Issue 310 - September 22, 2004
ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2004
==== 1983 Subscribers in 58 Countries ====
Welcome to the 310th issue of the PC Improvement News. PCIN consists mainly
of news and tips. There is something for everyone, and if this is your first
issue, I'm sure there will be something for you. If you give me two or three
issues, I know that you will come back for more!
You can reach me at editor@pcin.net with
any suggestions or comments.
Recommend PCIN at http://PCIN.net/recommend.php
Support PCIN at http://PCIN.net/donate.php
CONTENTS
Opening Thoughts
Since I worked extra when Chris was away, I got some extra time off this past
weekend. I finally got around to posting some updated galleries on the family
web site. There is a gallery with a month's worth of pictures
of Andrew, a gallery with a month's worth of pictures
of Matthew, and a gallery with some pictures taken on Matthew's
Blessing day (you might look at this as the Mormon equivalent
to a christening).
Also, when I was finishing up the review last week for Email
Saver Xe 2.0, I noticed that the rating script for the reviews wasn't
working right. If you have tried to rate a review recently and got an error,
try again and it should work. In particular, the reviews for Newsgator
2.0 by Newsgator Technologies, CDBF
for Windows by WhiteTown Software, and Photoshop
Elements 2.0 plus Photoshop Album 2.0 by Adobe haven't been rated by
anyone.
Speaking of reviews, Chris finished a review for Flash
File Recovery by PanteraSoft. This is software that will recover files
from digital media. If you've ever lost some pictures (I lost pictures of
a trip to Buckhorn. I felt awful!) then you definitely need software like
this. Check out the Tips and Other Stuff section for
more details.
Graham editor@pcin.net and
Chris chris@pcin.net
The NEWS
More seniors taking plunge into Internet
"Jerry Seinfeld once joked about how his technophobe parents refused
to use the new TV he bought them for fear the remote would set the drapes
on fire.
Check with them again, Jerry. If you can catch them away from the computer.
A new Ipsos-Reid Corp. survey made public Monday reveals the use of Internet
by people age 55 and older has increased 12 per cent from the period last
year. According to the poll, six out of every 10 people in Canada in that
age group have Internet access, up from 48 per cent in 2003."
For more info:
http://www.canada.com/technology/story.html?id=1190f7b5-c1eb-49ab-8782-1819dd60f8df
Papers Defend Classified Turf
"Last year, more than $24 billion in goods were sold on eBay. While
that signifies that more people have an easy way to sell all manner of goods,
newspapers are watching their classifieds business get slowly eaten away.
Now, newspapers all across North America are finding they have a way to kill
several birds with one stone, thanks to a service from CityXpress, of Vancouver.
Many papers now conduct online auctions of their own, helping local retailers
sell products from auto parts to furniture and even land, while also building
new advertising relationships with those retailers and rebuilding some of
the business lost to the eBays and craigslists of the world. Beginning next
month, CityXpress will begin allowing its newspaper clients to open eBay-style
auctions on their sites in which any individual can sell nearly anything."
For more info:
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,65006,00.html
Ask Jeeves Gets Personal
"Ask Jeeves Inc. is getting personal with Web search and trying to
leapfrog its bigger competitors in the process.
The Emeryville, Calif., company on Tuesday launched a series of personalization
features for its search engine that let users store individual search results,
organize them and share them through a new MyJeeves service.
Ask Jeeves' personal push follows the launch last week of Amazon.com Inc.'s
A9.com search engine that focuses on customization. Search-engine analysts
expect other major search engines, such as Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc., to
soon follow suit with their own personalized search services."
For more info:
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1648985,00.asp
POLL of the WEEK
Last Week's Poll
Have tech 'gadgets' simplified your life?
Yes, in all aspects of my life |
|
13 % (11) |
Yes, in some aspects of my life |
|
65 % (55) |
No, they have added more confusion |
|
17 % (14) |
No, I don't use tech gadgets |
|
5 % (4) |
Total votes: 84 |
This Week's Poll
You can also vote online at http://PCIN.net/polls/
PCIN.net UPDATE
Check out these new or updated pages on the PCIN.net site:
Flash File Recover by PanteraSoft Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/flashfilerecovery.php
Email Saver Xe 2.0 by WinGuides Software Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/emailsaverxe2.php
Newsgator 2.0 by Newsgator Technologies Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/newsgator2.php
CDBF for Windows by WhiteTown Software Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/cdbf.php
Photoshop Elements 2.0 plus Photoshop Album 2.0 by Adobe Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/elementsplusalbum.php
THE TIPS and OTHER
STUFF
Windows XP SP2 Experiences
Recently a subscriber, Dean, emailed me asking me to get subscribers"to
write about problems caused by the SP2 download experience." I don't
think we have a large enough subscribe base to have some good meaningful
discussion about this. So if you are interested in these sorts of details,
I suggest that you visit the following web sites/newsletters:
Windows Secrets September 9 newsletter - http://windowssecrets.com/040909/
LangaList September 9 newsletter - http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2004/2004-09-09.htm
Fred Langa's InformationWeek column - http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=46200911
Scot Finnie's newsletter - http://www.scotsnewsletter.com/62.htm (see
the SP2 in the Real World section)
View Protected Storage in Windows
Protected
Storage is a way that Internet Explorer and other programs can save
usernames and passwords entered on web sites. These are usually stored
on a per user basis on your computer. I use it regularly for all sorts
of things. But if you go to a different computer and need to login to a
web site, you may not remember a password that was being automatically
entered for you. You need a way to read this information.
"Protected Storage PassView is a small utility that reveals the passwords
stored on your computer by Internet Explorer, Outlook Express and MSN Explorer.
The passwords are revealed by reading the information from the Protected Storage.
Starting from version 1.60, this utility reveals all AutoComplete strings
stored in Internet Explorer, not only the AutoComplete password, as in the
previous versions."
The software is free and can be downloaded at http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/pspv.html
PanteraSoft Flash File Recovery Software Review
"Digital camera memory cards are nearly indestructible, though that
does not mean that the images you store on them cannot be lost. All to often
pictures are accidentally erased or memory cards are formatted. Thanks to
Flash File Recovery by PanteraSoft, your valuable images may not be lost.
Flash File Recovery allows for the recovery of erased images from many different
types of media including Compact Flash, Smart Media, Secure Digital, Memory
Stick, Micro Drives and many more. It can also recover files from corrupt
and damaged media as well."
Read the full review at http://pcin.net/help/software/flashfilerecovery.php
PCIN.net AFFILIATED
SITES
Both of us have other sites other than PCIN.net. These are all sites that
we are actively involved in (they aren't client sites). Don't forget to check
them out from time to time for updates:
DISCLAIMER
and OTHER STUFF
PCIN is brought to you by Graham Wing. The opinions expressed are those of
the Editor, Graham Wing and the Assistant Editor, Chris Empey. Graham Wing
and Chris Empey accept no responsibility for the results obtained from trying
the tips in this newsletter.
- If any of the links are too long to fit on one line, you may have to cut
and paste.
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follow the appropriate links.
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be entered in a monthly draw.
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out the subscription form or asked me directly.
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Graham Wing can be reached at editor@pcin.net
Chris Empey can be reached at chris@pcin.net
Copyright 1998-2004, Graham Wing. All rights reserved.
This publication may be reproduced in whole, or in part, as long as the author
is notified and the newsletter is presented as is.
Support PCIN by visiting http://PCIN.net/donate.php
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