Hasta La Gadget!

This article was written on May 26, 2008 by CyberNet.

Microsoft/Mac Monday

In the past we’ve written about Windows Photo Gallery and what a great job Microsoft has done with it. Not only is it a great way to manage photos, but it is also helpful for “fixing” (cropping, removing red-eye, etc.) them as well. You can even use it to upload photos to popular photo-sharing site Flickr (Windows Live Photo Gallery only), now how convenient is that? To continue our series on comparing features from Mac computers with those you’d find if you’re using Windows Vista, we’ll be comparing Apple’s iPhoto with Windows Photo Gallery.

About Windows Photo Gallery

As you might expect, Windows Photo Gallery is a feature that is included with all versions of Windows Vista. There’s also Windows Live Photo Gallery which is a downloadable version available to those using Windows XP and Vista (it has more features than Windows Photo Gallery). Overall it’s a photo management tool but they’ve incorporated features like the option to edit, tag, and add captions.

Navigating Windows Photo Gallery is simple and most of it is done either at the top or in the left-side navigation bar. There are also a few controls at the bottom for moving along to the next photo or rotating a picture. Right from the gallery is the option to print your photos using the Print Wizard or ordering copies of the photo online. Users can create and view slide shows of their photos.

About iPhoto

iPhoto is a product of Apple and is part of the iLife suite of applications that all new Mac owners receive. iPhoto is supposed to help you organize, edit, print and share your photos. Like Windows Photo Gallery, they offer basic image editing tools like the option to remove red-eyes or crop and resize photos. Their organization system involves placing all photos into groups which they call “Events.”

Other Apple applications are incorporated into iPhoto like the option to import music from iTunes to incorporate into dynamic slideshows. You can edit those slideshows in iMovie or you can also burn them to DVD using iDVD right from iPhoto.

Disadvantages of using Windows Photo Gallery

One of the nice features about iPhoto is that there’s an option to create a book, calendar, or card, right from the application. This is something that Windows Photo Gallery does not offer, although they do offer the option to send your pictures to a company online for printing which may offer similar features. Below you’ll see an image of what you’d see if you were to make a book in iPhoto. You can choose various themes, background colors, a layout, and more. Once you’re done, you can buy the book and have it professionally printed.

Disadvantages of using iPhoto

Perhaps the complaints we list today with iPhoto are because we are used to the ways of “Windows” , but in general we like control over how things are organized and iPhoto somewhat takes away that privilege. iPhoto wants to manage all of your photo files (which is like iTunes – it wants to manage all of your music). This is probably fine for most people, but for those of us who like to have control over how things are organized (Power Users), this can prove to be frustrating, especially if you like using a folder/sub-folder structure. We’ll get into that a little later.

If you want to work with your photos, you have to import the images (which is the only way you can get them into iPhoto). iPhoto ends up copying all of the photos into it’s own directory which means that this method takes up more of your memory. I should mention that there is an option in the preferences under the “advanced” tab where you can uncheck “copy items to the iPhoto library” so that when you import photos it doesn’t actually copy the file into the iPhoto library. Instead it will show you a shortcut, but the only problem is if you move the location of the original photo then the shortcut is not going to work and in turn, the photos will not show up in iPhoto when you want to do something with them.

Another “disadvantage” as we see it is for those who have their own system for organizing photos. Using iPhoto requires getting used to the “Mac” way of doing things which is essentially letting the application take control over how things are organized so that you don’t have to worry about it. iPhoto ends up organizing photos by the year that they were taken. You also have no control over file names. If you import images directly from your camera, it will keep the same file names that your camera gave the photos which is usually just a bunch of letters and numbers. There is a batch change feature which allows you to change the name, and you can append a number to it, but it won’t change the actual file name. If you happen to have your pictures organized into folders and sub-folders, iPhoto will ignore any folder structure that you have and only uses the parent folder of where the images are located as the event name.

Yet another downside is that if you go to edit a photo, it doesn’t actually touch the original. In the iPhoto library is a “modified” folder where all of your modified photos are stored. It’s good in the sense that you can always go back, but when we edit photos, we like the original to be changed because that’s likely to be the one you’d want to access more frequently. Windows Photo Gallery always modifies the original in the location where it’s at which is convenient, and then it saves a copy of the original in its own folder which makes more sense.

Wrapping it up

After comparing iPhoto to Windows Photo Gallery, for our purposes Windows Photo Gallery is the winner because it provides the user with more control over the organization of the photos and is great for navigational purposes because your folder structure is available in the left side-bar.

So far we’ve taken a look at the following Leopard vs. Vista Comparisons:

• Vista and Leopard Search Features Compared
• Apple Front Row vs. Windows Media Center
• Windows Contacts vs. Address Book

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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This article was written on May 12, 2007 by CyberNet.

Weekend Website

I’m a pretty big fan of Wikipedia, and I visit there at least once a week.  Sure, the information isn’t always 100% accurate, but I think they do their best at keeping it a semi-reliable encyclopedia, and the tone is usually informational.

If you want the complete opposite of Wikipedia and a good laugh, checkout Uncyclopedia.  As they describe themselves, it’s “an encyclopedia full of misinformation and utter lies.” Sounds like a tabloid magazine, doesn’t it? It’s kinda like that, except better because it’s about topics that’ll probably interest you.

The very first I had heard of Uncyclopedia was in the CyberNet forum where Pieter cautioned readers saying “Warning: this site can decrease your productivity.” He also says that they’re politically incorrect, use sarcasm, and are actually funny. I couldn’t agree more, and that’s exactly the reason it’s enjoyable to go there and look around.

With over 23,347 different articles written in English that are open for anybody to edit, and knowing that the intent of the site is to be incorrect and sarcastic, there’s a lot of funny material that will keep you glued to your computer.

If you don’t know where to start, just go to Uncyclopedia and click “Random” in the left sidebar. You’re bound to find something that will give you a good laugh eventually. Below are some technology related topics and a small sample from the topic page for your enjoyment:

– Windows XP : How to Secure Windows XP– 1.  Switch to Linux 2.  Yer…that’s it. 3. Put fireworks in your CD tray.

– 40 fun things to do at Best Buy – #1 off of this list is (you really should read the whole list, it’s pretty entertaining):

When an employee approaches you to ask if you need help finding anything as if you’re freakin’ four or something, speak extremely broken English in third person with a low voice, except when you’re saying what you need, which you should say perfectly and in your normal voice. *Tip: make the thing you need very technical-sounding.* (i.e. “Hey, need help finding anything today?” “Ya, [your name] reeeely, reeely needzerz aerh bahnd nay-ewgeegoo HP Pavilion Laptop Computer witna ahbai Intel Dual-Core Processor. Undu makey itz cumpooortibuhb wiba Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition unsdper Microsoft Windows Vista Beta dooopoabgz *snorrt*.). It’s great.

– Unnecessary iPod Accessories – examples:

• iStink: The First iPod to Double as an iDeoderant.  Be prepared for unrelenting female attention and or late nights.
• iVirus: Causes any iProduct to malfunction, displaying iSuck on the screen.
• iBlind: All your favorite songs in braille.
• iFart: What you lookin’ at?

– Evil Empire – Google’s famous phrase is “Don’t be evil,” so it makes sense that by searching for Google, the returned result is “do you mean evil empire?” And by clicking on Evil Empire, it says “You may be looking for Google and not even know it.”

The examples above came specifically from their technology section, but they have any topic imaginable just like any encyclopedia would. One of the best ways to discover the best material besides the random feature listed above, is to use their “Best of” section. It’s their list of the best of the best.

Thanks Pieter for posting this in the Forum!

Visit Uncyclopedia – Have you come across some funny pages that you think others will get a good laugh from? Include it in the comments below!

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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This article was written on September 04, 2006 by CyberNet.

Million Dollar Monday

Part of the Simplicity brand of Philips, the latest futuristic message board “In Touch” is bound to provide you with the ultimate way to share information, news, or pictures with family and friends. It is the family message board of the 21st century! No more post-it notes, or white boards for leaving messages.

So what is the In Touch message board? It is a mirror, but not just an ordinary mirror.  It transforms itself from a mirror to a touch screen message center.  Messages can be viewed in a text or video format.  Uniquely implemented,  the photo feature includes family pictures which then can be used as a method of sending messages.

It works by using a stylus which opens up a drawing space.  From there you’re able to record a video message, or even a text message. You can send either MMS or  SMS messages which are created when a text box opens up– using a stylus to create a message. After the message is ready to be sent, you’d use your finger to drag the text box or video message over to the photograph of the person the message is to be sent to. When it’s been delivered, you receive a confirmation stamp. Messages can be left right on the mirror or sent remotely.

When you receive any type of message whether it be voicemail, text, or a picture, all that is needed to activate a message is to touch the image of the message you’re wanting to read or view.  The CEO of Royal Philips Electronics says the simplicity line including In Touch is important and needed because

Somewhere along the way, the promise of the digital revolution to make our lives easier, simpler, better is not being delivered. In fact, in many respects, it’s only made life more complicated.

Is the touch screen method of communication becoming a “trend” or the latest of the greatest to have? At the CES show this past January, Bill Gates said in the next four years this style of communication will take off.  It will be the technology we have in our households to keep track of family and their schedules, communicate,  and keep ourselves updated on the news. Click here to view the demonstration that Bill Gates gave.  The video clip will automatically open in Windows Media Player.  Forward to 11:25 into the clip to view the actual demo.

I haven’t come across any price estimates for the “In Touch” however I would imagine it will be a costly toy that few will initially have. The idea seems like a simple, useful concept that many would be able to benefit from.  I don’t know about you, but I’d like to look up and see something like that hanging on my wall!

News Source: TrendHunter via BornRich

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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This article was written on September 22, 2006 by CyberNet.

Free For All Friday

If you’re looking for an easier, faster, more efficient way to browse the web, take a look at Cooliris. It is a free browser extension available (with different capabilities) for IE, Firefox, and Safari, that will  allow you to preview the content underlying each link before you click. Off hand, I can think of several reason this is such a useful tool, one of them being the simple time factor.  If you’re frequently searching the web, Cooliris will definitely save you a good chunk of time!

Go take a look at their website for a demo on how it works.  Their slogan is “why click?” which is certainly a good question.  Why click on a link that could potentially be a dead link when you don’t need to?  How many times while you’re searching the web do you come across dead links? For myself, it’s a few too many.  Using Cooliris, I can hover over a link to see what the content of that link holds.  If it’s a dead link or irrelevant to what I’m searching for,  I don’t have to waste my time clicking to find it out. I found it especially useful when I was searching Google for images because many times the images they display aren’t valid. 

–Features Specifically for Cooliris Previews 1.8 for Firefox –

They’ve recently released v1.8 with a good list of updates and improvements.  I downloaded it (in just a few seconds) and began giving it a test drive before writing up this article.  All in all, I’m definitely impressed, and I think you will be too. Here’s a quick run-down on the latest Firefox version.

1. Hover your mouse over any link (web links, images, and videos), and a preview window will appear to show you the underlying content.  (Thus far, I haven’t come across a website where it doesn’t work)
2. If you like the content, you’re able to send it to a friend from the preview window (no email necessary).
3. Right-click on any phrase on any webpage, and Cooliris will automatically do a subsearch in Google, Wikipedia, as well as others.
4. Enable/Disable Cooliris

– Enable/Disable Cooliris –

In particular, the enable/disable feature is one of the most useful aspects of the extension.  You can manually disable the feature for a particular tab, or you’re also given enable/disable preferences.  those preferences include:

•  Pre-fetch websites: If you’re using a dial-up connection this may be useful, otherwise I see no purpose for it, so I left it disabled.  I tried using Cooliris with pre-fetch enabled as well as disabled, and I really didn’t notice a difference in speed.
• Default enable: This is if you’re wanting every tab to have the extension enabled by default. 
• Global disable:  I set this as my preference, just because I want control over when I want to be using the extension.  Sometimes it’s really not necessary to have it enabled and will just slow me down.  When I’m browsing the web, looking for images, etc. I’ll most certainly enable Cooliris to save myself some time.

The image above is a screen shot of what happens when a preview is displayed.  I went to Google, typed in tech.cybernetnews, then after the restuls were displayed, I hovered over the link and got a pop-up preview image of the site before any clicking was involved.

All in all, Cooliris is a useful, helpful program that while doing some serious web browsing, will save you a good chunk of time.  It’s the first time I’ve been able to think of a “pop-up” as helpful and useful.   It makes me wonder though, how long do you think it will be until Google or Microsoft or anyone else for that matter will make their own versions?

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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This article was written on August 30, 2008 by CyberNet.

Weekend Website

Over the last couple of years, Remember the Milk has done a great job of making a name for themselves. We wrote about them for the first time almost exactly two years ago and described them as a free, simple task manager. At that point they were still in beta and even then they had come a long way. As they approach their three year anniversary which is coming up in October, we thought we’d take another look at the service which has made a big difference in how people manage their task lists.

Remember the Milk has a whole list of official services which you can view here. Those services range from Remember the Milk (RtM) for Twitter to a Mobile Version which makes for easy management of your tasks on the go. Today we’ll be covering four official RtM services available including the Mobile Version, RtM for Netvibes, Gmail, and Twitter.

Mobile Version

Many people who have mobile phones also use them for browsing the Internet. RtM has a fairly nice mobile version available, for free by visiting m.rememberthemilk.com.

We decided to put the mobile version to the test, and it’s pretty nice. As an iPhone user, one of the first downsides I noticed is that they use numbers as shortcuts for accessing the various menus. Because a key pad isn’t available to me, I’m not able to, for example, press 1 to view today’s tasks.

If you have a phone with a physical key-pad, the mobile version of Remember the Milk will benefit you the most.

Here are a few features accessible to you:

• Add new tasks and notes
• Edit existing tasks and notes
• Search your tasks
• View tasks by list or tag

Netvibes

Netvibes has become a pretty popular personalized start page, similar in purpose to iGoogle and My Yahoo!. Remember the Milk has created a Netvibes module so that users can manage their tasks right from their Netvibes start page.

All you have to do to add the Netvibes module to your page is click here.

Like the mobile version, it is pretty full-featured with the option to add and edit tasks, review your overdue tasks, and search for them as well. Above is a screenshot which shows you what the module looks like on your page.

For Gmail...

With the help of a Firefox extension, Remember the Milk can be viewed right from Gmail. Ryan wrote about this back in December when it was first introduced and said it made RtM the task manager service on the Internet.

This Remember the Milk extension takes advantage of the Greasemonkey functionality that Google introduced in Gmail 2 and will allow you to manage all of your tasks in a sidebar to the right of your Inbox. You can add, remove, and organize your tasks, without ever leaving Gmail.

Another nice feature is that you can connect tasks with your mail. RtM can automatically create a task when you star a message or apply a specific label to it. This is something you can enable in your settings.

For Twitter…

Remember the Milk for Twitter is actually more amazing than it seems at first glance. If you regularly use Twitter, you can very easily, with the help of commands, update and maintain your entire list of to-do’s. And because Twitter can be updated via SMS, you can keep your to-do list up-to-date with the help of your mobile phone.

To use this feature, follow these steps:

1. Sign up for Twitter if you haven’t already
2. Add RtM as your friend on Twitter, this is essential
3. From there interact with your task list using commands

This is one of those features that can really increase your productivity, and it’s nice because you can also receive task reminders as direct messages to your Twitter account if you so choose.

Here’s an example of a command you can use. Say you’re getting ready to leave for work, but before you do, you’d like to see the tasks that you need to complete. From the direct message page on Twitter, you can send the following command: !today. Once the command has been sent, you’ll get a Twitter message with the tasks that need to be completed. If you were on your mobile phone, the command you would enter would be d rtm !today.

Wrapping it up…

Today we talked about just four of many services that Remember The Milk Offers. If you are in need of a way to keep yourself organized, we’d suggest trying out RtM, and then taking a look at a list of services they offer. They can’t be beat!

Remember The Milk

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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