ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2006
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Welcome to the 401st 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.
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Enjoy the Summer Solstice!
Graham editor@pcin.net and Chris chris@pcin.net
Amazon starts selling groceries
Internet retailer Amazon.com has started selling groceries on its Web site, a cautious step into a business that was one of the biggest casualties of the dot-com collapse.
The service is limited to non-perishable goods such as cereal, pasta and canned soup, but Amazon can ship those items to any customer, unlike online grocers that only deliver to limited areas.
"Because we only carry products when we can offer great prices and free shipping, we don't carry everything (yet!)," the company said in a notice on its Web site (http://www.amazon.com).
Passwords still not taken seriously
The majority of administrative passwords in some of the world's largest corporations are stored in the heads of one or two IT staff or kept on paper, according to a survey by Cyber-Ark Software.
Of the 200 IT security professionals questioned at the Infosecurity event in London, 28 per cent revealed that they keep their administrative passwords in their heads and 38 per cent resort to writing them down on paper.
Bill Gates' Legacy: Microsoft's Top 10 Flops
The Chairman isn't always right.
While Microsoft's outgoing Chief Software Architect Bill Gates has been ahead of the curve in predicting many technology trends, he also has backed some notorious flops.
Now that Gates officially has announced plans to relinquish his day-to-day company responsibilities by July 2008, we thought it would be a good time to look back on some of the less popular products and technologies championed by Gates during his 31-year Microsoft tenure.
Some of these, like Microsoft BOB, have gone to their graves. But not one to retreat from what might look like a losing battle, Gates has continued to beat the drum for more than a few of the items on our "flops" list.
The iPod's Incredible Journey
It has come to define a generation. In just five years, Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) Latest News about Apple iPod has become one of the most popular and iconic gadgets around. More than two million people in Britain own one, and last year alone 22.5 million were bought worldwide: a phenomenal 61,644 a day.
The distinctive digital audio players, which can store thousands of songs, photos and even full-length films, have turned California-based Apple into one of the world's most profitable companies, earning founder Steve Jobs a US$3 billion fortune.
Last year Apple achieved a record billion-dollar profit, boosted by the launch of its latest nano model, which is the width of a pencil and weighs just 1.5 oz. A million nanos were sold in just 17 days, including one to Pope Benedict XVI.
Have you ever wondered where your iPod is made, and what's in it? The Mail on Sunday has traced the incredible journey an iPod makes from conception to completion.
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Bracket Your Exposure
Last week I discussed environmental portraits. We had one reader write asking us "What do you do to photograph an idle layabout?" You can read my answer when viewing the comments for the entry. Remember, if you have any questions or comments about any of the tips appearing here, please send me an email.
This week's tip is about bracketing your exposures. Hopefully you are using either manual mode or one of the priority modes of your camera (aperture of shutter) for some of your more critical photography. Bracketing is the process of purposely under exposing and overexposing your subject while also taking a photo at the metered exposure. The reason is simply to be sure you can get a good exposure from a hard to meter subject. You may do this manually in manual mode by adjust either your shutter speed or aperture up and down one value from it's proper exposure reading. For example, if your camera tells you that 1/60 at f8 is the proper exposure, then you could shoot 3 frames, 1/30 @ f8, 1/60 @ f8 and 1/120 @ f8. You may also have the ability to adjust exposure by adjust your EV (exposure value). For this, take your first shot, then make your second shot at an EV of -1, then your third of and EV of +1. Some camera also have an auto bracket mode that once set, will let you take three consecutive shots and the camera will automatically adjust the exposure for you.
As you become more aware of exposure, you can begin to bracket by smaller increments such as 1/2 or 1/3 stops.
In this case, a Large Yellow Lady's Slipper, I have bracketed my exposure in 1/3 stop increments. As this subject mostly filled the frame, I knew the lighting conditions were pretty easy to meter, however, the waxy texture of this particular orchid tends to produce a bright highlight which could throw the exposure off. The first image is 1/3 stop under exposed, the second is properly exposed, and the third is 1/3 stop over exposed. This series of three photos, while very simi liar, are different enough to show that the shot that was exposed at 1/3 of a stop over my meter reading is the best exposure.
Bracketing isn't necessary for every shot, but for those with tricky lighting situations such as when a bright object appears in the frame near the middle where it is likely trick your camera's light meter, or when the shot is important and you want to maximize your chances of making sure you have all the light values recorded that you need for a great exposure, bracketing is the way to go.
Next week I will talk about the quality of light as it relates to the size of your light source.
Leave a comment about this week's Digital Photography Tip of the Week...
The digital photography tip of the week is written by the PCIN Assistant Editor, Chris Empey. Chris is a long time photographer and is currently the President of the Niagara Falls Camera Club. You can see more of his photography at his Photo of the Day website.
If you have a tip to send Chris, or a question about digital photography he can address in the newsletter, send it to chris@pcin.net.
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Check out these new or updated pages on the PCIN.net site:
Update PCIN.net home page with "Top 10 Most Popular..." features
http://PCIN.net/Microsoft Digital Image Suite Plus Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/msdimagesuiteplus.phpOmega One Software Battery Pack Pro 2.1 Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/bpp2.phpMakayama Interactive DVD to Pocket PC 3.0 Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/dvd2ppc3.phpAdobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/elements40.php
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Computer books based on pictures, not text. Free.
FREE DOWNLOADS! For a limited time, In Pictures books can be downloaded for free. We think the best way to promote them is to let people try them. If you like them, spread the word!
Learn with pictures, not words.
In Pictures computer how-to books are based on pictures, not text.
Most computer books contain over 50,000 words. In Pictures books contain one-tenth as many.The books cover a wide range of topics such as Office 2003, OpenOffice, Windows XP, and more. The books are full of screen shots, so if you are a visual learner, this may be for you. Visit the In Pictures web site for more information and to download the PDFs.
Adobe Lightroom Beta 3 for Mac
This following press release arrived in my Inbox today:
Lightroom Public Beta 3.0 for Mac Now Available
Adobe Incorporates Early Testers' Feedback and Additional Raw File Support in Updated Beta
SAN JOSE, Calif. - June 13, 2006 - Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced an update to the public beta of Adobe Lightroom, an all-new digital imaging workflow solution for professional photographers that allows them to import, select, develop and showcase large volumes of images. The latest version adds features suggested by beta testers that allow greater control over export size and resolution, refined metadata selection with print output and RGB value readouts for greater editing precision.
Read the rest of the press release and/or leave a comment...
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Both of us have other sites other than PCIN.net. These are all sites that we are actively involved in (they aren't client sites). Don't forget to check them out from time to time for updates:
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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.
Graham Wing can be reached at editor@pcin.net
Chris Empey can be reached at chris@pcin.net
Copyright 1998-2006, Graham Wing. All rights reserved.
This publication may be reproduced in whole, or in part, as long as the author is notified and the newsletter is presented as is.
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