Another blog entry on this topic.) It turns out making DVDs and CDs is not for amateurs.  That’s too bad.  I think a whole Dummies book could be written just on making DVDs and CDs.   Hmmm… maybe I should do that.?  But then, if you google your problem, you almost guaranteed to find the answer.   

There are a few free DVD/CD burning packages that simplify the process.   You can use these, but…

1. You’ll probably need to get rid of the software that might be pre-installed, because that software will complicate the burning process.  Make sure you consider your DVD driver; ie, some systems come with a driver specific to the pre-installed software.  An example is Roxio.  You will need to download a generic DVD driver from the manufacturer’s web site.  Ugh…
2. Some of the software is free… but… all features are not available until you purchase a full version
3. You need to read the help.

Here’s a list:

• Windows Media Player for audio (or iTunes or …)  This comes standard on Windows systems.  But please pay attention to the kind of disk you are creating.  Usually you want to make the DVD/CD a data disk with mp3s.  Read the help or google what you want to do with WMP and watch a YouTube video. 

• Windows Movie Maker (part of the Windows Live Suite) for movies.  Again, pay attention to the formats (Codecs)  There are better movie makers out there, but this one is simple.  Works on Vista and 7.

• Express Burn Disc Burning Software:  Clear and simple!  But meant to be a lead to the paid product.

• Image Burn:  Used to create Image CD/DVDs.  Oh dear.  Another blog entry will be required to explain this.  But… you need it!

Do I need to use the www in a url

{This entry was inspired by a Kim Komando blog entry.}
The url is the web site address.  Historically, you type http://www.somesite.com.  This goes in the address bar of your favorite browser.  You may be surprised to know you don't have to type all that in any more; the http://www. and the .com have been "deprecated;" they are no longer required.  Some of the time all you need is to enter "somesite;" other times, you have to enter "somesite.net," or whatever the end qualifier is.
 
But you don't have to worry about which way is appropriate.  The new versions of the popular browsers allow you to type in "somesite" and then hold down the Ctrl key and hit enter.  The browser sticks in the http://www. and the .com around the somesite and then it goes to that site. 

Is there a way to tell the country something is made in from the bar code?

There is a rhyme and reason to bar codes.  In case you are interested in where a product originated, it might be in the bar code.  

The first 2-3 numbers indicate the location of the business headquarters associated with the product. Some of the time it accurately indicates where the product was made.  However, there are other times when the company's headquarters is not where the product originated.

For some examples: 

• 690, 691, 692...:  company in China (if you want to buy American or at least North American...)
• 471 company in Taiwan
• 00-08 company in USA
• 09 Canada
• 49 Japan
• 30-37 France
• 40-44 Germany
• 50... UK.

For a discussion of this, see Snopes.com.  You can google for a complete list of codes. 

Watch Live International TV Using A Desktop Application

Kim Komando's newsletter recommended a download that I think many who read this blog would like.  It is called LiveStation.  It provides access to live streaming of TV stations from around the world.  So, if you want to watch news, sports, or entertainment from your native country or a country you've worked in or visited, this is for you! 

GMail Filter Virus Makes You a Spammer

I would like to make you aware of a GMail, and perhaps other on-line email site, virus.  The symptoms are that other people are receiving emails from you that you didn't send AND your filter settings have been changed in a particular way.  The remedy is to eliminate the guilty filter settings and to change your password.  The description and remedy are found here. 

Why Won't My Video Play on My Computer

Why Won’t My Video Play on My Computer?

This article applies to audio as well!

To get to straight to the answer- different kinds of videos have different formats.  Sometimes you can tell the difference in format by the file type.  The file type is the 3 characters that follow the “.” in the file name; eg mov in mymovie.mov .   But other times the difference can be obscured- the movie is recorded at a different frame rate, different resolution, compression algorithm etc than is supported by the program that plays the video.  All the differences are resolved by a file that isn’t the program itself, but something called a “codec.”  In other words, any particular video player (or video maker, for that matter) requires two inputs:  the video file (or the video stream) and a codec to translate the video stream for the movie program.   

Rather than include a tutorial here, I’ll give a couple of links to tutorials.  You can find others yourself by googling “audio video codec tutorial.” (From Kim Komando:  If you have trouble playing a movie or audio, typically, you'll know if a missing codec is causing the hold up. An error message will report that a codec is missing. Hopefully, it will give you the name of the missing codec. If that's the case, you can try searching Google and manually install the codec.)

A word of warning from Kim Komando: 

“A very popular codec package called K-Lite often appears as a virus. Remember, hackers are aware of what problems you're likely to encounter on your PC. So there's a lot of malicious content out there disguised as codecs.  So, is not exactly the safest method. As is the case with K-Lite, criminals often repackage codecs with malware.”  

This warning applies to clicking on the results of the google search.  Make sure your browser is using some kind of security mechanism to prescreen results, such as McAfee's SiteAdvisor. 

Links: 

For more on codecs click here by Kim Komando.
For video codecs, click here, by Kim Komando.

An interesting, semi-technical, tutorial

A more technical tutorial on Windows Media codecs.

General How To

Wiki article on Codecs

Purchasing a Printer

When purchasing a printer, the criteria are:

• ·         Features
• ·         Reliability, Quality
• ·         Cost of ink (per page)
• ·         Cost of printer

Features

• In general, I like the All in One, which provides scanner, copy, fax, and print.  Of these, fax may be optional.

• I like two sided print- saves cost; but the two-sided feature has to be reliable.

• Speed is important to me, especially black and white (gray-scale).

• Many printer manufacturers, and I’m thinking of HP here, burden your computer with so much software that the performance of even the faster computers is impacted.  The capabilities of the software bundled with the printer are important.  I like a printer that delivers a single software interface on my computer to manage all the capabilities of the computer; no hunting for separate applications per feature, etc.  It would be nice if it were configurable.  An example of an excellent interface is the one provided by Canon:  

That’s it, everything is available from this simple interface.  The Scan-x’s are configurable to whatever you want.  I configured one to create a PDF with my favorite PDF writer,  PrimoPDF. 

• For photos, it is a waste of money to have photo features on a printer.  Such features are so hard to use that most people don’t use them.  It’s better to import your pictures directly to your computer using a program like Picasa, and manage them from there. 

• I don't see a need to print pictures using my printer.  They are way too expensive.  It is much better to use one of the online picture services where you can submit photo images and pick up the pictures later, such as Costco or Walmart, or just go to a drug store like CVS and print the pictures you want. So too, the printer doesn't need to have all those ports for reading different kinds of flash media.  

Reliability, Quality

To make this short and sweet, I rely on my own experience with hundreds of printers I’ve serviced plus the ratings of PC World and CNET:

·         Canon and Brother come out on top

·         Consider Lexmark, Dell (made by Lexmark),  Epson, and Samsung

·         Stay away from HP, the cheaper Lexmarks, and Kodak

My experience with HP all around- computers and printers- has been bad.  Their support is awful.  The quality is pitiful… Stay away.   I didn’t have this opinion a few years ago, but I have found that they have exported both manufacturing and support offshore, and the result is a disaster.  If you have invested in HP, get rid of the stock.  They may be selling a lot of computers and printers, but eventually their shoddy quality will catch up to them. 

Networking:  I’ve found Wifi is a waste of money.  When you communicate with a printer using  Wifi, you are still using the router and you are overwhelming the router with printer data.  Everyone on the network suffers when you submit a print via Wifi.  Therefore, get a network printer- one that has an Ethernet connection in the back.  Physically lay out your network so that the printer can be connected to the router or a network extender via Ethernet.  With respect to a USB connection- that’s where you plug a USB connector into a USB port on the computer- if you don’t have Wifi, then go that way.  But if you share a printer, try to use the Ethernet option. 

Cost of Ink

Cost of ink should be measured in cost/page.  The ink cartridges of ink jet printers are really expensive.  Not only are they expensive to begin with, but you can’t get them easily refilled.   I remember that one manufacturer has changed its pricing model to make ink cheaper- but I can’t remember which one.  Regardless, my experience is to go with the Laser printers that use toner.  Skip color.  If you must have color, then get a cheap printer that can be used only when you must have a color print. 

To get a bottom line on cost of ink, go to this page.  Pick the cartridges that goes with the printers you are considering by checking the boxes and clicking the compare button near the top of the page.  For each, divide the cost by the number of printed pages number to get a cost per page.  Compare.

Lexmark is now offering a $4.99 black cartridge cost, with about a $30 cost for the three color cartridges.  However, you need to read this commentary.

Bottom Line

Get a Canon or Brother black toner All in One.  If you want color, keep a cheap inkjet around.  Wait for sales and you can get a terrific value.  Oh, use Cartridge World or some similar company to refill the toner cartridge.  The cartridges can be used over and over again.  Each refill of my Canon cartridge is about $60, but it lasts for well over 2000 pages, or 3 cents a page.  (I set my printer to “draft mode”, which is fine for most printing. )

Also, with the All in One scan function, perhaps half of what would normally be printed I don’t print at all.  Instead, I create a PDF and save it as a soft copy.  You can install a PDF printer by typing "cnet pdf printer" in your search engine.  The one I recommend is PrimoPDF.  

Straight Talk Cell Phone Service

Most of us are on some sort of cellphone plan that includes a reduced price on cell phones plus a (two year) contract.  In general, data service runs about $70-80 per month per phone.  There are some sharing options that can make two phones less expensive than 2x one phone.


Walmart offers a cell phone program called “Straight Talk”.  It doesn’t require a contract.  You can go to the website listed below for prices and conditions, but, in general, the cost is $35/mo for a limited amount of use -though probably set high enough that most of us wouldn’t reach the limit- and $45 for unlimited data and cellphone use.  This is all within the US.  However, if you buy a GSM phone, then you can slip in a SIM card for any country you visit.

I had some questions after I looked over the web site, which I sent on to the web site customer service.  The questions were:

1.  Can I use my own cell phone, like a blackberry?  Short answer:  NO.
2.  Does the company offer packages for more than 1 phone?  Short answer:  NO
3.  What service providers does the company actually use? See below. 

The reply from Straight Talk Customer Support:

As of the moment, Straight Talk does not offer any Joint Plans. You will
need to refill each phone with a Service Card/Plan. The Straight Talk
service cards are available at participating Wal-Mart retailers or on
our website at www.straighttalk.com.
Straight Talk Wireless products are set-up with a pre-paid feature and
we will not be able to combine another service provider's settings to
our phones. We are only able to activate handsets manufactured
specifically for Straight Talk Wireless.  You can purchase a Straight
Talk phone on our website at www.straighttalk.com/ShopPhones or at a
participating Wal-Mart retailer.
Upon checking on your ZIP Code 29356, it appears that the available
towers on your area are Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. We would like to
inform you that Straight Talk is using the CDMA and GSM technologies.
The Straight Talk phones that are under the CDMA network do not have a
SIM Card. These phones are powered by Verizon. However, the phones under
the GSM network have a SIM Card and they are powered by AT&T or
T-Mobile.
For any further questions or comments, please contact one of our
customer care representatives at 1-888-251-8163.  For your convenience,
our representatives are available Monday ? Sunday from 8:00 AM to 11:45
PM EST.  You can also visit the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
section on our website: http://www.straighttalk.com/FAQ

How to Print directly from a Droid

There is an app at Print Share.  May need to upgrade to the paid version ($4.95).  The link to that is Print Share Premium..  The features provided by the paid version over the unpaid version are:

*Direct print to WiFi and BT printers
*Direct print to PC-shared printers
*No page limit

The directions say to install the free version, try it out, and then buy the premium version when you need the additional features.  What you are buying is a key to unlock the additional features.